The Sun.
London, England, 1865-06-09 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY, JUNE 9, 1865.

The Government has at length, it appears, listened
to reason, and has determined to avail itself of the
many advantages offered by the Trafalgar-square
site of the National Gallery for the new and im-
proved buildings. There are so many arguments
iu favour of this course that it is only wonderful
that its adoption should have been so long a matter
of doubt and uncertainty. The open opposition of
the Commons, supported by the general sense and
feelings of the public, prevented the emigration of
the national stores to the far West, but there
has been so much reluctance in head-quarters to
abandon the favourite official scheme that no ad-
vance was made in an opposite direction. The
Government seemed to hope that they might suc-
ceed in wearying out the opposition of the House,
or else they thought that some favourable occasion
would present itself for the recommendation of the
adverse vote. But the Fates are against them, and
they have at length acceded to the often-repeated
demand for estimates of the proposed enlargement.
Last evening, on the vote for the completion of the
sum necessary for the expenses of the National
Gallery, Mr. A. SMITII asked whether it was the
intention of Government the submit the proposed
plan to the committee. Mr. COWPER, in answer,
said that he hoped to lay the estimates on the table
in a few day, and we hope he will be kept up to
this mark. We have had delays and evasions
enough in all consience, and since the House is
prepared and willing to vote the money, there need
surely be no loss of time in submitting the esti-
mate and the plan. The rest of Mr COWPER'S
explanation was equally satisfactory, and will, we
trust, be adhered to. It was proposed, he said, to
purchase the ground in the rear of the present
building, which is at present occupied by the paro-
chial schools, St. Martin's Workhouse, and Arch-
bishop TENISON'S school. The parochial authorities
are not inclined to stand in the way of so rea-
sonable and beneficial a change. They have ex-
pressed their willingness to dispose of the work-
house and schools to the Government upon the
very reasonable condition of receiving the amount
requisite for building another workhouse in the
suburbs, and for providing within the parish a
casual ward and a parochial office. Arrangements
are also to be made on suitable terms with the
trustees of the schools, and therefore Mr. COWPER
Will be able to submit to the House a proposal for
the purchase of all this property, which has so long
stood in the way of one of the greatest of the
metropolitan improvements. We hope there will
be no more of those underhand delays of which
we have already had so many. If the Govern-
ment are really in earnest about the matter, there
are no obstacles in the way, for the House is quite
prepared to be sufficiently liberal in its grants to
compensate the present owners of the property. No
'neap. and temporary measures must be tolerated in
such an undertaking, but it should be carried out
ina manner worthy of the wealth and dignity of
tue nation, the lib erality and intelligence of the people,
and the importance of the object in view. It is really
a nationaL undertaking, one which is to last for
centuries to come. We have already had one
National Gallery which has been our own mortifi-
cation and the ridicule of foreigners—do not let us
repeat the experiment ; neither let some favoured
architect give us another edition of the Brompton
boilers ; but let the work be really one of which
Englishmen need not be ashamed. There is some-
thing very unsatisfactory about the manner in which
the large sums annually voted for our National3,ooo
Galleries are expended; and when we hear of
being spent in the purchase of pictures, and £B,OOO
for the travelling expenses of agents, we have some
grounds for thinking that the expenses might be
more judiciously distributed. The Royal Academy
seems at present to be inclined to stop the way,
but since they have been offered the use of Burling-
ton House, a very convenient and central site,
they must not be allowed to monopolise the Tra-
falgar-square galleries. In one point the directors
of the National Gallery might very well profit by
their example—and that is, the opening of the
rooms at night. It seems from the statement pf ,

KEVAIRD that there is a strong feeling in
favour of this on the part of many societies. In
one part of London, seven societies, numbering
nearly as many hundred members, are unanimous in
the expression of their wish ; while " three friendly
societies, with 726 members, 13 building societies,
comprising 5,000 members, various congregations,
upwards of 60 teachers of schools, and the tem-
perance societies at a public meeting at which 9,000
members were present, all unanimouAly petitioned
Parliament in favour of the movement." Wher-
ever it has been tried it has been successful, and as
the great object of all these exhibitions is to refine
and elevate the tastes of the people, it is manifest
that the opening of the picture galleries during the
leisure hours of the masses must be a great assist-
ance. The principal object, however, which the
House must keep in view at present is the rebuilding
and enlargement of the National Gallery on its
present site, and we hope that hon. members will
keep a close watch over Government, and take care
that so great a national work is well and wisely
done.

