The Sun.
London, England, 1862-03-07 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH 7, 1862.

this. In a secular matter such an engage-
ment would be very well—but most per-!LATEST NEWS.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
THIS DAY.—Morning, sh. 44m.—Afternoon, 6h. Om.
To-Motu ow.-Morning, 6b. 23m.—Afternoon, 6h. 42m.

Cawnpore are but a fair illustration of the diffe-
rence we might generally expect to find between
those who had to make their way, and those
whose way had been made for them by paternal

wealth.
Give all young men, therefore, alike chances, and
give the universities, and all schools in the king-
dom also, an equal chance with Sandhurst. Do
not degrade Sandhurst into the Officers' Workhouse
School ; and do not deprive other educational insti-
tutions of the advantage of training young men for
the army. Let there be free competition in such
work. It is quite possible, nay, it is probable, so
capricious a thing is genius and taste, that in places
where it had not been thought of capacity may do-
velope itself for doing better than at Sandhurst
what is done at Sandhurst. At any rate, Sand-
hurst itself will be all the better for wholesome
competition. It has but to make itself what it
ought to be—the first school in the kingdom for its
objects, and it will certainly then not need to cora-
pel the sons of the poor and needy to fill its rooms.

Lord EBURY'S two Bills are certainly a novelty
in legislation. We do not remember any similar
attempt, yet the grievances they aim to remedy
must be felt every Sunday both in the pulpit and
in the pew, and the worse grievance of the two
is one that has disquieted the consciences
of thousands of clergymen Perhaps, in-
deed most clergymen who do not by some ecclesias-
tical dispensing process, quiet the qualms which
they would feel as gentlemen, in regard to subscrip-
tion, have wished for themselves, there were no
such thing. Lord EnunY's first bill is to grant us
some liberty of worship—to place a good deal in the
discretion of the clergyman in respect to omission, and
curtailment, nothing however in respect to doctrine,
His second Bill is to enable all clergymen to sub-
stitute a declaration of the lawfulness of the
Liturgy, and a promise to use the Prayer Book, and
that only in public worship, instead of the present
subscriptions of unfeigned assent and consent to
all the doctrines and formulas contained in that
most heterogeneous of compilations—our Prayer
Book.

To clergymen the second bill would seem to be
one of the highest importance. We have hardly
seen, however, any notice taken of it. The Broad
Church clergy have some of them strenuously
demanded such a change ; but Lord EBURY, if we
mistake not, is an evangelical of the first water ;
from which we gather that that sect in
the Church, notwithstanding the GORHAM
decsion in favour of their toleration, are
ill at ease in professing ex animo belief in what
Lord CHATHAM termed our Popish liturgy.
What he designated as the Calvinistic creed of
the Church—the Thirty-nine Articles—is their
stronghold. The High Church and Broad
Church would certainly like to expurgate
them of their Calvinism ; yet we see no move
on the part of the High Church party indicating
that the articles press on the corns of their con-
sciences, as the Liturgy does on the tender places of
mevuecrhr_ confessed,w
less—Lord
hEvangelicalewt
hcheoi
rcn
hs e
secret,i e
En fromcuswi
t.
prudential
hyi , Fe:
h obwr i lae l l l
0 foffers
believeeo disquietude,rnssi
ad ne
abounds,ratio
emollientnh s how-
ever,—whether w-
oi 8
ointment.

