The Sun.
London, England, 1857-03-14 00:00:00

AUSTRALIA.

(From a Correspondent of the Time,
MELBOURNE, Nov. 26,1856.
Yesterday will be long remembered in the colony of
Victoria, and, it is to be hoped, not without pride and
satisfaction not only by the " native-born," but by all who
have made it their home. The first session of the first
Parliament under the new Constitution was opened in per-
son by General MacArthur, the officer administering the
Government. The Chambers met on Friday, when the
Legislative Council chose its President, and the Legislative
Assembly its Speaker. The choice of the former fell on
Dr. Palmer, who filled the office of Speaker of the late
Council with considerable credit to himself, but with the
single drawback of being a little too fond of speaking in
committee of the whole. Still, he is a man of considerable
intelligence, full of information, and perfectly familiar
with his duties. No other man in the Upper House ap-
proaches him in fitness, and to have chosen any other would
have been a disgrace to the House. As to the choice of a
Speaker, there was no man of such pre-eminent qualifica-
tions and claims, as compared with others, as to shut out
either competition or selection. The choice has fallen on
Dr. Murphy, who was for some time chairman of commit-
tees, and did his work well. He also sat for a short time as
Speaker during Dr. Palmer's illness. There was another
candidate in Mr. Griffiths, who was educated as a barrister,
and was called to the bar, but has never practised. I should
have thought that Mr. priffiths'a habits of mind and man-
ners would have made him a better Speaker. He has
more of " a presence than Murphy, and more calmness
and dignity of manner. Both are Irishmen, but Griffiths
has very little brogue, just enough to give preciseness to
his enunciation, while Murphy's brogue is rather conspi-
cuous. Murphy's manner, however, is frank, and he is
more accessible and approachable to those who have to
communicate with him ; whereas Griffiths's manner is felt
by some to be too stiff and cold, and this last point of com-
parison between the two, I suspect, greatly turned the
scale in favour of Murphy. In fact, either would have been
a good choice, and even those who on personal grounds
would have preferred Griffiths cannot possibly cavil at the
choice the house has made. There was one curious effect of
the experience of the old members of Palmer's disposition to
speak in committee ; a sort of pledge was drawn from
Murphy not to enter into debate in committee. Griffiths
declined to give such a pledge, and I think he was quite
right in so declining.
On Saturday the President and Speaker were presented
to the acting Governor in order that his Excellency might
know on whom their choice had fallen, and not for his
approval. Nor were any privileges, such as liberty of
speech, asked for. In England approval has come in time
to be understood as not implying the power to disapprove,
and here the House of Assembly has thus early guarded
itself against any conflict with the Crown in case of the
disallowance of a Speaker, by not putting the presentation
as for approval. That may be catalogued as constitutional
point No. 1.
The new Houses of Parliament are in a very unfinished
state. When quite completed they will probably constitute
the finest Legislative Palace in the colonies of Great Bri-
tain. The whole design will cost 500,0001., of which the
portion now erected will form about one-sixth or one-fifth
of the whole. The two chambers, which will be very
beautiful in design and embellishment, are barely ready
for occupation. Still they are commodiously fitted up, and
there is a good deal of accommodation around them, such
as division lobbies, Speaker's and clerks' rooms, some few
committee-rooms, and so forth. The library, one for both
Houses, will be built next; io the meantime the books will
be so placed as to be accessible to members. There is to be
a " Bellamy's," and the best cook and confectioner in the
town has the contract at a fixed and moderate scale. In
Australia our legislators could no more deliberate without
"a smoke" than the Dutch burgomasters of Knicker-
bocker's New Amsterdam ; hence smoking-rooms have not
been forgotten. At present the exterior of this building
is ugly enough, baG a large range of buildings has to be
aided in front, with a facade of considerable architectural
beauty.
The site of this building is at the east end of Bourke-
street, the finest street in the city, running east and west
through the same. The site was reserved for the purpose
when the town of Melbourne was first laid out. Le me re-
min i you here that our quasi-Belgravia is in the east, in-
stead of the west.
To return to yesterday. The ceremonial was conducted
