The Sun.
London, England, 1871-02-01 00:00:00

MR. CHILDERS.'

The First Lord of the Admiralty has gone for a short
cruise in the Black Eagle, for the restoration of his
health, which is rapidly improving. It is quite
untrue that he has gone to the Mediterranean. On the
contrary, Mr. Childers's trip will not extend beyond a
short distance, within reach of telegraph and post.—Morn-
ing PoBt.

CONSERVATIVE BANQUET AT SHREWS

BURY.
(CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAM.)

A great Conservative demonstration took place at
Shrewsbury yesterday. The number of guests at the
banquet was about 300, and included nearly all the lead-
ing Conservatives in the county. Mr. Kenyon, Q. C.,
presided, and amongst the company were Mr. Straight,
M.P., Mr. Figgins, M.P., Mr. Ormsby-Gore, M.P.,
General Percy Herbert, M.P., Colonel Clive, M.P.,
General Forester, M. P., Viscount Newport,
M. P., Sir Baldwin Layton, Sir C. R.
Boughton, and Sir H. Hartage. Viscount
Newport, in proposing the first toast, said Conservatism,
as proved by the acts of the party, meant safe progress, a
fact which was clearly established by the passing of the
Reform Bill. He believed that when the army and the
navy had been put in a proper condition the country
would recognise the wisdom of the Conservative party,
which had protested against that exercise of a forced
economy which had now rendered necessary the
increase of the army at an enormous cost.—
General Forester, M.P., replying to the toast
of " The Army and Navy," said that the " peace
at any price " party had reduced the country to such a
state that at the outbreak of the present war it could not
have sent 30,000 troops into the field. He took the oppor-
tunity of warning the country against the aggressive cha.
ratter of the policy of Prussia.—Mr. Ormsby Gore,M.P.,
condemned the cheeseparing economy of the present
Government, and contended that the feeling of the coun-
try was adverse to the Government. —Colonel Percy Herbert
M.P., called attention to the momentous issues that might
arise from the army and navy not being in a proper state
of preparation. He commented strongly upon the fact
that the War Minister had been unable to raise 20,000
men during the period in which Prussia had been achiev-
ing a series of victories unexampled in history.—Colonel
Corbett, M.P., protested against the present organisation
of the Militia, and insisted that a great change in that
direction should be immediately made.—Mr. Straight and
Mr. Figgins, the members for Shrewsbury, were received
with great enthusiasm, and delivered effective speeehes.

THE MEMBERS FOR SOUTH LEICESTER-

SHIRE.

(CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAM.)

Last night Mr. Albert Pell, M.P., and Mr.
William Unwin Heygate, M.P., the members for
South Leicestershire, attended a dinner of the
Lutterworth Conservative Association. In replying
to the toast of " The Members for South Leicester-
shire,"Mr. Pell said he had no desire to see his own party
in power, as it would be much more powerful in
opposition. Referring to military affairs, he con-
tended that it was sufficient for England to have
an army equal to maintaining- her position at home and
her colonial possessions, and resisting any invasion that
might be attempted. The voluntary principle
ought to be introduced into the military estab-
lishments of this country. The navy, he conside red, was
defective, and he trusted that when Parliament assembled
the Government would be called to account for the loss of
the Captain, which had been caused by gross mismanage-
ment. Mr. Pell said he should not oppose the Ballot, and
denounced the disestablishment of the Irish Church,
and the Irish Land Bill. He advocated middle-class
education, and felt sure all would unite in aiding Govern-
ment to show their ability in the reconstruction of the
military forces of England as they had shown their
destructiveness in Ireland.

Mr. Heygate regretted that the Education Act had not
passed in the form in which it was introduced into the
House of Commons, and considered that Mr. Forster
had been sadly abused by his party, who had
received a very liberal measure. As to the
reorganisation of the army, he considered that
the country was too ewe -11 y frightened, and too liable
to fits of economy and extravagance. He did not sym-
pathise with those Radical gentlemen who desired to
plunge England into war, and thought with
Lord Derby that we should consider the scope
and intention of our policy, the protection of
our country and colonies, and the observance
of.treaty obligations before we decided upon army reform.
Mr. Heygate denounced the Irish policy of the Govern-
ment as a miserable failure, and argued in favour of local
taxation and of placing upon the Consolidated Fund cer-
tain charges which were of an Imperial character.

Eighty lives have been lost by the explosion
of the steamer Arthur on the Mississippi on Saturday
last.

Baron Hambro has transmitted a donation of £lOO
to the committee of the French Benevolent Society
(Soci6te Francaise de Bienfaisance).

In the February number of Good Words Tenny-
son's poem, " The Mist, and the Pain," from the " Songs
of the Wrens," is reprinted with the music of Arthur
Sulliyan.
.• . ,

A subscription list for the relief of those left destitute
by the recent colliery explosion at Renishaw, near Ecking-
ton, has been opened. Over £l,OOO have already been
obtained.