The Sun.
London, England, 1871-02-16 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1871.

a -decided character as regards resistance and the
maintenance of the Republic in France. They are
also considered to denote strong disapprobation of
the incapacity and inactivity of the Government
of the National Defence. The number of ab-
stentions is very considerable, especially in the Con-
servative quarters of the city. Perfect tranquillity
prevails.

VERSAILLES, Fobruary 14.

One hundred millions of the Paris war contribu-
tion has been paid in French bank notes, fifty
millions in bills of exchange on Berlin, and fifty
millions in bills of exchange on London. Sealed
letters can now be transmitted through the post.
The French press is very excited in its language
in reference to the proposed entry o I the German
troops.

The Siecle foresees a bloody encounter. The
majority, however, of the journals counsels the
citizens t 3 remain at home when the troops march
in, and to display mourning emblems from the
houses.

Dissatisfaction prevails in Paris at the small
distribution of the provisions, but the mortality is
declining.

BRUSSELS, February 15 (3.15 p.m.)

Travellers who left Paris yesterday state that the
city was perfectly tranquil up to the time of their
departure.

THE ARMISTICE.

On the occasion of a review held of the Army of
the North, General Lecomte informed the troops that
he was instructed by General Faidherbe to express
to them the latter's satisfaction at the eminent ser-
vices rendered by the army, especially mentioning
the engagements at Amiens, Pont Noyelles, and St.
Quentin. In the present painful circumstances, he
added, it would be necessary to continue their proofs
of devotion, and to be prepared for eventualities, to
act either against the foreigner or in case of difficul-
ties at home.

has from the Bey, unit the character of the Turkish
views with regard to the dispute, encourage the' ex-
pectation of a satisfactory settlement.—Telegraph

Telegram.

WILL HOSTILITIES BE RENEWED?

The Telegraph correspondents at Versailles forward the
following items of news by special despatch, under date
Feb. 14 :—The delivery of arms of every description by
the garrison of Paris was completed on Sunday every-
where. Two hundred thousand muskets and fourteen
hundred brass pieces are among the surrendered weapons.
The number of iron wall-guns has not yet been as-
certained. By prudent people here, both German and
French, the entry of the Emperor into Paris is
looked forward to with much apprehension. A pistol-shot
fired by one insane fanatic from a window might have the
most fearful consequences. It was intended at one time
to invite the reigning Sovereigns of Germany to accom-
pany the Emperor and the army in the triumphal march ;
but the plan has been abandoned, and the Sovereigns
have been invited, instead, to attend his Majesty
on his grand entry into his own capital. It
is yet undecided at what time or by what
route the Emperor will return to Germany. His Majesty
may leave Versailles on the 23rd, travelling by Strasburg,
Carlsruhe, Stuttgardt, and Munich—visiting on the way
the Sovereigns who elected him Emperor, and who will
file into his train, and grace his triumphant return to
Berlin ; or he may remain here until the be-
ginning of March, and proceed direct to his capital.
In any event, the Emperor will be in Berlin by
the Bth of March, on which day the first Diet of United
Germany is to meet. The Princes who have been attached
to headquarters throughout the war are now one after
another returning home. There are no signs of the slightest
relaxation of discipline in the German army, and no indi-
cations that the generals and soldiers consider their
work finished. On the contrary, everything one sees
here is more suggestive of the beginning than the close of
a campaign. The Germans are taking every precaution
against the contingency of the war being renewed, and
are ready to carry it on with unusual rigour should the
necessity unfortunately arise. The 22nd Division
of Infantry—which, at the beginning of the in-
vestment, had been in the advance at Meudon,
and which was subsequently attached to the
armies of Von der Tann and the Grand Duke of Mecklen-
burg, in the operations against De Paladine and Chanzy
—has returned hither from Rouen, to join the remainder
of their corps, which has been before Paris since the
opening of the siege. Great dissatisfaction has been ex-
cited here by the presence of Generals Faidherbe and
Chanzy in Paris. It is felt that only an oversight in
framing the terms of the armistice could have permitted
the French generals, under cover of their being voters,
to place themselves in communication with the authori-
ties at Paris. The incident will, in all probability,
give Von Moltke an opportunity of complaining of
Count Bismarck's management, and so widen the
breach between these two distinguished men.
The result of the elections generally has proved
very satisfactory and reassuring in the highest quarters
here—all the more so, that not a little uneasiness has been
caused by the behaviour of Gambetta and the attitude
of, the South. No favourable impression has been
produced in the same quarters by the act of the ex-
Emperor Napoleon in publishing his proclamation to
the French people. It is asked what right he has,
as a prisoner of war, to put forth a manifesto or procla-
mation of any kind whatever. One thousand pregnant
women came out of Paris to Versailles on Saturday last
to make arrangements for a supply of milk, and to obtain,
if possible, permission to remain here—as they expressed
their fears that the bombardment of Paris might recom-
mence.

