The Sun.
London, England, 1868-04-24 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONW)v, FRIDAY EVENING, APRIL 24, 1868.

sci ence, sagacity, and good administration of him-
selic. and his friends, but that he himself thought
tha 1 " those who are not inclined to be as partial
wo ald believe that the rains and sunshine of chance
had. had almost as much to do with the prosperity
of tivhich he boasted as the Government whose
lin es happily fell in such pleasant places." As for
abt tse, which Mr. GLADSTONE so plentifully showered
upon the Estimates of last year, we agree with Mr.
HUNT that the right hon. gentleman ought, in
common courtesy, to have advised the House not
to agree to them at the time when they were first
proposed, instead of waiting a twelvemonth to dis-
close his objections. Another very good point in
Mr. HuNT's reply was that passage in which he
declared that there was an " increased parsimony
as well as an increased extravagance," and that the
Government, in which Mr. GLADSTONE held so
prominent a place, was in a great part responsible
for some of the expenses into which Lord DERBY'S
Government had had to launch, for they
had not left the army and navy in
a proper state of efficiency and defence.
Factious objections of this sort are the more unbe-
coming in Mr. GLADSTONE, when we all know per-
fectly well that the real fault of the Abyssinian
difficulty lies with his friends. Had Lord RUSSELL
when he was in office acted with more decision and
discretion we should not have had the war taken
place at all, and Mr. HUNT would not have had to
propose to the House an addition -in the Income
Tax, which, though temporary, is inconvenient ;
but as it often happens in this world one sows and
another reaps. Mr. HUNT may be congratulated
upon the manner in which he has performed his
arduous task, and he has given a good promise of
something as a Chancellor of the Exchequer in
some of the most important requirements of that
office.

The bill which Sir STAFFORD NORTHCOTE last
evening introduced to the House of Commons with
respect to the Government of India proposes some
important modifications of the existing system. Its
principal features are not, indeed, entirely new to
us, having been the subjects of rumour and specu-
lation in Anglo- Indian circles for some months
past. Sir STAFFORD NORTHCOTE obtained leave to
bring in two measures, one of which it will be ne-
cessary to pass during the present session, inasmuch
as it refers especially to the Council of India, many
of whose members have to resign their seats this year.
It will be remembered by those who take an interest
in Indian politics that the constitution of the In-
dian Council has always been a matter of difficulty.
There have not been wanting critics and censors
who have laid the blame of every failure and mis-
chance in an Indian administration at the door of the
Council, and the attempt toreconcile the two parties,
the;old company interest with the newer and more
energetic spirit of Reform now prevalent, has been
a serious perplexity to all governors and Secreta-
ries of State. The Council, as at present con-
stituted, consists of 15 members, half of whom are
elected, and the other half nominated by the
Crown. They hold their offices for life, and are
the advisers, and to some extent even the con-
trollers, of the Secretary of State. Sir STAFFORD
NORTHCOTE speaks highly of the services which
they have rendered him in the discharge of his
official dutieg, and commends their judgment and
laborious exertions. However, if report speaks
truly, these same Councillors have often impeded
the action of the Minister. Sir STAFFORD NORTH-
COTE argues, possibly with reason, that the Secretary
of State is usually a person with no personal ex-
perience of India, and that he is called upon to
control the proceedings of the Indian Governors in
every department. " lie is charged at once with
military duties, with financial duties, with the ad-
ministration of home affairs, of foreign affairs, of
judicial affairs, and with the management of great
railways and other public works." In short, lie
combines in himself the several offices of a Cabinet,
and he has neither the guidance of public opinion
nor the advantage of Parliamentary debates to
guide him. How could he, asks Sir S. NORTH-
COTE, possibly get through such an amount of
business without able and experienced council-
lors ? The Secretary, moreover, is able,
if he chooses, to override his coun-
cil on general matters, but in financial
questions he cannot do so. This is one of the points
which Sir STAFFORD at first thought of proposing
to amend, and he would have done wisely to have
suggested a change. The Council might in the
majority of instances be amenable to reason, but the
case which the Indian Secretary himself instanced as
possible, though not very likely,:shows that there is
some defect in the manner of administration. "At
present the Governor-General might send home a
despatch pointing out that certain sanitary measures
were necessary in the larger towns, and the Secretary
might be convinced that the Governor-General was
right ; but the Council might, by a small majority,
refuse to sanction the expenditure necessary. If an
epidemic broke out, and if the Secretary were
called to account by Parliament, his answer would
probably be that he had no power, and that he had
been overruled by his Council." We cannot but
regret that Sir STAFFORD NORTHCOTE has not
thought it expedient to alter a system under which
such anomalies are possible; more especially as the
want of a wise and liberal expenditure at the right
moment has often coot India dear. The councillors
whose long Indian experience and characteristic
caution make them especially valuable in many
ways are not precisely the men who march with
the times, who recognise a public want, and are
ready to meet it half way.
With regard to the Indian part of the affair, Sir
STAFFORD %ORTILCOTE holds that the Executive of
India should be as strong as possible, and that
whatever control is necessary should be exercised in
this country. He is inclined, therefore, to give the
Governor-General power to nominate his own Coun-
cil, but owing to representations made to him, he
allows the Secretary of State the nomination, with
the understanding that the position of
councillor is to be the reward of the
oldest and the most capable civil servants.
Another change or two is to be made in the manage-
ment of the finances and completes the bill respect-
ing the Council, which, as we have seen, proposes
no great alteration.

