The Express.
London, England, 1867-12-23 00:00:00

POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION.

The directors of the Polytechnic Institution
have as usual made great preparations for the entertain.
ment and instruction of their youthful friends and patrons
who are home for the Christmas holidays. Among the
novelties which are about to be produced the most impor-
tant is a scientific entertainment and lecture by Professor
Pepper, entitled " Faraday's Discoveries and their Re-
salts; being Real Science as contrasted with Unreal
Science, called Spiritual Manifestations." In this lecture
Professor Pepper explains and illustrates the moat inter-
esting and important of the discoveries of Faraday
in the sciences of chemistry and electricity, and
at he ekes exhibits some of the most striking
of the phenomena which are usually included
in the category of " spiritual manifestations." An
ordinary sized young gentleman of full weight is sus-
pended in the air without any mechanical support, and
while in that petition attracts towards him from the
ground a tolerably solid table. Professor Pepper assures
his auditors that these effects are not produced by any
spiritual agency, but !seen it to their own ingenuity to
dim:over by what instrumentality it is that they are
brought about. This lecture was delivered for the first
time at a conversazione which was held on Saturday even-
ing, and was warmly applauded by a crowded audience,
which included many eminent men of science. Before the
eouversazione an elegant banquet was served in the small
picture gallery. The chair was occupied by the Rev. J. B.
Owen, the president of the instituticm, and among the
guests were the Maharajah DhuleepSingh, K.S.I, the Duke
of Wellington, Viscount Strangford, Lord R. Bruce, Mr,
A. Kinnard, M.P., Captain the Hon. F. Maude, the Rev.
Prebendary Mackenzie, Professor Wheatstone, F.R.S.,
Mr. S. Morley, Erasmus Wilson, F.R.S., Professor Abel,
Professor Graham, Mr. James Glaisher, Dr. Letbeby,
Professor J. H. Pepper, ke. During the evening the
Polytechnic Institution was placed in telegraphic commu-
nication with America, Newfoundland, France, Belgium,
and other countries, and frequent:ltemises were exchanged
between Regent-street and telegraphic stations abroad.
Before dinner was served a message of compliment was
addressed by the directors to the President of the United
States, and before the cloth was withdrawn as
answer was received from Mr. Johnson, thanking
them for their good wishes, and expressing his
concurrence in their expressed opinion that telegraphic
communication was calculated to ensure peace, to promote
the union of nations, and to advance the interests of civi-
lisation. While Mr. Pepper was lecturing a message was
seat to Hearts Content informing the telegraphic super-
intendent there that the conversazione was going on, and
inquiring as to the weather in Newfoundland. The reply
was received in about twenty minutes, and was as follows:
"Temperature 19 degrees Fahrenheit; wind, N.E. ; snow
drifts in some places are 20 feet deep." In addition to
the lecture of Professor Pepper, all the ordinary attract-
tions of the institution were displayed on Saturday even-
ing for the amusement of the visitors, and several new
entertainments were opened, with a success which pro-
mises well for the winter campaign of this popular
institution.

ME. GRANT-Dope, M.P., ON OLE FOREIGN
RELATIONS.—Mr. Grant-Duff, M.P., delivered an address
at Peterhead, on Thursday, under the title of " A t;lance
over Europe." After referring to the condition of the
various continental nations, the hon. member proceeded
to speak of English foreign policy. He remarked that
though Lord Stanley had not long been at the head of the
Poreign-utfioe, he could hardly fail to succeed reasonably
well in anything, however new to him, to which he
seriously devoted his clear, powerful, and patient intel-
lect. He Las succeeded reasonably well ander very diffi-
cult circumstances. At the peace of 1814 England was
much further in advance of several European nations than
she is now. We have advanced in many ways 'does then,
end advanced rapidly ; but Germany, for example, has
advanced madi more rapidly, and position, sooner or later,
follows real power. Then, again, we have lost much M-
ilne:me by the absurd line which we have taken on many
foreign questions. We lost something by th.• Austrian
nnquithes of a large section of London society in
11i60. We lost much more by the frantic way in
which so many influential people took part with the
South in CAD American quarrel. We made flatten still
worse by the silly anti-Gertaan ebullitions of 18';1; and it
is well known that it was more " good luck than good
guiding" that patented some of our public men commit-
ting themselves to the Austrian side in Lest year's con-
flict. In order that this country should take the place
which she ought to have in the councils of Eorope, she
wants three things—increased strength, iuere::tm•t insight,
and an impend system of communication with foreign
nations. increased strength we can only obtain in 000
way—by carrying out reform in every direction ; by using
the recent electoral change to help us to writ out other
and greater changes. Our people must open their minds
to the idea that in many respects they are laggiag behind
others, and, above all, that the most sweepiug reforms in
our higher and secondary education are urgently required.
The subject of official intercourse with other u Atone is
too long to enter upon at the end of a speech ; but few will
maintain that the preseet arrangements of our Foreign-
office, our consular a:nice, and our diplomatic sere ice, ere
thoroughly satisfactory. Happily the increasing diffusion
of wise principles of government on the coutment, and the
settlement or many long outstanding quarrels, make it
u-ore and more improbable that any foreign question will
arise which will so affect the passions of our imuntrynien
as to lead them to wish to engage in any war which is not
waged either in fulfilment of some imperative treaty or in
defence of the undoubted moral or legal tight. of this
country. We cannot, however, foresee the future, and
depend upon it the non-intervention that 011111.11 of full
knowledge is better than the non-intervention that comes
of ignorance ; nor must we forget that n u-intervention
is, after all, only the first half of a lesson which we have
to learn, and that the greatest preacher of .on•iatsrvess
tion whom England has seen will be longest and beet to.
membered as her first " international man."
STEAMSHIP COLLISION Orr THE MEILSPN.—EarIy
on Saturday a collision of a very serious nature occurred
off the entrance to the Mersey. The screw-steamer
Swansea, bound from the Mersey to Swansea, while out-
ward hound, mime into collision with the Relfut steam.
ship Magtxtio. The latter vessel cut the former down to
the water's edge, and the Swansea went down in a few
minutes after. There were no lives lost, and the Magnetic
went into dock with only her bow-ports damaged.