The Sun.
London, England, 1866-08-14 00:00:00

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LONPON, TUESDAY, AUGUST 14, 1866,

A banquet given at Preston the other evening in
connection with a local society possessed some in-
terest, in the presence of the junior member for the
borough, the second son of the Earl of DERBY.
The Hon. F. STANLEY, though he has not adopted
the career in which his father and brother have so
greatly distinguished themselves, has yet an here-
ditary connection with politics ; and the recent ac-
cession of Lord DERBY to the Premiership made his
audience more ready to listen to the exposition of
their member's views. In answer to an in-
quiry from Mr. Councillor RAWCLIFFE as
to his opinions on the armaments of the coun-
try, Mr. STANLEY paid a tribute to the exertions
of the late Administration to render the arms of our
forces as efficient as possible. Lord DE GREY and
Lord HARTINGTON may merit such encomiums for
their determination to improve the arms of our
troops and to adopt the breech-loader instead of
its rival, but the late directors of the Almiralty do
not certainly deserve any such praise. Into naval
matters Capt. STANLEY did not enter, but kept to
the questions more immediately concerning his own
professions. Having borne testimony to the efforts
made by the late Secretary and Under-Secretary at
War for the improvement of our armaments, he
reminded his hearers that one of the first acts of
the present Government had been to augment the
number of improved arms from 30,000 to 100,000.
The outlay which this incurred in the order entailed
was not, he was sure, contrary to the general voice
of the country. In referring to the recent events
which have so forcibly demonstrated the superiority
of the breech-loading gun over its rival, Mr.
STANLEY observed that some important reports
from officers attending the two combatant
armies had come under his own notice, and
that in the reports both from the victorious and
from the retreating army there was a unanimous
testimony to the extraordinary power of the Prus-
sian arms. It is satisfactory to know that the arms
now being placed in the hands of our soldiers are,
in the opinion of competent authorities, decidedly
superior even to the famous needle-gun. Mr.
STANLEY declared that he and his friends had always
held that the best manner to preserve peace was to
be prepared for war, and that, so far from efficient
armaments being likely to entangle us in hostilities,
the contrary will be the case. In fact, the public
conviction has long been that the best means to
preserve ourselves from attack is to provide our-
beim with proper armaments; and it is this belief
that renders the House willing, year after year, to
vote the estimates. But the general feeling is still
stronger respecting the navy than the army, both
from the fact that the English are by nature more
a naval than a military people, and also because
all reflecting men perceive the vast importance of
which our navy is to us, both for the protection of
our shores and for the preservation of our com-
merce. The unsatisfactory condition of our naval
reserves is, therefore, totally inexcusable ; and we
hope that Sir JOIIN PAKINGTON, instead of trying
to defend the faults of the system, will turn all his
attention to the task of providing the country with
something like an efficient fleet.
We are glad to find the new member for Preston
expressing himself energetically with respect to our
armaments on land ; and it is to be hoped that his
father's Administration will lose no time in pro-
viding a better state of timings at sea.

It must be a source of great satisfaction to Mr.
EYRE that his great services have been fully appre-
ciated in Jamaica; and, although numerous in-
stances of this have been already received by him,
an additional testimony was afforded on the occa-
sion of his departure from the colony. A farewell
address was presented to him by a committee of
gentlemen, who represented over 1,200 subscribers,
in which the most sincere sympathy was offered to
him on his departure, and a declaration made that
a more intimate knowledge of the nature of events
would have shielded from censure a faithful
servant of the Crown. It is, however, stated that
the subscribers believe that when political pas-
sions have subsided and given place to reason and
justice, the majority of his fellow-subjects will
consider that an " officer who, unaided by any
instructions from superior authority in times
of extreme and sudden difficulty, and very
grave national peril, has, on the whole, done
his duty well, and ought not for any excess
of his subordinates to be otherwise than most