It is not a little singular that Lord EBURY'S bill
should be proposed in the Bi-centenary year of the
Act of Uniformity, of which it proposes to extract
the sting, or at least the venom. We observe that
the Nonconformists all over the kingdom are pro-
posing to hold a grand commemoration of the
ejection of the two thousand Divines, Presbyte-
rian chiefly, who gave up benefices rather
than subscribe, as required, by what must now be
regarded as a thoroughly tyrannical act. We do
do not know that we can blame them. The ejected
of 1662 were men of like doctrinal views with the
Dissenters of the present day, and were, doubtless,
historically, their ancestors. The confessors of that
day were of course State-Churchmen ; they wanted
only to get rid of what they held to ,be the popery
of the Prayer-book; and, as they could not they had
conscience enough to turn out, rather than tamper
with their convictions. The Dissenters of the pre-
sent day, after two hundred years of exclusion,
and having become as numerous, in point
of worshippers, as the State Church, have
learned to look on a State Church as itself objec-
tionable, and have even formed a well-known
Society, whose object is to preach in every way
the doctrine of a separation between Church and
State. Still there can be no doubt that 1662 was
the year which, through the pride and harshness
of a few leading bishops, laid the foundations of
the now vast edifice of English dissent.
In 1862, therefire, Lord EBURY proposes to
make subscription a less burdensome act. He will
not alter the Book of Common Prayer, except by
allowing the minister, "if he think well," as his
formula is, to omit redundances and repetitions ;
but he will save every clergyman from
what is equivalent to swearing his belief in every
sentence of this multifarious book. The clergyman
is to pledge himself, not to believe it all, but to use
it whether he believes it or not. No doubt to great
numbers this would be great relief, and though he
may be shy of saying so, we have little doubt that,
for himself, every clergyman would be glad of
the substitution. All he fears is, that it may
strengthen two or three of the sects in the church,

which are at war, as was well described by

Lord STANLEY and Mr. DISRAELI, With
his own. He may therefore be content to bear a
yoke which makes him wince himself, because he
thinks there are others whose shoulders are more
galled than his own, and he has an ecclesiastical
pleasure in seeing them galled.

It is this, we imagine, which will thwart Lord
EBURY in this attempt to half repeal the Act of
Uniformity. That Act, with all its persecuting
appendages, and its practical assertion of
the infallibility of the Book of Common
Prayer, is doubtless the opprobrium of
our ecclesiastical legislation. It is worthy of the
STUARTS and the bishops of two hundred years ago,
but almost as unfit in its actual form to be a part
of our present law as the Act de herettco comburendo
itself. Its object was, as far as it went, the same.
Exclusion from national endowments, fines, im-
prisonments, and disabilities, most of them
perpetuated to this day, are not, indeed, quite
so bad as being burnt alive. But the object of all
these penalties for differing by some shades from
the prayer-book of SHELDON, MORLEY, and GUN-
NING—is identical with that of the effective old
Tudor process, it is extirpation of heresy by pu-
nishing of heretics. The heretics, however,
seem to have been like the Israelites in
Egypt, Indeed, persecution, to be effective,
must be thoroughgoing. Popery burnt or banished
Protestantism out of Austria, Belgium, Span, Italy,
and almost out of France, or those countries had
now been Protestant. Established Protestantism
in England was cDmpelled to give up burning and
banishir g, and the result has been an un-established
Church as large as itself.
That Lord EBURY will get his bill read a second
time, he does not probably expect hims-alf.
This can be little matter for regret. To promise to
only use a form of worship because we cannot say
our heart goes with it all, is but a poor evasion at
best. Time will develop some better way than

sons would feel that religion was not
a thing in which we could thus:properly patch up a
compromise with conscience. A clergyman must be
a mentally honest man, or he is nothing. His acts
must not belie his beliefs; and the vice of Lord
EBUItY'Li chief bill is that by enabling the clergy-
men to ride off on uniformity of use, instead of
uniformity of belief, it seems to proclaim to the
world that English clergymen may conduct the
worship of God in words which their hearts reject !
Some better way than this must vet be found ;
though what it, is we are not the persons to point
out. We like freedom in the worship of God, but
equivocation in devotion is not to be endured.

PAROCHIAL ASSESSMENT.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—The bill to amend the law relating to paro-
chial assessments in England, prepared and brought
into the house of Commons in this present session
by Mr. Clive, Sir George Grey, and Mr. Villiers,
proposes by the 3d clause :—" That every rate to
be hereafter made for the relief of the poor shall be
made upon the full rateable value of the heredita-
ments liable to be rated, such rateable value being
ascertained by an estimate of the yearly rent which
a tenant would pay for the same on a lease for a
term of seven years, the lessee bearing all the usual
tenant's rates and taxes and tithe commutation
rent charge, if any, and the lessor undertaking to
provide the probable annual cost of the repairs,
insurance, and such other expenses as may be ne-
cessary to maintain the hereditaments in their actual
state."

