The Sun.
London, England, 1865-12-21 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 21, 1865.

and after referring to the beneficial influence exerted
by bodies representing the commercial interests of
the country, by which the views of the mercantile
community could be expressed with authority, he
adverted to questions connected with telegraphic
communication which were then under the conside-
ration of the Chambers. The recently opened tele-
graph to India had been the subject of special com-
plaints, and these were re-echoed by every mail from
Calcutta and Bombay. The irregularities were,
however, by no means incapable of remedy. The
service was very well done between this country and
the Turkish frontier, but thence by the Turkish tele-
graph through Asia Minor and Mesopotamia to the
Persian Gulf it was execrable—(hear, hear)—and it
was from point to point of this section that the
principal delay and mangling of messages took place.
From the head of the Gulf, through the submarine
cable to Kurrachee, a distance of 1,330 English
miles, the work was very well done by an efficient
English staff, the messages averaging three hours in
transmission, and the percentage of error being low.
From Kurrachee to the different cities of India the
telegraph, which was worked by the Indian Govern-
ment, was the worst in administration and appliances
he had ever seen. Thelines were badly constructed
and badly worked by an inefficient underpaid staff
of half-castes, and it was no uncommon occurrence
for a message to be several days passing from Kur-
rachee to Bombay, or between Calcutta and Bom-
bay and Madras. Nor was this all, for it had been
found that the native community were frequently in
possession of intelligence by telegraph when Euro-
peans in the same places could not obtain the mes-
sages sent by their correspondents from similar
points. There was no reason why messages should
not be regularly and correctly transmitted between
this country and all parts of India within 12 hours,
and there had, in fact, been many cases (for exam-
ple, the message from the Governor-General to Sir
Charles Wood announcing the termination of the
difficulty in Ichootan) in which messages had been
transmitted in much lesstime. (Applause.) It would
of course be utterly useless to attempt to proceed
with the extension of the telegraph beyond the In-
dian wires to Australia and China until the system
to and throughout India should be remodelled, or
duplicate routes were established ; and he was very
glad to find that mercantile associationswere taking
action on the subject of telegraphic communication,
which was almost unequalled as an adjunct to com-
merce if efficiently worked, but was otherwise an
agent of confusion and mischief. (Cheers.)
Mr. M. Ross, President of the Manchester Cham-
ber of Commerce, acknowledged the toast.

Mr. M. KING proposed the " Kindred Associa-
tions of the Town," which include the Law Society
and the commercial associations of Liverpool. These
associations, he said, were so numerous and so
varied in their character, that it would be impossible
to point to any description of industry throughout
the kingdom the prosperity of which is not affected
directly or indirectly by that of one or other of the
branches of commerce over which those associations
respectively presided. Thuswhilethey were engaged
primarily in guarding their own interests their la-
bours had the further happy result of conducing
also to the common good of all. (Applause.) But
besides this general claim to our good will, these as-
sociations had a peculiar claim to the graceful ac-
knowledgment of all connected with the Liverpool
Chamber of Commerce for the readiness which they
had always shown to co-operatewith the chamber in
giving it their advice, and that exact knowledge
which they alone possessed upon matters coming
under their special cognizance. They had thus ena-
bled the representations of the Liverpool Chamber
to headquarters to be made with a precision and a
force which had secured for them the desired atten-
tion. To none, perhaps, were the Liverpool Cham-
ber more indebted in this respect than to the Law
Society, whose technical information had been as
valuable as it had been freely imparted. (Cheers.)
Mr. A. T. SQUAREY responded to the toast.

On the Variations of the Weather during

the late Gales.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sir,—The variations of the readings of the baro-
meter at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, in the
period from September 12 to November 30, making
altogether 80 days, are shown in the diagram and
table, a copy of which I beg to send you herewith.
The general directions of the wind are also given on
every day, as determined from the records of Oslcr's
self-registering anemometer, and the number of
miles of horizontal movement of the air, as self-
registered by the use of Robinson's anemometer.
During the latter part of this period there have
been successive heavy gales of wind upon our coasts,
causing sad disasters at sea, and calling very fre-
quently into use the services of the lifeboats of the
National Lifeboat Institution, and these, in most
cases, have been attended with success in the saving
of life ; but unhappily in some few instances, as
must ever be the case, the gales have been so violent
that life has been lost ; and the most noble efforts
on the part of the lifeboat crews, after toiling in
some instances through the midnight storms, have
failed entirely, the boats being,unable to reach the
distressed ships.
A few particulars of the readings of the barometer
during the period preceding these storms, and dur-
ing their continuance, cannot fail to be useful and
interesting to the brave men who are ever ready to
go off in those lifeboats, as well as to sailors and
fishermen generally.

