The Sun.
London, England, 1869-01-29 00:00:00

NEW ZEALAND.

The Maories have received a severe check at last. The
Government of rcew Zealand was too late to save the
colonists who were massacred at Poverty Bay, but
not too late to inflict a severe defeat upon the
wretches who perpetrated the outrage. The official
intelligence received by Earl Granville states that
not only have the rebels who were guilty of the recent
atrocities been repulsed with great loss, but the troops are
to le concentrated on the other side of the island. This
is obviously the better policy. Poverty Bay is remote
from the scene of the revolt; the massacre, in fact, was due
to a wholly unexpected surprise. The revolt is
mostly confined to the other side of the
island. The troops will have regained confidence
from this success, and as the outbreak has not spread, a
speedy end to the war may not unreasonably be hoped for.
The result never was doubtful; but the loss which must
now attend the discomfiture of the natives might have
been avoided had the Government at first taken the
measures which hive just proved so beneficial.

THE CONVICT BISGROVE.—WiIIiam Bisgrove, th e
murderer of George Cornish at Wells, in August last, was
yesterday transferred from the Taunton County Prison to
the Government Lunatic Asylum, Broalmoor. Bisgrove
appeared perfectly quiet and tractable, and his bodily
health does not seem to have suffered much during lacer-
ccratiott,

LAnvEntimatst.l—iiollowny's Pills.—Ptlplintion of
the heart freilueutly not only felt but hoard, prevents
sleep and begets the utmost, dread of impending suffoca-
tion. The2o Pills are particularly reUnnmended for re-
moving this affection, because they strengthen the nervous
and debilitated, who are much more liable to this malady
than other persons. Holloway's pills so improve the di-
gestion, increase the action of the liver, and give activity
to the bowels, that giddiness, headache, and nausea depart
as the palpitation diminishes, arid the sufferer at once ex-
periences the most indescribable relief from aa.iety. Hol-
loway's pills form the best alterative and aperient in all
cases of convalescence from fevers, inflammations, neu-
ralgia, and all chronic caua,soo, whigLl have impoi-olialled
On Wood and Drain.

GRANTS DIFFICULTIES.

(From the Nation.)

