The Sun. — 1853-01-22 (London, England)

WOOLWICH, JAN. 21  ♦PPOINTMENTS,  Master—George R. Morrison (1852), to the Bulldog, 6, paddle-wheel steam-sloop of 500-horse power, at Portsmouth.  Second Master—John P. Grant, to the Rhadamanthus steam-transport. That vessel left Woolwich to-day for Portsmouth.  Assistant-Engineers—lsaac Langmead, to the Fury, steam-sloop, at Portsmouth ; William Robinson, to the Horatio, 24, screw steam guard-ship, at Sheerness ; T. W. Bower, to the Blenheim, 60, screw steam guard-ship, at Portsmouth. Clerk—T. J. Woodward, to the Desperate, screw steam-sloop, at Plymouth. Gunner—William Stephens, to the Tartarus, employed on particular service.  Acting-Gunner—John Lamb, to the Excellent, guniery-ship, at Portsmouth.  It was stated to-day, at Woolwich, that Commander William Houston Stewart's promotion to post rank awaits his return to England from commanding the Virago steam-sloop on the Pacific station, and that his father, Rear-Admiral Howiton Stewart, C. 8., formerly one of the Lords of the Adiniralty, and member for the borough comprising the towns of Greenwich, Woolwich, and Deptford, had been appointed secretary to Lieutenant-General Lord Raglan, G.C.8., Master-General of the Ordnance, it being deemed advisable that a naval officer should fill that post. We can confirm the report relative to the latter officer, as the gallant Rear-Admiral Houston Stewart has accepted the office of secretary to the Master-General.  Sir James Graham, Captain Alexander Milne, and the Hon. William Cowper, Lords of the Admiralty, and Mr. Bernal Osborne, secretary, again transacted business yesterday, at Somerset-house, in connexion with the contract department.  MR. WAKLEY ON CHILD MURDER AND FOUNDLING HOSPlTALS.—Yesterday Mr. Wakley held an inquest at the Pakenham Arms, Calthorpe-street, Gray's-innroad, on the body of a newly-born female child, which was found in a garden in Agar Town, St. Pancras. The body was produced, and was that of a remarkably fine infant. From the evidence, it appeared that, on Wednesday morning last, a bundle was found in the garden, of the house No. 1, Oxford-street, Agar Town, by Elizabeth Lawson, daughter of the occupier of the house. On picking up the bundle, she opened it, and found therein the body of a child, as if newly born. It was pressed almost flat, and was wrapped in an old bedgown and a piece of black cloth. Notice was immediately given to the authorities of the St. Pancras workhouse, who directed Lamb, the gate porter, to convey the body to the dead-house. Mr. Samuel Waldegrave, surgeon to the St. Pancras Infirmary, deposed to having examined the body shortly after it was brought into the house. The chest and face was compressed. The child, which was a remarkably fine one, weighing si lbs., and measuring 21 inches, was evidently born alive. All the organs were fully developed, and in a most healthy state. He had no hesitation in stating that death was caused from want of proper attention at the birth. Whether this want of attention was wilful or not, there was no evidence to show. The Coroner : If the child was born alive, as appears from the evidence, and died from want of attention, it was as much a murder as if the throat was cut. If the jury were convinced that the proper attention was withheld, it was their duty to return a verdict of wilful murder. Under the circumstances this was the most proper course to adopt ; if at any future time the mother should be forthcoming it would be for her to prove that proper attention was not wilfully withheld. The jury would run no risk in coming to this decision. Ii the event of the mother being sent to the Old Bailey, it was exceedingly doubtful if she would be convicted. It seldom happened that persons were convicted of child murder. He (the coroner) remembered one case, where a child's throat was cut from ear to year ; but the magistrate refused to convict, on the ground that there was no proof that it had not been done after death. The present case was an illustration of the utility of foundling hospitals. The establishmen of such an institution would, in his (the coroner's) opinion, be the means of preventing 400 murders annually. The jury returned a verdict of " Wilful murder against some person or persons unknown."