The Sun.
London, England, 1864-09-30 00:00:00

THE CAPE OF GOOD no:

Abolition of the Upper House in Greece.
(From the Times Correspondent.)
ATHENS, Sept, 22.
On Monday (19th) the National Assembly des
tided by a large majority that there is to be no
Senate or Upper House in the constitutional mon-
archy of Greece. The votes were 211 to 62.
A single legislative Chamber places the sore-
teignty of the people in the strongest light, and the
revolution which is now working out its own pro-
blems in a small sphere at Athens may perhaps on
this occasion be the forerunner of a change in the
thoughts and- feelings of contineatal reformers.
Greece is not so free from the direct influence of
Western democracy as the Greeks themselves sup-
pose. The revolution of 1821 was the first fruits of
the principle of nationality that ripened in the poli-
tical system of Europe, and the Greek revolution of
1843 was the herald of the popular commotions of
1848.
The abolition of a Senate places monarchy and
democracy in that direct connection which must
soon produce alliance, antagonism, or compromise.
It is a logical consequence of the overthrow of King
Otho's system and of the perjury of the Greek
senators.
Society is undergoing so rarid a change from
violence and illegality to a state of regular orgrie-,
zation that even experienced Greeks do not pretend
to see very distinctly how the constitutional syse
tem will ultimately work in their country under this
new phase of Government with a single Chamber.
It may therefore appear presumptueue in a
foreigner to attempt forecasting its effects. But if
more than 4U years' study can teach anything
about Greek politics,
"A man who fought, toil'd, travell'd, and elch part
Of a true citizen fulfilled,"
when Greece found few to join her cause, may ven-
ture to offer an opinion. Your readers are not
likely to take it for more than it is worth. Judg-
ing, then, of the future by the light of the past, it
seems that there is a better chance of tranquillity
for the reign of King George by the adoption of
measures which place the Sovereign, and the people
face to face,to frame a common policy, and effect an
honest compromise, than there would have been in
attempting to revive the old system by which the
Greek people were completely hidden from the King
by a crowd of false officials and venal senators. The
history of the Greek revolution proves that the
people generally acted under the guidance of simple
and sound impulses, and that the ruling classes,
civil and military, phanariats and palikaria, have
been a curse and desolation to the country.
For some time it has been evident that these would
be great difficulty in the way of re-establishing a
Senate, and it was decided in the palace that it
should not be made either a Government or a Minis-
terial question. Count Sponneck, on the part of the
Crown, announced perfect neutrality. Mr Bulgares,
as the leader of the Conservative section of the
Opposition, pretended that he considered a Senate
consisting of members named for life to be absolutely
necessary as a Conservative element in the Mon-
archy. Yet this Conservative leader, when the
question was put in the Assembly, voted for the
abolition of the Senate. Mr Koumoundouros, who
leads the Ministerial party, advocated the establish-
ment of an elective Senate. The impossibility of
constituting a new Senate without admitting some
of the elements of the old Senate, persuaded the
members of the National Assembly that the re-
establishment of the body was for the present im-
possible.
The case against the Senate created in 1844 stands
thus:—The 79:h article of the Constitution declares
that the Senators arc to receive 500 drachmas
inonthlj during the legislative Sessions. In order
to secure large salaries they contrived to make the
legislative Sessions lest ten months. But, after
receiving an annual salary of 5 000 drachmas
for some time, they considered that they were
better able to appreciate the value of their
scrvicca than the Constitution could be, and
by forming a conspiracy with a corrupt House
of Representatives they violated the constie
tution, and appropriated to themselves larger salaries
than they would have been entitled to receive even
had their legislative sessions been rendered perpe-
tual. When the people drove Otho from his throne
for not respecting the Constitution, they could not
allow the senators who had deliberately violated the
Constitution to retain their seats as legislators.
Monarchy escaped destruction, because it was pos-
sible to find a foreign King whose name was con-
stitutionally pure ; but there was no salvation for
the perjured senators, since, in making a new Cone
stitution, it was impossible to forget the violation of
the old Constitution. The decision of last Monday
announced the judgment of the nation, and it must
not be forgotten that every member of the late Senate
has rendered himself liable to a criminal prosecution
by the Attorney-General for perjury, and to a civil
action on the part of the Greek Treasury for the
large sums of money which he has received beyond
his legal indemnity of 500 drachmas a month dune
ing the legislative Sessions of the Senate. We
ought really to give Democracy credit for the mer-
ciful manner in which it has consigned the late
Senate to oblivion.
