The Sun.
London, England, 1860-03-15 00:00:00

4:1,4
•

I,*

C•3to._

THE SUN.
LONDON, TIIURSDAY, MARCII 15, 1860.

see church rate abolitionists are preparing a counter
storm of petitions for the 28th, the day when Sir
J.
TRELAWNY fights the battle of the second reading
of his bill. Though petitions should have little to
do with so plain a question of right and wrong, yet
as they are practically of no little importance, we
hope the friends of religious liberty will rebuke
in this way the blind intolerance of their oppo-
nents.

Then there are contests, of less prominence in-
deed, but all in reality parts of the war of the
unprivileged with the privileged. Across the
Tweed there is the Edinburgh Annuity Tax Bill.
The tax is one levied to support in comparative
affluence 18 ministers of the Established Church.
Till the late disruption, this was the Church of
the vast majority of the people. While this was
the case the privileged Churchmen treated with con-
tempt the complaints of the few Dissenters. But, now
that the former Established Church has become,
legally, a Dissenting Church, and has to pay its
own ministers, it finds paying to the sinecurists of
the Old Church a heavy grievance, and the
annuity tax must soon follow ministers' money in
Ireland ; it must be abolished. Mr. DILLWYN has
also a bill before the House to place the Dis-
senters on a level with the favoured class in
regard to Free Grammar Schools. At present the
law does not knew of the existence of religion ex-
cept as embodied in the Church catechism, articles,
and prayer-book. Now very numerous founda-
tion schools having been originated by men of minds
in advance of their times, have prescribed in their
deeds no special form of religion, and no parti-
cular creed for these schools. But by the con-
venient interpretation given to the word " religion"
by judges who have always been of the pri-
vileged sect, the children of all other sects, with
their parents,' have no rights in regard to these
schools. Nonconformists cannot be trustees, or
teachers and their children cannot attend except as
a matter of favour ! In this age of education one
would have supposed that even the privileged
would have been ashamed to claim such endow-
ments exclusively for the Church of about a third
of the three kingdoms, but no ; they fight for
this sectarian privilege with all the zeal of a sect
of infallibles.
But, looking at another phase of the subject, it

We learn that the Sardinian Government has
yielded to the too powerpl persuasion of NAPO-
LEON, so that Savoy and Nice are to be ceded to
France. On the other hand, the French Govern-
ment will not give up the districts of
Chablais and Faucigny to Switzerland, as
lately rumoured. No, France takes all and
cedes nothing. And this is the solution of
the bombastic proclamation that NAPOLEON went
to war only for an " idea "—the independence of
Italy from the Alps to the Adriatic ! Words,
words, words—but the end is not yet.

