The Sun.
London, England, 1858-03-25 00:00:00

LO DON, TIITYRSDA VEN I NO, MARCH 25, 18581

broken doivn man, and therefote cannot be put
on the active list of commanders. First bring as
officer to death's door by neglect, and then refuse
promotion because he is unfit for service. Ad-
mirably ingenious—exquisitely cruel! But a motion
on the subject of Mr. Roberts is among the Parlia-
mentary notices. The Admiralty are in a mess, and
something must be done. At once all about his un-
fitness for active employment is ignored. He is ap-
pointed in succession to two arduous situations, as
Master Attendant of Haulbowline and Portsmouth
Victualling-yard. But the work is too much for
him : nevertheless, with his old indomitable spirit,
even after he can no longer walk, he is wheeled
about in a chair. At length the end approaches.
He has got neither promotion nor money's worth.
His wife will have nothing. He writes to the Ad-
miralty for some compensation for all the money he
spsnt on his famous pontoons. The Admiralty
demand vouchers and proofs. Vouchers and
proofs, indeed, from the man who had landed
25,000 men on an enemy's coast, and had got
nothing ! Si monumentum quceris, circumspice.
Once more, from his deatqbed, he makes a last ap-
peal. That appeal is forwarded by his widow, for
the same day on which he wrote it he died. The
Admiralty are inexorable : she is entitled to no
compensation, and an annuity of 501. as a master's
widow is all tint the wife of Robert Wilson Roberts
has received from a grateful country.
Such is the history, as related by Mr. Cayley in
these column!, of this humble but neglected hero.
We have waited some days to see if it would elicit
contradiction or reply. None has reached us. We
may assume, therefore, that the statement is sub-
stantially true. Assure lly, "no words of sorrow or
of anger need be added to awaken the regret and
indignation" of every Englishman who hears the
tale. The press has now done its duty by proclaim-
ing to the world that gross injustice which the
responsible Ministers of the Crown have dared to
perpetrate in the name of the country. But it re-
mains for the House of Commons to grant fitting
redress.

