The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-10-29 00:00:00

reoeived with some qualification. The three sovereigns
would naturally enough, in the circumstances, desii e
not to give the character of a coalition to the result of
their deliberations, but this idea could not be success-
fully carried out, if the resolutions come to were embodie d
in any formal document. No treaty or protocol of
what took place has therefore been drawn up.
It was just a case for letting matters rest on an
"understanding,"—and they so rest accordingly.
As to the nature of that " understanding,"
so far as Austria is concerned, if we are to judge of it
by the programme of her policy, which has, since the
termination of the meeting, been communicated by
Prince Metternich to M. Thouvenel, it cannot be justly
regarded as otherwise than candid, moderate, and satis-
factory. We shall be glad to be able to say as much
for the policy which M. Nigra, who is daily expected tO
return to Paris on a special mission, is instructed to
develop on the part of Sardinia.

The convention, supplementary to the treaty of com-
merce with France, which was concluded at Paris on tb#
12th inst., is promulgated in the litoniteur of Saturday
last. ' A new customs tariff is subjoined to the new'
convention, which will come into operation on the Ist
of next month.

It has been decided by the authorities at the War
Office and the Horse Guards, that subalterns who have
served for a twelvemonth in an emboded militia regi-
ment, shall be entitled to pass inter the line, by, or
without purchase, as they may be entitled, without
passing the examination which is required, on the part
of candidates coming from civil life; and that an exami-
nation of a modified form shall be substituted in their
case, in consideration of the amount of experience of
military duties which their career in the militia mist
have given them.

There are as many as 156 cases set down for hearing
before the full Court for Divorce and Matrimonial Causes
in the forthcoming Michaelmas Term.

A telegram has been received in Dublin stating that
five hundred of the Irish Brigade have arrived in Paris,
and that steamers will be chartered for their conveyance
from Havre to Cork. The Local Committee are making
preparations for their reception.
The papers are not quite correct in stating that Lord
Derby is to have the Garter, vacant by the death of the
Duke of Richmond. Lord Derby was appointed an
extra knight on leaving office, but he was elected one of
the ordinary Knights of the Garter on the death of Earl
de Grey in November last.
There is a curious piece of news in the Almanac des
.Deuz Mendes. A female rife corps is said to be es=
tablished at Hartlepool, where the fair volunteers are
instructed in fencing, firing, &c., •by Mr... Stephenson?
sergeant instructor in musketry to the Royal. Artillery.
At first all went very well. Their progress in the use
of their, weapons and efficiency in drill were undeniable.
But, alas ! a certain pretty corporal; Miss Fanny'
ll—, fell violently in love with tlinliandsome sM
geant. Privates followed her example, and a scene
ensued. Taunts were uttered; recriminationsfollo wed ;
challenges were given ; and from words the Eery mesdb.-
moiselles came to blows. Three duels were fought int
one day. History does not state the result ; but it is
generally understood that, if the gallant sergeant does
not retire, matters won't end here.
The post of sub-editor on the Temple-bar Magazine
will be filled by Mr. E. Yeates. This is the writer who,
as club correspondent to a Weekly London paper, let out.
some gossip about Dickens's family, and was compelled,
in consequence, to withdraw his name from a London
literary club. For Diokens acts up to the spirit of the
thistle, and in a " Nemo me impune lacessit" style,
permits no one to interfere with his arrangements with-
out feeling his ire. Moreover, Mr. E. Yeates was the
correspondent who supplied the New York paper with
certain. ottings on Thackeray and the cornhii/ ; jottings
which the Saturday _Review made known to the English
world, and thereby were made the subject of one of
Thackeray's " Roundabout Papers," in the course of
which the "superfine," as he called it, came off second-
best. If, however, the sub-editor give any character
to tbe new magazine, there is but little chance of it
and the Cornhill,' or All the Year Bound, sailing in the.
same boat, or being rowed by the same sculls (skulls.)
The Athenaeum says :—" The Armstrong gun has,
been surpassed in cheapness and range, not by the
Whitworth piece, but by an entirely new gun. A year
ago we described for our readers, as a scientific specula-
tion, a new weapon of artillery designed by Mr. Lynall
Thomas, which was supposed to promise a superior
range to either the Whitworth or Armstrong' pieces,.
and to be producible at a far inferior cost of money and.
time. The new gun has 'now been made and proved.
Experiments, which have been conducted by govern-
ment officials at Shoeburyness within the last few days,,
are said to have given a surprising table of results.
The shot attained a range of ten thousand yards, the;
weight of it 1701 b. The Armstrong guns, we believe,.
have never carried a ball of more than 1001 b. weight..
Messrs. Horsfall, of Liverpool, are the makers ; and we
hear that they have offered to supply the Government
with fifty Lynall Thomas guns per month, if they
should be required."
Lord Stanley made another admirable and thoroughly
practical speech at Warrington, on Saturday evening,,
in proposing success to Mechanics' Institutions. A full
report of his lordship's address will be found in our
other columns.'