is curious and instructive to notice, that even

the privileged are demanding liberty, and so far,
even they sympathise with the spirit of the age.
They fret against the restraints which necessarily
accompany privilege. They find their Liturgy
though " incomparable," though " the nearest per-
fection of anything human," though "second only
to Holy Writ," though a " necessary accompani-
ment to the Bible"—they yet find it too long—too
full of repetitions too dark or superstitious,
and sometimes—too ready a step through its
rubric to Puseyism and Popery. They want to re-
vise, to curtail, to rub off rust, and so forth—yes,
even the privileged cry through worthy Lord
EBURY for Liturgical liberty.
Last night again we had, through Mr. LOCKE
KING, another cry—one for liberty to wow•
ship. Strange, at first sight, it would seem
that such a demand should be heard now in
England. We all thought that everybody
might worship when, how, and where he
liked; and so he may, if he be not a clergyman of
the Church of England. He may belong to the
wildest sects—may revere the late HENRY Dnum-
MOND as an apostle, and the church in Gordon-
square as a thin.' Temple—may be a Quaker, or
a Shaker, a Roman Catholic or a Baptist—and he
may pray and sing and hold forth anywhere as long
as he pleases, so that he does not stop the QUEEN'S
highway. And this sort of liberty of preaching
has been a fact in the history of almost all the
churches of Christendom. But the Anglican
Churchman has it not. He can lawfully worship
only in a place duly licensed by a bishop. His
church may be where no one will follow him, or
where (as in the City of Loudon) all his hearers
have run away; but there he must keep. His
church is his prison. Some brawling Methodist
may be cramming to suffocation a room to which
the people will go—but he cannot, legally,
place himself in a familiar way on a
level with his fellow man. He must be the
man of the desk or pulpit. He must have an altar,
and chancel, and rails, an East-end, and all that, or
he is out of order. Like the old Austrian Generals,
he must lose the battle with ignorance, or, what is
worse, with dissent itself, by rule, while the BoNA-
PARTES of Dissent are winning everything by
adaptation of their movements to the demands of
the hour; and yet our Chancellor of the Exchequer
is afraid to grant the Anglican clergyman free-
' trade in his own p_ofession.
There is yet one phase more of the religious
liberty movement of the present day, one kindred
with the last. We have heard of it often, but
our attention was specially called to it, for we never
went ourselves yet, even in our editorial capacity, by
an article in All the Year Round (February 25th)
on worship in theatres. The style at once reveals
the writer. No one can doubt his competency to
observe, and to describe to the life ; neither can
any doubt his judgment as to what is due to both
religion itself and to the classes who are invited to
worship in theatres. He went on Saturday night,
as well as on the Sunday night, that he might note
differences, and, on the whole, pronounces decidedly
in favour of the effort. Many of our readers must
have seen the article; and we recommend it to
the notice of all interested in " the million ;" not
least of all, also, to the worthy men who first took
the outrageols " liberty" of preaching and praying
in theatres. Many just criticisms they will find,
and some useful and kindly advice. No one can
tell them better than the writer how to touch the
hearts of the many, and as he avows himself desirous
they should do so, they will do wisely to listen to
so wise a guide. He points them to something
better than all the "isms" of the past or the pre-
sent. Lord DUNGANNON and Lord SHAFTESBURY
may each learn useful lessons from the author of
is Oliver Twist."

Our Free-trade Budget out of the way, we must
next have a Free-trade in Religion Budget. Every-
thing tells us that the days of Ecclesiastical Protec-
tion are as surely numbered as those of Commercial
Protection. Most anxious is the House of Commons
that its dim light should not be a religions dim-
ness. If it could it would silence all mention of
Churchmen and Dissenters, of Puseyites and Evan-
gelicals, of Popery and Protestantism there. But,
while religious protection lasts this can never be.
The unprotected sects will envy the protected seats,
the protected sects will give themselves provoking
airs towards the outsiders, or ignore them as unau-
thorised upstarts. The receivers of State bounty,
if attacked, fight savagely.for their profitable pri-
vilege ; and the non•recipients, if they do not ask
State pay for themselves, bitterly grudge it to those
who are, as they think, their inferiors in purity
and zeal.

At this moment the unprivileged are fighting seve-
ral hard battles with the privileged. Foremost
among them is the great Church-rate battle. This
is one which has been waged with various success
for nearly thirty years. It is the most popular of
the battles. In no way is the offensiveness, as
well as injustice, of privilege more striking, than
when it sends the policeman to a man who
cares about no religion, or to the man
who is fanatically, or at least earnestly devoted to
some unprivileged form of religion, and demands his
money or his goods on behalf of the favoured creed.
Hence elparch.rate' abolition has been carried in the
House of Commons for
years by increasing majori-
ties ; till this year,thc pr. .1 eged,seeing church-rates
all but gone, have made one grand effort to save some-
thing. All the ignorance that could scrawl a sig-
nature or authorise one to be •
written, and
all the subserviency at the command of
country clergymen and squires has been
summoned to do service, and nearly 4,000
petitions, signed by an average of 30 persons
each, have been sent up to the House of Commons.
Some ask coercive power in one shape, some in
another ; but, we believe, all argue that unless
Churchmen have authority by law to compel each
other to pay, they cannot, like Dissenters, maintain
their worship The libel cn the Church is their
own. We have a better opinion of Churchmen. We

