The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-16 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY

Bill " which Lord PALMERSTON' has introduced. or in the colonies, as considerations of economy
He intends to remove a serious stain from and expediency may dictate :" thirdly—" To
the National Statute Biola—to abolish tin- provide in all cases fur the moral and religious
necessary and almost impious forms ! We are ; instruction of each criminal, with an allowance of
teld on the highest authority that " The LORD will food, bodily comfort, rest, and recreation, corre-
not hold him guileess, who taketh his name in I spending in character and amount with his con-
vain !" And yet that awful 'name is wantonly `duct and industry in confinement, so as to excite
invoked. Pereons are required before they can motives, powers, and habits of industry, self-rc-
dise4arge the important duties confidA to their ham-, and self-control, and thus render criminals
charge, by the deliberate choice of influential and the voluntary instruments of their maintenance,
privileged bodies of their fellow- subjects, to swear punishment, reformation, and release." Theme

not merely as to matters of fact, but to questions
of law, to declare that no foreign prince, person,
prelate, state, or potentate, hath or ought to have
any jurisdiction, power, superiority, pre-eminence,
authority, ecclesiastical or spiritual, within this
realm. Now that is, simply a matter of opinion.
We know that such pre-eminence and autho-
rity, is not only actually claimed, but ex-
ercised, and although we ourselves may not
recognise it, it is effectual with a numerous body
of our fellow-citizens. It is, therefore, something
more than a mere oatit of supererogation, and we
regret that Lord PA LMERSTON should have in-
grafted it on that which ho proposes to ret sin.
There can be no possible difference of opinion
as to that portion of the oath that refers to the
descendants of the " Pretender," as ho wal
formerly termed, or in other words, the son of
JAMES 11. It is notorious that there are no
such persons in existence ; and, as Lord PALMER
STON remarked, we might as well " for all prac-
tical purposes abjure our belief in the Heptarchy."
This is, indeed, " frivolous swearing," and every
honourable gentleman who has been called upon
to pledge his faith to such absurdities, must be
desirous to abate the social nuisance.

boldly indicated and clearly expressed suggestions
really and truly contain within them the gist of
the popular aspirations in relation to the whole
scheme of our criminal legislation. Rapidly
hinted under these three headings, they were
aft Twards eleborat3d in four well-considered re-
solutions, proposed by Mr. DAVENPORT HILL,
and sec)nded by Mr. GEORGE CRUIBSHANIC.
The adoption of these resolutions, we are
satisfied, was only postponed by the ad-
journment. That adjournment, we believe,
will prove to have been only preparatory to their
more earnest and cordial acceptance ; for the
resolutions themselves are, in truth, most dis-
tinctly expressive of thoughts and hopes long
cherished upon this vital question in the Popular
Heart. They mean—only they express their
meaning in mere conventional language—precisely
what a very blunt and a very snubbed amend-
ment (proposed yesterday, but not seconded) de-
clared to be its meaning, point blank !—namely,
that with a view to constrain men. into habits
conducive to self-denying industry, and to deter
them from robbery and violence, Criminal Disci-
pline should be based on these two Principles—
Firstly, " in respect of food, clothing, and all
bodily comforts, they should be made less desirable
than those which honest men enjoyed—who sup-
ported themselves and famiPes by labour ; and,
secondly, that the practical result of all that had
been done for the criminal was to place him in a
better condition than the self-supporting labourer;
and, therefore, the encouragement given to crime
was attended with the most disastrous results, and
disgraceful to a Christian and civilised nation."
Just a trifle too plain spoken; Mr. ELLIOTT—onIy
too plain spoken ! We alt of us believe precisely
what you say—but it won't do to say so in plain
terms and without a little amiable and courtly
circumlocution. Wherefore—of course—as we
have said, the amendment was not even seconded;
but was coolly allowed to pass sub silentio. For-
tunately, the original resolutions enunciated,
however, the very same truths in other words—
words not so rudely exact perhaps, but quite as
significant. It could hardly have been otherwise,
in-f Ac`, for the feeling upon this subject through-
out the country is earnest and all but unanimous.

