The Sun. — London, England, 1871-02-14 00:00:00

usury ,obin- pub- ether rcum- Lts of from hon. - next tld be as an might Third lent as Jord of Lr.) It this at mment Section of the wopose to be into 'nation in th e nto the :ngland tnd and 3mitted 'ember, ,ppoint- cretary Prison manner ation of equence -ere the ni their sum of horn, to vere, aa her con of til° linatioo obtain e letters ice of its excep t 3 to la a stn , means of 71rk. In as Was [shire, as of their were re- o eNPire' Fore l ' 4ll 'as absent edge a r. on Wll5 re tiona r Y rd LY °lls t 11 o li e u sd s to lea ve , rank and nan "b 6varas re ,yoris 1154 r whether' eXPireCI7 or to introduce any bill having for its object the abolition of turnpike tolls. Mr. BRUCE stated that the usual continuance Bill would be introduced at an early period. The Act passed last Session would secure the extinction of a good many more trusts than usual, and in order to facilitate the ulti mate abolition of turnpike tolls a Bill would be brought in to make the Highway Act compulsory. (Hear.) ADULTERATION AND FALSE WEIGHTS AND MEASURES, Lord EUSTACE CECIL asked the Home Secretary if he would bring in a measure .this session to remedy the state of the law as to the use of false weights and measures and the adulteration of food, drink, and drugs,'or failing that, would he introduce a clause to meet the case in the proposed Licensing Bill. Mr. BRUCE observed that a bill was now in preparation by the President of the Board of Trade on the subject of false weights and measures. The licensing bill which he (the - Home Secretary) intended to introduce would deal very stringently, and he hoped effectually, with the ques tion of the adulteration of drinks ; but he did not con teniplate bringing in a measure with respect to food or drugs. _ . THE LOSS OF H.M.S. CAPTAIN. Sir JOHN HAY asked the Secretary to the Admiralty if he would lay upon the table of the House copies of the in structions given by the Admiralty to the committee on designs of ships of war, and the report of the Board of Construction of the Navy to that committee on the cause of the loss of Her Majesty's Ship Captain. Mr. BAXTER replied in the affirmative to the first por tion of the question, but as to the second said it would be unusual and inconvenient to lay papers on the table, upon which the committee had not yet reported. PATENT MUSEUM. Mr. HINDS PALMER asked the First Commissioner of Works whether steps had or would be taken for providing a Patent museum and offices adequate to the requirements of the nation. Mr. AYRTON, in reply to the question, stated that he Was unable to find that any particular place had been recommended, and it was a moot point where the Patent office should be erected. Under these circumstances it Could hardly be expected that the Government would embark in this undertaking. THE REVICTUALLING OF PARIS. Mr. BECKET DENISON asked the First Lord of the Treasury whether there was any ground for the state ment that the German military authorities are placing impediments in the way of importing provisions into Paris. Mr. GLADSTONE said it was not in his power to answer the question. Undoubtedly impediments had been flung in the way, but there was no impediment which would qualify him to say that it was caused by the Prussian military authorities. The latest information he had received on the subject was irom Captain Powell, at Havre, who stated that goods could not be forwarded from Havre or Rouen, but he had forwarded them by river. THE PAYMENT OF JURORS. Mr. LOPES asked the Attorney-General if his attention had been drawn to the difficulties which would arise at the approaching Assizes in respect to the payment of Jurors under the Jury Act of last session, and the insuffi ciency of funds available for such payments, and whether Government would adopt means to obviate such difficulties, and whether a measure to amend the jury system would be introduced. The ATTORNEY-GENEPAL questioned if this clause in the Act was sound in principle ; whether suitors should be called upon to pay for jurors. He thought that jurors should be paid by the State. (Hear, hear.) The working O f this Act had been found very inconvenient in West- Minster Hall, and it would doubtless be also found incon enient on circuit. Under these circumstances he pro- Posed to introduce a short bill for the purpose of repealing this one clause in the Act. (Hear, hear.) TRE RATING OF GOVERNMENT PROPERTY. Major DICKSON asked the Secretary of the Poor-law Board when he would introduce a bill for the adjustment of local burdens, and whether it was intended to make pro perty used for Government purposes assessable to local rates. Mr. GOSCREN stated that the Government would en deavour to introduce a bill at the earliest possible date convenient to the state of public business. With regard to the second question, that formed part of the Govern ment plan. Having stated that much, he must ask hon. members to refrain from asking fruitless questions, as it was most desirable that the plan should be announced by the Government to the House. (Hear, hear.) ARMY ORGANISATION AND THE ESTIMATES. Sir JOHN PAKINGTON asked the Secretary of War if he Would postpone taking any vote in the Army Estimates , until the House had had time to consider the changes in army organisation to be proposed in the bill to be introduced on Thursday. Mr. CARDWELL thought the proposal a perfectly reason able one, and would readily consent to it. He should not call for a vote until the bill had been laid on the table. (Hear, hear.) GO VERNMENT AND THE TERMS OF PEACE. Mr. AUBERON HERBERI asked the First Lord of the Treasury whether the Government were acting in concert i th other neu t r al Powers, to secure terms of peace b etween France and Germany of such moderation as will e nsure the permanent tranquility of Europe ? t l t GLADSTONE said that with respect to the steps :en by her Majesty's Government, at the present time he 114 refer to the papers laid on the table, and which 'e distributed that morning. The Government were n wh the neural Powers. He thought the terms of peace were a matter of legitimate interest to the t llt ral Powers, but those who were chiefly interested in e matter were the two belligerents. DOWRY TO THE PRINCESS LOUISE. -r • G-LADsTONE rose, in a committee of the whole souse, to propose a dowry to the Princess Louise, and in ..