The Sun. — London, England, 1870-05-19 00:00:00

ROYAL STRAND THEATRE. Sole Lessee and Manageress, Mrs. Swanborough. THIS ENENING, at 7 o'clock, WIDOW'S WEED Messrs. Crouch, Turner, and Mesdames E. Bufton and Anstiss. Followed by SIR GEORGE AND A DRAGON. Messrs James, Terry, Fenton; Mesdames Sant:ey, Dashwood, Goodall, Hugh es , A nada 4, and Metcalfe. And A lam OUT OF WATER VAUDEVILLE THEATRE, STRAND.— Lessees—Messpi H. J. Montague, D. James, and T, Thorne.—THlS EVENING, at 7 80, en original Comedy, by A. la alliday. entitled FOR LOVE OR MONEY. At 9.45, the new rt..nrlesque, by Conway Edwarde,i, entitled DON CARLOS; or, The Infante in Ai ms Supported by the following Company: — Messrs H. J. Montague, G. Honey, H. Irving, w. H. Stephens, C. Garthorne, E. Elton, alid Thos. Thorne ; Mesdames Nelly Fewer, Cavendish, Amy Fawsitt, K Irwin, L. Claire, J. Beauoferc, R. Evelyn, Kemp, T Lavis, F. Garthwaite, R. Power. MOSES and SON E• beg to inform the Public that they have adop'ed and registered a TRADE MARK, consisting of the words ' , The Standard," with the initials " E. M. & S." underneath, and that henceforward every art de of clothing manufactured by them will have al bel or ticket attached to it, with the said trade mars printed thereon. All persons are hereby cautioned against imi tating the said Trade Mark. For trades and addresses see following advertisement. V MOSES and SON, Merchant Tailors. 12 MOSES and SON, Juvenile Clothiers. _E.J. MOSES and SON, General Outfitters. r MOSES and SON, Habitinakers. MOSES and SON, Linen and Woollen F. Drapers. MOSES and SON, Hatters gnd Hosiers. F• EMOSES and SON, Boot and Shoe Mann • facturers. MOSES and SON'S Rules for Self-Measure, . Post Free. MOSES and SON'S List of Prices, post free. F. E. MOSES AND SON'S Fashion Sheet, post free. EMOSES and SON send Patterns, post free. _Ed. V MOSES and SON mark all Goods in Plain A 2,4 • Figures. FMOSES and SON supply Outfits for all • Classes and Climates. EMOSES and SON have the best Styles and . Materials for all Classes. il MOSES and SON, Corner of MINORIES and I .4. ALDGATE. EMOSES and SON, NEW OXFORD-STEET, . Corner of HART-STREET, MOSES and SON, Corner of ToTrENHAm- I ' A COURT-ROAD and EIISTON-ROAD. F 4 MOSES and SON, BRADFORD, YORKSHIRE. CRYSTAL PALACE.--THIS DAY.—Grounds refreshed by rain, never more delightful. The luxuriantly foliaged ferns round crystal fountain now most beautiful. Palace open for admission .. .. 10 till 7.0 Display of terrace fountains .. .. 3.0 Orchestral band .. .. 4.15 Festival organ and promenade .. until 8.0 Fine arts courts, new picture gallery, statues, and portrait busts, fountains playing, orangery (the orange trees, which for merly belonged to King Louis Philippe, in full flower, as well as camellias, azaleas), &c. Admission this day, ls., or by guinea season tickets ; present issue dating to Ist May, 1871, at all entrances and agents. "The best guinea's worth in the world." Children and schools half price. CRYSTAL PALACE SHILLING OPERAS. under the direction of Mr. George Perren. To-morrow, at 2.45, Wallace's MARITANA. Maritana, Mme. Florence Lancia I Lazarillo, Miss A. Goodall. Don Caesar, Mr. G. Perren. Don Jose, Mr. A. Cook. Full orchestra and chorus. New scenery by Mr. F. Fenton. Admission, as usual, to Palace and Theatre, is.; or by guinea season tickets. Stalls, 2s. 6d., now ready. Reserved seats, is. CRYSTAL PALACE.-SATURDAY NEXT. --GREAT FLOWER SHOW of the season.—INTER NATIONAL BOUQUET EXHIBITION and FASHIONABLE PROMENADE, Saturday next, May 21. The show has been fixed one week later than usual, the advantage of which will be apparent on Saturday next, when an unusual gathering of floral beauty may be expected. The unrivalled capabilities of the Nave, both for floral display and for promenade, need scarcely be alluded to. The choice collections of the first private exhibitors, both amateurs as well as nurserymen, will be exhibited in their un rivalled excellence. Special mention may be made of the collec tion of plants as arranged for decorative purposes, a feature in troduced into the show for the first time. The Bouquet Classes, in which several continental bouquetistes will compete, will also form a most interesting feature in the show. Many lady visitors and private cultivators will again enter into competition. Palace open at 10 o'clock. Show open about 12. Full Band of the Coldstream Guards, the Company's Orches tral Band, &c. Five shilling admissions on sale up to Friday, at the Palace ; 2, Exeter-hall ; and usual agents. Admission on the day, 7s. 6d., or by guinea season tickets. CRYSTAL PALACE, LAST DAY but ONE for kJ FIVE SHILLING ADMISSION TICKETS for next SATUR DAY'S GREAT FLOWER SHOW. These, with May Guinea sea son tickets, may be had at the Palace ; 2, Exeter Hall ; and the following agents : Baker-street, Moutrie, 55 Brixton, Pearce, 2, Brixton-place Camberwell, Griffith, The Green Chancery-lane, Cox, 102 Charing-cross, Mitchell, 39 Chelsea,Macmichael,2o7,King's- London-bridge, Stanley, Termi nus Lower Norwood, Barker, The Library New Bond-street, Chappell, 50 I 1 , Cock, Addison Lacon, 168 Old Bond-street, Mitchell, 33 011ivier, 19 road City, Keith, 48, Cheapside „ Good, 60, Moorgate-street „ Hays, 4, Royal Exchange buildings „ Letts, 8, Royal Exchange „ Marratt, 63, King William street „ Mead, 73, Cheapside „ Todhunter, 22, Grtsham street Cook, 98, Fleet-street Croydon, Warren, High-street Islington, King, 86, Upper-st. Kensington, R. Station, Russel road Warren's library K.niglitsbride, Westerton, 27, St. George's-place Oxford-street, Duff, 147 - Paddington, Key, Bishop's road Peckham, Stanstleld, High-st. Pimlico, Hopwood and Crew, 82, Buckingham Palace-road Regent-circus, Brighton Co.'s office, 28 Regent-street, Cramer, 201 lf Weippert, 266 St. James's Hall, Austin Vigo-street, Hammond Westbourne-grove, Melliship, 37 Wigmore-street, Nimmo, 3 SA. L T and CO. ' S EAST INDIA PALE and BURTON ALES. Brewery—Burton-on-Trent. STORES: London—St. Pancras Station, Old St. Pancras-road, N.W. Liverpool--72, Henry-street. Manchester—Bridgewater-chambers, Brown-street. Birmingham—Old Court House, High-street. Wolverhampton-15, Snow-hill. Bristol-16, Small-street. Nottingham-44, Greyhound-street. SALT and CO.'S ALES may be obtained in casks of 18 gallons and upwards, and in glass from the principal bottlers. T HEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Sole Lessee, Mr. Buckstone. THIS EVENING, at 7 o'clock, NO SOiNG NO SUPPER: Mr. Kendal, Mr. Compton, Mr. Edward Osborne, Mr. Clark; Miss F. Wright, Miss Francis, Miss Fosbroke, and Miss F. Gwynne. Aft r which, at 8 precisely, BARWISE'S BOOK: Mr. Sothern, Mr. Chippendale, Mr. Compton, Mr. Kendal, Mr. Buckstone; Miss C. Hill, Mrs. Frank Matthews, and Miss Fanny Gwynne. 