The Sun.
London, England, 1867-08-16 00:00:00

Commence at Seven.

HEATRE ROYAL ADELPHI.
Tl. Sole Proprietor and Manager. Mr. B. Webster.
THIS EVENING, a new Musical Drama. GARIBALDI
IN SICILY. Miss Roden, Miss Emily Fitt; Messrs. It.
Philli; s, J. G. Taylor, and Ashley.
After whicb , at 8. MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
Messrs. Nevil e, Billington, Stuart, Ashley, J. Clarke, J. G.
Taylor, C. 11. Stephenson. Romer; Misses Kate Terry, E
Pitt. Hughes, and A. Seaman.
To conclude with A SLICE OF LUCK. Messrs J.
Clarke, J. G. Taylor, C. H. Stephenson, C. J. Smith ; Miss
A. Seaman and bliss E. Pitt.

ROYAL OLYMPIC THEATRE.
New Management.
Sole Lessee, Mr. B. Webster; Manager, Mr. H. Wigan.
TO-NIGHT, SIX MONTHS AGO. Mr. Clayton. Mr. H
J. Montavue, Miss Di. Palmer.
After which, THE GRASSHOPPER. Messrs.H.Wigan.
P. Murray, and J. Clayton; Mesdames Ada and Emma
Webb, and Sheridan.
To conclude with BETTY MARTIN. Mr. G. Vincent
and Miss E. Farren.
Doors open at half-past Six; commence at Seven.

ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.
Sole Lessee, Mr. Vining.
Under the Management of Mr. Hermann Veen.
THIS EVENING, the nerformanc^ will commence with
THE DAY AFTER. THE WEDDING. Mr. E. Price and
Miss NLlly Moore.
After which, at 8, THE MAN 0' AIRLIE. James II ,re-
hell, Mr. Hermann Vezin; Messrs. E.
rrice, IL Forrester,
Sc. ; Misses E. Stuart and Nelly Moore.
To conclude with AN UNPKOTECTED FEMALE. )Mies
Polly Marshall.
Doors open at 7 ; commencl at half-past.

ROYAL STRAND THEATRE.
Sole Lessee and 3lanageress, Sirs. Swanborough.
Tlll-; EVENING, REVERSES. Messrs. S. Emery. Par -
Pelle, N. Robson. IV. Swanborough; Mesdames Ada Swan-
borough, John,toc e, and Manders.
After which, KENILWORTH. Messrs. Thorne and
James; Mesdames Swanborough, Holt, G WyIIIIC,
Commence at halt-past Seven.

ROYAL AMPHI
IGHTHEHOATLBRE AND CIRCUS,
HORN.
BRILLIANT AND UNABATED SUCCESS.
THIS EVENING. an almost Entire Change of Pro-
gramme. M. VIDAL in his Wonderful Performance on the
RHOMBOID. Immensely Exciting" VAN liH LNG ACT,"
by the Eccentric ABBO fT. The BROTHERS BRAD-
BURY, in a new and daring Double Act of Horsemanship.
The BROTHERS DANIELS, the Musical Clowns.
appearance ot the Wonderful FIRE HORSE " Zamor," arc.
ac.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
fins DAL—Morning, 2h. 38m.—Afternoon, 2h. 53m.
To-Moß.Row.-Morning, 3h. 10m.—Afternoon, 3h. 27m.

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4;4Ar(ltV"':,' ';,3 nit
~,-,_. *--N I

LONDON, FRIDAY, AUGUST 16, 1867.

