The Sun.
London, England, 1866-11-28 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 28, 1866.

astern, the half-circle was made in 46sec., and the
full circle in Imin. 26sec. With port engine going
ahead and the starboard astern the half-circle was
made in 42sec., and the full circle in Imin. 18sec.
Her Majesty's screw gunboat Sepoy, 2, 60-horse
power, Lieut. Commander H. J. Dyke, left Chatham
early yesterday morning for the west coast of Ire-
land, conveying to Queenstown a quantity of Royal
Marine and other naval stores. She shipped her
powder and shell at Upnor Castle, and, after ad-
justing compasses at theNore, proceeded to her des-
tination yesterday afternoon.
Her Majesty's sloop- corvette Reindeer, 7, 200
horse power, Commander E. Nares, left the Nore at
6 a.m. yesterday for the Pacific, calling in at Spit-
head. Prior to the departure of the Reindeer she
was inspected on Monday by Vice-Admiral Sir B.
W. Walker, K. C.B. , Naval Command er- i -Chief,
the appearance of the vessel being in all respects
satisfactory.

The screw steamer Rodney, 78, 2,770 tons, 500
horse power, belonging to the Medway Steam Re-
serve, is directed, by Admiralty order, to be ready
for being commissioned by Jan. 1. A number of
shipwrights, joiners, riggers, and other hands are
busily at work on her in the steam basin, so that
she may be completed by the date ordered. Her
destination is China.

The drawings and plans for another powerful
ironclad, to be constructed at Chatham, are in
course of preparation at the Admiralty.
On no former occasion has there been more activity
at the naval establishments at Chatham than is now
observable in the shipbuilding department at the
dockyard. The chief interest is centred in the two
ironclad ships Hercules and Monarch, both of which
are being as rapidly brought forward as the resources
of the establishment will permit. The former vessel,
although only commenced at the latter part of June
last, is now about one-third 'complete, and from the
progress already made there is little doubt she will
be afloat and equipping for sea within 12 months.
Already a considerable portion of the 9-inch and 6-
inch plates have been fixed to her port and starboard
broadsides, one tier of the 6-inch plates along the
central battery, as well as the second tier, consist-
ing of plates of 9 inches in thickness, being com-
pleted and bolted in the ship's sides. Yesterday the
first of the third tier of of 6-inch plates was fixed
in its place, to be followed by a tier of 8-inch plates,
and the remainder of 6 inchesin thickness. Already
some 300 tons of armour-plates have been fitted
and fastened to the broadsides of the Hercules, the
plates being laid on a backing of 10 inches of
teak, inside of which will be a double skin
plating, 1i inch in thickness, with the ordinary
inner 4-inch plates, giving a total thickness
of iron of 114 inches. The deck bedms, which
are of rolled iron, and manufactured at the Butter-
fly Works, have been fixed in their places, and, in-
cluding the upper deck of the battery, are in readi-
ness for receiving the iron deck-plates. Although
the Hercules is built on the double-bottom prin-
ciple, now adopted in the construction of iron ships
for the navy, she is nevertheless, rendered still fur-
ther secure from all chances of injury by being built
with a few water-tight bulkheads separating the
central battery from the other portions of the main
deck.

The screw steam frigate Liffey, 31, having had a
thorough repair, was removed on Saturday from
No. 4 dock at Devonport.
The foremast of the iron armour-plated screw
steamship Achilles, 26, Capt. Edward W. Vansit-
tart, at Devonport, is stripped preparatory [for re-
moval. The alterations and repairs of this ship
will occupy some time.
The paddlewheel steam surveying vessel Sylvia,
5, left Plymouth on Monday evening for China.

A lighted candle, incautiously stuck on Monday
against the side of the screw steam frigate Bristol,
31, under repair in Keyham steamyard, charred one
of her beams. Serious consequences might have
ensued had it not been discovered in time.

The paddlewheel steam sloop Gladiator, Com-
mander Aplin, shipped her powder on Monday
morning, embarked a draught of Royal Marines
yesterday morning, and was appointed to sail in the
afternoon for Ireland.

