The Express. — London, England, 1866-01-20 00:00:00

LIFEBOAT BERVICES.—During the storms of the pus year the National Lifeboat Imtitution, by its life boat and other mean; contributed to the saving of 707 persona tram afferent wyedui on our cassia. The Institution also ex pended 01E74 In the same period on its lifeboat establishments, In selditioa to granting ELM for rewards for saving life and exercising the lifeboats. The committee of the Institution earnestly APPEAL to the public for ASSISTANCE, to enable them to meet the continued Wavy demands oa the lastitution's 153 Lifeboat Stations. Contributions are received h the London and Country Bankers and by the Secretary, Richard Lew* Bp., at the In mantion,ls, Johnxtreet, Adelphi, London. JOHN BROOPEN. nRIGDIAL GOLD CHAIN MANUFACTORY, N. 14 EZNILIIIITA4TAILT. 00VINT4AILDEN. JOHN BROODS= GOLD CHAINS. JOHN BROGDENS GOLD GUARD 0 RLINEL jORN BROODER'S GOLD ALBERT CHAINS. JOHN BROGDENS GOLD BROOCH C HALM. MESSRS. WATHERSTON and SON, Goldsmiths sad Jewellers. Rave Ready for Loapeation a Great Variety of JEWELLERY, of the Latest Dodos, Imitable for WEDDING PRESENTS sad NEW-YR/XS GIFTS. It. Pall-mall East. S.W. (PELLE MEDAL AWARDED.) ALLEN'S PATENT PORTMANTEAUS and TRAVELLING BMX with LAMM: WARDROBE TEITNEB, E t uaI IIABTIrTAGB, with Ryer Mt= BOXER, WRITING and Lamm CABIN, and ON other articles for home or oonilnental travalling. Llinetrated alien's fres. Alba Barrack /furniture Catalogue of Portable Bed Made, Drawers, Easy Chairs, Washhandande, Canteens, &c.. %w. Amax. steam. w.c. and ?Modes, 37, West Inroad, the ovroveoo. TO 001LIMPONDISML Averilleaments Wended tor " The tomes " London Verdes =, must be at the Once, Boaverie•dreet, by Two lc on the day cd Tars EVENING, BROTHS& SAIL Mews. Rather% Hea dstone* and Compton • ' Owe Nell, Moore, Snowdon, ORPHEUS IN DIM HAY MARKET, Mews Tanen & D. Maher; Man Keeley, Howard & Wright —MY HUSBAND'S GHOST. P'!UNCEBET& THIS Svionso, QUIRT - 'LODGINGS.—After • which IT IS RIMS TOO !ATI TO MIND. Mews. Vining, O. Melville, I. Mead, D. Murray. b. Csiluiem, Villiers. J. 0. Shore, 0. Mer sa, sod R. Cattruirt; Misses L. Moore aad K. Rodgers. LYCII7If. THIS NVINT/10, iffificritious STRANGER. Mr. H. Widdicomb.—T HZ MASTER OF RAVENSWOOD. Loam. toolatar. Jordan. Train. titary, Widdluxumb, Fitzpatrick, Evan; Madam= Taman, Ziawarthy, Loom C. Lodging. BILITAIIIRIL 'mg imago, OLD DADDY LONGLEGS AND SIR REGRET CIRCUS; OR, *HE RACE fOR THE GOLDEN APPLES. 11. and Wine. Martmsbacb.—Shinor BennL—Olmar.—Shower of Golden Rain.—And JIM& THE MORMON'S DAUGHTER. IfIGHWMA AT LONDON-BBIDOL TI DATZI43TbibT, 4k sea xo-atozzow— Moratag, 4b. ..Atternoos. (41.175. LONDON. SATURDAY. JANUARY 20. IT will be some time before we hear the last of the loss of the London. Since the wreck of the Royal Charter, more than six years since, no such catastrophe has shocked and saddened the public ; and the noble behaviour of her commander, and of the passengers who calmly stood to meet their fate, as if strengthened and consoled by the firm ness of his great example, has affected all who have heard or read this story with a most pro found and poignant sympathy. Nor is it un seemly or ungenerous that, after the due offices of respect have been paid to the memory of men who died at the post of duty, the public instinct of self-preservation should seek to be convinced by all manner of sugges tions and explanations, very apt to occur to critics undisturbed by the dangers and lifficulties they discuss, that the calamity was pre ventible, and that some one was to blame for dfing this or for not doing that. Whenever a coal pit falls in or explodes, or news of some uncommon shipwreck is brought to land, there is a certain alms of public instructors who noisily pounce upon the narrative of the survivors, and turn it to account, by showing how it never should or could have happened had they been in charge, and by painting the horrors of the scene with the biggest brush in the world. They do this of course under a solemn sense of responsibility to the vast number of their readers who may probably at some time or other be exposed to the dangers of a sea voyage. Now, we are not for one moment supposing that tenderness for the reputation and memory of brave men who are gone beyond reach of praise or blame should make public writers forget what is due to the living interests they represent. We would simply take the liberty to suggest that, in anticipating so hurriedly a severe and stringent official inquiry into the cause and circumstances of such a calamity as the loss of the London, writers who must always make a display and a sensation at any cost, would do well to combine the slashing style with a little common sense. One of our most extensive contemporaries, in order, perhaps, to make sure of saying something that would not be likely to occur to anybody else, and to say it with the proper amount of blue fire, declared with all the emphasis of the printer's art that the 220 human beings who petshed in the London might be living at this very hour —if the London had never put to sea when she did : This search ing and startling conclusion looks at first sight, it is true, singularly modest, and almost too awes- Bible to the comprehension of the humblest intel lect. But our contemporary guards against the rash interpretation of its italics by a careless reader. It proceeds—a little injudiciously, perhaps—to give its reasons. The commander of the London, it insists, should never have proceeded to sea with &falling weather-glase ;—aremark which also seems obvious enough. Now, in the first place, it is by no means evident that the weatherglass was falling when the London left Plymouth Sound. A gale from the W. and S.W. had been blowing for three days when the London entered the Sound; but when she left Plymouth the wind, though b'ow ing from the same quarter, had lulled almost to a calm. No doubt the weather was broken and dis turbed ; it has been so with scarcely a day's in termission since the year began. But does our contemporary mean that a packet or passenger ship, of the size and rate of the London, with her passengers and cargo on board, bound to Australia, is to wait weatherbound until her barometers mark set fair, and her windgleas certifies a crlm ? What would become of our trade with America and the West Indies if the captains of the Canard and the Royal Mail line never ventured to proceed to sea except