The Sun.
London, England, 1870-12-09 00:00:00

CRIME IN IRELAND.

From the criminal and judicial statistics of Ireland for
the year it appears that of the persons committed to
prison in that country in 1869, 15,899 or 52.9 per cent.
had been previously imprisoned. In England and Wales
the proportion in 1868 was 32.4 of the total number com-
mitted. The figures show that the proportion of the men
and boys previously committed once, twice, thrice, or four
times, is greater in England and Wales than in Ireland ; but
of those who had been imprisoned still more frequently,
the proportion in Ireland is larger than in England and
Wales. While the proportion who had been already once
imprisoned was only 38.6 in Ireland against 45.7 in Eng-
land and Wales the proportion of those who had been
already imprisoned above ten times was 47 in
the latter country as compared with 13.2 in
the former. With regard to women and girls
the Irish statistics given contrast most favourably with
the English ; the only class in which the proportion of
those already committed is larger in Ireland than in Eng-
land and Wales being in the case of women and girls
previously committed above ten times, the proportion per
cent. of which is 45.3 for Ireland, 1869, against 17.9 for
England and Wales, 1868. The much larger propor-
tionate number of men and boys than women and girls com-
mitted once, twice, or three times verifies, in the opinion
of Mr. W. Neilson Hancock, whose report accompanies
the statistics, the well-known law of social science that
women are, in general, less criminal than men ; whilst
the fact that recommitments of women more than five
times are more frequent than in the case of men is in
strict accordance with another law of social science that
when women once enter into the paths of crime they
become more criminal than men. It is, of course,
very presumptuous to question the laws of social
science backed up by statistics, but some people
hold that according to the laws of experience there is very
little difference in the proportionate criminality of both
sexes, it is six of one and half a dozen of the other, and if
women " when once they enter into the paths of crime
become more criminal than men," it is simply because the
world in its wisdom denies to women the facilities it offers
to men to leave the path of crime when once they have
entered it. The laws of society thus react on the laws of
social science, and both work in harmony together.

NAVAL AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE.
It is stated at Chatham that it has been decided to aug.
ment the corps of Royal Marine Light Infantry.

It is rather strangely announced that so many young
men have volunteered as drivers in the Royal Artillery,
that orders have been received at Woolwich to suspend
recruiting for that branch of the service.
That portion of Woolwich Dockyard which at present
remains unoccupied will, it is understood, be taken over
by the War Department on the let of next month for
their own use. The purposes to which it will be devoted
are the stowage of the artillery waggons, timbers, and stores
now at Weedon, also for the receipt of all articles sup-
plied by contract to the manufactory department in the
Royal Arsenal, and also for the inspection branch o f con-
tract stores, which will be transferred from the Royal
Arsenal, where the duties are at present carried out. No
portion of the yard will, it would appear from this
arangement, be bold, as expected when the yard was first
closed.
The Sultan, 12, iron armour-plated broadside ship,
lying in the Medway, off Chatham Dockyard, is now
taking on board the ballast which is considered necessary
to give her a proper degree of stability, while it would
be also useful in protecting her from the attacks of
torpedoes, for the ballast is composed of a mixture of
cement and scrap iron, which is packed in the compart-
ments forming the hull of the ship. About six tons a day
are now being placed on board; but some 350 tons will be
reouired in all.

The Telegraph, in an article yesterday morning,
speaking of Lord Lawrence, says : " As a soldier, he was
a Bayard, sans peer et sans reproche." Lord Lawrence
never was a soldier.

Mr. W. H. Zillah, M.P., has accepted the presi-
dency of the Newsveudors' Benevolent and Provident
Institution, a post which the late Mr. Charles Dickens

Filled for many years.

A marriage is arranged between Sir Norman
Pringle, Bart., and his cousin, Miss Louisa Clementina
Steuart, youngest daughter of thelate Mr. Robert Steuart,
of Alderstp, formerly M.P. for Haddington, and a Lord
of the Treasury, &c.
-- •

Mr. Edwin Pears, the general secretary of the
Social Science Association, is a candidate for the
secretaryship of the 'London School Board. Mr. Pears
was formerly a Professor in the University of Mel-

bourne.

