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Leader (1850-1860), 2nd April 1853, Edition 1 of 1, Page 319, Untitled Article

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      Untitled Article

      a » e Caloipke Q-azette makes a gigantic affair of the conspiracy discovered on the 29 th ult . It seems , in consequence of information which the police authorities had received , about eighty houses were surrounded and searched on Saturday last , and about forty persons were immediatel y arrested . On the two following days a great number of arrests took place , and there are now not less than eighty six persons suspected of high treason in the prisons of B'jrlin . Some of the prisoners have for a long time laeerx suspected of revolutionary designs : such , tor in-* ta nee , are Dr . Falkenthal , late President of the Democratic Association , who was arrested together with his housekeeper , and Dr . Collmann ; Gehrke , a schoolmaster , who

      acquired some reputation in 1848 ; Julius Behrends , late member of the National Assembly ; Streckfuss , a tobacconist ; lievy , a merchant , late chairman of the Labourer's Convention ; Kunde , cutler to the king ; and Geisler , overseer in Hauschild ' s factory . A large quantity of congreve rockets and grenades were discovered under the floors of the working rooms over which Geisler presided . A hundred weight of gunpowder , a great many conical balls , and small rockets fit to be fired from muskets , were found in the house of Dr . Falkenthal . Weapons of all kinds , revolutionary pamphlets , proclamations , and letters disclosing the details of the conspiracy , have been found in the booses of some of the other prisoners . The police are still very active , and fresh discoveries are expected .

      It is hard to say how much of this prodigious account may be true , or how far the alleged conspiracy may be a ¦ ruse of the police to arrest the march of constitutional ^ government towards the " liberty of the subject . " It is certain that arrests , chiefly of working men , suspected of belonging to revolutionary , societies , had been going on since the 18 th ult . All these alleged conspiracies prove at least the widespread and deep-seated revolutionary ferment in the heart of German absolutism . Ueligious liberty is going the way of political liberty in

      Germany . It is stated in the German papers that the Israelitish community in Berlin has received notice that the law of July 23 , 1847 , has been restored to vigour . This law forbids to Jews participation in communal functions , and suppresses the independence of their community . The Jaw of 1847 was abolished by the constitution , which promised to effect so much in the way of religious freedom , but from which the Jesuits alone seem to have derived advantage . Tho chiefs of the Jewish congregations in the Prussian capital are preparing a memorial to the Kiner , in which they propose to exhibit the unconstitutional

      character of the recent measure . . There have lately been political meetings of workingajien at BTanover . A notice was posted by the Government that any men in the Government employ taking part in these meetings would be immediately discharged . This notice was torn down , and supplied by rude portraits of Uobert Blum . Gervinus ' s case is to come before the Court of Appeal at Mannheim on the 16 th , when the sentence of the

      Iiower Court will be finally ratified , modified , or annulled . A letter from Nuremberg , dated the 25 th : — " A domiciliary visit was yesterday made , at tho demand of the Austrian Government , at a commercial house here , tho head of which is accused of having fraudulently introduced into Austria packets of tobacco , the wrappers of which were ornamented with , portraits of Kossuth and Mazzini . Several of these wrappers were found on the premises , last winter some other wrappers were found in another house , having- on them the portrait of ltobert Blum .

      Cholera at Breslau appears to bo decreasing rapidly . Tho last police return of tho 23 rd , gives no new case , and only two deaths among those undor medical treatment . Tho Emperor of Austria has quite recovered his hoalth and strength , and his eyesight is said to bo unimpaired . But he continues to delegate part of the administrative functions to tho Archduke , whom he bad appointed his locmit benens during his illnesH . Keports of insults to the British Hug in Austria ( under the oreheatretho Earl of

      protection of that complainant chef d ' , Westmoreland ) are getting unpleasantly common . A letter from Vienna of tho 23 rd ult ., in tho Now Prussian Gazette , relates a " disagreeable incident , " at a recent fete ot' riflemen in the Tyrol , to celebrate tho recovery of tho Emperor . The arms of England wero publicly outraged . Details are not known , but the arms Lad been tired at . Whether this bo true or not , it is not to ho supposed that these " rilloinon met r . o celebrate tho recovery of tho Ernperor , " represent tho feelings of tho Austrian people , whoso loyalty ban not , within our knowledge at least , been of that enthusiastic nature since 1848 .