very nearly after English precedent. The four judges, in
full costume of scarlet and ermine, with full-bottomed
wigs, took their seats in front and on either side of the
throne. On a stool, supposed to represent the woolsack,
sat the Speaker. The clerks of the two houses occupied
appropriate places. General MacArthur was escorted by
military, announced bya salqte, and a as received bya guard
of honour. The gentleman usher, though quite new to the
office, being a gentleman, did his part of the work as a
thorough gentleman might be expected to do it —courteously
and well. The house was crowded with ladies in every part,
even the members making way far them on all sides. At
length, "His Excellency enters the house" is heard.
He had been very well received out of doors, for he is de-
servedly popular, and there was within the walls a slight
murmur of welcome, which would have been loud but for
the decorum which the place and occasion demanded, for
there were probably few in that well-dressed crowd within
who had not experienced the General's hospitality. The
steps which followed are well known to your readers. The
members, the quasi-peers, are requested to be seated—the
presence of the members of the Assembly is requested, they
enter headed by their Speaker—the Speech is read. It is
the first Speech constructed by a responsible Ministry, and
I think will strengthen their position before the country
at least, if their performances come up to their promises
and profession's. No doubt, our Ministry have been dis-
posed to hid high by the election addresses of Liberal
members, but that is one of the great uses of an Opposition.
Leaving the Legislature at the first act, I must now turn
to our Supreme Court. The nine prisoners who made an
attempt to escape from the hulks some time since, on which
occasion Owen 0 wen., one of the boatmen, was barbarously
murdered, were arraigned for the murder last Wednesday.
They severed in their challenges, and Melville, the leader
of the attempt, was tied. He conducted his own defence,
an 1 certeinly managed it with vetyconsiderable skill. It was
sworn by several of the witnesses for the Crown that Mel-
ville himself beat out the brains of Owens with a hammer,
and then threw him overboard. But these witnesses were
at a distance, and none of the men in the boat could give
evidence as to that fact. All the other prisoners stated—
and this wes the substance of Melville's defence —that one
Stevens, a prisoner, who bad leapt overboard, and
drowned hinted, was the man who struck the blows. If
this fact be assumed to be true, it lets in the question whe-
ther the killing of the man was part of the common pur-
pose, or whether it was the act of Stevens without any
patticipatiou on the part of the others. This point remains
for argument. There also seems to be some doubt whether
the prisoners were in legal custody at the time—i.e, whe-
ther the practice of conveying them onshore to break stones
and then reconvoying them to the hulks is supported by
any statute or regulation warranted by a statute. If not,
it will reduce murder to manslaughter. I think the im-
pression among the profession is that the first point, or ra-
ther the very grave doubt involved in it, will save Mel.
ville's life. His defence is so remarkable that I enclose it.
Love of display and that sort of vanity which is very
common among great criminals were very conspicuous in
Melville's conduct throughout the trial ; but he managed
his cross-examinations well, and did not permit his love of
display to betray him into virtual admissions, as many old
offenders who conduct their own defence often d 6. His
theory of [the transaction, so to speak, was kept consist-
ently in vain throughout. He admitted he was a villain—
he owned he had robbed, but be repudiated so cowardly
and cruel an act as that with which he was charged. 'Some
of his disclosures respecting the severe and cruel discipline
of the hulks are known to be true, and this leads to some
suspicion that the whole, though, no doubt, exaggerated
and highly-coloure 3, has a foundation in fact. This has
induced the Government to announce that a commission
will be appointed to inquire and report; and so strong an
impression has this Melville's address tothe jury made upon
the public mind that the public will not be satisfied if the
inquiry is intrusted to the hungers-on of the Government,
without some men of perfectly independent character.
The mail ship of the sth of September, out 82 days, has
not yet arrived. Our latest date is the 21st of August.
We expect the Royal Charter by the middle of December.
The escorts are bringing down a good supply of gold.
The quantity last week, ending November 22, was 65,393
ounces. The quantity exported to the same date amounts
to 2,616,387 ounces—value 10,465,548/.

