The Sun. — London, England, 1870-06-16 00:00:00

THE " SUN" forwarded by Morning and Evening Ma ]with undeviating regularity, and delivered in Town as soon as Published. Advertisements inserted. Apply to W. ALEXANDEa, 24, Old Cavendish-street, W. Established 1760. THE first night of the debate in the House of Lords on the second reading of the Land Bill proved a great triumph for that energetic peer, Count SMORL TORK. He had it all his own way. The Upper House is capable of great debating achievements, but for the performance of noble deeds an incentive is generally required, and this is lacking in the case of the Irish Land Bill. Their lordships are deeply interested in questions affecting " the rights of property ;" but here the Fates are against them ; they acknowledge that a measure must be passed, and they resign themselves to their present destiny, lest, in trying to avert it, a worse thing befall them. No great oratorical displays can be expected of a bill which both parties agree in passing, subject only to disputes on issues of de tail. When they come to the famous third clause we may reasonably expect a fine explosion of patrician fervour, but in wandering over the whole measure without an object and without a guide, the great Conservative Opposition does not cut a very credit able figure. The debate was dull, and for the most part uninstructive. This discussion will, however, render one great service. It will teach the nation what a fine class of men landlords are, andhow irredeemably bad are the rest of mankind, especially tenants. Once let a man own landed property, and his moral qualities are permanently set right; once let him rent landed property, and he is lost. Such at least is the moral enforced by the Duke of RICHMOND. He does not deny that the Irish cultivator is in the majority of cases entirely at the mercy of his landlord. But he assures us that no harm comes of it. Everything is going on well in Ire land. Landlords as a class treat their tenants properly, and do not either capriciously evict them or appropriate their improvements. There may be a few exceptions, yet even these are not landlords TH MEXICAN BONDS 1851 - 1864. MR. GUEDALLA invites all BONDHOLDERS to a CON FERENCE with him at the LONDON TAVERN, on TUESDAY, the 21st inst., at 12 o'clock very precisely, for the purpose of ar ranging and settling the basis of a course of action necessary to be adopted by them in reference to the somewhat improved aspect of their postion and future prospects, as he considers that only by prompt and energetic measures can they take advantage of a chance which has just offered itself, and may not occur again perhaps for years. Gresham-street, 13th June, 1870. OPERAS, THEATRES, AND AMUSEMENTS. ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA, Covent-garden.—Les Huguenots. 8.50 p.m. ITALIAN OPERA, Drury Lane.-11 Troyatore. 8.30 p.m. HAYMARKET—At Seven, Married Life. Home. Family Jars. ADELPHI—At Seven, No. 1 Round tho Corner. Free Labour. PRINCE OF WALEs's—At 7.30. Quite by Accident. M.P. Dearest Mamma. LYCEUM—At 7.30, His Own Rival, Breaking the Spell. At 8 SO, Little Faust. OLYMPIC -At Seven, Music hath Charms. At 8, Mary Warner. the 'Varsity Boat Race. GAIETY—At Seven, First Night. The Princess of Trebizonde. QUEEN'S—At Seven, My Wife's Dentist. 'Twat Axe and Crown. STRAND—At Seven, Loving Hearts, lienilwL,rth. VAuDEvu,Lß—Cupboard Love. Two Roses. Don Carlos. Sr. JAMES'S—At Seven, Frou Frou. La Belle Sauvage WOODIN'S CARPET-BAG AND SKETCH Bo( K. Egyptian Hall, Pic cadilly, every Evening (except Saturday), at 8; Saturday Morn lugs at 8. 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. ZO LOGICAL GARDENS, Regent's-park. Open daily (except Sun days). Admission, is.; on Mondays, Gd. Children under twelve, 6d. MADAME. TussAup's EXHIBITION, Baker-street, from 11 a.m. till 3.0 p.m., and from 7 till 10 p.m. Admission, ls.; extra 6d. ttgoviii;,o7),Per °*41"44.111111.11, • - Tk. Summer Race Business Morning Dress Overcoats. Coats. Suits. Trousers. Trousers. 13s. 6d. 12s. 30s. 10s. 6d. 15s. EVENING EDITION. 18s. 13s. ed. 355. 13s. 18s. 21s. 15s. 40s. 16s. 21s. LONDON, 7HURSDAY, JUNE 16, 1870. 245. 18s. 6d. 458. 18s. 265. • It is a consolation, and in that sense a happiness 30s. 2ls. 50s. 20s. to think that the remains of CHARLES DICKENS have 40s. 245. It is a consolation, and in that sense a happiness to think that the remains of CHARLES DICKENS have been buried in Westminster Abbey, and not as ori ginally intended in Rochester Cathedral. The national wish is thereby satisfied. To the honoured dust of the most beloved of English authors, the most suitable place of sepulture has been ac corded. There it will repose until the " crack of doom " in fitting company. At the head, HANDEL, at the foot, SHERIDAN, to the right, CUMBERLAND, to the left, MAcAuLAY—overlooked here by the statue of ADDISON, here by the bust of TIIACKERAY —hard by the graves of SAMUEL JOHNSON, and of DAVID GARRICK, in the midst of memorable inscrip tions, among various others, to GOLDSMITH, and GRAY, and MILTON, and SHAKSPERE. The sim plicity and privacy of the burial were in keeping with the whole character of the career of the illus trious dead. Throughout his lifetime he never affected to be anything else than what it was his pride and happiness to be, the author, the artist in words, the man of letters. He aspired to no social distinction. Often tempted to become a candidate to a seat in Parliament, he invariably declined to forsake his desk and his books for the Legislature. Himself one of the most brilliant and charming speakers of his time, he might readily have attained oratorical distinction, had he