The Express.
London, England, 1848-01-29 00:00:00

PRICE AND PURIFICATION OF GAS.

Yesterday a special meeting of the commissioners
of sewers for the City of London took place at the Guildhall,
upon the references to inquire into the price of gu gene-
rally, and also for the purpose of receiving important infor-
mation from Mr. Leslie, one of the members of the metro-
politan sanitary COUIII2IIMIOI2, who had consented to attend
the board in order to communicate to them the nature of the
improvements which were taking place under his superin-
tendence in several of the departments of the government.
Deputy Peacock in the chair. In answer to a question from
Mr. Leslie,
Mr. Dew, the chief clerk to the commissioners, said the
City consumption of gas in the public lamps cost between
11,0001. and 12,0001. a year, and that the gsa supplied to the
prisons of Newgate, Oiltspur-street, Wb,tecross street and
Bridcwell, was not included in that charge, the expenditure
of the ar:iele in these places being defrayed by the City
under the he 4 of paring and lighting; neither had the com-
missioners anything to do with the supply of gas to any
buildings whatever. There were 2,700 lamps lighted with
gas under the authority of the commissioners.
Mr. LESLIE said the effect of the improvement which he
recommended would be, to increase, in an essential man-
ner, the illumination, and to render the gu inaoxious to
health, by taking out all its impurities. The first public
experiment made by him as to the illumination, bad twin
effected under the authority of the Commissioners of Woods
and Forests, in the Queen's-walk in the Green-park, where
he hail fixed his burners to 18 of the lamps, which were 90
feet apart, and consumed 41 feet per lamp per hour. The
contrast between these lamps and the others lighted upon
the usual plan, was most palpable. It was only necessary
fur the commissioners to trust to their own eyes. The next

experiment was made by him at the Post-offie' perhaps the
Largest affair of the kind in the world. His burners were
as yet but partially in operation in that establishment, but
they would eampletely supersede the old system in a very
short time. _ . .

Mr. LAWRENCE asked whether the gas consumed in the
Post.office was purified, and what might be the sanitary
effect of the purification ?
Mr. Luxus said that nearly all the offices in the estate
lishment were lighted by his apparatus fur purifflug as well
as illuminating, and, as to sanitary results, there was not the
*lightest smell in any one of thi en, as the commissioners
could easily ascertain. The saving to be accomplished by
the adoption of his plan would amount, per week, to at least
54,000 feet, and yet he found that throughout the various
compartments there was too much gas. The illumination
was powerful and there was no smell—two effects, of which
many persons awl.° were capable of seeing and smelling could
adequately judge.
Mr LAWRENCE—You °lnsider that we could, by your
process, light the streets of the City, at 2.5 per cent. less
charge than we now pay ?
Mr. LESLIE said considerably more, and at the close of
the meeting he stated that the saving would be more likely
to be 50 per cent., than 25 per cent. A street lamp should
burn 3,480 feet per annum, and he would produce as good a
light, by the application of his burners to the public lamps,
as those at present exhibited, at less than three-fourths of
the quantity of gas. For the purification of the gas—which
purification would, there could not exist a doubt, be required
universally in a short time—he should require to fix the
apparatus in the company'. premises; but as regarded the
coi—oustion, his burners alone would be calculated to effect
tke necessary improvement in the quality.
In answer to questions from Mr. Harrison and ether mem-
bers of the board, Mr. Levee gave a scientific description of
his mode of accurately testing the exact amount of light in
which his process differed from that to which we have been
long accustomed. Fur his burners his charge was seven
shillings each, the sum paid by the government, the parish
of St. James's, and in fact by all parties who had deter-
mined to adopt his process, after having seen the results of
the experiments which had been made.
Mr. LA WILENCE asked what Mr. Leslie thought the Com-
missioners of Sewers ought to be able, on an average, to
make and supply gas for to the public, if they made it
themselves ? . . .

