The Sun.
London, England, 1869-04-05 00:00:00

THE FEAST OF BAIEAII.

Nothing now remained further to be done in Egypt but
to visit the Suez Canal. But the Viceroy begged the
Prince to stay to the Feast of Bairam. The Prince con-
sented, and rearranged his tour. The Feast of Bairam, or
this particular one (Kouban) fell on March 23. " Bairam"
was announced to Cairo by the thunder of the guns from
the citadel early in the morning. From sunrise the
Khedive was ready in the old palace beside the Mosque
of Hassan to receive the greetings of his Ministers and
dependents. Never before bad be or any of his prede-
cessors had such an honour as that which was about to be
conferred upon him by the appearance of the Heir to the
Throne of a great European Power at a lev6e. Never,
perhaps, was Ismail Pasha so proud and gratified as when
he stood out on the steps of his palace in front of all
his officers of State and with the eyes of the consular
agents of all Europe upon him to welcome the Prince of
Wales and lead him through a really "glittering throng" to
the seat of honour prepared within. The procession from
the new palace to the citadel was very imposing. There
was a considerable crowd outside the palace railings as
the Prince's carriage, preceded by outriders in scarlet and
gold, and by mounted cavasses in full uniform, slowly
passed out into the street to the sound of the royal
salute, and there were hats and caps raised, and a few
cheers were heard, but the Oriental is not in the

aggregate easily moved, and, least of all, by an infidel
show ; and, although there were graceful salutations by
upraised hands, and the most respectful attitude on the
part of the multitude, drawn up as if by order on both
sides of the tortuous streets, not a sign of admiration at
the fine sight or any emotion at the aspect of the unusual
uniforms could be detected on their faces. On getting a
short way into the streets leading from the palace, the
lines of soldiery began. As the Prince's cortege, with
its escort of Lancers and its rich liveries, prancing
horses, and curvetting outriders slowly passed between
the double row, the officers saluted, the colours were
lowered, and the bands, stationed at intervals, struck
uP " God Save the Queen," and the Egyptian national air
—all in excellent style. Passing from courtyard to court•
yard lined with troops, the procession passed into the
inner quadrangle, uhere there stood at the entrance
to the palace a mars of officers in blue and gold,
quite dazzling in their brightness as the sun fell on
them. A. band of the Guards stationed near at hand
struck up " God Save the Queen "—and as the Prince's
carriage pulled up at the steps, which were lined by the
officers and suite of the palace, the Khedive in a very rich
uniform (blue and gold), wearing the Riband and Star of
India, came forth to meet him. His Royal Highness and
the Viceroy then proceeded through the crowd of great
functionaries, followed by their retinue; to the
reception-hall, where the Viceroy and Prince sat apart
in advance, with the Egyptian officials of the first
rank on the left and the British gentlemen on the right of
the ball on the sofas. Then there came in a valetaille in
fez and black frocks—they are scarcely domestics, how-
ever, for their office is higher than that of servants and
lower than that of Minister; Then came a Minister of
Coffee, whose shoulder was covered with a cloth literally
stiff with pearl and diamond, bearing a tray
whereon most exquisite little cups were placed in
delicate holders that were perfect gems in all
but continuity of jewelled surface, for the most pre-
cious stones contended with each other to cover the
surface. The ceremony of pipes and coffee did not last
long. The Prince rose and the Viceroy did the same, and
then through the crowded outer halls the guest and host
walked to the outer porch, followed as before by their
suites, and there on the steps the Khedive took leave of
the Prince of Wales. The Royal procession, in the same
order as before, dros e through the citadel with the same
honours as on their arrival.

