The Sun.
London, England, 1866-12-19 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

In accordance with an order received from the
Admiralty the hands employed on the ironclad
ships under construction at Chatham Dockyard are
to discontinue working extra time, the amount
placed at the disposal of the Admiralty for the pay-
ment of artificers' wages not allowing of increased
sums being paid for additional work in the ship-
building department of the yard.
Surveys have been made, on the part of the Ad-
miralty, of the vacant piece of griund near the eu-
trance gates of Chatham dockyard, on which it is
recommended that a suitable dining hall and other
buildings should be erected for the accommodation
of the mechanics who, under the existing regulations,
are precluded from leaving the dockyard during the
dinner hour. The importance of affording the neces-
sary accommodation for the hands has been brought
under the notice of the Admiralty officially in the
course of the last few days, and from the reports
which have been made to the Board on the subject
there would appear to be every probability of the
proposal being carried into effect.

It is stated that the Admiralty have it in contem-
plation to convert the first of the series of forts now
in course of completion on the Portland Breakwater
into an hospital, to be used for the sick in the naval
and military forces that may be from time to time
stationed at Portland. A healthier spot could not
have been selected. The South Fort of the Break-
water is situate about a quarter of a mile from the
mainland, and is nearly surrounded by the sea. All
refuse from the hospital will be carried away by the
tide, which runs at the base of the fort rapidly into
the Channel both in spring and neap tides. The
boys on board the Boscawen training ship, which
was rectntly removed from Southampton to Port-
land, have never been in a more healthy condition
than since the ship has been stationed at the last
named place, where they have the benefit of pureair,
while there is every facility for the boys to be put
through their various exercises within the harbour,
which covers an area of about four square miles.
Three courts-martial were held at Plymouth on
Monday and Tuesday, on board the Royal Adelaide,
on three privates of the Royal Marines, belonging to
the armour plated screw steamship Lord Clyde, 24,
Capt. Roderick Dew, C. 8., flag of Rear-Admiral F.
Warden, C.B. The Court consisted of Capt. Napier,
president; Capt. Purvis, Capt. Somerset, Capt.
Foley, and Capt. Tremlett. The first prisoner, Jas.
Arnett, gunner, was charged with having made away
with necessaries, and misappropriated mess money—
£l.6s. Having borne a good character lie was sen-
tenced to 12 months' hard labour in Lewes prison. The
second trial was that of Dewey Exton, belonging to
the 12th Company Artillery, for striking Bombardier
Coyle in the execution of his duty. By the evidence

it appeared that when the Lord Clyde was in dock
at Devonport, prisoner and Coyle were members of
the same working party. Prisoner was absent 35
minutes, and on his return, finding that the bom-
bardier had reported him, he struck him several
times with his fists and knocked him down between
two guns. Prisoner was sentenced to receive 48
lashes on board the Lord Clyde and be imprisoned
for 18 months at Lewes. These trials occupied all
Monday. Yesterday the Court reassembled for the
purpose of trying James Patterson, Light Infantry,
forstriking Sergt.-Major Staite, his superior officer,
in the execution of his duty. It appeared that on
Dec. 8 inst. the Lord Clyde was in dock in Devon-
port, and the prisoner was one of a working party
under the command of Serst. Sidebottom, wlao Bent

him to the armourer of the ship for some files. The
armourer was absent for a few minutes, and while
waiting for him- the prisoner sat down on a chest.
Sagt.-Major Staite then came up, and asked him if
he was on guard. The prisoner said "No ; he was
waiting for some files." The sergeant-major then
ordered the prisoner on the after-deck. When he
got on the main-deck he struck the sergeant three
or four times. When the sergeant returned from
reporting the case the prisoner struck him again. In
defence he admitted having struck the sergeant, but
said the sergeant " spoke to him in an insulting and
irritating manner before a lot of dockyard men," and
he " struck the sergeant while in a passion." He
now expressed his regret. Prisoner was sentenced
to five years' penal servitude. The First-Lieut. of
Marines, C. Cervante, on duty on board the Lord
Clyde, stated that prisoner had borne an exemplary
character all the time he was on board the ship,
about two years, during which his name had not
I)cen enteral in the defaulter's b,uk.
The following appointments were made yesterday
at the Admiralty :—Lieut. Thos. James to the Bel-
lerophon ; Lieut. the Hon. Edward Dawson to the
Terrible ; Lieut. Robert C. Jolliffe to the Lord
Clyde ; Wm. L. Dodds, master, to the Doris ; C.
Aylen, assist.-paymaster, to the -Victor, as secre-
tary's clerk; Wm. K. Marriott, assist.-paymaster,
to the Dauntless; Chas. Harvey, clerk, to the Vic-
tory, as supernumerary; and Wm. B. Clark, assist.
clerk, to the Royal Adelaide, as supernumerary.