The monopoly exercised by the Gas Companies
of the Metropolis has long been a source of public
annoyance and discontent. A meeting of some
importance was held on this subject yesterday
afternoon, when the delegates from the various
metropolitan districts assembled at the Vestry-
room of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, with Dr.
BACHHOFFNER in the chair. Mr. BEAL, the Hon.
Secretary, reported correspondence with the soli-
citors of the several parishes, and proeeeded to
discuss the state of the gas question at the present
time. It is certainly a matter which requires im-
mediate interference, for the system of monopoly
which is carried on by the Companies amounts to
absolute tyranny. The metropolis is divided into
ten or twelve districts by the associated Com-
panies. They bind themselves, by agreement, not
to interfere with each other's districts, and, conse-
quently, their customers are entirely at their
mercy. If a householder finds his supply of gas
inadequate and unsatisfactory, or should he have
any dispute with the Company which sup-
plies him, he is
compelled to submit to
their dictation, or give up gas altogether.
No other Company will supply him, as they are

grievance.

bound by penalties not to interfere, and therefore
each company is free to dictate its own terms to
the consumer. But, although the customer is not
allowed to transfer himself, he is transferred by the
companies from one branch to another without
being consulted in the matter, The inconsistency
always apparent in monopolies is exhibited in their
actions. One company charges one rate, another
one altogether different. One charges for cannel
gas 65., another for common gas 45., a third 4s. 6d.
Some charge for meters, some do not. The exorbi-
tance of their demands is fully testified in the
following passage from the Secretary's speech :
" They demand that we shall recognise districting,
and guarantee to them a monopoly. That they
shall have liberty to prescribe any form of contract,
or the consumer must go without gas. That con-
sumers shall give security for three years' gas rent,
or go without; that a consumer shall either give
three months' notice of discontinuing a supply, or
pay three months' rent.. They decline to allow
the parishes to light their own lamps, as is usual
in Scotland and some towns of England, and
refuse to supply a parish with gas only, unless
also they light and extinguish, which is tanta-
mount to giving any quantity they please.
They decline to be bound by a fixed pressure,
whilst all persons using gas cooking-stoves and
heating by gas complain that they cannot keep
the burner alight from deficient supply. They de-
sire us to be content with a gas equal to 12 wax,
instead of 12 sperm candles, when numerous towns
and a large portion of the metropolis have already
obtained the standard we demand. They propose
that we shall only test the illuminating power
at their works, when we obtain it, or pay for it, in
our houses. They will not consent to purify it,
although the south of London has been almost
poisoned by neglect ; and at the west-end we can-
not do business with the impure supply. They
peremptorily decline to allow us to test it at the
main—they refuse to recognise any machinery
which will protect us from infractions of any law
which may be passed, except that provided by the
Gas Works Clauses Act, one of those acts smuggled
through Parliament, nominally guaranteeing great
benefits really imperative. They ask a price which
is absurd. They demand a maximum of 65., -whilst
at Uxbridge the price is now fixed at 3s. They
decline to admit the Metropolitan Board of Works
to appoint auditors, but have a fancy for the Board
of Trade, and the Parliamentary machinery to be
called into operation, to act upon its decision.
They decline to use a machinery (other than the
useless proposals of the Gas Works Clauses Aet)
to reduce the price of gas, when their dividends
reach 10 per cent., whilst they demand the
power to raise it. We propose a clause
that they should not sell their powers or
transfer them without our sanction. They an-
swer by demanding a legal sanction to district-
ing, and by striking out our restricting clause."
Such an unreasonable claim could never be asserted
under a different system. We confess we are sur-
prised to find Government so reluctant to act, and
Parliament so slow to interfere, in this matter.
Since it is a subject of personal concern to almost
every householder in the metropolis, it is surely a
case where legislation is imperatively called for.
Mr. BEAL, however, expressed little hope of any
active assistance from the Government. They ad-
mitted the validity of the principle at stake, but
declined to interfere, though they allowed that
things could not remain as they were. Parlia-
mentary committees sat on the subject, but owing
to the dissolution of Parliament, and the opposition
of interested parties, they did not bring up the cus-
tomary report. The Parliamentary agent for the
companies, it was stated, had agreed to leave the
four great questions of price, illuminating power,
meterage, and pressure, to the committee of the
House of Commons, whose decision, we hope, will
bring this matter to a speedy settlemer.t. The
general feeling and sense of the public is always
against a monopoly, and when it amounts to an
organised system of dictation and fiscal extortion
it becomes an absolute and intolerable social

PARLIAMENTARY DIVISION.

