The Sun.
London, England, 1857-08-25 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING,

rejected ; the majority, however, were agreed to.
The change, giving jurisdiction to the Court of
Quarter Sessions, was unhesitatingly flung out.
The commission of adultery in the conjugal resi-
dence was, by a majority of 17, rejected as a
cause of divorce to an aggrieved wife. It being
possible that it might not be of a very aggravated
character ; the possibility of giving relief where
it was so, was prevented. As we have stated, ab
initio, the wise policy would be to allow ample
discretion, so that the court could decide whether
the provocation had been so great as to remove
any reasonable prospect of reconciliation. The
adultery clause, which provided that the petition
of any person not coming into court with clean
hands should be rejected, was reinserted, on the
motion of the Bishop of OXFORD. There were
energetic contests on the clause which entitled
the husband to claim damages from the
seducer of his wife, and that which gave
clergymen exemption from acting in accordance
with the law of the land. The Commons' altera-
tions were, however, carried in both instances,
and the dissenting clergymen must consent to the
use of their churches by their more submissive
brethren.

This day the matter will be finally disposed of.
Although the Act is not altogether what we could
have desired—not giving fair play to women—it
is still a great improvement on the system now
in operation. At present everything is excep-
tional. A man who has plenty of money, and
can spare a couple of thousand pounds, may ob-
tain complete redress ; but poverty is a fatal ob-
jection, the matrimonial chain cannot be severed,
no matter how gross the provocation he may have
received. There has hitherto been practically
one law for the rich, and another for the poor ;
and although the area of relief has been extended
from the owners of thousands to the owners
of hundreds, the really poor man is still excluded.
Divorce is a luxury which cannot possibly be
obtained by a pauper.

The present Bill may possibly be improved
after some experience of its working. It may
now be regarded as the introduction of the sharp
end of the wedge. The required changes will be
greatly facilitated by what has already taken
place. Wo shall not now discuss them at greater
length. Our views have already been clearly and
unequivocally expressed. We have seen no
adequate reason to change them, and shall look
forward to their ultimate adoption. The passing
of the Divorce Bill redeems the session from the
charge of inanity ; without it there would be
little indeed to show for the labours of the
I hereditary and elected legislators.

It is stated that the Bank of France will shortly
issue the notes for 50 francs, or 21. each, accord-
ing to its recently extended charter. Some years
since the smallest notes issued were for 500 francs,
or 201., and it has only been since the accession
of the Emperor NAPOLEON that 100 franc notes
were circulated. This, be it remembered, only
applies to the Bank of France, for notes of 20
francs, or 16s. each were extensively circulated by
local establishments, and were of great value in
the districts where they were in use. The effect
of the new circulating medium will unquestion-
ably be to economise the use of bullion, and to
give a much larger reserve to the Bank
than it would otherwise possess. The
long experience of Scotland and Ireland
proves beyond possibility that notes of small and
convenient denominations aro greatly preferred to
gold. You seldom see a sovereign in circu-
lation in either country unless one that has bee
I received from some wandering tourist, and tkle"
possessor invariably hastens to exchange it for
paper at the first favourable opportunity.
Not only is the use of bullion thereby econo-
inaised, but a very considerable loss in "wear
and tear" is averted. According to the returns
from the Scotch Banks wa find that notes under
51. amount to nearly two-thirds of the entire cir-
culation. The proportion in Ireland is not so
high, but still they exceed the larger denomina-
tions. Judging from these data, and the best
estimates that have been formed by competent
persons, there is at least from forty to fifty
millions of sovereigns in use in England that
might be brought into the Bank in exchange for
small notes. The wear and tear on that would,
at 3 per cent., by no means a high estimate, alone
amount to 1,200,0001. per annum ; while the
other advantages derived from the change would
be far greater. It would, as Mr. JAMES WILSON
declared, before he became connected with the
Ministry, give us a purchasing power or command
over the necessaries and comforts of life, just as
much as if an equal amount of gold had been dis-
covered in the centre of England.
Why then should we reject- this useful instru-
ment ? Why should we prohibit that which in
1825 prevented a national bankruptcy ? It
is all the work of the moneyocracy I Those
who have large fortunes realised desire to
prevent ethers from ascending to the same
level as themselves. Lord OVERSTONE, whose
fortune was in the first instance acquired
by the system known in Lancashire as " pig upon
bacon"—would not allow any others to adopt a
similar course. His object is to make money
dear and scarce. His fortune is ample, but he
wants to increase it by artificial means, arid the
six or seven per cent. which brings ruin to the
small trader, or manufacturer, enhances his
profits.

