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

FINANCIAL REFORMERS.

The financial reformers want to strengthen the
hands of the Government, and intend, about Whit-
suntide, to hold a great conference in London, for
the purpose of protesting against extravagant expen-
diture, and for calling for reductions.

THE NEW LAW COURTS.

Notwithstanding the ridicule which the plan has
met with, it is now manifest that the Government
intend to persist in abandoning the Carey-street site
for the new law courts, and in erecting them in the
narrow opening on the Thames Embankment. The
Government surveyors are at work measuring and
inquiring, and other officers are endeavouring to find
out the terms on which the houses are held. The
ground belongs to the Duke of Norf',Jk.

OUR DEFENSIVE FORCES.
General Sir John Burgoyne and Colonel Hamley
have both addressed the Times on the subject of our
national defences, Sir John Burgoyne does not con-
sider that an invasion of this country would be likely
to succeed even with its present means of defence.
but he believes that we could not go to war with
any of the great Powers without being subjected to
loss and humiliation. Ile states briefly the motives
.and means for an attack upon us, leaving those facts
to be compared with our own means of defence.
The doctrine of non-intervention will not save us
from acts of aggression if too weak to defend our-
selves, and the large military forces of the Continent
are constantly available and fully equipped, while
ours are comparatively small in number, with
imperfect and inefficient reserves. With the
view of improving our position, he there-
fore directs our efforts to two objects—
the establishment of a standing army on the
smallest possible basis, and the formation of a
powerful, ready, and efficient reserve. He suggests
that the Militia might be so combined with the
Regulars as to become a reserve of good troops ; an
object which might be obtained by shortening
the period of service in the standing army, and Mr. Bright has his wish. We have an Irish session.
transferring the men to the Militia. Colonel Hamley Nothing else but Irish religion, and Irish politics, and
on the other hand, has little faith in the Militia. lie Irish treason, and Irish riots, and Irish murders are dis-
believes that we may obtain a vastly superior reserve
cussed
in Parliament. There is not a da
force in another way, which, however, he doesy passes but
what the sister island avenges herself for years of past
not specify. Colonel llamley is strongly opposed to
neglect by monopolising the whole attention of the Legis-
the theory that we should limit ourselves to the de-
fensive in war. He thinks, therefore, that we should lature. The truth is, Ministers have a very difficult job in
pause in the design of adakting oni ..aro: mainly to hand, more difficult than they calculated when they first
purposes of defencea undertook it. If the disestablishment of the Irish Church
THE STRAITS SETT',7.l.iir.Nw, is but the first step towards the consummation they so
The Secretary of the Coilwtiert hlf. recently been devoutly wish—the pacification of Ireland—it is only a
waited upon by a large deputation who wanted to short step ; a far longer and more difficult one will
have the government of the Straits Settlements re- have to be taken next year, if not this. Even the Liberal
formed. The Straits Settlements is a colony journals are now freely admitting the excitement which
formed by the inion of the islaas of prevails in Ireland about—not the Church, but the land.
Singapore and Penang, and of the pro- The very remarkable letter which appears to-day from the
winces of Malacca and Vellesley. They ware special correspondent of the Daily News, writing from
formerly governed from Calcutta, as a part of the Thurles slims that while there may be noisy
Bengal Presidency. In 1867, however, Lord Derby's meetings
of a few persons in Dublin and Belfast
Government changed this. The colony was handed .
with reference to the Church, the nation attaches very
over to a governor ;Ind council. A majority of the
council is appointed by il:e governor, his nominees little importance to the matter, considers it settled, in fact,
being bound to support him, lie lu.s the power of and needing no longer any attention on its part. At
appointing and removing
,judges—is, in fact, given the same time it is intensely interested in the land ques-
arbitrary rule, The deputation protested against tills, tion, profoundly penetrated by the idea that those who
The governor, they said, was military, and imbued till the soil ought to own it. It is this prevalent feeling which
with the old style of Indian rule. The colony, being renders the position of the Government so difficult. Any
