The Sun.
London, England, 1861-03-08 00:00:00

TILE MIRES AFFAIR.

.54
The Mires affair is said to be assuming a more
serious aspect. He is kept in close custody, and
not allowed to communicate with any one for the
present. M. Collet Meygrel, formerly director of
the Surete Publique, and subsequently Receiver-
General at Lons le Saulnier, has, it is said, been
removed from his post, and the name of M. Ba-
roche's son is again spoken of as being in some way
connected with M. Mires.

The speech of M. Dupin in the Senate on Monday
on " the Mires affair," and the moral complicity of
the Paris press, as well as the few words spoken by
M. Billault on the same subject, are well worthy
of attention. M. Dupin quoted the words of the
celebrated Chancellor L'Hopital, addressed to the
R,ouenParliament, against abuses of a similar kind
on the part of some high functionaries of the day,
and the applause which greeted the quotation told
that the allusion was understood. "At present,"
said M. Dupin, quoting the rebuke administered by
L'Hopital,

,
" Things have reached such a point that nothing what-
ever is done without money. You cannot keep the name of
Senators, of Prud'hommes, and fair judges with your
greediness for vile lucre. Assuredly he who seek to enrich
himself by such means though rich in goods is poor in
honour. The merchandise is dear indeed if bought by loss
of reputation and glory. I had rather be poor, like the
President de la Vaquerie, than possess the wealth of that
favourite to whom his master was forced to say, ' Ah, now
really, Raulin, this.is too bad 1' "

This bit was received with much laughter, and
with cries of " Very good ! very good !" M. Dupiu
was equally happy in his allusion to the conduct
of the daily press on the occasion of the Turkish
loan :

"The press," he said, "so ready to criticise the acts of
Government, did not on recent occasions perform its duty
to the public. (Cries of Perfectly true; quite right.')
Every one of us may have read a crowd of articles puffing
certain operations, or displaying in the eyes of the people
the great advantages offered to small as well as great capi-
talists in taking their money to certain counting-houses.
They spoke even to satiety of the large interest promised of
from 10 to 11 per cent, for such and such an operation ;
and not a single paper said, But, citizens, beware I Such
high interest is never given except by incurring the risk
—the almost certain risk, of losing the greatest part of the
capital.' A number of poor people allowed themselves to
be caught, and thus funds were lent to the Seraglio which
the eunuchs will not pay back. (Laughter and Bravo.')"

PRICE 41). STAMPED, SD,

81R BALD WIN WALKER•

For the first time in memory there has been a
chase after a British admiral. All the world—we
mean the British world—wants to stop the admiral.
" Stop the Admiral" has been telegraphed to every
port. " Stop the Admiral" is still the order at
Spithead and in Plymouth Sound. Where can he
be ? Ships have gone in chase of him, electric
sparks fly to and fro to iunimon him, to ,surrender,
the :House of Commons demands him ; and, fore-
most among all, the energetic and frank and can-
did seaman who is now the Secretary to the Ad-
miralty makes himself almost übiquitous in his
eagerness to discover the fugitive. What can have
becdme of him ? He put to sea in a gale of wind
which would have blown the teeth out of the head
of any other admiral. Whether it was that he was
so anxious to go and fight the Kaffirs, or whether
he pined to shake hands with his old friend Sir
Harry Keppel, whom he is going to relieve, or
whether he was so accustomed to Admiralty vacil-
lation that he feared to be recalled, nobody
knows • but he was in a terrible hurry to be off.
He sailed in a hurricane ; then we heard of him as
buffeting with the storm in the Channel, and,
driVan by sheer stress of weather, he was in Yar-
mouth Roads on. Monday morning. Lord Clarence
Paget believed that he was boxing about the
Channel on Tuesday. Everybody thinks that ha
cannot even now be very far off, but nobody can
find him.
Ilut why do we want to stop the Admiral? Why
do want to interfere with his cruise? He is going