The readings of the barometer from the Ist of
September to the 6th day were high, and above the
average. On the 7th day it decreased a little below
the average ; on the Bth the lowest reading in the
month took place, viz., 29.76 in. ; and from the 9th
day it was constantly above the average to the end
of the month, being mostly above 30 in., as shown
in the diagram. The weather was exceedingly fine
throughout the month. The highest reading in the
month took place on the 23d. There was a little
decrease in the readings at the beginning of October,
but on the 3d day the reading again rose above 30
in., and began to decline on the sth, continuing to
decrease till the 11th. Up to the 10th day the air
had been mostly calm, and fog had been prevalent,
but on this day the wind began to blow strongly

from the -west and south-west. On the 11th the
readings began to increase, and from the 12th the
winds were light. A maximum barometer reading
was reached on the evening of the sth day. During
the 16th the barometer readings decreased rapidly,
and the wind increased in strength. A minimum
reading of 28.89 in. was reached by 9 p.m: on the
18th, with strong wind blowing. Unsettled weather

'clawed this, and the barometer readings oscillated

up and down, as will be seen by reference to the
diagram, and the wind was frequently very strong,
reaching 201 b. on the square foot on the 25th day.
From this time to the end of the month, the oscilla-
tions of, the barometer readings were very remark-
able ; a decrease of 4 of an inch was followed by an
increase to the like amount ; and then in very un-
usually quick succession, another decrease and in-
crease to almost the same amounts, these very large
and rapid changes extending over very considerable
tracts of country and sea. The large numbers at
the bottom of the table on those days will show how
strongly the wind was blowing.
From this time there is a general bold and conti-
nuous increase in the barometer curve to 301 in. on

Nov. 12, with mostly north and north-east winds
blowing, and sometimes strongly. From the 13th
day set in decreasing readings, which with checks,
as shown in the diagram, fell to 28.82iy. on the 22d
day. At Liverpool Observatory, on this day, the
,aclvienhas
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nrnuowPmo:frEtedhsiifscistaitl:li
reading was as low as 28.31 in., as recorded by John
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If we collate the numbers in the part of the
chart with different readings of the barometer, we
shall find that when the readings exceed 30in., the
average daily horizontal movement of the air was
about 130 miles per day ; about 30in., 160 ditto ;
between 29.5 and 30in., 210 ditto ; below 29in.,
320 ditto ; thus showing that whenever the baro-
meterh reading has been above the average, the wind
has been moderate, and that as the barometer read-
ing decreases the motion of the wind increases, and
is the greatest at the lowest readings.
It is impossible for me to urge too strongly the

necessity of care when continuous declining read-
ings are proceeding. The barometer may be al-

most neglected by the sailor when its readings
range above the average, but when they descend

below the average it i 6 a warning which ought never
to pass unheeded, and when the depression is sud-
den it is the sure and certain warning of the ap-
proach of storms. Such signs no sailor ought to
neglect ; yet they are neglected, and, what is more
sad still, too many barometers sold as marine
barometers are totally unfit for such an important

purpose. During the last few years I have seen
many of these instruments, and I have found them
imperfect in numerous ways. Some of these defects
I may enumerate here :
Firstly. The upper portion of the tube is too small.
Secondly. The relation of the interior bore of the
tube to that of the cistern is neglected, so that the
rise of the mercury in the cistern, caused by a fall
in the tube, is not allowed for on the scale.
Thirdly. The lower portion of the tube is gene-
rally too much contracted in the bore.
Fourthly. The cistern is too small to contain the
mercury when the barometer reading is low.
Fifthly. The careless cleaning out of the internal
bore of the tubes, and imperfectly freeing them

from damp.
The most serious of these errors is the third. It
is well known that the tubes of marine barometers

ought to have their bores contracted so as to steady
the motion of the mercury when the ship is in a
heavy sea. This in some instances is so carelessly
done that it has not the desired effect ; but in most
cases it is carried to a great excess. For instance,

