The Sun.
London, England, 1870-03-07 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, MARCH 7, 1870.

pletoly swamped the publicans, and given the fran-
chiso to that class which has suffered most grievously
from them. This disturbance of the "balance of
power" has enabled the Ministry to do that which
it would not have ventured to do before—interfere
with "the trade." The Beer-house Bill of last ses-
sion, which was befriended by the present Govern-
ment, was the first blow, and that it was not a light
one may be gathered from a complaint just made to
Mr. BRUCE, that thfee hundred beershops had
under this Act been closed in Manchester alone.
But a far more serious blow menaces this
traffic. It is not only the beershops, but
the higher class of houses also which are to be
dealt with by the bill Mr. Bruce has promised to
introduce next Friday. The statement made on
Friday by our London correspondent, that liquor-
sellers are very anxious to entrust the
licensing power to persons other than town-
co diicillors or magistrates, because these will
be too much subjected to local influence,
was exactly verified a few hours later when Mr.
Thompson, acting as spokesman for the Lancashire
and Yorkshire Brewers' Association, urged this
very point with Mr. Bruce. Ho'fv far he urged it
successfully remains to be seen, for the Home Secre-
tary gave no definite reply. We shall know next
Friday, and according to the statement which he will
then make will be the action of that large and daily
increasing party which demands that the ratepayers,
who are the persons most vitally interested in this
question, shall have a more or less direct yoke in the
regulation of that traffic which now inflicts upon them
such grievous pecuniary, not to say other and far
heavier burdens.

Nor was it only at the Home Office that this sub-
ject of the liquor traffic was bfought up on Friday. It
was introduced into the House of Commons in two
separate forms. There was the old discussion upon
the malt tax, raised by the persevering Colonel
Barttlelot, and there was Mr. Dalrymple's proposition
to establish asylums for the confinement of habitual
drunkards. The eullant member for West Sussex
and most of those M.P.'s who have hitherto
supported him, had the good sense to see that this
is not the time to ask Government to throw
away several millions of taxation in order to cheapen
beer. He, therefore, abandoned his old proposal for
remitting or reducing the malt duty, and proposed
only that a direct duty; should be levied upon beer,
as was done by Mr. Gladstone in lien of the hnn
duty. Mr. Lowe gave very cogent reasons for not
effecting that change, and made the safe promise
that when he came to deliver his financial statement
he would either assent to the proposal, or state his
reasons for not assenting. Mr. Dalrymple's proposi-
tion was so entirely novel to M.P.'s that the member
for Bath could scarcely have expected it would
be entertained on the first time of asking. True,
asylums for the detention of habitual drun-
kards exist in the United States and in Australia,
both of them English-speaking countries ; but the
House of Commons, even the reformed House of
Commons, and even in these days of rapid law-
making, requires a ear or two to consider a matter
before it will legislate upon it. For our own part,
we need no such interval. An habitual drunkard is
virtually insane—that is, has no control over him-
self; and as he can, and does, inflict far more
injury upon those around him than nine-
tenths of the lunatics now in asylums, we see
no reason why lie should not, but very strong reasons
why he should, be subject to restraint. More than
that, he himself would generally gladly submit to
the restraint. It is quite true that he is nominally
a free agent when he " puts an enemy into his
mouth to steal away his brains," but he is really as
little free as the man who is suffering from St.
Vitus's dance is free to control his muscles. Only
put restraint upon me for a while, the drunkard
says, and I shall recover my liberty. The
spell laid upon me by the drink demon will
be broken, and I shall once more be free. Of
course we would rather take away the cause
than remove the effect, would rather restrict the
liquor traffic in the same way as the sale of other
poisons is restricted; but as that is not likely to be fully
accomplished at once, we would gladly support Mr.
Dalrymple in his praiseworthy endeavour to establish
refuges for those who long to flee from the cruel foe
that now enslaves both body and soul.

