The Express.
London, England, 1864-03-30 00:00:00

MOH WALTIN LT LONDON =IDOL

Tias Day
to-ageszoir Yank, 7h. Se— .Atlersesa. to Sir.

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30.

Tux Gentlemen who form the Executive of the
Jockey Club have acquired, by their action against
Mr. lawiN Lewis Witzse, tried at Cambridge
last week, much more notoriety than they could
have expected when they arbitrarily warned that
gentleman off the Heath at Newmarket. But the
notice they have earned is not such as will exalt
their reputation as a public body, or strengthen
their hands for the legitimate work of their office.
Mr. Wittes is known to a large section of the
public as a commentator on the sporting occur-
rences of the day, writing in the name of "-Argus "
in the columns of the Monting PoAt. Any one
who gives himself up to this occupation and really
qualities himself for it, must needs see a great deal
of " life," and get views of strange phases of
character, and if his judgment is on a level with
his opportunities of observation, what he writes is
sure both to be read and to be worth the reading.
Mr. \VitLEs has acquired by his talents and
fidelity a considerable amount of respect in
the world which he daily instructs. One
day in october, 1862, the letter of " Argus "
contained some opinions respecting the administra-
tive dealings of the Stewards of the Jockey Club,
which, as it afterwards appeared, gave great
offence to that body. We need not at this date
revive the forgotten history of the Tarragona
came, once the engrossing topic of the day. Mr.
Witte..' remarks on the action of the .Jockey Club
with reference to that affair were public criticism of a
public body. Had they been libellous we may assume
that the offended parties would have sought redress
in the usual manner; but there was no pretence for
taking such a course. Mr. WILLES as "Argos"
had found fault with the action of the Stewards of
the Club, giving his reasons for so doing, and leaving
them to the judgment of public opinion. But the
Stewards, instead of appealing to the judgment
of the public with facts and reasoning., chose
to demand an instant apology for what they chose
to regard as " offensive expressions." Mr.
WILLY-4 replied that his observations were penned
solely from a sense of duty as a public writer, and
without the slightest intention to give pain or an-
noyance to any single member of the Club. This
explanation, however, was not deemed satisfactory.
All his attempts to heal the susceptibilities he had
wounded without racrificing his independence
were fruitless, and Mr. Wtttts received a notice
warning him off the land and property of the
Jockey Club at Newmarket. For the purpose of
testing the legality of this proceeding, Mr. Witte:4,
acting under advice, committed formally, and in no
offensive spirit, an act which, supposing the preten-
sions of the Jockey Club to the ownership of the
Heath to be well founded, was one of trespass. And
this act formed the ground of the action tried at
Cambridge. The jury heard the story of the cir-
cumstances out of which the dispute between Mr.
WILLES and the Jockey Club arose, but it can
hardly be said that they were called to express
any opinion on them, for as soon as the ownership
of the Club was established by evidence, and it was
shown that the Stewards were entitled to exercise
rights of ownership in its name, theirduty wasciear.
The jury had not even an opportunity of marking
their opinion of the case by reducing the damages
to a minimum, for the plaintiffs had taken the pre-
caution of laying them at the sum of one shilling.
Mr. Witt ze must, of course, have been prepared
for the verdict, and the course he took in com-
pelling the plaintiffs to bring the case in the fullest
manner before the public through the medium of a
lawsuit is justified by the unanimous expression of
sentiment which the facts have elicited.

There can, indeed, be but one opinion of the
use which the Stewards of the Jockey Club have
made of their power. If the Jockey Club is not
a public body, existing for public pur-
poses, it is nothing. The public have no
interest in curtailing its proprietary rights ;
but let it sink to the position of a mere
proprietary body, admitting some persons to
its grounds and excluding others, as a matter of
favour, contingent upon a demeanour agreeable to
its fancies, and the public pretensions it has
hitherto maintained at once fall to the ground. It
is obvious that a number of gentlemen associated
in a public capacity, and giving their time, energy,
and social influence to the regulation of a popular
sport, which is peculiarly liable to be warped from
its original intention by the interests it attracts to
itself, may confer a great benefit on the public.
It is the glory of English society that it is rich in
similar associations formed for public purposes,
deriving little or no support from the law, and as
a rule priding themselves on their independence of
its help, relying simply on public appreciation, and
finding in it their strength. But when a knot of
men with pretensions of this order suddenly put
their legal power in force to punish the fair expres-
sion of opinion respecting their own conduct,when,
instead of trusting to the publicity of their acts and
the impartial judgment of their countrymen, they
proceed to arbitrary acts, they forfeit their only title
to public respect. The Jockey Club exists pro-
fessedly to repress bad practices on the turf, but
however powerful it may be it needs all the sup-
port it can derive from enlightened public opinion,
denuded of which it is weak indeed.

