The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-30 00:00:00

fray the expenses of these harbours, and contended
that a constitutional principle was involved in the
matter. The proper course would undoubtedly be
to begin at once the construction of a few harbours
in places where they are most urgently needed,
since it should be remembered that these harbours
are works of time, and that it will be long enough
before those now commenced tura to public profit.
Without at once rushing from one extreme to the
other, and charging the revenue with an outlay of
four millions, it is surely possible to make a prudent
and limited commencement. It is a matter of Im-
perial rather than of class interest, since it would
be hard to say what body is not concerned directly
or indirectly in the welfare of our marine traffic.
Let the Government, then, leave off disputing about
minor points, and la 3 ing down large theories, when
they well know that they are called upon to deal
with a very extensive
.and practical trouble. Let
them immediately undertake the construction of
some of the harbours most wanted, undertaking
boldly to defray the cost, and leaving the question
of those less urgently needed to be settled while
these are building. Only let them remember that
winds and waves do not wait for acts of Parlia-
ment, and that every month lost in shifting respon-
sibilities and discussing constitutional law is dearly
paid for by the country in life in property.

DR, GLADSTONE,

(From the Court Journal.)

In regard to Garibal6i's departure the first error was the
differing of the doctors. One tells us that the General is in
Sound health, another that the General's head is likely to
be affected, and that Garibaldi will have a fit of epilepsy; a
third says that it is the General's leg he fears for, and not
the wounded one, but the other, the scound leg, which will
suffer in its efforts to save the wounded one, Here is a con-
fusion of evidence. Then came the sanitary committee, at
which the lay physicians, headed by Dr. Gladstone, have
sucked the heads of their canes, and stated that it is a
decided case of a breaking up of health, and this inquisition
agrees that the General must leave at once. The public
are surprised, and say to him, "How do you feel, General ?"
"Oh, perfectly well," is the reply, but Dr. Gladstone and
Co. shake their heads and say, " You are in error ; you are
very ill." The whole proceedings are fit for a farce, and
nothing else, and if Lord Palmerston would be kind enough
to recommend bleeding and warm water, having read that
a certain Dr. Sangrado, a famous Spanish doctor, was of
this way of thinking, the farce would be complete.
The light begins to break in upon us after we make up
our mind, through these discrepancies, that there is no truth
in the report that the General is ill, and when we read in
Mr. Gladstone's speech that "he ventured also to tell the
General that there was some risk lest the magnificent and
national reception which had been given to him in the great
metropolis of this country, and which really formed an his-
tot ical event, would not gain, but possibly even rather lose,
something of its real dignity from being frequently repeated
elsewhere," we pause and ask what is the meaning of:this
further argument ? If we rightly understand the matter
it is the health of the General which Dr. Gladstone and the
members of the sanitary inquisition are careful about, It
was stated to the world to be the solo reason for desiring
the General to leave, but it here appears they have another
reason for wishing Garibaldi to quit the country—namely,
that the glory of the London reception shall not be eclipsed
—therefore the first statement is not pure and simply true ;
and if not fully true, how much of it would any sensible
man be inclined to accept ? Not a word of it; and to con-
firm that belief they have the General's own answer, who
writes —" DEAR FRIENDS,—I feel obliged to leave Eng-
land ;"—The italics are the General's own, signifying, if
italics do signify anything, that we are to ponder over
the word " obliged," and make the most of it. And
so we will. Who obliged you ? Why, not the French
Emperor, for we take his word, emphatically given, for his
honour's sake, and because, chiefly, that there is no earthly
'reason for his being offended with English enthusiasm, as
enthusiasm would bs accorded to his Majesty by the entire
English public were he to honour the country with a visit
to-morrow; and Garibaldi did not say a word to awaken
any feelings of acrimony against the French Emperor at
home or abroad, therefore we accept his Majesty's word.
What reason have the English Government to wish his
absence? What other than French influence can have
been brought to bear ? Garibaldi, excited beyond his
prudent resolves, upon the receipt of the sword given by
the Italians on Saturday, enunciated strong political
sentiments against Austria, and has also not been
moderate in his remarks about Russia and Prussia.
And this while the General is the feted of Ministers. , It
must, therefore, be naprally unpleasant to those foreign
Powers, and it is cor tab they would allow tdeir didrdesiure
in some act, if possible. Have they done so? The answer
may be given in the fact of their having declined to attend
the Conference on the 20th under the silly plea that time
was not given to M. de 13eust to get to London; In these
days of locomotion it is possible to do the distance between
Dresden and London in three weeks—ix a hurry, in forty-
eight hours—so that, the date of the meeting having been
fixed for three weeks past for the 20th, there seems no
foundation for the silly given cause of declining to come.
Shall we not rather seek it in the presence of Garibaldi and
the doings of our Ministers? and is it not most likely that
the Government have shown their delemma to Garibaldi,
and that he, with the true instincts of a gentleman, says to
his host—that is, to the Government—" If I inconvenience
you, I will pack up my bundle and go ;'' upon which the
delicate Government host says, " I think it would be better
for your health ?"

