The Sun.
London, England, 1856-10-18 00:00:00

THE MILITARY FRACAS AT 13R1oitroiv.

b "r. 72biti t t
DISMISSAL OF LORD ERNEST VINE
TEMPEST AND CORNET BIRT.

Yesterday morning, at 11 o'clock, a Court of
Inquiry was held at Brighton, comprising the whole
of the officers of the 4th Light Dragoons, under the
presidency of General Barnard, who was sent down
by the General Commanding-in-Chief, his Royal
Highness the Duke of Cambridge, for the purpose
of investigating the charges against Cornet Lord
Ernest Vane Tempest, Cornet William J. Birt,
and Lieutenant Wiustanley, the substance of which
has been already made public. The greatest secresy
was observed ; in fact, a Court of Inquiry is always
a close tribunal, just as a general Court-Martial is
always an open one ; the details, therefore, were
not allowed to transpire, and even the eminent
solicitor engaged by Cornet Ames to conduct his
defence was not admitted. It has transpired, how 7
e-Ter, that the result of the Court of Inquiry has
been the instantaneous dismissal of two of the
offenders, viz. Cornet Lord Ernest Vane Tempest
and Cornet William J. Birt. This very prompt
decision is actually announced in last evening's
Gazette in the following terms :
" ME3loltANDUM.—Cornets Lord Ernest Vane
Tempest and William J. Birt, of the 4th Light
Dragoons, are dismissed from her Majesty's Army,
in consequence of conduct unbecoming officers and
gentlemen, and subversive of good order and mili-
tary discipline, as reported to her Majesty by his
Royal Highness the General Commanding-in-Chief.
—Dated lith October, 1856."

SUN OFFICE, Six o'Clock.

AMERICA.

ARRIVAL OF THE WASHINGTON.

SOUTHAMPTON, SATURDAY AFTERNOON.

The United States mail steamer Washington,
with the mails for Germany, France, and England,
has arrived with dates from New York to the 4th
inst.

The Africa, from Liverpool, arrived ant on the

It was reported that the position of General
Walker at Nicaragua had much improved, and
his Government was looked on as established. It
was said that Rivas was repudiated by all parties.
An opposition of rather a determined nature,
however, existed amongst some of the inhabitants,
which had caused disturbances near San Jacents.
Cholera was making sad havoc at Costa Rica, and
it was reported that the army had positively re-
fused to again invade Nicaragua.
The New York Money Market was active. In
the Stock Market prices were greatly depressed.
Cotton market with advancing prices.
Flour heavy. Wheat dull, and freights for grain
firmer.

(From the Times.)
We have received a letter from Lord Ernest
Vane Tempest, in which, after giving his version
of the recent exhibition of practical joking at
Brighton, where he played so prominent a part,
his lordship complains of the state of suspense in
which he has been kept while the military autho-
rities are making up their minds as to the proper
step to be taken with reference to his conduct. We
publish Lord Ernest Vane Tempest's letter with
great satisfaction, especially as it denies some of
the more serious charges made against him, but we
also publish a memorandum from the War-office,
which appears in last night's Gazette, with still
greater pleasure.
This is a decision which must give satisfaction to
all parties. Lord Ernest Vane Tempest complains
of the suspense in which he has been kept. This
memorandum relieves him from that anxious feel-
ing, and enables him to devote his energies to other
fields of action. The public complained that any
time should be wasted in the lengthened prelimi-
naries and formalities of a court-martial or court of
inquiry when the case seemed so clear. In this me-
morandum the public see that the Horse Guards can
do speedy as well as tardy justice, and that the new
General Commanding-in-Chief can lop off an of-
fending member of the aristocracy whose repeated
acts have shown that he is unfit to associate with
the gentlemen who have the honour of serving
her Majesty in the honourable profession of arms.
Cornet Ames and his friends must be satisfied,
for we suppose that young gentleman will continue
to remain in the 4th Light Dragoons, and that he
will not be made the victim of any fresh imperti-
nences on the part of his associates. Again we say,
when all are satisfied who can complain ? We need
only, therefore, congratulate Lord Ernest Vane
Tempest on being rid of his suspense, the 4th Light
Dragoons of being rid of Lord Ernest Vane Tem-
pest, and his Royal Highness the Duke of Cam-
bridge on having had the good sense to apply a
speedy remedy to a crying evil.
The following is the letter alluded to above :

