The Sun.
London, England, 1853-01-28 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, JANUARY 28, 1853.

NE W ADDITIO N.-MAGNIFICENT
AA SHRINE or MEMORIAL in honour of the late illustrious
WELLINGTON representing him, as in the olden times, reposing
on a tented coach, under a sp:endid canopy of the cloth of gold,
dressed in a fleld-marshal's uniform, wearing various orders of
knighthood, and covered with the mantle of the Order of the Garter.
—Madame •ILISSAIJD and SON'S, Bazaar. Baker-street, Portman
square.—Admission, is. Napoleon Boom; 6d.

FRENCH PLAYS, ST. JAMES'S
THEATRE.-SEASON- 1853.

Mr. MITCHELL respectfully announces that the. SEASON rf
FRENCH PLAYS will be COMMENCED on MONDAY next,
Jan. 31, by the engagement of M. nsieur Ravel (of the Theatre
du Palais Royal —his tiret appearance since the year 184 -). The
first perf,rniance will consist of two new and amusing Vaudeville 3,
entitled UN MONSIEUR QUI SUIT LES FEMMES, and YORK; en,
tine Recompense Honette, in both of which Mons. Ravel will ap-
pear. Mr. Mitchell has the satisfaction to submit the folowinc;
Lid of Artistes, engaged to appear during the season:—Monsieur
R^vel, 'Madame La..t.hert (os the Theatre du Palais Royal), Madre.
Bertin (ot the Theatre Francais), Jiladlie. Luther (of the Theatre du
Gyinnase—her first appearance in England), Monsieur Lafont,
Madlie.Em ma Fleury (Eleve du Conservatore, Paris), M Mlle. Page 1
(of the Theatre des VariVes—her first appearance in Englano),
Monsieur Mr en Fed e, Mons cur Leonard, Madlle. Madeline Bret=
(t-f the Titer Ire Frantais -her first appearance in England), and
Monsieur Regnier (of the Theatre Frau() Is). The eminent Trage-
dienne, Madre. Rachel, is also engaged for Twelve Representations,
and will appear in Monsieur Emile Augier's success'ul Play of
DIANA, at the commencement of her engagement.—During the en-
, gagetrent of Monsieur Ravel, at the beginning of the season, it is
intended to give Four Representations a week—on Monday, Wed-
nesday, 1f day, and Saturday Evenings—the Mondays and Fridays
being, es usual, Subscription Nights.—lt is also respectfully an-
nounced that, during the Easter week. from Monday, March 28,
until Saturday, April 2, M. Robert Houdin will exhibit his extraor-
dinary- Entertainment of Soirees Fantasiques, being his last appear-
ance in England. previous to his final retirement from his profession.
—The French Plays will be resumed after Easter, on Monday, Apt;?
4. The Subscription will be arranged for Thirty Representations, on
Mondays and Fridays, until the end of May. The favour of an early
application for Season Subscriptions is respectfully soitcited at Mr.
Mitchell's Royal Library, 33, Old Bond-street, and at the ptincipal
Ilbrai:es, as usual.-33, Old Bond-street, Jan. 22.

. LIFE ASSURANCE OFFICE,
4
•-$ - • 4./...Xleet4treetwialltitni,December 30,1852.
Notice is hereby given, that a GENERAL MEETING of the
PROPRIETORS of the LAW LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY wai
be held at the Society's Office, Fleet-street, Lonlcn, on Wednesday,
the 2d day of February next. at Twelve o'clock at noon precisely,
pursuant to the provisions of the ,ociety's deed of settlement, for
the pu"pose of receiving the tuditors' annual report of the accounts
of the Society up to 31st December, 1852 ; to elect two Directors in
the room of John Forster, Esq., and the Hen. the Tice-Chancellor
sir James Parker, both deceased ; and for general purposes.
The Director to be chosen in the room of John Forster, Esq.,
deceased, will remain in office until the 24th of June, 1853, and the
Director to be chosen in the room of the lion. the Vice-Chancellor
Sir James Parker, deceased, Vi i'l remain in office until the 24th Jude
1854.

