The Sun.
London, England, 1855-07-30 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON. MONDAY EVENING, JULY 30, 1855

he said, he found that " the number of persons
charged with drunkenness during the ten or eleven
months since the act had bean in operation was
2,817 in the City of London, and the number of
cases of the same kind for a similar period of the
previous year, before the passing of the act, was
2,809, making, in point of fact, only a difference
of 8 since the passing of the act." What follows is
still more striking. " The cases of drunkenness
on Sundays, before the passing of the act, were
317 for 11 months, and for 11 months subse-
quently 334. On Monday, before the passing of
the act, 418, and, after the act, 486. On the Sa-
turdays, before the actlpassed, 536, and, after the
act, 606 ! ! According to Mr. COMBE, the ma-
gistrate at Southwark, who has watched the ope-
ration of the act, "there had been less drunkenness
on the Sunday, but more on other days." On the
other hand, some little diminution in the amount
of drunkenness had, in the opinion of a few, taken
place, but they were unable to ascribe it to the
operation of the bill, the weight of testimony, in
fact, going to prove that the bill had not re-
strained drunkenness in public or increased the
respect for the Sabbath, whilst its effects in pri-
vate must be left to charitable supposition, since
they could not possibly be good.
Thus it is seen that one object of the bill has
not been answered, and that there is strong rea-
son to believe it has increased the evil sought to
be diminished. How stands it with the other—
has the Sabbath, as it is called, been better ob-
served ? There is no tittle of evidence to be
found warranting the conclusion. The pre-
sumption, on the contrary, is irresistible that
it has been less—the tendency of all at-
tempts to coerce individuals into what may
be called a right course being to induce them
to pursue more eagerly a disreputable one. And to
this result the vexatious character of the act has
materially contributed. Individuals with no
particular dislike to Sabbath observance, provided
it was not too strict, have revolted from an act
that would have been absurd had it not abridged
their comforts without the slightest show of rea-
sonable' cause. To have the beer-houses closed all
the morning might be endured—they had no ob-
jection to go to church, but to be compelled to go to
church in the afternoon, or if, instead, they strolled
abroad to gather lessons of instruction and grati-
tude from the glorious handiwork of a benevolent
CREATOR, to be deprived of the wholesome refresh-
ment to which they had a right, was intolerable,
and thousands, we doubt not, have vowed in their
indignation never to set foot in church or chapel
more. The pretensions of his neighbours to su-
perior piety might be allowed to go unchallenged,
while they did not touch him ; but when they did
their hollowness only became the more apparent,
and the mistaken notion that religion itself was
an imposture began to be entertained, and church
and chapel ran some risk of being deserted by
them altogether. But another ground of condem-
nation will be found in the proved tendency of
the act to alienate class from class, and introduce
anarchy and confusion. The Sunday Trading
Bill completed what the Beer Act began.
The camel could not bear any further
load, and if the Trading Bill had not been
withdrawn the consequences might have proved
most disastrous. The decision of the Com-
mittee will generally be received with satisfaction,
and we congratulate the public on the prospect of
release in a great measure from a restrictive act,
from whose provisions the majority have more or
less suffered ; but we cannot refrain from saying,
in conclusion, that if religion and temperance were
not better served than, with respect to the Beer
Act, they have been by their most ostentatious
advocates, we should not witness that orderly
behaviour and high average of morality in the
masses which makes every right-minded English-
man proud of and hopeful for his country. For
the futuje we recommend the Sabbatarian to
purge the evil passions—the pride, dogmatism,
and lust of oppression—from his own breast, and
the Teetotaller to cool, in more copious exhibi-
tions of the element in which he delights, his
mania for restriction, and leave matters alone for
which they have neither the heart nor the under-

standing.

COURT CIRCULAR.

OSBORNE, JULY 23.
The Queen and Prince drove out yesterday.
The Prince of Wales rode on horseback.

JULY 29.
The Queen and Prince embarked in the Royal yacht
Fairy yesterday afternoon, and cruised towards Spithead.
The Prince of Wales, Prince Alfred, the Princess
Royal, and Princess Helena walked and drove in the
grounds.

