The Sun. — London, England, 1870-01-18 00:00:00

THE GUNPOWDER EXPLOSION AT BRYNMAWR. The more startling accounts of the Brynn:iawr gunpow der explosion turn out to be incorrect. Not six, but only two lives (as was stated in the soberer report) were lost by the accident. The young man who caused it, and a little girl who was in the street at the time, are the vic tims. The loss of property seems to have been under estimated, however. Three chapels are laid in ruins. Dwelling-houses are tottering ; and shop windows have been blasted so that they have to be closed. Thou sands of pounds worth of property are thus destroyed. The cause of the accident was also in one particular mis stated. The lad whose carelessness blew up the powder• did not take a lighted candle inio the gun powder store. He was about to do so, but was warned. It was supposed that he did what was as bad, if not worse. He struck a match in the store, and some spark must have touched the powder, and thus exploded it. The inhabitants of the town were desperately frightened. The explosion was heard eight miles off. , 4 0 ' THE WRECK OF TIIE KENILWORTH. A communication frcm Abersoch, North Wales, informs As that the lifeboat Mabel Louisa, belonging to the National Lifeboat Institution has been the means of sav ing the this-teen men who ss ere supposed to have been lost from the ship Kenilwortb, cf Liverpool, which has been totally wrecked on St. Patrick's Causeway. It appears that the Barmouth Lifeboat, Ellen went out to the wreck in a tremendous sea, and while the wind was blowing a gale from the westward. After a long struggle she got to it, anchored, and veered alongside, when a communi cation was effected, and the shipwrecked crew commenced to lower themselves one by one into the sea, made fast to lines. By those means eight of them were safely got into the lifeboat. By this time the gale had increased and the sea risen fearfully, when suddenly the rope connecting the lifeboat to the ship parted, the boat's cable had to be cut, she drifted to leeward, and all attempts at the time to get back to the wreck wore unavailing, and the boat had to make for Peoliheli. When it was reached a messgge was sent to the Abersoch Lifeboat Station, some distance to windward coking that that boat might also be sent out to the aid of those who had been left on board the wreck. Some hours previously information of a large vessel being in distress on the Sarn Badrig had reached Abersoch, and the life boat was immediately taken out, and cruised about for some hours in search of the ship. The crew, however, failed to find it in the darkness,and they returned to shore, meaning to go off again so as to be at the Sarn at day light. The boat, however, was launched again, and after a careful search for about three hours, the ship was sighted; the boat's anchor was then let go, and she went alongside. The thirteen men left on board were then safely got into the boat. No damage was done to the lifeboat. The Keni lworth crew had launched their boats but when they got them over the side they were immediately smashed to atoms, that even if they could have got away from their vessel in them they would undoubtedly have perished in the midst of the fearful seas. When the Abersoch lifeboat left the ship she was a complete wreck, being swept 14 every sea. The cargo, it is estimated, is worth £BO,OOO. LAW AND POLICE. THE LIABILITY OF " INFANTS " ON SHARES.—An impor tant judgment regarding the liability of persons under twenty-one years of age taking shares in public companies, was given by the Master of the Rolls yesterday. Tho matter came before his lordship in a summons in re the Norwegian Charcoal lion Company (Limited). It ap peared that a number of shares in that company had been taken by a gentleman named Mitchell, and he had transferred eighty of those to the name of a young man then in his minority. Mitch( ll hod since died, but the official liquidator of the company sought to have the name of the " infant " replaced on the list of con tributories by Mitchell's executors. Tho Master of the Rolls was of opinion that the official liquidator must fail in his application because the young man took no steps to repudiate the shares after he attained his majority. If he had come of age immediately after, or im mediately before the winding-up, he need not have sought to repudiate the shares until some definite course had been taken to hold him liable, because until that was clone he would not know how he stood. But in this case two years elapsed after the transferrer came of age before the winding up. He was perfectly well aware of the transfer at the time it took place, and allowed it to be done; and, therefore, if he had wished to repudiate the shares he was bound to tell the company he bad ha l nothing to do with them. On the other hand, he can call upon thb person for whose benefit he took these shares to make good to him any sum he may have to pay on calls, as contributions or the like. Consequently this young man must be entitled, according to the conditions of the transfer, to come against Mit. shell's estate for what he had to pay in the course of liquidation. This, however, did not prevent him from being a contributory in his own person. THE LAW OF LIMITED LIABILITY. An important point was decided on Monday by Vice- C:rancellor Malins. The case of the Raglan Hall Colliery CAnpany came before him. That company bad originally been an unlimited association. The speculation, however, did not pay; and then the concern was turned into a limited company. The shareholders in the one were the same as the partner in the other. In reckoning their liability, the shareholders computed the amount they had paid while members of the unlimited company, and thus raduced their liability. some of them had subscribed to the unlimited company nearly, if not all, the amount of their shares in the limited. The official liquidator sought to make them debtors in respect of their shares, notwithstanding what they had previously paid. They resisted his claims. The Vice-Chancellor, in giving judgment, spoke very strongly on the policy of the defen dants. It seemed, said the Vice-Chaccellor, in describing the scheme, that nine gentlemen, one of the legal profession, were induced by bril liant prospects to join in working a colliery. After expending, and becoming liable to pay in respect of their society the sum of £l,OOO, the idea occurred to them of limiting their liability, and accordingly the com pany was registered as a limited company. It was in tended that the colliery was to carry on its extensive ope rations, but the partners were to limit their liability to what they had already imperilled or lost. From the time of the sign ing of the memorandum of association they neverintended to be liable to pay anything, whatever the extent of their trade might be, to any labourer, or tradesman, or any other person whom they might employ. They were to go on with their undertaking, taking the chance of gain, but paying nothing if they lost. If the laws of this country sanctioned such a proceeding, they were in a most lamentably deficient condition. But the Legislature did require that shareheldcrs should be liable for some thing, and that the nature of their liability should be apparent. Therefore the form in which they originally sent in their memorandum of association as a company with all paid-up shares on which there was no liability, was rejected by the Registrar, as they were eventually registered in a general form, which rendered each ono of the 6hareholders liable to be put on the list as a contributory for the full amount appearing opposite his name. The re sirondents could not say that they had paid for their shares by contributing their moiety in the colliery, for that was not contributed after tho registra tion but before. This company had been carry ing on expensive operations, and when the case first came into court the workmen who bad been employed ware absolutely unpaid. It was only after strong pressure tliat the respondents were induced to pay them something, It was contended that they, being limited in their liability. and having paid up their shares, could, when the colliery was not successful say to the men " You must look for payment to the colliery"—as if the poor fellows could get anything out of that. He did not say that such principles were absolutely dishonest; but they would receive no encouragement from him. His Honour ordered that every one of the respondents should be put on the register as contributories of the whole amounts standing to their names, in the memo randum of assessment; and expressed a hope that the winding up would be completed as soon as possible. UNITED, K IN GDOM TELEGRAPIIS.