The Sun.
London, England, 1846-10-13 00:00:00

We are concerned to add that a ball sti uck Thomas
Hoseman, Mr. Boulcott's servant, in the act of getting
out of bed. The ball passed through his body, inflicting
a mortal wound, and lodged in his back, from which
was subsequently extracted by Dr. Galbraith of the 99th.
Mr. Boulcott himself rarrowly escaped the same fate.
Immediately on receiving the dispatch informing him
of what had cccurred, Major Last directed 50 men of the
99th Regiment to proceed to the stockade at the Hutt
bridge, with instructions to Captain Hardy, the officer
in command, to advance with his men to the support of
their comrades; and shortly afterwards proceeded him-
self to the scene of action, in company with M.-jor
Richmond. On his arrival he found the rebels had
crossed the river, and und. r the protection of the stand-
ing bush they kept up a straggling fire on the troops.
The order was now given for the soldiers to advance in
extended line, and drive them out of the bush. Epuni,
who accompanied Major Last, was very much struck
with the gallant manner in which this a al.ccuvre was
executed. Throughout this and the following day (Sun
day) the rebels remained in the Hutt, occupying the
ground on which the troops were formerly encamped,
about half a mile beyond Mr. Boulcott's section. On
Saturday they robbed M`Hardie's house, killed his pigs
for food, and took away or destroyed all his property.
In obedience to a message from Rangihacata they re-
turned to Porirua on Monday.
During the whole of Saturday the town of Welling.
ton was in the most painful state of alarm and excite-
ment. Families were flecking in from the Hutt. Fa-
thers and heads of families were sending their wive+
and children to Wellington as a place of safety ; and
rumours of all kinds were in circulation. At one time
it was believed that the party of militia and police sta-
tioned at Tihata as an outpost, about three miles above
the camp, v. ere cut off by the natives. In the early part
of the week Major Richmond, disregarding the warnings
he had received Crum different quarters, had, from mo-
tives of c conomy, disbanded the militia in Wellington,
and reduced the company in the Hutt to 25 men, and
but two days previous to the attack Lad informed Alr
Turnbull, the only acting officer, that his services would
be dispensed with. So that, on Saturday morning, the
men at Tihata were only under the command of a ser-
geant. Fortunately, however, they succeeded in effect-
ing their retreat, and joined the troops without meeting
with any opposition.
Every assistance was rendered by Captain Stanley.
Two of the Calliope's boats were sent in the afternoon
of Saturday to Petoni, one with arms, and the other to
bring away the women and children to Wellington.
The wounded, who received every attention and assist-
ance from Dr. Turnbull until the arrival of Dr. Gal-
braith, were also sent over to 'Wellington to be placed in
the hospital. The slain were buried on Sunday, on the
field of battle.
Various measures of precaution and def-..nce were now
adopted—among others, that of arming the natives.
Epuni's offer, which was before treated with coldness
and indifference, was now eagerly embraced, and, with a
little solicitation, the old chief was persuaded to arm
cith his tribe and fight with the settlers against his old
enemy. Accordingly a hundred stand of arms were
sent over to Petoni for the use of his tribe. On Monday
the natives of the pass at Waiwetu, Pipitea, and 'Taro,
were also supplied with arms, though the manner in
which this eas done by the superintendent was calcu-
lated rather to repel them than to enlist their services
heartily in the cause.

ately gave chase, and were rapidly gaining upon them,
when the canoe reached a point beyond which the part)
stationed at Purirua were lOrbidden by Major Last and
the superintendent on their last visit to that station to
pass in pursuit of the natives, and they were, therefore,
reluctantly compelled to turn back. The rebels imme-
diately landed, and taunted their pursuers with coarst
and insolent gestures of mockery and defiance, and after-
wards manned their canoe, and in,derision pretended to
chase them, taking care, however, not to pass the charmed
line. They have since circulated reports along the coast
that they chased the paktha boat, and nearly succeeded
in capturing it.
In cons( queece of the reports in circulation on Tues-
day, and the apprehensions entertained that the town
would be attacked by the rebels, application was made
to the superinteedent by the settlers for arms, and othei
measures adopt( d which we have above related. Ii
order to secure the inhabitants frt m any sudden
attack, a strong line of piequets, of the military, vo.'un•
tee rs, aid militia, encircled the town, and patrolled
the outskirts, t xtendirg seme distance on the Karori-
road, Led strong parties of militia were statioi ed tor the
protection of the powder magazine. Catrain S anley
also landed seventy men from the Calliope to assist
the settlers in the eve nt of any attack. It is intenticd to
adopt these judicious precautions eve ry night. On
Tl.ursday night, although it rained very Leanly, tht
volunteers aid militia cheerfully turned out in discharge
of their self-imposed duties. The outsettlers at Karori
and l'orirua have also bet n armed and are on the alt rt.
From the number of armed persons passing ai.d re-
passing, the town presents quite a warlike appearance.
Yesterday morning a detachment of mariues were
landed from the Calliope, under orders to proceed to
Perirua, to reinforce the troops at that station..