We have now arrived at the period when there
can no longer be any doubt as to the fate of the
different measures before Parliament, and the hopes
and fears of different sides of politicians reach a
climax. Yesterday the Royal assent was given to
several bills ; first and foremost among which was
the Reform Bill. The proceedings characterising
the ceremony were of a very formal character, and
but a brief time was occupied by them. In the
House of Commons general cheering greeted the
announcement of the Speaker that the Royal assent
bad been given to the bill, but the fact alone was
enough, and needed no excitement to give it effect.
It is something at this time of the session to find
that the bill is really and truly safe beyond all
chance of interruption and danger of interference on
the part of any, and that all the opposition of some
and the jealousy of others, cannot now stop the pro-
gress of this popular measure, so long demanded
and desired. Perhaps it is as well that the last
scene in this strange eventful history should have
been delayed until the close of the Session, for it
seems more suitable in many respects, and by the
time Parliament reassembles we expect that even
those who are most disappointed now will have be-
come reconciled to part, if not all, of the provisions
of the new scheme. It is a wise arrangement, by
which it has been decided that the bill will not come
into effect until January, 1869. The delay will give
ample time to those most affected by the changes
about to be introduced to make up their minds re-
specting them. So many and so comprehensive are
the changes that will have been wrought by this bill
that a precipitate entrance upon the work could not
havebeen a successful one. Another thing tobeconsi-
dered is that a general election taking place soon after
the stir and excitement caused by the passing of a
Reform Bill would have done a great deal of harm.
We can fancy Mr. GLADSTONE telling the electors of
South Lancashire how much better it must have been
if he had had the opportunity of introducing a bill
himself, while Mr. BRIGHT would have disturbed
the serenity of Birmingham by his noisy assertions
concerning the wrongs that would be done, instead
of the right conferred, by the new Reform Bill.
He may do so now very likely, but it will be with
impunity, whereas it might occasion evil under
other circumstances. At the comparatively distant
period to which we refer, it will be quite impossible
for the same angry and excited feelings to obtain the
mastery that they do now, and most likely many
will be glad to think the work is over instead of
having to be begun.
The new aspect which affairs seem likely to as-
sume may puzzle some inexperienced politicians,
but there can be no doubt that the general gain to
the community far outweighs any individual in-
convenience. It has been seen that great injury
resulted to the cause of progress by the
question of Reform, so long being made
a stalking-horse of party warfare, and
it is a relief to think that this dodge can no more
be tried by any ingenious member of the Liberal
party. Through how many years of inaction have
they not monopolised this to themselves, and upon
the momentous occasion of 1859, when they drove
the Conservatives out of office by their deceit and
treachery ? Reform, rightly considered, should
be the appanage of no party, but the
intelligence of the experienced, and the
patriotism of the elected representatives,
should concur in making it easy for any govern-
ment to introduce and carry to a safe issue a mea-
sure of this kind. It is not so, however, as we all
know to our cost, and more especially has it not
been so in the case of the Reform Bills introduced
of late years ; because the Whigs and Liberals, or
whatever they are, have been so prejudiced and
resolved to keep all the game to themselves. The
Radicals have also been most faulty in the
matter, and over] and over again have nearly
spoiled everything by demanding impossibilities,
and denying that there was any gain without some
of their own schemes had been put into practice.
The curtain now falls, however, upon all those
actors, and it is indeed a consoling reflection to
carry away, after the whirl and excitement of the
session is over, that the great work has been done
which has so often been deferred, or the absence
of which has made the programme of many a
session blank. The Government may well be con-
gratulated upon the position before the country,
and Envy may hide her diminished head, while
political jealousy is silenced, and those who are fond
of speculating upon the advantages of a Liberal
Ministry, may change their minds when they find
that it is not they, after all, who can point to the
Royal Assent being given to the Reform Bill, but
to those to whom they begrudged the honour of
so doing. Their disappointment is a well-
merited one ; but it is not of failures that we would
now think, but rather turn gladly to the bright
side of the picture, and contemplate the advantages
that will accrue from the settlement of this vexed
question, and acknowledge the skill with which the
measure was devised and the spirit with which it
was carried out ; for to pin the end yesterday
celebrated, it was, indeed, necessary to climb the
hill of difficulty with courage and good faith.

The lateness of the Session has stood the Re-
form League in good stead, and they will be able
to rejoice, as no doubt they will, over the defeat
of the Parks Bill. It is rather unfortunate for
their cause that they had no more heroic leader
than Mr. WHALLEY, who contrived to bring
down upon himself and his cause the displeasure
of the House. Certainly his persistence in pro-
secuting his visionary question of privilege did
him good service in one sense, because it frit-
tered away the time of the House, and got
through the previous minutes, and saved Mr.
DENMAN a little labour in fulfilling the arduous
duty of talking against time. Mr. HARD).- did
very wisely in withdrawing the Bill, which it was
quite evident he would not at that late hour of the
session be able to pass into law. The opponents to
the measure, which, no doubt, was far enough from
perfection, have ingeniously contrived to mix up
with it the right of public meeting, with which it has
really nothing whatever to do. The parks, how-
ever beautiful, are not the only places in London,
and very certainly the right of public assembly
can be vindicated in other quarters. The continual
meetings of the Reform League are, in fact, proof
positive that men can talk as freely as they like on
any subject they please to select, and we need not
go very far back to recall the Anti-Corn Law
meetings, and many other important popular de-
monstrations, with which Hyde Park, had nothing
to do. But the opponents to the Parks Regula-
tion
Bill talk and act as if so long as
the parks are kept for their legitimate uses
there is an end of free discussion. We
have little doubt that the good sense of the
public will eventually triumph, and that a-measure
of some kind will be adopted for the preservation o 1