,o see that nobody steals all the turtle from , the
:sland of Ascension, and after that to take care
that the Table Mountain is not occupied in force
by ple Gorilla's emigrating southwards. These.
are services not lightly to be interrupted. A day
—an hour, might be fatal to the success of either
of them. Should we not rather rejoice that the
Admiral has escaped his foes, and is away in the
tempest, exulting in his freedom and speeding to
his great destinies ? Perhaps a little explanation
is necessary. The chased Admiral is no other than
Sir Baldwin Walker, Bart., K.C.B. He has been
Surveyor of the Navy ever since Sir Robert Peel's
time. He knows everything that is done and
everything that is left undone. He knows
how the ships are built, and why they rot, and
how much they cost, and how much they ought to
cost, and why they won't sail and steam as they
ought to sail and steam ; and why heaps of money
are i wasted in doing badly what might be well
done for half the money ; and why we break up
every crew And turn them adrift as soon as we
have got them into a state of efficiency ; and why
hosts of clerks are kept writing letters about half-
pennyworths of rope-yarn and half-pounds of can-
dles; and how and why the financial system of the
Admiralty is an ingenious system for saving at the
spigot and spending atithe bunghole. Sir Baldwin
Walker knows all this and a great deal more.
Well, suppose he does know it. Let him go to sea
and take his knowledge with him. He has known
it a great many years, and has not been permitted
to unburden himself of his knowledge. Yes, but
by a curious coincidence there is a Committee of
the House of Commons about to be appointed to
tap the Admiral and to draw all this out of him,
and bottle it off into blue-books. Some people
have actually been so base as to insinuate that the
Admiral is desirous of avoiding this process, and
that there are somewhere or other people who are
even more desirous than the Admiral himself that
he should not be submitted to it. This, however,
is calumny of the foulest kind. We have the best
posSible authority for knowing—for we have the
debates in the House of Commons for the fact—
that all the Ministers have been most anxious that
everything connected with the Admiralty should
be made as public as debates and blue-books and
newspapers can make it. If it be an unfortunate
fact that the Admiral is gone it is they who have
most to deplore it.
The most ill-treated man in this business is not the
Admiral—for ho has ,got off—but it is that frank-
hearted, outspoken, candid seaman, who made
such capital speeches about reforming the Ad-
miralty and saving us £5,000,000 a-year when
he was in Opposition, and who is now
doing it, in his own way, as Secretary to
the Admiralty. If the House of Commons had
only told him in time that they wanted Sir Bald-
win Walker nothing would have been easier than
to delay him, even at the risk of the turtles and the
Table Mountain. But the house never told him,
and how could he be expected to know without
being told ? It is true that Sir John Pakington was
continually boring about the subject, and that the
Admiral who was going to more for the committee
was importunate, and that the house seemed to
think that it would be too strong a measure, oven
for the most candid of officials, to send away the
Admiral under existing circumstances. But then
the house had never come to any resolution upon
the subject, and how can the house expect that any
one shall know what it means unless it does come
to a resolution ? See, however, what happened
when the house did seem very much inclined to
come to a resolution, and when the Premier was
obliged to undertake, for the Admiralty, that the
Admiral should be stopped. Lord Clarence Paget
then showed what real vigour he possessed. He
seems to have feared a superfluous amount of zeal.
Like a dancer who scorns to dance a common
hornpipe, but loads himself with chains to show
under what difficulties he can do the feat, Lord
Clarence Paget scorned to go into the lobby
of the House of Commons, and then forthwith
telegraph to " Stop the Admiral" in Yarmouth
Roads, or wherever else he was then reported
to be. He went home and slept upon it; he got
up the next morning and he considered it, and then
when he had generously given his game a good fair
start, he deliberately loosed the slowest dog in his
whole pack. Lord Clarence Paget is not the man
to take an unfair advantage of a flying friend. Sir
John Pakington, who we fear has little chivalry in
his soul, was not quite satisfied with this. He com-
plained that the Avon, being the slowest ship that
bears a pennant, was not likely to catch the Nar-
cissus frigate, which we may be sure has a very
different reputation, or Sir Baldwin 'Walker would
not have chosen her as his flagship. Lord Clarence,
however, explained that the Avon was sent out,
not to catch the Narcissus, but to "cut her off,"
and Sir John Pakington, probably feeling himself
" done," said no more. We apprehend that Sir
John was not very much surprised when he read
that the Avon returned to the Sound on -Wednes-
day night, having seen nothing of the Narcissus.
So the Admiral is off, free as the bird which Eneas
tied to the masthead so long ago. Like that bird,
the arrow which Sir John Pakington shot at him
seems only to have set him free. But we will not
quite despair yet. Sir John Pakington will recol-
lect that after the Admiral had weighed anchor
he was recalled to Spithead by telegram, and
received a visit from the Port Admiral at
Portsmouth, who went aboard to communicate
the last orders of the Admiralty. At this
time the Duke of Somerset and Lord Clarence
Paget were in some doubt as to what the desires
of the House of Commons really were in this
matter. It is not probable that the last directions
from the Port Admiral were that Sir Baldwin
Walker should touch at some convenient port
before he got out of the home seas, in case the
House of Commons should make up their mind to
require his presence? If so, another arrow may
yet bring the bird down. We think this so very
likely that we should recommend the Committee
to ask the Port Admiral if any anything did pass
upon this subject at that last interview.--Times.

