The Sun. — London, England, 1856-08-18 00:00:00

THEATRE ROYAL, HAICMAIMET. Under the Management of Mr. Enchain , . THIS EVENING. SECOND LOVE• After which The Spanish Danc.ell. Followed by THE LITTLE TREASURE. To conzlude with Tllir. SPANPAII SERJEANT. ROYAL THE ADELPHI. rroprietor and Manager, Mr. B. Webster. Directress, Madame Celeste. TIIIS EVENING. IRELAND AS IT IS. Followed by DOMESTIC ECONOMY. To conclude with IRISH ASSUR INCE AND YANKEE MODEM'. itol"kG l'3tlTl3l'cC TfIF:kTRK. OX'ORD-RTREET. Under the Ifanagoment o CuAst.E3 BEAN. Ev,:NING, MUSIC II kTFI CHARMS. After which, T IE VVINTEI'S TALE. STR kND TIIEATRE. Manager, Mr, T. Payne. TIIIS EVENING, THAT HOUSE. IN HMI STRF.ET." Messrs. Stuart, Cooke, Ra3it Potter, and Klnloch; Mrs. Viroollidge, and Miss Isabel Adams. THE CROS -13')W LETTER. In which Mr. Sidney and Miss Thirlwall vrlll appear. MAJD OE WIFE. Ur. Van Buren, Mr. Klnloch, and Silas Lucy El,worthy. To conclude with INS AND OUTS. Messrs. Sidney, Ilerbert,iio;;;(i; Miss I. Adams, Mtss Palmer Commence at half-past 7. ROYAL OLYMPIC THEATRE. Lessee ant Manner. Mr. Alfred Wigan. THIS EVENING VIE GREEN-EYED MONSTER. After which, MEDEA. To conclude with SHOCKING EVENTS. ASTLEY'A ROYAL AMPHITHFATKE. Lessee And Maneler. Mr. Wm. Cooke. THIS EVENING, RING =RAM) TII 7 . THIRD, compressed into 3 acts. Eques- trian effec's —Death of White Surrey—" Uattle of Bosworth Field"— Introduction of Mr. W. Cooke's stud of trained horses —Hippodramatic tableau never yet attempted. After which, The attractive ACTS of HORSEMANSHIP in the ARENA. To conclude with a popular and Risible Farce. Box-office open from Eleven till Fonr. Stage Manager, Mr. W, West. Equestrian Director, Mr. W. Cooke. Jun. WATER. AT LONDON BRIDGE. THIS DAY—Morn.l3 min. aft. 3—Evening 34 min. aft. 3 VIORSOW—Morn.S3 min. aft. 3 —Evening 14 min. aft. 4 T a - E WE &TITER—SUN OFFICE, AUGUST 17. THERMOMETER, IN TIM SHADE. 67—highest since noon yesterday. 60 —lowest this morning and during the night. 62 —this day at noon. BAROMETZE-29'57. WIND, N.E.—Fresh, with heavy thunderstorm and rain daring the morning. AUGUST 18. 73 —highest since noon yesterday. 56 —lovrest this morning and during the night. 69 -tt.ifi day at noon, BAROMETER-23'49 -55. Wprn, Northerly, with dull weather. The temperature has become much cooler. HOT WEATHER.—The last three weeks have been the hottest for the last sixty-five years. STAMPED EDITION OF " THE SUN." The Latest Edition of The Sun, Stamped, in time for Post, may always be had from half- past 5 till 7 o'clock every evening. Subscribers in the Country will please to observe that the heading " THIRD EDITION" is always to be seen on the papers containing the latest news. If any difficulty be experienced in obtaining that Edition, a communication to The Sun Office will remedy it. Sun Office, 112, Strand. , •j , , A, ), ~ , ) ‘ZI *i Ptii.r-7",----- ,-(____l,o, . #6.- ~..„.....„--4 , t7irl, t • r ~,,, 4.- , • j ' 41? r .-- „ 7 : - • " ' , ._ LONDON, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 1856, Secret societies for political purposes are the curse of any country in which they are organised. Ireland owed much of her misery to the opera tions of ➢efenders and Whiteboys, Sharavests and CAravats, Peep-o'-Day Boys, Rockites, Ribandmen, &c., who, under innumerable deno minations, vexed and disturbed the island. Nor were the operations of Orangemen and Purple men much less injurious to the country. It is true that they dicl not deal in assassinations, as their opponents, nor was there a " black sheep office" to condemn to death harsh landlords, too zealous agents, "informers"—under which generic term they classed all who gave evidence fairly and truly before the criminal courts—or persons who took vacant farms contrary to the regulations of the agrarian legislators. But they created and kept up an irritation that was productive of the most mischievous consequences. A. single Orange lodge produced twenty Riband. lodges. The secret signs and passwords in the former were imitated in the latter, and the oaths sworn by men who fancied that they were acting the part of loyal subjects and patriotic citizens were parodied by others with fearful additions. Whatever the colour, the results were almost equally destructive to the peace of the district and the welfare and prosperity of the nation. Of Course, we do not include in this censure Free masons, or the numerous benevolent institutions known as Odd-fellows, Foresters, &a., Arc. It is only the secret political societies of which we co n plain. It is to he regretted that the objectionable system appears to have taken deep root in France, and that its ramifications are spreading through out* the length and breadth of the land. " The Marianne" is the most important, and p - Ahaps the most objectionable of these confederations. The proposed objects are the overthrow of the present Government, the establishment of the Social and Democratic, and the complete triumph of the ouvriers, or working classes. To achieve these purposes the predominant principle is that the end justifies the means." Therefore, murder, robbery, forgery, any and every crime, ho fever atrocious, must he perpetrated in order to attain the great end. The ties of family, property, or religion, are all to be disregarded when compared with the paramount demands of the " Marianne" —that exacts a blind and servile obedience from its subordinate members. In other word s , they are 0 be blind tools in the hands of the san. guinary ruffians by whom the business is managed and the orders issued. We do not deny that the republican party in France may have many grave causes of complaint, and that they may feel bitterly the consequences of the "coup detat," which established the Em pire on the ruins of the republic. But they may rest assured that any cause, however meritorious, was never benefited by such means as those con templated. by the founders and members of " The Marianne." Assassination in any form must dis gnst every right-minded man, and induce him 4 o ,; throw his weight into the opposite scale. How man y ertteutes and disturbances have been directly ( traced to the Police bureaus under despotic Go- vernm ents ? And why have they b een go t up ? Merely beca use the acute and wily agents are well aware that they can get rid of all suspected or dangerous characters under the spe eious pretext. They are also kept fully informed as to the most private transactions of these secret societies, and are thus enabled to form countermines and defeat the objects of the conspirators. Persons of all grades in the society are actually ro eiving police pay, and are neither more nor less than spies on their unsuspecting brethren. Every project is thus defeated, save when it suits the purposes of the guardians of the public tranquil lity to permit the fall of some petty victim, in order to exact bitter retribution for a crime which could have been prevented if it were considered desirable to do so. We would therefore earnestly impress on the minds of all who may have been induced or been solicited to join this or any other secret political society the absolute folly of the scheme, which, can only damage the cause it professes to advocate, and may ruin the comparatively innocent members. No good cause was ever advanced by bloodshed, murder, or secret conspiracy. They are the chief weapons of despots, by which chains are rivetted on the people. Let those who feel that there are objectionable points in any political sys tem, meet openly and proclaim their wants and wishes. We are aware that public discussion is not id accordance with Continental usage. Bat still the voice of public opinion will penetrate into the most secret recesses of Palaces, and will cause itself to be respected, whenQver it resorts only to legal and constitutional means for the purpose of obtaining legitimate objects. " What went ye out for to see ?" We don't mush fancy, as a matter of taste, the practice o f quotation from Scripture ; but not a few passages are so striking in their phraseology, so welded into the language, and so apposite to passing events, that, if