The Sun.
London, England, 1867-02-16 00:00:00

THE SUN, LoNLON, SATURDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 16, 1867.

provided due discretion were used in so doing. It
is a pity that so numerous and so efficient a body
should be reduced in times of emergency to the
level of ordinary civilians, and a change might
easily be introduced for the better. The confusion
that arose the otherday in the minds of the authori-
ties at Chester is sufficient proof of the present un-
satisfactory condition of things in respect to this
important particular.

We arc not surprised that questions should have
been asked in both Houses as to the state of things
in Ireland, but the replies of Lord DERBY and of
Mr. WALroLE were as satisfactory as they could be
under the circumstances, and from intelligence at a
later period received from Ireland it seems that the
Fenian raid in the neighbourhood of Killarney has
been stopped. While it is, undoubtedly, a groat
disappointment to all parties that this mischievous
spirit is again rife among us, it is a source of grati-
fication to know that the prompt and timely measures
which have been taken by Government and its
subordinates have proved effectual. From accounts
received of the details of the affair it seems that
the number of insurgents at Kilkenny was at first
exaggerated, but no doubt more would have speedily
appeared on the scene had not the originators and
promoters been speedily confronted. It is said
that STEPIIENS is believed to be in Kerry direct-
ing the movement ; and, at any rate, the com-
mission of Captain MORIARTY was in the latter's
handwriting. That the arrest of this captain led
to the outbreak is the opinion of some,
and the gathering that had taken place was to effect
his liberation. The most serious part of the affair
was the attempt made upon the constable who was
taking despatches to the police-station, but he is
recovering from the shots he received. Under the
circumstances it would have been more prudent
not to have let one man go upon so dangerous a
mission. The excitement which the news of the
outrages has spread over the country is, of course,
great, but there is every probability of the
whole matter passing off quietly without any very
great losses or injury to life and property. It shows
at any rate that we must not feel too secure in a
hurry again, but that a vigilant watch must be kept
up wherever suspicions are entertained of the good
faith or loyalty of certain parties. Leniency and
toleration are thrown away in this instance, and
only the most rigorous treatment can avail with
such misguided individuals. As for the leaders in
this movement no words can be too strong to con-
demn their conduct, and for all the misery and
suffering that may ensue, theyare and will be directly
responsible, since they disregard all warning.

No time has been lost in appointing the Royal
Commission to report on the organisation and rules
of trades unions and kindred associations, and we
trust they will enter upon their labours in an ear-
nest and unprejudiced spirit. The names of the
Commissioners are calculated to inspire confidence,
as those of practical and able men, who take a warm
interest in the relations between labour and capital
without being personally or directly concerned.
When the deputation of working men waited upon
the Home Secretary in reference to this matter, and
asked for the addition of one or two members of
their own class, Mr. WALPOLE told them that
the Government had contemplated such an
addition, but that as in that case they must
also have added one or two employers, they had
thought it better for the constitution of the Com-
mission to be entirely impartial. In this decision
they were probably right, since the matters to be
examined into are not technicalities of trade, nor
are they called upon to fix the rate of wages. They
are simply to inquire into the general principles of
action among trades' unions, with power to in-
vestigate any recent acts of intimidation or outrage
alleged to have been promoted or connived
at by such associations, and also to inquire
into the relations between workmen and their
employers for the mutual benefit of both
parties. Men like Lord ELCIIO and Mr. ROEBUCK,
who have always taken a warm interest in the
working classes ; men like Sir DANIEL Goocu, who
have risen from the ranks by their own ability and
character; men like Mr. HUGHES, who have been
chosen to represent the interests of many thousands
of working men in Parliament, can surely be
trusted to have a due regard to the interests of both
sides. Added to these we are glad to find the name
of Mr. HARRISON, which has been added in com-
pliance with the wishes of the deputation referred
to ; while the appointment of Sir WILLIAM ERLE
as President has given general satisfaction. It
is very probable that in the relations between
employers and employed much of the prevailing
misunderstandings arise from mutual ignorance.
If either side better understood the difficulties and
trials of the other there would be more sympathy
w
and
rall y
moreseek
his
ow o toleration, though
interests.
s each
things oul d
astillpresent
natu-
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ostalasnsdes,mwuhcoharmis
are
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is n
adito
gaiudoaleittbley agitators of
temporary
all
popu-
larity and influence at the expence of their fellows,
p i:jec,jknhuotaili
ai
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tdroutfdaa
liebnpolrtoyehosbilsiefioe dn mastersonfaogto and men prevent
and the
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rg ar doa rye
aw
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yssi f nottohn e.
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frequent recurrence of strikes, has prepared the
way for the introduction of a new and a better
system, and we hope the labours of the Commission
will tend to a practical result, which, if it really
and permanently benefit either side, must ultimately
benefit both.

