The Sun.
London, England, 1868-07-09 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC/ JOURNALS.

Having regard to the news from America, the Times
declares that the doom of the Democratic party may be
taken as sealed. The National Democratic Convention
assembled at New York on Saturday for the purpose of
defining the principles upon which they would appeal to
the country, and selecting-the persons who should be ac-
cepted as their representatives and candidates for the
Presidency. and Vice-Presidency in the autumnal elec-
tion. On Tuesday evening the first part of their work
was accomplished ; their declaration of principles—
their " platform," to use the appropriate term—was
settled and published to the world. Its distinctive ele-
ments, or " planks," are financial. The Convention
appears to have cast in the lot of the party with that
Western and Middle section which has demanded a
partial repudiation of the obligations of the nation,
and by so doing to have rent the party in twain,
and made it impossible that the distinguished persons
who were suggested as its leaders should be
chosen, or, if, chosen, should accept the nomination,
The adoption of a policy which, however disguised, is a
policy of partial repudiation, must dissipate any lingering
hope the Democrats may have had of success in the
Presidential election. It is, perhaps, possible that the
more reckless "wire-pullers" of the party, recognising the
fact that they had no chance against Grant and Colfax,
have looked forward to another term, and are willing
to see what support they can get in the interval by
offering the benefits of dishonesty. Their conduct is de-
cisive of the present contest. It was suggested that Chief
Justice Chase might be the Democratic nominee for the
Presidency. With a " platform "of repudiation this is
impossible. Mr. Adams has been mentioned as the Vice-
Presideut—a selection now equally hopeless. The
Western wing of the Democratic party has overcome the
Eastern. The support they may gain from the Repub.
I:eans through the adoption of repudiation cannot be
considerable, as the Republicans who were favourable
to it were Mr. Stevens, General Butler, and
their immediate allies the men who have been
discredited by the impeachment, of which they were
the zealous supporters. Contempt for law has for a time
brought Mr. Stevens and the Democrats together, and
may carry General Butler back into the party of which lie
was up to the time of war a member. But it is impossible
that the alliance can succeed. The Democratic platform,
as announced by the Atlantic cable, is a forewarning of
Democratic defeat in the autumn, and must be followed
by the continued exclusion from office, if not by the
lasting disruption, of the Democratic party.

The Poet thinks that it would have been better had the
committee appointed to consider the arrangement of the
House of Commons given more heed to the question
whether it was desirable that there should be a larger
House. Mr. Barry's plan, no doubt, is an exceedingly
good one. If 569 members habitually attended to their
legislative duties, it would of course be imperative to pro-
vide them all with seats, and nobody would ask the cost of
:loing so ; but so tong as seats are provided for those who do
habitually atteend, it su rely is a small thing to leave those who
do not under an inconvenience to which they so rarely subject
themselves ; and, after all, it is only inconvenience, for
large divisions do even now take place, as is evidenced by
the 599 who voted once on the Reform Bill last year. At
any rate, it will be useful to see how the members of the
new Parliament understand their duties. If they come
every day in full numbers, it may prove to be necessary
to carry out the proposed plan ; but, if they attend no
better than the present members, the House may possibly
be very well left as it is.

The Daily News declares the present building puts
a premium on non-attendance. It perpetually reminds
members of the House that the country does not expect
their diligent attendance on their legislative duties. It
hides from the House its own thinness of attendance
by enabling a small number of members to make a
large show. Half the members being present makes
a full House, and even one in four will make a
considerable appearance on the benches. It will
be worth the sum which the alteration will cost, to
remove this encouragement to legislative neglect ; and
should a more democratic Parliament, having no respect
for the magic number of 658, resolve at some future time
to reduce it to 500, or some number even nearer to that of
other legislative bodies, the new House will be none too
large even then. We ought at least to give members the
seats to which the constituencies elect them ; and not to
reward the toils which led to those summits of an English-
man's legitimate ambition by refusing them room to do
their duty.

