The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-12 00:00:00

THE _REPORT OF THE CIIELSEA COM-

MISSION.

riles of a nation can be confides. The matter is now pro-
bably discussed for the last time. The Crimean war must
now be left to the historian, and the officers who have
just been exonerated by the Chelsea Board' are beyond
any other justice than that which follow from the judg-
ment of their countrymen now and hereafter. They
will wear their orders, and their rank and titles, won
amid so much desolation, will he b!azoned in the face of
the world, for of that courage which boldly faces shame
they have no lack. But from the verdict of history they
cannot escape. They may well hope that obscurity will
cover their names, and they may not share the immor-
tality of Mack and Whitelocke; but if the democrat
wishes to enlarge on the worthlessness of titles, orders,
and distinctions, ho will for many a year be able to point
his moral by showing how they have been bestowed on
Lucan and Cardigan, Airey and Gordon."

THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION.

most say providential—that they should be enabled most
unexpectedly to bring forward evidence of the most
positive7character in corroboration of the Scriptures.
He added that he had never found one point of disagree-
ment with the Scripture, except in the question of num-
bers, where they could not be sure that the Hebrew
text was correct.

A vote of thanks was passed to tho lecturer.

CHELTENHAM, MONDAY.
The business of the association was resumed to-day
with renewed ardour. The weather vias pleasant and
the attendance in the various sectional departments was
good. All tho Sections met at the College at eleven
o'clock, and the reading of papers occupied until between
three and four.

AMERICA.

