The Sun.
London, England, 1870-08-26 00:00:00

AID FOR THE WOUNDED.

A branch of the Internationni Association for Aid to
the Sick and Wounded in War has been formed in Fife-
shire, with the I?,arl and Countess _Rosalyn, of Dysart
House, as joint conveners. In a stirring appeal to the
public, hie lordship points out that the rapid succession of
actions between the two armies has been attended with
such appalling results that the existing staffs of nurses
and attendants are totally unable to meet the demand of
the wounded.

At a • public meeting held at Manchester yester-
day, which was called by the Mayor, an influential com-
mittee was appointed to receive subscriptions for the
rzlief of the French and Germans wounded, to be dis-
tributed impartially. _ _ _

A meeting of ladies has been convened by the Mayor of
Coventry to secure local aid for the sick and wounded in
war. The city has been divided into districts, and since
Monday afternoon, when the work of collecting began,
the sum of £2OO 16s. has been collected. Yesterday after-
noon it was resolved to expend £75 in bandages, and send
£lOO of the balance to the London comm;ttee, to be used
in the purchase of surgical instruments.
At Liverpool also a meeting was held yesterday at the
Town Hall, the Mayor presiding, to make arrangements
for raising a fund on behalf of the sick and wounded
s)1 tiers of the belligerent armies. The funls raised will
be handed over to the National Society for the aid of the
Sick and Wounded. The thyor of Liverpool presided at
the meetittg.

An influential meeting was held in Cork yesterday, for
collecting funds to aid the wounded French soldiers. The
chief resolution was moved by Mr. Maguire, M.P., and
3,,conded by Mr. Murphy, M.P. It declared that Ire-
land was bounl by motives of gratitude and hamanity to
sympathise with the gallant French nation in this hour of
trial. Arrangements for a public sabscription were made.
Two donations of £3OO each ware given on the spot. The
speakers complained bitterly of the hostile tone adopted
by the English press towards the French people. Alder-
man Sullivan predicted that the day of retribution would
come, and Fre,nce would take vengeance.

At a meeting of the General Belief Committee of the
University and town of Cambridge, held at the Guildhall
yesterday, the Mayor reported that the subscriptions
already obtained to the fund amount to more than £4OO,
besides a large quantity of material, in the shape of lint,
bandages, &c. The committee meets daily, and a very
active Ladies' Committee has been organised, and is can-
vassing zealously for materials. The Mayor of Cam-
bridge, Mr. C. Balls, has addressed a letter to the clergy
and ministers of all denominations, suggesting that where
practicable, collections should be made in the
churches and chapels in aid of the fund, and it is
understood that this suggestion will be generally complied
with on Sunday next,
A meeting of the citizens of Ely was held yesterday,
the Venerable Archdeacon Emery in the chair, at which
a number of the dignitaries of the cathedral and inhabi-
tants of the city were present. A series of resolutions
were unanimously carried, pledging the meeting and the
city and neighbourhood to local efforts to render aid to
the sick and wounded of the Prussian and French armies.
A large and influential committee was appointed, con-
sisting partly of gentlemen and partly of ladies. Arch-
deacon Emery accepted the post of treasurer. A sub-
scription was at onco entered into, and a depot opened at
the Shire Hall for materials. _ _ _ . .

A meeting was also held at Wisbeach, for the Isle of
Ely, the Mayor in the chair. A subscription was resolved
upon. A committee was formed of the leading clergy and
laymen, as well as Nonconformists, and a subscription
started in the room.

THE BOILER EXPLOSION NEAR LEICESTER
The adjourned inquest on the bodies of the persons
killed by the boiler explosion at Mr. J. W. Stableford's
brickworks, Colville, near Leicester, on the 13th instant,
was concluded last evening. The killed were Alfred
Orton, Frank Underwood, William Davis, and Joseph
Armstead. It was proved that the boiler was made in
18G0 for Whitwick Colliery Company, who in April last
sold it to Stableford, when it had added to it a safety
spring valve, also a safety plug over the furnace, but the
valve was very defective, and too small for the size of the
boiler. The boiler would be safe up to fifty or sixty
pounds pressure, but at the time of the explosion steam
was greatly in excess of pressure, and the spring balance
at the end of the lever would indicate fifty pounds prese
sure at the time. The pressure in the boiler was actually
eighty.three pounds, and before the valve could afford
much relief the pressure would reach to over one hundred
pounds. The boiler was shewn to have been three-
parts full of water shortly before the explosions,
which was attributed to the valves not being of proper
dimensions for the steam generated by large surface
boilers exposed to the furnace. Tho boiler had never been
worked over 40 pounds. It was stated that the boiler
gave. way at the angle plate of the outer shell. The
steam could not have blown off at the time of the explo-
sion, and the safety valve was not locked. The jury
returned a verdict that the explosion resulted from over
pressure, occasioned by the safety valve being too small,
and out of order. Deaths were accidental ; but the jury
recommended that Mr. F. Stableford should employ
more experienced hands in working the engine for the
future ; and that a more competent person should inspect
the engine that may hereafter replace the one exploded,
both before it is worked, and when in operation.