(From, the Daily News.)
In the seaman's burial ground of Plymouth are
three rude stones from the walls of Sebastopol.
Above them rises a simple cross, with this inscrip-
tion :—" Robert Wilson Roberts, R.N., ob. 10th
December, 1857. Mat 38." These few words,
and the device of compasses and and square, are
all the public records of that man's history. And
yet he has a history—well authenticated and worthy
to be remembered.
It was the autumn of 1854. Peremptory orders
had arrived from England to make a descent on the
Crimean coast. If the descent was to be made the
I roeps would have to be landed, and that rapidly, in
the face of the enemy. The thing at first sight seemed
impossible. The shipwrights at Constantinople
considered three months to be the very shortest
time within which the flat-bottomed boats neces-
sary for landing the English force could be con-
structed. What was to be done ? Was the enterprise
to be delayed for months or altogether abandoned,
whilst our men lay "eating their hearts in idleness
till they sickened and died in the swamps of Varna?"
Amongst the admirals and generals all was per-
plexity. But there was one man who had foreseen
the problem and had already solved it. That man
was one Robert Wilson Roberts, a master in the
Navy, then of her Majesty's steamer Cyclops. Ru-
mours of his existence soon reached the com-
manders. They sent for him, and he at once told
them that if he might have his own way the requi-
site number of fiat-bottomed landing boats should
be ready as soon as the other general equipments
were completed. The idea seemed preposterous
enough—without materials to accomplish in seven
days what with materials would occupy the ship-
wrights of Constantinople for three months. But
Mr. Roberts was no red-tapist--he was a genuine
English seaman with a practical genius. True he
had neither timber wherewith to construct the
boats, nor time to put the pieces together. But
the long caiques of the country were to be had in
any number. They would supply sufficient fliatage.
" Put them together," said he, " cover them with
wooden platforms sufficiently wide, and you will
have a collection of landing rafts safe and capacious
—not only more manageable than flats, but' con-
structed at an infinitely smaller cost, and within a
much shorter time." Such was the theory. " But,"
said the great men in command, "is this practi-
cable ?—will these rafts do !" " Here is one ?" said
the seaman, "as an experiment.'' " Then have
you the materials for the planking ?" they con-
tinued. " I foresaw the emergency," said Ro-
berts, " and I have already got deals of the pro-
per length and thickness for that purpose." The
sagacious man, had, in short, provided every-
thing—purchased everything ; all this, however,
be it remembered, he had done at his own per-
sonal risk, by bribes and earnest money, after in
vain urging Admiral Boxer and others to aid him.
" Only /give me," he said, " hands, money and
authority, and I shall be ready in a week."
" If you do it," said Sir George Brown, " you de-
serve the thanks of the whole army." He did do
It; but how 1 Working night and day, with heat
and hand—heart and soul in the effort—here, there,
and everywhere—with his shirt sleeves up to his
shoulders—marking timber, sawing plank, driving,
bolts—with a motley crew of ship carpenters, com-
mon soldiers, Turks, Greeks, and Armenians—
stimulating this man by praise, that man by bribes,
another by threats—all by his example—thus did
this remarkable man accomplish that, to attempt
which seemed to others madness. In the words of
Mr.k4eorge John Cayley, whose eloquent narrative
we follow throughout : "He had declared war with
impossibility ; and how he wrestled with his in-
cubus enemy, drenched in sweat and choked in
dust, under a broiling sun in the • arsenal on the
Golden Horn—made the men who saw him mar-
vel." Lord Lyons came down to see. It was the
third day of the gigantic task, and not one pontoon
was finished. The Admiral shook his head. But
Mr. Eoberts replied : "If I attempted to finish one
at a time I should certainly fail. lam getting the
several parts ready for the whole, and that done I
shall put them together all at once." On the fifth
day Lord Lyons said, " Well, Roberts, I am quite
satisfied now, I see you know what you are about,
and will get through it. I'll now join the Admiral."
Within the seven days the last nail was in. But
the struggle had been deadly. Several of the men
died of the exertion, and Roberts himself was car-
ried on board his ship insensible, and remained so
fur some hours. His constitution had indeed re-
ceived a shock from which it never really recovered;
but for the time he got better. Be superintended
the landing of the troops, and his pontoons an-
swered to perfection. So ended the first act.
On the 17th of October, 1854, in the sea at-
tack on Sebastopol, Roberts towed the Belle-
rophon into the thickest of the action. His
ship, the Cyclops, was the only towing vessel
that fought her own guns. He was the first
in and the last out of the fray. " Too much
praise," said Admiral Lyons to Roberts, "cannot
be given to you for your management of the Cyclops
in this attack." It was indeed a gallant business,
however unsuccessful. The officers deserved pro-
motion, and they got it. All lieutenants engaged
became commanders, all commanders of steamers
became post-captains and C.B.'s. But what of
Roberts ? He was only a master. True, by an
order in council of the 19th May, 1846, it had been
declared that "in the event of any particularly
distinguished service," the Admiralty might pro-
mote masters of two years' service to the rank of
commander without the ordinary two years as lieu-
tenant. True, Lord Lyons wrote to him, "I really
don't know what we should have done without
you." Nevertheless—incredible as it may seem—
this Master, who had literally made the Crimean
expedition possible, got—nothing. Sir C. Wood
and Sir Maurice Berkeley—the brother-in-law of
Admiral Grey and the persecutor of the naval sur-
geons—would rather kill a master than consent to
plats him among the commanders. Happily this was
not the feeling of the Generals and Admirals in the
Black Sea. They knew the merits of poor Roberts
better than a jobbing Whig or au insolent and selfish
aristocrat. "How is it," asked the gallant Lord
Raglan, "among all the promotions that have come
out there is no mention of Roberts, who really did
more for us than anybody ?" "I am quite dis-
tressed," wrote Admiral Lyons, " not to see
Roberies's name in the late list of Black Sea promo-
tions,. Lord Raglan, Sir G. Brown, and I wrote as
strongly as possible in his favour, and I do so again
this very post." It was all in 'rain. Come what
might Sir C. Wood and Sir Maurice Berkelly
would have no Master a Commander. What mat-
tered it to them that a man of practical genius
like Roberts had spent his own hard-earned sav-
ings, had toiled himself to death in the public ser-
vice, and was then breaking his heart under their
neglect and official tyranny? But human endur-
ance has its limits. The Cyclops broke down, and
was sent to Malta. So was her gallant Master.
Writing to his wife on Jan. 7, 1855, Roberts says :
—" was completely knocked up from over fa-
tigue. On the 7th December, I wrote to Sir E.
Lyons, telling him, in very plain terms, that I felt
myself an ill-used man, and asked him point blank
to get me made a Commander." He is appointed
Master-Attendant at Malta ; but it will not do. In
March he is in hospital. In May he writes, " I Since the condemnation of John Barwick, for the
cannot write much ; a leaning post ion is so pain- murder of his sweetheart, Maria Blackmore, at
ful. My disease, which was not understood at Linton, in the North of Devon, the wretched cul-
first, turns out to be dropsy in the chest. I hope prit has evinced great penitence for his crime, and
soon for news from England about my promotion." appears to be perfectly resigned to his fa'e. Great
Vain dream I His name, indeed, had beau men- hopes are, however, entertained th,t a conamuta-
tioned in the House of Commons. Admiral Ber- tion of sentence will be obtained, and memorials to
keley had been asked whether Roberts had received the Secretary of State have been numerously signed
promotion for his distinguished services. The by magistrates and others in the county of Devon.
Admiral replied that "he had been promoted." The High Sheriff, also, Sir E. M. Elton has
The house cheered. The Admiral and other officers signified his concurrence in the prayer of the
at Malta congratulated Roberts on his promotion. memorial in the following letter :
But it was all a mistake. He had, indeed, been " Wid worthy-court, March 22 1858.
promoted to the rank of Master, eight years before, "Dear Sir,—ln the course cf my ofEci d duties as
and Sir James Graham had appointed him Master Sheriff I was in attendance in the court during the tri,l
of the Cyclops, and as such Roberts had dene that „S the miserable culprit, John Barwick, and I paid the
for which the House of Commons wished to reward greatest attention to the case. In my oan mind Lo
him. But Sir Maurice Berkeley would not have it
doubt exists upon the propriety of the seetencr, and that
With something like a lie on his lips he took his
a more righteous jati ge never presided upon the bench.
stand between this poor Master and the gratitude '• Ido nut advocate by any means the abolition cf
capital punishments. Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to
ot his country. Months pass ; promotion te e innocent;' yet before this terrible measure of punish-
wit) hurriea to 1;ne,1855,
comes. Over exertion. and blasted hopes are doing a eat is it.flic•.ed upon the uthoppy youth I trust 1 may
heartbroken aealder
their work. At length he reaches Haslar Hospital leJ permitted to hope f a further consideration of the
lon the 30th of June, in a dying state. His sentence.
bedside. She finds her husband "The fatal act was committed without premeditation ;
; always dwelling
she says, a. „inativalerimous- " Sometimes better passion, acting upon a weak mind, induced him to use a
the treatment he ha‘ deadly instrument, which, as it appeared in evidence,
Ia November, ats4s---,lleet for his services."--- falling upon any other part of the body than the jugular
pital a confirmed ine;eiarrts, leaves ntaea R- vein and common carotid artery, would not have pro-
, prescription," says the doetol,.l,l4'ree way dated much mischief.
Commander's commission and !cs, his
read
14„ consid- rthe Royal die-
this to be to which
a case
tranquillity for at least a year. The
re,st a*.na- `
`.mane elle •
The thin it— might not improperly be extended, and I wish
impossible. Sir Charles Wood with his own hjuld. u'at tkr alotfabeidded to the pray.:r of the petitioners, so
• writes to Roberts, ertq saying that he is obvionaly a
.1 iii..miaht ration of the sentence to penal servitude " made C f thends f • •
sa y e o justice.
for
aLDWARD MARWOOD ELTON.

