The Express.
London, England, 1859-12-21 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 21, 1889.

LEA.—The NEW LONDON-BRIDGE TEA
IMITAIIIa EU I. 114 U emir ?Wald
IVaream. new. rat
=l.
fl.
MOM 111011"firarairOrkiperrbars. minty. EC.

WAITS BEDS he INVALIDS foe Pierced°a
a id aim 1.04 sralwale
AMU. inn... lb. BM am% es,—The
['SPOT. IDMINN3I.6. Obeft141•••

BINBON'B WATCHBB.
" Dudsdas et usiisaim."—roars 11/44.
OddWAldre ...... ......... ......... 4se WO vulgar
Wawa " to id wiser.
NM VIM Wkr Paraii file= latophl.l.
to.

ENLARGEMENT of PREMISS 8.
ISSNITTS WATCH 11•SMPLOTOST, Malls, Caw.
ISSIIIISM IWO* libels et liaisons smear
r...fler kis WATOM sal MOOS SUSI les
tb. MM. CberVids. hr tzwassas raire
rum a ridri will be wases••••■••Sbe Snap
t pinewl. mg& as este* wow met et ens IlweSpare el
J ew=ey. Tb• et Se meat Reds et Cholw•Mmeolkoa.
ltt•M.. bow Winuedspay be ale elonsi• primes ell agorae H.
mes Were sh• et tb• Sew
SeMIS ms Imre wadi iwohera. et ori O. as WINISmea

10110.)ND-liAND
CI bias. awl lores=zartataat d flonewligod
.4.1•• L
mosi snob Muni selssi,-811,
&111111114611 M

PLAYING CARDS at WHOLESALE PRICES.
Is PA• O•t Now Poona. • MOB reign. allie
littotieteskLira b"" lakti".""

kßErry PRESENTS, at PIAUI sad LUBIN'B.
zwatar.d sem. Warm reedits he rarararami beim
rathea. Oa K. mel Mt mai Me Crammer*. W.
LAURENT'S GRAND CHRISMAS BALL
md SUPRIM M. JimeAMMFILIIMIT.Des. 11.— TV maw
ter me themmd Me at Mr. Demi& The
erebotraot IM pramte Matim = erad b —Rapperh Octets
• eta lemelmi. Ice tbet.
To be elt dr magma" moi et Me Wt.; bb

got ARMY sad NAVY GAZETTE, sad
Jual of Ws UMW VEntow Twow-0•11•111110•11.
7. Mil be gdou W.. the 11,4111.04 of Mew
.67::tarlb&otwe tris I=4%:l7Jaz
..dat W lar""*. W. tluMuLima tett

mas.
Z CORNRIL ynAG L MAZIN& Bated by
TNACILMIUT. I .1 00/ imam Ss%
.11 tsar=
borre• la flo efts, Orr co ro
Or Ili& trogroL—Loors: ONO; Wm. Ow,* OsnoW

went., which (if France and Piedmont are the
offenders) are at all events in communion with the
See of Rome. In pursuance of their duty to the Holy
Father, to their country, and to themselves, these
British seslots declare their unshakeable belief in
the permanence of the spiritual sovereignty of the

MINIUM 01 St. PETER. But not satisfied with the
felfilmsat of prophecy, they declare that "it is not
"to be endured by Catholics, that the Sovereign
" Pontiff should be the subject of any temporal Poten-
tate; and further, that the preservation of the
" temporal sovereignty of the Holy Father is of
" the highest importance to secure the independent '
" exercise of his supreme political power." In
other words, our British Catholics cannot endure
that the Holy Father should be under the pro-
tection of any temporal Potentate. The French
occupation of Rome is a scandal to their faith.
The Austrian occupation of Bologna was an
outrage in their eyes. There can be no such
thing as " independence" when foreign troops
keep guard, and a foreign general presides over
the public peace. Perhaps, then, after all we are
nearer to an agreement with our "liberal and edu-
" sated" British Catholics than they are with
Cardinal ANTONILLI. The Roman question as
it is regarded in Clifford-street is not a mere
question of territory and tribute; it is a question
of sovereign right and dignity. The Club protests
against any interference between the POPE and his
rebellious children. We can only say that we should
be glad to find the Holy Father left t&te•d•tr"te with
the family.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE,

FRANCE.

PARIS, WIDNISDAY.
The llositesr of to-day publishes the nomination
of Bernal secretaries to French embassies abroad,
among which the Marquis Chateaurimard as secre-
tary of the embassy at Loudon.

The state of Prices Jerome's health continues to
improve, and there will be no bulletins published
for some days.

SARDINIA.

TURIN, Die. 20.

M. Buoncompagni leaves to-day for Florence.
- • - -

The designation of Count Cavonr as First Pleni-
potentiary of Sardinia at the Congress is definite,
and will be notified to the different powers after the
nominations of the other Plenipotentiaries have been
published.

The frigate Eurydice is about to sail for China, to
protect the interests of the Italian subjects residing
there.

ROME.

ROME, DEc. 17 (mt. bitmen.Lzh).

It is stated that on the 28th instant Cardinal Anto-
nelli will embark on board a Pontifical corvette for
France. Monsignors Bernardi will be entrusted
ad interim with the ministerial functions of the
Cardinal.

In order to oover the deficit, the Minister of
Finance has sold two millions of franca of Roman
consolidated fund', without having recourse to a
loan.