°l4 g so said--The whole country will be disappointed if a4 Y real difficulty were to be interposed in the passing of such a measure. The character of the Princess was known t 0 a ll, and he did not think that impressions more satisfac_ to r' or more delightful had existed in our history than tho se which had been conveyed to the popular mind with re spect to the Princess Louise. The novelty of her mar triage would hardly be in the mind of anyone, or at any T he in the mi n d s of very few, a source of dissatisfaction. he fact th a t t h e P r i ncess L ou i se was about to bestow her 'han d on a British subject was another manifestation lip t he principle which always governed her Majesty's 4 ,.; e ; a Principle which'had never allowed her in the pomp ``" splendour of royalty to forget her womanly and motherly character. The right hon. gentleman then alluded t '' tll4 fact th a t i n p a st history'royalty bestowed its hand upon th rl tish subject, and there had been a constant mixture of a ristocracy with the upper classes, and the frequent T l / I °4B between the latter and the great middle class. 1 4 t o es e interlacings of classes were believed to be beneficial s ociety, a n d th e a pproaching marriage of the Princess Lou ise was looked upon with general and affectionate gat 'faction. The amount of provision he asked the 0 . n's() to vote was an annuity of £6,000, and in due course 1 4 acl vry of £30,000 could not form a subject of difficulty 4 "u's mind of anyone. He compared this amount to the /tr e ion granted to the younger daughter of George 1 1 ,,, , and spoke warmly against ;the idea that the Queen the control of a large incame and that it was tZected she would provide for her own children. N ee . said the greater portion of the £385,000 h ha l ved by th e Q ueen was d evo t e d t o s p ec i a l p ur p oses , 14, t hat many English noblemen had a far greater free Of Ole th an h er M a j esty. H e ma i nta i ne d t h a t the reign hti e l' Maj es t y h a d b een mar k e d w i t h ex t reme economy, he did no t b e li eve i t to b e t h e d u t y o f th e Q ueen , oti ee t a// f e it was not within her power to make such savings th e o her fixed income as would enable her to provide for lifter of her child re n. ti a momentary pause, Mr. Dodson put the resolu io There was a hearty cry of " Aye," and absence of ttl eo ; 1 The ch a i rman d ec l are d th e reso l u ti on t o b e unan i- Tt i j carried, amid loud and prolonged cheering. -4-4 E XCLUSION OF STRANGERS FROM THE r. HOUSE. gai ro . GL ADSTONE moved for a select committee to in pub the best means of promoting the despatch of 4 lea e e b usiness. He remarked that the necessity of the th e u . r e arose f rom t h e f act o f mem b ers l as t year re quiring that ly ., /th drawal of strangers. It was therefore imperative 1\11: settlement of the question should take place. O pini LENT INCK moved as an amendment, " That in the th e , j i of this H ouse i t i s not exped i ent t o restr i ct f ur th er 4r t rileges a ff orded to private members by the presen t Ivi r e taents of the business of the House." a wed GLAD STONE said the Government had not NV44/satthe Government desired was that a thoroughly competent committee should be appointed, and that this committee should not be tied in any way. After some furtherdiscussion, in which Mr. Newdegate, Mr. George Gregory, Mr, E. C. Bentinck, Mr. Anderson and Mr. Ratcliffe took part. _ Mr. BENTINCS withdrew his amendment, and the motion was agreed to. MINES REGULATION AND INSPECTION BILL. , Mr. BRUCE moved for leave to bring in a bill for the re gulation and inspection of mines. This bill applied to all mines, and would provide for their better ventilation, it being now difficult to enforce the law in this respect. Provision would also be made with respect to the educa tion of boys employed in mines. and their hours of labour. Leave was then given. EDUCATION (SCOTLAND) BILL. The LORD-ADVOCATE obtained leave to bring in a hill to amend and extend the provisions of the law of Scotland on' the subject of education. THE VACCINATION ACT. Mr. W. E. FORSTER moved for a committee to inquire into the operation of the Vaccination Act (1867), and to report whether such Act should be amended. Sir CHARLES ADDERLEY opposed the resolution, on the ground that the appointment of a committee would throw doubt on the efficiency of vaccination. Mr. CANDLISH, Lord ROBERT MONTAGU, and other members, supported the motion, which was carried. THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAI, FEBRUARY 14, 1871. LATEST INTELLIGENCE. SUN OFFICE, 8 A.M. This document will contain the reports of several generals, and will embrace the various services administered by the Government, and finally will conclude with an account of the armistice, about which very minute details will be given. ILLNESS OF M. GAMBETTA. BRUSSELS, February 11. The Echo du Parlenient says Gainbetta, and M. Deleseluze are seriously ill. RESIGNATION OF GENERAL DUCROT. BRUSSELS, February 13. General Ducrot has resigned his commissior. as, general. THE ARMISTICE CONVENTION. VERSAILLES, February 13. The Departments of Jura and Doubs are still, in accordance with Article 1 of the Armistice Con vention, in a state . of war. When the armistice was negotiated the offer was made to extend the armistice to those departments against the sur render of Belfort, the garrison to be allowed to withdraw. This was declined by the French authori ties. After the dispersion of the French army on _ _ the Swiss frontier the offer was renewed with the proposal that the railway line at Pontarlier, in the south of the Cote d'Or, should serve as a line of de marcation, but again declined. THE PROSPECTS OF PEACE. SAARBRUCK, February 12. The Industricl Alsacien received on the 6th inst. the following communique from Mulhouse :—" In consequence of the Proclamation of M. Gambetta it is necessary to enlighten the public as to the proba bilities of peace. The German Administration, as is shown by its previous declarations, will never give back the territory of Strasburg." THE EMPEROR OF GERMANY. BERLIN, 14 ebruary 13 (5 p.m.) Letters from Versailles announce that the Emperor will return to Berlin at the beginning of March - to open the German Parliament in person. The army commands will, however, remain in France till