The Express.
London, England, 1867-12-12 00:00:00

THE FOREIGN MAILS.

THE HEAVY BOMBAY MAILS.—SOUTHAMPTON,
Dee. 11.—The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steam-
ship Syria, Captain Christian, with the above mails, ar-
rived this afternoon. She brings 54 paseengers ; specie,
3,4301.; also 1,106 packages cargo, including 481 bales
raw silk, value 40,000/. sterling. The Syria experienced
across the Bay of Biscay strong N.B. gales and heavy head
sea, up the Channel fresh keen= and fine weather. On
the Oth she spoke the screw steamer Italian, steering for
Gibraltar. On the 30th ult. the Syria, in lat. 35'15 N.,
long. 17'54 E., pared a wreck floating on starboard bow,
but could not discover any clue to name or natio/Wily et
vessel. Her Majesty's ship Terrible, Austrian frigate
Adria, ►nd French frigate Andromaque, were at Alex-
andria ; and at Malta the Caledonia, Hibernia,
Endymion, Racer, Enterprise, Psyche, and Wizard,
and Italian ironclad Messina. GIBRALTAR, Dec. 6.
—The Austrian war steamer Novara, Admiral
Tegetheff, with the body of the late Emperor Maxi-
milian, is daily expected to arrive hire. The Ameri-
can screw frigate Franklin, saluted the governor on the
2nd, which compliment was returned from the saluting
battery. The Dutch screw frigate Adolf Duke of Nassau
arrived here on the 3rd. Her Majesty's ships Skylark and
Redpole are in the h►rbour. The British steamers Rhone
and Maeander from Liverpool, Hastings from Cardiff, Cadiz
and Europa from London, Marion from North Shields,
Napoli and Messina from Glasgow, Murrill& from South-
ampton, John Bridger from Swansea, schooners Industry,
Betsey, and Tullochgoram from Newcastle, brigantines
Leo and Pert from Swansea and Newport, brig 'AMA
from Swansea, barque Maggie from Swansea, and ship
Negotiation from Newport have arrived here. Gibraltar ex.
changes are quoted on London, 90 days, 501 ; Paris,
sf. 28e. to 29e. ; Marseilles, sf. 29e. ; Madrid, 8 days' eight,
t dis. ; Cadiz, jto 1 die ; Seville and Malaga, dis. ;
Valencia, par to j ; Five franca, at par.

BREM6N, DEC. 11.—The North German Lloyd
have sold to the Engliah Royal Mail Company the steamer
Rhein, now in course of construction, and have ordered
two new steamers of Mews. Laird and Co.

SOUTHAMPTON, Dec. 11.—The Hamburg Ameri-
can Company's steamer Cimbria, Captain Nautman,
having bad a new propeller fitted, will sail for New York
at daylight to-morrow morning with the usual mails, a
fall complement of cabin and steerage passengers, and a
general cargo.

THE WEST INDIA MAIL—SOUTHAMPTON, DEC.
11.—The passengers who arrived by the last West India
Mail steamer Tamar will be released from quarantine to-
morrow, and the Tamar will be admitted to pratique on
Friday.

Berm, Dsc. 11.—The Transatlantic Company's
steamer St. Laurent, from New York, arrived here this
morning. She brings 77 passengers, 335,000 dollars in
specie, and 500 packages of merchandise.