Mr. Lraila answered—Three shillings for every 1,000
cubic feet, and that charge would include every cost of plant,
mains, &c. The in aerials he us.d in the process of purifi-
cation absorbed all the deleterious and offensive parts of the
gas.
A MERBEn of the board—Would the deposit be valuable
after the purification takes place ?
Mr. L69l.lE—Certainly, to a considerable amount.
Mr. HAHRISCN—Can you without purifying lower the
price of illuminating ?
Mr. LESLIE—Yes. But purification must be adopted.
The benefits of purification are so great that it is quite im-
possible to argue upon the continuance of the impure state of
the article in any case. If you have 2,700 public lamps in the
City, that number would demand a supply of 13,500 feet per
hoar fir the whole. Your gasometers, two of which you
should have, and that number would be sufficient fit you,
should have in each of them six hours' stock of gas. A space
of forty feet diameter would be sufficient to huild them in.
The purification would render the glasses much less liable to
damage. In fact, by-and-by purification will be the indis-
pensable attendant of illumination by gas.
The CHAIRMAN—Are the two companies, the Chartered
Gas and the City Gas companies who supply us aware of
these facts which you have stated to us ?
Mr. LeSLIE—Yes, as well as I am.
Mr. Lawiterceß—Are they aware of these effects which
you have stated to us ?
Mr. Lesus—Certainly.
Mr. LLWEENCE—WEIeh of them supplies the Post-office?
Mr. L►sLlE—The City Gas Compmy ; but they will make
it th mselves at that establishment before long. The whole
interior of the building will be lighted in t'm course of next
week, according to the improved process of illumiaation and
purification. The Ras lighting of the Post-office used tocost
from 3,0001. to 4,0001. a year, and I have undertaken to
save them a thousand a year at least.
The Chairman and board returned thanks to Mr. Leslie,
and the ecnsmissionen adjourned.

AUSTRALIAN AGRICULTURAL COMPANY.
The twenty-fourth annual general court of proprie-
tors was held yeshvday, at the offices of the company,
King's Head yard, Moorgate-street.
Mr. J. S. fixownaroo, M.P., occupied the chair, and
read the report. The directors commenced in terms of con-
gratulation upon the progress of the company, and stated
the returns which had been made of the amount of its fLicks
and herds in the iyear 1846, comparing that of the
two preceding gyms, in order to mark the increase.
The stock of sheep on the let of January, 1841, was
101,693 in 1845, 117,257 ; in 1846, 124,205. The lambs
yeaned in the first of tho.e years were '26,051 ; on the
second, 23,264; and in the third, 16039. There had been
no importations of sheep in the first or third years, and only
to the number of 11 during the second. The totals were
in 1844, 130,744; in 184.5, 140,532; and in 1846, 141,144,
From these amounts were to he deducted: in 1844, sheep
sold, 277, and slaughtered, 4,754 ; in 184.5, sold, 675, and
slaughtered, 4,745; in 1846, sold, 5,660, and slaughtered,
4,528. The number of sheep dying through age, disease,
and casualties were : in 1844, 8,456 ; in 184.5, 9,969 ; in
1846, 15,918. Including the numbers boiled down for tallow,
the deductions amounted to 13,487 in 1844 ; 16,327 in 184.5 ;
and 29,648 in 1846. The stock remaining on Dec. 31, 1846,
was 111,496. It was with much regret that the directors had
again to report the large amount of casualties, far exceeding
cven those of the previous year. The returns for the horned cat-
tle were as follows: Stock on Jan.l : 7,189 ; and the number of
births during the year had been I,ooo—making in all, 8,189.
From this number were to be deducted 666, of which 198
had been lost from various casualties, and the remainder
slaughtered, sold, and boiled down for tallow. The stock
remaining on Dec. 31 was 7,523. The stock of horses and
ponies at the beginning of 1816 was 1,016; and at the begin-
ning of 1847, 1,115. From this last number 76 were to be
deducted for horses and ponies that had died or been sold.
The stock remaining on March 31 was 1,039. The stock of
asses and mules remaining at the same date amounted to 71.
The sale of live stock had realised, in 1844, 4811. Os. 4d.; in
1845, 1,4571. 10s. 9d.; in 1846, 3,6561. 191. Ild. In drawing
the attention of the proprietors to this item of the company's
accounts the directors were happy to find that the hope
which they had expressed in the last report of a gradually
increasing demand had been fully realised, the profits aris-
ing from the sale of stock having more than donbledthat of the
previous year. On Dec. 31, 1846, the total number of per-
sons in the company's employ was: In the agricultural
establishment, 302 free men, 86 ticket-of-leave men, and 1
convict; in the colliery establishment, SO free men, 36 ticket.
of-leave, and 14 convicts; making of the first clam 352, of
the second 122, and of the third 15—which showed an in-
crease during the year 1846 of 10 free men and 5 ticket-of-
leave men, and a diminution of 17 convicts. The statement

