The Sun.
London, England, 1868-02-18 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 18, 1868.

ralty officials, past, present, and to come, are dis-
puting as to the exact number of vessels we require;
whether we should be content to keep up with
France and America ; whether we should outstrip
them ; or whether, as one politician thought, we
should be able to match them both together, the
fact remains that in practice our navy does not come
up to any one's standard. While we are doubting
which is best for attack and defence, the broadside
or the turret, we are leaving other nations to de-
cide the question each in their own way, while we
remain comparatively inactive. Again, in this mat-
ter of harbour and coast defences, the Commission
of 1860 recommended the construction of floating
batteries, to which they attached much im-
portance, and indicated several harbours
which needed defence. The estimated expense of
their several suggestions was over eleven millions,
of which one million was to be devoted to these float-
ing batteries. What has been the result ? Eight
years have passed, and nothing has been done, or is
to be done. When the Government revised these
estimates they cut them down to £7,000,000, ex-
cluding the £1,000,000 for harbour defences. A
vague hope, says Lord LONGFORD, existed that
some of these vessels might have been provided
from the supplies of the naval estimates, but it
could have existed only in the minds of extremely
sanguine persons. Economy is not the order
of the day in the administration of the
English navy, excepting where matters of grave
national importance are concerned. What are
eleven millions or twenty-two millions compared
to the safety of any one of our harbours? If there
were real risk or fear of an invasion, we should
very soon lavish our millions without profit. The
man in health takes no heed of prudence in pursuit
of money ; when he is sick he would give his for-
tune twice over to the doctor who could save him.
As Lord AIRLIE justly observed last night, all Europe
is in distrust ; no one can tell when the armed
peace may be broken. Surely we should lose no
more time in looking to a matter so vital to our
interests.

The arrival of the New York, with intelligence
from the city of the same name to Feb. 6, reports
a very disturbed and unsettled condition of political
affairs in the States. Congress seems bent upon
mischief, and it alternates between endeavouring
to effect a breach between England and America,
attacking the Southern States and depriving them
of what little liberty is still left to them, and in
threatening the PRESIDENT. Last week we had
ample accounts of the active proceedings in favour
of " naturalised American citizens," and the anxiety
expressed on behalf of those heroes who have been
distinguishing themselves by killing and maiming
innocent and inoffensive persons. To-day we find
the restless energy of Congress has been turned in
another diegetion, and the best means of oppressing
the Southern whites is the prominent subject for
consideration. Congress has passed a bill autho-
rising the Secretary of War, in whom they find a
congenial spirit, to employ counsel to defend officers
charged with the execution of the Reconstruction
laws against civil prosecution. In other words,
they throw all the power and influence of the
Minister into the scale against the struggling and
impoverished Southerners, and give a virtual sanc-
tion to whatever excesses of duty the military offi-
cers may commit. The harshest interpretation of
the arbitrary powers conferred upon them can
hardly carry the military officers in command
of the Southern districts beyond the limits
allowed by Congress; in point of fact the House
of Representatives has marked out for especial en-
couragement and protection those commanders who
have shown least mercy and forbearance to the
subjugated people. General lIANcocK, whose tem-
perate and forbearing administration called forth
the PRESIDENT'S encomiums, immediately fell under
the unavowed but certain displeasure of the Radicals
who forthwith began scheming to oust him from
the list of generals in command. The Radicals, as
we know, aim at the total suppression of all civil
courts in the South, but as yet have not been able
to carry out their design. In the meantime, how-
ever,
their wishes on the subject are pretty well
understood by the conventions, and the Georgia
convention has adopted an ordinance denying to
the civil courts jurisdiction over debts contracted
previous to the termination of the rebellion. The
New York Republican State Convention, whose
influence, however, is more limited, has passed re-
solutions endorsing the action of Congress, and in-
structing the Republican delegates to the Presiden-
tial Convention to vote for GRANT and FENTON,
as President and Vice-President. Promi-
nentthe Radical party have
determined,
membersi of
it
is
said, to revive the pro-
ject
impeachment, but the attempt was so
of
signal a failure when it was last made that we
should imagine it could hardly find sufficient sup-
porters to be renewed.

