The Sun.
London, England, 1868-01-09 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDaN. THURSDAY EVENiNG, JANUARY 9, WS.

they concur 07 not, there is one thing certain: they
cannot reinat ate the offending Secretary, and Gen.
GRAITT, one, installed at the War-office, will not
be easily dii dodged.
The license of Representative 3, we learn, has
passed a. revolution authorising the sale of fifty-four
surplus ironcl ads. This does not look as if, in spite
of their declamations, they contemplated war—and
in fact thel country is in no condition for it. To whom
these ironc lads are to be sold is not stated, but it is
very likely that Russia is to be the purchaser.
Fifty-four is a large number of vessels to dispose
of, thougi i the Americans can soon build as many
as they require. Still, if we remember the account
which au Admiral high in the service gave of the
ditlicultiev against which the Federal Government
had to caltend at the opening of the war, we
shall feel some surprise that Congress should sanc-
tion such 21 measure. Possibly it is done with a
view of enriching the national coffers.

The French Army Bill has met with a better
fate than some supposed possible for it, but it is
fortunate that it should have done so for several
reasons. In the first place, anything that looked
like weakness or insecurity on the part of the Go-
vernment just now is to be deprecated, and this bill
tends to interpose a check upon the encroachments
of Prussia. No doubt the Berlin Cabinet would
have rejoiced to hear of the defeat of this
attempt, and recognised in the fact an
additional pledge of their security and suc-
cess. Another cause for satisfaction is the
passing of this measure, as at the present time
especially it would be a great pity if the supe-
riority of France was decreased in any way, and
an idea became prevalent, even if it were an erro-
neous one, that her prestige was diminishing, and
her glory was departing. It is now seen that
the year which has just completed its course was
not, a lively one for our Continental neighbours,
their star was not in the ascendant, and one thing
after another seemed to damp their hopes and
disappoint their expectations. Hence, it must
be a relief to the mind of the nation to know that
something decisive has been done to put matters in
the right line, and set the military position of
France in a more sure and firm foundation. The
Government of the EMPEROR deserve just credit for
the zeal and ingenuity which they have displayed in
the matter, and it is to be hoped that the result
will justify their expectations. It by no means
follows that war will ensue because people
are prepared for it, and perhaps the news
that France is about to concentrate her
forces, and to invest herself with renewed
power from more fully developing her vast re-
sources, may in itself be the herald of peace. The
news that the French EMPEROR is to have an army
of 1,100,000 men will do more to stop undue pre-
tensions, to check unfair claims, and to put down
arrogant assumption than a hundred conferences
and great diplomatic displays of skill. It will be
a language all can understand, whether they like it
it or not, and though some of its provisions may
seem hard to our notions, it cannot be denied that
the bill contains much that is good for the present
and the future.

There is, it would seem, very good reason to hope
that England has not lost one of her most enter-
prising and distinguished sons. Dr. LIVINGSTONE,
we have grounds for believing, has been seen in the
vicinity of Lake Tanganyika. Mr. REUTER yester-
day received a telegram from Alexandria, dated
Jan. 7th, reporting a message from Zanzibar bear-
ing so late a date as December Ist. " Intelligence
from Keelwa," so runs the message, " states that Dr.
Li v INGSTONE, or a person resembling him, was seen
travelling towards the west of Lake Tanganyika."
The date at which this traveller was seen is not
given, but the news from Zanzibar comes nine
dap later than the intelligence already published
by the Government, so that Dr. LIVINGSTONE
must have been seen on the west of the lake,
which, it must be remembered, is 300 miles long.
It is clear that the person referred to must have
been a European traveller ; and, therefore, as no
other would have been likely to penetrate so far,
there is every reason to hope that the tale of
the Johanna men was altogether false.
Should we be fortunate enough to welcome the ad-
venturous explorer once more among us, it will not
have been by any means the first occasion in which
, the explorer of a distant and dangerous locality has
been given up for lost. The enterprise is in any
shape one of great peril, but, at the same time, Dr.
LIVINGSTONE has courage, resource, experience, and
presence of mind to assist him ; and these, we may
trust, have, under PROVIDENCE, stood him in good
stead when his worthless attendants and servitors
have failed him.

BOW, OLD FORD, AND BROMLEY COAL

RELIED' FUND.

TO TIIF: EDITOR OF TIIE SUN.

