The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-08-30 00:00:00

one, there can be no doubt.

The Baden-Baden meeting, the treaty of Tceplitz, and
the recent general rapprochement of the different Ger-
man States towards each, other, have suggested, amol g
other things, the expediency of devising some means of
remedying the evils of divided command and separate
action in the Federal. army. The army of the Federa-
tion, being formed of contingents from several indepen-
dent states, the artillery of these bodies is a miscella-
neous collection of field batteries and guns of every

diversity of weight and calibre. The same diversity
existed till lately in the small arms, but the defect has

been, to some degree, remedied. The manufacture and
supply of ammunition, for the artilley, are thus ren-

dered difficult, and in active service would certainly
cause confusion, with disaster as the consequence. It

has, therefore,—been suggested that the Diet 'should
establiah some uniform system for the artillery of the
Federal army, by which it may be kept of the same
sizes and weight of metal, that the batteries may be
more easily supplied with ammunition, and more
efficiently worked. The Prussian artillery will probably
be the model of the new organisation; artillery officers
in the service of all the German states have been in-
specting the Prussian cannon foundries, and attending
the artillery practice at Berlin. Other proposals for the
same desirable object are also under consideration.
The Court of Appeal at Brussels gave, on Saturday
last, a judgment of considerable importance—namely,
that under the law of 22nd September, 1823, it is illegal
for Roman Catholic priests or other persons to make
collections of Peter's Pence for the Pope without the
authorisation of the Government. This law, it appears,
stipulates in express terms that " all establishments or
persons who may wish to make collections from house to
house to relieve calamities or misfortunes must first obtain
a formal authorisation ; " and the Court held that the
collection of Peter's Pence fell within that enactment,
inasmuch as it must be considered destined to " relieve
a calamity." In consequence of this view of the law,
the Court confirmed a condemnation pronounced on
three priests by the Tribunal of Correctional Police of
Mona for having solicited in houses and obtained dona-
tions of Peter's Pence.
The advices from New Grenada show a complete state
of disorganisation. Three of the States—viz., Cauca,
Bolivar, and Santander—have declared themselves inde-
pendent of the Confederation. The ports of Cartagena,
Savanilla, and Zapote have been closed by order of the
Government. An attempt made by the insurrectionary
party to take Santa Marta had been defeated by the
vigilance of the Governor. From Bogota the President
of the Republic, accompanied by General Herren, had
gone with troops against the State of Santander, deter-
mined to put down the insurrection, and it was believed
that the Government would succeed in doing so.

Reports have been current for some time back of an
agitation among the Mussulmans of Morocco, coinciding
with the recent fanatical outburst in Syria, in conse-
quence of which it was said a Spanish man-of-war had
been sent to Tangier. It is quite clear that, while
Miley Abbas and his suite are in Spain, there is no
danger of an outbreak against the Spaniards in
Morocco, and indeed, even without that guarantee, it is
much to be doubted' whether the Moors viauld dare
attempt anything against Tetuan so long as its gar-
Axton.: is vigilant and' strong. They have had too
recent- and severe a lesson. The Moniteur de l' Annie
•
_lap, however, that they recently tested the
vigilance of the Spanish forts which secure
/the' communication between Tetuan.and . the_ sea.
The sentries at Custom-house Fort, About' a mile
from the mouth of the river Guad-el-Jelu, saw
some 140 Moors, armed only with sticks, and followed
by dogs, came down from the mountains and spread
themselves across the plain with a certain degree of
erder. They_ then organised a hare-hunt, and finally,
closing in upon.their centre, they gradually approached
towards the fort, the garrison of which- did not show
itself, and affected not to notice them. One group
having come close up to the ditch, a corporal and four
men were sent ont to challenge them. The Moors said
they were thirsty and wanted drink. They were allowed
to go to .the gate, only two at a time, and there the sol-
diers took water to them. The next day they came down
again, but this time they were armed with their long
guns. The garrison of the fort was obliged to make a
demonstration, and to desire them to keep without the
boundary line fixed by the treaty.

Lord Elcho has again addressed a letter to the Times
on the subject of artisan volunteering. He says :
" The importance of the subject will, I hope, plead my
apology for again addressing to you a few remarks on
the admission of artisans to the volunteer ranks. I
do so because I am anxious to explain two points in
my former letter to which objections have been taken.
1. It has been stated that my proposal of attaching
artisan companies to existing corps is in contradiction
of the object I have in view—viz., the union of classes.
2. It is said that the adoption of a smart optional
dress would be like playing at soldiers, and would
be viewed with jealousy and disfavour by those who
could not afford it. Now, as regards the first objection,
I readily admit that the'formation of artisan companies
would establish class distinctions to a certain extent ;
but it must be remembered that this was only suggested
as an alternative, in case the expenses of existing
corps should debar the artisans from joining ; and I
proposed the formation of artisan eorepanies attached
to existing corps as a more preferable course to
the formation of special and separate artisan corps.
These artisan companies, being under the same-- com-
manding officer as the other companies, and forming
part of one regiment, would necessarily be under the.
influence of that esprit de corps which pervades every
regiment, and this would go far to neutralise any class
feelings, prejudices, or jealousies, such as would infal-
libly arise under a system of separate artisan corps. Be-
sides. these artisan companies would have the benefit of
the butts, staff, head-quarters, drill place, &c., of the
corps to which they were attached, and these are ex-
penses which, when added to the cost of uniforms, 'will be
found to press heavily on the Artisan Corps Benevolent
Fund. Secondly, as regards the objections raised to the
suggestion -of a smart optional uniform. It is easy to
talk of man-millinery, and to say that the adoption
of. a smart optional uniform would be like playing at
soldiers ; but many a gallant soldier has been
attracted to the army by a showy uniform. Love of
dress is inherent in human nature ; it is a con-
sideration which is not lost, sight of by the recruit-
ing sergeant, and it is an element which must not be
omitted in the formation of a Volunteer corps. Assum-
ing,
_then, that it is only lay adopting a cheap, plain,
serviceable uniform that a union of classes can be
effected,- why should a volunteer who can affordit, or
who is likely to require it, be debarred from getting a
smarter dress ? Because, it is said, it will create jea-
lousies. To this objection I have only to reply that
this system has been adopted in the London Scottish,
and has given rise to no jealousies, remonstrances, or
discontent; and I would, in conclusion, refer
.all who
raise this objection to; the admirable letter of an artisan,
Mr. Peale, which appeared in the Times of Tuesday
last."

One hundred and twenty-five thousand of the inhabit-
ants of the Australian gold-fields dwell in tents, of which
three-fourths consist of but a single apartment. Exclu-
sive of the Chinese and the Aborigines, sixty-nine per
cent. only of the population of the large area over which
the gold-fields extend, reside in habitations that afford
any approach to an adeiluate protection from the climate.

A worker for many years in a carriage manufactory
states in reference to the supposed origin of the recent
destructive fire at liesterton's factory, Long-acre,
London, that he witnessed, about thirty years ago, a
remarkable fact, to which it would be well if attention
were directed. One morning, a few minutes after seven
o'cltiek, he was near the store-room for colours and
varnishes, in the painting-loft, when the foreman of the
painters opened the door with his key. His sudden excla-
mation of surprise and alarm called his attention to the
cause. A large barrel of lamp-black, at the instant
he opened the door, by the concussion, fell asunder, the
whole mass of lamp-black being in a glow of fire, like
)urning charcoal. Had the room been undisturbed for
smother hour, in all probability the place would have
been in flames, and the result been similar to the late
catastrophe. Such may have been the origin of the_fire
in Long-acre, and no one be to blame for negligence or