The Press. — London, England, 1856-08-09 00:00:00

AUGUST 9, 1856. ing the existing penalty for one which, while equally dreadful to the imagination, shall render juries less reluctant to convict, and afford no excuse for remitting in any case the sentence of the law. The Decimal Coinage Reformers are busy in bringing their various schemes before the public, and those schemes are so numerous and O pposed, that we fear they will neutralise each other, and prevent ary thing being done. A pamphlet published this week urges the formation of an international congress to secure the adoption of a uniform decimal system of money, weights, and measures. One thing would yet be wanted—a decimal system of time ;we might divide the day decimally, but the week would refuse any such arbitrary division, and so would the 365 or 366 days of the year. If the decimal system is to be adopted at all, we must be content to advance towards it by much humbler steps than some theorists propose. The simplest plan that can be adopted—the depreciation of the copper coinage by four per cent., so as to make the pound consist of one thousand farthings and 250 pence—would be attended with considerable difficulties, and it is to show how those difficulties can be best met that the efforts of practical decimalists will most profitably be directed. The movement in favour of Juvenile Reformatories has this week received a stimulus by an influential meeting at Winchester, pre sided over by the Bishop of that diocese. We cordially concur in the opinion that these things should be done by the local authorities rather than by Government. It is, said the Bishop, both the privilege and the duty of the country gentlemen to overlook them. But in noticing this subject as one of the important events of the week we desire to point out the necessity for bearing in mind that a distinction exists between reformatory institutions, such as Redhill and Mettray, to which 'alone the speech of the Bishop and the article in Friday's Times relate, and certain other establishments in the metropolis which partake more of the character of a refuge than a reformatory. The latter class of institutions are intended solely for juvenile crimi nals—for boys alone who have been convicted of some offence—and as far as these are concerned we think both the Bishop and the leading journal to have given us some excellent comments. But the very difficulty which is foreseen by the Times in dealing with a society of boy criminals, should constitute a strong additional motive for arresting the boy's career before he has become criminal. Prowl. ing about the streets of London are hundreds of miserable children without home or parents—just hovering on the brink of crime, but not yet guilty of it ; others who have fallen, but not yet detected, and uninfected therefore by the corruption of prison associates These it is to whom it should be the aim of the philanthropist to extend a helping hand, and by benefiting whom he will do the greatest benefit to society. We have no desire to withhold their due meed of praise from bishops and members of Parliament, who contribute their money and their eloquence to the cause of charity. But something should also be rendered to those who are working nobly and without any public recognition to reclaim the vagabond of the street, and to exercise pre vention instead of cure. Tf the art of writing catching puffs to tempt the public be any proof of civilisation, then is India generally, and Dacca in particular, rapidly advancing on the road of progress ; and, indeed, we should be quite inclined to accept this view were it not that the Company in Leadenhall-street are so much in the habit of writing tempting puffs themselves, that we fear, in India at least, this nineteenth century art precedes instead of follows a high social status and general commercial prosperity. Be that as it may, it is curious to read in an Indian journal such an advertisement from a native as this : THE PRESS. DACCA MUSLIM. The attention of the public is directed to these elegant frabrics, which, for surpass ing fineness and beauty, have been the admiration of the world since the days of Impe rial Rome, when, as we are informed by Dr. Taylor in his " Topography of Dacca," they were exported under the name of the " serice vestes," and were highly prized by the Roman ladies in the days of the highest luxury and refinement to which the empire attained. 13aboo Sooroopchand Doss has always on hand a large stock, varying in price from the cheap but elegant gowmpiece of twelve yards at Rs. 3 . 8, to the ' webs of woven wind," " abroan," and the "shubnern," or morning dew, at Rs. 100 the piece of ten yards. These latter are so fine that the whole piece can be with ease passed through a wedding-ring, and, when spread on the grass in the early morning, are so undistinguish able from dew, that it is reported that a cow eat a whole web while grazing without dis covering it. The Emperor Akbar rebuked his sister for indelicacy in appearing before him clothed in only seven folds of this texture. Orders will also be received for the beautiful Dacca scarfs, embroidered on Cashmere and Nett, in floss silk, so much prized as presents by friends "at home." Now this is the very height of poetical puffing. Messrs. JAY, whose Sponsalia " daily ties your eyes and taxes your temper; whose " Pelissier paletot " and " Raglan overcoat" stare at you on every scrubby bit of boarding, on every wall of Chancery property ; 4. How shall I spend my morning? Why, visit Mechi's," Ace ; Do you bruise