The Sun.
London, England, 1856-11-25 00:00:00

11_4 D TUESDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 25, i?3:6*.

THS GOLD BULLION ROBBERY.

FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THE
PRISONERS. "
MANSION-HOUSE-YESTERDAY.

The following appeared in our late edition of lasi
night : .

The further examination of the prisoners, William

Pierce and James Burgess, charged with' the gold bill-
; lion robbery on the South-Eastern Railway Company,
in Mey, 1855, was resumed yesterday morning before the
Lord Mayor. The publication of the evidence of Agar,
detailing the adroit and daring manner in which this
robbery was effected, has much increased the curiosity of
the public in respect to him and the parties implicated,
and a more numerous crowd of persons than on either
of the former examinations assembled in Mansion-house-
, street several hours previous to the commencement of
the 'business, eager to gain admission to the court. A
rumour was in circulation early in the morning that
Seward, alias the " barrister," was in custody, and
would be placed at- the bar with Burgess and Pierce,
whioh probably tended to increase the
.number of
persons assembled in front of the Mansion-house.
The same admirable arrangements for the accommo-
dation of the representatives of the press were made by
the Lord Mayor, assisted by Mr. Goodman, the chief
clerk, and Mr. Sewell, as on the two former examina-
tions. Precautions were taken to prevent.the court from
being overcrowded.-
Twenty-five witnesses wore summoned to give evi-
dence to-day ; and in Order -TO prevent confusgirdr ire;
143, in their attendance, they were provided with printed
cards, stating they were witnesses in the case, signed by
Mr. Rees, solicitor to. the company.
Mr. Bodkin, instructed by Mr. J. C. Rees, solicitor
to the South-Eastern Railway Company, again appeared
to prosecute. ' Mr. Wontner defended Pierce, and Mr.
Lewis, of Ely-place, defended Burgess.
Alderman Sir R. W. Carden, - Alderman Salomons,
and Alderman Carter were on' the bench during the
examination of ,the prisoners. Mr. Tuelon, Mr. Coles
Child, and other directors of the line, with Mr. Abel, to
whom some of the stolen gold belonged, .were also pre-
sent, and accemmodated with seats on the bench.
At half-past 10 O'clock the prisoners Burgess and
Pierce were placed at the bar. They were hoth• as cool
and collected in their demeanour AS on the previous
occasions, though they looked somewhat paler. Bur-,
gess still retains his dress as a guard of the South-
Eastern Railway. Pierce anxiously looked round the
court, and both prisoners evidently appeared surprised
after what was said at the last examination that Seward
and Tester were not placed in the dock beside them.
Mr. Bodkin said he intended, to-day, first, to com-
plete the case as regarded Pierce's house, and if there
was time then to go to another branch of the case. It
would be necessary for him to ask by and bye for a
further remand of the prisoners.
Charlotte Painter was the first called—She deposed
that she was 15 years of age, and resided at 15, South-
ampton-street, Vauxhall. She lived with- two persons
named Adams, in Horleyford-street, and bad to nurse a
child. She was there by day and went home to sleep at
night. She had seen the prisoner Pierce, at Adams's
house iu Harleyford-street, and he went by the name
of I), ahem. Mr. and Mrs. Adams removed from
Harleyford-road to Cambridge Villa, Shepherd's-bush,
but at what time she could not say. Pierce assisted
Adams to mnvo his furniture. Soon after that she
left Agar's service ; it was jest before Christmas, 1854.
She spent her Christmas with her parents, and after
that Agar called on her parents, and she was taken by
him by cab and 'buss to Cambridge-vil!a. She slept there
then, and took care of the child. Vase was mostly out
by day with the child. She recognised Fanny Kay as
Mrs. Adams. Pierce continued to visit Agar at Cam-
bridge Villa whilst she remained in Agar's service the
second time, about the 18th May, 1855. He then came
more frequently than at the Harleyford-road. His visits
were sometimes at meal times, and others not.
She had known him to be there the best part
of the day. Agar was sometimes at home
when ho came and sometimes not. When Agar was at
home Pierce and ho used to go to the wash-house, but
the did not know what they did there. On one or two
occasions she heard hammering and knocking. On one
occa,ion she went to the wash.honse to fetch an article,
but Agar rt.-Ansel her admission, saying she could not
come in. She saw two boxes in the wash-house about
that time. One was a green coloured one,which she thought
she would know again if she saw it. She went into
the wash-h9use for anything she wanted when the men
were there. She bad moved .the boxes to sweep under
them, and from that she found the white one was heavy.
When Pierce and Agar were at work in the wash-house
a vice was fixed on a piece of board against the window.
She found it fixed when she wont there, and it remained
when she left. Once she saw a leather courier bag in
the house. It was, brought into the back parlour by
Agar. She never saw any other bag then but that.
Agar and Pierce went out together with the bag on one
occasion towards evening, but 'she could not say when
it was. She used to sleep in the first floor back room,
which had a common small stove in it. No fire was

