The Sun. — London, England, 1871-02-16 00:00:00

- V. MOSES and SON'S 12.4 • • OVERCOATS, 19s. to £5. B OY'S OVERCOATS, 7s. 6d. to 455. - ui MOSES and SON beg to remind the public L A , • 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 any other house in England. v . MOSES and SON'S -ci• OXFORD COATS, 17s to 50s CAMBRIDGE COATS, 19s. to 50s. Jr ERTCH JACKETS, 15s. to 425. SUTHERLAND JACKETS, 19s. 6d. to 50s. B USINESS SUITS, 28s. to 608. 'V MOSES and SON'S easy and accurate system juj• of self-measure enables them to execute orders by post with the guarantee of a faultless flt. E MOSES and SON'S 12,441 FROCK COATS, 245. to 635. DRESS COATS, 255. to 60s. MORNING TROUSERS, Us. 6 d. to 21s. 111. • DRESS TROUSERS, 12s. 6d. to 268. MOURNING SUITS, 28s. to £5. JD - L 1 MOSES and SON'S BOYS' CLOTHING : KNICKERBOCKER SUITS, Os. 6s. to 40s. ETON SUITS, 15s. to 40s. BRIGHTON SUITS, 18s. to 48s. ]JRESS smrs, 255. to 635. FMOSES and SON supply every descri p tion of 41 Clothing, ready-made or made to measu re, for all ages, all occasions, and ell classes; also Hosiery anr Drapery, Hats and Caps, Boots and Shoes, and complete outfits for all climates. All Goods marked in Plain Figures. Any Article exchanged if not worn or injured. List of Prices. with Rules for Self-measure, Patterns, and Fashion-sheet, gratis and post-free. E. MOSES and SON'S Establishments are closed every Friday evening at sunset till Saturduy evening at sunset, when business s resumed until Eleven o'clock. The following are the only addressee of E. MOSES and SON : LONDON. CORNER. of MI NORIES and ALDGATE. EW OXFORD-STREET. CORNER of HART-STREET. CORNER of TOTTENHAM-COURT-ROAD and EUSTON-ROAD. COUNTRY BRANCII. BRA DFORD, YORKSFTRR THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY LANE. Lessee and Manager, R. B. Chatterton. THIS EVENING, Her Majesty's Servants will perform a New and Original Farce, entitled RULE BRITANNIA • after which will be performed -the Drury Lane Grand Comic Christmas Annual, entitled THE DRAGON OF WANTLEY ; or, HAR LEQUIN AND OLD MOTHER SHIPTON, with Characteristic Scenery by William Beverly. Doors open at halt-past Six, com mence at Seven, and terminate at Eleven o'clock every Evening. Box-office open from Ten till Five daily. MORNING PERFORMANCE of the Grand Pantomime, entitled the DRAGON OF WANTLEY, every 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. ANDREW HALLIDAY'S Great Drama, AMY ROBSART will be revived on MONDAY, February 27. Box-office open from Ten till Five daiIy.—THEATRE-ROYAL, DRURY-LANE. MISS VICTORIA VOKES will resume her successful impersonation of AMY ROBSART on MON DAY, February 27.—80 x-office open from 10 till 5 daily.— THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY LANE. THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET.- The 77th Night of NEW FAIRY COMEDY.—THIS EVENING (Thursday), at Seven, O'Keefe's Musical Piece,PHE POOR SOLDIER, with selections from the original music. Patrick, Miss Fanny Wr i g ht ; Norah, Miss Fanny Gwynne. After which, at a quarter to Eight o'clock, a new Fairy Comedy, In Three Acts, entitled THE PALACE OF TRUTH. Characters by Mr. es Ro be Messrs. Kendal, Everil, Clark, Braid, Rogers, Mesdames Robertson, Chippendale, C. Hill, Fanny Wright, and Fanny Gwynne. Act I. Garden of King 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. Concluding with the Farce of FAMILY JARS. Mr. SOTHERN will re-appear on the Ist of May. Box Office open daily from 10 till 5. ADELPHI THEATRE ROYAL. Sole Pro prietor, Mr. Benjamin Webster ; Managers, Mr. B. Webster and Mr. F. B. Chatterton.THlS EVENING, tim at 7, THAT RASCAL JACK : Mr. John Rouse. At 7.30 (11th e), DEADMAN'S POINT ; or, THE LIGHTHOUSE ON THE CARN RUTH : Miss Furtado, Mrs. A. .Mellon, Mrs. Leigh Murray, Miss M. Cooper, and Mrs. Billington ; J. Rouse, C. 11. Stephen son, and (11th appearance here) Messrs. E. F. Edgar, Vollaire, A. C. Lilly, and A. Raynor, At 9.30, OUR FEMALE AMERI CAN COUSIN. Miss Julia Daly, Mrs. Leigh Murray, Mr. Ashley, Mr, C. H. Stephenson, &c. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.—SoIe Lessee, Benjamin Webster. Managers, B. Webster and F. B. Chatterton.—THlS EVENING, at 7, THE HAPPY MAN. Mr. Shiel Barry. At 7.30, KING 0' SCOTS. Founded on Sir Walter Scott's Novel of "The Fortunes of Nigel," written and adapted by Andrew Halliday. King James and Old Trapbois the Miser, Mr. Phelps. Messrs.W. Rignold, Herbert Crellin, 'Barrett, J.John stone, Marshall, J. Murray, H. Russell, Wallace, Clifford, West land, J. ClaYton, ,Szc. ; Mesdames It. Leclercq, A. Merton, It. Power, F. Addison, &c. New and magnificent scenery, by F. Lloyd and assistants. To conclude with HE'S A LUNATIC. Mr. J. Clayton. Box-office open from Ten till Five. VAUDEVILLE THEATRE, STRAND. Lessees—Messrs. H. J. Montague, D. James, and T. Thorne.—THlS EVENING, at 7, CHISELLING , (148th Night) : Mr. David James. After which, TWO ROSES (221st night), by James Albery. Conclude with (70th night) ELIZABETH. Sup ported by Messrs. H. J. Montague, David James, and T. Thorne, &c.; Mesdames Amy Fawsitt, A. Newton, and Nelly Power, ex. ROYAL STRAND THEATRE. Sole Lessee and Manageress, Mrs. Swanborough. THIS EVENING, at 7, WHO SPEAKS FIRST? , Mr. Joyce ; Misses Hughes, Lee. After which, UP IN THE WORLD ; Messrs. Terry, Paulton, Crouch, Turner ; Mesdames Ada Swanborough, Sheridan, Anstiss, Goodall. To conclude with CIEUR-DE-LION, Messrs. Terry, Paulton, Fenton, and Turner ; Mesdames Amy Sheridan, K Bufton, Santley, Lee, Goodall, &c. ROYAL COURT THEATRE, Sloane-square, S.W. Lessee and Manager, M. LITTON. THIS EVENING, at Eight o'clock. The 20th Night of W. S. Gilbert's original comedy entitled RANDALL'S THUMB. Sup ported by Messrs. Hermann Vezin, W. Belford, Edward Righ ton, H. Mellon, R. Astley, and Frank Matthews Mesdames M. Brennan, Kate TURN H IM and Eleanor Bufton. Pre ceded by, at 7.30, TURN HIM OUT ; and to conelude with an original comedietta, by F. A. Marshall, entitled Q. E. D. Supported by Messrs. W Belford, E. Righton, Misses M. Bren nan, Kate Bishop, and Kate Manor. Box office open from 11 to 5. No fees for booking, programmes, or cloak rooms the Trains by Metropolitan Rail wa y to the very doors of Theatre. —Acting Manager, Mr. John Huy. ROYALTY THEATRE.