Blandford, Wimborne and Poole Telegram. — 1876-11-24 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

DETENTION OF AN ORPHAN GIRL IN A CONVENT.  A. Paris correspondent writes :—A case of sequestration it la Mortara, which will create considerable sensation on both sides of the Channel, is about to come before the law courts here. The story may be briefly related. Miss M.J. is an English orphan of 19. On the deatt of her parents she was placed under the guardianship of her step-mother. She is heiress to a fortune of about £30,000, which she cannot claim before coming of age; in the event of her death before attaining 21 the fortune goes to the said step-mother. In November of last year, the step-mother desiring to go to Hayti placed her ward in the charge of the ref iii,ascs of the Assumption at Auteuil, just outside Paris. The girl, as a Protestant, objected, and wished to be put in a rena ion , but in vain. She ha,Lno sooner entered the convent than earnest attempts were made to induce her to change her religion. She was even 'subjected to cruel treatment, and in despair she twice tried to commit suicide. At length her will broke down, and she consented to sacrifice her faith and become a Catholic., But the bad treatment did not cease. The poor girl emtiened to write to her relatives, but none of the letters ever reached their destination. Her health at last gave way, ant she was attacked with typhus fever. The Lady Superior of the convent, fearing she might die, decided at length to write to the girl's aunt in London. This happened last month ; the aunt arrived, and claimed her niece, but the ts invent authorities refused to give her up. She then applied to the Prefect of Police, but ir vain, and finally appealed to the British Ambassador, who sent Sir John CGrmack to examine the poor girl. This medical gentleman at once reported that it was absolutely necessary and urgent that Miss M. J. should be taken out of the convent. In virtue of this report a demand was made to the tribunal of referees for the immediate release of the girl, but the court postponed the case for a we'', and appoiiited Dr. 'I arlieu to examine and repurt im the poor pri,oner's state of health. Here the matter remains for the present.  The launch of the Northampton Saturdry at Glasgow requires little more tam a statement of the interesting fact that another ironclad is added to the Navy. Mr. Goschen deplored lasd Session and complained that his successor had no shipdatilding policy : but, surely, whether right or wrong, this continual launching of menof-war, large and small, is, in its way. a policy. fhe name, certainly, of thi last addition to the Royal Navy is in itself suggestive ,-rt rather a funny volley, and is the most novel idea we have yet met with of pleasing a constituency. Northampton ought to he very proud and pleased to be identified, if not immortalised, by this nominal connexion with our ironclad fleet. How Mr. Goschen and Mr. Childers must gnash their teeth at finding themselves jockeyed by this very simple effort at pleasiaz a constitueney. Fancy, Mr. Goschen might have had a City of London instead of a Thunderer. and Mr. Childers have latinelied a Pontefract, or better still a Childers instead of a Devastation. Whether the Navy is raised by nicknaming her rn on-of-war by the names of counties or boroughs represented by members ot Parliament is another miestion altogether. But if the example set in naming this last new ironclad, the Northampton, is 10110W0.1 extensively, the Navy List will have an entirely orizinal look. What, however, will the House of Lords have to say to this innovation?