lit there to her knowledge. She used to retira at vari- I
ous hour 2, sometimes as early as eight o'clock. Pierce
bad always left before she went to bed.
Examin•A by Mr. Woutner—She could not re
member the date whe❑ she left Agar's. The
child had gone to nurse before she left. She was ce.r.
lain Mrs. Bessill, who resided next door, died before she
left Agar's. She left a few days after that. The can-
vas hag was drab colour. Agar and Pierce brought
the bag into the back parlour whilst she was having
her tea, Sbe had great difficulty in moving the
boxes in the wad:louse. She had to push them along.
Both boxes had been there as, long as she
lived at Shepherd's-bush. The washhouse was kept un-
locked, and she could go there when she liked.
Cross-examined by Mr. Lewis-ller mistress was at
home when Agar brought home the bag. He put it on
a chair behind the door. She believed Agar carried the
bag out openly later in the evening. She did not see
him go out of the street door. She did not recollect if
he wore a great coat or cloak. She believed Agar re-
turned after she was in bed. She had never since
seen the bag. She was first asked about her evidence
about a month since. She first made a statement to
Mr. Rees in the presence of her father and mother. He
gave her 28. on each occasion. He saw her once at her
father's residence, and once at Mrs. Porter's, a witness
to he called. She had not spoken to Mrs. Agar on the
subject. She had read in the newspapers the accounts
of the robbery. If she had not read them she should not
have recollected it.
Mary Ann Wilde deposed that she resided with Mrs.
Bessill at the time of her death at Cambridge-villas. She
left a few weeks after. Whilst she lived there she knew
Mr. and Mrs. Adams. Witness used to sleep in the back
bedroom, and could see from it into Mrs. Adams' wash-
house. She had seen Agar go into the wash•knuse on
several occasions. She once saw bins go in in company
with another man whom she could not now identify.
She saw nothing carried into the washhouse. There
was a garden behind her master's house, and from that
she could see the back bedroom-window of Agar's house.
There was a white blind to the window, which was
there when she first went to Cambridge-villas. Her
master on one occasion borrowed a hammer of Agar.
Witness fetched it. It was a heavy hammer, and was
afterwards returned by Mr. Bessill. Her attention was
attracted by hammering in the wash-house when Agar
was there, but she could not recollect if Pierce was there
then.

Cross examined by Mr. Wontner —The last witness
left Agar's service before Mrs. Bsssill died.
Cross-examined by Mr. Lewis—Her master was in
the habit of hammering once or twice a week, and made
a great noise.

Re-examined by Mr. Bodkin--She did not see Pain-
ter leave. She thought it was before her mistress died.
Mrs. Mary Ann Porter deposed—She resided at No. 14
Harleyford-road. She knew Agar, who went by the
name of Adams, in October, 1854. He took lodgi❑gs in
her house, and resided there with Fanny Kay as his
wife. They remained in the lodgings about 7 weeks.
Pierce visited them in the name of Peckham. He came
there very frequently. Pierce assisted in packing ham-
pers when Agar left. Pierce stayed there sometimes
half a day, and sometimes not so long. She did not see
Pierce or Agar ever use tools.
Cross-examined by Mr. Wontner—Agar came to her
lodgings a week before Christmas, 1854.
Wm. Ellis Wood deposed he was a cabman, residing
at 7, Hawley-mews, Hawley-road, Camden-town, No.
3,016. In the spring of 1855 he was out with one of
his cabs, near Chalk-farm, about 7 o'clock in the evening.
As he was driving along, looking for a fare, he was
hailed by a man, and drove to the corner of Prince of
Wales'-road, Haverstock-hill. He could not say if the
man walked or rode there. Crown-terrace is about 200
yards from the corner. When he got to the corner he
waited there a quarter of an hour. The man went to-
wards Crown-terrace, and returned with another man.
They had two or three carpet bags. One was a little
square leather bag, with something like a dressing case
in it. They got in and ordered me to drive to London
bridge Station. He did so, and drew up at the Bridge
Hotel. The shortest man of the two got out and went
towards the station. The other man remained in the
cab, and ordered him to drive to St. Thomae'e-etreet. He