The other and principal measure is intended to
strengthen the hands of the Governor-General and
the Lieutenant-Governors, and to provide for the
long-talked-of change in the government of Bengal.
At present the only means by which the Governor-
General can legislate for the Punjab, or any of those
distant parts which are without a legislature of their
own, is through the Legislature of India, which is
not well qualified to deal with these wilder and
ruder forms of life. The new measure, there-
fore, empowers the Lieutenant - Governor of
the Punjab or any other governor of a
province without an individual legislature, to
propose regulations to the Governor- General
iu Council which he might adopt, giving them the
force of law. These wild and uncultivated re-
gions need prompt and vigorous action, and all
the constitutional delays and discussions which
are productive of so much good in more civilised
and settled countries, only do mischief by giving
the appearance of weakness and vacillation.
With regard to the Government of Bengal, the

Orissa famine has had something to do with the
change proposed. We all know the story of that
tragedy, and how much misfortune and misery
arose from the inertness and indifference of Sir
CECIL BEADON and his advisers. In the course of
the inquiry held on the subject it was proved,
says Sir STAFFORD NORTIICOTE, that the peculiar
relations of the Governor-General and the Gover-
nor of,Bengal were inconvenient and embarrassing
—another instance of the evils of divided authority
and divided responsibility. A special committee
of the councillors of India took the matter in hand
and made a report. Four out of six proposed some
alterations, but the remaining two boldly advised
that Bengal should be constituted into a full go-
vernment like Madras and Bombay. Sir STAFFORD
NORTIICOTE himself favours this scheme, but the
Council decided against it by a majority of one. Ile
might have overadden their decision, but knowing
that Sir J. LAWRENCE was averse to it, he contented
himself with writing to India and asking for the
full opinions of the Government on the question.
These papers he will lay before the House of Com-
mons, so that when the bill introduced last night
comes under discussion they may be well qualified
to decide on its provisions. Sir STAFFORD
NORTIICOTE has at present merely given the
Governor-General the power to erect a third Presi-
dency if he pleases. Another important point is the
admission of natives into the Indian service, and in
this respect the new bill proposes great improve-
ments. The Secretary of State holds that the un-
covenanted service of India ought to be, as far as
possible, a native service, and the expression of this
opinion found favour with the House. We shall
look with interest for the discussion on this mea-
sure, which we hope will result in some salutary and
long-delayed changes.

LATEST INTELL MENGE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(PROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, THURSDAY, April 21.

