The Sun. — London, England, 1871-02-23 00:00:00

E"L'i MOSES and SON'S • OVERCOATS, 19s. to £5. B OY'S OVERCOATS, 7s. 6d. to 455. MOSES and SON beg to remind the public _12,1 4 , that' the cheapness of an article depends anti, ely on its quality, and they venture to say that their prices will compare favourably with those of auy other house n England. p MOSES and SON'S .Jl-14. OXFORD COATS, 17s✓ to 50s. CAMBRIDGE COATS, 19s. to 503. KERTCH JACKETS, 15s. to 428. SUTHERLAND JACKETS, 19s. 6d. to 50s. B USINESS SUITS, 28s. to 60s. QOUSCRIPTION FRANCAISE for the 'VICTIMS of the WAR—FRIDAY EVENING, St. James's Hall, Grand CONCERT. Mdlle. Viardot, Signor Bottisini, ctc. Con dnctor, Mons. GOIJNOD. Stalls 10s. 6d., and 21s. ; Balcony, 58. ; admission, 2s. 6d. Doors open at 7 o'clock. QOUSCRIPTION FRANCAISE.— Stalls, 21s. 1.3 and 10s. 6d.—CONCERT, FRIDAY EVENING, St. James's Hell. Immediate application is requested. Tickets to be had at Lamborn Cock and Co.'s, 83, New Bond-street ; Austin's, St. James' Hall; Chappell's, Mitchell's, 011ivier's, Keith, Frown's, and Hays'. 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 20s Per ream. s. d. Fine Cream 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 . • ..... . 7 0 Straw Paper, "Patent ;" adapted for rapid writing ...... 2 6 Large Commercial Note Paper 5.......... 35., 45., 55., and 6 0 Foolscap Papers, blue or cream .... 105. 6d., 12s. 6d., and 14 6 Outsides Foolscap 6 6 Letter Paper for scribbling.. Tinted Lined Note. New Vellum Wove ." Club House" Note, five quires for 2s. 6d. Superfine Cream or Blue Envelopes, 4s 6d, 55 6d, & 6s 6d Large Blue Wove Commercial Envelopes, 4s 6d ...... per 1000 Cheap Buff Colour, for circulars, &c., • • • • COLOUR STAMPING (Relief) reduced to Is. 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 is. 6d. —Red Bull Wharf, 93, Upper Thames-street, London. EMOSES and SON'S easy and accurate system . of self-measure enables them to execute orders by post, with the guarantee of a faultless fit. E. MOSES and SON'S FROCK COATS, 245. to 635. DRESS COATS, 255. to 60s. MORNING TROUSERS, lls. 6d. to 21s. DRESS TROUSERS, 12s. 6d. to 265. MOURNING SUITS, 28s. to £5. U MOSES and SON'S J 12.4. B OYS' CLOTHING : KNICKERBOCKER SUITS, 9s. 6s. to 40s. ETON SUITS, 15s. to 40s. BRIGHTON SUITS, 18s. to 480. DRESS SUM'S, 255. to G3s. yiMOSES and SON supply every desc ri p tion of Ir • Clothing, ready-made or made to measure, for all ages, all occasions, and all classes ; also Hosiery anr Drapery, Hats and Cats, 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 andpost-free. E. MOSES and SON'S Fstablisb.ments are closed every Friday evening at sunset till Saturiluy evening at sunset, when business a resumed until Eleven o'c.ock. The following are the only addresses of E. MOSES and SO s LONDON. CORNER of MI NORI ES and ALDGATE. 3 \ I ff OXFORD-STREET. CORKER of HART-STREET. CORNER of TOTT EN H A 11-COURT-ROA. 0 and EUSTON-ROAD. COUNTRY BRANCH. BRADFORD, YORKSHIRE: THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY LANE. Lessee and Manager, F. 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 WA.NTLEY • or, HAR LEQUIN AND OLD MOTHER SHIPTON, with Characteristic Scenery by William Beverly. Doors open at half-past Six, com mence at Seven, and terminate at Eleven o'clock every Evening. Box-office open from Ten till Five daily. MORNING PERFORMANCE (last) of the Grand Pantomime, entitled the DRAGON OF WANTLEY, SATURDAY. February 26, Children and Schools at reduced 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 IIOBSART on MON DAY, February 27.—80x-oifice open from 10 till 5 daily.— THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY LANE. riPHBA.TRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET.- The and Night of a NEW FAIRY COMEDY. THIS EVE NING (THURSDAY), at Seven o'clock , O'Keefe ' s Musical Piece, THE POOR SOLDIER, with selections from the original music. Patrick, Miss Fanny Wright ; 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. Buckstone, 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. FAMILY I MILY and Miss Robertson. Concluding with the Farce of FA Box JARS. Mr. SOTHERN will re-appear on the Ist of May. 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, at 7, THAT RASCAL JACK : John Rouse. At 7.30 (16th time), 'MADMAN'S POINT or, Mr. THE LIGHTHOUSE ON THE CARN E RUTH : Miss Furtado, Mrs. A. Mellon, Mrs. Leigh Murray, bliss M. Cooper, and Mrs. Billington ; J. Rouse, C. H. Stephen son, and (16th appearance here) Messrs. E. F. Edgar, Voltaire, 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, (Sac. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.—SoIe Lessee, Benjamin Webster. Managers, B. Webster and F. B. thatterton.—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, &c. ; Mesdames R. Leclercq, A. Merton, R. Power, F. Addison, d:,c. New and magnificent scenery, by F. Lloyd and assistants. To conclude with HE'S A LUNATIC. Mr. J. Clayton. Box-offfee open from Ten till Five. VAUDEVILLE THEATRE, STRAND. Dissees—Messrs. H. J. Montague, D. James, and T. Thorne.