The Sun.
London, England, 1869-05-07 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MAY 7, 1869.

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LONDON, FRIDAY, MAY 7, 1869.

The question as to the compensation to May
nooth College was definitively decided last night in
Committee. But lit was only decided after three
divisions bad been taken, and after a prolonged and
stormy discussion, in the course of which both sides
indulged in the sharpest mutual recriminations. The
particular clause which was the subject in dispute
was the 39th clauss, providing compensation for the
cessation of the grant to Maynooth College. That
grant amounts annually to £26,000. And the
compensation proposed was the setting aside
of £380,000 out of the funds obtained through
the realization of the Irish Church property—
placing that sum in the bands of trustees for
the benefit (in compensation) of the institution now
summarily about to be denied henceforth the annual
grant, heretofore accorded to it, of £26,000. Accord-
ing to the argument of the Opposition, an arrange-
ment of that kind was virtually endowing Maynooth
with a yearly income of £15,000 in perpetuity. As
Mr. GLADSTONE insisted, however, the proposal was
in no sense whatever an endowment—any more
than the compensation to be given to the
Presbyterians and to the Protestant Church
could in reason be designated re-establish-
ment or re-endowment. He demonstrated, more-
over, very clearly and cogently, that while
hitherto the Established and Endowed Protestant
Church in Ireland had been in receipt of £1 sterling
per head of its members, the Presbyterians (through
the Regium Donut) of ls. 10d., and the Catholics
(through the grant to. Maynooth) per head, of merely
three halfpence—if the amounts proposed to be
granted to each of those three communions severally
in the way of compensation were divided relatively
among them the proportion arrived at would be found
to be as nearly as possible the same !' It was pro-
posed, in fact, that each of the three bodies should be
dealt with upon precisely the same principle in met-
ing out to each the measure of compensation. Col.
BA RTELoT's.way of putting the objection of the Oppo-
sition to the 39th clause was, point blank, this—that
the present Government had appealed to the country
at the General Election on the distinct understand-
ing that not one fraction of the Irish Church pro-
perty should be devoted,to the compensation of the
College of 11laynooth, on the inevitable withdrawal
of the annual grant of £23,000. Mr. GLADSTONE
at once, however, emphatically denied that any
pledge whatever of that kind had ever been
made by the Liberal Party, by himself or
by any of his colleagues, either when they
were in Opposition or after their forma-
tion into a Government. lie declared indig-
nantly that he could not for an instant believe that
the country was so entirely devoid of intellect, and of
common sense as the hon. and gallant member's argu-
ment would imply it to be, seeing that the Liberal
Party had never drawn the slightest distinction be-
tween the case of Maynooth and that of the Regium
Donut, in respect to the source from which the com-
pensation was to be obtained or the principle on
which it was to be founded. One member (Sir J.
ELptuxsToNE)lhaughtily maintained that the Govern-
ment would never have secured to itself so large a
majority at the last General Election if the constitu-
encies could have'. foreseen that one farthing of the ,
Irish Church property was to be applied
to Popish purposes. Another member (Mr.
GREENE) taunted the Liberal Scotch members, wi h
having in the last House of Commons voted wit')
him in support of the proposition that no part of the
endowments of the Anglican Church should he ap-
plied to the endowment of the ins'itutions of ~ny
other religious denominaion, whether Catholic cr
Pee& yterian. The result of the discussion, in poirt
of fact, was this—that Sir GEORGE JESKINSON'S
amendment (the adoption of which, by transferring
the charge in compensation to Maynooth to the Con-
solidated Fund would, as Mr. BRIGHT reminded the
Houss, elicit a protest against it from one end of the
kingdom to the other) was negatived by a clear mt-
jority of 126, in a House of 510-192 being for the
amendment and 318 against it. Subsequently,
a vast majority of 170, in a House 516, hav-
ing pronounced against reporting progress, another
division was taken upon Mr. AYTOUN'S amend-
ment, the clear majority against it being 107
hi a house of 503-198 pro and 305 contra. Other
amendments being then withdrawn, and merely ver-
bal ones inserted, the clause (39) being thus only
verbally amended, but otherwise left intact in prin-
ciple, was ordered to stand part of the bill amitht
loud and ringing cheers from the Ministerialists. To
Maynooth College, therefore, so far as the House of
Commons is concerned, is now assured the fair
and equitable, the just and reasonable amount of
£3Bo,ooo—call it if you will a-permanent income of
£15,000 a year—in the way of compensation.

