The Sun.
London, England, 1865-10-26 00:00:00

THE SUB, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING,': OCTOBER 26, 180.

where the schoolmasters either conduct the exami-
nations themselves, or get a friendly rival to do it
for them, for whom they are ready when wanted to
discharge the same office. Dr. WILBERFORCE
amusingly described the surprise and delight of the
family circle of the SMITHS, when Master SMITH,
who was never thought anything wonderful, comes
home with a prize, bearing an inscription lauding
his mental and moral attainments to the skies.
Happily these admiring relatives are not aware that
Master JONES bears a similar volume, inscribed in
equally flattering, though not precisely similar,
terms. Of course, all the friends of the family
think highly of a master and an establishment which
have converted dunces into prize scholars, and so
the end is gained. From beginning to end in the old
system there was no searching test, and the really
efficient masters of local schools are delighted
at the opportunity now given them of
proving, beyond dispute, how thorough and how
conscientious is their method of instruction. " I
think," said Dr. WILBERFORCE, " that I may as-
sume that this, which was a few years ago nothing
more than an experiment, has now proved itself to
be a great success." He added that such a result
was no less satisfactory to the universities than to
those who profited more immediately by it, since
nothing could be worse than for the old universities
to be severed, as it were, by a gulf from the great
middle classes. The Bishop, indeed, goes further,
and looks forward to a day when it shall be a
recognised thing for the sons of the great princes
of corfamerce to study at the University
itself as it is for the sons of the great princes of the
soil. " I desire to see the lords of these great physical
manipulations of matter sending their children with
the lords of the old soil of England to learn, and
study, and compete together, and to go forth from '
the common discipline to serve a common master
and to bless a common country." Such an identity
of training, and such a fellowship in youth, would go
far to break down those barriers between the classes
which are productive of so much that is hurtful and
binding. The advantages of a first•rate education
to the mercantile classes would undoubtedly be
great, and, as the accomplished orator who on
Tuesday addressed their representatives justly said,
"It is impossible to give too much either of
intellectual or of moral greatness to the
mighty interests of increasing the physical
riches, and with them the physical efforts
and strength of such a nation as this, of England."
It is satisfactory to find that the advantages offered
by these University Examinations arc becoming
more widely appreciated among the commercial
classes, and that, according to the report, the
number of candidates who presented them-
selves for examination this year was greatly
in advance of the two previous years. The per-
centage of those that passed was also very high,
proving that the local educational system is based
on a satisfactory footing. The Bishop's able and
eloquent address, suggestive alike to old and young,
was attentively listened to and frequently applauded,
and the claims of the Local Examination system
have seldom received a more powerful or more
impressive advocacy.

LINCOLN ELECTION EXPENSES.—The expenses
incurred by the three candidates at the Lincoln
election have just been published. Mr. Seoley's (Liberal)
election cost £1,826 2s. 4d., £450 being for professional
services, while printing, stationery, and advertising amount
to the formidable sum of £394 14e. 4d. A curious item
occurs for messengers, doorkeepers, and " watchers"—
£239 13s. The " watchers" were engaged to look after
suspicious characters on the other side, and to prevent their
buying up voters. Mr. Ileneage's (Liberal) expenses
amount to £1,342 14s. ld., of which sum agents and can-
vassers received £493 17s. 9(1. ; printing and advertising,
£l7O 10s. sd. ; committee rooms, £l2B 10s. ;. messengers,
" watchers," etc., £255 lls. 6d. It cost the unsuccessful
candidate, Mr. Bromley-Moore, £1,271 ss. 10d. ; agents,
canvassers, and clerks received £589 135.10 d. ; messengers
and " watchers," £2Ol. It will thus be seen that the legal
expenses amounted to £4,440 2s. 3d., and as the number of
voters on the register is 1,800, the cost per vote was about
£2 108. Really, however, the election cost about £20,000,
as much as £2O being given for a single vote, and; one
leading tradesman, who declined to promise either party,
received an order for goods to the amount of £227 2s
(which item is published), and his vote was thus secured.
THE CATTLE PLAGUE AND INSPECTORS.—Many
farmers are now beginning to doubt whether the
system of inspection authorized by the Orders in Council
is not productive of more harm than good. Since the
panic about the rinderpest arose, as soon as a beast droops
its head and leaves off eating for an hour, the owners of
cattle get alarmed, and send for the veterinary inspector
appointed under Government. In country districts such
inspectors have a wide field to travel over, and many
farms to look after ; and it is feared that, in coming
from a diseased stock, they may often carry the infec-
tion to a healthy farm. Besides the calls made upon
them on account of this mysterious malady, they have
their ordinary practice to attend to ; and this may—in-
deed must—often necessitate their visiting at stoadings
where no disease exists. With a large practice and an ex-
tensive range of country under their care, it is thought that
it is not possible for veterinary surgeons on all occasions to
disinfect themselves so thoroughly as:the contagious nature
of the disease requires. Indeed, we have heard of instances
where inspectors have passed from a diseased to a healthy
stock without any change of clothing or use of disinfecting
agents whatever. But, whether this occurred or not, it is
clear that there is much danger in the present method,
which not only permits, but ordains, that an inspector,
known to be constantly engaged among diseased animals,
should be sent for as soon as any ailment in a beast—which
may not be the plague at all—is noticed by a stockowner.
It is considered that it would be much bettor that the far-
mers, under the direction of the Sheriff or other legally
constituted authorities, should have the privilege of calling
in any veterinary surgeon they choose, Government paying
the expense. We believe that some such proposal as this is
likely to be urged upon the commissioners now taking evi-
dence on the plague in London. The present system is
certainly not giving satisfaction to stockowners in Scot-
land.—Seetsmart.

