The Sun.
London, England, 1864-02-01 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 1, 1864.

tongue into each other, and each plate is fastened
with 11 screws into the timber. The result of the
recent experimental rough-weather cruise of the
Selferino, Magenta, Invincible, Couronne, and Nor-
mandie gave some curious and rather unexpected
results. The Solferino and Magenta two-deckers
proved as steady as rocks when the Couronne and
Normandie were rolling dreadfully, and the latter
made such bad weather of it and shipped so much
water as to put out her fires, and there is little
doubt but that she would have foundered outright
had not the weather moderated sufficiently to
enable her to gain a port. Before she was
trusted out again, 100 tons of cables were fas-
tened along each side of her upper deck, which
had the effect of studying her much, though
she was still found to roll so quickly and un-
easily as to render it almost impossible for her to
cast loose her guns in the slightest seaway. The
Couronne laboured heavily, but did nothing like
this. The Invincible was the best of the frigates,
and the Solferino was the fastest of the whole
squadron, doing 104 knots, when the Normandie
and Couronne were short of six knots. Singularly
enough, the Solferino and Magenta, though sister
ships, alike to a plank and rivet, and with the same
engines and stowage, gave very different results as
to speed, the Solferino doing 101 knots and the
Magenta barely 7. The difference is, perhaps, to be
ascribed to their engines. which are said to be bad
in the latter ship. Both, however, were remark-
ably steady, except with the wind on the quarter,
when they became uneasy while the rest of the fri-
gates were quiet. The Invincible was next to the
Solferino in speed, and nearly equal to her in steadi.
ness. On the whole, on a comparison of the iron-
clad fleets of the two countries, we have every rea-
son to feel proud—to feel secure while we have got
them.-7imes.

offer a new hindrance to the advancing foe. The Austrians, to
whose share, according to the last accounts,the task of attack-
ing this position is to fall, will find it no easy matter. Still,
the difficulties which await the Prussians in the advance
by the Rend sburg-road aro still greater. The intrenchments
commence at this point, at the village of Wedelspang, and
the first line stretches towards the east through the Selker
Noer to the Schlei, towards the west in the neighbourhood
of the Rothen Krug, to which point the batteries extend
from the opposite direction of Hettingstadt, and at the junc-
tion the defences are crowned with a very powerfully-armed
and fortified battery. A second line of intrenchments com-
mences behind these, with a strong blockhouse at Bustorf,
comparable to a small fortress, and culminates in the oppo-
site direction at Husbye, which again, being transformed
into a kind of large place d'armee, is connected with Hel-
lingstadt by a series of smaller intermediate works. This
second line entirely commands the first, and Bustorf, in
particular, appears impregnable by assault, owing to the
deep and extended Bustorf dyke, situate between that place
and the Schlei. A third and last line of intrenchments ex-
tends from the town of Schleswig., over the Erdbeerberg,
the Annaten-hohe, and the Pulverholz, as far as the Zoo-
logical-gardens; and here again it is connected with the
works extending from Husbye and the village of Seholaye.
Finally, to prevent a passage of the Schlei, and an attack
thenee, the ford at Missunde is powerfully fortified, and a
very strong tete-de-pont constructed there. Intrenchments,
furnished with guns of the heaviest calibre, are also raised
at every point where any attempt of the sort could possibly
be made.

=
Naval and Military Intelligence.

THE NAVY.

The screw steamship St. George, 81, Captain the Hon.
Francis Egerton, went on Friday from Plymouth Sound to
the Davenport dockyard, where she is discharging her
stores, &c. It is understood now that she will not be
entirely dismasted,lbut refitted for the purpose of taking the
place of the coastguardship Russell at Falmouth, and that
her crew, who have been granted leave of absence, will be
?aid wages, but not paid off as at first expected.
The crew of the paddlewheel steam vessel Jackal at
Devonport will be paid oft on Monday next, the Bth inst.
The ship has been placed in Keyham basin to have defects
made good.
The lighter Aid, Grandy master, from Chatham, arrived
on Friday at Devonport with stores for the dockyard.
On Saturday it was announced at Chatham that the rolls
for the Kertch prize money, amounting to between £BO,OOO
and £90,000, have been prepared by the Accountant-General
of the Navy, and that it will be shortly ready for distribu-
tion to the officers and men entitled to shares.
Instructions have been received at Chatham directing that
Chalmers target, lately experimented upon at Shoeburyness,
is not to be dismantled and removed, as was at first ordered.
It is to undergo a careful and thorough repair under the
superintendence of Mr. Baskcombe, of Chatham dockyard,
who has constructed the whole of the targets hitherto tested
at Shoeburyness. The Admiralty instructions direct that
the plates which originally covered the target aro to be re-
placed, and the whole of the expenses connected with the
repairs are to be charged to the " Army fund."
A new battery has been erected on the sea bank adjoining
the old channel of the Ouse below Lynn. The local mem-
bers of the Naval Reserve and Coastguard service have
commenced a course of artillery practice at the new battery.
The following appointments were made on Saturday at
the Admiralty :—Lieut. C. C. Hassan, to be Flag Lieut. to
Rear-Admiral Sir L. J. Jones; W. H. Clarke, surgeon, to
the Leander ; J. F. Kynsey, assist paymaster, to the Pem-
broke ; and W. B. Antridge, assist paymaster, to the Indus.