York Tribune furnishes some additional informa-
tion touching this affair. He writes :
" But, unfortunately for the cause of law and
order,' and the peace and prosperity of the State,
David S. Terry, one of the justices of the Supreme
Court—whose residence, family, and business, are
in this city—would go to Francisco to regulate the
Vigilante, or help to organise forces to put ,`hem
down. Arms were sent from this city by Governer
Johnson to the State militia at San Francisco.
Vigilants heard of it by telegraph as soon as they
were shipped. A detachment of Vigilant polic
was ordered to cruise in the Bay of San Pablo or
the Bay of Suisun to capture the sailing craft in
which they were stowed. The arms were cap-
tured, and the United States' Marshal, M'Duffie,
the gambler, who was appointed by Pierce at
the command of Weller—for Herbert denies for him-
self and Denver all connection therewith—arrested
Mr. Durkee, the leader of the Vigilant boarding
party, on a charge of piracy. Durkee has been exa-
mined before the United States District Judge
Hoffman, and held to bail in the sum of $25,000.
It was thought at one time that the Vigilants
would rescue, or attempt to rescue, Durkee from
the custody of the :United States' Marshal, and
thus brine that body into direct collision with the
Federal forces, but no attempt of the kind was
made. As a kind of retaliation, the Vigilante sent
their marshal, Mr. Hopkins, to arrest Ruben Mrs
lony, a well-known time-serving politiican of San
Francisco, who had charge of the State arms when
Durkee seized them.. Hopkins went alone, and
found'Molony in the office of the navy agent, Dr.
Ashe. Ash; Judge Terry, and ono or two others
were • there also. Hopkins told his . errand, but
Molony refused to go with him,as Terry, Ashe,
liirdtters volunteered take: Wend_ repo Ho king
then left to gain assistance, and, sOOn• er,
lony, Terry, Ash; and the others, armed with
double-barrelled guns, knives, and pistols, sallied
forth into the street and pushed for the armoury
of the San Francisco Blues, where they hoped to
gain and might command protection. While on
their way thither they were overtaken by Hopkins
and his posse, consisting of five men, which was
just equal to the number of Molony's guard. Terry
was in the rear. Hopkins was pushing by him,
when Terry placed his double gun horizontally in
front of Hopkins to prevent his progress. Hop-
kins wrested it from him, pistols were fired, but no
one Was hit by the balls, nor was the firing done
by either of the principals in this affray. Terry
finding his gun gone, drew his bowie-knife and
struck Hopkins on the left side of the neck, be-
tween the spine and carotid artery. The wound
made was some four inches deep and an inch and a
half wide, the point of the knife entering the wind-
pipe. The news of this assault spread like a praire
fire in a gale, the great hell on the Vigilant Com-
mittee rooms was tapped for the first time since the
commencement of the Revolution ; the whole town
was in wild excitement ; merchants left their'stores
unlocked, masons dropped their trowels, draymen
with loaded drays conveying goods from the ships
to the warehouses, or from the stores to the
steam-boats, unharnessed on the instant in the
streets, and mounted their horses to join the
Committee's cavalry. Where all was peace and
quietude a moment before, all now was bustle and
amazement, and from every quarter of the city all
classes and conditions, armed and on foot or on
horseback, were impetuously rushing towards the
head-quarters cf the Committee to await and
execute its orders. Terry, Molony, and that party,
in the meantime made their way unmolested to the
armoury of the Blues, and there raised the barri-
cades or closed the doors to all but friends. They
were hardly in, however, before the Vigilants in
immense numbers surrounded. the building, and
placed sentinels on all the entrances thereto, with
crders to let no man out until the will of the Ex-
ecutive Committee could be ascertained. Soma of
the Vigilants, thinking Hopkins had been killed
on the spot, were clamorous to obtain possession
of Terry, and sacrifice him on the spot. In this
state of things, and while the whole city, as it were,
was collecting around the armoury, Dr. Ashe, the
navy agent, appeared at one of ie second-storey
windows, and informed the excited multitude that
Terry was in the building, and would not attempt
to make his escape. He also requested that a
messenger should ho sent to the Executive Com-
mittee, and ask a delegation from that body to
come to the armoury, in order that they might
agree on the terms on which Terry would be sur-
rendered. It was ascertained that Terry was
willing to give himself up to the committee, pro-
vided that body would pledge itself to protect him
from the fury of the rabble. The courier was de-
