The Sun.
London, England, 1865-10-11 00:00:00

rllE. SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 11, lEEE.

The Earl of Clarendon and Sir E. B.
Lytton, M.P., at Watford.

WATFORD, Tuesday.
The first anniversary of the West Agricultural
Society was celebrated last night by a public dinner
in the Corn Exchange. The attendance was very
large. The Earl of Essex presided, and amongst
the guests were the Earl of Clarendon, Lord Rokeby,
Lord Chesham, Lord Malden, Sir E. B. Lytton,
the Hon. Henry Cowper, M.P., Mr.
i\i'Greach (the high sheriff), Mr. Alderman Mechi,
Mr. R. Clutterbuck, Mr. Jones Loyd, the Rev. R.

Gee, &c.
The Noble CHAIRMAN proposed in succession the
toasts of " The Queen ;" the Prince and Princess
of Wales, and the other members of the royal
family ;" " The Army, Navy, Militia, Yeomanry,
and Volunteers."

The latter toast was responded to by Lord
Rokeby, Lord Malden, Major Foskett, and Lieut.

Humbert.

The Rev. R. GEE responded to the toast of " The
Bishop and Clergy of the Diocese."
Mr. W. JONES LoYD, in proposing " The House
of Lords," observed that at no period during its exist-
ence had it held a more satisfactory position than it
did at this moment, and he trusted that it would
long continue to exercise a beneficent influence on
the country. (Cheers.) He looked upon the House
of Lords being as necessary to the well-being and
welfare of the country as that every locomotive
should have its safety-valve for the security of the
traveller. On the present occasion he felt a special
interest in proposing the toast, for they had the
pleasure of the presence of one of the most distin-
guished members of that high assembly, and not
only a member of that assembly, but one who
held office under her Majesty. (Cheers.) Although
he did not make much of the office, he did
make much of the man. There was no office in
the countryfor which he was not fitted, and he hoped
to see the day when the noble earl would be ad-

vanced to some position more fitted to his capacity.
(The toast was received with great enthusiasm.)
The Earl of CLARENDON, in responding to the
toast, said—My lords and gentlemen, I am very
grateful to you for the kind manner in which you
have received the mention of my health, and to my
hon. friend for the manner in which he has con-
nected it with the toast of " The House of Lords,"
a toast which I am always glad to see received with
cordiality by all classes of my fellow-countrymen ;
and I say this, not because I happen to be a member
of that house, but because I know that in this coun-
try praise is never bestowed and cordiality is never
exhibited except when it is thought to be deserved.
(Cheers.) I claim no superiority for the members of
the House of Lords over any other class or any other
set of well-educated men ; but I believe that nowhere,
or in any assembly, can be found a greater amount
of talent, of honesty, and of integrity. (Cheers.) It
has been said, and truly said, that in that assembly
are to be found men of antiquated notions, the ad-
vocates of exclusive privileges, and the opponents
of popular rights. And if that be true, so far from
regretting it, I think these men are in the right place,
doing harm to none but themselves, and serving as
linger posts pointing to bygone times, and landmarks
high and dry to indicate the rapidity of the advance
of the age. (Hear, hear.) Gentlemen, composed as
the House of Lords is of men the majority of whom
have a great stake in the country, and therefore an
individual interest in its prosperity and good govern-
ment—recruited as that house is from the ranks of
men whose intellect is immense, whose successful in-
dustrial or great public services entitle them to the
highest rewards the Sovereign can bestow—the House
of Lords has earned the respect of the country, and I
hope it will continue to do so by ably and faithfully
discharging its duty. The House of Lords, by its
numbers and the elements of which it is composed, is
practically a popular assembly—not so popular an
assembly certainly as the House of Commons, but
one is as much as the other under the same influence
—that of public opinion, which is the result of free
thought, of free discussion, of a free press, of that
conflict which reason wages against prejudice and
passion, and by which truth is separated from error.

The opinion so created is no bad master to serve
and no unsafe guide to follow. (Cheers.) It is true
that the house of Commons, from its more popular

origin, may be more ready to receive and more
prompt to act upon impressions from without,
while the house of Lords may occasionally doubt
and hesitate ; hut that doubt and hesitation has
many a time prevented undue haste in that greatest
of all matters, the making of laws. But in giving
effect to real and true public opinion—in consulting

the wishes and promoting the interests of the public
—the hist9ry of the last 30 years affords abundant

