The Sun.
London, England, 1855-08-07 00:00:00

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LONDON, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 1855.

The season is rapidly advancing. We are in
the second week of August, but we are still wait-
ing for decisive events in the Euxine and the
Baltic. As we have already intimated, there are
indications, that something will be attempted in
the former of such a character as to compensate
fully for past delays ! But what has been at-
tempted in the latter ? What promise is there
of ,greater activity ? It is true that we have
kept the Russian fleet skulking under the protec-
tion of batteries, that we have maintained an
efficient blockade, but that is all ! We have
taken a few trading and fishing vessels, and
greatly damaged a few compatatively undefended
towns ! But there has been nothing equivalent
to the capture and destruction of Bomarsund last
year I Nor has there been any appearance of
despatching an auxiliary land force to co-operate
with our enormous naval power, which
so greatly exceeds that of last year under
the command of Sir CHARLES NAPIER, and with
which he was, despite the novelty and difficulties
of. his position, expected to have produced almost
iraculous results.
:We are unwilling to believe that this apparent
aPtolly is the fault of the Admiral, or that a
British officer of high character and unblemished
feln.ita4lon should, unless controlled by positive
alihongh seciet instructions from ". My Lords,"
remain indifferent to the chances of achieving for
himself a high position among the naval heroes by
whom the British name was once rendered so re-
.
markable! But that character must in some degree
suffdr should the frost set in, and all operations in
the Bal tic be superseded, without even a single heavy
body blow been aimed at Russia. In the Crimea w,
are merely striking at an extremity. It is
undoubtedly an important operation, which will
cripple the aggressive power of the enemy, so far
as Tnikey is concerned. But, from what we now
know of the stubborn pertinacity of Russia, in
following up the traditional policy of PETER and
Of CATHERINE, it will be of vital consequence to
pare. its fangs iu another quarter, and to free the
gt;andinavian Powers from the menaces perpetually
directed against them—by Sweaborg and Cron-
fault, and the squadrons sheltered therein. We
grimed have, so far as practicable, secured the co-
operation of the Danes, and Swedes, and Norwe-
gians ; and thaw might long since have been
effected, if we proved ourselves really in earnest
in the North. Had the fall of Bomarsund been

duly followed up, the Scandinavian neutrality
would no longer exist, and these high-spirited
races would have been enabled, long since, to
have displayed their real feelings towards the rob-
bers by whom they have been stripped of so
many of their possessions. The objects of
the War cannot properly be accomplished,
nor Russia brought to a due sense of its
position, and the necessity of making suit-
able concessions, until a further and very decided
effect has been produced in the immediate vicinity
of St. Petersburg.

It is possible that such an attempt may at any
moment be made, and if so we have no doubt that
it will be alike honourable to the Allied Fleets
and beneficial to the great cause in which they are
engaged. But we fear Sir CHARLES WOOD, and
we are not justified in allowing the prorogation of
Parliament without calling on some independent
member to endeavour to elicit from that model
red-tapist the Ministerial intentions respecting the
proceedings of the Baltic Squadron. The power of
even asking a simple question will soon pass away,
and we have already seen the efficacy of such
interrogatories and other indications of public
()pinion on a Government composed of very
:‘ squeezable" materials. The destruction of
Sweaborg would be something tangible, which
would give an earnest of our unbending resolution,-
and probably induce the Swedish Government to
shake off its apathyi and once more bravo the
hereditary foe and unrelenting spoliator. It
would likewise be a suitable act of retribution for
the Hang° massacre, which the authorities at St.
Petersburg have so scandalously adopted, refusing
to restore to liberty the officers and men so nefa-
riously made prisoners. If something be not done
in return—if England admits the paltry quibbles
by which Prince DOLGOROIIKY attempts not
merely to palliate but even to justify that infa-
mous transaction, we shall become a laughing-
3tock to all nations, and may deeply deplore our
,leparted glory, and the prestige so completely
sacrificed.

The interrogatories might be framed as to the
number of the gun-boats and mortar-vessels, long
since promised, but not as yet supplied in any-
thing like sufficient force to .run into shoal water,
9.nd get rid of the only obstacle that has hitherto
prevented our success ; and also, as to the intention
of sending any, and what number of land forces to
co-operate with the Fleet. These are matters
which may fairly be asked, and to which a reply
cannot properly be refused. At all events an
effort should be made to prevent the season from
closing before the Baltic Fleet has done something
worthy of its country, its officers, and its men,
Ind calculated. to maintain the naval honour of
Great Britain.

