The Sun.
London, England, 1868-06-27 00:00:00

SUNDAY EVENINGS FOR THE PEOPLE.

In the sittings in banco in the Court of Common Pleas,
yesterday, before Justice Willes and Justice Byles, the
case of P. g. v. Baxter Langley, which involved the ques-
tion of the legality of the " Sunday evenings for the
people," came on for hearing.
The Hon. George • Denman, Q.C., in opening the
case, said that he aprreared to ash for the enforce-
ment of the penalties rtquired by various sections
of the Ist of the 23rd George 111. Two points were
involved, the first being as to the legality of the Sunday
evenings for - the people, of which the defendant was the
promoter. St. Martin's Hall (the learned counsel stated)
had been registered as a place where a religious body
held their meetings on Sundays. From threepence to
half a crown was charged for admission to .about two-
thirds of the whole area of the hall, whilst to the remain--
ing third the public were admitted without any charge.
The " entertainment " consisted of singing such pieces as
the "Stabat Mater," and addresses by Mr. Langley.
On one occasion Sir Johii BeWring leetureil 'on 17 Siam
and the Siamese." These entertainments, it was contended,
were illegal, the Act providing a penalty of £2OO for every
such entertainment. Mr: Denman said that the de-
fendant contended that at the meetings the people were
instructed ; but, he argued, even supposing that to be the
case, it was really not a religious meeting, but
a place where there were provided entertain-
ments and amusements. If this could be proved;
the defendant would be brought within the
power of the law, especially as a charge was made for
entrance. No doubt such pieces as " The heavens are
telling," the " Stabat Mater," and others of a like cha-
racter had an elevating effect ; but they were not sung by
the people, but were given by vocal and instrlmental
performers. They were not regarded by any present as
acts of devotion or worship but simply as a performance
of past of an entertainment. The lecture given by Sir John
Bowring described most graphically thehabits and manners
of the SiLnese, and gave a very excellent description of the
country inhabitated by that extra,ord:nary peop!e. This,
the learned counsel argued, could not form part of a really
rtligions meeting, but was given to the people as an amuse-
ment. The only religious part was the latter part of the
lecture, in which charity to others in re:igiuus matters
was recommended.

After hearing elaborate arguments on both sides, the
lourt reserved its decision.

THE FIRES ON THE YORKSHIRE MOORS.

The fires which have been reported on the Yorkshire
moors were still smouldering on Friday, though their fur-
ther destructive progress is believed to be arrested. Nearly
4,000 acres of moorland has been left black and desolate,
with probably scarcely -a living bird, or animal, or vege-
table, excepting the largest trees, over the wide expanse.
The young grouse and rabbits which abound on these moors
have been totally destroyed, and sheep grazing thereon
have in some instances perished. The cause of the fires
is not, it is believed, as was alleged, the sparks emitted
from a railway engine on the Rosedale branch. line near
the Cleveland-hils, a little south-east of the Tees, though
one of the fires was firs.t, pbseyvefl on Monday, the 15th
instant, in that locality. As fires are not unusual on the
moors in the summer tune, no notice was taken of it for
some days, until it had gut such a hold as has no pre-
vious parallel, and it was found almost impossible to
compass it with a view of putting it out. Here about
3,00) acres were devastated. At about the same time
a moor belonging to the Marquis of Ailesbury to
the east of Northallerton, which is eight miles distant
from the former moors, was observed to be on fire at a
point about a mile distant from any fire or railway. This
has given rise to the impression that owing to the dryness
of the weather, through the drought, with their simul-
taneous appearance, the fire must have arisen from
spontaneous combustion. Lord Feversham, Lord Boyne,
and Lord De Lisle and Dudley, are the chief sufferers.
Though the destruction of grouse has been great, the great
bulk of Yorkshire moorland lying to the north-west
remains intact and promises well.

THE NEW MEAT MARKET AT SMITHFIELD.-
The buildings for the meat market are at last approaching
completion, and we are glad to learn that the Prince of
Wales will formal►y open the market on November 15.—
City Press.

MURDER OF A COURIER.—The courier of a Rus-
sian family was barbarously murdered on the 14th inst. at
the fashionable watering-place of Ems. His body was
found early in the morning lying on the second floor of the
Hotel du Prince des Galles, where the family in whose
service the unfortunate man was occupied apartments.
head had been struck twice with some weapon, probably
an axe, one of his eyes bad been torn from its socket, and
the marks of nails were visible on the neck. No motive
has been assigned for the crime, as the money and watch
of the murdered man were untouched.

A baker at Newport. has been convicted in a rather
remarkable way of adulterating his bread. 1p had told
his assistant that he had obtained a patent for making
bread look whiter than usual ; but the man, finding that
ho was not to be admitted into the secret, but was to mix
the dou,Ji with a compound which his master rrepared
ov,rnight, contrived, on the first orp 'trinity to fill a
'small bottle with some of the mysterious ingredient; which,
on being tested, proved to be merely a solution of carbonate
of lime. ll'rcovor, the great experiment itself did not
rn,wer, and iLen the cunning I,l*ow, afr.dd of the come-
quei,..:ye, went bon', and wrotc a sul mu letter to l is mast r,
sad log th":t he " fir not 'o come to his establisnmect
any more." lie t,,en gave at:on to the rolico, nod tt.e
rnte;:t- C:11410 to grief by the baker bAnrz fitted .£2 d

C. ~"S.

TIM QUEEN AND TfIE LATE V 7 REVIEW.—
Th 3 fllowing communicati
o on has been forwarded to Sir
J. rilington, the Secretary for War. by ti! Duke cf
Cambridge :--" horse Guard-4, 22nd June, 13..;:3. Sir, I
hate great satisfaction in conveying to you, by the Queen's
commands, I:er Majesty's approval of the soldierlike
bearing and efficiency under arms of the volunteers who
were reviewed by her in Windsor Park on Saturday
; and I am at the same time desired to request yiul to
make this known to all the corps concerned.—l am, yours,
GEORGE." Sir J. Pakington Las, in accordance with her
Majesty's commands, communicated her approval to the
corps concerned, The following is the official return of
volunteers present at the review:—Cavalry, 267; field
batteries, 393 men, 20 guns, and 155 horses ; Ist division,
5,517 ; 2nd ditto, 6,853 ; 3rd ditto, 7,896 4th ditto,
6.339: total. 27.20. —W. C. WHAM. Cvloael.