—A special meet ing of the "company was held yesterday at the London Tavern, Mr. A.Croll in the chair, when the following raso lution was unanimously adopted:—" That the Postmaster- General having signified his readiness to take over the undertaking and paying the purchase money, the com pany be now voluntarily wound up, and that Mr. A. Croll be appointed liquidator, and that the present directors be requested to continue their services for the present• At this time, when tho pr:nciples and practice of co zrerative societies engross so large a share of attention, it may he well that lites3rs.:Parkins and Gotto should remind the no bility and gentry that they have for the last twenty years adopted the pract ea of buying the best goods in large quantities direct from the manutt turers, maraing every article in plain figures, and retailing them at the EnnAllcat possible profit for ready money; and where, from distance or other causes, cash pay ments have been impossible, they have never increased the price of the articles delivered. They respectfully solicit an inspection of their stock, consisting of portrait albums, writing-cases, dres sing-cases, dressing-bags, despatch boxes, envelope-cases and blotting-books, inkstands, desks, stationery cabinets, ornamental goods, purses, pocket books, cigar-cases, reticules, opera-glasses, ecent-cases, stnelling-bottles, electro-gilt and elegantly-mounted articles—in fact, an endless variety of articles to suit every taste, purpose, and pocket.—Perkins and Gotto, 24 and 26, Oxford •treet, W. MISCELLANEOUS NEWS. MERIONETHSHIRE. The victory of the Liberals in Merionethshire is to be attributed to the effect of the Reform Act of 1867, which has been everywhere in favour of the Dissenting party in Wales. In 1868 the late Mr. Williams (Liberal), was returned without a contest ; but in 1865 Mr. Wynne (Conservative) defeated Mr. Williams by 610 to 579 votes. On the present occa sion Mr. Holland gains 1,605 votes, and Lieutenant.. Colonel Tottenham 960. MR. WHALLEY, M.P. Mr. Whalley is an incomprehensible to Merioneth shire. The people don't understand him. Neither Liberals or Conservatives know what to make of him ; for he professes the strongest attachment to both. Colonel Tottenham, the defeated Conservative candi date, was promised by him " every assistance ;" and was told that Mr. Gladstone was " a dangerous man," that the Liberal candidate's address was an unsatisfactory ole. In fact, Mr. Whalley would have been very happy to see Colonel Tottenham raturned. But there was a prior attachment. Another " dear charmer " put in a claim ; and Mr. Whalley was not allowed to be happy with either. The Liberals wanted to know what the member for Peterborough meant. Ho replied bf special messenger, with commendable promptitude, that he was indeed a "Liberal at heart." He did not wish the Conservatives success. He was the friend of Mr. Holland, the Liberal. Which is Mr. Whalley's friend ? MALLOW. Mr. Waters, Q.C., is actively canvassing for the seat at Mallow, which Mr. Sulii:an's promotion to the bench leaves vacant. If Mr. Munster perseveres, the battle will be of a triangular hind that will leave an excellent chance for Major Knox, the Conserva tive, who enjoys a large share of popular support. And it is generally expected that Mr. Munster will persevere, although his address is not yet out. This election promises to be of that specially lively and entertaining kind for which Irish boroughs in the South are so famous. THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT AND Ttir COMMERCIAL TREATY'. The Echo makes an important announcement if it be well founded. It states, on what it designates "good authority " that the French Government have no intention of giving notice with reference to the Commercial Treaty with England next month. If this be true it may be assumed that no change can take place for at least two years ; for by the terms of the treaty a year must elapse after the notice given at the time fixed. The Reciproci tants will have here a hard blow. The English Government has not been convinced by their argu ments, and is certain not to give notice concerning the treaty. THE DUBLIN CONFERENCE ON THE LAND. The committee charged with the getting up of the conference on the land question are doing their best to bring off a successful demonstration. But it appears that they are hampered in their efibrts by a misunderstanding with Mr.Butt,president of the Ten ant League. The Freeman said that Mr. Butt was asked to join in the meeting by which the conference was convened ; Mr. Butt replies that no such request was made to him, and he did not, therefore, decline it. Touching the merits of this case, the world may be content to remain in ignorance ; but the little controversy has clearly shewn that there is no great harmony as to the policy of holdin g the conference. Some tenant-righters are afraid that they may be committed to the Government scheme before its nature is divulged. MR. BRIGHT AND THE IRISH LAND QIIESTiON. An Ulster landlord and tenant (Mr. Sinclair), writes to the Standard animadverting on Mr. Bright's speech on the Irish land question. He com plains that the iniquities of the Irish land owner occupy all the speaker's ire ; that once more he holds up to the tenant farmer and cottier the hope which he well knows the nation will not ratify, of becoming forthwith the proprietors in fee of the soil on the mere ground of occupancy. The writer invites attention to the fallacy of starting with the assump tion that excessive competition for the legitimate possession of land is the basis of the present agitation. Ile believes that the Irish peasant sees that he has got a good thing, which with the assistance of a paix a tout prix - Government be is determined to hold upon his own terms. Having gone into statistics, he contends that he has fairly established the premises that Irish rents are not too high, that competition is not exces sive, and that capital might, with every prospect of a return, be employed in agricultural improvement in Ireland. sm IVILFRID LAWSON. Sir Wilfrid Lawson, Bart., M.P. for Carlisle, has addressed the Wigton Farmers' Club on the tenure of land in England and Ireland. Ile says that so far as he understands the land laws, they are nearly the same in England and Ireland. It was said that the Irish Land Bill must be passed for the purpose of pacifying Ireland; but he had very little hope that anything Parliament could do would be successful immediately. There were outrages in England and in Ireland, the difference being that, in the one, sympathy was with the sufferer, in the other with the culprit. He said no doubt the Government would find out the best means of securing the interests of those who tilled the soil in Ireland, and if their remedy should succeed the same laws could be introduced into England. He contended that there must be some security that what one man sowed another should not reap ; they must encourage the occupier to sow as much as possible. THE LAND LAWS OF ENGLAND. Mr. Wren-Hoskyns, M.P., in his essay on the land laws of England, published by the Cobden Club, gives two tables in proof of the costliness of purchasing small parcels of land in this country. He adduces eight instances where the average cost to the buyer was 0 per cent. He also cites an instance, where, upon an investment of £lOO, an ex penditure of £23 14s. 3d. was incurred. He con siders that the trigonometrical survey of England, which has been just completed, ought to lend its aid toward facilitating the transfer of land. COLONEL HERBERT ON THE REDUCTION OP THE ARMY. At the annual meeting of the Shropshire Chamber Hof Agriculture, Colonel the Hon. Percy Herbert, M.P., responded to the toast of the army and navy. He said he was far from advocating extravagance, but the British nation was warlike. Although tliey were not pleased to be called upon to pay heavy taxes, they would be extremely disappointed if either of the services should not be found equal to any emergency. He expressed a fear that there was a tendency to reduce the battalions of the army to such a condition that the force might be disgraced without any fault on the part of the officers or