desirable, it is somewhat difficult to refrain from turning them to account. In connection with the spectacle about to be pre sented in Moscow the temptation is irresistible ; and as most of the adventurous British sight seers who are to be present at the approaching coronation of the Emperor of RUSSIA. are now on their way to or arrived at St. Petersburg, we may repeat, without any alteration of tense, the inquiry with which we set out—" What went ye out for to see t" It may be necessary to premise that the par ties to whom the question is addressed are Eng lishmen, citizens of a free country, confessedly indebted to liberty for its greatness, and to religion for the tone of its morals, and rightfully claiming at the hands of all whom it has nurtured respect for those principles which have contributed so materially to its grandeur and renown. "What went ye out for to see?" A solemn ceremonial, in which the recognised ruler of millions of human beings binds himself before GOD and man to wield the sceptre he inherits in accordance with human rights and to the development of the better in stincts and capacities of humanity ? He would be a bold individual who returned an answer in the affirmative. The spectacle actually to be pre sented is that of a monarch to whom directly and by implication the ineffable misery and the slaughter of countless thousands of his subjects are owing, and who nurses at his heart an insane ambition, which must be productive of like re sults, invoking from HEAVEN a recognition of "the right divine to govern wrong "—the right to im prison, torture, exile, or put to death all who oppose his will—to put down every rising germ of liberty, and erect barrier after barrier to the progress of intelligence in every quarter to which his power extends. That is part of what so many Englishmen, with a special Imperial ambassador at their head, have gone " out for to see." As a matter of course, then, it is not to a spec tacle in which religion, any more than freedom, will be honoured their curiosity is leading them. Religion is merciful, progressive in its tendencies, has respect for the rights of the meanest human being, and holds forth in terrorerm the DIVINE vengeance to the oppressor is his pride. Tho spectacle to be presented is that of crowds of priests in garments blazing with gold, censor in hand, and with all the accessories of pontifical pomp, paying solemn homage to a tyrant, and, as ministers of I:l4a.vEY, invoking on his head all the blessings throughout his career, whatever it may be, the most just and merciful ruler can possibly receive, and pronouncing him the god of Russia on earth. A pretty spectacle for Englishmen to travel so many miles by sea and land to honour by their presence, and for a special English am bassador to be seat by the English G.)7ernraent, at an enormous cost, to take part iu ! To the abstract impropriety of such a proceed ing, however, must be added a peculiar infelicity of time. It is at the conclusion of a war brought on by Russian aggression, of which the monarch to be crowned has expressed his entire approval, and to which, in addition to the injury inflicted elsewhere, the waste of thousands of British lives and millions of British treasure aro entirely owing. It is with the massacre of Sinope and Hango fresh iu the recollection, and with not an apology nor a stiver in the way of atonement for injury done of any sort forthcoming. It is while a Rws'au campaign is being carried on against the inde pendent tribes of the Caucasus, gun-boat upon gun-boats is being launched at Cronstadt, and an imposing Russian fleet scours the B tltic. It is while the latest Russian perfidy is the talk of the hour, and,shows its audacious front at Kars, and on the banks and at the mouth of the Danube. It is while we axe saddled . with a debt of a hun dred millions for the expenses of the War, and a double Income Tax oppresses the energies of labour —all owing to Russian aggression —that English men hasten to honour by their presence a bar barous ceremonial, and a special ambassador is sent, at an enormous cost, to signalise our respect and good-will for the monarch whose treachery has cost, and is costing, us and our ally so dear. Liberty outraged, religion desecrated, mala fides honoured, and English gold wasted—all this, and more, is to be witnessed at the Emperor ALEX ANDER'S coronation ! The spectacle, no doubt, not too deeply consi dered, wi!l be imposing. The picturesque and the barbaric are often synonymous, and no doubt the Rusiian nobility, and the representatives of the various tribcs of which the empire is composed, will don their bravest apparel to harmonise With ambassadorial pomp and the magnifi cent array of the Greek priesthood. A fine thine, too, it will be to win expressions of good-will from the mercantile population by a 1 lavish expenditure of gold, more c.inccia!ly at the Embassy, where nobody will be the poorer how ever much may be wasted. Bat we submit that a recognition unworthy of English:nen at any time, and above all unworthy at the present, had ao,fla thtehatcottihnetrysql:aavne. better for the credit been dispensed with, dering of thousands of the publi c money i n doing honour to the unscrupulous Potentate whose misdeeds have altoady cost us so m uc h, and are likely to cost us much more, i s an act of folly not far removed from the very wantonne.s of wickedness. Who cares to honour a tyrant, who, being the scourge of his own subjects, lacks only opportunity to be the scourge of Europe—. who is least dangerous when opposed in arms, and when challenging most trust is most to be sus- I THE SUN, .LONDON petted 1' Say that the Embassy to the Corona tion is a mere form, still it must be conderell eci J A gettirg as a degrading farce, th e cos t alone CL which up should have prev-, n t n a it s b e i ng enacted. THE CAB FARE AT THE MANSION. ROUSE. U- Under this head we inserted a report stating that Ad ,viral Collier was summoned. There being two Admirals of that name, we regret that our Re porter, did not specify which it was. It should have been Rear-Admiral Henry Collier, Grosvenor street, Grosvenor-square, who was summoned, and r,ot Rear-Admiral of the Red, Edward Collier, C. 8., who was at that time ou the Continent. COURT CIRCULAR. OSBORNE, AUG. 17. The Queen and Prince, the Prince of Wales, Prince Arthur, the Princess Royal, and Princess Alice, attended by the Ladies and Gentlemen in Waiting, left the Royal ) , acht in Plymouth harbour at a quarter-past 9 o'clock on Friday morning, and landed at the Royal victua!ling hard, where her Majesty was met by the Port-Admiral, 'air W. Parker ; the Lieut.-Governor, Major-General Eden; the Rear-Admiral Superintendent, Sir J. Plum ridge ; and the authorities of the victualling-yard. Her :Majesty proceeded to the South Devon Railway station, escorted by a 'party of Artillery. At Exeter the mayor and corporation presented an address. Her lqajesty, having left the train at Salisbury, was received by the mayor and corporation and the Right Sidney and Mrs. Herbert. The Queen and Royal party partook of - luncheon at '‘he White Hart Hotel, and afterwards proceeded to the Cathedral, where the dean and canc,ns were in attendance. Her Majesty then proceeded by the South-Western Railway to Southampton, and embarked there in the Royal yacht Elfin, and arrived at Osborne at a quarter before 7 o'clock. The Hon. Emily Cathcart has succeeded the Hon. Beatrice Byng as Maid of Honour in Waiting. --- Despatches were sent from the Colonial•ofce on Sa turday to the Governor of Gibraltar and to the Go vernors of the West India Islands. DEPARTURE Off THE DUCHESS AND PRINCESS MARY OF CAMBRIDGE. DOVER, SUNDAY. Her 1. 