The Sun.
London, England, 1870-12-26 00:00:00

Tin, SUN, LONDON, MONDAY, DECEMBER 26, iB7O.

MR. BRIGHT AND THE FENIAN
PRISONERS.

Referring to the coincidence between Mr. Bright's re-

tirement and the release of the Fenian prisoners, the
Manckester Examiner reminds its readers of a speech Mr. 7
Bright made at the O'Donoghue banquet in Manchester
in 1867. On that occasion Mr. Bright said :—"The
measures connected with the Church and with the land •
once passed through Parliament, once haVing received
the royal assent, every Irishman in the low-
liest cabin would feel a new hope and a new
life. Spring and summer, which are soon to some,
would not more revive the herbage on her fields than
these grand measures of justice would restore harmony
and loyalty in Ireland. I believe, after years of con-
sideration, and much reading and much study of- the
question, that we might rely on the sovereign remedy of
justice to heal the wounds and remove the discontent of
Ireland. .When those measures were passed—but proba-
bly it is but a dream ; but if I were a Minist,r in this
country, having influence over this country—if I were
in a position so responsible and so powerful—an evtrava-
gant figure of speech doubtless—but which, for the sake
of my argument, I may be permitted to use—if these
measures were once passed —were once the law of the
empire--then I would throw open the prison doors, and
let every political prisoner free, and I would trust
the rights of the Crown of this kingdom with
an unfaltering faith to that sense of loyalty which
would be begotten by the magnanimous justice of the
Imperial Parliament." The Examiner adds :--`, Mr.
Bright's "dream" has become a fact. He has been
clothed with the power and responsibility of a Cabinet
Minister ; he has aided in achieving the reforms thus
eloquently prefigured, and before retiring from his office
ho has fulfilled his pledge; the prison doors are thrown
open, and the prisoners are free. He has done his part
towards realising his anticipations ; we believe that Ire-
land will do the rest."

LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND THE STAGE.

The Athenceum says :—We are glad to learn that a
volume of memorials of the late Mr. Charles Boner,
author of " Chamois Hunting in the Mountains of Ba-
varia, Transylvania, &c." is in the press, and will pro-
bably be published in January. Amongst other interest-
ing matters, it will contain a series of letters written

to Mr. Boner by Miss Mitford, extending over
several years, and marked by many charac-
teristic sayings about friends and contemporaries.—
Among the forthcoming Christmas books will be one by
Mr. Whymper, on the Alps, copiously illustrated by Mr.
Mahoney and other artists. In it Mr. Whymper will,
for the first time, give a complete account of that first
ascent of the Matterhorn, which was attended
by such fatal consequences.— The " Life of
Richard Trevithick, " the engineer, by Mr. Francis
Trevithick, is understood to be ready for the press.—
We learn from the New York Nation that the quarterly
Record of the New York Genealogical and Biographical
Society is to be enlarged, and the subscription price wil
be raised to two dollars per annum.—Of nearly 1,3)0
students who were attending the University of Munich
last summer, little over 600 are now pursuing their studies
there—a proof of the effects of the war in Germany. --
The Exhibition for Art and Industry, at Athens, has been
opened. Professor Bussakis, the new rector of the
University, has inaugurated his term of office by a lecture
"On the Progress of Natural Science in Greece."—We
are glad to hear that there is every reason to hope that
Sir R. I. Murchison will soon be completely restored
to health. Sir Roderick expects to be able, within a
very few days, to enter once more into communication
with the officials of the Royal Geographical Society.—
Mr. Woolner has nearly completed a statuette, companion
to " Elaine," which we described some time ago, and
which has been since exhibited. The new work repre-
sents the Laureate's Queen Guinevere, by a stately figure,
slight but finely formed, mall ample contours, standing
at her full height, and drawing back, by a very
effective action, part of her robe, so that her next move-
ment may be free. A more important work is the
large alto-relief in marble of Virgilia, " the gra-
cious Silence," wife of " Coriolanus, seated, sorrowfully
musing, on a bench, after her husband's departure.—
Some inquiries have been made about M. Gustave Dord's
whereabouts. and fears entertained that he had shared the
fate of M. Otto Weber and others, who have d'ed for
their country. Many friends and admirers of M. Dort
will be glad to learn that he is reported to be in Paris and
unharmed. A French journal, describing one of the sub-
ordinate incidents of the late sortie from the capital, stated
that the artist in question was seen among the crowd,
watching the return of the wounded defenders of the city.
We understand that in January the first number of a new
Art Quarterly will make its appearance under the editor-
ship of the Rev. S. Baring-Gould. It will bear the title
of the Sacristy, and will contain essays and criticisms upon
church architecture, and ezclesiastical art generally ; the
subject being treated not only ecclesiologically, but also
practically in regard to modern usage. Since the Ecclesiolo-
gist ceased to be published, there has been no periodical in
England upon this subject.—The Dublin Evening Mail an-
nounces the discovery of what is said to be the first Runic
inscription ever found in Ireland. The discovery was
made at the opening of a tumulus on the estate of Lord
Rathdonnel, at Gernon's Town, County Louth. Among
the many objects which were brought to light was a
bronze sword which bore the inscription in Runic
characters, interpreted as meaning " Tomri of Solshof owns
this sword." Readers of Irish history will remember that
Tomri, or Tomar, was the name also of the owner of that
"collar of gold " which Moore says Malachi " won from the
proud invader." The sword has been sent to Copen-
hagen for further examination of the Runic characters.—
A brief memoir of Beethoven, by Elliott Grame, has ap-
peared at a right moment, and, although a compilation
from the previous works of Schindler, Ries, Wegelar,
Marx, and Thayer, will be useful for reference to those
who wish to have a complete classification of Beethoven's
works.—Dr. Westland Marston and Mr. W. G. Wills,
the author of " The Man o' Airlie," are engaged upon a
romantic drama, which is now almost completed.—
Negotiations are in active progress which afford reason-
able expectation that the Alexandra Palace will be opened
in the course of next year for musical performances.
When this undertaking begins, there will be three great
buildings available for music, namely, the Royal Albert
Hall in the west, the Alexandra, in the north, and the
Crystal Palace, in the south, a competition by which
amateurs will gain, whatever may be the result for the
shareholders.
It is stated that Mr. Smiles, author of " Lives of the
Engineers," and other well-known works, is about to
undertake the biography of the late Mr. Brassey.
The Church Herald has received a report that the health
of the Archbishop of Canterbury is not so good as it was
when his Grace left England.
MajorPalliser, C. 8., has been elected associate member
of Council of the Institute of Civil Engineers, vice Colonel
Clarke, C. 8., retired.

The Captain Committee will assemble at the Admiralty,
Whitehall, on or about the 4th of January.
A military contemporary learns that the Army Esti-
mates will not be laid before Parliament in any manner
out of the ordinary routine, and that they will not be. of
any extraordinary character.
A movement is being made to tarn the war
refugees to account by taking measures for encouraging
the settlement of all such as can introduce new manu-
facturing processes, so as to realise some of the results of
the former Walloon and French immigrations.

. NEW LIGUT FOR PHOTOGRAPHY.—Enteiprishiq
Photographer : "I will do my best for you, ladies ; but I
should have been able to do you more justice had you
come at the tim a appointed." (Withdraws to prepare).—
Young Lady : " What a fuss he makes about the light ! I
don't believe it makes a bit of difference."—Old Lady :
"No ; 't'aint as if he were an old man. He is quite
young, and his eyes are good."
Several meetings have been held in London during
the week, at which strong resolutions and memorials to
Mr. Gladstone were adopted on the subject of Rome. The
conduct of Victor Emmanuel was denounced, and Mr.
Gladstone's letter was complained of as not holding forth
any hope that the British Government intended to inter-
fere. The Catholics were called upon to refuse to vote for
. any Par iatnentary candidate opposed to the restoration of
the Pope.

rniE PRUSSIANS IN HAM.—The Glaneur of St.
Quentin says that the Prussians retqok Ham with little
difficulty. For some days previously there had been no
troops in the town, but on Saturday they suddenly re-
turned, some of them armed with pickaxes, spades, and
hatchets, It was a market day, and a regular panic pre
vailed among the sellers, who abandoned their goods and
fled precipitately. Patrols went over the town, and kept
guard while the main body refreshed themselves. In the
evening the whole troop went off. The object of the
Prussian visit to Ham was supposed to be to protect the
requisitions that were being made in their name in the
neighbouring Communes.
The latest novelty in job printing has just been
executed by a printer in tne City, who had an order from
a baker to print a number of bill-heads on three different
coloured papers, viz., red, green, and white. The object
of this, we have been informed, was to avoid giving mes-
sages or instructions to the man who delivered the bread,
flour, &c., to the customeos. To prevent mistakes, when
the bill is made out upon a red paper, it denotes "Danger,"
and he was not to leave the goods without the cash; if
a green, it denoted " Caution," as the customer was doul,t-
ful, and the man was to get the money if he could, but to
intimate that no further credit could be given; if on a
white, it was safe to leave any quantity.
CAN I AFFORD IT ?—Pay your Stationer 6d. for a reply.
Map of the World gratis in all Letts's Office Diaries. Letti's
6d. and ls. Diaries give most value for your money. Lett.,'s
Housekeepers and Ladies' Diaries are much unproved. Letts's
Invisible ink for Paeal Cards, 6d. per bottle. •