UNATTACHED.
Brevet-Lieutenant-Colonel Edmund Robert William
Wingfield Yates, from the 82d Foot to be Lieutenant-
Colonel, by purchase. ,
Lieutenant William Alfred Swift, from the 921 Foot,
to be Captain, by purchase.

BREVET.
Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Hall, of the Grenadier
Guards, to be Colonel in the Army.
Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Holloway, of the Royal
Marines, to be Aide-do-camp to the Queen, with the rank
of Colonel in the Army.
The undermentioned officers of the East India Company's
Service, retired upon full pay, to have a step of honorary
rank, as follows :

THE SOULAGES COLLECTION. —ln consequence of the
recent financial discussions, we understand that the
Chancellor of the Exchequer has declined to accept the
offer of the gentlemen who purchased this collection with ,
the view of securing it for the country.
MURDER IN A PRISON IN IRELAND.—At the King's
County assize., at Tullatnore, on Wednesday, before TO BE LIEUTENANT-COLONELS.
0 as Francis Blois, Bengal Infantry,
Chief Justice Lefroy, a man named Pat Downes, a con-
jllla4oorr John Howard Wakefild, Bengal
vict in the prison at Philipstown, was found guilty of
Major William Charles Birch, Bengal Infantry,
Infantry,
the wilful murder of another convict there, Robert
Major William Jervis, Bengal Infantry.
Johnson, on the 13th of February last. The two men Major Charles Thorold Hill, Madras Infantry.
were in the same gang, which consisted of nine convicts Major Henry E. D. Jones, Bombay infantry.
employed in turning manure. An hour or two before, Major H. A. Morrieson, Bengal Infantry.. while at breakfast, prisoner nes beard to say about the Major John Guise, Bengal Infantry.
deceased, "I will pay bias for all he did to me in TO BE MAJORS.
Momitjoy Prison." While they were at work, prisoner Captain T. W. Cooke, Madras Infantry.
struck him down with a spade, and inflicted four wounds Captain A. H. Corfield, Bengal Infantry.
which caused his death. Prisoner then said ha was sorry MEMORANDA.
he had not done it before. It appeared that the prisoner Lieut.-Colonel Richard Palmer Sharp, on half-pay, 72d
had been several times sentenced to imprisonment for Foot, has been permitted to retire from the service by the
burglaries and robberies, and was at present under sets-
sale of his commission, he being about to become a settler
•
tence of 14 years' penal servitude. He is only 20 years in Nova Scotia.
Captain Theodore Minot Haultain, on half-pay Unat-
of age. His lordship, addressing him, said—" Patrick
tubd, has been permitted to retire from the service by
Downes, you have been convicted of the wilful murder
of one of your associates, brought together upon the the sale of his commission, he being about to become a
settler in New Zealand.
humane, though perhaps mistaken, principle that a
reform could be effected under the circumstances of WAR OFFICE, MARCH 13.
The Queen has been pleased to appoint the undermen-
congregating together the very worst characters in tioned officers to be her Majesty's Aides-de-camp for the
society—those who had been convicted of the most service of her Militia Force
grievous offencee. The design was a, humane one ; and Walter Francis Duke of Buccleuch, K.G. Colonel of the
it is very desirable it should be carried into execution ; Edinburgh or Queen's Regiment of Light Infantry
but lam afraid you have fallen a victim to the impolicy Colonel John Wilson Patten, of the 3d Royal Lancashire
Militia.
of ,uch a measure. you were sentenced to fourteen years Regiment of Militia.
transportation for a former offence. If you had been Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Alexander Shafto Adair, of
the Suffolk Artillery, Regiment of Militia, with the rank