did so, and was ordered to pull up near Gay's Hospital.
The one that got out had on a cloak or a roan tle. He
heard them shuffling about in the cab befato he pulled up,
as if they.were about to get out. The short man did not
take a bag out tsitb him, but he had no cloak on when
he took him up first. After remaining in Tboinastreet
abouthalf-an-hour the man returned from Tooley-street
through thearches. Hegotin and spoke to the otherman,
and then got out again, end was absent a quarter of an
hour. He did not hear what they said. On his return he was
ordered to drivo'them back, and to go down the Prince
Of Wales-road, round by Mother Shipton. He did so,
and got within 200 yards of Crown-terrace. They got
out with their luggage, paid him, and left. He did not
notice their luggage then. The same men hired him
again. It was ta) or three days after, and they then
took him from the rank at Chalk-farm. He was hired
by the same short man, and about the same hour (,even
o'clock) in thaeveLing. He drove to the corner of Prince
of Wales-roadas hefore,when the man who hired him left,
and returned with another man and luvgar, comprising
two carpet bags and a leather bag. One had a brown
frock coat or, and the other had dark clothes on. They
each had cloaks oa their arms.' He ,drove to St. Thomas's
Hospital. The short man got out, and was absent about
balf-an-hour, the other remaining in the cab. He went
towards the station. On his return he got into the cab.
One got out and went away, and he drove the other to
Prince of Wales-road, Haverstock.:hill. He was hired
once or twice after in the same way and by the same
men. He took them to St. Thomas-street, and the same
ceremony was performed, and he &are them back again
as before. On one lacca,ion he lift•4l one of the carpet
bags, which appeared heavy. It took place either in•
April or May, but he would not swear which. ft was
always dusky when he returned. The short man was of
light complexion ansUligfht...whiskers, and.looked like a
servant out of PlaeO. He was about 5 feet 5 inches or
5 feet 6 inches in height, and about 28 or 30 years of
age. He thought he should know hiM again if he saw
him. He wore a brown frock coat, he thought, on every
occasion. He could not identify the tall man. Ho was
a tall, spare man. As soon as he came to the cab he got
in, and he had no opportunity of seeing much of him.
He was generally dressed in a black coat, with
a cloak on his arm. He would not swear
to either of them. He thought the tall roan was the
master, and the short one his servant, as he always
hired the cab.

Joseph Carter deposed—He was a cabman, residing
at 22, Baker-street, Camden-town, No. 4,477. 'He
recollected being on the rank with his cab about 16 or
17 months ago, when he was hired by two men ; the
prisoner Pierce is one of them, and Agar, who was
here last Monday, was the other. They had two carpet
bagi—if not three,' with them—each man carrying one.
He did not notice their dress. They put the bags into
the cab and got in. The bags were heavy. He drove
them by their direction: to St. Thomas-street, in the
Borough, and pulled up at the bottom of the hill past
the two hospitals. Oa the cab stopping Agar got out,
and turned round at the left towards the railway arch,
leaving. the other man and the bags in the cab. Agar
returned in about half-an hour, and said to Pierce, "It
wasn't going down to-night." He then got into the
cab, and witness drove them to Mother Snipton, on
Haverstock-hill. They got. out- and discharged him.
They took the bags into the public-house, and witness
pulled over the other side of the road, and on looking
round be saw ono of them carrying both bags. He
did not notice how the men were dressed that night.
Cross-examined by Mr. Wontuer—He had not read
any account of this robbery in the newspapers. He did
not hear Agar give his e-'idence, or any part of it. He
.acv Agar in the Court for a few minutes on the last
exatniLation. He was hired about 5 o'clock, but be
would not be positive as to the time. He could not
collect a fare he had before this on that night or the one
after, nor any that he drove for the week. This W :IR the
only one be could recollect for the week. He could tell
by a man's actions if a bag he was carrying was heavy
or not. lie would not swear if the bags were made of
carpet or leather. He knew Pierce's face well, because
be had seen him several times in Camden-town.

Cron-examined by Mr. Lewis—He bad never had any
of the circumstances of the robbery read to him. The
first application he had was from the waterman on Friday
week. He bad never been in this court before.

Mr. Lewis—Were you ever in any court before ?
Witness— Yes, once at Marylebone fir being " intos-
ticater —(laughter)—and be got off.
Witness was cross-examined by Mr; Lewis as to his
no'ioing the men when they hired him, and the' dress
they wore, and he excused himself for not being able to
answer his questions by saying that when a man was
called off the ranks and had to twist about with a
" spirited horse," he had to be on the look out and take
care of " hisself." (Laughter.)

Mr. James Clements deposed that he resided at No. 3,
Stanmore place, Grove-Areet, Camden4nwh. Last
year ho kept a coffee-house adjoining the Southampton
Arms. He left in July, 1855. Ile recollected that
about three months before ho left two gentlemen .came
to his house with carpet bags. It was about seven
o'clock in the evening, and to the best of his recollection
ho had never seen them before. Tney remained about
an hour or an hour and a half. Tan minutes or a quar-
ter of an hour after they came in one left, and the otber
remained an hour or so. They had some refreshments
then. Witness put a question to the man that remained
about his friend being so long absent, and received an
answer. On the return of the other man they took the
bags and left. He could not recollect if they came to
his house after. One was a fair complexioned men, the
other had dark hair. [Agar is a fair complexioned man,
with light hair and little whiskers.] They had a cab and
left with the bags.