so pleased, within the walls of the House of Commons. The political contentions of party warfare, however, were alien to his nature and to his tastes. Through his writings, through his life-like creations, through his .enthralling narratives, he influenced at once most subtly and most powerfully the thoughts and opinions of his generation. If, as Mr. DISRAELI has said in his " Life of Lord GEORGE BENTINCK," Sir ROBERT PEEL, the great Sir ROBERT, could play upon the House of Commons like an old fiddle, CHARLES DICKENS could play upon the heart strings of his contemporaries like a PAGANINI. He had an equal mastery over our tears and our laughter exquisite tears and innocent laughter. His was always a reverent genius. The most squalid poverty, as in TOM-ALL-ALONE'S—the profoundest ignorance, as in poor benighted Jo, the crossing -sweeper— childhood as in Little PAUL-- girlhood as in Little NELL--boyhood as in OLIVER TWlST—idiotcy as in BARNABY RUDGE—the humblest surroundings as in those of Mrs. NUBBLES, the Washerwoman, or of cinderous TOODLES, the Stoker, or of JOE GARGERY, the Blacksmith, or of honest PEGGOTTY, the Yarmouth Fisherman—the lowliest, the least instructed, mere half-witted crea tures like Mr. DICK and poor MAGGY—aII were con •secrated by the humane and generous genius lighting up and kindling into reality his airy imaginings. So true to life are the creatures of his fancy that they are, for one and all of us, like our own flesh and blood contemporaries. He himself, their creator, has breathed his last, and been buried in Poet's Corner, but they are', still living As, for that matter, in a nobler sense, the great author himself is, in the empyrean of our national literature, what though, as he him self said, with a mournful cadence in the utter ance of those pathetic words, still vibrating in our remembrance as though they bad been but just now articulated, what though from these garish lights he has vanished now for evermore 1 d to with care and 3curate system of self- SON enablAs them to V MOSES and SON, E CORNER of MINORIES and ALDGATE. NEW OXFORD - STREET, CORNER o lIART-STRENT. CORNET:, of TOTTENHAM-COURT-ROAD and EUSTON-ROAD. BRADFORD ; YORKSHIRE. MOSES and . SON'S PRICE LIST of 12.1• GENTLEMEN'S CLOTHING. Frock Dress Oxford Camb. Fishing Conte. Coats. Coats. Coats. Coats. 25a. 255. 17s. 185. 10s. --- 805. 30s. 21s. 225. 15s. 855. 855. 265. 28s. 18s. 425. 428. 30s. 82s. 225. 50s. 50s. 365. 365. 28s. 635. 60s. 423. I 425. 355. - Li MOSES and SON beg to remind t .I_2J • that the cheapness of an article depends en quality, and they venture to affirm that every article is considerably cheaper than what can be obtained o ise in England. ;he public tirely on its sold by them at any other 'EI 4 MOSES and SON'S PRICE LIST of GENTL: MEN'S CLOTHING CONTLNUED: VRDERS by post are attende , punctuality, and the easy and a( measure introduced by E. MOSES and guarantee a faultless fit. T MOSES and SON'S PRICE LIST of 1J• B OY'S CLOTHING : Knickerbocker Eton Brighton Harrow Suits. Suits. Suits. Suits. 9s. 6d. 15s. 18s. 18s. 13s. 6d. 19s. 235. 235. IGs. 6d. 21s. 265. 265. 21s. 265. 32s. 325. 265. 3os. 365. 365. 89s. 365. 48s. 48s. EMOSES and SON supply every description of . clothing, ready-made, or made to measure, for all ages, all occasions, and all classes : also Hosiery and Drapery, Hats and Caps, Boots and Shoes, and complete outfits for all climates. All Goods marked in Plain Figures. Any article exchanged if not worn or injured. List of Prices, with Rules for Self-measure, Patterns, and Fashion-sheet, gratis and post-free. E. MOSES and SON'S Establishments are closed every Friday evening at sunset, till Saturday evening at sunset, when busi ness is resumed until Eleven o'clock. The following are the only addresses of E. MOSES and SON : LONDON. CORNER of MINORIES and ALDGATE. NEW OXFORD-STREET, CORNER OF HART-STREET. CORNER of TOTTENHAM-COURT-ROAD and EUSTON-ROAD, COUNTRY BRANCH. BRADFORD, YORKSHIRE. NOTHING IMPOSSIBLE. AGUA AMARELLA. restores the Human Hair to its pristine hue, no matter at what age. AO. GOSNELL and CO. have at length, with the aid of one of the most eminent Chemists, succeeded in perfecting this wonder ful liquid. It is now offered to the public in a more concentrated form, and at a lower price. Sold in bottles, Is. each; also 55., 7s. 6d., and 15s. each, includ neiugil Wharf, Angel-passage, £B, Upper Thames-street, Lon don, E.C. JOHN GOSNELL and CO.'S CHERRY tr 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.— Bed Bull Wharf, 93, Upper Thames street, London. THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET. THIS EVENING, at 7, MARRIED LIFE; Mr Buckstone, Mr Chippendale, Mr Howe, Mr Kendal, Mr Rogers, Mrs Chip pendale, Mrs Frank Matthews, Mrs E. Fitzwilliam, Miss C. Hill, Mrs Laws. . After which, at 8.30. "HOME." Mr Sothern, Mr Chippendale, Mr Compton, Mr Buckstone, jun., Miss Ada Cavendish, Miss Fanny Gwynne, and Miss Caroline Hill. Concluding with FAMILY JABS. Mr Compton: MUSIC HALL, ROYAL HOLBORN. ' Proprietor, Mr. J. S. SWEASEY. The Press have unanimously praised and acknowledged the entertainment provided at the above Hall for the Whitsun holidays to be the best in London. The Brothers Voltaire, the Champion Gymnasts, in their surprising performances, particularly their aerial leaps, extending the whole length of the Hall (nearly, 100 feet), engaged to appear solely at this establishment ; Mr. H. Collard (Le Petit Sims Reeves), the . miniature man, the smallest and sweetest tenor singer in the world, can be heard at this hall only ; Messrs. St. Albyn, P. Corri, and Miss Barrie have made an immense hit with their operatic selections ; Miss Georgina Smith son has returned to meet with fresh admirers ; Mr. Baldwin has supplemented the brilliant encomiums he has already received from the provincial press ; Miss Louie Sherring ton is received nightly with uproarious applause ; Mr. J. H. Milburn is an old favourite ; the Great Vance is not to be, heard elsewhere, excepting at his concerts ; Mr. J. H. Ryley, and Madame Barnam, as comic duettists, have met with decided success; the acknowledged largest and best band in London. Bal cony, 6d.; stalls, ls.; private boxes, 10s. 6d. ROYAL OLYMPIC THEATRE, _ Wycl2-street, strand. . Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr. W. H. LISTON, Miss BATEMAN as MARY WARNER every Evening during the week, assisted by Messrs. G. Belmore, W. H. Vernon, Blake ley, Elliott, David Fisher; Mrs. Poynter and Mrs. W. H. List mi. In reply to numerous applications at the Box Office, and to prevent disappointment to parties desirous of securing seats several weeks in advance, Mr. W. H. LISTON feels compelled to announce with regret that, in consequence of previous arranee ments, the br iliant engagement or this distinguished Artiste must POSITIVELY TERMINATE on SATURDAY, JUNE 25. Commencing with MUSIC HATH CHARMS. Concluding with THE 'VARSITY BOAT RACE. Box Office open from 10 till 5. LYCEUM THEATRE (under the management of Messrs. Mansell). THIS EVENING, at 7.30, HIS OWN RIVAL Mr. F. Charles and Miss L. Morgan. At 8, BREAKING THE SPELL. After which, at t , .30, LITTLE FAUST: Mr. T. Maclagan, M. Marius, Mr. Aynsley Cook, Mr. Odell, and Mr. Wilmot; Mdlle. Debrenx, Mesdames Lennox G:ey, Lawson, Lee, and Emily Bolden. ROYAL STRAND THEATRE. Sole Lessee and Manageress, Mrs. Fwanborough. THIS ENENING, at 7 o'clock, LOVING BEART. Messrs Edward Teiry and Turner; Mesdames Burton d,Santley. Followed by KENILWORTH. Messrs David James. Terry, Turner, and Fenton; Mesdames Santiey, Anatiss, Goodall, Met calfe, and Moore. VAUDEVILLE THEATRE, STRAND.- Lessees—Messrs H. J. Montagne, D. James, and T. Thome.—THlS EVENING, at 7 30. CUPBOARD LOVE, by F. Hay. After which, at 8, a new and original Comedy, in Three Acts, entitled TWO 8.06E5. To conclude with the new and successful Burlesque. DON CARLOS; or, The Infante in Arms. Supported by Messrs. H. J. Montague , H. Irving, G. Honey, W. H. Stephens, and T. Thorne; Mesdames Nelly Power, Amy Few sitt, T. Lavis, and A. Newton. Doors opea at Seven. Commence at 7.30. THE LATE EDITION of " THE SUN" at Mr. BEAUMONT'S, "The Wellington," Wellington-street, Strand. THE SUN.—LATEST EDITION to be seen every Evening, at Eight o'clock, . a Mr. GILMAN'S, "The Wheatsheaf," High-street, Camden-town. THE LATEST EDITION of " THE SUN " supplied, as soon as published, livery Evening, by W. AbIeXANDER (late Brooks), Newspaper Agent, /So. 4, Old Cavendish street, Oxford-street r HE LATE EDITION of "THE SUN" at j_ W. SMITH'S " Camden Stores," 78, Park-street, Camden- town. THE LATESI EDITION of " THE SUN" ,wpplied as soon as published, containing all the LATEST NEWS r.nd SPORTING INTELLIGENCE, by H W. HARRIS, Newspaper Agent, 4, Blaeldriars-road London. SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JUNE 16, 1870. proper, but novi homines, upstarts, purchasers , under the Encumbered Estates Court. It is true that the Irish population has per suaded itself that it wants a change. The landlord, howevey, is in general such a good sort of person that he ought to be left to the exercise of his own high moral faculties, and interfered with as little as possible. The tenant is regarded by the Duke in a very different light. He objects to com pensation for eviction, because the owner can not under such a condition turn out an unsuitable occupant without loss. It is quite possible that a tenant may be "a bad farmer, an im moral man, and a pest to the country," or "the greatest blackguard in the whole country ;" yet he cannot be evicted without a heavy fine. It never occurs to the Duke of RICHMOND that the same argu ment applies to the landlords. The Conservative leader desires to protect the landlord against an ex ceptionally bad tenant; he never imagines that the tenant needs protection against an exceptionally bad landlord. He is apparently unable to conceive of such a thing. Such, however, is the mainspring of this, and, we may add, of all legis lation. It is the nature of laws that they are directed against exceptions. In general, the Irish landlords do their duty; but some flagrantly violate it, and it is to remedy the state of insecurity brought about by such as these that the Govern ment measure is designed. No good landlord can suffer from the bill. If he does not capriciously evict, he is safe. If he has good cause for dis turbing his tenant, the compensation clauses provide that he escapes all payment. The " blackguards " and " pests " into whose clutches the Duke of RICH MOND fears the poor helpless landlord will fall, are specially guarded against. The third clause stipu lates that if a tenant be arbitrarily expelled from his holding, a sum of money must be paid. If there be any just reason for expulsion, if the occupier be a " pest " or a " blackguard," nothing need be paid. The speech of the Marquis of SALISBURY, though brief, was to the point. The hope of the Conserva tive party is Liberal enough to believe in small pro perties. He is convinced that if there had been more peasant proprietors, there would have been no necessity for legislative inter ference. Hence he approves of Mr. BRIGHT'S plan of lending money to occupiers whose landlords are willing to sell—quite regardless of the consequences which may flow from such a precedent. Perhaps, however, this dangez is not great, for there is