By order of the Directors,
WILLIAM SAMUEL DOWNES, Actuary.

ONDON EXCHANGE ADVANCE FUND,
LA
2, Adelphl-terrace, Straw", facing the river; City Branch, 3,
Old Broad-street, City.

The Right Ron. Lord ERSKINE, Chairman.

Loans advanced, in sums of 101. aad upwards, granted on a joint
promissory note, repayable by easy instalments, or on the depo sit
of de -ds or other available securities.
Bills of exchange cashed at moderate rates of Interest.
Forms of application may be obtained at the Offices, or on fotvrard-
ins, 12 postage stamps. WM. BROOKS, Secret, ry.

TO MERCHANTS, BANKER 4, MANUFACTURERS, AND
OTHERS.
ATTENTION IS PARTICULARLY DIRECTED TO TUE

pROVIDENT CLERKS' MUTUAL LIFE
ASSURANCE ASSOCIATION.

Established 10-0.
TRUTEES.

Thomas Baring, Esq., M.P. W. G. Prescott, Esq.
I Thomson Hanley, jun, Esq. Baron L. De Rothschild, lf.P.
Treasurer of the Benevolent Fund —John Abel Smith, Esq., M.P.
Every description of assurance granted with or without profits.
Annuities Immediate and Deferred.
Endowments for Children.

NINE-TENTHS of PROFI PS divided amongst the Assured every
Rve years on Policies of three years' standing. The last Division
was equal to 33 per cent. on the premiums paid.
Policies may be made absolutely payable to the WIDOW,
WIDOWER, and CHILDREN of the ASSURED free of PROBATE
and LEGACY DUTY.

Loans to the full value of the policy.
Policies indisputable, except in MCI of absolute fraud.
Clerks assuring with the Association will derive very great advan-
toges from the Benevolent Fund attached thereto.
Full particulars of which may be obtained at the office, or at the
agents of the Association.

PHILIP HENRY BYRNE, Secretr,y.
42, lioorgate-street, Jan. 1, PM'.

LAURENT'S GRAND CASINO.

A RGYLL ROOMS, Great Windmill-street,
St. James's,
Lessee, Cbarles Emile Larnint, Onslow House, Brompton-road,
Licensed putsuant p Act of Parliament, of 25th George 11.
Open every evening with Laurent's Celebrated Band. Principc,
aet-i- Elston, M. Boni cour.
Admission—ONE SHILLING.

Doors open at Half-past Eight o'clock. Dancing to commence at
N.ne, and terminate at Ilsif-past Eleven precisely.

p 0 PARENTS AND GUARDIANS.
The return of Youth to the respective boarding.schoo's at.er
the late season of festivity, induces a solicitude for their personal
Comfort and Attraction. Now it is that

LOWLANDS' MACASSAR, OIL,
,r accelerating the growth and ior improving and beautifying the

ROWLANDS' KALYDOR,
fnr improvinl the skin and complexion, and removing cutaneous
eruptions; and

ROWLANDS' ODONTO, OR PEARL DENTIFRICE,
for rendering the feet', beantifully white and preserving the gums,
are considered Indispensuble accompa iments for the attainment of
those personal advantages so unlversaliy sought for and admired.
Beware of Spurious In&ations.—The only Genuine of each hears
the name of " ROWLANDS' " preceding that of the article on the
wrapper or label.

Sold by A. Howland awl Sons, 20, Hatton-garden, London, rid
by chemists and Perfumers.

AVESEND STAR
PACKETS,
No u.her Packets call at the Grays,Greenbithe, and Pudica Pie s,
The Packets call at the Piers as underlined (weather permitting)

FROM TERRACE PIER, GRAVESEND.

WNEIL DAY*.

SDNDATB

1
A

Terrace
Pier.

'tB4
ism

Time.

