The Sun.
London, England, 1869-03-10 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MARCH 10, 1869.

any way be said to have acquitted itself of its respon-
sibilitie3 in this matter, now that the advantages of
precisely such an institution have, through its agency,
rendered themselves manifest. If 600 lives have been
saved, as many as 5,000 to 6,000 are annually placed
in jeopardy along our coasts by shipwreck. If 600
lives have been saved-700 lives were lost during this
last year by shipwreck along the coasts of the United
Kingdom. Our consolation is in reflecting
upon the - aggregate amount of good accom-
plishedby the Royal National Lifeboat Institution
during the fifty-five years in which it has been in
existence. Within that interval—less by a whole
lustre than by half a century—the number of lives
saved by its means we find to have been 17,849 alto-
gether. It has done noble work ; but, beyond that,
it has clearly within it a capacity for almost indefi-
nite expansion.

FRIENDS and foes agree in lauding Mr. CHILDERS'S
maiden speech as First Lord of the Admiralty. It
was indeed a very able speech; not eloquent, cer-
tainly, but, which was far more important on that
occasion, perspicuous and thorough. It was a com-
plete review of our naval administration. It
took up one after another each of the great
departments of the service the construc-
tion of the Admiralty Board, the working
of the administrative establishments, the great
manufacturing establishments of the dockyards and
victualling yards, the manning, the equipping, and
the construction of our ships, their allocation to dif-
ferent stations, and the officering of the navy. Not
one point was overlooked, and there was none on
which Mr. CHILDERS had not some important sug-
gestions to make.
Taking these various points seriatim, we find, in
the first place, that the administration of the navy
has undergone an important modification. Under
the present arrangement the First Sea Lord and his
junior take charge of all business in connection with
the personnel of the navy. The Controller of the
Navy takes charge of all business connected with the
materiel. Both are directly responsible to the First Lord.
I The finance of the department is undertaken by the
Secretary to the Admiralty, and he exercises control
over the funds required by the First Sea Lord and
by the Controller. Thus the divided control which
used to hamper the administration of the navy
has ceased, and the Board of Admiralty virtually no
longer exists. This is the most important change of
all, because it is the fountain and source of the other
changes. The first result of it has been a
thorough investigation into the Admiralty Esta-
blishments at Whitehall and Somerset House.
Mr. CHILDERS has discovered that there were
two departments preparing precisely the same
books, for precisely the same purpose, in precisely the
same form, and that neither knew the other was
doing this. He has discovered, also, that the number
of clerks has increased from 200, who were paid
£83,380 in 1849, to 44.5, paid £123,000 in 1809. It
is impossible, perhaps it would not be desirable, to
reduce the clerical staff to the number of
twenty years ago ; but Mr. CHILDERS pro-
poses to save £20,000 a year. As this saving
involves hardship in individual cases, he will
surrender his patronage, and whenever a post
becomes vacant, which the First Lord has the
right to fill, he will place in it one of the superfluous
clerks already in the service. At the same time he
gives up his official residence in order that the
departments may, as far as possible, be brought under
one roof.
The question of contracts the new Lords of
the Admiralty have not yet found time to
master. It is a very large one. It will, when
examined, give rise, we expect, to some extraordi-
nary revelations, which will quite eclipse those made
before Mr. SEELY'S committee. Mr. CHILDERS'S
present idea is that the Admiralty ought, as Mr.
COBDEN advised, to be in the same position as a
private firm, and have regular buyers well acquainted
with the articles entrusted to them, and able to make

