The Press. — London, England, 1854-05-06 00:00:00

MAY 6, 1854. lid per day,—the lowest point it had ever reached. A considerable saving was thus effected for the public without the slightest inconvenience to the Exchequer. Mr. GLAD STONE, when money was rising in value, de termined to reduce the interest lower yet, fixed it at Id, and had to pay off three millions, which, " had he left well alone,"—the words are Lord MONTEAOLE'S,—" would have con tinued to float on the market." As the result of his first failure, he had to issue the 3,000,000/. again on much less favourable terms, and thus not only burdened the public, but injured the character of the security. Next came the famous conversion scheme, by which the fortunate holders of the stocks to be converted realised at the expense of the nation a clear bonus of from 10 to 15 per cent. The details given of particular instances are amusing : The University of Cambridge turned their 90,000/, into 100,000/., and old ladies and gentlemen innumerable found themselves suddenly enriched by a process which they could not understand, except by referring it to the well-known benevolence of the Right Hon. Gentleman at the head of the Exchequer. One point of some importance has been clearly established by these debates. While Mr. GLADSTONE was playing these tricks with our finances, the Cabinet of which he was a member was forewarned of the threatening attitude of Russia, and the possibility of war. It knew also that the harvest must be deficient, it saw that the Money Market was " tightening, " yet Mr. GLADSTONE persisted in reducing the balance in the Exchequer from nearly eight millions which existed there on the sth of April, 1853, to less than three millions on sth of April, 1854. In what thicker difficulties he will involve our finances, if he be not arrested in his course, no one can tell. In the lowest deep we are told there is a lower still. The depth of Mr. GLADSTONE'S incompetency and of the national loss has not yet been sounded. One thing is certain, that, if the Legislature wishes to retain its character for common sense, it will take prompt and decisive measures for getting rid of the presumptuous and ignorant experimentalist, whose whole administration, from his first assumption of office to this hour, has been one continued violation of its plainest dictates. ARREARS OF IRISH BUSINESS. THE efficiency of the Irish department of the present Cabinet has become, even to its par• tisane, more than questionable. It would appear that Lord Sr. GERMANS and his officials were not prepared to deal in any decided manner with the land question. Evading responsibility, the Cabinet referred the subject of `lrish tenures to a committee of the House of Lords, and at this period of the year it would be hopeless to expect that our dilatory rulers would quicken their activity on " mere Irish" affairs, while they are so slow in the emergencies of England. In the meantime, it is worth noting that the " Irish League" is preparing for a new agitation on the subject, and that its organisers are already taking measures for making tenant right "a cry" at the next general election. It would seem, also, that the Cabinet mea sure on " ministers' money " will not find much favour from the Roman Catholics, who say that they consider that Sir JOHN YOUNG offers them no relief by proposing to transfer the collection of the tax from the agents of the Established Church to the officers of corpora. tions. It is believed that this notable plan emanates directly from the Peelite section of the Cabinet. The recollection that he owes his increased Income Tax to the Budget of Mr. GLADSTONE will not add to the comfort of the Roman Catholic while paying his "minis ters' money " under another name. Apart from any sectarian or political feel ings, Ireland has strong reasons for dissatis faction with the conduct of the Aberdeen Cabinet. On questions exciting religious sympathies its policy is shuffling and evasive. THE PRESS. It coquets with Exeter-hall, and it whispers with Maynooth. It alternately flatters and falters so much that we cannot see whether the wind in Downing•street is blowing towards Canterbury or the Vatican. There is no reason why, after having made Mr. lizoos its Solici tor-General in Ireland, rank of a similar kind may not be conferred on Mr. T. CHAMBERS. It would only be in keeping with the anomalous character of the Cabinet to give official pro motions for Romish extravagance in Ireland and for Protestant zeal in England, sympa thising with the cry of " No Protestants ! " at Athlone, and of "No Nunneries !" at Hert ford. But, in the meanwhile, Ireland may well ask what, besides giving places to renegade agitators, has this Ministry done for its social improvement? It takes up Irish questions, discusses some, and decides on none of them. After having scattered about places and pro mises with equal recklessness, it is probable that the result of its legislative measures for the improvement of Ireland will be registered as " Nil." MANNING THE NAVY. THE difficulty experienced in fitting out the Baltic fleet has brought to light the serious fact, that of late years the number of our able bodied seamen has diminished. Our con temporary the Times tells us that this is but a necessary result of the astounding success of free trade ; for, as that policy has aug mented our commerce, it has proportionately increased the demand for ships and sailors. Whether this doctrine is true or not, it matters not to inquire. We want men for our navy, and the practical question is, will free trade supply them? CROMWELL decided in the negative when he framed the Navigation Act, and ADAM SMITH, a century later, agreed with him. Let us see what has been the result of our own experience since that famous statute was repealed. A petition is now before us from the Ship owners' Association of Liverpool, urging the Legislature to restore the apprenticeship system in the merchant service, which was abolished with the navigation laws in 1849. Up to that time every merchant-ship was com pelled to carry a certain number of appren tices in proportion to her tonnage, but this restriction was wholly swept away as incon sistent with the grand doctrines of free trade. The results of this change have been speedy and decisive, as the following extract from the petition will show:— That since the said alteration in the law a great num• ber of shipowners havo ceased to take any apprentices, and others take only a reduced number; and, although some shipowners continue to have as many apprentices as formerly, yet it is the fact that in