-TO-NIGHT, February 16.—The 32nd 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. ROYAL POLYTECHNIC. - EXTRAORDI NARY and COMBINED ENTERTAINMENT. PRO FESSOR PEPPER on THE WAR. Special Edition. Musical and Pictorial Illustrations. —Mr. GEORGE GROSSMITH, Jun., in the Fairy Tale, THE YELLOW DWARF, every Evening; GRECIAN STATUARY, by MADAME BOUSFIELD ; and a thousand and one other Entertainments all for ONE SHILLING, daily, 12 to 5 and 7 to 10. MADAME TUSSAUD'S EXHIBITION, Baker street. —On view, Portrait Models of the ex-Emperor and Empress of the French, and Prince Imperial. Also, Marshal Baxaine, Marshal Canrobert, General Trochu, ac., Admission, is. ; Children under Ten Years of age, 6d. Extra Rooms, 3d. extra. Open from 10 a.m. till 10 p.m. MADAME TUSSAUD'S EXHIBITION, Baker street. view Portrait Models of the King and C ro wn prince of—On Prussia, , Prince Leopold of Hohenzollern. Also Count von Bismarck and Count von Moltke.—Admission, ls. ; Children under Ten Years of age, 6d. Extra Rooms , 6d extra.— . Open from 10 a.m. till 10 p.m. pA.RTRIDGE AND COOPER. MANUFACTURING STATIONERS, 193, FLEET-STREET (CORNER OF CHANCERY-LANE), LONDON, E.C. THE PUBLIC SUPPLIED AT WHOLESALE PRICES, AND. CARRIAGE PAID to the COUNTRY ON ORDERS OVER 20s. Per ream. s. d. Fine Crean} Laid Note ; a cheap paper . Superfine Cream Laid Note ; much approved 4 0 Superfine Thick Cream Laid Note ; especially recommended 5 6 Extra Superfine Double Thick Cream Laid Note Straw Paper, "Patent ;" adapted for rapid writing Large Commercial Note Paper 5.......... 35., 45., 55., and 6 0 Foolscap Papers, blue or cream .... 10s. 6d., 12s. 6d., and 14 6 6 Outsides Foolscap ...... •••••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 6 6 Letter Paper for scribbling plain 45.; ruled ditto, 4 6 , Tinted Lined Note five quires for ls. Od., or 5 6 New Vellum Wove "Club House " Note, five quires for 2s. 6d. Superfine Cream or Blue Envelopes, 4s 6d, 5s 6d, & 6s 6d Large .Blue Wove Commercial Envelopes, 4 s 6 d ...... per 1000 Cheap Buff Colour, for circulars, ctc., 35.... 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 CHERAY 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 is. 6d..—Red Bull Wharf, 93, Upper Thames-street, London. NOTHING IMPOSSIBLE. AGUA AMARELLA restores the Human Hair 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 Bull Wharf, Angel-passage, 93, Upper Thames-street, London, E.C. THEATRES AND AMUSEMENTS. DRURY LANE—RuIe Britannia. Dragon of Wa.ntley. COVENT GARDEN—Lottery Ticket. Sleeping Beauty. ADELPHI—That Rascal Jack. Deadman's Point. Our Female American Cousin. PRINCESS'S—The Happy Man. King o' Scots. He's a Lunatic. HAYMARKET—The Poor Soldier. The Palace of Truth. Uncle's Will. Family Jars. -Chiselling. Two Roses. Elizabeth, or the VAUDEVILLE Invisible Armada. - OPERA COMIQUE—The Welsh Girl. Found Drowned. The Comical Countess. ST. JAMES'S—To Oblige Benson. Naval Engagements. Vesta. An Unhappy Pair. OLYMPlC—Poppleton's Predicament. lesque) Paul and Virginia. ROYALTY—Dora's Device. Whittington Junior and his Sensation Cat. Diamond Cut Diamond. GAIETY—A Christmas Story. Alladin 11. QUEEN'S —A Day After the Wedding. 'Twixt Axe and Crown. ROYAL COURT THEATRE—Turn Him Out. Randall's Thumb. Q.E.D. HOLBORN—Jezabel. Ticket-of-Leave Man. STRAND —Wh o Speaks First ? Up in the World. Cceur-de-Lion. PRINCE OF WALES'S —Ours. Locked In. ASTLEY'S—Englishmen in Paris. Little Tom Tittlemouse. SURREY—Farce. My Son Jack. NATIONAL STANDARD—Farce. Ride a Cock Horse to Banbury Cross. SADLER'S WELLS—Jeannie Deans. AMPHITHEARE AND CIRCUS (Holborn)—Lulu. in the Arena. ST. JAMES'S HALL— Christy Ministrels. Every evening, ALHAMBRA—Grand Concerts. POLYTECHNIC—Professor Pepper's War Lecture. noon and evening. MADAME TUSSAUD'S (Baker-street) —From 10 a.m. till 10 p.m. ls. ; extra rooms, 6d. Nell and (Bur. Scenes After- 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 LATES I' NEWS of the WAR, and of all other. events. _.„ +r - 34 , - / C'‘ C WA QV ' ~ LONDON, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16,1187 THE Paris electors are not amongst those popular bodies who cannot make up their own minds. Their decision and consistency at least are worthy of ad miration. During the Empire they enjoyed perfect freedom of choice, for the Government knew better ;han to interfere with them; and the more experience they gained the more revolutionary were their selections. In 1857 the Paris deputies were mostly Republicans ; in 1863 they were all Republicans ; in 1869 the moderate representatives of the party were turned out to make room for more Ultra and Red ad- vocates. But no choice under the Empire can com pare with the remarkable batch of deputies the Parisians have just sent to Bordeaux. During the counting of the votes it became known that the Reds had carried the city ; and it • now appears that the result is Redder than was hoped even by ROCHEFORT in his Mot 4' Ordre. No such a collection has been seen in a representative Assembly :since the days when DANTON thundered against the Girondists from the Mountain. GAMBETTA, the advo cate of war a outrance, LOUIS BLANC, the COMMUIIiSt, GARIBALDI, the hater of kings and priests, ROCHEFORT, who publishes a paper of which "Regicide is the motto, VICTOR HIJGO, who has for so many years fulminated in exile in favour of