TN a Short time the Commissioners of the Royal
Patriotic Fund will meet again, after a long interval.
It is to be hoped that before then some influential
member of Parliament will make himself acquainted
with the working of the fund, and will call the
attention of Parliament to it. This fund, it cannot
too often be stated, is a national fund,
voluntarily subscribed during the Russian war
for an especial purpose. For many years
part the nation has had no voice in its management,
and, as a consequence, it has been devoted to objects
utterly different from the intention of the donors.
That intention was, that the money should be spent
in relieving the widows and orphans of soldiers and
sailors who had died of wounds or disease contracted
during the war. In a word, the fund was meant for
the benefit of two generations, and two generations
only. How that intention has been fulfilled we may
gather from the history of the Asylum at Wandsworth.
A. magnificent pile, costing a prodigious sum of money,
has been erected for the reception of the children
of persons in the military service. Of course such a

building-could not be meant for only the children of
soldiers and sailors engaged in the Russian War.
Nearly the whole of these must now have outgrown
the period of education, yet still this building stands
"an eternal possession." How far it is a beneficial
one may be gathered from the fact that not long
since it was found absolutely necessary to investigate
the management of it, and every effort was made to
prevent the result of the investigation
from becoming generally known. This
is but one instance of the manner

in which a fund, contributed for a specific purpose,
has been diverted from that purpose. It may be
said, that perhaps as the amount raised was so large,
it could not be advantageously expended upon those
for whom it was meant. It may be urged that, just
as the llartley Colliery Fund was much in excess of
the requirements, and after meeting these a general
fund for the relief of colliery accidents was estab-
lished out of the balance, so the Commissioners of the
Royal Patriotic Fund have been justified in
departing from the strict letter of the subscribers'
intentions, and in establishing a fund for the perma-
nent benefit of the military services. Unfortunately,
inquiry chews that this is very far from being the
case. We have bad brought before us again and
again cases in which the persons for whom the fund
was subscribed have either been refused relief, or
have had it granted to them only after long delay,
and as the result of that importunity which of old
time was found to prevail even with unjust
judges. In truth, applicants for relief have been
treated as though they were paupers, and as though

the committee were relieving officers whose first
duty was to keep down the rates. Advantage has
been taken of every technical mistake or omission,
just as if the two parties were respectively plaintiff
and defendant in an action for damages. In a word,
the fund, instead of being administered in accordance
with the generous intentions of the donors, as the
royal charter expressly enjoins, has been dealt out
with the utmost niggardliness on the part of the
administrators, and with humiliating conditions on the
part of the recipients. In one case the widow
of a Crimean soldier was refused relief because
during Some years of travelling in various parts of
the world as a servant she had neglected to send in

her claim at the proper dates. In another case the
widow of an officer who died of disease contracted

in the Russian War, has been refused because her
husband was a militia officer, a circumstance which
did not prevent the country from accepting
his services, and which ought not to make the
country slow in granting relief to his survivor.
We will give one more case which has recently
come before us. On the declaration of the war
against Russia, a boatswain on board one of her
nctiOtii 8144_1744 .91'dffed_Witk_WTOgi t 9 the

lslacx sea; and he was emplOyed in those waters
during the whole of the campaign. For days and
nights he was engaged in cutting out and towing
vessels belonging to Russia, and during the siege or
Sebastopol his ship was detailed to tow out of action
any ship that became disabled. In these services he
was necessarily much exposed to wet, fatigue, and.
anxiety. These told on his health so greatly that though
a hale and hearty man when he went out to the
Black Sea, ho returned home, as we are assured by
his relatives, so much broken in health, that he soon
afterwards died at Haslar Hospital, at the close of
the year in which the war terminated. He left a
widow and five children, and this widow and three
of the children were wholly unprovided for. Appli-
cation was made to the Royal Patriotic Fund, and
though all the proofs required by the committee were
sent in, the applicant was informed by the Secretary
that " having laid the case before the board, he
was directed to inform her that they could not grant
her any assistance." We add no more on the
present occasion. We have shewn that while money
is squandered recklessly for the benefit of future gene-
rations, the two generations for whom the Fund was
expressly subscribed are too often excluded from its
benefits. The Commissioners will shortly have an op-
portunity of inquiring into this matter. If they neglect
to do so, we warn them that Parliament will have to
interfere. The fund. is a national one, and the nation
ought to haVe direct control over its administration.

