The Sun.
London, England, 1870-05-28 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY MORNING, MAY 28, 1870

CONVENTUAL AND MONASTIC
INSTITUTIONS.
The select committee appointed to inquire into the
mode in which property is held by these institutions met
yesterday, and proceeded with the examination of
witnesses. The Hon. C. P. Villiers occupied the chair.
As on the last occasion there were several Roman
Catholic priests and some clergymen, together
with a considerable sprinkling of the general public,
present. The first witness who was examined was Mr.
Arnold, who stated that he was a solicitor of some ex-
perience with respect to the conveyance of property to
monasteries and convents. He apprehended that by the
common law of England monasteries and nunneries were
perfectly legal, but that there was a certain tenure known
to the common law as the tenure of free alms, which
was made extensive use of when persons wished
to retire into monasteries and nunneries ; that tenure
existed before the Conquest, but after the Conquest, when
the land began to be held by military service, this tenure
of free alms began to be checked, and eventually was put
an end to by the statute of Mortmain. The state of things
continued, however, more or less, till the dis-
persion of the monasteries after the Reformation,
but even then the religious status of a monk or nun was
not altogether. defined. The Statute of Henry VIII.,
which abolished the larger monasteries, was followed by
another relating to the vows of widowhood and chastity.
His view with reference to the legality or illegality
is in accordance with that of Mr. Bagshawe

—that the v 17th v section of the Statute of George
111., taken in connection with subsequent legislation,
rendered the question of the legality of monasteries ex-
tremely doubtful. The more recent statute of mortmain,
9th Geo. 11., was not directed against them. The Act of
1860 only permitted Roman Catholic Churches to
be enrolled twelve months, but it was in his ex-
perience that the mor.asteries and nunneries had
refused to enroll them because the Act related
to charities, which they were not ; and, secondly,
because it would give publicity and lay open to
attack such institutions on the part of their
enemies, because it -is open to anyone to go
to the Court of Chancery and inspect the deed.
Mr. Matthews pointed out to the witness a case decided
by the Master of the Rolls, in which bequests were made
to Roman Catholic priests on behalf of charities, in which
it was held that they were void under 10 George IV, and
the statement in the judgment was that it was void as
being againsr the policy of the law.—Witness : For the
purpose of this inquiry that case is very much in point.
However, on appeal, it was held that a bequest
to regulars for charitable purposes was void. In all monas-
teries there is a power of selling, realising, dividing, and
distributing the property, which is inconsistent with the
permanence of endowments, and the control and manage-
ment of the property is also inconsistent with the fulfil-
ment of a trust because two or three persons held it abso-
lutely as their own where a person gives property to a
friend, and says "Do with it as you like," I do not see
what control there can be over it. Property of a monastery
or nunnery is generally held in fee simple by three or four
persons as tenants in common, and when one dies another
takes his place. With respect to superstitious uses the
law holds it to be a superstitious use of property when it
is given with a belief that it would be beneficial
to the souls of the dead, but the judges had given a further
construction, and had held that property could not be
held for the performance of Masses for the dead. In the
case of a community of monks or nuns there is an im-
plied duty to pray for the soul of any donor. Ido not
think that the Act of 1860 gives any relief to the Roman
Catholics with respect to the law of superstitious uses be-
cause there is no instance in which any monasteries in which
such observances are practised have availed themselves of
its provisions. I see no reason why property should not
be left for pious uses. Before a person takes a final vow
the person executes a will or makes an arrange-
ment. If a person was about to become
a member, and passing the probationary stage, the pro-
perty belonging to him or her would be considered appli-
cable to the community. He or she would make a will in
the first instance, and after final admission would be dead
to the world. The monasteries and the Charitable Com-
missioners have been kept asunder by the operation of the
law, because in all probability the first thing the Charity
Commissioners would do would be to interfere with their
rules. The repeal of the penal clauses in the enactments
against monasteries or convents would satisfy them. They
wish to be let alone by the law. We do not ask for anything
resembling a corporation ; we ask to be dealt with as a pri-
vate family, and relieved from any prohibitory statutes.
As a prudent adviser, he would not advise his clients to
apply to the Commissioners. Confidence is the growth
of time ; if we had had registration it might have re-
sulted that two-thirds of our property would be confis-
cated, as it has been, and these things make us cautious.
I have myself applied to the Commissioners in
reference to Roman Catholic charities. With respect
to charities which are unquestionably legal, such as a
church, we not only enroll, but set out the trust. The
practice is to enroll all legal charities, but the trusts would
not appear on them.
The Chairman : Would not the trusts bear investigation
as regards the law ?—No, I would not say that.
There are in the case of monasteries and nun
neries trusts which are not declared. In the
case of a church the conveyance would be enrolled and
come under the notice of the Charities' Commissioners,

