The Sun.
London, England, 1860-08-23 00:00:00

TIZE NA VY.

The following is from a letter, dated Malta,
August 16:—
" Her Majesty's troopship Megwra, Commander Hender-
son, left this for Corfu on the 13th inst. to bring back inva-
lids. The Spanish war steamer General Alava, having on
board the Governor-General of the Philippine Islands,
which touched here on Saturday, left the same day for Alex-
andria. This is the first Spanish ship of war th4t has visited
Malta during the last 30 years. She is expected to, call here
on her return to Carthagena. We are daily expecting here
the Spanish frigate Princesa de Asturias and the war steamer
Vulcan, of the same nation, which have left Spain for Bey-
rout, and will probably touch here on their way. The pas-
sage of the French expeditionary corps through Malta
continues, and steamers laden with troops arrive in rapid
succession. In addition to the Borysthene and Amerique,
which together brought about 1,550 officers and men and
24 horses, the following arrivals have taken placc:—Gange,
French packet, on the 13th, from Marseilles, with Colonel
Canbert, Lieut.-Col. Sandreville, Chef. de Com, Gangie, five
other superior officers, 31 officers, 60 non-commissioned
officers, and 750 men ; Ceres, French screw line-of-battle
ship, on the 14th, from Toulon, with Lieut. 'Col. Ville-
neuve, 27 other officers, and 817 non-commissioned officers
and men ; Yonne, French screw troopship, on the same
day, from Algiers, with Capt. Farey, seven other officers,
250 non-commissioned officers and men of the Artillery, and
230 horses; Mogadore, French steam frigate, on the same
day, from Toulon, with Col. Dariceau, 12 other officers, and
399 non-commissioned officers and men of the 13th Regi-
ment, and three Artillery officers ; Simois, French packet,
on the 15th, from Marseilles, with 16 officers and 667 non-
commissioned otrie.ors -ind men; Asmodee, French steam
frigate ' Lroui Toulon, with 17 officers, 483 non-
"l'2'lls • • and f-ar one horse, and 19 mules 7

Aube,
Toulon, v 1
ral
sioned Officers watt ezi
We learn by elect, zeiegraph from Plymouth
that the troopship Lady Clarendon, Capt. Wilkie,
from Calcutta, April 15, and Simon's Bay, Juno 29,
with the Bth and 53d Regiments, in charge of Lieut.-
Col. English, C. 8., arrived in the Sound last even-
ing.

the 16th (to-day), from
and 241 non-commis-
.,

The new screw steamship Gibraltar, 101, is placed
in No. 1 dock, in Keyham steamyard, to have the
cleats knocked off and to be coppered.
The screw gunvessel Espoir, 5, at Plymouth, has
been put in commission for Commander Douglas.
She is now at the Rubble-bank, in Hamoaze, near
the dockyard, and is stored for a crew of 60 men.
Vice-Admiral Sir A. Fanshawe, C. 8., Commander-
in-Chief at Plymouth, re-hoisted his flag yesterday
(Wednesday) on board the Impregnable, 104, Capt.
Lord F. Kerr, in Hamoaze.

The screw steam gunboat Hind, tender to the
Russell, 60, left Plymouth on Tuesday for Fal-
mouth.

A naval court-martial assembled in Chatham
harbour, on board the Wellesley, 72, guardship of
ordinary, Capt. G. Goldsmith, C. 8., for the trial of
Lieut. James Waller O'Grady, and a warrant
officer, late of her Majesty's sloop Elk, 12. The pri-
soner was arraigned on the following charges :

