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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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four days at least , and a fortnight at most ; and it is in consequence of complaints addressed to M . de Bonnard himself by the prisoners that he has ordered this new mode of disciplinary chastisement ! " The same gentleman , by an ordinance issued on the 29 th August , 1848 , empowered ^ every inferior pfficer to murder on the spot-any prisoner acting in disobedience of the order ( qui violerait la consigne ) . ¦'¦ ¦ " The money , the trunks , the property of every kind belonging to the victims who have died in the hospital , have been conveyed away by the agents of the Administration , the all-powerful direction of which is in the hands of M . de la Richerie , a lieutenant in the navy , under the derisive control of the governor .
" For one-half of the past year , two-thirds of the prisoners were constrained to work in rags and barefooted . " At present all of them may be said to be actually starving , and while their gaolers and their tormentors benefit by their tilling , embanking , building , they are left without remuneration , and almost without food . " Incomplete as it is , we address this sketch of the awful position under which the French exiles in Guiana are labouring , to every honest man . " Tassiljbz , a political prisoner , transported in June , 1848 , and ' who has now been working for fourteen months , like many others among his fellow-sufferers , under a chain forty pounds in weight , with a cannon-ball at the end of it . " St . Joseph ( Island of Despair ) , October , 1854 . "
Thus are the unfortunate people writhing and gasping for life on a distant lonely rock , surrounded by the sea , far , very far , from their families and friends . It lies in your power , sir , to assist them , by divulging their sufferings as you have done those of the English soldiers in the Crimea . The transporter de Cayenne are , so to apeak , buried alive ; it depends upon you that the shriek they utter should be heard in the world of the living . The insertion of these lines is a favour which I earnestly request , not as a republican , not even as a Frenchman , but as a man . —I remain , sir , your obedient servant , London , February 14 . Louis Blanc .
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MINISTERIAL APPOINTMENTS . Lord John Russem ^ who is appointed British Envoy at the Vienna Conference , will be unable to leave town for some days , on account of severe indisposition . He will be accompanied by Mr . Hammond and other gentlemen from the Foreign-office . The Right Hon . Henry F 4 tzroy resigns the office of Under Secretary for the Home . Department , the duties of which he has so creditably discharged during the last two years . Mr . Frederick Peel has been translated from the Under Secretaryship for the Colonies to that of the War Department . No appointment in his place has been yet made .
Mr . Monsell has resigned his office at the Board of Ordnance , solely from private and personal reasons . We understand that the changes about to take place in -the -War Department . will . have . J » he _ efrecjt _ of causing considerable alterations in the Ordnance , involving the abolition of some of the higher offices . Pending this arrangement , it is not probable that the Clerkship of the Ordnance , vacated by Mr . Mousell , will be filled up . Sir Francis Baring has been appointed to the Chancellorship of the Duchy of Lancaster , in succession to Lord Granville . The Secretaryship to the Board of Control is not yet filled up , Lord Goderich having declined the office .
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OUR CIVILISATION . Wife Beating . —There is a falling off in this department of cheap luxuries . However , the two cases which we have present curious particulars . Minnie Prenelle was murderously and cowardly assaulted by her husband , a seaman , who was accordingly sentenced to the full term , six months . But the wife , a Gorman , was horrified at the sentence , and tried to alter the magistrate ' s decision . She begged to seo her husband onco more before he wont to prison , but she was recommended to leave him to himself . She left court , sobbing and wrinerinjr her hands .