HISTORY undoubtedly. does repeat itself, but it
cannot be said that its repetitions are always desir-
able. We read with wonder of the athletic,
but savagely severe, Grecian games, of the brutal
fights with wild beasts and gladiators at Rome, and
what we suppose to be the last trace of these
barbarous sports—the Spanish bull fights—excite
our unqualified amazement. But it is more than
doubtful whether ci a high state of civilisation " is
any security for even the decent repression of the
brutal tastes and barbarous pleasures which gratified
the semi-savages of the pre-Christian age. The
progress and refinement of twenty centuries have
not eradicated that delight in the danger and suffer-
ing of others which is supposed to be the special
characteristic of the barbarian. But if rude and
civilised life, like all other extremes, must touch, if
the modern Briton or Frenchman cannot re-
sist his inclination to derive enjoyment from
the maiming of his fellow-creatures, he should
at least strive to keep from falling below the
level of the savage. The sports of the Colisseum
were horrible enough ; men were torn by wild beasts
and Mutilated by each other for the gratification of
the multitude ; but when women began to enter the
arena an imperial mandate forbade the innovation.
The " refinement " of modern life requires for
its enjoyment that women should. risk their
lives in enterprises which are desperate and
dangerous for men. A woman who some time
back delighted London audiences as the " Female
LEOTAIID " is now a hopeless cripple. A band of
frightened girls, who tumble and form pyramids at
a trnuplubseic. a
The ir,,reeiniochw
haNa
ays.eitignugt tuhpe inevitableveluuipede caratacess-
by women. If all goes well this is not an exciting
sport, but the velocipede is a dangerous vehicle, and
it often happens that a rider is violently thrown
on the course, and sometimes struck by the
velocipede of a competitor. This is the delightful
part of the entertainment, and it is this which
excites the hilarity of the polished people over the
water. We just hear that an "intensely exciting
scene" has occurred at Bolton. A " female Bi.orz-
DIN " started to walk a rope at an elevation of sixty
feet in the air. A hnot caused her to slip; she fell,
let go the pole, caught the rope with her hands,
and remained suspended. She had strength enough
to hold on until a number of men gathered together
under the rope and caught her as she fell. Her escape
was accidental; her fall was the almost invariable
result of these unnatural feats.

It is for the sake of these poor women, but not fo r
them alone, thatthese acrobatic exploits shouldbeker t
within due limits. If they are unnatural in the ca 4, c

of one sex, th ey are very perilous for the other. Almost
simultaneously with this scene at Dolton, an accident
with a more lamentable result, occurred in France.
The victim this time was a man who earned his live-
lihood by emulating BLONDIN'S feat of carrying a man
on his back. Luckily for his burden, the accident,
occurred whilst performing alone. The rope-walker
fell, and was taken up insensible, with his leg broken
in two places. The simple remedy in these cases
is, not to forbid such performances—which
is not feasible—but to insist, as was done in
the days of Imperial Rome, either that the
rope should, in all cases, be near the ground,
or that a net should be suspended beneath it so as to
prevent a violent fall. The performance would be
not less clever with this restriction ; the excitement
to be derived from the risk of the performer is
unlawful and should be . prevented. It is very
probable that rope-walking would become unfashion-
able if the danger to life and limb were obviated ;
but this is a consideration with which the legisla-
tor has no concern. Its duty is to require those
precautions against accident which are exacted
by law in all the ordinary pursuits of life. A rail-
way company neglecting a precaution is overwhelmed
with obloquy; but hazard has been made part of
the business of pleasure. At present the amuse-
ments of the age are one of its foulest reproaches.