The discontinuance of a pitiful annual grant to
the Royal Society for the Promotion of Science
is well deserving the attention of Administrative
Reformers, both for the principles involved in the
act and the display of official untruthfulness in
its defence. In the following Report of the pro-
ceedings in the House of Commons is a short
statement of the defence, put in the mouth of
Lord PALMERSTON :

" THE ROYAL SOCIETY.

"Mr. -HEYWOOD inquired why a grant of 1,0001. to
the Royal Society for scientific objects had been recently
withdrawn by the Government
" Lord PALMERSTON replied that a few years ago this
grant was asked for by tho Royal Society as a tempo-
rary assistance for a specific purpose. Those who ap-
plied for it represented that it was wanted for a particu-
lar year, and that, if 1,0001. were advanced, probably
the whole of that amount would not be required, in
which case the remainder would be returned. An ad-
wanes., of 1,0001. was accordingly made from a fund not •
strictly applicable for 'inch an object, but intended for a
charitable purpose.. The grant was, however, given a
second time, and in the third year the society applied
for another 1,0001. 'as usual.' (A. laugh.) He felt
obliged to reply that he did not consider it a proper ap-
plication of the fund in question, and that he must de-
cline to continue it. No doubt, however, a grant of
this sort for scientific purposes would be a very fitting
one for Parliament to take into its consideration."

This statement is felt by the Fellows of the
Society, who are acquainted with the facts, to
involve unjust imputations of ungentlemanly
conduct : first, it charges them with attempting
surreptitiously to convert a temporary into a per-
manent annual grant ; and, next, with knowingly
making this surreptitious abstraction of money
from a fund devoted to charitable purposes.
Both these imputations aro utterly unfounded.
Colonel SABINE, in the absence of Lord WROT-
TESLEY, has written a letter, which appeared in
the Athenceum of Saturday, stating the fact, that
the Royal Society, instead of making an original
application to the Government, were applied to
in 1849 by Lord JOHN RUSSELL then Prime
Minister, on his own spontaneous suggestion.
The Government requested the opinion of the
Society, whether a sum of 1,000/. could be advan-
tageously applied for the promotion of science.
Colonel SABINE states that—

"In other countries, the members of scientific insti-
tutions receive, as such, pecuniary support from the
State, and the State has consequently a direct claim on
their services. In this country the Fellows of the Royal
Society have no such provision ; and the Government
has, consequently, no direct claim on them. But, hap-
pily, they have not shown themselves, on that account,
less ready or disposed to aid those plans of the Govern-
ment which have for their object the promotion of
science and the consequent advancement, it may be, of
the material prosperity of the country, but always of
the national character. Accordingly, early in Novem-
ber, 1349, Lord JOHN RUSSELL was informed, [in an-
swer to his offer] through the Earl of Roses, then Pre-
sident of the Royal Society, that the President and
Council were of opinion that the judicious employment
of grants in the way proposed by his Lordship might
very materially promote the advancement of science,
and that they were willing to act as trustees on the part
of the public for the suitable application of the proposed
grant. And, further, that, viewing the grant as de-
signed, not for their own Society in particular, but for
science generally in the United Kingdom, they would
propose to form a Committee to consist of about forty
persons most eminent in different branches of science,
and in different parts of the Kingdom, to assist them
in the execution of the trust. Lord JOHN RUSSELL
expressed, in reply, his entire approval of the mode
in which the President and Council proposed to deal
with the intended grant, and his approbation or
the caution and deliberation which marked their
proceedings in regard to it. His Lordship further
he
ndd his
ashouldg rsuccessors,ancontinue
to f
a
insimilar hsignified that although of course he could in no degree
tw
it ass his own intention so long as
ffi e
sume e bein th
succeeding
held,t;,earercso, m
mieens
long as the Royal Society continued to think such a
grant useful and desirable and were willing to administer
it. Accordingly 1,0001. was transmitted to the treasurer
of the Royal Society, in June, 1850, and similar sums
have been received in succeeding years, under both Lord
JOHN RUSSELL'S and Lord DERBY'S Administrations,
until 1854 inclusive, snaking an aggregate, not of 4.0001.,
as stated by the Secretary of the Treasury, but of 5,000/.
With regard to the particular fund out of which the
grant has hitherto been paid, the Council of the Royal
S iciety bad no means of knowing, and were in fact igno-
rant of what that fund was, until they were very re-
cently informed by the Secretary of the Treasury that it
ie.as paid out of a charitable fund. It need. scarcely be
said that the Council would much prefer, if the grant
should be resumed in future years, that they should be
voted directly and specifically by Parliament. The
R Seeiety has sufficient funds of itso meet t
own eiles ownrivecl
from the contributions of its memo t
regarded
throughout n
throughout the world as the nationalel
xppberielsoesso,p—hiionociludTisriagosatb,teiroetilz, thme,hipoltisbliacarte!on
countries, are published at the
expense of the State. The Council science, such as. in other
records of British
have they solicited or received, aid
lnefritoimier
Greoqviesriroom,
ennotr
it more especially devolves upon them fir the purpose of carrying out any of tthoe
execute
washirce!..l
presenting the Society."
After this statement, which will be verified by
the production of Lord JOHN RUSSELL'S original
letter, Lord PALMERSTON may be called upon to
j do something more than retract the imputations
cast upon the Council and Fellows of that Society
I—the1—the most ancient and efficient scientific bAy in
! England, if
Lordsnot in Europe. In the House of
it the responsibility of the misrepresentation,
.
as is now shown to be, was cast by Lord GRAN-
vuu upon the
"lease •gOds of the Treasury."

