The Sun.
London, England, 1867-02-08 00:00:00

'THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 8, 1867.

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The First Night of the Session.

The first night of the Session—in the House of
Commons—is thus described by a writer in the
Illustrated Weekly News:—The House of Commons
seems like an embodiment in stone of our Consti-
tution, the growth from Gothic ages down to the
latest improvements in gaslight and ventilation. It
is rainy, and there are not many people about ;
there is, however, a bustle in the octagon--there is
even confusion in the Commons' lobby, and the
policemen have something to do. That grand per-
sonage going in, wigged and robed, is Mr. Speaker.
Half-a-hundred lumbers are present to receive
him. They are in time for prayers, and so can
secure their seats for the entire evening, by sticking
their cards into little brass catches at the backs of
the comfortable green benches. Then entering we
face the ; over NVII'Ch rules two hundred millions, at
least, of human beings. The Conservative party being
in office, sit to the right of the Speaker's chair, and
the Liberals, being in dudgeon, to the left. A stray
Radical forgets this arrangement, and wends his
way, amid a tempest of cheers and laughter, which
he cannot comprehend, to his accustomed place, and
is o&y brought to reason by the countenance of a
gigantic Dorsetshire baronet. But all goes well ;
the house is crowded ; the editors, leading-article
writers, and reporters, perched above the Speaker's
head, present as fine a show of intellectual faces
[ahem !] as the Treasury Bench or the front rank
of the Opposition itself ; faint but sweet odours
from the ladies' gallery behind them sustain
vitality, while the decorous dullness of mover and
seconder of the Address are tolerated, and then
opens the drama of the session. Previously, of
course, the first fruits of the Parliamentary year
are gathered in the shape of petitions. They are
mentioned, hurried up to the table, seized by the
clerk, crammed into a bag, and in ninety-nine in-
stances out of a thousand never heard of more.
And new members are sworn in. But business is
going to begin. The nobodies have given notice of
motions for future days. The address to the Crown
has been moved by a nervous gentleman in a scarlet
coat, with gold epaulettes, and a crimson sash. It
has been seconded by another " gorgeous insect,"
also in a crimson sash, gold epaulettes, and
scarlet coat. And now the leader of the Opposition
rises. Mr. Gladstone is a favourite of the house,
and cheered from all sides. He looks solemn, and
even melancholy ; be poises himself, as if for an
effort ; he points his finger ; he alternately bends and
raises his head ; he explains what he is going to say,
before he has said it, with such a copiousness of
words, that you are almost ashamed not understand
it by instinct without inflicting so much trouble on
so gentlemanly and considerate a person. But there
is a point in whatever he utters, and it is felt as a
sting, too, usually. The Secretary of the Treasury,
always an untired and pleasant but restless indivi-
dual, whispered to the Chancellor of the Exchequer
while Mr. Gladstone finished. Mr. Disraeli only
nodded; he felt quite prepared, and he was so. A
few sentences delivered in his rich, sonorous, flexible,
and emphatic voice, and he laid aside, so to speak,
the doubts suggested by the Opposition leader ; he
did not dispose of them, he merely docketted them
for further consideration. So adroitly was this
done that not a member of the house had another
word to say. There was not even the semblance of
a debate to draggle on with until the ringing of the
dinner bell.

The Opening of the Amazon.