The paddlewheel steatnsloop Buzzard, 6, Com-
mander C. G. Lindsay, was hauled alongside the
sheer hulk in Hamoaze on Saturday, and had her
masts taken out. She was then placed alongside the
dockyard at Devonport, where her crew were paid
off on Monday. The Buzzard is ordered to beplaced
in the fourth division of the Steam Reserve ; but, if
found not worth repairing, she will be cleared out
and sold for the purpose of being broken up.
The armour-plated screw steamship
.Zealous, 20,
is expected to leave Ply-
Czepat.
th Richardearlyin Dawkins, is

The armour-plated screw steamship Lord Clyde,
24, flag of Admiral Warren, will probably go into
No. 2 dock at Devonport, on Friday, to receive a
screw with two blades in place of one with four.

The armour-plated screw steamship Caledonia,
was placed on Friday
i3nO,Niti.gt,:ddoAcdkmairt aDI
eYveolnvperotortn,,where
her bottom has
been cleaned. Several sheets of Muntz's metal, near
the fore foot, have been renewed, in consequence
partly of damage done by the swinging of the anchor
when in a sea way. Some of Betteley's sheathing,
placed on her two years since, appears in compara-
tively good order, and will not be removed until her
commission is concluded. There is on her false keel
some appearance of her having touched the ground.
The Caledonia will be uudocked to-morrow.

The Lords of the Admiralty have appointed Dr.
Charles A. Anderson Deputy-Inspector-Gen. of
Hospitals and Fleets, to the Chatham division, vice
Dr. Armstrong, promoted,
An Admiral's good service pension is at the dis-
posal of the First Lord of Admiralty by Admiral
Sir Phipps llornby, G.C.8., becoming Rear-Ad-
miral of the United Kingdom.

The telegraphic order from the Admiralty on
Monday to coal and prepare the troopships, Capt.
Sullivan, and Orontes, Capt. H. W. Hire, for the
embarkation of troops at Portsmouth was further
extended yesterday—they are to fill up with coal, and
ship provisions and stores for 30 days' service. Ihe
Tamar will embark the 28th (North Glocester)
Regiment, under command of Col. Mentor, C. 8.,
this morning from Aldershott, and proceed imme-
diately to Ireland, returning to Portsmouth with the
39th Regiment, to replace the 54th Regiment, the
latter being under orders to remove to Manchester,
instead of the 28th, as originally intended. The
Orontes will embark the 52d (Oxfordshire) Light
Infantry, under the command of Lieut. Col. L.
Peel, from Aldershott to-morrow, and leave imme-
diately with them for Queenstown, after which she
will proceed to Liverpool and there embark a regi-
ment for Belfast, consequently her time of paying
off (which was fixed for the 3d proximo) is post-
poned. The Orontes has had her stores returned,
cabins entirely cleared out, and every preparation
made for paying off, so that in the short space of 24
hours she has been coaled, and, by great exertions,
shipped her provisions and stores, had her cabins
temporarily fitted up, and been ready for the em-
barkation of her troops.
An order has been received at headquarters,
Chatham, directing Captain R. F. Tayler, Royal
Marines Light Infantry, to embark on board the
screw frigate Galatea, 26, 800 horse power, fitting
at Devonport, preparatory to her being commis-
sioned, it is understood, by Capt. the Duke of Edin-
burgh. Capt. J. W. V. Arbuckle has proceeded'from
headquarters to Liverpool, for service on board her
Majesty's ship Donegal, 81, 800 horse power, Capt.
J. A. Paynter, there to relieve Lieut.-Col. J.W. A.
Kennedy, who has been appointed to the Woolwich
division, for duty at headquarters.
It was yesterday stated at Chatham that the Go-
vernment will shortly despatch a considerable force
of Royal Artillery
from the three depot brigades for
service in Ireland. Each of the brigades is now very
strong, and could together furnish a force of 1,000
men, with their field equipment, for service. It was
also stated to be probable that one or two companies
of Royal Engineers will be despatched from Chatham
to Ireland.

