The Sun.
London, England, 1868-02-29 00:00:00

'HE SUN, LONDON, SAT URDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 29, 186 S.

thinkc hat Vile Ministers and the Parliament in
general m a y
congratulate themselves that the Irish
debate in t t e Commons had not begun when the
resignation c ,f Lord DERBY took place ; and it must
be borne .1 mind that some of the preliminaries of
the Sts )n being over before Christmas, the House
is not so backward as one might suppose at first
sight. r f o changes have come to light since yester-
day in th e formation of the new Cabinet, hence it
may be cc included that no more important alterations
are contemplated. This is as well, for there is no
objection Zo its present construction. Mr. WAL-
POLE will give!. his support to the Ministry, and re-

linquish hio se at in the Cabinet, which will make
no material d ifference. It is expected that Lord
DERBY will be persuaded to keep his position as a
Cabinet Alinist ;er, and thus afford the advantage of
his advice and experience to the late colleagues
when his health permits him to take part in public
matters. V
e think that the DISRAELI Ministry
has
Dd prospect of success, and that the
a very Ni
go ,

-louse and co wary are inclined to give it a fair

trial. It certanly deserves that it should be so,
and the best inter ests of the country may be secured
by the continuance of the Conservatives in office,

for they seem incliu ed to do far more in the way of
Reform than the Liberals, who can never arrive at
a definite policy, or maintain unity among them-

Mayor, and Messrs. PONTIFEX and Co. have
given their version of the story anew. There
is a good deal of mutual contradiction, the
men declaring they did not strike, the employers
that they were not dismissed. Making allowances
for faults and misunderstandings on both sides, the
men appear to have been foolishly bent on obtain-
ing the half holiday on Saturday in a time of such
general slackness and depression. There have
been so many involuntary holidays that we should
imagine those who were fortunate enough to get
well paid work would be glad to do it without
quarrelling over an extra half day. Messrs. PON-
TIFEX suspect that some of the men only en-
deavoured to get on their works so as to cause a
strike, and they affirm that several of the men have
told them that they did not wish to leave, but were in-
timidated by the threats of their fellows. It is this
sort of feeling which damages trade so much, which
destroys all that mutual confidence and trust indis-
pensable in every branch of business. If the em-
ployer has a constant misgiving that his men will
leave him at the very moment when he most re-
quires their services, just because they know they
are wanted, he will naturally be slow to undertake
engagements which demand punctual fulfilment.
Orders go elsewhere, capital seeks other channels of
investment, and masters and men are alike left
lamenting their errors and mistakes. The masters,
by selfish disregard of the men in former days,
drove them to combination ; the men are revenging
their former grievances on themselves and their
families. The present dispute is significant of the
unfortunate state of feeling, which must be amended
before either charity or legislation will be able to
effect a social reform.

COREESFONDENCE FROM PARIS.

,FROM OUR OWN
.CORRESrONDENT)

PARIS, FRIDAY, reb. 28.

The political question of the hour is the situation in the
Principalities. Though no immediate outbreak of hostili-
ties between the Roumanians, Servians, and Montenegrins
on one side, and the Turks on the other, is expected, it is
believed generally that events are tending very rapidly to
such an outbreak, and that it can be a matter of only a
few months at most .before the situation must be changed
by something decisive. Either the subject Christians of
the East must be made to submit to the suzerainty of the
Porte, or their independence must be acknowledged, if
war is to be avoided. Russia will not go to war
to support the pretensions of the Principalities
just now, but she might do so if a favourable
opportunity occurred, as, for instance, a quarrel between
Prussia and France. In Paris there are two parties :
those who would allow these populations at once to assert
their independence, and those who would, for a while at
least, retain them in nominal subjection to the Porte, to
prevent their becoming the tools of Russia. The Avenir
National argues that France should maintain a strict
neutrality, making no common cause with Turkish,
Russian, or Austrian diplomacy. If a federal union were
formed of the Principalities, it would be a check to Russia
rather than an ally. It seems to be understood tha
England will not interfere.

According to the Journal de Paris, a note of a grave
and almost threatening character has been sent from Paris
to Bucharest within the last few days.
The Liberte pretends that a sort of triple alliance is
being got up between Austria, France, and England,
which is to counterbalance the agreement, of the existence
of which there can, it says, be no doubt between Prussia,
Russia, and America. Moreover, the foreign policy of
England in the Disraeli• Stanley Cabinet will, the Liberty
understands, be very vigorous, and in this respect it will
contrast favourably with the extreme reserve which
England has of late maintained.