in fine weather 1 Why, for three months oat of the twelve they would never proceed to sea at all. If the Cunard boats never left their moorings in the Mersey when the weather looked threatening, or the barometers marked " change," what would become, we should be glad to hear, of their contract with the Post-office, and how would the merchants of London and New York like the arrangement? It would be just as rational to pro pose at once to go back to the good old days and ways when a six months' voyage to Calcutta, or a six weeks' voyage to Quebec, was prefaced by a month's anchor in the Downs. Conceive a line THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, JANUARY of passenger ships of which the arrivals are calculated and the departures advertised to a day, waiting twice • year for the equinoctial gales to blow over, or declining to go to sea as long as the weather is unsettled 1 Since the beginning of the present year our packet and passenger service to all parts of the world should have entirely ceased, according to this solemn doctrine so portentously paraded by our contemporary, for it cannot be said that the weather has been settled since the first of January. Has our contemporary never heard of ships bound to the other side of the world pro ceeding to sea in 'search of better weather than they leave behind them I There is not a shadow of reason to accuse the lamented commander of the London of sacrificing every consideration of prudence and safety to the reputation his ship had acquired for making quick passages. Unquestion ably it was part, and a principal part, of his duty, to proceed to sea with as little delay as possible, and to make as short and quick a passage as he could. If such is not' the duty of every ship master, we should be glad to hear from some one of the passenger and consignee clams, or from some mail agent, how long they ran afford to wait for a passage Really, we are almost ashamed to ap pear to discuss seriously so patent an ab surdity. Without denying that if the ship had not left Plymouth she would not have gone down in the Bay of Biscay, we may venture to remark, that according to the report of the surviving passengers, however severe may have been the storm in which the London foundered, it was one in which a ship's boat could live. Vessels of much less power than the London ma naged to make tolerable weather of it; the sur vivors were made very comfortable on board of an Italian barque ; they sighted a brig and even a cutter under canvas si ter the London had gone down ! Many other vessels, that must have resisted all the fury of the gale, have since arrived in our ports ; and it is abundantly clear that the commander of such a ship as the London was perfectly justified in proceeding to sea from Plymouth on that Sa turday morning. Many other subsidiary questions, however, will occur to the Court of Inquiry, which as lands men we can only presume to glance at with the utmost diffidence and deference to professional judgment and experience such as the construc tion, equipment, weatherly and steering qualities of the ship ; the weight and distribution of her cargo ; the spars she was carrying aloft in heavy weather ; the keeping her so long steaming head to wind against such a sea, instead of easing her away under her fore and aft sails; the quality of the ship's boats, and the means of lower ing them ; and many other questions more or leas ignorant, or futile perhaps, but which may be raised in the full belief that the regretted Captain MARTIN could have an swered them all most satisfactorily had he lived. There must be every disposition on the part of the public and of the Court of Inquiry to believe that such a ship as the London, owned by X firm of the highest repute, was found and fitted in the oompletest manner, for the Australian voyage. At the same time it would be affectation to assume that a steamer, with a mixed crew of eighty men, can be so well prepared for all emergencies as a ship of war of the same ton nage, but with a crew of some three or four hundred men, every one of whom has his station in the ship or the ship's boats. Nor, on the other hand, should it be forgotten that even the most powerful men-of-war—line-of-battle ships and first-class steam frigates—are by no means inex pugnable by the sheer force of wind and ass. It is not so many years since her MAJZSTIPIS ship Nile was all but lost on an Atlantic voyage ; and we have not forgotten how the famous Warrior, on her trial cruise across the Bay, shipped a green sea that washed out all her fires. There are hurricanes "out of the heavens " in which the strongest ship that was ever launched is but as a wisp of straw upon the waters, and in manceurring to escape from hurricanes it is precisely the moment when resistance is abandoned and the ship is "bearing " up," that the green seas which sweep the deck from end to end and stave in the strongest hatchways and stern-poste are apt to come on board, and make an end of all things. There is one impression, however, or prejudice, under which we have long laboured, and which we must confess the fate of the London has only confirmed, and that is in favour of wood, and against iron. There appears to be almost as great a distinction between the loss of a wooden sb:p and the loss of an iron ship as between a railway and a coach accident ; and we are always reminded of that terse and simple formula by which a passen ger who had suffered harm both by rail and coach explained the distinction. In the one case, he said, "there you are ;" in the other, " where are you ?" No one would grant to iron ships over wooden ships the superiority, in other respects, of rail over coach. But for sudden and over whelming catastrophes commend us to iron. OUR CONTEMPORARIES. (THIS DAY.) . every experiment hem been tried by which the evil day may ii passible be warded off. The good sense and mederatioa of the goveranuat of Florence has induced it hitherto to avoid any minion which might render the prolonged reten tion of the Quadrilateral a point of honour for Austria. If that wise policy be pursued, the hoar of its reward cannot be far distant. _ . The Sear thinks that the mere statement that Mr. Byre's despatches have SUM the month of October been to all appearances quietly deposited in the pigeonholes of the Colonial-Aloe, is in itself a sufficient impeachment of the Colonial Secretary ; and, thanks to