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    NAVAL ANI> MILITARY.

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    not knowing the lady , declined to grant the request , but recommended her to apply to one of the West-end offices , aa she stated she -was known in that quarter of the

    town . The Mr . Davis , a Spanish merchant , who was last week charged at Guildhall with the abduction of a young girl , but who was set at liberty on its appearing that the girl went with him voluntarily , applied on Tuesday to Mr . Alderman Copeland , for a recommendation for a passport . He stated that he had since married the girl—a course he would have taken before , as that was his intention from the first , but that he did not like to be interfered with by his friends ; and he produced the marriage certificate in proof of what he said . The Alderman expressed great satisfaction at this result ; wished the newly-married couple all comfort and prosperity ; and granted the recommendation .

    The police magistrates continue to receive applications from wives deserted by their husbands for protection to their property . Indeed , this feature of domestic life promises to be of constant recurrence at the offices . All the stories exhibit the usual incidents of profligacy and hard-heartedness on the part of tbe husbands , and of Buffering on that of the wives . A young woman , named Flora Augusta Nolin , has made an application for assistance to the Lambeth magistrate , under singular circumstances . About five years ago , at Cambridge , she made the acquaintance of a French gentleman , who , though avowedly a Roman Catholic , did not object to accompany her and her

    xelations to a Protestant place of worship . In the year 1854 , they were married , and in 1856 they went to France , where in time she discovered that he was a French priest , and that consequently her marriage was invalid . Subsequently he deserted her , and she had reason to believe he passed nine months in the monastery of La Trappe . He then rejoined her , and she was persuaded to accompany him back to England . Two months ago , he again deserted her , and she believed he had returned to La Trappe . She and her child ( a little girl three years old ) were in great destitution , and she therefore solicited assistance . Mr . Elliott ordered that a sum of money should be given to her out of the poorbox , and requested her to call again oii a future day .

    The affairs of Francis Brewer Coleman , a linendraper , of Queen ' s-buildings , Brompton , have come before the Court of Bankruptcy . The accounts commenced August 30 th , 1853 , with a capital of 700 £ , and closed October 3 rd , 1857 , with debts 5216 J ., and assets 850 ? . The bankrupt had obtained goods upon credit , and then sold them wholesale at a great loss , as a means of raising money . Mr . Commissioner Holroyd said he felt it to be his duty to withhold the certificate altogether ; but certificates of arrest would be kept buck for twenty-one days , to allow an opportunity of appeal . Marlbo

    An application was made on Monday to the - rough-street magistrate , for advice , by a tradesman who stated that he had applied to the Town and Country Loan and Discount Bank , Orange-street , for a loan of 1001 on leasehold property ; that he had filled up the required printed form , given references , and paid 1 / . 2 s . 6 d . ; TOiit that , notwithstanding this , his application had been refused . The magistrate Baid the only course for the applicant to take was to try the County Court , which ho aaid he would certainly do . Several applications of a similar kind , having reference to the same society , have been recently made at the Marlborougta-street court .

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    THE ROYAL BRITISH BANK THIAL . The trial of the Royal British Bank Directors has continued , during the whole of the present week , to drag its wearisome details through the daily papers ; and it is not yet completed . The speeches for the defence commenced on Wednesday , when Lord Campbell , after congratulating Sir Fitzroy Kelly ( counsel for Mr . Stapleton ) on his elevation to the office of Attorney-General in the new Ministry , directed him to take precedence of the other counsel . Sir Fitzroy proceeded to argue that there was not one tittle of evidence to implicate his client . Mr . Stapleton became a depositor and director on the Slat of July , 1855 . "If , " argued Sir Fitzroy , "the bank were sound on the 81 st of December , 1855 , it was

    also sound at the time when Mr . Stapleton joined it ; and if it were true that the balance-sheet was wrong at © no time , it was clear , and had been proved , it was false at any other period ; and Mr . Stapleton , in tho hour irlien he became a shareholder of the Iloyal British Bank , in July , 1855 , became a ruined man . Ho was the deceived , and not tho deceiver ; he was tho victim , and not the perpetrator of tho crime ¦ with which ho was charged . " In conclusion , Sir Fitzroy contended that *¦ there was nothing in Mr . Staploton ' s conduct tliat could cast suspicion on tho honour , the integrity , or the good name of that gentleman . " At tliia there was apiplaufle—an ^ obumtion-of-fccling ^ whioU ^ Lord ^ CumpUoll , rebuked .