We should have been bettor pleased. if Lord
PALUERSTON had proposed altogether to do away
with oaths. They are, in fact, merely snares for
tender consciences. Those who may be exeluded
are precisely the very men whose services would
be most valuable to the community at large. The
title of our Most Gracious SovEnzra-N to the
sceptre which she wields with so much credit to
herself and advantage to the community at large
rests on too firm a basis to require such props, and
we believe that no person who dared to contem-
plate any disturbance, either to the present occu-
pant of the Throne or her lawful successors, would
be deterred by such "airy nothings" as the pre-
sent forms. There are, unquestionably, matters
in which oaths are indispensible ; and since the
leading case of OITICHUND v. BA.RKEE, it has been
wisely held that they should be taken in the
form which the party declares to be most
binding on his conscience. lie who invokes
the DEITY to witness the truth and accuracy
of his statement would, if an honest man,
detail the matters within his knowledge on a simple
declaration, and if a dishonest one would merely-
regard the temporal penalties attached to wilful
and corrupt perjury.
But whatever value may be attached to the
adjuration, it is obvious that it must be
diminished by constant repetition. There is
much truth in the copybook aphorism, that
"familiarity breeds contempt ;" and what is
almost of daily occurrence ceases to exercise any
fnfluence over the imagination. We all know the
utter failure of what were designated as eastern-
house oaths. The swearing did not in the
slightest degree interfere with the illegal traffic,
which flourished the more because the impious
forms were substituted for more salutary means
of repression. The Coast Guard has done more
to check smuggling than all the oaths that ever
were framed. And landlords may repose far
greater faith in the various powers granted by
law for enforcing their rants, than if authorised
to administer an oath to each tenant that he would
duly liquidate the demand ou each successive
quarter day.

The Eail of MALMESBURY actually grudges
12,0001. or 16,0001. expended in the improve-
meet of St. James's Park, but with admirable
consistency cannot find it in his heart to regret
'T6,000,000/., or call it in round terms,
100,000,0001. sterling squandered—to no avail
whatever—upon the late sanguinary war with
Russia ! The Noble Earl, when he'talks as he
talked last evening in the House of Lords, is nei-
ther extending his popularity nor elevating his
reputation. He was a vast deal better as Foraign
Secretary, than he is now under the weight of his
self-imposed responsibility, as Censor of the
Minister of Public Works. It is very waggish,
but at the same time very churlish, t) sneer at
Sir B. ELALL, as BENJAMIN the Magnificent ! It
is sc7.rc::ly fair to create a pother about 1,0001. hav-
ing been wasted upon the cleaning of CLIARLES I.'s
statue at Charing-cross, when, as the President of
the Conned explained in one brief sentence imme-
diately afterwards, 501. covered the whole expense
of that very requisite operation ! But " to return
to our mutton"—about St. James's-park and the
projected (some of them the partially-completed)
improvements ! Lord 'MALMESBURY wants to
know the precise object of them, and, beyond
this, their probable cost when finished. Wel!,
he has his answer. The probable cost will be
" under" 11,500/. The precise object of the
works in progress, as their designation has inti-
mated from the firs`, is that of " Improvement."
A most legitimate object, we say—and a most
moderate expenditure. Really, if we went. upon
the eld cheese-paring system to which Lord
MALMESBURY appears desirous to sec the nation
revert -we should then, if you like, talk as the Noble
Etrl tdks now, about waste of the public money
and extravagance of expenditure. For in that
else we should have a very fair prospect of wit-
nessirig the erection of another National Gallery,
surinerietA with vinegar ()mats and pepper
castors ! And we should prob ably see some new
statuesque abomination take its stand upon the.
vacant pedestal in the north-west corner of
Teafalgar-square—a monstrosity from some stone-
cutter's yard, worthy of vieing with three of the
Len len ltoyal Statues, which (thank Heaven) are
nowadays nowhore to be found " frightening the
isle from it; propriety" in our public thorough-
fares ! I. The statue of CIIIRLES IL that for-
merly stood in the centre of a " charmed ring"
of dead cats in the middle of Leicester-square--
and which the Member for Bedmin has
been so extremely good-natured as to re-
move out of public sight ! 11. The statue
of GE.,IIGE Ir., formerly straddling, with his
feet very wide apart, at King's-cross, to
the horror of all the mere discerning omnibus
horsEs traversing the purlieus of Battle-brici;e !
The statue of tier Most Gracious MAJESTY,
once disloyally erected in Victoria-square, Pim-.
lice, in close contiguity to the town palace of the
very Sovereign that treasonous bit of masonry
caricatured ! Sixpence spent upon statues like
those, or upon public edifices like the present
National Gallery, or upon the " things" iu front
of it, the squirts of water having the extreme
impudence to call themselves • fountains
sixpence expended upon Works such as
these, we do call waste of the public
money, and Extravagance of expenditure. But
we do not, by any means, apply the
same phrase to an odd million or so spent upon
the New Palace of the Legislature at West-
' minster ; or to a fifty pound note paid for the
cleaning of CHARLES I's equestrian statue near
Northumberland House ; or to a few thousands
sunk in such improvements as those which are
now going on in St. James's Park, one of the
principal pleasure-gardens of the people of Lon-
don. We call this a rational wad judicious em-
ployment of the public money, not a squandering
of it.