HOUSE OF COMMONS. MARCH 14.
RELIGIOUS WORSHIP BILL.
Order for Second Reading read ; Motion made, and Ques•
tion proposed, " That the Bill he now read a second
time :"—Amendment proposed to leave out the word
" now," and at the snd of the Question to add tliP words
" upon this day six months :—Question put, " That the
word ' now' stand part of the Question :"—The House
divided ; Ayes 131, Noes 168.
ATEs-131.
Adam, W. P. Ewart, William Mitchell, T. A.
Agnew, Sir A. Ewart, J. C. Morris, D.
Alcock, T. Ewing, H. E. C. Noble, J.
Ayrton, A. S. Feriioy, Lord Onslow, Guildford
Bagwell, J. Foley, Hon. H. W. Padmore, R.
Baines, E. Forster, Charles Paxton, Sir J.
Ball, E. Fortescue, Hon. D. Peacoeke, G. M.
Barrow, W. H. Freeland, H. W. Pease, H.
Bass, M. T. French, Fitzstephen Pechell, Sir G.
Baxter, W. E. Gilpin, C. Pilkington, James
Bazley, Thomas Glyn, G. C. Pollard UrquhartW
Beach, W. W. B. Goldsmid, Sir F. Ricardo, 0.
Beale, Samuel Gordon, C. W. Rich, 11.
Beaumont, W. B. Greenall, G. Ridley, G.
Berkeley, H. Greene, Capt. J. Robertson, D.
Biggs, John Gregson, S. Roebuck, J. A.
Black, Adam Gurney, Samuel Roupell, W.
Bright, J. Hadfield, Geo. St. Aubyn, J.
Briscoe, J. I. Hanbury, R., jun. Salt, Titus
Brocklehurst, John Hankey, Thomson Scholefie,d, W.
Browne, Lord J. T. Hassard, M. D. Seymour, H. D.
Bruce, H. A. Henley, Lord Shafto, R. D.
Buchanan, W. Jackson, W. Sheridan, R. B.
Butler, C. S. Jones, D. Smith, Augustus
Buxton, C. Kendall, N. Somerville, Sir W.
Caird, James Kennard, C. Somes, Joseph
Carnegie, Hon. C. Kershaw, J. Spooner, R.
Clifford, C. C. King, J. K. Stacpoole, W.
Coningham, Wm. Kinglake, A. W. Stansfeld. J.
Craufurd, E. 11. J Kingscote, Lt.-Col. Steuart, A.
Crossley, Frank Kinnaird, Hon. A. Sykes, Col. W.H.'
Dalglish, Robert Knatchbull-Hugess Taylor, Hugh .
Davey, R. Langston, J. H. Trail!, G.
Davie, Sir H. R. F. Lawson, W. Turner, J. A.
Davie, Col. F. Lee, W. Watkins, J. L. V.
Dent, John Dent Leighton, Sir B. Wemyss, J.
Douglas, Sir C. Lindsay, W. S. Western, T. S.
Dunbar. Sir Wm. Locke, John Westhead, B.
Duncombe, T. S. Lysley, W. Whalley, G. 11.
Dunlop, A. Mackie, J. Willcox, B. M.
Ellice, Rt. lion. E. Mackinnon, W. A. Willoughby, Sir H
Ellice, E., jun. Marjoribanks, D. C.
Elphinstone, Sir J. Massey, W. N.
Evans, Sir De L. Mellor, John
Evans, T. W. Mildmay, H.
NOES-168.
Adeane:ll. J. Gore, J. R. 0. Newdegate, C. N.
Arbuthnott, Gen,H. Greville, Col. F. Newport, Visct.
Ashley, Lord Gray, William Nicol, William
Atherton, W. Grey, Rt. Hn. Sir G. North, Col.
Baillie, H. J. Griffith, C .D. Northcote, Sir S. H.
Beecroft, G. S. Gurdon, B. Packe, C. W.
Bernard, W. S. Haliburton, Justice Packs, G. H.
Blackburn, P. Hamilton, Major Pakenham, Col.
Blencowe, J. G. Handley, John Palk, L.
Botfield, Beriah Hardy, Gathorne Palmer, R. W.
Brady, John Heathcote, G. H. Papillon, P. O.
Bramston, T. W. Heneage, G. Parker, Major W.
Bridges, Sir 8., Bt. Henniker, Lord Patten, J. W.
Bruce, C. L. C. Heygate, Sir F. Peel, Sir R.
Burghley, Lord 11111, Lord E. Peel, F.
Burrell, Sir C., Bt. Hodgkinson, G. Portman W. H. B.
Byng, Hon. G. H. C. Holland, E. Powys, L. P.
Cartwright, Col. H. Hood, Sir A. Pritchard, John
Cave, S. Hope, G. W. Puller, C. W.
Cavern-118h, Lord G. Hotham, Gen. Lord Rogers, John
Cayley, E. S. Howard, Hon. C. Russell, Hastings
Cecil, Lord R. Howes, Edward Russell, A. J. E.
Childers, H. C. E. Hubbard, J. G. Selater-Booth, G
Clifford, H. M. Hunt, G. W. Selwyn, C. J.
Clinton, Lord R. Ingham, R. Seymer, H. K.
Close, M. C. Jermyn, Earl Seymour, Sir H.
Cobbold, John C. Johnstone, J. J. H. Sibthorp, Major
Cole, Hon. IL A. Kekewich, S. Smith, S. G.
Cole, J. L. Ker, R. Smollett, P.
Collins, T., jun. Kerrison, Sir E. Stanley, Lord
Corry, H. T. Lacon, Sir E. Steel, John
Cross, R. A. Lefroy, A. Stirling, Wm.
Cubitt, Aid. Legh, G. C. Stuart, Col.
Cubitt, George Legh, W. Taylor, Colonel
Deedes, Wm. Lennox, Lord H. G. Thompson, H. S.
Dickson, Col. Lewis, Sir G.C., Bt. Trefusis, Hon. C. H
Dodson, John G. Liddell, Hon. H. G. Valetort, Lord
Duncombe, W. E. Lindsay, Colonel Vandeleur, Col.
Dundas, Frederick Long, R. P. Vane, Lord H. G.
Dunn, John Longfield, Robert Verner, Sir Wm.
Dunne, Col. Lopes, Sir M., Bt. Vernon, L. V.
Du Pre, C. G. Lowe, Rt. Hon. H. Walker, James R
East, Sir J. B. Lyall, G. WalpDle, S. H.
Edwards, Major H. Lygon, Hon. F. Wallington, J. W.
Egerton, Sir P. March, Earl of Whitbread, S.
Egerton, A. F. Martin, 3. Whiteside, Rt HnJ
Egerton, E. C. Merry, James Whitmore, H.
Fgarton, W. Miles, Sir W. Wickham, 11. W.
Farquhar, Sir M. Miller, T. Winnington, Sir T.
Farrer, James Mitford, W. T. Woodd, B. T.
Fenwick, Henry Montagu, Lord R. Wyndham, Sir H.
Finlay, A. S. Montgomery, Sir G. Wynn, Col.
Foley, J. H. Moody, C. A. Wynne, C. G.
G allwey, Sir W. P. Morgan, Major Wynne, W. W. R.
Gard, It. S. Mowbray, Rt. Hn. J. TELLERS.
George, John Mure David Bouverie, B. P.
Goddard, A. L. Napier, Sir C. Adderley, C. B.

Among the various benevolent and philanthropic
societies of the metropolis, the Railway Benevolent
Institution deserves to fill a prominent place. A
country whose railway traffic is so immense and
so continuous, whose commercial enterprises are so
greatly facilitated by the rapidity of transit afforded
by rail, owes something to the class of men whose
lives are spent in the arduous and often times
dangerous employments afforded by the railway
system. The numerous accidents which occur,
more especially to the stokers and engine-drivers,
throw honest and deserving families into distress,
while the men engaged in other branches with
less risk of life and limb are still subject to the
losses occasioned by age and sickness. The gene-
ral good character and civility of the men employed
on the various lines add to their claim on public
benevolence and sympathy, and the many who are
drawing large incomes from railway property
should consider that this society possesses a legiti-
mate demand on their support. The noble chair-
man of the public dinner, which was celebrated
last evening, said that he was of opinion that by
evincing a generous sympathy for their employees
they would get a better class of men, who,
knowing that their families would be cared
for, would face the hazards attendant upon
their calling. Lord SHELBURNE went on to say
that so deeply was he impressed with this convic-
tion that he proposed.the proprietary should sub-
mit to a rate, and some idea may be formed of the
vast amount of railway property in the United
Kingdom when he stated that a rate of one half-
penny would produce £lO,OOO a-year. The cordial
support thus given by the chairman of one of the
largest railway companies in the kingdom is a
valuable testimony to the excellence of the institu-
tion.

