The Sun.
London, England, 1862-11-28 00:00:00

Lence.

Loadedbludgeons and knuckle-dusters have taken
the place of crowbars and centre-bits. The Burg-
lar has developed into the Garotter. It is not our
houses that are broken open, but our heads. The
ruffians now infesting our streets, armed to the
teeth, and dogging ns at every turn, have to be
dealt with promptly and vigorously under the Act
24th And 25th VICTORIA, chapter 96, section 43,
for assaulting with offensive instruments. What is
a " knuckle duster ?" some may ask. The answer
has been very recently and expressively given, as
" a formidable instrument made of stout brass, to be
clutched in the hand, with holes for the fingers to
pass through." Referring to a horrible instance
in which this formidable instrument was used with
such dire effect upon one of the many recent victims
of the Garotters, a Mr. MURRAY, of Chelsea, it
has been remarked by a correspondent of our chief
morning contemporary, as follows :—" We may be
quite sure of this, that there is among thieves and
robbers as much of fashion in their modes of com-
mitting crime as there is with ladies in the matter
of bonnets and crinolines, and that, the fashion
being once introduced, the loading of knuckles
with brass bids fair to have as popular a run as
the weighting of petticoats with steel hoop. As
no draggletail cinderwench now considers her cos
tume complete unless she can swell herself to the di
mensions of a duchess by means of the much-love
circular encumbrance, so the ' Artful Dodger' who
has hitherto confined himself to the occupation of the
pickpocket or area sneak will, with the aid of the
formidable ' knuckle-duster,' which puts him on a
level as a 'punisher' with SAYERS or HEENAN,
begin to ape the deeds as well as the slang of that
master-mind, Mr. BILL SYKES ; and whoever ven-
tures into the streets after dusk may consider him-
self lucky if he loses his purse or watch without the
additional torture and blemish which has been in-
gicted on poor Mr. MURRAY. Laws, of course, cannot
be altered without the sanction of Parliament; but
the promulgation from the bench of every Police-
court that those now in force will be unsparingly car-
ried out may have some effect in deterring the rascal-
dom of London from resorting to practices the evil
of which is not confined to the loss of one's property,
but which result in the infliction of personal detri-
ment which in many cases will only terminate with
the sufferer's life The remarks are so apt and so
perfectly reasonable in their application at the pre-
sent moment, that we have deemed them worthy
here of this exceptionally lengthy quotation. Their
significance we would earnestly commend to the
consideration of each and all of our London police
magistrates.

Budgets seem likely to become the great topic of
Europe. Not that Finance ever did or ever could
fail to be a most anxious subject for all Govern-
ments at some time or other—but just now three of
the greatest Continental Powers are far more stirred
on the matter than they have been for years. Our
own Government, also, seems at last to think that
what the Budget shall be is a matter worthy of
earnest and repeated discussion fully two months
before it meets its too supple House of Commons.
We suppose the reason is that no one can tell how
soon that house may haie to present itself to
the constituencies for re-election ; and there
seems to be a shrewd conviction that
this time " our country's honour" will not
do for the election cry. The public opinion
appears to become more fixed, that an equal amount
of honour may be purchased for much less money.
Within the memory of most of us " our country's
honour," and our "country's safety" too, cost in
round numbers about one-third of what Lord
PALMERSTON charges for maintaining them. For
a long time about two-thirds of the present charge
was held to be an extravagant amount. But the
veteran diplomatist has somehow managed to make
the countrybelieve that our honour and safetydepend
on thirty millions worth of troops, guns, and ships.
It is this belief which is now beginning to wane.
The determination to be safe is the same ; so is the
determination that we will be second to no other
State, but it is more than doubted, now, whether a
much less costly naval and military force would not
leave us quite as safe and quite as much respected.
When our Houses meet this time they will have
the examples of two Parliaments before them, and
Lord PALMERSTON that of two Governments. It
may be hoped that the examples will provoke a
little emulation, and also prove something like a
warning where needed. The Prussian Parliament
and the Austrian Parliament have both won for
themselves deserved attention and honour for their
bold stand against the demands of departments and
of ministers. In each case the grand extravagance
to be checked has been the expenditure for the
army. Both Prussian and Austrian ministers de-
manded as necessary for " the honour and safety of
the State," considerably more than the representa-
tives of the State were willing to pay for them.
And there can be no doubt that the opinion of
Europe is, that the Parliaments have the right of it,
and have done nobly. :They cannot think the same
of both the monarchs and their cabinets.

