The Sun.
London, England, 1855-10-11 00:00:00

so fearfully increased the bloodshed in collisions
between the military and excited mobs as firing
blank cartridge in the first instance, and thus in-
ducing the opinion that the danger was not so
great as might be anticipated. It is time that we
gave up firing blank cartridge against Russia, and
proved to her that we were determined that the
peace of Europe should be preserved at any ex-
pense, and that its habitual disturbers should no
longer be permitted to carry on their nefarious
practices with impunity.

One of the most pleasing features of modern
progress is to be found in the existence and grow-
ing prosperity of Friendly and Freehold Land
Societies. According to Lord PORTMAN, in his
remarks in the House of Lords on the second
reading of the Friendly Societies Bill, in June
last, the number of friendly societies at present
registered is 20,000, and each society having on
an average 143 members, it follows that nearly
one-third, or three millions, of the whole nine
millions of the adult male population of the king-
dom are members of these societies This, how-
ever, by no means represents the numerical suc-
cess of the great principle in operation in these
societies. A large number of unregistered socie-
ties contribute largely to swell the above amount,
having no fewer, in fact, than one million and
a-half of members, making a grand total of four
millions and a-half of the male population in con-
nection with friendly societies, in which it is cal-
culated they have embarked a capital of six mil-
lions. With the statistics of freehold land societies
we are not sufficiently familiar to speak confi-
dently as to their numbers, state, and prospects,
but there can be no question that the principle
involved in them has taken deep root; has been
largely developed, and is likely to be still more so,
whether stimulated by political considerations or
not—possibly quite as extensively developed if
dissociated from them.

Four millions and a-half of our adult male
population members of friendly societies ! Surely
this is a subject for deep congratulation to
all true patriots and philanthropist; to all who
are interested in the welfare of the industrial
classes, and the stability and prosperity of the
country. What a host of pleasing associations
those six millions of capital present—what pro-
gress in moral and intellectual culture—what de-
sertions from the ranks of ignorance, brutality,
and vice—what a tightening of the bonds of
society, and what hope for the future ! It were
too much to say that all the four millions and
a-half of members are now for the first time in the
school of prudent thrift and humane foresight,
for it is certain a considerable proportion brought
thrifty and provident habits and cultivated dis-
positions along with them, but it will not more
admit of doubt that such is the case with the great
majority, and that, without any exception, the entire
number have profited by the training which these
societies are so well adapted to give. The hard-work-
ing artisan accustomed to hand over the greater
part of his earnings for the support of his wife
and family, for which it barely sufficed, and to
spend the remainder in self-indulgence, and the
thoughtless wife who got all, and spent all, even
before she got it, in wasteful management, have had
their earliest lessons in economy and forethought
in these schools, or from them. By the operation
of friendly societies it was brought home to them
that they were not exempt, any more than their
neighbours, from the evils incident to humanity,
and that with no provision made in case of acci-
dent, disease, or death, the only resource open to
them must be the parish. Against such a notion
their manly and womanly pride revolted ; and by
connection with these societies not only have they
made the required provision, but have been led to
dwell more on the future, and to acquire habits
of thrift and self-respect to which they had pre-
viomly been strangers.

That abuses have crept into these societies at
one time or other, and that objections have been
made to them, we are by no means ignorant.
And into what societies have abuses not crept, or
against what societies have not objections been
urged ? Granting there have been abuses, the
power to remedy them lies in themselves, and has
notoriously been exercised when they g©t head ;
while with one exception, that in relation to in-
fant burials, the objections have been of a trivial
or temporary nature. With respect to infant
burials, we have it on judicial and other relia-
ble testimony that the industrial matronhood of
this country has been foully slandered, and that
no such horrible practice as that of child-poisoning
for burial fees ever existed. As, however, preju-
dice is not readily removed, we would recommend
those who may still view these societies with sus-
picion to look more closely into their history and
operation, to recall the past of those of their
acquaintance who have become connected with
them and contrast it with the present. If they
do so they will find, if we are not most egregiously
deceived, that in the great majority of cases order
has taken the place, to a large extent, of
disorder in their dwellings ; that their
children are better looked after, better
clothed and instructed ; that they them-

selves are more humane and enlightened, and,
with their families, altogether more comfortable
and respectable than before. And if the objector
be a member of a freehold land society, which is
not likely, we would have him inquire how many
of his fellow-members became so through the
habits taught them by friendly societies. It is
very far from improbable that he will find that,
in this higher order of association, on whose ad-
vantages we have not at present time to dilate,
will be found many who have thus risen in the
social scale, and who are likely not only to be
proprietors of unencumbered lands, but also to
witness their children rising to an elevation far
beyond their own. Industry, prudence, and
thrift form the sword with which modern fortunes
are cut out, and without the exercise of these
virtues there is but little hope of :Progression for
the poor.