Grant's opinions about the course the Govern-
ment ought, in his opioion, to pursue on the leading
questions of the day, both home and foreign, begin
gradually to leak out, through the medium of
" conversations" with newspaper correspondents and
politicians ; and although conclusions drawn from
reports of this kind have to be accepted with a good
deal of allowance, both for misreporting and misun-
derstanding, we have no hesitation in saying that
the country is now in possession of the leading out-
lines of his policy—using the word in the constitu-
tional sense, as covering the set of measures the
President is prepared to recommend to Congress,
and the set of principles in which he is prepared to
act on matters lying within his discretion, and not
in the Johnsonian sense, as covering what the Pre-
sident thinks ought: to be done, or is determined to
have done by any Elea, s, fair or foul, within his
reach, and without regard to the opinions of Con-
gresior the public. The most interesting and trust-
worthy account of Grant's views and aims we hap-
pen to have seen has appeared in the Boston Adver-
tiser, whose Washington correspondence has long
enjoyed the rare distinction of being sensible, accu-
rate, and decent. According to that writer, Grant
is in favour of " honesty, economy, and manliness."
These are, of course, vague terms ; but the corres-
pondent gives some illustrations which help us to
fix their meaning. For instance, we get a good
idea of what Grant means by honesty from what
be said of a certain legislator's speech—that
" it was a falsehood ; there was nothing on which
you could put your finger and say, ' This is
a lie,' but the whole thing was a falsehood, for all
that ; I've despised him ever since I heard him
make that speech." This is excellent, it fore-
shadows much trouble. We can assure him that if
he criticises speeches in this spirit he will speedily
find himself at daggers drawn with a host of " good
men," " sound on main questions," and brimful of
" moral issues," whose friends will not relish the
application of the army standard of truthfulness
and candour to their " great efforts" to help humanity
along the road of progress and this great country
to fulfil its destinies. He must be more careful in
i his analysis. As regards economy, he is opposed to
I all machinery of Government and all Government
undertakings which facilitate the growth or exist-
ence of " Rings," or which promise to make the
payment of the national debt doubtful or difficult.
He hopes somehow to secure peace and freedom at
the South, through the co-operation of the Southern
people, if possible ; without their co-operation, if
necessary. About the Tenure-of-Office Act he says
and has said nothing ; about his opinions on the
Civil Service Bill the correspondent makes no re-
port ; but the General's view with regard to the ap-
pointments in the civil service appear to be precisely
those on which Mr. Jenckes's bill is based ; that is
to say, using the discretion which the absence of
such a bill still leaves him, and obeying the party
traditions to the extent which prudence and ex-
pediency seem to warrant, he will select his em-
ployds, whenever he can do so with a proper re-
gard to the public interests, from the ranks of the
Republican party ; " but his aim first and last will
be to get upright and efficient men, rather than to
reward party services." " Copperhead; political
time-servers, and blatant Democratic politicians"
may, however, "as well send in their resignation to
take effect on the 4th of March next," the fact being
that no person answering to this description can pos-
sibly have got into the public service during the last
four years by any honest arts or for honest purposes.
This all reads very well, and is very assuring, but
does not furnish sufficient basis for a judgment as
to the character of the Administration, without
some account of the strength with which the jobbers
and intriguers and plunderers of the Treasury are
mustering for the defence of the old regime. The
correspondent of the Advertiser says that "if be
could show how the jobbers are organizing their
forces and bow adroitly they are laying their plans,"
people might be afraid about the future. The ac-
counts which appear in nearly all the papers are of
much the same tenour and effect. There is to be
during the coming winter a real gathering of the
clans of corruption at Washington. The various
" Rings " were never so strong or so well organized
and audacious. The beauty of the case is that they
all, knowing the noble weakness of the American
public, pretend to be operating on behalf of some
great moral or humanitarian idea. For instance,
there is a great Ring working, as in the case of
Alaska, for the extension of " the area of freedom."
They want to purchase Cuba and pieces of Mexico,
and it has even been suggested to annex Canada by
force. Now, no great purchase or annexation of
this kind can be made, in the present state of the
art of peculation, without the Ring pocketing enor-
mous profits. They probably secure in the first
place a share of the purchase money by bringing the
scheme to a head and getting it through the Senate ;
they then secure another share by having the vote I
of the money hang firo in the House long enough to
frighten the vendor, as in the Alaska case. We pass
over without notice the smaller fees to " counsel"
and patriotic editors of wholesome and independent
papers, and the dinners and champagne to lobby
agents. We pass over, too, the arrant dishonesty on
the part of a nation, as of an individual, involved in
borrowing money to buy real estate on speculation,
when it is unable to pay debts already contracted.
The Indian Ring in like manner is fighting its
battle by drawing fearful pictures of the cruel and
inhuman treatment which the Indians would be
subjee'ed to if they were transferred to the juris-
diction of- the War Department. It accordingly
demands for them continued subjection to the en-
lightened ministrations of the bureau, with its
gigantic yearly almsgiving, its 44 snug" agencies,
and its total exemption from real responsibility ;
for it is easy to see that when an agent opens an
account with " Black Kettle," the balance at the
end- of the year, owing to " Black Kettle's" limited
knowledge of book-keeping, is hardly likely to be
in " Black Kettle's" favour. It says, moreover,
that all would go well if the naughty white men on
the frontier would only treat the red man pro-
perly ; but as there is no immediate prospect of any
change in the white man's character, the excuses
for the present abuses promise to last as long as
the Indians. The Whisky Ring are confidently
reported by the Western press to be preparing to
operate on the temperance line. They are, it is
said) going to call for a rise in the whisky tax from
fifty Setts to two dollars, in the interest of " mo-
rality" and " public order." They are going to
show the desolation to homes, the injury to health,
the increase of crime wrought by the poisonous
bowl, and they are buying up all the whisky they
can find and advising all their friends to do so, so
as to create an interest strong enough to force the
They then will sell out,
rise through Congress.
pass the profits to their batik account, make
contracts for future deliveries of whisky, and
begin to work for a reduction of the tax next
year, on the scientific principle of " undulations."
Whether General Grant can stand firm against
all this, or whether, if he gives way, we shall not
see a worse crash, a greater loosening of the bonds
of morality, than has yet been witnessed in Ameri-
can history, are points on which a great many
people feel a good deal of the anxiety which finds
expression in the letter of a correspondent in an-
other column. The suggestion it contains as W the
means he should adopt of relieving himself of a
portion of the labour and care which lie before him
is certainly worth consideration. Our confidence
in Grant continues unabated,and it is strengthened
by the almost unanimous support he is likely to re-
ceive from the Press. Papers of all shades of opi-
nion seem to be encouraging him to resist the plun-
derers, and it will be well if the public which lies
behind the press does its part in strengthening him
for the shock. The ways in which the breath of
popular feeling reaches a statesman are inntrincr-
slle, The press is only one of its channels. No-
body can say a good hearty word against specula-
tors and sentimental knaves and hypocrites, in the
counting-house or club or parlour, without contri-
buting something to the unseen but mighty and all-
pervading force by which nations are saved.

