The Sun.
London, England, 1860-02-27 00:00:00

THE SUN V.71.,0D0N, MONDAY EVEt4IING, FEBRUARY 21, 1860.

aprehensible fatuity by the late Mr. HENRY

FITZROY, and more than that, was posi-
tively championed in a moment of still

greater fatuity by the late illustrious engineer

Mr. ROBERT STEPHENSON. We all know too

painfully what this plan was—what, alas, it is, for
it is literally now being carried out ! Namely, an
elaborately arranged method of puddling and mess-
ing and dabbling in all kinds of filth—drawing the
foul water off, and filtering it, and pumping it back

again—and, while periodically carting away the

oathsome and putrescent residum, still carrying on

he nasty process in one ceaseless round of drip and

drizzle and stench under a fluctuating atmosphere
of more or less odious exhalations. Say whatever
the contriver of this absurd and abominable plan
may, in extenuation of it,—the fact that it involves
all this is a matter perfectly obvious, perfectly and
absolutely undeniable. It is so wholly undeniable

that we cannot in any way wonder at all for a
single instant that Mr. COWPER on Saturday after-
noon should, have spoken as we have here al-

ready intimated, that he should have said in so
many words—for what he said upon the subject is
so entirely in accordance with our own often ex•
pressed views, that we here gladly reproduce the
ipsissima verba of the Chief Commissioner of Public
Works :—" As to myself, I have no responsibility
for that which has been done, yet still I do
not think it a good plan, nor should I have ever
thought of adopting such a plan." Then follow
the obnoxious words before quoted—" But my
hands are tied." Cannot some one untie them for
the sake of the public, for the Chief Commis-
sioners' sake himself ? Cannot the House of Com-
mons ? It is in these matters politically omnipo-
tent. It can do, when it is put to it, pretty nearly
any thing. It was only the other day (compara-
tively but a few hours since) that we saw it doing
with the greatest sang froid the most sur-
prising thing we could almost expect to
see done even by a House of Commons—
namely, while swallowing an Income Tax of
£10,000,000 upon the twelvemonth, for the luxury
of having a Treaty of Peace with France that binds
us for ten years to the chariot wheels of NAPOLEON,
signallising the Ministerial acceptance of that
treaty by setting apart (chiefly because of the im-
mense army and the formidable navy of our imperial
ally) £30,000,000 upon the year for our war
establishments ! Surely a House of Commons that
can go that extraordinary length can achieve
the far less difficult feat of untying- Mr.
COWPER'S hands so that he may wash
them clean of all the dirty work of filtration con-
trived by the whimsical engineering genius of Mr.
HAWKSLEY, and now unhappily in course of being
practically commenced upon the banks of Serpen-
iue.

It was the House of Commons that came
blindly to the conclusion that £17,000 had better
be spent in carrying into effect this nasty process
—a process in its character as filthy as in its
result, it must prove ineffectual. If the
House blunders into a wrong path, it can
surely retrace its steps. The present Chief Com-
missioner thinks now, with many thousands of
other persons who are not Chief Commissioners,
that the path entered upon at the instance of Mr.
HAWKSLEY, with the consent of Mr. FITZROY, and
under the astounding mismanagement of Mr. STE-
PHENSON, is a wrong path altogether. Do let us
hope, then, that the House having—as it certainly
must have—the power, will also have the good
sense to stop these outrageously absurd proceed-
ings. Let it acknowledge that it was acting in the
dark and under insufficient information. Let it
annul its own mistaken decision. Because a thousand
pounds or so have already been wasted in the preli-
minary works—that is manifestly no valid reason
why the whole remainder of the £17,000 should also
be squandered in building up this nuisance alike to
Hyde•park and Kensington-gardens. Twelve years
have already been consumed in the agitation of this
really important metropolitan question of the puri-
cation of the Serpentine. It was in 1848 that a
meeting was held that appointed to this end a com•
mittee, the representatives of which committee on
Saturday last waited in deputation upon the Chief
Commissioner of Public Works to protest against
the folly of a scheme which the right hon. gentle-
man himself has the manliness to acknowledge .to
be self-evident. What plan ought to be adopted in-
stead of Mr. HAwKSLET'S, we have ourselves, over
and over again, in these columns explained. It is
a plan that would be clean instead of dirty—though
rough instead of being merely partial—and it is a
plan that would cost £ll,OOO at the outside, instead
of £17,000! It is the very plan that has been em-
ployed with such eminent success in the treatment
of the ornamental water in St. James's Park. Let
the present filthy current of the Serpentine accord-
ing to this rational plan be cleared out, the holes
at the bottom of it filled up, the unequal channel be
reduced to one uniform level say of four feet, shal-
lowing off to the margin, and then having
lined it all with concrete, or sand, to be had
in abundance in Hyde Park, brim it up with
fresh water and provide then for a perpetual sup-
ply of fresh water that would pass off at the end in
an ornamental cascade ! By this plan we should no
longer have as a bathing place in summer, and as a
skating place in winter, and always as an adorn-
ment (?) to the noblest park and the most beautiful
garden in all London a gigantic " man-trap," filled
with a liquid like " green pea soup," and called
aptly enough from its treacherous and deadly na-
ture the Serpentine !

