The Sun. — London, England, 1869-07-17 00:00:00

SPIMT OF THE PUBLIC) JOURNALS, a The Saturday Bev els; thiults that great as was tics interest attaching to the explanation which Mr. Gl►d• stone was to make on Thursday as to the intentions of the Government, this interest was lessened by the knowledge beforehand of the general tenor of what would be pro posed. Mr. Gladstone has already announced that he should insist on his original bill as it left the Commons, and the great Liberal constituencies had shewn beyond mistake, not only that they would support him in this, but that they would be grievously disappointed if he took any other course. There can be no sort of doubt that a commanding majority of the electoral body of the United Kingdom has come to two conclusions, against which it is perfectly useless for the Lords or anyone else to strive. The first of these conclusions is that, whereas Mr. Gladstone proposed one scheme and the Lords a second and totally different scheme, the former shall be accepted, and the latter rejected, The second of these conclusions is that there shall be no concurrent endowment. The arguments in favour of giving glebes and houses to the Catholics retain all their force, but the country is not prepared for the scheme. As Mr. Bright said, the power of Mr. Gladstone, the most powerful Prime Minister of recent years, would shiver like glass if he proposed anything of the sort. Consequently the Ministry had nothing to do but to restore the bill, with the most trivial alterations, to its old shape. All the amendments of the Lords are swept away that altered the bill so as to give it the new character which the Lords managed to impact to it. The surplus is under Mr. Clad stone's scheme, so appropriated as to shut out concurrent endowment, but it is so applied as to give Mr. Bright exactly what he wants. Mr. Bright himself expressly advocated this, and stated it to be one of the greatest attractions of the Government proposal in his eyes, that it would enormously facilitate the operation of some such land scheme as that which he had shadowed out. If the Irish Church Bill is carried this year we shall have an Irish Land Bill next year, and whatever else it may contain it will, we may be now almost sure, contain Proposal to use the surplus of the Irish Church as a fund from which tenants may borrow to buy out landowners. Thus the Irish Church Bill has been made by the Lords to predetermine the character of the Irish Land Bill, and, so far as the interests of great proprietors go, this has been a serious blunder. But it is too late to repair the blunder now, and the best use the Lords can make of it is to read in it a warning not to legislate as if they were up in a balloon, but to consider what will practically happen according as they take one course or the other when an important alternative is submitted to their decision. " Let me act as I please," says the Spectator, " and I will let you talk as you please." That is the substance of the compromise which the Emperor of the French has so " graciously " and " wisely " offered t. the Chamber and the nation, and over which most of our contemporaries have been singing hymns of thankfulness and praise to the " far-sighted monarch," who has once more shewn, as in Mexico, how completely he understands his epoch. We regret, for the sake of France and of Europe, that we cannot join in their paeans. The letter of the 12th July, which they think so marvellously wise, seems to us to contain irresistible evidence of failing insight and decay ing resolution. It reads like the decree of an hereditary king, aware that the revolution is on its way, but full of the conviction that statesmanship is but another word for wile. Foresight the Emperor never had, as witness his forecast on the American and German wars, the absurd menace which produced the British Volunteers, and the total failure of his Algerian policy ; but till now he has always compre• hended France, always expressed in some rough but etlicient way her latent thought. Now he fights her on the hustings on the cne point on which she, who is stronger than the Emperor, be his remaining strength what it may, will take no denial, the personal govern ment ; mistakes the whole drift of the elections ; writes in June to Baron de Mackau a letter swearing he will never give way; tells Grimier de Cassagnac early in July to state in the Pays that he regrets having neglected the "majority," i.e., the Arcadians, the party more Imperialist than the Emperor ; and then, on July 12th, gives way in such a manner as to slim the hostile world he is yielding, yet not to content that world ; and finally, without warning, without even informing M. Schneider, in a kind of spasm of agitation, prorogues the Chamber. Nothing so illusory as his reform was ever granted to an excited people. Finally, if Napoleon is so far wiser than all France, why does he fail? He does not wish the Empire to be weak, yet if there is meaning in appearances the Empire is failing, losing ground, driven to small devices in spite of him and his farsighted policy. Opinions may and will differ about the letter of the 12th of July ; its object, its meaning, its results ; but on this one point, at least, w e think, opinion will be unanimous. Had the Empire been gaining strength, bad the elections reaffirmed its prin ciple, had the ground Leen solid beneath its founda tions, had even the builder retained the full command of his genius, that letter would never have been w ritten. 'The Belshazzar of to-day sees no handwriting on the wall, or lie would read, and reading, understand, and perhaps evade his doom. There are men nowadays who could swindle even Fate. All he sees is that a finger, shadowy but omnipotent, undefined but irresistible, is writing somewhat which it imports him to read and be strains and stumbles blinded towards the scroll which, though invisible, he yet knows to be there, and to be his sentence. In all history there is no figure which so excites the imagination as this Emperor, pressed on all sides by a force which is no force, which yields as he strikes, gives way as he springs, seems even to buoy him as he loses his feet, yet always sweeps him on relent lessly to his doom. The John Bull says there is a tradition among the elders of the better evangelical school of thought that when some very ambitious and worldly-minded young man was boast ing of what he should accomplish, some pious friend kept saying to him, "And then?" The young man answered glibly enough, as in anticipation he scaled the ladder of fame, till he got to old age, when the mentor brought him to book, and the moral of the story of course is the vanity of all earthly hopes. Now we shall not be accused, lee us hope, of irreverence, if we have thus prefaced a very short article on the present crisis. For our Liberal friends keep asking us what will happen in the end should the Peers refuse to do so suicidal an act as to cut their own throats by eating humble-pie to the Commons. On concurrent endowment they will yield to the undoubted opinions or prejudices—whatever they may be considered—of the people ; and if they were to allow the ConemonscompletCly to destroy their handiwork, and deny them any power in the State, far better would it be for them to close their doors at once. If they exist only to register the decrees of the Commons, they had far better voluntarily abdi cate. But we have no fear that they will so stultify them selves. They will throw on the House of Com mons, or rather on its dictator, the responsi bility of the answer to the question—" And then ?" In refusing to consent to see themselves ignored, and the Irish Church scandalously robbed, they will rally round them all that is best and noblest in the country. Mobs may rage, excited public assemblies may be called, and the Reform League may do its worst, but the Hcuse of Lords will be supported by the intelligence of the country. Mr. Gladstone said that the Lords up in a balloon were unable to appreciate the relations between an individual member and his own constituents. We can assure the Prime Minister that their lordships gauge accurately the tyranny of constituencies, and the morbid dread of them by their members. But they likewise trust the common sense and' fair dealing of their fellow coußtrymen, when they really understand all the bearings of the question ; and hence they will not regret if Mr. Gladstone's obstinacy secures a further appeal to the country. For resistance now is of little avail, unless their lordships intend to remain firm, if the bill is presented again, and insist on a further appeal to thepeople. Till the matured convictions of the people have been expressed, the answer to the question "And then ?" is not difficult. If the people ultimately determine to rob the Irish Church, as well as to declare that the State will as a bo . dy acknowledge Him by