The Sun.
London, England, 1867-09-30 00:00:00

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
fnis DAY.—Morning, 3h. 12m.—Afternoon, 3h. 33r.
T 3h. 50m.—Aiternoon, 4h. 6m.

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LONDON, MONDAY, ,SEPT. 30, 1867.

Of late murders have been unusually rife, and
whether from an increasing demoralisation in the
tone of society, or from that species of morbid
fashion which runs through even the darkest shades
of life, we no sooner have become familiar with the
details of one cruel and bloodthirsty crime than a
fresh revelation startles us from another part of the
country. The catastrophe which we recorded on
Saturday had, however, some distinctive features,
and is of a larger interest than the usual incidents
of the Newgate calendar. In London, surrounded
by all the ordinary protections of life and limb, and
among a population remarkable for their willing
support of the law, we have unhappily become
accustomed to hear of murder and manslaughter in
our very midst. But such cases are usually either
the result of domestic misery or of violent quarrels,

and the affair of Saturday is certainly without a
recent parallel. Three bandsmen of 2d Life Guards,
who performed at different Music Halls,

were in the habit of meeting after
work was over for supper. On their way
home they went into a public-house called the
Turk's Head in Southampton-row, Holborn. While
there an angry discussion arose about the Fenians
in Manchester. Some accounts say that the soldiers
took part in it, others say they did not. At any
rate the assailants seem to have suspected they were
detectives, for the house, it is said, has been long
considered by the police as a Fenian head-quarter.
Two men followed the soldiers when they left, to
the corner of Vernon-place, where they knocked
one of their hats off, and as the man was stooping
to pick it up deliberately fired, and dangerously
wounded his comrade, who was named M'DONALD.
The poor man was immediately conveyed to the Uni-
versity Hospital, where it was thought advisable to
take his depositions. The most singular part of the
affair is that the police, in prosecuting their search
for the assassins—who unhappily escaped in the
confusion—have arrested two persons suspected of
Fenianism, both of whom were armed. One of
them, named GROVES, was a sergeant in the Lon-
don Irish Volunteers, and on him was found a large
dagger engraved with the words, " A. sure friend."
On being charged with taking part in the attack on
APDONALD he asked to be admitted to bail, but as
he gave the names of two notorious Fenians he was
refused. It appears that GROVES and another man
were in the habit of watching two informers who
had given information respecting Colonel KELLY
when he was living in Rupert-street, Haymarket.
After the apprehension of KELLY the Fenians
resolved that one of these informers should be shot,
and a large reward was decided on. FURBER, one
of M‘Do.N.ALD's companions, resembles the in-
former, and it is thought that he was taken for him,
and his two friends for detectives. The informer
in question identities GROVES as the man who
threatened to shoot him some time ago, and also as
being an active agent in the Fenian organisation in
Dublin in 1865. He admits that he was near Vernon-
place on Saturday morning at one o'clock, and also
that he had been at the Turk's Head, finding, per-
haps, that it was useless to deny it. His lodgings
were searched, and a number of papers relating
to Fenianism found, including, of course, the

famous Fenian oath, besides a quantity of bullets

and cartridges, and a loaded revolver. The bullet
which shot AI‘DuNALD exactly fits this revolver.

The other Irishman who was taken into custody
had upon him a six-shooter revolver, which had
been lately fired twice, and a dagger engraved
witlt the word " Liberty " upon it. A parcel
was picked up near Vernon-place soon. after
the attack, containing a quantity of bullets and
cartridges. Another Irishman was taken with a
loaded revolver, which he said he found in Broad-
street, Bloomsbury. All these revolvers are the
same maker's—a fact which indicates collusion. An

extensive organisation is in existence, it would
seem, in the very midst of the metropolis, coolly
planning murder and fostering treason. It is quite
time that the whole conspiracy was brought to
light, its ringleadears, if possible, secured and pun-
ished, and the rank and file effectually taught that
we do not construe " liberty" by the aid of
daggers and bullets in these days. One thing is
certain, the authorities at Manchester had better
take warning, and not allow themselves to be per-
suaded against their better judgment into interfering
with the strict guardianship of their Fenian pri-
soners. Among the ranks of the conspirators there
are plenty of men desperate enough, or devoted
enough to their leaders, to hazard their own lives
and liberty for the sake of gaining even a tempo-
rary triumph, and a second rescue, in defiance of
the increased precautions, would be a feather in the
cap of the Fenian heroes which it is very undesir-
able they should have the chance of wearing.

IVe are not surprised that at the recent meeting of
the board of management of the proposed Metro-
politan Asylums the grievous inequality of the
poor-rates should have come under consideration.
The return of the annual rateable value of property
according to the latest poor-rates showed some
startling figures. The present rateable value of
property in the whole metropolitan district is more
than 16 millions, and the required contribution of
one-eighth of a penny will yield over £8,300. But in
some instances the property is assessed at half or two-
thirds of the rack rent, in others at four-fifths, and
in one district only 15 per cent. is deducted for insur-
ance and repairs. In St. George's, Hanover-square,
the property is valued for the county rates at more
than one million, while for the local rates it is only
valued at £822,000. In Poplar the discrepancy is
entirely the other way, the county rate being only
£340,000, while the local valuation is £470,000.
The fact of Poplar being rated for the local rate at
more than half the valuation of St. George's;
llanover-square, speaks for itself, and it is only
surprising so oppressive an injustice should
have been so long tolerated. One bad consequence
naturally is, that boards of management are
naturally afraid to undertake large expenses, how-
ever necessary from the fear of pressing unduly on
the poorer ratepayers. Thus, at the meeting on
Saturday, when a very important point came under
discussion—the size of the proposed asylums for
lunatics and imbecila—the board was checked at
every step by this consideration. Dr. HARVEY, of
Islington, proposed that instead of two asylums for
1,500 each three should be erected for 1,000 each.
lie very justly observed that the difficulties of
supervision and classification were very great
in such immense establishments, and it was
absolutely impossible for the superintendents
to keep up the proper close inspection. A gentle-
man who, as manager of the Central London School
at Hanwell, bad considerable experience of large
establishments, declared that the principal of some
of them could not even go over the whole of the
establishment in a single day. Mr. CULL, of St.
Giles, quoted the opinion of Dr. CONOLLY that no
asylum should contain more than XOO or 1,000