of coal sold in 1846, compared with 1845, was as follows:
In 1846 the number of tons was 33,979, and in 1841, 23,272,
the increase being 10,707 tons. The directors congratulated
the proprietors on this increase, which augmented their
revenue by upwards of 2,0001. The retail business at Syd-
ney-wharf was given up at the beginning of 1846, as it was
scarcely found to compensate for the expenses incurred.
During the peat year 315 bales of wool, part of the clip of
1846, had been received and sold by auction, producing a net
amount of 10,4401. 131. 6d. 1 hese wools were of a superior
kind, and realised an average price of 2.. 21d. per pound.
The remainder of the clip, consisting of 269 bales, had also
arrived, but had not yet hen sold. 370 hides, 707 horn tips,
and 76 casks of tallow, had also been imparted, and sold by
auction. The revenue realised in New South Wales from
the sale of live stock, rents, &c., during the year 1846, was
16,7561.; and the amount realised in England from sales of
wool, hides, tallow, &c.. 11,6571 21. 2d. The unsold wool
was etimated at 6,346/. 3s. 42. The expenses of maaape
ment in New South Wales for the same year were
22,6781. 15s. 11d. ; and in England. 2,3501. 16s. 102. ; show-
ing • surplus revenue of 9.7411. 13s. Bd. The surplus re.
venue of the two preceding years had been in 1844,
9,6991. 64. 34.; and in 1845, 8,2821. Ils. sd. These eircum
stances enabled the director., taking into consideration the
amount now standin4 at the credit of the dividend account,
to propose a dividend of U. per share for the year 1846, being
at the rate of 31. 6s. Bd. per cent. on the paid-up capital of
the company. In the Idit annual report it had been
stated that. the Secretary of State for the Colonise
recognised the claims of the company to • dis-
pensation from all the restrictions contained in the
charter relative to their land, and that nothing then re-
mained but the preparation of the title deeds in accordance
with that decision, and their transmission to the colonies.
The directors had now the satisfaction of informing the pro
prietors that, in addition to this concession, Earl Grey bad
further consented to emancipate the coal grant at Newcastle
likewise from all the conditions appertaining to it, thereby
extending the power of alienation to the company's mining
property. The terms of the title-deeds having been at length
settled between the Commissioners of Colonial Land and
Emigration on the part of the crown, and Messrs. Fresh-
field, the solicitors, on the part of the company, were for.
warded by the colonial department to Australia in April
last, with the original warrant under the sign manual, ad.
dressed to the Governor of New South Wales, authorising
the conveyance t the company of their land in that glory ;
and the directors had accordingly authorised the commis-
sioners to take the necessary steps for carrying out the con-
cluding arrangements. The debtor and creditor account of
the enmpany in London for 1847 showed a total of
361,4391. 13s. 3d., of which the cash balance was 3,4901. 1 Is
The CHAIRMAN moved that the report be received, and
lutiorinted for distribution among the shareholders. The reso-
n
was carried unanimously, an was the next resolution
declaring the dividend.
The CHAIRMAN then stated that there was a vacancy In
the board of directors, caused by the disqualification of Mr.
Bertley : he moved that Mr. H. M. Farquhar be elected in
his stead. This resolution was also carried, and was followed
by the re-election of Mr. 8. Majoribanks, Mr. G. It. Smith,
and Mr. Thornton, the three directors retiring by rotation ;
and also of Mr. L. Knox, Mr. John Abel Smith, and Mr.
W. Tuke, the auditors.—This concluded the business of the
meeting, which immediately separated.