Sir,—My name having appeared in your paper in con-
nection with a "practical joke" at Brighton, I must re-
quest you to be impartial enough to allow my version of
the circumstances of the case to come before the public
in your columns.
Cornet Ames dined on the night in question at mess
when nothing that could be construed into an insult was
addressed by me to him, although his peculiar English
and his reckless misplacement of the letter " 11" pro•
dated some remarks in joke, and caused a good deal of
laughter. A civilian who sat on his right hand, and
with whom I was very slightly acquainted, will corrobo-
rate this ; while Mr. Ames is unable to produce any one
who can confirm his story of having been insulted out of
a party of 15, among whom were the major of the regi-
ment, the senior officer at the Preston Barracks, and two
or three civilians. After dinner I asked him to come to
my room to smoke, to which he consented ; when there,
he sat down on a sofa smoking. I remarked that "his
whisker wanted trimming," and a pair of scissors being
brought I cut off a part of one whisker. Far from show-
ing the resistance that a man of his height (0 feet) might
have done, or even proteAing energetically, he laughed,
and actually cut off a little of the other side " to make
them alike," to use his own words. I may here men-
tion that when General Lawrenson arrived, two or three
days after, he requestod to know whether any had been
taken cif, as he still possessed a large pair.
Cornet Ames has brought three separate charges against
me, none of which he owns being able to prove, except
by his own evidence, while I can bring evidence to re-
fute each. All the stories of feeding him with pap,
banging him in effigy in the barracks, and pumping
upon him have no foundation, and, so far from being the
butt of the regiment, he was treated with great kindness
by every one in it.
My reason for not having stated these circumstances
before was, that I thought it was probable they might
be matters for a court-martial ; but, after being placed
under arrest for more than a fortnight, the colonel of
my regiment read me a letter from the Horse Guards,
requesting me to send in my papers. This I did, but
heard nothing more till to-day, when lam informed
that they will take time to consider.

Three weeks have nearly elapsed and the Horse
Guards have had plenty of time to do anything they
wanted ; but I do protest at keeping a man under close
arrest, after he has acted up to their own wishes, for such
a length of time without any exercise, and I cannot but
feel that liberty is worth having at any risk.
Apologising, Sir, for taking so much space in your
columns, I am, Sir, your obedient servant,

EARNEST VANE TEMPEST.

Brighton Barracks, Oct. 17.
P.S. A. paragraph in one of the morning papers
states that the officers under arrest are allowed to receive
professional advice. So far from this, a case which Las
just occurred will give the public an idea that this is not
so. The father of one of the officers under arrest being
very ill sent his own confidential friend and legal ad-
viser to see his son. This gentleman was refused admit-
tance. Is this fair or right ?

(From, the Morning Chronicle.)
We rejoice to announce a vigorous and graceful
act on the part of his Royal Highness the Com-
mander-in-Chief in dismissing Lord Ernest Vane
Tempest and Mr. W. J. But, late officers in the
4th Light Dragoons, from the service which they
had disgraced. Among the too frequent scandals
arising out of the gross misbehaviour of young
officers attached to "crack" regiments, the late
incidents at Brighton have attained a discreditable
notoriety.

Upon the junior officers of that army the lesson
will not be thrown away. They are now warned,
by an unmistakeable example, that when once they
have accepted a commission in her Majesty's ser-
vice, they must not merely abandon the rough
horse play miscalled practical joking, which might
he pardonable in the school-boy, but also abjure
the vulgar exclusivism of wealth and station, and
frankly accept the principle that there should be
perfect equality of honour among the members of
an honourable profession.

(Front the Morning Post.)
The dismissal from her Majesty's service of Cor-
nets Lord Ernest Vane Tempest and William J.
Birt, of the 4th Light Dragoons, will be found in
the Gazette, which we reprint in another part of
our paper.
For this act of justice, administered with unex-
ampled promptitude, the gratitude of the country
and of the army is eminently due to the Sovereign
who directed, and to his Royal Highness the Duke
of Cambridge who recommended, the adoption of so
wise and decided a measure. If anything had been
wanting to vindicate the appointment t'le newthe
Commander-in-Chief, it would be found
vigorous and impartial decision now announced
his Royal Highness. in
by

(From the Daily Nem)
Boys at school who indulge in such ponderous
levities as Lord E. Vane seems to have indulged in
are usually flogged by the master, or chastised by
the victim of their jocosity. But in the case of
officers these modes of justice are forbidden. The
delinquents must be dismissed the service. Nor
can we withhold our tribute of praise from the Com-
mander-in-Chief for the manly absence of circum-
locution which characterises the memorandum.
ThereEis.
.v.annome aincnidngctohrneemt atßteirrt. i The conduct of
Lord
" unbecoming
officers and gentlemen,. and subversive of good
order and military discipline." These few words
the
el l
mbe e
emt oe rl e effective
ciue e t
and t o
peroent
rt ra oe it fe odo lhi so hm eilnysiugponsnthtahne
characteristics of a gentlemen or the most admirable
precepts for conduct.

(Front the Morning Remlol.)
His Royal Hilignesa the new Commander-in-Chief Sk
justified the expectations that were formed of him,
and established his own characters so far as anY
single decision could establish it, for good sense,
promptitude, and decision. In the present case
the public will feel that justice has been done, and
done both effectually and quickly.