A bill passed in the House of Representatives by
86 to 73 is significant of mischief. It declares all
public lands granted to railroads in Mississippi,
Alabama, Louisiana, and Florida forfeit to the
United States. This is a singular method of re-
storing confidence and improving the internal con-
dition of the country. It is ominous of the inten-
tion of Congress to assume the control not of rail-
way lands alone, but of the whole territories of the
Southern States.

We are glad to find that the Upper House of the
Prussian Diet has had sufficient sense and spirit to
to throw out the bill that has just been put before
them. At their sitting yesterday they were called
upon to consider the bill based upon the proposal of
the committee, to the effect that members of the
Diet should be arraigned before a court composed
of members of both Chambers when prosecuted for
making use of expressions in debate. This is a most
monstrous proposition, and one certainly subversive
of all freedom of speech, and subversive of progress in
legislation. The first paragraph was rejected by a
majority of ten, and consequently the bill was
thrown out, which is a very fortunate coincidence.
In some respects the Prussian Diet seems to be
improving in spirit, and it is well that it should do
so, for there is every reason to fear that increased
inroads will be made upon the liberty of the Houses,
and that every effort will be used to stop
free discussion whenever and wherever the
Government have a chance of doing so. The only
way to stop such devices is for the Deputies and
the members of the Upper House to be rirm and
faithful in the discharge of their duties. Let them
stedfascly resist all encroachments, and turn a deaf,
ear to the proposals of the crafty statesman who
rules the day just now iu Berlin. They may rest
assured that this, and this only, will avail to make
themselves independent, and to mahltain their
character and reputation in the eyes of the world.
Of late we have all noticed the frequent attempts
that have been made to march in a false direction,
but still we do not despair of seeing some decided
check put upon these Bismarckian attempts to
stifle debate, and to force the members to keep in
the beaten track, and avoid all that can compromise
the schemes of the Government. A little courage
and resolution shown at the proper time may often
do a great deal in the way of preventiow, which is

always a safe and easier course to pursue than to
let the evil get to a height and then attempt a Cure.
No one need pity the mortification which the pro-
posers of this bill must feel, for it is richly deserved,
and they merit nothing but defeat.

LATEST INTELL [GENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

-

AMERICA.

CROOKIIAVEN, Feb. 18, 7 a.m.

The Inman steamship City of London, from
New York, is now passing Browhead Signal-station,
en route for Queenstown.

BOMBAY MAILS.

GIBRALTAR, Feb. 18.

The Massilia, from Southampton on the 12th
inst., arrived at 11 a.m. yesterday, and left at 2
p.m. for Alexandria. All well. Experienced good
weather.

MARSEILLES, Feb. 18.

The Poonah arrived at 6.45 a.m. to-day. The
mails leave for London by the 11.30 train. Letters

to-morrow evening.

JAPAN.

NEW YORK, Feb. 17.

Intelligence received here from Japan, via San
Francisco, and dated the 27th ult., announces that
the Daimios have revolted and made the Mikado
prisoner. The Shogoon had fled to Osaca, where
he was organising a force to attack the Daimios.
The town of Hiogo and two palaces at Jeddo had
been burned. The foreign Ministers refused to
interfere.

FRA:

BOURSE, Feb. 17.-I'l
closed as follows :

41 per Cent.
End of month —
3 per Cent
End of month 6B 65

.NCE.

Credit Mobilier 212 50

ee o'clock.—The market

End of month... 190

Bank Shares 3230
ItaFan Loan
End of month 43 40
Mexican Loan

Credit Foncier ...1422 50
End of m0nth...1383 75
RAILWAI

Do. Bonds

Spanish Threes ... 38

Rome Debt 34
Deferred

Account

Orleans
.... 892}
Northern 1172f
Lyons and Mediterranean
Southern.... 542
Western
Eastern
• .
Sardinian
Austrian 546i
Lombard 370
North of Spain
Saragossa
Roman 47

THE CLERKENWELL uITTRAGE.

