The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-18 00:00:00

of the Ministry is that it cannot carry its domestic
measures now, and has no hope of carrying then::
This Session has added nothing of the slightest
importance to the Statute-book, excepting one of
Mr Gladstone's measures of encouragement to the
economical poor. The Government cannot dictate
or even suggest a policy to the House. All it can
do is to make it evident that its opponents are as
powerful as it is itself. If Lord Derby came in he
could not hope to have more of substantial strength
than Lord Palmerston has, although the superior
discipline of the Conservatives might give them a
greater amount of available strength in proportion
to their numbers. But then this powerlessness of
the Government in consequence of the near balance
of parties has been lately shown to be one of the
inherent dangers of Parliamentary Government,
and not peculiar to England. Lord Palmerston has
not any very bright prospect before him. He can
scarcely do more than exist ; but at any rate it has
been shown that the House does not at present
desire another leader, that France, in the long run,
is obliged to consult its permanent interests, and
that, while the country is so slightly stirred by
political feeling as it is now, neither side can hope
to achieve a distinguished success.
THE " LONDON REVIEW" ON OfJR SHABBY
DESERTION OF DENMARK.—The war between
Denmark and Germany is virtually over, and
nothing remains but to settle terms of capitulation
more or less disastrous to the beaten party. Re-
duced by successive defeats, and dispirited by
disasters which no heroism could avert, the
Danish army is no longer in a condition to
interpose more than a temporary obstacle
to any extension of their conqaests which
the German Powers may choose to undertake,
It is probable that by this time the whole of Jut-
land is in their possession, nor is there much reason
to doubt that the islands and Copenhagen are
within their power, should they determine to push
matters so far. Lord Palmerston did indeed assure
the House of Commons the other evening that no
attack upon the capital was contemplated ; but we
cannot now place the slightest value upon state-
ments which only echo the faithless professions of
the German Powers. Assuming, as we may no
doubt do with perfect safety, that there is no longer
any prospect of an English fleet intervening, even
So far as to prevent the junction of the German
naval forces in the Baltic, it is clear that the Danes
are nearly as defenceless on sea as on land. Little,
therefore, is left but to wait with patience until the
conquerors make known their pleasure. The King
of Denmark, at all events, appears convinced that
further resistance is fruitless. He has dismissed
the Ministry of Bishop Monrad, and formed an-
other on the basis of peace at any price. What is
the price which he has offered to pay—what is the
price which Austria and Prussia may please to de-
mand—we are as yet ignorant. Looking at the
antecedents of the new Danish Premier, there is
reason to fear that Christian IX. may not be dis-
inclined to conciliate M. von Bismarck by entering
upon a reactionary course of domestic policy. But
it is scarcely likely that he would be permitted by
his subjects to purchase at such a cost more favour•
able terms of peace. With regard to the terms
which Prince John of Glucksburg may have been
commissioned to offer at Berlin, or to the conditions
which Prussia may have prescribed, nothing is at
present known. It is said that the Danish monarch
has offered to surrender Holstein and part of Schles
wig to Prussia, but even if it be true that such
a proposal has been made, and that it is not unac■
ceptable to the Court of Berlin, we can hardly think
that the latter would venture to set their allies at
defiance by appropriating to themselves the whole
gain of the war. Another version of the proposals
of which the Prince is the bearer, is that they are
based upon the personal union of the Duchies with
Denmark, and the entrance of the whole kingdom
into the Germanic Confederation. But although
such a project might not be distasteful either to
Count Moltke or to the King (who is, after all, a
German), we cannot think it would be assented to
by the Danish people. The one point upon which
they have set their minds, is the complete emanci-
pation of their country from German influence, and
we do not think that they would be ready to increase
that influence either for the purpose of retaining a
purely nominal supremacy over the Duchies, or for
that of revenging themselves on the neutral Powers,
who have left them to their fate. Undoubtedly if
such a scheme were carried out, it would bring a
severe, but just, retribution upon Louis Napoleon
for his desertion of an ancient ally. It is indeed
highly improbable that France would regard with
indifferencesuch an aggrandisement of the Germanic
Confederation. To England, on the other hand, it
would b© a matter of comparative indifference ; and
after the Emperor's refusal to join us in maintaining
the independence of Denmark, we should certainly
not be willing to assist him in averting a contingent
danger from France. It is evident that some un-
easiness is felt at Paris. both with respect to thou.
negotiations, and to the alleged formation ore new
Holy Alliance. The disavowals of Austria and
Prussia have clearly failed to convince diplomatists
and statesmen—who have probably good reason for
their incredulity—that the despatches published
by the Morning Post are destitute of authenticity.