The Greenwich Hospital Bill was proceeded with
last night, and Mr. AYRTON very properly brought
forward the claims of the merchant-seamen to parti-
cipate in the benefits of Greenwich Hospital. He
said that no one could dispute that any man who
was wounded or disabled in service in the presence
of an enemy, or in defending his ship against pirates,
was entitled to the benefits of this Hospital. The
hon. member would also have advocated the cause
of the widows of such men, but the Junior Lord
of the Admiralty, Mr. CHILDERS, was averse to
recognising their claims in this respect. Mr.
CIIILDEES so far acquiesced in the wishes of the
House as to insert in this clause the words, " and
seamen of the merchant service for the time
being entitled to the benefits of Greenwich
Hospital." This is a very satisfactory arrangement,
but the credit of it is not due to the Admiralty. It
is very certain that these deserving members of the
profession would have been passed over had not
their rights been vindicated and their claims advo-
cated by private members of the house. It is often
thus that the working out of these official measures
is characterised by injustice through the perversity
of officials, and the real purposes for which so much
public money is spent are left unfulfilled. At any
rate it is fortunate that a change has come over the
spirit of the dream of the Lords of the Admiralty,
and that they have consented, though at the eleventh
hour, to render justice to those who required it.
Mr. CAVE made an admirable suggestion, to the
effect that the wing of Greenwich Hospital which
is about to be vacated should be devoted to the
purposes of the Dreadnought Hospital, instead of
incurring the large expense of £GO,OOO in building
a new Dreadnought. It is surprising what sums
might be saved the country if a little more fore-
thought and judgment were exercised by those who
manage, or rather who mismanage, these affairs.
They appear to take very little heed to their
ways in this respect, but go on in a very
reckless fashion in squandering public money which
might be applied to a better purpose. On the clause
which referred to the Governor of the Hospital, Sir
J. HAI' proposed that this functionary should be
retained ; but Lord C. PAGET explained that the
question at issue really resolved itself into whether
the governorship should be abolished and pensions
of £l5O a-year be granted to ten flag officers, or
whether it be continued and the ten pensions done
away with it. The amendment was negatived,
which was as well, because it is always more desir-
able to spread sums in several directions than to
create a sort of monopoly for only one individual.
Favouritism so much oftener rules the choice of
these officials than individual merit, or the require-
ments of the service, that the more checks that are
interposed the better. It is also a matter of satis-
faction that clause nine has been retained, which
provides that pensions be voted by Parliament. It
was proposed to regulate this, but the committee
wisely overruled the amendment. The more all
that relates to these institutions is under the super-
vision of the House of Commons the better. It is
to be hoped that those hon. members who take an
active part in the discussion of the debates on this
subject will still be on the alert, and watch narrowly
the manner in which the Admiralty fulfil the task
intrusted to them. Greenwich Hospital should be
so conducted that it answers the purpose for which
it was originally intended; and it will be a lasting
reproach to the authorities of our time, if they fall
short of their duty, and neglect the administration
of an institution of which our forefathers were justly
proud.

Mr. DAVID KEANE, Q.C., has issued an address
to the Liberal electors of Beverley. In this the
learned gentleman expresses himself in a very
fair and straightforward manner, and advocates
opinions that must meet with the favour and secure
the sympathy of all real Liberals and independent
electors. Mr. KEANE actually does not mince the
matter, but goes straight to the point at once, and
allows those whose suffrages he solicits to form a
very accurate idea of his intentions. In this
candid confession of political faith he presents a
striking contrast to some of those who are endea-
vouring to get into Parliament and leave their
constituents in a very vague state respecting their
tenets. Lord AMBERLET was a notable instance
of this in his memorable indecision, and Mr.
GLADSTONE in canvassing the electors of Chester
did not give one very precise ideas as to his
future course. Mr. KEANE, on the contrary, is
most explicit, and in some points he affords a clear
insight into his views. Thus, he declares that he
means by " Liberal opinions " the belief that the
unrepresented classes are worthy of being repre-
sented. "I am for a large extension of the fran-
chise, for vote by ballot, and religious equality."
This sounds something in earnest, and pre-
sents an example to other candidates, which
they will do well and wisely to follow. Mr. KEANE
is well qualified to have a seat in Parliament, and it
is to be trusted that his frank expressions and
explicit avowals of opinion may so impress
the electors that success may attend his efforts, and
that he may be returned as one of the members for
Beverley. In the concluding passage of his address
we find that he is a disciple of progress, and desires
it to be continuous and uninterrupted, in fact such
as only an extended and free suffrage can secure,
and common sense accords with the justice of this
observation. " I fail wholly to understand why the
men of thirty years ago had a right to fix the
franchise of the people of England." If we had
more members of the style of Mr. KEANE in Parlia-
ment, ministers would not find it so easy to give
the go-by to Reform and other questions of im-
portance. It is through the lukewarmness of soi-
disant Liberals that so little is done, and the sooner
these apologies for representatives make room for
real Reformers the better it will be for the country,
and the nearer will be the advent of enlightened
principles and real advancement.

The public must keep a very sharp watch over
their few remaining open spaces if they hope to
preserve any glimpses of rural life. Two of the
most favourite and best known retreats from the
smoke and noise of London are llampstead-heath
and Epping Forest ; and surely it is not too much
to expect that some active steps shall be promptly

taken to preserve them to the public. We do not
wish to see them turned into pleasure-grounds or
trimly laid-out parks, with stiff fences and orna-
mental water. They are wanted as real holiday
retreats, where the tired toilers of London may see
something of the freshness and wildness of country
life. The incumbent of Hampstead has just addressed
a contemporary, asking why the recommendation of
the Commons' committee in 1858—that the Board
of Works should purchase Hampstead Heath as a
park for the use and recreation of the public—
should not have been earlier attended to ? The
value of the land is increasing year by year, as
London moves more and more out of town, and
suburban property grows more and more valuable
for building purposes, so that nothing can possibly
be gained by the delay. The suggestion is a very
good one, and we hope it will not be allowed to
drop. The encroachments being made on Epping
Forest also demand prompt attention, and the state-
ment of a recent visitor that large portions of the
forest are being rapidly enclosed, should not be
suffered to pass unnoticed. Almost every Lon-
doner is familiar with the beauties of
Epping, Loughton, High Beach, and Chig-
well. It is a happy chance that so charming
a retreat should be in such close vicinity to our
overthronged metropolis, and it is really too bad
that so great and innocent a source of pleasure
should be taken away from the people when it is
their undoubted right. We sincerely hope that the
matter will be taken up in the right quarter without
any delay ; and if there be any rights or claims
which interest with the people's privilege, let the
Government buy them out, but on no account let
us suffer ourselves to be deluded with the promise
of a few acres of parks and gardens in place of the
real fresh and untrammelled country. Let the
Heath and the Forest still deserve their titles, for
at no time was fresh air and change of scene more
needed by all classes, and it will be a lasting dis-
grace to us if we suffer ourselves and our successors
to be deprived of them.