John Honour deposed he was a hairdresser, residing
in Lambeth-walk, near the Walnut tree-walk. He had
known Pierce for four or five years, and when he lived
at Walzint-tree walk he often came to his shop. Wit-
ness dres-,ed a dark, very near a black, wig for him.
He said he wanted it for a friend of his, an elderly gen-
tleman. Pierce left Walnut-tree-walk about two years
since, and the wig was dressed for him shortly before
that.
Tisiz witness was not cross-examined.

John Alday, a lad, deposed that he resided at No. 2,
Newbury-mews, in the ❑eighbourhood of Haverstock-
hill, and near Crc'wn•t.errace. He remembered finding
a double handful of shot iu Princess-place, by the side
c.f the kerb of the pavement ; there were some other
boys with me and they had some also; the shot was strewed
all along Princess-place. A person walking from Crown-
terrace to Kentish-town would walk along Princess.
place. He left school about three years since, and he
found the shot a good while after tha'.
Mr. John Matthews deposed he resided at 116, Lead-
enhall.ntreet, and was the manager of Messrs. Massey's
business, goldsmiths. On the 16th May, 1855, he pur-
chased 210 American gold eagles, and gave 2131. 10a.
for them, and sold them immediately afterward; He
had a slight recollection of the purchase, and he believed
it took place about 9 o'clock ; the shop opened about 8
o'clock, and this was the first transaction that morning
in buying. He paid in gold procured from the Bank of
England. He sold the eagles in the trade before paying
for them at a profit of 11. Is. 10d. He bought them of
a tall man, dressed in black, and he appeared as if he
had been travelling. The man waited in the shop whilst
I sold the eagles and procured the money, which occu-
pied from 20 minutes to half an hour. No other person
came with him. Their shop is almost opposite the East
India House.

Mr. W. S. Sterne, of the White Hart, Thomas-street,
deposed that he knew Pierce perfectly ; he also knew
Burgess, and a man who calls himself Agar. He never
knew bim by name. He had known Burgess nine years,
Pierce seven or eight, and he had seen Agar three or
four times within a very short period, in his house, with
the other two, previous and up to the time of the bullion
robbery. Pierce and Burgess frequented his house.
He could not say if he saw Agar there previous to the
robbery. He had seen Burgess and Pierce at his house
at all hours of the day. Agar came there generally
about 7 o'clock in the evening. On 17th February last
he received a parcel from Sarah Thompson, who was'
then his barmaid. In consequence of what she said to
him he put the parcel in his cash box and there kept it.
On the following night, or the night after, Burgess asked
him it he had a parcel for him. Witness replied he had,
and banded to him in his bar parlour the parcel he had
received from the barmaid. He opened it in witness's
presence, and it was found to contain bank notes. There
were several, and they appeared to be valuable ones.
His impression at the time was that they were more
valuable than 51. notes, and he asked him why he had
not previously made him acquainted with the value of
the parcel. He replied he did not because he felt per-
fectly satisfied it was safe in his hands. He then asked
witness to take care • of it ; it was the savings
of years, and he wished witness to invest it for
him. Witness said he should be glad to serve
m
him, because he had always had a good opinion
of him. Witness suggested his opening a banking ac•
count, and depositing it there ; and as a frienndiaottfehrsis, had
d
a banking account he would introduce him. Burgess
declined,weu ld b e sayingsatisfie
satisfied
eby knewhis
(wnoitthniensgs
of'e) taoknienyg charge of it.
It occurred to witness to take the money to Messrs.
Reid and Co., his brewers, who would allow 5 per cent.
on all moneys deposited with them, and he mentioned it
tin
oeßr
morning witness
He appeared satisfied, and on the following
witness deposited the money, 500/. He told
Messrs. Reid that the money belonged to a friend of
his. It was all in Bank of England notes. He gave
Burgess the book he had received at Messrs. Reid's.
officials. He had seen
y, and handed
the railway servants, but
iNtVnci tvrneoerss
sts.ner
xße
acume
ri vgi
nee
eds
ds t. h
bye i nt e
Mr.r e s two no
nt
thnee mr
____o n
ge
—is house was
company's service.
Cross-examined by Mr. Lewis—When Pierce, Agar,
and Burgess were there they did not compose a party of
mushh edidPierce frequented
notth e r
ke in
know w company
I 1 bye
htah de beenrailwaywith i n the
themselves, but mixed with other persons. He never
had had Burgess's savings bank book. . He did not re-
member Burgess saying that the money was a portion of
the savings of his wife's mother, and that to make up the
amount he had taken some from the savings bank.
Burgess never said to him that he had been fortunate in
speculating in shares. There was no concealment on
i the part of Burgess—not the slightest. •
1 Re-examined by Mr. Bodkin—When he heard of this
i examination he voluntarily made a communication

through his solicitor to-Mx. Ilee3, solicitor for the pro-
secution.

