The Express.
London, England, 1868-01-16 00:00:00

OUR CONTEMPORARIES.

(THIS DAY.)

ADDRESSES OP PUBLIC ME .

Professor Fawcett 'a arguments on Tuesday even-
ing in favour of the possersion of land by peasant proprie-
tors and his description of the state of our agricultural
poorform the subject of an article in theDaily/fews. Why,
it asks, are there marks of proiless and improvement in
all other directions, while the agricultural labourer, in-
stead of reaping any advantages from our financial
prosperity, is in a worse condition now than he was a
hundred years ago ? The Daily News has more
hope of improving the position of the present
generation of agricultural labourers by education
and by social reform than by great political changes.
To unite gross ignorance to political freedom ia like chain-
ing a living body to a corpse. The first and chief thing to
be done for the labourer is to give him such an education
as will enable him to judge rationally of his state. At
present so great is his obtuseness that it is less difficult to
transplant a giant oak than an agricultural labourer.
In another column Mr. Stansfeld's discussion of the
measures and conduct of ministers is treated of by the
Dad!. News, which remarksthat the honourable member's
voice has been heard too rarely of late, both within the
walls of parliament and without. There have, it believes,
been reasons, for this silence which everyone will deplore,
and the cessation of which will be matter for general satis-
faction. The liberal party cannot afford to lose from the
ranks of its active combatants a man of Mr. Stansfeld's
intellectual courage, debating power, and administrative
capacity.
The Standard asks what the ingenuous youth whom the
Cambridge University commits to Mr. Fawcett for their
instruction in political economy must think of a teacher
who shows himself completely indifferent to facts, end
treats the whole question of the condition of the agricul-
tural classes, not with the purpose of removing any mis-
takes and prejudices which may prevent their harmonious
so-operation, and the more profitable use of the land, but
with the direct intention of exciting one class against the
other, and so obtaining a temporary advantage for one
political party? It does not know whether Mr. Fawcett's
lecture offends more by its ignorance or its unfairness—by
the gross exaggeration of the evils to be cured, or by the
utter insufficiency of the renieffies proposed to deal with
them, if they were what he represents there.
Commenting upon Mr. Stansfeld's remarks on the dis-
content of Ireland, the Star expresses the belief that the
ballot, the abolition of the Irish church, and some such
land scheme as Mr. Bright proposes, would lay the ghost
of Irish nationalism, which has been walking the earth
ever since the days of the Pale.

The Queen and Princess
Arthur drove out yesterday afternoon,
onel Ponsonby upon horseback; and her Majesty dieve in
the grounds this morning, asoompasied by Primes
Louise.
Prince Arthur. Priam Leopold, and Princess Beattie*
walked out.
The Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Lichfield, the Right
Honourable Sir Stafford Northcote, and the Very Rev.
the Dean of Westminster arrived at Osborne this morning.
At one o'clock the Bishop of Lichfield was introduced
to the pretence of the Queen by Sir Stafford Northoote,
when his lordship did homage to her Majesty as Bishop
of Lichfield.
Princess Louise and Prince Arthur were present with
her Majesty during the ceremony.
.1 The Dean of Westminster was in atteodaase as Deputy
1 Clerk of the closet.

Priam and Princess Christian and Prioress Henrietta
of Sehleewig•Hohtein left Frogmore on Tuesday, to visit
Lord and Lady Aileabury, at Savernake Forest.