1 6 And (by desire) A REGULAR FIX: Mr. Sothern, &c. Concluding with A IKSS IN THE DARK. THEATRE ROYAL ADELPHI. Sole Proprietor and Manager, Mr. B. WEBSTER. This EVENING . , at Seven, TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING : Messrs. R. Phillips and Ashley; and Miss Maria and Miss Nelly Harris. After which, at 15 to 8, THE PROMPTER'S BOX; A Story of the Footlights and the Fireside. Mr. Benjamin Webster, Mr H. J. Byron, Mr. J. D. Beveridge, Mr. R. Phillips, Mr. Smart, Mr J. G. Taylor. Mr. C. J. Smith. Mr. Ashley, Mr. W. Ebnrne, Miss Furtado, Mrs. L. Murray, and Mrs. Alfred Mellon. To be followed by THE ENCHANTED WOOD: Mr. J. G. Taylor, Mr. A shley; Mrs. Alfred Mellon, Miss Patti Josephs, and Miss Clara Thorne. Box Ofdee open daily, from 10 till 5. No fees for booking. Places can be secured a fortnight in advance L YCEUM THEATRE (under the management of Messrs Mansell). THIS EVENING, at 7.30, WOOING ONES WIFE. Mr F. Charles and Miss L. Morgan. At 8, BREAKING THE SPELL. After which, at e,30, LITTLE FAUST: Mr. T. Maclagan, M. Marine, Mr. Aynsley Cook, Mr. Odell, and Mr. Wilmot; Mdlle. Debreux, Mesdames Lennox Grey, Lawson, Lee, and Emily Soldene. NOTHING IMPOSSIBLE. AGUA AMAKELLA restores the• Human Hair to its pristine hue, no matter at what agg. JNO. GOSNE L and CO. have at leugthiwith the aid of one of the most eminent Chemists, succeeded in ISerfecting this wonder ful liquid. It is now offered to the public in a more concentrated form, and at a lower price. Sold in bottl6s, Is each;. also Is., Ts. Gd , and 158. each, includ ing brush. Red Bull Wharf, Angel-passage, '3, Upper Thames-street, Lon don, E.G. JOHN GOSNELL and CO.'S CHERRY TOOTH PASTE is greatly superior to any tooth powder; gives the teeth a pearl whiteness, protects the enamel from decay, and imparts a pleasant fragrance to the breath. Price ls. 6d Red Bull Wharf, 93, Upper Thames-street, London. THE LATE EDITION of " THE SUN" at Mr. BEAUMONT'S, " The Wellington," Wellington-street, Strand. rrHE SUN.—LATEST EDITION to be seen 1_ every Evening, at Eight o'clock, at Mr. GILMAN'S, "The Whea t sheaf," High-street, Camden-town. rrHE LA rE EDITION of "THE SUN" at .1 W. SMITH'S Camden Stores," 78, Park-street, Camden- town. THE LATEST EDITION of " THE SUN " 11. supplied as soon as published, every Evening, by S. WILSON, newsagent, and special agent for the North-western District, 24, Delancey-street, Camden town, N W THE LATESI EDITION of " THE SUN " supplied as soon as published, containing all the LATEST NEWS t,nd SPORTING INTPJJ,IGENCE, by H. W. HARRIS, Newspaper Agent, 4, Blackfriars-road London. THE - LATEST EDITION of " THE SUN " supplied, as soon as published, Every Evening, by W. A L EXA ND ER (late Brooks), Newspaper Agent, 2, o. 4, Old Cavendish street, Oxford-street THE THEATRES, &c. HAYMA.RICET—At Seven, No Song No Supper. Barwise's Book. And A Kiss in the Daik. ... PRINCE OF WlLEs's—At 7.30. Quite by Accident. M.P. Dearest Mamma. LYCEUM—At 7.30, Wooing One's Wife. Breaking the Spell. And Little Faust. ADELPHL —At Seven, Too Much of a Good Thing. The Prompter's Box. The Enchanted Wood. OLYMPIC -At Seven, Frou Frou. The 'Varsity Boat Race. My Turn Next. GAIETY—At Seven, The Man of Quality. The Princess of Tre bizonde. QUEEN'S--At Seven, ffy Wife's Dentist. 'Twist Axe and Crown. STRAND—At Seven, Widow's Weeds, Sir George and a Dragon. A Fish Out of Water. VAUDEVILLE—For Love or Money. Don Carlos. ST. JAMES'S—At Seven, Frou Frou. La Belle Sauvage. GLOBE—At Seven, The Man o' Airlie. Robert Macaire. WOODIN'S CARPET-BAG AND SKETCH BOOK. Egyptian Hall, Pic cadilly, every Evening (except Saturday), at 8; Saturday Morn ings at 3, Admission Is, 2s, 3s. CHRISTY MINSTRELS. St. James's Hall, Every Night, at 8; Wed nesdays and Saturdays, at 3 and 8 all the year round. MADAME TUSSAUD'S EXHIBITION, Baker-street, from 11 a.m. till 530 p.m., and from 7 till 10 p.m. Admission, ls. ; extra rooms, 6d. ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS, Regent's-park. Open daily except Sun days). Admission, is. ; on Mondays, 6d. Children under twelve, 6d. tit ip 0 -pm!". MORNING EDITION. LONDON, THURSDAY, _NAY 19, 1870. Good news for Londoners ! After all there appears to be really a prospect before us that one of the most flagrant disgraces of this wealthiest, vastest, and most populous capital in the world will, at length and before very much longer, be removed from our public. thoroughfares. A Metropolitan Carriage Company is in process of formation. The Charleys of old, who were boxed by CORINTHIAN Tom and JERRY JUNIPER as the crowning feat of a night's enjoyment, have passed away beyond the distance of the life time of a whole generation. And now Cabby's days are, in the immediate future, just ai surely numbered. Here and there, no doubt, even as things are, an occasional "hansom" may be met, not unworthy of its name, rattling over the granite of Pall Mall or Piccadilly, or bowl ing smoothly along the macadamized roads of 'l'yburnia and Belgravia, with a high-mettled bound at the crossings, and a tandem-like whisk round the sharper turnings of the great town labyrinth —deluding the fare into a me me Itary notion that his chance-driver is, after all, a whip of the first quality, and that the weedy hack between the shafts before him, is another " Eclipse" disguised, not like his pro totype in the harness of a sand cart, but in trappings quite as ignominious, meaning those of a London cabriolet. As a rule, the London Cab has long since come to be little better than a term of opprobrium. Not that the blame attaching to the institution, as it is and as it has long been, can be imputed to that other institution of our crowded streets, the London cabman. Hard-working, weather-beaten, poorly-paid, and, for