The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-28 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY
_EVENING, JULY 28, 1846.

This evidence may safely be left to the public to
form their own conclusions on; for our own part we
cannot hesitate for a moment in expressing our con-
currence with the deductions of Mr. WILSON. We
do not mean to say that the other gentlemen were
influenced by improper motives in the evidence they
gave, far from it; but we must say that their state-
ments do not carry with them the same conviction
which is forced on the mind by that of Mr. WILSON.
We cannot doubt but that, after this investigation,
active steps will be taken to abate this nuisance,
to do away with the atrocious and abominable system

in
toto. Under any circumstances, it hai been proved
:o be most injurious in its effects, ruining to all in-

ents and purposes the unfortunate victim. All au.

thorities concur in stating that there is no hope for
the reformation and amendment of the man who has
once been subjected to the lash ; his self-respect is
gone for ever, and he finds at once his bane and anti-

dote in habits of intoxication. Nay, more, he becomes
anxious to reduce others to the same level with himself.

He becomes the tempter, the seducer of the young
soldier. He laughs at the cat, and exhibits a
hardened and reckless indifference to all the influences
by whicli he might be acted on, if not thoroughly'
abased and degraded. The system cannot continue ;
justice, humanity forbid it. But the public attention
must still be directed to the subject,--the interest
which has been excited must not be suffered to
subside until again awakened by the death of another
victim.

We doubt not that the exertions o

our brethren of the press will be devoted to the sub

ject—uur own shall not be wanting. Let these but be
aided and assisted by some benevolent and zealous

pliil.inthropists, and the stigma will be removed, the

stain will be blotted out from our naval and military
code.

Madrid papers of the 21st have arrived. The In-
fante Don FRANCISCO D'Assis had obtained leave of
absence from his military duties at Pampeluna (where
he was serving as brigadier in command of the
cavalry regiment of La Prineesa), and was expected
hourly in Madrid. lie has been invited to the magni-
ficent court banquet, which is to be given on the 24th
at the Casa del Campo, in honour of the fete day of
the Queen-Mother.

The Herald() announces that a conspiracy hal been
discovered at Pampeluna, and that several non-com-
missioned officers, and also some of the inhabitants
of the town, had been placed under arrest. The
same journal gives, what may be considered as an
official contradiction of the resort, that the Mar-
quis of MIRAFLORES would supersede M. MARTINEZ
DE LA Rosa at Ambassador to France.

MADRID BOLSA, JULY 21.—The Three per Cents.
were done at 34i, for cash; Five per Cents., at 211- ;
the Debt without Interest, at 6i ; the shares of the
Bank of San Fernando, at 390; and those of Isabel,
at 203.

We have received the Paris papers of Sunday,
which are still almost exclusively occupied with
~.-lectioneering matters.

On the 20th of July terrific storms ravaged many
parts a France. A letter from St. Jean Pied de
Port states that it burst in the gorges of the Pyrenees
at Bdisorry, utterly destroying the harvest and the
vineyards. The standing corn remaining is not
worth harvesting, and that which was cut was com-
pletely thrashed out by the hail, and the straw broken
to pieces.

On the same day a terrific hurricane burst on the
first plateau of the Jura, destroying churches, houses,
vineyards, trees, and fields of corn. "An earth-
Pakei"likyit Ittel publiaked the jaunial dos

