The Sun.
London, England, 1866-03-02 00:00:00

Female Fashions foi March.

(From Le Follet)
Up to the present time, almost the whole chronicle
of fashion has been devoted to ball and evening dress.
Thin, transparent materials have been preferred for
dancing ; and one gauze of a very lovely texture—
called appropriately aerial gauze—has gained great
success.

We must still mention the patent velvet as greatly
in favour. Of course, if the dress is trimmed with
cluny or beads, one must have silk velvet ; but if
perfectly plain, or trimmed with fur, patent answers
as well. The colours in which it is made are truly
beautiful—sapphire blue, green, violet, brown, and
very light pink and mauve. It is very much used
for paletots, instead of cloth ; and for children's
dress it is universally adopted.
About the make of robes there is but little to say.
They are more than ever cut on the bias. There
are several ladies who wear no plait at the top of the
skirt, but generally there are two or three at the
back. 'We must refer our readers, however, to the
descriptive list of toilettes for any further notice of
novelty in style.
A ball dress of white tulle, spotted with gold, over
a white satin skirt. The tulle is bouillonne length-
ways, with bows of satin between the bouillons. A
Greek tunic of white satin, fringed with gold, and
cut in points. Greek body, with gold ornaments
upon the body and shoulders.
A dress of white tulle illusion. At the bottom of
the skirt five rows of ponceau satin ribbon, covered
with insertions of silver lace. Long trained skirt.
A tunic of the same, caught up in four places at the
front, but left full length at the sides and back, very
nearly as long as the under-skirt. It is caught up
by pattes of cerise satin, covered with lace. A light
cord of fuschias trims the tunic. The body low,
with a satin and lace ceinture. A cordon of

'uschias.
A pale blue satin dress with trained skirt. Round
the bottom, a flounce of English lace put on in fes-
toons, and in the plaits of each of these bows of
blue ribbon fringed with gold, and with chains and
cameos. The flounce is headed with a blue and
gold cord. Low body, with rich plastron of lace ;
and the ceinture is ornamented with gold.
Evening or dinner dress of white cerise and white
stripes made a la Princesse, opened up the front,
over a breadth of cerise satin. A flounce of Alenclon
lace is placed down each side, so as to fall over the
cerise satin, and a coquille of lace all down the
front of the dress. Long tight sleeves, with revers
of cerise satin and lace. Long sash, with very wide
square ends, tied under the arm on the left side.
A ball-dress of light
green tulle buillonne, under
a tunic of satin cut in wide square pentes edged
with point d'Alengon put on as revers. Body a
plastron, bouillonno, trimmed with Alengon and
ceinture with a bow.
A white gauze dress spotted with bright pink
spots, a thick ruche round the bottom, edged with
pink satin. An upper skirt of gauze, cut in points;
and also edged with a niche. A low body, made so
as to appear like a small open " Figaro," over a
plastron.of pink satin forming a waistcoat, with
pearl buttons.
A dress of white satin ; round the bottom a bouil-
lon of tulle, about ten inches wide, upon which are
placed every here and there, crossways, a light spray
of small blue-bells, with dew-drops. A tunic of
tulle, very short in front, long behind, trimmed
round with a band of blue covered with insertion.
Branches of flowers fall over the tunic, being fas-
tened at the waist. The body, a ceinture, is bou-
illonne, and trimmed round the shoulders with

flowers.;
Robe in the " Empire" style, of white gros de
Lyon. Upon each seam is a small revers, worked
with coral beads. Low body, with small revers

round the shoulders, buttoned in the front with two
rows of coral buttons. Ceiuture worked with pearl,
and fastened with a coral buckle.

A ball dress : the bottom skirt of tulle worked
with gold bouillonne lengthways. Tunic of gold-
coloured satin, " Princess" make, with low body,
cut square in front, and with a long train ; trimmed
round with a light trimming of white feathers.
Feathers also at the shoulders.

