The Express.
London, England, 1863-07-04 00:00:00

THE UNOFFICIAL INTERVIEW WITH THE

EMPEROR NAPOLEON.

Mr. Lindsay, M.P., writes to the Times:—" j
think it due to Mr. Roebuck to say that what he ham stated
is true, and shall be confirmed by me in parliament with
time, place, and circumstances when the debate is resumed.
I have to regret that it is postponed for a time even so keg
u the 13th last. You have been plead to speak of us es
self-constituted ambassadors. I have only to reply that at
my first interview with the Emperor. in January, 1861.
I was accompanied by her Majesty's arnbeasador at Par*
That interview was proposed upon matters refer
ring exclusively to English and French maritime interests.
My subsequent interviews with the Emperor, molding the
last, were upon a like Mililioll. At some of them he niter
doted the subject of the civil war in America, and spoke
freely upon it. Whatever be said was fully reported by me
at the time to Lord Cowley, with the Emperor's knowledge
and permiasion. The interview I had in company with Mr.
Roebuck on the 23rd lilt., to which he referred in the house,
wee brought about by circumstances which, in doe time,
shell be fully made known to the country. I should ban
had no objection to make what then pasted equally known
to Lord Cowley when returning to London from Fontaine-
bleau, through Paris, had time permitted."

SOCIETY Pat PROMOTING THE EMPLOYMENT
OP WOMEN.