democracy—these are some of the moderate members of the list, The rest are political fanatics, orators . who have nothing to recommend them but violence, nominees of the International Association which hopes to *makes of all Europe one loving Socialist community. It is a serious event. We might be contemptuous of PEAT'S indecency, of MILLIERE'S brutality, of GA3IBON'S buffoonery ; but different considerations present themselves. There can be no doubt that this list has been carried by the exertions of the Inter national Democratic Association. The result shews that the Paris Reds possess a power of organisation which compensates to some extent for the injury they do themselves by their illogical extravagancies. They may make speeches in the clubs which read like the effusions of maniacs, but they hold together in pretty good order when it is necessary to give their extravagancies practical effect. It can hardly be expected that 100,000 voters of this type will keep themselves quiet now that their opportunity, as they think, is come. They have se cured an appropriate body of leaders in the National Assembly. The restraints upon their action may speedily be removed. The Germans will leave Paris as soon as peace is made ; and at the same time the National Guards will be disbanded, and the pay which conciliated the workmen during the siege will cease. Trade will languish for many a month after this war. The building of boulevards, which M. HAUSSMANN kept up for the purpose of preserving order amongst these masses, can no longer be continued by the new rulers, who ever they may be. When bread is wanting to the artisan legions whom the late vote represents, we may see results of the Red organisation of a character far more impressive than sending outrageous representatives to Bordeaux. The object of these men is to bring about, not merely a revolution, but such a revolution as will make common property of everybody's possessions. Nowhere can they com mence under such favourable auspices as in Paris. There they are strongest; there the Government will be weaker, the contrast between poverty and wealth . greater, than anywhere else. The danger is one I, which the previous history of their country warns moderate Frenchmen not to neglect. In - France revolutionary deeds l'ave more than THE' SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1871. once followed extravagant utterances. The situa tion makes the union between the Moderate Republicans and the Monarchists an emphatic necessity. If these two parties dispute whether a bran -net Monarchy shall or shall not be set up, the common enemy will not fail to take advantage of their divisions. died a year ago, and thus the scandal (which is of a type common enough in France) ought to have died with her. Not only, however, does MiMere revive it, but so falsefies the details as to repre6ent M. Favre in the character of a criminal. And so the not very squeamish Rochefort became "sick in the stomach." But the Parisians bought Milliere's journal at a very high price, and then elected him a national representative. THE IMPERIALIST PROCLAMATION. The Germen press, which has been playing with the cause of the Emperor Napoleon for a long time, now giving it a little support, now " cutting " it en tirely, seems at length to have determined that there is no hope at present for the Bonapartists. So with one accord the Teutonic journals treat the Emperor's proclamation very coolly. Some laugh at it ; and, indeed, it is not difficult to find matter for ridicule. The Emperor takes no account for the past or the future ; he neither alludes to his own doings nor gives any advice to his distracted people ; his whole energy is devoted to condemning the Government which strove to drive out the in vader whom he brought in. He alludes to the plebiscite as confiding the sovereignty unalterably to him. But the Cologne Gazette smartly points that he abused the plebiscite and deceived the people. They wanted peace, and yet he converted the plebis cite into a machinery for making war. The Germans give him up. All the lively intrigues of which Versailles, Brussels, Wilhelmshohe, and Chislehurst were the centres, have ceased—for the time. "Many Imperialist fugitives come here," says a Geneva ' correspondent. " They are greatly discouraged. Wilhelmshoh.3 has no longer any hope, and says it L is betrayed by Count Bismarck." PARLIAMENTARY life of late years has seldom re vealed a more unfortunate display of party spirit than is shewn in the various bickerings about the Black Sea Conference. Mr. GLADSTONE commits an error : the leaders of the Opposition forthwith rush into the same indiscretion which they blame in him. No doubt Mr. GLADSTONE'S. conduct was reprehensible. The other day, in the House of Commons, Mr. DISRAELI " drew him out" with such success that he declared that he himself did not believe the neutrality of the Black Sea could be main tained, that the British Government never at tached much importance to the stipulation, that Lord CLARENDON did not consider it of any value, that Lord PALMERSTON believed it could not last long, and that the Austrian and French Governments held much the same views. Some of these statements were inaccurate, and all were very imprudent. The British Govern ment undoubtedly did think the neutralisation of the Black Sea of the first importance at the time the treaty was made, though - public opinion now cares little or nothing about it. Indeed, the circumstances have changed, for Turkey has now a good fl Jet, whereas she had none in 1850. The PRIME MINIS TER appears to have been strangely misinformed when he said that Lord CLARENDON con sidered the famous guarantee 6f no value. As.to Lord PALMERSTON, though he of all Eng lish statesmen had the greatest share in