EAST INDIA HOUSE.

The following is a more extended account of the
proceedings than we were enabled to give in our
impression of yesterday :
' Yesterday the usual quarterly Court of Proprie-
tors of East India Stock was held at the East India
House—Mr. Ross Mangles in the chair.
The minutes of the last extraordinary Court
having been read and confirmed,
The CHAIRMAN laid before the Court the Par-
liamentary papers connected with the Government
of India, laid before the Legislature since the last
regular quarterly Court.
SIR JAMES C. MELVILL.
Mr. HELPS then rose and said that he bad great
pleasure in moving that the thanks of the Court of
Proprietors should be presented to their late secre-
tary, Sir James C. Melvill, for the admirable man-
ner in which he had for a lengthened number of
years performed the duties of his office. It would,
he considered, be doing an injustice to the subject
of his motion were he to enter upon any arguments
to prove that they ought to pay Sir James Melvill
that compliment. (Cheers.) They had all been
witnesses of the very able manner in which Sir
James had conducted himself, and had seen how
[hat in every case, and in every capacity, he had
proved himself ono of the most competent officers
i c was possible for any company to possess. (Cheers.)
He had over exhibited towards the Court of Pro-
prietors an amount of courtesy which must have
recommended him to every gentleman connected
with the Court. Sir James Melvill had been their
faithful servant for upwards of half a century, and
although under existing circumstances he (Mr.
Helps) did not anticipate so long a tenure of office
by the worthy gentleman who had been appointed
his successor, yet he would say that if at the end
of his term of office he carried with him into pri-
vate life the same amount of general rest.%cc and
confidence, he might indeed consider himself fortu-
nate. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Helps concluded by mov-
"That this Court of
itheir high sense of
nrgo thep rie
to followingrs desiriee s
tool uetxi opnr e
Pthe distinguished ability, the unexampled zeal
and energy, and the sterling integrity with which
Sir J. C. Melvill, K.C.8., the late secretary, has
served the East India Company during the term of
50 years ; and the deep regret which they feel at
the loss of his invaluable services ; and that the
chairman be requested to convey to Sir J. Melvill
their cordial thanks for the admirable manner in
which he has for so long a period performed his
duties."

'the Cola was Odinited," amr there not 'heiri.4 a
quorum of proprietors present, the proceedings
were abruptly brought to a close.

ASSIZE ILYELLIGBNCE.

