The Sun. — London, England, 1871-01-20 00:00:00

D RESS TROtSERS, 12s. 6d. to 265. "LTAMOSES and SON supply every description of ' • Clothinz, ready-made or made to measure, for all ages, all occasions, and all classes ; also Hosiery anr Drapery, Hats and Caps, Boots and Shoes, and complete outfits for all climates. All Goods marked in Plain Figures. A'.y Article exchanged if not worn or injured. List of Prices. with Rules for Self-measure, Patterns, and Fashion-sheet, gratis and poet-free. E. MOSES and SON'S P stablishments are closed every Friday evening at sunset till Saturduy evening at sunset, when business is resumed until Eleven o'clock. The following are the only addressee of E. MOSES and SO • LONDON. CORNER of MINORIES and ALDGATE. EW OXFORD-STREET. CORNER of HART-STREET. CORNER of TOTT Ell HAM-COURT-ROA D and EUSTON-ROAD. COUNTRY BRANCH. BRADFORD, YORKSHIRE ITALIAN OPERA BUFFA COMPANY (LIMITED) —LYCEUM THEATRE. THIS EVENING (Friday), January 20th, will be produced (for the third time in any country), the New Opera, ALI BABA (written expressly for this Company). Bores on the grand tier, £3 3s. ; stall tier. £2 12s. Gd.; nor er circle, £1 7s. Gd.; orchestra stalls, les. Gd.; grand tier dress seats, 7s, ; upper circle seats, 45.: pit tickets, 2s. 6d. ; am, hi theatre. ls. THEATRE ROYAL DRURY LANE.- Sole Lessee and Manager, F. B. Chatterton.—Morning Performances every Wednesday and Saturday, until Saturday, February 25th, inclusive.—THlS EVENING (Friday), will be produced the Drury Lane Grand Comic CHRISTMAS ANNUAL, written by E. L. Blanchard, entitled the DRAGON OF WANTLEY ! and Harlequin Old Mother Shipton ! with New and Characteristic Scenery by William Beverley, whose personal services are now exclusively devoted to illustrating the produc tions of this Theatre. The general action of the Pantomime arranged by, and the whole produced under, the dir ec ti on o f Mr. Edward Stirling . Characters in the opening by Messrs. Fred. Yokes, H. More land, Charles Steyne, Fawdon Yokes, H. Naylor, Seymour, Fir th, Meade, Webber, F. Wri g h t , Master Russell ; Misses Victoria Yokes, Jessie Vokes, Rosina 'Yokes H a rriet CoveneY, M. A. Basqu erville, A. Hamilton, Hall , Florence Harvey, De Grey, Ross, Timbrell, Elphinstone, Har court, Lee, Leslie, Mills, White, Burpitt, Rivers, Russell, Hastings. The Harlequinade will include those popular Pan tomimists, forming a Double Company, F. Evans and W. H. Harvey, Clowns ; Paul Herring and J. Morris, Pantaloons ; W. Fawdon Yokes and Stonette, Harlequins ; the Misses Rosina and Jessie Yokes, Columbines ; Miss Lizzie Grosvenor, Har lequina. B. Slowman, Imitator of Birds, &c. Mr. H. Collard, the Pocket Sims Reeves. Master Dassie, the Chickaleary Boy. E. D. Lyon, the Short Footman. Lawson and Garton, the French Pierrots. Master H. Rawlings, Clog Dancer. La Petrie, the Baby Velocipedist. The Masks and Costumes from Designs by Vandyke Brown. The Music Composed and Selected by Mr. W. C. Levey. The Dances and Action of the Ballet, and the general business of the Children's Scenes, Invented and Arranged by Mr. John Cormack. The Comic Scenes and Tricks, &c., arranged by Mr. John Cormack and Messrs. Evans and Harvey. Doors open at Half-past Six ; commence at Seven. Box-office open from Ten till Five Daily. Private Boxes, 1,2, 3,4, and 5 Guineas. Stalls, 7s. Dress Circle, 58. First Circle, 4s. Balcony, 3s. Pit, 2s. Lower Gallery, Is. Upper Gallery, 6d. Ir HE DRAGON OF WANTLEY; or, Harlequin 1. Old Mother Shipten, will be produced To-night (Friday), January 20, and positively withdrawn on Saturday, February 25. Places can be secured from the first until the last date. MORNING PERFORMANCES every WEDNESDAY and SATURDAY ; therefore, to prevent disappointment, an early application for seats is respectfully requested. Box-office open from Ten till Five daiIy.—THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY-LANE. MORNING PERFORMANCE of the Grand Pantomime, entitled the DRAGON OF WANTLEY, ev ery Wednesday and Saturday. Children and Schools at re duced prices to the following parts of the Theatre :—First Circle, Dress Circle, and Stalls. Box-office open from Ten till Five daily. - THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY-LANE. THEATRE ROYAL, HA.YMARKET.-1 Fifty-third Night of a NEW FAIRY COMEDY.—THIS EVENING (Friday) at Seven, O'Keefe's Musical Piece, THE POOR SOLDIER, with selections from the original music. Patrick, Miss Fanny Wrig ht ; Norah, Miss F anny G ne; After which, at a quarter t o Ei g ht o'clock, a new Fairy Comedy, in Three Acts, entitled THE PALACE OF TRUTH. Characters by Mr. Buckstone, Messrs. Kendal, Everil, Clark, Braid, Rogers, Mesdames Robertson, Chippendale, C. Hill, Fanny Wright, and Fanny Gwynne. Act I. Garden of K ing Phanor's Country House. Act 11. Interior of the Palace of Truth. Act 111. The Avenue of Palms. Followed by UNCLE'S WILL. Mr. Kendal and Miss Robertson. Concludinwith the Farce of THE SPECTRE BRIDEGROOM. Box O ffi ce op en daily from 10 till 5. PRINCESS'S THEATRE. — SoIe Less ee, Ben jamin Webster. Managers, B. Webster and F. B. Chat terton.—THlS EVENING, at Seven, PEEP 0' DAY, by Edmund Falconer, terminating with the celebrated Quarry Scene. At 8.30 an entirely new grand spectacular extravaganza, entitled LITTLE GIL BLAS ; and How he Played the Spanish D(j)euce. By H. B. Farnie. The music by Frank Musgrave; the ballet, groupings, &c., by J. Milano ; the new and magnificent scenery by Mr. F. Lloyds and assistants ; the costumes after drawings by Gustave Dore. To conclude with HE'S A LUNATIC. Mr. J. Clayton.—Box Office open from Ten till Five. ADELPHI THEATRE ROYAL. Sole Pro prietor, Mr. Benjamin Webster; Managers, Mr. B. Webster and Mr. F. B. Chatterton.--THIS EVENING, at 7, a new Drama, in One Act, SMOKE. Mr. Billington, Mr. Ashley, Mr. C. H. Stephenson, Mrs. Billington, and Miss Furtado. At 8.15 ONE TOUCH OF NATURE. Mr. B. Webster and Miss Furtado. To conclude with the MISTLETOE BOUGH. Mrs. A. Mellon, Miss Elise Holt, Mademoiselle Debreaux, Mdlle. Camilla Dubois, Miss Bellew, Miss M. Cooper, and Miss Bella Moore ; Mr. Brittain Wright, Mr. John Rouse, and Mr. Odell. VAUDEVILLE THEATRE, STRAND. Lessees—Messrs. H. J. Montague, D. James, and T. Thorne.