The Sun.
London, England, 1868-02-18 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 18, 1868.

ralty eff icials, past, present, and to come, are dis-
puting as to the exact number of vessels we require;
whet, .?,r we should be content to keep up with
Franc .e and America ; whether we should outstrip
them. ; or whether, as one politician thought, we
shoal d be able to match them both together, the
Net 1 •emains that in practice our navy does not come
u p -to any one's standard. While we are doubting
v 'hi ch is best for attack and defence, the broadside
or the turret, we are leaving other nations to de-
e:J:le the question each in their own way, while we
r ernain comparatively inactive. Again, in this mat-
ter of harbour and coast defences, the Commission
of 1860 recommended the construction of floating
'batteries, to which they attached much im-
portance, and indicated several harbours
which needed defence. The estimated expense of
their several suggestions was over eleven millions,
of which one million was to be devoted to these float-
ing batteries. What has been the result ? Eight
y ears have passed, and nothing has been done, or is
to be done. When the Government revised these
estimates they cut them down to £7,000,000, ex-
cluding the £1,000,000 for harbour defences. A
vague hope, says Lord LONGFORD, existed that
some of these vessels might have been provided
from the supplies of the naval estimates, but it
could have existed only in the minds of extremely
sanguine persons. Economy is not the order
of the day in the administration of the
English navy, excepting where matters of grave
national importance aro concerned. What are
eleven millions or twenty-two millions compared
to the :safety of any one of our harbours? If there
were real risk or fear of an invasion, we should
very soon lavish our millions without profit. The
man in health takes no heed of prudence in pursuit
of money ; when he is sick he would give his for-
tune twice over to the doctor who could save him.
As Lord AIRLIE justly observed last night, all Europe
is in distrust ; no one can tell when the armed
peace may be -broken. Surely we should lose no
more time in looking to a matter so vital to our
interests.

The arrival of the New York, with intelligence
from the city of the same name to Feb. 6, reports
a very disturbed and unsettled condition of political
affairs in the States. Congress seems bent upon
mischief, and it alternates between endeavouring
to effect a breach between England and America,
attacking the Southern States and depriving them
of what little liberty is still left to them, and in
threatening the PRESIDENT. Last week we had
ample accounts of the active proceedings in favour
of " naturalised American citizens," and the anxiety
expressed on behalf of those heroes who have been
distinguishing themselves by killing and maiming
innocent and inoffensive persons. To-day we find
the restless energy of Congress has been turned in
another direction, and the best means of oppressing
the Southern whites is the prominent subject for
consideration. Congress has passed a bill autho-
rising the Secretary of War, in whom they find a
congenial spirit, to employ counsel to defend officers
charged with the execution of the Reconstruction
laws against civil prosecution. In other words,
they throw all the power and influence of the
Minister into the scale against the struggling and
impoverished Southerners, and give a virtual sanc-
tion to whatever excesses of duty the military offi-
cers may commit. The harshest interpretation of
the arbitrary powers conferred upon them can
hardly carry the military officers in command
of the Southern districts beyond the limits
allowed by Congress ; in point of fact the House
of Representatives has marked out for especial en-
couragement and protection those commanders who
MU jughted-pCopre. GenerallVNeocK, whose
tem-
perate and forbearing administration called forth
the PRESIDENT'S encomiums, immediately fell under
the unavowed but certain displeasure of the Radicals
who forthwith began scheming to oust him from
the list of generals in command. The Radicals, as
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previous to the termination of the rebellion. The
New York Republican State Convention, whose
influence, however, is more limited, has passed re-
solutions endorsing the action of Congress, and in-
structing the Republican delegates to the Preside.
tial Convention to vote for GRANT and FENTON,
as President and Vice-President. Promi-
nent members of the Radical party have
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A bill passed in the House of Representatives by
86 to 73 is significant of mischief. It declares all
public lands granted to railroads in Mississippi,
Alabama, Louisiana, and Florida forfeit to the
United States. This is a singular method of re-
storing confidence and improving the internal con-
dition of the country. It is ominous of the inten-
tion of Congress to assume the control not of rail-
way lands alone, but of the whole territories of the
Southern States.

