The Sun.
London, England, 1869-01-07 00:00:00

TFIE
_SEIN LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 7, 1'69.

be disposed to augur from that certainly, far rather
than from any sensible looks or gentlemanly demean-
our that Lord MAYO will(as we must all most earnestly
hope that he will) turn out to have been a most hap-
pily (elected Governor-General. Sensible looks are
deceptive—as in the instance of the anecdote about
the dumplings relAte4 by SAMUEL TAYLOR COLE-
RIDGE. Deceptive also has been, tiara and again be-
fore no w, the most gentlemanly demeanour. It is simply
preposterous to reason thus superficially from the mere
outward appearance of a newly-appointed Gover-
nor-General as to whether his rule is likely to prove
satisfactory or otherwise. Lord MAYo has at least
the earnest good wishes of the nation, now that he has
actually been appointed to his high: office, has taken
his departure, and has arrived at his destination.
We trust that that he will prove himself a man of
capacity, as we feel perfectly well assured, of course,
that he is a loyal and devoted subject of the Crown.

PROBABLY " L.," who opened the interesting dis-
cussion on the law of primogeniture, had some good
reason for knowing that it would be brought before
the new House of Commons very shortly. At any
rate he has started a good subject, which is likely to
be well siftedbefore Parliament reassembles. Strange
to say, one of the most important parts of this ques-
tion has been overlooked. There has been an
abundance of correspondence about the division of
land, entails, intestacy, gavelkind, mortgages, and other
collateral subjects ; but no one has raised the question
why should landed estates, if they are to go to one
son, go of necessity to the eldest ? The eldest son
is not always morally the best, nor intellectually the
wisest. He may be a rogue or a fool, or, if he be
neither, he may at least be inferior to his younger
brothers. The possession of large estates gives great
influence. It is highly important to the nation that
this influence should be used rightly. A con-
scientious father should select as his heir (if he
means-to select only one) the son whom he thinks
most fitted for the duties that land-ownership
involves. There is nothing so sacred in primo-
geniture that we should sacrifice the public good to
it. In certain parts of Wales the law of ultimo-
geniture prevails, the land descending to the last

born son. This practice is even more objectionable
than the other, since, so long as a family continues to
increase, uncertainty will prevail as to who
will be the heir, and there will be no
opportunity for teaching him his duties. A
far better custom is that which prevails in Turkey
and in the native States of India, and which of
old prevailed in Palestine. The Suit In and the
Rajah of to-day select as their successor to the
throne the son they think best, or at all events
the son they love best, just as DAVID selected
SOLOMON. The consequence is, that the weak in
body or in mind are passed over for those who are
able to bear the duties and the cares of royalty.
Freedom of choice is indeed all that is sought. The
opponents of Mr. LOCKE KING'S bill are misled by a
false cry. The supporters of the measure do not
desire to enforce an equal distribution of land.
They have no wish to interfere with testamentary
freedom. They simply say that the law has no right

to assume that a man would make an unjust will. If
he chooses to make one, that is his affair; but the
State ought not to make one for him—ought not to
enrich one child, and beggar, perhaps, eleven and
their mother. As to the objection raised by Sir
GEORGE BOWYER with regard to the difficulty of
establishing a title if the number of owners
were increased, it has simply no force.
In the first place, even if land were equally
divided among a dozen children, each of
them would be owners of a twelfth part of
the estate, not co-partners of the whole. Moreover,
no one except Sir GEORGE BOWYER supposes that
we shall much longer rest content to pay convey-
ancers for antiquarian investigations at every change
of title, when we can get a title registered once for
all. The Registration of Titles Act has not been
used much hitherto, because no one would be
likely to register unless there were a devise
of the property, and landed property does not
change hands every day. A generation at
least will pass before registration becomes at all
general. Finally, the prospect of unlimited subdi-
vision which is held up in terrorenz is altogether
visionary. In France, where sub-division is compulsory,
the number of estates has actually diminished during
the last twenty years. Division of property is by no
means synonymous with division of estates. One
child may buy out the rest, and will
do so if the estate is too small for them
all to earn a livelihood out of it. More-
over, if death divides, marriage unites estates.
If the daughter gets her share equally with her
brothers, she brings that share to her husband, who
adds her estate to his. But all these considerations
would be of weight only if it were proposed to intro-
duce the French systeik of forcible division. Nothing
of the kind is meant. Mr. LOCKE KING and the
English Radicals would leave to landowners the
right of leaving their property as unequally as they
will; but then they must give evidence of their
will.

