The Sun.
London, England, 1867-11-25 00:00:00

THE SUN, LOND.,N MONDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 25, 1867.

of air, good food, and wholesome lodging. This is
no uncommon case among the struggling families
of the very poor, but the cholera did at least good
service in calling attention to some of their most
pressing needs. Mrs. GLADSTONE established a
Convalescent Home at Snaresbrook, Epping, in
order to meet such cases, and the result has been in
most instances the complete recovery of the
sufferers. The Home hr.s been in active operation
for some months, and has been reserved for male
patients only, the Orphanage at Clapton being
reserved for women and children. But so great is
the need for its assistance, and soo wide is the room
for its influence, that its principal supporters held
the meeting to which we have referred on Thurs-
day last, " for the purpose of considering the ques-
tion of providing additional accommodation for
convalescents from the east of London." The
charity did not want for able and eloquent advo-
cates of its claims. Mr. GLADSTONE was, of course,
the principal speaker, and forcibly argued the case
of the lingering convalescent. " Were they," he
asked, "to say that fresh air, and the sights and
scenes of the country had ceased to renovate health,
were mere matters of fancy and imagination, and
that they could, with a safe conscience, put them by
as things not required to be supplied ? Did not the
citizens of London for themselves value fresh air ?"
The right hon. gentleman went on to refer to the
increasing demand for suburban residences
among the wealthy citizens who were in
the enjoyment of full health. How much
more urgently then must a change of scene be re-
quired by the sick man in the close, unwholesome
dwellings of the poor ? In support of this argu-
ment he quoted a passage from the Lancet on the
subject of convalescent hospitals, in which the
writer declares that in many instances such a change
would 'suffice to alter the whole course and character
of a disease.' " When hospital physicians," says
the Lancet, " have exhausted their means of giving
tone and strength, when meat and wine and
quinine are scarcely seen to further the patient's
progress, then there will remain the best tonic of
the list, a change from brick walls and narrow
streets and city air to open country and green fields.
A little reflection on the unhealthy and monotonous
surroundin-s of the sick poor, especially in the east
of London, will enable the most unimaginative man
to understand what a powerful instrument of health
a convalescent hospital will be to them." Well
might Mr. GLADSTONE say that, after reading the
above passages, that he thought that portion of the
case was complete. He went on to examine the
statistics of the question, and said he had been told
that of the 40,000 patients who pass through the
London hospitals in one year one-tenth should
have access to a convalescent hospital
but at present there are only 200 beds for them all
So strong is the conviction of the need for such es- ,
tablishments growing that two of our wealthy hos-
pitals, St. George's and St. Bartholomew's, are
about to supply them for themselves ; but as Mr.
GLADSTONE reminded his hearers, these will only
benefit the west and north-west of London, and
it was the east they were called upon to succour.
Two principles are laid down as fundamental rules
of the institution, which are both excellent. The
first provides that it shall be altogether free, and
the advantage of this will be at once perceived
when it is remembered that the sufferer
is able to contribute nothing to the support of his
family if a man, and if a woman a child has doubt-
less occasioned them much expense by illness. The
other rule, equally unassailable, is, that there should
be no regard to religious distinctions—that members
of every denomination should be received with
equal readiness and equal favour. Mr. GLADSTONE,
in closing his able address, answered, by anticipa-
tion, an objection which he thought might be raised
on account of the badness of the times. The capital
of the country, he said, had undergone no diminu-
tion, but the increase which the capitalists made
was less this year than usual. Surely, then, they
should remember that a bad year for the capitalist
was a bad year for the labouring classes too, and the
urgency of the duty was increased of providing for
the alleviation of their distress. Lord CRANBORNE,
who followed, spoke in the same strain, and re-
minded his hearers that in cases of sickness there
could be no imposture, but the assistance required
could never be given by the Poor Law, whose
essence must always be caution and the avoidance of
liberality. We hope that with such powerful ad-
vocates the claims of the Convalescent Hospital
to support will be readily admitted by the public.
Our hospitals always meet with encouragement
and approval from all classes of the community,
and the benefits which Mrs. GLADSTONE'S design
affords to a very wide range of sufferers have only
to be more widely known to be recognised with
equal sympathy. The convalescent poor man has
often more to endure than the actual invalid—
incapable. He is forced to struggle
stricken down,
against weakness, unsupported by the food and the
stimulants he needs, unrefreshed by the rest he
requires. With the kindly and timely aid of the
Snaresbrook Home his prospects for the future will
be more cheering.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS..

