The Express.
London, England, 1864-07-25 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, MONDAY

direction? The carrying out of Goverflinen. t wort
is one thing, the original planning of it
another. The grossest blonde* hate been km
originating certain works, dis ddng of the week.
' has been as nearly successful as peedbk. Take
the Enfield rifle factory for example, producing
three or font millions of rifles, all the while
Government were being warned by the eminent
man who set up their self-acting machinery, that
the weapon was an inferior one, and
that it must be superseded. And superseded
it is. At this moment we are hampered with an
immense stock of obsolete rifles, when the Muirirrea
for WAR discovers that the breech-loader is the
only weapon. It is not the Factory that is to
blame, but the lleadi. of the Firm, who are not men
of business, who have no foresight, and to whom
public duty is not so acute a stimulus as profit is
to trade. The whole question of the Arm-
strong guns does not tell against Government
factories, but against the Government system. As
soon as Woolwich got to work at the ineffective
guns it made them cheaper than Elswick, and
much better; the principle was bad, and made
infinitely worse by appointing the private con-
tractor head director of the Government workshop
and inspector of his own guns and ammunition
madebycontract. The UNDER SECRETARY for Was
speaks of "inspection " with religions respect. But
if the article is defective on principle, it may beaver
so well made, we are not the lees betrayed by
it than if it were made of the word material and
worst work the most rascally contractor could
turn out. Can Government work ever be done
cheaply? That is the quest4on. The Enfield case
an complauently cited by the UNDER SECRETARY
is • transparent fallacy. The cost of a rifle does
not represent salary, plant, and administration.
Government work may very probably be done
more efficiently than in private hands, provided
there are no peculiar processes as in the making
of steeL The work should certainly be done best
by those who can pay the highest.
The country has a wholesome suspicion of Go-
vernment establishments, but it has not yet suffi-

ciently forgotten or condoned the rotten gunboats,
the pickaxes, and the boots, to put implicit faith
in " great contractors." At the same time
we believe it is a delusion to suppose that our
great manufacturing establishments are at all
eager for Government work. The most eminent
ordnance companies in this country could not, we
believe, accept an order for guns or ammunition
for the next two years, so that unless Woolwich
were available there would be no means of making
the new guns which are now most urgently re-
quired. Common sense seems to suggest the em-
ployment of private enterprise to a certain and not
inconsiderable extent, if only for the sake of keep-
ing great establishments in the country in the
habit of executing government work, more espe-
cially armour plates, all large forging% and large
machinery. But just now the avowed failure of
our present service guns, the absolute and imme-
diate necessity of a complete reconstruction of our
artillery, supplies a forcible, if not annuanswerable,
argument for retaining Government manufacture
of arms, if not of ships. And, on the whole, it
may be prudent to refrain from condemning with-
out reprieve the principle because of that prover-
bial maladministration for which even an Under
Secretary has not a word to say.

A Cabinet Council was held on Saturday at the
official residence of the First Lord of the Treasury,
in Downing-street. The ministers present were
Viscount Palmerston, Earl Granville, the Duke
of Argyll, Sir George Grey, Earl Russell, the
Right Hon. Edward Cardwell, Earl de Grey,
Sir Caarles Wood, the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer, the Duke of Somerset, the Right Hon. T.
Milner Gibson, Lord Stanley of Alderley, and the
Right Hon. C. P. Villiers.

fbt Coun.

OSBORNE JOLT 23.

Her Majesty, accompanied by Princess Louis of
Hess and Hinman Lenin walked and dross in tbe grounds.

Priest sad Prisms Louis of Here sad PriaoteeLeisizi•
gas, &treaded by the Hoe. Mrs. Bract, Major-Gezieral Sey-
mour, sod Captain Vas Wester..ller, Masted the prison for
females at Parkhurst.

JCLT 24.

