The Sun.
London, England, 1870-11-02 00:00:00

IHE SUA, LONDON, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2,187 C.

airs, and have now taken possession of the public
offices and of the railway ; and the greater part of
Lorraine is now thoroughly Prussian. Thus ends
the seventy days' siege of Metz.

PRUSSIAN S CONSTRUCTING MORE
BATTERIES.

It is stated that the Pru.ssians are constructing
strong batteries near before Courbevoie. It is also
believed that they have batteries at Bas-Meudon,
for enfilading the ramparts from Point du Jour to
Meudon.

THE CAPITULATION OF METZ.

A correspondent of the Daily News at Berlin writes as
follows :—At Metz the French Guards have capitulated ;
also 2nd Army Corps, General Frossard ; 3rd Army
Corps, originally Marshal Bazaine, afterwards General
Decaen ; 4th Army Corps, General L'Admirault ; 6th
Army Corps, Marshal Canrobert. Marshal Lebteuf
is also among the prisoners. The prisoners in-
clude 67 infantry regiments, 13 battalions of
Chasseurs-la-pied, 18 fourth and depot battalions, 36
cavalry regiments, viz., 10 Cuirassiers, one Guides, 11
Dragoons, two Lancers, three Hussars, six Chasseurs and
three Chasseurs d'Afrique, six depot squadrons ; also 115
field batteries, and 17 batteries of mitrailleuses. These
troops carried 69 eagles for the infantry—one for each
infantry regiment, and one for the battalion of Chas-
seurs of the Guards, and the sth battalion of
Chasseurs. Two of these eagles were taken in the battle
of Mars la Tour. Also 36 eagles and standards for the
cavalry. The number of battalions of which this army
and the garrison originally consisted was 221, and
162 squadrons of horse. The entire strength,
210,000 infantry, and 21;450 cavalry. They carried 690
guns, and 102 mitrailleuses. Besides the - three
Marshals—Bazaine, Canrobert, and Lebceuf —and the
Corps Commanders Frossard, Decaen, and L'Admirault—
there are 40 generals of division and 100 brigadier-generals.
Ninety thousand of the sound prisoners will come to
North Germany, and fifty thousand to South Germany.
The sick and wounded will also be distributed around
equally.
One of the Grand Staff of the Army writes me on the
22nd from Versailles :—" When the affair at Paris will
be ended no mortal man can tell with certainty at this
moment ; my personal calculation is a fortnight or three
weeks, but I may be mistaken. At all events, we shall,
with God's help, do up the business thoroughly.
Therein, to be sure, we shall have hunger for our
strongest ally."

