The Express.
London, England, 1847-04-14 00:00:00

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LONDON, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14.

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ONE little circumstance has been omitted in the
catalogue of events which have lately occurred in Spain,
and which interests us, from its so closely affecting
the future understanding between France and Eng-
land. Unfit as this circumstance may be to become
the theme of the journalist, still whatever has in-
fluence on the prospects of great political parties and
the fate of countries, cannot be passed over in silence.
The purpose for which Queen Cniusviss lately
paid her precipitate visit to Paris, was, as has been
everywhere correctly stated, to induce the King of
the FRENCH to exert himself, end support in power
at Madrid that Afrancesado party, which was tottering,

THE EXPRESS. WEDNESII

whisk wed losing its hold of the Cortes, and which
MCA fall, ankle teletained. by some powerful demon-
stration al the French court. So certain was CHRIS-
IINA of anselaing in her mission, that her sole and
parting in;itusetion to the minister SOTOSIATOR, and to
those elamberlains, male and female, who ruled the
royal household, was, that they should hold fast their
places as long and as firmly as they could, even em-
ploying a little physical violence and resistance, in order
to defeat any mere palace intrigue, like that which
upset OLorsos. CHRISTINA hied on her way. And
we have seen how tenaciously SOTOMATOR held his
ground—held it. indeed, till he was kicked out of it.
The Camerara-Mayer, the Duchess of SANTA Cane,
and her littlesacred bandofehansberlains and equerries
resolved to do the same, and, instead of obeying the
first order of dismissal, rushed back to the queen's
closet, and there sought to employ the usual way of
coercing the young queen by loud vociferatioa and
menacing gesture. ISABELLA was proof against the
dowager's explosion ; and the arena had the effect
of producing merely inextinguishable laughter.
The Duchess of SANTA CRuZ could not believe that
the reign of French influence could be so soon
eclipsed, or that the queen-mother could have failed
in the object of her mission to Paris. And, in truth,
the royal lady had every reason to hope. Con-
fidential word had come from Paris to Madrid, that
the young Duchess of MONTPENSIER was enceinte.
It was a fair excuse for her return to Madrid,
in order that she might give birth in the Spanish
capital to the future heir of Spain and the
Indies. This had been a favourite project of Louts
PHILIPPE himself, which was to do no less than
"remove the Pyrenees." The presence of the Duke
and Duchess of MONTPENSIER at Madrid would
alone be an immense support and countenance to the
Afrancesados. The residence of the duke and duchess
would be the rallying point of deputies and generals;
and if BREasoN ruled Madrid from his embassy, how
much more easily could the 11IoNTpENsIER.9 rule it,
when the future hopes of the succession evidently
centered in their progeny.
One simple circumstance has dissipated all their
dreams, with all the hopes and the proposed policy
built upon them. This is, that the Infanta-Duchess of
MONTPENSIER turns out not to be enceinte at all. She
is merely progressing, like her royal sister, in embon-
point, and presenting the same peculiarities of health
and temperament. Political speculators, especially
those that reside in the idle purlieus of a court, are
fond of leaping to a conclusion. And now these
people declare that neither Issuer-LA SECUNDA, nor
the Infanta LOUlSA—neither Don FRANCISCO nor the
Duke of MONTPENSIER—wiII have heirs.

We are rather ashamed to dwell upon such particu-
lars, or record such surmises, but when they are I
suffi-
cient to turn the scale in the ups and downs of poli-
tical party, and when they really have more weight
than the talents or address possessed or exerted by
the chiefs of party, they must be stated. Should
events tarn out as their fears and hopes would indi-
cate, it will at once be perceived that the great and ir-
removable quarrel between the French court and the
English government vanishes altogether. The proba-
bility that both the daughters of FERDINAND the
SEVENTH may prove sterile, must give rise to a new
set of political combinations and provisions.
The effect of such a prospect in Spain itself would be
very sensible. Nowhere is there so large a party dis-
posed to worship the rising sun, and to direct devo-
tion to the point whence the successor to the throne
must come. The Carlist party would undeniably
receive an immense accession of strength. The
absence of all competition, owing to the universal dis-
credit which the sons of the Infanta Don FRANCISCO
have brought upon themselves, would alone ensure the
success of the Legitimist heir ; that is to say, if he
made the concessions demanded by the spirit both of
the age and of the Spanish people.
But no matter how liberal such a prince might be,
in words and in intentions, the machinations of the
ultra party behind him would have to be counteracted.
And this could be best done by England and France
uniting cordially in support of a truly constitutional
system. The political events of Spain have proved
several things : one is, that Spain left alone can with
difficulty reach a solid and liberal system of adminis-
tration. Another is,that Englandand Franceseparately
cannot maintain Spain in such a position. Which-
ever of the countries finds; its counsels rejected, will,
in its own despite, have a party making use of its in-
flueace to embarrass the Spanish government And
thus the old state of oscillation between French and
English parties in the peninsula will be perpetuated.
Now, too, there will be a danger, which of late years
did not threaten, viz., the resuscitation of the abso-
lutist interest, and the possibility of Russia or
Austria regaining their old bigot influence at Madrid,
whilst England and France have been struggling for
mere semblance and shadow.

