The Sun.
London, England, 1858-06-10 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JUNE W 10, 1858.

THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH EXPEDI-

TION.

PLYMOUTH, JUNE 9.
The wire squadron, as it is termed In nautical
circles here, is still anchored in the Sound, and only
waiting now the signal which will permit its clear-
ing out to sea. As far as preparations are con-
cerned, every vessel was in a position to start yes-
terday evening, and the only cause assigned for the
continuance of the delay is that Professor Hughes
has not yet completed those electrical experiments
through the coil which, we are told, will restelt. in
a greatly improved rate of speed in transmitting
words. At present the arrangement is .
nstmhaittttniiig
e
Agameevme evening,
,i sbtuot i t
get
wunnudl
de r
certainlyw a y
sto-morrownrpris
e( Tn hn unrnse-
clay)here to find this still further delayed, and it is not
at all improbable even now that the
thi
starting will
be put off till Saturday morning.
however, is completed for going at a moment's
notice, and within an hour after the signal is
hoisted all four vessels could be clear outside and
going down the Channel. Since the return, both
the Agamemnon and the Niagara have each re-
ceived an additional length of 50 miles of wire, and
every spot on which coals could be piled, and on
very many where, as it turned out, they could not,
the vessels have been crammed choke full. This,
as we have before remarked, makes very little dif-
ference in the trim of the Agamemnon, but the
poor Niagara seems as if the provocation of another
ton or two wouid send her to the bottom. It is
impossible for any one to look now at her heavy
water-logged aspect and believe she is of the
enormous tonnage stated. The Himalaya, which
anchored near her, though five shorter, has a finer
shape, and looks in every way a fair match for the
Transatlantic frigate. It has been erroneously
supposed by some that, as during the experi-
mental trip the cable was broken two or
three times in rapid succession on board
each ship, the trial was therefore a failure, and
that the path to success with the undertaking
itself is still as obscure and difficult as ever. These
opinions, however, have no foundation in fact.
The experimental trip was decided on for the pur-
pose of putting the cable and the various apparatus
for laying it to the most severe tests, and, in fact,
to make mishaps, in order that the value of the dif-
ferent machines for remedying such disasters might
be practically ascertained.
From the beginning it was intended to lose or
expend the cable with which these experiments
were made, and for this very purpose the Agamem-
non and Niagara were each provided with some 20
miles of coil which had been condemned as worth-
less by the company's engineers. We have already
informed our readers in what manner this was ex-
pended in the Bay of Biscay ; let U 3 now see the
results which have been achieved from such trials.
Every step in the whole course of the experiments
was watched with the most jealous care, and at the
time of the first fracture of the cable it was re-
marked with surprise on beard the Agamemnon
that the rope had parted in the machine in-
stead of, ashas always been the case in submerging
cables, at the last wheel going over the stern. The
second, third, and fourth fractures also taking
place between the wheels of the paying out app t-
ratus, and in precisely the same spot as the
first break, endeavours were made to account
for these unpleasant coincidences. The cause was
soon ascertained. In the process of paying out, the
cable passes over two large wheels, each of which
has four very deep V shaped grooves. Before
the present improved paying out apparatus was de-
signed, the great difficulty in sinking cables had
been their liability to surge when an attempt was
made to check their speed—that is, the rope slipped
over the wheels without turning them. In the pre-
sent machixe, to obviate this serious danger, each
of the eight grooves in the wheels was made with a
regularly increasing circumference of one-eighth of
an inch, so that the slack rope, if any, would be
absorbed entirely in the continued stretching the
rope underwent in passing round. Apparently the
increase of circumference was so trifling as to be of
no importance either one way or the other, but a
moment's reflection shows that, in reality, it effected
such a change in the condition of the rope as would
render it little short of an impossibility to submerge
it without breaking. The increase of one-eighth of
an inch in each groove stretched the piece one inch
and one-eighth in passing through the machine.
The whole length of the wire in the machine at one
time is 120 feet, but 30 feet makes a complete cir-
cumference of the two grooved wheels, and, of
course, as there could then be no surging or slipping
back, it amounted to a stretch of one inch and one-
eighth in each 30 feet for every fresh length of 30
feet, so to speak, " went through the mill," and
was stretched to its gradually increasing diameter,
coming out at last 30 feet 1 inch long. If the
whole length of cable was thus paid out, it would
1 stretch it some 11 miles longer than it is now. A.
