The Sun.
London, England, 1865-04-25 00:00:00

suddenly appeared as that which has taken
place at Nice. By the death-bed of the
Prince the most solemn and striking warning of the
uncertainty of life, and the insecurity of earthly
possessions, might have been gathered. The heir to
All the Russias was struck down in the pride of life
and flower of youth, his destined bride and his
afflicted father hurrying from different parts of
Europe to be present at the last sad scene. It is
satisfactory to know that both were in time, and
thus escaped the sad reflection of being too late.
The young CZAREWITCH would, in all probability,
have proved a worthy ruler of the mighty empire
over which he would one day have reigned had his
life been spared. Times are changed since the days
of his grandfather, the renowned NICHOLAS, after
whom he was named. The present more modified
regulations and quieter rule would have accorded
better with the tastes, and suited more the require-
ments of this Prince than the iron rule and stern
sway of old times. In many respects, therefore,
his death is to be regretted beyond the immediate
and most striking incidents of the imperial family,
plunged into mourning, and the hopes of the un-
fortunate King of DENMARK being again frustrated.
At so early an age as that which makes up the term
of the earthly career of the Prince, it is difficult to
feel certain as to his future course, but so far as
we can form a judgment there seems to have been
every reason for hoping the best. The Prince had
been carefully trained, and was gaining daily ex-
perience as to the government of that might country
in which he held so high a place. Great differences
exist in the traditional notions that prevail in Eng-
land and Russia. On more than one occasion lately
serious altercations have arisen concerning the course
pursued by the Imperial policy, but at this moment
of bitter sorrow this country feels the pro-
foundest sympathy for the loss which has befallen
the mighty Emperor of RUSSIA. Also the sorrow
entertained for the Princess DAGMAR will be very
sincere, and it is rendered more poignant by the
reflection that misfortune and disappointment have
already been most rife in her family, and clouded
the fortunes of her country. Many gloomy events
both at home and abroad have cast a shadow over
affairs lately, but none more conspicuously so than
this premature demise of the heir of Russia, sur-
rounded as it is by circumstances which are calcu-
lated to impress so forcibly with regret and disap-
pointment. It has been truly said that—

" Earth's highest title ends in, here he lies,
And dust to dust concludes her noblest song,"
but nothing affords a more striking proof of this
than the death of the young who were about to
enter on fresh hopes and form fresh ties to exist-
ence. The sad event which has taken place at
Nice will long dwell in the recollection of all
who have been present there, and as a sorrowful
episode in the career of kings it will be chro-
nicled in the annals of history.

A very interesting festival was held on Saturday
at Maybury, in the Royal Dramatic College. Un-
der the will of the late T. P. COOKE, the 23d April,
famous as the birthday of our great poet and dra-
matist, is to be always celebrated by a banquet. An
additional interest attaches to it in the eyes of the
lamented T. P. COOKE'S friends and associates from
the fact of its having been likewise the anniversary
of his own birth. With the kindly feeling which
always distinguished him, he expressed in his will
an anxiety that the aged residents of the college
should have a yearly treat in honour of the day.
He further stipulated that at the grand dinner
which the Master Wardens and members of
the Council, together with others interested in the
welfare of the College, were on that day to enjoy,
the first toast after the routine " healths" should be
drunk to the memory of SITAKSPERE. This duty
last Saturday devolved upon the Master, Mr. B.
WEBSTER, who acquitted himself of his arduous
duties as Chairman with his customary skill and
tact. The benevolent testator himself was naturally
one of the principal topics of the evening ; and not
the least interesting portion of the fine spectacle
presented by the great hall was the sight of the
aged residents of the college, whose latter years are
thus comfortably provided for by those members
of their own profession who are still reaping the
harvest of fame and fortune. An asylum of this
kind has an especial claim on the benevolent, since
it gives its kindly shelter to those who have spent
their best days in the public service, and who,
having followed through their working years an
arduous and exhausting profession, have nowreached
the days when they may honourably rest. We
hope that the members and wardens of the College
will gather together many an April to do honour
to the memories of the past, and to congratulate
each other upon the ever-brightening prospects of
their future.

