The Sun.
London, England, 1866-02-24 00:00:00

and would need no comment were it not that
owing to the political and other circumstances they
are just now paid more deference to than is at all
consistent with right and reason. Through some
extraordinary hallucination, and some marvellous
juggling, these upholders of negro insurrection have
contrived to mix up the question of the Jamaica
rebellion with the Liberal cause in general, and to
talk as if the Government must choose between
their support and the upholding of law in Jamaica.
In the futile attempt to please both sides the
Ministry are sure to get into trouble, and already
Mr. BRIGHT has given hints that he does not alto-
ther put faith in the wisdom of the Commission.
At any rate Colonel EDWARDS has done wisely in
thus coming forward to reiterate his statements re-
lative to the matter, and we trust that his decided
course will prove some check at least to the en-
croachments of these agitators. What with one
thing and the other we seem never likely to hear the
last of their views and opinions ; and even if the
Commission reports in favour of Mr. EynE, they are
sure to declare that they are mistaken, and have
not conducted matters properly. There is no satis-
fying some people whatever is done.

The Irish Railways and the Metropolitan Rail-
way schemes last night came under the considera-
tion of the House for a short time. General DUNNE
observed that great anxiety prevailed in Ireland
respecting the course likely to be pursued by Go-
vernment, and desired to know if a report was to be
made about the Irish railways in particular. Lord
STANLEY spoke with some authority respecting the
subject, because he is a member of the Commission
on Railways, and he did not think it advisable to
have a separate report on Irish railways. The noble
lord spoke more fully on the subject in reference to
Metropolitan railways, and he stated that it would
be quite impossible for one committee to deal with

all these schemes, and he wisely proposed that the
Government should weed the list and make a pre-
liminary inquiry either by a joint-committee or by
a commission. In support of this proposition Lord
STANLEY stated that the number of Metropolitan
schemes was nearly double now to what it was in
1864, and the experiment then made of a joint
committee of both Houses answered perfectly. It
seems, indeed, as if this plan was the best that could
be carried out, and, as Lord STANLEY said, the
Government should act without delay, and remem-
ber that " the matter is one which, through the
immense disruption of property that is involved,
materially affects the comfort of three millions of
people. Colonel WILSON-PATTEN also advised a
preliminary inquiry, but Mr. MILNER GIBSON nega-
tived the notion on a very insufficient argument, so
far as a joint committee was concerned, because he
said that many of the schemes were merely exten-
sions of existing lines, and that others were bills to
form new junctions with existing lines. The right
hon. gentleman spoke at some length on the subject,
and said that if the magnitude of these undertakings
startled them, they must remember that the require-
ments of the community were now very great, and
the crowded condition of the thoroughfares showed
the necessity for increased facilities of traffic. This
is all very true, but it seems a pity that Lord STAN-
LEY'S proposition should not be acceded to, because
so much time is lost in waiting for one thing and
the other ; and a quicker despatch in the settlement
of affairs would necessarily promote the advantage of
projectors, and also contribute to the welfare of the
community at large. But delay seems to be the motto
of the Government in everything.

Morning Concerts.

e --

The Chairman of the Middlesex Sessions laid
before the Court the following letter from the
Home-office, and a copy of the opinion of the law
officers of the Crown as to the power of the Lord
Chamberlain to license rooms for morning concerts :
Whitehall, Jan. 1, 1866.
_ _

" Sir,—l am directed by Secretary Sir George Grey to
transmit herewith, agreeably to your request, a copy of the
opinion of the law officers of the Crown on the case, which
was laid before them, as to the power of the Lord
Chamberlain to license the rooms for morning concerts.—l
have the honour to be, sir, yours obediently,

H. WADDIN, JUN.
" Henry Pownall, 63, Russell-square."
OPINION.

" We are of opinion that the power of tho Lord Cham-
berlain under the 25th Geo. 2, cap. 2G, sec. 4, to license
' public entertainments,' by virtue of which concerts in
the Hanover-square-rooms were licensed until 1843, is
not taken away or affected by the 6th and 7th Vict., cap.
68, which relates to a different subject matter, 'viz.,
theatres and stage plays, as herein defined ; and that
valid licenses may still be granted by the Lord Cham-
berlain for such concert; notwithstanding the super-
vision of such license since 1843.

" Signed, ROUNDELL PALMER,
P. COLLIER.

" Lincoln's-inn, Dec. 13, 1865."
The Chairman remarked that he believed parties
had been subjected to very great inconveniences
by the stringency of the Act of George the Second,
which made them liable to a penalty of £5OO if a
concert
,was commenced before five o'clock p.m.,
and also to have their licenses taken away. He
only made these observations to show the Court
the importance of the subject that the minds of
those who wanted to have morning as well as even-
ing concerts might be relieved.—Musical World.