The Jew question has been long since ex-
hausted. It is manifest that tho,e who possess
such large stakes in the welfare and prosperity of
the country, would be the last to encourage, or
sanction any disturbance that might depreciate
the value of their property. Tbey have been
tried in almost every capacity, and not found
wanting. They have been exemplary jurors and
magistrates, good husbands and fathers, and per-
formed their parts in the social drama with credit
to themselves, and benefit to the nation. When the
exigencies of the Exchequer required pecuniary
aid, it was a Jew that came forward and placed
his vast wealth and almost boundless resources at
$ the service of the State, and contracted f.,,r the
loan on more favourable terms than could other-
wise have been obtained. Away, then, with
the cant of bigotry and intolerance,
which, under the mask of caution, pre-
tends that such men can't be trusted. Setting
aside " the Oaths" question—and that alone
should ensure the success of the measure—it
ought, as a matter of jthtice to our Jewish
fellow-subjects, to be carried by acclamation, so

that, as far as civil and religious liberl is c tn.
cerned, the last blot (save one--li-d of marriage
with a deceased wife's sister) might be removed

from the national stature-book.

An important meeting was held yealerday in
the Mansion-house of the City of London, in re-
ference to Sir GEORGE GREY'S new 8.11 in regard
to Penal Servitude. It was a meeting which was
considered by all present to be one of Sn,cit im-
portance that (unusual though it might be under
the circumstances) it was brought to a temporary
conclusion by an adjournment. The Lord Mayor,
as a matter of course, was the Chairman. And
almost equally as a matter of course there appeared
conspicuously among the number of those who
addressed themselves to the consideration of the
vitally important subject under discussion, two
men who have long been labouring more strenu-
ously, perhaps, than any other to work out the
problem to its solution—Mr. CHARLES PEaRsoN,
the City Solicitor, and Mr. DAVENPORT HILL, the
Recorder of Birmingham. Elsewhere in our im-
pression of this evening will be found a detailed
report of yesterday's proceedings in reference to
this new Measure, which is now in rapid
course of being transformed into an Enact-
ment. A mere evasion of the difficulty,
we have already in these columns shown that new
measure to be—so obviously a mere evasion, that
it may be described with literal accuracy as an
almost unconditional transference of the enormous
existing responsibility from the Legislature to the
Home Secretary. Therefore, clearly and undeni-
ably a legitimate subject for extra-Parlismentary
scrutiny, before so very vague and hastily con-
cocted a project shall have been passed through
its remaining stages in the Legislature. The
avowed objects of the meeting as expressed in the
very terms in which it wad convened, were to
consider the propriety of petitioning Parliament to
introduce into Sir GEORGE GREY'S new bill On
Penal Servitude; clauses materially altering the
effect of its operatioc. Clauses, firstly, " To
confiscate and apply to ,productive use, the
labour, skill, and industrial powers of all
criminals, during the full period of their sen-
tences secondly—" To empower the Home
Secretary, in certain ca,e,, to substitute for fixed
periods of imprisonment and transportation, 4
proportionate number of hours of labour, to be
performed by convicted criminals iu this country ,

Tier Majesty held a Privy Council this (Saturday)
afternoon, at Osborne, Isle of Wight.
His Royal Highness the Dnke of Cambridge, attended
by 6ir Richard Airey, left town yesterday morning for
liider,4l;ot, where the troops encamped had a grand field-
da, ; atter witnessing which his Royal Highness returned
to Locdon. No notice having been given of the field•day,
few civilians were present.
His Excellency the Arnbatsadar of France and the
Countess Persigny return to town this evening from

Paris.
THE LATE DUCHESS OF GLOCESTER. —A. supplement
to Toestlay's Gazette was published yesterday containing
an official account of the c'remonial observed at the in-
ternPnt of the remains of the late Duchess of Glocester
at Windsor on the Bth inst.
The Marquis Townshend and Viscount Raynham
have arrived in town for the purpose of attending to
their Rirliatnentary duties. The ~Marchioness will not
return to town this season.