The Queen, ascompartied by Princess LOUIS of Hems,
drove out yesterdey. Major-General Bsymour wee in at-
teedance.
Prince Louis of Home aad Primo William of Preemie
went in the Fairy, attended by Baroness bohemia,
Harmers de Chewy, and Captain von Westerweller.
The Earl of Cleland= arrived on a visit, and had the
honour of dining with her Majesty sad the Royal Family.
Divine service was performed to-day at Osborne by the
Rey. C. Prothero.

The Queen and Royal Family, attended by the hones.
hold, wars present.

Princess kolas& is oosivalesoeut

The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council sat on Satur-
day, and gave judgment in the following cads
" Imperial Royal Privileged Daanbiso Steam Navigation
Company r. The Greek and Oriental Steam Navigation
Company, the Man and Smyrna " (aa appeal from the
Supreme Cooed., Court, Coastanticople), dismiadd with
wets ; " Ranee Surcomoyee r. Rajah Sateeschonder Roy" (ea
appeal from Beep!), judgment of the court below affirmed ;
" Dean and another v. Byrnes and another " (an appeal from
New South Wales), jadgmant of the wart below affirmed
" The Falkland Islaode Company v. the Queers " (an
appeal from the Falkland Wands), appeal dismissed ;
" Rajah Sureeschuader Roy v. Sliest Samailooadry Debi*
and others" (an appeal from Bawd), appeal dismissed ;
" Palo& Balakristoains Palmier v. Sree Naraina Mardand
Devu" (ao appeal from Madras), judgment of the court
below affirmed ; "Forster v. Brewer and others" (an appeal
from the Admiralty Court), judgmeat of the court below
reversed; " Papayas.' and others v. owed' of the Marie
de Brabant" (en appeal from the Admiralty Court),
appeal dismissed with costa ; " Great Ship Com-
pany (Limited) v. Sharpies and another" (the Great
Radeni) —in this ease, which was an appeal front the
Admiralty Court, their lordships held that blame was attri-
butable to the parties on both sides, and the judgment of the
court below was ordered to be altered accordingly ; "Dean
and others v. Mark and another," the Coedited°o (an
appeal from the Admiralty Court), judgment of the court
below .}firmed. The lords present were Lord Cranwortb,
Lord K logadowo, the Lords Juatices Knight Bruce and
Turner, the Master of the Rolla, and Sir Edward Ryan.

Despatches tern sent on Saturday from the Cokonial.
°Sine to the Govereon of Settlements on the Wrt Coast of
Afrieaand the North ALISIMiCAB Provinces.

Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess
of Wales will booour the Duke sad Ditchers of Richmond
by their cones, at Goodwood-house, Sussex, for two
days during the race week. We understand their Royal
Highnesses intend to leave Frogmen on Wedeesday room-
ier for Goodwood, and will return oa Friday.
Their Serene Highnesses Prince and Princess
Edward of Saxe-Weimar ham left town for hfoloolase
Hoare, Goodwood, which residence has bees placed at their
disposal try the Duke of Richmeed during the race week.
The Duke sod Duchess of Yaackestee and s small party
will be their guests for the week.

The Duchene (Dowager) of Sutherland left Stafford
Bowe, Bt. Jemee's, ao Bata/day, for Berta, cm a tear of
a few weeks u Germany.

Her Imperial Highness the Grand Duchess Marie
of Russia sad suite honoured his Eicelleocy the Russian
Ambassador end the Rareness Itrunoow with their emapasy
at dinner oo Saturday erosion, at °bedlam House. After
dinner her imperial highness, accompanied by Baron and
Barone'. Brounow and mite, honoured the performances at
Het Majesty's Theatre with hot pruseen.

