The Sun.
London, England, 1866-09-27 00:00:00

Hugh Miller is found philosophising on the history
to be read in the quarries which he is breaking up
with his own hands, or an Elihu Burritt--(cheers)
—is foundstoring his mind with the lessons of an-
cient and modern history over the anvil. (Cheers.)
But these exceptions must be rare. The two things
which the busy or working man does care about over
and above his business are politics and religion—the
study of his own rights and duties as a citizen, of his
own individual duties here, and his hopes hereafter.
(Hear, hear.) These he likes to hear and talk
of, and yet these are thought to be of necessity
excluded from such institutions as these. The
question that arises is, is that necessity as
real as is generally supposed? Now, there is no
doubt that if such institutions as these were made
the instruments of disseminating merely party opin-
ions, whether in politics or religion, they might be
made very mischievous, as conveyingin unsuspected
forms dangerous views in both, and, by stirring up
animosities amongst the members, might make it
impossible to secure co-operation for objects of com-
mon and neutral interest. But even in politics, is
there not some neutral ground to be discovered ?
might there not be subjects selected which are re-
moved by certain distances of time from the politics
of the day, but which, by leading to an increased
knowledge of ancient and modern history, might
interest and inform those who are attracted by the
public affairs of their own times, and enable them to
form a better and maturer judgment with regard to
them ? (Hear.) And with regard to religion, is there
not some common ground for all Christians ? With
regard to matters of faith, there are too many points
of difference to allow us to enter upon them ; but
could not the evidencesof our common faith be made
matter for mostinteresting and common instruction?
—(hear, hear)—a subject which can be studied
equally in the works of the Unitarian Nonconformist
Lardner ; of the English Churchmen Butler, Paley,
Jenner, Whately, and Daniel Wilson ; of the Pres-
byterian Chalmer, or the Roman Catholic Abbe
Fraypinon, without awakening the jealousy of sects
or churches. (Hear, hear.) And as attendance at
your lectures is voluntary, I don't see how any one
can be offended by the introduction of such topics.
(Hear, hear.) It is a great defect of the present
time that no such instruction is to be found in
courses of education for any class. (Hear, hear.)
It has everything to recommend in itself—it is most
attractive as a study, it leads to a reference to
ancient and modern history, a discussion of the laws
of evidence, and an inquiry into the reasons for con-
viction upon subjects of the highest interest to the
human mind and the human destiny. It cannot
well be taught in schools to the very young, for
they have not the materials available, and it
would be out of season with the habits of thought
desirable for their age. But when the youth is
already engaged in the concerns of life, he finds
much to try the simple faith which he has imbibed
as a habit from his early instructors. He has pas-
, sions within, bad companions without ; the current
and lighter literature of the day, even occasionally
severer science itself, infuses doubts, to combat
which he is armed with no sufficient weapons. He
lives in an age in which everythingisquestioned, and
where is he to ask for answers ; where is he to learn
that, if there are sometimes difficulties in the way of
belief, there are still greater difficulties in the way
of a man who knows what the strength of evidence
in favour of religion is, in the way of his coming to
unbelief ? How completely he must abandon all
those reasons for conviction which would guide him
in his decision on other questions before he can yield
to the minor doubts and difficulties which have sug-
gested or suggest themselves, and abandon for a
mere negative position the settled faith which he had
early imbibed. (Hear, hear.) He cannot learn that
from his companions, his parents, or his employers ;
even sermons do not furnish the fitting occasion,
because they must be mainly exhortations to con-
duct rather than logical deductions from evidence.
Is it not a great defect in a great country that,
unless compelled by absolute necessity, we should
undertake so much, and yet exclude this most ne-
cessary of all knowledge? (Hear, hear.) Is there
not great reason to believe that, leaving to the
teachers and ministers of religion to raise their
several superstructures upon the general founda-
tion of the truth of natural and revealed reli-
gion, that foundation might be laid within
your walls, not only without offence, but with
additional concurrence from both students and
subscribers ? (Hear.) I have taken the liberty of '
making a bold suggestion, and it is for you to con-
sider it. The result of my own observations and
experience is in favour of its adoption, and I think
you will do well to consider whether by its adoption
you cannot, and the directors of other similar insti-
tutions cannot, :cause them to be not only more
useful, but more popular and better frequented.
(Hear, hear.) Of course it will require much care
and consideration, if adopted, because you know,
" we walk upon the ashes under which fire is lurk-
ing at every step ;" but, at the same time, where
so much is at stake, where we have to rear citizens
in a country like ours, where every man may be
called upon to exercise such important responsibili-
ties„ it is a great question whether we cannot find
out means of conveying information upon points so
important without raising up such jealousies and
such difficulties among themselves as to make the
work impossible. Now, it is for you here assembled,
in whatever capacity, to consider whether you can-
not do more in the way of influence in favour of an
institution like this ; whether everybody would not
feel more reliance upon a man wbo is sedulous in
following courses of this kind than upon the one
who has a total indifference to the cultivation of his
understanding. (Hear, hear.) I cannot but think
that, although there are dangers no doubt in all
power, whatever it may be, it is well to extend the
knowledge and information of Englishmen as much
as possible. (Hear, hear.) For whether or no it be the
destiny of the working classes of England—especially
those of our large towns—to be, in fact, the governors
of her destiny, they will certainly have great influence
upon her welfare and prosperity, and it is of the
highest interest that they should be fitted in the
best way to exercise that power and that influence.
(Applause.) The responsibilities are enormous of
every man who takes a share, no matter how small,
in the Government of this country. (Hear, hear.)
For what is this country ? It is not a poor, petty,
peddling State, a miserable island, fenced in by
the., seas, confined to the narrow population we
t wholei
find in our own limit ; but whatever is done or said
within her
rders is re-echoed and vibrates through
the
elvihsed world, and has an effect upon
every train of thought and
action. (Cheers.) Let
me advise one thing. T
here is much good in gene-
ralacquisition of languages, but
science and in the
above all things let me advise you not to neglect the
cultivation of your own language
(Hear, hear.)
There is no language that contains BO much noble
thought, so much beautiful sentiment, BO much
knowledge ; and yet, to a great proportion of our
educated classes, the beauties of our English lan-
guage are almost totally unknown—l believe un-
own to an extent which exists in no other country.
I believe no Frenchman would be considered fit to
be allowed to pass out of school without having read
the first French classical authors, and there is no
German or Italian who does not stand in a similar
position ; yet how many pass out of our schools,
high and low, without having read a word of Shak-
spere or Milton, or of any of our great prose writers.
Is it not a scandal that this should be ? (Hear,
hear.) I feel very glad, on looking over the table
of the different lectures, to see that above all almost
in popularity are those for the cultivation and study
of the English language. I hope every effort will
be made by readings, by prizes, and by stimulus of
every kind, to bring to the knowledge of the popu-
lation of this town, and of the rest of England, the
great treasures that lurk within our own literature.
I hope the time has now passed when there
shall be that preference for the learned lan-
guages which prevailed—and naturally so—at a
time when they contained almost all the knowledge
and certainly all the cdultivation ; and thTit we
thinkl t ofnf
more
er own et:ec. ti, 0,
shall not to be found within the
say tongthan etti 41ptphalantkIsey.)ou Ifolrial%l-aevninog-
listened to me, and telioantinwi,sili to your noble insti-
ceurct(a.exltension of its tution prosperity, a
ope-
rations, and, though last, certainly not least,. an ex-
tended influence to its various
me s
x.pcleshseionoble
f
lord resmned his seat amidst war
approval.)

