The Press. — London, England, 1855-07-21 00:00:00

the Government for want of the energy also lutely requisite to raise our military force to the standard sanctioned by Parliament. The estimates voted with such unanimity included 178 645 British troops, and 14,950 foreign troops. The number actually enrolled is about 30,000 short of that number. The effective force of the entire army was— let of April 17 May „ June In the Militia the disproportion between the number of men voted and the number enrolled is still more striking. The estimates were for a total of 136,323 men The numbers actually enrolled were— Ist of March, " April " June The estimates submitted to Parliament give, therefore, an impression of Ministerial vigour not borne out by the result. METROPOLIS LOCAL MANAGEMENT BILL. Tuts 13ill, which was to have passed its third read ing on Monday last, in a similar quiet manner as it passed its second reading on the 18th of April (the period of the Emperor's visit), was passed last night after exciting considerable discussion. We shall probably revert to the subject upon some future occasion if the Bill be not rejected by the Lords, meanwhile we wiah to Gail atteition to the following poiuts : On the introduction of the Bill on the 15th March, Sir BENJAMIN HALL stated that there existed at least 10,448 persons acting as Commissioners, and " his " own impression was that the number could not be " much less than 15,000. He could not ascertain " the cost of the officers, but his impression was " that it could not be less than from 70,0001. to " Bu,oool. a year." Now, if the new Vestries and Boards dispense with the services of these gentlemen, which it is believed is their intention, a heavy compensation for loss of place will have to be effected, and thus we shall have two sets of officers upon our hands for salary. Sir B. HALL admitted that arbitrary powers were given by the Bill, but stated that all the clauses were copied from the existing Sewers Bill. In reply to this, we would ask whether the bill of 1848, introduced on the 22nd day of July, really received such full consideration as to make its clauses an infallible guide? On the introduction of the Loral Management Bill, the late Under Secretary for Home Affairs, and present chairman of committee, opposed it on various grounds, and stated that "he knew no ; precedent for introducing such a change as " proposed by this Bill without allowing Puha " meat to obtain information in a clear manner, to " which it might refer with certainty ;" and, speak ing of bad drainage, he asked whether the House " would consent again to consign the whole subject "to an eternal chaos?" It is true that Sir B. HALL said, " The Board would have power to make great " intercepting sewers on each side of the Thames— " large drains to incept the sewage, instead of allow " it to flow into the Thames ;" but Mr. HENLEY very properly remarked, " They would first have to get " sufficiently liberal ratepayers to vote the acquired " sum of money to carry out the scheme" (Times, May 15.) Now, Sir B. HALL's opinion in 1851 would lead us to suppose that the ratepayers will refuse the outlay. On the 20th of July, 1851, the then nupledged President of the Board of Health stated us the House ' "The Noble Lord had referred to the " scheme of drainage for the northern and southern " districts of the metropolis. Why, that scheme " caused the greatest consternation throughout the " metropolitan districts, for the people were led to 44 suppose that they would have to pay 3,000,0001. or 4 ' 4,000,0001." On the same occasion, Lord Joint RUSSELL said : "The proposal to introduce a great representative " body into the metropolis to manage these matters " was one which demanded very grave consideration. " When the House came tO.consider the question, he " thought they would find innumerable difficulties in " the way of carrying out such a proposal." — Hansard, July 29 ; Times, &c. July 30, 1851. Has the Local Management Bill received full consideration ? On the second reading of the Bill, the House was so empty that even one of the metro politan Members proposed " that the House do now " adjourn," but did not press the motion to a division, and in the committee which met during morning sittings the attendance has been almost exclusively left to the metropolitan Members. We consider that there has scarcely ever been before the House a 91910 weighty matter than the ih... THE PRESS. Metropolitan Local Management Bill, with its 238 clauses, and clause A to Sss, added in committee. The great outcry at present is the state