the important—question in the case, however, is,
what was the cause of the death of the unfortu-
tate man ?—was that death occasioned, or was it in
any degree accelerated, by the flogging ? for if there
is even the possibility of such a result, the British
people, who have already procured the abolition of
capital punishment in almost every instance
save that of wilful and aggravated murder,
and of which a large and influential portion
are conscientiously opposed to its infliction under
any circumstances whatsoever, will surely spare
no exertions, will leave no step untried, to procure
the total and immediate disuse of the horrible lash.
The medical gentlemen examined differ on this
important point, for while those connected with the
army adhere to the opinions expressed in the certifi-
cate signed by them previous to the inquiry before the
Coroner being instituted, and assert that the cause of
death was in no wise connected with the corporal
punishment, although they stated a totally different
cause from that assigned by Dr. WARREN in his cer-
tificate to the registrar of deaths for the district,
Mr. WILSON positively and distinctly states his de-
cided opinion, that there can be no doubt that the man
would be alive now had it not been for the corporal
punishment he was subjected to.
Under these circumstances, it will be for the jury to
decide between the learned gentlemen, and many
points will, of course, be taken into consideration
before the conclusion can be arrived at. The weight
and character of the witnesses, the opportunities they
have had for post-mortem examinations, and the proba-
bility, the verisimilitude of the reasons assigned for
the opinions arrived at. Now, Mr. WILSON states that
he has been a lecturer on anatomy for more than twelve
years, and that during that period he had opened
from 500 to 1,000 bodies. This would certainly,
without taking into consideration his surgical testi-
monials, which are of the highest character, entitle any
opinion of his to the greatest weight. It must, too, be
recollected that Mr. WILSON had not previously ex-
pressed an opinion which he must naturally have been
anxious to maintain, nor could he be supposed to have
any prejudice or feelings on the sulject of military
punishment, save those in which he must be supposed to
participate with every man of common humanity. On
the contrary, he states that if he had been pressed at
the time of his examination to give his opinion with
respect to the corporal punishment, he would have
agreed with the other gentlemen that it was not the
cause of death. His opinion, therefore, is based on
the appearances he observed during the post-mortem
examination —an advantage not enjoyed by the
military surgeons, who might, had their attention
been attracted thereto, have agreed with Mr. WILSON
in opinion. During his long practice Mr. WILSON
had never observed similar appearances. His entire
evidence is worthy of the closest perusal and most
serious consideration ; his explanations are so per-
fectly simple and plain, that, although couched in
medical terms, they can be most easily understood
by the non-professional reader. He states that in
the spine there were no indications of disease. The
muscles were disorganised by corporal punishment,
and he had no doubt that this induced the inflamma-
tion which occasioned his death; and he gives the
following as the result of his observations, viz.
" On raising the muscles or flesh off the ribs and spine, I
found a part of the deepest layer of muscles—namely, that
which lay in contact with the bones—in a state of dis-
organisation, and converted into soft pulp. In medical
language, I should call this a pulpy softening of the muscles.
Its seat was the sixth and seventh ribs, near their attach-
ment to the spine, together with their intervening space, and
the hollow between the sixth and seventh pieces of spine.
The extent of the disorganisation was about three
inches in length by about one inch and a half
in its greatest breadth, and between half an inch and
a quarter of an inch in thickness. In the space be-
tween the ribs the muscles had undergone this pulpy alte-
ration, even so deep as the lining membrane of the chest, the
softened muscles being in absolute contact with the lining
membrane. That• portion of the flesh which occupied the
groove of the spine, and had undergone similar disorganisa-
tion was one of the little muscles known to medical men
under the name of multifidus spina;. In addition to the
softening of this little muscle, it was partly surrounded with
blood. It was in a state medically called ecchvmosed. The
interior of the spine was in a state of extreme decomposition.
The tissue between the spinal canal and the spinal sheath was
filled with a dark-coloured fluid, resultingfrom decomposition.
The sheath itself was smooth and polished on its internal
surface, a state indicative of health. It was perfectly devoid
of nervous substance, which had been converted into fluid by
decomposition, and had flowed away. The nerves remained,
and presented a healthy appearance, so that as far as the
spine is concerned, I discovered no indication of disease. Two
questions naturally arise out of the preceding examination—
first, what was the cause of the pulpy softening of the
muscles? second, could the state of disorganisation preceding
the pulpy softening influence the disease existing in the
chest? The cause of the pulpy softening I believe to have
been the excessive contraction of the muscles taking place
during the agony of punishment. This excessive contrac-
tion would produce laceration, and subsequent inflamma-
tion of the muscles, and the inflammation being repellative,
would, in consequence of the depressed state of the powers
of the nervous system of the sufferer, be of the disorganised
kind which results in pulpy softening. Had the man lived,
disorganisation of the muscles would in time have been re-
paired. As regards the second question, there can be no
doubt that, although the cause of inflammation of the con.
tents of the chest is cold, acting in conjunction with physical
or moral depression, and might have been the cause in the
case of the deceased, yet, the presence of a portion of muscle
in a state of disorganisation and inflammation, in close con-
tact with the lining membrane of the chest, ought to be ade-
quate to the same effect. Certainly no surge( n would feel
comfortable with regard to the state of his patient if he were
aware of such dangerous proximity."