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, Sunday Evening.
There was a Cabinet Council yesterday at St.
Cloud, at which the Emperor presided.
There is no news of importance to-day, foreign
or domestic, and not a word about Italy in the
itloniteur. Indeed the Moniteur is crammed to-
day, as yesterday, with diplomatic documents which
would fill volumes, an analysis of which I must
reserve for another day. Its report of the proceed-
ings in the Chambers yesterday is so extensive as
to preclude the admission of any miscellaneous
matter. There was nothing of importance in the
Parliamentary proceedings. The French public
seem to take more interest just now in the proceed-
ings of the Fenians than in their own affairs. An
account of the execution of the three men at Man-
chesteris published in the papers to-day, and is the
absorbing topic of comment and attention. Several
writers presage great difficulties for England conse-
quent upon the present phase of the Fenian demonstra-
tions. They do not seem to understand these men
were executed for murder, and not because they were
Fenians.

The Lower Prussian Chamber is now occupied
with the motion of M. Lasker, having for object the
abolition of the proceedings taken against the
Deputies Twesten and Frentzel, charged with hav-
ing defamed the official authorities, and with the
completion of a law giving a full interpretation to
Article 84 of the Prussian Constitution, which would
confer upon the National Chambers the privileges
of inviolability enjoyed by the members of the
Reichstag. It, seems very doubtful whether the law
will be adopted.
The Saxon Chamber has terminated the general
discussion upon the financial Budget of 1868-1869.
The budget of the Minister of Foreign Affairs was
agreed to in all its details.
Yesterday a very useful and benificent arrange-
ment for the benefit of the poor of Paris was com-
menced. An apparatus was established in various
districts for cooking, the chief expense being borne
by the Imperial Prince. These cooking kitchens
are called farneaux economiques of the Imperial
Prince. The poor can have a wholesome and
copious repast for five sous, or twopence halfpenny,
consisting of a plate of soup, a plate of cooked
meat, plate of vegetables, rice soup, and bread, that
is to say each for a sou.

The bureaux of the Legislative Body have

mously agreed to the two requests to make interpc7l-
- upon the subject of the late expedition to
Rome, and the maintenance of the temporal power
of the Pope. The request made by M. Jules
Favre for permission to put questions relative to
the foreign policy of the Government was agreed to
by eight bureaux out of nine. The request rela-
tive to the application of the laws regarding in-
dividual liberty and the general internal policy of
the Government was rejected by six bureaux against
three.

Tho English papers lately gave an account of the
murder of a M. Blum in the street at San Francisco.
M. Isaac Auguste Blum was a Parisian, formerly
a pupil of the Polytechnic School, and a man of
great scientific attainments. He wrote several
works connected with algebra and mathematics.
In 1848 he was an ardent and zealous Republican,
and his political manifestations led him into some
trouble. Ile founded a journal called La Science,
which entailed pecuniary difficulties, and he was
imprisoned at Clichy. When the creditors of M.
Blum became tired of keeping him in prison he
went to Russia and obtained employment as an.
engineer on the railway, by which he soon retrieved
his bad fortune. From there he went to California,
where he obtained so much gold as to become very
rich. At the time he was murdered he had 50,000 f
in gold and notes about him.

The Municipal Commission of Albano have pre-
sented an address to the Pope, protesting energeti-
cally against the Garibaldian invasion, and expres-
sive of their sentiments of love, fidelity, and venera-
tion towards the Holy Father.
The Academy of Fine Arts have elected M.
Labrouste to the place vacant in the architectural
section.

Up to the present time the Government has not
received any official ac.lount of the adhesion of the
Pope to the proposed Conference. It is believed
that his Holiness will consent to it under certain
reservations.. According to a Berlin paper, Prussia
takes the same view of the Conference as England.
According to the monthly statistics published by
the municipality of Paris, in the month of August,
there was only one completely fine day, and it
rained throughout eight entire days. The number
of births in that month was 4,636-2,400 boys and
2,236 girls. The number of deaths was 3,368-
1,949 males and 1,719 females. The number of
births, therefore, exceeded that of the deaths by
968. The number of marriages in the month was
1,601. Of these persons made happy by law, 208
were not able to sign their names to the contract
which consolidated their happiness. -In the month
of September there were only three entirely fine
days, and there were 14 rainy days. In that month
the number of births was 4,345 ; the deaths were
3,554. They included 48 suicides. The number
of marriages was 1,365. Thirty-two of the men
and 130 of the fair brides could not write their
names. The march of intellect progresses but slowly
in some cases. But, however, if these persons had
been more enlighened perhaps they would not have
decided upon marriage.
The sun rose this morning with as much bril-
liancy as was ever seen in the height of summer.
All day we have had uninterrupted sunshine and a
magnificent blue sky.
When the Emperor of Austria was in Paris, his
Majesty was particularly struck with that portion
of the Palace of the Luxembourg which faces the
fountain de Medicis, recently under restoration.
These were the apartments of Marie de Medicis,
where the memorable events of the Day of Dupes
took place. A gentleman connected with the Palace
mentioned some historical facts to the Emperor
which deeply interested his Majesty. In 1630
Marie de Medicis came to reside at the Luxembourg,
and Cardinal Richelieu occupied the Petit Luxem-
bourg at the same time. King Louis XIII. was at
the Hotel d'Ancre, Rue de Tournon. The Queen
wished to get rid of the Cardinal. She and her son
were conversing on the subject,when Richelieu, who
was well advised of what was going on, knocked at
the door. It was not opened. Richelieu went down
a private staircase, and reached the cabinet of Marie
de Medicis. Marie de Medicis and the King saw the
Cardinal at the door. He merely said " I wanted
to convince myself that you were talking about
me." King Louis XIII. was seized with stupor,
and the Queen addressed words of insult to the
Cardinal, both in French and Italian. The King
left precipitately for his hotel, and ordered his car-
riage for Versailles. The Cardinal was not to be
beaten. He pretended to go to Reuil, but reached
Versailles as soon as the King. The Queen Mother,
believing that a separation had been effected between
the King and the Minister, sent for the diploma-
tists of her party to the Luxembourg ; but while
they were rejoicing at the Luxembourg in their
triumph, a messenger came from the King that he
had seen the Cardinal at Versailles, and that there
was entire reconciliation between them. The cour-
tiers who came to Marie de Medicis to rejoice left
the apartments to grieve. There is many a slip
between the cup and the lip.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