soldiers. MR. GOSCHEN'S RELIEF MINUTE. The working of Mr. Goschen's recent minute on charitable relief has already begun to show up the abuses incident to the indiscriminate giving of alms. In the Poplar Union a Charity Organisation Commit tee has been appointed. On examination of the list of the Rev. Mr. Parnall, of Bow,with that of the guardians, it was found that the parties had been relieved by both in ten cases out of thirty. Further returns no doubt will show that the resources of the habitual pauper are manifold, and the necessity of more ex tended communication between charitable individuals and the managers of charities. THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY. Dr. Tait has so far recovered from his illness that on Saturday he was able to remove from Stonehouse, near Broadstairs, to Addington Park, Croydon. The long attack, which has endured since November 18, seems now substantially over come. Early in December the archbishop's condition showed decided signs of improvement. First, life gradually returned to the left leg, and is now gradually returning to the left arm. his grace's intellect has been perfectly clear and sound through out, and his voice has remained quite firm. During the new year he has generally been able to take half an-hour's walking exercise without aid, except from a stick. But the physicians look upon a return to work with much disfavour, and prescribe the whole of 1870 as a period of rest. This is a long retirement, indeed. A PAROCHIAL WOMEN'S MISSION. The Lord Chancellor writes to the Times on Denali of an exceedingly interesting women's association for calling forth self-help from the poor. The society last year collected between £7,000 and £B,OOO from the poor in some of the lowest districts of London, and redistributed the money (which was gathered chiefly in pence) in the shape of clothing, bedding, and furniture, no bonus being added. The organisation is very simple. A. small body of "lady managers" overlook the whole work. To theirs any clergyman desiring to establish a mission in his parish applies, and guarantees a portion of the cost, which. ayerages £3O a yaar for each mission. He selects, subject to the approval of the managers, his own mission-woman and a "lady superintendent" of her labours amongst the lowest and poorest. A room is procure d, i n w hi c h poor women meet the lady superintendent, enjoy a little cheerful reading, an d wor k upon th e ar ti c l es for which they h ave ma d e weekly payments to tho mission-woman at her v i s it s t o their homes. Lord Hatherley adds that the mission-woman is selected from a class very little, if at all, above that amongst which she labours. She is thus acquainted with their wants and temptations. Though she di s t r ib u t es no direct relief, it is her duty to make known to the clergyman any cases of extreme or special distress. and under Ais_slinctionsto cony out food. SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 18, 1870. liikes - beOf M6, - &6., or per a:v like kindly office. The distinctive character of the work is best retained by being in the hands of a central body. BELIGION BY AUCTION. _ The annual auction of "choice reserved seats" came off in Mr. Ward Beecher's church in New York a few days ago. On this occasion Mr. Beecher himself was present, a circumstance which lent great encouragement to the proceedings. The bidding, we are happy to announce, was quite spirited, and the sum realised in excess of any previous year. The best seat, which is " near the stage and orchestra," went for 615 dollars ; the next was knocked down to Mr. Bowen, of the Independent, for 490 dollars ; and the third best reached the figure of 485. Mr. James Fisk, jun., the Erie Railway man, and the leader of that memorable gold war last autumn, bought a pew ! May it do him good. On the whole the Jew York Times justly concludes that Mr. Beecher's attractive ness as a " star " in the preaching line is by no means on the wane. ance - the • one species of exhortation is calculated to be as profitable as the other. THE NEW ALBERT ASSURANCE COMPANY. Mr. Charles H. Edwards writes to the Morning Post explaining the adopted scheme of re-construc tion of Lthe Albert Life Assurance Comp • . He says that Policy holders will receive a polic, in the new Company without medical examination, for the net value of the policy in the Albert. For the difference between that value and the amount of the old policy they will be given a debenture in the new company, payable out of the net profits, which will not be cancelled by death unless then fully paid off. They will also have the benefit of their claim upon the assets of the Albert, which when adjusted and received would be added to the policy in the new company. The debenture will be correspondingly reduced, the claim upon each policy being separately adjusted and credited. The now company, adds Mr. Edwards will also seek to adjust the affairs of those companies amalgamated with the Albert, and avert if possible the expense of litigation. " LEGITIMATE DRAMA." Another trial—another failure. Such is the report upon a recent attempt to revive arid keep alive the legitimate drama in London. While the critics were crying out arrainst " Formosa," and moralists were bewailing the decay of real dramatic power and genius, Mr. Barry Sullivan en deavoured to win public support by providing intel lectual entertainments. Something must, of course, be allowed for the position he chose ; Holborn is, perhaps, too far removed from the West End. But some small success might notwithstanding have been expected, especially during a re-action against "vicious" pieces. That success he has not obtained. The season terminated on Saturday night ; Mr. Sullivan's speculation has cost him little less than the heavy sum of eight thousand pounds. Is it then true that nothing but bad puns, gorgeous spectacles, short petticoats, and extravagant acting will satisfy the British public ? FOREIGN.:4NOTES. TUE INSIIIMECTICiN IN CIIBA. Accounts "from Habana state that intense excitement prevailed there in consequence of the announcement by the Habana journals of the Ist of January that the revo lution had terminated. They said that a circular had been signed by the Cuban Junta ordering the insurgents to lay down their arms. The reasons for the abandonment of the insurrection were the failure of the recent filibus tering expeditions, and the inability of the Junta to send more men ; and further the disheartening action of the American Government in permitting the gunboats to sail from New York. PROTESTANT SHORTHAND What is "Protestant shorthand ?" The Scottish Reformation Society is teaching it to its members, and advertising classes for teaching it to young men. It seems that all the press is under the power of the Jesuits. The Pope g ets all his due ; the Protestants get nothing. And so the society which has Dr. Cumming for its chief apostle is now teaching Protestant young men to take notes, that "gradually the newspapers of our day may be emancipated from the yoke of Jesuitism." Of course, ourselves, being under the Jesuits as well as all other journalists—the Times Roman correspondent, and the Pall Mall Gazette leader writers included—any attempt to allay the fears of the ultra-Protestants would be unavailing. We assure our readers, however, that we are not trying to do what the founder of these classes says (according to the Rock), all newspapers are just now trying to do ; we are not "trying to re-establish the inquisition," or endeavouring to "get back the old days of Queen Mary ;" nor do we wish to help the Jesuits to "rid themselves of their opponents by a short method as on St. Bartholomew's day in France." It may be hoped, however, that by teach ing young men shorthand those evil days may be kept off. CO-OPERATION IN MANCHESTER. Lancashire seems the very home of co-operation. In no English county does it flourish better. The success of the Rochdale stores has been continually remarked ; and Manchester is not very far behind its neighbour. At the annual meeting in con nection with the Manchester and Salford Equitable Co-operative Society, held on :Saturday evening, it was reported that the operations and business had extended to - nearly £70,000 annually, with nearly 4,000 members, ten shops, in addition to a large store, and realised capital of £30,000. These sums do not, perhaps, represent all that might be done ; but they shew, nevertheless, that co-operation