Debats, " would have done less damage. The ravages
of the storm extended as far as Coligny."
Letters from Macon give terrible accounts of the
ravages of the storm in that district. So completely
have the hailstones destroyed the vintage that there is
scarcely a bunch of grapes lett in the commune.
The vines are entirely stripped of their leaves, and
whole fields which had promised a rich harvest appear
as if they had fallen a prey to a conflagration. The
damage done is incalculable and many families are
utterly ruined.

Several incendiary fires have taken place in the
neighbourhood of Troyes. At Bouilly seventeen
houses and barns have been burned down.

A letter from Toulon, dated July 20th, from
which the following is an extract, is published in the
Marseilles journals. The writer expressly states that
he attaches no credit to the rumour
The Descartes, steam-frigate, which had been detached
from the French Mediterranean squadron at the moment it
left Tunis, arrived at Malta on the 11th with despatches. A
report was soon in circulation that the Prince de Joinville
had demanded permission from the English authorities to
enter that port with his squadron, to pass his quarantine
there, and that the request had been refused. It was cer-
tain, however, that the French squadron did not enter
the port, and that it would pass its period of quarantine
at sea.

"As the entrance of EngHAI squadrons into our ports is
not interdicted, we must refuse to credit that the Maltese
authorities would show theinSelvfS" so impolite towards the
Prince, and we must rather suppose that it had never been
the intention of his Royal Highness to put into Malta with
his squadron."

The KING of the FRENCH, accompanied by the
Dukes of MONTPENSIER, SAXE COBURG GOTHA,
and by the Minister of War, is daily engaged in in-
specting the fortifications of Paris.
On Saturday a funeral service was celebrated in
the Church of the Petits Peres, for the repose of
the souls of the two brothers BANDIERA, and their
seven companions, put to death in the Calabrias on
the 25th of July, 1844, by order of the King of
NAPLES. The most distinguished members of the
Italian emigration assisted at the ceremony.
The Three per Cents. were sold at the Passage de I'Opera
on Sunday at 83f. 3714 c.
The following are the quotations for the new lines:—
MARSEILLES, JULY 22.—Marseilles and Avignon, 862 f.
50c.; Northern, 700 t. ; Paris and Lyons, 510 f.
LYONS, JULY 2.l—Marseilles and Avignon, 867 f. .50c.;
Rouen, 971 f. 25c. ' • Lyons, 4981. 25c.; Vierzon, 60711 50c.;
Great Northern, 702 f. s(lc.
BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE
LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, JULY 27.
Boulogne and Amiens, 1214—Bordeaux, Toulouse, and Cette
(Espeleta), 114—Dutch Rhenish, 614 —East Indian, y, -Luxem-
bourg, 114—Northern of France Constituted, 13—Orleans and Vier-
zon, 14% —Orleans and Bordeaux, B—Paris and Lyons Constituted,
5) —Sambre and Meuse, 3.74.

MONEY and COMMERCIAL NEWS.
CITY, QUARTER TU THREE.
There was a good business done yesterday in the Liver-
pool Cotton Market. Sales, 6,000 to 7,000 bales, including
1,000 on speculation. Prices were without alteration. Shares
were for the most part dull.
There are no la er arrivals to-day from any foreign quarter
with news of the least interest.

In the Produce markets this is likely to be a very dull
week, as, with the exception of the Indigo sale, there is no-
thing of importance doing by pu'ilic sale in any descript:ott
of foreign produce. The Colonial Wool auctions have b(-en
brought to a conclusion, and the result, with a fair sale as
regard,: quantity, has been a decline of about 8 per cent. in
the prices.

