The Sun.
London, England, 1867-01-19 00:00:00

THE SUN, LOLL- ON, SATURoAY EvEMNG, JANUARY 19, 1867.

oldest friend, but Mr. GORST had proved himself
most worthy o.r coy fidence during the time they
had known him, rued no doubt ultimately both
would stand equally high in their estimation. Mr.
POWELL commenced by stating his opinion that it
would be no more poi lsible to speak in this month,
January, 1867, without referring to a Reform Bill
than it would have beeu lait January to deliver a
discourse and make no allusion to the cattle plague.
" No man," said he, " dare repudiate this question
who has any regard to the safety of the State,
as its consideration was demanded by a large
body, who, year by year , were becoming more
capable of exercising the r ghts and fulfilling the
great duties of citizenelip." The hon. member
sought to refute an often-wpeated fallacy, which is
to the effect that the liberties of England are less
than these of other lands waere the suffrage is not
so restricted. He put this, -very plainly before his
hearers, by saying that if a =an desired to become a
citizen of France and promote any principle, or if
he endeavoured to establish a newspaper to advo-
cate such a thing, he would be hindered at every
turn. If he called a public meeting, he would find
expression of opinion was forbidden. Another spe-
cimen of universal suffrage is afforded by Prussia,
when the King said, some months ago, " that if he
could not rule within the Constitution he would
rule without it." As for America, nothing that
takes place there can strengthen our faith in such a
proposed remedy for our national grievances ; far
from England seeking to imitate, there is much
that she ought to " eschew and avoid" in the con-
duct of affairs in the great Republic. This is all
very true, and it is very advisable for public
speakers thus to dwell upon the inconsistencies and
inaccuracies of those who persist in upholding
all foreign countries in preference to our own,
wilfully ignoring in their speeches what they
must know to be true in their own minds that the
results of these vaunted schemes are not satisfactory
by any means. What is the use of show without
substance, of illusions of liberty when the practice of
freedom is null and void. It is high time that such
absurdities should cease from among us, and that
we should all think and consider what suits us best,
and what changes it may be desirable to make
without reference to the ways of any other country.
Mr. POWELL did not advocate having no change
in our present plan, and adhering to what had
been done in 1832, but he advised caution in
making the change whenever it really took place.
He truly said that there is no reason whatever why
a Conservative Government should not grapple
with this question quite as well as a so-called
Liberal one. We also agree with the hon. member
that the matter must be treated by bold and com-
prehensive legislation if any good results are to
follow, and if we would " from the nettle danger
pluck the flower safety." In going over the doings
of late years, Mr. POWELL showed that the Liberals
had not done much to gain the confidence or win
the respect of the country. The army is the victim
of maladministration, the navy is not at all in a fit
condition or rendered likely to hold her own upon
the seas, the education question is not settled, and
many other important and interesting questions
have been let alone, if not absolutely neglected
and mismanaged.

A more disastrous or deplorable calamity than
that which occurred in Regent's Park can hardly be
imagined, and the full extent of the calamity has
not yet reached us. It is now almost certain that
there are more bodies under the ice, although
it is as yet impossible to reach them. A
more sudden contrast can hardly be found than
has been afforded by the scenes in the Park from
what they were at the commencement of the week
and what they are now. A curious instance of the
uncertainty of life in the midst of its most exciting
pursuits was afforded in the case of Mr. SPENCER,
one of the victims to this accident. He had only
that very day come to London for the purpose of
entertaining his friends in celebration of a recent
success in Chancery. An affecting incident con-
nected with the recent event is that a New-
foundland dog, which accompanied his master on the
ice, and got back again, has never left the ground
near the water. Food has been brought to him,
but he has refused it. This reminds one of the
lines of Sir WALTER SCOTT on the dog which
watched his master's corpse at Helvellyn :

" How many long days and long nights didst thou number
Ere he faded before thee, the friend of thy heart."
A most sad and solemn scene was that at the
Marylebone Workhouse on Thursday morning, when
the hearses arrived to take away the remains.
Altogether this painful affair has thrown a blight
over the metropolis and caused the Christmas
holidays to close in gloom and darkness. We
hope that care will be taken in future to guard
against the recurrence of Each misfortunes ;
but though wisdom may be thus gained from the
events of Tuesday, we must all feel that this is
no consolation to those who have suffered from
them, and have to sustain the consequences of so
sudden and unlooked-for a calamity.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS, Wednesday Evening.
' The Moniteur to-day is in possession of such a
small amount of Continental news that its first
article is devoted to the abandonment of the pro-
posed demonstration of the Reform League at
Westminster-hall on the meeting of Parliament.
A letter from Constantinople, dated January 1,
says :—" The Turkish Government has just given
its consent to the arrangement concluded between
France and Russia for the reconstruction of the
grand cupola of the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem.

The Sultan, attaching importance to his rights of
territorial Sovereign and governing Monarch of
several millions of Christian subject; claimed the
right to take his share in the expenses of the recon-
struction. Ile also ordered the Governor of Jeru-
salem to give every possible assistance to the opera-
tions by facilitating the landing at Jaffa, and the
transport to Jerusalem of materials coming from
foreign countries, and by purchasing articles re-
quired upon the spot. The Porte has consented also
to the demolition of various buildings, with a view
to give better effect to the appearance of the cupola.
The letter adds that the amicable arrangements be-
tween the Governments of France, Russia, and
Turkey for the reconstruction of the cupola have
given intense satisfaction in the East, and that they
will put a stop to deplorable quarrels among Chris-
tians.