THE " TIMES " OA PEEL'S BILLS,

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The Times for many years excluded from its
columns the communications of able and sagacious
men who, being before the times, foresaw and pre-
dicted enormous evils which Peel's Bills must inevi-
tably inflict on this nation. Well, now that the
Bank of Charter Act of 1864—the matured wisdom
of Peel and Overstone —has failed for the third
time, the limes finds that the subject can no longer
be ignored or trifled with, and is inviting attention
to it. But do not let the English people begin to
beat their wooden idol, the Times. So long as the
people cannot understand, and will not try to learn
the Currency Question, why should they expect the
limes to throw away its space and time ? As long,
for example, as a body like the Manchester Cham-
ber of Commerce, claiming the confidence of and
respect of the mercantile classes, ventures to put
forth a memorial to Government on the Bank
Charter Act " produced," as the Times justly ob-
serves, " with so little deliberation and knowledge
as scarcely to merit attention," can it be expected
that public writers will enter heartily into any at-
tempt to obtain a reformation ?
But it is with the Times at present, and not with
the public that we wish to deal.
" The accusation," says the Times, "brought
against the Bank Charter Act is not that it failed to
secure the convertibility of the Bank note." We
say that had the Bank Charter Act not been sus-
pended in 1847, 1857, and 1866 the converti-
bility of the Bank Note would not have been
secured.
Before the suspension in 1847, and again in 1857
and 1866 the bullion in the Issue Department was
so rapidly decaying that had the Act been allowed
to go on the £15,000,000 of notes issued against
securities would have remained in the hands of the
public without any gold or silver to meet them. The
Bank of England would have stopped payment, as
has been the case with many of the. Banking Com-
panies, with ample securities, but with no cash in
hand.

But the Times goes on to say that the accusa-
tion brought against the Bank Act is that " a
collateral result hoped for by some of its projec-
tors—the prevention of panics—has not been
achieved."

" Some of its projectors !" Sir Robert Peel
himself declared when he brought in the Bill that
"one of its principal objects was to prevent such
panics as had occurred in 1825, 1837, and 1839,
and to preserve 113 from commercial depression
and ruin." has this "principal object" been
attained ?

We say with all England that it has not.

" The Act, indeed," says the Times, "is charged
with the creation of panic." Yes it is. "It was
the belief of Sir Robert Peel," says M. Chevalier,
" that the Bill would render crises more rare. On
the contrary, they have become more frequent and
severe. They have become so by Act of Parlia-
ment."

How has the Bank Charter Act created panics ?
By the enactment which obliges the Bank to be-
come the storehouse of Gold for all the world. The
Bill forces the Bank to give out its Notes or a cer-
tain weight of gold, at all times. Thus, when gold
flows in, paper money is issued in excess. And it
may be observed that the issue of paper money is
more rapid in its effects, and tends far more to in-
flate the currency than the coinage of a like amount
of gold or silver bullion into money.
When Paper Money is thus forced into circula-
.

tion, the currency is inflated, discounts decline, and
speculation is forced on the country. If any one
wants to see the details of this process, let him exa-
mine the evidence respecting the Scotch Banking
Companies which failed in 1857. He will then see
how the Banking Companies being " full of money,"
having a part that is of an inflated currency at
command, tempted young and enterprising mer-
chants into speculation, almost against their
will.

