The Sun.
London, England, 1860-03-01 00:00:00

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PUBLIC MEF,TING AT 1 ' -'-- iy-'
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Last evening, at eight o'clock, 71:114-' - - - -.'
tended public meeting of the inhabit of oo '
with was held at the Town Hall, to promote the
objects of the Society for the Abolition of Flog-
ging in the Army and Navy. The chair was occu-
pied by the Rev. J. Cathie, LL.D. (Conort gat ional),
who briefly alluded to the objects; of the niei tin,;.
The following letter was read from Alderman
Salotnons, M.P.:—" I regret that I cannot attend
your -meeting, owing to a. long-standing engage-
ment. The subject of corporal p'u in the
.army and n-tyy engrosses mizett attenti,n in the
House of Commons. Its immediate and entire abo-
lition does not seem likely to beat once sanctioned,
but this punishment wilt be guarded by. such le-
strictious, that we may indulge the hope of its en-
tire disapearance from the putti,tonent code of the
army and navy, or ails being applied only in ex-
treme cases."
Letters expressive of regret for unavoidable ab-
sence were also read from Mr. Bristow, M.P. tor
Kidderminster; Mr. B. Jerrold, and other gentle-
men.
Capfain RAYMOND, 8.N., late ecunnander of Lir
Majest:i 's steam ve:_i el Onyx, peptised the first
resolution :—" That this meeting expresses its te-
gret, that not wit 6tanding the ameliorating orders
recently issued from the Horse Guards and the
Admiralty, the practice of flogging still exists in
the army and navy of this country—a practice
which they believe to be degrading, unnecessary,
and entirely opposed to those principles which
should govern a highly civilised and Christ ian com-
' ------"-----Hc observed that many years' experi-
ence in the loyal Navy had convinced him of the
fact that there were other and better modes of
punishment than the lash, which only tended to
make a bad man worse. Re was enabled to keep
order on board his ship by stopping the men's
liberty to go on shore, -and also by a stoppage of
their tobacco money, and he found this mode of
punishment the most effectual. •
. 1 gr, -81.6:NtA, in seconding, produced the lash,
and observed that God never created a man for the
purpose.ef being tortured by such an instrument.
He trusted that the constituencir:s wbo 'wished to
abolish the lash would act upOil their members, as
that was the only plan to obtain art abolition of
the inhuman system, which had been tried long
enough, and had ever been found wanting as an
agent for the prevention of crime. Such a mode of
punishment was worthy only of the dark ages, and
ought instantly to be abolished.
Dr. GOURLEY moved the second resolution :
" That the entire absence of this mode of punish-
ment in the well-disciplined forces of some other
countries, and the experience gained in regiments
and ships in her Majesty's service where flogging
has been abandoned, proved that the continuance
of the system is unnecessary." In the course of a
long address the speaker referred to his experience
in the French army as a proof that the most per-
fect discipline could be maintained without the use
of the lash. The British recruit, on entering the
army, was first initiated into drunkenness and then
flogged for being drunk. The officers got drunk,
in proportion to their numbers, ten times more
than the men ; and when in the army he had
always opposed flogging, unless the same punish-
ment was meted out to officers as well as men.
The Rev. Dr. HEWLETT, of Islington, seconded
the motion,. and expressed his belief that the
punishment of the lash would ere long be abolished .
by the voice of the people. ..-
The Rev. T. TUFFIELD moved the adoption of a
petition founded upon the resolutions, and stated
that the Society for the Abolition of Flogging in-
tended to hold meetings throughout the country to
evoke that public opinion necessary to success.
'rite resolutions were adopted, and after a vote of
thanks to the chairman, the meeting separated.

TURECK OF ANOTHER STEAMER.

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Yesterday, the following correspondence was
received at Lloyds', reporting the wreck of a
steamer off St. David's llead, and the loss of all
on board, in the gale on Tuesday morning :
"Church-court, Clement's-lane, Feb. 29.
" Sir,—We annex a copy of a letter received
this morning from our correspondent at St. David's.
" We are, Sir, &c.,
" It. G. JONES PRICE and Co.
" To Captain Halstead, lt.N., Secretary, Lloyds'.

" ' To MESSRS. R. G. JONES PRICE AND CO.
" St. David's Head, Feb. 28.
" Gentlemen, I have the painful news to inform
you of the loss of a large steamer this morning,
about nine o'clock, off this head, half-a-mile to the
northward. The unfortunate vessel was seen about
eight o'clock between the South Bishop and Ramsay
Island, driven before the gale, and to all appearance
under no command. She struck on the rocks, and
parted in three compartments. About thirty per-
sons were seen on board, including some six sol-
diers, ono woman with four little children, which
were seen clinging to her when last observed. Three
of the unfortunate creatures on board each took to
a lifebuoy and jumped into the sea. Two of them
were seen to sink very soon. The other man was
assisted by some spars, and kept on the water for
about an hour, but ultimately perished. An at tempt
was made to throw a rope on shore, but to no pur-
pose, as the sea was running too high. With the
exception of the three sufferers before mentioned,
all on board disappeared with the vessel. Their
cries were heartrending. As yet not a single par-
ticle of the wreck has come ashore. Expect to
save some things on the ebb. Description of the
vessel—three masts, two whitewashed funnels, top
black; yellow paddleboxes, figure-head with a red
jacket, port-anchor down, a railway truck on hoard.
Her name, in white, could not be made out. Fur-
ther news next post, Write this to save post.—l
remain, &e., J. WILLIAMS."

On the receipt of this intelligence a telegraphic
message was immediately forwarded to St. David's
Head, in order to obtain the name and further par-
ticulars of the ill-fated ship, but owing to their
being a break in the telegraphic eommunicotion of
some forty miles on this section of the South Wales
coast, no reply had been received up to late last
evening.
It is generally believed that the unfortunate
vessel was from sonic port in Ireland, but whether
bound to Liverpool or London is yet to be ascer-
tained.