The Sun.
London, England, 1856-10-21 00:00:00

rilE SUN, LON DON, TUESDA EirFiSiNG O:CrOWEIR 21, 185,

that the difference in the rateable value of the
property in the two districts amounts to no more
than 153,697/. The matter must be thoroughly
investigated, and if the allegations made ar© at
all substantiated, the City must be fairly 'assessed.
The doctrine with respect to "bearing one and
other's burdens" involves reciprocity of relief, and
let the City purists say what they may, by no
means countenances the throwing of City burdens
on the shoulders of the ratepayers of other
districts. The principle involved is susceptible,
we .are inclined to think, of much more general
application, and when the drainage rate is in force,
if not before, we anticipate an equalisation of
assessment, at which some may grumble, but at
which all good citizen: will rejoice.

LATEST NEWS.

MADRID, OCT. 20.

The Gazette publishes a Royal decree, granting
an extended amnesty for all condemnations in-
curred in consequence of the events of July last.
By two other decrees, also inserted in the
official journal, the measures taken for the seques-
tration of the property of the Queen-Mother are
annulled, and all appointments and promotions
granted in June and July, 1854, are ratified.

MARSEILLES, OCT. 20,

Accounts from Constantinople of the 13th,
brought by the Sinai, state that the difficulties
relative to the town of Bolgrad and the Isle of
Serpents have become more aggravated.

The defence of the City of London Gas Com-
pany is now before the public. If it is not satis-
factory it is certainly not for want of variety and
boldness—we had almost said audacity—of asser-
tion. The witnesses were numerous, and their
testimony may be said to have ranged from zero
to blood heat. Fortunately it is not what men
say or would have inferred the public in such
matters are unhesitatingly disposed to accept. The
case is one in which their own judgment can be
turned to account, and they must be expected to
come to that conclusion only which common sense
is likely to approve.
We by no means would have it inferred the
witnesses testified to what they knew to be false.
Interest (and the company have influence) will go
a long way towards the formation of an opinion,
and custom, ignorance, and perversity have in this
instance had their full weight. It is one of the
evils of an unhealthy locality that the offensive
and pernicious odours which load its atmosphere
cease in course of time to be offensive to the more
robust organisations exposed to them, without losing
their injuriousness ; though there are instances
where the subject becomes as it were acclimatised,
and ceases to be perceptibly affected by them in
any way whatever. The test of noxiousness is
not to be found in these. If you would know
whether the atmosphere of any given locality is
detrimental to health, the surest and most delicate
way of testing the matter is to ascertain what
effect it has on strangers. If these be bad on
individuals of delicate organisation, the case is
proved ; if robust men are stricken down, it is
impossible for demonstration to be more complete.
These things being considered, we attach but little
weight to the testimony adduced on behalf of the
Company. The broad, glaring, indisputable facts
remain unimpeached. The police on the beat
feel an offensive smell ; nausea and sickness, fol-
lowed by prostration of energy, are produced by it,
and some of them have to be removed elsewhere.
This smell, they assert, comes from the gas works ;
they have traced it there, and, in confirmation of
their assertion, it is not denied a smell like that
they describe is to be met with in the works,
which, if inhaled, would be productive of such
results. The only impeachment of the damning
testimony of the police is the assertion that the
offensive odour proceeds from the Fleet Ditch.
Why, if true, was there not incontestible evi-
dence of its truth forthcoming ? Nothing could
have been easier than to have adduced it, if it
were advisable. The public must be excused if
they believe it was not.

Admiral Lyons sent the Gladiator to Malta to
demand fresh vessels. The Majestic had arrived,
and other vessels were expected. It is said that
the English are supplying the Circassians with

arms.

The Porte intends to disarm the Albanians.
The' expedition against Montenegro is abandoned.
The Porte has conferred several decorations on
persons connected with the French Messageries.
M. Behic, one of the directors, has received the
order of the Medjidie.