TELLERS.
King, Hon. L.
Horsfall, T. B.

THE CUSTOMS ACT,'.

MEETING THIS DAY.

LATEST

A large meeting of the importers and dealers in foreign
and colonial produce was held this day at the London
Tavern, for the purpose of considering the amended reso-
lutions, Nos. 16, 17, and 18, laid before the House of Com-
mons by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
The chair was taken by R. W. Crawford, Esq., M.P.
The CHAIRMAN in opening the business of the meeting,
briefly alluded to the large amount of capital invested in the
foreign and colonial trade of the country, which ho said had
made Great Britain the commercial depot of the world. It
was therefore of the utmost importance that the trade
should be free from all obstructions and restrictions, and
that being universally admitted, it was clear that these
resolutions of the Chancellor of the Exchequer were not only
vicious in principle, but quite opposed to the best interests
of the country. (Cheers.)
THOMAS BARING, Esq., moved the first resolution, en-
dorsing the sentiments expressed by the chairman, and de-
claring his belief that the proposals of the Government, if
carried out, would most certainly be destructive of our
foreign and colonial trade. The resolution was as fol-
lows :

" That it is of vital importance to this country, as a com-
mercial community, that the trade, which makes Great
Britain the depot of produce for the supply of all parts of
the world, should continue to be as free as possible from all
restrictions and impediments, and tint no obstacles should
be offered to its maintenance and expansion."
Mr. BAILLIE seconded the resolution.
An amendment was proposed by a gentleman in the body
of the meeting to the effect that the resolution did not go
far enough, but it fell to the ground for want of a seconder.
Mr. Solucs, M.P. for Hull, supported the resolution,
stating at the same time that he had been requested to do
so by a majority of his constituents, who were largely en-
gaged with colonial and foreign trade. They were of opi-
nion, and he agreed with them, that the present proposals
were mischievous in the extreme, without producing the
slightest advantage. (Cheers.)
The resolution was then put by the Chairman and car-
ried unanimously.

Mr. HUBBARD, M.P., moved the second resolution, and
insisted that the Chancellor of the Exchequer should be
imperatively called upon to let the traders of England alone.
(Cheers.) These registration charges were paltry in cha-
racter and wholly opposed to the spirit of modern legislation.
A short time ago the Legislature set its face against the
Stadt Dues because they obstructed trade, and now the
Chancellor of, the Exchequer was proposing to revive them
in the shape of Customs Dues of a still more vexatious
nature. tie was informed that the penny tax would not
produce more than £50,000 ; but it was not to the amount
of money that the trade objected, it was the great inconve-
nience it would occasion tothe commercial world. (Cheers.)
The resolution was as follows

" That this meeting therefore views with anxiety and
regret the proposal of new taxes and charges in resolutions
Nos. 16, 17, and 18, in committee on Customs Act; believ-
ing that they would prove most unequal and vexatious in
their operation, and in many instances would injuriously
affect large and important branches of commerce."
Mr. MOFFATT, M.P., seconded the resolution, at the
same time stating it as his opinion that the proposed changes
would divert half the foreign trade of this country to other
channels. (Cheers.)

The resolution was carried unanimously.
Mr. BUCHANAN, M.P., moved tho third resolution,

vie. :--

"That the proposed modifications by the Chancellor of
the Exchequer by no means meet the views of those en-
gaged in the various trades, and appear to them still to
offer great obstructions to business."
Mr. T. HANIEY, M.P., cordially seconded the resolu-
tion.