Frances Countess Waldegrave has issued cards for a
concert on the 29th inst.
Viscount and Viscountess Doneraile have arrived at A A TIL.44IsT
Claridae'4 Hotel, Brook-street, for the seasc n. 1 .11

Lady Sykes' ball takes place on Friday, the 221 inst.,
to which day all invitations for Monday, the 18th inst.,
are transferred.

Sir Glynne and Lady Welby and family have arrived
at ther residence in Upper Be'grave-street, from Denton
Hail, Lincolnebire, tor thA B,a-mn

The Earl and Countess of Portarlington at ri7A in
town a few days since from Enio Park, fre:a• d, fur the
season. His lordship has taken a house in Grosver.or-

street.

THE TRELT? WITH PERSIA.

A telegraphic despatch • from Constantinople,
via Trieste, states that the treaty of peace signed
at Paris between Lord Cowley and Feruk Khan
arrived at Teheran en the 4th of April, and was
receirel with satisfaction by the Shah and his
people.

THE DUKE OF DEVONSaIRE.—We are gratified to
have it in our power to contradict the st-tternent freely
circulated by many of the j..urnals, that the Duke of
Devonshire is suffering from impaired health. His
grace is in the possession of exceLent heaith, and we
rejoice t:) say is almost daily receiving select dinner
parties at his palatial villa at Chiswick. Indeed the
noble duke has never, since his attack of paralysis a few
years back, been in more perf-ct health.
INDIA-HOUSE.—On Wedesday last, the 13th inet , a
Court of Directrtrs was held at the East India-house,
when Captain George Greville Wellesley, R N.. C. 8.,
was swore in C,tnimander.itt-Chief of the Indian Navy.
LIVERPOOL, May 15.—Th, auxiliary screw steamship
Royal Charter, Captain Taylor, was cleared by the emi-
gration officers to-day, and she will take her departure
at an early hour in the tnoreing far 11,Itltourne, with 460
passengers, a large cargo of valuable goods, and a ship
letter mail on board.

THE TRIAL OF MISS MADELINE SMITH.—We learn
that the trial of Miss Madeline Smith on the charge of
poisoning M. L'Angellier will not take place during the
sittings of the High C,urt next month, and that, owing
to the diffieultiel attPndirg the investigation, it is pro-
bable that the case will not come on till Ju'y.—Scotnian,.
SALE OF A HIGHLAND ESTATE.—The finely-situated
Highland estate of Muirton, in moss.-shire, the p.operty
of the latz W. Mackenzie, E.q., has been purchased by
It. Ainslie, Esq., of Elvingston, a sportsman well-known
in the Highlands.—The purchase price, we b=lieve, was
20,500/.—lnverness Advert;ser.
A CURIOUS MISTAKE.—A crowded audience assembled
in Dundee, a few evenings ago, to hear Mr. Henry
Mayhew lecture upon the "Co idities of the London
streets." Mr. Mayhew did
,not appear ; but, late at
night, a telegraphic message was received from him, in
which he said, "By mistake I have come to Aberdeen."
MELANCHOLY SUICIDE AT CAMBERWELL.---0 ti Thursday
Mr, W. Carter, the coroner for E ist Surrey, held an
inquest at the Marlborough Arms, Camberwell, on the
body of Thomas Dale, a boot and shoemaker, carrying
on business at No. 4, South-street, in the same parish,
who committed suicido by hanging himself in the back
kitchen, Verdict—lnsanity.
TEE FAILURE IN SOUTHWARK.—With regard to the
failure mentioned on Thursday of Messrs. Barker and Co.,
of Sluthwark, it is stated that, although they were de-
scribed as timber and stave ruerchaut4, they have not
been in that trade for more than two years past, their
business having been then purchased by Messrs. H. and
R. Fowler. Messrs. Barker's liabilities, it appears,
amount to 70,0001.
REDUCTION OF POSTAGE ON LETTERS TO THE CAPE
OF GOOD HOPE.—On the 1-t of June next the postage
upon letters conveyed either by packet by private
ship, between the United Kingdom and the Canoed Good
Hope, will be reduced to the following combined British

The disturbances which have taken place in
Persia are attributed to financial embarrassments.

