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their pledges in resisting the attempts of Sir George Gre y to induce them to put up with the compromise measure offered by him . Of course , the subject is far from decided ; but it has advanced so far safely on the right path as to give hope of its speedy arrival at the goal . Another measure promising to be of great public utility is Lord Brougham ' s pair of bills for effecting various changes in the jurisdiction in cases xjf bankruptcy . The reform is ' jufesaded to do * wny
many of the inconveniences of the present system , and will transfer to the County Courts of eleven districts the bankruptcy business which is now inconveniently brought to London . It will also abolish useless distinctions between ' bankrupts' and- ' insolvents / but will enable tbe judges to distinguish between persons brought before them through fraudulent trading , recklessness , or misfortune . The Lord Chancellor ad mires the reform , but dubitates over the bills—he would and he would not !
The news from India brought by the Bombay mail is again of the most satisfactory character . Everywhere our engagements with the mutineers have been successful , and a slow but powerful concentrat ion of our forces is taking place . Sir James Otjtram with his 4000 men had twice driven off the enemy from Alumbagh , with loss of men and guns , and almost without casualty on his side . Sir Colin Campbell had also twice defeated the enemy ; in the first engagement , on the 24 th of December , seizing a quantity of treasure at Bhitoor . Reinforcements are pushed on as rapidly as possible to all
the principal points , —into the Punjab , through Scinde ; and Sir John Lawrence ' s forces were in a fair way to be strengthened by 'between 3000 and 4000 men . He had provided horses at Lahore to mount the cavalry on its arrival . In all directions the country is settling down into tranquillity . A touching incident of the troubles in India was the arrival at Calcutta , on the 9 th , of January , of the fugitives from Lucknow ; they were received on shore from the Madras steamer , under a royal salute , and amid the cheers of a concourse of tieir fellow-countrymen and countrywomen .
Operations in China have commenced in earnest with the capture of Canton by the allied French and English forces ^ The bombardment was opened on the 28 th . of December , and on the following day the place was assaulted with three columns , and all the commanding points of the fortifications captured , with very trifling loss . The mail leaves us still uninformed as to subsequent operations . YVe are still left in a state of suspense as to the position of the two engineers implicated in the affair of the Cagliari . The trial ot the Sapri prisoners has been brought to a stand by the refusal of Watt , one of the two Englishmen , to attend . The inference drawn from this strange refusal is , that the poor fellow has become insane , and a commission
has been appointed to examine into the state of his mind . Tho investigations of this commission have established tho fact that ' Watt did , shortly after he was lirst confined , attempt to cut Ins throat ; and the evidence of his fellow-prisoners nvakos it clear that ho is altogether a changed man . Watt , according to tho latest accounts , has been sent to the English Hospital lit Naples , and is to bo in the keeping of tiho British "Consul . So much for British protection of British subjects . Of tho news £ r . o , m America , that which refers to Kansus js tho most notable . President Buchanan has attempted to extricate that country from political anurohy and civil wai ' , and the oourso which he has adopted is perhaps tho only ono which offers
any clmnco of muling a . solution of the difficulty . He has cut tho GorcUan knot ; and , by forcing tlic territory to stand by tho constitution which it -has adopted , ho gives it constitutional moans for right Inffitao'lf according to the- will of tho majority of i % people . aMio ~ pK c ^^ nTg 3 ^ Y ^ vran <^ goiust 7 o - parlios hud put them without the palo of constitutional roilrcss ; Me . Buchanan has brought thorn back to tho position which they had abandoned . The farewell dinner given to Dr . Livingstone on Saturday last was mavkod W grout onUmsiasin on tb . 6 part of all present ; tho Bishop of Oxvoiid and the Ikiko ' 04 ! Argyi / l admirably improved tho oocaeiOBt . nd < tho tgroat traveller appeared full of hopo and cottMonoe in tho results of Iiis coraiflg kibovws .
Everything that could be done to help him fairly on his way has been done . He has been appointed British Consul in the Portuguese possessions in Africa , which will secure him many advantages in the way of aut . h 6 rita . t , ive assistance from the representatives of the Portuguese Government . He is also provided with an able party of assistants , scientific and artistic . At no distant day , then , we mav , with tolerable safety , hope to have it settled whether or not the interior of Africa is really openable to us tota « de vith and to civilize . The ftoyal Britisfe Bank trial drags its slow length along , a marvel of legal development . It is almost as if the lawyers resolved to pall the appetite for such inquiries bj surfeit .