The question concerning the existence of a
Senate in Greece presents a choice of evils and ad-
vantages somewhat different from what it offers in
other countries. No class of society exists from
which an unpaid Senate can be formed, for the
ablest and the wealthiest men in the country pre-
fer a seat in the Chamber of Representatives. A
Senate car, therefore, be little else than what the
Athenian newspapers have termed it in their recent
discussions—an hospital for worn-out officials.
There are only two political powers in Greek
society—the Government and the people. The
power inherent in the Greek Government far ex.
ceeds the power of the English Government, and
the complete centralization of the administrative
procedure invests the Crown with almost despotic
authority over the Government. On the other
hand, no people can be more helpless in ordie
nary times than the people in Greece. There
are no national institutions in the Greek king
dom, no perishes, no corporations, no local enter-
prises, no popularly constituted municipalities, and
not a trace of self-government. The people have,
therefore no legitimate sphere of action except unie
versal suffrage, and they have hitherto exerted no
influence in the State. Their real power has only
been displayed in a few irregular nod revolutionary
movements, when misgovernment goaded them to
action and aroused. the energy of popular passions.
Time can alone show what will be the ultimate
effect of bringing the tendencies towards despotism
and democracy which operate on Greek society
into direct antagonism. There are some indication!,
that a compromise will be effected which will pro-
duce a centralized constitutional system better
suited to the exigencies of a rude state of society
than could be obtained by a blind imitation of any
older forms of government presented by Western
nations.
Considerable ability on the part of the Clown,
and some prudence on the part of the Chamber of
Representatives, will be necessary to insure success
in giving stability to the new type of constitutional
government which Greece has now adopted. But the
circumstances ate extremely favourable, for at this
moment the interests of the Crown and the people
are identical, Both are injured by the arbitrar3
authority assumed by the official classes, and both
would profit greatly by rooting out the corruption
publicp l
es service.
iecee.
forcing obedience to the law would be sufficient
tThhaet
epeerrdviaadi everyeuseon ef
tbhrea nKe
ihno
af
ntdhethpe
render Greece what King George declared that it
ti
was his ambition to make her—a model kingdom
in the East.

The Diamond Steam Navigation-- Cpcapart,
ecrew steamer Kaffraria, Captain Starks',\-arriNtid 5'
at Plymouth yesterday, from Port Natal, August 6,
—Port Elizabeth, August 20—Table Bay, on the
evening of August 23—St. Helena, September 2
and Madeira, September 21. She had head winds
from Table Bay, and put in to Madeira to coal.
Cargo-1,099 bales wool, 99 bundles eheepkins, 33
ditto goatskins, 4 cases ostrich feathers, and several
cases of sundries, all from Algoa Bay, and valued
at £20,529. Also front Natal, 200 tons sugar, and
1,500 boxes arrowroot. The Kaffraria brings three
days' later news from tie Cape colony, but nothing
of much import had transpired in the interim.
Business continued quiet, but an improvement was
drawing nearer every day. Seasonable rains had
fallen in and around Port Elizabeth during the last
day or two, and it was hoped that they had ex.
tended to the country districts also.
There had recently been considerable :I:scontent
on the part of the labouring cl sacs iu C ire Town
at the I.careity of emplo., went., owing to the discon-
tinuance of government work?, but some orders had
been issued for the continuance of those works, and
this had had a beneficial (fEct. The governor had
instructed the colonial railway engineer to proceed
immediately with the new raitway at Tulbah Kloof.
The Wynberg line of railway was very shortly to
be opened for public traffic. The disputed doctrinal
trial of the Rev. Mr. Kobte v. The Synod of the
Dutch Reformed Church was to come off in the
Supreme Court the day after the Kaffraria sailed.
The proceedings throughout, as well as the final
decision of the court, would be watched and waited
for by the public in the colony with the deepest
interest.

The Dromedary, 2, iron screw troopship, Master
Commander Alexander Brown, en route for the
Brazils, arrived at Madeira the same day as the
Eaffraria. The Brisk, 16, screw-corvette, Captain
1-n461'41i-6 7.kalkiiilii;fooll•atititeM
signals, on Sept. 27, about 240.thiles uff Falmouth,
also the Bremen steamer Concordia, bound, oi the
Mediterranean. The passengers of the,-Kaffrar4,
on their arrival at Falmouth, presented an address
to Captain Starks, expressive of their great satis-
faction at the accommodation afforded them nu ;
passage. The li..ffraria brings a supPleMental Mail, •
of 11 bags.