DUNVILLE and Co., Belfast, .are the largest
holders of Whisky in the world. Their Old Irish Whisky is re.
commended by tfhe medical profession in preference to French
Brandy. Supplied in casks and cases for home use or exports
tion. Quotations on application to Messrs. Danville and Co.,
Belfast; or 4, Beatdprt-bui/dings, 6traiacil Louclou W.Q.7-[Ad
vertificruout.] ►

THE CHARGE AGAINST THE DIRECTOBP.
OF TIIE MERCHANTS COMPANY.

On Thursday, at the justice-room of the Mansion House,
Mr. Richard Stuart Lane and Mr. James Childs were
charged before the Lord Mayor, " that they, being directors
of a certain public company called the Merchants'Company
(Limited), unlawfully did make, circulate, and publish,
and concur in making, circulating, and publishing,
a certain written statement, to wit, a circular accom-
panying a call upon the shareholders in the said company,
both well knowing the same to be false in a certain
material particular, with intent thereby to deceive and
defraud John Land and other shareholders of the said
company."
Mr. Douglas Straight appeared for the prosecutor • Mr.
Lewis defended Mr. Lane, and Serjeant Parry and Mr.
Ledgard the other defendant, Mr. James Childs.
Mr. D. Straight, in opening the case for the prosecution,
stated that it was his duty to appear against the defendants
on a charge of having issued or caused to be issued a
circular which was calculated to deceive and defraud the
shareholders of the Merchants'Company. He would make
a few remarks about the matter before he went
into the material facts of the allegation.
What he would say about it was that they had put forth
a false circular, and one calculated to deceive the creditors
of that company ; and lie would remark that all share-
holders ought to be kept in full knowledge of the affairs
of the company, in order that they might not be deceived.
Ily the circular which bad beefl issued, Mr. Lane and Mr.
Childs had told the shareholders that at that date (25th
May, IE,C6) the company was not suffering from any losses.
He was also sure that when the Lord Mayor had heard all
that would be adduced before him lie would refer the matter
to one of her Majesty's courts. He would further observe
that he should not go into the affairs of the Merchants'
Company except as they related to this false circular which
had been issued with the cognisance of Mr. Lane and Mr.
Childs. It appeared that the Merchants' Company was
constituted in October 1865, and had a very short career,
terminating in November 1866. Mr. Lane was at
this time on the board of the Credit Fonder
Company of England, and there was no doubt
that he was the head and chief of the Merchants'
Company. He conducted an unfortunate transac-
tion at Marseilles. The learned counsel then stated that
the firm of Lane, Hankey, and Co. was entirely sup-
ported by the Merchants' Company, and that the present
defendants were the instruments by which shares had been
transferred to various individuals for the advantage of
themselves. The prosecutor in this case was a 11,Ir.
Land, who lived at Derby, and he applied for 100
shares, and much to his astonishment- he was allotted
the whole of them. He paid £lOO on them and £4OO
afterwards, but he had not paid any calls. This was
remarked upon by Mr. Childs at the first general meeting
of the company, which took place only one month before
its winding up, and Mr. Land endeavoured to speak upon
the subject, but, according to the rules of the association,
he was prevented from doing so by Mr. Lane.
The learned gentleman then went into a long
review of the transfer of shares which was fully
discussed in another summons against Mr. Lane,
which was heard on Tuesday last. He alleged that the
company, when represented as being in a flourishing con-
dition, was making a mere trifle, and was not a speculation
which it would be desirable for anyone to invest in. He
argued that S. White and Co., to whom £5,000 had been
paid could not be discovered, and urged that in point of
fact Lane, Hankey, and Co. were S. White and Co. also.
He alleged that Mr. Childs was the means by which
money had been paid over to the firm of Lane, Hankey,
and Co.

