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Leader (1850-1860), 30th June 1855, Edition 1 of 2, Page 617, Untitled Article

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      Untitled Article

      of joining a French force in a second attack on Petropauloveki . A Mysteriotts Prince at Genitchi . —A correspondent of the Times , describing the attack on Genitchi , says : — " A boat was sent in with a flag of truce , demanding that all shipping , Government stores , &c , should be surrendered without resistance , and promising that private property should be respected . The Governor of the place came down , but said he had no authority to surrender ; that there was a Prince there , who was his superior , and he would send to him . On being asked who the Prince was , he would not say , and seemed sorry that he had named him at all . The Prince soon came down , and appeared to have been ill or wounded . On the previous demand being repeated , he said that he had no means of opposing us by sea , but that by land he should offer all the resistance in his power , and that he should not surrender the town .

      The German Legion in Heligoland . —A Hamburg letter says it would appear that the English Government intend to form in the island of Heligoland a general depot of warlike stores for the fleet in the Baltic . Huts , bedding , provisions , equipments , &c , continue to arrive . The Smaller States of Germany , according to a letter from Berlin , are quietly disarming , and giving every symptom that the Confederation does not look forward to any participation in the present war . French Reinforcements . — Orders have been received at Marseilles to prepare to embark an additional corps aVarme ' e of 50 , 000 men . Rumour also speaks of a determination on the part of the French Emperor to carry the war farther into the enemy ' s territory .

      The Austrian Army . —The reduction of the Austrian army will , it is now stated , amount to 145 , 000 men , with 130 , 000 horses ; and , as the gaps which have been made in the army by sickness are not to be filled up , the diminution will in fact be to the extent of 170 , 000

      men . The Fleet in the Baltic . —Our magnificent fleet in the northern seas continues as idle as it was last year . The capture or destruction of a few vessels , and the frightening of women and children , or occasionally of a body of armed men , from the shores into the interior forests , appears to be the utmost of an active nature which it affects . On the 9 th of June , the Magicienne came suddenly on an encampment of 3000 of the enemy , ¦ with six field pieces , on whom she opened fire , and , after killing several , forced the rest to retreat , with but small damage to herself . The same vessel subsequently destroyed some vessels laden with hewn granite for the defences at Cronstadt . Advices from Abo state that the English fleet is dispersed , and cruising along the coast of Finland .

      Cronstadt , according to a correspondent of the Times , is now twice as strong as it was last year . A land attack , which the writer considers was possible , in 1854 , is now , he asserts , quite hopeless . The place was then quite unprepared to resist the combined fleet and 30 , 000 troops ; but the opportunity was lost by us , and turned to account by the Russians . " Something , however , " adds the writer , " may yet be done ; but , should it be deferred until next year , it will be impossible . " An infernal machine , off Cronstadt , recently exploded under one of our small reconnoitring steamers , bulging some of her timbers , and ripping off a good deal of copper , but not inflicting any serious damage . Estcourt

      Death of Adjutant-General . — On Tuesday evening , Lord Panmure received intelligence , by telegraph , of the death of J . Bucknall Estcourt , Adjutant-General of the Forces in the Crimea , of cholera-He was fifty-three years of age . Albania has refused to furnish the contingent demanded by the Porte , under pretence of disorders existing on the frontier of Montenegro . The Outrages at Kertch . —A letter from Sir Charles Wood to Mr . George Sumner has been p \ iblished , showing that the Government , in consequence of certain representations made by the latter gentleman , telegraphed to Lo rd liaglan to give orders for the protection of the Museum and other works of art at Kertch .

      Lieutenant-General Count Trotti has left Genoa for the Crimea , to take the command of the second division of the Sardinian contingent , vacant through the death of General Alessandro Delhi Marmora . —Daily Telegraph and Courier . The Crimean Telegraph . — The Moniteur of Sunday says : — " The electric telegraph has boon broken in several places since . rune 18 , and has not yet l > een completely restored to working order . Tho cablo which crosses tho Daiml > e at Giurgevo is broken , and the communication between Bucharest and Proaburg is interrupted . Along this section , therefore , the despatches must needs be trflnnmittod by post . "

      Untitled Article

      ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM MEETING AT DRUKY-LANE . The second meeting- of tho Administrative Rufonn Association took place at Drury-lano Theatre on Wednesday evening , on which occasion tho chief speaker Was Mr . Dickens , who , in a speech sparkling with wit and humour , throw some freshness upon the