weight of one ton suspended to 60 feet of the wire
stretches it one inch, but it would require nearly
three tons to stretch 30 feet 14 inch longer. What
made this strain the worse was that it was one of
which the dynamometer indicated but a small share.
Therefore, when the cable broke between the wheels,
wis h the dynamometer standing a certain strain,
it only gave the amount of force required to
overcome the resistance of the machinery and
brakes, with the addition of the strain exerted at a
powerful leverage to stretch the wire between the
wheels. In truth, therefore, there is no knowing
the actual weight at which the coil broke, and it can
only be presumed that, as the company have made
many hundreds of experiments on its strength, and
have never yet met even with a faulty piece which
broke at less than four tons, while very many have
stood as high as eight, none of the ropes broken
during the experimental trip gave way at a lower
strainthan the lowest we have mentioned. Directly
the trip was over and the squadron anchored in the
Sound there was a general meeting of all the engi-
neers and others in charge of the machinery on
board both the Agamemnon and Niagara, and what
ever doubts remained as to the risk incurred by
the increasing diameters of the wheel grooves were
at once done away with when it was found that the
Niagara's cable lead on all occasions also broken in
the machine, and at precisely the same spot as the
same accident occurred on the English vessel. This
was regarded as conclusive, and accordingly it was
resolved to land the wheels at Keyham and have
all the grooves planed down to the same diameters,
which was done forthwith. Mr. Amos and Mr. Ap-
pold objected to this operation as unnecessary, in-
asmuch as the wire was not stretched 1 inch in 30
feet, but only 1 inch in 120, and that in fact the
stretching was required to prevent the coil surging
or paying back. At the same time, however, they
distinctly expressed their opinion that though un-
necessary the planing down would do no harm.
There can be no manner of doubt but that this al-
teration is a most important and valuable improve-
ment. There is not the least possibility of the cable
surging, as the tar prevents it. When the action of
the machinery was reversed for hauling in, of course
the cable was wound iu at the largest wheel and off
at the smallest, and the cable, if ever, would have
surged then, but it never did, though the strain at
one time was at its highest point.
As far as other matters went on board the
Niagara the experiment was perfect. At no time
did the dynamometer indicate a higher strain upon
the wire than 51 cwt.—about 6 cwt less than that
on board the Agamemnon. The greatest speed at
which the coil was run out was at the rate of 100
fathoms iu 64 seconds, or rather less than 6 nautical
miles an hour ; about the same (within a few
fTahtleioNmiga
slerfa not only
the greatest speed of the Agamemnon.
cast loose her large buoy and
buoyed four miles of cable, but she also attached
one of her small buoys at about a mile from the
largest, Both answered the purpose in everyrespect.
Shortly after huciying with the smallest the coil
parted from the Niagara, mad the sudden jerk caused
it to break away from both the buoys in precisely
the same manner as it occurred with the Aeameme
non's wire. An examination into the cause of this
showed at once that the fastenings
,used to secure
the cable to the buoys were not sufficient either in
grip or strength, in case of any sudden pull. These
have accordingly been altered, and made capable of
enduring ten times the strain the wire can ever put
on them. The form of the splice also has been
li modified, from a semicircle to a slight sseg-
mentof
ghtly
a eircle,adnedsnbeyntthiiss
still furthertheehanee o
gft hsutelagrd
wiregee€dt
laignatinvisstt.ingTihn its
us, every precaution which skill and
foresight. aided by practical experience, can
has been adopted, and all the apparatus may now
be regarded as perfect. Seine doubt still exists
whether the Agamemnon will sail or be towed t 3
her destination in mid ocean. Captain Hudson,
of the Niagara, is determined on steaming ; but
the Agamemnon is already so full that it is no
longer doubtful that she cannot take the coals ne-
cessary for 18 days' steaming. Though the sacks
are stowed in temporary bunkers along the main
deck, it has nct been found possible to cram more
into her than 480 tons, or, at the most extreme
computation, only coal for 15 days. Under the
most favourable circumstances this is the time
she must occupy in the voyage ; but if even
a single day wore lost in making the splice
she would be unable to steam at the most critical
part of the voyage, namely, when approaching the
coast of Ireland. How this difficulty is to be got
over is not yet decided, though most probably it
will be arranged by giving the Agamemnon, towed
by the Valorous, a couple of days' start of the Nia-
gaatrTa.riny
This would do all that is wanted. The Por-
cupine surveying vessel has already been despatched
to Newfoundland.it She will wait for the Niagara
intricateßay,
and pilot her carefully through its
navigation to the Bay of Bulls, where, if