Allow me to endeavour to point out the unfair-
ness of this standard of rateable value. B holds
land of A at an annual rental of £4O; C holds a
house of him at £4O, and D holds a house of him at
£4O. Each tenant pays rates, taxes, and tithes,
but does not repair or insure. The landlord, A, has
to do what is necessary to maintain the property
in its actual state. B's land costs A nothing ; there-
fore the annual value is still £4O. C's house being
comparatively new requires an average annual out-
lay of only 10 per cent.; the net annual income is
therefore £36. D's being a very old house, costs on
an average of seven years 25'per cent., leaving only
a net annual income of £3O.

By the proposed bill the annual rateable value of
each property will be £4O. Surely the fair thing
would be to assess the properties at £4O, £36, and
£3O respectively.—Yours truly,
EDWD. RYDE.
Surveyor's-offices, South-Eastern Railway, S.E.,
February 27, 1862.

MORNING PERFORMANCE AT TILE
OXFORD MUSIC HALL.

The first step taken yesterday morning towards " popu-
larising" the performances at this Music Hall amongst
the " Upper Ten" was taken most successfully, the attend-
ance at the morning entertainment being large, and of a
class we are accustomed to see at the Hanover-square
Rooms. As daylight was excluded, and the Hall brilliantly
lighted up with gas as at night, the picture presented
of the building itself was sufficient to excite sur-
prise and admiration amongst those who beheld the
Hall perhaps for the first time. The arrangements
for the concert were admirably carried out, and
chairs, in parallel lines, and facing the platform, were
placed throughout the stalls and area. These and the bal-
cony seats were well filled. The programme was judi-
ciously chosen so as to bring out the special qualities of the
artists composing the conspany, although, if time would
have permitted, there is a good reserve of singers attached
to the Oxford who would have been listened to with plea-
sure and amusement. Verdi's grand finale from " Ernani"
" ommo Carlo," opened the concert, and was given with
all that fire and expression which the artists, under Mr.
Jonghman's direction, can infuse when there is a spirited
work to be done. This was followed by the famous
" Suoni la Tromba," ably and artistically rendered by
Signor Tivoli and Herr Sesselsburg. Mr. Viotti
execution of Paganini's " La Colchette" was marked by
all that finish and dexterity which distinguish him as one
of our most attractive English violin players. For the
encore he played a fantasia on "Rule Britannia." Mr.
E. L. Rime's charming ballad, " It was a song of other
days," well suited the earnest, expressive style of Madame
Enderssohn, whose speciality is ballad singing. A. novelty
was then brought on the platform, in the person of Master
Thomas Shapcott, an interesting infant of three years of
age, who, by the neo-horn accompaniment of
his father and uncles,, played for the first time
d
in public a solo on the am. Tte little rosy-cheeked
child tapped away on his " real" instrument in admirable
time, and handled the drumsticks with much more than
infantile precision. Master Thomas had the honour of a
recall, and the ribbons on his little frock again fluttered in
the exciting throes of a second solo. Then Mr. H. Her-
bert sang "My Pretty Jane" very well indeed. We did
not happen to be in the concert-room when the piece set
down for the Misses Stuart was to have been sung, and
cannot absolutely say whether they sang it or not ; but
the Scotch duet singing of these ladies is remarkable for
its grace a.nd finish. " The Porter's Knot," by Mr. W .
Randall, is one of that clever artist's most successful
effusions at the evening concerts, and was equally attractive
in the morning. His imitation of Robson, as Samson
Burr, in Mr. J. Caulfield's version, is startling in its
reality, and is indicative of resources not yet fully tested.
This semi-dramatic effort was much applauded, as was the
singer in another song, called " Jones's Sister." Then
came the great musical piece de resistance, the selection
from "11 Trovatore." We have before described the per-
fect manner in which this selection is performed. It quite
took the audience by surprise. Miss Russell, as the Leonora,
sang with her accustomed wealth of voice, was encored in
her principal tnorcsau, and enthusiastically greeted at the
close of the selection. Mr. Albert, the baritone, sang
grandly, and Mr. Morley with fire and expression in the
solo in the " Miserere." A kind word is due to Miss Har-
rison for the careful manner in which she sang the contralto
part of the Sybil. The general execution of the selection left
nothing to be desired. Henri and Ffau " Les Merveil-
leaux Gymnastes" wound up the morning's performances
with their startling exploits on the Flying Trapeze. Their
appearance was evidently awaited with interest. They in-
troduced some new acts of daring, as seems to be the r wont
from day to day, and their performance was pronoun red to
be the most extraordinary and exciting of the kind in the
metropolis. We perceive the announcement of the repeti-
tion of this morning performance for Thursday next, and
subsequent Thursdays.