OUR COTEMPORARIES—This Morning

MARRIAGE WITH A pECEASED WIFE'S SISTER.

The Times considers that the success iri the House of
Commons of the Deceased Wife's Sister Bill this year a
foregone conclusion. It must be frankly admitted that
the question has reached a stage at which it claims the
grave consideration even of those who are most strongly
opposed to it. We do not mean that they should waive
their opinion, nor do we feel by any means sure that the
ultimate judgment of the country will sustain the present
opinion of the House of Commons. But when such
an assembly as the House of Lords is divided on the sub-
ject ; when the division, moreover, is almost equal, not
merely in numbers, but in weight of authority; when
bishops, chancellors, and Cabinet Ministers express the
most antagonistic views respecting both the lawfulness
and the expediency of the change, it is evident the pro.
posal has passed beyond the limits of a hasty debate on
an "Ecclesiastical Wednesday," and the existing
restriction can only be permanently maintained after a
patient and authoritative inquiry. For our part, we have
never seen a satisfactory reply to the preliminary objection
that no such case of hardship can be made out as justifies
an agitation on so delicate a subject as the Law of Mar-
riage. It should never be forgotten that to throw doubt
on the fixity of that law is to stimulate disturbance
in the most sensitive of human relations, and to
open new possibilities to the least controllable of human
passions. Marriage is eminently a subject on which laws
should be maintained as firmly and unalterably as posl
Bible, for there are impulses always awake to take advan-
tage of any prospect of variation in the existing
prohibitions. Every such prohibition must at one
time 'or another operate to restrain such impulses,
and the mere fact that the restraint has been
keenly felt may possibly afford only a proof that it has
produced its designed and its legitimate effect. On the
other hand, the fact of a given restraint being strongly re-
sented and widely disregarded might, under certain con-
ditions, afford a presumption that it was an unreasonable
restraint on the dictates of nature, and that injustice
was inflicted on those who were almost irresistibly
impelled to violate it. In such a case the authority of law
and morality itself would be injured, and nothing could
be more salutary 'than an agitation to relax the rule. We
are at a loss to discover any such justification in the pre-
sent instance. Let it be admitted by those who, like
ourselves, are opposed to the bill that its promoters have
arrayed a sufficient weight of opinion on their side
to give them a claim to mature consideration. Consider-
able authority and strong feelings will have to be over-
borne on one side or the other. Let it at least be felt that
the concession is made to a competent authority, and let
us, at all events, establish a precedent in favour of the
most deliberate procedure possible in dealing with this
delicate and vital subject.
The Daily News remarks :—The first division of the
session has taken place on the bill of a private member,
and on an ecclesiastical or semi-ecclesiastical question.
Mr. Chambers has been fortunate. The bill for the le-
galisation of marriage between widowers and the sisters
of their late wives is the first bill of the session
to be read a second time. Mr. Charnbers'-s bill goes
up to the Lords for the sixth time as the voice of
the Representative House, and certainly the voice of the
country. It is high time the bill was done with ; and there
is only one way of doing with it, and that is the constitu-
tional way of the minority yielding to the majority. The
present Act is not only a disgracefnl piece of class
legislation, but of religious oppression. It puts on
the people of this country a yoke which neither they
nor their fathers were able to bear. It imposes upon the
majority the opinion of the minority, and applies the
worst form of social persecution to enforce submis-
sion to it. In asking the Bench 6f Bishops—
