The Sun.
London, England, 1871-01-20 00:00:00

INFALLIBILITY.

A. Roman Catholic, writing on the infallibility
question, points out that some of the dissident
bishops have, since their return to their dioceses,
acquiesced in the Infallibility decree. Bishop
Clifford was an active member of the minority in
the Council, and in his recent circular to his
diocese he has declared that the doctrine of Infalli-
ioility is " binding on all Catholics, and that
any person however who presumes to gainsay
the same is cut off frcm the communion
ot. the Catholic Church." The word " gainsay"
might bear a curious interpretation, and he inti-
mates that the decree might be received in obse-
quious silence. But the writer disapproves of such
a course being pursued. He thinks that a dis-
puted point of theology may be treated with
silence, but the case is very different when
a particular opinion is announced to be an article of
faith. Silence in respect to the question is then in-
consistent with sincerity on the part of those who
repudiate the opinion and deny the right of the
sacred authorities to impose it upon the Church as a
vital truth.

SANITARY REFORM IN RUSSIA.

It has keen believed of late years that the general
reform and reJrganisation of the whole Russian sys-
tem since the Crimean War has greatly improved the
condition of her people, and that, consequently,
her chances of waging a successful war have
materially improved. It now appears, from statistics
carefully compiled, that 50 per cent., out of the 49
millions who compose the labouring class, are incapa-
citated for military service by physical weakness or
disease, and that, consequently, Russia cannot reckon
on more soldiers out of her 60 millions than France
with 'her 38 millions. In Western Europe
the averags of human life is 40 years. In Russia,
in the healthiest regions, it varies from 22 to 27,
while in the south-eastern provinces generally, where
sanitary conditions are unfavourable, it falls as low as
twenty years, and in Perm, Viatka, and Orenburg, it
is only fifteen ! Various causes are assigned for this
deplorable result, but the two great reasons are the
extremely low rate of wages and the gross ignorance
of the peasantry. The agricultural population get
about ls. a day for field work, or if paid by the
month, onl) 72d. For this they have to work from
12 to 15 hours a day, and a few seasons break them
down. The constantly-recurring fasts of the Greek
Church diminish their scanty food still more, and
' when fever or cholera come in, they die by tens of
thousands. Superstitious observances add their
evil influences to the list, and 50 (in some parts
83) per cent. of the children born die within a
year of their birth. The survivors are physically
weak, and while the population in some districts has
diminished one-third in the last generation, the
average Russian peasant, though capable of almost
incredible passive endurance, has little more than
half the muscular pow.3r of the average Englishman.

THE COURT.

OSBORNE, JANUARY 19,

The Queen, accompanied by Princess Louise, walked in
the grounds this morning. Lady Churchill was in at-
tendance.

Prince Arthur and Princess Beatrice drove, and Prince
Leopold walked, out.
_ _

The Earl and Countess of Derby have arrived at
Osborne, on a visit to her Majesty.

OUR DEFENCES.—The Right Hon. Cowper-
Temple spoke at a meeting of the Portsmouth Liberal
Association on Tuesday evening, and, after a reference
to the war on the Continent, alluded to the necessity of
having onr own defences in a complete state. Our very
neutrality, he pointed out, had made us an unpopular
nation, and for that reason we must be prepared for all
contingencies. Hitherto, he observed, the officials who
represent the Admiralty in the House of Commons have
grnerally said we have so many ships; and the French
have so many, and we ought to be satisfied. But lam
afraid that will not satisfy us. We must contemplate the
contingency of a combined fleet coming from the ports of
Prussia, Russia, and America, and making an attack on
England. We must not allow any false views of economy
to interfere with us in our determination to have a fleet
that will be sufficient to defend our shores from a cum-
bined attack. With regard to the army, he added : We
must begin at the beginning. We want more skilful,
more trained, more educated officers ; and that our
generals should have opportunities of exercise, and of per-
forming such movements as would be undertaken in
actual warfare. The New Forest should become the
scene of campaign. We want to see what the Germans
and French could perform in the New Forest. The policy
of England, he concluded, should be bold, but courteous ;
willing and able to fight if it is necessary, but anxious to
be peaceable if ,other nations will allow us.