THE CITY OF BALTIMORE ►STEAMSHIP.—No
tidings of this vessel having been received in Liverpool up
to yesterday afternoon, considerable anxiety has been cre•
ated by her non-arrival. It is considered that, as some
quantities of ice are known to have been detached from the
neighbourhood of the St. Lawrence, she may have fallen in
with and been detained by it. The City of Baltimore is
looked on as one of the best steamers belonging to the In-
man line; she is a fast vessel, and having recently under-
gone a complete overhaul, is believed to be in first-rate
sailing condition.

IMPORTANT LIFEBOAT SERVICES.-OAISTER,
NORFOLK, THURSDAY NIGHT.—The Reverend W.
Steward, of Caistor, reports—" That last night, about 12
o'clock, the Caistor lifeboat put off during a heavy gale of
wind with rain. At break of day the crew saw a vessel on
the Crossway Sands. The sea on the sand was very great
The vessel proved to be a schooner of about 160 tons, but
the lifeboat's crew were unable to discern a living creature
on the wreck, nor could any man have lived or held on the
rigging from the fury of the sea, and the state of the vessel.
The lifeboat cruised about the sand for some time, but with
out falling in with any of the crew in their boat or other.
wise. The lifeboat's crew state, unless the shipwrecked men
had escaped previous to the vessel getting on the sand,
they must inevitably have perished. The wreck was so
covered by the sea that her name could not be seen. It is
the opinion of the lifeboat's crew that the vessel had been
on the sand some hours."
FORGERY AND SUICIDE.—An inquest was held
at Nottingham yesterday afternoon upon the body of Mr.
M. Ford, the proprietor of extensive chymical works at
Basford, near Nottingham. It appears that on Wednesday
morning he was in the town, and during his stay there a
returned bill of exchange was shown to him. Mr. Ford was
the drawer of the bill, which purported to have been ac
cepted by Messrs. Hall and Sons, starch manufacturers,
New Lenten. He was informed that the signature of the
of the bill
latter was a forgery, when he replied, " It's all right ; give
it to me, I will let you have the money for it." The holder
, however, refused to give it up, and he was told
that a criminal prosecution would at once be commenced
against him. Mr. Ford then returned home. During the
morning a wart ant was obtained for his apprehension, and
two detectives of the borough force proceeded to Basford
to take him into custody. They reached his residence about
two o'clock in the afternoon, and were then apprized that
Mr. Ford was dead. On reaching home it appears that ho
went into his counting-house and seemed to occupy him-
self with his books, but in a few moments he was heard to
make a strange noise,
and died almost instantly. A sur-
geon was promptly in 'attendance, and every possible
ff irt was made to restore the unfortunate roan to con-
sciousness, but in vain, he having died in convulsions.
It was believed that ho had taken poison in order to escape
the consequences of his misconduct. The medical testi-
mony proved that the deceased had died from taking a
quantity of n
'-1.111;sin grid. Deceased has left a widow 1:41c1
seven children

PARIS, MA cu 7.

The llioniteur of to-day says :

" If, on the occasion of the bill on military re-
wards submitted to the Council of State, the amount
of the annual rente which will be demanded was
not stated, it was because it is to be afterwards
determined upon in concert with the Corps Legis-
latif."

The Moniteur also publishes a letter from Vera
Cruz, dated January 31, expressing regrets at the
deplorable course taken by the allies, who have not
shown sufficient energy.