The Temps remarks that the secrecy and rapidity with
which Prussia has concluded a treaty with the United
States relative to the naturalisation of German immi-
grants in America, is a fresh proof of the political fore-
sight of Count Bismarck.

The French Academy have just naturalised a word
hitherto omitted from the " Dictionnaire de l'usage." The
word is Absohttisme. The Academy is not fond of new
words, but it could not deny this word its letters of
naturalisation. The story goes, that one of the members
exclaimed, " Would that we could vote on the thing
after voting on the word." I suspect ft was Prthrost-
ParadoL

There is a little French drama which has sadly per-
plexed those who exercise the censorship. The principal
scene is a naval battle, in which the Vengeur, a French
ship, is sunk by the guns of an English man-of-war, Her
crew refuse to surrender, end as they are about to go to
the bottom their last words are " Vive la Republique !"
Historical accuracy would not permit the censor to substi-
tute " Vive l'Empereur !" and for the last week all Paris
has been laughing at the embarrassment of la censure.
The Emperor has, it is said, at last cut the Gordian knot
by ordering that historical truth shall be respected. How
could a historian do otherwise ?
The sober Constitutionncl has an article on the elevation
of Mr. Disraeli to the Premiership. " There is in this
fact," it observes, " something more than a mere change
of persons, and that is why it provokes, from the entire
English press, comments which attest a sure progress
towards social equality among our neighbours." The
Constitutionnel admits that England is, and probably will
long remain, an aristocratic country : but "we must do
its aristocracy the justice to admit that it has never been
exclusive, and that it does not refuse its first rank to men
who merit it by their talents or services."
A distressing occurrence has just taken place at Ver-
viers. The Russian Ambassador, Baron Budberg, arrived
at Verviers by train on his:way to Paris. While sitting in the
refreshment room at the station he i'vas accosted by the
son of Baron Meyendorff, a former representative of
Russia. Presently the young man became excited, and
struck the Ambassador a severe blow with his fist. About
to use his sword, it was snatched from him ; he then drew
out a pistol, when the Baron called out " Arrest this
man ; he is mad." The pistol also was taken from him,
and the Baron's words were found to be too true. The
assailant is subject to sudden attacks of insanity, and the
attempt on the Baron's life was made under one of these
attacks.

The Liberte has exclusive information about Mr. Dis-
raeli's programme. I quote its own words : " The policy
of the present Minister-promises to be very liberal towards
Ireland ; and we expect, says one of our correspondent;
a series of measures that will astonish even the Irish
themselves." Soit.
The agitation against the definitive conclusion of the
Treaty of Commerce with England on the expiration of
the original term gains strength in the manufacturing
centres- A discussion on tbt, subject i, e,:pectea in the
Senate. France is, however, too far committed in her
engagements with other countries to withdraw from those
engagements with England.

It is announced that the Royal Astronomical Society (of
England) have awarded to M. le Verrier a gold medal for
his latest researches in connection with the planetary
system.

The Rome correspondent of the Morning Herald sari
the severest instructions on the subject of Fenianism have
been sent by the Missionary College of Propaganda Fide
to the clergy of Ireland, Scotland, and the British colonies,
as well as to the United States. All that Rome can do
to discourage a revolutionary movement in the English
possessions she has nobly and spontaneously done, and it
is to be hoped her efforts will men with a worthy and
loyal recognition in England. We venture to say they
will, except from extreme Orangemen.

We have heard a great deal about the fortifications of
Rome. The Times correspondent states that they are no
more than sufficient to protect the city from a coop de
main. A number of Englishmen have recently joined the
Papal volunteers. They do not seem to be connected with
any organisation in Britain. The Fenians whit) went to
Rome have been weeded out. The Papal Zouaves, as a
rule, are men of a superior station to the common run of
private soldiers.
The paper-money of Italy has become an intolerable
burden. The agio, or premium, on copper has now risen
in Naples to 10f., so that the poor who arc paid in paper
have to submit to a sort of famine tax on their earnings.
The Cardinal who said the other day that the back of a
nation was never broken by debt may live to see the life of
one imperilled by currency.
A telegram from Madrid, dated the evening of the 27th,
states that disturbances have taken place at Grenada hi
consequence of the clearness of provisions. The soldiers
were called out. One person was killed, sixteen wounded,
and several arrested. A despatch from Grenada states
that the mob attacked the Governor's house, broke the
windows, and clamoured for "work and bread." The
province has been placed in a state of siege.
The cast of the new Ministry is now almost complete.
Mr. Sclater-Booth is to go to the Treasury, in the place of
Mr. Ward Hunt, now Chancellor of the Exchequer. The
secretaryship to the Poor-law Board, vacant by the promo-
tion of Mr. Sclater-Booth, has not yet been filled up.
The Star states that before Sir John Pakington and
Mr. Gathorne Hardy gave in their adhesion to Mr.
Disraeli, they made terms with him in reference to the
Irish Church question. Their object was to make the
policy of the new Premier less liberal than it was to have
been. If this is authentic, the session, as Mr. Gladstone
slid on Friday evening, " promises to be severe."
The John Bull is enabled to state that no offer of a seat
in the Cabinet was made to either the Earl of Carnarvon,
Viscount Cranborne, or General Peel. Many other papers,
With an equal show of authority, have stated exactly the
contrary.

The withdrawal of Mr. Walpole from the Cabinet will
give the new Premier an opportunity for including in the
Ist of the select fifteen a department which has hitherto
been excluded. The Duke of Montrose as Postmaster-
General, the Earl of Devon as President of the Poor-law
Board, and Colonel Wilson-Patten as Chancellor of the
Duchy of Lancaster, have not yet been in the Cabinet.
The two former offices are the most important ; the latter
is termed a political cushion, and is generally a stepping-
stone to a higher position.

Both the Daily News and the Telegraph defend Mr.
Disraeli from the charge of discourtesy to Lord Chelms-
ford in not including that learned peer in his Ministry.
To say, as the Post urged, that Lord Chelmsford had been
dismissed, is to fall into a grave constitutional error. A
new Premier makes a new Administration, and all the
posts in the late Government became practically vacantwhen
(4ord Derby's resignation was accepted. It was contended
that it was Mr. Disraeli's duty to the sovereigh, to bisparty,
and to his country, to make his Administration as strong
as possible. The suggestion of malice and spite is absurd.
Mr. Disraeli is too good a politian to let these feelings
sway his public conduct. He deserves credit for the
courage with which he has disregarded the intrusion of
personal pretensions into a purely public business. Lord
Chelmsford has to thank an indiscreet confidant for the
disclosure that his retirement is not voluntary, and that
his friends' estimate and his own of the relative value of
his services and those of Lord Cairns is not that of his
party and the world.
It is to be feared that there will shortly be a strike of
colliers in the St. Helens district. The masters insist
upon a reduction at the rate of 15 per cent in the wages
of the men, while the men profess themselves willing to
accept a reduction at the rate of 5 or 7i per cent. The
dispute still remains unsettled.

RUNNING UP HOUSEg

---~---

Dr. Lankester -has held an inquest at the Torrington
Arms, Finchley, on the body of George Moore, who was
killed by the fall of a part of the building which he was
working on. Mr. Hammond appeared for the widow of
the deceased ; Mr. Edward Besley appeared for Mr. Den-
ton, one of the persons interested. The evidence shewed
that the house in question was intended for a public-house,
and an effort was being made to get it finished in time for the
forthcoming licensing day. In order to obtain large cel-
larage room the stacks of chimneys were not carried down
to the ground, but built upon the party wall, which was
28ft. long and 9in. thick. As soon as the centerirg was
removed the wall and chimneys fell, burying the
deceased and suffocating him. Mr. Richard Wale, an
architect, who was examined, said that no architect could
have designed and no competent builder have erected a
building on the plan of the one which fell. It could nit
possibly have stood. If it had been propped up for twelve
months, and the support then removed, it must have
fallen. The dead weight upon the structure was altogether
too great for its capacity. If the chimneys had been
carried down to the ground the wall would have stood.
He had been in his profession for thirty years, and had
never seen a building on such a plan before. Henry Mollie
Thomas, a carpenter and joiner living in Finchley, admitted
that he prepared the plans and specifications for the con-
struction of the building for Mr. Denton, but with respect
to the chimneys he merely suggested the way they should
be put up, and left it open for Mr. Denton to decide. He
thought the wall was strong enough to bear the weight, and
considered that the accident had been caused by the con-
traction and expansion consequent upon alternate cold
and warmth. He had certified that the work was carried
out properly so that the builder might get his money.
The jury, after returning a verdict of accidental death,
passed a resolution attaching blame to the owner of the
house for not obtaining competent assistance, and extend-
ing the censure to all the principals; but they subsequently
differed about the exact terms to be employed, some think-
ing the resolution as worded by the coroner not strong
enough, and others thinking it too strong. Ultimately the
coroner and six jurors signed the following resolution :
" The jury empanelled at the Torrington Arms, Finchley,
on the 27th day of February, 1868, on view of the body of
George Moore, having returned a verdict of accidental
death, are of opinion that sufficient care was not taken by
the owner of the building in which the deceased met his
death to secure efficient assistance in the planning and
construction of the said building, and the said jury are
also of opinion that the said owner and his advisers and
assistants are culpable for the deficient arrangements by
which the said deceased met his death."

