The Sun.
London, England, 1860-07-24 00:00:00

111 E SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENTNG, JULY 24, 18150.

BRITISH POSSESSIONS.

Share Railways. Pam Closin,g ißusiness done
Frice.
I Bom.,Baroda&.Cent Ind
100 Atlantic &St Lawrence all 841 854
stk 100 931 941 945
Gn.
18 Do, Do. 5 per cent
B 16 11 1 d
r4Buffalo and Lake Huron all 45 54d
Do. New
10 Do. Preference ...... all 65 6/
100 Bufalo,Brant,&Godrich 100 75 80
1 6p. ct. bds. Aug.
1, 1872
100 Do. do. July 1873 100 70 75
100 Do. do. June 1, 1874 100 68 73
5 Clcutta.&S.Eastn. (LiW 1. 30. 5 d pr
20 Cape,Eastn.Prov. (Lim.) 2s.
20 Cape Town & Dock Scrip 3s. 25 11 d 1
20 Ceylon Guarantd. 6p. c. 74 1 5 d 651
171 Demerara all
20 Eastn. Bengal gu. 5p c 71 15 11 d 6/
stock East Indian, gu. sp. 0. 100 99 100 991 51 1
20 Do. F Shares Ext..... 15 5 d par
20 Do. Jubbulpore l5 1 d par
100 Do. 41 pc. Debentrs all 981 904
100 Do. sp. c. Deb., 1864 all 100 101 1001 1 1
20 Geelong & Melbourne all 21 22
sto.
Geelong* Corporation 6
100
,
per cent. Bonds
stock Grand Trunk of Canada 100 271 281
100 Do. 6 per cent. Pref all 90 92
100 Do. 6 per ct. Debentr all 53 55 531
100 Do. 7 per cent. 1862
100 Do. do. 186,7 all 50 85 52
100 Do. do. 1872
tock GtlndiaPenin.gua.sp.c lOO 97 071 97 5
20 Do. New gua. sp. c 6 1 d 1 d
0 Gt. South.of India (Lim) 13 11 1:d
guaranteed 5 per cent.
201 Gt. W. of Canada Shares all 111 115 11/
201 Do. New
Do. Bonds pay. '76, with
100 all 96 98
opt, till '6O
100 Do. do. '73 till '60....., all 95 98
100 Do. do. '73 without opt. all 95 97
100 Do. 51 p. c. do. '77 da
stock Madras, guar., 41 p. a
stock Do. d 0.5 per cent.—
stock Do. 45 p. c. Extension 100 90 92
20 Do. Fourth do--
20 Do. do all
stock Melb.Corp. 6p. c. Bnds lOO
Newßrunswick & Canda
20 Ry.&Land(Lim.)g.6pc all 5 7
Class A Capital Share
▪ Do. do. Land do
20 Do. do. B Capital do.
• Do. do. Land do.
20 Oude (Limited) ...
stock Scinde ..... .
20 Do. Punjaub
20 Do. Do. ...
lt sto Do. Indus.. St. Flo
f
20 St. Andrews & Quebec A 18
10 Trinidad (Lim.) Scrip.. 1 5 5 d
FOREIGN RAILWAYS.
10 ntwerp & Rotterdam all 4t li
20 Ardennes..... ......... all —pf
20 Bah.&S.Fran..Lim.7p.o. Si i 5 d 7i
6 Belgian East. Junction all 2 1
20 Beziers to Graissessae.. all
1
6 Carmeaux Mine & Rail all 25 21
100 Coipiabo .& all
10 Ditto Extension all 25 lid
20 Dutch Rhenish
20 Eastern of France
20 Grand Rue. Guar. 6p. a 6
20 Do. do. all
20 Great Central of France all
20 Gt. Luxem., Con. shs all , 65 7 7
20 Italian Junction ..
20 Lake Constance & Bale all '
20 Lierre & Turnhout all
20 Lyons & Geneva
331 Maria Antonia
10 Do. New
20 Namur & Liege
20 Do. 6p. c. Pref all 195 195
16 Northern of France all 37 38
20 Do. New Shares
10 Norwegian Trunk Pref all 8 9
lFearnans...(iwi; all 531 541
)
20 Paris,Lyons, & Mediter. all 341 351
2200 1 R. aegfse&&OSr.
gua. 7_p. et lim l3 2 lid 111
20 Rlga & Dunaburg
10 Rome & Frascati
20 Royal Danish all 13 15 141
5 Royal Swedish ........ all
4 Do. 7 per cent. Pref.... all
20 Sambre & Meuse
10 Do. 51 per cent. Pref all 81 Rf
20 San Paulo, lira, e. 7p. c 2 5 id 15 I
20 S.Aust. &Lomb Vene tin 12 id 1p 215
20 Southern of France all 191 201
85 West Flanders . .
10 Do. 51 p. c. Preference all 95 95
20 W. & N.W. of France
23 Western of Austria 6
20 Western of Switzerland all
6 Wiesbaden
6 Do. 8 per cent. Pref all
20 Zealand

BRITISH MINES.