spatched, and in 10 minutes returned with a note,
ordering Terry to give him himself up, and the
military in the building to deliver up their arms
and render themselves prisoners, or in 15 minutes
the Committee would commence firing on it. Two
large cannon were hauled in front, were loaded,
and the burning torch placed in the hands of the
cannoneer. Not a word was spoken by either
party ; there were 5,000 armed Vigilants, in the
building, the time had just expired, and the doors
were opened from the inside. Terry, Ashe, and
Molony gave themselves up, were plsced in car-
riages, and under a strong guard were escorted to
the rooms of the Committee. The State soldiers
were then made to bring down their arms,
which were sow' uncapped, placed on drays,
and escorted to the armoury of the Vigilante. The
military were offered their freedom if they would
swear not to take up arms against the Vigilants.
This they refused to do, and were made prisoners,
but most of them were released in a few days after.
The Committee also went to the armoury of an-
other military company—the only remaining one in
that city that had not disbanded rather than hold
themselves in readiness under the Governor's pro-
clamation, demanded their arms, which they at
once received, and took them prisoners also. The
committee then sent for Major-General Volney
E. Howard, who was commanding in San Fran-
cisco. He made haste to obey their summons, and
while on his way to their rooms the Vigilants had
to take possession to save him from the fury of the
people whom he had exasperated by his very fool-
ish behaviour and ungentlemanly language. So
thus in 40 minutes after Terry struck Hopkins,
although the city was quiet at the time, and nearly
all the people engaged iu their avocations, the
Vigilante had arisen, like the followers of Roderick
Dboi, out of the earth, and captured the State
Government, generals, soldiers, guns and ammuni-
tion, without the firing of a single shot. It was
certainly the best-concerted military movement of
modern times. Although most of these men were
raw recruits, many of whom never shouldered a
musket before, the agility of their movements and
decision would put to blush many an army of regu •
lars. It is true the first shot would have created
consternation in their ranks, but their numbers
and enthusiasm would soon have prevailed over
the State forces. And now the State is without a
musket or a soldier to bear ono. The Governor is
on his haunches, and cannot move, nor does he in-
tend to. He is up here quietly reposing in the
bosom of his family, like Mr. Micawber, waiting
for 'something to turn up.' His power and his
glory have departed. Imbecile at first, he has in-
creased in imbecility. He treated with the trai-
tors, as he called them, till they out-generalled
him, and now they laugh him to scorn. Had ex-
Governor Bigler been here holding the reins of Go-
vernment in his hands this would have never been.
If he could not have done otherwise he would have
made them a speech so plausible, pathetic, fervent,
andpatriotic, that he himself would have surrounded
the whole committee, and captured the affections
of every man of them. Hopkins was stabbed on
thehselstill
hopeliveos
f,
his
Day ogvherhyi.s
physicians id o
entertain June, and
n o
Day by day has he been sinking till the public look
for his death any hour. Terry is in prison, shut
out from all correspondence, even with his wife,
and it is everywhere believed that if Hopkins dies
from the effects of the wound Terry will be hung.
In fact, from a letter of Terry's published on the
2d inst., he seems to expect this. But it is not
doubted that whether Hopkins dies or lives, Terry
will be banished the State. It is almost certain
that ho will not again be allowed to sit on the su-
preme bench."
The committee had taken forcible possession of
the armoury of the Marion Rifles, which was the
rendezvous of " the law and order party." The
place was surrounded by over 1,000 of the com-
mittee men in arms, with three or four pieces of
ordnance planted in front of it. Before this for-
midable array it soon capitulated, and all the arms
it contained were seized, together with about 100
prisoners of war. The latter, however, were soon
released from custody. The committee had also
seized a quantity of Government arms which had
been sent to San Francisco for the law and order
party, on board a schooner. The governor re-
mained at Sacramento, and it was stated that he
would make no more attempts to destroy the func-
tions of the Vigilance Committee. The general
commanding the State forces had retired and ren-
dered his report to the executive of an ineffective
cainpaign. The courts continued to hold their re-
gular sessions in Sau Francisco, and the law was
paid to be MOW respected than eyes before. The

