The Sun.
London, England, 1868-05-22 00:00:00

THE ABYSSINIAN CAMP.A lON.

The Abyssinian expedition has now become a thing of
the past. From information furnished us from the scene of
action we gather that the two brigades forming the advanced
column crossed the River Bashilo on the 10th April.
As a portion of this force was approaching the
fortress of Magdala a large body of the enemy
put on a spurt and came down the hill. They
fought with courage enough, but no amount of bravery
would have availed them, exposed as they were to a deadly
and rapid fire. They were consequently completely beaten.
One officer and nineteen rank and file, we understand,
were wounded on this occasion. As far as the British
troops were concerned—for we have not yet received in-
timation about the Indian part of the advanced force
—the medical arrangements were very satisfactorily con-
ducted by Deputy Inspector-General Dr. Currie,
the principal medical officer of the force. The
wounded were immediately removed to the field hospital
in the neighbourhood, and all needful surgical assistance
was rendered. The result of this affair was evidently
very disheartening to King Theodore, who during the
lith and 12th liberated the captives (sixty-two in all,
including is-omen and children) ; but our correspon-
dent says that it was too humiliating to the pride
of this imperious king to tender his personal sub-
mission to Sir Robert Napier, which was demanded,
and consequently on the 13th Magdala was stormed and
captured. The troops being unable to force the outer gate,
it was escaladed by a storming party of the 33rd Regiment.
The King remained at his post, and was seen to fall ; but
whether shot by our men or not was unknown, although
subsequent examination of the body by Dr. Lumsdaine (of
the Indian Service) and others led to the impression
that he must have taken his own life when he saw that
all hope of success was gone. On the occasion of the
storming, only one officer and nine rank and file were
wounded ; and their wounds were at once attended to at a
field hospital which had been extemporised. The force was
very healthy, but there was a scarcity of water. The
march to the seaboard was to follow immediately. So
ends the campaign in Abyssinia. The hospital ships, we
are assured, have done very good service : the medical
officers on board them bore literally a good deal of the
heat and burden of the day, without any share in the
excitement. The medical arrangements in both services
were very creditable ; and our correspondent speaks in
deservedly warm terms of the labours of Dr. Currie and
his subordinates in the field.—The Lancet.

SHORT T.ME IN STOCKPORT.—SUCh is the unsi.-
tisfactory state of the cotton trade that two more Stock-
port manufacturers have commenced to " run short time."
There are now nineteen mills in the town either
.entirely
closed or working only three or four days a week.
REFORM LEAGUE.—The League has issued its
third annual report, in which it reviews its progress since
May 1863. The committee refers, with much congratula-
tion, to the eminent success which has attended efforts
deemed three years ago by many well-wishers to be
hopeless. It points to the services the association has
rendered in preserving the right of public meeting, and
lays stress upon the value of the lectures for the political
education of the people which have during the past
winter been given by several eminent gentlemen of
advanced Liberal opinions. It then alludes to its future
policy, which will be to secure the ballot —to repeal the
rating clauses of the new Act—to abolish rental qualifi-
cation for lodgers— to obtain such a just and equal dis-
tribution of seats as will give equal voting power to
each elector, and remove the disparity now existing
between borough and county voters—to aid, in every
possible way, all those entitled to the franchise in getting
on the register —to render every assistance in securing
the return to the next Parliament of advanced Radical
Reformers—to secure for Ireland and Scotland as large
measures of Reform as that obtained for England. The
committee then alludes to the success of Mr. Gladstone's
motions relative to the Irish Church, a result for which
they take a large share of credit ; and call attention to the
establishment of the " Adelphi Club" for the social inter-
course of advanced Reformers. The receipts of the past
year amounted to £1,567 Os. 11d. ; the expenditure,
£1,446 is. 11d. ; leaving a balance of £l2O 19s. The
liabilities are estimated at £156 lls. 2d. ; the assets at
£l9B ss. 6d.

ROMANCE AND REALITY IN WARWICKSHIRE.—At
Solihull, a day or two ago, before Messrs. H. H. Chattock
and J. G. Williams, Annie Maria Adams Stanbridge, a
young lady 16 years of age, was brought up in custody of
Inspector Welch, of the county constabulary, charged with
stealing £253 of her uncle, Mr. William Adams, of Knowle.
The accused is the daughter of a licensed victualler at
Coventry, but she had been adopted by her uncle, Mr.
Adams. Having quarrelled with her lover, a young man
in Coventry, who seemed to have transferred his affections
to another, the accused conceived the romantic idea of
going to a foreign land. Knowing that her uncle possessed
a large sum of ready money, she managed to get posses-
sion of it, and on Saturday last suddenly disappeared.
She was traced to the railway station, and from thence
to Reading, where, from information forwarded to
the police, she was apprehended in a second-class
railway carriage. On searching her £235 in gold
was found in her possession, and a further sum of £2B
in her purse. Mr. Adams, the prosecutor, declined to
press the charge, but the bench expressed an opinion that
it was too serious a case to be disposed of in that summary
manner. They therefore remanded the prisoner ; and on
her being brought up again her father and mother were in
attendance. Her relatives renewed their entreaties for the
prisoner to be discharged, and eventually the magistrates
acceded to their wish, after giving the girl a suitable
caution;and on her relatives declaring that they had made
arrangements to send her where sh9lfotdcktl properly
taken care.ofin the ftitue.