but it is not necessary, because in the Act of Victoria
there is an exemption in favour of charitable buildings.
It may be said in general terms, that institutions which
were not thoroughly legal would not be enrolled. In the
case of a bequest of a sum of money to pray for
the souls of the dead it would endanger them in a legal
point of view. A convent may also be held to be only
partly charitable, and it has been held that a convent, the
members of which were purely contemplative, would not
be a charity. There is a doubt of the illegality of convents
on many grounds, but especially on account
of their praying for the dead. There are a
great many statutes bearing upon superstitious uses that
it would be- exceedingly difficult to say what sort of an
institution of the kind would be illegaL He would cer-
tainly advise his client not to enroll a convent or make a
declaration of trust, in which one of the rules was praying
for the souls of the dead. He doubted the legality of them.
The 10th of George IV., sec. 28, enacted that every
Jesuit or person in connection with a monastic institu-
tion should be banished ; but a certain time was al-
lowed to them to leave the kingdom, and there was a
clause to the effect that if any Jesuit ad-
mitted an ecclesiastic to orders either in England
or Ireland he should be guilty of a misdemeanour' and
ordered to be banished for the term of his natural life;
but the convents were saved from the new penalties im-
posed by that Act. In the case of property left to a
monastery, it is not like property left to a spiritual corpo-
ration which never dies. Being left to individuals it may be
sold. I believe that if the present penalties in the law were re-
moved they would register their monasteries and nunneries,
and avail themselves of its benefits. I would suggest that
the exemplary clauses which in the present day are so con-
trary to the spirit of the age should be repealed.
The question as to the conveyance of the legal
estate to a monastery has not been suggested to me, but
if it were conveyed to individuals it might be legal. I
assume, of course, that the monasteries and convents are
illegal, but I have not been advised that a convent is
illegal, but the whole tenor of the law would seem to
imply they are, the Roman Catholic religion itself
being treated as void. lam not aware of any case
in which their illegality has been acctually pronounced by
a court of law. A lady or gentleman entering a convent
or monastery would make a complete arrangement so that
they would in reality enter divested of all property, and
any property which they acquired afterwards would belong
to the community. The dowry brought in varies from
thousands to hundreds. As a matter of fact, no nun can
enter a nunnery without divesting herself of all her
property.
By Mr. Newde,gate : I object to the present law as
penal, because it imposes a disability on one of of Her
Majesty's subjects. A Jesuit is still a subject of her
Majesty, and pays all rates, taxes, and other impositions.
I object that a subject of the Queen should be subject to
disability because of his conscientious convictions. It
used to be the law of this country, by common law,
to consider one who entered a monastery or a nunnery,
to be civilly dead, except in so far as she was a member
of the community, but there had been modern decisions
contrary to that. I should not think that the Roman
Catholic Church has more liberty than in any other
country of Europe. If you ask me a question as to whether
in France convents are inspected or not I will answer, but I
cannot answer such general questions. In France con-
vents are a Corporation, and have a perpetual exist-
ence, which is denied us here. No doubt there is an
inspection, but they are protected. The illegalities to which
I have referred are intended to be a restraint, and of
that I complain.
By Mr. Pease : Monastic institutions are illegal, and
lands held by them are held as private property, and with-
out trusts, and in like manner, money given to them is
held by private persons. In the wills to which he had
referred the property left to the convents was left without
trust, so that real and personal property were precisely
on the same footing. Occasionally Roman Catholic
monastic institutions have been damaged by the
refusal of purchasers to pay for property which they may
have bought. He had seen Jesuits and other members of
Romon Catholic orders in the streets in their robes con-
trary to the statutes.
By Mr. G. Gregory : Every member of such an institu-
tion as a monastery or convent is poor in his or her indi-
vidual capacity. The functions of the Charity Commis-
sioners extend to the control of the property so far as
seeing that the trusts are properly carried out, but
religious institutions are exempted from that control by
the Act of Victoria.
By Mr. Talbot : By the law, as it stands now, a monk
or nun taking vows of perpetuity are subject to the dis-
abilities and penalties under the Act of George IV.
Mr. O'Reilly: What is a vow in the eye of the law?
Witness : It is only in toro conscienties. The law would
not enforce a vow not to marry. People take marriage
vows.
Have you known a man taking monastic vows who was
heir to considerable property ?—No. I have heard of the
case of a baronet who took vows conveying his property
to his brother, reserving £l,OOO for the monastery,
After some further evidence by the same witness the
committee adjourned.

