The Sun. — London, England, 1860-05-19 00:00:00

BENSON'S WATCHES " Perfection of mechanism."—Morning Post. Gold silver 2to 50 guineas. Send 2 stamps for Benson's Illustrated Pamphlet, descr' p five of every construction of watch now made, with their prices. Watches sent to all parts of the kingdom free by post, or to India and the Colonies for ss. extra. 33 and 34, Ludgate-hill, London, E.C. Established 1749. THEATRE -ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Lessee, Mr. J. B. Buckstone. THIS EVENING, will be performed THE FAMILY SECRET. Messrs. Chippendale, Howe, W. Farren, Villiers, Buckstone, Mrs. B. White, Mrs. Fitzwilliam, Mrs. Wilk!ns, and Miss Amy Sedgwick. Followed by SOMEBODY ELSE. Ida Sumner, Miss Brennan. After waich, a new fairy romance, THE PILGRIM OF LOS' E. Mr. C. Coghlan, Miss ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.- Lessee, Mr. A. Harris. THIS EVENING, OTHELLO. Mr. Phelps. To conclude with the extravazanza of THE SYLPHIDE. Sties C. Leclercq, Miss Louise Keeley, Miss Helen Howard, Miss Rose Leclercq, Mr. Shore, Mr. Saker, and Mr. Frank Matthews, Commence at 7. R OY AL LYCEUM THEATRE.- OPERA COMIQUE. Under the manacr,ement of M. LAURENT, Sen. THIS EVENING, LA CORDE SENSIBLE: Mesdames bails, Guerin ; M. Richard. To be followed by LE MARIAGE AUX LANTERNES Mesdames Dalis, Guerin; M. GeOffroy. To conclude with LES DEUX DIVORCES. Commence at eight o'clock. A DELPHI, NEW THEATRE-ROYAL. Sole froprietor and Manager, Mr. Benj. Webster. 1:e-appearance of Mr. and Mrs. A. Wigan—Third week of the populae American Actress, Miss Julia Daly. THIS k'VENING (sixth' time), ITS AN ILL WIND THAT BLOWS NOBODY GOOD. Messrs. Alfred Wigan, J. L, Toole, Stuart, Billington, C. J. Smith, Ward, Mrs. A. Wigan, and Miss 11. Simms.. After which, OUR FEMALE AMERICAN COUSIN. Messrs. Stuart, C. Selby, Killington, Eburne, Miss Julia Daly, K. Kelly, Laidlaw, and Mrs. Chatterley. Box-office open from 10 till 5. Private boxes, £2 2s. ; Family Boxes, £l. Orchestra Stalls, ss. ; Balcony, 4s. ; Front Circle Stalls, 3s. ' • Pit Stalls, 2s. ; Pit, ls. 6d. ; Amphitheatre, is ; Gallery , 6 d. Acting Manager—Mr. Wm. Smith. FRENCH PLAYS. OYAL ST. JAMES'S THEATRE, King -11 street, street, St. James's. Lessee Mr. F. R. CHATTERTON. FIRST SEASON OF THE FRENCH PERFORMANCES, under the direction of Mons. ADRIEN TALEXY. Mons. TALEXY has the honour to inform the Nobility and Gentry, that he has concluded arrangements to insure a permanent First-class French Dramatic Entertainment at the ROYAL ST. JAMES'S THEATRE. He respectfully sub mits the programme for the First Season, which is about to commence, and hopes that the selection of the following dis tinguished Artistes will be considered sufficient evidence of the care and attention devoted to the undertaking. The following eminent Artistes from the principal theatres of Paris will make their appearance daring the season : Mademoiselle DELPHINE FIX. Mlle. ADELE PAGE. Mademoiselle DITVERGE R. Mademoiselle MARIE PASTA. Madame DOCII E. M. GOT. BItINDEAU. M. LECLERE. M. PAUL DEVAUX. M. A. MICHEL. M. CADAUX CHEF-D'ORCHESTRE. M. LAMBERT EDNNERY. The permanent troupe will be on the most complete scale, and will comprise many of the most efficient Artistes of the Parisian Theatres. Prices of Admission—Stalles d'Orchestre, 7s. Gd. ; Stalles de Balcon, ss. ; Parterre, 2s. ; Galeries, ls. Private Boxes from Two Guineas upwards. The Season will consist of Sixty Nights, commencing on Monday, May the 28th, 1360. Private Boxes and terms of Subscription may be obtained at the Box-Office of the Theatre, at the Libraries and Booksellers. A STLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE.- Proprietor, Mr. Wm. BATTY. Manager, Mr. EnwiN IluGnEs. The GREAT MILITARY SPECTACLE nightly increases In popularity and attraction. The brilliant and unequalled Scenes in the Arena, now rendered the most complete and ex traordinary ever witnessed, by the engagement of the cele brated " DELAVANTI TROUPE " and the wonder of the world " LITTLE MENONI," are received with reiterated approbation and enthusiasm. On MONDAY, MAY 14, 1860, and during the Week, To commence with the Great Military Spectacle, in Four Acts, entitled " THE HISTORY OF A FLAG," splendid Scenery and Appointments. NC., &c. Tilt Novelties in the Cirque introducing the following eminent Artistes—Mdlles. Maria, Dc Berg, Monet, Devereux, Messr4. It Williams, Fernando, Watson, Delavanti Troupe, and 1. - :tale Menoni. Tim mag - nificent Chan 'eliers manufactured by Messrs. De fries aid Sons, Houndsditch. ]loo: s open at halt-past 6, performance commence at 7. Box office open daily from 11 till 4. Stage Manager—Mr. W. WEST. CANTERBURY HALL CONCERTS.- THIS EVENING. C. H. GOUNOD'S OPERA, FAUST. 'first Time in this Country. Faust Mr. henry Herbert. Mephist pheles M- C. Bernard. Siobel Mrs. Anderson. Marguerite Conductor Mr. Jonginnans. And selections from Dinorah, Trovatore, Macbeth, and numerous other Entertainments. Tialcony, ls, Hall. 6d. Comic Vocalists —Messrs. George Hodson (the Irish Cottle d'an and Mimic). and W. T. Critchfield. The AFRICAN OPERA T itOPPE, their flrst appearance 'drive 1852, consisting of ELEVEN STAR PE RFO who will give the whole of their inimitabie entertainment every evening. The gallery Is opea from 5 till 11 on Sunday Evening. LIE WEATHER.-SUN OFFICE, MAY 19, 1360. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 65—highest since noon yesterday. 48 —lowest this morning and during the night. 65—this day at noon. BAROMETER—Morning, 29.45 ; now up to 29.85. -WlND—Westerly; light, with fine warm weather. HIGII WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. This DAY.—Morning, 12h. 44m.—Afternoon, lh. 3m. To-MORROW.-Morning, lh. 23m.—Afternoon, lh. 43rn . 44v, q 4 3 7) ; e • • 2._ 0. THE SUN. LONDON, SATURDAY, MAY 19, 1860. The reply of Lord DERBY to the Deputation this morning does nct justify Mr. GLADSTONE'S confi dence. His Lordship seems to think it quite within the range of "possibility," that the Lords should exercise their undoubted right, whatever some of us may think of the prudence of doing so. His Lordship is very decided on the financial ques tion, and as to the arguments of the resolution and petitions, that the rejection of the Bill would be a re surpation ofthe privileges of the people, derogatory to the Crown, and so forth, the only reply vouch safed was a smile and a shake of the head. It is plain that, up to this hour, Lord DERBY is deter mined to persevere. He declares himself to have been wholly unaware of the intention of Lord MONTEAGLE, one of the supporters, usually, of her MAJESTY'S Government, to give the notice which, when given, he felt it his duty so cordially to support. He believes that the country at large will approve of his conduct, and he, therefore, will have no fear of extreme consequences. We must, probably, under stand him to mean that if the Government sees fit to resign, he is ready to take office ; or, that should it appeal to the country itself, he is ready to meet it before even that tribunal. Unless, therefore, anything occurs to change the