The Sun.
London, England, 1861-04-04 00:00:00

IRE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, APRIL 4, 1861.

...-0.--,-,..._ . .
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pointed to wait the arrival of Rear-Admiral of the i to the Statf College wSA promulgated
for admission '
Blue Sir A. Milne, K.C.8., who was expected thOre yes,tera
617), from the Horse Guards :
on the 15th or 18th, in the screw steamship T %let.; )• the following regulations regarding the exami-
-90, Capt. E. K. Barnard. The screw steamshil i St. nation of officers who may be candidates for ad-
George, 91, Capt. the Hon. F. Egerton, with. his mission to the Staff College in February, 1862, are
Royal Highness Prince Alfred, was looked for at published for general information :
Port Royal on the Ist of April. Should Adaiiiival There will be vacancies for 15 officers, two of
Milne determine to send the Hydra home, shf; wiN whom may belong to the Royal Artillery.
probably be supplied with a convoy. The screw , HOME STATIONS.
steam corvette Cadmus, Capt. H. S. Hillyar, C. 8., Officers serving in the United Kingdom who are desirous
left Jamaica on the 12th of March for Greytown,
°IV o f (
etnhteer2in2letfhejuStaff Co,lleandge,
fol wi
fill
be examined in London
d. nextowing .
but was appointed to return in ten days to meet -,
iomman mg officers of Royal Artillery, and of all regi-
the Commander-in-Chief of the station. muds and depots of the cavalry, guards, and line, on the
The paddlewheel steam sloop Bustard, 6, at home stations, will forward to the Adjutant-General,
Devonport, is stripped, and is ready to have her through the usual channel, for the consideration of the
General Commanding•in-Chief, the applications of such
masts taken out. Report says that she is to be put
out of commission to-morrow. officers as wish to compete for admission, together with the
Rear-Admiral Mundy, C. 8., sailed on the 28th necessary The cerltifitciaetees. h
;tier
wnhisehodueldtebtehesent in not laterthan,the
ult. from Malta in the Hannibal, 91, Capt. Farquhar, 15th These applications
aep•P officers, approved of 1)) his
for Beyrout, to take command of the division of the Royal Highness, will be instructed to place themselves in
fleet assembling on the coast of Syria. communication with the Council of Military Education,
In order to afford still greater protection to the with the Tie* to their receiving the rules for the examina.
important dockyards at Chatham and Sheerness an Lion. '''
additional line of fortifications is to be effected at
the entrance to the Medway, the preparations for
which have commenced. The new line of defences
will consist of casemated batteries, bomb proof, and
all armed with 68-pounders and 10-inch guns of
the heaviest calibre. It is also proposed to mount
guns, en barbette, above the casemates, which will
materially add to the strength of the works, and,
with the present extensive system of fortifications,
render the entrance to the Medway almost impas-
sable.

FOREIGN STATIONS.

At foreign stations the following regulations will be
strictly adhered to :
The examination will be held on the 22d July and fol-
lowing days, or as soon after that date as the examination
papers shall be received by the Council on Military Educa-
tion.

A Board of Officers will be appointed by the general offi-
cer in command, and will consist of three officers, one of
whom to be, when practicable, a staff officer, having the
rank of field officer, and the other two, if possible, not tinder
the rank of captain. One of these officers will belong to
one of the Scientific Corps, where any such officer can be
obtained.
The examination will be conducted by means of the same
printed questions as are set for the examination of candi-
dates in London, and they are to be answered in the pre-
sence of the board.
The board will give to each candidate a number which he
will affix to each of his examination papers, instead of his
name. He will retain the same number throughout the
examination.
The board will give to each candidate a paper of the
printed examination questions on each subject at the time
specified for the examination in that subject.
The candidates will write their answers to the questions
in the presence of the board, and their papers, together
with the printed examination questions, will be collected
at the hour appointed, and made up into a packet, which
will be sealed before being taken from the examination
room.