*.* On account of an extraordinary pressure
upon our space, we are compelled to hold over.
the report of the proceedings of the Court of
Passage, " our Paris letter," and several other
matters of importance.

THE MILITIA TO BE BALLOTTED FOR.-
VOLUNTEERING THE ONLY CHANCE.

IN the present critical state of affairs on the con-
tinent,—when the whole Italian Peninsula is in
a revolutionary condition,—when the armies of
Austria and of Sardinia are being severally
marshalled in warlike attitude on the banks of
the Po and the Mincio,—when Louis NAPOLEON
unblushingly assumes the title of the " arbiter,'
if not also the master, of Europe,—when it seems•
too probable that the outbreak of hostilities•
between Sardinia and Austria will call France•
again into the field,—when it appears most likely
that the sympathy now established between
Austria and the Northern Powers may induce
them more or less directly to enlist their
strength on the side of Austria,—in short,
when we consider for a moment the imminent
danger of the struggle in Italy suddenly ex-
tending and assuming a more general, an
European character--a contest into the very
midst of which England would, sooner or later,,
be certainly dragged, it is clearly the duty of the.
Government to omit no preparation placed by-
Parliament within the powers of the Executive.'
Every arm of the service must be perfected with-
as little delay as possible. The value of the•
Militia in all such emergencies can scarcely be
over-estimated, and the importance of its more•
efficient organisation has not been overlooked by
the Legislature or the Government. At the close.
of last session, an act was passed for the re-.
adjustment of the machinery relating to the.
ballots for the Militia; and it is now satis-
factory to find that the Government is•
determined to make the provisions of that statute
available without unnecessary delay. This is a
subject of direct interest to every man in the
country from eighteen to thirty years of age, not
otherwise specially exempt from military service,
and thereby it indirectly affects the whole popu-
lation, male and female, old and young. It has
also a special bearing upon the Volunteer move-
ment, as we shall see.
Some of our readers may not be familiar with
the provisions of 23rd and 24th Vic., c. 20., an act
relating to the ballots for Militia, which received
the royal assent so lately as the 28th August last.-
The first section of that act authorises the Lieu-
tenant of the county, as soon as con venintly may
be after the passing of the act, when required or
authorised by one of her Majesty's principal secre-
taries of State, to summon a general meeting of the
lieutenancy of the county, to alter all or any of
its appointed subdivisions, in such manner as may
appear convenient for the execution of the laws
relating to the enrolment of the Militia, and to
report the same to the Secretary of State. Pio-
suant to this enactment, a general meeting of the
lieutenancy of this county was held at Preston on
the Bth instant, to consider the expediency of
altering the existing subdivisions throughout the
county, on account of the greatly increased num-
ber of the population, since the time when these
were last fixed, and the following resolutions were
passed :

That with a view to comply with the requirements of
the provisions of the 23rd and 24th Vic. cap. 120, s. 1,
the several Deputy Lieutenants of each existing sub-
division be formed into a separate committee to report
to a central committee the best mode of dealing with the
particular subdivision to which they belong.
That a central committee be also formed, which shall
sit at Preston, and shall consist of one Deputy-Lieutenant_
to be elected' from each subdivision by the members of
the committee of such subdivision, and to which each
subdivision committee shall report.
That this meeting be adjourned to the 19th of No'