The Sun.
London, England, 1868-06-01 00:00:00

THE FAILURE OF THE RAILWAY.

One enduring monument of our folly, our short-sighted
extravagance and our official incompetency, shall we leave
behind us. I need hardly say I mean the railway,
which, commenced as long back as November 1867,
has not yet been and never will be completed. Is it
a credit to our military engineering department that their
combined efforts have proved unequal to laying down
thirteen miles of tramway over a dead level in six months?
Before even the pioneer force left Bombay an eminent
firm of English contractors offered to construct the
line before the Ist of January. I have the best
authority for stating that had their offer been accepted
a saving of nearly half a million would have been
effected in our expenditure. But no ! red-tapeism wattoo
rampant ; departmental jealousy revolted from civilian
interference; and here we are, on the 14th of
.May, on the
point of quitting the country, and our much-vaunted
railway is still two miles short of Koomayloo, and all tho
labour and money expended are simply wasted.

LAW AND POLICE.

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LEPORTANT DECISION TO MERCHANT SEAMEN.--In the
Court of Queen's Bench the case of Cross v. Hyne was
heard. It was a case submitted by the justices of Sunder.
laud under the following circumstances. The respondent
had shipped for twelve months to serve 'in a certain
ship, and after he had completed about one-
half of his agreement certain disturbances took
place on board, which resulted in the captain being
placed in irons. The vessel was taken to Lisbon, and the
master, on a charge of attempted murder, was sent home,
and the consul directed the respondent to return to
England for the purpose of giving evidence. He did so,
and on applying for his wages the appellant re-
fused to pay, on the ground that he had deserted ;
but the magistrates made an order for the amount claimed.
The learned judges held that the decision of the justices
was right, and they were prepared to hold that a consul
had authority to compel the attendance of seamen in this
country to give evidence on criminal charges, and the
seaman acting under the orders of a consul was not a
deserter.

ACTION FOR PERSONAL INJURIES.—In the Court of
Common Pleas a rule for a new trial was asked for in the
case of Wilkin v. Fitter. At the trial it appeared that
the defendant was a carcase butcher, and the plaintiff, for
the purpose of buying some meat, went into his
shop, and wlillet there fell down a trap-door, and
for the injuries he then sustained the jury
awarded him £6O damages. The principal points that
had influenced the court were a statement that the plaintiff
knew of the existence of the trap in question, and that
the plaintiff was not asked to come into the shop. The
court held that the question was one eminently fitted for
the decision of a jury, and refused the rule.

£1,500 DAMAGES FOR A WIFE.—For the last few days
the Court of Divorce has been occuPied in hearing the
ease of Bland v. Bland and Stormont, when it was proved
to the satisfaction of the jury that the adultery alleged
to have taken place bad actually been committed, and
they therefore "found for the petitioner, with £1,500 and
costs against the co-respondent.
THE LAW OF'FINDING.—In the court for hearing Crown
Cases Reserved, the case of Reg. v. Glyde was disposed
of.. The trial took place in Sussex, before the Lord Chief
Justice, when the prisoner was indicted and convicted of
stealing a sovereign. The prosecutrix was returning home
one dark night when she lost a sovereign;which was found
by the accused. The prosecutrix returned in the
morning to look for the missing coin, and happening to
meet the prisoner asked him if he had seen the money,
and he replied in the negative. The jury found the pri-
soner guilty of larceny, but the learned judge doubted
whether an intention to keep the money, even supposing
be did riot intend to give it up, was a felony. The court
thought not, and quashed the conviction.

DELIBERATE ATTEMPT TO MURDER.—At Scarborough,
the life of Mr. IV. S. Constantine, a tradesman of that
town, was attempted. It appears that he occupied pre-
raises of which a Mr. Lee, who lives in an adjoining house,
is the owner. Lee had been greatly annoyed at Constan-
tine fa:ling to pay his rent, and some words had passed
between them. Not long ago Lee threatened to
stab his tenant with ia knife, and on Saturday
went into his shop and demanded the rent. Being told
that it was impossible to satisfy his demand just then, he
was seen by Constantine to be fumbling about his pockets,
and fearing foul play, the latter ran through a glass door
which he had just closed, when Lee fired, a pistol, the
bullet of which struck the victim of this outrage in the
breast, but fortunately the injuries are not fatal. Lee
then went into Lis own house, and put the pistol to his
head, declaring he would do for himself as he had done for
Constantine. The servant girl knocked the pistol away.
It was a double-barrelled one, and one of the barrels was
still loaded when the police received it. Lee, on being
apprehended, asked if Constantine was dead. On being
told he was not dead, he said " Oh, I'm sorry for it, for I
meant it." Constantine is in a precarious condition, and
the examination of the prisoner is deferred for some days
until the result appears.
A Goon CIIARACTER LOST.—At Bow-street Police-
court, Abraham Peel, an assistant letter-carrier, was
charged with stealing several newspapers and a book
parcel. It seemed from the statement of the post-office
authorities that the prisoner had hitherto home an excel-
lent character. He had been twenty-two years in the
army (47th and GOth Rifles), and was diehrged with a
)ension of ls. llittd. a day and a good: conduct medal. He
was now staff. sergeant at the Militia Barracks, Shrub-
.and-road, Dalston, at 14s. a week, with free quarters,
consisting of three rooms. In that capacity he had some
ltisure at his disposal, for which he had found occupation
by engaging himself as an auxiliary letter-carrier and
assistant sorter. He was paid 10s. a week for three
..ours' work per day. He bad thus an income
of 30s. a week and lodgings free. He had, however,
wielded to temptation, and sacrificed the reputation
of a life for a book and some newspapers, worth
together but a few pence. The evidence showed most con-
clusively that the accused had committed the offence with
which be was charged, and the magistrate remanded the
case for inquiries.

CHARGE OP CHILD MURDER. At Hammersmith,
sabella Davidson was charged with this serious crime.
A woman with whom the prisoner lodged having given
evidence, the depositions were read over, and it seemed
that a child was found with a wrapper so tightly drawn
over its face as to cause death. Suipicion fell on the pri-
soner in consequence of her altered appearance, and on
bein' charged with the offence, she said " Oh ! shall I be
hung ?" The case was sent for trial.

The death is announced of Sir John Liddell,
K.C.8., M.D., F.] .S., after a long life of active service.
He was born in 1794, and was educated at the University
of Edinburgh. He entered the navy in 1812, and served
at the battle of Navarino as flag-surgeon to the Asia. He
was for some years inspector of the Royal Naval Hospitals
at Haslar, Malta, and Greenwich, and in 1854 was ap-
pointed Director-General of the Medical Department of
the Royal Navy. In 1859 he was nominated an honorary
physician to the Queen. He received the rank of K.C.B.
on his retirement in 18G4. He was also a knight of the
Order of St. Anne of Russia and of the Greek Order of the
itedeemer.