KTnihgehtseGrrvaieneds
CrHosesrofMtahjeesßtyathhauspcoonnfmerarerdshtahlevoaridielarnotf.
the
have been of no
French army in t
thus bestowed by her Ma
of Marshal Vaillant i
the
enEastordinary
organising and equipping
jesty will be readily appreciated character, and the honour
amongst all classes of
e s
himono upon
our Allies.
Sir James Simpson has been red
from tho Sultan, congratulatingwithth e a letteruitof
the operations of the arm under his r
r
command.
honoured
The rank of a Knight Commande
been conlerred urton Major-General Hugh
of the
Rose,B atlei
.B. has
,
her Majesty's Principal Commissioner at the head-quar-
ters of the French army. The Companionship. of the
Bath has also been conferred on Lieut.-Colonel th
St. George Foley, Second Commissioner at thee 11
p.head-
quarters of the French army ; and upon Lieut.-Colon _
Claremont, Military Commissioner at Paris, both of whom have served with the French army throughout
the greater portion of the Crimean campaign.
ills Excellency Count Von der Straten-Ponthoz,
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary from
his Majesty the King of the Belgians, has left the Claren-
don for Brussels, on his return from the coronation of
his Majesty the King of Portugal,
The Duke of Rutland, we regret to learn, continues
much indisposed at Newmarket,
Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston left town yes-
terday for Broadlands, Hants.

The Earl of Derby was presented with the freedom
of the burgh of Irvine while at Eglinton Castle last
week.

CRYSTAL PALACE.—ONE SHILLING DAY, Wednesday,
Oct. 10.—Admissions on payment; 4,946 ; ditto by sea-
son tickets, 567; total visitors, 5,513. Corresponding
day last year, 4,629.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sin,—Permit me, for the sake of accuracy, to correct
a mistake which you have inadvertently made in your
leading article of last evening. Mr. James Aytoun, the
author of the letter on the assault of Sebastopol, is not,
as you have stated him to be, Professor Aytoun (whose
Christian name is William), but a relative of that gen
tleman.

I cannot refrain from taking this opportunity to ex-
press with what feelings of unmixed satisfaction and de-
light I have perused Mr. Aytoun's convincing and
admirably written letter. It will remove (as it did from
mine) a weight from the spirits of every Englishman to
whom the military renown of his country is dear, to
know that it still remains, and will, I trust, ever con:
tinue, pur et sans reproche, and that the shafts which
ignorance or malice, or both, have loosed against the
honour of the undaunted escaladers of the Redan have
been "hurtless," at least as regards our generous allies,
who in this matter exhibit more regard for our military
reputation than (with shame be it said) we seem to
possess ourselves. _ •