ITALY.

FLQRENCE, Nov. 24 (Evening).

The Italie of to-day says :—Some foreign jour-
nals have pretended that the French Minister of
Foreign Affairs had sent a reply couched in some-
what short terms to a letter sent by General
Menabrea. The assertion is inexact, as no such
reply exists or could exist. The letter of General
Menabrea alluded to was addressed to the Chevalier
de Nigra, and had no other object than to indicate
the point of view taken by the Government in the
Roman question.
We believe that the relation of the two Govern-
ments, even after this letter, have taken a character
which has nothing alarming for the friends of
Italy.
ST. PETERSBURG, Nov. 25.

The Imperial proclamation, announced yesterday,
orders a conscription of four in every 1,000 of the
population, and not in every 100 as stated.

QUEENSTOWN, Nov. 25.

The Cunard extra steamship Tarifa, from New
York, arrived here at 8.15 a.m. to-day, with 144
passengers. She landed despatches and 45 pas-
sengers, and proceeded from Liverpool at 8.30 a.m.
All well.

LITERATURE.

" CAVENDISH" ON WHIST.

An exquisite New Edition—the Eighth—of this
master-authority upon the King of Games has just
now been issued, with an anticipative eye to 1868,
by the Messrs. Thomas De la Rue and Company.
It is the very model for a pocket imprint of just
such a peerless handbook as this one by Cavendish.
Solidly, yet elegantly bound—easily opened by means
of its tenacious yet flexible back—printed with the
clearest type and the blackest ink on the glossiest
ivory paper—daintily embellished (in red and black
on the title page, in gilt and blind tooling on the
outer cover) with quadruple symbols of the suits
variegating the familiar pack—pleasantly suggestive
of those silent, wax-lit hours, when—
" Clubs, diamonds, hearts in wild disorder seen,
With throngs promiscuous, strew the level green,"
as Pope sings (is it not in the " Rape of the
Lock ?")—this new edition of " The Laws and Prin.
ples of Whist," once seen, becomes a necessity,
not a luxury, but a positive necessity—to every whist-
player. Every one who knows the book (and what
whist-player knows it not ?) knows perfectly well
already that the laws and principles of whist, as
they are therein set forth, are stated and explained
on an entirely original system—the practice of
the game being illustrated by means of hands played
completely through. Since the previous, that is to
say the seventh, edition of Cavendish was issued
from the press, it is especially worthy of note that
the Laws of Whist have been revised by the Arling-
ton and Portland Clubs—those revised laws having
been very generally adopted. Empowered to print
the Club Code verbatim, the author has here, in his
own handbook (thereby in a manner perfecting it),
availed himself of that permission. All the " General
Principles"—readers of the book will understand at
once what is thereby meant—have been, in this
new edition of the work, very carefully revised.
Several new cases and decisions have been
either supplemented or interpolated. The hands,
again, have been recast, and in lieu of the symbols
formerly used, sets of charming little diagram cards
have been substituted, to the great adornment of the
book, and to the very great simplification of the
explanations. Altogether the volumette, as it now
appears, could not well have been brought out more
temptingly. It has been produced in a manner
worthy of a book which is a very bijou among
handbooks—Cavendish being as indisputably the
Authority among Whist-players, as Bradshawe is
among railway-travellers, or as Murray is among
Continental-tourists.