We observe, through the Gibraltar Chronicle of
the 10th February, that at a general meeting of the friends
and supporters of that Catholic division of the Civil Hospi-
tal of Gibraltar, held there on the 6th inst., Henry Felix
J. Recano, Esq., Barrister-at-Law of the Middle Temple,
was elected Deputy Governor.

ORDER OF THE THISTLE. Her Majesty will
hold an investiture of the Order of the Thistle on Friday
next, at Buckingham Palace, on which occasion the Earl of
Fife, it is understood, will be enrolled a knight of that noble
and ancient order in the place of the late Earl of Camper-
down.

We believe that there will be an examination for
direct commissions at Chelsea immediately after the Easter
week, No day has been actually fixed, but candidates will
do well to attend to the above intimation.—Army and
Nqvy Gazette.

EXPERIMENTS WITH FRENCH COAL.—It may be
of the beingatrin: 0
Navy
Eugenie,aa dve eachGaz e td
toaeny.
interesting at this juncture to . know that experiments are
economical atF r
eTnocuhl o
coals
onal s boardo f
different the frigate
pro-
vinces,
now"
ittt,. pn el r y a
particularly on those of Graissessac, and of the basin
lirep,rsoocemses
forof NcV.ohnicshumaprteiopnreipnarset'deambyfuarnneaNcvesa.n—d
eco •
A SINGULAR PARISH.—It is a singular fact that
in the parish of St. Pe Peter and St. Paul, Bath, though situ-
ated in the centre of
the
i ecity, and contliininw the Abbey
church (which gives the title to the Rectory of Bath), the
Guildhall, the baths,
principal hotels, and c -an pump-rooms,i markets, and four of the
house, nor
3,000 inhabitants, there is
not a single private
a
census as "gentleman," nor is there
returned in the
clergyman,
yman
surgeon resident in it.—Bath and aelteergnl, lawyer, or
tanz Gaiette.
THE CHINA WAR.—The compositionis of the
Chinese Staff shows that. Lord Clyde
old officers and friends, at the same timenottl faotrgetful of his
efficient body. We see Colonels Mackenzie and is is a most
t
of the
old Highland Brigade, and formerly on the Quairs'
General's Staff at Balaklava, in charge of the Chineseerna
t force
All-
good, in higher grades of the department. Captain Georgel -
good, the Assistant Quartermaster-General of Lord Clyde's
head-quarters, is also on the staff—no more active or zealous
officer in the service. The appointment of Colonel Hay-
thorno will be most agreedble to all whd know the merits of
that excellent soldier. Lieut.-Col. Stephenson, C. 8., has
seen much service in the Crimea and elsewhere, and Lums-
don is a man whose name goes far and wide through India,
and on whose career many eyes are fixed in great expec-
tancy. In fact, if the expedition fail, it cannot be unsuc-
cessful on account of any incompetency on the staff, for
most of them have already gained by actual experience in
the field the knowledge in which our Crimean staff was
at first so disastrously deficient.—"lnny and Navy Gazette.

LATEST NEWS.

The following telegrams have been received at
Mr. Reuter's office.:—

PARIS, MONDAY, FEE. 27.

The Constitutionnel publishes a despatch of M.
Thouvenel, dated. the 31st January last, which was
addressed to the French Ambassador at Vienna, to
be communicated to Count Rechberg.
M. Thouvenel draws a historical outline of the
useless endeavours of France to bring about a solu-
tion of the question of Central Italy.
The inhabitants of theseprovinees having refused
to recognise their former Sovereigns, M. Thouvenel
appeals to the conciliatory spirit of Austria in
favour of the English proposal.

As regards the Romagna, M. Thouvenel expresses
his regret that the Pope should have allowed the
state of things in that province to become so ag-;

gravat ed.

France would, however, consent to a less radical
combination than one proposing the dismember-
ment of the States of the Church, on condition of
the principle of non-intervention being maintained.

PARIS, SUNDAY.

It is stated that the Cabinets of Berlin and St
Petersburg, in their reply to the English proposal
for the settlement of the Italian question, have made
counter-proposals, to be submitted to a future Con-
gress after having been examined by a conference
of the Five Great Powers. It is further said that
M. Thouvenel, on receipt of these counter proposals,
stated that the French Government will give its
answer to them in concert with England.
The report of the intended departure of Count
Walewski for Vienna on a special mission is with-
out any foundation whatever.
The Moniteur publishes a decree on the reorga-
nisation of the artillery, suppressing the regimental

lists of the storehouses for field artillery, increas-
ing the number of batteries of infantry by creating
three new regiments and re-establishing the artil-
lery train.
The Moni€eur also publishes the programme of

the opening of the Legislative body on the Ist of
March, and announces that the Emperor presided
yesterday at a Council of Ministers.

