The Sun.
London, England, 1870-02-14 00:00:00

MR. B ,'_AI. OSBORNE O.V RiSINCII

RIUS riaa.

At Waterford Mr. Bernal Osborne has deli-
vered a characteristic speech, which had the merit
of producing a great deal of mirth among his
audience. It was principally devoted to ridicule
of Lis opponents. The following is a fair speci-
men :

"Let us review this extraordinary gush of lawyers
that have cone down upon us like wolves on the
fold. You remember that lately you have had the
town of Dungarvan torn to pieces between two
lawyers, and for what object we will see by and
by. Well, you had down there an English bar-
rister—so much abuse .l by the National party, who
put him in—Mr. Henry Matthews, who ever
since his election is very silent in the House of
Commons. That is one barrister. Now tick
them off on your fingers. (Laughter.) Well,
you have got as number two an English
barrister, lately returned for Mallow. I have said
something about herrings, but Mr. Munster does
not come under that denomination—he is a good fish.
(More laughter.) Well, you have seeking to
represent Tipperary another lawyer, an excellent
man—not a fish, but of the bird tribe—a' Heron.'
(Renewed laughter.) Now, let us come to our
local experience. The other day I was coming
down in the train, just after the decision of the
judge, and a handsome young man got into the
carriage—as good-looking a fellow as I have seen.
Ho did not know who I was, nor did I know
him. There was another gentleman in the car-
riage, and he announced to him, lam going
up for Waterford.' He is the son of a most re-
spectable and successful medical man, the late
Dr. Purcell, of Carrick-on-Suir. NVell, Mr. Pur-
cell's address was issued on Friday, and though
he had been called upon by a numerously-
signed requisition—we all got those requisi-
tions—(laughter)—he retired on the following Mon-
day. Mr. Purcell was a man who, from his soft-
ness of tongue, was likely to make a good match,
but Waterford was not the virgin he would tack
on to. Well, there was another candidate, Mr.
Crean. He came down here, originally, playing a
silent part as senior counsel in what might be called
the great ' barren' petition. He wore his wig with
uncommon grace ; and never, that I know, cross-
examined a witness. I can't see why he was
brought down here at all as a candidate. We are
all up to the rhodomontade of patriotism and love
of country. We know that sportsmen, when
they can't get a wild fox, get a tame one, and
I think he must have been brought here as a
bag-fox, and is now giving me a run. Grubb, the
poor man's friend ; Mr. Crean—when everybody
else at the bar is gone—may be Chancellor ; but is
"Waterford going to be made a stepping-stone for
aspiring barristers? Now, seven years at the bar
is all that is required to make a man, seemingly, fit
for anything. Ile is not only able to address a
jury of his countrymen, but, by jingo ! he is a good
chamber lawyer in equity on your property. He will
not only instruct you upon cases of patent, but will
teach your daughters to dance, and play the Ger-
man flute if necessary. There is no end, gentlemen,
to the capabilities of a rising barrister."

STATE OF THE THAMES.—(tit's DAY.)

It is now several years since the River Thames
has presented such a fearful scene as it does this
morning. Traffic may be said to be entirely stopped
by the imme❑se sheets of stationary ice, which
reach from either bank till near the middle of
the stream. The whole of the above bridge steamers
and small craft have ceased running, it being found
impossible to get them through the ice. Even the
Thames Police are unable to use their gallies on
the Thames, and they are obliged to do duty by
patrolling the banks of the Middlesex and Surrey
shores. Some hundred ships lying in the Pool and
Docks are so firmly frozen in that they cannot be
got under weigh until a thaw sets in. People can
now walk across the river at the upper end, and it
is feared that if the present severe weather should
continue the public will be able to do the same be-
tween ‘Vestminster and London Bridges.