Most of the papers are quite unreadable this morning.
All the Opposition journals, i.e., all the principal ones,
give the address which M. Jules Favre delivered on taking
the seat in the Academy left vacant by the death of Victor
Cousin, and this address occupies seven columnS. The
majority of them promise M. R6musat's reply to-morrow,
but the Arcnir National gives it to-day, and thus
nearly thirteen columns of that journal .are occupied
with a matter in which English readers cer-
tainly will take no interest. More than a column
is occupied with the names of the captains who have been
appointed to command the various regiments of the Na-
tional Guard. Some two columns are taken up with a
discussion upon the Budget of 1864. Thus you see cor-
respondents have not a lively time of it this morning.
The article in the Moniteur has produced no effect. The
pessimists are in as great force as ever, and, as they form
a large proportion of the nation, the belief in the imminence
of war is still very prevalent. The Emperor has been to
visit the camp at St. Maur. The German papers describe
the great works which are going on for the defence of
'Arayenec, and mention that iron plates for defending
the forts have been received from England. The prevail-
ing distrust is producing disastrous effects upon the trader
of the country. There were seventy-five declarations of
bankruptcy in Paris during the first fortnight of April.
One of the journals which were suppressed at the coup
d'etat, the Emancipation, organ of the democratic party in
the South of France, is about to reappear, under the direc-
tion of its former editor, M. ArmandDuportal. Under these
circumstances, the projected Avenir Meiidional, which
was to have represented the same party, will not appear,
M. Baudrillart, the new editor of the Constitutionnel, vice
M. Paulin Limayrac, appointed to " another administra-
tive function," has not yet broken silence. No doubt he
thinks the more.

We are to have a discussion in the Corps L4gislatif on
the economic system of France. MM. Brame and Pouyer-
Quertier have given notice of their intention to bring the
matter forward ; and the commercial treaty with England
will no doubt be pretty fiercely attacked by our Protec-
tionists, who are still far too numerous.
Several months ago the Empress visited the cholera
wards of the hospital at Amiens, and was deservedly
praised for her courage. Some of the eullgies were, how-
ever, too fulsome, and the Gazette des Etrangers publishes
a letter (undated) from her Majesty, deprecating such
exaggerated laudation. She says :" I dislike the fuss
that has been made about my journey to Amiens. There
was no courage or merit in that visit—nothing but a
simple duty of my position, which I am very happy to
have fulfilled. Don't talk to me, therefore, of heroism ; I
saved nobody, and, indeed, it is likely that more than
one poor patient must have been inconvenienced by the
preparations made in the wards for my reception. Let us
reserve high-sounding words for really great things, such
as, for example, the sublime devotedness of the nuns, who
are not content with visiting the sick for an hour, as I
did, but remain with them till they recover or die."
One of the Paris correspondents of the Independance
Beige denies the statement of the North-East Correspon-
dence, that Queen Victoria had written personally to depre-
cate any discussion between France and Prussia on the
question of disarmament. The correspondent says that
her Majesty would very gladly see a disarmament. There
is no doubt that she would; yet she may question, for all
that, if it is likely to be facilitated by a controversy ,'".t
now.

How low the drama is falling in Paris may be judged
from the fact that 1,000 representations of four of Offen-
bach's plays have produced £135,000. Offenbach's portion
of this smn is £B,OOO, and he will have another £4,000 for
the right of representing in the provinces. Mozart
re ;eived for his " Zauberfliitte " a hundred crowns.

It would seem that in Russia the highest office in the
Church, as in England the highest office in the State, is
open to the poorest subject. As with us, a barber's son
has before now become Lord Chancellor, so with the
Russians a maker of hand organs has become Metro-
politan of Moscow. The venerable Philaret, concerning
whom Dean Stanley recently wrote a most interesting
account in Macmillan's Magazine, has been succeeded by
a certain Ivan Popoff, who was born in Siberia, though
how long ago is not stated. His first spiritual charge was
on the island of Sitka, in Russian !North America. How
arduous a charge it was may be imagined when we state
that no fewer than eighteen languages were spoken by the
inhabitants. Popoff set himself to learn them all, though
he did not succeed. His wife fell a victim to the severity
of the climate, and he then went to St. Petersburg to urge
the establishment of a bishopric of Kamschatka. Ile sub-
sequently took the cowl, and rose to the dignity of Archi-
markirite, but when at length after long delay the above-
mentioned bishopric was established he was appointed to
it. Tie has now attained to the well-earned dignity of
Metropilitan of Moscow.