Accounts from Athens of the 15th state that
everything was tranquil. The circular of Prince
Gortschakoff had produced no impression. The
Government was using every endeavour to put
down brigandage. The export of corn has been
prohibited in consequence of the .high price of

provisions.

The Paris Correspondent of the Morning Post
(Second Edition) says
The appearance in the Moniteur of the ex-
pected note on Neapolitan affairs has produced a
most favourable impression. Those who were
jealous for the honour of France are satisfied at
seeing the policy promulgated at the Paris Con-
ferences carried into effect ; and those few whose
political opinions are opposed to the Empire, be-
cause it is the Empire, find so much moderation
and dignity in the language of the Government
that they have little to say. The publication of
this note is regarded as important to Europe
generally, because it illustrates the determination
of England and France not to countenance such
Governments as that of the Two Sicilies. What-
ever may be the immediate results of the with-
drawal of the English and French Embassies, the
future results cannot be doubted. It will show
such rulers as Ferdinand of Naples that there is
a limit to their cruelty and misrule, which the
great Powers will not fail to observe. The pub-
lication of the note confirms the information I
have given you—viz., that the Cabinets of St.
James's and the Tuileries are united in their
foreign policy as regards Italy ; and that the re-
turn of the Emperor to Paris has given a decision
to their policy. As regards the effect of this note
on the money market, I may observe that at the
Passage de l'Opera it was received with great
pleasure by the better part of speculators, having
been hourly expected. Its contents—so pacific,
but at the same time so explicit—caused a gene-
ral satisfaction.

What adds to the weakness of the defence
is its absurd and contradictory nature. One class
of testimony disposes of the affair in the most
summary manner, kicks the police clean out of
Court. It is not a question with those witnesses
of is it good, or is it bad ? or—which is which ?
It is a question as to a primary fact—are there,
or are there s not, smells in the Whitefriars dis-
trict? and, "no such thing—there are none," is, in
effect, their reply. If these people are right the police
must be March mad, or worse—they who support
their testimony pitiable victims of hallucination
and t4e court of inquiry, imbecile. TheFleetDitch
people, or people who, not having the fear of the
Fleet before their eyes, endeavour to exculpate the
gas works at its expense simply illustrate how
needless a nose is to give positive evidence on
smells. The least irrational of all are those who
admit the smells and deny the noxiousness or
unpleasantness of them. The last point is a mat-
ter of taste—the former of science and fact ; and
when an individual is found with a taste so de-
praved—as the great majority believe —as to like
the smells, they must be pardoned the presump-
tion that his judgment is not to be counted on as
to their quality. A fourth class remains—this
consists of those who, with a sublime audacity,
admit the smells—express no doubt as to their
origin, and leave the question of taste out of con-
sideration, but authoritatively pronounce them
wholesome—absolute preventives of cholera ! It
would argue an insane belief in limcelpathy, in-
deed, to give credit to these people. Most of us,
one way or other, unfortunately know what cholera
and it really is too much to be told that
a violent and depressing evacuant can either be
wholesome or good for a disease heralded by
a depression of vital energy, and terminated by
utter prostration. We make the Company a
present of Mr. CHILDS, who appears to be too
amiable to disagree wholly with either party.
At all events, the Company are welcome to his
testimony so far as the public are concerned, who
only seek after the truth, and don't admire being
mystified by witless contradictions, or rather sta-
tistics, on which the compiler admits he cannot
depend. The Company would have been better
off with fewer and more reliable witnesses. They
have fallen into the error ®f getting up too strong
a case, and the result is it has no coherence, and
can command no belief. It may be individuals
have Hired long at gasworks—men have lived
long under the most unfavourable circumstances,
and where there is a free current of air in an open
space gasworks may not be very injurious ; but
cannot—we in a confined area, overhung by a humid atmo-
ng—fail to be
prejudicial
sphere, breathed by thousands, the smells of gas-
works an u h
All the denial
in the world will not overturn an easily ascertain-
able fact. to the e public 'persistheianl t sa.Yi

" The small faction which, for nearly two
months, have been playing for the fall and conse-
quent depression of public funds by using all
sorts of tricks and rumours, had caused the rant©
to be quoted early in the morning at the lowest
prices they could venture upon. But the inter-
' pretation given to the Government's intentions
soon checked this movement."

