The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-27 00:00:00

COUNTY RIFLE ASSOCIATIONS.

TO THE EDITOR OP THE SUN.
Sir,—The friendly interest you have always
shown in the National Rifle Association will, I
hope, lead you to find a place in the columns of
your paper for the accompanying rules of the
Cheshire Rifle Association.
I am induced to request the favour of your giving
publicity to these rules, because they have been
submitted to and approved by the Council of the
National Rifle Association, and may be useful as a
guide to other counties now engaged in framing
rules for Rifle Associations, with regard to which
we have received numerous applications for infor-
mation and advice.

The Cheshire rules will serve to show :-
1. The general constitution and rules which
Eight, in the opinion of the Council of the National
Rifle Association, be advantageously adopted by
county associations.

2. The mode in which a close connexion may be
established between the county and National Asso-
ciations. This, it will be seen, the gentlemen form-
ing the Cheshire Association propose to effect by
Rule 2, which enables any member of the county
byLincreasing his subscription to become likewise a
member of the National Rifle Association, and thus
entitle himself to the privilege of membership, such
as free admission to the ground at the annual prize
meeting, as well as to the distribution of prizes.
In order further to promote this connection, the
Council have resolved to give a bronze medal an-
nually to each county association, and they likewise
propose to give a prize to be competed for at the
great national annual prize meeting by the winners
of these medals.

The Council of the National Rifle Association
hope that those who are now engaged in forming
county or district rifle associations will see the ad-
vantage of establishing them as far as possible
upon an uniform system throughoxt the king-
dom, and in connection with the central Na-
tional Association. There is no wish on the
part of the Council to interfere with or check
in any way the independent action of local asso-
ciations, but they are anxious that such an uniform
system should be established as would enable them
annually to tabulate, compare, and record, as they
hope to do, the results of the shooting at the an-
nual county and national prize meetings.
The Council think that they do not over-estimate
the importance of the National Association in as-
suming that it is mainly to the success of the great
Wimbledon Prize Meeting that the spread of the
taste for rifle shooting and the formation of county
rifle associations are due; and they further ven-
ture to think that it is chiefly through the influ-
ence of the great prize meeting, where Volunteers
from all parts of Great Britain and the colonies
will annually meet and compete for her Majesty's
prize, and.where riflemen of all nations will com-
pete for the Prince Consort's prize, that the taste
for rifle-shooting and the existence of local rifle
associations can permanently be maintained.
It is, therefore, to be hoped that the National
will obtain the support and co-operation of all
county associations.

I remain your obedient servant,
ELCHO (in the name of the Council).
St. James's-place, Dec. 14.

P.S. By her Majesty's desire the Queen's Prize
is now open to all colonial Volunteers, on the same
terms as to those of the United Kingdom, and the
National Association has resolved to give their
silver medal to colonial associations.

RULES OF THE CHESHIRE RIFLE ASSOCIATION.
" 1. The object of the association is to assist in
giving permanence to the Volunteer Corps, and to
promote rifle shooting throughout the country.
"2. The association will consist of all annual
subscribers of 10s. and upwards, and of all donors
of X 5 and upwards. These may have the privilege
of becoming members of the National Rifle Associa-
tion, by increasing their annual subscription of 10s.
to 205., half of which will be paid to the National
Rifle Association ; or by doubling their donations,
half of which will be applied in the same manner.
"Donors of not less than £2O for prizes in any
one year at the county meetings will be enrolled
as members.
"3. The property of the association shall be
vested in three trustees, to be appointed by the
council.
" 4. The Lord-Lieutenant of the county to be the
patron of the association.
"5. There shall be a president annually elected
by the council, who shall not be re-eligible for the
office of president for three years.
"6. There shall be 12 vice-presidents annually,
elected at the yearly general meeting in December.
" 7. There shall be a council of 21 ordinary mem-
bers (exclusive of ex officio members) elected at the
general meeting in December, of whom one-third
sall in each year vacate office (in the first and
second year, according to alphabetical order, after-
wards in the order of their election), but shall be
eligible for re-election. Five shall be a quorum. The
council shall have power to appoint sub-committees.
"8. The patron and president of the association
and the trustees shall be ex officio members of the
council, and there shall be a treasurer appointed by
the trustees, who also shall be ex officio a member
of the council.
"9. The council shall have the sole management
of the income and funds of the association, ren-
dering an account at the annual meeting in De-
cember, such account having been • previously
audited by a person or persons not members of the
council to be annually named by the council for
that purpose.
" The council shall have the entire manage-
ment and superintendence of all the other affairs
and concerns of the association ; and shall do all
such acts and deeds as shall appear to them neces-
sary to be done for the purpose of carrying into
effect the objects thereof,
" 10. The council shall be regulated in their pro-
ceedings by such bylaws as may from time to time
be enacted by them, established bylaws not being
in any case altered, or new ones proposed, without
at least one month's notice of such intention being
given to each member of the council.

