The Sun.
London, England, 1870-10-14 00:00:00

METROPOLITAN GOSgiP.—THuBsD AY.

The statement in to-day's Morning Post that the Queen
has given her consent to the marriage of the Princess
Louise to the Marquis of Lorne will excite no little sur-
prise and sonic incredulity. But the marriage of a mem-
ber of the Royal Family , with a subject is
not without precedent. The last which received
the sanction of the Sovereign was that of James 11.
when Duke of York, to the daughter of Lord Clarendon.
Several of the sons of George 111. married subjects, but
the King forgetting in his old age the love which he had
borne in his youth for a certain fair Quaker would never
sanction or recognise these marriages.. His grand-
daughter has shewn herself less precise. The
Queen has always exhibited the utmost courtesy
and kindness to the Cecilia Letitia Underwood,
whom the late Duke of Sussex married. Though it was
not thought prudent to repeal the Royal Marriages Act,
the Queen bestowed upon her aunt the title of Duchess of
Inverness, and assigned her a residence in the royal palace
of Kensington. It is, therefore, not incredible that the
Queen has consented to the marriage of her fourth
daughter with tho young Marquis of Lorne. The
Princess is the most pleasing member of the royal family,
so far as personal beauty is concerned. The young
Marquis is decidedly good looking, and strikingly like his
father. He is also fairly clever, and though still only
twenty-five, wrote a book some four or five years ago,
which shewed considerable powers of observation. It
will be remembered that last year one of
the Duke of Argyll's daughters was married
to Earl Percy ; thus the ducal house of Northumberland
will once more be brought into relationship with the royal
family as it was in Tudor times. There is one other cir-
cumstance worth mentioning in connection with this

interesting topic. A few years ago the Duke of Argyll,
who is the happy father of a dozen children, put one of his
sons in business, contending that the old barrier
between the peerage and mercantile life ought to be
broken down. Probably he did not then foresee the
honour which awaited him, nor imagined that by taking
that step he would be giving a Royal Princess a wine-
merchant for her brother-in-law. Both events teach the
same lesson. The one that the peerage is seeking to
strengthen itself by alliance with the middle-class; the
other that Royalty is seeking to strengthen itself by
alliance with the peerage. The event just announced is,
therefore, full of political import. And surely this pro-
jected marriage is better than one with a beggarly
German princeling.
By a singular coincidence Lord St. Leonards has twice
had an opportunity of reading his own biography. His
_Leath was announced at Christmas 1866, and se-al-al
papers published an obituary before they disco-
vered that it was his lordship's son who
had died. No explanation has yet been offered
of the present announcement. But it is not diffi-
cult to account for it. Lord St. Leonards has for some
months been the victim of a series of hoaxes. Several
weeks ago a telegram was sent to his daughter
at Torquay, summoning her instantly to her
father who was said to be dying, whereas he was hale and
hearty. The present false report has probably a similar
origin. It was first published by the Guardian, which
received a letter purporting to come from Boyle Farm, his
lordship's country residence, and which letter announced
his death. •
No one who is in the habit of watching the direction of
public opinion in London can doubt that it has greatly
changed with regard to the war during the last fortnight.
There is still the same unshaken conviction that the

series of defeats sustained by France, and which culmi-
nated at Sedan, were a well-merited chastisement for the
flagitious crime of declaring hostilities against Germany.
But the dominant feeling now is that France has

suffered enough for her offence, and that it is time
for the victor to stay his hand. You will
discern this alteration in train, and 'bus, and
steamboat. Above all it is traceable in the

newspapers. The Spectator was the first of the influential
journals to cry " Hold, enough." Even the Bismarckian
Times and the Teutonic Daily News have felt the new im-
pulse. So long as it was a trial of strength between two
armies these journals were all agreed in wishing success
to the Germans. But now that it is no longer so, now
that France lies prostrate at the feet of her conqueror,
now that not only her military resources, but
her political institutions have utterly collapsed,
now that every one of her cities is in
danger of being occupied, and the capital is in danger
of being wrecked as Strasburg was, now that her chief and