The Vest India interest are determined, it seems, not to
allow the new Sugar Bill to progress without some further
manifestation of their decided opposition. To-day a petition
to the Lords, drawn up under the auspices of the " Commit-
tee" in the Old Jewry, lies for signature at the Jamaica Cof-
fee-house and other places of resort, but the subscribers, we
opine, will be confined exclusively to the 1i est India interest
and those intimately connected with them, to all of whom,
we may add, we sincerely wish every possible success,
though we cannot go the length of desiring that success, if it
is to be gained only at the loss of the consumer.
The Funds have been rather higher again to-day, and the
market is buoyant. Consols have touched 95% to 96 for
money, and 964/8 to 1/1 for account. The premium on Ex-
chequer-bills has been 10s. to 135., and on India Bonds 20s.
to 225. Bank Stock has been firm at 209, and East India
Stock rather flatter, at 2601/.2. The New Thiee-and-a-
Quarter per Cents. have realised 97% to 98.
The Foreign Investments are as dull as ever. Spanish Passive
Bonds have realised 5%, and Brazilian 86%. Dutch Four
per Cents. are 9414, and French Three per Cents. have been
82f. 50c. with the exchange at 25E 70c.
Shares are again rather favourably influenced by the im-
proved state of the English Stock Market.

BRITISH FUNDS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK.
(From the Official List.)

Bank Stock .:

