The Sun.
London, England, 1857-02-09 00:00:00

VIOLENT OUTRAGE) AT THE CIIATIUM

POST-OFFICE.

CHATHAM, FEB. 8.
A gross outrage was committed at a very early
hour yesterday morning on the postmaster, Mr.
Dadd, by several soldiers belonging to the Provi-
sional Battalion.

The affair took place between 12 and 1 o'clock in
the morning, at which time Mr. Dadd was in the
post-office, having just received the mail bags from
Sheerness and Sittingbourne, the mail cart, with
Long, the driver, still standing at the door, which
at the time was wide open. Mr. Dadd, who has
sustained such serious injuries that he is for the
present unfitted for the performance of his duty,
states that the first thing which attracted his atten-
tion was a great noise and uproarin the office lobby.
On hastening out to see whence it proceeded, he
found the passage nearly filled with soldiers, who
were attacking a sailor belonging to her Majesty's
ship Iris, 26, at this port, in such a savage manner
that Mr. Dadd saw he would be murdered unless he
got him away from them. With this intention Mr.
Dadd pulled the sailor, who was partly inside the
door, into the post-office, and the moment he had
done so the man dropped lifeless to the floor. At
this moment Mr. Dadd received a tremendous blow
on the head from a life-preserver, or some other
heavy weapon, which was aimed at him through
the glass door of the office, and which inflicted. a
wound of about three inches in length, from which
the blood poured, in a stream. This was immedi-
ately followed by other blows from the soldiers, and
also by several stones, which were thrown at Mr.
Dadd as he stood behind the glass door leading
into the office, endeavouring to keep back the sol-
diers who were struggling to obtain an entrance.
After trying for some time to force the door in they
succeeded in doing so, and as the mail bats and the
contents of the post-office wore then at their mercy
Mr. Dadd rushed forward and seized a sword
which happened to be in the office, with which ho
threatened to kill the first man who attempted to
advance any further, or to molest him. The mail-
driver, seeing the danger to which the postmaster
was exposed, attempted to obtain an entrance to
assist Mr. Dadd, but while doing so one of the sol-
diers struck him a heavy blow on the head with
the brass end of his waistbelt, which laid open his
face. The soldiers, who were kept at bay by Mr.
Dadd, continued to throw stones, and on the
family rushing downstairs, in answer to his appeals
for assistance,, they were struck by them. The
post-office lobby being very dark, Mr. Dadd was
unable to recognise any of his assailants sufficiently
but he believes there were
s
and two civilians engaged in
to identify
o r seven them
soldiersagai n,
the outrage. The noise having excited the atten-
tion of Mr. Randall, of the Mitre Hotel, next door
to the post office, that gentleman hastened to ren-
der assistance, and by this time several persons in
the street, seeing the post-office door open at that
unusual hour, and hearing the loud shouts inside,
also attempted to get into the office, but were pre-
vented by the soldiers, who then fought their way
out and rushed into the street, but before leaving
athlsoeytshiantasohfett
einivtihitereshßuottteerl,owi.
tthhe post-office
n
Although Mr. Dadd was sufferingi large
severely
e sirao:
the effects of the outrage inflicted on him, he pro-
ceeded, accompanied by several persons, to Govern-
mamnead a
Govern-
ment-house, td-
as soon h
no
t of the
u s a
e thes he residence
of Colonel Eden, com-
garrison, who rose immediately,
iomwpatslymoraddeereacd
thequaißntreigdadwei_mthatjloie
circumstances r
to have the wholep of the troops of the Provisional
Battalion aroused and the muster-roll called, with
Col. Eden,
the view of ascerta• •
decision,
who ming what soldiers were absent.
acted with the utmost
also gave directions that every man who entered
the barracks should be placed in the guardhouse,
and ordered any cabs which arrived to be Nearched,