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TRIAIi OF THE ROYAL BRITISH BANK DIRECTORS . The Court of Queen ' s Bench has been occupied during the ¦ whole of the present week -by the trial , before Lord Campbell and a special jury , of the Royal British Bank directors—Humphrey Brown , Esdaile , M'Cleod , Kennedy , Owen , Stapleton , Cameron , F . Vaillant and L . IT . Vaillant—on various charges of fraud . Sir Frederick Thesiger , Mr . Atherton , Mr . Serjeant Ballantine , Mr . Welsby , and Mr . Joseph Brown conduct the prosecution , the attornej'S for which are Messrs . Linklater and Go . The following gentlemen represent the defendants : — For Mr . Brown : Mr . Huddlestone , Mr . Kennedy , and Mr . Bell . For Mr . Esdaile : Mr . Edwin James and Mr . Aspland . For Mr . Kennedy : Mr . Serjeant Shee and Mr . D . D . Keane . For Mr . Owen : Mr . Slade and Mr . Kingdon . For Mr . Stapleton : Sir F . Kelly , Mr . Bovill , and Mr . Coleridge . For Mr . Cameron : Mr . Digby Sevmour . Mr . M'Cleod was not represented by counsel . His solicitors are Me 3 srs . Cardale and Co . The trial commenced last Saturday , and is not yet completed . Our Tcaders aTe already in possession of all the facts of this remarkable case , so that we may spare them the trouble of wading through the floods of evidence poured out daring the last six or seven days . We may , however , briefly recapitulate the main facts . The bank was chartered in November , 1849 , and Alderman Kennedy , Messrs . Esdaile , Owen , and Cameron , -were among the original proprietors . The amount of capital , after various reductions , waa fixed at 100 , 000 / ., only half of which was to be paid up . Cameron was to be appointed manager , -with a salary of 1250 / . for the first
year * 1500 / . for the second , 2000 / . for the third and succeeding years , till the seventh , with the allowance for house-rent , and a commission for certain business , to be afterwards determined on upon the profits of the establishment ^ and , for the purpose of raising the capital , Cameron agreed to purchase fifty shares , which he paid bv a promissory note for 4300 / ., and that , with other promissory notes , actually left a deficiency of 7402 ? . Notwithstanding this , Alderman Kennedy and Owen signed the certificate to the Board of Trade that the capital was paid up , and under that fraudulent representation the charter was obtained on the 17 th of Nov ., 184 U
Reckless advances of money were made to the persons connected with the bank , especially to Mr . Cameron and Mr . Humphrey Brown ; and most of these sums were lost to the concern . In February , 1855 , Cameron was taken ill . Mr . Esdailo took the management , and it was found that Cameron ' s accounts were transferred to what was called tho ' green ledger , ' under seven different heads , and amounted to 27 , 000 / ., for which lie had ' not given the slightest security . Cameron ' s debt increased until it amounted to 36 , 000 / ,, and only 8000 / . have been recovered , 33 , 000 / . being utterly lost to the bank . Humphrey Brown had several large advances , and gave" us security a mortgage of throe vessels which ho had previously mortgaged to a Mr . Walton , concealing this fact from the directors . The ultimate loss to the bank by those proceedings -was 40 , 000 / . Several improvident advances of money were mndo to various undertakings ; and at last , to prop -up tho bank , persons were induced to become shareholders when tho directors knew that
the concern wae in a bankrupt condition . Several of these persons have boon ruined . In January , 1850 , Mr . Badftile wrote to Mr . Owen , relative to tho retirement of directors , observing : — " Qui" * hi £ hoBt policy is to prosont a bold front to tho pnblic , whilst our weakest conduct is to dangle a rope of snnd before thorn . Wo ¦ want courage and coolness , and by God ' s' blessing our difficulties wili be overcome . " In September , 1856 , the bank stopped .
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ARREST OF A FRENCH REFUGEE . M . Simon Bicrnam * , a Froncltjnofnjgce ^ residing in Farlc" stroot ^ TSayswator , wHoro noHhns OAriioirnfla ~] i viWgTfirW teacher or languages , was nrroatod , nt his house on Sunday , and was charged t / ho following day , before Mr . . Tardino at Bow-etroot , with boing concerned in tho rocont nttempt to nasasslnate the Emperor and Empress ol' t 4 i « French . From tho evidence lirought forward , it appeared that on the 2 nd of January Bernard wont to to tho booking office of tho Soutli-EiiHtern Hallway Compnny , in fclio Kogonfc Circus , Piccadilly , and dapoultod thoro , lor transmission to I'nrlB , a Taokngo like a aquaro box , with a
projection on the top , and covered with a rough material lifce canvas . This was directed to " M . Outrequin , 277 , Rue St . Denis , Paris . " Mr . King , the clerk , asked M . Bernard to declare the contents and value of this parcel iu accordance with the ordinary custom ; and he said it contained two revolvers , value 12 / , and some samples of pitch , of no value . Mr . King requested him to put his declaration into writing ; to which he answered , " I think I had better not do that : my name is known in France as a proscrit , and it might cause the detention of the packet . " The suggestion was not insisted on , as Mr . King had known M . Bernard for some years . In reply
to-a question as to whether he was about to return to France , the refugee answered , " No , but I will go to France when that other one comes back bore , " at tbe same time making a significant gesture by pointing over his shoulder . Mr . King remarked that that would be a long while , and M . Bernard replied , " Wait a little ; you shall soon see . " He also made some allusion to " your good ally . " This , as we have said , occurred on the 2 nd of January : twelve day 6 later—nameJy , on the 14 ththe attempt was made in the Rne Lepelletier . On hearing of this catastrophe , Mr . King communicated with the French Ambassador .