in some instruments the mercury will take from
from forty minutes to an hour to pass through the
first inch after suspension, and many are so slug-
gish in their action as not to indicate any change
in less than twenty minutes.
This unnecessary contraction is very frequently
the cause of entirely stopping the action of the baro-
meter, as the minutest particle of foreign matter, or
even the oxidation of the mercury itself, which, as
an impalpable powder forming on the surface of the
mercury in the cistern, on moving the barometer is
displaced, and this in its ascent to float on the top
of the mercury chokes and closes the fine bore of the
tube hermetically, rendering the instrument perfectly
useless; and this is often not found out till the ship
has left for sea. A barometer, therefore, acting well
till disturbed, may be quite useless afterwards.
The fourth-named error is also one of great
gravity; and for this errorlow-priced manufacturers
are far more to be censured for their culpability
than for their ignorance or carelessness—the size of
the cistern is reduced to enable them to save a quar-
ter of a pound of mercury. This great desire to
cheapen instruments is most serious, as the indica-
tions of such instruments are absolutely deceiving,
and at a time when the changes are of vital import-
ance. In many such barometers the mercury will
not fall below, even if so low, as 29 inches, although
a standard at such times may read 28.5 inches, or
even less. Nor will such an instrument show any
change till the mercury rises above 29 inches ; that
is, the barometer says the mercury is stationary and
steady at all times of the greatest phases of storms,
and when every change should be instantly known
by the sailor.

It is therefore not to be wondered at that some
master mariners hold the barometer in little esteem
if supplied with instruments of this class. Mr.
Pastorelli told me that he heard a captain say that
he had the barometer removed, as it occupied some
valuable space which was required for another pur-
pose, and on arriving in the port of Liverpool, that
very instrument was found broken in an obscure
nook of the ship. This is a sad illustration, and
proves the absolute necessity of improvement in the
make of these instruments. By using large cisterns,
tubes of proper capacity, scales which are known as
contracted scales, chemically clean tubes, pure mer-
cury, and properly contracted bores, instruments can
be made which shall read within 0.01 or 0 02 inch
at every part of their scales, when compared with a
standard barometer, and they ought to, and can be,
sold at a moderate price.

The contraction of the tube in a marine barome-
ter ought to be carried only so far as to allow the
utmost freedom of action of the mercury without
pumping.
When the ship is in a heavy sea, when first sus-
pended, the screw at the bottom of the tube being
withdrawn, as far as possible, the mercury should
fall in the tube through the first inch in 40 seconds
to 60 seconds. It should fall through the second
inch in less than two minutes, and should be. at its
true reading within or about 15 minutes from the
time of first suspension. Such an instrument, how-
ever quickly atmospheric changes may be taking
place, will take up its true readings within Nil in.
within one or two minutes, and this degree of accu-
racy is practically correct. On removing such an
instrument before packing, it should be taken down
without touching the screw at the bottom, and in-
clined with its cistern downwards, at an angle of 45
deg. to 60 deg. ; the tube will be filled in this posi-
tion in three or four minutes ; then hold the instru-
ment horizontally, and drive the screw at the bottom
nearly, but not quite, home. With these precautions,
the instrument will continue good for many years
—in fact, till broken. During the last few months
I have had frequent interviews with Mr. John
Browning, of 111, Minories ; Mr. F. Pastorelli, of
208, Piccadilly ; and Mr. Zambra, of 1, Hatton-
garden, who have undertaken to make marine and
upright barometers of this character for my exami-
nation ; and I have also undertaken to examine
every one made by these maker; and to give a cer-
tificate with every instrument which complies with
the above conditions. This will, I think, effectually
meet the difficulty to which I have referred.
I feel confident that if our seamen had been pro-
vided with truthful instruments during the fearful
storms of Wednesday the 22d November last, and
on the Friday following, the storms of those two
days and nights would not have proved so disastrous
as they did to life and property.
In corroboration of my remarks, I may mention
one or two cases. Some four or five years ago, her
Majesty's steamer Porcupine was cruising off St.
Kilda, in the Hebrides. Captain Otter, R.N.,
carefully observing the gradual fall of the mercury
to the extent of 1/ in. between 8 a.m. on one day,
and 3 26 a.m. on the following 'day, at once or-
dered his ship to be made as snug and tight as pos-
sible. The hurricane at the latter hour burst out
with fearful violence, swept off the little island
nearly the whole of the agricultural produce of the
poor people, and •caused lamentable havoc amongst
the shipping and fishing-boats that happened to be
out in these seas at the time. But the Porcupine
weathered out nobly the storm ; and in lieu of being
in a thousand pieces, the good ship was engaged a
few days afterwards in a mission of mercy in bring-
ing food to the poor islanders.
I am sure that every assistance will be cheerfully
rendered by the National Lifeboat Institution to
save life—whether by lifeboats, ships' lifeboats,
seamen's life-belts, fishing lifeboats ; or, lastly, but
not least, in its great and good work, by helping
the sailor on board ship to possess a truthful and
cheap barometer—a scheme which is indeed only an
extension to the sea of the coast barometer system
of the Institution ; and thus prevent, as far as pos-
sible, by timely warnings on board ship, the neces-
sity of calling into use the last but most glorious
assistance—the services of the lifeboat itself.
Blackheath, Dec., 1865. JAMES GLAISIIER.

