distinguished officer Sir James Kemp, and heard
Sir James remark upon it. The Honourable
Ernest Augustus Fitzblossom, a younger son
of the Earl of Millflower, was tried for cheating
at cards, was found guilty, and sentenced
to be cashiered. This sentence was confirmed
and approved by the General Commanding-
in-Chief, and the Honourable Lieutenant
went home. An appeal was made to the
Horse Guards, and it came out that no copy
of each day's proceedings had been tendered
to the prisoner, and upon that ground the
whole of the proceedings were declared by
his Royal Highness the Duke of York to be
null and void. He (the President, did not
mean to offer any opinion on that case, but he
merely quoted it, and, being on Sir James's
staff at the time, he had reason to remember,
in order to show that such was the rule.

A Captain in the Bengal Cavalry said he
knew of a case which occurred in this country
(India) where the very reverse was held.
The prisoner—a Lieutenant Burkett of the
Bengal Native Infantry- was tried for being
drunk whilst on outpost duty. The trial
lasted for seventeen days, for no less than
thirty-eight witnesses—principally natives—
were examined. The Lieutenant, at the close
of the case for the prosecution, demanded a
copy of the proceedings, in order to assist
him in drawing up his defence. His demand
was not complied with. He was convicted
and dismissed the service. He appealed to
the Commander-in-Chief, who ruled that a
prisoner had no right whatever to a copy of
the proceedings until after his conviction, and
therefore he confirmed and approved the
sentence, or rather, as he had done that
already, he rejected the appeal.

"Did he appeal to the Horse Guards?"
asked the President.

"No; he belonged to the Company's
service."

"Well, did he appeal to the Directors?
They might have restored him. They have
just restored a man Bagin, who was cashiered
two years ago for gross fraud and falsehood
in several instances."

"Yes, I know. Bagin was in my regiment.
But Bagin has an uncle in the direction,
besides a step-father who would have had to
support him and his family if his commission
had not been restored to him. Burkett had
no friends, and very lucky for him."

"How do you mean?"

"He entered the service of a native prince;
and, being a steady fellow and a clever fellow,
he made a fortune in the course of nine years,
and is now living at home on his fifteen
hundred a-year."

"I know of another case," said another
member of the Court, and he proceeded
to detail the particulars. When he had
finished, another member told of another
case; and so this desultory narration of
individual experiences went on for one hour and
a-half— the Deputy-Judge-Advocate, with
his tongue protruding, writing away as
methodically as possible. What he was
writing I do not know; but I fancy he was
taking down the " heads " of the various
cases that were quoted, in order that his
Excellency the Commander-in-Chief might have
the satisfaction of examining them. I was
told afterwards that we, the audience and the
prisoners, ought not to have been allowed to
remain in Court during this narration of
cases, and the anecdotes which the narrators
wove into them; but I need scarcely say I
was very glad that our presence had been
overlooked; for if I had not seen and heard
what took place, I should not certainly have
believed, and therefore should not have
dreamt of describing it. It was during this
conversation that Blade won back from his
adversary, at odd and even, the greater
portion of the money he had lost on the
previous day; not that either Blade or his
adversary failed to take a part in the conversation,
for both of them would, now and then,
ejaculate, " What an extraordinary case!"
"Did you ever! " " No— never! " " It seems
impossible!" "Cashiered him?" "Shameful!"
"Who could have been the chairman
of the Court of Directors?" "A Dissenter,
I'll be bound!"

"Well, sir," said the Deputy-Judge-Advocate-
General to the President, when he had
finished his writing. " What shall we do?
Shall we adjourn the Court until a copy of
yesterday's proceedings is made, and given
to the prisoners ?"

"No doubt," said the President. " That
is the only way in which the error can be
repaired. But a copy must be delivered to
each of them."

"But had we better not take the opinion
of the Court on the subject? " suggested the
Deputy-Judge-Advocate-General.

"By all means," conceded the President;
"but in that case, the Court must be cleared,
while the votes are taken."

"Clear the Court! " cried the Adjutant,
and out we all marched again, into the
messroom, where more cheroots were smoked, and
more weak brandy-and-water imbibed.

The third day came, and the Court re-
assembled. The Deputy-Judge-Advocate-
General read over the entire proceedings, beginning
from the very beginning, the swearing
of the members, up to the adjournment of
the Court, and the reasons for such adjournment.
Here another discussion or conversation
ensued, as to whether it was necessary
to read more than the last day's proceedings.
The Deputy-Judge-Advocate-General, said
he was quite right. The President thought
otherwise. All the other members of the
Court spoke on the subject, many of them at
the same time. Blade and his adversary also
gave their opinions, the former for, and the latter
opposed to the view taken by the President.
As this was a point that must be cleared up,
insomuch as the decision that might be come