Capt. C. 8.9 Brackenbury, 7th battery, sth Bri-
gade Garrison Artillery, who has been attached to
the Austrian army as military correspondent of the
Times during the late war, yesterday returned to his
duties at Woolwich.

Information was yesterday received at the Wool-

with Division Royal Marines; Light Infantry, an-
nouncing the appointment of Major-Gen. Oates
Travers, C. 8., to be Inspector-Gen. on the Staff of
the Royal Marine Forces, in succession to Lieut.-
Gen. A. B. Stransham, who is about to retire.
The command of the Chatham division of the
Royal Marines Light Infantry has been assumed by
Col. W. S. Aslett, second commandant of the divi-
sion, until the arrival at head-quarters of Col. G.
Lambrick, Aide-de-Camp to the Qeen, who has
been appointed to succeed Major-Gen. J. 0. Tra-
vers C. 8., as commandant of the division.

First-Lieut. W. Despard, Royal Marines Light
Infantry, and Second-Lieut. F. Drury, 4 sergeants,
4 corporals, 1 bugler, and 87 privates left Woolwich
yesterday and proceeded to Plymouth head-quarters
for embarkation in her Majesty's armour-plated
ship Black Prince, at Queenstown. Capt. A.
Macmeekan, of the Chatham division, took com-
mand of and embarked with the detachment. An_
exchange of divisions has been sanctioned between
First-Lieut. C. Fagan, of the Plymouth division,
and First-Lieut. E. Innes, of the Woolwich division.
The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty have
been pleased to signify that Capt. G. Blake, of the
Woolwich division of Royal Marines, may be ex-
empted from military duties for one year to enable
him to attend the lectures and classes as a student
of the Middle Temple, to qualify for the duties of a
Deputy Judge-Advocate to any court-martial held
for the trial of officers and men of the Royal
Marines, in accordance with the Horse Guards' cir-
cular of June 18, 1866, it being understood that he
will at once rejoin his division if required for foreign
service. During this period Capt. Blake will be
entitled to " lodging allowance."

Assist.-Paymaster N. Gedye, late of the Royal
Sovereign, has been appointed to the Excellent,
gunnery ship at Portsmouth.
The following appointments have been made at
the Admiralty :—W. H. Harris, master, to the In-
dus, for service in the Rodney ; Sub-Lieut. A. F.
Gardner to the Lord Clyde ; C. M. Hammond,
master, to the Greyhound; 11. J. Oldfield, midship-
man, to the Highflyer ; E. J. V. Pritchard, mid-
shipman, to the Bristol ; J. C. Tinhorn, paymaster,
to the Aurora ; and J. H. Cleverton, assistant pay-
master, to the Royal Adelaide, as secretary's clerk.