THE 'MURDER op ELIZA DAVIS ELEVEN YEARS
Aoo.—On the 9th of May, 1837. a young woman named
Eliza Davis, barmaid to Mr. Wadley, the King's Arms,
Lawton-place, Frederick-street, Regent's-park, was murdered
in her master's house. The party upon whom suspicion
reek(' was said to he a modell r, who was in the habit of
frequenting the place; and for a long while Inspector Ages
and Sergeant Peeler of the S division were in que.t of the
said person without ever being able to gain any tidings re-
specting him. We have now good reason for believing that
there is at length a enance of the hith, rto mysterious affair
being cleared up, Inspector Tedman, of the D division,
being in possession of some very important particulars rela-
tive to the case, and circumstances of • strongly suspicious
nature have recently transpired tending to the conclusion
that the sanguinary act was not the work of the modeller
above referred to, but of another man, who at the time of
the occurrence lived in the immediate neighbourhood.
LNQUESTS, YESTEEDAY.—Two MEN SUFFOCATED
AT A BILEWEDY.—By Mr. Baker, at the Bombay
Grab, Midi-street. 13,w, on view of the bodies of
William Clarke, aged 33, cellarman, and R. Simms,
aged 43, labourer, in the employment of Mews. Abbott
and Son, brewers, 8.,w, who were seffocated in a
vat. G. Taber, turnmrtn, said thathe saw the deceased men
on Tuesday afternoon, shout a quarter-put four o'clock
in the vat-room. He went there again in an hour and
called them, but received no answer. At 6 o'clock he was
in the same department with • men named Peters, when be
observed a lighted candle on No:9 vat. He remarked to
Peters, that he thoeglit they must be in the vat. He put
the candle in it, which was extiiguished by the foul air. H
then lowered another lighted candle, by means of which he
saw the unfortunate men. He called some of the men to his
aasi4tance, and he wan let down by a rope, when he placed
smother rope round the bodies of the deceased, who were
brought up. Life was extinct is both of them. Mr. E.
Abbott instantly sent to itime medical gentlemen. Mr. E.
Abbott mid that the vat, which was about 13 feet in depth,
had been empty about six months. He and his (witness's,
father tied repeatedly cautioned Clarke to be careful, when
he has sometimes come out in • fainting fit ; when he has
laugh. d at them. " Verdict of accidental death."--
AN INFANT POISONED WITH LAUDAN UN.—By Mr. Bedford,
at the Que,n's Head, Queen-street, St. James's, on the body
of Elizabeth Simpson, aged one month. The deceased, ever
alum its birth, had been ailing. On Saturday night last it
was unable to sleep ; the mother therefore, on Sunday,
sent a little girl to Mr. Fowler, a chemist, of 14, Brewer-
street, for a penny worth of laudanum. lipaa the return of
the child she administered the whole of the opiate, about 20
drops, to the infant. The result was, that the deceased was
instantly seized with very alarming symptoms. The mother
took it to a doctor in the neighbourhood, who pre.
scribed the usual remedies, but without success, and
it died is the course of twelve hours. The child
who was sent for the lend•num stated that she dia.
tinctly told the chemist that it was for her mother to
give to the baby. It was put into a cup, and as she carried
at home she placed leer finger in it and sucked it, to taste
whether it was nice or not —Mr. Fowler. the chemist, said
that when the little girl came to his shop for the laudanum,
she said, in answer to his inquiries, that it was for a woman
and not for as infant. if she bad said it was for
an infant, he certainly should not have served her.
He did not put any label, on the cup. He had heard
that one drop of laulanum would kill a child of that
tender age.—The Coroner said that he considered the
selling of laudanum to such a eeild as had been seat fur it
, highly improper.— Verdict—" Died from an overdose of
laudanum, incautiously administered to the deceased by its
mother."

FREE TRADE BANQUET AT
➢IANCHESTER.

