The Sun.
London, England, 1859-05-28 00:00:00

THE MANNIZO OF THE IWYAL
V4VY,

The following lette has been addressed to the
editor of the Tones :
Sir;—l resume the mbject discussed in my two
prece ling letters.
The, recommendations of the Manning Commis-
sioners for improving the condition and prospects
of the seamen, if not in all cases judicious, are at
any rate most liberal ; but the Commissioners have
not avoided the mistake, committed by many who
have preceded them in s:_milar inquiries, of dealing
too much in prospective benefits. They appear to
have looked upon seamm as a most provident, far.
seeing, and calculating class, capable ofappreciating,
at their full value, deferred payments. Offers of
pensions, reduction'of time of service for pensions,
and all promissory benefits of that kind, to be
realised at more or less remote dates, are not valued
at anything approaching their cost to the public.
Seamen discount these advantages at fabulous rates.
Ask any sailor, and he will tell you that such baits
are too far from the heok to attract men into the
service. When a seaman has served four or five
commissions the pension may enter into his calcu-
lations, but certainly not before. Pensions, however,
we must have ; but they should be fixed at a
minimum, while pay for effective service should be
placed at its maximum. There is one thing which
Jack understand the meaning of as well as any
man—and that is, ready money. A moderate
bounty will be far more effictual in procuring
volunteers than the -promise ~ef an extravagant
pension. The grants of clotMng, bedding, and
mess utensils are benefits in the right direction ;
they will be felt immediately, and will be estimated
as immediate additions to pay; but unless more
stringent measures are taken to punish purchasers
of seamen's clothing the Jews at the ports will reap
a rich harvest. As all sailors' jackets are of the
same cut and of the same material, why should
not the Admiralty have a cloth woven expressly
for the navy, the same in every respect as the
present cloth, but with a rogue's yarn, that is,
with a thread of a description different from the
material of the cloth, and so interwoven that every
foot should contain part of this distinguishing
mark on the inner surface ? Broad arrows in paint
are of no use ; a seaport Jew is so fertile in expe.
dients that he can easily remove the paint by using
chemicals ; but the rogue's mark would, I think,
puzzle his ingenuity. This mark might also be
useful occasionally in detecting a deserter.
I observe that the Commissioners recommend that
the benefit of free clothing, &c., should be confined
to men to enter for 10 years' continuous service,
and they " strongly recommend" the earlier pay-
ment of wages and of allotments while a ship is
fitting out. Every man who intends to desert will,
of course, enter for continuous service. Sir Richard
Bromley states in his evidence that " the number of
deserters has been very great, especially of conti-
nuous service men." lam disposed to think that
the scheme of continuous service requires watching,
and that Parliament should put the Government to
the proof that the system is not abused.
The case of the warrant officers is a most difficult
one. I think their discontent may be ascribed
wholly to the loss of position. When I first entered
the service, half a century ago, the warrant officer
took military command after the second master.
Now, for the first 10 years of my service I do not
recollect ever seeing a second master ; and it was
only in the largest ships of the line that this officer
was to be found. Consequently, in frigates, sloops,
and brigs, the warrant officer's position was next to
the master; and, as the smaller vessels carried 01,4
ffie fourc rthe commissioned
latter
hadofficers
a very fair
to
ch thea n Tant
officer, c
in any
tke temporary
cwoemllm•caonndtr
atnedd,aicftisouncc,
eosfsffualblionigiminto
Taortalising him-
self by fighting the last round . There is but one
case on record of a warrallt officer being the first to
strike his colours.
In every change the warrant officer has unfor-
tunately retrograded. If he had not so much to
complain of in the loss of position I am inclined to
think we should have heard but little about the
loss of the widows' pensions ; but in seeking redress
he has considered it good policy to make his griev-
anees many and strong.
The Commissioners have recolnnico ded the restora-
tion of pensions to the widows of warrant officers,
which were discontinued, some 30 years ago, in con-
sequence of a report from 'a committee of the
House of Commons ; but their arguments are singu-
larly weak, and the evidence on the subject very
incomplete. Some of the witnesses, who were very
competent to give sound opinions on the policy of
such grants (Sir James Graham, for instance), were
not asked a single question on the subject. The
Commissioners have rested their advice chiefly on
the evidence of the warrant officers themselves.
One witness argues that widows' pensions should
be granted because they will give facilities to war-
rant officers for settling in life ! But Mr. Pennell,
Chief Clerk in the Admiralty, assigns as one of
the reasons why the pensions were withdrawn
" the fact that a man's being married led him natu.
rally to shrink from sea service, and that he was
not so ready to accept it as before." Captain Den-
man considers the regulation which put an end
prospectively to the grant of pensions to the widows
of boatswains and other warrant officers as " a blow
to the dearest affections" of those officers. The
Commissioners were unable to resist this pathetic
appeal. But, in truth, the grant of pensions to
widows of either commissioned or warrant officers,
except when killed iu (talon, was a grievous mis-
take