—THlS EVENING, at 7, CHISELLING (158 rd Night) : Mr. David James. After which, TWO ROSES (226th night), by James Albery. Conclude with (84th night) ELI ABETH. Sup ported, by Messrs. H. J. Mo nta g ue, David James, and T. Thorne, &c.; Mesdames Amy Fawsitt, A. Newton, and Nelly Power, &c. ROYAL STRAND THEATRE. Sole Lessee and Manag eress, 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 C(EUR-DE-LION: Messrs. Terry, Paulton, Fenton, and Turner ; Mesdames Amy Sheridan, E. Bufton, Santis'', Lee, Goodall, &c. ROYAL COURT THEATRE, Sloane-square, S.W. Lessee and Manager, M.IXITTON. THIS EVENING, at Eight o'clock. The 25th Fight of W. S. Gilbert's original comedy entitled RANDALL'S THUMB. Sup ported by Messrs. •Hermann Vezin, W. Belford, Edward Righ ton, H. Mellon, It. Astley, and Frank Matthews ; Mesdames M. Brennan, Kate TURN H I M nd Eleanor Bufton. Pre ceded by, at 7.30, TURN HIM OUT s and to conclude 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. Trains by Metropolitan Railway to the very doors of the Theatre.—Acting Manager, Mr. John Huy. • ROYALTY T REATRE. - TO - NIGH T, February 23.—The 37th time of an original Comedietta, by R. 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. TOYAL 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 BOLTSFIELD ; and VENTRILOQUISM, by Mr. DAVIES ; all for ONE SHILLING, twice daily, 12 to 5 and 7 to 10.—Professor Pepper will shortly commence h's Astronomical Lectures. MAME TUSSAMYS EXHIBITION, Baker street. view, Portrait Models of the ex-Emperor a11(1 Empress of the French, and Prince Imperial. Also, Marshal Bataine, Marshal Canrobert, General Trochu, &c., &c., ac.— Admission, is. ; Children under Ten Years of age, 6d. Extra Rooms, 6d. extra. Open from 10 a.m. till 10 p.m. MADAME TUSSAUD'S EXHIBITION, Baker street.—On view, Portrait Models of the King and Crown Prince of Prussia, Prince Leopold of Hohenzollern. Also Count von Bismarck and Count von Moltke.—Admission, is.; Children under Ten Years of age, 6d. Extra Rooms, 6d. extra. — Open from 10 a.m. till 10 p.m, NOTHING IMPOSSIBLE, AQUA 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, B.C. THEATRES AND AMUSEMENTS. DRURY LANE—RuIe Britannia. Dragon of Wantley. 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. VAUDEVILLE -Chiselling. Two Roses. Elizabeth, or the 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 Nell and (Bur- Crown. ROYAL COURT THEATRE—Turn Him Out. Randall's Thumb. Q.E.D. HOLBORN—JezabeL Ticket-of-Leave Man. STRAND—Who Speaks First ? Up in the World. Cceur-de-Lion. PRINCE OF WALES'S—Ours. Locked In. SURREY—Ruth ; or, A Poor Girl's Life in London. My Son Jack. NATIONAL STANDARD—Farce. Ride a Cock Horse to Banbury Cross. SADLER'S WELLS—Jeanie Deans. AMPHITHEARE AND CIRCUS (Holborn)—Lulu. Scenes in thef Arena. ST. JAMES'S HALL— Christy Ministrels. Every evening. ALHAMBRA—grand Concerts. POLYTECHNIC—Professor. Pepper's War Lecture. After- noon and evening. MADAME TUBSAUD'S (Baker-street)—From 10 a.m. till 10 p.m. Is. ; extra rooms, 6d. THE EUROPEAN WAR The SUN is Published Every Morning at EIGHT O'CLOCK, with SOME HOURS' LATER NEWS than auy other paper. This Edition will always contain the LATES l' NEWS of the 'WAR, and of all other events. Cg 7. 4 1 "&' 3 -: r .11110 LONDON, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1871. THE rejection of• Mr. TREVELYAN'S motions touching army reorganisation is much to be regretted. They were needed to complete the scheme of reform. introduced by the Government, and it is more than probable that the refusal to entertain them will in flict fatal injury on the whole plan. The resolutions declared it expedient to subject the office of Commander-in-Chief to the same rule of five years' tenure that applies to other posts, and to erase from the estimates certain items of useless expenditure. The first proposition had really, though not ostensibly, two objects. If adopted and carried out it would secure a periodical infusion of new ideas into the leading council of the army, and it would have the effect, the importance of which the reformers did not disguise, of removing the present COMMANDER - IN CHIEF, whose tenure is practically unlimited. Both aims are just. It is easy to defend the general principle that the Commander-in-Chief should re main in power for a limited period, and not as long as he lives or chooses. Nothing is more prejudicial to the interests of the army than the retention at its head of men whose military reputation was made in a past age, and who are unalterably prejudiced in favour of old and obsolete systems. The Duke of WELLINGTON himself was prone to this errcr. Even he could not persuade himself that methods which had succeeded in the Peninsula would not answer equally well after thirty years of progress. If such - a commander failed to march with the times, can we be sure that any other army ruler will do better? War is essentially a .progressive science. It is not the nation which merely keeps abreast of its competitors that will triumph, but the nation which, by judicious selection of novelties, gets en advantage of all others. This end cannot be secured unless fresh ideas are con stantly brought to bear upon military administration. Such is the general principle by .which the office of commander ought to be regulated, and by which Mr. Trtßviminri sought to regulate it. The rule applies with special force to the Duke of CAMBRIDGE. His position is exactly parallel to that of a Ministry discredited through the adoption by Parliament of a policy which it has consistently and recently op p o sed. It was impossible for Mr. _DISRAE . LI to disestablish the Irish Church. It ought, on the same principle, to be impossible for the Duke of CAMBRIDGE to thoroughly dis establish the bad and wasteful system which he has 'so long upheld. It often hap pens, it is true, that Ministries veer gradually round in favour of measures they once discountenanced. But this interesting process cannot be effected all at