We are glad to find that the Upper House of the
Prussian Diet has had sufficient sense and spirit to
to throw out the bill that has just been put before
them. At their sitting yesterday they were called
upon to consider the bill based upon the proposal of
the committee, to the effect that members of the
Diet should be arraigned before a court composed
of members of both Chambers when prosecuted for
making use of expressions in debate. This is a most
mobstrous proposition, and one certainly subversive
of all freedom of speech, and subversive of progress in
legislation. The first paragraph was rejected by a
majority of ten, and consequently the bill was
thrown out, which is a very fortunate coincidence.
In some respects the Prussian Diet seems to be
improving in spirit, and it is well-that it should do
so, for there is every reason to fear that increased
inroads will be made upon the liberty of the Houses,
and that every effort will be used to stop
free discussion whenever and wherever the
Government have a chance of doing so. The only
way to stop such devices is for the Deputies and
the members of the Upper House to be firm and
faithful in the discharge of their duties. Let them
stedfastly resist all encroachments, and turn a deaf
ear to the proposals of the crafty statesman who
rules the day just now in Berlin. They may rest
assured that this, and this only, will avail to make
themselves independent, and to maintain their
character and reputation in the eyes of the world.
Of late we have all noticed the frequent attempts
that have been made to march in a false direction,
but still we do not despair of seeing some decided
check put upon these Bismarckian attempts to
stifle debate, and to force the members to keep in
the beaten track, and avoid all that can compromise
the schemes of the.,Government. A little courage
and resolution shown at the proper time may often
do a great deal in the way of preventiopt which is

always a safe and easier course to pursue than to
let the evil get to a height and then attempt a cure.
No one need pity the mortification which the pro-
posers of this bill must feel, for it is richly deserved,
and they merit nothing but defeat.

the previous Saturday I was at Bow-street Police
Court during the examination of Burke and Casey, ,
and there was a female whom I knew as Anne
Justice, but did not know her before. Whilst
standing outside the House of Detention the female
came out and remained at the corner facing the
gate about ten minutes. I went and spoke to her.
I said, " Have you. been to see Casey ?" She re-
plied, "Do you know Casey ?" I answered, " Yes,
I saw him at Bow-street last Saturday. "I am
waiting for a friend of mine," she said. "So am
I." I continued in her company about 20 minutes,
and we talked on various subjects. She at length
said, " I wish I. could see the friends I am waiting
for, as I have a message for one of them from
Casey." I said, " What message is it ?" She did
not answer for some minutes. She subsequently
said, " I hope you will tell my brothers that
I think the police has got scent of what
they are going to do, as they did not
let us out to exercise to-day." Those are
the words ; she said Casey told her to tell
her brothers. I said to her, " What are they going
to do ?" She did not answer, and seemed confused.
A. little while after the prisoner Desmond came up
and shook hands with the woman Justice. He said
"I am glad to see you." She said, "And so am I
you," or something of that kind. She after Wards
said, " My boy is going to sea for three years,
I must see him to-day as he will sail away
from the docks, and I have had a
little to drink through it. Desmond asked
Justice if she would have anything to drink, and
she consented. They went to a public-house and I
followed them in. On being refused drink at the
public-house on the ground that Desmond was not
sober, he gave me 6d. I fetched a pot of beer from
somewhere else. During this time we walked twice
from the public-house to the corner of Rosoman-
street and back, where the policeman who gave evi-
dence yesterday wasstanding in plain cothes. A little
while after Inspector Thomson and a gentleman drove
to the prison gates in a hansom. Justice pointed to
the gentleman, and said " That is Massey." Des-
mond called out, " There goes Massey, the in-
former." After Inspector Thompson had been in
the prison a few minutes, a man came down the
street, and seemed as if he had been running. Jus-
tice spoke to him, and said " Have you seen any of
Casey's brothers ?" He did not reply. I said to
him, " Do you know Casey ?" He replied, " Quite
well, and his two brothers too." He went down the
street and turned up by the prison wall, as if going
to the other side of the prison. He soon returned,
and I said " Inspector Thompson and Massey are
inside the prison." He turned quite pale, and ap-
peared to be holding something heavy under his
coat. The man then turned round the corner
again, and ,at that time Inspector Thompson and
Massey came out of the prison, entered the hansom,
and drove off in the direction which the men had
taken. About two or three minutes afterwards I
heard two explosions, the second being the greatest.
I ran away directly in the direction of Clerkenwell-
green. About half way there I stopped and returned
to the prison gate and saw Justice standing there.
I said to her, " Come away." Other persons were
running away, and we ran too. A policeman ran
after us. He stopped us, and said he should take us
into custody on suspicion of " setting fire to the
prison" or " thinking it done," or words to that
effect. I replied, " Good God, I know nothing
about it." I went with him, and a man laid hold
of me and held me till I reached the prison. I was
placed in a cell, stripped naked, and searched.
The statement is quite correct, and it has been
read over to me by Inspector Thomson.
(Signed) JEREMIAH ALLEN.
J. BRANNAN, Inspector.
J. J. THomsoN, Inspector.