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. the Naval Stores Act is to be repealed, inasmuch as it
prevents the country from getting the highest price for
its old stores. The intentions of the Government with
regard to the dockyards are well known. Deptford
and Woolwich are to be closed, the workmen on the
establishments are to be drafted as fast as possible to
the four great yards at Devonport, Portsmouth,
Chatham, and Pembroke. The work to be done at
those yards will be larger in quantity and yet cheaper
in cost. More money will be spent in wages, but
there will be a great saving in superinten-
dence. The same principle will be adopted
in manning the navy. The number of seamen will
not be materially altered, but the non-seamen will
be carefully weeded. Moreover, the present crowded
list of officers will be taken in hand. At present there
are so many officers that promotion is intolerably slow,
and employment is impossible for a large number.
It is proposed to clear this list by paying off with a
sum down, in lieu of half-pay, those officers whom
we can spare, and who are willing to go. The number
of ships on foreign stations will be reduced,
but our naval power will be really increased by
making them move more frequently from point to
point. From time to time they will be visited by a
flying squadron, consisting of six or seven very fine
ships. The coastguard ships will form a squadron of
reserve, and will be sent to sea, so that the Naval
Reserve will have an opportunity of active drill.
Finally, we are to have, among other powerful
ships, the two most powerful in the world—
turret ships, carrying four 25-ton guns, with
an armour of from 10 to 14 inches of iron, a backing
of from 13 to 20 inches, and whose cost will be not
much more than half of the all but useless Warrior.
Mr. CORRY does not approve of this last proposal, and
will move a formal amendment to it in committee.
The country will hardly complain when the only
charge which a Conservative ex-Lord of the Admi-
ralty can bring against the estimates is that, though
they shew a reduction of nearly a million, they are
£40,000 too high.

CORIMPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, TUESDAY, March 9.

The air is thick with rumour. A scarcity of news inve
riably does give an impulse to the continental imagine
tion, but in this case the scarcity amounts to a positive
famine, and the inventive faculties are proportionately
active. The Belgian railway affair is again exciting
attention, and dire whispers of serious consequences float
about. The Moniteur yesterday announced, with! inex-
pressible gravity, that the Belgian repesentative had
left Paris, and that a rupture between the two
countries was menaced. To-day the Temps completes
the news given by the Moniteur. The Belgian
Minister did indeed go to Brussels on Saturday,
but he has already returned ! The mere fact, however,
that he travelled between the two capitals is sufficient
for some critics. Then the Duc de Grammont has been
recalled from Vienna, where he officiated as ambassador.
This step, say the official papers, has no political signifi-
cance ; but the New Free Press is of opinion that
the relations between France and Prussia have again
become weaker. Thirdly, we have talk of an interview
between the Emperor of Austria and the King of Italy,
and some of the papers are grumbling because Turkey
still keeps a corps d'arm(e on a war footing in
Thessaly. Lastly, but most important of all,
the debate on the Crddit Foncier Loan is still
a dead weight on the mind of the public here. The dis-
missal of M. Rouher and an entire change of Ministry is
talked of. M. Rouher is to be made President of the
Senate—an office of great dignity, which M. Troplong has
most opportunely left vacant. The information that M.
Rouher will have to give some account of himself comes from
a very good source. The Emperor has never abandoned M.

Haussmann for a moment, and he will certainly call M.
Rouher to explain the too premature surrender which the
latter thought himself obliged to make in the Corps
Leg isl ati f.
31. Laboulaye has consented, after much solicitation,
to come forward as a candidate for the Seine-et-Oise
department. His programme is strongly in favour of
religious and political liberty, and equally strongly against
standing armies.
The publication of the Pope's letter to the Archbishop
of Paris in the third edition of M. Emile 011ivier's book
was not only unauthorised, but has caused great indigna-
tion. The Elendard is very severe upon M. 011ivier for
publishing a private letter which had not even been
officially given to him. It hints that the letter was kept
back until the third edition in order to give the book a
fresh impulse. Curiosity would buy up one or two issues
without the Pope's letter, but after that the sale needed
stimulating by an " appendix." Poor 111. 011ivier,
therefore, fares badly on all sides. The Siecle

casts him out, and the Etendard hints that the
book is a commercial speculation. It appears that
some subordinate in the service of the Archbishop
managed to get hold of the letter, and through him it came
into M. 011ivier's hands. This functionary is to be dis-
missed.

No less than 315 adjudications of bankruptcy have been
made by the Tribunal of Commerce during January and
February.