evidence that prejudice and self-interest will never
prevail, and that the country will never be disap-
pointed by the House of Lords. (Cheers.) Gen-
tlemen, once more I beg to thank you for the
manner in which you have received the toast, and
if it would not be trespassing too much upon your
patience I should like to say a few words upon a
subject very different from that on which I have
risen to speak. (Hear, hear.) I am not about to
expose my ignorance of agriculture, and entitle my-
self to a share of the commisseration that the Times
has lately bestowed on persons who are in the un-
fortunate predicament of having to speak on sub-
jects of which they know nothing before audiences
who know all about such subjects. (Laughter.)
Nor am I about to propound any theory on the
great cattle calamity with which we are now visited,
and which I am sorry to say shows no signs of abate-
ment, and for which noremedy has yet been found.
But I want to say a few words on the position of the
Government in respect to that subject, because we
are all more or less dependent on the Government,
not so much for assistance as for authority;
and at a time when the wildest schemes are pro-
pounded which men can imagine—while on the one
hand the Government are blamed for apathy, and
on the other for displaying too much vigour—it may
not be useless to state what the Government have
been able to do. (Hear, hear.) Gentlemen, as you
are well aware, the cattle plague made its first ap-
pearance in June last, and that it was practically
unknown in this country. It is proved to have
existed upwards of 100 years ago, but the circum-
stances connected with itwere forgotten. It is proved
that the plague had raged in as far as the East of
Europe, but we were unacquainted with its symp-
toms. There was very little law, and still less ma-
chinery applicable to such a crisis, and Government
were compelled to grope in the dark for the best
mode of dealing with the disease, which, it appeared,
too soon was more inveterate than any other which
had been known. It was absolutely necessary to
proceed step by step. Even if there bad been data
on which to form regulations for the whole country,
it was impossible to apply them until we knew the
extent of the disease, and how it would develope itself.
Thus, for instance, it was more disastrous in the
dairies of the metropolis than in any other part, and
it was thought sufficient at the time to issue an order
in Council requiring the cowkee
Pera to report any
ease of disease, in order that the Council might
consider the matter. At the same time, most strin-
gent orders were given at the outports respecting
the importation of cattle, enabling the officers to
detain a whole cargo if any one of the cattle ap-
peared to be infeeted. Letters were written regu-
lating theimportation of cattle. The disease
spreading, an order was issued enabling local
authorities to appoint inspectors in different parts
of the country. This order was afterwards ex-
tended to the whole country. The Government
were advised by the law officers of the Crown that
any person placing an infected animal on a truck,
by which it might be liable to spread infection, was
guilty of an offence at common law ; and the Go-
vernment, desiring to avoid the imminent risk of
spreading infection, took upon themselves to pro-
hibit the conveyance of cattle in large numbers.
The disease spreading still more widely, it was
thought desirable, as the different Orders in Coun-
cil might produce confusion, to revoke them as to
Great Britain, and to consolidate them in one ;
and two additional important powers were given—
one Prohibiting the bringing to London of animals,
except for immediate slaughter, the other allowing
the local authorities to prohibit animals from being
brought to fairs or markets. (Hear, hear). A
royal commission has been approved by her Majesty.

That commission is already at work, and I think
the names of the scientific men acting under that
commission are a sufficient guarantee that, with the

least possible delay, we shall be in possession of all

the information which can be obtained as to the

cause and origin of the malady, and the measures
that may be required for its protection. (Hear.)

The Government have been blamed in two ways—
in one, for not being vigorous enough ; in the other,
for being too vigorous. With respect to the first,
I own that if we had lived in a despotic country
very different measures would have been taken.

Every infected district would have had a cordon of
soldiers placed round it, every animal would have
been killed, and every man suspected of violating
the regulations would have been put into prison.
So stringent are the regulations in Germany that
only a few days ago a stuffed wolf was prevented
from crossing the frontier for fear of spreading the
infection. (Laughter.) But no despotic measures
can be attempted or succeed in this country unless
they carry public opinion with them; and it would
have been in the highest degree imprudent if anv arbi-

trary provisions bad been issued before they were
necessary. (Hear.) The Government have been
strongly blamed for the forcible prevention which
enables inspectors to slaughter cattle without the
consent of their owners ; but I contend that some
such measure was necessary if any such attempt
was to be made to stop the progress of the disease.
I have no doubt that many of these inspectors have
given great cause for complaint ; but it is not the
fault of the Government or anybody else if, in a
great crisis like this, a sufficient number of men
possessing veterinary skill should not be able to deal
with the disease in any other way. As yet no
remedy has been discovered for this dreadful malady
except by isolation or the destruction of the animals
affected by it. The Government have felt reluct-
antly compelled to resort to the experience of
foreign countries to stop the progress of the disease.
Knowing the anxious care which the Government
have bestowed upon the subject—knowing the dili-
gence with which they have sought for advice or in-
formatioet—l venture to hope that all reasonable
men, making allowance for difference of opinion,
will admit that more could not have been done, and
that that which has been done could not have been
done better. (Cheers.) My reason for making
this brief statement of the proceedings of the Go-
vernment is to invite criticism and suggestions from
assemblies of practical men, and also to point out
the indispensable necessity of cordial and zealous
co-operation, without which the Government will
be powerless, and the Order in Council absolutely
null and void. (Hear, hear.) And in order to
show this necessity, I will ask you to consider the
difficulty in which the Government have been
placed, particularly with respect to the metropolis.
It has been ordered that all infected animals shall
be immediately slaughtered and buried on the
premises. That is very desirable when it can be
done. But all the animals that die in sheds, if
buried where there is not sufficient convenience,
would tend to perpetuate the infection ; and wher-
ever an attempt has been made to bury elsewhere
we come upon gas pipes and water pipes and sewers,
and even if the danger, which is very great and seri-
ous, be overlooked, of carrying hundreds and thou-
sands of these animals through densely-populated
districts, you could find no place to bury them.
(llear.) Almost every square yard of ground is built
upon, and the land that is still open is marked for
building purposes, and there is every reluctance to
the establishment of such a nuisance on building
ground. (Hear.) I would also call your attention to
the holding of fairs, which is a very important mat-
ter. Now, what happened only last week ? At a
town near London the magistrates prohibited the
holding of the fair, and the police were posted at
different places to prevent ar.y animals from enter-
ing the town. Next day the town was covered with
placards stating that the cattle were to be sold on
such-and-such farms—that Mr. So-and-So had con-
stituted himself a freeholder —and thus the precau-
tions which had been taken for the public good were
entirely nullified. (Hear.) I could relate to you an
infinity of other cases in which similar selfish inge-
nuity has been exercised, and I would now venture
to suggest that every man in his own sphere and
locality should endeavour to prevent such proceed-
ings. I wish now to make one or two suggestions
founded on the reports which have been sent out.
The first is, that there ought to be uniformity of ac-
tion amongst the magistrates. (Hear.) My attention
was called a few days ago to a circumstance which
occurred in a particular district in which three ma-
gistrates were concerned. Two of them agreed to
prohibit the holding of a fair ; the third, whether
moved by a desire of popularity or want of inclina-
tion, I know not, declined to join in the prohibi-
tion, and the consequence was that all the animals
were huddled together in the district without the
adoption of any common precaution. (Hear
hear.) Another suggestion is that the magistrates'
and other authorities should remember how much
rests upon them, not only in the choice, but in the
supervision, of the inspectors. (Hear, hear.) The
inspectors cannot act properly unless they receive
prompt information from the owners of cattle, and
from the whole neighbourhood. The importance
cannot be exaggerated of separating any cattle likely
to be affected from the existing stock, for at least
ten or fourteen days, until no further inspection is
necessary. It is also hoped that herdsmen will have
impressed upon them the importance of carefully
watching their cattle, and that the railroad authori-
ties will not fail to take every possible means of dis-
infecting their tracks ; and I have great pleasure in
stating, on authority, that the railway companies
generally have set an admirable example, and de-
serve the thanks of the country for the zeal and cor-
diality with which they have supported the measures
of the Government. (Cheers.) Gentlemen, I can
only plead as my excuse for detaining you so long
the magnitude of the danger that has come upon us,
particularly when we remember that in the last cen-
tury in Europe 200,000,000 of cattle have perished
from disease, and I have no difficulty in believing
that in more recent times—between 1841 and 1845
—not less than 400,000 oxen and other cattle
perished in Egypt, and about 1,000,000 in Russia in
the course of one year. The best chance of check-
ing this formidable disease is by a hearty co-opera-
tion, not only with the Government, but amongst
yourselves, each man evincing a proper regard for
the public health, and using every precaution in his
power to check the spread of infection. (His lord-
ship resumed his seat amidst loud and protracted
cheers.)

