NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 403, 27 September 1875, Page 3

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

A LONDON LETTER.

(From a correspondent of the Press.') London, August 6th, 1875. The present parliamentary session is at its last gasp. The unmistakeable signs of the times, the banquet to her Majesty’s Ministers at the Mansion House, and the Ministerial whitebait dinner at Greenwich, are upon us. The former took place the evening before last, and the latter, which is the immediate precursor of the recess, is fixed for the 11th instanti The Mansion House dinner is regarded with great interest, as being an opportunity afforded to her Majesty’s Ministers of- vindicating the policy they have pursued during the foregoing session. In accordance with this custom, the Prime Minister delivered the evening before last a carefully considered summary of the last five months’ legislation, and the same is being discussed by the entire press of the country. The Liberal journals, of course, see in the past cession nothing but failure, while on the other hand the Conservative papers view it through spectacles of the rosiest hue. Without leaning to either one side or the other, the results cannot in fairness be said to be meagre. Of eleven measures which the Queen at the opening of the session recommended to the consideration of her faithful Parliament, nine have been passed. All of them are useful and important measures. The laws relating to labor have been amended, and have placed employer and employed on a fairer footing than they have ever been before; the welfare of the lower classes has been materially contributed to in the Artisans Dwellings Bill and other measures. Important reforms in our judicial process have been effected, and a useful and practical scheme for the reduction of the national debt has been drawn up. The country is as prosperous and as contented as ever it was, and our relations abroad are peaceful and likely to continue so. With regard to the colonies, development and consolidation are the avowed objects of the present Government. “We should assimilate*,” said Mr Disraeli amidst cheers,” not only their interests but their sympathies to the mother country, and we believe they will prove ultimately a source, not of weakness and embarrassment, but of strength and splendour to the empire.” Later on in his speech the Prime Minister remarked on the obstruction to the despatch of business caused by the fact of there being, instead of one, three distinct Oppositions to deal with. There is the regular Opposition under its orthodox leader, the Marquis of Hartington, the advanced Radicals who recognise no chief, and the Irish Home Rule party, all of which have to be fought in detail. The great blunder of the session, and the one which Mr Disraeli found hardest to vindicate, was the abandonment a fortnight ago of tha Merchant Shipping Act for the Agricultural Holdings Bill, a course which led to such a scene in the House as is happily without parallel in parliamentary