Direct Trains from tin Boats marked
Oranlbar.es from Feechureh-street Station to all parts of London.
every r:aarter of an hoar.
BRUNSWICK WBA.R.r. lILACKWALL, on the arrival of the
following Trains from the Feecbareh•street Station.

WEER DAT a. Surreaya.
_
0
0
0:1 .. 2 . e
si ....
e •••• . •••• A
.. 0 .... • 17.1
it.
5,..1 ~,, 2 Coo .: i
Time. 0 ;.. a .3 . Time. 0_ al s 4 es e 3
' TS 0 3 a 1 ',
0 C s
91,1 93(
11 11
IN _ _
i 4 2!f
.3% —i -- ,1 —3%
rasnages marked * are run direct. _ _

'asnages marked urc run direct.
Fore Cabin. Saloon.
To or from Gravesend and torclon.... • • 103. .. Is. 2d.
„ Gravesend and Blackwell or Woo'wtah Ed. •• Os. 10d.
Between Gravesend and Intermediate Piers.. 6d. .. Os. lid.
,50AT TICKETS.—Tweive hioath,, 5;.:b.; Sit Months, 31. Os.;
T ree Months, 21. Os.; to be had of the Collectors on board the
kers ; or of Mr. Monk, Terrace Pier, Gravesend.
Dec„ 1352.

IMPORTANT MEDICAL AND SURGICAL WORKS,
Just published, by IL Sal Mere, 219, Regent-street, London.
No I.

Bvo., in cloth. price ss. by post free, ss. 6d.,

ON TRUE & FALSE SPERMATORRHCEA,
with the View: o the Correction of wide-spread Errors
to rel etion to the Treatment and Core of Sall'erers from Debility of the
(4cneratiye System, 1r Sexual 113

_
Translated from the German of Dr. FICKFORD
"Dr. rickford is known to English readers by his frequent practi-
•al contributions to German medical literature. This is the first
ime, be informs us, that he has addressed himself to the nos-meet-
cal reader. We trust this may not be the last, if he shall
detect any other equally flagrant evil which it may be in his
.over to correct."—London Medlcol Gazette. May 30, 1851.
We promised in a former number that we should recur to this
work, in order to exhibit its aim more clearly. The author lashes
with great severity the impostors who make a livelihood by preying
on the credulity of the public. The tribe of Quiet Symathisers,'
and ' Medical Friends,' are mercilessly exposed; and if this book
could find its way into the hands of those who suffer from th com-
plaint of which .t treats, we are satisfied that many hundreds would
be saved much needless suffering of body and mine, and what is of
less importance, though it is that which the quacks most prize—
much m0ney...... This volume is well qualified to put an end to the
empirical system of treating Spermatorrlicea, and to place the treat-
ment upon a more rational and physiological basis. It is, therefore,
likely to do much gOed."—Medical Circular, June 16, 1852.
No. H.
Bvo., in cloth, price 3s. 6d., by post free, 45.,
THE CUBE OF STRICTURE OF THE URETHRA, on Princi-
ples at once Simple, Safe, and Efficient, in even its most Inveterate
and apparently Intractable Forms.
BY F. B. COURTENAY,

-
Member of the Royal College of Surgeons of England.
(Mr. Courtenay) has
"In proof of ris views he given
he history of a great many cases successfully treated, as bad
as any which Mr. Syme adduced, and on which he had operated.
Such are cases Ix., xi., T'l.. and xviii. No. ix. had resisted, for a
period of twelve years, the treatment by dWtation, and was finally
removed in as many weeks. Rut cases xviii. and six. appear, both
in duration, severity, and complication of symptoms, of a more ag.
gravated character than any detailed by Mr. 6yme, and yet tha
treatment adopted by Mr. Courtenay proved eminently saccessllll."
—Professor Lizars on the Treatment of Stricture.

