The Sun.
London, England, 1856-07-09 00:00:00

MGR WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.

Tins DAY—Morn. 11 win. aft. C Litcrivilvig 40 min. aft.
T.-v-gOBROSV—MOTn. 0 min. aft. 7—Evenitt.; 23 mi 3. aft. 7

TEM WE I.TITER—SUN OFFICE, JULY 9.
`TIMIAOHETER, THE SHADE.
59 —'ilg'iest since noon yesterday.
52 -Tow.,st this morning and during the night.
64 —this day at noon.
RaRomNPAR-29.84—rising rapidly.
WIND, N.W.—Fresh, with cloudy weather and sun-
shine. A fine day for the Guards' review.

.; drl/4

not the means of showing to each other the cora-
imon courtesies of life" ! This is a plain and un-
adorned but most clear and convincing statement,
one that will be felt throughout the length and
breadth of the land, nay, more,will serve to convince
other nations of the fallacious estimates they had
formed of British generosity and British justice.
And why should they be deprived of their half-
pay when other officers holdin g lucrative sitivation s
received it? The Naval Lords clutched it with tena-
cious held. The Governor and Deputy-Governor re-
ceived it (and very properly). Many other in-
stances were also cited of parties holding good
situations being permitted to receive their half-
pay in addition. Why then stop it from those
who of all others had the best claim thereto ?—for
it must be remembered that the nomination to
Greenwich was bestowed at an advanced period of
life, for severe wounds received, or for very
gallant services rendered ! The matter would be
incomprehensible, but it is unfortunately but
too true. It would seem as if those in authority
were desirous of balancing their accounts and
compensating for some gigantio job by a paltry
saving such as that referred to. WAMBA insinuated
that the merry outlaws set off a thousand crowns
taken from a fat abbot by a small donation to a
mendicant friar. "My Lords," reverse the ope-
ration, and justify the useless outlay of a million
by a few thousands abstracted from the pockets
of those by whom they had been fairly earned,
and who could badly spare the amount.

I The old proverb, that "it's an ill wind which
blows no one any good," is now receiving a happy
fulfilment in the support given by the Sabbatari-
ans to the Saturday half-holiday. They are
heartily co-operating, though from such different
motives, with the old friends of the people in
obtaining for them this boon ; and in one point,
at least, they must have the credit of consistency,
for rest from labour was indubitably enjoined on
the seventh day of the week by the fourth com-
mandment, and it is to that commandment that
they uniformly appeal, when desirous to enforce
on those who differ from them abstinence from
recreation, as well as from labour, on the first
day. Fearful of losing the good-will of the many
by their views of Sunday observance they are
endeavouring to make up for it by doing their
1 best to get them half Saturday. We accept their
aid ; it in no way prejudices the main question,
and from all that has been said and done we be-
lieve that masters will not lose, and that men
will greatly gain by the proposed relaxation.
I Experience may now be fairly appealed to, and
that under very varied circumstances. The mer-
-1 chants of 'busy Manchester and the tradesmen of
the Northern Metropolis have alike tried the
iSaturday half-holiday, and are satisfied with the
result. With the former it has been a growing
practice for many years, and is much more likely
to become universal than to recede. At Edin-
burgh it originated a series of entertaining and
useful lectures and entertainments for the eman-
cipated toilers and spinners. Messrs. PRICE'S
Candle Company, Messrs. SPOTTISWOODE, the
printers, and the well-known firm of TRUMAN,
HANBURY, BUXTON, and Co , have all tried and
approved closing at earlier hours on Saturday. In
the latter firm there was, it appears, a division
of opinion at first, which experience has entirely
removed, and they now invite other business
firms to inquire into its working with them.
We do not remember, indeed, to hate heard of
an instance in which the result of the concession
has not been the condensation of as much work,
at least, into the shorter time, and the improve-
ment of the habits of the workpeople.
It was predicted that it would open the door
to increased drunkenness and dissipation ; but
such has not been the effect generally, though
probably individual instances might be found of
the abuse of this as of any other good. Nothing
so drives men to artificial stimulants as ceaseless
fag and toil. Nature will avenge herself ; and
, the rebound from monotorreus labour, continued
to the last hour, is either the gin-shop, or half
the Sunday in bed. Let a man finish his work
in time to take his wages home early, and for his
wife to have the chance of showing him the wants
of his family, and of getting change at the shop
instead of the public-house, and the majority of
men will feel the prior claims at home. If the half-
holiday gives to the utterly depraved few the
opportunity of indulging their appetites sooner, it
also gives to the more reasonable many the oppor-
tunity of spending the week's earnings with
1 greater advantage. Should the practice of paying
11 wages on Friday extend at the same time, the
two would in all probability have a strong ten-
dency to induce a more considerate appropriation
of weekly wages.
It was, however, among the young men em-
ployed in shops and warehouses that the demand
for shorter hours first began. There can be no
question that to them it would be a great and an
easy boon. Early closing of shops could be no
1033 ultimately to the shopkeepers. The gene-
rality of persons will spend their incomes, and all
would spend just as much in shops if they were
open but ten hours as if they were open twelve
or fourteen. Competition has engendered the evil
and sustains it, and nothing can put it down 1
but a public opinion as strong as an Act of Par-
liament. If the young men do but persevere, it
will, before long, be felt to be as selfish and dis-
honourable to keep open a shop too late as to
keep it open on a Sunday ; it will brand the doer
of it as indifferent to the comfort of his servants,
and as desirous meanly to get an advantage of his
neighbours. The utility of the practice to the
public is more than doubtful ;. it merely fosters
late instead of encouraging .early habits. Persons
who now put off their shopping till a late hour
would soon find it marvellously easy to do in
the afternoon what they have put off till evening ;
and few indeed of the shopkeepers could not do
at least half as much business again in the same
time. The preent practice is, in truth, a wanton
waste of the time and health of young men ; and
we gladly, therefore, contribute our mite of en-
couragement to the movement for Early Closing
of shops, and; in all occupations which admit of it,
to the Saturday half-holiday. We trust that the
meetings and deputations this week will be of
great service to ''the object. It is by, this conti-
nued calling of public attention to the subject that
the advocates of the movement must hope to
succeed.

Thanks to Mr. MORRIS MOORE, we have now
had another revelation of the Mysteries of the
National Gallery. Eureka—it is found—the
secret history of that big daub, the 2,0001. PAULO
VEitONESE, as Pawh called it, "The Adoration
of the Magi, and of nobody else !" It• appears
to have been one of ten pietures'belonging to the
church of San Silvestro, in Venice—ten pictures
originally (that is to say, only a year or two
back), in very bad condition, "era tres mauvais
eltd"--ten pictures the Curate of the Church en-
lit'aYourecl during twenty years in vain to sell to
°°r" w
goose. or another of a contain pic-
tures which at length in
1855 (observe, only last
Ye4F !)
_he, did .actually part with (to his heart's
joys Afl dcubl,,.and infinita consolation) for the
"113 of l3)°°(). fratc.? sum F:-.11 to Isin far l
, _