The Sun.
London, England, 1867-01-30 00:00:00

readily infuse more vigour into their ways. Yir.
GIBSON thinks that no one who interprets rightly
the signs of the times can fail to recognise the neces-
sity of Parliamentary Reform ; but we cannot over-
look the fact that he was a member of a Govern-
ment which failed to realise this truth for seven
years. The right hon. gentleman declared that the
measure introduced by his colleagues was sound so
far as it went, and that was why Mr. BRIGHT gave it
his support ; but the real truth of the matter is
the idea of the measure originated with Mr. BRIGHT,
and hence most of the confusion and misunderstand-
ing that arose. In Mr. GIBSON'S eyes, the Bill no
doubt seems perfect, and he naturally feels disap-
pointed at the result of its discussion.
It is almost amusing to notice the virtuous in-
dignation with which he regards all who opposed it,
and the eagerness with which he seeks to defend
the malplot of the affair. Instead of being grateful
for themoderation shown to them, people exclaimed,
when Mr. BRIGHT supported it, " Oh, there must
be something shocking." Finally, Mr. GIBSON
thinks that a good Reform Bill might
be carried if the Reform party were
united as one man as they were in 1832. This may
be true enough, so far as it goes, but he seems to
forget that this is the most difficult thing of the
whole to effect, and that to make soi disant Liberals
really liberal is a far more arduous thing than to
propound any measure, however complete and com-
prehensive, and to attempt passing it through the
Legislature. Had there been as much sincerity as
earnestness and honesty among the ranks of the
Reformers as there was in former times, we should
not all be so weary and worn-out with this
everlasting subject of Reform, but unhappily
such is not the case, and we are left to mourn the
consequences. It is all very well to talk of the
faults of others, but we wish, for the sake of the
cause they profess to serve, and declare that they
have at heart, that the members of the Liberal
side would be a little more alive to their own defi.

collection of agricultural statistics. When
he was at the head of the Board of
Trade in 1847, he therefore prepared a bill authoris-
ing the collection of such figures, but the existing
prejudice against the principle of the measure was
so strong, and the opposition to it, as odious and in-
quisitorial, was so bitter, that he was obliged
to give it up altogether. When he subse-
quently assumed the office of Lord Lieutenant of
Ireland he made another effort, and the quick in-
telligence of the Irish people immediately appre-
hended the value of such information, and they
readily agreed to adopt the system. These admira-
ble statistics, said Lord CLARENDON, Lave been for
many years a standing reproach to Great Britain.
At last, however, matters are improving in this
country, and a return for 1866 shows the total
population, area, abstract of acreage under crops,
bare fallow, and grass, and the total number of
cattle and sheep in each division of the United
Kingdom, in each [county, and in various foreign
countries. It is at once evident to the impartial
observer how very serviceable such statistics must
be to the producer and cultivator, and it is only
wonderful that the experiment should have been so
long delayed. In other matters the agriculturists
have made rapid progress, and gladly avail
themselves now of the aid of science which
once they refused to admit. Surely, then,
it need be no great sacrifice on their part to agree
to the collection of general facts, and their publica-
tion in official returns. A man's neighbours need
know no more about his affairs than they do now ;
but there will be the summary of facts to go upon,
which will enable everyone to judge for himself
how far we are advancing or receding in compa-
rison with foreign countries, and what will be the
probable rate of prices at home and abroad. It has
always been found that the more freedom and pub-
licity is given to any industry the more it flourishes,
and surely English agriculture is not so con- r
temptible a thing that it need be shrouded in 1
mystery and protected by prejudice.

cien cies.