CP4- .tv'w
td4. •
CO 11 r Cdtraff4l4.

HER MAJESTY.

WINDSOR CASTLE, March 6.
Her Majesty and the Royal Family attended
Divine service this morning in the private chapel.

LATEST INTELL MENCE

(REU'TER'S TELEGRAMS.)

FRANCE.

PAINS, March 6.

The Constitutionnel of this morning quotes the
folowing opinion from the Berlin magazine Millie-
rische Blaetter :—" Ever since the unlucky ex-
periment with the Mobile Guards, and since
the introduction of the Constitutional regime in
France, which henceforth clntrols the French army,
there are, indeed, no other military Powers left i❑
Europe but Prussia and Russia."
BOURSE, March s.—Three o'clock—The market
closed as follows :-
4i per Cent.
3 per Cent
End of month —
Credit Mobilier 248 75
Transatlantic 215
Credit Foncier _1330
Paris Gas 1755
Suez Canal 340
BAILWAI
Orleans

Bank Shares 2890
It&Fan rives 55 95
Austrian Fives
Ottoman Loan
Do. Debt 46 20
Spanish Threes 26 50
Home Debt —
Deferred —
'B, Cash
,

Western
Northern
Strasburg • • 605
Lyons and Mediterranean
Southern..... 620
Sardinian
Austrian 790
Lombard 5OO
North of Spain 7O
Saragossa
Roman 521

SPAIN.

MADRID, March 5, Evening.

In to-day's sitting of the Corte, in reply to Se-
nores Ochoa and Garcia Lopez, General Prim dis-
tinctly denied, in the name of the Government, all
projects of a coup d'etat in favour of the Duke de
Montpensier, adding that to the Cortes alone ap-
pertained the right of electing a King of Spain.

AMERICA.
(Per French Atlantic Cable.)
NEW YORK, March 5.
COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.
CLOSING PRICES.

Gold closed at 1131 ; the highest quotation dur-
ing the day was 114 ; the lowest, 1131.
Sterling Exchange on London lOBl.
5-20 U. S. Bonds, 1882 lll4.
" 1885 llOl.
" 1867 llO/.
10-40
Illinois 1371.
Erie
Cotton—Mil. upland 22lc.
Petroleum—Standard White 2Bc.
Flour, extra state, $4.90c. to $5.50c. Corn, old
mixed, sl.2c.

QUEENSTOWN, March 7.

The Guion United States mail steamer Minne-
sota, from New York, arrived here at 5 a.m. She
landed the mails and some of the passengers and
proceeded for Liverpool at 5.30 a.m. All well.

BOMBAY MAIL.

GIBRALTAR, March 5.

The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer
Poonah, from Southampton 26th ult., arrived at
9 p.m. on Friday, and left at 2 this morning for
Alexandria. Experienced heavy gales.

INDIA, CHINA, AND AUSTRALIAN MAILS.
SuEz, March 7.

The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer
Rangoon, left at noon, and the Surat at one p.m.
yesterday for Bombay and Calcutta.

Caiiendish on Bez que.

- --

Best —Briscan —Brisque—Bizique —Which is it ?
CAVENDISH—great on Whist, a dab at Croquet, a
cunning hand at Drole, will explain all about that
in regard to the new game to any one who lists,
besides laying down the laws of Bezique, as
England and America by common consent have
resolved upon calling it. In regard to
Cutting, Dealing, Drawing, and Playing—in regard
to the Eight Last Tricks, and even in regard to
Scoring, " Cavendish" is as explicit as the most
rigorous of players, even Mrs. Battle herself, could
desire the great successor and superseder of Hoyle
and Major A., to be. The little handbook now
under notice, like all Cavendish's Handbooks,
has been issued from the press in the daintiest
form by the Delarues the new Guide on
Be'zique, taking its place, by right, side by
side with those from the same master-hand on
Whist, on Drole, and on Croquet. The Table of
Scores will be found illustrated by the same pretty
little devices as those with which the friends of
Cavendish have, within the last year or two,
already been so very agreeablg familiarised.