the indiscretion of Mr. Byre, we have discovered that Mr. Cardwell has written confidential despatches instigating the bill for destroying the most ancient of our colonial institutions. These and any and every document of the kind must be incorporated with the blue-book, and the circle of inquiry must be extended to things done anteeedently to the riots at Morant Bay upon which the Colonial-office was consulted, and for which it is more than probable Mr. Cardwell and his coadjutors and predecessors were more or lees responsible. Irbt court. OSBORNE. JAN. 19. The Queen drove out yesterday morning with Priam, Helms. Her Grand Ducal Highness Princess Leinisgen gavebirth to a prince yesterday afternoon at Oshorce. The Queen was with her oleos when the event toot place. A Cabinet Council was held yesterday at the official residence of the First Lord of the Treasury in Downing-street. The ministers pre sent were—Earl Russell, the Lord Chancellor, Earl Granville, the Duke of Argyll, Sir George Grey, the Earl of Clarendon, the Right Hon. Edward Cardwell, Earl de Grey, Sir Charles Wood, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Duke of Somerset, the Right Eton. T. Milner Gibson, Lord Stanley of Alderley, and the Right Hon. C.P. Villiers. A committee of the Lords of the Privy Council sat yea terday at the Exchequeroffice, for the trial of the Pis. The Lords of the Council present were—The Lord Chancellor, the Lord Privy Seal, the Right Hoe. H. A Brut" and the Right Hon. G. T. Ouches. The judicial and official per sonages, and the learned and skilled functionaries usually attendant upon the trial of the Piz, were also present. A deputation from a county meeting on the cattle plague, convened by the High Sheriff of Lancashire, at Preston, on the 11th of January, had an interview with Earl Russell at his official residence in Downing-street, yee terday, on measures for the suppression of the plague, and on national insurance and a public loan. The deputation consisted of the Marquis of Hartington, LP., Mr. Charles Turner, M.P.. Sir James Kay Shuttleworth, Mr. Townley Parker, Mr. Thomas Weld Blnudell, Mr. Jonathan Peal, Mr. Fasackerley Westby, and Mr. John Hargreaves. Despatches were received yesterday at the Colonial aloe from the Governors of Hong Hoeg, Ceylon, the Australian Colonies, the Cape of Good Hops, Natal, Mah, Gibraltar, Canada, and Vancouver's Island. Despatches were seat to the Governors of Gibraltar, Malta, the Man. rides, Ceylon, Hoeg Koog, Libman. the Australian Colonies, Cape of Good Hops, Natal. awl St. Helena. Her Majesty the Queen has most graciously signified her intention to be sponsor for the infant daughter of Sir Robert sad Lady Emily Peel. Their Royal Highnesses the Prinoe and Princess of Wales are expected to leave Saodricabant for Marl• borough House on or about the 28th inst. THE WEEKLY PRESS. The Saturday Review doubts whether any public meeting has within the last year expressed the smallest desire for the only reform bill which is likely to pan the House of Commons. The probable opponents of the bill, it thinks, display unusual sagacity in waiting for the production of the measure before they object to its provisions. Re. finance will be hopeless unless the majority is divided. The success of the measure will largely depend on the temper, the firmness, and the adroitness of Mr. Gladstone. It Is especially desirable that he should satisfy the house and the country that the government intends, to the best of its power, to preclude the need of further changes daring the present generation. Whatever may be thought of the advantage of preserving the smaller boroughs, it will be easier to defend them on principle than to recommend the alteration of the franchise on the ground that it will facili tate changes in electoral districts which are not considered practicable at present. It may perhaps be fortunate that Mr. Gladstone some years ago urged the expediency of ret►ining a certain number of small constituencies. Although he may fairly have changed his opinion on this point, he will be more fully trusted by the House of Commons if he repeats his former arguments than if he is supposed to share the ulterior designs of Mr. Bright. His most dangerous tendency in debate is to utter general propositions which are not necessary for the esta blishment of his practical conclusions. It is useless and un desirable to challenge opposition by the employment of ab stractions and generalities. A bill which might command the approval of parliaments a 'solution of an immediate diffioulty would almost certainly fail if it were offered as an instal ment of universal suffrage, and as a partial recognition of the right, of man. There will be sufficient interest in the conduct of the inevitable struggle, without the creation of superfluous obstacles. The House of Commons ,will not pan a reform bill on the ground th►t the Eoglish constitu tion is thoroughly faulty, or that the system of taxation ought to be remodelled. If Mr. Gladstone will only culti vate reticence on all suitable occasions, there its no reason to fear that he will be wanting in eloquence. It seems, says the Spectator, that some of the extraordi nary reports of courts-martial and their results published in the Colonial Standard of Jamaica were actually written, as was suspected in England at the time, by omrespondents shocked beyond measure at the brutality of the measures adopted, and only able to convey their horror by throwing an extravagance of cynical emphasis into their approval of the bloody measures adopted, which slightly overleaped the bounds of real sympathy. Thus the correspondent of the Standard, who reported the fifty lashes given to each of a lot of supposed &oats as a mere caution, and the immediate Imag ined Geo. Marshall, a brown man,be c sus° at the forty-seventh lash he ground his teeth and cast a ferocious look at the provost-marshal—writes now under his own name, A. W. H. Lake, reporter to the Colonial Standard, to confess that he loathed the cruelties committed, but dared ►t best only to indicate them in this manner. Some of those masted as political prisoners were his most intimate friends. and known to be so. "If I at all merit *ensure," be says, "it is far possessing a natural dread, a desire to avoid the laceration of my flesh by way of cautioa.' Alt! and a floosie placed around my neck!" "I hesitate not in declaring," he writes, "that the