no con sistency inParliamentary legislation. There is very little difference between lending money to Irish tenants to become proprietors, and lending money to English workmen to emigrate, except, perhaps, that the latter need it more. Yet Parliament consents to the one almost without discussion, and refuses the other altogether. Loans to tenants will no doubt be very serviceable in every way, and there fore the principle may be conceded ; but it is certainly much more " revolutionary " than the third clause to which the Marquis of SALISBURY so strongly objects. In providing that the tenant who is expelled without cause shall be remunerated, the Legislature merely stipulates that the landlord shall not take unfair advantage of a bargain which is actually made—a less serious step than assisting the occupier to purchase some , . thing that does not belong to him. The third clause is the key-stone of the measure. The Ministry will commit a grievous error if they allow the Marquis of SALISBURY, or the whole House of Lords, to disturb it. But of such a result there is no fear. Mn. WALTER BAGEHOT has written in the current number of the Fortnightly Review an article which should be read by all lawyers and all clients. In it he asks and answers the question, " Bad lawyers or good ?"—a question of no small importance to a very large number of persons. Undoubtedly the answer must be " bad," so far as concerns the great majority of present lawyers. Legal education is one of the most marvellous features of social life in England. The Inns of Court are little better than dining clubs, and, save that any gross breaches of professional etiquette are brought before them, they have scarcely more influence on the legal profession than the Jockey Club. They do not really educate, they examine only in name, they simply absorb £57,000 a-year without returning it. As Mr. BAGEHOT says, " A. greater abuse than the Inns of Court, or so great an abuse, probably does not now exist in England. They could only be endured in a country tenacious of ancient things, even the most lifeless. They figure in legal education, not because of their efficiency, but because of their 'size." We have said that they do not really educate. Until the last twenty years they did not even profess to do so. At the present time there are lectures given at the Inns, and examinations are held. But the grossly absurd arrangement prevails that those who attend the lectures need not be ex amined, and those who are examined need not have attended the lectures. A. man who desires to master hie profession goes to the chambers of a con veyancer, special pleader, and an equity draftsman. But he is not called to the bar by virtue of this, or because he has profited by it. Moreover, "reading law " with a barrister is not, strictly speaking, reading at all. The barrister does not instruct the student, does not expound any text book. A heap of papers is set before the student, and he is expected to pre pare the document for which the papers were sent. He is told to "write wide," so as to give the barrister room to make any number of corrections, and the stu dent must find out for himself why they are made. In a special pleader's office there is an opportunity of pick ing up much valuable information, but it is disjointed and patchy. There is a want of correlativeness, an absence of principle. This deficiency is apparent in lamentable ways subsequently. For want of definite principles litigation becomes a lottery, the law becomes uncertain to a degree " glorious " for those who thrive by it, but ruinous to others. The barrister who has trusted entirely to prece dents, and has always looked upon principles with suspicion, is not likely to trouble him self with principles when he becomes a judge. Thus the judgment of the bench is too often a solemn toss-up, and if the decision should depend upon several judges, there is no possibility of fore telling on which side the majority will be. To un certainty we must add downright ignorance in the case of minor judicial officials. There are a large number of posts tenable only by barristers, yet these men may be, and too often are, absolutely ignorant of all law. Thus we fall into the absurdity of confining offices to a class because it is supposed to be compe tent, and yet take no care that this class is com petent. The first reform is abundantly indicated by what we have said. There must be a proper legal education, and a proper examination to test the knowledge of the student. The next reform is to abolish the distinction between barrister and attorney. It acts most unfairly to the client. The client goes to his attorney for advice; the attorney, not caring to have the responsibility of giving advice, takes counsel's opinion. Not a few counsel, knowing that they depend upon the favour of the attorney, and suspecting that he has a weakness for costs, recommend proceedings as a matter of course. The client has no means of ascertaining the counsel's reasons. It is not etiquette for the first to call upon the second and cross-question him. If the client loses his cause he has no remedy. It is useless for him to say " You advised me to sue. You told me I was going to win. I did sue, and yet you see I have lost." As Mr. BAGEHOT positively says, " The man you can scold did not advise you ; and the man who did advise you you cannot scold." There is no such arbitrary distinction between adviser and advo cate on the Continent or in the rest of the world. It is impossible to imagine any reason satisfactory to the suitor why it should prevail in England. In fact we have already abolished it in our minor courts. An attorney