" First, for that he, the said Lieutenant James Waller
O'Grady, being a lieutenant of and belonging to her Ma-
jesty's sloop Elk, did, on or about July 24, 1860, in the
presence of his messmates, make use of the following ex-
pressions to Lieut. George Robert Bell, first lieutenant of
the said sloop, ' I consider your conduct blackguardly ;
that you are taking advantage of your position, and that
you are a blackguard for so doing,' or words to that effect.
Second, for that he (Lieut. James Waller O'Grady), being
in actual service and full pay in her Majesty's fleet, and a
lieutenant of and belonging to her Majesty's sloop Elk, did
refuse to apologise to the said Lieut. Gem ge Robert Bell
for making use of the said expressions when recommended,
to do so by Commander H. Campion, of the said sloop."
The prisoner pleaded guilty to the first charge,
and not guilty to the second. The court, halivg
heard the evidence of Commander H. Campion, the
commander, and several of the officers formerly of
the Elk, the prisoner read a very able defence, and
handed in several certificates, after 'which the
Court remained some time in deliberation, and on
its opening the prisoner was acquitted of the second
charge, and having pleaded guilty to the first charge
was sentenced to lose two years as a lieutenant,
and to be severely reprimanded. The court also
tried Mr. John Burridge, late boatswain of her
Majesty's sloop Elk, on the following charges :
"1. For that he, the said Mr. John Burridge, being
boatswain of her Majesty's sloop Elk, did, on or about the
24th of October, 1859, refuse to do any more duty, s.nd did
persist in his refusal, after three days had been given him
to consider his conduct ; 2. For that he was, on. or about
the 30th of June, or the morning of the let of July, 1860,
absent from his duty, and when called by Private Thomas
Farrance, on the morning of the Ist of July, 1860, did say
that 'the First-Lieutenant might go to --,, and an his
fraternity,' or words to that effect."

The prisoner, who pleaded " Not Guilty" to both
charges, was defended by Mr. W. W. Hayward,
solicitor, of Rochester. The Court was occupied a
considerable time in the examination of the wit-
nesses for the prosecution, and the prisoner having
been granted time to prepare his defence the Court
adjourned. On its reassembling the prisoner read
his' defence, in which he denied making use of the
expressions contained in the second charge, after
which the Court deliberated and found the prisoner
guilty of both charges—the sentence being that he
be deprived of his warrant, and that he serve three
years in her Majesty's navy as an able seaman.
The trial lasted till nearly eight o'clock last night.
Mr. W. H. Ward's marine signals were yester-
day subjected to the final experimental tests at
Woolwich, preparatory to their being received on
board the ships of the fleet at Portsmouth, whither
they are now to be despatched with the approba-
tion of the Board of Admiralty, so as to undergo a
more extended course of trial over various ranged
from ship to ship at sea. The trials yesterday at
Woolwich commenced at half-past two o'clock on
board the flagship Fisgard, under the personal
supervision of Commodore the Hon. James R.
Drummond, C. 8., Aide-de-Camp to her Majesty,
and Superintendent of the Dockyard, who for some
time past has taken considerable pains in improving
the present imperfect mode of signals, and has con-
sequently encouraged with more than ordinary
interest the invention of Mr. Ward, to whom
he has suggested alterations and additions vary-
ing from the original system proposed about 18
months ago, and which have been adopted with
marked advantage in simplifying the system and
adding to its general improvement and facility of
action. Commodore Drummond, accompanied by
Commander Hawker, Mr. Hall, Mr. Ward (the
inventor), and other officers of the yard proceeded
on board the Fisgard at half-past 2, and made an
interesting trial of the night telegraph, without
lights. Four of the lanterns, forming a complete
numerical, or cypher and alphabetical code, sus-
pended in a vertical line, telegraphed a course of
signals, which were rendered visible at a short dis-
tance only, and after nightfall a succession of sen-
tences were transmitted from ship to shore, and re-
plied to, a small apparatus, on the same principle,
having been provided for the purpose on shore, and
which it§ intended for the use of gunboats and ships
of small burden. The experiments were exceed-

