The Press.
London, England, 1855-04-14 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

worth a week's purchase if he were to attempt to
thwart the current of national feeling. The rich
nobles, who in their hearts long for peace, and will
be the greatest sufferers by the war, are compelled to
swell the popular cry. They offer large contribu-
tions in the hope of averting a sweeping ad valorem
property tax amounting to confiscation.
A telegraphic despatch from Warsaw says :
The Russians have concentrated 120,000 men in the
Baltic provinces. Two divisons of the Russian fleet are at
Cmnstadt ; a third is divided between Sweaborg and Revel.
Three hundred gun-boats, armed and ready for service, are
now afloat in the Baltic.
A private letter from Simferopol, published in
the Vienna Prase, and dated March 8, mentions
amongst other mattsrs that the city is almost entirely
converted into a place d'armes—none but soldiers are
to be seen. The high prices of provisions are quite
beyond the means of the civil officials, who can only
afford to purchase provisions absolutely indispensable.
The churches are thronged with suppliants, who
pray fervently for peace.

PERSIA.
The despatches received from the East, viA Vienna,
report that Persia is assembling 5 1,000 men on the
Turkish frontier, and her attitude is still suspicious.
It is said that Russia is feeding her with hopes of the
cession of some of the Turkish provinces. Mr. Mur
ray, the English Minister, was ably opposing this in-
fluence.

THE PARIS EXPOSITION.
THE number of jurors destined to decide upon the
merits of the British section of the Exhibition has
been fixed at forty. The English engravings have
arrived, and are in course of arrangement; but the
French department of the Exhibition will undoubtedly
be the latest. Some enterprising carpenters have
undertaken to prepare cases for goods by the '2oth of
May, the Exhibition opening on the Ist. Among the
curious arrangements effected by the Imperial Com-
missioners is a medical department of the Palais de
l'lndustrie, to which four doctors have been attached,
with assistants. These will be in waiting, relieving
each other at stated intervals throughout the time of
the exhibition. Thus people suddenly taken ill may
find succour in the palace.
There are to be four or five hundred Exhibition
remises, decorated with the arms of Paris, to ply
from the palaces to various parts of the capital, at
moderate fares.
As regards the prices of entrance some important
changes have been made. It was originally deter-
mined that there should be an aristocratic five-franc
day ; a franc day ; the rest being four-sou days. To
English people such prices may appear extremely
reasonable ; but they would not have satisfied the
French. For, it must be remembered, that hitherto
the French Government has allowed the public free ac-
cess to the Industrial Exhibitions on certain days—just
RS the public enter freely, on certain days,the French
Academy Exhibition. In England the people are ac-
customed to pay everywhere ; in France, the people
expect the Government to prepare festivities for them
gratuitously. The Imperial Commissioners have
taken this fact into consideration. They have decided
that the four-sou days are too dear. But here they
have been met, as in other matters, by the represen-
tatives of the company. The dividends must be
looked after. Four sous was too low, instead of too
high. The prices accordingly now stand thus :
One three-franc day, one franc day, and remaining
public days, entrance fee two sous. For this resolu-
tion the Imperial Commissioners deserve credit : it is
conceived in the right spirit. It appeals from the ex-
clusive few to the masses. It will enable the working
classes of England and Germany to walk about the
Palace of Industry arm and arm with their working
brothers of France.
According to all appearances, the prices that will
be demanded by lodging-housekeepers, hotelkeepers,
and other worthy citizens of the same class who
profit by the amusements or the weaknesses of man-
kind, during the corning Exhibition, will be exor-
bitant, and in some cases fabulous. The expecta-
tions of every one, whether he has a mansion, a
suite of rooms, or even a bicoque to let, are at the
highest pitch. The increase in every article of con-
sumption—for here luxuries are out of the question
—has been in proportion to that of house-rent for a
long time past, and if it go on in the same ratio a
table &hate in a first or even a second class hotel is
likely to be as inaccessible to moderate people as
Sebastopol and Cronstadt are said to be to our ar-
mies. There are no more skilful diplomatists than
lodging housekeepers. In the present instance it ap-
pears several of them will not let their apartments
for a shorter term than a month ; though of those
who come from England out of curiosity, and for no
other object than to visit the Exhibition, few will re-
main longer than halt that time, if even so long.
There are, however, several agreeable towns and vil-
lages in the neighbourhood of Paris within a short
distance by railroad, where apartments might be got,
and where it is hoped some who have a conscience will
set up opposition to the Paris people.