The following paragraph appears in the French
Ministerial journal, the Pays :
"We learn from undoubted authority, by
a private letter fro:n Vienna that news had been
been received there by the electric telegraph
of Neriman Khan, the bearer of the treaty of
peace, signed in Paris, having arrived at Teheran.
We shall, comequently, soon know the true
opinion of the Persian Government with regard to
the treaty, and the course to be pursued by the
Shah. A courier despatched by the Governor of
Fars had communicated some days previously the
' capture of Mohammorah. This news circulated at
Teheran at the. moment it was known that active

negotiations for the conclusion of a treaty of. peace
were being carried on in Paris, has produced an
immense sensation at Teheran, and it was feared
for a moment lhat the fanaticism of the population
would produce violence. Tranquility, however,
had not been disturbed."

and Colonial rates :—For a letter not exceeding: It oz. in
weight 61., ditto, exceeding ,t ez. and not exceeding 1 oz.
Is., ditto exceeding 1 ez. and not exceeding 2 oz. 25., and
soon, increa-ing ls. for every additional ounce or frac-
tion f an ounce.
STATE OF TRADE.—MANCHESTER, May 15.—The mar-
ket hes shown little, if any, improvement this morning,
the sales of cloth having been on a very limited scale
and prices being maintained with difficnity, though
there is more steadiness than last week. The difficulty
of making sales applies to nearly all classes of cloth.
In yarns there is rather more business. There are no
important sales in any one class, but the demand applies
to most kinds of mule and water, both for home con-
sumption and export.
Tits LATE OXFORD CITY ELECTION. —A large and
influential meeting of the friends and supperters of the
Right Hon. Edward Cardwell was held yesterday (Fri-
day), at the Star Hotel, Oxford, to decide upon the pro-
pr:ety of presenting a petition to the House of Commons,
complaining of the return of Mr. Laogstou and Mr.
Neate, at the lste election. A ceernittee, consisting of
seven of Mr. Card hell's principal supporters, was ap-
pointed to superintend the drawing uo of the petition,
which must be presented to the House of Commons oa
or before Wednesday next.
UNITED STATES AND BRAZILIAN MAILS.—LIVERPOOL,
Friday.—Tue Royal Mail steam,hip, Arabia, Captain
James Stone, will sail to-morrow aftarnoon for New
York, with the usual meets and pass-ngers. Letttsrs
must be posted here before neon, with late fees until
1 p.m. and the receiving house on the lauding stage will
finally close at 2 p.m. The screw steamship Celt, Cap-
tain Cook, will sail to-merrew afternoon ferPernainbeco,
Bahia, and Rio Janeiro. She will carrry a sealed mail,
letters for which must be posted here before noon, and
with late fees before 12.30 tom. to-morrow.
A review of the D Division of nol'c.3 took plane yee-
, rerday in Regent's park. The differe.:t. companies were
drilled by their inspectors ; Messrs. Jackson, Macleod,
Branscombe, O'Brien, and Grant, and each company
went through the drill process of "Stand at ease,"
"Attention," and "As you were ;" and after this they
formed into close column, open column, and then in line,
&c. The whole of the moveiuente as stated by some of
the Chelsea Pensioners, who bad been under drill in an
other part of the park, were done in a very creditable
manner.
SECONDARY PUNISIIMENT.—Yesterday, a public meet-
ing was, on the invitation of the Lord Mayor, held in the
Egyptian Hall, Mansion-house, for the purpose of con-
sidering the provisions of Sir George Gray's Transporta-
tion Bill. The Lord Mayor presided. Resolutions to
the effact that it was desirable to introduce clauses into
Sir G. Grey's Transportation Amendment Bill, now
before the House of Commons, empowering the Secretary
of S:ate for the Home Department in certain cases to
substitute for fixed periods of imprisonment and trems-
portat on a proportionate number of hours of I,heur to
be performed by convicted criminals in this country or
in the colonies; as considerations of economy and expe-
diency may dictate, were unanimously agreed to.
HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.—The powerful company
of the establishment has been marehalled in the follow-
ing manner for next week :—Oa Monday, May 18th,
all the artistes appear at Mrs. Anderson's Grand Morn-
ing Concert. Tee artistes inclade Piccalomioi, Spezia,
Ortolani, and Alboni; the famour tenor, Giuglini ;
Vialetti, the great basso ; and the two favourites, Bel-
letti and Beneventano. Oe Tuesday, 19th, the "
del Reggituento,” with .Piccolornini as the fascinating
Maria, and Belletti as the Seriearit. Thursday, 21st,