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

Tl3lES.—Prince Charles Eitel Frederick Zephyrin
Louis of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen seems to have
been born under a particularly benignant star. A
younger son in a family reigning over one of the
most diminutive Gorman Principalities, he passed
at once from the 2d Regiment of Prussian Dra-
goons, where he filled the rank of supernumerary
Sub-Lieutenant, to the throne of the Danubian
Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia, now to
be known as Roumania, a country with above
4,000,000 inhabitants,—very nearly as many as
Bavaria, more than any of the other minor Ger.
man Kingdoms, defunct or extant,—and surpassing
them all in virtual independence, as well as in the
prospects of future growth and importance. By
what secret agency the exaltation of this fortunate
youth was originally promoted will, perhaps, never
be quite clear to the world ; but nothing could be
more propitious than the combination of circum-
stances which subseiueutly favoured it. The vote
of the Roumans and the acceptance of their Prince
Elect were announced as an almost simultaneous
event. It was not at first acknowledged as an ac-
complished fact. It was hardly made a subject for
deliberate comment or diplomatic explanation. It
was simply set aside as an insignificant episode, lost
in the magnitude of the drama which was just then
filling the European stage, and left to find its de"-
notionent either in the general catastrophe or in some
separate settlement after it. The war of Bohemia
was neither one day too short nor one day too long
for Prince Charles of Hohenzollern. It called away
public attention from his affairs while it lasted, and
brought about at its close that exhaustion which
disposes great Powers to concession and compro-
mise. Prince Charles may now " congratulate
himself on the good state of his international re-
lations." He has just come back to Bucharest
laden with honours and presents from his nominal
Suzerain, the Sultan. Russia assures him of all
the sympathy which " his descent and the first
acts of his Government" enlist in his behalf.
Austria proposes that a protocol for the recognition
of his hereditary rights should be drawn up by all
the Powers which signed the Treaty of 1856 ; and
as for France and England, if we had any doubt as
to their mind on the subject, we have the testimony
of our Bucharest Correspondent to the effect that
the good understanding between the Porte and its
Royal vassal was mainly due to the "cordial and
united action" of the Western Powers. On the part
of Prussia we fancy no insuperable objection to a
Hohenzollern's promotion need be apprehended.
The Moldo- Wallachians have thus obtained at last
what they for a long time wanted—a " Heaven-sent"
Sovereign. Roumania had too long an experience
of Hospodars chosen among its native Boyards to
expect under them either order within or respect
from without. So long as the Porte had only to
deal ,with a subject, it hardly realised to its full ex-
tent the downfall of its supremacy in its Danubian
Provinces. But even that poor Sigmaringen purple
gave the Prince born in it the right to feel at home
in the Sublime Presence. We have seen how much
Russia is willing to allow for " descent," and any
deficiency in the late Sub-Lieutenant's Princely title
was more than made up by the distant cousinship of
King William of Prussia, and possibly by the more
immediate goodwill of Count Bismark. Besides
these adventitious qualifications, it seems that Prince
Charles recommends himself by intrinsic merits. He
is now in his 27th year, " handsome and chivalrous,"
distinguished by a firmness of purpose tempered by
a conciliatory manner quite surprising in one so
young." He enters heart and soul into the dis-
charge of the duties of his new position. His zeal
for the regeneration of his adopted country is dis-
played in his anxiety to attain local knowledge and
experience. He has established a strong and some-
what stern discipline over himself and his re-
tinue. An Italian, who has been his Mentor since
his accession, having made him aware of the bane
that women have always been in the Roumanian
Councils, prevailed upon him to "banish the ladies
from Court." That Court, " formerly so charming,
so filled with allurements, intrigues, and fascina-
tions, has become more austere than a Western
cloister—a place of business worthy of Germany."
Iu despite of this rebuke to their levity and self-in-
dulgence, the most frivolous nobles have not fallen
away from the Prince, while " a genuine loyal en-
thusiasm has sprung up in his favour among the
people throughout the length and breadth of Rou-
mania." It would be rash to foretell what may
prove to be the sequel of a reign that begins under
such cheering auspices. The corruption among the
nobility and the degradation of the populace render
the experiment of self-government in the Principali-
ties extremely hazardous. The proclamation by
which the new Hospodar forbade the interference
of the Government authorities in the late Parlia-
mentary elections has been but indifferently attended
to, and the new Legislature can hardly fail to be the
scene of those factious disorders by which former
Roumanian Assemblies have been invariably cha-
racterised. Faction and strife, however, must needs
be the lot of every nation in its birth-throes. The
Roumanians, like other people, must live and learn.
The rise of their nationality, meanwhile, is a suffi-
ciently significant fact in the Eastern world. It is
a first step towards the practical solution of that
Eastern question which has been for so many years
a riddle no less than a bugbear to European politi-
cians. Wherever the flood of Turkish barbarism
recedes the germs of Christian civilisation burst forth.
Already the independence which Roumania has in-
disputably attained awakens the emulation of Ser-
via, whose Prince, we are told, asserts " equal rights
with the Hospodar of Roumania," and offers to buy
off the Turkish garrisons by the payment of three
years' tribute in advance. Those four million Ron-
mans, those million Servians, are little more than
nebulae, destined, perhaps, to attain the consistency
of a cluster of stars upon the final extinction of the
rapidly waning Ottoman luminary. There can be
no good reason, as we have already said, for wishing
either to hasten or to retard the catastrophe which
is to drive the Turk across the Straits. If the old
Empire dies hard, the new States struggle but slowly
into life. However gloomy and ominous may sound
the anticipations of imminent troubles in the East,
we do not think that Turkey has anything to fear
at present from the alleged machinations from her
colossal neighbours ; and against her disaffected
subjects she seems to hold her own with sufficient
vigour. However strong the inventive faculties of
Corfu and Athens may be, there seems little doubt
that the struggle in Candia is reduced to mere
guerrilla skirmishing, and the Greek Government
will not so far exceed the limits of discretion as to
proceed from words to deeds. For the sake of
Greece, no less than of Roumania, of Servia, of all
other rising Eastern nationalities, it is, we believe,
highly desirable that the " explosion of the general
crisis in Turkey" may be put off for a few years
longer. it is not by goading or spurning " the sick
man," not by fretting and plotting and exaggerat-
ing their grievances, that the Eastern Christians
will recommend their cause to the sympathy of the
West. It is by showing to what use they are able

