The Sun.
London, England, 1869-12-17 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FrIDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 17, 1869

NAVAL AND 311L17.ARY INIELLIGENCE.

VALETTA, Dec. 10.—The Telegraph Construc-
tion and Maintenance Company's steamer Hawk,
Capt. Briscoe, returned cn the 7th inst. from
Alexandria. She formed part of the flotilla of
steamers that successfully traversed the Suez
Canal. After replenishing fuel she proceeded on
the Bth for England, to bring out the Suez shore
end of the Anglo-Indian Telegraph Cable, and meet
the expedition which is now on it way to the Red
Sea with the principal portion of the cable, by way
of the Cape. Three steam launches from the Eng-
lish squadron also passed through the Canal, hav-
ing on board as many officers as they could accom-
modate. It is but justice to the Sutz Canal Com-
pany to state that they afforded these officers, who
were somewhat uncomfortable in the open boats,
the greatest hospitality, including an offer of gra-
tuitous supplies of coal or anything else they might
require. We hear from Alexandria of the depar-
ture on the 9th inst. of her Majesty's despatch
vessel Psyche, Lieut.-Commander A. T. Powlett,
for C011.,' and Brindisi. She has on board the
Right lion. Mr. G. 11. Elliot, our .Ambassador at
Constantinople, who is proceedieg to England
on leave of absence. She will return imme-
diately to Malta, and probably receive her new
boilers, which are now lying in the dockyard ready
for her. The Enterprise, 4, ironclad corvette, was
at Malaga on the Ist of December, where all was
quiet at that date. The Jaseur, 5, gun-vessel,
Commander C. F. Hotham, was at Valencia on
the 24th ult., and was to leave on the following
day for Alicante. The Cruiser, 5, corvette, Com-
mander G. C. Duff, was at Cadiz. The Wizard,
gunboat, Lieutenant-Commander J. J. C. Small,
was, by the last accounts, visiting the western
ports of Morocco. The Trinculo, gunboat, Lieu-
tenant- Commander F. de V. Sanders, was at
Patras in the early part of this month. Her Ma-
jesty's Indian troopship Serapis, Captain J. Soady,
arrived on the 7th instant from Alexandria, having
on board Colonel W. J. Smythe, Colonel J. W.
Domville, Colonel C. S. Longdeu, Lieutenant-
Colonel F. Miller, V.C., Lieutenant-Colonel J. B.
Boothby, Lieutenant-Colonel W. F. B. Laurie, 48
officers, 10 ladies, 12 children ; Mrs. Brown and
three children, 89G non-commissioned officers and
men, 94 women, and 137 children of different regi-
ments, and naval supernumeraries. She resumed
her voyage for Portsmouth on the Bth instant.
The Royal Oak, ironclad, Captain H. S. Hillyar,
C. 8., came out of dock this morning, and the
Prince Consort, ironclad, Capt. W. Armytage, went
in. The Norwegian frigate Nordstjcrnen, 15 guns,
Capt. A. L. Rus, and the Dutch frigate Admiraal
Van Wassenaar, 45 guns, Capt. Toe Water, re-
turned here this morning from Port Said. Both
vessels saluted the English flag with 21 guns, and
the garrison replied. They afterwards minted the
flag of the Naval Commander-in-Chief, which com-
pliment was returned by the Lord Warden. The
Nordstjernen is on her way to Spezzia, and the
Admiraal Van Wassenaar is bound to Gibraltar
and the Brazils. They will undergo some repairs
here before leaving for their respective destinations.
Mr. Charles W. Sleeman, midshiptnau of the Belle-
rophon, has passed his examination for lieutenant,
and has been appointed as acting sub-lieutenant
to the same ship. Mr. W. 11. Burner, assistant-
engineer, second class, of the Prince Consort, has
passed his examination for assistant-engineer, first
class. A Court-martial was held this morning on
board the Hibernia, for the trial of Mr. H. Greaves,
navigating midshipman, of the Lord Watden, for
firing a pistol off on the lower deck, and for leaving
the ship without leave, and on the next day breaking
out of the ship while under arrest. The Court was
composed of Capt. T. Cochran, of the Caledonia,
president ; Capts. Armytage and Marten ; Com-
manders Partridge and Andrew ; Deputy Judge-
Advocate Mr. C. A. Pritchard, secretary to the
Commander-in-Chief. The Court was still sitting
when the mail closed. At the termination of this
trial the Court, consisting of the same officers, will
proceed to try Charles Neville White, navigating
midshipman, also of the Lord Warden, for insubor-
dination and kicking a midshipman oa the quarter-
deck. The many rumours as to the great reduction
early next year in the Royal Navy make all the
officers nervous as to what will become of them, and
the fact that no Nary List is to be published on the
Ist of January next rather helps to increase the
excitement, as it clearly shows that setne great
changes are contemplated by Mr. Childers and his
colleagues at Whitehall. It is hoped that in put-
ting old and meritorious officers on the shelf, and in
getting rid of the juniors, that justice will not be
lost sight of in the ever-prevailing cry of economy.
Her Majesty's ships in port are the Lord Warden,
bearing the flag of the Commander-in-Chief, Vice-
Admiral Milne, K.C.8., the Prince Consort, the
Royal Oak, the Caledonia, and the Bellerophon,
ire iclads ; the Hibernia, receiving-ship, bearing
the flag of Rear-Admiral E. G. Fanshawe ; the
Rapid, the Newport, the Lee, and the Cockatrice.
Yachts, the Flower of Yarrow (Lord Suffield's),
and the Camilla, schooners; and the Ilebe, screw
steamer. The U.S. schooner yacht Meteor, Cap-
tain and owner Mr. G. L. Lorillard, left this port
to-day for Tunis.
It affords us much pleasure to learn that Ad-
miral Rous is now able to leave his room, and
that a speedy recovery may be confidently looked
foe.