bring ing about the war, it seems that he had no expecta tion of Russia permanently abiding by these Black Sea restrictions. But, whether accurate or not, Mr. GLADSTONE committed a great error in so playing into the hands of his opponents as to make these statements, whilst the Conference was sitting. It is the business of the Plenipotentiaries to decide the fate of the Paris Treaty. Mr. GLADSTONE should have waited until THE UNIVERSITY TESTS BILL. The names of Mr. Gladstone, the Solicitor-General, Mr. Gorchen, and Mr. Dodson, appear on the back of the new bill for the removal of university tests. The measure seeks to alter the law of tests with respect to the Universities of Cambridge, Oxford, and Durham only, and it is so framed as not to threaten interference with the system of religious instruction, worship, and discipline established in the several col leges. The abolition of the rule requiring Honorinen to place their signatures to any formulary of faith before they obtain their proper degrees, or other privileges, is merely what is sought for. It is very justly stated in the opening paragraphs of the Bill that many of Her Majesty's subjects are debarred from the benefits of a University education in con sequence of the subsistence of religious restrictions, the need for which, it is generally contended, should only be sanctioned in reference to divinity students. heir task was done before making statements which go far to settle the question beforehand. All private individuals expect that the Paris treaty will be modified, but it is not for the PRI➢IE MINISTER to virtually inform the foreign representa tives that they are only solemnly debating a few formalities. Nevertheless, if this was an error, THE PURCHASE SYSTEM. • Major Anson writes another letter on the purchase system. He considers the expense of abolishing it has never been properly reckoned, for that when the existing system is done away with, we shall find our selves with an army possessing no system of retire ment. Our present full pay retirement is only £05,500, whereas an enormous increase on Sir Charles Trevelyan's original estimate of £512,271 would be requisite, in Major Anson's opinion, to secure a pro per flow of promotion for the whole army. By the abolition of purchase we shall break down our present regimental system with its attractions and the facilities for exchange. This will turn the atten tion of men more to the actual value of their pay, and as Major Anson thews that a cornet's payi when divested of the charges for horses, servants, uniform and accoutrements, leaves £lB ss. 9d. as a balance for his remuneration, he is not sanguine as to the result. He believes that th© abolition of pur chase will be " the first nail driven into the coffin of our Asiatic and Colonial Empire." He foresees the time when the expense of officering the army will be so great that a spirit of discontent will spring up. The defence of the country will be handed over to a sort of embodied militia, while India and the Colonies will be provided for by local forces. SELLING GOODS ON SUNDAYS. the course adopted by Lord CAIRNS of raising a debate Upon it was not less so. Mr. GLAD ST ONE'S declaration could dot have passed unnoticed ; but this conflict of statesmen in tensifies its effect. The error is one which real patriotism would have passed by. The Conserva tive leaders sacrificed the public interest to a party triumph. TOPICS OF THE DAY. The tranquil career of Mr. Bee Wright and the other gentlemen whose chief business under the celestial hemisphere seems to consist in prosecuting. needy fruit-women, confectioners, and news boys for attempting to turn a penny on a Sunday, is at last threatened by something like a cloud. The laws of Sunday Trading, like the statute which compels public houses to be kept shut for certain hours, and, open for certain other hours on Sunday, i. to be so amended as to sanction the opening of small shops, and the exposing for sale any where of articles of food before ten o'clock on Sun day mornings. Eating houses and coffee shops are to be privileged in an especial manner by Mr. Thomas Hughes's new bill, inasmuch as they may not only be legally open before 10 o'clock a.m., but also after Ip.m. The regulations of the new measure have been from time to time to a great degree enforced, but the law has been found miserably, insufficient for the undeistanding of the poorer classes of shopmeu. Hence it may be supposed that the bill now about to be introduce I will satisfactorily enact such bounds and privileges to Sunday trading and selling as will leave the matter no longer in doubt, and remove the necessity for Mr. Bee Wright's eye, which was inva riably being levelled at the right spot, when petty tradesmen were (for the most part unconsciougy) found.to be assisting in a breach of the Sabbath. THE TRUCK COMMISSION. The Commissioners who are inquiring into the hardships of the Truck system are continuing their labours, and have ndw held a sitting in London, at the Law Institution, Chancery-lane. The Secretary of the Ebbw Vale Iron Company, which employs a large number of men, and owns four stores, was examined at some length. He had had twenty years' experience of Welsh ironworks, and believed that stores conducted on the company's principle were beneficial to the workmen. The company did not make more than 3 per cent, profit. A private .trader would not be content with so little. A gentle man from the Laboratory, Woolwich, said that 8,000 workmen were employed and paid weekly in cash. It was better for the men to pay them weekly instead of monthly because when paid monthly they must either borrow or get into debt. The Truck system, it may be re , marked, is based on a system of perpetual credit. The Commissioners afterwards