atrocities committed at Mount Bay during martial law by the provost-marshal, under the sane- Mon of the authorities, will muse a blush on many a British cheek when chronicled. I hesitate not to say mur der, fool murder, has been perpetrated in the fan of day, and 1 fear not to tell it that Mr. George William Gordon has been cruelly slain by the authorities, not a tittle of legal evidence having been adduced to warrant even his being placed upon his trial." The notes of this trial have come home, and are to be published in a few days. Mr. Lake adds that "some of her Majesty's justices of the peace were being near catted by the provost-marshal." That would have been a very dramatic assertion of the perfect impartiality of the law. Will Mr. Cardwell now repeat his flagrantly untrue assertion that "comparative safety was speedily restored to all persons, of whatever race or colour, who desired to live in pates and orderly submission to the law I" Mr. Lak ), who was on the spot, positively affirms the contrary. . . . As a matter of principle the Economist is disposed to deny that a protracted tenure of subordinate office is a good pre paration for high office. in most cases it is an incurable bane to statesmanlike capacity. Ooe consideration which in Mr. Goechen's ease will have immense weight with English society is that he is a pecuniary loser. None of the displeased under-seenstaries an say, "I might have been one of the richest men in England only I did not choose." What Mr. Gosehen will make of the Cabinet no one can tell. In the Bank court, however, where generally a young man has little influence, Mr. Goschen by his know s ledge of the money market and his energy in a rather heavy atmosphere did gat inflames and keep it. Bat unless he can acquire not only the ear of the house, which he has, but the oommand of the house, which as yet of (nurse he has not, he will not only not ries, but he will fall in public estimation. He must quickly become greater, or he will quickly become less. An unattsche 1 minister, like the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, is permitted to speak on many subjects ; he is to be useful where he can be usefuL If Mr. Gamboa will use the evening liberty well, we shall not regret, bat rejoin that be was not hindered by the laborious routine of a common office in a morning. Referring to prat occasions on which its exclusive infor mation has proved authentic, the Press to-day asks its readers to believe that Earl Russell requested each member of the cabinet to give him an answer in writing to the following extraordinary ultimatum :—" Shall we take away the endowments of the Irish Church saving existing in terests, or shall we erect alongside of it a coequal sod co oedinate establishment (i.e.. endow the Romish Church) The Press understands that the majority declared them selves in favour of the latter proposition, which will be sub mitted to parliament. . _ The John Bull refers to gonip, which it says is current at the clubs, that Lord Stanley is to lead the Conservatives. It this be true, the Tory party wouli lose the support of most Churchmen worthy of the name. The Charob, which looks with. confideece to such statesmen as Lord Csruszvon. Sir Stafford Northoote, Mr. Walpole, Mr. Gathorne hardy, and many other trusted Conservatives, will never brook the leadership of a nobleman who has separated from his party on Church questions ; and whose sympathies are rightly or wrongly suppose Ito be with those who would sap the foundations of the faith by denying alike the authority of the Bible and the church. There is no see being squeamish er reticent in such a case. Let us hope that the mere men tion of the report will prevent the plan being further con templated ; and that a happy solution of the difficulty—if difficulty it be—may be found in the Earl of Derby con senting to sacrifice, if necessary, his personal predileotteus for the good of the cause which he has so nobly served. VISIT OF THI PRINOZ AND PRINCESS OP WALLS TO LILLINHALL AND TRENTHAL—We understand that the Prince and Princess of Wales are about to pay a visit to the Doke sod Dsohess of Sutherland. Their royal highness are expected to arrive at Lilleshall on Tuesday scut, and stay there over Thursday, and if the weather is suitable, no doubt the Prince will enjoy the shooting, as the duke's estate abounds with game. On Friday their royal highnesses will mamma; the duke and dachas to Trentham. We understand that the Prime and Princess will remain at Trentham for several days, and that a distinguished party will be invited to inset their royal highnesses and partici cipate in the duke's hamitalitisa. At a meeting yesterday, at Newport, to &neap for the neeptioe of their royal highboys; ft was stated that they would arrive at the Newport station at 3.25 as Tuesday afternoon, would re. main at Lilleahall until Friday, when they would ppaa♦ a ' visit to the railwa7 works at Crewe, prier to going to hest. ham.—Stefordelure Advertieer. TICS 11111111 440101T10N. The Daily News is ready to allow that, so far as analogy has anything to say to the matter, the prece dents of England and Scotland may be urged in favour of the endowment of the Roman catholic church in Ireland ; foe the communion of Rome holds in the sister-island the position occupied by Anglican episcopacy and by presbyterianism in the northern and southern divi sions respectively of Great Britain. The project has at different times found favour with men of very various political and moral views ; by Mr. Pitt and Lord Castlereagh ; by eminent whig statesmen ; by men who regard moral and political agencies chiefly as a means of political rule, and by thinkers who, like the late Dr. Arnold, regard government as an instrument to be used for moral and religious purposes. But apart from what is theoretically desirable, such a measure is altogether im practicable. The British nation and parliament would never moat to the endowment of the Roman catholic clergy in Ireland, and the Roman catholic clergy would not accept pecuniary aid from the government if they ware to be fettered by the only conditions which would make it worth offering. They know, too, that if they became the pensionariss of the State the Liftmen°e which they exercise over their flocks would be seriously im paired, and might ultimately altogether disappear. At the present moment the ecclesiastical policy of the country is