the most part, reputeable as a class—the " black sheep " here as elsewhere, being distinctly the exceptions—the London cab drivers have to bear the brunt of the blame appertaining by right to their employers the cab proprietors. Dirty, ramshackle conveyances, the cabs are, in the majority of instances, we all know by experience. As to the cattle drawing them, if by chance they were anywhere else met astray, they would be far more likely to be driven to the knacker's yard than to the parish pound. Passing, one after another, through all the chief cities of Europe, we may safely say, without risk of exaggeration, there nowhere can be found any more miserable public conveyances than those hitherto tolerated in these great twin cities of London and Westminster. The Parisian voiture is a private brougham to it— the Viennese drosky a refined phaeton—the Irish jaunt ing car a gay bilarous char-a-bane turned in side out. Of the infliction we have had quite enough. Londoners, almost time out of mind, have been longing to be well rid of it. And seemingly, at last, with good hope, that very speedily now Cabby's day's will prove indeed to have at last been numbered. The Metropolitan Public Carriage and Repository Company, Limited, has even now (through its agent's hands, Mr. T. R. AN CELL, 8, New Coventry-street) issued its prospectus. Its capital it sets down at £150,000 sterling, in 100,000 fully paid-up shares of £1 each-2s. 6d. to be paid on application, 2s. 6d. on allotment, and the remaining 15s. in three instalments of ss. each, at intervals of two month's duration, the company having power to issue Debentures for the £50,000 additional. Nine Directors have already been enrolled, the Chairman of the Board being a member of the House of Com mons. Bankers, Solicitor, Brokers, Auditors, Veterinary Surgeons, Secretary, have all been selected and formally appointed. The intention is to start with Seven Hundred public con veyances, consisting of cabs, broughams, and open carriages. The scheme, as set forth in the pro spectus which has just come into our hands, is cer tainly most alluring : and, very earnestly, in the public interests, is it to be hoped that the]project may be car ried out as strictly as possible in accordance with the proposed plan of arrangements. Yesteday afternoon the ordinary dullness of the Parliamentary papers was varied, by the issue of a bill which deserves something moro than a mere passing notice. Its provisions will, no doubt, be read with a wry face by many a popular repre sentative who knows that his Parliamentary profes- - sions and his electoral practice do not exactly tally. It was disagreeable enough to have to bear the ex pense, and submit to the annoyance of a Parliamentary investigation into the details of one's election, but to THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAI , MAY. 19, 1870. be rendered liable by any unpleasant contretemps to actual imprisonment with hard labour for just doing what everybody else does—why, that is altogether preposterous and intolerable ! Nevertheless we have advanced somewhat in the path of progress, for the malcontents, however hear tily they mutter anathemas on indiscreet reformers, are compelled to hold their peace. England has at last lost patience with the vices of her electoral system, and the new " Bill to amend the law relating to pro cedure at Parliamentary elections, and for other pur poses," is the sign of a vigorous determination to put them down. The principal features of the bill are already familiar to the public. It provides that the returning officer of every county or borough shall at every contested election provide a sufficient number of ballot papers for the use of voters, each paper having a number, letter, or other distinguishing mark, with a counterfoil having the same mark. Each paper is to contain the names and addresses of all the candidates with the figure of a square printed opposite to each. Every voter shall receive a ballot paper on applica tion and the presiding officer shall enter the number of the voter on the register, and mark the copy of the register with a cross, showing that the voter has received a paper. The voter meanwhile proceeds into the secret compartment and places a cross in the square opposite the name of the chosen candidate. At the close of the poll the presiding officer shall in the presence of the agents of the candi dates seal up the counterfoils of the ballot papers and send them to the Clerk of the Crown in Chan cery. Any ballot paper on which a cross is put oppo site to more than tin right number of names, or which is in any other way improperly marked, will be void. There are sundry provisions as to polling places, and the rules and regulations to be observed respecting them. Afterwards come the penalties, which are formidable enough, ranking as a misde meanour, punishable by two years' imprisonment, even the minor offence of receiving a voting paper, and not using it! On this and some other points the bill is susceptible of modification, since suzh au offence is certainly very different in degree to forging a ballot paper, or taking a ballot paper out of the booth, or voting under the name of another person. Still, whatever its capacities for improvement the Bill is, in principle, a sound one, since it deals resolutely with au evil so great that half-hearted, temporising measures are perfectly futile in regard to it. How wide-spread the corrup tion is who can say ? Who can point to any one particular borough and feel convinced that there neither influence, nor intimidation, nor' money, nor any other external agency is really represented by the gentleman who sits in Parliament ? If we could go into St. Stephen's itself on some great field night, when the electoral system is the order of the day, and in the midst of all the sturdy denunciations of bri bery, the just indignation at oppression, the dignified uprightness of the experienced senator, and the vir tuous enthusiasm of the youth fresh from the hustings, could, by the wand of an en chanter, Convert Sir CHARLES BARRY'S structure into Madame DE GENUS'S Palace of Truth, what very awkward revelations We should get ! It is betta for our national credit that