Mr. GIBSON passed on to consider the probability
of the present Government bringing in a measure
of Reform ; but, as might have been expected, he
was not very sanguine as to the result of their
doing so. He was very indignant at the notion
that some had expressed as to the new mea-
sure being framed in such a manner as to put
Mr. BRIGHT and Mr. GLADSTONE in the wrong, and
declared that if such were the case it would satisfy
neither the country nor the great body of the
Liberal party. This, however, is neither here nor
there, because it is not likely that anything which
ber MAJESTY'S present Ministers may propose will
be looked upon very favourably, or even perhaps
fairly, by those who preceded them in office. We
hope, however, for their own credit, as much as for
the good of the nation at large, that there will
be no extreme measures resorted to, and that
we shall not witness a repetition of that jea-
lousy which so much embittered the cause of
the best measures which was proposed by the Con-
servatives. The Liberals may rest assured than any
prestige that they might lose by not originating the
scheme that is to pass into law would be more than
made up for by the respect and regard which they
would deserve, and undoubtedly receive, if they show
themselves above party considerations and anxious
to secure the welfare of the community, rather than
put forward their own pretensions to popularity.
We can hardly believe that much improvement will
be shown in the ensuing session from what we
have noticed in past years ; but still there may
be a better spirit infused into the Parliamentary
proceedings. It is to be trusted that there may be,
for many reasons, and one is—that so much other
important legislation is stopped by the delays
interposed by the constant consideration of the
Reform question. Mr. GIBSON speaks of the
necessity for irhproving a system of national
education, and that is very true in the main, but
while so much prejudice and party feeling are dis-
played it is difficult, if not impossible, for public
men to get on very rapidly with any new under-
takings of however much importance they may be.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS, Tuesday Evening.

An analysis has been received by telegraph of the
project of law presented to the Italian Parliament
relative to the liquidation of ecclesiastical property
and the separation of the Church from the State in
the kingdom of Italy. According to this law, the
Catholic Church is freed from all intervention on

:he part of the State with the exercise of worship,

from the nomination of bishops by the State, from
the oath, and from the placet and the exequatur.
The privileges, exemptions, and immunities of the
Church in the State are also abolished. The Church
will be able to provide herself for her wants,
with the free assistance of the faithful, and
the property belonging to her which she has
legitimately acquired. As a consequence of this

the expenses which were heretofore at the charge of
the State, the provinces, the communes, and of pri-
vate individuals will cease. ' The following are the
precise terms of the clause relative to the liquidation
of ecclesiastical property :
" If the Bishops should declare that they wish to

take upon themselves the conversion and liquidation
of ecclesiastical property, they must alienate within
a delay of ten years all that property by converting
it immovable into moveable property. They will
then have to pay to the Government the sum of 800
millions of francs in proportional amounts of 50
millions every six months, and to take upon them-
selves besides the pensions to be paid to the sup-
pressed religious corporations. The pensions granted
to the members of the suppressed religious corpora-
tions will remain at the charge of the Bishops."
It may be well to add that the Journal (le Rome
announces that the Pope is opposed to the measures
adoptedonly
give his consentinregardtoec to themclesias withticalpr theoper idty,
ea and
will
of
avoiding shill greater misfortunes.

The Fremdenblatt of Vienna states that an un-
derstanding is approaching between the Austrian
Government and Hungary. The only difficulties
which remain to be overcome consist of the necessity
of determining general affairs, and of separating

from them those which specially regard the attri-
butions of the Hungarian Ministry.
Some of the theological journals vigorously oppose

The Earl of CLARENDON has been making a short
but sensible speech on agricultural affairs. The re-
appearance of the noble lord in public is the more
welcome from the fact that illness has prevented
him for some time from being present at the meet-
ings of the society over which he has presided for the
year. The West Herts Agricultural Society was
the association whose annual assembly was held
yesterday afternoon, and Lord CLARENDON, who
took the chair, touched briefly upon the advantages
which such institutions Offered. The committee,
said the noble lord, were particularly anxious
to call the attention of the tenant farmers to
the prizes which they offered for the best
cultivated farms. He was himself of opi-
nion that such prizes were most beneficial to a
district, since they stimulated men's energies and
induced them to bring all their knowledge to bear
on the increase of their land. These prizes are of
considerable value, ranging from £5O downwards,
but the prizes for labourers, though only £2 or £3
were ranked even higher in importance by the noble
chairman. There had, he reminded his hearers,
been a good deal of ridicule attached to these
prizes, but he thought, for his part, that such critics
did not understand the mainspring of human action
—ambition. It would be absurd, said Lord CLA-
RENDON, to estimate the Order of the Bath or the
Victoria Cross at their money value and in the same
way the public recognition of his good conduct by
the chief residents in his own locality is Korth more
to the labourer and his family than the commercial
worth of the forty or fifty shillings. Lord CLAREN-
DON very wisely suggested that the prizes ought to
be accompanied by a diploma recording the causes
of the gift, which would be to the man's family his
Order of the Bath or his Victoria Cross.

