The Sun.
London, England, 1857-06-09 00:00:00

I 8 5 7:
7,1. V it, 1 I'i N 141 9,

TUESDAY

zAo-, 44. t4:11 13,11,TVitte
- 14 _

:SUN OFFICE, ,Feven, o'clock.

laqt. by a shot frA from the French war schooner Ma-
ratch.

Lord PALMERSTON'. said that her Majesty's G-i-
-vernn-ient had received information with regard to the
melancholy circumstance. It appeared that this vessel
entered the roadstead of Belleisle without her colo'iri
flying, which was very wrong, becan o a foreign vessel
entering a harbour ought to have her national colours
flying. (Hear, h. ar.) UnqueFtilnably the C3P-
duct of the officer in command of the French vessel
was unjustifiable, although ho ordered two blank mus-
kets first to be fired. The noncompliance of the master
of the schooner was no justification of the French com-
mander's precipitatien in ordering a shotted musket to
be discharged against the schooner. (Hear, hear.)
His explanatLn of the unfortunate affair was that be
ordered the person who fired to fire high, the conse-
quence of which was the striking of the seaman referred
to. The French Government had, however, given
her Majesty's Government no opportunity of remon-
strating against this act, for Count Walewski imme-
diately on the circumstance becoming known, volur-
teered a communication to her Majesty's ambassador at
Paris, of the most satisfactory and handsome kind, ex-
pressing the deep regret of the French Government at
the occurrence, and stiting that orders would be given
by the French Government to dismiss the French otfictr
from their service, who ordered the firing of the musket
—(heAr)—and that the French Government was about
to make inquiries to ascertain in what way and in what
degree it was possible in their Power to mitigate the
applications of the family of the unfortunate seaman who
may have suffered from the sacrifice (this life. Nothing
could be more honourable or propr than the manner in
which the French Government had acted, and intend
still farther to act in this unfortunate and melancholy
catastrophe. (Hear.)
GRAND JURIES (METROPOLIS).

Sir F. THESIGER moved for have to introduce a
bill to dispense with the attendance of grand juries at
the Central Criminal Court, and at courts of General
and Quarter Sessions holden within the metropolita❑
police district except in particular cases. The hon. and
learned gentleman referred to the feeling of the public
against the continuance of grand juries, as well
as many of our jtufges ; and he referred to the
practice of grand juries throwing out bills, and
of persons going privately before grand juries,
and preferring bills against prisoners for the pur-
pose of extortion, and gave a variety of illustrations of
the working of the system.in support of his argument.
The secresr of the proceeding faCilitated its being
abused, lie proposed that no case` should be tried in
the metropolitan districts without a previous investi-
gation Wore a magistrate, by which means attendance
of the grand jury might be dispensed with, and thereby
save much loss of time and inconvenience t) persons
having to prosecute prisoners, from their not being re-
quired to attend before grand juries to prefer bills of in-
dictment. A great saving would also take place in the
costs of pr3secution.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that the measure
would receive the cordial support of the Government,
who bad not touched the subject, from their having had
under their consideration a comprehensive plan con-
nected with the appointment of a public prosecutor,
which would have taken the subject under consideration.
After some remarks from Mr. BOWYER, leave was
given to bring in the bill.
[LEFT SITTING.]