Mr. ITGEACHY (the high sheriff), in highly eu-
logistic terms, proposed " The County Members—
Sir Bulwei Lytton and the Hon. H. Cowper."
Sir E. B. LYTTON, when the cheering had subsided,
said—My lords and gentlemen, in rising to return
thanks for the kindness with which you have re-
sponded to the toast which has been proposed in
such flattering terms, respecting myiielf I might
almost imagine that, instead of being a knight of the
shire, I was one of those warlike knights in the old
days of chivalry, who, during the suspension of arms,
found the warmest welcome amongst the heroes of
the hostile camp. (Loud cheers and laughter.) Gen-
tlemen, it is a proof of the soothing effect of rural
occupations that we can so readily, upon every occa-
sion in commemorating the progress of agriculture,
reconcile our party differences and feel only the
brotherhood of kindred interests and similar objects.
(Cheers.) And, gentlemen, coming from the distant
parts of Hertford and Triug, is seems almost as if
the extremities of the county met and shook hands
on these occasions in the persons of their represen-
tatives. (Cheers.) I cannot doubt that the associa-
tion which you have established this day will be
flourishing and successful, seeing that it is formed
under the auspices of your noble chairman, who, in
addition to his advantages of rank and fortune, and
of a character which unites manliness and simplicity
with the endearing qualities of a kindly heart, brings
to bear all those qualities in the exercise of the skill
and experience of a practical agriculturist. (Loud
cheers.) I have heard it whispered—but that would
seem incredible, except perhaps to his next neigh-
bour (Mr. Alderman Mechi)—that although a gen-
tleman farmer, he has contrived to farm not only
with honour, but with profit to himself. (Cheers.)
Gentlemen, I think IN e must all be sincerely obliged
to my noble friend Lord Clarendon for the very
succinct, very lucid, and very useful account he
has given of the labours of the Government in the