is succeeding in the North. AN E3IIGRATED PRISONER. A. discharged prisoner, who was assisted to eminate by the Sheriffs' Fund Society, has written au interesting letter to the Ordinary of Newgate, detailing his experience in the United States. Car penters, he says, get three dollars a day, smiths three dollars, clerks from eighty to a hundred dollars a month. " Living is as cheap as it is in England; clothing is dearer. House-rent is dear in the cities, but in country parts is cheap. I have a six-room house and two acres of land for 5 dollars a month. I can raise all I want, and some to sell." The dis charged prisoner sums up with the comment that America is a place where a man, no matter of what abilities, can get a livelihood, if he is only willing to work. A CABLE TO lilE CHANNEL ISLANDS. Hitherto our insular possessions in the Channel have been dependent upon a submarine cable to France for their early English news. A project is now on foot for remedying this defect by laying a wire from Jersey to Guernsey, and thence to Start Point, in Devonshire. It is proposed to lay the cable at the cost of the projectors, and keep it in repair for three years, on a guarantee of the islands to secure them 10 per cent. on the outlay, should the revenue fall below that amount. At the end of that time the Govern ment will take the line, if it be in good working order. It is is to be hoped that the financial position of " the islands " is improving, so that their guarantee may be worth something. OUR MERCANTILE MARINE. A number of shipowners, merchants, and under writers have met at Liverpool and appointed a committee to make inquiries and consider matters in connection with the seamen of our Mercantile Marine, in anticipation of the pro posed " Amended Merchant Shipping Act." The points upon which the committee are chiefly to inquire are the deterioration or improvement of the service as regards the physical condition, powers of endurance, &c., of the seamen, and the means of making the service more attractive. PURSUIT OF BUSINESS UNDER DIFFICULTIES. Mr. Haines, a London auctioneer, has been carry ing on his business with a nice companion. In 1864 he leased part of his premises to a Mr. Whitehouse, who re-leased it to Mr. Copeland. This latter gentleman commenced a series of extraordinary performances about a year after he came into possession. He blew trumpets, jumped over tables, slammed doors, and threw iron weights against the ceiling. "The defendant comes out to the foot of the stairs and blows a trumpet on and off for hours together. Ho has thrown greasy dirty water with egg shells in it over the yard from the parlour window, the yard being no part of his premises." When the windows were cleaned, dirty water and soap suds were thrown over them. Water was thrown on the stairs. Mr. Cope land sometimes kept five or six people playing fiddles, trumpets, &c., until the small hours of the morning. Why these escapades were carried on seems a mystery but the determination of Mr. Haines not to tolerate 14 years of such treatment is quite intelligible. The matter, alter being brought before Nisi Prins, has been re ferred to the decision of a barrister. Mr. Copeland's behaviour looks odd, but no doubt it is an effective mode of getting rid of a business companion who has become obnoxious. ME PLEASURES OF HOPE. If British recruits are tempted to enlist by the hopes of military rewards, it is to be trusted that they are largely gifted with patience as well as with bravery, for the English soldier requires the ono quite as much as the other. The heroes of the New Zealand campaign of 1840-7 are now, we learn, to be invested with the badges of distinction then acquired ! That is to say after a short interval of twenty-three years, during which more momentous wars have put the old New Zealand campaign out of most people's heads, :the survivors of that struggle are t) enjoy whatever distinction is to be obtained from the official recognition of their services. The benefits so gained ought to be very substantial to atone for the prolonged disappointment of nearly a quarter of a century. During that time the number of claimants has probably been considerably lessened, and before the renewed promise is carried out, Death, which will not wait the pleasures of Governments, may have diminished them still further. "England expects every man to do his duty," may be the motto for commanders, but it is ;plain that our soldiers and sailors cannot return the compliment to E .land without the addition of twenty years to the s e -ta- Lion. THE AUTEUIL CATA ST OPHE M. Prevost Paradol, the Parisian correspondent of the Times, takes a very serious view indeed of the sffects of the Bonaparte homicide. He declares that the workmen of Paris to a man are kept from actual revolutionby nothing else than despair of success and physical fear. The certainty of a bloody defeat with out a chance of success alone operates to keep the peace. " The spectacle of a Bonaparte shooting down Republican, and waiting evidently for M. Roche fort with a revolver ready in his pocket, has told upon the popular mind much more than eighteen years of speakinF or writing against the Imperial system. That kind of event is the fit and proper language which universal suffrage understands; it ie like some rude picture—like a sign-post—to i e rereactout, and the sense of which is to be deeply felt by the most simple hearts. It has reminded everybody of the Praslin tragedy, which was followed so quickly by the revolution of February." M. Prevost Paradol says this is no exaggerated view; and probably he is right. But he falls into the com mon error of painting Prince Pierre Bonaparte as waiting for Rochefort with a revolver in his pocket. Rochefort was one of the three principals with whom the Piince was to fight. Principals never wait upon each other, and, therefore, the person for whom the Prince had prepared the revolver could not have been the arch-satirist of Paris. M. Paradol believes the prosecution of Rochefort for inciting the people to revolt will be a most dangerous pro cedure. TP. OPPII ANN. As the execution of the Pantin murderer Is uxen for to-day, Tuesday, there is some slight prospect of hearing the last of him. But the high position he at present enjoys in public favour is a clear proof that infamy is attended with advantages of its own. A cast has been taken of his hand, which is the most remarkable part of the convict's physiology. his portrait will be a good speculation, though the Government has forbidden the portrait of poor Victor Noir to be sold. Since his sentence 3,826 letters have been addressed to the illustrious man, and stopped at the post-office. Some of these epistles are designed to bring the criminal to a sense of his condition ; but the majority implore him to reveal. the names of his accomplices. To all appear- THE WHEAT CROP. An interesting time for farmers has just arrived. The wheat is now almost generally appearing above ground. Its progress is eminently satisfactory. Not a single complaint has been made with regard to the plant. The ground is wet, but not wet enoiigh to hurt it very seriously. The frost has not bitten. Indeed, the chief fear is that the weather will be too warm. Some cold is wanted to check tJo rapid gowth. In sheltered nooks (according to the Magnet) the plant is too forward for this time of year. Our own in formation fromWiltshire is that the fields look " very fair ;" wheat is "getting on nicely." orn PUBLIC SCHOOLS. A correspondent calls attention to tne superiority of a French Lycee over an English public-school. He points out three deficiencies in the latter. The first is the absence of properly trained teachers. We need a school, he considers, for " teaching our teachers how to teach." He thinks another evil is the growing passion for athletic exercises and games, which is threaten ing to turn the rising generation of Englishmen into a nation of muscular dunces. Thirdly, he contends that if we would save young England from mental degeneracy, we should decrease the number of holy days. At the French Imperial College, ho says, the boys have holydays in August and September, but none either at Christmas or Easter. mere are new rumours of legal changes. It is generally reported that Lord Romilly will be transferred to the Court of Appeal, and that his present position will be provided for without appointing any successor. There is great dissatisfaction, not only among lawyers, but