ACADEMY OF SCIENCES.—At the last sitting M.
Payen made some remarks on a recent communication re-
ceived from M. Personne, on the discolouring of iodide of
starch by heat. The learned academician remarked that he
himself had, since 1843, shown that at 64 dog. centigrade
the blue colour still remains, if the iodide contain an excess
of iodine, while at 66 deg. the iodide is completely dissolved
in water and loses its blue colour, which, however, it

regains fn cooling if the operation has been conducted in a
close vessel. In the contrary case, the colour would lose in
intensity, owing to the evaporation of the iodine. M.Payen
therefore considers himself entitled to priority in this ques-
tion, though ho courteously recognises the importance of M.
Personno's researches in the same field of inquiry. The Mi-
nister of Public Instruction sent a letter from Dr. Picker-
ing, of York, addressed to the Emperor, in which he states
that in 1858 he sent to the Academy of Sciences a medicine
which he considers to be a specific for cholera. He there-
fore considers himself entitled to the prize of sloo,ooof.
left by M. Breant, and announces that he will• state the
composition of his medicine as soon as he has received the
sum in question. The Academy referred this letter to the
committee for the Breant Legacy; but it is easy to foresee
that the condition for receiving the prize beforehand will
not be complied with, it being contrary to the rules of the
Academy.— Galipani.

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

OXFORD CIRCUIT.—STAFFORD, Dec. 20.
(Before Mr. Justice Keating.)
TRIAL FOR MURDER.
Charles Christopher Robinson, 18, no occupa-
tion, was arraigned, charged with the wilful murder
of Harriet Seagar, on the 26th August, 1865, at
the borough of Wolverhampton.
Dr. A. S. Hill and Mr. Brindley conducted the
prosecution ; and Mr. Motteram and Mr. Young
defended.
Dr. Hill stated chat both the prisoner and the
deceased were of the same age, and lived together
in the house of Mr. Josiah Fisher, house-agent,
Ablow-street, Wolverhampton, who for eight years
had been the prisoner's guardian. The deceased
lived in the same family, performing some of the
duties of a domestic, but not occupying altogether
a menial position, for she was the sister of the wife
of Mr. Josiah Fisher's son, named Isaiah Fisher,
Who kept a public-house in Sidney-street, which
runs parallel with the back of Ablow-street. The
communication between the houses of Mr. Josiah
and Mr. Isaiah Fisher was almost constant, and
was carried on by the garden which stretched be-
tween the two houses. At about three o'clock on
the afternoon of the 26th August Mr. Josiah Fisher
and his wife went out for a drive, leaving the pli-
soner and a companion, a young man named Wilson,
in the garden, shooting at sparrows, with a small
gun. Shortly after Mr. Josiah Fisher went out the
prisoner said to Wilson, " Harriet is crying, but I
don't know what for." A little boy named Alfred
Fullwood, who was accustomed to play in the
garden, would show that he did know why she was
crying. Fullwood, before Mr. Josiah Fisher went
out, saw the prisoner go up to the deceased and
attempt to kiss her. She resisted, and he gave
her a severe blow on the face, " as if," Fullwood
said, "to knock her over." This disagreement
between them was further to be shown by the evi-
dence of a young girl named Emma Silletoe, ser-
vant to Mr. Isaiah Fisher. She having lent her mas-
ter's knifeboard to the deceased, and now requiring
it, went to the deceased, whom she found in the
scullery attached to Mr. Josiah Fisher's house, and
which had a window looking out into the garden.
The deceased seemed to be crying, and Robinson, on
the outside of the scullery, and near the door, in a
sullen mood. He said that the board was not done
with, and she must come again. When she went
again, Seagar threw the board out of the scullery
door, and Robinson kicked it into the garden. Pre-
sently, Silletoe, whilst in her master's house, heard
the report of a gun and a scream from a boy that
" Harriet was shot." On running into the garden,
she saw the prisoner come down stairs carrying a
razor in his hand, dripping with blood. He went
into the scullery, and through the window she saw
him go up to the looking glass that hung on the wall
and three times cut his throat with the razor. An
alarm was raised, neighbours came in, and Harriet
Seagar was found dead lying on the floor of the scul-
lery, surrounded with blood and a wound in her throat
that had severed all the main arteries, and that must
have caused her death almost immediately upon its
infliction. It was now 6 o'clock, and Mr. Josiah Fisher
came home. Robinson had been taken intothe house,
and his wounds were being dressed. In reply to Mr.
Josiah Fisher, he first said, "It's your fault ;" then he
said, " Kiss me ;" afterwards, " It is the drink." Be-
fore being taken into the house, and whilst with his
throat cut, he had said, " I've killed her, I've killed
her." To assist in dressing the prisoner's wounds a
woman named Mary Ann Lewis was sent to the pri-
soner's bedroom to bring down a garment. There she
saw the stains of a man's bloody hand upon the bed
clothes, as if whilst the blood was upon his hand he
had turned down the clothes. In the same room Lewis
saw a gun that seemed to have been recently ex-
ploded, and some of the plaster off the ceiling on the
floor, as if the charge from the gun had struck the
ceiling. All these facts pointed to the sanity of
the prisoner. He was paying his addresses to the
deceased, and was known to be fond of her.
Evidence in support of the above facts having been
given,
Mr. Motteram, in his speech for the defence, con-
tended that there was no motive whatever shown
for the committal of the offence, and that the pri-
soner at the time the fatal deed was committed was
under the influence of insanity, which in his case
was hereditary.
Evidence in support of the latter part of the
learned gentleman's statement having been given,
Dr. Hewson, the present chief o the County
Lunatic Asylum at Stafford, was then examined for
the prosecution. He deposed that he had twice exa-
mined the prisoner in the past fortnight, and could
not find any traces of insanity.
At 7 o'clock Mr. Justice Keating informed the
ury that he should sum up at half-past 9 on the
'ollowing morning.