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... 3

BEGGING-LETTER IMPOSTORS.
For two years Mr. and Mrs. Henry M. Wheeler have
been in genteel apartments at Weymouth, living well, and
getting into tradesmen's debt ; ho representing himself to
be au author. The police knew them as begging-letter
impostors, but would not prosecute, Recently Mrs.
Wheeler wrote to Mrs. Shipley Twyford Morris, Man-
chester. Inquiries by a friend led to as reply being sent ;
and when the postman delivered the letter, both prisoners
were apprehended. Many copies of piteous letters were
found, with Court, clerical, and country families' direc-
tions ; lists of persons applied to, and results , two
volumes of autographs cut from letters, including names
of archbishops, bishops, lords, ladies, and distinguished
and benevolent persons. The dates extended over ten
years. The appeal represented the wife as benefiting by
Nottington's Spa Waters ; Wheeler was soon to start to
Sydney, where he was to be assistant-missionary. The
Dorchester magistrates sentenced Wheeler to three
mottle imprkouroant. The NO was discharged.

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... 2

The new edition of Mr. Walford's County
Families" is just published by Hardwicke, of Piccadilly.
It is dedicated, by permission, to His Royal Highness the
Prince of Wales, who figures in its pages as a Norfolk
landowner,
WORKMEN'S INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION,
AGRICULTURAL HALL.—The number of visitors, exclusive
of season ticket holders, exhibitors, and others, yesterday
was 6,526.
A LARGE SHARE OF CONSCIENCE MONEY.—The
Chancellor of the Exchequer acknowledges the receipt of
the first halves of notes for £l9O, from "D.E.F.," on
account of income tax.

At a public meeting held on Wednesday, in Not-
tingham, Lord Belper presiding, it was resolved to invite
the Royal Horticultural Society to hold their 1871 exhi-
bition in Nottingham. It is confidently believed the in-
vitation will be accepted.
The marriage of Sir Patrick K. Murray, Bart., and
Miss Frances Murray, was solemnized at Crieff, in Scot-
land, on Tuesday.