NAVAL COURT-MARTIAL.

PORTSMOUTH, OCT. 12.—A court-martial assembled
on Saturday' morning on board her Majesty's ship
Victory, in Portsmouth harbour, to try Lieut. Henry.
Alexande• Story, senior lieutenant of her Majesty's
steam-frigate Retribution, for having, on the 13th of
August last, confined one of the crew of that ship in the
coal-bunker, without having an order for so doing from
his captain, the man having died while so confined. The
court was crowded with officers.
Before the proceedings commenced, Lieut. Story ob-
jected to Rear-admiral Parker, and Captains Pasco and
Chads, sitting as members of the court, they having
previously conducted an inquiry into the circumstances
of the case, by order of the Admiralty, and the present
court-martial being ordered on their report. The court
was cleared, and the validity of the objection allowed.
The three officers referred to then rose and withdrew.
The court was composed as follows. Admiral Sir Charles
Ogle, president; Commodore Sir Francis Collier, Cap-
tains Ellictt, of the Eurydice; Shepherd, of the St.
Vincent; Williams, of the -Avenger; and Stanley, of the
Rattlesnake.
Samuel Arnold sworn—He was doing duty as master-
at-arms the 13th day of August last, on board the Retri-
bution. 11. A. Story was then first lieutenant of that
ship, and E. Redpath was captain of the hold. About
ten o'clock on the morning of the 13th of August last he
received an order from Lieutenant Story to place E.
Redpath on the platform in the coal-hole.. Ile was to
be visited and reported to the officer of the watch eve ry
hour, and let out to have a wash and get an airing be-
tween one and two, P it. Basting received this order,
Edward Redpath was accordingly placed on the platform,
under the grating in the coal-bunker, on the port side,
about half-past ten o'clock, A.M. I again saw him about
one o'clock, P.M., when lie came out of the coal bunker.
He was then in the head, and he appeared to be very
well in health. I next saw him about half-past seven,
p.m., he was then sitting on the platform. I observed
him then through the grating as I was ping aft. I did
not see him again until he was taken out of the coal-
bunker dead. I went immediately for the surgeon.
Edward Redpath was sober when I placed him in the
coal-bunker, and to the best of my knowledge he con
tinned so while there. He was put there for being drunk
on the night of the 12th of August. he ship was, at
the time, on her way from Gibraltar to Corfu. I have
not been mere than five months in the Retribution. I
have known two cases beside the one in question of per-
sons having been put in the coal- bunker for punishment.
The man could not have fallen from the platform on the
coals where he was found, as it was a distance or some feet.
I never heard it hinted by any person that it might be
dangerous to place a man in the coal-bunker. Redpath
did not complain to me of his punishment, or make any
remarks thereon ; he merely said to me that he was
afraid that he would be disrated.
In answer to Captain WILLIAMS, witness stated
Redpath was to have been taken out at eight o'clock that
night.
By the PRESIDENT—Did you ever put a man in the
coal-bunker before?—Yes. Was that considered a dan-
gerous place ?—Not to my knowledge.
By the prisoner—Do you consider that Redpath was
a sober man?—Decidedly not. Was the amount of
punishment less in the Retribution than in other ships?
—Much less. Has my conduct been harsh in using the
black list?—No, never. You have always shown a
great inclination to avoid nporting men to the captain,
in order to avoid a greater amount cf punishment.
John Matthews, ship's corporal, deposed that the
man was put into the coal-Kole between ten and eleven
A.M. Witness gave him his dinner at twelve o'clock,
and did not again see him until seven, when he visited
him. He was then sitting on the platform. Witness
asked him if he was all right; he replied "Yea, yea."
When witness visited him at eight o'clock the man was
not in the same place; he got a light and took the
bunker lid off and looked in and called out to him. Wit-
ness then went down to the after stoke-hole, and asked
'I homes Rumley, the stoker, it he had seen him: he re-
plied, "No." Witness asked Rumley to go into the
bunker and look for him. Rumley went in, and called
to witness, "We had better fetch him up, for I think
it is nearly a case with him." Witness reported it, and
they then got a rope and•put down, and hoisted him on
deck. It is not customary to confine men in the bunker;
witness had known three cases in the Retribution, but
he never knew any bad effects result from it before this.
Never thought it was dangerous.
By the PRESIDENT—If it had been a cold winter's
night, which would you have considered the most le•
nient punishment—to be put to look out on the weather
gangway, or confined in the coal-bunker? Witness—l
would sooner be confined in the coal bunker.
By the prisoner—Had you orders to report the man
to the officer of the watch every hour?—l had not ; I
only made my reports at eight o'clock. Prisoner—Has
my conduct to the ship's company generally been harsh
or violent FP—No.

