The Sun.
London, England, 1867-12-03 00:00:00

be made a party question uf. We are glad to fin d
that the Government, as represented by the noble
duke, seems not averse to a change in some im-
portant point, such as giving a modified assistance
to those schools which have not certificated teachers
under the Revised Code. If this be done their es-
tablishment might be enabled to get on for a few
years, and then obtain certificated teachers and en-
oy all the benefits conferred by the State.

The Atlantic Telegraph, bringing the news of
yesterday from New York, tells us that telegrams
from Havannah on the previous day report that a
severe shock of earthquake had occurred at the un-
fortunate island of St. Thomas, and islands imme-
diately adjacent, on the 19th of November. Serious
loss of life and much damage to shipping had been
occasioned by this fresh disaster. There is evidently
unusual elemental disturbance in those regions,
liable as they are to sudden convulsions of nature.
Fire, flood, hurricane, and earthquake have suc-
cessively visited the unhappy residents in St.
Thomas's, and it is easy to believe that the
damage done to life and property must
have been extensive. The telegraph brings us
also the intelligence that the Austrian frigate No-
vara, with the remains of the late Emperor MAXI-
MILIAN had arrived at Havannah yesterday. It is
satisfactory to know that the earnest wish of the re-
latives of the gallant but unfortunate Emperor has
been gratified, and that JUAREZ has so far acceded
to the requirements of civilisation and humanity.
We fear there is not much to be hoped in these re-
spects from the present ruler of Mexico, but it is
something gained if he has learned that he cannot
defy the opinion of the civilised world with impunity.
American news itself is but slender. We heard
a day or two since of a significant fact—the
approval of the appointment of Mr. HortacE
GREELEY by the Senate. Mr. GREELEY was, it
will be remembered, a prominent member of the
Republican party, but he drew down upon himself
the wrath of his party by breaking through the iron
fetters which they endeavoured to impose on every
man alike. Mr. GREELEY was, however, indepen -
dent enough to think for himself—a faculty which
is often dangerous on both sides of the Atlantic.
His appointment gives a good meeting-ground to
the President and the Congress, since he is profes-
sedly Republican in his opinions, and yet has
broken loose from the trammels of his party.
But the aprroval of the appointment indi-
cates, we may hope, the approach of a better un-
derstanding between the head of the Government
and the Legislature. The elections may have
taught the Radicals a lesson. At any rate they are
less likely to assume the tone of open and defiant
opposition to every movement of the Government
which they adopted last Session. The knowledge
that the PRESIDENT'S veto will no longer be a mere
matter of form will naturally put a check upon ex-
travagant and unconstitutional proceedings like
those of the last two Sessions. The elections in the
Carolinas, so far as is yet known, have been con-
fined to the negroes, who of course unanimously
support the Convention candidates, who will vote
for the supremacy of the blacks.
According to the New York journals Mr. SEWARD
has appealed to the English Government for
clemency to the Manchester Fenians, but this is not
authenticated. Among the pieces of social intelli-
gence brought by the Chicago, which will be read
with interest in this country, is the news of
CHARLES DICKENS'S safe arrival in Boston, and
his enthusiastic reception there. His first reading
was to take place last evening in that city.
Perhaps there is no country to whom it is more
important than to our own to preserve a rapid and
efficient system of postal communication with other
nations. Our political and commercial relations
are of vast extent, and our private correspondence
with the emigrant and colonial populations deserves
nearly equal consideration. Between this country
and America more especially the demand for a
regular and reliable mail system is impera-
tive, and we are so much in the habit of
seeing the work done well and regularly, in
spite of all difficulties and drawbacks, that
we should find it difficult to imagine a different
state of things. The Cunard Company, at the close
of 28 years' service, are able to boast that they have
never lost a passenger or a letter, that they have
carried the mails to and from the American ports
with unfailing regularity, and that if on any occa-
sion their vessels have not started at the appointed
time it has only been owing to Government inter-
vention. The rate of speed which they have main-
tained does honour to our national shipbuilding,
and the resolute manner in which they have con-
fronted the Atlantic in its worst moods reflects no
less credit on the skill of the commanders than
on the sea worthiness of their vessels. To all
interested in the receipt or transmission of Ameri-
can news, either public or private, the names of the
Cunar3 steamers are familiar as household words,
and it was with the general regret of all concerned
that the contract arrived at its close. The Post-
office authorities proposed to abandon the system of
subsidies, and to accept tenders from some of the
large ship companies to carry the mails on particular
days, receiving as remuneration the sea postage.
This arrangement would only affect our English
mails, or that the United States would have to make
some similar arrangement on their side, and
the whole system would be left in a state
of most undesirable uncertainty. It is really a
matter of congratulation that the attempted change
broke down at the very outset. The Cunard Com-
pany perceived that it would not answer their pur-
pose, knowing by long experience the real cost,
responsibility, and labour of the service they had so
long undertaken, and consequently began disposing
of their steamers. But the tenders which the Go-
vernment received were all more or less unsatisfac-
tory. The days of the week for sailing were irre-
gular and unsuitable. The Cunard steamer regu-
larly leaves Queenstown on the Sunday, the greater
part of the correspondence for the States and
Canada being posted on the Saturday, and no
other company could or would arrange for the same
day. The Government readily perceived that the
sudden change would be very unwelcome to the
commercial world. Other difficulties intervened,
and it became evident that at present, at all events,
the new scheme would not work.

Under these circumstances the Cunard Company
came forward and offered to renew the contract for
eleven years on reduced terms. The Government,
however, was no longer free to act for so long a
period, as the United States Government had suc-
ceeded in arranging a sea-postage system. It has
been finally decided to renew the contract with the
Cunard Company for one year for a sum of
£BO,OOO, and this decision will, we think, be received
with general satisfaction.

For one year at least, then, this vital question is
settled, and there remains leisure and opportunity
to consider our further course. It appears at pre-
salt that the best plan would be, if possible, to pre•
serve the system by which the work is now so effi-
ciently done. If the Cunard Company would agree
to a reduced rate of payment much anxiety and un
certainty would be saved. They have their fleet io
good working order, and the undertaking would be
less costly to them than to new comers. Our Post
Office is rich enough in all conscience to afford what