In another case , Mrs . Dalby , the wife of a bootmaker in Fleet-rst root , complained that her husband had turned her out of doors , and recommended her to get her living by prostitution . She wished to recover her furniture , but was much astonished to learn that what was hers was her husband's , and what was her husband ' s was his own . Suddenly the sagacity of the magistrate led him to inquire if tho husband had assaulted her ? Oh , yes I He had frequently dragged her down stairs ,
and so on . A summons M * aa then issued . Husband Beating . — " A fashionably-dressed female , of rather prepossessing appearance , " named Lydia Boyos , has been charged by her husband with violently assaulting him / He had been married to tho defendant fifteen years , but latterly nho had become very dissipated and connected with common prostitutes , having lflft his house several nights for tho purpose of prostitution . On the morning of Tuesday tho Oth inst . ho was In hia bed alone , when hia wifo came to tho bed-side and
tried to get in . He prevented her , when she struck him violently on the back of the head , and said murder would be committed . She also threw the jugs about the room , and tore up the bed-clothes . He prevented her from further injuring him , and obtained a summons against her to have her bound over to keep the peace ; she , however , took no notice of that , and the present warrant was-issued .- That morning the officer found her in a brothel in the Waterloo-road , where she attempted to escape by the roof . After some examination , the prepossessing lady admitted to having given , " a slap on the face . " The magistrate settled the matter by taking her brother ' s bail for good behaviour for three months . This unfortunate pair are highly " respectable . " Disturbance at a Theatre . —At the City of London Theatre a " row" arose in the pit . A policeman interfered , when he was immediately mobbed , and almost killed . The gallantry of a brother constable saved him , and with a great deal of assistance John Simmonds , a middle-aged man , was taken into custody . The penalties amounted to 51 ., or six months in the House of Correction . Three Assaults . —Richard Hewitt was creating a disturbance in a public-house . The landlady desired him to leave , when the usual scene occurred . He tore her face with his nails , and performed the feat of encircling her head in his left arm , while he struck her with his right . This is pugilistically known as " getting the nob in chancery , and fibbing . " The landlady's son , who interfered , was savagely used , and a policeman had his finger bitten through . This ruffian will be kept to hard labour for three months . Cruelty to a Donkey . —Some officers of the Society for the prevention of Cruelty to Animals saw James Coldrake driving a donkey-cart . The vehicle was heavily laden with linen , which had been brought from a laundress ' s , and defendant , who was standing on one of the shafts , belaboured the poor animal with all his might with a long and heavy stick upon the ribs . ^ The donkey writhed and reeled to and fro under the infliction of the blows , and on the officers . stepping it and remonstrating with defendant upon his cruelty , he replied , " What I did to him wouldn't have hurt him , for he's got sueh _ a lot of hair . " He was then asked if he thought that a donkey had no feeling , and his answer was , " I don't think it has . " Mr . Long ordered defendant to pay 10 s . and costs , and told him that , -if brought up again for a similar act of cruelty , the full penalty would be inflicted . Defendant—I won't pay the money . - Mr . Long—Then you will be imprisoned forjseven days . ¦ — ; Defendant—Very well , sir , I'll serve my time . King , the Thief-trainer . —Charles King , the plain clothes Inspector , has been again examined . It was proved that on one occasion , King knocked at a door somewhere in the Hampstead-road , this being merely a pretence in case of his being known to passing policemen . His inquiries apparently led to some altercation , but the scene ended by his applying the most offensive epithets to the woman who answered his knock . She followed him , but two policemen to whom she applied refused to interfere , ^ because rhe _ was _ an _ inspector . It was their duty to report the matter . One case was investigated , - in which it was proved that King was possessedof a stolen gold ring , and on this charge he was committed . There will , however , be a further police-examination before the trial .
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FALL OF A HOUSE AND LOSS OF LIFE AT ISLINGTON . On Sunday last a severe accident occurred in the Lower-road Islington . A house fell down , causing the deaths of seven people . A dreadful noise was heard , but nothing could be seen for the dense smoke . On this clearing off , a man , with his wife and two children , were seen standing at the second floor window of a house , the entire centre of which had fallen in . They were promptly rescued by the neighbouring fire machine , under the care of " a hero in humble life , named Douglas . The walls then fell . Six of the inmates were killed , the seventh being a police constable who was endeavouring to rescue them . It is said that this brave and unfortunate man has loft a wife and child , and , it is easily inferred , without any provision .
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THE MILITIA . Gkeat activity prevails amongst tho militia regiments , and the volunteering for tho lino goes on vigorously . Tho South Lincoln Militia expect orders for tho Mediterranean . This regiment has been embodied over since last May , smco which period nearly 160 havo volunteered into tho lino , mid of tho remaining 580 at headquarters , about 440 havo volunteered for foreign service , and the number is increasing daily . Tho Shropshire corps of militia has mustered at Shrewsbury . Since their last training more than 200 men havo volunteered into the regiments of tho lino ; and , notwithstanding this drain from tho corps , it now commands about GOO bayonets . Tlio Royal Berkshire Militia has recently been giving volunteers . 90 mon havo volunteered to tho lino . Few militia regiments have given so many mon to her
Majesty's regular forces , upwards of 500 having joined the service since the regiment was first enrolled . The Royal Elthorne Regiment of Light Infantry has . had a large addition of recruits made to the strength of the regiment since it has been embodied ; and Lieutenant Benboe has already taken his 75 volunteers to the lirie ,. by which he obtains an ensigncy .. Within the last year ,. upwards of 500 men have left this corps for the line . ' More than the required number ( 600 ) of the Oixfordfordshire Militia , now mustered at Oxford , have volun- ' teered for active foreign duty . The corps comprises 800 men . Since the West Suffolk Militia has been embodied at Bury St . Edmunds , upwards of 100 men have volunteered into the line regiments .