to put whatever they succeed in wresting from the
Ottoman's hands. Let them make the best of what
they have before they ask for more. The one among
the emancipated races which may succeed in dis-
playing the greatest aptitude for self-government
will certainly have the start of its rivals in the great
race for the Bosphorus. Greece has not much to
boast on that score. Neither had Roumania, so
long as she had only Stirbeys and Ghikas and
Couzas at her head. May we hope that Charles I.
and the Hohenzollern dynasty will bring her a better
chance ?

POST.—The prosecution of Mr. Eyre appears to
have been definitively fixed upon by the Jamaica
Committee, and a slight passage of arms between
it and the ex-Governor has already taken place in
regard to the services of aneloquent advocate which
each was equally anxious to secure. The decision
pronounced by the Attorney-General in reference
to the several retainers offered to Mr. Coleridge by
Mr. Eyre and his prosecutors has been in favour of
the former, and we have no hesitation in expressing
the hope that this minor sitccess may be the herald
Of a still more imporiant one in receiving at the
hands of his countrymen an acquittal of the crimes
which have been laid to his charge. In matters of
this kind it is almost universally the duty of the
journalist to abstain from anticipating the probable
result, but the prosecution of Mt'. Eyre stands on
such an exceptional footing that we might possibly
be excused for venturing on a forecast of the con-
clusion at which a jury would arrive. It is not our
intention, however, to discuss in detail the merits of
the evidence which will be adduced on the part of
the prosecution, much less to pronounce an opinion
how far that evidence could justify a verdict of wil-
ful murder. This will be a matter for a jury to de-
cide, and with their province we have no desire to
interfere. But although, when an issue comes to be
tried, the journalist should abstain from comment
on the probable result, he is not precluded from ex-
pressing an opinion as to the expediency of raising
such issue, or from calling in question the ground
on which it has been submitted for the adjudication
of a particular tribunal. There are those whose sym-
pathies are with Mr. Eyre, and who not only wish
him, but anticipate for him, a " good deliverance,"
who nevertheless think that hisprosecution is a wise
and politic proceeding, and that great good will
result from placing him at the bar of a criminal
court, even though his acquittal may be in the minds
of his judges a foregone conclusion. There are others,
again, who, whilst entertaining similar feelings to-
wards Mr. Eyre, conceive that his arraignment may
afford the opportunity of settling some doubtful
questions of constitutional law, and for defining with
greater clearness the limits of executive authority,
and who, whilst regretting that a gentleman who
held the position of Governor of an important de-
pendency of the British Crown should he placed in
a felon's dock, are nevertheless of opinion that, in the
interests of the community, he should be made a peg
on which to add a new code of regulations for the
guidance of future governors when placed in circum-
stances of similar difficulty and danger. We throw
out of account the opinions of those who conscien-
tiously regard him as an atrocious criminal, and
who demand that judgment shall be passed upon
him according to his deserts ; because, assuming
their opinion to be well founded, they have the
fullest justification for the course which they pursue.
But the grounds on which persons who do not as-
sociate themselves with the proceedings of the Ja-
maica Committee justify the prosecution of Mr.
Eyre are, we must confess, far from being equally
intelligible. It would be strange, indeed, if we had
arrived at the present stage of our national existence
—an existence of which some centuries were passed
in an almost continuous struggle with the Crown

