The Press. — London, England, 1854-08-19 00:00:00

ro• 772 vision attained, by having a uniform official language, and a single list of employes for general service throughout the state. It was only towards the close of the Delhi empire that this policy was departed from, and the se paration of the empire i n to fragments en- sued. What the Mogul conquerors, our prede cessors, did in the matter of education we can do if we choose, and there cannot be a doubt but that, by adopting a similar plan, we shall attain a like success. Instead, then, of di. minishing our English scholarships, whether in ruimber or value, we must add greatly to them in both respects. We must establish, as occasion offers, English teacherships for every considerable school in India, A knowledge of English must in the outset be made a decided ground of preference, and ultimately a sine qua non, iu every native candidate for public em ployment, English being eventually introduced as the official language of every district under our rule. The situations open practically as well as theoretically to natives should be greatly increased in number and in emolu ment; only those offices being absolutely re served for Europeans to which political powers are attached, and which, for a time at least, it would be unwise to entrust to native hands. There is nothing to prevent our greatly improv ing the position of the native races without in any way relaxing the grasp we hold on India ; indeed, the best way of strengthening that grasp is to draw the bonds of union between us closer—the necessary result of a common language, and of a more liberal treat ment of the higher classes, whom it should be the object of a sensible Government to attract to the service of the State, instead of repelling them from it. Acting on principles such as these, we have no doubt whatever that the fullest and completest success might be attained. The public service would be immeasurably improved, our hold on India would be strengthened, and India would soon be Euro peanised in intellect, in habits, and in tastes. The studies commenced from necessity, carried on from rivalry, and completed in the prose cution of ambition, would, as in Europe, leave sufficient traces on the mind to produce that love of knowledge for its own sake and active thirst of inquiry and intellectual cultivation which can only with the extinction of the intellect be extinguished in any thoroughly educated man. Such a policy, however, as we have sketched is, we fear, far beyond the limited scope of vision which nature has accorded to the present President of the India Board. We have little doubt, therefore, that India will be left in its ignorance, uninstructed and unre generated, while the " Headships of the Edu cational department " will, after the usual Indian fashion, be converted into pleasant sinecures, and the moths and the worms of the secre tariat at Calcutta will be allowed to dispose as they please of th e Education Despatch of Sir Charles Wood. The Conference of Vienna is to reassemble in about a week, on the invitation of Count Buol. Itis stated that the object of the Conference is to declare that the propositions of France and England are in conformity with the protocol of Vienna, and to ascer tain the most fitting means to ensure the existence of Turkey, and to connect it with the general balance of power in Europe. Letters from St. Petersburg mention that the im mediate issue of a proclamation by the Emperor Nicholas was generally expected. The annual report of the commissioners for build ing new .•hurches has just been published. In their last rep art the commissioners stated that 547 churches had been completed, in which accommodation had been provided for 550,833 persons, including 328,852 free seats for the use of the poor. The present one informs us that 23 churches in addition have been since completed. In these 23 churches accommoda tion has been provided for 14,897 persons, including 9,723 free seats for the use of the poor. Thus, in the whole, 670 churches have now been completed, and provision has therein been made for 505,780 per sons, including 338,575 free seats for the use of the poor. There are besides, 27 new churches in the course of erection. THE PRESS. Vrattbings in arliamcnt. THE GERMAN POWERS. During the half hour that the Commons were wait ing on Saturday last for their summons to the Upper House to hear the prorogation speech, Mr. HUME took the opportunity of extracting some further informa tion touching the present diplomatic status between Austria and the Western powers on the subject of the war. He inquired especially what ground there was for an intimation made a few days previously in the Peers to the effect that the co-operation of the Vienna Cabinet with England and France had become more probable than was previously antici pated ? Lord J. RUSSELL explained the existing state of our political relationships with the German powers, so far as official discretion permitted him to do. The Russian Minister at Vienna, he said, had very lately communicated to the Austrian Government