" Philalethes" says that when nearly four years ago the
young Prince of Denmark became King of Greece he
("Philalethes") was full of hope for the kingdom, for he
thought it would. cause order to succeed to anarchy, and
honesty in Government finance to duplicity. That favour
able impression was general. Greek stock, which for
years had been nearly at zero, rose to 40 ; yet, now
that stock is unquoted, and the credit of the
Government is nil. The Greek is always being
contrasted with the Turk to the disadvantage of
the latter ; yet, the Mohammedan pays his debts, while
the Christian does not. "In Greece at this moment we
see nothing but a struggle of individuals for power, not
with a view to the advancement of the nation, but for the
personal aggrandisement of each candidate. In Turkey
are two statesmen, ruad Pasha and Aali Pasha, striving
by every honourable means to make front to the world,
and to gain for their Government and country the respect
alike of friend and foe.s' This letter is given by the Star
in the largest type, and there is little doubt, we presume,
that the writer is Mr. Layard, M.P.

The death of the Bishop of Hereford places at the dis-
posal of the new Premier his first piece of valuable
church patronage. The deceased prelate, who was born
in 1793, was educated at Oriel College, Oxford, and was
first class in classics and in mathematics in 1813. He was
successively Professor of Moral Philosophy, Bampton Lec-
turer, Principal of St. Mary Hall, and Regius Professor
of Divinity. In 1848 Dr. Hampden received from Earl
Russell the bishopric of Hereford, which carries with it
the patronage of two archdeaconries, the precentorship,
chancellorship, and treasurership of the cathedral, and
livings. The annual value of the see is £4,2J0.
thirty-six
Through this vacancy on the episcopal bench the Bishop
of Lichfield ceases to be junior prelate, and will now take
his seat in the House of Lords.

Dr. Hampden had for the last year or two been in a
precarious state of health. The immediate cause of death
concussion of the brain, occasioned by a
was, however,
severe fall from a chair in his own dining-room, which the
right rev. prelate sustained last Saturday afternoon. Dr.
Cahill, of Albert-terrace, Albert-gate, and Dr. Quain, of
Harley-street, the bishop's medical advisers, were called in
immediately after the accident. They were unremitting
in their attention, but their eminent and skilful services
proved unavailing.

Archdeacon Denison has delivered a characteristic
charge at Taunton. He commenced by deploring a
gradually growing disposition to throw to the winds, as so
much waste paper, " solemn contracts, engagements, and
obligations, directly or indirectly connected with religion,
however they may have been ratified by law, and pledges
of national faith, so soon as they are taken to obstruct the
course of political or social expedience, or to interfere
with that worship of material prosperity which divides
with the pride of intellect the idolatry of our time."
Ho pleaded for the continuance of the Irish Church
as a State institution, on the ground that although it is
not the church of the majority, it is the church of the
truth. The archdeacon maintained that though it be possible
to understand a Legislature such as is now the Legislatme
of the United Kingdom, if it allow itself to touch the
question at all, affirming the majority principle, it is not
possible to understand such affirmation in the mouths of
individual Churchmen—in mouths, that is, where it is now
heard continually. Certainly those Churchmen who do so
affirm it have nothing to say wherefore the same principle
should not be applied in all cases in England and Wales,
wheresoever a parliamentary return shall chew that the
people who are not of the Church are more in number than the
people who are of the Church. He goes on to criticise
Mr. Gladstone's church rates bill as " another blow dealt
by Churchmen's hands," and the bill of Mr. Coleridge as
" an attempt to unchristianise the universities." The
"Colenso Plague Spat "is described as " eating fast into
the spiritual and temporal life of the Church of
England." The Dean of Westminster is " the
captain of the Colenso army a motley host
with some respectability about it, but not much
to spare." Finally, we arc assured that after the course
which has just been taken by the Opposition leader, " the
history of man furnishes no sadder example of the power
of a great intellect to lead astray, than the public career
of Mr. Gladstone."

A deputation from the Senate of the Queen's
University has had an interview with the Earl of Mayo,
at Dublin Castle, for the purpose of urging on Govern!
ment the claims of the university to parl amentary repre-
sentation. His lordship said he would bring the matter
Moro culle3gues. If a member were given to the
Queen's University, 01 a place in Ireland would, he
thotiglit. have to be o!.flan Lisef.l,

THE FENIAN TRIALS AT THE CENTRAL
CRIMINAL COURT.-THIS DAY.