Share Mines.

Al frel Consols (Philack)
British Iron
Clifford
Devon G. Cons. (Tavist )
East Bassett (Illogan)
East Caradon ......
E. WI Russel (Tavistk.)
Gam.&StAubyn(Gwen.)
Great South Tolg-us
G.Wheal Alfd. (Philack)
G. Wheal For (Helston)
Grenville
Herod's- Foot
Hingston Downs
Lady Bertha
MArgaret (Uny Lelant)
North Downs
North Frances (Illogan)
N.Wh'l Basset (1110 an)
North Wheal Crofty
Par Consols (St. Blazey)
Providence (Uny Lelnt)
Sortridov Cons. Alin.Co.
South Caradon(St.Cleer)
S. Cam Brea (Illogan)
S. Dev. Iron &Gen., Lim.
S.Wheal Fran (Illogan)
Stray Park
Tamar Silv.& Lead Min.
Tin Crort
Vale of Towey (Carm )
West Basset (Illogan)
W. Caradon (Li skeard)
West Seton

Wheal Basset (111ogan)
Wheal Buller (Redruth)
Wheal Edward (Cals.)
Wheal Kitty (U.Lelant)
IWheal Mary. Ann (Men.)
Wheal Trelawney (Lis.)i

Paid.( Closing I Business
Price. Done.

3 4

1 2
235 245
430 440
135 140
1 "
1 13
37 39
12 13
1 1}
21 Si t
29 30

17s
12.13.9
94
5.14.6
8.12
4.8.6
1.8.6

4i
3 39
91 5
3 1
5 6

9.18.9
1i
10.6.7
12s

8 9}
12 13
45 47

11
31
all
18.14.9
22.18.0

1}
292 k 2974
2 Si
1
165 163
55 57

112
1 10a
07 0
305 315
1374 1424
874 ?`24
1E 24
14 15
22 25
27 28

113 s 6dl

FOREIGN MINES.

:it I

20 Australian
1 BonAccordCopper,Llm lss dpr
35 Brazil. Imp. (is. at £s p ) 27f 11 lf
20 Do.St.John del Re7,Lim 15 25 27
5 Do. Land and MimngCo. all
1 Clarendon Con s.MinCo. die.
40 Cobre Copper all 45 47
Copiapo l6 11 13
1 DunMoun.Cop.Ming.Co all I 1
2 Fortuna.
20 General all 22 23 2Z
2 Gt. N. Cop. of S. Austr 1 d par
11 Kapunda (Limited) 1 1 11 p
3 Linares all 101 11
5 Lusitanian 2 1d p
IMariquita all 1
I 1 N.RhineCopotS.Aus.L 28.01. 1 1 d
20 IPontg.ibaud Silver,Lead
• Mining and Smelt all 5 6
6 Fort Philip 1
1 'Scottish Austrin. (L.) los. f d
2842.811 United Mexican .
1
1 ,Worthing (Limited) all I
/
Do
COLONIAL GOVERNMENT SECURITIES.
ICau.Gov.6p.c.Ja.srJuiy too 112 115
Do. 6p. cent. 1881 100
Do. 6p. cent. 1879 100 112
Do. 6p. cent. 1888 100
Do. 6p. c. Feb. Jr Aug. 100 'lll 112
Do. 6p. c. Mar. & Sept. 100 111 113
( Do. 5 per cent lOO looit 101 1
I Do. Scri
J 5O I
N.B.Gov. 6 p.c. a.&July 100 105 10(3
Do. 6p. c. Ap. & Oct. 100
N. S. W. Gov. sp. c., 1868 100 981 991
Do. sp. a, 1871 to 1876' 100 98 99 981 9
Do. 5 p.c.,1888 &upwds' 100 971 981 981
Nova Scotia Gov. 6p.
sterling, 1875 1 100 106 107 107
S.Aus.Gt. 6 p.c.1878 &up.' 100 107 109
Vim Gov. 6 p.c. Ja.&July 100 I
- I Do. do. 6 p.c. Ap.&Oct. 100 1071 1081 108 1
JOINT-STOCK BANKS.