of the Thames. Sir B. HALL told the House lately that " all the plans and levels" for works of interception would rest with the new Board ; but a few days later hestated that the Commissioners of Sewers bad " a variety of plans already before them." If he inquires again, he will perhaps find that the Com missioners only require to refer these plans to engineers, for the works to be prosecuted; that they have the money in hand for commencing them, but that they are waiting fur powers to purchase land. It would have better become the President of the Board of Health that, instead of proceeding hastily with a Bill which had not received that mature consideration which it preeminently required, he should obtain such powers for the Commissioners of Sewers as will enable them to purchase land and commence that great system of river purification and town drainage which is so essential to the health and interests of this seething city. WE bear that Thursday, the 9th of August, is the day fixed for the prorogation of Parliament. LIEUT.-GENERAL SIR GEORGE BROWN arrived safely at Southampton on Thursday. General CANNON, the second in command to OMER Pectis, may be expected home shortly on sick leave. WE are credibly informed that when the infernal machine whi(ffi exploded on board Admiral Dundas's ship was seen by a marine officer, he instantly de tected that it had been made by a person resident near London, and proved this to all present. The fact was immediately transmitted to the Government, but they have refused to institute any inquiry what ever into the subject, nor have they taken any measure to put a stop to this traitorous assistance to Russia. -------- THE ENGLISH GOVERNMENT, seriously taking up the old project of the Liverpool Ministry, ac tording to a correspondent of the Brussel's Inaperidance, will, at a not distant period, metamorphose the island of Heligoland into a fortress of the first rank, which will command the North Sea as Malta and Gibraltar do the Mediterranean. COUNT WALEWSKI, it is stated, has sent to the French Legations a circular, in which it is said that his Government does not any longer consider itself bound to the four points, all attempts to get them accepted by Russia having failed; and that conse quently it has resolved to impose such conditions of peace as might be suggested by the results of the war. --- DR. ARCHIBALD ARNOTT, of the 20th Regiment of Foot, died on the 6th inst., in the 84th year of his age, at Kirkconnell-hall, Dumfriesshire. Dr. Arnett entered the army upwards of sixty years ago, and retired from active service in 1826. For many years he served with her Majesty's 20th Foot, sharing the perils and exploits of that distinguished corps on the Nile, in Calabria, Portugal, Spain, and Holland, and earning a medal with clasps for Egypt, Maicla, Vimiera, Corunna, Vittoria, the Pyrenees, Vivelle, Nive, Orthes, and Toulouse. After the war, Dr. Arnott accompanied his regiment to St. Helena and India, and at the former station became the medical attendant of Napoleon Bonaparte. Shortly previous to his dissolution Napoleon gave a very interesting testimony of his respect for Dr. Arnott. He desired that a valuable gold snuff-box might be brought to him, and having, with his dying and last effort of strength, engraved upon its lid with a penknife the letter "N.," presented it to Dr. Arnett as a parting memorial. Besides which he bequeathed to him 600 Napoleons, and the British Government, to mark its approbation of Dr. Arnott's conduct, conferred on him 5001. THE COMMISSIONERS appointed to inquire into the conduct of the police during the late riots in Hyde park held their first sitting on Tuesday in the Court of Exchequer at Westminster, and are still daily taking the evidence offered by any parties who have complaints to urge against the conduct of the police. Many witnesses have been already heard, and the testimony given seems to prove that many an individual policeman acted with great brutality ontliat occasion; hut the chief blame seems to centre upon Inspector Hughes, who appears to have acted throughout under feelings of intense exasperation, and to have not only encouraged, but ordered the worst proceedings among the corps of constables under his command. The inquiry is still pro ceeding. A CLUB is to be formed at Aldersbott, with the per mission of the Commander-in-Chief, for the use and accommodation of the officers of the line and militia. THE war transports are coming home now almost empty. During this week nearly a dozen large war transports will be in Southampton Dock, preparing