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS,

SPECTATOR.—The Conservatives are said to be
considering i❑ that rather vague way which gene-
rally precedes a session of Parliament whether or
not it is worth (while to make a rush for power ;
and an able contemporary, which well knows how
to make its praise decidedly less palatable than its
blame, and now and then, perhaps, uses its know-
ledge, has exhorted them in its own peculiar style
of derisive encouragement to make the attempt.
" Why should the Conservatives be supi:osed inca-
pable of doing very little and writing any number
of despatches? They might, too, make their de-
spatches civil and conciliatory-, and although this
would be a great change, it might not be a had one."

This view of a Conservative government may tip:
pear humble, but it is sound. When there is any
reforming passion in the country, the proper duty-
of the Conservatives is clearly not to guide the en-
gine but to sit in the guard's van and put on the
break. But when there is no steam on, and the train
does not move at all even without the break, it be-
comes comparatively immaterial whether the guard
sits on the engine and the engine-driver at the break,
or vice versa. Now, therefore, if ever the Conserva-
tives would seem to have a fair chance of govern-
ing the country, and—so long as the present fit of
profound apathy as to home affairs lasts, of express-
ing adequately the feeling of the nation. Unfor-
tunately, however, for the prospects of the Conser-
vative party, it is rarely practicable for it to have
really able leaders who are of the same grain of
mind with the bulk of the party, and can command,
when in office, the full political confidence of their
followers. For it requires no small ability—no
small spirit of enterprise—to govern the country
even in the most sedate times with popular credit ;
and though you may find plenty of both ability and
enterprise in connection with Conservative opinions,
they seldom happen to be exactly of that subdued
type which both raises Conservatism in its own
eyes and the eyes of the world, and yet fails to
sow any suspicion in the Conservative ranks of a
wish to desert the slow humdrum policy that is so
dear to them. The late Sir Robert Peel was such
a leader—such as can scarcely be expected again in
a century. He was the slow Conservatism perso-
nified ; and yet he had ability and activity, and
ambition enough to give to the party a new
status, and even to the country, so long as he stood
at the helm, a position of some dignity. Generally,
however, the model Conservative—such a man as
Sir John Pakington, laboriously dull, or Sir Staf-
ford Northcote, shrill in accounts, or pouring out
commonplaces in a high monotonous key, is not a
man to transfigure Conservatism in the eyes of the
party and the world, and inspire confidence by
his capacity without forfeiting it by misplaced
originality. No doubt Conservatism attracts
plenty of really able men into its ranks—but not,
unfortunately, of the type in which the country
party can recognise its own genius. The attractive
work of Conservatism, the work, too, which so long
as Conservatives are in opposition any political
volunteer who can do it well will be gladly
permitted to do without any too close investiga-
tion of his fundamental faith, is the work of
snubbing advanc: d views, " putting down" all eager
hopes, and generally proving that a sane intelli-
gence, even if very sanguine, can only at best ex-
pect to prevent the present from deteriorating as
compared with the pest. This is often very conge-
nial work, especially to young man of culture. Mr.
Disraeli showed in the commencement of his career
magnificent genius for it. Lord Robert Cecil ob-
viously enters into it con amore, and is one of the
very beat and roundest snubbers in the House.
Lord Stanley enjoys it when not withheld by his
profound respect for the growing force of a winning
cause. Mr. Seymour Fitzgerald is scarcely critical
enough for it—by far too much disposed to be con-
structive—but still he can make his points with
success; and Sir Hugh Cairns has showed much
more than professsional capacity for it. But still,
though this is ail very well for the carping phase of
Opposition, it is not the capacity which wins the
confidence of the country gentlemen. You could as
soon wid for the Saturday Review the species of
mental obeisance with which an official department
looks at its annual blue-book, or gain for Garibaldi
the same description of confidence with which a
regular army regarded the Duke of Wellington, as
inspire the true country party with any distinct
feeling of moral trust in that sceptical side of culti-
vated Conservatism which exercises itself at the ex-
pense of unripe reforms and enthusiastic dreams. It
is not unwilling to profit by this effective weapon
in defeating the pressure of the Liberal party, but
t is not th faculty which really wins confidence
'rom the British landowner, or which can discipline

