The Sun.
London, England, 1869-03-09 00:00:00

INDIA.

The following are the principal items of news by the
Bombay mail, just arrived:—

The accounts from the famine districts are somewhat
less alarming than hitherto.

A good deal of rain has fallen in the North-West Pro-
vinces, which has had the effect of I.wering the prices of
corn throughout the webLern part of those provinces.
The contemplated interview between Lord Mayo and
Shere Ali, at Peshawur, has been abandoned.
The Bishop of Calcutta has put forward a scheme for
the establishment of a Christian mission at Mandalay.
the King of which does not object to Christianity.
Dr. Douglas, Bishop of Bombay, presided at a public
meeting in Bombay, for the first time, on the occasion
of the anniversary gathering of the Church Missionary
Society.

A bill has passed the Bombay Legislative Council em-
powering the Government Commissioners appointed to
inquire into the recent fatal accident on the Bhore Ghaut
incline of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway.
The Bombay creditors and contributories of the Com-
mercial Bank Corporation have unanimously adopted the
compromise proposed by the official liquidator.
A bill is to be introduced at the next meeting of the
Legislative Council of Bombay for the prevention
of the adulteration of cotton and the better suppression
of frauds in the cotton trade in the Bombay Presidency.
The bill also provides for the expenditure of part of the
revenue derived from cotton, on the improvement of the
growth of cotton, and of machinery applicable to the pre-
*Thration of cotton for export.

4.N EXECUTION AT CONSTANTIONPLE.

Another of these locally rare sacrifices to justice occurrea
on Wednesday morning in a street near Ak-Serai. The
victim in this case was a Mussulman Albanian, named
Hassan, who about a fortnight ago violated and then mur-
dered a woman at Scutari. He had entered the house, in a
lonely quarter of the Asiatic suburb, in the daytime, and,
finding the woman alone, perpetrated his double crime, and
afterwards decamped with what light valuables he could
carry off. The police, for a wonder, succeeded in tracking
him, and, as he was identified by some one who had seen
him enter the house, he finally confessed the crime during
his second or third examination at the Zaptieh. From the
first there was no chance of his escaping capital punish-
ment, but his sentence was, as usual, concealed from him
till the last. The execution had been delayed for some
days owing to the difficulty of finding a gipsy—the usual
finisher of the law in Stamboul—to undertake the job for
the modest fee offered by the authorities. The Zingaree,
however, holding out for better pay, a policeman was at
length induced to do the work, and, without previous
hint of his fate, the murderer was roused from his sleep at
sunrise on Wednesday to go down, as he was told, to a
steamer for exile to Trebizonde. On reaching the spot
selected, the party of police escorting him halted, and the
first intimation the wretch had of his fate was the question
if he desired to say his prayers. He replied in a negative.
and the executioner then advanced and attempted to
throw a looped cord over his head. Manacled though he
was, he resisted for some minutes, struggling fiercely, and
screaming in a manner which, early as the hour was,
speedily gathered a crowd into the previously empty
street. At length the cord was got round his neck, and,
after a further short resistance, he was strangled into
insensibility. This done, the body was hitched up to a
hook in the door-post of a neighbouring butcher's shop,
with the feet barely off the ground, and left to die out
thus, under watch of a single zaptieh. As usual, there
was no excitement among the spectators, and in less than
half an hour after the murderer was dead only some three
or four loiterers lingered near the spot. About 1 p.m.
the body was cut down, and carried off in a sack for
burial.—Levant Herald, Jan. 24.

Mr. Hatton Hamer Stansfeld, who for many years
filled the office of official assignee in the court of the late
Mr. Commissioner Fonblanque, and who for some years has
acted as provisional assignee in the winding up of old insol-
vency cases, has been appointed to fill the vacancy in the
post of official assignee in Mr. Commissioner Holroyd's
court, vacant by the dismissal of Mr. Edwards.

At the Derby Assizes Mr. Hugh Brookes surren-
dered to answer a charge of "practising intimidation,
on the 13th of July, 1868," upon George Thornley,
a voter for the southern division of the county
of Derby, by means of a threatening letter, in order to in-
duce him to give his vote. After a long inquiry, his lord-
ship expressed his opinion that the indictment had not been
maintained, and a verdict was returned for the defendant.
Mr. Shirley Brooks, in writing in the Illustrated
London News, says: " Good Friday has been selected by
certain Reformers of the less-considered sort for a proces-
sion in honour of the late Ernest Jones. One reads that
some kinds of hymns are to be sung, and that a meeting is
to take place in Trafalgar-square. I suppose that it is of
no use to ask such persons to reconsider their intention ;
but could Ernest Jones have foreseen anything of the kind,
he would have declared it, both in regard to the choice of
the day and the ridiculous ceremonial, detestable. Mr.
Ernest Jones was a gentleman."