Naval and Military Intelligence.

On Wednesday, Col. Woodhouse, C,8., Commandant of '
the Woolwich Depot, inspected the Ist Division of the
Depot Brigade of Royal Artillery, stationed at Sheerness'
The troops received the inspection in line, and after giving
the customary salute were inspected ; they then marched
past in quick time in quarter-distance column, and were
again formed in line. The inspector addressed deem., in
complimentary terms upon their clean and 'smart appear- .
ante. The Colonel then proceeded to inspect the barraSfe,
the soldiers' recreation rooms, the'mffitary
garrison books, and expressed: his entire sati§fadtion e's-t
the mode in which everything _was kept,_ 12 T._
~-;" se
At 10 o'clock on Wednesday night 150 officers and mew 5
of the 13th Brigade of Royal Artillery, with their accoutre=:.
ments, landed at the Camber dock, Sheerness, frera.Stai)4,
buryness, and in three hours afterwards proceeded bfspoojal;
train to Dover. At 9 the same evening Nue3 Battery -et _Tee
the 2d Brigade of Royal Attilletry arrivelst Shtclners
Woolwich, and were embarked for•Sho6buryness: t,t
The Serpent, 4, steam gunboit, 695 eons, 200 l‘rseVestely?
was taken out of the large basinin'Sheeriaess Do,;kyirrlceir
Wednesday, and proceeded on wtrip to thellsl"oteLifkitgr.(fAC.
back to the coal ship in the river, in order,to testaheienan a; 14:
chinery previcus to the trial trig ere the r4a-Sureci mile off r
the Maplin Sands. The result was Most
rsatisfiletory, and' ,
tee
, vs
the vessel will be taken on:trial this_ day..
On Saturday last one of Captaiie_Blake.lel 11 inch_bani-
mered cast steel guns, weighing .22rions, underwent two ,
rounds of proof at the Woolivieh• betteri4ith'eharges of 451 b
of powder, and cylinders of pQllateach. *ter the tecfncr'• :eett"
round Mr M*Kinlay, tire proof, waste;, detecti:d
sound, which seemed to_beecensed by the passage orainig%
silo through the butt. On examination it apppred,97----$
2101 b cylinder had struck on an'eldlhot whrell'hieT to
fired in some former proof and had not been extrac.gellealid
that the latter had befell fo'reeclUpwardtiland 'paSseittithetopgb. •
the top of the butt. Tlvicoiatizinaiioni,tlife'PlAtVaiTiiere-
fore deferred to a future day.- In the,iniatraiime ehe Itoyal
Engineer department urdereeof the exernination and repair
of the butt, which was cOnipleied ;on Wednesday morning;
the proof was then renewed. The charges were increaeal to
60th ot powder and 600 lb cylinders, and at the eonc'n,ion of
the proof, notwithstanding the enormous amount of the
charges, not the slightest bleuiish or strain was detected in
the guns. Many persons interested in the saccesa of the
gun ere n `attnainte esthltitricoistonrglerawsvore Mr
iCenSt,ffia'o/reruvia'n--e6Vilrtir'ttStetrMitrseiTAVVse
an artillery officer in the service of the Peruvian Govern-
ment; Capt. Palliser, late 18th Hussars, and others. The
company was represented by Capt. Blakely, Mr Campbell,
Mr Vevasseur, and Mr Wood:
Yesterday thcßlakely ordnauc- 7 inch steel gun, made to
the order of our own Government for naval purposes, was
proved at the butt, with charges of 311 b of powder and
shot weighing 1101 b each. The gun is rifled with 18 grooves.
and weighs 6 tons 2 cwt. The proof was likewise satisfac-
tory, and the gun was taken in charge by the department
of the inspectors of artillery, and will be fitted as a ship's
gun for service.
We have been furnished with the following interesting
return of the steaming capabilities of some of the vessels in
the Channel fleet, as ascertained on two recent occasions :
—On the 27th August, in a trial of two hours, under full
boiler power, the results were as follows :—The Prince Con-
sort gained on the Hector 3,200 yards, on the Defence
3,880 yards, and on the Enterprise 5,300 yards. The
Research was not tested on this trial. On Sept. 20 trials
took place with half boiler power, of three hours' duration,
with the following results, the Research and Black Prince
being included in this trial :--The Black Prince gained on
the Prince Consort 6,974 yards, the Prince Consort gained
on the Hector 5,475 yards, on the Defence 3,300 yards, on
the Research 19,644 yards, and on the Enterprise 19,525
yards. As the speed of the slowest ship in a fleet must
become the speed of the entire fleet in all combined offensive
and defensive operations, vessels like the Research and En-
terprise would appear to be misplaced when occupying posi-
tions as component parts of a British fleet in the Channel.
