The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-03 00:00:00

have to put up with ; roughing it, and, if the word
must be said, " pigging" it with them agreeably to
the exigencies of war and of a semi-state of siege.
We share their crowded rooms with them at the
hotels, where we have to put up with German beds
and French washstands, shin-breaking bedsteads,
smothering feather beds, stifling at the centre,
freezing at the extremities ; washstands with mere
cups for basins, scanty allowance of water, cobweb
towels; unattended apartments, nests of dirt, abodes
of confusion. We sit down with our military
friends at their mess, where we have soups and
meat, the meat not every day roasted, to the great
vexation of the Danes, with whom boiled beef is
spoilt beef, and among whom such a dish is as un-
popular as it ever was at the Knightsbridge-bar-
racks; the soup once a week, a " sweet soup, a
compound of stewed prunes, rice, and fat, which
whoever has once tasted it is sure to be sick of for
his lifetime. Finally we are admitted to their
amusements in the coffeerooms, where they kill the
time with very, very long whist, beer, and pipes,
making the atmosphere of the close, hot apartment
so dense and heavy as to outdo the deep outside fog
which frequently visits us as one of the many
phases of east wind, snow storm, heavy rain, and
other amenities of this wintry climate.
Life out of doors ought to be a relief, and the
country in summer must be as pleasant as the
almost incessant alternation of land and water can
make it; the water coming home almost to every
hamlet and farmhouse in the shape of Fiord,
Sund, Nor, or Vig, running water, stagnant water,
high tide and low tide, with fine old timber grow-
ing up close to its margin, and white country man-
sion or castle mirroring itself on its surface. The
land well tilled and fruitful, swelling up in smooth
round undulations, nowhere bold or abrupt, but no•
where tame and unpicturesque ; a land sufficient,
as it would seem, for the owner and the labourer,
presenting everywhere the signs of peace and plenty,
of comfort and contentment, a landa dweller wherein
accepted the hard lot of a long dreary winter, and
seemed thereby to have redeemed himself from all
other evils flesh is heir to. But the country at this
time of the year has but little to repay persons fond
of exercise, and skating itself is spoilt either by snow
or thaw every second or third day. Work enough
for our military friends to go out morning and after-
noon to shoot and be shot at ; work enough for us
to go and see them at it. For the rest half-an-hour's
ride on a hard, frosty ground is rather hazardous, a
walk in deep snow or mud a vary toilsome amuse-
ment. Do what we may, our choice lies between a
sore trail of our fortitude out of doors, or a heroic
exercise of our patience in doors. Of course, philo-
sophy consists in trying everything by turns, and
taking the world as it is, and I must say that grum-
lin g and ill-humour are by no means rife among us.
Still, it is rather a dog's life, on the whole, and it is
no wonder, on the one side, if the Danes long for an
attack—an earnest, decisive attack—which may re-
lieve the dulness of their quarters ; and no wonder,
on the other side, if the Germans prefer to put their
enemies to a long ordeal of ennui, which may wear
out their spirits, and tire then_ of what is most
likely to prove in the end an unprofitable, as it now
most assuredly looks like a hopeless game.