CABINET COUNCEL.—A Cabinet Council is ap-
pointed to be held on Tuesday next, at three o'clock, at
the Earl of Derby's official residence in Downing•street.
Tim QUEEN AND THE LATE VISIT OF PRANCE
AND PRINCESA CHEISTIAN AND PEIRCE ARTHUR TO LITER-
POOL.—PTevioui to the commencement of business at the
usual meeting of the Liverpool town council yesterday, the
Mayor said he had received letters from Major Elphin-
stone, on behalf of Prince Arthur, and from Mr. Engle•
heart on behalf of Prince and Phnom Christian, express-
ing in the warmest terms their sense of the loyal and
enthusiastic welcome which they received from all classes
of the community at Liverpool during their recent visit
there, and also thanking them for the magnificent enter.
tainment given in their honour. He had also received
the following letter from Osborne :—" Osborne, Jan. 11.—
Sir,—The Queen cannot hoar from her children
of the enthusiastic and magnificent reception they have
met with at Liverpool, without wishing to convey to you,
and, through you, to the inhabitants of the town gene-
rally, the direct assurance of her deep personal gratifi-
cation. Her Majesty has, therefore, commanded me to
write to you, unofficially, to assure you of her grateful
sense of the kindness which has been shown to Prince
and Princess Christian and Prince Arthur. In the cordial
welcome they have received the Queen sees the most
satisfactory and gratifying proof of the loyal attachment
of the people of Liverpool to baud and her family ; and
she would be much obliged by your taking tho mode you may
think most effectual for letting your fellow•citizens know
how much her Majesty has been touched by it —I have
the honour to remain, air, your very obedient humble
servant, C. OBEY.—To the Mayor of Liverpool."
The Duke of Northumberland has gone to Hat-
field House on a visit to the Marquis and Marchioness of
Salisbury. The duchess is staying at Albury.
The Earl and Countess of Dunmore arrived in
town a few days ago from Holcombe Hall, the Earl of
Leicester's seat in Norfolk, and have since proceeded to
Elavernake Forest, Wilts.
It is stated that Mr. H. C. E. Childers, M.P. for
Pontefract, will succeed Mr. Mussy as Financial Secretary
for laths. _ _ _

--
It ia officially notified that the Right Hon.
Theobald Fitzwalter, Lord Danboyne, has been chosen by
a. majority of votes to be the peer to sit in the House of
Lords of the United Kingdom, in the room of the night
1 Hon. William, Earl of Roue, deemed.

WINTER SPORTS IN THE SCOTTISH HIGH

LANDS.

On Friday the 3rd, a picked body of dwellers on
the banks of Lochfyne met to play once wore the game
which Cuchullin and Oscar Diermaid and Fionn used to
play in the olden time. It was to be a peaceful battle be-
tween dwellers on the opposite side of the beautiful loch,
and the men were beaded, as of yore, by the gentry of the
old country which they love so well. The Cowal men
were headed by George Callender of Ardkinglas, and
his guest, Mr. Maitland ; the Inverary men by Lord
Archibald Campbell and his brother, Lord Walter ;
and :i9 picked men on each side made a total of 82.
The ground chosen has seen many • sturdy fight. For
untold time the old grey stone, which stands in the green
turf, among the old trees, beneath the castle walla, has
been the gathering place of the district in peace and in
war. For hundreds of years a shinty match had been
played beside the old pillar at the New Year ; but this was
something more important than usual, and the excitement
was in proportion. Lords and Labourers, volunteers and
their officers, farmers and burgesses, fishermen, shepherds,
tradesmen, all armed with sinntirs, clustered about the old
stone, and stripped to their work, while spectators clustered
under the trees and hung in clumps on the turf elopes
wherever a view of the coming battle couldbest be obtained.
In that bright, clear, frosty morning it was something to
stir the blood of old and young to see men who hang
together as these do, gathering for a mimic fray, where
their fathers had gathered time out of mind, and the
fight brought out many an old memory carefully preserved
by the old race. There was Macarthur, a tenant whose
ancestors have held the same farm for 500 years, who was
proud to say that one of his people bad preserved the Aagyll
titledeeds when the Athole men made • stable for horses of
the castle of fdacalain, his chief. There was Munro, whose
forbears bed held the farm which he now bolds for the same
time ; and many of their stamp leaned on their sticks and
told their old-world histories to all who cared to hear.
But the players had other work in hand. At half-past 11
the ball —a block of birch root ant out with a knife,
according to immemorial custom—was thrown up by the
umpire, between the two leaders, with the old battle cry
of " Cotlirom na Feinne "—Fenian/. opportunity—which
stands for fair play—and at it they went, as if they were
fighting for dear life, instead of barren honour. The
goals were two pairs of flags, 12 yards apart, and the
distance from goal to goal was about 450 yards. Fur more
than an hour 82 men ran after the birch NW, and smote it
and each other, and shouted and cheered, and worked for
fun and fame as no man overworked for pay. Hugh Brodie,
a farmer on Ardkinglu, about 80 years of age, acted general
on one side, and Willie Mackenzie, ground officer, who is
nearly 70, marshalled the Inverary men. With white hair
streaming in the wind, and clear bright eyes glittering in
the sunshine, they rushed throush the melee, shouting
their orders, and praised those who did well ; while the
young leaders plunged into the thick of the light, and
did all they could to win. The judges and the umpire did
all they could to follow and see fair play, and they, too,
had to keep moving. Many a hard blow was given' and i
well taken ; many • man rolled prostrate and rose again,
with honourable scars ; but at the end of the first hour the
whole party were still fit for work, and Inverary had
gained one goal. Now cams a pause, and the heaving I
of deep chests showed how hard the work had been.
Inverary now struck off from between the goals which
they bad won, and the game went on very keenly for
another hour with varying success and many casualties.
Lord Archibald was partially stunned by a blow on the
head. Lord Walter had his upper lip split by the wooden
ball. George Fergruagon, clerk an the Chamberlain's Office,
lamed in a previous game, was forced to give in. Dupla!
Mackenzie, eon of the Inveraray general, got two very bad
blows oaths month from shinties, and, being asked if he
meant to retire, declined with strong language. Two
Ardkinglas MOO, names unknown, were considerably
damaged ; and many others had hard knocks, of which
they took small heed. At last an Ardkinglas man caught
the ball in his hand at the first hop, threw in through the
goals, and so the gams was made even at the end of the
second hour. Ardkinglas now struck off, and by good luck
and right good play the Inveraray men won the third
goal in about five minutes, and gained the day. And so
this mimic war ended in perfect good humour ; the
players were entertained at the inn, and drunk many
toast', after which the piper struck up, and many
reels were danced on the road. The two leaders danced
with their aged generals, who showed that years bad
not extinguished their youthful ire. The judges danced
with the umpire, the rival players with each other,
maids and matrons of mature age joined in and riYarZ
with boys or old grandfathers with equal joy ; and so the
fun went on till the bell of the little steamer warned the
Cows] men to depart, and away they went, cheering and
happy, to tell their friends at home of the glorious shinty
snatch at Inverary. And as they went the setting sun lit
up the grand old hills and woods with glorious colour, at
orange and purple and green and gold, and the smooth
loch mirrored a scene of beauty that many will remember
as long as they bro.—Correspondent of the Olavor
Herald.