An unusually large body of officers and non-com-
missioned officers and men will shortly leave Chat-
ham Garrison to eno)ark to join the service com-
panies of regiments in India. These reinforcements,
which are to embark on the 30th instant at Ports-
mouth, in the Indian troopship Crocodile, 3, 4,173
tons, 700-horse power, Captain George W. Watson,
will consist of no fewer than 18 officers, awl about
383 non-commissioned officers and men, selected
from the depots of the following corps :-2d Bat-
Ulm of the Ist Regiment, Ist Battalion 3d, Ist
Battalion Bth, 38th, 45th, and 109th Regiments.
The service companies are stationed in the various
presidencies. Besides this large force, which will
sensibly diminish the strength of Chatham garrison,
a draught from the depot of the 31st Regiment is
under orders to leave Chatham to join the regiment
in Malta on the 21st inst.

An order, which has been anxiously expected by
the Royal Marines, has been received at the head-
quarters of the Chatham division from the Board of
Admiralty, respecting the wearing of beards. This
order gives permission to the Royal Marine Light
infantry henceforward to wear beards. There are
some regulations. If beards are worn the men
must not shave at all ; if the whiskers are shaved,
the beard must not be worn, but both beard and
whiskers must be shaved off ; but the moustache is
still to be worn.

General Ramsay will probably succeed Colonel
Fytche as Chief Commissioner in Burmah.