1 .0yal Highness th e Duchess of Cambridge and her R'Jyal Highness the Princess Mary of Cambridge, attP,nded by Baron Knesebeck, arrived here last evening from London, shortly after seven o'clock, and were re ceived at the station by Colonel Streatfield, the com mandant ; Captain M'llwaine, Admiralty superinten dent ; Captain Smithett, of the Royal and Imperial mail service, and a numerous assemblage. The obliging superintendent of the railway had made every prepara tion for the comfort and convenience of the distinguished passengers. A guard of honour, composed of the 79th Highlanders, under command of Colonel Douglas, received the royal party, with band playing and colours flying, at the en trance to the station, and a royal salute was fired from the heights. Their Royal Highnesses were conducted down the Admiralty pier by Colonel Streatfield and Captain M'llwaine, and were received on board the Imperial mail steam-packet l'lmperatrice (specially ordered for the occasion), by Mr. Churchward, the managing di rector of the service, and Captain J en ki ns , th e superin tendent. The Duchess and the Princess immediately took possession of the handsome little deok side cabins that had been fitted for their Royal Highnesses, and then, under the careful convoy of Captain Smithett, the steam-vessel proceeded on her swift passage to Calais, whence the royal party proceeded this day to Colotfne. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, attended by Major Clifton, left town on, Saturday morning for Aldershot, to review the several regiments stationed at the camp. His Royal Highness returned to town late the same evening. On Friday last Princess Anna of Saxony, the fourth daughter of the King of Saxony, was betrothed at Pill nitz to the hereditary Grand Duke of Tuscany. The Queen Dowager and royal family of Oude, with their 100 attendants, are expected at Southampton to morrow. Apartments have been taken for them at White's Royal Hotel, in that town. The only sedan chair in the town has been engaged for the purpose of conveying the Dowager Queen from the docks to the hotel, in order that she may be concealed from the pub lie gaze, in accordance with the Oriental castoeas. The hotel is about a mile from the docks. Mr. Baron Bramwell has been on a visit to Lord Brougham, at Brongharts-hall. M. Kossuth and his family are residing at Ventnor, at the back of the Isle of Wight. Mr. Labouchere will roost probably be the Secretary of State in attendance upon her Majesty on her visit to Scotland. Lord John Russell and family arrived at Vevay on the 12th inst. His lordship will return to England, to , attend to his Parliamentary duties, in all probability before the close of February—certainly before Easter. Amongst the guests of the Earl of Lansdale, at Low ther Castle, are Lord Malmesbury, Lord Ranelagh; Captain Lowther, M.P., and Mrs. Lowther, Rev. H. Lowther, and Misses Lowther, Colonel Knox, and Mr. Johnson. Earl Stanhope is at Chevening Park, Sevenoaks, sur rounded by a distingui s h e d c i rc l e , i nc l u d ing Lord Stan ley, Right Hon. E. and Mrs. Cardwell, Sir Percival and Lady Dyke, of Lullington-park, Sir E. and Lady Ker rison, Sir George and Lady Cornewall Lewis, the Hon. . A. Barrington, &c. The Bishop of Norwich has collated the Rev. Robert Collyer, M.A., rector of Warhams, to an honorary ca. nonry in Norwich Cathedral. The Postrna-tar•General has given notice that a ship wait be made up for the Cape of Good Hope, to be sent out by the Pioneer steamer, which is advertised to sail on the 25th inst. C. R. M. Talbot, Esq., the lord lieutenant of the county of Cardiff, has presented the sum of 200/. is the fund for the relief of those who have suffered from the recent explosion at Cyrnmer. NORTH AND SOUTH WALES BANKING COMPANY.— At the annual meeting of the North and South Wales Banking Company, held at Liverpool, a dividend of 6 per cent, per annum was declared. DEATH Or Mn. RAMMELL, C.E.—This gentleman, who was the designer of the works of drainage and water supply in this town, suddenly met his dHath a short tame since while on an Eastern tour. He was thirty four years of age.—Dover Chronicle. EASTERN COUNTIES RAILWAY.—A committee has been formed for securing the election of thijolion. E. T. Yorke, M.P., as chairman in the room of Mr. D. Wad dington, M.P., who has announced his intention to re• tire after the next haif-yeat ly meeting on the 29th inst. HAITI TERMINATION TO A LAWSUIT.—The parties who appearid in the c-sac of breach of promise of mar riago, at the recent Wilt; Assizes (Sarah Powney, of BrJrnhan, v. David B•ians, of Liverp) , ii), were married Bromham Church, by the Rev. E. Edgell, on Satur day mernin. The following programme of Madame Ristori's pro jects has been communicated to her friends. She pro pose, to be at Atnsterda n in September ; in Dresden, October 10 ; Berlin, October 20 ; Warsaw, November 1 ; Pesth, Nov. 12 ; Naples, from Jan. 10 to 30, 1857 ; Paris, in April and May, 1857; and in London in June, 1857. The Government Emigration Commissioners have chartered the Marion to take out emigrants from Ply. mouth to Adelaide on the 29th proximo ; the Escort, to take out emigrants from Southampton to Melbourne, on the 22d proximo ; and the Balnagueth, to take emi grants from Southampton to Belfast, Port Fairy, on the 29th proximo. SITTINGS OF THE INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT.—The court will sit on Wednesday, the 27th inst., for bail cases and motions. By this notice parties in custody will be enabled to obtain their liberation until the hearing in September. The commissioners are not required by the act, but appoint bail days to accommodate insolvents who can procure bail. THE BATH WATERS AND THE CRIMEAN SOLDIERS.— The medical authorities of the army have advised that a large number of invalid Crimea❑ soldiers should be sent to Bath for the benefit of the mineral waters of that city. Accommodation is required for 150 men, and on Friday a gentleman sent down by the Government, ac companied by Mr. W. Bush, the Mayor of Bath, in spected various buildings with a view to the selection of one adapted to the required purpose. MONSTER BLAST.—On Wednesday evening, about five, o'clock, a monster blast took place at the Trow Rocks, South Shields. The contractors for the piers had made a large chamber, into which they had put 7 cwt. of pow der, and the train being laid, it was fired by James Mather, Esq., one of the commissioners. The explosion, which was witnessed by a great number of persons, was magnificent, and it was estimated about 5,000 tons of rocks were dislodged. It will be immediately removed for the core of the south pier.—Newcastle Chronicle. THE AMERICAN AND AUSTRALIAN MAILS. —LIVER POOL, Aug. 16.—The Royal mail steamship Niagara, Captain Leitch, left this port to-day for Bost m, with 152 passengers, besides a large cargo and the usual mail. On ilonilay, the clipper ship White Star, belonging to Messrs. Pilkington and Wilson, goes into the river, and w;11 take her departure hence for Melbourne on Wed nesday, with the mails, a large cargo, and 200 passen zers, including Mr. Lurmour, manager of the New Eurepaan and Australian Mail Stearn-ship Company, and family. The Marco Polo will sail on the sth of September. THE SILK TRADE.—The Salut Paslic of Lyons says : " The high price of silk at present reacts in a certain degree on the activity of the manufactories of Lyons and St. Etianne, which the souvenirs of the Universal Exhi bition at first favoured with a large increase of employ ment. The deficit in the production of silk has been general. Landed property in France losses millions by it, and in order to avoid a recurrence of the calamity, the producers have already sent to procure silkworms from the most distant countries. Several persons have left for Brousea, in Syria, which is famed for its breed, and others have gone on a similar errand to China. By means of the rapid communications established by steam a reply may be received in less than three months. LATEST NEWS. MARSEILLES, AUG. 11. Despatches have arrived at Constantinople, dated August 7. The Montenegrins are menacing several dis tricts, and Kurchid Pacha has asked for rein- forcements. In a fight at Podgoriza some mosques and churches have been destroyed. The revolt of the province of Van has been suppressed. The internuncio of Austria has given a fete to Admiral Lyons. PRANCE. PARIS, SUNDAY EVENING. The following telegraphic despatches were re ceived at Paris on Saturday, the 16th inst. : " TRIESTE, 14th.