The Sun.
London, England, 1869-01-04 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF TEE PUBLIU JOURNALS.

The [Timm obseries that it ill not many weeks -since
whole districts in Wales and ira Scotland were rejoicing at
the coming of age of a young nobleman. The young
Marquis .of Bute, with £300,000 a year, appeared as a
kind of sovereign potentate with none but administrative
duties to perform, but having simply to do the best he
could with his vast revenue. The marquis for the moment
became a public institution. The question, " What will
he do with it?" could only be answered by the martinis
himself, and if the young man had possessed any prudence
it would have been a long time before he quite mace up
his mind upon that question, much more before he let any
one else into the secret. The announcement that the
marquis was on Christmas Eve formally received at Nice
into the Roman Catholic Church has again set an tongues
talking. Coming so soon after the late provincial festivi-
ties, the event seems likely to be treated as of more
importance than really belongs to it. Some good
Protestants will, perhaps, see in it another in-
stance of the awful subtlety of the Roman Catholic
priesthood, and of the rapid advance of the Pope
towards supreme domination. More, perhaps, will
regret the example, at d anticipate injurious results. Some
will regret the loss of the interest, and not a few the loss
of the money. Others, however, will be chiefly sorry for
the marquis himself, and we hope it is neither presumption
nor discourtesy to enrol ourselves in the latter class.
What is the real significance of such a perversion ?
We know the marquis is very rich, but we have no
evidence that he either is very learned or very wise. The
presumption from his hasty change of faith is against it.
The consequences are not likely to be of much importance.
It may be doubted whether a young man who has changed
his religion with this facility is made of the stuff which has
much personal influence over other men. As for his
wealth, the Roman Catholics are no more in want of any
addition to their wealth than our own Church. They
could have done very well without the Marquis of Bute,
just as we shall do very well without him. It is but a few
thousands a year more orless to the two communions, and that
is not a matter of much consequence to either of them. In
fact, whereas a few weeks ago we heard that the marquis
had just entered upon his inheritance of wealth and power,
we are disposed to regard the present news as simply an
announcement that he has thrown a considerable portion
of his power away. For this reason, as we have said, we
are sincerely sorry for him, and he appears to us the prin-
cipal person for whom it is necessary to be sorry. At an
age and under circumstances when delay would have
been only natural and becoming, he has taken a
step,' in some respects irretrievable, which cuts him
off in a great measure from his natural associations,
which will probably throw a shadow, at least for a
a time, over the hearty confidence with which be was
recently welcomed in his little principality, which
will, in a word, prevent his feeling as much at home as he
would have otherwise felt. We are, therefore, sorry for
it ; but, having said that, the less said the better. The
marquis is going to the Holy Land, where for the time he
will be quite out of the world, and the world for the
present, therefore, need not trouble itself about him.
When he returns, we shall probably have more important
matters on band, and we shall scarcely be conscious of the
simple fact that there will be one Roman Catholic more
and one Protestant less in these populous realms.
The Post adverts to the cruel murder of another land-
lord in Ireland. The year which has closed has been
marked by more than one of those painful occurrences se
deeply to be deplored. The day of the arrival of the Prince
and Princess of Wales Mr. Featherstonhaugh was assas-
sinated. Mr. Scully's unwise attempts to effect his pur-
pose created great disturbance in the autumn, and at the
close of the year we hear of the attempt to shoot one land-
lord in Meath and the murder of another landlord in
Tipperary. It is easier to understand the practice
of agrarian assassination in Ireland than to suggest
means for its suppression. The problem, therefore, which
we have for solution in Ireland seems to be how we can
best induce an intelligent cultivation of the land, with
security of life to the landlord and of his capital to the
cultivator. The question is too complicated to bring
within the limits of a single article, or to settle off-hand on
false or imperfect premises, but it is the question which
sleeps at the root of these agrarian outrages, and until some
solution is found for it we may expect the occasional
recurrence of violence ; but the bloodshed which has
marked the close of the agricultural year in Ireland speaks
of a-revival of passions easily awakened by any stimulus
from without, and particularly so when the ashes of a
decaying antagonism are raked over by the hand of a philo-
sopher.