By the goodwill of the Government there is still, says the
Standard, a chance that the Metropolitan Foreign Cattle
Market Bill may become law. Though the bill has been
twice " talked out," Mr. Disraeli declared in the House
on Tuesday night that " it was the determination of her
Ar.jesty's Government to advance the measure as fast as
they could." At the same time the Premier intimated
that the carrying of the bill this session depended on the
energy and determination of the House. IVe might
almost ask whether it is because the measure is felt to be
a good one that it is opposed so strenuously. There
are certain politicians who seem to make a point just now '
of obstructing useful legislation, lest the existing Govern-
ment should have the credit of effecting beneficial changes.
Thus there is a drag put upon the Blectric Telegraphs
Dill, though the companies have ceased to oppose, and the
public are universally demanding the passing of the
measure. If the Metropolitan Foreign Cattle Market
Bill were in other hands, perhaps it would receive more
favour. Yet, as if to complete the anomaly, the bill
originated with the Opposition, although Mr. Milner
Gibson has thought proper to denounce in a long set
speech as a " Protectionist "scheme. The bill also agrees
with the propositions of the Cattle Plague Commissioners,
as put on record two years ago.

The Telegraph calls attention to the fact that a few days
hence the House of Lords will be invited by Lord Abinger
to consider " the Revenue Officers' Disabilities Removal
Bill," which has now safely emerged from the Lower
House. We trust that the reform will be so supported
by its friends as to commend itself to the approval
of their lordships. It is a measure of enfranchise-
ment against which little can be said in these
days, when intelligence and independence are
regarded as prime requisites for the possession
of the franchise. Both qualifications are claimed
with truth by the meritorious class of public ser-
vants to whom the project applies, and thus a case is at
once made out in its favour. No doubt a good deal has
been said about possible inconvenience to the public ser
vice should the bill become law, but we regard such feats
as purely imaginary. Awl we are fortified in that belief
by the well-known fact, that the heads of departments
are almost entirely opposed to the opinions ex-
pressed by the Commissioners of Customs and
Inland Revenue, and are heartily in favour of
the new plan. It is notorious that the Post-
office authorities—not by any means the sort of persons to
encourage anything which would induce laxity of disci-
pline or inefficiency, support Mr. Monk's bill to a man.
These gentlemen, speaking from an int:mate personal
acquaintance with the class they represent, avow their
conviction that the passing of the measure would tend
materially to improve the service by checking agitation,
and creating a feeling of confidence and content. That
result is not to be despised, and by itself it is really a suffi-
cient answer to the poor pleas that can be advancedagainst
the measure.

FOUR. CHILDREN AT A BIRTH.--The wife of
John Guernsey, a mechanic employed in the factory
department at Chatham dockyard, has been delivered of
four children at one birth, the whole of whom were born
A short time since the wife of a soldier attached to
the third battalion at Chatham gave birth to three
children, all of whom are now living.

A STRUGGLE wITII TIME ,i,ND TIDE.—The Vau-
ban lock, which is the key of the port of Gravelines and a
protection to the low-lying lands surrounding that town,
fell down a few days back, fortunately when the tide was
out. Fears were entertained that a disastrous inundation
might ensue, but by activity and energy that calamity
was averted. Defensive works against the rushing of the
water were, improvised, and a company of the corps of
Engineers arrived in time, with 4,000 sacks filled with
earth, to consolidate the work already commenced and
place the adjoining district beyond all danger.

AN ARMY CONTROL DEPARTMENT. —The Secre-
tary for War'has just laid before the House of Commons
the close of a correspondence between the Treasury and
War Office on the formation of an army control depart-
ment. It Wail commenced by Sir John rakington on the
19th December last, when the right hon. baronet commu-
nicated his opinion to the Treasury* " that economy and
efficiency in peace and war might be promoted by corn-
bin:n-; under one controller-in chief what arc called the
departments of supply—viz., transport, commissariat,
iJtorcs, purveyJr;, and 1 arcAcks." After a series of
negotiations extending over c:.,.-cral months, the Tres-
wiry iimed a minute, stating that there will be
" prospectively," in addit:on to the secretary and parlia-
mentary under secretary, a permanent under secretary,
competent to advise the Minister for War on military
natters, and he will be.." generally, if not always, a
military roan ;" a controller-in-chief, " without the rank
of under secretary," and with a salary of £l,soo'a-year—he
will-be either a milita,ry man or a civilian, as may be most
convenient at the time of his appointment ; a principal
financial officer.; with £1,500. a-year, who is to be of
acknowledgel,....finapcial reputation and experience in"
ace :Mitzi; I always a civilian', of equal rank 'with the tai-
y..;119.-in-Clo7ll774.lllb9.4lMilitteri_Vx." _

THE rvATERIMENTS AT SHOEBURYNESS.

