The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-03 00:00:00

To conclude with THE SWISS COTTAGE.
Compton.
Box-„trice open from Eleven till Five, under the superintendence
of Ur. E. Chatterton. •

Natztiek, Mr.

ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE.
Proprietor and Manager, Mr. W. Batty.
LAST WEEK BUT ONE of Mr. BATTY'S MANAGEMENT,
Ben= Routine of Equestrian Achievements.

THIS EVENING, 31Anca 3,

And daring the Week, the Entertainments will commence with
the superb Spectacle of MAZEPPA. AND THE WILD HORSE,
reproduced with all its original magnificent nTects.
To be followed by an incomparable display of Equestrian and
ymnastic wonders in the Scenes of the Arena.
To conclude with a popular Farce.
beers open at Halo-vast Six o'clock. To commence at Seven.
Pox-office open daily from Eleven, to Four. Stage Manager. Mr.
W. West.

HIGH WATER AT LONIX
TUN DAY —Morning 14 min. after 7 I Evening 43 min.aft. 7
To-noß.now—horning 22 min. after 8 Evening 5 min.aft. 9

JON BRIDGE.

in a manner to cozen him with a message through
his sons, and after having received a peremptory
communication requiring his instant reply in per-
son at Platberg. There it was, accordingly, that,
on the day already specified, namely, the 14th,
the Governor of the Cape and the Chief of the
Basutos had their long-delayed interview, to the
end that they might, if possible, come to some
definite and satisfactory understanding. The
description furnished us of their " talk" is amus-
ingly characteristic. General CATHCART reite-
rated the demand already made by him both in
his message and in his proclamation. He re-
quired 10,000 head of cattle and 1,000 horses io
be given up to him by the Basutos, to be after-
wards distributed by him among those boers and
others who had been the victims of such sys-
tematic and whols3ale depredations. He offered
this as the condition of peace. He reminded
MOSHESH that the result of its refusal would be
the commencement of war, and hinted to him
pretty clearly that that war would probably re-
solve itself into a war of extermination. He in-
formed him candidly that if his propositions were
not agreed to by the Basutos, he should feel
himself called upon to take from them by force
of arms three times as many cattle and horses
as had been originally demanded. At the first
mention of the alternative of peace or war,
MOSHESII remarked sententiously, " Peace is like
the rain that makes the grass grow, while war is
like the wind which dries it up,"—implying that
he appreciated to the full their relative advan-
tages and disadvantages. When the threat of
severe measures being resorted to in case of neces-
sity was repeated, he seems to have lost patience,
or at any rate to have shown that he had, as the
saying is, " a spice of the devil" in his composi-
tion. "Do not talk of war," said he, " for
however anxious I may be to avoid it, you
know that a dog when beaten will show his
teeth." With this kind of converse, the in-
terview was carried on and brought to a conclu-
sion. The three days' grace were definitively
agreed upon, within which time the 10,000
head of cattle and the 1,000 horses were to be
forthcoming—or, in the event of their non-arri-
val, war was to be declared upon the Basutos by
the English Governor. Having failed in our
pacific efforts, we were to employ fire and sword
with a view to extort compensation.
The dog showed his teeth ! MOSHESH had not
spoken idly or at random on the 14th of Decem-
ber. By the 18th only 3,500, instead of the
stipulated 10,000, head of cattle had been brought
into the British camp at Platberg, by his son
NEHEMIAH. Upon the next say, the appointed
interval having expired, our troops were set in
motion, and upon the day following, the 20th, a
fierce conflict took place between the belligerents
in the vicinity of the vast droves of cattle col-
lected together on the Berea Mountain. The
result of all this was as could alone have been an-
ticipated. The Basutos, after making a resolute
resistance, and thereby causing a deplorable loss
of life on both sides, were compelled to yield to
the superior skill and discipline of their European
antagonists. MOSHESH himself, on the 20th, sent
in his written submission to the Governor, and• on
the 23d his Excellency announced the satisfactory
settlement of the difficulty by a formal Proclama-
tion. So the quarrel has terminated. It remains
yet to be seen, however, if it may not be produc-
tive of still more widely-extended disasters : for
already it has become known in the colony that
our old foes the Kafirs, who have been watching
the course of these warlike proceedings with some
degree of curiosity and solicitude, are disposed to
view as a defeat the withdrawal of our troops
from the Orange River Sovereignty. Incited to
a renewal of hostilities by this misapprehension,
they may compel the Governor again to resort to
those efforts at warlike re:aliation which have
already cost this country so many lives, so much
anxiety, and such enormous and repeated dis-
bursements. GOD grant that another most bitter
lesson may not thus be afforded to our rulers,
showing them again in characters of blood the
criminal extravagance of over-economy in the
conduct of the warlike operations of a civilised
Government !

