The Express. — London, England, 1866-04-21 00:00:00

, . 1 . i J , 1 li 1 i .i 1 , 1 101 ' 4 . ‘ 4 I, .1 I 11: r!1 . 1 1 , 1 '," • !,; • 1 1' I .' .1, i *% I I /•„. .; 1 2 GOLD CHAINS.—JOHN BBOGDEN beg s to mil the attention of the public to the /O E M of IN VOICE which he delivers with Gold Chains purchased a d. " hii manufactori: A To worinnsasiiip-ol Diana aux as who. keg To ail) wet solia; weighing ea. dlit. grt , at CS Ss Bid. itta: (Mace; Mint *lee _ Teed Upon this system, tba QUALITY, Wii.oll; and = 1 - ,T oT the gold are actually defined. and guadadd• ad ibe John Brogden looking fora fair remuneration on the workman ship only, which is charged according to the intriceor or ablMU city of the pattern.—Manufactory, re, Heartettaatreet, Covent garden, London. (PRIZE MEDAL AWARDED.)__ ALLEN'S PATENT PORTMAsq AIIS and TRAVELLING BAGS with uare openings. LADIES* WARDROBE TRUNKS, DRESSING BAGS, with silver Maga DI BOXES, WRITING and DRESSING CASES, and 800 other articles tort, bonze or continental travelling. Illustrated catalogues post tree. Also Allen's Barrack Furniture Catalogue of Portable Bed steads, Drawers, Saar Chairs, Winhhandatanda Canteens. Ea., wit J. W. ALLIN, Manufacturer and Patentee, M. Wed Strand, London, W.C. TURTLE, TURTLE, TURTLE. char, Thick, and Invalid TURTLE SOUPS always ready. ST. JAMESE-HAL L. DL, ONALD ItKOENT.STREET, PICCADILLY. WE, Proprietor. gite erpreflo. TO COB.RESPONDECP 3 . Advertisements intended for " The Itriprese," London ginning most be at the 0 01 ce, 10, Bouver ieutreet, b y Two Paper o'clock on the day of publication. HAYMARKET. TRU mum, A Rolik.vrit: ATTACHMENT. 31essra Compton LAW. Yaffe° Miss AdaCavendlah —THE FAVORITE OF FORTUNE. Meson Buckstorw, Chippendale, and Bothern ; Mri Chippendale, dc..—And A DAUGHTER TO MARRY. PRINCESS& Twcs EVENING, A GHOST IN SPITZ Ol HINSELF.—After which THE STREETS OF LONDON. Meer& Vining. T. Mead, D. Murray, Shore, and Villiers ; /dm 8. Massidla and Mow L Blamed and K. Rodgers. LYCEUM. Tuts 'Mimi°, A DAY AFTER THE WEDDING. Main. ROCSIIIIID, Fitzpatrick, sad Mord ; Mr.. Heensini. do—And HAMLET. Messrs 'reenter, Emery, Addison, Widdiromb, Vezin, Jordan, Fitzpatrick, le. : Mesdames Elswortby and C. Lidera'. BRITANNIA. TRIS Eva:eras, THE DARK KING OF THE BLACK MOUN TAINS. M 1 Clara SR Came, Mrt S. Lane.—Master K Sanders —The &hum Family.—And TILE SCOTTISH CRUZ. Mr. James Anderson. HIGH-WATER AT LONDON-BIM/GS THIS DAT —Morning. 6h. 20m Afternoon, AIL ellm. To-MonnOW—Horning, 7h. 17m Afternoon, M. 61m. LONDON, SATURDAY, APRIL 21. Tux House of Commons last night most narrowly escaped involving itself in an absurdity and much consequent derision. This would have been the inevitable consequence if its members had been resolute in the determination to which they were much inclined at first, namely, to call the Sheriffs of Middlesex before them to answer for the sup posed arrest of Sir Robert Clifton, whilst he was still a member of parliament. On the one hand stood Lord Cranborne, as suring them with the earnestness of genuine conviction, that the arrest had taken place, and actually had been effected in the sacred precincts of parliament ; on the other arose several members equally positive that the supposed cap tive was still at liberty and disporting himself under the Opera colonnades. It was certain that the arrest of Sir Robert Clifton in the interval of time between the announcement of the decision against him by the committee on his return for Notting ham and the act of laying the committee's decision upon the table of the house would have been a breach of parliamentary privilege. The informa tion also on which Lord Cranborne acted was so authoritative that he was evidently fully justified in bringing the matter forward. And so effective and urgent was his advocacy of the dignity of Parliament, the insult to the assembly appeared so provocative, the house so promptly entered into the humour of the position, and into the prospect of seeing the Sheriffs at the bar, that it needed all the quieting influences of the govern ment to stay them from making the order at once. The prudence of the advice that suggested delay and the production of undeniable evidence was soon proved by Sir. R. Clifton's reappearance in the lobby of the house. The majesty of parlia ment after all had suffered no apparent inroad. Precipitate as was the motion itself, it may be observed that the form of the motion was not less Precipitate. It was not the Sheriffs, but the sheriffs' officers, the actual offenders, that the House should have sent for. It is certainly some way back in time that a precisely similar case, namely, the arrest of a member while the House was sitting, occurred. The interval of 273 years has elapsed since it took place, when, on the bth April, 1593, Mr. Neale complained to his col leagues that he had been taken in custody on the pre ceding Sunday ; and then the House, as it did on all subsequent occasions of a parallel nature, directed its wrath upon the persons who had been imme diately implicated in the offence, and not against the Sheriffs, whose authority they had abused. Judging by the past, however, emergencies of this kind are not likely to be so numerous as to need much forecasting, or anxious study of prece dents. THE Clerkenwell guardians have played their last card. Henceforth no independent witnesses are to be permitted within their workhouse walls, and the hopeless paupers immured there will be at the mercy of men who are proved to have betrayed their trust. There is no reticence as to the motive prompting this resolution. The guardians are tired—not of ill-doing, not of neglecting their duty, not of setting the laws of decency and health at defiance, but—of " being abused." It is the penalty of their offences, not the offences them selves, that is unpalatable, and by excluding every' one not a delegate of the Poor-law Board, theyhope to avert the criticism which has made them notoriously pre-eminent, even among parochial bodies, for cruelty and neglect. As amatterof