may plead in a county court or a Court of Bankruptcy. There is no good cause why he should not plead at Westminster or in Lincoln's Inn. One result would be that good lawyers,without pecuni ary resources sufficient to enable them to sustain ten years' enforced idleness, would be able to practice as attorneys until they had established themselves to act as advocates. Thus the profession, no less than the public, would benefit by this reform. Nevertheless the present system has so many advantages for the established lawyers, and does to such a large extent increase their earnings, that it is not probable the desired change will be speedily brought about. Lawyers are also law-makers, and experience has shewn how very slow they are to forward legislation which, however desirable it may be for the public good, inflicts pecuniary loss upon themselves. TOPICS OF THE DAY. is again under the consideration of the Souse of Commons. THE GRAND JURY LAWS. When Parliament has finally disposed of the Land Bill, it will probably be called upon to reconstruct the grand j ury system of Ireland, a system which at present is said to materially retard the progress of the country. Although it is admitted that the existing grand j urors are a class of men who are generally intelligent and practical, and who appear to have an interest in low county rates and their economical application, still it is considered a serious abuse that they should be allowed to retain the power of disposing of vast and unlimited sums of money. The fiating of the presentments is the only check on • such proceedings ; and although it is salutary, it is highly inefficient. Over a million of money is raised in Ireland by grand juries, and it is thought very unreasonable that they should exercise an almost unlimited control over the expenditure of this sum. The chief evil of the sys tem, however, is that grand jurors are actually self-elected men. In Ireland it is argued that schemes of local government conducted on the prin ciple of representation are the most successful, n o only in being the best mode of educating the rural population, but also of economically applying the county rate. It is to be hoped that when the agi tation which is now threatened on the subject in the sister island is made manifest, that a reform in the whole system of local administra tion over the United Kingdom will also be demanded. It is absurd and discreditable to say that England must wait till her farmers are better educated than they are. A class of men who have raised agriculture to its present flourishing condition, and who have mul tiplied the agricultural resources of the country by combining science with practice, who have spared no expense in making improvements in every way possible, can hardly be considered incompetent to manage their own local affairs in the proper and most honourable way. THE TUG OF WAR. The Educational contest in the House of Com mons will come on in earnest this evening. Upon the temper in which it will be commenced, the hope of practical legislation of any kind upon this most important question during the present session will be entirely dependent. An opposition to a certain extent strong, and in a great measure irritated is arrayed —out of doors—against the scheme advanced •by Mr. Forster, in the name of the Government. How, far that outer op position may be enabled to find supporters in the House among the more independent of the national representatives yet remains to be discovered. The principal difficulty still is in reference to the vitally important matter of religious instruction. Mr. Dixon proposes that religious and secular in struction shall, at each school, be imparted in sepa rate apartments. At many schools, however, there will be only one apartment. In which case— What then ? Mr. Forster would reply, no doubt, Why, then, the Time Table Conscience Clause will come into effect as a means for extrication from the dilemma ! Those who are fearful that another year may be lost without the hope of legislation upon the matter at all, insist upon it, that rather than run that hazard, the bill, as it is, should be summarily passed, and amended afterwards. A proposition, to our wind, however, altogether too rash and venture some. Rather .than this, say we, delay one year longer. NOT IF WE KNOW IT. Again Mr. Ayrton, with a sneer on his lips and an air of truculent pertinacity, is to-night going to try it on once more—in regard to that wretched little job about the Hyde Park and Kensington High-road. A Select Committee, is what he is going to ask for. To what end? Why, simply and coolly to the Send that this said committee shall endeavour t o reconcile the public at large (so likely !) to the cutting off from the south of Hyde Park of a goodly strip of that cherished grass-land, well planted with trees, wholly and solely for the convenience of a p rivate speculation of a quasi -artistic character. Of course Mr. Ayrton, as in duty bound, now that he Bits on the Treasury bench as a right hon.