Mr. Lewis was understood to say teat this was only a
statement.
....

The Lord Mayor said that he only looked upon this as
a statement. There was no evidence before him.
Mr. Straight said that he was aware of that, but that
he had had an opportunity of looking at the books of the
company. He was sorry that he was obliged to appear
assuming. Mr. Straight then went into a long detail of
the shares held by the various members of the company.
He concluded by stating that all the assertions which his
speech contained he could prove by the most conclusive
evidence, and also stated that the Merchants' Company's
liability depended upon that of Lane, Hankey, and Com-
pany. He also said that a Mr. Barlow had remonstrated
over and over again to Mr. Childs upon the advances made
to Lane, Hankey, and Company, and that he had
said that that firm must be kept upon its legs
for their own safety, and in the result it proved
that it was so, as the Merchants' Company was
obliged to be wound up when Lane, Hankey, and Co.
went.

Mr. Spier, examined, said that lie was a clerk in the
office for the Registration of Joint-stock Companies. He
produced the memorandum of the association of the Mer-
chants' Company. The registration was on the 6th
October, 1865. The names appended were D. W.
Chapman, 200 shares ; R. S. Lane, 200 ' • EI. E. Chapman,
'
200 ; Helbert, 200 • Alderson, 200; Heritage, 10.
Mr. Childs was not on the list. The directors were
entitled by the deed to £5,000 for the preliminary
expenses of the company. The order to liquidate
the company was dated the 12th November, 1866. He
belieN ed that the official liquidator was named Cape.
The order to liquidate was received at their office on the
27th October, 1866.
Cross-examined : He said that under the 10th Article
the directors might call upon the interest to the amount
of £5 a share, and that if such were not responded to
they might forfeit the shares.
Mr. Lewis : Any person, shareholder or not, can see
that document (which contains the articles of association)
at your office on the payment of one shilling.
Witness: Yes • they are entitled to see them all.
Mr. Smith, Who was clerk to the Registrar in Bank-
ruptcy, produced a deed of inspection purporting to be
signed by R. S. Lane, H. E. Chapman, Frederick
Helbert Helbert, all residing in Old Broad-street, and also
by Cr. Dubois. It certified that the joint debts of the
firm were £282,000 odd, secured and unsecured.
Mr. Cape said that he was official liquidator to the Mer-
chants' Company, and that he had all the books of the
company in his possession.
Serjeart Parry : You have examined the books of this
company. Can you tell me whether there were any trade
losses in May 1866 ?
Mr. Cape : I can only tell you by the books ; there was
no profit and loss account made up at that period. The
only item of profit was in April 1866, and that was
£3l 13s. 4d.

Serjeant Parry : Was there, to your knowledge, any
loss at that period ?
Mr. Cape : No, there was not ; but it has not been my
duty to look into that, and I have not taken a full con-
sideration of the point. There was no ascertained bad
debt. There was a very large Swedish business, and that
was transferred from Lane, Hankey, and Co.
By Mr. Lewis : Non-payment of calls are generally con-
sidered as deductions from the capital. They would not
be put to the profit and loss account. They would be a
deduction from the call capital. The forfeiture of shares
would be a profit to the company. Whatever had been
paid would be the profit to capital, which profit would be
assigned to the profit and loss account. The company had
the power of re-issuing these shares.
Mr. Straight objected to this cross-examination.
Mr. Lewis : Surely, Mr. Straight, you will remember
that you come here accusing two gentlemen of fraud, and
this is the first opportunity that I have had of asking any
questions for many weeks.
Witness said that on the 1,600 shares forfeited there
would be £5 profit to the company.
Mr. Lewis : Is it the custom of any public company to
,sue any statement as to the amount paid on the calls of
shares except in the balance sheet ?
Witness : No, it is not. Commissions cannot be
charged until account sales are made up. It is made up
on each transaction. There were two several stocks
of wood, and they realised the difference between debits,
£19,570 Os. 10d., and the credits, £19,960 13s. 11d. The
account of Lane, Hankey, and Co. was reduced by this
£19,960. By a second transaction the debt of Lane,
Hankey, and Co. was reduced by £9,531.
Mr. Straight here objected that it would be more con-
yenient for all parties if Mr. Lewis would desist from this
cross-examination.
Mr. Lewis said that it was a very great hardship that his
client should be brought there on that charge unsupported
by any substantial evidence. The summons had been
issued three weeks ago, and now, although Mr. Lane was
most anxious that the fullest investigation should be
made, the prosecution asked for a remand. He was sure
that his lordship, as the chief magistrate of that great
city, would not allow two eminent commercial men to be
brought constantly before the public in this manner.
Mr. Herbert s'ated that he produced the original deed
of inspection of the firm of Lane, Hankey, and Co.
A consultation then took place, and it was agreed
that the further hearing should be adjourned till Monday

