The Express.
London, England, 1857-07-11 00:00:00

THE WEEKLY PRESS.

We reed in the Lrado r :—" The defalcations with
respect to the Regiion Ikhdlli in Ireland amountwl to about
30,0001., those in Buckingham l'alacis w 12,0001., those in
the Adotirslty Registrar Office to 60,0001, those iu the
Council Oh ice to about 3,001/. The amount of those in the
Treasury, Intestate Edate, and Escheats were of sat
unknown amount. Four years tgll, a tV11111.111211 wan
sent down to an important provincial town, to
examine the accounts of a parson suspected to
bo in wean. •For four years,' said a witness,
last week, before a parliamentary committee, ' the wtole of
the system was one great fabrication. The accounts sat
up and audited, and loaned according to the usual forms of
audit, were perfectly fabulous.' It may be added that

. .
rumours were afloat 'moo months ago of an estensite • dm,s
upon the Secret Rorie Fund. Perhaps there fr•qr tral
auggest to liberal members the neceerity of a searching
inquiry into tha financial administration of the public de.
pattments."

By the majority of Wednesday week, the MUNI
of medical reform, says the Lane( t, landed tfunaseelably
on an eminence, where it rests no longer threatened by
destruction, either from the interested maehinations of
individuals, or from the mistakes of select committees. A
greet principle wan established when the voice of the
liouae of Commons pronounced emphatically against cen.
tralintion and government dictation in the affairs of ny
medical profusion, and decided in favour of wolf-government.
That the country is with the profesaion—that it a, know-
ledge, their superior judgment in the matter of eelf•edaca.
lion, and in all regulations pertaining to their own efficiency,
and therefore to the interests of the public—could not have
been more strongly enunciated. A majority of one hundred
and forty-seven, or these to one, in support of a profession,
who are backed by no great aristocratic influences, is a
triumph to Mr. Ilendlatua bill, which might well excuse
some exultation on the part of its supporters."
The Thames Conservancy Bill, which practically
continues the control of the river in the corporation of
London, has passed the Common,. The Wkly hivete.A
observe.;—" Not a singleeit. , trading or mercantile interest,
is represented at the Board of Conservators, although the bill
empowers the tanservaturs to tax, at their discretion, the
whole shipping and merchandise of the port. The river has
been so scandalously neglected by the very conservators
appointed by the bill, that in place of its being widened,
deepened and purified, the teen in the dock' come up sick
and fevered with the stench and malaria they encounter,
and persons going up and down the river find the
noxious effluvia floating around them not less dangerous than
disgusting. So many places are silted up, and so many
shoals are suffered and accumulated, that the navigation has
been impeded. In fact, nothing bas been dune for the trade.
and heavy taxes have been taken from it. We trust the bill
will be amended in the Lords by enforcing the representation
of the trade and shipping at the hoard. Surely the chairman
of Lloyd's, of the dock companies, of the Eut India Associa-
tion, and other bodies, know as much about the subject es
the lord mayor or the common council."
The Press remarks that a session like the pre-
sent is not remembered by the passing generation. "A
Premier without a party—liberals without lestlers—a
minister without me cures, describes the condition of the
successors of the reform party. Only for the election com-
mittees there would scarcely be a ripple on the parliamentary
surface. Something of a faint political interest is still pre-
served in the anxiety to know what report wan made in
certain cases of asserted intimidation and imputed
treating. It seems to be the age of a lounging
liberalism. Nothing is done now, becauee in the next
session we are promised a reform bill, and quidnuncs specu-
late an to whether the Prime Minister really means to intro.
duce any innovations in parliamentary privileges. Against
this ministerial lassitude there will be a strong political re-
action through the country. In this year the excitement of
the general election occurring at an awkward period of the
session interrupted the regular working of parties, and
absorbed a large portion of popular interest. But such
excuiles cannot last for ever, and political questions of a
serious character must be again cubtnitted to the public mind.
Eventualities of the highest importance may occur before m•
other session has paused ►way, and the force, wealth, num-
bers end organisation of the conservative body may be en-
abled to command that official influence due to its great