for apart from the Bench of Bishops a clear
majority of the House of Lords is in favour of the bill—
to pass this measure, the House of Commons, as Mr.
Morley said, is not forcing this form of marriage or any ;
it is only carrying out the principle of religious freedom,
by allowing those who believe in the marriage to contract
it if they please. Indeed, it is doing less than this
For these marriage are contracted. Rich men go abroad
to have the marriage service performed, and thus to
get partial sanction for an union of which their con-
sciences entirely approve ; but the poor do not even seek
the ceremony; they live together in a union which is only
concubinage because the House of Lords refuses to recog-
nise it as marriage. It is high time that this very serious
aspect of the question were generally admitted. Flip-
pancy is out of place in a question which lies so near
to morals. It is no joke to thousands of children
that a law which in over forty divisions the House
of Commons has condemned, should doom them to ille-
gitimacy. We gladly recognise the serious tone of yester-
day's speeches, and the prudence of an C pposition which
met the bill by the tactics of silence. We hope the
House of Lords will see the propriety of no longer stand-
ing in the way of a beneficent reform, but will abolish one
of the annual plagues of Parliament, and at the same time
blot out the memory of a discreditable passage in our
legislative history.
The Telegraph observes :—Mr. Thomas Chaanbers's bill
for legalising marriage with a deceased wife's sister
has passed into a stage at which the discussion in the
House of Commons becomes a mere form, if not
an idle farce ; and the brief debate of yester-
day afternoon was the very type of formality.
Whatever can be accomplished by mere argu-
ment has already been done ; it is the force of
Government influence, and not of reason, that is
now needed. The majority of the English people are
convinced that the existing prohibition is dictated by
no principle of reason or religion, that it is wan-
tonly vexatious, and that it does grave injury to
the public morals. It is futile to appeal to the Book of
Leviticus; for even if the authority were valid in such a
case, it would be made useless by the fact that the most
eminent theologians differ among themselves as to
the interpretation of the Mosaic rule. For political men
the only pertinent question is, how would society be in-
fluenoed if Parliament were to legalise marriage with a
deceased wife's sister ? It is asserted that sisters-in-law
would be "abolished," because no woman could then live
in the house of a married sister if she were a possible
competitor for that relative's place as mistress of
the household. But it might as well be urged that
no woman could with propriety visit the house of a married
cousin. The bill, in truth, would do signal good by re-
moving the vexatious inequality of the present law. tf
rich man wishes to wed the sister of his deceased wife, ho
goes to one of those Continental States in which such a
union is legal, and there the marriage is solemnised. The
proceeding is not, of course, recognised in England ;
but the conscience of the husband and the wife
is soothed by the fact that the union has been formally,
contracted, and the prejudiees of society are, to some ex-
tent, appeased. A poor man has no such advantage.
He cannot go abroad. And he feels the hardship the
more because, In his class, when the wife dies, it
is not unusual for her sister to take eharge of the
children. Practically, the result often is a state of
concubinage, for the simple reason that neither the
Church nor the Registrar will 1,40 the relatives together
in marriage. It is useless to !aim against the wicked-
ness which can thus dispense with the legal tie. Such
marriages are not condemned, but sanctioned, by the
moral sense of the working people. The law by which
they are. prohibited is regarded as a piece of tyranny
against which it is no wrong to rebel.

MONETARY REPORTS,-YESTERD AY.