purely commercial, wanted d,fferent treatment. The measure that they bring in must fall short
,fudges, being creatures of the governor, were looked of the national expectation and there is no telling what
upon with disfavour. Free trade in the colony was results will follow when the first feeling of disappoint-
threatened. Would Earl Granville step in and help
and the merchants ? The earl ment arises. At the same time it may fairly
the colonists, justice,
be questioned if it would not be safest and wisest to put an
briefly replied that he had no intention of doing so at
present ; that he would do what lie could to keep end to extravagant expectations at once by an official
down extravagance, either of expenditure or govern- declaration of the Ministerial intentions on this important
silent, and he would take the other question into question. Mr. Bright (whose views are most dreaded by
consideration. the Irish landlords) has indeed declared that he will not
sanction any legislation transferring the estates from the
MISS RYE'S EMIGRATION SCHEME.
Miss Rye writes to the Times informing the public landlords to the tenants without the consent of the first;
that she is going to take out to Canada 100 more
all that he wants, in fact, is to facilitate the quiet and un-
working women on the 10th of June, and asking for revolutionary establishment of a native Roman Catholic
.
money to help her to carry on her work. She gives proprietary. It is doubtful if this is clearly understood
reasons for refusing to do two things which she has by the Irish people.
repeatedly been asked to do. She will have nothing It is very probable that the present agitation will be
to do with women of bad character. The waters of the turned to account for party purposes, and that by the
Atlantic she has not yet discovered to be waters of time the Irish Church Bill has reached the Upper House
regeneration ; nor has the ocean air the power of the position may have grown so strained that Lord West-
dispelling bad habits, bad principles, and bad lives. • burg's contemplated
She has taken bad cases in hand, and has failed inserious,
manoeuvre of demanding the whole
Irish programme of the Government may become
every one. Nor will she take out girls of from 12
to 16 years of age. Children may go abroad secure and involve decisive action. This is rendered more
in the love they bring with them or create ; grown likely by the conduct of Mr. Disraeli yesterday.
women have experience enough to snake the best of One would have supposed that all parties would support
their positions. But young inexperienced girls, im- the bill for deposing the Mayor of Cork. Nevertheless,
patient of control and ignorant of the world, are not the leader of the Opposition delivered a most hostile
fit subjects for emigration. speech, and adopted such a carping and unworthy tone
THE ROMANCE OP THE CITY, that men like Colonel Knox and Mr. Beresford Hope
One of the most interesting works which the repudiated it, and even Mr. Hardy refused to endorse it,
failure of Overend, Gurney, and Co. has called forth and came to the aid of the Government. Altogether it
is that by Mr. Stephanos Xenos, the Greek was an exciting debate, and spewed to what lengths party
merchant, whose extraordinary statements at the spirit will carry even men like Mr. Disraeli. Lord Stanley's
time of the magistrates' committal attracted so much speech on Friday night, in which he declared that Govern-
attention. It reads like a romance • the style is racy deal with the Church and the
ment could not ossibl
and vigorous; real characters are described ; and we land in the same session, and Mr. Hardy's speech above-
arey almost let into the inner workings of the minds
of those who have played so prominent a part in the in for an armistice between
mentioned, chew that there are statesmen who recognise
a political crisis aperiod financial history of the last few months. If Mr.
Xenos may be trusted, the City must be worse than political rivals.
it has ever yet been painted. Men in the sorest
Much interest i
straits to-day find themselves suddenly rich, and day'sdebateonths felt in
ererrameeting at St.
anticipation_T of
he next Wednes-
have hardly time to grasp the fact ere they are as James's Hall on Tuesday night was by far the most
poor as ever. The City—at least that portion of it enthusiastic that the supporters of the measure have ever
to which Mr. Xenos belongs—seems to do all its work, had in London, and it chewed that the Alliance has at
to gain mid lose its fortunes, on commissions, last made an impression upon that great inorganic
Merchants getting into the hands of financiers, find, as mass population called the 'metropolis. The