an as surance that the Czar had ordered his troops to eva cuate both the principalities, Moldavia as well as Wallachia. Notwithstanding this assurance the Austrian Secretary for Foreign Affairs had acquainted both the British and French Envoys at Vienna of his readiness to proceed with the interchange of the "note" already prepared by the two Western powers, in which the general nature of the securities to be required from Russia, preliminary to any negotiations for peace, were duly set forth. These securities had also been described in outline in a state paper which the Emperor of the French had caused to be pub lished in the Moniteur. The answer of the Austrian Minister to this note implied that the Emperor his master would not be satisfied by a return to the status quo, and expressed also a general accordance with the tenor of the securities demanded by Eng land and France. It remained, however, to be seen whether Austria would deem it expedient to commu nicate the note to Russia, as a medium for further negotiations, or would at once set her armies in motion to obtain those guarantees which the two allies required, and which he trusted that the German powers would unite with them in de manding. THE PROROGATION. The session of 1854 closed on Saturday last, when Parliament was prorogued by her Majesty in person. At two o'clock the Queen entered the House of Lords with the usual ceremonies ; and the House of Commons, represented on this occasion by Lord J. Russell, Mr. Walpole, and some sixty members, having arrived at the bar, headed by the Speaker, that right hon. gentleman addressed to her Majesty the usual summary of the proceedings of his house during the session. He said:— " We, your Majesty's dutiful and loyal subjects, the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, attend your Majesty with the last bill of supply for the service of the year. "In reviewing the labours of the past session, we have humbly to thank your Majesty for your gracious permission to bring under our annual review a large amount of the public ex penditure connected with the revenue departments which have hitherto been exempt from parliamentary control. It will be our duty in future years, with a just regard to economy, to make ample provision for these important branches of the public services. " In obedience to your Majesty's commands, we have endea voured to impose an effectual check on bribery and corrupt prac tices at elections, and we venture to hope that the act lately passed, which clearly defines these offences, applies to them an adequate punishment, and places eleetiou expenses under effi cient control, will prove successful in repressing a practice which is alike demoralising to the elector and subversive of the integrity of representative institutions. " We have given the most attentive consideration to &measure for the just government and extension of the University of Ox ford, by which certain oaths now required to be taken by students have been abrogated—provision made for the establishment of private bills, and enlarged powers given both to the university and its colleges. We have every confidence that these enact ments will be received by that learned body in the spirit in which they have been framed, and that they will be able to extend the benefits of academical education to classes of the community who, from their circumstances or religious opinions, have hitherto been precluded from the enjoyment of this privilege. " Various other measures have been submitted to us,but it has been found impossible to mature them during the session, as the progress of our legislation has been interrupted by the com mencement of a war which, notwithstanding your Majesty's un remitting endeavours to maintain peac e , has been on presse the d up o n n us by the unwarrantable aggression f Russia Tur empire. Deploring most deeply the necessity of such contest, we re cognise the imperative duty of protecting an old and faithful from oppresion, and of vindicating the rights of nations. " And we believe it well becomes the character and honour 01 this great empire, adhering to the faith of treaties, to frustrate, if possible, the designs of a monarch whose ambition, if uncon trolled, would endanger the security of every nation in Europe. " Entertaining these views, your faithful Commons have cheer fully and without hesitation placed at the disposal of your Ma jesty whatever supplies have been deemed requisite to carry on this just and unavoidable war, thus enabling your Majesty to send forth fleets and armies complete beyond all former prece dent in discipline and equipment " The efforts of your Majesty to strengthen the army and aid the cause of Turkey have been cordially seconded by the Emperor of the French, and the joint forces of England and France, their ancient hostility converted into generous emulation, now threaten the coasts and harbours of Russia to the most distant extremity of her vast dominions. " The issue of this momentous struggle is in the hands of an over-ruling Providence. Confident in the justice of our cause, we