THE GENERAL. SCREW COMPANY'S SHIP HYDASPES.
—We have a report of an extraordinary passage of this
ship to Southampton. It is said she ran from Sea Reach,
in the Thames, to the former port in 111 hours, and
that under sail she made at one time no less than 16
miles. If her passage to the Cape should prove anything
nearly equal to this reported speed, she will make
up for lost time, and carry some days' later news to the
colony. The Hydaspes left Southampton on Wednes-
day, for St. Vincent's, the Cape of Good Hope, Mauri-
tius, Ceylon, Madras, and Calcutta, touching at Ply-
mouth, to receive the mails for those ports yesterday.
She takes out about 60 passengers, among whom are the
Hon. A. Denison and Sir F. St. George and lady for the
Cape ; M r. George Farncom, United States' Consul, for
the Mauritius, &e. On freight the Hydaspes has about
350 tons measurement of bale and case goods, 500 bot-
tles of quicksilver, and specie value 2000001. sterling.

PEACE CONFERENCE' AT MANCHESTER.

The meetings of the friends of international arbitra-
tion and peace commenced yesterday morning at Man-
chester. The first meeting of the Conference was held
at the Corn-Exchange, when Mr. G. Wilson was elected
chairman, suppored by Mr. Richard Cobden, M.P.,
Mr. J. Bright, M.P., Mr. J. B. Smith, M.P., Mr.
Joseph Brotherton, M.P., Mr. G. Hadfield, M.P., Mr.
Joseph Sturge, Mr. C. Hindley, M.P., and other mem-
bers of the Legislature and persons of distinction. After
the usual preliminary business, during which it was
stated that 500 members had promised to be present,
and most of whom were present, the Conference was
opened in the following speech by the chairman :
The CHAIRMAN said, the only subject of regret to him
in the arrangements of the Committee of Management
was, that they should have elected him as their president.
(No, no.) They were met to-day, as the fiends of
linternational arbitration and peace, to confer together.
While the friends of peace had been teaching the highest
doctrines of peace, the financial reformer had been in-
vestigating the social evils of the present system. It
might be a matter of speculation to the world—it,might
be a matter of speculation to many—whether we were
in danger more or less of foreign invasion, but the
financial reformer replied, it could be no matter of specu-
lation to the country when he told them that since.
1815, during a time of tranquillity and peace, without
estimating one farthing contributed for the payment
of the interest of the national debt, incurred for
former wars, they had paid, out of th• earnings and in-