White poult de soie dress, trimmed round the
bottom with a flounce of English lace, headed with
three bouillons of tulle with pearl beads. Over this
a robe princesse with a long train of white poult de
soie with white stripes of pink satin, caught up in
the "Marie Antoinette" style, with tufts of roses
and pearl tassels.

A visiting dress of green satin with insertions of
fine black lace, wide, put on in zigzags.
Dress of Russian drab poult de soie : skirt trimmed
round with three rows of Chantilly lace
put on flat,
headed with an insertion. A row of mosaics in
guipure up the front. Round body with ceinture,
trimmed to match the skirt, with guipure orna-
ments.
A robe of black and white chinee moire antique.
The skirt is trimmed en tablier, with two rows of
rich guipure insertion over green, up each side of
which is a fringe. The insertions are also placed
round the skirt. Body with basquines, trimmed
with guipure over green, and fastened with malachite
buttons. Tight sleeves, with buttons like those on
the body.

Dinner-dress of light green satin : the skirt cut
a l'Einpire, with an artistic application of white lilac
and green foliage of two shades. This is made in
a kind of coloured lace. The body is low, cut square,
trimmed also With the lace to match the skirt, which
is also placed upon the ceinture.

Ball-dress for a young lady, of white tarlatane,
dotted with field daisies with pink centres. " Em-
pire" body, with small low body, with fichu of plaited
tulle, and blonde chen-iisette. Ceinture of white
gros-grain, fastened at the side with a tuft of daisies.
Ball-dress, also for a young lady : a skirt of white
tulle over sky-blue ; round the bottom a thick ruche
of tulle. Two more skirts of tulle illusion, and a
third forming a kind of basquine, caught up by
branches of white jasmine with crystal stamens.
Body of blue taffetas, with wreath of jasmine.
White tulle robe, spotted with dead gold, over a
skirt of white satin. Long trained skirt, quite plain,
with a gold cord round the bottom. Corset of gold-
coloured moire. Chemisette of tulle, worked with
gold.

A dress of ruby velvet, cut very much on the bias,
with two large hollow plaits at the waist--the front

breadth is of satin of the same shade, covered with
silver point de Venise passementerie, wider at the
bottom than at the waist, and edged with small
silver tassels. Low body,
with bertha of the silver
passementerie.

A white moire dress, trimmed with rouleaux
cerise satin worked with gold stars. A corselet of

velvet with gold stars, a larger one being placed in
.

"rout.

A toilette, " Pompadour" style, of taffetas of wide
pink and white stripes.' The skirt is trimmed with
flounces of English lace, which form coquilles up the
front of the skirt to the waist. These coquilles are
placed in two rows at the back of the skirt, which is
made with a train ; cameo buttons of black and gold
are put on each coquille. Body draped with lace,
cameos upon the sleeves and front of the body.
Robe of black poult de soie, festooned round the
bottom with a trimming of bead buttons. A Rohn
kind of pelerine of old guipure, over a high body,
crossed on the chest and ending in two small ends
passed under the ceinture, which is of pink silk, with
lace at the bottom of the wide ends.

At-home dress of black velvet, open skirt and body
over emerald green satin, with bands of fancy
Oriental embroidery; ceinture of green satin with
similar embroidery, and at the bottom a very wide
fringe.

The " Pamela" bonnet is gaining favour, although
at present it is seen principally at the opera or for
full-dress visiting dress. Some of our modistes have
modified the form very much, so as to make it less
trying ; still it is certainly the young lady's bonnet
par excellence.

For morning bonnets the " Empire " style still
prevails, but the fancllon is still much in favour..;

they are very small and not much trimmed. Thus,
a bonnet of light green velvet, the " Empire" style,
was trimmed with a torsade of the same crossed with
pearls and trimmed with a small feather.

Another, of " Regina " velvet, with " Empire "
curtain, cut in three points, and trimmed with gold
sequins, forming paudeloques. A very beautiful
feather of the same shade of colour is placed at the
left side, and is carried across the bonnet. The edge
of the bonnet is trimmed with sequins. The inside
has a bandeau of velvet and gold. Strings of satin
spotted with gold.

