The Sun.
London, England, 1867-12-30 00:00:00

THE RUBLIO JOURNALS,

T114148t thought 0 pi* itersons on reading the ae-
ooulo of Saturday's explosion will be and has been " Is
this the work of the Fenians ?" The Times hopes and
believes that the question may be answered in the nega-
tive. ,After the experience of what a single barrel of gun-
powder 'can do, :no one will suppose it impossible that
many hundreds of barrels should destroy three nearly con-
tiguous buildings in each of which explosive material was
stored. If the concussion was felt in a city ten miles off,
it is not difficult to undetstand that a building at three
hundred yards, also containing the ingredients of gun-
powder, should be sacrificed. It may be true that the
manufacturers had not a larger quantity of manufactured
powder in stock at the time than is thought to be safe,
but it is admitted that the stock was large. The
short interval between the explosions—half a minute
—shows that the disaster was communicated from
one building to the other by natural means. If we
assume that the powder was accidentally fired in the
corning-house, we can have no hesitation in believing that
the other two, filled also with destructive compounds,
would have perished. The distance of 300 yards would
not have saved them. One spark was sufficient to have
caused all this disaster. If it be possible, it must be ascer-
tained whence this spark originated. The Messrs. Hall
acknowledge that they "have no reasonable suspicion of
anything felonious connected with the catastrophe." They
have had warnings of mischief, like many others, as they
truly say, but they hope that the " coincidence of the
explosion with these anxieties and fears will prove to be
a coincidence, and nothing more." This manner of treat-
ing the calamity will commend itself to the better sense
of the community. Fenianism may be driven to
desperate expedients, but we must remember that no
attack has yet been made, or outrage committed, except
with the view of releasing imprisoned Fenians.
The crime has always hitherto been perpetrated
for a direct and specific purpose, and that purpose the
liberation of alleged Fenians in or on their way to gaol.
The slightest act of carelessness—and the most prudent
workmen sometimes fall into the commission of such acts
—might easily have caused the explosion at Faversham.
There may have been warnings and threats scattered on
every side, but when once the note of disorder has been
sounded there are always numbers of the idle and the mis-
chievous to spread the alarm. Fenianism must be con-
demned for what is proved against it, and the vigilance of
authority in every quarter, public and private, must not
be relaxed ; but there is not the least necessity to encourage
a sense of insecurity by ascribing to Fenianism accidents
which might have happened at any time, and which are
susceptible of ordinary methods of explanation.

Referring to the threats of assassination so freely made
by the Fenians, the Post bids us remember that Providence
watches over kings and governors so that something
t,
always goes wrong with those who want to.kill them. It
is a national humiliation to us to give a handfurof disor-
ganised ruffians like the Fenians all the advantages of a
successful campaign by paying serious attention to their
antics. The cord, the whip, and the gaol are the only
proper arguments for murderers and incendiaries and
peacebreakers of this kind. Let the first batch of Fenians
caught be soundly flogged punctually every frosty morn-
ing of their imprisonment, and Ministers may put an end
to all danger at once. No pot-boy ever fired at the Queen
as a means of attaining celebrity and a State trial, after
it was once generally known among the fraternity that
traitors would be scourged. The birch calmed their trucu-
lent ardour directly ; for your true ruffian is always a
craven. The best thing possible for the Government to
do is to try the old experiment again with the utmost
promptitude, and order the only punishment which black-
guards seem to dread to be applied with all salutary
vigour to the Fe_.ian backs'and shoulders. Constables, not
soldiers, are the lads to deal with Fenians, and break up
all their secret society nonsense. There is nothing to
create a panic in such trumpery.
In Ireland, as the Herald tells us, we have the constitu-
tion suspended and a virtual state of siege now existing.
If this state of things would be too intolerable in this
country we must strike at any branches of the conspiracy
which our Irish resources bring within our grasp, and that
with no faltering hand. The palliation hitherto alleged
for the conspiracy, that its outbursts had been unaccom-
panied by any personal outrages, since the Clerkenwell
explosion no longer exists. The utmost powers of the law
must for the future be employed against the conspirators.
With these properly exerted we do not fear anything tha
may now happen in Ireland. There the conspiracy v
continue, as long as it exists, to produce the most
effects on the trade, prosperity, and resources of tha'
happy land ; but that it has acquired any pecur y
formidable powers and is likely to exert any unus' al y
baleful energy, we see no signs. Our real danger at pre.
sent is that the conspiracy may for a while produce here
that suspension of public liberty, that interference witl.
the confidence of the community, which already exist in
the sister country. We see nothing in the events at Cork-
but a crafty attempt to keep up the interest of the mass
of Irish sympathisers whom the events of the last few
weeks in England have probably rather astonished and
excited than actually pleased. But if we can come at the
authors of these manceuvres we must deal with then
sternly.

