The Sun.
London, England, 1870-11-12 00:00:00

ST. PAUL'S MAGAZINE.

One of the more influential of our magazine's, St. Paul's,
has at length secured for itself writings from the
glowing pen of the brilliant author, George Mac-
donald. In every respect Mr. Macdonald's auto-
biographical story, " Wilfrid Cumbermede," gra-
tifies in its opening the sanguine expectations
of the readers who have before had the privilege afforded
them of studying this author's succinct and homely style.
".It has long been my opinion," says Wilfrid Cumber-
mode, the man, "that no one should attempt a history
of himself until he has set foal upon the border
land where the past and the future begin
to blend in a consciousness somewhat inde-
pendent of both, and hence interpreting both." Perhaps
some feeling of this kind has really had weight in
limiting Mr. George Macdonald's literary works to those
suited more to childish minds. Whether this be so or not
none will regret that the border land has at length been
reached when the charm might be revealed
of Mr. Macdonald's or Cumbermede's history. The
descriptive introduction to the narrative is quaintly
dashed off, but its language and imagery are touchingly
beautiful. The writer even in this work does not forget
his old friend the wind, which causes as much wonder
in him as the " wild, wild waves " always did
in another great delineator, many of whose charm-
ing pictures of life Mr. Macdonald appears
to have taken some lessons from. " The trees
were blowing," he says, " in my face, they made the wind
and threw it at me. I cannot look upon trees without a
certain indescribable, unaccountable awe. A grove was
to me for many years a fountain of winds, and in the
stillest day, to look into a depth of garnered stems filled
me with dismay ; for the whole awful assembly might,
writhing together In earnest and effectual contor-
tion, at any moment begin their fearful task of
churning the wind." " The Fisherman of Auge," a tale
of French interest, continues to afford delight to the
reader. French fishing village stories we shall soon be
quite accustomed :to. The innocent love- making and
pretty enchantments encircling domestic life in little
towns on the continent have proved themselves of value in
some half dozen magazines of late, in presenting a contrast
to the more brusque and exciting incidents and language ne-
cessary to English narratives. Articles on " The Prim try
Schools of Germany," and " Trial by Jury," are well
chosen at a season when discussions upon the education
question and the opening of the law courts are events en-
gaging attention. In " Ralph the Heir," one Ralph
Newton enters upon the ownership of the Newton estate,
while the other, crazed with the care of his father's death,
and crossed in love with Mary Bonner, wonders whether
the girl will allow the bark of his love to be an attendant
sail along the happy stream of time over which her life is
so quietly passing. A very satisfying number.

A Liverpool detective, named Maguire, Las appre-
hended in Zurich a young man named Jones, who recently
absconded from Liverpool with 21,000.
Mr. White, M.P., at the Mayor of Brighton's
banquet, on Wednesday, said that England had spent
£2,000,000 more than Prussia last year in warlike pre-
parations.
The Earl of Yarmouth, M.P., for the county
Antrim, son of the Marquis of Hertford, has had a fall
from his horse, and fractured a rib, when hunting with the
Chichester hounds. He was much bruised, but no serious
consequences are apprehended. He was taken to Park-
m mint, where he is on a visit to Lord Cairns.
METROPOLITAN GAS COMPANIES.— At a meeting of
the Metropolitan Board of Works yesterday it was re-
ported that at the request of Mr. Shaw Lefevre a deputa-
tion of the members had waited on that gentlement at the
office of the Board of Trade, when he stated that repre-
sentations had been made to him as to the desirability of
introducing a bill into Parliament in the next session for
promoting amalgamation amongst the existing gas com-
panies of the metropolis, and for obtaining uniformity of
price. After a long discussion, in which the inconvenience
of the present system was generally admitted, it was re-
solved that the solicitor of the Board be instructed to pre-
pare a bill accordingly.

ENGLAND AND TERRTORIAL
AGGRESSION.

Mr. Hugh Birley, M.P., speaking at a Conservative
workingman's meeting at Broughton, on Thursday night,
said he ventured to say that they had there no War
party. (Hear.) If' there was any exception whatever to
that, it consisted in what he believed to be a Mall
body of men—well meaning, he dared say, but he
thought misguided—in London who desired to induce
our Government to interfere actively on behalf of
France. He ventured to go further, and say, as regarded
the lust of empire and any desire to take the territories
of neighbouring states, there had been no war party ill
Great Britain for a generation. Our statesmen, both in
1814 and 1815, when they had so great power in
the councils of Europe, studiously abstained from
seeking any aggrandisement for this country, and
he ventured to think that much of the prestige
and credit which they still had in European councils
was due to the moderation which was then dis-
played. But our Government, about the close of the
session of Parliament, with the assent of the Legislature
and this country generally, entered into treaties both
with France and Germany by which they solemnly bound
themselves to maintain the integrity and neutrality of
Belgium. They did this, not only because they felt it WO
their duty 'to uphold the treaties which they had
formerly entered into for the protection of that king-
dom, but also because they believed that if Belgium
should have fallen a prey to France or Germany it would
have been a menace and danger for this country
This treaty was advisedly entered into by the Cabinet,
and the Cabinet contained among its members a gentle-
man well known in these parts—one, perhaps, of the
greatest advocates of the peace policy that could possiblY
be named. He meant the President of the Board of
Trade, Mr. Bright, who, although his health had pre-
vented him from taking any active part in the debates and
in the proceedings of Parliament and of the Government
during last session, and during the holidays, must still, he
supposed, be held responsible for what his colleagues had
done with his sanction.

TRAINING OF OFFICERS OF THE RESERVE

FORCES.

It is a good resolution to provide for a systematic train-
ing of the officers of the reserve forces, and to place the in'
struction in the hands of well qualified officers
of the regular army. If the militia and•
volunteers are to be effective, and competent
to co-operate with the regular forces, they must
be commanded by officers educated more or less in the
same school as those of the professional army; and,
although the time given to their training must be short,
yet it may be made substantial and effective. The Secre-
tary of State for War has recognised this need, and, peed
ing, as we hope, a comprehensive scheme for the organi-
sation of the reserve forces, has instituted schools for
the instruction of the officers of the militia and
volunteers at Woolwich, Chatham, Aldershot, Glasgow,
London, and Manchester—the two first being designed
fur the instruction of the artillery and engineers, and the
other garrisons for that of the infantry officers. These
schools are under the direction of officers, assisted by non-
commissioned officers, who are expected in a month's
time to give a competent knowledge of the ridiments of
their profession to those under their instruction. Per-
mission will be given to prolong the course for a second
month ; but during that time the officers are not entitled
to draw the allowance of ss. per day given to those who
after a month's training receive the necessary certificates.
These certificates vary according to the nature of the
service, whether artillery, engineer, or infantry, and
according to the rank of tle officer—a certificate for e,
field officer being necessarily more comprehensive than
that for a captain.—Pall Mall Gazette.