Of the five prisoners placed in the dock of the Central
Criminal Court on the morning of this the fifth day of their
trial, on the charge of murder, William Desmond is the
one upon whom the terrible mental strain to which they
have been exposed during proceedings so protracted
has most severely told. Ms countenance is most deathly
pale, and its haggard expression has become inten-
sified daily. The other accused—Timothy Des-
mend, Nicholas English, John O'Keefe, and Michael
Barrett— are little altered in appearance. The
latter has lost a little of his bright colour, but maintains his
usual determined and somewhat defiant manner. Prior to
the opening of the proceedings, Ann Justice, who was ac-
quitted yesterday on the first indictment against her under
the direction of the judges, came into the dock for a few
minutes for the purpose of speaking to her solicitor.
When the Lord Chief Justice and Mr. Baron Bramwell
had taken their seats upon the bench, the Attorney-General
stated that he had come to the conclusion that the evidence
that had been given against O'Keefe, though in itself
bend Pc, was not sufficiently strong to implicate him in
the conspiracy with which the prisoners were charged,
and was not such as would justify him in pressing for a
conviction against him. In this view the Lord Chief
Justice and Mr. Baron Bramwell concurred, and, under
the direction of the learned judges, the jury at once
returned a verdict of not guilty. O'Keefe was imme-
diately discharged from the dock. Unlike the woman
Justice, he descended the steps leading to the passage
below without having taken the slightest notice of his
companions.

To the application of Mr. Montague Williams, who
asked that Ann Justice and O'Keefe should be imme-
discharged on the other indictments,
The Lord Chief Justice replied that it would be better
co make that application at the conclusion of the present
trial. Whether he would proceed with the other indict.
ments was a matter for the Attorney-General to decide.

Mr. Straight then proceeded to address the jury on
behalf of Timothy Desmond, first pointing out the distinc-
tion that existed between his case and that of the other
prisoners, and then commenting upon the character of
several of the witnesses who had given evidence. The
informer Vaughan, who had deserted from the army, was,
he believed, a man to whom the jury would not give cre-
dence unless his testimony was confirmed and substantiated
"up to the hilt." It would be remembered that he had
stated that Mullany and he were acquainted, whereas the
latter distinctly declared that until at the police-
court he had never seen him. Referring to the
circumstances of the conspiracy, the learned counsel argued
that the evidence of Mullany did not in the slightest
degree criminate Timothy Desmond. He did not mention
his being present at any of the meetings which had been
held to plan the carrying out of the explosion, and yet, if
he could have included him with the other accessed men
whom he identified, he would certainly have done so. The
evidence of the carman, Stratton, amounted only to this,
that he believed Timothy Desmond was one of the persons
he had seen wheeling the truck ; but there was no substan-
tial corroboration of his statement. As to the alleged con-
versation between Timothy Desmond and Vaughan, it was
clear that in recounting it the informer had not adhered to
the truth. (The Lord Chief Justice here pointed out that
the assertion that the learned counsel's client had men-
tioned that they had all the information necessary for
them to carry out the details of the explosion on the 12th
of December from Ann Justice, who had been into the
prison, was manifestly false, for it was proved beyond all
doubt that Justice had never been admitted to the House
of Detention until the following day.) Mr. Straight,
resuming his argument, commented on the remarkable fact
that the House of Detention was actually environed with
police-constables in uniform and plain clothes at the very
time that the explosion took place, and asked whether, if
a little more caution bad been exercised, the catastrophe
might not have been avoided altogether. The evidence of
Sutton, the police-constable, and Inspector Thompson, he
contended did not advance the case adversely a single
stage, and he earnestly and with full confidence asked the
jury to declare by their verdict that there was nothing to
associate his client with the conspiracy with which the
prisoners had been charged.
Mr. Keogh,
who appeared for English, after remarking
upon the temperate manner in which the Attorney-General
had stated the case for the prosecution, directed the atten-
tion of the jury to the evidence of Mullany, which dealt
in the first place with the O'Connor meeting—a meeting
which it had been distinctly proved had been called simply
for the purpose of collecting funds for the erection of a
church. The testimony of this informer was altogether
uncorroborated, and even he did not presume to say that
at the meeting at which the initiatory steps in connection
with the explosion were taken the prisoner English was
present. The humanity of the law, the jury would remem-
ber, laid it down that a prisoner was not to be condemned
on the evidence of an informer unless his testimony was
substantiated. Turning to the statements of the women
who were called to prove that English was one of the men
often seen going into Mrs. Martin's house, and to the evi-
dence of the police constable Bunco, who said he recog-
nised him as a frequenter of Ka vanagh's, there was
nothing that amounted to identification, such as a capital
charge demanded. The same observation applied to the
evidence given by the woman who kept the Bells public-
house, the carman Stratton, and the little boy who looked
out of the window of a house in Corporation-row and
saw the men with the truck and barrel on the 12th of
December. Of all the witnesses called to speak to the
facts which transpired on the day of the explosion, not one
of them spoke to having seen English there. Whoever
might have been the person who fired the barrel which
caused such devastation, it was not the loan whom he was
called upon to defend, and to connect him with the con-
spiracy in any way there must be nothing like a flaw in
the chain of evidence by which it was sought to identify
him.