Yesterday the floating battery Thunderbolt, 16,
200-horse power, was towed into Chatham harbour,
by two steamers, and placed alongside the sheer-
hulk, for the purpose of receiving her guns on
board and ;being fitted for service in the Thames.
She commenced shipping her guns yesterday from
the gunwharf, her armament consisting of 16 68-
pounders, each of 95 cwt. complete. It is expected
that she will be placed at Thornshead Point on the
Kent coast; and the Etna will be stationed at Coal
house Point on the Essex coast, which is a few
miles below Gravesend, to protect the River Thames.
The Admiralty transport Aid has been placed in
the second dock at Chatham, where she is making
good the injuries she sustained on the recent occa-
sion of her running ashore in the neighbourhood of
Beechy Head during her voyage from Chatham to
the western ports.
Mr. W. H. Ward, of Auburn, United States of
America, inventor of the new system of Admiralty
signals, yesterday attended at the Dockyard,Wool-
wich, and superintended the stringing and attach-
ing the working lines to the sets of lanterns already
received for the fleet, which will be forthwith de-
spatched to the Channel division in cowl:nand of
Rear-Admiral Stuart, K.H. In directing the
Fisgard's signalmen as to the method of operating,
Mr. Ward remarked that the one hoist signals
would be quite sufficient for all practical naval
purposes for any fleet, however large, while the
working lines would be used for promiscuous tele-
graphing generally. An official trial having been
made by order of the Board of Admiralty to ascer-
tain the relative consumption of the old and new
systems, it was proved that a saving of 145 per
cent. was effected by the introduction of the new
system, at the same time affording a more distant
and comprehensive signal, a report of which has
been accordingly forwarded for their lordships'
satisfaction. A number of double-burner signal
lanterns are in course of manufacture for special
purposes upon the same principle, the present ones
being supplied with single burners only.
The following appointments were made yesterday
at the Admiralty :—Dr. J. A. Yule, assist.-surg.,
confirmed, in the Meander ; Francis E. Julian,
promoted to the rank of acting third-class assist.-
engineer, in the Centaur ; G. L. D. P. Keeling,
promoted to the rank of acting first-class assist.-
engineer, in the Jason ; W. C. Brewer, promoted to
the rank of acting second-class assist.-engineer, to
the Asia, as supernumerary ; S. G. Hill, third-class
assist.-engineer, to the Hornet; J. Lyon, paymas-
ter, to the Hawk ; W. W. Blayney, assist.-pay-
master, to the Conqueror ; W. H. Whichelo, assist.-
paymaster, to the Sanspareil ; E. A. Burmiston,
assiss.-paymaster, to the Ajax ; J. D. Harvey, clerk,
to the Impregnable, as supernumerary; and E. P.
Williams, assist.-clerk, to the Conqueror.

The board .will, immediately on the conclusion of the
examination; forward the papers of the candidates to the
general officer commanding, for transmission to the Council
on Military Education, accompanied by a certificate that
the candidates obtained no assistance from books, or help of
any kind in their examination. The board will, at the same
time, forward the names of the candidates, corresponding
with their index numbers in the examination, in a separate
envelope, for transmission to the Council of Military Edu-
cation.
The following will be the order of the examination :-
Ist Day—Military Drawing, three hours; Hindustani,
three hours.

2d Day—Fortifications, three hours ; ditto, three hours.
3d Day—Mathematics, obligatory portions, Ist paper,
three hours; ditto, 2d paper and voluntary portions, Ist
paper, three hours.
4th Day—Mathematics, voluntary portion, 2d paper,
three hours ; military history, Ist paper, three hours.
sth Day—Military history, 2d paper, three hours; mili-
tary geography, three hours.

6th Day—French, three hours. Chemistry, three hours.
7th Day—German, three hours. Geology, three hours.
_ _

There will be, in all cases, an interval of not less than
one hour between the two periods of examination on each
day.