once. Not only has the FIELD-MARSHAL COMMANDING-IN-CHIEF persistently supported abuses which now stand condemned, but only a year ego he, without provocation, at a time when the country was thinking of army reform, went out of his way to inform the public that he would not sanction any changes. An officer of these views ought not to undertake to demolish the system so dear to .him. If he does undertake to do so, the country cannot feel confidence in the efficacy of the work. Fresh men for fresh measures is a rule that applies to military as well as to other matters. TE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1871. As some of the speakers on Mr. TREVELYAN'S motio❑ remarked, the position of the COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF is . assailed, not because he is a Royal Duke, but be cause be is an anti-reformer. It is mere affectation, however, to say that his being a member of the Royal Family has nothing to do with the matter. A man in his position is le:s amenable to the will of the country than any ordinary officer. In a word, the rule that a Com mander-in-Chief ought to hold office for a limited period is one of general application, but is of more than usual necessity in a case like the present. One of the effects of the measure submitted to the House of Commons by Mr. CARDWELL will be a vast increase in the powers of the Commander-in- Chief. The privilege of promotion by purchlse is abolished, and henceforth it will devolve upon the Horse Guards to select officers for advancement according to merit. Clearly, the nation ought to have an understanding as to the means by which this enormous patronage is to be administered with out abuse. One condition is essential. The Com mander-in-Chief ought to be immediately responsible to the Secretary for War. .But, unfortunately, this responsibility has not yet been brought about, and, as we pointed out immediately' after, Mr. CARDWELL brought in his bill, the prime defect of the measure is that its provisions for an alteration in this respect are obscure, if not valueless. The Horse Guards and the War Office will be placed and r one roof, but 'surely this is not all that is needed. They might, as Mr. TREVELYAN remarked, be in one room, and we should gain little if the relations of the two were not altered. In the matter of promotion we can form a very good idea from previous experience of the relations likely to be kept up between the Duke of CAMBRIDGE and Mr. CARDWELL. If any appointment were com plained of in the House of Commons, the WAR MINISTER would at once rise with his blandest smile and assure the hon. querist that the young man promoted as exceedingly deserving, that there was no proof of his being less deserving than any other, that he would always do credit to the flag under which he served, &c. The facts are these : the present COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF has refuse I to be responsible to the War Office, and has always been practically irresponsible. In 1801 he was formally declared irresponsible ; after a long battle he was formally declared responsible; but the practical effect ha; been an uninterrupted course of irrespon sibility. Does the new bill provide sufficient means for changing this state of affairs? They are not apparent. The advantages of Mr. TREVELYAN'S pla❑ of making the Commandership-in-Chief a five years' teraire in the way of establishing the War Minister's supremacy are too obvious to need exposition. The second of Mr. TREVELYAN'S resolutions is the natural corollary of the first. He proposes to cut off the sources of useless expenditure. Such expenditure is the result of the last fourteen. years' government at the Horse Guards. Whilst miserable clerks have been turned out cf their offices, and dockyard labourers shipped off to Canada, the honorary colonelcies, the duplicated salaries, &c., &c , of the Horse Guards have remained intact. A Govern ment, one of whose pledges, and a very good one, was economy, has been able to do nothing with these abuses.. Thousands a 'year might justly be put into Mr. LOWE'S pocket, and yet he cannot take them. Is this respocsibility ? The most expensive regiments in the army are for military purposes the most useless. The honorary colonelcy of £1,350 granted to the Prince of WALES for "long service" was somewhat invidiously selected by Mr. ANDERSON, for it is merely an instance among many. Much money is indisputably wasted in this way. Can the question why it is not saved admit of more than one - answer ? It is to be regretted that the GovernMent have re jected Mr. TREVELYN'S propositions. So neces sary are they in the interests of both economy and efficiency that it may well be doubted whether an otherwise good measure will not be spoiled by their omission. A system of government in the Artily, totally distinct in character from that by which the Navy is managed, can be defended, or excused, only on the plea that the Army is to remain what it has ever been—an aristocratic lounging ground, TOPICS OF THE DAY. sums of money, to be paid by certain cities, and yet no - end can be gained by these exactions except the ar!)itrary exercise of power. The great mistake which the Germans make is to overlook the fact that extreme harshness on their part renders the French people desperate, and inclined to com mit acts of violence they might otherwise abstain from. Colonel Hamley thinks that the question for decision is, whether war is brigandage. The Ger mans have met with remarkable