coursetho making an order from the Poor-law Board the condition of admission puts an end to investigations having fur their sole object ensuring fair treatment to the poor. The delicate duty of pronouncing where, and how flagrant abuses have arisen is no longer possible when it can be performed only by favour of one of the institutions on trial, and there is much of the wisdom of the serpent in the restric tions placed upon free inquiry by the Clerkenwell guardians. Elected for life, independent of the rate-payers they misrepresent, able to snap their fingers at the central authority, and hitherto callously indifferent to the ignominy which has fallen on them, the intelligence that properly appointed casual wards have at last been hired by those gentlemen will doubtless be received with some suspicion by the public. If there is nothing to conceal why should these new wards be hid away from sight ? And if the workhouse is now fit for the uses to which it is put, why is the good news limited to the Poor-law Board and the guardians themselves 1 It is no answer to say the guardians are " tired of being abused ;" for if the evils complained of are remedied abuse would be impossible. The real sting of the strictures passed lay in their simple unexaggerated truth ; and the pauper's chances of fair treatment, now that he is left to local sympathy and official inspection, will be beat understood by a recapitulation of the EXPRESS, SATURDAY b. EVENING, APRIL .411, 1866. circumstances which have made tiarkenwell notorious. These are by no means confined to the treatment of the casual poor. The workhouse has been repeatedly condemned as unfit for the purposes assigned to it. The orders of the Poor-law Board as to the number it may be made to hold are constantly ignored ; and the Lancet commission discovered that but 429 cubic feet of air are allowed to each sick bed. What this means will be best understood by the reader imagining a box eight feet square. Such a box would give him roughly 500 cubic feet ; and it is nearly one-fifth less space than this which is allowed each sick pauper for respiration• The guardians have frequently discussed the propriety of building a new workhouse ; advice has been taken, and estimates prepared ; but the only prao tical result has been to refer the matter to a com mittee, to wail over the cost of the proposed change; and finally, as we now find, to close the workhouse to everyone whose reports are likely to come before the public instead of being docketted at Whitehall. We were present when a letter from Mr. Hart was read to this board, in which he announced the aims of the Sick Poor Association, and courteously hoped that as Clerkenwell would be a gainer by the proposed general hospital rate, the committee might count upon the co-operation of its guar dians ; and we then heard the efforts which have been since so warmly commended by Mr. Villiers denounced as " nothin' but an attempt of a pack of medical men to getupabuse againstworkhouses." The tone and manner of the guardians who pro posed " the letter should be received," and the un concealed hostility shown to the objects of the as sociation, assume additional significance now that these wonderfully obtuse dignitaries have adopted decisive measures for preventingtheir shortcomings being dragged to light. Of the independent investigations instituted on behalf of this journal, we shall only say that the Houseless Poor Act was openly defied when those investigations commenced, and that it was only after we had exposed the fact of a poor woman being told through the closed doors of Clerkenwell workhouse that it " served her right to have to spend a November night in the streets, because she ought to have applied earlier" (it was then 10.15 p.m.) that the guardians even promised to obey the law, "If we take in thirty we consider we do our share" was the answer insolently returned to all remonstrances until thirteen months after the Houseless Poor Act came into operation; and it was only after exposure in these columns that the order to admit destitute wanderers was theoretically enforced. Then came opposition in another and more wicked form. Applicants were admitted, but the wretched uncertified cellars and lofts were neither abo lished nor enlarged. It is unnecessary to repeat the filthy details so frequently given. With un speakable loathing and disgust, and not without some personal risk, we have, time after time, pene trated through pestilential stenches at Clerkenwell, to see naked men and boys huddled together in twos and threes in the same narrow bunks. Again and again have we implored the attention of the public and the legislature to the disgusting horrors revealed. Twice has the truth of our statements been vouched for in the House of Commons by the Poor-law Board ; and the reward of our exertions is an assurance that better wards are provided, coupled with a refusal to permit their independent inspection. Is it wonderful if, in the face of these facts, those interested in the poor should tremble for the abuses which will go smouldering on, unsuspected and unfelt save by the sufferers I But for independent investigations and im partial testimony the Houseless Poor Act would have been burked long ago by the unscrupulous and interested efforts of its opponents. Public opinion alone abolished the evils of the Lambeth labour-shed, compelled Bermondsey to withdraw its defiance of the Poor-law Board, and has now pene trated the obtuseness of Clerkenwell. The guar dians of the last-named parish revenge themselves by closing doors and windows to what they can no longer ignore ; and it would be useful to know whether any further exercise of offi cial authority will be necessary in consequence. Both Mr. Kinnaird and Lord Burghley did good service in calling the attention of the House of Commons to the misdeeds of the Clerkenwell guardians, and the impunity they seemed to enjoy. Now that free investigation is denied, perhaps one of these gentlemen will ascertain what gua rantee the public have that paupers are not being systematically killed off in this union by inade quate accommodation and foul air, and how the Poor-law Board knows that its orders and regula tions are not as consistently violated as when we first convicted Clerkenwell of i idecency, cruelty, and neglect. fist Court. OSBORNE, APRIL 20. The Queen, accompanied by Princess Louise, walked in the grounds yesterday morning, and her 3lajesty drove in the afternoon, accompanied by Princess Lei ningen. . . Princess Helena rode in the grounds. Princess Louise and Princess Beatrice drove out. Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein rode, attended by Colonel Du Plat. The Marquis of Harlington left Osborne yesterday morning. We understand that her Majesty has been gra ciously pleased to place Bushey Park (formerly the residence of Queen Adelaide) at the disposal of his Royal Highness the Duke de Nemours and family. Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cam bridge and Princess Mary dined with their Royal High• ceases the Duke and Duchess d'Aumale at oemns House, Twickenham, last night. _ . . Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess de Joinville and family intend to reside at Lansdowne House, Richmond, for the future, the Prince having taken that residence for a term of years. The Earl of Radnor continues in remarkable health, though his age is now 87. The venerable peer still takes an interest in public matters. He is surrounded by a family circle at Coleabill, Berks. ScrinaN DEATH OF SIR FREDERICK ROE, BART. —Yesterday afternoon, at the usual weekly meeting of the committee of which he was member at St. George's Hos pital, Sir Frederick Roe, Bart., late chief magistrate at Bow-street Police Court, died suddenly. Information has been conveyed to Mr. C. St. Clare Bedford, but whether an inquest will he held is not yet decided. LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS FOR THE Essrma WEEK. —Monday—Antiqnsries, at 2 ; Geogra. phical, at Bi, " Peking," Mr. Lockhart ; " Travels in the Peninsula of Sinai," Rev. F. W. Holland. Tuesday— Royal Institution, at 3, " Science and Superstition," Rev. C. Kingsley ; Zoological, at 84, " Note on genbales ()reel condo (Sw.)," Mr. Sclater ; " - Revision of Genus Hypna," Mr. Butler ; Ethnological, at R, " British Superstitions relative to Hare, &c.," Mr. Thrupp ; " Intercourse of Romans with Ireland," Mr. Wright; Engineers, at 8, " Rolling Stock," Mr.Roebassen ; " Flow of Water, Wood. burneDistrict,lreland," Mr. Manning. Wednesday—Litera ture, at 4, Anniversary ; Geological, at 8, " New Srwies of Aeanthodes from Langton," Sir Philip de M. Egerton ; " Gravels and Drift of the Fenland," Mr. Seeley ; " Time between Formation of Upper and Lower Valley-gravels," Mr. Tyler ; Society of Arts, at 8, " Perils of Mining," Mr. Hogg ; • Transformation of Organic Acids and Animal Substance;" (Cantor Lecture), Dr. (`race Calvert ; Arehieo logical Association, at Bi. Thursday—Royal Institution, at 3, Science and Superstition," Rev. C. Kingsley; Royal, at Friday—Royal Institution, at 8, " West minater Abbey," Dean of Westminster. Saturday—Royal Institution, at 3, " National Portraits," Mr. Scharf ; Botanic, 31.—Atmucust. OUR OONTEMPORARIAS. (THIS DAY.) -11 LAST NIGHT'S DISATIL The Times still gives all the virtues to those who oppose the Franchise Bill, and discovers no shreds of sound argument in the speeches of the hon. members who defend it. Last night the line et defence adopted by the Bolioitor-General for Scotland—who is referred to by our contemporary as " a Mr. Young"—was without a parallel in its simplicity. Mr. Gower simply pleads for mere trust in the good qualities of everybody without in the least taking into aooount the effect of the bill as a whole, and Mr. Coleridge raised points which were not before the house. Sir S. Northoote, on the other hand, in opposing the bill, was exact in his definitions sad correct in his views. Mr. Gregory spoke in a similar way to the point, and Mr. Horsman's representations were accurate and timely. The amendment of Lord Grosvenor, in the opinion of the Times, remains unassailed and is un assailable. Nothing is now possible to the government but to retrace the path they have unadvisedly taken, to free themselves from the fatal influences to which they have yielded, to proclaim an intelligible and complete pro gramme of the future, and to appeal for support, not on an ambiguous reputation, but on definite principles. Let them do this, and there will be none more glad to welcome their repentance than the liberals, who are now reluctantly forced to remember that their first duty is to their country, and not to their party ; let them persist in the ill-advised course they have adopted, and the result must be fatal to themselves, and may be productive of incalculable injury to the country. The Daily News mentions as a curious fact that the chief opponents of the government measure who have been drafted out of the liberal ranks are the jesters of parlia ment. If they are serious in their objection to the Fran chise Bill, it is the only thing they see serious in. The terror which they strive to communicate they should at least affect to share. Lest night the speech of the Solici tor-General for Scotland was, in an argumentative though sot lin en oratorical sense, the speech of the mining. Mr. Young assailed directly the position taken up by Lord Stanley in seconding the amend ment of Lord Grosvenor ; and when he sat down no one could say that the reasoning of the noble member for King's Lynn was either unanswered or unanswerable. Mr. Coleridge possesses accomplished art as a speaker, in the charm of his voice and the sweetness of his accent, and in his whole attitude and manner, as he addresses him self to the higher and gentler feelings of his audience. There is art and study, and the familiar skill of habit in that modest confidence awl restrained strength and sooth ing irony, that continence yet copiousness of picked and chosen words, and that austere