7 • :I'l-
- Y
- 4 IV I.Wi-434,4 4.

HER MAJESTY.

OSBORNE, May 6

The Queen, accompanied. by Prince Leopold,
and attended by the Marchioness of Ely, drove
out yesterday afternoon. .

Her Majesty, auotnpanied by Princess Louise,
went out in the grounds this morning.
The other members of the Royal Family also
went out.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE

(REU"'ER'S TELEGRAMS.)

ITALY.

FLORENCE, May 7.

Yesterday General Menabrea had an interview
with the King to confer with his Majesty upon the
new Parliamentary situation created by the fusion
of the different political pasties.

The Opinione states that the new Ministry ten-
dered their resignation, which the King accepted,
and that his Majesty entrusted General Menabrea
with the formation of a new Cabinet.

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.
PLYMOUTH, May 7.

The Union Company's steamship Dane, with the
above mail, has arrived. Tier dates are—Cape of
Good Hope, April 4th ; St. llelena, 12th ; Ascen-
sion, 15th; and Madeira, Ist inst. She brings 48
passengers and 45 sacks of mails. Among her pas-
sengers are two sons and a daughter of Bishop
Coleuso, from Natal, and Judge Parker, from St.

The mails leave by the 10.23 a m. train for Lon-

don.

Further diamond discoveries have occasioned
much excitement at the Cape. The Dame brings
the gem, weighing 47i carats, the alleged value of
which is £2,000. The next steamer Roman, brings
another weighing 831' carats, valued at £30,000.
The discovery of abcut 20 diamonds altogether
have been announced since the last mail. News
from Natal is to the 20th of March.

The gold-fields are proving unsatisfactory.
Several parties of gold-diggers had abandoned the
search, and were oa thtir way back to the Cape
CJlony and Natal. Other Explorers, belieting
researches not having been trade far enough north,
await till the obstruction offered by the natives be
fret d arid security from them can be insured.
The Roman art ived cut on March 29th, and the
Cambria at Madeira on the Ist inst.

TURKEY.

CONSTANTINOPLE, May 6.

The Sultan paid his customary visit to the Porte
t)-day, on occasion of the commencement of the
Turkish year. All the Alinisters were present.
The Saltan delivered a long speech, in which he re-
ferred to politics, finance, reforms in the adminis-
tration of public affairs, and the favour-
able settlement recently arrived at in the
Hellenic difficulty through the mediation of the
Great Powers. The Sultan stated that the
pacification of Crete was complete, and the rela-
tions with foreign powers friendly. Reviewing the
events of the country as regards inner administra-
tion, his Imperial Majesty insisted upon strict eco-
nomy in the public expenditure, the improvement
of judicial procedure, the extension of railways, and
held out the prospect that all classes of his subjects
would equally participate in tho benefits expected
from the new reforms.

Tie speech of the Sultan produced a most excel-
lent impression.

BOMBAY MAIL.

MARSEILLES, May 6.

The Messageries Impedeles steamer Peluse, with
the homeward India, China Mauritius, and Re-
union mails, arrived here at noon to-day. The
announcement of her arrival yesterday was pre-
mature.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, THURSDAY, May 6.

A little work, styled "The Electicus in 1869," is now
being distributed at the houses of all the cures in France.
It is a clerical electoral manifesto. 'I he author calls him-
-531f a priest, and signs with three asterisks, and, of course,
urges the cures to support the Government with all the:r
power in the coming struggle. The A renir .21'a lis v n y
severe and smart on this clerical electioneering pamphlet,
and professes to doubt whether it is really written by a
priest. "The little work is sold extremely cheap ;in
fact, almost for nothing, absolutely as if the expenses were
paid by a Government subvention. The abbe who pro-
fesses to be the author therefore combines disinterestedness
with modesty and enthusiasm for the authorities. We find
indeed in him too many virtues, and we should not be
niggards of our admiration if we did not fear, in lifting the
skirt of his cassock, to find the lay garb of some clerk at
the Ministry of the Interior."
A little while ago, your readers will remember, a pro-
position was made that the miserable pension granted to
the old communal schoolmasters should he increased.
£lO,OOO only was asked for, but the Government, which
intends to spend large sums in pensioning the soldiers of
the First Empire, refused this pittance on the ground of
economy. It is now announced that the increase will be
granted, and that £12,000 instead of £lO,OOO will be
devoted to the purpose. "He giveth twice who giveth
quickly."