took the evidence of a Shetland fish-curer, so that they will be able to draw their conclusions from a wide range of evidence. ST. VALENTINE'S DAY. A prodigious number of scented and flowered mis sives were, as usual, despatched on St. Valentine's eve and St. Valentine's morn, from the General Post Office, London. A. wicked bachelor, who contrived to steal into the precincts of St. Martin's-le-Grand,. discovered, what might otherwise have remained secret, that on Monday night 250,000 valentines entered the Post Office, and that on the following morning the supply was increased by 200,000 more. This enormous quantity of love symbols, only judged of by their suspicious shape as they lay in heaps on the Post-office floors, is, moreover, not supposed to include the regular town delivery of London. For: the 'first. time messages in honour of St. Valentine, if the pseudo nious expression may be used, were this year sent over the wires to many an expectiint . haind. We understand the work accomplished in the delivery of valentines by the Post-office authorities, the carriers, the telegraph boys, and the rail way officials, has been carried out most rapidly, and efficiently by all, this year. The usual long de lay of the mails in London did not take place, and it is a notable fact that the Great Western "valen tine" train of Monday night was only one minute beyond its time at starting. as any even Mr. Browning has hitherto written, how a common Breton pilot, by a wonderful com bination of skill and audacity, saved the whole French fleet from the imminent danger of capture. The most beautiful and pathetic lines of the poem are those in which the pilot, after the danger is past, and when he is told by the High Admiral to choose whatsoever thing in all France he most desires, asks simply for a day's holiday to see his good wife and his children. It would scarcely belair to anticipate the publication by a further revelation of the struc ture or beauties of the poem. It consists, however, of about one hundred lines, for which Mr. Browning received, from the proprietors of the Cornhill, as many pounds. This purchase money he at once handed over to the Paris Relief Fund, as a poet's contribution to the unfortunate Parisians. We aro glad also to notice Mr. Tennyson's name on the com mittee list of the Relief Fund. THE FISHERIES QUESTION. Earl Granville's answer to Lord Cairns leaves no ambiguity as to the scope of the commission which is to investigate the fisheries 'grievance of the United States, as well as the Alabama claims and other questions at issue between the two nations. The com mission, which consists of five representatives from erch country, is not to settle anything, but to discuss the means of settlement. No arbitrator is to bd appointed, because the respective Governments will arbitrate for themselves. It the com mission can .come to an agreement, the results of its labours will be •referred to Wash ington and London, and the two Ministries will, if they see no reason to differ from their represen tatives, order a treaty to be drawn up in accordance with the agreement. If the two sides of the Coro mission differ on any point, they at once suspend operations, and telegraph for instructions. Thus there can be no voting, or decision by a majority of a disputed question. The Commission commits us. to nothing. After the insult offered this country by the House of Repre sentatives in the matter of the Fenian emigrants, any larger concession would have been intolerable. There is probably no other State in the world that would not at once have cancelled the arrangements for this inquiry, and have left the Americans to settle the Fisheries and other difficulties for them- selves. TIIE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY. Such slight indications of the temper of the Assembly now sitting at Bordeaux are not promising. Much exasperation exists between the various par ties, and there is as yet no sign of a conciliator, unless N. Thier- , assumes that character. It will be well if the deputies get safely through the work of making peace. When that is done and a constitution has to be constructed, it will need the wisest guidance and the most delicate tact to prevent an intestine conflict. Hero, for example, is one source of dis cord : the advance , ' politicians will demand the transfer of the Assembly to Paris as soon as peace is made; but the monarchists may, and very probably will, decline to remove into the midst of a revolutionary and socialist capital whilst the constitution remains unsettled. There is another source of difficulty. The Reds complain that the votes which are given them in the towns are swamped by the electors in the rural communes, and they intend to demand that the towns be left to themselves and that the country districts vote separately, as in England. The Monarchists will assuredly not part with such a source of strength, if they can help it. Strange fluctuations of politics ! The division of the country into electoral districts, which is thought so revolutionary here, is the great safeguard of Conservatism in France. MILLIEUE. Amongst the remarkable gentlemen selected by the Paris electors as their representatives is M. Mil- The politics and the " principles" of this personage may be judged from the facts that he is one of the leaders of the International Association, that his organ is a paper bearing the significant name of the Vengeur, and that his effusions are such as to call from' M. Rochefort the other day a declaration that he felt sick in the stomach on reading an attack by Milliere on M. Jules Favre's private life. It cer tainly takes a strong dose to overcome the digestion of the ex-editor of La Lantern°. Some years ago, it appears from unvarnished accounts