Cirearte AT Pte.—" Public beneficence in
Parts," says the Droit, " loops pass with the wants of the
destitute. The twenty esorplems of the Primes liu-
=distribute daily trees 40,000 to 50,000
to the all gives by Ile ona unt. swal=
1...h0du a N.,dr, EMS, soap, sodteestsblas, orasZ
5 essileses. The Mast et M. Ones, idler* Abe
Asrelebedaess yrevalls, Sr la the
limperees itemsairrall,ooo MB kosely
is see ceibeed *sibs sea
eses of tbs Ind— "....'vEit sober ; lie bes
wiled the the et y
et Per* yid& has
oedema tbe I et ailkilliabillbsas is tbe
Mb, WILLA.. live. r=os
....rt.
The Ay.
voloos ellWg amity, aOs graft se bread
amid le wile ass amilsil bee bow imissaid."

on the 11th, says :—" Nothing can exceed the ill
humour and discontent of the French troops in
garrison at Civita Vecchia. The officers are espe-
cially enraged at the false position they occupy,
both morally and materially, and complain of
suffering all the disadvantages of war without
the excitement and rapid promotion which
usually counterbalance them in the estimation
of military men. The division consists of
about 8,000 men, of whom only half can
find crowded accommodation in the town, while
4,000 are encamped on the heights around the
Capuchin Convent, a mile out on the Corneto road,
where torrents of rain from the upper ground keep
the camp in a continual state of swamp, and the
stormy libeecio wind blows away the faggots from
beneath the shivering soldiers' pot-au-feu. Under
such circumstances, with living very dear and very
bad, the officers are anxiously awaiting the result
of General de Failly's application at Paris for an
amelioration in the position of the troops under
I his command ; but the intelligence given by the
10/A/tient. that a portion of them had already
marched to reoccupy Viterbo is premature. The
sick, of whom there are a great many—too
many to be received in the military hospital
at Civita Vecchia—are brought up to the
Hospital of San Spirit°, in Rome. What-
ever change the French troops may anticipate
in their favour, it will hardly be that of a
return to France at present, for the intention of
the French government seems to be rather to ren-
der their position at Civita Vecchia impregnable
cm the land as well as sea side, by the completion
of its fortifications and their armament with heavy
artillery. The Orinoque came into the harbour
two days ago with guns, mortars, and ammunition
for this purpose, and the works are being actively
carried on which will render Civita Vecchia a safe
pied-d-terre on the Italian peninsula, and a per-
manent thorn in the side of Victor Emmanuel's
wernment."