in a state of transition ; and he would be an uawiamtator man who should embarrass by a new obstacle the solution of a problem which is already fraught with doubt and diffi culty. - The Herald thinks the neglect of the government to interfere with ',Monism a year and a half ago, is explained by the nearnese at hand of the general election, one in which the great liberal party depended for the return of its candidates, not only on the votes of Ultraznontanes and tenant-righters, bat also upon the sympathy of the non electoral mamas. Seemly one month had elapsed from the making of the last " return " when the Irish People was seized and its whole staff consigned to prison. With strange infatuation these political quacks, the whigs, who have nearly killed their patient, still stick to their old pre scriptions, and point to acts for securing tenant right and abolishing the established church as the only means of stay ing the Fenian fever. THE CATTLZ PLAGUE. The Times is glad to observe that the proposal of com pensation out of the general revenue seems to be repudiated on all hands. Lord Russell distinctly negatives any such idea in his letter to Lord John Manners ; Sir James Ferguson emphatically denounces it, and Sir James Kay-Shottleworth, no inexperienced practitioner in the art of extracting public money, does not venture for • moment to propose it. The idea has been out down to a proposal for a general com pulsory mutual assurance under the management and with the guarantee of the government, and that in its torn has been reduced to • voluntary insurance under the management and with the guarantee of the govern ment secured by a loan on the lands of those who are adventurous enough to enter it. This proposition is in its turn repudiated, and what we arrive at is the ex tension of the principle of loans for drainage to loans to make good the losses of the cattle plague. The inference we draw from theme things is that for want of an ascertained risk the principle of insurance is inapplicable to the case, and that the landed interest will do wisely to tarn it■ efforts towards prevention, instead of wasting them on schemes for compensation. The Post observes that butchers in some counties are now obliged by the orders of justices to slaughter fat beasts in barns and in other outbuildings belonging to the promises where they are bought. Magistrates in certain districts where they have the power of granting leave for the moving of animals are rather reluctant, and very properly so, to give permits. Pigs and sheep, if alive, are in many localities forbidden to be driven or carried from the places where they now are. Agriculturists are still anxious for the adoption of general rides in this matter that shall be equally applicable to every county in Great Britain. and the time is not far distant when all live animals which may reach this country from Continental Europe, and meant for the butcher, must be slaughtered at the ports where they arrive. Parliament will, no doubt, be urged to legislate on this subject during the next session. NE. GLADSTONE AND TEN NATIONAL DEBT. The Telegraph maintains that the first duty of the nation is to foram a surplus from year to year with a view to pay off as much as possible annually of the National Debt, the Chancellor of the Exchequer not only at once extinguishing whatever amount he cao, but also bringing forward a scheme for facilitating the commutation of permanent into termin able annuities. To many people such a measure may be of essential service ; and whatever additioaal amount of inter est might be required from year to year, the sum would be well bestowed if it diminished, so far, prospectively the total of the national liability. It will not do, however, to be dogmatic, as to the precise means. We are , anxions to establish, in the first instance, that it is the paramount duty of the state, at this particular time, to apply itself to the payment of the debt, and we wish it to be understood that, by reducing the amount of the debt, the country would, more effectually than by any other means, contract the aggregate of its annual taxation. The time has come when such a public example must be of the greatest benefit to our own and to all other countries. Mr. Gladstone is pre-emineatly distinguished for the enuncia tion of noble maxims in ethic. Let him, then, boldly undertake this glorious task of accomplishing what Pitt and many financiers and moralists of days gone by in vain at. tempted, and be will deserve the gratitude of the whole nation ; while generations yet unix ra will learn to venerate his name. JS TOPICS. The Times attributes the destroctioe of the 11th Regi ment at Hoog-Kong to bad quarters, a bad seesoo, and a locality always more or lees insalubrious, to injudicious or ontlioting orders, to the neglect end abeeooe of the local officials, and to the want of a comprehensive policy for supplying the numerous and distant outposts of this empire in a way to economise British blood by utilising the many millions under our sway or our iofluenoe. There is no mincing the matter. We cannot find British soldiers for all the duty to be dove. If we choose to have depen dencies all over the world we must ask one race to waist us in controlliog another. There is 'redoubt th►t we can obtain any number of soldiers from India who would be quite equal to the defence of our positions on the coasts of China and Japan. The British soldier was precious many years ago, when the great Sikh chieftain said that had he such soldiers he would have every one carried by natives, and only placed on the ground to do the fighting work. He is far more precious now, far more costly, and more scarce ; that is, mare difficult to be obtained on any terms. So we must save him if we cao, and we must even be prepared to run risks in doing so. The Times is glad to learn that four regiments are to return home at once from New Zealand, and sincerely hopes that in a few months the entire force will be with• drawn. Our duty now cenobite solely is defending New Zealand from foreign invuion if any such be threatened through an English quarrel, and in leaving the oolonista, who are now three or tour times as numerous es the hostile Maoriea, and who are perfectly ready to accept the respon sibility, to deal with the Marries as they think proper. The public, the Daily Needs says, have been accustomed to expect the first step towards