Where the money voted for the service of the dockyards
goes,. has long been a puzzle to politicians. A good round sum un- doubtedly goes annually in the plunder of stores. The Dockyard Commission found traces of plunder, and observed great facilities. Here is a case in point. No less than sixteen hundred-weight of copper have been seized at Helstone, in Cornwall, bearing the broad arrow. It seems to have been carried off from Plymouth in a ship! It is estimated that three tons per week have been taken from the stores. Several persons are in custody. A constable discovering two poachers on a farm near Birmingham, attempted to arrest them. They resisted, and one called on the other to "put it into him," meaning to put a clasp-knife into the constable. Thereupon the constable made use of a loaded cane, engaging the ' two men at once. The result was that one of the poachers died from the effect of his wounds. A jury has found a verdict of "Homicide in self-defence."
Inspector Leonard attended at the Guildhall on Wednesday for the purpose of drawing attention to the great increase in the circulation of forged 5/. Bank of England notes, by which means a great many tradesmen in a small way of business were being daily plundered. He produced one of the forged notes he referred to, an accurate- description of which may serve to put the public on their guard, and enable them to detect such forgeries. The note produced, for 51., was a perfect fee-simile of the genuine notes of that value with regard to. the engraved portions, the letters and numbers being "J.P., 74,036," and the date "December ]1, 1860." With respect to the water- mark in the paper upon which the forgeries are printed, it is pro- duced, not in the manufacture of the paper, but by a process of em- bossing, which leaves palpable indentations on both surfaces, readily discoverable either by the hand or eye. Jane Hebbert was charged at the Marlborough-street office with stealing a handkerchief from Mr. Henry Reginald West, a physician, of Harpenden, near St. Alban's, while in a cigar- shop, No. 72, Princes-street, near Panton-street, Leicester-square. Mr. West said he was staying while in town at the hotel, 19, Adam-street, Adelphi. After dining at the Freemasons"Tavern, and calling home to change his dress, he passed through Prince's- street between twelve and one, and went into the cigar stores for a couple of cigars. The prisoner came out of the parlour to serve him, and while he was in the act of lighting up, having taken off his gloves to pay, she laid hold of his handkerchief in his breast-pocket and drew it out, refusing to return it to him until he had " stood " some wine for her and her friend, inviting him at the same time into the parlour. He replied to this that he was not a boy or young man to be so talked over, and insisted on the return of his handkerchief. Not complying with this, he called a constable and gave her in charge. The handkerchief had been somehow got rid of by the prisoner. The affair did not occupy more than two or three minutes, and during the time he observed a man strutting up and down in the parlour. He was perfectly sober at the time. He had had a tablespoonful of whisky after leaving the Freemasons', and not more.—Inspector Bowles confirmed this.—Hebbert : "I invited that; to have said so would have been ridiculous, for from the first it was plain to see the man walking up and down in it."—Mr. Bea- don: "I shall remand the case tin Wednesday, and I recommend that the handkerchief be found."
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