annals. Mr Plirasoll, whose name has been for some time prominently identified with the Merchant Shipping Act, and who is gee orally known now as “the sailor’s friend,” indignantly protested against its postponement to the next session. In his speech, if speech it can be called, he accused certain memb'Tß of the House of being “shipknackers” —that is, men who buy ships only fit to be broken up, and after insuring them for double their worth send them to sea to founder with their precious human freights. “ I am determined to unmask the villains who sent these men to their graves,” shouted Mr Plimsoll at the top of his voice as he rushed to the centre of the floor, waving his arms about and gesticulating like a madman, as he probably was for the time being. The Speaker asked if he applied the term villain to any member of the House. “ I did, sir,” shouted Mr Plimsoll, “ and] I don’t mean to withdraw it.” The excitement and confusion was something beyond all parallel. Two friends endeavoured to drag Mr Plimsoll back to his seat, but he shook them off and stood his ground. He shook his fist in Mr Disraeli’s face, and then rushing up to the table laid a piece of paper beside the mace, at the same time exclaiming, “ There is my protest against the conduct of the Government.” The honourable member for Londonderry, who always likes having a finger in every pie, had the temerity to go up and address Mr Plimsoll, but he turned upon him with such sudden fierceness that that gentleman precipitately retreated. Finally, Mr Plimsoll retired, shouting out as he did so, “ Good God ! don’t you know that thousands of men are sent out to drown ? ” After some discussion the House determined upon adopting a lenient course, and Mr Plimsoll was ordered to attend in his place that day week, by which time it was hoped he would have cooled down. The result has shown that he did do so, and a sincere apology has been made by him and accepted. The following just gives you a few of the salient points of the protest Mr Plimsoll laid on the table of the House : —“ I protest in the name of God against any further delay in proceeding with this Shipping Bill. . . . I charge the Government that they are wittingly and unwittingly—for there are both—playing into the hands of the maritime murderers inside the House and outside the House to secure a further continuance of the present murderous system. What is demanded by humanity is that rotten ships should be broken up or repaired ; that ships should not be overloaded ; that grain cargoes should not be carried in bulk so as to expose the lives of those on board to deadly peril ; and deck cargoes, the source of unutterable danger to many, and death to so many more, should be put an end to. . . . . I desire to unmask the villains who sit in the House, fit representatives of the more numerous, but not greater, villains who are outside the House; and in the name of our common humanity I demand that this Bill shall be proceeded with immediately. ... In the name of the God of all Justice and of all Mercy, 1 protest against any further delay. I demand that the Merchant Shipping Bill be proceeded with from this hour de die in diem until through committee ; and failing this, I lay upon the head of the Prime Minister and his fellows the blood of all the men who shall perish next winter from preventable causes, and I denounce against him and against them the wrath of that God who has said, * Ye shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child. If thou inflict them in any wise and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry, and my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall be widows and your children fatherless.’ How much hotter, then, shall be His indignation and wrath against those who reduce unhappy women and children to that deplorable condition, and who leave their own fellow creatures, guilty of no crime, to a violent and sudden death 1” I have thought the protest worthy of being thus largely quoted from, for as a specimen of an address to Parliament it is certainly unique. Mr Plimsoll’s conduct in the House was simply outrageous ; but it was so evidently the behaviour of a man whose mind had been temporarily overthrown by anxiety, over work, and indignation, that a general feeling of sympathy was extended to him from all parts of the United Kingdom, and the public voice has driven the Governvernment to adopt some of the measures for the protection of the lives of our merchant seamen, which he has so strenuously advo cated. There was no time to pass the Merchant Shipping Act before the recess, and, to satisfy the trumpet-tongued demand of the nation, the President of the Board of Trade has framed the Unseaworthy Ships’ Bill as a temporary measure until next session. This Bill has now virtually passed through the House of Commons, and until a better and fuller one shall be fiamed and carried, will, at any rate through the winter, afford some additional protection to our merchant seamen against the cupidity and heartlessness of certain unprincipled ship owners.

There was a somewhat lively debate last night on the annexation of the Fiji Islands. That it was lively was a natural consequence of its being introduced by Sir Wilfred Lawson, who with a great deal of shrewd wit is much given to “ chaffing ” the Ministers most unmercifully. He condemned annexation altogether, and more especially the annexation of Fiji, the only result of which that he could see being that we had given the natives the measles, and the natives had given us a war club. £40,000 has been given by the Imperial Government to set the colony afloat, and he wanted to know if the Governments of New South Wales and New Zealand were not going to share the burden, as we had been led to Jbelieve they would before the annexation took place.' The Undersecretary for the Colonies, in his reply, pointed out the unfairness of calling upon New South Wales and New Zealand to contribute any portion of this grant, and at the same time took the opportunity of acknowledging the valuable assistance rendered by the Governments of these colonies with respect to the annexation. Sir Wilfred Lawson’s resolution for cancelling the vote of £40,000 was defeated by 189 to 10, The excitement in the public mind produced by the disgraceful Baker scandal has been intense. It was the principal topic of conversation in all classes of society, from the highest to the lowest. The unsavoury subject was in everyone’s mouth. I alluded to it in my last letter. The trial took place at Croydon on Monday last, and never has that town been so crowded or the scene of such excitement as on the occasion. The defendant, Colonel Baker, who commanded the 10th Hussars for thirteen years, was Quartermaster-General at Aldershot at the time of the offence, and generally regarded as our smartest cavalry officer, has