the end of the war. THE CESSION OF ALSACE AND LORRAINE. LILLE, February 13, (Evening(.. The Echo du Nord publishes a protest, signed by natives of Alsace and Lorraine, residing at Havre, in favour of maintaining the integrity of French territory. A GERMAN VIEW OF THE FRENCH ELECTIONS. BERLIN, February 13. The New Prussian (Cross) Gazette of to-day says that, to judge by the results of the elections, the resumption of war is not to be expected, and there is scarcely any doubt that the armistice will be pro longed. PROVISIONS FOR PARIS. BRUSSELS, February 12. The King has given 10,000 francs to the Belgian Committee for the revictualling of Paris. PRUSSIAN REQUISITION S. BORDEAUX, February 12. Advices.from Clarecy state that in the district of the Yonne the Prussians, notwithstanding the armistice, continue to make excessive requisitions, and annoy the National Guards, whom they suspect of having marched against them. • The inhabitants of Villeneuve and Blaiseau refused to comply with the requisitions, and the country for several hours was given up to pillage. • HAVRE, February 13. A contribution of 250,000 francs has been im posed by the Germans upon Lillebonne, in the de partment of the Seine Inferieure. The Prussian 9 demand a war contribution of 184,000 francs at Mitre Port (?), and 25 francs per inhabitant at Cany. They have also levied contri. butions at Eu and Oormeilles. DIEPPE, February 13. The Germans have imposed a contribution of 1,000,000 francs on this town, and 23,000 francs on each of the surrounding villages. Half the amount was to be paid at noon yesterday, and the remainder by to-morrow. The local authorities have been unable to comply with the demand, Dieppe having already paid a contribution of 65,000 francs. It is stated that the total amount of the contribu tions imposed on the towns and villages in the Department of the Seine Inf6rieure is 25,000,000 francs. The whole of the German troops have left Dieppe with the exception of about 200, but 4,000 conva lescent soldiers from Versailles are expected in a day or two. CHINA. FOREIGN OFFICE, February 13, 1871. A. telegraphic despatch has been received from her Majesty's Charge d'Affaires in China, dated Pekin, January 26th, stating that all was perfectly quiet in the North of China. (CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAMS.) RELIEF FOR THE FRENCH. The Tamar, Government troop-ship, left Portsmouth yesterday afternoon for Havre, with one hundred and fifty tons of flour and fifty thousand bags of biscuits, for the relief of Paris. MERCHANT SHIPPING. Mr. CHICHESTER FORTESCUE obtained leave to bring in a bill to consolidate and amend the laws relating to mer chant shipping and navigation. PERMISSIVE BILL. Sir WILFRID LAWSON moved for leave to bring in a bill to enable owners and occupiers of property in certain districts to prevent the sale of intoxicating liquors within such districts. Leave was given. MISCELLANEOUS BILLS. Leal/ e was also given to Mr. Jacob Bright to bring in the Woman's Disabilities Bill, Mr. Wheelhouse a Bill for the Education of the Blind, and to Mr. Goldney a Bill to amend the law relating to the Election and Office of Coroners. SIR DENIS LE MARCHANT. Mr. GLADSTONE moved a vote of thanks to Sir Denis Le Marchant, Bart., upon the resignation of the office of Clerk of this House. The resolution was agreed to. THE NORWICH ELECTION. On the motion of Mr. GLYN, a new writ was issued for the city of Norwich. UNION RATING (IRELAND). Mr. McMAHoN obtained leave to bring in a bill to assimilate the Law of Ireland to that of England by sub stituting Union rating for the present system of rating by Electoral Divisions. REGISTRATION OF VOTERS. Leave was given to Sir C. Dilice to bring in a bill for the Registration of Voters in Boroughs. and to Mr. H. R. Broad to bring in a bill for the Registration of Voters in Counties and Boroughs. The House adjourned at five minutes to eleven. THE PRINCESS LOUISE'S DOWRY. (CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAM.) The following letter in reference to the dowry of the Princess Louise is from Mr. P. A. Taylor, M.P. for Leicester Lest any misunderstanding should arise from the fact that no division was challenged on the ques tion of the Princess Louise's dowry, I beg to state that, acting under the advice of the highest official authorities in the House, I resolved, after consultation with my friends, to take the division on the second reading of the bill which it will be necessary to introduce to give effect to the formal resolution passed this (Monday) evening." A meeting was held last night in Sneinton Market, near Nottingham, to discuss the subject of the Princess Louise's dowry. A resolution was passed to the effect that while so much suffering and distress prevailed in the country it was the duty of every member of Parliament to vote against the dowry. A vote of thanks was also passed to Mr. P. A. Taylor and other members who have expressed their determination to oppose the grant. The Republicans of Nottingham, who have been refused the use of the Exchange Hall, intend to hold a demonstration in the Market-place to protest against the dowry and the present Royal expenditure. THE UNITED STATES' COMMISSION. As the private engagements of Sir John Rose prevent him from accepting the post which it was hoped he could fill upon this Commission, it has been offered to the Right Honourable Sir Stafford Northcote, M.P., late Secretary of State for India, who, with a becoming sense of public duty, has at once accepted it, and will sail to join Lord De Grey in the course of the present week. In some respects the change is ad vantageous, for though the provincial knowledge of Sir John Rose would have been most useful in discussing the questions relating to the Canadian Fisheries, Sir Stafford Northcote is probably more intimately acquainted with the considerations arising out of the Alabama claims.— Times. Sir George Cholmley, Bart., is seriously ill. The Radical Club holds its first meeting for the season next week. Consul Livingstone, the brother of Dr Livingstone is now in London. Mr. Edward W. Ilause was on Monday elected clerk to the Liverpool School Board, at a salary of £4OO a year. Mrs. Gladstone has issued cards for a reception on Wednesday next, at the family residence on Carlton House-terrace. Mr. and Mrs. Gladstone and the Rev. Charles Kingsley have arrived at Windsor Castle on a visit to her Majesty. A " Shaen" Defence Fund has been formed to which some handsome contributions have been made. The first subscription list exceeds £l,lOO. The will of a late Lambeth poor-rate collector — Mr. James Blomfield—has recently been proved, his property being sworn under £7,ooo.