The Jockey Club, by excluding Mr. WILLEN
from the Heath at Newmarket, has done what it
could to deprive the public of the benefit of criti-
cism on the transactions, not always intelligible,
of that famous course. To be sure, it will not
succeed, for our Contemporary will not fail to
take care to be represented there by an able and
impartial reporter, and thus the interests of the
public will still be protected. But the Jockey Club

t7F

has shown what it would do if it could. It has,
moreover, set a bed example. For the Jockey
Club is not the only body of public men who
would like to keep a tight rein upon those whose
duty it is to inform the public. Their pains,
however, will be thrown sway, for as long as the
press understands its interests, to say nothing of
its duty, it will defend that independence without
which it cannot satisfactorily serve its only ac-
knowledged and only constant client—the public.

gbe dun.

WINDSOR OASTLK, IfAim 29.

Prince Philip of Wurtemburg, attended by Baron
Von Guttenberg, arrived at the Castle yesterday on a visit
to the Queen.

The royal dinner party yesterday included the King of
the Belgians, the Prince of Wales, the Princess Helena,
Prince Philip of Wartemburg, the Lord and Lady Taunton,
Admiral Sir George and Lady Seymour, the Hoe. and Very
Rev. the Dean of Windsor, General Count de bloerterte,
and Dr. Koepl (in attendance on the King of the Belgians),
Baron Von Guttenberg (in attendance on Prince Philip of
Wartemburg), Mr. Woodward, and the Ladies and Gentle.
men in waiting on the queen and on the Prince and Princess
of Wales.

In consequence of the death of the Landgravine of Hasse,
grandmother of the Primer of Wales, the Princess did not
join the royal dinner party.
The Queen, accompanied by Prince Arthur, walked is the
grounds this morning.
Professor Owen had the honour of delivering before the
Queen and Royal Family the first of a course of four let.
Sum oo Natural History.

The Right Hon. the assocellor of the Exchequer and
Mrs. Gladstone arrived in town yesterday from Falcouhrust.
Despatches were received yesterday at the Colonial-oflice
from the Governors of the North American province.,
British Oolamb* and Vancouver's Island.

VISIT OF THE QUEEN TO THE ROYAL
HORTICULTURAL GARDENS.
(MEI DAY.)

This morning her Majesty paid a visit to the
Spring Flower Show of the Royal Horticultural
Society at Kensington. The weather was so ex-
tremely unfavourable, the snow of the night being
succeeded by a drizzling rain, that no surprise
could have been felt if her ajesty's intention,
which was previously announced, had not been ful-
filled. Precisely, however, at 11 o'clock three royal
carriages arrived at the entrance in the Exhibition-
road, and her Majesty and the Princess Helena,
alighting from the first carriage, entered the build-
ing, under the protection of an ample awning, amid
hearty cheers from those who were assembled.
Her Majesty was attended by the Countess of
Gainaborough, Lady Augusta Stanley, Lord Charles
Fitzroy, General Grey, and Colonel Ponsonby. In
the vestibule the royal visitors were received by
the council of the society, including Sir Wentworth
Dilke and Mr. H. Cole, and by the honorary secre-
tary, Mr. Wilson Saunders, and these gentlemen
had afterwards the honour of being presented. The
president of the society, the Duke of Buccleuch,
was unavoidably absent.
Her Majesty and the Princess Helena spent
about a quarter of an hour in inspecting the choice
specimens of flowers and plants in the entrance
hall, the council room, and the arcade ; the collec-
tion including some splendid rhododendrons, roses,
and tulips ; while among the more remarkable spe-
cimens were some hyacinths, pitcher plants,
and three new hardy plants from Japan. The
Queen and the Princess were accompanied in their
inspection by the two members of the council
already named, and others, and by the hon.
secretary.
Had the weather not been unfavourable her
Majesty would doubtless, on leaving the flower
show, have walked through the gardens, but owing
to that cause she passed from the floral exhibition
to the old refreshment rooms of the International
Exhibition, receiving at the commencement of her
progress the respectful homage of a very numerous
company of both sexes who were collected on each
aide. The Queen traversed the whole circuit of the
refreshment depai Iments, a large number of ladies
and gentlemen keeping in the rear, and many of
the former availing themselves of the open space at
the aide, to obtain au occasional view of royalty.
When her Majesty at length entered the con-
servatory, about the centre of which there
was another assemblage of ladies collected to
welcome her, the band of the Ist Middlesex
Volunteers played the National Anthem. From the
conservatorv, which glittered with flowers, the
Queen passed under an awning dripping in many
places with rain, to the Knightsbridge entrance,
where the Queen and Princess, with one of the
Ladies in Waiting, entered the first carriage, and
the royal cortege drove off amid persistent showers
of rain.