THE SUEZ CANAL.
And now the visit to the Su. z Canal must be paid. The
Prince started the next day for Suez. In company with
the Princess he visited the works there ; then they
embarked on board her Majesty's transport tender
Prompt, moored alongside, and in her visited the roads,
full of ships of all nations riding at anchor. Afterwards,
under the guidance of M. 'de Lesseps, the royal party
steamed for the embouchure of the canal, of which the
breadth is about one hundred and fifty metres. Afterwards
the Prompt steamed back to the hotel at Suez, and
arrived there at half-past ten, when the royal party
breakfasted. In another hour they were descried walking
towards the station, whence they started at half•past
eleven precisely for Chalouf. Then there came the wil-
derness. Travelling though the sand, a lateen-shaped
sail emerging from it to our right betokened that we were
bordering the Sweet Water canal, until presently when
the sand surrounding us diminished, its whole breadth
of fifteen metres was apparent, and the traffic
on it of barges laden with vegetables, fodder,
and materials for the workmen of the various " carnpe-
ments." What is meant along the canal by " campement"
was understood as we reached Chalouf, the first stage of
our journey—a distance of about nine miles from Suez—
shortly after twelve o'clock. Wooden sheds studded the
place, and an attempt at gardening was visible here and
there. Their Royal Highnesses proceeded on the right
hank of the canal, in the direction of Suez. It was one
o'clock when the royal party seated themselves in
the train, and proceeded to Seraphim. Between
the stations of Geneffe and Feyd they had a good
view of the biter lakes to our right. The huge masses of
crystallised, sand-bestrewed salt and streaks of bright-blue
water looked like a half-thawed large lake. The streaks
of water we saw have run into the bitter lake from the
maritime canal at Serapium, at a distance of twenty kilo-
metres from the spot lam alluding to. But the locks
have been closed there for a week, and the still existing
water denotes that the salt of the lake will not absorb it,
as the sceptical imagined.

LORD STANLEY IN GLASGOW.

_...,~

What Lord Stanley said about the Irish question in
reply to the address from the Conservative working men
of Glasgow was something as follows :—" You have seen,
and probably most of you have seen with regret, the late
decision of the House of Commons as regards the Irish
Church. My two opinion upon that question, which I
took the opportunity of expressing to my constituents
not many months ago, was in substance that while I
fully admitted that the actual and existing position
of the Irish Establishment was invidious and not
easily defensible, while I thought that mere titular
distinction and marks of dignity were not for a
Christian Church things worth fighting for or retaining,
while I thought that funds not really wanted might
fairly be applied to any useful national
purpose, still I did
not think, and do not think, that endowments which are
wanted, and which are not abused, ought to be wholly
swept away, after three centuries of possession, merely in
order to establish a theory of religious equality. I must
say that, after what is passed, I look upon any attempt
to obtain an absolute reversal of the decision which is
passed as hopeless, but I think it is possible that we may
still save something out of the fire. To alienate the whole
body of the Irish Protestants from Great Britain is, to my
mind, a serious :natter. In Ireland, I must say it plainly, I
do not think that we are in a position in which we can
afford to make enemies or to lose friends. I am not talkingof
the Penians. Force can always be met by force, and there is
no doubt who is the strongest. But I fear that the desire
for at least legislative independence—which it isnot reason-
able to ask for, since an Act of Parliament actually esta-
blished it in 1782, and another Act of Parliament took it
away twenty years later—that desire, I say, is, I fear,
stronger and more general in Ireland than we on this side
of the water are willing to admit. The Act of Union was
not at the time of its passing a popular measure, and I
do not believe that upon that point public opinion in
Ireland is in any way changed. I certainly would
rather not indicate what in my belief the result
would be if a popular vote was taken upon it in that
country. Now that is rather an awkward state of things to
deal with, and when I hear people saying, in perfect sin-
cerity and good faith, that you must deal with Irish matters
is accordance with what you suppose to be the wishes of

sent. Or, if you want a third analogy, which is, per-
haps, still closer, it is as if a capitalist who should have
lent out his money in small sums were to be told one
day by the Legislature that as long as he received, punctu-
ally paid, the interest upon his loans, he had got what
any reasonable man ought to be content with, and ought
to give up all claim to recover the capital itself, if he
wanted it. Now, a claim of that kind is one
which I apprehend no British Parliament will ever
be found ready to admit. It is really one for which
there is no shadow of legal or moral justification, ft
is a claim that must be resisted, and I do the Liberal
Government and the majority of the Liberal party this
justice, that I believe they will resist it. The sight of all
these rocks ahead—nationality, land, education, and
might name others—forces the conviction on my mind that
the work of eon cilia,ti )n, so far from b .!ing successfully
carried out to any effectual purpcse, is at present only
beginning. All these things, I say, would induce me to
urge upon anyone whom my voice could reach the inexpe-
diency of alienating from you those upon whom, whatever
their failings may have been, England has always been
able to rely, and who, if you are to turn them into oppo'
nents, will carry into their oppositic n that spirit of per'
severance and of determination which they have shewa
in all the active pursuits of life, and to which, in re 9
belief, they owe a good deal to their Scotch descent.''
Lord Stanley went on to give credit to Mr. Gladstone for