A plush bonnet, trimmed with white marabouts
and clochettes of blue velvet with silver stamens.
Wreaths of these flowers ornament the inside as
well as the outside. A magnificent ribbon of blue
velvet worked with silver, and a fall of blonde form-
ing the curtain and falling over the strings, cotu-
pletes the trimming.

Another violet velvet bonnet, form " Empire,"
the front covered with a drapery cut in points, with
a fall of black lace and tassels at each point. White
velvet daisies with gold centres form the trimming
inside. Strings of violet velvet.

A bonnet of light blue velvet. Flat crown ; front
bouillonne, separated by a strap of velvet orna-
mented with black cameos and chains of jet. Strings
of blue velvet. Diadem of velvet, trimmed with
cameos and chains.

Bonnet of velours royal—the front and curtain
covered with white blonde put on flat. At the side
a tuft of white feathers having a small humming-
bird in the centre. Bandeau of velvet, on which
are placed three gold stars. Strings of white terry
velvet.

For evening toilette, flowers, gold, pearls, and
bandalettes are worn, but very little besides the hair
is worn. The Empress style is gaining favour daily.

Naval and Military Intelligence.
The Meeanee, screw line-of-battle-ship, 60 guns,
2,591 tons, 400 horse-power, Capt. G. Wodehouse,
which has recently recently returned from the Medi-
terranean, was yesterday paid out of commission by
Capt. W. K. Hall, C. 8., Captain Superintendent
of Sheerness dockyard. This ship was launched at
Bombay on April 10, 1848, receiving her name in
commemoration of the decisive victory which, but a
short time previously, had been obtained by Sir C.
Napier over the Beloochees. Built of teak, it is a
pity that the fittings of this ship, both externally
and within, belong to the past ; the hempen rigging
gives the vessel an appearance of top-heaviness
aloft, which contrasts unfavourably with the neat
wire shrouds of modern ships ; and, although she is
what may well be termed a good sailing craft, yet
her limited length (120 feet betweenperpendiculars)
and small horse-power precludes the possibility of
her being again brought forward for active service.
Of the 1,196 days that the Meeanee has been in
commission the greater part has been spent on the
Mediterranean station, and a brief extract from a
very careful analysis made by Sub-Lieut. Challice of
her perfoi mances may not be uninstructive. Of the
above period, but 219 days have been employed under
way ; during this time the Meeanee has made
19,341 knots, of which number 9,523 have been made
while under sail, 8,252 under steam, and the re-
mainder, 1,566 knots, under the two motive powers
combined. The most favourable averages per hour
ever shown during any one cruise are as follows :
Sail, 91 knots ; steam, 7.3 knots ; and under the
two combined, 10.6 knots. The 977 days that this
ship has lain in harbour have been distributed as
follows :—At Sheerness and the Nore, 411 days ; at
the Downs, 31 ; at Plymouth, 61 days ; at Gib-
raltar, 15 days ; at Malta, 3901 days ; at Syracuse,
1 day ; at Naples and Ba4e, 831 days ; at Messina,
8 days ; at the Pineus of Athens and Salamis Bay,
368 days ; at Kalamata, 11 day ; at Corfu, 19
days ; at Tunis, 22 days ; at Egina, 41 days ; at
Poros, 41 days ;at Zante, day ;at Syra, 7i days ;
and at Spithead, 1 day. Though in commission for
so long a period, she has lost but few men, princi-
pally from accidents aloft. The Meeanee will be
placed in the third division of the Steam Reserve
at Sheerness.
The flag of Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas S. Pasley,
as the successor of Admiral Sir Michael Seymour,
G.C.8., as Port Admiral and Naval Commander-
in - Chief at Portsmouth, was hoisted yesterday morn-
ing on board her Majesty's ship Excellent, Capt. A
C. Key, C. 8., at Portsmouth, under the customary
salute from the guns of the Excellent. Yesterday
the flags of both admirals flew at Portsmouth until
sunset—Sir Michael Seymour's flag on board her
Majesty's ship Victory, and Sir Thomas Pasley's
flag on board the Excellent. At sunset Sir Michael's
was hauled down on board the Victory, and this
morning at sunrise Sir Thomas Pasley's will be
hoisted on board the same ship as that of the future
Naval Commander-in-Chief at Portsmouth. Sir
Michael Seymour, with his flag captain, F. A. Scott,
C. 8., aide-de-camp to the Queen, disembarked from
the Victory yesterday. The officers and crew man-
ned the bulwarks and rigging and gave rounds of
ringing cheers in token of farewell.