we have no such mischievous power, but that we are forced to content ourselves with Lord HARTING TON'S Bill,J OHN BULL, being this time—as our friend Punch reminds us- : —very thoroughly in earnest in the matter ! THE report upon the Education Bill presented by the Committee whom the Lower House of the Con vocation of Canterbury appointed deserves consideration. The committee consisted of thirteen deans, archdeacons, canons, and beneficed clergy, and though the fact that the Archdeacon of Taunton was chairman might lead to the expectation of a thoroughly partisan report, his col leagues were chosen from each of the three schools in the Church, and constituted a fairly represen tative body. The report sets out with certain pre liminary resolutions to the effect that the State aided schools should be denominational rather than secular; that while a conscience clause is not to be approved, it may, under existing circumstances be accepted ; that the compulsory attendance clause is open to grave objections ; that a schodl-rate is to be deprecated and the denominational inspection by her Majesty's inspectors should be maintained. The main body of the Report consists of inquiries with regard to six special points : the amount of educational des titution; the duty of providing for it; the mainte nance and extension of the present denominational education; the nature of the secular, or so-called un sectarian system; the rights of conscience of all parties concerned; and the Government Bill of 1870 with respect to the above points. The first of these points is clear. There is con siderable educational destitution. It is a lamentable fact that in England and Wales more than one-third of the children above 10 years of age fail to pass completely in Standards 4,5, and 6. Moreover, 62 out of every 100 children, even in inspected schools, are not at the same school for two whole years. The second fact, no doubt, largely explains the first. Either the children are moved rapidly from one school to another, or, which too often happens, they have less than two years' schooling of any kind. The result is such imperfect training that it, to a large extent, destroys the value of the seemingly satisfactory figures which the committee supply with respect to the increase of education. It sounds well to say that while there were in 18540n1y 3,147 inspected schools, and 410,904 child ren present at inspection ; in 1868 the figures were 8,051 and 1,332,533; or to say that in 1831 there was. one scholar in national and parochial church schools out of every 36.7 of the population, and in 1867 one out of every 13; but the failure under the test ex amination shews that the education is very im perfect. It is manifest that this considera tion will have to be taken into account so soon as the school census proposed by Mr. Forster's bill is taken. There must be not merely the school building, the teachers, and the scholars, but also adequate teaching, before it can be said that the educational needs of a locality are supplied. The liberality of the clergy in supplying funds cannot be too highly praised. During the year 1868, for instance, the income for the support of Church of England schools in England and Wales was £604,270, of which no less a sum than £308,311 was contributed by voluntary subscriptions. The proportion contributed by the clergy may be gathered from the statistics of the Duke of Newcastle's commission in 1861, which shewed that the clergy were contributing £lO 10s. each, while the landowners were ghring only £5 65., and ordinary householders £1 15s. 6d. The clergy, therefore, ought to be the first to wish for a tho roughly efficient education, for a good return on their outlay. It must be confessed that if this report is any fair representation of their views, complete ness of teaching . ' is less in their minds than the keeping of the teaching in their own hands. They admit that there is a class of the community too poor to pay for the education of their children, and yet they condemn compulsory education and its inevitable accompaniment, school-rates. The school rate means a school board elected by a parish, and therefore, having a voice in the religious teach ing of the children. That voice the clergy suspect will not always be given for them ; so they are willing to apply compulsion to the children of paupers, vagrants, and criminals, for in these cases the State would teach the children, and the State religious teaching would, of course, be in accordance with the doctrine of the State Church. But when it comes to the children of the poor labourers who, so far from being able to pay the school pence, need the pence which their children can earn, the Committee of Convocation plead for consideration in their behalf. The appeal is somewhat vague, but if it means anything it means hat because the parents are very poor, they shall be treated ironl4 gently, and indulgence shall take the form of permissive ignorance for the children; in other words, the committee would condemn the children to the same low social and intellectual status as the parents occupy, condemn them to the same life-long poverty without a chance of bettering themselves. In dealing with the religious difficulty the com mittee have been more reasonable. The conscience clause is conceded, and very wisely conceded. As a matter of fact we do not believe that the religious difficulty exists at all except in certain newspapers and .in the brains of certain Secularist or strongly anti-Church M.P's., like Mr. Winterbotham. The parents unfortunately do not care enough about religion • to take exception to any particular form of religious teaching. The same story is told over and over again by teachers and by school inspectors; and the Com mittee, in quoting the evidence of a master who had taught 20,000 children, and who had bad only four cases of objection, skew that the clergy in making the concessions with regard to the conscience clause are really surrendering - very little in fact though a great deal in principle. For that very reason the secularists and the political dissenters are anxious to make religious teaching more diffi cult. Knowing well that unless they put obstacles in the way of such teaching, the