The Express.
London, England, 1862-06-16 00:00:00

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE PRO-

NOTION OF SOCIAL SCIENCE.

Last Saturday the kindred societies, the English
Social Science Association, the Constris de Bienfaimince, and
the International Association die Sciences Socieles, met at
the Crystal Palace, at the farewell dinner which usually
celebrates the conclusion of the labours of their annual
meeting. Lord BBOUGIUM presided, supported by the Right
Hon. J. Napier, ex-Lord Clutnoallor of Ireland, the Hoe. G.
Denman, M.P., Mr. S. Gurney, M.P., Mr. Grown, M.P.,
X Gamier Pages, M. Visschers, M. Hammed+, Dr. Ferro
Dr. Guy, Meads. J. Anderke, G. W. Hastings, J. Ceased,
S. Morley, Professor Leslie, Judge Maoockjee eftrostjes, and
two daughters, whose picturesque Indian costume attracted
general attention, Mies Bosse Parkes, Miss be Craig, and '
about 300 other ladies and gentlemen. The banquet, which
was remarkable for the rarity and exoellenoe of its con-
comitants, was served with elegance and taste, combining
the specialties of both the English sod continental gastro-
DOIlliC art, acid the after dinner business was enlivened by
the emphatic energy of the toastmaster, Mr. Toole, who
executed his duties as toastmaster in a manner which com-
weeded, by the amusement it afforded, for the 'b-
asset of vocal or instrumental music. Due honour having
been accorded to the sove eign, the royal family,
the public services, and the • the chair.
man gave • Continued Prosperity to the National
Association for the Promotion of Social Scieoee."
He observed that the meeting just concluded bad surpassed
all its predecessors as regarded the hospitality and respect
We association bad experienced, as witness the liberality
with which the corporation had appropriated Guildhall and
the law courts, the learned societies Burlington-house, end
the government the Palace of Westminster, to their use.
The papers read had not only been more numerous,
but the discussions upon them had been more
satisfactory as regarded the amount of knowledge
and information elicited, than on any previous
°maim, and he especially alluded to those in which the
ladies had taken part. And another test of their success
was, that a greater number of members had been added
at this than even at the Glasgow meeting, which had in this
respect exoeeded ell previous ones. The association, he
was happy to see. was fast becoming, if it hed not become,
I an institution of the country.
The other touts wen—" The Chairman," proposed by
the Right Hon. J. Napier ; "The lord Mayor and Corpo-
ration," " Our Foreign. Friends," which was eloquently se-
knowleged by M. Gartner Pages • "The Presidents sad Vies-
Presidents," " The Coogris de Hiessfaisanoe," " The Inter
national Aasociatioe," kr.

Tai CORONSISHIP or MIDDLIIIIX.—Mr. Thomas
H. Wakley having retired from the contest now going on
far the °ownership of Middleman in consequence of the sub-
division of the county, the number of medical candidates
hes towelled to four, and the legal to sin. Whatever
divisions may exist amongst the lawyers, we trust that the
medical protemion may be united. It would be ruinous to
the cause if ita interest and power were divided amongst an
excess of candidates. We trust, therefore, that before the
day of election some arrangement may be made bottoms
those members of our preterits :he ese to the held, se
that osly two should go to thy:tau:in each diktat.' If
this were elected *OM is e roma to Wises that they
would be triumphant. Dr. thoeht osehialp be
the pima selected for the central Astrid : be wea the fret
to come forward, and bas maleabtedly the moot geessel 'up-
root al the psetessiaa. —Lewd, Jame 14.

approach a similar demonstration would be made at Puebla,
to sewed so attack which General Lorencez proposed to make
upon the fortified position of Guadeloupe, which coven the
town. Although details are wanting ia coasegosece of the
irregular communication between the interior and Vera
Crue, it was known at that port on the 15th May, at the
very moment of the departure of the Louisiana, by the
' official despatch from General Lorences to the naval nom-
manatee, dated the 9th May, stating that the army was then
encamped at Amozoc, on the plateau of Anahuac.
According to reports from Mexican sources the projected
attack was actually executed on the sth with great vigour,
but without effect, the entrenchments of Guadalupe not
having been carried. Since then no other engagement had
taken place.

TheEroperor's government will immediately take mea-
sure for 'ending considerable reinforcements to Mexico.

CANADA.