success, which ought to have made them moderate, but which has instead increased their rapacity. They have boasted of the efficiency of their stores and provisions, and yet committed acts ot oppression to obtain supplies from the ruined French people. If such a course of action can be justified, he considers that no more abuse should be lavished on the first Napoleon, for he never left a theatre ot war so desolate as are the ravaged spaces between Paris and the Rhine. mills and the town, ft distance of three miles, part of ' which has a rising gradient of 1 in 10. Up this steep incline the road steamer bravely drew a load of seven tons, though the road was covered with solid ice. The wheels of these steamers are covered with indiarubber tires, and as india-rubber does not slip on ice, the steel guards are removal, and the engines do not slip. The question is a very important one as regards the practical value of the steamers, as they can now, it is evident, be used for regular traffic in very cold countries, such as Russia and Canada, where sledging is commonly employed. The indiarubber tires run over almost any kind of surface, and can consequently be used on the dry hot sands of India as well as on frozen roads. M. TRIERS. According to the Cologne Gazette, the new bead of the French Government is preparing himself for a long tenure of power. He did not take offic3 with out much hesitation, and imposed too many condi tions to admit of the supposition that lie intends his power to readily escape him. The chances of an Orleanist restoration cannot be deemed great. Not only does Thiers pronounce for the Republic, but he has clearly expressed his belief that a monarchy with either the Count of Paris or the Count of Chambord is an impracticable resource. The Orleanist Princes, says the Cologne Gazette, are quite prepared to accept Republicanism. The Count of Paris is of very Liberal principles, and was strictly enjoined by his father to bow to the will of the people, it they chose a Republic. It may be asked, too, why M. Thiers should not prefer to remain at the head of the Government, instead of becoming a subordinate under a king. It is ilesumed that he will bear the greatest share in the unpopularity which must befall a Minister who signs a disastrous treaty of peace but a politician who is called to power by the general voice of the nation expressly for this pur pose staty's in a different position in this respect. WAR ARRANGEMENTS. Should the negotiations at Versailles fail to result in a definite peace, it appears probable that field operations will be entirely abandoned in the North. The waintenance of separate armies in that part of the French territory did not prove a happy expe dients for the Germans were able, at a time of tem porary inaction in other parts of the country, to send rapidly an overpowering force against Fai I herbe, crush him, and then withdraw the reinforcements to the duty they had left. Moreover, it will be neces sary to keep up the revictualling of Pariscturing Ger man occupation, and it would be well, therefore, to neutralise the departments .of the Nord and the Pas de Calais, so as to maintain an uninter rupted passage for the supply of provisions. The French forces will be concentrated into one or two armies resting on fortified seaports. If they are driven to the shore they can alivays b e supp li e d with provisions for the fleet, and if necessary can embark in it, and take refuge on some other por tion of French territory. It is to be hoped, how ever, that no necessity for this kind of warfare will arise. The prospects of peace become better every day. The fifteen commissioners sent to assist in the negotiations are a most pacific body. Only two, M. Barthel6my St. Hilaire and M. Victor Letranc are' Republicans, and these profess a very mild type of that political faith. None of the commissioners be long to the war party. • THE CONDUCT OF THE WAR. Colonel Hamley refers to the system of warfare pursued by the Germans, and thinks it should not he tolerated any longer. He denies the jnbtice of the argument of quoting precedents, because to do so might sanction the barbarity of past centuries. As for • the reference which has been made to the Duke of Wellington drawing supplies from France, Colonel Hamley points out two important particulars in which his requisitions dif fered from those of the Germans : they were paid for, and they were limited to reasonable demands. Ihe military chiefs of the German Army fix on particular A MARINE STEAM ENGINE. An improvement has baen made in marine steam engines, which is likely to be of value. So far as can be at present judged the engine in question has attained the desideratum of the safe employment of steam at high-pressure, by which means the con sumption of coal, and consequently the expense of fuel, is materially reduce:i. Messrs. Howard, of Bedford, have patented a steam boiler, consisting of many iron tubes, each forming a small boiler. Between those, and around these, the flame and the gas from the furnace play, and, as the tubes are joined by other tubes at the end, the whole aggregate of the steam produced in them can be used as if it came from a single source. Any explosion would be limited to a single tube, and the only immediate effect would be the extinction of the fire by the ' escaping water. There has not yet been an explo sion in a boiler in actual use. The tubes are tested up to a pressure of 5001 b. to the square inch, though they are not generally worked under more than a pressure of 1401 b. An ordinary steamer would require 1,500 tons of coal for a voyage to China and back, which would cost, adding Chinese prices to Northern prices, about £1,500. A. vessel with the new engines would need only 750 tons for the voyage, thus effecting a very important saving. The first steamer fitted with these safety boilers, as they are called, is the Fairy Dell, which has just made a very successful trial trip from Sunderland to London. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF COMMONS-WEDNESDAY. The Speaker took the chair at two o'clock. THE DEPARTURE OF LORD LYONS FROM PARIS. Sir ROBERT PEEL gave notice in pursuance of an inti mation he made last night, that on Friday, the 3rd of March, he should call the attention of the House to the circumstances under which the English Ambassador quitted Paris on the 17th September, with reference to the statement on the subject made by . the Prime Minister. AMERICAN AND CANADIAN TRADE. A report of the condition of trade between the United States and the British American provinces has been transmitted to Congress. The report says both countries have strong reasons for desiring free corn merciai intercourse, but no arrangement of really reciprocal free trade is feasible, except the establish ment of a Zollverein, or Customs Union, which would involve the independence of the British provinces. Of course the report labours to prove that the provinces would gain in every way by such an arrangement, and a comparison is instituted between the value of wages in Maine and New Brunswick, New York and Quebec. An investigation of the Reciprocity Treaty from the Washington point of view, shows that the tonnage of American vessels employed in the mackerel fisheries declined during the period of the treaty, but the present state of trade with the provinces shews a balance of nearly twenty-twC million dollars against the United States, in the acoounts of the last fiscal year. Not a very encour aging result for the friends of Protection in general, and the enemies of the Reciprocity Treaty in parti cular. THI4 UNITED STATES REVENUE. The Secretary of the Treasury has issued his usual monthly statement of the Public Debt of the United States, showing that during the month of January the debt has decreased 4,040,986 dollars, and since the opening of the second year of Presi dent Grant's administration on the Ist of March, 1870, the decrease has been 110,301,670 dollars. The reduction of the debt is all in the item of gold bearing bonds, as the other items increase and de crease mouth by month, while this one grows steadily less. The average monthly reduction is much smaller now than last year owing to the decreased revenue, resulting from reduced taxation, but the Secretary continues his policy of selling gold and buying bonds for this purpose, his announced programme for February embracing the sale of four million dollars gold, and the purchase of eight million dollars bond. This, of course, keeps the speculators in check, by the constant knowledge of a large Treasury balance ready to be sold at any moment, and also prepares for any large decline iu revenues that the changes in the tax laws may unex pectedly cause. A new item in the debt statement is one for unpaid Pacific Railway interest. REPUBLICAN SCANDAL. Parties under the• Empire were not remarkable for squeamishness in dealing with their adversaries' private affairs; but the Republic has become a per fect school for scandal. Milliere tells a disgraceful calumny of M. Jules Favze; Rochefort complains of it, and says, " Not a word more, or I shall tell all." Milliere.replies in much the same terms to Roche fort. Rochefort threatens to divulge secrets of 111. Arthur Picard (brother of M. Ernest Picard, the Minister); M. Picardin return, declares he will" split" upon M. Rochefort. During the siege the abode of M. Clement Duvernois was invaded, and all is pri vate correspondence—including a quantity of love letters—seized. M. Duvernois is of course vexed, and, by way of anticipating the enemy, gives it out that he has in his hands letters of Gambetta in which he offered his services to the Empire several times; and that he, M. Duvernois, is about to publish his proofs. By way of retaliation, the Mot d' Ordre, which is the chief organ of M. Gambetta, begins to pub lish extracts from the correspondence of M. Duvernois, and especially from the most private portion of it in Which—discussing public affairs with his lady-love— it is agreed between them that there shall be a spe cies of cipher, in which the Emperor is to be called the manager; Rouher, the man of business; Per signy, the captain; Walewski, the chambermaid; Fleury, our friend ; Magne, the cook; the Empress, the witch; 011ivier, St. Germain; Buffet, brother in-law; Thiers, Clarisse ; and so on. All of which is verb edifying, and calculated to give the French people a high opinion of their past and present rulers. THE JARDIN DES PLANTES BOMBARDED. In reckoning up the injuries inflicted on Paris by the bombardment, it appears that the Jnrdin des Plantes was an especial object of attack, as many as eighty-three shells having fallen in a comparatively limited area. At the beginning of January some shells destroyed nearly all the glass houses. The glass was pulverised by the effects of the shot and tell over the gardens like dust. The most valuable plants were killed by this sudden exposure to one of the coldest nights of the year, and they pre sented a very curious