The Express.
London, England, 1867-09-05 00:00:00

mrecau.ANsore TOPICS.

The Daily New remarks that the ninth report of the
medical officer of the Privy Council is probably the most
important which hu ever emanated from the same quarter.
Amongst the reports contained in this book, the one which
will probably command the greatest interest, as well from
its subject as from the admirable manner in which it le

handled;is that which treats of the outbreak of cholera in
London Art year. It is from the pun of Mr. John Netten
Badclilik, who last year contributed a most valuable paper
on the Marc. and development at the pressed diff tyke of
cholera in Europe. No such complete history of any
outbreak has ever appeared before. In no pievious
record has the charge of disseminating cholera
been so clearly brought home to an impure water supply.
Doubtless, it is not a pleasant reflection that the lives of
men often hang upon such a chance as the irregular work-
ing of a water supply, and the contingency of foul river
water soaking through a porous bank. But it is surely in
the highest degree satisfactory to find such evidence that
we may with justice conclude that if these or like con-
tingencies had not occurred, 5,000 people would not have
died of cholera last year in London. To prevent their oc-
currence should not be a very difficult matter. At any
rate, the attempt should not be delayed.
In another article, treating of the Church of England,
the Times says her danger lies In a wide-spread indifference,
which is intellectual among the more educated classes and
animal among the lower. If this is to be dissipated, theo-
logy must be better cultivated and religion rendered more
vigorous as well as more reasonable. It is not, it fears,
superfluous to recommend these considerations to the
notice of the clergy. They are not wanting in real and
activity, but recent movements give but too much reason
to apprehend that they are becoming less learned, more
frivolous, and more flashy. If this tendency should con-
tinue, the Establishment would soon discover th►t its
foundation rested upon sand.
The Times, Herald, Post, and Standard, contain re-
marks on the presentation of a testimonial to Mr. Mark-
ham, the manager of the Staveley Coal and Iron Com-
pany, by 3,000 of the workmen. The testimonial, it is
said,expreseed not merely their senseof hispersonal merits,
but their gratitude for his sucorsaful endeavours in " vin-
dicating the right of the British workman to freedom of
labour and of action against the operation of trades'
unions."

Eke Court.

BALMORAL, SEPT. 3.

The Queen went out yesterday, accompanied by
Prinoes. Christian and Prince Leopold, and attended by
Lady Churchill.
Lord Stanley had the honour of dicing with the Queen
and royal family.
Major-General the Hon. A. N. Hood hu succeeded
Lord Charles Fitzroy as equerry in waiting.

The Marquis and Marchioness of Donegan have
left their residence in Grosvenor-square for Hametead
Marshall, Berkshire.

The Earl of Shaftesbury has gone on a tour of
visits in Scotland.

The Countess (Dowager) of Kinnoull, who ar-
rived at her residence in Belgisve-square at the end of
last week, has gone on a visit to the Earl and Countess of
Binnoull, at Dupplin Castle, Perthshire.
Viscount and Viscountess Hawarden and the
Hon. Mimes Mando have arrived at Dandrnm, county
Tipperary,where the noble family intend to remain several
months.

Viaoonnteaa Joonlyn and Hon. Mies Jocelyn are
staying with Viscountess Palmerston at Tunbridge Wells.

The Right Hon. Sir David Dundaa, Bart., and
Lady Lucy Dundee have returned to the Alexandra Hotel,
Hyde-park-corner, from Paris.

Sir Henry and Lady Blake and Mrs. Bennet
have left Penance's Hotel for Aahfield Lodge, near Ix-
worth, Suffolk.

Mr. Bright, M.P., says the Leeds Mercury, is at
present staying at Pitnacree, the Highland residence) of
Yr. Thos. B. Potter, M.P.
Baron de Roux has arrived at the Alexandra
Hotel, Hyde•park.oorner.

The Count de l'Aigle has recently died at hia
Chateau de Tracy, in the department of the Oise, at the
age of 100 years and 10 months.

