The Express.
London, England, 1868-09-18 00:00:00

TUE YEW GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF
CANADA.

THE appointment to the governorship of Canada
rises far above the sphere of party politics ; and
the selection of Sir Joust Yomeo will probably
give satisfaction to the thinkers of both sides. A
trained official ; a politician whose parliamentary
experience dates from the year before the passing
of the first Reform Bill; a statesman who has
graduated in public business and in tho art of
governing men in the several offices of Lord of
the Treasury, Secretary to the Treasury, Chief
Secretary for Ireland, Lord High Commissioner
of the lonian Islands, and finally as Governor of
New South Wales, Sir JOU!! YOUNG is well quali-
fied to discharge the duties of his new post. The
merest sciolist in politics knows how delicate
those duties are, and how much depends upon the
tact, temper, and skill of the representative
of the English Crown in Canada. A private
despatch to the home government, from Sir Joins
YorNo, while Lord High Commissioner, led, it
has been generally believed, to the cession
of the lonian Islands, and there has
been no reason to doubt the soundness
of the opinions he then expressed. Indeed, it
would have been difficult to have found a new
Governor for Canada to whom the word " safe"
would more emphatically apply ; and the
appointment announced to-day is in every
way a direct antithesis to the ridiculous
attempt to foist Lord MAYO upon India.
Sir JOHN YOUNG is a Liberal of the ear-
nest, thoughtful type, and, like Mr. GLADSTONE,
ceunuenced public life as a Conservative, after-
wards holding a prominent place in the Peelite
section of the house. The new Governor assumes
the reins of office when the horizon is happily clear,
and when none of the complex questions which
agitate the Canadian mind from time to time
have an aspect indicative of trouble. But the
peculiarity of the politics of this great colony is
that the points in its internal policy, and the rivalry
between its different religious and national ele-
ments, are at least as difficult to deal with as its
relations with the parent and other States. Mat-
ters of intense significance, clouds scarcely bigger
than a man's hand, may arise at any moment, and
it is satisfactory to know that a statesman of the
ability and experience of Sir Jon.N Yorso is equal
to all such contingencies.

SOAP CHEAPER THAN WATER.

THERE is an immense tract of country west of
Laramie, on the Pacific Railroad, which, according
to a correspondent of the Chicago Tribune, is
almost uninhabitable on account of the absence of
potable water. Many streams intersect the dis-
trict, but the liquid of which they aro formed is a
strong solution of alkali, which roughens or
chaps one's skin or peels one's face,
acts as a medicine if swallowed, is use-
less in steam boilers, and renders the ground
all but incapable of nourishing vegetation.
But it readily yields soap. " The men put grease
' in the alkali water, stir it well with a stick, and
" there is soap. Naturally it costs but little, and
" when freights are reduced on the road it is pro-
' posed to supply the whole United States with
" cheap and good soap." It is stated that much
of the region is so impregnated with the alkali
that for two or throe inches down the earth
crumble* and sinks beneath the feet like ashes.
No analysis of these crusts is given, but unless
they contain a considerable proportion of real
alkali they will scarcely supersede for soap-making
or other purposes the " soda " which manufac-
turers prepare on an enormous scale from common
salt at little more than one-halfpenny per pound.
It is sonic satisfaction to know, however, that if
ever the day should arrive when our coal-fields
will be exhausted, and, consequently, the remune-
rative working of soda-furnaces be impracticable,
Nature will provide us with all materials nems-
sary to keep us in the condition said to be next
to godliness.

The coerosponihnit of the Times says thut in
every linen-shop in Paris one sees exposed in the window
handkerchiefs having iu the corner, by way of vignette,
the unpleasant emblem—a red lantern, open, with a
candle-end inside, flaring and guttering. In the Fau-
bourg be. Martin, it is announced, a café has taken the
name of Cafe de la Lantern° Rochefort. A groat number
of ephemeral publications have been brought out, either
imitating the Losterm in form, colour of cover, and
general aspect, or else introducing the word " Lauterne"
or the name of Rochefort in some way or other upon their
titlepege.