The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-09 00:00:00

tate thus much further to the East, adding to her
already alarming dominions this enormous extent
of new territory.

Recollect, then—that this increase to the domi-
nions of the Russian Autocrat amounts, as we have
indicated, to an accession of territory equal to the
areas of France and Italy combined. Where ? In
the country of the Amoor. North of Chinese Tar-
tary—south of the Yablonoi Mountains. Extending
to the borders of Mantchouria—bounded on the
east by the waters of the Japanese Sea, and on the
west by the chain of the Kin-gen Mountains.
This newly-acquired °P ;entry has by this time been
thoroughly incorporated with the vast empire
owning allegiance to the Russian Autocrat--and it
has been so incorporated under the title of the
maritime province of Eastern Siberia. The ad-
vantages which it secures to Russia, moreover, are
SO various and so remarkable, that they are, in
point of fact, not very easily to be enumerated.
Enough if we here mention but a very few of them.
To begin with—Eastern Siberia, as the new pro-
vince is henceforth to be called, secures to Russia
an immense extension of her sea-board in the North
Pacific. It brings the Muscovite frontier to within
a distance of six hundred miles only from the
capital of China—and this at a time when the
Chinese Empire has just been shaken by its dis.
comfiture at the hands of the Europeans, while it
is yet convulsed by the Taeping rebellion. The
newly-acquired dominion of Russia, moreover, it
should be added, gives to Russia herself the ex-
traordinary advantage of ready access henceforth
from the North Pacific to the very centre of her
colossal empire, along the channel of one of the
grandest rivers in Asia, the great river of the
Amoor ! How all this has been accomplished we
cannot at this moment or in this place pause to
indicate. It is a matter for scrutiny worthy of
consideration entirely by itself. The simple fact
that it is so—that Russia has thus wondrously con-
soled herself for her baulked ambition in the in-
stance of the siege of Sebastopol by the Anglo-
French allies—that simple but suggestive fact is
all we would here insist upon. It is a theme
worthy in every respect of the study of the
diplo-
matists of Western Europe. For is it not a. signal
evidence of the persistence of the Russian Govern-
ment in acting upon the old, wily principle, reculer
pour mieux muter ?

We venture again, with all due deference, to im-
pugn the wisdom of the Great Unpaid—to impugn
it so far as to suggest to the Home Secretary that
he should practically reverse their decision, and
order repayment of the fine which they have in-
flicted.

There is a place called Beedon, near Newbury,
which, probably, most Englishmen know as much
about as we do, and that is what the Gazetteer tells
us, plus the facts which we have now briefly to
mention. There lived in Beedon lately a hard-
working couple, named WINKIVORTH. The
mother died and was buried ; the father was
obliged by want to go with his family
into the workhouse, and soon the father died and
was buried also, and the children were left with no
home but the poorhouse, and no parents but the
parish. CHARLES with whom we are now concerned
found himself in this position at eight years of age.
At fifteen he left the Newbury Workhouse, and
was placed with a farmer of the name of KING.
He would seem to have worked for him about four
years, with no charge, so far as we can learn, of insub-
ordination or neglect of duty. A few months ago,
however, he was guilty of going to the Primitive
Methodist Chapel, where according to his own
account he "got converted," and after he came into
trouble about it, his reason was, " that he did not
wish to disoblige his master, but he got more good
to his soul at chapel, and therefore thought it his
duty to go." No contemptible reason, certainly in
the mouth of any man; and it is at least highly pro-
bable that the ranting preacher, and his earnest-
ness together, were more likely to tell on the
ploughboy's mind than the faultless discourse read
with becoming dignity from the desk of the parish
church.

