The Sun.
London, England, 1865-06-03 00:00:00

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i LONDON, SA7 UlI DAY, JUNE 3, 1865.

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The public will learn with satisfaction that ano-
ther Prince has been added to our Royal Family.
This auspicious event took place somewhat unex-
pectedly, and it is gratifying to know that her
Royal Highness is progressing favourably. All
that appertains to the happiness of the Prince and
Princess possesses great attraction for the nation,
for, besides the feeling of loyalty which is deeply
rooted in the heart of the nation, a particular in-
terest is felt for the young Princess who has so re-
cently come among us that amounts to an indi-
vidual attachment. Since her arrival on our
shores the Princess ALEXANDRA has endeared
herself to the people of the land of her
adoption by her numerous engaging qualities, and
they have truly sympathised with her and followed
her steps through the lights and shades of existence

with admiration, affection, and hope. It must be
borne in mind that this young Princess has been
placed in difficult circumstances, for, in consequence
of the retirement of her MAJESTY, much has devolved
upon the bride of the heir-apparent that otherwise
would have been spared her, and in these trying
circumstances she has displayed a judgment, a dis-
cernment that have guided her serenely on. The
Prince of WALES has also shown himself truly
anxious to do his utmost to meet the requirements
of his high position, and scarcely a day passes in
which something is not recorded of his exertions in
various quarters. He goes about, too, in an un-
affected and unartificial manner, and whether he
appears in the House of Lords or lends his assist-
ance to inaugurate exhibitions for the working
classes, he is alike free from affectation and hauteur.
We all know that life is not all sunshine, and that
the highest position, the greatest wealth, and the
most favourable circumstances cannot secure
the rich more than the poor from the
dark days of disappointment and the bitter
hours of trial. Domestic happiness is a surer
resource under such evils than any of the grandeurs
of state and the pomp of power. The best wishes
of the nation will attend the Princess, and the
prayers of the people will be offered up to the Giver
of all good things, that He may bestow length of
days and happiness upon these young heirs of our
Royal Family, who give the promise of perpetuating
the line to the limits of a remote posterity. In
these days we have more cause than ever to desire
the continuance of an hereditary monarchy, and the
events which have occurred across the Atlantic have
shown unmistakably that they who put their
faith and place their reliance in forms instead of
facts will meet with nothing but failure and re-
verses. The English Constitution still maintains
its proud pre-eminence among the nations of the
world, and the benefits and blessings that accrue
from a fixed style of government cannot be too
highly appreciated. It is an additional satisfaction
when the representatives of the royal race possess
those qualities which render them beloved and re-
spected by all classes of the community.

We are glad to find,' from Mr. GLADSTONE'S
remarks last evening, that the enlargement of the
National Gallery on its present site is really
under consideration. On the vote being proposed
for the completion of the necessary sum for its
maintenance, the Chancellor of the Exchequer
stated that the Government thought it desirable to
give effect to the vote of last year, and, therefore,
they were occupied in the consideration of plans for
the enlargement. It is not very wonderful, con-
sidering the strong reluctance manifested in official
quarters to adopt the most rational scheme as yet
proposed, that hon. members should have exhibited
some degree of anxiety respecting the production of
the plans. Mr. GLADSTONE, who professed the
greatest amiability on the subject, declared that the
Government were especially anxious to be as prompt
as possible, and that he believed the plans would
be forthcoming immediately after the holidays.
Still the House was not fully satisfied, and on the
motion of Mr. SEYMOUR, who declared the vote too
important to be hurriedly taken, the Chairman
reported progress, and the matter stood over. The
same doubtful and dissatisfied feeling was shown
on Thursday night, when the vote of £lOO,OOO for
the Science and Art Department of the United
Kingdom was taken. There was plenty of
room for criticism in the details, and
there was no lack of critics. The amount of
the votes under several heads was objected to, and
the South Kensington arrangements gave rise to a
good deal of discussion. On Mr. POTTER'S motion
for the reduction of the vote for schools of science
and art, Mr. BRUCE contended that these schools
were productive of great advantage to students ;
and certainly, if they have any effect in spreading
the knowledge of art throughout the country, it is
not worth while by a petty saving to interfere with
the students. It was objected that many of a rank
well able to pay for other instruction availed them-
selves of these schools ; but it must be remembered
that it is not only the cheapness of the instruction
that is an inducement, but the accuracy of it ; and
it would be very unfair to the poor governess, the
young art-workman, or the many members of the
toiling classes who wish to improve their knowledge
of this valuable art, to raise the fees which they
already have to pay so as to suit the incomes of
amateurs who require more thorough instruction
than can usually be obtained from fashionable
teachers. As for the advantage conferred on our
artisans by the collection of works illus-
trating their own trade, they are perfectly
true ; but Mr. BRUCE, in commenting upon
them forgot that the argument did not support the
South Kensington theory. The anxiety which, he
says, has been manifested by working men in other
parts of the town to transfer part of the Kensington
treasures to different local museums is of itself a
strong proof of the inaccessibility and inconvenience
of the Kensington depot. Alderman LAWRENCE
observed that the feeling of the committee on the
subject was that the distance of South Kensington
was too great from those parts where the mass of
the working population lived for them to have much
advantage from the museum. There was a strong
feeling, he said, among the artizans of the metropolis
against the centralisation of these collections in so
inaccessible a place. Mr. Cox, speaking upon the
same subject, remarked that persons of this class
could not afford to lose the half day's labour which
must be sacrificed to get to and from Kensington.
Other members supported this view, and although
some single voices were raised in favour of the more
fashionable locality, and the Government succeeded
in obtaining all the votes, yet the feeling of the
house was unmistakably expressed on the popular
and common-sense view of the question.