The Hotel Bristol is just now thronged with great
personages. The Prince and the Princess of Wales have
arrived there from the East, and the Duchess of Aber-
corn and the Earl and Countess of Mount Edgecumbe
have come up from the South of France. These
notabilities will all be present to-morrow at a grand review
on the parade ground of the Bois de Boulogne. Eight
regiments of cavalry, stationed in Paris and Versailles,
and two of the Artillery of the Guard will be present.
With a proportionate contingent of infantry, a very
formidable force will be made up.
I'atti hae tvcn rsuiTerlng from a slight abscess in the
head, which has delayed her appearance in London for a
few days. She is, however, now nearly recovered, and
will soon be with you. The unfortunate conjuror, Dr.
Epstein, who was shot with a:ramrod from his performing
gun, is also coming round.

There is an epidemic amongst workmen as well as
cashiers. The latter are afflicted with a propensity for
running off with cashboxes ; the former are seized with a
mania for striking. Two or three strikes are announced
this week. One, a small affair at Lyons, is especially
impudent. The stokers at a large gas establish-
ment, quietly asked one morning this week for an
addition of one-third to their present wages. On refusal
the whole troop, excepting four, turned out. The Belgian
strikes arc all at an end. In the Borinage work has every-
where been resumed and the troops withdrawn.

The Bey of Tunis is endeavouring to settle the many
debt difficulties in which he is involved by con! oli-
dating all the different obligations to various Powers into
one fund. This " ruler" has been in troub'e several times
with France, owing to his having refused to meet his obli-
gations, and being a small potentate, he was forthwith
soundly bullied. He set apart certain taxes for the sole
use and benefit of foreign bondholders, but it was soon
discovered that the creditors, though they got the benefit
of these taxes in theory, were decidedly swindled in
practice. The Bey is now dealing with apparent
straightforwardness. All his debts, home and
foreign, are to be made one, and certain
revenues are to be applied to the payment of dividends
and the redemption of the fund. These revenues, as well
as the half-yearly payments of the interest, will be placed
under the control of the representatives of foreign Powers
residing at Tunis.

THE DISPUTE IN THE BUILDING TRADE.

The dispute between employers and employed in the
various branches of the building trade both in the North
and the West still continues. On Wednesday evening
meetings were held at Bristol both by the masters and the
men. At the former it was resolved that a board
of conciliation should not be agreed to unless allied with
arbitration. The men at their meeting agreed to work
by the hour instead of the day on condition of being paid
6id. per hour for regular work, and 25 or 30 per cent. for
overtime. They resolved they would accept "conciliation,"
but not arbitration. At Leeds the principal building works
are at a standstill, and nine or ten firms_have not come
to any settlement with their plasterers. It is said that
the masters are willing to come to a settlement, and also
that the great part of the "locked out" men have found
work in other towns in Yorkshire.

The retorts of the health of the Bishop of Carlisle
continue to b© of a very unsatisfactory character.

The Liberte has received intelligence by way of
New Orleans to the effect that the Mary Luwcll, th.! Ame-
rican ship Feized by Spaniards in British waters, Las been
declared a legal prize by the maritime tribunal to which the
case was submitted at Havanuah.

At a meeting of ConEervative working men at
Blackburn the following resolution was carried :—" That in
the opinion of this meeting it is desirable that a National
Conservative League should be established upon the basis
of the Reform League, and that its ramifications should be
extended to every city, borough, and village throughout the
United Kingdom."