" 11. There shall be a paid secretary appointed
by the council, who shall be removable at their
pleasure. Clerks also may be appointed, and offices
taken, at the discretion of the council.

" 12. There shall be a general meeting of the
association in each year, held in Chester, in the
month of December; at this meeting the council
shall be elected, who shall afterwards elect the
president for the ensuing year.
" 13. There shall be a general meeting of the
Association each year towards the end of August or
beginning of September, in such part of the county
as shall be deemed by the council most advantage-
ous for the advancement of the objects of the asso-
ciation.

" At this meeting it will be open to all Volunteer
artillery or rifle companies in the county to send a
certain number of their members (the number to be
fi zed by the council) to compete for prizes, provided
that the persons so sent are bona fide effective
members of the company from which they are sent.
Volunteers to pay such entrance fees as the Council
may decide upon.
" 14. Prizes shall also be given which shall be
open to all comers belonging to or resident in the
county, whether belonging to Volunteer companies
or not, on payment of a certain sum by each com-
petitor, which payment shall entitle him to a cox-,

EXTRAORDINARY CASE—THOMSON V. INMAN.
This action was commenced before Mr. Justice
Keating on Monday last at Liverpool. It was
brought by Captain J. Bates Thomson, late com-
mander of the Liverpool, New York, and Philadel-
phia Company's steam-ship Glasgow, against Mr.
Wm. Inman, a member of the Mersey Docks and
Harbour Board, and managing partner of the com-
pany's business in Liverpool, to recover damages
for wrongful dismission from his situation, he
having been engaged for the voyage out. The
defendant pleaded, first, a denial of the agreement;
secondly. that the plaintiff had miscondueted him.
self with the stewardess of the ship of which he
was the captain, and that he was therefore dis-
missed.
Mr. James, Q.C., opened the case for the plaintiff.
The learned gentleman, at the close of his speech,
called Captain Thomson, who stated that the
whole charge was a fabrication trumped up against
him for dismissing her from her situation as
stewardess on account of drunkenness.
Mr. Overend having addressed the jury for the
defence, called
Mrs. Isabella Mackenzie—She deposed--My
husband's name is Duncan Mackenzie. He is an
invalid, and I support him and my four children.
Soon after I went on board the Glasgow, as steward-
ess, I was sent for to the plaintiff's state cabin. When
I got there the plaintiff filled two glasses of wine ;
he gave me one, and took the other himself. He
got up and told the servant, Johnny Scott, to
shut the door and stay outside. He then
came to the place where I was sitting, and tried
to assault me—that is to say-, he endeavoured
to take liberties with me. (The witness here de-
scribed the conduct of the plaintiff.) He told me
that he was as cautious in his conduct as I was, for
he kept his boy at the door, and he was a boy he
could depend upon. He said I was not the first
woman he had had there. He never had had a
stewardess but who had yielded to him. He told
me to tidy my hair, and then whistled to the boy
to come in. When the boy came in the plaintiff
made some remark about the ladies, and I then left
the room. I remember the next day, after the
children's dinner, the captain sending for me again
to his room. I went; he was there. When I went
in he was sitting with his coat off. He told me to
be seated. He told the boy, Johnny Scott, to put
down the decanters, and said he must close the
door. I refused to take any wine from him, and
he then wished me to take some brandy, saying I
looked very ill. I continued to refuse to take any
from him. He then came up to me and tried to
force me on to the sofa. (Witness here described
the plaintiff's conduct.) I resisted his endeavours,
.and then he wished me not to say anything, and
not to cry, for fear any person might see me. I
remember, a few days after, the captain sending
for me again. He told me he wished me to mend
his coat. He got up and bolted the door of his
room, and drew the curtain down. He tried to kiss
me, to put his arm round my waist, and made use
of indecent language. (Witness repeated the
language.) I implored him to let me go, when he
said if I carried on in that way, and refused him, I
should certainly kill him. He gave me a glass of
water and some eau de cologne to drink. He gave me
a bottle to take with me, and told me not to tell
what had taken place. I promised him not to tell
anybody. He wished me to tidy my hair, and he
then unlocked the door. Johnny Scott then came
in, and the captain said, " You need not stay, Mrs.