THE ST. PANCRAS GUARDIANS.—At a meeting of
the newly-elected Board of Guardians of St. Pancras, at
the Vestry Hall, Camden Town, the levy of the Sheriff
on the parochial goods and chattels was considered. A
message was received from the Poor-law Board which
acknowledged the receipt of the information of the
seizure of the effects of the guardians. The Board
abstained from expressing an opinion which might pre-
judge the case, but directed the attention of the guardians
to a case in which a similar execution was stayed by an
injunction from the Coart of Chancery. Mr. Joseph
Salter said that no one could tell the end of the affair if
they went into Chancery, and the wisest thing for the
guardians to do would be to draw a cheque for the
amount owing. It was finally resolved that the sale of
the effects should be carried out.

THE PRIMITIV.E METHODISTS AT
NEWINGTON;

The Telegraph " Commissioner " gives us an insight
into the proceedings of the Primitive Methodists, whom
some persons disrespectfully style the Tabernacle Ranters.
They hold an annual missionary meeting in Mr. Spur-
geon's great chapel at Newington, and thither the " Com-
missioner " went to study their ways and manners. The
Primitive Methodists, or " Ranters," as they are oppro-
briously termed, represent more truly, in his opinion, the
original genius of Wesleyan Methodism than any
of the various bodies—and their name is legion—
into which the original secession from the Church
of England has split up. When the other sections began
to combine the wisdom of the serpent with the harmless-
ness of the dove, these Conservative Methodists still
stuck to their old camp meetings, and, " the authorities "
disapproving of such proceedings, a collision, and conse-
quent exclusion, took place in 1808. The meeting at the
Tabernacle was very fully attended, the congregation
mustering both from town and country. Large
vans brought many from a distance, and did not for-
get to bring a substantial supply of refreshments.
The first thing to be done was to sing a hymn, which all
present united in doing with true Methodist vigour. Then
came an extemporaneous prayer, then another hymn, and
then came the missionary business. From the report it
appeared that the first Primitive Methodist mission meet-
ing was held near Belper, forty-nine years ago, when the
poor people contributed their pence. Since that time the
progress of Contributions had been very marked. In
1843 the income of the society was £845 ; in 1849, £3,000 ;
in 1856, £lO,OOO ; in 1863, £16,255 and in 1869, £20,398.
The distinguishing feature of the present year had been
the establishment of the first African mission, on a little
island in the Gulf of Guinea, where there wasnoChristian
" unless a Jesuit could be called one." A notice-
able feature at these Methodist meetings is that the
audience interpose with occasional cries of "Hallelujah!"
" Glory be to God," and similar exclamations. One old
lady just behind the chronicler " fired off her hallelujahs
like pistol shots," but they came from all parts of the
congregation, especially when anything was said reflecting
on " Church parsons "or Church ordinations. A. story is
told of one Methodist whose constant exclaina;ions quite
annoyed a lady who sat near him, and who, perceiving
that he was very ill shod promised him a new pair of
boots if he would be less demonstrative. Allured by the
promise, he kept quiet for several days, but at last the
old habits proved too strong, • and at some particularly
exciting moment he electrified the chapel by
starting up and shouting " Boots, or no boots, glory be to
God !" The only drawback to the really energetic
addresses of the speakers was the intrusion of the letter H.
Some of the facts which they brought forward were
of a most extraordinary character and such as few
readers can be aware of, among them was an assertion
that 960 clergymen of the English Church receive their
orders from the Romish Church. After the President of
the Conference had spoken a Mr. Pugh discussed the
different religions of the world. In doing so he quoted
severalhymns, and as familiar lines were heard the hearers
shouted I know it ! Hallelujah ! " with such pertinacity
that the speaker had to request them to wait till the end
of the verse before beginning. The collection hymn sung
by the whole body of voices is described as having
been very fine. Later' on the Rev. Mr. Kennedy, M.A.,
a Congregationalist, made a very animated speech, full of
incident and illustration. The Methodist connexion, he
said, was largely extending, and once in every six hours
the pearly gates of Heaven are thrown back for a Primitive
Methodist to pass them. From this he went on to discuss
the question of Church and State. " I have great confi-
dence in Gladstone," he said, " and so I have in him from
Birminghem—him with the broad shoulders. I want
to see the Church freed from the State. It
puts me in mind of the story of a wife
who was going to die, and said to her hus-
band, John, what'll ye do. without me when
I'm gone ? " Oh, Janie, I shall manage,' he replied. So
may the Church say, ' I shall manage,' hen the Bishops
have gone out of the House of Lords—as they will go."
" Look at the Bishops on the Irish Church question," he
said, " They gave up the principle without a struggle ;
but they fought like Methodists for the cash." "It put
me in mind of the story of Robert Hall and the
Church parson. The parson couldn't see the fact
of Hall being in orders. Hall wrote the word God' very
small, and asked him, Can you see that?' Yes,' he
said, perfectly.' He then laid a sovereign over it, and
said, Can you see it now? No, of course can't because
you've put the money on it.' `And that's the reason why
you can't recognise my orders,' said Hall ; the cash pre
vents you. " From this acctunt it may be seen that a
Primitive Methodist's meeting is a very animated affair,
though somewhat eccentric in its character.