look forward with hope to its successful termination, acknow ledging, with the deepest gratitude, that whilst war, in all its horrors, is raging abroad, your Majesty's subjects, uncle' your SATURDAY, Majesty's wal-ordered and beneficent rule, are enjoying the blessings of uninterrupted tranquillity at home. I have now to pray your Majesty's anent to a bill for the appropriating of the sums voted for the service of the year. The royal assent to this and one or two other bills was given, and the Queen then proceeded to read the Prorogation Speech from the Throne "My Lords and Gentlemen, `1 `gym enabled, by the state of public business, to release fr m a longer attendance in Parliament. " Gentlemen of the House of Commons, " In closing the session, it affords me great pleasure to express my sense of the zeal and energy you have shown in providing means for the vigorous prosecution of the war in which, notwithstanding my efforts to aver it, we are now engaged. This liberality in granting the supplies for the public service demands my warmest thanks; and, although 1 lament the increased burdens of my people, I fully recognise your wisdom in sacrificing con siderations of present convenience, and in providing for the immediate exigencies of the war, without an addition being made to the permanent debt of the country. " My Lords and Gentlemen, "In cordial co-operation with the Emperor of the French, my efforts will be directed to the effectual repres sion of that ambitious and aggressive spirit on the part of Russia which has compelled us to take up arms in defence of an ally, and to secure the future tranquillity of Europe. " You will join with me in admiration of the courage and perseverance manifested by the troops of the Sultan in their defence of Silistria, and in the various military ope rations on the Danube. " The engrossing interest of matters connected with the progress of the war has prevented the due consideration of some of those subjects which, at the opening of the ses sion, I had recommended to your attention ; but I am happy to acknowledge the labour and diligence with which you have perfected various important measures well calculated to prove of great public utility. "Yon have not only passed an act for opening the coasting trade of the United Kingdom, and for removing the last legislative restriction upon the use of foreign vessels, but you have also revised and consolidated the whole statute law relating to merchant shipping. " The act for establishing the direct control of the House of Commons over the charges incurred in the col lection of the revenue will give more complete effect to an important principle of the constitution, and will promote simplicity and regularity in our system of public account. " I rejoice to perceive that amendments in the adminis tration of the law have continued to occupy your attention; and I anticipate great benefit from the improvements you have made in the forms of procedure in the superior courts of common law. "The means you have adopted for the better govern ment of the University of Oxford, and the improvement of its constitution, I trust will tend greatly to increase the usefulness and to extend the renown of this great seminary of learning. "I have willingly given my assent to the mea sure you have passed for the prevention of bribery and of corrupt practices at elections ; and I hope that it may prove effectual in the correction of an evil which, if unchecked, threatens to fix a deep stain upon our representative system. " It is my earnest desire that, on returning to your re spective counties, you may preserve a spirit of union and concord. Deprived of the blessings of peace abroad, it is more than ever necessary that we should endeavour to confirm and increase the advantages of our internal situa tion ; and it is with the greatest satisfaction that I regard the progress of active industry and the general prosperity which happily prevails throughout the country. "Deeply sensible of these advantages, it is my humble prayer that we may continue to enjoy the favour of the Almighty; and that, under His gracious protection, we may be enabled to bring the present contest to a just and honourable termination." Her Majesty then retired, and the Legislature broke up for the recess. ally I THE TRANSITION FROM A PEACE of long standing to a war of widely-extended dimensions has produced a necessity for most arduous exertions in a service that has heretofore been looked upon as rather easy, that of Queen's messengers. Convenient as travel ling has become of late years, a considerable number of the gentlemen on the Downing-street staff are already knocked up with their highly-increased loco motion, a circumstance which acts most irksomely on those few who continue to bear up against the fatigue and the heat. Thus, for instance, the journey from Calais to Dantzic and back is now per formed by the same messenger every week, leaving him the luxury of a bed just one night of the seven. It is evident that at this rate of work the small number still tit for duty will speedily be diminished.