I fear to touch upon financial considerations;
and yet can any true friend of the Navy safely
overlook them ? The recommendations of the Man-
ning Commissioners, if adopted, will involve a per-
manent addition to the annual expenditure, and,
consequently, to the taxation of the country, equal
to the interest of at least £20,000,000 sterling, and
there is too much reason to fear that this estimate
may be greatly exceeded. Royal Commissioners
are not infallible ; their recommendations are gene-
rally the result of a compromise ; but in the pre-
sent instance a compromise was not sufficient to
secure unanimity. The Government has laid the
report of the Commissioners, and the evidence,
before Parliament, and has thus invited public dis-
cussion upon them. Ido not mean to undervalue
their suggestions, doubtful and complicated as some
of them are; I simply ask, before we are finally
pledged to the enormous cost of them, that, as wide
differences of opinion exist on the subject, they
may be submitted to the test of that severe public
sifting which seldom fails to influence for good the
decisions of our rulers.—l am, &c.

BLUE JACKET.
United Service Club, May, 1859.

THE VICTORIA CROSS.

(From the Gazette of last evening.)
WAR-OFFICE, MAY 27, 1859.
The Queen has been graciously pleased to signify her
intention to confer the decoration of the Victoria Cross on
the undermentioned non-commissioned officers and privates
of her Majesty's army, whose claims to the same have
been submitted for her Majesty's approval, on account of
acts of bravery performed by them in India, as recorded
against their several names, viz. :
Private Michael Murphy (farrier), 2nd Battalion, Mili-
tary Train—For daring gallantry on the 15th April 1858,
when engaged in the pursuit of Kooer Singh's Army from
Azimghur, in having rescued Lieutenant Hamilton, Adju-
tant of tie 3rd Sikh Cavalry, who was wounded, dis-
mounted, and surrounded by the enemy. Farrier Murphy
cut down several men, and, although himself severely
wounded, he never left Lieutenant Hamilton's side until
support arrived.
Lance-Corporal Alexander Thompson, 42d Regiment—
For daring gallanttry, on the 15th April, 1858, when at the
attack of the Fort of Ruhya, in having volunteered to assist
Captain Groves, Commanding the 4th Punjab Rifles, in
bringing in the body of Lieutenant Willoughby, of that
corps, from the top of the glacis, in a most exposed situa-
tion, under a heavy fire.
Quartermaster-Sergeant John Simpson, 42d Regiment—
For conspicuous bravery at the attack on the Fort of
Ruhya, on the 15th April, 1858, in having volunteered to
go to an exposed point within forty yards of the parapet of
the Fort, under a heavy fire, and brought in, first, Lieu-
tenant Douglas, and afterwards a private soldier, both of
whom were dangerously wounded.
Private James Davis, 42d Regiment—For conspicuous
gallantry, at the attack on the Fort of Ruhya, when, with
an advanced party, to point out the gate of the Fort to the
Engineer Officer, Private Davis offered to carry the body
of Lieutenant Bromley, who was killed at this point, to the
Regiment. Ho performed this duty of danger and affection
under the very walls of the Fort.
MEMORANDUM.—Private Edward Spence, 42d Regiment,
would have beex recommended to her Majesty for the de-
coration of the Victoria Cross, had he survived. He and
Lance-Corporal Thompson, of that Regiment, volunteered,
at the attack of the Fort cdßuhya, on the 15th April, 1858,
to assist Captain Groves, commanding the 4th Punjab
Rifles, in bringing in the body of Lieutenant Willoughby
from the top of the glacis. Private Spence dauntlessly
placed himself in an exposed position, so as to cover the
party bearing away the body, He died on the 17th of the
same month, from the effects of the wound which he re-
ceived on the occasion.