—Accounts from Constantinople of the Bth announce the departure of Prince Kalimaki for Vienna, and the arrival of M. Richtoffen." "BERLIN, 15th.—General Wrangel has been named Field-Marshal -General on the occasion of the 60th anni versary of his entering the service. The French resi dents celebrated to-day the fete St. Napoleon by a grand service performed at the church of St. Hedwige. Russia has engaged a considerable number of German work- 1 men for the rebuilding of Sebastopol." " RIEL, 14th.—Gen. de Krogh, commandant of Hol stein Lauenburg, has had an attack of apoplexy, from which it is feared he will not recover." " MADRID 14th.—M. Coello i s name d Mi n i s t er a t Constantinople. The resignation of M . Montesinos has been accepted. The Ministry has decided on receiving men of all opinions compatible with the monarchical constitutional system, but rejects all joint responsibility with former administrations. The circular addressed by the Minister of the Interior, Rios y Rosas, to the governors of provinces is considered satisfactory and enlightened." "TURIN, 14th.—The Official Gazette announces the nomination of the Chevalier Bondi as Sardinian com missioner for the regulation of the question relative to the Danubian Principalities. The Chevalier will leave on Tuesday next for Constantinople. The Austrian gar rison at Placentia continues to receive fresh reinforce. ments." Telegraphic despatches received to-day in Paris concur in stating that the Emperor's fete was cele brated in all the chief towns of the departments with the greatest cordiality, and that public order remained everywhere undisturbed. " One of the last arrivals in Paris," says a letter from that capital, in the Presse Beige, "is Baron de Seebach, minister of Saxony in France, on his return from an excursion to St. Petersburg. This gentleman, it may be remembered, is son-in-law of Count de Nesselrode. He is charged non-offi cially by the Emperor Alexander with the moat friendly assurance towards the government of the Tuileries. M. de Seebach has declared at St. Cloud that Russia has the firm intention of ful filling all her obligations, and that she intends evincing the greatest conciliation in arranging any difficulties of detail that may arise between her and the powers which were parties to the treaty of Paris. If it be borne in mind that it was to the intervention of M. de Seebach that were due the first arrangements which afterwards led to the end of the war this proceeding on his part must be considered exceedingly re-assuring." The same letter adds :—" Prince Pierre Bonaparte who has been in Paris for some days is spoken of as a likely person to be elected by the European commission and accepted by the Porte as chief of the govern ment of the two Danubian provinces united." The heat at Paris, says the Akhbar of Algiers of the 10th, appears to be more oppressive than here. Whilst on certain clays the thermometer marked in the French capital 32 and 34 degrees Centi grade (90 50 and 93 Fahrenheit), we have not had more than 25 and 26, and yet we are at the very hottest period of the year in Algeria. If the Parisians continue to suffer so much from the heat we recommend them to pay a visit' to this city, and enjoy our superior climate. The Debate contains the following sensible reflec tion on the probable policy of Russia in the East : " The preponderance of Russia in the East was de rived not only from her power, but also from her sym• pathy with the Christian population. Russia proclaimed this sympathy with ostentation, being well aware of the strength it gave her. It is by this sentiment that she hopes to recover her preponderance, and this may ex plain the choice of her representative at Constantinople having fallen on one of her most skilful and conciliatory diplomatists, M. de Bantenieff. This diplomatist, who has already represented his Sovereign at Constantinople, possesses considerable ability, with an amiable though firm character. He is the nun for delicate and difficult circumstances, for mild and progressive measures. When it becomes necessary to hasten an affair, and conclude it with the risk of spoiling all, Russia despatches Prince Menechikoff; but when it is sought to regain by honest and judicious skill a position whic'i bas bee❑ co:I:- promised or lost by violence, then Russia sends M. de Boutenieff. In the latter, Russia despatches to the Christian population of the East an intelligent and mode rate protector. Will Europe permit this skilful mediator to reconstruct in the East the preponderance of Russia ? Let not our intentions be misconstrued. We are ani mated with no instincts of hatred or mistrust towards Russia, and we acknowledge that she has the legit mate right of endeavouring to recover in the East a little of the power which she has lost. Moreover, it is necessary for the equilibrium of Europe that Russia should possess her proportion of influence in the East. It is no longer a question of taking up arms, and accepting the warlike challengethrowndown by Russia to Europe in the person of Prince Menschikoff. But it is necessary to prevent Russia from representing herself as the only sincere and affectionate protector of Christians in the East. It is ne cessary for Western Europe to adopt the honourable and peaceful role played by Russia, and which she seeks to re• cover, and to continue during peace the policy adopted by it in time of war. By so doing, the Christians of the East will understand that the sympathy manifested for them by the allies during the war was not a strategicsl measure, nor a diversion made against Russia, but a stable and benefcial policy. -In England, one of the partisans, we may add, one of the authors of this gene rous policy towards Eastern Christianity, is Lord Strat ford de Redciiffo, English Ambassador at Constantinople. No British statQsman has better comprehended than he the necessity of improving the position of the Christians in the East. Ile has wished to ameliorate that condi- tion, because he has well perceived that all those who are oppressed are the secret allies of Russia • and that the surest and most honourable way of weakening Rus sian preponderance is to prevent the Turks from or pressior, the Christians. We even remember a cir cular, addressed by Lord de Redcliffe to the Engh.,:h c-nquls in the East, in which he did not hesitate t charge them to watch everywhere the Turkish ad minis. tration. In the West this would be a bold and com promising measure, whilst in the East it is a simple and necessary •ne. We feel convinced that this measure has not c ased to be necessary ; but that, on the con trary, it has boome more than ever indispensable. The hst, method of protecting the East from Russian influ ence is to ameliorate and watch over the destiny of the Christians." BOURSE - , Aig. 16.—The following were the las quotations : _ Cash. ft. s. ii per Cents 95 10 3 per Cents ...... End of Month. —f. —a. 71 lo Vew Loan 70 95 Bank 5hare5......... 4,150 Credit Mobilier 1,635 Austrian Belgian Fives. Spanish Threes Piedmontese(s) 9O 50 Home Debt RAILWAYS—VCR CASH. . . fr. , c. Fr. c Orleans ........, 1,430 Western 970 Vorthem ...... 1,063 75 Strasburg Lyons ....... 1,437 50 New Ditto Aeelitprrartean, 1,827 50 Grand Central Lyons Geneva Bl3 75 T as t e ...••• •• Cette ....... 812 50 Austrian Com. 897 50 TURKEY. CONSTANTIN' OPLE , Aug. 7.—A partial change in the Ministry is t a lk e d of. The late Kaimakan Mehe met Kepresli, now President of the Tanzimat, is finally appointed as Extraordinary Ambassador to Russia for the coronation of the Emperor. His appointment is, however, only conditional ; it depends, namely, on whether the Russians will send by an Extraordinary Ambassador a notifica tion of the accession of the Emperor Alexander or not. The Ministry wanted to waive this point, and to send an Extraordinary Am bassador on the simple hint which Prince Gortschakoff gave to Aali Pasha at Vienna, that such an. Ambassador would be received with plea sure by the Emperor; but the Sultan will not agree to this, and will not consent that an Extra ordinary Ambassador of his should go to the coro nation of the Emperor without the notification being made to him, as to every one of his Allies of his accession by a Special Ambassador. As ordinary Ambassador to Russia Namik Pacha, now Governor of Broussa and formerly sent toEngland for the first l oan during the war, is mentioned. , v PRUSSIA. BERLIN, Aug. 16.