The Sun.
London, England, 1867-08-05 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONOAY EV ENING, AUGUST 5, 1.867.

greatly mitigated by due precaution 4nd strenuous
efforts. How is the assertion that the famine was
an uncontrollable calamity reconcileable with the
declarations that there was no famine at all, so
long persisted in by those who ought to have
known better ? Was it an unavoidable circum-
stance that when a ship laden with rice was
wrecked on the very coast where the people were
starving a cordon of police kept it from
distribution ? Was it an unavoidable cala-
mity that orders were sent from the
Lieutenant-Governor that the labourers at the
public works should be paid in money and not in
rice ? Was it an unavoidable circumstance that no
heed should be paid to the warnings of the irriga-
tion officers, or the offers of assistance from the
merchants on the spot ? That the efforts of the
relief committees should have been neutralised by
the apathy of the Government, and private enter-
prise and charity checked by the return of subscribed
money? But the Famine Commissioners accept the
fatalist principles. What must be must. A famine
visits the land and destroys the ordinary food supplies
of the people, but that is no reason why any exertion
should be made to transmit fresh stores, even though
months elapse, sufficient to bring details of suffering
many times across the Pacific. It will be remem-
bered that on the receipt of some harrowing intelli-
gence an influential meeting was held in the city,
and large sums were promptly subscribed, but
the news came that help was not wanted. Lord
CRANBORNE, too, transmitted vigorous orders for
unlimited measures of relief, but it seems that
nothing could arouse the Anglo-Indian officials to
a sense of their responsibilities. The report
exonerates Sir CECIL BEADON and all the officials
with a few exceptions, and attributes much of the
distress to the peculiarities of the administration in
the lower provinces of Bengal. Then in the
name of common sense and humanity let the

system be at once reorganised. If after all our
costly outlay we only keep a staff of officials to
watch people starving by the thousand it is time
we altered our plans. Reviewing all the circum-
stances, the Report considers that under no system
could the famine have been met by adequate mea-
sures of relief—a reason apparently for abandoning
all attempt to cope with it ! We hope
Sir STAFFORD NOItTHCOTE will see to it
that late as it is the misery still existing in
the unhappy district may not go unrelieved.

ous minor offences. There were among these
convicts 921 men who could neither read nor write,
and 490 who could only read and write very imper-
fectly.
A letter from the Piraeus, dated July 26, states
that several French and Russian vessels had arrived
in that port having on board women, children, and
old men, refugees from Crete. The Consuls of the
two Powers in the Canea had requested the captains
of these vessels to fulfil this act of humanity, and to
save these unfortunates from the fury of the Turks.
The insurrection still continued in the mountains of
Crete.
The two Chambers of Portugal recently abolished
the punishment of imprisonment for debt. The
King of Portugal has sent from Paris a document
giving the requisite consent to the decision of the
Chambers.
A terrible accident has happened to a pleasure
train from Lyons to Marseilles. The train contained
700 persons, and the number killed is variously
stated at from six to ten. A great many persons
were seriously injured, but the accounts of the acci-
dent are yet imperfect. The accident took place at
a part of the line which is under repair, in the com-
mune of St. Albin, and the workmen had not
time to leave the passage free when the train
was signalled.
I was informed at the Exhibition to-day, in refe-
rence to the proposed expedition to the North
Pole, mentioned above, that the committee con-
sider one point of great importance will be to provide
the vessel with marine and other scientific instru-
ments of the greatest precision and accuracy in
regard to time, so as to aid observations relative to
latitude and longitude, and all meteorological
phenomena. With this view all the instruments
exhibited which mark such vast progress in this
respect will be closely investigated, and a large
selection from them will be made to assist the inves-
tigations of the eminent scientific men who will
form part of the expedition. Some of the marvellous
clocks and other mechanism from the unrivalled
establishment of M. Detouch, of the Rue St. Mar-
tin, will be purchased for the vessel. They mark
an important epoch in this branch of scientific in-
dustry, and continue to form an object of interest
with those who watch the progress of mechanical
skill, and the source of admiration from all.
The Prince Imperial was to return to Paris to-
day. Ile will again reside for a time at the chateau
of St. Cloud.
To-morrow another section of the Orleans railway
lat from Vendome to Tours—is to be opened

for traffic.
The violent wind which prevailed at Paris for
some days has abated. The sky has been lowering
to-day, the atmosphere was heavy and a tempest
seemed imminent. The want of warmth and sun-
shine of late has given rise to unfavourable reports
respecting the quality and produce of the grapes.
Plums have been very abundant, and those of ex-
cellent quality are sold at twopence the pound.

The Mont Cenis Tunnel and the Mon

Cenis Railway.