BOW-STREET-THIS DAY•

Timothy Desmond, Jeremiah Allen,
Nicholas English, Michael Barrett (alias Jackson),
James O'Neill, John O'Keefe, and Anne Justice,
were again placed at the bar.
Mr. Giffard said the evidence on the part of the
Crown upon which he should ask for a com-
mittal was now virtually concluded, but with regard
to the prisoner Allen, he thought it was his duty
to put the magistrate in possession of certain facts
upon which he should have to ask his (the magi-
strate's) judgment. It would be in the memory of
most persons that Allen was seen in the neigh-
bourhood of the prison on the Thursday, and
also on the Friday, the day of the explosion. On
the latter occasion ho appeared to ba watching
the prison, and in communication with Anne Jus-
tice and Timothy Desmond. At the moment of the
explosion he was on the other side of the prison
from that on which it took place, and on hearing
the report it appeared that he ran away from the
scene in company with Anne Justice. On the loth
of December he made a statement to Inspector
Thomson, which was a voluntary one, and hs would
now proceed to notice that document. In his ac-
count Allen did not say, what nevertheless was the
fact, that he had previously been in communication
with the police, and had mentioned to them some-
thing about a plot to rescue the prisoners Burke and
Casey by attacking the van on its way from the police
court to the prison—in fact an attack similar to that
perpetrated at Manchester. In that statement there
was a variety of circumstances fraught with sus-
picion. First of all, though a stranger he was in
such intimate connection with the prisoner Anne
Justice that she made a communication to him that
it became his:positive duty to mention it to the
police—namely, that Casey had told him to
inform her brother that the authorities were
probably aware of what was intended to be done,
as they had not let the prisoners leave the cell for
exercise. It seemed almost inconceivable that he
should not at once have communicated that fact to
the police. Further, when the explosion took place
he was found flying with Anne Justice, and not, as
he ought to have done, seizing her and giving her
into the custodyiof the police, saying, here is one of
the persons concerned in the outrage. However,
he could well understand that from the nature of
the catastrophe he might have been thrown off his
guard, and he (Mr. Giffard), under all the circum-
stances, could not ask for the committal of Allen.
He must, however, observe that it was stated to the
coroner's jury by a constable that Allen said he had
been sent to the prison by the police. He (Mr. Giffard)
thought it would have been but discreet if the jury
had waited until Inspector Brannan, who was then
confined to his bed by illness, should have been
sufficiently recovered to attend and give evidence,
and that they should not have been hurried by the
excitement which so terrible an event caused to
find a verdict against Allen of wilful murder.
He (Mr. Giffard) was sure the prisoner would
never have been sent from that Court for trial with-
out a full investigation into the truth or falsehood
of the charges brought against him. At the same
time it was only justice to the Coroner's Jury to
say that there was certainly a strong case of suspi-
cion against Allen, and it was no answer for him to
allege he was in communication with the police,
because that might have been with a view to dis-
tract their attention from the real point of danger,
which, as it now appeared, was not that to which
the communication tended to divert them. There
did not appear to have been any intention to make
an attempt on the van, or to put the authorities on
a false scent, which was the usual course
adopted by those who wished to deceive the police.
If there had been no further evidence he should
have considered the case one in which the jury
would have been justifiedin finding a verdict against
Allen. But the fact that Allen did actually suggest
to the police to watch the prison was a circumstance
greatly in his favour, and that which made a vital
difference in his favour was that Mullany,
who gave a full history of the plot, its
origin, rise, progress, and execution, from
first to last, made no mention of Allen.
It seemed to him (Mr. Giffard), therefore, to be
impossible to suppose that Allen could have been a
party to the plot and not ba known to Mullany.
Under these circumstances, if the magistrate's
judgment concurred with his, he (Mr. Giffard) did
not feel that he ought to ask for the committal
of Allen for trial oa the capital charge, as it
would be impossible for any jury to convict
him. He would real the statement he had
referred to, and having examined Mr. Inspector
Thomson and Mr. Inspector Brennan, he should
leave the matter in the hands of the magistrate.
The statement of Allen was then read by the
learned gentleman, and was as follows :

