The Sun.
London, England, 1856-11-29 00:00:00

THE NEW BISHOP OF RIPON.

Lord Melbourne exclaimed on one occasion that " he
was sure the bishops died on purpose to plague him." By
the trouble which the vacancy of Ripon has given to Lord
Palmerston he must have been forcibly reminded of this
exclamation.

More than two months have been occupied by the con-
sideration of this question. It was at the end of Septem-
ber that we ventured on a caution with reference to an
appointment which seemed very undesirable and yet very
probable.
Wo are aware of a letter, written from a certain deanery
in the west of England, which stated that the Premier's
letter, offering the bishop.ic, was hourly expected to
arrive. We could only attribute the influence exerted
in favour of this very reverend gentleman to the
senior member of the Cabinet, inasmuch as it was
in educational matters that the dean was eminent.
In this department his knowledge was great, but in the
higher qualifications for a bishopric he was lamentably de-
ficient. The chair might almost as reasonably have been
offered to Sir Benjamin Brodie or Sir Edwin Landseer,
both great men in their way, but both unknown as theolo-
gians.
A little consideration showed Lord Palmerston the prac-
tical absurdity of such a choice, and we heard no more of
the dean. The University of Cambridge was next scruti-
nised, and for two or three weeks it seemed likely that
either a popular head of one of the smaller colleges or one
of the divinity professors would be selected. Gradually,
however, these became " dissolving views." The Nor-
risian Professor, the last of the three, dropped out of sight
about ten days since.
Then the very natural and proper principal was again
remembered, that the spiritual ruler of the west riding
bishopric should be one who had known something of town
work and of large parish management. Three of the best
of the London clergy were brought under the Premier's
notice by different friends, who had personal knowledge
of their qualifications. On this day weak Mr. Dale was
considered to stand first on the list. And we incline to
believe that had the bishopric been regarded merely as a
reward for past services none would have been considered
to have a higher claim than the laborious vicar of St.
Pancras. But the diocese of Ripon is a post of hard duty,
and Mr. Dale, though not sixty years of age, bears the
outward appearance of a man of more advanced years.
For the Church's sake, therefore, and for the well-being
of the populous diocese of Ripon, it was judged expedient
to select a man possessing the vigonr of middle ago.
Mr. Bickersteth, the present rector of St. Giles's parish,
became, therefore, the final choice. He is the nephew of
the late Lord Langdale, being the son of the late Rev.
John Bickersteth, the rector of Sapcote. He has been for
about 14 years a laborious and successful parish priest.
His first post was at Reading, , from whence he was sum-
moned to take the incumbency of a new church at Clap-
ham. His labours in that place were so highly appreciated
that it was only with much diffiulty that he could be per-
suaded to accept the rectory of St. Giles-in-the-Fields. In
this last parish ho has shown during the last four or five
year s eminent administrative talent, united with the
higher qualifications of a Christian pastor.
It is not to be denied that Lord Palmerston's Church
appointments present the most favourable aspect of his
Premiership. To have placed four such men as Mr. Vil-
liers, Mr. Baring, Dr. Tait, and Mr. Bickersteth upon the
episcopal bench within a single year, is a circumstance
scarcely to be paralleled in the history of any statesman
of modern days. And when the future historian shall un-
dertake the task of estimating the merits and defects of
Lord Palmerston's Administration, there will be at least
one point on which the impartial chronicler will find it
impossible to avoid awarding to him the mead of warm
and decided praise.—Morning Herald.

STATE OF TRADE.

MANCHESTER, Nov. 28.

The market has shown no improvement since Tues-
day, and the operations in cloth continue to be on a
small scale, but prices are mostly well supported. In
some eases manufacturers have been willing to take
rather easier terms, but stocks are low, and prices leave
too little margin of profit to give the buyer much advan-
tage. There is some accumulation in the Stock of long
cloths, but only such as a fair demand would remove in
a few day.. Narrow T cloths of low weights are in re-
quest. In domestics there is no change, but some little
progress has been made in limiting production by an in-
creased resort to short time. Printing cloths are quiet,
and in shirting cloths prices are rather unsatisfactory
owing to the limited demand. The yarn market is still
flat, and buyers are operating with much caution in the
present drooping state of the market for the raw material.
Doubled yarns, from No. 40 upwards, are still in good
request, and very full rates are given for early delivery.
In most other kinds of twist the buyer has a slight ad-
vantage.
For linen goods of most kinds, Messrs. Richardson,
Tee, and Co. remark in their weekly circular of this
day :—" The demand continues active, and prices are
generally sustained, while some of the lower class of
Scotch goods, whioh are difficult to get woven, have
again risen su price, although they were relatively dear,
compared with the better kinds, prior to the last ad-
vance. Goods suited to the American trade are in re-
quest, and the home trade houses are operating with
confidence at present prices for the spring trade. The
markets are exceedingly firm, and stocks are everywhere
low."

The private letters from Paris yesterday are encourag-
inc,r. Since the last return the bullion in the Bank has
experienced an increase of 800,000/. About 520,0001.
of this has been received within the past three days in
consequence of the purchases of Australian gold in
London, but there was a general tendency towards an
influx not only at the Paris establishment but at the
branches.
The existence of Prince Gortschakoffs circular
affords matter of dispute to two or three highly
polemical journals of Brussels. The Independance
maintains the affirmative, the _Nord the negative
proposition. The question is only one of words.
Both admit that the Prince has transmitted to the
representatives of Russia abroad a document on
the subject of Bolgrad and the Isle of Serpents, in
which the union of a congress tis insisted on.
Whether it is called a circular or a memorandum
matters little.