appearance. After the concussion, in many instances, the fibres were stripped bare, and the bark peeled off. M. Decaisne the superintendent of the gardens, suffered the greatest anxiety during the dangerous time, but he firmly kept to his post, and devoted all his ener gies to the task of protecting, so far as possible, his cherished treasures. He covered the plants with blankets, and resorted to every means of defence that ingenuity could devise. The tropical contents of the large palm house were exposed to the air through the frost of a severe night, but although greatly in jured, none of them have died. M. Decaisne and others have repaired the damage that has been done to the Gardens in the expectation that the new Government of France will repay their expenses hereafter. M. Decaisne is preparing a list of his losses. which, it is to be hoped, may be in some degree supplied by the liberality of those who have large collections of plants, and who may be glad to assist the cause of science. M. MICRELET ON FRANCE. M. Jules Michelet, the eminent French historian, has just published a pamphlet at Florence, having for its title "La France (levant l'Europe," which is exciting some attention in Switzerland and Italy, and which will doubtless soon be circulated in France and England. The pamphlet, unlike most of its class, is animated, passionn te, and violent throughout. "Here I am not an historian," say s the illustrious writer, and certainly he shews himself to be French before all else; loving his country ardently, admiring almost as much as he loves ; suffering cruelly from her mis fortunes, we neel scarcely say that he does not spare leer conquerors. In some calmer pages, however (relatively calmer only), something of the historian and his original humour break through ; but from the first page of the brochure to the last, the tone and thought are essentially those of an inveterate hater, contemner, and enemy of France's strong opponents and of her weakly friends. LOCAL LEGISLATION FOR IRELAND. Those Irishmen who have been so strenuously advocating a system of home government for Ireland will scarcely find satisfaction in the compromising measure for local legislation which has just been introduced to Parliament. The promoters of the bill, Mr. M'Mahon, Mr. Montagu Chambers, and Mr. Mathews, have trained it with a view to diminish the expense attending the present pro cedure for obtaining Parliamentary powers when certain undertakings are projected in the Sister Island. They, however, make no provision for an Irish parliament house, or place of assembly, where matters of this nature cool t be discussed, but propose that the "Lord Lieutenant in Council" should be granted the power of electing " such officers" as might be deemed necessary for the carrying out of the Act, and that these gentle men and the Lord Lieutenant, between them, should decide, apparently without any public hearing, on the affairs put before them. The measure pro poses to deal with purely local matters, such as permission to make or alter railways, to .provide for the extension of Irish fisheries, and the maintenance of the poor and the police. It more over contains a clause stipulating that every result arrived at by the Irish governing powers should be finally laid before the English Parliament, and could not be absolutely legalised until published in the Dublin Gazette. THE S➢LALLPDX IN LONDON. The Registrar-General, in his report of the epidemic this week, declares that the smallpox has not been so virulent in London as it is now for fully 31 years. In the severe visitation of 1840-1 the the weekly average of deaths was only 71, whereas in the present epidemic the average number of deaths weekly has been 152 for a long time past. Last week the mortality was worse again than in the previous seven days, seven additional deaths having been recorded. The ravages of the disease, happily for the inhabitants of the West End, who were so terrified that vaccination was resorted to by almost every family, have moved away from their districts to a great extent. Smallpox shewed a con siderable increase in the north of the metropolis. In seven weeks of the current quarter the deaths from the disease in London have been 1,184, and the greater number of these occurred wider 20 years of age. Among children whooping cough prevails to an alarming degree. THE ROAD STEAMERS IN FROST. The recent severe frosts have put the road steamers, whi:th have lately begun to grow in public opinion, to a very severe test. Happily, they have gone through it successfully. Mr. White, of Ketock's Mill, near Aberdeen, worked his roa , l steamer regu larly throughout the frost. It runs between the HER MAJESTY. BUCKINGHAM PALACE, FEB, 22. Her Majesty, with Princess Beatrice, went outlin the grounds this morning. Her Majesty, accompanied by Princess Beatrice, drove out this afternoon. Viscountess Clifden was in attendance. The Princess of Wales drove out yesterday, attended by the Countess of Macclesfield. The Prince of Wales presided at a meeting of the Go vernors of Wellington College yesterday morning. LIBFRAL DEMONSTRATION AT SOUTH- AMPTON. (CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAM.) A Liberal demonstration was held last night at South ampton by the United Registration' Association of Southampton and South Hants. There was a very large attendance, including Mr. Cowper Temple, M.P. for the southern division of the county, Mr. Haviland Burke, M. P. for Christchurch, and many gentleman