but says he could not accept the position " without
soiling himself with lies."
The Illoniteur states that the Austrian General
Mooring, charged with the mission of placing in the
hands of the Italian authorities the whole of the
materiel at Venice, as well as in the Venetian pro-
vinces belonging to the Austrian Government, had
on the Bth a last conference with the Italian Com-
missioner, General de Revel, and left Venice on the
11th with Colonel Kopfinger, who was associated
with him in the mission.
Prince Charles of Roumania has returned to Brest
with his brother, Prince Frederic de Hohenzollern.
The Journal de Rome of the 11th of Feb. gives au
account of the reception of M. Louis Joseph Sar-
torius of Tapia, Viscount de Priego, at a private
audience by the Pope, to present his credentials as
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary from
the Queen of Spain to the Holy See. The Pope had
a long private conversation with the Ambassador,
who was afterwards presented to Cardinal Antonelli.
It is stated from Brussels that the marriage of
the Count de Flandre, second son of the late King
of the Belgians, with the Princess Marie de Ho-
henzollern, will take place at Berlin after Easter
with great pomp and ceremony. The Princess was
born on the 17th of November, 1845, and is the
fifth child of Prince Charles Anthony, burgrave of
Nuremberg, whose mother was the Princess Marie-
Antoinette Murat.
The purchaser of the three fat oxen for the cere-
mony of the Bceuf Gros this year is M. Flechelle.
They are named Sardanapalus, the Devil on Two
Sticks, and Frieschutz.

The Journal des Debats expresses high satisfac-
tion both at the pacific tendency of the Speech and
at the proposed development of public liberty. I

might furnish more extracts from these opinions,
but they would merely form a repetition of the
same great and decided feelings of approval. Of
opposition or disapproval there is really none, for
the leading opposition paper, the Siecle, can only
imagine the very airy complaint that the speech
is " vague." Such an objection answers itself, for
seldom has a royal speech been more definitive or
precise, or more abundant in the enumeration of
numerous and enlightened measures. The Siecle is
evidently embarrassed how to find a point of com-
plaint, as it admits that, although it has discovered
" vagueness," it is difficult, after a first reading, to

appreciate in all its part..l.a document of such im
portance which treats of such numerous questions.'

An old woman who soli fruit in the market has
been brutally murdered. The body was found
early in the morning in the road which separates the
two cemeteries of the North, not far from the Rue
Lepic. She had been strangled. The murderer has
left the marks of his fingers on the throat. She was
robbed of all the money she had about her to make
purchases at the market.
The particulars of a " terrible battle," as it was
styled, were detailed a day or two ago before the
tribunal of Correctional Police, but to dissipate the
alarm which such an announcement may perhaps
create, I may say at once that the affair ended in
a fine of 16f. The belligerents were, on the one

part, Madame Moissard, the landlady of a house
over the water, her son Victor ; and on the other
part, Miss Gerard, a lady of some sixty years of age,

who rented a room in the house. The first witness
of the battle was M. Prudhomme, who lodged in
the house. He said he was at work in his room with
his brother, when footsteps were heard, and a voice
of thunder, that of Madame Moissard, who roared
out, " Break open this door for me." An alarming

noise was heard ; the son had broken open the doer
with a hatchet as requested. At the same time both
mother and son rushed upon Miss Gerard like tigers.
Madame Moissard struck her an overwhelming
blow with a hammer, and her son precipitated her
to the ground with merciless violence. The son

seized her by the throat and seemed to intend to
strangle her. He (the witness), however, saved
Miss Gerard from her executioners." They in

revenge throw out of the window china, linen, and
in fact every portable article which came to hand.
The President—But this poor woman, assailed with
a hammer, seized by the throat, knocked upon the
ground, must have been half-killed. Witness—
That's not my business. I describe what I saw.

The rest is the doctor's business. The brother of
the witness confirmed his testimony, adding
that there was another tall fellow behind the door
mounting guard with a hatchet in his hand, upon
which the witness exclaimed to his brother, "This
is a real battle of Sappers." " Yes," exclaimed
Miss Trojan, another witness, " I saw the danger.
Young Moissard knocked about the things with a
hatchet like a Cossack. It was so shocking to see
the blood run from Miss Gerard's head that I
fainted." M. Bonjour, the counsel for Miss Gerard,
rather improved upon the version, and described the
movements of Madame Moissard as those of a
General. She divided her expeditionary army into
three corps at the bottom of the staircase. The first,
hammer, in hand, the second, the corps of execu-
tion, the son armed with a hatchet; and the third,
the reserve corps, M. Leplat, also armed with a
hatchet. The place was carried by storm. Fright-
ful, horrible scene. Miss Gerard quietly occupied
by her work was:seized by the throat and pre,ipi-
tated to the ground by the son. Struck upon the
head with a hammer, she rose the best way she
could, her head saturated with blood. Then a
razzia was made upon her furniture. Two kind
neighbours came to the rescue, and put an end to
this ignoble and grievous battle. The advocate con-
cluded by saying that Miss Gerard exhibited most
laudable forbearance in only claiming 500 f. damages
for this terrific assault and battery. Madame Alois-

sard was much excited by this Unvarnished narra-
tion, and exclaimed, "I only threw two or three
miserable cups and saucers out of the window. She
scratched me like a fury, and broke the handle of a
broom about my son's head." The Court seemed to
think that the complainant was a little in fault, for
it fined her 16f., but she got the best of it, as the
defendant was ordered to pay her 20f. as recom-

pense for damage done to her goods and person.