The Park correspondent of the Times' (second
edition) says :
" The Government has at last spoken out on
the Neapolitan question. A note appears in the
Moniteur of today, and it corroborates pretty
nearly all I have stated on the subject for the
last week or fortnight. Opinion is, as usual,
divided on the note itself ; some call it dignified
and energetic, others the contrary, and some again
decide that it is just what was expected, but just
what suits the exigency of the case. When the
Ministers have left Naples the King will probably
make a few concessions, proprio mote as it were,
and take his own time for reform ; and then we
shall be good friends once more. There is no
use in wasting time in conjectures as to what
will occur at Naples or in Sicily as soon as the
withdrawal of the Ambassadors is known, but an
insurrectionary movement would wonderfully com-
plicate matters. When Baron Brenier leaves, the
French Consul, M. Soulange-Bodin, will take
charge of the archives, and continue to transact
merely notarial business, and I suppose his Eng-
-11,31i confrere will remain for the same purpose.
The Bavarian Minister will take charge of the
interests of such French or British subjects as
still abide in the Neapolitan territory. As soon
as Baron Brenier leaves, M. Antonini, the Neapo-
lirtaunasers.,in,ister at this Court, will proceed to
B

The Vienna correspondent of the Times (secoLd
edition), dated Oct. 17, says :
" Until this morning there was a strong im-
pression on my mind that Austria feigned to
distrust France in order to excite the suspicions
of England, and if possible to bring about a cool-
ness between the Western Powers ; but positive
information has now been acquired that this
Government is greatly annoyed at the conduct of
the French Cabinet in more than one matter of
importance. Complaints are made that Count
Walewski does not display sufficient firmness
towards Russia, and it is whispered that he
and M. de Morny are on such excellent terms
with the St. Petersburg Cabinet that it will
be able to manage matters pretty much as it
pleases when the Paris Conferences are resumed.
It is morally certain that Ismail would not have
been destroyed if Count Walewski had spoken
more positively on the subject when it was
brought forward by Count (now Prince) Orloff, at
Paris, and the question of the Isle of Serpents
would not now be pending if the ships of France
had returned with those of England to the Black
Sea. In my letter of yesterday a doubt was
expressed of the correctness of the assertion that
the British Cabinet did not object to the prolon-
gation of the occupation of the Danubian Princi-
palities by Austria, but it appears that her Ma-
jesty's Government has recently come to the con-
clusion that the presence of the Austrian troops
in Moldavia and Wallachia will facilitate rather
than impede the satisfactory settlement of the
Bessarabian frontier question." •

COURT CIRCULAR.

WINDSOR, OCT. 20.

Her Majesty and his Royal Highness Prince Alberti
accompanied by his Imperial Highness the Hereditary
Prince of Tuscany arid four elder members of tho Royal
family, walked on the East Terrace yesterday afternoon,
attended by the Ladies and Gentlemen in Waiting.
His Royal Highness Prince Albert, with the Here-
ditary Prince of Tuscany, went out shooting this morn-
hg.

The Princess Alice rode on horseback.
Prince Arthur and the Princesses Helena and Louisa
took a carriage drive.
M. Pacheco had his first audience of the Queen this
day, and delivered his credentials tts Minister from her
C4l,tholic Majority the Queen of Spain. Ifis Excellency
was introduced .liy the Earl of Clarendon, K.G.,
the
(I,leen's Principal Secretary of State for Forcif,,,n
Affairs.
Lord Dufferin and Lieutenant-General Sir F. Stovin
were the Lord and Groom in Waiting.
Tie Spanish Minister remains on a visit to the Queen.
Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston have been in-
vited, and are expected this afternoon.