(Continued from the first edition of yesterday's Express.]
RICHARD COBDEN, Esq., M.P., rose, and experienced
a most enthusiastic and flattering reception, all the com-
pany rising and cheering for several minutes. As soon as
he was able to proceed with his remarks, he said: I have
in the first piece to tender you my thanks, and the thanks
of those gentlemen who represent North and South Lan-
cashire and the West Riding of Yorkshire, fir the honour
you have done us in drinking our healths. I believe a very
large proportion of the members of those divisions of the
counties are now free-traders, and I have no doubt they
will all be found to do their duty to the satisfactioa of this
assembly. (Hear, hear.) Now, gentlemen, I have been
asked a dozen times, I dare say, what is the object of this
meeting ? I confess to you that Ido not wish to regard it as
a meeting to celebrate past triumphs, still lees to glorify
ourselves or one another. I wish rather that it should be
made to show that we are slice to the future--(" Hear,
hear," and applause); that having secured upon the
statute-book a guarantee for free trade is corn, we intend
to make it a prelude to free trade in skipping; that we in-
tend to prevent the West Indian proprietors from taxing
this community for their advantage; and that, in fact, we
intend to carry out in every article of commerce the prin-
ciples of free trade which we have applied to corn. (Cheers.)
Now, gentlemen, our esteemed representative has so ably
and efficiently anticipated some points I intended to refer to,
in connexion with the sugar question, in justification
of our principles of free trade, that I am relieved
from the necessity of repeating them : and I thank him
most heartily for the speech he has given, which is one
of the ablest I have ever heard in this hall. (Applause.) I
believe this question of free trade—the question of free
trade in all its details—is understood by this assembly ; that
what I have told you would be our future objects has the
concurrence of this assembly, and I have no doubt that
every member on this platform will join us in carrying out
those principles' in the legislature. (Hear, hear.) But
now, gentlemen, I wish to allude to another subject;
and although I admit that subject to have an intimate con-
nection with the question of free trade, yet I wish distinctly
to be understood that I do not presume for a moment in
what I am going to say to speak the sentiments of any
member of parliament or of the gentlemen beside me.
speak only for myself, and do not wish to compromise any
other individual ; I allude, as you may probably have anti-
cipated, to the intention which has been announced of
increasing our war armaments. (Applause.) Gentlemen
will bear me out that throughout the long agitation for free
trade the most earnest men who co-operated with us were
those who constantly advocated free trade, not merely
on account of the material advantages which it would
bring to the community, but for the far loftier motive of
securing peace between nations. (Applause.) I believe
it was that that mainly drew to our ranks the great
host of ministers of religion, who were so powerful an im-
petus to our progress at the commencement of the agita-
tion. I have known most of the leading men in this
struggle, and have had an opportunity of understanding
their motives ; and I believe that the most earnest, the
most persevering, the meet devoted of our coadjutors, have
been men who have been prompted by those purely moral
and religious motives, to which I have referred the desire
for peace. (Applause.) And lam sure that every one of
these men has shared with me the shock which I sustained,
when, within one short twelvemonth almost after we had
announced ourselves as free-traders to the world, we
were startled with the announcement that we were going

to increase our warlike arrangements. (Applasair.)
ask what is the explanation of this ? Probably wee,'
find it in the Duke of Wellington's letter, in the p
efforts which he announces he has made with the Gesso

;ant, end ;correapoaaii; he has had ceititii.o7d-
John Raabe& We ma attribute this, that, to the Duke