ADMIRALTY JURISDICTION IN LIVERPOOL.—From
a correspondence read yesterday at the meeting of the
council of the Chamber of Commerce it appeared that Mr.
Hardy had decided not to bring in a bill at present for
conferring limited Admiralty jurisdicton, on the ground
that it would be premature to do so in the face of the
pending inquiry into judicial reform. Mr. Hardy withed
to know the precise number of sittings which would be
required, and the salary which the Liverpool town council
would propose to pay for the Admiralty functions per-
formed by the judge. He was prepared, if required, to
bring in a bill for Liverpool only, but if it was deemed de-
sirable to bring in any special measure evidence should be
given before the special commission on the subject. On
the motion of Mr. Campbell, it was resolved that the law
committee of the chamber be empowered to collect evi-
dence on the subject and lay it before the government.
ADMIRAL FAILRAGUT AT GIBRALTAR.—We an-
nounced the other day that Admiral Farragut had landed
from his flagship, the Franklin, under a salute from oar
batteries, and paid an official visit to his Excellency the
Governor at the Convent, which was immediately returned
by Sir Richard Airey, attended by his staff, et the Club-
house Hotel, the temporary residence of the distinguished
admiral. On Wednesday he was accompanied by Col.
Maberly, commanding the Royal Artillery, to the various
sights of interest on the Rock, and yesterday paid a visit
to Tangier, returning to the garrison in the course
of the evening. Admiral Farragut and staff
will dine this evening with the officers of the
Royal Artillery, and he was compelled, owing to a
previous engagement, to decline en invitation to dine with
the officers of the 2nd Battalion lath regiment to-morrow
evening. These hospitalities are very pleasant and agree-
able in themselves, but they have a wider than an in-
dividual bearing. The personal distinction of a guest, no
doubt, as in this instance, enhances them as well as gives
the opportunity for their manifestation. But these oour-
tesies partake also of an international character ; they
tend to promote that good feeling between the two
countries which is so desirable. Admiral Farragut will
leave this very shortly, we are told, for Nice. He will
carry with him the beat wishes of this garrison.—Gibeeltsr
Chruniele, Nov: 30: . .

Through the influence of the Mercantile Marine
Service Association of Liverpool Captain Russell, whose
certificate was cancelled in Singapore about twelve months
ago, hoe obtained a reconsideration of his ease by the
Board of Trade, and his certificate is to be restored to him.
THE LATE BIRMINGHAM BANKING COMPANY.—
A further instalment of 3s. in the pound to the creditors
of this bank is announced. This will make 16e. paid.