i the Chamber FRENCH
ofD Deputies CHAMBER.p
A good deal of interest SCENt
ilexircvieuteebsddebaeyyn'tshvseecrepyneetltle;oinsnPresented, most of which rpeesatr
referredws
as
to, the war or the arn_ling of the National Guard. When
these were ended, M. Jules Simon rose t Luthias question
sentj' would reply.
twhehoGwoevreerliment was extremely
to the Minister of the Interior. He hp or absence,
Mee(lpinrotishvtlae.:ll'osning of P at a moment when
thatHe
solicitous
wasthee oftnowvr
the
the capital was hourly menaced w ch the arrival of the
enemy before its walls. (Loud r r Aests.)
M. Arago : It is necessary t 1: at Paris should no longer
be deluded. It should be known that the enemy may be
here in a day or two. (Murmurs.)
31. Jules Simon ; When I speak of the probability of
Mge, Ido not say the thing is pertain. (Cheers.) I say
-4v It Is possible. ("Yes ! yes !") But as it is possible, it
°"O ,4qt3r•to be as well prepared as if it were certain.
is our
' Ido not speak of the armament of Paris,
(Applause.) -
" t I said I was convinced that the
but of its provisio- 111F1 '
was the object of administrative
provisioning of the city:
solicitude. But there is an:.
4* .t. question connected with
it. There are in Paris, as in al; C.,hay places threatened
with a siege, useless mouths. Familie.! can easily send to
the departments those members which and incapable of
service in war time ; and I am convinced that if the
Government appealed to the railway companies, they
would transport gratuitously into the provinces women,
children, and men incapable of aiding in the defence of
Paris, on condition that they can shew that they can find
means of livelihood elsewhere in France. (Loud applause.)
M. Duvernois (Minister of Agriculture and Commerce):
M. Jules Simon has truly said that, without predicting
the siege of Paris, it is the first duty of all to prepare for
it. If this duty be incumbent on all, it is specially so on
the Minister of Commerce, whose duty it is to secure the
provisionment of Paris, and I thank M. Simon for trust-
ing our energy and our foresight. All necessary measures
have been vigorously taken. (Cheers.) His remarks
about useless mouths are wise and practical, and the
Government agrees with them. (Loud cheers.)
M. Glais Bizom : I ask not only that the Government
should relieve Paris of useless mouths. but that it should
not allow wounded men who are not Parisians to be
brought there, nor establish hospitals. (Loud murmurs.)
Several districts have complained of this. The wounded
who do not belong to Paris should be sent to their own
districts, which would be better for themselves and for
the population: (Murmurs.)
M. Jules Simon : When I propose that all useless
mouths should be sent out of Paris, of course I implied
that none must enter, but with regard to the wounded,
they have exceptional rights, and France does herself
honour in receiving wounded strangers. (Loud
applause.)i
M. Arago: Just now the question was the provision-
ment of Paris, which ought to engross all attention. I
think it desirable at this moment to bring under notice
the peculiar position of those numerous populations
which are neither in Paris nor in the militaq circle, who
are under the fire of the Paris forts, and will be the first
exposed to the enemy's fire. For instance, the town of
Saint Denis will certainly be besieged. It must be put
in a position to defend itself. I ask the Government to
watch carefully over the provisioning of these popula-
tions. (" Quite right.")
The Minister of Commerce : They have not been for-
gotten. I will confer with the Defence Committee re-
specting their provisionment, but first we must know
where to place them in safety.
M. Lefebure : I ask the Cabinet if it has been able to
take the necessary measures for mitigatinc, the unfortu-
nate situation of the peoples of higher Alsace who are
not yet invaded, but who have the enemy close to them.
I am sure the Government, like the Chamber, are most
solicitous respecting these populations who are French at
heart, and who are earnestly desirous of remaining
French. (Loud applause.) Now they are threatened
with seeing their soil invaded from day to day. I hope
neither the Government, the Chamber, nor the country
will recoil before any sacrifice in order to maintain the
absolute integrity of the territory—(prolonged applause
on all the benches)—and that we shall not lay down our
arms until we have baffled and conquered the foreigner.
(Renewed cheers.) _

The Viscount de La Tour : We ought not to surrender
an inch of French soil. (" No, no.")
The Minister of Commerce : The Government warmly

coincides in the words just spoken. As for the measures
to be adopted to relieve the sufferings of Upper Alsace,
M. Lefebure knows how earnestly the Government have
been communicating with the Alsatian representatives.
M. Tachard asked leave to speak.
The Minister of Commerce : I will reply to M.
Tachard's observation beforehand. He wishes to see an
arrangement on the Eastern Railways by which the
commercial towns of Alsace could circulate their pro-
ducts. This would not be possible in all cases, though
the Government is neglecting nothing.
M. Tachard : We asked the Minister five days ago to
add goods vans to passenger trains, but no measure of the
kind has been taken, and the Eastern Company positively
refuse to carry goods.
The Minister of Commerce : The Eastern Com-
pany are devoting all their efforts to fulfil the
duty imposed on them by the state of war.
Whenever these mixed trains are possible they shall be
used. (" Very well.")
M. Keller : Besides individual interests, there is the
defence of the country. The department of Upper
Alsace has not been invaded, but it is in the vicinity of
the enemy. The people demand the organisation of the,
National iauard, of the Garde Mobile, and of the sharp-
shooters. They want arms. The danger has lasted
for two days, but nothing has been done These towns
and villages are in no way disposed to follow the example
of Nancy. ("Very true.") These inhabitants are ready to
testify with their blood the sincerity of their desire to re-
main French. They ask for arms, for means of resisting
audacious invasion. Let them not be refused.