HOME CIRCUIT.—Lewes, March 24.
(Before Mr. Justice Erie.)
Charles Rooke, a tradesman, of Lewes, surren-
dered to take his trial for felony, iu having wilfully
and maliciously thrown a stone at a train upon the
Brighton and South Coast Railway, and thereby
endangered the safety of the passengers.
Mr. Creasy conducted the prosecutien. Serjeant
Parry was specially retained, with Mr. Roupell,
for the prisoner.
This case created a good deal of interest in the
town of Lewe., as it arose out of a religious disturb-
ance that took place in Nov. laf,t. It wi ti be remem-
bered that a young lady, nam:rd Scebell. daughter of
the Rev. J. Scobell, of Leeve.=, had secede! from the
Protestant and become a convert to the Roman
Catholic religion, and she went to reside at an
establishment attached to that religion at East
Grinstead, known by the title of the Sisters of
Mercy. She died in that establishment in the
month of November last, and at her request her
body was conveyed ter Lewes to be buried in the
family vault, and the Rev. Mr. Neale, a Roman
Catholic clergymen, who was the principal of the
establishment at Eest Grinstead, accompanied by
a number of the Sisters of Mercy, all attired in
rheir conventual costume, came with the body, it
being the intention of Mr. Neale to inter it with
the ceremonials of the Roman Catholic Church.
Upon the townspeople of Lewes, however, seeing
the procession that was formed, great excitement
was occasioned, and when the body was taken to
the church of All Saints, Mr. Scohell, the father of
the young lady, and another clergy man, were iu
attendance, prepared to read the burial service of
the Church of England, and upon Mr. Neale at-
tempting to insist upon performing the c,remony
according to the forms of the Rumen Catholic reli-
gion, a scene of g; eat disturbance and viaince en-
sued, and in order to escape perseeal injury Mr.
Neale was compelled to make his escape as well as
he could ; but it appeared that when be left Lewes
he intimated his intention of returning on the fol-
lowing day and performing the ceremony. He
accc r tingly did come again to Lewes on the next
afternoon, and endeavoured to obtain the keys of
the church from the sexton, and the fact of his visit
becoming known, a crowd speedily assembled, and
Mr. Neale was hooted at and pelted at with stones,
and eventually the police were compelled to escort
him to the railway station, and he and one of the
Sisters of Mercy who accompan,ed him were placed
in a second-class carriage. The crowd that a-sena-
blcl was very meth excited, and just as the train
was about to start it was alleged that the prisoner
threw a stone at Mr. Neale, whose head was out of
the window of the carriage in a defiant manner,
but it missed him and struck the carriage, and it
was for this act that the present prosecution was
preferred by the railway authorities.
Mr. Creasy, in opening the case to the jury, said
that the railway company had nothing whatever
to do with the circumstances that preceded the act
imputed to the prisoner, and the only object they
had in view was to protect the passengers travelling
by the railway from being endaugere ; by acts of
this description. He said there had no doubt been
a great deal of excitement in the tewn prior to the
commission of the offence, but he only felt it right
to mention that fact in order that the jury might
understand under what cu cumstancee the act was
committed by the prisoner, and that th-y might be
the better able to ascertain the intent he had in
view.