Unfortunately for CHARLES, a carter's son in the
harvest field got into a passion with him, assaulted
him and knocked him down with a "prong," and
then beat him fearfully, in spite of his cries, till his
back and arms were covered with large wheals,
and looked, as he expressed it, " like a hog pud-
ding." The other laboufers urged him to sum-
mon his assailant, and subscribed the money for
him to do so. The result was that the carter's son
was fined, costs included, 17s.
Now, it appears that KING patronised the
carter's son, and had a spite against the lad for
preferring chapel to church. His MAJESTY of
Beedon, therefore, paid the assailant's fine, and
took out another summons against the lad for
misconduct in service. It appears that nothing
could be said against the lad as a servant, but
the charge was—" He is a ranter ; he refuses
to go to church, but attends the ranters' meet-
ings." "As he had a perfect right to
do !" our readers will doubtless exclaim, and
whatever their opinion of Ranters, all the English-
man will be roused in them, at the thought of its
being a crime, that a ploughboy should " get him-
self converted," if it so pleased him, and should join
the
n Ranters.
ctaebrts.,"
.f
Andh oeven,
" go tas HALEY says in " Uncle
the rale thing," it might
ron j
add many dollars to his worth as a servant. Quite
different, however, were the thoughts of the New- I
bury Magistrates and their King. The poor i
fellow who has 4s. a week to lire on, was fined 9s
for this heinous offence.

We confess we were for some time incredulous.
We could hardly believe in the administration of
justice in, this style in England. The facts are,
however, now beyond doubt. The neighbours, in-
dignant, as might be expected, collected 17s. for

the fine, bought him a Bible
him, and, after paying
and a hymnbook with the balance. He now goes
once on the Sunday to Church to please his master

and the
,magistrates, for he seems to be a modest,
quiet lad, reserving the other part of the day to go
where, as he thinks, he shall please his Maker

better ; where at least he thinks he " gets more

good to his soul."

But we are strongly inclined to think that the
magistrates are as wrong in law as in Christian

morality. There was an Act passed in 1846 which

expressly repeals, so far as affects Dissenters, the

clause of EDWARD Vl's Act which inflicts both

Church censures and a penalty for non-attend

ance at Church.

Churchmen are left liable

to Church censures ; but even they are exempted

from the pecuniary penalties. It can hardly, be

doubted, therefore, that the magistrates have in-
flicted a fine unauthorised by law. From none of the

statements which we have seen does it appear that

him master had previously ordered him to go to

church; but even if he had, we should not have

supposed that any one now would have the hardi-
hood to contend that magistrates were warranted
in inflicting a fine for disobedience to such a com-

mand. We have seen not a word of explanation

yet from the magistrates, but unless some can be

given the public will certainly think it a case
demanding the immediate attention of the Home

Secretary.

His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge has
left town on a visit to the Earl and Countess of Chester-
field, at Bretby Park, near Burton-on-Trent.
The Earl Russell, accompanied by the Countess
Russell and family, has arrived at Minto House, N. 8.,
from Abergeldie Castle. The noble earl leaves the above-
named seat on Saturday, for Newcastle, and will be in Lon-
don early in the ensuing week. •
We learn that the Earl of Yarborough has had
another attack of paralysis, and for 24 hours was in a very
critical state. The latest medical reports are more favour-
able.

