The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-18 00:00:00

?HE NEW PENAL SERVITUDE BILL.

A meeting to consider the propriety of petition-
ing Parliament for the insertion into Sir G. Grey's
bill of c'auses to secure the employment of convicts
in reproductive labour was .held in the Egyptian-
hall, Mansion-house, on Saturday. The Load Mayor
presided, and there was a full attendance of mem-
bers of the Legislature and other gentlemen inte-
rested in the improvement of the criminal law.
The LORD MAYOR briefly explained his object in
convening the meeting, and referred to the commu-
nications he had received from all parts of the coun-
try on the subject of our criminal population. Ad-
verting to the destitution of the metropolis and his
own personal visits to the refuges and asylums re-
sorted to by its poor, he urged as a point of para-
mount importance the necessity of dealing promptly
with the case of offenders who on being discharged
from prison had no ostensible means of living.
Mr. C. PEARSON then addressed the assemblage
at great length, expounding in detail the views he
has previously advocated on prison discipline. The
gist of his argument was that criminals should be
made to support themselves by working at their
own handicrafts. Reciting the principal provisions
of the Government measure, he said he was willing
to concede the large discretionary powei-s with
which it would invest the Rome Secretary: Indeed
he was anxious to extend those powers further, so
as to enah:e Sir G. Grey to give a trial to his (Mr.
Pearson's) own scheme. He denied that his views
had yet been practically tested, and repudiated
with some indignation the absurd attempt to raise
crops by cmvict labour from the bleak and granite
soil of Dartmooor, which had. bees passed off in his
name. Tle experiments at Dartmoor and Port-
land were wretched caricatures and travesties of
the plan h 3 had enunciated. At present the aver-
age cost of a prisoner's. keep was 261. per annum,
against which the only set-off from his reproductive
labour was 1/. 4s. 7d. By making each convict
work at tie calling he followed before lapsing into
crime his average earnings would be 10s. per week,
and the cost of his food 3s. To maintain a proper
balance of industries in our various gaols magis-
trates should be authorised, with the consent of
the Home Secretary, to transfer their prisoners
from one county to another. _

Mr. M. D. HILL (Recorder of Birmingham)
vouched for the perfect practicability of Mr. Pear-
son's plan, which he contended would inflict the
most salutary punishments in the form least bur-
densome to the tax-paying community. Having,
enlarged upon the disciplinary effect of useful la-
bour, he concluded by moving a series of resolutions
recommending-1, the substitution in certain cases,
in lieu of fixed periods of imprisonment and trans-
portation, of a proportionate number of hours of
labour to be performed by the convict either at
home or in the colonies ; 2, the holding out of such
inducements to criminals as, in conjunction with
proper ,mural and religious instruction, would ren-
der them the " voluntary instruments of their
own maintenance, punishment, reformation, and
release ; 3, enabling justices of counties and
boroughs to exchange prisoners, with a view to a
better industrial classification ; and, lastly, the
appointment of a committee to carry out the fore-
going resolutions.

- The motion wasseconded by Mr. G. CRUIKSHANK,
and supported by the Rev. J. DAVIS, of Rochester,
the latter gentleman insisting that restitution
should be exacted from the criminal not only for
his original offence, but for making himself a bur-
den to society while in custody.
Mr. SIDNEY advocated the assignment system
pursued in the earlier history of our colonies, illus-
trating its beneficial working even under peculiarly
unfavourable circumstances by the example of New
South Wales. There settlers of the convict class
who used to be paid for their labour contracts in
" rum" were now its possession of a bank that had
never failed, and also kept their own carriages.
(Laughter.) Reformatory institutions should be
introduced into the colonies, where they would
work even better than at hole