humility, which seems to deprecate its own sense of power, to persuade rather than convince, and to fly from the embrace of admiring opponents. But there is something else, an I more, than art in these refinements and coquetries of • born orator of a very rare order. Taey belong to temperament, and defy mimicry. Kr. Monacan, whose speech, neither in matter nor mea. sure, was equal to his former efforts, was not happily in spired in seeking to imitate him. He did good service, however, in his declaration that not a single conspicuous supporter of the amendment has ever been known to speak or write a word in favour of a comprehensive mea sure of reform. The Daily News remarks that it is the evi dent belief of the supporters of the amendment that the more the debate is protracted the less the government majority will become, and of course they are prepared for all the consequences of such • result to themselves and to their cause. The Herald, after reviewing the debate, comes to much the same conclusions as the Tines. Every op ponent of the bill spoke to the point, and all its defenders wandered from the question. It acknowledges, however, that Mr. Gregory's speech was rather too long, and adds that the curiosity and attention which the utterances of all the Adullamites at first excited in the house, has merged in the anxiety to hear the two right hon. gentle men who are credited with the honour of having led the way there. The Advertiser is professional in its remarks. Last night it says, Mr. Hartman " hit here, there, and everywhere, I and each successive blow must have made itself sensibly I felt. Mr. Housman proved himself on this occasion a political pugilist of no ordinary capabilities. He possesses I both the pluck and the 'science ' necessary to punish an I opponent, as both Mr. Bright and Mr. Gladstone are coin ! potent to testify from their individual experience. On Monday night the member for Birmingham will doubtless display a courage and vigour worthy of his great celebrity when adjusting pugilistic accounts with the member fur Stroud and some others who have sadly mauled him in the course of the debat s." The Telegraph says that the tones are much mistaken in imagining that the country bounds its view with the division which is now impatiently expected. The country is very much inclined to agree with Lord Elcho, that the house is a Pahnerstonian house, and not fit to be trusted with reform. It waits to judg3 finally by the division lists, but in no sense whatever can it be disappointed ; for if the majority be insufficient for the fur ther progress of the bill, the people will attend to the next necessary step ; and those who talk of an address to her Majesty from the House of,Commons, begging her to oppose the will of the people, talk of servants turning their master out of doors—talk the only real revolutionary language which has yet been heard during the discussion. The Star warmly congratulates Mr. Gower on his speech, and almost pities Mr. Gregory, who sacrificed his position i as a liberal without even the poor satisfaction of conserva , tive applause. The Scotch Solicitor-General's speech is one of the finest yet delivered in the debate, and the ministry had the best of the arguments Vvroughout the night. Mr. Coleridge's address was equally remarkable for candour and for robustness, for truth and for ingenuity, for delicacy of manipulation and for breadth and depth of liberal spirit. Apiehunon be the wholo,dedy of the Nottingham petiffiris. liass question whstffilha pineiples of the K 44111160- shtution justify the doings of the Nottingham lambs was fittingly followed up by the inquiry whether the privileges of parliament sanation the premature eonelosious of the London sheriffs' officers. THE NOTTINGHAM ELECTION. The Times hastens to express its conviction that no ether decision than that which the Nottingham committee have arrived at would have been consistent with the evi dence, or have satisfied the demands of justice. The his tory of the election is enough to shake one's faith in oar entire system of popular representation. The wholesale employment of paid canvassers by Messrs. Paget and Morley, however improper, was apparently a measure of self-defence against the unscrupulous intimidation prac tised by Sir Robert Clifton, whose conduct the Times , severely criticises and condemns. Messrs. Paget and I Morley, however, must take the consequence of having placed large sums in the hands of their agents and asking no questions. According to the Post no one would affect to doubt that in nine•tenths of the boroughs and counties of Great Britain and Ireland there has been at least as much bribery as was considered sufficient by a committee to volt the election at Heleton, in Cornwall. It so happens that there was a petition in the latter case and not in the others that preceded it, and, whilst Mr. Young is un seated, hundreds of others whose agents have been equally guilty are enabled to retain their places in the House of Commons. The Tekrraph comments on the strange prefatory pas- • sage which brought on the adjourned debate last night, namely, the somewhat singular anxiety ex. . hibited by Lord Cranborne respecting the liberty of Sir Robert Clifton, which was supposed to be in question on account of the verdict pronounced by the Nottingham Election Committee against his return. Mr. Morley, the other member, shares the same verdict ; and two votes are thus lost to the liberal side is divisions. Curious reports sprang up in the house last night from the decision, and from the events, real and supposed, on which Lord Cranborne founded his re. maiks ; and the mystification was increased by the pre sense of the Sheriffs, in robes and lace and white gloves, among the strangely. Of course, they had no more to do with the Nottingham election and Sir Robert Clifton than the man in the moon. The Star describes Mr. Morley, a man of the most sensitive honour and the moat conscientious purity, as, in the strictest and most literal sense, a victim to the dis graceful nature of the whole system upon which from time I immemorial our elections have been conducted. It would —...