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      We hesitated last wook to publish tho report that tho Austrian Government had not only not desisted from its projects of spoliation against persons arid families , innocent even of patriotism , andinany even naturalized in foreign states , but bad , by a subsequent decree , given a retroactive effect to these sequestrations—in other words , these confiscation * -by including tho property of men who have been out of Italy since 1 H 31 and 1 H 21 ; besides many who liuve been naturalized in Piedmont sineo 1 H 48 . All dealings with real estate , all deeds and documents relative to its sale , exchange , gift . -hUarnivos , inheritance , or other ownership sirico 1817 , are to be examined with a view to discover any possible fiduciary or lid i ! ions interests ereiitrd for the purpose of preserving the estates of men politically compromised from tilio . se very meanings which the defenders of property are now indicting upon the ( politically ) guilty and innocent with equal unscrunulounness .

      Tlio Sardinian Government , backed by the moral support of Kngland , and , we believe , of I'Yanco , lias taken up tlio rightH of naturalized Lombards warmly : and has proton ! e < l against the confiscations , ( fount Itevel , the mnbusHado / at Vienna , has been instructed to press the matter to mi equitable reconsideration , and in ciiho of refusal , to demand his passports . The fact is , that towards Piedmont us towards Switzerland , Austria is incurably hostile : she cannot bear ho dose a neighbourhood of froo institution )! , and bo near a rofugo for her victims .

      Constant arrests are being made in Switzerland of agents illegally recruiting for the Papal service . The ling of Naples has 16 , 000 Swiss troops . Eight Hungarian deserters arrived at Berne on the 29 th ult . They have left for England . The Archduke Albert is to be the successor of Marshal Badetsky in Hungary . We spoke last week in reference to the boasted clemency at Mantua , of Austria in Lornbardy setting up a reputation for humanity at a cheap rate , by first arresting and condemning without trial innocent men , and then , in extraordinary cases , ¦ pardoning them . We learn that on the very day the amnesty of some forty prisoners was announced , an execution for " high treason" took place in Mantua .

      The session of the Piedmontese Chambers was to be closed on the 1 st of April , and to re-open shortly afterwards . It was believed , however , that their convocation migbt bo retarded by the uncertainty of political events , by which is meant the difficulties with Austria , which the Government is afraid to expose to the freedom of debate . A great many arrests and domiciliary visits to refugees bave taken place throughout the Sardinian dominions . Eighty political refugees have sailed from Genoa , in the corvette of war , the Sans Giovanni , for America . Two companies , the one English , and the other formed of Leghorn capitalists , had applied to the Sardinian government for leave to make the necessary surveys for the construction of a railway between Genoa and Leghorn .

      According to the Official Milan Gazette , the late amnesty at Mantua comprises only 53 persons . As a set-off to ¦ which , the Opinionc of Turin of the 28 th ult . states tliat upwards of 40 inhabitants of Somraa , in Lombardy , had been arrested and conducted to the fortress of Milan ; and the Bologna Gazette states that on the 16 th ult . some more executions of political offenders took place at Pesaro . The accounts of the condition of Southern Italy , especially of the Neapolitan States , are more and more deplorable . Not that there is any symptom of an approaching revolutionary movement — even Calabria is quiet . But the King of Naples is the disciple , as well as the tool of Austria , and he thinks to play the same insane and desperate game of terrifying his subjects into loyalty . It

      is believed , too , that certain supposed tendencies within the present English Ministry , represented by Lord Palmerston and Mr . Gladstone , alarm this demented King into a sort of savage defiance of all considerations of justice and humanity . The excellent correspondent of the Daily News , writing from Naples on the 21 st of March , says : The state of southern Italy at the present moment is far more alarming than at any other period since the reaction . During the last few days some hundreds of persons have been arrested ; the students have been ordered to quit the city of Naples within a few hours , and others are obliged to present themselves before the police every morning . Some of the most eminent lawyers of Naples are amongst those arrested . The same events are d of