The Herald observes that the first edition of the parlia-
mentary calendar, as it may be termed, has been issued,
and the programme is so vast and various that we hardly
know how the Premier will find time or opportunity for
his projected legislation. At the opening of every new
session, and especially of every new Parliament, there is
a'ways a sudden blast of notices of motions affecting most
institutions of state ; but this year the influx is extraordi,
nary. There are warnings of amendments and debates with
regard to the ne vv Reform Bill, which are out of all har-
mony with our hopes of a final settlement. On ahem
matters there are one or two sinister suggestions. Mr.
Maguire, who is supposed to be deep in the confidence of
the Administration, has given notice of his intention
to move for a select committee to inquire into
the management of the Irish estates of certain
London companies, with a view to the annulling
of their charters. Mr. Fawcett wishes for an Act to
diminish the expenses of candidates at elections, a good
object in its way, but we have had too much of candida-
tures in forma pauperis. Sir Massey Lopes promises to
forde an investigation into the whole quality, character,
and, distribution of local rates. Again, Sir James Elphin-
stone will call attention to another public department,
and inquire why so sweeping a discharge has been made
of artisans from her Majesty's dockyards in a
period of grievous distress, and when it is perfectly
notorious that the full complement will once more
be needed before long. And Mr. Corry asks for a
committee to decide upon the policy of maintaining
effective naval forces in distant seas. As for that
African fleet, which costs us more than a million sterling
a year, and which is a flotilla of coffins, the sooner it is
wiped off from our accounts the better; but in the
Mediterranean, in the Indian Ocean, upon the Arabian Sea,
and throughout the highways of commerce across the
Atlantic and Pacific, we hardly expect the committee
will say that the British colours ought not to be
periodically seen. However, this is among the subjects of
interest which are down on the list for the Session of
1869—pace disendowment.
The Daily News observes that we have now reache4 a
point at which it is proper to review the position and
prospects of the religious party directly affected by the
judgment of the Privy Council. The decision of the
Court of Final Appeal has accorded with the wishes of
the Evangelical party. At the root of the main
peculiarities which characterise the Ritualist service lies
the doctrine that the principal act of Christain
worship is a true sacrifice offered up on a true altar by
a true priest. Everything that startles the unaccustomed
eye at a church like St. Alban's is intended to symbolise
this belief. For this end the candles have been lighted
and the incense burned. Will the service as settled by
the Privy Council be incompatible with this theory of
worship ? No doubt if any one holds that light or a par-
ticular gesture at a particular moment is of the essence of
the sacrificial idea, such an inconsistency will arise.
But to any one who does not take this narrow view
the proceedings at St. Alhan's will continue to express
as nearly as possible what they expressed before. The
most careless spectator cannot confuse the gorgeously
vested altar which is the central feature of the entire
building with the unimpressive communion table which
retires modestly behind the towering pulpit of a typical
Evangelical church. The character of the priest is equally
marked by the distinctive vestments which are associated
in ,the popular mind with the sacrifice of the mass.
The nature of the act which is being performed is
shadowed forth in the position of the celebrant and in the
reverential attitudes of the assistant ministers. It is true
those who are familiar with the service will miss some
favourite features.. But .all that remains will he of the

same character as. heretofore, and if any of our readers
differ from us.as to what this character is, we recommend

them to wait untillegal notice of the judgment has been

served on the• St. AlLan's clergy, and then go and: see for
themselves. •

The Star remarks that it is a novel proceeding for the
Ambassador of a great Power to address great assemblages
of working men in the capital of the country to which he
is accredited. Mr. Johnson has witnessed the election
and knows the conditions under which it took place. He
advises the masses to appreciate the power they possess,
and to wield it conscientiously and consciously. "Do not
believe," he says to the working men, "that there is any
difference between your skulls and those of other people,"
and he illustrates by the story of the abolition of slavery
the wide application of this principle, and the great sum
of g-od for which it stands in the general scheme of
Providence. Altogether, the speech was as in-
_

s!ructive as it was bold. Happily, the great
mass of the people of this country do not need

any inducenmnt to make them think well of and nisi;

well to the -United States.

They have never shared the

bigotries and suspicions of " those who are in one sense

supposed to be above them." And, having now obtained
distinct place in the councils of their country, they are
not likely again to let any minority confuse the world by
misrepresenting the judgment of England. But these
millions are as soundly Liberal in home politics as they
are kindly in their feelings towards other free commum-

ties. And—whatever may be said of the etiquette of
Johnson's speech—the workmen of this country will be
all the more determined to avoid misunderstanding
America now they
_have discovered from Mr. Johnson's

4904 iiigf 1794 an Amerman call m444'04141 England.

MISCELLANEOUS IVEWS.

SACRIFICE TO BACCRI7W.

The Lancet, by the aid of the house surgeons of
tha various metropolitan hospitals, is able to present
its readers with the number and nature of the acci-
dents due to drink which were treated in those insti-
tutions during Boxing Day and night. The total
number was 181, including thirty-eight fractures of
various bones, the fractures of both bones of the leg
very largely preponderating, and broken ribs coming
next.

COMIUNICATION BETWEEN PASSENGERS AND
GUARDS.