• • • • 209

Three per Cent. Reduced Annuities • • 961%
New Three-and-a-Quarter per Cent. Anus. 98 97%
Long Annuities, Expire Jan. 5, 1860 . • 10% 5-16
Ditto, 30 years, Jan. 5, 1860 .. 10 1-16
India Stock .. • • • • • • • • 260%
India Bonds, 1,0001. .. .. • • • • • • 20 22
Ditto, under 1,0001. • • • • • 18 23
South Sea Stock .. ••
Ditto, New Annuities • . • • .. 94%
Consols for Account .. •• • • • • • • 96 '4 14
Exchequer Bills. I%d. I%d.
1,000/. .. .• .• • • 10 13 pm.
5001. .. •• • • 10 13 pm.
Ditto. Small • • •. .• 14 10 pm.
PRICES OF FOREIGN FUNDS AT ONE O'CLOCK.
Brazilian Bonds, 5 per Cent . • • • 86%
Russian Bonds, 5 per Cent .. • • 112% 112
Spanish Bonds, 5 per Cent. .•
Ditto, Passive Bonds .. 51%
Dividends on the above payable in London.
French Rentes, 3 per Cent. .. .• 821. 50c.
Exchange .. .. • • • • . 25f. 70c.
Dutch Two-and-a-Half per Cents.
Ditto, 4 per Cent. Certificates .. 9414
Ditto, Bonds .. . • • • • 93%
BUSINESS DONE IN RAILWAY SHARES AT ONE O'CLOCK
RAILWATI2. PAID. PER SHARE,
Birmingham and Gloucester . • ..100 •••. to
Ditto New (issued at 7% dis.) .. 171% •33 .. ••to
Birmingham a-nd Oxford Junction • • 2 .. • • 6% 7.. to 6%
Buckinghamshire • • • • • • • . • . 425. .. • • % dis.• • to
Caledonian .. • • • • • • •. 20 ... 13% %..to
Ditto Half Shares • • • • • • .. 21%1 %..•. to
Cambridge and Oxford • • .. .. 1% %.. • . to
Direct Manchester (Remington's) .• 2%.. .. to
Direct Northern • - • • • • • • • • ...•►% • • to
Eastern Counties • • • • • • 14/. 16s. 0d.2% .. • • 24% .... to
Ditto, New • • • • • • 101. les. 0d.... • 7% p.. to
Exeter, Yeovil and Dorchester
.... 3%% . • to
Grand Union (Nottingham and Lynn) 1% .. • . to
Great Western • • • • • • • • .. 85 ...•152 •.•• to
Ditto Half Shares • • •• • • • 50 .. •• 86 to 84%
Lancaster and Carlisle • • • • .. 45 .. • • 62 .. • • to
Leeds and Bradford • • • • .. .• 26 .... 69 .. ••to
London and Birmingham • • • • .. 100 • • ..232 ••to
Ditto, Quarter Shares • • • • • • 2 .... 32 %34 .•to
Ditto, Fifths • • • • • • • • • . 2 .. •. 27 .. ••to
Lo•don and Brighton • • • • • • .. 50 .... 65% .. to 65
London and Croydon . • • • 131. 15s. 9d. •• •• 23%34 %to
London and York • • • • • • • • 2% .... 1 %%to
Ditto, Half Shares • • • • • • • . 2% .... • . to
London and Windsor • • • • • • • • 1% .... 1% •• • • to 1
Lynn and Ely • • .• • • • • • • 15 .. • • 14 .. •• to
anchealter and Leeds • • • •• 82 ••.. to
Ditto, Fifths • • .. • • • • .. 3 .... 10% %.. to 1114
Ditto, Sixteenths • • • • • • 01A 9% .... to
Ditto, Extension .. • • • • • • 425. •• 21,4 p to
‘lanellester and iiirmingban) 40 .... 87 .. •• to
Ditto, Quarter Shares (C) • • .. I .. • • 11% 1,4 .•to
Vanebester, Buxton, and Matlock . 425. •••• 44. p.. to % p
Midland • • • • • • • • • • • • 100 —.149% to 149
Ditto, New • • • • • • • • .24 ~.. 39% .. to
Newcastle and Darlington Junction .. 25 to
Ditto, New .. .. • • • • .. .. 10% .... to 10%
Newcastle and Berwick • • • • •• 15 .. —26% 281% to 27%
Norfolk .• • • • • • • .. 20 . 2712 .. to
Ditto, Half Shares • • • • • . 5 .... 8% •• • to
North British • • • • • • 25. • .361 35% to 36%
Ditto, Half Shares • • .. • . • . 8%.... 13% %.. to
Ditto, Carlisle Extension • • • • 1% .. • • 3%14 ••to
Northern and Eastern .. • • • • 50 •• . • to
Ditto Scrip (Issued at 5 discount) .. 45 .. • • 71 .. • • to
North Kent and Direct Dover .. .. 21,4
.. • • 1% • • • to
North Stallordshiro • • • • 425. .. • • 3%% pto
Oxford, Worcester, & Wolverhampton 121% •... 8 ••to
Portsmouth I tireet •• • • 3% .... to
Preston and lYyre • • •• -•• • 25 .... 3514 434
• • • to
Ditto, Half Shares' .• • • • • 234.... 73% .... to
Richmond .. .. • • • . 1(1 •• • • 18% .. • •
4cottish Central •.: •' • • •• 20 .. •• to 19%
shrewsbury and Birmingham •• . • 234 • • 2% .. to
Shropshire Union • 1% dis. to
South Midland • . • 425. .... pto P
South Eastern and Dover .. •• .. 33% 45%. to 46
.
Ditto, New. No. 1 .. • • •10
.. 23K .. to
Ditto, New, No. 3 .. .. 15 .. 21 to
Ditto, New, No. 4. .. • • • • •• 234 •• • • 334 %• • to
South Wales .. •• • • •• • • 5 •• • • 13i 14 %to
West Riding Union •• • • 425..... 254 % pto
York and North Midland. • • .. • . 50 .... •• .. to
Ditto, Selby .. .. • • • • •• 30 •••• 78 .. ••to
Ditto, Extension •• .. 20 ...• 4034 ,• to
Ditto East and West Riding Extension 1 .... 13%..., to
FOREIGN RAILWAYS.
Direct Bombay and Madras .. 55..... 1,4 •• ••to
Dutch Rhenish • • .. • • .. • • 6 •• .• 6%.... to
Luxembourg .• •• .. 4 ...• •• • • to
Northern of France Constituted • • • 5 ••• 1314 .... to
Over Yssel • • .• • • 4/. 3s. 4d... 2% dis to
Paris and Lyons Constituted • • .. 5 .. • • 5% N, • • to
Paris and Strasbourg Constituted • . 5 .. • • 4154.. ••to
West Flanders .. •• • • • • • • 6 •• • • 31% •••• to
JOINT-STOCK BANKS.
„ .. 25 • • 4814 34 .• to
MINES

MARKET NEWS. --(THIS DAY.)

*RCA H 111.A.IZNYCTS.