—The Dresden Journal states that Baton Seebach, the Saxon Minister in Paris, has just arrived in the Saxon capital, and is about to proceed to Moscow. The nomination of a repro.- sentative for the Crown of Saxony at the eleventh hour excites a little surprise in certain circles, while in others the choice of representative that has been made is taken to confirm the belief that has been entertainedi there for some time that the Emperor Louis Napoleon is still endea vouring, through the intermediation of the re presentative of Sazony a to bring about a meeting A. ti 6 ti' ST isf i 8 r; ,7- With the Emperor of Russia. The private mis sion of the Batof4 to Bt. retefsbutg previous to the conclusion of peace is rt•ferred to riot? As first link in a chain of private overtures that is to end in an intimate and confidential relati on be tWecn t*o Eittiorcia. The Vossische Zeitung andithe IfolnischeZeitu4 contain the announcement that the Emperor of Austria had ordered the immediate mobiliastion of the whole army, and the troops are being moved on Galicia and Italy. HAMBURG. HAMBURG, AUG, 14. A difficulty has arisen among the directors of the Groat North of Germany Banking Company of our city, not how they can manage to raise the needful capital to carry out their scheme, but, from among the extremely numerous applicants for shares, how they shall make the selection of tem porary proprietors of such shares so as to render to each applicant even the smallest allotment. This will be no easy matter for them to accomplish, so as to avoid giving the " cold shoulder" to some of their very best friends even ; for the fair division of 40,000 shares among applicants who have, in reality, demanded to the extent of 40,000,000 shares, with a capital subscribed to the enormous amount of 2,000 millions of marks banco, will vastly puzzle them. We must wait patiently the result of their determination in this respect, but certain it is, that subscriptions to the amount of 2,000 millions have been received by the directors, on which the deposit of 10 per cent. is paid into their hands, and security given in most instances for as many more instalments as may be required to be paid up. SPAIN. The Madrid journals of the 12th are a good deal occupied with the excessive dearness of food, and it was reported that the government intended to import 100,000 bushels of wheat by the ports of Santander and Alicante, for sale in Madrid, so as to force the holders of corn to sell, and to cause a reduction of price. The quantity in question would be sufficient for more than a month's consumption of the capital. The Epoca gives a list of the jour nals of the principal provincial towns which have declared in favour of the existing government. The Marquis de Turgot, French ambassador, who was about to leave for Paris, intended to remain absent until the month of October. The Duke de la Victoria, accompanied only by a general, whose name is not ascertained, and an aide-de-camp, bad arrived at Logrono. M. Montesinos, the Duke's nephew, had resigned the post of director in the department of public works. A letter coming from a quarter favourable to the government says : " M. Gonzalez de la Vega, M. Asensio, M. Sagasta, progressists, and 'other gentlemen of their opinion, are about to leave for Paris. It is said that a great political junta is to be established in France, under the presidency of M. Olozaga, to decide on the policy to be followed by the vanquished parties. The conduct of well-intentioned progressists is, however, not doubtful to any one • thv major part of them think that if Marsh a l O'Donnell follows a liberal line, opposing equally extreme parties, he ought to be supported at every cost. Several pro gressists have been admitted to places in the Mini stry of the Interior—a proof of the conciliatory tendencies of the Cabinet. The Cabinet does not allow itself to be influenced by the moderados who desire to see it do away with the National Guard without waiting for a resolution of the Cortes, to promulgate the Constitution of 1845, and in all cases to adopt the plans of the moderados." AMERICA. ARRIVAL OF THE ERICSSON. LIVERPOOL, AUG. 17. The United States' mail steam-ship Ericsson, Captain Lowber, which left New York on the 2d inst., has arrived. She has brought 20 passengers, but no specie. Her dates have been anticipated. A letter from Galatz, in the Kronstadt Gazette, says :—" The ex-Prince of Servia, Milosch Obreno witch, who arrived here from St. Petersburg, has started fur Bucharest. Iskender Pacha (Count Illinski) has also arrived here, and will leave shortly for Constantinople. The relations between Galatz, Constantinople, and Odessa are very animated. The Lloyd's steamers, the Messageries boats, and Turkish steamers ply between Galatz and Constan tinople, whilst the Austrian steamer Metternich runs between Galatz and Odessa." The Zeit of Berlin contains the following : " It has been already stated that the Empress- Dowager of Russia has been named chief of the 6th regiment of Cuirassiers. When the officers of that regiment were presented to her Majesty on the Bth at Sans-Souci, the Empress wore a cos tume which to a certain degree resembled the uni form of the regiment. With the exception of the Queen no lady has ever received such a command in Prussia." The Journal de St. Petersbourg says :—" On Sunday, the 20th July, Lieutenant-General Count Broglia de Casalborgone, envoy extraordinary and mini-tar plenipotentiary of the King of Sardinia to the C girt of Russia, was received by the Emperor Alexander and presented his credentials. Count Broglia was subsequently presented to tho Em press and to the Grand Duke Nicholas " The King of Prussia returned on the 13th to Berlin from Stettin, whither he had accompanied the Empress-Dowager of Russia. THE CHILD WITH Two MOTEIERS.—A strange dispute "requiring the judgment of a Solomon") as to the ma ernity of a child is related by the Durham Chronicle. A. young woman came before the magistrates to make a complaint. Her counsel stated that she had formerly been an unfortunate girl, and in the month of Decem ber, 1852, she became enceinte. She entered the Sun der:and workhouse to be cmfined, where she gave birth to a fine, healthy female child. Mrs. Davison, who was acquainted with he', called to see her at the workhouse. Mrs. Davison then appeared as if in a state of pregnancy, caused, as it afterwards turned out, by pillews and padding having been placed about her person. Mrs. Davison then stated to the young girl that. she lived unhappily with her husbane, owing to her not having any children, and be frequently heat her for no other reason. She asked the girl if she would let her have the child, which was then about a week old, and she would bring it carefully up, and also make her hu-band believe that she had been delivered of it in his absence. She would consider it a particular favour, as it would cause her to live more comfortably with her husband. The chill, she said, could be seen by the enr tiler whenever she thought proper to visit it. To this proposition the girl agreed, and gam Mr-•. Davison the child. Mr. Davison returned home, and was quite d:1 ghted with the "little stranger." Fir a time all went smoethly on ; the mother frequently saw the child, which was treated with every kindness. Ultimately, however, the young mother got married to a ship NI ight (Fenwick), who, when he learnt the story, expressed a great desire to have the child brought home, Mrs. Davison, after the mother's marriae, refused to allow her to see the child, and, therefore, on Friday last Mrs. Fenwick went to Mrs. Davison's house, and during her temporary absence ran off with the child. When Mrs. Davison returned she was greatly alarmed at her loss, and went to Mrs. Fenwick's house and took