ef
ntth et
be ea
t. 4
sri ingehe t
they d i vinew; rll nuolte r s
take h ahs
st obludd
ghis
t
PaOriniaemo
he shall take it for himself. Only this morning we
find him saying to one of the numerous petty re-
actionary deputations got up to order—" I am sorry
that I must now govern without a budget. I shall,
however, return to a regular course," One little
word, of course, involves the -whole question.
If the " must " referred to such a sudden
emergency as left no time for deliberation, we
shoule all assent that act the KING "must," and
get his indemnity afterwards. The practical lie
which a King could thus offer to a few aristocratic
noodles and placemen is, that there was no emer-
gency at all, There was full deliberation, an appeal
to the country, a second deliberation, and when all
gave the same result, the despot says I "must"
govern without a Budget. What he means is, I
have the army at my bidding, and I will govern as
I like. This blind tyrant actually has the effron-
tery to add, " that the representatives of the people
on their part, . . must not exercise their
constitutional rights, as by so doing they
would paralyse his Government and disarm the
1 country." So this precious Constitutional SOTS-

REIGN, sworn to govern constitutionally, plainly
says two things—one, that constitutional rights
are not to be used if he objects to the use of them,
the other that he knows better than all the people
and their representatives. He obviously thinks
himself the Prussian "SoLomoN." Yet this in-
fatuated man is threatening two othur monarchs
for not governing constitutionally ! The ELECTOR
of Hesse and the KING of Denmark are both called
1 to account by the man who tramples on his own
1
constitution for not governing constitutionally in
Hesse and in Schleswig.

The Emperor of AUSTRIA, of all people in the
world, is the one to teach his Prussian Majesty
chief
Minister Constitutionalism. is hut his due, and that of
his
to confess that, with all their
pride, and Baron SCIIMERLING is said to be a very
proud man, they have acted with honour. They
may not have offered so large a pecuniary reduction
as the Chamber would have preferred; but we, in
England, are so accustomed to the compromise, or
rather what we express by the " give and take"
policy, that we look with pleasure on a considerable
pecuniary concession by an Austrian Government
to its recently constructed Parliament. There is
this, too, to be said, that the Austrian monarch has
more obvious need for the largest possible
army than he of Prussia. While Italy and Hun-
gary are to be retained on their present footing
—and the Chamber upholds that policy—and
while Italy is avowedly arming to be able as soon
as possible to conquer the liberties of Venetia, while
Russia is unfriendly, and France capricious, Aus-
tria has good reason, as Monarchs view things, to
keep the largest possible army. Yet Austria is the
Government to set an example of army reduction to
Prussia—the Government which has no present
occupation for an army at all, which can employ
one only in an unrighteous war with Denmark.
We can only express our hope that all these
budget proceedings on the Continent will be in-
terpreted right both by our ministers and our
representatives. If all Parliaments, including
even the sham Parliament of France, are awaken-
ing to the necessity of Budget Reform ; if the
Emperors both of FRANCE and AUSTRIA are accept-
ing the necessity of Reform ; if an obstinate old
Divine Right Dunce is the only opposing party—
we ought to understand the meaning of all.
Armies and armaments will be reduced abroad, and
England, which has so mush scope for doing so,
must promptly follow.

AUSTRALIAN CO2 TON.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—Permit me, through your paper, to inform
the public that I have this day paid to the bankers,
Messrs. Heywood, £ll3 10s. 6d., the proceeds of
three samples of Queensland cotton,weighing 4911 b.,
presented by the commissioner of that colony, Mr.
M. H. Marsh, M.P., to the relief fund of this dis-
trict, and bought by Mesa's. A. and G. Murray, of
this city, at 45., 4s. 6d., and ss. per pound, accord-
ing to the three qualities. Surely our trade will
believe facts, and upon such evidence make efforts
to procure all classes of the most beautiful cotton
where it can be abundantly produced—viz., in
Australia.—Faithfully yours,
THOMAS BAZLEY.
Hayesleigh, Manchester, Nov. 26.