The papers will be collected at the appointed hours by a
member of the board ; any candidate, however, who may
have finished his examination paper on any subject before
the hour named may deliver it into the hands of a member
of the board. Candidates will bring their writing and draw-
ing materials, instruments, &c. ; and also the tables of
logarithms they are in the habit of using. No other books
or notes of any description will be allowed to be used.

It is scarce} necessary to observe that no communication
whatever will be allowed between the candidates at the exa-
mination.

Officers commanding regiments abroad are to transmit
to the general officer in command a return of the officers
desirous of competing, together with a medical certificate of
good health and fitness for the active duties of the staff.
such officers will then be ordered to join at head quarters for
examination, or at any other places which may be selected
for the convenience of those at the more distant stations.

With reference to paragraph IV. of fhe revised Regula-
tions for the Staff College, published with the General
Order No. 743, of the 23d of January, 1860, which directs
" That if the commanding officer of the regiment or the
general officer commanding cannot recommend the appli •
cation of any candidate, the grounds of objection are to be
distinctly stated." It is to be observed that as there will not
be time at distant foreign stations to refer to the Adjutant-
General on the subject, such officer should, in all cases, be
permitted to undergo his examination, on the understand-
ing, however, that the objections urged against his applica-
tion will still be submitted for the decision of his Royal
Highness the General Commanding-in •Chief.
General officers commanding at foreign stations will place
no restrictions upon officers competing further than the exi-
gencies of the service may absolutely require. It will be
understood that the rule by which only one officer can be
spared from a battalion at a time, for the purpose of study-
ing at the Staff College, does not apply to candidates from
battalions which have officers now at the college, but whose
course of study will terminate in December next.
General officers commanding at foreign stations will select
the hours for the examination which are best suited to the
climate and circumstances of the country, taking care, how-
ever, to conform strictly to the number and distribution of
the hours, as detailed in the foregoing regulations.
On the completion of the examinations general officers
commanding should transmit the candidates' papers to the
Vice-President of the Council of Military Education,
Whitehall-yard, with the least possible delay, in order
to enable officers from distant stations, who may be suc-
cessful in the competition, to join the college early in
February. They will at the same time forward to the
Adjutant-General a return of the officers examined, with
their certificates, as required by the regulations. In the
event of there being no candidates, general officers com-
manding will notify the fact to the Vice-President of the
Council without delay.

Officers serving abroad, who may be successful candi-
dates, will be,al)owed the regulated passage money home,
on joining the Staff College.

The names and examination numbers of the candidates
who are successful in the competition, as well as of those
who prove themselves qualified, and the examination num-
bers alone of candidates who fail, will be published imme-
diately after the reports of the examiners have been re-
ceived by the Council of Military Education, with the total
number of marks gained by each candidate, and his place
on the lists.—By order of his Royal Highness the General
Commanding-in-Chief,
JAS. YORKE SCARLET; Adjutant-General.

GRRAT W.ESTERN RAILWAY OF

CANADA.