the project of erecting a statue to Voltaire. The
Pays is conspicuous in this attack. It speaks of
Voltaire as the defamer of the popular classes and
the enemy to the diffusion of intelligence. Among
the epithets applied to Voltaire, he is called a poor
creature, a bad Frenchman, and a proud aristocrat.
The Russian papers publish details respecting the
progress of the works of the Russian-American
Railways, upon which it appears that the Russian
line will come into operation in the autumn of this
year. The work of sounding and measurement of
Behring's Straits is terminated. The American line
is finished up to those straits.

Lord CLARENDON, having given his opinion on
the matter of prizes and testimonials, proceeded to
examine a question of very great practical import-
ance to agriculturists, but one whose value they are
very slow and unwilling to recognise. In the matter
of agricultural statistics England has hitherto been
sadly deficient. In all other departments of indus-
try the great advantage of collecting returns and
collating information is usually promptly acknow-
ledged by all parties concerned. " Upon our trade
and commerce," said Lord CLARENDON, " our ex-
ports and imports, our currency, our population, out
criminal jurisprudence, and in short upon everything
that can throw light on the moral and social condi-
tion of the country, we have for years past been in
the habit of collecting and acting upon the most re-
liable information we could obtain. But it is upon
the produce of our soil, upon the relation between
production and population, upon that knowledge
which will impart to us the amount of the pro-
duction of our own soil, and how far we must
rely upon foreigners for our food, what are the
regulating causes of price upon everything which
it is most important for the producer to know, the
agricultural interest have refused to be informed and
have preferred to remain in ignorance and dark-
ness." Lord CLARENDON himself has always
strenuously endeavoured to remove this prejudice,
and his extended experience of foreign countries
has enabled him to see what immense advan-
tage other nations derive from an accurate

A man named Jacques-Charles Van Damme has
just died at Ghent, in his 87th year, who was an
old servant of the French empire, and the last of the
natives of Ghent who accompanied Napoleon the
First to the island of Elba.

The provincial journals continue to publish in-
teresting reminiscences connected with the late
severe weather. From Montfaucon it is stated that
so much snow had not been seen there within the
memory of man. One day last week the snow in the
open fields was nine-tenths of a metre in depth.
All the roads were stopped up and the
houses covered. A traveller who had penetrated to
Montefaucon with much difficulty announced that
at two or three miles from the town there was a
family dying from cold and hunger. The father
and mother were in bed dangerously ill from fever.
A number of young men instantly volunteered to
traverse the snow with fuel and provisions to com-
fort the unhappy family. Indeed the account says
that every inhabitant of the town would have gone
if it had been necessary. The church bells rang
from the departure till the return of the expedition
on its dangerous mission. One of this courageous
and benevolent party was suffocated in the snow.
When the snow was at its height in the mountains
of the Tyrol an immense avalanche was precipitated
from the Brenner, and fell upon twelve wood-
cutters, who were at work in the valley beneath.
Six of them were completely buried in the snow. The
other six immediately ran for assistance, but it
was only after three-quarters of au hour of
unwearied exertion that the sufferers were extri-
cated. They were in an exhausted and perilous
state, but from the care taken of them they were
restored in a few hours.

A Vienna journal describes an odd adventure
which took place at a masked ball in that city. A
newly-married merchant, with the consent of his
wife, went to the ball dressed as a woman. She
assisted at his toilet, and indeed made him up so
admirably that he appeared to be a very handsome,
captivating lady. He produced such an impression
at the ball as to make several conquests, and some
dashing young fellows paid for a splendid supper
for him. The repast over, he requested the gallant
young fellows to conduct him home. His wife
opened the door, and he then thanked his friends
for their polite attention, the more particularly, as
.he ironically added, as they had been paid to a man
and not to a woman. The young fellows did not
relish the joke, and on finding how they had been
mystified they attacked both the merchant and his
wife. They then began to break the windows and
the furniture, and were so employed when apassing
patrol heard the noise and stopped the work of fury
by taking them to the police station. _

The Court of the Assize of the Seine et Oise has
just condemned to 10 years' imprisonment a child
only 11 years and a half old, but who, in the
space of 11 months, committed no less than eight
acts of incendiarism.