Voluntary statement made this day by Jeremiah
Allen in custody on the charge of being con-
cerned in the murder of Martha Thompson and

others :---

About a quarter past twelve on the afternoon of
Friday' last I was at the House of Detention, Clerk-
enwell, and next to the gate, and asked of the war-
der on duty there if any one had been to see Casey,
a person there. He replied, (6 No." I said, " Will
you tell me if any one does come ?" He said,
" I do nit know you." I said, I have
been sent here." He said, " Very well, I will tell
you when they come out." He did not do so. On

the previous Saturday I was at Bow-street Police
Court during the examination of Burke and Casey,
and there was a female whom I knew as Anne
Justice, but did not know her before. Whilst
standing outside the House of Detention the female
came out and remained at the corner facing the
gate about ten minutes. I went and spoke to her.
I said, " Have you been to see Casey ?" She re-
, plied, " Do you know Casey ?" I answered, " Yes,
I saw him at Bow-street last Saturday. "I am
waiting for a friend of mine," she said. "So am
I." I continued in her company about 20 minutes,
and we talked on various subjects. She at length
said, " I wish I could see the friends I am waiting
for, as I have a message for one of them from
Casey." I said, " What message is it ?" She did
not answer for some minutes. She subsequently
said, " I hope you will tell my brothers that
I think the police has got scent of what
they are going to do, as they did not
let us out to exercise to-day." Those are
the words ; she said Casey told her to tell
her brothers. I said to her, " What are they going
to do ?" She did not answer, and seemed confused.
A. little while after the prisoner Desmond came up
and shook hands with the woman Justice. He said
"I am glad to see you." She said, " And so am I
you," or something of that kind. She afterwards
said, " My boy is going to sea for three years,
I must see him to-day as he will sail away
from the docks, and I have had a
little to drink through it. Desmond asked
Justice if she would have anything to drink, and
she consented. They went to a public-house and I
followed them in. On being refused drink at the
public-house on the ground that Desmond was not
sober, he gave me 61 I fetched a pot of beer from
somewhere else. During this time we walked twice
from the public-house to the corner of Rosoman-
street and back, where the policeman who gave evi-
dence yesterday was standing in plain cothes. A little
while after Inspector Thomson and a gentleman drove
to the prison gates in a hansom. Justice pointed to
the gentleman, and said " That is Massey." Des-
mond called out, " There goes Massey, the in-
former." After Inspector Thompson bad been in
the prison a few minutes, a man came down the
street, and seemed as if he had been running. Jus-
tice spoke to him, and said "Have you seen any of
Casey's brothers ?" He did not reply. I said to
him, " Do you know Casey ?" He replied, " Quite
well, and his two brothers too." He went down the
street and turned up by the prison wall, as if going
to the other side of the prison. He soon returned,
and I said " Inspector Thompson and Massey are
inside the prison." He turned quite pale, and ap-
peared to be holding something heavy under his
coat. The man then turned round the corner
again, and at that time Inspector Thompson and
Massey came out of the prison, entered the hansom,
and drove off in the direction which the men had
taken. About two or three minutes afterwards I
heard two explosions, the second being the greatest.
I ran away directly in the direction of Clerkenwell-
green. About half way there I stopped and returned
to the prison gate and saw Justice standing there.
I said to her, " Come away." Other persons were
running away, and we ran too. A policeman ran
after us. He stopped us, and said he should take us
into custody on suspicion of " setting fire to the
prison" or " thinking it done," or words to that
effect. I replied, " Good God, I know nothing
about it." I went with him, and a man laid hold
of me and held me till I reached the prison. I was
placed in a cell, stripped naked, and searched.
The statement is quite correct, and it has been
read over to me by Inspector Thomson.
(Signed) JEREMIAH ALLEN.
J. BRANNAN, Inspector.
J. J. THomsoN, Inspector.

Taken at Millbank, Dec. 18.
I omitted to mention in my statement last Sunday
that Justice alluded to a man named Butler whom
she was going to see on that day (Friday). I
asked if it was the man who kept a public-
house in Wild-street. She said " No--a cousin
or nephew of his. I cannot say which."
She said he was a tall, fair young fellow in a grey
overcoat. The other man who was at the corner
with us is nicknamed Dann Inn (Daneen), who
lives at Nottingham-court, Wild-street, well known
to Sergeant Ackrell, and had twelve months for
beating " Fatty Dempsey" in Seven Dials. Mrs.
Justice said the men she expected to see had met at
Mrs. Casey's. The foregoing statement is correct.
It is voluntary, and no inducement or threat has
been made to me to make it.

