The Sun.
London, England, 1866-08-24 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, AUGUST 24, ISM.

if-year ought to have been more, and, that n,
being the case, he believed the fares had been r(
du ced below the proper standard. (Hear.) The:
ha d reduced the fares to Booterstown 50 per cent
since the line came into their hands; to Blackrocl
about 35 per cent., and to Monkstown about 25 pel
cent. They had issued about 158 different kinds o:
season tickets, and, owing to some unfair play, re-
quired modification and correction. They mighi
have to raise the fares a little to compensate then]
to some extent for the great reductions they had
made in fares to some places.
The Hon. G. HANDCOCK, seconded the motion
for the adoption of the report, which, after some op-
position from Sir G. Preston, in respect of proposed
extension lines, and against raising money on prefer-
ence shares, was carried. The dividends on the 5 per
cent. and 6 per cent. preference stocks and shares
were declared, and at the rate of 4 per cent. per
annum on the ordinary stock for the past half-year,
payable on the 31st of October.

After some other formal business, the proceeding
terminated with a vote of thanks to the chairman.

NEWQUAY AND CORNWALL JUNCTION.

The half-yearly meeting of this company was
held at St. Austell on Tuesday. The chairman,
Mr. W. L. Martin, announced that nearly a mile
and a half of permanent way had been laid, and
that negotiations were in progress for the purchase,
on satisfactory terms, of all the land required for
the construction of the railway.
The report was unanimously adopted.

of it was in Bohemia—a part of it was in Italy, but
so small and so remote that it could not act as a
reserve in time to support the larger portion in
Germany. Austria was, indeed, "in the camp of
Benedek," and she emerged from the wreck and
crash of Koniggratz only to find that, the sceptre
of the German Caesars had been stricken from her
hand, and that, at home or abroad, she could find no
hope of regaining her Imperial glory. In Bohemia
and Moravia she had no troops, and no means of
resistance to an enemy could be found in a mere
peasantry of small cottiers and agricultural
labourers. Hungary made no response to the cry
of her King; there was no " insurrectio," no fervent
promise, " Moriamur pro rege nostro." The Sclaves
only saw in Austria's weakness Sclavonia's oppor-
tunity, and, of all the hosts furnished by forced
military service, not 150,000 men could be as-
sembled in the front of Vienna for Benedek to fall
back upon, or for the Archduke to march forward
to unite with the Army of the North till it was too
late, and the enemy had established themselves in
the Marcbfeld, within sight of the capital. That was
of course no fair representation of the military
strength of Austria ; it only represented her want of
system and of preparation. Could the Prussians have
been delayed a few weeks longer Austria might have
put 500,000 men between them and the Danube,
with a reserve of 250,000 more, and further levies
could have been made to furnish her with a second
reserve of at least 250,000 men by the end of
August. But hypothetical warfare can never be suc-
cessful, and in seven weeks, just as Austria was con-
scious that she had been very late and very much
mistaken, the Prussians had gained their point, and
it will need more strength than she possesses and the
aid of alliances not now tangible to enable her in
some future campaign to reverse the degree of
July 3. Benedek has been censured for taking up
a position on the right, instead of the left bank of
the Elbe ; but, in fact, he could not help himself as
soon as lie had failed to close the passes at Nachod
and Trautenau, and had his left exposed by the de-
feat of Clam Gallas and the Saxons at Gitschin.
He could not possibly get over the Elbe in time to
get into position before an attack could have
been made on him, and he might have been
caught en flagrant dela in the act of cross-
ing the river. Besides, had he even suc-'
ceeded in • doing so he must have lost his rail-
way communications which ran on the right bank
of the river, and in that case his army would have
been left without supplies. He could not cover the
whole of the ground between Josephstadt and Ko-
niggratz, and he, therefore selected the line of the
Bistriz, and concentrated his army on the latter
fortress as the least of the evils to which his failures
had conduced. It is said that as soon as the Prus-
sians had fairly entered Bohemia Baron Edelsheim
asked leave to take all the light cavalry and dash
into Lower Silesia, so as to cut off their communi-
cations, but Benedek would not give his consent,
and the Austrian horse had no part in the great
conflict except the ungrateful task of covering a re-
treat which it saved from becoming a rout. The
result of the defeat of the Prussians would have
been by no means so decisive against them as was
that of the Austrians, unless the cavalry of the lat-
ter could have done more with their retreating
columns than the Prussians did at Koniggratz, and
that is not likely, for not only would the Prussian
horse behave with courage, but the formation of the
country and the Bistriz valley and river would have
offered great obstacles. Then, the Prussians had
great reserves ; they would not have fallen to pieces
in one battle, and the only grave consequencesmight
have been the increase of the discontent with the
war at Berlin and in other places, which was trans
ferred to Vienna, and the vigour imparted to Aus
trig and her allies in their campaign.

