It is estimated that, taking the force now under orders
for the Mediterranean, a brigade already formed there,
and the regiments next for service, the British contingent
for the defence of Turkey will amount to 20,000
men, and 40 guns, admirably horsed and provided with
a full proportion of ammunition-waggons. The
Coldstream and Grenadier Guards embarked on the 22nd at
Southampton; and on the same day the 28th Regiment
embarked at Liverpool. On both occasions immense
multitudes were assembled, and the soldiers went on board
amid demonstrations of the utmost enthusiasm. The
other troops are hastening to their points of embarkation.

In all the dockyards the greatest activity prevails
in preparing the North Sea and Baltic fleet, which
is to muster in the Downs early in March. It is to
consist of thirty ships, carrying 2,020 guns: twenty of
the vessels being screw steamers; the most powerful
fleet that ever sailed from our shores. The seamen
come in promptly, and it appears that every ship will
be completely manned. A notice has been issued from
the Admiralty, intimating that no impressment, or
compulsory measures of any kind, are to be resorted to for
manning the navy. Admiral Sir Charles Napier has
been appointed to the command of the Baltic fleet.

A Royal Proclamation, dated the 18th inst., Prohibits
the Exportation of Arms, Ammunition, and Naval and
Military Stores, together with marine engines, screw
propellers, paddle wheels, cylinders, cranks, shafts,
boilers, tubes for boilers, boiler plates, fire bars, and
every article or any other component part of an engine
or boiler, or any article whatsoever, which may become
applicable for the manufacture of marine machinery.
All these stores and articles are prohibited either to be
exported from the United Kingdom or carried coastwise.

The annual return relating to British Ships Employed
in the Trade of the United Kingdom, has been issued by
order of parliament. Last year the number of sailing
vessels and steamers employed in the trade was 18,206 of
3,730,087 tonnage, and the number of men employed
was 172,525, being an increase on several years.

NARRATIVE OF LAW AND CRIME.

A Poacher has met his Death in Lincolnshire, through
the conduct of two gamekeepers by whom he was
apprehended. At an inquest on his body the following
circumstances transpired:—The man, whose name was
Fieldsend, in company with others, was poaching at
Blankney on the night of the 24th ult. They were
attacked by the keepers and their dogs, and Fieldsend
was seized and left on the ground handcuffed, while
the keepers went in pursuit of one of his companions.
He raised himself up and made his escape. He found
his way to Bracebridge, knocked up the blacksmith
there, and requested him to take off the handcuffs, but
he refused. They were, however, taken off by some
other person, and he arrived at his lodgings. He
had received a blow on the head, and he bled very
much, and was in a most deplorable condition. His
clothes were torn to pieces by the dogs, and his shirt
was covered with the blood which had flowed from his
wounds. A warrant was issued for his apprehension,
and the execution of it was entrusted to the superintendent
of the southern division of county police,
G. Hardcastle, brother to S. Hardcastle, of Lincoln.
When he arrived in Lincoln, he sought the assistance
of his brother, and finding that Fieldsend was under
medical care, application was made to Mr. Simpson,
the surgeon, to know if he might be removed. The
answer given to the last inquiry was that he might be
removed to the county gaol, if great care was used,
but not to Sleaford. An uncovered car was procured,
and the Hardcastles went to Fieldsend's lodgings,
where he was still in bed, compelled him to get
up carried him down stairs, and forced him
in the car, and he died during the time they
were lifting him in. The officers thought the
deceased was "shamming" illness, and they drove
to the county gaol at a rapid rate, but the warder
refused to receive the corpse. At the inquest the
witnesses spoke to the inhuman conduct of the police.
The coroner dwelt upon the illegality of the arrest,
and the jury returned a verdict of "Manslaughter
against both the superintendents, the Hardcastles,"
who were both committed to Lincoln Castle for trial.

At the Central Criminal Court, on the 30th ult,
James Murray Rawlings, a young clergyman, pleaded
guilty to Uttering a Check the amount of which he had
altered from £8 to £80. This case was of a very painful
nature. Mr. Rawlings was an ordained clergyman of
the Church of England, and son of a late Rector of
Limehouse, who died from the cholera, which seized
him whilst attending the sick of his parish. In August
last the prisoner married the daughter of a clergyman
in the West of England, and, at the time of this occurrence,
had a living in the country. He had become
embarrassed in consequence of some church repairs he
had undertaken, and had come up to town to endeavour
to relieve his necessities; and having the check in his
hand, had been led to commit the act he had pleaded
guilty to. He had since then resigned his living. Several
gentlemen gave the prisoner a very high character. Mr.
Wilkinson, a barrister, who knew the wife's family, said
that he saw the prisoner on the day the offence was
committed, and he looked like a madman. His living
was stated to be in Lancashire, and worth £180 per
annum. Sentence, two years' imprisonment.

A gang of burglars attempted to Break into Windsor
Castle on the night of the 6th. Colonel Hood, Clerk
Marshal to Prince Albert, arrived at Windsor at
midnight. He took a short cut to the Castle by way of the
Slopes; as he was walking forward, he encountered
seven or eight men with their faces blackened, and who
seemed to have their feet muffled. On perceiving
Colonel Hood they ran off. It turned out that the band
had been seen by a sentry on the terrace, who
threatened to fire, and they answered they would blow his
brains out if he did, or if he gave an alarm. At this moment
Colonel Hood came up, and the burglars fled. The police
turned out, but no traces of the band could be found.

A Frenchman named Louis Montagnet, was committed
for trial on the 6th, at the Manchester sessions, charged
with Stealing Property to the amount of nearly £10,000,
from the bedrooms of the Queen's Hotel. The prisoner,
who went to that hotel two evenings before, contrived
during a stay of two hours to visit several of the
bedrooms and abstract the property from the trunks of
persons who were stopping in the house. Bills to the
value of several thousand pounds were found upon him,
which were identified by the persons to whom they
belonged. He was apprehended at the railway station
at Manchester, and at the time was about to start for
Preston. He had so disguised himself that his appearance
was very much altered, but the vigilance of the
police-officers detected him.

Jean Marie Courtoil, a foreigner, has been committed
by the Marlborough Street magistrate for a singular
Robbery. At midnight he entered Mr. Tyreli's cigar-
shop in the Haymarket; and, as he pretended to the
woman in charge that he was a surgeon, he was allowed
to pass on to a parlour. Mrs. Tyrell happened to have
fallen asleep in her chair in the parlour; she was
aroused by a tickling sensation about her ears; when
she awoke, the prisoner was standing over her, and he
dropped the earrings which he had just disengaged.
He attempted to escape; pushed Mrs. Tyrell down in
the shop, and ran into the street: but a policeman
seized him.

In the Court of Queen's Bench, on the 9th, Major
Beresford and ten other persons were indicted lor
Conspiring to Corrupt the Electors of Derby at the Election
of 1853. Mr. James stated the facts on behalf of the
prosecution. The present indictment (he said) had
been rendered necessary to meet the accusation that
these proceedings originated in a conspiracy got up by
the liberal party. But now, inasmuch as it was believed
that the exposure which had already taken place would
prevent the recurrence of such proceedings at Derby,
and those who had made the charge that the liberal
party had entered into the conspiracy alleged, had
withdrawn the charge, he did not intend, on behalf of the
prosecution, to offer any evidence in support ot the
indictment. Accordingly, the jury, under the direction
of Lord Chief Justice Campbell, returned a verdict of
"Not guilty." Sir F. Thesiger then made a statement,