--THIS EVENING, at 7, CHISELLING, Mr. David James ; after which TWO ROSES (198th night), by James Albery. Conclude with (56th night) ELIZABETH. Supported by Messrs. H. J. Montague, David James, and T. Thorne, &c.; Mesdames A , ll Fawsitt, A. Newton, and Nally Power, &c. OYAL STRAND THEATRE. Sole Lessee and Manageress, Mrs. Swanborough. Tills EVENING, at 7, ON AND OFF. LIVING AT EASE. Messrs. Crouch, Turner ; Mesdames Ada Swanborough, E. Button, and F. Hughes. CCEUR-DE-LION, Messrs. Terry, Paulton, Fenton, and Turner : Mesdames Amy Sheridan, E. BUtton, Santley, Lee, Goodall, 64,# LONDON, FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 1870. PARIS. The end. of January has been fixed by most autho rities and calculators as the time when Paris will really come to the end of its resources. It may be so, but the news from the city reveals no symptoms of an approaching collapse. If the end were near some signs would surely become apparent; but there is nothing more to be noticed than has been visible for the last six weeks—i.e., the very short commons with which the Parisians have to live. The latest letter represents the people as united, clamouring for nothing but 'sorties en masse. Exaggerated ideas of the food supply pre vail. One of the leading manufacturers of the city, a gentleman who ought not to indulge in wild talk, says the bread will last until the middle of March, and that a strict search has brought to liglit large stores of other articlis which will help to eke out existence. It would not be prudent to indulge in the expectation that the siege will actually be prolonged until the middle of March, but there is at least no certainty that the Germans will get into the city by the beginning of February. SIR W. MANSFIELD ON A MILITIA BALLOT. Sir William Mansfield has written to Lord Elcho on the question of the militia ballot. Some measure resting on a principle of national obligation as dis tinguished from individual option, is de manded to put our forces generally on a sound and secure footing. The present mode of recruiting the army is altogether insufficient, and it is impossible suddenly to extend the forces to meet an emergency by it. Sir William holds that we should tru s t p ermanen tl y t o th e m iliti a cor p s f or filling up the ranks of the Line. The recruitment should be made every year after the militia training season, each battalion of militia being then invited to fur nish a rateable quota o f vo l un t eers f or th e li ne. But it is necessary that the militia and line should not compete for the same men. Militia officers are unwilling to part with their men, and it is impossible to establish real harmony between the militia and the line so long as both rely on the voluntary prin ciple of enlistment. Sir W. Mansfield thinks the only security for the country, in face of the huge Continental armaments, is t) be seen in the principle of national personal obligation for home defence, subject to exemption on account of public and ecclesiastical employments or efficient voluntary service, hut totally excluding pecuniary exemption, or purchase of substitutes. The admis sion of this principle remov es all difficulties in putting our forces generally on a reasonable footing, and will bring into the militia first, and afterwards into the army, those yeomen who are now kept out by the system of recruitment and enlistment. E 'MOSES and SON'S _V-J• WINTER OVERCOATS, 193. to £5. B OY'S OVERCOATS, 7s. ed. to 455. EMOSES and SON beg to remind the public . that the cheapness of an article depends entirely on its quality, and they venture to say that their prices will compare favourably with those of auy other house in England. E. MOSES and SON'S Jui• OXFORD COATS, 17s. to 60s. CAMBRIDGE COATS, 19s. to 50s. KERTCII JACKETS, 15s. to 425. SUTHERLAND JACKETS, 19s. 6d. to 50s. B USINESS SUITS, 28s. to 608. EMOSES and SON'S easy and accurate system • of self-measure enables them to execute orders by post, with the guarantee of a faultless flt. MOSES and SON'S F ROCK COATS, 245. to 635. DRESS COATS, 255. to 60s. MORNING TROUSERS, 11s. 6d. to 21s. MOURNING SUITS, 28s. to £5. EMOSES and SON invite s p ecial attention . to their large Stock of GENTLEME I'S is une DRESSING 'ed ROBES, at 18 to 20 Guineas; the assortment qual for variety of materials and designs, and neatness and elegance of finish. E. MOSES and SON'S .11 1 • B UYS' CLOTHING : KNICKERBOCKER SUITS, 9s. 6s. to 40s. E TON SUITS, 15s. to 40s. B RIGHTON SUITS, 183. to 48s. D RESS SUE'S, 255. to 635. THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 1871. is under the direct orders of the officer commanding, while in France the Intendance communicates with the Minister for War, in dependently of the officer commanding. Our own control system vests in one officer, solely under the control of the officer commanding, the supervision of the duties connected with the financial, commissariat, military store, barrack, and purveyor's departments, hitherto performed by four officers, each in separate communication with the War-office, independently of the officer commanding. Thus under the old system, when a cavalry regiment re quired forage nets, the commanding officer of the corps applied to the Brigade Major, he to the Assis tant Quartermaster-General, the Assistant to the Deputy Quartermaster -General, who in his turn re ferred to the Quartermaster -General, and the Quarter moster to the War Office. The War Office authority v 7( nt through the same round back again, entailing a delay of some ten days. Under the control system the officer commanding, applies direct to the Control officer, who makes the order. MILITIA ARTILLERY. A commanding officer of militia artillery denies that the militia is recruited from the dregs of the population. Owing to the obstacles thrown in the way of recruiting by the farmers, his men are necessarily obtained for the most part from the large towns, but they are almost wholly skilled artisans and labourers. No man is taken without strict inquiry as to character, and no sergeant of the permanent staff is permitted to keep a shop. The other militia regi ments with which he has come in con tact have made a favourable impression on him. He saw the Northumberland artillery militia while passing through Berwick at fair time, and never saw regular troops more orderly or smarter in appearance. Afterwards he saw the Fifeshire Militia Artillery at Fort George during their training. They were mostly a sturdy set of miners, admirable material for the artillery service. Any Royal Artillery officer might be proud