The arrest of M . Bernard was effected by deteetire officer Frederick Williamson and police-constable Tinnicci , an Englishman of Italian descent and a good linguist . Tlie refugee made no resistance , but asked to be allowed to go up into his bedroom , in order to make some change iu his dress . This was refused , and 31 . Bernard was conveyed to Scotland-yard . A revolver and an American ' knuckle-duster' were afterwards found by the police in the bedroom . On the way to the police-office , M . Bernard asked the detective officer why he did not let him go up-stairs , and whether he was frightened . Williamson replied that he was bound to be cautious . M . Bernard then rejoined , "You had no occasion to be frightened ; you are Englishmen . If you had been Frenchmen , I would have killed you . " After the reception of this evidence on Monday , the accused was remanded , and bail was refused .
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NAVAL , AND MILITARY . Shipwrecks . —A large ship was wrecked off Youghal harbour during a heavy gale last week , and was soon beating helplessly on the bar . There -was a tremendous sea at the time ; but the life-boat men went out , anil , after encountering great peril , succeeded in bringing off the crew . . Two other vessels have been wrecked on the same coast ; but the crews in both cases were saved . — The Pacific Steam Navigation Company's steamer Valdivia , at seven A . M . on the 11 th of December , struck , ¦ during a thick fog , on-a rock at Duas Point , fifteen miles south of Llico . The ship ^ at once commenced to li 11 rapidly , and the passengers and crew were immediately landed . In less than two hours she went to piixus . The accident was attributed to deviation of the compasses , the ship being built of iron .
Collision in the Channkl .- —The Leander , a line ship of nine hundred tons , while on its passage fruiu Liverpool to New Orleans , came into collision , <> u the morning of Thursday week , off Holyhead , -with the North America steamer , from Portland to Liverpool . The catastrophe occurred between ono and two o ' clock a . m ., and the shock was so terrific that tho Lea ml or was cut two-thirds through the deck , just abnft tho mnin rigging , starboard , on the lee side . The vessel imme-v ' diately began to sink , and all hands wcro soon atniggling in tho water . In about five minutes after tho collision , the Leander wont down , and tho captain ' s- ^ vifo and nh : o seamen Were drowned . Tho other persons on boardtwelve in number—were nicked up .
Chatham Gahuison . —In consequence of tho orowjL-il state of Chatham garrison , caused by the lar ^ , o influx of volunteers and recruits for the purposo ol' joining- ilio various Indian depots , the authorities have decided oa reducing tho strength of tho garrison by tho whluhwvfil of nearly 2000 troops . Troops von Im > iA . — Tho screw steam transport Ilydaspes , 2200 tona burden , which sailed from Woolwich on tho 18 th of Soptombcr , with the troop * of I « uy » il Horso Artillery and two Hold batturicu Koynl ArlilU ; ry , making a total of 007 men ( and which waH rcporlcil to have boon lost at eoa ) , arrived at Calcutta on tbe . 'Will of December , after a pleasant and prosperous voyage ThkDihtuicssko Wiviss ani > Ciiili > kk . n ok Soi , dim : * . —A public mooting of officers and gentlemen ooiiikhU'I with Chatham GaiTlaon and Rocherftor , took place in il : o latter oity on Tuesday , for fclio purpoMO of oivf / miziiiK « local aNwooiution for tho relief of tho wlvi-. s ami children of soldlurs on foreign Borvico . Tlio mod In ; . ? w . is attended by a largo number of officers buloiigiii ^ u Chatham Garrison , and was pmiidod over by tlm Mnv : ' . Ai ; -tho-olose , ^ a ^ oonBitlorttblo ~ t * iini- > v . a 8 ^ colluut « djlJ _ fiii'j : __
BCnptlOllH . Thm Royat , Staxoaku Ikon Gun Koundhv , ivcunilv CToctcd i « Woohyioh Arsenal , commenced operntioiii . mi Friday week iu an experimental form , under ilm ii ^ j ' - tiy . Uion of JUoutoimnt-Colonol Wllmot , Jt A ., Kiipi'rtiitondout of that department . Somo gunu wore cn » t , im » U after boing pinned nnd liored , tlioy will » bo oiilije . 'loil to Homo extraordinary proofl * , in order to determine \ lio oontomplatcd advantages of tho oatablislimoni u « " check on tho contract manufacturers .
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_ ^ TEE LEADER . C ? -J ^ . ? iJ ?^ . ? H ^!! L ? L ? 9 ' . _ . 5 *__
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Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 20, 1858, page 170, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2231/page/2/
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