The Liberals of Cambridge bad a public dinner on
`Wednesday for tho purpose of celebrating the re tarn of Messrs.
Torrens and Fowler. Covers were la:d fox 450. Mr. Patrick
Beaks presided, supported by Mr. Tcrrens, M•P 51r.
Fowler, M.P., Captain Clay, Lord E. Fit zmauriee, Mr. R.
Young, Canon Quinlivan, Hon. H. Brand, M.P., Dr. Abdy,
Lord Wodehouse, the Hon. G. Russell, &c. The proceedings
were of an enthusiastic character.

Four lives have just been lost by fire at Basle. The
catastrophe occurred st night, the flames breaking out in
the lower part of a house in the Faubourg St. Jean.
Two maid-servants, with four children, were aslerp in
an apartment on the first floor, and when awakened
found their retreat by the staircase cut off. The parents
were absent at the time. The eldest son succeeded in escap-
ingby a ladder with a younger brother, and also one of the
domestics, but the other missed Ler footing, and, falling.
to the ground, was killed. Her companion, finding that two
of the children still remained in the rooms, reascended the
ladder, and rushed through the rooms to save them, but
was afterwards unable to return, and they all three perished
together. The other occupants of the house were rescued.

On Wednesday the inquiry into the cause of a coal
pit being inundated, in the neighbourhood of Mansfield, was
resumed. The evidence elicited went to establish two
points :—First, that the underground viewer, a man named
Millership, had been several times informed of the dangerous
proximity of an old working, and that the danger had for long
manifested itself in the water pouring down upon the men.
Second, there is evidence of negligence above ground to
this extent, that after the water bad burst in upon the un-
fortunate miners, two of them, who were lucky enough to
escape to the bottom of the shaft, were allowed to remain
there for two hours before their signal was noticed, and by
that time the water had reached up to their necks.

A melancholy accident occurred on Wednesday in
Newport Docks, by which two lives were lost. It appears
that six youths had got into a punt belonging to a
pilot boat, and rowed about on the dock waters. When
near the dock feeder something attracted their
attention on the surface of the water, and the whole
six of them suddenly leaned on ono sido of the punt
anxious to secure the prize. The united weight was too
much for the tiny craft, which capsized and turned
keel uppermost, all the lads being precipitated into
the water. An alarm was soon raised, and one brave
fellow on board the steam-ship Hastings jumped into
the water and succeeded in saving two of the lads ; two
others managed to get safely on shore, but two of the unfor-
tunate youths, named Adams and George Ching, sunk and
came to an untimely eud. The body of Ching was re-
covered shortly after the accident occurred, but life was
quite extinct.

On Wednesday George Purdy was charged before
the stipendiary magistrate at Birkenhead with having in his
possession meat unfit for human food. The accused is a
dealer in tripe and potted beef, and the information was laid
under the Nuisances Removal Act. Tho superintendent of
the market and inspector of meat said that he went to the
premises of the defendant and found there some meat which
was totally unfit for human food. The veterinary
surgeon, who had examined the meat, said that the animal
had not Lena slaughtered but had died of disease. The me-
dical ( flieer of health declared that tLe limit would have
prcW.uced disease in any ono eating it. /Ir. Preston sen-
tenced the defendant to le imprisoned in Chester Castle and
kept to hard labour for six weeks.

The Rev. Mr. O'Connor, rector of St. Judc'r,
Manchester, has be n released from coLlinement in
the lunatic asylum, to which ho was sent by order of
the magistrates. Mr. O'Connor's recent extraordinary
appearance in the Police-court, where he denounced
a number of gentlemen as having entered into a vile
conspiracy against him, were attributed to insanity ;
but at a meeting of the reverend gentleman's congre-
gation on Tuesday evening, there was a unanimous ex-
pression of opinion to the effect that Mr. O'Connor was
not mad, but that, on the contrary, hi.: alleged outrageous
proceedings were exactly the kind of proceedings requisite
to vindicate his character. One gentleman stated that Mr.
O'Connor had been exposed for a lengthened period to a
system of rationing by a number of clergymen who wanted.
to drive hip from Manchester.