Sir Moses Montefiore's Mission to Morocco

The following interesting details of this success
of enterprise are extracted from the Gibraltar
Chronicle of the 19th inst.:—
" 'We are to-day enabled to lay before our readers
the firman or edict from the Sultan to ell the Go-
vernors of his dominions, the fruit of the exertions
of Sir Moses to better the condition of the Jews in
Morocco. At the advanced age of this venerable
gentleman a land journey at this season of the year
over the roadless plains of Morocco has been in it-
self a work of some toil and pain, and it is a matter
of congratulation not only that his labours have been
crowned with success but that his health has not
suffered from the fatigues of land travelling. The
party, on their journey up to Morocco, left Moga-
dor on the 17th, and with their Moorish escort of
cavalry and infantry, their 21 camels, 25 baggage
mules, and a numerous retinue of attendants, formed
a somewhat numerous caravan. On their second
day's journey they came in sight of the snow-capped
chain of Atlas, which remained a conspicuous object
b )unding their landscape till they reached Morocco.
The journey was performed in easy stages of about
15 miles. Sir Moses Montefiore was accommodated
in a kind of palanquin or horse litter, but notwith-
standing this attempt to mitigate the fatigue of
travel the worthy baronet received many a rude
shock from stump, bush, and stone, which made his
conveyance anything but a pleasant one. At the
close of each day's journey the Governor of the dis-
trict in which the party halted furnished them with
an abundant supply of provisicns by the Sultan's
ord-r. This entertainment of the Sultan's guests
is called by the Moors mona.' Sheep, poultry,
eggs, milk, tea, sn gar, &c., are supplied by the
people of the district, and the value of these sup-
plies is deducted from their contribution to the Sul-
tan's Exchequer. On reaching Morocco the travel-
lers were lodged in the Sultan's palace, called Sidi
Ben Dris, situated in the midst of an orange garden.
The Sultan practises the rites of hospitality in the
manner sanctioned by high antiquity. The travel-
worn guest is not expected to disclose the object of
his visit till he has had time to recruit his strength
and to repose after the fatigue of his journey. Sir
Moses Montefiore and his party, therefore, passed
six days in their garden abode before being hon-
oured with the first audience of the Sultan. As
most of our readers know, the Sultan, like a true
cavalier, gives audience on horseback, the colour of
his charger being an index to the temper of the
Sherriffian mind. When this is bright and serene
the Sultan bestrides a white charger; light sha-
dows that cloud its cheerfulness are not unaptly
represented by gray; while a black charger de-
notes that gloom and discontent have settled on the
royal spirit. Sir Moses Montefiore and his party
were assembled in a spacious courtyard, lined with
some thousands of the Sultan's troops, watching
with interest the portal at its extremity from which
the white, gray, or black spirit was to issue, and
were soon gratified by the Sultan's appearance on a
superb charger of spotless white. He rode forward
to welcome his guests; in a few courteous phrases
he expressed his happiness at seeing them in his
dominions, and addressed a few words specially to
the character and quality of each. He said that the
exertions of Sir Moses Montefiore on behalf of his
race in different parts of the world were not un-
known to him, that he was aware of the universal
character of the gentleman's beneficence, which was
not confined to any sect or creed, but embraced all
classes, and he expressed his satisfaction in seeing
him in Morocco. He expressed his pleasure also at
meeting Mr. Reade, the British Consul, who had
long been known to him. After Mr: Reade had
presented the different members of the party to the
Sultan, the latter concluded Borne phrases convey-
ing his appreciation of the friendship of England
by turning to Captain Armytage and the naval offi-
cers who accompanied him, and saying that no sight
gave him greater pleasure than that of a British
uniform. Before the close of she interview Sir
Moses kiontefiore handed to the Sultan the peti-
tion which he had prepared, praying for a removal
of the grievances under which the Jews were suffer-
ing' The Sultan graciously received the petition
aitnsdedoenliteeetirteadaho
it to the Chamberlain, promising that
afterwarduld have hisbeosft
Fcoenbsriudaerryat,itohne
M .
Four days
following firman or edict was sent to Sir Moses
prayer for eq
,onthe
sth
ontefiore asual the Sultan's formal assent to the
portion of his suban' impartial
justice to the Jewish
sects
" 'ln the name of God, tho Merciful and Gra-
and Mighty, L.s. cious. There is no
power but in God, the High
()
Be it known by this our
God exalt and bless its
purport
itavc Edict—may
doeselevate the
and
same to the high Heavens, as He
moon !—that it is our command that alai
ondwisiresid-
thje sun and
ing within our dominions, be the which the Almighty God has placed themt onh
in
ever it may, shall be treated by our Govewrnoat",
administrators, and all other subjects in manner
justice, with the evenly balanced scales
justice, and that in the administration of the courts
of law the Jews shall occupy a position of perfect
equality with all other peopio, so that not even a

fractional portion of the smallest imaginable par-
ticle of injustice shall reach any one of them, nor
shall they be subjected to anything of an objection-
able nature. Neither the authorities nor any one
else shall do the Jews wrong, whether to their
persons or to their property ; nor shall any trades-
man among them, or artisan, be compelled to work
against his will. The work of every one shall be
duly recompensed, for injustice here is injustice in
Heaven, 'and we cannot countenance it in any
matter affecting either the Jews' rights or the
rights of others, our own dignity being itself op-
posed to such a course ; all persons in our regard
have an equal claim to justice; and if any person
should wrong or injure one of the Jews, we will,
with the help of God, punish him.
" ' The commands hereinbefore set forth
have been given and made known before now, but
we repeat them and add force to them, in order that
they may be more clearly understood and more
strictly carried into eEect, as well as serve for a
warning to such as may be evilly disposed towards
the Jews, and that the Jews shall thus enjoy for
the future more security than heretofore, while the
fear to injure them shall be greatly increased.
"' This decree, blessed by God, is promulgated
on this 26th of Shaban, of the year 1280 (sth of
February, 1864).—Peace!'

