The Express.
London, England, 1858-08-26 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY EVENING, ATTGUST 26, 1858.

Northern. To this exten t the bitter Company's
_ . _

is evidently fictitious. The Propeistare will have a
clearer perception of the delusion practised upon
theta should the Manchester and Sheffield, indeed
of repaying the money, ckim farther " advances"
under the agreement. Unless their receipts increase
considerably they will sasuredly do so; and they
can enforce the agreement, now that it has received
Parliamentary sanction, through the exertions of
the Great Northern Director. themselves. The plain
truth is that the Great Northern Company have
bribed the Manchester and Sheffield to abandon
their allegiance to the London and North Western,
yet now shrink from paying the stipulated sum from

From this general review of the position of the
Greet Northern Company it is certainly difficult to
see what they have gained by their competitive
policy. They have saddled themselves with a large
conditional annuity to the Manchester and Sheffield;
their immediate expenses have been so enormously
swollen as to occasion a serious diminution of their
profits; they have been subjected to a monstrous
amount of Parliamentary and legal expenditure;
and, u the road and stock, by the Chairman's ad-
minion, trebling "knocked to pieces," fresh liabilities
are in store for them. And all this the shereholdera
permit—for what? Ia order th►t the Board may
gratify an ambitious and pugnacious spirit. It is
easy to recognise in Mr. Datitsori severed of the els-
recteriatice which distinguished Messrs. WADDING-
TON and HUDSON, and which undoubtedly precipi-
tated their fall. There are limits to everything.
Shareholders do not like to be openly defied and
browbeaten by their own officers. We confess to
having remarked with much satisfaction the protean
uttered at the recent meeting against the Directors'
arbitrary and unjust treatment of Mr. MOWATT, the
late Secretary. Had the proprietors permitted the
matter to peas without remark, they would not have
deserved, es one of the speakers emphatically re-
marked, "to have an officer worth a snuff." The
fact that Mr. Mowerr, immediately before his
abrupt dismissal, had actually received a vote
of thanks from the Board for his energy in unra-
velling the ramifications of RIDPATH'S frauds at-
tests the futility of the charge made against him.
And one of the most monstrous features of the affair
is, that the heavy expenses incurred by the Directors
in the unsuccessful defence of their position in a
court of justice, are to be defrayed, not by them,
but by the proprietors, who utterly disapprove of
the injustice committed. Injustice towards a valua-
ble servant ; pugnacity towards other Companies ;
imperiousness towards their constituents—such is
the " platform " upon which the Great Northern
Chairman and Board take their stand. Their posi-
tion presents this additional feature, that their
pugnacity proves a losing game, and is drawing
them into heavy pecuniary embarrassments, to say
nothing of financial irregularities. And this is the
position of the Great Northern Railway Company,
whose prospects, under sound and temperate
management, would excel thine of almost any other
Company in the kingdom.

ME principle of Unlimited Competition may be
attended with some practical inconvenience in the
selection of designs for great public works ; it may
be altogether less unquestionably sound and 11000tle-
fal in its operation with respect to Art than it is
with respect to the professions which appertain to
the public service. For Art is a plant of fine and
tender growth, and will not bear " forcing" in
official conservatories. Nevertheless, it is becoming
the fashion to submit the execution of public works to
competition, either because the Minister is un-
willing or unable to engage his own responsibility
in the selection, or because no individual superiority
is sufficiently established to justify an authoritative
preference. It concert= the interesto of Art and of
artists that the terms of c3mpetition should be dis-
tinct and definite, and that the time, labour, and ex-
penditure of artists should be considered, as well as
the security of the Minister from hostile criticism.
At present, neither the principle of Limited, nor
that of Unlimited Competition, nor that of Arbitrary
Patronage, seems to prevail, and the result of this
uncertainty is a want of confidence and of emulation
among artists who would, under favouring auspices,
be proud to stake their reputation upon designs for
a national work. Now, it may surely be mistimed that
any form or degree of Competition is preferable to
Patronage, wherever genius and caprice are brought
into collision, and a minister whose special aptitudes
are purely titular and official happens to be the
representative of the national taste. It would be
difficult to point out to an intelligent foreigner a
single example in this metropolis of official patronage
wisely examined in the department of public works.
Instances to the contrary are glaringly offensive, and'
it is not to Competition that we can lay the charge
of millions wasted in monumental constructions of
which we are helplessly ashamed. The public are at
length beginning to perceive that if the Treasury or
the " Woods and Forests" were permitted without
I restriction or control to employ Crown architects,
Crown surveyors, or Crown sculptors, in the execu-
tion of great public works, in defiance of all the
recognised or latent genius, which only Competition
brings forth, we should be continually at the mercy
of any farm surveyor or fancy gardener who had
ever designed a model pigsty or built an ornamental
bridge.