On Wednesday the practice was renewed with the two
13-inch mortars, at 900 yards range, four rounds being
fired without any result, each shell failing to strike. The
first round was from the 7-inch gun at the experimental
casemate, the projectile being a shell with a 221 b. charge -
Dtpowder. This struck on C section, six feet from
the base, and two feet six inches from the edge of the
plate, close to another shot, and making one hole with
it. The second round was shot from the 7-inch gun,
with the same charge of powder, and it struck five feet
from the base and in the centre of the plate, pene-
trating 16'28 inches, making a clean hole in a part pre-
viously uninjured. The third round was the same
as the second, and the shot struck the 6 - inch
plate eight feet six inches from the base and two feet from
the edge, penetrating eleven inches. The fourth
round was a shot from the 9-inch gun with 431 b. of
powder. It struck the 6-inch plate, C section, about
three inches from the edge, making an indent of 25'8
inches. The fifth round, being the same as the fourth,
struck the 4itrinch plate upon an old shot hole. and
went clean through into the concrete. The sixth round
was another repetition, and it struck the 4i-inch
plate three feet from the top on an uninjured part,
going clean through. The total actual penetration was
four feet. This concluded the trial, for that day,
of the experimental casemate. A salvo from the 9-inch
gun with a 431 b. charge, from the 10-inch gun with GOlb.
charge, from the 12-inch gun with 761 b. charge, and
from the Rodman gun with 83/lb. charge, all shot, was
then tried. The tube of the 10-inch gun having failed
to ignite, only the three shots took effect ; and they
all lodged in a spot two feet square, and surrounded
by shot holes. This was on the part of the
target which really represents the Plymouth Fort,
having a 5-inch plate in front and two 5-inch bars on
planks in the rear. The result was a hole being made
large enough for the select committee to jump or walk
through, several members choosing the more dignified
mode of progression. The mass of metal displaced was
estimated at three tons. This concluded the day's experi-
ments.

GENERAL PEEL ON THE ABYSSINIAN
EXPEDITION.

The annual Huntingdon Wool Fair was held on Wed-
nesday, at the conclusion of which a dinner was held in
the Corn Exchange. Among those present were Lord R.
Montagu, M.P., General Peel, 111. P., Mr. Baring, M.P.,
and Mr. Fellowes, M.P. After the usual loyal and consti-
tutional toasts, General Peel, who was warmly received,
acknowledged the toast of " The army, the navy, the
militia, and the volunteers." In the course of his speech
he spoke in high terms of the services of Sir R. Napier and
the forces under his comman din the Abyssinian expedition,
which had been, he said, from first to last a great success.
He hardly knew how to express in adequate terms his
admiration of Sir Robert Napier with regard to the whole
of his arrangements and his minutely correct calculation
of the force that would be required without wasteful ex-
penditure of both money and troops. Some thought,
and he (General Peel) was not sure that he was not one of
them, that a less force would have sufficed ; but if ever
there was a general who distinguished himself in every
particular relating to the matter in which he was engaged,
it was Sir Robert Napier on the late occasion. He com-
plimented the Government not only on their selection
of Sir Robert Napier, but upon their having, as it had
proved, so wisely given him the entire control of the whole
matter; while he, in his turn, was equally successful
in the choice of his officers. It was a grand military
success, not only acknowledged and admired by our own
tt ilitary tacticians, but acknowledged and admired by the
military men of all foreign countries. The expedition was,
no doubt, expensive, but he was sure no one would regret
a small additional impost upon his income when he con-
sidered that it was the price of the rescue of his fellow-
countrymen from the clutches of a half-civilised barbarian
who at any moment might have thought fit to cut their
throats. Though expensive in the first instance, it may,
in the end, prove economical. It may teach us—first,
not to indulge in the expense of sending consuls where
they can be of no possible use ; and next,
that an army can move without all those incumbrances
hitherto thought necessary for transport and other matters,
and he trusted, at least, that it would teach other Powers
that it is not possible to insult the British nation with
impunity. (Loud and long-continued cheering.) He
trusted, too, it would teach our military men the abso-
lute necessity of discipline, for it was discipline alone that
enabled our army to do what it did—(cheers)—and it
was the want of it that caused the Abyssinians to rush
headlong to their own ruin.

SIR ROBERT NAPIER AT THE CRYSTAL

PALACE.