Mr. John Maddox, so well known in connexion
with the Princess's Theatre, expired on Tuesday morning
at his residence at Brompton, after a protracted and painful
illness. The deceased, who was of the Jewish persuasion,
was lessee of the theatre in question at its opening, and re-
mained so till his death. He was also manager of the house
for many years.
THE LATE M. SCRIBE'S MARRIAGE.—A letter
from Paris says :—" Now that Scribe is no more, several
matters known only to a few are more generally talked of.
His marriage took place late in life (ago 67), and was quite
as dramatic as any in his multifarious stage imaginings.
Calling one day at his notary's office, a lady in deep sorrow
was going out from the establishment, her grief being so
poignant that he had the curiosity to ask about her, and
was informed that her husband was on the verge of bank-
ruptcy, not being able to meet liabilities unexpected and
unforeseen. Scribe asked what amount would stave off the
misfortune, and being told 50,000 f., left orders to have that
sum advanced on the husband's note at a year's date. The
year had not elapsed before a second meeting occurred at
the same office, when Scribe remarked that the lady was in
deep mourning. The husband was dead. The same lady
was to be seen in the church of St. Rock last Friday.
Madame Scribe was in widow's weeds once more."
Dover and Calais are now within 1* hours of each other.
The James Penn crosses the channel in that time. This
rapidity is due to improvements in the marine engine. Grey
hair is restored to its natural colour, and tic doloreux and
nervous headache cured by Herring's magnetic brushes.
Their undeviating success is due to late improvements by
the inventor. N.B.—Counterfeits are being made. Offices,
32, BuLughall-street, London.