100 Agra&UnitedService Bk 50 801
40 Australasia all 68 70
25 Bank of Egypt all '221 2.411
100 Bank of London .....
20 Bank of Turkey 3
50 British North American all
20 Chtd.Bank of India, Szc. all 194 204
25 Ch.liler. of In. Lon.& Ch. all 30 12
100 City
100 Colonial
20.11 Corn. Bank of Canada all
100 Commercial of London
20 Eng., Scot., & Aus. Ch all 161 164
20 Gen. Bk .of Switzerland all
20 Lon. Char.Bkof Austral all 221 231 23
50 London and County
50 London Joint Stock
100 London & Westminster 20
100 Nat. Prov. of England . 42
20 Do. new l2
50 National Bank
20 New South Wales all
20 Do. new
25 Orient. B. Corporation
20 Ottoman Bank
100 Provincial of Ireland
10 Do. new 4.11
25 South Australia
25 Union of Australia
50 Union cr London l2 25
100 Unity Mutual.. ......
MISCELLANEOUS.
100010 !.Mc
Tel.a(LniMmiitn .edt
).
aallll
_l4 I_4l
25 ,Australian Agricultural 19 29 31
10 'Berlin Water (Limited) all 41 5
50 British American Land 40 80 40 31
50 BALMag. Tel. A. (Lim.) all 37 39
20 Do. 8,7p.c.ti111852 (Lim.) all 19 21
20 iDo. C. (Limited) all , 13 15
321 ICanada, Land all 116 118
10 ;Chan.lslands TeL (Lim ) all 6 8
stock Cop. Min.ofEng.&Smltg. all 22 27
25 Do. Pref. 71 per cent.
stock Crystal Palace
stock
no g.ii: hi ps, Telegraph
us.loo :0 32
stock Do. Preference
stock Do. 6p. c. Perpet. Deben. 100 104 106 106
25 Do. New l5 1 i p
15 Gen, Steam Nav'gati )n
1 Great Ship I limited) all
41
DEi 4
4 14.0. Omnibus
irran dCoc.a(Lnaiml ) all
5 Lon. District TeL (Lim ) 2 11 1 d
test*. Electric Teleg. all 241 311)
20 London Discount (Lim.) 5 1 1. d
1200 Mmeaddir
10 Med. Exten. Tel. (Lim.) all 3 4
25 National Dis. Co. (Lim,) 5 11 1 d
40 Nerbu.Coal&lron (Lim ) 5 2 lid
10 Netherlands Land all ..._
5 Do.B p,o,PrOf„iss,atl dis. all
100 N.Br.&NovaSootiaLandl 80 10i
151
1 N.B.Australasian ()Lim.) all
1 Oriental Gas (Limited). all
PreferenceC °p. e. r", 1:11:14 106
4_2di ' 0_4824 107
~
I. Do. New Shares (Lim.). 15s. 11
11
lo Grintl.ln.Steam(Lim.)A 6
10 Mao 13„
... r. 6
10 Ditto C , „
stook Peelß.Lnd.&Min.(Lini.) 100 6 48
50 Pen. & Oriental Steam . all 74 76 74
60 DA. New 25 12/ 131 p 371
go RedSe4gndael.g.44p.e all 19120
50 Rhymney Iron
15 Do, Next,
100 Royal Mail Stearn PI•
p 9. evegistere_d ...., all
ll
ail 51 6
60 50 49
stock Scot. Austin. Inv. (Qin.) 100 120 130
19 21 20
25 South Australian Land all at 35
i Submarine TeL Scrip., all
i()(o ITr. 44: cß•sfgp 0. all
all
6171.1
,gg Vl* Pleße4 gi .444 „; gei 9 IQ

AMERICA.

LONDONDERRY, JULY 24.

The Montreal Ocean Company's steamer Anglo-
Saxon, Captain Eallantine, from Quebec on the
14th, has arrived. She landed all mails except
those for Liverpool and Manchester.
The Glasgow had arrived out.

WASHINGTON, JULY 12.

Advices from Peru to Cie 12th ult. state that the
relations of the United States with that Republic
were approaching a crisis. The Peruvian Minister
here has been notified that unless his Government
accepts the American ultimatum, passports wilt
be furnished him. The sloop of war AVyantoon had
arrived in Pcru.

Despatches had been sent to Callao, instructing
the American Minister to demand a settlement of
the claim arising out of the seizure of the Lizzie
Thompson and Georgian, and in case of non•com-
pliance to close the Legation.
The election at Oregon had resulted in the suc-
cess of Logon, the Republican candidate.

SOUTHAMPTON, TUESDAY.
The North Atlantic Company's steamship Adri-
atic, Capt. Comstcck, with New York mails and
dates to the 14th inst., has arrived here.
The news from Havannah was unimportant.
Sugars were firm. Freights declining. Exchange
firm, on London, 121 to 131.
The Adriatic brings 315 passengers and
1,122,556 dols. in specie, of which 250,000 dols. are
for England.
She spoke the Vanderbilt 50 miles from New
York, and on the 20th inst., at 11 p.m. passed afleet
in close order, supposed to be the convoyof H.R.H.
the Prince of Wales.

News received from Mexico states that General
Ortega had defeated the forces of Ramire, and
taken a number of prisoners ai well as artillery
and war materials.

Mirarnon had retreated to Guadlajara, and was
followed by the Liberals.

• NEW YORK, JULY 14.
Stocks better, and active. Flour firm and quiet.
Wheat firm—demand fair. Pork firm. Sales
small.

EVILS OF THE COMPETITION AMONG BANKS

AND MONEY DEALERS.

(From the Money 3farket Review.)