—.-..-. —.. . _ be idle to affect any surprise or regret et the unseating of Sir Robert Clifton. Politica, we are not quite certain bow to class him ; and personally he bas no claims that we know of to entitle biro to the support or the regrets of a omatituency. The strange and rather scandalous episode which excited the House of Commons last evening when the question of privilege was raised was a not inappropriate THE WEEKLY PRESS. The Examiner to-day has several articles in sup port of the government Franchise Bill. Discussing what it terms the false pretences of the opponents of the bill, it observes that the political Pharisees strain at a gnat and will not consent to swallow anything less than a camel. The mem of moderation are seised with a sudden aversion to half measures ; more or none is their cry. They cannot abide anything fragmentary. At parts of • whole they will not look ; they must have the: whle before them, however large and unmanageable masit may be. They cry for more than can be done, in order that nothing may be done. Never before did we see a great debate tarn altogether on • question of method and the quarrel fastened on the road which really attaches to the destination. The only chance of the tones lies in wasting the session until it becomes impossible to complete even one chapter of reform this year. The resources of loquacity are inex haustible, and the Examiner sees no physical reasons why the present thing called • debate should not go on to May-day. If the loss of the present measure were brought about by the unmixed folly of its wrongheaded opponents, a better bidding and a larger bill would be certain next session. Hitherto, with two or three exceptions, the representatives of important towns have been thrust aside to make way for well-meaning but weak mediocrities who could testify to nothing but their own anxiety to keep in the ministry, and the Examiner wants to know in plain terms to what cause we are to attribute the absence in debate of so many tried and trusted advocates of popular opinion. To doubt their sincerity and readiness to do as they have often done before is impossible. What then? Why have their voices not been heard? Day by day we have seen the spirits of the party droop, and its best friends turn away in disgust. If Lord Russell and Mr. Gladstone are really to be sustained, and if reform is not to be suffered to fall through, it is time there should be an end of this. The hour is critical, and plain-speaking has be- come a duty. The Saturday' Rerieto, criticidw: the reform debates, allows that it is generally easier in the house to attack than to defend, and in this instance the leaders of the opposition have a conspicuous advantage, for they have not only the stock arguments of conservatism to debate on, but they have had a special windfall in the strange mis take made by the government in breaking up their mea sure into fragments. The Saturday Review is anxious to pay a tribute of gratitude to Mr. Doulton, who so ob viously foregoes the consideration of his own interest in order that he may bear his testimony against a course of action which, in his opinion, is likely to compromise the interests of the nation. Possibly the Hones of Commons may submit to be terrorised by a strong government, but if it does the independence of parliament is a phrase in history. If, however, it does not answer, and if the par liamentary worm turns, we have seen the last of Earl Russell. The Spectator says the prospects of Lord Grosvenor's motion have improved greatly in the delay. On Saturday last government calculated on a majority of about thirty, but it has melted daily, and the highest estimate is now fifteen. As usual, peers' sons are the first to assert their independence, but some Bcotehmen look askance at the bill, no county member is very zealous, and at the last moment there may be a few disappearances. Up to Friday night the probabilities were that the second reading would pass, but by so small a majority that the escape of the bill in committee is next to impossible—unless, indeed, the Redistribution Bill is very conservative, which is quite on the cards. The only great speech hitherto made on the side of the government, is, in the opinion of the Spectator, that of Mr. 8. Mill. The most satisfactory made on its own side of the question is that of Sir E. B. Lytton. The Spectator acknowledges that some of the most valued of its readers are greatly irritated by the course it has taken on the Reform Bill, and admits that they have made re monetrance after remonstrance about it. Onr contemporary seeks to distinguish its own form of opposition from that of Mr. Lowe and others, and regards it as unwise for the govern ment to propose a tender of power without information as to its extent, or as to the persons to whom it wait to be transferred, but the main objection of our contem porary is simply that blank reduction applied without attention to circumstances ends inevitably and speedily in government by numerical majority, ends, that is, in the reign under one form or another of physical force. Every day makes it increasingly clear to the Economist that the bill will not become law, that the majority relied on by the government a week ago has much diminished, and perhaps will yet diminish still further, that a feeble majority of twenty or under (and that largely composed of persons who vote in fear of their constituencies and upon compulsion) cannot effect a vital change in the constitu. tion of England. Mr. Mill, the Economist says, in another article, has altered his opinions out of deference to a party exigency and a popular cry. THE BRITISH MUSEUM. This morning were published the accounts, estimates, of the British Museum. The expenditure for the year ended the 31st ult., was 101,8081. 