ing, which was equal to two-thirds of their national
debt; and that during the time they had paid this money
they were assured, year by year, in Royal speeches, that
this country was receiving the assurances—he believed
that was the term—the most satisfactory and peaceful
assurances from all parts of the world. (Hear, hear.)
But the financial reformer addressed the member of the
Peace Society, and said —" Pursue your excellent career,
instructing the people in the highest objects of humanity,
while I am determined to pursue my investigations, so
that I shall trace the current of this expenditure, and
see whether the application has been made precisely
for the purposes for which this large expenditure has
been obtained." For that purpose, he said, he took in
his hand a return made to the House of Commons in the
year 1848, and he took that because, although it might
not suit his purpose as well as some other returns, it gave
a fuller account of those things which he wished to quote.
At that time, when this country was threatened with an
invasion as fearful, under the late King of France, as it
was at the present time, when the alarm was excited
through the letters signed " P." in the London papers,
and through the letter of the quiet and estimable noble-
man who was not an alarmist in that district, which
were held forth to the world as a positive proof that
very early they might expect war. At that time a re-
turn was moved for, which came before the House of
Commons. The financial reformers took that return,
and said that at that time our army consisted of 138,769
men. It was not much less now. The commissioned
officers were 5,995. What were the officers doing at
that particular time, when all the country was alarmed
from the fear of foreign invasion ? He said, he found on
half-pay, doing nothing, out of the 5,995, 3,546 ;on
full pay, assisting the half-pays in doing nothing—
(laughter)-306 ; making a total of 3,552 absolutely do-
ing nothing, leaving 2,143 as sufficient to do all the
duties of the country ; and it had been stated that from
these 2,143 they might make a very considerable reduc-
tion for men who never did any duty whatever, and
then they got the whole of the staff of officers deemed
requisite at that period for the protection of this
country. At that time they hart the confirmation of
the opinion of Mr. Bernal Osborne, M.P., who has an
authority in these matters, who said that at that time
they had more general and field officers for their 138,000
men than the French had for their army of 400,000 men,
including the staff of the National Guards ; and that be
was prepared to submit a plan by which, through con-
centrating these officers, they could procure greater
officering, at a saving of 570,0001. per annum to the
nation. So far for the army. And what was the state
of the navy ? asked the financial reformer. 'He took the
same return, made in the same year, and he found that
the provision for the navy against this French in-
vasion had quite as large a stock of admirals as he could
desire. At that time there were 207 admirals, receiv-
ing a sum annually amounting to 126,2351., and out Of
these there were, retired on full pay, 4S ; reserved and
able for duty, but ;doing nothing, 145 ; these were re-
ceiving, annually, 74,770/. ; andl,l9re were on duty, and
discharging the services for which the Government ap-
pcinted them, and which the Government must think could
be discharged in their hands, or they would have made
an addition to the number discharging that duty, only
14. (A laugh.) So that, out of 207 admirals at that
time, all the services which could be rendered by that
large staff to the country consisted of the services which
could be rendered by 14. The payment which the coun-
try made annually to these 14, for the services actually
rendered, was 29,5651., but the payment made to those
who had retired, and those who were doing nothing,
year by year, was 96,6701., out of the gross payment of
126,0001. (Hear, hear.) That system ran through all
the service. Take the next gradation—the captains.
The captains in the service at that time amounted to 232,
of whom those who were unemployed were 151, and the
employed 81. The number of commanders was 1,129,
of whom there were unemployed 1,014, and employed
115. The number of lieutenants was 2,074, and of these
1,454 were unemployed, and the employed was only 620.
If now we add to these numbers the admirals, we should
therefore find that out of 3,642 officers in the navy,
2,812 were unemployed, and only 800 were in employ-
ment. Tt should be stated that, out of the 2,812, there
were 533 who had retired ;, but the number of officers
who were able for duty, and yet doing nothing, on half-
pay, was 2,229, against the 800 only that were doing
positive duty. (Hear, hear.) The payment made in the
whole for those who were doing nothing, was 223,9371.,
which, added to the other sum of 455,3911., made up a
total of 679,328/. And the state of the navy now, at the
present time, presented no different features from these ;
for, he believed, there were now 10 admirals employed
out of a number of 206. The same remarks would
apply to the ships. In the year 1848 we had 671 ships
—including steamers—in this country ; and, out of these
only 252 were in commission, or required actually
to do the business of the country. Of these 671 ships
there were 174 which were steamers, and 17 steamers
were then building ; and the remainder of the ships not in
,
commission, to the number of 419 were laid up in ordi-
nary ; they were rotting and doing nothing. (Hear
hear.) Of the 252 ships which were in commission, 235
were at different stations throughout the world ; and as
we had 24 ships at the coast of Brazil, and in the Pacific,
and 24 ships on the west coast of Africa, and 24 or 25
ships in the Mediterranean, making 72, the financial re-
former reluctantly asked the question, whether it would
not be politic, with these views of invasion, to bring
home some of those vessels, in case of need, to protect
the country, which was said to be in danger, rather than
to alarm us continually, for the purpose of the Govern.
merit putting their hands into the people's pockets, with
themtrh.reßaticoßfAfuorDesign(thinevasseicorneta?
secretary)
)Cthheeen readrs.) letters of'
apology for non-attendance from Lord GoderiCh, Mr.
De Girardin, Mr. Leigh Hunt, the Lord Mayor of Lon-
don, the Earl of Radnor, Mr. G. Combo, and several
others.

Mr. GEORGE HADFIELD, M.P., moved the first reso-
lution :--

" That it is the special and solemn duty of all ministers
of religion, parents, instructors of youth, and conductors of
the public press, to employ their great influence in the
diffusion of pacific principles and sentiments, and in eradi-
cating from the minds of men those hereditary animosities,
and political and commercial jealousies which have been
so often the cause of disastrous wars."