MILITARY AND NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.
All the depot battalions, with the one exception of as
Indian depot at Chatham, are to be abolished at the end
of the present financial year. The junior majors of both
cavalry and infantry regiments will in future be borne as
supernumeraries to their corps. The Army and Nary Gazetk
says :—Orders have been sent from the Horse Guards to
officers commanding regiments to reduce their estab-
lishments by the discharge of men who have
completed eleven years' service and are not willing to
re-engage, as well as of bad characters.—No officer will be
appointed to succeed Lieutenant-General Sir C. A.
Windham, K.C.8., in the command in Canada, owing to
the withdrawal of the majority of British forces from the
colony.—The Military Train mill be handed over to the
charge of the Control Department from the 15th instant.
—Sir William Mansfield, on being relieved of the com-
mand-in-chief in India by Lord Napier of Magdala, will
not return to this country, but will be attached to the
Council in India as military member.

The United Service Gazette says that Mr. Henwood, who
some time ago proposed a scheme for utilising our screw
line-of-battle ships by converting them into coast-defence
monitors, has succeeded in proving the desirability of
such a trial being made, by which a saving would accrue to
the country of £200,000.
The Channel squadron, under the command of Vice-
Admiral Sir T. M. C. Symonds, K.C.8., returned
to Lisbon on the 6th instant ; heavy weather had been
experienced. Three accidents happened on board the
Agincourt on the sth instant, whilst the ships were being
exercised in evolutions under steam. The hand of a
navigating sub-lieutenant was crushed by a compart-
ment door; a corporal of marines had a leg injured; and
a seaman's ankle was so severely hurt as to necessitate
amputation.
Mr. Childers has announced his intention to move the
navy estimates in the House of Commons on the 24th
instant. It is expected that the long-desired scheme of
naval retirement will then make its appearance.
Medals and gratuities for long service and good conduct
are in futifie to be granted on the recommendation of the
Captain of a ship, during the period of the ship's com-
mission, instead of at her paying off, as has been the
custom hitherto.

The Broad Arrow says, with regard to our army in Ire-
land :—" The gradual reinforcement to our army in Ireland
cannot but be approved by all true friends of that country
We all know that sooner or later the poor dupes of the
Fenian conspiracy will have to learn what certain
Continental nations have already learnt—that armed
authority with right on its side is now nnassail•
able. Every justice, and more than justice, has recently
been and will be rendered to Irishmen ; but the pool
creatures neither understand nor want justice, and having
made their choice of the bullet as an arbiter, will pro-
bably ere long have their cause finally decided." The
same paper contains the following :—"When the late Sit
William Gordon first returned to consciousness after the
injuries of which he died, his first words were, shoult
like to send a message to my corps' This is a touching
evidence of what was nearest the heart of this excellent
officer, even at such a time."

Sir George Chetwynd (according to a sporting
contemporary) intends to relinquish the Turf, and sell all
his horses in training.

An Indiana newspaper asserts that an Indian is a
present officiating in that State as a Methodist minister
and that after his sermon he regularly dismisses his congre•
gation by giving the war-whoop and executing a scalp
dance.

•thie strike of colliers at Bolton is being gradually
5,.m0,-ed. Several of the employers in the Little Hulloa
district have complied with the demands of the men, and
there are now working at the advanced scale upwards of
1,200 miners. On the 10th inst. the rise will be given to 280
more men now on strike. Including these, and &so about
300 of the colliers of the Bridgewater Trustees, the number
on strike yesterday was between tOO and 900. A meeting ie
to be held on Monday to decide whether the whole of the
Bridgewater men—about I,olo sLall "come out."

It has already been stated that the University of
Catnbridgo has conferred the bcnorary degree of Doctor of
Laws upon the Most Ileverend Alexander, Archbishop of
Syra, Tenon, and Melos. On Thursday next Lis Grace
will be present in person to receive the highest academical
distinction that the University Las it in its power to offer.
The Archbishop will subsequently visit Oxford, to receive
a similar distinction there. During the visit of the Arch-
bishop to Cambridge he will bo the pest of the Master of
Trinity. On Lis way between the two Universities his
3rae) will pay a visit to the Marquis of Salisbury, the
Chancellor of the University of Oxford, at Hatfield
House. As a special compliment, the Archbishop will be
presented for his degree by the l'ublic Orator in a Greek
speech.