Mrs. Justice was to meet the man spoken of at
the House of Detention on that day (Friday). All
she told me took place before the explosion.
(Signed) JEREMIAH ALLEN.

Inspector Thomson said—On Sunday night, the
15th of December, I saw the prisoner Allen at the
Bow-street Police-station, in company with inspec-
tor Brannan.

Sir T. Henry—That was two days after the ex-
plosion ?
Witness—Yes, sir. Allen said he wished to
make a statement, and I told him I would take
what he had to say down in writing. I re.-
moved him from the cell to the Inspector's room,
where I took down his statement. I read it ove
to him, and he signed it. The statement was no t
got through questions put, but it was altogether a
voluntary one. On the following Wednesday, the
18th, I went to the prison where he was confined,
when he told me he wished to add to the statement
he had already made. It was taken down in
writing and Allen signed it.
Inspector Brannan, of the F division said—l have
been ill for some time. The prisoner Allen was in
communication with me some time before the ex-
plosion. He bad made a communication to me on
the 4th of December last that it was intended to
make an attack on the prison van similar to that of
Manchester and rescue Burke and Casey ; and in
consequence, on Thursday, the 7th of December,
directions were given to him to go along the route
and see whether there were any suspicious cha-
racters in the public-houses. Allen was told if he
saw any suspicious persons to take a cab,
come up to Bow-street, and see Mr. Superin-
tendent Durkin or myself. I was from time to
time up to the day previous to the explosion in com-
munication with Allen, and I recollect him suggest-
ing on Monday, the 9th, that the friends of Burke
and Casey, who visited the prisoner, should be
watched. I made no reply, neither did Ido any-
thing to prohibit him doing so. If he did so it would
be necessary for him to loiter about the prison,
but when I saw him afterwards he never told me
he had been doing so. I communicated to my su-
perior officers all that was being done.
Sir T. Ilenry—Mr. Giffard, after bearing this
evidence, Allen ought not to be put upon his trial
for murder. Up to the time Mullany gave
his evidence, the suspicion was very strong
against him. Tbat evidence convinces me that
although Allen was in the neighbourhood of the
House of Detention on the day of the explosion, he
was not there with any criminal intention and
although he did not do all that he ought to have
done, thereby acting very unadvisedly, I shall order
him to be discharged.
Allen then bowed, and was allowed to leave the
dock.

Mr. Gifford said a letter had been received from
the legal adviser of one -of the prisoners (O'Neill)
asking that the prisoners might be remanded as
arranged in order that he might be enabled to have
witnesses in attendance from Glasgow to speak on his
behalf. The writer did not pledge himself that
such would certainly be done on that occasion, as
the expense of doing E 0 would be to a man in his
position very great, and at present he did not see
where funds were to be forthcoming for that pur-
pose.

The prisoners were then remanded for the at-
tendance of O'Neill's witnesses, but in the event of
their not being in court on the occasion the pri-
soners will be transmitted to Newga.te for trial.

In consequence of the Reduction in Duty, llorniman's
Pure Teas aro supplied EIGHTPENCE per lb. CHEAPER
through their 2,500 Agents—confectioners in London, and
chemists in every town. Sold in Packets at 2s. Bd., 35.,
3s. 41, and 3s. Bd. per lb. Genuine Packets have filo ha-
porters' Signature.

CORUESPONDENOE PROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, MONDAY, Feb. 17.

It is supposed that it will take the Corps Ldgislatif at
least three weeks more to come to the final vote on the
Press Law. The debates have been sometimes within the
last few clays rather more than animated. According to
the Courrier Francais, M. Berryer administered a very
severe rebuff to the chief of the Arcadians the other day.
During the reply of the Minister of Justice (Baroche) to
the charges of M. Berryer, some one called out "It is
odious ;it is mean" (161chete). " Who says ldchete ?" asked
Berryer. M. Granier de Cassagnac, rising ; "I did."
Berryer, with one of his most withering looks of contempt,
"Oh ! then it is of no consequence." The Courrier, with
five or six fresh indictments hanging over it, should be
careful of " false news."