these pleasant places of resort. The town of Liver-
pool possesses public parks, but the Corporation of
the town have unanimously enacted that no preach-
ing or lecturing shall be permitted within them, or
that any political or religious demonstrations shall
be allowed within the enclosures. This is not with
the view or intention of checking political or reli-
gious discussion. The inhabitants of the good city of
Liverpool, with its mixed and varied community,
would not be very likely to aim at such a hopeless
and undesirable result. But just because there is
so much diversity of sentiment, and so ready a de-
termination to express it, the managers of the parks
resolve not to allow them to be turned into lecture
halls or platforms. There arc plenty of other con-
venient localities for those who wish to debate or
demonstrate any particular point, and we have never
heard it remarked that Liverpool was destitute
of public spirit or deficient in a sense of its rights.
The more crowded and populous a city the more
important it is that there should be some open space
for those who want a little fresh air and quiet
otherwise unattainable. The Reform League can
hardly be always in existence, neither can we sup-
pose that the most enthusiastic of their followers
have nothing better to do than to carry banners
and listen to speeches on a subject which, for the
present at least, is exhausted. But if the right
to hold meetings in the Parks is conceded,
they will have plenty of imitators. We may have
(who knows ?) anti-reformers. We shall certainly
have religious disputants by the dozen, and every
local quarrel will be settled in Hyde Park. Mr.
DEN AN urges on behalf of his clients that the
people have a moral right to the use of the parks as
Parliament has spent enormous sums of money in
improvements. This argument, however, points
rather the other way, since the taxpayers of the
metropolis have a right to be consulted in the
matter, which is at present temporarily settled by
,he clamour of a few.

A very striking proof of our army mismanage-
ment was yesterday brought before Mr. KNox, at
the Marlborough-street Police-court. We need not
wonder at the growing unpopularity of our military
service when such instances are constantly before
the eyes of young men entering life. The first idea
in the mind of a man on taking up hiS trade or pro-
fession is to earn enough by steadiness and industry
to insure a provision for the days when from
illness or incapacity he can work no more.
But a long period of arduous service,
medals, and certificates, and other testimonies
of merit fail to secure the disabled soldier from want
and desolation. PATRICK HEA, a pensioned sol-
dier, was brought before Mr. KNOX, charged with
attempting to commit suicide in Kensington Gar-
dens. A paper with a list of his services was handed
in, and they included all the principal actions of
the Indian war of 1857-58, besides services in the
earlier Indian campaigns. This paper, signed by
the officer of the regiment to which he belonged,
stated that he had an Indian medal and two
clasps. The poor man told his pitiful tale with
much emotion. He was discharged last October
on a pension of sixpence a day. He tried work first
here, then there, but every time his failing health
compelled him to give it up. He is suffering from
consumption, so his troubles are not likely to be
long, but they were more than he could bear. He
attended an hospitable and tried to get into one, but
failed. Ile had no friends, and having paid his
debts with his quarter's pension he went into the
gardens and gave way to despair. The magi-
strate, after commenting on the deplorable na-
ture of the case, gave the man some rclief, and said
that no doubt something would be done for him,
now his case was known. Probably it will, and
the poor man will be placed in some comfort for the
rest of his days. But let U 3 ask our Horse-Guards
• how many more such invalided pensioners are liv-
I ing, or trying to live, on sixpence a day ?

The Earthquake in Java.

THE HAGUE, Aug. 14.

The mail of the 27th of June from Batavia brings
the following particulars of the terrible earthquake
which happened in the Island of Java a few days
previously :
" The damage caused in the district of Djocjo-
carta was most serious. Several large estates and
numerous manufactories and dwelling-houses were
in a few minutes totally destroyed. Scarcely a
building remained uninjured. The damage in
Djocjocarta was estimated at four million florins.
Three hundred bodies were recovered from the ruins.
Among the buildings destroyed was the Djocjocarta
Hospital, by which catastrophe the whole of the
family of the director perished, only the father and
one child succeeding in making their escape. The
number of people killed would undoubtedly have
been much smaller but for the early hour (half-past

four in the morning) at which the occurrence took
place, the whole population being still in bed and
enveloped in darkness. Fortunately the harvest
suffered little. The destruction and distress were,
however, great, and were increased by native ma-
rauders, who availed themselves of the dilapidated
state of the dwellings, which, in some cases, they
themselves had been instrumental in bringing about,
to rob the colonists of their property."