to have reliefs of such fine hardy fellows to help in working his guns on service. prosecuted for "insult against the Prussian King, anl high treason against Prussia." THE IRISH LAND BILL. The Irish Land Bill has been recently put to 'mac tic d test in several of the Irish Courts, and it is satis factory to find that it seems to be working well. Mr. Bolster, president of the principal Farmers' Club in Munster, who was a resolute opponent of the Government measure, believing it to be inade quite, has confessed his conversion, and admits that though it does not give tenants all they wished, it gives an instalment for which they ought to be grateful to Mr. Gladstone. At the opening of the Land Sessions for .county Antrim there was a large attendance of farmers, who watched the proceedings with keen interest. Between forty and fifty claim s were lodged, and a claim under the Ulster tenant right custom was contested for some hours. It ended in a compromise, and two other claims against Lord O'Neill and Lord Massareene, were adjourned till the next sessions, to give an oppor tunity of settlement. At the Newtownards sessions, County Down, a tenant claimed £3OO compensation for eviction from a farm of fifteen acres, under the tenant-right clauses of the Land Act. His father and grandfather had held the farm before him, but it was contended that the father had signed an agreement to give up possession on six months notice, under certain conditions. This document, it was maintained, brought the case under the first section of the Act. The decision was re served till next Land Sessions. Other cases arose in different parts of the country, shewing the working of the new Act under several aspects. ROYALTY T REATRE.-TO-N I G lIT, JANUARY 20.—Ninth time of an original Comedietta, by It. Reece, in Two Acts, entitled DORA'S DEVICE. At 7.30, DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND ; at 8.15, DoRA'S DEVICE ; concluding with WHITTINGTON JUNIOR and his SENSATION CAT. MADAME TUSSAUD'S EXHIBITION, Baker street.—On view, Portrait Models of the ex-Emperor and Empress of the French, and Prince Imperial. Also, Marshal Bazaine, Marshal Canrobert, General Trochu, &c., Sze. — Admission, Is. ; Children under Ten Years of age, 6d. Extra Rooms, ca. extra. Open from 10 a.m. till 10 p.m. 2- . IDAME TUSSAUD'S EXHIBITION, Baker- LY view, Portrait Models of the King and Crown Prince of Prussia, Prince Leopold of Hohenzollern. Also Count von Bismarck and Count von Moltke.—Admission, ls. ; Children under Ten Years of age, ed. Extra Rooms, 6d. extra. — Open from 10 a.m. till 10 p.m. PARTRIDGE AND COOPER. MANUFACTURING STATIONERS, 192, FLEET-STREET (CORNER OF CHANCERY-LANE), LONDON, E.C. THE PUBLIC SUPPLIED AT WHOLESALE PRICES, AND CARRIAGE PAID to the COUNTRY ON ORDERS OVER 208. Per ream. s. d. Fine Cream Laid Note ; a cheap paper 2 0 Superfine Cream Laid Note ; much approved Superfine Thick Cream Laid Note ; especially recommended 5 6 Extra Superfine Double Thick Cream Laid Note 7 0 Straw Paper, "Patent ;" adapted for rapid writing ...... 2 8 Large Commercial Note Paper 5.......... 35., 45., 55., and 6 0 Foolscap Papers, blue or cream .... 10s. 6d., 12s. 6d., and 14 6 Outsides Foolscap ........ ........ ...................... 6 6 Letter Paper for plain, 45.; ruled ditto, 4 6 Tinted Lined N0te...... New Vellum Wove "Club House" Note, five quires for 2s. 6d. Superfine Cream or Blue Envelopes, 4s 6d, 5s 6d, & 63 6d Large Blue Wove Commercial Envelopes, 4 s 6 d ...... per 1000 Cheap Buff Colour, for circulars, &c., Is.. ...... •• • • COLOUR STAMPING (Relief) reduced to ls. per 100. Polished steel dies sunk by the best artists to the trade at about half the prices charged by the retail houses. An ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE, containing full descrip tions, with prices of Account Books, Copying Presses, Inkstands, Stationery, Cabinets, Postage Scales, Despatch Boxes, Travelling Writing Cases, Desks, post free. Established 1841. JOHN GOSNELL AND CO.'S CHERRY TOOTH PASTE is greatly superior to any tooth powder ; gives the teeth a pearl whiteness, protects the enamel from decay, and imparts a pleasant fragrance to the breath. Price 6d.—Red Bull Wharf, 93, Upper Thames-street, London. NOTHING IMPOSSIBLE, ,k GUA AMARELLA. restores the Human flair to its pristine hue, no matter at what age. JOHN GOSNELL and CO. have at length, with the aid of one of the most eminent Chemists, succeeded in perfecting this wonderful liquid. It is now offered to the public in a more con centrated form, and at a lower price. Sold in bottles, 3s. each ; also 5s , 7s. 6d., and 15s. each, including brush. Red Bulls Wharf, Angel-passage, 93, Upper Thames-street, London, E. C. THEATRES AND AMUSEMENTS. ITALIAN OPERA BUITA, LYCEUM—AIi Baba. DRURY LANE—RuIe Britannia. Dragon of Wantley. COVENT GARDEN—Lottery Ticket. Sleeping Beauty. ADELPHI— Smoke. One Touch of Nature. Mistletoe Bough. HAYMARKET—The Poor Soldier. The Palace of Truth. Uncle's Will. The Spectre Bridegroom. VAUDEVILLE -Chiselling. Two Roses. Elizabeth, or the Invisible Armada. - OPERA COMIQUE Blue Devils. Found Drowned The Lottery Ticket. STRAND—On and Off. Lion. ST. Jamss'a—To Oblige Benson. Living at Ease. Coeur-de War. Bombastea Furioso. OLYMPlC—Poppleton's Predicament. Nell and (Bur• lesque) Paul and Virginia. ROYALTY— Dora's Device. Whittington Junior and hi■ Sensation Cat. Diamond Cut Diamond. GAlETY—Operetta. A Christmas Story. Alladin 11. QUEEN'S—Charles IL Richelieu.' GLOBE—Rights of Woman. Delicate Ground. White Cat. Rely on my Discretion. HOLBORN—Ticket-of-Leave Man. Jezabel. PRINCE OF WALES'S—Queen Stork. Ours. Th. Locked In. PRINCESS'S — Peep o' Day. Little Gil Blas. He's a Lunatic. A:inn-es —Englishmen in Paris. Little Tom Tittlemouse. SURREY—Farce. My Son Jack. NATIONAL STANDARD—Farce. Ride a Cock Horse to Banbury Cross. SADLER'S WELLS—Sinbad the Sailor. EGYPTIAN HALL—Poole and Young's Panorama of the Franco-Prussian War. A 3IPHITHEARE AND CIRCUS (Holborn)—Scenes in the Arena. ST. JAMES'S HALL— Christy Ministrels. Every evening. ALHAMBRA—New Musical Entertainment, " Superba." POLYTECHNIC—Professor Pepper's War Lecture. After noon and evening. PALATE ROYAL—Performing Gorilla. MADAME TUSSAUD'S (Baker-street) —From 10 a.m. till 10 p.m. ls. ; extra rooms, 6d. , ("ft t e jj g THE FRENCH ARMY. A story which reaches us from the Germany army at Le Mans painfully illustrates the difficulties the French leaders encounter in forming new armies and getting them to face the enemy. Two Prussian dragoons found themselves surrounded and about to be taken prisoners by thirty Mobiles. One of them could speak a little French, and one of the French soldiers was an Alsatian who could speak German; there was thus no difficuly in communi cating. The dragoons refused to surrender on an entirely new and original ground. "If we go with you," said they, "we shall share your discom fort, but if you come with us you will share our comfort and escape all the dangers and hardships of the war. On the whole, you will gain far more by letting us take you than by making prisoners of us." Will it be believed ?