In the course of a debate in the House of Commons
but Tuesday night, Rear-Admiral the Hon. Arthur Dun-
combs made an attack upon Sir Charles Napier. The mar-
admiral is reported to have said, that he "entirely disagreed
with all the observations of the gallant admiral. He, for
one, did not wish to see ships run away ; and as to fighting,
the gallant admiral had given them little chance of doing
that when he had a test under his command." Of this the
L'nited Service Casette indignantly "aye, "Imagine a speech
of that sort coming from an officer who never saw a shot
find in anger during tho period of his naval service!
Rear-Admiral Duncombe's career has been one of M.
linnet professional prosperity. He has sailed on a sea el
glass, and never Imew a difficulty. He joined the navy is
1819, and in 1826 he was made a lieutenant, in 1829 a
aom-
mender, and in 1834 a captain. In all this officer chaos
thirteen years full pay service, or six year. commiesicad
time only. lie never hoisted a pendant as a captain, nor in
any way served her Majesty until the Duke of Northumber-
land made him a Lord of the Admiralty. He has, therefore,
been filling his pockets with money, making no return for ft
in the way of servitude, and has been bottling up wrath
against a venerable officer who, with all his faults sad
eccentricities, has seen shot fired, and has shown no incur
siderable amount of real for the good of the navy."
The Economist condemns the attempts which it
appears are being made to induce the public in the mendato
luring districts to enter into a combination against the gal
of sugar, in order to frustrate the machinations of speculators.
" So long as the great demand which exists in the toad
States, on the continent of Europe, and in other parts alga
world continues, the only effect of such an attempt ed
bo to divert from this country the supplies which
otherwise would have reached it, and to that a-
toll limit our trade of import, and to some a•
tent our trade of export in return for such imports.
If the high price arises from artificial canna, we may bears
it does not require any combination to correct it if feats
natural causes, any attempt to limit the demand by led
means can only aggravate the scarcity by discouraging ON
supplies which would otherwise reach this country. Weld
hoped that the &yelled long gone by when any such brit•
less attempts would find favour with any classes in that
country : we shall regret if it shall prove otherwise, u that
Seals could not fail to inflict a prejudicial influence cps
ur general trade."

The Record would be glad to find some membe
if the legislature ascertaining front the Archbishop of Con
terbury or the Attorney-General why the scale of fees chard
by bishops' secretaries In ems of ordinations, licenses, ion"
tutions, bas not ban published for the informational
the clergy. "We have constant complsints... add the
Record, "of the encroachments of bishops' sector*
and Otero is one of very recent origin to whil
venture to call the attention both of the Arcbbisleg
of Canterbury and the Bishop of London. We hare heel
that some of the Bishops' secretaries, availing rho:maned
I the demand for occasional services in schoolrooms and oils
' unconsecrated places, have discovered that it would be acol
I convenient and lucrative source of revenue to require. st
for every such piece of worship a bishop's license 'boa IS
taken out at rho expense of a guinea fee. This is s num
emus attempt against which both the clergy sod
WR
should present an uncompromising front of resistance
The John Bull is informed that it is the Bank d
England that holds the wires by which the poppets d
government legislation are moved on the question of tot
Probate Administration Bill. "The Bank authorities Mk
it into their heads that the country officials would be womb
inferior in the performance of their duties as compared Ildt
the London officials, that they apprehended serious jetfoil
to their establishment from the possibility of stock
bog
transferred to the wrong person in virtue of a loci
probate, in which case the Bank would of Comm la
called upon to make good the loss. They consented by yri
of a compromise to run this risk in smaller amounts, tahlig
1,5001. as the limit : but beyond this they insisted on the sap'
posed security of the London functionaries. e old led!
of Downing-street was fain to succumb to lady aa
Throsdneedle-street, and of coulee when awe
jected the limitation, away goes the bill. We think
Bank of England was mistaken in its alarm, and Met best •
are just likely to be perpetrated in London is is 11/
country,"

able t*

Mr. J. B. Gomm—We are happy to be .
inform our readers that Mr. Gough .111 Ire America di
the 16th of this month by the Niagara, for Esek. .
Weekly Record.