Certainly the internal affairs of Prussia are not
proceeding at all in accordance with the wishes or de-
sires of Herr VON BIS3IARK, and the summary of
events in the Chamber of Deputies may be briefly
characterised as defeats of the Ministerial measures,
and rebuffs to the Government. The last news is
that the Bill for the increase of the Prussian Navy
came on for discussion, and Herr BIS3IARK took
great pains to set forth the merits of
his cause. He said that it was false to
assert that the Government had entered into nego-
tiations with Denmark for the surrender of North
Schleswig, and, of course, proceeded to blame every
one else connected with the affair. The Duke of
AUGUSTENBERG is the guilty party now it would
seem, and really if the issues of this matter were not
so serious, it would be almost ludicrous to watch
the turn of the affair. As it is, however, we can
but lament that a great Power like Prussia should
lend herself to such base subterfuges, and
resort to such underhand means of gain-
ing her object—an object, moreover, which draws
down upon her the contempt of all honest and
honourable persons in every land. Herr BISMARK
declares, with curt and characteristic impertinence,
that if the Duchies agree to these conditions, " it is
indifferent to us what constitution they give them-
selves." This means, virtually, that if they consent
to sap the foundations of their rights, and allow
the well-springs of their liberties to be choked
up, atat a prophet may be honoured by

the title of their ruler, and be called an
independent sovereign. It is insulting likewise to
common sense and reason that assertions of this
sort should be made by one in so responsible a posi-
tion as Herr BISMARK ; and it is some sort of a
satisfaction to find that the Chamber of Deputies
has made a protest against him and his colleagues,
with their vain-glorious attempts and moat shallow
arguments. Alarge niajority rejected the Government
bill. In Prussia, however, it seems rather imma-
terial to those in power whether their plans and
designs receive the sanction of thepopular assemblies
or not, for if they fail in one direction they are sure
to try another mode of getting their own way in
the end. It raises the character of the assembly,
however, in the opinion of foreign states to
notice that it has the sense and spirit to dis-
card the Government efforts and meet their
propositions with a direct negative. The nego-
tiations between Austria and Prussia still con-
tinue, and verify the old description of trainer en
largeur, for we are no nearer a conclusion than we
were a month ago. If the Austrian Government
would resolve to be more firm, a great deal
more might be expected ; but as soon as
the Berlin powers take exception to their
requests and resent their suggestions they draw
back. The latest probability seems to be that
Prussia will eventually gain her point of
settling the Convention of Representative Assem-
blies in the Duchies, notwithstanding all the efforts
that have been made against it, and thus another
proof will be afforded of the evil that is wrought by
want of firmness, and the wrong that is done to the
cause of justice by the laxity of those whose position
and influence should render them the upholders of
the principles of right.

There was probably a good deal of truth in Mr.
DUFF'S assertion last evening that at least one-
third of the members of the House of Commons had
no very clear idea as to the whereabouts of the
London University. Those who had a dim idea on
the subject probably connected it with the imposing
establishment in Gower-street, whose neighbouring
hospital lends it additional reputation. After Mr.
DUFF'S succinct and lucid explanation, however, our
Parliamentary representatives have no excuse for
ignorance, and the public at large will have learned
something about the present condition of this valu-
able institution. The London University is, as Mr.
COWPER observed, a tangible fact, but it has no
tangible position. It is an asssociation without the
means of associating, an institution without
an establishment. The similarity of name may
mislead many persons into identifying it with the
University College in Gower-street, with which it
has in fact nothing to do. It consists of an ex-
amining body whose influence on popular education
is admitted to be very beneficial, and who annually
examine a thousand students in all the higher
branches of education, including medical and phy-
sical science. Its chancellor is the president of the
Council, its vice-chancellor no less eminent a man
than Mr. GROTE ; and its examinations, as might
be expected under such auspices, are of a very
superior order. Its chief distinction, however, is
its absence of exclusiveness. "It is," as Mr. DUFF
observed, " an imperial institution which takes no
heed of creed, colour, or birthplace. It is open
to all her Majesty's subjects who choose
to come up to it for examination, and to pay the
small fees required of them." Few will be inclined
to dispute the justice of his conclusion, that " such
an Institution has a right to demand of the Govern-
ment a building appropriate and suitable to it."
The difficulty, as Mr. COWPER explained, does not,
however, arise from an unwillingness on the part of
the Government, but from a perplexing choice.
The University of London, after many wanderings
from King's College to its namesake in Gower-
street, from the Royal Society to the Thatched
House Tavern, from Marlborough House to Exeter
Hall, has at length located itself in a corner of
Burlington House. It only requires rooms for the
annual examinations besides the library and senate-
rooms, and, therefore, it would not appear so difficult
to obtain them, but it has even been reduced on one
occasion to holding its examination in Willis's
Rooms, where the continual concerts did not assist
either examiners or examined in their deliberations.
The question now is whether the University should
continue to make its head-quarters at Burlington
House, or whether a new building should be erected
for it. At any rate, the subject is under conside-
ration, and Mr. COWPER has promised that it shall
not be overlooked. In the meantime, the University
has at least a temporary resting-place not unworthy
of its reputation and of its public importance.