present aspect of affairs, it would seem that the Bill will be rejected, and the paper duties be retained for another year. Such is the consequence of Mr. GLADSTONE'S having • sacrificed so much of our revenue to France. Our own Excise duties must be retained to fa-sour the country which is compelling us to double our esti mates. In 1849 Lord PALMERSTON said in the Britith Parliament —f‘ If the war being fought out by supe rior forces, Hungary should entirely be crushed, Austria in that battle will have crushed her own right arm, Every field that is laid waste is an Austrian resource destroyed every man that perishes upon the field among the Hungarian ranks is an Austrian soldier deducted from the defensive forces of the empire. . . The success of Austria, if it is simply a success of force, will inflict a deep wound on the fabric and frame of the Austrian empire." It needed, indeed, no inspired prophet to foresee this ; but the despot family, and their selfish German counsellors in 1849, were too blind to perceive what even a human prophet could fore tell with certainty. They are beginning to see it Dow, but to see it with unwilling eyes and hardened hearts. The hour is now come for - them to feel that their " right arm was, indeed, crushed ;" when beaten at all points, they overpowered the brave Hungarians by the help of the arch- despot, who has since gone to his account, and hung.her patriot generals at Arad. Ever since that time they have lost the flower of their army, and have had nothing but heavy spiritless Germans, and a medley of barbarians, to fill up the place of the brave and ardent Magyars. Austria really lost Lombardy in 1849. And what must now be her misery ! Reduced to forming a paper combination with her late Italian satraps—her exiles from the territories they and she so wistfully look on—a combination of the halt naked and the naked—the POPE, the EMPEROR, and the DUKES—to hide their shame again so soon as events may permit. None of them able to pro mise the one thing needed to control such events—the armies and the money by whieh alone despots keep their thrones, and re gain them when lost, And almost as mor tifying must it be to look southwards, and to see the fright and terror ofa young brother despot. Time was, and not so long ago, when if Austria saw Naples in danger of becoming a liberal and constitutional Government it could march off five and-twenty thousand men, and put down liberty in a trice ; but that time is gone—gone, we hope, for ever. " Her right arm is crushed"-- crushed and powerless for her, but not crushed if there be an opening to use it against her. A Hungarian Legion rapidly forming in Italy showed the - vigour which there was still in Hungary, but it was vigour which only the touch of liberty could impart. So at this moment, while Austria must be gnashing her teeth at GARIBALDI, and inwardly fretting over the dangers of the young BOURBON, she dare not spare a soldier to help her brother in distress. The intervention of Austria in Naples would be the opportunity of Hungary. The latest correspondence from Pesth and Vienna alike shows that Hungary is determined, and the Cabinet of Vienna not to be convinced. The special business of "the patent" for the Protestants, and the general one of the restoration of the reformed constitution of 1848, are still the points on which Hungarians are firm, and the minority at Vienna obstinate, though of necessity obliged to condescend to a little bargaining. Count TIIUN, the author of " the patent," seems to be a thoroughly proud man. The crisis is so pressing that lie appears to have nearly incurred dismissal, but with all his pride he seems to have preferred changing his policy to • losing office ; and we are now told that it is morally certain that he will be constrained to reverse his whole course in regard to the Protestants. It should be remembered that Protestantism has always in Hungary been quite as much a political • as a religious-question, and that Roman Catholics, in consequence, are energetic supporters of the i Protestant demands. General BENEDEK himself, seems to have been almost converted by his residence, even for so short a time in Hungary. He has been back to Vienna, and all accounts agree that it has been to plead for the necessity of conceding to Hungarian views. The main point in the demands of the Magyars is that the administration of Hungary shall be entirely separate from that of Austria, and that the Emperor of AUSTRIA shall reign as Crowned King of Hungary, through a Constitutional Government. There is not a more remarkable constitution in Europe than that of Hungary ; and it was reciving the improvements and adaptations to modern times which it needed when it was " superEcded" after the Russian sub jugation in 1819—superseded, as was then de ' signed, with the belief that it would never be re gained by the overpowered inhabitants—and it has remained suspended till this day. There never was, however, perhaps anything more remarkable in the long and often sad, as well as glorious, history of Hungary than the way in which she has repeatedly sprung to her feet after being apparently wholly prostrated beneath crush ing numbers, generally aided by treason and fraud. The perfidy and persecuting superstition of the Hapsburgs is, of course, an ever recurring story ; yet, through her county municipal institutions, and her Diet, and the bravery of her sons, Hungary has continued to retain much of the reality of liberty ; it seems indestructible in the 11€ arts of the people ; and after each violent attack, and each apparent triumph of fraud and force, a:decade or two has passed away, and again the spirit of freedom has found means to display itself in some fresh struggle, and even, generally, to win back some or all of the old rights and fran chises. It seems as if this would be the case now. Ten or eleven years of illegal government, of suspension of the constitution, of brutal German administra tion, of insufferable taxation, and of every 'possible annoyance which the ingenuity of the beaten and mortified Germans could inflict On their conquerors, when placed in their power by Russia, have all been silently endured. But now the time is come to speak out, and the speaking is very plain. General BENEDEK is astonished, but has to hear it and smile, and report at Vienna that it must come to concession of long withheld rights at last. And—what must make even the EMPEROR feel most poignantly—the high honour of being a member of his Imperial Council (Reichs rath) is declined by all the Hungarians of note whom he nominated foe it ! The aristocracy of the country itself, even the more conservatively inclined of them, dare not touch the odious honour ! What must be most unwelcome of all to the ears of Imperialists—the name of KOSSUTH is resound ing again at Pesth, almost within hearing of the Imperial palace. We are informed that sometimes in spite of police and gendarmes, the genuine popular feeling will find its expression in some occasional outburst. So it happened on the day of the Requiem for