Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1888-06-09 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

LONDON AND NATIONAL DEFENCE. A meeting was held on Tuesday, Mr. J. H. Tritton presiding, at the Cannon-street Hotel, to oonsider the state of our naval defences. The chairman, in opening the business, deprecated the attempt to make it appear that anything like a scare existed.— Colonel Sir C. Nugent expressed the conviction that he was not an alarmist in calling attention to their military and naval position. At the present time then military forces were not tnore than 488,000 in number, but in 1801 they had 666,000.— Admiral Lord Alcester said be entirely agreed with Admiral Hornby as to the condition of the navy. They must have a great increase in the number of armed cruiser, to meet the requirements of the day. If they could not build what was urgently needed now at home, they should order them from foreign yards.—Captain Lord C. Bereeford said the Navy was not strong enough to do the work which would be required in time to come. They were net alarmists in saying this, and the speech, of the First Lord last night was far more of an alarmist character than anything he and his brother officers had said. They ought to insist on having what was necessary to make the navy strong enough for the defence of the country. They had been living in a. fool's paradise long enough, and it was time thet they bestirred thernselves.—On the motion of •Mr. R. 13. Martin it was resolved: "That having heard the opinions of the previous speakers, all of them distinguished and experienced officers in her Majesty's service, this meeting is of opinion that the state of the navy and the national defences generally is such as to give reason for anxiety."—Mr. H. S. King proposed : "That this meeting calls upon hor Majesty's Government to take immediate steps to place the security of the country beyond , doubt, and it is convinced that in any financial scheme that may be necessary to place the navy and defences of the country upon a proper footing for the protection of the Empire, her Majesty's Government may be assured of the hearty cooperation of all classes." This resolution, on being seconded, was adopted, as was also another in favour of promoting an agitation throughout the country.  Andrew Wood, mill-worker, tvho was thaiged the Edinburgh High Court on Monday, with uhooting a young girl to whom he was about to he married, was found to be insane, and ordered to be detained during her Majesty's pleasure. . _  At Ystrad (Rhondda Valley) police-court, a young man named Thomas Thomas has been acquitted of the charge of shooting and causing the death of a girl at Treorky fair, it having been proved that the fatality was a purely accidental one. The Crown agents for the colonies have decided to enter into a contract for the laying of a telegraph cable front a point on the coast of Western Australia to India or Ceylon, so as to be in connection with the Indian telegraph system. The sole right to work the cable will be conceded for 21 years.  Section 1 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act —which relates to the holding of preliminary im quiries, is now to be put in force in the eity and county of Dublin.  Hitherto the proof that the dynamiter Kent (now serving his sentence of penal servitude in England in connection with Dr. Gallagher) was a naturalised American, was missing ; at last 0 has been found among his papers, which are now in the possession of the Fortin Affairs Committee of the United States House of Representatives, which is expected to report in favour of the course taken by the Department of State. In view of Consul-GeneralWalltes rep3rt that the evidence against Kent was weak, and his conviction "a singular success for the prosecution," it is not unlikely that an appeal will be made to the British Crown for the man's pardon. 'rtie report from tne inspector, showing the number of experiments performed under licences on living animals during 1887 was issued on Tuesday. The total number of such experiments during the year by 64 licenses was 1,220. The number of cases in which pain was unavoidably inflicted was 71, these being cases in which the use of aniesthetics or the killing of the animal on recovery from anmsthesia would frustrate the result of the experiment. Comparatively few vivisection, properly 80 called have been practised, and in these cases wounds have been treated antiseptically wherever such treatment oould prevent pain.  The Rev. I.nomas Uornell, who was formerly curate inc Hertfordshire parish, has committed suicide on board the P. and 0. steamer Carthage, in King George's Sound, by shooting himself through the head with a revolver. The body was, landed at Albany and buried there. He had been to Australia for the benefit of his health, but again became depressod on embarking for the voyage home. Hie was 38 years of age, and leaves a widow.