It will be remembered that a few weeks ago a
general meeting of the managers of the principal
railways ran experimental trains between York,
Malton, and Scarborough, to test the South-Eastern,
the London and North-Western, and the North-
Eastern methods of obtaining communication
between passenger, guard, and driver in railway
trains. The plan invented by Mr. G. Brown, of the
North -Easte-n, it is understood by the Railway ,Peres,
was generally approved, the chief objection being that,
as the whole apparatus was outside, it necessitated
the opening of a window to reach it. This has been
remedied, and the signal is now within reach of any
passenger in each compartment. By pulling a handle,
a depression is caused in the cord which passes over
the doors of the carriage the whole length of the
train, the jerk at the same time throwing out a small
red semaphore to indicate the compartment, ringing
a bell in the guard's van, and blowing the driver's
whistle on the engine. On Thursday an experimental
train fitted with the new arrangement ran to Scar-
borough. The plan is extremely simple, and seemed
as perfect as anything could be hoped for, and will be
recommended to the Board of Trade. The applica-
tion of some plan becomes compulsory, in April next,
under the Act of last session.

THE ATLANTIC AND GREAT WESTERN RAILWAYS.
The Railway Nezas thinks highly of the lease
arrangements entered into between the Erie and
the Atlantic and Great Western Companies. Evi-
dence of the value of the agreement is afforded by
the fact that the steamers belonging to the company
which ran on Lake Erie from the port of Dunkirk, the
terminus of the Erie Railway, have now been removed
to Cleveland, the terminus of the Mahoning Valley
branch of the Atlantic and GreatWesternßailway. The
effect of this arrangement is to throw upon the
Atlantic and Great Western a very large amount of
additional traffic. Great alterations are also to be
carried out in regard to the cattle and mineral traffic,
and already the effect of the new arrangement is tell-
ing very fiwourably on the receipts and position of
the property. The funds are all in hand for meeting
the engagements of the company under the new
organisation of its finances. On the return to
England of the financial agent of the company, steps
will be taken for the payment of the over-due
coupons, and for distributing the funds in the hands
of the trustees of the debenture-holders. The traffic
of the line for the last two weeks shows an increase
of 37,000 dols., of which 15,000 dols. were due to the
last week in November. and 22,000 dots. to the first
week in. December.

THE DIatBY DIFFICULTY.
Mr. Studd and the Epsom Course Committee are
still at issue. The Sporting Magazine hopes the
latter will stand their ground firmly, oven if the
Derby has to be declared off, and that they
will give a £2,000 Plate in its place round
the new course. The demand that they should
sign a lease for twenty-one years, at £2,500 fox
the first year, and £l,OOO for each of the others, is an
outrageous demand, which every turfite should help
them to resist, and it does not make it any better
that Mr. Studd should offer to give half of it in the
first year to a stake. Mr. Briscoe, M.P., the present
lord of the manor, is opposed to such a step, and all
the Precedents to which it would give rise. If he
were to die, they know nothing about the terms they
might make with his successor. They might
not have the Downs at all, and yet be
hampered with a £l,OOO a year rent till
1888. They have made a very han-isome offer
to take Mr. Studd's part of the course for £750 a year,
for five years certain ; the ninety-nine years lease to
be determinable after that at a year's notice. Mr.
Studd has every reason to be satisfied. He got his
new estate entirely out of his Salamander winnings,
and he has rewarded the British public for the money
he got out of them by being the indirect author of a
ketter Derby course. The doubt which hangs over
vhe Derby of the next two years should he promptly
set at rest, and it certainly seems the duty of the
Jockey Club to move in the matter.

SPAIN.
Whilst the Provisional Government can harilly find
money for its most pressing needs, the local authorities
find little difficulty in borrowing. The Paris firm of
Erlanger has advanced the sum of 700,000 to the munici-
pality of Madrid. The rate of interest is 7A, and the time
allowed for redemption is saventy years. This loan is for
the benefit only of the city of Madrid. The municipal
authorities can obtain money at 7 per cent. because they
can offer security for it; but the Government cannot
realise above one-fourth of its loan, at 10 per cent., be-
cause it is not so firmly established as to inspire confi-
dence ; more than this, the repudiation under Isabella's
r:giine serves to repress the enthusiasm of capitalists.
The process of disarming the militia, or, in other words,
of getting back the muskets which were so indiscrimi-
nately served out to the Spanish working men, is giving
rise to some trouble. It brought about a serious risiY►g at
Cadiz, and it has produced a lesser disturbance
at Malaga. But this popular discontent is not
likely to give rise to any serious ulterior consequences.
The disarming of the militia is not a party measure ; it is
directed against a class. The Juntas distributed arms to
the lower orders during the early days of the Revolution,
and the Provisional Government now finds it neeessary to
get them back. The armed mob in some places threatened
communism. A new militia is being formed, and it is to
be drawn from a higher grade of the people.
The Times correspondent sly's, that Marshal Serrano no
longer makes any mystery about his Montpensier pre-
dilections. Prim is supposed to hanker after a Regency,
to be exercised by triumvirs in the name of a minor, no
matter of what Royal House.