NE WSPApER
.....
-/. -C--i-W- .-'7',-1,,\•
in order that no soldier should enter .4.-4:74D:rtiTl4*4•
.„, '-t,!1:4,_,.'
':144
The Colonel of the, lloyo _
-4 - -&• ir,
j
( 1 et) .P 11 i:ips, of the ROyal Milrine, s
lin troops of each of, those corps to be a = , it, i A 7,,,
144tAtitit
_
the roll called. During the night several ail*,,_ S
men were placed in the guardhouse.
With.the view of ascertaining which of the mili-
tary were implicated in the violent outrage, Col.
Eden ordered a court of inquiry to' assemble-yester-
dayat the Mitre Hotel for the purpose of investi-
gating the matter. The Court, which was compiled
of Major C. D. Robert Son, R E., president, Capt. '
A. Wright, 81st Reg-t., and Captain A. Butcher,
R.M., sat for some time, during which they took
the statements of several persons who witnesSed the
outrage for th. 'nose of laying it before the Com-
mandant, wh,..- wili report the circumstance to the
authorities at the Horse guards. Five sAdiers
have been identified as having been engaged in the
outrage at the post-office, but the civilians could- •
not be recognised.
Mr. Dadd was confined to his bed during yester-
day,
He
ele is,
dical ttrentamy etnot- .be
however, sufficiently recoveredswuafficiuenndtleyrme
whoat t()r will
direct what steps are to be taken .
make a report to the Postmaster-General,inthem

THE CURREICOY.

The talent and accomplishments of the Chancellor
of the-Exchequer are unquestionable; but he ap-
pears to entertain strange notions of the functions
of a committee of inquiry. A long and general
outcry has been raised for an inquiry into the
working of the Bank Charter Act, and therefore he
has no objection to the appointment of a committee,
but he insists upon its arriving at a foralone con-
clusion. He knows everythinz that everybody can
have to say on the subject ; his mind is, already
made up. He is in the condition of those gentle-
men who want none of your facts : they know that
they are in the right. He is willing to admit, if
you wish it, that since 1844 the gold fields of Aus-
tralia and California have bean discovered; that
fast steamers have abolished the distances which.
separated us from our various colonies ; that rail-
way communication has been vastly extended both
at home and on the continent; and that the electric
telegraph is at work, bringing us the state of the
markets from the furthest parts of the globe in a
few hours. But he knows that all these things do
not in the slightest degree affect the circulation, as
regulated by the Bank Act of 1844. If they had
ne .existed—if they.wereto disappear to-morrow,
or their efficiency were to be doubled—it could
m (3-' no possible difference:in that re ,-.6ti..•; ..,The" 7
value of the exports of our produce and mantiflc-
tures was 52,278,0001. in 1844, and 115,600,000/.
in 1856 ; the drawing and deposit accounts of the -
joint stock banks ,of London were then - under
8,000,0001., they now probably reach 40,000,000/. ;
but Sir G. C. Lewis knows that the circulation can
in nowise be influenced by these facts ; he only
knows that the Bank Charter Act is the perfect
piece of human legislation, fitted for all times
and for all circumstances—the twin invention of
that wonderful measuring machine 'exhibited
in 1851, on which might be accu-ately fittted
the clothes of a giant or a dwarf,. an Adonis or a
hunchback. It is the ark of our commercial pros-
perity, to touch which is to incur the peril of de-
struction. And accordingly Sir G. C. Lewis only
asks for a committee to register his opinion. ~
But, although Sir G. C. Lewis announeed very
unmistakeably his own convictions on Friday night,
he; was somewhat over chary of communicating the
faits on which they were based. This may in some
degree 'be attributed to an evidently defective
memory ; for, although -he had some share in the
paternity of the Bank Act, he stated that its
object was " to secure the maintenance of such a
reserve of bullion as should at all times be equal to
the demands of the public for the conversion of the
noires into gold." Unfortunately, Mr. Goulburn's
letter of 1844 is extant, in which he distinctly puts
forth 7" the prevention of fluctuations in the cur-
rency" as one of the great objects of the Act. Sir
G. C. Lewis comes to the conclusion that the Act
has worked successfully because the average of
bullion held by the Bank has been much higher
during the ten years following 1844 than during
the ten previous years. But the quarterly ave-
rages had been steadily rising ever since 1840 ; the
bUllion had increased from three millions and a
hif in that year, to thirteen millions in 1843 • and
aster the Act was passed it rose to sixteen millions. -
e are at a loss for the evidence of cause and
effect, so far as the bare facts are concerned.
If the Bank Act caused the rise from 13,000,0001.
016,000,000/. , what caused the rise from 3,500,000/.
to 13,000,0001. when the Act was not in existence?
Was it the operation of the Act which carried the
bullion beyond 22,000,0001. in 1852, and down to
91500,000/. in 1856 ?—or are ihese not to be consi-
dpred as "fluctuations in the currency ?" If the
Bank Act were the cause of the rise in the bullion,
it is fair to conclude that it also caused the fall ;
but we doubt if any one will seriously maintain such
an absurdity—out of the, house.-