boon found guilty of an indecent assault on a young lady, Miss Kate Dickinson, in a railway carriage on the South-Western line. He has been sentenced to twelve months’ imprisonment without personal degradation, and £SOO fine, This sentence will of course carry with it dismissal from the service, a service of which he was once a bright ornament, and on which he has now thrown foul discredit. After the finding of the jury several witnesses, military officeis of high rank, spoke in terms of the highest praise of his bravery and dash in the Crimean, Indian, and Kaffir wars, General Sir Richard Airey, the Quartermaster-General at the Horse Guards, said he had known him for twenty years, and had watched his career with interest and admiration. General Sir Thomas Steele, the commander of the troops at Aldrshot, said he considered Colonel Baker one of the most valuable officers in our service. The crime of which Colonel Baker has been found guilty is simply revolting in its low brutality, and he richly deserves the punishment ; but it is impossible to contemplate without pity a distinguished career thus foully blasted. Last night in the House of Commons the irrepressible Dr Kenealy rose to call attention to the inadequacy of the sentence. That it had been delivered by a judge of the land was quite enough to provoke his ire, and his attack on it was cha racterised by his usual good taste and temperance of language. Never did a man receive a nastier “ facer” than did the learned doctor, A member, Major Dickson, rose in his place, and in the blandest tones’ said—- “ In the year 1850 a gentleman was arraigned before the Court of Queen’s Bench and charged with an offence of a somewhat similar character.” ("“Hear, hear,” rapped out Dr Kenealy, who was under the impression the speaker was supporting the motion.] “ I say of a similar character,” continued the speaker in the same mild tones, “ because the law jealously protects both women and young children from aggravated assaults. I say of the same character, because the individual who was charged on that occasion, although he was not an officer in the army, was a gentleman belonging to another honorable profession—a|gentleman learned in the law. That individual was charged with a gross and aggravated assault upon a young child, and tjiat child his own son. He was found guilty, and the Judge sentenced him to one month’s imprisonment without hard labor; no doubt feeling as Mr Justice Brett—(_the Judge who tried Colonel Baker] —felt, that to a man in his position, the physical degradation of hard labor would be a far greater punishment than it would be to an ordinary criminal belonging to those ranks of society from which criminals generally come.” I will only say, concluded Major Dickson, “ that I should have thought the last man in this House, and one of the last men in the country who ought to rise up in his place to find fault with the sentence of Mr Justice Brett, is the hon member for Stoke.” I don’t think Major Dickson’s speech was in the best taste, but the incident is one of the richest instances of the tables being turned that I know of, and as such I give it to you. Of course, it is hardly needless to add that Dr Kenealy himself was the individual in question. The largest municipal banquet in corporation annals, was given by the Lord Mayor on the 29th ultimo. His guests were drawn from all the world; the entertainment was magnificent, and the proceedings enthusiastic. After the Lord Mayor’s chaplain had returned thanks the loving’cup was duly circulated, to the surprised admiration of the foreign dignitaries. So enthusiastic over this part of the proceedings did the worthy Prefet of the Seine wax, that he turned up the loving cup and kissed the bottom thereof. Whether the Lord Mayor in an uncontrollable burst of Ventente cordiale responded by kissing the Prefet of the Seine in a similar manner, I have not been able to ascertain.

During the month of July the rain was almost continuous, and led to most disastrous floods in Wales and the midland and eastern counties. The most dismal apprehensions concerning the harvest prevailed; but the weather has improved, the floods have subsided, and though the hay crops have been unusually light and poor, the cereals promise fairly. The weather, however, is still, for August, strangely unsettled and severe, and as I am writing, there is a heavy thunderstorm prevailing somewhere in the vicinity of the metropolis, and rapidly beating up towards it. It is a very anxious time for the farmers. It is many many years since I have experienced such a summer in England. All Ireland in general, Dublin in particular, is in a turbid state of enthusiasm today, keeping up the O’Connell centenary. The number of heads that will be broken in honor of the occasion, makes one’s own ache with the mere thinking of it. Delegates from all parts of Europe have proceeded to Dublin to assist in honoring the great man’s memory. For that he was a great man is not to be denied by those who study his character and his acts fairly. Views of the Hot Springs of New Zealand taken by Mr D. L. Mundy, late of Christchurch, together with other view's of New Zealand scenery, magnified by oxy-hydrogcu light reflector, are being exhibited at the Royal Polytechnic Institution, where they attract considerable interest. The Emperor of Austria has recently sent the Imperial Gold Medal of Arts and Sciences to Mr D. L. Mundy, for his series of the above views, published under the title of “ Rotomahana, or the Hot Springs of New Zealand.” M. Chevalier has had the honor of submitting to her Majesty’s inspection a series of drawings of scenes in New Zealand, Sir Julius Vogel is now at Homburg, greatly benefited, it is said, by the German baths. He will probably be well enough, I should think, to carry out his original intention of returning to New Zealand in September next. Sir George Arney, the late Chief Justice of New Zealand, has arrived in England.