At this stage Mr. Warner Sleigh applied that a gentle-
man who had employed William Desmond, and had come
forward to give testimony in his favour, Might be
examined.

Mr. William Sparks Hall, a bootmaker in Regent
street, had been in the habit of employing William Des-
mond since 1861. Was in his service when arrested. He
was a steady, industrious man, and one of his best
workmen. He worked on the premises.
The police-constable Chisholm was recalled at Mr.
Baker Greene's request, to give some explanation of the
arrest of Barrett and O'Neill. 'The witness was most ob-
tuse, but it was elicited after much trouble on the part of
the Lord Chief Justice, that the two men were not crigi-
nally arrested on the present charge. They were taken into
custody for some other offence, were discharged, rearrested,
and in consequence of information received were
brought from Scotland to Loudon, when OSeil
discharged and Barrett kept in custody in. connection Nvitili
the Clerkenwell explosion.

Mr. Baker Greene, the counsel for the prlsaner Barrett,
in addressing the jury, remarked that the revzquilitity
he felt was greatly augmented by the fact that thia
the first time he had been called upon to de&lld a tetQw
creature whose life was trembling in the Itataxtw,,
with two exceptions, the ftr*t time Le lAA igklteia ra.ttk
any criminal ProcMllngk Untingent the atAXlAllitnqft
under which the pritlenell IMMINiI !I NA itiWliqfP.YAitn,
and the weight of legal Wont pelvvelA et idlfe 111 N
officers of the Crown anti the lest el
in the proseention hretight to be awillmit tkziw, tit`
learned counsel tikat the itNK;Aitt
would Kay of the pollee wag that th W V itnOtbs- Tinitt4
the e&1 0 all .the \voila ova =they Wq-Z ;RI t'llw JIMA ,tf:
tsklne nentimiiiin4 raft fittiw6 ?',Pt, 16 ClaNia, 14411Th'iliS
which made it very much the worse for the facts. TI •
Attorney-General, Mr. Baker Greene continued, was much
to be commiserated, on having to found his case on testi-
mony such as that offered by Mullany. When that testi-
mony came to be tested, numerous inaccuracies were dis-
cernible, and his evidence was utterly at variance with
that of the witnesses called to corroborate him
Both the apprentice Morris and the workwoman
Keppell directly contradicted him in reference
to the time and places at which he saw the man named
Jackston after the explosion. Mullany had also stated
that ho did not know Vaughan, and yet Vaughan posi-
tively declared that ho bad boon acquainted with him for
some months. The evidence of Vaughan was compara-
tively immaterial as affecting Barret, but it needed a pass-
ing reference. Ile did not identify Barrett as being asso-
ciated with the Fenian movement. Mr. Baker Greene
then proceeded further to examine the evidence as to the
presence of Barrett in Pultoney-court, the place to which
the powder, according to the theory of the C rown, was
taken. Only two witnesses gave positive evidence, the
one Martha Kernpsley, and the other her brother, bath
stating that the man they supposed to be Barrett was
at the court two months before the explosion. The
testimony of Martha Kempsley was open to the remark
that when taken to identify Barrett after his arrest she did
not at first recognise him, nor did the description of Bar-
rett by the girl and her brother at all tally with that given
by Mullaney. It was a romarkabl o fact that
though it was asserted that Barrett had lived
at Mrs. Martin's house, the Crown had not
called the person who of all others would have been able
to 'rove it. The learned counsel then dealt with the ovi-
ience of Stratton. The day before the explosion he
saw some men with a truck, but he did not
identify Barrett. Nor did the witnesses, Wells
Clifford, Reigate, and the bcy Moseley. With reference to
the day of the explosion, the first witness called was
Isaac Allen, who was returning from the Cattle Show.
Ile said ho saw a man standing by the barrel, and that
was Barret, but this witness had admitted that he had
said that another person was the man. The next witness
was Bird, whose evidence was diametrically opposed to
that of the previous one, for he deposed to seeing three
men.
We shall continue the report ;14 our late Lchtion,