Sir G. C.' Lewis reminded his hearers that the
Committee of 1848, " composed of very able mem-
bers," reported that it was not expedient to make
any alteration in the Act. But he had utterly for-
gotten that the report was adopted by a majority of
" two," and that cms?quently a large proportion
of the " very able members" were not so clear as
to the perfection of its action. We advocate
as strenuously as the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer himself the ma;ntenance of the converti-
bility of the bank note, so far as it may be
necessary in practice. The retention of a suffi-
cient quantity of • bullion to ensure that, at all
times, is a point to be rigidly adhered to ; but what
the Committee is asked to inquire into is, what is
the amount of bullion required for that purpose ;
or in other words, what amount of circulation may
be safely permitted, mirepresented by gold ? Sir
G. C. Lewis acknowledges modestly that he can-
not tell us to a fraction, but in round numbers it
is 14,000,0001., plus two-thirds of the authorised
country issues in 1844. How is it then that we
find the circulation barely under nineteen millions,
at its lowest point, and rising to 24,760,0001. at
:another period ? What are the reasons which lead
to the conclusion that a margin of four and a half
millions should be allowed below that lowest point ?
But the worshippers of the Act say that if you
meddle with that fixed amount of issue you put an
end to the convertibility of the note. But to speak
of the convertibility of the note as an absolute and
positive fact, even as the law now stands,is sheer
lunacy. There are more than 19,000,000/. of notes
in circulation at this present moment. Let any
body of capitalists present ten millions worth of
notes for conversion into gold, and the Bank must
stop payment, leaving the holders of the other nine
millions to wait until the securities could be rea-
lised, and their claims, as well as those of the de-
positors who require some sixteen millions more in
lawful money, discharged. It is clearly a question
of relative convertibility, and the main point in
dispute is as to the ratio of convertible to incon-
vertible notes.

Those who hive studied the valuable tables in
the Kconomist will hive seen that when there is an
active demand for loans from the Bank, those loans
are practically made in bullion ;—the Etock of bul-
lion decreases. It is maintained by many that if
the Bank were allowed under certain restrictions
to issue notes to the extent of thre3 or four mil-
lions beyond the present authorised amount severe
commercial pressure would be less likely to degene-
rate into panic and ruin. There call belittle doubt
that such an issue would be practically lending so
much bullion, and the committee will have to
in 18429 •s
present.
o f
the I
gather evidence as to the probable effect of such a
h
ntolwmitihaant
measure. In 1842, the circulationmo nemoney,
,b u the
baus:li toiaigivti-tilisssf
it is now ; the bank note was evidently received
In
ei
ill itsconvertibilityet
and
function
ocpli jet'
eell
cfri more
in
e' s
taibiwith
the
i by
about
bank
flkol
7;iroosantttefiemhrdeilbelvlieo:
additional amount of bullion ? To these ntlovz
questions having an
there
agtr
important lese and to other
bearing on the
general subject, we presume Sir G 0 Lewis can
give conclusive answers, sine he clearly .
to learn from
any one on financial e clearly has nothing
matters ; but it
is a thousand pities that
not enlighten the House on Friday night lie did
them. He modestly of Commons respecting
kept his own candle under a
bushel, and confined himself to a repetition of the
substance of " M
creator's" letters, productions
which may appear
conclusive enough to the writer,
but which failed to •
convince the commercial world
that they contained the whole facts that were acces-
sible on the currency question.
The views of the financial organ of the Govern-
ment have been proclaimed as to the working of
the Bank Charter Act, and it therefore behoves the
House of Commons to insist on the appointment of
a committee, composed of members who arc some-
what more accessible to new facts than the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer, and who, instead of
approaching the subject with a profound conviction
that they have nothing more to learn, are ready to
receive and weigh carefully the evidence which
may be brought before them, and
who are com-
petent to form an opinion on a subject of such vast
importance to a great trading community.—Daily
News.
•

The heavy mass of Mexican dollars brought by the
steamer Atrato was sold yesterday, partly for China, at
ATHENS, Jan.
4,. Old. per oz., showing a reduction of id. as compared
with the price realised for remittance by the packet
which arrived early in January.
28.—The financial propositions of the
iz., England, France, and Russia,
have been accepted by the King of Greece. In future the
protecting Powers, v
protecting Powers will exercise a control over the expen•
diture of the State.