the result of extended capital, that their businesses are Times which hitherto has ridiculed the Alliance,
increasing, when lo ! commissions blast their hopes,
this morning condescends to argue. The Times
Money, handed about in fabulous sums, seems to be
regarded much as a bag of marbles is amongst - no d
doubt well aware that the Government is
schoolboys. We are told by Mr. Xenos of a seriously discussing this topic, is resolved upon doing
gentleman who three years before had to hold his something, and so far it is an open question if the per-
furniture in the name of his aunt, from prudent missive veto shall be included in the Government measure
considerations, ranked upon a bankrupt estate for or not. It is, I believe, quite intended that the operation
£15,000, and got it paid ; how a versatile Greek of the Beerhouses Act shall be suspended for two years, and
gentleman had led a rich banking finn into such that no fresh licenses shall begranted to fill up the vacancies
difficulties that they gladly paid his debt of £lOO,OOO occurring through death and bankruptcy, and other causes.
to keep things quiet; how one beat his breast because . It is not yet decided if a division shall be taken on Sir Wilfrid
he had allowed an opportunity to slip of asking for Lawson's bill next Wednesday, or if the debate shall be
£5,000 commission for walking across the street;
adjourned. Should the House divide, it is probable that
how the clerk bamboozles his master, and goes up.
the numbers in favour of the bill will' be nearly twice a s
while the other goes down ; how the clerk in his
turn becomes involved and goes to the dogs with a
large as in the division which took place in the last Par-
'lament but one. Now that Mr. Birley retains his seat
troop of vultures hovering around for their "com-
missions." City life seems to have all the excitement all three members for Manchester will be found voting
of the racecourse, all the respectability of philosophy, for the bill. Remembering that Mr. Miall when
with all the advantages of a training amongst those ' he first divided the House on the Irish Church question,
whom it would perhaps be too severe to call " habitual had under SO votes, and that he has entered the House
criminals." again, after a lapse of a few years, in order to see that
measure carried by majorities of over 100, no Reformer
need despair, least of all the members of the Alliance.
American matters still occupy much attention, and
excite more interest than satisfaction. I hear that Mr.
Motley, who will arrive early next month, will be
instructed to make demands which it will be impossible
for us to grant. They will probably include a bill for a
very large sum of money which, acting on Mr. Sumner's
suggestion, will be considered due from us for having pro-
longed the war by our recognition of the Confederates as
belligerents. Our Government, I have reason to know,
considers that the present position of the Alabama question
is serious. The conviction seems to be gaining ground that
Mr. Thornton isnot strong enough forhis place. Itis thought
that he ought not to have been so badly informed as to
let us sign a convention which the Americans meant to
throw in our faces. However, Mr. Reverdy Johnson was
deceived no less than our Minister at 'Washington.
Mr. Thornton owes his position, I believe, to Mr. Ham-
mond, the Permanent Under-Secretary for Foreign
Affairs—a gentleman little known to the public, not even
thought worthy of mention among " Men of the Time."

METROPOLITAN G OSSlP—Thursda y.

TIIE TOMB OF O'CONNELL.

It is just twenty-two years since O'Connell died, at
Genoa, leaving "my body to Ireland, my heart to
home, my soul to heaven." In accordance with this
dying wish, his body was brought to Ireland, and
was buried in Glasneven Cemetery. A most elabo-
rate memorial of him was planned. It was designed
by Petrie, the well-known Irish arclifeologlst, and was
to consist of—" first, a church on the ancient model.
which should serve as a mortuary chapel; next, a
lofty round tower, surmounted by the cross, which,
while it could be seen from afar, would bring back
the old religious associations of the land ; and lastly,
the group was to be finished by a monumental cross."
The erection of the church and the cross was postponed
on:the ground of want of funds, and it was filially
determined that the tower alone should constitute
the O'Connell monument. But even this imperfect
adaptation of Petrie's idea has by no means secured
such a preservation of the -Liberator's remains as
might have been expected. A committee recently ap-
pointed describes the vault in whichthe body lies as in
a very sad condition. It is now proposed to remove
the body to an altar tomb at the foot of the round