By Mr. Leivis—And' prior to that there was not the
slightest concealment.
Sarah Thompson deposed she was barmaid to the last
witness in February last. - iShe handed to Mr. Sterile a
parcel she receiAd`froin Richard Lee ; it was a !dressed;
as near as she could recollect, to Mr. Dirgess. She gave
it to Mr. Sterne in the same state 2,8 she deceived it. She
was not prerent.when the' parcel was given to,Bnrgess.
She banded on one .occasion to Burgess Si. O. 1.(l. inte-
rest:Mr. Sterne had received from Messrs. Reid and Co.

Mr. Bodkin said his next courso•mould he to• trace
these notes, bat at that late hcur he thought it
was not advisable to enter on that part of the
case, and therefore he proposed an adjournment,
and a further remand of the prisoners. A circumstance,
however, occurred at the last examination.which might
lead to defeating the ends of justice, and he
therefore thought, it right to mention it. During
the interval of adjournment on the last occ%-
sion an opportunity was watched by a man
in court to communicate with the prisoner Pierce. What
that man said to Pierce he cauld not prave ; but he
should call a man who heard Pierce's answer, and that
he proposed to make evidet,ce in the case.
The Lord Mayor asked who had the prisoners in charge
at the time.'

Partridge, one of the gaolers, said they were in the
custody of Mundy, the other gaoler.

Mr:B.sikin then called

James Porter, who deposed that he.was the husband
of Mrs. Porter, already. ermined. He was in court, on
the last examination of the prisoner. During tho ad-
journment, on the former occasion he saw a man now
in court speak .to Pierce. What he said he did not bear,
but he die. inCtly`beard Pierce say in reply " Make away
with thexn—destroy them.". The man -shortly after-14e
the court. , ,

A stout, big man, with a ruddy complexion, was then
ordered to stand forward, and -he was identified by
Porter as the man. Itr reply to questions from the Lord
Mayor and Mr. Bjdkin, ho said that his namo was
Robert I)ackombe, and that he was a stable-keeper,
residing at LoWer Mitcham. He denied that he had
any communication 'with Pierce, as alleged. He said
that he knew Pierce, having on one occasion bought a
,horse of him. He also denied leaving the Court till 5
o'clock, at the end of the day's prcceedings.
From inquiries made by the Lord Mayor, it appeared
that the detectives who bad charge of the prisoners were
unavoidably absent from the court at the time that they
were left in the charge of the two 'gaolers, whose
duties were divided on that occasion in con-
sequence of Alderman Wire sitting in another part of
the Mansion House for the dispoial of the ordinary night
charges.

Inspector Mitchell, who at this period came into c3urt,
said he had distinct recollection of seeing Dackombe
lean over the board at the back of the prisoner, and
communicate with Pierce. lie leant forward, but could
not hear what he said. It was just before five o'clock.
After some remarks from the Lord:Mayor, who said
that police officers in charge of prisoners ought not to
leave them during the time they were under
examination, and that he would take mea-
sures to prevent the public -from communicating in
future with prisoners in the dock,
Mr. Bodkin said he had thought it right to mention
the matter, leaving it to the Lord Mayor to deal with
Dackombe as he thought best.

Dackombe denied hit he came to the Court other
than from curiosity, like many others.
The subject then dropped.
Mr. Bodkin then applied for a formal remand of the
prisoners to Monday next, and that then they should be
further remanded for a week. Such a course, he
thought, would save time, tar by that time no doubt
Tester would be in custody.
That course was resisted by Mr. Woritner and Mr.
Lewi?, and ultimately the prisoners were remanded
till Tuesday next, when evidence will be proceeded with,
and the bank notes traced. .

Naval an(t Military • Intelligence.