Institutes.

The winter session of the Midland Institute at
Birmingham was inaugurated on Monday evening
by an address from the Right Hon. the Earl of Har-
rowby, president. The Lecture Theatre, in which
the proceedings took place, was crowded.
The Earl of HARROWBY, who was received with
cheers, said—Ladies and Gentlemen,—When it was
first proposed to me to assume the office, for the year,
of president for the Birmingham and Midland In-
stitute, I was startled at the suggestion, and said to
myself—What have I to do with assuming such a
position in Birmingham? Have they not among
them men more fitted than myself for such a post—
fitted by knowledge of practical and abstract science,
by the successful cultivation of literature, as well as
by influence among their fellow-citizens, for giving
an impulse to the useful and ornamental studies
which you pursue or foster, whether by influence or
example? Surely the town which nearly a century
ago could boast of a Hutton, a Priestley, and aWatt
among their fellow-citizens, cannot need to bring a
country gentleman from 30 miles off to tell them of
the importance of education, to give them lessons as
to the best methods of promoting it, or to stimulate
them to fresh exertions in its cause. When, however,
I found that my immediate predecessor in your chair
was my very noble friend Lord Wrottesley, the old
companion of my studies in the University of Ox-
ford, to whom I mainly owe whatever progress I
may have made in the exacter sciences in that seat
of learning, I felt that however incompetent to tread
worthily in his footsteps, yet I could not be doing
wrong in following his example, and giving to the
capital of the Midland Counties an evidence of my
goodwill by acceding to the wishes of your commit-
tee, and placing myself at their disposal. And now
that I am here, what shall I tell you off ? You
know your work better than I do—that you have
two, nay, three departments, besides your museum
—one, the general department, consisting of the
news-room and public lectures, less distinctly educa-
tional than the others, though we shall say that the
intelligence of the day and of all the events which
agitate the political, the scientific, the social, and
the religious world, and the discussions which arise
upon and out of them, do not furnish education and
training of the highest and most essential and most
influential character to the citizens of this great
country—this self-teaching, self-governing, self-ad-
ministrating country. Again, the lectures in this
department, though not strictly educational, yet by
awakening or reviving interest in subjects of general
literature, history, or science, are of no mean im-
portance in preventing a busy town from devoting
all its energies exclusively to immediate business, and
forgetting those graceful as well as useful experi-
ments which elevate while they adorn the existence.
To this you have lately added classes for the instruc-
tion of ladies in English language, literature, and
history, in French language and literature, in geo-
metry, in geology, and in experimental physics.
Of the success of these I am not yet able to
speak, as they have been in operation so short a
time. I can only say that I wish God may speed
them, for there cannot be a nobler or more useful
work than that of giving a sound, solid education
to the future mothers, wives, and sisters of the
rising generation, and adding to the graces which
we all feel they already possess, the advantages for
guidance as well as influence which a trained and
disciplined intellect provides. But, after all, I
imagine that you pride yourselves most upon your
industrial classes, which furnish to 800 or 1,000
students already engaged in the most active indus-
trial pursuits of life the means of acquiring know-
ledge and training their understandings in almost
every branch of useful acquirement, in the French
and German language, and, above all, in the
language and literature of our country. Now,
this is indeed an excellent work. In a
busy world like ours, young men, nay boys,
must, not only from the necessity of earning a
livelihood at an early age, but also because in
many industrial pursuits success is not to be attained
but by very early devotion to them—l say they must
at a very early age give up direct schooling, and go
into work of either head or hand. It is in vain that
educationalists and philanthropists remonstrate and
enlarge upon the advantages of prolonging the years
of school. The necessities of life are too strong, they
prevail over all general reasoning, and the boy or
young man goes to work or into actual business with
little more in his possession than the implements by
which knowledge is acquired, and these often but im-
perfecdy--but as to knowledge itself, in most cases
with absolutely none ; and it is well if in the pro-
cess of acquiring possession of those mere imple-
ments disgust of knowledge itself has not been
created, which prevents these implements being
well applied subsequently to their proper purpose.
Now, how is this difficulty to be met ? How are
these contending claims of mental cultivation and
the business of life to be reconciled ? Neither
ought to, or can be rejected. Now, in regard to
ordinary handicrafts, when great numbers are as-
sembled together at an early age, or of the tenderer
sex, the Legislature has attempted a solution by the
half-time system, begun among the factories of
Lancashire and Yorkshire, and kindred establish-
ments elsewhere, and progressively excluded the
smaller establishments and other trades, as you are
aware by your own experience, and I believe every-
where with the happiest results. The lad or the
girl has been allowed to help the family, and ac-
quire the use of crafts, to some of which their
tender touch and slighter forms and lower wages
are. specially adapted, and at the same time their
mental training has been continued with a success
most astonishing. It has been fully established
that the half-timers, as they are called, fully keep
pace in acquirement with those who give- the whole
day to school. Now, this is very well as far as it
goes ; but compulsory legislation can only be applied
to
certain classes of labour and to certain ages. Can-
not something be done for those who have either
emerged from the age to which legislation must be
limited, or have been
employed in kinds of
labour to which it cannot well be applied ?
now, this is what you attempt by your industrial
department, and in which you have attained no in-
considerable success, as the numbers, reaching, as I
have said before, from 800 to 1,000, pretty well
demonstrate. This is not all you could wish for, but
it is a good deal. In so busy a community we must
not expect too much. It is not every youth who,
after having spent a busy day, engaged in manual
craft, or behind the counter, or at the desk, with
the bodily powers or the mental faculties pretty
well exhausted, is prepared to find his repose rather
in mental exertion than in mere recreation or in
society, innocent or vicious, as the case may be.
The temptations to each of these, heaven knows,
powerful enough to make us thankful that so large
a number have been found willing and able to resist
them, and to walk in the severer paths of study which
your institution has opened to them. I know the
insufficient success of mechanics' institutions, and
institutions similar to yours, has often been lamented
as disappointing the expectations of their founders,
and sometimes not without reason. The causes have
been often looked for, and I have already suggested
some, but I do not think that one cause has been
sufficiently considered, upon which—although I know
the ground to be delicate-1 will venture to touch.
Tlze founders of such institutions, in their anxiety,
partly to quiet political and religious apprehensions,
and partly with a view of conciliating a more ex-
tended support in the midst of a
t society
v which is
much divided upon those subjects, are apt to banish,
whether from their libraries, their lectures,
.tica
nor their
cannot
discussions, all allusion to religion
and politics
I imagine you do the same. Now, I
n _and
think that this is a timid policy, and of doubtful
success even for its main object. (Hear.) Pure
instruction for the sake of instruction, for the sake
merely of knowledge, is rarely popular in itself,
and belongs to a peculiar class of minds always in
a minority in all classes of society. The number
of those who desire knowledge for the sake of in-
tellectual exercitation is limited in all classes, and
cannot be expected to be excessive among those
who have had fewer advantages of early education
than their neighbours, and have been very early
plunged into work and business. There are eminent
exceptionS, no doubt—an Isaac .Afilner is found
l
studying Newton and Tacitus over his loom ; a I