Accounts were received from Porirua on Thursday,
which stive that the rebels did not lose a single man ii.
the late attack, and that only one of their number was
wounded. They beast also that they were on the point
of making a second attack when Major Last arrived.
They boast also that the arty under Kaifaretehau did
not exceed sixty men. In consequence of recent events,
eight of the intruding n: tires belonging to the Wan-
ganui tribes, who were staying at Ohariu, have joined
nangihaeata.

(From the same Journal.)
We must not, however, omit to chronicle the facts
connected with this outbreak of the Maories, and the
most prominent among them is that full notice of their
intentions was given to those whom they attacked. A
fortnight before Te Rauparaha informed Major Rich-
mond of what Rangihaeata w as going to do; and indeed
so widely had it been published, that no Maori was
ignorant of it, and many settlers were also acquainted
with it. The chief Epuni, a staunch friend to the settlers
ever since their arrival in New Zealand, personally in-
formed his honour the superintendent that the hostile
natives were going to make an inroad upon the Hutt,
and requested that he and his followers might be supplied
with arms in order to repel them. This application was
rejected by Major Richmond in a manner extremely
offensive to Epuni, and an offer on the part of Colonel
Wakefield to supply him with arms was treated in the
same manner by the superintendent. This intelligent
officer was informed by other persons of undoubted
credit of the mischief about to happen, and treated all
his informants in the same manner, by appearing not
to believe them. Cognisant as we must presume Major
Richmond was of the intended movement on the part of
Rangihaeata, not a single measure of precaution was
issued on the subject, and everything remained precisely
as it had been since the governor left Wellington. The
result has been that a fourth of the number of the troops
at the upper station on the Hutt has been put hors de
combat, and the whole settlement is threatened with
destruction.

The natives are placed under the command of Mr.
David Scott, who will act as the organ of communication
between them and the commanding officer. They are
intended to form a sort of guerilla corps, fighting with
the enemy after its own fashion, and falling back on the
troops in case of need for support and assistance.
Great dissatisfaction was felt by the natives at the
miserable description of arms supplied to them from the
Government stores. The equipment of a New Zealander
for the fight is very simple. A good musket, and a car-
touche box to contain his ammunition, strapped round
his waist, are all that he requirts. But so little prepa-
ration against any emergency has been mace by the
superintendent, that a great portion of the muskets de-
livered to the natives were returned as unfit for use, the
ammunition had been formerly wet, and was unservice-
able, and there were very few cartouche-boxes for the
supply of our allies : the greater part of the cartouche-
boxes given out to the natives were obtained from
the company's stores. It will hardly be believed
out of the settlement, that although the militia
have been called out since the destruction of
Kororarika, now a period of fifteen months, and
have been more or less employed during this interval,
they have nvt even yet been supplied with scabbards
for their bayonets. The greater body of the natives be-
longing to the pas in Wellington went over to Patna on
Tuesday, and are now encamped between the stockade
and Mr. Boulcott's section. The number of friendly
natives under Epuni amounts to nearly 250 men. They
had a war dance on Wednesday evening, and speeches
were made by the chiefs expressive of their determina-
tion to make common cause with the settlers. " Why,"
they said, "should we wait until some of our own
people are killed before we take up arms ? It is true we
may remain here and not be attacked, but are we to
allow our pakehas, our friends, to be killed before our
face ? No—we will show our love to the pakehas, and
identify our interest with theirs."

Died, on the 21st mbtant, at the residence of J. Boul-
cott, Esq., Te Aro, to which he had been removed,
Thomas Hoseman, aged 25 years, of a musket-shot
wound received in the engagement on the Hutt, on
Saturday, the 16th instant. An inquest was held on the
body, before Dr. Fitzgerald, coroner, when the jury re-
turned a verdict of " Died from a gun-shot wound."

In consequence of information received from the na-
tives of Rangihaeata's intention to make an attack, the
troops at Porirua were under arms all Wednesday night.
Since the late reconnoissance of Rangihaeata's pa, an
order has been issued to assemble the soldiers at Porirua
under arms every morning at daybreak. It is 'reported
that Rauparaha has sent to Rangihaeata a portion of the
sugar and flour he lately received as a present from
Major Richmond.—May 16.
We learn from Akaroa and Port Cooper that the na-
tives are very troublesome to the settlers there, refusirg
to allow them to occupy the land, and demanding exor-
bitant rents from the owners of cattle stations. It is
said that they are acting under the advice of Charley,
ho has been down to the southward, and has told them
that the natives at Wairarapa get high rents, and that
they should imitate their example. 'This is the
:tame native who, it will be remembered obtained
a present of a set of sails, &c., from his excellency the
governor.