of influence connected with the Liberal cause. Mr. Cowper Temple, in responding for the southern division, spoke at some length upon the great measures for the disestablishment of the Irish Church, the Irish Land Tenure, and Education passed during the last two sessions, and said that from their action in the past the country had much to expect of the Liberal party in the future. He spoke in favourable terms of Mr Cardwell's measure of Army Reform, and coming to the Ballot Bill, said that, although the condition of working voters demanded it as an absolute necessity, he regretted such was the case. He pronounced the action of the Go_ vernment in the University Tests Act as something to lead to greater benefits, and in answer to a question as to why the British soldier cost more than others, said he could not reply now, but believed a large portion of the expense was found in the cost of barracks. Mr. Burke also spoke at some length. There are rumours in Norwich of a petition agains the return of Mr. Colman. It is rumoured that Mr. West, Recorder of Manchester, will be the new solicitor to the Treasury. The Duke of Marlborough's health is greatly im proved, and there is every probability of his resuming his place in Parliament at an early day. • Irani PEERS.—Lord Downshire, Lord. Ely, Lord Headford, Lord Sef ton, and Lord Roden have satisfied the Lord Chancellor as to the validiry of their claims t 9 vote for Representative Peers for Ireland. FATAL ACCIDENT AT A FIRE. On Wednesday morning some or the best shop property in Hanley, Staffordshire, was destroyed by fire. It vas discovered in the shop of Mr. James, grocer, who, with his family, had a narrow escape, after having his whiskers burnt off, and one child slightly burnt. The premises:of Mr. Sorrel, a chemist, were completely gutted, as were those of Mr. James, who has lost everything; but the former saved a small portion of his property. Sergeant Wyatt, who was early at the fire, was walking on the roof, when he fell through a skylight into the market, and died almost immediately afterwards. THE BALLOT BILL. Mr. CROSS wished to know whether it was the intention of the Government to proceed with the second reading of the Ballot Bill on Monday, as arranged, after the promise made yesterday that it would be in the hands of members this morning, the fact being that it had not been so delivered. Mr. K. HUGGESSEN, who was the only occupant of the Treasury bench, regretted, as no notice had been given of the question, that he could not answer it. The hon. member had better repeat the question on another occa- sion. MERCHANT SHIPPING SURVEY BILL, On the order of the day for the second reading of this bill, Mr. PLIMSOLL said he had to advocate the cause of a class of men who had been neglected for a very long time, and had suffered very much from that neglect. For years they had been legislating for workmen on land, but they had not taken similar measures in regard to workmen off"" the sea, notwithstanding that they numbered some 738,000 men, who with their wives and families consti- tuted nearly one-fourteenth of our entire population. All the Acts which had been passed for the purpose of improving the state of the working class had carefully excluded seamen, who had been treated as though they were subjects of another country altogether. He would point out one or two of the differences existing between working men on land and the same class afloat. When a manufacturer became bankrupt, the mens' wages were as secure as was the landlord's rent ; but within a month he knew of a case in _which a ship coming home after an 18 months' voyage was lost ; the owner became bankrupt, the mortgagee took possession of everything, and the men lost the whole sum due to them, which was about £5O each, In Manchester, Birmingham, or Sheffield, if a man broke his contract with his master the latter had a remedy against him by civil action, but in the -case of seamen they were impLisoned. In support of this he instanced the case of the men at NoAh Shields, who were committed for three weeks for refusing to go to sea in a ship which was unseaworthy. These poor fellows were as a rule left entirely to the ten der mercy of borough magistrates, and the House was pretty ,well aware what that meant—borough magistrates being, as a rule, moneyed mediocrities, or respectable incapables. (A laugh.) In many towns they were ship owners ; so that the chances of the men would be seen at a glance. Nov, while they regulated the building of houses, a shipbuilder could use what material he liked, and while we limited the number of passengers in omni buses, we had no supervision over the loading of ships, though the lives of the crew might depend on it. (Hear.) He expressed his disapproval of the system of ship in surance, as it was now a matter of pecuniary indifference to ownors whether vessels arrived at their destination in safety or not, and in many instances it was an actual benefit to them if the ship became wrecked. This deplorable state of things had resulted from the negligence of Parliament in legislating on this particular subject. The return issued by the Board of Trade chewed that during the past year no less than 2,589 vessels were either wrecked or had met with casualties, and the report from the same quarter for the preceding year stated that one half the casualties oconrred• to unseaworthy, overladen vessels of the collier class chiefly employed in the coasting trade. The Royal Lifeboat Institution had repeatedly