Mr. LEwisr, in seconding the motion, said that
duriug his connection with the Court of Proprie-
tors, he had had many opportunities of personal
intercourse with their late secretary, and he could
most sincerely say that he never left his presence
without carrying with him that information in rela-
tion to Indian affairs which he had been desirous
to obtain. There were combined in Sir J. Melvill
the greatest ability, the greatest impartiality, and
the most thorough knowledge of everything con-
nected with the government oflndia. (Cheers.) He
had, in fact, been to a great clpgree in himself the
Court of Directors. (Hear.) His great experience
in the affairs of India rendered it almost unneces-
sary there should be a Court of Directors at all.
I aide/ d, so great was the influence which Sir James
Melvin exercised at the Board, that Sir C. Forbes
used to call him the director-general—(a laugh)—
and so great had been his ability, so eminent his
respectability of character, and so conspicuous his
high sense of honour, that the government of India,
so long as he had continued their secretary, might
have been conducted as well without the Court of
Directors as with it. (Cheers.)
Mr. CRAWSHAY, in supporting the motion, said
it was unnecessary for him to enlarge upon the
merits of Sir J. Melvill, as they bad been already
acknowledged, not only there, but also in Parlia-
ment, and had been subscribed by all the most
eminent statesmen and by the leading men of
every party in
England. When the petition
of the Company was presented in the House
of L the Duke of Argyll, if he (Mr. Craw-
shay) remembered rightly, expressed a wish that
whatever might he the changes introduced into the
Government of India, he hoped that they would be
able to retain the services of the two eminent,gen-
tlemen by whom that petition had been drawn up,
viz., Sir J. Melvill and Mr. Mill. The merits and
ability of those gentlemen had been made the sub-
jects of frequent encomia. That being the case, he
(Mr. Crawshay) was astonished that Government
had overlooked the lesson to be derived from it.
Was the East India C Anpany, as a body, so effete
as it was rept esrinted to be, when there were to be
four.d among its servants men of that description I
(Hear.) He was convinced that neither of those
gentlemen, no matter how great their ability,
would have attained to the same stanifard of emi-
nence had they been engaged in the service of the
Crown. (Hear.) The East India Company had
made it a rule to discover, reward, and encourage
genius, and in no one instance had their discrimi-
nation been more si4nally manifested than in the
case of Sir J. Melvill. That eminent public ser-
vant had been, in fact, the Secretary of State for
India ; his experience of the government of India
extended over a period of 50 years, and he would
in the pages of history go down to posterity as one
of the most eminent statesmen it had been the good
fortune of any country to have produced. (Hear.)
Mr. JONES, as one of the most troublesome mem-
bers of the Court of Preprieto-s, could not allow
the motion to pass without expressing his concur-
rence in it. He had not bad the pleasure of per-
sonal intercourse with Sir J. Melvill, but he had,
in correiponde :ce with him, obtained a most mas-
terly exposition of the affairs of India. He had,
too, carefully perused Sir James's evidence before
the House of Commons, and be. was bound to say
that had he been an indifft rent iud,.e between the
Company and the Board of Control, he would
from that evidence have had no difficulty in decid-
ing that the government of India was conducted
with far more ability in Leadenhall-street than in
Cannon-row. He was glad to see that if they had
lost the services of the father, they had obtained
the3b 0
oi
feu
presenceowat of
theirftb
the
board.son
,his (Mr. Jones's) old
The CHAIRMAN said he had great satisfaction and
gratification in putting to the Court the motion for
that Vote of thanks to their late secretary which he
so welland so eminently deserved. The Court of
ro
Directors accepted with pleasure such a vote com-
ing from the proprietors, and not with less pleasure
on account of the dash of bitters cast into the
h ad draught
told by
themt hetwha°tr t Sir PJ. pri etor, Mr. Lewin, who
self the Court of Directors, and that he had done
the whole of the business of the 18 members of the
Court of Directors. He was ready to acknowledge
Melvin h id been in him-
the vast services of the late secretary, and to ex-
press the deepest gratitude of the Court of Direc-
tors for the assistance and support which they had
ever receiv, d from Sir J. Melvin. They had already
by a vote of their own body acknowledged those
services in the warmest terms.

I Serjeant Parry, at the close of the case for the
prosecution, submi ted that therd was no evidence
to support the charge. The Act of Parliament
under which the indictment was framed was a highly
penal one, and clearly was only intende to apply
to the case where the intent to cause injury to the
passengers was made out in a satisfactory manner.
In the present case he contended that if any intent
at all was made out it was an intent to assault Mr.
Neale, and that, taking into consideration the posi-
tion of the train at the time, it was idle to suppose
that a missile such as that a hich had been produced
could in any manner hive affected its sAfety.
Mr. Justice Erle, in sumwiug up, called the at-
tention of the jury to the precise terms of the
statute, and told them that before they would be
justified in convicting the prisoner th-y must be
satisfied that he had th,) intention at all events, of
doing some serious bodily injury to the pas-
sengers in the train ; and if this was not
mule out they ought to acquit him. He then
said that the conduct of Mr. Neale in putting
his head out of the carriage window wa.s certainly
very injudicious, and if they should tuink the
stone was merely thrown with the intention to as-
sault him he was of opinion the present charge
could not be supported.
Tile jury alm.ist immediately said they were all
agreed thatithe prisoner was Not Guilty.
There was a burst of applause wh,ri the verdict
was delivered, which was, however, checked by the
officers.

Mr. Justice Erie said he thought people ought
to understand that nothing was more calculated to
make a court of justice a public nuisance than that
applause or the contrary should be permitted at
anything that took place in it.
There was another indictment against the pri-
soner for a misdemeanour, in having attempted to
commit the offence of which he was accused in the
former indictment.
Mr. Creaqy said that this charge rested entirely
upon the same evidence, and, as ail the facts had
been hid before the jury, he thought he was not
called upon to proceed with the second indictment
after the decision they had come to. The railway
company,teve in as
;atedo,nlhyadobnjeocft in
feeling
whatever in the matter, and their only object in in-
in the matter was the protection of the
public. tbhee mlualdtter, before

- The jury then returned a verdict of Not Guilty,
and the pi ironer was ordered to be discharged lam
custody.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—Iitard 24.