An almost universal feeling is entertained by naval officers
that for all purposes of warfare a slow vessel is worse than
useless, as her career can only end in capture by the enemy.
The paddlewheel steamsluop Gladiator, 6, Capt. Francis
11. Shortt, from Madeira, arrived in the Sound on Wednes-
day morning. She left Plymouth on Juno 2t for Madeira,
and arrived there on the 29th. On July 26 she took charge
of the sailing transport Wanboojeeg, which had been towed
to Madeira by the paddlewheel steamveasel Bulldog. The
Gladiator arrived with her at Sierra Leone on July 18, coaled
there, and left on the 20th for Cape Coast Castle. The
Wanboojeeg then embarked parts of the Ist and 2d West
Indian Regiments, and left Cape Coast Castle in charge of
the Gladiator on July 30, and was towed to lat 1 8 S, long
017 E, and on August 5 proceeded to Barbadoes. The
Gladiator returned to Cape Coast Castle, and on the Bth
embarked a part of the 4th West India Regiment, with
which she sailed on the 9th for Lagos. On the 12th she
disembarked them into the Investigator, 2. The Gladiator
then embarked a detachment of the 3d West India Regi-
ment, and proceeded to Palma. There she took on board
another detachment of the 3d, with whom she left on the
20th, and she arrived on the 30th at Sierra Leone. She
then embarked 75 men of the 3d West India Regiment,
and the crew of the Spanish slave vessel America, captured
by the Ariel in the Mozambique Channel, and proceeded to
Gambia. She disembarked her detachment of the 3d West
India Rqgiment there, and sailed on the 4th of September,
with the slaver's crew, to Teneritle. She left on the 13th
for Madeira, arrived there on the 16th, and left on the 20th
for England. The Gladiator has experienced light easterly
winds on the homeward passage. She brings es passengers
from Lagos EnsignM'Callagh and a soldier belonging to the
3d West India Regiment, and from Madeira 22 naval in-
valids. Having some slight injuries in her coal bunkers, she
will probably be sent to Keyham for repair. The West
Coast squadron were stationed at intervals of 15 miles up
and down the coast.
The Russian storeship Guiliack sailed from Plymouth on
Monday for the River Amoor.
The screw steam corvette Brisk, 16, Capt. Charles W.
Hope, left Plymouth on Tuesday for Australia and New
Zealand.
The Channel squadron is expected at Plymouth towards
the close of October or in the beginning of November.
Several hired mechanics and others working in the
Devonport dockyard will shortly be discharged, to reduce
the expenditure.
The following appointments were made on Wednesday at
the Admiralty : —Lieut. H. A. Clavering to command the
Sharpshooter, commissiened—Lieut, W. T.W. Ilambly to
the Orontes—and John Bruce (b.), chief engineer, to the
Cumberland, for the Star.
The following appointments were made yesterday at the
Admiralty :—Lieut. F. W. Hallowes to command the
Nimble, commissioned in a separate con= and—Lieut. It,
M. Spelling, Lieut 0. li. Parker, and Lieut. E. G. Bourke
to the Rattlesnake—Lieut. J. E. Stokes te) the Euryelus;
Lieut. G. N, Smallpiece and Lieut. R. T. Clarke to
the Hector—Sub•Lieut. F. R,omilly to the Racoon—Sub-
Lieut, A. H. Duthie, Sub-Lieut. W. Neilson, and Sub-
Lieut, R. B. Wilkinson to the Rattlesnake—Sub-Lieut.
A. IL Cooper to the Sharpshooter—J. Southwick, second
:raster to the Sharpshooter; W. L. Harrison, master's-
assist., to the Sharpshooter—W. Lovely, assi-t.-paymaster,
'o the Cumberland—A, P. Cox, assist.-paymaster, in charge
o the Sharpshooter—G. C. E, A. Townsend, assist.- clerk,
to the Warrior—and C. Itaxwortby, assist,-clerk, to the
Sharpshooter.