The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland received on Wed-
nesday a deputation on the subject of the Irish railways,
and in reply said that the Government were fully alive
to the importance of the subject. He hoped they would
be able to give their decision when Parliament met. Mr.
Fortescue said that a Bill was in preparation on the

subject.
Lord Vernon presided on Wednesday evening at
the Society of Arts over a lecture of Mr. Henry Jenkins
on the American system of Associated Dairies, and its
bearing on co-operative agriculture. The chief object of
the author was to contrast the English system of private
dairies with the American system of dairy factories, and
to point out the mechanical, financial, and other advan-
tages of the latter.
-

The Cork Examiner publishes a long communica-
tion from " A Southern Catholic," who expresses a doubt
whether Cardinal Cullen and the other prelates of his
Church really entertain the sentiments which they have
recently uttered on the subject of the temporal power of
the Pope. He deprecates the authority assumed by
ecclesiastics in matters not spiritual, such as parliamen-
tary elections. The letter extends to two and a half
columns of close type, and is evidently the production of
a Nationalist.

The first of a series of public services on behalf
of the Wesleyan Metropolitan Chapel-building Fund was
held on Tuesday at Liverpool-road Wesleyan Chapel,
London. During the evening it was stated by the secre-
tary, the Rev. Gervase Sniith, that since 1861 £200,000
had been raised, and twenty-five large chapels, capable of
holding 1,000 or more persons, had been erected. Sites
for fifteen new chapels have already been secured, and in
order to carry out the proposal to build during. the next
nine years fifty new chapels, they would require about
£300,000.
'The usual monthly meeting of the Belfast Presby-
tery was held on Tuesday. The Rev. H. Henderson drew
attention to the alterations recently made in the marriage
law for Ireland, and pointed out especially how they
would affect Presbyterians. He dwelt upon the altera-
tions which gave Roman Catholic priests the power to
celebrate mixed marriages, and shewed the abuses likely
to arise from these alterations, adding that the recent
measure must be looked upon as merely temporary ; and,
as a general measure was sure to be shortly brought for-
ward, urged the Presbytery to take steps to protect their
rights and privileges. A committee was appointed for

this purpose.
ANOTHER RAILWAY COLLISION.—An accident
occurred yesterday morning on the Great Eastern Rail-
way to the 7.10 passenger train from Ipswich to Yar-
mouth. The train had performed its journey in safety,
and had arrived within a short distance of the ticket
platform at the Southtown station, Yarmouth. The
box" signal denoted that the line was clear. But a
goods train was being shunted to a siding ; the rails being
slippery, the breaks would not work, so that the trucks
could not be got quickly out of the way. When, there-
fore, the passenger train came on it ran into the goods
train. Two trucks were smashed, the engine of the pas-
senger train was much injured; but none of the passen-
gers seem to have been seriously hurt. The line was
cleared in half an hour.
The London correspondent of the Scotsman says :
—" The Associated Chambers of Commerce have arranged
to introduce into the next session of Parliament several
bills of great interest to the mercantile community. I
learn that a bill providing for the compulsory regis-
tration of partnerships will be introduced by
Messrs. Norwood, Akroyd, and David Chadwick.
Mr. Chadwick has a scheme for the improved
assessment of the income-tax; which he will
probably ventilate in the House of Commons. A bill for
establishing in this country the French system of partner-
establishing
en eommandite (the principle of which has been
adopted by Mr. Lowe) is also in a forward state of prepa-
ration. The Associated Chambers are now in intimate
and useful relation with both the American and the
occupy a position analagous to that of our
Canadian Boards of Trade. Those bodies, you will re-
member,
Chambers of Commerce. The commercial legislation
of the next session promises to be fruitful and good,
of only the necessary amount of time can be devoted
to it.'
THE OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE BOAT RACES A_
numerously attended meeting of the Cambridge Univer-
sity Boat Club was held at Cambridge on Wednesday
night, Mr. J. H. D. Goldie (St. John's), president, in
the chair. The challenge sent from Oxford was re-
ceived with loud cheers, and on the motion of Mr.
Goldie, seconded by Mr. W. H. Lowe (Christ's), it was
enthusiastically resolved to accept the same. The day
was not fixed, but it is understood that it will be about
April 1. Mr. Goldie was reappointed president of
the C.U.8.C., and Mr. Randolph secretary, the
other members of the small committee being
Messrs. Lowe (Christ's), Spencer (2nd Trinity),
and Close (let Trinity). Mr. Goldie has had an
eight out during the last few days, and he will
take his crew over the old course, from Jesus Locks to
Batesbite Looks—three and a half miles—without an easy,
as the piles have all been removed from the railway-
bridge, The 2nd and 3rd division eight-oar races are fixed
to take place on March 8,9, 10, and 11.