The Sun.
London, England, 1860-06-04 00:00:00

PARDON TO EUGENIA P,LUMME.R.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Sir,—As I and other friends of Mary Eugenia
Plummer have received many letters from strangers,
expressing sympathy with the child, and an opi-
nion that she has been unjustly convicted, and as
—notwithstanding the efforts made by articles and
advertisements in the daily press before and since
this second verdict to bias public opinion in favour
of Mr. Hatch—the confidence of a great partion of
the public in the truthfulness of the child has not
been shaken, it will perhaps be a satisfaction to
them if you will permitme to makeknown through
your columns that her Majesty has been graciously
pleased to grant a pardon to the child on condition
of her being placed in the care of a lady selected
by her friends, and that she will to-day be taken
into her care. I am informed that it has been
stated in one of your contemporaries that the child
has been sent to a reformatory, but this I beg to
state is not the fact. Ihave a firm belief in the in-
nocence of the child, and I am one of those who
think that, however public opinion may be misled
for a time, it ultimately comes round to the' side of
truth and justice, and I have no doubt that even-
tually in this case the innocence of the child will be
made appear.-1 am, &c.,
WALTERS F. PRATT.

A company is said to be in course of formation,
to be called the London and Oriental Steam Company, for
a line to India via the Cape by vessels to perform the ser-
vice with regularity in 45 days. The contemplated
steamers are 6,000 tons register and 1,200 horse-power, and
_among the points urged for the necessity of the route are
the increased accommodation that will be required for the
army passenger traffic under the new regulations respect-
ing the number and description of troops to be henceforth
employed in India, and the importance of having an effi-
cient alternative means of communication for mails, mer-
chandise, stores, and passengers, military or civil, in case
of any contingency that might interfere with the Egyptiatf
transit.
TILE GALE AND THE CROPS.—The young wheat
in Norfolk have, it is feared, sustained considerable damage
in the late gale. The plants before the gale were growing
vigorously, and, being soft and brittle, they have been cut,
twisted, and torn in a manner sad to witness. The high
and exposed light lands have suffered more than lower dis-
tricts, the plant in the former neighbourhoods being thinner
and weaker. As regards the other grain crops, it may be
added that barleys in Norfolk present a variable appearance,
the heavy lands having recently suffered somewhat from a
superabundance of moisture. In the fen districts a similar
Cate of things exists.
THE SECRETARY AT WAR ON THE VOLUNTEER
MOVEMENT.—At the dinner of the Wilts Friendly Society
held this week at Warminster, the Secretary at War, Mr.
Sidney Herbert, in acknowledging the toast of " The Army
and Navy, and the health of the Right Hon. Sidney Her-
bert, the Minister at War," thus referred to the volunteer
rifle movement :—" Charged as he was with very heavy
duties, he did not know that he had any labour which had
been so much a labour of love to him as to see this enormous
and powerful armed force, that had been growing up
within the last few months. The volunteers, rifles and
artillery, numbered now about 120,000 in England. (Cheers.)
He was told at first that they were making toys of the
thing, and that they were mere holiday soldiers—that they
would strut about, and never stick to their drill and learn
their business. Now he saw the other day with his own
eyes some battalions of rifles mancouvring in London, and
he was told by a very distinguished and eminent officer of
the regular army that he never saw troops reove about so
well ; and, speaking of the lieutenant-colonel,. he never
saw an officer of the line go through the work in a better
style. (Cheers.) For his part, he sincerely hoped that
this movement would spread, and give a true martial feel-
ing to the whole of the population. He believed that the
present martial feeling had arisen from the circumstances
which required it. We were an industrious people, we
were a powerful people, and for our industry we required
peace ; and he believed that the very best guarantees we
could have for peace was, that we should be in such a
state of preparation that none but a desperate man would
attempt to meddle with us. (Loud applause.) He would
not say more on the subject beyond this, that he believed
the spirit which had now arisen would be a lasting one.
He believed that those who had entered into this movement
had done so from the highest motives, and that its continu-
ance would be the best guarantee for peace that we could
possibly have."
DESTRUCTIVE FIRES IN THE METROPOLIS.—A
fire happened on Saturday at Mr. J. Gower's, licensed vier
tualler, and proprietor of the Castle Hotel, in Long-alley,
Bishopsgate. It appears that, whilst some persons were
engaged drawing off spirits, the vapour became ignited,
and the flame spread rapidly about the bar. The brigade
eventually succeeded in getting the flames extinguished,
but not until the bar, the stock of wine and spirits, the two
commercial prlours, the tap room, and four rooms on
the first floor,a as well as the roof, wore destroyed. The
premises of Mr. J. Johnstone, let out in tenements; those
of Mr. J. Martin, No. 43, also let out in tenements;
and those numbered 44, let out to poor families,
were also severely damaged by fire and water. A fir,e
also happened on Saturcray morning on the premises
belonging to Mr. Freeman, the builder and contractor,
situate at No. 75, Cowcross-street, West Smithfield. The
firemen were unable to get the mastery over the flames
until he property of Mr. Freeman was destroyed ; and the
premises of Messrs. Daveness, pravision merchants, Not
73; Mr. J. Watson, hair-dresser, No. 19;, Mr. Parsons,
slaughterman, No. 82 ; Mr. C. Gregory, blacksmith, No.
73; and three houses in Greenhill's-rents, were severely
danin;,ed q tire and water. Out of the great number of
eulierors only Mr. Freeman was insured.. The origin of
the fire is unknown. Last night, about six o'clock, the
inhabitants of G wwell-street, Clerkenwell, were greatly
alarmed in consequence of a cry of " Fire" resounding
throughout the neighbourhood. Thousands of persons im-
mediately proceeded to the spot, when it was found that
the premises of Messrs. Bailey and Holden, provision mer-
chants, bacon and ham driers, and cheese factors, were in
flames. The property in question was of vast extent, cot
vering nearly half an acre of ground, in Allen .street, a street
running into Goswell-street. A number of engines were
soon on the spot, and a good supply of water was procured,
but the brigade were unable to get the flames extinguished
until one of the drying houses filled with ham and bacon
was entirely destroyed and three others adjoining severely
damaged by fire, water, &c. Some of the surrounding
buildings were tUso much injured,