The Telegraph considers that the continuance of sedi-
tious writings in Ireland undoubtedly imposes on the
English Government the duty of considering whether it
would not be right to place some more effectual check on
those who perpetually provoke the very feelings that lead
to actual insurrection. As we detain by way of precau
tion individuals whose guilt is morally though not legally
clear, the analogy would justify us in calling to imme-
diate account those Irish newspapers that offer weekly
encouragement to treason. The safety of the people is the
supreme law, and that law may dictate acts unnecessary
in England, where political agitation is carried on peace-
fully and within legal bounds. It is natural enough for
Irish writers to attack the Union, or to suggest any new
measure for the redress of Irish grievances ; but expres-
sions of admiration for Allen, Larkin, and Gould are
clear provocatives to crime. The three men were not only
convicted, but confessed enemies to the Queen ; they wer•
caught red-handed, after killing one of the Queen's officers
and leading articles in their honour plainly incite others
"to go and do likewise." It seems rather foolish that we
should allow such writings to circulate by thousands
through the English or Irish post, and yet afterwards
imprison or hang the poor dupes who act on the teachit
they contain.
The Daily News tells us that the year now to rapidly
closing has been in no respect favourable to commerce.
As in 1848 the revolutionary movements on the Continen+
followed close on the panic of 1847, so in 1867 Fenianism
and the Abyssinian war have followed close on the col-
lapse of 1866. Apart from these questions, however, the
experience of the present year will be long and widely felt.
It is true that we have had no gigantic failures like that of
Overend, Gurney, and Co., and of other great companies,
which in an instant reduce hundreds of families from afflu-
ence :to poverty. Still, on the other band, the classes
affected by "these calamities form but a comparatively
small portion of the community. Besides, the shock,
if terrible, is at least decisive. The worst is known at
once, and there is none of that wearing anxiety—the
" suspense worse than death "—which is far harder to be
borne. In that respect the year 1867 will bear a sad pre-
eminence. The holders of hundreds of millions in railway
investments have seen their property gradually wasting in
value, obligations set aside which stood so high in public
opinion that the most cautious trustees eagerly competed
to purchase them, unknown liabilities disclosed to the
extent of half a million or a million at a time ; and, of
course, the usual results of profitless and uncontrolled
expenditure. It is hardly too much to say that for months
past railway shareholders, even in the best lines, have been
dreading some new revelation—some fresh scandal against
which they have never even attempted to take the trouble
to guard. Their carelessness comes home to them now.

In noticing the importance of extending sugar cultiva-
won, the Standard remarks that up to the commencement
of the American war Louisiana produced on in average
180,000 tons annually, while the United States imported
for home consumption no less than 200,000 tons annually.
It may well be doubted how far Louisiana will in the
future maintain her average supply, or be supplanted by
a country cultivated by the skill of her own former
owners. In any event our merchants and shipowners
may fairly anticipate great advantages from the growth of
this staple commodity and of such important articles as
tobacco and coffee in English possessions. If the events
shall demonstrate that the Southern planters have neither
miscalculated the resources of British Honduras nor the
effect of their energy, British capitalists will speedily show
their sagacity in recognising this new channel of profitable
employment. Our own opinion of the courage, perse•
verance, and skill of the people of Southern States has been
of ten expressed., and no doubt need be entertained that so
far as the iiiiiiiigrants are concerned nothing will be want-
ing on their part to ensure the success of this interesting
experiment. The Imperial Government also is ready Li,
second their efforts so far a.; is consistent with the princi-
on wliich our colonial empire is based, In this
favourable combination of elements it will be strange if
within a reasonable period of time the settlers of British
Honduras do not take rank among the first producers of
some of our staple articles of consumption.

In commenting on the present state of our relations
with the Washington Government, the Star tells us that
we might have wrapped ourselves up in a mantle of obsti-
nate pride, and refused to submit any part of our conduct
to the judgment of any one. This would neither be wise
nor no'ble, but it would have a clear and intelligible prin-
ciple to rest on. When, however, we offer to submit cer-
tain things done by us to the review of arbitration, one
can hardly understand why there should be so much
rigidity as to the exact limits of the space which the arbi-
trator's survey is to compass. As it is hardly possible to
imagine two sane nations going to war on a point of eti-
quette worthy only to be decided by the rapiers of two
Spanish hidalgos of the old Castilian school, it is, after alls
only a question whether the dispute is to be settic„
promptly and cheerfully, with mutual concession, of
whether one or other of the two disputants will have '1
r•
dily and grumblingly to give way. It would be to E 1
land's honour not to allow a false dignity to stand in the
way of international good feeling and the great principle
of peaceful arbitratioi

EglY lAN 001440EtS:.

