The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-06-19 00:00:00

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already become nsost conti2uouS in-the improved cultivation
and extended resources of the distant marts of the empire.
Nor have the moral and social effects of the increased facilities
of communication been less important, or less conducive to
human happiness. By reducing to a-third the expense, and
to a fourth the time of travelling, they have extended its
benefits to a proportionally wider circle, and, sir particular,
brought them within the , reach of the middle class, to
whom they were previously alMost unknown. A tradesman
or mechaniecan now make-• the tour of the British Islands,
or even of Europe, in a few days, which formerly was never
attempted but by the nobility, and. accomplished in as many
years. Immense has been the effect of. this happy facility,
alike in dispelling prejudice, refining manners, and improving
taste ; and these changes have powerfully reacted upon capital
cities. It is from the railway system, and the desires to
which it gave rise among a new and wide circle, •that the
Great Exhibition of London in 1851, the subsequent ones at
New York and Paris, and the glorious Crystal Palace at
Sydenham, haVe taken their rise.
In a political point of view, the effects of the railway system
have been not less important. By bringing the distant pro-
vinces of our empire, comparatively speaking, into close
proximity WithThe.metropolis, it has augmented their intelli-
gence, and in the same proportion increased their political
power. The constant intercourse from travelling, the in-
creased facility for the transmission of books and newspapers,
the almost instantaneous transmission of intelligence by the
electric telegraph, which soon after followed, have powerfully
contributed- to equalise the advantages of situation, and
give to the provinces a large portion, if not the whole, ,of
the intellectual activity which formerly was peculiar to
the metropolis.- By enabling troops or police to he sent
rapidly from one part of the country to another, it has aug-
mented the efficiency of the central government, and enabled
it to provide with fewer men. and at a less cost, both for
defence against external enemies, and the maintenance of
domestic tranquillity.. That worst of all ascendancies in a
community, the sway of the mob of the capital over the legis-
lature, 'from the mere force of proximity of situation, so
fatally experienced in Athens, Rome, and Paris, has been in
a great measure destroyed. A more striking proof of this
cannot be figurod than was furnished by the fact, that when
the disarmament of the National Guard in Belleville and
Montmartre was carried into execution, after the suppression
of the great insurrection in July. 1848, it was effected by the
National Guards of La Vend6e, brought up by the Orleans
Railway from that distant and secluded province.
There is no unmixed good in human affairs. Advantages,
how great soever, are invariably attended by corresponding
evils. The railway system is no exception to this general
rule; on the contrary, it affords one of the most striking
illustrations of it. It is the greatest promoter that ever came
into operation .4:4 the centralising systed, ; but it has induced
its evils as well as its. advantages. As much as it has brought
the physical force of the prOvinces to the supPOrt of govern.
meat in the capital,' hai it brought the intellectual influence
of the metropolis down to the provinces. The chief talent
of the nation being there concentrated, from the objects
of ambition, political, literary, or legal, which are presented,
the sway a mind in a particular quarter has become well
nigh irresistible. The empire has become a huge metropolis,
which the London press rules with despotic sway. Originality
or independence Of thOught in the provinces is crushed in all
save a few intrepid minds, by the overwhelming weight of
the capital.

Norhas the material and political influence of great cities
been less increased by,the change than their intellectual sway.
The facility of reachine. themet metropolis has caused the great
and the affluent to transfer nearly all their purchases to
London; the attractions of Manchester, Birmingham, Liver-
pool, and Glasgow, have drawn the most part of the purchases
of the middle classes in the provinces to these great empo-
riums of wealth and industry. Thel small towns have dwindled
or become stationary. because. They rvelolosst their purchasers ;
the great ones have swelled intioe.Ba. n •because they have
tripled theirs. Politically. speaking, change has been of
incalculable importance. The landed proprietors have ceased
to Infliteno the small boroughs, because all their purchases
ure made in the great ones, or. the metropolis. The great ma-
nufacturing towns have become the rulers, because it is from
them that the employment which feeds the lesser towns flows
The only influence Which can be reckoned on as durable is that
which gives bread or employment. When it is recollected that
three fifths of the House of Commons consist of the members
for boroughs, it may be conceived how important an influence
this change has
.come to have -on the balance of parties in
the state, . -
Experience has not yet enabled us to determine what influ-
ence the railway system, when generally introduced, is fitted
to have on military operations—the attack or defence of
nations; for the only greatwars which have taken place since
its introduction—viz;, those in Italy and Hungary in 1819,
Kid Turkey in 1854—took place in cpuntries where it had not
been at ail, or only partially introduced. It is usually consi-
&red as having strengthened the means of defence rather
than attack, by facilitating, the concentration of troops. which
it certainly does, on the menaced point. Yet must -this be
taken with some limitations ; for if it facilitates the concen-
tration of the defending, it in an equal degree aids the accu-
mulation of the attacking force: if it will bring the military
-strength of all France in three days to the menaced point in
Belgium or the Rhine, it will not less certainly bring the
whole invading force of Germany in as short a time,to the
same point. If generally introduced into Russia. it would
double the already overgrown military strength of the Czar,
ty more than halving the distance which his troopS have to
march, and rendeing tine translation of them from the .ttaltie

