The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-05-22 00:00:00

CRITICAL STATE OF EUROPE.

THE present most critical state of Europe ought
to be the first object of solicitude with the Govern
meut and Legislature of this country ; and under
any due sense of responsibility at such a time, the
safety and security of our own national position,
as a Power which would be sure to feel the effects
of any political convulsions, must occasion the
most serious concern. When one looks, however
cursorily, at what is passing on the Continent,
and considers the threatening aspect of much that
is taking place, it is impossible to avoid a feeling
of uneasiness, not so much as to the risk of this
country being involved in the conflict that is so
likely to arise, as lest we should not be fully pre-
pared for our own defence against any of its
issues, whether of insult or of aggression.- When
we hear, as we have just done, in one short week,
of insurrection in Naples, of an invasion of Sicily,
of an outbreak in Calabria,—of Austria hastily
despatching her war-steamers to the Sicilian
coast,—of France doing the like, and marshalling
her troops at the same time, in readiness for
action, in any contingency that may arise,—of Sar-
dinia marching her array towards Southern Italy,
to act on the defensive or the offensive, as occa-
sion may require,—of Rome increasing her arma-
ments, and having them re-organised, as well as
reinforced, under one of the ablest of French
Generals,—and of the Autocrat of Russia once
more directing his attention, with ominous intent,
towards Turkey, not improbably under some
secret, and therefore mischievous, understanding
with the French Emperor, _when such is, in
sum and substance, among the news that reaches
us from various points of Europe within the com-
pass of not many days, there may well, we say,
be cause for anxiety and apprehension. There
would be cause, for it under any circumstances,
since Such a state of things on the Continent
imperilling; as it does, the general peace; mist
render it so difficult 'for us to escape being
entangled in the meshes of the fray which is so
evidently impending. But when it is feared
that we are really not fully prepared to uphold
the interests, or to maintain the security of the
kingdom—when it is known that our financial
affairs are such as to make it impossible to meet,
in a great, yet moat prQbable emergency, any
extraordinary expenditure that may be required
for so indispensable a purpose-7there may indeed
be anxiety, Oleo may well even be alarm, for our
safety at such a conjuncture.

‘, 14 the present state of Europe," observes the
Saturday Review, "the chief desire :of the
sounder part of the nation is to complete those
preparations for defence which are repulsive to
the bigotry of Mr. BRIGHT and to the blind self-
confidence of Mr. GLADSTONE." Now, here is a
consideration which directly connects the financial
question with that of those national defences, which,
at such a time, !cannot possibly be neglected but
at our utmost peril as a qaqop. And hence the
importance of the fact, that ‘f the opponents of
the Budget in the House of Lords, in proving that
the maintenance of a sufficient revenue is essential
to the public safety, can quote from their oppo-
nents' voluntary admissions that the anticipated
deficiency has been provided for the express pur-
pose of hampering the free action of Parliament."
'The financial system of the present CHANCELLOR
of the C4EQUER was designedly planned to
answer but a temporary object,—though even
for this it is already proving, it seeni,s, to be
ouite insufficient. There is an ulterior object in
vie 7, hoVever, and one that is schemed an d
sought for in utter clisregg,ra of the dangers which
are fairropadin Ap,-,ap, 01464 too, that is to
involve a ra4i.a4 and most periloug chang©
in the
whole financial policy of the kingdom. As we
find it further most forcibly 3emarjfe49—" The
responsible Minister who is bound to provide for
all public wants with the smallest possible amount
.s>f• pressure, has intimated, not obscurely, that he
'mim • • es tV w•ake taxation troublesome, in the hope

of forcing on a reduction of establishments; Un-
conscious of the semi-treasonable nature of his
doctrines, and desiring to maintain peace by
crippling the public resources, he limits the
duration of the Income-tax to a single year for
the express purpose' of provoking *discontent and
compulsory parsimony." And what a time to
choose for so dangerous a purpose! To systema-
.
aim'` at " crippling the public resources,"
..vhen these resourcesi to their utmost present
extent, cannot-possibly meet the exigencies that

are :so rapidly arising!
But it is more than this,-;--and worse, too, than
this; as bearing on the future interests of the
country. There is an ulterior radical—and, in
our humble opinion, revolutionary—object in
view : that, namely, of substituting direct taxa-
tion for indirect ; and it is one Which such a
House of Commons as the Reform Bill is calcu-
lated to provide, would be sure to carry out with
all the eagerness which its democratic character
must naturally supply. The interests of demo-
cracy and those of property are directly opposed
to each other. Because property is something to
lose ; whereas a democracy has only everything
to gain, by those political and social convulsions
which it is the true policy of a State not only to
resist but to guard against. No direct taxation
can ever be either politic or just. It is only by
a system and variety of taxes, mutually balancing
and equalising one another, that a due proportion
can be preserved. And a due proportion is indis-
pensable; alike for the constant snfficiency and
the very security of our resources. Most true is
the conviction that now, we are assured, so
generally prevails, that "in the present. state of
Europe it is unwise to abandon productiVe sources
of revenue, nor is a prospective deficiency regarded
with greater favour when it is suggested that the
task of covering it will furnish wholesome em-
ployment for the youthful energies of a reformed
Parliament." This, however, is just what it has
been designed 'by her Majesty's Ministers to do.
And since it is equally true, that " Constitutional
and financial innovators, rallying from a succes-
sion of defeats, will then cordially welcome the
opportunity of assailing the aristocracy under a
plausible pretext, and of converting a debate on
the Budget into a question of privilege,"—all we
can say is, that such a question had far better be
settled now, than await till such innovators shall
be in a stronger position for successfully contest;
ing it.