In apology, however, is due from that Noble
Lord to tha Fellows of the Society.
But, in respect to the application of the grant
in question, it is proper to say that an inspection
of the communication to the Treasury will, when
it is produced, show others than the gods of that
department—others who may be more competent
to form opinions on matters of science than Noble
Lords and Members of Parliament—that the grant,
instead of being withdrawn, ought, for the sake
of the attainment of vast public economies, to be
atcmented. One subject to which the vote
was applied was the expense of some experi-
ments by Messrs. FAIRBAIRN and HODGKINSON
to determine the strength of materials. To the
previous experiments of the same kind, mainly
those of Messrs. FAIRBAIRN4/alld HODOKINSON, it
is now well known the achievement of wrought-
iron bridges like the Britannia bridge is due.
The forms of bridges originally proposed by
ROBERT STEPHENSON are simple cylinders (and
afterwards ovals), which, it was proved, would have
occasioned as fearful mashes as that which was oc-
casioned by his own original Dee Bridge. To the
success of the principle of construction as applied
to the Britannia and other bridges, the applica-
tions of it to marine constructions and to archi-
tecture are due ; and the further experiments on
the strength of materials would no doubt be
available to architecture, to hollow brick con-
structions, and to large savings of materials
and money, even in barracks and other public
works. Another subject to which the vote was
applied was a set of experiments with a view to
determine with greater accuracy than has yet
been sought or attained what amount of power
is procurable from given quantities of boat or
vapour, and to attempt conversions of caloric
into power, which experiments promise vast aug-
mentations of mechanical power like that du e
to WATT, which, it was declared, had so largo
a share in bearing use through the last War.
Another topic of investigation undertaken 'by the
society is marine meteorology, which has opened
up great promise of increased safety as well as
speed of transit already. On these topics alone,
which affect even the public expenditure by hun-
dreds of thousands, and mercantile and commer-
cial and manufacturing interests by millions in
increased efficiency and economy, the withdrawal
of the grant is disastrous; whilst, in an administra-
tive point of view, it is of the largest significance
as to the state of information which guides what
CARLYLE calls the " spigot of taxation." For the
prosecution of these topics of investigation alone
a wise economy would positively urge the appli-
cation of tens of thousands of pounds by the most
competent investigators that might be obtained,
not gratuitously, but by liberal payment. In
respect to marine meteorology, for want of know-
ledge of the practical elementary science already
obtained, or care for the sure warnings yielded
by the instrument which science has already placed
in the hands of the officers of the Navy—the
barometer—our fleet failed to stand out to sea,
and sustained disastrous shipwrecks before Sebas-
topol. From want of knowledge of the new sani-
tary science, or almost of the common phenomena
of respiration, soldiers as well as others have been
tragically smothered on board ships, and on land
slaughters three and fourfold greater than from
the sword have befallen oar armies. From the
want of practical science military men were un-
aware of the fact, or did not heed it, that the
common air consists of material particles, and
they continued to use projectiles of the worst
shapes to divide them ; whilst one military officer
in the French service, Colonel MINI; by ob-
serving the fact, and by shaping a musket ball to
cleave those particles more easily, so accelerated
and extended the range of the flight of musket or
rifle balls as to lay the foundation of immense
changes in the art of war.
On the Committee of the Royal Society for the
direction of the vote there would be Professor
WHEATSTONE, the practical applications of whose
investigations and inventions in electrical science
have almost annihilated time, and are now at
work in the field of battle, and from thence,
three thousand miles to this country, not only
bring hourly information, but quicken the opera-
tions of war. By one practical application of
electrical science he has furnished the means of
measuring the flight of projectiles, of which the
Prussian authorities, and even the Russians,
have long availed themselves, and ours are only now
beginning the use. Oa the Committee.at Woolwich
for examining the proposed application of new
inventions to war, as scientific terms are involved,
and possibly some scientific matters, it would be
deemed impracticable to do without some science,
and the Government took credit for the appoint-
ment of Professor WHEATSTONE upon it. But
whilst men of no science, and no known skill in
art, unless it be Parliamentary art and jobbing
influence, receive high pay for their time, Lord
PANISURE has actually required two years of re-
sponsible service from the Professor absolutely
without any pay whatever.
The services of Professor MILLER were recently
requested for a public department, where the ap-
plication of those services would in all probability
be a means of obtaining important economies, but
as he was expected (as a man of science) to give
his services gratuitously, and he being unable to
do so—for he had to live—the public have been
deprived of them.
The following are the terms in which the Trea-
sury refused to continue the grant :