Her Majesty looked in gond health and spirits,
and conversed very freeand graciously with Sir
Wentworth Mike, Mr. Cole, and other gentlemen.
Nor did her Majesty appear at all to avoid the
affectionate interest which her presence excited,
the duty of restraining too great eagerness in this
respect being sufficiently performed by a single
policeman.

The Queen was attired in a black stuff dress, and
a short black mantle of the same material, bordered
with dark brown fur, a black bonnet, with small
widow's cap, black veil, and a dark fur mutt. The
Princess Helena, whose resemblance to the Prince
Consort was most striking, wore a black silk gown,
a black velvet mantle, and white straw bonnet
trimmed with mauve and white flowers.

(agonies

The royal visit occupied exactly ball an hour.

RETURN OF THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS
OF WALES TO LONDON.-(THIS DAY.)

Five minutes after the departure, in a special
train, of the Queen from the Windsor station this
morning, their Royal Highneues the Prince and Princess of
Wales, with the infant prince, Albert Victor, attended
by Lieutenant-Colonel Reppel and the Lady in Waiting,
left the ume station, by the 10.15 ordinary up passenger
train, for Puldington. Mr. Burninon. the Slough district
superintendent of the Great Western Railway, accompanied
the train to London, where it arrived at eleven o'clock.
The Prince and Princess appeared in excellent health.
and the appearance of the nurse carrying the royal
infant elicited the greatest interest. Her Royal
Highness the Princes of Wales wore a dark
brown sealskin cloak ever a black silk dress, trimmed with
black velvet. The little prince was clothed in a hood and
cloak of white cashmere. On leaving the train, their royal
highnesses, who reached town only a few minutes after the
arrival of the Queen, were conducted to their carriage by
Messrs. Potter, Saunders, Kell', and Grierson, and left at
once for Marlborough House.

The Priors soil Prioress ere expected to leave for
Saodriogliam to-morrow.

The Princess of Wales and several members of
the royal houses of Germany will be placed in monrniag
for a time by the death of her Royal Highness the Land-
gravies of Helm

His Excellency the Prince de La Tour d'An-
verges, who has been on a visit to Viscount and u•
countess Palmerston since Friday last, his returned to the
French Embassy at Albert-pte.

The Duke and Duchess of Argyll are pluming the
parliamentary holidays at Torquay. It is expected that
the duke will return to town on Saturday. as bia grace is
likely to be at the meeting of the members of the cabinet
appointed for Saturday next.

The Duchess of Somerset and Lady Gwendolioe
St. Maar left the First Lord's official rssidesce at the Ad.
miralty, Whitehall, yesterday, for Paris, for a week or ton
days.

Viscount and Viscountees Palmerston, who are
surrounded by a select circle at Broadlands, are expected
to return to Cambridge House, Piccadilly, on Saturday next.
Her Majesty's staghounds will meet at Stonor
Park on the usual day, Friday, instead of Saturday, as ad-
vertised.

