The Press. — London, England, 1856-12-27 00:00:00

DECEMBER 27, 1856. of Lord CARDIGAN as a cavalry officer, we do not believe that the retention of his rank by that officer was any argument either one way or the other. We have no fear for the ultimate reputation of Lord RAGLAN. What we do fear, are the pernicious consequences likely to accrue to the press if fairly detected in misrepresentations on so momentous a topic. The freedom of the press has been the reward of its impartiality. But if ever the b€licf in this latter excellence shall want, it is impossible to tell what might be the result. If the public cease to consider it the guardian of public interests, the days of its influence would he numbered. We are doubt less a long way from any such consummation at present. But indications have not been wanting recently of a modification in public opinion upon this subject, which nothing is so likely to increase as a dogged persistence in views shown to be erroneous. DWELLINGS OF THE POOR. Ar this season of the year, when even the poorest persons in the kingdom look forward to a brief period of comparative cheerfulness, it may not be an inconvenient moment for the discussion of a question bearing so directly on the comfort of the working classes as that which we now propose. The question de serves, in our opinion, far more attention than it ordinarily receives ; and perhaps we may now obtain a bearing which might be denied at times when the enjoyments of life were less specially brought under notice. It is the boast of the nineteenth century that the poor and the vicious are at length re ceiving that consideration from the public which our grandfathers totally neglected. Bath and wash•houses, model lodgings, schools, mechanics' institutes, and libraries, attest the earnestness with which our philan thropists are pursuing their career ; yet in the matter of dwelling-houses their efforts fall far behind the necessities of the case. While new suburbs are rising upon all sides of London, containing ranges of what may well be styled mansions, in comparison with tenements of a similar rank fifty years ago—while the upper and middle classes enjoy at least three times as much comfort in their homes as they did at the beginning of the century—the poorest class of all has remained almost just as it was. The Rookery may have been extir pated, but no Tyburnia or Pimlico has risen on its site. The public at large have been gainers by the removal of a nuisance, but the former inhabitants of the region have merely gone to some similar locality elsewhere, which is made worse and worse by every fresh immigration. Whole slices of London are still perfect honeycombs of courts, alleys, and passages, from which it is difficult to suppose that disease is ever absent, and in which it is totally impossible that the working man should gain any conception of the comforts or decen cies of home. A single visit to any one of the alleys which run out of Gray's-inn-lane would be sufficient to horrify any one of our country readers. Yet Londoners accept it as a matter of course ; and even the philanthropic societies above mentioned have wholly failed to cope with the evil Model lodging-houses are not suitable to the purpose. They are of course an enormous improvement on Fullwood's rents, or Baldwin's gardens, but they do not get rid of the physical and moral evil of a large number of persons, principally growing families, of both sexes, being crowded under one roof; while it is impossible to invest lodgings, however com fortable, with the exact character of home. What is the radical source of half the vices of the poor—of intoxication, of theft, of pro stitution? Is it not due to the fact that the labouring man must seek his relaxation abroad instead of in his own room? Is it not considered an evil sign in a gentleman's family when the husband is always at his club? Has not many and many a man's ruin been traceable to the scolding or• untidy wife who drove him for refuge to the tavern? Such things are matters of daily notoriety, and yet we exclaim against the immorality of the poor, who are subject to more constant temptation with less power of resistance. To a large number of London labourers the public house THE PRESS. is a necessity, and intoxication cannot be pre- I vented by the house being closed, so well as 1 y the necessity being removed. Had half as mucu energy been displayed in dealing with the root as with the branches of this evil—in giving the poor man an enjoyable fireside of his own, instead of preventing him from seek ing one elsewhere—we might perhaps have had real reason to congratulate ourselves on a diminution of the vices in question. In that wonderful extension of London to which we called the attention of our readers a week or two since, no provision whatever seems being made for the poor. Street after street rises up of elegant and substantial dwel lings, intended for the occupation of persons with more or less means, but we never hardly in Bayswater, Pimlico, or Belgravia, see a single row of cottages for the labourer. What then becomes of the accumulating masses of the poor? where do they hive themselves? Must they not obviously get more and more herded together in those abodes of filth and pesti lence which are already choked with the den sity of population? A plan was proposed two or three years ago for the erection of suburban villages expressly for the accommodation of the London poor. These were to have been conveyed back wards and forwards by train, and the yearly ticket included in the rent. We do not know why this plan was abandoned, but we presume that objections were discovered. We must own, however, that we should like to see some similar proposal brought forward. All across the county of Surrey stretches a range of heaths most admirably adapted for this pur pose. They lie high, and are therefore healthy, and at the same time the soil is com paratively worthless. Villages might be built upon these we should think, with a good-sized plot of ground to each house, the rental of which need not be above five or six pounds a year. Could this idea be carried out, we might at once proceed to the demolition of some of the worst plague-spots in the metropolis. It has been found next to impossible to reform the occupants of such localities. They must be entirely cleared away if any good is to be done. Yet we cannot turn families adrift without shelter; and if we clear away the garret of the pauper to make room for the rich man's palace, we are bound to provide him with something better in its place. But, independently of the removal of nui sances, we maintain that the poor have as clear a claim upon us