WORKMEN'S INTERN 4TIONAL EXHIBITION.
The closing ceremony in connection with this exhibition,
took place yesterday afternoon at the Agricultural Hall,
Islington. The Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone in the
chair. There were on the platform a large number of
M. P.'s, and among the ladies present, were Mrs. Glad-
stone and Lady Augusta Stanley, wife of the Very Revd.
Dean of Westminster.
The SECRETARY (Mr. Patterson) congratulated the
meeting on the happy unanimity which had enabled
them to bring rank, wealth, and labour to carry out this
exhibition to the present successful termination. This
combination had brought for waid inventions which re-
dounded alike to the benefit of the working men them-
selves and the public, and brought hand and brain
labour into such competition that it was hoped that
in future the two interests would stand out in support
of each other rather than in opposition, as had too fre-
quently been the case. (Cheers.)
Mr. HENRY HOARE, hon. treasurer, said it was his un-
fortunate duty to announce a deficit in connection with
the funds of this exhibition, and no oratorical jugglery
or legerdemain could convert that deficit into a surplus.
Having traced the causes which resulted in the carrying
out of this international gathering, and the difficulties
their promoters had had to contend with, he said these
difficulties had been much smoothed by the kind aid of the
late Lord Clarendon and other eminent men, he then
read the financial statement, from which it appeared that
there was a balance of expenditure over receipts of about
£l,OOO which the guarantors would be called upon to pay.
Count TERCOLINA proposed a vote of thanks of the
foreign exhibitors to the Executive, dwelling on the care-
ful nature of the organization which was necessary to
bring about so successful a termination to this exhibition,
which had for the first time broken down the barrier that
had hitherto existed between the working men and their
masters.
Mr. MOTTESHEAD (a working man) seconded the resolu-
tion, which was supported by Dr. BICKERS, and also by
Mr. GEORGE POTTER. The latter launched out into
commendation of Mr. John Bright and the Board
of Trade, at which the audience expressed great
impatience, requesting him to confine his sentiments to
the Executive.
The motion, having been put to the meeting, was
carried unanimously.
Sir ANTONIO BRADY returned thanks, and concluded by
proposing a vote of thanks to the Premier who
guided the destinies of this great Empire.
This having been seconded, was carried unanimously.
Mr. GLADSTONE, in rising to reply, was greeted
with loud applause. He said he wished the
building in which they were assembled was
as well adapted for the power of carrying the human
voice to all those it was capable of containing,
as it was for the far more important purpose, relative to
their present subject, of receiving and displaying in
a most convenient and effective manner the in-
teresting and valuable collection of objects which had
been gathered there from all quarters of the world.
He should, therefore, beware of making any very
extensive demand upon their patience. But he
had listened with great advantage to the truly
practical and excellent speeches which had been
delivered from that platform by persons who were
best acquainted with, the purposes, and with the working
of this exhibition, and therefore best qualified to explain
the various details to them. He felt confident
that if the public were enabled to weigh the
matter which had been laid before that assembly
they would think that that exhibition was nothing less
than a further step, a further progress in
the accomplishment of that great work which
was contemplated by attempts of this kind.
Now, with respect to the question of finances. No doubt,
upon the face of it, the existence of a deficiency was a
misfortune in itself, because it was in the future a
barrier in the way of further efforts. (Hear, hear.)
But at the same time let them consider how slight that
deficiency was, and how small a sum would have sufficed
to have converted into a balance on the other
side. It would be an absurd and irrational deduction from
the facts laid before them if anyone were to
suppose that this difficulty was to stand
permanently in the way of these exhibitions.
He would say, on the contrary, that there
was every reason to believe that this country
would still continue to be able to hold these
exhibitions on that footing which was by far the
best in every point of view, namely, on the footing of
independent, free, voluntary, and self-supporting institu-
tions. (Applause.) They might regret indeed, and he for
one did deeply regret that the committee might perhaps
be deprived of the power of awarding just tokens of
approval to those who had distinguished themselves
in the works exhibited, but he hoped that whatever part
of the proceedings of the meeting might fail
to reach the public eye, one part at least
would be read very extensively, and especially
he hoped it would be read extensively by members of
certain great institutions in the City of London, he meant
that part in which one of the speakers commended these
exibitions to the support and consideration of the
great and wealthy companies of the city as being objects
worthy of their best encouragement. Indeed, consider-
ing the little they knew and the more
they heard with respect to the condition of
those companies, his own impression was, if they would
not resent it as an invasion, the suggestion which
had been made to them was a suitable, and would
be an acceptable method of disposing of funds, of which some
portion of the world, at any rate, supposed they had now less
sound purposes upon which to distribute them. (Laughter.)
Now in respect of this financial deficiency he would only
say that it should act upon them as a lesson for the
future, and he trusted that when next they met
in that great building for similar purposes, it might be in
a time when the sword would be sheathed, and when
Europe would not be so distracted, nor the minds
of men pained as they now were, and bewildered
at the events which they now daily heard.
Passing on from the question of pecuniary results as re-
garded that exhibition, let them ask themselves in truth
what was the object of that exhibition. The pur-
pose of their efforts was not, after all, alone
to make money. In other countries it had
been found difficult to conduct exhibitions of the kind
except out of the public purse. And it had a rather satis-
factory distinction in this country—that they had been car-
ried on by voluntary means. It was, he repeated, satisfactory
because the self-supporting character of those institutions
was really the characteristic of this country, and because
it shewed that the skill and industry of the country
was not dependent upon the tuition received from
any extraneous sources or artificial channels but had its
roots in the minds and intelligence of the nation at large.
At the same time they must all join in expressing the
satisfaction they had all felt in examining the beautiful works
sent them by the artists and artisans of so may European
countries, and how some of these countries had progressed.
Austria and Italy but a few years back seemed
to be locked up in deadly conflict, but those
countries were now hand in hand with peace and pros-
perity at home and abroad. Long may they continue in
that animated and friendly competition of which
they had so many symbols in that hall. But there
was another advantage arising from this co-operation
with foreign countries. It brought us to use those facilities
which Providence had so bountifully given ais. If men were
lazy it was well they should be stimulated ; if men were
wasteful and careless it was well that by example they
should be made economical and thrifty. But this com-
petition meant something more. Still better than any-
thing he had mentioned was that growth of friendship
and good will, which became stronger and increased
with that intercourse which resulted in that
unseen silent, but certain process which bound together
in harmony and friendship all the nations of the world.
The purpose of such an exhibition as this was to perform
its part in this great and noble work, and they had good
reason to believe that part had been performed. Mr.
Mottishead referred in his excellent speech to the
examples of Irish industry to be met with in that exhibi-
tion, and which were worthy to be commemorated. What
a subject was that raised for their contemplation. It. had
been sometimes supposed that the inhabitants of Ireland
were fitted only, for the pursuits of agriculture ; that they
were excluded from the pursuit of those careers of in-
dustry prepared by other men. Now let it not be under-
stood for a moment that he spoke of agricultural pursuits
as other than that which were noble, healthy, and benefi-
cial, and deeply and vitally connected with the well-being
of their country. But still it would be unfortunate for my
country to be deprived of those varied applications
of industrial power which was one of the great substan-
tial elements of this country's success. There was another
case mentioned by Mr. Mottishead. If there had been
one single branch of the higher kinds of industry for which
we have often been tempted to ask ourselves whether it
was possible for this country to hold its own, it was the
silk trade. And he did not deny the melancholy fact which
had marked the history of trade ; indeed, it might almost
be said of it that " melancholy marked it for its own."
He would not go back to the case which existed ten years
ago at Coventry, the district of which at that time was
under very severe suffering. He would not ask to what
it was owing, to what the trial was due—whether to legis-
lative changes or to other causes. Mr. Mottishead had
told them, and had told them with truth, that whatever
might have been their judgment at the time, the result
was that the industry of Coventry had been thrown back
on its energies, and had discovered so much of resources
and vitality under pressure which might have
been the direct means of stimulating its exer-
tions, and had no doubt tended to the production
of works of skill such as England and English silk manu-
facturers of thirty or forty years ago, had such works been
predicted to them, would have Willy and positively de-
clared it to be altogether impossible. Well, it was said,
and he was glad it had been said, that day from the plat-
form, that the effect of the exhibitions which had been
held in this country had been to some extent to give an
advantage to foreign producers in their competitions with
English producers, and that the great exhibitions which
had been held had shewn that rivals abroad had
gained upon us. Now, they must not consider
him deficient of patriotism if he said he was not sorry for
it, but he confessed that that was the case with him. His
belief about the English, the Britons, and if he had a
• word which would include their Irish friends and fellow
subjects he would use it, but his belief about this island
was that the people had in them the materials of every
thing which was great and excellent, but that they re-
quired the stimulus. They had not so much abstract
love of excellence as might occaeionally be