COMPANIES.

BERWICKSHIRE.
The half-yearly meeting was held at Greenlaw on
Saturday ; Sir H. Campbell in the chair.
The report congratulated the shareholders on the
regular and satisfactory working of the line. The
earnings for the half-year were £1,598, being an
increase, arising in consequence of the completion of
the line, of £568. The balance of receipts, after
paying all charges, was £742, which it was proposed
to add to the balance of £296 from last half-year,
and carry to next half-year's account.
The CHAIRMAN said it had on a former occasion
been resolved to declare only one dividend in the
year, and therefore it was proposed to carry the
balance forward.
The report was adopted, and thanks were given
to the chairman.

report, congratulated the proprietors on the fact that
the company was still able to pay a dividend of 10
per cent. per annum.

The report was unanimously adopted, as also a
resolution in favour of making a call of 5 per cent.
on the new stock.

Wreck of the Stalwart.

Mr. J. A. Tillard, of Conington Rectory, St. Ives,
has received the following letter from his son :
FORT PEDDIE, July 6.
We have had a very mournful catastrophe in this
district lately. The Stalwart, an East Indiaman,
from Bombay to Liverpool, went down in a fearful
gale off the coast. The crew took to the boats (three),
and, after being three days out, attempted to land
about a mile from Fish River mouth. Most unfortu-
nately they chose a very bad place, and of ter passing
the first two breakers the boat struck on a rock, up-
set end over, and 11 out of the crew of 15 lost their
lives. The first mate (Matheson) was among them;
he has left a wife and family, and I think it would be
a charity if you were to write and let her know. I
cannot give you any particulars as to her address, as
the men only know she lives at Glasgow; but I sup-
pose you could find means to find her out. lam
afraid that if she is not written to she may not hear
of it for some time, and then perhaps only the fact
without the particulars. The boat was wrecked on
Monday, June 25. Mr. Edye and I went down the
following day, and remained there three days ; no
bodies were found until Wednesday, when eight
were washed up, the mate among them. Fortu-
nately, there was a chapel-of-ease about four miles
from the spot, where we had them all buried. The
clergyman from Peddie went down with us ; he
examined the mate's body to see if ho had any
papers or anything in his pocket or about him that
we could have sent home, but he had not a single
thing. The pockets were all washed inside out by
the sea. From appearances it seems he must have
been killed by the boat falling over him, as he had a
fearful wound in his forehead, which must have
caused almost instant death. lie appears to have
been very much liked by the men. The men were
buried in a piece of ground adjoining the chapel,
which has not yet been enclosed. We have now got
up a subscription for the four survivors, so cannot
get another at once, but we shall try and get it
enclosed, and a tombstone put up if possible by-and-
bye. If I can give his family any further informa-
tion, or if they wish a tombstone put up for him, I
shall, of course, be happy to do anything in my
power. The sailors say the owners are Finley,
Campbell, and Co., Bombay Shipping Company,
Liverpool and London. One of the three boats,
with the captain and 13 souls, have been picked up
by her Majesty's ship Swallow, but where bound for
Ido not know. Two other East Indiamen have
been wrecked, the Colpain and the Alfred, and I
fear there are several more not yet heard of. The
crews of the Alfred and the Colpain are all saved.
The gale lasted about seven days, and must have
extended a great distance. I forgot to say the
jolly boats with five souls in, we have heard nothing
of yet, and that the three remaining bodies were
washed up on the Saturday. The four men that
were saved were three seamen and the cook. They
are up here now, and are pretty well recovered.
There were only three passengers on board ; one
De Quadros, a native of Bombay, drowned; a little
boy and girl, names unknown, or at least the sailors
here do not know them. The children of a sur-
veyor in Bombay were in the captain's boat which
was picked up.