THE NEW TRADE MOVEMENT.—The adjourned
meeting of ironmasters and ironworkers was held on Mon-
day at Darlington, when the committee of five masters
and five men presented rules for the formation and guidance
of a court of arbitration and conciliation. Most of the
works in the North of England were represented by the
masters and by delegates on the part of the men, and the
discussions were of a harmonious and promising character.
The meeting, which occupied several hours, discussed
the rules, a code being ultimately adopted. It was
decided that the board of arbitration should consist of
one operative and one employer from each firm, the ope-
ratives to select their representative by ballot ; that a
president and vice-president, one from the operatives and
one from the employers, be elected annually ; that the
board meet once a quarter at Darlington, Stockton, New-
castle, and Middlesborough, alternately. The question of
an advance of wages was again raised by the men, who
pressed their claim, and said the ironworkers were almost
ready to strike in some of the districts. It was decided'
that the board of arbitration should meet at an early day,
and consider the demand.
THE TOWER HAMLETS CONSTITUTIONAL Asso-
CIATION.—BANQUET TO MR. COOPE.-- On Monday night
the first anniversary of the Tower Hamlets Conservative
Association was celebrated by a banquet at the Cannon-
street Hotel, in honour of the candidature of Mr. Coope
The chair was taken by Mr. R. Wigram. There were
about 300 persons present, amongst whom were Mr. Mow-
bray, M.P., Mr. Fowler, M.P., Mr. Round, M.P. , Mr. Pell,
M.P., Mr. Charrington, Major Holt, Mr. Fairclough, Mr.
Morgan Howard, Mr. J. Fletcher, Mr. Ashton, Rev. Mr.
Bray, &c. After the usual loyal and patriotic toasts,
the chairman proposed the toast of the evening
"Mr Coope, our Friend and Future Member." The cir-
cumstarces under which Mr. Coope stood for the Tower
Hamlets were peculiar, and he looked upon the amount
of support he received as a sign that the tide was turning
in favour of Conservatism in this country. The result in
South Lancashire did not afford stronger evidence of tho
feelings of the people of the country than (lid the last
election in the Tower Hamlets. The To wel was
a working men's constituency, and their supi.ort, of his
friend Mr. Coope—a support which was nearly
crowned with success—shewed that they were begin-
ning to see who were their real friends. He had
now, on behalf of the Tower Hamlets Constitutional
Association, to present Mr. Coope with an address.
Mr. Coope said when he heard of this banquet he was
afraid at first that it might be regarded as an offer of
condolence under defeat, but when he recollected that in
the most Radical borough in the kingdom, and possessing
one of the largest constituencies, he was only defeated by
the small majority of 400, he felt that the result of the
dectio4 of the Tower klAreWe wp4 rely tritlawbi