LADY AMBERLEY ON WOMEN'S CLAIMS.
Lady Amberley has come forward and added her name
to the list of those who demand that women shall
henceforth be placed upon an equality on all
points with men. Her ladyship lectured at Stroud, on
Wednesday night to " a large and fashionable audience."
She commenced with an apology for herself and those
who, with her, appear in public urging the rights of
their sex. She was reluctant to come forward so—that
she admitted ; but there was nothing, she contended,
unwomanly in thus appearing. "If (she exclaimed) there
be anything unwomanly in the fact of urging on other s
that which we earnestly believe to be true, we had better
never have had feelings, for feelings without action
will be but a millstone hung about our necks.
And feelings in this matter seem everything. Good
logical arguments fail entirely when met by the powerful
battery of feeling. To feeling, therefore, she would appeal.
The ideal of woman—lovely woman—was put before one ;
and her own sex, as well as the other, shrunk from
reform. But they must remember that the
useful is ever noble—the hurtful ever base. To
her own sex she would appeal ; for men now
answered all arguments by saying, " I do not think the
ladies wish it,"—and so they settle the matter. Women
only could obtain these reforms ; to their demand alone
would they be granted. If it were true, as some feared,
that equality between the sexes would make the whole
world male, she would not make the demand. But it
was not so. Have none of us known women who have
from youth up been educated with their brothers, nur-
tured in the feeling of complete equality? others who have
taken part publicly in the affairs of the day, and even
preached in churches—none the less true women for this
training ? Women themselves too often said, " I should be
no better off if I had my own property, or a vote—or
what do women want with colleges ?—why cannot they be
quiet at home ?" or, again, "I should hate to be
a doctor or a lawyer; women are not fit for it=they had
better look after their husbands and their children. But
the people who argue in this way fail to perceive that, in
doing so, they are only asserting their own happiness, or
' their own comfort, and are entirely forgetting the thou-
sands—l might say millions—of women who are alone
in the world, and who have neither parents, nor home,
nor friends, nor fortune of their own, and who are driven
to seek these for themselves' or to die. Have these
happy mistresses of comfortable homes ever spared a
few moments from their bliss to cast their eye on a re-
port of the " Governesses Benevolent Institution?"
The fact that 15,000 women are driven to seek work for
themselves is argument enough that, by opening more
professions, more educational advantages to them, we
shall nbt be guilty—if guilt it • is—of alluring them away
from theirlomes to •the deadly temptations of the outer
world. Take again the question of property. Now,
women have not their own property. "A few readings of
the police reports would soon give you an insight into the
sorrow this injustice constantly causes. No one can see
much of the poor without meeting repeated cases of a
drunken or dissolute husband, who has brought poverty
and want to his wife and children. His wife may work
as hard as she can to clothe and feed her children : but at
any moment a worthless man, by the law of England, may
take it all away from her and leave her destitute. That
is the state of the law with regard to property, but
it also gives a husband power over the person of his wife,
extending—as the law-book expresses it—to the power
of locking her up or administering moderate chastisement.
One of the advantages I hope for in the admission of
women into political power is that, their sympathies being
strong, they will bring their interest and energy to bear
on many injustices •of social life, and not so readily
acquiesce in the idea that these evils must be borne, and
that legislation •is powerless to make any impression on
them. In America the best results (as M. de Tocqueville
has borne witness) have followed the greater equality of the
sexes. In the United States the whole Treasury Department
is worked by female clerks. We find many female doctors,
ministers of the Gospel, and even female judges. The
women in America are still fighting for the political fran-
chise, the denial of which is a badge of inferiority, and a
real grievance which they still share with their English
sisters." Summing up her demands Lady Amberley claimed
" the education of girls, and a restoration to them of those
endowments originally intended for both sexes, but which
in some instances have been appropriated exclusively to
boys ; secondly, as a natural sequence to the first require-
ment, that equal facilities should be granted to women for
the attainment of the highest education and of univer-
sity degrees, in order that their special faculties may not
be consigned to compulsory idleness, but may be turned
to the benefit of society; thirdly, all professions
should be open to them, and especially that, no new Act,
medical or otherwise, should exclude them, as they
are excluded now ; fourthly, that married women
should no longer be debarred from the separate owner-
ship of property, in order that the poor may enjoy
that protection which the rich purchase for themselves
by the cumbrous arrangements of marriage settlements :
fifthly, that a widow should be recognised by the law as
the only natural guardian of her children ; sixthly, that
the franchise should be extended to women as a means
of power and protection in all matters affected by legisla-
tive action; seventhly, that political and social interests
and work .should be open equally to them, so that,
if there be-aptitude or talent in any, the State may not
be the loser, both by the exclusion of those qualities they
share with men, and of those characteristic of themselves;
eighthly, that public opinion should sanction every men-
tion for women which in itself is good and suited to their
strength ; ninthly, that there should be no legal subordi-
nation in marriage ; tenthly, that the same wages should
be given for the same work.

The Builder understands that there is a vacancy in
her Majesty's Office of Works for an assistant surveyor
The salary is 2500* per annum, increasing to £7OO.
The First Commissioner," we learn, has determined to
receive applications 'from duly qualified persons, and to
deal with them on • theii merits, without reference to
patronage.
The death is announced of Lady Adelaide Murray,
at Taymouth, Perthshire. This lady was a god-daughter
of her Majesty. Queen Adelaide, and was the fourth
daughter of William Basil Percy, seventh Earl of Den-
big'.), by the Lady Mary Elizabeth Moreton, eldest
dau,,,liter of. Thomas first Earl of Dude. She was born
on the 24th November, 1836, and married, on the 27th of
April, 1865, Mr, Charles A, Murray.