LETTER FROM HER MAJESTY.

some anxiety having been felt by the inhabitants of the
town of Cowes for the personal safety of the Queen, who
is now staying at her marine residence of Osborne, the
local authority last week, through its chairman, Mr.
Moore, wrote to Colonel Grey expressing regret that the
necessity had arisen to take more than ordinary measures
to ensure the safety of her Majesty, and stating that
nothing would be more gratifying to the inhabitants of
West Cowes than to join in any act or deinonstration
which would be the means of evincing their determination
to secure her Majesty's personal safety. If, the writer
added, Colonel Grey could point out any mode, whether
by acting as special constables or otherwise, in which the
people of Cowes could be made available, he was sure they
would most unanimously join and heartily accede to the
suggestion. To this letter Colonel Grey immediately
made the following reply:—

" Osborne.

" Sir,—l have had the honour of receiving and of sub.
witting to the Queen the letter written by you as chair-
man of the local board of health, in the name of the
inhabitants of West Cowes, expressing their regret that
any necessity should have arisen for the adoption of
extra precautions to ensure her Majesty's safety while
resident at Osborne, and proffering their services, either
as special constables or in any other way that may best
prove their loyal devotion to her Majesty's person and
family.
" Her Majesty commands me to say that she is deeply
touched by these loyal assurances on the part of her sub-
jects at Cowes, and very grateful for them. She has her-
self never entertained the slightest apprehensions as to
her personal safety, though she has thought it right to
yield to the representations of her Government by giving
her sanction to the precautionary measures which
they thought it prudent to adopt. It will be
for the Government to consider whether any-
thing more is necessary than has been already
done, and I haVe therefore, by her Majesty's command,
forwarded your letter to the Home Secretary, who will
judge how far it may be desirable to take advantage of
this offer of their services by the loyal inhabitants of
Cowes.—l have the honour to he, sir, your very obedient
and humble servant,
" To J. Moore, Esq." "C. GREY.

The Queen practically proves her concurrence in the
_.,atiment contained in the above letter, for she takes her
drives through the island quite as frequently as usual, and
only on Thursday last she visited West Cowes for the
second time during her stay at Osborne. Two hundred
picked men of the Scots Fusiliers were last week quartered
in East Cowes Barracks, and in a temporary barracks
erected for them in East Cowes Park. Her Majesty's ship
Irresistible is the guardship in Cowes Roads, and on board
this vessel a seaman is in irons for evincing Fenian pro-
pensities. The foolish fellow, it appears, refused to obey
orders, and on being asked his reasons for doing so, he
avowed himself a Fenian and a Catholic.

The authorities seem to have had reason to believe that
an attack would be made upon Woolwich Arsenal in the
course of Friday night. Telegraphic messages were sent
there from various departments of the Government,
informing those in charge of the arsenal of the meditated
attack. Troops were at once marched into the
arsenal and dockyard, and every preparation
made to receive whoever might come in hostile
fashion. The water police were armed. It is
stated that two vessels, suspected to be Fenian
ships, came up opposite the arsenal, and, on being
hailed, could give no very clear account of themselves.
They remained off the arsenal for some time, and then
dropped down the river again, closely watched by the
river police. It is very strange, however, if the statement
be true, that the authorities did not make a close exami-
nation of these vessels. The guard on the arsenal is
strictly kept up, and it is stated that the powder in the
magazines along the bank of the river is to be removed in
order to avoid the necessity of guarding the magazines.

On Saturday evening there was an alarm raised Wey
mouth of an attack on the convict prison at Portland.
An alarm gun was fired from the prison, and a messenger
came in hot haste to Weymouth for the military, who
were instantly sent off. It turned out that the alarm was
a false one. Various suspicious circumstances have oc-
curred in connection with the prison lately, and a parti-
cular watch was kept over it. On Saturday the prisoners
were marched from their work to their cells earlier than
usual. A little later the authorities of the prison heard
firing at sea, and as they had been warned of the possi-
bility of an attack from the sea, they took the precautions
we have mentioned. At last accounts everything was
quiet in the prison.

It had been stated that MlTr. Finlen intended to convene
a Sunday meeting on Clerkenwell-green. lie does not
seem to have taken any such step, but the police were
placed in force about the green to prevent the holding of
a meeting should the attempt be made. Several persons
gathered on the green and avowed their determination to
lynch any one who should get up a meeting. No attempt
was made.