—South London Press. A gentleman, named Brown, once observed in com pany, that he had toasted a lady for twelve months, and yet had little hopes of making her Brown. Lord Redesdale is going on as favourably as could be desired. Dr. Simmonds, who is in attendance, has pro nounced his lordship to be out of danger since Friday. Lord Redesdale is now suffering principally from extreme Weakness. The Levant _Herald contradicts on authority the statement recently telegraphed to London of a concen tration of Turkish troops on the Danube. Not a single regiment (the Herald says) has yet moved. The cable between Lisbon and Gibraltar has been repaired. Communications by submarine lines to Egypt and India is restored, and again in perfect working order. Mr. James Whittaker, cotton spinner, of Halli well, near Bolton. has given £l,OOO to the trustees of the Wesleyan Methodist chapel, Doffcocker, in the Park-street circuit of the Bolton district, towards the enlargement of the chapel. On Monday morning a meeting was held at Little Lever, near Bolton, by the miners of the district, two hundred of whom were present. The Chairman (Mr. Halliday, president of the association) announced that twelve important firms, employing altogether 2,500 hands, had conceded the advance of wages asked, namely, ten per cent. Other firms had not yet decided, some being large concerns. On Sunday a most important meeting of respectable and influential electors and others was held in the Town Hall, Galway, for the purpose of adopting a candidate to repre sent Galway in Parliament. The Chairman of the Town Commissioners (Mr. Michael Cloran) presided. Captain Nolan addressed the meeting, and a resolution in his sup port was unanimously adopted by the meeting amidst the greatest possible enthusiasm. Afterwards he canvassed the town. His Excellency the Turkish Ambassador has, by command of his Majesty the Sultan, conferred upon Mr. E. J. Reed, C. 8., the Imperial Order of the Medjidie of a very high grade (the second). The stars and ribbons of the order were accompanied by a valuable diamond snuff-box, as a further mark of the Sultan's favour. Of all the naval officers decorated by the Sultan after the Russian war only one or two received a higher grade of the Medjidie than the third. THE CONFERENCE.—We understand the next meeting of the Conference will take place on Thursday afternoon, at the Foreign-office. ADELPHI THEATRE,—His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, Lord Alfred Paget, Colonel Keppel, the Marchioness of Carnarvon and suite, honoured the performances at this theatre last evening. CRYSTAL PALACE,—One Shilling Day—Monday, February 13th, 1871.—Admission by season tickets, 1,904 ; and ditto on payment, 1,209 ; total visitors 3,113. THE ARMISTICE. BERLIN, February 12. It is reported from Versailles that the Armistice has been prolonged until February 28th. It is confidently expected at the Prussian head quarters that peace will be shortly concluded, At the same time military and financial preparations are being made to continue the war if necessary. The Prussian Parliament has just been called upon to advance 50,000,000 thalers to the Empire. If actually expended, this sum will have to be re funded by the German Parliament, which meets in March. The cities of the Grand Duchy of Baden will erect a monument to the Prussian General von Werder, whose victory over Bourbaki prevented the invasion of Germany.--Times Telegram. THE FRENCH ELECTIONS. RETURN OF THE ORLEANS PRINCES. AMIENS, February 13. The Duke d'Aumale has been elected in the Department of the Oise, and his election has been proclaimed. He obtained 50,000 out of 60,000 votes. In the Department of La Manche, the poll is headed by the Prince de Joinville, the numbers being, for the eleven candidates chosen : Prince de Joinville Count Daru • St. Pierre . . Legrand . . St. Germain Germonnibre De Gaslod . . Sava ry . . Lenoel Foubert . . D'Aunais . • .. 97,634 .. 75,827 .. 73,743 • . 72,427 .. 71,122 .. 70,973 .. 65,713 .. 65,573 63,073 .. 59,725 Malicorne • • .. 24,217 Despite the overwhelming majority for the Prince de Joinville, the local officials, who had registered the votes in his favour, declined to proclaim him re turned, and (proclaimed 'instead M. Malicorne, who stood twelfth on the list. Tile proceedings will not pass without a strenuous protest ; and the supporters of the Prince do not doubt that the National Assembly will confirm the choice, nearly unanimous, of one of the most en lightened French Departments. BORDEAUX, February 11 The National Assembly meets to-day, but not for business, the members not having as yet all arrived in town. General Garibaldi and M. Jules Favre are among he number of the arrivals. The final result of the elections is not accurately known, but it is ascertained that the Monarchcial party is in a great majority. Persons here, who are well informed, say that the approximate numbers of the different parties will be : Republicans, 150 ; Legitimists, 50; Orleanists, 400; Bonapartists, 20 ; doubtful, 30. Bordeaux is filling fast with people who arrive from all parts of France ; and much excitement pre vails, though order is perfect. The theatres have been closed in order to prevent the risk of political agitation.—Telegraph Telegrams. BORDEAUX, February 12. The National Assembly, after electing a President, will nominate a Commission of three members to proceed to Versailles. The kssembly will then proceed with the verification of the powers of the members ; and on the return of the three delegates from Versailles the treaty of peace will be dis cussed, and, should it be ratified, the Assembly will adjourn from Bordeaux to Paris.