BUENOS AYRES GREAT SOUTHERN.
The adjourned general meeting of this company
was held yesterday at the London Tavern ; Mr.
Brown-Westhead in the chair.
The Secretary having read the minutes of the last
meeting, at which a committee of investigation was
appointed, and the meeting adjourned to that day
to receive their report.
The CHAIRMAN called upon Mr. Wheeler, the
chairman of the committee of investigation, to sub-
mit the report of the committee and to propose its
adoption.

The report was taken as read.
Mr. WHEELER, in moving the adoption of the re-
port of the committtee of investigation, said that a
copy of it had been sent to all the proprietors. He
spoke in high terms of the ability and care with
which the other members of committee had investi-
gated the affairs of the company, and hoped that
the proprietors had read the report carefully, and
were satisfied with it.
Mr. S. HERAPATH, a member of the committee,
seconded the motion. He said that the investiga-
tion of their affairs had inspired him with great con-
fidence for the future of the undertaking. Every-
thing depended on the management of their affairs
with the most rigid economy both here and at Buenos
Ayres, having of course due regard to the efficient
working and development of the traffic. He looked
forward to their having something beyond the 7 per
cent. guarantee. (Hear.)
Mr. BOWMAN objected to the recommendatiOn in
the report to limit the number of directors to six ;
and concluded by moving as an amendment that the
number of directors be seven, instead of six. With
that exception he had no objection to the report.
Mr. L. HEYWARD, a director, remarked that a great
many of the shareholders resided in Lancashire, and
if there was another with him representing that in-
terest on the board they might always manage for
one of them to attend the board meetings in London.
Mr. Bowring held a large amount in the undertak-
ing, and his election would be considered in Lanca-
shire as an acquisition to the board.
Mr. GREEN suggested that Mr. Grabble should be
added to the board.
Mr. H. WHEELER objected on the part of the
committee to any alteration in that part of their re-
port. They had fully considered and discussed that
recommendation in committee. He regretted to say
that impediments had been thrown in the company's
way. Title deeds had been kept from them ; their
capital had been exhausted, and they would have to
borrow money to pay their debts.

Mr. S. HERAPATIL said it would be unwise at pre-
sent to enlarge the board. There were 5,000 shares
held iu 'Lancashire, and the holders were amply re-
presented at the board by Mr. Heyward and Mr.
Bro wn-Westhead. They had also interests in Buenos
Ayres.

Huntingdonshire Agricultural Society.

The CHAIRMAN appealed to Mr. Bowman to with-
draw his amendment. At the last meeting the pro-
prietors had appointed a committee to investigate
the affairs of tha company. The committee had, it
appeared, performed that duty, and had reported
the result of their investigation, which was now be-
fore the meeting. The committee had been impar-
tially selected; they had gone fully into the ac-
counts, satisfied themselves in every way, and made
certain recommendations which he thought the
shareholders had no right to complain of. If any one
had a right to complain of those recommendations,
it was the directors, but they had not done so. When
the proposal for the appointment of a committee was
made at the last meeting the directors offered no op-
position to it, although they held an overwhelming
number of proxies. They had nothing to conceal,
and thought a searching inquiry would fully satisfy
every one, and that there would be an end to the
agitation that had been kept up by gentlemen having
other interests than those of the company. He be-
lieved he was better known iu Lancashire than in
London ; at any rate, he had large interests there,
and would be glad, if it was the wish of the share-
holders, to make room for Mr. Bowring or any other
gentleman. (Cries of " No, no.") He thought
that with such a report before them there would
have been an end to any further opposition. He had
heard that Mr. Grabble was a most eligible person
for a seat at the local board, but at present it was
considered undesirable to alter the plan recommended
by the committee.
The amendment was rejected, and the report of
the committee of investigation was adopted almost
unanimously, there being only one dissentient.
The report of the directors and statement of ac-
counts standing over since the last meeting were
then adopted, and the retiring auditor was re-elected.
Resolutions authorising alterations in some of the
articles of association were agreed to after a long
contest. They were to the effect that the future
annual meetings should be held in the month of May,
that the number of directors be six, that the quorum
be three, and the remuneration be £l,OOO a year ;
that under the Seal Act, 1861, the seal of the com-
pany be used in London and a duplicate seal in
Buenos Ayres. The best thanks of the meeting were
unanimously voted to the committee of investigation.
The CHAIRMAN, in reply to a question, said the
directors would be happy to consult the committee
on any question that might arise.
A vote of thanks to the chairman and directors
concluded the proceedings.