Your obedient servant,
Batb, October 9, 1855. H. A. K,

We hear that the Postmaster-General contemplates
the immediate establishment of a money order office in
Paris.
The Rev. J. C. M. Bellew, junior chaplain of St.
John's, Calcutta, has just been appointed by the Rev.
Edward Repton, Canon of Westminster, minister of
St. Philip's Church, Waterloo-place.
In the difference which has arisen between Piedmont
and Tuscany, the French Charge d'Affaires at Florence
will, it is said, fill the officer of mediator.
MR. LINDSAY, M.P.—This gentleman visited Wick and
Thurso, on a tour of pleasure, the other day, where he
made particular inquiries into the nature and extent of
the trade of both places, and seemed to take particular
interest in the fishing operations, expressing himself as
surprised that such meagre accommodation should exist
where the staple trade of the place was so extensive.
The Emperor of Austria at Berchtolsgaden (Duchy
of Selzburg) on the 4th, to return the King of Bavaria's
visit. His Imperial Majesty proceeded the following
morning at half-past 5 with the King to St. Bartholome,
on a shooting excursion.
A thanksgiving service for the capture of Sebastopol
was celebrated a few days ago in the Chapel of the Eng-
lish Embassy at Berlin, and was attended by Lord
Bloomfield and all the gentlemen of the Legation.
Lord Ernest Vane-Tempest, episodes of whose social
and military career have been occasionally before the
public, has just left the 2d Life Guards for the 4th Light
Dragoons, now serving in the Crimea.
THE CHELTENHAM STAG HOUNDS.—Capt. West has
so far completed his arrangements for the approaching
hunting Season as to be in a position to fix Friday,
October 12, for uncarting the first stag.
We (Shrewsbury Journal) understand that during the
present week her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cam-
bridge and the Princess Mary intend paying a visit to
Rowton Castle, near this town, where they will sojourn
for a few days with Mr. and Lady Charlotte Lyster.
The Brighton Gazette of yesterday says :—" Madame
Grisi and Mario during their visit to Brighton are stay-
ing, with their youthful family, at Mount Edgcumbe-
house, Marine Parade. Madame Grisi, who is near her
confinement, goes to Fulham, whilst Mario proceeds to
fulfil an engagement in Paris."
THE CHURCH-RATE QUESTION IN ST. PANCRAS.—A
numerous meeting of the St. Pancras Association was
held last evening at the Camden Hall, Camden Town,
Major Cobbe in the chair, for the purpose of organising
a plan to secure the return of fit persons to represent
this vast parish in the vestry, at the ensuing election in
November.
JEWS' LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTION.—Mr.
Thackeray delivered his farewell lecture yesterday even-
ing, at the above institution. The subject chosen was
"Humour and Charity."
Yesterday a further return was issued of correspond-
ence since the Ist of January, 1854, by or between the
Governors or Lieutenant-Governors of any of the West
India Colonies, the Treasury, the Colonial-office, or the
Commissioners for the West India Islands Relief Fund,
relative to estates in the West Indies indebted to Govern -
ment for advances made to them by reason of losses sus-
tained by them in the hurricanes of 1831-2.
THE ACADEMY OF THE BEAUX ARTS, PARIS. —The
public sitting at which the Academy of the Beaux Arts
distributes the grand prizes in painting, sculpture, en-
graving, architecture, and music, was held on Saturday
at the Institute, under the presidency of M. Ambroise
Thomas. The principal part of the persons present were
composed of the friends and relatives of the old and new
laureats. The works sent this year from Rome have not
been numerous, and were not in general very satisfac-
tory ; and the report of M. F. Halevy, the perpetual
secretary, pointed out with scrupulous solicitude their
different defects, mixing, however, with his criticism
praises and words of encouragement. Those produc-
tions for which the Academy evinced the most satisfac-
tion were those in architecture and musical composition.
In this latter category was an overture by M. Delchelle,
who obtained the grand prize in 1851, and the perform-
ance of which opened the business of the day. It is written
in a style that gives promise of its author highly dis-
tinguishing* himself in the music of the Opera Co-
mique. After the distribution of the prizes the sitting
terminated by the execution of the cantata of M. Conte,
which this year gained the first grand prize for musical
composition, I n i the subject of which is Acis and„Ga-
latea. It is a trio, and the parts were sung by Mdlle.
Hey, of the Opera Comique, and Mll. Boulo and Merly,
of the Opera. In the course of the sitting M. Halevy
read a paper in praise of the works of the late M. Ons-
low, the musical composer.
LECTURE TO THE WORKING CLASSES.—The Rev. Pro-
fessor Trench, the author of " English, Past and Pre-
sent ;" " Study of Words," and other valuable works,
delivered a lecture on Tuesday evening, on Political
Geography, to the working classes of the parish of St.
Margin-in-the-Fields, at the Northern Schools, Castle-
street, Long-acre.
At an investigation just held at Greenock into the
circumstances connected with the stranding of a Clyde
ship, the James Russell, it was stated by Captain Coffin,
an eminent authority upon the subject, that there. is
scarcely a wooden merchant ship in the merchant ser-
vice whose compasses are correct, except by chance.
THE EARL OF RANFURLEY'S ESTATE.—We under-
stand that our townsman, Thomas M'Clure, Esq., J.P.,
has purchased the estate of the Earl of Ranfurley,
bounding this borough on the county Down side. This
property, consisting of nearly two thousand acres of the
richest land, ell lies in the immediate vicinity of Belfast,
and upon it stands the mansions of a considerable num-
ber of the local gentry. We do not know exactly what
is the amount to be paid for it, but we believe it is
somewhere about 80,0001. or 100,000/.—Banner of
Ulster.