LAW ANT) POLICE.

IMPRISONMENT OE A GUARDIAIst.—The importance of the
responsibility of guardians-at-law was forcibly illustrated
in a matter which was 'investigated privately by Vice
Chancellor Stuart. It transpired that a Ward in Chancery,
who was about eighteen- years of age, and her guardian,
arrived in London a few days since for the purpose of
settling some proceedings in Chancery in which they
were interested. During their stay they slept
together, and formal notification of this having been con-,
veyed to Sir G. Stuart, under whose jurisdiction the cause
was being entered into, the. Vice-Chancellor gave a
peremptory order for the imprisonment of the guardian,
the act of which he had been guilty being a serious viola-
tion of his duty.
LIABILITY OF BANKING COMPANIES.—A cause affecting
the interests of banking companies has been decided by Vice-
Chancellor, Sir W. M. James. A fund amounting to £6OO
was invested in the Midland Bank in the names of two
trustees. Shortly afterwards, one of the trustees pro-
duced a document which led the bank authorities to
assume that it was the desire of the second trustee to
place the entire amount to his private ac-
count. The former drew the money at various
intervals, and eventually became a bankrupt, and the
second trustee now sought to make the bank liable for the
fraud, alleging that he had merely authorised his co-
trustee to invest money in a certain way, and not to cause
the fund to be placed to his private account. The Vice-
Chancellor was of opinion that the first trustee had been
guilty of nothing less than robbery. But at the same
time the bankers were not justified in ignoring the posi-
tion of the co-trustee, and were liable to satisfy him in the
way he demanded.
THE INTERNATIONAL LAND COMPANY.—In the Court of
Vice-Chancellor James an order was made for the com-
pulsory winding-up of the International Land Credit
Company (Limited). The petition was opposed on behalf
of some Belgian shareholders by an advocate from Bel-
gium ; but the Vice-Chancellor ruled that he had no locus
standi to object, and made the order. His Honour also
made an order for the compulsory winding-up of the
Freehold General Investment Company (Limited).

THE RIVER ExE.—A case has been tried in the Rolls
Court between the Corporation of Exeter and the Earl of
Devon. The Corporation as conservators of the
River. Exe sought to' compel the Exe Bight
Oyster FiSheyy and Pier Company (Limited) to
remove a pier recently erected by them at Starcross.
The plaintiffs alleged that this pier, which was sanctioned
by Act of Parliament, interfered with the navigation
of the Exe. The Earl of Devon was a party to the
suit as owner of the foreshore, a portion of
which he has leased to the company for a term
of 99 years. The corporation have a very ancient • right
to take tolls on goods landed in any part of the estuary of
the Exe. The Master of the Rolls said that the plaintiff's
case had failed, as there was nothing in the
Act of Henry the Eighth, on which they mainly
relied, to empower them to sue when encroachments
had been made,. and they had no property in the soil, so
as to enable them to sue in respect.of private injury. As
for the construction of the pier, the city of Exeter, and the
public would profit by it, and no public improvements
could be carried out without causing some injury to those
interested in the old system. • The bill must be dismissed
with costs. .

THE LIABILITIES OF CONTRIBUTORIES.—The Master of
the Rolls delivered judgment in the suit of the Agricul-
tural Cattle Insuiance Company (Bush's case). The
question was whether a gentleman named Bush should be
retained on the list of contributories, he having alleged
that he had transferred 400 shares to Mr. Peter Morri-
son prior to the company being ordered to be
wound up under the supervision of the court.
In 1859 Mr. Bush held the shares in question, but being
desirous of ceasing his connection with the company of
which he was a director, he transferred his shares to Mr.
Morrison. by whom they were duly accepted. On the
part of the other contributories it was contended that the
transefer was invalid, because Mr. Morrison has not signed
the deed of settlement, in conformity with the provisions
of the Act, and that the transfer was not duly registered
in the books of the company. Mr. Morrison, who was
deeply involved, had not paid anything on the shares, and
had gone abroad. The transfer was effected in 1851, and
the company was ordered to be wound up in 1863, since
which time it has been undergoing the tortuous process of
proct ediugs in Chancery, to the almost absolute ruin of
shareholders. His lordship felt bound to decide that Mr.
Bush was liable for the 400 shares.