The annual show and dinner of this society was
held at Neots yesterday, and there was a very fair
display, considering the absence of neat stock.
Horses were in good show, both as regards numbers
and quality, and there were probably some unsur-
passable roots. Poultry, one of the new, and not
least interesting and valuable, features in these so-
cieties, was well represented.
At the conclusion of the more practical part of
the proceedings about 100 of the principal members
of the society sat down to dinner at the Corn Ex-
change, under the presidency of the Hon. Colonel
DUNCOMBE, supported by Mr. Fellowes, M.P. ; Lord
Robert Montague, M.P., &c.
After some other toasts,
Mr. ATTIENBOROUGH, of Sowbry, proposed " The
Members for the county," hoping they would soon
"pull off the Malt-tax."
Mr. FELLOWS, M.P., who was received with loud
cheers, in returning thanks, said —I think I may
congratulate my agricultural friends on their pro-
speots compared with what they were last year. We
have had a very good show in the yard, and we have
had a very good meeting at our festive board. I
think I may also congratulate you on the harvest
that is just now terminating. Although we have
had a considerable quantity of rain, and a long har-
vest, I hope it will prove to be above the average,
and that no considerable amount of damage has
arisen from the rain that has fallen. (Hear, hear.)
If some mischief has been done, I think we may
congratulate ourselves on the fact that the prices of
corn have a little risen, and, so far as we can judge,
there is every appearance of the rise continuing.
But there is another matter on which we may con-
gratulate ourselves, and that is the gradual decrease
of the cattle plague throughout the country.
Lord R. MONTAGU, on rising, was received with
loud cheers. In the course of his address he said__
Agriculture is the only trade which is fashionable.
As soon as a merchant becomes rich—as soon as he
attains a position in society—he must needs become
a farmer. (Hear, hear.) No one thinks of being
a tanner or tallowchandler for his amusement. But
every one tries to get a farm, and then swears that
he loves the smell of a dungheap more than the
scent of his wife's flowers. (Laughter.) Perhaps
he obtains three or four farms and throws them into
one. This naturally increases the competition for
farms, and raises their price. But the price of your
produce is not proportionately raised. It is true that
the wages of artisans are much increased, and that
many of them eat beef twice a day, which they did
not do before. This, however, does not enhance the
farmers' prices so much as it draws imports from
abroad. Then, again, you are subject to losses by
weather. If it be dry, alas for your turnips. If it
be wet, your corn is damaged. There are also losses
of cattle by disease. Besides sheep and oxen can-
not be laid by until there is a demand for them in
the market. An ox soon eats up his price without
adding to his value. He must therefore be at once
forced upon the market. These are all great draw-
backs. What, then, is to be done ? That which
the manufacturer has to do in his race with other
manufacturers—lose no chance of improving pro-
duction by new machinery, and increasing the
fertility of your land by new manures. (Hear.)
With regard to the losses of cattle, I may be par-
doned for reminding you that I foretold you more
than a year ago what would happen, and sketched
out a course which I recommended you to pursue.
The main points were to slaughter the diseased ani-
mals, and to isolate -the place of infection. Since
that time the royal commission has abundantly
proved that the great lines of traffic are the lines of
the disease. Since that time the act has carried out
what I then advised. Soon after the act came into

GRAND TRUNK OF CANADA.
The traffic receipts on this company's lines for the
week ending the Bth inst. amounted, for local pas-
sengers, to £7,326 ; for foreign passengers to
£3,163, for emigrants to £342, for mails, &c., to
£1,007, for local freight and live stock to £11,793,
and for foreign freight and live stock to £2,563 ;
total, £26,194 ; against £28,686 for the correspond-
ing week last year, showing a decrease of £2,942.
The total receipts from the Ist of July to the above
date amounted to £260,014, and for the same period
of 1865 to £251,282, showing an increase of
£5,732.

operation the diseased decreased, and where the act
was not carried out the disease re-appeared. When
it invaded Ireland the same course was adopted, and
that country has been freed from the curse. If that
courschad at once been carried out hero—if the Go-

vernment had not been behind hand—a quarter of
a million of cattle might have been saved. (Hear.)
The Cattle Plague Bill contained a clause indemni-
fying the Privy Council for ordering the slaughter
of cattle. I resisted that clause until Mr. Gladstone
promised to grant a compensation for the cattle thus
slaughtered. (Hear.) Mr. -Walpole and Mr. Henley
assisted me in extracting that promise. But things
changed, and it was out of the power of Mr. Glad-
stone to fulfil his promise. But an act was passed
late in the.session which has not mentioned a retro-
spective compensation. But Jove looks with indul-
gence on the broken vows of lovers, for they are
ever fragile. (A laugh.) There is another subject
which I hope the Government will not lose sight of
—I mean the pollutionof rivers. Itis now generally
known that the cholera is spread by means of impure

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 27, 1866.

Friendly Societies.