The 14th Brigade Royal Artillery was to proceed I
from India to Ergland in her Majesty's troopship
Euphrates on November 16.
Yesterday the 2d Infantry Brigade at Aldershott,
under the command of Major-Gen. J. G. Carey
C. 8., and consisting of the 2d Battalion, 13th Light
Infantry, under Col. T. Maunsell ; 4th Battalion
60th Royal Rifles, under Major E. Bowles; 67th
(South Hampshire) Regiment, under Major Miller ;
and ith Battalion Rifle Brigade, under Col. Eking-
ton, formed* up on the Brigade-parade, Centre
Block, Permanent Barracks, at half-past 9 o'clock,
and, after being proved and equalised, proceeded
on route-marching duty along the Farnham-road,
the 2d Battalion 13th furnishing the advance gnarl,
and the •Ith Battalion Rifle Brigade the rear guard.
Atout a mile before Farnham they halted and
commenced the homeward march, the 67th Regi-
ment in this instance furnishing the advance, and
the 4tb Battalion Rifle Brigade the rear guard.
They returned to quarters at. 1 o'clock. The Ist
Infantry Brigade, in complete marching order,
under the command of Col. J. H. Cooper (2d Bat-
talion 7th Royal Fusiliers), Acting-Brigadier, and
composed of the 2d Battalion 7th Royal Fusiliers,
under the command of Capt. Sparkes, 2d Battalion
23d Royal Welsh Fusiliers, under Licut.-Col. the
Hon. S. Mostyn, and the 42d (Royal Highland, the
Black Watch) Regiment, under Major M'Pherson,
formed up on D Parade, South Camp, about the
same time as the 2d Brigade, and at 10 o'clock
marched along the Farnborough road to Frimley- I

grove. The 2d Battalion 7th furnished the advance
and the 2d Battalion 23d the rear guard. After a
short halt they returned to quarters, which the
reached almost simultaneously with the 2d Brigade.
Yesterdaythe Artillery division at Aldershot, under
the command of Col. Smyth, C. 8., and consisting
of B Battery B Brigade Royal Horse Artillery, A
Battery C Brigade, and C and G Battery of the
11th Brigade Royal Artillery, marched from their
quarters to Eelmore-hill, where they were exercised
in numerous movements peculiar to that arm of the
service. The 7th Dragoon Guards, under the com-
mand of Col. R. Clarke, and the Gth
Dragoons, under the command of Col. the Hon. C.
W. Thesiger, were also exercised yesterday inde-
pendently in numerous field movements. The
weather was very unfavourable.
An extensive order has been received at the Royal
Laboratory, Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, for the ma-
nufacture of a quantity of shells for the muzzle-
loading rifle guns, which has enabled the depart-
ment to re-engage the 50 bands in the alien foundry
who were discharged last week. This order will,
we understand, keep the hands now engaged at
the foundry fully emp'oyed up to the 31st of March
next.

An officer of the 36th Regiment, in a letter to
his friends at Woolwich, written from Camp Huzzoo,
India, under the date of the 7th of November last,
says :--‘, We have had a fearful turn out of cholera
here, having lost one officer, 120 men, five women,
and ten children, which, considering that our
strength was barely 700, is a pretty heavy loss.
The weather is cool now, the cholera has almost
left us, and we are on our way to R►awal Pindee."

THE THAMES AT BARKING.