whom alone kings reign and princes decree justice, the question then we admit will be a portentous one. The Economist thinks that Exchequer Bills are now in great part, and with a very little improvement might easily be made an almost perfect security for a State which does not fear moderate liabilities fur borrowed principal, and which lives close to a rich money market. What is wanted is a security pledging the credit of the English State of which the value shall always be nearly the same ; and the theory of Exchequer Bills is that they are such a security. They become due at a fixed day ; after they have been issued a certain time they are re ceivable in payinents of duties, and the interest is variable. These peculiarities were intended to keep Exchequer Bills at a fixed value, and to attract floating money at low interest. It is indeed true that the theory of Exchequer Bills is not in piactice fully worked out. In practice the interest is fixed for six months in a.lvance. and in conse quence Exchequer Bills may 1 e at a pn•miuni or a dis .t,ont; because the money market changes. This is, indeed, a mere matter of practice not prescribed by law. At present, too, by practice, though not by law, the bills become clue at two periods of the year, and this is an unnecessary evil. They might become (he at 'various IL.tes. Suppose there 'were .£13,000,( 00 of Excheener :P•iile in the market, f"-;0),000 might become due every fortnight. Nn one need fear such a liability as that for the English Government. Indeed, under our present system, at a time of l ank Bank of England always does advance to I,o!ders of Exchequer 13illg, and it would not he an additional strain on the Bank if the bolder eoull require payment from the Government, and the Bank bad to lend the Government the means of paying the holder. The Bank would have to lend to one person instead of another, but it would not have-to lend more money. A person unused to such considerations might think that a great number of Exchever Bills would make them less saleable. But, other things being Otinni, a "large stoelc." as it is called, is always more saleable than a " small stock." The transactions in it are com• nioner, the dealers are more ready to buy it, for they flnd it easier to het rid of it ; it is legs of a faney article, end more an article of general consumption, The Kaleabili ty of Exchequer would, we believe, be enhanced lmy increasing the number and the Clovernmoot would §AVY a eonfilderabi(l snumi J , l irttertjgt, While ty Cefttlin Cllllll of lenders would tee.; a Idol vf security that would suit gum almost perfectly, r A RLIAMEN TA r:Y A:AT ELECTIO2c3. The select committee of the House of Commons charged with the inquiry into the mode of conducting parlia mentary and municipal elections continued its sittings on Friday afternoon at one o'clock, the Marquis of Hartington in the chair. Mr. James Edge, of Bolton, stated that lie had had large experience of elections, both parliamentary and municipal, and he was certain that in the part of Lancashire with which he was acquainted the intimidation of workmen by their employers was greatly on the decrease. This he attributed to the enlightenment of public opinion, and the improved and more independent position of the working classes. Bribery used to be rife at elections, but it was not so now. Witness did not approve of the Ballot, or think it necessary, for he believed it would neither prevent the " bottling " of voters, bribery, nor personation. He advocated a system of issuing voting-papers to the electors, and prohibiting canvassing for a number of days before the election took place. He would impose heavy penalties on persons falsely filling up a voting-paper. The papers could be given in by a collector, who would call for them, and in this way the voter would be freed from the intimidation of mobs at the poll. It was considered a great hardship by working people that they had to lose a day or half a day in going to the polling•place to record their votes. The committee adjourned. THE ABYSSINIAN INQUIRY. The select committee of the House of Commons ap pointed to investigate the causes of the expense of the Abyssinian war continued its sitting on Friday. Mr. Candlish presided. The examination of Mr. Dundas, late surveyor of the navy, commenced at the previous sitting, was resumei. Being interrogated by Mr. Mundella, be stated that a carte blanche was given to the Peninsular and Oriental Company for the supply of coals to the transports employed in the expedition. The Government did not throw the competition open to the public, because such a course would have disturbed the market. No special arrangement was made with the company as to the price at which the coal should be supplied. They supplied 48,000 tons of coal at Bombay, 55,000 at Aden, and 10,000 at Suez. The price paid during the war for steam coal was £6 Os. Bd. per ton, and for coal by sailing ships £2 7s. The price of coal at Aden varied in times of peace from £3 ss. 6d. to £3 ICs. 6d. per ton ; but he did not know from ofEcial information as to the price of coal at the present time, nor was he aware that the ordinary price of steam coal at Aden was under £2 2s. per ton. He did not know that the average price of steam coal at Cardiff during the past two years had been 10s. per ton, and the freight to India from 17s. to 28s. per ton. It was true that during the war the coal station at Mauritius was supplied at the ordinary peace contract price. That was from 58s. to COs. per ton. By Mr. Baxter : He did not consider that it was any part of the duty of the Admiralty to find out what were the profits of the contractors. It was no part of his duty, while considering whether certain tenders should be accepted, to inquire into the price of coals and the rate of freight in order to find cut whether the Admiralty was well served ; but it was expedient on several occasions not to accept any tenders. The Admiralt y did inquire as to whether a more advantageous contract could he made for the Mauritius. Mr. Baxter: You have heard of contractors laying their beads together to make some arrangement by which they would get a high price? Witness: I be:ieve that does not often happen_ The Chairman: Do you mean that it is sometimes done? Witness : I do not say it is ever done. By Mr. Baxter: Did not know that the contract for the supply of coal to the Mauritius had been taken by one of the first firms in the island at 48s. per ton. By Mr. Beaumont : Welsh coal deteriorated in store more rapidly than North Country coal. By Sir John Hay : The urgency V:23 so great that it was necessary to take coals on the spot; that in conse quence of this scarcity of coal for the service of the expedition, the Admiralty took steps to fill up the transports at Liverpool in bulk. The amount supplied at Liverpool to the transport service was 14,G84 tons. The ordinary contract for the supply of coal to the Mauritius was based on the supposition that the vessels very seldom made a demand upon the store there. It was very dif ferent in the merchant service, because anybody could calculate the amount of coal required at a given time by a steam-packet company ; but in the navy three or six months might pass without a single application being made for coal, and then in a week or two there might be a demand upon the contractor for snore coals than had been used in the previous twelve months. 'the calling of ships at the Mauritius was moat irregular. It was most important fur the purposes of war to substitute the smokeless "Welsh coal for the North Country coal. On the breaking out of the P.ussinn War, North Country coal was supplied vtry cl: aply to the Baltic fleet, but in the opening of ti.e year 1&57; the Commander-in-Chief and the otiicers of the fleet urged the War Department to supply smokeless coal, tecause of the liability, when the other coal was used, of its creating a fog, and rendering collisions imminent. The Chaliman : Do you beneve it sloes happen that contractors do conspire together to ()Main a high price for coal ? Witness : I have no official knowledge. I have been informed of an effort of that kind being made, but I know that on that occasion it was defeated. The Chairman : Is it true that some of the transports took such an amount of coal that half of it was required to enable them to steam out and the other half to steam back again? Witness : No, it is an exaggeration. (Laughter.) The witness added that the Government agents received ls. Gd. per ton on the quantity of coal supplied. _ _ By Sir Stafford Northcote: The Government employed the Peninsular and Oriental Company to supply coal because, as they were a large company, their purchases would not disturb the market. A disturbance of the market would have had a bad effect on the other contracts of the Government. An adjournment was made soon after this evidence had been given. Several New York churches have their contribu tion boxes passed round by handsome young ladies, and it pays immensely. The Right Hon. the Lord Justice Selwyn, re specting whose health very serious but unfounded rumours have circulated during the past week, is doing well. He has submitted to a formidable operation ; but no doubt is entertained of his recovery, the Pall 31all Uazette announces a secession from the Royal Italian Op-ra House. Among the seceders are Mdlle. Christine Nillson, Signor Mongini, Mr. Santley, Signor Gardoni, Signor Foil, Signor Arditi, the conductor, 31dme. Volpini, Mdme. Trebelli Battini, Signor Battini, M. Gassier, and others. At the select committee appointed by the Ilouse of Commons to inquire into the site of the new law courts, evi dence was on Friday given by Mr. Fowler, C.E , cf the Metro politan Railway, by Mr. FreaLfleld (solicitor to the Bank of England), Mr. Baxter (of the firm of Baxter, Rose, and Not ton), and several others in favcur of the Howard-street or Embankment site. NoRwICH ELECTION PETITION.