present very serious calamity. I have no doubt,
from what he has so ably stated, that her Majesty's
Government have taken every precaution which it
was possible for them to take in a stage of experi-
ence when facts are not sufficiently classified to
enable any man of prudence to pronounce a positive
theory as to the origin, nature, prevention, or cure
for the cattle disease. I do not, however, perhaps
take so gloomy a view as—l do not say my noble
friend—but some of those gentlemen to whose ad-
vice her Majesty's Government have attended. As
I said the other day at Tring, it is not by indiscri-
minate slaughter—it is not by adding famine to
pestilence that a Government can be hailed as our
protector, or science be received as our guide.
(Hear, hear.) And I think commonsense should
tell us that when all the medical science of England
is concentrated upon the investigation of this pest,
and when her Majesty's Government have been ad-
vised to appoint a commission, consisting of gentle-
men whose names are a sufficient security for the
confidence of the public, I say commonsense ought
to tell us that in the course of a short time we shall
be much wiser on the subject than we are at the
present moment. (Cheers.) I recollect that during
the last days of the great American war, Lord
North, with his usual dry humour, said, " I am sure
I don't know if our generals frighten the enemy,
but I do know that they frighten me." (Laughter.)
Well, gentlemen, this time our enemy is the cattle
disease, and our generals the veterinary surgeons.
I am not quite sure that they will frighten away
the cattle disease, but I am sure that they are suffi-
cient to frighten the cattle keepers. (Cheers and
laughter.) When Professor Gamgee tells us that
we have no remedy, or hope of remedy, except the
slaughter and burial of the animal attacked, a man
would be more afraid of sending for the cattle doc-
tor than of sending for the executioner. (Laughter
and cheers.) There is not a single instance—and I
defy any man to point out one—in the history of
the world of any epidemic attacking either man or
animals in which every man or animal so attacked
has perished. It is very clear, therefore,
thet the disease is not in itself incurable ; and
when a man tells us that as soon as disease
breaks out in the earliest stage there is no remedy
but slaughter, all I can say is, that he tells us some-
thing which is against the universal experience of
history, and, as I believe, against the laws of na-
ture. (Cheers.) Pray pardon me if I repeat what
I have twice said elsewhere—that it would be pru-
dent to avail ourselves of such precaution against
individual loss as an insurance company affords. I
am glad that an insurance company has been formed
in this county with the requisite capital ; and I think
that no man ought to allow any minor objections
to the details of the company to prevent his securing
himself against thd possibility of any considerable
loss. (Cheers.) Not only as a county member,
but as a county gentleman, I feel a lively interest in
the success of this branch association. Amongst the
other benefits to be conferred by it, not the least
will be that of bringing familiarly together not only
landlord and farmers, but farmers and tradesmen.
And, gentlemen, when I was listening to the state-
ment of my noble friend I thought how advan-
tageous it was upon these occasions to have this
familiar intercourse with men of the highest minds,
and occupying the highest station, and I was re-
minded of the fact that it is to the felicitous combi-
nation of that progressive knowledge which charac-
terises the inhabitants of towns, with the attachment
to old ways which may be somewhat slow and
cautious and prudent, and with the hearty love of
the old native soil which characterises the husband-
man—it is the combination of these qualities, I be-
lieve, which has secured to England a marvellous
empire, and given to her such marvellous resources.
(Loud cheers.) That combination becomes still
more harmonious and complete by social kindnesses
like the present, when each section of English
society is thus brought familiarly to the others,
and becomes more indulgent, more aware
of the requirements, and more alive to the
noble qualities of the great Anglo-Saxon
race. (Cheers.) I beg to return thanks not
only for myself, but for my absent colleague, Mr.
Surtees, who is unable to attend on the present oc-
casion, but who hopes to be able to do so another
year. For myself, I hope I may have the good
fortune to attend many meetings in this town ; and,
judging from my feelings towards yourselves, I
could almost flatter myself that when I quit this
assembly I shall not leave a single enemy behind
ine. (Loud cheers.)
The Hon. 11. Cowen briefly responded to the
toast, expressing a hope that he should have fre-
quent opportunities of attending such anniversaries.
He trusted experience would show extermination
was not the only cure for the cattle plague, and he
could not help saying that it was somewhat re-
markable that those who were in favour of exter-
mination were those who were possessed of many
cattle. (Hear, hear.)
The Noble CHAIRMAN, in proposing " Prosperity
to the West Herts Agricultural Society," expressed
a hope that the society would not confine itself to
showing fat stock, but that it would direct its atten-
tion to the breeding of stock in the neighbourhood.
(Cheers.) Any man buying a good animal, and
feeding it judiciously, might be able to produce it at
Christmas to his own satisfaction, but that mode of
proceeding was not calculated to improve the breed
of stock in the district, and he trusted that next
year there would be certain classes for competition
in breeding and store stock. (Cheers.)
The toasts of " The President," "The Judges,"
" The Donors of Special Prizes," " The Vice-Chair-
man and Committee of Management," 44 The
Treasurer and Honorary Secretary," and " The
Successful Competitors" were afterwards given,
and the proceedings did not terminate until a rather
late hour.

ALTERATIONS IN THE STRAND THEATRE.—The
Strand Theatre, so long the perennial source of
laughter to thousands, has been shut up for some months
undergoing repairs and alterations, considerable in extent.
The writer takes a peculiar interest in this droll little
establishment, the architect of which he knew well—
Charles Broad, formerly prompter at the Dublin Theatre,
and in the season 1831-2 acting manager under Monck
Mason, of the King's (now her Majesty's) Theatre in the
Haymarket. Poor Broad, who was unfortunate, it may
almost be said hardly treated, in respect of some plans pre-
pared by him for Braham for the St. James's Theatre, has
left behind him in London this single specimen
of his constructive genius. The writer well recol-
lects the critical moment, now more than thirty years
past, of the cutting away of the central pillar which sup-
ported the roof of the building, formerly applied to the
purposes of a panorama, and which roof, despite many
ominous warnings by on-lookers, Broad was determined to
preserve. He was right in his calculations, and successful
in the constructive precauticns he had prepared ; the old
roof stood in its place, weathering storms of wind and rain
from without, and of laughter and foot-stamping from
within, till the other day, when it was removed by Mr.
Foster, of Whitefriars, the contractor, who is also, by the
way, the builder of the new Surrey Theatre. Besides the
new roof and some necessary strengthening of the
assisted by iron stanchions, the present improvements are
restricted to the audience department, and chiefly the gal-
lery, which will be calculated to hold some hundred per-
sons more than heretofore.—Building News.
MR. CARLYLE ON NATURAL HISTORY.—We read
in the Edinburgh Courant :—" Our townsman, Mr. Adam
White, for many years in the Natural History department
' of the British Museum, proposes to introduce the teaching
of natural history into boarding schools and private fami-
lies. On his project, and on the general introduction of
that delightful science into the curriculum of ordinary edu-
cation, Mr. White has been favoured by Mr. Thomas Car-
lyle with a characteristic letter, from which the following
is an extract For many years it has been one of my con-
stant regrets that no schoolmaster of mine had a knowledge
of Natural History, so far, at least, as to have taught me
the grasses that grow by the wayside, and the little winged
and wingless neighbours that are continually meeting me
with a salutation which I cannot answer, as things are !
Why didn't somebody teach me the constellations, too, and
make me at home in the starry heavens, which aro always
over head, and which I don't half know to this day ? I
love to prophesy that there will come a time, when not in
Edinburgh only, but in all Scottish and European towns
and villages, the schoolmaster will be strictly required to
possess these two capibilities (neither Greek nor Latin
more strict !), and that no ingenuous little denizen of this
universe be thenceforward debarred from his right of liberty
in those two departments, and doomed to look on them as
if across grated fences all his life. For the rest I cannot
doubt but, one way or other, you will by-and-by make
your valuable indubitable gift available in Edinburgh,
either to the young or to the older, on such conditions as
there are, and I much recommend a zealous and judicious
persistence till you do succeed.—Believe me, yours very
sincerely, T. CARLYLE."