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THE PUBLIC HEALTH . ( From the Registrar-General ' s Repot t . ~ ) The cold of winter , more severe than usual , continues to produce its natural effect in a high rate of mortality , though the number of deaths registered last-week in London is rather less than those of two previous weeks . The deaths , which in the third week of January were 1549 , and in the two subsequent weeks rose to 1630 and 1604 , fell last week to 1546 . According to the Greenwich Table of Meteorology , the mean temperature , which was about 42 deg . in the first fortnight of the year , was in the last four weeks , only 28 * 9 deg ., 29 * 3 deg ., 29-3 deg ., and 30-9 deg .
The present return is for the sixth week of the year . Taking the deaths of the same week in each of the years 1845-54 , it is found that they averaged 1104 , with which , after a correction for increase of population , the 1546 deaths of last week may be compared . The result is that the weather has been , fatal in a week to 332 lives more than would have been extinguished in an ordinary season . The average temperature of the 10 corresponding weeks was 41 ' 2 deg ., which exceeds the temperature of last week by 10-3 deg . A comparison of the numbers who died at different ages in the last two weeks shows that the decrease noticed above is confined entirely to the young ; for in the period extending-frpm 20 to 60 years of age the number suffered no ; change , while of persons in still more advanced life-the deaths increased from 374 to 417 . In this last number are 95 deaths of men and women , on whose heads had gathered fourscore winters or more .
Diseases of the organs of respiration were fatal in 424 cases , while the corrected average for corresponding weeks is only 245 . Bronchitis i » specified as the mortal disease in 235 cases out of the 424 cases , aridis at present fatal to considerably more than twice its usual amount ; pneumonia numbers 126 , the average beiag ^ Q 7 .- 158 persons died of consumption , a malady which is not caused , and shows less liability to be accelerated , by extreme cold . 90 children died of hooping-cough ; 13 persons of influenza . Last week the birth of 934 boys , and 898 girls , in all 1832 children , were registered in London . In the 10 corresponding weeks of the years 1845-54 , the average number was 1541 .
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FATE OF SIR JOHN FRANKLIN . An additional gleam of light has been cast over the probable fate of the Franklin expedition by an Esquimaux . He is named Mastitukwin : he accompanied Dr . Ray's party , and lias been for many years a member of the Wesley an congregation at Rossville , in Hudson ' s Bay . Dr . Rny has always considered this native highly efficient and trustworthj \ On his return to Rossville , the Esquimaux stated that
" Ho wintered with his party in a snow-house , where they had six weeks' constant night . In March last ( 1854 ) they started on tho ice to the north , and wore thirty-seven days on their northern journey . Thoy were 100 miles beyond tho region inhabited by the Esquimaux , but they still found tho tracks of the musk ox . Sir John Franklin and his party are dead ; but , perhaps , one or two of the men may still bo alive , nnd among tho Esquimaux . Sir John ' s watch , all in pieces , with his silver spoons , knives , and forks , were found . Tho ship was a groat godsend to these people , and thoy now all have good sledges , spears , canoes , &c , of oak wood . Dr . Rao and hia party did
not see any of the remains of Sir John nnd his party ; but tho Esquimaux informed him that Sir John was found dead , with his blanket over him and hia gun by his side . Tho probability is , that it is not uioro than two or three years since tho party perished by hunger . Such arc 1 ho words of Mnfltituku-in'a narrative , as detailed to the Rev . T . IIurlbvirt , of Rossville Mission , Hudson ' s Bay . They aro entitled to credence , because tho narrator is a nativo of the country , aaquainted with tho language , and could have no object in making a false statement . The various implements made of oak , which were scon in tho Esquimaux encampment , prove that they must havo had access to at least one of the ships of the missing expedition .
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ffEBBU&KY 17 / 1855 Q TEE LEADEB , 153
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Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 17, 1855, page 153, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2078/page/9/
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