" Many a true word spoke in jest." Our con-
temporary Punch affords weekly illustrations of
the accuracy of the athge. Sound and whole-
some, but rather unpalatable truths, are constantly
enunciated in its columns, which, although ap-
pearing as facetice, too clearly show where the
shoe pinches to be very agreeable to those re-
sponsible for the grievances thus indicated.. One
of its happiest and most telling hits appeared last
week, when it declared, that, "to ensure peace
with our French neighbours, we should not only
mend our manners, but reform our customs."
This is, indeed, the truth. There can be no
surer or more effectual guarantee for a con-
tinuance of peace and friendship between neigh-
bouring nations than that derived from mu-
tual interest and the rapid exchange of the staple
productions of each land. French wines and Eng-
lish calicoes may be bartered with considerable
profit to the contracting parties. Our own absurd
and impolitic regulations, however, create difficul-
ties that impede, nay more, prohibit, these use-
ful and important exchanges. By what may be
considered a prohibitory duty, we prevent the
cheaper wines of France from being commonly
used, and thus check the feelings of amity and
good-will that would spring up towards profit-
able customers, who, in turn, would supply
the commodities for which our English artisans
are so justly celebrated. A tax of some 200 or
300 per cent., however, excludes the low-priced
wines, and our sensitive neighbours act in a simi-
lar spirit towards us.
It is not merely, however, in fiscal matters, or
by exorbitant duties, that we inflame the anger
of our continental brethren. Many absurd and
vexatious regulations are enforced, that occasion
the greatest annoyance to travellers, and injuri-
ously affect that intercourse which it should be
our aim to stimulate by every practicable means.
The searching the baggage, and occasionally the
persons, of visitors is by no means calculated to
create a friendly feeling in their minds, more
especially when we consider the rough and uncere-
monious manner in which it is conducted,
and the total disregard for the convenience of

lei victims. It may be asserted that these ob-

noxious proceedings are necessary, so long as a
large proportion of the national revenue is col-
lected by duties le'ried on importations from other
lands. But, supposing it were even so, surely
we might endeavour to mitigate the inconvenience
in every possible way consistent with the precau-
tions that should be taken against smuggling.
Why, for instance, should there be a compulsory
examination of the luggage at the port of arrival?
Why might not that luggage be sent on in bonded
carriages to the place of destination, in place of
detaining the traveller at the seaport town where
ho has landed, complaining with deep acerbity
against the troublesome regulations that so un-
necessarily retard his progress. It is the more
annoying, too, because his own country has set an
example that prevents much of the inconvenience,
and that without the slightest danger to the
tprro u
revenue.neekesdin g They do, indeed, "manage these things
better in France." For some time past, any person
to the French metropolis may have his
examined. in Paris. On expressing a wish
to that effect, they will be taken charge of by the
railway company,
wag-
gons. There is thusand
n odel
conveyed
a i_n
n locked-upo a o w a g -
most
owing days He can, at the termination of
hisy journey,nn aytaonneceo.
proceed to his hotel,
see his goods examined
thetitniheisthleaitsuniraeyonbem:t and
convenient f
or at any other
eant,to himself. It
perversely is hard to say why we refuse to adopt
a rule in every respect so beneficial why we so
doggedly persevere in the old course.
We are happy to find the efficient and ,energetic
Chairman of the South-Eastern Railway company
has at length taken the subject up; and from
what we know of Mr. MACGREGOR, we are con-
vinced that he will not relinquish his exer-
tions until the matter is placed on a satisfac-
tory basis. Among the notices we find that lie
will to-morrow (Friday, the 4th instant) ask the
Secretary of the Treasury—
" Whether the Lords of the Treasury will allow an
examination to be made by the officers of her ma.). csty's

Customs, at the examination-room at the London-bridge
Terminus of the South Eastern Railway, of the baggage
of passengers leaving Paris for London by the 7.30 p.m.
train, and crossing from Calais to Dover by her Majesty's
mail-packets, under such regulations as may be thought
necessary for the protection of the revenue, with a view
to do away with the inconvenience and detention now
suffered by passengers when the voyage of the mail-
packet is so lengthened as to prevent that examination
taking place at Dover in time for the passengers to leave
thereafter by the train in correspondence with the mail-
packet which arrives in London at 7.50 a.m."