away the child. The mother, being deter mined not to be out& ne, went again to the other woman's house and stole the child a second time. She was afterwards folowed by sirs. Davison and her bus band, who claimed the child but this time the mother had the child safe. From violent words they came to blows ; Mr. Davison gave Mrs. Fun wick a severe beat ing ; the parties had several battles during the day about this mysterious child, and at length the police were called in, and both parties were taken to the police sta tion. Mrs. Fen wick who bad the child in her arms, stoutly maintained that she gave birth to it in 1853. Mrs. Davidson as stoutly asserted that she gave birth to the child in 1852, and that the child was now four years of age. Mrs. Fen wick declared that this state ment was entirely false. The ladies looked daggers at each other, and exchanged strange complirreats. The chill had a strong resemblance to Mrs. Fenwick, was respectably dressed, and had a healthy appearance. The magistrates ra d that it was quite impossible to decide who was the mother of the child, and therefore they advised Mrs. Davison to allow Airs. Fenwick to keep the child, and not to interfere with her in future. This singular case was then disrnis red, and Mrs. Fenwick walked of in triumph with the chid. BA.NQUET TO THE HON. BARRINGTON PELLEw.—The Honourable Captain Pellew, of the second battalion of Rifles, having returned from the Crimea to the resi dence of his mother, the Dowager Lady Exmouth, at Canonheign, Devorshire, the inhabitants gave him a he irty welcome, and invited him to a banquet, which was held on Thursday last. Mr. Lauer 09 V. Pa k, M.P., presided, aed, in proposing the health of the gallant captain, alluded to the achievements of his grandfather, Lord Exmouth, who, when told to attack stone walls, thought not of his sbi 3s, and who, when he was ordered to attack ale of the greatest arsenals of the world, placed his veoooen ships against stone walls, and there nailed his colours to the mast. His name was Pellaw, and not Napier. (Crieeree) They were met there to day to congratulate another Pellew on his safe return, and to hail him as one of the heroes of the Crimean war. The toast was drunk with enthusiasm. The gallant captain briefly re sponded, expressing the pleasure he felt at having been mercifully spared to return to his friends and neighb mre, after a somewhat tedious and dangerous abserce. In alluding to the attack on the Redan, in which he took part, the gallant Captain said that in that unfortuwite but glorious attack he had seen very old soldiers—vete rans who had bsen through tle R h ale Crimean came Paign, and who had never swerved under the most trying emergencies of war--return from the attack with tears in their eyes, and their invariable question was, "What will they say in England ?" Many of them, however, had lived to hear how generously and fairly the people of England had estimated their conduct. - (Cheers.) ixrEAATVRE The OVinian in, Norway ; or, Notes of EZe'urs;ions hi, that Country in, 1854-55. By the li3v. Frederleir Motcalfe, M.A. Two Vols. Hurst and Blackett. The author avers in the prefacie3 that " profound clisquisitiotirt rsnd logical trains of argument were quite beside his puttpose," His object was to con vey a notion of the maririOn and customs of the people of Norway from the publication of these notes, 'which were originally intended rather for private than public perusal. In this endenratir he has succeeded, as they present an amusing subject of study to those who are desirous of gleaning in formation concerning foreign lands. The igno rance of some of the inhabitants is astonishing. An Englishman was fly-fishing in a stream near Ber gen, the novelty of the proceeding attracted uni versal attention, and actually arrested the progress of a funeral procession, the mourners halting to behold the singular sport. It is remarked that there are hardly any architectural remains in Nor way ; this fact is to be accounted for from the pre valence of wood as the material employed in build ing. The ancient Norskmen preferred it from its cheapness and adaptability, and their descendants preserve the custom. As may be supposed their labours do not long survive, and nothing is left to "set agoin , the fancies of the poet, or whet the ap petite of the antiquary." A custom prevails which is inconvenient to travellers, of abstaining from meat during the summer months, which they con sider only suitable for winter consumption. The grandest scenery in Norway is in Gudvangen. The .eelfoss is a fall of two thousand feet ; yet it is observed few came to visit here—" where one John Bull is seen in these parts, their name is legion on the Rhino." On one occasion the travellers met with a ludicrous adventure. They beheld what they supposed must be the sea-serpent of famous memory, but on minutely examining it with a telescope the writer of these pages proved it to be " half-a-dozen porpoises close to each other, whose resplendent backs, as they went up and down, I had mistaken for the connected whole of one tremen dous snake." There is nothing more peculiar than the way in which those of the State Church bury their dead, it being considered unnecessary for the clergyman to officiate beyond saying a few words, " Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return." If he is not near at the time of interment the friends conduct the ceremony themselves, leaving an aperture in the grave into which, when the priest returns, he may pour some mould, which is supposed always to reach the coffin. There is an extraordinary deficiency in the science of Natural History in Norway. Every species of flat fish goes by the name of " flynder," every species of birsl with a long bill is called " schneppe.' Even when other words exist in their dictionary, the well-educated are ignorant of their applicability. In the course of their wanderings the travellers were invited to join in some marriage feast that was being celebrated as they passed. A description is given of the various ceremonies that took place great attention is paid to the food on these oc casions, yet it is observed the result produced nothing palatable. An account of a Norwegian Church going is interesting, detailing the difference that subsisted between the congregation, some being Norwegian bonders, and others Laps or Fins. The blue eyes and fair hair of the descendants of the Vikings contrasted strangely with the inferior race with their deep set orbs and elf locks. A great variety of information is afforded of the dif ferent modes of life observable in this country, to gether with a vast store of anecdote, tradition, and events, which combine to render attractive the record here presented to notice of Norwegian travels. It forms an agreeable addition to the works of the class that have previously appeared, and which will always be welcomed so long as interest is ex cited regarding other countries. The Political Life of the Right Hon. Sir Robert Peel. By Thomas Doubleday, author of the "Financial History of England," &c. 2 vols. Smith and Elder. The author has called this work "an analytical biography," because not contenting himself with recounting events as they appeared on the surface, he has endeavoured to examine and to analyse the causes which produced them. The calm and tem perate tone of his preface, in which he declares himself to have reached a period when he has ceased to entertain the feelings of a partisan for any par ticular line of policy, prepossesses the reader at the outset. No quality is at once so rare and so in valuable in the biographer of a great public cha racter as a strict impartiality, and this quality is the more difficult to find, and the more highly to be praised when the subject of the memoirs has so recently gone from among us, and when the shadow of his power and his influence has hardly passed away. The temperate and impartial man ner in which these volumes are written may there fore be considered as their first merit, while their completeness as a political biography render them exceedingly useful as a work of