,EM ENT TO THE LIVERPOOL, STAN

'to the Eu±ine, or' from Poland to the Caucasus, the Worli of
a few days only, and-of no fatigue or loss to the mets.
Undoubtedly, however, upon the whole, it favours the
arms of Civilisation in a contest with barbarism ; for it re-
quires an effort of skill and expenditure of capital for its
general adoption which can only be'looked'for in a wealthy,
and enlightened state: If it is equally adopted by two coun-
tries in a similar state of civilisation, as France and Germany,
and 3uffered to exist; it may cause war to• resemble 'more
closely a game at chess, by enabling the players to make , the
moves at pleasure. But if one, when invaded, has the courage
or the patriotic spirit to break up the system, it may give a
very great, perhaps a decisive advantage, to the party making
the sacrifice; for if the retiring army tears up the railway
lines and breaks down the bridges, it retains the advantages
of the system to itself, and takes them away from its 'oppo-
nent. In this way it may be rendered an essential element
in the defence, and important in maintaining the independ-
ence of nations. Probably, to take advantage of it, fortresses
wilt come hereafter to be constructed in the heart 'rather than
the frontiers of kingdoms, in order that an invading enemy
may find his own facilities diminish, and the forces of his
adversary increase as he approaches the centre of his power.
HaVing so disposed of the past, the present, and the
future of the railway; that great instrument of civil-
isation and human improvement, the historian next
proceeds with a consideration of those causes which
immediately led to passing the lleforni Bill of 1832,
and in doing this he is necessarily impelled to an exa-
mination of the public character and history of the
leading men by whom that great change was brought
about. In discharge of this portion of his historical
labours, Sir Archibald passes in masterly review the
political and moral characters of the“Toremost men"
in that important movement. Strong inclination
prompts us to quote some of those admirable sketches,
which want of space prevents us from" doing-more than
briefly alluding to. In his delineation of these- charac-
ters, .our author displays some and not a feW of his
best qualities—in them he manifests clear sagacity
coupled with irreproachable candour, sharp penetration
is backed by sound. judgment, inflexible justice and
stern honesty of purpose are 'counterpoised though not
controlled by gentleness of disposition, and in every
instance he exhibits an anxious desire to
nothinc, extenuate.
Nor set down aught in malice:"
and this • strong earnestness renders the intellectual
portraits he has produced as tributary to his moral
worth as they are creditable to his mental character,
and honourable to that literature of which he forms-at
once a pillar and an ornament.
Instead of seeming more encumbered by difficulties
as he approaches the period of his labours, the task
appears easier to Sir Archibald, as he approximates
towards its completion : a. sure . indication • that
the work has been well considered in all its
complicated bearings. As in any carefully-designed
undertaking, each succeeding step in its progress
tends more and more to illustrate thpse which
have preceded, while it also gives more intelli-
gible token of ;the form and colour to be assumed by
those which are to follow. In short, working to a
pre-conceived and well-digested plan, the perfect sym-
metry of proportion, the entire harmony of parts, and
the complete homogeneousness of the structure become
more obvious as it approaches completion, and will not
be fully developed, till it is finished in all its noble pro-
portions and details of tall pinnacle and strengthening
buttress. of charming colonnade, rich frieze, and well-
proportioned cornice. -

Blackwood's Magazine. Edinburgh : Blackwood.

Whether we seek for entertainment or instruction.
for amusing fiction or serious political discussion,
Blackwood is always welcome. It is looked for with
anxiety, perused with avidity, and concluded with
satisfaction. The number for this month opens with
a dissertation on the writings of the Rev. Charles
Kingsley, the author of " Alton Locke," "Westward
Ho !" &c. The next article, entitled " Aland—the
Baltic in 1854," gives an interesting description of
the Alanders, and the destruction of ihe forts of
Bomarsund last year. The continuation of " Zaidee :
a Romance," introduces the reader to new scenery
and persons pleasantly original. In a letter to
Eusebius, the writer makes a running- commentary on
a work recently published under the title of " Once
upon a Time." Then follows a third part of " Notes
on Canada and the North-west States of America."
descriptive of the upper part of Lake Ontario and the
mineral riches of the district. In an article entitled
" Spanish intolerance of Insolvency," we have au
explantition of the recut difference botwee:, Lorj

i 9, 106;