The stock markets to-day have been in a depressed state.
No news of importance has been received from th Con-
tinent, and the tendancy to heaviness must be solely
attributed to realisations of profits, caused by the strong
demand for accomodation, and the firm quotations for
money. Large sales of English railway stocks have
been made, and an average fall of about 1 per
cent. has taken place in values. Foreign bonds also hays
been adversely influenced, and a fractional decline has
been noticed in Italian, Spanish, and Turkish. English
Government securities have been dull. Consols have
fallen * per cent., being quoted at 911 to 92 for delivery
and the.account. Reduced and New. Three per Cents.,
92 to 921. Bank Stocks, 244 to 246. Exchequer Bills,
ss. to 10s. prem. India per Cents., ifrai to 1101, and
India Bonds, 225. to 275. prem. For Colonial Govern-
ment securities the demand has been to a limited extent,
but prices have shewn no alteration.
In the market for English Railway Stocks an increased
amount of depression has been apparent, and prices have
given way in many instances. Metropolitan, North-
Eastern, Midland, and Great Western have fallen /,
Caledonian, Great Northern A, and Great Eastern
1, whilst Brighton and North-Western have been
1, and B respectively. Metropolitan, 641, 641; Caledonian,
871, 88 ; Brighton, 421, 431 ; South Eastern, 781,
Great Northern A, 132 Y, 1331; Great Eastern, 381, 381;
North-Eastern, 1461, 146,2 ; Midland, 1261, 126 i ; North-
Western, 1291, 1291; and Great Western, 72k, 721.
Not much business has been doing in Indian railway
stocks. East Indian, 1091 ; Great Indian Peninsula,
1051, i; Madras, 1031; and Oude and Rohilkund, 1011.
The demand for Canadian shares has been inactive, Great
Western of Canada, 151, Foreign shares have been
flat. Great Luxembourg, 121; Ottoman (Smyrna and
Aden), 41; San Paulo, 211, and Lombards, 14k,
4.
The foreign bond market has been characterised by
quietness, and a further decline has taken place. Italian
1861 have fallen 1; Spanish, 1-16th ; Turkish, 1. Peru-
vian (1865), are quoted at 901, 91; Egyptian (1868), 74k,
741; Italian (1861), 541, 541 Spanish, 301, 30,2 ; Turkish
Five per Cents., 412, 42; ditto (1869), 522, 53 ; United
States Five-twenty (1882) bonds, 911, 911; ditto (1885),
90k, 901; French scrip has been flatter at 21, 2 prem. ;
German, 21, prem. ; ditto New, 1,11 prem.
Bank Shares have been in but moderate request.
Anglo-Austrian have marked 171; Anglo-Egyptian, 23 ;
Imperial Ottoman, 111, fi ; London and County, 50, 51 ;
Joint Stock, 371.
The demand for telegraph shares has been inactive.
British Indian Submarine and Falmouths have fallen
' 1, the former being quoted at 71 to 1, and the latter at
91, 9 ; British Indian Extension have marked 71,

and French Cables, 14; Hooper's, 6i; Silver's Indiarubber,
511 ; and Constructions, 251, 61.
The traffic receipts of the Midland shew an increase of
£3,250, North-Eastern, an increase of £5,163, North-
Western, an increase of £7,219, and Caledonian, an in-
crease of £1,089.
At Mark-lane to-day, wheat was dull and drooping.
American flour fell 6d. per barrel.
In the discount market to-day, there has been a strong
demand,'and three months' paper has not beentaken under
2} per cent.
Tenders for £400,000 in bills on India have taken place
at the Bank. The amount allotted has been, to Calcutta,
£344,200; to Bombay, £50,000; and to Madras, £5,800.
The minimum price was fixed at is. 10d. the rupee on all
presidencies. Tenders at Is. logd. on Calcutta and
Madras will receive 76 per cent., and on Bombay at that
quotation in full.
At a meeting of the Metropolitan Railway Company to-
day the report was adopted, and the retiring directors were
re-elected. An animated discussion took place with
reference to the accounts, which were not passed without
considerable scrutiny. The dividends will be at the rate
of at per cent. on the ordinary, 5 per cent. on the prefe-
rence, 6 per cent. on the preferred ordinary ; and A per
cent. on the deferred ordinary.
The report of the Bristol and Exeter Railway Com-
pany, to be presented on the 25th inst., shews that there
is an available balance of £57,909 3s. 6d. The directors
recommend that a dividend should be declared at the
rate of 52 per cent. per annum (payable on 4th March),
amounting for the half-year to £55,617 135., and leaving a
balance of £2,291 10s. 6d. to be carried forward. The
dividend for the corresponding half of 1869 was at the
rate of 5 per cent per annum, with a balance of
£2,064 Bs. ld.
The annual general meeting of the shareholders of the
Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company,
(Limited) will be held on the 28th inst., at which the dir-
ectors will propose a cash dividend of 245., in addition to
the ad-interum dividend, and a bonus of' £3 per share out
of the Submarine Telegraph Shares property, held by the
Company, to be realised under the supervision of trustees.
The Transfer Book will be closed from the 18th to the 28th
inst.
The report of the Marseilles, Algiers, and Malta Tele-
graph Company (Limited), to be presented on the 21st
instant, states that the gross revenue from the opening of
the line to the 31st of December, 1870, amounted to
£4,091, and the expenditure to £1,354, leaving £2,737,
which the directors propose to carry forward.
The report of the Great Southern and Western Railway,
to be submitted to the meeting of shareholders on Satur:
day next, shews a decrease on the half-year ending the
31st of December in the number of passengers and of
cattle, bus an increase of goods traffic to the extent of
£5,500, as compared with the last six months of 1869, and
a total increase of £4,670. The increase in the carriage of
goods is a sign of commercial activity which is noticed
with especial satisfaction. A dividend of 5 per cent. on
the original stock of the company will be declared. The
company propose to buy the Waterford and Limerick
line, and have agreed to purchase the Cork and Limerick