The more we know of the battle of Roniggratz,
the more extraordinary it appears to be in its ante-
cedents, its incidents, and its results. The van-
quished were beaten before they fought. The battle
lasted nearly nine hours, and was charmterisecl by
a most liberal use of rifled artillery on both sides,
and of a novel and terrible weapon by one of the
combatants. Before the news of the day was well
considered by Europe, Austria, which had been con-
sidered one of the greatest military Powers in the
world, hastened to surrender her Venetian provinces
and to confess that she was vanquished. If we take
the number engaged in the battle on both sides at
(190,000 by 235,000 425,000, including the re-
serves and regiments not in the fight, and the bag-
gage and rear guards, and accept the Prussian
statement of the losses as accurate, it would seem to
have been a protracted, but by no means a san-
guinary encounter. Prussians put the total loss at
50,000—viz., 40,000 Austrians and 10,000 Prus-
sians ; but in the former number is included a batch
of 18,000 prisoners, which ought to be deducted
from the number, so as to leave only the killed and
wounded. Then there are only 30,000 to be reckoned
as the actual loss, for the Prussians had some pri-
soners in the early part of the day. The whole loss
on the number engaged, therefore, was on the side
of the Prussians 1 in 23, and on the Austrians 1 in
9, in round numbers; if we add the prisoners it be-
comes, however, nearly 1 in 5 of the Austrians.
Now, at the Alma we had more than 1 in 10 killed
or wounded on the number engaged in an action of
three hours' duration, and at Inkermann our loss
was 1 in 5, and far more if we take the number ac-
tually fighting. The only way of accounting for
such a small proportion, and, as I believe, the true
way, is that artillery was largely used for a long
time on both sides, and that rifled or long-range ar-
tillery is far less destructive than the old smooth-bore
in many cases, and particularly against masses of
troops. It may he .that our own Armstrong field
artillery is far superior to either the. Prussian or the
Austrian rifled guns, and I think it is, but it is still
questionable if artillery can be brought near enough
whether rifled guns are as good as smooth-bore.
There can be no doubt concerning the very demoralis-
ing effect of fire on reserves and troops not engaged
who are reached by shot and shell ploughing through
them from guns so far distant that the smoke is
scarcely visible ; but at the same time it must be re-
membered that nothing is so feeble as an artillery
which, after a time, loses its terrors, and that nothing
so much emboldens troops as to perceive the enemycan-
not hurt them. And in the significant, but perfectly
reliable, statement which follows let our authori-
ties at home find something to think about. It is
this. The Austrians one and all declare that the
Prussian shells scarcely did any harm, because
very many of them did not burst, and were merely
bad solid shot without ricochet. The Prussians
assert that not more than one in six of the Austrian
shells burst properly, or at all. That is a grave
statement, but I am sure it will be verified on in-
and, if so, the deduction is that for practical
purposes rifled shell on these two systems are no-

thing better than plunging solid shot—shot with-
out ricochet, and therefore almost harmless against

lines of infantry or cavalry except where they
actually strike. This does not afford a position to be
occupied by the reactionary party in our artillery.
All it means is that the shells of rifled artillery ought
to burst properly, and that the fuses which arc the
most certain are the best, and that bad fuses neu-
tralise the advantages of rifling guns most effectually.
The rifled musket renders the use of smooth-bore
cannon very dangerous and doubtful, and if men
could only be trained to such a degree of stoicism
that they would fire as well under a pounding can-
nonade of smoothbores as they would at a target,
no battery of smoothbores coulJ be unlimbered and
brought into action at an effective distance in front
of infantry armed with a good rifle. But there are
cases in which ricochet fire is
invaluable, and if any
one could invent a system by
which the range and
accuracy of rifled projectiles could be combined
with the good points of the old system, he would
be, if not a benefactor to the human race, a great
improver of modern practicein the field. Koniggratz
again illustrates the value of cavalry, an arm of the
service which many seem inclined to bury down
among the dead men or to deprive it of its full force.
But for the Austrian cavalry
there is no good
reason to be assigned for the escape of their army,
large as it was, because a brisk puisuit and a
short one must have brought them to bay on the
banks of the river without any chance of retreat,
and the guns of the fortress could not have covered
them. It is a mistake to suppose that any"part
of Benedek's
army passed through or by Konig-

gratz after the battle. A large party retreated to
Pardubitz along the right bank of the Elbe ; the
rest crossed by the bridges below the city, and re-
treated by Hohenmauth. Neither could have got
away had the Prussians possessed an overwhelming
cavalry or had the Austrians had none.

The Fate of Sir Gilbert East.

