The Sun.
London, England, 1868-04-17 00:00:00

ARMY CONTRACTS.
War-office, Pall-Mall, London, S.W.,
6th April, 1868.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that the
SECRETARY of STATE for WAR will be pre-
pared to receive tenders for the supply of
BREAD and MEAT
Fort he use of her Majesty's Land Forces stationed in the
following Districts, during a period of Six Months, com-
mencing Ist June, 1868, viz. :
N. Britain District, :Commissariat Office, 3, Hill-street,
Edinburgh.
Northern
1) do. Barrack-st., Hulme,
Eastern Manchester.
11 do. The Camp, Col-
chester.
South-Eastern „ do. 4, Castle-st.,Dover.
Western
II do. 20, E. Emma-place,
Plymouth.
South-Western„ do. St. Thomas-street,
Portsmouth.
71 do
London 109, Victoria-st.,
S.W.
Chatham
71 do. The Barracks,
Chatham.
Woolwich „ do. RoyalArtilleryßar.
Woolwich.
Chan. Islands „ do. Grosvenor-street,
Jersey.
Printed Forms of Tender, initialed and numbered, and
conditions of Contract may be obtained on application to
the Senior Commissariat Officer of the district, and no
Tender will be entertained unless made upon the printed
form so obtained.
The Tenders must be sent to this office, addressed to the
Director of Contracts, marked on the outside, " Tender
for Commissariat Supplies," before Twelve o'clock, on
Tuesday, the 21st instant, after which day no Tender will
be received.
The Secretary of State for War reserves the right of
rejecting any or all of the Tenders.
THOMAS HOWELL, Director of Contracts.

BANK OF FRANCE.

PARIS, April 16.

The following is the return of the Bank of France
for the Week ending to-day, together with the cor-
responding figures of the-previous account :

DEBTOR.

April 16. April 9.
fr. c. fr. c.
Capital of the Bank 182,500,000 182,500,000
Profits in addition to
capital (Art. 8, Law,
June 9, 1857) 7,044,776 02 7,044,776 02
Reserve of the Bank

and its branches 22,105,750 14 22,105,750 14
Reserve of landed pro-
perty 4,000,000 4,000,000
Notes in circulation
Banknotes to orderan
• receipts payable at
sight 33,485,047 34 34,231,999 44
Treasury account cur-
rent creditor 64,234,976 78 65,586,029 44
Current aceounts, Paris 356,369,107 91 354,009,650 94
Do. branch banks 47,853,191 47,251,083
Dividends payable 868,151 75 925,538 75
Discounts and sundry
interests
Rediscounted the last
six months 930,376 76 930,376 76
Surplus of receipts not

_
distributed - -
Sundries

Total
CREDITOR.
April 16. April 9.
Cash in hand and in fr. c. fr. c.
Branch banks
Commercial bills over-
due
Commercial bills dis-
counted, not yet due 234,102,664 12 239,834,969 19
Do. branch banks 201,178,404 198,735,984
Advances on deposit of
bullion 42,860,000 43,937,300
Do. branch banks 9,626,177 10,296,377
Do. on French Public
___ _
__

Securities... 12,479,500 12,511,700
Do. by branch banks 7,155,600 7,129,600
Do. on railway shares
and debentures 35,355,100 -- 35,402,200
Do. branch banks . 26,750,250 27,062,850
Do. on Credit Foncter
Bonds
Do. branches ............ 799,350 819,950
Do. to the State (Con-
vention, June 10,
1857) 60,000,000 60,000,000
Government Stock re-
serve 12,980,750 14 12,980,750 14
Do. disposable
Rentes Immobalisees
(Law, Juno 2, 1857) 100,000,000 100,000,000
Hotel and furniture of
the Br.nk and landed
property branches
Expenses of manage-
ment 1,188,296 71 1,170,718 24
Sundries

Total
Certified by the Senator-Governor of the Bank
of France.

(Signed ROULAND.