THE LATE MR. ERNEST JONES. —At a
special meeting of the Office Committee of the United
Liberal party, held at Manchester on Wednesday evening,
it was resolved, on the motion of Sir E. Armitage,
seconded by Mr. William Warburton : " That this com-
mitte has heard of the death of Mr. Ernest Jones with
deep regret, and desires to express its sympathy with his
surviving relatives in their bereavement. That the Executive
Committee of the United Liberal Party be invited to
join the Office Committee in paying a last tribute to Mr.
Jones's memory by attending his funeral."

The scheme of a penny ocean postage between
Great Britain and the United States looks hopeful.
Mr. Hadfield, M.P., in a letter to the Manchester
Chamber of Commerce yesterday, intimated that
the Hon. Reverdy Johnson, having recommended to his
Government the adoption of this project, Mr. Bazley, 21. P.,
and ho had an interview with the American Minister on the
subject, and had presented • memorial, signed by 44 or
45 ineuibers of Parliament of all political sentiments,
stating their willingness to bring such a measure before the
notice of the Government, and to support it. He enclosed a
letter from Mr. Johnson in reply, which stated that Mr.
Johnson had lost no time in forwarding the memorial to hii
Government, and commending it to its favourable conside-
ration.
- -

Clit/taIVoNS DOOMED !—The Sport, a Paris journal,
anizlunces that the great ladies of the French capital have
determine,
to abolish chignons. " The character of the
head-dress," it ,;:vs, " is to undergo an important reform ;
the command 11.'s -one forth that false hair and wigs
. -,el not only so, but laieds are
must be tepudiated. '•
us
is
their own hair, for
.is manifest on their,
11.0,11,,air is to be
always to appeal. as if they
"when the work of a
Iv
finr
eti
dhe
ndo
aya:tiiine-ite;
an ,:ner words,
a ten-
heads, prestige ceases.
simply plaited, and con
instead of assuming a pyramidal form, it is to
harms
thney to fall, like that of Niohe. In the evening it
only be iistessary to put on the bead a crown, or a wreath
of roses, of ivy, or of some creeping plant." The Sport
adds :—"All is OVer with false hair, decked with gilded
or metal articles. henceferth false hair at best can
only be tolerated as a detail' as a modest auxiliary—it
can no longer be the principal or the only ornament of
the head."
The authorities of the Ross Workhouse, Ilereford-
fordshireovero in jeopardy ou Wednesday. The wife and chil-
dren of a tramp had taken refuge in the workhouse, and the
viife died there cf consumption. The tramp, a Seotchman,
hearing of her death, walked from Liverpcol and too),
away his children, ono of whom was in a very
dt•bilitated state. This child ultimately died in CA-
dren's hospital, Gloucester, as the surgeons said, from con-
sumption of the bowels and the want of proper attention to
the frightful sores on the body. Tho body of the child
weighed only 131 b., and the sores upon it were deep and
ulcerated, and arose from neglect, and from the child hav-
ing been allowed to lie in filth. The master and matron
said that all due attention had been paid to the case, and
that when the father took the child away the worst of the
soros did not exist. But the Gloucester surgeons positively
declared that the sores could not have arisen in the interval
between the child leaving the workhouse and its being re-
moved into the hospital. The jury wished to return a
strong verdict, but by the advice of the Coroner, they
found " Death 1;1
.natural causes," accelerated by detective