The Express.
London, England, 1868-07-21 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, Ti*

would throw open the coasts of the weaker power
to sudden attacks and invasions under cover of the
darkness. This danger would not be particular
to any belligerent, and it would be tho saving
of a not inconsiderable number of harmless
human lives, and of a precious amount of neutral
cargota.

But this by the way. The Ancient Cor-
poration, whose Elder and Younger Brethren
feasted together on Tower-hill last evening, has
quite enough to do in time of peace to justify the
powers and privileges with which the wisdom of
successive governments has endowed it. It has
grown with the growth of the maritime and com-
mercial power of this country ; it has increased in
activity and usefulness with the increase of the
mercantile marine ; and the changes in legislation
with regard to local shipping tolls and dues, and to
the responsible functions of the Board of Trade, have
certainly not impaired its beneficent authority.
Visitors at the seaside who look out upon the
Goodwirui, or on that fringe of flame that marks
the labyrinthine passage of Yarmouth Roads,
or the Bristol Channel lights between Trevose and
Penarth, have little idea perhaps of the constant
and exact care with which the anxious service of
those lighthouses and lightships is superintended
iind maintained by the ancient Corporation of the
Trinity House. Upon the duo and faithful per-
fol ?MUM: of these sacred trusts, the periodical
visitations, the regular provieionings, the relief
of the crews, the maintenance of the instruments
iu pt rfect repair and efficiency, what unnumbered
lives end uncounted treasures depend ! Our wreck
(Aunts tell too sad a tale; but it is often a tale of dis-
asters that were not inevitable. One comfort there
is at least in the thought that but for the opera-
tions of the Trinity House these disasters would
be aggravated in an indefinite degree.
The Duke of EDINBURGH, in his capacity
of Master, admitted, last evening, that our coast
bad not hitherto been lighted so well as the
French side of the Channel. But, he added, with
just satisfaction, that " that reproach has now
" to a great extent been removed, and in two
" years time will be completely removed."
Already we have fixed and revolving lights un-
surpassed in brilliancy and power. Yet it is but
a few years since our coasts were lighted
by nothing better than bonfires, and our
lightships carried nothing better than braziers at
their mastheads. Probably there is much room
for improvement still in both, especially in
our floating lights. Happily, the science
that ministers to humanity—the science
of good works—never sleeps, and in
this department it has assuredly not said
the last word. Fifty - years hence the
lighthouses and lightships of the present
age will perhaps be described by the suc-
cesaors of the Duke of EDDIBURGH and his
brethren as the infancy of the system.
The personal history of the Trinity House, upon
which his Royal Highness the MAMA, and the
Dreery Mania, touched last night, marks the
high sense of the dignity and value of the Cor-
poration which has always been entertained by
the Monarchy and the Legislature. The list of
Masters counts the names of Prrr, of WEL-
LINGTON, of PALMERSTON. Among its honorary
members, to whom the Prince of WALEs
has now been added, are the names of
such seamen as MAKE, HOWARD, and FRANCIS
DRAKE, and in later days of such lands-
men and civilians as FaiLLDAY and Lusa-
INGTON. The present ?elegize succeeds to the
tradition of his sailor uncle, and he showed last
night that he had completely grasped the
true significance and purpose of the Cor-
poration as the connecting link between
the Royalj Navy and the Mercantile Marine.
The Trinity House is to the Mercantile Marine
what the Admiralty is to the Royal Navy.
The kind and generous language in which the
Duke of EDINBURGH expresses his desire "to
" connect the two services of the Royal Navy
" and the Mercantile Marine more closely to-
" gether," will be cordially and gratefully appreci-
ated bythat noble and sometimes neglected body of
men without whom and without whose ships our
Royal Navy would not exist. The Royal Naval
Reserve bears witness to the high national spirit of
the mercantile marine. We "could wish that this
spirit had been reciprocated by the Admiralty
when it was deciding upon the future destination
of Greenwich Hospital.

Loch-na-garr, " heaving their shinint plsPuldtes,"
Se Mr. ALREANDRR 8111111 hag it, in.* distance.
libe competition is between the clansmen, gillies,
and tenants of the Earl of Figs on the one side,
and of FARQUHARSON of Invercauld On the
other, and oonsists of the usual Scottish athletic
exercises ; bat the great charm of the meeting
hitherto has been that for many years past the
Quxxx, accompanied by several of her children,
and, in his life-time, always by the PRIMUS
CONSORT, has invariably been present. No prettier
eight could be seen than that of the Royal Family
seated on the eloping base of the Oases, whir&
forms a kind of natural dais, looking on with
interest at the sports, and chatting pleasantly
with the members of the Fife and Farquharson
families or the visitors at Mar Lodge and Inver-
cauld. This year, unless present arrangements are
altered, her Meninx will not arrive at Balmoral
until the 20th September, and the gathering
takes place on the Bth or 7th. Consequently the
sports will be deprived of the Royal presence.
This will be a great disappointment to the worthy
dwellers in the district, to whom, were we disposed
to act the part of Job's comforters, we might
say that the peculiar charm of the Braemar meet-
ing ia gone never to come again. The newly-opened
railway to Castloton will bring hundreds of tourists
of a very different class from those whe have
hitherto penetrated into the Doesido Valley. The
indefatigable Mr. COOK will probably organise
excursions thither, and the sword-dances and
strathspeys may be performed under the eyes of
critical frequenters of London music-halls, or
before connoisseurs of " niggor break-downs."