The vote for the Army Estimates last evening gave
rise to an animated discussion respecting the clerk-
ships in the War-office. There appeared to be a con-
siderable difference of opinion on the subject of some
proposed reforms or alterations in the management
of the departments, and General PEEL found a good
deal to censure in the new arrangements, which,
however, were strongly supported by others. The
matter of promotion was the principal difficulty,
General PEEL contending that a system of office
promotion was far superior to branch promotion ;
that is to say, that when there is a vacancy to be
filled up the candidate selected should not be chosen
exclusively from that particular branch, but from
any of the departments. The hon. and gallant
member contended that it would be more advan-
tageous to the public service if each gentleman were
acquainted with the duties of the office generally,
and not with the mere details of the particular
branch to which he belongs. He added that it
would be less mortifying to those excluded from the
post if a clerk from another department were placed
over them, instead of one of their own companions
or subordinates. He urged that there was great
danger that a system of branch promotion should
degenerate into a mere question of seniority, most
prejudicial to the interests of the establishment.
These views were supported by Sir S. NORTHCOTE,
who contended that the branch system was as un-
fair to the clerks as it was injurious to the ser-
vice, since, he said, it kept young men in one office
performing duties which were merely mechanical,
instead of gaining experience in several branches.
" Under the first system the officers were mere
machines, and in order to fill staff appointments it
would be necessary to seek men out of doors ;
while under the more enlarged system, officers of
ambition and ability would be obtained, and the
establishments rendered much more efficient and
healthy." This logic, however, is not unanswerable,
for if all the departments are mechanical, there is
not much scope for ambition ; while if not, the
'members of the superior classes would not like to
be promoted to the head of an inferior. It was
very justly argued by Mr. FORSTER that such a plan
was never followed in private establishments. If
in a large mercantile firm the seller was replaced
by the accountant; or vice versa, the proceeding
would be stigmatised as highly injudicious. Prac-
tice, if it does not always make perfect, generally
confers a readiness and dexterity which nothing
else can give, and a man of very ordinary intel-
ligence, if continually employed at the same kind
of work, almost inevitably obtains a certain degree

of proficiency. We see the same thing continually
among the labouring classes. We should not
think of advising a butcher to turn baker, a hatter
to become a shoemaker, or a stonemason to under-
take some fine and delicate handicraft. If each
keeps to his trade, he has, with industry and per-
severance, a fair chance of success ; but if he
leaves his own work to try somebody else's,
he will, most probably, be far excelled by
those who have had longer experience. There is
no certainty therefore that the work would be better
done or the workers more satisfied if the branch
system were abandoned. At the same it is right to
notice that considerable dissatisfaction is said to
exist among the clerks at the change. The Marquis
of HARTINGTON, in answering the complaints made
by hon. members opposite to him, observed that
several reasons had led to the appointment of the
committee, upon whose report the new system was
founded. Since 1856 a continual increase has been
going on in the number of clerks, without any im-
provement in the amount of work done, or the
manner of doing it. There was also evidence of a
great lack of supervision, and the principle regulat-
ing promotions were altogether unsound. It appears
in fact to be absolutely ridiculous. "It cannot,"
said Lord HARTINGTON, "be right, that when a
vacancy occurs in a particular branch a gentleman
in such branch should be promoted to perform the
duties of the higher office so vacated without re-
ceiving an increase of pay, while, in another branch,
a gentleman received an increase of pay without
obtaining any promotion in point of rank." Our
public offices are certainly conducted on very
strange principles, but this is a specially original
method ! Many of the other objections brought
against the new system were satisfactorily answered
by the Marquis of HARTINGTON, and it will be as
well for the public to see how the new plan works
before they acquiesce in the strictures passed
upon it.

Dr. LANKESTER held an inquest yesterday on the
body of a pauper who was found dead in St. Giles's
Workhouse. It appeared that he died from natural
causes, but at the same time the diet was far too
low. The deceased was seventy-five years of age,
and he had nothing allowed him from four o'clock
in the afternoon until eight the next morning. The
afternoon meal consisted of gruel, with bread and
salt. It is really surprising that such a dietary
should be permitted, and the Coroner very properly
animadverted upon it. He said that it was very
hard an able-bodied man of that age should not
have had beer allowed him, with which the jury
readily agreed. The Coroner also added that they
dare not treat prisoners as they do paupers. He said
the dietary was too low. It did not perhaps produce
disease, but it shortened the life of the inmates, and
ought not to be done. The doctor admitted that
the deceased should have had beer, but he said that
he had nothing to do with the body of the house.
The jury appended to their verdict some remarks in
connection with the opinions entertained by all pre-
sent, to the effect that a more liberal diet should be
permitted to the aged poor in St. Giles's, and that
they should have more stimulants when necessary.
It is to be hoped that those in authority will take
heed and follow the advice thus tendered to them;
for it is a sad thing when paupers are thus reduced
to the lowest margin of support, and it is a false and
fatal economy that would seek to dole out grudg-
ingly the wretched fare which the managers of
workhouses consider sufficient for the inmates of
those dreary abodes.