Mackenzie; Johnny Scott will bring you my coat."
I remember the next day Johnny Scott coming to
me while at dinner, and saying that the captraie
wished to see me. I tried to get up so as to avoid
my agitation being noticed, when I fainted, and
fell down by the man Kenzie, the chief steward.
He bathed my face, and said the captain only
wanted me to mend a flag, but that I was not
required then. The captain afterwards came into
the ladies' cabin, and asked why I fainted, and if
I had told anybody about what had passed between
us ? I said no. That was on the outward passage.
On the homeward passage I recollect him sending
to me. I remember the captain coming into my
room after I had gone to bed, and after the other
ladies had gone too, and all the lights had been
extinguished. I was in the third room in the ladies'
cabin. Nobody was there besides myself. The
captain used to threaten to come to my room; and,
in consequence, T asked the steward to put a lock
on my door, which he did. After I locked my
door I used to hear some person trying to open
it at night. I told the captain or plaintiff
of the fact, snd he said, " It was not I, but I
will come in some of these nights." I begged of
him not to do so, but he said I was to be quiet,
that no harm was intended, and that it was
very improper for me to lock the door, as it might
arouse suspicion, and might make the passengers
think there was some person with me in my room.
He said that if I continued to lock the door I should
get a bad name, but that if it remained open, per-
sons passing could see I had nobody with me. I
thanked him, and said I would not lock it again.
I put the curtain of my bed down quite tight.
When ho came I felt some person pull the curtain,
and I said, " Oh, my God." He took up the slide
of the lantern he had with him, and I then saw
who it was. I felt quite excited. The captain told
me not to say a word, and then he put the slide
down again. He tGok every stitch of clothes off
my bed, and I said, " Captain Thomson, do take me
up and throw me overboard, for it is preferable to
this." He told me to be quiet, and he put his hand
on my mouth. •He then left. The witness then
proceeded to relate the anoyances to which she was
subjected from the plaintiff during the second and
third voyages in the Glasgow, the conduct of the
plaintiff being, according to her statement, much
the same as that already detailed. The new por-
tions were as follows :—I recollect giving the cap-
tain a letter on one occasion when he sent for me to
his room. He was sitting on the sofa, and on my
entering he told me to be seated. He took hold of
the letter and read it, and said, looking at the sig-
nature, " Isabella Emma Mackenzie." I said,
"Yes ; I have brought this letter so that you can
understand what I mean." He read it, or at least
a portion of it, and then wished me to give him a
kiss, and told me not to be vexed with him. He
asked me if I had told anyone about what had
passed between us. I said "'No." He said, if I were
to tell anyone it would kill him. He then said,
" Isabella, if you are a woman of that kind, and
you will forgive me, there will be nothing more be-
tween you and me." I promised him I would not
tell any person. I told him I should be ashamed
to tell any lady of it. Afterwards I told him I had
written several letters, but was afraid to give them
toJohnny Scott, for fear he should lose them on
the way, for if he had done so my character would,
perhaps, be ruined. A night or two before we got
into Liverpool, I again saw him, and he then told
me to be seated. I said, " Captain Thomson, have
you forgotten your promise ?" He said he wished
to see me about that letter. He wanted to know
what I meant by giving him that letter. He got
up, tore up the letter, and then threw it out of the
port hole. I told him that I wished him to bear
in mind that I came to work as stewardess, for my
husband and my children, and that I had notcome
to be his mistress. During the remainder of the
time I had been with him as stewardess he was
always cross with me, nothing more. What I have
stated occurred during the first three voyages; after
that he was cress with me. I mentioned what I
had suffered to Mrs. Wright, after my return from
tha first voyage. I never heard any complaints
about my, being a drunken woman. I was not in
the habit of getting tipsy. I mean to say I was
only once tipsy, and I will state the cause. Mrs.
Carlton, a lady passenger, was playing at cards
with the captain, as she was accustomed to do,
when I had to apply some chloroform to her. She
made me take some brandy, and it had an effect
upon me. That was the last voyage but one coming
home. On leaving I applied to Mr. Alexander for
a character, and he told mel should apply to Cap-