BREACH OF PROMISE OF MARRIAGE.—In the Court of
Queen's Bench a rule has been granted for a new trial in
he base of Reeves v. Adams, which was an action for breach
of promise of marriage, tried before Mr. austice Lush at
the last sittings in the Rail Court, when the jury returned
a verdict for the plaintiff, damages £5O. The plaintiff was
a domestic servant, and the defendant, a widower with
two children, was a civil engineer, formerly residing at
Penge. The plaintiff's case was that one evening, as she
was waiting, at the Canon-street station, to return to
Forest-hill, where she was in service, the defendant, who
was a stranger to her, accosted her, and afterwards they had
some refreshments together. She travelled first-class and
her statement was that in the carriage the defendant pro-
mised to marry her in a fortnight, but that she objected
its taking place so soon. They met frequently
afterwards, and, at his request, she went to live
at his house, where she assumed the name of
Mrs. Adams. The plaintiff's two sisters were called,
and gave corroborative evidence of the promise. The
defence was that from the first meeting up to the time of
the separation of the two parties the intimacy between
them was of an immoral character ' • that it never assumed
any other form ; and that she used his name without his
consent. On all occasions he made her presents of
money.

A German savant, who has been exploring the
plains of Troy, says he has discovered the ruins of Priam's
palace.
A CAUTION TO VELOCIPEDESTRIANS.—A case of
some interest to riders of bicycles was heard on Wednes-
day at the Erdingt,,n Petty Sessions. Two young men
were summoned, at the instance of Mr. Stubbins, bar-
rister, for furiously driving bicycles at Aston, so as to
" endanger the lives and limbs of the passengers."—The
defendants were fined, including costs, 15s. 6d. each.