Mr. ELLIOT caused some merriment by making a
vigorous onslaught upon the " humanity-mongers,"
who built splendid palaces for our thieves, pamper-
ing them with every luxury enjoyed by the noble-
man, while they neglected the misery of the honest
labourer, and taught him to speculate on the supe-
riority in point of comfort of crime over steady
indastEy. Characterising Mr. Pearson's scheme
•as one of many " quack recipes" for curing the
same evil, and throwing ridicule on his proposed
" exchange of prisoners," which he remarked
would require the setting up—perhaps in the Lord
Mayor's own official residence—of a " criminal
clearing-house," he wound up a lively speech by
moving an amendment in accordance with his views,
which failed, however, to find a seconder.
Lord RANELAGH avowed himself an adherent of
the much-decried system of transportation, de-
nouncing, at the same time, the practice of allow-
ing notorious thieves; with no"ostensible means of
gaining an honest livelihood, to roam at large in
this country.
Mr. ERNEST JONES came to the rescue of " the
humanitarians," and cited his own personal experi-
ence to prove that the prison discipline to which
misdemeanants of the second class are subjected is
now sufficiently severe. He.also protested against
clothing the Home Secretary with the unprece-
dented powers sought to be vested in him by the
new bill, and advised the setting of our convicts to
reclaim the waste lands of this country.
At this stage of the proceedings the audience be-
gan to thin rapidly, the members of Parliament
present being the first to depart to attend to their
legislative duties, and in a short space but a few
gentleman remained to prolong the business. Con-
currently with this falling off in numbers the dis-
cussion grew more desultory and even somewhat
acrimonious.

Mr. Pows.A.LL complained that the meeting had
been too much tied down to the consideration of
Mr. Pearson's plan, and no time was left for enter-
ing into the more g( neral question at issue.
Mr. LEMAITRE, who offered to second Mr.
Elhot's amendment, but was informed by the chair-
man that he was too late, also alleged it as a
grievance that, though they had been invited by
the card of admission to a consultation, the first
hour and a half had been taken up with a " lec-,
ture."

An adjournment was also mooted by several
speakers, and though Mr. Pearson, backed by the
Lord Ma 3 or, at first urged the propriety of agree=
ing to the resolutions before separating, in order
that the meeting might have its due effect upon the
discussion in Parliament that night, the proposal
to hula another sitting was strenuously persevered
in. An additional element of acerbity was imported
into the proceedings by a taunt thrown out in the
heat of the moment by Mr. Pearson against Mr.
Pownall for his " newly-born zeal in behalf of the
reformation of juvenile offenders"--a sarcasm which
the worthy gentleman assailed repelled with some
warmth. Perfect harmony was, however, soon re-
stored, and the meeting, which lasted from one till
half-past four, was at length adjourned till Monday
at twelve. The usual compliment was paid to the
Chairman.

MR. W. H. RUSSELL'S LECTURES.

On Saturday Mr. Russell delivered his third lec-
ture, the last of the series, in Willis's Rooms.
Having terminated his, second lecture with a vivid
description of the brilliant but unprofitable charge
at Balaklava, he commenced his third lecture with
a reference to the promptand admirable dispositions
of Sir De Lacy Evans on Oct. 28, for whose services
no adequate reward had yet been given. He then
passed on to the battle of Inkerman, a large picture
and admirably filled in. The storm of the 14th and
15th November Was next described with its at-
tendant disasters. The horrible state of the camp
during the winter was then vividly depicted.
Spring and the heaven-sent mission of Florence
Nightingale at length brought some relief and good
order. On the•6th of February the French took
from us our right attack (the Malakhoff), which Sir
J. Burgoyne recognised at once as the key of the
position. It would obviously have been more na-
tional that the English should have kept their lines
on the extreme right, and that the French should
have occupied the lines on the British left, which
were nearest the French lines. It was said the
French refused this arrangement. But if they re-
fused why should we have always yielded ? Mr.
Russell, in the course of his remarks, frequently re-
ferred to the indignity of our playing second fiddle
to the French during the operations 'of the siege.
Mr. Russell passed rapidly over the intervening
events till the assault of the 18th of June. Lord
Raglan was not to m dee his attack on the Redan
till a certain signal had been given lay the French.
But the French, having failed in their attack on
the Malakhoff, and got into a difficult and danger-
ous position, Lord Raglan ordered the
attack on the Reda,n. It was the old story over
again. We were not to do No. 2 till the French
had achieved No. 1 ; and to this too easy com-
pliance with the wishes of the Allies he attributed
the fact that this turned out for the English nation
an inglorious 18th of June. On the Bth of Sep-
tember he witnessed that quick, tiger-like, and suc-
cessful spring of the French oa the Malakoff. The
English were preparing to renew their attack on the
Redan the next day, but it was not necessary. The
Russians felt that the heel of their Achilles had
been wounded, apcl. they prepared to leave Sebas-
topol, which had been defended with so much skill;
and they were allowed to do so without any more
serious attempt to prevent them than the firing of
some shot at the Russian bridge. In conclusion
Mr. Russell observed that England was prodigal
too late of men as a tardy antithesis of her rea-
diness to spend money. Names of promise
ha I issued from the recext contest which,
if they had the opportunity, would one day be-
come famous. If the English people desired to enter
on great wars they mus t be prepared to maintain great
armies ; and if these armies were animated by the
same spirit as that which possessed the army of
Sebastopol, there need be no fear, in any future
struggle, for the homes or liberties of England.
Mr. Russell's lecture occupied two hours in the
delivery, and was concluded amidst loud applause.