The Agents for New Zealand Government loans have notified that the debentures for the £4,000,000 loan will be ready for delivery at the Bank of New Zealand, Old Broad street, on the 9 th instant. A letter from the Melbourne correspondent of the Standard , which appeared in that paper’s issue day before yesterday, is calculated to raise some degree of doubt as to the security of this loan. The writer states that there is an opinion in the colony that Sir Julius Vogel, not having been sworn in as Premier and Treasurer before the new Governor of New Zealand, his acts in those capacities are not valid, and that this four million loan, which he has, recently negotiated in the London Money Market, is insecure. A prompt reply from the office of the Agent-General for New Zealand, in the following day’s Standard, will probably dispel any doubt that may have arisen—“ The recent loan,”says the writer

of the last letter, “ was not negotiated by Sir Julius Vogel in any Ministerial capacity. It was negotiated by four loan agents, appointed ad hoc, under the warrant of the Governor, Sir James Fergusson, in Council, bearing date 10th September, 1874, and by authority of an Act of the New Zealand Parliament, entitled the Immigration and Public Works Act, 1874. The directors of the Eastern Extension Australasian and China Telegraph Company offer for subscription an issue of £320,000, in 6 per cent debentures, to bearer at par, repayable in 1891. The loan is to enable the company to provide the cable which is to connect Australia with New Zealand. This company announce that their traffic receipts for the month of July amounted to £20,225, as compared with £19,041 for the corresponding period of 1874.

LATE TELEGRAMS.

London, August 8. Mr John Bright has received the honorary degree of LL.D., from Williams College, Massachusetts. The members of the Palestine Exploration Expedition have been attacked by a band oi Algerians. The assailants were repulsed, but nine of the exploring party were wounded. Baron Grant, the unseated member for Kidderminster, lately entertained 500 electors of that town at his great house at Albert gate. They came up by special train at his expense. Mr Sebastian Nolan, brother of the M.P. for County Galway, was fired at from behind a wall, while travelling from Greenville to Mount Belle, and received a shot in his side, A suspected tenant, under notice of eviction, has been arrested. Later advices from the Cape show that the colonists are beginning to regret the rude and hasty manner in which the Earl of Carnarvon’s federation proposals were rejected. The Legislative Council have cordially thanked his lordship, and promised to take into consideration his suggestions. A public dinner was given to Mr Froude, but Ministers absented themselves, and much excitement prevails. The French Minister of Public Works estimates the damage by inundations in the South of France at 75,000,000 fr —namely, 50.000. for injury to crops, 20,000,000 f for destruction of houses and moveable property, 3,000,000 f for public works, and 2.000. for damage to railways. The loss of life is now reckoned at 600 persons, and the houses destroyed at about 7000. The total English subscriptions amount to about £30,000.

August 23,

The Times ridicules the idea of England being bound to uphold the integrity of Turkey from consideration of the interests of bondholders, and maintains that the cession of Herzegovina and Bosnia are inevitable, and that the best solution of the Turkish difficulty would be the gradual breaking off of province after province from Constantinople. August 25.

