The Sun.
London, England, 1866-07-24 00:00:00

Gardens.

Mr. H. SEYMOUR opposed the motion, on tho ground
that it was made at the instigation of the Royal Academy,
who were anxious to get possession of the National Gal-
lery, and to that end were using their utmost efforts to
turn out the national collection of pictures.
Mr. LAYARD, speaking in the name of several of the
trustees and directors of the National Gallery, said that the
question had nothing at all to do with the Royal Academy.
He added, that the majority of the trustees and directors
were of opinion that Trafalgar-square was not the best
site for a gallery, the atmosphere being injurious to the
pictures and detrimental to the health of the students.
The hon. gentleman also described the class of persons
who constituted the bulk of the visiting public, and made
it matter of complaint that he had seen whole rows of
mothers nursing their children there, whilst many opened
their wallets and turned the rooms into a great eating
house. •

Mr. Ayrton spoke in support of retaining the pictures on
the present site, Mr. Tito favoured Burlington House, as
did Mr. Baring,' because he considered they would there
secure more rapidly and economically a suitable gallery,
and Mr. Cowper declared that if the motion were adopted
it would be a retrograde step, and the violation of an en-
gagement entered into by Parliament to appropriate a
portion of Burlington House to the University of London.
Observations followed from Mr. Gregory in support of,
and from Mr. J. Goldsmid against, the motion.
Lord J. MANNERS said that after consideration of the
whole subject he had determined to abide by the former
decisions of Parliament respecting it. He regarded the
objections to the present site of the National Gallery by
reason of atmospheric and other influences as simple ex-
aggerations. There was no reason why a grand and fit-
ting building should not be erected there, and he thought
that the best course would be to to raise an entirely new
structure on that magnificent site.

The house having divided, the motion was negatived by
94 to 17.

Mr. D. GRIFFITH inquired whether the Porte had
consented to the recognition of Prince Charles of Hohen-
zollern as Hospodar of the Danubian Principalities, and
referring to the speech of Earl Russell at the dinner of the
Cobden Club on Saturday last, asked for an explanation
of the part taken by the English Government in the nego-
tiations for an armistice between Prussia and Austria.

. .
Lord STANLEY, in answer to the first question, said
that the Porte had not yet recognised Prince Charles, but
negotiations were in progress which he hoped would
shortly be brought to a satisfactory conclusion. To the
other inquiry ho 'replied that he had, already fully explained
to the house the course which the Government had pur-
sued. It was not the fact that they had either proposed
or accepted any position in the negotiations. An armistice
had been concluded between Prussia and Austria, he be-
lieved, but was not certain, with the adhesion of Italy ;
and though it was impossible to say what would be the
result, we might hope that that temporary armistice would
be prolonged.

A question from Mr. BROMLEY relative to the defec-
tive operation of the Metropolitan Houseless Poor Act, and
the great number of professional vagrants who have been
thereby attracted to London, elicited from Mr. Hardy an
assurance that the matter should receive his serious atten-
tion during the recess.

In Committee of Supply General PEEL moved a sup-
plemental estimate for the conversion of Enfield rifles into
breech-loaders. He explained that the proposal to arm
the troops with the new weapon had come recommended
by a committee of officers, and he was only doing what his
predecessor would have done in taking measures to expe-
dite that object and considerably increase the number of
converted rifles to be supplied during the present year.
After consulting the authorities at the small arms factory
he found that, by great exertions, 100,000 Snider rifles could
be converted at an additional charge of £45,000, and that
50,000 could be supplied by the trade of the country. The
whole cost, including the requisite supply of ammunition,
at the rate of 200 rounds for each gun, would be £245,000,
and the converted weapon would be in no degree inferior
to the original Enfield. The right hon. gentlemen con-
cluded by moving a vote of £140,000 for the proposed con-
version.

Mr. REARDEN thought this expense would be uselessly
incurred, as improvements in rifles were daily introduced,
and the hon. member for Stockport had brought down to
the house a breech=loader which repeated its fire 20 times
in a minute.

Col. SYKES, for a similar reason, saw no ground for
haste, and believed that the Snider gun would very soon
be superseded.

Mr. BAILLIE reminded the hon. member that the ques-
tion had been under consideration for at least ten years,
and that-therefortthere had not been any precipitation.
Mr. OLIPHANT remarked that if we were to wait for
the last improvemenkour troops would never be efficiently
armed and the country never in a fit state to go to war.
Mr. MAGUIRE recommended caution. There was no
danger of Englandbeing drawn into hostilities, and there
were better weapons than the Snider in existenee.