The Clarendon screw steam-transport, No. 5, Captain
Mitchell, arrived at Spithead on Sunday evening. from
Cadiz, where she put in on the Ist of August on her
way from .Balakdava for Portsmouth, with 200 non•
commissioned officers and men of various regiinents in
charge of horses, and 120 officers' chargers, &o. The
troops came home in her Majesty's ship Centaur, and
the horses in the Albatross screw steam-transport. The
. Clarendon, on the occasion of putting into Cadiz Bay,
had started some of her iron plates and hail nine feet of
water in her hold, and was compelled to he run ashore
in Cadiz Bay (as we reported at the time on the arrival
()filer Majesty's ship Banshee). She has been detained
Since that Time in repairing, &c. She now brings 27 of
the lower deck guns of her Majesty's ship Queen, fit-
tines for troops, horses, &c.
Her Majesty's steam-sloop Bulldog, 6, Commander
Gordon, returned from Plymouth to Spithead ou Sun-
day, having sev,rely tested at sea, as ordered, and at all
rates of speed, Clifferd's new method of lowering ships'
boats ; on one occasion 15 persons (officers and men)
were in the boat, besides all the gear. The results were
ail satisfactory.
The Royal Artillery and Marines, according to a gar•
rison order recently issued at Woolwich, constituting
each Monday a " marching day," were yesterday morn-
ing turned out with full equipments, and, accompanied
by three full bands of music, proceeded, in divisional
battalions, brigade!, and batteries, through Nightingale-
place and over Plunistead-common, the column extend-
upwards of two miles. Major-Gen. Sir• W. F. Wil-
liams, attended by his aide-de-camp, Lieut. Teesdale,
and staff ; Col. Bloomfield, A.D.C. to her Majesty, and
superintendent of drills; and CA-Commandant Brown,
accompanied the troops. After an hour's march thence
through Old Charlton, the cloudy state of the atmo-
sphere rendered it advisable to return to quarters. The
squadron of junior recruits not joining in tee march were
pet through a course of carbine drills and blank cart-
ridge firing on Woolwich-common.
Oo Saturday the freight ship Akbar was towed down
from Woolwich to Gravesend, and Col. Maclean and a
detachment consisting of 18 gunners of the Royal Artil-
lery Regiment, and three women for Bermuda. The Ak-
bar sailed from Gravesend yesterday for her destination.
lI.M. paddlewheel steam troopship Dee, Master
Commander T.C.Pullen, arrived at Woolwich yesterday
morning from Portsmouth and Plymouth, and has
entered the basin to reload with steam machinery for
the western yards. The speed of the Dee, it is under-
stood, has been considerably increased since the applica-
tion of the superheating steam apparatus ; notwithstand-
ing which, still greater advantages are contemplated by
the substitution of a differently shaped boiler.
The screw steam despatch vessel Roebuck, in tempo-
rary charge of Master Commander Allen, of the Admi-
ralty yacht Vivid, was yesterday morning hauled into
basin at Woolwich Dockyard, in order to receive her
guns and stores prior to her departure for Portsmouth
on Thursday.
The ceremony of warping the huge floating battery
Thunderbolt,: built by Messrs. Samuda, out of the fitting
basin at Woolwich took place yesterday morning. This
was effected in the ordinary manner employed for the
removal of ships to the river, and, from her singularly
bulky and novel construction, it excited considerable in•
terest. She then steered off under her own steam, and
was taken in tow by the steam-tenders Monkey and
Widgeon. Master-Commander Mugtord, from the Com-
modore's flagship Fisgard, and a party of riggers under-
took the charge of the Thunderbolt to Chatham, where
she is to be placed in reserve near Rochester-bridge. All
her internal arrangements, together,with the application
of her machinery, &c., have been carried out in Wool-
wich basin. She is nos completed in elaborate style.
The transports o:inda and Clarissa, having been
ordered down from the Victoria Docks to Woolwich
pier, commenced discharging their cargoes yesterday
morning, which consist of charcoal, tent flooring, mus-
kets, pickaxes, saddlery, stoves, cases of fur caps, and
bales, returned from the East. _ _

Captain W. Mosse, 26th Cameronians, has been
ordered to embark at Gravesend on Saturday next on
board the Apollo, fur Bermuda, to join the service com-
panies of his corps, for the purpose of instructing the
officers and men of that regiment in the use of the En-
field rifle. Second-Class Instructor Griffiths, now sta-
tioned at Chatham garrison, will also embark with Cap-
tain Mosse.
The non-commissioned officers and men of the 40th
depot were reassembled on the general parade ground of
Chatham barracks on Sunday, for the purpose of giving
an opportunity to those troops to volunteer who were
desirous of joining any other corps, an order to that
effect having been sent down to the commandant of the
garrison from the Horso Guards, the 40th Regiment
being considerably above its war establishment. The
order having been read to the troops, 54 men, who from
various causes were not present on the former occasion
of volunteering, immediately depped to the front and
offered themselves for various corps, the majority volun-
teering for the 11th or 99th Regiments. The 40th depot
has thus given considerably more than 200 men to vari-
ous regiments which were below their prescribed esta-
blishment. As the 40th will shortly be removed from
Chatham the volunteers will be at once forwarded to
their regiments, on joining which each man will receive
the promised bounty of one guinea.
Eleven non-commissioned officers belonging to the
10th Hussars, selected by the authorities, and ordered
to be transferred to the Cape Mounted Rifle Regiment,
have been directed to proceed to the Provisional Batt-a•
lion, Chatham, where they will remain until tonnage
bas been taken up for their passage to the Cape of Good
Hope, to join their now carps.

The following memorandum from Lieut.-General Sir
Colin Campbell, to tho officers commanding depot batta-
lions, has been issued :

" London, Nov. 21, 1856.
" With respect to paragraph No. 27 in the circular
memorandum, dated " Horagse Guards, Oct. 13, 1856,' in
which it is laid down that the commanders of depot bat-
talions, or their majors, shall ex.amine the officers at least
once a week in the subjects enumerated in paragraphs 1 to
9 inclusive of the circular memorandum, dated `July 4,
185i,' the Inspector-General of Infantry desires that tin
commanders of depot battalions shall name one day in the
week for this examination, and, moreover, that they shall
name another day on which day the senior captain of each

depot shall, after the orderly room business is over, proc se
to examine his young or uninstructed officers in all details
of their duty, not merely as to drill, but in everything
r. mnected with the men's pay; powers of courts-martial,
and generally in the interior economy of-a corspany, and
the provisions of the 'good conduct warrant.' This prac-
tice will be sure to make the senior captain himself become
Well versed in all such details, and will also prepare the
younger oftcers fur the examination of the commander of
the depot battalion.