ingly satisfactory, and the invention was hailed by
officers and men as likely to be productive of in-
calculable benefit to the seafaring world at large.
A number of Mr. Ward's signal flags recently
adopted by the navy were also exposed in one of
the sheds of the yard, for the purpose of displaying
their effect in a drooping position. The flags are
made in pennant form, and possess the advraitage of
being distinguished in all positions, whether ex-
tended by the breeze or drooping in a calm. In
the position yesterday the various hues embracing
the colours of the rainbow were clearly discerned.
The flags are of three sizes, and half their length is
their greatest width. The whole is ordered to be
packed to-day and forwarded to Portsmouth.
The following appointments were mad.e yester-
day at the Admiralty :—Frederick J. Ray, master,
to the Fisgard, for surveying duties; Archibald
Bain, chief engineer, to the Indus, for the Gibral-
tar ; John M. Smith, chief engineer, to the Cumber-
land, to the Meanee ; Henry Newton, chief engi-
neer, to the Indus, for the Brunswick ; William L.
Robinson promoted to chief engineer and ap-
pointed to the Cumberland for the ()rester;
A. W. Buist promoted to the chief engineer
and appointed to the Cumberland for the GO"
liah ; James Mangnall promoted to the chief engi-
neer and appointed to the Cumberland for the Chal-
lenger; A. M‘Leoi, first-class assistant-engineer,
I to the Indus ; Henry A. Henri, second-class assist,
engineer, to the Indus ; George Thompson, John
Osborne, and Alfred J. Mason, second-class assist,
engineers, to the Asia; John Lanksbu rf second-
class assist.-engineer, to the Orion ; Johfl Moir,
acting second-class assist.-engineer, gineeytto the Algiers ;
Thomas M. Thompson, acting third-class assist.-
engineer, to the Centurion ; R. Ditchburn, acting
third•class assist.-engineer, to the Conqueror ;
James Jack, acting third-class assist.-engineer, to
the Aboukir; Hugh Aitkin, acting third-class
assist.-engineer, to the Edgar ; Angus M'lntyre,
acting third-class assist.-engineer, to the Mars;
John Pickles, acting third-class assist.-engineer, to
the Mersey ; and Thomas S. Grice, actin& third-
class assist.-engineer, to the Amphion.

n
THE QUEEN IN SCOTLAND.--" wn SundaN last,"
Dr. C aird, of
says the Caledonian Mercury, "the
Glasgow, was the preacher in Crathie church.eLord and Lady J.
the Prince Consort, the Princess Alice,
b of the R cryal suite
Rev Dr.
Th.ie Queen,
Russell, Sir G. Grey, and the IlaPiwas largely s' tv ollen by
were among the audience, whicar", and places fuirther dis-
tant. from Ballater, Breen,:
was Paul's addm ss to the
16th verse, and on-
wards The subject of discourse
chap.,
Athenians, from Acts, 1711
itself was characterised by great
sexught, as well As remark able elo-
quence and felicity of diction.

-:-.-: i

BENSO N'S WATCHES.
" Perfection of mechanism."—Morning Post.
Gold
Silver 2to 50 guineas.
Send 2 stamps for Benson's Illustrated Pamphlet, descrip-
tive of every construction of watch now made, with their

prioes. "
Watches sent to all parts of the kingdom free by post, or to
India and the Colonies for 55. extra.
U and 84. Ludgate-hill, London. E.C. Established 1749.

THEA TR-PI-ROYAL, HAYMARKET.
Lessee, Mr. J. B. Bnekstone.
THIS EVENING the performances will comment* with
THE OVERLAND ROUTE. Messrs, Charles Mathews,
Buctstone, Compton, Chippendale, Rogers, Mrs. Charles
Mathews, Miss Weems, and airs. Wilkins.
After which, THE CRITIC. Mr. C. Mathews.
And JACK'S RETURN FROM CANTON.
Commence at 7.

------
ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.-
Lessee, Mr. A. Harris.
I 'THIS EVENING, will be performed THE LADY OF
THE LYONS. Mr. G. Melville, Miss Heath, &c.
I {After which, CRUEL TO BE KIND. A. Harris, Misses
C. and R Leclereq.
To conclude with THCommenceßlCE MARRIED.
at 7.

ADELPHI, NEW THEATRE-ROYAL.
Hole, Proprietor and Manager. Mr. Benj. Webster.
THIS EVENING (THURSDAY, August 23), the Annual
Benefit of Mr. Wm. Smith, Acting Manager, MASKS AND
PACES. Triplet (his original character), Mr. Ben. Webster ;
Peg Woffington, Miss Woolgar. rt Suppoed by Messrs. C.
Selby, P. Bedford, Stuart, Billington, -Eburne, Miss Simms,
Mrs. Billington.
Alter which, LOAN OF A LOVER : Gertrude (for this
night only). Miss Rebecca Isaacs ; Peter Spyk, Mr. William
Smith (his first appearance this season).
To conclude with THE OMNIBUS : Pat Rooney, Mr. Geo.
Hodson (his first appearance at this theatre); Mr. Toole, C.
Selby, and Romer.
Doors open at half-past 6—Commenee at 7. ,
Box-eflioe open from 10 tint,
No charge for booking.

A STLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE.—
di-A• Proprietor and Manager, Mr. WM. BATTY.
Immense Success of "Mazeppa."
A Grand MID-DAY PERFORMANCE will take place on
SATURDAY next, Ang 25, commencing at Two o'clock.
This Evening, Lord Byron's splendid Hippo-drama of
MAZEPPA. AND THE WILD HORSE, with entirely
tmen newts,
and beautiful scenery, costly costumes, and appoin
introducing the largest stud of highly-trained Horses, Po-
sies, Buffaloes, and Camels in the World.
To be followed by Scenes in the Arena by the Star Riders
of the day.
Doors open at half-past 6, performance commence at 7.
Box-office open daily from 11 till 4.
Stage Manager—Mr. W. WEST.
Director of the Arena—lL Felix Revolti.

CANTERB'UII Y HALL C ONCERT S.—
EVERT EVENING,
A Grand Selection from
MARTHA.
And Selections from
DINORAH, TROVATORE, MACBETH,
And numerous other Entertainments.
Balcony, is Hall. 6d.
Comic Vocalists—Messrs. George Hodson (the Irish Come-
dian and Mimic), and C. Marshall.
The ETHIOPIANS, consisting of 17 performers (organised
expressly for this Establishment). for the performance of
Vocal and Instrumental Music, Comic and Sentimental, with
3regro delineations, anecdotes, dr.e., in addition to the usual
entertainments.
The Fine Arts Gallery is open from 5 till 11 on Sunday
Evening.

THB WEATHER.--Sux OPPICE, At GIIST 23,1160.
THEE3COMETER, IN THE MADE.
64--highest since noon yesterday.
48—lowest this morning and during the night.
63—this day at noon.
Bsltominzu-20.90 ; a sudden rise.
:Wxxn—South-Westerly ; fresh, and squally.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
Tule DAY.—Morning, 6h. 7m.—Afternoon, 6h. 31m.
To-uomtow.-Morning, 6h. 57m.—Afternoon, 7h. 25m

Happily—in spite of all the delays—we are get-
ting at last within view of the close of the present
session of Parliament. And by way of compensa-
tion for an extension of its labours in every way so
unusual and almost unprecedented, the best mea-

sures are bringing up the rear of the legislative
procession. The Fortification, Provision for Ex-
penses Bill, to say nothing of its more grandiosely
entitled pendant, the Defence of the Realm Bill—
supposing the former to stand alone before the
country as a wholesome enactment projected by
her MAJESTY'S Government—would of itself at this
moment afford us ample compensation for the post-

ponement of the prorogation from August into
September. An enterprise so vast could hardly
have been inaugurated under happier auspices, at a
period more peculiarly opportune, or with a more
judicious deliberation. It is a monstrous fallacy
to assert, that the scheme involved in this compre-
hensive undertaking has been decided upon in any
one particular precipitately. To hear the com-
ments pronounced upon it by some of the peace-at-
any-price depredators of the proposed enterprise,
we might be led to suppose that the notion of

strengthening our insular defences is an idea but of
yesterday ; than which supposition none could well
be more extravagantly erroneous; the insecurity of

our national defences having been for many years
past a subject of constant scrutiny and of public
discussion both within and without the walls
of Parliament. It has been thus more particularly
during the last fifteen years—within which interval
of time a whole library of books and pamphlets,
treating exclusively of the inadequacy of our na-

tional defences, will be remembered to have been
published by naval and military authorities, by
civilians and by engineers. It is a perfect absur-