NAPLES.
•
The English squadron had not been met with
since its departure from Ajaccio.
There was nothing new as to the French squadr( a
at Toulon, but it was all ready.
A letter, dated Naples, Oct. 16, says :—" A
Council of State was held at Gaeta last Monday ;
but I am informed that, as usual, no business of
any importance was transacted, and that the Here-
ditary Prince presided. I must not omit, however,
to state that some assert that a change of Ministers
and a comprehensive amnesty were discussed.
There can be no doubt that such measures have for

Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston arrived in Lon•
don yesterday morning from Broadlands, Hants, and
left town in the afternoon for Windsor Castle.

some time been reported as probable among the
Royalists ; but should they ever he carried into
effect, and as final measures, I should regard them as
fatal toNeapolitan progressaud liberty. The fault is
not with the Ministers, who, when strong-minded,
well-intentioned men, have been cashiered in an
ignominious manner, or, when they have been
pliable men of yesterday, have been the slaves of
the Royal caprice, registrars of the Royal will. The
evil lies in the existence of an absolute power which
practically denies the right of independent thought
in will or action to its subjects. With such a power
uncontrolled by the common obligations of morality,
inasmuch as it takes and breaks oaths in a breath,
there can be no confidence in peace or progress. I
can conceive that the Royalists would be well con-
tented with such a solution of the difficulty—but
such a solution would be false, inefficient, fatal.
The funds rose to losa, and most assert that it was
because Baron Brenier took a box at San Carlo for
the 9uecu's gala last night. I cannot help ob-
serving a feverish distrustfulness and anxiety
among the Liberal party about the sentiments
and movements of France and her Ministers.
For several years there have been circulating re-
ports regarding Count Walewski, to which of
course I cannot give credence, but which still mark
rho univeysalimpression that, in some way or
other, he is bound to support the interests of Fer-
dinand 11. Of course these reports have been more
rife since certain agents have visited Paris within
the last few months. One fact is pretty clear, that
the foreign policy of France has been more dis-
posed to support the assumption of the King than
the demands of the people of Naples.
"His Majesty still maintains his confidence and
his pleasantry in speaking of the Allies, and on a
recent occasion is said to have presented the Here-
ditary Prince as King of the Two Sicilies, by the
grace of England and of France.'
" Among other valuable articles taken off to
Gaeta are said to be papers of importance.
"His Royal Highness the Count of Syracuse has
been visiting his Majesty, a fact which was much
commented on as marking some approximation be-
tween the views of the Royal brothers. Among
other significant incidents, too, it was observed
that on Sunday night the Royal box at San Carlo
was well filled with the members of the Royal
family, and that the next box was occupied by
Princes Satriano (Filangieri) and Ischitella, as
also by General Nunciante, the right-hand man of
the King. The inference was, that there was a
reconciliation between Satriano and the Court, and
that he will be called to help them out of their
difficulties.