for the establishment of political rights, and the re-
sults of which struggle are embodied in what we
term the Constitution—without having tolerably
well ascertained the limits of the executive power.
What the Sovereign and his advisers can do and
what they cannot do are prescribed by several
positive legislative enactments, as well as by
that no less imperative, though unwritten,
law which is known as constitutional usage. If,
however, the power of the Sovereign is well defined,
that of his Viceroys and Governors is even still
more so, and it is needless to say that the agent can
exercise no more extended rights than the person
whom he represents. The sovereign is hedged
round by an inviolability attached to his royal cha-
ract:r, whilst the Governor is personally responsible
for his acts. That this is so is well known to every
educated Englishman, whilst lawyers are aware of
particular instances in which the amenability of
the Sovereign's representative to courts of civil and
criminal jurisdiction has been conclusively estab-
lished. Thus far, then, we fail to see what good
can arise from the arraignment of Mr. Eyre, since
it is universally conceded that he can be made ac-
countable if he has overstepped or abused his au-
thority as Governor-General of Jamaica. If his

innocence be assumed, it is a cruel and unjust
thing to arraign him on a capital charge, and if his
innocence is ultimately established by the verdict
of a jury, every one wi!l admit that no advantage
has been secured by exposing him to a fruitless
prosecution. But it is suggested that his arraign-
ment will afford an opportunity of solemnly de-
ciding whether, notwithstanding the Petition of
Rights, the Sovereign or his representative may
proclaim martial law. Those who have taken the
trouble of re tding the provisions of that celebrated
statute can entertain no doubt that the martial law
there referred to was an anomalous species of juris-
diction created by Charles I. by virtue of com-
missions issued for the trial of military offenders,
and which was, in fact, intended to serve the same
purpose as that procedure which is now annually
provided by the Mutiny Act. The Commons ac-
cordingly required that no further commission of
a similar nature should thenceforth be issued,
" lest by colour of them any of his Majesty's
subjects be destroyed or put to death contrary
to the laws and franchises of the land." The mar-
tial iaw proclaimed in Jamaica was of a very diffe-
rent kind, and was rather a suspension of all exist-
ing law than the creation of any special law than
the creation of any special method of procedure.
Whether the Sovereign or his representatives can
thus suspend the action of the laws ordinarily in
force in times of great peril, when it is necessary.-to
trample outsedition and insurrection by brute force,
can, however, scarcely be considered an open ques-
tion. The Executive in this, as in every other civi-
lised State, is entrusted with the amplest powers to
secure the preservation of order, and may do any-
thing which is deemed expedient to afford security
for the lives, the rights, and the property of the com-
munity. But, whilst the Executive is entrusted
with these powers, the people are entitled to demand
that they shall be exercised with judgment and dis-
cretion, and the adviser of the Sovereign in this
country on the one hand, or his representative in a
colony or dependency on the other, are responsible
either to Parliament or to courts of law for the
manner in which such exceptional powers are em-
ployed. On this point, then, no legal doubt exists
which will be solved by the arraignment of the ex-
Governor of Jamaica. That he is accountable for
his conduct in proclaiming martial law, and in send-
ing Gordon from Kingston to Morant Bay to be
tried by court-martial, must be evident to the
meanest understanding ; but whether circumstances
existed in the colony to justify him in adopting
such extreme measures must be a question of fast,
the solution of which necessarily rests with a jury.