—The petitioner's bill of costs in connection with the Norwich election peti tion amounted to £3,166. From this sum 12,492 was struck off by the taxing master, leaving 2074 for the respondent (Sir H. J. Stracey) to pay. The latter has, however, a contra account against the petitioner. The petitioner (Mr. Tillett) has appealed against the decision of the taxing master. THE IRISH CHURCH BlLL.—Advices from Bir mingham state that the council of the Liberal Associa tion of this town have invited deputations from Liverpool, Leeds, Newcastle, Bradford, Bristol, Huddersfield, and other towns to meet at the Westminster Palace Hotel next Tuesday to wait upon the Government and offer their support in passing the Irish Church Bill in its original form. _ . The council of the Liverpool Chamber of Com merce, dissatitied with the introduction of the 122nd clauso into the Bankruptcy Act (now passing through Parlii.- ment) relating to deeds of composition by bankrupts with their creditors, which they are of opinion will nullify the otherwise satisfactory amendments which have been in troduced into the bill, on Thursday resolved upon taking steps with a view of having the obnoxious clauso struck out, or so altered as to ho rendered innocuous. On Friday William Joseph Lamb, particulars of whose arrest at Rotterdam have already been given, was charged before a full bench of magistrates with hav ing embezzled the sum of £9OO and upwards, the moneys of and belonging to John Leaker Morris and William Joseph Lamb. Mr. John Bond, a clerk in the employ of the late firm of Morris and Lamb, of which the prisoner was the junior partner, deposed to having on the 26th of June drawn two cheques, one for £945 195., and the other for £95, by prisoner's direction. Mr. William Arthur Rake, commercial traveller in the service of the firm, proved having cashed the cheques in question and giving the cash to Mr. Bond, by whom it was handed to Mr. Lamb, Mr. Morris was called, and deposited to the existence of .1 partnership deed between himself and prisoner, and stater that he had no authority to draw money from the bank without his knowledge, and that the cheques in question were so drawn. The prisoner was then remanded for a THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY' EVENING, JULY 17, 1E69. Trl2'; 3 QLDT,ST Dog's Tar-----othsrwise known as Taringa Tfuri—ig, or at any rats Wag §0 recently as February 15439, a landed gentleman of New Zealand, residing at a village within twenty miles of Wellington, When Eir (burp Bowen visited him in the whiter, "ho was extremely feeble, but, in common with his people, he exprested much gratifica , tion at the visit." Why do we call attention to the elderly New Zealander! Simply because we delight to recognise in Dog's Ear that phenomenon which " we very often talk about but very seldom see," the Oldest Inhabitant. The whole modern history of New Zealand has transacted itself within the compass of the worthy old gentleman's life. To say that, when the first regular colonists landed they found Dog's Ear ready to receive them, and that Dog's Ear was even then a hoary patriarch, is to say nothing. Living a healthy and active life in one of the most beautiful climates on the globe, and fortunately managing to escape being killed and eaten by his neigh bours, the aboriginal elder was one of those—it seems incredible, but it is true--who had actually seen Captain Cook ! Dog's Ear must have been a very juvenile savage at that period ; but, after all, Cook's last visit to New Zealand was in 1777, only ninety-two years ego, so that if we assume our friend to be now a hundred—be is said to be con siderably more—he must hate been a boy of 8 when he saw the greatest of our discoverers. If we will but take the trouble, then, to reflect that a man is still living who knew the islands when there was not a single white upon them, not even a solitary deserter from a whaler—if we will only remember that in the lifetime of one native the whole system of New Zealand has been turned upside down, and the aborigines in great part dispossessed of their land—it w:11 scarcely seem strange that there should still be some trilling difficulties in that portion of her Majesty's dominions. —Telegraph. THE QUARTERLIES. ---.~ -- " The History of the English Bible," the title of the first article in the London Quarterly Review, would be a most interesting subject purely from the literary point of view. Much more is it interesting when we remember the relation in which this book stands to the religious educa tion of the world. A volume, whereof the newest portion is nearly 1,800, and the oldest over 3,000, years old, may well afford room for antiquarian research far greater than has yet been bestowed upon it. "Methodism in Sweden" opens up what is new ground. Sweden has always taken a somewhat eccentric part in religious matters. Strongly Erastian, the Swedish Church has been intolerant to the last degree of Catholicism, but tolerant of all diversities within the compass of Protestantism. Thus it came to pass that the Swedish Wesley, Rosenius, and his friend the English Methodist Scott were, on the whole, well treated in Sweden, even by the high dignitaries of the Church. Rosenius died less than eighteen months ago, a little over 50 years of age. " Robert Browning and the Epic of Psychology" is a careful criticism of Browning's works generally, but more particularly of " The Ring and the Book." The reviewer places Browning on a higher level than Tennyson, because the Psychological is a higher form of poetry than the Idyllic. He considers Browning to be essentially a dramatic poet, even though none of his pieces may be thought fit for the stage by theatre managers or theatre goers. Of Browning's latest poem he says that Pompilia will take rank among the highest of the great women of art. " Cosmogony" is the title of a very able article, in which it is shown how the Mosaic account of the creation of the world may be perfectly compatible with the discoveries of modern science. The writer upholds the theory that the earth was once, as the moon is now, a confused chaotic mass on one side. Before the Mosaic creatiokthe earth was stationary, and was divisible into two parts, one of which was desert and dry, the other a deep with darkness resting upon it ; that deep was stored with life, and the globe received in rapid suc cession its present rotation, atmospheric condition, distri bution of land and water, the commencement of its new flora, the signs of the firmament, and the commencement of its new fauna. The Reports of the Registrar-General gave an opportunity for a protest against the practical Darwinism which would decline to mitigate infant mor tality lest a feeble race should be preserved to beget one still feebler. The books by Mr. Stern, Mr. Rassam, Mr. Markham, and Mr. Acton afford an opportunity for a consecutive and condensed narrative of the Abyssinian expedition. "Modern Judaism and Christianity" is the title of an article upon two books written by Jews— Rodrigues, of Paris, and Dr. Adler, of London—in order to controvert Christianity. To those persons who care to know what modern Jews think of our religion, this article will be full of interest. The article on Norway describes the physical features of the country, the social condition of the people, the laws, the institutions, and the history of Norway, and also the mode of travelling in that country. The following passage describes the most prominent physical features : " We have spoken of Norway as the land of the Fjord, the Foss, and the Fjeld. These are its most striking •• physical features. They are, moreover, intimately con nected together. They are successive steles in the world's great altar-stairs," that lead' not indeed ' through darkness,' but through beauty, `up to God.' The traveller makes his first acquaintance with