      taking place in the provinces , where persons are ying hunger . Indeed , the distress throughout the country is something unparalleled . The police va . Naples commit daily the most irritating acts of cruelty and injustice . Tho Government , supported by 100 , 000 bayonets , trembles at the form of a hat or the fashion of a beard . The police prowl about on tho lookout for the round broad-brimmed hats , known in England , I believe , as " wide-awakes . " They snatch them off the heads of the wearers and tear them to pieces . Tho batters' shops have been rifled , and their property confiscated . The prisons are now so crowded that it has teen found necessary to remove somo of tho old occupants to the islands , to make room for the now victims .

      Tho state of Sicily is equally distressing . The sumo reign of terror prevails ; arrests without number , and executions without trial , reduce tho island to desperation , and have , perhaps , occasioned the report of an insurrection at

      Palermo . Tho King of Naples arrived at Palermo on tho lGth ult Thcro was a report at Genoa that an attempt at insurrection had occurred in Sicily , and had been suppressed . This report wants confirmation . Modena and Parma have acceded to tho Austro-Prussian commercial league .

      Untitled Article

      Tho Emporor of Jtussia has issued an uka . se prohibiting Jews from representing Christian houses in trade . The Czar has been grievously affected by tho discovery of defalcation )* among certain high military functionaries to a very largo amount . A singular religious movement is goinf > on in Sweden . A letter from Stockholm of tho 18 th ult . says : — " ' 11 io Separatists go on increasing in number every day . 'The Chapter of Woxeras lias declared that at Efldaten schismatic ; movements bad broken out similar to thoso at Orfu . Kitty-two persons had received the communion from a Separatist . In Norland a professor has betrothed his son to a womim , although he had not yet received confirmation . A woman of Laponiu had declared that who wan the mother of tho . Redeemer . At Curlseronu an enthusiast killed bin hoii with a hatchet , in order to remove him , as he said , from this valley of tears . Tho situation of the national church becomes every day more dillicult , as reli" -ious liberty in more and more sought after . "

      Untitled Article

      ( JOVKKNMKNT MKASURKS FOR MA . NNINU THti KliKHT . VVk find in the Times , this morning , a most important summary of the recommendations of tho Commission , which , under tho prosidonce of Sir Charles Adam , wa . appointed to consider tho best mode of manning tin ; lleet . : which Government has adopted , and the Queen , yostorduy , approved . The first point on which all the authorities consulted wero agreed is , thai whatever measures are taken must roly for huccohh on the voluntary acceptance of thorn by tho Homnon , and Hint any attompt to introduce u coorcivo

      mode of enlistment would be followed by mischievous con " sequences and failure . The mode , therefore , which could alone be resorted to consists in rendering the naval service of the Crown more attractive to the seafaring population , by rendering it more permanent , by an increase " pay , by a large augmentation of privileges and advantages to petty officers and warrant officers in the Queen ' s ships , by opening officers' commissions to petty officers who shall greatly distinguish themselves , and by forming a permanent corps of trained seamen in the receipt of pensions , but still available after the expiration of the ordinary period of service . If we are correctly informed , these measures will now forthwith be carried into effect , and the seaman will at once find in the new

      arrangements of the navy a degree of security , accompanied with prospects of advancement he has never before possessed . In the mere amount of pay it will always be possible for the merchantman to compete successfully with the man-of-war ; but that superior class of men who are fitted to become petty officers , and even to rise higher , will find advantages in the Queen ' s service which they can scarcely even meet with in trading vessels ; and these rewards of good conduct , ability , and daring , are precisely the grounds which may fairly entitle the navy to the choice of the best hands . It is proposed , in the first place , that the establishment of boys for the navy should be placed on a permanent footing , and that they should be enlisted for general service for a period

