The Sun.
London, England, 1861-03-21 00:00:00

TO COMMANDING OFFICERS OF VOLUNTEE.R

CORPS.

MEMORANDUM.

Volunteers, when in mourning, will wear a
piece of black crape three inches wide round the
left arm above the elbow.

By order.

M. M'MURDO.

War Office, 20th March, 1861.

Punch is capital again this week, as last.
Napoleon and Palmerston are playing a Nautical
game at cards. Nap throws down La
Gloire as a safe trump whereupon Pam covers it
with the Warrior to the astonishment of Ironsides.
The easy look of devil-may-care indifference of
Palmerston's air, with his evergreen sprig of
shillelagh dangling from his lips contrasts
admirably with the gravity and surprise of the
Imperial looker on. The size of the Warrior
card aptly illustrates the relative size of
each. The bet is francs to sovereigns,
and the motto, " Beggar my Neighbour."
The moral—Pam puts—" Is not your Majesty tired
of this foolish game ?" We know that the people
of both France and England are heartily sick of it
—and Mr. GLADSTONE, too.
RETURN OF THE COURT TO THE ISLE OF
WlGHT.—According to present arrangements the Royal
family will return to Osborne on Monday next, the 25th
inst. Her Majesty's apartments were undergoing exten-
sive alterations, as were the offices, kitchens, &c., and it
will require a number of workmen, and great exertions to
get the palace ready in time.
THE BALLOT SOCIETY.—The weekly meeting of
the executive committee was held on Tuesday, at the offices
in Guildhall-chambers-31r. Sydenham Nodes in the chair.
Mr. Whitehuret, Mr. Bontems, Mr. Man, Mr. F. Clowes,
&c., were present. Clair J. Grece, Esq., Redhill, Surrey,
was elected a member of the council; Thomas Bazley, Esq.,
M.P.. T. B. Potter, Esq., John Fildes, Esq., and James
Sidebotham, Esq., were elected members of the finance com-
mittee for the Manchester district. The Wakefield bribery
case was considered by the committee, who came to the fol-
lowing resolution : "This committee, having regard to the
fact that the Government propose to Parliament further
penal legislation on the subject of corrupt practices at elec-
tions, takes this opportunity of calling public attention to
the tedious, costly, and inefficient operation of bribery pro-
secutions, as shown in the Wakefield case, and to the con-
trast between such prosecutions and the simple, inexpen-
sive, and effectual method' of preventing bribery by secret
voting, recommended by the commissioners in the St.
Albans, Gloucester, and Wakefield cases to the House of
Commons' committee on corrupt practices." Arrangements
were made for holding &meeting in Birmingham on Mon-
day evening, the 25th inst.

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER AND
OXFORD UNIVERSITY.-3,1 r. Gladstone appears to have
been taken by surprise at the announcement which has
appeared in some of the papers that he has been waited upon
by a deputation from South Lancashire, asking him to
become a candidate for the third seat which it is proposed
to give to that division of the county, and that he gave a
favourable reply to the application. The right hon, gen-
tleman has communicated with a Church paper, which is
an authority in the University of Oxford, which he at
present represents, and the following " authorised state-
ment" has been issued :—" With reference to a paragraph
which appeared in the Times and other newspapers, stating
that a deputation had waited upon Mr. Gladstone, soliciting
him to be a candidate for the third seat proposed to be
given to South Lancashire, and that he had given a favour-
able reply, we can state that no deputation from South
Lancashire have seen, or proposed to see, the Chancellor of
the Exchequer, and that no question has been put or answer
given between any such deputation and him, nor is he a
party to any proceedings that may have been taken in that
quarter."

EXTRAORDINARY TRIAL. —An extraordinary
case was tried before Chief Justice Cockburn, at Derby, on
Tuesday. A few months ago poaching prevailed to such
an extent in the neighbourhood of Derby that the autho-
rities felt themselves called upon to adopt extraordinary
measures, with the view, if possible, of putting a atop to the
frequent nocturnal raids in search of game. Early ono
morning in October last, two officers of the borough police
force were on the look .out in ono of the suburbs of the town,
when they encountered three men, who had in their pos-
session bags, nets, and several hares and rabbits. The men
were despoiled of their nets and game, but next day they
were informed that they might have the former by
calling at the police station. They, however, would
not have the nets unless they also obtained back the
whole of their property, meaning the hares and
rabbits. The :police, however, would, not return
the game ; and, on Tuesday, one of the men, John
Wilmot, brought an action at the assizes against the officers
for the value of the property they had. detained. Wilmot
was examined, and an attempt was of course made by the
counsel for the defence to ascertain how he had acquired his
property, but he refused to make any disclosure on this
interesting point—admitting, however, that he had cn
several occasions been committed to prison for poaching.
The learned Judge, in summing up, doubted very much
how far the police could be justified in law in seizing the
plaintiff's property. He, however, described the case as
one of the most discreditable that had been brought in a
court of justice, and he advised the jury that in estimating
the value of the hares and rabbits they should take into
consideration the manner in which the plaintiff had become
possessed of them. The jury gave a verdict for the plain-
tiff-4s. 6d. damages, his lordship decliPing to certify for
Costs,