The Sun.
London, England, 1869-02-26 00:00:00

FRIDAY' EVENING,

Athrnerum. Mr. Dilke, who has been more successful
than his father in finding a seat, is, I believe, but 24 years
of age. Yet the narrative of his tour round the world,
which he made by way of supplementing his Cambridge
education, chews such powers of observation, such
originality of thought, such vigour of expression, that it is
clear he must be a man of no ordinary powers. Those
who know him prophesy that he will rise to be a Cabinet
Minister. He holds very advanced views, and is one of
the most able additions made of late to the young Radical
party.

The Temperance party are very active this year, and
with good reason. Never was there so much attention called
to their question as there is now; never were we so near im-
portant legislation on this most important subject. Sir Wil-
frid Lawson's Permissive Bill has been already read a first
time, and is down for a second reading early in May. In
the interval the most strenuous efforts will be made to
get up memorials and petitions in its favour.
Temperance is now also under the consideration of the
Convocation of the Southern Province; and I have before
me a copy of the report which will be presented to the
committee, obtained by Archdeacon Sandford. As this
document has not yet been formally adopted, I will say
only that it is a most exhaustive and able report, based on
an enormous quantity of evidence. This morning there
has been a gathering of Welsh Temperance men at the
Freemasons' Tavern.

The Government has determined to reward Mr.
Moncrieff handsomely for his invention (the first
notice of which appeared in this correspondence). He
is to be repaid the cost of his models and experiments, to
receive £l,OOO a year for the time he has spent in perfect-
ing his invention, and is to continue to receive that sum
so long as be is employed by the Government ; he is
also to receive a lump sum of £15,000, whereof £lO,OOO is
to be paid at once, and £5,000 when he ceases to be
employed by the Government. This is the reward of
eleven years of perseverance ; only why did not General
Peel, why did not Earl De Grey, why did not the
Marquis of Hartington discover the value of the inven-
tion before? By so doing they might have saved us
hundreds of thousands for our now superfluous fortifica-
tions.

Mr. Fitzherbert, the Colonial Treasurer of New Zealand,
leaves here for that country this week. He has been in
England for some weeks vainly endeavouring to persuade
our Government to guarantee the interest on a loan which
the New Zealand Government proposes to raise. The truth
is, New Zealand prospects are anything but bright now,
and the only too great probability of another Maori war
renders the colonial financiers very uneasy. But the
policy of guaranteeing colonial debts is one that the party
now in office has almost always refused to sanction. In
this case there are special reasons for refusal, inasmuch
as the dispute with the Maories was brought about
originally by the lust for land. Mr. Fitzherbert
therefore departs r•e infects. Meanwhile Colonel Maude,
of the Free Labour Society, Mr. Thomas Briggs, who has
long taken great interest in emigration, and other gentle-
men, have suggested to Mr. Fitzherbert that a certain
portion of land lying on the frontier of the district in
which the quarrel has been raging shall be granted free to
emigrants who will undertake to settle there, and to bear
arms in their own defence against the Maories. In fact,
they will be a kind of human breakwater against the
waves of aboriginal hostility. To this end emigrants
who had formerly served in the army would be preferred,
and grants would be made from 64 up to 664 acres, in
proportion to the rank of the colonist, and his supposed
ability to direct or assist military operations. The scheme
was laid before Mr. Fitzherbert this morning, and he will
take it back with him for consideration. I may add that
another well-known colonial politician, Sir George Cartier,
is over here now, negotiating for the annexation of the
Hudson's Bay territory to the dominion of Canada.
No fewer than 500 additional members were added to
the Junior Carlton Club on Tuesday. This raises the
total number to 2,000, quite sufficient even for the splendid
new building in Pall Mall anti St. James's-square. There
are still a large number of candidates waiting for admis-
sion. The City Carlton, started last year, is full. It
would seem, therefore, as if Conservatism were anything
but dead, notwithstanding its severe treatment in Novem-
ber. The new Marlborough Club is to be opened next week.
In art, literature, and the drama, the most important
event is the amalgamation of the two opera-houses, an
arrangement which excites much unfavourable comment.
Mr. Millais, who has been alarmingly ill, is said to-day to
be out of danger. Mr. Holman Hunt is still at Florence,
and in a few days he will receive a proof of the engraving,
" Isabella and the Pot of Basil " for his last corrections.
M. Dora is painting a picture of Rossini on his deathbed.
Mr. Henry Gales has painted a picture of the late Cabinet
deciding upon the Abyssinian expedition, each member of
it having sat for his portrait. Mr. Jeaffreson, the author
of the " Book about Lawyers " and other well-known
books, is engaged upon an historical work which will pro-
bably be out before the long vacation,

MISCELLANEOUS NUNS.