The Sun.
London, England, 1856-05-20 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENINO, MAY 204 1856.

will the inhabitants, the hard-working, industrious,
pale-faced inhabitants at the EAst End say to
this 7 No scruples of conscience stand in the way
the recreation of the rich on Sunday ; it is the
affording it to the poor, galls the Sabbatarians.

What are we to do norr we have done with
Russia ? If we take Lord STA.NLEY for our guide
there is plenty of work for U 3 ; Representative re-

form he thinks people care but little about ; when
it is attempted he tells us it must be something
worth an of ; and this is perhaps the only
topic oa which he showed even a tinge of Toryism

a his long political manifesto to his constituents

at Lynn. We know not, indeed, that we ought
to call it Toryism, since he does not seem disin-

dined to improve our representation, if the im-
provement be only an extensive one. We differ,
however, from him in this. It is one of Lord

JOHN'S follies that he resists every real improve.

meut because it is not part of a great scheme,

Reform or Education —it must be a whole

string of proposals, or he holds it to be not worth
attempting. We, on the contrary, think that if
a proposition havemerit in itself it can seldom fail to

be consistent with all that is good in our present

system, and to modify what is bad. For instance
the 101. electoral franchise in counties, the aboli-

tion of property qualification, conferring a vote on
all who pay income tax or assessed taxes, not to
mention the greater matter of the ballot, are all
and each of them improvements upon the present
electoral system, and any one or all of them might
advantageously be enacted, whether the others
were or not, and it would be so much clear gain.
We are rather surprised that Lord STANLEY with
his practical turn does not see with us, but pro-
bably this, in his case, is rather to be attributed
to his fondness for an almost matheiaatical exact-
ness and completeness, than to over-Conservative
tendencies.

For the rest Lord STANLEY is a financial re
former, an administrative reformer, an army re-
former, a law reformer, a civil service reformer,
an educational reformer especially, an ecclesiastics]
courts reformer, or perhaps we should say abolishes;
and last, not least, a Sunday observance reformer.
He objects as strongly as we have done to the
tire insurance duty as a tax on prudence, and to
the paper duty as a vexatious impediment to its
manufacture, and a tax on literature. Indeed,
notwithstanding the struggles of the Chancellor of
the Exchequer, we belie've he understands that he
must soon give up the fire insurance duty, or see
the business rapidly transferred to France.
As to education his Lordship does not despair,
on account of the ignominious defeat of Lord
JOHN RUSSELL'S ambitious hodgepodge of reso-
lutions, of our ultimately obtaining at some time
a good system of common school education.
Meantime the cheap press, cheap literature,
lending libraries, and the like, are together
with competitive examination for the civil service
to advance education rapidly. For our part
we must think that it is to spontaneous
efforts of this kind we must now chiefly look.
Neither people nor Parliament can agree on a
Government system. The Clergy of all denomina-
tions will not allow it ; and if their bigotry does
but generate a vigorous and universal voluntary
effort on the part of the friends of education, we
shall at least save the waste and cost incidental
to Government administration and patronage.
Lord STANLEY recognises the necessity of army
reduction and army reform in c3mbination. Here
we quite agree with him. It would be monstrous
to sa us in Del.co with the east of a W.,- A
but it would be madness to have it so unprepared
for action as it was in 1853. For the sums we
spent annually on our Army and Navy we ought
to have had them ready for any service, and in the
most splendid condition. It is the waste of public
money which has made the nation indignant ;
for sixteen or seventeen millions sterling per
annum it is scandalous that we were not prepared
for every emergency. A comparatively small
army in the highest state of training and disci-
pline, with the !militia for a feeder, would be true
economy and efficiency. Oar present number of
troops officered on the Horse Gairde system
would be wanton waste. We are glad to see Lord
STANLEY denouncing as as intolerable anomaly
the system of purchasing commissions, and we
are quite sure he will be as decide .l as a commis-
sioner on the subject as he is when addressing his
constituents. Abolish this absurdity, introduce
effectually promotion by merit, keep the mechani-
cal equipments of the army up to the latest inven •
tions of tke day, a thing which CAA be done with-
out ruinous waste of antiquated stock for a small
army— teach our men to rough it in home camps
as they must do when they go abroad, and make
the officers work, in time of peace, real work, and
England will be quite prepared to do her part
when despotic ambition again troubles the security
of Europe.
In regard to Law Reform Lord STANLEY men-
tions three especially. He believes that all
thinking men are unanimous that the cumbrous
machinery of our ecclesiastical courts ought to be
done away with ; the only difficulty now is to
what Court the business should be transferred.
It is a disgrace to the great branches of Law that
their jealousy of each other should keep in
abeyance a reform so necessary and so universally
concurred in. He advocates also a simplification
of the process for transferring landed property,
and considers justly enough that the ownership
and actual possession of land being identical, is
the first essential of agricultural improvement.
He strongly advocates the consolidatioa of the
statutes, and represents the state of the law on
divorce as absolutely disgraceful. Since his ob-
servations the Government Bill for divorce
has been made public. Passing by for the present
the weighty and fundamental question whether
the wife should not be able to obtain a divorce on
the ground of the husband's adultery, as well as
the husband in the case of that of the wife, the
bill fails in the one great point of cheap justice.
Divorce, on proper grounds, ought to be accessible
to the poor as well as to the rich. Indeed the
crime for which almost alone it can be sought is
as much a crime deserving prosecution at the
public cost as theft or fraud. No crime, if com-
mon, would more utterly subvert the foundations
of society. The honour and purity of the mar-
riage relation is as essential to social existence as
property itself, and ought to be protected on the
same terms. Lord STANLEY considers that a
Minister of Justice is the grand desideratum for
bringing our whole legal system into harmonious
operation. No doubt he is right ; but the public
mind is not yet made up as to the House of which
he should be a member, or indeed as to the per-
manent or political character of the office. We
heartily wish Lord STANLEY success in his line
of practical reformer. Of one thing we are hap-
pily sure, that he is a reformer from intelligent
conviction, and not for mere popular favour or
party purposes.