Sivtrrnmr.n.—Old Meadol7Ha3,3/17,i/; New ditto, 2 15s
to 31 12s ; Old Clover, 4/ Os to 5/ 15s ; New ditto; 31 3s to
4/ 15s ; Oat Straw, 1/ 12s to 1/ 14s ; Wheat Straw, 11 14s
to 1/ 16s per load. A full average supply, and a dull trade.
CUMEERLAND.—OId Meadow Hay, 31 3s to 41 4s; New
ditto, 2/ 5s to 3i 15s; Old Clover, 4/ to, 5/ 14s; New ditto,
31 5s to 4/ 165; Oat Straw, 1/ 12s to 1/ 14s • Wheat Straw,
I/ Iss to 1/ 18s per load. Supply good, and trade dull.
WHITECHAPEL.—OId Meadow Hay, 3/ 3s to 4/; New
ditto, 215 s to 3l 15s ; Old Clover, 4/ to Si 17s; New ditto,
3/ 3s to 4l 16s ; Oat Straw, II 12s to 11 14s; Wheat Straw,
11 14s to 1116 s per load. Trade dull, at the above quotations.

RA ILWA COMM ME ES.

('THIS DA V)

HOUSE OF LORDS.

• Room D.
This Committee met this morning at eleven o'cloeh, the Earl of Si.
Germans in the chair, when the case against the
GLASGOW, Durarnams, .11.7.f1a CATIZ.X.I2I.%E,
and on behalf of the

CALEDONIAN (DUMFRIES AND LAIC G.
HOLM BRANCHES),
rejected by the Commons, WaS resumed. •
Mr. COCKBURN Was rising to address the Committee, when
Mr. ANDREWS interfered, and said that, after the evidence which
had been offered yesterday on behalf of the Caledonian branches, he
was about to offer some rebutting evidence.
After a few observations on the point, this course was asStited to.
Mr. Miller, civil engineer, was called and examined. He stud the
object of the l'Cithstiale scheme was to connect In the completest
manner with the north and south. The Caledonian had no proposi-
tion last year for the accommodation of Annan and Iniintfia4,
whereas the Nithsdale scheme of last year was suilatantially ti.e
same as the scheme of this year. Besides, the I aledonian bra,chcs
afforded no accommodation whatever for Ayrshire to the south. He
considered the break of Annan would ihterliire with the working of
the traffic in an efficient manner. The Dalmateadder branch would
not accommodate the Nitlisdale traffic, and with regard to the Dum-
fries and Edinburgh traffic, it could be arranged that the earlier
trains of the .Nithstiale line would run to meet the later trains on the
Caledonian.