More tha..n one useful-moral is to be 'drawn from

the history of the great failures in the hide and
leather trade. The public faith in the soundness
of the general business of the country, though it
has sustained a shock from the evidence of rotten-
ness in a large section of this particular branch of
trade, and from the low estimates of the probable
dividends from the estates of the failed firms, is
reviving, now that the area of the evil is distinctly
defined. But the point upon which the immediate dis-
cussions chiefly turn, is the extreme facilities of
credit which Messrs. Streatfeild and Co., and the
associated houses, were enabled to command. With-
out these facilities the whole system would have
come to the ground long before it attained the pro-
portions by which the public have been so much
startled. The question—how happens it that the
two or three millions of unsafe paper were kept
afloat so long ?—is one of deep importance to the
commercial community at large, and to the share
holders in our flourishing banks in particular.
To placard the names of the banks and other
moneyed establishments which are holders of the
bills of the failed houses in the leather trade,
together with the amounts held, would be so in-
vidious, that the press has, by a sort of tacit
consent, avoided this portion of the subject, leav-
ing the details to transpire at the general meet-
ings of the banks, or at the meetings of creditors
convened at the invitation of the professional
accountants. It is not our intention to break
through this reserve. There is the less need to
publish the list now, because any person who really
cares to know the extent of the involvments of each
establishment may readily ascertain it by inquiry of
his neighbour. It will suffice for our purpose to
point to the notorious fact that a dozen of the prin-
cipal establishments in the city of London are more
or less " hit," despite the character for caution which
many of them have deservedly acquied. Now,
how has this happened ?
• We have no hesitation in declaring our convic-
tion that the cause lies in the too keen competition
of the banks and other establishments. Their com-
petition has of late years attaiued a height, of
which the outside public have no conception.
Various new banks have been formed; discount
companies have been introduced ; and, although
we do not say that the forcing system alluded to
has originated with such establishments, it is per-
fectly clear that by these and similar means the
channels for obtaining monetary " facilities" have
been greatly en larg€ d, and the general rivalry of the
moneyed class stimulated. There is, consequently,
a vast deal of what may almost be termed " tout-
ing" for custom; and, in many instances, from' the
very trifling extent of the margin of profit, as be-
tween the price at which the money dealer takes
money, and that at which he lends it, it would
almost appear as if he were willing to work for
nothing save the pleasure of keeping his connection
together. We abstain from particularising in-
stances, in even'the remotest degree, but we appeal
to persons of practical experience to say if
these remarks are not true. Assuming their
truth, a blot in our monetary arrangements is
hit. The factitious and unsound development ac-
quired by the operations of the insolvent houses in
the leather trade, constitutes a flagrant instance of
abuse of those universally-abused commercial in-
struments—bills of exchange ; and if, as appears to
be the case, the development complained of has
been promoted by the extreme competition of
bankers and ether discounters, the sooner we look
narrowly into the motives of their conduct, the bet-
ter for the health of the body commercial.
It is not necessary to search far for the motives.
The rivalry referred to has two aspects. In the first
place it causes the money dealer to bid the
highest possible price for money, and, in the next
place, it causes him to lend it out again at the
lowest possible price, consistent with profit, or, it
may almost be said, consistent with the avoidance
of certain loss. If he had not to pay so high a rate
for the commodity in which he trades, he would
not be obliged to look about so hastily for a chan-
nel wherein to employ it. But if he give, say 4 per
cent. for money, when the current rate of discount
for the best bills is only 44 or 41, it stands to reason
that if he hold the money idle for a week, his
margin of profit may be completely eaten up. He
must employ it swiftly, and as he scours the market,
if some of Messrs. Streatfeild's paper offers, he
catches it up readily. But if he paid only 3 per
cent. instead of 4 for money, the rate of discount
for safe bills remaining at 4, be would not be in
the same hurry, and would scrutinise more narrowly
the securities offered to him. The plan pursued by
the discount establishments differs little from that
pursued by many of the banks. The evils of the
keen competition now witnessed are felt by all.
A remedy would be applied by a common ac-
cord. amongst the banks and discount establish-
ments not to allow sore than a certain rate of
interest for deposits. To the organisation of such
an agreement there is no possible obstacle, ex-
cept that involved in the t ade jealousy which
mutually prevails. The rate of allowance on
deposits might be governed absolutely by the
minimum rate of discount of the Bank of England,
and should in all instances be lower than that now
accorded. There would naturally be one scale for
deposits for long periods, and another for those at
a few days notice. As regards money "at call,"
we say that the sooner the practice of allowing
interest upon it is abolished entirely, the better.
This practice unquestionably causes the immediate
reserves of bankers and others to be used up far too
closely, and when a pinch comes, and these reserves
are drawn back, a tendency to
general confusion is
occasioned.

To recapitulate, then : We claim to have shown
—l, that there is too much competition in the
money business of the country.; 2, that it has con-
tributed to an unsound developmertt in the hide
and leather trade, and to a wide-spread disturb-
ance, otherwise, to a great extent, avoidable ; 3,
that one of the primary causes of the competition
consists in the unduly high rates allowed by
bankers and discounters for deposits, particularly
for money " at call ;" and 4, that nothing would
be more
simple than for the whole of tne esta-
blishments referred to to come to a common under-
standing, compatible with their individual interests,
and highly conducive to those of the public.