removed under that sentence, you would have been de-
livered from the awful position in which yon now stand. ofECEeorlorieal in thei Mitial,eFeaoeircee.
me,
ti been pleased to direct
view the effort that has been made with a at
that the atsvteyofTisc'ers shall take rank with the Senior Colo-
have view to your reformation and that of others appears to nels of Militia immediately after the Junior Colonel of her-
have been, from what has this day come before me, a Majesty's Forces.
vain speculation." His lordship, with some other obser- The Queen has been pleased to appoint (Charles Bruce,
vations, passed sentence of death, without any hope of Marquis of Aileebury, Lieutenant-Colonel of the Royal
mercy.
[A DTERTISEMENT. Wiltshire Regiment of Yeomanry Cavalry, to ba one of
1-11olloway's Pills should be taken her Majesty's Aides-de-camp for the service of her Yeo-
for the cure of dropsy.—Females at a certain period of manry Force, with the rank of Colonel in that Force.
life become liable to this complaint, which first makes its COMMISSIONS SIGNED BY THE QUEEN.
appearance by the swelling of the feet, legs, and bands, Huntingdon Regiment of Militia—Grenville G. Wells,
and thus making strong inroads on the constitution, Esq., to be Adjutant, from the 23d September, 1856.
numbers of dropsical patients, even when their cases Ist Devon Regiment of Militia—John Macdonald to be
were pronounced hopeiess, have been cured by taking Quartermaster, from Ist August, 1850.
Holloway's Pills ; and this medicine having stood the Worcestershire Regiment of Militia—Henry Mayne,
t.
test of years as a certain remedy for this malady no one Gen 'to be Quartermaster, from the 13th December, 1856.
so afflicted eheuld delay giving it a trial.—Sold by all COMMISSIONS SIGNED BY LORDS-LIEUTENANT.
medicine vendors throughout the world ;at Professor County of Essex—Edward Warner, Esq., to be Deputy
Holloway's establishments, 244, Strand, London, and 80,
CountyCounY of . Northampton—John Lieutentanoti
Radn
Watt
pGoiybsotn Wspaetntc,
Spencer,
m to.
Maiden-lane, New York ;by A. Stampa, Constanti-
be Deputy Lieutenant.
eople ; A. Guelici. Smyrna ; and E. Muir. Malta,
monly called Viscount Althor to be u 3
near Netherbury, Dorset, suffered for many years from City and County of the CityPo'f Edinb Deputyr _4l,3untearilant.
[ADvicauseefeeer.]Thenne Hallett, of Whitty Head,
a bad leg. From the knee to the ancle it had several Geddes C. 8., to be Deputy Lieuten nt.o g u
wounds, so that she was unable to stand or move about Ist Devon Regiment of Militia all. T. Hartnoll to be
variety of means and applies. Surgeon, vice King, resigned; T. W. Caird to bo Assistant-
a cure, By the blessing of Surgeon, vice Martin, resigned.
ttihoensh,obauset. wiSthhoeuttroibetiaianieg
God and using only three pots of Poor Man's Friend,
HOME-OFFICE, MARCH 11
and taking three boxes of pills, she was perfectly cured. The Old Mill Reformatory . Aberdem '
Dr. Roberts's Poor Man's Friend, for wounds and erup- the county of Aberdeen, has been centfied by the Secre-
tions of every description, is sold in pots, Is. 13d. and tary of State as fit to be a Reformatory School, under the
2s. 9d. each. His Pilulae Antiscrophulx, for all im- provisions of the Statute 17 and 18 Vict, o. 86.
purities of the blood, is sold in boxes,
ls. Id., 2s. 9d,
EH 4s. 6(1., Hs ,and 225, each, by all medicine vendors ' The Lord ChaWnceHlTllor hALL, MARCH 7.
as appointed Peter Bartholomew
throughout the United Kingdom and Colonies.
,
Long, of Ipswich, in the county of Suffolk, Gentleman, to

Colonel John Forbes Musgrove, Madras Infantry, to be
Major-General.

Lieutenant-Colonel John Lang, Bengal Infantry, to be
Colonel.

From the London Gazette of Last Night.