The Bank Charter Act has, more than any
other cause, thus created. Commercial Immo-

rality.

Then after this inflation, m ith high prices and
every kind of speculation, Gold is withdrawn rapidly
from the Bank. The circulation is contracted. Dis-
counts rise. The prices of commodities and securi-

ties fall. Every one wishes to sell, no one has money
to buy. Alarm seizes all trades and merchants.
Panic ensues, as the Act directs.

With a good deal of the reasoning of the 7 Imes
in opposition to his correspondents we agree. Our
great complaint is not that the Act limits the circu-
lation, and that more trade wants m)re currency.
But we complain that the Paper Currency is widely
inflated at one time, and unduly contracted at
another.

We say that experience has shown that Bank
Notes act very differently from Gold money. That
an amount of Paper Money put into circulation
will tend much more to inflate the circulation,
raise prices and encourage speculation, than the
same amount of bullion coined into Sovereigns
would do. Bank Notes, on the Currency of
Commerce, effect more than Gold coins can.
They circulate mere freely from place to place,
and effect a greater number of transfers of com-
modities.

With such opinions we think it waste of time to
try to patch up so rotten a system as that established
by Peel's Bill of 1819 and 1844.
We fight for gold at its market price in National
Paper Money.—Derbyshire Courier.

ASTLEY'S THEATRE.—Mr. Thos. Morton, of the
Canterbury Hall, took his first benefit here on Monday
last. The house was not so full as we could have wished
to have seen it, but this was perhaps owing to the prices
of admission being doubled. The performance commenced
with " The Wandering Minstrel," in which Mr. Robson
played the part of Jem Baggs, and reminded us very much
of his late lamented father. He introduced the song of
" Villikins and his Dinah," which met with a tremendous
encore. Miss Jenny Bruce played Herbert Carol, and sang
a song charmingly. The musical farce of " The Water-
man" followed, in which Mr. St. Albyu played Tom Tug
capitally, and sang the songs of "The Bay of Biscay" and
"The Jolly Young Waterman." Miss Everard was the
Wilhelmina, and introduced a song. Mrs. Caulfield
played Mrs. Bundle; Mr. Stephens, Mr. Bundle ; and Mr.
Atkins, Robin. Towards the conclusion of the farce
Harry Kelley and all the crack watormen of the Thames
made their appearance. After which came a musical
terpsichorean melange, in which Green sang " I will stand
by my friend," and met with three encores. Miss Tyroll
sang an aria from "II Trovatore," which was rapturously
applauded. The infant Miriam played a fantasia on the
pianoforte. The Messrs. D'Auban and Wardes gave their
celebrated comic quartette. The Spanish dancers appeared
in ono of their national dances, as did also the Hungarian
dancers. The brothers and sister Karalfi, Sextilian, C.
Stanley, Sylvester, and Professor Peterson with his jolly
dogs, wound up this miscellaneous entertainment. The
performance concluded with the burlesque of "Atalanta,"
which was supported by the Astley's company, and the
audience departed, haying passed a most enjoyable oyening.

CHI -

HER MAJESTY, &c.

OSB 0 RNE, Tuesday.
The Queen went out yesterday afternoon with
Princess Beatrice, and her Majesty Walked and rode
in the grounds this morning with Princess Louise.

Prince and Princess Christian walked out this
morning.

Prince Leopold and Prince Beatrice also went
out.

-0-

The Duke of Norfolk has arrived at the Hotel
Bristol, Paris, from the south of France, on his way to
England.

The Earl aucl Countess of Enniskillen and LadY
Middleton have arrived at Florence Court, Fermanagh.
The coming of age of Viscount Cole will be celebrated at
the family estates in Ireland.

The Right Ron. Sir John Pakington returned to
his official residence at the Admiralty yesterday fro'',
-Westwood, Worcestershire, where the right hon. baronet
had been entertaining a shooting party.
We have to announce the death of Mr. Oswald,
who died on Monday last at Cannes. The premature de-
mise of Mr. Oswald will place a large circle of friends of
the deceased in mourning. Mr. Oswald was the half-
brother of Sir Frederick Johnstone, Bart., and first cousin
of the Earl Craven. Ile was son of Mr. Oswald and Lady
Louisa Oswald, of Auchencruive.

