The Sun.
London, England, 1868-03-10 00:00:00

THAMES.

MURDEROUS ASSAULT.—Thomas Deacon, aged
19, a lighterman, of No. 37, Joseph-street, Back-
road, St. George-in-the-East, was brought before
Mr. Knox, sitting for Mr. Benson, charged with
violently assaulting Edward Dove, a waterman, at
Shadwell Dock-stairs.

The complainant said that the prisoner was a
perfect nuisance at the place, and was in the watch-
box at Shadwell Dock-stairs last night with another
man. They had no right there, and were requested
to turn out, which they refused to do, and the pri-
soner, who is a strong and powerful fellow, struck
the complainant a tremendous blow on the mouth
with his clenched fist, and completely wounding the
upper lip. A surgeon attended the complainant and
stitched up the lip. A policeman said that it was
impossible to inflict such a wound with a man's fist,
but Mr. Livingston, the chief usher, was of opinion
that it was just such a wound as would have been in-
flicted with the sharp knuckle if a man struck with
great force.
After the examination of several witnesses, who
all agreed a blow was struck, but differad in some
of the details,

Mr. Knox said it was a brutal and abominable
thing to inflict such a blow and inflict such a wound
as the prisoner had done on a man double his own
age. He sentenced the prisoner to be imprisoned
for two months and kept to hard labour,

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HER MAJESTY.

WINDSOR CASTLE, March 9.

The Queen walked in the grounds this morning,
accompanied by her Royal Highness Princess
Christian.

Princess Louise also went out walking, attended
by the Hon. Horatio Stopford.
Prince Arthur left the Castle for Greenwich-
park.

fler Royal Highness the Princess of Wales
drove out, attended by the Countess of Morton.
The Prince of Wales, attended by Capt. Ellis,
hunted with her Majesty's staghouads yesterday.

VISIT OF THE PRINCE OF WALES TO
IRELAND.

DUBLIN, Monday.
The visit of the Prince of Wales to Dublin has
been definitely settled. Preparations for his recep-
tion are in progress.

DRURY LANE TiIEATI?E.

Last evening "The Merchant of Venice" was
porformed here before a brilliant and fashionable
audience, Mr. Phelps acting the part of Shylock,
and Mrs. Hermann Vezin that of Portia. The
play has been mounted with the utmost splendour,
and not the least of its attractions was the intro-
duction of a very characteristic illustration of the
great Carnival of Venice, which was hailed with
enthusiastic applause. The rendering of the part of
Shylock by Mr. Phelps is so well known and ap-
preciated, that on the present occasion we need only
say it was marked with all that intensity and passion
which has rendered it one of his most finished re-
presentations. Mrs. Vezin's Portia was all that
could be desired—the celebrated " mercy speech'
being given with great effect. The play will be re-
peated to-morrow evening for the benefit of Mr.
Phelps. Mr. Barry Sullivan impersonates the part
to-night and Thursday, and on Friday that gentle-
man takes his benefit, on which occasion he will ap-
pear as Hamlet. On Saturday and during the en-
suing week Mr. T. Powrie will appear as Rob
Roy, and although the season is near a close, the
endeavour of Mr. Chatterton to bring it to a
triumphant conclusion is worthy of unlimited
praise.

MEDICAL SCIENCE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
understand that a bill for the improve-
ment of medical science, which has been long post-
poned to make room for the great leviathan—the
new Reform Bill (which has safely reached the
ocean at last)—is about to be placed before the
House of Commons, whereby it is intended to abo-
lish, or at least to decrease, medical quackery, as it
is called—that is to say, medical practice not re-
cognised by the orthodox members of the British
medical profession.

I know nothing respecting the details of the pro-
posed enactment, but my opinion is that the persons
who profess to practise astrological science in Lon-
don and provincial places should be included in the
enactment, so as to prevent the system of imposi-
tion which prevails at present, and which has pre-
vailed for many years past, with respect to fortune-
tellers, as they are called.

In my petition to the House of Commons, pre-
sented last June by Mr. J. S. Mill, M.P., I suggested,
amongst other things, that some restriction should
be placed upon the calculating branch of astral
science, and that the medical part of it, shown in
what is known as horary astrology, should be
legalized.