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

The Times observes that Mr. Childers, in moving the
navy estimates, had a double advantage—first, in coining
before the House with all the energy of a new adrainie‘
trator ; and next, in addressing an audience, a large
number of whom heard the naval estimates moved for the
first time. The fact that he could announce a reduction
of more than a million was also in his favour, though lunch
of this reduction was settled before his predecessor left
office. But, after making every allowance for the tardl
zeal of the late Ministry, Mr. Childers deserves the praise
of great energy and success since he has been at WhitebslL
He has recast the supreme administrative machinery. Ile
has devised a plan of freeing the navy from the congestion
of elderly officers, under which it constantly suffers. lie hiel
revised the mode of distribution and relief of the foreig°
squadrons. He has determined upon a distinct polity r'l2
be followed in shipbuilding. He has just touched, byway
of beginning,"the management of the dockyard; and gives
fair promise of doing much more in the same portion of hie
department. Experience only can shew how far his refoune
are salutary, but there seems to begood reason for everyone
of them. It is impossible that economy can be pursued hi
a Government without some complaint on the part of thc',
se
who find themselves affected by retrenchment; but tir"
kind of remonstrance raised against the reductions of I\ll.'
Childers on Mondaynight was particularly feeble. Sir 1
Elphinstone, in his double capacity as a member of the
Opposition and representative of Portsmouth, denounced
the savings effected in the dockyard there ; but the
conclusion of an unpredjudiced bystander would be rather
in favour of encouraging Mr. Childers to further economy
than of holding his hand. The principle of extravagant„
has been defined as " making things pleasant all round,
and the practice of economy must make things "
sant all round ;" but Mr. Childers has not been inc°/1,
siderate in his course, and the inevitable inconvenience
has been mitigated in every possible way. More mkt'
indeed, be done, for of little more than eight rcilil°rie'
forming the total cost of the effective service, more than
_
three millions are consumed in the dockyard, nar,
7
stores, and new buildings. The Third Lord and
~,,;4t°6
Controller may find in a careful examination of
expenditure ample employment for their own energl''
and the means of enabling Mr. Childers to appear gall:
as an efficient economist in moving the estimates lex.
year.
The Daily Hews declares that when Mr. Childers
down on Monday evening after speaking without a
moment's halt or hesitation for two hours and ahalf,b:
was heartily and deservedly cheered on both aides of ,
House. From first to last the attention of the committee
neither flagged nor wandered. He had, in the course °
an exposition as remarkable for its order and method e'es
for its exhaustiveness and perspicuity, traversed th
whole range of the naval administration, touching sii
points with equal firmness and precision, omitting none
and leaving none obscure. The House of Commons lit„,
to listen to a Minister who shews himself a master of
subject, who can give a reason for every one a
acts, and has a distinct policy to announce. 1:;
Childers announced and explained his policy on the
internal reconstitution of the Board of Admiralty ; 07,0
revision and reduction of the Admiralty Offices ; "
the concentration of the dockyards ;' the class'
the
tion of stores and material ; the reorganisation of
civil, and particularly the medical, establishments ;
nit
redistribution and reduction of distant squadrons ; 'Po
formation of what may be called a normal flying squsaff, 6
to visit all the stations in turn ; the maintenance of
Channel Fleet in the most perfect training; the reduco
of non-efficient men in order to keep the blue. iacl‘e4
at their full strength ; the annual exercise b'y
sea of the coastguard and training ships to
way of convenience and encouragement to
naval reserve ; the preparation of a comprOellelce
scheme of retrenchment, so as to let light and air at on
into the highest and the lowest ranks of a professl°lloo
which the number of officers is out of all proportion h°
probability of their employment ; the construction of On;
armoured ships and of such unarmoured cruisers as in
sustain the relative and absolute superiority rather
quality than in quantity of the naval power of Engiefor
On all these points Mr. Childers announced such a c'
and positive policy as only a strong Governrnent'nj
Government de longue halcine, sure of its existence 1/
confident in its capacity, can presume to initiate or pretend