acting conscientiously, but condemned most strenuousli
the release of the Fenian prisoners. "Itis a fatal and a

suicidal policy for any State to treat armed resiotance to
its authority as a light offence. lam not thinking of an 9
danger that can arise from the individuals. Half-a-dozes
rowdies added to the disorderly classes are not a national
danger ; they are hardly in any appreciable degree a public
nuisance. But the effect, I fear, w 11 be Viis, that when suoll
risings, or attempts at risings, occur again—and one cannot
say that they will not—the fear inspired by the law will not
be what it has been. Conspirators will encourage one another,
and as far as the late precedent goes, they will do so instill
by pointing out that at the worst, if they are taken, thel
have only to fear a few months' imprisonment, with mai'
mited popularity and mob applause at the end. Now, I
say again I do not accuse those in authority of popularity
hunting, but I fear there has been a little clerical pressure/
and I only hope there has not been any foreign influence'
The most satisfactory part of the transaction probably i°
that those very released persons have told us so plainlY
and so frankly how much gratitude and how much pens'
tence we have to expect from them, that they hale
furnished a more effectual warning than anyone ePd
could do against a repetition of such ill-considered 10
ceedings."

ISII
CHURCH DEFENCE IN MAIC-
CHESTER.

The Conservative papers record with great stress the
Irish Church meeting which took place at Manchester oe
Friday evening. There were present Mr. Birley,
for the town, Lord Claud and Lord George Hamilton!
and the Hon. Mr. Egerton—M.P.'s all. There well
the now common appeals to the Act of Union and
the Coronation Oath, the usual epithets of " sac°
lege, spoliation, confiscation, and robbery," and tha
fashionable abuse of Mr. Gladstone. The Velii
Archdeacon Pollok said the proposed course of legit
lation would lead to the proclamation of an Irish re'
public, and, in the end, England would be obliged to
reconquer Ireland. But the point of which most
was made by the speakers was Maynooth. The Dissenter°,
said Lord George Hamilton, amidst the cheers of t 13.,
meeting, had supported the Government during the Irtt'
elections because they had received a pledge from tlie,
Liberal candidates that none of the property of the Este.,
blished Church in Ireland, should go to any other religicl;
denomination, but the pledge had not been kept. 0301
Pope, said Lord Claud Hamilton, was the real head o 4
Maynooth, and we were going to hand over money to b'
without a pledge of what he would do with it.

THE CITY ROMANCE.