Every assertion of the principle of Competition is
a blow to Patronage ; and it is under this impression
that we were glad to find that the Select Committee
appointed to consider and report on the reconstrne-
tion of the Foreign-office had recommended that a
preference should be given to the successful competi.
torn Many of our readers will remember the exhi-
bition of two hundred sad eighteza arehitestural
designs in Westminster Hall. These designs were
as remarkable for their varied excel ence as the
designs for the Wellington Monument for their
varied imbecility.
Some of the competitors, it is tree, had been led
sassy, by the force of their etmeeptimis, from the
strict limit' of the Competition ; bat if they failed, it
was not in power, or grandeur of design. The story
Cl this Competition for the re.eoostntstioa of the
Public Offices is an instructive example of the
adminiitration of Public Works. In 1853 Mr.
PEurrentoatts, the architect and surveyor attached
to the Office of Works, was instructed by the then
first Commissioner, to prepare plans and designs for
a new Foreign-office, in connexion with a proposed
rebuilding of other offices. In January, 1855, Mr.
PiNNZTHO/111/1 submitted his plain and designs,
which, however, were subsequently set aside by the
Hones of Commons. On the accession of Sir
BINJANIX HALL to office, Mr. PilflfllllloENE

submitted to him an enlarged plan for the
rebuilding of the Public Oillose ; bat this
pl►n was incontinently consigned to the limbo
of designs on which the liobt of the official
conntenanee has not fallen. 'ln 18,58 the subject'

again came before the House of Commons, and •
Select Committee recommended the concentration of
the Public Offices, and that the design should be,
submitted to public Competition. A caucus of dis-
tinguished architects was convened by Sir BENJAMIN
Halt, and the terms of competition were agreed
upon. Three deigns was to be competed ler,

of all

viz.:-1. A block-plait for th►
the public offices. 2. A new Foreign-office, 111. •
maw War-orlce. For the fret of thaws designs esyse
premiums were offered; for the seamed and third
respectively, seven. " The First Commissioner,"
says the Report, " distinctly guarded himself against
"may obligation to employ any architect to whom a
,0 yebe should be awarded; but at the same time it
appears by the evidence that the architects ex-
"

petted that, circumstances permitting, the compe-
" tition would have an important bearing on the
" selection of the design to be adopted, and the
" architect to be employed."
To these terms u many as two hundred and
*Ms= competitors responded. Yet so late es last
Ostober we find the Treasury reqaesting the First
Commissioner of Works to examine and report on
Mr. PENNETHOIINE'S plans and designs of 1855,
which had been set aside by the House of Commons,
=recognised by the First Commissioner, and super-
seded by a competition open to all the world. This
posthumous report on Mr. PIiNNETHOILNIfiI designs
gave rise to a correspondent* on which we felt it our
duty to comment with some severity ; the correspond-
ence led to a new Select Committee, and the Select
Committee has latelrreported, as we think with sound
judgment, in favour of the successful competitors.
It is, we regret to say, abundantly evident that but
for the Select Committee another huge job would
have been perpetrated ; and it is certain that were
the vigilance of Parliament and the Press relaxed
for a moment we should be continually exposed to
such edifying abuses of patronage as we have re-
cently witnessed in the arbitrary removal of the
Wellington Monument from the original site, and
the supersession of the successful by an unknown
competitor for its execution ; or, in the equally
arbitrary removal of the lions of the Nelson Monu-
ment from the free competition of Sculptors to the
selected atelier of an eminent Painter.