EXTENSIVE DEFALCATIONS BY A LIVERPOOL
OFFICIAL.—Mr. Linza, for many years the superintendent
of St. John's Market, Liverpool, but who recently decamped,
has left behind him defalcations to the extent of £2,828. A t
present this is the amount ascertained to be embezzled ; but
it is said that the defalcations will greatly exceed that sun'.

ABDUCTION OF A VOTER.

A case of considerable interest, relating to the ab-
duction of a voter from the borough of Northallerton
was heard, by adjournment, on Thursday last, at
Richmond (Yorkshire). Mr. Wrightson, the Liberal
candidate, was returned at the late election at North-
allerton by a majority of two votes only. the unsuc-
cessful and Conservative candidate being Mr. Mills,
of London. The abducted voter, who, it is alleged, in-
tended to have polled for Mr. Wrightson, is Mr.
Wm. Tutin,' the occupier of a farm near to and
within the limits of the borough of Northallerton.
Three of the parties who were charged with the
abduction arc respectable farmers. They live in the
neighbourhood of Northallerton, and their names
are Jeremiah Dobson,Richard Oastler, James Pear-
son, George Dixon, and Isaac Walker, he (Walker)
being the driver of the carriage in which Tutin was
removed a distance of 30 miles on the night of Fri-
day, the 29th April, the day of no-Inflation.
Air. Trevor, of Guisborough, deputy clerk of the
peace for the North Riding of Yorkshire, appeared
for the prosecution ; and Mr. Blanshard, of the
Northern Circuit, was counsel for the defendants.
Mr. Trevor, in opening the case, said he appeared
to prosecute an information which had bet-n laid by
Mr. William Tutin against the defendants for
forcibly taking him away, and impeding and pre-
venting him from polling for the borough of North-
allerton. The act of Parliament on which he
intended to proceed was the 17th and 18th Victoria,
cap. 102, sec. 5, which is generally called " The
Corrupt Practices Prevention Act." Without going
into :the evidence in detail, lie wished to state
generally that Mr. Wm. Tutin is a voter for the
borough of Northallerton, and he promised and in-
tended to give a vote. On the day of nomination
he went to the house of the defendant Dixon, whe-.,
some whisky and water were mixed by the dei:end_
ant Pearson for him, and from seven o'clock in the
evening of that day he was utterly inser.sible, and
did not awake until about seven &T.:lock on the
following morning, at Reeth. Fse (Mr. Trevor)
would prove to the magistrates ...'nat the defendants
Oastler and Dobson were the parties who conveyed.
Mr. Tutin while he was insensible in a carriage
from Northallerton to P.sesh, and that the carriage
was driven by the dP_lendant Walker, who is in the
employ of the keeper of the Golden Lion Inn, North-
allerton. The carriages were changed at Catterick
Bridge at 12 o'clock at night. Mr. Tutin attended
the nomination on Friday morning, April 29, and
went to Dixon's house about four o'clock in the
afternoon of that day. He arrived at Reeth at two
on the following morning in a state of insensibility,
and was Parried into the inn there.
Mr. Tutin, the prosecutor, deposed that he lived
at the Halfway-house, near Brompton. His house
is in the township of Northallerton, and he is It
voter for that borough. He was canvassed fel• his
vote, and he attended the nomination of easididates
at Northallerton. After the nomination lie went to
Mr. Rieveley's, where was Mr. Wl:.;.ghtson's com-
mittee room. About half-past 2 o''L'iock witness went
home and dined there. He we to the house of the
defendant Dixon between bAias_past 4 and 5 o'clock.
His house is about a quarter of a mile from that oc-
cupied by witness. He srAwMr. Dixon, Mrs. Dixon,
and Miss Dixon, and 'lie had tea with Mrs. Dixon
and Miss Dixon. Psfter tea he had some gin and
water. A glassf, was mixed for him, but he only
drank about a quarterof it. After the gin and water
came in lie saw the defendant Pearson, who said he
would ',end for some whisky he had at home. The
sell 'of George Dixon brought the whisky, at Mr.
P earson's request. Mr. Pearson poured some of the
whisky into a wine glass, and asked witness to
taste. He took a "sup" of it, and handed it over to
Mr. Dixon, who tasted it, and handed it to Mr.
Pearson. The latter took a " sup" of it, and said,
" You should take it like this ' • drink it off." ' Wit-
ness said he could not. Mr. Pearson drank it off,
and some hot water was brought in by Miss Dixon.
Mr. Pearson then mixed glasses all round ; he mixed
three. He did not drink a quarter of his glass-
After he had drank a little of it he handed it to Mr.
G. Dixon, and said, " George, will you take a drink
with me ?" and he replied, " I will make a glass
for myself." After witness had drank about a quar-
ter of his glass he recollected nothing further but.
being at Reeth at 7 o'clock the next morning.