      Untitled Article

      A WORKING PRINTERS' ASSOCIATION . Tim London Society of Compositors has just established a very excellent institution in ltaquet-court , Fleet-street . It may bo described aa uniting the benefits of a club , an educational body , a house o ( call , where the members of tho trade am meet and consult upon questions relating to their general

      interests , and a provident society , from which , during the quarter terminating at Midsummer , one hundred and eighty-five persons have received an allowance of ten shillings a week . A library and news-rooms are attached to the building ; but the former is at present only in the course of development . When completed , it will doubtless be of great service in cultivating the minds of the members , who , after spending the greater part of their day in the mechanical creation of books , will in the evening be enabled to take the best volumes to their own firesides , and enlarge their intellects with the immortal essence—the spiritual souls—of libraries . The hardworked slaves of the composing-room will thus in time know something more of literature than what they now derive from bad copy and foul proofs .

      The London Society of Compositors has likewise , at its house in Raquet-court , a lavatory , and cooking and smoking-rooms . The institution , indeed , seems to be worthy of all praise ; and we are always glad to extend a knowledge of these efforts on the part of working-men to lift themselves above the position , of mere drudges , and to secure the priceless benefits of co-operation . Club-combination is a luxury among the rich : it may be a source of positive improvement to the poor .

      Untitled Article

      OUR CIVILISATION . A Clerical Beggar . —John Elliot Hadlow , calling himself a clergyman of the Church of England , and boasting a great many aliases , has been recently charged at the Southwark police-court with obtaining money under false pretences . His uncle , a gentleman of independent property , described the prisoner as a worthless character ; but , as there was no evidence to prove that he was an impostor , he was discharged . Robbery of Shares . —A man named Sumner Phillips was on Monday committed for trial on a charge of stealing a box containing fifty shares in the Port Philip Mining Company , and other securities of great value , the property of Mr . Freeman Clark John Roper , his master . —On Tuesday , Phillips was committed at the same court for stealing a watch .

      Assault on a Father and Brother . —Two young men were charged at the Worship-street police-court on Monday with a very violent assault on their father , their elder brother , and the police . They were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment . Daniel Mitchell Davidson and Cosmo William Gordon were on Tuesday again remanded for another week , in order that evidence with respect to the frauds not connected with the bankruptcy might be prepared . In the meanwhile , Sir Peter Laurie has directed the City Solicitor to prosecute the case at the Old Bailey . Wife-Beating- and Child-Starving . —Alexander Andrews , a house-painter , was charged at Worshipstreet with a violent assault on his wife . The woman said she had four-children , but that " they could scarcely be called live children , they were so nearly starved . " The story was the old one over again ; and the magistrate sentenced the fellow to three months of hard labour in the House of Correction—observing that the punishment would have been more severe but for the wife ' s admission that , after being ill-used for some time , she struck her husband in the face with a key . A Strange Case . —A fashionably-dressed woman , giving the name of Mary Louisa Sawyer St . Vincent , stating her address to be Tunbridge-street , New-road , and claiming relationship with several high families , was charged at Clerkenwell police-court with obtaining by false pretences goods and money from Mr . Sutton , a linendraper . It appeared that , upon the faith of the prisoner ' s statement that she was coming into a fortune , Mr . Sutton intrusted her , after about a fortnight ' s knowledge , with goods to the value of 17 / ., and money to the amount of 3 l > l . In the course of examination , it came out that the prisoner ' s property was mortgaged , and that at the policc-oittce she had given a false name and address . She herself stated that nho had been entrapped into a marriage with a married man , and that she had assumed the false name because she did not wish her family to l ) o disgraced . She was remanded , and bail was taken . Henry IIumhlks , a IJucking hamshiro shepherd , is in custody on a charge of killing his wife , by kicking her several times in tho stomach under the provocation of her abusive language . . George U ' ii « ati . ani > , the Elder , captain of a merchant shin , nnd Georgo Wheatland , tho younger , mate , were on Wednesday committed for trial at tho 1 names police office o » four charges—tho captain for onibczKleimnt , fraud , mid uttering forged instruments , and tlie mate for forging <¦ " >« l ) ills with intent to defraud Mr . luhvard Anthony , shipowner .