of the story about M. Jules Favre, a young lady named Jeanne Chermont married a worthles.3 scamp called Louis Adolphe Vernier, and in due time left him. M. Jules Favre, then a young man, formed an attachment for the lady, but as divorces are not to be procured in Catholic countries, he was ' unable to marry her. The law certainly lays down that the children of the wife are also the children of the husband, and one of Milliere's most serious accu sations against his political antagonist is that lie, Claude-Gabriel-Jules Favre, a leading member of the Paris bar, and Jesuit, had several children falsely registered at the Mairie—that . is to say, not regis tered as the offspring of Louis Adolphe Vernier, who was enjoying himself in Algeria, and receiving remit tances from the unfortunate young man; who main tained both wife and husband. Milliere calls M. Favre the " partner" of the Algerian, gentleman, represents the Foreign Minister of the Provisional Government as 'a forger, and, in addition, accuses him of illegally appropriating a legacy left to his children by a certain gentleman, part of this legacy being due to Vernier, in Algeria; whereas .the truth is that the money was left in such a way that the Algerian " partner" could not touch a farthing of it. The lady ie. , re. MR. BROWNING'S FORTHCOMING POEM. Mr. Browning's new poem, which is to , appear in the March number of the Corahill Magazine, is en titled " Herv6 Riel," and narrates, in as stirring verse POPULAR LAW. We are glad to see that the firm of Heywood are issuing a series of " Penny Statutes " for the people. In a small penny pamphlet, the substance of an important Act of Parliament is given in plain language, with careful explanations. Competent men have charge of the work. The series com mences appropriately with the Married Women's Property Act. Stich aids are within the reach of all ; so that in future the maxim, " Ignorance of the law excuseth no man," will hold good more than ever. It would be well if a population which now has the full control of Government in its hands were to give its attention to the laws which are made by the Legislature of its own electing. It is true that many members of the said Legislature know very little about the subject themselves, but their de ficiencies render competence on the part of the general public the more necessary. A. CHINESE MITRAILLEUSE. The Europeans have not the credit of all the destructive inventions. It appears that the mitrail leuse on which we moderns are priding ourselves as a discovery of our decade has existed in China for ages. Father kmiot, a Jesuit missionary at Pekin in the last century, gave a description of a kind of rifled cannon which he found there, and which he represented as one of the most tArrible weapons that could be employed. It is called by the Chinese, he says, the Bee's Nest, or more correctly, the swarm of Bees, and holds a middle place between guns and cannon, producing a greater effect in battle than either. Its charge is a hundred balls, and these balls reach a range of from four to five hundred paces. A. man can bear it on his shoulders. The illustration which accompanies this description, published in the Jesuits' Memorials of Pekin, bears a strong resemblance to the French mitrailleuse of the present day. ..._,.....:, ,7).,i_,,-11, F i. t,,,,, tir'' - "i.„9 1 ,- ~,,- A.-. gigUrt 7*‘ -- :'.' --itsinviat ...---- ~t,,, HER MAJESTY. WINtSOR CASTLE, FEBRUARY 15. The Queen, accompanied by Princess Beatrice, drove out yesterday afternoon. The Hon. Mary Lascelles and the Hon. Mary Pitt were iu attendance. The Princess of Wales drove out yesterday, attended by the Countess of Macclesfield. LITERATURE. New Grooves. By Annie Thomas. 1 vol. Charlton Tucker. It is impossible for Annie Thomas to be otherwise than interesting. Whatever other merits her books may have or may lack, they always possess the power of arresting for the time-being the attention of the reader, and this is no mean qualification for the story-teller; it is one, in fact, for the absence of which no other excel lence can atone. The • heroine of this little volumette is Ethel Borodaile, or Ethel Wes ton, for her marriage takes place in the earlier portion of her history. She is described to us, on her first introduction, as possessing "beauty of an order that was beyond dispute ; the beauty of rich warm colouring, of suppleness of form, of intense vitality ; the beauty of untried power, and untainted youth, of a perfectly pure organisation, of a. self-reliant heart and an untroubled conscience ; the beauty of one void of all desire to injure and all dread of being injured ; the beauty of youth and unsuspicion, of fidelity and faith, of eyes bright and cloudless as a summer sky, and of warm golden hair." Such is Ethel Borodaile, while her husband's cousin, Flossy Cartwright, is decribed as p. "blue and white fairy-like creature, with clouds pf lemon-coloured hair, framing the most charming little face in the world." The moment we heard of the "lemon-coloured hair" we felt a sure presentiment that the fair Flossy was to be the evil genius of the tale, very fair hair d la Brinvilliers being the recognised mark of the female fiend of the modern sensational romance, from "Lady Audley" downwards. We will not reveal the secret of the fair Flossy's animosity to the. strong-minded Ethel. We have already spoken of the story as an interesting one. The title, " New Grooves" is for a-while a mystery, and the mind is bewildered. Its meaning bursts upon the reader with a sudden surprise, Ethel's admiring husband marks with pleasure, the development of her mental powers. "He had seen in her a fixed resolve to do something. It would be something good, and yet at the same time some thing that would be liable to be cavilled