Untitled

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 284, 1 December 1868, Page 2

The Argus of the 16th ult. states thai Captain Robins, of the S. D. Baily, after a detention of some six weeks, had been •released from the custody of the Detective Police ou the previous day. Mr Sturt, in dismissing the case, pointed out that the prosecution had failed to establish two vital grounds of procedure. In the first place, there was no evidence to show that • Fanning Island, where the alleged offence •was committed, was American territory. It had been asserted, on the one side, that the Island belouged to America, and on the other, that it had been formally taken possession of by English war steamers ; but his own researches had not supported either statement. He found that the Sandwich Islands, i» which group this particular island was included, was an independent State, having a despotic Government, both England aud America being there represented by a consul. Upon this point therefore the case broke down. But further than this, no evidence had been adduced, and no authorities had been quoted, to show that this particular act — the alteration of marks and figures upon bales of goods — could bo charged as a forgery, andjn that regard also he must consider the evidence insufficient. The prosecution hav'iLg thus failed to prove the two main grounds upon which the charge rested, prisoner must be discharged. The American Congress has voted near 1,000,000 dols. a-year to subsidize an American Mail Steam-packet Company to convey mails to Europe. This company's vessel will land her mails at some Eaglish port. She will also touch at a Continental port.