Captain Webb has performed the unparalleled feat of swimming from Dover to Calais, He accomplished the distance in twenty-two hours. GERMANY. The Prussian clerical refugees in Belgium are informed that they cannot be allowed to reside near the frontier. Prince Bismarck declines to accede to the request of the Minister of Agriculture, that the prohibition against the export of horses shall be recalled, as France continues to buy such animals in Austria and Russia, Press prosecutions continue. Dr Sigl, editor of the Ultramontane paper Vaterland, has been sentenced to ten months’ solitary confinement in gaol at Munich ; and four members of the editorial staff of the Frankfurter Zcitung have been arrested for having refused evidence in a state prosecution against that -journal. Baron Yon Loe, president of the Catholic Association at Mayence, has been condemned to six months’ imprisonment in a fortress for treasonable language. An Austrian loan is in contemplation to provide for the prompt means for a renewal of the artillery. Two hundred thousand United Greeks have been restored to the communion of the orthodox church, after a schism of nearly three centuries.

In connexion with the socialist conspiracy in Russia, 800 persons are to bo indicted. The plot extended to thirty-seven provinces, and a revolutionary propaganda was discovered among a portion of the army.

INDIA AND THE EAST.

Bombay, August 24. A dinner is to be given here on the occasion of the Prince’s visit to an escort of 1000 sailors. A Royal hunt is arranged for in Coimbatore. The Prince of Wales and suite will breakfast at Voothamore and proceed in carriages to Pallachy, where a grand camp will be established. Passing the night at Pallachy, they will afterwards reach Michael Valley, where the Prince and suite will be accommodated in tents, and the rest in huts. There will be plenty of game, consisting of elephants, bison, and tigers. Active preparations are now being made in Ceylon to receive the Prince. His Royal Highness in Colombo will lay the first stone of the breakwater, and be entertained with an agri-horticultural show and a ball, and will receive deputations from the Colombo Municipality, Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, and Planters’ Association. In Kandy a meeting of chiefs has been held, and a grand reception in native style is proposed. DBSBERATE LEAP FROM A RAIL-

WAY TRAIN.

The following particulars of the attempted suicide of Captain Stevens, of the ship Auckland, are from the Edinburgh Courant: —On the 31st July a passenger by the Caledonian train from Glasgow for Greenock at four o’clock, attempted to commit suicide by leaping from' a first-class carriage between Langbank and Port Glasgow stations, while the train was travelling about 40 miles an hour, and subsequently cut his throat while lying in the ditch into which he fell. The unfortunate man is named Stevens, and was till recently in command of the fine ship Auckland, belonging to Messrs Patrick, Henderson and Co, which sailed from the Tail of the Bank for New Zealand, with a full complement of passengers, on Saturday evening. Oh Saturday he had called at the business premises of a firm in Glasgow, and by his conduct those doing business with

him saw that something was wrong with his mind. Captain Stevens having intimated that he was going to Greenock, one m (he gentlemen belonging to that establish m it named Muuro, was asked to accompany nim for safety. At Bridge street station the two got, seated in a first-class carriage, and subsequently a lady and some children came into the compartment and remained till the train reached Paisley, when they left. From this station Mr Munro and Captain Stevens were left alone. About two miles from Port Glasgow Captain Stevens got up, and taking off his watch and chain, dashed it down on the seat, and at once proceeded to get out of the carriage window. Mr Munro did all in his power to restrain him, but Captain Stevens being a powerful man Mr Munro was unable to overcome him. Eventually, the Captain got so far out of the window as to be able to catch the roof with his hands, and with one bound he threw himself from the carriage upon the embankment, near Parklea, and was seen to roll into the ditch below by Mr Martin, one of the inspectors of the railway company, who was travelling in the van along with the guard. The engine-driver, being unaware of what had happened, proceeded to Port Glasgow. When that station was reached, however, a pilotengine was sent back, when the unfortunate man was picked up and brought to Port Glasgow. He was removed to the Greenock infirmary, where on examination it was found he had received a large lacerated wound on the forehead, and other injuries, While the doctors were dressing these wounds, their attention was attracted by the unfortunate man’s peculiar breathing, and on raising the long beard which he wore, it was discovered that he had also cut his throat, the windpipe being nearly severed. It is supposed that he had inflicted this injury upon himself with a penknife while lying in the ditch near the railway track. Yesterday Captain Stevens’ condition was most critical, but hopes are entertained that he may yet recover.