the adjustment of great European questions from the Emperor Napoleoa, and, If its information is correct, that sovereign is at the present time occupied with the consideration of the best manner of constituting fileswigNolstein au independent state, with a prince acceptable to the Duchies at its head. The principal governments of Europe may possibly be consulted before long as to the desirable nem of diersunieg the matter in a conference ; and if this be so, it is not easy to see, unless we have made ap our minds wholly to abstain from the common affairs of Europe, ea what grounds we could decline to be repropeoted. The Herald dwells en the suggestions that the Logsdon was too flimsy for the terrific forces she might any day encounter; that though " magnificent," she was of an unsafe shape and construction ; that her boats of any capacity were too few, nearly all secured by insufficient teals, not easy to launch, and when launched useless— 's,' .de that the public will begin to feel UM and less sonfidasee in steamers which in fair weather maks extraordinary passages. The Tat:prank has no doubt, and it gives various reasons for its opinion, that the ooatingency of having to cede Venetia is cue seriously ooatemplated at Visalia, though we cannot expect that such a step will be takes till 20, 1866. LATEST INTELLIGENCE. (urrn's TE11011•101.) THE MILITARY REVOLT IN SPAIN. MADRID. JAa. 19.4 P.m. The latest official intelligence announces that the insurgentalbivouacked last night at Bienvenida, and that it was believed they would enter Portuga l to-morrow. . At Valencia some students have attempted to disturb public order, but without effect. PARK JAN. 20. The Moniteur of this morning says :-L" General Prim was yesterday at Herina, and to-day at Treganare, small places situated between Andalusia and Portugal." FRANCE. PARIS, JAN. 20. The Constibutionnel of this morning publishes an article signed by its chief editor, M. Paulin Limay rac, entitled "Les Emigr4s 9 l'lnterieur." The writer reverts to the attacks of the hostile parties, particularly in the newspapers, against the foreign policy of the government. He then alludes to the difficulties of the wars is the But and in Italy, through which France successfully passed, and states that at present there only remain two pend ing questions of foreign policy—namely, that of the extradition treaty and the Mexican question. The first matter, continues the writer, is entrusted t 3 the care of diplomacy. A 3 regards the Mexican question, after a war of three years, the assistance of our soldiers is still required for its solution. That party in France which we might call " fo reign" bee pronounced against French interests, re serving its sympathies for the bands of plunderers and assassins forming the last remnant of the Juarez party. ROME. MARSEILLES, JAN. 19, Emma. Advices received here from Rome to the 17th inst. state that Cardinal Antonelli had addressed a note to the Papal Nuncios abroad, explaining the acceptance of the offer of France relative to the Pontifical Debt. _ It is asserted that in consequence of the late in terview between the Pope and Baron Meyendorff, diplomatic relations have been suspended between Rome and Russia. INDIA AND CHINA MAILS. MARSEILLES, JAN. 19. The Messageries Impdrialee steamer Said, left here to-day with the outward mails for India, China, and Japan. She takes out 40,0001. for Alexandria, and 100,000!. for India, also a large quantity of Manchester and Bradford goods for India. THE OUTWARD BRAZIL MAIL. The Royal Mail Steam-packet Company's ship Rhone, from Southampton, with the mails of the 9th inst. for Brazil, arrived at Lisbon, and sailed for Brazil on the 14th inst., ber proper day. The company's agent at Lisbon has telegraphed that he sent the usual telegram, which, however, has never been received. (REUTER'S EXPRESS.) BAVARIA AND ITALY. MUNICH, JAN. 18 The King yesterday gave audience to the Marquis d'Oldoini, extraordinary ambassador and pleni potentiary from the Italian Court. In presenting his letters of credence the Marquis said : Now that friendly relation' between Italy sad Baysrhi have happily bean resumed, the King, my illustrious sove reign, has deigned to accredit me as Extraordinary Amber sador and Plenipotentiary to your Majesty, and to confide to me the honourable mission of re-uniting and firmly establishing anew the ties which have bound together the two crowns and peoples. My first duty is to (aprons to your Majesty the sincere wishes of the Kiog and hie government for the happiness of your Majesty and the Royal family, as well as for the prosperity of Bavaria, which forms so important a part of that noble Germany with which Italy posseeees so many points of contact and of common interest, and I am proud to be permitted to be interpreter of the sentiments of my illustrious master and of the royal government upon this solemn occasion, and I shall be happy if I succeed, daring th e fulfilment of my task, in acquiring the goodwill of your Majesty and the esteem of your government. I have the honour to hand your Majesty my credentials. The King replied : " • " Signor linisiro. —I share the feelimp you have just exprused to me in the name of his Majesty the King of Italy and of the royal government and cherish a sincere desire for the happiness of King Victor Emmanuel and of the Royal family, as well as for the prosperity of Italy. It will be ray aim constantly to draw closer the ties of friendship between the two courts and farther to develop good relations betvrese the two countries. You may rest secured, Signor Marchese. of my entire goodwill in the execution of this task, as well u for yourself personally. SCENE AT THE NEW FRENCH PLAT. The Si lcle of to-tlty contains the following pars- ' graph respecting the Lion Amoureux by IL Pouand, which was brought out two days ago at the ?meals, and at the first representation of which the Emperor was present : " It is now quite the fashion for the jetniesse don's to blacken the Convention and the men of the Revelation ; but they were nobly avveged yesterday at the Comedie Francais° One of the personages of the new play,Humbert, having found his way into one of the splendid saloons of the reactionary party, patiently listens for some time to the raillery and charges of the perfumed crowd, when, unable any longer to restrain his indignation, he pours forth a torrent of invective against his