A conference under the auspices of the Society
for the Liberation of Religion from State Patronage and
Control was held last evening at the City Terminus Hotel.
Cannon-street. The object of the meeting was thus set
forth in a circular issued by the society : " As the subject
of the Irish church will demand the serious attention of
the constituencies at the next general election, and, sub-
sequently, of the new parliament, the executive committee
of this society are anxious to secure general agreement as
to the measures to be adopted by those who—whatever
may be their opinions on the abstract question of church
establishments—consider the abolition of the establishment
in Ireland to be essential for the welfare of that country,
and also believe that the impartial disendowment of epic-
copalhine, Roman catholic', and presbyterians is the only
just and practical policy."
Letters of sympathy with the conference were read from
the (Mourn Don, M.P., Sir F. Crossley, M.P., Mr. Gilpin,
M.P., Mr. Raines, M.P., Sir J. Gray, M.P., Mr. Maguire,
M.P., Alderman Lusk, M.P., Mr. Candlish, M.P., Mr. P. A.
Taylor, M.P., Mr. J. W. Ludlow, Mr. Hepworth Dixon,
Professor Newman, Mr. Thornton Hunt, he.
Mr. E. Pilau., the chairman, said no one taking part in
the conference was expected to commit himself to any
views he (the chairman) might be supposed to represent,
respecting the abstract questionof Church Establishments.
It mien be taken for granted that there wags difference of
opinion amongst those present upon such a subject. The
business of the meeting related exclusively to the estab-
lishment of the Church of England in Ireland, to which
undoubtedly many objections both historical and circum-
stantial might be urged which did not apply to the church
%this country. It would be perfectly out of taste to
take up time in declaiming against the Irish church,
which was the most singularly unreasonable, unrighteous,
and an-Christian ecclesiastical policy in the world.
(Cheers.) Upon that point they were an sigma. It was
quite possible to hold the strongest views upon that ques-
tion, to express them in the most unmeasured terms, and
to use all legitimate means in giving effect to them, with-
out in the slightest degree bringing into dispute the per-
sonal character of the starry, or even their motives. It
was the policy of the system, and not the personal instm-
mentality by which it was carried out, that the meeting
wished to protest against—for the sake of Ireland,
because it was working out • great mischief there, and for
our own sake, because so long as we were conniving at
that policy we were participating in its guilt. (Hear,
bear.) The primary object before the conference was to
sound out clearly, audibly, and ringingly a key-note that
would bring into unison wish it the general voice of the
public. There was a vast variety and even confusion of
opinions amongst the public upon some portions of the
Irish church question, and what was required was a defi-
nite view as to the policy to be adopted in plate of the
present, and so to bring into agreement a vast properties
of the liberal party in this country. What that key-mseis
should be it was for the conference to determine. It was
of the utmost importance that they should let the public
know that upon this subject there could be no useful or
practical compromise, and that if the Irish church were
to be dealt with in such a way as to satisfy the desires and
reasonable wants of the Irish population, it must be wholly
abolished. (Cheers.) Any attempt to recognise it upon
its present basis, or so to improve its machinery as to
make it better fitted to carry out the object for which it
was designed, would be utterly futile as a part of that
liberal policy which in the future ought to be pursued with
regard to Ireland. Indeed, the more the machinery was
improved the more insulting became the policy which that
machinery was intended to support. That policy being
wrong, all the improvements that could be made in the
methods by which it was sought to perpetuate that wrong
would but inflict a fresh injury upon the Irish people.
Another point upon which they ought to be explicit was
that having abolished the Irish church, having abolished
the state ecclesiastical system, as it now existed, it should
not be re-introduced in any other shape. (Cheers.) No
meet division of the revenuer should be recommended
amongst the different ecclesiastical parties in Ireland as
had been recommended by some conspicuous Whig noble-
men. (Cheers.) He (the chairman) could not conceive
of any policy more likely to increase the present discord or
render more acrimonious those feelings of intolerance
which seemed to prevail so largely in the aister isle than
the adoption of this plan—a plan which could have only
been proposed in order to save the principle of an esta-
blished church. If they could agree further that the reve-
nues of the Irish church should in future be appropriated to
the uses of all Irishmen quite irrespectively of the reit-
gious faith they professed, then they would be giving to
the public a decisive utterance of opinion. He felt con-
vinced that the public were perfectly ready to support
them in trying to attain this object. It would only then
remain to determine the particular steps to be adopted to
enforce the general views upon parliament. (Cheers.)
The Rev. A. HANNAY, of Croydon, moved the first
resolution, which declared the necessity of abolishing
the Irish church, and pronounced an opinion as to
the redistribution of revenues. The mover of the resolu-
tion said it was a standing reproach to our governments
that the Irish church had never been dealt with on its
own merits. It was not only a reproach to our legislature,
but to the middle-classes of this country, which the legis-
lature had hitherto represented. An institution like the
Irish church, involving so Armes an injustice to the Irish
people, ought to have weighed so upon the conscience of
the nation that it should have been abolished long ago.
He was strongly of opinion that in any question of apply-
ing the revenues, education should be foremost but we
should not curse Ireland with a denominational education,
but allow it to be purely secular. At any rate, the re-
venues should be devoted to the secular interests of the
nation. _ _ _