SATURDAY,

THE EASTER HAM FAIR IN PARIS.
AMONG the many sights of Paris during Passion week
there is, perhaps, none more curious than the Foire our
Jantbowc, on the Boulevard Bourdon. VI bile the fashion-
able promenade of Lougcharaps becomes, year by year,
more insignificant, the ham fair, at the people's end of the
town, revels in more than all its ancient glory. The title
gives but a very inadequate idea of the exhibition. Not
hams alone, but the " whole hog," in every conceivable
variety of shape, is exposed for sale. There are the
sausages of Strasbourg, Lyons, and Arles, cum tnnigis
the horrible black puddings and andoulleltes of Troyes ;
sides of bacon, some yellow, some white, some black, ac-
cording to the customary mode of curing in the province
from which they come ; dried sucking pigs ; brawn ;
boars' heads ; and every description of eatable comprised
under the generic term charcuterie. The respective merits
of all these savoury provisions are loudly chaunted in the
vernacular specially appurtenant to the department which
furnishes the merchandise. A Gascon butcher may be
heard eloquently descanting upon the unapproachable ex-
cellence of his Bayonne hams ; while in the next stall, a
comely lady from Lorraine, in the costume of her country,
exhorts her auditors not to be led away by a name—de-
scribes the pedigree and feeding of her swine—beseeches
people to taste, to touch, to smell, and to judge for them-
selves—and singles out witnesses in the crowd to bear
testimony to the excellent bargains she sold them last
year. Every stall is labelled with the name of the depart-
ment which the occupant comes from—as the Meuse,
Moselle, Sarthe, or Basses Pyrenees. In many instances
a dust-covered cart stationed in the rear, containing re-
serve stores—and perchance womankind, children, and
dogs—is a palpable epitome of rustic enterprise and
anxiety, bringing forcibly home to the mind of the beholder
the fact that the owner is really " from the country."
Accordingly many housekeepers who firmly believe that
cats and horseflesh are the staple materials of sausages
made in Paris come to the fair to make their provisions
for the year. The great fun is to stand round a stall and
watch the progress of a bargain. Not one visitor in ten
comes to buy, although most of those who have any money
in their pockets are tempted to purchase something before
they go away. Concerning the sausages, the strongest
faith would not be always without misgivings, although they
do come from the country. It is notorious that a Lille
manufacturer, when convicted of adulteration and fined,
excused himself by affirming that nothing but horseflesh
would give the flavour the Parisians looked for.
It was formerly the custom for the clergy to open this
fair by pronouncing a benediction upon the hams, and a
special form of °remits for this purpose is to be found in
the old rituals. This is no doubt the origin of the habit
still prevalent in many Parisian households of eating ham
at the first meal after the long lenten fast. It is estimated
that the quantity of hams, bacon, &c., brought to the fair
this year amounts to 1,000,0001b5.

THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL reports the deaths of
1,220 persons in the week that ended last Saturday.
The corrected average of deaths for the corresponding
weeks of 1845-54 is 1,253. These figures are satis-
factory evidence of an improved state of the public
health. The mortality, which has for many weeks
been excessive, showed a decrease last week on the
ordinary amount. But the mortality from bronchitis
and also from hooping-cough is still great. Last
week the births of 828 boys and 689 girls, in all
1,517 children, were registered in London. In the
thirteen weeks of severe weather that ended on the
31st March, 19,027 deaths were registered, or, in ex-
cess of the average, nearly 4,000 persons in advanced
age , weakly children, the sufferers from chronic
diseases, and others who, when winter set in, were in
sound health. Congestion and inflammation of the
lungs were the most prevalent fatal diseases.