—the thirty Mobiles were convinced by this reasoning, and followed the two dragoons like a flock of sheep to the German lines. Cases of bands of Frenchmen surrendering themselves voluntarily are of very common occurrence. Yet many good men remain behind, and those who surrender are well got rid of. THE PRUSSIANS AND THE PIG. The ingenuity of the Germans has very often shewn itself during the present war, but a party of the famous Uhlans were completely outwitted by a farmer's wife in the neighbourhood of Bapaume. The woman and her husband had just killed apig, when the approach of some Uhlans was announced, What was to be done ? There could be no doubt as to what the Prussians would do if they saw the pig. Without loss of time madame placed a table in the centre of their room or house-place, on which she directed her husband to place the carcase of the pig, over which she immediately threw a clean sheet. Candles were instantly lighted and placed around the table, and a Chapelle ardente was im provised. "If the Uhlans come you will say I am dead," and so whispering she withdrew. The tread of horses came up to the door; the farmer and the other members of his family immediately knelt around the dead body. The Uhlans, opening the door, entered the house. the leader halted and exclaimed, " Morto 9" " Oui, oui," says the mourning husband, "it is my wife who is dead." The Uhlans required nothing further. They withdrew and did not get the pig. TRANSPORT DIFFICULTIES. The troubles of Germany in the way of transport during the war have been very formidable. In the space of 24 hours each corps d'armee requires 18,000 31b. loaves, 120 cwt. of rice, 70 oxen, 30 cwt. of coffee, 3,500 quarts of spirits, and salt, oats, hay, and other commodities in proportion. Neither must the tobacco and cigars be forgotten, and these form a serious addition. It is stated that these wants can only be provided to any extent in France upon the first occupation of a district, as the stores are afterwards either exhausted or concealed. During the siege of Metz the besieging troops had to be fed from Germany. A. quantity of the cattle, received had to be destroyed from cattle plague, and other material was often spoiled on the road. The demand for clothing is on the same gigantic scale as the demand for food. A distribution of woollen goods to each corps requires 34,000 shirts, 25,000 pairs stockings, 25,000 comforters, 2.5,000 plaids, &c. As everybody in the German army can read and write the postage is a formid able item. Up to December 31st nearly 70,000,000 letters had been despatched to and from the army, and a million and a half of newspapers. Besides these 41,000,000 thalers, and 58,000 parcels of all sizes have been sent to the German military authorities in France, while the parcels passing between the sol diers and their relatives, average more than 22,000 daily. Under these circumstances, it is suggested that instead of wondering the prisoners have had something to complain of in transport, we should rather marvel that the traffic has been so uninter rupted. COUNT BISMARCK AND THE PRESS. Karl liarx, a German, derides Count Bismarck for accusing the French Government of having rendered impossible the free expression of opinion in France, whilst the greatest restraint prevails in (Germany. At Bismarck's command Messrs. Babel and Liebknecht have been arrested, and charged with high treason, because they pro tested against the annexation of Alsace and Lor raine, and expressed sympathy with the French Republic. The members of the Brunswick Socialist Democratic Committee have been subjected to great persecution for having uttered the same opinions. The sub-editor of the Leipzig Volkstaat is prosecuted on the like assumption of treason for having giNen free expression to his views. Those German journals outside Prussia which are inde pendent are refused admission. Bismarck is not content, however, with the absolute rule of Germany. He made the Luxemburg sympathy with France a pre text for renouncing the London neutrality treaty. The Belgian presS incurred his displeasure, and the Prus sian Ambassador at Brussels was anxious that the authorities should forbid the publication of news which might encourage the French to continue the war. He even assailed the press of ,St. Petersburg, and at has request the Censor-in-Chief requested editors to abstain from strictures on the Prussian Government. One of these editors has been sent off to a remote province for having presumed to make this affair public in the colums of the Goks. Count Bismarck equally interfered in Sweden, where some journals gave utterance to mild ridicule of King William's pious proclivities. According to the Prussian criminal code, every foreigner may be SMALL-PDX EPIDEMIC. Dr. Bridges has presented the Poor-law Board with a report on the small-pox epidemic prevailing in the metropolis. He says that in 1809 small-pox reached iti minimum, but in the autumn of that year a slight increase took place, and during the first nine months of 1870 a higher level was maintained. After September a great change for the worse occurred, and the statistics of the small-pox hospital no longer served to mark the progress of the disease, as patients were refused admission for want of room. The epi demic was not confined to East London, as some snpposed. Examination has shown t , at the seeds of contagion were widely distributed. Dr. Bridges thinks much might have been done in the way of preventive measures, had a systematic registra- ton of contagious diseases been carried out by the parochial medical officers. The Metropo litan Asylum Board resolved upon prompt action - in November, and great