" The Lords Commissioners of her Majesty's Treasury
having had before them your lordship's application on
behalf of the Royal Society for the annual grant of 1,0001.
placed at the disposal of the Royal Society for scientific
purposes, I am directed to state that, although special
grants, amounting in the whole to the sum of 4,0001.,
have been made from time to time, in the first instance
for special and temporary objects. to the Royal Society
(a gross misstatement, as Lord John Russell's letter, if
produced, will show) out of a fund very limited in its
amount, which is more properly applicable, and is other-
wise applied, to charitable purposes [a cool avowal this,
of a perversion of funds destined to charitable purposes,
a perversion without the knowledge of Parliament, the
possibility of which should be inquired into], my lords
are not aware of any understanding for making an an-
nual grant to the Royal Society for scientific purposes
out of the public funds, and at the present moment the
more urgent and legitimate demands upon the fund from
which the above-mentioned donation has been made to the
Royal Society do not permit their lordships to make any
grant out of it for scientific purposes. [An insinuation
that the council of the Royal Society were thrusting
their hands into a charity box.] If, however, the Royal
Society, looking to the immediate importance of the ob-
jects for which a grant of public money is applied for, and
to the insufficiency of their own funds to enable them to
accompli6h, them, are of opinion that their claims upon
th.public funds are such as Parliament would undoubtedly
recognise, my lords will be prepared to take into their
consideration any representation which the Royal So-
ciety may make to them with that object."

And so it is expected that a number of men of
science, who aro to get nothing whatsoever for
their pains, are to undertake te make out that to
be of immediate importance, which, as it may not
be practically applied on the morrow, any trea-
sury clerk may pronounce not to be immediate,
however momentous the eventual, and not very
distant, results may be ; thattl
b jieeyets, the under--
are to make
out the importance of those objects,
standing of which will, in most instances, imply
the knowledge of systems, to the satisfaction of
the " lesser gods" of the Treasury, includino, Sir.
GEORGE LEWIS, of whose gross ignorance and in-
competency to appreciate such objects they have
already had experience ; that they are not only
to do this, but to subject themselves to the sneers
of the SIBTRous and the Sulam, and to under-

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVEN I NG, AUGUST 7. 1855

take that the objects shall be such as Parliament

will " undoubtedly recognise !" Passing by the
untrue assumption of the Society being solicitors,
instead of being the parties originally solicited,
they justly treat the above answer as a decided
refusal ; and on further influential suggestions to
them to renew their applications, they properly
sent in simply a list of the purposes to which they
had applied the previous grants.

