The Sun.
London, England, 1859-08-01 00:00:00

THE NAVY.

Her Majesty steamed through the fleet at Spit-
bead on Saturday evening, and was received with
a royal salute from the entire fleet, &c. Her Ma-
jesty afterwards returned to Osborne.
Mr. W. H. Ward, of Auburn, United States of
America, who exhibited his signal telegraph for
the Ocean Marine service at Woolwich on Monday
last, as stated in The Sun of Tuesday, again at-
tended at the dockyard on Saturday, by order of
the Board of Admiralty, for the purpose of-super-
intending a practical exhibition of his newly in-
vented flags for day signals, suggesting from their
form and adaptation of the colours as likely to ob-
viate the difficulty experienced in the use of our own
signal flags of distinguishing the colours when
twisted, entangled in the rigging, or in a dead calm.
The new flags are 13 in number, and are made in
pendant form with their colours divided trans-
versely, as follows :—The blue flag with white
centre is 0 ; the blue flag is 1; the blue and red flag
is (the blue part attached to the halyard) 2 ; the blue
and white flag is (the red part attached to the hal-
yard) 3 ; the red flag is 4 ; the red and blue (the
red part attached to the halyard) 6 ; the white flag
is 7 ; the white and blue flag is (the white part
attached to the halyard) 8 ; and the white and red
is (the white part attached to the halyard) 9.
Being in a pendant form they float in a gentle
breeze, and from the arrangement of colours the
signals can be distinguished floating or drooping at
great distances. They are systematically arranged
to the alphabet for spelling phrases, sentences, &c.
The flags for "repeaters" are the same in form and
size as the numeral flags. The division of colours
is lengthwise, rendering them capable of acting in
a twofold capacity by reversing them. A definite
trial of their advantage in a dead calm over the old
signals is to be made at the masthead of the various
ships lying at Woolwich on the earliest opportu-
nity. Mr. Ward has received instructions from
the Lords of the Admiralty to exhibit his apparatus
for night signals at Portsmouth Dockyard also.
The hired transport Alma, Sharp master, 27 days
from Halifax, arrived at Woolwich pier on Satur-
day-, laden with -war stores.
Her Majesty's paddlewheel steam-sloop Prome-
theus went into basin on Saturday at -Woolwich,
and will shortly be commissioned. The Rhada-
manthuswas also taken into basin to be laden with
steam gear for the western yards. The Dee has
sailed with a cargo of boilers and machinery for
Portsmouth and Plymouth, and also took 150 no-
vices for the fleet. The Widgeon left Woolwich
on Saturday, taking a number Of newly-engaged
sailor lads to Sheerness. fit
The Dauntless, 32, screw, Capt. W. Edmonstone,
swung for adjustment of compasses in Portsmouth
harbour yesterday.
The sailing ship Cumberland, 70, Capt. Henry
D. Rogers, from the south-cast coast of America,
arrived in Plymouth Sound yesterday.
The Nile, 91 guns, Capt. Wilmot, C. 8., which
has been stationed in the Mersey for the last few
weeks, has now completed her complement of men,
and is expected to sail to-morrow or Wednesday.
It is stated that she will be succeeded at that
station by the Duke of Wellington.
The French aviso Galilee has left Great Yarmouth
and proceeded to the north.
On Saturday afternoon the ceremony of launch-
ing the Mutine sloop-of war, 17 guns, took place at
Deptford Dockyard. The following are her dimen-
sions:—Length between perpendiculars, 172 ft. 6in.;
length for tonnege, 175 ft. Sin. ; length of keel,
152 ft. breadth (extreme), 33ft. 2tin. ; breadth
for tonnage, 33ft. ()tin. ; breadth (moulde), 32ft.
&tin. ; depth of hold, 17ft. Sin. ; burden in tons,
881 72-94. It is expected she will be taken to
Woolwich to-morrow to be fitted with her ma-
chinery.
Two hundred and fifty-six seamen volunteers have
arrived in Portsmouth during the past week from
London, Liverpool, Bristol, and the coast of Scotland,
an& have proceeded on board her Majesty's ship
Victory, for service in the fleet.
The Agamemnon, 91, screw, Capt. T. Hope,
joined the fleet at Spithead yesterday from a cruise
in the Channel.
The ship Calcutta, 84, Capt. W. K. C. 8.,
from China, arrived in Plymouth Sound on Satur-
day evening. She called at Singapore, the Cape
of Good Hope, and St. Helena, having left the
latter port June 13. The equator was crossed on
the 17th in long. 21, 48 W., since which very fine