" Ls Traviate," with Piccolomini as the hem-nose, and
Giuglini and Beneventano. Saturday, 23d, "Il Trove
tore," in whica Spezia, Alboni, Giuglir.i, Beneventano,,
and Vial-ttti will appear. And on each night the new
ballet will be given, with all the resources of the
Terpsichorean phalanx.
Nantsow ESCAPE OF HER MAJESTY'S SHIP Ex-
wourto—About 10 a.m. on Tuesday last, there being a
very dense fog' her Majesty's ship Exmouth, 92 guns,
with 800 men from Lisuen, was slowly sailing up Chan-
nel with a south west wind. Off Gewgrease, or Soap-
rock Covt, between Pradartack Head and ICyzance (not
tar from the Lizard) she came so close to the land that
the crew fired several guns for assistance. Although
the ship could not be seen, the guns were heard by
S +mei Hitceins, a crabber, who went on board and gave
teem va.uattle aid in a position of great dancer, as the
ship was not for west of the " Stag" and "Man-et War"
Rocks. After an hour's getting up of ste itn the ship
proceeded on her course, leaving tier anchor; behind,
and having, it is said, struck the ground several times,
but without injury. It is reported that the captain left
a letter with Hatchens for the Admiralty, who, no doubt,
will reward him for his services.
METROPOLITAN BOARD OF WORKS.—Yesterday this
board was informed at its meeting, imy a letter from the
oilice of the First Commissioner of Woi ks, that the three
gentlemen appointed by him to consider en the main
drainage scheme of the Beard of Works ail. not be able
to present their report before the end of text month.
Tue reasons assigned far this delay are the large number
of plans to be examined, the :variety and extent of data
to be collected, and the necessity of prosecuting original
experiments, as well chemical as bydronamic. After the
reeding of the communication conveeing this intelligence,
it was moved that the letter be entered on the minutes,
and that Sir B. Hall should be thanked for sending it.
To this an amendment was moved that the communica-
tion be simply acknowledged. A warm discussion took
place, Mr. H. L. Taylor denouncing the course taken by
Sir B. Hall as " the unprincipled conduct of the most
unprincipled man in England." On a division the mo-
tion was carried by 17 to 14 votes,
THE CASE OF STARVATION AT RATCLIFF.—The in-
quest on Patrick Driscoll, who, it was alleged, had died
from ne.tlect and starvation, was resumed yesterday
rnoroing. It was given in evidence at the former in-
quiry that Mr. Steptenson, the medical officer, refused,
or neglected to give, the starving man au order for meat.
After a very prolonged inquiry yesterday, the jury re-
turned the following verdict :--`• The jury are of opinion
that death was caused by bronchitis, and that, accele-
rated by the exertion he (the deceased) used in proceed-
ing to the workhouse while in a state of great , xaaus-
tion, caused by the order of Mr. Stephenson, one of the
medical officers of the Stepney ?mien ; and the jury are
of opinion that Mr. Stephenson was guilty of great
neglect in not visiting the deceased at his own bowl,
instead of sending hiss to the workhouse while be was in
a state of prostration, which was highly reprehensible
and deserving of censure; and the jury are also of opi-
nion that the circumstances of the case should be laid
before the board of guardians of the Stepney union, and
that the summoning officer is deserving of great credit."
A BOY KILLED BY LEECHES.—At the village of
Mentigny la Mare, near Pads, M. Ler-tepid, a drug-
gist, lately established a nursery of leeches, for medical
purposes, in a marsh or pond, where he was accustomed
to feed them by driving an old worn-out horse, pur-
chased at a knacker's yard, every morning into the
muddy water, and allowing the leeches to fix and gorge
themselves with blood at the expense of the horses's
legs. His son, a boy of 13, used to ride the horse into
the pond ; but a few days ago, the boy having gone
alone upon that errand, the family were terrified by the
horse coining back without its rider ; its legs were bleed.
ing profusely and covered with leeches that stuck to
their prey. People went to the pond to look for time
child, aed found him immersed there, struggling feebly
to extricate himself from the mire, acid to defend himself
from the hundreds of voracious creatures which had
crawled under his clothes (far he wore no shoes or stoct
ings), and had fixed upon every part of his body. He
bad probably been thrown off the horse's hack by the ,
restlessness of the tormented animal. The poor boy ,
was quite exhausted and speechioss when he was got
out, and died in a few hours.