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sever published ? ( Hear, hear, andti.temetai
has rut the greatest probable duration of human
be is tottering on the verge of the grave. (11P:a hear"
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Lim to eave been preaching forgiveness for, and OTblivieagg
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people to retaliatory measures to retrieve thr I by.--
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wounds, which ere now idolise he.ded up, rather than
the cauterp reopening those wounds, and leavingapply
another generation the task of repairing the to
he has perpetrated? I left the subject eg.
duke's letter when I read that part where he -
" I am ill my 77th year,"-and I said that alpha;
it all lied excuses it. (Applause.) We have Me!
CO deal with the Duke of Wellington, ere haveto g 6.17"
with those younger men who want to make
thority to carry out their own special purposes. „
bear.) Now, what I want to stipulate with you and the
people of England is this-that the question before '
not a military question, that it is not a naval question, bat
that it is a question for civilians to decide. hems
end applause.) When we are at war, thee. the men wilt
red coats and swords by their sides may step in to do their
work; and it is one which is not to be envied, and which
that great milit.ry officer, Sir Harry Smith, has
described as "a most dm:enable trade." (Hear, hear
is a question for the merchants, fur t:.e mended fit
the shopkeepers, for the operatives, and for the farmers d
this country. Aye, and pardon me, my Lord Ellesmere, it
is a quit' ion fur calico-printers too. (Load and continuos
applause.) What is this prospect seiner ? Where dos it
come from? You, I say, are competent to judge better thou
military men ; von are more impartial; all 'Mgt
your interests do not lie on the side of war. I say
there never was a time in the history of France, whoa
there was a greater tendency to a pacific policy, Ind
especially towards this kingdom, than there le at this
moment. Why, the French people have gone through a
process which almost disqualifies them from
.going to wars
They have tone through that social revolution which m
. .
much equidisee the uinionn of the property, that the people
contribute, almost equally, to support the Governmental
the country. The taxation is for the most part direct, and
therefore the people are raut sensitive on the score af
expenditure, and are not likely to agree in the u
of going to war. I will venture to say that there'll
rltboleijnenetic,7,::_theigtsb, "d ithighbeurly
wimotmet
not a more affectionate and domesticated rare on the Las
of the earth than the French. (Applause.) Why, I byte
seen with horror and shame and iurli-natitin the way in
beenwt
e calculated
eithatoikiintrga:to.:Pliina:)....t-6.
which mime of our newspapers have spoken of the Frets*
people. They have placed them before the community is a
most ignominious, a moat degraded position, and marked
them as a most ignorant people. Without spying anything
about prejudices and want of Christian charity, I am glade
the opportunity of rising in such assemblies as this to reps.diate the statements which have been reade,-to speak as
behalf of the French people, to assist in ietting them right
with the world, and with ourselves. There is a paper in this
city, which I always wish to treat with respect, if it will allow
me,-(laughter)-there is one paper here which last week
gravely took this line of argument,-that it was necessary
that we should have police i.e Manchester to constantly
protect us against thieves, pickpockets, ruffians, and mu-
derers, and therefore we should have an armament to pro-
tect us against the Freneh-(laughter)- as it they were
thieves, pickpocket., ruffians, and murderers,. Why, the
French community is at the present as well otgauised and
as orderly u cur own ; and there has been as little discord
in France as in England during the last five or six years.
Then there is another paper in London-a weekly paper-
that used to write with great gravity; but I suppose it has
been so panic-stricken of late that it has lost its wits.
(Laughter.) That paper tells us that the next engagement
with France will be without a declaration of war, and
that we shall literally have to protect our queen
at Osborne-house against those unscrupulous Frenchmen
who msy carry off her Majesty. (Laughter.) Well,
now, what a lesson has one courageous queen taught
such people as these. Sho went over to France, unattended
and unprotected, and threw herself nn the shore at the
Chateau cl'Eu, literally in a bathing machine. (Laughter.)
Now there is either great courage on the oxe si.'e, or great
cowardice on the other. (Lsuehter.) But this is, after all,
a sort of periodical visitation. I sometimes cemeare it to
the cholera • for I believe the last visitation we bad of this
kind came about the time of the cholera. It was then said
we were to have au invasion from the Russians, and I rather
identiff el myself with the Russian invasion, as it is called.
I believe it is quite p-ssible, that if I had not been etruck by
' the insanity of some of the public papers, which told us
that the Russians would come some foggy day and land cent
Portsmouth, I should never have turned author, have written
pamphlets, or become a public man; and might have oeen
up to this day a thrifty pair.steking calico-printer. (Con-
tinuous applause). Now, gentlemen,l want us to under-
stand theft foreingers a little better. You may remember
that three weeks or a month ago, I had occ.oion to ad-
dress a few remarks, at Newton, on the occasion of the
election of my friend Mr. Henry, and there I let tall some
remarks relative to the reduction of our crinaineuts;
showing how necessary it was to reduce our expenditure
in order to tarry out the fiscal reforms. I little dreamed
at that time, that, at the very moment I was speaking, a
large meeting was being held at Rosen, the Manchester of
France, at which 1,800 electors were assembled to promote,
at a public dinner, the progress of Parliamentary Reform;
and that there a gentleman was makir.g a speech so similar