I have reason to believe that some medical men
in the present day wisely avail themselves of this
branch of the science, which includes the knowledge
of criticaldays in illnesses, and that more medical men
would, in this respect, follow the example of Dr.
Good, Dr. Mead, and of other physicians,
if Parliament would sanction the act by
legalizing it so as to make it respectable.
Without affecting the dignity of martyrdom in the
cause, my petition before-mentioned and your
pages testify that I have incurred during the last 16
years considerable detriment and inconve-
nience in my hitherto unsuccessful attempt
to give the public the benefit to be derived from
a real knowledge of astrological science, as it was
taught by our forefathers, when medical persons
who did not understand it were deemed to be
" fools rather than physicians." As I have paid
much attention to this subject, I consider myself
justified in keeping it before public notice, especially
at the present time, for the above-mentioned reason.
If, as I believe, it is a natural fact that by taking
a horary figure, a competent person can decide re-
specting the nature, length, and probable result of
any serious, painful, or difficult illness, or the
state of a missing person or of a ship at sea, I
think that the time has arrived when, without
offending the public, this act may be properly and
wisely legalised and encouraged, instead of its
being snubbed and treated as a thing of mystery or
of darkness, which is at present the case in Britain.
—I am sir, yours obediently,

CHE. CooKE.
London, 7th March, 1868.

fashionablese
cAr
tary adramaticnciehara character
actingerentertainmenttoo took
place
last
t a
Saturdayhighl y
eveningselect a
andt
the Gallery .of Illustration, for the benefit of Mr. Sefton,
manager of Mr. Sothern ; and the best
proof of the appreciation in which the latter gentleman
holds Mr. Sefton's services is, that after playing David
Garrick at the Haymarket, he sustained the part of ,Lord
Dundreary for him at the Gallery. Besides this a host of
artistes of the first position volunteered their services,
amongst others Messrs. Kendal, F. Charles, Easton Mur-
ray, Howe, Waiter Gordon, &c. ; Mesdame Pauline Mark-
ham, Dalton, Sidney Wright, Madge Robertson, Idro.
Chippendale. In addition to these names, well known to
fame, a Miss Maude Stanley appeared for the first time in
two pieces, viz., " The Dowager " and " Dundreary Mar-
ried and Settled," This young lady has dramatic abilitie°
of a high order, and played with an ease and naturalness
that was quite charming. Her movements were veil
graceful, and her costumes chef-d'auvres of taste and meg"
nificence. Although the performance was not publicly
advertised the room was crowded with rank and fashion.
Amongst others wo noticed the Duke of Beaufort, Prince
Troabelskoi, Lord Courtenay, and many others of equal
note.
WINDING-UP CASES.—From an official document
just issued it appears that in the year ending the Ist of
November last there were in the Chancery Chambers 110
orders brought in for winding up companies, and the
number pending at the close of the period mentioned
was 378. The amount of calls under winding-up orders
made was £1,497,831, and the amount paid to creditorS
£7,310,339.
THE MIDDLE LEVEL.—Further progress has bee°
made by the Middle Level Drainage Commissioners in ad-,
justing the claims arising out of the failure of the outfs4
sluice near Lynn in 1862, but the process is necessarily °
slow one, arising from various causes—viz., excessive de
mands, delay in delivering claims, the difficulty of arrang;
ing days for negotiation suitable to the different parti,e
and their agents, &c. Several fresh actions have recent'it
been commenced against the commissioners, and noticesfi;
trial at the ensuing Norwich Assizes have been 0'813,1/
20 of them. The Commissioners have been advised ,"r
eminent counsel that two years formed the legal limit 1:0
commencing actions. At present the Commissionersha o
not raised the loan (except temporarily) authorised by
tb
act of
SOUTH 67 .KENSINGTON MUSEUM.—visitorsAoria
the week ending March 7.—On Monday, Tuesdelved,
Saturday, free, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., 9,376 ; on
_l'ooo
nesday, Thursday, and Friday (admission 6d.), fru er
a.m. till 5 p.m., 1,460; total, 10,836. Average of re
ponding week in former years, 10,344. Total frotoo:o
opening of the museum, 7,230,864. Patent=offico Musweek
South Kensington.L--Number of visitors for the
oia
ending March 7, 3,291 ; total number since then,.
of the museum free daily (12th of May, 1858), 1,20,_s at
GBEAT lIANDEL FESTIVAL—The ticket oTduti'y be.
the Crystal Palace and Exeter-hall were Yee.° ou
tba
sieged by applicants for vouchers for tickets.
_rd, of
opening of the doors at 10 o'clock there were nPurnearl):
70 applicants waiting at the Crystal Palace, ft au_ until
200 at Exeter-hall, and the stream was continuo s i,erg
of v 10
eu"
the time of closing at 4 o'clock. The issue ,
was to be continued at each office at ten
0 lock
morning.