He felt great pleasure in moNing this excellent reso-
lution. It called upon all religious and intellectual in-
structors to exert their influence to check the extraordi-
nary mania which annually visited this country. The
war party were making great inroads upon the public
opinion of this country—telling us that ecclesiastical en-
croachments and French invasion were threatened.
Unless, therefore, those who had influence with the
people stood forward to stem this torrent, the nations of
Europe would soon be at loggerheads, and they might
depend upon it that the moment when the powers of
Europe were armed to the teeth was the time of the
greatest danger. Four millions of men in the 38th year
of peace were now under arms in Christian Europe—an
amount equal to one-half of the entire adult male popu-
lation of Europe capable of acting as soldiers ; and this
enormous body of men had to be supported by the indus-
trious portion of the community in idleness and wanton-
ness ; for certainly soldiers were not the best pioneers
of morality. What a disregard of the principles of the
divine sermon on the Mount by professing Christians—
principles capable of enlightening and saving mankind.
And what had we gained by the late wars ? 800,000,0001.
of debt ; for our war-loving forefathers did not bear the
burdens of their own mischievous policy upon their own
shoulders. They mortgaged the strength and the sinews
of their posterity. Two thousand millions sterling and
two millions of lives had been sacrificed, and for what ?
The great Duke had put down one Napoleon, but before
he was gathered to his fathers up started another Napo-
leon, and the whole work was undone again. There
was no use in blinking the matter. England was a
blood-guilty nation ; and unless the press, and the pulpit,
and the teacher of youth stood forward to stay the
plague, and strove to indoctrinate the people with the
pacific principles of the New Testament, there was no
answering for the result—for the beginning of strife was
but as the first letting in of water. (Hear, hear.)
The Rev. W. ASPINALL, of Liverpool, seconded the
resolution.
The Rev. G. W. CONDER, of Leeds, said he was anxi-
ous that the consummation they hoped for should not be
led alone by those who only looked at the matter from
the side of commerce, and whose main reason was a com-
mercial reason. He was deeply anxious that the Chris-
t tianity of this country should have a voice in the matter;