Norway as he threads the mazes of the Fjord. Perchance it will happen to him, as it happened to the writer, to enter one of these mazes when the crimson-dyed horizon was glowing into burnished gold, when the intense brilliance of the twilight, that was neither wholly sunset nor wholly dawn, but partook of the beauty of both, flooded the whole northern and western sky, while, far away, in the south east the tull-orbed moon shone with metallic lustre ; when the gentle breeze of summer came borne with a sigh from this enchanted-seeming land, and laden with the sweet fragrance of its dark pine forests ; when the very idea of sleep seemed a sin, and every sense was aroused into new and quickened life by the magnificent apotheosis of colour, so infinitely beyond the power of imagination to conceive. Should it be one of the principal fjords, the traveller will have to pass the greater part of the day before he comes to the head of it. Arrived there, perhaps a hundred miles from the entrance, he will find a river roaring and tumbling into the fjord over great boulders of rocks. A mile or two farther on he will reach the shores of a wide fresh-water lake, a Yand,' shut in by lofty mountains. The vand is some hundreds of feet above the fjord, which is of course on the level of the sea. But beyond the vand there is usually a very rapid ascent. It f is, nevertheless, a long as well as a steep climb to the mountain tops. Arrived there, after, it may be, more than a day's journey, the traveller finds himself, not on a peak or a ridge, but a wide waste of gently undulating moorland ; this is the fjeld, the reservoir of all those streams which he saw pouring down the mountain side as he journeyed up the fjord. Wittich has aptly contrasted Norway with Switzerland. The mountains in the latter country he compares to a ridge and furrow roof ; the mountains in the former to the embrasures of a parapet. The chief difference between them lies in the enormous • snow fields of Norway. There is no parallel in Switzer land to the Folgefond. These extensive table-lands, whether on the lower level of the fjelds, or on the higher level of the snow fields, will not, however, compare for beauty with the views even from the minor elevations of Switzerland. There is not in all Norway a mountain , view to be compared with that from the Itighi, still less with that from the zEg,gischhorn, least of all with that from any of the mountain peaks in the Monte Rosa district. lii another particular Switzerland carries off the palm ; the clnilet is infinitely more pictures tie than the sitter. The sister can lie compared only with the Irish cabin as it used to be in the worst days before the exodus. Yet here in this rude but of earth and stone, with no furniture but one three-leEged stool and a box, which, being lined with hay, is called a bed. the peasant girls pass the brief Nor ; wegian summer, and spend their time to such good pur pese, that when the first frosts come with the departure of August, they have laid up a store of butter and cheese that would move the envy of the dairy woman in the fertile vale of Taunton." PARLI.XIIENTARY SKETCHES. lIOUSE Or COMMON, THURSDAY NIGHT. In spite of the heat which prevailed this afternoon, the summonses issued early in the week by the Whips of both parties were answered with commendable alacrity by hon. members. By a quarter-past four o'clock—the time at which the usual baiting of Ministers now commences— not only every seat on the floor of the House, but also the spacious galleries above, were crowded with members anxious to slew their continued interest in the bill for the disestablishment of the Irish Church. Although we had arrived at the middle of July—when, as i% rule, our legislators are preparing to pack up and rush out of London—no signof languor was visible on the coun tenances of members. Indeed it was quite refreshing, after the dulness of the recent debates on the Bankruptcy Bill and the Contagious Diseases Bill, to see them come up to the scratch in such a business-like condition. White hats and vests were all the rage, whilst a flower in the coat button-hole appears to become more popular every year. The Peers' Gallery was not so full as on March 1, when Mr. Gladstone first introduced the bill to the notice of the 11)050. Prince Christian occupied a seat immediately over the clock, and stayed until the first division was taken. Earl Granville, the Duke of Argyll, and Lord Penzance were also wit nesses of the scene below, but neither of these noble lords thought it worth while to linger long after the Premier had stated the intentions of the Government. Mr. Gladstone entered the House in his usual manner, by slipping in behind the Speaker's chair; but he was speedily observed by the members who crowded the Liberal benches, and a ringing cheer proclaimed the unabated confidence of the party in their leader. At five minutes to five the Prime Minister rose amidst another hearty outburst of applause, which lasted several seconds. This speedily gave way to laughter when it was noticed that Mr. Hadfield wished to present a petition from She field against the Lords' amendments. The venerable member, who always takes his seat on the back bench immediately behind Ministers, began to read the terms of the petition amid signs of impatience from the Opposition, followed by ironical cheering from some Liberals. This scene, however, was soon ended, and then Mr. Gladstone rose for the second time to state the views of the Ministry. Much to the surprise of everybody, the right lion. gentleman did not trouble the House but a few minutes, and his speech may be summed up in three words—short, sharp, and decisive. Nothing could be more effective than the terse manner in which he announced his disagreement to the majority of the amendments passed by the Upper House —the cheering which followed each declaration sheaving most conclusively that he could with confidence rely on his monster majority to back him up in the conflict then being commenced with the Lords. When Mr. Gladstone sat down, Mr. Disraeli rose amid a spontaneous cheer from the Opposition benches. But the right honourable gentleman was evidently ill at ease, and floundered more than usual in his efforts to criticise the policy of the GJvernment. Once or twice his remarks were treated with absolute derision by the Liberal members, and after the first cheer he could not work up the feelings of his own followers to any degree of enthusiasm whatever. The coldness evinced towards him seemed to have had the effect of considerably shortening the length of his effusion ; for he sat down with a certain degree of abruptness. The Premier once more appeared on the scene, and moved the rejection of the Lords' amendment to the preamble. lie occupied three-quarters of an hour in stating his reasons for this course ; at the same time he took the opportunity of explainin away certain objections to the proposed dis posal of the surplus. The majority of the members wished to divide the house when Mr. Gladstone sat down, but amid a shout of " 'Vide ! 'Vide !" Mr. Newdegate persisted in hoisting the flag of mutiny against the speech of his leader. Mr. Cross—Mr. Gladstone's victorious opponent in South-west Lancashire—confessed himself in a dilemma as to how he should vote, but he was extricated from his difficulty by Sir George Grey, who boldly announced himself in favour of concurrent endowment. Dr. Ball's pointed allusion to Mr. Bright's letter written seventeen years ago, brought up the President of the Board of Trade, a.nd in a speech delivered in his usual bold . style, he declared that he was bound to give way to puTYI:c which had been so energetically expressed against the scheme he suggested in 1852. After the speech of Mr. Bright, the House appeared to be determined to take a division, and the tumult doting the time that Mr. Cawley attempted to speak was such as to indicate that it would be useless for any other speaker to rise. When he sat down, the roars of " 'Vide!" "'Vide!" "'Vide! „ were deafening, but suddenly the storm was hushed to a perfect calm. Had the Speaker risen to put the ques tion? No ; but a member, not on, but behind, the Government bench, quietly rose, and, without the least ostentation, made known his desire to address the House. No other member would have been regarded at that moment but Sir Roundel' Palmer. It was felt that he had earned his right to unusual respect by an unusual sacrifice of place to principle. For the next ten minutes not a sound was heard but the clear tones of Sir Roundell's voice. It was one of the most striking and spontaneous expressions of general respect ever manifested in the House of Commons. When the hands of the clock were nearing eight, it was certainly a stretch of the imagination on Mr. Staveley Hill's part to think that the House would patiently listen to his pro tests. He was howled