SZECHENYI in this city. After the funeral mass was over, a multitude of at least 10,000 people crowded before the hotel where the two sons of the de ceased resided, and mingled the names of SZECHENTI and KOSSUTH in thundering cheers. There is some meaning in the vox poptcli coupling these two names on that occasion. It seemed as if the inhabitants of the metropolis of Hungary, coming from their prayers for the dead SZECIIEN YI, wished to remind his surviving sons that KOSSUTH is still alive, the man who never despaired when all despaired; and who will not despair, if his life be spared, till he sees Hungary once more a free, a constitutionally governed kingdom. lire are always talking of metropolitan improve ments, and yet we are seldom, if ever, improving the metropolis, either in regard to its convenience or its beautification. A grand central railway ter minus is to this moment a thing unknown in Lon don, though it has been talked of so very frequently. The purification of the Thames we should long ago have been tired to death of advocating only that the river's "offence is rank and smells to Heaven" ' --under our very nostrils here in the precincts of the Savoy —more frightfully during the height and heat of every recurring midsummer. So, too, THE SU.N,rI LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, MAY 19, 1860: would it have been in regard to another pestilen tial nuisance, the semi-stagnant piece of water called the Serpentine. Only here again have we been constrained to argue the case over and over again, year after year, season after season, because the vital manner in which the grievance complained of continually and increasingly affects so large a part of our metropolitan population. Stretching a considerable distance between Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, the Serpentine reeks perpe tually with the visible germs of disease floating impalpably in the polluted atmosphere affecting the mortality of the inhabitants of Kensington and Bayswater and Knightsbridge, and inhaled day by day by the deluded pedestrians in park and garden, and yet more copiously by the still more deluded equestrians in the Row and Ring, who go there actually for Health, there to the very margin of that poisonous pool of the Serpentine. The evil here, as in the instance of the Thames, has been and is altogether too great and too imminent to admit of apathy in its regard on the part of the conscientious journalist. And now what is precisely the position of things in regard to our hopes (in reference to the Thames and the Serpentine) of anything at all like a thorough and effectual purification ? Subter raneously the main drainage scheme is working its mole•like way under the roar and babel of London and Westminster. It is costly. But that is a matter of secondary consideration. As the funds are wanted they are certain to be forthcoming. However copiously required they will not be for an instant grudged by the people, objected to by the press, or hesitated about by the Parliament. There is another peculiarity, however, about the enterprise that is not by any means so agreeable to contemplate in the formation of these grand cloaca of our English capital. It is a proceeding which, while it is certain to be costly; is no less certain to be slow. Its slowness, however, is altogether un avoidable. It is so by the very nature of things. It is hopeless to dream of undermining a gigantic city like London, save by a process the most tediously laborious and lengthened. Rome was not built in a day—neither is London to be undermined in a year. The engineers and contractors intrusted with the herculean task of carrying out this great project of the main drainage of the metropolis, have something more to do than to deflect the current of a river, or turn it through the filthiest stable of the grandest stud of which there is mention _any where in ancient or modern annals. If it were possible, after the fashion of the Diable Boiteux, to lift away for a while a given surface of London, it would, upon the instant, be perfectly comprehen sible to the meanest capacity how the carrying out of the main drainage scheme requires time more absolutely, if that be possible, than it requires money. The labyrinth of water-pipes, and gas pipes, and sewage-pipes, and wire-pipes for the conveyance of the electric telegraph, that would thereupon meet the view of the observer—to say nothing of the acres of cellarage room, and the in calculable ton-loads of the superincumbent weight of the various edifices of our vast wilderness of a metropolis—would carry conviction to any mind in the flash of a moment that the construction then among all that, and under all that, of the cloaca required for the main drainage, would be work by necessity of more than one twelvemonth. Still, we have at last, in this matter, made a positive com mencement. Which is much—remembering how long we have been talking and writing about this particular improvement, and hitherto doing Nothing all the while towards its actual realisa tion. We must not be disheartened by remember ing merely the Shaksperian dictum that " All's well that ends well." We must, on the contrary, encourage ourselves, and with reason, by bearing in recollection that here, in a great measure, applies the Gallic idiom, " Ce n'est que le premier pas qui route." The difficulty—the real difficulty—now was to make the commencement, and we have made it. The rest will follow in course. And as in writing a book—even though it were an Encyclo hia or a Cosmos—there is wisdom in bearing vividly in mind the tersely implied truth of the nulla die sine linea, so in this almost appalling toil of worming out the Main Drainage scheme all under the great world of London, we have only to plod on steadily in the giant task of excavation, and the time will come when the huge work now begun will be literally accomplished. So much for the Main Drainage scheme, which in its completed operation will most effec tually secure the long-talked of, and long-hoped for purification of the river Thames. Now, as to the actual state of things in regard to the present and future of the Serpentine ; The ITAWKSLEY filtration craze is fortunately at an end. It is under the taboo of the House of Commons. No more of the £17,000 set apart for the purpose of carrying that most wild and eccentric scheme into operation is to be spent in pumping the dirty water out of the Serpentine, to be poured through filter beds, and then run back once more into the dirty basin, again to be pumped up and run back again, and so on everlastingly. No more, do we say, of this £17,000 ? Alas, already there have been fooled away upon the process as many as £14,000 ! Leaving merely a trumpery little balance of £3,000 unspent—and a litter of rubbish at the end of the Serpentine, that we are burning to see carted away and fairly got rid of. When this shall have been accomplished we shall then, 'after all the expense, and all the trouble, and all the waste of time, have actually just to begin from the very beginning in the work of purifying