PROVIDENCE 7I,110:VG PORTERS. -

Class distinctions seem to have at least this re-
commendation, that they suggest and facilitate or-
ganisation for profitable and charitable purposes.
Commerce has for many years recognised and pub-
licly advocated the claims of its unfortunate travel-
lers and warehousemen and clerks, and the depen-•
dent families of both ; and now, having for some
nine years in London seconded the provident efforts
of a still larger section of employes, who form the base
of the commercial as distinguished from the manu-
facturing class, it has invited public co-operation
with provident porters by means of a dinner held at
the London Tavern last evening. This was the first
annual banquet of the London General Porters'
Benevolent Association, although that has been in
existence since 1858. The chair was occupied by Mr.
H. Hoare, who thus redeemed to the association
a promise given by his father, whose life was cut
short by the railway accident at Staplehurst. The
chairman was supported by representatives of many
leading city firms, including Messrs. B. W. Horne,
J. D. Allcroft, P. T. Isett, Walford Greatorex, J.
Figgins, J. Holmes, T. IL Devonshire, E. Eagle-
ton, J. Green, Snelgrove, and J. Grace.
The object. of the association is to provide and
grant pensions to infirm and permanently dis-
abled porters and messengers and to their
necessitous widows and orphans. Towards
its funds the porters of Loudon have raised
51,500 ; and nearly 1,700 are enrolled members, sub-
scribing ss, per year each. Their remuneration as
a body does not allow of their making provision
against sickness and disability for labour. From
the first the society has distributed, in pensions of
Bs. a week, nearly £2,000. The funded capital is
nearly 6,000, which is about two-thirds of the total
amount subscribed. The number of pensioners at
present on the books is 19, and there are 29 candi-
dates, all strongly recommended, and some that have
been in one situation over 30years, and are close upon
70 years old. It is estimated that in London alone there
are 60,000 porters and messengers, and that this class
forms one-twelfth part of the adult male population.
Their general claims, on the score of their useful-
ness and fidelity, and the special claims to help of
those who helped themselves by joining this asso-
ciation, were dwelt upon by the speakers, while lists
for subscriptions and donations were passed
along the tables ; and, under the influence of
good digestion, eloquence, and music, the
company put down their names for £l,lOO,
which it was announced amid cheers would
provide annuities for two more deserving porters.
Among the donors of a hundred guineas were—
the chairman, Messrs. Leaf, Sons, and Co., and
Messrs. J. and C. Boyd and Co. ; and Messrs. Dent,
Allcroft, and Co., gave 50 guineas. The pleasing
feature of the proceedings was the general appre-
ciation and sympathy for porters as a class which
was manifested by the speakers. The company did
not consist wholly of patrons, for there were present
two bona fide porters, who were stated to have been
among the most liberal of the donors to the insti-
tution. The vocalists, whose efforts pleased, were
Miss Mabel Brent, Miss Julia Derby, Mr. Carter,
and Mr. Theodore Distin.