SHOCKING OCCURRENCE.—A. fatal and shocking occur-
rence has taken place on the South Devon line. As the
up-train from Plymouth, which is due at the Exeter
station at 20.30 p.m., was proceeding at its usual speed
between the Exminster and St. Thomas's stations, a
young man, respectably attired and having the appear-
ance of a gentleman, was suddenly observed standing
in front of the approaching train upon the rails, at a
distance of about 20 or 30 yards. It is said that he was
seen to wave his hat, and then throw himself directly
across the rails with an intent, as it was considered, to
destroy his life ; at all events, before the engine-driver
could give any warning signal, the young gentleman
was knocked down, and the train passing over his body
he was cut in two pieces lengthways, and his head was
crushed to fragments. His mutilated remains were im-
mediately gathered up and taken to the nearest house.
In his pockets were found some keys, money, and some
maps of Devon and Cornwall. His name however, is
not known, but everything found upon him indicates
that he moved in a respectable sphere of life. An in-
quest will shortly be held on the body.
NICOLAIEFF AND THE WAY TO IT. The following
sailing directions for Nicolaieff are extracted from a
journal of the late Surveyor of the Navy :—" Sailed
from Odessa in a Russian steamer. The distance to
Nicolaieff is about 80 miles. The entrance to the
Liman River is shown by a light vessel, which we left
on our right hand. The channel is buoyed by red
on one side and white buoys on the other. Oczakoff is
on the left, and appears to have no other defence than
a three-gun mud battery. Opposite to it is a battery
of 21 guns. The passage did not appear to be difficult
to find. We passed the Selafiel, a large 84-gun ship.
They were warping her through a soft mud at the
rate of a cable's length in 24 hours, she drawing 22 feet
abaft. Generally there was 21 feet of water, but in many
places not more than 17 feet. About 15 miles above Oc -
zakoff the Dnieper (ancient Borysthenes) and Bug (an-
cient Hyparus) rivers fall into theLiman. We anchored
for the night in the latter. After rounding the peninsula
upon which Nicolaieff stands we left the Bug, and found
the admirals house and dockyard, a short distance from
the mouth of the Ingul river, which is very nariow and
shallow at the Entrance. The Ouriel, a new 84, similar to
the Selafiel, was fitting at a building establishment atthe
mouth of the Ingul. Off this place is the road where
ships anchor preparatory to going down the river or to
the dockyard. The dockyard is on allarge space of ground,
the buildings far detached from each other. There ii no
dock, and the slips are very imperfect. There are two
84's building and another just laid down. A 50-gun
frigate, a corvette, and the Twelve Apostles three-decker
have just been launched. Several smaller vessels and a
steam-boat have been also commenced. The model-room
has many objects of interest in it, &c."
AGRICULTURAL MEETINGS IN THE WEST.—The agri-
cultural societies in Devonshire, which aro established
for the encouragement of good ploughing, improvement
in the growth of roots and the breed of cattle, have com-
a
Nt
doeovnni
tasenheotdi
igthhoe holdingnacirdteihteTiueewils\utIctelinvienhn,ulassavloseterarineteetesyedut(lalNtutegdtosh.rfterhmoCpmeueetntvhisoneingdo)e7rphfaeetbrhlladee.
last week, at which Lord Poltim ore presided, that whereas
120 acres of roots badly manaceedwere cultivated in the
district when the society was for'rned a few years ago, there
were now 1000 acres appropriated to the cultivation of
roots, which were well managed and prolific. The anni-
versary of the Weet Buckland Agricultural Society was
celebrated at Castle•hill, the Beatof Earl Fortescue, where
a dinner was provided for a large number of the agricul-
turists of the neighbourhood. Lord Ebrington, in the ab-
sence of his father, Earl Fortescue, presided. His lordship
made some observations on the necessity for further
groundther
edu-
cational efforts among the agriculturalth loeelmai who hadses. i-re
felt that the children of the smaller farmers, althouh
they were making
as compared
wthe advantage of free institutions established by private
th the progress,
labourers
were relatively
below
benevolence, and largely endowed by the State. His
lordship concluded by offering a prize of 251. for three
years to any farmer's son who should pass the best ex-
amination in English history, geography: and practical
mathematics: