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

ME REV. NE WNI AN:HALL ON' THE-FALL'

OF PARIS.

The Merchants' Lecture was delivered on Tuesday at
the Weigh House Chapel, London, by the Rev. Newman
Hall, LL.B., who took for his subject " Christ weeping
over Jerusalem." Before proceeding to the discussion of
the topic itself, he referred to the state of Paris, and
appealed for help on behalf of its suffering inhabitants.
Christianity might well blush, he said, to see two
nations boasting allegiance t ) its Founder, in the
nAme of the Prince of Peace, engaged in mutual
slaughter. It might be hoped that, as one result,
there would arise a universal horror of war. God
grant that the two nations so wasted by war would
set the example of disarmament ; and that Great Britain
especially—first in commerce and civilisation and religion
—having sufficiently proved her bravery in many wicked
and needless wars of the past, might be foremost in pro-
claiming that our regal Republic, our democratic Empire,
was Peace, and our watchword " The Brotherhood of
Nations." But if we held aloof from the strife we should all
the more let it be seen we were not heartless and selfish spec-
tators Of the woes of others. Much had been done for
the wounded of both armies. At the present moment
attention was specially directed to Paris. During many
weeks the death rate had been three times the average,
and this was caused by the want of those articles specially
needed by the young, the aged, and the sick. No doubt
the sufferings of the citizens had not been fully known.
Food was nearly exhausted. Though trade was opened
and speculators were bdsy: and though the German armies
were supplying Paris from their own stores, there would
be prodigious suffering. And here it was to be noticed as
a redeeming feature that this siege was quite unlike any
that preceded the Christian era. No one supposed the
conquerors would sack the city, outrage tho people, and
devastate the streets with fire and sword. Capitulation
meant preservation, not destruction—food, instead of
famine, and food supplied by the conqueror. Yet the
suffering must be great. The strong, the clamorous, the
rich might seize, beg, or buy. *But there would be multi-
tudes of weak women, aged persons, little children, and
sick, to whom food must be carried, and not such food
simply as might suffice for the strong and healthy, but
those delicacies which the feeble need, and on which life
or death depended. A morning journal which, with
other papers, had distinguished itself by an eloquent
advocacy of the canse of the sufferers, computed, in that
morning's leading article, that at least £200,000 worth of
food would be required daily for the supply of Paris, and
spoke of the battle going on between famine and coinpas-
sion for the lives of many thousands. It was not in vain
that appeals were made on behalf of a city so vast, so
beautiful, so populous, so near and neighbourly, within a
few hours of our own doors, and which so many of us had
visited. There were special reasons why we should shew
our neighbours that if we did not interpose as
combatants it was not because we had not felt for them.
The less we had done politically, the more we should do
Philanthropically. It was not for us to sit as judges on
Paris. If she were wicked, who would say that London
was without fault ? If she were punished for her sins,
might it not be as a warning, lest, unless we repented, some
signal judgment might befal ourselves? It was not our
province to judge ; but it was our privilege and our duty
to sympathise and to succour, in the spirit of Him who,
when He beheld the city " wept over it." At the close
of the sermon, the reverend gentleman stated that, while
larger sums would be received at the mansion House,
no doubt some gentlemen present would hold hats at th e
door for small contributions. A sum of £7 was thus
obtained.

A veteran named. Edward Couch, who was 110
years of age, died at Torpoiut on Monday. The deceased
was one of the crew of the Victory at the battle of
Trafalgar, and was also present with Lord Howe at the
action of the " glorious Ist of June," 1791. During his
latter years he enjoyed a pension from Government, and
his memory continued good until his death.
DEATH OF A SCOTTISH VOCALIST.--Miss Helen
Kirk, who was immensely popular 'in almost every town
in Scotland by her admirable rendering of Scottish songs
and ballads, died in Glasgow on Monday.
SMALLPDX IN NEW YORK.—The Sanitary In-
spector of New York has to report that smallpox is on
the increase in that city and is diffused in widely different
parts of it. There were seven deaths from this disease in
the last week of 1870 and twelve in the, first week of 1871;
froin scarlet fever 85 and 99 deaths in the two weeks
respectively.