Lord GRANVILLE is, it appears, to represent
England as ..A.nabassador Extraordinary at the
Coronation of the CZAR. That he can be
well spared from. England is certain ; anal,
if no charge were to be thereby imposed on
the Exchequer, we should not have the slightest

objection to his making a protracted visit to the
ATJTOCRAT. But it is more than hinted that
the former custom, which allowed ambi-
tious noblemen to act on the principle of
the renowned "Pickwickians," by defray-

ing their own expenses, is to be abrogated,
and that a heavy demand is to bo made on the
national purse for the outlay. Against such a
claim we earnestly and emphatically protest.
What has the AUTOCRAT done for England to
merit such an expensive compliment ? Through
the misconduct of his predecessor in originating,
mid his own in protracting, the War, 80,000,0001.
sterling has been expended, and the lives of at
least fifty thousand of the best and bravest of
our countrymen uselessly sacrificed. He has,
through the prevailing German influence, been
suffered to escape with impunity from the
consequences of his misdeeds. It was resolved
that he should not be humiliated, or his over-
grown powers curtailed. He was screened from
well-merited punishment ; and now a large sum
is to be voted to do him especial honour ! The
English People have no desire to compliment the
Emperor ALEXANDER. If Ministers desire to do
so, let it be effected without any pull on the
national purse.

This evening Mr. HENRY BERKELEY will bring
forward his annual motion on the all-important
question of THE BALLOT. We trust that every
consistent Reformer will make it a point to be in
attendance at 4 o'clock. There is but to much
reason to fear that an attempt will be made
to " burke" the discussion, either by preventing
the formation of a House, or resorting to the
" count-out " dodge., The functions of the
Whipper-in, will be changed for the time being.
Whipping out will be the order of the day.
Against this it is the duty of every Reformer to
guard. Should any untoward event prevent the
anticipated debate, or bring it to a premature
conclusion, the absentees may rest assured that
their names will not be suffered to remain in obli-
vion, but will be brought under the notice of
every constituency in the kingdom, so that the
electors may have the opportunity of testing their
professions as candidates with thoir practice as
members, and seeing how far they have merited
a renewal of the confidence which, ere many
months have elapsed, they may be called on to
seek.

LATEST 111EWS.1

BERLIN, MAY 18.

The coronation of the Emperor Alexander is
fixed for the 24th August. The ceremonial
observed at the last coronation will be followed.
It is said that the Emperor of Austria intends to
visit the banks of the Rhino in June. Prince
Frederick William leaves this evening for London,
via Coblentz.

MADRID, MAY 18.

King Ferdinand of Portugal left Seville for
Gibraltar on the 15th. It is doubtful whether
he will visit Madrid.

PRANC'F.

PARIS, MONDAY EVENING.

Prince Oscar of Sweden has arrived in Paris. He
has just passed along the Boulevards from the '
Northern Railroad in an open carriage, accompanied
by his Aides-de-Camp and those of the Emperor,
and by some of the civil and military authorities,
and escorted by a squadron of Cuirassiers. The
Prince, who was in uniform, was received at the
terminus with all the honours due to his rank. He
proceeds this evening to St. Cloud. To-morrow
evening the theatrical company of the Palais Royal
performs for the entertainment of the Court. The
piece is one- that has had much success, and is en-
titled "Si jernais js to piece." The actors will
have the honour if not of a parterre des Bois,
at least of a parterre de Princes.
BOURSE, May 19.—The following were the last
quotations :

Cash. fr. e. End of Month.
4i per Cents 93 80 —f. —a.
3 per Cents 75 40 75 60
New Loan 75 30

Bank Shares 4,000
Credit Mobilier 1,0;5

Roman
Austrian

Belgian Five 5...,.... 97 Spanish Throes
Piocimontese(s) . 94 59 iomo Debt .....