favourably dealt with." To this very fitting
address, Mr. EIRE returned an appropriate
answer, in which he declared that he natu-
rally felt pained that his career should be
abruptly terminated by removal from the
public service under the disapproval and censure of
the Colonial Minister, after having served his Sove-
reign and country zealously for twenty-five years.
But he went on to say his feelings of regret were
lessened by the reflection that, however " able and
impartial the parties may be by whom my conduct
has been inquired into and adjudicated upon, it is
impossible that persons imperfectly acquainted with
the negro character, with the country, and with the
circumstances that surrounded me at the time, can
judge adequately or justly after the event of
the necessity and propriety of the action I found
it imperative to take under a great emergency."
We believe this to be strictly true, and, indeed, it
is much to be regretted that Mr. EYRE should not
have been able to come to England before the close
of the Parliamentary session, so that the people
of this country might have had an opportunity of
hearing from himself some statement which could
have been put beside the extravagant declarations
of the faction who partially and prejudicially judged
the matter. It is well worth any one's while to per-
use the calm and temperate defence which Mr. EIRE
has given of his conduct, and although some
may be too wrapt up in theirownid
personseastoa willttend
to his view of the matter, impartial
recognise the difficult position in which he was

placed.
Mr. EYRE has exhibited under most trying cir-
cumstances a moderation that does him credit, and
a calm dignity and self-possession that must assure
him the sympathy of all distinguished persons.
He declares that he retires into " private life," dis-
missed from thepublic service, after nearly a lifetime
spent in it, but that he has at least the consolation of
feeling that there bad been nothing in his conduct to
merit it, nothing to occasion self-reproach, nothing
to regret. " On the contrary, I carry with me in
my retirement the proud consciousness that at all
times, and under all circumstances, I have endea-
voured, to the best of my ability, to do my duty as
a servant of the Crown, faithfully, fearlessly, and
irrespective of personal consideration." Notwith-
standing the clamour raised by the votaries of
Exeter-hall, and the charges since made by the mem-
bers of the Jamaica Committee, we venture to
say that it is seldom a man in so •Lfluential and

responsible a situation can take leave of public life
with so much satisfaction ; and it is not often that
one attacked in so scandalous a manner, and accused
of crimes of the deepest dye, when he has been
simply discharging his duty, is able to rise superior
to angry feeling, and forget his personal affronts in
the majesty and dignity of the great principles
which he represents, and the honour and interests
of the country he has studied to serve. Mr.
EIRE has left a name in Jamaica which
will long be honoured ; and, now that he
has arrived in England, we hope that he will
find many to welcome him, and to show that
they are not influenced by the factious efforts made
to his disadvantage. Should the partisans of Mr.
BRIGIIT put their threat into execution, we feel con-
vinced that Mr. Evnu will find many to assist him,
and that the schemes of his enemies will turn to his
advantage in the long run by exhibiting in true
colours the many admirable qualities which he dis-
played at a time of great peril, and the valuable
services he rendered to his country. Taking all
things into consideration, it may fairly be stated
that a servant of the Crown was never placed in
more trying circumstances than the ex-Governor of
Jamaica, and was never treated more harshly than
he has been by those who ought to have appreciated
his merits.

All is still uncertainty respecting the course likely
to be pursued in this deliberation on the French de-
mands ; but, at all events, we cannot say that there
is any greater probability of peace than there was
at the receipt of the last intelligence. It seems, to
judge from the accounts which have reached us
from various quarters, that BISMARCK is trying hard
to get out of the difficult position in which he finds
himself, and that he actually has the audacity to
advise the French EMPEROR what to do. He reckons
without his host, however, in taking a step like
that, and the answer he has received is
not likely to encourage him to try again.
It is said that the crafty Minister pointed out to
the French Cabinet that they could increase their
territory without interfering with the plans of
Prussia, and hinted at the desirability of appro-
priating the Duchy of Luxemburg and the frontiers
of 1814, which could be obtained from Belgium.
To this the E3IPEROR is said to have returned the
proper answer, that should he think it advisable to
open negotiations with Holland, or Belgium, he
should do so without consulting the Cabinet of
Berlin ; but for the present he desired to raise
one point, and that was the rectification
of the frontiers of 1814, now in possession
of Prussia. It is said in Vienna that large Prus-
sian forces have been withdrawn from Bohemia,
and sent to the Rhenish provinces of Prussia, and
this certainly does not look like a pacific settlement
of the question. It is true that the Constitutionnel
of yesterday published an article respecting this
important matter of compensation, in which it
seemed to take a sanguine view of the prospects of
peace. We question, however, if the "very friendly
relations existing between the two Powers" were
hinted at will be found sufficient to withstand
the troublous times they were entering upon.
As for the great stress which is laid upon the chief
desire of France being that the constitution of Ger-
many should be so arranged as to be favourable for
Europe and conducive to her own interests there is
no likelihood of this being verified either, for what
reason is there that France should allow Prussia to
progress so much to her own disadvantage and to
the disturbance of the balance of power in Europe?
We see no reason to believe that the Emperor
NAPOLEON will allow himself to be insulted and
the French people to be degraded by putting up
with the curt impertinence of the Prussian Cabinet;
and therefore, if Prussia persist in refusing his
demands, there can be but one alternative—that of