—not below the gangway, as a thorn in the side of a ministry and the maddening catechist of an administration —of course, we say Mr. Ayrton wishes he may get what he asks for, meaning the Select Committee, and through the Select Committee, the coveted slice of Hyde Park. So do not we. So—we are tolerably well satisfied—does not the House of Commons. THE CONSERVATIVE PEERS AND THE LAND BILL. The Conservative peers have wisely decided to consider the Irish Land Bill on its merits, and to offer no factious opposition to the great measure of the session. They will not, however, abnegate their duty of proposing such amendments as in their opinion may tend to enhance the value of a bill neces sary for the well-being of the country, and for the removal of those heart-burning disputes between landlord and tenant which have been the principal, if not the sole cause of the unhappy and unsatisfac tory condition of a country containing in itself so many essentials of material prosperity. At the meet ing which took place at the residence of the Duke of Richmond, the speakers were unanimous as to the course proposed to be taken in the House of Lords ; and while it was insisted that no attempt should be made to alter the principle of the bill, amendments will be proposed in committee in order to render the details consistent and effective. THE MERCHANT SHIPPING BILL. That a Legislative Chamber should think itself capable of digesting a bill containing no fewer than 693 clauses, and dealing with interests so vast in their magnitude as the Merchant Shipping, is one of those things which ordinary mortals cannot under stand. There is no doubt as to the urgent necessity of the Merchant Shipping Code Bill; but on the other hand hasty legislation must lead to crudeness and inefficiency. That this is the view of the Government is acknowledged by Mr. Gladstone, and the assent given to the measure by the House of Commons in reading the bill a second time, can only be understood as implying a recognition of its prin ciples. The great evil of modern legislation appears to be a disposition to undertake the working out of the details of principles, instead of confining itself to the principles themselves; and this departure from the essential duties of the House of Commons is well exemplified in the vain attempts made to perform work which is seldom done with that com pleteness and finality necessary to success, The remedy shadowed forth by Earl Grey would have the effect of releasing both Houses of Parliament from a vast deal of unnecessary detail, and would thus allow the Legislature more time to devote to measures of exigency. The noble lord advocates 4, the greater use of subsidiary authorities, in order to propose measures of legislation." In the codifi cation of laws, subsidiary authorities would be more likely to effect the intention of the Legislature than vain discussion in an unwieldly assembly. REPRESENtATION OF MINORITIES. A correspondent of the Times calls attention to the fact that the Constitutional Convention of Illi nois has just adopted, by a majority of four to one, the principle of the representation of minorities. The State is to be divided into districts, each returning three representatives. Each elector is to have as many votes as there are representatives to be elected, and may either vote distributively, or concentrate his votes upon one candidate. The cdmmittee which originated the proposal reported that the adoption of the principle would relieve the voter from the despotism of party caucuses, and would also enable the virtuous citizens to elect the ablest and purest men. It will be remembered that great dis satisfaction was manifested by the Liberals at the result of the elections in the City of London and Manchester immediately after the passing of the last Reform Bill, when Mr. Charles Bell and Mr. Hugh Birley, both Conservatives, were respectively returned for those places. The action of the State of Illinois is interesting at the present time, when the question MR. DISRAELI AND THE CRITICS. The Daily News has found out the reason of the attack made by Blackwood on Mr. Disraeli's novel. The distinguished Conservative 'leader has, it seems, a resemblance in more than his political creed to Dr. Johnson, who hated, or fancied he hated, Scotland and Scotchmen with a distinctness which made itself apparent on every opportunity. Mr. Disraeli has scoffed at the United Presbyte rians, whose Church was invented by two Jesuit priests, with the design of bringing Protestantism into disrepute. The author of "Lothair" has not only sneered at the coarse abundance of Scotch country houses, but at the boorishness of Scotch peers and the awkwardness of their provincial daughters, and the writer in the nortLern magazine, with the clanishness which is the distinguishing characteristic of our canny countrymen, has taken up the cudgels on behalf of his affronted fellows. But the Scotch critic is not alone in his cohdemation of "Lothair," for M. Edmond Scherer, in reviewing the book in the Temps, is as severe in his judgment, and says that the subjects set forth in the novel are childish, the romantic interest of the story is feeble, and the dialogue can scarcely be called original. M. Scherer is of opinion that Mr. Disraeli was never a great writer, nor even a great novelist, and he also states that the only things to be found in " Lothair" are "little nothings," and " amusing scandals." The author of " Con ingsby," the best political novel in the English language, and "Henrietta Temple," a love story which has few equals of its kind, must be terribly exercised by the critics, the "gentlemen who have failed in literature." But perhaps there is a patriotic raison d'être in this assault of the French reviewer. Mr. Disraeli has sneered at the oat-meal eating ten dencies of the Scotch : does the Daily News know of a disquisition on frogs by the same gentleman ? OUR SPORTING PREMIER. The Premier at the Derby was a wonderful event; Mr. Gladstone offering to bet is more wonderful still. It is but a step, however. On June Ist the First Lord of the Treasury formed one of the great congregation on the turf ; on June 14, during a debate (of all others) on the revision of the authorised version of the Scripture the Premier invites Mr. Buxton to a wager. Facilis