THE FRANCHISE FOR WOMEN.—A large and
influentially attended meeting in favour of confer-
ring the franchise upon women was held on Tuesday in
Manchester. Mr. Jacob Bright, M.P., Mr. T. B. Potter,
M.P., Mr. B. Whitworth, M.P., Mr. Chisholm Anstey, and
many other gentlemen connected with the Liberal party,
were present. The speciality of the meeting, however, was
the appearance, as speakers, of Mrs. Pochin, wife of the
Mayor of Salford, and two other ladies. The resolutions
proposed to the meeting were adopted.
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The Times observes that tisell-ad 'very Oft to
say on the Irish Church at the _Alice4-HalLnieeting
apart from his explanation of the _ 441 hisgvn views
as to the proper way of treating it, for the very sufficient
reason that there are no arguments on the other side to he
answered. All that the most zealous defenders can say
is that the Irish Establishment exists and has existed, but
they do not venture to explain why it should be suffered
to remain in existence. This is the most remarkable
phenomenon of the session. We are approaching the end
of a war of 300 years, and it becomes plain that nothing,
but physical force has made it possible it should have
lasted so long. The argument has been all on one side,
but the power has been on the other. Mr. Disraeli is the
most ingenious of men, yet he cannot find a decent pre-
tence wherewith to defend his position. He can utter
" dreadful prognostications " over the destruction of
civil and religious liberty; he can proclaim that he
has discovered a plot for the subversion of the
Crown and Cons Aution ; he can warn a Buckingham-
shir. rector that the country- is threatened with an evil
worse than foreign conquest ; and the only result of all
this is that people who cannot sympathie with and under-
stand his difficulties ask what can be t secret of his de-
cline. Lord Russell very happily illustrated last night
the complete divergence between Air. Disraeli's letters
and the Foreign secretary's arguments. Lord Stanley
meets a proposal to disendow the Irish Establishment by
declaring that the proposition is premature, and it is expe-
dient to defer its discussion till next session. Mr. Disraeli
tells his country correspondent that it is worse than
foreign conquest. Fancy the Foreign Secretary telling
the Ambassador of a Power threatening a descent on our
shores that the proposition is premature, but if it be
brought on again after a few months he will consider under
what modifications it may be entertained. Yet, if we
are to accept Mr. Disraeli's declarations, Lord Stanley has
been guilty of an indiscretion, not to speak of a lack of
patriotism, even worse than this. Mr. Disraeli's letters
are, however, not without some value. By a different way
they lead to the same conclusion as the meeting at St.
James's Hall. The meeting was convened in the middle
of London ; it was thronged, and the resolutions for the
disestablishment awl Jisendowment of the Irish Church
were passed with enthusiastic unanimity. Mr. Disraeli
attempts " to flog the dead horse " of religious bigotry,
and his inspired allies are even more zealous in their
frantic efforts ; but their labours are in vain. There is a
unanimity of apathy as striking as the unanimity of en-
thusiasm, and both enforce the conviction that the formal
disestablishment of the Irish Church will be the first work
of the Reformed Parliament.

The Daily News lays down that the unendowed bodies
now united in condemning the Irish Establishment repre.
sent both the Protestant and the religious feeling of the

country as truly and as fully as either of the State
Churches, and their conviction that the Irish Establish-
ment is a danger to Protestants is of itself sufficient to
ensure the failure of Mr. Disraeli's attempt to raise a
foolish cry. The Protestantism of the country has already
made its voice heard, and it demands nothing less than the
disestablishment and disendowment of the Irish Church.
The question at the hustings, as Sir Edward Dering said
at Canterbury on Tuesday, will soon be "Are you in
favour of Mr. Disraeli's scheme for raising the Roman
Catholic Establishment in Ireland, and perpetuating May.
nooth at the expense of the British taxpayer, or do you
agree with Mr. Gladstone, that in Ireland every creed and
every religion should stand or fall by its own merits ?".
And the answer of a Protestant people is certain.

The Telegraph is in ecstacies with the St. James's Hall
meeting. Lord Russell's speech, as might have been antici-
pated, was a manly declaration in favour of union in the
Liberal ranks. He himself would prefer the endowment
of the three sects —Episcopalian, Presbyterian, and Roman
Catholic ; but, seeing that the country has finally set its
face against any such scheme, lie takes his place by the
side of Mr. Gladstone, and urges the complete disestablish-
meat and disendowment of the Irish Church. Every mem-
ber of the Liberal party must see, or must be made to see,
the necessity of following Lord Russell's example. Much
may be said in favour of giving Roman Catholic priests of
Ireland State support, and at one time a resolute states-
man might have carried out the plan. But that day has
passed. The nation will now listen to no scheme for creat-
ing fresh endowments. It will have no policy but that of
Mr. Gladstone's which cuts the link between Church and
State in Ireland, and leaves the members of each sect to
support their own pastors. Therefore, to clamour for
" levelling up " in the name of Liberalism is simply to
obstruct the work that Liberalism has in view--the
pacification of Ireland—and to play into the hands of Mr.
Disraeli by disuniting the Liberal ranks.

The Star observes that Earl Russell's appearance at
such a meeting was of itself in any case a significant and
even a momentous fact ; but he lent a greater significance
and moment to it by the wise and manly frankness with
which he announced his abandonment of all peculiar pro-
posals on the subject of the Irish Church which might
previously have seemed to separate him from many of the
pertyr- He is ready to withdraw all proposals fin. -
the perpetuntierx,"-of Irish endowments by dividing them
any"; the cone liding parties. He is ready to stand on
the common platform with Mr. Gladstone and Mr. Bright,
with Mr. Miall and Sir John Gray, with the Protestant
people of England and the Catholic people of Ireland. It
rejoices to think that such an enthusiastic meeting
brings all the Liberalism of England, Ireland, and Scot-
land into one great united camp on this momentous ques-
tion.