light airs, with occasional strong squalls from the
north-east have been experiencd. The Calcutta
brings passengers Dr. Fitzgerald, Mr. P. T. R.
Hodges, Master Henry Hance, and Mrs. Herbert,
besides 60 British and 11 French invalids, two of
each nation died on the passage. The ship was com-
missioned March, 1856, and has been constantly in
Chine, chiefly in the Gulf of Pecheli. In an action
with a junk, January 4,1857, her master's-assistant,
Mr. C. W. Pearn, was killed. During the commis-
sion three officers have died—viz., Lieut. Frederick
J. Campbell, December, 27, 1856 ; Mr. William
A. Watson, acting clerk, January 7, 1858 ; -and Mr.
Vincent Eyre, naval cadet. 'ebruary 10, 1858, at
Hongkong. Mr. James Wilcocks, first-class car-
penter, died on the passage home, April 20, 1859.
The Calcutta exchanged colours, May 26, with the
French bark Antonia, and June 18, with the \Eng-
lish ship Tropic, and communicated, June 22, with
the ship Countess of Fife.
The gunboat Hind, tender to the Russell, was
placed in dock at Devonport on Friday for repair.
She carried away her bilge streak by striking
against the edge of a half sunk pile.
The screw steam ship Cmsar, 91, Captain Mason,
at Plymouth received her powder on Friday.
The steam gunboat Seagull, Lieut. Chimmo,
tender to the Porcupine, left Plymouth on Friday
for her surveying station.
Rigging was got over the mastheads of the St.
George at Devonport, on Friday..
The naval instruction brig Ferret, 8, Commander,
Fisher, was towed by the Zephyr, on Saturday, from
Hamoaze into Plymouth Sound.
Th.: paddlewheel steam vessel Firebrand, 6,
Captain Denman, which has been taking soundings
between Plymouth and Gibraltar, for the purpose
of laying a telegraph cable, returned to the Sound
on Saturday.
The Turkish line-of-battle-ship Shadiah, which
has been some time under repair and conversion at
Keyham steam-yard, was undocked on Saturday,
and put into the basin.
The launch of the Bacchante frigate at Portsmouth
on Saturday took place in the most successful man-
ner. His Royal Highness Prince Alfred arrived
in the Fairy, Royal yacht, from Osborne, and was
present during the proceedings, attended by his
Serene Highness Prince of Leiningen and Slajor
Cowell. His Royal Highness appeared to take
much interest in the explanations made to him of
the position of the cradle and " ways," the action
of the dogshore screws, the hydraulic pump, &c.
About 11 a.m. Admiral W. Bowles, C. 8., Naval
Commander in Chief, Rear-Admiral Superintendent
the lion. 0. Grey. with Miss Bowles, sister of the
gallant Commander in Chief, and who was to per-
form the ceremony of christening the vessel, made
their appearance on the platform close to the ves-
sel's bows, and over which was suspended the bottle
of wine wreathed with red, blue, and white
ribands. The preparations for the launch of the
ship being completed, Miss Bdwles came forward,
and,.with the words " Success to the Bacchante,"
swung the bottle forward. The dogghores were now
knocked away, but for some few minutes the Bac-
chante appeared to hang. At 20 minutes past 'll
she began to move, and te noble fabric slowly anal
majestically glided into the water amid the cheers
of the assembled spectators, and the strains of the
National Anthem from the band of the Royal Ma-
rine Light Infantry, present to do honour to the
•occasion. His Royal Highness Prince Alfred, at
the conclusion of the proceedings, took leave of
Admirals Bowles and Grey, and proceeded on board
the Fairy, which soon afterwards left for Osborne.
The Bacchante is built from the designs of Sir B.
W. Walker, and is pierced for 31 Her engines
h
are of 600 horse (nominal). The following are ler
principal dimensions :—Length between
to perpendic-
ulars,oo 235 feet ; length of keel for
feet 5 inches ; extreme breadth, 50 feentl•la, breadth3
for tonnage, 49 feet 6 inches ; moulded breadth,
48 feet 8 inches ; depth in hold, 17 feet 8 iches
2,631 39.94. Another
burden in tons, 0,m.,
frigate, to be called the Glasgow, will be immedi-
a.tely laid down in the same shed from which the
Ba echante was launched.
lie following appointments were made on Satur-
the Admiralty :—Lieut. C. C.
master, to
Robinson, to
day t Charles Grahan, the Im-
the .I)lcan ra
able;
Alexander Crosbie, acting assistant-
. pregnE
to the Neptune; Adam B. Messer, acting.
surgeon
I,
-surgeon, to the Mars ; and John Noble,
assistan t
on to the Impregnable.
assistant ;.-surge •