BANKRUPTCIES THIS YEAR.—It appears that the
number of bankruptcies gazetted in the first 10 months of
1862 was 7,924, as compared with 1,123, the average for
the 10 years ending Dec, 31, 1861. Of the 7,924 gazetted,
493 occurred in the Liverpool district, as compared with 79
in the preceding 10 years ; 548 in the Manchester district,
as compared with 89 in the preceding 10 years; 1,136 in
the Birmingham district, as compared with 156 in the pre-
ceding 10 years; 879 in the Leeds district, as :compared
with 105 in the preceding 10 years; 776 in the Bristol dis-
trict, as compared with 68 in the preceding 10 years ; 326
in the Exeter district, as compared with 42 in the preced-
ing 10 years; 263 in the Newcastle district, as compared
with 36 in the preceding 10 years; and 3,504 In the metro-
politan district, as compared with 54S in the preceding 10
years. The increase is of course attributable to the opera-
tion of the recent Bankruptcy Act; nevertheless, the aug-
mentation is surprising. In the Liverpool district it
amounted to 524.05 per cent,, in the Manchester district to
515.73 per cent., in the Birmingham district to 62820 per
cent., in the Leeds district to 737.14 per cent., in the Bris-
tol district to 1,041.17 per cent., in the Exeter district to
67381 per cent., in the Newcastle district to 630.55 per
cent., and in the metropolitan district to 539.41 per cent.
SMITHFIELD CLUB CATTLE SHONV.—Last evening
the Agricultural Hall at Islington was fully lighted for the
purpose of testing the efficiency of the illumination, which
has been very considerably increased beyond the original
intention. So vast is the space that although the central
area was lighted by 14 very large gaseliers of 48 lights each,
and 48 smaller ones of 24 lights each, while throwing a
very beautiful glow over the whole building, they were
found inadequate, and not only have additional circlets been
suspended -at intervals all round the galleries, but each
alternate standard throughout the central and side avenues
has been furnished with a spray of six lights, thus render.
ing the illumination very effective. The centralpromenade,
which is 23 feet wide, is now thoroughly finished, the
ground being of the very finest concrete, which whilst it
combines all the smoothness and solidity of stone, possesses
properties with regard to warmth and comfort to the feet,
especially for ladies which in the latter material is wanting.
The implements were arriving throughout the day in rapid
succession, and Wednesday next, the 3d December, is the
asspecimen of the many hundred
entered
arranged in their places. Not-
withstanding hateroom has been afforded for some
l t day
forappointed
exhibition
the fact
b
hundreds of stands more than could be provided in the
galleries of the Baker-street Bazaar, applications for addi-
tional space pour in daily, which it is utterly impossible to
accommodate. The directors of the various railway com-
panies have entered into the matter this year with more
than usual liberality, and during the show-week, com-
mencing from Saturday, the 6th, and continuing to Satur-
day, the 13th December, trains will be run from all parts
of the kingdom to the various metropolitan termini at Ex-
hibition excursion fares. The London General and other
Omnibus proprietors have also made arrangements to run
from every part of the metropolis direct to the Agricul-
tural Hall.

FATAL OCCURRENCE ON THE LONDON, CHAT-
HAM, AND DOVER RAlLWAY.—Yesterday morning infor-
mation was received by Mr. Bedford, the coroner for West-
minster, of the death of John Cooper, aged 25, who resided
at 16, Addington-street, York-road, Lambeth. The de-
ceased, a painter, was in the employ of Messrs. Lucas and
Co., builders, and engaged at work at the Brixton Station,
on the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway. While
standing upon a scaffold only a few feet frcm the ground,
he missed his footing and fell, pitching on his head. In
an insensible condition he was at once conveyed to West-
minster Hospital, where he was received, and promptly
attended to by Mr, Arthur Beadles, the house surgeon.
The unfortunate man was bleeding copiously from the nose
and ears, and expired in about a quarter of an hour, his
skull being frightfully fractured. The body awaits an in-
quest.