Mr. COCKBURN then rose to address the Committee. In the course
of his observations he said he would not trespass on ony of the
decisions which their Lordships had come to, but he would submit
whether it would not be consistent with those decisions, and in order
to do justice to the Caledonian, that they should at least postpone
that portion of the scheme of the Nithsdale Company which was in
competition with the branches proposed by the Caledonian, or at
least such part of it as would protect the through traffic of the Cale-
donian Company. He would not on the present occasion struggle against
the granting to the Nithsdale company a portion of their line between
Dumfries and Cumnock, but he would, at the least, take his stand on
the letter of Mr. Hope Johnstone, and pray that a portion of the
scheme between Carlisle and Dumfries slymuld be gramed to the Ca-
ledonian. No doubt they had been told that the Nithsdale would not
compete with the Caledonian. ompany, but any one at all conver-
sant with the country must know, that to the through
traffic would their attention be sure ultimately tO be
directed. It had been clearly shown by the evidence,
offered in the earlier stage of the citse, that the course of trade from
Kilmarnock was in the direction of Glasgow, and therefore there
could be no doubt that the through trade would be aimed at, in order
to make up for the deficiency of local traffic, which he was certain
would be sure to arise. With regard to all the traffic passing from
Ayrshire or the south, it would be perfectly indifferent whether the two
companies met at Annan or at Gretna, while by making the break at
Annan, the Caledonian Company would has e,that protection which
their through traffic imperatively required. Again, with regard to
the mineral traffic upon which so much had been said, it would he
a matter of perfect indifference whe.her these minerals came from
Canobie along the Nithsdale line all the way from Gretna to Dum-
fries, or whether it came as far as Annan, or on the Caledonian
scheme, and then passed from Annan to Dumfries on the
Nithsdale. With re.:ard to the sheep and cattle
coming trom Galloway, the most of which, as had been shown,
would get on the Nithsdale line at Dumfries, it would be a matter
of no moment whether the break between the companies existed at
Amman instead of Gretna. It would be as much the interest of the
Caledonian Company as of tile Nithsdale Company, to afford every
accommodation to such a traffic. There must be a break
somewhere, and he submitted with confidence, that with
regard to the whole traffic passing along the line, it
was a matter of perfect indifference where it took place. So much
as to the question of convenience. He now came to the main orpi-
ment adduced on the other side against giving the Caledonian any
portion of the line. It was stat d that the portion of the scheme
south of Dumfries was the best paying portion of the line, and that
it was required to make the portion between Dumfries and Cumnock
remunerative. This sounded strange from part:es who had at-
tenipted to show such a strong case of local traffic. If the local
traffic on the Cumnock portion, adduced before the Committee, was
sufficient to warrant the construction of that portion of the line,
then there was ho plea left why they should have the portion south of
Dumfries; but if it was otherwise, if the Cumnock cortion could not
pay without that from Dumfries to the south, that was some reason,
he admitted, why they should have the portion between Dumfries
and Annan. But with regard to the remaining portion
between Aaron and Gretna, that was absolutely necessary for the
protection of the Caledonian interest, in fact, to save that Company
from ruinous competition. If the Nithsdale was so good a scheme,
if it was a bone fide undertaking, then surely it could not be essen-
tially injurious ;o a line of 92 miles, to take seven or eight miles from
it. Besides, a great deal of the datum of the Nithsdale scheme
to the portion from Annan to Gretna was based on
the assumption that Annan would be a port of considerable trade,
whereas, he submitted, that as soon as the Caledonian was opened a
great deal of that traffic which had been alleged to be shipped at
Annan would pass i,outh along that line. Regarding the Canobie
branch, he submitted that the Caledonian (Laugholm branch) was
better than that as a means of accommodating the district.

Room E.

EXETER, YEOVIL, AND DORCHESTER,

The ommittee met at the usual hour, Lord Beaumont, chairman.
Mr. T. A. Mitchell examined by Mr. SLADE —Deposed that he was
personally acquainted with the trade of Bridport, and had been so
for many years. It was the largest town between Plymouth and
Southampton ; its staple production was cordage and sailcloth. It
was most important for its interests that it should be connected by
a coast line with Southampton and Plymouth. The population was
about 8,000.

Cross-examined by Mr. lIILDTARD —lle did not reside at Bridport,
and did not know.whether the harbour was formed of two wooden
piers of 80 feet in length.
Mr. Acland, examined by Mr. TALBOT —ls a magistrate of the
counties of Devon and Dorset, and resided in Dorchester, formerly
lived at lionit.m, mad was well-acquainted with that portion of the
country. A marked contempt was shown of the towns of Bridport
and Lyme, and the other towns upon the coast by the scheme at
present before the Committee. He thought that the line proposed
by the Great Western was deserving of support, in consequence of
the communication which it afforded to the country north of Exeter.
Coals and otter fuel would be brought by means of the Great Western
scheme from Radstock and other extensive coal fields to the southern
districts of Dorsetshire, and also to the manufacturers of Bridport,
much better than by the narrow gauge lines proposed by• the,Exeter,
,Yeovil, and Dorchester Company.
Cross-examined by Mr. lIILDYABD --He thought it was desirable
to have railway communication between Exeter and Yeovil.
By Lord DENBIGH—There was at present a line constructed or in
the coure of consti action between Yeovil and Radstock.
-Captain White examined by Mr. 'TALBOT—Had commanded the
mail packets from the port of Weymouth for 28 years, since the
railway had been made at Southampton, the port of Falmouth had
considerably fallen off. If a railway were made direct to Exeter,
the packets would return to Weymouth.
Cross-examined by Mr. HILDTABD—There were no packets run-
ning now livra Weymouth to the Chain-el Islands, they had been
discontinued by the Government because they could get the wails
carried much cheaper from Southampton.
a misolur..Bt eof s,oogdl osve he manufacturer at.
dYtehoev ,p gavei
hevidencea. of the
the line proposed by the Great Western Company between Exeter
and Yeovil.