clergy will, as a matter of course, have the instructing of the great majority of children on the week days, the anti clericals would make religion an extra, hoping that the natural wish of all children to learn as little as possible will induce them to avoid the religious lesson. The clergy, thoroughly understanding the tactics of their opponents, wish to defeat them by retaining denominational inspection by the Government inspectors. This Mr. Forster's bill abolishes. We do not see how it could do otherwise. .Henceforth school-boards are to decide if religion shall or shall not be taught in the schools which they establish. It is con ceivable that in many cases the decision will be in the negative. This being so, how is it possible that proficiency in religious knowledge can be made a preliminary condition of receiving the Government grant ? And if it is not to be so, to what purpose is the inspector to inquire into this branch of education ? Except as a matter of tactique there is really no necessity for discussing this matter. It will be easy enough for each religious body to secure inspection by its own officers. In fact, diocesan inspectors already exist. A middle course between the Convocation Com , mittee and tLe League, has been taken by the Government. Denominational schools are not for bidden; existing Denominational schools, where suf ficient to supply the educational needs of the country, will be accepted on tin, condition of the conscience clause being introduced. Where the voluntary system fails to supply such schools, schools supported by rates will be established, and the ratepayers will be allowed to decide for themselves what religious teaching shall be given. Convocation would have religious teaching compulsory—the League would have it forbidden. The first course would open the door to endless disputes; the second would be tyran nical. The righteous, as well as the politic, plan, is to leave those who pay for the schools to decide upon the mode of instruction. Judging from past experience there seems to be no reason why the religious party need fear the result of a race run on equal terms. Those who value religious teaching have an incentive to providing instruction for the ignorant, which the non-religious do not possess. It will be strange, indeed, and contrary to all experience, if the first of these should allow themselves to be beaten by the last. SOME very foolish things are now and then done in the name of the law ; but rarely have we heard of anything more foolish than the prosecution of a Bayswater tobacconist for selling tobacco on a Sun day. He was fined five shillings and costs. Selling smoking materials on Sunday is certainly not a proceeding to be encouraged. Tobacco and cigars are not perishable; they can be kept over from one day to another. But what is the use of assailing a single tradesman, when hundreds and thousands of such shops are kept open all over the country, and the vast majority are never interfered with P More over, these prosecutions are raised under an old and obsolete Act, passed in the reign of Charles 11. ; and it is not consistent with the spirit of jurisprudence to inflict penalties by means of measures which exist as it were by accident, and which are rarely enforced. Further, the administration of that Act is unequal, for whereas the Bayswater tradesman had to pay altogether seven shillings, another offender was let off with one penny. Some times it is a necessary and wise procedure to punish one culprit in order to terrify the rest. But this resource is only adopted when the bulk of the law-breakers are not to be discovered. One briber, for instance, may be imprisoned, though many others go scot-free. But every tobacco nist, or nearly so, who keeps his shop open on a Sunday may be made answerable ; and it would certainly appear desirable that the law, if it be enforced at all, should be carried out with equity and fairness. The system of dropping down upon one tradesman with a seven shillings fine, and upon another with a penny is not tolerated generally. If many murders were committed in open day, and the capture of all the criminals were assured, what would be thought of the administration of justice if one murderer were hanged, another imprisoned, and the rest permitted to escape ? This, however, is our style of dealing with the Sunday-trading ques tion. The whole system is in a disgraceful condition, and, until it is satisfactorily remedied, we may as well confess our inferiority. Isolated prosecutions, without method of any kind, look more like explosions of spite than vindications of justice. When the time arrives for a settlement of the law respecting Sunday-trading, the cigar shops will be in serious jeopardy. It is now generally recognised that Sunday legislation on matters involv ing conscience is inadvisable hence the failure of the attempt to prohibit the " Sunday evenings for the people ;" but where un necessary labour is incurred, the State has a right to insist that the principle of resting one day out of seven shall be respected. Such a general rule will dispose of the cigar shops, together with other places of trade that are so well known as to need no enumeration, ST. GILES AND THE GREEN FIELDS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SUN." SIN —Mindful of your kind courtesy in the past, I ven ture to beg permission to occupy a small space in your columns to plead the claims of some 500 poor children attending our schools in King-street, St. Giles. These neglected little ones have, for the most part, just passed through a season of unusual wretchedness and misery. The past winter, although, perhaps, not quite so severe in temperature as in some former years, has been both long and trying. I cannot remember a season in which the poor of St. Giles's have suffered so much. This is to be accounted for partly from the long-continued stagnation in trade, the failure of the hop harvest in the autumn, and the consequent ravages of " famine fever" and sickness of all kinds, brought on through evident lack of nourishing food. Now that the spring time is upon us, we are most anxious to take these poor children from their fever dens for a few hours' relaxation in the green fields outside our smoky city. Few of your readers can imagine with what unbounded joy this annual treat is looked forward to by those gutter child ren of St. Giles, many of whom only enjoy the luxury of fresh air and sweet smelling flowers once a year on this their festive day. Perm:t me to beg a helping hand from your numerous kind-hearted readers in assisting to raise the necessary £4O, or thereabouts, that will be required to meet the necessary expenses of the day. Subscriptions may be sent to me as under, or to the bankers, Messrs. Tw inings, 215, Strand.