down on all aides, and it was only through respect for his honest convictions that Mr. Gathorne Hardy was allowed to say a few words in reply to Mr. Newdegate. The division was then called, the House being so full that it took twenty-five minutes from the time the Speaker put the question until Mr. Glyn announced the numbers. The Liberals appeared gratified at having the swinging majority of 124 pronounced in their favour, but they took their victory with a certain degree of moderation. Many members then rushed off to dinner, having been kept an hour and a half after their usual time. After a passage of arms between Mr. Gathorne Hardy and the Speaker on a point of order, and a boast on the part of Mr. Fawcett that he was the only Liberal member who objected to the Ministerial plan of disposing of the surplus, another division was called shewing a majority of 82 against the amendment of Lord Cairns. Mr. Charley afterwards diversified the proceedings by a violent per sonalattackonMr. Wadstone, which drew down upon him a severe rebuke from the Speaker. Throughout the evening the Liberal Whips held their forces well in hand, and as each division was taken the majorities in favour of Ministers were so overwhelming that it vs as felt by many Conservative members a waste of time to challenge the decisions of the Government. MISCELLANEOUS NEWS. THE PROTEST OF THE PEERS. Forty-seven peers have signed a protest against the third reading of the Irish Church Bill. Eigh' reasons are given, but two of the peers, the Duke of Marlborough and Lord Cairns, do not agree with the sixth reason, which is the impossibility of forming a disestablished and disendowed Church in Ireland that will be able to cope with the Church of Rome. Only two of the bishops, Dr. Selwyn, of Lichfield, and Dr. Bernard, of Tuam, are to be found among the 47. • The Times, writing on this protest, vdvises the Peers to be content with protesting, and to pass the bill. Otherwise they will place themselves in a posi tion which will in a serious collision between the two Houses. In other words, the Times is s lying to-day exactly what was said by its contem poraries a fortnight ago. - The Adren'iser thinks that the Lords cannot ac cept the bill as it will be sent back to them, without sini:ing in the estimation of the country to a depth so IoW that there could be no lower depth. It believes that the bill will not pass this sesion. What the Lords are to do next sersion our contemporary does not explain. The Daily News sounds a note of warning, and tells the Peers that the country is very seriously considering their position, and is rapidly coming to the conviction that the maintenance of the Upper House in its present form is impossible. LAW AND POLICE. THE CRYSTAL PALACE.—In the Equity Courts, on Fri- Jay, before Vice-Chancellor Stuart, the case of " Barber v. Etches" was heard. Mr. Etches, a cheesefactor, left by his will a certain yearly sum, derived from Crystal Palace shares, to be applied for the purpose of promoting the open ing of the Palace on Sundays, and after that object was attained, to he applied in adding to the attraction of the Palace and grounds. The cause came on to be heard on a petition presented by the Crystal Palace Company praying that a compromise between the petitioners' and the testator's representatives might be confirmed. The Vice- Chancellor made an order as prayed. THE OTTO3IAN FINANCIAL ASSOCIATION.— In Vice- Chancellor Stuart's Court, on Friday, an application was made on behalf of ➢lr. Cheetham, to take his name off the list of shareholders in the Ottoman Financial Association (Limited). It appeared that in June 1865 Mr. Cheetham entrusted his brokers to sell some of his shares in the company, which they did. His name was then re moved from the register, and that of Mr. White, the pur chaser, inserted in his stead. Mr. White paid two calls, but alleged his incapacity to pay a third, but the official liquidator, ascertaining that at the time Mr. White pur chased the shares he was an infant, removed his name from the register, and placed thereon that of Mr. Cheetham. The Vice-Chancellor refused the application with costs. A MAN WITH A GRIEVANCE. The difficulties which beset popular members crop out now and then in odd places. On Friday a Mr. Tommy applied to the magis trate at the Westminster Police-court for a summons against Mr. Torrens, M.P. It appears that Mr. Tommy has a " grievance," and thought himself fortunate in getting Mr. Tcrrens to take the matter up in the House of Commons. Somehow or other the papers on which Mr. Tommy's case rested were purloined, and on a former occasion an attorney's clerk was charged with their abstraction. That accusation failed, and this was an attempt to make the hon. member for Finsbury respon sible. The magistrate refused to 7ant a summons. CRUELTY TO A HORSE BY A LUKES COACIIMAN.—The Duke of Grafton's coachman was charged at Marlborough street with having cruelly flogged one of his Grace's horses. The prosecution was instituted by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, but the Duke, who was unable to attend, sent a letter stating that he considered his coachman to be " the last person" who would be guilty of the offence charged. The magistrate, however, considered the case proved, and inflicted a penalty of 40s. WITCHCRAFT."—At Walsall, a day or two back, Mary Peasant, a married woman, was charged with having assaulted Ann Tipton. The complainant, who had been very kind to the defendant, and had attended her in three confinements, called, one day last week, upon her, she having been recently confined, and asked her how she was. The defendant said, "I would be much better if you would pray fur me." The complainant said, "I am not a professed prayer ; I dea't think I could du much in that way." Defendant said, " I do, for I saw you, that night you were sitting with me, throw ing something ni the fire bile you were looking at my Ltasband's watch. Put if yon will kneel down and bless me, I will Le got better." Complainant then replied, " I will do as you require me to do if you will not entertain such wicked thoughts about me." Thereupon complainant knelt down and asked God to bless defendant and her family. A day or two afterwards, as defendant was at her own door, complainant asked her how she felt. The defendant requested the complainant to step into the house. When they got inside the defendant said, " I have been to a man at Walsall, who told me that you have witched me, and I must draw your blood in order that I may be cured. The defendant then darted at the complainant and scratched her face, and attempted to cut her with a knife, but the complainant effected her escape. The bench, after hearing the evidence, sentenced the defendant to pay a fine of 10s. and costs, or in default to be imprisoned flr one month. SAVING SEED OF DWARF AND RUNNER BEANS. —lt is a common practice for amateur growers to save their own seed of these vegetables, and tLe general way of doing this is to leave a few pods along the bottom of the haulm for that purpose. This is one of the worst plans that could be adopted, because when several pods are left to ripen, the strength of the plant is absorbed by them, and the growth is consequently checked. Without a free growth it is impossible to have beans; therefore, one of the rows, or a portion of one, if it is a long one, ought to be set apart for seed-bearing, and the other for supplying the kitchen. This is the only satisfactory way of securing a regular and continuous supply of these useful vegetables.-- Gardeners' Magazine. CRICKET EXTRAORDINARY. —An exceptionally good game of cricket is being played at Kennington Oval, in the match between the Gentlemen and the Players of the South. Mr. W. G. Grace, ably seconded by Mr. B. B. Cooper, caused the telegraph board to assume the unprecedented aspect of 280 runs without the loss of a wicket. The two batsmen were thoroughly well " set," and 3CO runs and no wicket down seemed the most probable of results. But this was not to be. After every change of bowling that was deemed likely to succeed had been tried in vain, the Players of the South at length resolved to essay a new bowler, and, strange to say, he disposed of these two scoring bats within a few minutes of each other, thus contributing a fresh exemplifi- cation to the " glorious uncertainty of cricket." But it is also remarkable that the other side obtained the enormous score of 475, out of which the two batsmen who went in first scored over 150 between them, and Charlwood scored no less than 155 to his own bat. AN EXCITING INCIDENT.