NORTIIERN CIRCUIT—LIVERPOOL, Dec. 20.
NISI PRIUS COURT.
In the course of the day Mr. Baron Martin again
spoke of the impracticability of holding a complete
winter assize for the southern division of the county
of Lancaster. He saicl that if the cause list were
not gone through by Christmas day, he should cer-
tainly come down rnd finish it, if only for the pur-
pose of showing the impracticability of holding a
complete assizes at this period of the year. It was
impossible to hold a perfect and complete assize for
the southern division of the county a fortnight be-
fore Christmas. In fact they had an assize for the
Hundred of West Derby occupying two judges
three weeks.
Mr. Brett said he had always been of his lordship's
opinion. He could not conceive what good the pre-
sent arrangement did to anybody. He did not be-
lieve there were four of the causes in the present list
that could not perfectly well have waited till March.
The matter then dropped, and his lordship proceeded
to try common jury causes; and the criminal busi-
ness having been finished in the afternoon, Mr.
Baron Pigott proceeded to take civil causes.

MIDLAND CIRCUIT—LEEDS, Dec. 20.
(Before Mr. Justice Shee.)
➢IURDER AT LEEDS.

Patrick Welch, 33, labourer, was charged with the
wilful murder of John Rouane, at Leeds, on the 29th
October. The prosecution was conducted by Mr.
Hannay and Mr. Bruce •, the prisoner was defended
by Mr Blackburn and Mr. Gully.
Mr. Hannay, in opening the case, stated that the
deceased man, John Rouane, met with the wound
which caused his death in the streets of Leeds on
the night of Saturday, the 29th of last October, and
he died on the following Monday. He was a young
married man, 29 years of age. The prisoner was
also a married man. A man named Doherty, who
would give evidence in the case, and several other
witnesses, lived in Lower Cross-street, in the Bank.
On the night of the 28th October Rouane had, in
company with Doherty, been at severalpublichouses,
and in particular at one named the Shuttles, which
was near to the place where he lived, up to, or al-
most up to, 12 o'clock. He (Mr. Hannay) laid no
great stress on the fact that the deceased had been
at other publichouses in the course of the evening,
because though there might be contradictions and
diszrepancies in the evidence, it was agreed on all
hands that deceased was sober. As to the prisoner,
he believed the evidence would show that he was to
some, but not to a great, extent in liquor. After
leaving the Shuttles, Doherty and Rouane proceed
in the direction of Lower Cross-street, accompanied
by their respective wives, who had come to the pub-
' lichouse to fetch their husbands home. On reaching
the street in which theylived the two men told their
wives to go into their homes, whilst they remained
in the street a little longer. It was unfortunate for
the deceased man that he did so ; for in a very short
time afterwards he received the wound which caused
his death. The prisoner, who, they would remem-
ber, also lived in Lower' Cross-street, was going in
the direction of his house as the deceased and
Doherty were walking up the street. Some words
were exchanged between Doherty and thedeceased ;
the former, it was said, asked him if he had stones
in his pocket, referring to some bygone affair,
and no doubt tome conversation of a not very pleas-
ing character passed between them. No very seri-
ous quarrel, however, occurred. The prisoner
walked up the street on the causeway, and stood at
his own door ; the deceased was at that time stand-
ing in the street. The prisoner threw out a general
challenge to fight any man in the street who chose,
and the challenge was accepted by Rouane, who
said he would fight him, and that he was never
afraid of any man. Thereupon Welch crossed over
to where Rouane stood. They immediately closed,
got into a " cuddle," as one of the witnesses de-
scribed it, and in a moment Rouane was heard to
exclaim, "I am stabbed," or "I am done." Welch
walked away and was not seen again that night.
The occurrence was altogether of a momentary
character. The men had only one deadly embrace,
the deceased was wounded, and the prisoner disap-
peared. The wounded man fell into the arms of a
person named-Cowan, and was carried away from
the spot. It was discovered that he had received a
wound in the stomach, and that his bowels were
protruding. Believing that he was about to die, he
made a statement of the facts. He afterwards
rallied somewhat, but inflammation of the peri-
toneum setting in, he died on the Monday morning.
A search had been made for the prisoner. It was
found that he had left the town ; the police were
sent after him, and he was apprehended in Goole.
The policeman charged him with being the man
who stabbed Rouane in Lower Cross-street, and he
at first said he had not been there ; but afterwards
admitted that he had. After half an hour's absence
•the jury found the prisoner guilty of murder, and
sentence of death was passed.