Mr. STEBBING, of Southampton, supported the resolu-
tion, and said he was certain the budget would never have
been approved of if it had been earlier known that it con-
tained this most obnoxious scheme. (Cheers.)
The Chairman submitted the resolution to the meeting,
when it was carried unanimously.
Mr. PALMER then moved the 4th and last resolution as
follows

" That an humble petition, embodying the foregoing re.
solutions, be addressed to the House of Commons, and tha
the chairman of this meeting, R. W. Crawford, Esq., M.P.
be requested to present it ; and the co-operation of all mem.
bars of Parliament interested in commerce be invited."

BOLOGNA.

RAVENNA.

Annexation
Separate kingdom

FORLI.

FERRARA.

at 6 a.m. this morning.

Saturday.

Mr. HussnY VIVIAN seconded the resolution, and said
the scheme ,was about one of the worst that could have been
devised.

The resolution was carried unanimously.
A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the pro-
ceedings.

BRISTOL THEATRE.—BristoI and Bath have
now added their voice to the general com-
mendation of the piece, and we have no doubt
" The Dead Heart" will long be a successful
stock piece at any rate at the Adelphi.
During ttre present week, the enterprising lessee and mana-
ger of the Bristol Theatre, Mr. Chute, has put a newdrama
upon the stage for three nights, engaging for the purpose
'the two principal Adelphi performers, Mr. Webster and
Mrs. Alfred Mellon (formerly Miss Woolger), and whose
representations of the two chief characters are admirable
specimens of the highest order of histrionic ability. The
plot of the piece is highly interesting, full of startling inci-
dent, and heightened by fine dramatic effect. Mr.
Webster was Landry, and his consummate skill as an
actor was visible in every phase of the character, in which
plays with marvellous truthfulness and power. As Cathe-
rine, Mrs. Mellon's interpretation of the strongest passions
that can possibly agitate the mind of woman, is elo-
quent in its description, making fiction so nearly akin to
truth that there were audible sobs throughout the house.
Twice during the week the Adelphi drama, by Dion Bour-
cicault and C. Kennedy, Esqrs., entitled " The Willow
Copse," has been represented. The Luke Fielding
of Mr. Webster was a singularly impressive piece
of acting, affording Mr. Webster ample scope for
displaying his esti aordinary powers of psychological deli-
neation. His impersonation of the injured tather, proud
and dignified in his sorrow, was quite appalling in its pa-
thetic truthfulness.—Bristol Mirror.
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE HOSPITAL.—At a meeting
of the committee yesterday, a letter was read from Mr. W.
Walton, Secretary to the Imperial Continental Gas Asso-
ciation, enclosing, by direction of Sir Francis H. Goldsmid,
M.P„ a cheque for 100 guineas, as a donation to the hos-
pital, being Sir Francis Goldsmid's share of a testimonial
voted by the proprietors of the association to a committee of
directors.

IFIE SUN, LUNDUN, THURSDAY EVENING, MARCH 15, 186 G.

Annexation
Separate kingdom
Void through informality

Void through informality

Annexation
Separate kingdom
Void through informality

FRANCE.

NEW 8.

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

FLORENCE, MARCH 14.
The returns of the vote in Tuscany, with the
exception of 32 communes, show :
Annexation
Separate kingdom

. 330,087
13,156

BOLOGNA, WEDNESDAY EVENING.

The result of the voting in Romagna has been
proclaimed today by the Court of Cassation, amidst
loud cheering.
The following is the result of the -voting in
the different provinces :

76,276
63
161

38,115
54

39,269
54
76

Annexation
Separate kingdom
Void through informality
The total numbers are as follows :
Annexation
Separate kingdom
Void through informality
At Fusignano 500 women presented themselves
o vote, but their votes were of course declined.

. 202,659
254
444

The following is the official return of the voting
in the Romagna :
BOLOGNA, THURSDAY MORNING.
For annexation to Piedmont 200,659
„ Separate Kingdom
Cancelled

TURIN, MARCH 14.

The Sardinian Government, it is asserted, has
consented to the demand of France to effect the
cession of Savoy and Nice by a special treaty to be
concluded between France and Sardinia,

The treaty will be followed by a • ote of the
municipalities, and the two contracting parties
will afterwards communicate to the European
Powers the nature and the motives of this terri-
torial arrangement between them. By this ar-
rangement Sardinia cedes to France, Savoy unto
Mont Cenis, and Nice unto Villafranca, inclusively.
Thus all the passes of the Alps will be possessed
by France, who likewise obtains the districts of
Chablais and Faucigny. Mr. James Fazy and Dr.
Kern have been informed by the French Govern-
ment that France declines to enter into negotia-
tions for ceding Chablais and Faucigny to Switzer-
land.