M. Drouyn de Lhuys has been instructed to inform
the world that his master will be unable to disre-
gard the bearing of events as directly affecting the
interests of all the maritime powers in the north,
and even those of the equilibrium of this part of
Europe; and to express a hope " that no complica-
tion will arise of so grave a character as to neces-
sitate our embracing a different policy." The semi-
official organs of the French Government have once
more received the cue to speak well of England, and
to dwell with emphasis on the importance and dem
sirableness of an intimate Anglo-French Alliance.
After the experience of the lest few years, we know
well what this means. It is impossible that we
should accept it as a mark of sincere affection; but
it is welcome as an indication that the Emperor's
illicit political flirtations in other quarters have met
with a signal repulse.
THE "EXAMINER" ON RAILWAY COMMUNICA-
TION.—On railway carriages should be written,
" He who enters leaves hope of help and protection."
No matter what may happen, the passenger is cut
off from all succour between one stoppage and
another. The carriage may be on fire, or the wheels
broken, and the bottom knocking to pieces against
the road, or some personal outrage may be in pro-
cess of commission—robbery, rape, or murder, and
there are no means of making known the danger,
and stopping the train and obtaining assistance.
All this has long been felt ; but the terrible murder
on the North London line, and some recent out-
rages against women, have produced a fearful con-
viction that there is no safety in the system of
isolation in the railway carriage, and that there
must be an end of it. The surest and best
method of communication is the Continental,
by a gangway running along the side of the
train, by which the guard visits the carriages, takes
tickets, arid performs other services of the road. If
this mode of communication were adopted a signal
of alarm would summons the guard to the spot, and
he would judge whether or not the occasion was one
for communicating with the driver and stopping the
train. The objection that nervous people would
be stopping the train for foolish fancies cannot,
therefore, apply to the arrangement. The check to
outrages and crimes would be most effectual, for
though a villain might hope to so master his victim
by a sudden attack so as to prevent recourse to the
means of alarm, yet he never could feel secure against
the guard's visits to the window. At any moment
the guard might be passing by and hear the sounds
of a struggle or cries for help. But these visits of
the guard, it may he said, are not pleasant on foreign
lines, and people will not like to have the guard pok-
ing his head into carriages to see what is going on.
Well, but the question is whether a little intrusion
(if it amount to that) is not preferable to robbery,
rape, or murder. The face of the guard appearing
when he is not wanted is not so bad as the face of a
grinning maniac. And is not improved safety wort:
some small inconveniences ? For the last twenty
years the answers to all demands for legislation to
place railway management under three or our broad
and simple rules for the public safety,f has been
"Do not diminish their responsibility. Leave them
to their responsibilities." But what has their re.
sponsibility availed ? Simply to make them pay
damages; but not to cause them to correct the im-
prudences through which the mischief' has hap.
pened. We could name a company which had
to pay many thousands for a disaster attended
with loss of life, and frightful injuries per-
manently disabling several persons, all through
the practice of running trains on the same line
at intervals of three minutes. Yet a feai
days after the catastrophe the practice was resumed,
and has been continued. It seems quite an infatua-
tion of companies to run these risks, for which they
have sometimes to pay so dear, and which might
be avoided with so little inconvenience or disturb-
ance of their arrangements. But they prefer chancing
it, to borrow the phrase of the most impudent of
men, sailors. The responsibility upon which such
reliance has been placed has, after a trial of a quar-
ter of a century, effected nothing for the improve-
ment of the public safety, removed no proved causes
of danger, and the only remedy lies in legislation.
The interference need not be much, and should be
confined to a few rules, which cannot possibly do
any harm. though it may be easy to dispute the
advantage of them, such, for example, as a longer
interval between arains, and communication between
passengers and guards, and between guards and
drivers.

A SPLENDID PORTRAIT OF DOMENICO SCAR.
LATTI, the Only ene in existence, has, we learn from the
Reader, been discovered is Madrid,