The funeral of th& late Earl of Eglinton. and
Winton will take place in the family vault at Kilwinning
Church, Ayrshire, on Friday next.
The Earl of Norbury has left Farrance's Hotel
for Valence, near Westerham, in Kent.
Field-Marshal Viscount Combermere and Vis-
countess Combermere and the Hon. Mrs. Hunter have ar-
rived at Leamington, from Combermere Abbey, whither
they will return, after a short sejour at Spa, to receive a
succession of visitors during the autumn.
Baron A. Desmanet de Boutonville and Baron de
Bogaerde have arrived at the Clarendon, from Paris.
Col. and Lady Katherine Evans Freke left town
yesterday for Beechwood House, Devon, the residence of
Lord Seaton.
Sir Norton and Lady Knatchbull have arrived
at Farrance's Hotel from Mersham le Hatch, Kent.
His Excellency Senor M. Murillo, Minister of the
New Grenadian Confederation, has left the Brunswick
Hotel, Jermyn-street, for Paris.
DEATH OF LORD PONSONBY.—lntelligenee has
reached England of the death of Lord Ponsonby, which
took place on the second inst., in Bavaria. The deceased
nobleman was a posthumous son of the late Major-General
the Hon. Sir William Ponsonby, by the sixth
daughter of the first Lord Southampton. He was born at
Hampstead on the 6th of February, 1816, and succeeded
as third baron on the death of his uncle, in 1855. The
second baron, a distinguished diplomatist, was her Msjesty's
Ambassador at Constantinople from 1832 to 1837, and at
Vienna from 1846 to 1851. He obtained a viscountry,
which became extinct at his death, while the barony re-
verted to the deceased peer. His uncle, the Hon. George
Ponsonby, succeeds him.
DEATH OF THE HON. EDWARD GARDNER.—We
have to record the death of the Hon. Edward Gardner, fifth
son of Alan, first Lord Gardner. The hon. gentleman died
at his apartments in King-street, St. James's, on Saturday
last, aged 77, having been born in March, 1784. The de-
ceased gentleman had been for many years in the service of
the lion. East India Company, and was for a lengthened
time resident at the Court of Nepaul. Ho was unmarried.
FIRE AT HOLLOWAY.—Yesterday morning a fire,
attended with a destruction of property, in value £2OO,
hatapened in the premises belonging to Mr. T. Wilson, a
carpenter, George's-place, Holloway-road. The flames
commenced in the workshop. Several engines quickly at-
tended, and plenty of water being at hand the fire was
confined to the workshops, and slight damage to some tim-
ber sheds, and the stock of timber in the open yard. The
origin of the fire is unknown, and the loss will fall upon the
Royal Exchange Fire Office.
LAMENTABLE ACCIDENT.--Loss OF SIX LIVES.
—Yesterday morning, at seven o'clock, Mr. Tate, a city
coal-meter, and 11 men, coal-whippers, while proceeding
down the river in a boat, there being a very thick fog, came
in collision with two barges, lying at their anchors off
Pilson's dock, Rotherhithe. The boat was immediately
capsized, and the whole of the party immersed in the
stream. The masters and crews of the barges rendered
every possible assistance, and saved Mr. Tate, and five of
the coal. whippers, and they were conveyed to the Horns
public-house, Cuckold's Point, on the Surrey shore. Some
of the poor fellows were in an insensible condition, but
with the aid of stimulants were resuscitated and sent home.
We regret to add that six of the coal-whippers perishe d
The body of one, named William Ryan, of Crown-court.
Upper East Smithfield, was found a few hours afterwards,
and taken to the dead-house in Shadwell Church-yard.
Another body was recovered yesterday evening.
THE POLICE OF NEW YORK.—Efforts are in
progress to convert the police of New York into a military
force, the Commissioners having made a requisition for
2,000 muskets and the accompanying military equipments.
To this significant measure the New York Commercial Ad-
vertiser urges the following among other objections :
" We object to the change for this, above all other reasons,
that it is a grave and dangerous encroachment upon the
genius of our institutions—a large stride toward that cen-
tralisation of power and that combination of the military
with the police which distinguishes every despotic country.
The police authorities have power enough already, and
certainly cannot complain that they are held to too strict a
responsibility. Convert their 2,200 able. bodied men into a
military force, armed with all the implements of war, with
perhaps, as we have intimated, artillery and cavalry to boot,
and they may become an institution very dangerous to the
liberties of the people. The proposed plan is, in fact, anti-
republican, essentially and dangerously so, and we trust
that there will be promptly an expression of popular opinion
that will prevent its ever being carried out,"
NARROW ESCAPE OF AIR. BLAKE, M.P., FROM
DROWNING.—Ono of the hon. members for the city of
Waterford has had a very narrow escape from drowning in
Tramore. Mr. Blake went to bathe at a time when the tide
was full out, and at low water spring tidos the water recedes
so far as to bring some dangerous holes within reach. These
holes are formed by the violent action of the waves during
storms, and are not always in the same spot. Mr. Blake
was in company with Master Gallwey, son of Henry Gall-