The French Imperial and the Italian Royal Corn
missioners had an official inspection of the works of
the tunnel through the Mont Cenis on the 24th and
25th of July. Of the total length of the 12,220
metres, equal to seven English miles and a half and
235 yards, there were excavated on the 31st of De-
cember last 3,900 metres on the Italian, or Barde-
neche side of the mountain, and 2,435 metres on
the Modane, or French side; total, 6,335 metres.
Between the Ist of January and the 30th of June of
the present year 774 metres were excavated, being
the largest number by nearly 200 metres excavated
in any one half-year since the commencement of
the works in 1857. Of 774 metres 415 are on the
Italian, and 318 on the French side, making the
total excavated at that date 7,109 metres. Ever
since the commencement the progress made on the
French side has been slower than on the Italian—
thus, while on the 30th of June last the latter had
only to execute 1,754 metres, or about an English
mile and a tenth, to accomplish its half, on the
French side there remained to be excavated
3,357 metres, or nearly two miles and a tenth.
If three metres a day could be excavated on
the French side, the perforation of the tunnel
would be accomplished in three years and three
weeks ; but, as in all probability it will not be pro-
ceeded with more rapidly than two metres a day, it
will require four years and 31 weeks to complete it.
The tunnel will be lined in its entire length with
stone quarried in the immediate vicinity of the two
entrances. At the present time the excavations, or
headings, are about 1,500 metres in advance of the
amount lined. Each metre excavated and lined has
hitherto cost, on an average, 11,000 f., and various
circumstances will tend to increase this expenditure
as the works proceed further inwards. The approach
on the French side, to connect its entrance at Alo-
dane with St. Michel (the present termination of
the railway system of France in the direction of
Mont Cenis), will be 12 miles long, through an ex-
tremely difficult and mountainous country. On the
Italian side the amount of railway to be constructed
from Bardeneche to connect it, in the neighbourhood
of Susa, with the railway system of Italy will be 22i
miles. The whole of these works will be of a heavy
and expensive character. They are now about to be
let, and the time to be allowed by the contract
for their completion is to be four years and a half.
The length of the railway, via the tunnel from St.
Michel to Susa, will be 42 miles, or 6/ miles shorter
than that now nearly finished on the outside of the
Mont Cenis Pass, and known as the " Fell Rail-
way," from its being constructed in accordance with
the patents of the gentleman of that name. The
only delay to the opening of this railway for traffic
is the non-delivery of its rolling stock, but this diffi-
culty will, it is expected, be overcome by the middle
of September. As regards transit through the
tunnel, in consequence of the average gradient on
the French half being one in 45/, and the steepest
gradient on the line being one in 28, it will not be
possible for a train to go through from the north to
the south in less than from 38 to 40 minutes. Com-
ing from the south to the north the ascent is much
more gradual, but even in this case the transit will
occupy from 30 to 32 minutes as a minimum. It
has yet to be seen whether passengers would not
prefer the outside line instead of being shut up in a
tunnel so long as we have just stated. It is for this,
among other reasons, that many persons expect the
Fell Railway, which only possesses a concession for
working until the tunnel line is opened for traffic,
will have its privileges extended so as to make it
i- practically a permanent concession.
;e-

!, mai

The Saturday Review says :—" The Moniteur has
managed, by half a century of lying under the orders of
every possible kind of government, to establish such a
reputation that it is only believed when the news it gives
is bad news."
JOCKEYS AND RACING OFFICIALS V. TURF
WRITERS AND REPORTERS.---It now seems probable
that the cricket match hastily got up last year between
the jockeys and racing officials and the press writers will
be an annual affair, and take place between the Goodwood
and Brighton meetings. Last year the pen was victorious
over the whip, and the match created so much interest that
cua the present anniversary it was looked on in the light of
a public one, and was the subject of much conversation in
turf circles, at the same time leading to considerable specu-
lation ; the jockeys, despite their defeat last year, being
the favourites. The match came off on Saturday after-
noon last in the "Dripping-pan," at Lewes in the presence
of a goodly number of the followers of racing and several
jockeys, among whom we noticed Jemmy Grimshaw, Parry,
and Sam Riordan, who had met to see their brother profes-
sionals play. Jew Coaler was the captain of the jockeys,
eleven, whilst Air. E. Smith fulfilled alike position for the
press, winning the toss for choice of innings. The jockeys
went first to the wickets, and ran up a score of 101. They
were a carefully selected twelve, and their cult was Mr.
Leonard Day, son of John day, the Danebury trainer, a
left-handed player, who hit in a free style, and made the
top score of the match, 30, being eventually cleverly
caught out by Mr. Smith. Mr. M. Verrall was next highest
with 17.
Goater played well for 13, and Fordham scored
8, a number which was made by Tim Jefferson. It should
be mentioned that Lord St. Vincent, who was on the
ground, with his son, the lion. E. Jervis, iu the kindest
possible manner played with the jockeys, his lordship as a
substitute for Custance, and his son for Hibberd. The
press team comprised the writers to the daily papers
and the reporting staff of the leading sporting papers.
They were defeated in one innings, receiving just such
another besting as the bookmakers did at Goodwood
' The return match will be played in a few Weeks at the
' ()val. . s