your oats?" with all the doggrel of MOSES and the flash gentility of HYAMS, are miserable impostors, and their produc tions arrant vulgarity to Baboo Sooroopchand Doss and the poetry of his putt " The webs of woven wind,"—can anything be more beautiful and perfectly descriptive of an exquisite muslin ? Then, so like the early morning dew upon the grass, that it is reported a cow once while grazing eat a whole web without being aware of it ! Here is another exquisite simile, verified by an assertion so bold and yet so astute, that it must have originated only in the vivid Oriental brain of Baboo Sooroopehand Doss. The heavier intellects of Regent-street could never have conceived anything so light and digestible. BARRY'S Revalenta Arabica "is nothing to it. Let our advertisers beware, or their Eastern brethren will completely eclipse them. If Baboo would Only come to London, he would cause "An Alarming Sacrifice" and ' Laukrupt Stock " to be pasted up in half the haberdashers' windows. 757 The Sound Dues at present form twenty per cent. of the revenuo of Denmark, and having been paid so long by all the nations of Eu• rope, and formally guaranteed to her by the Congress of Vienna, cannot well be abrogated without some compensation to that rower. The Danes themselves offer to compound for a certain sum of money paid down. But the English Government prefers to retain the toll, having it paid at the ports instead of in the middle of the Sound. We agree with the Times in thinking the Danish proposal the wiser of the two, and we hope it may yet be accepted. In the meantime there is a third power in question—namely, America—which boldly declares she will no longer pay them at all, under any circumstances. What is this likely to end in ? If an American ship tried to force her way through the strait without paying, would the Danes fire on her? If so, it would never suit America to go to war with a distant country like Denmark for such a cause as this. The Danes are sturdy antagonists by sea, and it would cost the Americans more than the point is worth to carry it by force. MANCHESTER MEMORANDA. THE following—supposed to be notes for a forthcoming speech—were picked up near Claremont : Opening of Manchester Mechanics' institution, oth September.— Shall feel about as much at home as Peel at St. Petersburg. One comfort, they won't expect anything pious, so I can't come to grief with any of the Articles. Compliment the constituency on their intelli gence, &c., (shown in electing a man like Gibson, who expects a Government to do something, and to be consistent ; but, to do the Radicals justice. "their bark, is worse than their bite ") Please Hey wood by contrasting them with the benighted electors of Cam bidge, referring Especially to the conduct of that University in '3l. Must say something about science to propitiate H—. (Mem. To write to Argyll for some words as long as himself.) Statuary.—Trust they'll have a few pleasantly emblematic, such as " Hope," " Peace," &c. ; but I never saw a collection yet that did not include a confounded funereal " Resignation." Machinery in Motion —Contrast with dignity of repose—•illustrate by reference to the conduct of the Government. (Mem. To buy a cal culating machine for Vernon Smith.) Praise the working classes. (Mem. To write to George Grey, and ask if he can remember anything we've ever thought of doing for them. A PROBLEM. Tell us, ye who're wise to find Signs of Parliamentary weather, Say what earthly links can bind Pain and his allies together ? Oft one fancies split they must When another row arises : Leader—whom his men distrust; Soldiers—whom their chief despises. When the cry is of some use, They for all Reform are blatant; He on every old abuse Gladly would bestow a patent. While a Whig in power remains Are the Ballot's prospects brighter? They would break Italian chains, He would make them rathor tighter. Gallant Whigs, your sapient ways 'Scape defeat—to gain disgrace ! Wily Lord, how lightly weighs Principle compared with place ! MINISTERIAL MOVEMENTS. THE Chancellor of the Exchequer has left town for Cremorne. The Right Honourable Baronet has taken apartments in the neighbourhood with Lord Harrowby, Mr. Frederick Peel, and Mr. Baines. This dis tinguished party has been observed in the greatest spirits on the platform. Lord Harrowby has particularly distinguished himself in the Ira rsoriana. The Secretary of State for the Colonial Department having fortified himself with several carefully prepared speeches. has set out to pay an official visit to the Isle of Man, under the impression that it is a Colony. The Earl of Clarendon is about to accept the hospitality of the King of Naples. The noble Earl will be accompanied by Viscount Palmerston, who carries with him some of his grandfather's port. The Premier and Foreign Secretary will pay a consolatory visit to Turin and the Legations en route. His Majesty the King of Greece and the Pope have been invited to meet the distinguished Ministers. The Lord Chancellor has entered into a provincial engagement with Mr. Lumley to appear as Conrad in the new ballet of the Corsaire. Mr. Vernon Smith has taken his departure for Southampton to receive the Queen Dowager of Oude. Sir Benjamin Hall was last seen in one of the Manchester Sunday bands blowing his own trumpet. Mr. Lowe has started for a tour in the United States. The Right Honourable Gentleman has been recommended by his physician to study the practical application adopted by . Americans at their table entote of Proudhou's theory, " La propriete c'est le vol."