Thomas Rumley, leading stoker, deposed to finding
the man in the coal-bunker in a state of insensibility,
and corroborated the statements of the last witness.
Witness was not aware of any danger from confinement
in the coal-bunker, but said the candle burnt very dimly
when they went in to take him out.
By the PRESIDENT—Did you feel any ill effects from
being in the coal-but ker yourself?—l did, and have also
felt ill when in the bunker before.

Rangihaeata is busily engaged strengthening the de-
fences of his pa at Pawaitanganui, and thinks, now that
the Ngatiawas are arming against him, that affairs are
assumkg a more serious aspect. After these defences,
which are on the plan of those at the north, are com-
pleted, he intends to send out parties to kill and plunder
in every direction. The natives say he openly expresses
his determination "to continue to kill white people ;
that when he is himself killed, he may previously have
obtained a great utu. He is determined to c oitinue
fighting ; he will never end."
We have thus endeavoured to give a succinct but
faithful narrative of the c vents of the past wet k. We
do not pretend to decide where responsibility rests, but
it must rest somewhere. Te Rauparaha, in a communi-
cation lately received from him, distinctly states, that on
their visit to Porirua last week he said to Major Rich-
mond and Major Last, " an attack will be made on the
Hutt ; when you reach (Wellington) take precautions -
concentrate the people."* Major Richmond was re-
peatedly, deliberately warned, from various quarters,
that an attack was contemplated. What measures were
adopted to ward off the blow ? What is intended to be
done ? The natives have engaged heart and hand
with the settlers from motives honourable to both
parties, and their present conduct is the most satis-
factory refutation of the calumnies so often repeated
by those who, wishing to excuse the conduct of the
local Government with reference to the land claims,
have asserted that the settlers of Cook's Strait were
the oppressors of the native race. We do not repeat
idle reports ; we are satisfied, from our sources of in-
formation, that we express the honest sentiments of the
great majority of the natives in the neighbouring dis-
tricts, when we say that in thus committing themselves
to this contest, of which they could have remained un-
concerned spectators, they have been actuated by a sin-
cere good-will towards the settlers, and a desire to up-
hold the supremacy of the Government—that they have
made common cause with us in a spirit of justice, and for
the maintenance of peace and good order. They know
that Rangihaeata is actuated by a savage thirst of blood,
by an insatiable desire of destruction—that he is at the.
head of a band of robbers and murderers, the outcasts of
every tribe, who herd together for every evil purpose,
and that the safety of the community depends on their
being put down. They know that he has only 200 men
at the uttermost under his command, that at present.
there is little probability of his being reinforced. Epum
has 250 warriors armed and eager for the fight, and
the Ngatiawas at Waikanai and Queen Charlotte's Sound
who will join them number 600 more. We repeat,
what is intended to be done ? Will the authori-
ties take advantage of the present feeling of the natives
in their favour, and crush this common pest, or will
they suffer their zeal to grow cold by inaction and delay?
We warn them—for the public good, and the present
crisis requires us as public journalists boldly to proclaim
the truth—we warn them that the natives are unable to
account for the delay that hus already taken place. They
say if it had rested with them, not one would have re-
turned to Rangihaeata to give an account of the conflict
on the Hutt, and that if it had been their quarrel they
would have ended it in a week, and they suppose the
pakeha to be afraid or unable to defend himself. We
warn them of the mischief occasioned by the wasting
of precious time—of the reports which the emissaries of
R agihaeata will circulate to our prejudice—of the ef-
fect of these reports at the north, exaggerated as they
will be in their progress. We warn them that the mur-
der of the Gillespies was no common crime, to be dealt
with by the ordinary tribunals. It was a deliberate
challenge by Rangihaeata. The challenge was repeated
when the boats were fired upon at Porirua—it was re
plated when Gillespie's hut was burned, the day pre-
vious to the attack, although the authorities remained
tuenrsa cog; abiinot:g withs
at the
dflaac3t.— iltvAhv
ea
tsh
erre pne
sant egdi
hiane
ac htaa
will
be permitted to complete his defences,_ and deal indis-
criminate
ruin and destruction through the land, or be signally arrested in his career, depends entirely upon
Y
the use they make of the present opportunity.
The
time is passing. God grant we may not have to
record—
The time is past!