also among suitors at the non-appointment of a successor to the late Sir George Hayes. The cause list is very heavy, and it seems impossible that all the work can be gotthrough this term which ought to be completed. Already one Judge, Justice Lush, has broken down from overwork. Why then this delay ? It is poor economy to save £5,000 a year and keep suitors out of justice. There is also a good deal of grumbling at the state of business in the Divorce Court, and the report is that there will be a second judge ap pointed. But as Lord Penzance sits by no means every day, there does not seem any necessity for incurring that expense. Mr. Justice Wiles will have completed his fifteenth year of office this year, and be entitled to a pension, so that it is generally supposed he will retire. Yet he is quite a young man for a lawyer, only 56. Sir Frederick Pollock, the ex-Chief Baron, is as active and as devoted to photography as ever, though in his 87th year. The widow of Lord Justice Selwyn has just given birth to a posthumous child. Another legal item is, that the late Overend and Gurney trial has led to a serious dispute between the prosecutor and certain lawyers whose assistance he had. The story goes that a certain young barrister, who was called only about a year ago, offered his services to Dr. Thom, gratui tously, provided his father, a country attorney, were em ployed as agent, with the understanding that the son should receive nothing, and the father only out of pocket expenses, and that the names of the two appeared publicly. Dr. Thom, forgetting that what costs nothing is worth nothing, accepted the offer, and the father instructed Dr. Kencaly and Mr. Macrae Moir to proceed. At the last moment demands were made upon Dr. Thom by the gratis lawyers which he refused to grant. Thereupon they attempted to withdraw the briefs from the counsel whom they had instructed, but, counsel refus ing under the circumsrances to give them up, the gratis lawyers brought an action against Mr. Moir to recover possession of the papers. The judge dismissed the case, saying that he would gladly have given Mr. Moir his costs if he had asked for them. Dr. Thom has now presented a peti tion to the benchers of the Middle Temple setting forth the proceedings of the young counsel, and it is probable that these learned functionaries may have something to say on the matter which will not be pleasant to hear. The appointment of Mr. Fraser to the Bishopric of Man chester has given satisfaction to all but extreme Low Churchmen. It will be quite a new thing for the dio cese to have a hard-working bishop capable of treating his clergy otherwise than as schoolboys. Mr. Fraser owes his appointment in great measure to the strong recom mendation of the Bishop of Winchester. The name of that prelate leads me to say that it is true that Dr. Temple asked him to assist at the consecration on December 21, and that Bishop Wilberforce refused twice; although the Echo, misreading the statement in the John Bull of to-day says that the Bishop has denied it. It was but natural that the present Bishop of Exeter should wish to be consecrated by the prelate who ordained him, and I suppose it was not unnatural that under the circum stances, the Bishop of Winchester declined. Mr. Gladstone has promised to appoint a Welsh-speaking Bishop to St. Asaph, but it will not be an easy task to find one. The Bishop of Exeter will not take part, as was at first stated, in the consecration of Dr. Mackarness. The Bishops of London, Ely, Rochester, and Lichfield have been selected, but it is uncertain if the last-mentioned prelate will be well enough to assist. "Great expectations "is the phrase which best repre sents the feeling with respect to the approaching budget. It is well that it does so, for great irritation is the prevailing feeling with respect to the last Budget. The Army Estimates will probably shew a reduction of 10,000 men, which is in itself equivalent to a saving of a million sterling, and it will probably be found that there has been a large reduction in the cost of stores. It is be lieved also that the office of Paymaster-General will be abolished. The reductions in the Naval Estimates are likely to be even larger than those in the Army Estimates, The Lecture Sesssion of the Royal United Service Insti tution will be more than usually interesting this year. Captain Robert Scott, the inventor of the new gun carriage, lectures on naval'armaments; Captain Bracken bury (Professor of Military History at Woolwich) on the last campaign in Hanover; Captain Cowper Coles on turret ships ; and Captain Moncrieff on the application of his system to naval ordnance. _ The Sunday lectures on scientific subjects are becoming quite an institution. Dr. Carpenter lectures to-morrow and on the following Sunday, at St. George's Hall, Langham-place, on " The Deep Sea : its physical condition and its animal life." Mr, J. B. Atkinson gives two lectures on Raphael and Michael Angelo; Mr. Horne (author of " Orion "), on Miracle Plays; Mr. Capes, on the Fine Arts in their relation to natural beauty and moral and intel lectual perfection. Other lectures will - follow by Professor Huxley, Mr. Norman Lockyer, Professor Campbell (of Oxford), the Rev. Allen Graham (of Oxford), and the Hon. Auberon Herbert, who lately resigned his fellowship because he no longer believes in the Thirty-nine Articles. Professor Tyndall gives the opening lecture of the season at the Royal Institution on Friday. _ Sir John Bowring is expecting to receive shortly a very distinguished visitor—Baboo lieshub Chunder Sen, the apostle of the Brahmins. Mr. R. A. Holmes, of the British Museum, has been appointed her Majesty's Librarian at Windsor. Mr. Forster, Vice-President of the Council on Education, will address his constituents at Bradford on Monday next. Tae First Lord of the Admiralty arrived at his official residence at Whitehall last evening from paying a visit to his constituents in Yorkshire. The Choir hears that Mr. Benedict has finished a new oratorio, and that it will most probably be produced at one of the music meetings of this year. It is expected that, by next cold season, first-class fares between Bombay and the southern ports of Europe will be reduced to £4O. A petition for the restoration to liberty of Dr. horthouso (Bell's Life) states has been forwarded to the Home Secretary, signed by the mayor, magistrat( a; and naclublira 9! #lO Gownil.9.o3oAQZ , LitiodAshire.3 THE 0P1171% TRADE. Tho Calcutta Examiner thinks the Government of India must prepare itself to derive a much smaller revenue in future from its opium cultivation. In some parts of China the struggle between Indian and Chinese opium has ceased, the latter having obtained an easy victory while the consumption of the drug has enormously increased. It is doubtful whether any policy on tho part of the Govern ment could enable Indian opium to compete with its Chinese rival on equal terms. It can only out rival the cheap article Ly increasing the quantity, and thus reducing prices. The gradual nature of the change will give the Government time to meet it, and the Eraminer very wisely suggests that it should turn its attention to the establishment of commercial inter course with South-Western China. The natural wealth of those provinces is great, and their supply of labour abundant. "It is not too much to say that Burmah may be peopled and Assam regenerated if the Government will only set itself to work in earnest to restore the trade of former days." Whatever the Government may temporarily lose financially by the diminution of the trade in opium, it is certain thatmorally it must be the gainer, if it aims at deriving its revenue from less questionable sources. FINANCES IN INDIA. A member of the Calcutta Chamber of Commerce has been making some severe remarks at the annual meeting of the Chamber on the financial policy of the government. When the famine broke out in Orissa some two years ago, and the Government could not recover any revenue, the Chamber of Commerce suggested that a loan should be be raised to meet tho ordinary expenditure. At that time money was cheap in England, and the money could have been raised there at 2 per cent. When the war with Abyssinia broke out, the manager of the Bank of Bengal was publicly thanked for relieving the Governmentof its pecu niary embarrassments. The speaker thought the rate of discount which the Bank then encouraged was a fictitious one, and put an end to