Naval and Military Intelligence.

Yesterday Major-General Sir Robert Walpole,
K.C.8., commanding the troops at Chatham, com-
menced his half-yearly inspection of the Royal
Artillery forces under his command, consisting of
the Ist divison of the Depot Brigade and the H
battery 9th Brigade Field Artillery. The whole of
yesterday was devoted to the inspection of the H
battery, under the command of Major H. T. Fitz-
hugh. In the morning Sir Robert Walpole in-
spected the men's quarters, stabling, offices, and
other buildings at the North-square, Brompton
barracks, occupied by the troops of the battery, and
in the afternoon, the weather proving favourable,
the whole of the officers and men, with their light
field Armstrong guns, ammunition waggons, &c.,
were taken to the Great Lines, where they were put
through an extended course of artillery manoeuvres,
the guns being served with the usual number of
blank cartridges. The inspection of the remainder
of the Royal Artillery will be resumed to-day.
The operation of placing the old wooden frigate
Terpsichore in dock at Chatham, in order to per-
mit an examination to be made to ascertain the
extent of the injuries she sustained from the explo-
sion of one of the torpedoes beneath her bottom,
was effected late on Monday afternoon, the work
being attended with considerable difficulty in con-
sequence of the frigate barely floating. Early in
the day upwards of 100 of the largest size empty
barrels had been placed on her main deck, and these
on the rising of the tide helped to increase her buoy-
ancy. Two of the largest of the mooring lighters
were also placed at her stem and stern, and with
the assistance these afforded she was safely hauled
over the dock sill of No. 4 dock, the blocks of which
had been removed so as to increase the depth of
water therein. Yesterday morning the water was
pumped out of the dock, and the frigate having in
the meantime been shored up, the whole of her hull
was exposed to view, allowing a careful examina-
tion to be made of her bottom by the dockyard
officials. The injuries effected by the torpedo are
all on the starboard side of the hull, slightly abaft
of the fore chains, the port side of the bottom show-
ing no injury whatever, with the exception of the
loosening of a few of the sheets of copper. The
full explosive force of the torpedo appears to have
caught the frigate about Bft. upward from her keel,
blowing in her timbers and planking, the opening
thus effected being somewhere about 10ft. square.
A close examination shows that few of the timbers
are broken off, the separation being at their points
of junction. Proceeding on board the frigate the
effects of the explosion are still more apparent, the
planking of the main deck for a length of above 20
feet being ripped up, while the deck beams are
broken in various directions and forced upwards to
the upper deck. Even had the explosion not sunk
her the tremendous shock she sustained would have
rendered her useless, while some idea of the effects
of the shock may be formed from the circumstance
of the whole of the iron knees on the port side
which carry the upper deck beams being wrenched
and broken off. The frigate was inspected yester-
day by a large number of persons, including several
of the officers of Royal Engineers. The Terpsichore
will remain in dock until instructions have been
received from the Admiralty respecting her, but the
injuries she has sustained are such that she is only
fit for breaking up.
The Basilisk, 6, paddlewheel sloop, 1,031 tons,
400-horse power, Capt. W. N. Hewitt, V.C., left
Sheerness on Monday for Portsmouth, en route for
China. Previously to leaving she was inspected by
Capt. Fulford, of her Majesty's ship Formidable,
flagship of Vice-Admiral Sir Chas. Talbot, K.C.B.
Sir Richard Mayne, K.C.B.,:Chief Commissioner
of the Metropolitan Police, made his annual inspec-
tion yesterday at Portsmouth of the police force
employed in the dockyard, the Royal Clarence Vic-
tualling-yard, the gun wharf and Arsenal, and the
Royal Naval Hospital and gunboat yard at Haslar.
Sir Richard also made, in the course of his inspec-
tion of the force at each of the establishments, a
most minute investigation of the Police Fire Brigade
arrangements. After the inspections were con-
cluded Sir Richard complimented the Superinten-
dent (Mr. Grey) on the appearance and efficiency
of the men under his command, and of the very
admirable arrangements of the Fire Brigade.

Railway and other Companies•

-*- - -

CARLISLE AND SILLOTII.