Major WALKER was of opinion that by agreeing to this
vote they would put into the hands of the army a rifle
superior to that of any other country.
In reply to Mr. WHALLEy►
General PEEL, said he could not propose to arm the
volunteers with the new gun during the present year, nor
until the regular army had been supplied.
The vote was then agreed to, as was also the sum of
£105,000 for ammunition for the new arm.
Mr. CORRY moved the sum required to complete the
vote for education, amounting to £694,530, which is an in-
crease upon the sum granted last year of £1,452. This
amount is distributed as follows :—Annual grants for
schools in England and Wales, £431,694 ; for Scotland,
£75,900; pensions to retired schoolmasters £650.; building,
enlarging, and improving schools, £30,000; maintenance of
training colleges, £75,000; administration and inspec-
tion, London, £78,656 ; and poundage on post-office
orders £2,630.

A long discussion ensued, relating chiefly to questions
of detail connected with management and the system of
instruction, and ultimately the vote was agreed to. .
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER proposed
the second reading of the Railways (Ireland) Temporary
Advances Bill, which authorised the Commissioners of the
Treasury to advance to the Loan Commissioners a sum of
not more than .£500,000, for a period of throe months, with
power to increase the term for 12 months, the money to
bear interest at the rate of 4 per cent. By this means the
Irish railway. companies would be enabled to meet the de-
bentures Row accruing due, notwithstanding the pressure
existing in the money market.

After some remark; from Sir F. Heygate, Mr. Childers,
Mr. Hunt, Mr. Henley, and other hon. members, the bill
was read and ordered to be committed.

The other business on the paper was alSo disposed of,
and the house adjourned at a quarter to two o'clock.

How Shall England Repay America.

The following letter appears in the Anglo-American
Times:—

sir,—lf I justly estimate the character of your paper,
its purpose and object is to harmonise the relations between
England and America, by pointing out the errors which
a violent and partisan press may promulgate, and, by well-
timed explanations, throw oil neon the troUbled water ;
and thus, by earnest words and kindly acivice,.endeavour to
instil a spirit of perpetual good feeling. in the minds and
hearts of both Peoples. That being my interpretation, I
trust you will pardon me if I occupy a limited Space in the
forthcoming number in considering our present mutual
relations and future policy. . .
The war in Anierica has ceased—the nation•is recuperat-
ing its strength—wounds are being healed—reconstruc-

tion is creating harmony out of chaos—the loom, the
anvil, and the plough are unceasingly: moving. In the
North and in the East, the manufacturer and merchant
are Pursuing their vocations with increased .success and
accumulation of .wealth. The great West and North-
west are. pushing • and spreading ' with resistless
force their civilising sway over plain; prairie, moun-
tain, and valley to the Pacific. The wild belts
of prairie that have been regal for ages in their match-
less splendour .of luxuriant, uncultivated flowers are
disappearing; the mighty forests, bearded with aged
moss, are melting away; corn, wheat, and rye are clothing
all the valleys, while unnumbered flocks of sheep and herds
of cattle find pasture upon a thousand hills and pliins ;
the lakes and rivers are dotted with vessels, transmitting
the wealth of the interior to the ocean ports ; the slopes
and base of the Rocky Mountains, and the range of Sierra
Nevada, are gross with their quartz-bound riches of silver
and gold. Looking at. the South, we find, indeed, the
simoom of battle dealt hardly with her : that long war
fever has left her depressed, weak, and sad, but the innate
vitality has not been blotted out—the great cancer that
was eating her heart-life away has been excised, eradi-
cated, utterly destroyed, and now fresh, healthy blood will
soon give her a constitution that will carry her through
many a day of coming prosperity. Her ports are already
crowded with shipping; her cities present incontrovertible
evidences of a revival of trade and commerce; her bridges
are being re-built, her railroads repaired ; the master is
returning to, his home, the freeman to his labour; her
plantations will soon smile again, and the white-plumed
cotton will adorn her fields. Emigration will soon fill up
the gap which the past conflict made, for millions of acres
of splendid lands invite him to their possession. One de-
oade ! Ten years of patient waiting, but earnest working,
and the South, like the Phoenix, will arise from her ashes
anew, strong, prosperous, and great—proud of her own
redemption and the victory achieved over self. Thus
stands the United States—high, bold, confident, and aloft,
resting on the granite base of union. Who that loves pro-
gress, the advancement of intelligence, liberty of speech,