—An incident of a pain fully exciting nature occurred on the Llane]ly Railway and Dock Company's line, near Swansea, last week. In a third-class compartment were a respectable married couple with three children, the eldest of whom was a little boy of between five and six years of age. The father was nursing the infant, and the eldest child was standing in the corner of the carriage looking out of the window, when suddenly, and when the train was going at its full speed, the door flew open, and the child fell out. The fright and terror and the excitement moved the parents. The father was with the greatest difficulty restrained from springing out after his lost child. The passengers shouted at the top of their voices to the guard and driver, but the train proceeded fully two miles before attention could be gained. It was backed, and then it was found that the' child Lad been picked up by a labouring man, by whom he v, as restored to hie distressed parents, with no other injuries than a few superficial cuts and bruises on the face and head. CANOPIED STATUE OF THE QUEEN POLL BOMBAY. —The Builder's engraving this week represents a monu ment which has been executed in this country, and is about to be sent out to India. It is a present from the King of Baroda, to the Victoria Gardens, Bomtay, where it will be set up, and is the design of Mr. Noble, of Bruton-street. The figure was executed by him, and the architectural part by Mr. Larp, of the Kennington-road. The figure of the Queen is of colossal proportions, being more than Bft. in height, seated. Her Majesty is in her full robes of State, with the sccptre and orb—emblems of her dignity--and is seated on her throne. The figure has a very dignified eppcarance. The material of which It iA made Is white marble, The canopy, which is 42ft, high to the top of the filial, is Of white Sicilian marble, It Is Or Clothie type, and well executed, The background of the interior la elightly relieved with a pale Sienna: tinted marble, enriched with a diaper ioek@tl, and au ineeribed ante. The pillar@ 611 tad' aide 6f the front are AM Of pale 810111 A ffiAltiPa richiy ehltelleth The hate it competed of ttept, the lowett 6f whidi it Nth Wititia 22% tit@l3 from front to Uac MEETINGS ON THE IRISH CHURCH BILL. A meeting of working men was held on Thursday at the Arundel hall, Strand, to support the Irish Church Bill. Mr. Edmond Beales presided, and declared that the working men had been called together to protest against the course pursued by the Conservative peers. Mr. Gladstone had shewn that he was not wanting to his supporters, and the working men of London must show that they were not wanting to the Premier at this critical juncture. Mr. George Potter moved a resolution to the effect that the Lords had changed the Irish Church Bill BO much that it was no longer a satisfactory measure. Some disturbance was created by a person present speaking in favour of the House of Lords, and finally the dissentient was ejected from the room. The resolution was carried and another to the same effect was also agreed to. A third resolu tion was passed declaring that a areat national demonstration should take place in London if the House of Lords &dined to pass the bill returned to them by the Commons. The Vigilance Committee of the Reform League has held a meeting, under the presidency of Mr. Beales. 1i; was determined to call together the Council and representatives of the Reform League, to consider the propriety of a demonstration in Hyde Park on the Irish Church question, and that a con ference should be held on the 19th of July. It is proposed that a monster meeting shall be held on Blackheath on Sunday in favour of the I rish Church Bill, and against the Lords' amendments. STRONG LANGUAGE. ------- - The Standard is very angry because the Liberals are united, though two years ago it used to be for ever chiding them upon their dissensions. It states that " the contempt with which the Lords' amend ments have been treated is the contempt of brute force for reason, of numbers for intelligence, of self will for authority." It is, perhaps, scarcely worth while criticising words written under the impulse of anger. Yet an a nalysis will at least afford some amusement. W h y is a majority of 124 in one House to be called " brute force," and a majority of seven in the other to bs considered " reason ? " Are arguments the more logical in proportion as they fail to convince ? The actor who cried out, "my wound is great because it is so small," was answered by a voice from the pit, " then 'twould be greater were it none at all." And so we presume that the House of Commons' majority would inspire most confidence with our contemporary if it di d not exist. It was not thus this time three years. We are told, furth er , that is a triumph of number s over intelligence. That is a matter of course. When people . differ from us they must be fools. Finally, self-will has prevailed over authority. Yet we were told a day or two back that a majority of the house of Commons really desired concurrent endowment, but did not dare vote for it because of the constituencies. Clearly, there fore, M.P.'s have not been acting from " se lf- w ill . " As to "authority," we imagine that the House of Commons is at least of equal authority with the House of Lords. MR. CIIARLEY'S LAMENT. Mr. Charley is endeavouring to bring a b ou t hi s "righteous retribution" on the head of Mr. Glad stone, but unfortunately he meets difficulties in the wa y. He had a fine piece of eloquenc e t o pour upon the right hon. Premier on Thursday last ; but, alas ! the Speaker stopped its flow. The House, moreover —profane men all—laughed at Mr. Charley's tears; and refusal to weep with him who wept. For Mr. Charley was in a lamenting strain. Not that be expected to soften the hard heart of the First Lord of the Treasury. That was an impossibility, and Mr. Charley got wroth as soon as Mr. Gladstone's name was mentioned. The subject under discussion was the date at which establishment should cease. Stern and unkind Gladstone said 1871. Then uprose the member for Salford, exclaiming how short shrift was given to the Church. But what could he expect ? " The Constitution," he exclaimed, "is at an end.' Then, turning to Mr. Gladstone, who had brought it about, he said : " The right hon. gentleman gathered up in his own person all the functions of th e St a t e , as Augustus did those of the Roman States. Her Most Gracious Majesty meant the right hon. gentleman, and the House of Lords were his most obedient and humble servants. The House of Lords were told that they had no course open to them but to submit to the right hon. gentleman." Here, raising his voice to the highest key, Mr. Charley said, pathetically, " Talk of Americanising our insti tutions —" When, lo ! Mr. Denison unceremo niously " put the extinguisher on," and the retributive avenger sank back feebly into his seat. POLICE OF THE METROPOLIS. There have been some very curious stories told of the police this last day or two ; stories of their hard ness to the poor, their brutality to the weak, and their helplessness before the rich and powerful. But another kind of case altogether came before Mr. Knox ' at Marlborough-street, on Thursday. Three bank clerks had been balancing the books till late at night. Before leaving the office they had had some supper and sherry. When they left, just after one o'clock, they appear to have been somewhat noisy. They went into the Haymarket for a cab. Just then the night-houses were being closed, and, being taken for some of the revellers who had just been turned out, the police told the bank clerks to move on. They refused, saying they were waitiiig, for a cab. The police then used violence, and, in the e nd, the young men were taken to the station-house. When before Mr. Knox the police swore that the men had assaulted them. But rebutting evidence was called, which satisfied the magistrate that the police men were telling what was untrue. He, therefore, dismissed the case, declaring lAN' "t ought never to have been brought before him. AMERICAN PAPERS AND TIIE GLIM RELIGIOUS PRESS. The Standard, ever on the look-out for signs of vulgarisms in the New York Dress. unearths every not and again some " smart wrio.l7, rrvin rn American press. Its latest discovery in that way is from the Neu; 1 o 21.; World, which contained, on June 30th, a whole page devoted to " Daniel E. Sickles," and, according to the headi:igo, gave reports of the " Public Reception of our new Minister to Spain—Some Account of Caner as Rowdy, Mail Robber, Spy, Murderer, Confidence-Man, " General," Satrap, Politi cian, &c.