—Lombard Telegram. The following telegrams come through Reuter' s agency : The most important victories of the Moderates have been at Lyons, St. Etienne, and Bordeaux. The leading Orleanists have all been elected. M Gambetta has been elected at Strasburg and Metz. Corsica will be the only department in which the Bonapartist ticket will be voted. The result of the Paris voting so far as was known on the evening of the 12th, was as follows :—Louis Blanc, 110,000 ; MM. Gambetta, Victor Hugo, and General Garibaldi, 100,000 ; NI M. Quinet and Delescluze, Admiral Saisset, MM. Dorian Henri Martin, and Schelcher, 90,000. Paris is perfectly quiet, and is exclusively engaged in revictualling. The Government is now buying no 'more provisions. M. Jules Favre has left for Bordeaux. BORDEAUX, February 11 (Evening). Up to 5 p.m. to-day the results of the elections in 27:departments have not been received by the Go vernment, 23 of which were occupied by the enemy. The election of a certain number of nota bilities for several departments renders thirty or forty re-elections necessary. Up to the present time, M. Thiers has already been elected in 18 de partments, General Trochu in 7, General °hangar nier in 4, M. Gambetta was elected at Marseilles and at Oran, in Algiers, M. Jules Favre in the Departments of the Rhone and Ain, M. Dufaure four times, General d'Aurelle de Paladins and Admiral Jaureiguiberry twice. _ _ PARIS, February 9. All the officials of the former Legislative Body have left for Bordeaux. The Univers says that Prince Napoleon has come forward as a candidate both for Corsica and Charente Inferieure. MEETING OF THE FRENCH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY. BORDEAUX, February 12. The National Assembly met to-day at three p.m. for a preliminary sitting ; 250 to 300 members were present. M. Benoit d'Arzy, as the oldest member present, took the chair and said,—" The present circumstances ought to cause the imme diate constitution of the National Assembly, although our full numbers are not yet hero." These words were received with great applause. M. Emmanuel Arago said that the definitive constitution of the Assembly could not take place for several days, as the official returns are only now beginning to arrive, and the results in twenty-eight or thirty departments are still unknown, more especially those of Paris and of the invaded departments. The President put it to the vote whether the Assembly should be constituted imme diately, which was carried unanimously. M. de Lucey, deputy of the Department of the Gard, proposed that the President, Vice-President, and Secretaries should be at once definitively elected. He added that the gravity of the present circumstances did not allow of the usual rules being followed. The President proposed that the four youngest members of the Chamber should be elected as Secretaries. M. Dupont (du Lot) said the country ought at once to know that it has at its head a constituted power. M. Girand (de la Vendde) supported the previous speaker, and urged the imme diate appointment of Secretaries. Consequently, MM. de Castellaune Fauneguy, Du Chantol, and Villeson de Remusat were elected Secretaries. The National Assembly then adjourned until to-morrow, at one p.m., when they will meet in the locality which has been appointed for them, and which will then be ready. THE PARIS GOVERN➢IENT. It is stated that the Government has prepared to communicate to the National Assembly a report of its acts and administration since the 4th of September. THE OXFORD CREW. The Oxford crew did their usual exercise between Oxford and Iffley yesterday afternoon, when they were steered by Mr. W. Benson, and coached by Mr. E. G. Banks, of Worcester, on horseback. The following was the order of rowing :—Bow, S. H. Woodhouse, Univer sity ; No. 2, E. Giles, Christchurch ; No. 3, T. S. Baker, Queen's ; No. 4, E. C. Malan, Worces ter; No. 5, J. E. Edwards, Moss; No. 6, F. S. H. Payne, St. John's ; No. 7, B. Lesley, Pembroke ; Stroke, S. W. Bunbury, Balliol. There was no difference the second time, excepting that Mr. T. H. Hall, Corpus, steered, and Mr. Benson coached on horseback. The weather was very favourable—a bright sun shining. A RELEASED FENIAN. Last evening Bryan Dillon, one of the released Fenian prisoners, arrived at Cork from Dublin. Large crowds, with bands of music and lighted tar barrels, assembled in the vicinity of the station, The police extinguished the tar barrels, and refused to allow a procession to he formed. There was a good deal of excitement, and some stone throwing, but no absolute riot. A later telegram states that after Dillon left the station, where he was received with great enthusiasm, large crowds followed him to his house, the bands playing, and the people cheering loudly. As the band returned there was a slight collision with the police, and one arrest was made. Tar barrels were lighted on several hills north Of Cork. COURT-MARTIAL ON A SHIP'S STE WARD. The court-martial for the trial of William Arthur Carline, a ship's steward, of the Pembroke, stationed at Sheerness, on the charges of fraud and conspiracy, was resumed at one o'clock yesterday, on board the Duke of Wellington. The prisoner, in defence, urged that the case for the prosecution rested upon the evidence of the con tractor and his foreman, and that as they wished to shield themselves, it should be received with suspicion, especially as it was not corroborated. It was urged that the books of the contractor's foreman could not be relied upon, and that the daily accounts and monthly certificates tallied with the supply of notes, and that, therefore, the prisoner was exonerated. Witnesses were called to prove that the amount contained in the supply notes had actually come on board. The prisoner had served in the navy for seventeen years, and he put in a number of first-class certificates. The court, having deliberated, found the charges proved, .and, in consequence of the prisoner's good character and long service, only sentenced him to six months' imprisonment, and, at the conclusion of that term, to be dismissed the service. THE ELECTIONS IN PARIS Writing from Paris, February 12, the Daily News special correspondent says :—Paris was at first very much startled and alarmed when it ascertained what wovld be the result of the elections. It is still grievously disappointed ; but it has recovered a good deal of its equanimity, chiefly on learning what has been the result of the elections in the provinces. It was some satisfaction also to know thot the voters could not hay e numbered much more than '200,000, and that, therefore, although the Reds have succeeded through their energy in securing