RELEASE OF MR. NATO T, NESTERDAY

The order for the immediate release of Mr. Hatch
was forwarded as late as ten o'clock on Saturday night,
when Mr. Wise and other friends attended at Newgate
to receive him. It was known that there had been a
detainer lodged at Horsemonger-lane Gaol in respect to
an attachment for contributions as a shareholder to the
General Indemnity Company ; but as that claim had been
fully satisfied, no further difficulty was apprehended, but
to their surprise Mr. Jonas, the governor of Newgate,
refused to
_discharge Mr. Hatch until he had had an
opportunity of searching the offices of the Sheriffs
of Surrey and Middlesex, and as that could not be
done until Monday morning, - Mr. Hatch had to
remain a prisoner Saturday night, the whole of
Sunday, and up to twelve o'clock yesterday, when Mr.
Jonas having satisfied himself there was no ground
for his detention, the Rev. Mr. Hatch was discharged,
upon the claim of Mr. bolt. The Rev. Mr. Gregg, the
epretary to the fund, Mr. Wise, and other friends
received him, and congratulated him on his liberation.
He was allowed to pass through the governor's house,
and then proceeded in a cab to his brother-in-law's,
after which he will go down to the sea-side to recruit
his health, which is much impaired, and every exertion
will be made to reiatitate him in t►is former position in
society.

RAILWAY EXPENDITURE AND PROFITS

The traffic receipts for aRe year, to June, 1859, the
last published, shows the following comparison :—Lon-
don and North-Western, 368 miles, conveyed 6 millions
of passengers, yielding £600,000, and paying to the
ordinary shareholders £3B out of every £lOO of receipts ;
the London and Brighton, 200 miles, conveyed 8 millions,
yielding £600,000, and paying to the ordinary share-
holders £33 out of every £lOO of receipts. The Loudon
and North-Western, 838 miles, conveyed onlylo I millions,
yielding £1,480,000, and paying to ordinary shareholders
only £f..45 per cent. of receipts. The Great Northern, 382
miles, conveyed 4 minims (including the reckless ss.
traffic to Liverpool and back), yielded I million, and
paying only £l6 in the £100; and the Great Western
paying £6 out of every £lOO of traffic receipts; the rest
being absorbed in the expenses of management, interest,
&c. The Chester and Holyhead, out of its 1858 traffic
receipts, paid to shareholders only 30s. per £lOO taken ;
the Midland, £29 out of every £lOO ; the Caledonian,
£2O out of every £lOO ; the Great Southern and Western,
under Mr. Ilbery's quiet management, £44 out of every
£lOO ! ! while the famous three Ws, now Dublin and
Wicklow (celebrated in Bradshaw's yearly manual for
1854), exhibited a deficiency of £6,000 on the year's
traffic working ! !--Xash's Railway Management.

THE ACCIDENT ON THE LONDON AND
NORTH-WESTERN RAILWAY.

FURTHER PARTICULARS.

Since our notice of this accident on Saturday, there
is scarcely anything new to add, unless it be that all
the sufferers are progressing favourably. The worst
cases are those of Mr. Dennys Freedlander, of Man-
chester, and Mr. John Venables, of Liverpool, both of
whom have sustained injuries of the most serious
nature. The former gentleman is suffering from a
fracture of the left leg, the small bones being all
smashed, and a fracture of the collar-bone. The
sternum or breast-bone is also injured, and the nose is
slightly bruised. He is, however, doing well, consider-
ing the fearful nature of the injuries he has received.
The latter gentleman (Mr. Venables) is suffering from a
fracture of the lower jaw, and a compound dislocation
of the left wrist. The lid of the left eye is cut, and
there is also an incised wound on the scalp. He is also
progressing favourably. Taylor, the driver of the
express train, lies at the -Royal Infirmary, and is going
on as well as can be expected. 'Robinson, the seaman,
whose head, while lie was looking one dne of the
windows of the London express train on Thursday
night, came in contact With the lamps of an
up-train. Rroadgreen, has recovered 'his sensi-
bility, and is rapidly hecontiig convalescent. As
regards the cause of the collision on Friday many con-
jectures tare afloat, but it is generally believed that
Platt, the driver of the goods train, did all in his power
to prevent a collision, but owing to the slippery nature
of the rails consequent on the very bean= rains, and to
the slight decline in the line approaching Roby from
Liverpool, the break-wheels would not "grip," and hence
the aecident. On .the other hand, it is stated that the
semaphore signal at the Roby. Station is defective, and
not visible at a proper distance, in consequence of an
angle In the lire 91. rail, 4etwee4 that station and
Broadgreen.