The report states that the contingent rent paid
by the North British Company this half-year
amounted to £2,426. This, with the fixed half-
yearly rent of £l,OOO, less income tax, after pro-
viding for the interest upon debentures and pre-
ference stock, left a balance of £B4B available for
dividend on the ordinary stock of the company.
The directors therefore recommended that a divi-
dend of 1 per cent. per annum, less income-tax, be
declared at the ensuing meeting.

ing the North-Western station. The -width and
height of the tube were 4ft. 6in. respectively, rails
being fixed in it for the carriage-wheels to run upon.
At the central station in Holborn two tubes were
carried beneath the foot-way and ground floor of
the building ; one connecting Euston-station with
the central station, and the other being intended to
connect the latter with the Post-office in St. Mar-
tin's-le-Grand. This tube has only been carried to
Holborn-hill. In the Holborn station the back por-
tion of the building was occupied by the three
boilers, each of which could be worked up to a pres-
sure of 301 b. per square inch. As a rule only one
boiler will be worked at a time, though all three
could be used if necessary. Between the boiler-
room and the arrival and departure platform is the
engine-room, fitted with two 24-horse power engines,
Which work the shaft of the circular disc or fan, 22ft.
in diameter. This, revolving rapidly upon its axis,
having enclosed air chaimbers, could be used either
for propelling the laden trains forward by atmos-
pheric pressure behind them, or for drawing them
back through the tube by forming a partial vacuum
before them. The trucks of goods, accompanied
by one of the attendants, were blown through
the tube to Euston in about five minutes, show-
ing the ease with which a portion of the goods
and parcels traffic of the metropolis would
shortly be conducted. Wheatstone's telegraphic
apparatus was used at the stations, and was
found to act well. The entrances to the tubes in
the stations were opened or closed as required. In
the station there were two main lines of rails and
three sidings, the distance between the rails being
3ft. Biin. There were also two traversing plat-
' forms for shifting the trucks from one part of the
station to another. The Duke of Backingham, the
chairman, and some of the directors of the company,
were blown from the Holborn station, under the
supervision of Mr. Rammell, the engineer, through
the tube to Euston, which distance was accom-
plished in the short space of five minutes. The
tube between Holborn and Euston station is now
complete, and ready for opening.

SPIRIT OF THE PITBLIO JOURNALS.

TIMES.—The secondary symptoms of Fenianism
are now setting in, and promise to be not less dis-

tressing and more intractable than the original at-
tack. The " conspiracy of bagmen" has collapsed,
but a sense of distrust and insecurity has been effec-

tually diffused throughout Ireland; and long after
the " men of 1865" have been consigned to some

lower. region of the same limbo as-the "men of
1848," the effects of this fatuous and purposeless
movement will be felt by the whole country. If the
evidence already taken has revealed the want of any
reasonable aim amongst its leaders, of military or
political strength among its adherents, and of that
dash of true patriotism in its spirit which has en-
nobled many a wild and abortive insurrection, it has
also disclosed the extent of its popularity in the
lower ranks of Irish society. It is consolatory to
know that neither the peasantry, nor the farmers,
nor the artisan population of the towns, nor the well-
to-do shopkeepers are, as a body, Fenians, and it is
most satisfactory to find the priests ranged with the
landlords on the side of order. But then it is dis-

couraging to .hear that among the Fenians already
in custody are persons of unsuspected character be-
longing to all these classes, and especially to that of
young employes in shops and offices, while the in-
fluence of the priests, so powerful when exerted
against the Government, has proved inadequate to
check the spread of these revolutionary doctrines.
The most remarkable, because the rarest, feature of
Fenianism is the quiet and businesslike manner in
which it has been organised and propagated. There
has been, of course, a vast deal of noisy bravado on
the part of its younger recruits, but the secret springs
of its elaborate machinery have been worked by no
unskilful hand. Within the last few weeks the in-

telligence communicated to the Government by the
informers has been verified in most essential re-

spects. The very sort of men for whom the police
were on the look out have duly made their ap-
pearance by the American steamers. They seldom
bring with them any papers - which are worth
seizing, they commit no overt acts of treason, and
they successfully disguise the bearing of soldiers
with the air of inoffensive civilians. There they,
are, however, with no good account to give of them-
selves, ready for mischief as soon as they are wanted.
The same generalship is shown in the distribution
of arms. No large depots have been discovered,
but here, there, and everywhere five or six muskets,
or a consignment of pikes, keep arriving from
Dublin, Cork, or Liverpool. All these and similar
tokens of complicity with the plot in unexpected
quarters naturally excite and partly justify the
feeling of alarm which still prevails among the
gentry. This alarm may be more or less reasonable,
but it is a fact in itself, and a fact which may con-
tinue to bear evil fruit when the very name of

Fenianism is almost forgotten. Until we learn how
the news of the Dublin arrests was received by the