-

Under the above heading we have a clever little
pamphlet commenting upon the Imperial Brazilian
Decree of December 7, 1866, opening the river
Amazon, its tributaries, and some other streams
to the flags of all nations. The writer is
evidently impressed with no favourable views
regarding the benefits derivable from the action
of the Brazilian Government, and he writes
with such an air of authority and bona
.fides
on his subject, whioh, combined with our own
special knowledge, induces us to agree with him.
There are few people in England, except those who
arc directly connected with or interested in
the trade with South America, who know
anything about the geography or condition of
the Great Southern American Continent. To
the many ignorant of the Brazilian decree,
it may appear to be a large and generous measure
of Reform. To the few who know better, the con-
cession is absolutely worth nothing. The relative
capabilities of the Brazilian rivers for trade, as com-
pared with the Rio de la Plata and its vast tribu-
taries, are well known to every one who has ever
studied the question. But the Rio de la Plata
is now blockaded by the Brazilian fleets, and
its tradejs at a stand still, and this might justly be
made a cause of complaint at the present hour by
the commercial nations of the world, more espe-
cially those who have treaties and commerce with
Paraguay; as England, France, Italy,and the United
States. The war with Paraguay was undertaken
solely with a view of getting command of the river
highways to the more Southern Brazilian provinces.
At the same time Brazil obstinately kept the
Amazou and her other rivers closed. But after
her defeat at Curupaity, fearing some intervention
on the part of the European nations or of the
United States,
she magnanimously having de-
stroyed the River Plate trade, opened the Ama-
zon to all friendly nations, after having for
years obstinately refused the supposed favour
to all friendly representations on the point.
Let us examine wiaerein lies the great benefit of the
Imperial decree. In doing so,
we will only quote
the answer of the Brazilian Minister of Foreign
Affairs on a former occasion. Ile said, iu effect,
that the trade was no use to foreigners, even if the
rivers were opened; as the population of the
interior was sparse, hardly 30,000 inhabitants, and
mostly composed of Indians, who did not care
for foreign products. The Amazon is opened to
the Peruvian boundary, but, according to the foreign
Minister's showing, where is the benefit,to be derived
in trading in such an unhealthy valley as that of
the Amazon. Its main confluent, the Madeira, leading
in to the heart of Bolivia,is opened to the townof Borba,
a few miles from its junction with the Amazon,
so that all trade with Bolivia is practically interdicted.
The Rio Negro, another confluent flowing from the
Republics of New Grenada and Venezuela is only
opened to Manaos, which a reference to a map will
show, is but a very short distance from the main
artery of the Amazon. The Tapajos is opened
to Santarem, which is much in the same
position as Manaos, though the river leads
to the most valuable diamond region of Brazil. The
which
Iscaulin is opened to Catnelit
is but a short
distance from its mouth at the Atlantic. This river
also leads to the diamond mines. The S.,n Fran-
cisco is free to the town of Penedo, which, as the
pamphlet observes, is like opening a
lodge of the concierge. To any one
housewriter
toof
tthlei e
interested in this question we must say, a perusal
of the pamphlet and a study of the map will amply
repay the time expended.

The Government of Hesse has just accorded an
indemnity' of seven florins per day to the deputies who
shall represent in. the German Parliament that part of
Grand-Ducal Rosso which is incorporated iu the northern

uuion.
CRYSTAL PALACE.—ONE SHILLING DAY, DRIBS -
DAY.—Admission on payment, 1,399 ; ditto by season
tickets, 1,379. Total visitors, 2,778.
Of. the 458 candidates for matriculation in the
Bombay University only 92 have passed, and great is the
lamentation of young Bombay. Of 59 who wont up for
.the little-go," 21 passed ;of eight candidates, three ob-
tained B.A. ; and of three candidates, two passed the first
examination in civil engineering. The only two candi-
dates for the LL.B. degree passed.
GREAT DESTRUCTION OF LACE BY FIRE.—On
Wednesday night, a little before twelve o'clock, a very
destructive fire broke out at the lace warehouse of Mr. T.
Riste, Halifax-place, Nottingham. Smoke was issuing
from a fanlight of the top story of the warehouse, and an
alarm was atbnce raised. The smoke became so dense
that it was found necessary to send a man equipped in a
smoke jacket, and by this moans reach the seat of the firo.
The flames were subdued in about an hour, but not before
a very large quantity of lace goods had been destroyed,
and the damage is estimated at £lO,OOO.

The course 01 exohange at New York on London for bills a.
60 days' sight is about 101 per cent. At this rats there is
110 PIVAt on the importation 91 gold Irons the !hatted StAte3

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

CARMARTHENSHIRE HUNT STEEPLECHASES.

THURSDAY.

The Ladies' Plate (Handicap) of 5 sous each, with 50 added.

About throe miles,

Duke of Hamilton's Sinite (ped. unknown) aged, lOst 101 b
(J. Page) 1
Mr. H. Ellison's St. Maximum, lOst 121 b (Owner) 2
Mr. C. Noble's Zephyr, 5 yrs, lOst (Richards) 3
Mr. W. H. R. Powell's Flyfisher, aged, 12st 101 b
Pope) 0
!fr. Thompson's Sly Fox, aged, 12st ...(Mr. Crawshaw) 0
Capt. Morgan's Bisbopton, 5 yrs, list (0 wn er) 0
Mr. Edwardes's Hazard, aged, 10st M'Donald) 0
Betting—Even on Sinite, 4 to 1 agst Bishopton, 5 to 1
agst St. Maximum, and 6to 1 agst Flyfisher. Won easily
by six lengths, a bad third; Flyfisher was fourth. Bishop-
ton and Hazard fell.