THE HOUSE OF BARING AND COMPANY.—They
came to Exeter from Bremen, and Matthew fixed
himself at Larkbear (the Larroclibere of Saxon times), to
carry on the woollen trade with foreign lands—a trade of
which in the west of England Exeter wasthe centre. The
reputation and success of the house of the Baringe was
mainly owing to the business habits, the prudence, and the
activity of the wife of Matthew, whose name was tradi-
tionally known as Madame Baring. The ladies in those
days took an active part in the management of their hus-
bands' affairs. They superintended the labours of the
women engaged as burlers, who pulled the "goods" over
benches, and with burling-irons, a sort of large sharply-
pointed tweezers held in the right hand, picked out the
blacks, the knots, and other defects left by the wearers,
which, with a whisk in the left hand, they swept into open
bags at their sides. It was one of the duties of the mistress,
now and then, to go from one end to the other of the long
line of burlers, encouraging the diligent, and reprehending
the lazy. Matthew Baring fully appreciated the services
of his wife, and built for her on the banks of the river a
handsome fishing-house of brick, from whose windows
she could uninterruptedly and comfortably indulge
in piscatorial amusements. Pollutions have driven
away the fish, the fishing house has been razed to its foun-
dations, the fisher lady has been long slumbering under
the roof of St. Leonard's cemetery, and the memento raised
over her burial place by her eldest son John, the senior
partner of the great house of John and Francis Baring, has
wholly disappeared. Most of the members of the family
are interred in tho churchyard just described, which was
separated from their domicile of Mount Radford only by a
bridge thrown across the public road, but some of them
repose in the " Saint's Rest" of the Exeter Presbyterians,
and others in a very pretty but obscure burial place at-
tached to a Unitarian chapel a few miles from the city.
John and Francis Baring wore both men of singular saga-
city. Perhaps they foresaw the decline and decay of that
staple trade upon which their father had laid the founda-
tions of his own and their prosperity—at all events, they
sought a wider field than Exeter offered. I had i❑ my
possession a copy of a tender for part of a loan to the Bri-
tish Government, in the reign of George the Third, in
which the ambition of the groat house of the Brothers
Baring was limited to the adventure of £3OO sterling. Two
peerages and a baronetcy, and what millions upon millions
have sinco been associated with the name !—Dickens's
" the Year Round."
RESIGNATION OF DR. Gu THR lE.—lt will be learnt
with regret that the Rev. Dr. Guthrie has tendered his re-
signation of the co-pastorate of Free St. John's. We believe
that a letter conveying this announcement was presented
to the kirk session in the early part of last week, and that
a similar communication will be made to the Free Presby-
tery of Eclinburgla.—Tdinburgh, Daily BerieW.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

AUSTRIA AND GERMANY.

VIENNA, OCT. 25 (Evening).

An official denial has been given to the rumour
that all soldiers of the garrison in Venetia now on
furlough has been called in.
The Abendpost (evening edition of the official
'Wiener Zeituny) publishes a leading article explain-
ing that no change whatever has taken place in the
position of Austria in Germany, and in the relation
between Austria and Germany.

The -lbendpost recalls that the intimate connexion
between Austria and Germany reposes on an his-
torical basis, and says :—" A separation of Austria
and Germany would offer the most serious
dangers to both parties. Austria considers
her connexion with Germany as the vital
condition of her existence. The relations
between Austria and Germany can never be di; -
solved, as both parties are dependent on the other."
The Abendpost also publishes an article on the
Frankfort affair, in which it points out that Austria
has followed the path of Federal right in the steps
taken by her in this question, and that she will not
abandon it whatever further progress the affair
may take."

VIENNA, OCT. 26.

The identical note which has been addressed by
the Senate of Frankfort to the two great German
Powers energetically rejects the demands made by
the latter. The Senate cites the Federal Constitu-
tion, which allows to no member of the German
Confederation an arbitrary intervention into the
sovereign rights of the other German States.
The Vienna papers state that the reply of the
Senate has, not only on account of its forms, which
are said to be at variance withdiplomatic usage, but
also on account of its contents, greatly surprised and
offended the Austrian Minister for Foreign Affairs.

It is asserted that Austria and Prussia have already
agreed about certain propositions to be submitted
to the Federal Diet on this question.