Tho annual report of the Registrar of Friendly Societies
in England has just been made. Ile states that during the
year 1865 he examined and certified the rules of 1,076
friendly societies, and also the alterations of the rules of
1,248 societies, making a total of 2,324 certificates. Forty-
four friendly societies had deposited their rules with the
Registrar, under 18 and 19 Viet., c. 63, s. 44. Notices of
dissolution had been received from 143 friendly societies,
of which number 88 were advertised in the London Gazette.
During the year 1865 the suns of £2,238 in the Bank of
England was transferred by the Registrar into the names
of trustees appointed by friendly societies, in the place
of others removed, absent, &c. Since the publication
of his last report, the Registrar has prepared and cir-
culated "suggestions" for the establishment of friendly
societies on sound principles; and which will bo found
in the appendix. The object of these suggestions is to re-
commend the formation of friendly societies, provid-
ing only for medical attendance and for sick pay until
60 or 65 ; and that the payment of a weekly allowance to
commence at the age at which the sick pay would cease,
should be secured by an annuity granted by the Govern-
ment through the Post-office, and such_annuity may be
secured by monthly payments, without a return of the
purchase money in any event, or with a return of the pur-
chase money, on the application of the party, at any time
before the commencement of the annuity, or on the death
of the party before the annuity is payable. A payment at
death of not more than £lOO, or less than £2OO, may be
also contracted for on Government security. It appears to
the Registrar that it would be most desirable if the sums
payable at death could be reduced to £lO, as in friendly
societies very few members insure for more than that sum.
The forms and terms of proposal for annuities, or sums pay-
able at death, may be obtained at every post-office
being a money-order office, and at several other post-
oases not being money-order offices. The Registrar
draws attention to the onesidedness of the;arbitration clause
permitted by the Friendly Society Acts. The consequence
is a great number of complaints of the difficulty of
getting claims settled—the societies having everything in
their own power. The number of friendly societies in
direct account with tho National Debt Commissioners
was on the 20th November last 545—the amount depo-
sited being £1,915,703. In addition, friendly societies hold
a large amount of the deposits with savings banks. The
report also contains later returns of the Post-office
Savings Banks than any yet published. The number
of accounts remaining open at December 31, 1865, was
611,819, and the amount duo to depositors, £6,526,400—
the average amount at the credit of each being £lO 13s 4d.
It also appears from the same statement that the total
number of depositors in post-office savings banks and old
savings banks combined, and throughout the kingdom,
had risen at the close of the year 1865 to 2,078,000. The
total number of depositors at the end of the year 1855 was
1,304,000, so that thero has been in the last ten years an
increase of 774,000 in the number of savings banks deposi-
tors. In the six years preceding the establishment of post-
office banks there was an increase of 305,000 (or an in-
crease of 50,000 per annum) in the number of depositors ;
but in the four years following the establishment of Post-
office Banks there has been an increase of 468,000 (or an
increase of 117,000 per annum) in their number. It may
then fairly be stated that the Post-office Savings Banks
have more than double the rate of increase in the num-
ber of Savings Bank depositors. In regard to Govern-
ment insurances it is stated that in March last, one year
from the commencement of business, 809 proposals, for
a total sum of £60,874, were received and accepted,
while 61 proposals were declined, 35 dropped, and 29
were under consideration. At the same time 238 propo-
sals for the purchase of annuities had been received, of
which 230 had been accepted. Of these, 150 wore for
immediate annuities, and the amount of annuity pur-
chased was £3,430, and the purchase money £30,774.
Of the remainder 15 were for the purchase, by immediate
payments, of deferred annuities, the amount of deferred
annuity purchase being £232, and the amount of purchase
money paid down being £1,543. The remainder, 65, were
for the purchase of deferred annuities by annual or more
frequent payments, the amount in course of purchase being
£1,368, and the amount of purchase money annually payable
being £759. Of the 238 intending annuitants 103 were males
and 129 were females. The remaining six proposals were
for insurances on joint male and female lives. Friendly
societies have begun to propose transferring their old age
risks to the Government.

SPIRIT OF VIE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

TIMES.—The Prussian Chambers held their last
I sitting yesterday, and_will be prorogued this day.
They will be called together again on the 12th of
November, but only fora short Session, as everything
is now to be made ready for the convocation of
the North German Parliament. The Upper House
has limited its work to the approval, by unani-
mous votes and without discussion, of the
bills sent up by the Elective Chamber. With
the exception of one single measure—the Loan Bill
—the King's Government have met with hardly any
opposition on the part of the Chambers. Count
Bismark has turned over a new leaf in his Constitu-
tional practice, and has shown a leaning towards
that " give-and- take" policy by which alone a free
Government can be carried on. The Loan Bill in-
troduced by the Prussian Government into the
Chamber of Deputies was voted on Tuesday last by
a large majority upon terms equallycreditable to the
Executive and the Legislative powers in that coun-
try, justifying the best expectations raised by the
conciliatory speech of King William on his opening
Parliament after the eventful campaign of Konig-
gratz. As an evidence of the flourishing condition of
the Prussian finances before the war, we know that
there was in that thrifty community a Reserve
Fund, or State Treasury, swelled year by year by
the surplus of each successive Budget. Of this Fund,
in the good old absolute times, the Government
probably was free to dispose at its discretion, and
the use of it continued to be in a great measure
under its control even when the Constitution sub-
jected all financial operations to the approval of the
Legislature. The reserve fund was, of course, the
first sum employed to meet the exigencies of the
late campaign, and it was with a view to replenish
the Treasury that Government had come before the
house with its bill for a loan of 60,000,000 thalers.
The bill was referred to a committee, which reported
unfavourably, and proposed either the rejection of
the bill or its modification to an extent calculated
to frustrate the purpose of its original framers. We
had been for sometime disquieted by rumours of new
ill-feelings between the King's advisers and the de-
puties of the nation, and a hint was even thrown
out that Ministerial defeat would be the signal for
Parliamentary dissolution. There was every reason
to apprehend a renewal of those lamentable conflicts
between Executive arrogance and Legislative testi-
ness which had so seriously damaged the credit of
the representative system in Prussia. Matters,
however, were not, in this instance, suffered to pro-
ceed to extremities. Count Bismark gave evidence
of a conciliatory disposition, agreeably contrasting
with his former imperious and stubborn nature, and
accepted an amendment striking off 20,000,000
thalers, or one-third of the amount of the proposed
loan. The importance of the debate was, of course,
attached not to the sum in question, but to the prin-
ciple involved in the very existence of a Reserve
Fund. So long as Government had money at its
immediate disposal, it was thereby endowed with a
latitude of action ; it possessed a power of initiative
which ought drag the nation after it, willing or un-
willing. It was by the help of the Fund that the
Government was, during the last great crisis, en-
nabled to commit the nation to a war from which it
visibly shrank, and to which it would certainly never
have voluntarily contributed a single groschen. The
King and his Minister came back victorious, andap-
plied for a Bill of Indemnity for their arbitrary con-
duct, which they justified on the ground of necessity.
But, although the people avowed in that one in-
stance that the Government had well deserved of
the country by claiming discretionary powers in a
case of that nature, they were now loth to reinvest
the Executive with similar powers, as they saw no
chance of the recurrence of the same extreme ur-
gency. On this point, however, the Ministers under-
took to undeceive the popular representatives. There
was still something precarious, they urged, in Prus-
sia's position ; they were not as yet at peace with
Saxony ; they bad come to no compact with the
Southern States. They were still in that state of
transition where "the unforeseen often plays the
most important part." Prussia might still be called
on to make good by force what force had given her.
She must rely on a well-sharpened sword and a well-
filled purse. So far the Finance Minister, who was'
followed by Count Bismark with more explicit argu-
ments and more significant revelations. Count Bis-
mark entertains no firm faith in the continuance of
peace. " Official communication," he said, "proved
that the spirit of conciliation had not entered the
Imperial Court (of Austria) with the conclusion of
peace." Be also foresaw the possibility of grave
European complications arising out of the Eastern
question. The hour of danger might rise, a panic
might paralyze the European Exchanges, and a loan
might not perhaps be raised on any terms. It was.
necessary to be armed against all possible contin-
gencies ; should none arise, Count Bismark pledged
himself that no part of the fund would be touched