As we anticipated, there was no foundation
whatever for the announcement that the
Canadian parliament had been dissolved.
None but an insane Governor-General would
think of appealing to the constituencies on
the question of national defence. The new mi-
nisters have made known the general features of
the measure they will introduce. They will avoid
the error of their predecessors, who brought in a
bill prepared by European officers and based on
European ideas and experience, and will look first
of all to the habits and circumstances of the Cans-

dian people. Colonel Rankin having been autho-
rised by the new government to state their inten-
tions, has indicated the general principles of the bill.
The following extract from the Quebec Morning
Chronicle will show generally what is to be done :

In wandering the problem of provincial defence, it is
necessary to keep in new the feelings, temper, and habits
of the people, es wallas the circumstances by which they
are surrounded. The fatal blunder of the recent militia
commission was its indifference to these considerations. Its
members did not enter into the spirit of the volunteer
movement, but on the contrary laboured with an apparent
desire to crush it. Old militia officers were sorry represen.
tatives of the young blood of Canada ; and regular officers
of the army, judging everything by the standard of the
British service, were not likely to estimate correctly the
effect of any attempt to apply to this province, or to soy
portion of this continent, theories and rules which are tole-
rated in Europa. Hence, their report waa a failure. The
volunteer element, which is everything, was treated as no-
thing ; and a system of conscription was constructed which
might be submitted to is Austria or Ramie, but could ob-
tain no [avow bees.
It is eatisfactory to know that is the proposed amend-
ments to the existing militia law, the administration will
Record to the volunteer system its proper importance. The
oily available defence for Canada, apart from aid rendered '
by Great Britaia, is that which our people may willingly
provide. You ausset lesidate them into soldiers. or fops
thew to tOt &gawk their will. The day es which eon-
-1 iteripliew Man he liewesary to muster awe will Is a day ot
decisive defeato let the commander be whom he may. We
ifeast bars voluatesse, sr make up our minds to live without
soldiers. The treasers of the new measure, then, have
wisely resolved to dinned the despotism of compulsory
service, aed to devote all available means to the develop.
newt al the volunteer system.