adversaries, and with a rare eloquence defends the cause of the Revolution. Enthu siastic applause, which was prolonged for several minutes, followed this eloquent burst of the author. The Emperor, who was present, took u it were the initiative in the plaudits, sad emaciated himself in this patriotic m►nifesta tion of the whole theatre." The Avenir Notional also describes the effect prodaesd as being very great, and "sufficient to make the proscribed bones of the men of the Old Convention stir in their tombs. ° The following is the passage that produced so much sea. nation : h la reaction est ici days son camp ! Le royalism° y ripe et s'y fait provoquat II croft abattre, avec se' petite' naancouvres, La Revolution, sea humus et see wanes ! II emit qu'os kissers, par on Who abandon, liar les pads du titan viewer is mirmklea ! Saverevons, mumadins, woos qui tonettes lee lemmas, Cs qu'oet fait, ran dernier, cies moutagnards infernos! II &Reit &feaster hien d'antres gene quo vow ; L'Burope se malt tont setters cur now ; Iles oat fait se dreamer, jest* au mole od nous sommes, Quatorse corps d'arnsees et douse out mule hammer, Qui, Unique 1 la main, en hilltops, sans sodien, Oct manse' l'assaut de six mi. allies. Cm heron, muscadine, bravest carabises, Rattaisat des Presume et non des Jambes.. ; Oes nobles vs-nu-pink, agiotours repo; S'elancaiut wen In glair* et non were Ile eO4ll. Mies . . s esj . ! assaillevnonures evoqusz Le souvenir deices per vow: seals Novaya. ; Vous clean misesnient &unit matins was terra, Atrium anjoaWbui la lion tieloonsire. La Onivention pent, comma l'snoisn Rontain, Bar l'autel Waste pasent as facie mein. Ripeadre fireeinast. sloe 9u'oe : "J. jute quip, tel ion; flu serve ls petrie I " • The Russian Invalids says that extensive coal raises have been discovered on the beaks of the river Baton, at a distance 00 60 miles from Tchernimat. As Turkistan has bees and is beta/ chiefly conquered with the assistance at franhode oa the river Sir, this Lee imported dimovery. Hitherto the vial bad to be Isansperted treat the aver Dow. The enforcement of the law prohibiting the im portation of foreign cattle he. conned greet diartiefoctios on the Iltnedion border. As dowers who purchased animals in Canada euddesly fond than stepped oa the lias, and suffered were losses. SCANDALOUS ASSAULT IN A , CARRIAGE.-GALLANT CONDUCT ENGINE DRIVER. ROMFORD, firrotuar At the Romford Petty Sessions (Friday), before C. Mashiter, Fact., Charles D e and J. 0. Hope, req., Robert William* aged Z maker, in the service of Mears. Bu r roughs and pyk billiaratable-makers, of Soho.equsre, was charged at th, instance of the Great Eastern Railway Company Truk indecent and awn= 'malt on a young gut m il Charlotte Martin, aged 17, a domestic servant, la service of Mr. John Brown, 227, Shorediteb. Mr. Wood, from the office of Mr. Ashley, Hostoe, solicitor to the Great Eastern Railway e gili k attended to p oseente at the instance of the eompaa;rt L. Lewis, of Ely-place, appearing for the primer. Mr. Wood, in stating the cue to the ba l d, marked that the peoseontria was an orphan, eed - 1,: the age of 10 to 13, had been brought up at the ditch Industrial Schools. From the age of 13 she had out atservice, having been in four situatiom 6.67.* modest, well.cooducted girl. On Wednesday, ihkca 4 b ar d i s t res s, Mn. Brown, gave her • h%, go to see her sister, who was in the Shoreditc h " at Brentwood. After spending the day at the ea** left at S dale* in the evening for the purpose of nite r % h ome , When she got loth' Brentwood station the me lee who was on the platform accosted her, and there i de . train in the station she walked with him up the da m ,' to en where it was going. Prisoner asked her eh m , she lived, bat she did not reply, and he then " You ought to my that is • very rude que s si o i3 as k a lady." The girl then got into a third class me i . next to the engine by herself. Immediately aftersol the prisoner get in, end sat beside her, and whet train started they were alone. As soon u it started he asked the proseoutrix to kiss hire, anghi hoe refusal pet his arm round her neck, and crintie ld a, kiss her. 8110 moved away from him, and he foll owe d I. and tried to unfasten her frock, but was unsucoessia ff, then moved to the seat opposite to her, and acted in a nee indecent and cowardly manner. In fact, but for the Ad and daring conduct of the engine driver he would tee stood at the bar upon a much more serious dm. than the present. It would be proved that the od d driver bad observed the conduct of the prisoner hi e „ h got into the carriage. He had three times during the ney from Brentwood to Bamford, which utopia it minutes, climbed from his engine on to the beer d the carriage is which the parties were ; haagieg the hunp.won. and standing on the buffer, he id looked into the carriage, and on the two lint ea melons be had seen the prisoner kissing th e pft. seoutrix„ sod she resisting as well as the ps terrified girl could. On the third occasion he sow the prisoner acting in a grossly indecent ease, and he called upon him to desist, his dress being thm der ordered. The bench would appreciate the conduct of 6 8 engine driver when they remembered that he If grave responsibilities in the care of his train, If aotwithstanding this he watched over the poor yam orphan girl, and at the arrival of the train at Bed e ' the prisoner was removed from it and sent to the commit s police.akie at Shoreditch. The girl was in • most say state, and prisoner said he would go down on his 'mew lb could be forgiven, as he had a wife and four childreo. The prosecutrii was called, and fully bore out thin*. meat. In she said she had not smiled et fts prisoner. She did not scratch his hoe because sk m frightened of him. John Bullock, the engine driver, proved that wheals last saw the parties and interfered the poor girl was sriss bitterly, the tears running down her cheeks, and she i most pitiable condition. In cross.examination witness said that she was deuiyul • consenting party. He did not interfere before, how there was not any attempt at indecency, and Its la, engine to attend to. Al ter the evidenee, Mr. Lewis, for the defence, said that although Ids did had been guilty of gross misconduct, the proeeentrir been a consenting party. lie urged the bench saheb discharge the prisoner or send him for trial, where he soil oertsinly be acquitted. The bench considered the offence fully proved, and Issi the prisone! 