THE PHYSIOLOGY GF FLOGGING.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.
Sir,—lt may seem very hard if I say that the effect of
flogging is not fully appreciated even in my own, the medical
profession. But 1 have studied the subject, and I beg to
send you a few medical hints upon it.
Every lash, like every other kind of laceration or cutting,
affects the power of the heart. A patier.t sometimes never
rallies from the effect of a severe accident (such was the case
with Mr. Huskissorr) or a severe surgical operation.
But this is not all. The skin, which some persons seem to
think may be treated like an inorganic substance, has a spe-
cial relation with the internal organs:-
1. A current of air falling partially on the surface is suffi-
cient by its action on the skin, and the sympathy of this,
through the ganglionic system, with the internal organs, to
induce inflammation of the lungs or of the heart, or of the
membranes which cover these organs.
2. The same event occurs from burns or scalds.
3. The same event occurs from flogging.
It is not the extent of the infliction' merely which is to be
considered ; much depends on the peculianty of the consti-
tution. The healthy are less affected than the unhealthy,
the sober than the drunken.
But
.any person may, as the effect of any of the inflictions
to which I have adverted, become diseased—diseased for 'fie,
or diseased unto death ; and no man—no medical person—can
tell, a priori, who is to suffer or who is to escape.
Flogging is not to be treated of, then, as a thing skin-deep.
Many a soldier whom it was only intended to flog has been
slain, unknown even to the inflicter of the punishment; for,
as I have said, the medical bearings of the subject have not
been duly investigated.
It is somewhat singular that those persons who seem to
bear a surgical operation best are precisely those whom it
affects the most, and the most dangerously.
There are, besides, what we call idiosyncrasies, or pecu •
liarities, which, besides the fact of ill health, or bad habits,
render an infliction, which might generally be borne with-
out risk, most dangerous
In the tendency to disease of the brain, in disease of the
heart, flogging wculd be dangerous; and this punishment has
actually Induced epilepsy and tetanus (or locked jaw).
I maw refer to the writings of the late Mr. Rose* and Sir
C. Bell, f of Mr. Travers,t &c., for examples of internal dis-
ease, especially inflammation of the lungs, induced by severe
accidents or operations; but if this be true in regard to the
tissues in general, it is specially so iu respect to the skin.
The great fact is, that as exposure to a current of air, so
a burn, and so a flogging, may induce disease—lingering
disease, and death.
I am, Sir (in haste), your obedient servant,
London, July 27. CENSOR.
* Med. Chir. Trans., vol. xlv., p. 251.
t Quarterly Reports, p. 241.
On Constitutional irritation, vol. 1. p. 145

MILITARY FLOGGING.
TO THE EDITOR (IF THE SUN.
Sln—Havirg observed a late article in your paper, pro-
posing that a Society should be formed whose object should
be the abolition of corporal ;punishment in the army, I would
suggest that they should also exert themselves to ob-
tain for the soldier a greater degree of comfort in barracks,
a better mess than the miserable allowance of three quarters
of a pound of meat (including bone) per day, which, when
cooked, seldom appears more than one third of the quantity
which any person whose means allow him would eat generally
at one meal, and, above all, an adequate pension on discharge,
after having devoted his life to the service of his country in
unwholesome climates. These, Sir, would induce a better
class of men to enter the army, and by raising the social
condition of the soldier, avoid the necessity of having re-
course to the lash.

As things now exist, men are crowded in their barrack-
rooms—not even a skreen for the married soldiers is allowed ;
the rooms in winter are only lighted sufficiently to make
darkness visible, and the only accommodation for washing
is the spout of the pump.
The late fearful accident at Loodianah sufficiently proves
how much better the ends of economy (putting common
humanity out of the question) might be answered by a trifling
outlay in the first instance.
With regard to the flogging at Hounslow, I beg to state
that the mode of inflicting the punishment which has been
so much animadverted upon, and for which, among other
things, Colonel 'W byte has been so severely blamed, is
usual in every regiment in the service.
I have the honour to be Sir, your most obedient servant,
July 26. AN OFFICEP►.