The Sun.
London, England, 1862-04-01 00:00:00

Vw Exchange.
Information rather than amusement is the aim of
this new magazine, and, judging from the quality
of the first number, it is likely to take a high and
permanent place in public estimation. The open-
ing paper on "Mexico and +la IntervenCeku," endea-
vours to give *the reader some Woa of the inr emir -
able revolutions, or insurrections, which have con-
vulsed that country since 1810. In " The American
Conflict : the Claims of the South," the relative
position of the belligerents, with especial reference
to slavery, is discussed ; and under the head of
"Legal Securities for English Settlers and Capital
in Bengal " we have a comparison of the relative
moral status of the
EUROPEAN AND ASIATIC'.
Since the suppression of the rebellion, and the transfer of
the Government, a new theory has been adapted Iv some of
our Indian rulers. Whether they found this theory on dis-
coveries in ethnology, or novel views on the results of reli-
gion and morals, or on political axioms revived from the
doctrines of the latter end of the last century, their deter-
mination seems to be that in India the European and the
Asiatic shall be treated as perfectly equal. In the conside-
ration due to them—in the reliance to be placed mi. thelr
industry and effort—in the confidence to be reposed in their
integrity—in the trust in their word—no difference is to be
made between the different races. Though brought up in
a Christian home, toad taught from his earliest youth tho
precepts of the Christian faith—though educated in the
schools and colleges of Britain, and habituated to look with
detestation on a departure from truthfulness and honesty—
all this discipline of mind is to be utterly ignored : and
whether in a court of justice, or in his relations with the
executive government, the word of a native of Bengal is to
receive the same credit as that of the Englishman. The
latter, when he enters a court of justice, is no longer to
meet with the respect accorded to social rank, but is to be
looked upon only as one of a half-naked crowd.
This equality it is beyond human power to establish. In
the effort to accomplish it, the European race in India may
sink to the condition of the descendants of the Portugnese
in Goa, or they may be practically expelled. The elevation
of the native is not to be aided by such means. " A recog-
nition of the different institutions which are needed, accord
ing to the state of culture and development, is the main
point of superiority in the political theories of the present
over the past ago. Whilst our educational system in In-
dia confers a superficial instruction of questionable value
upon a few hundreds of the upper classes, it:has not perceptibl of
touched the mass of the native population. The paper
Dr. Duff, the most instructive part of the report of the In-
digo Commission, shows the true method of elevating the
native character. It exhibits the utter moral and mental
degradation to which the maxims, practices, and superoti-
tions that form the native education must inevitably lead..
The result is what might be expected. The judges,
whether British or native, must decide on probabilities, not
on direct evidence. " Twenty men," said Mr. Mangles,
gi will swear point blank to one side of the case upon a mere
matter of fact, and twenty men will swear point blank to
the other side. It is utterly hopeless that the judge should
decide by the more weighing of the evidence. If men be
condemned by the mere evidence of eye-witnesses, which
in England is the best evidence, no man's life would be
safe." It is because of this impossibility of arriving. at the
truth by any of the ordinary means to which we in this
country resort, that most of our disputes on Indian ques-
tions arise, and are protracted without end. But to a coun-
try where he cannot protect himself personally by his cou-
rage, or morally by his character, it is not desirable that an
Englishman should be tempted to go. To value his word
and that of the Bengalee alike, is as if we required a mer-
chant to accept at its nominal price a depreciated currency,
in exchange, and as equivalent, for the gold iii which his
own payments are made. The importanceciopfetnhde English-
man in India does not, as in the colonies,
personal labour, but on his own power and influence pclm di-
recting the Asiatic; and these cannot exist if the govern-
ment and the magistrate—those who wield the civil and the
judicial power—cognisein him no greater title to their
confidence than in one of the other races by whom he is
surrounded, and outnumbered a thousand to one.
"The ReSOUrCeS of Canada" also come in for con-
sideration ; and " The Riddle of Australian Politics,'
„Cotton," and "Our Collieries" are all handled with
ability. We extract from the latter these remarks
on

gt rhotd
..._
THE SAFETY LAMP.
amountuc ed intoto allon ocoal n mixes,penny
per
tortthd
addlfitisoanfeatlyco-lasint,pwshwicehremini
of coal raised, would fall on the public, who would far rather
pay such a tax than hear of the loss of 200 lives a yearfrom[
explosions alone.
We are, however, well aware that the great difficulty in,
introducing them arises from the prejudice of the men them-
selves. We have been present at a meeting of miners
working in a pit where an explosion had taken place through
a candle, by which nine lives were lost;
The manager proposed to provide oil and lamps, and to
bear all the expenses of cleaning them and keeping them in
order though the men had ben in the habit of finding
theirown candles. The meeting was held on the very day
of the inquest; and yet, when put to the vote, the general
use of s,:fety-lamps wax only carried by the manager using
his casting-vote I
The great objection raised by the men to their use is the
insufficient light they give, so that the same amount of
work cannot be done with them as with candles. This is
true as regards the Davy lamp, which is generally used in
this country; but there are other lamps, which give nearly
tour times as much light as the Davy, and which are intl..
nitely more safo for the men.
The Stephenson and Clanny lamps are of this class; but,
as made tit present, they are too expensive for
I.7lovernment
neral use.
The Muesolur lamp, adopted by
the Belgian
for all coal mines in that country, can be obtained here at
the cog of 5s Gd each—a price at least as low as that paid
' for the common Davy.
- surrounded by a glass cylin-
The flame of this lamp beint.,
current of • air as would
der, is hardly affected by sucha h hthe • t TOW, g7e • i
blow the flame of the PavY lamp . t'' •• , t also
explosiye atmosphere—so that
becomes extinguished in on
the safety of every person in the pit would not depend on
the lamp being withdroyn. slowly and. steadily out of an
as is the case w •
with the Davy
explosive atmosphere,lamp.
The Commercial News and Statistics seem full and
trustworthy, and we doubt not that the magazine
will be largely pacrouised among the mercantile
part of the community.