praise is due to them for the exertions which they made. Their extensive pro -visions, have, however, fallen short of the evil. The number of smallpox cases coming under the poor law administration has increased trom.3oo at the beginning of November to more than 900 at the beginning of January ; and the increase during the last fortnight has been alarmingly rapid. One of the two permanent fever hospitals is to be devoted to the reception of smallpox cases during the epidemic, and four new pavilions are being erected on the Hampstead site, at a safe distance from the public thoroughfare. Dr. Bridges does not think the acme of the epidemic has been reached yet, and advises the unions and parishes to co-operate with the Metropolitan Asylum Board. There is not a single union or parish in the metropolitan district which is unaffected by the disease. INFALLIBILITY. A. Roman Catholic, writing on the infallibility question, points out that some of the dissident bishops have, since their return to their dioceses, acquiesced in the Infallibility decree. Bishop Clifford was an active member of the minority in the Council, and in his recent circular to his diocese he has declared that the doctrine of Infalli ioility is " binding on all Catholics, and that any person however who presumes to gainsay the same is cut off frcm the communion ot . the Catholic Church." The word " gainsay" might bear a curious interpretation, and he inti mates that the decree might be received in obse quious silence. But the writer disapproves of such a course being pursued. He thinks that a dis puted point of theology may be treated with silence, but the case is very different when a particular opinion is announced to be an article of faith. Silence in respect to the question is then in consistent with sincerity on the part of those who repudiate the opinion and deny the right of the sacred authorities to impose it upon the Church as a vital truth. SANITARY REFORM IN RUSSIA. It has keen believed of late years that the general reform and reJrganisation of the whole Russian sys tem since the Crimean War has greatly improved the condition of her people, and that, consequently, her chances of waging a successful war have materially improved. It now appears, from statistics carefully compiled, that 50 per cent., out of the 49 millions who compose the labouring class, are incapa citated for military service by physical weakness or disease, and that, consequently, Russia cannot reckon on more soldiers out of her 60 millions than France with 'her 38 millions. In Western Europe the averags of human life is 40 years. In Russia, in the healthiest regions, it varies from 22 to 27, while in the south-eastern provinces generally, where sanitary conditions are unfavourable, it falls as low as twenty years, and in Perm, Viatka, and Orenburg, it is only fifteen ! Various causes are assigned for this deplorable result, but the two great reasons are the extremely low rate of wages and the gross ignorance of the peasantry. The agricultural population get about ls. a day for field work, or if paid by the month, onl) 72d. For this they have to work from 12 to 15 hours a day, and a few seasons break them down. The constantly-recurring fasts of the Greek Church diminish their scanty food still more, and ' when fever or cholera come in, they die by tens of thousands. Superstitious observances add their evil influences to the list, and 50 (in some parts 83) per cent. of the children born die within a year of their birth. The survivors are physically weak, and while the population in some districts has diminished one-third in the last generation, the average Russian peasant, though capable of almost incredible passive endurance, has little more than half the muscular pow.3r of the average Englishman. THE COURT. OSBORNE, JANUARY 19, The Queen, accompanied by Princess Louise, walked in the grounds this morning. Lady Churchill was in at tendance. Prince Arthur and Princess Beatrice drove, and Prince Leopold walked, out. _ _ The Earl and Countess of Derby have arrived at Osborne, on a visit to her Majesty. OUR DEFENCES.—The Right Hon. Cowper- Temple spoke at a meeting of the Portsmouth Liberal Association on Tuesday evening, and, after a reference to the war on the Continent, alluded to the necessity of having onr own defences in a complete state. Our very neutrality, he pointed out, had made us an unpopular nation, and for that reason we must be prepared for all contingencies. Hitherto, he observed, the officials who represent the Admiralty in the House of Commons have grnerally said we have so many ships; and the French have so many, and we ought to be satisfied. But lam afraid that will not satisfy us. We must contemplate the contingency of a combined fleet coming from the ports of Prussia, Russia, and America, and making an attack on England. We must not allow any false views of economy to interfere with us in our determination to have a fleet that will be sufficient to defend our shores from a cum bined attack. With regard to the army, he added : We must begin at the beginning. We want more skilful, more trained, more educated officers ; and that our generals should have opportunities of exercise, and of per forming such movements as would be undertaken in actual warfare. The New Forest should become the scene of campaign. We want to see what the Germans and French could perform in the New Forest. The policy of England, he concluded, should be bold, but courteous ; willing and able to fight if it is necessary, but anxious to be peaceable if ,other nations will allow us. THE ARMY CONTROL DEPARTMENT. A correspondent of the Times wishes to correct the impression that the breakdown of the French Administration was due to the failure o, the Inten dance, and that our Control Department is au imita tion of it. In the English army the Controller THE REPORTED RESIGNATION OF MR. CHILDERS. Yesterday morning the Times appeared with a statement that Mr. Childers had resigned. In a second edition, however, the Daily Telegraph published the following : " There is no truth, whatever, in the statement made in the leading article of the Times this morning concerning the resignation of Mr. Childers, First Lord of the Admiralty. The right hon. gentleman, though still unwell, has not re signed, and it may reasonably be hoped that such arrange ments may be made as will give Mr. Childers the