" The political prisoners lately set at liberty have
been restricted to a residence in their province. An-
toinetta Pace was not liberated at the same time,
perhaps for want of sureties. Avitabile has permission
to remain in Naples. An action was opened last
Monday by the Procureur-General against the two
individuals arrested for having expressed their
approbation of the decision of the judges in the
late political cause ; but the judges, on retiring to
consider whether there was sufficient ground for a
prosecution, decided in the negative, they were
therefore liberated after ten days' confinement.
In referring to the absurd false statements of a
portion of the French press that there were not
more perhaps than 100 political prisoners now re-
maining, I might have given tke following evi-
dence of Captain Acuti on the recent trial. When
he was the commander of the Bagni of Procida
there were 1,450 prisoners, of whom 600 were poli-
tical. Captain Acuti was commander of the Bagni
about a year ago—and supposing one-half have
since been liberated, which certainly is not the case,
we have yet 300 for one prison only still remaining,
to take no account of those who iu the provinces are
daily arrested for reasons and under circumstances
that would appear incredible out of this country.
That some have been released cannot be denied, but
the majority were such as had been arbitrarily ar-
rested by a simple orderof police, and confined with-
out trial or sentence. Poor Amodio too, on ce, I think,
deputy for Potenza, has been liberated ; he had be-
come mad in prison ! Death also has reduced the
numbers, as in the case of the consumptive patient
Zeuli, confined in chains in the damp prisons of
Montesarchio. Lanza and Mambrini have been
permitted to return on conditions extorted from
them, which must for ever awaken the regret of
their friends. I cannot proceed to individualise all
who have returned to enjoy a doubtful liberty under
the surveillance of the police, and within the grasp
of a power which may at any time consign them
again to a prison. An amnesty, indeed ! It is a
mockery of concession. I cannot but observe on the
gradual and detailed manner in which the few who
have been liberated have been amnestied. No one
knows better than the King the danger of such
a measure, and therefore it is that a general am-
nesty cannot and will not be granted unless there
be a return to a state of legality. An amnesty is
incompatible with things as they are—its only effect
will be to restore thousands who`are smarting from
injustice and boiling with wrath and indignation to
form so many nuclei of discontent and revolution.
We have arrived at this point then that compassion
isnot safe without justice and legality.
sc Tho A_flooriostn sloop of War, the Constitution,
came in on Monday from Spezzia, and she will pro-
bably remain some time to watch events."
A letter from Naples of the 13th, in the Gazette
die .3lidi, says :—" The King is still at Gaeta,
superintending the work of the fortifications. He
will return here in a day or two, and will after-
wards proceed to the Palace of Caserta, the Nea-
politan Versailles, and will remain there for some
time with the Queen, who is very near her con-
finement. Everything here is perfectly calm ; no
agitation is visible, at least on the surface, and
the public funds do not appear to be acted on by
the diplomatic crisis. They are still at 107. The
Government considers itself equal to anything
that may take place. The King declares that he
will not yield to any pressure, and that he will
continue to do what he thinks proper. It
is
said that in talking to a foreign ambassador he
used this expression, When I shall declare an am-
nesty I do not chose that it shall be for the benefit
and honour of foreigners, but for the safety of my
crown.' As to the eventual abdication which has
been talked of the statement is declared to be with-
out the slightest foundation. Ferdinand 11. would
consider
it as an unpardonable weakness. He
thinks it his duty to remain at his post, and flat-
ters himself that he will obtain by his persistence
even an honourable solution. The Austrian am-
bassador has only yet seen the King once ; he
preserves the natural attitude of a diplomatist
who has simply come to resume his functions
after a leave of absence. Austria has 80
great an interest in the tranquillity that she
should be thought less indifferent than any
other in what is going on. As to Russia and
Prussia, the attitude of their ambassadors is very ,
decided. The plenipotentiary of the former of
those powers sees all the higher ranks of society
flock to his soirees with an eagerness in which cu-
riosity perhaps has a great share. It was at one
those soirees that he read the famous Gortschakoff
circular before it' was published by the Cologne
gazette."
The Verona Gazette contains the following :
" The city of Naples is very defective in a military
point of view, and may at any time be menaced
without danger of much resist
any time able to destroy Naanee. A fleet is at
Naples or to oblige the
I
Government to come to terms. u 1815, Joachim
Murat kept the Austrians in check on the land side,
but when Commodore Campbell appeared before
Naples, the fleet was obliged to be given up.
Since then, indeed, the Neapolitan fleet has been
considerably increased ,
but
the port, being too small, can offer b little resistance, and.
all the maritime arsenals at Naples and Castolla-
maro are exposed to the fire ofthe enemy. The
accumulation of military and naval stores at
Naples, and in the neighbourhood is very detri-
mental to the defence of the kingdom, because the
fall of that city renders all resistance in other quar-
ters impossible. The islands opposite the gulf are
more favourable for the purpose of attack than de-
fence. The fortifications of Cap ti, Ischia, and
quite
Procida are insufficient to prevent the nen-
trance of a fleet into the port. On the land side
the capital may be defended, if it is not threatened
by sea. The fortifications of the rest of the king-
dom are important, but arc not connected so as to
form a regular strategical system."