The Press.
London, England, 1856-03-08 00:00:00

THE WEEK.

THI speech of the French Emperor is one of the principal events of
the week. It is a just and noble exposition of the real state of affairs,
and particularly satisfactory in all that relates to the English alliance.
The anticipations of the Parisians were disa.ppointedithat no definite
mention was made of the progress of the negotiations, but the reserve
of the Emperor was no doubt dictated by the most politic motives.

In the Crimea we are happy to see that a conference has been
held between delegates appointed by the Commanders-in• Chief, to
arrange the preliminaries of a suspension of hostilities. This step
will prevent the possibility of any unnecessary effusion of blood during
the pacific negotiation. The war is near its close.

Lord PANMURE has prominently raised the question as to the
degree of claim which the relatives of an officer killed in battle have
to the value of his commission. The Royal warrant recently issued
recognises the justice of this claim in principle, but fetters it with a
limitation, odious in itself, yet which might be much tempered and
softened by the liberal discretion of the Minister for War. But the con-
duct of Lord PANMURE has demonstrated the necessity of leaving no pos-
sible loophole for official meanness. The widowed mother of an officer
mortally wounded in the attack on the Redan, applied to the Secre-
tary for War for tke sum of 1,8001., which she had advanced for the
purchase of her son's commission. She was refused, on the ground
that she had an income of 300/. a year, and was therefore in wealthy
circumstances. This is one instance of what is to be expected from
leaving any discretionary power in the hands of such a man as Lord
PANMURE. Take again the case of Lady TORRENS. Her pension is
cut down one-half, because her husband, though he died of wounds
received at Inkermann, did not expire till nine months afterwards,
instead of six months. Soldiers will henceforth have to apologise, like
King CHARLES, for "being such an unconscionable time in dying."

The invention of ALEXANDRE DUMAS has been thrown into the
shade by the disclosures which have just taken place respecting the
affairs of the Tipperary Bank. " Was there ever," said the Master of
of the Rolls in Ireland, " so gigantic a fraud committed by any man, or
" body of men, upon unfortunate contributors who were being
" swindled out of their money ?" The Court alluded to the scandals
which have come to light affecting another member of the Sadleir
family. It seems that no later than the Ist of February last Mr.
JAMES SADLEIR (M.P. for Tipperary) published the annual report of the
affairs of the hank. It announced a dividend of six per cent., and a
further bonus of three per cent. for the last year's trading. It also
asserted that, after the dividend and bonus, there remained a
surplus of 3,3031. 12s. 4d., which was to be carried to a reserve account
of 17,3751. 12s. 7d., spare money lying by. Yet at that very time the
bank was in a state of hopeless insolvency. The liabilities of the bank
were 400,0001. JAMES SADLEIR had allowed his brother JOHN (par
nobile fratrum !) to overdraw his account by 200,0001 ! The assets of the
concern were 35,000/. ! See how to the last JOHN SADLEIR tried to mis-
lead :—" I wish to blame no one. My cursed brain alone "—Not so !
It now turns out that JAMES SADLEIR was his accomplice in this
" gigantic fraud." Already, another hideous culprit is dragged to light ;
nor is it likely that exposures will stop there. Other parties are likely to
be convicted of being accomplices in this gigantic swindling. What
was done with all the money ? How was it lost ? " Lost !" Is it really
lost ? Is none of it put by in snug keeping ? Was not the day when
the bubble would burst provided for by any of these Tipperary
swindlers It is most suspicious that certain persons, not uncon-
nected with " the gang," were loud in their abuse of JOHN SADLEIR'S
character after his suicide, and were equally loud in their
protestations about
,his " victim, poor JAMES."

The ruins of Covent Garden Theatre have been one of the lions of
the week. Every one has gone to gaze on the scene of devastation.
Never did the "devouring element" of reporters achieve its work
more rapidly or effectually. A couple of hours sufficed for the destruc-
tion of the most splendid temple of lyric art in the world. It is
announced that a subscription is to be got up for the sufferers, and the
" enterprising and spirited individual who has been at the head of this
" colossal dramatic enterprise since Christmas," is put forward as
specially entitled to sympathy. " His fortunes," it is poetically said,
" are shipwrecked in this dire tempest." The analogy between a storm
at sea and a fire on land is not very appropriate, but we let that pass.
We want to know how Mr. ANDERSON has been so great a sufferer. His
lesseeship was over. He had taken his last shilling at the doors ; his
orchestra had played their last note. He was to resign his occupation
that very day. He had insured his private property in the theatre
for 2,000/.—a large sum, one would think, for a Wizard's parapher-
nalia—and his insurance would have expired on Saturday. His
last night's receipts were safely carried off, so that it would
seem he must have escaped from the wreck in this dire
tempest as comfortably as could possibly have been expected.
As to the fire, it must have originated through culpable carelessness.
Had the firemen fulfilled their duty by regularly going their rounds,
the fire would have been detected before it gained head, and might
easily have been put out by the means at hand. The disaster is due to
an irregular performance, which ought never to have been allowed, as it
is acknowledged that the men who should have been on duty in different