The Sun.
London, England, 1870-06-24 00:00:00

MODERN BRIGANDAGE.

The recent Greek affair in the matter of brigandage has
compelled many persons to ask themselves the question
whether there is any such thing as modern civilization ?
It has induced others to put to themselves the question—
a question, perhaps, more logical than the preceding—
whether there is any hope of resuscitating a race once civi-
lised, but since reduced to barbarism? This latest Greek
affair has done more to fix the Greeks as a barbarous race
than all the sympathy and sentiment of the Philhellenists
(Lord Byron and Mr. Gladstone included) ever did to
give them a new lease of life. Spain has caught the
contagion, and Spain gives fair promise to outstrip
Greece in the downward course. The Robin Hood
and the Rob Roy class of men had some re-
deeming traits of character. They came in their natural
place. These Greek and Spanish brigands—and under
the word " Spanish " we include all the hybrid
races on the southern portion of our Continent—what
better now are Greeks and Spaniards than the Indians of
our forests and prairies ? We, perhaps, tell the whole
truth when we say that Greeks and Spaniards, Italians
and Indians have had the one opportunity which is given
to a people. They are now down. Those brigand pro-
pensities reveal their character. What reason have we to
hope for such people? Is not all our sympathy for the
dying races more or less of a mistake ?—New York
Times.

It is stated that the Observer has changed hands;
and that the purchase money was £5,000.

The Manchester Guardian says that the junior
member for Salford, Mr. Charley, is suffering from
" serious indisposition."
Prince Arthur presented a new set of colours to
the 69th Regiment on Tuesday, at Quebec, and made a
speech complimenting it on its distinguished service.

A woman named Mary Surtees, 105 years old;
died at her residence, in Silver-street, Newcastle-on-Tyne;
on Monday. _

'Another young woman has died from the injuries
she sustained in escaping from the premises at New
`Wortley, near Leeds, which were destroyed by fire.

The Spanish Cortes has passed the bill for the
abolition of slavery. The Abolitionists will give a ban-
quet to Senor Castelar in acknowledgment of his recent
anti-slavery speech.

News received from the Red River settlements
state that the insurgent leader Riel still withholds his
assent to the provisions of the Manitoba Bill, but that no
serious obstacles are expected. -

The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty have
promoted Mr. Benjamin Bass Lee, of the Royal Victoria
Yard, Deptford, to be Chief Clerk at Malta with an
official residence.

The total number of messages forwarded from
postal telegraph stations in the United Kingdom during
the past week was 200,294, being an increase of 22,771 on
the previous week.
A. notification has been received at Chatham of the
intention of the authorities at the War Department to
break up the military lunatic hospital at Fort Pitt, the
patients, together with the whole of the hospital staff,
being transferred to Netley hospital.

The story which appeared a day or two since about
three gentlemen being drowned on the night of the
thunderstorm on their way from Richmond to London in
a boat is not true. No boat was hired at Richmond under
the circumstances stated.

It is probable that the Lynn Town Council will
offer the Earl of Derby the honorary dignity of the high
stewardship of that borough. It is also expected that
the day of the marriage of the noble earl will be celebrate
in Lynn as a general holiday.

It is said that all officers serving on board of ships
in the Channel Squadron are to be relieved when they
have served two years, and that where ships have been
in commission over two years new crews will be appointed
to them.

The King of Portugal has conferred the title of
viscount upon Mr. Francis Cook, the senior partner of
the firm of Messrs. Cook, Sons, and Co., of St. Paul's
Churchyard, London. Mr. Cook is the owner of a con-
siderable estate near Lisbon.

A telegram from Toronto states that news received
from the Red River Settlements assert that the insurgent
leader Riel still withholds his assent to the provisions of
the Manitoba Bill ; but that no serious obstacles are ex-
pected.

The Epocat of Madrid, states that the Queen of
Portugal, has gained great popularity among all classes at
Lisbon, because she is believed to be hostile to Marshal
de Saldanha. But such is not the case with her husband,
King Louis. As to his father, Don Fernando, he keeps
himself completely apart from politics.
THE SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH TO INDIA.—Last
evening a large assembly was held at Mr. Pander's resi-
dence, A rlington-street, Piccadilly, to inagurate the
opening of the submarine telegraphic communication
between England and India. The Prince of Wales
honoured the party with his presence, and invitations
were issued to the whole of the foreign Ambassadors and
ministers in England, to a representative of every country,
and to some hundreds of the aristocracy. During the
evening messages were forwarded to the Viceroy of India,
the President of the United States, and to many leading
persons in Europe, to which replies were returned in a
brief period.

WAGES IN THE COTTON TRADE.—A meeting of
delegates, representing the hands in fifty-five cotton mills,
has been held at Bolton, to receive the answer of the
employers to the demand for an increase of 5 per cent. in
the wages. The statement made to the operatives was
that no meeting of the Masters' Association had been held,
but that they were, as a rule, unfavourable to the advance.
A resolution was adopted, declaring that, in the opinion
of tht operatives, the employers were in a position
to give the increase claimed, and, further, that every
legitimate effort should be used to obtain it. To
this end a committee was deputed to take further
action.

THE POPE ON LIBERAL CATHOLICS.—The Univers
publishes the reply of the Pope to the allocution which
Cardinal Patrizzi addressed to him on the twenty-fifth
anniversary of his election to the Papacy. In this the
Pope expresses himself strongly against the Liberal Catho-
lics and against certain bishops' sentinels established by God
to watch over the safety of the people who forget their
duty to the Church, in order to follow the theories of the
age. He adds that the evils and errors have not yet
reached their limit. There are some who burn incense to
the goddess of reason, and will not submit their judgment
to faith, nor allow that science should be governed by revela-
tion, others who do not go so far as that live under the tyranny
of certain men who revere what they. call public opinion,
even when it is opposed to what is right, just, or holy, a
great part of the errors of our time proceed from igno-
rance, but who can dissipate that ignorance or lighten,
that darkness, except the Holy See and its devoted fol-
lowers? They alone can eradicate the errors which dwell
in the minds of those who do not recognise the tendency
of certain principles and the peril of certain doctrines.