The Express.
London, England, 1866-01-13 00:00:00

THE WEEKLY PRESS.

Attempting an estimate of the chief elements
both of the strength and the weakness of the government,
the Saturday Review describes the most conspicuous
element of its weakness as the personal one. Except Lord
Russell and Mr. Gladstone, who have personal disqu-l'fics.
non, which it is expected will tell against them, none of
its members occupy a first•rate parliamentary position. A
ministry that cannot fill up the Duchy of Lancaster is
in a very odd position. To have offered a minor
place to Mr. Gentlest in the first instance, and then
to offer him a seat in the cabinet, does net show bow
highly Lord Russell thinks of that gentleman, but how
very limited the range of choice of the government really
is. The government is week, too, from the supposition
that it holds relations of great confidence with Mr. Bright
on the subject of reform. It is in danger also because it
mast bring in a reform bill, and must go out unless it
Carries it ; while soy such bill meet be strongly opposed,
the liberal petty being divided into two sections, and
viewing the whole methc I and object of reform in different
lights. On the other hand, Mr. Gladstone meets a new
house with a /ergs infusion of members prepared to enept
his leadership with enthinitsm, and the conservatives have
no superiority in official ability that could make the country
wish for a change merely to get better men into office. The
reform bill, too, is a source of strength as well as of weak-
ness, for a ministry ►lways galas something by having one
measure of supreme importance to which it is definitively
pledged. The inevitable moment must come when each man
will have so oak himself whether ho will really atop
reform altogether and break up his party. It is evident
that the vast majority of liberal members will shrink
from incurring this amount of responsibility, unless the
general opinion of the country is so strongly against the
bill that they feel they will be supported and applauded.
The Saturday Review condemns Lord Russell for elevating
the Master of the Rolls to the peerage. The moral of th
appointment, it say., is bad. It inculcates the principle
that the merits of a las yer should be weighed by his devo-
tion to a poaitic•l chief, and that mediocrity is more certain
of reward then talent. The Saturday Review fears the
patriotism of a whig minister is not to be trusted when
the public interests of the country and the private interests
of the individual present conflicting claims.
The Spectator considers the government woefully weak.
Apart from the Reform Bill a formidable onslaught will be
made on the Jamaica question, and Mr. Cardwell, who
is pet on the defence, has become this week an
element of weakness which will almost outweigh the
reinforoements the government has obtained. M-. Goaolaen's
►ppointment is an admirable one, giving strength to the
ministry and hope to the young ; but the cabinet still
contains men wholly out of rapport with the popular mind,
Mr. Gladstone having but one follower in it, and every
great secretaryship being occupied by a peer. The
position of the ministry was difficult in Denim•
ter, but in January, with Mr. G:rdwell officially approving
manieres which have irritated his own supporters more than
any event of this century, and the Star singing paeans over a
reform bill, which to succeed must be hated of the Star, it is
rapidly becoming untenable. It may defy the torier still,
but if the third party is not to assume the reins, we shall
see in the middle of the session the reconstruction we ought
is ban seen before it.

The Spectator has observed with regret the tone of
some of the daily newspapers in commenting on the
elevation of Lord Romilly. The addition of his lordship to
the judicial staff in the upper house, the Spectator thinks,
would be most advantageous, and in the large sphere of
usefulness open to him as a po'ilician, he would trove a
most valuable accession.

The Ikonontiat thinks the present rate of interest will
most likely be sufficient for the objects for which it was
intended. For the present the foreign drain is checked,
the silver market is Loudon is dull, and every momentary
phenomenon indicates au increase of ease.
On the ground that a sudden trade in which we give
credit largely is a particularly dangerona trade, the Scone-
mist would add its warning to the other rather loud warn.
fags which are addressed to American exporters. A very
quick trade is rarely a very cautions trade, and therefore
we advise them to consider. But though we to this extent
agree with the warner', there are some counter considera-
tions which most not be overlooked, sod which go far to
mitig►te any national anxiety. People who do bad busi-
ness with America will lose their money as those who do
bad business with other countries or at home. Bat if we
manage properly ourselves, we do not believe their bad
Walser need hurt us.

We are informed that the President of the
Council, Earl Granville, has consented to take the chair at
the annual dinner of the Newspaper Press Fund in May
next.

LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC MEETINOS FOR THE
ERsorNO WEEK.—Monday, Asiatic, at 3, loitial
age of Bengal," Mr. Thomas ; Mathematical, at 7r, general
meeting ; Architects, at 8 ; Society of Arts, at 8, "Copy-
right and Trade Marks" (Oudot. Lecture), Dr. Hastings,
Tuesday, Engineers, at 8, "Strength of Cement," Mr.
Grant; Anthropological, at 8, " Galina, : a Tribe of
Sierra Leone," Mr. Barris; "Genealogy and Anthropology,"
Mr. Marshall; Statistical, at 8," French Population
Statistics," Mr. Weltoo. Wednesday, Meteorological, at
7, " New Anemometer," Mr. Cigar ; "Professor Lamont's
Ten-year Period of Magnetic Variation of Solar Spots,"
Mr. Lynn ; " Temperature in Switzerland," Protestor
Plantamour ; Society of Arta, at 8, " Automatic Tele-
graphy," Mr. Bain. Thursday, Zoological, at 4; Numis-
matic, at 7 ; Liaison, at 8, " Fonda of Banda," Mr.
Edgeworth; Chemical, at 8, " Pyrophospbotriamic Acid,"
Dr. Gladstone; "Reactions of Sodium-Ethyl," Professor
Wanklvo ; Royal, at ; Antiquaries, at ; Friday.
Royal Institution. at 8, " Rediatioo and Absorption, tie.,"
Professor Tyudall ; Philological, at 8, " Anglo-Sazoo
Words in Old Norse," Mr. Virtuosos. Saturday, Royal
Institution, at 3, Way to observe in Fine Arts." Pro-
fessor Warinsoott ; Botanic, at 31.-4thencrutu.
ORM/a PALACE. ••••• ONI SHILISNO DAY,
FRIDAY, Jai. 12. 4dmimiase as premeds% 1,681; ditto
by mom Wks* 827 ; viibsek 2.508.