Monuments at Duppel and Alsen.

(REUTER'S EXPRESS.)
FLENSBURG, April 21.

At three o'clock this afternoon the foundation-
stone was laid of a monument upon the heights of
Duppel, which is to occupy the former site of Fort
No. 6. The ceremony commenced by reading a list
of the documents to be placed in the stone. Prince
Frederick Charles then laid the stone in the King's
name and gave the three strokes with the hammer,
handing it next to Field-Marshal Count von Wran-
gel, who was followed by the princes of the royal
house, and the deputations of generals and knights
of the order pour le merite. Salvoes of artillery were
fired, and three cheers given for the King. Field-
Chaplain Schalenburg then preached the sermon,
and the ceremony concluded with the marching past
of the troops. Numbers of the inhabitants from the
neighbourhood were present upon the occasion.
The scroll laid in the stone bore the following in-
scription :

"We, William, by God's grace King of Prussia,
&c., have ordered that the foundation-stone of a
memorial shall be laid at Duppel on the 21st April
in the year of salvation 1865, in memory of the
storming of the Duppel entrenchments by our
army. In union with our illustrious ally, the Em-
peror of Austria, we had been compelled to enter
into war with the kingdom of Denmark that the
Elbe-Duchies might no longer be deprived of their
long withheld and sequestered right to Germany and
Germany of her right to them. After the long peace
with which God had favoured our country we called
a portion of our troops under arms. In the midst
of winter, exposed to the greatest hardships from the
weather, our soldiers advanced into the northern
marches of Germany under the wings of the Prus-
sian eagle. It waved above them in their first con-
flict before Missunde ; it led them at their passage
over the Schlei at Arnis ; they ranged themselves
around it in the siege of the Duppel entrenchments.
The excellence of our artillery and the ability of
those by whom it was directed were here dis-
played, together with the discipline of our
army in the hardships of camp life, the warlike
community of spirit which binds the officers and
men of our troops to well-ordered union, and
finally the heroic bravery with which the storm
upon the entrenchments was carried out. Under
the guidance of Prince Frederick Charles of Prussia,
the sons of our people sealed with their hearts' blood
the victory Prussia's sword had won for the right
and honour of Germany. To those who devoted
their lives for their brethren we dedicate this me-
morial, whose foundation-stone we order to be laid
on the 21st of this month, to bear testimony to the
gratitude of the fatherland, and to our resolution to
secure, with God's help, to the resting-place of our
heroic warriors the protection of Prussia's arms
even to distant times.

" Given at our capital city of Berlin, this 18th
April of the year 1865. (Signed) " WILLIAM."

A similar monument is to be erected in the island
of Alsen. Upon the scroll to be deposited in the
foundation-stone at that spot are inscribed the fol-
lowing words :--
" We, William, by God's grace King of Prussia,
&c., do hereby proclaim and announce : In the con-
tinuation of the war waged by us during the past
year, in conjunction with our illustrious ally,
against Denmark for the right of Germany, God's
hand marked out for us the limit. The conquest of
Alsen put an end to the war and gave Germany her
right. Our army carried the sword into the enemy's
ranks beyond the waves of the sea, planted the flag
of Prussia on the island shore of the Baltic, and
added new and imperishable leaves to the rich gar-
land of Prussian military fame. We owe this re-
sult to the divisions of our army which fought here
victoriously under the chief command of Cavalry-
General Prince Charles and the guidance of In-
fantry-General Herwarth von Bittenfeld, and we
therefore have given orders that a monument shall
be erected to the fallen brave upon the scene of
their renown, to bear testimony to the thankfulness
of the fatherland, and in honour of the memory of
the dead, whose heroic courage will live in the re-
collection of our warriors, should they ever have to
guard the fruits of that victory with the sword.
" Given at our capital city of Berlin this 18th
April of the year 1865. (Signed) " WILT4AIII."