-
and command them as Sir Robert Peel could disci-

pline and commend them before his good sense came
into disastrous collision with their prejudices on the
corn laws. The ability which gathers round the
Conservative party is rarely of the kind to lead it
f Metively. A typical Conservative is usually too
dull to take the highest place in the realm with
conspicuous success. A critical, highly cultivated
Conservative is usuall unable to give out the
true solemn sort of watchword with the proper

sort of solemnity that makes the party feel at home
under the influence of his words. It is the misfor-
tune of a Conservative Government to be absolutely

•
dependent on the aid of men who are apt to lead it
into uncongenial positions,—either on eccentric
manceuverers, or on politicians who represent only
the cynical disbelief in reform, not the natural af-
fection of the country party towards the old state
of things.
SATURDAY REVIEW.—Unless the peace of the
country is threatened by foreign complications, Mr.
Gladstone may look forward to a new occasion for
appearing in the character of a public benefactor.
A philosophical clerk in a recent fiction reflects on
his own illogical gratitude in thanking his master
for paying his quarter's salary. The money fairly
belonged to the recipient, but nevertheless, as he
justly observes, it is impossible to help thanking a
man who pays you money. The taxpayers, though
they are the rightful claimants of any surplus which
may accrue, will make no difficulty in thanking
Mr. Gladstone for any remission which he can
afford. It is true that he has sometimes expressed
the opinion that the moat burdensome taxation is
the best, because the overweighted camel may be
provoked into throwing off his load; but great
orators are not bound to be uniformly consistent,
and Mr. Gladstone is an able financier, as well as
an ingenious constructor of paradoxes. He has
already promised to cheapen sugar last year as he
reduced the duty on tea, and there can be no doubt
that the state and prospects of the revenue will
enable him to redeem his pledge. Of the smaller
taxes which are candidates for the next turn of dis-
tribution, the posthorso duty, though it has not
been prominently brought to the attention of the
Government, would be perhaps the most deserving.
There is no reason why a gig or a market cart
should be converted into a luxury by a tax which
at the same time creates an invidious monopoly.
Of more important claimants for relief, the Malt-
tax is first in the field, but the excess of the burden
which is borne by the farmers beyond their propor-
tion as consumers weakens to a certain extent the
force of their demands. It is perhaps anomalous
that so heavy a tax should be levied on a whole-
some and indispensable commodity, but the duty is
too productive to be repealed, and a partial reduc
tion would be in a great measure appropriated by
the brewers, while the vexatious interference of
excisemen would not be removed. If it is true
that malt might advantageously be used as food for
cattle, it is unfortunate that the price should
be artificially raised, but, as long as the tax
is retained, no diminution of the amount
would tend materially to diminish the 'existing
grievance. If, after completing the other arrange-
ments of his budget, Mr. Gladstone can spate a
million, the diminution of the income tax by a
penny would afford sensible relief. A poundage of
sixpence would produce nearly or quite seven
millions, and, in addition to the fractional reduction,
there would be a certain satisfaction in the com-
parative ease of the corresponding calculations. In
some golden age of the future, the rate may even
fall to fourpence with great advantage to the pocket
of the taxpayer, and perhaps to his morality. It is
as wrong to make a false return of sixteenpence in
the pound as of fourpence, but a temptation multi-
plied by four becomes practically far less resistible.
The available surplus cannot, of course, be even
approximately ascertained until the Estimates are
prepared and published. As far, however, as con-
lecture is possible in the absence of official informa-
tion, it would seem that the Chancellor of the
Exchequer will have no occasion to incur unpopu-
larity. The House of Commons has learned, by
the experience of several years, to strip off the
irritating appendages which please Mr. Gladstone's
tastes, apparently for the sr-me reasons which some-
times induce cooks to annoy carvers with superflu-
ous decorations of skewers and paper frills and
sculptured turnip. The determination of the
expenditure which regulates the application of the
revenue belongs to the Cabinet, or to its principal
members, rather than to the Minister of Finance.
As long as Lord Palmerston presides over the Govern-
ment there is no reason to fear a repetition of the error
which has so often been committed in the excessive
reduction of armaments. The country has, for the
first time in the present generation, enjoyed an inter-
val of five or nix years without a panic ; and Parlia-
ment would not be supported by general opinion in a
recurrence to unseasonable parsimony. It will also
be understood that, notwithstanding the attachment
of all parties in England to peace, there can be no
abolute freedom from risk while one hemisphere
is at war, and the other is iu the midst of quarrels
'and military preparations. It is not desirable to
disarm, but the process of manufacturing armour
ought now to be far advanced towards completion.