The caso is one more for the Administrative
Reform Association than for the House of Com-
mons. If ever there was a. time when science,
instead of being depressed riaad discarded, should
be promoted and specially and strenuously en-
gaged in aid of the public administration, it is
during the present great contest, when all labour-
saving, and strength-econotrusing appliances, such
as science gives, are of the utmost need. But
whilst the means for the promotion of practical
science are withheld, it is proper to point out as
passing instances the sort of expenditure which
is maintained, and which Parliament " undoubt-
edly recognises"—viz., expenditure in mere party
and political patronage, suck as that of the office
of political Postmaster-General, with a salary of
2,5001. per annum, Mr. ItovnAern HILL being
the real Postmaster-Generals and the on'y ono
recognised by the public. Next, the political
Secretary for the Poor Law Board, salary 1,0001.
per annum, with a seat in the House of Com-
mons, the political president- having a seat there
already, and the real secretariat work being done
by three permanent secretaries. The expense of
these two impostor political places alone is three
times more than the grant withheld, and would,
if applied in the same direction, give a propor-
tionate impetus to real science, instead of sustain-
ing sham political science and mere party bribery.
Since the above was written, we perceive that
by the perseverance of Mr. HEYWOOD the fact has
been established before then House of Commons
that the grant was made on. the spontaneous sug-
gestion of Lord JOHN Russ ELL (which it was the
duty of that Noble Lord to have stated himself)
and Lord PAL7wIERSTON has so far reversed the
decision of Sir G. LEWIS aad. Mr. WILSON as to
propose that the grant shall. not be discontinued,
but be issued this year out of the Civil Con-
tingencies ; but his Lordship has made no
apology for the imputa'ions cast upon the
Council of the Society, and no Jetractation
of the assumption that they were consciously
pressing for money out of a. charity fund, and has
given no explanation of the previous misapplica-
tions from that fund. It i..5t proposed next year
to " include in the miscellai Leona estimates a vote
of 1,000/. for this partic ul.ar purpose, which
would give the House an .iipportunity of consi-
dering the propriety of this grant." Yes, and
lAdministrative Reformers, too, the opportunity of
considering the extent off expenditure on no
science, as well as the econ.omy of a yet larger
expenditure on practical sci.cence, and the need of
making provision for some .:knowledge of it as a
qualification for the civil sear vice of the country.

" The people have now god five hours and a half
to buy their beer, and the '.Noble Marquis wants
eight hours." A question o 1 "grave deliberation"
truly, and as the Noble Lord who thus put it fur-
ther remarked, one which " the House of Lords
had as much right to consi filer fully as the House
of Commons."

Granted—though it might reasonably have
been supposed that the Holist) had by this time
fully made up its mind on the subject, and•come
to the o6nclusion that the demand of the Noble
Marquis should bo acceded to. The subject had
beensufficiently mooted in the press and debated
in the Lower House for th;oir lordships to have
become thoroughly acquainited with it,
,and consi-
dering that the bill of las session did not affect
their comfort in the least, Ilrhile it notoriously did
that of the people to a seivious degree, and had
been condemned by theilr representatives, the
desire for delay on the parfi of the Noble Lord
and others is suspicious, and. can only be accounted
for by their having already hardened their hearts
to oppose the new bill.

The new work by M. Victor Hugo, Les Contenaplca
tio2is, is announced to appear very shortly.
Liverpool letters announce the failure of Messrs. La-
tham, Brothers, in the Buenos Ayres trade, with
liabili-
ties for 78,0001.

We (Scotsman) are informed that arrangements are
making for building an iron steam-vessel of 1,000 tons
and 150• tons horse power, to trada between this country
and Canada West, with Ruthven's improvements in pro-
pelling and navigating steam-vessels.

It- is satisfactory, however, to know that the
majority of the House arrived—as we all along
believed they would—at th. 43 opposite conclusion,
and carried the Sale of Beer Bill through its
second reading. The fact is at once creditable to
the humanity and the discretion of their Lordships.
The evidence adduced before the Committee of
'the House of Commons led, tin the minds of un-
prejudiced persons, irresistibly to the conclusion
that the Act of last session
i-was neither defensible
on the ground of morals nor of expediency, hav-
ing been productive of serious evil without the
counterpoise of any appreciable good. The testi-
mony of the Chief CommissLner of the Metropo-
litan Police was conclusive I as to the great and
growing improvement, of late years, in the
habits and morals of the industrial classes
in the metropolis —an improvement notori-
ously observable throughout the country also.
Yet it was in the teeth of this most desirable ad-
vance the Act in question was passed, the opera-
tion of which has confessedly been to deprive every
Sunday thousands upon thousands of working
men of needful refreshment, and, consequently,
to irritate and goad the entire class to the very
opposite course it was intended to drive them, at
the same time causing them to regard the classes
above them as selfish hypocrites and stony-hearted
oppressors. A bill like this, of which no one
can justly say it has diminished drunkenness,
could not be abolished too soon, and though
there is a class of persons whom no experience
can teach, we indulge the hope that the lesson
just taught will have the proper effect, and that
hereafter it will pass for a truism that in morals
you must lead and not drive if you would suc-
ceed. The question of hours will then be app
proached in a different spirit.

MONSTER MTISHROOIL—On Sunday a mushroom was
found in Tattoo Park, Cheshire, of enormous size. It
was afterwards measured, and was upwards of 20 inches
in circumference. It was of great thickness, and
weighed rather more than 13 ounces.
BENLEDI STRUCK WITH LIGHTNING.—During the late
thunderstorm the earthen pinnacle, raised on the highest
peak of Benledi, was struck with lightning, when both
it and the ground at the bottom of it were torn up.
Fortunately no tourist happened to be there at the time.
—Glasgow Daily Mail.
WRECKS.—A return, published by the Shippiag Gazette,
shows that the number of vessels wrecked in the month
of July amounted to 70. In the previous month of June
R 3 vessels were wrecked ; May, 93 ; April, 109 ; March,
149 ; Feb., 164 ; and in January, 233.
MILITIA EXPENSES.—The amount of expenses in-
curred in 1853 and 1854, in providing storerooms and
places for keeping arms and clothing for the Cheshire
Militia, is 2171. 18s. 7d. This includes the cost of fuel
for airing the said rooms.
AMERICAN LETTERS.—The mail bags of the Pacific
have brought from the United States a considerable
number of unpaid letters, addressed for the most part to
well-to-do people in England, and being neither more
nor less than invitations to " send ono pound sterling to
the above address and you will hear something to your
advantage."
OPENING OF THE CITY BANK.—Yesterday the City
Bank, of which Sir Robert Carden, Bart., alderman, is
the chairman, commenced business at their temporary
offices, No. 2, Royal Exchange-buildings, Cornhiil. All
transactions connected with the bank will be carried on
here for some time, as their extensive premises at the
corner of Finch-lane, Tareadneerlle-street, are nut yet
cum pleted.

THE OFFICERS OF THE TlGER.—Stettin, July 31.
The 13 British naval officers and midshipmen of the
Tiger, who were not so lucky as their first lieutenant to
be set at liberty, but were detained prisoners of war,
have at length also been set at liberty, and arrived' hero
yesterday evening vice Dantzic, on their way to Eng-
land. They have been exchanged against. a similar num-
ber of Russian officers of equal grades, and were accom-
panied to the frontiers of Prussia, where they were set
at liberty, by a picket of Cossacks. •

JULLIEN AT MANCHESTER.—On Saturday evening
M. Jti!lien's celebrated band, assisted by the band of the
2d Life Guards, performed in the open air, at the Belle
Vue Gardens, Manchester, before an audience of about
24,000 persons. The popular musician appeared to be
much struck at the sight of the immense concour,o ofir
people surrounding the orchestra when he entered, and
he and his baud were much cheered. The people ap-
peared to be highly gratified.

The course of the municipal elections in France does
not uniformly run smooth. At Fecamp, on the coast of
Normandy, where there were 27 councillors to be elected,
only 7 candidates obtained a sufficient number of votes
to validate the election ; but of this number only one
was chosen from the government list. At St. Benoit-
sur-Loire all the members of the council who were dis-
mi3sed.by Imperial decree in 1852 have been elected en
opposition to government candidates. At St. Just-en•
Chaussee (Oise), a similar event has occurred.

DECREASE OF PAUPER'S:A.—It is a pleasing circum-
stance that, notwithstanding the high price of provisions,
pauperism has to a great extent decreased throughout •
the whole of South NVales, and that there is a gradual
decrease in the amount of crime. The various judicial
courts just held were not heavy, and in the various union
houses there are scarcely any able-bodied poor. This is
partly owing to the dernarid for iabour, arising from the
active state of the staple productions of the districts,
and new works now opened and about to be opened.
Were it not for the high rate of provisions the rates
would be much lower.

THE IRISH MILITIA.---The effectives (rank and file) of
the Irish militia regiments amounted, on the Ist of July,
to 16,299, and the regimental and county quota and es-
tablishment to 31,349. The quota of volunteers into
the line required was 4,533 ; and the number of volun-
teers supplied is 3,457. The corps that ought to have
supplied volunteers and have not done so are the Ar-
magh Artillery, the Donegal Artillery, the North Mayo,
the Sligo, the Tyrone Artillery, and the Waterford Ar-
tillery.