The military force of these colonies is to be greatly
augmented; a staff of a deputy adjutant•general, and a
deputy quartermaster-general, together with a brigade-
major for New Zealand, have been appointed. The
deputy quartermaster general is to be stationed in New
Zealand.

By Captain WILLIAMS—How long have you worked
in a coal•bunker at one period?—Four hours. I felt ill
at times n hen I worked there that time. I felt pains in
the head and across the eyes. When the coals will not
run out in the stoke hole it is usual to go in the bunker
to trim them. That happens dvery ten days when the
steam is up. In hot climates I have found ill effects
when taking coals in. Where the coals are dry, it causes
a stifling effect. I have been eight years and a half in
steamers. I have frequently known men put into coal-
bunkers for punishment in all steamers that I have be en
in. It is a customary punishment, and Ido not con-
sider it a harsh method of punishing.
By the prisoner— Were there not stokers in the same
bunker that day trimming coals ?—Yes ; all that day.
Has my conduct generally towards the ship's company
of the Retribution been harsh ?—No ! I think Lieut.
Story has been very lenient, according to the crimes
which have been committed.

On Saturday last the militia in Wellington were dis-
banded, and we believe it is intended to reduce the num-
ber stationed at Taita to 25 men, who will be placed
under the command of Lieut. M•Donogh.

WANGANITL—By the Catherine Johnstone we have
received the Miming communication from Wanganui:—
" The Victoria brig arrived off Kai Here on Wednes-
day evening, April 29. There being no wind, she an-
chored there for the night, and lanced Mr. Symonds and
party. On the following morning they arrived in Wan-
ganui all well. The natives had a full meeting at the
Missionary Pa, Putiki, on Monday last, which ended in
their unanimously agreeing to complete the sale of the
land, On Wednesday the surveying party, accompanied
by some of the principal Maori chiefs, commenced a
survey of the boundaries, in which they are still en-
gaged. The probability of a satisfactory termination to
the Wanganui land question is now greater than ever;
yet several difficulties have to be overcome, and the
gentleman to whom the affair has been committed will
have no easy part to perform; but from the judgment he
has hitherto displayed, we have every reason to hope he
will be successful, and that my next letter to you will
announce our right to a Crown title."

The Surgeon of the Retribution being sworn said, I
was called upon on the evening of the 13th of August
last to attend Edward Redpath. I found his body on
the port side of the upper deck warm, but I believed
dead. Doubtful whethtr he was dead or not, I resorted
to such means as I thought fit in suspended animation.
I made a post mortem examination. I found the appear-
ances on the body such as are known to exist on persons
dying from the effects of respiring carbonic acid gas. I
examined the body very minutely. I found the lungs
gorged with blood, dark in colour. The blood about the
heart and large vessels, was of a dark colour. The body
was generally livid ; in other respects it was healthy,
except rather an unusual quantity of serum on the Wain,
and very slight trace of inflammation on a portion of the
inner coat of the stomach. The cause of death was the
respiration of the carbonic acid gas.
By the PRESIDENT—Is such gas likely to be respired
in the coal-bunker of a steamer ? Generally not. Do
you consider there to be any danger in confining a man
in a coal-bunker P—No. Do you consider the effects of
the coals having been moved about to produce an un-
usual quantity of carbonic acid gas P—lt might do so.
Was the temperature of the coal-hole very high at the
time ?—From 76 to 80 degtees. Would a high temper-
ature tend to generate an unusual quantity of carbonic
acid gas in the coat-bunker ?—I believe that it might
disengage carbon from the coals, and so tend to form car-
bonic acid gas.
By Captain WILLIAMS—Have any of the stokers been
on your sick list from the ill effects of working in the
coal-bunker ?—Not to my knowledge.
By Captain SHEPHERD—Had you ever been consulted
as to whether the bunker was injurious to health ? —No.
Were you aware that deceased was placed in the coal-
bunker?—No.
By
.the PRESIDENT—Have you ever requested any
precautionary measures to be taken by the stokers?—No.
By the prisoner—Do you think it probable that car-
bonic acid gas could have been formed where the man
was placed on the platform ?—No. Under what cir-
cumstances could there have been danger?—Under
existing circumstances, his health being previously bad,
though he had not complained of his health to me.
He was generally a healthy man. Witness stated that
Lieutenant Story always rendered him every assistance
in his treatment of the sick.
Captain Lushington, of the Retribution, stated at
8 P.M. Lieutenant Story reported to me that the man
was found very ill. I knew of other men having been
confined in the coal-bnnker. It was not done by my
orders. I was not reported in the log-book, nor did I
inquire into the circumstances.
By the COURT—Did you consider it a trivial punish-
ment, which the first lieutenant might adopt?—The
witness said he did not consider himself bound to answer
this question. The Court was cleared to consider the
point, and on being re-admitted, the question was again
put, when the witness replied, " Certainly not fur a
trivial offence." Was it a trivial punishment for this
man's offence?—l consider it was. Did 3ou allow the
lieutenant on former occasions to inflict the same punish.
meat without reporting it to you?—No; I do not ap-
prove of the punishment, but did not find fault. Did You
disapprove of it?—No, I did not. Are those in the black
list reported to you?—Not those who are put in by the
lieutenant's orders to avoid reporting them to me. The
crime which the man had committed would have caused
him to be severely punished if reported to me.
By the prisoner—When you heard of my having put
men into the bunkers for offences which, had I reported
them to you, would in all probability have ensured their
being flogged, did you disapprove of my conduct in so
doing P—No, I did not. Did you think the system pur-
sued by me tended to decrease the amount of corporal
punishment?—Very much. Did you ssnction my use
of the black list without reference to you?,---I did. Has
any complaint ever been made to you by the men since
I joined the ship of my having confined them in the
bunker, or for having abused the authority vested in me
by you?—No complaint has ever been made to me what-
ever. Will you have the goodness to state whether my
conduct as first lieutenant has given you gereral satis •
faction?---Most certainly-. How long have you known
me?—Since you joined my ship as a midshipman, in
1828. Since that period have you ever heard anything
against my character. more especially as regards violence
and inhumanity ?—Never in my life. On the contrary,
I have always heard you spoken of as a kind-hearted
and humane man; and since you have been first lieu-
tenant of the Retribution I most gladly bear testimony
to the truth which I had previously heard.
Lieutenant Bickford, second lieutenant of the Retri-
bution, being sworn, said the usual punishment was
watering the grog, and occasionally the first watch,
without appealing to the captain.
By the prisoner—What is the ordinary punishment
for such an offence as that committed by Redpath?—ln
ships that I have served in a petty officer would have
been disrated, and a seaman punishment with corporal
punishment.—This witness bore testimony also to the
lenient and 4unlane conduct of Lieutenant Story.