THE new Russian tariff of duties on fore'gn
manufactures, which comes into operation on the
13th of this month—the third step taken by Russia
in the direction of free trade—is likely to prove
of much benefit in developing the resources
of the empire, and will be attended with
considerable advantage to British commerce. The
reductions made are considerable in themselves, and
there is reason to hope that they will not be the last.
For many years past Russia has been the home
par excellence of protective doctrine. Shortly after
the peace which followed the downfall of NAPOLEON,
tl e Muscovite nobles established manufactures,
and there being virtually no other political
power in the country, their cotton and
cloth fabrics were secured by enormous duties
which were absolutely prohibitive. It was
not until after thirty years' experience of this policy
that the Russian Government resolved to abandon a
system which did not foster national industry, whilst
it greatly encouraged smuggling. In 1850 the tariff
was modified, and in 1856 still more so ; but the
change was only a transition from prohibitive to
protective duties, the tariff still remaining exceed-
ingly high. The Government of the CZAR has
not, however, failed to see that the reductions,though
small, have greatly promoted industrial opera-
tions, and have saved the revenue from a decline
which would otherwise have been inevitable. After
much difficulty, and in spite of great opposi-
tion from the Russian manufacturers, a third
revision has been obtained. The new tariff
contrasts sensibly with the meagre improvements
of 1856; the duties on all the more important articles
have been largely decreased, in not a few instances
as much as 70 per cent.; the differential duties—the
charging a one rate on goods imported by land, and
another on those brought by sea—have vanished with
only one exception ; and local charges have
been abolished. The change is great.
though by no means equal to the require-
ments of the case, and by no means 150 exten-
sive as those which were first prop :teed, but which
the Russian manufacturers succeeded in nexlifying
The duties still remain excessive, and -the good
attending them will he immediately perceptibi' e to only
a limited extent. The chief value of‘ the nu 'asure ie
that it will surely be followed by more radical c. !ranges
Russia for many generations to come must be A pro-
ducing rather than a manufacturing country. Her
great resources are still undeveloped, her vart plaint
but half cultivated ; her territory supports the thin-
nest population of Europe. A country in this position
can never owe its chief wealth to its maim factures.
The cotton mills and cloth mills are p rofitable
to the nobility who own them; but they are the
reverse of beneficial to the multitude who a ',re de-
prived of cheap clothing, tools, and other appi lances
of civilisation. Competition in manufactures may
hurt the few in Russia, but it must prove of in, cal-
culable advantage to the many. Free trade ,is)

above all things, essential to the progress of
_
great Eastern Empire. Of course the new tariff
must be a direct gain to British trade with Russia,
which has greatly diminished of late years. It has
decreased 13 per cent. during a period which shew
an increase of 75 per cent. with France.
But we must look beyond the Baltic for tilt
effect of our efforts to induce the Muscovite
Government to abandon its traditional policy. The
conquest of Central Asia establishes Russia as the
neighbour of the Anglo-Indian Empire, and as our
competitor for the trade with those vast regions
which are yet unexplored and almost unknown. Our
first dealings with the Northern Power in Asia have not
been satisfactory ; the Russians have endeavoured to
exclude our commerce by prohibitive duties. Such a
policy has already brought about a difficulty on the
Indian frontier, and it may produce worse results
unless Russia concurs in that enlightened policy
which has been so firmly established in England.
The new tariff is, at least, a good beginning.

LATEST INTELL LGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

TURKEY.

CONSTANTINOPLE, Jan. 6.

Turkey has requested that the meeting of the
Conference should be postponed for eight days, in
order to enable the Ottoman Cabinet to forward
instructions to the Turkish Minister at Paris.