484a'.!

---7"-mir FROM PARIS.
(mow KS ceasizseennissr.)
• PARIS, WEDNESDAY EVIDYING.
The Army Bill was at length painfully and
reluctantly voted yesterday by the relatively
small majority of 200 to 60. In the list of the
minority are not to be found the names of several
deputies, such u MM. Segris, Millet, and La
Guistihre, who made eloquent speeches against
many clauses of the bill. It must be borne in
mind that the bill as passed, unpopular as it is
confessed to be, has been materially altered by the
pressure of public opinion acting upon the deputies
during the course of the long debate. The annual
vote of the contingent, the lowering of the standard
height, marriage permitted during the last three
years' service in the reserve, and the interdiction (as a
rule) of substitutes in the Mobile National Guard—
are all points which, though they will not prac-
tically affect the Emperor's power to raise an im-
mense army whenever he pleases, were insisted
upon by the majority as mitigations of the oppres-
siveness of the original measure. Some of these
amendments the government adhered to with
manifest pleasure. Lowering the standard, though
meant to distribute the burden of military service
more equally, was eagerly caught at by a govern-
ment which looks to the means of carrying on a
tremendous war because it will make it easier to
get a large number of men. A similar reason may
be suggested by the readiness with which M. Rouher
agreedto sacrifice the original principle that tho pur-
chase of substitutes should be allowed in the Mobile
National Guard, and the fluency with which, after
consultation with the Emperor, he said the very
contrary of what Marshal Niel had said in an
earlier stage of the debate.
M. Vuitry, the minister presiding the Council
of State, was the last government orator who spoke
on the question, and he yesterday repeated empha-
tically what M. Ronher had said before, that the
bill was a pacific, and not a warlike measure. Their
assurances command no confidence. Even the
France, a strong imperialist paper, says to-night,
with curious inconsistency, in the course of an
article praising M. Vuitry's speech, that the
bill is not an " organic law " but one " provoked
by the battle of Sadowa," and that it is useless to
deny that it is " profoundly unpopular in the
country."
The latest news of Count do Colts is said to
be " better than could be expected" after the
very severe operation which he suffered. Dr.
Nelston expresses himself quite satisfied with the
patient's state and confidently predicts that he
will be able to resume his ordinary occupations
within a week.
The break up of the ice on the Seine [delAcle],
which on account of the considerable fear of its
doing mischief was regarded with great anxiety,
occurred at about half-past 1 this afternoon.
An agglomeration of ice about thirty yards
square was carried by the force of the
current against the arches of the Pont-au-Change
with a tremendous shock and a great noise, which
excited the curiosity of numerous spectators
assembled to witness the picturesque spectacle.
The boats on the river—thanks to the precautions
taken several days ago to break up the ice all
around them—have not been injured. No accident
of any k;nd is yet reported. The weather is now
that of a fine spring day, and the Centigrade ther-
mometer 11 legs. above zero.
The following fragment of a letter from Garibaldi
to M. Quinet is published:

Caprera, Jan. 7, lB6t.
. . . . Mentana was for me a new Asprotnonte. I
was not wounded in the heel but in the heart, having lost
so many of my brave brothers in arms. I confess that I
did not reckon that day on having a second time to fight
against a French army, and that error led to my defeat.
The Pope's soldiers, whom we bad already beaten, were
flying ; but our ammunition being exhausted, and a new
French line replacing that of the mercenaries, the firmness
of our poor volunteers gave way, and we retired upon
Monte Rotando Let our friends in France
and the world be easy, we will begin again.
G. GARIBALDI.