" With reenact to paragraph No. 34, Sir Colin Campbell
has ordered the following explknatory directions to be
issued on the subject, of th manner in which guard-room
and other prisouers aro to be disposed of by the officers
commanding depot battalions. While giving these ex-
planatory directions it is necessary to point out to
commanders of depot battalions, as well as to the
senior captains of depots, and to all the young officers be-
longing to depots, that the object of instituting these
depot battalions is to instruct officers in the details
of their profession—a sort of knowledge which is es-
sentially necessary to be possessed by all officers; and Sir
Colin Campbell trusts to their good feeling and good sense
in the hope that they • will, for .their part, endeavour to
facilitate the moving of the machinery which has been
thought requisite for this purpose.
" The matter now in question is the manner of dealing
with guard-room and other prisoners, which the Inspector-
General of Infantry desires may be conducted thus :
When a soldier is confined, a copy of his crime will be
sent by the orderly serjeant of his company to the serjeant
of the guard, for insertion in the guard report.' This
will be done within three hours after he has been made a
prisoner, should that take place before tattoo ; if after
tattoo, the crime will be sent to the serjeant of the guard
by the men's breakfast hour next morning. This critue
must, in either case, be signqd by an officer. After the
serjeant of the guard has copied it into the guard report,
the crime will then be sent to the orderly room of the pri-
soner's own depot, where it is to arrive not later than 3.30
a m.
—" -After eaeh -crime hag baeulacigired into.triaatglajor
officer of each depot respectively, the crime will be sent to
the battalion officer to be compared with the guard report,
and, as soon as all the prisoners are finally disposed of by
the commander of the depot battalion, and thst the punish-
ments awarded by the senior captain of each depot have
been confirmed or otherwise by the commander of the bat-
talion, the original crimes are to be returned to the senior
captain of each depot, with the punishment marked on the
back, for entry in the defaulter book.'
"Officers commandingcornpanies are notto disposeof men
after they have been confined in the guard-room. Their
powers are to bo limited to such light offences as can reason-
ably be disposed of at the moment, without confining the
individuals—such as little breaches of company discipline,
late at parade, careless at drill, talking in the ranks, and
various complaints made by the non-commissioned officers.
After a man is made a prisoner ho must only be disposed of
by the officer in charge of his depot, at the depot orderly
room, or if necessary by the officer commanding the bat-
talion, in the following manner:—
" The prisoners will be brought to their depot orderly
rooms each morning at the hour prescribed by the corn-
mauder of the battalion, and their cases will be frilly and
carefully gone into by the senior officers of their depots,
and in the presence of their company officers.
" The depot commanders may dispose of the light
offiinces by awarding punishment to the extent of what a
captain is competent tv inflict, and he will write his award
on the back of the crime. Any man whose crimes appear
to deserve heavier punishment than the above, will bo
taken before the coramander of the battalion, to be dis-
posed of as soon as he is prepared to receive them, by suc-
cessive depots. The depot commander and company offi-
cer will, of course, attend. As soon as tho battalion com-
mander has disposed of these prisimers, and has satisfied
himself about the correctness of the punishments that
have be.e awarded by his depot commanders, the defaul-
ters will be marched away and -disposed- of as may have
been decided upon.
" With respect to paragraph No. 31, it will suffice that
an officer shall be present at the daily payment of his men,
and that he shall put his name at the foot of each daily
column of payments as a voucher that ho saw the money
paid. The men for guard will be paid before they go on
guard in the presence of au officer, and when no money is
paid to any individual then a figure ' 0' or' zero' will be
put ipto the square opposite his nacre.—By order.
" A. STIRLING, Lieutenant-Colonel,
Assistant Adjutant General."

MR. COBDQN ON MARITIME LA fr.

On Thursday last the following letter to the Pre-
sident of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce
was read at the meeting of the directors, from Mr.
Cobden, M.P. :