NW 11.114111 111 W.N.W.
kkerdees 1111.30 411 1 I 3.3. W.
20.41,43 3 W.
Ardroesan 11544 43 1 N.N.W.
Oreenesetle 10.1604 1 X.W.
Galway
Velem% SAD 47! 4 I N.
Cape Ckor 20.31 47 1 1 N.N.W.
w 11.4444 2 74.11.
tav=ol". '271 51 42 2 W.N.W.
Belybeed
Pembroke ,11004 44 11 N.N.W.
Peataboo . 11.73 .7 4 N.
Brod 207840 3 X.W.
Melee% Web 41 11 N.W.
teehefert 9.7141' 2 N.W.
Plymouth 9.4 441 $ W.N.W.
Weymouth
Ponamouth
Leaden
Dover 11.53 4.1 N.W.
Yarmouth
karborough 79.4337, 1 &W.
ahlekle
Heligoland 114 43 371 LS. &

PIORBLI.

.
THE EXPRESS,' WIDXESDAT

LATEST INTELLIGENQX

NEW FORTIFICATIONS OF RENDSBURG.
RENDEIBURG, Hawn X

Several engineer officers of high rank have arrived
here in order to survey and select ground for the
erection of a new line of fortifications.

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111CRSDA Y. ninny.
N.N.W. to on Norm= N.W. to &W., trash,
strong to moderate, 00/.llla aith showera
squally, unsettled.
As above. WEStgag. N. to W. and &W.,
moderate to strong.
some rain In places.
N. to W.. strong to 80IITERILII. S.N.W. to W.8.W.,
fresh, rata at times. fresh, some rain In
places.
\.\.S to N N.W. and F.Asrmut. As tart above.
strung to
moderate, tome rain
or snow.

Cautionary dinials on Monday.

Nartbsenadicatland. Wasters.lnland. Walla. and &d-
iaconal/a. Bantharn=landWi COMMiI and Dime Bay. Eastern
inward Ingland and lafgoland.

8.-harorneter corrected and reduced to sr at haft tide level
Each ton feet, of vertical elevation, cousins absutone hundredth
of an inch pliant -nog . and each ten degrees, above St., caus-
ing nearly three hundredths INCIMASI. Z.-Exposed thernio-
meter In shade. D.-Differenee of wet bulb (for evaporation and
dew point,. W.-Wind. direction of min-two points Uwe of
magnetic . -Force I to It-estimated,. X.-Extreme force
since mat report. Q.-quarter whence irrimen forte (iiN L
to 31=N). 1.- Initials : b.-blue sky; u-cloods detached,
f.-fog. h.-hall; 1-11;htning m.-misty 'hazy;: e.-orercut
'dull; r -rain , s.-snow; t.-thunder. R. = lalo-fall, snow or
hail ,melted„ since last report. IS-Sea dlsrstrbamm It to 9;.
L -Cahn.

Yesterday afternoon, it is said, the protocol
putting an end to the English protectorate of the lonian
Wands was signed at the Foreign.etfice. Immediately
afterwards Lord Russell and Mr. Tricoupi, charge &affairs'
for Greece, signed another document, stipulating pensions
in favour of lonian and other subjects, whose services to
the lonian Islands bad entitled them to that recognition.
. _ _

A letter from Rome says :—"During Lent, balls
have, of course, given way to musical entertainments here ;
and a Pariaian star, M. Levasior, has figured greatly at the
soirees of Madame de Montebello. The Roman princesses,
who on oettinary occasioos have not shown themselves very
ready to attend the reunions of the French general's lady,
have condescended to accept the Countess de Montebello's
invitations to hear the famous French buffo ; but coming,
according to Roman fashion, about 10 or half past, their
excellencies have generally found all the best places occu.
pied by the blonde beauties of la perk* Albion. who usually
take the precaution of going early."

The tranquillity of St. Joseph's Day at Rome is
attributed to an order of the day of the party of action,
communicated by telegram to all the Gariba'dim% and
blarzinian committees throughlut Italy, in the laconic
words, ': Per Sea Giuseppe, nulls."

The Havana papers of the ht of March mention
that Santa Ansa had touched there on his way to Mexico
from St. Thomas.

The Navy Department of the United States have
advertised for tenders for raising the line-othattle ships
Pennst leania, Delaware, and Columbus, the frigates Cum-
berland, Congress, Merrimac, Raritan, and Columbia, and
the steamer Whitehall, which have been sunk during the
rebellion.