(Laughter.) He had never been at Reeth -before,
and he did not know where he was when he awoke.
The first person he saw that morning was the de-
fendant Richard Oastler, who said to him, "How
have you come here ?" Witness said he didn't know.
lie also told Oastler he wanted to go to Northaller-
ton to vote. Oastler replied, " We amigoing ; there
is a carriage for us, when we get our breakfasts, to
take us there." The next person he saw was the
defendant Dobson, who said, " We will have our
breakfasts, and then we will go to Northallerton."
While Oastler was in the room Dobson asked wit-
ness how he came there, and he replied he didn't
know. They all three then sat down to breakfast
together, and witness said he wanted to be at
Northallerton to vote. Oastler replied they wanted
to be there too. After breakfast ho had a glass
of gin and water, which was ordered by Dob-
son. The carriage then came to the door. He
and Oastler got inside the carriage, and Dobson
went outside. Witness did not know the road from
Reeth, and he did not know at that time where
the carriage went to. They arrived at a public-
house at Arkendale, and witness had a glass of gin,
which was ordered by Dobson. They stayed at
this house perhaps half an hour, and got into the/
carriage again, and he recollected nothing after,
except being at Catterick Bridge that afternoon.
He had some tea with Dobson and Oastler, who
left him. He afterwards went to the railway sta-
tion. Oastler had previously asked him if he had
any money to pay his fare, and he said he had. On
arriving at the station he took a ticket for North-
allerton. He fell asleep in the carriage, and awoke
at Darlington. He arrived at home the same even •
ing. He paid no part of his expenses, except for
his railway ticket. He did not give permission to
any person to take him to Reeth. When he returned
to Northallerton it was too late for him to poll.
Thomas Shutt, postboy at Catterick Bridge, de-
posed that that place is 12 miles from Northaller-
ton and 14 from Reeth. Witness was called up on
the night of the 29th of April, and a carriage was
got out to go to Reeth. He saw a carriage at the
door which had come from Northallerton, and Isaac
Walker was the driver. Mr. Tutin was taken out
of that carriage and put into the other. The defen
dants Dobson and Oastler were with him. Witness
drove away from Catterick, and Dobson and Oastler
rode near him, leaving Tutin alone inside. Mr.
Tutin was very drunk. [Question : Insensible,
wasn't he ?—Yes, sir, there was no life in him, I
think. (Laughter.)] The first place they stayed
at was the tollbar, the other side of Richmond, and
seven miles from Catterick Bridge. Before they
stopped there Oastler and Dobson had told him
who the man was inside the carriage. They said
they were on a bit of a lark, and they wanted a
ride out a bit. (Laughter.) They asked him if the
postboy had said anything to him about it, and he
said he had not. They then said, they had better
tell him they were upon a bit of a „lark, up by
Reeth and that way, to get hint out of the road a
bit. (Renewed laughter.) They also said they
wanted to keep him out of the way of the election
until about two o'clock. Witness could not say
which of the two made this remark, but they were
both sitting near him. They arrived at Reeth about
two o'clock in the morning. Mr. Tutin was then
taken into the inn, and he was no better than when
they started from Catterick. Witness got up about
seven o'clock the same morning, and Dobson said
they wanted a conveyance a bit further up, to
spend the day. They wanted to go to Leyburn,
but witness objected, as he thought his horses had
got enough. Witness was then ordered to go to
Arkendale. Mr. Tutin, who appeared very well,
got into the carriage. They stayed at the inn at
Arkendale about half an hour, and then drove back
to Reeth. They arrived there about 1 o'clock, and
remained an hour and a half or two hours. It would
be about half-past 4or nearly 5 o'clock when they
arrived again at Catterick Bridge. Witness after-
wards saw Mr. Tutin on the platform of the rail-
way station, and he said he had got his ticket, and
was all right. Dobson paid witness, and the turn-
pike as well.
Mr. Blanshard, for the defence, contended that
there had been no restraint exercised upon the pro-
secutor by any of the defendants, that there had
been no fraudulent contrivance to prevent him from
registering his vote, and that he was absent on the
polling day of his own free will and consent. Such
being tha case, the defendants would be entitled to
have the information against them dismissed.'
After some further evidence the ease against
Pearson, Dixon, and Walker was dismissed, and the
defendants Dobson and Oastler were held to bail to
appear at the next York Assizes,—themselves in
the sum of £lOO each, and two sureties each of £5O.