A curious table has been compiled of the non-political
journals published in the department of the Seine (Paris
and its environs). They number in all 537. Of these, 65
are moral and religious,. 64 literary, 48 medical, 59 indus-
trial, 43 fashionable, 41 scientific, 33 legal, 32 artistic, 27
illustrated, 25 administrative, 24 educational, and 15
theatrical. Agriculture, finance, history, and miscella-
neous take up the remaining 51.
The Patrie and the Etendard have at last contradicted
the rumours that the Emperor intended to reconstitute his
Cabinet and introduce Ministerial responsibility. Why,
it is asked, were the rumours allowed to go so far ?
Lord Clarendon has had interviews with the Emperor
and several other high personages in Paris. As an old
friend of the Emperor's, and a long resident in Paris, that
was to be expected. It is not supposed even that he had
any mission to Italy except in connection with his daugh-
ter's marriage to Mr. Odo Russell: Letters from Cannes
state that Mr. Brougham, the youngest brother of Lord
Brougham, took part the other day ina little comedy play,:d
at his lordship's residence. Lord Brougham was unable to
attend the performance.
The Journal de St. Petersbourg contradicts a statement
made by the Times Berlin correspondent that General
Tchernaieff was at work in organising the forces of the
Principalities. The General has not left Russia for the
last twelve months.

A French physician, M. Milliot, has invented an instru-
ment for, so to speak, seeing into the stomach. He
employs a Gessler tube, which is made luminous by
electric light. There' is no particular difficulty in intro-
ducing one of these small lantern cylinders into the
stomach, and when introduced the skin and external
covering are sufficiently transparent to enable the observer
to detect with some degree of accuracy what is passing
within the organ. Some experiments have been made upon
animals, and one or two upon human subjects, with M.
Milliot's tubes, but so far their practical utility can hardly
be said to have been tested. In cases where the tissues
of the stomach had suffered, the splanchnoscope might be
of great service in determining the position and the extent
of the evil. •

Auber's play, as I mentioned, took place at the Opera-
Comique on Saturday night. The next morning the
Emperor and Empress sent for the composer. The Em-
peror, addressing him, and recalling the title of the opera,
said, "It was the Premier Jour de Bonheur." " Yes,"
said Auber ; "it was, yesterday ; this =ming is the
second."

Distress has driven the Arabs in Algieria to frightful ex-
tremities, even, it is said, to breaking the precepts of the
Koran in the matter of eating and drinking. Victor Hugo
haa just sent 50f. to the editor of the Satan on behalf o'
the sufferers by the famine. .
The Canton of Friburg, in Switzerland, has agreed to
re-establish capital punishment, after having been it
abeyance for twenty years.
Baron Rodelca, an Austrian lieutenant-field-marshal,
nas been cowl: in-Led to four years' penal servitude fc
ewindling—eserequerie.
A shocking crime has been perpetrated at Kaufbeuren,
in Bavaria. M. Schrader, the manager of a spinning
factory, his wife, and servant, were found assassinated in
their own house. The murderers succeeded in escaping
with 50,000 florins, after attempting to set fire to th
house.
Advices from Florence announce the death of Count
Revel. The deceased senator was a member of the mode-
rate clerical party, and was considered as one of the first
financiers of Italy. He was Finance Minister to Charlei
Albert and subsequently to Victor Emmanuel. He hat
succumbed to apoplexy at the age of 64.
The municipality of Turin has voted 100,000 francs to
celebrate the marriage of Prince Humbert. Considering
how much Turin has suffered by the removal of the Court
to Florence, this is a large amount. Au contraire, the
municipality of Florence has contented itself with voting
1,500 f. for the Carnival, which will take place at Florence
for the first time this year. Perhaps the capital munici-
pal! ty wishes to keep up its credit for the new loan of 18
millions which it is said to be about to contract. The rate
13i per cent., shews that its credit is not very high.
Another duel has taken place at Naples, between the
Marquis Ceva and M. d'Agiont, the editor of the
lifediterraneo, a strongly Bourbon journal, which keeps up
the project of a kingdom of the Two Sicilies. The editor
came off with some severe wounds, as might be expected
in a fight with a soldier.
The Austrian General Nieperg has been replaced at
Presburg by a Croatian. The General gave some offence
to the Hungarians, not, however, without considerab'e
provocation, and has been invited to fight a duel with the
president of the Association of Honveds at Pesth. Whe-
ther his recall will prevent the duel remains to be seen.
The Hungarians seem to be rather too anti-Austrian. In
Hungary things often finish with a duel, as they do in
Germany with a song. Let me follow the German pre-
cedent—but whatever could introduce verses into the
Moniteur 1 Such levity must have a serious cause. It is
the Army Law which is to be " the palladium of peace."
One might say, "You shall sell your peace plaguy dear."
But it seems military life is delectable. The Mortiteur
sings i--
" Ah ! quel plaisir—
Ah ! quel plaisir—
Ah ! quel plaisir d'être soldat !'