wey, Esq., who remained on shore in charge of Mr. Blake's
dog, and while doing so perceived Mr. Blake struggling in
the water, and gave the alarm to a bathing man, named
Kelly, who immediately got the life buoy, which has been
the means of saving many lives. Some little delay occurred
in consequence of the fouling of the line, but Kelly threw
off his boots and rushed with the life buoy into the water,
and threw it to Mr. Blake, who had sunk twice and rose to
the surface just in time to seize the buoy, and he was drawn
from the deep water by the line attached to it. On reaching
Kelly he was so faint as to be unable to stand, and that man
and his son carried him ashore, where he was rubbed, s wathed
in flannel, and took some brandy, which revived him. Had
it not been for prompt assistance the result must have been
fatal.— Waterford Mail.
BRAIDWOOD TESTIMONIAL FUND.—A meeting of
the committee appointed to superintend the subscription set
on foot as a testimonial of the late superintendent of the
London Fire Brigade has been held at the Mansion-house
within the last few days for the purpose of winding up the
business and to dispose of the money in accordance with the
wishes of the donors, in the spirit at least, if not in their
letter. Mr. Baddeley, the secretary, reported to the meeting
that the net available balance of the subscriptions amounted
to £526 Ils. 6d. The moment it was publicly announced
that the fire offices would make provision for the widow of
Mr. Braidwood the committee felt that there was little or
no need for the testimonial fund, which had been originated
in ignorance of the intention of the directors of the fire com-
panies, and in that sentiment the public feeling coincided,
as the paucity of the subscriptions indicated. They accord-
ingly lost no time in endeavouring to stop the subscription,
and at their closing meeting, a day or two ago, they unani-
mously resolved that, considering the limited amount of
the fund, and the liberal provision which had been made
for the widow and children of the deceased, it appeared to
them that the sum of £526 odd would be best applied towards
the maintenance of his two aged sisters, who by his death
had been deprived of their sole means of support. It is
understood that, in conformity with this resolution, the sum
will be sunk for the purchase of annuities for those ladies,
and so the matter ends.
LORD PALMERSTON AND THE POWDER MAGAZINE.
—We read in a local newspaper :—" Some two or three
years since an order emanated from the War Department
directing that all forts and castles on the coast between
Portsmouth and the mouth of the Thames (many of which
had been dismantled) should be placed in a state of defence,
and, in accordance with these instructions, batteries were
repaired, cannon mounted, and magazines filled with am-
munition throughout the district. At Widmer Castle the
half dozen field-pieces which had been placed upon the ram-
parts during the early part of the wardenship of the Duke
of Wellington had never been dismounted, and some five
tons of gunpowder were stored for the defence of the
fortress. Of this circumstance the present inmates of the
castle were totally ignorant until a few mornings since,
when a working party of soldiers from the neighbouring bare
racks were seen approaching, and shortly aft erwards to cross
the drawbridge and form in the courtyard of the castle.
This unusual circumstance of course created some surprise,
which was further increased when, upon inquiry being made
of the officer in command as to the cause of this unexpected
invasion, he replied that he had come for the purpose of
' turning the barrels of powder in the magazine.' This
intelligence was promptly reported to Lord Palmerston,
who requested the officer to point out to him the where-
abouts of the magazine, and inform him of the quantity of
powder deposited there. The officer replied that as near as
he could judge the position of the magazine was immediately
beneath the place on which his Lordship was then stand-
ing, and that the quantity deposited in the magazine was
100 barrels. The officer added that at regular intervals the
Castle was visited by a party such as were now formed
beneath the windows, who moved the whole of the gun-
powder and reversed the position of the casks. His Lord-
ship said that under no circumstances would he continue to
sleep immediately over a powder-magazine, and instructed
the officer to take steps without any delay for the immediate
removal of its contents."
COLLIERIES.—The total number of collieries in
Great Britain at present is estimated at 2,654 ; of these
1,943 are in England, 235 in Wales, 405 in
Scotland, and
71 in Ireland. In 1857 the coal produce of the United
Kingdom exceeded 65,000,000 tons. The value at the pit's
mouth of the quantity annually raised is estimated at
£16,700,000, and its mean annual value when consumed,
at about £20,000,000. Besides this sum, it is estimated
that the iron extractedyearly from the coals raised is worth,
at the mouth of the furnace, 141 millions sterling. The
total capital invested in the trade is supposed to exceed 181
millions sterling. In 1851 the number of persons employed
in our coal mines was 219,000 ; at present there are at least
a quarter of a raillion,—Mechanics' Magazine.