the industry of the country. The Times of India thinks it well that a Calcutta merchant should have called atten tion to the "mutual admiration policy" maintained be tween the supreme government and the Bank of Bengal, which produces results unfavourable to the interests of the general community. INDIAN TELEGRAPHS. The Bombay papers explain that the working of the Indo-European Telegraph is still unbearably bad, and that news that came by the mail continues to drop in in costly telegrams. The Indo-European line has cost India, it is said, a million sterling, while the revenue is barely one ler cent. Severe reductions have been ordered but they are not likely to cause increased despatch or accuracy. The deep sea line is being loudly called for by the Anglo-Indians. THE CISLEITHAN MINISTRY. The Official Gazette of Vienna contains an account of the two memorials addressed to the Austrian Emperor bf, the majority and minority of the Cisleithan Ministry, on the policy that should be pursued towards the claims of the Autonomists. That of the majority is in favour of a central scheme, and condemns all extension of the auto nomy as prejudicial to the interests of the monarchy. The memorial of the minority advocates the adoption of constitutional reforms, and dwells on the dangers of a policy of resistance. DUEL AT BERLIN• A duel has lately taken place at Berlin, whieh has caused great interest, and seems likely to have serious consequences, A Prussian nobleman, Count Hohenthal, and Count Uskyll, military attaché to the Austrian Lega tion, fought in the neighbourhood of Berlin. The Aus trian nobleman was wounded in the leg. Notwithstand ing the efforts of the surgeon, it has been found impos sible to extract the ball, andthe last accounts declare that the condition of the sufferer is most alarming. It is not stated whether Count Hohenthal has been arrested. STRIKES IN TIIE TELEGRAPH COMPANIES. At San Francisco the operators of the Western Tele graph Company are on strike to resist a proposed reduction of their salaries. The company's operators at Cincinnati and Chicago also struck to support their San Francisco brethren. At Cincinnati the company's officers did the work and sent despatches, assisted by operators from other stations. The servants at New Orleans, Baltimore and other places, have resolved to join the strike n-liss the company return to their old terms. I'UL ) .I7T OF ELEC7ION. (From the Anglo-American Times.) It is the custom of New Englanders religiously to observe the 22d December, which they term "Fore fathers' Day," in commemoration of the landing of the Puritan Fathers at the New England Plymouth from the Old England Plymouth, carried across the ocean in the Mayflower. This anniversary is the patron day of the New Englander just as St. An drew's Day is of the Scotchman, and St. Patrick's of the Irishman, and wherever they congregate in sufficient numbers they have asocial gathering in ho nour of the event. It was at Delmonico's on that day last December that Attorney-General HOAR, in ad dressing those assembled around " the festive board," gave these words as the expression of PRESI DENT GRANT a few days previously I hope to see the time when every man in this country may have the power to express his own opinion, to fol low whom he pleases, to vote as he likes, and to have his vote counted without molestation, or hin drance, or insult. If we can only unite in main taining public faith and credit, our political differ ences will not be of much account." The first thought of an Englishman on reading these words is, can the Chief Magistrate thus allude to his own countrymen who everywhere proclaim themselves as the freest of all people, the very expression, too, used in his late Message to Congress ? The PRESI DENT hopes to see the time when these freest of all citizens may each be enabled to express his own opinions, to follow whom he pleases, and to vote as he likes. Every religion is beautiful in precept ; every Constitution is perfect in theory ; every citizen of a republic or subject of a constitu tional monarchy, is equal and free, as far as the law goes. But what is it in practice ? Religion degenerates into the basest and most senseless ido latry ; the beautiful (paper) constitution is a flimsy rag in the way of man's pa , siona ; and the law is no protection against combinations skilfully orga nised to act in certain directions. The ballot is no more a guard to the purity of elections than is the open voting system of England ; indeed in a great town it is less a guard ; and no system has yet been devised in America, although some cunning ones have been proposed, to counteract "repeaters" and other fraudulent forms of voting, which find their greatest development among a dense population. If the New York Detnocrats have so beautif ullyarranged matters that, in any election in the State, they can record as many votes as is necessary to defeat their opponents, it matters not which way the citizen votes, whether his vote is counted, or if he can select a leader, or what his opinions are, and as to beating him for appearing at the polls it is only adding needless insult to injury. As this is the case in other States besides New York, however free the PRESIDENT may consider America, he is fully justi fied in using the words attributed to him by the Attorney-General. But if he hopes to see the time when all this will be changed, does he not perceive that such organizations as that by which the Da mocrats rule in New York must be broken up; that party caucuses must lose power, that there may be greater individual and less united and dictatorial action ? What General GRANT desires is to see every man, while acting in obedience to the law, acting also as a law unto himself, and not as the creature of a caucus, which tells him what he must think, do, and say. So long as it is political ruin for any politician to fall out of the line of his party, few who seek to live by politics dare stray away or refuse to obey, whatever be its commands. Therefore they are in the gripe of a tyranny which must be removed before the action of the followers can become free. Such an organisation, however, is not framed and sustained without some strong material objects ; there must be loaves and fishes to keep it going, which, when taken away, will cause its collapse. It is not possible to secure and command this blind obe dience of followers without having something sub stantial to give them. Take that away, and these mn.ny, are the numerous posts in the Civil Service of the nation which, if permanently filled up by a class trained to the discharge of the duties, would sweep away all the motives, and leave each voter to act untrammelled according to his judgment. Pre serve- the motive, and no regulations, no laws that can be framed will alter the existing state of things. As well might a dog be whipped for running after a bone, as an office-seeker for obeying the behests of the caucus through which alone he can get the pest he seeks. Reform the Civil Ser, ice, and his only mode then of securing the coveted office will be through fitting himself for it, and we take the liberty of asking the PRESIDENT if that is not the more rational and proper means. honest voting will return honest men, and the growing corruption will then receive its most effective check. But this great maxim should be kept in view—Place as little temp tation as possible in the way for dishonesty. Several plans are proposed for taking votes, one of which is to allow each vo..cr to write the names he prefers in the order of preference, the person elected to have a fixed quota of votes, and all beyond that number to tie counted for other candidates in the order of the ballot endorsement. Another proposition dis regards quota, but recognizes plurality of choice, giving to each member votes in the Legislature in proportion to the votes he has received at the polls. A third recommends each elector to be given as many votes as there are members to be chosen, but he may cast them all for one, or split them upon two, or divide them on three of the candidates. Another would portion the State into districts, each having two members, but no elector voting for more than one. However ingenious such devices may be they would all fail in acti-n, and we are per suaded that there is but one grand remedy for the evils developed through a mi g hty community working by a system calculated only for a simple Republic, and that