The affairs of Germany are forgttten, at least for
the moment, and the Eastern question is in the as-
cendant with the Paris papers. It becomes more
and more complicated. The differences between
Turkey and Greece form only a portion of the
question, for claims are put forth by the populations
of various localities, to which the Turkish Govern-
ment is either heedless or opposed. Letters from
Belgrade state that Turkish troops in large numbers
are now concentrated on the frontiers of Servia, and
that the Pachas have given orders for a considerable
increase of fortifications in Bosnia. The Turks,
like other nations, are increasing their army.
Without joining in the anticipations of the alarmist
journals, it seems pretty clear that the preparations
of the Ottoman Porte mean mischief, and that the
Eastern question is likely to take a foremost rank in
public attention.

The sympathy for art and genius will be strikingly
exhibited to-morrow. Arrangements have been
made for a funeral service, with great pomp and
ceremony, over the remains of M. Ingres, the
painter, to-morrow, at the church of St. Thomas
d'Aquin. At the grave some impressive speeches
will be made, having for object to exhibit venera-
tion for art and respect for individual worth and
estimable qualities.

I am informed the French and English Govern-
ments have come to an understanding, with a view
to modify Customs' regulations, as far as possible,
during the Universal Exhibition.
Among the recent deaths are those of Madame
Conny, who died at Moulins, aged 100 years and
nine months, and of Giuseppe Moltem, at Milan.
He was one of the most eminent Italian painters of
the day.

The reign of Old Whiter is seriously re-estab-
lished. It began to snow last night, and has snowed,
but not very severely, during the day, with every
prospect of continuance. Even where there is a
great traffic the snow remains upon the thorough-
fares, so that frost is likely to be in the ascendant
for the present. Letters from Lyons and several
other cities of the South state that an immense
quantity of snow has fallen since Saturday. The
communications are interrupted on many points.
The musical world is excited with an opera pro-
duced at the Theatre Lyrique, called " Deborah."
It is the first composition of M. Devru-Duvirier, a
pupil of the celebrated Halery. The music is of a
peculiar and original character, and some have com-
pared it with the startling and magical composition
of Weber. Several of the airs were enthusiastically
received, and a quantor in the second act excited
general enthusiasm. The librettes, by M. Edouard
Flouvier, is founded upon an episode of the
war of the Cavaliers. Deborah is the widow of
a chieftain of the Scotch clan of the Macdonalds,
who died in fighting for the prescribed Charles
Stuart. French dramatists so torture English his-
tory that a further description of the plot would
only lead to confusion. But naturally the chief
attraction of the opera is the music, and in this
respect the production was satisfactory. The scenery
of the second act is very beautiful.
In imitation of the announcement sometimes
made in your Parliamentary and other reports, I
conclude my letter to-day with the information that
at 6 p.m. it was

The total, without including amounts which are yet
to be paid, is one milliard 262,268,000 f., being an
increase of 105,576,000 f. upon the whole of the
duties levied in 1864, and of 59,934,000 f. upon the
taxes levied in 1865. The duties upon sugar alone
exhibit an increase of 35,242,000 f. as compared
with 1864, and of 3,589,000 f. as compared with
1865. The month of December, 1866, alone pre-
sents an increase of 11,637,000 f., composed of
various items. The amount received of the direct
taxes to the end of December,lB66, was 520,189,000 f.
There still remains to be paid 15,510,000 f. for the
taxes under miscellaneous heads.

The funeral of M. Ingres took place to-day.
There was nothing splendid in the procession from
his residence on the Quai Voltaire to the church of
St. Thomas d'Aquin, not even a mourning coach.
But there was something about it " which passeth
show," and exhibits in a strong light the desire in
France to do honour to great masters of art. Many
hundreds of friends and admirers followed on foot,
and though it snowed heavily at the time many
walked with their hats off, and all were heedless of
the "pitiless pelting of the storm." Although there
was nothing gaudy about the solemnity, it was im-
pressive. A detachment of infantry marched by the
side of the procession, and muffled drums were beat
as it advanced on its solemn mission. The streets
throughout the line of march to the church were
thronged with spectators, who would not have
assembled in such weather if a love and respect for
art did not exist among the French. After the
funeral ceremony in the church there was a consi-
derable increase in the number of mourners deter-
mined to proceed to the cemetery.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

THE CANDIAN INSURRECTION.
ATHENS, Jan. 14.

Intelligence received here from Candia announce
that Mustapha Pacha was preparing to attack
Sphakia on the side of Askyfos and from the sea.
The Cretan General Assembly had forwarded an
address to the Powers requesting them to send an
agent to the island, in order to judge of its un-
happy condition, and to protect the inhabitants who
desired annexation to Greece.

ATHENS, January 18.
Advices received here from Candia through Greek
sources state that the insurgents had been victorious
in an engagement with 5,000 Turks near Heraclium.
They had also prevented the disembarkation of
Turkish troops at Sphakia and Selinon. The
same advices confirm the report that a Turkish
frigate had opened fire upon some Cretan families
who were waiting to be taken off the island by a
foreign vessel.