seed* and th; humble abodes of mechanics there
are ntunberiess manifestadchis of +the heroic spirit.
This aspect of the present struggle is very inspirieg,
and the glewpf enthusiae, 'which lyarst forth on
Monday last with such wide-spread power is proof-,
that the
.public determination has increased in
strength. notwitUhm, .ffieg this heroic spirit,'millions. of eyes are watt g the bulletin and.'
seraitiag the Snail with the by of tuspense. The
announoemeut of M'Clellau hat our loss is heavy
lies sank& thrill of inguithttirough the North. As
yet we are not in possession of the real bearing of
this desperate encounter.', previous letter men-
tion was made of one feetttre attending General
MKllellan's bittles, and that is that they prove to
be more importantin their results as they beoome
more tally known. The young commander does not
,asaggerate. His despatches are brief, clear, aid
truthful. In these exciting times the English
reader must discriminate between what is reported
, as rumour or speculation, and What is received in
ae authentic florin. •Theieports of thecommanders
to the War Department are generally refl.'
able—so far as they go. Sometimes informs-
tiou is kept back for • few days. What
individual reporters send by telegraph, rests on
their own reliability. This varies with the capacity
or honesty of the reporter. Their stories need
sifting and the exercise of the judgment. There-
fore, unless the news has an undoubted authen-
ticity, it must be taken with reservation. A
steamer just ready to sail receives • telegram. It
is the transcript of the news as reported at the
time ; yet before the morrow closes the same re-
ports assume a very different aspect. Thus, if a
steamer had sailed a week from to-day, it would
have carried the picture of one of those transient
moods which are a marked feature of the American
character. The cause was not adequate for the
effect. True, Banks was compelled to retreat with
Lou, but that was no reason why the whole country
should be roused, and the idea go forth that
Washington was in danger ; for while the country
was iu a feverish state about the capital,
it was as safe as Boston or New York ; and
foreigners judging from such transient paroxymi,
err in respect to the real strength of the North.
So, too, a steamer carrying the telegram of Beau-
regard's first day's fighting at Pittsburg, or, as be
prefers to call it, Shiloh, would give • very
different impression from that of the second day.
For some time to come such will be the varying
features of the war as to make the task of a corre-
spondent exceedingly difficult. His sources of in-
formation are not always reliable, and he has to
form opinions from imperfect data. It is so just
now with the battle near Richmond. Beyond the
fact that the rebels made an attack at first, pined
an advantage, and then were repulsed, all is un-
certain. Again, we are told by a telegram from
Washington that glorious news may be expected
to-day. This is hope, not fact. One feature of
the late battle will interest the military men of
Europe, and that is the use of the balloon. Pro-
fessor Lowe overloked the whole field from
an altitude of about 2,000 feet, and communicated
with M'Clellan by telegraph. We are told that
this was done very successfully, and was an essential
aid to the commanding officer.
From the best information in relation to the
movements of Beauregard it seems probable
that the main body of his army has fallen hack to
the Grand Junction, which is between Corinth
and Memphis. Thu advance parties of Federal
troops are constantly bringing in stragglers, though
there is no reason to doubt that the retreat was
conducted in good order. One of the most bril-
liant feats of the war has been the expedition of
Colonel Elliot. By forced marches day and
night, with incredible fatigue, and with no
food but meat, his troops succeeded in
reaching the town of Boouesville. The enemy
had heard of his design, and, with a train of box
and flat cars, with flying artillery and five thousand
infantry, ran up and down the read to drive him oft
Yet Colonel Elliot succeeded in destroying the track
in many places, and besides other achievements,
burned twenty-six cars loaded with various sup-
plies, destroyed 10,000 stand of small arms, three
pieces of artillery, pawned two thousand prisoners,
and thus seriously crippled the enemy. "For
daring and despatch," says General Halleck, "this
expedition has'been distinguished in the highest de-
grw, and entitles Colonel Elliot and his command to
high dish uctiou." Although the evacuation of Corinth
was decided upon several days ago, the enemy must
have left at last in baste, for tents were left stand-
ing, barrels of beef by the hundred, and, in • large
encampment on the Mobile and Ohio Railroad,
7,000 stand of arms were found. According to the
reports of prisoners, the rebel army at no time ex-
ceeded 90,000, and the strength of the fortifications
was greatly exaggerated. There is a general dis-
appointment, both among the soldiers and at
Washington, that the rebels evacuated. A fight
would have been their almost certain defeat, but
now the result is postponed. General Halleck is
moving cautiously, lest his astute foe should entrap
him. This flying in presence of an enemy and on
the eve of battle is a confession of weakness, and
cannot fail to take away some of the prestige with
which the Southern soldiers have surrounded their
commanding general. He is now known, not only

klalisdk with his whole force, as • itonininatli •
telegtapb, hes bean, at least witbmt tip= .
working hiniself along, until finall" -
that is in the State l:tg wb the.
governor and the legislature bare fled lb
sip* The neoessities of Beaoregead i . t
hue ho drain theSonth-Weetepa Mates. Thoodelidt;
of hie arnsy Avoca eneinth taw endanger Gensuil,l. • I
Culth •byl Resuregard to send a
ki relied of Arkintas. But this is not .
p—
r t,4 'N. 1
e &ha general has a powerful fed too near
to weaken himself. 'The same necessities w 1 '"
quired: him at first to concentrate' his ;fortis,. I
oblige him to beep .army together, maims _ln •
decides to break up and aceSiet it .niteitfrogiesata
Beauregard is active; asid wily, and saL inalmed to
try renque stratagems VW skill .siid knowledge
'keep him !km rashness ; 'but when in officer is
placed In t desperate conditibn he is justified in
running greater nisint in the hope Of. aeoceepliahlng
%%brilliant Mat The rebel army is able to move
Mikity when on the line of =dread, but has not
the maw of. conveyance suited for long marches
away from the great lines of land and water traveL
Mbeeeloie,'Oeneral Curtis will probably not be en-
dangered by an advance of aportion of the rebel
army of the Itiesistippi.
Norfolk, which at first received the Federal
troops with sullen silence, begins to give signs of
relenting. Au impromptq meeting of citizens as-
sembled a few 'days ago to beer operid Segur,
Virginian, and the occasion went o spit-Wand
endemism°. These facts should be taten for what
o'B7 sire ,worth. Btu • far assay Magifeeililie
Union feeling takes place it is worthy
But truth demands the admission that as yet very
little of this which is of a reliable or tangible cha-
racter has yet appeared. The sudden changes,
such as took place after the retreat of General Banks
from the Shenandoah valley, delay the expression
of Union sentiments. These Union men were sub-
ject to the most cruel treatment ; and as
long as uncertainty hangs over the Mime,
a class more or less numerous hesitate to avow
themselves loyal to the Federal government. The
evacuation of Corinth will give the friends of the
Union in New Orleans additional courage, and if
Beauregard's army breaks into fragments or is de-
fasted, then the Union feeling in the Crescent City
will increase and find fuller expression.
The latest report up to this hour is a telegram
announcing that Richmond is evacuated. Were
it not the policy of the Secessionists to avoid the
hazard of a battle, and to evacuate rather than ran
the risk of being taken, this story would not
be at all probable ; but as they have done this so
many times before, an event of this kind would
only be in accordauce with their usual
strategy. The successive telegrams, though
meagre, prove that they were repulsed with
severe loss, and there have been appearances for
weeks of a preparation to leave Richmond. But as
lightning travels so much faster than steam, you
will have the facto in the steamer which takes this.
Whether Richmond be evacuated or not, its fate is
sealed, it will eventually fall. If the time has
not arrived, it is not far distant. The only thing
that can avert it would be a defeat of the Federal
army and the scattering of M'Clellan's forces. This
the rebels will not be able to do, and therefore in all
human probability the Confederate capital will
soon be in possession of the authorities of the
United States, if it be not so already.
GENERAL BUTLER. SUPERSEDED.

