The Sun.
London, England, 1870-03-23 00:00:00

BEcnEanoN OF THE PEOPLE,

The select committee appointed: to inquire
whether it is in the power of Parliament to provide,
or of the House of Commons to recommend, further
facilities for promoting the healthful recreation and
improvement of the people, have published their report.
The committee state that they have considered the
questions submitted to them under two aspects :
first, whether facilities can be afforded to the people
at large for visiting public institutions on week-day
evenings without injury to the buildings or their con-
tents ; secondly, whether, if such facilities were
afforded, they would avail themselves of them in
sufficient numbers to justify the increased expendi-
ture that would be incurred. With reference to the
first point, the committee submit that the National
Gallery and portions of the British and
other public museums could safely be
visited in the evening , if proper precautions
were taken against fire. The experiment, : they
observe, has been made at Kensington without the
slightest, complaint, either as to the effects of
the lighting or the behaviour of the visitors.
The fact that this museum is most diffi-
cult of access to the working classes, and that
during the last three years upwards of half a million
of persons have visited it in the evening, they con-
sider is a sufficient proof that the public would avail
themselves of an extension of the privilege. The
committee therefore advise the opening of such insti-
tions three evenings a week from seven until ten.

NEWSPAPERS FOR ABROAD.

Our readers will have noticed a striking act of
liberality on the part of the present Liberal Ministry.
Hitherto it has been allowable to send abroad a
newspaper packet of four ounces for a penny, ir-
respective of the number of newspapers it contained.
Henceforth each newspaper, no matter how light it
may be, will be deemed a separate packet, and if it
weigh but one ounce will cost as much for postage
as if it weighed four. Surely this retrograde move-
ment is unjust. It is unjust because it classes the
heavy papers with the light, and burdens the cheaper
ones with an impost which they are unable to bear. If
the Post-office professes to carry four ounces for
a certain rate, it is merely keeping the word of pro-
mise to the ear to add a condition which will exclude
the vast majority of newspapers from the benefit of
such a tariff. Nor is the measure less impolitic. At
a time when all other countries are lowering their
postal rates, and when cheap carriage for printed
matter is becoming the rule all over the world, it
cannot be advantageous to British interests to so
restrict the spread of intelligence.

"MIGHT AND GIBRALTAR'
ne Spanish papers are remarkable for their great
admiration of England, and the Spanish Radical
papers are characterised by much enthusiasm for
English Radicals. But it Vis to be regretted that
the press of the peninsula goes the length of libelling
its heroes, as the Iberia undoubtedly does in inibl.sh-
ing aMalaga telegram, saying that Mr. Bright has
promised to restore Gibraltar to Spain. Of course
its
is hardly within the bounds of possibility that
the President of the Board of Trade can have done
any such thing. It is not within the functions of
any. Minister to promise a surrender of British
territory, and it is not within Mr. Bright 's function/
to receive any overtures on the subject.

THE MARQUIS OF LOTHIAN AND MR. LEATHAM.
The Marquis of Lothian writes to the Times in re-
ply to the attacks which he considers Mr. Leathaur
has unfairly made upon him in the House of Com-
mons. The remarks of Mr. Leatham wele made in
reference to Irish evictions, and the lion. member
instanced the case of a gentleman who held a
lease under the Marquis of Lothian for nineteen
years, which the latter declined to renew.
His lordship, in explanation, Says that the
gentleman to whom Mr. Leatham referred had
the lease according to a cusoin which is almost
universal in the part of Scotland With which he has to
do. The reason that term has been fixed on, be
states, is that it has been by common co:i-
sent of all parties considered sufficient to give the
tenant a return for any money he may have laid out
on his holding, _ Lord; Lothian
_contends, therefore.

tux& it is no more an ;Icy GI tyranny wan it "
West-End proprietor were to refuse to renew
the lease of a house. The reasons his lordship sub-
mits might be good or bad, but a Belgravian house-
holder, forced to change his domicile, would .bard'h
be thinks, be held up to the House of Commons for
sympathy as an evictel tenant.