the elections, , they need not be sup posed to be the true representatives of Parisian opinion. They have succeeded by a fluke—partly through the list lessness of the moderate Republicans, partly through their over-confidence. Still their success, however ob tained, might be a very serious thing for Paris and for France, if it were not more than counterbalanced by the elections in the country. Our knowledge of the outside world is still very feeble ; much more limited than you would suppose ; but yet from various returns which have arrived it is supposed that the party of order and moderation has prevailed in the provinces. What Paris fears most in the Red men is, not merely that they are Red in the old sense—holding certain socialist theories, but that they are Red in a sense much more applicable to the present hour, that is, partisans of war to the utter most. The moderatemen here are convinced that the time has come when peace is essential to the existence of France ; and what they fear most of all in the Reds is, that they will endanger peace by their violence and fury. The Reds have shewn themselves in such strength that it is a serious question as to what will occur here if the Germans should insist upon entering into Paris. The majority—the moderate men—are quite prepared to keep out of the way. and propose tbat the army of the Crown Prince, or de tachments of it, should be allowed to march through Paris in silence—the line of mareh being left without spectators. If, on the other hand, we may trust the declaration of these advanced men who have won the elections of Paris, and are nearly all for war, the passage of the German army through their famous city will be an intolerable insult, and will awaken a resistance that can only end in mas sacre—the most fearful event of a war ; which, beginning with a wicked ambition upon one side, seems likely to end with a wicked rapacity and rage of conquest on the other. FRANCE'S DILEMMA. The Daily News special correspondent thus writes from Paris on February 12 :—Count -Bismarck insists upon the opening of the Assembly to-day, according to the Conven tion. Few or many, therefore, such members as may be in Bordeaux will proceed to constitute the House, but only as a matter of form. It can do nothing more. It is under stood that on Tuesday next M. Jules Favre will proceed to Versailles to arrange with Count Bismarck for the prolongation of the armistice. I informed you in a previous communication that a fortnight would be the term, with an understanding that it should be extended if found necessary. I have heard a rumour concerning the imposition of a fine of a million francs a day, as condition of this prolongation, but have not suc ceeded in tracing the report to an authentic origin. I therefore give it as a mere report. If M. Jules Favre be not already prepared to sub mit the terms upon which Prussia is disposed to make peace—and it has been officially asserted that he is not in possession of them—it is not clear how the Assembly can determine the question of peace or war.' They may be made the subject of a formal communication from Count Bismarck, and the Assembly can then con sider them; or a deputation, armed with full powers, be sent to Versailles, to discuss and settle the terms there. Whichever the course adopted, Count Bismarck will certainly endeavour to exact the hardest condi tions. He holds France by the throat ; the capital lies at his feet ; the principal strategic positions of the country, north, east, and west of Tours, are commanded by the troops of Count Moltke, who are more over held ready at a moment's notice, to be directed sim ultaneously towards any point ; in fact, large reinforce ments have been already detached southwards ; the French armies are almost entirely dispersed ; the immense war material of the capital is given up : in a word, further resistance were madness. The fact must be patent to the understanding of every reasonable member of the Assembly ; and its only course seems cleraly defined —namely, to endeavour to obtain a modification of the original conditions. I mean by this, that the Assembly is in no position to discuss the question of peace or war. Peace is an imperative necessity, involving the future of France, as well as her immediate deliverance from the Prussians. Neverthelesss, one point of immense importance presents itself =can the Assembly vote the dismemberment of French territory to the extent Prussia may demand, or any part of it whatsoever, without reference to the wishes of its inhabitants? Count Bismarck has, no doubt, well considered this grave matter. He retains possession of the invaded provinces, even administers them through Prussian agents ; but were he to annex them to Germany by right of conquest—as was in barbarous times the prac tice of the victor—would the neutral Powers assent to this territorial aggrandisement of the German Empire ? If his keen intellect has foreshadowed danger from this source, it is not outrageous to suppose that he will endeavour to cast upon the Assembly the whole responsibility of the dismemberment of France by the cession of Alsace, parts of Lorraine, and portions of other provinces. The device is one quite consistent with his usual crafty policy. But in such case, could the Assembly hand over to Prussia fifteen hundred thousand French citizens—like a drove of cattle—with the country they occupy, without affording them the oppor tunity of declaring whether they will remain French or be Prussianised. A vote of this kind would enable Count Bismarck to defy any interference on the part of the neutrals, who would have no pretext of interference to prevent a nation from dismembering itself for the benefit of another and a conquering Power, but who might, and probably would, seek one to prevent such an annexation by the abuse of the right of conquest. " The balance of power," although it has been greatly ridiculed as a poli tical principle, is no mythical non-value, but is the sub stantial assertion of a community of interest in maintain ing in Europe a political equilibrium which shall not leave one .nation open to aggression for mere conquest's sake, and thus endanger the integrity of the rest. NEWS OF DR. LIVINGSTONE. A fortnightly meeting of the Royal Geographical Society was held last night in the great hall of the University of London. 