dity to talk of the judicious and patriotic measures
at last resolved upon as the result of a sudden
panic or of some mere momentary hallucination.
Never before, perhaps, has England been less in a
panic—never before, perhaps, has England had less
reason to be in a panic—than at this present junc-
ture. And why ? For reasons certainly in their way
sufficiently obvious, and also in their way suffi-
ciently comprehensible. For example—at this
moment have we not once more—what we as-
suredly have not possessed for the last thirty
years and upwards a Channel Fleet ? Aye !
a couple of them. Again, have we
not what we as certainly have not pos-
sessed daring the last fifty-six years—a National
Guard spontaneously formed by the people them-
selves as Volunteers ? With an efficient and for-
midable Channel Fleet—with from one to two
hundred thousand Rifle Volunteers admirably
drilled and disciplined—with not one of the Euro-
pean Powers at war with us—with our two great
warlike services in an admirable state of organisa-
tion, with both of them at the same time perpetu-
ally undergoing a steady course of improvement
and development—we could not by possibility
have chosen any more propitious epoch in our
history in which to set vigorously to work to ex-
tend, to revise, and, as far as may be in any way
Practicable, to perfect our system of insular fortifi-
cations, The combination of circumstances but just
n
enumerated affords the whole world proof po
sitive that our labours in this particular aro not only
undertaken by us calmly, without passion or panic
of any kind Whatsoever, but on the contrary with
the niostrational
exercise of forethought and the most
equaole premeaitmion.
As if to demonstrate this
in the most striking' manner possible, the very mea-
sures proposol by the Government for the revision
and r ,;organization of our comprehensive scheme of
fortif cations have been laid before Parli •
ament at
the vi ;ry close of the session, upon the very eve, so
to slat ak, of the prorogation. anifestlY, therefore,
there has been no over eagerness on the part of
Minis ters in thrusting this subject precipitately upon
the al tention of the Legislature. Ministers, in fact,
have 4 3nly taken too much time about it. They have
allow ed the Royal Commission of Inquiry to close
its ix vestigations, to complete its report, and in every
minis to particular to bring its labours to a termina-
Cosi and having thus during several months delayed

—almost, we have been at times disposed to assert,
unnecessarily—the issue of the ponderous and impor-
tant Blue-book, comprising within it the result of
the prolonged and responsible toils of the Royal
Commissioners—then, but not till then, as we have
said and seen, at the very fag-end, as it were, of the
Parliamentary session, the Cabinet introduces to
the Lords and Commons its anxiously-deliberated
scheme for the improvement and development and
general strengthening of our coast and insular fortifi-
, cations. In all which there is certainly no preci-
pitation. To call anything in all this precipita-
tion, would be simply ludicrous,—as ludicrous
as it would be to assert that our present
efforts to secure the Defences of the Realm are the
results of a mere paroxysm of trepidation. In
respect to which latter supposition it will be suffi-
cient to remark that we should, any one of us,
find it difficult to point out a period in our national
annals in which we have ever been in a more per-
fect state of preparedness. Evidence of this lies
about us on every hand in abundance. It is visible
at a glance in the simple fact, that in this year of
peace—when, as we have before observed, we are
net at any rate at war with a single one among the
powers of Europe, great or small—our expenditure
upon our war departments alone amounts to a
grand total of thirty millions sterling ! Coupled
with which circumstances is the rapid growth of
our army of Rifle Volunteers ! The Royal Army
never having been in a better state of efficiency and
discipline ! The Royal Navy never having been in
more perfect organisation. Then—as if to affix
the final timbre at once of merit and success to the
Ministerial scheme for the revision and rearrange-
ment of our whole system of fortifications—as if to
demonstrate conclusively the fact that, in preparing
this patriotic measure, her MAJESTY'S advisers have
been selecting the juste milieu between the two ex-
tremes of extravagance, i. e., of excessive careless-
ness and excessive expenditure, of doing too much
or doing too little—the Ministerial enterprise is
assailed upon two diametrically opposite grounds
—for " doing too much" by Mr. BRIGHT —for
" doing too little " by Lord ELLENBOROUGH