M. Bellazzi, a member of the Italian parliament,
committed suicide on Saturday by firing three bar-
rels of a revolver in the region of the heart. The
last shot killed him instantaneously. Arranged in
front of him while he committed the fatal act were
three portraits of a young Milanese lady to whom
he was engaged to bo married, but whose parents
had lately broken off the match, on the ground
that as General Menabrea had dismissed him from
a prefecture, to which he had been appointed by
M. Rattazzi (his intimate friend), hislworldly posi-
tion was too uncertain.
At the Bourse the Rente, after recovering to the
extent of 10c. from the fall of the last two
days, again became depressed, and closed with a
further fall of 15c., both for cash and account, at
68fr. 70c. and GBfr. 60c. The latter quotation is
25c. lower than the highest of the day. Italian
rose 10c. In other securities there was very little
change.

WEATHER REPORT.-(TBD3 DAY.)

TIRMIIMAT,JAXUAIT 16,

B T.
dales - -71 r 48
Abwissa
•••r
"WM 41
Lorili ..... 1636 r 46
Ardrow46.. 79.114 r 611
..-'-'.....'-t="l6"/"5peaci.....i1:17.67:69 186264
Wehi5Pt..114.3474
1,4•40441 64.06r 44
4
Holyirrol 126.96 46
reaseao• Doi& 61
lanw.t 36. 46 IL
363 .1114 B.
7- •
Itrenweib, ISO. 461 6.17.
Lasalle INAS* di B.W.
Terwooli 10 44 &W.
Orokrlterwas&we6 ,441 aw.
geld ~ 19.1•0 B.W.
710/64r l— I ,
Beassis 66.36 1 ►&W.
Paris 111.46 7 IL
strambova 1 a W.
Lyme . - 110.43 11., &L
Bewt's•Con 20.964 11' N.B.

B.w.

aw.

B.W.

B.N.
LW.
W.
8.8. W.

LLW.

s.ii.
Ir.S. W.

o-
f -
o -
t -
9 t

Wencorrected sad named le di dam.at sea Lend 71a
Wen r nth*. t (lslUag), s POW. Indicate dtreetiou of
sasseneet winds WI Id lam Ilkersoortar exposed
hi dad& Isermas oree, wttl: itsarselio• 01.410.04 ifi boom
Z.-esit. Wainer • b. -bins sip ;a. - donde terAadaM); t.-
tog ; k-b 11;
to-atelolnlog ; tn.-ratty (new) ; n-oesnesa
Ida); E-11115: a.--•••.; $.-4isnrr. luds-tell. anew or
Ina pollen bistagiri IA brim Ina dloPubanon
MUM&
Datenslolati prerinusbaesves, mills lesrassd snare pester-
Apr se as enr anatime at lair adosies west. At Yawns a
sendinerlds demons Is down *lse kat ennand. and there Is a
diwirratisn now Si ~ems at is star warmdmlkels. 'Mind
ta lbe reek dlls. dr Nabs Sirie" orinetener it an
=thin if led'itet witentes. The lint preeases es as
:In dli we Odd it Wes Si nerdy as loci
Tomperalime los elm errWaisiar is as art sir
le man anent la en nee& At the waft Idi=
meat,
ler
WWII a WAN* Os Wow : glob lave aims beaked
at ell gals la
Wok Mon ea paw Weerdsp al Vakatta.
Wasatrallar44pielltied. bss On earth and
sp=mis. Vaintlit the ass le nid isldnint ts re.
MN Nen% Wiesimentnnedilds dradddi

The Zthperor Napoleon learning that the ware-
booms al the Yept.drPlete af Perim are crowded with
articles, gtherally el illet swesesity, puthaderly bedding,
yawned by working people sad smell Ira Mace the
topsoils( al winter, to apply their raft wants, lately
esthed isoridrise to be ramie ea the wabjeth fl. result is
that lie Majesty bee tweed erase to the else. that time
poor people eta 7011000 their sternly %et without say
mutest, and the polies have Wen them aides to that
efeek

,-,,,t00k,:,..„.
lip ir : :- i - y,' ,A1TA.141431A JAICIJAIX
4, ;-
- . i
____ _
LATIIIT ItTELLIGENCE.
e .M. - • I
...; 1
.- . , I. ..,......----
maps
':'
• ''.
Cle:BC.it9l. Jar. 15. DISCONIIO4O THE FRENCH
L and Princess Louise awl Prince AT CINTTA VECCHLL
KA ywairday afternoon, attended by Col- The oorreapondent,of the Post at Rome, writing