'the• chair was taken by Sir Henry Raw lin son. The Chairman addressed the meeting, saying that any thing connected with Dr. Liv ingstone was always, and with justice, received with the utmost interest. He then read extracts from the following letter, which had been received at the Foreign Office from the English agent at Zanzibar, and which letter was forwarded by the Foreign Office to the Geographical Society. "TO HER MAJESTY'S SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN OUR COTEMPORARIES—Thi3 Morning' AFFAIRS. " My Lord,—After a vast amount of delay that will appear unnecessary to those who are, not acquainted with the country, I have succeeded in sending on to Dr. Living stone a reinforcement of seven men, who have engaged to ,place themselves at the disposal of the doctor as porters, boatmen, &c., and a quantity of beads, clothes, and provisions for his use. He will receive by the same opportunity the letters and papers confided to me by Lord Clarendon and the Geographical Society, together with some wearing apparel sent by the doctor's relatives. I am in hopes that these will reach Ujiji in the month of February; but nothing certain can be said about it. In a future despatch I will send an account of the expendi ture attending this expedition. News was received about a month ago of the arrival at Unyanyembe, in June last, of men and supplies sent up in October, 1869, by Dr. Kirk. Seven of the men had died of cholera, and the remainder having consumed the provisions for warded for them, had, with the advice of the Governor of Unyanyembe drawn upon the supplies of which they were the bearers for their subsistence. This, at first sight, appears preposterous, but in consideration it may be explained by the fact that without supplies from one source or other the progress of the caravan would have been stopped, and in the absence of an authority to that effect from the Sultan, the Governor of Unyanyembe refused to grant the necessary subsistence money. The latest accounts from the interior state that Dr. Living. stone, after visiting a place called Manine, had not re turned to Ujiji. (Signed) "H. CHURCHILL, Political Agent and her Majesty's Consul. " Zanzibar, November 18, 1870." The chairman was of opinion that if Dr. Livingstone was enabled to reach Zanzibar in February he would be in England before the end of the present session ; and he hoped they would all have the opportunity of welcoming him in that hall before the end of June. We understand that the Woman Suffrage Society will convene a meeting at St. James's Hall, to be held at the latter end of next month. THE ARMY ESTIMATES The Times says :—The new Army Estimates reveal the cost, if not entirely the character, of that military reorga nisation which is to be explained to Parliament on Thurs day next. An aggregate vote for the present year of £15,851,700, instead of the £12,065,000 asked in 1870, exhi bits an increase amounting to no less than 12,886,700. In other words, the charge for the military service of th e country including, however, certain supplies for the use of the navy will be raised by nearly three millions of money. The ad ditional expense, therefore, is plain enough ; the question is what we are to get for it. The money will assuredly not be grudged if the money's worth is forthcoming, and if a satisfactory and permanent sense of pub lic security should be substituted as a re sult of Mr. Cardwell's scheme for undignified " oscillations between parsimony and panic." Under several of the headings we can discern room and opportunity for important explanations, and Mr. Cardwell may, we think, be able to prove that what he asks for will suffice to give us a powerful and well-appointed force. No new principles of service are introduced, no whole sale levies are contemplated, no armed nation" will be substituted for a national army. Even the strength of the regular army is not very large increased, nor, so far as we see, are the quotas of the Militia to be raised. But every battalion of the army will be rendered effective and available, every regiment of Militia will be embodied for drill and training, officers of the reserve forces will receive professional instruc tion, and a good organization will be given to the whole body. As regards numbers, too, it is obvious that if the Militia is encouraged to furnish reserves for the Line, and if it is itself perpetually rein: forced by fresh enlistments of volunteers, a great power of expansion may be readily obtained. At any rate, the " reorganization" now proposed, if it be neither auda cious nor striking, may prove both judicious and success ful. The object of the new estimates apparently is to convert a paper force of 200,000 men without artillery into an effective and available army of 200,000 troops with 400 guns, and every subsidiary service complete in proportion. We must wait for Mr. Cardwell's expla nations before we can say how far this object is likely to be realised, but a sum of nearly sixteen millions'of money is surely large enough to provide all we want, and the public will as surely expect to find a return for this enormous outlay in such a constitution and organisation of our military forces as will terminate the controversy once and for all. The Daily News observes :—The Army Estimates for the year 1871-72 are of the good old sort : conceived in panic and born of agitation. The grand total of the sums demanded of the British taxpayer ought at least to satisfy those who have' been accustomed to believe that the efficiency of an army is in propor tion to the millions which it costs. That is the orthodox, English idea of military efficiency, very dear to all sound Tories, to the " Colonels " in the House of Commons, and to the Horse Guards. If the professional alarmists can be kept quiet for the small trifle of two millions sterling ; and that capacity for in dulging a vainglorious spirit which, in compliment to our neighbours, we have adopted into our language under the seductive appellation of " prestige," can be appeased for not quite two millions more than double the entire expenditure cf the whole Prussian army in time of peace, and not quite two millions more than the entire expenditure of the French army at the beginning of the war last July, perhaps we ought all to clap our hands and thank the War Office and the Horse