"It will be seen by the Sultan's formal injunction
to his Governors that he fully recognises the claims
of his Jewish subjects to protection against all
oppression and injustice. The Sultan has shown in
this that he possesses a spirit of liberality and tole•
ration and an enlightened knowledge of the duties
of a Governor towards the governed far in advance
of that possessed by his officers or the Mahomme-
dan portion of his subjects. It is hardly to be ex-
pected, perhaps, that after a long course of tyranny
and oppression, springing from religious fanaticism
every act of cruelty and injustice should at once
cease; but the authoritative declaration of the Sul-
tan's will, backed as it will be by the influence of
the representatives of Christian Powers in the coun•
try, cannot fail to prove for the future a most valu-
able bulwark to the Jews of Morocco. Sir Moses
Montefiore will, therefore return to the comforts of
his English home attended by the prayers of a
grateful population, and with the satisfaction that
must spring from the consciousness that this last
work, which has crowned the labours of his life for
the benefit of his race, promises to be so fruitful in
good results. Sir Moses Montefiore and his party
speak in the warmest and most grateful terms of
the kindness and hospitality they met with from
Captain Armytage and the officers of her Majesty's
ship Magicienne, and also of the valuable aid
they received in accomplishing the object of their
mission, from Sir John Drummond Hay, her Majes-
ty's Minister in Morocco, and from Mr. Reade, her
Majesty's Consul at Tangier. The latter accom-
panied the expedition, and his knowledge both of
the habits of the people and of their language en.
abled him to render services of the utmost value."

E. T. Simpson, Esq.

THE SiTN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENIN

Mr. Cobden on the Malt Tax,

The following letter has recently been addressed
by Mr. Cobden, M.P., to Mr. E. T. Simpson, of
Wakefield :

Dear Sir,—Youask mein your capacity of chairman
of the Wakefield Farmers' Club, to give you any in-
formation which may be useful in obtaining the re-
peal of the malt tax. There is really but one way
of succeeding in any public agitation—take the
ground of:principle and pressure. When I speak
of principle in connection with the malt tax, I mean
that the Anti-malt-tax League, if you form one,
should, as the Anti-corn-law League did, pledge
itself to the total and immediate repeal of the tax,
and then allow no discussion within its own body
upon any other subject. You have a stronger argu-
ment for taking this ground than We had, inass
much as you are dealing with an excise tax, and
we were opposing a customs duty; for it has
been laid down as a rule by Chancellors of the
Exchequer, and invariably acted on, that when-
ever an excise duty is reduced it should be
totally abolished, because one of the greatest ob-
jections to such taxes—the interference of the ex-
ciseman with the processes of production—applie,
equally whether the duty be great or small. The
agriculturists have a peculiar claim to the obser-
vance of this rule in the present case, inasmuch as
the best farmers have protested against the duty, on
the ground that it interferes with the free applica-
tion of their capital to the fattening of stock upon
malt, and thus prevents the profitable growth of
barley on heavy soils. It has often occurred to me
to compare the case of the British a;riculturist,
who, after raising a bushel of barley, is compelled
to pay a tax of 60 per cent. before he is permitted
to convert it into a beverage for his own consump-
tion, with what I have seen in foreign countries,
and I can really call to mind nothing so hard and
unreasonable, lam quite sure that the cultivators
of vineyards in France, or the growers of olives in
Spain and Italy would never tolerate such treat-
ment of their wine and oil. And the extraordinary
feature of your case is that it has been made, as I
will, in a few worde, show you, the flagrant ex-
ception to an otherwise universal rule. In
1848 I published a financial programme under the
title of " The National Budget," in which I recom-
mended the repeal or reduction of a great many
duties and taxes, involving a very large amount of
revenue. Your letter has induced me to refer to
that document, and it is a suggestive fact that every
change then recommended has been effected, with
the notable exception of that item in which the
farmers are interested. In my projected budget I
suggested that the tea duty, which was then 2s. 2d.
a lb., should be reduced to ls. ; that the coffee
duties should be equalised, the wine duties revised,
and the legacy duty applied to real estate. I pro-
posed that the excise duties on malt, hops, soap,
paper, and bricks, should be abolished ; and that the
window tax and the taxes on knowledge, the timber
duties, and the duties on butter, oheese, and upwards
of 100 smaller items of the tariff, should be abolished.
These were all the recommendations contained in
my budget; and it is, I repeat, a very suggestive
fact that all these changes have been carried out to
the minutest particular, with the sole exception of
malt, the duty on which remains precisely the same
as it was in 1848—namely, 25 7d a bushel and 5 per
cent. Ido not allude to this for the purpose of
claiming merit for myself, for really I had but little
personal share in the good work, but merely that I
may remark, for your information and guidance,
that these reforms have been effected only because
they have had their earnest and persevering advo-
cates. Now I confess that Ido not entertain very
sanguine hopes that the agriculturists will be more
fortunate during the next fifteen years tha❑
they have been in the past. The truth is, the
county members and the farmers do not, in
their hearts, seem to pull very cordially together
in this business. The moment the repeal of the
malt tax is mentioned, hints are thrown out by the
minister of the day that, if repealed, the amount
must be made good from a tax on property, and
the question is dropped. Now, be assured that
the House of Commons will never vote any
substitute for the malt tax. The reason why I
should hail a bona fide movement of the country
constituencies for the repeal of the tax is, that I
believe it must bo accompanied by a reduction of
our present wasteful government expenditure. We
have for several succeeding sessions seen the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer literally raising signals of
distress, and inviting the country to his aid in re-
sisting the expenditure forced upan him. Every
experienced member of the house knows that the
extravagance in certain government departments
increases just in proportion to the amount of money
they can obtain from the treasury. IVithhold from
the government four or five millions of income, and
still the revenue will exceed by five or six millions
the amount which sufficed for the average expen-
diture of Slr Robert Peel's administration from
1841 to 1846 ; and after long observation and
reflection, I believe this to be the only pro-
cess by which we can ever put a check
to that reckless waste of public money,
especially i❑ obsolete and useless naval construc-
tions, and gigantic and abortive experiments in
manufacturing establishments, which, without any
gain of efficiency, has swollen our budgets to their
recent enormous dimensions ; and by this process
alone can we hope to see an early curtailment of
our colonial expenditure, by which we fool away
millions yearly for the defence of communities who
are twice as competent to pay for their own protec-
tion as we are for ours. I will only add that should
this movement assume the character of an honest
and earnest effort to abolish an unjust act, and not
of a mere plaything for politicians, it shall have my
sympathy and support.—l remain, truly yours,
RICHARD COBDEN.