MANSION-HOUSE.—Jacob Mountenoy and
Charles Oliver were brought before the Lord Mayor,
charged with being in unlawful possession of two
5/. Bank of England notes, under circumstances
detailed in the following evidence :
Michael haydon, the detective officer, said—
About 11 o'clock this morning I was on duty with
Spittle, another officer, at the Bank of England. I
saw the prisoner Mountenoy standing at the south
entrance of the Bank; in company with a young
man, looking up the yard. I entered the hall of
the Bank, and saw the prisoner Oliver stanuing at
the counter whore gold is exchanged for notes. I
received a communication from Spittle, and upon
seeing Oliver receive ten sovereigns from one of
the clerks I told him I was an officer, and asked
him where he obtained the two Si. notes which he
had just changed. He replied that he had got
them from his master, Mr. Jones., a barber, at 45,
Fleet-street. While we were speaking in the pas-
sage leading to the hall Mountenoy cane in, and
saw Oliver speaking to Spittle and myself, but
passed us without recognising him. We went into
the hall, and Spittle followed and spoke to him. I
said to Oliver, "I saw quit young man waiting
outside ; do you know him ?" He replied, " Yes,
that's the matt that gave tree the notes to change."
I asked him if that was Mr. Jones, and he replied,
"No, his name is Jacob noun enoy." I remarked
to him, " Why, you telcl me you iiad them from
Mr. Jones." He replied, " Well, the fact is, be
had them from Mr. Jones, and he gave them to
me." Mountenoy was then brought back by
Spittle, when I told Lim what Oliver had said
about receiving the notes from him. Mountenoy
said he had given the notes to Oliver to get change
for. Upon my questioning him, .he said he found
them in his shop yesterday afternt on, between four
and five o'clock. I ask, d him why he had sent
them to be changed with a wrong name and address
on them. He told me that the name and address
was on the back when he found them. I asked
him if he had made any attempt to find the owner,
by inquiring at theaddress. He told me he had not.
Mountenoy said his sbrop was in Newmarket,
Gravel-lane. He afterwards told me that it was
in his shop, in Upper East Smithfield, that he
found the notes.

The resolution was put and carried by acclama-
tion.

THE NEW EAST INDIA. BILL.
The CHAIRMAN, in answer to Capt. Shea, stated
that he had nut been informed what were the pro-
visions of the hill to be introduced into the iluue
of Commons on Friday next, fur the better govern-
ment of India.

John Spittle, the &elective officer, said about
half-past ten o'clock this morning I was standing at
the front of the Bank of England, when I saw
Mountenoy and another young man. Shortly
afterwards I entered the hall, and saw Oliver stand-
ing at the coun7er. 1. heard one of the clerks ask
hint what number in Fleet-street Mr. Jones lived
I at. H: made some .eply, upon which the clerk
" Tont is not. right, it is 95." Moutttenoy
enter ed the hall, and. passt d Haydon, Oliver, and
myself in the pasFatge. I followed him int% the
hall, and asked him if he knew the young man
he had just pass:-,d. in the passage. He told
me he did. I asked him if he knew what he
came to the Bank for ? and he said ho did liot. I
toll hina that Oliver 'had hr-ught twe 5/. Bank of
England notes to be .changed, and asked him if he
knew anything about them. He replied that he
did not. I took him. to. Haydon, and afterwards
hew d him say that :he gave the notes to Oliver,
and that he found them at his shop, facing St. Ka-
tharine's Docks, yestt rdav aftern .on be ween four
and five o'clock. I have m 4(le:ncpyrie. at No. 9.5
Fleet-street, which is the Ohl Bell Tavetn, but
cannot find a person of the name of Jobe-, there.
Mounten.y, in a curer to the charge, said--I
picked up the notes yesterday afternoon, between
four and five o'clacEit I first thought they were

bitb ofpapet, but afterwards discovered them to be
notes. I met Oliver this morning, and asked him
to get them changed. I did not much like trot; -
ing him alone, so I and my friend waiched
all the way there.

Oliver said—Mounfenny a‘ked me to get the
notes changed for him, and as I had nothing to
do, I went to the Bank.
The prisoners were remanded.

BOW-STREET.—A yowl,' man named Godfrey
Knowles, a privat- in the Coldstream Guards, was
brought up on remAlid o❑ a charge of attempting
to murder Charles Hammerton, a sergeant in the
same regiment.