ACCIDENT ON THE LONDON AND NORTH WESTERN
RAILWAY. —On the arrival of the 8.40 a.m. train from St.
Albans at the II arrow station yesterday a passenger named
Patrick Leven, from 11layo, Ireland, imprudently, leaped
from the carriage while the train was in motion and fell
between the wheels and the platform. When extricated
from his perilous position it was found the unfortunate man
had received extensive lacerations of the lower extremities,
and on being conveyed to the University Hospital amputa-
tion of the leg was deemed absolutely necessary, and he re-
mains in a very precarious condition.
SINGULAR ACCIDENT IN KENT.—On Saturday
morning a ploughman at Chilhatn was af work with a team
of four horses on a farm in the occupation of Mr. Bay,
when, passing too near the edge of a chalkpit, the ground
under the wheel-horse gave way. Observing this, the driver
struck the front horses with a view to save the others from
going over, but unfortunately the chains broke. The two
last horses were oonsequently precipitated into the pit, drag-
ging the plough after them. One was killed upon the spot,
and the other only lived a short time after the accident.
The two horses were said to bo worth nearly £lOO.--.3faid-
stone Journal.

TILE DR USES IN SYRIA.

That the Syrian Christians ever became subject
to the Turkish rule, or that they are now being
massacred wholesale by fanatics, they owe to their
internecine contentions. For the Christian popula-
tion of Syria exceed that of the Mahomedan ten
to one. From the following remarks, taken from
Mr. J.' Lewis Farley's interesting narrative of
" Two Years in Syria," some idea of the want of
unity which exists among the various sects of
Christians my be gathered

The fatal weakness which has made this beautiful coun-
try a manacled slave at the feet of its Mohammedan mas-
ters, has been, and still continues to be, sectarianism. Were
the people united, the Turks could not hold the country for
an hour, as they form but a tenth of the population. But
the internecine feuds of the different sects have enabled the
Turks to carry out the policy of most conquerors—" divide
and' govern." The Jew detests the Samaritan ; the
Greek hates the Latin; and the Maronite condemns both.
We have amongst our clerks in the bank a Greek Catholic
and a Maronite. The latter one day said to me, in allusion
to the former, " Do not place any dependence, sir, on —;
he does not know what truth or honour is." The other on
a subsequent occasion said, " You appear, sir, to place con-
fidence in —; but you will be deceived, as ho is scarcely
a Christian." Besides the v trbaus Mohammedan sects,
there are nine sects of Christians : -Greeks. Greek Catholics,
Latins, Maronites, Syrians or Jacobites, Syrian Catholics,
Armenians, Armenian Catholics, and, of late years, Pro-
testants.

In the bazaars, even, this difference of opinion is ap-
parent ; for you never, in any one day see all the shops
open, nor are they wt any one time all shut. The shops of
the Moslem aro shut on Friday, their Sabbath; the Jews
close on Saturday, and the Christians on Sunday. Each
day in the week is a holiday, either for the Greek, the
Maronite, or some other of these numerous sects; and it is
quite a usual occurrence for a man's bill to be unpaid be-
cause he is making kaif, ald abfient from his office, it being
one of his saints' days. This is oonsidered quite legitimate;
and it is not lawful to protest a bill until twenty-four hours
after it is due.

The Drases were formerly the most powerful, and are
still the most remarkable of all the tribes of Lebanon.
Their origin is a subject of controversy. Some say they
sprang from a remnant of French crusaders, who, unable
to return to their native land, settled in Lebanon under the
chieftainship of a Comte de Dreux, whence their name of
Druse. The celebrated Druex, Fakhr-ed-Din, who was
fourth emir, and in whose family the supreme rule was
vested, previously to the accession of the Shehab family to
power, took care to spread this report of the origin of his
people when he visited Italy in the early part of the seven
teenth century, in order to solicit aid against the Ottoman
Government.

This prince introduced a great amount of civilisa-
tion among the tribes of the mountains, " But most
historians make the Caliph Hakam Bi—Amr Allah,
the founder of the Druse religion. • When quite a
boy he attained the Caliphate of Cairo in the year of
the Hejira 386 orAD, 996, and his reign was marked
by the absurdities of a madman, and the cruelties
of a monster. Ho caused himself to be proclaimed
a divinity and the founder of a new religion which
was entirely to set aside that of Mahommed. Fear
of his barbarity made some sixteen thousand people
acknowledge his divinity, which, however, assisted
him nothing as his mortality was very emphatically
established by his being murdered by his Vizier
llanzsi." Subsequent Caliphs persecuted the fol-
lowers of the Hakem religion, and in this, as in
almost all such cases, persecution but served to sti-
mulate zeal and provoke resistance. Some, how-
ever, fled to Syria, where the somewhat similar
doctrines of Hakem Burka, the veiled prophet of
Khorasson had been disseminated, and they soon
became a powerful people.