RAILWAYB-fOR Cu.AA

fr. c. fr. 0
Orleans
Northern
Lyons ... . 1,490 New Ditto
Hoditerranean 1,720 Grand Central
Lyons Geneva B2O 50 Testo
___ . _. _7-

Cotta B2O Austrian C0rn....... 955 -

RUSSIA.
The Emperor of Russia has given the whole of

hid fleet anew arrangement, which had become
necessary in consequence of the events of the late
war. At present the Russian fleet consists of the
following :

IST DIVISION'.
Ist Brigade, Ist Equipage, Kaiser Nicolai
2d Wyborg
Hurrill (steam-frigate)
Konstantin
Kanatsehatka(s frigate)
Rei wisa w B4
Norweger (atm-frigate)
Adler
Stier lO
Hango Lrdd B4
Buffel
Polkau (frigate)
Donnersehla,g

Guns,

. 120

2d Brigade, 4th

31 Brigade, 7th

Maria
2D DIVIMION.

60

4th Brigade, oth Equipage, `Vladimir B4
Constantin (frigate)
Villagesch 6O
Der Donner (steam frigate)
K,iserin Alexandra, B4
Der Kiihne (steam frigate)
Gedachtniss Asows 74
Der Drohende(steamfrigate)
Lefort
Amphitrite (frigate)
Borodino (frigate)
Castor (frigate)
Ruhr mich nielitau B4
Der Schou°
3D DIVISION.

10th

11th

sth Brigade, 12th

13th

14th

6th Brigade, 15th
16th

7th Brigade, 17th Equipage, Kaiser Peter I IOD
18th Der Ville
Der Tapfere (st. frigate)
Syssoi der Grosse Olaf
(team frigate)
Poltawa
Bogatyr (steam frigate)
Ills Murometz (frigate)
Grossfiirst Michael 74
Fere Champenoise B4
Hesekiel 75
Er.•ienno
lallor. (steam frigates)
rroohor
Wladirair (steamer)
Ab ), America, Niemen
(transports).
The Russian papers, in speaking of the new arrange.
ments, say that the saving that will now be effected
by the abeyance of the expensive Black Sea fleet, in
conformity with the terms of the treaty of peace,
which amounts to 15,000,000 to 20,000,000, will,
in all probability, be applied to the develop-
ment and strengthening of the naval force in the
Baltic, White Sea, and Pacific Ocean. Now that
the Byzantine projects of the Emperors of Russia
are necessarily given up, at any rate for some time
to come, the nation seems to turn its eyes to the
extreme north. According to all accounts from
the shores of the White Sea, the population there
contains a hardy courageous race of men, for the
development of whose seafaring instincts hitherto
little or nothing has been done, and the land
in those parts is moreover covered with the finest
ship-building timber. The Government appears
to be as fully alive to these circumstances as the
people at large, and even before the war had com-
menced had empowered a naval officer to cut
timber in the woods on the Petschora on his own
account, agreeing to take their supply from him at
fixed prices. This plan, which seems to have been
impeded by the war, is now being resumed with
energy. It promises a good deal for the interests
of hydrography and the knowledge of the coasts of
the White Sea, and is another instance of the good-
will of the Government to commit the develop-
ment of the natural treasures of the country to the
assiduity of private speculation.

lOth

Bth Brigade, 20th

21st
22d
9th Brigade, 23d

- .
24th
10th Brigade, 25th

2i3tb

THE MEDITERRANEAN.

SOUTHAMPTON, TUESDAY MORNING

By the Peninsular and Oriental Company's
steam-ship Indus, Captain Soy, with the India and
Mediterranean mails, we have dates from Alexan-
dria to the 6th instant ; Malta, 10th ; Gibraltar,
15th.

The Indus brings 127 passengers, and a cargo of
general goods.
The weather at Gibraltar had been very bois-
terous, and several vessels had gone ashore, but
without receiving serious damage. The British
barque Mary Wilson was on the rocks, and some
difficulty was being experienced in extricating her.
The 12th inst. was observed at Gibraltar as a
general thanksgiving for the completion of peace.
The steam-transports Thames, Clarendon, Holy-
rood, Sydney, ko., had passed Gibraltar en route
to the East.

Exchange at Gibraltar on London for bills at 90
days' was quoted at 50.