M. Hector Berlioz, the well-known composer, is dead.
He was born in 1803, and in early youth was put to the
study of medicine, which, however, he speedily renounced for
the more congenial pursuit in which he has gained such fame.
In 1826 he was compelled to seek his livelihood, which he
did by accepting an engagement in the chorus of the
Gymnasium. He soon produced a mass for four voices,
with chorus and orchestra, which was followed by the
" Waverley," and his fantastic symphony
based on "The Tempest" and on "Faust," which was
overture to
arranged for the piano by Liszt. In 1828 he gained the second
prize of the Institute for musical composition, and in 1820 won
the first prize by his cantata of " Sardanapalis." The list
of his after works is too long for me to enter into ; but
amongst the roost successful were " Harold" and
" Romeo and Juliet" symphonies. He was the author
of several literary works. His principal reputation is
founded upon his endeavour to introduce a new style in
music—an attempt which was in a measure successful. It
incurred the censure of some, but Paganini was of opinion
that Berlioz was the equal of Beethoven. The great
violinist testified his admiration by a present of £BOO.
Several years since the well-known publishing firm of
Michael Levy agreed to bring out a " History of the
House of Condd," by the Orleanist Duc d'Aumale.
After the book was printed, the Minister of the
Interior of that time gave orders to the police,
who seized every copy,
and prevented the issue. The
seizure was irregular and illegal; nay, as the Liberte has
it, it was monstrous. But we are now informed that M.
Forcado de la Roquette has ordered all the volumes, which
are still in the possession of the police to be restored to
the publishers. Several actions have already been brought,
but the courts have pronounced themselves incompetent.
A suit is now pending, and the Government has offered to
pay the costs: of this! Was there ever such an Adminis-
tration ? Seizing the books was disgraceful, but to deliver
them up after seven years' retention is a confession of
error which will humiliate the Government without repair-
ing the evil. . _

You have, doubtless, received the verdict in the
Montauban child murder case. It is simply ridiculous.
Capital punishment is still the law of France,
and yet the 'wretch Delpech, who murdered eight
children by thrusting their heads into hot water, and
who killed her own daughter's child by pouring
vitriol down her throat, is sentenced to hard labour for
life. Why not repeal a law which is such a wretched
face? If the woman Delpech be not deserving of death,
no criminal can be.

THE TVL'ATIIL'E TABLE.-THIS DAY.

--f!

PROSPECT OF ANOTHER GREAT
_COTTOA

STRIKE.

The news from the cotton districts becomes very-alarming.
According to the Liverpool Post partial and total stoppages
in Preston continuo to increase ; in fact, the losses
upon some descriptions of manufactures are so
great as to render any other course impossible, if utter
ruin is to be averted. Some firms cling to the hope
that a reduction of 10 or 20 per cent. in wages may cure
the evil of which all complain ; but in many cases a
much larger reduction—some say 50 per cont. even—
would still leave the business unprofitable. Last week
it was agreed that notice should bo given of a general
reduction of 10 per cent., but even with this very
many firms contemplate stopping their machinery
altogether. Iu the case of Mr. George Smith's mill, Moor
Brook, where a reduction of I 5 per cont. has been adopted,
the Union has made a most determined effort to tab the
attempt; but, notwithstanding that effort, Mr. Smith has
three hundred looms at work, mil most of his spindles ;
and it is believed that the resistance that will be offered to
the general reduction of 10 per cent. will bo equally futile.
Tho Spinners' and Minders' Association have as yet re-
ceived no intimation of the action of the masters. They
say that some time since it Was arranged by deputa-
tion that, before anything further was done, with
reference to wages —as the operatives are even
now working at a reduction of 5 per cent. below the standard
list, and have been doing so since Jan., 1867—deputations
from the two bodies should together consider the course
to bo taken, and that under any circumstances Preston
should be governed by the East Lancashire list of prices.
They therefore now complain bitterly that the masters have
come to the resolutions above stated without giving them
the promised interview. In consequence of the strike at
Mr. Smith's mill, the Spinners' Association have now on
their books 1031eads of families refused relief by the parish
authorities.

DEPUTATION TO THE HOME SECRETARY
aZir
,THE LICENSING SYSTEM.