the Serpentine. It is im perative, therefore, upon us, obviously, that we should set about this as quickly as may be in any way practicable. What we have to do personally in the matter we know perfectly well beforehand. We know it by experience. We have done it already—thanks to Lord LLANOYER—in the in stance of the ornamental water in St. James's-park. We have, according to the plan which in that in stance has proved so eminently and signally suc cessful, we have first of all, simply to lay bare the hidden filth that we want to get rid of —by running all the water out of the Serpentine. The foul deposit may then be taken bodily away elsewhere—possibly may be turned even to good account as manure—and the bed of the river or pool, having been thus cleansed, may be reduced to one uniform level, tapering off at the margin, covered with gravel, or it might even be with cement, and fresh, pure, pellucid water rise in again to brim up what would then be the salnln ions as well as beautiful current of the Serpentine. If Mr. COWPER can accomplish this one gond work sloe s , he will have merited well of his fellow-countrymen during the period of his iEdileship. His Royal Highness Prince Frederick of th e Netherlands arrived at Claridge's Hotel on Thursday from Torquay. The Duke and Duchess of Manchester enter tained their Serene Highnesses Prince and Prin , :,ess Edward of Saxe-Weimar, the Earl and Countess of Tankerville, Lady Emily Peel, and a select party at dinner yesterday evening, at their residence in Great Stanhope-street, Park lane. The Marquis and Marchioness of Ailsa have arrived at Claridge's Hotel for the season. Lord and Lady Muncaster and the Hon. Miss Pennington have arrived at their residence in LaneThana place, from 'Warter Priory, Yorkshire, for the season. REPEAL OF THE PAPER DUTY. DEPUTATION TO LORD DERBY.-(THIS DAY.) In conformity with the resolutions agreed to at the meeting held at St. Martin's-hall, on Tuesday, in reference to the course proposed by Lord Derby to the House of Lords, respecting the duty on paper, a deputation waited on his lordship this morning, at his private residence, 23, St. James's••square, for the purpose of inducing him to retract his opposition to the bill for the repeal of this duty passed by the House of Com mons. The deputation was composed of gentlemen con nected with the cheap press, or identified with the movement for the abolition of the impost, and amongst those present we observed—Mr. Ewart, M.P., Mr. Sergeant Parry, M.P., Mr. Chambers, Mr. H. Ingram, M.P., Mr. G. Routledge, Mr. Crawford, M.P., Col. Sykes, &c. The Earl of DERBY said—Gentlemen, I agreed at once to receive the deputation from the meeting which has taken place, because I thought, from what I read of the proceedings, that several of the statements made at that meeting were founded on error, and which I thought would be in my power to contradict to the deputation. I did not expect so large a meeting, and, moreover, wish you to confine yourselves to some special question, and not enter into a discussion of the ab stract merits or demerits of the duty on paper, which lam not now prepared to discuss. I would wish you to limit your observations to the effect of Lord Monteagle's motion in a financial and com mercial point. Mr. EwART stated that he appeared on behalf of the commercial interest involved, which would be deeply affected by the continuance of the duty on paper. Mr. Sergeant PARRY said that the address which he was about to read to his lordship had been signed by 250 persons. The learned gentleman then read the following address, to portions of which his lordship intimated in a very marked manner his entire dissent : "TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OP DERBY K.G. S.C. "My Lord,—The position which you hold as a peer of Parliament, as a Privy Councillor of her Majesty, often en trustel by her with high office, and as a former member of the Commons House of Parliament, invests with weight any motion which you may make in the House of Lords. We, therefore, venture to lay before you some considera tions on the notice that you have given to oppose the bill sent up by the House of Commons for the repeal of the Excise tax on paper. " The palerrdtity was re►orted against, so long as 1835, by a royal commission, of which Sir Henry Parnell was chairman. "In 18.58, the House of Commons, with the consent of Mr. Disraeli,who was then, in conjunction with your lord ship, the responsible guardian of the public revenue, re solved—' That it is the opinion of this house that the main tenance of the excise on paper as a permanent source of revenue would be impolitic.' "On the 11th February, 18:59, your lordship, in reply to a deputation that had the honour of waiting on you, said—' I have never concealed my opinion with regard to the objec tionable character of the tax. That the impost is objection able in principle, and in practice, is what I have expressed before and express again.' " On the Ist March, in the present year, the Board of Inland Revenue reported—' That the Paper Duty is rapidly becoming untenable.' The Crown, through its responsible advisers, has surrendered the tax. The Com mons have provided for the consequent, though we believe only temporary, loss of revenue by other taxes, which have since-received the consent of the House of Lords, and have passed a bill for the formal repeal of the Excise tax on paper. "The right of the Commons to be taxed only by them selves is one so long uncontested, that it was with astonish ment that we head that your lordship, acting in a contrary sense, had given notice of your intention to resist the pass ing of the bill. When, moreover, we read your lordship's speech on the subject, we felt not only astonishment, but alarm, not to say dismay, at a course contrary to established prin ciple, not justified by any p ecedent, and accompanied by a process of reasoning which we are entirely unable to com prehend. You are reported to have said that to alter a single detail of the Customs Bill would be a violation of the privi leges of the Hou se o f C ommons . B u t w h a t i s th e a lt er i ng of a duty on foreign imports (a matter of public policy) compared with the reimposition of a tax of a million of money which your lordship, in common with almost every other statesman, has declared to be objectionable in prin ciple and in practice ?' " It has never yet been asserted that the people can be taxed except through their representatives, and it is not competent to the House of Commons to raise money that is not demanded by the Crown. There is no real difference between refusing to repeal a tax and imposing one. Nor is the matter altered by the loose practice which has lately grown up of voting taxes for an indefinite term. These can only be considered as a part of the ways and means for de fraying the expenditure of the current year, and must cease with the consent of the grantors. "We respectfully submit that to take advantage of a legal technicality for the purpose of introducing ,a new practice such as is now proposed, would be contrary to the established character of the House of Lords, as a conserva tor of the ancient usages of the country —an act of usurpa tion of the privileges of the House of Commons and the rights of the people—an act wanting in respect tv the Crown. " Every usurpation by one-branch of the State upon ano ther has, in this country, borne the most bitter fruits. "We, therefore, earnestly entreat your lord,hip to recon sider the proposal you have made, and to carefully examine the precedents which bear upon the subject. We scarcely doubt that such consideration will induce you to refrain from a proceeding so fraught with danger, and which, if successful, would amount to a subversion of the ancient con stitutions of England and of the legitimate functions of every officer of the State." Viewing the question from a constitutional point of view, it could not be denied that the House of Lords could, if they pleased, refuse their assent to the bill for the repeal of the duty on paper, which had received the sanction of the other branch of the Legislature. But, however, no such act in reference to a financial matter had been done since the revolution. In the latter end of 1790, the House of Lords had made a grant for Warwick Gaol, which was refused by the House of Commons on the ground that it was considered by them as an interference with their privileges. Having re ferred to' the course pursued by the House of Lords in reference to the Wensleydale peerage, to show how careful that branch of the Legislature was in what related to their privileges, and to the opinions expressed by Lord Derby himself on a former occa• sion, he said that the gentlemen present were en gaged in the manufacture of paper, and were deeply interested in the question before his lordship. In consequence of the bill for the repeal of the paper duty having been passed by the House of Commons, a large amount had been ex pended, and if the bill were rejected by the Upper House, a great loss would be inflicted on those per sons who had laid out their money. Mr. EWART, M.P., said that he was president of the Society for the Repeal of the Taxes on Kno adedge, whose object was to effect. the abolition of the duty on paper, and he appeared before his lordship not in his Parliamentary capa city. Tie wished to direct himself to the commer cial question. He was surrounded by such gen tlemen as Mr. Bradbury, Mr. Chambers, and many others equally interested in this subject, and he begged to direct his lord ship to the grounds on which they based their arguments. The hon. gentleman then read a paper which stated that large sums had been ex pended by Messrs. Cassells, and others engaged in literature, on the expectation of the certainty of this tax being abolished'after the vote of the House of Commons. In one instance no less than £lO,OOO had been laid out for machinery, &c. The document stated, also, that the opposition of the Upper House would have the effect of merely delaying the repeal of the impost until next session, which would have the effect of seriously damaging the interests of several persons engaged in the paper trade and collateral branches of commerce. The hon. member concluded by urging on his lordship the necessity fora speedy settlement of the question which, in its present state, created great distrust and dissatisfaction throughout the country. Mr. PETTER said their firm had made great pre parationSto increase their business, ou the full under standing that the repeal of the duty would not be opposed in the House of Lords. They have signed leases for the extension of their premises, and ordered a quantity of machinery, all of whi c h would be so much capital lost, if the duty was not repealed. Mr. EVAZ , IS, of the. firm of Bradbury and Evans, also informed his lordship they had very much in creased their arrangements, on the faith that the re peal of the duty would not be opposed. Mr. RocEus, of the London Publishing Com pany, said they had laid out upwards of £7,000, and engaged a double number of hands, on the firm conviction that the bill would receive the assent of Parliament. Alderman BALDWIN said he attended on the part of the boroUgh of Birmingham, to represent the great commercial inconvenience that would be occasioned by the House of Lords accepting the amendments of Lord Munteagle. He had waited upon parties of all shades of politics, including many of his lordship's most ardent and sincere friends, and they had one and all declared that if your ' lordship persevered in the course you propose they would never have any confidence in your lordship again. (Loud laughter, in which the Earl of Derby joined.) He could not imagine that his lordship for one moment considered that by the rejection of the bill this year the question would be settled. (" No, no.") The advocates of the repeal would be up again, and the same exer tions would be again used as had already been on that occasion. He only thought the rejection of the bill would be to create great confusion and disap pointment throughout the country. He most strongly urged his lordship to modify the opinions he en tertained on the subject. Mr. HARGREAVES having said a few words, The Earl of DERBY said he hoped it would not be thought disrespectful to Mr. Ewart and the whole of the gentlemen present if he declined entering into the commercial, and still more the political, question involved in the subject then before them, He was fully aware of the derangement that would exist in the commercial world by the question still remaining open, and that prolonged anxiety would no doubt tend to a great loss of capital. (Hear, hear.) He was not going to argue the question on its abstract merits; but with regard to the sub ject then under discussion he thought it his duty to inform the meeting that he had received some very strong statements from newspaper proprie tors and editors which differed very materially from the statements of the deputation, and showed that there was a great diversity of opinion among those affected by the measure, and he had also received petitions from several newspaper proprietors in Ireland, all in favour of the retention of the tax, but ho did not wish to enter into any discussion on that point. In IssB or 1859 he was quite aware that he had expressed an opinion that it would be desirable to remove the duty from paper, but at the same time he said that the revenue of the country must be in a condition to sanction such removal, and the question was then, as now, were the finances of the country in a state to allow of its being given up. It could not be said that the duty was a declining one, for from the years 1840 to 1860 the amount of duty, gross and net, had not only not fallen off but had actually doubled. The amount received in 1840 was about £580,000, while the sum realised in 1860 was £1,200,000, and, arguing from analogy, such a circumstance as the tax was one that could not be at all prejudicial to trade, In 1859 when he made use of the expression in the House of Lords, and Mr. Disraeli in the House of Commons, we objected to