Mr. Benjamin Higgs, the swell clerk of the Central
Company, who recently disappeared from his fine villae
T wick enham, seems to have been a most extraordinary nteol
His salary at the time of his disappearance was under
.44 per annum. His establishment at Teddington, howeltere;
was of almost princely character. Mr. Higgs's habits
luxuriant and extravagant in the eztreme. The Twiekeli,t4
ham Observer says :—" The house, which contained Abe
thirty rooms, was fitted and furnished in the most sung);
tuous style. A large pleasure ground ran down to tijo
river Thames, where he bad built a massive river ive
He had also a large kitchen garden, and a model W./
He was building extensive stabling, fitted with all moder
appliances, kept two pair of carriages, nine horses, aye
`pßte
s)veral ponies, and his family carriage and brougham
the most substantial and elegant in the neigbbourhood.
had eight female servants, five gardeners, one groom, a cose"
man n I under coachman, the housAold xpecses ,
not less than two thousand a year. The furniture, the asy
of which has just taken place, was of remarkable alto
and quality, as may be judged from the fact that a plan°l°(l
sold for 155 guineas. Mr. Higgs's personal tastes J
habits were not less extravagant, his gold watch and diaraa;
ring was the envy of the connoisseurs. He was
music
too, and his weekly musical parties were graced laY
presence of our most celebrated artiste; who were Ball
tuously entertained and sent to London by
train. Mr. Higgs's benevolent instincts were also Wadi
On three occasions he gave cencerts at the Clarence 11°tt,
Teddington, the most celebrated professional singers We
ti,
engaged, the programmes were marvels of artistic beatific
the expenses were paid by Mr. Higgs, and the entire POO
ceeds were devoted to the building of new schools.
it)
oo
one occasion au insolvent received a cheque for £lBO, W
which he effected a composition with his creditors.
0,
another occasion an unfortunate man who was seriouslyll'o
jnred by an explosion of the kitchen boiler while 93 el
house, was established in business with £3OO. The r
Church of England at Teddington received a new ode
at a cost of £3OO, and the same congregation, now Yaeys
ing in an iron church, recently rejoiced in the pro!!
to
of £2,000 towards a new and more substantial struete?
which promise, however, has vanished with Mr. llightf
On the morning of his departure' there were eiB
men employed upon a new mansion which was in course
erection upon land he was to have purchased at a COle&
£OOO per acre, the purchase, however, was never compleol
although the buildings were in progress. The mansion 0,
estimated to cost £50,000. The freeholder was informed
,1
the Tuesday before Mr. Higgs's departure that there Wane
he some difficulty and delay in the purchase and eifad
pletion of the freehold, in consequence of lliggs's 'goo
trustees having failed to meet their eugageatedi
rt sl ould be observed that ho aceoun
ed to his wit,'
f,iends for this extraordinary expenditure by saying ofe
he had received a legacy of £90,000 from a rel9V
For several days before leaving he was making preparAtlrot
for his departure. On Friday afternoon, the sth of 3.19'1,11
he entered the 'Waterloo train as usual ; but instead of alt
ing at Twickenham, proceeded on to Reading, thatiu /0‘
Liverpool, and that Diet went on board a steal:o4od
America. There is one side to this extraordinary ebiad
which is indescribably painful, Mr. Higgs has left Wool
him a wife and eight children, who until now were igae,
of the source whence all the comforts and luxuries oft 00
home were derived, and are rendered abscgutely4o/1
And dependent noi others,

_ r
7 ► the inajority of the Irish population—separating them
thereby as a community from England and Scotland—l aul
apt to ask myself whether those well-intentioned persons
really mean or not what they are saying. Because if they
do not they may find themselves unpleasantly surprised by
being requested to vote in favour of the repeal of the
Union. Well, the inference I draw from that is that we
ought to take great care lest, without fully satisfying the
Catholics, we succeed in alienating the Protestants.
I defer, as every man must defer, to what is
virtually a national decision, for it is idle to con-
ceal from ourselves that the real decision upon the prin-
ciple involved in this matter was taken, not in the vote
of the other night, but on the hustings in November last.
But I would earnestly entreat of those who, whether they
agree with me upon the general question or not, do not
think that the danger I have indicated is purely imaginary.
The matter is rather a rerp'ex;.(l one, even at the best, and
I am afraid it will be still more perplexed before we see
the end. Well, but then it is said, Oh, never mind the
minority, you can do without them, you have conciliated
and satisfied the Catholic masses.' Well, I wish I could
think that that was altogether the case. Ido not see how,
on a very large class of questions—of which the question
of education will serve as a single type—you are to get 3
House of Commons which is mainly Liberal and Protestant
to work in very cordial harmony with a Catholic hier-
archy influencing and guiding with immense power an
enthusiastic nation, and certainly not disposed to be
always moderate in its pretensions or its claims. There
is upon matters of that kind an inevitable antagonism,
and though statesmanship may do something to smooth
it, it is a difficulty which, whether you like it or not, you
have to face. But that is not all. You have got in
Ireland what is called the land question. The Celtio
national party, by some process of reasoning which, I con-
fess, I cannot exactly follow, have made the discovery that
if one man occupies and works upon another man's land
he acquires by the fact of such occupation, and without any
contract or engagement, a moral right to the possession of
the land itself, subject only to some fixed and perpetual
payment to the owner. Now that seems to me very much
as if you were to say that a lodger in a house in Glasgow,
or anywhere else, if he had occupied the same lodgings for a
certain number of years, thereby acquired a right for
himself and his children to be irremovable, and never
to pay more than his former rent. Or, in other words,
it is as if a working man, who had been employed
in any business for a certain number of years,
acquired, by the fact of such continued employment,
a legal right not to be dismissed without his own con-