reference. They extend from 1809, when the future Premier en tered the House of Commons, to the day of his lamented death. The work has a se vere ordeal to undergo in the almost simul taneous publication of the great statesman's own memoirs ; but they are so entirely different that those who have perused the more important work may still find the other of service. It will be seen, therefore, that it is not a mere chronological catalogue of facts, but an earnest and straightfor ward inquiry into the chief social questions of the last fifty years. The author is one not unskilled in political literature, having already produced works on Population, Finance, and Moral Govern ment. The arduous and responsible task he has now undertaken demands, however, a greater de gree of penetration and right judgment, and of this he seems to be conscious. To errors in j udg ment, he himself says, all writers must be liable ; but from those of prejudice the cold touch of time should free us. From this class of errors he appears to be entirely free ; and this, wo think, most readers will readily allow, even while differing, as many must do, from his political opinions. On these we shall not enter, but commend the volumes to the , public as a careful and impartial narrative of those great political events that are still fresh in the memory of the present day. Jaufry the Knight, an,:t the fair .Dranissonde. A Tale of the Times of King Arthur. Translated from the French version of Mary Lafon, by Alfred Elwes. Addey and Co., Henrietta stree t. The original romance from which this is taken is a poem, and although before it meets our view in its present form it has been twice subjected to a prose translation, it has certainly much vigour and freshness still pervading it. In the preface, to the French version, it is observed that this poem is a fair criterion of what the troubadours of the twelfth and thirteenth century could produce " Feudal society revives therein entire, and such is the interest of the tale that we allow ourselves to be carried away by it with as much pleasure as our ancestors must have felt, when it was told to the sounds of the minstrel's viol in the great castle hall, or beneath the shadow of the tent." b This re mance, though it is styled a flower of F renc h gen i us , and first composed in.the Provencal tongue, is Eng lish in its - heroes, scenery, and events. The town o f Carlisle is the general rendezvous, where King Arthur holds his court, and to which place th e knight o f matchless valou r , w h ose d ee d s o f hi gh emprise ar e here celebrated, send the trophies of his success, and the spoils of his hard-won victories. Romance has never owned a brighter star to en hance its lustre than this monarch of early Britain, whose records, though lost in the twilight of fable, outshine by far the fame of those who have a fixed and decided• clue to their history. Jaufry, the hero of this tale, was a worthy example to chroni cle, of that band of mighty men whose renown has been vouched for, in tradition, legend, tale, and song, wherever troubadours have been welcomed, or poets found a hearing. Sir Walter Scott, in the "Bridal of Triermain," has devoted himself to their laudation, and iu the account of their forma tion lie says— " Oh, minstrels ! when the table round Arose with all its warriors crowned, There was a theme for bards to sound In triumph to their string." It is not likely that any of this charmed circle at tained better success than he who is here made mention of. All the attributes of romance are round his path and attend his steps—giants, dwarfs, tortures, enchanted castles, and fair maidens of transcendent loveliness. He rescued the oppressed, attacked the strongest, penetrated to the most dangerous places, and attempted the most difficult tasks. His ventures, though hazard ous, were always crowned with triumph ; and those who would recall their early days of marvel lous stories, or renew their acquaintance with the mystical and romantic, cannot do better than peruse this record of the wonders of the olden tune. The engravings which illustrate the pro gress of the knight render the events more intelli oible and add to the general effect produced. Moore's Poems. Longman. Three exquisite little volumes are here presented to the public —one containing " Songs, Ballads, and Sacred Songs," another "Lally llookh," and the third " Irish Melodies." It must be agreeable to many to be able thus to obtain in so concise a form any portion of the works of so favourite a poet. From the small size of the volumes they Can be easily conveyed about in travelling, 4Vra 9r taken up for perusal when a work in a larger form► might not be convenient. From the elegance of their appearance they are peculiarly adapted for presents, and rendered eligible to form an orna rtiont to a drawiLig-room or library. It would be well if similar editions of other poets were brought out in a correspondizig manner. _Nichol's Series of the Poets, J. Nichol, Edinburgh. The works which have recently been issued in this excellent series are calculated to add greatly to their reputation and success. Those who can obtain the poems of Pope and Burns in a library edition of large size and unusually clear type for three and sixpence a volume may esteem them solves fortunate. The works of Pope are already c ompleted ; those of Burns will occupy three vo lumes. The yearly subscription is a guinea, for which the subscriber receives six volumes. Among those already published are Thomson, Butler, Gold smith, Beattie, and many others. Some of equal celebrity are promised. To namny readers the introductory life by Gilfillan will ,not always be a recommendation, owing to his peculiar opinions; but at least it furnishes the uninitiated with an outline of the poet's career, and in ; general it occupies but a small part of the volume. Great praise is due to Mr. Nichol for the judicious and efficient manner in which he has conducted the series. WESTMINSTER BRIDGE. Having now had more than enough of scientific opf , - aions and technical talk with regard to Westminster. bridge, suppose that we indulge in a little common sense and plain English. Amid questions raised, calculations made, objections urged, and explanations offered, the point at issue is almost forgotten. The entire history of the London bridges has been recapitulated, and all the future necessities of our traffic across the river have been canvassed, as if there was not a bridge in existence, and the banks were "all before us where to choose." In addition to these irrelevant discussionse, we are as sailed with the opinions of engineers against which there would be no appeal, were they not so conflicting as in the total result to be quite nugatory. In the midst of this hubbub of idle talk and profesSlional jangling it is overlooked that the question lies in a nutshell, and that there is an absolute necessity of an. immediate decision. If the case is only stated fairly and clearly, we are convinced that unprejudiced mieede will have no difficulty in dealing with it. The present bridge at Westminster is not only dila pidated and unsafe, but it is far too narrow for the• traffic that passes over it, and which renders it second only to London-bridge in importance. In planning a substitute, therefore, it was necessary to provide, first of all, that the traffic, already too much clogged, should be in nowise further interrupted, and, next, that the new bridge should be erected with the utmost possible rapi dity. The recognition of these objects entailed as a re salt that Westminster-bridge should never be closed. Toe narrow as it is, the inconvenience of closing it alto gether would have bean intolerable for however short a period. The new bridge, therefore, on the site of the. existing one, was to double its width, the addition being entirely on one side (the Chelsea side), with a view to the completion of that half before the removal of the rickety old structure, while on that being removed, the other side was to be built on the same principle. In this way it was contemplated that there would be no