The Press.
London, England, 1857-05-30 00:00:00

THE WEEK.

TRE week has comprised varied events. Her Majesty's birthday, the
Derby, the debates in both Houses on questions of considerable
moment, the conclusion of the Neufchatel dispute, and the anticipated
arrival this afternoon at Osborne of the Grand Duke CONSTANTINE, are
incidents which have attracted, and continue to attract, public
interest and attention. The thirty-eighth birthday of her Majesty the
Queen was marked by the ceremonies usual upon that auspicious
day, which was kept as a public holiday, and, between the inspec-
tion of the Guards, the review at Aldershott, and the evening's un-
usually brilliant illuminations, the London public hal sufficient I o amuse
them consistent with the full enjoyment of the Darby the day after.
Of the proceedings in Parliament, the passage through the Lords
of the Divorce Bill was charanterised on Monday night by the defeat
of Lord LYNDHURST'S well-meant intention to place the wife upon an
equality with the husband as regards the facility of obtaining a
divorce, by the rejection of the clause enabling divorced persons to
remarry, and by Lord Sr. LtoNattn's carrying a useful amendment, to
protect women who have become possessed of property after being
deserted by their husbands. On Thursday, the principal point in the
debate was the action for vim. con.; and the question was ultimately
settled by a compromise between the two propositions of Lord LYND-
BURST and Lord ST LEONARD'S—abolishing the civil action, and conqi-
tuting adultery with a married woman a tuisdemeanour. The effect of
this enactment will be to put an end to discreditable actions at law ;
but how far the Commons will be disposed to adopt so reasonable a
proposal remains to he seen.
In the Commons, the Bill for the Allowance and Annuity of the
Princess Royal has provoked on the part of a few Members some
discreditable objections. If Messrs. ROEBUCK, CONINGHAM,
and MAGUIRE wish to prove their zeal in the cause of economy,
they need not look far for an opportunity. In another page
of our journal will be found au exposure of flagrant mis-
management and extravagance. Let them put their shoulder to
Vie wheel here, and they will deserve the gratitude of the public.
We are glad that Mr. Bowvea had the good sense last night to with-
draw his motion for depriving the Princess Royal of her annuity should
she ever become the Queen of Prussia. We have no doubt the
oJuntry generally will respond to the sentiments expressed
by Mr. DISRAELI on the unfortunate results of the surrender of the
hereditary revenues of the Crown.
The Army Estimates, on Monday night, gave the Premier an
opportunity to help them through the House by proposing them in
person, and extracted from Lord JOHN RUSSELL a remarkable declara-
tion against the alarming extravagance of the Liberal Governments.
Sir CHARLES NAPIER'S motion for the reconstitution of the Admiralty
was rejected, as everyone foresaw; but the anomaly of a civilian ad-
ministering the affairs of one great arm of the national defences, in
tie principles and domestic economy of which he is utterly unin-
structed, was not satisfactorily explained by Mr. BERNAL OSBORNE or
Sir CHARLES WOOD. An essential qualification for high office in a
special department, is a knowledge of principles and an intimate
acquaintance with details. Who will be bold enough to say that the
present First Lord possesses either?
The debate upon Brazil, on Thursday night, introduced a question
which, though it cannot be settled at once, must sooner or later be
submitted to the decision of Parliament. The rebuke administered
by Lord PALMERSTON to Mr. ROEBUCK was singularly ill-timed, pre-
facing a detailed statement of the Act of 1845, just subsequent to the
Canton bombardment, and within easy recollection of the
dismissal of Sir W. CRAMFrON. Our policy towards Brazil in this
matter of the Slave Trade has been altogether exceptional, and is
distinct from that we have thought it proper to exercise towards the
United States. We trust that the suspension of the Act of '45 will
speedily be followed by the establishment of a less overbearing policy
towards this weak State.

The signature of the Treaty which terminates that tedious and
troublesome Neufchatel quarrel has been received with satisfaction by
Europe. The blunder of Lord CLARENDON, who in December, 1852,
omitted upon the re-establishment of the French Empire to obtain
from the King of PRUSSIA the acceptation of the Protocol signed in
London in the previous May, is to some extent rectified; and the
Plenipotentiaries have at length been landed out of the mire in
which they have so long and so helplessly floundered.

A few days since we described Mr. H. A. HERBERT, M.P. for
Kerry, as " a respectable country gentleman of moderate opinions,
" considerable Parliamentary experience, and competent fairly for the
" office of Irish Chief-Secretary." We are glad, therefore, to see that
Lord PALMERSTON has nominated Mr. HERBERT, for (although we may
be deceived iu this respect) we do hope that Mr. HERBERT will make
some effort to obtain fair consideration for the Protestant. claimants to
official promotion in Ireland. We trust that the new Chief• Secretary
will not lend himself to the vicious routine under which Roman
Catholic barristers, who never held a special retainer, are promoted
over the heads of the eminent Protestant practitioners at Dublin.
Nobody better knows than Mr. HERBERT that the leading advocates of
the Irish Bar are Protestants; and we hope that he will make the attempt
to reform the pernicious system of pro-Catholic favouritism, which
has been acted on for so long a time in Dublin. if Mr. HERBERT does
not make any step in the right direction, we shall be much disappointed.
Let him observe how high legal offices are conferred in England without