and therefore he had great pleasure in supporting the
resolution. (Cheers.)
The Rev. J. BURNET, of London, moved the second
resolution, which was as follows :
" That, as an appeal to the sword can settle no question
on any principle of equity and right, it is the duty of Go-
vernments to enter into treaties on behalf of the nations
they respectively represent, binding the parties to refer to
the decision of competent and impartial arbitrators such
differences arising between them as cannot be otherwise
amicably adjusted, and to abide by such decision."
He said the resolution I have to propose tells us that war
can never settle anything on principles of justice and
equity, and if any man feels that it can, I tell him he is
humbugging. When the sword is drawn, justice leaves
the battle field, and there is nothing left but brute strife.
Whe ever dreamt that justice could be wrapped up in a
bombshell, and fired upon people who had nothing to do
with the uarrel, exploding in the midst of those who
don't understand it at all ? The statesmen humbug the
soldiers, and they go to battle without knowing what they
are fighting for. I don't think there is any glory in
that, I can only find something very inglorious in this
ignorance. Let us, then, substitute arbitration for war.
We are not such fools as to wish to revive anything like
a national board like the Amphyctionic Council in
Greece ; but we propose that the differing parties shall
select their own arbiters for the settlementof the dispute,
and that only, and select men who are not interested in
the quarrel, and by whose deliberate judgment they can
abide. Let us, then, continue to advocate the principle
fiat men should settle their quarrels like men, and leave
beasts to settle their quarrels like brutes. (Cheers.)
Mr. BRIGHT, M.P., was received with great cheering.
He said,—l am quite willing to second the resolution
which has just been proposed. Now, the first thing that
strikes me in reading the resolution is that it is so ex-
ceedingly reasonable that everybody will say it is a very
fgood thing, if you can only do it. But on this question,
as on many others, I find that some of the most uncon-
querable of our opponents are just those who agree with
us in the abstract, who say that the principle is very
good if the world were ready for it, and they approve of
it wonderfully at a distance, but you cannot get them to
lift a hand for the purpose of bringing it any nearer.
We often hear now spoken of " the arbitrement of the
sword." But it appears to me that the arbitration we
now have is of the clumsiest and most unsatisfactory sort.
Our arbitrators amount, I think, by a paper which has
been laid before the Conference, to something over
200,000 men—a most unsatisfactory number—to decide
upon the justice of any question. But this system of arbi-
tration requires also extensive dockyards—ships, to the
number of 500 or 600, bristling with cannon—gunpowde
by tons absolutely unknown and innumerable—expendi-
ture more enormous thon any other nation, either before
or since, has ever expended purely upon those subjects
—ignorance spread throughout the country, and pau-
perism produced by the abstraction and destruction of
capital—crime induced on all hands by the prevalence of
pauperism and ignorance ; and, in the actual operation
of this system of arbitration, we have terror and death
spread over whole regions, and inflicted upon thousands
i
and, it may be, millions of our fellow-creatures. (Ap-
plause.) Well, then, this standing arbitration that we
now have, the arbitration of the sword, incurs an expen-
diture of! about 16,000,0001. sterling per annum. I
think that if we look over all the actions of all men, or
of all nations, in all times, we shall not be able to dis-
cover any one in which there is less of common sense,
less of reason, less of fair expectation of any practical
good result, than in the course which this nation and
other nations take in the maintenance of those vast ar-
mament for settling those things which the armaments
themselves are never known satisfactory to settle.
(Cheers.) Well, so far we are pretty nearly agreed with
our opponents. We have not many opponents on prin-
ciple, so far as this resolution goes ; but we have those
who think we are impracticable in proposing what is
impossible. There is a species of warfare which is now,
happily, nearly extinct in this country—l mean that of
duelling. The system of duelling is altogether
changed. One of the last duels was, certainly, one
of the most successful in turning the whole system
into ridicule. Two members of the late Parlia-
ment -- with whom I have a Parliamentary ac-
quaintance contested a borough in the south
of England. They had a quarrel, I suppose, about
treating, or bribery, or intimidating, or some of those
practices which take place at our election so often, and
it was thought necessary to go into a neighbouring
county county to fight it out. I believe they went in
the same coach—(a laugh), one inside, I fancy, and one
on the box ; and, when they were just about to fire,
there was an immense alarm created by the springing
up of a cock pheasant—(a laugh) ; and these men, who
could not agree to settle a dispute of this nature, but
were so valorous that they must have recourse to arms
—I believe, upon a sudden, they ran as fast as their
legs could carry them, suspecting, in this cock pheasant,
a policeman. (Laughter.) Now, I was delighted with
that 'duel, and I was delighted with the letter which the
cock pheasant wrote to the Times immediately after-
wards, because it covered the whole thing with ridicule ;
and I said, " I am much obliged to those two gentle-
men for what they have done ;for I think, after this,
surely there is no man in England or Ireland who will
ever go out again to fight a duel." Another thing, too,
