The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-22 00:00:00

render justice to the injured parties, but still a cer•
tain amount of inconvenience and non. success often
appears to wait on the footsteps of wrongdoing.
Thus it is with Austria and Prussia, who are now
on anything but amiable terms ; and although no-
thing decided is allowed to appear to bear witness
to this fact, it is nevertheless true that minor
events testify strongly enough as to the
want of concord. Like straws, which show in
which direction the wind blows, do these little

things display the beginning of the end, when these
rapacious Powers will find it impossible to arrange
things according to their mutual satisfaction, or to
gain the proposed end which they had in view from
the outset, to make a common cause of warfare and
a common system of plunder. All foresighted
persons saw this from the outset of the affair; but
still, at the same time, the entente cor-
diale might have been supposed to last a
tittle longer. This peace, that is no peace,
may bring some startling circumstances in its train,
not only may it alienate for ever the respect aad
sympathies of England from the German Powers,
but it may also sow the seeds of lasting discord be-
tween those very countries that began the war in
such apparent concord and fair-seeming vigour. The
official organs at Vienna are assuming rather a pe-
culiar tone towards M. BISMARK and Prussia.
Either they see through his designs or they
are irritated at the confusion into which
things have been brought, and they are
annoyed at the injury to the reputation
of their land which the late events has wrought ;
at any rate the Berlin Cabinet must be vexed at the
aspect of affairs, and the very questionable appear•
ance which this " glorious alliance" now makes to
the world. A feeling is manifested in various
quarters that it would be better for Austria to give
up such very close connection with Prussia, and to
turn her attention towards France. if this should
be the case eventually it will bo all for the best.
The French Government are incapable of sancticn
ing the treachery which appears the vital
principle of the Prussian Cabinet, its iuforming
influence and its ruling spirit. Prussia, though
she may take the lion's share of the spoil, cannot
notwithstanding do so much mischief nor under-
take so much when she hes lost the excuse of work=
ing with and for Austria as well as for herself. We
know that " union is strength," and if so the re•
verse is true, and disunion is weakness, or compa-
rative inability or incapacity. It may then be con-
sidered that the want of unity between the great
German Powers is a good sign, and indeed we
require some auspicious augury after all the
sinister forbodings that have had too much founda
tion in fatal experience.

At the annual gathering of the members of the
Chertsey Agricultural Association, yesterday, some
subjects were discussed which have lately attracted
a good deal of public attention. Politicians of all
sides are awakening to the convi2tion that, what-
ever opinion they may hold as to the Parliamentary
reform necessary for the enfranchisement of the
working classes, or as to the inequality of the
burdens on land and agriculture there are some
practical social reforms which all must admit to be
indispensable, some grievances which most imperas

vely demand a remedy. The condition of the
agricultural cottages in too many parts of the rural
districts is one of these evils, and if we are
to hops for any substantial change for
the better in this respect, it must be
brought about by the agency of public opinion.
There is no stet ive that will reach the case—no
legislation however arbitrary that can compel a
landowner to lay out his money in rebuilding or
repairing cottages. The great difficulty we' have
to contend against is the want of will; and the
obnoxious law of settlement and the dread
of the poor rates stand fearfully in the
way. It is idle to assume, as some persons
seem to do that the full evils of the case have only
to be stated to obtain immediate attenaion. It is
very easy, as we know, to indulge in fine phrases
and charitable aspirations in public ; no one in these
days would acknowledge to any want of respect
or care for the necessities of the humbler
classes. But too often the real sentiments of the
landlord on this matter would not bear in•
spection, and the fe wec cottages on his
estate the better ho is pleased. There is another
evil in the want of encouragement thus given to the
building of suitable tenements by the proprietors of
land, which is, that the trade of building falls into
the hands of ignorant or inferior persons. As a
speaker at the Chertsey meeting observed, in allud-
ing to the deficiencies often visible, the builders
often knew no better. " They did not think
that fresh air and good water were necessary
to healthy human life. But if our great men
—our landowners and rich people—wished to
benefit the poor working men, and the whole com.
munity, let them build cottages for the poor man,
not in another parish, not at the far end of the
world, but upon their own estates, and show the
peasants, not by talking but by deeds, that their
sympathy was with the labouring man." This,
as he justly added, would be the way to show
their attachment not only to the soil, but to the
men they employed upon it ; and surely, if our
landowners are proud of boasting of their allegiance
to their mother earth, they should ba still more
tenacious of their sympathies for the noble race
of working men who tread it. But, as we
have said, there will always be recreants in
the cause, and the only means of inducing
them toido their duty is by exercising the prea.
sure of public opinion upon them. Happily, the
rights of the case are now so generally acknow-
ledged that no man would at the present day
admit his share in the duties as well as in the
rights of property. W e must, therefore, hope for
the gradual extension of the good cause, and all
who are interested in its furtherance must take
care that it is not allowed to drop out of sight.

THE REPRESENTATION OF TYNEMOUTH.—The
contest between Mr G. 0. Trevelyan, author of the
" Competition Wallah," the Liberal candidate, and Mr
Richard Hodgson, the Conservative member for Tynemouth,
for the latter gentleman's seat at, the general election, is
likely to b 3 a very close one. Mr Trevelyan and an active
Liberal committee have been canvassing the electors of the
burgh, and they declare themselves highly satisfied with the
result of it. Mr Hodeon has addressed two mee ings—one
on Saturday, the other on Wednesday evening. He be-
came unwell after the Saturday-s meeting, and he has not
been able to make a personal canvass, but his friends have
been very active in his behalf. Both parties are already
extremely zealous in procuring pledges from the electors,—
Scotsman.

MAGNIFICENT METEOR,—A magnificent meteor
was observed at Melton about 8 o'clock on Wedces.
day night. The moon had not risen when suddenly a
blueish light spread around, sufficiently bright to allow of
persons r,,cognising one another's faces. Across the sky
from N,N.E. to S.S.W. what bore the exact resemblance of
an inverted rocket was seen to shoot slowly, only the head
or nebula was intensely bright, of a blueish whiteness, leav-
ing a long train of "sparks" resembling a comet's tail,
which were discernible for some seconds. The meteor re-
tained its brilliancy for some seconds. The meteor retained
its.: brilliancy till it (apparently) neared the earth. So bril-
liant a meteor, and L f such magnitude and duration, is quite
unusual.

YELLOW FEVER AT BERMUDA.—The Montreal
Ciazclto publishes the following telegram frcm Halifax,
where the news had just arrived from Bermuda
fax, Oct. s.—Yellow fever abating at Bermuda and medical
cflbers all recovering. Those that can be spared are to re-
turn in a few days to Canada. All the effective troops sta-
tioned in the islands have been removed to Halifax, a guard
and the convalescents remaining."