On Wednesday the directors of the Crystal Palace gave
a fête in honour of the return of Sir Robert Napier from
his successful campaign in Abyssinia. No addition was
made to the prices of admission ; it was a shilling day, in
fact, and a great deal was given for the money. There
was a really good concert and some very good fireworks ;
but on the whole it did not differ much from ordinary fire-
work days at this season of the year, when everyone is glad to
get out in the evening to take his chance of finding a cool
breath of air. Sir Robert and Lady Napier, with the chief
members of the Abyssinian staff, came to the entrance, or
tropical end, of the Crystal Palace soon after one o'clock,
and were there received by Mr. Thomas Hughes, :QP.,
most of the directors, Mr. Bowley the manager, and Mr.
Grove the secretary. The party were all in plain morning
dress, greatly, as it appeared, to the disappointment of
the audience, who, no doubt, had expected them to come
in fall uniform. The visitors were immediately con-
ducted to the Queen's Balcony to witness the great
fountains. Rarely has a day occurred on which these
great waterworks have been seen to more advantage. Per-
haps the first day on which the Queen saw them they were
seen equally well, but never better certainly thal on Wed-
nesday. With high feathery columns of water reaching
nearly 200 ft. into the air,!a breath of wind suffices to break
their line and drown their beauty in a cloud of spray. On
Wednesday, however, the day was intensely hot and still,
so the great columns rose like huge white feathers from
the ground, and even when once or twice they slightly
drifteil it was only to turn the spray into rainbows quite
as beautiful as the fountains themselves. An immense
crowd had collected to witness the scene, and also
to welcome Sir Robert Napier, judging from the large
proportion of uniforms amid the throng ; and when
Sir Robert himself appeared in the balcony there was a
prolonged burst of cheering, which was repeated again
and again, and, indeed, was continued more or less vehe-
mently as long as Sir Robert and Lady Napier were in
sight. After the fountains the party retired to take
luncheon is what is now called the Royal Corridor, which
was fitted up in the same exquisite style as when it was
used on Saturday last by their Royal Highnesses the Prince
and Princess of Wales and the Duke of Edinburgh. After
luncheon the party returned to the royal box, and at this
time nearly 10.000 visitors were collected in front of it.
The instant Sir R. Napier appeared there was another
great roar of cheering, so loud and so long that he was at
last compelled to come to the front of the apartment and
bow his acknowledgments a recognition which by no
means tended to diminish the applause. Of the concert
which followed very little more need be said in its praise
than that it was fully equal to the high standard of
the great set concerts by which the Crystal Palace has
achieved so high a reputation. At the end of the first
part of the programme Sir Robert Napier had to leave
London, but Lady Napier and the staff remained
till its close. After the concert a magnificent display of
fireworks was given, and this seemed to be the most
attractive portion of the whole entertainment. It was
late before the last visitors returned to London, but on the
whole the railway arrangements were satisfactory. The
admissions by season tickets were 7,090 ; ditto, by pay.
ment, 19,340 ; total, 27,030.

A NONAGENARIAN HAYMAKER.— On Tuesday last,
notwithstanding the great heat, Mr. Jonah Bulman,
although in his 93rd year, might be seen working hay
in a field, near Oakhurst, Cockerruouth.—Cunzberlani
racquet.

&Riots RAILWAY ACCIDENTS.—On Wednesday
morning, as Mr. Urquhart, of Liverpool, was hurriedly
leaving the Hoylake train, near Birkenhead, before it had
stopped, he was caught between the carriage wheels and
the platform, and dreadfully injured. One leg was ampu-
tated, and the unfortunate gentleman lingered in great
agony until the evening, when he expired at the hospital
at Birkenhead.—A shocking railway accident has hap-
pened at Newport (1 Monmouthshire), by which a young
woman, named Hodgkinson, aged 20, and residing at
Maindee, lost her life. Thu Monmouthshire Railway
runs across the principal thoroughfare of the town, Com-
mercial-road, and along George street. 'Across the road.
way are placed large gates to protect the trafEc on the
passing of trains, and oa each side of the gates were small
wicket gates.for the accommodation of foot passengers.
The gate-keeper heard the approach of one of the 'Western
Valley Railway passenger trains, when he closed the large
gates. The young woman was on the west side, and just
as the train was approaching she opened the wicket gate
on the left band side and attempted to pass over. She
was caught by the engine and thrown a distance of thirty
feet to the right hand gate, and the wheels of the engine
and the whole of the carriages went over one of her legs, •
completely severing it. The foot of the other
-leg was
smashed, one of her thumbs cut off, and her head fearfully
cut .at the back. She was immediately taken to the
niirraary, where she died in about half hour. after
bias tdmitked..