In consequence of the report of an attack on the camp,
the sheriff, in the absence of his honour the superinten-
dent (who had gone to the Hutt without leaving any
instructions behind him) called a meeting. of the settlers
.posse aturday afternoon at Barrett's Hotel, for the pur-
pof adopting measures of defence. Mr. Revans hav-
ing been called to the chair, Mr. Lyon said that he had
been requested by the sheriff to explain that the magis-
trates had, in the absence of his honour, requested the
officer in command of the militia to call out the whole
of that force, and that they had applied to Captain
Stanley, of the Calliope, to land the marines and small-
arms men.

Mr. Vincent and Mr. R. Davis then moved a resolu-
tion that a deputation should wait upon his honour to
ascertain what steps he intended to take for the protec-
tion of the town; and that Captain Daniell, Mr. Boni-
cott, and Mr. Lyon, should form such deputation. The
gentlemen named, however, immediately declined wait-
ing upon his honour, on the ground that Major Rich
mond had proved himself utterly incompetent to dis-
charge the duties of his office, and bad so grossly neg-
lected the warnings given him that they deemed it not
merely useless to hold any communication with him, but
that they were unwilling in any degree to induce a be-
lief that any confidence could be placed in the superin-
tendent. Other parties were then proposed, but they all
declined to form part of any deputation to his honour the
superintendent.
0

_n Sunday last a large canoe with thirty natives,
loaded with provisions, fur the supply of Itangihatata
and his band, was seen in the eastern arm of Por.rua
Harbour, approaching his pa. The police-boat imeacdi-

• The following is the original of Itaurnraha's letter:—
" Kihai i mate nga pakeba na kua ki atu ano au ki a te Riti-
mona raua ko te Rati.kei Heretaunga to husk' air e tae, kia
nachio huilauia atu nga pakeha."

THE SflN, imN DON, TUESDAY EVENING-1 OCTOBER 13, 1846.

This closed the case for the prosecution.
In his defence, Lieutenant Story said that he was ac-
tuated by the best motives in ordering the man into the
coal-bunker ; as, had he reported him to the captain,
his offence would have exposed him to a much more
severe punishment. No person had felt more regret at
the death of the man than himself. He then called a
number of witnesses, both officers, petty officers, seamen,
and marines, belonging to the Retribution, who all bore
testimony to his humanity, and his uniformly kind treat-
ment of the ship's company.
The Court was then clearel to consider the sentence,
and after an hour had elapsed, they found that Lieute-
nant Story had been guilty of punishing the man with-
out first reporting him to the captain ; but, in conse-
quence of its being customary for first-lieutenants in that
and other ships to place men in the coal bunkers for
punishment, without so reporting them, the Court fully
acquitted Lieutenant Story of any blame connected with
the death of the deceased.