At Portsmouth, on Wednesday, a silver claret
jug was presented by the captains of her Majesty's
ships at Portsmouth to Capt. Francis Scott, on his

resigning the command of the Victory as the flag-
captain of Sir Michael Seymour.
The Tamar, screw troopship, Capt. Stirling, em-
barked yesterday at Portsmouth the luggage of the
75th Regiment, and to-day will embark the regi-
ment and sail immediately afterwards for Dublin.
A new and powerful steam fire engine, built by
Messrs. Merry weather and Sons,.London, added to
the fire brigade of Portsmouth dockyard, under,
went its official trial yesterday in that dockyard in
the presence of Rear-Admiral Superintendent G. G.
Wellesley, Mr. A. Murray, chief of the engineering
department of the yard, Mr. Cradock, master ship-
wright, and other officials. The engine is of the
same dimensions as the engine, by the same makers,
which gained the first prize at the Crystal Palace
competition in 1863, and which now forms part of
the fire brigade apparatus of her Majesty's dock-
yard at Devonport. Having successfully passed its
trial yesterday, it will now be handed over to Mr.
Superintendent Grey, as part of the establishment
of the dockyard Metropolitan Police Fire 14rigade.
The 92d Regiment (Gordon Highlanders), under
the command of Col. Hamilton, arrived at Ports-
mouth yesterday at 1 p.m., by special train from
Aldershot. The regiment alighted from the railway
cars on the jetty of the dockyard, alongside which
her Majesty's screw troopship Simoom, Capt. T. B.
Lethbridge, lay moored, in readiness to convey the
regiment to Dublin, in the midst of a heavy snow-
storm. The regiment was drawn up in columns of
companies, which was no sooner accomplished than
the captain of the Simoom at once personally under-
took the embarkation of the troops, and, dividing
the men into sections of 18 men in each section,
gave the order—“No. Mess, right face, quick
march." Each section thus marched off from the
jetty on board the Simoom was met by an officer of
the ship at the gangway, and conducted direct to the
mess on the troop deck provided for their accommo-
dation. By this very excellent and decisive manage-
ment on the part of Capt. Lethbridge all the men of
the 92d were in an astonishingly short time snugly
seated at their mess tables after their cold journey,
and out of further harm from the inclemency of the
weather. The 92d embarked in the following
28 pipers and
strength :-25 officers, 47 sergeants,

drummers, 587 rank and file, 126 women, and 160
children. The Simoom remained alongside Ports-

mouth dockyard during last night, and was to sail
for Dublin at 7 o'clock this morning.

The following appointments were made yesterday
at the Admiralty :—Capt. P. F. Shortland to the

Hydra, vice Mansell ; E. R. Brietycke, midshipman
to the Gladiator ; R. L. Mayne, naval cadet, to the
Achilles ; and F. E. Strickland, naval cadet, to the
Victoria.