SPIRIT OF THE PITBLIC JOURNALS.

TlMES.—Another of the Napoleonic ideas is likely
to be developed and improved by the present
Emperor of the French. It was the First Napoleon
who, after reorganising the Hotel des Invalidea,
founded branch establishments in the country,
where the veteran might live on the produce of a
small allotment, in a cottage of his own. lt is now

. _
proposed to carry this principle further by a sub-
stitution of out-pensions for in-pensions, very similar
to that which has lately been effected at Greenwich

Hospital. This time we have taken the initiative
in administrative reform, for it is impossible to

doubt that the French scheme owes its Immediate

.
origin to the marked success of our own experiment.
The main reasons which are said to have influenced

the Imperial Government are precisely the same as
those which induced the Admiralty to go beyond

the more cautious recommendations of the Royal
Commissioners. They, too, have discovered that
most old soldiers and sailors, unless actually bed-

ridden, prefer liberty and privacy in the bosom of
their families and within their native communes to
the monotonous society and dreary routine of an
asylum. They, too, seem at last to have recognised
the fact that " a moral improvement for the parties

interested" may be combined with " a saving to the
State" by encouraging able-bodied veterans to earn
something for themselves towards their own live-
lihood. Accordingly, they contemplate a change of
system no less radical than we have already
adopted, whereby the great majority of pensioners
will hereafter fixed allowances in lieu of board and

lodging ; and the greater part of that historical

building which now towers over the Seine with its
noble dome will be converted to new purposes.
The infirmary department will still be retained,
and in time of war may, perhaps, again engross the

whole available accommodation. For the present,
however, it is stated that the vacant wards are to
be occupied by the Polytechnic School and that of
St. Cyr, to whom it would be a great advantage
to have the Champ de Mars so close at hand.
One of the motives assigned for this important

deviation from the intentions of the Royal rounder
of the Invalides is highly characteristic of French
sentiment. We are gravely informed that, while the
inmates find their life wearisome, " their forced idle-
ness, their jealousies, and mutual regrets impart to
them a grumbling and discontented temper. Many
recall to mind that they were present at the battles
of the First Empire, and think that the Young
Guard is in the enjoyment of privileges and medals
not accorded to them, their seniors." All this we
can easily understand ; indeed, we are so used to
associate grumbling with pensioners that we can
hardly imagine the latter in a state of placid con-
tentment. No doubt grumbling has been cultivated
at Chelsea and Greenwich ever since those national
hospitals have existed, but no one ever thought of
attaching much importance to it. We take such
things as matters of course, and the notion that any
harm could be done to the service by a querulous-
ness incident to old age in a state of retirement has
probably never been entertained at the Horse Guards
or the Admiralty. In France it is quite otherwise.
It is there a maxim of policy to keep all classes, and
especially the army, in a good humour. If pen-
sioners grumble over their rations or tobacco-money,
it is time to think of dispersing them, lest the spirit
of discontent should spread to the ranks and grow
into' disaffection. The revolution thus' effected, or

about to be effected, in the administration of two
institutions so ancient and so magnificent as Green-
wich Hospital and the Hotel des Invalides is an in-
structive sign of the times. 'Both were founded to-
wards the end of the .17th century, when alms-
houses of the monastic type represented the highest
practical ideal of charity. In those days the most
enlightened and pious of benefactors seldom looked
beyond the present relief of success, and no method
of relief was so obvious as to collect all the objects
of it under a single roof. There are still cases in
which this is the most economical and efficient way