Boiler Explosion and Loss of Seven Lives,

On Tuesday afternoon an accident of a frightful
and fatal character occurred at the ironworks of Mr.
Thomas Johnson, sen., Church-lane, Hall-end,
West Bromwich, by which seven persons were
killed and 13 shockingly injured. It appears that
Mr. Johnson's works, which are known as the Old
Works, are connected with what are called the New
-Works, in the occupation of Johnson and Co. There
are 10 furnaces in the old works, and 11 in the new,
together with shopping for millmen, rollers, bun-
dlers, stocktakers, bolters-down, and all the appa-
ratus and machinery requisite for carrying on an
extensive trade. There were about 40 men em-
ployed at the works of Mr. Thomas Johnson in the
day turn] and a similar number of men in the night
turn. Yesterday aftertoon lat about a quarter past
3, after the men had returned from dinner, when
each one was busy with his work, and all seemed
going on es !Ismail a loud hissing sound was heard,
evidently proceeding trot the direction of the en -
gine and machinery, and this was immediately
-followed by a deafening report. In a moment
engine and boiler, machinery, furnaces, and human
beings were confounded in a hoterogenous mass.
The boiler, a very large one of the kind, commonly
termed " egg-ended," Was situated about the
middle of the premises, and the effest of the ex-
plosion was to blow the two sides of the boiler apart
nearly at right angles, one part being projected a
distance of sixty or seventy yards into Church-lane,
and the other about twenty yards in another direc-
tion. The remaining portion of the boiler, and by
far the largest, was hurled almost perpendicularly
into the air, and descended not far from the place
where it was originally fixed. The explosion was
heard at a great distance, and immediately after
the report hundreds of mechanics from the neigh-
bouring works for miles around rushed to the
scene of the catastrophe. Those in the immediate
vicinity describe the effects of the explosion as
darkening the air. Tons upon tons of bricks
and mortar were thrown into the streets. The shop.
ping was blown from its foundation, the roofs of
the various buildings in which the work was car-
ried on were literally riddled by the falling material.
Three only out of the eleven furnaces were left
standing after the explosion, and beneath that mass
of mingled iron, brickwork, and debris lay the
unfortunate men and boys who, but a few minutes
before, were cheerfully labouring, without dreaming
of the fate that wam to overwhelm them.