THE A 11,311/.

.
In con ie quence of the great injury frequently
Arising to a ,oldiers' 7itles while being forwarded to
India. and elewliere, caused by careless packing,
1/le followri og order on the subject has jest been
is, tied fro the Horse Guards:— ,
4= The Gee al Commanding .in- Chief ha s reason to skive
that L uttia; ent care and attention are not paid to the pac
of the a 14).8 wl; en troops proceed to sea ; his Royal Highness
accurdin ily cat's the attention of commanding officers, and
of offices s comic( ,anding at ports of embarkation, to the direc-
tions on this *Alb iect at pp. 296 and 315 of her Majesty's
Reg-ulati Xtr:,. and desires that the following additional in-
structions .i; e likewl, se strictly adhered to. When regiments
orfie armed 4 'e
tachment , are warned for embarkation if a suf-
ient nun, a ,er of aria chests, properly fitted with racks to
prevent the $ xms when ;l acked rubbing against each other,
should not 13, )in possession, application is to be made for the
same to the i iearest War-otlce storekeeper, Before the artns
are put into ; the cases they azii to be thoroughly greased, a

—......,
plug of soft wool, saturated with oil (or some tallow) is to
be put into the nipple, thesnap-cap is to be on, and the cock
let down upon it ; anctcarenshould be taken that the muzzle
steeper fits closely so as to render the barrel as nearly as
possible air-tight. These details should not be left to the
arreourers alone, but should he superintended by captains
of companies, who are responsible that the arms are always
kept fit for service, and any officer who shall fail to attend
to these particulars will subject himself to serious censure,
and also become liable to the cost of repairing any damage
which may have resulted from his neglect. When the
troops go en board ship arrangements must be made with
the commander for the arm-chests beidg stored in a dry and
convenient place of access, and arms which at the periodical
inspections (which are not to be omitted) may be found rusty
are to be thoroughly cleaned and put in good order.
" By command,
" G. A. WETHER ALL, Adjutant-General."
The Himalaya, screw troopship, Commander J.
Seccombe, sailed from Portsmouth at 9 a.m. yester-
day for Plymouth with the 36th Regiment on board,
consisting of 33 officers, 850 non-commissioned
officers and men, 74 soldiers' wives, 69 soldiers'
children, and 6 horses. After disembarking the
above at Plymouth, the Himalaya will proceed to
Liverpool, where she will take on board the Ist
battalion, 23d Foot, for conveyance to Dublin,
whence she will convey the Ist battalion 16th
Foot to Portsmouth. The Himalaya will also re-
ceive on board at Liverpool for passage round to
Portsmouth any seamen who have volunteered for
the Royal service.