The southern portion of Lebanon is inhabited by the
Druses. Their religious doctrines are very little known
out of their own tribe ; but their code of morals, and the
good faith that prevails in their dealings, might afford a
good example to those sects who are supposed to take the
precepts of Christianity for their guide. Their word is as
binding with them as a legal contract with others, and their
hospitaity is unbounded. When once bread is broken with
a guest, the ties and obligations of hospitality become
sacred ; and many instances are upon record where a Druse
has suffered serious loss of property rather than be-
tray those who had thus become entitled to the shelter of
his roof.

People when excited by religious fanaticism will
go to extreme lengths and commit great enormities,
but it is only a few and those in general mad beyond
all control of reason, who will rush upon certain
destruction. Were the Christians at all united
there would be little fear of molestation from the
Druses, but the perpetual petty contests going on
amongst them gives strength and confidence to their
enemies. Public feeling is naturally exasperated
against the barbarity of the conquerors, and the
cowardice and treachery of the Turks. But we
have as yet but one version of the story. Certain
letters from Syria state that the Christians were
the aggressors, that they had sown the whirlwind
and are now reaping the storm. Be this as it may
we opine that both parties are to blame, but most
of all the Ottoman Government. Indolence and
intrigue are fast completing what weakness and
neglect have commenced. At the present time the
Ottoman empire is too extensive, and composed of
too many barbarous tribes, antagonistic in nearly
everprespect, both civil and religious, to be go-
verned peaceably by the corrupt and imbecile
court of Constantinople. Without giving prepon-
derance to any European power, these state 3
might be placed under a separate rule. Why
should not Syria and part of the adjacent
country be united to Egypt, since annexa-
tion is the order of the day, and Egypt so enlarged
be constituted an independent State, As civilisa-
tion now exists wholsalc murder anal rapine are
not to be tolerated. Crusades against infidels,
whether conducted by Christians, Mahonaedans, or
Druses, might have been all very well in the 12th
century, when ignorant and superstitious zealots
were the dupes of designing priests and would-be-
prophets; but now-a-days religion is not be forced
down peoples' throats at the point of the bayonet.
Toleration is now the order of the day ; every man
should have liberty to go to heaven or elsewhere
bis own road, but at the same time be prevented, by
stringent laws strictly enforced, from interfering
with the religious opinions and forms of worship of
his neighbours. If the Turkish Government do
bestir itself in this matter, let it do so with a deter-
mination to do justice. Let it not wreak its ven-
geance on the unthinking and misguided multi-
tude, but search out the real responsible parties
in high places, the first instigators of these de-
plorable occurrences, and visit with condign
punishment its own representatives, who, not
content to look on and see murder done
before their eyes without interference, basely
persuaded a foolishly confiding crowd of
Christians to surrender their arms, guaranteeing
their security, and then treacherously betrayed
them to those thirsting for their blood. Only by a
bold, fearless, and straightforward course, resulting
in the punishment of the guilty, can the Govern-
ment at the Porte hope to palliate its reprehen-
sible conduct in neglecting to guard its subjects
against the machinations of knaves and fanatics.

LONDON'S TRUE LINE OF DEFENCE.

A Staff Officer, in a letter to a contemporary,
says :

The most effective and economical line of defence
which London could possess would be a circular
railway, forming a complete cordon round it at an
average distance of 15 miles from its centre; and
having for its interior lines of operation the nume-
rous railways which already intersect the space in-
dicated, and which would form radii and chords to
the proposed circle.
First, during war such a railway, with its electric
telegraph, would permit of an overwhelming num-
ber of men and guns being concentrated at any
given point in an incredible short space of time ;
and, as the whole science of war may be briefly
summed up as consisting in " the art of placing in
the right position at the right time, a mass of troops
greater than the enemy can there oppose to you,"
—arguing upon such premises, which, according to
all past history are sound, it follows that, by the
adoption of this scheme, a successful defence of Lon-
don would be rendered a certainty, and placed so
far beyond the shadow of a doubt that—
" Came the three corners of the world in arms,
And we shall shock them."

To adapt this railway to the special purpose it is
intended to serve, it would only be necessary to
carry a parapet along the entire length of its outer
edge, to have numerous "sidings" and " switch-
ings" at regular distances—to have Armstrong and
Whitworth ordnance mounted upon large irmt-
plated trucks, in the manner suggested some time
since by Mr. W. Bridges Adams, in an able article
contributed to Once a Week,--and to have those
trucks fitted with traversing platforms and shcLt-
proof shields of the kind recently described in
public by Captain Coles, R.N. :—" The great
economy of this scheme is worthy of remark. One
gun transportable would do the work of 20 which
are fixtures in forts, and there would be no men to
take prisoners, for no forts would be captured." It
must in truth be admitted that in these days of
steam locomotion stationary forts and batteries,
which can only act with their guns in one direction
or locality, are obsolete anachronisms and an utter
waste of power.
Second.—During peace such a railway would be
available for purposes of traffic and passenger loco-
motion, and so yield, at least, some return for the
capital sunk in its formation. Moreover, by thus
uniting the suburban districts of Woolwich,
Bromley, Norwood, Wimbledon, Chiswick, Acton,
Hendon, Finchley, Edmonton, and Ilford, our
metropolitan thoroughfares would be relieved from
a very considerable portion of that prodigious car-
riage-work by which they are at present oppressed.
The more this system is thought of, the more the
conviction will grow that it is the simplest mode
of rendering London and its suburbs impenetrable
to invaders at a comparatively trifling cost,
I therefore trust that you will give my " idea"
publicity, if only with the hope of its meeting the
eye of some one more qualyled than myself to elabo-
I rate it and bring the subject to a practical issue.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