almost sole colony is revolting against her, and now that
her Government is in a state of chaotic discord, English-
men are moved to pity, and say that there has been
enough of "blood and iron," and that it is time for Bis-
marck to devise some means of bringing the war to a close.
It must not be supposed that this change is due solely to
that irrational instinct which sympathises with the
weaker side merely because it is weak, and
regardless of whether it be right or wrong.
Englishmen, at all events English Liberals, who
form nine-tenths of the population of London, are in-
fluenced by much more worthy considerations. They
know that in France a corrupt despotism has been over-
thrown, and that its place has been taken by a govern-
ment whose very incapacity to organise the military,
strength of the country would be one of the best guaran-
tees against future aggression. They believe that this
government, if left free to act, would prove liberal and
peaceable, and would develope the resources and establish
the political liberties of the country. On the other hand
the arrest of Dr. Jacoby merely for venturing to express
his disapproval of the annexation of Alsace and
Lorraine against the wishes of the inhabitants
has produced a most painful effect upon English Liberals.
So long as it was the act of a testy old general merely, they
did not attach much importance to it ; but now that it has
been expressely approved and endorsed by Bismarck, and,
it is to be presumed, by the King, they are painfully re-
minded of the fierce political struggle against the Van der
Heydt and Bismarck Cabinets, which lasted from March,
1862, until it was diverted by the Dano-
German war two years later. They are reminded,
too, of the famous Klinigsberg declaration of
October 18th, 1861, when King William declared at his
coronation that he would reign "by the grace of God."
And then they turn to the history of the years that suc-
ceeded Waterloo and read the miserable tale of royal per-
jury and crushing despotism which ruthlessly suppressed

all political freedom in Germany until the great uprising
of 1848, and they ask if the same shameful drama is to be
acted over again—if the German conquerors of France are
to become once more the oppressors of their own people.
Things are not going on very well at the Admiralty.
Between Mr. Childers and his naval colleagues there is by
no means the perfect harmony which should prevail. From
time to time there appear notices of Sir Spencer Robin-
son's intended retirement, and whenever they appear your
readers may understand that there has been squabbling,
and that the Controller of the Navy, as is his wont, has
been venting his vexation by the threat of throwing up his
post. It was thought a week or two ago that Mr.
Childers would retire. Mr. Gladstone, for one,
would have said farewell with dry eyes. The
truth is, the First Lord of the Admiralty has
not proved the success his admirers represent. The
sale of Deptford dockyard to an Italian person whom Mr.
Childers had formerly known in Australia, was not a very
remunerative transaction—for the nation that is. The
disclosures respecting the " Captain " which were made at
the court-martial, do not affect Mr. Childers individually
more than his other colleagues at Whitehall, but at the
same time it is notorious that the First Lord was a strong
advocate of the system which has proved so disastrous
a failure, though the other members of the Board, who
were practical men, disbelieved in it. Moreover, Mr.
Childers has repeatedly shewn himself grievously unin-
formed with regard to what has been going on in the
dockyards, and has not seldom conveyed to Parliament
information the reverse of correct, arising not, it may be
believed, from that incurable inaccuracy of mind which
characterised a predecessor of his, and which obtained
for him the sobriquet of " Ananias," but from inability
(itself perhaps the result of ill-health) to master all the
details of his department. Recent inquiries into the con-
dition of our newly built ironclads afford another reason
why a practical man should be at the head of the
Admiralty. The result of these inquiries has been
exceedingly disquieting, and there is every reason to be-
lieve that in a short time we shall hear of the appoint-
ment of a Royal Commission to investigate the sailing
and fighting capacities of our ships of war. Both points
need to be cleared up. The loss of the "Captain" is proof
as regards the first, the damage done to the " Hotspur "
when an experimental trial was made with her heavy gun—
damage far in excess of any description of it yet pub-
lished—is proof of the need of investigations as to the
second point.

There is much uneasiness with respect to the East,
ling the term in its largest sense. The purport of the

telegrams from China, sufficiently denotes the appre-
hensions which are felt. Every message is expected to
contain some disastrous tidings ; and there is a great sigh
of relief each time that news arrives without intelligence of
fresh massacres. Yet our government seems to be taking
no precautions, on behalf A the English residents in China.
On the contrary, there is reason to believe that it is going
to choose this critical period of our relations with
the Celestial Empire to reduce the embassy at Pekin to
a Consulate. The result will be, financially, a saving of
about £lO,OOO a year ; politically, an intimation to the
Peking Government that England does not greatly care
.what happens to her subjects. As regards the " East," in
the European meaning of the word, there is a very preva-
lent belief, which no denials in the semi-official St. Peters-
burg journals will remove, that Russia intends to
take advantage of the present European troubles
to insist upon a revision of the Treaty of 1856. A letter
from Vienna states that "here nobody doubts that
Russia means mischief, that a formal demand for a revi-
sion of the Treaty of 1856 will be speedily made, and that
he Czar will not lose the opportunity of 2 convulsed
Europe to carry out his own intentions on the Bosphorus."
Other letters give details of the enormous military prepa-
rations, including the ceaseless manufacture of military
materiel which is going on in the Russian arsenals.