NICINEY ADVANCED, upon the perEonal
security of Gentlemen of Responsibility, Heirs to
ier stalled Estates, Br.c. Reversions purchased, •r Loans made
)
eon, eithnr at an annual interest, or In consideration of de-
erred charges, payable when the reversions fall in. Immediate
Innutties granted upon the latter principle to persens entitled
1:. Reversionary Interests, who may thus obtain an income un-
ill tAeir property falls into possession, without being called upon for
IV payment until that event.
Address to &X., care of Mr. Grigg, Bookseller, 183, Regent-
ltreet, London.

THEATRE ROYAL, DRUM LANE.—
Lessee, Mr. E. T. Smith.

Acting Manager, Mr. C. Mathews. Stage Manager, Mr. R
Roxby. Scenic Artist, Mr. W. Beverley.
the eminent Comedian, Mr. Charles Mathews, every evening.
Great Success of the Grand Christmas Pantomime, the
ctost magnificent ever produced on the English stage.
THIS EVENING, her Majesty's Servants will perform an
entirely new three-act Drama, entitled
THE BLACK BOOR.
Characters by Mr. C. Mathews, A. Younge, G. Honey, Mr.
Vincent, Mr. Tilbury, Mr. Lingham ; Misses Cleveland and
1. Oliver, and Mrs. Selby.
After which will be produced
SEE, SAW, MARGERY DAW ;
;Or, Harlequin Holiday, and the Island of Ups and Downs.
The reduced prices as follows, varying throughout the
louse to suit every one :—Galleries, 6d. and ls. ; Second
flrele of Boxes, ls. 6d. ; Pit, 2s. ; First Circle of Boxes,
24. 6d. ; Dress Boxes, 3s. ; Stalls, Ss. ; Private Boxes,
10s. 6d., 11. ls., 1/. lls. 6d., and 21.25.
A Morning Performance of the Great Pantomime every
Wednesday, at Two o'clock.

THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET.
THIS EVENING, to commence at Seven,
with (first time) a new Comedy, in three acts, entitled
POITBLE-FACED PEOPLE. Characters by Mr. Bnckstone,
Mr. Chippendale, Mr. Compton, Mr. W. Farren, Mr. Rogers,
Mr. Clark, Miss Reynolds, Mrs. Poynter, and Mrs. E. Fitz-
iam.

Followed by A FAMILY FAILING.
After which (44th time) the new comic pantomime, entitled
THE BABES IN THE WOOD, or Harlequin and the Cruel
'Uncle. The scenery of the opening story painted by Mr W.
Callcott. • The pantomime produced under the direction of
M. Milano. Harlequin, M. Milano ; Columbine, Fanny
Wright ; Pantaloon, Mr. Mackay ; and Clown, Mr. Driver

ROY AL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.
THIS EVENING will be performed
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM.
After which, a new grand Christmas Pantomime, called
ALADDIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP;
or, Harlequin and the Genii of the Ring. Harlequin, Mr.
Corraack ; Clown, Mr. Huline ; Pantaloon, Mr. Paulo ; Co-
lumbine, Miss C. Adams.

ROy AL,- _LYCEUM THEATRE.
Lessee, Mr. C. Dillon.

THIS EVENING, will be performed THE KING'S
MUSKETEERS. D'Ar tagnan, Mr. C. Dillon.
To be followed by
CONRAD AND MEDORA;
or, Harlequin Corsair and the Little Fairy at the Bottom of
the Sea. The burlesque opening by W. Brough, Esq.,
onnded upon the ballet of Le Corsair, as produced at Her
Majesty's Theatre. The harlequinade upon things in gene.
red. The new and magnificent scenery painted by Mr. F.
Fenton.

Miss Woolgar
„Mr. J. L. Toole
~.Mrs. Charles Dillon
_Mr. Tom Matthews and
Mr. H. Marshall:
The box-office open daily, from 11 to 5, under the super-
itendence of Mr. Chatterton, jun.
Carriages conveying parties t the Private Boxes to set
down at the State entrance in Burleigh-street.

Conrad (the Corsair)
Birbarto (his lieutenant)
Medora
Clowns

THEATRE ROYAL, A DELPHI.
Lessee—Mr. Ben. Webster.

THIS EVENING, will be performed THE CUSTOMS OF
THE COUNTRY. Melissa, Mrs Barney Williams.

After which, A NIGHT AT NOTTING-HILL, in which
Mr. Wright and Pail Bedford will appear.
Followed by THE IRISH TUTOR. Dr O'Toole, Mr
Barney Williams.
To conclude with