ME. AYRTON, M.P., AND THE CONTAGIOUS
DISEASES ACTS.—In reply to a request that he would
receive a deputation of Tower IT:.mlets electors favourable
to the repeal of the Contagious Diseases Acts, Mr. Ayrton
writes that he was almost the only member of the House
of Commons who protested against passing the Acts in
question ; but if, after that statement, it is thought neces-
sary by those who take an interest in the subject, he will
he ready to receive a deputation at any time.
SALE OF NEWSPAPERS IN THE STREETS.—The
Head Constable of Colchester, having inquired whether
selling weekly newspapers in towns and villages brings
persons so offering newspapers for sale within the opera-
tion of the Pedlar Acts, 1870, he is informed from the
Home Office that in Mr. Bruce's opinion the Act was
not intended to include such cases; and although carrying
newspapers from house to house, not for the mere purpose
of delivery, but for sale, might be an offence within the
Act, he does not suppose that such a practice existed ;
while the mere sale in the streets would not constitute an
offence.

THE LATE MR. THORNTON OF LONDON.—Mr.
Evans, a writer in the Gentleman's Magazine of this month
says :—" About two years ago I met Mr. Thornton in
what we call dividend time' in the City ; the
neighbourhood was Throgmorton-street, and he
was visiting establishments where he would have to
receive considerable sums from his investments. He
was, as usual, very cordial, and I asked him in a
good humoured manner what brought him so near the
locality of the Stock Exchange. 'I am obliged to come,'
he said, to look after my investments. You know, my dear
friend, you must look after the shillings, and then the
pounds will look after themselves.' But,' I said, 'my dear
Mr. Thornton, you talk of looking after the shillings and the
pounds ; why, you must reckon your fortune by at least
millions.' He rejoined, `So I do; but it wants careful
watching—careful watching.' He then intimated in a quiet,
jocose manner, that he reckoned himself worth about
£2,000,000 sterling—sufficient, he thought, to provide com-
fortably for his family, and leave something to the poor.
Now that his will has been proved within the last two
months, all he asserted has turned out thoroughly correct,
and he has not neglected to make seasonable donations
amongst the Yorkshire and other local dependants."
THE INVENTOR OF THE STEAM ENGINE.—
_

Devonshire claims to have given birth to the inventor o
the steam engine, Dartmouth being the locality. So
firmly persuaded has one of its inhabitants (Mr. Thomas
Lidstone, architect, located there), been of this fact—
which, like all facts concerning dead men of note, is dis-
puted in some circles—that, failing to enlist public
sympathy in a scheme he started in 1851, to erect a monu-
ment to this " Worthy of Devon," be was careful to
secure the interesting portions of his dwelling-house when
sold at auction by the Local Board of Health some time
since, and in 1868 began, and Is now on the point of com-
pleting, the rebuilding of the house, which, with additions
of antique timber-work of a similar character procured
from time to time in the old town and its neighbourhood,
makes an imposing edifice, and a worthy memorial of this
great man, whose inventive genius has so greatly stirred
the world and advanced civilization. It is to be hoped
1
that "Newcomin Cottage " and the " chimney-piece at
which Newcomin sat when he invented the steam-engine"
will never want a custodian worthy of the charge.
MAKE SURE OF A TENOR.—A. French impresario
was taking out to New Orleans an opera company, which,
by special agreement, was only to include one tenor.
Foreigners are usually bad sailors; and, for the first few
days, all the members of the company were sea-sick, one
of the effects of which malady, is that it weakens the
voice so much that people are frequently hoarse
for several days after their recavery. Accord-
ingly, as soon as the singers could crawl on
deck, they commenced to try their voices, and
amongst them the tenor, wbo, always anxious to occupy
a distinguished position, went on the bridge of the steamer
for the purpose. What was his surprise on hearing an
echo of his own voice—another tenor. His amazement
became disgust when he heard a third tenor running up
the scale—a fourth, a fifth. He looked forward, and saw
two men eyeing him and each other with intense hatred ;
he looked aft, and saw two more men similarly occupied.
The five tenors 'simultaneously made a rush below to the
manager's cabin, and demanded whether he had not
expressly stipulated to each of them that he was to be his
only tenor. " I know, I know," replied the manager ;
" and I will keep my word. You see, none of you have
been to New Orleans before, or you would understand.
When we arrive there, the yellow fever is sure to be rag-
ing, and, as you are fresh from Europe, two of you will
E probably he carried off before you land, and two more
during the rehearsals. One will probably survive : he
will be my first and only tenor."—"Professionals Abroad,"
in the Cornhill Magazine for February.