a resolution that the finan cial scheme of the year should be so made as to embrace a repeal of the duty on paper. He preferred to reduce the income tax and the taxes upon sugar and tea. He thought them of more im portance than the paper duty,and he could not now approve of a scheme that would give up that duty while the income tax had to be doubled, and a heavy war tax had been levied op tea and sugar to keep up the revenue of the country. If the state of the finances of the country ad mitted of the repeal of this duty no one would feel greater pleasure than he did, but it was be cause he was of opinion that it did not, that he was justified in taking the steps he had done. According to the calculations of the Chancellor of the Exchequer—supposing all his calculations turn out correct there would only be a surplus of £464,000, and that sum he (the Earl of Derby) thought was totally insufficient to meet the exigen cies of trade and the honour of the country. If, however, his (the Earl of Derby's) views were cor rect, the years 1861-2 would show no increase at all but a deficit of £2,000,000, and that deficit might go on increasing, and that being the case it was; •very desirable to look beyond the present when revenue and expenditure were so nearly . balanped, for some permanent source of in come to the amount of a million and a quarter. With respect to the legal part of the question, he thought the House of Lords was quite justified, should they feel so disposed in adopting Lord Monteagles amendment. That amendment had not been brought forward by any supporter of his (Lord Derby's), but it was introduced by one who generally supported her Majesty's Government. He had not been for one instant consulted on the advisability of such a step, and it was solely on financial grounds that he felt it his duty to sup port that amendment. In his opinion the house of Lords was not usurping the privileges of the House of Commons in objecting to the passing of this bill. It could not seriously be thought so It was not that the House of Lords was seeking to impose a new tax, the amendment only conveyed a refusal to assent to the abolition of an old one ; and if he wished for pre cedents for such a proceeding he had not far to lookfor them. He need not refer antecedent to the Jlevolution, but he merely would refer to the year 1800, in which the Lords refused its assent to a similar bill, and it fell to the ground. No human being then raised the ques tion of the House of Lords having exceeded its rights, and the House of Commons never com plained of an infringement of its privileges . He did not look upon the present as any infringe ment of the privileges of Parliament, but he thought that the sacrificing a million and a half of revenue at that, particular period was seriously embarrassing to financiers and endangering the credit of the country ; and that being his opinion, he felt he was perfectly justified in pursuing the course he iiroposed—that in which he should be aided by the support of many of those favour able to the present Government, and if successful that public opinion would confirm the justness. Several of the deputation—No, no. The Earl of DERBY said he could not expect the gentlemen present, whose object was totally different, to agree with him in that, but upon the whole he thought if the llouse of Lords should affirm tho amendment it would be conferring on the country a signal benefit. Same of the deputation wished to answer some of his lordship's observations, but he respectfully de clined to enter into the discussion. The deputation then withdrew. PRESENTATION OF TIIE FREEDOM OF THE CITY TO CAPTAIN M 4 CLINTOCK.,—This day a special Court of Common Council was held for the purpose of presenting the -freedom of the City of London to Captain M'Clintock for his great exertions in the late Arctic expedition. The gal, lant gentleman was most cordially received, and gracefully acknowledged the compliment paid him. THE FRENCH FLOATING BATTERIES. Have each a screw propeller, of sufficient power (225 horse power) to move them from point to point when in action; but in a seaway it is necessary for them to be towed, as, unaided, they can barely make three knots per hour. They are pierced for 24 guns, but only carry 16. The hulls of batteries of this kind cost about £24,000 each, and the engines and boilers about £15,000 more.— The Navies of the World.—By Hans Bush. DISGUSTING CRUELTY TO A CHILD.—At the Derby Police-court., on Wednesday, James Thacker, a cabman, and his wife, were charged with certain acts of cruelty to Mary Thacker, aged six years, daughter of the male defendant by a former marriage. The chief constable visited the defendants' house, when he found the child tied up with a rope to the back of a chair, and crying. Upstairs he found a fitting quantity of hay and straw in a back room, and the child said they made her lie on it regu larly. In the front room was a bed, in which tile defendant and his wife slept, and also two children that belonged to the female defendant. The child said she had nothing but bread given her, whilst the other two children had bread and drippingeand coffee regularly." Mr. Hilton added that themale defendantadmitted he first tied the child up, but that after he had gone the female defendant had fastened the rope much tighter. The other two children, who are by the present wife, aro properly cared for, and sent to school, whilst the complainant in this case was kept locked up at home. The male defendant, in answer to the bench, said he was married to his present wife some time ago, at St. Werburgh's Church. His fermer wife (mother to the child) had run away and left him some time pre viously, and he did not know what had become of her. He said it was the first time he had tied the child up, and he did it because she had broken a basin. The female defendant —I am sorry I went to work with out releasing her. Mr. Pegg—You are a Cruel, brutal woman. Female defendant—No one can say that I ill used the child. Mr. Hilton—The neighbours inform me that the child has been so starved that she has been in the habit of picking up food out of the swill tubs. The defen- Cuts were remanded until Wednesday. A dense snob of women and some men were assembled in front of the hall, and on the prisoners being brought up from the lock-up, they were yelled and hooted at, and the female's gown was almost torn from her body. Several women gave evidence as to the brutal manner in which the child had been treated . Some of them stated that they bad seen her eat offal. She had also been compelled to sleep in a room by herself on some dirty straw, without any covering, throughout the winter. The bench c6-nrreitted both prisoners to six months' imprisonment, each with hard•labour. LATEST NEW ft GARIBALDI'S EXPEDITION. The following telegrams have been received at Mr. Reuter's office : ROME, MAY 18. (OFFICIAL.) An engagement has taken place between the royal troops and the Garibaldians at Catalafani, a short distance from Palermo. The Garibaldians are said to have been completely