WE are sorry to see the City of London taking the
first steps in opposition to the Health of Towns Act.
The report of the City commissioners of sewers prays
the exemption of the City from the operation of that
measure. It enumerates all they have done in the
last sixteen years, and expresses a deliberate conviction,
that the City of London, " for health, cleanliness,
effective drainage, lighting, and the supply of water
to its inhabitants, cannot be surpassed."
It is very possible that, in comparison with some
of the other metropolitan commissions of sewers, the
City board is a very active, pure, and efficient body.
But this challenge involves something more than'
such questionable credit It staggers us. We are I
not unfamiliar with the C:ty. We have a vivid
recollection of the sweet-smelling district between
Fleet-street and the river, and the pleasant places
about Smithfield, and the savoury purlieus of Hounds-
ditch. It is something new to hear these localities
defying the world in the matter of cleanliness and
drainage. Nor is other evidence wanting to back up
the testimony of eyes and nose. Who would be pre
pared for such details as the following in the best,
paved, best drained, cleanliest city in England ?
Dr. WRAY, a medical officer of the West London
Union, is asked (in 1843)
Do the sewers often emit offensive effluvia?—Very often,
even in the large pablic streets. I was standing the other
day at a snuff shop in Fleet-street, when the effluvia from
the gull hole of the sewer was so bed, that it was sanely
endurable. The people in the shop mild not remain there
without shutting the door.—ls 011“ so cleansing the
sewers?—Yes; there is much claming going on. For
example; the other day the sewers were cleansed in Water-
lane, by taking off the top, and removing the deposit by
buckets, and mating it away. They have been putting a
new sewer in Water-lane, Shoe-lane, Fetter lane, and
Chaneery-lane, all in my district —Effluvia, however, still
escapes from the main sewers into the streets ?—Yes, it does;
and that is perhaps as bad for the public as the other is to
the poor. At the present moment there is a great deal of
fever in the neighbourhood.—He is then asked—Doeslthe
state of filth, and the effluvia caused by defective sewerage,
by inespoolizinivies, and decomposing refuse kept in
due-hiss, tally affect the health of the population ?
He lays— es, it does. It always occasions a- state of de-
premioa, that render, persons more liable to be acted upon
by other poisons, even if it be not the actual cause of it.
The line ofhabitatioea badly cleansed, and in this condition,
almost always formed the line of cholera cases. From some
of these places, such as Plough court, Fetter-lane; Plum
tree-court, Shoe-lane; ffobiar clod met, Shoe-lane ; Water-
lane, Fleet-street; Silver-street, leading from Bouverie-
street ; Field-lane, Union-court, Plough-court, Holborn-hill,
we have still constantly fever cases. All these places are
distisgaished by filth and want of drainage, and proper
washing. Nine-tenths of the diseases come from these
filthy Nam
Mr. KELSEY (the surveyor of the City commis-
sioners) is, no doubt, of the same mind as the framers
of the present report. He considers the City sewers
admirable. It is true there is no apparatus for
" flushing" them, so as to carry off the accumulation
in a state of solution. But it appears the London
sewers have a pecaliar virtue. They do not require
such a process. Filth refuses to accumulate in them.
Here, again, however, there is a curious discrepancy
between the statement of the official 'And the evidence
of the medical man :

You have stated that there are a few accumulations in
the sewers. Within the last few months there has been
a great deal of evidence taken from medical officers, and
your attention ia requested to the following statement in the
evidence of Mr. Thomas Abrahams, a surgeon. He is
asked—Are you aware that decomposing matter is allowed
to accumulate in them ?—lie says—Yes; very recently they
took up the refuse in our street, Old Broad-street ; it emelt
very badly, and it-wee-erhick and horribly filthy.—He is
asked—How long before had the sewer been cleansed
do not know; I do not remember its having been cleansed
before the last September since I have been there, which is
about nine years.—Do you rem-caber to have perceived the
smell from the sewers before the last September ?—Yes ;
there is a gullybole near my own house, from which there
was constantly an offensive smell ; it was much worse after
• thaw in winter, or a shower of raic in summer. A neigh-
bour, living two doors from me, being more annoyed by it
than I, made great efforts, and at length succeeded in getting
it trapped ; and I have not since perceived any smell from
it, though I observe it now in other pin's Tbe gully-
holes are trapped now in most of the respectable street:, but
in the ►ye and poor streets they are not trapped. He is
then asked—From the er:clence which has come before you,