SCOTTISH HOSPITAL.—The St. Andrew's-day
festival of this ancient corporation will be celebrated at the
Freemasons' Tavern, on Monday next. On the stewards'
list we observethe names of many of the most distinguished
of living Scotchmen, among whom may be mentioned the
Dukesof Buccleueh and Argyll, Field- Marshal Lord Clyde,
Thomas Carlyle, Esq., Sir Archibald Alison, Bart., &c.
During the last twelve months we understand this excel-
lent charity has been the means of affording pensions to
137 aged persons, and relieved upwards of 150 cases of dis •
tress in each month, and defrayed passages to Scotland, the
whole amounting to £1,949 14s. 10d. The school fees, cost
of books, &c., of above 140 poor children have been paid
from the school fund. Nearly £2,000, in pensions, have
also been paid to more than 400 disabled soldiers and
sailors, from the Kinloeh bequest.

The Central Committee of the Belgian Chamber
of Deputies has declared in favour of the bill for a literary
and artistic convention between that country and Russia.
According to it, Belgian authors would possess in Russia,
and Russian authors in Belgium, an absolute right over
their works during their own lives, with transmission to
their heirs for ten or twenty years, as may be decided. The
abolition of all duty at the frontiers will also be stipulated.
ANOTHER GAROTTING CASE.—On Sunday even-
ing a most brutal attack was made upon Mr. Girvan, a re-
porter, from the effects of which he is at present confined
to his bed. He states that while passing, about 7 o'clock
in the evening, from Whitefriars into Dorset-street, he was
followed by three men, one of whom spoke to him. Upon
turning round he received a terrific blow from some blunt
instrument, which rendered him insensible. He was found
in that state by the police and conveyed to St. Bartholomew's
Hospital, where his wounds were dressed, and he was con-
ducted to his home at 11 at night, when he became conscious.
A large steam horse transport, called the Sarthe,
was lately launched at Cherbourg•

LATEST NEWS,

ATHENS, Nov. 26.
Great demonstrations in favour of Prince Alfred
have taken place at Syia and Hydra.
Tranquillity continues to prevail everywhere.

MADRID, Nov. 27.

General Concha is expected here in order to be
present at the sittings of the Senate, which com-
mence on the Ist proximo.

TURIN, Nov. 27.

In to-day's sitting of the Chamber of Deputies
Signor Nicotera spoke of an interview which ho
had had with Signor Rattazzi before the latter's
accession to the Ministry, and persisted in his pre-
vious declaration relative to the promises which
he said had been made to the Left.

Signor Rattezzi denied having made the alleged

promises.

Signor Mordini denied that either he or his col-
leagues had been guilty of any illegal act which
justified their arrest, and said, "We went to Sicily
on a mission of conciliation, and to endeavour to
prevent civil war. When arrested at Naples we
were on our way to Turin."

BERLIN, Nov. 27.

The Neue Preussische (Kreuz) Zeitung of today
publishes the reply of the King to an address of
devotion presented to him by a deputation from
the cities of Elberfeld and Alarienburg.
The conclusion of his Majesty's speech was as
follows:

"I am sorry that I must now govern without a
Budget. I shall, however, return to a regular
course. In the meantime the representatives of the
people on their part must help to render this pos-
sible, and must not exercise their constitutional
rights, as by so doing they would paralyze my Go-
vernment and disarm the country. I cannot sur-
render the rights of the Crown."
ATHENS, Nov. 23.

A great demonstration was made last night.

A large crowd of all classes, after parading the
streets and shouting for Prince Alfred, stopped be-
fore the British Legation, and would not depart
until Mr. Scarlett addressed them. Thanking them
for their sympathy towards England, he told them
that he could not give an opinion on the subject
which brought them there, but that Greece had the
best wishes of England.
The crowd then dispersed in tha most orderly