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SPIRIT OP THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

TIMES.—The language of the Queen's Speech had
certainly led us to expect that the promised Reform
Bill would be founded on information to be pre-
viously laid before Parliament. Mr. Gladstone
has now given notice that he will move for leave
to bring in a bill on March 12, but declines to
undertake that the statistics under preparation shall
be in the hands of members by that day. In the
meantime, we are not without the means of com-
paring the growth of the electoral body with that
of the population generally since the date of the last
Reform Bill, and thus of ascertaining aproximately
the tendency of the franchise to extend or contract
itself without any change of the qualification. In
the year 1864 Mr. White moved for various returns
bearing on this subject, and the statistics then fur-
nished by the Registrar-General are still of consi-
derable value. Their general result is not, on the
whole, favourable to the prevalent impression that
the suffrage is now practically more restricted than
it was 30 years ago. On the contrary, we find that
whereas the total population of counties and boroughs
in England and Wales rose, between 1831 and 1861,
from somewhat less than 14,000,000 to somewhat
more than 20,000,000, the total number of electors
increased within the same period from 655,456 to
1,012,532, or rather more rapidly than the popula-
tion. If we distinguish counties from boroughs, it
appears, as we should expect, that voters have mul-
tiplied much faster in the boroughs. The county
electors in 1831 amounted to 370,379, and in 1861
to 534,085 ; the borough electors in 1831 were
285,077, and in 1861 478,477, a ratio nearly corre-
sponding to the increase of population. Looking,
therefore, either to the whole country together, or to
the boroughs separately, and assuming that all
classes of the community have contributed equally
to the increase of population, we should infer that
a sensible downward extension of the franchise
had taken place in the course of the last generation.
When, however, we come to examine these tables
more closely, we cannot fail to be struzk by one
prominent fact. It is not in general the small but the
large boroughs in which the spautaneous develop-
ment of the constituencies has most signally out-
stripped that of the population. Let us take for
example some of the great manufacturing towns
and the metropolitan boroughs. The population of
Manchester has grown from 240,294 to 436,252, or
82 per cent; the constituency of Manchester had
grown from 6,726 to 21,880, or 225 per cent. The
population of Salford had just doubled itself ; the
constituency of Salford had more than trebled itself.
The population of Birmingham had grown from
143,986 to 296,076, or 105 per cent. ; the constitu-
ency of Birmingham had grown from 4,000 to 10,823,
or 170 per cent. Not to burden our readers with
too many figures, we may add that, in round num-
bers, Sheffield has increased its population by 102
per cent. and its constituency by 154 per cent.; that
Portsmouth had increased its population by 88 per
cent. and its constituency by 232 per cent. ; and
that Southampton had increased its population by
143 per cent. and its constituency by 194 per cent.
Of Finsbury, Marylebone, and the Tower Hamlets
it may be roughly stated that they had increased
their constituencies twice as rapidly as their popula-
tion, and in Lambeth we are startled to observe that,
while the population had grown from 154,613 to
294,883, or 91 per cent., the constituency had actu-
ally grown from 4,768 to 23,944, or 402 per cent.
On the other hand, there are exceptions which mate-
rally qualify the effect of this apparent law. The
City of London had declined in population by some
10,000, and its voters had been diminished by about
500. In Westminster, too, the constituency had not
kept pace with population ; and iu Liverpool, where
the estimated increase of population in the 30 years
was no less than 240,000, or 120 per cent., the in-
crease of electors was but 5,193, or less than 50 per
cent. At Preston therewas a decrease of 3,534 (from
6,352 to 2,818), and the gradual extinction of Mr.
Gladstone's favourite potwallopers at Newark had
reduced the constituency there by 824, notwithstand-
ing a rise of 2,000 in the population. But for such
compensations the general rate of increase in the
borough constituencies would bestartling, and, even
as it is, the expansive tendency of the franchise in the
largest towns will probably take many by surprise.
There is another point connected with the distri-
bution of electoral rights which has of late attracted
some attention. It has often been remarked that, in
proportion to its Population and property, the North
of England is much less fully represented than the
South. This is no doubt the fact, if we exclude Mid-
dlesex from the calculation, but not otherwise. Our
contemporary, the Economist, has done good service
by publishing tables which put the comparison Wits
true light. These tables are founded on a bisection of
England into two districts—the one comprising the
northern counties properly so called, with the chief
seats of manufacturing industry in the west • the
other comprising the southern and more agricultural