Whatever be the cause, the frequency of the
most awful of social crimes must strike us all.
General causes, there cannot well be any—for the
proximate causes are either unknown, or of the
most vulgar or savage kind. Jealousy, revenge,
uncontrolled anger, desire to get money, sometimes
concealment of the lesser crime of robbery or bur-
glary, are among the usual reasons which have
prompted men to take the life of their fellow-man
or woman. Yet the shocking frequency of fatal
violence, and that with all the boasted advance of
our civilisation and education, is undeniable. We
have not made any calculations, and we have no
statistics at hand at the moment which have sug-
gested the subject to us; we write only from the
impression which comparatively recent accounts
leave on our minds, and which every reader of
newspapers doubtless shares with us. Hardly is
one murder committed, and the perpetrator detected,
or serious efforts made to discover him, if he for
long evades all search, but some other, as horrible
or more so, is committed. The Road murder is
perpetrated ; its mystery remains 'impenetrable ;
but before it can be cleared up, four persons, and
those a mother, brothers, and a sweetheart, fall at
once by the knife of the assassin, some of them
killed, doubtless, to conceal the killing of the first.
Hardly is this completed when a wealthy, miserly
old lady is found killed to get at the not very large
sum of money she was known to have with her ;
and while the guilty actors are yet undiscovered,
tidings come from the North of a murder, in some
respects yet more atrocious, because committed
apparently by soldiers, and to conceal atrocious
conduct towards a female of tender age. And all
these horrid murders but follow upon others, some
of which have come before the courts of justice in
different parts of the country at the present assizes.
With such facts before us we cannot say that
reverence for human life is increasing; it seems to
be rather the other way. It may well be that
even the inevitable publicity given to these horrid
facts and their details has some tendency with a
lower order of minds to render such crimes the
subject of morbid imagination, and to dispose them
to brood over them till they seem to come within,
to them, the range of possibility. To silence, by
killing him, a person who has recognised another
in the act of crime, and who might therefore be a
witness against him, seems indeed a very obvious
device ; yet it may well be doubted whether it
would be so readily resorted to did not the mur-
derer know that it had so often been done, and hr d
not his mind been familiarised with the idea of
taking life. It is a thing he has often read of, or
heard of, and oftentimes the proof of guilt has been
incomplete ; often he has got off on the allegation
of insanity, and often testimonials to good charac-
ter, and numerously signed petitions, have pro-
cured commutation of punishment. The villain
feels that murder is not an uncommon thing; that
it is much more likely to escape its appropriate
punishment than robbery and theft, so he will
risk'it.

Of course such publicity of all things is essential
in this country. The course of justice requires it,
and the universal desire to know everything re-
markable would render suppression impracticable ;
indeed, no one would think of it. Be the evils of
publicity what they may, publicity is a necessity,
and must be taken with the good or the bad of it.
The advocates of the abolition of capital punish-
ment will now tell us that their views are the
great requisite. They may certainly tell us that
capital punishments have not attained their object.
They have not prevented murders; they have not
even lessened, so far as we can judge, their
number. Of course what would be the
result of their system is little better than
a speculation. We cannot, however, deny that
they have some reason in asking for a fair
trial of their plan. Civil death—perpetual impri-
sonment, or penal servitude for life—might be more
effectual than physical death ; if so, it would be,
not through its greater terrors, bat through its
withholding from the public gaze scenes which cer-
tainly do tend to lessen the sanctity of human life
in the eyes of the class to which murderers chiefly
belong. We have no doubt whatever the dread of
death is, after all that has been said, stronger than
that of any secondary punishment, and if the ques-
tion were purely one of deterring, we could not
doubt that death, as it is the deserved, so it should
be the actual punishment. We cannot, however,
but see that the uncertainty of death punishments,
through the weakness of juries especially, and the
ingenuity of counsel, is very great ; and it may be
fairly supposed that the other plea, that of the
hardening effect of excutions, has something in it.
Let these considerations have their weight, but
above all things, let us shut out that maudlin sym•
pathy with villains, and forgetfulness of the suffer-
ings of their victims, which passes in some quar-
ters for philanthropy. The safety of the innocent
and helpless is of more consequence than a good
deal of over-harshness to those who endanger the

peace of society.
As things now are, there seems to be a fair call
on our law reformers to consider thoroughly the
question of death punishments. It wants to be

•
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; •
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THE SUN.
LONDON, THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 1860,