Late on the night of the 23d of February,
Knowles, who had been several days abseor, re-
turned to barracks somewh2.t the worse for liquor.
He took off his boots and began throwing them
about the room, to the disturbance of the other
men, who were in bed. H-arainerton, beii,g ser-
geant of the guard, remonstrated with the prisoner.
who however persiStod, and on being threatened
with confinement in tile guard-room, said that he
did Lot care ; he could go to t to guard-room. H
bad had seven yt ars, and be would have 20 lot
Hammertoe. The latter got up, and desired tvo
men to dress and assist him to t Ike the prisoner to
t e guard-room. Defendant then went to his kit,
from which, no doubt, he took the rizor which he aft er-
wards made use of. He hit the room, as it to go
to the guard-room, but after a few minutes re-
turned, and, taking the sergeant unaware, at-
tacked him and slashed him across his breast, neck,
and face, inflicting a series of severe wounds upon
him. Hamm,rton struggle 1 with him, threw him
on the bed, and went to the further end of the
room to ask assistance from one of the men. It was
then for the fist time pet ceivoil Ih ,t the serea
was wounded, for though the men hot seen the
prisoner strike at him, they did not know that he
had any weapon in his hand. He was anout to le-
new the at ack on the sergeant, when the lit er
escaped by a window which had been open,-(1 for
him by James Pemberton, we of the priva!e-.
Pembet ton then went up to the orisouer and , Td -red
him to "stand." He said with an o tth that he
would cut Pemberton's throat to P,-mb rton
cowed him by brandishing a musket over his ileatl,
and he was then seized by a corporal and two of the
men. An open razor was then taken from his
hand. When removed to the guard-room he said,
"I am not at all sorry for what I tiave done."
Hammert, tn, who was fainting from loss of blood,
was conveyed to the military hospital, where he
rem tined until Monday evening. Th- prisoner was
brought to this court on the 24th February, and
remanded from time to time till yesterday.
Mr. James Wardrop, surgeon to the Grern.dier
Guards, now attended, and said that he saw Hato-
merton when first brought to the h spital. He was
then in a very dangerous state. He was now auth
ciently recovered to leave the hospital, and there
was no longer any danger, but wou d pro,ably be
some time before he would recover his strength.
Hammerton, who is a fine manly-looking fellow,
with a handsome countenance and sulderly eariug,
and who wears a Crimean medal with four class s.
c unfirmed the previous evidence as to the circum-
stances of the attack. He had n ver quarrel', d
with the prisoner, who had nor, as tar as he knew,
any previous malice, and certainly so cause for it.
The prisoner said he had no recollection of what
had occurred. The sergeant was a fellow-towns-
man of his and the very last man whom he would
wish to injure. He supposed it " was the drink as
done it."

Mr. Henry offnalitted him on the capital charge
of attempt to murder.

WESTMINSTER.—James Ford was finally
examined, charged with stealing a valuable Skye
terrier, the property of Mrs. Rob Arts, ot
Brotupton-equare.
The circumstances of the case have been before
detailed. It will be remembered tiiat ataiut flue
weeks ag' Mrs. Robaits, accolepaniud by the dog,
was in the neighbourhood of tier owo house, wren
prisoner threw something s eft, resembling putty,
to the animal, which was in a minute after war Is
missed. Subsequeutly, throu4h t`ie ageney of a
man named Fanner, offers were made o restore lhe
dog, which was dead, for a sovereign, and Mrs
Robarts, accornpinied by her servant, went to
Newton-street, Holeeorn, to identify the dog, and
there gave the prisoner, who had possession of it
into custody, the other man escaping, as it was
alleged, through the negligeuca f tee p lice.
On the prisoner being placed iu the dock the
police-setge-ant of the E devis oil, in explanation of
the imputation thrown upon the police, sa d—T at
Mrs. Robauts, her servant, Farinet, aeid the, pri-
soner, all came veleintauily to the st it on with a
cab. As he understood the matter it was a dispute
between the lady and ttte prisoner *belie the rec.-
very of a dog, and hi did uo,e know until subse-
queeitly that the accused was stewing ihe iiog. No
()tier person was charged before hut', ~,,, did he
see the second man spoken ot at all. He had in-
quired of the different men who were cowing into
the station at the time for duty, but none of thtin
knew anything of the circumstances.

Ribarts rep,,at,cl, tha', seeing two or three
policemen tone her, she pointed to the prisoner',
companion, and said, " Tuat is the man who stole
my dog—take him."

Mr.-Paynter. said it was obvious that there must
have been some misunderstanding &Kit the thing,
which was very natural in the exc►teme❑t of ►he
moment.

Inspector Cummings intimated that Farmer
knew every dog stealer in London, and might have
wished the other man to escape.
Farmer, who admitted that he knew al,nost all
the "dog men," stat,d that he interested himself
at the request of Mrs. Rol:mils', tot ndeavour to
recover her dog, and went with tier ;is desert tied.
In reply to an inquiry from Mr. Payn er, wanes,
set a value of 5/. upon the dog when alive.
Prisoner pretended that he picked up the d• g
dead iu the street the morning he was given into
custody.

Mr. Paynter said that that was a very unlikely
story. There could not be the slig,lest doubt, horn
the evidence, that he was the man who stole the dog,
and be was deterininsd to wake what he could of
afterwards. There were very few offences of a mtue
serious character than dog- steaLng ; rt was an, of-
fence cotnrnitt d for the t,urpose of extorting money
frow the prs ,ns toll)ed by ying upon theirkindly
feelings. Dogs were si °len to which great value was
attached by their possessors, and I rge su ins of money,
perh,ps infinitely beyond their intrinsic worth,
extorted for their retoration. Many persons
might lose their watches, or have their hou.es
broken into, and think less of either than losing a
favourite dog. As prisoner, however, had not b,en
previously convicted, he would give h m an oppor-
tunity of paying a fine. He then ordered hint to
pay 51., the valu, of the d g, and 10/. p nalty.
He was cominlited in det..ult for three months.