The following letter has been received from the
chairman of the Committee of Investigation of the
Great Western Railway of Canada, It commences
by stating that " charges of unscrupulousness
levelled against the committee have been made
without much consideration." This is an error and
a misrepresentation. The charge of unscrupulous-
ness, such as it was, was made after careful con-
sideration, and, so far from being shaped in the
manner now attempted to be conveyed, it was
qualified by an intimation that it must be under-
stood to apply to the " hastiness" with which the
committee are shown to have drawn their infe-
rences, and not to any supposed intention on their
part to deviate from the truth. The committee,
however, as was demonstrated on a former occa-
sion, seem so prone to ascribe to every one the
worst possible motives that they are apparently
blind to the conception that they can themselves be
treated in a more charitable manner. The next
statement is that " the committee have made no
charge against Mr. Laing," but have simply stated
facts, chiefly from the evidence of Mr. Laing him-
self. In their report they affirmed that the course
of Mr. Laing was one "from which any man with
right intentions would have instinctively recoiled,"
and that his assertion that his proceedings had been
entirely open and above board was false, while the
remarks on the affairs with which they have con-
nected his name were wound up by a denunciation
of " all parties implicated in the deception prac-
tised," as well as to their " nefarious doings" and
their gross proceedings in general,,which had re-
sulted in the " misappropriation" or waste of pro-
bably about a million sterling. If this is the mode
in which the committee confine themselves to a
simple recapitulation of evidence and " make no
charge" against an individual, the are few who
would like to trust to such chroniclers any single
word or action of their lives. The next statement
is that in the remarks yesterday on the reply of the
directors to the committee the chief witness relied
upon in favour of Mr. Laing was Mr. J. B. Smith.
This, again, is contrary to fact. The committee
had insinuated one of the worst points against Mr.
Laing—that of having improperly attended the
Board to advocate claims in which he was privately
interested—by announcing that they had been so
" informed." They did not mention the name of
their informant. Teat point is now contradicted by
the evidence of Mr. Gill, the president of the com-
pany, and Mr. Wythes, as it had been previously
contradicted by that of Mr. Laing himself, whose
statements, it appears, the committee will accept
only when they think they can be turned against
him. Mr. J. B. Smith also gives similar testimony;
but, as it now appears that this testimony is con-
trary to a direct statement made by the same gen-
tleman in 1855, the committee through their chair-
man deem it creditable to assume that it is his
evidence, thus neutralised and rendered worthless,
that formed the basis of the criticism to which they
object. Mr. Smith may account at the approaching
meeting for his own inconsistency, when Mr. Kaye,
one of the members of the committee, who declared
in 1857 a certain loan to be " imperative," which
the committee have criticised with considerable
severity, will have to undertake a similar process.
The remaining paragraphs contain little but a
recapitulation of former arguments of the com-
mittee, which are fit only for reference to a Court
of Law or Equity. With regard to the final state-
ment as to the circumstances under *hick the
committee were nominated, it appears from an
official communication just received, to be neither
candid nor accurate :
" Sir,—The Times city article of this day calls for some
remark on the part of the Committee of Investigation of
the Great Western Railway of Canada, not for the purpose
of noticing the charges of unscrupulousness levelled against
them without much consideration—these are matters which
the committee can afford to pass without notice—but for
the sole purpose of calling the attention of the public to the
real merits of the only part of the committee's report
which has been placed prominently forward, and which,
from the position of Mr. Laing, has claimed public atten-
tion.
" The committee have made no charge against Mr. Laing;
they have simply stated the facts as they have come before
them, chiefly in the evidence of Mr. Laing himself, and
have recommended further inquiry.
" The directors in their reply,' after stating that none of
their body aro cognizant of the facts connected with the
earlier portion of the history of the' Hamilton and Toronto
Railway,' proceed to give their own version thereof, and in
so doing make most contradictory statements. But as re-
gards the latter portion of the story, viz., the settlement
with the contractor, they say they are enabled to afford
very distinct evidence.' The witnesses they bring to dis-
prove what they call the assertion of the committee—
although upon the point in question the committee merely
say ' they are informed' that Mr. Laing advocated Wythes's
claims at the Board—are Mr. Robert Gill, the present
chairman of the company, and Mr. J. B. Smith, M.P. for
Stockport, both of whom were directors of the company in
1855, and Mr. Wythes himself. Mr. Gill denies that Mr.
Laing advocated Wythes's claims at the board; and Mr.
J. B. Smith, in his letter to the directors, dated the 7th of
March last, is very explicit on the point, and states distinctly
that Mr. Laing did not advocate Wythes's claims.'
"Against Mr. J. B. Smith's statement in 1861, the com-
mittee ask to be allowed to place that gentleman's statement
in 1855, the time of the transactions in question. The fol •
lowing are extracts from a letter addressed by Mr. J. B.
Smith to Mr. Brydges, in Canada, and dated the 9th of
August, 1855.
" Mr. Laing, it appears to me, has acted most improperly.
He is a partner with Wythes in this contract, and has, at
the same time, been sitting at our board as a director, and
recommending concessions to Wythes's claims. Of course,