Guards for this brilliant and reassuring result of their protracted and mysterious confabulations. The British taxpayer is a very patient being, and very easily pleased ; only bleed him freely, and he will be perfectly convinced that he is under the most skilful treatment, and that he never felt so strong in all his life. It would be premature, if not invidious, to draw any peremptory or precise conclusions from the obvious fact that, whatever scheme of army reorganisation the Secretary of State for War may be perpending and pre paring to pronounce on Thursday next, nothing sugges tive of the slightest change in the constitution of our effective or reserved forces appears on the face of the Estimates. No new principle of army or ganisation is disclosed in these estimates ; but we can wait for its discovery till Thursday next. An increase in the vote for non-effective services is rather a characteristic of the past than an indication of the future ; and an increase of £4OO in the vote for military education says little enough for the appreciation in the highest military circles of those qualities which, more than mere physical superiority and courage, have made the German "men in spectacles" more than a match for conscripts who can neither read nor write, and officers who know less of the topography of their own provinces than their invaders. THE DOWRY AGITATION. The Telegraph remarks :—Seldom has the House of Commons witnessed a more complete fiasco than that which was seen last night as the result of the threat ened opposition to the dowry of the Princess Louise on the occasion of her marriage. A crowd of mem bers and strangers had been drawn together by the expectation that Mr. Peter Taylor and Pro fessor Fawcett would call upon bhe faithful Commons to endorse the silly promises they themselves had made to their constituents. The opposition out of doors, however, has been none the less unfortunate. impolitic, and unjust. The hostility to the grant looked like hostility to the marriage itself. It seemed to imply that a section of the English working men, and the members by whom they are supposed to be represented, denotinced the marriage of the Princess to a British subject. The nation has entered into a contract with the Crown to make provision for the Royal children when they marry, and the contract is none the less binding be cause it is expressed, not in written words, but in prece dents. And if the right to the grant is certain, no contro versy can be raised respecting the amount. Each daughter of Geerge 111. obtained from Parliament £13,000 or £14,000 ; the Princess Louise is to obtain only £6,000 a year, with a dowry of £30,000. To a great and rich nation the amount is not worth the trouble of debate for a single hour. On the nights of supply the House of Commons often votes twice as much for questionable purposes without a division. The hostility to the grant, therefore, is as ungenerous as it is unjust. It is cowardly to hide an attack on the Crown or on the Civil List under the guise of opposition to the vote of an income fo r one o f the Queen's daughters. The Princess Louise has been rendered justly popular by her character, her good sense, her acquirements and accomplishments. L or d Lorne has also won high favour by the intelligence with which he has graced a high station, and by the promise which he has given that, in his hands, the privileges of aristocracy will not be an idle gift. The marriage, as Mr. Gladstone said, has been sanctioned by the Queen out of that regard for the welfare of her children which has always been among her distinguishing graces. It has been gladly hailed by the nation, which has no partiality for an exclusively royal caste, but likes to see the Crown allied with the aristo cracy, as the aristocracy uii.iv s with the untitled gentry. The opposition by democrats to such an alliance is one of those blunders which are almost worse than crimes. The Standard asks :—What are we to think of a Prime Minister who deems it necessary in order to recommend the vote of a fair provision for the Queen's daughter, to refer to the revolution in Europe, and to expatiate on the inestimable advantage England enjoys in her con stitutional Monarchy? The very fact that the ques tion is put by him in such terms gives an importance to the opposition to the dowry of which it is quite unworthy, and is calculated to induce the impres sion that there really are a considerable number of Englishmen who think royalty costs too much. The statement made by Mr. Gladstone that, before assen ting to this marriage the Queen consulted her responsible advisers —one of whom is the Duke of Argyll—and the fact that this marriage has provoked an amount of dis agreeable comment which, for all the old and not un reasonable prejudice against German alliances, was not excited by the marriage of any other o f th e Queen ' s d a ughters, are conclusive evidence that, with whatever reason that rule has been broken in the present instance, it is still one which it is desirable to maintain in principle. The marriage of the Princess Louise with the Marquis of Lorne may, we assume, secure her happiness, and the nation certainly would not wish, for mere political considerations, to sacrifice a lady whose virtues demand and whose graces win uni versal respect and admiration. Bat when Mr. Glad stone, who must always overdo it, talks about the desirability of such marriages in general, he sets at de fiance experience and common sense. Her Majesty's responsible advisers have very ill repaid her Majesty's confidence. Great part of the opposition to the vote of a dowry has been occasioned by the awkward manner in which the marriage was announced, and the clumsy attempt to represent it as the com mencement o f a new and happier era ; and now t o v i n di cate t h e proposa l against an opposition which was not offered, and which, however he might have anticipated, he should have waited for, the Prime Minister makes the terrible blunder of putting the vote before the House of Commons as one of confidence in the Monarchy, or, rather—for there we hardly do him justice—in this form—ls the Constitutional Monarchy worth its cost ? int ,stic TS. )ard Lent into s of way lion hon. tlier one local tside corn rt of Gov t his owed pains Hear eived iittee 48 at was legis [lents Amy f the ►ught dear,