MR. FORSTER, M.P., AND THE BALLOT.—A.
short time ago a deputation from the Camberwell Vestry
had occasion to wait upon Mr. W. E. Forsser, Vice-Presi-
dent of the Council, when the right hon. gentleman ex-
pressed surprise at hearing that the elections of vestrymen
under the Metropolis Local Management Act was conducted
by ballot. On Tuesday, Mr. Forster was present for up-
wards of an hour at an- election in one of the Camberwell
wards, and took great interest in the proceedings. The
right hon. gentleman was surprised at the apathy ex-
hibited in parochial matters, as testified by the com-
paratively small number of ratepayers who took part
in the election.
A WISE PRECAUTION.—The Union of Paris re-
lates an instance of what it denominates " parsimony"
on the part of the Crown Prince of Prussia, but which
others may regard as an instance of prudence. It appears
that when the King of Prussia visited Carlsbad in 1865
the keeper of the hotel where his Majesty had lodged
included in his bill a sum of 4,000f1. for flowers used for
the decoration of the apartments. Remembering this
fact, the Prince Royal sent about three months ago one of
his secretaries to Carlsbad to arrange with the hotel pro-
fO r e two rh
the
termst
h e withoutapfoarrtarececrtsmwoedraetiorne4uired.
Tmheentihoontienig-
keeper, believing that he was dealing with a private per-
son, agreed to let six rooms for 90fl. a week. The meals,
attendance, and other expenses were also fixed at a like
moderate tariff, and it was only when his expected visitors
arrived that the hotel-keeper found that the heir to the
Prussian throne was to be his guest.
LOTHAIR.—Mr. Edmund Yates, writing in the
Western Mail, says :—" I think you will find that there is
a general reaction in the public opinion of " Lothair,"
and notwithstanding the puffs of the press, and the
sedulously advertised fact of the large number of copies
sold, the book will not live, or will only rankas a curiosity,
being the work of a veteran ex-Premier. Half the
people one meets who speak of it frankly have been
unable to get on with it. A third of the -remaining
half have plodded through the three volumes as a
matter of duty, but found it dull and uninteresting.
The personalities—specially the description of the Duke
of Abercorn's family—are very strong, and would have
called down a torrent of journalistic wrath on the head of
any less eminent man. And though it is the fashion to
declarethe book to abound with epigrams, there are really
not many of them, and what there are are not very good.
The delicious allusion which a session or two ago Mr.
Disraeli made to Mr. Beresford Hope's " Batavian grace"
is more truly witten than anything in his three volumes.
THE SEA IN HYDE PARK.—The clean gravelly
bed of the Serpentine, which is now in course of being
rebottomed at small depth, suggests t ) the Lancet the idea
of covering it with salt water. It says the level of Hyde
Park is not more than 60 feet above the sea. A.
reservoir on Brighton Downs might be con-
structed about 80 feet above the shore, into which
the water might be pumped by steam and conveyed by
fifty miles of glazed earthenware tubing in a constantly-
flowing stream to Hyde Park. The overflow from the
Serpentine might be conducted in tubes laid along our