1-771,71 W,
VOTE BY BA LL 0 T.-
On Wednesday night a meeting of the 'faiZlire
of the Ballot Society was held at the London-COT-
house, Ludgate-hill, for the purpose of promthi g• j S
the principles of the Ballot, and of giving it addi-
tional strength in both houses of Parliament.
Atnong those present were Lord Teynham,Lieu-
tenant-General Thompson, Mr. James Bonwick, of
Melbourne, Sce.
The chair was to have been taken by the Hon.
F. H. F. Berkeley, M.P., but as that gentleman
had not arrived at the hour appointed (seven o'clock),
Mr. Whitehurst, the vice-president of the society,
was called to the chair.
The CPIAIRMAN, in opening the business of the
evening, said he had no doubt that Mr. Berkeley
had been unexpectedly detained by his duties in
the HouFe of Commons, but that he would no
doubt arrive presently, as he had given his pro-
mise to attend. He would in the meantime open
the business, and was happy to say that gentle-
men were present from many parts of the coun-
try who were greatly interested in the question
of the ballot., If those who advocated the
ballot only made their influence bear as was
done in the case of the census, they could not
fail of success. Thirty years ago Lord John Rus-
sell said, in writing to the electors of Stroud, that
he had included the ballot in the plan of Reform
which he had submitted to the Cabinet of Earl
Grey, and all they asked was that. Lord John would
return to the advocacy of his old principles. (Hear,
hear.) Mr. Whitehurst was proceeding with fur-
ther remarks, when the Hon. Mr. Berkeley entered
the room, and took the chair amid loud cheers.
j Mr. J. F. BoNTEms then read letters of apology
from the following gentlemen :—Sir J. V. Shelley,
M P., Mr. W. Tite, M.P., Mr. James White, M.P.,
Mr. Gilpin, M.P., Mr. Hadfield, M.P., Colonel
Sykes, M.P., Mr. Edmund Potter, Manchester;
Crossley, Halifax ; Mr. F. Steiner,
Acrinktori-; Rev. W. Griffith, Derby; and the
Mayor of Ipswich. Letters were also read from Sir
Charles Douglas, M.P., Mr. William Hargreaves,
Mr. James Heywood, and the Rev. Michael D.
Jones, Bala.
General THomPsoN was then called on to move
the first resolution, and said, as he had lost his seat
in the House of Commons because he was opposed
to piratical wars, and had not therefore mingled
much in public, but as he was an old advocate of
the ballot, he had felt it his duty to be present at
this meeting. He did not know that there was
much reason to address them at any length, for
every man felt that in his own neighbourhood the
protection of the ballot was greatly needed. (Hear,
hear.) He therefore felt great pleasure in moving
the first resolution, in the wording of which he
cordially, concurred. The gallant general con-
cluded by moving the following resolution :—" That
as a Strong breeze of public opinion is necessary
to carry any measure of Reform through the House
of Commons, and over the bar of the House of
Lords,' this meeting calls upon the constituencies
of the United Kingdom to give such an unmistake-
able expression of the opinion which everywhere
exists, in favour of protecting the electors by the
ballot, as shall ensure during the present session
the passing of a bill to secure that object."
The Rev. ROBERT SPEARS, of Stockton-upon-
Tees, seconded the resolution.
The resolution was then agreed to.
Mr. POPE, of Manchester, moved the second re-
solution, which was as follows :—" That as the Go-
vernment proposes, during the present session of
Parliament, further to legislate on the subject of
corrupt practices at elections, and as experience
shows that penal laws are powerless to secure
purity or freedom of election, the time has arrived
for more vigorous action in Parliament in be-
half of the ballot than has yet been made, and
this meeting respectfully but earnestly requests
those members of Parliament who are favourable to
this only effectual protection to the suffrage to co-
operate in active measures to induce the leading
members of the Ministry, in deference to the views
of the great majority of their supporters, at least
not to oppose the bill for the protection of voters,
proposed to be brought in by the Hon. F. Henry F.
Berkeley, M.P." He quite agreed, he said, with
his friend General Thompson, that the subject of the
ballot was pretty well talked out. He cordially
approved of the resolution.
Mr. HONEYWOOD, of Horsham, seconded the re-
solution, and bore his testimony to the rapid pro-
gress which the ballot question was making in
Horsham.
Mr. DANN, of Reigate, spoke shortly in support
of the resolution.
The Rev. Mr. BONNER also supported the resolu-
tion.