His Serene Highness Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar
arrived on a visit to her Majesty.
Her Royal Highness Princess Alice is free from fever,
and in all respects is going on favourably.

A Cabinet Council was held on Saturday afternoon at
the Foreign-office. The Ministers present were Viscount
Palmerston, the Lord Chancellor, the Marquis of Lans-
downe, Earl Granville, the Duke of Argyll, Sir George
Grey, the Earl of Clarendon, Sir William Moleswovth,
Lord Panmure, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir
Charles Wood, the Right Hon. R. Vernon Smith, Vis-
count Canning, and the Earl of Harrowby. The Council
Iva two hours. •

PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT.-..Ths date of this
occurrence is differently assigned in journals which pass
for organs of the Government. The earliest day named
for the event is August 10, the latest August 14.
THE MINISTERIAL WHITEBAIT DINNER.—This annual
entertainment is appointed to take place on Saturday
next, at Greenwich, at which a party of about forty
members of the House of Commons will muster.
The Right Hon. the Speaker, preparatory to the pro-
rogation of Parliament, gives his customary banquet to
Lord Charles Russell and the chief officers of the
House of Commons, on Wednesday next, at his tempo-
rary official residence, in Eaton-square.
Signor Verdi has been in London, with a view of
arranging for the production of his "Les Vepres" at the
Royal Italian Opera next season, and for the publication
of its music.

RECENT ARRIVALS AT THE GRANBY HOTEL, HARROW-
GATE.—Amongst the latest arrivals are—The Right
Hon. the Earl of Lauderdale, Vice-Admiral the Hon.
Sir Anthony Maitland, C.B.' and G.C.M.G., Mr. and
the Hon, Mrs. Gordon Duff, Captain and Mrs. R. Gor.
don Duff, the Very Rev, the Dean of York and Lady
Cockburn, D. Robertson, Esq., and Lady, of Ladykirk,
the Misses Robertson, J. Waring Maxwell, Esq., and
Lady, Mrs. Hunter, the Very Rev. the Dean of Elphis,
and Mrs. Warburton and family, Captain Raikes, D.
Milne Home, Esq., lady, and family, of Wedderburne,
Mrs. Stocks Colles, Esq.„ and lady, Wybrants,
Esq., and lady, Shaw, Esq.
THE CHIEF OF THE STAFF IN THE CRIMEA.—We un-
derstand that Lieutenant-General Simpson, Commander-
in-Chief of the Troops in the Crimea, telegraphed to the
General Commanding-in-Chief at the Horse Guards, to
the effect that he declined the services of Major-General
Knollys to succeed him as Chief of the Staff, and would
prefer an officer of experience in the duties, to be selected
from the staff already stationed in that country. Major-
General Barnard has been appointed. —United Service
Gazetti.

WAR MEDALS.—These will cost 52,500/. for the pre-
sent year, viz., 4001. for ordinary service medals ; 3,2001.
for 8,000 Catre war medals at .83. ; 36,0001. for 72,000
Crimea medals at lOs. ; 4001. for 1,000 "distinguished
conduct in the field" medals at Bs. ; and 12,5001. for
25,000 Crimean medals for the navy and marines at 108.
favour of materiall
SUNDAY CLOSING OF PUBLIC-HOUSES.—A petition in
respect to the opening of public-houses and the sale of
y modifying the act of last session, with
beer on Sundays, has received the signatures of 1,025
inhabitants of Maidstone, of whom 300 are tradesmen,
and the rest persons belonging to the class of respectable
artisans.
Mn. BAINES, M.P.—Mr. Baines has been suffering
from severe indisposition, which has withdrawn him for
some days from the discharge of his official and Parlia-
mentary duties, though his health is now in a great mea-
sure restored. We understand that this indisposition
prevented him. from being present at the critical division
Captain Liil , of the River Tyne) Commission. 1
resident oofnethe borough of Tynernouth,ilmsa" '
on the Turkish loani yesterday week.—Leeds Mercury
published an a
didate for the representation
announcing his intention of becorn-
of that borough ,
mg a can
any future vacancy. The gallant cap.
in Parliament, on ,
himself in obtaining the incorpo.
ly interested
fain great
borough for which he aspires to be a mem-i
erg, and a
ddress,
ration of the
first-elected mayor. Ho announces
lC nservative."
hbiemr'sealnf dtowbaesai't'slibera o

LATEST NEWS.