The letter continues :—" They ought not to have
entered into negotiations, but have demanded im-
mediate redress for their grievances." The writer
concludes by saying, "In order to find a remedy
for the present state of affairs it is necessary that
the allies should, without delay, take energetic
measures and follow precise and identical instruc-
tions. It is especially necessary that the Emperor
should send reinforcements, because France is prin-
cipally depended upon to enable Mexico to emerge
from its present state of complete disorganisation."

BERLIN, THUUSDAY.
The bill on Ministerial responsibility was passed
in to-day's sitting of the Upper House.

In yesterday's sitting of the committee on mili-
tary affairs the Minister of War, in the name of
the Minister of State, declared that the Govern-
ment had firmly resolved not to alter the three
years' term of military service.

TURIN, THURSDAY.

The Italia of to-days says :—" It is asserted that
Garibaldi has gone to Genoa to preside at the gene-
ral reunion of the Provedimento committees."

CHINA.

(BY TELEGRAPH FROM ALEXANDRIA.)
SHANGHAI, JAN. 23.
The rebels are moving in the direction of this

place.

A proclamation has been issued by the Consuls of
,he Allied Powers declaring Shanghai to be under

heir protection.
Reinforcements have been sent hither by the

Pearl.

COCHIN CRINA.
SAIGON, lAN. 28.
Fresh disturbances have broken out in Gambodia
The Siamese Government has sent a large naval
and military force against the insurgents.

THE GALE.

PLYMOUTH, MARCH 7, 10.30 a.m.

A heavy gale from the S.S.W. still prevails here.
The Cape mail steamer Athens is unable to pro-
ceed, and is lying under the lee of the breakwater.

SOUTHAMPTON, MARCH 7.

The Ceylon was docked this morning. The acci-
dent to her screw
.has been remedied, and the
company has announced that she will again sail for
Alexandria at 1 p.m. to-day.
The American ship Sarah Park went ashore off
Hurst Castle during the gale yesterday. It is
expected she will become a total wreck.

FRANCE.
PARIS, THURSDAY.

The iffoniteur of this morning says :

"The Council of State has commenced its deli•
berations on the bill which was announced yester•
day to the Corps Legislatif in the letter of the Em•
peror.

" According to this bill an annual Rente, the
amount of which is not yet fixed, would be inscribed
in the great book of the State, to reward by pensions
or dotations distinguished acts on the part of gene-
rals, officers, and soldiers, as wdi as to recompense
exceptional services rendered by them in times of
war. Imperial decrees would ccinstitute these pen-
sions or dotations, and would fix the conditions of
their enjoyment or reversibility, should the latter
take place.

" The Esperance newspaper, published at Nantes,
has received a second warning on account of a letter
from its Paris correspondent spreading reports in-
jurious to the Government, and subversive of the
respect due to the Chief of the State."
A deputation from the Senate presented the ad-
dress of that body to the Emperor to-day.
His Majesty said in reply :—" I am gratified at
the unanimity with which the Senate has voted
the Address. It is a fresh proof that in the
Chambers as in the country the majorities, ex-
cluding extreme opinions, always range themselves
on the side of wisdom. Considering the vivacity
of the debates, I have seen with pleasure that
the measured language of the Address has
united nearly all the votes in its favour, thus con-
firming the maxim of Bossuet, that ' moderation
founded on truth is the firmest support in human
affairs.' Accept my sincere thanks, for nothing is
more favourable to the calm and regular progress
of a government than a good understanding be-
tween the great powers of the State." (Applause.)
BOURSE, March 6.—The market has been with-
out animation, but prices were maintained at about
the closing rates of the previous day. Threes, for
the Account, are now at 69f. 85c., at which they
remained without variation from the opening.
Railway shares quiet, but firm.
The following are the closing quotations :-
4i per per Cents ... 99 50 Credit Fonder 1475
Do. end month.... 99 85 Belgian 4} —
3 per Cents
Do. end month 69 75 ' Roman —
Bank Shares 3050 Austrian
Credit Mobilier.... 752 50 , Spanish Threes 5Ol
Do. Account — j Home Debt