• X.,. a., aa SO SI ..au1a15.,1.7 Vl+ .w Iv,. Lla vl
all the negotiations so much talked of ; and, if so,
the grand schemes of Herr BISMARCK may be de-
feated just when they were on the eve of fulfilment.
It will be a very different thing to cope with the
Emperor of the FRENCH from what it was to
engage the Austrians, and if the present
moderate demands of the French Govern-
ment are refused, and the tide of war
turns against the Prussians, they may have
to give up far more than the places they now refuse
to yield. While matters are in such a doubtful
state relative to foreign affairs, the Prussian Go-
vernment is working away with might and main to
consolidate its victories, and complete the work of
annexation. All parties who are unfortunate enough
to be mixed up in the matter will find that they
will have to pay freely down for the bargain about
to be struck. There is indeed ample cause to pity
those German States which have been drawn into
the strife without their own consent.

The Session of Congress has come to a close very
nearly at the same time as that of our own Parlia-
ment. The actual breaking up of the American
Assembly took place, indeed, on the 28th ult., but
the detailed account of the proceedings has reached
us a few days after the dismissal of our noble lords
and honourable gentlemen. The attendant circum-
stances were, however, very different in the two
countries, and English M.P.'s would be not a
little astonished if they were called upon to
undergo the transatlantic process. For the last
few days of the Session here political excitement
has wellnigh died out. The Public Health Bill and
the alarm about the cholera gave indeed a little
animation this year, but the hours of debate are
short, and the business to be got through is reduced
to a minimum. Very different is it in Washington.
The session closed late on the 28th July, after both
houses had been in almost unbroken sitting from
noon on the 27th. The presiding authorities were
afraid to permit an adjournment for fear the necessary
quorum of members could not be got together again,
and consequently the members were forced to keep
their vigil as best they might. A large proportion of
them, as might be supposed, took refuge in neigh-
bouring easy chairs and sofas, to be aroused periodi-
cally by the summonses to vote. The object of this
prolonged sitting was to pass a number of bills,
which had been left over during the wasted session,
which has been completely sacrificed to the Radi-
calsthharvoeubgehednurreinjegetthedeleaasrtliheoru, rasnodf aaSession
eawbilleici which
instance
occurred on this occasion when a clause was attached
to an Appropriation Bill and passed, giving two
hundred million dollars in bounties to soldiers.
This has been fought off all through the session,
but by this ingenious device has now passed both
houses. A similar trick was detected by the quick
wit of the PRESIDENT, who discovered among the
crowd of bills brought to the ante-room of the
Senate for his signature an old friend with a
new face, one of the bills he had previously
vetoed attached in some mysterious manner to an
innocent-looking land surveying bill. It had been
smuggled through Congress without
detection, but
the President very promptly returned it with
another veto, thus showing the Radicals that he is
6
not deficient in the national quality of "'cute-
ness." The objectionable changes in the Neu-
trality Laws, advised by General BANKS as a
bid for Fenian support, happily broke down "
in the Senate, The bill wa4 hurried through the