The Sun.
London, England, 1861-06-26 00:00:00

Shelley. I have come forward from the report in
the newspapers.
Cross-examined—My husband is a gentleman,
and of no occupation; he lives on his property; the
gentleman I saw is the same I see here (pointing
out the defendant). My husband is not now in
England ; he is travelling—not, however, as a tra-
veller ; he is in China, I think, but I am not sure.
The last time I heard from him he was there; if you
want to see the letter. I could produce it.
Sir W. Stirling, Portman-square—l went to the
Queen's Drawing-room on the day in question with
my daughter, Mrs. Stapleton. I am well acquainted
with Sir John Shelley. My daughter is also very
well acquainted with Miss Shelley. It was about
a quarter to 2 as I passed. He was apparently
sitting at a table a few feet from the window. I
don't remember which window. We saluted each
other—he frequently. There was a pause as the
carriages passed, and it afforded the opportunity.
It was just before I got up with my brougham. I
cannot say whether he wore a white waistcoat, He
had on some light garment. I saw nothing in the
slightest degree objectionable in his attire. I be-
lieve my daughter recognised him, but she did not
sit on the same side of the carriage.
Mr. Corrie said, if this had been an ordinary
case he should have stopped it, but because of its
immense importance to the public, as well as to
the defendant, he had allowed it to go on. He
then recapitulated the evidence, and commented on
it as he proceeded, characterising it as incredible
that on the Queen's Drawing Atom day, the street
full, Sir John should so have ikted. In justice to
the witnesses he must say that their evidence had
been given very properly, but that it was all. an
illusion. A man must have been mad, when police,
soldiers, and the public were thickly about, to cam-
mit such an offence as alleged, and he must say he
did not believe it. Sir John, he must say, left the
court unstained in character by this case.

Sir John, with his friends, among whom were
several members of Parliament, then retired from
the court, and, as he went to a conveyance waiting
for him was received with hurrahs from many hun-
dred persons waiting the result outside the court,
while the witnesses for the prosecution leTt the spot
in cabs, assailed by the most tremendous yells and
hisses.
The case did not terminate till a quarter-past 7
o'clock, having lasted five hours.

The scene at the Marlborough-street Police-court, yes-
terday, was one of such an unusual kind that it deserves a
brief notice, Long befot e the hour fixed by Mr. Corrie
(two o'clock) for the hearing of the case, a large crowd had
assembled round the court, and on the outer doors being
opened there was a desperate rush up stairs to gain an en-
trance into the court on the first floor. This was effected
by a large number of persons of more than usual respecta-
bility, but not without a good deal of personal inconveni-
ence. The efforts to gain admission were, in most cases
strenuous, and in one ludicrous—an energetic individual,
with the view probably of taking possession of a standing
place, having thrust in his white hat at the end of a stick,
through the half open door, but he had soon to withdraw it.
The audience portion of the court—a very circumscribed
space—having at length become closely packed, many per-
sons standing on the landing, while an immense number
remained contented on the stairs, the case was proceeded
with and lasted five hours. At the conclusion
of the case, notwithstanding Mr. Corrie's injunctions
that no expression of feeling should be shown in court,
the audience gave vent to their long-suppressed feelings in
a cheer, but it was soon checked. The arrival shortly after
of Sir John Shelley at the doorway of the court, on his exit
with several friends, was no sooner observed than a scene of
the greatest excitement ensued, for by this time about 2,000
persons had assembled in front of the court, and theytet to
cheering lustily, the scene reminding one of the return of a
favourite candidate at a well-contested election, or the de-
claration of the poll in Sir John's own city—Westminster.
Having shown their feelings on one side, a large number of
persons still waited about the court, and, en the prosecut-
ing parties emerging from the court, they were saluted by
loud hissing and groaning, till at length there being no other
occasion for any show of approbation or the reverse, the
court dispersed.

PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE.

BOARD OF ADMIRALTY.

The court continued its sitting yesterday—Mr.
Tienl4 in the chair. The other members present
were— Sir J. Pakington, Sir S. Graham, Sir M.
Seymour, Admiral buncombe, Lord C. Paget, Sir
F. Baring, Mr. Corrie, Mr. Stansfeld, and Mr.
Phillips.

Sir Ai Seymour, one of the members of committee,
in reply to questions by Admiral Duncombe,
said—Of late years I have been employed in her
Majesty's service. After serving in the Baltic, I
was placed on the India and China station. With
respect to the manning of the Baltic fleet, my im-
pressio❑ was that, considering all the circumstances,
the fleet was better manned than might have been
expected. A great number of different classes of
men are brought together. Amongst the most
efficient are the coast-guard. I cannot say of my
own knowledge that I recollect Sir C. Napier
making any serious complaint respecting the class
of men composing the crews. He did not consult
me as captain of the fleet previous to his writing
home complaining of the crews. When I took the
command in the East Indies I did not find any
marked superiority in the crews except in the case
of individual vessels which had been commissioned
for two or three years. With respect to the measures
now in existence for procuring seamen, I cannot
say that they are not equal to meet an emergency.
The best guarantee formanning the fleet rests with
the men actually voted, and next to them are the
coast-guard. I don't think the numbers of the re-
serve can be looked to with any certainty ; I be-
lieve they came on very slowly at first. We have
had a great many legislative enactments on the
subject, but the misfortune is that they have not
been used as they might have been. If the Admi-
ralty be the authority to carry out the recommen-
dations, of course the blame rests with them ; but
I rather think there are other authorities, and that
some portion of the blame rests with the general Go-
vernment. With regard to the discipline of the
Baltic fleet, that was better than I expected or could
have anticipated. Since my return home I have ob-
served an immense increase in the number of courts-
martial. I think that increase has arisen in some
respect from the dislike of captains of ships to
corporal punishment. If they can maintain dis-
cipline by other means I think they are perfectly
justified in so doing. But there is one evil con-
nected with imprisonment, and that is that the sea-
men are sometimes confined for long periods. I
think that an improvement might be made in the
police of ships, which consists of the master-at-
arms and the ship's corporal. That police might
be somewhat enlarged by the addition of some men
selected from the Royal Marine corps. I was super-
intendent of Sheerness and Devonport dockyards,
and, generally speaking I found them in a satis-
factory condition. I am not acquainted with the
interior of the working of the Board of Admiralty.
I think the responsibility should rest on the First
Lord, and should not be divided amongst the other
lords.
After hearing some further evidence of a similar
nature, the committee adjourned.