beaten, leaving a large number of killed and wounded. NAPLES, MAY 18. (oFFIcIAL.) The bands of Garibaldi have been attacked at the point of the bayonet by the Royal troops, near Calatasima, and totally routed, leaving on the battle field their flag and a great number of killed and wounded, among whom was one of their chiefs. GENOA, i\Lt 18. Advices from Naples to the 15th inst. state that Garibaldi's disembarcation had caused great agita tion. It was rumoured that some regiments of Chasseurs which had set out from Palermo against Garibaldi had been completely destroyed. News from Messina to the 14th inst., state that the commander of the Piedmontese frigate, Gover nolo, had landed there, and was received with ap plause. Marshal Riviera had demanded reinforce. ments of Marshal Russo, who being unable to diminish the garrison of Messina, had refused. PALERMO, MAY 16. Garibaldi was at Alcamo on the 15th inst. A fight had taken place at Lioppo, in which the Royal troops were repulsed. Palermo is again in a state of siege. Fresh troops have arrived. More emigrants have disembarked in Sicily. POLA, MAY 17. In. consequence of Garibaldi's departure for Sicily, the Austrian Government has resolved to send a flotilla to cruise off the coasts of the island. All war steamers which were stationed in Pola have been united under the command of the Cora mandore Willersdorf, and have set sail for Sicily. TURIN, MAY is. The official Piedmontese Gazette published an article refuting the accusation of Ministerial conniv ance in the affair of Garibaldi. The article says : " The Government has disapproved of the expedi tion, and attempted to prevent its departure by such means as prudence and the laws would permit. The Sardinian ships of war had orders to prevent a landing, but could do no more than the Neapolitan vessels which were cruising in the Sicilian waters." Europe knows that the Government of the King does not hide its solicitude for the common country ; but at the same time it understands and respects the principle of international law, and believes its duty to be to make that principle respected in the State for the welfare of which it is responsible. Sardinian Rente is quoted at 82f. 50e. for money, and 82f. 60c. for account. Little business is doing, owing to the apprehensions of war. PARIS, MAY 18. Counter orders have been forwarded to the divi sion Bazaine. The 33d Regiment of the Line has also been stopped at Manosque and ordered to re turn to Toulon, where it will arrive to-day. ' - The Patric says:— " The latest news states that Garibaldi has not landed in Sicily." The Opinione IVationale says : "It is asserted that orders have been sent to Rome to postpone the departure of the French troops." The Pays says : " The statement that detachments of Garibaldi's volunteers had passed the Roman territory on their way to Naples is incorrect." Some French steamers of war have left for Sicily. MARSEILLES, FRIDAY. It is asserted that the man-of-war Donauwerth, having on board Admiral Jehenne, and the frigate Descartes, have sailed from the Isles of Hyeres for the south. The departure of a Piedmontese brigade for Tus. cany is confirmed. The steamer Tenaro has been sent to cruise before Orbitello. BRUSSELS, MAY 19. According to advises received from Paris " this morning, the Emperor is said to have left that city without any suite ; some persons say for Sologne, to Visit his landed property; others pretend for Toulon, to inspect the fleet, and to give direct in structions to the Admiral before his departure for the Levant. MADRID, MAY 18. The Absolutist journals assert that Elio has refused to take the oath of allegiance to the Queen. The Ambassador of Naples has denied that an insurrection had broken out in the Abruzzi. COPENHAGEN, MAY 18. The Daylobladet of to-day says :—The Danish Government has lodged a protest at Berlin against the discussion in the Chamber of Deputies respect ing Schleswig, and against the attitude assumed by the Minister of Finance, Baron von Schleinitz, upon the subject. VIENNA, MAY 19. Austria, Prussia, and England are said to agree to the following :- 1. As to the maintenance of the integrity of the Ottoman Empire. 2. ShOuld an inquiry into the situation of the European Christians in Turkey take place, it is by no means to be instituted exclusively upon the basis of the facts given by Russia, but in an inde pendent manner, and upon the facts reported by the different Ambassadors and Consuls in the East. VIENNA, MAY 18. On the declaration of France that she would not oppose the assembling of a Conference for the exa mination of the question,—" How the guarantees stipulated by Article 92 of the final Act of Vienna could be reconciled with the treaty of the 24th of March, 1860, relative to Savoy," the English Cabi net confidentially communicated a project to the northern Courts, according to which France should cede to Switzerland such a portion of Chablais and Faucigny as would ensure to Switzerland the exclu sive possession of the Lake of Geneva, the neutrality of which would be proclaimed and guaranteed. In vited by the English Cabinet to give its opinion on this project, Austria has first thought it indispen sable to institute inquiries in Paris, in order to dis cover if, and to what point, France would consent to a dismemberment of Savoy. Having obtained the certainty that the Court of the Tuileries will not consent to any cession of the territory of Savoy, the Austrian Cabinet endeavoured to obtain infor mation whether England or Switzerland was de cided to pursue, at the risk of a war with France, the project of a territorial cession on the part of France. Austria is convinced that England, as well as Switzerland, too greatly desires the peace of the world to compromise it on account of the annexation of Savoy. Under these circumstances Count Rechberg, has declared that the English pro ject had no chance- of success, considering that it would be supported neither by Russia nor by Aus. tria, and would fail against the inevitable resist ance of France. The Wiener Zeitung of today publishes an autograph letter of the Emperor to General Belle dek, which fully confirms the telegram from Pesth published in yesterday's Presse. it also confirms the proclamation of a general amnesty. The Council of the Empire will hold its first sitting on the 29th inst., when the Minister of Finance will have concluded the elaborated state ment of the Budget, which will be the first ques tion to be discussed by the Council. TRIESTE, Mn 18. The Archduke Maximilian and Princess Char lotte, his wife, will leave this evening for Vienna, to be present at the ceremony of inaugurating the monument erected in honour of the late Archduke Charles. The rumour that the Archduke Charles had refused the Presidency of the reorganised Coun cil of the Empire is unfounded. The question re specting the nomination of the President of the Council of the Empire will only be decided when the Archduke is in Vienna. There is no doubt whatever that the Emperor reserves a high official position for his illustrious brother. ST. PETERSBURG, MAY 