temporary rest he requires, without forcing upon him the necessity of placing his post at Mr. Gladstone's disposal. It is almost needless to add that the whole of the details in the columns of our contemporary connected with this subject have no foundation in fact." MR. OTWAY, M.P., AND HIS CONSTI- TUENTS. (CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAM.) Last evening, Mr. Otway, M.P., late Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, addressed a crowded meeting of his constituents in the Lecture Hall, Chatham. The High Constable, Mr. H. P. Mann, presided. Alluding to the recent changes that had taken place in the Government, Mr. Otway paid a tribute to the abilities of the late Lord Clarendon, who, he said, up to the time of his death, was engaged in endeavouring to bring about a mutual disarming of the two great Powers now at war. It was impossible to say that his efforts would not have been successful if he had lived. Mr. Otway then proceeded to deal with the question of his recent retirement from office. It was said by some persons that an under secretary was nothing more than a mouthpiece. As regarded questions involving no great principle, he would not say that that statement was altogether incorrect. In reference to great questions dealing with the honour, and perhaps the safety of the country, the matter was, however, different, and he maintained that no man who had the misfortune to differ from his chief on such questions could honourably, to himself or to the Government, continue to remain in office. Last autumn a question of the character to which he had alluded had arisen, but though he desired to deal with his constituents in a spirit of perfect frankness, he thought it would not be fair to the Government, none of whose members were present, to enter into such details as would involve a discussion of the foreign policy of her Majesty's Ministers. He would, however, assure them that both Earl Granville and Mr. Gladstone approved of the motives which had caused him to resign, and he believed that when the question came to be discussed in Parliament, it would be admitted that he had adopted the only course open to an honourable man, and worthy of the representative of the electors of Chatham. Mr. Otway, referring to the speech of Mr. Forster at Bradford, which he thought must have been incorrectly reported, said that it was not the case that the Prussian Government accepted the advice of the English Cabinet to prevent a quarrel with France. The fact really was that Count Bismarck informed Earl Granville that he could not even lay the proposal of the English Government before the King of Prussia for his consideration. A vote of confi dence in Mr. Otway was proposed, seconded, and carried. MR. STANSFELD, M.P., ON THE CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT. Mr. Stansfeld received on Wednesday a deputation at Halifax, who presented resolutions passed at a meeting on Monday in favour of unconditional and immediate repeal of the Contagious Diseases Acts, as immoral and uncon stitutional. Mr. Stansfeld said his position as a member of the Government must affect what he could say on the subject at this moment. If he were convinced that the tendency of these Acts was immoral, he would not be a member of the Government to support them. But whatever his opinions might be, since a com mission had been appointed by the Government, which itself held its judgment in suspense, he was determinad to express no definite opiniOn until he had weighed their report. He admitted the burden of proof lay upon the defenders of these acts. If they were proved to be im moral in their tendency nothing could justify their main tenance ; but there were men on the commission, such as Mr. Jacob Bright, Mr. Mundella, and Professor Maurice, who would fully recognise the moral element in the ques tion. If their impressions were decidedly unfavourable, they would be bound to say so. If, on the other .land, they considered these Acts were a material advan tage, they would still be bound to see whether there were no other methods free from objection by which these advantages, or the greater part of them, could be secured. He believed the commission would probably report at the end of this session, and that the matter would be dealt with in the next. MR. STANSFELD AT HALIFAX. (CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAM.) HALIFAX, THURSDAY EVENING. This evening the Right Hon. James Stansfeld, M.P., addressed the electors of Halifax, in the large room of the Mechanics' Hall, which was densely crowded fully an hour before the proceedings commenced. The meeting was afterwa.ds adjourned to the drill-shed, which was filled with about 5,000 people. Mr. J. D. Hutchinson presided. Mr. STANSPELD rose amid mingled cheers and hooting, and having made a few introductory observations, said he hoped and believed that a University Test Bill, at least not less liberal than that of last year will be introduced, and not again be rejected by the House of Lords. He entertained a hope that a Ballot Bill,would be introduced very early in the approaching session, and would also become law. With respect to the Contagious Diseases Act, being a member of the pre sent Government, he owed it in common regard and respect for that Government to suspend the final expression of opinion upon the Bill until the proper time arrived. (Cries of dissent.) Speaking upon the questions of the foreign policy and armaments of this country, Mr. Stansfeld said : England differs in this from every Continental land—that she has, and can have, no interests save those of peace. No questions of frontier can affect her interest or her safety, as her frontier is the sea. No combinations are necessary to secure her safety. She has learnt from her history of old how costly was the policy of persistent intervention in the quarrels and the wars of Europe, Land persistent non-intervention, unless compulsory intervention was necessary, is now the settled policy of this country. (Cheers.) Ido not believe there exists in this country any party or any body of men whom we need take into acconnt who would desire to retain the policy of former times. (Hear.) I know these has been of late some talking and some writing upon the subject of active intervention in the war between Ger many and France. I know that a good deal of that talk ing and that writing