The Viscount Drouot : I have already entreated the
Government to take heed to the people of Alsace and.
and Lorraine, and especially of La Meurthe. It was be-
cause the town of Nancy was without arms that it was
invaded by a handful of Prussians.
M. Jules Favre : We asked for the organisation of the
National Guard before the war. You would not permit
it ! (Murmurs.)
M. Brame (Minister of Public Instruotion) : Without
saying anything of the state of things when we acceded to
office, we are ready to make known what we have done in
these few days.
M. Tachard : Nothing has been done in the Haut Rhin.
The Minister : We have adopted most energetic mea-
sures. ,Commissioners have started for 'all the depart-
ments. (Interruptions.)
The Minister : Everything cannot be done at once.
The Ministers of War and of the Interior are away
absorbed in the organisation of the national defences. It
will, therefore, be Impossible to enter upon the discussion
of the armament question. I can only assure you that all
necessary measures have been taken, and that the greatest
despatch will be employed.
M. Tachard I do not question the goodwill of the
Cabinet, but I wish to say that at Belfort and the Haut
Rhin there is a number of guns, and yet no arms have
been distributed to the inhabitants.
The Minister : I wish to suggest that it is unadvisable
. .

to make compromising statements in these discussions.
M. Gambetta : It is very true that when a country like
France passes through the most painful part of her his-
tory, there may be a time when silence is desirable, but
there way be a time also when it is desirable to
speak. We cannot consent to the chosing
which the Minister desires, because it is not
a suitable thing for the country in the middle of its
axieties and anguish. (Renewed interruptions on several
benches.) If you have no sufferings: you have drawn the
stranger upon the soil of the country. (Loud approbation
of the Left, and cries of " Order.")
M. le President de Talhouet : M. Gambetta hears the
protests that his words call forth.
M. Girault; Yes, we wish to protest ; we have kept
silent too long.
M. Rousin : This is not a discussion ;it is an insult.

M. Vendre : And the greatest insult that can be offered
to a Chamber.
A Voice : It is civil war.
M. le President ; The country must not be troubled by
such language,.
M. Gambetta : Civil war, do they call it? For my
part, I have always condemned the means which were not
sanctioned by law, and on a recent occasion pronounced
words which did not allow you. (Exclamations.)
M. Jubinal : You are performing the work of a Prus-
sian gun ; you are firing upon France.
M. Dalloy : Call upon the country.
M. Gambetta complained of the interruption he had
met with, and said that a seditious character had been
imputed to his language. For the last week, he continued,
news has been given to us with a great reserve, and we
are not in a position when words will not suffice for us ;
patriotism does not consist in filling people's minds with
illusions, but in teaching them how to face the enemy, to
repel him, or to bury themselves under the ruins.
Several voices : We are ready
M. Quesne : Some of us have four sons on the frontier.
M. Aim° ; Do not be afraid, then, to arm Paris.
M. Gambetta : Yes, you are patriots. lam willing to
admit that, but there are different opinions on the same
subject. We have adopted a wrong course, and our silence
has concealed events from us. I feel convinced that with-
out being aware of it the country is approaching an abyss.
(Loud exclamations,)
The President proposed that the discussion should be
closed, for it was an unsuitable one.
M. Gambetta No discussion can be more useful than
that which points out the situation to us.
M. Jerome de Champagny : And makes it known to
the enemy.
M. Gambetta : The enemy knew it long ago ; it was
you send the we who were ignorant of it !
take in my meaning.
Coun-
cillors lmi Aro
Gambetta
at° a :t
eWi:netaesttkhtehf oerrea arms,
soamn departments.ids
I wish the people of Paris to learn their position.
The President : The Government cannot be interpel-
lated when the greater part of the Ministers are absent.
M. Gambetta : But the Government is here and must
answer us.
The President : The closing of the discvssion is pro-
nounced.
M. PellatAn : I wish to protest against so dangerous a
precedent. The rule does not allow a speaker to be
interrupted unless J has been twice called to order.
The President have repeatedly warned the speaker
that he was wanaering from the point under discussion,
and not acting in accordance with the feeling of the
Chamber.

On the sth of September Mdlle. Nilsson and suite
leave Liverpool in the Cunard steamer Cuba for New
York, to fulfil a professional engagement in the United
States.

A Dublin contractor received an order from the
French Government on Tuesday for one thousand
tierces of pork, but it is understood that the order
could notl be7csiried out,wthis amount not being obtain-
able.