water. I am sorry my bill of 1864 was not accepted
by the home. The commission which was then ap-
pointed has, however, reported strongly in favour
of the watershed boards which I at that time recom-
mended. I trust that the present Goverfiment will
act, and will not leave us a prey to cholera as the
late Government sacrificed your oxen to the cattle
plague. (Loud cheers.)
Several other toasts were afterwards given and re-
sponded to.

without the sanction of the house. By such argu-
ments were the Ministers enabled to carry the day.
The mere settlement of the financial affairs of Prus-
sia, and the definition of its constitutional powers,
might, however, have a moderate interest with us.
What more particularly arrests our attention is the
rather ominous picture which Count Bismarck
draws of the general European situation ; his aim
may have been to scare the Deputies into compli-
ance with his financial measure, but he could not
overlook the fact that he spoke within hearing of
the neighbouring nations. He may have lately been
won over to the principle of " carrying on diplo-
macy in the market-place," and the utmost frank-
ness may be for him the finest ruse, but there is no
doubt that in the warmth of debate he let out mat-
ters that statesmen would reserve for the secrecy of
their inmost closet. That there is but a hollow
peace between Prussia and Austria we might
have been led to believe from the very
silly measure adopted by the Austrian War-
office with respect to the names of some regi-
ments nominally belonging to Prussian Princes.
Complete, helpless, hopeless anarchy and confusion
reign in every department of the Austrian admistra-
tion, the army alone excepted, and this latter,
soured by its reverses, might certainly aspire to re-
venge. The Austrian army, however, has only in-
stincts ; it has no political initiative ; it can fight,
and long to fight, but not exercise the right of peace
and war. The differences with such puny adversa-
ries as Saxony or the South German States would
bode no danger to Prussia unless in a general com-
plication they were to range themselves by the side
of mightier Powers. Any uneasiness, however, that
the Prussian statesman might entertain three days
ago on the score of the re-opening of the Eastern
question ought to be dissipated by this time. The
tide of insurrection seems to be on its ebb even in
Candia itself, and, however mature the fate of Tur-
key may be said to be, the great downfall may yet
be put off for two, for three, for ten years—long
enough, at all events, to enable Count Bismark to
bring to a close his great enterprise of a reconstitu-
tion of Germany. Possibly, however, matters may
bear in Germany itself a more ominous look than
mere spectators at a distance imagine. The resis-
tance of Saxony may rest on some better ground
than sheer obstinacy, and the ill-starred King of
Hanover may have been inspired bysomething more
solid than the gift of second-sight when he assured
a deputation of his loyal subjects that, as the house
of Guelph had once lost and recovered its throne, so
it would now live to see a second restoration. That
the cause of the minor German Courts and Govern-
ments is irreparably lost, and that their doom is not
to be reversed by their own unaided strength, is,
however, beyond all question; while, on the other
hand, any reliance on their part on rescue from
abroad would only show how widely separate their
interests were from those of their people.
POST.-Mr. Bright could not help seeing that his
speech at the Reform meeting on Monday failed to
make the desired impression. If the " men of Man-
chester" are politically mad, they "know a hawk
from a hernshaw." It was most, injudicious to attack
Lord Derby in Lancashire, and highly indiscreet to
abuse Mr. Lowe behind his back. Englishmen are
not ungrateful, and they like a fair upstanding fight.
As a matter of fact, Lord Derby and his party have
been friends at need to the operatives of the manu-
facturing districts ; and if Mr. Lowe hits hard, his
blows are always fairly delivered. But Mr. Bright
has lost no time in setting himself right with those
who reasonably expected that their new leader would
give them something more palatable than stale
statistics and more intelligible than mere vitupera-
tion. They have had enough of apocryphal figures
and rhetorical flourishes. It is time to understand
where they are going, what they are to do, and how
it is to be done. So, at the outset of his leadership,
Mr. Bright has been compelled to exhibit a little of
that honesty with which he is supposed to be exu-
berantly endowed ; and at the Reform banquet on
Tuesday he called upon himself and came up to the
mark. It was an abnormal feature in the entertain-
ment that "John Russell and William Ewart Glad-
stone" were recognised as "the leaders of the people,"
but, as Mr. Bright remarked, sensible men should
not split hairs. If there are different platforms,
those who congregate upon them are all marching to
one common end. That is Mr. Bright 's comfortable
theory, and, as " William Ewart Gladstone,' may
observe, it is practically comprehensive. It means,
we presume, that if Mr. Bright is not committed to
manhood suffrage by associating with Mr. Beales,
Mr. Gladstone is not committed to a £7 rental
franchise by holding aloof from Mr. Bright. They
are to march together to the parting of the ways,
and then, as somebody has maliciously suggested,