CROWN-OFFICE, MARCH 11;
MEMBER RETURNED TO SERVE IN THE PRESENT
PARLIAMENT.
County of Londonderry.--James Johnston Clarke, of
of Largantooher, in the county of Londonderry, Esq., in
the room of Thomas Bateson, Esq., who has accepted the
office of Steward of her Majesty's Manor of Hempholme.

VICTORIA CROSS.
Errata in the Supplement to the London Gazette-of the
24th of February.
ROYAL NAVY.
For John Talbot Burgoyne, Commander, read, Hugh
Talbot Burgoyne, Commander.

For Edward St. John Daniels, Midshipman, read,
Edward St. John Daniel, Midshipman.
NAVAL MEDALS FOR THE BALTIC.
Department of the Accountant-General
of the Navy, Admiralty, Somerset-
house, March 13, 1857.
Her Majesty having been graciously pleased to grant a
Medal to the Officers and Men serving on board her Ma-
jesty's ships in the Baltic campaigns, from the 28th of
March, 1854, to the close of the Naval Operations in that
year, and from the commencement to the close of Naval
Operations in the year 1855
Notice is hereby given, that all claimants to such Medal,
notwithstanding any previous application, should apply
personally or by letter, with the words " Baltic Medal"
on the outside, to the Accountant-General of the Navy,
Admiralty, Somerset-house.

Every applicant must state his rank or rating, and the
name of the ship or ships on board which he served ;
also in the case of every Petty Officer, Seaman, or Marine,
it is indispensable that his application should be accom-
panied by a certificate of service, except in the case of his
being on board one of her Majesty's ships, and the appli-
cation be made through his commanding officer, in which
case the certificate will not be required.
Where there are several claimants on board the same
ship, it is desirable that they should make their applica-
tions in one letter through their commanding officer by a
list alphaLetically arranged under the ships in which they
were serving at the time, and affording the information as
above required.
No other claims should be mixed up with the applica-
tions for the Medal in question, and in all.cases where the
parties have served in more than one ship in the Baltic
between the dates before stated, the name of each ship
must be stated.

BOARD OF TRADE, WHITEHALL, MARCH 9.
The Right Honourable the Lords of the Committee of
Privy Council for Trade and Plantations have received in-
formation, through the Secret,+ry of State for Foreign
Affairs, that a Royal Decree has been issued by the Govern.
ment of Spain, requiring all masters of vessels bound to
ports in Spanish dominions to present to the Spanish
Consul at the port of departure at manifest in duplicate,
exhibiting the marks, numbers, characters, and contents
of packages, in order that they may be certified by the
Consul, who will return to the Master one copy of the
manifest.