THE LIMERICK ELECTION RIOT.—VERDICT OF
MANSLAUGHTER.—At Limerick, on Wednesday, the in-
quest which bas been for some time sitting on the bodies of
the men killed at the riots during the late election for that
city was brought to a conclusion. The jury returned a
verdict of manslaughter against Edward G. Bell, R.M.,
and 26 policemen who composed the firing party.

VOLUNTEER coiePs.

BRADFORD.

A mo cement was commenced in Bradford about
'a fortnight ago with a view to the raising of a
volunteer rifle corps, and so far it has been deci-
dedly successful. The mayor of the borough, the
leading merchants and manufacturers, and many of
the resident gentry have • taken the matter up
heartily, and, though the canvassers appointed have
been at work dcomparatively short time, the suc-
cess they have met with leaves no doubt whatever
of the speedy accomplishment of the object con-
templated. Already a list of close upon 100 volun- '
teers has been obtained by three or four gentlemen
occupied in the canvass, and the names of 80 gen-
tlemen who are anxious to aid the movement have
been sent, along with the list of volunteers, to the
Mayor, who has signified his intention to couvene
a public meeting on the question, to be held early
next week. In addition to the Mayor, the Rev.
Dr. Burnet, vicar of Bradford, the borough mem-
bers of Parliament, and the county arid borough
magiStrates, whose replies to the applications made
to them have been received, have gr.-en their coun-
tenance and promised their support to the design,
and should the Lord Lieutenant of the West
Riding sanction the scheßle, there is every pro-
bability, from the alacriCy with which volunteers
have come forward, o four companies of some-
thing like 60 rifleJ7aen each being formed at
Bradford without clay, with a fair prospect of the
strength of each company being increased ultimately
to the full ef;aiplement ofl/4100.