for the improvement of their dwelling-houses in proportion to our own, as for their share in any other sort of sanitary or convenient improvement. On the other hand, it would reflect m ore benefit upon ourselves than almost any that could be mentioned. We do hope that this subject may soon be seriously taken up, and that in an age of social reforms and public charity we shall not be guilty of such selfishness as to forget in our own comfort the squalid wretchedness which is immediately conti guous. THE CONFERENCES. Ir is believed in Paris that the plenipotentiaries t will meet, and the first conference take place, this day, the 27th, but it is not positively known. It is said that they will probably not last more than two sittings. _ _ Count Croudenhoven's Secretary of Legation lef Vienna on the 16th for Paris with despatches fo Baron Hubner, containing a verbal note which the latter is to submit to the French Government, and which replies negatively to the question of granting a compensation to Russia for the abandonment of Bolgrad. Redschid Paella's son has arrived in Paris with the following resolutions for the Turkish Ambas sador Full and complete fulfilment of the treaty of Paris for the organisation of the Danubian principalities. To settle as soon as possible the Turco-Russian frontier line in Asia, when the season of the year will permit it. The great powers are begged to take into serious con sideration the state of Turkey, which desiros to deve lop its resources, to become a strong power, and to be no longer a source of anxiety to the West. .., Its rivalries of influence and the lamentable mis understanding on the treaty of Paris have prevented 1227 it from occupying itself with the great commercial and financial measures which its wants require. The Sardinian Plenipotentiary has also received instructions, while the French and English Govern ments are perfectly agreed on the points under discussion. The Conferences will only be occupied with the questions of Bo'grad and of the isle of Serpents. PERSIA AND ENGLAND. IT appears by accounts from Constantinople, of the 19th inst., that Ferouk Khan was to set out on the next day for Paris. The negotiations with Lord Stratford de Redcliffe had been without result, though Redschid Pacha had advised Persia to give way to England. Some of the Vienna journals profess to give the ultimatum of Lord Stratford de Redcliffe, as demanding the revision of the treaties now existing with Persia ; the evacuation of Herat ; authorisation to establish trading settlements on the shores of the Persian Gulf ; and the concession of railways on the Persian territory to English companies. Tho same intelligence states that Persia, supported by Russia, demands the neutrality of Turkey in the present war; whilst England, on the contrary, wishes for the alliance of Turkey, or at least for authorisa tion for the passage of her troops to Trebizond. The Imaum of Muscat sides with the English, and refuses to pay the annual tribute which he owes for salt mines in Persia. The Caucase, of Tiflis, publishes some particulars which coincide with the news lately received direct from St. Petersburg. That journal announces that 3,000 men have been detached from the division of reserve of the corps of the Caucasus, and sent vitt Kislar,• towards the Caspian Sea, in order to rein force the flotilla. Another body of 3,000 men from the reserve had been previously despatched from us trakan to the south-eastern ports of the Caspian Sea. Intelligence from Constantinople of the 101 h states that the Russians have landed arms and ammuni tion at Zella.+ The works in the arsenal of Persia are going on with great activity, according to in structions received from Teheran. The Invalirle Russe of the 11th publishes some news from Persia relative to the capture of Herat, hut adds nothing to our former information. The same journal states that the English consuls at Teheran and Tabriz had placed the subjects of England in those places under the protection of the Russian consuls. This intelligence is at variance with the account received through Constantinople, which declared that the English subjects were placed under the protection of Turkey. A commission composed of several officers has been sent from the Russian head-quarters to visit the Mazanderan, a province of Persia adjoining the Caspian Sea, to reconnoitre the passage for troops and draw topographical plans. It appears that, in the event of serious hostilities taking place between England and Persia, the Mazanderan will be a very important strategic point. Troops will be concen trated in that province, and the defiles of the Capsian gates and that of Komis will be strongly occupied. It is by these two points that the centre of the Persian empire, which, in this case, is destined to become the theatre of the struggle, tnay be approached. A Polish correspondent of the Augsburg Gazette writes that the Russians have long been preparing for the outbreak of war between England and Persia. The garrison of Astrakan has been stren. thened, and the Cossacks in the neighbourhood of that city have received a new commander in the person of Lieutenant- General Krassnik, but the reports relative to the concentration of troops , which are to Ibe con veyed by the flotilla of the Capsian Sea to Astrabad, " are totally unfounded." The Orenburg corps, of which so much has recently been said, consists of the 23rd infantry division and of the Orenburg battalions of the line, but it is too weak to be sent on an expe dition to Persia. The distance is so enormous that there can he no question of a reinforcement being cent from Southern Russia. The principal force of Russia in Asia is in the Caucasus and on the Araxes, and, if her troops should enter rersia, it would pro bably be by way of the province of Azerbijan, but no Russian troops by the latest accounts have yet crossed the Persian froniter. There is a doubtful runuour at Teheran that Murad Mirza, the Commander-in-Chief of the Persian army, hail marched southward, and occupied Turab, in Cabul. Of the British expedition we have no farther intelligence. Mr. Murray and his staff still continue at Bagdad. • Eisler, or Kisljar, is a little fortress situated in the delta of the River Terck. at the point of separation of its different mouths. The River Terck flows north of the Caucasian moun tain range into the Caspian Sea. ♦ Most prob►bly a Persian port near the mouth of the River Rizil Ozien is meant, from which the communication between the Caspian Sea and Teheran is easily carried on by meat sof the River Kizil Ozien. and through the mountain range, which easompasses the southern half of the Caapi an Sea. - I