has been based upon sympathies which I approve, and which I cannot say I do not share ; but for myself—l tell you here to-night plainly, so that you may not mistake me—l would not remain one hour a member of a Government who hazarded the peace, the welfare, and the prosperity of the vast working population of these islands on grounds of mere sympathy, without staying to count the risk and the cost, and to reflect whether intervention at present to stop the war, might not simply mean the plunging of this people and of the whole of Europe into war. (Cheers.) But, although neutrality is the recognised policy of this country—and rightly so—it is not without its own difficulties and dangers. The nations that make war on each other in Europe desire the influence and the aid of England, and they are not willing we should hold aloof. It is true that Germany did not ask for our intervention, for she did not need it; but a great part of Germany at this moment believe that we might have prevented the outbreak of the war. whilst France, not justly, but naturally, thinks that after the defeat at Sedan, when she had ceased to be the aggres sor, and when the Empire was at an end, we might, but ' would not, stop the ruin and the slaughter of her sons. (Cheers.) All this is natural and inevitable, although unjust. Our answer is simple ; and the time will come when they will understand and believe it. I Our answer is this—that we could not hope to prevent the war for which a whole generation of these two mighty peoples had been preparing—(cheers) — and our answer is also this, that if we were now to interfere by force of arms to endeavour to stop the war, we should not stop it, but should make it world-wide. (Loud cheers.) I look, and ask you to look with me, at the face of Europe. No thinking man can look at Europe without feeling a deep sense of humiliation. We look upon these two nations as disturbers of the peace. They disturb the peace of England, and threaten the peace of Europe. Neutral nations stand by passive, hesitant, speaking words of peace with bated breath. These two combatants make themselves the complainants, and neutral England benevolently is put upon the defence. I ask you, is it not a strange inversion of ideas that this state of things should exist ? The policy of the future should be something like this, that there should be an interven tional court of arbitration, supported by a force contributed by the different nations of Europe; and I believe that one day this plan will be carried out in our midst. At the conclusion of the hon. gentleman's address, a resolution of confidence in him was proposed, and an amendment of confidence, except with respect to the Con tagious Diseases Acts, was also submitted to the meeting. The amendment, upon being put to the meeting, was car • ried by a small majority. THE GREAT JEWEL ROBBERY. A telegram from Nottingham, informs us that the woman who assisted in the recent jewel robbery from Messrs. London and Ryder, has been arrested there. It will be remembered that she applied the chloroform to the assistant who had brought the jewels to Berkeley-street for inspection. IRRIGATION COMPANY OF FRANCE. JUDGMENT. In the Court of Appeal judgment was delivered in the case of the Irrigation Company of France, which was an appeal by Mr. Fox, a gentleman of Newport, Monmouth shire, from a decision of Vice-Chancellor Malins, declin ing to supersede the voluntary winding-up of the company, and, as a consequence, condemn its conversion into a French concern. Lord Justice James said it was a remarkable element in the case that the peti tioner was the only dissentient from the transformation of the company. The only basis upon which the court could interfere was that the whole thing was utterly improper, ultra wires, and incapable of being confirmed except by the acquiescence of every single member of the company. Not only, however, was he satisfied that the transaction complained of was perfectly ultra 'tires, and that the company had a right to sell their assets in ex change for shares in a new concern which was being established in France, but that it was the only mode of saving the property from irretrievable ruin. He was of opinion that the petitioner was not entitled either to a compulsory winding-up order, an order for liquidation under supervision, or for leave to file a bill setting aside the conversion of the company into a French undertaking ; in fact, if they had been called upon to do so, the court would not have had much hesitation in con firming all that had been done. The appeal would be dis missed with costs. Lord Justice Mellish, although scarcely going to the length of Lord Justice James, concurred in affirming the decision of the Vice- Chancellor. LAW AND POLICE. BREACH OF PROMISE.—In the Court of Exchequer an action, " Borch v. Young," was tried for an alleged breach of promise of marriage. From the evidence, it appeared that the parties became acquainted about two years ago, when, according to the plaintiff's case the defendant made her an offer of marriage, which she accepted, with the sanction of her relations. She lived with him as his wife for about a fortnight, and eventually the defendant declined to fulfil his promise. The defence was that the plaintiff had voluntarily agreed to live with the defendant as his mistress, and that no promise of marriage had been made. The learned judge (Baron Bramwell) in summing up ob served that it was right he should state publicly that a promise of marriage given in consideration of a woman consenting to allow a man to become possessed of her person, was invalid, on the ground that it was given for an immoral consideration. It was a sad fact that in many agricultural districts young women consented to allow the young men with whom they kept company to have con nexion with them on the understanding that if nothing happened things should remain as they were, but that if they became in the family-way the young men should make what was called " honest women" of them by marrying them. This custom resulted in gross immorality and in wide-spread misery, young men and women, without a chair to sit upon, a bed to lie upon, or a blanket to cover them, getting children whom they were utterly unable to maintain. So greatly was the vice and pauperism of the country increased by this practice that he•almost felt inclined to say that a man ought not to be allowed to marry a woman by whom he had had a child. The jury must say whether in this case the promise was an innocent one or was given for an im moral consideration. The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff, with £2OO damages. BILL TRANSACTIONS.