FORGERY A.ND SWINDLING.

It may be remembered that in April last a great
sensation was occasioned by the trial and condem-
nation to two years' imprisonment for swindling of
the Vicomte de Beaumont-Vassy, formerly prefect
of a department, and master of requests in the Coun-
cil of State—the swindling consisting in his having
obtained sums of money amounting to about 40,000
francs from different persons on the false pretext
that he required them to bribe certain Government
functionaries so as to induce them to cause the Go-
vernment to parchase for 3,500,000 francs, con-
siderably more than the real value, a patent for a
new mode of making saltpetre, which those per-
sons possessed. The investigations into that affair
led to the discovery that a Belgian named
Schille, a gentleman by position, who had been
charged to sell or work the patent in France, had
obtained, in connection with it, various sums by
means of forgeries ; and that another Belgian,
named Demaret, a veterinary surgeon, had as-
sisted him in turning to account the forgeries by
passing himself off as a French general of divi-
sion, ad wearing the uniform of that grade, with
the decoration of the Legion of Honour. Yester •
day the two men were brought to trial before
the Court of Assizes, at Sebille for forgery, and De-
maret for complicity therein ; the former also on
the subsidiary charge of swindling, and the latter
on that of illegally wearing a uniform and decora-
tion. The case, from its peculiar character, and
especially from the names of the persons mixed up
in it, excited much interest, and the court was
crowded. After the prisoners had answered the
usual questions as to names, ages, and professions,
the indictment was read, and it was to the follow-
ing effect :—Two Belgian bankers, named Anciaux
Robert and Ghislain, purchased some time ago a
patent for manufacturing saltpetre, and towards the
end of 1857 they resolved to endeavour to turn it to
account in Paris. They accordingly charged Sehille,
who was their countryman and a man of property,
to get up a company-in shares for working the pa-
tent, and in May, 1853, he drew up in due form the
statutes of one called "Societe Generale des
Saltpetres de France." In order to give this
company a legal existence, it was neces-
sary to have a certain number of shares
taken by other persons than the projectors. Se-
bille sought an interview with a lady of rank, the
Vicomtesse de Rouge, who was residing in a con-
vent in the Rue des Postes, and he persuaded her
that an unknown friend had ordered him to pre-
sent her with 300 shares in the said company, at
the same time requesting her to use her influence
to obtain subscribere for the other shares. She
referred him to M. Bochet, her avoite, and to that
gentleman he spoke with the greatest apparent
confidence about the company. He a few days
after presented to him a letter which purported to
be written by, and bore the signature of, General
Fleury, aide-de-camp to the Emperor, and which
stated that if the Vicomtesse de Rouge would sub-
scribe for a certain number of shares, the amount of
them should be paid for her in six months. That
letter, it was afterwards discovered, was a forgery.
But M. Bochet, havingno doubt of its authenticity,
consented to take in his own name the 300 shares
which were destined for Mme. de Rouge, and he
took part in the definitive constitution of the com-
pany, which was effected by deed executed on the
26th May in the office of a notary. M. Bochet
afterwards gave the most favourable account of the
company to the people who applied to him, and he,
moreover, on various false pretexts made by Sebille,
consented to guarantee the payment of a credit of
100,000 f., which M. Corbiere, a banker of Alencon,
consented to open to Sebille. Nevertheless, sub-
scriptions to the Saltpetre Company d d not come
in, and a-bill of 45,000 francs which Sebille had
given to Corbiere in part payment of his advances
was not paid. To replace it he offered a bill for
50,000 f. bearing the sianature of Anciaux Robert and
the endorsement oeGhislain. The signatures of
these two persons, it was afterwards discovered, were
forgeries. Corbiere at first refused to a accept the
bill, and Sebille induced another banker, named
Pigniere, to discount it for him. A few days after
Corbiere consented to receive the bill ; and Sebille,
having given it away, forged another. As a gua-
