Star.
London, England, 1831-06-10 00:00:00

NAVAL AND MILITARY MUSE(I3L

It is with much pleasure that we have perused a
circular, which has been issued under the highest
auspices in the naval and military—or that which is
now happily denominated, the United—Service, for
the formation of a Naval and Military Museum.
We think this really an undertaking of national
importance ; and from the peculiar facilities en-
joyed by the members of the two Services, of col-
lecting objects of scientific interest,which are to form
such a Museum, it cannot fail of making rapid pro-
gress when once set a-going. The objects of the
Museum are thus briefly stated in the circular to
which we have alluded :

It is proposed to establish, in London, a Naval and Mi.
litary Museum, for the use and benefit of the United Ser-
vice, to contain Models,Plans, and Memoirs, connected with
the Naval and Military Services, interesting Trophies, the
Arms and Armour of all ages and countries, specimens of
Natural History from all quarters of the Globe, and what.
ever else may be instructive and curious, or in any way
contribute to the improvement of the mind, furnish it with'
matter for rational pursuit in retirement, or augment pro-
fessional resources when actively employed.
It is also intended to collect a Library of History, Science,
Tactic!, and especially of books of professional reference.
It will be a subject for future consideration, whether
Officers may not be invited to give Lectures on specific
points of Naval and Military science, whereby much prac-
tical knowledge may be most beneficially preserved and com-
municated, and from which an identity of general views and
principles may be happily diffused through both branches of
His Majesty's Service.

The great aim of this Institution will be, to foyer the de.
sire of useful information, and to facilitate its acqui.ition ;
it is therefore proposed to admit Officers of all ranks belong.
ing to the Army, Navy, and Marines, the Militia, regular
and local, and Yeomanry, the East India Company's Land
and Sea Forces, and the Civil Functionaries attached to these
departments.

This important undertaking has received the gracious
sanction of the King, who has condescended to become its
Patron. His Grace the Duke of Wellington has accepted
the office of Vice-Patron, and the Institution already enrolls
amongst its Presidents and Vice-Presidents many of the most
distinguished names in both arms of the United Service.

4 _
So—the French King is on a second tour. As
the object is so plainly seen through, and so wittily
exposed in the French papers—such child's play
can have no political result. It must rather tend
to produce a revulsion of public feeling.
Bombay Gazettes to the 30th Jan. received at
the North and South American Coffee-House.—
The Bombay Gazette gives the following general
order by the Honourable Governor in Council :
" With sentiments of the deepest regret, the
Government announces the death, at half-past
twelve o'clock, P.M. on the 15th of this month,
at Mahableshwur Hill, of His Excellency
Lieutenant-General the Honourable Sir Thomas
Sidney Beckwith, Governor and Commander-in-
Chief of the Presidency of Bombay. In consequence
of this melancholy event, the flag at the Castle is
to be hoisted half mast high, and minute guns,
to the number of sixty, fired ; and mourning to be
worn by the officers of his Majesty's and Hon.
Companys' Civil, Military, and Naval services for
three weeks. The charge of the office of Governor
of the Presidency has devolved on J. Romer, Esq.
It has occasioned some surprise that no letters
were received from St. Petersburgh yesterday. It
is known that the Cholera Morbus was at Po-
langen, through which the mail pus's, and the
conjecture is, that the letters have therefore been
detained; but some very satisfactory accounts have,
however, come to hand from Lithuania, respecting
the general spirit of hostility to the Russians. Every
man capable of bearing arms, it is said, is preparing
to take the field.

Letters from Antwerp state that General Chassi
had sent a message to the Governor of the town,
stating that his patience was quite exhausted, and
that, if they continued raising the fortifications,
he should fire upon the town, upon which they de-
sisted. They also stated, that some change was
to take place in the office of Governor ; M. Tele-
man, who was a member of the Patriotic Society,
was to be dismissed, and it was expected that M.
Rogier would be elected in his place.
Letters were received yesterday from La Guayra
to the 6th of April. The expectation prevailed
there that the disturbances in Venezuela would
end without any serious fighting. The Congress
of Venezuela, which was sitting in Valentia, was
about to pass a decree investing General Paez
with extraordinary powers to proceed to windward,
and put an end, by one means or other, to the
existing commotiens there. The communica-
tion between Caraccas and Bogota was not open.
Pena, Secretary of State, was about to go to the
United States for the benefit of his tealth.

NEW BEER TRADB.—The society lately formed
for " the mutual protection" of its members, goes
on to consolidate their union. We observe a meeting
of its Committee having taken place last evening at
Mr. Crucifix's, in Bishopsgate-street, to make rules
and regulations for its guidance. To this we shall
simply add, may they succeed in rescuing from
unmerited obloquy a very useful body of tradesmen.
Mr. CAMPBELL, in his respectable Journal the
Metropolitan, gives the article of a Templar on
Juries. Its chief object is to impeach the princi-
ple of unanimity, which we consider the only fea-
ture that renders the institution a test of truth.—
In verdicts we do not want probabilities, but ade •
cision that commands universal assent, and as cer-
tain as the judgment that follows; and, therefore,
we demand the assent of the whole jury. The pro-
bability of being right and wrong, is rigidly as the
numbers. If 6 to 6, an equal chance of being right
or wrong ; if 8 to 4 (2 to 1), twice right and once
wrong ; if 9to 3, thrice right and once wrong. A
precious criterion for hanging or transporting !
But if 12 to 0, the verdict then affords all the test
of truth which we can arrive at with that number.
Then again, EVERT ONE of the 12 is personally
responsible ; while, in a majority, no one would be
responsible. Only gross knavery or ignorance
would therefore elect any other system ; and una-
nimity is the only recommendation of this British
mode of trial—while any modification of it would
render it a curse, and the prolific source of injus-
tice. If Scotland has—in any species of trial—
adopted a majority, it must have been the corrupt
trick of some lawyer, to give more influence to the
Judges; and if France has done so, it must have
been the Gallic conceit of amending a British In-
stitution.

On Wednesday morning the William Harris
transport, Lieut. Steevens, arrived at Spithead, from
Valparaiso, last from Rio, with stores. On board
the William Harris cams those two enterprising
voyagers the Messrs. Lander.