—Example for Young Americans— Noble Instance of the Success of a Scoundrel in American Politics—The Dinner Idea given up—A Reception to be given To-night without Meat or Drink. she., &c., &c." All this is bad enough, but if the Standard would look nearer home it would find things nearly as bad. Take the following cutting from the elturch News, a High Church paper whose moderation is known unto all men : " We have only to run our eyes over any parish register in England, and we shall find that the progress of Dissent and of bastardy move together, If we know the date at which Dissent entered the parish, we know that from that date the number of illegitimate births will steadily in crease." Could party journalism—even religious party jour nalism—carry abuse further ? TIM ENGLISH LAND QUESTION. Mr. Andrew Reid is writing in the Beehive a series of letters on the land question in England. lle shews how enormously the land has aggregated in the last 100 years. Of the total of 7,660,413 acres inclosed since 1710, only 334,974 were inclosed' between 1710 and 1700, leaving 7,325,439 acres inclosed between 1700 mid 1867. Ile believes that we are altogether on the wrong tack with regard to our land system. To lessen labour in proportion to the land is one thing, to lessen it in pro portion to the produce is another. We have been doing the first under the delusion that we were doing the second. Now on all the smaller farms there will be found a greater number of men employed than upon the larger ones, and relatively to their size a larger amount of produce. The farm labourers of England might easily be doubled in number, instead of as now being decreased ; wages might be doubled, and food made cheaper, if a considerable portion of the peasants were occupiers instead of hirelings. Mr. Reid would prefer to see the Metayer system, under which landlord and tenant share the produce equally, as in Italy; or, better still, the peasant farmer system, in which the peasant is the owner as well as the cultivator. As regards the former, Mr. Reid is evidently not aware that it is considered a failure in Italy, where it has long been adopted. It is said to give rise to so much dishonesty that the Italians (perhaps it is the Italian landlords) have substituted for the term inezzadro mezzo-ladro ; that is, for half produce they write half-thief. ➢IR. PEABODY'S GIFTS. More than two years ago Mr. Peabody handed over to the authorities of the City of London sixteen acres of land, situated at Brixton, to be used for the benefit of the poor of London. The poor of London have obtained not the slightest benefit from it as yet. It is lying waste and untouched just as when first purchased. Surely someone is responsible for this most serious neglect of the benefactor's purpose. THE " WOODS AND FORESTS." There are certain estates called Crown Lands, the income derived from which goes to the national exchequer. The management of these lands is entrusted to the department known as the Woods and Forests. The presiding spirit there is Mr. Gore. This gentleman is a public servant, and yet, when under examination by a parliamentary com mittee with respect to an arrangement which the com mittee called "an infamy," this public servant said : "I care not for the British public at large, nor for the British public in particular. My only duty is to exact as much as I possibly can, and when I do so I am upheld by those in high authority." The arrange ment respecting which M.P.'s used the above strong term is as follows :—There is a certain collection of mansions known as Kensington Palace Gardens. Through them runs a broad road from Notting-hill to Kensington. That road is closed against public vehicles; and, in order to keep the profane vulgar far off, there are gatekeepers, who receive together a salary of £143 a year. That salary is not paid by the owners of the mansions, but by the public. In other words, the public pays in order to exclude itself from one of the most important thoroughfares in the suburbs. Another mode in which the Woods and Forests do business is as follows :—Blackheath is one of the finest suburban open spaces round London. But the " Woods and Forests,' intent only upon screwing together every penny, allow persons to dig gravel there. The consequence is that the Heath is full of enormous holes and pits. The income derived from this source is the magnificent sum of £54 a year. If Mr. Gore will make the Kensington Palace Gardens people pay for their own keepers he will be able to discontinue gravel selling on Blackheath, and yet be £9O a year better off that he was before. ELECTRICITY IN MEATS AND DRINKS. Nervous people, whose ideas of electricity are con nected with artificial thunder and lightning, with sparks and shocks, will not perhaps be pleased to learn that their food is made up of voltaic combina tions. Yet we have it on the authority of an Amer i can professor that such is the case. Ile tells u s th a t we crave for such combinations; that our liking o f mustard and salt with beef, our mingling sugar with coffee, of raisins with almonds, salad with oil ; are pro duced by a need of the electro-negative and the electro-positive together. It even seems that Sam Weller was not so very far wrong when he spoke of drinking his-ale from "the native pewter," for there is in that metal a combination with the beer that renders the beverage more agreeable. By such peculiar laws does nature do her work. NITRO - GLYCERINE. Mr. Bruce's announcement anent nitro-glycerine on Thursday night will cause some surprise. Ho stated that he should en d eavour t o t urn a bill for regulating the storage and transit of nitro-glycerine into one for prohibiti ng a lt oge th er th e manufacture and importation of that article. The Engineer, writing before Mr. Bruce's announcement, devotes a long article to the subject, and agrees with us in urging that the recent *accident—if such it can be called—does not point to prohibition but to regulation. Gunpowder, our contemporary points out, must have appeared more dangerous when first discovered than nitro-glycerine does now ; but it was not prohibited, and we seek at this time to make it safe, not to stop its sale. In the same way, when nitro-glycerine is known and understood, its transit and storage will become safer; its use may be so regulated as to take away the greater part of the danger. The Engineer sets down a code of rules which Parliament might consider. Let no store be within half a mile of an inhabited house or factory. Let public stores be provided for its reception from a ship or railway. All transits on land should take place in the night, and should be made only by special license. Not more than 5001 b. should be stored in any one place ; and, in cases of private consumers, only so much should be stored as by special permission is allowed In transits no cans with seams or angles should be used ; only ellypsoidal metallic bottles—something like sodawater bottles, but of larger diameter as compared with length—should be permitted. OBITUARY. We regret to announce the death of Lady Dun Gordon, who died at Cairo on the 13th. Her inte resting books and articles of travel ir} Egypt will be known to many of our readers. Her ladyship was in her 40th year.—The death of Lord Kenyon also is announced. H. was born in 1805, and succeeded his father in 1855. His grandfather was the eminent judge. His eldest son died in 1865, and the barony therefore devolves upon the grandson of the just deceased peer. The new peer is only 5 years old. (From the Anglo-American 2 imes.) The British Minister to Washington has been officially informed that an International Exhibition of the products of workmen's labour will be held at London in 1870, and he has been requested to make the matter known to the citizens of the United States. It was also announced at Washington that the party of English mechanics about to settle at the Cornell University sailed on June 26 in the Java, and had received a public breakfast, presided over by Lord Houghton, previous to their departure. It was Mr. Cornell who suggested to Professor Gold win Smith this movement ; the young men being selected from the different branches of the building trades are not only to impart instruction to stu dents at the University who desire practically to learn, but are to be employed in the construction of the University buildings. Great efforts are being made to attract an immigration of workmen into the Southern States, and Southern Congressmen are combining to secure the aid of Government. Gen. M'Donald. of Arkansas win move on the subject on the opening of next session, and one of his propo sitions will be the incorporation of a Steamship Company between Norfolk, Virginia, and the ports of the Mediterranean. They may be right in ima gining that Southern Europe might supply the most suitable class of labourers for the Southern States. It is evident from the mass of testimony furnished that affairs are improving in the South, as the peolile are ceasing to hold extreme political opinions, and are exerting themselves to develope the resources of the country. Favourable accounts come from Texas, where a good wheat crop has been secured, an increased cotton crop, and an excellent corn crop. Major John Hay, of Illinois, formerly assistant private secretary to the late President Lincoln, has been appointed Secretary of Legation to Spain. It is doubtful, however, whether Major Hay will ac