711 E MISSING STEAMER CITY OP

.BOSTON.

The ship Ben Nevis, arrived off Gravesend on
Saturday, from Melbourne, reports that on the
24th February, in lat. 49.35 N., long. 17.20. W.,
she sighted a steamer disabled, and apparently
making for the Irish coast. She was schooner
rigged, and under sail. They tried to get near her
and ascertain name and particulars, but the sea
and weather were unfavourable for approaching.
Capt. M. Petrie, the master, thinks this disabled
steamer was the missing City of Boston, and that
it must be some days before she can reach the
coast. It may be well to observe that the City
of Boston is not a schooner-rigged vessel, but is a
full-rigged ship. It is also doubtful for other
reasons—one, especially, that the commander
of the City of Boston, knowing the anxiety the
non-arrival of his ship would produce at home,
would use every means iu his power, if his vessel is
disabled, to signalise every passing ship to get his
steamer reported, in order to relieve the minds of
the relatives and friends of passengers and crew.
The names of the passengers, as far as can be at
present ascertained, are as follows :—Mrs. M. Cos-
grove, Mr Guignene, Mr A. C. Morton, Mr and
Mrs Whitaker and four children and one infant,
Mr James Adshead, Dr Tupper, Mr and Mrs Allan
Ebbs and two children, Mr A. I'radger and Mr. J.
M. Cole, Mr C. T. Archibald, Mr. and Mrs. Ro-
land, Mr W. Cochrane, Mr James Cosgrove, Mr
Lawdler, Mr R. M'Donald, Mr Duncan M'Do-
nald, Mr J. M'Kenzie, Mr John Leresely, Mr
J. 11. Previer, and Mr P. 0. Niel. These
embarked at New York. The following joined the
steamer at Halifax :—Captain Stirling, wife, and
infant ; Lieutenant Kildrick, wife, and child ; Capt.
Hamilton, Lieutenant Orange, wife, and child ;
Captain Forbes, Mr E. Billing, Mr T. J. Kenny,
Mr C. A. Knox, Mr W. G. Potter, Mr T. R. Ro-
binson, Mr T. 11. Rol,irv,on, Mr William Murray,
Mr A. K. Doull, Mr C. S. Silver, Mr John Barrow,
Mr P. Power, jun., Al r 11. C. Money, Mr M. Le-
conte, Miss Paint, Mr J. 11. Paint, Mr T. Thomp-
son, Mr J. Allan, Mr J. B. Young, Mr and Mrs
Baker, Mr J. D. Purdy, Mr C. Fisher, Mr P. R.
Montgomery, Mr W. Parks, and six steerage pas-
sengers, her crew, officers, engineers, firemen, and
children numbered in all about 100.

In conformity with the instructions received some

time since from the Admiralty, a number of addi-
tional hands have been discharged at Pembroke
Dock.

THE COLLISION BETWEEN 711 E BO:11.

BAY AND ONEIDA.

The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation
Company have received the following reply to a
telegram despatched by them to their superintendent
at Bombay, asking for particulars with reference to
the collision between the steamers Bombay and
Oneida :

"Bombay, March 3, 4.5 p.m.
"Collision between Bombay and Oneida occurred
24th Jan., about 20 miles from Yokohama, at seven
p.m. Quite dark ; Oneida .being under sail
and steam, going thirteen knots ; Bombay,
steaming head to wind, going eight knots. Bom-
bay ported her helm, shutting in Oneida's green
lights. Oneida starboarded her helm, crossing
Bombay's bows, rendering collision unavoidable.
Bombay felt the shock so little that Captain Eyre
did not think Oneida could have Leen much
damaged, and continued his voyage on to Yoko-
hama. Oneida was cut down on the quarter, and
soon sank, with 115 men. Two of her boats, with
61 men, escaped. Do not know names of officers
drowned.