Yesterday afternoon a large and influential deputation of
members of Parliament, magistrates, and others from the
counties of Cumberland, Durham, Lancashire, Lincoln-
shire, Northumberland, Essex, Staffordshire, the North,
East, and West Ridings of Yorkshire, and from the
boroughs of Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, and
Reading, bad an interview with the Light Hon.
Austin Bruce, the Home Secretary, on the subject
of the licensing system. The Chancellor of the Exche-
quer was also present, but took no part in the proceed-
ings. Amongst those forming the deputation were Lord
Sandon, 11. P., Mr. Graves, M.P., Mr. Rathbone, M.P.,
Mr. Came, Mr. Edward Lawrence, and Mr. Wybergh,
from Liverpool; Sir T. G. Hesketh, M.P., the Hon.
F. A. Stanley, Mr. Starkie, M.P., Mr.
Hibbert, M.P., Mr. R. Shaw, M.P., the Right
Hon. J. Wilson Patten, M.P., Mr. Charles Turner,
M.P., Mr. Alfred Milne, Mr. J. M. Bennett, Mr. N.
Fowler, Mr: C. F. Richards, from Manchester ; Mr. W.
J. Leigh, M.P., Mr. E. C. Egerton, M.P., from
Cheshire ; Mr. T. Fletcher, M.P., Mr. W. Hodgson,
M.P., Mr. C. Potter, M.P., from Cumberland; Mr.
Joseph Dodds, 3.1. P., Mr. J. W. Pease, M.P., Mr. T.
C. Thompson, from Durham ; Mr. W. B. Beaumont, M.P.,
from Northumberland ; Mr. W. Winn, M.P., and Sir M.
J. Cholmeley, M.P., from Lincolnshire; Lord Teignmou th,
the Right Hon. Thomas Emerson Headlam, M.P.,
Colonel Duncombe, M.P., Mr. H. W. F. Bolckow, M.P.,
Mr. F. A. Milbank, from the North Riding of Yorkshire .
Mr. J. D. Dent, M.P., Mr. W. IT. Broadley, M.P., Mr;
C. Sykes, M.P., from the East Riding ; Colonel Akroyd,
M.P., Lord F. Cavendish, M.P., Mr. Morrison, M.P.,
Mr. E. Baines, M.P., Mr. J. Fielden, M.P., Mr. W. N.
Philipps, and Sir F. Crossley, M.P., from the West Riding.
The above list represents but a comparatively small pro-
portion of the names of those wno were present, the
deputation being so numerous that the official room of the
Home Secretary was not large enough to contain it, and
it had, therefore, to assemble in one of the apartments of
the residence of the First Lord of the Treasury, in Down-
ing-street.
Colonel WILSON PArIEN introduced the deputation to
Mr. Bruce, stating briefly that their object was very
earnestly to press upon the notice of her Majesty's
Ministers the great necessity which there was for some
alteration being made, and made as promptly as possible,
in the present system of licensing beerbouses. They desired
also to place in the Home Secretary's hands several peti-
tions from the magistrates of various localities. As Mr.
Bruce knew, a petition had been presented yesterday in the
House of Commons from the grand jury of Lancaster,
praying for an alteration to be made in the law, which, as
it at present existed, was productive of most injurious
results.