cept the nomination, as he is supposed to be about to assume editorial charge of the Illinois State crfrnal. Since the death of President Lincoln he has held the posts of Secretary of Legation at Paris and CLarg d'Affaires at Berlin. His colleague, John G. Nicolay, the private secretary during Lincoln's whole term, and United States Consul in Paris during Johnson's Administration, has returned to the United States in bad health to settle in Kansas. Both the private secretaries promise a book giving president Lincoln's Administration from within. Gen. _Daniel . E. Sickles met with an almost unprecedented reception at the Everett House on the night of the 30th June. More than 500 prominent New Yorkers and others cheered him enthusiasti cally, and he made a brief and hearty response to the kind greetings from all sides showered on him. William Winthrop, Esq., United States Consul at Malta, died there on the 3d inst. after a long ill ness, ending in paralysis of throat and tongue. Mr. Winthrop was born in Massachusetts, and his com mission was the oldest among American Consuls, being dated Oct. 7, 1834. From San Francisco it is announced that an in ventor has been successful in ascending into the air and propelling an aerial machine in any direction, which can carry from 8 to 10 persons, and has been expressly constructed to make trips across the con tinent to New York. What the truth of this re- port is we have no means as yet of judging, but it was telegraphed from San Francisco to New York, and published in the papers of the city, the inventor announcing that he can cross the Continent in this machine in 24 hours. Judy undertakes to answer the question every body is asking everybody else, Where shall we go ? and the old lady sends them just beyond the scent and sound of Wapping and Shoreditch, but what is really funny in this is,- that Judy is in earnest. Nov our idea differs widely, and we say widely advisedly, for space is its main element. Judy with truth ob serves that everybody baying been everywhere, the question is a difficult one to answer satisfactorily; but there is one line of travel just opened where nobody has yet been, and which strongly combines the vast, the wild, the unknown with a marvellous luxury in the travel. The tour we recommend is a trip to San Francisco, and if money and time be no object, thence to Japan and Pekin. The tourist will be conveyed to America in one of the finest steamers afloat. He can " do" the Eastern States as his time and opportunities admit, and so also as regards the Western States. When he gets into the wilder rolling prairies he will go along, not as Hepworth Dixon did, as a mail-bag with a rifle in its hand, with a throat to cut and hair to raise, but in an hotel on wheels replete with comfort. If the traveller thinks this too luxurious, and wants a little " roughing" by way of a change, he may stop 1 11 the Rocky Mountains and penetrate into one of the Parks of Colorado, and by the time he gets back we venture to predict he will have a tale to tell and a frame braced for the enjoyment of a Pullman's hotel car. The Mormon settlement, men have toiled over a thousand miles of danger to see, while the Sybarites of the present can roll smoothly in, look ing from their drawing-room cars through plate glass windows. The Yo Semite, with its grandest of domes and its highest of waterfalls, is a landscape worthy of a journey, and near the entrance to that surpassingly beautiful valley stand groves of the trees of which the bark of one found once a place ill the Crystal Palace. Most of the American papers, anticipating a frightful hubbub on the sth in honour of Indepen dence Day, earnestly deprecated extravagances. One considers that in a single spot only will quiet reign, and merely because lately they have had such a prodigious row that the inhabitants have had enough noise for at least a year. That vicious re mark is, of course, directed against Boston, and the Peace Festival so:strangely celebrated by the clang of gongs and the roar of artillery, and thither, we hope, the lovers of quiet proceeded. Superin" tendent Kennedy had issued an order to secure all arms improperly discharged in New York City, and the police were to assist the Fir e Department 111 extinguishing the anticipated conflagrations and is preventing false alarms. Facts are worth more than talk, if they were not, President Grant would be in a bad way, but 9 0 they are, President Grant is in a good way. Let any one compare the ex-President's talk with the in -President's work, and see how marvellous is t he difference. Andrew Johnson made his dismal pr° - spects, his imperialism, his usurping Congress, his bloated bondholders, the wide straying from th e paths of rectitude, and of the Constitution, Sc e '' &c., the burden of endless speeches, while th e country was covered with robbers, while thieves formed powerful rings, and the people were till' mercifully plundered. What Grant does is to re duce the National Debt between the Ist March an d the Ist July, $36,460,479, that is at the rate of on e hundred millions of dollars per annum ! Lo' month the debt had declined $16,410,132, an d Secretary Boutwell has ordered the purchase eve r / Wednesday of $3,000,000 of Bonds during the pre sent month. On July 1 there was in the Treasarci coin belonging to the Government,s79,7l3,oo o ; all e currency, $37,097,818. These are the results of measures by which 600 clerks were discharged fre el the Treasury alone, while the reduction in the are 3 l expenditure is estimated at 526,000,000 for the year' The last quarter of the fiscal ye ar , th a t of Grant 0 a Administration, yields a re venue of $20,000, 0uv more than ever Andrew Johnson got, when the whisky tax alone produced in May, 1868, 0111 0 million and a half dollars; while in May, 1869, t,4, ' t collection was little short of five millions. talk can tell against such facts? When the Pr e ''' dent was informed of the unexpectelly large d e ; crease in the debt, arising, in a small degree, it e true, from miscellaneous receipts not reckoned , I remarked in his terse, p ene t ra ti ng wa y, " The ts the genuine test of m yAd m i n i s t ra ti on , n ot the cro a k , ing and sneering of politicians,and a partisan press' and he might have added, of Mr. Andrew Johno e lis The difference between the two is striking, th e talk and chaos, the other silence and acts ; but 1 ; 0 by the fruit only that we can accurately' ill g b , among conflicting opinions, and that is clear ee° l4 o The other day an American stude n t a t a Gere j : University "velocipeded" thro ug h th e C on federat ed States until he got into re mo t e par t s, w h er e be W pounced upon by the shocked inhabitants t lij o banded over to the officers of justice. Whe n a l p English gentle man a f ew mont h s ago trave lled fol . , Liverpool to Londo n on a ve l oc ip e d e , on his res e ; ) , ing the " Black Cou n try" he w as pursued boys, throwing stones at hi m . He was eviden tl t / b e i "stranger" on a strange kind of conveyance, allu osr f more strange a stranger is, the bigger is the 4 .i 0 brick they heave at him ;" for this is their ree e r r o of anything particularly novel, or with which theii:er unfamiliar. In the State of Maine a young She elcle , v " took to velocipediug to the scandal of the 0 .. who sat in solemn conclave on the bicycle, and, h demning it as Anti-Shakerean, had it destroye d an It i x ae. ate s said that there is no other spoken la n g so so cheap and expressive by telegraph as the Engli sli ' ot ber the electric wires are becoming teachers of our ra . for' tongue in foreign countries. The same amount of io tbo mation can be transmitted in fewer English word° u ,,go. French, German, Italian, or any other European 14 5 be se In Germany and Holland especially it is corning w ye of common thing to see telegrams in English, to oa pease and insure precision. BIRTHS. , of . NOEL—On the 12th inst., the Hon. Mrs. Roden . 0 ° - SOn PALK . —On the 13th inst., at I, e rsvenor-gar d°l3- ' th Hon. Mrs. Palk, of a son and heir. MARRIAGES. F 01 1 + AN. DERSON CUTIMERT —On the 15th inst., at P" Knightsbridge, He nr y P ercy A n d erson , Esq., W v -' n °- Isabella, third daughter of William Cuthbert, Beaufront Castle, Northumberland. tr GREGORY —LONSDALE— On the 15th inst., at the x e id illo; Chapel, Henry George Gregory, of Fishertne Salisbury, to A nn , secon d d aug hter of the late v Lonsdale, of Aldgate, city. DEATHS. JoOd is ALLBRIGHT—On the 16th inst., at Croydon, 1). " . " Allbright, aged 61. HEWSON—On the 14th inst., at 36, Albert-street, 13'39, park, 'Francis Hovvson, Commander R.N., ag ed , WW I STERRY—On the 15th inst., at Sydenbara-bil', Sterry, aged 66. London f •• 1 the 1,1:2 Precinct : B 'n itu t r e ca d tnod a: P : h i reint Published by NVILLIA.IaNct:2SOO%;‘:IOd: Savoy,er, at TinHE theSU N County 1 I e a 14 . 00 Satuiday, July 17, 149. I