—l am, Sir, yours sincerely, GEO. HATTO7, Minister of King-street Baptist Church, St. Giles's. 12, Ampton-p7ace, Regent-square, W.C. THE FATAL ACCIDENT AT BARKING.—AII in quest was opened yesterday, by Mr. Lewis, the coroner for East Berks, into the circumstances attending the death of the five men, John Brook, Daniel Mansfield, John Phillips, Richard Williams, and John Wailing, who lost their lives on Monday, through descending into a well connected with the gasworks at Barking. John Layton, the man who escaped, was the prin cipal witness. He stated that he and Phillips were descending the well together to see how high. the water had risen while the engines were stopped. When half way down the ladder Phillips fell into the water below, and witness, who thought he had taken a fit, ran for assistance. The witness said they had never en countered foul air before in the wells. Dr. John Vance, of Plaistow, stated that he was call e d t o th e men w h o h a d ' been brought up from the well, Two of them recovered. The other five died from inhaling carbonic acid gas. The inquiry was adjourned to enable the jury to pay a visit to the wells. RAILWAYS IN THE EAST.—Negotiations are now taking place for the establishment of a communication between the Hungarian and Roumanian railways. The Roumanian Government has expressed its willingness to accept Count Beust's proposal for making the pass of Ojtoza one of the points of connection, provided the Austrian Government will consent to the formation of other connecting lines through Orsova and the Vulcan pass. The latter line, being the shortest road from the Hungarian coal mines to the Danube, will probably be accepted; but the former has met with much opposition, as it offers no advantage for Hungarian interests. As for the long-pending question of the connection of the rail ways of Turkey and Servia, it has at last been settled in conformity with the desire of the Servian regency. A line is to be constructed from Belgrade to Salonica, in communication with another from Pesth to Belgrade, via Kikinda. This will ultimately be the shortest road for goods conveyed from Western Europe to India via Suez, and Pesth and Belgrade are to be made the central depots for such goods. A convention has been concluded between Austria, Russia, and Roumania, in reference to the river Pruth. Under this convention the navigation of the river is to be perfectly free along its whole course, and no flag is to be allowed special advantages from a commercial point of view. A toll is tube levied on all vessels enteenter ing the river ; the pr o d uce o f thi s t o ll w ill b e a pplied in making improvements, so as to facilitate the traffic as much as possible. A p ermanen t comm i ss ion, consisting of representatives of Austria, Russia, and Roumania, will be appointed for this purpose.—Eastern Budget. FRACAS OUTSIDE THE REFORM CLUB. A fracas, in connection with which the-names of Si r Patrick O'Brien, M.P., and Mr. O'Dwyer are prominentlY mentioned, is stated to have taken place outsi de the Reform Club last night. The cause of quarrel is at Pre" sent unknown, but the disputants both received personel injuries, and were with some difficulty induced to retire inside the building by the officials of the club. SPIRIT OF THE PRESS. The Times thinks the Red River expedition is an extrs - affair, for in carrying out the 1 ,1111) ?„„ se of the enterprise. We go back to the days of an ti q ui l b ! in the character of the place we are to :, e e The difficulties of the route appear to be alnic' insurmountable, and yet if we examine the map t he cannot easily be discovered. A British expediti on however, well calculated to triumph over all obstacles of defined and au undefined nature, and it may yet turn ou, that more than enough has been said of the dangersa° perils of the road, nor does it follow that all thbe Indian tribes we may come in contact sv i , t will be unfriendly. It is an interesting feature a tu e. affair to dwell upon the condition of these countries and to reflect upon the grand work that lies before us of future improvement and adaptation. The forthcoming exploration will shed new light on an intricate subject, and much interest and excitement may spring from th is affair. The Daily News observes that the Sappho has beat en the Cambria for the third time, but that the victory d °e not increase our knowledge of yacht sailing. The conte st between the Sappho and Cambria may be compaked t° : Balaklava charge. At any rate the Cambria can never eclipse the Sappho in the Atlantic whatever she may accomplish in America at a future period. I t ! satisfactory to find that this race has been carried o ut in an energetic and enterprising manner, and that both th e great nations concerned have been worthily represented. The Post considers that Mr. Graves's proposal with re" gard to the Indian Council may have beneficial on e e ; quences in the long-run, although his immediate obj ec t was not attained. The attention of the public has 11° been sufficiently awakened with respect to our Indian possessions, for the subject is one of vast interest and in; portance. The objections which Mr. Graves encounteredini, were not calculated to interfere with his principle. d Mr. Gladstone went so far as to promise that the matt er should be carefully considered. The Telegraph thinks it would be difficult for a W elt. meaning man to frame a more vicious scheme than f Mr. Raikes's bill for protecting the property' ° married women. It would make the law ten tinie° worse than it is, and in order to relieve a small miii° l ll l would lay an embarrassing burden on the vast majo rity of the poor. The wife's property