Mr. Charles O'Connor. and Mr. Brady, the two
eminent members of the American bar mentioned by a
New York correspondent as about to be sent to England
by the Government of the United States, in connection
with the trial of American citizens for Fenianism, are now
in this country.
OPPOSITION TO -UNIVERSITY REFORM. —A.
address to the Archbishop of Canterbury is in course (4
signature amongst the graduates of the University of
Oxford, imploring his Grace strenuously to resist the
threatened legislation in reference to the universities with
all the weight of his influence, both personal and official.

THE EASTER MONDAY REVIEW.—Lords Ranelagh,
Truro, and Bury, with Colonel du Plat Taylor and Colonel
Ward, accompanied by Serjeant Gaselee, M.P., and Mr.
Scott, of the South-Western Railway, have visited the
proposed review ground at Portsdown-hill and Bouthsea-
common, Portsmouth. A favourable opinion was ex-
pressed both as to the eligibility for the site and the rail-
way facilities. Their lordships and party afterwards
dined with the Mayor, being met by Admiral Pasley,
Colonels Woodham, Haddon, R.E., :and the local
committee.

THE COURT-MARTIAL SYSTEM.—The following
names are included in the Royal Commission to inquire -
into the court-martial system :—The Marquis of Harting-
ton ; General the Right Hon. Jonathan Peel, M.P. ; the
Right Hon. J. R. Mowbray, M.P., Judge-Advocate
General ; the Right Hon. Russell Gurney, Q.C., M.P. ;
the Right Hon. 'l'. E. Headlam, M.P. ; Samuel Whit-
bread, Esq., M.P. ; Major-General Sir Alfred H. Hors-
ford, K.C.B. ; Lieutenant-General Henry Eyre : Viscount
Eversley, Viscount Walden, Major-General R. Itumley.
DREADFUL DEATHS BY BURNING IN MANCHESTER.
On Wednesday night a very shocking accident took
place in Thomas-street, Hulme, in a house occupied by
a carpenter, named Fidler. Mrs. Fidler, who was
about 42 years of age, was engaged in dressing a wound
on the foot of one of her children, close to the kitchen
table. She had an infant boy, aged only five weeks,
on her lap ; and upon the table was a paraffin oil lamp. It
seems that the boy whose foot was being dressed acci-
dentally upset the lamp, "and it fell upon the baby, whose
clothes instantly took fire. Mrs. Fidler's daughter, a
young woman named Eliza, was in the room at the time,
and she states that as soon as the lamp was overturned
a dreadful scene took place. Her mother's clothes took
fire from contact with the baby's, and she ran into the
scullery, apparently in great distraction, but returned
immediately, and endeavoured to put out the flames,
which were then spreading to all parts of her
clothing. The daughter was so horror - stricken
that she was unable for several minutes to render any
assistance, and it was with great difficulty that she
managed to open the front door, which is fastened with a
drop-latch, and can:lot be opened from the street. Several
of the neighbours entered the house, and found Mrs.
Fidler and the baby shockingly burned. They were re-
moved to the Royal Infirmary, and both died from the
effects of the burns on Thursday morning.
WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING. A theft"
committed under most novel circumstances has
been reported at the Central Police-office, Glasgow. A re•
spectable young man, a Sabbath-school teacher, was pro-
ceeding towards the Wynd Church for the purpose of
attending a prayer meeting, when he was accosted by a man
who inquired whether he taught children on Sundays. The
young man replied that he did, when he was at once told
by the person who accosted him that there was a " lot
of destitute children " in the " land " where he lived,
and asked that the teacher should go with him and reason
with them to attend school. Conceiving this to be
an excellent opportunity for promoting a good cause, the
unsuspecting youth followed his interrogator. They pro-
ceeded to a house in the neighbourhood, on entering which
they found a man and a woman sitting near the fire. A
second man soon appeared, then a third bearing a Bible,
and so on till the party numbered five men and one woman
exclusive of the visitor. One of the men read a portion of
the third chapter of the Gospel of St. John, making after-
wards a few appropriate remarks, which again were suc-
ceeded by a touching prayer. At this stage one of the
men informed the teacher that a poor woman who lived on
the flat above that where they were meeting had just been
removed to the infirmary, and, as she was in very destitute
circumstances, suggested that any contribution towards
procuring her some luxuries other than those obtained in
the infirmary would be gladly received. The young man
replied that he was not in the habit of carrying much
money with him, that he had only 3d., and that he was
quite willing to give that in the meantime. The announce-
ment of want of funds did not please the "religious party,''
who at once cornered the unfortunate teacher, and imme-
diately stripped him of his coat and vest, and also carried
off a silver watch and a pocket-knife. As soon as the
youth got out of their clutches information was given to
the police, and in the course of a very short time Inspector
Hardy and Sergeant Sutherland succeeded in arresting
three of the suspected individuals, who gave the names of
John Harrison, James Black, and James Lyall. On one
of them there was found the knife of the young victim.
The names given are known to be fictitious, as the prisoners
are well known to the police.
LORD DERBY AND THE BURY CORPORATION.—
Mr. Baron Martin sat at Westminster yesterday morning
for the purpose of delivering judgments in several cases
which had stood over for consideration. The first
case was that of the Earl of Derby v. the Mayor and
Corporation of Bury, Lancashire, for injury sustained
by him in consequence of a sewer having been made
through a portion of his land in that borough. The
question depended upon the construction to be placed upon
a local Act and the general Act for the improvement of
towns. Mr. Baron Martin first read the written judg-
ments of the I cial Chief Baron and Baron Chamiell,
who were of opinion that the Earl of Derby was en-
titled to judgment, and then delivered his own judg-
ment, in which he took a different view of the Acts of
Parliament, and thought that the defendant should suc-
ceed. In the course of it he said : " What I have stated
to be the true test in the matter was the test which was
always applied by a former judge of this court, whose
death I regret to see announced in the newspapers of
this morning. Having sat for many years with
that learned judge (his lordship proceeded with
evident emotion), and having practised before him
for a much longer periocl, I think iS is but becoming in me
to state that in my opinion the country has lost by his
death one of the most learned lawyers and one cf the
ablest judges who ever sat in Westminster Hall.
No one who has not had the advantage of sitting
with him on the bench can thoroughly appreciate the
qualities of his great mind, or his earnest wish at all
times to do his duty. He never allowed anything
to interfere with the conscientious discharge of
those duties which he imposed upon himself, or
felt belonged to him in connection with his position
as a judge. He was, without doubt, the ablest and best
public servant I was personally acquainted with in the
whole course of my life." At the conclusion of his judg-
ment, Mr. Baron Martin said, as the majority were in
favour of the plaintiff, judgment would be entered for