to " toss up" for the choice. Mr. Bright, how-
ever, seems determined to leave nothing to chance.
.It should be borne in mind, he says, " that
however much any of us may abhor the
thought that political questions in any country
should ever be settled by force, yet there is
something iu the constitution of our nature that,
when these evils are allowed to run on beyond a
certain point unredressed, the most peace-loving of
men are unable to keep the peace ;" which of course
there is, and the country, from its point of view,
may not only endorse the statement, but be pro-
voked to apply it to the abatement of a pernicious
nuisance. It is not by any means, as Mr. Bright
sneeringly put it, an " abstract principle ;" and
when he taunts the Conservative opinion of the
community with timidity, we must take leave to
tell him very plainly that he is treading upon dan-
gerous ground and poking a banked fire. He de-
clares that " it is no more immoral for a people to
use force in the last resort for the obtaining and the
securing of freedom than it is for a Government by
force to suppress and deny that freedom ;" and, for
our part, we profess we are not aware that, if the
premises are conceded, there is any dispute about
the conclusion. But if Mr. Bright conceived that
he was simply stating an " abstract principle," it is
for him to explain that which by his own showing
was supererogatory. The fact is, that these prin-
ciples are not " abstract principles," and cannot
possibly be considered as such, in the presence of
the agitation which Mr. Bright is promoting. He
knows perfectly well that they are embodied in the
" demonstrations" which are being made under his
sanction and authority. Still, it does not necessarily
follow that a civil conflict is contemplated; that
might depend on circumstances which Mr. Bright
may fancy he could control. The object of these
" demonstrations" is, however, to use his own word,
none the lessimmoral. It would be madness as well
as immorality to attempt to force this country to any
purpose it was averse from, but it is equallyimmoral,
if not equally mad, to endeavour by a display of
force to intimidate the Legislature. Force would be
met by force, and to submit to immoral pressure,
which is masked force, would be base and dishonour..
able. Macaulay has described parties which attracted
in multitudes all the fierce and turbid spirits to
whom the clouds and whirlwinds of the poli-
tical hurricane were the atmosphere of life ; and,
judging from the language which Mr. Bright now
holds, that is very much the character of the hete-
rogeneous masses he has chosen to form and lead to
victory. However, he professes to think that the
question of the employment of force to bring about
changes in the government of the country was
settled in 1832 ; that is to say, ho concludes from
the events of that period that a demonstration of
force will suffice to compass a revolution. It is
needless to say that the issue which is thus raised
can only be decided on evidence, but, as it happens,
Mr. Bright has himself just referred to a circum-
stance which, if it be true, draws a line between the
agitation which Lord Derby acknowledged and the
agitation of the Reform League ; and, if further
proof be required, it may be found in the words of
Lord Palmerston, addressed to the House of Com-
mons in 1831—" When the public voice calls for
change, when innovation is demanded, not by bow-
window orators and market-place politicians, but
when the calm and steady voice of those whose pro-
perty, intelligence, and station place them in a far
different class—when the voice of such men calls
loudly and constantly for change, it would be vain
to attempt to persuade ourselves that there is not
some real and practical evil which it is the duty of
Parliament forthwith to endeavour to remedy."
This passage describes accurately the state of public
opinion at the time, and the point, as pressed by
Mr. Bright, is whether it can be compared with the
organised clamour of the present day. That, ac-
cording to his own statement, is the point on which
everything hinges, and, as we submit, it may be de-
cided at once by the conduct of the distinguished
statesmen who were suitably admonished in the cor-
rection which he administered to Mr. Baines. It
must be assumed that Mr. Gladstone declined the
invitation to the Manchester banquet on the reasons
which Mr. Baines expressed. But, Mr. Bright says,
that does not matter at all. He himself believes that
it would be expedient to stop at household suffrage,
and yet he sees no objection to taking part in a
movement that goes to manhood suffrage. But
there is nothing in common between manhood suf-
frage and any suffrage short of it. Household suf-
frac,e would contravene the right on which man-
hood suffrage is claimed. Mr. Bright and Mr.
Gladstone might come to terms, but how could they
arrange with Mr. Edmond Beales and Mr. Ernest
Jones ? If, however, we look at this Manchester
" demonstration" as a whole, it is not difficult to
perceive that the Radical Reformers have embarked
in an enterprise that must eventually separate them
from the great body of the Liberal party in Parlia-
ment. Nor is that all. In the actual condition of
parties in the House of Commons the Liberal party
will be fatally divided, and the only obstacle in the
way of Lord Derby's Government removed. Mr.
Bright has once more served the party which he
threatens with political extinction, and the Conser-