      of ten years , and this is , perhaps , the most important condition of all , for lads perfectly trained in the duties of a man-of-war are not only the best class of men in the navy , but they are generally averse to seeking any other employment . ' Provision will ' also le made for the enlistment of able ' bodied seamen of the first and second class for a period of ten years , with some increase of pay , and the seamen now serving in the fleet will be allowed to volunteer on these terms , reckoning , of course , their actual period of service . Upon the expiration of the term of enlistment they will receive a pension of Qd . a day , which may be increased by their joining the body of trained seamen who will be held available under certain conditions , and would

      be of the utmost value in bringing a raw ship s company into a smart and well ordered condition on the occurrence of any emergency . The condition of the petty officers will be materially improved , with proportionate augmentations of pay , and it will be in the power of every well-conducted seaman to aspire to this upper rank in the service . We are also assured , that the whole plan will of course be made known to the country and the navy at the earliest possible time , and Sir James Graham may justly lay claim to the merit of having carried the recommendations of t he Commission into effect with his usual promptitude and rigour .

      Untitled Article

      THE BURMESE WAR . The news from Burmah is up to the 14 th February . By the last mail , intelligence of an expedition of boats under Captain Loch , of the Winchester , being about to proceed after a notorious freebooter and his followers , was despatched to England . By this opportunity it becomes our melancholy duty to have to record the unfortunate termination of this affair . It would appear that after disembarking nt Donabew , the force under Captain Loch was entrapped into a heavy jungle . Here the enemy made a determined stand , and being under cover , whilst our troops were exposed , they , by their heavy fire , obliged the latter to withdraw to their boats . Amongst those killed wore the gallant leader , George Grenville Loch ( son of Mr . James Loch , who sat many years for the Wick boroughs in Scotland ); Lieutenant Kennedy , of the Royal Navy , belonging to her Majesty ' s ship Foot ; and Captain Price , of the 67 th Bengal Native ; Infantry . The grenadier company of the latter regiment behaved most gallantly , covering the retreat of the whole force . The remains of Captain Loch wero brought down to Rangoon by tho JPJdegethon , and were interred with military honours on the morning of the 8 th of February . His body wk . s laid by the side of poor young Dorin , of the 18 th Royal Irish , on tho upper terrace of the Dagon pagoda . Three of our guns were left behind in the hands of tho enemy . It is stated in private letters from Burmah that , tho guide of poor Captain Loch ' s force hud played us false . It is thus described : —

      An expedition , naval and military , tho former under the command of Captain Loch , C . B ., tho latter under Major Minehin , (! 7 th Bengal Native Infantry , was formed for tho purpose of attacking "Moor Toon , " the celebrated bandit chief , who had ensconced himself in a stronghold porno fifteen miles inland , from " Donabew . " The naval brigade was 140 strong , composed of the men and boats of her Majesty ' s , ships Winchester , Fox , and Kphinx . The military force consisted of the sepoys of the ( 57 th Hengal Native Infantry , about ;» f > 0 strong . About the 1 st I ' eb . they arrived at' Donabew ; on tlio . 'Jrd , after a fatiguing march the iMiides told Captain Loch they wero in front ot At this time tho le

      fin outpost of the enemy . jungwas rery dense , and the path so narrow , thai two men could not walk abreast . Scarcely had the guides done speaking , when a tremendous tire wm opi'iuxl on them ; Lieutenant Kennedy , 1 st of the Vox , was shot dead , as also several men . Captain Loch then waved liisnword , and shouted to the men to follow him , when down ho fell , shot deadthe hall drove his watch into hi « intestines . 1 . should never finish writing of the disnstorn that befel , if I were to enumerate eaoli and every particular . Suflieient to say , tho force wan driven back with tlio following loss : —Two ( jjunH ( spiked ) , Captain Loch killed , Lieutenant Kennedy killed ( loft on tho Uold . ) Officers wounded :- —J . H . BuaUnoll ,

      Untitled Article

      Apru , % 1853 . ] T H E L E A D E R . 319

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), April 2, 1853, page 319, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1980/page/7/