Mr. ASHWORTH, of Salford, presented the petition
from that district. The subject, he said, had
very frequently been under the consideration of
successive Governments. The mode in which licenses
were obtained for beerhouses worked in this way, that
the very men to whom the magistrates referred them had
only to go to the excise officers and they could obtain
them by purchase. It could hardly be denied, in the face
of the facts and statistics that had been collected, that
crime in the larger towns was to a great extent traceable
to the beerhouses. In all parts of the country the magis-
tracy testified to this. In Salford he believed theincreased
demand for labour, producing, as it of necessity did,
increased wages, added to the facilities offered for getting
drink at the numerous low beerhouses which existed, had
tended to produce an immense amount of the crime which
came under the notice of the magistrates. The
C overnment, he added, would be acting wisely by
spending some of the Parliamentary time which they
were devoting to devising means for the correction of cri-
minals in bringing about an alteration in a law which was
the source of so much crime. He desired also to call the
attention of the Home Secretary to the number of present-
ments made on the subject by grand juries.
Lord TEIGNMOUTH was sure that the unanimous support
of the magistracy would be given to the object sought to
be attained by the deputation, as would that of all other
thinking men, not excepting the licensed victuallers them-
selves. That Government which should bring about an
alteration in the present anomalous system would be de-
serving of great credit, and would always be regarded
with sentiments of gratitude.
Mr. LAWRENCE (ex-Mayor of Liverpool) presented a
petition from the magistrates assembled in quarter session.
The greatest interest, he said, was felt in Liverpool in the
matter now brought under the notice of the Home Secre-
tary. A bill had been prepared in 1867 on the subject,
but had been withdrawn because Mr. Walpole had
promised that the matter should engage the attention
of the Government. For reasons to which he need not
refer at length, Mr. Walpole had been unable to c trry
out his undertaking. There had been some differences of
opinion amongst the magistrates in Liverpool as to the
length of time houses to which licenses were granted should
be permitted to keep open, but he rejoiced to say that
there was in the borough the utmost unanimity upon
the points, that the present system of licensing was
unsatisfactory, and ought to be altered, and
that no alteration would be satisfactory which did
not place the beer licenses under the same authority
as public-houses. Licenses were now granted by three
different authorities, the beerhouse license by the excise,
the licensed victualler's license by the magistrates, and
the wine license by the magistrates and the authorities
combined. There was also a great anomaly in the
extent to which offences against the different
licenses were punished. The report of the House of
Commons in 1854 had condemned the present
system, and every Government since had endorsed that
condemnation. It was generally supposed that the system
was one fraught with so many difficulties and involved
so many personal questions that Governments were
afraid to grapple with it. This must be so no longer, and
any Government which set to work to find a remedy for
the evil would be supported warmly by the whole country.
In Liverpool, 9-10ths—he might almost say, 99-100ths
were of the same opinion as the deputation on the subject.
Much was expected from a Reformed Parliament, and he
trusted the first Cabinet selected from it would not shrink
from this great work. He believed that Mr. Gladstone's
sympathies were with the movement.
After some further observations from members of the
deputation from Birmingham and Sheffield,
Mr. BRUCE replied that he was sure he could say for
Mr. Lowe as well as for himself that the observation
made by the several members of the deputation bad been
received with great interest. If any doubt as to the wide-
spread feeling of interest taken in this matter brought
under their notice could have existed, the number and in-
fluential character of the members composing the deputa-
tion must at once have set it at rest. One of the speakers
had reminded him that successive Governments for some
years past had had it in contemplation to legislate
on the matter, and to remedy, if possible,
the evils complained of. He had himself been con-
nected with Governments which had intended to do this ;
and there had been others with which he had not been
politically associated not less anxious on the same point.
The difficulties surrounding the subject had also been made
a matter of comment, and the fear that Government had
thought of bringing forward a measure which it would
afterwards have to carry out. If he (the Home
Secretary) had thought that the Government could
have seen that there was any chance of the
carrying the measure this session, he should
certainly have proposed to his colleagues to bring in a
bill. Nothing but a complete measure would, he thought,
meet the requirement of the case. The present was the
third deputation he had received on the subject ; the first
had proposed that the transfer of beerhouse licenses should
be made to the magistrates ; the second proposed that a
suspensory measure should be passed, but the one before
him did not, as he understood, suggest any plan of its
own. They thought, he presumed, that almost anything
was better than the present system, but did not endorse
the opinion of the first deputation to which he had referred.
The steps to be taken to bring the matter forward would de-
mand great deliberation. Mr. Gladstone bad afew days since
promised that the subject should be deeply considered by
the Cabinet. More than this he (Mr. Bruce) could not
say ; but he should be able to impart to his
colleagues the important views which the deputation
had enunciated, and the sentiments that they had so
strongly expressed that some sort of action must be taken
and he believed it ought to be taken promptly.

A co-operative store at Rochdale was broken into
a night or two ago, and a laigo number of metal
cheques used in the business, representing £250, were
stolen. On Monday two men were charged before the
magistrates with b3ing concerned in the burglary, their de-
tection having arisen from the suspicion caused by their
having produced £5 worth of the cheques, which they de-
sired to convert into money. They were remanded.
At a large public meeting at Bradford on Monday
it was determined to close all places of business between
the hours of eleven to ono o'clock on tho nomination and
polling days (Thursday and Friday next). Mr. Thompson's
friends proposed that Friday should be observed as a general
holiday, but this was defeated on the part of the Mialiites by
a large majority. The excitement in the town is intens?,
and the contest is expected to be a severe one.
The London correspondent of the Lcecls Mercurp
ays—" Ifer Majesty had on Thursday the pleasure of be-
coming personally acquainted with two of the most disth
guished writers of the age—Mr. Carlyle and Mr. Browning.
These eminent men—who, so far as intellect is concerned,
stand head and shoulders above their contemporaries—were
invited to meet the Queen at the r( s:denco of the Dean of
Westminster, and the nterview was one of a very pleasing
and characteristic 4ind. Mr. and Mrs. Grvte were :asp of
the party.