•
rieleign Floras; the ameselnation of How 111. ant, 1
the home of France; and that of Henry IV.
dirt= bows of Bourbon more powerfg than ear.
Tilk Wee, of the Ital4n prhscipslitise of the middle
ego resishes many examples of a like natter'.
I cite one at random. One day a prince of Bologna
wee eras minuted with his whole family; the conspirator=
who took Nommen of Ids pekoe thought that they ,
were reantere of the state. Bat soon the cry of "Down with
the am en=" was heard in the town. The people rose,
meowed the murderers, burnt their honer, and formed a
government composed of the beet treads of the murdered
prince; afterwards one of the members of the new govern-
meat announced to the people that the fatally of the pinoe
was not entirely extinct, and that he had left a natural son,
of tender age, who bad been brought up in Florence under
a teatime name. At this news the Joy of the people knew
no bounds. A deputation was sent to Florence to find the
child; it was brought teak in triumph, it was proclaimed
with enthusiasms, and a mote-y afterwards the posterity of
that child still reigned in Bolom,an Gentleman,
the secret of this historical phenomenon lies in
the human heart; whenever the news of • political
easessinatica is spread among • population the same results
are invariably produced. After eat of stupor the heart
of man abandons half to he nerinomiespessions. Horror of
msessiaation, detestation of the maisimers, pity for the vie-
ties, and sympathy for his NM= sad friends—ends are
the amtkosette whisk naturally Atli hisseedietely show them-
selves. Yen, warm and °WM the eel and the young,
all are animated by a temmet Wag; sad then,ss the
saws of dr dm monk ehl seeimmedem sad subjegeted
by the ineeirible ewer et wit* Whin the my of
" Dews with the Germaine!" Is said, tie terrified sear-
dense hide UlllloolliVold or fly; factiegaw hating that they may
be amused of complicity, either lola in the seem of
public Indignation or seek to sham themesivei hem its
fury. Finally, the worst th at issisty, In whom the
secret hopes of Grime always gime Mak min reliance, are
paralysed by the attilede ei him isminelemejority ; and the
the come which the um* *gig to ride in the Wok
of en illssizions victim nip end privells mere powedel
and resplendeat then ever. flesh, psalms. le the Inva-
riable tea gives by the neeseel Isellege of Om hems
bent to events of this kind. Er bees samis mire mime&
than in en orrery oess wail he them iliffinge. ft Oki&
Gad forbid!) the victim shield be the that 1111 as Fresh
people; if the assamsin's polgsard, In serflike the Empower,
were to pierce the heart of so many millions of men. Cer-
Witty, at lash a moment, all would do their duty. Our
noble end 811101001 Empress, with that chivalrous seems
which distergeishes her, would twee bar (lief sad present
her me to the people and the army. Prince Jerome, the
venerate brother of the great Emperor, would be by her
side to assist her with his cooneris. The Prince Napoleon,
who now gives such hopes to the tocustsy—(applasse)—
would net fall to prover the government, V mess-
eery, , to take the memo requisite le son
the throne to his nephew; sad, indeed, the Coen-
ell of Regency and the entire government add be
equal to the emergency—but all the nernos of human
prudes.. would Ind themselves surpassed by the abets of
while indimation. Cries of A. he lee assamfas P• Niel of
" inn Napoleon IV. I" wool mound from me end of
Prove to the other-would be mote edicsoious then all the
arresgements of tact—and the shade of the great Emperor
then, as is-day, from the depths of the tomb of the Invelides,
would continue to peace:ally reign oar Freers. (Enthusiastic
sheeting.) Thus, messieurs, the Napoleon d)nasty enjoys
fa reality the best conditions of power sad permanence;
▪ :tong in the sympathies of the masses, it has nothing to bar
for itself from popular convulsions • defended by our Instlet-
tions against the coalitions of interval parties, it is teetered
from those parliamentary intrigues which have awed so
many catastrophes ; finally, not reethsg ca ens bred alone,
but being able, if needed, to recruit itself from all the male
descendants of the brothers of the Emperor Napoleon—it
esnnot be imperilled by the success of an attempt at
mesesinatioe, and we may may of it consequently that,
in all that regards Its into .al prospects, it pre-
sents eery rendition of strength and duration. And,
messisme, the ems may be aid of its a:tenet relationa.
Los* habituated to dread the least !movement of France,
In turn revolutionary and conquering, Europe at first did
not view without inquietude the re-establlahment upon the
throne of France of the family proscribed by the treaties of