American Fenians, we cannot judge what further
measures of repression may be needful. At present
there is not the slightest sign of a Fenian fleet
coming to the rescue, and the reports of Fenian
cruisers on the Atlantic have turned out to be the
merest canards. It will greatly surprise us if the
200,000 American Fenians give their Irish brethren
anything beyond moral and pecuniary assistance ;
and for the sake of the latter we heartily hope it
may be so. It is impolitic, as well as unfeeling, to
employ more force than is necessary in crushing a
rebellion or a mutiny, but there is no real kindness
in employing less. Napoleon always denied that
his artillerymen fired blank cartridges before open-
ing with grape and canister on the memorable 4th
of October, which ended the French Revolution,
alleging that it would have involved more bloodshed
in the end to do so. He was doubtless right, and
if, after the lesson already given, a Fenian out-
break should take place in any part of Ireland,
public opinion would support the Government in
putting it down with the utmost vigour. Such
an outbreak, however, appears to be highly im-
probable. In addition to the Irish constabulary, to
which no police force in this country is equal in
efficiency, some 18,000 regular soldiers are posted,
by troops and companies, in all parts of Ireland.
The demands for military protection which have
been received from the great Protestant landed pro-
prietors would, indeed, overtask the resources of
the whole Empire if the Lord-Lieutenant should
accede to them, but the truth is that, surrounded
as they are by an atmosphere of suspicion and dis-
affection, the panic of these loyal gentlemen is very
natural. In the North the apprehension of a Fenian
rising on a certain day seems to have been compli-
cated by the rumoured intention of the Orangemen
to attack the Catholics beforehand "in self-defence."
Probably this fear was at least equally well-founded,
and it is one salutary consequence of the Govern-
ment intervention that it has diminished the danger
of a Donnybrook Fair on a large scale, wherever
the two parties were pretty equally matched. As
it is, we may hope that Fenianism, though not ex-
tirpated, will have been thoroughly discredited by
the exposure of its objects, and the ease with which
most of its chiefs in Ireland have been taken into
custody. What is wanted is not so much a display
of military power by the Executive, which would
only give the movement an artificial prestige, as a
display of determination to uphold the law by the
wealthier and educated classes in Ireland. The
Chartism of physical force never survived the de-
monstration of superior strength made by the re-
spectable householders of London, as special con-
stables, in 1848. If these Fenian Socialists could
once be made to feel that all their own country-
men are against them, except those who have
little or nothing to lose, they could not but
awake to the desperate nature of their enterprise.
Hitherto we are not aware that a single journal or
politician of respectability, English, Irish, Conti-
nental, or American, has seriously embraced their
cause. One of our Italian contemporaries, adverting
to this very circumstance not long ago, invoked the
sympathy of Europe for the " long martyrdom of
poor Ireland," but even this stanch advocate of op-
pressed nationalities candidly warned Ireland that
she would gain very little by separating from us.
Such practical advice, however, may possibly be lost
upon the credulous readers of the Connaught Patriot,
who were informed in the article read by Mr. Barry,
as " an undoubted fact," that " on the Continent
every Irish lady or gentleman that can supply un-
doubted proof of her or his Milesian blood is admit-
ted into, and accepted by, royal families as acquaint-
ances and as marriage alliances." It must have been
from an equally veracious source that the Fenians
derived their reliance on the aid of the Emperor
Napoleon, whose base desertion of them is said to
be deeply resented by the fraternity. Now, there
is just one consideration which ought surely to be
intelligible, even to those deluded persons, whether
lin America or in Ireland, who can believe such stories
as these. This consideration is the peremptory and
inevitable necessity of the connection between Ire-
land and Great Britain. We entertain the firmest
conviction that it is identified with all the true inte-
rests of the weaker country, but we also recognise
and do not scruple to state plainly, that it is of vital
importance to ourselves as a nation. For good or
for evil the destinies of the two islands are inextri-
cably bound up together, and the maintenance of
that tie must ever be to us a matter of State policy.
There are many open questions with regard to the
government of Ireland, but it is not an open ques-
tion whether Ireland shall continue to stand to
England in any political relation whatever. The
so-called independence of Ireland would be neither
more nor less than anarchy under a foreign protec-
torate. If such a state of things did not lead, as it
infallibly would, to a clamorous reaction in favour
of annexation to this country, it is one which it
would be impossible for us to tolerate. He who
would establish an Irish republic must first conquer
England. This is perfectly well understood abroad,
and is the reason why no one but an Irishman
has ever indulged the idea of Irish emancipation.
We can hardly believe, indeed, that any sane Irish-
man has ever indulged in it in earnest, nor do the
Fenians themselves appear to have considered for a
moment what was to become of Ireland after the
plan of confiscation and extermination should have
been duly carried out.
POST.—No society professedly desirous to pro-
mote the introduction of legal reforms could N enture
to peril its reputation by remaining silent about the
numberless defects of the law of bankruptcy.
Chambers of commerce, municipal corporations, and
mercantile boards, have all united to deplore the
evils from which creditors are now daily suffering,
and to make suggestions, more or less valuable, for
their mitigation or removal. It is therefore only
natural to find that considerable prominence has
been given to this subject by the friends of social
science assembled at Sheffield. Lord Brougham
touched upon it in his opening address, and Sir
Robert Phillimore had a few words of lamentation
to bestow:upon it when he took the chair of the
jurisprudence department. After these incidental
notices the matter was formally brought before the
association by Mr. Moffatt, the newly-elected M.P.
for Southampton, a gentleman, it must be admitted,
who has some claim to be heard with respect upon
the working of the existing law. He took part in
the deliberations of the City men who gave Lord
Westbury the benefit of their advice and assistance
when preparing his unfortunate measure, and he
has had ample opportunity as a merchant in exten-
sive business of testing the value of his own recom-
mendations. The experiment has probably been
tried by only too many of his " shaky" customers,
greatly to the prejudice of his own cash balances,
and he must have been exceptionally fortunate if he
has not had very good reason to understand the way
in which the changes introduced by the act of 1861
have affected the interests of creditors. He has for
two sessions presided over the House of Commons
committee of investigation, and that he has paid a