The annual meeting of this society was held at
Willis's Booms yesterday, the Peri of titurresacar, KO,
presiding. There was a large atteedanos of ladies.
In the report, which was read by the Rev. P. Pigeon, it
warn stated that the demand made upon the society for easy
work, i.e. work supposed to involve no previous training,
was beyond all eossibility of supplying it, and the com-
mittee wished to press home this fact upon pares= thatthey
might be induced to give their children; in addition to •
morecarefnl early education than they now unsay remind,
• special training, which might serve them as a resource in
the future. The attendance at tbe adult dais at Mks
Bouchseett's school averaged about eight pupils. The total
number of those who had joined the class mace the ekes of
the summer term of last year was 32. The committee
had helped to establish a photographic printer in business.
and her four apprentices gave good promised future pre.
'g~ciueooacyy and success Situations had bun found for • eon-
eidenble number of women in the lighter &mutinieds ci
photography ; and in that of " mounting " and "touching"
employment hid been obtained for several ladies who were
hindered by deaf DOW from re-engagementteovernesees.
Pattern staining on furniture had supplied table new
patios to severalmembers of each of the classes for
whom the demand for work to be done at home was most
urgent, via., widows with young families, invalid ladies, sad
those with invalids claiming their can all day. In wood
engraving, lithographic tracing, music copying, plant pre.
serving, sod heraldic printing, various orders had been re-
ceived and executed through the office ; also one in unmet
modelling. Among employments about which inquiries had
been mad* during the year might be mentioned mosaic lay-
ing, print colouring, carving to wood, watch engraving, sad
designing for wall papers. The work of middle-elan emi-
gration undertaken by Miss Rye, with which • lower clam
emigration bed since been combined, had been carried on
on • somewhat larger scale than in the previous year.
Mr. R. M. Mums, M.P., moved the adoption of the
rsed.
me adoption of the report was then seconded and carried.
The Hon. A. KnarAnw moved the following resolu-
tion :—" That the duty ia strongly impressed upoo parents
of giving their daughters • better early education for their
subsequent profitable employment." Mr. Kinnaird, in the
course of a few appropriate remarks, expressed his con-
viction that it would be most desirable for the universities
to be open to women, but dissented from the re-
mark es to the advisability of making outdoor labour mon
' gerund amongst the lower class of female+. He said the
results of both Miss Faithfull's and Miss Boucheretre
experiments were most satisfactory, and proved how tho-
roughly competent females were to undertake the duties
assigned to them by the society.
The Rev. J. E. Kmum seconded the resolution, and it
was carried.
Mr. HASTINGS moved "That it is desirable that a test
for the education sod requirenieute of worn= be instituted,"
stating his strong partiality for the system of University
examination for females, and his intention to advocate, is
the committee for maiming the next Oxford local exami-
nation, their admission to the test. He also quoted a letter
received from Mr. J. 8. Mill, in which that gentleman,
while apologising for his absence from the meeting, ex-
pressed hen concurrence in the principle of the resolution.
Dr. Lmormits, in a lengthy and able address, seconded
the motion, which was then carried.
The Rev. Prebendary BURGESS moved • vote of thanks to
the chairman, which was seconded by Mr. Wtunwoaru,
sod passed.
Lord SoarrumnitY, in acknowledging the compliment,
said he should like to mention this fact, that the society
was now no longer to be considered experimental. When
they first instituted it, it was an experiment, and there was
very great doubt indeed how far they could turn it to ac-
count—how far the services of the young people of whom
they took charge, or of women generally, would be snilable
for the employment destined for them. The society Ind
now been in operation three or four years, and they found
that in many departments the labour of them women had
been perfectly adapt= to its purposes. As copying clerks,
ea compositors, and in many other caw:tie; they
proved themselves fully equal to men. They had, therefor%
proved the position completed ; for whoa it was &swe-
etened on asmall scale, and with • limited number of per.
sons, it was equally proved for the whole of the female sex.
So far they were certain of the ground they etoodn, and
so far they were justified in making those appeals to the
clergy and ministers of other denominations, to ' before
the minds of their congregations the absolute necessity of
training up their daughters to tome specific profession that
might be both lucrative and honourable. It was mid that
women were intended for domestic life, and that might apply
very well to those who bad entered upon the married en=
but it certainly would not apply to the number of unmarried
women who had to make a career for themselves,
and who, even if they subsequently became wives sad
mothers, instead of losing the intermediate time between
girlhood and marriage, might during that period be wen-
=llene( a small capital with which to enter upon married
life, and which, iii the event of their husbands' deem.=
would help them to maintain themselves in a decent sad
honourable manner. (Hear, hear.) They could lose nothing
by pursuing such a course, and might gain a great deal.
Passing on to speak of the nature of the work proposed for
females, the noble earl said he thought the society, by
judicious management, might have an influence m
raising the character of employments now
as below the position of the young woman. The appnricardnet!
I were constantly asking for any kind of work provided it
was not menial, while probably the very employment they
sought to avoid was that for which alone they were adapted.
He feared the society was allowing its attention to be
fixed too much upon females of the upper and middle
daises, to the neglect of those of the lower. The question
of the admissibility) of women to university examinations
had been lengthily discussed upon that =anon,
but he thought they would be acting more judi-
ciously if they used the word university as little
as possible, lested
it might alarm the public, and
lead them to imagine that women were to be brought up in
the MOOS way as men. After adverting in condemnatory
terms to the suggestion that women should be employed to
• larger extent in open-air work, his lordship expressed bin
conviction that the education imparted in many of our
national schools had been in many cues of too high • charac-
ter for the persons to whom it was Tina, leading girls, for
instance, who were only fit for chambermaids and cooks to
aspire to the positions of companion and nursery governess.
The consequence was a universal complaint of the deficiency
and incapability of domestic servants, besides other muse-
queues of • more fatal character, of which he
need not speak. It was their duty to watch
ve-y care( ally over the employment of women,
because there existed a great desire, especially in the ma-
nufacturing districts, to substitute female for male labour,
to the disadvantage of both. Women, they were told, never
combined to resist oppression or to raise wages ; and ono
manufacturer bad said to him, " It is • capital thing to
have • woman in your mill, for if she ham a child to look
after or • sick husband, by heavens you may work her to
death." He was sure that while, on the sae hand, there
were so many young women of delicate frames, and refined
natures and pure minds, thrown upon the world without
any means of subsistence, and on the other wretched needle-
women died from overwork or the miserable remuneration
they obtained for their labour, we could not expect to m-
oires t us either social honour or public morality.
(Cheers.) The meeting then separated.

In the preface to Messrs. Macmillan and Co.'s
"Cambridge Shakespeare" the editor► acknowledge their
obligations to Mr. John Bullock, who has furnished them
with valuable critical ►nd literary notes. The Ptedishere
Cirradar says :—" Mr. Bullock la, we believe, a mechanic
—a brass finisher in Aberdeen—who has devoted his Iwore
to the study of English literature, for which, though still
following his manual labour, he has obtained in his own
locality a oonsitkrabls reputation."
The North British Review is again about to
change hands, Messrs. Clark having parted with their in.
Serest in it to Messrs. Edmondstone and Douglas, by whom
it will in future be published.
Mr. Brown, who some time since retired from
the firm of Lovgman and Co., of Paternost-row, has given
1,0001. for a stained•glaas window in St. Paul's Cathedral.
We (Reader) are informed that the committee
appointed by the British Association to bring the import-
ance of fag-signals before the legislature, hare, within the
laid few days, seat in a memorial, in which a series of ex-
periments is especially recommended to the Board of Trade.
The committee *onside of Drs. Robinson and Gladstone,
and Professore Wheatstone and Hennessey. This should
be good news for all interested in navigation.