strongly called attention to the terribly rotten state of many ships, the crews of which when any casualty happened perished before there was any possibility of a lifeboat coming to their rescue; and in every gale it became a certainty that a number of lives would be lost. In 1864 844 lives were lost through wrecks on the coast ; in 1865, 935 ; in 1866, 1,100 ; and in 1867, 1,215 ; in fact, it was overwhelming to contemplate the loss of life in these, in many instances, avoidable wrecks. The statistics he had given did not afford an adequate idea of the actual mischief which resulted from the negligence of Par liament, inasmuch as they ought to include the vast numbers saved through the instrumentality of the Life boat Institution and other voluntary agencies. A great many vessels were wrecked purely from the rotten state of the wood of which they were constructed, and in many instances the crew had great difficulty in avoiding shovel ling up the bilge planks when they were shovelling up the cargo. He contended most emphatically that such vessels ought not to be allowed to go to sea without first being repaired. Another appalling cause of disaster to shipping was overloading, and he asserted that num berless vessels were laden with a positive design that the loads should sink them. There could be no doubt but that a vast number of ships were overloaded, and practi cally unfit to go to sea. It also frequently happened that ships were over-insured. He knew of one case in which an owner had given £3OO for a vessel and insured it for £1,000; of another, at North Shields, in which the owner, who did not expect to get more than £4OO for his vessel, insured her for £BOO ; and in a third case an owner who wanted £7,500 for a ship sent in a declaration to Lloyd's that she was worth £13,000, and suc ceeded in effecting an insurance for £lO,OOO. What other object could these owners have than that their ships should go to the bottom ? The bill which he had presented to the House provided for two things, viz., the compulsory survey of unclassed ships, and preventing ships going to sea overloaded. That was the principle which had been adopted and recommended by the Asso ciated Chambers of Commerce. But though the bill was limited to these two provisions, there were other causes of disaster which he should ask the House to consider at a later period of the session. The faulty construction of vessels was one of the matter which would have to be dealt with. A case had recently occurred at Sunder' land in which forty feet had been added to the length of a vesseL Now, whenever this was done great care should be taken in adding to the breadth. In this case 9 shipwright had recommended that certain precautioa s should be taken, but the owner had refused to comply with the recommendations of the shipwright on the ground of th e expense. Another subject that required investigation 0 11 that of bad stowage and ships going to sea undermanne ct Within the present month he knew that a screw s teame r of 1,500 tons burden had left Liverpool with only eight deck hands on board. The subject of defective eng ine ; power and the defective arrangements of boatmen a. vessels in distress would also require to be investig ate Not only had the Associated Chamber of Commerce aP . proved of his bill, but Chambers of Commerce in alM°st every seaport had expressed their approval of the rneelr,e, and he had received a letter from Mr. W. N. Ronda ; the Secretary of the Liverpool Board of underwrite 1); fully endorsing the principle of the bill. It mig ht to urged that it was rather a matter for the underwrite r° l i t deal with, instead of ithe Government, but he thou 00 that this was a mistake. There was no difficulty in 6x be a load line for each vessel, and this should certainl y git done. In the case of a person who insured his 1100-asty happened that the insurer was weaker than the, e P ea se giving the guarantee, but just the reverse was t' fixe to of the shipowner. The person who willfully s et his premises in order to obtain the insurance Inc' e ' ol ' o er posed himself more or less to detection, but the 811iP in the need do nothing except keep on insuring, allabottom. course of time his vessel would go to the s w hich The hon. member having detailed the various cise i s i e ded t hat ccint ships passed through as they became older, e e tei su tU°l4‘ they should be subjected to survey by comp them w ith ties before owners should be allowed to load,,vouourable precious lives, anal send them to sea. wou ld mem bers asked if the remedy Propose t hat I t meet the case, and he should s he ' s' were n et would. All shipowners, he was glad to LaY; vas gla d to guilty of the practices he had alluded to. diniritY, the say those who so acted were a very silt° due rega rd f or large majority being owners wh o had a their ships human life, and who did their best to du their i pernh e . r afloat. Amongst the majority was then w l o, w ith for South Durham (Mr. P ease) '„ in ing from the for South Durham (Mr. from tet his friends had a large number of vesselsvrere on the wate. Tyne to the Thames. These vessels three-quarters rsei single - g q l u e a r l i t f e e r s theirhoafd been l time, ost, andnenr othilwadietarhas.t)saillzildgiihielgeeft:llscisitianweat:/:, occurred in connection with them. ( rly manned' o verloaded, applied the nerveeir)ajorsverlowaedreed, looks wand ere e ir It was therefore fair to argue that If they dPr°Pcleosely sole r • N t 11 T --- CIII,IILIT Wi ex pr qu