is--change the Civil Service of the United States altogether, making incumbents permanent, and turn thus into honest servants of the nati.,n the present pestilential host of office-set-kers, or let them seek their bread in some more profitable way. TRA.YSATEANTIC MAI G sgRVICE. (From the Anglo-American Times.) It appears that Postmaster-General CRESWELL modified the terms offered the steam lines for car rying the mails from New York to Europe. From the former letter-rate of 12 cents per half ounce, Bc. went to the steamers, the other 4 being equally divided between the countries interchanging the . letters. Now the postage to Great Britain is re duced to 6c. per half ounce, and the proposal was that the United states shculd have 2c., Great Bri tain 2c., and the steamer 2c. ; thus cutting down the last to one-fourth the old allowance, whereby on it fell the whole burden of the change. The owners of the steam lines, the Cunard, Inman, North German Lloyd, and Hamburgh-American declined the proposal, and an outcry was raised against the foreign monopolies by the press, which, as usual when all on one side, discussed the question very un fairly. It was alleged that during the past ten years the owners had received 20c. per ounce, or $7,168 per ton ; that Mr. CRESWELL had now decided to re duce the rate to 6c., or $2,150 per ton. These figures we know to be wrong ; still the burden of the argument remained, that the mail bags caused little or no trouble of handling, and were paid for at an enormous advance on first-class freight, which, being taken at $lO per ton, is less than half a cent per lb. 'The facts were set forth that mail bags cost little trouble, are easily stowed, and being conveyed by the skipper into the steamer, and therefore ought not to be paid for so extravagantly, while the oner ous conditions were altogether omitted. The first of these is speed, every extra knot an hour entailing an enormous extra expenditure. To secure the necessary speed the companies have paid heavily, and to keep it up they must continue to pay. To be able to press a steamer at sea requires not only a substantial and costly construction, but a lavish outlay in wear and tear as well as in fuel ; yet this, on the most stormy passage in the world, has hitherto been an imperative condition of letter freight. The others, though minor, are still burden some. The steamers had to depart at a fixed mo ment under almost any circumstances ; two of the companies had to call at a port they would other wise have passed ; and they worked under heavy penalties, and liable to the interference of Govern ment officers. It is manifestly unjust for the Go vernments to negotiate a postal treaty for the benefit of their citizens and to throw the whole loss on private companies which they acknowledge have performed the service, more especially during the past year, in a most praiseworthy manner. We can certify to the re gularity with which the Hamburg-American steamers reach Plymouth with the Tuesday mail from New York, the Cunarders reach Queenstown with the Wednesday mail, the North German Lloyd reach Southampton with the Thursday mail, and the In man, Queenstown, with the Saturday mail, and the work was going on satisfactorily to the public, as well as to the companies till this bomb-shell ex ploded amongst them. We all want cheap post age, but not at the expense of steam-line owners, whose enterprise has placed fleets between New York and Great Britain, forty of which, one of the greatest of U.S. Admirals has declared, would have been worth to him more than the whole navy of the United States could he have commanded them on the outbreak of the civil war. No onesupposes that these steamers are constructed and maintained except at a heavy outlay, and at least for a part of the return they looked to a mail subsidy, which the letter rate really is. Anticipating it for many years, the Cu nard and Inman Companies have been adding the finest specimens of naval architecture to their fleets, which they had countermanded, when it appeared probable that Parliament would withdraw the Eng lish contract. The same may be said of the two German Companies, whose boats are now unsur passed. Consequently these monopolists, as the American press call them, have gone to great expense to qualify the fleetsthe w y it o h l d v rawl on for apfetrer forming a service which is thus they had proved to be in a high state of effi ciency for the work. This we consider to be the first element of injustice, and the other is self-evi dent. Is it not unfair for A and Cto make a treaty involving a heavy reduction and benefit to the firms, and to throw the whole loss accruing upon B, who ma i n ly does the work, and is it just to denounce him as a monopolist because he declines their ar rangement. here are the six cents, two of which go to the United States, two to Great Britain, and two to the steamer. But the two nations get ex actly what they got before, while the steamer is only to get one fourth of what it got before. how will such an arrangement work? There will be a con siderable increase in the number of letters from the sum in which the steamer is mulcted, and that increase will benefit the two Governments, which surrender nothing; therefore, by the re duction they enforce on the companies, they will actually put money in their pockets while claim ing credit from the public for their enlightened and liberal policy. In the United States the meaning of monopoly ought to be too well known to apply the word to these corpordtions. Instead of a mono poly, nothing goes forth on her voyage more self dependent than one of these steamers. The chal lenge is to the world, to put better boats on the line. From Liverpool the catnpetition is close, pene trating into every department. The Inman run, in time, against the Cunard, and the Guion are getting afloat a fleet which will enable them to compete. The North German Lloyd, and the Hamburg- American drive a neck and neck race to New York, to Havannah, and to New Orleans, and against them all run the French steamers, heavily subsidised by their Government. For years, too, America has threatened to enter the lists, and a bill has passed through Congress enabling the Post master-General to subsidise an American Associa tion. To call companies subjected to such compe tition monopolists is wholly to misapply the word. They are no more monopolies than are the daily papers of London, the field being open to any corner, but to get the corner strong enough to enter is the difficulty, so powerful have good service and abundant capital made those who hold the lists, • N...., tyrannies will end, leaving the voter to his own Mr. CRESWELL proceeded to New York, when the opinion, to follow whom he pleases, to vote as he question assumed a serious aspect, and he succeeded likes, and to have his vote counted without moles- by raising the offer to <ix cents per ounce for letters, Cation. These baits and bribes, used to enslave so and six cents per lb. for books, r.ewspapen!=, and pamphlets, in getting the North German Lloyd to make a preliminary agreement, subject to ratifi cation at Bremen, to carry the Saturday mail, and the Guion Company the Wednesday mail. In com pliance with this arrangement, the Rhein left on Saturday, the Ist inst., instead of Thursday, the 30th ult., and arrived off Cowes early on Tuesday morning, her letters being delivered in London so as to be available for busi ness men d ur i ng that day. We congratulate Captain MEYER Ou having so efficiently performed the service, and something near this time we only hope may be maintained, though two days extra might be allowed, so that the delivery can be made in London on Thursday. We may here mention that Mr. CRESWELL, among the proposals for carrying the mail, received one from the Canadian Postmaster-General to convey the bags from Portland, Maine, to the English ports for the two cents first offered, asserting, too, that the transport through such an al rangetwut would be shortened one day. lie was, however, too late ; but we think the time must come when Halifax will be Wt.; port of departure for the mails. IiAILWAI MA NAG EMEIN 7'. A leading cotemporary has during the past week favoured its readers with an article upon the pre sent position and future nrosps:cts of the railways in the United Kingdom ; setting aside the com placency with which the writer takes the sole credit of having advised railway companies to close their capital