portion of the kingdom. The population of the two
divisions is nearly equal, each containing above
9,000,000 inhabitants, and the northern division re-
turns 195 members against 272 returned by the
southern. So far there is an undue preponderance
on the side of the south ; but if we take the income
tax returns into account we obtain a different result.
The gross amount of property assessed under sche-
dules A, B, D preponderates in favour of the south
nearly in proportion to its relative share of repre-
sentation, so that, judging by this test, no unfair
advantage has been given to the sunnier parts of the
island. It may be said, indeed, that London ought
not to be thrown into the scale with the petty bo-
roughs of Devonshire or Cornwall ; butif this be ad-
mitted, surely Lancashire ought to be eliminated
too. The number of electors in Lancashire is more
than three-fourths of the number in Middlesex,
and the West Riding may well be set against
Lambeth, Southwark, and East Surrey. Not that
it is either possible or desirable to adiust with scru-
pulous nicety the geographical basis of onr represen-
tative system. Nothing could do this effectually but a
sweeping reform, designed to substitute national for
local representation, and to convert boroughs and
counties into mere polling districts. Such a plan has
met with acceptance amor4 some ingenious persons,
and there are those wh
I regard it as an almost Pro-
vidential specific for the evils of an inevitable demo-
cracy. Upon.its, intrinsic merits we forbear to ex-
press any opiti:,on whatever, but it is truly wonderful
that its o:ad be propounded as an easy solution
of a difficult problem. ].f the disfranchisement of
a few close beroughs excites so formidable an oppo-
r.aion that a strong Government hesitates to face it,
how would a proposal for destroying, so to speak,
the personal identity of every constituency in Eng-
land, be received by Parliament and the country ?
Such wild schemes do but divert the public mind
from the correction of glaring anomalies exhibited
in the returns before us. While such places as
Honiton, Totnes, and Ripon are returning two
members apiece, the West Riding of Yorkshire,
with its 40,000 electors, returns but four, and South
Lancashire and Manchester, each with more than
20,000 electors, return but two apiece. These are
defects in. our representative machinery which all
can understand, and which practically affect the
composition of the House of Commons. To lower
the franchise without redressing these would be the
very reductio ad absurdum of bit-by-bit legislation.
HERALD.—If any man will glance over the de-
bates in the House of Commons on any one night
since the opening of the present session, he will rise
from their perusal convinced in his own mind that
the report of a break-up of the Ministry, which ob-
tained such general credence but two days ago,
was, after all, only premature, and the foreshadow-
ing of an event which will not be long in coming.
We find nowhere any sign of the existence of a
Government strong enough to carry through any
measure on which it has set its heart. Instead of
union in the ranks and consistency in the pro-
`gramme of the Ministers and their supporters, we
meet with vacillation and weakness, contradictions
and dissensions. The only Government measure of
importance since the opening of Parliament has
been carried by a compromise with the rival propo-
sition of an independent member, who, in a division
of the house, defeated the Government on a ques-
tion of vital importance. M the Government floun-
dered thus grievously on the Cattle Plague Bill, if
they are likely to have a worse slip on the Reform
Bill, which is to be brought forward on Monday
week, it. must also be remarked that they have
stumbled twice or thrice, and with difficulty righted
themselves, in such a common-place matter as the
passing of the naval estimates. The fact allowed at
the outset by Lord Clarence Paget, that although
expending money on the maintenance of the navy
at the old rate of ten or eleven millions annually,
we had not as yet one sea-going turret ship,
either built or building, while rival countries are
known to be rapidly reconstructing their navies
on this principle, was received with loud expres-
sions of disapprobation on both sides of the
house on Monday. If, under such circumstances,
the estimates are allowed to pass, it is only under
a general protest against the want of foresight
which has allowed the country to remain unpro-
tected, in these critical times, by the only arma-
ment which can enable her to maintain her place
at the head of the naval Powers of the modern
world. The treatment which Capt. Cowper Coles,
the inventor of the turret system, had experienced
at the hands of a Government which at this parti-
cular moment is especially in need of his services,
has also been made the subject of all but universal
censure. Following the happy example of the wil-
low that bends to the gale, the Government, as soon
as it was made aware of the feeling of the House of
Commons and the country on this point, lost no
time in promptly reinstating Captain Coles in his
office of adviser to the head constructor of the navy.
By this and other timely concessions it hopes,
doubtless, to escape the storm that was gathering