rantee to Pigniree, Sebille made ovr to him a deed
purporting to be executed by Beaumont-Vassy,
guaranteeing the bill ; but the signature of that
person was a forgery. Pigniere, on his part, gave
Sebille for the bill four other bills, payable at an.
American firm. As that firm was 'in some diffi-
culties in consequence of the commercial crisis,
Sebille. in order to get two bills discounted, forged
the endorsement of M. Verdaveine, cashier to M.
Pigniere ; and as the discounter wanted other secu-
rity, he gave forged guarantees in the name of
Count de Brigode, who had subscribed for some
shares in the Saltpetre Company, and in that `Of
the Vicomte de Rouge. Part of the discount con-
sisted of five bills of 5,000 francs, and to pass them
off easily, Sebille forged the endorsement of
M. Bochet to them. An accommodation bill was
accepted for him by one Desessards, and to that
he forged the endorsements of M. Bochet and the
Count de Cunchy. To other bills of large amount
he forged the same names and also that of Beau-
mont-Vassy. The indictment having stated these
facts proceeded to detail another series of circum-
stances :—MM. Anciaux-Robert and Ghislain, the
owners of the saltpetre patent, dissatisfied at no
company having been formed, and besides havi g
heard unfavourable reports of the doings of &bills,
notified to their avoue at Paris, M. Corpel, that
they would revoke the procuration they had given
Sebille to act as their agent in the patent affair.
On that Sebille had recourse to an extraordinary
expedient. He on the 21st February last took
Demaret, who was acting as his clerk, to a ready-
made clothes warehouse. and there hired the uni-
form of a general. He made the man put on the
uniform, and attached to his breast the cross of of-
ficer of the Legion of Honour. He then gave him
letters for M. Corpel and M. Bochet, and told him
that he was to cause those gentleman to read them.
The letter communicated to M. Corpel purported to
he written by and bore the signature of Marshal
Vaillant, Minister of War, and was addressed to
General de Salle; and it directed the general, "by i
order," to see the persons concerned in the saltpetre
affair, to ssure them that the Government would ,
invest money in and would protect it, and to ex-
hort shareholders to have confidence. On reading
the letter,kM. Corpel asked if the bearer of it was
General de Salle, and Demaret intimated by a sign
that he was. The letter shown by Demaret to M.
Bochet was of a like kind. The day after Sebille
called on Corpel, and when the lattter told him of
the visit he had received, he pretended to be asto-
nished, and cried out, " What ! has the Emperor does
that of me !" He wanted M. Corpel to assist him in
raising money, but that gentlenian refused. A few
days after he renewed his application to M. Cor-
pel, and as that gentleman said he could not comply
with it without security, he asked him if the per.
sonal guarantee of Marshal Vaillant for 15,000 f.,
and a certificate from the marshal, as Minister,
that the Government was about to put 300,000 f.
into the Saltpetre Company, would satisfy him.
Corpel having answered in the affirmative,
Sebille drew up a form of guarantee, and went
with one Cordierto the Ministry of War. Leaving
Cordier in an ante-room, he went into the
bureaux, and presently returned with the form
signed " Marshal Valliant," and bearing the
Stamp of the Ministry ; he also received a letter
likewise bearing the stamp of the Ministry, ntld
written on the paper used in the department,
Nhich was thus conceived :—" My dear Sebille--
I Ivere is the guarantee wnich is accorded to yon by
special favour. Seal it up, and so manage mat-
, tens that the Minister shall not be teased. A than -
d. san eompliments.—GENEDß ItAL s
of to
fraudNl B
These deeuments were shaven
ie
e
was brought to light- Such Cand forgery
orpel. But
shortly after the whole ser
forth in the indictment,
and it concludedthe
by stat-
ing.: that Sebille, on being examined by the magis-
trates, trates, confessed to the truth of them, and with
regard to the stamp and the letter paper of the
t make
Ministryo of War, explained that he had been able
use of one and take the other because
happened to he acquainted with a messenger
e those
in one of the offices, rnd had, on some pretext,
induced him toibleeav indictmentether added h
oomw hert
at Se-
things were.