The Borough Members' PEtte of 3 sovs each, with 25

added; for hunters. About three miles.

Mr. Merton's Jack o' Newbury, by Wild Dayrell—Rosina,
aged, list 41h (Owner) 1
Mr. W. 11. R. Powell's The Fawn, 5 yrs, lOst 71b
(J. Pope) 2
Mr. Barker's Saucebox, aged, list 41b (Et Ellison) 0
Capt. Morgan's Bishopton, 5 yrs, list 41b (Owner) 0
Mr. R. Bradley's Pensioner, aged, lOst 71b (Mr. Thomas) 0
Mr. Waters's The Captain, aged, lOst (M'Donald) 0
Betting —5 to 2 agst Bishopton, 3 to 1 agst Jack o' New-
bury, and 7to 2 agst Saucebox. Won in a canter by 30
lengths ; the others fell.

The County Members' Plate of 10 sovs each, sft, with 100
added ; winners extra. Four miles. 31 subs.

Mr. F. Rowland's Garus, by Defiance—The Weasel, aged,
list lib (W. Reeves) 1
Mr. Po well's Daisy, aged, 13st (in. 101 b ex ) ...(J. Pope) 2
Duke of Hamilton's Meerschaum, aged list 71b (J. Page) 0
Mr. J. Rees's Trapeze, 5 yrs, list 2lb (T. Davies) 0
Mr. Martin nd Mulberry, aged, lOst 111b...(M.r.Thomas) 0
Mr. Pucrow's Ballet Girl, 6 yrs, lOst 91b (Mr. Millward) 0
Betting-2 to 1 agst Daisy, 3to 1 agst Mulberry, sto 1
each agst Meerschaum and Ballet Girl, 7 to 1 agst Garus,
and 10 to 1 agst Trapeze. Won by a length and a half ;
Ballet Girl and Mulberry fell. Meerschaum and Trapeze
pulled up.
The objection against The Nun, winner of the Hunters'
Stakes on Tuesday, has been overruled.

BIRMINGHAM STEE
TUESDAI

Acceptances for tho BirminE
chaso of 15 sows each, w.
miles and a half.

Age st lb
Daisy (in. 141 b ox.) a 12 11
Alcibiade ... a 12 7
Banker ... all 13
Light Heart ... a 11 11
Ibex ... a 11 10
Plover ... all 10
Arlescott(inl4lb ex) a 11 10
Little Frank ... a 11 8
Meanwood a 11 8
Marble Hill a 11 7
Merrimac ... a 11 5

Tiger a 11 3
Comberton ... a 11 2
Sprite ... a 10 13
Agues ... a 10 12
Garus a 10 12
Dermot Asthore ... 6 10 12
King of Hearts ... a 10 12
Whedrako ... 6 10 11
Sir William ... a 10 10
Glasgow ... 6 10 10
The Rogue ... a 10 10

?LECHASE MEETING.
Feb. 12.
;ham Grand Annual Steeple-
ith 100 added. About three

Age st lb
Little Peter a 10 9
Fisherman ... a 10 9
Bedale ... a 10 8
Crusade ... alO 8
Greenland 6 10 8
Grace Darling ... 510 8
Surney 510 7
Rossington ... alO 7
Sinking Fund (late
Harry) ... a 10 G
Miltown 610 6
Sea King ... a 10 6
Sylph ... ... 510 5
Carnbroe 5 10 5
Jack's Alive ... a 10 5
Dick Turpin ... alO 3
King Arthur a 10 3
Havelock (late
Claxton)... ... 610 3
Snarleyovr a 10 3
Despatch (h b) a 10 3

Aga st lb
Daisy a 12 7
Banker ... 11 12
Hornet ... 11 11
Ibex ••• •.• a 11 9
Merrimac ... 11 5
Slyfox ... a 11 5
Harold ... 5 11. 3
Spatchcock ... a 11 2
Meerschaum ... a 11 1
Sportsman ... a 11 1
Weights published

Ago st lb
Serious Case a 11 0
Sprite a 10 13
Cockfighter ... 6 10 13
Sinite a 10 10
Carus ... a 10 10
Due an Dhurras ... 5 10 10
Sou King ... a 10
Cutler ... a 10 3
Jack's Alive a 10 3
Owlet ... 410 0
Feb. 6, at ten a.m.

RACING FIXT

RES FOR 1867.

Paid.,
TOrlsceing
stllo
..... 100 118 120
....1 KO I 40 46