IT was stated some time since that on therestora-
tion of St. Thomas's Church, Newport, Isle of Wight,
her Majesty intended to erect a monument to the
Princess Elizabeth, the daughter of the unfortunate
Charles 1., who was buried in that church. Baron
Marochetti, the sculptor, is now carrying out the
Queen's design. The monument will consist of a
statue, representing the unhappy princess in her last
moments, having in her hand the Bible given to her
by her father. The statue will be placed in a niche
in the church.
UPWARDS of fifty thousand stocks of walnut•wood,
in the rough, for Minie and other rifles, have been
received in the Tower from the Continent. They are
issued to the fitter in this state to prepare and mount
in readiness for the contractors. The barrels and
locks of the regulation firelocks being all of a size, the
stocks require little or no alteration. Five thousand
stocks were sent down on Wednesday to the titters in
Birmingham to prepare for the contractors at that
place.
Miss HEBERDEN, the benevolent lady whose de-
cease at Exeter was announced a few weeks since,
has by her will bequeathed the following donations
Parent Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in
Foreign Parts, 1,000/. ; Parent Society for Employ-
ing Additional Curates, 1,000/. ; Governesses' Insti-
tution, 1,0001.; Colonial Bishops, 1,0001. ; Infant
Asylum for Orphans, 5001.; Exeter Dispensary, 1001. ;
Exeter Penitentiary, 1001.; Exeter Branch of the
Society for the Employment of Additional Curates,
100/. ; Devon and Exeter Institutions for the Blind,
1001.; St. Sidwell's Schools, 501.; and St. James
Schools, 50/. ; making a total of 5,0001.

APRIL 14,1855.

THE DUKE or CAMBRIDGE AT THE MANSION-
HOUSE.
THE customary Easter banquet given by the Lord
Mayor was on Monday celebrated with unwonted
eclat, through the presence of the Duke of Cambridge,
who honoured the civic magistrate by becoming his
guest on the occasion. The royal visitor was received
with extraordinary honour, not, however, so much on
account of his affinity to royalty as in his character
of Crimean hero. Under that denomination he was
feted and toasted by the assembled convives ; and,
cordially accepting the position, his Royal Highness
returned thanks for the enthusiastic applause with
which his name had been greeted when given from
the chair. He said :
It has at all times been to me a source of the greatest
pleasure and satisfaction to be allowed to pay my respects
to the chief magistrate of this great city, and to enjoy the
hospitality of the Mansion-house ; but on no occasion has
my gratification been greater than on the present, when,
with his lordship's permission, I find myself addressing so
distinguished an audience as I now see around me. lam
amply grateful for, I may say, the enthusiastic manner in
which I have been received, not only in this hall, but when
coming through the streets of your city. (Loud cheers.)
Since 1 last had the honour of addressing the citizens of
London I have witnessed many various scenes, and passed
through much excitement. Sometimes I have experienced
satisfaction, sometimes tasted glory, but sometimes had a
share in events of the most painful and heartrending de-
scription. (Hear, bear.) But I can assure you that after
all these changes, whether agreeable, honorable, painful, or
disastrous, there is nothing which is the source of more
pleasure to me, or which is considered to be a greater re-
ward by me, and those who were engaged along with me,
than that on our return to our native country we should
receive the hearty welcome and kind consideration of the
citizens of London, and the general population of this
great country. (Loud cheers.) But when I find myself
placed in this honorable and proud position, I ask myself
this question—How have [ obtained this position? As fur
myself, I have done nothing more than my duty, but I feel
that those over whom I have had the honour and satisfac-
tion of being placed in command, have nobly conducted
themselves, and in short achieved all the glory. (Loud
cheers.) A general placed in high command has indeed
no easy task, but when supported as I have been by such
men as the officers and soldiers of the first division, or any
other division of the British army, he feels assured in the
consciousness that that indomitable spirit which pervades
every rank, from the highest to the lowest in his command,
will not fail him in the hour of peril, but that the honour
of the country must always be safe in such hands. (Loud
cheers.) But, in addition to having men under my com-
mand such as I have described, I have also had the advan-