descensus Averni. If there should be any doubt on the subject, witness this passage in the Premier's reply to Mr. Buxton's motion on Tuesday night. "My hon. friend supported his argu Lent by saying that in the 17th century £30,000 was the actual cost in money of that version, and he said he thought it could not be done for less now. It appears to me that that was a very safe declaration; at least with this one qua lification—it will certainly not be done for less now, if it be done by public authority, by means of funds voted from year to year by this House. If my hon. friend were disposed to bet, I think he might safely bet that the figure of £30,000 would not be found excessive in that view of the case." THE CLERGY IN PRISONS. Hitherto, as the public are no doubt well aware, the appointment of prison ministers other than those of the Established Church has been left to the dis cretion of the different prison authorities throughout the country. The effects of this system have been very dissatisfying, and differences of an exceedingly painful character have been fostered, not only be tween the clergy of the different forms of religion themselves, but also between the inmates of the gaols, under their charge. Some time since a select com mittee was directed to inquire into the subject, and it will be looked upon generally as a happy result that they have now declared it highly impolitic that inequality in the working of the religious system of English prisons should be allowed to exist. Reli gious instruction, the Commissioners declare, should, as far as possible, be the same for Rcman Catholic as for Protestant prisoners. They further recommend, in this report, that the authorities should be henceforth required by law to appoint Roman Catholic chaplains to institutions in which prisoners of their persuasion are confined. This is so in Ireland, and the plan has been attended with the best possible results. The mutual under standing between the ministers of both religions, who look upon each other as kindred labourers in the work of Christian reform, and of propagating Christian living, does not fail to bring its due lesson home to the members of their respective flocks. VARIETIES OF PAI7PERISAI. Superficial observers are in the habit of regarding paupers as all one class, whereas a little examination proves them to consist of a great 'many different classes. Some recently-published statistics supply us with instructive information on this point. The classes relieved are seven teen in number, and it is worth notice that in some unions men subject to fits or other temporary attacks are classed as able-bodied, though their ailments probably interfere with their getting their livelihood out of doors. The percentage of incapables in the Metropolitan workhouses is much larger than in the rural districts. In some of the former the number of able-bodied paupers is not more than sufficient to do the work of the house. By the return it appears that 31 per cent, of the total out-door poor labour under old age or permanent disability, 34 per cent. are women and children destitute from the death, absence, or desertion of husband or father, 34 per cent. are families, or single men destitute from sickness or want of work, and 0.8 per cent. are single women. The preponderance of pauper children in the metropolis is as melancholy as it is remarkable. It is attributed to the fact that there is less demand for their labour in London than in manu facturing towns or in the country. The sick paupers on the books of the metropolitan medical officers usually attain a per -tentage varying from 32 to 48 per cent. of the total inmates of the workhouses. The actual able-bodied adults constitute, however, only 10 per cent., as the old people number 37 per cent., the children 8 per cent., and the imbeciles G per cent. Besides all these there are the children in district or separate schools, who add largely to the proportion of helpless pauperism. DEFAULTING COLLECTORS. Every ratepayer grumbles, not unreasonably, at the amount of poor rate which he is called upon to pay, but to know that not 'infrequently such pay ments are made, not for the relief of the poor, but for the benefit of defaulting collectors, is certainly an aggravation of the evil. Yet we learn from the report of the Poor-law Board that several instances of the kind have occurred during the year among col lectors and assistant overseers, and in one case which occurred in Greenwich, where the rates are collected under a local Act, these defalcations reached a very serious amount. So large was the sum abstracted, indeed, that the Poor-law Board, not usually too active, was roused to inquire into the circumstances, when it appeared that the local Act, under which the collector had been appointed, did not provide sufficient checks. The defaulter was, accordingly, able, before the audit, to make up the deficiencies in the rate due, by receipts in respect of other rates which the auditor had no control over. It is at once apparent that if there be not an efficient system of checks and counter-checks, the collector has always the opportunity in dealing with sums so irregularly paid as the rates to balance one account against another, and escape detection by manoeuvring. The Poor Law report expresses a fear that until the col lection of all local rates is placed under the same responsible authority, it will be found extremely difficult, if not impossible, to prevent these frauds. The experience of Greenwich would be sufficient, we should imagine, to disenchant those districts ambitious of preserving the dignity of local acts. THE FIRE IN CONSTANTINOPLE. Latest accounts