suspension of traffic, that the works would be very rapidly com pleted, and that there would then be a most ample thoroughfare, with magnificent approaches on either side of the river. To adapt the bridge to the exigencies of such a scheme, and to insure greater rapidity of con struction, it was deemed essential to make use of iron, in the manipulation of which material the most remark able improvements have recently been made. Iron is destined to assume a most important place in architec ture, and with regard to bridges especially, surely, after that tubular bridge which is the marvel of the world, the use of anything but iron in these structures is an anachronism. But, however this be, it must be pal pable that only by the adoption of this material could the objects which were contemplated be attained. The plans were most carefully considered, and were con ceived with reference nut only to the difficulties of construction, but also to the architectural necessities of the neighbourhood. All was arranged, the contracts were made, the work was begun, and one-half of the bridge should soon have been ready. Scarcely, however, had 50,000/. been spent on it, and well spent, as the committee sap, when the contractor failed, and the works came to a standstill. It seems to us that on such an occurrence taking place the obvious course would have been to put up the remainder of the contract to public competition, and to get on with the building as fast as possible. Instead of this, however, a new whim strikes some people in power, and, to the stultification of all previous discussions and aims, to the sacrifice of everything that had been so far accomplished, and to the perpetuation of the public incon venience for an indefinite period the project of a new bridge at a new point is started, while all this time the works are stopped, the rotten old bridge is becoming more and more incapable every day, and the traffic is continually increasing. Observe the absurdity of the whole proceeding. The proposal is to build a new bridge between the Horseferry and Lambeth Palace. This will occupy five years, and then, at the end of that period, we are invited to shut up Westminster-bridge and rebuild it on a principle that quite ignores the works now in progress, this reconstruction being calculated to occupy five years more. So that we are not to have a new bridge at Westminster for ten years, during five of which the communication is to be entirely stopped, save by a circuitous route that leads up beyond the Archbishop's Palace on the one side, and almost to the Penitentiary on the other. The Chief Commissioner of Works would preserve to us this nuisance of the present bridge in all its decrepitude for five years longer, and after that shut it up for five more. There is something sublime in the audacity of such a proposal, and all that we care to say is—the thing is impossible. As if aware that the scheme would not be listened to for one moment, and as if to coax the public into ulti mate acquiescence, Messrs. Rendell and Simpson, who are the advisers of the Government in this matter, sug gest that there might be a temporary bridge erected at the Horseferry in the meantime, and that Westminster bridge might be pulled down at once, its substitute to be ready five years hence. Neither will this do. Five years is a long period —a period in which a tradesman's fortune may be made or marred ; and, while it would be a hardship in any case for those who live in the neighbourhood that the bridge should be closed for so great a length of time, it is doubly a hardship seeing that the Government of their own free will have given a guarantee to the public that there would be no iiiterference with the communication. We therefore entirely sympathise in the disgust of the inhabitants of Lambeth, who are now remons t ra ti ng aga i ns t th e injustice with which they in particular are treated, the indifference with which the requirements of the public in general have been considered, the prodigality with which vast sums of money are proposed to be squan dsred, and the imbecility with which the Government drifts from plan to plan without knowing why or where fore, notwithstanding volumes of evidence. If it is possible to improve the present plans, let them be im proved ; but we beg to repeat that Westminster-bridge inust be rebuilt without any delay and without inter. ruption of traffic. According to the original plans there would be no such interruption, and were the works to proceed at once, one side would be opened in a year and a half. Messrs. Rendell and Simpson, however, declare that they cannot proceed because the foundations are unsafe, and the permanency of the new bridge would be endangered. In ordinary cir cumstances, it would he presumption on our part to say one word in opposition to a professional opinion of this kind. We must observe, however, on the present occa sion, that not only do doctors disagree, and necessarily therefore it is for the public to decide between them, but the statements of Messrs. Rendell and Simpson are so strong that it is really out of the question for us to accept them implicitly. They declare that it is impose sible to build a durable bridge across the Thames on " any plan which does not comprise solid stone piers, and abutments, carried down deep into the London clay." They declare further that, even if it were possible to erect a bridge on ouch foundations as have been selected for the one at Westminster—namely, piles and concrete in a❑ immense cast-iron casing—it would be impossible to do so without the aid of cofferdams. Now, we are accustomed to scepticism of this kind. These statements are so strong that they remind us of nothing so much as the scoffs with which the idea of steaming across the Atlan tic was first greeted, or the incredulity with which the idea of the Britannia-bridge was first received. Per manency, after, all, is a comparative term, and, rigidly speaki❑g, no bridge across the Thames can remain long without some signs of decay. We cannot expect per fection ; we are not going to build bridges on which the New Zealander of Mr. Macaulay is to stand, but also savages in epochs incalculably more remote, to gaze upon the debris that we have left. It is enough if the bridge presents a reasonable prospect of permanence, and we really do not see that stones are the only things that will hold together in masses in a river. There is a prima facie case in favour of masses of iron rivetted together, which it will require more evidence than we Lave yet seen to disturb.—Times. THE CRYSTAL PALACE. The whole system of waterworks at the Crystal Palace was again displayed on Saturday. The weather was upon the whole favourable, though not all that could be wished, there being a little too much wind, and a total absence of sunlight, upon which, w ith ca l m , th e exhibition de pends for its full effect. Some 9,000 people were pre sent to witness the spectacle, a small number compared with that which it attracted on previous occasions, but attributable to the almost complete abandonment of London at this year by persons with means and leisure at their command. Fortunately, just as the display began, the wind, which was from tne N.E., and cold, slightly abated, and, but for the want of sunlight, we do not know that it was ever seen to greater a d van t age. The grand fountains in the lower basins rushed upwards to almost their full altitude before they b were brok en i n t o spray, and the innumerable j ets d eau with which they are surrounded played throughout with the greatest vigour in all their beauty and diversity of design. The display commenced at half-past 4 o'clock and lasted half. an-hour. The greater part of the company, as usual, witnessed it . from the mor e e l evated portions of the pla teau separating the low er b as i ns from the part of the grounds assigntd to the exhibili m of the extinct animals, and from the adjacent terraces and sloping banks, and nothing seemed to detract from their enjoyment but the cold wind into which the summer heat of the previous part of the day suddenly subsided.