♦ -.
HOUSE OF LORDS-(YESTERDAY.)
NEWSPAPERS BILL.

Lord STRATHEDEN, moved the second 'reading- of
this bill.
Lord CHELMSFORD said that the bill had passed the
other house, on more than one occasion, but without any
discussion. It was originallyintroduced in March, 1850, and
was withdrawn in consequence of the dissolution. It was re-
introduced after the new Parliament met, was read a third
time on the 19th of July, and came up to their lordships'
house on the 21st of July, when it was dropped in conse-

quenco of the termination of the session. it'was re-intro-
duced in the present session, and there eould have been very
little discussion, as it came to their lordships' house on the
7th of February. Ever since that time it had remained,
without any noble lord thinking it his duty to move the
second reading. Under these circumstances it was neces-
sary to look very carefully to the bill, and to see what pro-
visions it would repeal. It was proposed to repeal sections
15 to 33 inclusive of the 39th of Geo. HI. Sections 15 to
22 made a licence necessary for places where meetings were
held for the purpose of debates and lectures, except houses
already licensed for the sale of beer, wine, &c. In times of
public danger it might be necessary to resort to stringent
measures to prevent seditious meetings, but probably there
was now no necessity for any of these provisions, and he
did not object to their repeal. The sections from the 22d
to the 33d were of a different character. They required that
all printers and typefounders should give notice of their in.
tention to carry on their business to the clerk of the peace,
that notice should be sent to the Secretary of State, and that
a penalty should be imposed on any printer et typefounder
who carried on business without the certificate of the clerk
of the peace. There was also a clause which required that
every printer should put his name and address to all papers
or bills which he printed. To show how little attention
had been paid in the preparation of this bill, it proposed to
repeal provisions in the 39th of Geo. 111. which were al-
ready repealed by the 2cl and 3d of Victoria, chap. 12, but
a printer was still required to put his name to all papers
which he printed. There was another ♦ery important
clause in the 39th of Geo. 111., between the 22d and 23d
sections, which empowered all persons to seize any one
distributing or posting bills to which no printer's name was
attached, and to take him before a magistrate, in order that
tho magistrate might hear and determine the case. From
his experience at the bar he knew that it was very common
for libellers to employ persons to distribute their libels with-
out a printer's name, and it would be impossible to de-
tect them if the persons so distributing the papers could
not be at once taken before a magistrate and required
to state by whom they were employed. He therefore
strongly objected to that clause being repealed. (Hear.)
He had also a decided objection to the proposed repeal of
the 60th of George 111., cap. 9, which referred entirely to
newspapers, and contained a clause of great importance,
requiring printers and publishers to enter into recognisances
by which they were to be bound in a certain sum to be an-
swerable for any fine or penalty wbich they might incur in
the event of their being convicted for a blasphemous or
seditious libel. The same Act contained a clause empower-
ing a judge, when a person was brought before him, to give
bail for a blasphemous or seditious libel, to make it a con-
dition of the recognisance that the party should be of good
behaviour during the terms of his recognisance. These
were provisions that he did not desire to see repealed. Un-
der a subsequent act, which it was proposed to repeal, ex-
cept the first section, there was a clause connected with the
60th of George 111., which provided that where a person
had obtained damages against the publisher of a newspaper
for libel, and was unable to obtain satisfaction against his
goods and chattles, he could apply to the Court of Exche-
quer, and they might direct that the recognisances might be
used for the purposes of satisfying the damages that had
been awarded. The present bill, however, proposed to repeal
that clause. A bill that repealed so many important pro-
visions of the 39th of George 111., the whole of the 60th of
George 111., and the whole of the 11th of George IV. and
let of William IV., except the first clause, deserved the
careful consideration of their lordships. As there were cer-
tain clauses of the 39th of George 111. that ought to be
repealed, it would perhaps be desirable to read the bill a
second time. Perhaps it would be desirable, however, in
committee to confine the bill to the repeal of these clauses
in the 39th of George 111., and to omit the other provisions
of the bill.

The LORD CHANCELLOR said that the bill proposed
to repeal provisions relative to newspapers which wore a
dead letter and discreditable to the age, and he trusted their
lordships would not hesitate to read it a second time. Their
lordships might advantageously consider in committee how
far it was desirable to repeal the other provisions of the
law relative to newspapers.