201., which was paid at once. The engine driver received a great compliment ferns manner is which he had attended to his duty and the ;a , tection of a defenceless young girl. The Earl and Countess of Clarendon and lay Emily Villiers oome to town next week from The Gnus, wear Watford, for the sewn. The death is announced of Lady Charlotte Elia. bath Osborn. Her ladyship, who was born in 1811,in the fourth daughter of the Ooanten of Antrim aid la Mark Kerr, and was married in 1835 to Sir George field Osborn, Bark. The weekly meetings of the members of the Bowl Institution oowmenoed yesterday evening for the mu on which oenseion Professor Tyndall delivered a lents:, II a crowded audience, " On Radiation and Absorption, eY reference to the colour of bodies and their state of swop tin)." It is stated that Mr. G. G. Scott will erect is new buildings that are required for Glasgow Uniting,. The site of the new works will be Gilmore Hill. It is understood that the Rev. C. Pritchard mowed Mr. De La Sae so President of the Astroeoniel Society. On Thursday evening, in accordance with as annottomemout extensively placarded throughout Dahlia' some days past, the ladies of the " Appeal Fund Our mitten" held a bazaar in the theatre of the Module Institute for the benefit of the Willa of the Poise sonars. It was stated the bazaar was under the Wimp of the Head Centre's wife, but, be this as it ram, the pa medley passed off in a quiet and orderly manor. A decree of the penal section of the crimineJ tribun►l of Ventos, published in the official Oaxne d that province, hu forbidden the sale of "labor* prints, coloured or not coloured, representing is runs sizes Victor Emmanuel, Garibaldi. and the Mahn d Italy, as well as the battles of Boileau°, Magna, NI Montebello, sad the geographical map of the kingdom d Italy in which are comprised, as part of the seine, Valk Istria, Trieste, the Tyrol, and Dalm►tia." Every year the numbers who,fiock to the glob and colleges of both the state and the mimics's/is, aspire to university honours, increase all over Lida, 10 especially in Bengal. A few weeks ago the seem , hall of the floe new post-office in Calcutta, built Mow the Black-bole, was crowded with the university cad dates as only the examination-rooms in Chins are lli There were 1,500 candidates for matricniatioe at or slos the ego of 16, and 447 uodergraduates of two yew latui log for the little go, called here the first examinatios arts. The following week there would be 120 avail Bachelors of Arta, besides Masters of Art', sad those eY seek protensional degrees. But among the would-In blob lon there is not ore Musulman. The Bogdan me where predominate in the proportion of four-fifths Cl whole. . --- The Rev. Daniel J. Draper, whose name is Fr mineot in the narratives of the loss of the Loodoo, col Wesleyan minister of Andrei* who came to this coast! eight months ago as representative of the Methodist Cs ' femme of Australasia to the Wesleyan Conference of SO Britain. In his native county (Hampshire), in Wolk and Beetles& as well as in London and in other owl" Epees& he endeared himself to a large circle of Meal, his geoid disposition and his able public f erric*. 0 wife, who is also much lamented, wee the daughter of • of the first missionaries to Tahiti, who tailed by the ill Duff at the sad of the last century. Mr. Draper WO oily one see, now resident in Australia. The secretary of the South Eastern Rainlß explains, with regard to the complaint of the meted Godateue, that those who attended the late prize fitti_! ll 2 by the ordinary parliamentary train, and that the awl knew nothing whatever of their intentions. Bata running a train which by law they are compelled telex the directors rendered no assistance and gave so lactic whatever to the prize fight as alleged. " And in fact,"t Mr. Smiles, "they were no more responsible for the or than the rector of Gaston, himself." DEATH OF MR. Jolts GIBBON, R.A.—We fife received intelligence of the death of Mr. John Gilboa "" eminent sculptor, who expired on Sunday bud, at " after a short bat severe illness. Since the death of CIO! and Tisorwaldsen Mr. Gibson may be considered the." justly celebrated sculptor of the present day. Be al. native of Liverpool. LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS FOIIIO =EOM What—Yeeday, Entomological. 7 Gccfr!,,. at 84, "Explorations in N. W. Australia," M 1, 1; 1 1 "Claps York, Australia," Mr. Jardine. Ty _,, 40111, 44, Inditudee, 3, " Heat," Protestor ?yodel' ; Zoccc"'" The Markhoer (owns esegaceros)," Dr. Marie ;" I "'" — „,„,e of Birds in the So's Avian.," Mr. Bartlett ; eat Canaries," Dr. Hartlanb ; Ethnological, 8. t " Wands." Etr E. Bather ; " Vila to he sif :g goolans." Dr. Caddy ; Enemas, 8. M. of Oseeente "Creiggelleolde Viaduct. m r. e-ris Wadmoder. Sestete of Aria. 8 ; Gado, ; Geology; Kr. Gedwis.Aostee ; " Origin of eseteis . ' braise. N. Zealand," Mr. haven ; ArchsoolOP O4 Liter64-11ft• Thursday, Royal fusillades, 3. Pref. Tynew • Aetiquarise„ 84; Royal, . 8 i r".". ..10 Regal lattittdoc. " Seeress of the Niles .. .__"" -- b j e Saturday, Royal Inditetiee, 3, "Art Educt t "'" ; I Works of Art should be viewed," ProL Westansodt. Mr. Marla for a rule cal attachment el pertain intern roptione pn the plaintire enlarged am tiff plain 2or gatortee had I The court I COURT the object w that the rosy was the pen Nevertbelesu stranger, on if he had k der after t Gabrielle B The court be and wife had remptorily Divorce Ac probable t] manner he wife. He • ton for the her at the never to haw but it sop he had ha he might contracting r had all along lags would I nothing in tl to relieve tt rested upon and the reap ♦ SCUM 1 James WI miner. 'mei: stolen three Vas propert workhouse. The prose Pancras wo at night. 1 with some o lag morales vw, and U se She priers be was takes box, which I One of th, of bloFarlso panioos bre! z i nestion. 1 but be did e /aft __ Mae you "ratios Witness— hive pure Joined togs kw been hare been workhouse being playa whilst they battik__ tilelE4i wad ward WitaeZ: they can's i The Magi Witness— thee they I their beds. Thepram 7 that he km part in it. he did not miner, and work, had o mint, and Th - e ileTgi the ualawf mentencto hi' the House c ROHM jantes CA llamas of 1 r io bel y diem Tamer, /A mower mead $ Orem yost did so tellie r RV W4l4' r iaba ‘yest a m ir C ans .s. SWIM in P 4 27 . a Wig. F