The Sun.
London, England, 1867-10-21 00:00:00

THE NORTH GERMAN PARLIAMENT.

BERLIN, Oct. 21.
At the siiting of the North German Parliament,
this morning, Baron von Friesen announced that the
Federal Council agreed to an amendment in the
Postal Bill guaranteeing inviolability of letters.
The draft of the bill thereupon passed unani-
mously.

THE RITUAL DIS 7 URBANCES AT S7OKE

NEIYING7'ON.

Yesterday the riotinga at Stoke Newington, aris-
ing out of the ritualistic developments at the church
of St. Matthias, were resumed, but happily without
any very lamentable results. Long before the com-
mencement of evening service a large body of police,
many of them mounted, were stationed in Gold-
smith-square and the adjacent streets, and kept in
motion the roughs as they approached the church.
But what struck more terror into the minds of the
intending rioters than anything else was the arrival
of between 40 and 50 reserved men of the A divi-
sion, who had come from London by train, and
who were marched into the school-room by the side
of the church to be ready for any contingency
that might arise. The church, as usual, was
densely crowded, and was strongly garrisoned
by a large number of young men from other
congregations where ritualistic practices prevail, and
who have promised their assistance in maintaining
order until the present troubles pass away. During,
the service there were two or three attempts at in-
terruption, but they were without much difficulty
repressed. The sermon was preached by the Rev.
C. J. Legeyt, M.A., the incumbent, from the 24th
chapter of Ezekiel, verse 19—" And the people said
unto me, Wilt thou not tell us what these things
are to us, that thou doest so ?" Upon this he
founded an elaborate defence of catholic principles,
the whole aim and tendency of which, he con-
tended, was the elevation of man. The Church,
ho said, had been grossly negligent during the
200 years, but its power had been revived,
and he believed that through the ministra-
tions of its clergy, if properly directed, great
changes might be brought about in the moral and
spiritual character of the people. At the close of
the service the congregation, as they left the church,
had to face an army of roughs, who, however, were
able to do little more than call them foul names,
being kept under by the admirable arrangements of
the police. According to the usual practice, they
made their way, after the church was closed, to
Newington-green, and surrounded the house of Mr.
Brett, the churchwarden, who in the morning
was escorted home by a body of police. No
violence was offered beyond the throwing
of a few stones and patches of mud,
but loud cries were continually raised for Mr.
Brett, who had not, however, at that time returned
home. At a few minutes past nine a loud shout was
raised that Mr. Brett was coming, and the mob
pressed forward with threatening violence, but was
driven back by the police. Meanwhile Mr. Brett,
who was accompanied by 40 or 50 gentlemen,
reached the steps of his door, and on getting to the
top the gentlemen who had escorted him waved
their hats and gave him a succession of hearty
cheers. Mr. Brett raised his hat in acknowledg-
ment of the compliment, and in another minute he
was safely in doors. This somewhat injudicious
demonstration was construed by the mob into an
act of defiance, and as they could not get at Mr.
Brett they made an attack upon the police,
pelting them with stones and mud. As the
mob was becoming excited, the mounted police
determined upon vigorous measures, and, having
made up their minds with regard to three or four
of the ringleaders, they made a dash for the purpose
of securing them. The suddenness of the move-
ment caused a general rush, and hundreds of boys
and men were to be seen rolling together in the
mud. Loud demands were made upon the police
not to interfere, and attempts were made to rescue
the men whom they had seized. The police suc-
ceeded, however, in retaining two of them, and these
were walked off to be locked up for the night.
After this the mob seemed to lose heart, and batch
after batch of ruffians moved off, but it was past
ten o'clock before the ground was cleared. For
this extra assistance the churchwardens and con-
gregation of St. Matthias have of course to pay.

PENAL SERVITUDE.—Thero were 77 convicts
under sentence of penal servitude or transportation for life
in the Government prisons in England at the end of last
year. Of this number 38 were aged cripples or permanent
invalids, 11 treason felony convicts, 5 soldiers sentenced
for military offences, and 23 convictsthe majority of whom
have been sentenced since 1864, and cannot therefore have
their cases considered until 20 years have elapsed. Under
recent arrangements 250 cells have been added to Pen-
tonville prison, and 412 cells, which have been for many
years rented at Wakefield prison by the Government, were
given up some months ago, as it is believed that the accom-
modation at Millbank and Pentonville will now suffice for
the reception of convicts under sentence of penal servitude.
A return appended to the last report of the Directors of
Convict Prisons shows that from 1857 to 1866, both in-
clusive, 25,387 persons were sentenced to various terms of
penal servitude, 2,888 having been sentenced in 1857, 3,109
in 1861, and 1,79! in 1866. Of this number 7 were under
sentence for four years, 422 for five years, 23 for six years,
952 for seven years, and 387 for longer periods. A further
epitome of the total number received last year shows that
1,331 male and 170 female convicts were received, not pre-
viously seatenced to penal servitude, the remainder being
old offenders. Out of this number eight men and five
women had been found guilty of murder, and 33 men and
three women were sentenced for manslaughter. The
"separate confinement" system is limited to nine months,
and the prisoners are during this term Tory extensively
employed in mat-making, all the Government offices being
now supplied with mats by the convict department. These
establishments also supply the convict depots in Tasmania,
West Australia, and Gibraltar with clothing, boots, and
other articles, a largo proportion of which are made up in
the "separate" prisons. The directors report that "the
effect of separation, especially upon hardened offenders,
appears to be salutary, and from the eagerness evinoed by
the men for removal there can be no doubt it is regarded
by thorn as a severe form of imprisonment."
TROOPS FOR LIVERPOOL.—Abattery of four field
guns, two troops of the 15th Hussar[, and ten companies of
infantry have been ordered for Liverpool. As there are
(singularly enough) no military barracks in the town, the
authorities have been puzzled how to find them accommo-
dation. Mr. Charles Mclver, however, has offered the free
use of the fine Cunard steamers Africa and Australasian,
lying in the Huskisson Dock ; and of the largo drill-shed
used by the Cunard Brigade of Volunteer Artillery. The
Cavalry and Artillery will probably be stationed at the
Everton Militia storehouse, and at various corporation
buildings.
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