found among the natives of other countries.
Therefore it was that production in this
country required to be stimulated by competition from
abroad. We must throw the Englishman upon his metal
in order that be may come to know what really he can do.
If he wanted to illustrate the truth of this apparently
broad and sweeping proposition he would point out the
condition of our manufacturers at a time when tbey were
petted and coddled by legislative enactments, compared
with what they had been during the past few years,
while they had been free as air. Who would venture
to say it was not desirable, as much for our
own sakes as for other countries, that this stream of com-
petition should continue to flow? He felt that all must
derive a great benefit from exhibitions such as these.
They lad heard over and over again of labour and capital,
and he thought it was justly to be said of this exhibition,
if he understood its character aright, that it might be re-
garded as an advance upon former exhibitions in these two
most important particulars : First, that the labourer had
appeared there in his own proper character,with productions
of his own peculiar and chosen profession; and second,
that he appeared in nearer and closer connection with the
capitalist for whom he worked, than had ever been the
case before. Then there was a third person whose co-
operation and agency was necessary, and that was the
inventor. Now, the inventor dial not always have fair
play. It was very difficult for him, especially if he be in
humble circumstances, to obtain for his talent the utmost
value in the market. It was a question with him if an
invention in its first form conld be practically applied
and unless he was able to experiment to that
stage at which it became experience, his posi-
tion was one of great difficulty. It was there-
fore with the greatest satisfaction that he had heard
the Act which had lately been framed had been of
great advantage in securing to members the power of
exhibiting the results of their thoughts and ingenuity,
which were not only a benefit to themselves but to the
public. And, after all, these exhibitions might be con-
sidered as one chapter only in the great work of education
for the people. (Hear, hear.) It was one particular form
in which that education came. He must say that he
wished self-education would always be pre-eminently the
characteristic of Englishmen, and that we should not see
substituted for that education any gigantic scheme
which would introduce official agency when the
most legitimate of all motives should prevail, viz.,
the enabling of all human industry to secure its own
reward. At the same time it was a great satisfaction to
think that we helped one another when we supported an
institution such as this, and he would go as far as to say
that he might congratulate them on the formation of au
institution in East London where the labouring popula-
tion would be able to educate themselves by becoming
acquainted with works of art in a thousand varied forms,
which would enable them not only to prosecute their la-
bours in a much more efficient manner, but to fit them-
selves fora much higher career. It had been a great satisfac-
tion to him that he had received so much instruction
from the speeches that had been delivered there that day.
He thought he might congratulate them on their future
prospects, that they might really cast aside the conside-
ration of any pecuniary difficulty attending the winding
up of that Exhibition, especially as it had achieved its
main success not only of equalising but of being in ad-
vance of that which was obtained by similar efforts in
former years. We were far from being able to say that
that man was only living by the bread the perishes, for
nature was constantly supplying materials for the deve-
lopment of his faculties. After some few other observa-
tions, the right hon. gentleman concluded by thanking
them for their acknwledgment of the very simple part he
had been able to perform in connection with the Exhibition.