.......
EXETER. .
A numerous and influential public meeting was
, i':eld at the Guildhall on Thursday afternoon for the
purpose of devising the best means of forming
additional rifle companies in connection with the
existing Exeter and South Devon Volunteer Rifle
Battalion. Capt. Tanner, the Mayor, presided, and
among those present were the Earl of Devon, Mr.
"E. Divett and Mr> R. S. Gard, the two members of
Parliament for the city, and the Rev. Chancellors
*
Martin and Harington.
The MAYOR said that it was undoubtedly the,
duty of the people of this country at the prennt
critical juncture to be prepared for any emergency
that might arise, to get their rifles ready, and to
" keep their powder dry." (Cheers and laughter.)
Letters from Mr. A. Stowey, a county magistrate,
and from the Bev. Mr. Browne were read, in which
the writers expressed themselves strongly in favour
of the objects of the meeting.
Mr. DIVETT, M.P., moved the first resolution :
"That this meeting desires to respond with devoted
loyalty to the call made on the patriotism of the country by
the recent circular addressed, under her Majesty's autho-
rity, to the Lords Lieutenant of counties, and regards with
satisfaction the fact that in the first established volunteer
rifle corps whose services were accepted by the Queen in
1852 this city possesses the nucleus of a force capable of
being enlarged to its originally intended establishment of
eight companies."
The hon. member said he was old enough to re-
member the last war, when there were great
apprehensions of an invasion by Napoleon, and at
that time there was a camp of some thousands of
men on Woodbury-hill. Along the whole of the
coast were signal stations, and every preparation
was made to raise an alarm in case of an invasion.
Although he did not believe at the present moment
that there were any grounds for invasion, yet the
justify
the of the times were such as to
the making of such preparations now as were made
lat the time referred to. In a conversation with
a distinguished officer of engineers, Sir Frederic
Smith, he (Mr. Divett) had alluded to the absolute
necessity of having a battery at the mouth of the
Exe,—something in the nature of a marten() tower,
—where two or three of Armstrong's guns might
be fixed, for it was now perfectly practicable for a
steam flotilla to get into the Exe, to land an army
in Exeter before any power of resistance could be
organised, burn the city, and do a vast deal of
mischief. He believed that the proposed organisa-
tion of an efficient rifle corps was, however, the
best and most powerful means of averting such a
calamity, and he would strongly support such a
movement. (Cheers.) He had seen rifle practice
in the Tyrol and in Switzerland, where every man
was trained to the use of the rifle, and he could not
see why the people of this country should not be
trained in a similar way. (Cheers.) He quite
agreed with the Latin motto, which he had once
seen affixed to the entrance of a fortified gate in
the Netherlands,—" Si vis pacem para bellum"—
' "If you are desirous of peace be always prepared
for war." (Loud cheers.)
Mr. KENDALL (a magistrate of the city) se-
conded the resolution, and it was carried unani-
mously.
The Rev. Chancellor MARTIN proposed the next
resolution :
"That regarding the importance of Exeter in position
and population, at least four companies of the battalion
should be furnished by this city, and that steps be imme-
diately taken to supply that number in Exeter, and to give
all possible encouragement to the completion of the corps
by perfecting other companies within the district."
The Rev. Chancellor expressed his cordial con-
currence in the present movement, and most
earnestly desired its success. As a sincere advocate
for peace generally and on Christian principles,
and for the strict neutrality of this country in the
present crisis, he was at the same time most
anxious to see the nation placed in the strongest
attitude of self defence. (Cheers.) The proclama-
tion issued by General Peel held out no encourage-
ment that Government would do much in aid of
the expense of volunteer corps, but he thought the
Government ought at least to find rifles for them.
(Cheers.)
Mr. FRANKLIN seconded the resolution, and it
was carried nem. con.

Mr. GARD, M.P., Moved a resolution soliciting
subscriptions for the purpose of providing rifles for
those who could not afford to bear the whole of the
expense. The hon. member urged the necessity o
liberal subscriptions on the part of those who were
unable to join the corps themselves, and announced
his intention to give a donation.
Mr. WiLcocKs seconded the motion, and it was
unanimously carried.
The Earl of DEVON then addressed the meeting.
He was quite sure that if the citizens of Exeter
needed the co-operation of their neighbours they
would find that there were many gentlemen in the
neighbourhood who would be most willing to lend
their assistance to promote, the good work. His
Lordship urged the importance of adopting such a
course as would prevent the corps from being made
a mere organisation for pride or display. It ought
to be a real working body, and no more expense
should be incurred in the dress and equipments
than was necessary for the efficiency of the corps.
He also urged that the hours of practice should be
such as would suit men engaged in active business,
and very warmly advocated the employment of
experienced military men to drill the members of
the corps. (Cheers.)
Mr. TURNER then moved the appointment of a
committee for the purpose of carrying out the ob-
jects of the meeting.
Chancellor HARINGTON seconded the motion.
Although by his sacred vocation a strong advocate
of peace, he felt that so long as human nature was
weak and wicked there would be always fighting
men, and he was one of those who felt the immense
comfort of fighting by depu(Cheers.)
Mr. W. P. MOORE, the apt ' and Adjutant
of the Exeter and South Devon Rifle
Battalion, in
a long and able speech, explained the constitution
of that corps, stated that it had an efficient company
of 60 men at Torquay, under the command of Sir
E. S. Prideaux and Colonel Browne, and expressed
his belief that six or eight more companies might
be formed in Exeter. He also stated the intention
of the Government greatly to reduce the price of
rifles.

The motion was carried, and a subscription list
was then opened. Several gentlemen present con-
tributed, and it is expected that a goodly sum will
be raised.