There never was such an egregious bit of meddling and
muddling for a long time past. Take the most simple read-
ing according to their own wishes, and we have the act of
timid girlish men, who are fearful lest their protigd should
over-exert himself—he, a man who has but just declared
his determination not to rest and be thankful but to brave
the dangers of a heavy campaign when chance shall
favour him—a man who has so often listened to the roar
of death-dealing most cannonade, and sought to do his pur-
pose in the fearful scenes of peril. This man would, per-
haps, rejoice in death itself were it to come so luxuriously,
and crowning him with such glory as he would attain by
being a martyr to popular enthusiasm in this country—
would rejoice were he to foresee suoh a halo over hie own
bier, and that he would leave such a lasting incentive to
his Italian brethren and the world to covet, through hon-
ourable patriotism and dignified conduct, a ray of the great
glow which had settled over his name. The punyness of
the doing is no way a kindness to Garibaldi, and induces us
much to challenge the common-sense judgment of the sani-
tary committee, Why did not they crown their work by
asking for a national subscription for a suit of flannel, a
waterproof cloak, worsted comforter, and a large Gamp um-
brella to protect the dear General from cold in the present
delicate state of his health induced from his visit to this
country,

ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.—The usual
annual general meeting of the Zoological Society of
London was held yesterday at the society's house in Han-
over-square; the president, tho Right Hon. Sir G. Clerk,
Bart.,;,F.R.S., in the chair. The secretary read the re-
port of the council. He stated that the number of fol-
lows and other members of the society then amounted to
1,754. The number of fellows elected since the last
anniversary had been 170—of annual subscribers 15—and
two fellows had been re-admitted under the provisions of
the by-laws, making a total addition of 187 members to the
roll of the society since the anniversary of 1863. Amongst
the names of those who had joined the society since the
last anniversary, it was with no small degree of satisfaction
that the council had to record that of his Royal Highness
the;Prince of Wales, who had also consented to his name
being placed on the roll of members as vice-patron next to
that of her Majesty the Queen, the Patroness of the
Society. The income of the society in the year 1863
had reached a total of £20,284 12s. 11d., being the
largest sum ever received in any one year except
the two exhibition years, and exceeding the average
income of the three ordinary years which preceded
it by about £4,000. The total expenditure for tke
year 1863 had been £25,422 16s. 4n. On the Ist
of January last there were 567 quadrupeds, 1,063
birds, and 100 reptiles in the society's menagerie,
forming in the whole by far the largest and most
complete series of living animals in Europe; that,
although it became more difficult every year to find
additions in the shape of animals quite new to such
a collection, 12 mammals, 35 birds, 22 reptiles, and
8 fishes had been exhibited alive for the first time
in the year 1863. The report having been received
and adopted, the ballot for the council and officers
of the society for the ensuing year was taken, vc here-
upon it was declared that Lord Braybrooke, W. H.
Gregory, Esq., M.P., E. Hamilton, Esq., M.D.,
Rev. Edward Cavendish Taylor, M.A., and Vis-
count Walden had been elected into the coancil in
the place of Rev. John Barlow, M.A., F./LS''
Hugh Falconer, M.D., F.R.S., Lord Lilford, James
Salter, M.D., and George R. Waterhouse, Esq., re-
moved therefrom; and that'the following officers
had been chosen out of the council for the ensuing
year, namely :--President, the Right Hon. Sir
George Clerk, Bart., D.C.L., F.R.S., &o.; treasurer,
Mr. Robert Drummond ; and secretary, Philip Lut-
ley Sclater, M.A., Ph.D., F.R.S., &c. The meet-
ing closed with the usual votes of thanks to the
Council and auditors for their reports, and to the
President for taking the OWL