to start off again in the Government service. SATURDAY, antrtspoithntt. LORI) DUNDONALD'S PLANS. TO THE EDITOR OF " THE PRESS." Sir, — lt is now certain that the Baltic fleet will not be able to do more than establish a blockade. The Government have refused to furnish the necessary matiriel for destroying the forts in the ordinary way, and have declined to afford Lord Dundonald an opportunity of doing so by the extraordinary means which, beyond all doubt, he has in his power. The object of my present letter i 3 to throw out a hint which I sincerely hope will be taken up and acted upon. Is it not possible to get up a public subscription to the amount which Lord Dundonald may deem necessary, and place it in his hands so that he may have an opportunity of doing private* (with the consent of the Government, of course) what they refused to allow him to try at the public cost? If you approve of this idea I hope you will advo cate it strenuously ; but no time must be lost, as the season is fast approaching to a close. There are many here besides myself who believe and know that Lord Dundonald is not the man to promise more than he can perform. The present fleet confessedly can do nothing, and peace is as far off as ever. The destruction of their strongholds in a few days by an unknown agency may bring our enemy to terms which it would be madness for him then to refuse.—l am, 4c., AN OFFICER IN THE li4DTIC H.M.S. —, off Cronstadt, July 9th, 105. DI. CROLY'S SPEECH AT THE MANSION HOUSE. TO THE EDITOR OF "THE PRESS." Sir,—ln your Journal of the 7th instant you report a speech of the Rev. Dr. Croly at the Mansion-house on the occasion of the presentation to bim of a testi, monial by his friends and parishioners. In that speech the learned and reverend gentleman makes the strange assertion that, "in the last century, no Irishman was supposed capable of wearing even an Irish mitre." That English clergymen were unduly preferred in the Irish Church lam not prepared to deny • but Dr. Croly will allow of no exception to the rule of exclusion of Irish ecclesiastics from the Episcopal Bench. That there were very many such exceptions, I know; but I will content myself with citing the names of the members of one Irish family which furnished no less than five prelates to the Church of Ireland, besides deans and archdeacons : George Synge, Bishop of Cloyne, died 1643 ; his brother, Edward Synge, Bishop of Limerick, after wards Bishop of Ardfest and Aghadoe, afterwards Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, died 1678. One of this prelate's sons was Dean of Kildare, the other was Edward Synge, Bishop of Raphoe, and after wards Archbishop of Tuam, who died in 1741. He was the author of many theological works not yet forgotten, and some of which are republished by the Society for the Promotion of Christian Know ledge. His " Gentleman's Religion" is, perhaps, the best known of his works. Thirty years ago he was still remembered at Tuam, where he was in variably spoken of as "The good Archbishop." One of his sons, Edward Synge, was successively Bishop of Clonfert and Kilmacbduach, Bisho of Cloyne, Bishop of Terns and teighlin, and Bishop Elphin. He was a friend and correspondent of Dean Swift. He died in 1762. His brother Nicolas Synge was Bishop of Killaloe. He died in 1771. His grandson Sir Samuel Synge Hutchinson, Bait, who died in 1846, had refused a bishopric. He was an Archdeacon. Whether there was not an undue exercise of epis. copal nepotism in the promotion of so many mem bers of this family to bishoprics, I am not prepared to say. At any rate, they all seem to have been exemplary prelates. But this is not the point. My object is to show that long before " the last fifty years"—the date fixed by Dr. Croly for the installa tion of the first Irish Bishop—in the last and in the penultimate centuries, Irish birth was not deemed an absolute disqualifcation for the wearer of a mitre.—l am, sir, your obedient servant, July 18. HIBERNICUS. PS. It was not because he was an Irishman, but because dear, good Queen Anne had not wit enough to see that, despite all his levity, he was the very man to put a diocese in first-rate order, that Swift only received a deanery for his services. es,* We are compelled from want of space to. OM further postpone the communication el " Xclih,s" t upon the Purification of the Thames." A DUEL was recently fought between a Russiaa and an Englishman in a dark room in San Francisco. The Englishman, not wishing to have blood oo hands, fired his pistol up the chimney, and, to IA horror, down cap* the bissisik 11