A despatch from the Crimea, dated July 27,

11 p.m., announces to the Minister of War that
the Phlegethon had arrived at Kamiesh, bringing
French prisoners, exchanged at Odessa against
Russian prisoners, which this steamer had taken
on board at Constantinople.
The exchange of prisoners of war is to be con-
tinued.

The French officers speak in high terms of the
manner in which they were treated by the Rus-

sians.

The despatch concludes with these words,
" Nothing new has occurred before the place."

CRIMEA, JULY 17.

The weather is very hot. The works are within
60 metres of the Malakhoff Tower. The gene-

rals have decided that commercial vessels may
freight with wheat at Kertch, on condition of

depositing a third part of their cargo at any poin
of the coast that may be indicated.

MARSEILLES, SATURDAY.

The Alexander has arrived, with Constantinople
news to the 19th. Omer Pacha is loaded with

honours, and will soon return.
The advices from the Crimea are to the 17th.
The Alexandre .has brought 66 wounded.
A regiment of Lancers has arrived for embarks,.
tion.

until the number of clergymen necessary should
be exactly ascertained, is based on the Concordate
in vigour, which provides that the livings should
be proportioned to the wants of the church. It
was the fault of the Bishops if the Government
were not in possession of the statistical data in-
dispensable for the purpose. Those prelates, hav-
ing no doubt to attend to more important duties,
had not yet supplied the Government with the
returns it had demanded. Grave political and
financial considerations rendered necessary the dis-
amortisacion of the property of the secular clergy.
Those considerations had struck the authors of the
Concordate, who themselves stipulated the sale of
that property. The ecclesiastical authorities ne-
glected to execute those clauses of the Concordate.
The history of Spain proves that at different
periods the most Catholic Monarchs and the best
friends of the Holy See had, without its know-
ledge, proceeded to sell the Church property with-
out incurring the displeasure of the Pontifical
Government, or being accused of offending
the Catholic religion. The Government, being
anxious that its whole conduct throughout
the negotiations should be clearly explained, will
publish the memorandum the moment it has reason
to believe that it has been placed in the hands of
the Cardinal, Under-Secretary of State, &c.
The period of the marriage of Prince Adalbert
of Bavaria with the Infanta Maria Amelia was not
yet fixed. The young Prince was at the Escurial
with the Court.

General O'Donnell had assumed the command of
the 3d battalion of the National Militia, and pro-
nounced on the occasion a speech, which was
greatly applauded by the corps. The theme
chosen by the General was Liberty and the Throne
of Isabel 11.

The official Gazette announces that the Govern-
ment would receive on the 20th August next
tenders for the construction of electric telegraph
lines all over Spain.
The Queen had ordered the Civil Governor of
Madrid to distribute at her expense 500 pieces of
linen among the charitable establishments of that
capital.

The Gazette publishes the following telegraphic
despatch, addressed to the Minister of War by the
Governor of Saragossa, under date 21st July, 11
o'clock a.m. :

" The Governor of Gerona writes to me, on the 18th,
that the Cabecilla Estartus had again crossed the fron-
tier, near Campredon, accompanied by the self-styled
General Torres Borges, a son of each of them, a cousin
of the Pretender Charles VI., a nephew of Cabrera, and
34 individuals. They were immediately attacked by the
Cacadores of Ciudad Rodrigo and the Carabineers, and
completely routed. Seven were killed, five of whom
were officers. One was taken prisoner, and 21 muskets
were abandoned on the field by the fugitives. Being
closely pursued three other prisoners were made, and the
remainder of the band sought refuge in France."

At Genoa the officer charged with the purchase
of mules for the Land Transport Corps has recently
received an order to engage men for the same as
fast as possible, in addition to the usual number
of muleteers sent with each vessel, and they are to
be organised, as much as circumstances will permit,
before starting. They are to be formed in sections
of 80, with a chief, sub-chief, and four corporals to
each section. The enrolment and organisation pro-
ceed rapidly, and the latter, I am told, with greater
ease than could have been anticipated.