of ministeringto want and suffering. The workhouse
and the hospital for disease and accident have still
a proper sphere of their own, and it is possible that
some colleges more nearly resembling Chelsea and
Greenwich may fill a useful place in our complicated
social system. But experience warns thet such in-
stances are the exception, and not the rule. Grown-
up men and women cannot be subjected to regula-
tions and discipline like children. Moral and reli-
gious superintendence is apt to become little more
than nominal, and, after all, is but an imperfect
substitute for active duties. There are few people
so utterly homeless and friendless as to have no
domesticities, and at the same time so helpless as to
be incapable of work. For these few it is well that
decent refuges should be provided, but for others it
is far better to remain at large, and to depend, in
part, on their own exertions. The pleasure which
a stranger experiences in visiting such an establish-
ment as the Hotel des Invalides is chiefly of a sen-
timental nature. He is told that it was projected
by Henry 111., that its prototype, the Maison Royale,
was erected by Henry IV., that it assumed its pre-
sent grand proportions at the bidding of Louis XIV.,
that it witnessed the first scenes of the Revolution,
and that it has since participated in the glories of the
Empire. He sees there flags and guns taken in battle
from almost every European nation ; he admires the
tombs of celebrated French generals; he is conducted
from the high altar of St. Louis to the splendid
mausoleum of the Great Napoleon, and comes away
with a vague impression that so imposing a monu-
ment of French grandeur must needs be an enviable
retreat for shattered veterans of the French army,
especially as they are or were tended in sickness by
Sisters of St. Vincent de Paul. He perhaps forgets
that none of these sentimental associations can be
enjoyed in an equal degree by the veterans who
have long since been satiated with them, and that,
after all, sentimental gratification goes but a very
little way to make every-day life happy or virtuous.
It was not only the enormous jobbery and misma-
nagement disclosed by the Royal Commission that
brought about the transmutation of Greenwich
Hospital, but a conviction that greater comfort in
their declining years could be secured at a smaller
cost to the disabled seamen of our navy, if they
would cease to reside there. Our neighbours keep
their counsel too well to let us know whether ana-
logous abuses had impaired the utility of the Hotel
des Invalides. We may be sure, however, that no
French Minister of War would venture to meddle
with so popular a foundation without consulting the
wishes, as well as the interests, of the French army.
POST.—By intelligence just received from the
Cape we learn that the war between the Boers and
the Basutos still continued, and was likely to be
prolonged indefinitely owing to the confirmed cowar-
dice of both belligerents. We further learn, how-
ever, that the Basutos either contemplated or had
actually perpetrated a second raid on British terri-
tory. This was to be expected from the fact that
in the early period of the war a portion of the fol-
lowers of Moshesh were allowed to invade Natal and
carry off a large portion of booty with impunity.
The High Commissioner made a demand for re-
paration, but it does not appear that the Basuto
chief has yet seen proper to comply with his re-
quest. It is to be feared that the war in the ad-
joining countries will yet produce serious conse-
quences in regard to Natal. The fact of the marau-
ders having been allowed to get off with their booty,
and escape punishment, is likely to have a bad effect
on the native tribes in the colony. It is even pos-
sible that the Jamaica tragedy may be re-enacted
in Natal. The greatly preponderating population
consists of Kaffirs, who are not aborigines, but
refugees from the surrounding territories. They
are estimated at 200,000, but their numbers are
constantly being recruited from the Zulu country.
The white population, according to the census of
1864, was 15,486. In view of the immense dis-
proportion between the number of the whites and
blacks in the colony, and the possibility of a revolt
of the latter, it is manifestly of importance that
the Governor should be vested with discretionary
powers. At present, however, as we pointed out
upwards of two months ago, the High Com-
missioner, the Governor of the Cape, who resides
1,000 miles away from Natal, possesses supreme
power in regard to all dealings between the colony
and the native tribes of the interior. When Natal
was first constituted a colony such an appointment
was perhaps necessary ; but it is obvious that in
the altered state of questions since the office of
High Commissioner was made some changes ought
to be carried out. In fact there can be no reason
why the Governor of Natal should not be allowed
to act at the present time on his own responsibility.
The Legislative Council of the colony have recently
petitioned the Queen to grant the Government
more freedom of action in their own affairs, and ex-
plaining the inconvenience of their having to refer
matters to the High Commissioner. Recent events
in Natal, it seems to us, sufficiently indicate the
policy of complying with so reasonable a request.
A band of marauding Basutos, it is well known,
bent perhaps rather upon plunder than excited by
any hostile feeling against the people of the colony,
burst like a torrent through, we believe, the one
solitary pass in the Drakensberg Mountains, which
form almost everywhere a gigantic barrier on the
north-western frontier, and for a time held undis-
puted sway over one of the most populous and
flourishing counties in Natal. The Dutch farmers,
by whom this section of the country is almost ex-
clusively settled, -were completely at the mercy of
the savages ; cattle and sheep in large numbers
were carried off, and in some instances great atro-
cities were committed upon the peaceable inhabi-
tants. The raiders were enabled to get away with
their booty without molestation, retiring beyond the
mountains, and leaving the whole district in a state
of perturbation, in expectation of further incursions.
The people of Natal, however, were not slow in con-