We (Freeman's Joural) regret to learn that the
Right Hon. Francis Blackburne's (ex-Lord Chasmllor)
health is in soprecarimas a state that his life is despaired of.
The eleventh annual meeting of the National
Association for the Promotion of Social Science commences
in Belfast on Wednesday, the 18th, and terminates on
Wednesday, the 25th of September.
MAJORITY OF MR, C. L. ADDERLEY. —The majo-
rity of Mr. C. L. Adderley, son and heir of the Right Hon.
C. B. Adderley, M.P., is now being celebrated in the good
old English style at the family seat, Hams Hall, near
Coles-hill. The festivities commenced on Monday, and
hospitality will be dispensed throughout the week, not
only to the relatives and friends of the family, but to all
classes of persons connected with the estate.
THE ABYSSINIAN EXPEDITION.—The shipbrokers
and speculators at Liverpool were quite in a peak yester-
day morning on the receipt of the telegrams announcing
the release of King Theodore's victims from their long
captivity. The freight and coal markets were completely
paralysed for several hours, though as the day wore on
doubts were felt as to the accuracy of the intelligence,
sceptics asking, " Why could the news not be tele-
graphed from Alexandria?" and "How did it get to Con-
stantinople" Their doubts received comparative confir-
mation from the fact that, though the Admiralty officials
received their daily flood telegrams, none alluded to the
release of the captive*. In fact they all urged the prompt
completion of the surveys and despatch of the steamers
re-
quired for the East Indian and Mediterranean service.—
The Timer says, in relation to this subject : The telegram
announcing the release of the prisoners has not yet been fol-
lowed by instructions for countermanding the preparations
for the Abyssinian expedi ion. The work of fitting the
ships is being briskly pushed along, and the whole of the
transports will be ready in a few days. Of these 14, or two-
thirds of the required number, have been taken up in Liver-
pool-11 for troops, and three for mules and stores. The
West India and Pacific Company supply four—namely, the
American, the California, West Indian, and Bolivar ; the
National Steam Navigation Company two—the England
and the Queen—and the fine new steamer, the France, is
under survey, and it is expected will be chartered. The
Inman Compan furnish the City of Dublin, the City of
Manchester, and' the Kangaroo ; Mr. C. E. Dixon, the Bos-
phorus; and Mr. Fernie, the Peruvian. The Meander,
belonging to Messrs. Bibby, has been placed under survey
for the conveyance of mules ; and the Bolivar, taken up on
Tuesday, was yesterday sent round to Deptford to be fitted
up for the same description of service. Two of the Liver-
pool Admiralty surveyors have been despatched to New-
castle to survey the steamers Emperor and Empress, for
the conveyance of mules and stores. A detachment of the
Military Train, consisting of Captains Morrison and Miller,
Lieutenants Devine and Walsh, Ensigns Make and Stone,
and !ti men, left Southampton yesterday in the Peninsular
and Oriental Company's steamship Maasilie, for Alexan-
dria, whence they proceed to Sues for service in connexion
with the Abyssinian expedition."
PIROONAL STATIIITIVFI or THE SOOTCH BAR.—
Daring the period of which we mimic eighty-one men, in
all, were called to the bar, or " panted Advocate," es we
say in Scotland ; for with us it has been a passage not
wholly free from anxieties, though, in obedience to the
fashions of the time, the term sot the examination committee
have alternated with those of the ballot box. Of these
eighty-one, not more than fourteen or fifteen ever secured
any appreciable amount of general practice, by which we
mean a permanent income of say 300/. a year, not arising
from official appointments. Out of these. say. fif teen men
of promise, not more than nine or ten are in practice now ;
but of this comparativelyinsignificant band five are in very
large practice, the extent of which may be judged of
when we mention that two have held the
office of Solicitor-General, and two are under-
stood to have declined the Bench. So far—notwith-
standing these brilliant prises—the prospect certainly is
not inviting, except for those whose self-reliance is greater
than that of most men ought to be. But the picture
brightens when we remember that eight of our number
have been made sheriffs of counties ; fifteen sheriff-aubsti-
totes ; and that we have hail scattered amongst us twelve
other official appointments, which would scarcely have
been attainable except to members of the bar. On the
whole it seem to us that our fortunes ought by no means
to exercise a deterrent influence, when we inform those
who may meditate joining our family circle, that just
about one half of us (forty as near as we can calculate)
live, or have lived, by the altar. And this impression will
be strengthened by the additional fact that amongst us
there were eighteen who were, or were to be, the happy
inheritors of paternal acres so wide as greatly to relax the
energies of the youthful wearers of horse-hair. Of these
sons of fortune one only has stuck to the profession with
loyal devotion ; and, though several hold Office@ not one,
so far as we know, has got into practice. On ehe other
hand, they have probably had • good deal to do
with raising the marriage rate to the high figure of fifty-
three already, and there can be little doubt that their
influence is telt in keeping down the average are of mar-
riage to (we believe) twenty-seven—which is greatly under
what our readers would probably have anticipated. The
death-rate amongst us has not been high—only about four-
teen. But we have had no less than seven cases of in.
sanity, which is greatly beyond the average, and must,
we fear, be set down to the tear, and wear, and worry, of
of which many of us have had more that. our share. In
conclusion, we shall add these few miscellaneous gleanings.
We have now one pinion, and one doctor, whilst two of
us were doctors to begin with, and two of us were soldiers.
We have had no less than eleven authors (not including
periodical writers and reporters), two professors, two
M.P.'s, and one—there could be but one—Lord Lyon !
Macsraltan's Magazine for September.

EXPRESS, THURSDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 5,