But why should he be permitted to dictate in
monetary affairs ? Why should the industrial
community be reduced to distress and difficulty
to gratify his crotchets ? It is hard, indeed, to
judge of the grounds that has led to suck selfish
legislation.

The first Sir ROBERT PEEL, who realised an ample
fortune by honest industry, earnestly protested
against the provisions of this bill. He expressly told
his son that he had doubled his own fortune, but
had ruined the country. Aud that is really what
Lord OVERSTONE has accomplished by the measure
of which he is the putative parent, and on which
a committee of the House of Commons is now
sitting in judgment ! That judgment cannot be
pronounced during the present session, which will
terminate within a very few days. We must submit
for six months more to the evils incidental to
the present system. If, however, the currency
reformers are only true to themselves—if they
adopt the necessary means for eliciting the
opinion of the nation, and producing the
agitation which is essential on such a
point a better law will be enacted next
year. And although we do not anticipate
that it wilt be all that we could desire, if it gives
France—it
us small notes—following the example of
debt to the
tage to the nation.
the
et
Back
ktd
ol_f)e
Ew:elglliantd
to get rid to
pay
incubus from. the national
a great improvement—
something that will afford to the
should that not be accom-
plished, there may
naion that great
desideratum, a circulating medium adequateto its
wants and exigencies, and sufficient to develop,
its resources, and give employment to its working
population.

THE EX-KING OF OUDE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SHAT.
SIR, —I beg to enclose a copy of a letter addressed
by me this day to the Morning Post, and shall feel
much obliged by your giving it insertion.
I am, Sir, yours obediently,
R. OUSELEY, Colonel,
Chief Agent to the King of Oude.
Junior United Service Club, Aug. 24, 1857.

LATEST NE W

FRANCE.
PARIS, AUGUST 24.
_ _ _

The Emperor arrived from Bordeaux this morn-
ing, and immediately presided at a council of
Ministers.

His Majesty will set out the day after to-morrow
for the camp at Chalons.
Intelligence is expected every moment of a rup -
ture between Sardinia and Naples.
Lord Howden has left Paris for London. Senor
de Lafragua, whose approaching departure from
France has been announced by several foreign
papers, has not yet arrived here, but is daily ex-
pected at the Mexican Legation.
The Minister of Switzerland, M. Barmann, has
just quitted Paris.
Mr. Kern is expected.
"It is affirmed on good authority," says the
Courrier de Marseille, that Admiral Trehouart
has been ordered to proceed with the experimental
squadron to Tunis."
The Pays says :—" We learn, by a letter from
London, that permission has been definitively
granted for the passage of English troops across the
Isthmus of Suez. These troops will take the rail-
way, and will find at Suez boats, taken up at Cal-
cutta by the East India Company, waiting for them.
AocorJing to arrangement made by agents of the
company, these ships were to be in the Red Sea by
the end of August at the latest. The authorisation
granted by the Viceroy of Egypt does not extend
to the future ; it is only temporary, and special for
the existing occasion."
The Debte, in an article on Indian events, dis-
cusses
the probability of the rumoured intrigues of
Russia in British India, and comes to the conclu-
sion that the Government of St. Petersburg is inno-
cent of the charge, less perhaps from want of will
than from absence of available means. Our con-
temporary thus expresses itself on the supposed in
trigues of Russia:—
"The opinion is widely spread in India that the
long train of powder which has burst under the
feet of the British at Teheran, Delhi, and Cantos,
proceeds from a concerted plan prepared by Russia
during the late war, and not abandoned by her
after the conclusion of peace. In India, a sincere
belief reigns with respect to the power of intrigue
and the diplomatic skill of Russia, notwithstand-
ing that the events of the last few years ought to
have proved to the most prejudiced that this skill
has been vastly exaggerated, and that the power
of intrigue chiefly exists in the credulity of the
public. Did we not, in fact, witness during the
late war the utter impotency of Russia to produce
an explosion in countries undermined by her in-
fluence, such as Bulgaria, Servia, or Montenegro ?
But if we in Europe are aware of the reality, peo-
ple in India are not so far advanced. That Russia
possesses agents in Central Asia is a matter' of cer-
tainty, and doubtless their mission is to raise ene-
mies to England. Some of these agents, and no-
tably the unhappy Vicowitch, who disappeared so
suddenly with his papers at St. Petersburg, have
created too much noise in the world to permit any
doubt with regard to their existence. But it is not
so certain that these agents penetrate into British.
India. The presence there of a European is diffi-
cult to conceal, and it would be almost impossible
for a stranger to circulate amongst populations
speaking an infinity of languages and dialects with-
out being detected and denounced to the police. It
may be retorted that if Russian policy does not
possess direct agents iu India, it employs a host of
emissaries recruited amongst the traders, travel-
ling fakirs, caravan drivers, &c., of Asia. Now
the slightest knowledge of the East teaches that
nothing serious could be obtained from such
instruments, even if they were employed ; for
Asiatics placed between two Christian powers would
betray both. Now England pays better and more
willingly than Russia ; consequently any intrigues
of the latter would speedily be disclosed teethe Bri-
tish authorities. In reality, the theatre of the
struggle between the two countries is still confined
to Central Asia, and we should be very much sur-
prised to learn that the intrigues of Russia in India
oxtend beyond the more or less authentic commu-
nications she may receive with regard to the finan-
ces, the army, the condition of the country, (Sec.,
from Greek or Armenian merchants est sbli-hed at
Calcutta or Bombay. . . . It is therefore nei-
ther iu foreign intrigues nor in the faults of the
officers of the Bengal army that must be sought
the causes of the sepoy revolt."