Stn,—May I solicit the valuable aid of The Sun
on behalf of a fund which I believe has rendered
good service among the destitute in this eastern
section of the metropolis. Reference to your ad-
vertising columns will show that by the liberal en-
couragement given to the committee last winter
they were enabled to make nearly 6,000 gifts of
coal to the destitute poor of the district, and the
testimony of the medical officers affords ample proof
of a timely supply of fuel having been the means
of relieving a large amount of human suffering, if
not of saving life.
Another committee has been formed with a view
of assisting those who, from their very unfortunato
position, are unable to help themselves. Many
cases of sad distress are hourly arising. The com-
mittee have made 500 gifts without soliciting extra-
neout aid, and now requiring help to meet the great
destitution which still prevails, I hereby venture to
seek your assistance by allowing me to appeal
through the columns of The Sun to the benevolent
to assist in this good work.

I shall be glad to receive and acknowledge any
subscriptions that may be forwarded me for this
purpose.—l am, Sir, your obedient servant,
AUSTIN CHAMBERS, Treasurer.

Miss BURDETT COUTTS AND HER TENANTS.—Miss
Burdett Coutts has been at great trouble and expense in
getting her tenants in Columbia-square, Bethnal-green,
put upon the electoral register as voters for the now
borough of Hackney. Still further to add to their fulness
of knowledge respecting the relationship existing between
" owners" and " occupiers" of houses and tenements under
the New Reform Act, she has had printed and distributed
among her tenantry an extract from an important circular
addressed by the Poor-law Board to the overseers of
parishes. The tenantry, sensible of the importance of the
communication which they had received from their land-
ht.ld a meeting on December 17, at which a resolution
was unanimously adopted, expressing the opinion that
Miss Burdett Coutts deserved the grateful thanks of her
tenantry for having ailed them in obtaining the benefits
of ciVzonship, and for having voluntarily defrayed all the
expenses attendant upon their being put upon the electoral
roll.

FATAL ACCIDENT TO A MEDICAL GENTLEMAN.
—Dr. Swift, of Eccleshall, near Stafford, met with a shock-
ing accident on Monday evening, which proved fatal to
him on the spot. He was returning home after dusk on
horseback along a bridle-road, when, on coming to a
hurdle which had been placed across the way during the
day to prevent some sheep straying, his horse stumbled
and throw him to the ground, dislocating his neck. The
unfortunate gentleman lay there dead soma time before the
accident was discovered,

THE STIRCHLEY Mul:DEH.—Yesterday the inquest
respecting the death of Barnard Zusumn, the Birmingham
jeweller's traveller, who was found murdered at Stirch]ey,
in Shropshire, was resumed, acd, as it was thought ad-
visable in the interest of justice, an open verdict of wilful
murder against some person or persons unknown was re-
turned.

most diverse and most furiously bent upon attack-
ing the great legitimacy whose existence is the ob-
ject of this most important question. Why are all
voices raised ? Why are so many objurgations
heard ? Why do so many criticisms and clamours
recommence ? Why do rumours of revolution break
out against that Power ? Because it is the key of
this great question of modern times. Why do we
see grouped around that rampart all alarmed con-
sciences—all men who do not wish to walk in dark,
ness—all who, without being blind to the natural
progress of humanity, do not desire to advance
without light, guide, or compass, without ideas,
without that quid intimum in default of which man
lives like an animal. and is unworthy of being,
considered an intelligent being ? Because in de-
bating this question that of all authority is de-
bated ; and do you know in what the question of
authority consists ? It is the work of humanity
inspired by God, without which humanity is dissi-
pated, like dust carried away by the violence of a
hurricane. . . . Gentlemen, it is the practice
outside this 3ountry, when speaking of Spain, to
allude to her with a kind of disdain. I do not know
what society or what cabal of authors has seized
upon the Spanish name, occupying itself with vilify-
ing Spain and depicting the commonest things in
our country in such a manner that no one can re-
cognise them. A kind of conspiracy has been en-
tered into to place us in the rear of all good
things, and always at the head of those that are
bad. It is essential that those who vilify and ca-
lumniate us in other places should know that one
thing indubitably does exist in Spain, viz , a sacred
spirit that has reunited us in a great danger. This
spirit, happily, is not dead. It may be reflected,
consecrated anew, and represented in the vote you
are about to give. When Europe shall see that the
deputies of the Spanish people, when a question like
this comes uppermost, show themselves united, and
arise, to use the expression of Napoleon 1., like one
man of honour, it may be that people will ask them-
selves whether truth or falsehood is daily written
concerning Spain ; then, it may also be, people
will reflect and rectify their opinions."
It has already been telegraphed that the draft of
the address was carried by 161 votes to 3.