over its head. Having once commenced the
tary if not graceful process of eating the leek, 1t
was but a small thing that Mr. Gladstone should
have been called upon last night to step
in to the
rescue of Lord C. Paget, beset and baited as he was
by an indignant lions; and tender a frank apology
for an overstepping of their duty on the part of cer-
tain Admiralty subordinates. The necessity was
forced upon him by a simple statement made by
Sir J. Pakington respecting certain proceedings
which occurred last week at De.vonport. A petition,
having been filed against Messrs. Ferraud and
Fleming, the Conservative members, a telegram
was sent down from the Admiralty that "every
facility was to be given for serving the Speaker,!
warrant on the workmen in the yard." W e cantle.'
tell whether what ensued was in pursuance of ,pri-
vate instructions from head-quarters, or the won,
of some subordinate, who was guilty of the " too
much zeal" reprehended by Talleyrand. only
know that, whereas the Speaker's warrant is usual
served on voters in their own homes, in this case
35 or 40 dockyard labourers, who had voted for
Ferranti and Fleininff, were driven like sheep into
a police-court on thee morning of the 22d ultimo,
and then and there submitted to a terrific brow-
beating and cross-examination by the attorney. for
the petitioners. This proceeding bore so plainly
the aspect of political intimidation by Government
officials that we are surprised that Lord C. face,.
could have ventured to defend it for a
Members on both sides of the house concurred in
condemning it as most unwarrantable. The un-
kindest cut of all was that of Lord Robert Montagu,
who thought that such proceedings were no more
than might be expected " from a Government tot;
tering to its fall." Mr. Gladstone admitted that
they were " much to be lamented.'? Inquiries would
be made, and orders given " to prevent the recur-
rence of such an irreaularity." We trust that after,
the severe lesson which has been given them Lora
momen,
Russell and his subordinates will know how to re-
spect freedom of election in the Government work:
shops, which are so manifestly under official control,
and will not attempt again to turn them into what
Lord John Manners called last night " political
shambles." Accepting for what it is worth their
recantation of the sentence pronounced on Captain
C. Coles, we may hope that they will not aga!n
.
allow any sentiment of personal pique to overricte
their conviction of whatis best for the public service:
Captain Coles has had to force, as it were, his theories
on the world. Through much opposition, and au
immense amount of obloquy, he has succeedears
immense perseverance and the incessant use of his
pen, which he has wielded as skilfully and as con-
stantly as his naval tools, in convincing men
to old methods of construction of the superiority 0;
place° the system of revolving iron-clad towers
amidships. Because some of his outspoken utter-
ances_ seemed to clash somewhat rudely and roughly
with Admiralty prejudices, because rival artifice!:
were freely criticised in his able pamphlets and id
the letters which have from time to tune appears
in this journal, Captain Coles was summarily sus-
pended from his office of adviser in the construction
of turret ships. This act of high-handed authority
e
was the work of au imprudent impulse which those
who yielded to its temptations have seen cause to
wedded.
regret. The able inventor, whose system has been
so amply vindicated by the naval combats in the
last two great wars in the east and west, is "NY'
whatever Government may rule in England, ca,
listed in the great work of remodelling our fleet
in a manner best in accordance with the exigencies
of this advanced period of the nineteenth century

COUNTRY MARKETS.

MANCHESTER-THURSDAY.

The show of wheat to-day was limited. There was
firm feeling in the trade, and prices were rather higher 01
heretofore. The show of barley was small and the demo,
was of a healthy character, prices being is. to 2s. per qr.
favour of the seller. The show of oats was not large, an
the previous week's rates were made. Beans in tolerably .
request at recent rates. Peas underwent little alteration.