The Sun.
London, England, 1871-01-13 00:00:00

IHE SUN, LONDON FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 1871.

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Childers went on the fortnight's cruise with
the Reserves in 1869. The right hon, gentleman
ha; now been ill for a very considerable time, but in •
spite of a protracted delicacy, the First Lord has
continued to do the State great service, and the
cartoon in this week's Punch where Neptune tAls
Brittania all is safe outside of England, pretty
plainly represents the general feeling with respect to
the success of Mr. Childers's work. The salary of
the First Lord of the Admiralty. is D 1,500 a year.

THE MEMBERS FOR NOTTINGHAM.
Even Mr. Seely, M.P., who, according to his
biographer liod, is in favour of "strict economy in
the national expenditure," rejoices over the energy
now being displayed at all her Majesty's dock-
yards. In company with Mr. Auberon Herbert,
M .P., he addressed the electors of Nottingham
on Wednesday, and assured them that what England
wanted to make her defence complete was an effi-
cient fleet, and he thought she might defy the com-
bined Powers of " Rugiia, Prussia, and France " with
the fleet she had at present on the seas and in process
of building. It is hardly probable that the combined
powers of "Prussia and France" will attack us ; but
Mr. Seely, perhaps, has private information on this
subject. It will not do to be censorious when one
agrees in the main with what another man says.
Mr. Auberon Herbert, who delivered his maiden
inter-sessional speech, thought the introduction of
"vigorous Radical blood" was necessary in the
Gtbinet, and strongly urged the expediency of
England striving to form a "great Anglo-Saxon
unity with the people of America."
THE ROYAL HUMANE SOCIETY.
At the half-yearly court of the Royal Humane
Society, which was held recently, on the question of
recommending persons for the silver medal of the
society, Mr. Grey inquired whether they could
grant the medal "to the name of a person
who had lost his life in seeking to save
the lives of others, as he thought it
should be granted to the late Mr. John Walter; who
lost his life at Bearwood. Some doubts were ex-
pressed, however, as to the feasibility of this scheme,
and accordingly Mr. Grey moved a resolution beariqg
on the subject. This set forth the recognition by
the society of the gallant conduct of Mr. Walter,
who lost his life in endeavouring to rescue
his brother and cousin, and regretted that
by his untimely eni, the Society as prevented from
awarding him its silver medal. This was carried
unanimously, as was also a supplementary motion to
the effect that the above resolution be entered on the
books and a copy of it forwarded to Mr. Walter, the
father of the deceased, together with an expression
of condolence. The Duke of Argyll wes re-elected
president of the Society. It appears that in the case
of this, as of all other societiLs, subscriptions have
come in slowly during the year.
OVER RIDING.

The question of over-riding horses during a hunt
is causing much consternation among sporting men.
The secretary for the Prevention of Cruelty to Ani-
mals writes to say that the charge against the
Middleton Hunt was not for killing two horses, but
for' over-riding" them. The evidence taken befcre
the Yorkshire magistrates certainly provei that the
two horses, Spectre and Naylor, had made a long
run at their last merry meeting, and had
wound it up by falling over, with their pulses,
according to veterinary testimony, at 70, and their
breathing hardfetched and irregular. From all this,
however, there arises the question, can a horse at a
hunt be overridden at all? In the field the animals
prick up their ears, and, if any good, aro just as
anxious to try and lead the race "all the way and
home "as their riders. In the case of the Middleton
Hunt it has certainly been shewn that the horses
were what is called aged. One was very aged, being
no less than eighteen years old, the other was eight.
Here another difficulty presents itself, this time in favor
of the society, who may well ask why were such old
animals brought to the meet at all, if there was
a chance of a " stiff" cross-country run. In this the
real cruelty seems to be apparent, but unfortunately
the society traced their indictment from a different
stage of the affair.

MARINE INSURANCE.
A question of some interest to marine insurers
has been raised in the Court of Queen's Bench. The
policy was to insure the freight of a vessel on a
voyage from Liverpool to Laos, on the coast of
Africa, and back, with a return cargo of commodities,
which was to be loaded at Lagos. The freight was settled
at a lump sum of £5OO, and the policy was. made to
assure this. The clause in the policy differed from
the usual form, and specified the insurance was to
commence on the freight of goods from the loading
of the goods on board the ship, and should continue
until they were safely landed and discharged. The ship
arrived atLagos and anchored in the roads,which,it was
admitted would constitute an arrival at Lagos, and a
cargo was provided all ready to be shipped, but the
ship was not at the place where a cargo could be
loaded. She twice attempted to get could
be
bar of the harbour, and on the second occa-
sion she stranded and was lost. The question
thereupon was raised whether te insured
was entitled to recover by the terns of
policy, the goods which formed the return cargo not
having been loaded. A rule was granted to raise
and determine the question, the point being as to the
effect produced by the variation in the terms of the
policy, and the decision cf the case will be looked for
with some interest by the mercantile marine.

UTILITY MEN.
The public will be amused at the paradoxical
enlightenment furnished at the Liverpool County
Cone.; on Tuesday by a theatrical performer, who
sought to recover money f)r services due to him
by the manager of the Theatre Royal in that town.
The plaintiff informed the judge that he was en-
gaged as a " utility " man, and when asked the cha-
racter of the occupation said it consisted in playing
small parts. "He was engaged as a utilitarian." The
defendant however contended that the man was not
what he had represented himself to be,
and he therefore was not entitled to the claim
for his services. He added that he had reduced
the man from " "to general utility. No one
was entitled to the position of utilitarian unless he
could take any part in the play of " Hamlet " alter
the principal characters. Judgment was given for
the plaintiff in a very small sum, who seemed to be-
lieve that he was fully equal to utility in all its

rial)SeS.