14s. 4d. ; the sum required for the ensuing year is estimated at 102,7441. During the year 1865, 369,967 persons visited the general collections, exclusive of readers. This is a less number than that in any previous year from 1860. It seems that in the reading-room about 4,158 books are used per day. The number of readers in the year 1865 was 100,271, or, on an average, 349 per diem, each reader having consulted 12 books daily. 29,686 volumes have been added to the library. The number of deliveries of manuscripts to readers during the year is 2,311, and to artists and others in the rooms of the department to 4,190. The collection of manuscripts has been added to by 1,177 documents, 180 ori ginal charters, and 231 casts of seals. The Eger ton collection has been increased by 40 manu scripts. Some valuable acquisitions are reported in the department of oriental, British, and mediaeval anti quities and ethnography. At the sale of the celebrated collection of the late Count Pourtales a number of antiquities were purchased for the Greek and Roman departments, and various other pur chases, presents, &c., are recorded. In coins and medals we learn that the great collection for. merly in the Bank of England, and numbering with the I medals collected by Messrs. Hoggsrd and Cuff about 7,700 I specimens, have been deposited in the Museum by the IBank authorities. Professor Owen reports 16,700 additions in the department of zoology, 10,079 in that of geology, I and 3,623 in that of mineralogy. We do not give to-day our usual list of parlia mentary business for the ensuing week in consequence of the uncertainty which exists as to the duration of the re form debate. This on Monday, at all events, will have the precedence, and possibly private members will give way on Tuesday should the debate be then unfinished. Mr. Sheridan's motion on fire insurance is the chief sub ject on the paper. On Wednesday the first order of the day is the committee on the Fellows of Colleges Declara tion Bill, when Mr. Walpole will move that the house go into the said committee that day six months. The last of the orders of the day on Wednesday is the Commons (Metropolis) Bill. The adjourned debate on the Irish Established Church stands fixed on the paper for Thursday. With reference to the curious geological pheno menon relative to a layer of pebbles which is now gradually covering the coast at the back of the Isle of Wight from west to east, mentioned in the Express a few days ago, the Isle of Wight Chronicle states that a shingle island near the Needles rocks, on the south-west coast of the island, mysteriously disappeared a few years since. The Chronicle further states that Hurst Castle, I opposite the Needles rocks to the westward, is built on a spit of land, and that marked pebbles have been placed on the western edge of the spit, which, after a few years, have been found on the eastern edge, and have afterwards disappeared. The tide rashes with great force I over this spit of land from west to east. " The unfortunate Ott," says the Siiele, " who was assassinated by Count d'Eulenberg, left four sisters advanced in age, whom he supported by his exertions. A pecuniary indemnity for the benefit of this family was ap plied for to the Prussian government, but refused. A pamphlet on the subject has been since published by M. Henri Schirmer, which, having been translated into Ger i man, has just been seized at Berlin." A Y .' LATEST INTELLIGENCE. • AUSTRIA AND PRUSSIA. ALLEGED RECALL OF THE AUSTRIAN AMBASSADOR FROM BERLIN, AND IN TENDED EVACUATION OF HOLSTEIN. The Times hears that at a council held yesterday at Schonbrnnn the Emperor of Austria and Count Mensdorff, against, it is added, the advice of some other ministers, resolved to withdraw Count Karolyi, the Austrian Ambassador, from Berlin, and this decision having been made known to M. de Werthier, the Prussian Ambassador at Vienna, it was expected that he would take his departure immediately. The im mediate cause of this rupture is said to be that Count Mensdorff, after receiving the Prus sian answer of the 15th, telegraphed a repe tition of the Austrian demand of the 7th, and received a fresh refusal on Thursday. A council was then held, and the opinion of the Emperor and his Minister being in favour of the bolder course it was adopted. _ The Times fears this act must be looked upon as some thing more than one of those suspensions of diplo matic intercourse which are usual when courts or nations are irritated with each other. The with drawal of the two envoys is also, if the Times is cor rectly informed, to be followed by a military move ment which the world will regard as made in anti cipation of war. An order was to be despatched to the general officer commanding the Austrian troops in Holstein, ordering him to fall back through Hamburg and Hanover, leaving only a few companies in the Duchy. There will be naturally a tendency to give great importance to this last piece of intelligence. If we find that Austria abandons the Duchy which she occupied, and leaves it open for the advance of the Prussians, people will conclude that the Emperor purposes some military movement himself, or that he feels certain that Prussia is about to strike a blow. We may state that to-day's telegrams from Vienna make no mention of the above intelligence, but, on the contrary, indicate a more peaceful state of the relations between the two powers. The Independence says All the information which we receive from Germany presents the situa tion under a less gloomy aspect. The current in favour of peace predominates to-day." The Naples correspondent of the Temps writes : Fifty unattached officers have been recalled to the active service, and the artillery branch is being increased from the cavalry, which is considered a serious symptom. With regard to the Southern provinces this is the fact. Prince Humbert, who is accustomed to speak out, says openly that he expects to be engaged in war by the end of April. He will command • division under General Cialdini. Amongst those which surround Prince Napoleon there is • report of a combination between