direct.
g of shareholders of the London
At the annual meeting
General Omnibus Company (Limited), to be held on the
7th of March, a dividend of 3s. per share, or 7i per cent.
per annum, free of income tax, will be declared.
The following has been received from the Taquuil Gold
Mining Company (Limited) :—Produce for December,
2,138 oitavas. Better expected for January."
A prospectus has been issued of the London Co-
operative Society (Limited) with a capital of .220,000 in
shares of £l.

LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE.-WEDNESDAY,

LATEST PRICES.-AFTER OFFICIAL HOUlti

The prices under the lines indicate the business done.

GOVERNMENT SECURITIES.

Three per Cent Consols 919 92 Viet 6p c Jan &July 1891 113 114
921, 19. 2 DoApril&Oet 1883-85.. 112 113
Do for Account
919 Viol spo Jan& JulylB9l. 10141024
Three per Cent Reduced 921 921 icli
921, 2, ii Brazilian. 1865, 5p o .... 934 944
New 3 per Cent
92/, 2, 1 Egyptian 1862, 7po .. .. 53 85
Exchequer Bills, March 2 7pm
841
30 pm Do Rail Deben 7p a .. 99 100
Do, June
Italian, 1865. 5 p a
7s pm
Bank Stock ......... .. . Peruvian. 1805. 5p o
2451 91
India 5 per Cents ...... Portuguese 1869 39 o
1101, 91 321, 1
India 80nd5............ Russian. 1862. 5 P 0..
869, 1, 6
pm
Cam 6pa JandalylB77-84 10411051 Do Nicolas 4p o
105, 4. 41 64, 9,8/, 2
Do March &Sept. 105 107 Spanish
Do 69 0 Jan & July .. 98 99 301. 9. 9. 9. ft
981 Turkish, 1854, 6p a 79 81
Do Inscribed Stock .. 97 99 80
Dom of Can 5p e 1903 .. 99 11001 Do. 1805. 5p o •.. 4l/ 42
Ceylon 6 p c May and 421 19, 2, 19, 9
November 1878 lO7 109 Do, 1885 6p 0 ........ 60 62
Mauritius t. p c Jan and • 611, 601. 9, 2
July 1873 lO3 105 U. 5.5-20 llowis,ti p o 1333 91 91i
New BWalessp 01871-76 lOO 101 93 1, it
New Zealand 6p c 1891 lOB 110 Do do 1885 901 90!
Dosllo
99 Do 10-40 Bildt', 59 3 1916 874 88
1)o 5p c Consolidated 99 100 ErleSha, 100 dols, all paid
995. 4,1,
I Illinois Central Shares .. 109 110
iDo 6p c Max &Sept 1891 109 111 1099, 4
Do June & 13e01891 108 110 Atlantic aud It Con _"1081 Mortgage B(I ond W s