sp.
certing measures to obviate such a deplorable state
of things. A formidable force, consisting of the
greater part of the regular troops stationed in the
colony, with a battery of artillery, and a very consi-
derable number of volunteers, was soon assembled at
Ladysmity, the nearest town to the frontier pass, h
nd
the greatest enthusiasm appears to have prevailed
amongst the whole body. At great loss and incon-
venience to themselves the volunteers in every
town and county turned out and eagerly pressed
towards the point of danger, anxious not only to
prevent any future incursions of the barbarians, but
to inflict upon them such a lesson as would effectu-
ally deter them from a second time attempting to
violate the sanctity of a British province. Every-
thing was prepared for an advance, and there can
be no doubt that the Natal forces would, if move"
forward at the proper time, have overtaken the
Basutos, and recovered a large portion of their
plunder. Unhappily, however, a delay of some days
occurred, and the object of the intended expedition
was defeated. This most unsatisfactory state of
things was entirely owing to the anomalous posi-
tion of the Government, whose powers were
limited with regard to all relations with the native
tribes of the interior. Without the sanction 01
the High Commissioner they were prohibited from
acting with that degree of promptitude and vigour:
so essential in dealing with half-civilised people
and long before an answer could be received from
that officer, the offending Basutos had got safely
off with their booty. It would appear, however,
that to a considerable extent the Natal authorities
are liable to censure for having shortly before the
raid took place disbanded a mounted police force,
whose duty it was to watch the frontier line, and
also permitted the detachments of troops to be
withdrawn from the outposts—facts of which,
no doubt, the Basutos were apprised before
they attempted to cross the Drakensberg Moun-
tains with felonious intentions. It is true, the
mounted police force consisted only of thirty men,
a number quite inadequate, as may well be con-
ceived, for the protection or careful watching of an
expansive border of 150 miles in extent. The pre-
sence of so insignificant a body of police was no
doubt calculated rather to cause than allay
irrita-
tion ; yet, in the peculiar circumstances of the
colony, we should have thought that the authorities
would have shown more prudence in augmenting
so useful a force than in doing away with it alto-
gether. The reason assigned for the withdrawal
of the troops from the outposts was an objection.
raised by the medical officers, in whose opinion it
would have been unsafe for troops just arrived from
China, and in a sickly state, " to be exposed to the
dilapidated barracks at these places." It is yell
questionable, however, whether it was politic to
withdraw the troops before, as was intended, other
accommodation could be made for them in a more
central position, equally available as rallying points
for the inhabitants in time of dangei, as well as
reliable outposts. On these points it seems very
evident that a blunder was committed by the colo-
nial authorities. The abandonment of the outposts
offered to a certain extent an inducement to the
lawless tribes beyond the limits of the colony to
undertake marauding expeditions across the fron-
tier ; and the disbanding of the mounted police
force, who might have been extremely useful as •
videttes notwithstanding their limited number, W°
must look upon as a serious mistake. But thee°
short-comings on the part of the colonial authori-
ties, and for the unfortunate results of Which they
are alone responsible, are in reality of small conse-
quence as compared with the serious inconvenience
and positive injury the country is liable to suffer.
from the circumstance of the supreme ruling
power residing 1,000 miles away from the colony,
and only to be heard from after a lapse of several
days. This is a state of things that manifestly ciuw
for the prompt interference of the Imperial autho-
rities ; and we cannot but agree with the people of
Natal, in view of the present advanced state of the
colopy and its more intimate relations with thein-
terior tribes, that no valid reason can be adduced
for the perpetuation of the office of High Commis-
sioner, an officer who resides 1,000 miles' distant
from the colony, yet without whose especial sanction
i
the Government of Natal are prohibited, even ill
extraordinary instances, from dealing with the
native tribes in the adjoining country.