Mrs. Henderson, of Rolle Manor, has recently
purchased the old town-hall at Romsey, and, in a spirit Of
highly commendable benevolence, is about erecting there
an hospital for the poor of the district, among whom sliG
Li deservedly esteemed.

Mr. Keon's "Dion and the Sybils."

-

We are glad to see that the merits of this bril-
liant and scholarly Romance of the First Century
of the Christian Epoch are beginning to be recog-
nised both in Ireland and beyond the Atlantic.
The Dublin Freeman's Journal says of it:—
The style—if indeed style be worth considering, where
so much of what is more excellent commands our attention
—well, the style is, as any one may imagine, that of the
practised writer, easy, flowing, natural—now earnest, now
picturesque— tender or inspiring by turns. There is ne
effort, no straining after sensation or effect, though Ps
sages of singular beauty and warm in the eloquence of the
heart everywhere abound. We cannot, however, con-
ceive why the writer should have identified DionysiOt
the Areopagite, with St. Denis, and made him first
Bishop of Paris. He surely was perfectly well aware of
the verdict of history on the subject. Be this, however,
as it may, the episode in which Dion is introduced as
undertaking to establish philosophy's first grandest truth
in presence of Augustus and ,his brilliant court has struck
us as particularly noble. One page especially, that in
which Augustus himself proposes the questions to bo dis-
cussed, reminded us of a page of Cicero, so calm was it, so
clear, so overflowing with light, so dignified, so beautiful.
We do not profess to have analysed the reasoning of Dion,
we do not pronounce on its logical force or form
have, however, read it over more than once carefully and
attentively, and felt that it was for the time " a grand
philosophy" grandly told.
The Evening Post says of it:—Few will read this book
without being fascinated. It is a tale of singular interest
and singular genius. It must not bo classed with the ordi-
nary novels of the day. It has nothing in common with
them—no likeness; nor shadow of likeness. It differ!

from them essentially in feature, and in form, and in spirit
—it rises above them immeasurably superior. It i 5
original in design, as a work of genius ever is. The
supernatural and natural it employs with equal fear-
lessness and freedom—blends together the divine and
human startlingly sometimes, though over reveren"
tially—and almost compels us to feel that a work so bold,
so brilliant, so strange, yet interesting, still baffles, if it
do not defy, the ordinary rules of criticism. The period
to which it refers is the first century—the age of Augustus
--an age then glowing as autumn sunset in rich and 'Va-
ried glories—oh ! more, infinitely more—an age for ever
consecrated by the revelation of religion and the presence
on earth of its Divine Founder ! The story itself is ex'
ceedingly simple, and to that very simplicity is indebted
for much of its exquisite beauty. It is one that ad
dresses itself to the heart's purest and most sacred
affections, and one from whose perusal we rise
not only delighted, but, as it were, inspired
with the spirit of some higher and brighter ex"
istence.

in the courso of the narrative we ara in:

troduced to all the most distinguished and the most noble
of the Roman world of that distinguished period ;
still the
characters in which the chief interest centres are few ja
numbsr, and almost all imaginary. They aro evidentlY
creations of a spirit itself pure, generous, noble, but still
more purified and ennobled by religion's divinest iurla-
ences. They are forms, all of the purest, most generous
affection—of loving truthfulness, of fervent enthusiasm for
the good and beautiful. Indeed, a singular purity of WO
and sentiment, blended with a happy fervour of imagiea-
tion and of feeling, seem to us to constitute the distinguish-
ing feature, and with it the distinguishing charm of these
beautiful volumes, and cannot fail to recommend them t°
the homes and spheres where purity and innocence are
most highly prized.