st.
Tirrairt.'"'`-'‘--1
KM DI ry t., /kit/
Irafiat

HER MAJESTY.

OSBORNE, April 23.
The Queen, accompanied by her Royal High-
ness Princess Christian, drove out yesterday after-
noon, and also this morning.
The other members of the Royal Family also
went out.

THE ROYAL DRAMATIC COLLEGE, MAYBURY.:

High Festival was yesterday kept at the Royal
Dramatic College, Maybury. For the fourth time
the pensioners were given " a public holiday, or
treat," pursuant to the will of the late Mr. T. P.
Cooke, whose birthday, and that of " the immortal
dramatic poet, Shakspere," fall, by a curious coinci-
dence, on the same day (the 23d of April). There
was gathered together to celebrate this event a larger
company than had ever before assembled, notwith-
standing the unpleasantness of the weather at some
portions of the afternoon. Under the presidency of
Mr. Webster, of the Adelphi Theatre—whose genial
manner added so much to the general enjoy-
ment a most pleasant afternoon was spent.
Among these present were Mr. and Mrs. Billing-
ton, Mr. J. Clarke, Miss Fanny Josephs, Miss
Larkens, Mss Carlotta Leclerq, Miss Nelly Moore,
Miss Louisa Moore, Mrs. Alf. Mellon, Miss Fur -
tado, Mr. Cummings (son-in-law of Mr. S. P.
Cooke), Mr. Gaston Murray, Mr. Phillips, Mr. J.
L. Toole, Mr. W. Sams, Mr. Cullingford, Mr. R.
Churchill, Mr. Stainton, and Mr. Borlase
The banquet, which was most excellent aad abun-
dant, was prepared by Mr. Edwards, Kingsland.
The usual loyal and patriotic toast was drank
with all the honours, and then came the " immortal
memory of Shakspere," drunk upstanding and in
silence. Mr. 'Webster, in giving the toast, said
most appropriately that if a volume of the great
poet's works could be found in every house in
England the community would become much
more enlightened than they are at pre-
sent. Another toast—the toast of the day—was
then drunk : " The Memory of the Testator," who
had endowed the institute with £2,000 Consols, the
interest to be appropriated to the purpose of a tri-
ennial prize, to be presented to the author of tha
best drama. Three years ago the prize was gained
by Mr. Slous for " True to the Core." Now, Mr.
Webster announced that the prize had been ob-
tained by Messrs. Dilley and Albery for a nautical
drama, " The Mate of the Mountjoy." Mr.
Slous's play had brought no less than £5OO
to the institution, a proof of the foresight of the
lamented testator. Then came the health of the
successful authors, which was received most enthu-
siastically. Mr. Webster was now obliged to depart
to town, duty calling him away to delight another
audience. Mr. Stainton took the place of chair-
man, and proposed the health of Mr. and Mrs.
Cummings, the latter the daughter of the late Mr.
Cooke. By drinking their health they would be
doing .as great an honour, and coming
as near to Mr. Cooke as was possible.
The toast was warmly responded to, and Mr. Cum-
mings briefly returned thanks. The company were
occasionally enlivened by songs from Mdlle. Lieb-
hart, Miss Julia Derby, Mr. F. Kingbury, and Mr
Stirling—Mr. Kingbury presiding at the pianoforte.
Mdlle. Liebhart most charmingly rendered several
pieces, and the greatest delight was evinced by the
pensioners. The young basso, Mr. Stirling, too,
and Miss Derby, were much complimented.

UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE,

OXFORD, APRIL 23.

In a Congregation held this day, at 3 o'clock, the
new pass examination Statute was promulgated •
Professor Rogers raised a point of order with re-
spect to the power of Council in matters of Uni-
versity legislation, and a discussion followed, iii
which the Vice-Chancellor, the Registrar, Profes-
sors Rawlinsou and Couington, the Master of
Balliol, and the Rector of Exeter took part.
Mr. SANDFORD, of Christ Church, then com-
menced the discussion of the statute, the general
tenour of which he approved, but upon which he
proposed no fewer than seven amendments. Ile
wished to have all the regular examinations, except
Responsions, once only in the year. He desired an
optional entrance examination, a by-examination
for failures, and various other changes.
Professor CONINGTON thought that in the un-
avoidable absence of the Dean of Christ Church
some other member of Council should have ex-
plained the objects of the statute. He asked for
explanation on the subject of a clause appended to
the Form of Statute, as circulated, and was an-
swered by the Vice-Chancellor. Turning to the
statute itself, he objected to dealing piecemeal with
the examinations, and expressed a fear that scholar-
ships would suffer from the proposed alterations.
The MASTER of BALLIOL thought he might sal
that Council did not intend to deal with the pass
examinations only.

Professor 11. SIIITH objected to the separation of
mechanics from mathematics, but otherwise al'"
proved the statute.

- The MASTEIt of UNIVERSITY proposed amend-
ments on the subject of the books to be taken up by
candidates.

Mr. WATSON, of Brasenose, and Prof. BURROWS
submitted amendments on the same point, and the
latter proposed that mechanical science should be
made an optional subject, and that fourth classes
should be abolished.

Professor BARTHOLOMEW PRICE defended the
statute generally, and especially the requirements
of mechanics.

Mr. KING, of Merton, objected to the presenta-
tion by candidates of the same author at both exa-
minations.

Professor CLIFTON thought that mechanics might,
well be made a separate subject. The amount 01
pure mathematics and of algebra which it required
was very small and easily learnt.
Mr. FOWLER, of Lincoln, put in an amendment
to remove the objection pointed out by Mr. King.

The congregation was then dissolved.
The University sermons on Sunday next will b°
preached—in the morning by the Rev. Dr. Moberly'
of Balliol, Barupton Lecturer ; and in the afteruooll
by the Rev. Dr. Miller, of Lincoln College. '1
sermon on Friday, May 1 (St. Philip and St*
James), will be preached by the Rev. J. R.
of Merton, at Merton College Chapel.
In a Convocation to be holden on the 28th inst.'
at two o'clock, it will be proposed that the Vice-
Chancellor be authorised to pay out of the Univer-
sity chest :-1. A sum of £5O towards the establi.9ll-
went of a bathing-place for members of tijo
University. 2. A sum of £25 annually toware;
the maintenance of such bathing-place. It
proposed that if the above grants be made th°
should be applied under the direction of the Folic°
Committee.

Iu a Congregation to be held immediately after-
wards forms of statute will be promulgated for 016
appointment of a Professor of Comparative Pill
lology at a stipend of £6OO a year, and for a change
in the time of nominating the masters of 61°
schools.
The Taylorian Professor of Modern Euror
eau
Languages (Mr. Max Muller) will begin a collo
of Lectures on the " Principles of Etymology;
Tuesday, the 28th of April, at 12 o'clock. Tbes
lectures will be continued on Tuesdays, ThursdaY ds'
and Saturdays, at the same hour, and will be (I'4l
vered at the Taylor Institution.

FABRICATING VOTING PAPERS.—At the Shea°,
Police Court yesterday, two men, named James Co ted
Alfred Turner, were charged with having fab''st
voting papers at the recent election of guardians. v''„4
the voting papers were lying at the houses of the
11
payers, the defendants and several others visited a P,1:1,
ber of houses, and, in the absence of the voters, glle" 0
the papers in favour of tho candidates in whom thof
interested. The charge was clearly proved, and the V7llO,
sentenced Turner to eix weeks' and Cox to two r'°l2
imprisonment.