TESTIMONIAL OF ESTEEM.—On Thursday, Aug. 2,
the servants of the South-Eastern Railway Company,
together with the inhabitants of the town of Ashford,
Kent, presented to the Rev. John Pughe, chaplain. to
the above company, and his wife, a handsome silver tea-
pot, of the value of 16/ , and a purse of 87 sovereigns, as
a mark of esteem previous to his leaving the town, to
take possession of the Rectory of Newenden, Kent, con-
ferred on him by his grace the Archbishop of Canter-
bury.
ADELPFII THEATRE.—Last night Mr. Morton's melo-
drama, " The Writing on the Wall," was performed for
the first time at this theatre. It is, nevertheless, a re-
gular Adelphi piece, and was acted by the Adelphi com-
pany when they were located, some two or three seasons
ago, at the Haymarket. It then had some success ;
and, now that it is revived " with new scenery, dresses,
appointments, and the original startling effects," will
probably help, with other things, to draw houses to the
Adelphi for some little time to come.

THE NEWSPAPER STAMP AND POSTAGE.—A. gentleman
of this town forwarded the following letter to the Secre-
tary of the General Post-office.--" Sir, —Would you
kindly oblige me with a reply to the following ques-
tion :—Can an unstamped newspaper or other printed
matter, be sent by post, enclosed in a Stamped news-
paper to make up the weight allowed (4 oz), the im-
pressed stamp of the latter being duly exposed, or, in
other words, will the newspaper stamp, under these
circumstances, serve as a postage stamp ?" The Post-
office authorities, in reply, say : —"The newspaper
stamp is not available for the prepayment of any mat-
ter besides the publication upon which it is stamped."-I--
Huddersfield Examiner,

THE NEW CANNON.—A letter from Turin, of the Ist,
says :—" Cannons of the invention of Colonel Cavalli,
of the Artillery, of terrible power, have just been sent
to the Crimea. The cannon is rifled, and is of an un-
usually long range. The ball, which is of large calibre, is
of conical form, and has a point in steel ; it is, besides,
made hollow, in order to be filled with powder, and it
is supplied with a percussion cap to light the powder.
There are few obstacles which can resist the steel point
of this ball, and any object that it meets with causes the
percussion cap to go off, and the projectile to burst into
fragments."

Another Napoleon relic has just been added to the
numerous collection now exhibiting at Madame Tus-
sand's interesting establishment. It consists of a
volume of military maps, used for many years by the
late Emperor Napoleon. Several plans of battles are
also included, all of which were executed by the Empe-
ror himself. This volumg was left at an inn during his
hasty retreat from his last fatal battle. The lighting of
the exhibition has-been greatly improved, and now pro-
duces an extraordinary effect on the figures compared to
the plan hitherto adopted. The exhibition has lately
been numerously attended.
BANKRUPTCY OF MESSRS. STRAFIAN, PAUL, AND
BATES.—Yesterday the High As':urst Estate, the resi7
dente and property of Mr. Strahan, the bankrupt, was
offered at public auction, at the Auction Mart, by
Messrs. Davis and Johnstone, by direction of the assig-
nees with the concurrence of the mortgagees. The first
offer made was 15,0001., and it was knocked down at
27,0001. The lease of the Headley-heath Farm, com-
prising 171 acres, with the right of shooting over i,062
acres of land in the manor of Headley, was taken by the
purchaser of the above-mentioned property, to which it
adjoins, at a price named by the vendors, and no sale
therefore took place. Yesterday the household furni-
ture of Mr. Bates was sold by auction at the residence
in Norfolk-street, Strand.
THE LATE SUICIDE OP A GIRL DT VICTORIA PARK.—
Yesterday Mr. Baker, the coroner, resumed the inquest
at the Hosford Arms Tavern, Old Ford-road, Bethnal-
green, respecting the death of Victoria Bacon, aged 14
years, who committed suicide in the ornamental water
of Victoria-park, through the alleged ill-treatment of her
mistress, a Mrs. Clewett, of No. 14, Wellington-street,
Bethnal-green. The jury, after being locked up for an
hour, returned the following verdict :—" That the de-
ceased, Victoria Bacon, was found dead in the orna-
mental water of Victoria-park, but how or by what
means she came by her death there is no evidence to
show. The jury, however, cannot separate without ex-
pressing their strong disapprobation at the manner in
which the deceased was treated by her mistress (Mrs.
Clewett) ; and that the' protracted ill-usuage she ex-
perienced in her service deserves severe censure."