THE CONDITION of the PEOPLE
OF THE HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS OF
SCOTLAND.

(From the Times' Commissioner.)
DUNVEGAN (ISLE OF SKYE), OCT. 6.
The conclusions likely to be drawn by an intelligent
and reflecting foreigner who might be ignorant of the
laws affecting landed property in Scotland, and of the
modern history of its managemt nt, were such a one to
visit this part of the country, would in all probability
surprise us as much as they would instruct us. The
strange perversity with which we contrive to thwart
nature—the ingenuity with which we insure that land
which nature intended should grow food for man shall
lie a perpetual waste, and that man, whose labour
should make it " teem with fatness," shall starve in
idleness beside it, or be dri‘en out to seek in distant
lands those opportunities for his industry which cry out
for his industry at home, though we mark it not, fami-
liarised by its constant occurrence—would surely excite
the foreigner's astonishment.
I write to you now from the northernmost part
of the island of Skye, having traversed a great
portion of its length. During my short stay in it, in
the gardens of those gentlemen to whom I have
had the honour to be introduced, I have seen the
greatest luxuriance of vegetable growth. Such is the
mildness of' the climate, combined with great humi-
dity, that vegetables, grasses, and flowers here, as in
Ireland, grow with rank luxuriance. In several gar-
dens I have seen fuchsias and dahlias growing in the
open air, with every other description of flower common
to England ; and strawberry-plants, vegetable-marrow,
and other kitchen vegetables, spreading with profuse-
ness. But here labour and skill Iv, re applied, and na-
ture kindly aided man's industry. It is not the soil,
then, that is barren ; it is not the climate that forbids
vegetation. What a far different scene awaits you out of
these gardens of the rich ! This fine island, which is
sixty miles long, is at no part of it more than three
miles from the sea. Deep lochs stretch into it in every
direction from the sea, and the land is thus divided
almost like the rays of a star-fish. Every loch yields
sea-weed and shell-sand for manure in abundance, as
well as fish for food. Yet from one end to the other of
this island, with all these facilities and capabilities, the
eye rests on scarcely anything but bleak hills, end vast
uncultivated tracts of land covered with moss end
heather, here and there dotted over by the wretched
black huts of the inhabitants, who exist wretchedly in
the midst of thousands of uncultivated acres, which Oily
want their labour, directed by skill, to yield them com-
fort and plenty.
The foreigner would probably exclaim, " What a pity
it is that there are not more people to cultivate this east
extent of land ! how strange it is that in a civilised
country all this land should be thus left uncultivated !"
But if he should be told that the few people that do exist
on it are absolutely almost starving for want of food, he
would no doubt exclaim, " Then, why on earth not cul-
tivate this waste land, and grow food for them as a re-
payment for their labour ?" Greater still would be his
astonishment if told that it was the "civilised" state of
the country, or rather the laws of a civilised country,
prompted by and acted on by the selfishness of man,
which produced this desolation and caused the want of
population. He would naturally ask, "But how ?"
He would cease to wonder when told what those laws
were, and he began to consider what was the natural
operation of cause and effect. Explain the Scotch
law of entail to him, and how the pride and selfish-
ness of man, through it, had rendered vast tracts of
country unsaleable, affording no security for money,
whilst it but gave a life-interest to the possessor,
and often burdened him with charges which ren-
dered him careless of improvement and helplessly
poor, inasmuch as he could neither sell nor
borrow money on his estate ; then explain to him the
provisions of the Scotch Poor-law, the effect of which is
to send off the youth and the vigour of the population to
give their strength to benefit other lands, whilst it leaves
the infirm and helpless chargeable on the land—" Ali, I
see," the foreigner would exclaim, as the light of this
precious " civilisation" broke in upon him, " the pro-
prietors of the soil have made themselves too poor to
cultivate it—to give employment to labour ;so the la-
bour that makes wealth goes elsewhere. Then, the in-
firm and helpless of the population being only left as a
burden on the pour proprietors, they try to get rid of the
people by 'clearing them off,' and proposing plans of
emigration to save their own pockets. This accounts
for the comparative thinness of the population. Ab, I
see. What an ingeniously perverse system of civilisa-
tion ! How admirably calculated to exterminate the
people, to preserve the land in the condition in which it
was left by Noah after the flood, and to perpetuate
poverty, and helplessness, and misery ! Surely barbar-
ism is better than such civilisation."
But if such be the habitual condition of the population
of the highlands and islands of Scotland (and I do
not think that the truth of this description will be gain-
sayed), what must be their condition now, when even
that scanty food, on vchicli they contrive to exist in ordi-
nary years, in many parts has entirely failed? Even at
the tables of those who could purchase potatoes if they