_ .... _

Mr. Rawlinson, in his report to the Home Secre-
tary on the result of his inquiry into the state of
the Thames at Barking, expresses the following con-
clusions :—" That the allegations in the memorial
have only been partially proven. That the 'lmmo-
rialists are not in a position to establish the dete-
rioration of health to emanations from the metropo-
litan main sewerage outfall works, as the town of
Barking is without local governing powers, is un-
sewered, contains many cesspools, a sewage-tainted
subsoil, and has a defective Rat er supply. That the
river, Thames is polluted by the metropolitan
sewage, and receives such road and street de-
tritus as the aforesaid sewage contains. That
the main channel of the Thames has not been
reduced in depth of water by such detritus.
That Barking Creek has not been closed to
vessels of 250 tons burden. That fish have
been destroyed in the creek, but most probably by
chemical refuse. That an accumulation of mud
has taken place, both on the shore of the Thames
and at the mouth of Barking Creek, but from what
special cause has not been proven. That the ➢le-
tropolitan Board of Works, in their annual reports,
recognise their obligation to purify the Thames,
and to effect this purpose have negotiated with
second parties for the utilisation of the northern
sewage by irrigation. That the board, throughout
their transactions for the utilisation of sewage,
have stipulated for pecuniary relief to the metro-
politan ratepayers. That the Metropolitan Board
have objected to the admission of sewage into
the Thames from towns situate above London,
and therefore inferentially justify the objections
to river pollution below :London. The deodorisa-
tion and disinfection of the metropolitan sewage
by chemicals would be very costly to the rate-
payers, and in the results imperfect. That river
pollution by town sewage in the case of the Thames
may be prevented." On the sanitary state of Bark-
ing Mr. Rawlinson says :—" The town of Barking
has no local government. There is one drain which
opens into the basin at the town quay, and any foul
matter or sediment passed through this drain pol-
lutes the water of the small basin bounded by the
town quay. Barges also bring up London muck,
which is loaded into waggons and carts for re-
moval into the country, and the nuisance so
caused is at times very offensive. The town of
Barking is not sewered, and therefore the houses
are not properly drained. There are numerous
cesspools, the subsoil around which has be-
come sodden with putrid sewage, and, as a
consequence, the cesspools get full to the
surface. One witness stated that the moment the
house door was opened the stench of the cesspool
was perceptible. There is no supply of water other
than from pumps, wells, and water carts. Those
who have neither pump nor well (and this is the
case with the greatest number of the inhabitants)
have to purchase the mater used by buckets or cans
full. The result is that the sanitary destitution of
the inhabitants is as bad as it can be, and in the
event of any epidemic or contagious disease break-
ing out, all experience teaches that a population so
situated will suffer in excess. Mr. Crowe, in his
evidence, stated of Barking, The town is governed
by nobody, and consequently there is nothing done.
The roads are allowed to get out of order, and no
footpaths are made.' "

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

The Times thinks that if Mr. Motley proposes on behalf
of his country that negotiations shall be reopened at
Washington the prorosal will be accepted ; but it is

useless to negoliato or to talk of negotiating, unless each
side is prepared to enter upon negotiations with confidence
in the honour of the other. The American charge against
us is that we did not show a proper feeling towards them
during the war, and our want of proper feelings led us to
afford an unfair assistance to their enemies. Our defence
is that our duty was to abstain from chewing feeling to-
wards either side, and that the alleged unfair assistance was
no more than a strict observance of neutrality. It is plain
that satisfactory relations between the two countries
will not be restored until we understand and respect their
craving for sympathy, and they understand the difficulties
of our situation as impartial bystanders, very much injured
by a war in which, nevertheless, we felt ourselves botuni
to abstain from interference. We shall never arrive at
such a restoration of friendship as this if we begin in the
spirit of pettifogging attorneys. American writers and
statesmen may remember with mivantage that our blood
it, after all, not so very different from the own, that we
are not without susceptil Lilies as well as themselves, and
that it is not probable that we shall be drawn towards
them by suggestions that we are probably " insincere " in
our conduct, and bent on " hoodwinking" those with whom
we profess to be dealing openly.
The Post declares that the history of Rugby, especially
of late years, is the strongest possible testimony to the
manner in which the trustees have discharged their duties.
If the school has become groat, surely some share of its
credit is due to the trustees who appointed the successful
Masters. The same Trust that has elected Mr. Hayman
elected also his distinguished predecessor, and before him
Goulburn and Tait, and Arnold. Judged by this testi-
mony there is no case whatever for the complaint of in
competency or abuse. It will soon be seen of what
stuff he is made, and how far the parents of
Rugby boys may confidently trust him. Should he
prove incompetent, it will soon be manifest, and he
will have to withdraw to work more within his powers ;
but should ho be successful, he will need no other vindi-
cation. Further, the Get that a given appointment
is at first unpopular must not be pressed too strongly
against the presentee, or what about the diocese of Exeter?
The new Master of Rugby is not more unwelcome to the
under masters than the new Bishop of Exeter is to three-
fourths of his diocese. It is believed, and reasonably, that
be will outlive prejudice, outwork opposition, and become
a popular and useful bishop. We subscribe ourselves to
that belief. But Dr. Temple's friends ought to be the last
men to refuse a like fair field, like good wishes, and like
confidence to his successor in the school.