Taken at Millbank, Dec. 18.
I omitted to mention in my statement last Sunday
that Justice alluded to a man named Butler whom
she was going to see on that day (Friday). I
asked if it was the man who kept a public-
house in Wild-street. She said "No—a cousin
or nephew of his. I cannot say which."
She said he was a tall, fair young fellow in a grey
overcoat. The other man who was at the corner
with us is nicknamed Dann Inn (Daneen), who
tiympAA9Stiagiwg; cgarAt, mid;fTet, well known
beating " Fatty Dempsey" in Seven Dials. Mrs.
Justice said the men she expected to see had met at
Mrs. Casey's. The foregoing statement is correct.
It is voluntary, and no inducement or threat has
been made to me to make it.

Mrs. Justice was to meet the man spoken of at
the House of Detention on that day (Friday). All
she told me took place before the explosion.
(Signed) JEREMIAH ALLEN.

Inspector Thomson said—Ou Sunday night, the
15th of December, I saw the prisoner Allen at the
Bow-street Police-station, in company with Inspec-
tor Brannan.

Sir T. Henry—That was two days after the ex-
plosion ?
Witness—Yes, sir. Allen said he wished to
make a statement, and I told. him I would take
what he had to say down in writing. I re-
moved him from the cell to the Inspector's room,
where I took down his statement. I read it ove
to him, and he signed it. The statement was no t
got through questions put, but it was altogether a
voluntary one. On the following Wednesday, the
18th, I went to the prison where he was confined,
when he told me he wished to add to the statement
he had already made. It was taken down in
writing and Allen signed it.
Inspector Brannan, of the F division said—l have
been ill for some time. The prisoner Allen was in
communication with me some time before the ex-
plosion. He had made a communication to me on
the 4th of December last that it was intended to
make an attack on the prison van similar to that of
Manchester and reseue Burke and Casey ; and in
consequence, on Thursday, the 7th of December,
directions were given to him to go along the route
and see whether there were any suspicious cha-
racters in the public-houses. Allen was told if he
saw any suspicious persons to take a cab,
come up to Bow-street, and see Mr. Superin-
tendent Durkin or myself. I was from time to
time up to the day previous to the explosion in com-
munication with Allen, and I recollect him suggest-
ing on Monday, the 9th, that the friends of Burke
and Casey, who visited the prisoner, should be
watched. I made no reply, neither did Ido any-
thing to prohibithim doing so. If he did so it would
be necessary for him to loiter about the prison,
but when I saw him' afterwards he never told me
he had been doing so. I communicated to my su-
perior officers all that was being done.

Sir T. Henry—Mr. Giffard, after hearing this
evidence, Allen ought not to be put upon his trial
for murder. Up to the time Mullany gave
his evidence, the suspicion was very strong
against him. Tbat evidence convinces me that
although Allen was in the neighbourhood of the
House of Detention on the day of the explosion, he
was not there with
.any criminal intention and
although he did not do all that he ought to have
done, thereby acting very unadvisedly, I shall order
him to be discharged.
Allen then bowed, and was allowed to leave the
dock.

Mr. Gifford said a letter had been received from
the legal adviser of one of the prisoners (O'Neill)
asking that the prisoners might be remanded as
arranged in order that he might be enabled to have
witnesses in attendance from Glasgow to speak on his
behalf. The writer did not pledge himself that
such would certainly be done on that occasion, as
the expense of doing so would be to a man in his
position very great, and at present he did not see
where funds were to be forthcoming for that pur-
pose. _ _

The prisoners were then remanded for the at-
tendance of O'Neill's witnesses, but in the event of
their not being in court on the occasion the pri-
soners will be transmitted to Newgato for trial.

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