all goes' well, the wire will be landed and the latest
advices from New York and Washington instantly
transmitted. During the paying out no messages
are to b 3 sent through the wire from ship to ship,
but merely constant currents to show that the 111811,
lation and electrical continuity are perfect.
The rendezvous in mid ocean for which the
squadron steers on leaving is 52 deg. 2 min, north
latitude, 33 deg. 18 min. west longitude. Where
the American side of the cable will be landed is in
47 deg. 49 min. north, 54.0 west, and the telegraph
house at Valentia is in 51 dog. 56 min. north, 10
deg. 25 min. west. The precise distance between
the two points is 1,720 nautical miles. The length
of wire in both veseels amounts to 2,966 nautical
miles, so that there is at least 80 or 90 per cent.
allowed for slack and contingencies. In our account
of the experiment trip we stated that Mr. Wood-
house went on board the Niagara as electrician.
This was a mistake. Mr. Woodhouse went as
superintending engineer, and Professor Whitehouse
was electrician.

THE BALLOT.

(From the Daily News.)

In the division of Tuesday night there voted for
the Ballot : all the Members for the Cities of Lon-
don and Westminster and the Metropolitan Bo-
roughs, except two who voted against it, and two
who were absent ; the Members for Birmingham,
Manchester, Salford, Sheffield, Southampton, Edin-
burgh, Glasgow, Paisley, and Dundee. There is
scarcely one of these gentlemen who is not a man
of mark in the Liberal ranks, independently of
the importance reflected upon him by the con-
stituency he represents. There is not one of them
that can fairly be called a man of extreme opinions
—for even Mr. Roebuck will be allowed to be no
mob-flatterer, and Mr. Bright is an intensely
" middle-class man." An immense majority of the
gentlemen who supported Mr. H. Berkeley's mo-
tion with their votes are quite asinfluential leaders
of public opinion as those we have specified. Thera
can be no doubt that the 222 members of the House
of Commons—voters, tellers, and pairs—who on
Tuesday night recorded their votes in favour of the
Ballot constitute the substantial strength of the
Liberal Party, and they constitute one entire third
of the representative branch of the Legislature.
It is rather ominous, therefore, to find opposed
to this phalanx such a largo proportion of those
whose claims to office are mainly based upon the
belief that they enjoy the confidence of the Liberal
Party. Let us run over this dispiriting muster-roll :
Members of the late Cabinet—Lord Palmerston,
Sir G. C. Lewis, Sir G. Grey, Mr. Labouchere,
Sir C. Wood, Mr. Vernon Smith, Mr. M. Talbot
Baines.

Members of the late Government—Mr. R. Lowe,
Sir A. Ramsay, Mr. J. E. Elliott, Mr. W. F.
Cowper.
Liberal Leaders not in the late Government.—
Lord John Russell, Sir. F. Baring, Lord Melgund.
Peelitea.—Mr. Gladstone, Mr. Sidney Herbert.
In vain would we attempt to shut our eyes tothe
fact. A gulf is opening between the official Li-
berals and the elite of their party, across which ere
long it may be impossible for either to pass to the
aid of the other. The Ballot is only one question;
but it is one of many which mark the distinction
between the existing generation of Liberals, and
the survivors of a past generation of Liberals, or
those who have inherited its traditions. In 1830 2
the advocates of the Ballot were a minority among
the already enfranchised, perhaps even among these
whose enfranchisement was contemplated by Earl
Grey's Reform Bill. It was easy, therefore, for
the Whig leaders to persuade public meetings—
except in the case of open-air meetings in the manu-
facturingdistricts—to keepsilence about the Ballot,
lest dissension should be introduced into the Re-
form ranks. It was still more easy for them to
suppress all mention of the subject in Parliament.
Nearly thirty years have elapsed since that time.
Since then a new generation of politicians has
emerged into active life, who take their opinions
from the circumstances and discussions of the time
in which they live. Events have taught men who
startled at the idea of Vote by Ballot as a novelty,
and men who thought nothing about the matter,
to recognise it as en urgent necessity. The lan-
getage they hold upon the subject is the first that
has been heard by the younger generation of poli-
ticians ; it has bosn incesantly dinned into their
ears until it has become part of their political creed.
The third part of the House of Commons who vote
for the Ballot represent the existing opinion of
liberal progressive England. The other two-
thirds represent the opinions of the masters of
counties and close boroughs. The official Liberals
we have enumerated above must make up their
minds to choose between the two parties.
Whatever their choice, we have no wish to deny
that it will be made in good faith. We know how
difficult it is for men strengthened and confirmed
in their opinions by the conflicts of well nigh
half a century to unlearn the lessons of their