Cage of acting with allies with whom it has always been my
greatest pride and pleasure to be associated. (Loud
cheers.) That great alliance, so happily cemented, and
which, thank God, is growing more intimate from day to
day, will soon receive a new impulse from the arrival in
this country of that great and illustrious man who now
rules over a neighbouring and mighty nation. ( Loud
cheers.) May that alliance be of long duration, and may
such a friendship be cemented between England and France
as is necessary to secure the peace of the world. (Hear,
hear.) My lord, on my own behalf, and on that of the
brave and gallant men with whom I have had the honour
to act, allow me again to thank you and this company for
the manner in which my health has been received. (Loud
cheers.)
To the subsequent toast, de regle, of " Her Ma-
esty's Ministers," the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
responded as follows
The illustrious duke had attributed much of his success
to the officers and men by whom he was supported. In the
same way did her Majesty's Ministers derive strength from
the support they received from the great communities of
this country, such as he now saw represented in that hall,
communities celebrated for their industry, wealth, and
power. Such support was in some sort a sharing of the
responsibility of public affairs, and a sure way of bringing
them to a successful termination. It was only by the aid
of well•earned public confidence that Ministers could get
on with their difficult task, and that confidence was the
more especially necessary in the office which he had the
honour to fill. He felt that the confidence of the public
could only be retained by a faithful observance of all the
Government engagements, by a strenuous upholding of
the public credit, and by faithfully fulfilling all those pecu-
niary obligations, upon the due discharge of which, after
all, the safety and honour of this country so greatly de-
pended.

THE MINISTER OF WAR AT TURIN has granted
sum of 300 f. to the sub-lieutenants of infantry, 400 f.
to the lieutenants of infantry and sub-lieutenants of
cavalry and artillery, 500 f. to the lieutenants of
cavalry and artillery, and 000 f. to all the captains be-
longing to the Piedmontese expedition to the East,
to enable them to support the expense of their outfit.
ebTHE EMPEROR OF RUSSIA remitted through the
wedit•li Embassy a sum sufficient to give every pri-
soner in the Lewes Gaol 6d. each for hot cross buns.

SIR EDWARD BULWER LYTTON'S GOLD MEDAL, for
the best essay by any student of the University of
Edinburgh, matriculated in 1853-4 or 1854-5, "On
the Influence of the Mind over the Body in causing
wad curing Morbid and Anomalous Conditions," has
been adjudged by the Senatus Acalemicus. The
successful competitor is John Glen, M.A., student of
medicine, son of the late Rev. Dr. Glen, for many
ears missionary in Persia.

THE PRESS.

KILMARNOCK ELECTION.

THE new Vice-President of the Board of Trade, the
Hon. Mr. Bouverie, was on Saturday re-elected for
the Kilmarnock Burghs without opposition. After
his return the hou. member addressed his con-
stituents in a speech of some length. In the course
of his remarks he said :

It is impossible for me 'not to be reminded of the cir-
cumstances and of the political aspect of affairs which
existed at the time when I last solicited your suffrages,
and to compare those circumstances and that political
aspect with those existing at the present time. We were
then in a state of unexampled prosperity ; our manufac-
tures and our trade were increasing at a rate and to an ex-
tent unknown before in the history of this country. The
taxes of the country were gradually being reduced, and the
public burdens were becoming lighter. We were then,
too, under the administration of a Tory and a Protectionist
Government ; and, last of all, we were in a state of pro-
found peace with foreign nations. (Hear, hear.) In the
first place the Tory Government is dead, gone, and clean
forgotten. Our trade, which was then expanding iu an
unexampled manner, is now being curtailed and is
diminishing. The taxes, which were then being lightened
and taken off, are now being increased; and the state of
peace which then existed has been converted into a state
of foreign war—war with the most powerful, with the most
formidable country in the world. No one deplores more
than Ido the circumstance of being at war. It involves