MADRID, FEB. 24

Yesterday two messengers from Muley Abbas
presented themselves at General O'Donnell's quar-
ters to inform him that Muley Abbas, accompanied
by El Ketib (Minister of Foreign affairs), was wait-
ing for him on the Tangier road. The interview
took place. It commenced by the discussion of the
question of the occupation of Tetuan. As the Moors
obstinately objected to such occupation General
O'Donnell was on the point of breaking up the
conference. Muley Abbas earnestly entreated him
to renew the discussion, but it led to no result.
The Moors requested a further delay, which Gene-
ral O'Donnell refused to grant. The armistice was
declared at an end. The General-in-Chief returned
to Tetuan, and immediately issued orders to Bus-
linos, who commands the naval squadron, to con-
cert active operations."
The Spanish squadron has left Algeciras, in
order to bombard the seaport towns of Morocco,
and will probably commence operations by the
bombardment of Arcilla.

TURIN, FEB. 25.
A circular of the Minister of War, dated 24th

February, says :

" The presence of Lombardian sub-officers and
private soldiers already in service under the flag
of the Royal army rendered it necessary to reunite
with them the soldiers of the old provinces, now on
unlimited leave, in order to bring both classes into
close union with their chiefs, to consolidate the
organisation of the different corps, and to make the
instruction uniform. The King has, therefore,
ordered, the individuals of the class 1830, 1831,
1832, and 1833 to be recalled to service."

FEB. 26.

The Russian Ambassador • has, in the name of
his Government, represented to Count Cavour the
heavy responsibility which would fall on Sardinia
if, at the very Ltioment when the European Powers
are endeavouring to make the state of affairs less
threatening, she were to take steps for the annexa-
tion of Central Italy to Piedmont. It is said that in
consequence of these representations, and following
the advice of France, all projects in reference to
Central Italy are to be suspended for the present.

NAPLES, FEB. 18 (via GENOA).

A decree of the Minister of War orders officers
on leave to join their regiments on the Ist of March.
Part of the Municipal Guards have been mobilised.
Agitation prevails in Palermo and in the Abruzzi.

MARSEILLES, FEB. 25.

News from Constantinople to the 15th states that,
Prince Milosch being seriously ill, his son has re-
quested the Sultan to recognize him as hereditary
successor. This demand was supported by Russia.
Fears were entertained that in case of refusal an
insurrection of the Sclavonicos in Turkey might
break out. Said Pasha had written a letter to the
Sultan expressing his desire to come to some ar-
rangement on the question of the Suez Canal. El
Hami Pasha, son-in-law of the Sultan, had been
sent to Egypt on a special mission. It was asserted
that the Porte had ordered a loan of £6,000,000
sterling to be negotiate' in London.

CHINA.

SHANGHAI, JAN. G.

The tonnage dues have been reduced by an edict
from the Emperor on ships of all nations under the
American treaty.
Arrivals from England.—The Potosi, the Illi-
mani, the Clarendon, the George IV., the Medina,
the Marie, the Gabrielle, and filo Westburn.
From New York.—The Superior and the Golden
Rule.

From Philadelphia.—The Mountain Wave.
Departures for London.—The Spray of the
Ocean, the Australia, and the Solent.
For New York.—The Sancho Panza, the Sky-
lark, and the Surprise;
Cleared for London.—The Chryseis.

HOMEWARD CALCUTTA AND CHINA
MAILS.

The following telegram has been received at Mr.
Reuter's office from the Peninsular and Oriental
Steam Navigation Company :
MARSEILLES, FEB. 26.
The Vectis, ith the above mails, arrived here at
10 a.m. this day.
Mails left for London at noon.
Letters will be delivered in London on Tuesday
morning.

TELE9RAPHIC COMMUNICATION WITH

INDIA.

The following message has been received at the
office of the Red Sea Telegraph:—

We arrived off Maculla this day, and are about
making the splice, which will complete telegraphic
communication between Alexandria and India. All
well on board the Imperatrioe.
The submarks cable has been successfully laid

and Alexandria is in telegraphic communication
with the capital of her Majesty's Indian possessions.

FRANCE.

PARIS, SUNDAY.

The Itioniteur publishes an Imperial decree mak-
ing a considerable number of judicial appointments
in Paris and the departments.
THE BOURSE, Feb. 25.—There was an improve-
ment at the opening of the market, but it was not
maintained, and prices again receded. Threes,
after having been done at 68f 15e, are now at 67f
90c ; Mobilier varied from 752 f 50c to 746 f 25c ;
Austrian, 505 f to 502 f 50e ; Lyons, 890 f to 866 f
25c ; Orleans, 1,375 f to 1,370 f ; Northern, 917 f to
912 f 50c.

The following are the last quotations :-
41 per Cents. .... 97 50 I Credit Fonder 740
Do. end month .. 97 75 Belgian 4}
3 per Cents
Do. end month 67 85 ! Roman BO
Bank Shares 2BOO Austrian
Craft, Mobilier .. 748 7.5 I Spanish Threes
Do. Account ..... 743 75 !Home Debt 43