The resolution was seconded, and a lengthy discussion
took place, some wishing the motion to be confined to a
simple declaration that it was desirable to abolish the
Irish church, others proposing to add en expression of
opinion that the endowments of all state religions in Ire-
land should be abolished, and one or two gentlemen
strongly deprecating any reference to the abstract prin-
ciple of church establishments. Ultimately the resolu-
tion, having been several times altered, was passed as fol-
lows:—" That, in the present condition of Ireland, it is
incumbent on the legislature to abolish the Irish church
establishment, and that no improvement of its machinery
can redress the grievance of a state church opposed to the
religious feelings of the great majority of the Irish people."
Mr. MASON JONES moved the second resolution:—"That
the conference is further of opinion that all proposals for
dividing between the episcopalians and other religious
bodies in Ireland the property now held by the establish.
ment are unsound, and would prove to be pernicious ; •and
inasmuch as the Roman catholic prelates of Ireland have
emphatically protested against any endowment of their
church by the state, it has become practically impossible
to adopt any other policy than one of impartial disendow-
ment of all religious bodies ; the ecclesiastical re-
venues of the country being applied to pur-
grcalculated to promote its secular interests."
.tghought the Regium Donum and the grant to May-
nuoth were but parts of the same question, and if the
resolution could he made to express this the presbyterians,
catholic*, and episcopalism& would be placed upon the same
footing. This was all the more necessary because of the
recent expression of opinion on the part of Earl Russell,
an opinion which many other statesmen were ready to
endorse. They must tight against any alteration which
would leave the evil in Ireland in another form. There
were In Ireland millions of acres of land which if reclaimed
would be the richestand most profitable in the world. The
revenues of the Irish church if put up in the market would
be worth, at 20 years' purchase, en immense sum of money,
and he would propose that the House of Commons should
appoint a commission to expend the Irish church property
as it fell in from vested interests in reclaiming these lands
and letting them out to tenants, who would bold direct from
the crown. By this means we should malts a peasant pro-
prietary in the country, and should form in every tenant a
tie of loyalty to this country that would be fatal to sedi-
tion.
(Hear, hear.)
Mr. Gnat,' seconded the motion, warmly supporting
Mr. Mason Jones's suggestion as to the reclamation of
hinds.

Mr. CONGREVE thought no practical determination could
be arrived at as to the distribution of the revenues of the
Irish church. The houses of parliament as at present
constituted would not be likely to accept any scheme
for secular or educational purposes. There were three
methods by which these revenues might be distributed.
The first was one that had already been mentioned, and
one which rested no doubt upon very strong grounds, via.,
purely secular purposes in some shape or other. Such •
plan would not be free from opposition, and probably
every religionist would object it. A cry would be imme-
diately got up, and by none more than Mr. Gladden., that
we must not take from Clod to give to man. The second
method which might be adopted was education, and he
was against any large system of national education either
in England or Ireland, as raising only in another form the
very difficulty the conference was attempting to put down.
The suggestion be would offer was • very simple oar, and
it had its political advantages. The property of the Irish
church was derived from two sources, via., from tithes
and landed property in the hands of eertai• erieleehortical
commissioners. With regard to tithes, he would let those
keep them who paid for them, thus bribing the landlords to

assist in the removal of the evil by putting the money in
their own pockets. A church in all its forms should have
no property. The landed property would require a diffe-
rent treatment. He would do as they did in the days of
the French revolution—sell out the land in small quanti-
ties, so that the peasant might get hold of it, and let
the money go into the imperial exchequer.
The Bev. C. Minus said that, although brought up u •
minister of the established church, he was led by the sheer
force of internal conviction to the opinion that the con-
; notion of the church with the stab was the greatest pee-
' Bible hindrance to the salvation of souls, which should be
the aim of all religions. His personal experience of Ire-
I had led him to believe that the Irish church was the
' greatest hindrance to the bringing back of the Roman
catholics to protestantiam. No system like this, founded
, upon wrong and injustice, could prosper. For Mmself, he
I did not care what became of the money ; it might be
thrown into the sea ; only, do away with the establish-
' meat. (Laughter and cheers.)
The Rev. Mr. Dorm' thought very highly of the propo-
sition made by Mr. Mason Jones, and believed it would be
a most practical suggestion to be taken up by the House of
ICommons. The proposition had the advantage also that
it would help to undermine, if not to settle the land ques-
tion, while dealing with the Irish church. (Hear, bear.)
Dr. UNDZIMILL objected to the meeting pledging itself
to any educational scheme, and asked whether it was not
possible to join the Roman catholic hierarchy in their pro-
' penal to devote any available funds to the maintenance of
I the poor. He himself would give grants to various pur-
-1 poses, and amongst others, to the admirable
made by Hr. Mason Jones as to the redamationgliolgrant
What, however, was to be done with the rents of the
land ?