iens at'v',
-;able, and the crops generally
geiz; d, although in somosections the
eh:
clolblbieneetcenrrevs.ery destructive. grasshoppera
(e)c:ttiCleitylilither.aofid
eihnal'iSe,a
betweenrepo o f 2
51:
T ndtannsees,of the Shasta
trip'Cos. Macinocitoonias
Ir 1 •
Jo h ITqua
~ and the eompaey
01 'volunteers 8 under Captain Behan; 41 in number,
rm haddown theay river,e ae otraen,killedAd
companysir lndiansthe on
rtehgez
W. ho h. the dun
61a0r. tiroboepsr-e,gUnnindreer7vverpe
onnthnegneotertnhumbdering about
the volun-
teers on the south side of the river. and
commenced the fight about 12 o'clock, lud!'lleegcll.isail:
t Indians,
river,
when drove
the thevo bilbeaelrasnrceee"e
iivnetdo
tabn a carnods:
after haf an hour's fighting,
peroimeopnleertsel.yelnEr'outded
' them killing 24 and taking, six
the above there were 50 Indian's drowned e:l4
missing; at least such is the report of the Indiszts
themselves. The Indians had previously fortified
themselves in a position about six miles below wheree
the fight came off, but had removed to the
position
where they were found, thinking it a stronger one.
1 'he volunteers burnt at both of the positions
spoken of some GO houses, most of them strongly
bte 'it of logs. The regulars lost no men ; the vo-,
lunt'eers had two men wounded, and one killed,
namt:d Bray.
Several other less sanguinary fights are also re-
ported.
Boston had been the scene of a fire destructive
t o life and property. A Boston paper describes the
ctitastrophe as fellows :--
"The fire commenced in the grocery and liquor
stare of Cornelius .Doherty, No. 324, North-street,
where an attendant was turning out some camphine
for a customer who 'was smoking a cigar. The va-
pour of the camphine communicated with the
lighted cigar, and the whole of the fluid was ignited.
Tee room was instantly filled with flame, and the
persons present net Towly escaped a severe burning.
An alarm of ‘Fi3:e !' was immediately sounded,
and the fire departunent was quickly on the ground.
Before any of the engines arrived; however,
the- store , •and its . contents -- thoi . contents
being principally- inflammable - liquids --;-- were
theroutpl 'ore' fire. ' - The' adjoining.; z apart-
}ti' -14 IseAms above Nero
,soest. in 4:b1,®~ ---,
Vittletn: -of, tl4-titildinkAac4,4ll,
oir
remove their fu rtliture; With. hightftil rapidi the fire fire spread from room to room, and to this
neighbouring buildings. A scene of the wilds
confusion was presented. Tables, chairs, eoad
crockery were hurried indiscriminately from the.
windows ; wonien and children put their heada out
of the windows screaming for help ; firemen 'were
running in every direction, and the fire was meting
with unchecked rapidity. The building in 'which
the fire originated—Jefferson Block-was a five-
storey brick building, and occupied by some 40 Irish
families. These families were all driven into the
street without being able to save anything except
the clothes on their backs. Several women, to save
themselves from the flames, which hemmed them
in on all sides, jumped from the windows into the
street. One woman was instantly killed by this
means, and another was injured so that she subse-
quently died. Quite a number, however, escaped
unhurt. One woman jumped from the third storey,
struck the pavement with her feet. and without
stopping to ask any questions ran off at full speed.
Another woman got out of the fourth storey and
dropped from the window-sill of the third storey,
which she grasped with her hands—then dropped,
to the second storey, and finally to the pavement.
She was unhurt. The high brick building adjoin,.
ing the Jefferson Block, on the corner of North
and Clark-streets, was partially burnt, the walls
and a portion of the flooring only being left.
About 4 o'clock some firemen had put up and were
ascending a ladder, when the chimney fell, pries-
trating the ladder and all who were on it, killing
ono of the firemen and severely bruising several
others. One woman jumped from the fourth storey
of Jefferson Block into the street, and was in-
stantly killed. Nearly every bone in her body was
broken. Mrs. Margaret Sweeney jumped out of a.
third storey window, and broke her right arm and
one leg. She was taken to the Massachusetts Genera ,11..
Hospital. A woman named Donovan was seen ix,
an intoxicated state in one of the upper roma s
shortly before the fire, and not since. It is supposk, 4
that her body was one of those subsequently foul ad
among the ruins. About half-past four o'clen;k,
the progress of the fire being stayed, search 'vas
begun among the ruins for the bodies of those I.vh6
were missing, and who might not have had tilt ie to
escape from the burning building before its ivalls
fell. The first body found was apparently th at of
a boy of 12 or 14 years of age. The corpse was
horribly mangled and charred, so that recofroition
was impossible. This body was found n ear the
corner of the building nearest to the Barber estate,
and about two feet from the street wall. The fire-
men continued a search in the same place, and in
the course of an hour four more bodies,were ex-
humed, all burned to crisp, and awfully mangled.
Two of these bodies appeared to be those of women,
and one that of a young boy. The fourth one was
but a remnant of a human form, and no idea could
be formed as to its age or sex. It has been ascer-
tained by close examination that a babe was in the
arms of one of the women exhumed from the ruins.
The deathly embrace was so strong that the pre-.
sence of the child was not discovered till after ths
bodies had been conveyed to the station-house."
The 17th Regiment made a triumphal entry bate
Quebec on the 25th ult.
It is stated in the advices from Central Am erica
that the union between Guatemala, San Salvador,
Honduras, and Costa Rica, against Walkees Go-
vernment was complete, and that a portion of the
Guatemalan army had marched to the Nicaraguan
frontier. Guatemala, it was said, led the van,
notwithstanding her financial embarrassments. A
large lot of treasure had been shipped for England,
viaAspin wall, from Santa Martha and other places.
The Pacific steam-ship Santiago had. met with a
dangerous accident on her late trip to Panama,
which was caused in consequence of the neglect of
the South Pacific coast by the respective Govern-
ments.

