The Sun.
London, England, 1869-07-03 00:00:00

THE ACTION AGAINST SIR EDWARD REFORM IN MILITARY ACCOUTREMENTS.
IVATKIN.

All efforts to get it referred having proved abortive,
the cause of " Jacomb v. Watkin" was proceeded with
on Friday in the Court of Queen's Bench, sitting at the
Guildhall, the Lord Chief Justice being the presiding
judge. Mr. James, the accountant, in whose hands the
books of the Humber Iron Works and Shipbuilding Com-
pany had been placed for the purpose of examination, was
called to prove that many of the entries made were, as he
viewed the matter, incorrect. This involved a reference
to figures of so complicated a character that one of the
jurymen said it would be impossible for them to keep
them in mind, and was only consoled by the suggestion of
his lordship that no doubt in their addresses the learned
counsel would dwell upon them at length. The gist of
the evidence of the witness was that in order to give a
more prosperous complexion to the affairs of the company
than they really possessed, the profit and loss accounts were
generally garbled. Mr. James was closely cross-exarnined by
Sir John Karslake. The examination of his accounts, he
said, had occupied himself aml..everal clerks for three or
four months, something like 100 books having had to be
referred to. lie adhered to the opinion that the financial
documents were full of inaccuracies.
The case was again adjourned.

THE ORANGE RIOTS AT TORTADOWN.

The following is one account of the riots at Portadown
on Friday night: -"A most serious and disastrous riot
has occurred at Portadown. The cause 'of the affray
has not as yet been accurately ascertained, but the
riot is supposed to have originated in a few unarmed
policemen having extinguished a bonfire that bad
been lighted by some children at Quarrys Turns. This
proceeding appears to have exasperated the Orange-
men, who suddenly mustered in strong force, and
commenced an organised attack on the police, who in the
meanwhile had been reinforced by a few of their com-
rades, also unarmed. Stones were thrown in volleys by
the rioters, and the police soon turned and fled, hotly
pursued by their assailants. The police, on reaching their
quarters, obtained their rifles, armed with which, eight
of them paraded that part of Bridge-street situated in
Edenberry. They were again attacked and pelted with
stones by an immense crowd of between two and three
thousand people. At first the police contented themselves
with firing in the air, upon which a cry was raised to the
effect that they dared not fire, and that they had only blank
cartridges. Emboldened by this, the mob then renewed
their attacks on the constabulary, and pursued the men
as far as the bridge, stones rattling like bail on them. On
reaching the bridge the police turned and fired
again, this time with fatal effect, a boy, in the employ-
ment of the Ulster Railway Company, named Thomas
Watson, a Protestant, being shot through the lungs and
killed, and a man named Tiffney, a Roman Catholic,
dangerously wounded by a shot in the shoulder. The
police are all more or less injured by stones, and one of
their body is seriously hurt. The disturbance was quite
unexpected ; but the Orangemen are so exasperated that
it is feared that further riots will follow."

A later despatch from Portadown says :—" A bonfire has
'peen lit opposite the church, and is surrounded by large
crowds. No attempt, is being made to put it out."

A statue of the Marquis of Westminster was 11a-
-covered at Chesterson Thursday in the presence of a large
number of tenants and friends. It stpnds in Grosvenor
Park, which was recently presented to the town by his lord-
ship.

At a meeting held on Thursday at Huddersfield, an
pFsocintion was formed for the purpose of co-operation with
the Licensing Amendment League, of Manchester, in carry-
ing out its object, viz., to advocate an amendment of the
existing licensing system.

Mary Langford, now in lirprondham Bridewell,
waiting her trial on a charge of poisoning her husland and
child with strychnine, at Lynn, has, it is stated, made seve-
ral attempts to take her own life. There is a warder con-
stantly in attendance to prevent her committing suicide.
the is not considered to be insane.

The Shedden Legitimacy case was on Friday, for
the twenty-second time, before the louse of Lords. Mr.
Shedden, the father of Miss Shedden, stated that ho was in
his 76th year. He, like his daughter, seemed to widi to go
into irrelevant matters, but was stopped by the Lord
Chancellor, and ordered to keep to evidence.

A contemporary announces -SOMe valuable altera-
tions in the knapsack and accoutrements of the army.
A. waterproof valise, without frame and of light weight,
;s to supersede the present knapsack. This valise
is supported on the lower portion of the soldier's
back in the following manner :—From the waist-belt a short
strap on each side passes to a ring, from whieu a broad strap,
passing over the shoulders, crosses with its fellow on the
upper part of the back, like an ordinary pair of braces,
snd, catching the corner of the valise by a buckle, runs
under the arm to the opposite ring from which it
started. Another short strap passing posteriorly from the'
ring to the lower angle of the valise secures it to the
man's body. In front, upon the waist-belt, is carried the
pouch for ammunition, which can be shifted to one side
so as to allow the waist-belt to be opened. This equip-
ment is very easy, and leaves the chest perfectly
free. It supplies many of the most essential
requirements of military duties—simplicity and dura-
bility, lessened risk of damage, and facility for remora.:
or readjustment. The soldier can put it en and
off like his coat, by simply unfastening the
waist-belt, or it will remain like a garment
on his shoulders, although left open in front.
The great-coat is carried above the valise, and in no
way interferes with the general arrangement. It is also
determined to issue to each man a separate canvas•bag fcr
surplus articles of clothing and necessaries, in lieu of the
present "squad-bag," which is available for twenty-five
men. This, it is anticipated, will encourage the soldier in
habits of care and neatness.