LAMBETH.—THE PHOTOGRAI HIC NUISANCE
Thomas Goose, late a constable belonging to the
L division of police, attended before tee Hon. G.
C. Norton, Li discharge of his bail, to meet rw..
charges, the or e for the o?.structing as a "tout" to
a photographic shop the public highway in the
Westtni,saer-road, and the other for assaulting a
young married female.
The Inspe,,tor of the Police informed the magi-
strate that since the adjournmen of the coarge for
obstructing the highway, against the defendant on
Stturday last, he li d wai rcl on the photog,aphi,t‘
in the Westmins er-roal, of whom there wa-re urn
less than nine, and put the question io all whet,e,
tuey were agreeable ro close places, a, .d di--
cOntinue taking likenesses on the dun, ay, and only
three out a f the nine w ulrl c ent to d • so. The
others said that Sunday wai their rest day, that in
fac, they made quite en .0 4h on tho day t pay the
who!e of their expen,,es, and the reason iheY g 3"
for its being their most lucrative day was thtr the
labouring or servant class, who were their la,st
customers, appeared on that day in ttieir smartestclothr_s,
clothtts, and in tho,e they wished their likenesses
taken.

Mr. Norton remarked that the consequences of
their persisting in such a course, and creating such
a nuisance on the Sabbath day, wttuldb,) Ihe carry-
ing of some stringent legislative enactment to put
down such practrceA, pat ticul a-iy on the Sunday.
Harriet' Burnes, a young wariied temalt-t, said
that on that day week she was going past Astie
Thyatre, in conver,ation with a "door-keep
i.e., a " tout," whom she was altoo, to _,. c, ,m_
pauy to his "gallery" to have her likeness
other talien,i,
when the defendant came from the
the street, seizes her by the shot il der,, anassidltentogi ~
her routni so violently as to hurt her very much,
and her imp!es,ion at the titue was that he was in
liquor.
In cross-examination by Mr
ss ck it 114, leclgtd
pared for the d,friniaut, GwY"e' wl"' aP-
had given Goose a black eiwlavui'lli r
that she was acquainted with "tout," who
airnicidulev,hdo was charged
but denied that she hadsbjec:o.:urt on that day wtek,
with that offence at an
present care by to ptefet the
Mr. Norton 01' "g'
Gl''
se's
tin
1 37'
pdHerseltnidollanto
ppel ~0r.115 IH , p-
in the penalty of
Mr. Ble police ~r the
was served that the ctnduct of the
fort he mostobstruction, improper, and convicted him
,ts. and expenses for the assault,
fiat t-rnify named
and 58.
sonanionses
were
ruction, with expenses.
projections on therKe also heard against two of the
were fined les. ea p.ti,tevr,bulydeann:t stickingwNitaitll,si,kfeourtsses. Thoenyt
Mr. Norton directedn th' xf•ipwTeB.to keep a sharp
look out, with a view of putting down so serious a
nuisance as that complained of. I

HEALTH OF LONDON DURTNO THE WEIL

(Prom the Report of the Registrar Gencral.)

The deaths regis ered in I,:ndon decreased from
1,487 in th,i previous week to 1,431 in the week
that ended last Saturday (March 2(1). The decrease
is not great, and the mortality is still unusually
high ; for though the weather has been bright and
genial during the week its effect is not immediately
seen, to its full extent, in the shortening of the long
list of deaths. In the ten years 1848-57 the average
number of deaths in the week corresp, nding with
last week was 1,198 ; but, as the deaths of last
week occurred in an increased population, they can
only be compared with the average, after the litter
is raised proportionally to the increase—a correc-
tion which will wake it 1,318. Hence it appears
that 113 p-rsons died la-it week, who would have
survived if a mortality not higher than the average
rate had ruled. _ _

On comparikg the facts of the last two weeks it
will be seen that of the five classes of disease, only
that which cow prist-s " local diseases" exhibit any
important variation of numbers. Diseases of the
organs of circulation decreased from 67 fatal cases
in the preceding week to 49 last week; those of
the respiratory organs from 366 to 333 ; those of
the organs (f digestion from 58 to 45. And under
the second of the.e heid.4 the decrease appears to
crave been chiefly in the deaths from asthma ; for
the resp, ctive numbers in the two weeks were from
bronchi is 207 and 192, from pneumonia 112 and
111, :ind from asthma 26 and 14. The corrected
,verage of t.rottchitis in corresponding weeks is
[39. The present. zwurn exhibits a considerable
in rease in the mortality of whooping-cough, for
in three previous weeks the deaths from it were
suceesstvely b 3, 52, 69, and last week they were 83.
Last week the btrths of 1,026 boys and 934 girls,
in 1,960 children, were registered in London.
In the ten corresponding weeks of the years 1848-
57, the average number was 1,639.

Country Markets.

EDINBURC4II HAY AND STRAW MARKET
MARIA' 23.

Supplies of all kinds these last six days large.
Oat straw, from 7s Od to 94 6d per kemple of 16 stoney
tron ; wheat do., $s 0,1 to 9s Od ; barley do., 'ls o,i to 8
ud. Hay from lOd to 12d.