The Bank of England and the Money
Mark et.

-0^
The new minimum of 3 per cent. appears, from
the business of the week, to be as little likely to
encourage a return of animation in the money mar-
ket as the rate of 31 per cent. which it superseded.
It is true, that only a week has elapsed since the
change but in that week the resources of the Bank
have increased, whilst its business has declined.
Take the case of the private securities :
Feb. 6, Private securities £18,716,418
13, ~

Decrease......... £398,876
Showing a not unimportant reduction in the trans-
actions of the Bank. And that the Bank has lost
business through its terms being higher than those
in the market is confirmed by the decline ill the pri-
vate deposits :

Feb. 6, Private deposits ......... £18,267,595
I, 13, ,7
............ 17,476,265

Decrease ............... £791,330
As to the resources of the Bank, the accession to
them is shown by the comparative amounts of bul-
lion and reserve :—.

Bullion. Reserve.
Feb. 6 ......... £19,024,193 £11,000,023
„ 13 ......... 11,177,382 11,546,497

Increase —• £153,188 £546,574
But the means at the control of the Bank are best
estimated in relation to the liabilities ; and, as fre-
quently explained, the position is satisfactory when
the reserve is equal to one-third the liabilities on
deposits, and the bullion equal to one-third the
aggregate ; liabilities on circulation and deposits
combined. The following table
two weeks, the excess of bullion and reserve above
these several proportions : gives, for the past

Bullion. Reserve.
Fob. 6 ............ £3,111,890 £2,761,534
3,260,816
„ 13 ............ 3,717,221

Increase ... £605,241 £499,282
By adding together these several accretions, we find
that on recognised principles the Bank has improved
its position during the week by £1,139,563.
This, combined with the state of the market, is an
indication that the 3 per cent, nainilanna cannot be

sustained in the existing condition of the demand.
We may, therefore, anticipate further accumulations
of supplies. But as suggested last week, it is desir-
able, for the sake of promoting the recovery of
public confidence from apparently continuous de-
pression, that the Bank should not make ex-
periments in waiting, If the position will bear a
further reduction in the rate, as it unquestionably
will, let the reduction not be delayed. The com-
mercial demand can only be revived by means of
concession ; and it is only by the absorption of
capital through a commercial demand that escape
can be found from discussions as to what our money
shall be employed in—foreign loans or new com-
panies. The general inclination of commercial
men is to employ the means at their command in
their own business in preference to others ; and
front the experience of last year it is hardly likely
that this tendency will be diverted. A new impulse
to confidence will, therefore, best proceed from
above.

The Bank of France maintains its rate of dis-
count at 3 per cent., at which it has stood since the
end of August. But the tendencies there are strongly
towards reduction. The bullion and the discounts
both point to it, as may be seen from the following
comparisons :

Bullion. Discounts.
Jan. 2 ... £27,002,158 £28,209,231
Feb. 13 ... 28,225,961 25,869,231

Increase £1,222,803 Decrease £2,340,790
It is not improbable that in the course of the
ensuing week money may be cheaper in France and
in Holland as well as in this country.—The
Bullionise.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

THE FENIAN OUTBREAK.

PLYMOUTH, Saturday.
Her Majesty's ships Racoon and Vestal have left
for Ireland. The Charybdis is lying inside the
Breakwater, ready to start when the Marines are
embarked. The weather has considerably mode-
rated. The wind is light, from the southward.

THE WAR IN THE BRAZILS.
(By Telegraph from Lisbon.)
Rio DE JANEIRO, Jan. 80.
The latest intelligence from the seat of war an-
nounces that the Brazilian squadron had made a
reconnaissance off Curupaity. The Brazilian vessels
were received with a brisk fire, which caused great
damage to their gunboats, one of which, the Parai-
bues, exploded. The Brazilians subsequently bom-
barded the Paraguayan camp.
Senator Ferraz is dead.

THE HUNGARIAN MINISTRY.

PESTIT, Feb. 16.

The new Hungarian Ministers are expected to
arrive here to-day.
An Imperial rescript upon the future relations
between Hungary and Austria will be published on
Monday or Tuesday next.