,
91 611107. 111:,
•
Bowden and the :gpanislt :GON'ernmel rechip0-
it Was; in a veat -meastire, owing 'to an rtitobek,
of the English Arnbassador. After. the tbe t''
essay On, the Palmerston AdMinistrate f,
;St
concludes with 'a continuation of itoea'
Campaign, written 'in a 'tent in the LI it,
!t of
- - A
T hat is the..t7se of our Cathedrals • ? rtigetipa:6
_Lord Stanley,, .Ifl P., on the .frue Joel,
Cathedral :Reform. By the Be:
M.A.,. •Head Master .of the • Ore;
London : Bell and Daldy. Ely ••
- A pamphlet on an .important questiolty'l
often more 'deserving of- extended noticetterot. -1040
volume—that is, when the writer t1;11 for 4ie
subject, which is certainly the case Iv' call` of ,lite
Both the subject and the occasion have of of
exercise of his pen. Cathedral reforlal doe Dotb.j
cries of the day ; cathedral spoliatiT icitb tovolx
crimes': hii own cathedral, threa tole: bee
sufficient to call for defence, it ha 61.1,6101,1 (JO
to appropriate two canomies of EIY
stipends for two professorships at Cal% lien' toetle
sity. This proposal, Mr. Ing,le has
cot.
saying, is- aet of spoliation—fir.,- of tbifiyiOte
canonries were intended for the servictof Ca'01411,41
dral of Ely, and not for the UniversitY rich
and secondly, beCause the universitY
endow its own professorships. But till[ltioo
Of the manner in which modern kgis
with our cathedrals. Ignoring, raesritt. ro
13.-A i)t"
rant of, the proper use of our catbe !:I)riat7itteoeri
has seized upon the revenues, and aPPrlicied; '
purposes tO, which they were never iatiLti their. The
inn also to -make the cathedrals. al untitt,"4oel'"
subserve a purpose for which they are it of -
idea that legislators have of the triecl le"
the parochial Systeni ; so they 113_,`,.° of it'filef
cathedrals and their officers a Pal' tir3t `• it'
truth, it is not the parOchial systen tioo olforciej,
tried to carry out, but a:bastard int,it,ljiet" et/filleflo/e
system of " incumbents" with c" ijeef
110 t, the parochial system of the Chui:i„oe','"
Yet to seize upon the 'cathedral resole a'r: trf.,o,
them out to Peel districts has he'''' beeli-t1 00;101"
of cathedral reform. Another
combine the cathedral system %sit. otlie:01 0,01
syStem, by proposing that cathec",3 etitpi,j'e be
hold small livinga,' or livings tl'e.,t frile
This, as Mr. Ing,le shows, is equall,`" 0:t 0.1.11;
,vit, he
both : a man cannot be at two plaql.
in the cathedral, he ought to be In w;f011 fef,t' oite
celebrating the service in his own 11.„s 50.010
oug,ht to be in the cathedral Sontiaisu
y 11
which demand his preaence the ptJ e Atb tie,
TA much demand his presence in
Will be said, Let him keep a car'' well
.iv'tifPi
another question occurs, If he isle' does t'i,e t! re.).
do the work of the parish while ite, to t" ffbelict:
the cathedra', why not give the livttios? (1,14ci,
and himself keep to his cathedral " totall.10." e
truth ia, that the two things "re or
cathedrals are . not parish churelle-2'froteP a /
i.
priests proper men to be canon:4- joetil.e, to rt
trying to force a thing, out of itt Po. it d°.trel $ll,
anomalous, perhaps useieser by g.,,ivti'); o
form which are unsuited to it, re 5 hire'.tueeole'e
the position that the cathedral v"- ,s. o„ 1414.
and what are the duties of its o
flk troy th;if • ).0'
reform, reform them, but do not
tsht:tys7teheprlilvweidentto be eles-' h,
thr ,aot
i
Leven p~
present power of expansion to be
5- 0. le" et'
The first are these : pal) ttia „Alf
Ist. The maintenance of the
datdignity 1, jolt
Alrnighty God, on a scale of becomlngand their :rib It'
ihmet e `to
2nd. The liberal training of Y'9l't.l)'.. tosetbe.•
6,roef'
both at school, and at the waivers-dies, ir of 0
Lectures. • the 01*(1- intir
01
3rd. Divers secular °Wets,. 11' it
bridges ; together with provision 1
sucb aea
oi
especially those disabled by war•
)rt all 1., • .cllll/ ‘t
All the-se are eminently iiap(..tiov.:
be carried out aceording to
f the •'lllll
The public worship is ins ber ° th:ta -6'"
management and small uura wore t I (.
'of the cathedrals : few ll2ve •+0 ".4 ti'B ee" 011'5•
number of' singing-men and chO.l• dart;,
ocot 1 ct
for the proper celebration of
(a lion 'lo,iliej
second is too manifest to need T.,. Theo
Education ftw all classes is see't"
deplot-eLie siate, ti,•

'AED