BOURSE, Aug. 24.—The following were the las
quota, ions :

Cash. fr. c. End of Month.
44 per Cents
3 per Cents 67 10 t,7 5
Bank Shares 2,800 Credit Foncier —
Credit Mobilier 957 GO Roman
Do. Account — Austrian

Belgian 11
Fiodmontese (5) B9i— Home Debt

RAILWAYS-FOR CASH.

Ir. C. ft. c.
Orleans 1,150 Western
Northern
Lyons and Med 9021,— New Ditto
Ne w Ditto BBl— Grand Central
Geneva -
Midi

The Cherbourg journals give some details of the
late visit of Queen Victoria to that port :—Her
Majesty and Prince Albert were accompanied by
Prince Alfred, the Princess Royal, and the Prin-
cesses Alice, Helena, and Louisa. Immediately
after the royal yacht entered the roadstead, Rear-
Admiral Count de Gourdon, the Maritime Prefect,
went on board to pay his respects to her Majesty,
and had the honour of being invited to dinner.
The news of the Queen's arrival was not known
until the following morning, when the whole town
was in movement, expecting the landing of the
Royal party. The vessels in the roadstead, the
public buildings, and a number of private houses
were ornamented with flags. At a rather early hour
the Queen, Prince Albert, and. the royal children
landed under a salute from the ships in the harbour
and the forts, and, having-visited the different parts
of the dockyard, entered carriages prepared for
them, and proceeded to Montague-du-Roule,
whence Her Majesty and party were able to enjoy
an extensive panoramic view of the town, the port,
and the surrounding country. After the return of
the Royal party to the Victoria and Albert to
lunch, M. Dureigne, the Sub Preffot, and M. Lude,
the Mayor of Cherboug, went on board, and pre,
sented an address to her Majesty expressive of the
inhabitants at being honoured with her visit. The
Mayor said, "Madam, and most gracious Sove-
reign, the town of Cherbourg, of which I have the
honour to be mayor, is happy this day to see the
realisation of the hope which it for a moment
cherished last year. I avail myself of the great
honour of being presented to your Majesty to ex-
press a hope that.l may be permitted to lay at your
feet the respectful homage of my fellow citizens.
The 18th of August will ever be in their remem-
brance a precious and memorable day." The
Queen replied in the most gracious manner, telling
the Mayor " that she was last year on the point of
visiting Cherbourg, and that she now congratulated
herself on having been able to realise her intention,
since she had seen the magnificent works accom-
plished at that port, with a perseverance which did
honour to the engineering skill of France." In the
afternoon Her Majesty again landed, and visited
the breakwater, after which she paid a second visit
to the dockyard under fresh salutes from the bat-
teries. After a rather long examination of dif-
ferent parts of the establishment, the royal party
returned on board the royal yacht to dinner, at
which, in addition to the royal family and the
Prince de Leiningen, were present by special invi-
tation—Admiral Count de Gourdon, General d'Her-
billon, Inspector General of Infantry, General the
Marquis de la Place, General Borel de Bretizel,
Captain the Hon. J. Denman, and Mr. Horace
Hamond, Her Majesty's Consul at Cherbourg. In
the evening the field-officers and staff of the garri-
son went on board and were received by Her
Majesty.