from Constantinople realise the worst anticipations regarding the loss of life and destruction of property at the great fire in that city, and in the vastness of the calamity the whole extent of evil wrought will in all probability never be fully known. The details, as they have come to us, how ever, are sufficiently harrowing. Upwards of a thousand dead bodies have already been discovered, and 2,400 are said to be missing. From seven to eight thousand houses have been re duced to ruins, an equal number of families rendered houseless and homeless, and the amount of property estimated to have been destroyed is over five millions in value. k faint idea of the desolation may be gathered from the fact that it covers not less than two square miles. Some of the tales of woe related are most pitiful, especially with regard to the burning of little children, one instance being recorded where twelve poor little orphans in an Armenian school perished in the flames. The destruction of the palace of the British Embassy is said to have been through bad management, neither the engines nor the apparatus attached being in working order. Out of all this misery, however, comes the one redeeming feature, that nothing could exceed the generous efforts of the Moslem people to mitigate the suffer ings of their Christian brethren. THE WEATHER ON THE CONTINENT. As in England, the long period of dry weather is beginning to cause serious apprehensions on the continent. The critical time at which moisture is required for the nourishment of the vines and wheat is almost passed, and in the majority of the French and German towns no " gentle rain" has fallen. The prolonged drought in the North of France has caused the ears of barley and wheat to shrivel up, and the straw this year will be only about half its usual length. Skilled agriculturists, moreover, fear that much of the grain crops have been baked at their roots. The potatoes have not yet suffered to any extent, but the turnip have been visited by a plague of midges, brought into existence by the heat, which are eating up the crop everywhere. On pasture grounds not a fresh looking blade of grass shews above the ground, and old hay has assumed a fabulous price in the market. These remarks chiefly apply to the centre and northern portions of France. In the south things have been different. In the departments of the Bouches-du-Rhone, Vaucluse, Hdrault, and Alper" Maritimes, showers have fallen within the past few days. The same change in the weather has also taken place in Western Italy. In these favoured places hopes are still cherished that all growing crops inaY yet be saved. Curious to say the harvest in Austria and Hungary, according to the report of the Austrian Minister of Commerce, is not threatened with any blight whatever. The weather has been satisfactory, and in Galicia and Bohemia, the yield promised 1 0 even said to be such as may lead to a very large export trade. M. OLI VIER'S OPINIONS. The Paris correspondent of the Independance Beige says that M. Olivier begins to recognise the mistake he has made in oscillating from the Left to the Right, instead of relying on the Left Centre, and in case of necessity on the Left. He has expressed him self in this fashion to Prince Napoleon, and an nounced his determination of resuming more liberal ways. He even added that he would procure an amnesty for the offences of the press. THE ST. GOTHARD RAILWAY. The Paris papers are commenting upon the great enterprise of a railway across the Gothard Pass, and the question is to be discussed in the Corps Legis latif as to how far the interests of France may be affected by an independent communication between Prussia and Italy. The French Government has 'en deavoured to allay these fears by publishing state ments in the Agence .Navas and the semi-offici al journals. There seems no reason to apprehend ant serious consequences to the peace of Europe from th e construction of this line, while its importance as regard! commercial interests is very great. The proposed line is to run through Swiss territory, but as th e expenses of its construction will be heavy, those cowl :tries which will benefit by its working are to guaran tee the funds necessary for the project. The Swiss Minister at Berlin has been empowered to sign a convention with Count Bismarck, by which th e , North German Confederation grants a subvention of ten million francs to the St. Gothard Railway. Th e French Government appear to have felt that t he question, being one of public right, gave them no caus e for interference, except so far as the neutrality ° Switzerland was concerned. eltai t MI TM al: HER MAJESTY. BALMOIIAL CASTLE, JUTie 14. The Queen, with Princess Beatriee, went out yesterday .norning. In the afternoon her Majesty, with Princess Louise, wept out, attended by the Hon. Eva Macdonald. FASHIONABLE ARRANGEMENTS TO-DAI' The Cup Day at Ascot. The 7th (Queen's Own) Hussars' annual dinn er, at the St. James's Hotel, Piccadilly. The M.C.C. and Ground v. Civil Service grand cricket match, at Lord's ground. SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS TO-DAY. The Numismatic Society's annual meeting, at 7 p.m. The Linnean Society's, at 8 p.m., when Mr. J. T. iviog pidge will read a paper on " Two Species of SeraPia s ' which occasionally present Semi-labelliform Lateral Sepals. The Royal Society's, at 8.30, p.m. The Society of Antiquaries, at 8.30, p.m. 81 Tfl. ( Sunlig ARB gabin i Troca ( Xuste. Tin ra ce __ tuin. 3 Sec. Ortol a Chevi i 8 aUlt ti Sister hoth v ilenr3 * Rhea Bonn) ocarl; Paink Rover Jason Norm L g a a F, 110] Ju; Alex,.l. 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