bille had pretended that he had only made
the forgeries to serve the company, and with
the firm intention of making reparation to the
injured parties ; it also added that after his arrest
three forged documents were found in his house—
one signed " General de Bresolles, director of
artillery," informing Sebille that the members of
the Council of State were favourable to the salt-
petre project, and that the Government would sup-
port it ; the second, signed " Vicomte de Beaumont
Vassy," subscribing for 50 shares in the company ;
and the third a guarantee for 450 f. by the
Vicomtesse de Rouge.. After the indictment had
been read, the Court interrogated Sebille. He
said that he was a gentleman by birth, had a title,
though he did not bear it ' • also that he had inhe-
rited a fortune of 200,000 fr., and had afterwards
received between 500,000 f. and 600,000 f., but had
lost the whole. He declared that, though he had
confessed to having perpetrated all the forgeries,
he really had not perpetrated any of them. " I
assumed all the responsibility,' he said, " but
now I retract what I said, and declare that I am
not guilty !" " What you say is quite a new sys-
tem," said the president. " But I suppose that
If you did not forge the bills and letters, you caused
them to be forged 9" " No, I did not !" Why did
NMI not say so in the preliminary examinations ?"
Because I would not drag other unfortunate people
into my ruin" " Tell us from whom you got them."
" I will not—l cannot." " You say that you nego-
tiated the bills-in good faith ?" " Certainly I did, and
as a proof of it, on hearing that they were forged,
I went to complain to a commissary of police !"
The prisoner as pressed to say, who had forged
the bills and papers, but he persisted in refusing.
He also denied that it was he who had forged the
letters signed " General Fleury," " Marshal Vail-
lant," and " General de Bressees," and he
mated that it was Beaumont-Vassy whohad forged
the first one, and he said that he had received the
second from that person. As to the dr-3sing of
Demaret in a general's uniform, he did not deny
the fact, but expressed regret at having compro-
mised him, and said that he took all the responsi-
bility of the act on himself—Demaret. who was
next interrogated, alleged that he had merely
figured as a general to oblige Sebille, who had
promised him a place in the Saltp3tre Company,
and that having a wife and a large family he had
not dared disobey him. He said that, in adtition
to the uniform. "Sebille had made him put on a
wig, a cocked hat and feathers, and spectacles.
He also said that when M. Corpel addressed him
as " general," he became frightened and hurried
down stairs. He added that Sebille had wanted
him to go in the uniform to other persons, but that
he had refused. The reception of evidence in sup-
port of the indictment was then proceeded to. A
deposition of Mr. eorpel, who was absent from ill-
health, was read. He described the presentation
by Damaret dressed as a general of the letter
signed of the letter signed Marshal Vaillant, and
said that when, the next dale, Sebille had called
on him, he, after expressing surprise that the Em-
peror should have caused a letter to be written for
him, said, " I will tell you something. , Yesterday,
I succeeded in obtaining an audience of the Em-
peror to us him for money. He called in aide-de-
camp, to ask how his cash box stood, and on re-
ceiving an answer said, You see, Sebille, that I am
the poorest man in my empire ! I can do nothing
for you, for the present, but I will see what I can
do in the month of May !" M. Bochet and M.
Pigniere also deposed to facts related in the indict-
ment. The court afterwards decided that in con-
sequence of Sebille having taken in his de-
' fence entirely different ground to that which he
had adopted in the preliminary examinations, it
would be necessary to examine other witnesses than
those who had been summoned. It therefore
ordered that the further hearing of the case should
be postponed to the next session.

SUICIDE OF A YOUNG GENTLEMAN
IN WINDSOR HOME PARK.

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

TBF; IrSTYN, LONDON, MONDAY_ tVE:I44I4G;_