principal thoroughfares under the kerb, with stopcocks at
frequent intervals as in Paris. Charged as it is with de-
liquescent salts, especially the chloride of mag-
nesium, sea water would be particularly adapted for
" laying the dust," as well as being available for a pur-
pose now never fulfilled—namely, cleansing the thorough-
fares. No doubt this conveyance of Brighton into Kensing-
ton-gardens would cost some money. By setting apart a
portion of the lake as a swimming bath for subscribers,
and fitting it commodiously, an annual revenue would be
raised which would go -very far to meet the oost.
COUNT BISMARCK'S POLICY.—In his speech on
the Penal Code in the North German Parliament, Count
Bismarck explained his views with respect to the indivi-
dual claims of the Confederate States. Against private
laws," he said, " against the privileges of this or that 'Go-
vernment, of this or that race, even against the
particular rights of a Government or a race, we have
acted with sternness, because we were conscious of the

greatness of our end. We have ever before us one great
national object, and we have neither looked to the
right nor to the left to see if we were
offending against the dearest convictions of others.
It is this feeling which has actuated us in the course we
have pursued, and if it deserts us we shall be renouncing,
before the German people and their neighbours, the
policy which for three years has animated our proceedings,
and defied the particularity of States and parties.
Gentlemen, this is the sOurce whence we derive the
right to be rigorous, and to crush down with an iron heel
all that opposes itself to the re-establishment of the Ger-
man nation in its splendour and power." The Count was
hete interrupted by loud applause, with which was
mingled some ironical manifestations from the group of
Democratic Socialists, .

THE ISTHMUS OF DARIEN EXPLORING
EXPEDITION:

The correspondence from the Darien exploring expedi-
tion is interesting. Careful and accurate surveys having
demonstrated the impracticability of the Caledonia Bay
and Sassardi routes for the construction of a ship canal
across the Isthmus of Darien, the expedition had gone to
San Blas from which harbour our correspondent wrote.
Contrary to what has been said and written, this route,
from San Bias on the Carribbean Sea to the river Bayamo
on the Gulf of Panama, Pacific side, has never been accu-
rately explored, previous exploring parties having gone
out unprovided with the means of overcoming the
natural obstacles which present themselves and of over-
aweing hostile Indians. the present expedition. under
Commander Selfridge, being amply provided with every-
thing necessary to insure success, we expect a thorough
exploration of the route, which we are glad to learn gives
promise of greater practicability than the two alrady
examined. Already the explorers have effected much
good. They have performed an immense amount of work
in surveying the Cordilleras from Caledonia Bay to Sas-
sardi. On their return to the I.Tnited,States the Govern-
ment will doubtless publish the results tif their kbours,
and place before the public the first accurate maps of the
isthmus. We shall await intelligence of the expedition
from San Bias to the Bayamo river with anxious interest.
—New York Herald.