;•;' ~i 9

AI7STRIA.NS AND PILDSSLANS. 1
•
If the maldbaents enburtained 110191141 each other
by the gegitrnments o! Vienna and &Ail at allies-
respond to the violent language em red by the
journals of the respective capitals, Denmark' may
yet have her revenge. The Vienna papers side
completely with the Federal troops against the
Prussian army. The Morgen Post, in dealing with
the subject, offers some remarks upon the character
of the Prussians in genesaL "It is a special
feature in the Prussian character," says this jour-
nal, "to proclaim everywhere the superiority of
the Prussians, and it sometimes happens that per-
sons of the most placid and patient temperament.
feel themselves impelled to set their faces against
this arrogance, and this gives rise to conflicts." The
Prase of Vienna attacks Prussia with no lees
vivacity on another question—that which re-
lates to the future destiny of the Duchies.
" Prussia," it says, "is not willing to have its
blood shed for nothing ; she thinks that she has
fought in vain if victory is profitable only to Ger
many. The latter wants a speedy peace ; but Prus-
sia does not wish for it, she desires what the Ger-
man nation has reason to abhor, a provisional go-
vernment in Sleswig-Holstein. Finding herself de-
prived of the prospect of being able to assume in a
direct way the government of the Duchies ; she is
trying a thousand subterfuges for securing it' for
herself indirectly ; she looks only for her own inte-
rests ; she uses the Germanic Confederation or else
1 she scoffs at it."

(arum's mitowts.)
THE DANUBIAN PRINCIPALITIES.
BUCHAREST, JULY 24.
. - _

The Romania has been suppreeed. in conse-
quence of the publication of further violent
attacks upon the government.
The Mortiteur will publish to-morrow a report
on the state of the finances of the Principalities.

rsosazaa
TOTBDIT. 0. sollll=lll wthstdsestr.
B.S.W. to W.N.W 00A1111. LW. 10 NW , free;
fresh, squally, snits showers la places.
showers.
As above. Willem,. As shove.
B.N. to N W.. fresh, Socnins. Westerly, fresh, One
showery to places. wenerally.butshowere
to places.
As next above. MAsesas. As next above.
Nersherawacothad. Western= Ireland. Wales, sad ad-
jarellelea. ficatthern=Engtish Channel and Pay of Biscay. Meters
wintward loglaad sad North Sea

The Independonee Beige states that Mr. Slidell,
the Coefederste spud, has left Paris on • visit to the
Emperor ►t Vicky.
The transformation of the external boulevards
of Paris on both sides of the Seine is now Dearly completed.
Os the right bank they present • length of 15,222 metres,
sod /1.159 metres on the left bank, making together • total
of 23,381 metres. The same plan has been adopted through-
out. In the middle there is a wide space planted with four
rows of trees, sod provided with seats at short intervals.
On each aide is a broad carriage road, with asphalt* pave-
ments close to the handsome houses which have replaced
the paltry buildings formerly seen there. The new boule-
vards will soon become one of the handsomest parts of Paris.
DTA= or Mw:. WOOD, TUC I'Ol:LLD:T.—This
once eelebisted vocalist expired en Thursday last at Bol-
eti& Hall. Bretton West, near Wakefield, where she had
resided for the last twelve months. Mn. Wood had retired
from public life for inane years, and devoted her talent. to
the teaching of music ►t Leeds. It was et the national
theatres. Drury-lure and Covect.ganien, that Mrs. Wood,
as Miss Paton, first woo bet great fame as • vocalist, and
gained • hold upon the admiration of the public which
sever ceased until her final retirement from the stage. Hee
**wider% when her fame became established, extended
through the whole range of English opera, in which there
waa scarcely • piece which abe did not adorn by her at-
tractive vocalisation and dramatic talent. It was in the
raoith of her reputation as s vocalist that she was married
to Lord William Lennox. The notice, however, did not
prove • happy one, sod so very lose time elapsed before a
separstios, followed he • divorce, took plain. She asher
gutsily married Mr. Wood, himself a vocalist of cossidogi
able West. As Mrs. Wood she motioned to maintain tie
high penalise elle bad achieved ss the first of &glide
female voiselista, padually contracting her public
Moe* however, until she finally retired from the
sad took up her residence et Wakefield, where ■he lii.eicSr
esvmel years. She afterwards removed to Leads, whore, se
already stated, she occupied the position of a teacher of
music.