1815. But whatever may have been the true sentiments of
the greet powers at the moment of the acknowledgement of
the empire, it Is certain that all congratulate themselves
sow epos seeing in Preece a strong, posse:el, respeeted,
and wise government, which, after • glorious wee
hes boo able to make an equally glories;
pros. Each la the r”‘versel entisection, that
the re-establishment of the empire has strengthened
throughout Europe the principles of order and monarchial
ideas, rod elfar:d the impression which the rivalry of the
Pow= primps led them to receive from the first great
Ulan from France. And we may say to-day that never
sire 1815 have the relations at France with Europe been at
once so honourable and friendly. Nevertheless, a cloud
which might have proved dangerure, lately obscured oar rela-
tions wish • country whoa alliance with ourselves had beat
so happily cemented end so fruitful, and it has required
nothing lees than the wisdom and reciprocal friendship
of the two sovereigns to prevent a coolness between
the two powers. Happily, as the Emperor said at
Otterboorg, if it was wished to revive the rancour, end
pastime of 'mother epoch, the attempt would be defeated by
Osgood ow of the public. In fact, mmelears, the interests
et the two peoples ere now so closely interwoven that it well
be dills& for we the most farina prime te
bring to we an entire t apttire. Sack is this NNW*
of rimer, that if tomorrow London or Path on
burnt, we should each trier imams sonsera!
lows, end while • catastrophe Mktg upon Bab, Visor,
or St. Petersburg, would mite only onr stool of pity,
were it Lanka se should be wounded fa ow lamb
almost as seriously as at Park !MIL Now whim two peo
ples hese alined et this point, they are evidently &ern i to
draw imether more closely every day their present rules.
(" Tree hies 1 tres bin I") Let as iirst cretin the Jarred
to Frame of the English alliance. With England we are
masters el the eau, sad oessequently have nothing to tare
apes Mr frontiers. No cealition against us is palls;
gasseal place is assured. Our country ors I,:n
fedi up to all the developments of Its eollytiy
without any pre-occupation, and complete the mirk
of establlahlag Its institrioes without Morning any
NM. Eisewher, we have no materiel rivalry with Ragland,
doe abs has opened to our commerce as to bar one the
acmes to her honamos colonies ; it Is not her fault if, con-
fining our mean of reduction at high prices, we do ad
know how to pelt by it.
La be *WA her barer he the French thin es
whips, ma more market. She succeeded in 1814 and Me
la cosunerbg the as ea alma nepressey which elk
the Misr of he dares, rad to which she was in sae ma.
sums *Oka both by her insular position sad the male vit.
her Madan & singled enjoys this 811118118117 11,411811 011
&pa Is this ley : end abs says is bend: that if eke wale
again to have • doggie with Freon --empeeleg (whisk
God ibrhid I) that the fate el brass should Mkt nap
dinars apes urea woad gala an ether rent% then
the smielemmelif what she has abiedy, memly, serried
sod Wad vorsiesay. • • • Row than, week al
the raprood dimpeaka of the two nukes, say we to our
emit Ow what followed the emen of Jamey 14f By Op
esouran of all eqinolino—by a area et okindo•
dollop dilettantism boa silo of the Chatted." Also*
doe tie pen% rabbis epkisa is England had am tent
Wags at some Oplsoallo Issldents, but at the news
attengt of Use 14th, ingpssel wee smainsons is iz; o
the Moo orlon At that period the tree English
that public whisk, In realm directs net gm"
the state--whisk Ia sisobetcred to me order
two the Podoet 081111/01, to diodas all the arum ef
Ibis pros, to take as heed of any of the exaggeations
d Eberly—Or .Ina* lade, I say, know
dhow of Or puerime dna& ergenhad be
Reglad sepia On Ilksoser, lee d the fieserlas pre-
load bye pls if ths awes ;It wae, Idi ale. ,
salty, as ignored if lino,lnOoden as it linetert et
thaw It was then ANON ad pdeldnotrildninne that
it Mond (ory saintly' Is ht. wink E 'sad cep
as adenine which wen spoken at Pads
a algal= os the pad of From to reader England
resmasibie far tie attempt of the 14th, and to hold beat
awspealen. /Pros that moment, public opinioa hßegird,
tunahries In stigmatising resernatkes, suddenly reeked
the durmetratime which ware being mole in
every port if t the onatry. Then when the cane Is the
regime :oaf pasgarts. good or bad, but as unjustly
ripmenlett en ea est of dams against the Eng-
lish thaseiree—sad the address from the army
temeisily, 'hick wrought the Intatioi to the highest
site)~ .e asp plat thd happened which always does leap-
Pa he COW constry wbast.the WOW eatheant is in play
--On 'make pastas he. no bounds, end tie paged
dialed doldgeot to theme passions. So, while en thought
. .

