The Sun.
London, England, 1860-05-21 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, MAY 21, 1860.

several other subsequent exploits. Owing to its
numerous engagements the 53d has been very
much weakened, and DOW numbers only about 400
men. The depot at Chatham, however, is very
strong, which will bring the companies up to their
required establishment.

UNDERGOING REPAIRS.
60 Brave Laird, Birkenhead.. Feb. March 12
60 Foam Wigram, Northam.. May Jan. 29
60 Wave Do. .. June Jan. 12
60 Albacore-- White, Cowes April Jan. 26
60 Amelia Do.

REPAIRS SUSPENDED BY AD'
60,Mackerel Fitcher, Northfleet.
60 Cherokee ,Green, Blackwall
60 Caroline ..: : Do.
60 Swan iSmith, Newcastle..

G 0 Skylark .
601 Charger
60f; Peacock
69 Beacon
601 Redbreast
60, Raven
20, Blossom
60 Fervent
60 Whiting
40 Ready '
401 f brush
20, Flirt
2013Iidg,e
20; Tiny

,MIRALTY
➢iarch
April
May
April

.DERS.

Feb. 15
Feb. 22
March `.7
Feb. 21

more eloquence in the absence of the absentees than
there was in the pertinacious logic of those present.
If the working author took no part in this agitation
it might be reasonably concluded that he had con-
sidered the matter, and had ascertained that he
would lose more by the positive penny and the pro-
spective twopence in the pound of increased income
tax than he would gain by any remission of paper
duties. If no members of Mechanics' Institutes
were there, the cause probably was that they cared
more for cheap tea at home than for saving a few
pence in the expenses of their news-rooms. - The
numbers of this deputation but vainly disguised the
hollowness of the agitation. Lord Derby saw
through it at once, and as a preparation for what
the Lords intend to do to-night nothing could have
been more smartly contrived than the parade of
this very weak deputation before the country. The
members of it are, indeed, all of them very respect-
able persons, but they arc all directly interested in
a pecuniary way in the abolition of these duties.
No doubt they are very sincere in their constitu-
tional terrors, but unluckily they had scarcely any
one to accompany them whose sensitiveness for the
Constitution was not sharpened by a close sy-mpa•
thetic action of the breeches pocket. This is very
unfortunate, for, instead of discouraging the Lords,
it must too manifestly have no other effect than to
show them that they are dealing with only a class
interest—an interest powerful when great public
questions are at stake, but among the weakest of all
interests when it is fighting its own private battle.
It is one of the blessings of a free press that it edu-
cates the people to criticise and appreciate the press
itself. Let no public organ presume to be too im-
portunate with the public upon its own particular
interests.

We do not propose here to-consider the answer
returned by Lord Derby to the deputation. It is
a mere minute of the argument which be will
elaborate this evening. Lord Derby thinks
that the paper duty is a bad tax, and
that it should be among the first_of the ordi-

nary items of taxation. to be removed, but that it
should not take precedence in repeal of the extra-
ordinary war taxes. He would give the Tea Duties
and the extra Income Tax the precedence of the
Paper Duties. We are afraid that, accordin g
to all appearances, the country generally agrees
with Lord Derby in this view. Of course, we do
not so agree, and the gentlemen of the deputation
do not so agree. It will be also easy enough to get
together half-a-dozen rooms full of mob to declare
that they do not agree; but there is no active sym-
pathy with us in this iisappoiatment. The Liver-
pool Chamber of Commerce, whose decision we print

tution for Sheltering Females Discharged from Pri-
son, and for the support of 91 " lunatic idiots"
formerly in the House of Industry, ending with the
salary of a minister and the supply of water to the
poor from a public fountain. Lastly comes the vote
of £39,747 for Dissenting ministers in Ireland.
This is the last of the estimates at present issued ;
the estimate for special and temporary objects is
yet to come.

HORRIBLE MURDER OF d WIFE AND SIFT
CHILDREN AT THE ISLE OF WIGHT.

PORTSMOUTH, SATURDAY.

One of the most frightful murders which we
have had to record for years past was committed in
the Isle of Wight yesterday morning, and has
caused the greatest excitement to prevail for miles
round. It appears that a man named George Whit-
worth had been for some years in the army, and
had seen much service during that time, and on
various occasions had been wounded, once rather
severely in the head. On account of his general
good conduct and the useful services he had rendered
he was appointed head-gunner at SandcrA n Fort, as
near as can be ascertained, about the middle of last
Sear. He had a residence in the fort, and lived
with his wife and family, which consisted of six
children. They appeared always to live on the
very best terms; but at times the unfortunate man
showed by his conduct some slight aberration of in-
tellect, and from these, and his incoherences on
several occasions of late, it was feared that the
wounds he had received in his head had impaired
his mind. There was nothing, however, to lead to
any apprehension that he would harm himself or
any other person.
Yesterday, at noon, the unfortunate man was
noticed near the . fort by some of the Coast-
guardsmen, and his peculiar conduct attracted
their attention. He held his hand to his throat,
and moaned, and behaved in such a manner as
to cause them to imagine that something was
wrong. Several men spoke to him, but he answered
them incoherently, and said to one man in the
Coastguard service that some man had got down the
chimney and murdered his wife and all his children.
He seemed very much affected ; and one of the men
asked him what was the matter with his throat,
when he replied that it was only a scratch. He
walked away, and was followed by the Coast-guards-
men to a piece of ground used as the playground
for the men at the fort. There he repeated his ex-
traordinary statements about a man getting down
the chimney, and murdering his wife and six chil-
dren. The men, then, for the first time, observed
blood trickling from his throat very rapidly. This
confirmed their suspicions that something was wrong,
and they insisted on examining the place, and then
they found that there was a frighful gash in his
throat, though it did not reach the more vital ar-
teries. The men then had very little doubt that
the poor fellow had committed some awful deed, and
they went to the house in which he resided, and saw
there a scene of the most horrifying description. In
various rooms were found the bodies of his poor wife
and five of his children, all with their throats cut in
the most frightful manner. A knife found near the
body of the eldest girl, and covered with blood,
clearly showed what had been the weapon used to
carry out this diabolical and wholesale slaughter.
Nor was this all, for the dead body of an infant only
a few months old was found lying on a bed. Strange
to say, there were no marks of violence whatever
on the body, and the opinion of the medical gentle-
men who were called is that the baby was suffocated.
Medical aid was called in without a moment's delay,
but all the poor creatures were past human aid. The
police authorities were called in, and Whitworth was
given into their custody, with orders for his wounds
to be seen to. The premises were locked up and
taken charge of by the police until the coroner's in-
vestigation shall have been held. There seems to be
no assignable cause for the commission of this fright-
ful tragedy ; but the general impression is that the
poor fellow was not in a sane state of mind. He
does not appear to have had any ill-feeling to-
wards his victims, for the whole family lived most
happily togethe, and he had gained the respect of
all with whome he came in contact since his ap-
pointment at the fort.