The Express.
London, England, 1867-05-13 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, MONDAY EVENING, MAY 13, 1867.

which committees of the Lomls and Commons have
exhibited without the smallest show of compunc-
tion. But it is evident that if relief is to be
sought, the application must come, not from bo-
wl/bred shareholders, who cannot mate up their
minds as tm what they want, but fn nu practical
men of hominess, who see both the evil and the
possible remedy. The •teat difficulty is the want
of agreement. The Clmirman of the Brighton
Board, a gentivinan of undoubted talent and
integrity, cannot, for ,oine reason, concur with
the evially honest and able President of the
Committee of Investigation. This is only a
specionm of the too constint divergence of of '
and apparent incapacity to make mutual cini-
Ce53i,.113 that cause us at times to despair of
the future of railway property. There is
the property, good and sound in itself if only pro-
perly managed, but no two persons can lie found
to 'pad the same "IMO in as to what proper manage•
ment is.

As retrirds the London and Brighton, we think
that, looking at all the facts of the ease, the Com-
mittee have the balance of right on their aide.
They have had the courage to tell the truth. It
is not a pleasant duty to bring circumstances to
light that depreei,tte the property of both them-
selves and their co-shireholdues. Generally the
return for this kind of plain speaking is not
praise, but blame. Still it is possible to push an ad-
vantage too far. There can be no doubt that the direc-
tors, past or present, of the London and Brighton
COMpallY have by their mistaken policy done
much to destroy the value of an undertaking that
only lately ranked '4 the first in the kingdom.
No doubt they acted with the best intentions, but
two-thirds of the harm that occurs in the world is
done with the best intentions. The evil com-
mitted, the prettiesl course, it may be repeated,
is to seek the remedy. One point is incontestable,
the advisability of getting rid of contentions, and
of acting in the mutual interest. It is often bene-
ficial to make concessions, oven when the right is
almost wholly on one aide. The Committee of
Investigation of the London and Brighton are in
the latter position. Can they do nothing to ter-
minate the present divisions ? With so valuable
a property at stake, it is worth while to strain •
point to meet opponents half way. If no other
consideration should suffice, it might be well to
give some thought to the many families whose in-
comes depend solely on their investments in this
line, and are menaced with ruin unless its affairs
are placed on a satisfactory footing.

will not afforstseaseh satisfactill to those moserclos•iy in.
terested, eitat in the vast property involved or in the
management of our highways. Considering thalength and
minuteness of the inquiry, the eminetee of the persons
engaged. and the gravity of the crisis through which those
great undertakings are even now passing, the result an-
nounced seems singularly inadequate to the occasion. It
will ,trike most people a somewhat lame and impotent
conclusion that the beet thing to do with railway ember
rassment is to act on the late Lord 3lelhourne's easygoing
maxim, and" let it alone." Such, however, with two
qualifications, is the decision.

tan= INTELLIGENCE. '

•

THE LATE CONFERENCE AND ARMA-
MENTS IN FRANCE.

The jul...tuit de. Diffrats of yesterday contains
the following

Since the oommcncemont of the crisis which closed by
the signing of the treaty yesterday at London we have
always advocated the cause of peace, and no one more
heartily rejoices than we do that a terrible war has been
happily avoided by the wisdom of European diplomacy.
But precisely fortbe reason that we donut wishto see France
exposed at any moment to have her repose troubled and be
often compelled to plumber hand on the hilt of Lersword, we
are of opinion that in future she should be prepared for
any event. According to a despatch which we hose just
received, Lord Stanley yesterday proposed to the minist,ra
of the powers represented in the Conference a general dis-
armament. If such a proposal wa■ made, we do
not think that France could at the present moment
accept it. It is to be presumed that if 11.
de Bismarck saw that our arsenals were well
stocked with good arms, that our cavalry and artillery
were supplied with the necessary amount of horses, and
that our military stores were abundantly provided with
boots and clothes, he would not have been interrogated in
the parliament of n. rth Orr any as be was by M. von.
Benningsen. Justly confident in the integrity and modem.
tion of France he would doubtlees have yielded in a
friendly manner and without noise to the cabinet of the
Tuileries the evacuation of Luxemburg, which he consented
to only at the solicitation of England and of Europe.
A nation, intoxicated by recent and almost unexpected
I success, but still possessed of the innate sentiments of
courtesy and equity, will be the less likely to forget the
rules of international politeness, the more clearly it sees
that its ueighbours are in a position to appeal to those
rules. We do not, indeed, think it necessary to call the
whole nation under arms at once and for ever.
as was proposed a few days ago in the Corps
Legislatif. lint we think it indispeneahle that
our soldiers should be in possession of good arms,
which they may suddenly be called upon to use.
The Mexican war has exhausted our magazines and
arsenals. We must fill up this void. Our rifles are infe-
rior to the needle-guns : let us replace them by guns of
precision such as the progress of the military art requires.
We have left thousands of horses in Mexico; let us quickly
buy others. It is working in the cause of pesos to deprive
neighbours who are now not over kindly disposed towards
us of the desire of taking advantage of circumstances in
which they might imagine that we were too unprepared to
meet them. In our days more especially the old maxim,
si ris parrnt pant Whin, is perfectly true. France should
at this moment desire peace with strength.

(REUTERS'S TELEGRAMS.)
ITALY.

FLORENCE, MAT 12, EVENING.

The elections at Andrea have resulted in the
return of Signor Ferrara, the Minister of Finance.
The news that King Victor Emmanuel will
shortly pay a visit to Paris is confirmed.
The Duko and Duchess d'Aosta will also proceed
thither.