      Untitled Article

      OONTINEN T A L NOT E S . Fkom Spain wo learn that , three of tho four men wlio pillaged the muilrt near ftladridejon have been arrested . Tlio Government have decided that tho Holdiers wlio took part in the late insurrection rthall not ' u > decimated , but Bhall be Hout to the colonica for ten years . Various

      Administrative Reform Meeting At

      arguments usually advanced in favour of the new movement . After an introductory speech by Mr . Morley , the chairman , Mr . Dickens , who was received with great warmth , rose and said he would compress his remarks into the smallest possible compass . He commenced by referring to Lord Palmerston ' s taunt " about the , " private theatricals" at Drury-lane , and retorted by a humorous account of the play they were getting up—a play called The School of Reform , which they hoped would supplant The Comedy of Errors , for they had seen this played so dismally like a tragedy that they could no longer bear it . " I will not say , " remarked Mr . Dickens , " that , if I wanted to form a company of her Majesty ' s servants , I think I should know where to lay my hands on ' the comic old gentleman . '" This disclaimer was received with roars of laughter . Passing to a serious consideration of the subject , he observed : — " When the Times newspaper proved its then almost incredible case in reference to the ghastly absurdity of that vast labyrinth of misplaced men and misdirected things , which had made England unable to find on the face of the earth an enemy one-twentieth part so potent to effect the misery and ruin of her noble defenders as she has been herself , I believe that the gloomy silence into which the country fell was by far the darkest aspect in which a great people had been exhibited for many years . ( jCheers . ) With shame and indignation lowering among all classes of society , and this new element of discord piled on the heaving basis of ignorance , poverty , and crime—which is always below

      uswith little adequate expression of the general mind , or apparent understanding of the general mind , in Parliament , with the machinery of the Government and the Legislature going round and round , and the people falling from it and standing aloof , as if they . left it to its last remaining function—of destroying itself , —when it had achieved that , the destruction of so much that was dear to them , I did and do believe that the only wholesome turn affairs so menacing could possibly take was the awaking of the people , the outspeaking of the people , the uniting of the people in all patriotism and loyalty to effect a great peaceful constitutional change in the administration of their own affairs . " ( Cheers . )

      Having answered the usual objections brought against the Administrative Reform movement , and shown that , so far from " setting class against class , " it would * have the effect of uniting all classes , Mr . Dickens mentioned , as an extraordinary instance of official routine , the employment until the year 1 S 2 G of wooden tallies as a means of keeping Government accounts . The burning of " these preposterous sticks" in a stove of the House of Lords set fire to the two Houses of Parliament ; and , in the same manner , " all obstinate adherence to rubbish which the time has long outlived is certain to have in the soul of it more or less that is pernicious and destructive . " Alluding to Lord Palmerston's curt intimation to Mr . Layard that he must find a day for himself , on which to bring forward his motion , Mr . Dickens thus concluded : —

      " I would take the liberty of reversing that cool and lofty sentiment , and I would say , ' First Lord , your duty it is to see that no man is left to find a day for himself . ( Cheers . ) See you , who take the responsibility of government , who aspire to it , live for it , intrigue for it , scramble for it , who hold to it tooth and nail when you can get it , see you that no man is left to find a day for himself . ( Loud cheers . ) In this old country , with its seething , hard-worked millions , its heavy taxes , its swarms of ignorant , its crowds of poor , and its crowds of wicked , woe the day when the dangerous man shall find

      a day for himself , because the head of the Government failed in hi . s dut } - in not anticipating it by a brighter and a better , (// ere the whole House rose , and cheered loudly for several minutes . ) Name you the day , First Lord ; make a day , work for a day Leyond your little time , Lord Palmerston , and History in return may then—not otherwiso—find a day for you ; a day equally associated with tho contentment of the loyal , patient , willing-hearted English people , and with the happiness of your Royal Mistress and her fair lino of children . ' " ( Loud and protracted cheering . )

      Mr . T . M'Cullagh ami Mr . F . Benaoch having addressed the meeting on the general question of tho corrupt mode of distributing offices by Government , Mr . Layard made some remarks , in tho course of which he warned the public not to be led nway by little successes in the present war , which would be a war oi" long duration , and pointed out , as one success already produced by the Administrative lioform movement , the recognition of non-commissioned ofllccrs in Lord Raglan ' s despatches .

      Untitled Article

      No . 275 , June 30 , 1855 . ] THE LE A 3 > E B . 617

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), June 30, 1855, page 617, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2097/page/5/