Mr. iiAROIII Joe said when the land was reclaimed,
and let to tenants for whatever rents the commission de-
cided upon, the proceeds should be employed for the crea-
tion of an additional peasant proprietary.
A lengthy discussion followed.
Sir P. O'Biumr, M.P., said he wished to say a word or
two as one of the few Irish members left in
town. Was it worth while to suggest difficulties,
which would arise quickly enoufh by and by? Let them
decide Snri how the admitted evil was to be remedied, and
details would follow naturally. He, as a Roman catholic,
could say that the great mass of his fellow countrymen
did not view this question in a monetary point of view
at all. They scarcely troubled themselves with the tithes,
or the property iZ the heed/ 9f the Ecclesiastical commis-
sioners; but they regarded the existence or the Met
church in a purely political and racial point of view. The
mere idea of being connected with an establishment which
had been for years the inin of conquest in the country,
led them to regard its maintenance as giving a status to
persons connected with it above other people. There-
fore any Englishman or &Ma'am= who looked to Ireland
as a portion of the British empire must regard the church
as a means of creating a disunion amongst all classes of
Irish society, without the removal of which other reforms
would be robbed of half their power. There must be a
union of races and peoples in Ireland, and it was because
the Irish church tended to create a religious inequality,
leading to other social inequalities, that the question must
be agitated quite apart from its religious or monetary
aspects. It was idle to discuss the application of revenues
to educational purposes at present, because a national edu-
cation was being provided by the imperial government. The
chief thing was to consider the i emoval of the great national
grievance, and it was only by the assistance of English-
men and Sootehmen that the people of Ireland could get it
removed.

Mr. A. BurcoN suggested that the land of the Irish church,
as it fell in, and the tithes might be sold, and the proceeds
be applied as • permaaeat fund towards that portion of
taxation which the Irish people would otherwise have to
provide towards the imporlal treunry. The property of
the Irish church should be the property of the Irish
people.
The resolution was carried unanimously.
The next resolution was :—" That the conference ex-
presses its hope that at the next general election the most
earnest efforts will be made to secure the return of *par-
liament favourable to the abolition of the Irish ertabrish-
meat. Meanwhile it recommends the general adoption of
petitions to the existing parliament, and the wide diffu-
sion of information on the subject among the electoral
bodies.,•

The Bev. Mr. ASPLAND, in proposing the motion, TO-
tossed to the reoomniendation as to petitions and said
that he had nevertheless very little hope of being able to
influence a parliament so dishonest and insincere as the
present. He warned the meeting that there was much
bard work to be done before they would be in a position to
discuss the distribution of revenues, and urged them not
to forget that the Irish church bad not yen fallen.
The resolution baring been seconded was canied unani-
mously.
The CHAIRMAN, in acknowledging the vote of thanks
moved to him for presiding, said the chief thing to do was
to get the !dab church abolished, and there would be then
no difficulty as to the revenues. Those who refused to
take part in this agitation because they did not see how to
dispose of the money were not very sincere in their desire
to see the Irish church abolished. (Hear, hear.)
The meeting then separated.