We shall await the reply with some anxiety.
It will then be seen whether the authorities are
still so obstinately bent on maintaining the objec-
tionable principle, and rejecting the simple but
very palpable amelioration now suggested. We
would venture to remind the Lords of the
Treasury that these are not the times
when obvious reforms can be disregarded,

or pooh-poohed in deference to the prejudices or
interests of a few officials strongly biassed in fa-
vour of long-continued abuses, and thinking a
rude and gruff bearing essential to the perform-
ance of their duties, and distinguishing marks of
their Anglican temperaments and Anglican educa-
tions.

With all due deference to such an authority as
Sir JOHN PAKINGTON, the Magistrates are not
" the largest Ratepayers in the county." We
acknowledge that all taxes paid by occupiers,
theoretically, fall ultimately upon landlords ; but,
practically, they do not, unless the amount be
considerable. A farmer would give neither more
nor less for his farm rif the County Rate were
doubled or halved. Yet it would be a great mis-
take to think that the occupier does not grudge
a needless penny in the pound in the County
Rate. It galls him just as the unfair deprivation
of a shilling annoys every Englishman more than
the needful payment of a sovereign. We should
therefore be glad to see Sir Jonx, and all the
County Members, not merely acknowledge, per-
force, the excellence of representative taxation,
but accept it as cordially and spontaneously as
Mr. DISRAELI did in his speech on the Budget.
He "saw no objection to the Ratepayers being
introduced into the immediate management of the
County Rate." After deducting the interest of
the county debts, and other things fixed by Act
of Parliament, the amount which admits of mo-
dification is, perhaps, like our national expendi-
ture, less than that which does not. Yet, in the
lesser case, as in the greater, that is no reason
why the Taxpayers should not assess themselves
by their own Representatives. The extravagance
of some Town Councils, elected by Ratepayers,
was alleged against Mr. GIBSON'S Bill. We should
cite them as an argument iu its favour. The thing
chiefly to be feared is excessive parsimony, and
public inconvenience in consequence. Yet the
contrary turns out to be the case. Ratepayers
feel daily the need of things which the better ac-
commodated gentry imperfectly appreciate ; and
when allowed to use their own money for their
own convenience, they have proved willing to in-
cur the cost, provided they could have the com-
fort. As to the police especially, nearly all the
exposed property in the country belongs to the
Ratepayers. We should not be surprised if it
appeared in a few years that the Ratepayers did
spend more than the Magistrates, but we should
be very much surprised if they did not take good
care to have an adequate return for their outlay.
We cannot believe that any disrespect is in-
tended to the " Great Unpaid." They would still
remain a kind of rural House of Lords, and would
be in no way degraded by leaving money matters
to a rural House of Commons. They do not assess
the vastlymore important Poor's Rate, and should,
we think, be rather pleased than otherwise to throw
upon the representatives of the Ratepayers the
assessment of the County Rate also. We regard the
alteration of placing the election of all the members
of the Financial Board in the hands of the Guar-
dians as a decided improvement, and we have
very little doubt that the majority of them will
be chosen from the magistrates themselves. The
farmers cannot easily spare time to leave their
business, and responsibility to the electors will be
quite a sufficient check upon the Financial Board.
We must confess that the farmers and the guar-
dians have shown by no means the interest in the
measure which it behoves them to do. The
pecuniary saving we regard but as a small part of
the advantage; the habit of self-government is in-
finitely more. Lord CRANWORTH was unwilling
the other day to allow parties who wished it to
dispense with juries, because he deemed them
valuable schools for training men's judgments.
We think municipal government of every kind of
the highest value for the same purpose. Even if
magistrates were not very generally elected to the
Financial Boards, there are an ample number of
farmers, men sufficiently sensible, shrewd, and in-
telligent in county matters, to raise and adminis-
ter the County Rates. The. 00-2' however, of
measures like Mr. Gissoreif;r •I'o3l„o9ing out the
latent talent in all depapnents „if practical life,
with which Englaw,l everywhere abounds. Muni-
cipal government cLiates municipal ability.
We should be gratified to see the principle of
municipality far more fully developed in the rural
districts. Why should not our Boards of Guardians
9become country councils ? Why should they not
choose their own Mayor ? Why should they not
have in their unions all the powers of Town
Councils? Or if the business of guardian of the
poor and municipal duties were too heavy a
task for some, why not create at once our unions
into municipalities, and leave the Ratepayers and
the candidates to decide whether the same indivi-
dual should be a guardian and councillor too ?
An annually elected magistrate, and a bench of
union magistrates, nominated by the Crown, at
the suggestion of the councillors, would impart
great confidence to the administration of justice
in the country districts. Above -all it would tend
to elevate the farmers in the social scale, to dis-
cipline them to self-management, and to afford
legitimate objects of generous ambition to the
ability which it wasted or unexercised, because
it has no appropriate field. We speak from know-
ledge when we assert that farmers, in country
matters, are quite as competent as shopkeepers,
manufacturers, and merchants in town matters.
If we would raise them to a level with the towns,
we should at least not refuse them the same fran-
chises.