at by prejudice. He felt almost convinced, yet what could' - be Ethel was suoh a sweetly domestic femi nine woman, such a gentle charming, lovely lady that it could not be anything detrimental to or in any way opposed to these characteristics." The " something " reveals itself later on in Ethel's determination to qualify herself for assuming a place in the ranks of Female Physicians The causes that bring about this decision and induce her to adventure ' upon such " New Grooves," we must leave the readers of her history to discover. "GREAT POVERTY." TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SUN." Sin,—l beg to acknowledge the following donations for the many thousand poor starving people in the district I visit, just close behind Regent-street, on whose behalf you kindly inserted my appeal to the public some few weeks ago :—Mr. Davey, £lO ; Mr. Martineau, 5 guineas ; the Hon. Mrs. G. Cavendish, £1 10s. ; the Earl of Carysfort, £5; E.G. B. Como, 55.; the Hon. Mrs. Leopold Paget ,22 ; a Friend to the roor,2lo;LadyMoore ,1 guinea ;Anonymous, 2s. 3d. ; Theophilus Levett, Esq., £5 ; Mrs. Hall, Sheer ness, 10s. ; E. M. N., Cuppenham, £2 10s. ; Messrs. Russell and Ullen, £2 ; Anonymous, ss. ; R. B. L., 2s. ; Dowager Lady Sinclair, £l. In addition to the above Messrs. Herries, Farquhar, and. Co. have transmitted to me the sum of £l2 15s. Your obedient servant, GEOB.GE CAVENDISH. Burlington Gardens, February 13, 1871. Lord Redesdale is regaining strength. Dr. Symonds, his medical, attendant, holds out hopes of his early attendance in the House of Lords, A. meeting of the English Bishops of the pro vinces of Canterbury and York has been held in relation to the present condition of the Irish Church. We are enabled to state that there is no intention on the part of Mr. Baxter of resigning the post of Secre tary to the Admiralty. The honour of knighthood has been conferred upon Mr. C. It. Turner, late senior Master of the Court of Queen's Bench. Mr, Andrews, a young student, of Exeter College, Oxford, has been missing several weeks, and his friends are much alarmed at his continued absence. Prince Mensdorff Dietrichstein, formerly Austrian Minister of Foreign Affairs, and latterly Governor of Bohemia, died on Tuesday night. The deceased Prince was a relative of Queen Victoria The dinner to the Master of Balliol is fixed for Friday, the 24th inst. The Dean of Westminster will be in the chair, and the Archbishop of York and the Bishop of Exeter will, we believe, be presel4 IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. _HOUSE OF COMMONS.-WEDNESDAY. The SPEAKER took the chair at ten minutes past twelve. METROPOLITAN WATER SUPPLY. Mr. SHAW LEFEVRE gave notice that to-morrow he would ask leave to bring in a bill to amend the Metropolis Water Act of 1852, and to further provide for the supply of water to the metropolis. ADMINISTRATION OF THE NAVY. Lord HENRY LENNOX gave notice that on Friday next, on the motion for the House going into Committee of Supply, or, if not then, on the earliest possible oppor tunity, he would call attention to the administration of naval affairs both in and outside that House, and ask for explanations from the Fhst Lord of the Treasury. (Cheers from the Opposition.) LAND TRANSFER ACT, Mr. W. GREGORY gave notiee that on the 14th of March he would call attention to the report of the Royal Com mission on the Land Transfer Act, and move a reso- lution. THE ROYAL MARRIAGE. Mr. P. A. TAYLOR gave notice that when Mr. Glad stone moved the resolution he had given notice of to morrow evening, viz., that a sum of £30,000 be granted as a dowry to her Royal Highness the Princess Louise, he should take the sense of the House on the motion. THE DISFRANCHISEMENT OF SLIGO. Mr. HERON gave notice that on an early day he would ask if it was the intention of the Government to bring in a bill for the distribution of the seats vacant by the dis franchisement of Sligo and Cashel. MARRIAGE WITH A DECEASED WIFE'S SISTER. • Mr. T. CHAMBERS, having presented a number of peti- ons, moved the second reading of this bill. Sir S. IBBETSON said considering the time at which this bill came before the House, and that every argument both for and against it had been exhausted — (hear, hear)—he should detain the House but a very few minutes. He should have much preferred that some other hon. member should have thought it his duty to put a notice on the paper similar to that which now stood in his name ; but as that had not been done, and enter taining strong feelings on the measure now under con sideratian, he could not allow it to pass a second reading sub silentio. He thought he should best study the con venience of both sides of the House by now simply moving the rejection of the measure. On the Speaker putting the question, That the bill be now read a second time, Mr. R. HITGGESON said he did not intend to have taken part in any debate, as he had hoped that the hon. baronet who had moved the rejection of the bill would hite post poned his opposition, considering that an important meeting of those who objected to the bill was to be held to-morrow, and thus give time to those to consider what course they should pursue. Ile was not without hope that they would come to the conclusion that the opposition to the measure had lasted long enough, and considering that the House had " over and over again given its assent to the bill, and that it had only been rejected by the other House by a very narrow majority, he thought on the present occasion it would be wrong to refuse the bill a second reading. It had also been urged as an argu ment against the passing of the bill that those affected by it amounted to a very small number ; but he considered that if but one subject was aggrieved he had a right to the respectful