is now at the mercy ° the husband ; Mr. Raikes would put it at the mercy of the county court. Such a change would be intolerable alike to husband and wife. Women wish to be permitted to pr ° ' tect themselves, and not to be treated as imbeciles °I. children. The expedient for protecting their weekly earn: ings is as bad as the rest, and from first to last the hil l 1 " absurd. The House shewed its sense of its absurdity Y es. terday afternoon by refusing even to discuss it. The Standard says that the Irish Land Bill in all P' bability may hold its last sitting this evening. Sit John Grey's Clause remains for considerati on ' and the House is told to accept it becaus e it is voluntary in its nature. It is argument in favour of the bill to s a y that the lanci° 9 's should accept the clause in order to escape the e vils °' the measure. Such a permission is only a mockery , as that which is given in the provisions of the clause. succesors of limited owners will be hardly pressed by thes e arrangements. Even if amended the evils must still be apparent, and it would be a mistake on the part of t he Government to accept the clause in any shape. THE INNER TEMPLE HALL. (From a privileged Report of the Times.) The Treasurer and Ranchers of the Inner Temple yas t°r. day entertained with much magnificence his Royal H' tress the Prince of Wales, his Royal Highness the POI Christian, the Lord Ch ance ll or, L ord Granville, 14°rf Derby, Lord Westbury, Lord Chelmsford, the speake r °, the house of Commons, th o L or d Chi e f J ust i ce of E ng laeo , the Judges in Equity and at Common Law, the Queens Counsel, the Chancellor o f th e E xc h equer, Mr cabin' Mr Goschen, Mr Co rr y, D r L us hi ngton, Sir 1-04-„ Dundas, and a very distinguish e d company, to ce l e brate t''" inauguration of the new Hall, which had been fort orened by her Royal Highness the Princess Louise 0° Saturday last. Tho guests began to assembl e a t a b ou t h a lf- pas t 5 o'clec ic) but it was nearly 7 before the company sat down, the O r Royal visitors sitting at the right and left hand o f the Treasurer, Mr. Percival Pickering. Grace was said by t l ' 6 Master of the Temple, Dr. Vaughan. After due justioe had been done to the dinne r , w hi c h f orme d , b ot h i n its° f and in the wines which were served with it, a most gr 3t : 3 ; ful contrast 'to ordinary public din n ers, t h e T reasu rer, L" a speech in which he humorously described the straag : scenes which had been enacted in the old Hall, had been removed to make room for the present magnil cent structure, proposed "The Health of the Queen," wil l ' ) was received with loyal enthusiasm. That of " The Prince of Wales and the other members I the Royal Family " followed, and was felicitously ackno ss ; lodged by the Prince of Wales. The Archbishop of Ye l returned thanks for the Church, Sir William Codringt' , for the Army, and the Colonel of the "Devil's Owh" for t Volunteers. The TREASURER then gave "The Judges," for whom ti`' LORD CHANCELLOR responded; and then followed "d el Majesty's Ministers," with whom the Treasurer coupled name of M Gladstone. It was most warmly receive ,,, t and, in returning thanks, the PREMIER explained "" indefinite was the distinction by which the members of t ije Cabinet were separated frum the ordinary members of 1116 ,, Privy Council, and yet how greatly th e b ur d en ca st ur, them differed. For himself and hi s co ll eagues h o credit, at least, for the assiduity with which their datic-a'' were performed and f o r th e p ro f us i on w ith w hi c h t h e y 11 ' / , a loaded the table of the House of Com m on s w ith materia l ' for legislation. The Duke of RICHMOND, who represented the House yi Peers, regr tted that Mr. Gladstone had not been equallY liberal in his provision for the Upper House, but loulc e ` i forward with interest to the groat measure it might $O expect to have presented to it He took credit to the peer age for the ready welcome that House had always extend° i to the great lawyers who had increas e d its numbers sa li adorned its deliberations, and promised that it would ev t ‘ r discharge the duty it owed to Parliament and to the countrii amending when necessary the faulty logis!atiou ° the Lower House, but never opposing itaelf to the Well considered opinion of the nation. The SPEAKER returned thanks for the House of Cc' gi mons ; and Lord DE RBY , wh o remar k e d t h at l ato i n th e evening if brevity were not the soul of wit, it was at lo' s equally acceptable, represented "The Guests." Mr GLADSTON then proposed " The H , alth of the Tr e ' v. surer," who replied in very felicitous terms. "The Health of the Architect," Mr. Smi r k e , eonclll-A e LI the proceedings; and the principal portion of the comP 0) : then adjourned to the drawing-room, where not only Fyn'" coffee served but—strange novelty in such an assemblag e ' s cigars were introduced. We are bound to add that the W novation did not seem unwelcome. ]t was past 11 o'clock before the party broke up, THE FEMALE FRANCHISE.—Next week the el e i Lions of vestrymen will take place in the metropolis, A n , : St. Pancras has been informed th a t ma l e an d f ema l e " " la ; join or vote," provided the parties are qualified as to ro e " - deuce and payment of taxes. TRINITY TERM.—Ou Thursday next, the 2 0 inst., Trinity Term, the last term before the long vacation; commences. The Lord Chancellor will not receivo " judges on the occasion, and the courts will be o p ene d at ti . ` usual hour. METROPOLITAN FREE HOSPITAL.—The annive,7, sary festival of this excellent institution took place at 0 ,1 London Tavern last night, under the presidency of 1 -) °r be G. Hamilton. This institution is peculiarly valuable to t east end of London, it being stated that at least four a ti l i , of those relieved belong to that locality. There wer e e large number of gentlemen of the Jewish community P r o sent, and to their exertions it is owing that the hospital e vir 0 its high position. Among the visitors present were th . ?,,,P q a, sons of the Prince Nawab of Nazim—Prince Ali -b- u n f and Prince Soloman Kudr. Among other supporterli r , the hospital present were :—Lord W. P. Lennox, R. N. Fowler, M.P. ; Mr. Alderman Dakin, M. de 1 3 1 Consul-General of Russia ; Mr. J. Gurney Fry, gr.,, o f Chapman Mr. J. Fry, Mr. R. Burley, &c. As apr - t i e of the utility of the institution, the report states that t attendance of patients during the past year had amouli te ..o to 80,433. In the course of the evening, subscripti v were announced to the amount of £3,700. cd KING'S COLLEGE HOSPITAL.