At present there are few additional particulars
to report in connexion with the fatal boiler explo-
sion which has happened at Leeds in the house
of Mr. Longley, a builder. Mr. Longley, his
eidest daughter, and the servant girl remain much
in the same state. Fortunately the injuries sus-
tained by the servant were not of a very serious
nature, and she has since been removed to her
parents' home, at Kippax, near Leeds. Mr. Longley
is much scalded about the face and hands, and has
received some severe contusions on the bead and
face. Miss Longley, besides having a very severe
compound fracture of tie right leg, is much burnt
about the face and arms, and also scalded about the
chest and body. Both she and her father are in a
critical position. The catastrophe occurred 6n Tues-
day (Christmas-day), and the facts connected with
it are substantially the same as were reported in
The (Sun yesterday, with this exception, that the
whole of the persons injured were in the kitchen
when the explosion took place, Miss Longley 'not
being in the adjoini::g passage, as previously re-
ported. The Christmas dinner was in the course
of preparation for the family at the time, but the
unfortunate calamity changed the house into a
scene of mourning and woe instead of festivity,. At
the time of the explosion three of the children of
Mr. Longley were in an adjoining room, the door
of which was blown down, but the children were
not injured. The boiler was completely blown out
of its place and dashed across the kitchen, almost
every portion of which was injured. The melan-
choly catastrophe has caused great excitement in
Leeds, and much sympathy has been expressed for
the sufferers. The accident has also, no doubt,
caused persons, both in Leeds andelsewhere, whose
houses are fitted up with similar boilers, to adopt
precautions to prevent similar explosions. The
boiler was a self-feeding, L-shaped (fire-back) boiler,
and as previously stated, it is very probable that
the explosion was caused by the water having been
drawn off in consequence of the feeding pipe having
been frozen, and when the water in the pipe thawed
by the heat of the fire it rushed into the red hot
boiler, generating a quantity of explosive steam,
and causing it to burst instantaneously. Yesterday
an inquest was opened respecting the deceased,
Mrs. Longley, before Mr. Blackburn, the borough
coroner. The coroner stated that it was very impor-
tant, for the information of the public, that the
cause of the explosion should be fully investigated,
and he suggested that a scientific examination of
the bodies should be made. The jury concurred in
this view, and Mr. Hetherington, C.E., and Mr. T.
W. Lord, both of Leeds, was instructed to make
the necessary examination. No evidence was
adduced, and the inquest, after being formally
opened, was adjourned for a week.

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