the last tour years the total number of apprentices in the merchant sea ser vice of the United Kingdom has very greatly diminished ; and your petitioners have every reason to believe that at this time they amount to little more than one-third of the number on the said lit day of January, 1850. Here, then, is one intelligible cause of the present scarcity of seamen. The repeal of the navigation laws has lessened by no less than two-thirds our most valuable source of supply. Need we be surprised, therefore, at the com plaints which we hear on every side as to the infericrity as well as the dearth of sailors at our outports? These things are now so notorious that some remedy must be devised, and the simplest and safest would be to retrace our steps, and renew the law as to marine apprentices. THE LATE MARQUIS OF ANGLESEY. FIELD MARSHALS are born but once a century, and we buried our latest and our greatest little more than a year ago. Since then the Paladins have gathered thickly around their ancient chieftain, and the chivalrous HENRY AILLIAII Marquis of ANGLF.SEY is the last that has joined the array. He died on the 29th of April, at the age of kfl. He proved his capacity for military affairs at the commencement of his career. In 1794, when only in the 26th year of his age, he acquired distinction in the Duke of You's disastrous campaign in Flanders, and even 411 commanded a brigade during the temporary absence of Lord CATHCART. In those days his regiment had been one of infantry—the 80th, or Staffordshire Volunteers, raised by himself from amongst his father's tenantry, and on his return to England he was transferred to the 7th Hussars, which became famous under his leading. Although brave, even to rashness, it was his fate oftener to retreat than to advance. He had charge of the rearguard when Sir JOHN Moons retired on Corunna, and, whatever may have been the relative merits of the " guarance" and the " pants " of that day, well did the gay Hussars execute the orders and second the efforts of their chief. Afterwards, in the campaign of 1815, the Earl of UXBRIDGE was at the head of the cavalry, and again did he add lustre to a name which he had made glorious before. When, after Quatre Bras and Ligny, the Great Duke resolved to fall back on Waterloo, and there to make his final stand, to Lord UXBRIDOE was confided the duty of preventing the impetuous foe from pressing upon the retreating troops. On they came, the gallant French flushed with recent victory, and strong in the great name of their chosen and imperial chief, when, having passed the Bridge of Gemappe iu force, they found the English cavalry in their front "'the Earl of Uxbridge . . . . being desirous of affording the Ist Life Guards an opportunity of charging, brought forward that regiment lts rapid rush down into the enemy's mass was as terrific in appearance as it was destructive in its effect ; for, although the French met the attack with firmness, they were utterly unable to hold their ground for a single moment, were overthrown with great slaughter, and literally ridden down in such a manner that the road was instantaneously covered with men and horses scattered iu all directions. The bite Guards pursuing . . . . drove all before them as far as the opposite outlet of the town." Thenceforth the army retreated unmolested. Although this generation has only seen the martial form of the marquis " in proud decay," yet his bearing to the last was so grand that we can image what it was on that 17th of June, 1815, when "not a leaf " was stirring, and the atmosphere was close to an " intolerable degree, while a dark, heavy, dense cloud " impended over" the English cavalry, at the head of which he waited to check the French advance. Of his private life and civilian career little need be said; for, though his capacity for affairs was far above mediocrity, it is as a soldier he will be chiefly remembered. Two Cabinets, presided over by the Duke of WELLINGTON and Earl Gaey, selected him for the Irish Viceroyalty, in which he experienced the usual vicissitudes of what, at Dublin, is called " popularity." His intentions were excellent, but, like greater statemen, he was baffled by the " Irish " difficulty." His letters so improperly published in Lord CLONCURRY'S " Memoirs" are vividly im pressed with the frank gallantry that characterised him from first to last. He was educated at West minster School, and at Christ Church, Oxford ; repre sented Milborne Porte in the House of Commons; and in 1812 succeeded his father as Earl of Ux bridge. In 1705 Lord PAGET married the Lady CAROUSE ELIZABETH VILLIERS, the lovely and amiable daughter of the fourth Earl of JERSEY: this marriage was afterwards. dissolved, and his lordship subsequently married Lady CHARI.OTTE CADOOAN, who had pre viously been divorced from the first Lord COWLEY. Although at times a great sufferer from the tic dolou reux, Lord ANGLESEY enjoyed good bodily health, until he was suddenly seized some eight weeks ago whilst taking his ordinary morning walk. From the effects of this.seizure he was still suffering when he received the intelligence that, owing to the death of the Marquis of LONDONDERRY, there was no Gold Stick to attend the Queen's levee. The Marquis of ANGLE SEY at once, with the natural resolution of his cha racter, and contrary to the wishes of those about him, himself attended the Court. From that period his lordship seemed to rally, nor did a severe attack of lumbago cause much alarm to his relatives. Indeed, it was not until Friday morning last that it became elident to all that even his iron constitution must yield to years of severe suffering, and messengers having been sent to the various members of his family who were not on the spot, the marquis expired on the following morning, calm, and fn • from suffering, surrounded in a patriarchal manner by every member of his sorrowing family. His end was in every way worthy of a Christian and a soldier. May the ashes of the brave man rest in peace THE 70.ru.—A remarkable scene, illustrative of the eager gallantry of our Highland regiments, occurred in the barracks of the 79th last week. The regiment had it appears been under an impression that they were not to be ordered for foreign service, and when the colonel called them together, and told them that they were about to depart for the seat of war in the East, their enthusiasm knew no bounds. Loud cheers rent the air, while some of the more eager rushed forward, and, hoisting their gallant colonel on their shoulders, born Lim round the barrack•yard amid the enthusiastic plaudits of the bystanders. - J