—The anniver— a festival of the friends of King's College Hospital was last night at Willis's Rooms, under the presidency of H. I the Duke of Cambridge, the patron of the institar Upwards of 200 gentlemen were present ; among wllofl, were the Marquis of Downshire, Sir W. Fergusson, Mr. Birley, M.P., General Daubeney, C.B. C o l on el itt donald, 0.13., Captain Salt, M.P. Mr. W, H. S l3 ,l lv iil M.P., Mr. R. Cheere (treasurer), Rev. Dr. Barry ( 1-1. ;,;r: cipal of King's College), Mr. E. F. Moon, Mr. IL P r , 3 ,;r, Colonel Johnson, Mr. J. G. Stillwall, Captain \A r ta"' Mr. R. Twining. In response to the appeal of the c'7.1 1 ; man,. upwards of £3,000 were subscribed. During " e r evening a selection of music was played by the Grent r . band, under the leadership of Mr. D. Godfrey. Goodchild was the toastmaster. (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.) THE Spanish Ministry have once more failed to obtain a king for Spain. Marshal Espartero has been offered the crown, and has written a letter to Marshal Prim, pleading his great age and want of children as sufficient reasons for refusing. Surely the list of refusals will be exhausted some time, though Prim moves so 'slowly just now that if he have half a dozen eligible names ii. stock, the present farce may be made to last a considerable period. He . is the most unfortunate of king-makers. His prize is hawked about from one court to another, and is at length offered in Spain itself ; but foreigners and natives alike hold that the gift is not worth having. The suspicious feature .of the business is that Marshal Prim makes his offers and meets his rebuffs with such unfaltering pub licity. Nothing, it would seem, could be easier than to inquire privately whether such a person would or would not like to come into the eligible property. But the revolutionary leader takes the whole world into his confidence. An Espartero party is formed, just as as a Duke of Genoa and a Dom Fer nando party were formed. The newspapers discuss the project. Parliament carelessly talks it over. The offer is solemnly made ; and, after a brief space we are gravely informed that the proposed tenant de clines, and that the property is still to let. Surely this is a strange mode of settling the possession of a throne. These humiliating refusals would hardly, one would think, be thus paraded before the world, unless there were something in the background—unless, that is, Prim were fearful of having people think that he had designs on the supreme power, and therefore took special pre cautionS to convince them that the diadem was still in the market, though there is but one willing purchaser, and he is deemed ineligible. Such despe rate endeavours to establish honesty of intention are scarcely reassuring. Moreover, it is incredible that Marshal Espartero should have been proposed with any hope that he would prove a suitable occupant of the throne. The Duke of Vittoria played one of the most prominent parts in the Spanish history of the present century, and he re tired after a series of intrigues and revolutions with more credit than most of his contemporaries. •He would doubtless govern wisely. But he is nearly eighty years of age, and has no heir. To what good could such a man be elevated to the throne ? He could not possibly live very !wig, and at his death all the difficulties of the situation would reappear. Th e task of finding a King is both too troublesome and too dangerous to bear much repetition. In shor t this last candidature could be of no benefit except to gain time, and even that poor advantage has bee n secured only with a corresponding diminution of public confidence. We may, after a little patient waiting, see strange things done in Spain. till Tit 4 it , 4,4434 A, • HER MAJESTY. WINDSOR CASTLE, May 18. The Queen, accompanied by Princess Beatrice, and attended by Viscountess Clifden, honoured Sir James Clark with a visit yesterday afternoon, at Bagshot Park ; and her Majesty, with Princess Beatrice, drove out this morning. Princess Louise, attended by Lady Caroline Bar rington, the Hon. Eva Macdonald, and Colonel the Hon. A. Hardinge, arrived at the Castle from London. Mr. William Brown, C. 8., late Account int General, Wz.r Department, Was introduced to her Majesty's presence by the Lord Chamberlain, and received the honour of knighthood ; the Duke of Argyll being present as Secretary of State, in the absence of the Right Hon. H. A. Bruce, Secretary of State for the Home Department. His Majesty the King of the Belgians visited the Prince and Princess of Wales at Marlborough House yesterday, and remained to luncheon. The Princess of Wales drove out, accompanied by the King of the Belgians. L 51 V - Gener a of absenc Th e Jo biscit e ' between in a more tents taaterial ti 4ate l'etro grad The r , - ' 4ll Pero r s peech, Monsig Arohtes, Some 0 14. ""-• Cavil The edi the &veil te nt and Th e „ C ouncil o ta.tion of k• Seh t ePorts of rati on th. 'ected there ~v midst but failed The on The F, Plebiseit( teb'Pectiv( th e Prenc I)!cted to r Genera'e,_ ( ' Secretary Politi -4,to r b an, Petrole N ews the l i l eetin e , T he We; The di till th e 8 the NBt24 Cie rati°: r 11 roils c 1 b T he Ed t ° ll ght 1 vile , 0-k Ste r • S Th e i\T R B4l.l ,„ved t c v"v6,000 even ] sl aY ev en; CON 6e rate lll le Op d r itth ' i eeS h. nu mber fired firstf 41e c, tr6 s frc uurin vi duftla vro vinc : B after ward , About (' a 4 ,41 or in „ 'ighb our 'c'unt a i n , Ptis°aersi -Ad v i ce , till i , ciered Lett er N ic i a in chi ef Pal, Th e r d,"°ll, Thus o ! Pa, n r ' vent that the hate the th . e e e qilitygo! 11 1 4 ' 6 Ord I ; ree e i l D "U 26 •••• ra tee UPla td, 4 old ‘' llt a 1 15 ; Stet.] Five yeste l tie, of . tks eciat ti o4B by 411 d all t The N a 4 tepee fo Th e is 430 ', fro Turi n. Th e . ° Aagseng, i i tlio 431.8 Pas; The 2 4r°4, AI Lette r bl°ruirq 4 . The t tho-i