M. Pollet, the head of an important banking
establishment at Lille, died suddenly a night or two
ago, it is said of suicide. The house Las stopped
payment, although theaseets are supposed to amount

VIE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDA Y E V ENING, JANUARY 30, 1867

to no less than 15 millions of francs. The event
has created great excitement in the commercial
world, particularly at Lille and Roubaix.

A Paris tribunal has given an important decision
in reference to railway responsibility. M. Renouard,
a merchant of Paris, took a return ticket from Paris
to London from the Northern Railway Company.
His trunk was lost in consequence of the melancholy
accident to the Samphir some months ago. Upon
the demand of M. Renouard, the Justice of Peace
condemned the Northern Railway to pay him 500 f.
as damages, and compelled the South Eastern Eng-
lish Railway Company to guarantee the Northern
Railway Company of Paris. The Chemin de ler du
Nord appealed against this decision, but the Tri-
bunal has confirmed the judgment of the Juge de
Paix, and condemned the Northern Railway Com-
pany to pay the expenses of the appeal.

LATEST INTEL LIGENUF.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

GREECE.

ATHENS, Jan. 24, via Marseilles.

A French war vessel, accompanied by two Tur-
kish vessels, has brought to the Piraeus from Candia
350 Greek volunteers, who, after enduring great
privations, solicited to be conveyed from the island.
The population of the Pirsaus manifested great ex-
asperation and would not allow the volunteers to
disembark. The police, in order to prevent dis-
turbances, therefore conveyed them to the desert
islet of St. George, near Salamine.
The Government has brought forward in the
Chamber a bill modifying the Customs tariff, which
will have the effect of nugmmting the Customs re-
venue by 1,500,000 dracamas.

The Suisse Radicals states that while a woman
was walking in the fields she gave birth to a girl.
It was thought that all was over, but soon after-
wards she gave birth to a second child. The woman
was instantly conveyed home, but the pains came
on again, and she gave birth to twomore children,
making four. The account naively adds that the
husband was stupefied, and asked his wife if she
had finished.

According to the census just taken in Belgium,
the population of the four large cities of that king-
dom is as follows :--Brussels, 190,000 inhabitants ;
Ghent, 126,000 ; Antwerp, 124,000 ; Liege,
105,000. The deaths in those four cities in 1866
amounted to 26,632, and the births to 17,587.
There was, therefore, an excess of 9,143 deaths
over the births.

Yesterday the weather was gloomy, rainy, and
disagreeable. To-day it has been bright, warm,
and agreeable. At nine o'clock this morning the
sun shone brilliantly like summer. Not a cloud
was to be seen.

THE ITALIAN PARLIAMENT.

FLORENCE, Jan. 28 (Evening).

To-clay, in the Chamber of Deputies, General
Bixio requested information from the Government
relative to the affair of the frigate Formidabile,
which was fired upon by an Austrian fort in the
waters of Gravosa. He also condemned the con-
duct of the captain of the Formidabile on that
occasion. The Minister of Marine, in reply, related
the circumstances of the case, and said the Austrian
Commandant had declared that in firing upon the
frigate he acted entirely under a misapprehension, as
the Austrian Government since October last had
given orders for Italian vessels to be treated as
those of a friendly nation. The Minister added
that the captain of the. Formidabile did not take
the proper course under the circumstances, and
had been removed from his command in conse-
quence. As the matter was still the subject of ex-
planations between the Italian and Austrian Go-
verments the Minister could state nothing further
for the present, but would communicate to the
House the diplomatic acts of the Government as
soon as the correspondence should have terminated.
The Chamber subsequently approved the unifi-
cation of the land tax in Venetia.