A.dvices from Greytown report that Walker had
been inaugurated as President. Rivas still held
possession of the town of Leon. Much sickness
prevailed among Walker's troops, and desertions
were frequent.
Letters from Mexico announce the suppressig3n
of a conspiracy at Puebla to restore Santa Anna to
power. ,

LATEST BY TELEGRAPH, VIA HALIFAX.
NEW YORK, EVENING, JULY 31.
The steamer Washington arrived here yeFiterday.
The tone of our money-market to-day is firm.
Sterling exchange dull at 92 to 10. Cotton un-
changed and market dull. Quotations of flour are
advanced 121 c. to 18c., wheat advanced, 5c., and
corn 2c. since the Niagara sailed.
NEW ORLEANS, EVENING, JULY 30.
Sales of cotton to-day 1,600 bales ; middling
Orleans quoted 10,1 c.

The New York money-market remained un-
changed, first-class paper readily selling at 7 to S
per cent. The stock-market was more buoyant
and prices bettor with the exception of Missouri
Sixes. Exchange on England was in moderate de-
mand at 10N- to 109 per cent. ; France, sf. 15c. to
sf. 182 c. For cotton the demand had been con-
fined to the daily wants of spinners. Holders were
indiffirent about selling, and prices remained un-
changed. The accounts of the crops were promising.
Flour, on receipt of the Persia's news, had advanced
15c. to 25c. per barrel ; but, with the exception of
the better grades, had again been lowered. The
sales of pork were to a moderate extent and lower,
at $2O 12c. for mess, and $l7 25c. to $l7 37c. for
prime. Beef was dull. Cut meats in limited in-
quiry, declined 8.1 c. to 9e. for shoulders, and 9ic.
to 10c. for hams. Bacon, scarce. Lard, advanced. .
Butter, better. Spirits of turpentine, firmer.
Freights lower to Liverpool.

CRYSTAL PALACE.—ONE SHILLING Day.—Yesterday
the admissions on payment were 11,510 ; ditto by season
tickets, 352 ; total visitors, 11,862.
The Military Tribunal of Paris on Saturday tried
forieda
soldier, named Hanquin, of the 39th Regiment,th
stealing an English Crimean medal, property of
a comrade, named Aude. " One day," said Aude,
who spoke with a strong Gascon accent, ccin brush-
ing my uniform I perceived that my Victoria bad
disappeared in the night. And it was that Norman
there who stole it, and I found it en his breast ! "I'm
a Norman, it is true, said Hanquin, " but you are an
impudent Gascon to say that I took your medal. How
could you know that it was yours ? Did the Queen of •
England have one made expressly for you! This medal
is mine—l found it, after having lost my own ; and it
is absurd for you to pretend to recognise it, for all the
Crimean medals are sisters !" "Monsieur le President,"
observed Aude with a chuckle, " the Normans have the
reputation of being very cunning, but they can't do a
Gascon ! Do me the favour, sir, to examine the medal !"
And taking it up, with a grand gesture he presented it
to the president, at the same time turning to the accused
with an air of mockery. " I see nothing particular in
it," said the president after inspecting the medal.'
" Look here, sir," cried Aude triumphantly, point-
ing to the arm of the figure on the reverse of the
medal, "look here ! What do you see f The name
of Aude ! I scratched it myself with a needle !"
" The name certainly is there," said the president on
looking more closely at the medal; "and it is no doubt a
pioof that the medal is yours. Come, prisoner, you
must !now confess that yon took the medal !, " I did
not steal it, Fir!" said the Norman, much abashed ; " I
found it, and as to my great regret I had lost my Own, I
saw'no harm in taking it." The tribunal declared him
guilty of robbery, and sentenced him to a year's impri-
senment.