—SIXTY PER CENT.—In the Court of Queen's Bench, Mr. Holkar shewed cause against a rule which had been obtained for a new trial in the case of " Morris v. Bayley." The action was brought on a bill of exchange for £750, drawn by a Captain Metcalf and accepted by the defendant and endorsed to the plaintiff, to recover a sum of £5lO alleged to be due to the plaintiff on various bill transac tions, for which he held this bill as security. The action was tried before Mr. Justice Brett, and, on the accounts between the parties produced, and on the evidence of Captain Metcalf, the jury found a verdict for the defend ant. —The plaintiff's case was that he advanced money to Captain Metcalf, a young officer, at is. in the pound per month, or £6O per cent., taking his promissory notes and bills as security, and renewing these securities, and charg ing 60 per cent. upon the 60 per cent. interest accrued, and had taken the security of the de fendant, another young officer, for these debts until Mr. Metcalf got into hopeless difficulties, and was obliged to sell his commission, which was sold for £1,650, the proceeds of which were charged with various advances made by the plaintiff ; and, according to the plaintiff's account, there still remained due to him £5lO, or at any rate a sum of £3OO. The Lord Chief Justice said he believed the jury were entirely warranted in coming to the conclusion they did, and, therefore, the rule would be discharged. THE CONVICT WILLIAM ROUPELL.—The health of this individual is ain precarious condition. He is an inmate of the infirmary of Portland Prison, where he is undergoing the sentence of penal servitude for life for forgery. He has long ceased to work at the stone quarries, and has been an assistant in the sick infirmary, but the confinement and remorse have told upon his wiry frame ; he is most submissive in demeanour and a strict adherent to prison discipline. His political acquaintances have long ceased to visit him. He is much respected by the sick prisoners and officers with whom he comes in contact. His relatives are still sanguine of a remission of the sentence. HIGHWAY ROBBERY IN AMERICA.—The New York, Times of the 7th prints the following story, in the form of a telegram from Albany, with the date of the previous night :—" This evening, just as the 8.20 Boston train started from the Union depot, in this city, to cross the Hudson River Bridge, a man sprang into the American Express Company's car and shot the express messenger, Thomas A. Halpine, through the neck, in the right eye, and in the right ear. The robber then took the keys from the messenger and opened the safe, from which he extracted $2,259 in bills. He accomplished all this while crossing the bridge, and on arriving at East Albany jumped off the train and made his escape. The crime was not discovered until the train had stood at the Albany depot some minutes, when the wounded messenger crawled to the door of the car and attracted attention. He was immediately taken to the City Hospital, and, notwith standing his terrible wounds, was able to converse and to give an account of the robbery. Halpine resides in this city. His recovery is not considered possible." THE EMPIRE ASSURANCE CORPORATION. - Vice- Chancellor Stuart had before him an aplication on be half of Captain Hubbard to have his name removed from the list of contributories of the Empire Assurance Cor poration. Although Captain Hubbard had not taken any shares in the company, and had always refused to take any, he had on many occasions acted as director, and in that capacity had signed a considerable number of policies issued by the company, and had received five guineas as part payment for his services as a director. Under these circumstances the official liquida tor had put his name in the list of contributories as the holder of the number of shares which by the company's articles of association was necessary to qualify as a direc tor—namely, fifty. The Vice-Chancellor said that by signing policies of this company as a director he held him self out to its creditors as a properly qualified director, and he must be treated as the holder of fifty shares. SYMPATHY WITH THE LONDON CABMEN.—The other evening Mr. and Mrs. George Moore received about 150 London cabmen at supper at their residence. Th° supper was laid in the servants' hall and other rooms in the basement decorated for the occasion with holly and mottoes. The guests did honour to their hosts by the heartiness with which they partook of the meal and the good order which they kept. The clear ing of the tables was followed by a succession of short addresses. Mr. Moore expressed to the men how glad Mrs. Moore and himself were to see them there. If° rejoiced in the fact that of late years they had risen in the estimation of the public, and he (using cabs very much) could testify to the great improvement that had taken place. Referring to the Education Act, and the new opportunieties it offered, he exhorted them to take care to send their children to school—day-school, and especially Sunday school. Colonel Henderson, Commis sioner of Police, next expressed his interest in the cab men, and his desire to promote official regulations which may tend to their welfare. The Marquis Townshend and the Rev. Daniel Moore also spoke. The proceedings were then brought to a close with the doxology and benediction. A vote of thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Moore, proposed by Colonel Henderson, elicited loud cheers. - the men left, their hosts presented each with a copy of a book, a British Workman Sheet Almanack, and a neW shilling. CAN I AFFORD IT ?—Pay your Stationer 6d. for a rep._, l Y: Map of the World gratis in all Letts's Office Diaries. Lett' • 6d. and ls. Diaries give most value for your money. Lettdo Housekeepers' and Ladies' Diaries are much improved. Lettsl Invisible ink for Postal Cards, 6a per bottle. THE EUROPEAN WAR. The SUN is Published Every Morning at EIGHT O'CLOCK, with SOME HOURS' LATER NEWS than any other paper. This Edition will always contain the LATEST NEWS of the WAR, and of all other events. 011 111 , ex