18. It is stated that a telegram from Baron von Brunnow, the Russian Ambassador at London, has been received by the Russian Government, an nouncing that Lord John Russell would in all pro bability make no opposition to an inquiry into the situation of the Christians in the Turkish empire. This supposed acquiescence of England has given great satisfaction here. AUSTRIA. • (From a Correspondent of the Times.) VIENNA, MAY 16. It is not probable that the Imperial Patent of September 1,1859, will be formally revoked, but the leading men among the Hungarian Protestantsbavc been given to understand that those regulations in it to which they and their co-religionists object will not be enforced. The 26th paragraph of the patent —in which it is ordained that there shall be 12 superintendencies instead of B—gave great o&nce to the Hungarian Protestants, as they saw by it that the Minister for Ecclesiastical Affairs wanted to take from them some of their most highly• valued rights and privileges. Both Lutherans and Calvinists denied the right of Count Leo Thu°, a bigoted Papist, to subdivide their ancient " SW perintendential districts," and the great majority of the Protestant communities respectfully peti tioned the Emperor to suspend his patent. Instead of trying to lay the storm which he had raised, the haughty Bohemian noble made matters worse by is' suing menacing ministerial ordinances, and by in ducing Count Nadasdy, the Minister of Justice, to prosecute the leading nonconformists. Messrs. Zsedenyi and Maday were imprisoned and treated as common malefactors, and proceedings had alreadl been instituted against 9S other persons when Baron Nicholas Vay received notice that he had been nominated Chancellor of the Empire. He came to this city, and, fortunately, was able to convince Count Rechberg and one or two of his colleagues that Count Thun had done, and was still doing, very great injury to the State and its head. It is credibly related that Count Nadasdy, a Hungarian by birth and parentage, allowed himself to be persuaded t a order one of the prosecutors for the Crown t° proceed against Baron Vay, after that noble man had been appointed a member of the lteichsrath. It is very possible that the Minis terial crisis is not yet over, for there are still rumours in circulation that Count Thun and Count Nadasdy are to quit office. M. von Szegyeny, is a member of the present Reichsrath, is spoken 0f as the successor of the Minister for Ecclesiastic al Affairs, but he, as a Hungarian, will hardly consa t to take office, unless some other changes are mad e in the Cabinet. Yesterday morning the inhabitan ts of Cascheu were agreeably surprised to learn that Messrs. Zsedenyi and Maday would be set at libertY, in the course of the day. A great crowd assemble d around the county prison, and, towards noon, th e two gentlemen who had suffered for conscienc e sake, made their appearance. They were receive d with prodigious enthusiasm by the people, wh ° accompanied them to the house in which they purposed passing the remainder of the day. T ll° foregoing news must be wormwood amid g all Count Thun, who has a strong personal dislia - e la Protestants in general and to M. Zsedenyi in par . titular. A fact has to-day been communicate d to me which tends to prove the correctness of my assertion that there are no factions in Hungarl' but one great national party. When first i t was the question of sending General v° ll Benedek to Hungary, the Governm en t though' , of making Count Hermann Zichy, who W as at the head of the Stadtholdcrate department in Grosswardein, Civil Adlatus to the Commanding' General. The appointment - was offered to the nobla Magyar, but, instead of accepting it uncondl' tionally, he addressed a kind of memorial to the Governthent, in which h e roun dl y d ec l are d tha t no good could possibly be done in Hungary un til the constitution had been restored and th e Emperor crowned as King. He also expatiated the necessity for the re-union of the Servian diva and Ternesch Banat with the Kingdom of Hungary. It must be supposed that Count Goltr chowski, who is a very strict disciplinarian, to ol Count Zichy's frankness amiss, fur he has ceased t ° be an Imperial onp/oye. M. Ede Remenyi was unable to obtain permissle° to give concerts at Ternesva, " because the dearth is so great and the price of the necessaries of life 5 , 0 high in the Banat." S uc h was th e excuse g i v en 13 J the authorities to M. Remenyi for their refusal t° let him appear in public, but the truth of the matte is, that he is in the habit of playing national alr°' which rouse the patriotism of the Hungarians to the very highest pitch. As' Count George Apponyi yesterday returned t ° this city from Presburg, it is po s sibl e that he Wil l allow himself to be.persuaded to become a m embe r of the Council of the Empire. Should h e aeceP" 4. the Imperial appointMent, it may safely be cell eluded that important concessions will be m ade t ° Hungary, for Count Apponyi is not a man t ° sacrifice his principles in order to obtain th e favour of his Sovereigns. In one of the paragraph.° of the regulations for the enlarged Reichsrath it 1° said that if any of the members shall do violence to the loyalty and dignity of the Assembly by discourse, His Majesty shall humbly b e re questea to dismiss such member from the Council of th e Empire." The Upper Chamber, in the Grand Duchy °f Baden, has reject e d th e C o n cor dat by a ma jority e', 13 to 8. There is now a great political ferment in Russian Poland and in the Grand Duchy of Pogo' In Warsaw domiciliary visits have been paid t ° several of the nobles, and many of the country gentry have had their papers seizttd. M. von Borries, the Hanoverian Minister wh o made suc h an unpatriotic speech a few days ago, is likely t° lose his place. The friends of M. von Berries n° ll try to make the best of a bad matter by affirming that he alluded to Russia and England (?) when he spoke of an alliance with foreign Powers. The report of the analytical chemists who o°l - the stomach of the late Minister of Finan ce is, that he certainly took no mineral poison. '-r ll° result of the tests for vegetable poisons was " n e t i gative," the stomach having been com plately by the working of the emetics administerect en t" 23d April. It is rumoured that a great number of armed Russian " merch an t men " are now collected °t Nikolaieff on the Bong. It is also said, that ltu s; sian troop s a rc b e i ng concentra t e d on t h e east on° of the Black Sea. In official circles it is related that the high re cruits for the Pope will pass through the Tyrol 0 ° their way to Venice and Ancona. O t The rate of Exchange on London has riser' - b 133 today. Five per Cent. Metalliques are a' 69.20. Western or Elizabeth Railroad Stock bas fallen to 187.50, and Credit Bank shares to 185.6°' The Government have fixed Monday evening next for the Attorney-General to proceed with his Ban k. ; ruptcy Bill. Among commercial and financial persons I L h . desire that it may be vigorously proceeded with is Vier'