Let no more, exclaims the Post, be said about " conci.
Ration " the word as it has been used with regard to the
relations existing between Great Britain and Ireland
was barely relevant to the issues which have to be deter-
mined by legislation, and it is utterly out of place in
reference to the visit of the Prince of Wales. The idea of.
the Irish dove flying back to its ark with the olive branch
which England had sent by as fair a messenger as ever
carried good tidings is so pretty and pleasing that we own
we are loth to lose it. Still the fact is better. The soul
and sentiment of the visit—that which will make it a joy
for ever—were no doubt contributed by the Princess of
Wales, and there could hardly be one among the thousands
who on Wednesday were made happy by her smiles that
did not know and feel as much. But the contribution had
nothing selfish or apprehensive in it. A womanly thought
has been expressed in a womanly act ; that is all, and enough
too, for in the development of such a sentiment there is
real security.
The Standard deeares that. this royal visit has produeet.
the strongest 'additional testimony to the truth which all
Irish history records, that the people of that country may
be best influenced by personal appeals. The royal name,
which with us is a time honoured institution, may become
in Ireland a living principle, to arouse the apathy of the
masses, to overcome the prejudices of race, to subdue the
animosities of rival creeds, and even to awakento patriotic
exertion the indolence of rank and wealth. If we profit
by this experience, and go in the path to which this visit
points' the way, we may look forward to such results as
will rescue Ireland alike from foreign conspirators, design-
ing priests, and self-sufficient quacks.

The Herald expresses its opinion that the railway
system of England is financially unsound. If railway
proprietors are to exercise any wholesome control over the
directorate, the latter must give a clear and comprehen-
sive account of its stewardship. Unfortunately, mystifi-
cation is never so complete as when things are going
wrong. Just when the shareholders ought to be most
thoroughly alive to their real position, the fog settles down
and shrouds the peril by which they are beset. The
directors go driving on, until by and bye there comes a
crash. Then the shareholders begin to " investigate," and
succeed in learning a few disagreeable facts which they
ought to have known sooner, or which might have been
prevented altogether. The fallibility of railway boards
has been proved over and over again, and it is certain that
unless they can make their proceedings transparent to the
public there will be a continued lack of confidence, so that
even a profitable line will be under suspicion, and ite
shares will sink with every adverse rumour.
In fact, says the Star, real discussion, real acquaintance
with the doings of directors, real and intelligent study of
the interests of the companies, is what is most wanted.
Railway reform, it is insisted, will be best served by the
ample discussion at railway meetings of all points affecting
capital and revenue, and all questions of new enterprise.
A great difficulty stands in the way in the constantly
varying personnel of the proprietary, and it is to obviate
inconveniences and perils thus arising that well•paid and
thoroughly responsible executives are needed; but much
may surely be done to make railway meetings more intelli-
gent than they are. Heretofore they have been all confi,
dence or all turbulence; in either case they have been
farcically inefficient for all purposes of correction.

A parliamentary return has been issued, giving
iercsoonnnseecmtiopnlol3;eitdhhtyhethpearDisepraxrhtmibeiztonof,
the
Sciencemn
names a
with the moneys paid for travelling, rent, and lodgings.
The list is headed by Mr. Henry Cole, C. 8., who received
aci Ar ltl in)
a gratuity of £1,500, extending over three years. Sir
Samuel Baker, a juror in Class 38, received fifty guineas
as travelling and personal allowance. A similar sum
is set down to the credit of Sir D. Campbell, Bart., Lord
George Fitzgerald, Sir W. Gordon, and Viscount Har-
dinge. Lord Sackville Cecil, a son of the late Marquis of
Salisbury, was a delegate in two classes, and declined to
receive remuneration. The Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone
was a juror, and also declined to rceive payment for his
services. Travelling and personal expenses cost £3,257;
rent, £l,sq ; and lodgings of workmen, £6O 154.