to execute.
into
The Star considers that Mr. Childers's speec
h in
clueing the navy estimates has justified the expectatlera.
that were formed of his economising policy, without Oc
of
ing any opportunity for adverse criticism on the Part .t
those who would willingly establish, if they could, wito
the navy is likely to suffer in efficiency while under to
present management. It is, fortunately, more eaf f
prove in naval matters than in many others that econawet
and efficiency go together, and Mr. Childers's statenyte
of the present state of the navy list may be apPeade
t
t
as a satisfactory illustration of the scope there is a ibe
Admiralty for a reformer who will attack evils broil°
tile
and who is capable of reducing establishments intwe
direction of efficiency instead of in the diree'tee.
of false economy and waste. There is not in any cons to
in the world a navy with so enormous a proportion°
excess of officers over men as exists in the navy of Ore;
Britain. Of our vice and rear admirals, of whoa' core
one in ten is employed ; of our post captains not r° fe
/ler°
than one in five is employed ; and of the commas- tee
the list only one in four is employed. The condition of der
junior branches of the service is, of course, tinge
these circumstances most deplorable. There list,
actually 446 names on the sub-lieutenants'
and their state is spoken of by Mr. `-irtbcle
ielo
with a sort of vast and poignant pity
is significant of their prospects in the lrc'eeee-
which they have chosen. Can anything be lesseeTihiell
mical ? But can anything be less efficient? Mr• vets'
tells us that the system works very badly in three 0 ate
ways. It renders the officers disgusted, for theS ate
receiving their full pay only occasionally,
they
so
always grumbling in consequence, whether thler
on full or half-pay. The fact that this great nnweet t°,
unemployed officers exists encourages the Governer 'lilt
favour the discovery of utterly unnecessary, enciree'P
for them. And the navy, being officered in this
efficiency is to a great extent out of the question. ge
The Standard refers to the discussion raised 31t
Sclater.Booth respecting the appointment of •
safer;iht
Stansfeld and says that no one will grudge him 114
or his rank. His party is in power, and he had a rlobefici
expect, on the score of his ability, his previous of thee
services, and the confidence which the extreme Wing in thf
Radical party reposes in him, an important positioece chi!,
new Government. Had he been called to one of t'eoeo;
offices of State, with a seat in the Cabinet, his 01311taitiotw
might, indeed, have considered the appointment ani/euee
one; but they would have frankly admitted his c 0%0
such an office in a Radical Government, and theife ho
surprised that his name did not appear io tsajel
of noblemen and gentlemen submitted to her tb
130_
for offices which give a place in the Cabinet.a
Mr. Stansfeld's abilities are one thing auk,
age
expediency of creating a Third Lord of the Tres°, Th
altering the constitution of the board are anothe'a'e, who
ee
question is not whether Mr. Stansfeld is an able tee of I,
is worth a salary of £2,000 a year, but whether t f
any necessity to create the post as the occupant °. L 0.%
he enjoys that income. And this was what am,j with
utterly failed to shew. Mr. Ward Hunt exposelie thee
much power, the danger of the precedent set oftic
appointment of the Marquis of Lansdowne to aeell
without salary, and Mr. Cardwell made a vie"ee edit
defence for it. The Secretary for War claimed ce," ettitle
the Government for respect to the decision of a c°l-ii
of the House in not assigning a salary to the Six Teal
of the Treasury. But if refusing a salary to Lementi,;)o
downe is respect to the House, what is the Pais o a
£2,000 a year to Mr. Stansfeld? Tried by be fourief
standard, Mr. Cardwell and his colleagues must 00e
guilty of gross disrespect to the decision of the
Commons, that
•
The Telegraph, in discussing the same subject► sa3ls • eel;st
it imputes to want of sharpness to the impatient_lbcblecit°,
in remarking how natural it was that he should pal
the necessity of the appointment. Not only ha's oreent,ef
usually excelled rather in the handsome disbursin its it
capital, than in a plebeian parsimony ; but everiee out;fte
occupation of office it most consistently caolourse
each
principles and went beyond its means. Of Coe
Booth was not the man to discover either , yet
which he had helped to accumulate, or the world vet
created for the coming pioneers of retrenchment44,cod
simply thefact, that the task is in its very nature pre
plex, and arduous. Hence the call for fresh assistanssim trop'so
was there a more palpably reasonable businev.e,
action, nor had we ever better ground for helieeget;
the aides were well selected. Some portions of Is pro fi
to be done especially demand a statesman wh?.ed, *Wee
cally acquainted with the abuses to be correubjeot tooej
honest beyond suspicion, who is too indePaw ee 06. to •
drawn aside from his duty by the most insidious
sty Old
blandishments, and who puts his heart earcielecooll.(e,
whatever work he undertakes. In other words, t
wanted at the particular post exactly such ho oety. roe
James Stansfeld, long known for spotless
_nt bet a
distinguished for zeal in the cause of retren-chine.street
its pursuit became the fashion in Downingoooth°
its profitable victories a puzzle to the Sclater-
the day. ,„s
qter
The Post thinks that the bill which Mr. l' c-eeepete", oo
troduced to " amend, consolidate, and inal°,,,o is °le it
the Acts relating to infectious diseases in ca",oe
which the importance cannot be overrated, for iefetif
deals indirectly with no less a matter theecte direeeo•
supply of animal food to the country, it aj.ic itO roe
the interests of a large class of the commurY:evoe el!
visions may be summed up by saying that
act al.
)011e0;
Privy Council almost unlimited power 01 the eni bill
eases where there may be any risk-even not ooe
—of the spread of disease ; while it eo
it down to restrictive measures when there Is_r sueco4.
such a calamity. This is certainly the prof toil,
sensible way of proceeding, and it 13 i" en ad.C_Pel
tinuance of a policy which has hitherto oe,,i, iorvo_
supplemented by increased power of carry 1;10o the
immediate and effective execution. The great most 700
the cattle imported at ordinary times from
are Per ef4o;
countries which supply the English market _ this is, tee,
free from disease of any kind, and when or!ceeeeoeteardeo°
blished it is not only advisable, but highly l'"eelY life
to
they should be allowed to enter the country as tarto he albi
Bible. On the other hand, it is no less importan_edies
apply instantaneously in time of peril the reu4l.o staved,
experience has shewn are alone efficient t"0 ,etainrfe!
plague, and both these objects the bill seetn°___.eu the
completely. It proceeds, as we have said,
eurtjtfuessfoloi
principle of providing for extraordinary resbt eppea'
it does not apply in ordinary times, and lecueitY__
calculated to give a certain and permanent sr_„,eetion.i
the scourge which for want of these reseele.
414411 played p_uch )44you with 00 "'"