    Mr . Serjeant Shco , in addressing the jury for Aldorihan Kennedy , said that lio " was ono of tho original promoters of tho bank , in which ho hod staked the whole of hia fortune , and , during tho time ho had boon connected with it , ho had never trafficked in its shares or earned , a shilling from tho concern . When ho became aware of some discounts in connexion with Macgrogor , who , from hia having been Under-Secretory to the Board Of Trade in Sir Robert Peel ' s Government , was believed

    to be a man of substance and respectability , he left the directory , but was induced to return in October , 1854 , and remained till tbe stoppage of the bank , doing his best to mitigate the losses that had been incurred since its establishment . . There could be no doubt that Mr . Alderman Kennedy knew of some locks-up of the bank , through the Welsh mines and other advances ; but there was no reason to believe , till after the bankruptcy , that any other than Mullens's securities were hopeless . t His belief all along was that the bank only wanted commercial strength at the board to make it one of the safest and soundest of its kind in the kingdom . "

    On Thursday , the proceedings commenced with the speech of Mr . Edwin James for Mr . Esdaile . That gentleman , it was urged , " had always asserted that the bank's capital was not nearly sufficient . He remained a director until February , 1855 , when he assumed the chair . He ( Mr . James ) had already said that his client did not wish to shelter himself behind the back of any one ; but it was only right to state that the position of Mr . Cameron in the bank -was one of importance , and that the directors were mere tools and puppets entirely under his control and at Ms mercy . The finance committee was a mere farce and mockery ; and Mr . Cameron must have laughed in his sleeve at tbe three members sitting up-stairs in the innocent belief that they were discounting all the bills , when he was below , passing his own bills and those of his friends , just as he pleased , and without their intervention . Another actor was Mr .

    Mullens , who , as professional-adviser , had the entire confidence of the directors , and shamefully abused it . " Mr . Edwin James further argued that Mr . Esdaile had all along acted for the benefit of the bank ; that he constantly endeavoured to bring to book Mr . Cameron , Mr . Mullins , Mr . Gwynne , Mr . Humphrey Brown , and other debtors to the business ; that he had not gained any advantage by his position in the concern ; that , had he been dishonest , he might have helped himself to any extent he liked ; but that , " with the true fidelity and courage of an English gentleman , he had clung undisjnayed to the last beam of tlat enormous wreck . " Here again there was applause . Mr . Slade , on behalf of Mr . Owen , pursued a similar line of defence , viz ., that his client being nothing more than a shareholder from 1849 to 1855 , was not in a position to prevent any frauds that might have been committed .

    Mr . Huddlestone , Q . C ., followed on behalf of Humphrey Brown , and acknowledged that he had to perform a somewhat difficult task . He had at the outset to admit that Mr . Brown had availed himself of tbe resources of the bank to a large extent ; and he was aware that there was a strong prejudice in the public mind against his client . But he contended that the bank was at all times amply secured for the amount of Mr . Brown ' s debt . His client had joined the bank with the modest f o rtune of 20 , 000 J ., and was a person highly honoured in his native town . The prosecution had not produced a tittle of evidence to prove that Mr . Brown had been guilty of the crime with which he was charged .

    Mr . Laurence , for Mr , M'Leod , called attention to the fact that his client was the largest shareholder in the bank , and therefore , had he conspired to defraud the public , he would have been conspiring to defraud himself as well . Mr . Cameron v as his father-in-law ; and was it surprising that he should believe the assertions of that gentleman with respect to the concern ? ' Mr . Digby Seymour , on the part of Mr . Cameron , denied that his client was the promoter of the bank , but said that the business was introduced to him , as a parliamentary agent , by Mr . Macgregor , and he ultimately became general manager . " Because the Act of Parliament would not allow a director to bo general man ' ager , his client objected to keep that office , and bo snubbed when offering any suggestion , instead of having a seat and vote at tho board . Mr . Cameron , bank

    on leaving his own business to join the , had given up n great deal of Ilia private interests , and the care and anxiety ho had experienced in tho performance of his duties had placed an additional ten years on his age . " Tho learned counsel then referred to tho charge against Cameron of introducing the Scotch system of banking , saying that the chief point in it is that it provides for , the safety of the bank in case of a large run . Ho also defended tho conduct of Cameron in introducing tho cash credit system ; and , as to his conduct with regard to tho bad debt fund , he contended it was kept in accordance with tho rules laid down in all important commercial undertakings . Finally , he appealed to tho jury to remombor mercy in tho midst of judgment . Hero applause once more broke forth . Several witnesses wore then examined for tho defence ,

    and tho court adjourned at a quarter past live . Sir Frederick Thesigor ha-ving retired from tho case on Tuesday , owing to his elovation to tho Lord ChunccUorflh » p _ pO ; Uo _ ji W . ^^^ Lord Campbell highly complimented hurt ) , Mr . Atherton , yesterday , as the second and now loading counsel , replied for tho Crown on tho whole case ; after which , tho court adjourned , It is anticipated that tho trial will be concluded to-day .

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    MISCELLANEOUS . Tub Court . —Tho only nowa of interest this week in connexion with tho Court is that which Is also connected with the resignation of the Palmoraton and tho appointment of tho Derby Ministry . Tho particulars of this Governmental ohango will bo found in uuothor column . Turn ItiauT Ho . v . W . G . Haytmr haa aoceptod , tho offer of « baronotoy , which Lord Pulmerston expressed hia doslre to rcoommond her Majesty to bestow on him .