AFRICAN MAIL STEAMERS.—The African Mail Steam-
ship Company have made arrangements to establish a
semi-monthly mail to the west coast of Africa, to sail
from Liverpool on the 10th of each month, the existing
service from London on the 24th of each month being
continued. The vessels composing the new line are to
be called the Northern Light, the Southern Cross, and
the Pleiades, and the first will sail in October next.
They will be of iron, of 1,100 tons burden, and 300-
horsepower, with screw propellers.
NEW GOLD COMPANY.—A new gold company has
been advertised, called the London and Liverpool Aus-
tralian Gold Mining and Steaming Company, with a
capital of 120,0001., in 11. shares. It presents no new
features, except that a distribution of 20 per cent. of the
profits is proposed to be made to the staff, but the pro-
moters have the honesty to make the remarkable state-
ment, that they require 6,000 shares for their trouble in
bringing the company out, whereas among many similar
concerns the plan hitherto has been for the directors to
appropriate to themselves, without notice, as many paid-
up shares as they might deem sufficient.

AUSTRALIA.—Some time since a little party of gen-
tlemen holding high Government situations,. obtained
leave of absence to visit Australia, with the view of
exploring certain districts, which the Colonial-office had
already been informed were singularly enriched with
this precious metal. This little band, accompanied. by
an intelligenfmineralogist and geologist, and anned with
the requisite power and the highest official introductions,
appear to have been indefatigable in their under-i%al .ing.
We are now informed that their reports fully con firm
the first advices, and that the " London and Livers Pool,
Australian Gold Mining and Streaming Company" just
announced, is a commercial result of the news thus• re-
ceived. It would further appear that the principle w. ith
which the adventurers commenced—the tie of a comm, Mn
interest—is to remain intact, and the effective minin
staff about to sail forthwith are to have their service, 3
responded to by a like arrangement with the company in
England.—Morning Paper.
THE MYSTERIOUS ROBBERY AND DEATH OF A GEN-
TLEMAN IN THE WATERLOO-ROAD.---Mr. Payne, the cor.)---
naW7(
lateeseareaast,youl aoeuetuta:lB:pdrpelpdaiycen inquest yesterday, at St. George's workhouse 3i •
Mint-street, Southwark, on the body of Thomas Phili p
Pickstock, a gentleman of independent property, NO) o
deade
ciahoai.ouueusd hour
to oroonenfbu themedt
ehespavementahnr,
ce morningtas.:ed Ajt huijoernufyy
juror
hhruraeeedsts
auNd
iVrnadnayo
returned
hdhle
arei
sanl Waterloo-roar
yao
euu-
tog rr
dsnoedai
doe( (
e;:rr
with he robbery. Medical evidence having been give n
" That the deceased died from a disease of the heart, t he
result of natural causes."