this will no longer be allowed.'
" ' You must send us your case on all these points to be
laid before Mr. Stephenson. I had understood that, so far
as the land goes, you and Mr. Street had long ago agreed
upon 80 feet width, but it seems Mr. Wythes—and for Mr.
Wythes always read Mr. Laing—will not confirm this.'
Wythes's contract, bearing date the 30th of November,
1852, it would appear by Mr. Smith's statement that the
partnership must have existed nearly three years. Mr.
Smith's letter, it will be observed, bears date the 9th of
August, 1855, four months after Mr. Laing had ceased to
be a director, and six months after the Great Western
directors in London entered upon the consideration of
Wythes's
"So that, according to Mr. Smith, Mr. Laing was in part-
nership with Wythes during the whole time he was a direc-
tor of the Great Western Company, and the directors in
their reply,' state that from the formation of the Hamil-
ton and Toronto line, there was an understanding that the
two companies should be associated, by lease or amalgama-
tion.
when placed beside the statement of the princi-
" Truly, the report of the committee falls gently upon
Mr. Laing
pal witness called by the directors.
"This same witness (Mr. J. B. Smith) also appeared be-
fore the committee, and informed them that although he
had heard of the existence of a partnership between Laing
and Wythes, Mr. Laing had always denied it.
" In his recent letter i o the directors Mr. J. B. Smith
also says, They had to contend with a loosely drawn
agreement with :Ir. Wythes.' Now, the committee must
presume that the agreement in question was drawn by
Messrs. Risen and Co., as those gentlemen were solicitors
for both parties—for the Hamiltoa and Toronto Railway
Company and also for Mr. Wythes—and it was signed by
Mr. Laing, an able and acute lawyer, who signed it pro-
fessionally, end, according to the document itself, as a
previsional director' and trustee for the shareholders,'
being at the time, as he admits, a partner with Wythes in
the contract. The directors in their reply' allege that Mr.
thaeinsgtaitseiinartopof anerly described in the agreement, and produce
attorney's clerk to sot aside a deed under
hand and seal. In describing this agreement as loosely
drawn,' can Mr. Smith, the committe ask, pronounce a
severer condemnation on all concerned ? It looks like an
eccusation against some person or persons of having taken
advantage of his or their own wrong. And this Mr. J. B.
Smith, M.P., is the ch of witness whose evidence, in the
opinion of the writer of the Times city article, proves the
statements of the committee to be ' almost ludicrous, if the
sense of the ludicrous were not overpowered by the stronger
feeling which the occasion merits.
"The committee now leave the directors and their wit-
nesses as to this matter in the hands of the shareholders,
deeming it unnecessary to weigh the value of Mr. Wythes's
statement, the directors having, in page 20 of their 'reply,'
expressed an opinion that that person's conduct in another
transaction, and that a most serious one, was indefensible.
" Mr. Laing, it is alleged, was the only person who could
with propriety take the share in the contract with Wythes,
he not being officially connected with either company ; the
fact being that Mr. Laing was not only provisional director
and trustee for the shareholders, and partner with the con-
tractor, but he also appeared in a third character, that of
one of three referees to decide whether or no any deduction
should be made from the contract price of £328,000.
" It was distinctly stated in the prospectus that the cost of
the line should not exceed that sum, so that in no event
could any further outlay be required,' and the agreement
with Wythes provided that in the event of it being found
that such sum gave him more than a fair profit a deduction
was to be made, and this matter was to be decided by three
referees, of whom Mr. Laing was one, and is so named in
the agreement. This gentleman therefore accepted the office
of refree to decide as between the company and the con-
tractor, he being at the time a partner in the contract.
"And here the committee wish to draw attentioreto the
real point at issue, which the remarks of the directors and
the letter of Mr. Wythes, proposing to recpen the settle-
ments upon terms specified by him, do not touch, but have
merely a tendency to put out of sight. The prospectus and
the agreement with the contractor are both clear and dis-
tinct, and form a bargain with the shareholders that in no
event should any farther outlay be required beyond the
specified price ; and the committee consider that Mr. Laing
and Mr. Wythes having made that bargain were bound be
it, and are liable to repay the large amount received by Mr.
Wythes in excess of that sum. Trio shareholders were never
informed of the existence of the partnership ; but, now, find-
ing that Mr. Wythes had a partner in his contract, have not
the shareholders a legal right to hold both persons respon-
sible for the fulfilaaent of the terms of the agreement?
" The other points to which the directors profess to reply
are 'natters that interest the shareholders only, and not the
g. neral public ; and to the shareholders the committee will
address themselves upon the subject, merely remarking that
sumo very serious charges are admitted by the directors;
others are passed flippantly over; and some are denied
which the committee have no difficulty in substantiating
by documents.
,c The directors commence their reply by stating they did
not approve the constitution of the committee, which was
composed of most unfit persons, and who had on previous
occasions shown themselves hostile to the management.
" Upon this point the committee desire to state the real
facts. The resolution natraim.r the committee was unani-
mously carried, and was moved byMr, A. Beattie, a former
colleague of the present chairmen in the management of
the company, and who is described by the directors in page
14 of their reply as a gentleman of the highest commercial
standing and position, and the motion was seconded by Mr.