The Evening Freeman remarks :—We hail the appearance
of this work, however, on other and higher grounds than
its merits as a work of philosophy or of fiction. It is a work
evidently whose first idea was inspired by religion —it is an
offering, a homage, every page, every line, to religion. It is
a work consecrated to religion in religion's own purest spirit'
The character of a religious work is indeed studiouslY
avoided. It is so best, perhaps, as in its present form it may
find its way to hearts and spheres that would be other-
wise closed against it. Would we had other works Of the
same high aim and tone! With works of the kind in every
haad, the diffusion of infidel literature would soon be
arrested, and religion once again enthroned in light in every
heart. We cannot conclude this brief notice without Con-
gratulating Mr. Keen on the production of a work ealeu-
lated to serve the cause of truth and virtue, whilst it call;
not fail to make more generally known his genius and
acquirements.
The New _York, Albion of a recent date remarking of the
same work :—Mr. Keon writes like a scholar who
`
thoroughly conversant with that of which he writes, an
ho possesses a talent which many scholars lack, and which,
stands him in good stead as a romancer—the talent eL
telling a story in a graphic manner —of making his reader
realise his scenes and characters; puttirg
en rapport, in short, with the life and movement of his
book. The period of history which he has selected
was as terrible in its way as the days which Pre-
ceded and led to that great convulsion which we call the
French Revolution—a period of the highest civilisation
wedded to the lowest, the most atrocious vices—an ePc)eu
whose besotted and desperate rulers lived as thong
r
they anticipated the mot of the French King,
us the deluge." The hero of Mr. Keon's ro-
mance;
is a young Roman gentleman, whose family estate
have been confiscated on account of the part taken 11
his father in one of the many civil wars of the time--
which, it matters not—and who makes a journei t.:
Rome to endeavour t 3 recover them, accompanied 11
mother and sister, the last of whom plays an importae
part in the story, through the machinations of Sektntis'
who becomes enamoured of her, and who causes her to De
.
abducted from her family. The plot, which is too fotr"
sate to be unfolded here, is full of incident, containing
several breathless situations, as the play bills say—wit
situations, however, are not in the least melo-dram
though certainly very exciting. Such is the rove ho
of the Roman soldiers at the commencement of t a
tale, and the skill which Paulus, the hero, shows 3.813
rlg
swordsuum ; and, better still, the exhibition of his dsre.
in training the dreadful Sejan horse, in the amphithest f
The character of Paulus is cleverly drawn, as are raesti.i°o
the subordinate actors in this wild drama, especially t ,
royal ones—the present and future Emperors of Remo(
Augustus, Tiberius, and Sejanus. Mr. Keon's pictures;
Roman court and camp life are vivid enough, and as as
is,
rate, we presume, as is desirable in such a romance as vo
which, take it altogether, is one of the most spirited
have read for many a day.

PRINCESS'S THEATRE.—On Boxing Night "133r-
naby Budge" will be performed, when Mr. George 1-1°Ir;
who is expressly engaged for the character, will plaY fur
Miggs for the first time. The Fairy Extra,vaganzaill- „r
J. R. niche, entitled " Tho Invisible Prince," will fe"°',
to enable Mrs. John Wood to appear before a Londe', P°
lie as a burlesque actress, a style of acting in which sijer
said to have been very successful in America. Mr. Ge°le
Honey and Miss Augusta Thomson will also act "tbet
same extravaganza, and Miss Fanny Heywood, dalig h
of Mdtne. Heywood, will make her first appearance in
London as the Princess. Entirely new scenery 106 beijed
painted by Mr. F. Lloyds, and with its costumes .ace.
dances the burlesque will present the aspect of a new Pic
L' International, the French daily London journ%
has been sold by private contract to Mr. M. Mayer, who
now sole proprietor of the said journal. et
Miss Russell, having entirely recovered from
indisposition, will reappear at Tho Oxford on 3-I°3d ?r,
next, the 24th inst., in a now selection, by Milliard, ePa
titled "Les Dragons do Vallars," which will be prodacc
for the first time iu this country.
We understand the forthcoming entertainnient3,Y
the Canterbury Hall is written by W. S. Vandervell, o
is entitled " Our Christmas Box," and from which will 1,
introduced "Les Owbres Fantasques." When we rec°A
lect the clever sketches this gentleman wrote for the Gb°l
Illusion, which was exhibited at this establishment, N"
have no fear for the success of this Christmas noYoltP