    Naval Ani≫ Military.

    of the outstanding orders for coast defences , which have been unavoidably allowed to fall into arrear . The artificers in that department are therefore , ordered to be employed over hours for that purpose , so as to turn out , in addition to the allotted number of gun-carriages , platforms , &c , one complete battery per week . Shipwreck . —The brig John and James , of Whitby , coal-laden , and bound to Boulogne , foundered in the night of the 14 th inst . between Boulogne and Calais , having previously touched on the rocks of Cape Blanc Nez . The master , his wife , and four seamen got into the boat , and were soon afterwards picked up by another English vessel , and landed at Boulogne . Loss of the Ship Duke of Portland bt Fire . — This ship , 600 tons burden , Captain Harden , was totally destroyed by fire while on her outward passage to Singapore from Ardrossan , owing , it is supposed , to the spontaneous combustion of coals .

    A Soldier Degraded . —A gunner of the Royal Artillery was drummed out of her Majesty ' s service od Monday morning at Woolwich . During a period oi barely three years' service , he has been guilty of various military crimes , for which he has been twice imprisoned , the two incarcerations spreading over the greater part of the time since he has enlisted . On the day of hia liberation from his last confinement , he stole a comrade's great-coat , and sold his own coat and boots . Being found guilty by a court-martial , he received fifty lashes , and , on being dismissed from the hospital , was drummed out with the usual marks of ignominy .

    The Lash . —A case of f logging has occurred on board the Wellesley , 72 , ordinary guard-ship at C hatham . The man had been guilty of disobedience of orders , and he received thirty-six lashes with great fortitude . This is the first case of flogging on board a man-of-war which has taken place in Chatham for many years . —With respect to the flogging case at Newcastle ,. to which we referred last week , a letter has been written to Mr . John Bright , M . P ., by a gentleman residing on the spot . This letter has been transmitted by Mr . Bright to the Morning Star , and contains the following statements : — " the

    name of the regiment is the 5 th Fusiliers ; commanding officer , Colonel Kirkland ; the name of the soldier , Mullens ; his offence , that of refusing to be stripped , and striking the sergeant . He was tried and sentenced by a party of officers selected by tbe colonel , and the sentence was sent to Sir Harry Smith , who confirmed it . The date of bis punishment , the 27 th ult . He was removed to Weedon on the 11 th inst . I think there is no truth in the statement that the lashes of the ' ' were loaded with lead or steel . It appears , however , that the flogging was verj' severe , and it is described as being ' horrible . ' "

    NAVAL ANI > MILITARY . Coast Dkfknckb . —Tho Royal carriage department , under tho superintendence of Colonel Tullooh , K . A ., is actively engaged in forwarding tbe immediate execution

    Storm off the East Coast . —The east coast was visited by a heavy gale of wind on Monday , during which a brig was wrecked on the Spanish Battery Rocks at Tynemouth-point . The crew were rescued , but the vessel went to pieces . The Steaivx Fleet in reserve at Portsmouth is being got ready for equipment at the shortest notice . The ships composing it , especially the line-of-battle-ships , are being tried almost dailj-, and the staff of the steam reserve are indefatigably employed in getting the ships ' machinery into reliable working order . The Duke of Wellington , Cassar , Victor Emmanuel , and Algiers , are the most forward , and are expected to be the next . large ships commissioned . The gunboats at Haslar are also under course of overhaul .

    Barrack Cookery . —With a desire of contributing to the comforts of the soldiers' mess , and of remedying the acknowledged evils produced by the present monotonous system of barrack cookory , Major-General Sir W . F . Williams , Commandant of Woolwich Garrison , has introduced the newly-invented apparatus brought forward by Captain Grant , late of tho Koyal Artillery . By this stove , frying , stewing , baking , and boiling , can be performed . Woolwicu Dockyard . —A considerable reduction in the factory establishment of Woolwich Dockyard haa been ordered to meet the reduced scale of expenditure voted for « that department of tho naval service . Forty of the factory labourers have consequently received notices of dismissal .

    The Hon . Randolph Capel , of H . M . S . Cumberland , Flag Lieutenant to Vico-Admiral Wnllis , died of yellow fever at Rio do la Plata on Christmas-eve . This gallant and lamented young officer had served with distinction * in the Naval Brigade before Sob / istopol . Colonel Grant . —Tho Queen haa boon pleased to command that Colonel Jamos Hope Grant , K . C . B ., of tho 9 th Lancera , bo promoted to tho rank of Major-General in tho army , in consequence of hia eminent services in command of tho Cavalry Division at tho siege of Delhi .

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    ''¦?¦'•' ' ' " " ¦ ¦ . No . 414 , February 27 , 1858 . ] THE I ; IE A I > E B ,. 201

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 27, 1858, page 201, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2232/page/9/