(From the llampshireTelegraph.)
The inquest on view of the body of the deceased was held
before Mr. F. Blake, coroner, at the Town Hall, Rydo, on
Tuesday afternoon.
Mr. John Henry James, the deceased baronet's solicitor,
was in attendance to watch the inquiry on behalf of Sir
Gilbert East's family.
The first witness examined was Mr. John East Hunter
Payton, of Wakehurst-place, Sussex, now residing at Sea-
view, Ryde, and herecognisedthe body as that of his uncle
Sir Gilbert East. He knew Sir Gilbert very well, and last
saw him alive in July. Witness also recognised a gold
guard and chain, with a finger ring and a pin, as a portion
of the deceased's property. Tho deceased was witness's
guardian, and from this obligation he had recently been
released.
Mr. John Lambert, steward of the Royal Victoria Yacht
Club, said ho remembered the deceased coming to the club
house on the evening of Saturday, the 13th inst., and leav-
ing again about 10 minutes to 1 o'clock the following morn-
ing. The deceased appeared to witness to be in good spirits,
and when he left he was accompanied by two gentlemen.
He had only two glasses of brandy and water at the club
to witness'sknowledge. When the deceased left it was very
dark, and it was raining.
Mr. G. Roe, of Dublin, also spoke to seeing the deceased
at the Royal Victoria Yacht club-house at 10 minutes to 1
o'clock on Sunday morning. Witness saw Sir Gilbert sign
article's to sail his yacht against another.
Mr. Alex. Barnard, jeweller, of Pier-terrace, Ryde, said
that Sir Gilbert and a womanl, came to his shop about a
quarter to 9 on the Saturday night, the deceased returning
again about 10 minutes to 1. The deceased hadbeen drink-
ing, but witness did not consider him very intoxicated.
He remained in the house about 20 minutes and then left.
During a conversation Sir Gilbert told witness that he had
just made a match between his yacht and another yacht.
Michael Collins was next examined—He deposed-1 am
a servant in the Ryde Pier Company's service. I
,knew
Sir Gilbert Ehst, and saw him pass through the tollgate
early on the Sunday morning. The deceased was not
sober,; and walked, in rather a stupid manner, but as a
woman was with him who walked very steady, I thought
it quite safe for him to go on the pier. The woman had hold
of deceased's arm as long as I saw him. About 5 minutes
after that I heard a woman scream. I at once called Capt.
Crask, who was in my room, and we went together to
ascertain the cause. We came upon the woman about 250
feet from the gate. She was then screaming violently,
and said, "My husband's in the water. Save him ! Save
him ! Save him !" In a minute or two afterwards I
heard a voice in the water say " Save me ! Save me !" I
then ran down towards the end of the pier for assistance.
and not having•been able to obtain it I returned again,
when I saw two men belonging to the Caroline yacht
rowing by in a boat. I ran towards the end of the pier and
called to the men, and afterwards returned to the woman,
whom I still found screaming. I think she would have gone
over herself if I had not held her. It was on the west side
of the pier from which the noise proceeded, and it was too
dark for me to see into the water, although it was but a few
yards from me. There are some steps near where the woman
was standing, and there are also some railings; and if a per-
son wanted to go down the steps he would not have to open
any approach to them. I do not think a man would fall over
it if he fell against it. I know there are some seats along the
pier, but I do not know if there are any near that point. It
was high water that morning about a quarter-past 12,
and the depth of the water, as near as I could tell, would
be about Bft. or 9ft. in the place where I heard the noise
proceed from. I brought the woman to my room at the pier
gate, where she remained till about 4 o'clock, and a few
minutes after she left the room I found a pair of gloves
(produced) on the floor. The thumb of one of the gloves
was separated from it, as it is now. There is a life-buoy at
the lower end of the pier, but when I ran for assistance I
was in such a hurry that the existence of the buoy did not
occur to me. The water was quite calm at the time.
The next witness was announced to beMiss Braham, and
the crowd in theatall at once directed their attention to a
fashionably-dressed person, apparently about 26 or 28 years
of age, who approached the table with an air of perfect in-
difference to the nature of the inquiry. As soon as she was
directed to a seat facing the Coroner she rather loudly ex-
claimed, "Well, here lam. What do you want with me ?"
The Coroner: If you will sit down quietly I will tell you.
I want you to take an oath. Witness : Take an oath !
Well ? Coroner : Yes. I want you to swear that you will
tell the truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you
Jehovah. Will you kiss the book ? Witness : I have kissed
the book, and now you must give me ono second or so
to collect myself. Coroner : By all means. Witness was
then examined. She deposed—l have been acquainted
with the late Sir Gilbert East between eight and nine
years, and have lived with him during the whole of that
time, and have passed as his wife. I came with him to Rya()
during the present summer, and I was on board his yacht
with him. I do not kno vv when it was, but it was the "proper
season," 'expect. On Saturday evening, the 11th of August,
I came on shore with him between 8 and 9 o'clock. WO
went together to Mr. Barnad's, and he left me there while
he went to the club. It was about live minutes to 9 o'clock
when he left me. He was not at that time, lam sorry to
say, quite sober. He returned to me at Mr. Barnad's at ten
minutes oe a quarter to one, and ho was then not sober. He
had a glass of brandy and soda water at Mr. Barnad's, filled
his pipe, and appeared to be in very good spirits. He said
he was pleased that he had entered his vessel and given a
cup for the match. I did not find fault with him for being
late. About ten minutes afterwards we left the house. It
was a dark night, and although it was raining neither of us
had an umbrella. I took his arm before 1 got to the pier
gate, and as the large gates were shut I released his arm
to go through the narrow gate. After we got through I
did not take his arm again. Coroner : Are you sure of
that ? Witness : Yes. Coroner: Never afterwards ?
Witness: Never. I am quite mire of that. I walked
rather fast, a little in front of him, down the pier. •I
said,
" I must walk on a little faster, as I am afraid I shall get
so wet," and he said he would follow me. That was all
that was said between us on the pier until I heard him slip.
Coroner : You had no quarrel or any words with him ?
Witness : No. Coroner : Nothing of the kind ? Witness :
No. 1 heard him walking behind me, as I knew his foot-
steps naturally. About two or three minutes after we got
on the pier I heard his foot slip, and I heard him cry out,
Oh, oh !" I turned round and followed his voice, but I
could not see any one. I ran to the spot from which I
supposed his voice proceeded, and I felt his hands clinging
against the woodwork of thepier, and he said " I am right !'
His body was then inside the railings, Coroner : Was he'
hanging from the outside ? Witness : No. I am certain
his body was inside the pier. He said to me, "If you
don't let me go, you must come over ; I can swim." I kept
hold of him as long as 1 could ; but I cannot say what part
of him it was, as I was so much excited. Coroner: At
the time he said "I am right," where was he ? Witness
(sharply) : How do I know ? He was swimming from me,
I suppose. I had previously heard him drop into the
water. Coroner : How long before that had you hold of
him ? Witness (again answering sharply): I don't know.
I can't tell. I did not see him drop into the water ; I
heard him. Coroner : How did he get on the outside of
the railings ? Witness : He was not outside. Coroner :
Then, how did he fall ? Witness : Why, the same as any
other person, of course. In answer to other questions
during which the witness appeared much excited, she ex-
plained that the deceased was on the side of the
railings facing the water, and therefore on the outside.
She continued : I don't remember how long it was after I
heard him slip that I saw him clinging to the rails. I
screamed for assistance after I heard him drop into the
water-. I do not remember whether I saw him
when I was close to the rails, and he was cling-
ing to me. Coroner : But you felt him ? Witness :
No ; I can't tell, and it's no use asking me.
Coroner : Did you struggle at all ; did you attempt
to save him ? Witness : Of course I did. ,Coroner : Did
he catch hold of your hand ? Witness : I can't tell whe-
ther ho caught hold of mine, or I caught hold of his, but I
felt him. Coroner : Did you see the steps ? Witness : I
think he thought his boat was at the steps. Coroner ?
But if he was clinging to the side of the pier how could he
slip down the steps ? Witness : I can't tell. That's as
much a mystery to mo as it is to you. I expected to find
his boat at the end of the pier, but we had not got half way
when I hoard him' slip down. The last words I heard
him say were, " Oh, Line, what will you do ?" Coroner :
You never had hold of his arm after you got on the pier,
then? Witness : No. Coroner: Was there any reason
for that ? Witness : No ; only that I thought I should
'