The navy has been lately rebuilt two or three times
over, and even the wealthiest and most liberal com-
munity cannot afford inter minable reconstruction,
It is also not unreasonable to expect that iron ships
will in some degree repay their cost by their dura-
bility. Both in the navy and in the ordnance de-
partment, the outlay of capital and the cost of re-
pairs ought soon to exhibit a reduction. The fate
of the Government may depend on the prudence of
its measures, but it is not impossible that the prin-
cipal business of the Session may consist in a con-
test for office. The Opposition might, if a division
could be taken on the simple issue of a choice be-
tween Lord Palmerston and Lord Derby, still be
defeated by a narrow majority; but its numerical
strength has been considerably increased, its chances
have been imptoved by the removal of the Italian
question into the background, and after two years
of inaction Mr. Disraeli probably longs for the ex-
citement of a struggle, into which, indeed, he may
he forced by his supporters. He may perhaps flatter
himself that the country is tired of hearing Lord
Palmerston called popular, and if a suitable occasion
occurs he will almost certainly make a stroke for
office. Several causes may occasion a temporary
division in the Ministerial ranks, but experience
has shown that it is difficult to unite the Opposition
at the decisive moment. A far more serious danger
would arise if the rumours of dissensions within the
Cabinet were confirmed. Tne secession of a prin-
cipal member would render the position of the
Government s 6 untenable that it would scarcely
be worth while either to meet Parliament or to
attempt a dissolution. Otherwise, the chances
seem to be in favour of the continuance of the pre-
sent Ministry for another year, especially as Lord
Pelmerston, as long as his party is united, holds in
his hands the dreaded weapon of dissolution. If the
Minister is at last deserted by his good fortune, the
succession of a comparatively untried party may
perhaps effect a considerable change in the opinions
and professions of many contented supporters of
the present Government. If no change takes place,
the Session will probably be comparatively tranquil.
EXAMINER.—The Lord Justices have decided
against the claim for costs in the Divorce Court,
which we noticed in our last number. The presid-
ing Judge regarded the proceedings as wholly
groundless, and observed, that the attorney should
have exercised more caution before he took up a
jealous woman's case, and might easily have satis-
fied himself that his client was labouring under de-
lusions. But an attorney's judgment is very much
influenced by the prospect of costs ; and farther, as
the true Amphitryon is he with whom Sosia dines,
so the lawyer thinks the client rational who has the
discernment to employ him. Where then, again we
ask, is the security against groundless proceedings,
carrying with them scandal and defamation. See
in the following petition all that is necessary to
commence a suit, how easy the first stet, after which
there is a halt, during which evil-speaking, lying,
and slandering have full swing. And though the
charge may not be credible, it gives opportunity and
occasion for all the worst that can be said or con-
ceived against the object.
In the matter of Timothy Joseph O'Kane, of No. 26, In-
verness-road, Bayswater, in the county of Middlesex,
gentleman,
Dated 19th day of October, A.D., 1863.
Showeth :-1. That your petitioner was on ;the 2d day
of October, 1851, lawfully married to Margaret Matilda
Augusta Morris, of No 2, John-street, Sutton-street, Com-
mercial road East, in the said county ot Middlesex, spin-
ster, at St. George's-in-the-East, in the said county of
Middlesex.
2. That, after his said marriage, your petitioner lived
and cohabited with his said wile at No. 2, John-street,
Sutton-street, Commercial-road East, aforesaid; at Graves-
end, in the county of Kent; at Dingle, Killarney, and
'rralee, all in the county of Kerry, in Ireland ; and at No.
26, Grove-place, Brompton, in the county of Middlesex;
and that there was issue of the said marriage—viz., one son
and four daughters.
3. That on or about the 16th. day of June, 1863, and at
divers other days and times at Cambridge House, No. 91,
Piccadilly, in the said county of Middlesex, and at divers
other places, the said Margaret Matilda Augustata O'Kane
committed adultery with one Henry John Temple, Vis-
count . Palmerston, K.G., First Lord of her Majesty's
Treasury.
Your petitioner, therefore, humbly prays that this hon-
ourable Court will be pleased to decree and declare the said
marriage of your petitioner and the said Margaret Matilda
Augusta O'Kane to be dissolved; and that your petitioner
may have such further and other relief in the premises as to
this honourable Court may seem meet. And your petitioner
claims £20,000 damages against the said Henry John Tem-
ple, Viscount Palmerston, 'K.G,, First Lord of her Majesty's
Treasury. And your petitioner will ever pray.
TimoznY JOSEPH O'KANE.
And there the matter rests, a day having only just
been fixed when the petitioner must either go on
with his suit or drop it, having libelled the Prime
Minister with impunity for months, if the charge
be groundless. We ask agaip, who is safe against
a proceeding like this, and might not adultery be
charged against a bishop in his palace, as easily as
against Lord Palmerston in his house, on a certain
day, and at divers other days and times ? Lambeth
is not a jot safer than Cambridge House. What
is wanted is some respectable voucher for the
grounds of the petition, prima facie.