youth. But while we shall respect their consistency
we must admit that it relegates them to political
inaction. The adherents of the political creed of
an extinct generation cannot possibly be the leaders
of a new generation which has abjured that creed.
We entirely concur in the complaint made by
Mr. Bright of the manner in which this question
has of late years been discussed in the House of
Commons. While the votes recorded in favour of
Vote by Ballot have been steadily increasing, the
interest of the debates has been proportionally de-
creasing. A few of the supporters of the Ballot
have made it the groundwork of jocular and telling
addresses ; the far greater number have merely
made tame duty speeches in its favour, in order
that they might be able to say to their constituents
that they had spoken for it. But the deep and
growing earnestness with which the great mass of
the community yearn for this boon has found no
adequate echo in the Legislature. In the House
of Commons the supporters of Vote by Ballot
argue in its favour as coldly and calmly as they
would demonstrate some abstract proposition in
Euclid. They are met, not by arguments, but by
trivial jokes, or by haughty declarations that no
concession will be made. Honourable members
complain of the pertinacity which bores them with
such a discussion year after year ; and the Times,
and their other flatterers in the press, echo the
complaint with exaggerated foppishness. But out
of doors the craving for the Ballot is a burning
passion. Every supercilious denunciation of it—.
every silly jest at its expense—is recorded and
treasured up as an insult to be avenged. The
tenant, the clerk, the working man, the poor man
in embarrassed circumstances, compelled to vote
against their conviction ; the intelligent artisan,
who longs for the franchise as a recognition of his
full right of citizenship, and yet shrinks from it
lest its exercise should become a badge of slavery ;
all these are almost as little edified by the wit
of their advocates as by the insolence of
their opponents. In what temper are such
men likely to read a remark that fell from
Mr. Sotheron-Estcourt " Since the last general
election, be fell in with a constituent of his—a
farmer. He asked him what he thought of the
Ballot. His reply was that he was all for the Bal-
lot, for at the last election he had to vote against
his conscience, having been solicited for his vote
both by his landlord and the parson's wife. He
(Mr. Estcourt) did not see of what use the Ballot
would have been to such a person except to cover
Lis delinquency." What does Mr. Estcourt mean
by " delinquency?" Doss he mean that it would
havelbeen " delinquency" in a fat mer to act'accord-
in„, to his conzcience ? or does ho scorn the man
who had not courage to assert his conscientious
conviction at the risk of ruin to himself and family ?
Mr. Estcourt has a keen eye for the cowardice of
the unconscientous voter ; but he is blind to the
ruthless tyranny of those who intimidated him.
He sees the mote in the farmer's eye ; he cannot
see the beam in his own. Ho and his class make
cowardly rascals of their tenants-at-will; and then
taunt them for being what they have made them.
Our squirearchy are using their wealth as the
Barons of old used their arms : first they degrade
their weaker neighbours, and then they jeer openly
at their degradation. What the consequences of
Baronial oppression were, may be read in the in-
surrections of communes, in the jacqueries of
peasants, in the Frmch Revolution. The self-will
of our squires may in its turn produce like bitter
fruits.
But we are wandering beyond the subject to
which it was our object to call attention. One-third
of the House of Commons support the principle of
secret voting. This third of cur representatives
speaks the wishes of nine-tenths of the out-of-doors
community. Read over their names, you will find
the list to be composed for the most part of men
entertainosl pyokestect
mei a
ea
nt Vivian
a wi
feel
01
like William Schol-field, Aspinall Turner, Wal-
n
ter Buchanan, Adam Black. These are not wild
t
odGr
ah i
woulday, dreamers me 0 withe
n lookrs si
da;
sword
affect
jahcopttreoi
oydnn
opinions. : eThl
o npewoi e
rot
t;rah,,mded
advocacy
0: ill who,
Vote by Ballot is the result of protracted and:elaoytccilynlaoeos'oieetrf
observatien ; it is the consequence of rooted con-
viction. They cannot change their minds, and
even if they, could, their constituents will not
change their s. The principle of secret voting is
, for the Party of Progress what the handful of
leaven of the Parable was for the three measures of
meal among which it was hidden. It is steadily
going on to leaven the whole mass. What hope
is there, then, fur a re-organisation of the Liberal
party so long as we see all its members, to whom
men have been accustomed to look as aspirants to
, high office, obstinately opposing the earnest and
growing wish of the only party from whiehlthey

can expect effective support ? So long as this an-
tagonism between the leaders and the followers
exists, wo may have 'intermittent, ephemeral ac-
cessions of the Liberal party to office, but we can
have no permanent, powerful Liberal Government.
Unless the Liberals who have hitherto led can be
brought to concede the point of the Ballot, the
Party of Progress must be contented to remain in
its present disorganised and unsatisfactory state
until new leaders can form themselves, and earn
the confidence of the public, in the Parliamentary
arena. Did we believe that it was reasonable con-
viction that rendered the old leaders hostile to the
Ballot, we would not urge this consideration upon
them : but no man who watches their sayings and
can fail to see that there opposition to it is simply
a matter of personal feeling. Are we to accept the
absence of Sir James Graham and Lord Stanley
from the Division as an indication that their eyes
have been couched ?

NAVAL AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE.

The assembling of the garrison in honour of the
visit of his Excellency the Swedish Ambassador
and some other foreign personages, who intend
visiting Woolwich to-day, is ordered to take place
at two c'clock p.m, Col. Bloomfield, aide-de-camp
to her Majesty and senior officer of the garrison,
attended by the local staff will receive the distin-
guished visitors, and accompany them to the re-
view ground and over the departments of the
Royal Arsenal.
For some time past serious complaints bave been
made by the military authorities connected with the
several branches of the service at Chatham of the
scarcity of water in that garrison, and this scarcity
has within the last week increased to such an extent
that garrison orders have been issued directing that
the troops are to discontinue their bxths in the se-
veral ablution rooms, and that every precaution be
taken to prevent any waste of water. The garrison
is supplied wi h water from several old wells and
tanks which have been in use for some period, and,
although there are waterworks satablished for the
supply of the whole of the barracks, the authorities
have not yet taken the necessary steps to obtain an
unlimited supply from that source. In addition
to the inc nvenience arising from a deficiency of
water the barracks at Chatham are in a very
crowded state. The authorities have attempted
to get over the difficulty by placing several hundred
troops under canvas, but owing to the coutinned
arrival of recruits to join the various East India
regiments at Chatham the number of men
occupying the barrack-rooms is still dispropor-
tionably large. At Brompton barracks a large por-
tion of the building has bean set apart for a hospital, -
in which about 200 s'ck soldiers are packed in the
very centre of a barrack crowded with troops.
Already there have been several cases of measles
and small-pox among the troops, caused, there is
no doubt, by the overcrowding of the men.
In accordance with a divisional order the whole
of the troops attached to the head-quarters of the
Chatham division of Royal Marine Light Infantry
were drawn up on their parade-ground yesterday
morning, for the purpose of witnessing the cere-
mony oireading the sentence of a district court-
martial on private John M )ulton, 73d company,
who was tried on a charge of having deserted from
head-quarters, and not returning until brought bick
by military escort. The prisoner, who has borne a
very bad character in the corps, was sentenced to
be imprisoned for 168 days in the military prison,
Fort Clarence, Rochester.
The Cadmus, 21, steam screw corvette, is ordered
to be brought forward atCh atham for commissioning.
Capt. F. W. Haultain, 10 Battalion Royal Art il-
lery, has taken up his appointment as Captain In-
structor of Artillery in the Royal gun factories,
Woolwich, vacant by the resignation of Captain
Vandeleur.
The g u n bc aim Misletce and Julia have been docked
at Woolwich, and the Spanker and Sandfly un-
docked and admitted into the fitting basin.

The Admiralty yacht Vivid, in command of Capt.
Seymour, C. 8., of the Victory, in the special ser-
vice of the Prince Consort, returned to Woolwich
yesterday.
The following appointments were made yesterday
at the Admiralty :
Commander M. B. Cockraft to be Inspecting
Commander of the Coastguard, vice Commander
St. Ledger, whose period of service has expired ;
R. N. Tarraway, second master, to the Oberon ;
and F. Gilbert, paymaster, to the Irnaum.

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.—June 9.

a----

(Before the Assistant-Judge at Clerkenwell.)
Abdullab, 18, and Rumjan, 30, sailors, natives
of Oude, were indicted for having stolen two
watches, of the value of 9/. 195., the property of
Richard Sayer Arnell. They were also indicted
for having stolen two watches and two chains, the
property of Bernard Davis.
Mr.
Salter appeared for the prosecution.

The prosecutor, Mr. Arnoll, was a watchmaker
and jeweller, carrying on business at 98, Edgware-
road, and it appeared that on May 10th the pri-
soners, who were in AQiatic costume, called at his
shop, and said they wanted two watches for a gen-
tleman, and that they came from the Prince of
Oude's. Two watches were packed up and handed
to Rumjan, who .went away, leaving Abdallah in
the shop. In about half an hour Rutnjan returned,
and said he had not been able to show the watches
to the Prince, as he had gone out, but he had ]eft
them with the Princess. Abdallah put his signa-
ture to a memorandum,- and both went away, Mr.
Arnell, of course, being under the impression that
they really were connected with the Oude family.
Subsequently Abdallah, Rumjan being in his com-
pany, pawned one of the watches at Mr. Gill's, 8,
Hampstead-road ; the other was pawned, at Ram-
jan's request, by a person with whom he lodged in
Ewer-street, Gravel-lane. In the other case, they
obtained two watches in precisely the same man-
ner.frona Mr. Davis, 430, Euston-road. Abdallah
told Mr. Davis that he was interpreter and reader
to the Prince of Oude.

Nawab Mehdee Koollie Khan Bahadoor, great
grand-son of Nadir Shah, and secretary to the
Prince of Oude, 15, Warwick-road West, examined
through Mirza Ally Akbar Khan Bahadoor, inter-
preter, proved that neither of the prisoners be-
longed to the Prince's establishment, but they came
over to this country as menials in the retinue of
the Prince of Oude, who died some months back.
They had no authority to say they were connected
with any of the family.
The Assistant Judge told the jury that the priso-
ners were guilty, if they intended to get possession
of the watches by a trick, and to deprive the owners
of them.

The Jury found them guilty.
The Assistant Judge sentenced each to six
months' hard labour in Coldbath-fields.

Geo. Wise, 19, was indicted for feloniously em-
bezzling three sums of money he had received on
account of Ebenezer T. Jobbins, his master.
Mr. Metcalfe was counsel for the prosecution,
and Mr. Ribton for the prisoner.
The prosecutor was a baker, at Kilburn, and the
prisoner was in his employment, and had to carry
broad t 3 customers and receive money. In several
instanc©s he had appropriated sums he had received
for his master to himself, and there were three
charges in the indictment, having occurred within
six months.

The Assistant Judge held that the evidence in
support of the third count did not amount to legal
proof, and withdrew that count from the considera-
tion of the jury. In summing up, his lordship
called the attention of the jury to the evidence
bearing upon the third count with reference to the
two first counts.

Mr. Ribton submitted that such evidence ought
to be altogether excluded, the particular charge to
which it related having been struck out of the in-
dictment.

The Assistant-Judge said he was satisfied that
the evidence could properly be put before the jury.
Mr. Kibton wished that th© point might be re-
served for the Court of Criminal Appeal.
The Assistant Judge could not accede to that, as
he had no doubt at all that the point was not an
arguable one, and the matter was one entirely within
the discreticis of the Court.
Mr. Rbton said that no doubt it was so, but the
law was very anomalous on the subject. If the mat-
ter in dispute was a bill of exchange, he could go
to the full Court and apply for a new trial on the
ground of misdirection, but in a case of this
kind, it depended upon the mere will of the presid-
ing judge whether he would allow a point to be
reserved. He knew of a case in which Mr. Baron
Platt positively refused to reserve a point, and a
sentence of death was paqsed. The Home Office,
however, caused the point to he stated, and it was
successful, and the prisoner was thereby saved from
being hanged. An improvement of the law in this
respect was greatly needed.
The Assistant-Judge said he must perform his
duty as the law required, as it was now. He could
not, using his discretion, reserve the point.
The prisoner was found guilty on the two counts,
and was sentenced to six months' hard labour.

_
Charles Brewer, 27, and Robert Clarke, 42, were
indicted for stealing six trusses of hay, the property
of William Pullin, of Highgate, their master, and
Thomas Malton, a carman, having a stable at the
Boston Arms, J unction-road, Kentish Town, was
indicted fnr receiving the same feloniously.
Mr. Cooper prosecuted ; Mr. Sleigh defended
Clarke, Mr. H. Brown was for Malton, and Mr. F.
H. Lewis appeared for Brewer.

The juryacquitted Clarke and Mallon, and found
Brewer guilty. He was sentenced to eight months'
hard labour.

a protection, and left the court evidently disap-
pointed that the act did not protect her,

GREEN WICH. —CONVICTION OF A POLICE-
CONSTABLE FOR NEGLECT OF DUTY. Thomas
Hawkes, police-constable 140 M, was charged be-
fore Mr. Seeker, bylidirection of the Commissioners
of Police, with neglect of duty.
Edmund Lyle, master mariner, of 4, Elizabeth-
terrace, Rotherhithe, said—On Wednesday, the
2nd inst., wishing to give a woman, named Ann
Swanson (since convicted, and sentenced to two
months' imprisonment) in charge, for robbing me
of certain articles of wearing apparel, and not see-
ing a policeman, I went to the station-house, and '
there saw Sergeant Cooper, 20 M, who sent the
defendant with me to my house, where the woman
was working; On the way the defendant asked
me why I had not got the man on the beat to take
the charge. I told him I had not seen a constable,
or I should not have walked to the station. We
then went to the house, and on entering the
kitchen I called the woman and told her I intended
giving her into custody for robbing me, and told
the defendant to take her away. The defendant
remarked, ".Come on, old woman, you must go
with me." The woman replied that she would
when she got her bonnet on, and went into the
back kitchen apparently for that purpose. The
defendant then said he would go out and see if he
could find a constable on the beat, and left the
house, returning about five minutes afterwards
with police-constable 300 M. Whilst defendant
was away I went and fastened the front door,
thinking the woman might attempt to escape, and
on going to the back kitchen to see where
she was, I found her in the water-closet, where
I have every reason to believe she contrived
to get rid of pawnbrokers' duplicates relating to
the stolen property. The woman was taken to the
station by the other constable, and on the way there
the defendant remarked to me that he was on the
sick list, and that it was no part of his duty to take
the charge.
The defendant said he had been told by his super-
intendant to change his clothing on the day in
question, and that he did not think he was doing
wrong in getting another constable, only being
absent a minute.

Mr. Superintendent Brandon here remarked
that the defendant had not received any special
order to change his clothing as stated, the order
being for the men generally.
Mr. Seeker said that the defendant, having been
sent to do a particular duty, he ought to have
carried it out.

Mr. Superintendent Brandon, in reply to a ques-
tion, said the defendant had been eight years in
the force ; and when confronted with the com-
plainant, he denied ever having seen the woman
before he brought the constabl', in consequence of
which the present charge had been preferred.
Mr. Seeker said the charge preferred against the
defendant was one of the heaviest that could be
brought against a police-constable, whose duty it
was to take such hold as the law allowed of persons
given into custody, and to keep them safe until
brought before the proper authorities. The con-
duct of the defendant had, in his opinion, been
most culpable, and had, he thought, led to what
the complainant stated, the making away with
that which would have at once shown where the
stolen property was to be found. So wilful a dis-
regard of duty could not have been committed, as
the defendant had reiterated, innocently, and he
(the magistrate) thought it almost unnecessary to
mark his sense of such conduct by inflicting the
full penalty of 10/ , or three months' imprisoßment.
He should, however, impose a fine of 205., and in
default of payment to be imprisoned one month.
The defendant, who repeatedly asked his worship
not to inflict a penalty, as that would lead to his
dismissal from the force, was then removed in
custody.

HAMMERSMITH.-IMPORTANT APPLICATION.
—THE METROPOLITAN BOARD OF WORKS V.
CHISWICK. —Mr. Woolrych, the clerk of the Me-
tropolitan Board of Works, accompanied by several
gentlemen, applied to Mr. Ingham for an allow-
ance to a poor rate assessed upon the parish of
Chiswick, by order of the Metropolitan Board, in
default of the:overseers of the parish. Mr. Wool-
rych stated that in 1856 the board issued a precept
upon the overseers of Chiswick to raise the sum of
9311. 175., being part of a debt due to the late
Commissioners of Sewers. The overseers had re-
fused to obey the precept, and the Metropolitan
Board now proceeded as the law allowed, to make
a rate, considered as a poor rate, and to send down
their own collector to receive the money.
Mr. Ingham said this was the first case of the
kind that had been brought under his notice, and
therefore he wished to know under what clause of
the act the board pr, seeded.
Mr. Woolrych said similar rates had been made

in St. George's, Hanover-square, and also in Lam-
beth, and the magistrates had allowed them. The
clauses under which they acted were, first, the
188th, 161st, and the 181st.
Mr. Ingham asked if Chiswick was not included
in the area of the Metropolitan Board ?
Mr. Woolrych said it was not, but was included
in the area of the late Commissioners of Sewers.
The act gave the board power to recover from the
outlying parishes all the debts due to the late
commissioners

Mr. Ingham said, in the 181st section he saw
that the board bad power to require of the over-
seers in the outlying parishes to pay, but it gave
them no powers to enforce it.
Mr. Woolrych admitted that the clause was not
carefully drawn, but argued at some length that
hie worship should take into consideration the joint
effect of the three clauses.

Mr. Ingham said there was considerable force in
the arguments of Mr. Woolrych, but at the same
time he entertained a doubt whether he bad any
power to proceed in this way. Under the 161st
section the board had power to apply for a man-
damus in the Court of Queen's Bench for the over-
seers to be compelled to collect the rate. It was
an extremely important case, and he thought the
board should go to the Court.
Mr. Woolrych said they would very likely be too
late this term, and it was doubtful whether they
would be able,to obtain the mandamus for some
months. It was a very important matter to the
exchequered ratepapers, as they would have to pay
the mosey, instead of those who lived in the parish
when the rate was assessed. His worship would
remember that those objections could be raised

upon an appeal against the rate.
Mr. Ingham, after considering the question,
thought he might allow the rate, from the fact that
all he had to do at the present time was to see that
the rate was duly made by an authorised body.
The other points could be raised upon summonses
being applied for.
His worship accordingly allowed the rate, by
attaching his hand and seal to the rate-book.

THAMES.—CANNIBALISM.—Johanna Foley, an
Irishwoman, aged 30, was brought before Mr.
Yardley, charged with violently assaulting her rela
tive, Julia Foley, and biting off part of one of her
fingers. It was a case of Irish row in Nightingale-
buildings, Ropemakers'-fields, Limehouse, where
more savage assaults have been committed than in
any other part of the district assigned to this court.
Evidence having been given, a portion of the
third finger of the prosecutrix's right hand was put
before the magistrate and then handed round the
table of the court. It had been bitten clean off
between the first and second joints, and the nail,
which exhibited no indications of cleanliness, was
quite perfect.
The prisoner entered into a long history of fa-
mily rows and feuds, which the magistrate said had
nothing to do with the case, She then said, "I
don't know whether I bit her finger off or not."
Mr. Yardley—l can't pretend to punish such a
case as this, I shall commit you for trial, and you
may call any witnesses you may think proper before
• a jury.

- -
[ALVA'. aT iSHMENT. 1— SMUT AND HEARING - SPECTACLES --
POWERFUL TELESCOPES OPERA, RACE, AND PEasPECTIvs
GLASSES.—S, and B.
Solomons, opticians, 39, Albemarle-
stroA, Piccadilly. Observe—opposite the York Hotel, W.
By her Majesty's Royal Letters Patent for valuable and ex-
traordinary impiOT • ements in the most powerful and brilliant
Telescopes, Camp, Race-course, Opera, and Perspective
Glasses, to know the distances. These Telescopes possess
such extraordinary power that some, three and a-half inches,
with an extra eyepiece will show distinctly Jupiter's moons,
Saturn's ring, and the double stars ; with the same telescope
can be seen a person's countenance three-and-a-half miles
distant and an object from 16 to 20 miles. For the waist-
coat-pocket, and are of larger, and all sizes, with increasing
powers accordingly, The Royal Exhibition, 1851. --A valu-
able, newly-invented, very small, powerful, Waistcoat-pocket
Glass, the size of a walnut, by which a person can be seen and
known one and a-half mile distant. They answer every pur-
pose on the Race-course and at the Opera-houses, Country
scenery and ships are clearly seen at 12 to 14 miles, They
aro invaluable for shooting, deer-stalking, yachting, to
sportsmen, gentlemen, gamekeepers, and tourists. Opera,
Camp, Perspective, and Race-course Glasses, with wonderful
powers. - Invaluable preserving Spectacle Lenses of the
greatest transparent power. The great advantage derived
from this invention is, that vision impaired becomes pre-
served and strengthened and very aged persons are enabled
to employ their sight at the most minute occupation—can see
with the .° lenses of a much less magnifying power—and
they do not require the frequent changes to the clan,
gerons effects of further powerful assistance. Persons
can be suited at the most remote part of the world by send-
ing ono of the glasses out at their spectacles in a letter, and
stating the dist wee from the eye they can read small print
with it, and those who have not made use of spectacles by
stating their ago. Deafness.—New Disoovery.—The Organic
Vibrator, an extraordinarily powerful, small, newly-invented
instrument for deafness, entirely different from all others,
surpassing anything of the kind that has been, or prole ably
can be, produced. Being of the same colour as the skin, is
not perceptible. It enables deaf persons to hoar distinct lyat
church and at public assemblies ; the unpleasant sensation of
singing noises in the cars is entirely removed, and it affords
all the assistance that possibly could bo desired.-39. Alba.
marlo-street, Piccadilly—Opposite the York Hotel. W,

HEALTH OF LONDON DURING T.
WEEK.

(From the Report of the Registrar General.)
The deaths registered in London, which rose in
the previous week to 1,108, declined in the week
ending last Saturday, June sth, to 1,087, of which
583 are deaths of males, 554 those of females. In
the ten years 1848-57 the average number of deaths
in the weeks corresponding with last week was 964 ;
but as the deaths.returned for last week occurred
in an increased population, they can only be com-
pared with the average when the latter has been
r:dsed in proportion to the increase, a correction
which will make it 1,060. The comparison shows
that the mortality of last week exceeds that which
is obtained by calculation from former experience
at the beginning of June, but that the excess is
not considerable.

Zymotic diseases increased last week, as regards
the number of fatal cases, from 259 to 291 (the
corrected average for last week being 261.) This
increase arises from measles, the deaths from which
iu the last two weeks were respectively 45 and 62 ;
from whooping-cougb, which was fatal in 61 and
69 cases ; from typhus, which was fatal in 32 and
43 ; and from diarrhoea, which was fatal in the two
weeks in 14 and 18 cases. Six children died from
measles in the sub-district of Greenwich West.
An old man died on the 2d inst. from cholera,
after six days' illness, in Smith-square, Westmin-
ster. Twelve women died from diseases inci-
dental to childbearing ; 20 children died from
having been born prematurely ' • 16, of whom nine
were a year old, died from teething ; 44 from con-
vulsions. Twenty violent deaths were registered,
16 of which were accidental, and four by suicide
(all of these last by hanging). A woman, aged 90
years, and five men, aged 90 years and upwards,
were returned, the two oldest having been respec-
tively 97 and 103 years. The centenarian had been
forum rly a sergeant in the Foot Guards, and had
served in the Walcheren expedition and Peninsular
campaigns, and was pensioned previously to the
battle of Waterloo. He possessed remarkable
physical strength, and retained his mental facul-
ties to the last. Latterly ho followed the occupa-
tion of a tailor ; he died on the 25th ult. et Bridge-
field-place, Wandsworth. His medical attendant,
who supplies most of the above particulars, has
seen the certificate of his birth, now in the posses-
sion of his daughter, which runs thus :—" John
Ewing, born 16th October, 1745, at Carronshore,
parish of Larbert, shire of Stirling. Extracted from
the record. John Bunce, clerk."
_ _

Last week the births of 765 boys and 780 girls,
in all 1,545 children, were registered in London.
In the ten corresponding weeks of the years 1648-
57 the average number was 1,465.
At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean
height of the barometer in the week was 29.894 in.
The lowest barometrical reading was 29.64 in. on
Thursday • the highest was 30.01 in., and occurred
on the following day. The mean temperature of
the week was 66.2 deg., which exceeds by nearly 10
deg. the average of the same week in 43 years (as
determined by Mr. Glaisher.) On Monday and the
three following days the mean daily temperature
was from 11 to 14 deg. in excess of the average.
On Tuesday the thermometer attained its highat
point in the shade, which was 85 deg.., and also-its
highest in the sun, which was 119,5 deg. The
lowest temperature occurred on Sunday, 30th,
and was 50.1 deg. The entire range in the week in
the shade was, therefore, 34.9 deg. The mean daily
range was 24.7 deg. The mean temperature of the
water of the Thames was 62.1. The difference be-
tween the mean dew-point temperature and air
temperature was 10.70 deg. The mean humidity
of the air was 68, complete saturation being repre-
sented by 100 ; on Monday the humidity was only
58. Rain to the amount of 1.16 in. fell on Satur-
day. A severe thunder storm with vivid lightning
occurred between six and eight o'clock on Satur-
day morning. An eak in Greenwich-park was struck
by the lightning and stripped of a portion of itS
bark. Rain fell to the depth of an inch in less than
an hour. Hail also fell during the storm.