accounts, as if that expedient had not sug gested itself to other minds besides his own, the article in question has the merit of calling attention to a subject of much interest to many thousands of shareholders, and to those of the public who, al though they may not be shareholders, have an in terest as passengers in the well-being of railway companies. The past history of railway enterprise in Great Britain is pretty familiar to the public ; the stupid opposition offered at the outset by land owners and coaching towns, involving immense pre liminary law expenses ; the costly character of the proceedings in Parliament ; the expensive vagaries and crotchets of engineers ; the luxurious carriages and waiting-rooms; the architectural beauty of the stations, corm incidents of ignorance, recklessness, and mismanagement of which that patient being, the ‘‘ original shareholder," and that equally patient homogeneous quantity, the "public," have each had experience in the form of low or of no dividends, and of high fares. When we contrast the manner of construction of the permanent or roadway of rail ways in this country with that of railways iu the United States, one cannot but feel astonished at the lavish waste which has taken place on this side of the Atlantic in construction, as comp-ared with the apparent ex} enditure on the other ; and we might be lost in conjecture upon its cause, if we did not know how much " commission" upon con tracts and upon materials supplied, to those hav ing influence and opportunities for favouring the most fraudulent bidder, offered an explanation. With the past, however, it is perhaps, after all, but waste of time to deal further, and we propose there fore to speak a few words upon the present state of things. Of the present aspect of the railway in terest much might be said ; a desire to set the houSe in order is, whether feigned or otherwise, being now effected by the different railway boards ; the principal objects sought to be, achieved are the abandonment of projected branches, closing capital accounts, and reduction of working expenses ; the two first processes are so simple that we feel it un necessary to offer any remarks upon them, except in approval of th e i r b e i ng carr i e d out wherever and as soon as practicable. The reduction of working expenses, however, offers a large field both for reform and for remark • at present it is stated that a reduction of from 50 to 47i per cent. has been made on the average since the move ment set in ; little enough, in all conscience, and reflecting but small credit upon the managers of railways. Three important items of the working expenses of the railway are the cost of management, train mileage, and compensation for injuries ; the less these three cost the more will reach the pockets of shareholders and the lower fares will be. These three items or incidents of working expenses are so mixed up with and influenced one by the other, that they must each affect the other for good or evil ; under management, we include the general manager and head officials, as well as the whole working staff, down to signalmen and porters. To deal, firstly, with the general manager of a railway, it is clear that if he has not intellectual capacity he cannot manage a line in such a manner as to develope its money-producing character at a minimum of expenditure ; and to deal, secondly, say with a signalman, it is equally clear that he cannot avoid an occasional and expensive disaster if he is physically prostrated by overwork. Intel lectual capacity in superior railway officials, and healthy vigour in inferior ones, must ever be two important elements in the proper management of railways. Many companies pay their general managers from £3,000 to £5,000 a year, and their signalmen £5O. A salary equivalent to that of a Secretary of State should command a man of similar administrative ability, with the further guarantee of antecedents of a similar respectability ; whilst the wages of a road labourer should not be those of a signalman, whose intelligence is on a perpetual strain, and whose hours of duty are excessive. When shareholders insist upon the enforcement of close principles in the administration of their property, they may look for a reduction in the working expenses )f railways, and not before. If railway enterprise .sto assume the remunerative character which it might seasonably be expected to do, greater intelligence nust be exercised upon its management, and as but a few weeks will elapse when shareholders will be invited to attend the meetings of their companies, we strongly urge upon them to present themselves there, and ascertain on the spot how far the conditions of management, most conducive to a remunerative return on their money, are being followed out ; shareholders have a right to know why large salaries are paid to their bead officials, and why the perfor mance of duties which might be fairly paid for in hundreds are paid for in thousands, and also why the expensive accidents, for the results of which they have to pay, should somehow generally be traceable to the stupid not to say cruel practice of keeping signalmen at their posts for eleven continuous hours. With the employment of intelligent and educated gentlemen as the superior staff, the equitable distribution of the salaries and wages of all, the reduction of the hours of duty, and the discontinuance of unneces sary trains, railway management would assume a healthy phase • we should no longer have carriages containing only two or three passengers, or car riages with out a vacant seat. Time-tables would cease to be unintelligible, the trains of one railway would run in correspondence with those of another; claims for compensation on account of accidents ; and low dividends and high fares would become things of the past.—Anglo-American Times. 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We quote a few out of rB,OOO cures : —The Pope's health restored by Du Barry's Food, Cure No. 68,413. "Rome, July 21, 1866. —The health of the Holy Father is excellent, especially since, abandoning all other remedies, he has confined himself entirely to Du Barry's Revalf nta Arabica Food, of which he consumes a plateful at every meal. It has P roduced a surprisingly beneficial effect on his health, and his Holiness cannot praise this exc e ll ent food too h i ghly. "—F rom the Gazette du Midi, July2s. Cure No. 0,832: "of Fifty year: indescribable agony from dyspepsia, nervousness, asthma cough, constipation, flatulency, spasms, sickness at the stomach and vomiting. Maria Jolly. Wortham, Ling, near Dios, Norfolk Cure No. 47,121: Miss Elizabeth Jacobs, of Nazing Vicarage Waltham Cross, Hens, of extreme nervousness, indigestion gatherings, low spirits, and nervous fancies. Important Caution —Beware of the many unsavoury and more than sloppy imita tions to which without authority, Baron Liebig's name is most audaciously attached In tins, at Is t, d ; Ilb 2s 9d; 2 lb 4s 6d; slb lls; 12 lb 225; 24 lbs 4 s. —Also . BARBY'S RDNAL6NTA RABICA OFfoCOLATE PoWnEit is packed in tin canisters: for 1 ' o cups at 2s, f or 24 cups at 3s 6d, fo r 18 cups at 6 s, f o r 28 cups at .os, for 576 cups at 558 — being about one penny per cup. The 30s and : 5 5s tins are sent free of carriage in England on rece i pt of Post Office Order.— BARRY Grocers all l b U BARRY RRoyheamndistCs.o., No. 77, Regent - street, London ; and BIRTHS. PE _ o n the 17th inst., at 16, S ou th E aton-p l ace, the BE yirfooN of Henry Leigh Pembert on, E sq„ of a son. i ll PEnx.nr—On the 17th inst., at Surbiton, the wife of R. B. P e rkin, Esq., of a son. MARRIA GES. p ox - CLAXTON — On the 13th inst.,F4 Christ Church, 'Ken sington, Arthur Hawker Cox, Mayor of Brighton, to Elizabeth Frances Claxton, of 43, AbingdonVillas, Ken sington. F E ENy—DIXON —On the 15th inst. , at Kingsland, Lou don, Dominic C. Foany, of Cambridge-garious, Notting Hill, to Louisa, the daughter of J G. R Dixon, late of Wellington, N.Z. DEATHS. MANNING—On the 16th inst., atelifton,John E. Manning, Esq., aged 87. PENLEY—On the 15th inst., at 5, Eliot-hill, Blackheath, Aaron Penley, Esq., aged 63. London : Printed and Published by WILLIAM ANDREWS, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at THE SUN Office, IN 0. 112, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the County of Aliddlesex.—! Tuesday, January 18, 1870. • K': mold t o Av This NI -zo .. L . DVA o'ti 1,171 E ~15 ..~ recei and PitDi T 1 mane nos othe