The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-20 00:00:00

MUTINY BILL

The House resolved itself into Committee on this Bill.
Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT proposed the following
clause And whereas certain soldiers, who hive hitherto
been duly enlisted, and who have voluntarily taken the oath
of allegiance an 4 fidelity, and are now receiving her Majesty's
pay, have been sworn and attested, but doubts have
art en whether the justices before whom the said soldiers have
been so sworn and attested were duly qual,fted to adm;nister
to such soldiers the oaths prescribed by the several Acts passed
for the punishing mutiny and desertion, and for the better
payment of the army and their quarters : he it enacted, that
in every case where any such soldier, having been
duly enlisted, shall have been so attested and sworn, and
shall not have claimed to be discharged on or before the seven-
teenth day of March, 1846, he shall no, be entitled to his dis-
(thy ge by reason of such informality, but shall be liable to all
the provisions of this Act, and of the Act passed during the
last session of Parliament, for the punishing mutiny and de-
sertion, and for the better payment of the army and their
quarters. she-e in force, and shall be entitled to the full benefit
of his past service, and to all pay and pension in respect thereof,
to all intents and purpases. and in like manner as if he had
been duly attested and sworn."
After a few words from Mr. HUMS and Capt. LAVA RD. the
Bill went through C mmittee, and the House having resumed,
the report was ordered to be brought up to-morrow.
MARINE MU I'INY BILL.
On the question being put that the Speaker do leave the
Chair for going lop committee on this Bill,
Sir C. N APIER rase. and said he did not intend to oppose
the Speaker leaving the Chair, but before going into com-
mittee, he wished to ask the Government whether there was
ny intention to revise the articles of war. Mar,v of those
articles were repugnant to his feelings as a naval oftcer, and
while some of th m rendered men liable to be punished vrithoat
the ordeal of a cour -martial he thowiht they were highly iiblee-
tionahle. For in tance, a sailoC who fell asleep on the watch was
liable to the punishment of death, and he believed this article
was framed upon the principle that a sentry on shore was under
.imilar circumstances liable to the same punishment. There
was, however, no comparison lytvreen the two cases, for a ship
on the sea was not open to an immediate attack, like, a military
post on shore. The articles of war ought therefore to he
revised, and he for one wished to see them more humanisrd than
they were at present
Mr CORRY Has not aware that there was any intention
on the part of Government to alter the articles of war, as they
at they at present stood.
Mr. H UME oOjected to the reply of the Hon. Member,
and thought that the Government ought to hold our, some
hope that the articles of war would b a, no distant period so
revised as to make toem in accordance wi h humanely and com-
mon j ustice.
The House then went into Committee on the Bill.

On the first Avast! being proposed.
Mr. H U ‘IE rose, and objected to 'heir proceeding further
unle,s a more favourable an-wer was given to the question of
the Hon. and Gallant Ilerdier for vlarylebone. The articles
of war were certainly not in accordance with the spirit of the
age. and as the punishment of death had almo,t been abolished
in our criminal courts, it ought to be removed from the naval
articles of war.
Sir GEORGE COCKBURN said no difficulty of this sort
had ever arisen before, nor had it ever been found impracticable
to carry out the articles of war. The Hon. and Gal ant
Member complained that men were frequently punished without
being subject to the ordeal of a court-martial ; but. the Hon.
Member forgot that it was competent for the man to demand
being tried by such a tribunsl.
Sir CHARLES NAPIER said, in the whole courze of his
experience. be haft never heard of a man who had been sen-
tenced to a punishment by a superior officer demanding to be
tried before a court-martial previous to his sentence being
carried into effect. Had a man done so, he believed it wiuld
have been deemed a presumptive act, and he would have ren-
dered himself liable to fur, her punishment for it.
Sir GEORGE COCKBURN having made a few further
observations, being, in fact, similar to those which he had pre-
viously made,
Sir CHARLES NAPIER gave notice that he intended
bringing forward some measure to remove the grievances which
he complained of.
C:.ntain LAY ARD, having made a few observations Sc to
the unneeiZgary severity of the pre.ent law, and the extra
powers of pun,,,`,- aent which were given to the captains of the
ship.. Bill was read a second time,
The subject dropped, and the
and ordered to be committed.
The Fever (Ireland) Bill was then read a third time, and
passed.
The House adjourned at Half-past Eleven.

SOUTH-EASTERN CON TINEN TA L
STEAM. PACKET COMPANY.

The ,econd half-yearly meeting of this Company was
held yesterday afternoon, at the offices of the South-Eastern
Company, Louden-bridge.
Jarnes M'Gregor,, Esq., Chairman of the Company, took
the chair.
The report of the directors stated that the Company was
conatitut,r! in June, 1845. There were 565 shareholders,
holding 11,0e3 shares. On these shares a deposit of 4/. per
share had been paid: tyld a further call of '2l. woul,t be made,
payable on the ,19tb of July next. The Company at present
hit,4 five spi ndid sr. an-ships, the cost of which was 63,5021.
T':e h-rt earning, fur the hist hdf-year hadd bent 6.695/., out
.of which the directors had written ff 3,611, .% 6d. for
wear and tear. leaving a balance of 3,333/, out of which a
dividend per silare would be declared payable on the
6th of April. Thel direct ire had given orders for three new
ships, which would be ready in the course of the summer.
The CHAIRMAN moved the adoption of the report.
Lord TORRINGTON seconded the motion, which was unani-
mously carried.
Lf:rd Torrington, Mr. Harding. Capt Tynedale, and Mr.
Arlirre4.4, were tlieti re •cleeted itirectors.
The period fur sa..t-ning the deed of settlement was extended
to the 30th June next.
The rneating then separated. • - • •