consideration of the House. (Hear, hear.) He did not think the number was so small, on the contrary, he thought the law as it at present stood, inflicted a wrong on a very large body of her Majesty's subjects. (Hear, hear.) It was a hardship on a man who married his deceased wife's sister in one country to find, on his return to his own land, that his marriage was illegal. He knew many persons whose position in life was beyond the suspicion of immorality, who had contracted these alliances, and who were now longing for a change in the law. He knew that the feeling of the House was against what was termed claptrap arguments, and he did not wish to resort to them, but he contended that this was essentially a poor man's question, and as such should be considered respectfnlly. It had been asserted also that the women of England were opposed to this measure ; but he did not agree with that assertion. A great many of the fair sex were inclined to take the same view of the matter as that held by the clergy of the Church of England, but he did not believe that the majority of the women of England were opposed to the measure. He had had some conversation with ladies on this subject, and had not found them adverse to it. (Hear.) Again, it was alleged that if a change in the law did take place the wife would become suspicious of her sister. That, he considered, Was a libel on the women of England. (Hear, hear.) He believed that a woman, in whatever position in life she was, who would be jealous of her sister, would he equally jealous of her whether her husband could, on her decease, marry her sister or not. He knew of several cases in which the wife, on her death bed, had asked her husband to marry her sister, and supply her place as a mother to his children. Neither was it at all unnatural that such wishes should be expressed. He felt that nothing more could be said in favour of the bill than was contained in the comprehensive speech on this subject last session, by the right hon. member for Birmingham, in which the whole subject was dealt with in a truly liberal spirit. He looked on this question, as a member of the Church of England, and he felt that it would be an injury to the Church if she persisted in opposing the bill. The law of the Church should not be opposed to the expressed wishes of the people. True, it was no light matter to alter the law of marriage, but this measure had been pressed on the Legislature again and again, and if the Bill was passed it would prove a great boon to the people of this country. It was a question of civil- and religious liberty, and he saw no reason why that liberty should bo infringed on this point. The first Parliament elected by househould suffrage had passed the bill, by such a largo majority, that he thought it would be wise on the part of its opponents to yield on this occasion. (Hear, hear.) In t conclusion, he would only add, that if the Church of England Wishes to hold her own in the country, she must beware and not stand between the people and civil and re- ligious liberty. (Hear, hear.) Mr. MONK, although an opponent of the measure, doubted whether the hon. member for North r' Essex had taken a wise course in moving his amendment. Many hon. mentbers thought that this was a measure which if passed into law would sap the foundations of society. (Hear, hear, and oh.) He how ever could not shut his eyes to the fact that the measure was demanded out of doors. (Hear.) He had on maul occasions strongly opposed the Bill, and his opinion on its merits remained unchanged, but he though t that the time had come when it should n° longer be opposed in the House of Commons. If the question was so be fought out at all, it should be fought in another place. Re would, however, appeal t ° her Majesty's Government to bring in a bill defining t ile degree of affinity. (Hear, hear.) The present m easur e was an exceptional one, and as such should not encumber the statute books. (Hear, hear.) red Mr. CAMPBELL said it had frequently been ass erted that the people of Scotland entertained a very strong objection to the bill of his hon. friend, the member fcd Marylebone, and on former occasions notices been entered to exclude Scotland from the operations ° the Act. Now he believed that was an entir el y Wr°rigo. impression. Years ago it was so, but a change of feelill ; had taken place lately. The opposition was co nfined the kirk sessions, presbyteries, and church circles., He and other Scotch members in favour of t his bill, 117 heard nothing from their constituents in opposition t° He h&d carefully examined the petitions which , 113ci " ere presented to the House against the bill. In 1 , - -4 th _ ora were 209 petitions against the bill, of which 118 caroe sirens Scotland, but out of this numberll6 were from Kirk Se: the and presbyteries. Last year 66 were presented aga in 4 9 o f bill, and of these there were 53 from Scotland, which were from Kirk sessions. One g eneral petitionncrof signed by 22 electors, and one from the T own Con s s il ent the city of Edinburgh ; but a counter petition wa, be en from the. Council, which stated that the former b r s.?., e 005 smuggled through. Without any disrespect to, vilg; of bodies, he must say they generally took a narrow still be such matters. If this Bill were passed it would ci _ e by in the power of the kirks to restrict anon mana.' excommunicating its members. h Mr. ORR EWING said he was afraid the —on. m h for Glasgow was not conversa nt with the feelingsern 5,% ad 010 c ountrymen on this question. T he PresbYta , h truly represented the feelings of the Scottish Pool l kir l; petitioned time after time against the measuarue.d coui pOS•• 1 sessions, which were representative bodies, had almost entirely of laymen, by Petitiolllll. g th eir