"What a pleasure to be a soldier !" is not yct a popular
refrain.

A correspondent of the Times, who appears to be well
informed on Abyssinian matters, repeats the inquiry
whether the liberation of the captives is really our only
object in invading the kingdom of Theodore. If so, each
captive will cost us two millions sterling. The expense is
certain ; the rescue of the captives uncertain. Our army
is crawling along into the rainy season, but not into
Magdala. In the meantime, Theodore may retreat,
carrying the captives with him, or relieve himself
of that difficulty by cutting their throats. The
Egyptians are marching into the country at the rate
of twenty-five miles a day, and living upon its resources,
and we must soon be prepared to say whether we will
accept their assistance. They will easily form alliances
by promising support to the rebel chiefs, while we, by declar-
ing that we shall retire from the country, shall seek allies in
vain. The writer thinks the rebel chiefs would be only
too happy to gain a powerful ally without inquiring into
his creed.

There is a general return to confidence on the Continent,
and commercial affairs are slowly improving in conse-
quence. It is believed in Paris that the disquietude on
the Danube will be met by the action of the Sultan,
strongly supported as he has been by the great Powers.
In Paris the long holiday of Count Bismarck is regarded
as a respite from the agitation of European questions.
The split between the leader and his ultra-Conservative
supporters is construed favourably. The less M. Bismarck
is in accord with his Ministers, says the Etendard,
the more he will be in harmony with Europe. The Count
has declared that he will have no intercourse with the
Conservative party in the Lower House so long as Herr
Bodelschwing, the late Minister of Finance, remains one
of its leaders. It is probable that some twenty of the
Feudalists will secede from the Count's leadership, but the
moderate Liberals will support him.

The cattle plague has reappeared in Courland and
Livonia.

Earl Russell's pamphlet on Ireland meets with much
unfavourable criticism. The Star agrees with the Daily
Weic3 that it would cost far more trouble to carry Earl
Russell's measure than one of simple, absolute disendow-
ment ; while the latter would be a step in the right, the
former in the wrong direction. It regrets to have to say
this of a letter written with so obvious a desire to do
good, and containing so much that is liberal and gene-
rous, that it tends rather to increase than to diminish
the difficulties which surround the Irish Question.
The Telegraph thinks that the letter will not create a
sensation, but it is—not to speak profanely—a very fair
leading article of the lighter sort. It has all the old
merits and defects of the author's mind. It is clear and
c-oi,isez but the clearness is often that of a writer who
•
does not niCNI. much, and the conciseness is often due to
the fact that the\•etf,ra,h statesman stops short just as we
t,llllll to tn .
mornlng a
71116 H TF Ur. ACCIDENT.-On D ENT.
shocking accident happened on the --goZtl! Yorkshire
branch of the Manchester, Sheffield, and LincO:z.t=lake
Railway, which terminated fatally to a man of the name
of William Worrell. Deceased was a platelayer, and be-
longed to No. 12 gang on the line. He was engaged
along with others repairing tin line at Worth Station,
near Rotherham. A coal train came up whilst he was so
engaged, when the usual signal was given, but he either
did not bear it or had not time to get clear of the line
before he was caught by the train and run over. When
taken up it was discovered that both his legs were severed
from his body, and he expired almost -:ns'lantly.
Viscount Coke has just entered the army as se-
and lieutenant in the Scots Fusilier Guards.