"Glyn Garth, near Bangor, Nov. 8.
"My dear Sir,--Will you allow me to call your at •
tention to a pending diplomatic negotiation in which
our commercial and manufacturing intere,ts are deeply
involved ? You will have obs€rved a decl.ration made

by the lase Paris Cenetess against privateering. That
resolution was afterwards submitted for the approval of
the American Government-, whose answer has not, I
attracted all tke attention it deserves from our
mercantile community.
"In substance, Mr. Marcy, the -United States' Foreign
Secretary, says :—` We do not maintain, like the great
European• Powers, large warlike establishments in time
of peace, and therefore we should, in caie of hostilities,
rely on the public spirit and patriotism of our private
citizens, who would, with the sanction of Government,
convert our mprcbant ships into vessels of war. To deny
to this improvised navy the right of making prizes of
your mercantile shipping, while to the thousands of
vessels constituting your Royal and Imperial navies this
privilege is to be reserved, would be voluntarily to sur-
r,mler our commerce to annihilation. On no conditions
whatever will the American Government renounco the
use of its mercantile marine in case of war ; and the
same power to burn, capture, or rink enemy's property
which you give to your Imperial or Royal navies we
shall give to our naval volunteers, whether they be called
privateers or by any other name. But being anxious to
promote the objec'l aimed at by the Congress we invite
you to carry out your pr.nciple by going one step further
—exempt private property on the ocean from seizure by
Government-armed cruisers, as well as by privateers, and
the United States will readily meet you on that broad
ground.'
" Now, really, there is no logical way of meeting
this proposition but by an instant acquiescence ; and,
had it not been misrepresented, and dealt with in a
flippant spirit by some of our journals, it must have
received as unanimous an assent in this country as it
has from all parties in the United States.
" But, with this declaration against privateering at
the Paris Congress, two other resolutions were coupled,
and had their full scope been understood by our plenipo-
tentiaries, it would have led them to propose to add to M.
Walewskt's protocol the very clause which has now been
suggc-ted by Mr. Marcy.
" The Congress declared :
" That the neutral flag covers an enemy's goods, with
the exception of contraband of war.
" ' That neutral goods, with the exception of contra
band of war, are not liable to capture under an enemy's
flag.'
" These resolutions reverse the most venerated judg-
ments of our Admiralty Courts, and, for the first time,
impart the force of maritime law to principles which were
resisted by England against the world in arms down to
the close of the war in 1815. Without dwelling on the
imperious necessity which led us during the late Russian
war to abandon our ancient belligerent rights, let us look
at the altered position in which we should be placed in
case of a future rupture with a maritime power.
" We will suppose—and it is no great stretch of the
imagination, after all that diplomacy has achieved during
the last three years—that we are at war with France. I
remember hearing the late Mr. Samuel Gurney state, in
the presence of the Prime Minister of the time, as the
result of careful inquiry, that the amount of British pro.
perty in ships and cargoes afloat averaged from 80,000,0001.
to 100,000,0001. sterling. It would be a liberal estimate
to put down the amount owned by France at from
20,000,0001. to 30,000,0001. We should thus have nearly
four times as much private property exposed to the de-
predations of Government cruisers as our enemy. But
under the new maritime code, which admits the competi-
tion of neutrals, it may fairly be questioned whether a
merchant ship under either of the belligerent flags would
long continue to find it profitable to keep the sea. Rail.
roads, which transmit the heaviest commodities 500 miles
with little detriment to their exchangeable value, have vir-
tually put an end to blockades. France, in case of war,
could use the ports of Belgium, llollaud, or Germany,
through which channels her commerce, even with England,
might be carried on in neutrals, for, once on board an
American or Dutch ship, French exports or imports would
be safe from molestation. The same applies toßritish cox•
modifies, whether imported raw materials or exported
manufactures ; they would be liable to seizure only when
on board a British vessel. Now, I ask, would it be
possible for French and English ships and cargoes, which
would be subject to a charge of 10 or 20 per cent, for
assurance against risk of capture, to compete with the
neutral flags which would be free from any such burden ?
And bear in mind that our loss would be fourfold that of
'our enemy, ()Wing to the larger amount of our tonnage
exposed to this unequal competition.
"Or, let us suppose ourselves at war with the United
States. It may be estimated that the value of American
property afloat on salt water (a large part of their navi-
gation is upon the interior lakes and rivers) does not
exceed the half of ours. Unless their late proposal were
But
a the
ri
previously adopted, the old system of privateering would
be in force
eon
pp
rrbeooyct
proclaimed
mesides,d at
to one-third.
thewhich
p we
s should
Congressrights
of
neutrals
w to wu would
thirds•
which er
e
admit all the European flags to bring and carry to and
from England and America the produce of both countries
without risk of capture during the war. Again, I would
ask—could a vessel bearing the British flag keep the sea
under these circumstances, with 500 or 1,000 armed
American vessels cruising against our commerce ? It is
clear that nobody would charter an English vessel, and
pay a heavy insurance against capture, when a neutral
ship could be had free from any such charge. The
practical effect, then, of the alterations made in our
maritime law at the Paris Conferences, if we do not go
further,
would be, in case of war with a naval Power, to
transfer the carrying trade even of our own ports to
neutral bottoms. It is then our interest especially, and
beyond all other countries, to go forward in the path to
which the Americans have invited tut.
"I cannot help regretting, as an Englishman,
the proposal did not originate with us. But the n
thexatt
best thing will be to give it a prompt and hearty accept-
ance,
and aid in securing for it, if possible, a world-wide
acquiescence. It is impossible to foresee all the conse-