LIBERALISM IN CAMBRIDGESHIRE.—A "Liberal
Association" is forming for the county of Cambridge sad
the Isle of Ely ; its main objects being strict attention ter
the registration, a thorough organization of the party, sad
the raising funds for all legitimate election purposes. The
appeal of the promoters has been most enthusiastically
responded to.
THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE. —The Guardian
understands that in the event of a vacancyoocurring in the
representation of the University of Cambridge by the
promotion of one of the present members, it is the inten-
tion of Mr. Beresford Hope's friends to invite him to
stand, and there is reason to believethat he will accept the
invitation. It will be recollected that at the last vacancy,
in 1859, Mr. Beresford Hope, though influentially sup-
ported, retired in favour of the present Solicitor-General
rather than put the University to the trouble of • contest.
SUPPLEMENTARY CLERKSHIPS IN THE IhFICE OF
THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISNIONERS.—A competition for
• supplementary clerkship in the above office will be held
in London on the 2tith and 27th inst. The salary of a
supplementary clerk commences at 801. per annum. Augmen-
tations of salary, at the rate of id. per annum, may be
given as the rewards of ma it and good conduct, upon re-
ports made to the commissioners by the secretary
or registrar, until a maximum of 2001. has been
reached ; beyond which there is no prospect of
advance, nor is there any chance of promotion
to the superior classof clerkships in the office.
The amount of usual daily attendance is not to be less
than for the seven hours between 10 a.m. and 5 p ni. •
but earlier or later attendance will be required
whenever the state of business shall make it de-
sirable. Vacation is allowed each year (under pre-
sent arrangernm ta) to the extent of II working Mays; from
which, however, is deducted the time consumed by
late atteadance, or other absence during official hours,
and by absence on account of illness without medical cer-
tificate. Vacancies in the class of supplementary clerks
are filled up by competition of candidates in the following
subjects:-1. Exercises designed to test handwriting and
I orthography. 2. Copying and indexing. 3. Arithmetic,
including vulgar and decimal fractions. 4. English com-
position ; and no competitor can be successful who falls
to show an adequate proficiency in each of theme subjects.
No candidate (whether previously in the public service or
not) can be admitted who is under 16 or above 20 years
of age. Persons wishing to compete for the situation
now vacant should at once apply for the requisite form,
which must be filled up and returned, together with
evidence of the date of birth (the date of baptism not being
sufficient), and a specimen of handwriting, to the
office of the Civil Service Commission, Dean's-yard
on or before the 21st inst. If these documents are deemed
satisfactory an order of examination will be sent for each
time and place as may be arranged. Strict inquiries will
hereafter be made as to the character of the successful
candidate, and he will be required to undergo • medical
examination by a practitioner appointed by the cominhe
skean. These situations are expressly designed for it dif-
ferent class of persons from those who till the ordinary
clerkships RI the civil service, and it must be distinctly
understood that no prospect of promotion in this office or
of increased remuneration is held out to applicants. The
successful candidate will be expected to enter into an
agreement to remain in the service of the oomrnimioners
for not lea than two years, should they be disposed to
retain him so long.
SALE OF MODERN PIrITRES.—At Messrs. Foater's
gallery in Pall-mall, yesterday, the following pictures
were disposed of by public auction. (Charles Lucy) "Scene
at Hampton-oars during the Commonwealth—Oliver
Cromwell and his daughters ;" the engraved picture, 95
guineas. (J. Phillip, R.A.) "Fair in the Isle of Skye ;"
the finished sketch for the large picture, 40 guineas.
(Janes Webb) " Greed View of enioe." 65 guineas.
(R. Anadell, A.R.A.) "Eagles and Dead Stag," 75 guineas.
(J. Sant, A.R.A., and David Roberts, R.A.) "The Journey
to Emmaus ;" the whole of the background painted by
David Roberts, the celebrated engraved work, 175 guineas.
(John Burr) "The Toy Merchant,' 50 guineas. IJ. Coo.
stable, R.A.) "The Leaping Horse—Dedham Lock ;" from
the collection of Mr. Charles Pemberton, 190 guineas.
TECHNICAL EDUCATION. —The usual weekly meet-
ing of the Society of Arta was held at the House, John-
street, Adelphi, yesterday evening ; Mr. W. Hawes in
the chair. After the transaction of the usual routine busi-
ness, Mr. Ellis A. Davidson read • paper "On industrial
and scientific education ; with notes on the systems pur-
sued and the works pruduoed in continental schools, as
exemplified in the Paris Exhibition, and suggestions for
the establishment of trade schools in England."
• .

--
The Ferndale inquest was adjourned on Tues-
day until this (Thurnlay) morning. During the day Dlr.
Lionel Brough and Mr. T. S Foster arrived.