The "Epicene" case is not likely to annoy the public
any more. The more the unsavoury matter was stirred,
the more influential were the persons found to be who
were befouled by it. When the brother-in-law of one
great legal official, anclthe son of another official less distin
guished, were discovered to be involved, it was thought
better to let the culprits go. free rather than 'inflict upon
"society" a shocking scandal. So much for "even-
handed justice." One of the most conspicuous of the
persons incriminated, it is now positively alleged, com-
mitted suicide. I cannot affirm that this was so, for there
was no doubt that he had been dangerously ill. But it
is stated that he was recovering, when overcome by shame
and disgrace at a time when he was suffering great physical
depression, he took poison.
In all probability there will be another " Mission " in
London next month, as there was last November. It
will not be limited to twelve days, and some of the less
" advanced" High Church clergy will take part in it, and
attempt to repress some of the extravagances with which
last year's enterprise was accompanied. The mission will
in fact be put under episcopal patronage. It is possible
that it may to that extent fail to reach the degraded class
for whom it is intended, and who, if they are to be moved
at all, need something more sensational than the orderly
services of the Church.

The Roman Catholic laity, with the Duke of Norfolk at
their head, are drawing up a protest against the Italian
occupation of Rome. A "League of Prayer," in which
all Roman Catholics are invited to join, has been started.
Fresh efforts are being made to raise Peter's pence.
The Roman Catholic Education Fund amounts to
about £43,000. To this the Marquis of Bute has
given £lO,OOO, and the Duke of Norfolk £12,000.
It is understood that almost immediately after
the capture of Rome " Lothair " was openly sold
in the streets. I should have thought that the
Romans would have had something else to do than to read
Mr. Disraeli's novels, were it not that I see the French
journals, though reduced to infinitesimal proportions aro
still continuing their jeuilletons, which, judging by the
titles of some of them—" The man in the silk mantle"
for instance—must be more than unusually trashy. That
there should be any literature in France just now is
surprising. Yet the " Grand Dictionnaire Universel du
XlXme. Siecle "is still progressing. The " Atlas de la
Defense Nationale," by Joanne, the " Theorie du Garde
National," and Count Alfred de la Guerroniere's
" L'Homme de Sedan " are more in keeping with the
time.

I have more than once spoken in high terms of
the new magazine Art. The present number is the
best yet published. The pictorial and the literary portions
are alike most excellent. It is worth mentioning
that the much-abused Mr. Henry Cole finds a defender in
Mr. Jea,ffreson. He does not mention, what I believe
is known to be a fact, that Mr. Cole was the real origina-
tor of the first international exhibition. The credit of it
was given to the Prince Consort, but he prudently and
rightly held aloof from it until Mr. Cole could shew him
that the design would not prove a failure. Then the
Prince assumed the lead and received the praises that at-
tend success. Mr. Cole has not, however, been witb out
his reward. He has not only had the honorary
distinction of C.B. conferred upon him, but also the
far more substantial recompense of the supervision of the
Science and Art Department. That he is the bete noire of
the Saturday Review is known to all the world. Less
generally known is the fact that between him and Mr. F.
T. Palgrave, one of the writers on that paper, there has
been a feud of long standing, arose, I believe,
out of the refusal of the committee of the 1862 Exhibition
to accept Mr. Palgrave's critical volume upon the pictures
as the official handbook.—Still on literary topics I may
mention that the Belgravia Annual for 1871 will be very
strong in its literary contents. Miss Braddon, Walter
Thornburg, Dutton Cook, Hain Friswell, Astley Bald-
win, George Sala, Tom Hood, Florence Marryat, Morti-
mer Collins, and George Manville Fenn, are among the
contributors.