Austria and Italy. The Debatte says : Austria does not desire war, but once engaged, and with Europe in arms, she will march forward regardless of the past and the traditions of her history. Then will her ap parent isolation cease, and her liberation from the forces which have hitherto tied her down will procure for her allies in the north as well as in the south, in the east as well as in the west. Austria has great and powerful resources at her command, and once determined to employ them, Europe will be astonished at the cards which old Austria has in I her hands. " This language," says the deettir National of to-day, " must mean, when translated into facts, the freedom of Venetia, an alliance with Italy, and therefore an alliance with France. England will have to come into the combination, and the result will be the autonomy of the Elbe Duchies, the in dependence of the Danubian Principalities, and the territorial modification of Prussia." The Frankfort Journal has the following from Vienna, under date of April 16 : A ministerial crisis has taken place here. It has been long known that a considerable difference of opinion has existed between Counts Mensdorff and Belcrecli on the Schleswig- Holstein, or rather on the German question. While in the opinion of the premier Austria could make no new conces sions and must maintain her position in Austria at any cost, Count Pielcridi thinks that in view of internal difficulties Austria should keep a means of retreat open and maintain peace, even at the price of making concessions to Prussia. This difference of opinion came to an issue at the last coun cil of ministers. Of the Hungarian statesmen Count Ester hazy participates in the opinion of Count Belcridi, while Count Mailath is on the side of Count Mensdorff. The Em peror wished to effects compromise, inordertoavoida change of ministers at the present time, but the difference is too wide for anything more than a temporary reconciliation. THE ATTEMPT UPON THE CZAR'S LIFE. The Nord contains some further particulars re specting the attempt made on the life of the Em peror of Russia. It was made, it says, when his Majesty was leaving the garden on the side of the quay, after taking a walk with Duke Nicholas of Leuchtenberg and the Princess Mary of Baden. The caleche was somewhat in advance, and a sergent-de-ville had presented the Emperor with his cloak when the ball whistled over his head. A young peasant who observed the assassin aiming at the Emperor struck his arm, which happily caused the bullet to deviate. The people would have torn the assassin in pieces if they had not been prevented by the Emperor. Ho cried out to the peasants who fell upon him, " It is for you that I have devoted myself ; he has deceived you, and has not given you enough of land." When arrested he stated that he belonged to the district of Longa (government of St. Peters burg). He has not yet been identified, but there is reason to believe that his declaration is false, and that he is one of those miserable wretches whose moral sense has been perverted by a vicious educa tion and bad reading. The Emperor went at once to the Winter Palace to inform the Empress of what had happened. In the evening the Emperor addressed the officers of the Guards who filled the palace and related to them the incidents of the attempt. They went in a body from the palace to the Cathedral of Preobrajensky, where a Te Deum was sung while the Emperor and Empress and the rest of the imperial family went to the Cathedral of Kazan, and offered up thanks. The city was illuminated in the night. The young man who foiled the arm of the regicide was presented to the Empress, who thanked him with tears in her eyes. When the Emperor announced to the officers of the Guard that he would ennoble the young man, the announce men was received with loud hurrahs. A subscrip tion has been opened to enable him to support his new dignity. Some papers were found on the assassin, and amongst them a kind of proclamation to the people, in which he says " the world will have no peace till all the sovereigns are eater minatecL" (asermes TzLzawin.) FRANCE. PARIS, Ann. 2L The Constitutionnel of to-day Publishes an article signed by M. Paulin Limayrac, in which it re marks upon the impatience of those journals who desire to have explanations from the French government on the state of affairs in Germany. The article reminds those journals that Prince is not mixed up either directly or indirectly with the questions at * s ue between the two great Genesi' powers, and continues thus : "The government of the Emperor has noright t o interfere. It regards the conflict as a spectator only, following, however, its different phases with the same vigilance and solitude which it bestows upon all important questions of foreign p o li cy . The imperial government cannot pronounce its opinion upon a conflict which assumes so many ' different phases, and undergoes almost every day fresh modifications. Moreover, the French go vernment could not express its opinion publicly without sharing in the discussion upon the ques tion at issue." The Constitutionct, in conclusion, demonstrates . by the despatches of Austria and Prussia, by the manifestations of the popular wishes, and the at titude of the secondary States, that the present position of affairs presents at least as many reasons for expecting peace as war. DLSARMAMENT OF AUSTRIA AND - PRUSSIA. PARIS. Ann 21. A telegram received here from Vienna confine the news that Austria, in replying to the•Prossian note of the 15th inst., has submitted propositions for mutual disarmament. _ __ The propositions are as follows : " That Austria and Prussia shall each restore their military establishments to the status pie which existed prior to the late defensive measures, " That the 25th April be the date fixed foe mutual disarmament." .. . . . Austria consents to disarm on that date, but h even willing that Prussia should disarm only on the 28th April. The Austrian proposition is stated to have beta