were to be had, and at the hotels, I have not seen pota-
toes at dinner above once or twice during the last fort-
night; boiled rice and other vegetables have taken their
place.
I am assured by a large proprietor here, intimately
acquainted with the condition of the people of the
island, that out of a population of about 26,000, fully
20,000 persons depend for existence on the potato crop,
and that there is not above a month's consumption of
oatmeal grown in the island remaining. Neither is
there any employment whatever for the people,. to
enable them to purchase food out of the profits of their
labour. The rental of the island is about 26,0001. a
year, or about 11. for each person. It' the support of
20,000 of these poor people is to be derived from the
land, it is quite clear that the rental cannot support
them. This, then, is a great and peculiar emergency;
and, however much it is to be lamented that the island
is in such a state of uncultivation as to afford no em-
employment to the people; and that the proprietors can-
not give that employment,-however willing so to do,
still it is incumbent on the Government to see that the
people do not starve.
One most wise measure of the Government, and admi-
rably calculated to meet the peculiar condition of High-
land proprietors, so far as it extends, is the recent sta-
tute, the 9th and 10th of Victoria, c. 101. This statute
authorises the Commissioners of her Majesty's Treasury,
upon the application of commissioners appointed to
carry the Act into execution, to advance out of the Con-
solidated Fund 2,000,0001. for Great Britain, and
1,000,000/. for Ireland, for the purpose of draining lands;
such advance to be made a prior rent-charge on the lands
drained, at the rate of 6i per cent. for the period of 22
years, when the principal is calculated to be redeemed,
and the rent-charge is to cease.
The execution, or carrying out of the Act, is, however,
subject to considerable, and no doubt, necessary delays;
whilst the emergency which presses is immediate. For
instance, by the Bth clause no advance of money can be
made in compliance with any application until the same
has been submitted to, and sanctioned by, the Com-
missioners of the Treasury. By the 16th clause, if the
Commissioners sanction the application, then the plan,
estimate, and specification of the proposed drainage must
be submitted to' the Government surveyor appointed;
and by the 18th clause, no certificate for the advance of
money shall be issued until natice of the application for
the advance shall have been published two successive
weeks in some local newspaper, and in the Gazcite, and
until " two calendar months shall have elapsed from the
publication of the last of such advertisements," in order
that persons having charges upon the land should have
the opportunity- of dissenting from such application if
they should think fit. Though these are very proper
precautions, they consume much time, and are not fitted,
nor were they intended, for the present pressing emer-
gency.
Again, though draining will enormously benefit much
of the waste lands, and render them fit for cultivation,
yet in a majority of instances draining alone will not
suffice. The land wants trenching, and fencing, and
liming to make it properly productive, and to make it
give an adequate return for the outlay expended upon it.
But the poor proprietors, or a majority of them at least,
cannot -afford a single pound for either trenching, or
:fencing, or liming ; the poor people on the land neither
can nor will work for nothing. Hence this Act, though
a most excellent measure, was not calculated to meet the
present emergency, nor yet does it go far enough in its
useful provisions.
Another and more serious view to be taken is, that
probably this failure in the potato crop may be per-
manent ; at all events, it behoves both proprietors of
land and the Government to take some precautionary
steps to avert such a calamity next year. Should
it turn out that the potato is becoming extinct, other
food must be grown as a substitute. But it will require
at least double the quantity of land now sown with
potatoes to produce a sufficiency of food to supely the
place of potatoes. This land in the highlands and islands
of Scotland is lying waste in abundence, by thousands of
acres; but the proprietors cannot of themselves isene-
rally afford to employ the labour upon it in trenching
and fencing, as well us draining, which will lying it int
cultivation, and the people will not do it unless they
are employed. Without some enabling measure, there-
fore, there is every prospect of a recurrence of dearth
next year.
Several proprietors with whom I have had the oppor-
tunity of conversing, express their readiness to charge
their cstetes in a similar manner to that authorised by
the statute 9 and 10 Victoria, c. 101, for thee objects, if
they can only get the money, satisfied that such hn-
provements will immensely benefit themselves as well as
the people and the country generally. They urge the
necessity of an immediate advance of money for these
objects, in order to give employment and the means of
obtaining food to the people; such advance to be sanc-
tioned by a retrospective Act of Parliament.
The proprietors, and the people too, with seeming
justice complain, now that Government grants are the
order of the day in Ireland for publ!c works, " Why
should not we be also relieved ? We have suffered as
much by this calamity as the Irish ; we are quite as