The Telegraph, in advocating the claims of Mr. Odger a•
a candidate for Southwark, observes that one of the
greatest questiOns of next year will be the enactment of
some wise law to regulate trades unions. We shall re-
quire, in studying that question, to take counsel from
men of all kinds; and yet, if Mr. Odger is rejected by
Southwark, this question, so important for artisans, will
be discussed by an assembly not containing within it
a single working man. Is there any one leading
Minister, is there any ono intelligent member of the
Opposition, who will not lament this want of a speaker
qualified by personal knowledge to speak for the artisans ?
Are we to have a bill on tradesunions discussed altogether
by a company of employers and consumers ? Would not
all sensible capitalists themselves desire that the views of
the employes should be directly represented ? No matter
how that question is approached—no matter how it is dis-
cussed—the very debate will inevitably arouse some jea-
lousy, some irritation. The feelings of whole classes are
intensely affected by the discussion. The interests of
nearly a million of skilled working men, and of four or
five millions depending on them, are mixed up with the
subject; and, beyond thst, it involves the future of
English industry and of English trade. It is not only
advisable that we should do the right thing, but that we
should carry with us the conviction of the labouring
classes that we wish to do right. We have not only to
make laws for them, but, if possible, to let them see that
these laws are for their good. Especially is it to the
interests of capitalists and employers to be on cordial
terms with their " hands ;" and what claim have we to
conciliation and friendliness next year if the year begins
by a contest in Southwark between class and class?
The Standard says that the first mutterings of a storm,
which may be expected to break with full fury in the
course of January next, have already begun to make them-
selves heard. The practical effect of the new administra-
tive changes in the collection of taxes has not even yet
been thoroughly realised, but the broad principle involved
has been grasped to some extent. In various ways th,r
taxpayer has been warned of the fate that awaits him,
and indications have been given, by sundry letters,
which have appeared from time to time in these
• columns and elsewhere, that public attention has not
been directed in vain to the true signification of the
impending changes. The comprehensive effect of these,
as we have pointed out on former occasions, will be, that
some of the assessed tax and the income tax will be
doubled this year. Far from any interruption taking
Place in the stream or payments on account of articles on
which the duty has been remitted, the taxpayer will have
to pay his year's licence fee in January, three months
earlier than in the ordinary course of things he would
have been called on to pay any further instalment of his
arrears. Indeed, he is not even allowed to get clear
of his old liabilities by this early and entirely
additional payment, for, three months after having
made it, when March comes round, he will
still have to pay the second half of the tax
incurred on the old system in 1868-69. We hope this
review of the prospect before them will assist our readers
"n forming an opinion on the great financial feat accom-
plished by the last budget. It has never been considered
necessary by our Liberal contemporaries to elucidale the
scheme further than by describing it as an arrangement by
which a quantity of money comes into the Exchequer
"somehow," without the help of any new taxes. Mr. Lowe
had a " somehow "as well as Mr. Bright. Its race, how
ever, is very nearly run, and we have endeavoured to shew
here in detail, as we have frequently explained in prin-
ciple, what lies behind.

The Deily News considers that the Bishop of London has
set an example to some of his brethren of the Episcopal
Bench. In a letter to the Bishop of Lincoln he has not
I.pologised for consenting to assist at Bishop Temple's con-
secration, but has given unanswerable reasons why he
ought to do so. Nobody suspects the Bishop of Lon-
don of sympathising with any unchurchly opinion, yet
he declares that in Dr. Temple's essay, in "Essays
and Reviews," "serious errors, or doctrines con-
trary to the doctrine and discipline of the Church
of England, can only be discovered by a perverse
ingenuity of criticism," and that he himself was willing to
exempt that essay from the censure of Convocation. In
one matter of fact which has been pesistently misrepre-
sented, the Bishop makes a statement which will probably
set the question at rest. '• It is," he says, " capable of
strict proof that Dr. Temple, when he sent his essay to the
publisher, was ignorant of the other essays, and of the
opinions put forth in them." He also maintains, with the
chivalry of a man of the world, that the dis
claimer of mutual responsibility in the preface
ought to be accepted, and that "it is not credible
that seven English gentlemen should agree deliberately in
a false statement." Still the Bishop thinks Dr. Temple
should, in the interest of truth, have made a further dis-
claimer, though he secs that any such disclaimer is impos-
sible now. He says that had Dr. Temple been instituted
to a benefice, no bishop would have ventured to refuse him
induction." I cannot, therefore, understand," acids the
Bishop, " how the Archbishop, or any of his suffra-
gans who may be required to act with or for
him, could be justified in refusing to obey the
Quee en's mandato to consecrate a clergyman
who has never been convicted, or even accused, in any
court of heresy or false doctrine, or of any offence against
morality or laws ecclesiastical, but who has been duly
nominated to a bishopric, duly elected, and duly con-
firmed." This is, of course, the common-sense view of the
subject. The bishop adds that, if asked to act for the
archbishop, ho shall take his part in the consecration of
Dr. Temple " without the least hesitation and with a clear
conscience."