SPAIN.
MADRID, Dac. 20.
Abundant rains have inundated the Spanish camp
and the surrounding country.

THE DANUBIAN PRINCIPALITIES.
JASSY, Du. 18.
The National Assembly, after having received a
message from Prince Conza, has been dissolved.

THE FRENCH FUNDS.
PARIS, TUESDAY, 12.10 P.W.
Rentes open at 70.26.

3.25 r.x.
The market hu been very inactive. Relate close
the same as yesterday, at 70.35.

FRANCE.
Our usual Paris letter had not arrived when we
went to press.

HOSPITAL SHIPS FOR CHIA.d.

Amongst the preparations now going on for the
approaching war with China, there is one which is fall of
sad suggestion as to some of the inevitable results, which in
any case we must expect—we mean the fitting out of hospital
ships for the conveyance of the sick and wounded from the
scene of action to wherever it may be determined to mash-
II& the permanent hospital. The drat of these vends, the
Melbourne, Captain H. B. Basco, is now lying in Deptford
Creek, and is being fitted out with all possible tepidity, so as
to be ready to start 1111 early as possible in the new year.
The ship would appear to hate been selected with great
judgment, as she has every requisite for the purpose intended-
She was built about ten years sines in the Clyde, under the
superintendence of Sir Baldwin Walker, and wee originally
intended for the Queen's service as a frigate of 32 guns, Sub-
sequently, however, she fell Into private hands, and is now
chartered by the government with a full knowledge of her
strength and capabilities. The Melbourne is a fine ship of
about 1,600 tons, with auxiliary steam power (screw), and is
se etroeg as wood and Iron can make her. Her commander,
Captain Benson, is a men of great experience and high repu-
tation in the transport and hospital service, having com-
manded a transport at the taking of Chums, and subsequently
the well known steamer Argo in the Black Sea dating nearly
the whole at the Crimean war. He has irepeatedly had
hundreds of sick soldiers and MAIM mate his charge, and

has reoeived the highest official commendations for the man-
ner in which be had discharged the important duties entrusted
to him.

The manner in which the Melbourne is being now fitteffup
as an hospital ship exhibits • marked improvement in the
hospital service of the old wars, es well as on the Crimean
ships, even after our first awful lesson. The whole of the
gun deck, equivalent to the main deck in a line-of-battle
ship, is thrown into one vast "sick bay" from stem to stern,
and is fitted with about 160 berths for sick or wounded soldiers,
and everything that modern experience and the most anxious
solicitude could suggest is being done to render the position
of the poor invalids from the moment they come on board es
comfortable es possible. The berths are three feet wide by
eight lest in length, and there being only one tier all
through, there is ample room for the free circulation of air,
both above and below them. The bottoms are of metal-craw
barred, and the mattresses will be of horse hair, with *retard
coverings all the beet of their kind. The baths are admir-
ably arranged, fore and aft, with wide pumps between each
row, so se to permit free passage to the attendants to and
from the bedside*. In the day time narrow tables will run
slang the centre of them perigee, on which the men's meals
will be placed, bat these run freely up along iron hen.
and can all be completely cleared away at night time. Par
Voider attention has been paid to the ventilation. Beiddes
the porta with which the ship's sides are pierced, there are
mach larger ones at stein and stern, and everywhere that a
partition is required it is made of perforated zinc, so that the
fresh air may have no obstruction. In addition to tines eye.
tem of skilfully arranged tubing communicates with all the
beds, and alao with the galley fire, in order that a draught
may always be maintained. In the centre of the "bay,
and immediately under • large skylight, is placed the Mr' I
gravy, with fall appurtenance. fur the medical dispenser, and,
in the owns, a table for operations. The sick or wounded
soldiers who may be unable to walk on board will be gently
lowered through the opening above, and placed at once in the
beds with which the surgery is surrounded on every side.
The supplies of medicines, and of all the other nectraries of
ea hospital, wil be an the most liberal scale, end there will
be a full staff of surgeons, dispense's, and orderlies to pre•
melte for mud attend on the sick. The main cabin, which is
wader the poop, is being fitted up fer siek or wounded officer
but, except in the situation, there is no difference in
the amount of comforts provided, between these bertha and
. .

those on the main deck watch are allotted to the men. We
understand that the Melbourne and a sister ship whisk Into
tallow her Immediately are to follow the men of war as
closely as poseible, and oa receiving the invalids on board to
proceed at owe with them to the permanent hospital. The
ship being full six feet between decks under the beams, it fa
expected that with the arrangements above enumerated, the
passage of the poor fellows will be rendered as easy as It is
possible to make it under the circumstances. In addition to
the arrangements for surgical and medical treatment, there is
also ample provision for a liberal dietary. On deck ovens
for baking are lined up, and a large apparatus for distilling
sea water. There are also a wash-house, laundry, lavatories,
and water-clemste—every convenience in short that could
possibly be provided on board ship, or perhaps in the best
ordered hospital on shore.
Let us hope that a speedy and prosperous termination to

the war may prevent the capabilities of the Melbourne being
to severely tested, but should the necessity unhappily arise,
we feel convinced from our ye•tsrday'e inspection, for permis-
sion to make whioh we are indebted to the conneey of Cap-
tain Benson, that ehe will be found efficiently to fulfil the pu-
ree intended by giving oar poor wounded soldiers as euy s.
possible a transit from the wane of action to the permanent
hospital.