"Saved :—•Yates, master; Suddard, surgeon ;
Coningbield, Captain's clerk ; and 57 sailors and
marines. Bombay not damaged. Signed,

"G. F. HENRY, Superintendent P.and U.S.N. Co.,
Bombay."

7HE UNLVARSITY BUJT "LICE.

OXFORD, Saturday.

The floods are again out, and the towing path
rendered inaccessible, while Chris t Church-meadow,
which a few days since was entirely free from water,
is again covered, and would with a good frost again
afford some fine skating. The crew, who are now
supposed to be in strict training, again confined
their practice to the short course, the stroke oar
being taken alternately by Messrs. Woodhouse and
Houblon, Mr. Willan coaching from horseback,
and Mr. Hall, Corpus Christi College, the Univer-
sity coxswain, steering. The indecision of the
officials Gf the Boat Club in the selection of their
stroke has occasioned considerable anxiety in the
minds of Oxford men, and a definite selection for that
important position will, it is hoped by the well-
wishers of the " dark blue," be immediately
determined on, as the time is Short, the race being
most likely to take place on Wednesday, April 6,
instead of Saturday, April 9. That Mr. Houblon
is thoroughly qualified for the arduous task of row-
ing stroke over the London course seems a matter
of doubt, but in the absence of a better man that
gentleman, we understand, will keep his seat in
the boat. A few days will determine the impor-
tant question. The Oxford crew will, we un-
derstand, leave Oxford as early as possible for
their headquarters, the White Lion, Putney,
with the view of making up the practice they
lost through the inclemency of the weather. The
following are the names and weights of the pro-
bable crew :

et lb
Bow. S. H. Woodhouse, University ll 8
No. 2. A. G. P. Lewis, University
No. 3. F. Payne, St. John's
No. 4. S. Edwards-Moss, Baliol
No. 5. T. S. Baker, Queen's
No. 6. Tahourdin, St. John's l2 7
No. 7. W. D. Benson, Baliol
Stroke. T. 11. Houblon, Christ Church... 10 6
Coxswain. A. H. Hall, Corpus

POLICE INIELLIGENCE—This Day.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

A TICKET-OF-LEAVE MAN.—Thomas Rush, a
tall powerful-looking man, was charged before Mr.
Tyr whitt with loitering in 'Waterloo-place and Pall-
mall, supposed for the purpose of committing a
felony.

Sergeant Gould, divisional detective, said that'
about half-past eleven o'clock on Saturday night
he was in Waterloo-place, Pall-mall, and seeing
prisoner and a female together, and suspecting
them he watched them and saw them go down Pall-
mall—the prisoner on one side and the female on
the other. The prisoner then placed himself in a
doorway, while the female stopped different gen-
tlemen. The prisoner and the female then walked
to Waterloo-place, and when near the Duke of York's
steps the female accosted a man and walked
with him into the park, the prisoner following then'•
The man pushed the female away, awl she then
returned with the prisoner, who walked up to ani
looked into some of the carriages, a great number
being collected there. The prisoner then, seeing
him, ran away, but he went after him and caught
him, and on the way to the station he said his name
was Thomas Rush, and that he lived in Pye•street,
Westminster, and that if he had. known he was
going to take him into custody he would have
broke❑ his back. On making inquiries he had
ascertained that the prisoner had left Millbank
Prison a short time since, he having been under
sentence of five years' penal servitude for a robbery
with violence, and he had nearly six months to
serve, being at large on a ticket of leave. He knew
the prisoner to be a companion of thieves about the
Haymarket, and he had done no work since he bad
left r t ison.

The prisoner said that all the officer had stated
was false, and that he had made it all up for him.
Sergeant Gould said that he had been to the
address the prisoner gave, and he did not live
there.

The prisoner said he had been to see his sister,
and was going to seek for his mother when he was
taken into custody.
Mr. Tyrwhitt asked the prisoner whether he was
looking for his mother amongst the carriages ?
The prisoner would go to prison for three months
as a suspected person, and what was more, he had
DO doubt he would then be sent to Millbank to
serve the rest of his time. The present case showed
how little use it was to let such men out.