In discussing the several proposals for the abolition of
University Tests, the Herald remarks that if it becomes a
question whether each college is to be allowed to dispense
with or retain the present restrictions, or whether they are
to be abolished without exception, it may not unrea-
sonably be argued that the latter alternative is to be
preferred The adoption of the first would lead to the
introduction of a hybrid system, some colleges retaining
and others cancelling the tests, and thereby introduce a
chronic agitation which would arouse endless disputes
and jealousies. If the worst comes to the worst, and we
have to choose between a permissive and a compulsory
measure, it will become a grave question whether the
latter would not be less detrimental to the permanent
interests of the Universities than the former. We
are not without hopes, however, that this exhibition of
the lengths to which the secularists are prepared to go
will bring over to the side of their opponents many
moderate men who have supported Sir John Coleridge's
bill as a compromise. It is now no secret that the party
with which lie has allied himself will be content
with nothing less than the total extinction of
that special relationship which has hitherto been
maintained with the happiest results between the
Church and the Universities. They seek—or, at
least, it is the inevitable tendency of their action—to do
in the case of the universities what they are striving to
accomplish in the case of national education, the elimina-
tion of the religious element both as.regards the adminis-
tration and the teaching. In the universities they would
throw open the fellowships, professorships, and scholar-
ships, without exacting any test of religious profession
whatever, and they demand that the clergy shall be
banished from the management of the national schools.
We should hope that it may be thought worth while to
withstand them on both points, and shall look with
interest to the forthcoming meeting at Oxford on the 28th
to indicate the policy they may think it desirable to

RATTENIAG AT SHEFFIELD.

A remarkable case of rattening has just occurred in the
building trade at Sheffield. The contractors for the new
Midland Station there are Messrs. Chadwick and Thirlwall,
and a few days ago they engaged a number of non-unionist
masons to do the flagging work along the platforms. The day
after they had been at work, they were told by a unionist
mason that unless they joined the trade society they would
not be allowed to continue at work. The men complained to
Mr. Thirlwall of this interference, and he at once had the
unionist mason discharged. On the following morning,
the -non-unionist masons found that the whole of their
tools had been taken away. The circumstance was reported
to Mr. Thirlwall, and he having summoned the whole of
the unionist masons into his pay office, accused them
of the robbery, and told them that unless the tools
were returned by twelve o'clock on the following day
every one of them would be discharged. When twelve
o'clock came, the tools were not forthcoming, and Mr.
Thirlwall paid off every man and boy in his employ
who was connected with the union. The morning
but one following, the tools were restored, having been
placed during the night a short distance from the station.
In the course of the night the discharged men waited upon
Mr. Thirlwall, and asked, as the tools had been brought
back, to be allowed to resume work. Said Mr. Thirlwall,
"Point me out the man er men who committed the

robbery, and the other men may begin to work.' The
men denied all knowledge of the robbery, and they
were consequently refused work. The men say that
they were discharged because they objected to work with
men win were not members of the society, and who were
at work uy the piece. They are being supported by the
society.

MISCELLANEOUS NE IVS.