Head, one of the directors, and shortly after the appoint-
ment of the committee, Mr. B. Baker, the secretary of the
company, addressed a letter to the management in Canada
informing them of the circumstance, and stating that the
selection of the committee had the fall concurrence of the
directors, giving the .names of the persons elected, and
adding that, they were all persons of high character and
position. The London letter-book contains a copy of this
letter; let the directors produce it, and let the shareholders
compare it with the description of the committee now given.
—I am, air, your obedient servant (for the committee),
" H. H. CANNAN, Chairman.

" Tuesday, April 2."
Annexed is a letter concerning the nomination o
the Committee of Investigation of the Great 'Yes
tern of Canada Railway:—

" Sir,---Referring to a letter from Mr. H. H. Cannon, the
chairman of the Committee of Investigation, which appears
in some of this morning's papers, on the subject of the con-
stitution of that committee, Mr. Head, one of the directors,
requests me to commnLicate to you his version of the man-
ner in which it was formed. He says :
" ' Mr. Head moved for an entirely different committee,
composed, as he explained, of large and impartial share-
holders. It was only in deference to what appeared to be
the wishes of the majority present that Mr. Head concurred
in the appointment of the present committee, composed en-
tirely of persons known to be hostile to the Board, on the
broad ground that the directors cared not who were ap-
pointed, it they would only act justly. Mr. Cannon and his
friends refused to serve unless the committee was entirely
composed of their own party.'
" On the other side I send you a copy of the only letter
I wrote to the management in Canada, after the appoint-
ment of the committee, in which I referred to the indivi-
duals composing am, sir, your obedient servant
" ,
" BRACK STOINE BAKER, Secretary.
Great Western Railway of Canada,
" Gresham-house, April 3.
" FROM MR. B. BAKER TO MR. C. J. BRIDGES; IN
CANADA.

" April 6, 1860.
" I enclose you a report of the meeting, and you will see
by the minutes of it forwarded to the secretary that a com-
mittee was appointed, who will immediately commence
their labours, and every facility will be afforded them, by
communicating all the information they require and by
giving them access to all our books and papers. These gen-
tlemen hold together nearly 5,000 shares, and upwards of
£lOO,OOO money value of investment, which is a guarantee
of their personal interest in the concern.' "