(From the WaaAinglon National Intelligetnxr.)

The Boston Daily Advertiser was more discerning
them we in its judgment respecting the ramiseeess of the
disreputable " ceder" seeribed to kfairr•Gearal Butler by
Grieve' Beauremird. Our 000temparary rid that if the
order was not genuine, " somebody had perfectly imitated
Butler's style."
We are mortified to learn that the disgraceful productioa
was not forged, but was actually published in New Orleans
by order of the General. Nothing certainly can be said is
derma of " ladies" who waive the privileges of their sex
by insulting military strangers on the street ; bat if they
forget the obligations of propriety, it is no rearm why •
Federal General should be equally oblivious of his dignity.
We are glad to imamate that Acting Brigadier-Gourd
George T. Shepley has succeeded Coastal Butler as military
commandant of the city.

ROYAL. COLL6OI OF SURGEONS Or RNOLAND.—.
Tbe followies members, having undergone the somwasury
examinatiosa, were admitted fellows of the *allege at a
meeting of the Oesseil on the 13th inst., via.
Joseph Gillman Burnt, Clevelsod-gardens, Hyde-psurk
diplomat membership dated May 31, 1841 ; John Ciwood
Wordsworth, Queen Annestreet, Cavendish-square, April
11, 1845 ; Edward °Mahn. Canoths.road-villas, Camden-
town, July 11. 1845 ; James Ogden Fletcher, Lever-street,
Manchester, October 6, 1848 ; John Trendy Streatfeild,
Upper Brook-street, Oneversorsquare, Jame 11, 1852_
Arthur Chester, ethetentssugeoe 74th Highlsoden, Apra
28. 1856 ; Clomp Ferguen. Guildford=street, May 4.
1857 ; James Baskart, Guy's Hospital, December rs, ;
and Alfred Cett, Beightoo, July 15, 1850 ; and the fal-
lowing members of the eallegs, laving hem elected fellows
at previous meetings of the council, were admitted as seek
es the 13th Met.,vie.:—Meseta. William Shen* Sydney,
diploma of membership dated July 7. 1826; Thanes
Pritchard, Park-gate, Easel, April TA 1830 k Samuel Oen-
permem Sadler, Parton, Wilts, Apitl 6, 1832; George
Cornelius Dale, Adelaide-temn Bayswater, March 14,
1843 ; and John Thimbkby. Spilaby, April 7:2, 1840.
TEN PAST AND TUN PRVENT.—A curious fact
lately unstirred at Dairen, showing how few iadMdasla
en required to mason distant periods of Melon with the
pressed time. LA wait a man was buried is this pariah
whose father um bon in the reign of William lllmil that
father lived is thromestseisallaving been born in 1696 sad
died is 184L--Bol46ery Journal.
OUTWARD ANN/LICA.II MAIL. QUILIINSTOWW,
Joss 15.—The Royal ma eassaithip Arabia arrived here
at nom to-day. flbe embarked mail., passengers, and latest
televises, and proceeded at 4 p.m. for Halifax and &Mao,
. ell well.