NAVAL AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE. '
The Ue Wel Service Gazette says : —We learn that some
gunboats for coast defence are to be immediately laid
down at Hasler yard.—Captain A. R. M. Wood, Cold-
stream Guards, has been appointed aide-do-camp to Major-
General Newton, commanding at Dublin.
The Army and 14avy Gazette says the promotion
of Colonel Claremont to the rank of Major-Ge-
neral has, for several reasons, given general satisfac-
tion. It may be remembered that Colonel Clare-
mont, who is now en route to England from Versailles,
passed out of Paris with the last batch of English, but
voluntarily returned, and remained in the city for several
weeks in attendance on Captain Hare, naval attach 6, who
was too seriously ill to be moved. Captain Horn, is ve'y
unwell. He only lately left Paris, and with the sanction
of the English Government, lie has located himself in the
city now occupied by the German headquarters.—We are
pleased to hear on all sides most favourable accounts of )
the working of the new system of garrison instruction, •
inaugurated in July last. The value of the system to the
army of the future can scarcely be over-rated ;
and it is gratifying to think that it has been
introduced under such favourable auspices, and
promises to prove so beneficial to the service at large.—
A. proposal is now under consideration of the proper
authorities that all candidates for the naval medical pro-
fession shall be allowed to proceed to Netley, there to take
advantage of the instruction provided by the admirable
school which is to be found at that institution. It is in-
tended that the gentlemen nominated for the military,
naval, and Indian medical services shall enjoy equal privi-
leges during their term of residence. Space will not per-
mit us this week to print s letter which Vice-Admiral Sir
Spencer R ,binson addressed to Mr. Childers in reply to
the minute, which has already appeared.
The Broad Arrow says :—" Nothing is finally decided
respecting the pension of Mrs. Cowper Coles.—We stated
some time since, when Colonel Layard resigned the ap-
pointment held by him in the establishment of the Nawab
Nazim of Bengal, that no successor would be appointed.
It is true that his Highness was desirous to have the ser-
vices of Lieutenant-Colonel Bigge, formerly of the 70th
Foot, in a similar capacity, but the India Office authori-
ties will not hear of such an arrangement ; consequently
our former statement is confirmed.—ln consequence
of the Christmas holidays, the Military Secretary
will not hold a lev4e until after the 27th inst.—
The estimate taken out for the cost of the iron ballast of
the Vanguard is about £1,500. We believe all this class
of vessels will also be rigged with fore and aft sails, as,
under the mosttSfavourable circumstances, the Vanguard
in her trial did not exceed six knots with all possible
sail, and seldom made above four knots, either under
reduced or full sail. This at once proves the absurdity
of rigging ships of her class with such heavy masts,
spars, and sails to such little purpose, and yet involving
such great expense. In all probability the Vanguard,
after undergoing alterations, will again proceed on a
trial cruise, in company with the Iron Duke.—Every
officer's vacancy in all the branches of the
Naval Service was filled up on the 16th instant.—
With reference to the announcement recently made by us
that a schema was on foot for reducing the military head-
quarter Staff in Ireland, we may state generally the pro-
bability that the offices of Assistant Military Secretary,
Deputy-Adjutant-General, and Deputy Quartermaster-
General at Dublin, as at present constituted, will be
abolished, and a Chief of the Staff appointed with the
title of Deputy Adjutant-General. The clerical
arrangement of the amalgandted offices will, it
is said, consist of one chief clerk and assistant
to the Chief of the Staff at £6OO a year ; four first-class
clerks at £4OO a year, and six second-cless clerks at
£2OO a year.—The 68th Regiment, which arrived at
Portsmouth on Wednesday in her Majesty's ship Croco-
dile, have all of them the Enfield percussion rifle, and as
regiments coming from India bring no ammunition with
them, it would be thought that on board the troopships
' there would be suitable ammunition for the rifles carried
by the regiments, but instead of this the troopships only
carry Snider ammunition. In precarious times like the
present, the Naval or War Office authorities should at-
tend to these details, as the destination of regiments at
any time is liable to be changed, and if orderedto disembark
at any foreign wort without suitable ammunit;on the state
I of things would nut be creditable to any department.
News from the Mediterranean brings a sad account of the
position of her Majesty's ship Psyche, and very little
hopes are entertained of saving her, but probably all her
stores will be safely removed from her. A Departmental
Committee is now sitting at the Admiralty, consisting of
Lieutenant-Colonel Clarke, R.E., C. 8., Captain G. 0.
Willes, R.N., C. 8., Lieutenant - Colonel Williams,
R.M.L.1., Deputy Adjutant-General, with Mr. Alfred
Whitehouse, R.N., as secretary, to inquire into the best
mode of raising a continuous supply of seamen for the
Royal Navy.