The Sun.
London, England, 1859-05-19 00:00:00

THE ARMY.

The statement which appeared to the effect that
Major-Gen. Sir W. F. Williams would leave Wool-
wich early in the present month to command the
Royal Artillery in Canada is premature, as the
gallant officer has not yet given over the command
at this garrison, and the period of his departure has
not been decided on. It has, however, been defini-
tively arranged that Gen. Williams will be succeeded
at Woolwich by Major-Gen. Sir R. J. Dacres, K. C. 8.,
who commanded the Royal Horse Artillery during
tha Crimean war, and at its termination was placed
on the supernumerary- list of general officers. Major-
General Williams will probably remain at his pre-
sent post until the reorganisation of the corps of
Royal Artillery is completely carried into effect.
A long train of waggons, each drawn by four
horses, and laden with powder, rockets, and other
ammunition, under the charge of a strong detach-
ment of the Military Train corps, left the Royal
Arsensal yesterday morning for Aldershott Camp.
Colonel Bloomfield, Aide-de-camp to her Majesty,
2d Commandant of Woolwich garrison, and recently
appointed Inspector-General of Artillery, has been
promoted to the rank of Major-General while acting
in the latter capacity.
The following circular, relative to the payment
of parochial rates for officers' quarters, has been
issued from the War-office :

" Adverting to circular, dated 27th of February, 1858, on
the subject of exemption from poor rates of official resi-
dences, Secretary Major-General Peel has decided that the
same shall henceforth be cancelled. The above decision is
notified for the information and guidance of the officers
concerned. " B. HAWES."

NON-INTERVENTION MEETINGS.

MANCHESTER.
A public meeting of the citizens of Manchester
was held yesterday in the Town-hall, having been
convened by the Mayor, in compliance with an
influential requisition, to support the policy of strict
neutrality on the part of this country, in reference
to the present 'war on the Continent. The large
room of the Town-hall was well filled.
Sir James Watts presided, in the unavoidable
absence of the Mayor.
A letter was read from Mr. J. A. Turner, M.P.,
regretting that another engagement prevented him
from being present, and intimating that he was
quite of opinion that strict neutrality in reference
to the war in the north of Italy should be observed
by this country. (Applause.)
Mr. EDMUND POTTER moved the first resolution.
He said the question at issue was one on which no
man ought to shrink from declaring his opinion. It
was no time for dallying ; we were on the eve of a
very important crisis, not only as regards this
country, but really affecting the progressive pnlicy
of the whole world. Almost everything depended
on the position taken by England, whether the
world's progress was to be progressive or retrogres-
sive. This was no party question, or if it belonged
to any party, it was one for which he had a great
respect, though he had never gone with them to
the full length of their advocacy ; and if there was
any party which ought to be especially supported
at present, it was the peace party. (Hear, hear.)
He was not going to blame the present Ministry,
nor the previous Ministers, because if he entered on
a course of animadversion he might find himself
involved in a task of serious length. (Hear, hear.)
But we had arrived at a climax not unexpected by
many thoughtful men, what we had been verging
to slowly, but surely, for years past, and he feared
one that had been encouraged indirectly by many
of our past Ministers. e had been associated
with those with whom we ought not to have
been associating, and tolerating many things
that ought not to have been tolerated. He
did not mean to say that we ought to have
opposed them in a warlike way, but we ought not
to have given them that tacit sanction' which
both Ministers and the country had given them in
past years. (Hear.) We had enjoyed an almost
uninterrupted peace for the last 40 years, with pro-
gressive development in morality, religion, science,
education, and everything that could really benefit
mankind ; and now the question presented itself,
whether we were to lose those advantages or to
secure them for the future ? How were we brought
to this pass ? He considered it simply the result of
despotism, and nothing else. Two despots, each
heading some 300,000 men, were preparing to en-
gage in a sanguinary contest, td depopulate and
devastate perhaps the finest lands in Europe—and
what was it for? The one man was the type of
hereditary despotism, the other the incarnation of
scientific despotism ; and each was pretending to
correct the other—the modern despot affecting to
advocate peace and progress, the other seeking to
restrict the progress of society in his own country
and in the world on grounds of hereditary right.
The result to be expected was retrogression. How
then were we to improve our own position and pro-
mote civilisation ? He believed it would be by pru-
dent neutrality. (Hear, hear.) He approved of
the Queen's proclamation, and the object of such
meetings as this was to confirm the Government in
their avowed policy. We must take care not to be
led astray to the right or to the left by any impulse
on the part of the people or of the rulers to break
through this neutrality. (Hear.) He hoped the war
might be confined to the present battle-lield, and
that afterwards our Government would not meddle
in the settlement of matters in which they had no
right to interfere. After this conflict it would be
our duty to, keep ourselves ai home, and if possible
were both unholy a
dissolve all those partinn-ships which, to his mind,
nd unhealthy, and had been the
means of bringitlg us into the present complication.
(Cheers.) Our,
of society great objects should be the well-being
and to leave the world better than we
found i (Cheers.) He would not discourage all
Pru''..ent preparation on our part, though he must
`..,nfess he deeply regretted over-preparation. He
had not the slightest fear of invasion, and he did
not think one man in ten thOusand feared it,
therefore he
did not advocate measures which
implied that a large majority had such fears.
(Hear, hear.) The people must pay for all these
things, and though he would not imply any doubt
of the honesty of our present Government, he
deeply regretted Mr. Disraeli'sremark that an extra
£15,000,000 a year would be a mere flea-bite—
(hear, hear)—and if the Government did not sanc-
tion that view they ought to disavow it. Much as
he regretted the bloodshed attendant on our wars,
he must confess he believed the debt was even more
injurious and more lasting in its effects than the
other calamities of a short quick war. He believed
the 40 years' peace was the only thing that had
enabled us, to bear up under the taxation en-
tailed by the huge debt we had incurred in past
"...uonarchy
wars. But for that peace he believed we shrui _
have been in a state of despotism or of %v d
iinnvsteaiteddtohfe umnedeetrinagelutil
on
the character t of e
racer the
two emperon who were -
now the
the world
constitutional ,
with this mischief, the whole of which he char e edg
upon despc,tism, with that which he had read with
to contras*
extreme ??'ieasure of the late Mr. Joseph Sturgo the Man Chester Examiner of the previous n
. ay.
(Cheers.) He had, seldom been more deeply