to my own, that he sent me a newspaper, and expressed
his astonishment teat it should be possible ter two speeches
to be made, without c fusion, so similar to each other.
Now, I will read you, if you please, this gentleman's ?e-
-metics, and give the notes of the approbation and cheers of
the company as Igo en. Monsieur Visinet said :
" How long will it take to turn from theory into practice the very
simple ides, that, apart from the precepts of religion, whitth ws de
so often quote, but so seldom practise, and upon the merest Weals.
dons of :at enlightened self-interest, nations have a tar cliderent atles
slat upon earth than to excite in each other mutual feat
How long will it be before they discover the selfish objects
of thote who have an interest in persuading them that
the name cal a toreigser is synonymous with that of enemy?
When will they learn that, as children of the same Father, their
real and only enemies, those which they ought to struggle
destroy, are, iglu:c once, oppresion, misery, and supersiltlon 1-
(cheets)-that in proclaiming their mutual friendshiis they will tend
to the consolidation of perwful relations with each other! When
will they discover that the maintenance of formidable imamate, in
countries whose nationality is not seriously menaced, it.flicts an evil
upon all, and confers teneilts on none. (Shouts of " Thai's true! that's
true.") But, better to define my idea, do you not think that if, con-
fident in the maintenance of an honourable peace, we were to deduct
from the are hundred midis= of francs which our army and
navy oat us, twenty.aix millions to he applied to the educatton ei
the people, and a like sum for the purpose of converting meaty
thousand soldiers into road makers; if we gave back to *gets
culture and manufactures 50,000 more soldiers, leas .ng is car
pockets the slam which they cost to par and support them-think
you not that this would be a good result °tithe mfr.!, cordiale, I win
not say between the governments-we know rebut that is iretli-
(atighter)- but the natii.na, which bare no dynastic interests to
serve, and do not pity at diplomacy ! ;Cheers) Ile you not think
that this example of common sense, and fecling of security given by
us, would have its influence upon the other countries of Europe, would
lead to other disarmament's would facilitate every% ly re those seal
reforms which are tioetponed from day to day on the plea of the neom-
sides of the treasury, and would give to productive industry that
capital and labour which are now diverted into unproduzivechan-
nets r (Expressions of ament.)
Mr. Cobden next read a quotation from a speech of Mon-
sieur Cremieux, and said These extracts are rather long, but
thought it would interest you tes know what was paeaicg is
a popular assembly representing the activity, the popular
opinion of the chief manufacturing town of France ; and
when you au such sentiments as these upplauded in the
way they are in a French assembly, why will sot, the people
of Manchester, believe that France is the nation of banditti
which some papers have represented ? (Applause) I don't
mean to say that there may not be prejudices in France to
root out, and even prejudices in England to extirpate, but
this I do say, that it is not with a few insignificant persons
in Paris--men without station, stake, or influence in France;
it is not with these that we should attempt to pick a quer
red ; it is to such men as these that we should hold out the
right hand of fellowship. (Applause.) Now, I will be
practical with you on this que-tion of the armaments, as it
is probable that I shall not speak to you again on the subject
until it comes before the house. It is, I repeat, a gusta-
tion for civilians to determine • milit..ry and naval men
have nothing to do with it. I Wish it to be understood that
I am not going to enter into the technicalities of war; I
do not? claim for
.the civilian the t he has the slightest
practical knowledge of the horrid trade of war-(applause)
I only stipulate for this, that while in a state of profound
peace, it is for you, the ratepayer, to decide whether you
will run the risk of war, keeping the money in your pockets,
er whether you will allow an additional number of men to
live in idleness in red coats or blue jackets, under a pretence
of protecting you. (Hear, hear.) I say this, I am for
acting justly and fairly, and holding out the olive branch
to the whole world; and I will then take upon myself, so
far OA my share goes, all the risk of anything happening to
me, without paying for another soldier or another sailor.
(Loud applause.) But it is not merely the question
of whether we are to have great armaments that
you as civilians are competent to decide. You have already
expended this year seventeen millions sterling in armaments,
and this lea question which you are able ti decide-whether
that is the best b.le use you could make of your money ?
(Applause.) Have you inquired, for instance, whether the
navy for which you Gave paid so largely is really employed
in the beat way, or at all events, in the way beat calculated
to do that which these men profess themselves to be so
anxious to clo,:namely, protect our shores? (Rear, hear, and
applause.) Now, where ore all our great battleships gone to!
will venture to say there is Oct more idleness or demora-
Ration going on in any space on the Coos of the earth than
there is in the ships of war for want of employment.
(Hear, hear.) Where are these great line of battle ships,
which you pay for, to be found . Occasionally they sail
out, making a great display of power, science, and other
attractions; but they do not go to Hamburg or the
Baltic, where there is so much trade: no, they do not go
there ; the weather is rough, and there -are act many
at on shore there. (Laughter.) Well, do they
the 'Bolted States, where we do one-fifth or one-sixth
our foreign trade? q,p the contrary, the arrival of
•an English man-of-warls recorded in the newspapers
MB a rare occurrence. The naval men are idle, end
therefore they do not very often go there ; is fact they
are not wanted anywhere where there is oommer