The Sun.
London, England, 1870-01-22 00:00:00

SICKNESS IN THE ROYAL PAIIILY.

We much regret to hear that her Majesty has been 1
suffering severely from neuralgia. This distressing
malady has affected various parts of the body, and
latterly lodged in the face. The Queen is but just
recovering from the last attack. It is also sad to
learn that the Prince of Wales has been indisposed.
His Royal Highness had promised to pay a visit to
Berkeley Castle. Lord Fitzhardinge had assembled
a goodly company, and all was ready for -the enter-
tainment of the royal vi=itor, when a telegram came
on Wednesday, anneuncalg that, through cold, the
Prince could not undertake the journey. Great was

.....
the disappointment at Berkeley. The Telegraph,
ever anxious about the well-being of royal
and imperial personages, inquired at Marl-
borough house between eleven and twelve
o'clock on Thursday night, and'was informed that the
Prince had gone out to a dinner party, and had not
returned at that hour.

THE COMMENCEMENT OF TTIE POLITICAL SEASON.
The recess is nearly ended. Within a very short
time—about ten days—the whole political world will
be busy. Parliament meets on the Bth prox.. and
signs of the approach of the session aro very.abun-
dant. The most unmistakeable indication is the
issue by the leaders-of the call to arms—the sessional
party circular in which the attendance of mem-
bers of both Houses is particularly re-
quested. Earl Granville leads the way in
his note to the Liberal Peers. The noble earl
asks for attendance on the Bth of February ; and
urges that " matters of interest and importance will
be brought into consideration." Mr. Gladstone does
not issue his appeal until Monday. Neither of the
Conservative leaders have vet moved. Meanwhile
Ministers are returning fresh from the country to
their work. The first Cabinet Council of the year
was held yesterday.
TIIR RECIPROCITY AGITATION.
With-Sir Stafford Northeote's speech the agitation
for reciprocity, so far as it has been a
.party
one—and such it has been in several districts—
must expire. Lord Derby having also pronounced
against the cry, Mr. Disraeli will be much too wise
to give any great heed to it. Yet the question will
doubtless be raised in the I-louse in the coming
session; the attitude of the Lancashire Conserva-
tives, and the Conservative woiking men generally,
shews that. Several Tory members are already
pledged to "demand inquiry." One member at least
owes his seat entirely to the position he has taken
in this matter. How, then, will the Government
act ? Will an inquiry be granted or refused ? If
granted, in what form will it be made—by Royal
Commission, or Committee of one or both Houses ?

THE STATE OF TRADE.

In addition to Sir Stafford Northcote's speech, con
demnatory of the reciprocity agitation, two . other
members of Parliament have been discussing the state
of trade. Mr. Staveley llill, who is one of the leaders
of the reciprocity movement, strongly urged, at a
metropolitan meeting, the necessity for an inquiry
into the working of our commercial policy. The
member for Coventry agrees that the wealth of the
country is materially increasing, but whilst " wealth
accumulates, men decay." In the year preceding.
the French treaty-1859---the value of imported
manufactured goods was £6,884,000, while in 1868—
seven years after the treaty—the value had risen to
£20,696,000. This difference Mr. Staveley Hill regards
as so much money taken out of the pockets of work-
ing men. If inquiry chews that he is wrong, he will,
he promises, confess his error. Mr. Somerset Beau-
mont, member for 'Wakefield, is strongly in favour of
free trade. He told the Wakefield Chamber of Corn-
merce the other day that the present discussion in
France was proving bow strong was the general feeling
amongst the French on behalf of a liberal com-
mercial policy. So far from yielding to any
uneasiness lest they should return :to the system of
commercial protection, he thought the result of the
discussion which was going on in France very likely
to lead to an enlarged area of free trade, instead of
diminishing it.