Mr. EBENFZER CLAREE, of Essex, next spoke in
support of the resolution, which was agreed to.
Mr. Alderman TOWLE, of Oxford, moved the next
tesolution, which was as follows :—" That recog-
nising with gratitude the strenuous exertions of the
executive committee, and their success in maintain-
ing and strengthening the position of the ballot
question, both in Parliament and in the country,
this meeting calls on every friend of Parliamentary
reform to enrol himself among the members of this
society, and on all its present members, largely to
increase its income, and thus to enable the execu-
tive committee to continue and increase their
exertions until the ballot shall have become the
law of the land." They had succeeded in the Tory
town of Oxford in returning two members who
are in favour of the ballot. It was true Mr. Card-
well was in the Ministry, and might not vote in
favour of it in consequence, but they might depend
upon it he would not vote against it. Hear, hear.)
Mr, CUNNINGHAM, of Brentford, seconded the
resolution.
Mr. Cilluis, of Bungay, supported the resolu-
tion, and referred to the doings at Norwich, Ips-
wich, Sudbury, and other places, where they had
seen the deplorable results which the system of
open voting had engendered. The ballot must be
obtained by unfailing perseverance.
Mr. MARSDEN, one of the treasurers of the
society, stated that their expenditure for the years
1858-59 and 1860, amounted to £1,469, for print-
ing, rent, and all other expenses incidental to the
society. He bore his testimony to the valuable
services of Mr. Bontems, their hon: secretary, and
to Mr. Whitehurst, the vice-chairman, who was the
life and soul of the society.
Mr. BROWN, of Plymouth, spoke in support of
the resolution.
Mr. HANDEL CROSSHAM, of Bristol, also sup-
ported the resolution, which was agreed to.
Mr. BONWICK, of Melbourne, Victoria, inspector
of schools, bore his testimony to the value of the
ballot in that colony.
Lord TEYNIIAM proposed the next resolution as
follows :—‘, That this meeting desires to record its
sense of the valuable services rendered to the cause
of free and protected voting by the people and Par-
liaments of the Australian colonies, and by her
Majesty the Queen and her responsible advisers, in
making the ballot a British institution, and in
demonstrating the practicability, simplicity, and
efficiency of secret voting." The difficulties to be
overcome under the influences of their evil nature
by the present system of open voting, he said, were
only to be overcome by means of the ballot.
Mr. WASHINGTON WILKES seconded the resolu-
tion, which was agreed to.
Mr. JOHN DALE, in highly complimentary terms,
proposed the cordial thanks of the meeting to the
hon. gentleman who had so ably filled the chair.
The CHAIRMAN returned his best thanks.
The meeting then separated.

THE WORCESTERSHIRE RIFLE VOLUNTEERS.--
On Tuesday, the sth inst., the Halesowenorcaud Stourbridge
Rifle
(9th) Companies of the Ist Battalion
Worcestershire
and
'es of skirmishers, were
Volunteers assembled on the Monument-hill :outvilreags
of
sham fight, as between two companies ,
provided with blank ammunition,
under Capt. Hunt, also ex-
tended, entered from the east,Feofsttehre
corps, ,
took up a position in extended
wood—the Halesowen
gone through. The Stourbridegreder
and forced their way through
corps,on tunhedwe re
stsi Capt.cle
The skirmishing from tree to tree and bush to bush with
exceedingly well performed,and was
the firing was
till obliged to retire before the hot fire of their opponents.
inte-
resting to the spectators and instructive to the riflemen.
ng from the wood, the Halesowen continued to re-
tire,the Stourbridge out also into the open, when
the former,
supported by supposed cavalry, laid down
and allowed them to charge their adversaries, who im-
mediately formed square to resist, and afterwards
extended again. Some manoeuvring followed of chang-
Emergi
ing position, the Halesowen by superior numbers
endeavouring to outflank the Stourbridge ; being unable
to accomplish their purpose and the Stourbridge having
closed to prevent it, the Halesowen also closed, fixed
bayonets, and charged furiously down the hill, the enemy
getting cleverly away in double time and extending as they
went, they were then driven back into the wood and a hot
fire was maintained on both sides. At this period the
Halesowen afnmunition failed, and the Stourbridge seizing
the opportunity delivered a tremendous fire, dashed out of
the wood and charged their opponents, another change of
position took place, and the Halesowen in their turn }`sing
charged by supposed cavalry, formed rallying square ; both
companies then reformed and marched into line on top of
the hill and gave a general salute, the_Halsowen band
playing " God save the Queen." The proceedings then
terminated, and the officers were entertained by the
Adjutant, Captain Wolridge, who had conducted all the
movements of the day. Some remarks were made on the
absence of the field-officers, neither of whom has taken
the slightest notice of any corps of the battalion since the
or
review at Worcester in October last, tho4gh the junior
they are,
has been present in the county all the_ Oesi____.,,.
consequently, " non. effectives " for the lee. liouly"'Ll,rezyg
and the battalion generally, would be glad if '
replaced by " effectives."