The Sun.
London, England, 1868-08-14 00:00:00

THE COST OF A GENERAL ELECTION.

The DaiT/I Itieu,l estimates the cost of the last general
election. It is, of course, impossible to give anyAling
like an estimate of the real expenses of that appeal, fJr in
very many instances the figures in the official returns bear
no proportion to the actual expenditure. It has been
roughly stated at two millions sterling, but the published
returns, as presented to Parliament in the session of 1866
gave it at rather over one-third of that sum. These
however, were very defective. They did not include
the expenses of three counties and eleven boroughs
in England ; one county and four boroughs in Wales ; one
onunty in. Scotland ; and thirteen counties and three
boroughs in Ireland. There was another serious emission,
for in many cases the elected members only published
their accounts, and the unsuccessful candidates left the
public in utter ignorance as to what they spent. Still we
may form some idea of the amount expended by giving
the totals for each kingdom, as set forth in the official
documents. They were as follows :

England—Counties £300,108 • 0 7,}
Towns... 304,069 19 8 £604,178 0 3i
Ireland —Counties 44,768 8 5.
, . Towns... 24,603 16 3i-- 69,372 4 8i
Scotland—Counties 32,244 12 1
Towns... 17,743 4 7
~ •
Wales. Counties 12,095 5 4

49,987 16 8

Towns...

4,211 18 11 --

16,307 4 3

Total £739,845 510/
Distinguishing the aggregate cost of the counties from
that of the towns, the following is the result :
Counties
Towns
From these figures it is seen that more than £300,000
was spent to obtain the 1,17 county seats in England ; so
that the average would be about 22,041. The average
cost of the 320 English borough seats was £950. So many
of the Irish counties furnished no returns that the
estimated cost must be necessarily wide of the mark ;
but the official statements give an average of £7OO for
the counties, and of £630 for the borough. The average
of county seats in Scotland was 21,075, and of borough
seats £770. The average expenditure on a county seat in
Wales was £BOO, and a borough seat £3OO. Taking the'
whole of the United Kingdom, and deducting the
members for the universities, every scat in the
present Parliament, according to the figures sup-
plied by hon. members themselves, costs its occu-
pant £1,135. Allowing at least £lOO,OOO for the un-
published returns of 64 seats, and for the expenses of those
ideated candidates who declined to comply with the
artier of the House of Commons, the cost of each seat
Ls raised to £1,288. Even this figure is merely an
approximate one, for the disclosures before the Bribery
:.!ommissions shewed incontestably that many candidates
Tent ten times as mtcb as the sums given in the ofi:c:al
returns. There were some remarkable contrasts in the
aistribution of the immense expenditure at the last elec-
tion. Mr. Milbank, who came in at the head of the poll
For the North Riding of Y( rkshire, certified his expenses
at more than £13,000. Yet the two members for the
county of Down were returned for twenty-five shillings
each, and this was for the erection of the hustings.
Two extremes in borough constituencies were equally
striking. The late Sir B. Guinness spent £7,203
in contesting the city of Dublin, while the member
for Downpatrick got into Parliament for the modest ex-
penditure of £1 103. It may be hoped that the new
Bribery Act will be effectual in Imening the enormous
cost of elections, and that when the new House of Com-
mons assembles, the seats will not have cost on an average
more than £1,200. Nevertheless, there are experienced
persons who predict that this will be the most expensive
election ever known.

Prince Arthur, accompanied by Lieutenant-Colonel
Elphinstone and Lieutenant Pickard, arrived in Edinburgh
on Wednesday morning, on his way to Abergeidie. His Royal
Highness and suito breAkfasted in the railway refreshment-
room, and left by the 9.15 a.m. train.

JEWISH CONVERTS IN RUSSIA.—A singular pro-
cession was noticed the other day passing through the
Morskaj-street, in St. Peterburg. Twenty Jews, with a
white cross chalked on their backs, were carried along
under strong military escort. It appears that these
wretched beings had been condemned to deportation to
Siberia, but had prayed to be converted to the Orthodox
Church, in order that the usual pardon might be granted
them. Instead of being obliged to work in the mines they
are allowed to " settle " in Siberia as a reward for
embracing the faith.

THE LATE MR. JOHN DOUGLAS COOK.—It is
understood that the remains of this gentleman, whose
death took place, as we have already announced, on Mon-
day last, after a protracted and painfull illness, will be
interred, in accordance with his own wish, at Tintagel, in
Cornwall, at which place he had a residence, where he
had latterly spent a portion of every year. Mr. Cook
had for many months been in a state of health which per-
mitted little exertion, though he continued to occupy
himself, so far as his failing strength allowed, with the
business of the journal which he so ably conducted.
MISPLACED CONFIDENCE.-At Brighton races a
party of niggers were singing and playing in front of Lord
raulett's carriage, and one of them came round collecting.
one of Lord Paulett's party—Mr. Hiram Crawshaw—
gave him what he supposed to be a sovereign, telling him
that he had no change, and that he wanted 19s. out of it.
The man moved away, but came back and said, " It's a
Frenchman," and on looking at the coin Mr. Crawshaw
saw that he had given the man a napoleon in mistake for
a sovereign. Mr. Crawshaw then gave the man a sove-
reign, and instead of giving the change the man made off.
He was on Friday, however, recognised by Lady Paulett
with the same party at Lewes races, and was given into
custody. The Brighton magistrates sent him to prison
for six weeks with hard labour.

TAKING- SYRUP OF SENNA FOR RUM SHRUB.—
Captain C-, who has been round the world twelve
times formed the first temperance society in Madagascar.
The natives are hard drinkers, and will imbibe anything
which has alcohol in it. A chief was one day shown into
the cabin just as the captain was taking a little medicine
which was flavoured with spirits, a pint bottle of which
Stood on the table. Thinking it nun, the chief eagerly
asked for some, and would not believe the captain's
assertion that it was medicine. Knowing his man,
Captain C-, leaving the bottle, went to another part of
the cabin. The temptation was not to be resisted by the
chief, and, seizing the bottle, he drained a pint of the
ture at one draught. The captain returning, resumed
the conversation, pretending not to notice the chief, who
turned as pale as his tawny complexion would admit,
and kept rubbing his abdominal regions. He twisted and
turned in his seat a few moments, and then, giving a yell,
rushed out of the cabin, jumped overboard, and swam for
,the shore. When next year Captain 0- revisited that
harbour, not a drop would the chief touch. He was the
I.l6litk an
gPdA only member oiaLtrB t:Rapepaice today LL.,'
WGDZ'