Lord CRA.NWOitTII said that the bill proposed to re-
peal certain enactments without stating what the effect of
such repeal would be. Had their 1 ordabips the least notion
what they were asked to do by this bill ? He ventured to
say they had not. Their lordships were therefore indebted
to the noble and learned lord (Chelmsford) for going!hrough
the provisions of the bill so carefully. This bill came up
to their lordships' house more than four months ago,
but until that afternoon when the bill was put down for a
second reading, he had not looked into Acts of Parliament
proposed to be repealed. The conviotion he had arrived at
was that the repeal of many of these enactments would be
most impolitic and injurious. There was, for example,
nothing more reasonable than that persons publishing
newspapers should give security that they would not be
guilty of private malice. He had declined to take charge of
this bill, because, as a general rule, he objected to the intro-
duction of any measure which did not bear on its face an
intimation of its object. and effect. In certain cases that
might perhaps be dispensed with, as in a bill to repeal all
the statutes which were consolidated in a general act, or a
vast mass of practically obsolete enactments. Fut in the
attempt to make legislation simple—a very desirable object
in itself—they must take care they did not expose them-
selves to the old maxim—Brevis esse laboro, obseurus fi..
Except to any one who took the trouble to refer to the sta-
tute-book, the present measure was quite unintelligible.
Lord WENSLEYDALE suggested that the bill should
now be read a second time, and then referred to a seleot
committee.

Lord DONO UGH MORE advised the noble lord who
had charge of the bill to withdraw it and introduce
another for the purpose of carrying out those provisions
which were not objected to.
The LORD CHANCELLOR saw no objection to refer-
ring the bill to a select committee, but hoped it would not
be withdrawn. It was of great importance that a number
of these enactments should be repealed, and as the House
of Commons had twice sent up a bill with that object, it
would scarcely be respectful to that house to dismiss the
present bill in a summary manner. When only a single
clause was to be repealed it might be very well to recite it
in the preamble, but there would be a great deal of diffi-
culty and inconvenience in doing so where whole Acts
were concerned.

Lotd WYNFORD observed that as there was no urgent
necessity for the bill it had better be withdrawn in order to
be amended.

Earl GRANVILLE suggested that the bill should be
read a second time, in order to give the noble hird (Lord
Stratheden) an opportunity of amending it so as to meet the
views of the noble and learned lords who had objected to it.

Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY said that he was the
first person requested to take charge of the bill in their
lordships' house. On examination, however, he found that
it gave no information as to the nature of the Acts to be re-
pealed, and, therefore, declined to adopt it. He was not
disposed to oppose the second reading, but he hoped the
noble lord would afterwards omit those provisions to which
objection had been taken.

Lord REDESDALE pointed out that as the short title
of the bill was only "Newspapers, ,te.," all that could be
left, if they struck out the clauses relating to newspapers,
would be " &c., Bill." (Laughter) If the noble lord thought
he could make anything of the bill, under the circumstances,
it might be read a second time and committed pro forma.
The Duke of BUCCLEITCH said it appeared that the
bill had gone from one noble lord to another before any one
could be got to take charge of it. (A laugh.) He had him-
self referred to the statute-book to ascertain what were the
enactments to be repealed,and he was of opinion that it would
be imprudent to repeal some of those which were of a penal
character. He thought the noble lord had better withdraw
the bill, and introduce it in an amended form next session.
Lord STRAT HE DEN said that, after the remarks which
had been made by the noble lord the President of the Coun-
cil and other noble lords, and in the absence of any decided
opposition to the second reading, he did not feel at liberty
to withdraw the bill. In consenting to the second reading,
their lordships would not be precluded from afterwards re-
ferring it to a select committee, or rejecting it altogether.
He asked their lordships to read the bill a second time,
without considering that any noble lord would thereby be
committed to its provisions.

Lord CHELMSFORD had hoped his noble friend would
have given a pledge that he would alter the bill in commit-
tee as he had suggested ; but as he declined to do so he had
no alternative but to move as an amendment that the bill
be read a second time that day three months.
Their lordships then divided. The numbers were :
Content .. 10
Net content
Majority against the second reading.. —26
The bill was therefore lost.
NUISANCES REMOVAL AND DISEASES PRE-

VENTION BILL.
This bill was read a second time.
OXFORD UNIVERSITY (No. 2) BILL.
On the motion of the Earl of CARNARVON this bill was
read a second time.
The clauses wore agreed to, and the bill was ordered to
be reported.
The Registration of Births, &c. (Scotland) Bill went
through committee.
The Court of Queen's Bench Act Amendment Bill, and
the Enclosure (No. 2) Bill, were read a third time and
passed.
The Isle of Man HarbOUT Billond the Dominica Hur-
ricane Loan Bill, went through committee.
Their lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(YESTERDAY.)
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE.
Mr. VANSITTART inquired whether, after the discus.