The Riglit.Hon. B. Disraeli .and Mrs. Disraeli have
left Grosvenor-gate for Htighenden Manor, Bucks.
THE LONG VACATION.—The long vacation will com-
mence on Friday and terminate on the 24th October.
THE LAND TRANSPORT Conrs.—About 3,000 men
are being enlisted of this newly-formed bady. Those
chiefly engaged are civilians.
The numbers cf volunteers into the Line from the
Irish Militia had reached 3,457 on the 30th June. The
quota required was 4,533.
The foreign exchanges have reurned a satisfactory
appearance, the quotations from Paris and Hamburg
continuing to improve.
We are glad to hear that the gallant and hitrhly-re-
snected surveyor of the navy, Captain Sir B. W. Walker,
K.C.8., was enabled to attend to his official duties at
Whitehall yesterday for a short time.
We have much pleasure in stating that Mr. Bouverie
will succeed Mr. Baines as President of the Poor Law
Board. Mr. Lowe has been appointed Vice-President
of the Board of Trade, in the place of Mr. Bonverie.—
Timm

The George Marshall has arrived from Port Philip
with 77,000 ounces of gold, valued at 303,0001., and the
Pacific from Neat York has brought 130,000/., making
a total receipt yesterday of 488,0001.
MR. H. FENWICIK, M.P.—We are sorry to learn that
our respected member, Mr. H. Fenwick, has been
obliged to leave town from ill-healtb, consequent upon
close attention to his Parliamentary duties.—Sunderland
Herald.
Major-General Sir Frederick Smith, K.H., Command-
ing Royal Engineer in the south-west district, leaves
Portsmouth garrison in a few days for A ldershott, where
he will have the poet of Resident Commanding Royal
Engineer, and, as at Chatharo, Instructor-General of
Field Fortifications.
Orders have been sent to the commanding officers of
the Royal Artillery stationed in Canada, lialhas, Ber-
muda, and the West Indies, to send home to Wcolwich
a certain number of effective gunners and drivers from
each company stationed in those places.

ART-UNION EXHIBITION.—The pictures selected' by
the prizeholders of the current year in the Art-Union of
London are now on view at the gallery of the Society of
British Artists, Pall-Mall East. These collections have
of late years formed very respectable exhibitions, and
the present certainly does.not fall below the average.
The principal prizes have Leen laid out in the purchase
of the following pictures, which have all formed part of
the metropolitan exhibitions of the season just termi-
nated :—" The Fortune-teller," by J. Sant, 2501. ;
" Autumn in the Highlands," a good representation of
a hilly landscape, with water, by S. Percy, 1501. ;
"An Autumnal Morning," by A.. W. Williams, 100/. ;
" Skaters—a Scene on Duddingston Loch, near Edin-
burgh," by C. Lees, 1501. ; " Dante begging his
Bread," a very fine picture, by F. Y. Hurlstono, 1001. ;
" Evening—Lights and Shadows on the Conway," by
H. B. Willis, 100/. ; "Relenting," an interesting sub-
ject, painted in a masterly style by T. Brooks, 2001. ;
" Summer Hill," a kind of fete clianipe,tre in the time
of Charles 11., by J. D. Wingfield, 100/. ; and a view
in Betchworth-park, by W. F. Witherington, R.A.,
1001. The following pictures, purchased with inferior
prizes, may also be mentionel as displaying commendable
qualities :—" Free Sittings," part of the interior of a
church, with figures, by F. Underhill, 60/. ; " Cuddie
He-Ndrigg and Jenny Dennison," a well-represented scene
from " Old Mortality," by D. W. Deane, 60/. ; " War-
grave, on the Thames," a very pretty view, brightly
painted by Mrs. W. Oliver, 10/. ; " The Rendezvous."
a figure of a warrior, displaying fine character, by J. D.
Wingfield, 20/. ; "A Family at Sara;inesco," by R.
Buckner, GO/. ; "The Village Carr;.er " a carefully
painted and well-coloured landscape, with figures, by G.
Chester, 351. ; "The Village Musicians," a characteristic
~ at
scene. by J. H. 'Haynes, 351.; " W att•er
Lymnouth, North Ddvon," a fine coast view, witii
true effect, by E. Williams, 35/. ; and a lively scene
from "The Vicar of Wakefield," by J. Absoleu, 751.
The whole collection consists of 187_works.