CORRESPONDENCE PROM PARIS,

(PROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS, WEDNESDAY, Januarit 6.
'lTie Constitutionnet of to-day is destined, I should fancy,
to give some little pleasure to the Opposition. It recom-
mends all those qualified for electors to get themselves
enrolled as speedily as possible, for the last
day of registration approaches rapidly. In a funny
little sermon the semi-official editor urges upon
his countrymen the necessity, the duty of enrolling
themselves. "To abstain is culpable ;it is a defection
which nothing can justify. Beyond doubt, if the voting
were carried on here as it is in the United States
—a coups de revolver--if the elections invariably
counted so many wounded and dead, there are
many who might justly hesitate to approach the urn.
But in France voting has always been conducted in an
orderly manner." Many persons will be inclined to ques-
tion whether the elections in America, bad as they are,
are not preferable to the shams which take place
in IFrance. Moreover, they do not raise barri-
cades it the streets of ITew York. But the Consti-
tutionnel goes on to announce that the elections will
finally take place in May. " The new Legislature opens
the second period of the Empire, the period definitely
liberal, during which the r6le of the Corps Ldgislatif will
become more and more important. The six sessions which
are about to open will lead up to the majority of the Prince
Imperial. We therefore hope that Conservative electors,
those who are partisans of liberty and order,
will fulfil their duty with regularity, and, to commence,
we invite them to go as early as possible, and
consult the lists." All this is very reassuring. The elec-
tions are finally to come off in May, and there can, there-
fore, be no new unconstitutional stretches of the Imperial
prerogative. The partial elections, which were postponed
for six months, according to the privilege of the
Emperor, will be postponed no longer, and the '
Opposition, which was getting anxious about the appeal
to the country, may now make its preparations for the
campaign in peace. As to the Conservatives, " the advo-
cates of liberty and order," why are they not clubbe,
Tories ?
The Patric says the greater part of the representatives
of the Powers who are to take part in the Conference
on the Eastern question, and amongst them Lord Lyons
and Djemil Pasha, met together yesterday at the Foreign
Ministry for a species of preliminary gathering. " This
meeting," says the Patric, " though purely official,
was sufficient to show the entente which prevails
amongst the Governments respecting the difficulties
which are to be disposed of, and all the diplomatists
have carried away the conviction that the Conference
will accomplish its work rapidly and easily."
The Chevalier Nigra seems to have got over his diffi-
culties at Paris ; at least, he is by no means on the worst
of terms with the Emperor, for the two were hunting
together in the Forest of Rambouillet yesterday.
Prince Napoleon, I am sorry to say, is in no satisfactory
condition ; his previous recovery was only temporary, and
he has relapsed, though the case is not thought to present
any danger. Poor Marquis de Moustier is all but hope-
lessly ill.
I hear, on excellent authority, that the Committee of
Uonciliation —the result of Olozaga's attempt to reconcile
the Republicans and the Monarchists—have nomi-
nated the members of the Provisional Govern.
meat in nearly all the districts of Madrid. Prim ,
has been nominated, I believe, in every district without
exception, and Serrano in all but one. Topete is another
general favourite; Olozaga has been chosen but once. The
Spanish journals, which fluctuate and apostate without
blush or compunction, are pretty equally divided in their
sympathies with the various candidates for the throne.
Four of the Madrid papers are for the Duke of Montpen-
Bier, three for Espartero, one for Ferdinand of Portugal,

two for an Italian prince, four for " Charles V 11.," two
for the Prince of the Asturias, and one for Gonzales Bravo !
The Irnparcial sustains its name, and says nothing for
any candidate. I should not omit to mention that the
Republican choice of candidates for the Cortes does not,
as might be expected, include any member of the Provi-
sional Government.

The Opposition has gained one victory, which, if of no
great material value, is not a little gratifying—the paint-
ings which were at the Imperial Club have quietly found
their way back to the Louvre.
To-day the Diable-a-Quatre, one of the last imitations of
La Lanterne, is to be tried at the Seventh Chamber, for
insulting the Emperor.
The sale of M. Delessert's picture gallery is announced.
It is one of the most valuable in existence, numbering
several paintings by the Dutch masters, and the only
genuine Raphael in a private collection.

THE WEATHER TABLE-THIS DAY.

METPOPOLOGICAL REPORTS.

Extreme Sea
Thursday, 1 r....E. r T. 0
Jan. 7, B. T. to F. D. W R. to
8 a.m. 1;4: W. I
1 112 9
— —
—..—
Nairn
Aherdeen
Leith
Shields
Scarborough, 30'27r. 36 35 W.S.W. 2 4 w.s.w. b.c. 2
Yarmouth 30'31.f. 38 33 W.S.W. 1 3 W.S.W. r.f. o'2l 2
Cuxhaven
.... _
Skudesures -_
____ _ _
_
Ardrossan
Green castle 30•22 r. 36 i 26 N.W. 1 3 W.S.W.;c.ro o'os
Holyhead
,o.b. o'o2
Liverpool
Valentin 3B'23r. 48 147 S.S.W. 2 3 W. 10.r.f o'2B 2
Cape Clear 3O 21r. 48 '47 S.W. 3 5 E.S.E, r.f. 0'63 2
Roches Pt. 3019 r. 48 48 E.S.E. 3 3 S.W. r.m. o'so 1
Penzance
Plymouth
81
1fv3.7.1.v. 0n.ar..100:0215
21
Weymouth 30•34 r. 53 152 S.W. 1 1 W.S.W. r.o. 0'26 2
Portsmouth 30'346. 50 149 N.W. 1
London , 3o'3of. 44 .44 N.W. 1 2 W.S.W. c.r.fo'39
C'peGris.Nez 130'07f. 48 48 Z. 0
Brest
4 S.W. tn.oo'ol 2
L'Orient.
Roch efori
Biarritz
b. 6
Brussels —
....
Paris
Strasbourg — _
....
.....
Toulon
.....
Heart's Con- _ _
tent (9 a.m.
local time)
--