0,117.14" r
Court

HER MAJESTY.

OSBORNE, Feb. 28.

'PLe Queen drove out yesterday afternoon, ac-
companied by Princess Louise and Princess Bea-
trice, attended by the Duchess of Athele and the
lion. Colonel De Ros.

Her Majesty drove out this morning, accompanied
by Princess Louise.

Prince Leopold went out, attended by Mr. Duck-
worth.

Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales
drove out, attended by the Countess of Morton.

The Prince of Wales, attended by Lieut.-Col.
Keppel, returned to Marlborough House from Bad-
minton.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE—This Day.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY ATTEMPTS TO PICK
POCKETS.—John Jackson and John Powsey, two
lads, were charged before Mr. Knox with loitering
in Regent-street, for the purpose of picking pockets.
Henry Dawson, 122 C, said that on the previous
afternoon he was in Regent-street with Shrives,
82 C, both being in plain clothes, when he saw the
prisoners close by Mr. Cremer's toy-shop. Jackson
stood on the kerb looking about, and Powsey went
up to a lady looking in Mr. Cremer's window and felt
her dress,and then returned to Jackson.Powsey again
returned to the window and made about a dozen
attempts to pick ladies' pockets, and the prisoner
then walked down Regent-street as far as the Lon-
don Stereoscopic Company's establishment, making
altogether not fewer than 150 attempts to pick per-
sons' pockets, and with the assistance of Shrives he
then took the prisoners into custody. He told
Powsey what he had seen, when he denied
having attempted to pick any pockets, and said
that he had just come out of the hospital, and was
looking round the houses, and on searching him a
ticket for King's College Hospital, but in the name
of Smith, was found upon him. Jackson gave an
unsatisfactory account of where he had been work-
ing.

Philip Shrives, 82 C, gave similar evidence. Jack-
son said that as Powsey had just come out of the
hospital he took him for a walk, and while looking
at " a wheel of life" in a shop window they were
taken into custody.
Mr. Shelley, employed in the Telegraph Wire
Office, said that Jackson had worked on and off
for some time, and he was surprised to find last
night that he had got into a " little trouble."

Mr. Knox told the witness that it was not a
" little trouble," but a very;great one, as the officer
said he had seen 150 attempts. He should remand
the prisoners for further inquiries.