communicated confidentially to Paris and London, where it has been cordially approved. VIENNA, .Lein, 21. In the next sitting of the Federal Diet a comas nication will, it is said, be made to the mantises announcing that the question of disarmament is in a fair way of being settled. A proposition will be made by Austria that the motion of %mita br: reference to a reform of the Federal constitution;' should be referred to a committee ad hoe. DANTZIC, Anal. A meeting of the Liberal Association of this town was held here yesterday, when resolutions were passed condemning the policy of Pro s& A popular meeting has been held at Erlangeys which resolutions were adopted against war. TURKEY. CONSTANTINOPLE, Ann 21. The investigation of the alleged conspiracy, se ' to have been promoted by Muatapha Fazil Paths, is proceeding. Several arrests have been made. It is generally believed, however, that the chirp is groundless, and the result of personal intrigue. WEATHER REPORT.-(THIS DAY.) RATCRIDAY, APRIL 21, 8 8.11. w. B. IT. e , 0.141 e 0.24 2 co lOtll2 it 0.08, 4 el-12 cI 2 bo .0.42 1 cb Oa e .1 re ol,k. - re 041 Do OA b4I-11 W. Llsi. I S. b cb b 1 eb re 0.02 1 cm lOW 2 m'o.oo Baru Di 91 48 LetA°Ardmuan r ip lreGucattle e sle ol 'erdaen vplu th eyrg u c tis .7 ..:..... l :1 '.:73° 30 303033 . : 11 ..... 000 1 1 : 5 111 \ 1 64548 5 b° 660550 1 1 1 2i Brat 30.16,55 Lotient 3O 12 55 Rochefort . 90.20 54 Plymouth 30.12 54, Weymouth 30.11 52 1 Portsmouth 30.09 511 London 30.09 51, Yarmouth 30.04 44' Scarborough. 30.01 44! Shields 3J.02 :el Balder — —I PUNDAY. Southerly and westerly, moderate to fresh. PROBABII 05 NOKTIMEN MONDAY. CuASTS. S.W. k. awd to N.W. dente strong. W.N.W. to tk&Wo fresh to strong S.W. to N.W. , moderate Wt N. to fresh. showers In places, but Sue gene rally. As next above. Somingan. As neat above. Similar to above. Ei s TERS. Similar to above. Northern—Scotland. Western—lreland. Wahl, and 5* cendea. Elonthern—Engll4h Channel and Bay of NMI. Liatarn—Eastward Eanktud and North Sea. The Shannon, with the next West Indian nal is expected to arrive on the 28th instant. She will brisi Jamaica news up to the Bth inst. Messrs. Gurney sad Mak are expected home by her. They left this country ea thr 2nd of last January, consequently they will have bees avail from England four mouths. The Indepenclance says that the candidature d the Prince of Hohenzollern seems to be *bunked TM inflexible opposition of Russia and advice' which hen been sent from Paris have, it is said, determined tke Ono to follow the example of the Count de Flandre. The Courtier du Havre announces that at hill tide on Wednesday a fine iron screw-steamer of 800 ion carrying the Egyptian Hay, entered that port. The named the Jeffers, was purchased for the 'newel Southampton, and is commanded by Captain Roberts special train of the Marseilles Railway yeeterdai host) to Paris 219 Egyptian sailors, under the comunad officer. The men merely passed through the 0 1 0 11 I their way to Havre, to man the vessel spoken of above. In illustration of the progress of liberal opinl o9lll may be mentioned that all the sons of Sir T. Dyke Arial a Devonshire baronet, have embraced liberalism I Thomas—who is now an octogenarian, was • friend el 11 elder Wilberforce, and is one of the most wealthy sad ' tunable of English gentlemen—is the last of genersdoo a tory family. Forty years ago he was the leader at tl conservative party in Devon, and uniformly detest the liberals who fought great political contests Ind the Fortescue family. Although grea tl y liked for 1 private virtues, Sir Thomas had at one time to be guard rs by constables from the populace through the ' gu ard the city of Exeter, for his advocacy of the eon la during an election. An ancestor of Si r Thomas Aids assisted Charles the Second in his e sca p e from Deg a circumstance mentioned in Sir Walter Scott's Dori " Woodstock." Statues have been erected in EOM Sir Thomas, and his political antagonist, the late Fortescue. Tnz Blvd' NOlR.—There is a homely old art that too much of a good thin; is good for no 'a much worse, then, is too much of a had thing, such perpetual harping on Mr. Bright. The fly in the r )1 ointment is always Mr. Bright. In former times, la' very long ago, onmes were ascribed in indictureau instigation of the devil ; and now-a-days Mr. railed or sneered at as the instigator of all proceed in reform step by step is wrong, c.", he thought it right ; and it is ruled absolutely ' he must be marshalling the way to row' because he has spoken well of American institutions government is unworthy of confidence because Mr. Br has faith in it. In short. the rule of right would' be simply opposition to Mr. Bright, though Bacon tel] that to judge oy the rule of contraries is to make snarl folly the master of one's own wisdom. We have often occasion to differ from Mr. Bright, but what we Po against is making him bete noir for perpetual &Ma d sickly sneer or spiteful invectives. It is stale, fiat, an profitable, and it is becoming what the Housl e Rend of f mons moat hates, • bore, by force of d amn s What the monotonous ' Perfect Cure' is in the haun the vulgar, resort to the topic of Mr. Bright id la P i meat. It stops every gap in argument, and is a roe never failing for the empty and dull. "In default of case, abuse the plaintifFs attorney , " might be ce u ! inatructions for an occasion ; but here we have the sant abuse of the plaintiff's attorney, which is Wale! wearisome in default of a case. Ind if it taxed W 4 to hear Aristides called the just, how much move Is portable it is to hear Mr. Bright so perpetual °blurt' ap What if he deserves it' some one may ask, and we then do not give him his deserts if the soiled of the be far more sickening to the bearer than the stroke painful to him. At all events let there be a truce, an some apace of time let it be understood that sneers, and tirades at Mr. Bright are to to be interdicted likr tarn hackneyed quotations, threadbare allusions, and out jests— miner. , i ii i L ~: ~ i ~~ i ' mi 11 1