great amount of attention to the subject was suffi-
ciently evident from the carefully prepared paper of
which we gave an abftract in our Saturday's im-
pression. We are not much surprised, and but very
little disappointed, to find that all this research has
added nothing to our previous information. Mr.
Moffatt, it is true, mourns over the miscarriage
of successive Administrations in their endeavours
to provide a good code of bankruptcy. He sings
a jeremiad over each abortive attempt, and con-
fesses by implication that Lord Westbury's bill
has made confusion worse confounded. He sees in
our present system a constant inducement to reck-
less trading, fraudulent concealment, and positive
dishonesty. He mourns over our multiplyingbank-
ruptcies, our geometrically progressing deeds of
assignment and composition. He furnishes some •
highly edifying statistics showing how the law now
works, and he only too strongly fortifies his posi-
tion by an imposing array of figures. In 1863 six
hundred and thirty-five debtors wound up their
affairs by means of composition deeds, and 331 of
these paid not more than ss. in the pound. But in
the following year the results were still more un-
satisfactory. The number of compounding debtors
was 1,176, and in only 468 instances, or little more
than one-third, did the creditors get one-quarter of
the amount of their debt ; while out of three hun-
dred of these deeds 12 were for less than is., and
ten of that number less than 2s. in the pound. But
bad as are these results " they may be counted
honest and desirable, compared with the frauds per-
petrated under the deeds of arrangement and assign-
ment" introduced by Lord Westbury. No pre-
liminary proof of debts is required to render valid
these precious instruments. A dishonest debtor ,
may always make, and virtually compel, a settle- '
ment which shall virtually benefit no one but him-
self. The creditors grumble, the meeting is
adjourned and adjourned again, till the debtor gets
his own way, because no one will take the trouble'
to sift the matter to the bottom. The trustees are
often in collision with the bankrupt, and the result
of proceedings to compel them to do their duty is
not encouraging. The fruit of all this is shown
by a Parliamentary return made last session. In
the year ending 11th October, 1864, there were no
less than 7,224 bankruptcies. The assets realised
were only £677,000, or less than £94 in each case,
while the official costs of collection came to
£140,000, leaving only £530,000 available for
' division ; 6,600 persons were made bankrupts on
their own petition, and 848 of them paid
less than half-a-crown in the pound, while
5324, or three-fourths of the entire number, paid
no dividend at all. But the closing figures of Mr. ,
Moffat's statement are, as he truly says, even more
startling. A return obtained at his instance shows
with what frightful rapidity the facilities of dis-
honesty are sapping the foundations of commercial
morality. The amount of debts due from bankrupt
estates wound up under deeds of assignment was,
kin 1863, £1,015,000 ; in 1864, £5,725,000 ; and in
six months of 1865, at the rate of £13,450,000.
Composition and inspectorship deeds show a corre-
sponding increase, and the totals for the respective
years show an increase of debts dealt with under
these three kinds of instruments of from £1,586,000 '
in 1863, to little short of £9,000,000 in 1864, and if
the, existing rate be maintained, to the astounding
total of £33,000,000 in 1865—a sum more than -
sufficient to pay the interest of the national debt,
and about half the total expenditure of the nation !
Though our readers will not be altogether surprised
to learn that Lord W estbury's greatly puffed but
ill-advised measure has introduced these evils, they
will, perhaps, be somewhat astonished at their alarm-
ing extent and development. But our wonder is
that Mr. Moffat should now announce them as if
they had not from the first been foreseen by many
whose judgment was entitled to respect. Again
and again, while the bill was before the house, did
we indicate its weak points. Actual experience has
shown that our apprehensions were within the mark,
and the only error was in somewhat underrating its
multiplied mischiefs. We know not whether Mr.
Moffat was able to preserve his gravity when attri-
buting the failure of the act to satisfy the commu-
nity to the refusal of the House of Lords to sanction-
the appointment of a chief judge in bankruptcy.
Certain it is he discreetly avoided any endeavour to
show how a judge of appeal was to have remedied
the in ate defects of the measure, to have exacted proofs
the law did not require, to have exercised powers the
law did not give, and generally to have kept debtors,
trustees, and every one else in order, without any
proper machinery for the purpose. And after the,
late Lord Chancellor's endeavours to abolish
county court commitments it is rather rash to de-
scribe him as having indicated a conclusion at all
likely to satisfy the mercantile community. The
fact is, as we have often asserted already, each suc-
cessive bankruptcy bill has been more or less a
scheme of -Whig Administrations to make fresh
places and grant fresh pensions. That Lord West-
bury's measure was no exception to this rule has been.
more than abundantly shown by the disclosures
which involved the present Government in disgrace
and brought their highest legal dignitary to his down-
fall. Really to ameliorate the law of bankruptcy
we must in a great measure reinstate the system,
which the first Reform Ministry abolished. We
must leave the settlement of affairs as' much as pos-
sible in the hands of the creditors, and must give
them a ready access to the Court whenever it shall
seem desirable to invoke its
powers. The plan pur-
sued in Scotland, of leaving issues in ban krufrtcy to
courts of ordiCary judicature, is productive of delay
and injury there, and if introduced here would still
further impede the trial of causes in our courts of
equity and common law. What is wanted is that
business details should be left to business men, and
that questions of legal or equitable doctrines, of
fraud, concealment, or other misdeeds, should be
administered by a court with ample powers, perma-.
nent sittings, and competent judges. When once
these essentials are secured the growing love of
bankruptcy will be effectually checked, and the
reproach now cast upon our law will be speedily
removed.

COUNTRY MARKETS.

LIVERPOOL-TUESDAY.

At this day's market there was rather a thin attendance
of the town and country trade, and business limited, and
of a retail character. Wheat and flour held for full prices,
and little business done. Oats and oatmeal at barely late
rates. Barley, beans, and peas 2d per 601 b. and is per qr.
lower. Indian corn freely offered, and a decline of 3d to
6d per qr. was established.