great sacrifices—great pecuniary sacrifices—but it involves
sacrifices much more important than pecuniary ones ever
can be. Last year new taxes were imposed for the purpose
of meeting the expenses of the war. These taxes now
amount to nearly 10,0000001. a year, and the practical re-
milt has been that while for fifteen years previously we
have been reducing the taxation and diminishing the bur-
dens of the people of this country, the whole of the amount
so reduced hes been reimposed. But there are greater
sacrifices than pecuniary ones. I refer to the lives of the
brave fellows sacrificed in doing their duty, and in defend-
ing the honour and interests of this country in foreign
lands. (Hear.) The lives of those brave men who have
been sacrificed in their c3untry's cause can never
be recalled. But their bravery has not been exerted in
vain. Our soldiers have shown that they have not
degenerated from the heroism of their forefathers. Yet
more, they have shown an example of patience under great
sufferings, and of endurance under the bitterest privations.
It is a complicated machine, an army ; and we have not
had that machinery at work since the war of the French
Revolution. We bad to put it in action at once, and, until
we tried, we did not know where the weak parts lay; we
did not know whether it would break down or whether it
would work. That is the source of the disasters which have
happened to our brave army in this East. But I am glad
to think that this state of things has passed away; and as
our future experience shall be increased, so shall we meet
with success after that army has already conquered evils
which were almost overpowering.
Adverting afterwards to the question of the newsp iper
stamp, Mr. Bouverie remarked :
I have always held the opinion, and have expressed it
more than once in I'arliament, that that stamp was an ob-
jectionable thing. Many think that the law as it stands is
not an objectionable thing; but I would just like them to
answer this question :—Why should not a man have as
much liberty to print and circulate among his neighbours
the news of the place as he has to write a letter to his
friends containing that news, or to state it in conversation
in company? I can see no difference. Many people are
of opinion that there is something rather startling and
alarming in the prospect of a great number of cheap news-
papers. They fear that the people will learn to read and
like vicious and perhaps licentious writing. I do not say
that there will not be such things as foolish and licen-
tious newspapers; but what I say is this—they will have a
very bad chance against a good article. I have such a
good opinion of the morality and pure feelings of the pub-
lic that I believe they will always prefer an honest and
well•conducted newspaper to the bad and the licentious.
The argument against cheap reading, if worth anything,
is equally an argument against all education, even leading
and writing.

ANOTHER TUSCAN PROTESTANT has been made to
feel the vengeance of the popish priests. A Florence
letter of March 30th states that on the previous Sun-
day morning, at half-past four, Domenico Cecchetti
was hurried away from his children to the prison of
the Bargello, condemned without any trial, or wit-
nesses, by the Council of Prefecture, to a year's
confinement in the Penitentiary of Imbrogiano, near
Monte Lupo, whither he was conveyed in chains on
the following morning. The crimes for which he
was consigned to a dungeon were the possesion of
one Bible and two Testaments, and the avowal, when
examined by the Chancellor of the Delegation of
Santa Maria Novella, that he considered Jesus
Christ the sole head of the Church.

Tux pedestal is now being put up in the Parliament
House at Edinburgh for the statue of the late Lord
Jeffrey, which has been executed by Mr. John Steell.
The statue will occupy the upper of two niches in
the hall the other of which is to be filled by the
statue of the late Lord President Boyle, which is in
the hands of the same sculptor.
A COMMITTEE, composed of members of the Church
Protestant Defence Society, Evangelical Alliance,
National Club, Protestant Alliance &c., have con-
vened an " aggregate meeting of Protestants " on the
subject of Maynouth, for Tuesday next at the Free-
mason's-hall.