Mr. Russell will repeat his Personal Narrative
at Willis's Rooms; on Saturday afternoon, May 23 ;
Thursday afternoon, May 28; Monday afternoon,
June 1.

THE EQUESTRIAN TROUPE AT DRURY-

LANE.

An equestrian company—an importation, we
understand, from America--commenced a short
season at this theatre very successfully on Saturday
evening. At present the performers confine their
exertions to the circle, leaving the dramatic branch
of the art to the old-established home over the
water ; but it must be confessed that within tbeir
limited range they produce a very varied and ele-
gant evening's entertainment. Miss Ella, whose
name figures in the bills as manager, is a rider of
tremendous force and daring, who jumps through
balloons and over gates, while her horse is at tl)e
gallop, with as much ease and facility as if she were
only dancing a polka on terra firma. Mr. Delavanti
and his children perform miracles in posture-making,
and execute their wonderful feats with so much
ease and precision as completely to obviate that
nervous sensation with which people are apt to
contemplate the tumbling about of young children,
as it is commonly done by the less dexterous mem-
bers of Mr. • Delavanti's calling. A child, Miss
Wells, performs with much grace an elaborate act
of the haute ecole ; and Madame Newsome manages
two horses in a manner that is at once graceful and
surprising. The whole of the performances, in
short, belong to an advanced school of the art, and
present the charm of novelty in a class of public
amusement that has made less progress amongst us
than any other we know of. There are, besides
'he horsemanship, some first rate gymnastic! exer-
cises by Messrs. Potter and Jennings, and remark-
able feats of tumblinc, by MM. Ferdinand and Eu-
gene. These two latter' performers were loudly ap-
plauded, and may be said to have contributed a
leading feature to the evening's amusement. We
must not forget the clowns, Swann and Wallett ;
the latter, who calls hiniself the " Shakesperian
Jester," being almost as loquacious as chorus in the
old drama. Both said a great many good things
and were very humorous, efficiently filling up the
time while the horses were recovering their wind
and the ladies readjusting their muslins. Nearly
every member of the troupe was honoured with a
call, but the chief favourites seemed to be the
ladies Ella and Newsotiabe, MM. Eugene and Fer-
dinand, and the old and young members of the
Delavanti family. Great praise is due to Mr. Stir-
ling, stage manager of Drury-lane, for the celerity
with which the theatre was got xeady for this new
species of entertainment.

Names of
Companies.

Names of
Companies.

93 71. p. ct.
40 4/.
100 11;.
100 61. 15s.
100 21. pr. ct.
10 61. pr. ct.
100 73. 6d
40 63.
100 251.
100 5/.
83 11.55.
143 701
100 21. 103.
100 161.
100

Name of Company.

Berlin ......
East London

Do. 4 per Cent. Pref.
Do. 5 per Cent. Prof.
Grand Junction ......

Do. New .. .. • .
Kent. . ..........
Lambeth
New River Company..
Southwark & Vauxhall
West Middlesex
Do. Do, ..

Name of Company.

f1unzerf0rd..........
Southwark ...... ..

Ditto New of 7% p.c.
Waterloo ..... • • • .

Ditto Old Ann. of 81.

Ditto Nw ditto of 71.
Vauxhall

freak Forest.
Regent's....
Rochdale....
,Stftrd &Wor.
fitourbridgc.
Severn and
Wye Rail.
Warwick &
Binning.
.5
Warwick &
-
Napton...3
Worcstr &
Birming.
'Wilts & Brki

X s. d.
10 0 0
Stock.
25 0 0
2•i 0 0
50 0 0
25 0 0
100 0 0
100 '0 0

100 0 0
GI 0 0
5 1 8