The following telegram has been received at Mr.
Reuter's Office from the Peninsular and Oriental
Steam Navigation Company :

CALCUTTA AND CHINA MAILS.
MARSEILLES, THURSDAY.
The Panther, with the above mails, arrived here

Mails to leave for London at 10. Letters on

MADRID, MARCH 14.

On Monday last a Moorish messenger delivered a
letter to Marshal O'Donnell from the Emperor of
Morocco, expressing his desire for peace, and re-
questing the Marshal to ,facilitate an arrangement
advantageous to both nations.
Marshal O'Donnell consented to negotiate, but
declared that he will not suspend his military
operations.

BERLIN, MARCH 14.

The committee of the German National Associa-
tion now assembled in Berlin is about to publish an
energetic declaration against the theory of natural
boundaries, and the annexation of Savoy to France,
stating therein that Germany will be strongly
united in future times of danger.

TE rUAN, MARCH 12.

The second campaign has gloriously commenced.
On Sunday last numerous Moorish tribes, includ-
ing the Kabyles of Melilla, attacked the encamp-
ments at Tetuan, and were repulsed. The Moorish
positions were taken, and the Moors pursued for a
distance of half a league. Their losses were con-
siderable.

PARIS, WEDNESDAY.

A Paris letter in the Independance has the follow-
ing :—" I believe it to be quite true that the penalty
of major excommunication is suspended over King
Victor Emma*uel. The ceremony will be performed
at St. Peter's at Rome with great pomp ; the Car-
dinals present; the Church hung with black; the
figure of Christ on the cross veiled ; and wax tapers,
yellow in colour, successively lighted and extin-
guished. All the monastic orders will go to the
Cathedral in procession, and return to their monas-
teries chanting the Misersre. The person who
transmits me these details, says that he does not
think that the Pope himself will pronounce the ex-
communication, but that a cardinal will be delegated
to do so. It is stated that a number of English
have already arrived at Rome, in the hope of wit-
nessing the curious spectacle, should it take place."
" We are informed," says the Catirrier de Paris,
" that the elections in Savoy and in the county of
Nice, to decide on the annexation of those provinces
to the French Empire will take place on the 18th
inst."

The French Government has just given an order
to a Mulhouse firm for 3,000 pieces of calico for
troops, the whole to be delivered within a month.
A piece consists of 100 metres, which, multiplied
by 3,000, gives just 300,000 metres. It is said that
so large an order has not been given since the last
war, but I do not say how far it would be correct
to infer from it, as some do, that large bodies of
troops are about to be put in movement.
BOURSE, March 14.—The market was at first
rather heavy, but rallied on the English Consols
arriving with a rise of t. Threes improved from
67f 75u to 67f 95c. Mobilier varied from 742 f
50c to 745 f; Lombard, 535 f to 536 f 25c ; Austrian,
502 f 50c to 505 f; Lyons, 887 f 50c to 891 f 25c ;
Orleans, 1,385 f to 1,387 f 50c; Eastern, 638 f 75c to
to 640 f. The following are the last quotations :-
4f per Cents. .... 95 55 Credit, Fonder 745
Do. end month .. I Belgian 4t —
3 per Cents 6B Piedmontese (5) .. 80
Do. end month 67 95 Roman Bl
Bank Shares 2BOO Austrian
Credit Mobilier .. 747 50 Spanish Threes
Do. Account

RAILWA.YB.
Cash. Account.
Orleans
Northern 925 .. 925
New ditto 832 50 .. 832 50
Lyons and Mediterranean 892 50
... . 893 75
Geneva 470 470
Southern
Western 585 _... 582 50
Eastern
Sardinian 392 50 .. 395 --
505
.. 503 75
Lombard .. .
Exchange on London, at sight, paper, 25f. 10c.; money,
25f. me. ; three months, paper, 24f. 871 c. ; money, 241 85c..