that we had to complain of the arrangements of our allies,
the English people, on emir part, believing that they had
been profoundly Injured by France, obeyed nothing but their
leritation. This irritation naturally provoked in France a
similar feeling, squally strong, and wkich would, perhaps,
have been dangerous without the lofty intelligence and the
spirit of justice of the Emperor, to appreciate the true cause
, of the attitude of our neighbor-6.
But, messieurs, whatever may have been the nature of
those deplorable misunderstandings, and of wic;eh it I, at

least easy to prevent the return, the situation of the two
peoples has undergone no change. That which undeniably
remains is that the new instincts of England carry her as
naturally to • union with France se formerly they promoted
a separation; that oars follow a similar direction.; that in
spite of the minenderstandings and the little reciprocal
distrusts, and in spite of the Intrigues of the parties which
take advantage of them, the great EreglWb public sincerely
desire the friendship of the Emperor and of Femme
—(applause) ; that, in fact, there is really no
interest, no seriotn question between the two
countries upon which the simplest good sense cannot put the
two governments in accord ; and thus that it only depends
upon as to maintain an &Blanes which is so advantageous
to both. (General signs of adhesion.)
I repeat then, messieurs, the Napoleon dynasty is in
the interior, as it is abroad, in the happiest °auditions of
streng►h, and grandeur, and prosperity. That which
Napoleon 111, has added In this respect to the work
of Napoleon I. is enormous, and when France,
one day completely settled, shall enjoy all the bless-
ings of a government definitively established in the
minds, in the consciences, and in the time, it will feel that
It cannot have enough veneration, respect, and gratitude
for his memory. (Repeated bravos.) Such, mount" is
what I wished to my to my fellow citizens—not,
assuredly, that I flatter myself with having done
something in this great work, but because for more than 20
yeses I have not owed to pray with all my prayers for the
happiness and grandeur of our =mu,.
The above speech,which produced the profoundest
sensation upon the select auditory to whom it was
addressed, was followed by unanimous and prolonged
applause, and cries of " Vive l'Emperenr
The Count de Morny has made an important
speech at the Council General of Clermont, bat we
have not yet received a report of it.

FRANCE.

(mow ova owx oolutasroxourr.)
PARIS, WIDNISDAY EVII1(1110.

The Bourse continues to be extremely firm. The
Rents roes 250. for cash and 150. for account, clos-
ing at 70fr. 10c. and 70fr. 15c. Mobilier rose 10fr.
The Orleans railway rose Mr. ; Western fell
iffr. 50c. ; and the other principal l'nee left off at
yesterday's prices.

- Lord Palmerston had an interview with the
Emperor to-day at fit. Goad.