BOARD OF TRADE, MARCH 12.
The Right Honourable the Lords of the Committee of
Privy Council for Trade and Plantations have received,
through the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, a copy
of a Despatch from Her Majesty's Minister at Vienna, en-
closing copy of an Austrian Imperial Order authorising
the importation, free of duty, into the Austrian dominions
of looms for weaving, and of machinery employed in the
preparation of yarn.
WAR-OFFICE, PALL-MALL, MARCH 13.
90th Regiment of Foot—Major-General Alexander Fisher
Mackintosh to be Colonel, vice Lieutenant-General Felix
Calvert, C. 8., deceased.
WAR-OFFICE, PALL-MALL, MARCH 13.
3d Regiment of Dragoon Guards —Paymaster Thomas
Marshall Cockerill, from the 11th Light Dragoons, to be
Paymaster, vice Erskine, who exchanges.
11th Light Dragoons—Lieutenant Edward Cludde Cock-
burn to be Captain, by purchase, vice Brevet-Major Cook,
who retires; Cornet Alexander Baring Bingham to be
Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Cockburn; John Affleck
Stewart, Gent., to be Cornet, by purchase, vice Shaw, ap-
pointed to the 13th Light Dragoons ; Paymaster George
Pott Erskine, from the 3d Dragoon Guurds, to be Pay-
master, vice Cockerill, who exchanges.
Military Train—Captain William Robert Gray, from
half-pay Unattached, to be Captain.
Grenadier Regiment of Foot Guards—Lieutenant-Colo-
nel Thomas Hall, from half-pay Unattached, to be Captain
and Lieutenant-Colonel, repaying the difference, vice Bre-
vet-Colonel William Nelson Hutchinson, who exchanges;
Lieutenant and Captain and Brevet-Major W. Henry B.
de Horsey to be Captain and Lieutenant-Colonel, by pur-
chase, vice Hall, who retires ; Ensign and Lieutenant
E [ward William Lloyd Wynne to be Lieutenant and Cap-
tain, by purchase, vice de Hersey.
sth Foot—Henry Bathe, Gent., to be Ensign, by pur-
chase, vice Walpole, promoted.
14th Foot—Lieutenant. Wm. Macdonnell, from half-pay
55th Foot, late Paymaster of the Invalid Depots at Smyrna
and Abydos, to be Paymaster, vice Hall, appointed to a
Depot Battalion.
18th Foot—Lieut. John Grahame, from the 27th Foot,
to be Lieutenant, vice Cottee, who exchanges; Ensign
John Motherwell has been superseded, he being absent
without leave.
20th Foot—Lieut. John Thomas Vaughan Kirkby has
been superseded, he being absent without leave.
22d Foot---Lieutenant Henry Walker Thompson, from
half-pay of the 74th Foot, to be Lieutenant, vice Morri-
son, promoted in the military Train ; Ensign Thomas Peach
to be Lieutenant, by purchose, vice Thompson, who re-
tires ; Alexander Grant Glennie, Gent., to be Ensign, by
purchase, vice Peach.
27th Foot—Captain Henry Mitford, from the 98th Foot,
to be Captain, vice Downing, who exchanges; Lieutenant
Alfred Cottee, from the 18th Foot, to be Lieutenant, vice
Grahame, who exchanges.
50th Foot—Ensign F. William G. Corry Sharland has
been permitted to resign his Commission.
60th Foot—Lieutenant Robert Morris Hazen to be In-
structor of Musketry.
63d Foot—Lieutenant Lawrence Edward Knox to be
Captain, by purchase, vice Stuart, who retires ; Captain
Edward Joseph Hunt, from half-pay of flaw 63d Foot, to
be Captain, vice Knox, placed upon half-pay.
64th Foot—S. rgeaut Walter Morrison, from the Scots
Fusilier Guards, late Acting Paymaster
of Land Transport
C .rps, to be Ensign, without purchase, vice Turner, pro-
moted.
filth Foot—Ensign Charles Covey, to be Adjutant, vice
Lieut. Light, who resigns the Adjutancy only.
82d Foot—Captain C. T. Vesey Banbury Isaac to be
Major, by purchase, vice Brevet Lieut.-Colonel Yates,
promoted, by purchase, to an Unattached Lieut.-Colonelcy;
Lieutenant James White to be Captain, by purchase, vice
Isaac; Ensign Bertram C. Henderson to be Lieutenant, by
purchase, vice White.
93d Foot—Lieut.-Col. the Honourable Adrian Hope,
from half-pay of the 93d Foot, to be Lieutenant-Colonel.
95th Foot—Ensign William Henry Snowdon has been
superseded, he being absent without leave.
98th Foot—Captain John Davi! Downing, from the
27th Foot, to be Captain, vice Mitford, who exchanges.
3d West India Regiment—Lieutenant James Bower
'Jackson to be Instructor of Musketry ; Lieut. James Henry
Archer, from half-pay 16th Foot, to be Lieutenant, vice
Rogers, appointed to, the Military Train.
DEPOT BATTALlON.—Paymaster Monkhouse Graham
Taylor, from the 45th Foot, to be Paymaster.
STAFF.--Brevet-Colonel Sir Thomas St. Vincent H. C.
Troubridge, Bart., C. 8., half-pay 22d Foot, to be Deputy
Adjutant-General at Head Quarters, for the purpose of
carrying on under the supervision of the Adjutant. General
all duties connected with the Equipment and Clothing of
the Army