get wet, and wanted to walk fast. Foreman : Was 'it

usual for you to go in front ? Witness : No. Foreman :
Was he cheerful ? Witness : Yes. Foreman : Then why
did you not assist him down the pier ? Witness : Lord
bless the man; how can I tell? By a juror: When 1 had
hold of his hand I was not standing on the water-box,
but on the pier. Coroner : Are those your gloves ? Wit-
ness : I don't know. Coroner : What became of those you
wore that night ? Witness : Oh, yes, those are the same.
They were wet, and that is the reason the thumb came off.
In answer to a juror, witness said-1 heard him swim after
he fell into the water. Coroner : Had you passed the
steps when you heard him slip ? Witness : No. A juror :

Have you ever heard him threaten to commit suicide ?
Witness : Never. I never heard of such a ridiculous thing.
By Mr. James : Sir Gilbert had only two glasses of el4very

nearly neat" beandy before he left the yacht.
The jury retired, and after a short consultation, an-
nounced that they were agreed that the deceased was
drowned, but there was no evidence to show how he came
into the water.

Coroner—Do you mean to say he was found drowned,
or that on this particular day ho was drowned ? Of course,
the verdict is yours ; but upon that will depend the inan-

manner in which it is framed.

The Foreman—We believe that he was drowned.

A verdict to that effect-was accordingly returned.