The Sun.
London, England, 1865-04-06 00:00:00

such hist

antes the disease has travelled in the same
direction . Our authorities have been on the alert,
and information has been forwarded from our
Ambassador in Russia,• besides inquiries having
been made by our Consuls in the Baltic ports.
On Tuesday evening the Bisbop of OXFORD called
attention to the matter in the Upper House,
And was told in reply by Lord GRANVILLE that
her MAJEsn's Ministers had thought it sufficiently
important to telegraph for further details. It
appears from the particulars already in our posses-
sion that the disease, though new to Europe, has
been known in America, where it broke out some
six or seven years ago, and was from its virulence
mistaken for yellow fever. Very little is as yet
known of the origin or proper mode of treatment ;
but, at least, there are some important points in
which every one may be on their guard. Cleanli-
ness, ventilation, and good wholesome living are
the great protectors against any such danger. They
are not, of course, infallible, but they serve to miti-
gate the danger and to diminish the risk of infection
should the disease travel to this country. Sanitary
officers should redouble their precautions, and all
who have any control or influence over large esta-
blishments and great bodies of men, women, or
children should, enforce due observance of sanitary
laws. In this, as in every similar case, the poor
run the greatest risk, and therefore all who mix
among them should impress upon them the neces-
sity of cleanliness and fresh air so far as they can
get it. The houses in our rookeries should also be
looked after, and landlords compelled to do their
duty. With these and similar precautions we may
hope, under PROVIDENCE, to diminish, if we cannot
wholly avert, the evil.

The Metropolitan Houseless Poor Bill passed
through committee last night, and Mr. VILLIERS
displayed great judgment in giving his consent to

the proposals made by several hon. members. It is

always a pity to allow vexatious arguments and
disagreements on trivial points to stop the progress
and endanger the passing of really useful under-
takings. One clause that was moved by Mr. VIL-
LIERS was an admirable one. It was to the effect
that any constable of the metropolitan and city
police should be able to conduct any destitute wan-
derer or foundling, not having committed any
offence, to any wards approved of by the Poor-law
Boards, and that such wanderers be relieved therein.
The consequence of this will be that a step will be
put to the devices of many insidious and designing
persons, who derive great profits from the mistaken
kindness of the unwary, to the great injury of
the really deserving, who too often suffer in silence
till they fall victims to want. The Bill has been
made of a permanent character, which is a very
agreeable arrangement, and as Mr. AmToNobserved,
it will, at all events, enable the poor to understand
what they have to expect, and remove a large
number of " imaginary grievances." It is due to
Mr. VILLIERS to say that he wished this to be done
last year, but met with opposition, and therefore
abandoned the attempt until a more favourable op-
portunity should present itself. That occasion has
now been found, and we may fairly hope that the
measure as it now stands, notwithstanding many
drawbacks, will prove of great present benefit to the
classes for which it legislates, and ultimately con-
duce, directly and indirectly, to the welfare of the
community. Another clause that is worthy of
notice is the one which declares that the guardians
of every union and parish referred to in the Act
shall admit to the workhouse, and other places of
reception, all poor persons who apply between the
hours of six in the evening and eight in the morning
in the winter months, and from eight to eight in the
summer ones; and that the guardians shall cause
relief to be furnished to such applicants. Mr.
HENLEY very properly called attention to the very
deficient accommodation provided in some places
for the poor, and said that it was scarcely better than
putting people into coffins, and that they would die
in the streets in preference to such shelter. Mr.
VILLIERS explained that the difficulties in the way
of providing refuges had been removed, and that
the evil complained of would be cured by not re-
imbursing the parishes where they occurred, which
was so satisfactory.

From the " Owl,"

We quote the following paragraphs from our
contemporary :—•

THE EDMUNDS COMMITTEE.—The report of the
Edmunds Committee will, we are informed, en-
tirely exonerate Lord Brougham ; and, though, we
never doubted of this result, we are none the less
glad to be able to announce it. The general ver-
dict in the case of the Lord Chancellor will be that
he showed undue leniency in dealing with his subor-
dinate ; but we mistake very much the character of
the British public if they allow such a mistake as
this to outweigh the signal services rendered to his
country by Lord Westbury. As far as the other
two gentlemen are concerned, the less said the
better. '

THE PRINCE OF WALES.--WC had to record lately
the satisfaction with which England would receive

the announcement that the nation was about to in-
crease the income allotted to the Prince, who has
worn his rank with such gentle honour ; but we
have now to state that the question has been, for
the present, postponed. We cannot but regret it,
for we feel that what would have been at this mo-
ment but a graceful acknowledgment of what Eng-
land owes to her institutions, may hereafter become
a necessity for their support.

The Whitworth and Armstrong Committees, ap-
pointed in the year of the last Exhibition, are deli-
berating on their report, and we understand that
the probable conclusion will be a recommendation
which doubtless will be received with satisfaction ;
for while urging the adoption of the Armstrong pro-
jectile, it recommends the Whitworth gun, and, in
conclusion, suggests the reference of both to another
committee.

Viscount Gort will be elected a representative
Peer for Ireland in the room of the Earl of Desart,
whose death causes a vacancy in the House of
Lords.

The departure of the two embassies conveying the
Garters to the Kings of Denmark and Portugal is
definitively fixed for the 17th inst.

Sir Harry Parkes, K.C.8., now her Majesty's
Consul at Shanghae, is to succeed Sir Rutherford
Alcock, K.C.8., as Minister in Japan.
The announcement of our contemporaries that the
Duke and Duchess of Persigny are gone to Rome is
correct, but we are in a position to state that his
excellency has no political object in his journey,
which is one solely of pleasure, and is the first visit
of M. and Madame de Persigny to Italy.