shows how opinion has changed upon that point. I was,
not very long ego, in the shop of a gunsmith 'n London,
and I heard there, what I have not the least reason to
doubt—l have a perfect belief in the accuracy of what
was told me—that it is the commonest thing in the
world now, if there is to be a duel, that some friend
of the parties, it may be unknown to them, procures
the pistols, and takes very good care to be supplied
with balls from the same place, which are made of a
material which Signor Blitz, I believe, has occasionally
used in his exhibitions ; they are something like balls in
appearance' and, when they are put in the pistol, and
the ramrod goes down, they all go to dust, and such
duelling is a perfectly innocent affair. (Laughter.)
Now, that is what duelling has come to ; but it is only a
few years since duelling was believed to be as indis-
pensable for the settlement of private quarrels, and to
cause a gentleman to be gentlemanly in his conduct
to another gentleman, as wars are now believed to be
indispensable between communities and nations. (Hear.)
I believe, in spite of all the ridicule some persons bestow
on this, which we believe to be reasonable and Christian,
that the time will come, and much faster than some be-
lieve, when war between nations will be considered as
brutal and idiotic as duelling is now considered among
almost all classes of the community. (Cheers.) What
is wanted is, that the change which has taken place
among us, as individuals, should take place among com-
munities and nations. Is it not as possible to form a
public opinion in Europe as it is in England, or in any
county or town ? Of course the labour will be far greater,
but then the object is greater, and there are many
labourers in the field, and what is now done by tens and
twenties may be done by hundreds and millions.
To take a point in which the influence of public
opinion prevailed. After the Hungarian was cer-
tain of the patriotic leaders of the revolution took refuge
in Turkey ; demands were made by Austria and Russia
on Turkey for those leaders, and, should they have been
given up, we know to what end they would have been
surrendered ; but Turkey did not give them up. It is
the recognised policy of all civilised nations, that al-
though you may demand a man who is a murderer or a
robber, still no one nation has a right to demand of
another that any person fleeing from its power on poli-
tical grounds shall be given up to the avenging punish-
ment of the Government he has opposed. Well, opi-
nion has settled the matter. It has been felt that no
man would be safe—that all political opposition to Go-
vernments, that all contest for political rights would be
at an end—if, when she contest was over, those who had
failed should find no refuge in any other country, every
man feeling that he might be liable at some time, to the
consequences of such a system among the civilised Go-
vernments of the world if that law and that practice
should exist. Well, there might be other cases adduced
to show that public opinion has formed a code of laws
among nations, and from that I would argue that, with
regard to this point, a new principle now claims to be
introduced into that code of public opinion. (Cheers.)
Another illustration will serve to give force to my argu-
ment. Take the American fisheries question, that has
lately been discussed. There was a case in point.
What was the first thing done ? People here wanted to
know how many ships were going ; and, in America, a
squadron that was ordered to Japan was countermanded,
and the ships were to go to the Banks and to that part
of the ocean where these fisheries were principally carried
on. But suppose wo had had a clause in our treaty with
the United States, such as the United States has with
Peru. It would not have been a question of sending
ships ; nobody in England, not even the Manch,ester
Guardian, would have written an article in favour of
sending ships of war ; but the first thing that would
have been done would be to republish in every paper in
England the arbitration clause in this treaty, and then
the sole matter to be discussed would be this—where
shall we find the men—who are the men—to whom both
nations will trust the decision of this question ? Well,
but if this be true of the United States, is it less true of
France ? We have wonderful communications with
France. I won't speak of the railway, and the steam-
boat, and the telegraph, but we are in London
twelve hours from Paris. But we are not satis-
fied with being within twelve hours. We have a
nobleman in Paris living in a magnificent and costly
mansion, and at an expense which, until very recently,
amounted to some 14,0001. or 15,0001. a-year. The
salary was 10,0001. I believe it is now reduced to
8,0001., and the other expenses were 4,0001. or 5,0001.
more. This man is sent to Paris ostensibly for the pur-
pose of maintaining amicable relations between that
country and this. Lord Cowley is at the grand balls at
the Tuileries ; Lady Cowley is leaning nu the arm of the
Emperor of the French. The Emperor pays his special
regards to English visitors. There are no people in the
world at this moment who are residents temporarily or
permanently in Paris—no foreigners I mean—who are
treated with more consideration, so far as_ we can judge
from the papers, than our countrymen. But for all that
Lord Cowley knows that his countrymen, somehow or
other, are living in dread of this Emperor of the French.
He knows that our press is almost ince
him. He knows that all kinds of
exsasagitublic. He
elr
p y attacking
ated state-
ments are being palmed upon the En u
knows that all sorts of odd corners in the newspapers
are filled up with paragraphs fabricated to deceive the
people. And our Government know it too, New, I