, 1876-07-08

S0AN~ NiSNAS oAO SSJ SONSNN ~
magistrates with q caution or a weeks
imprisonment, the sentences could hardly
be heavier, even though the Judge were
doubtful, as he evidently was, whether
all the truth had been told. We do not,
however, understand the jury's recommen-
dation to mercy, Helping strangers for a
bride to poison themselves or others 10
surely as high a moral offence as murder,
and even if suicide be not a crime against
society, bribing q doctor to help in self
murder certainly is one. And though
yerdicts must be in accordance with law,
recommendations to mercy should be based
on moral grounds.
The Mission despatched by the Free
Church of Scotland to Lake Nyassa has
arrived safely, and has fitted out its steam
err on the lake, which is found to be much
larger than DIR. Livingstone thought. 1t
has a coast of 500 miles, and is usually
over 100 fathoms deep. The agent, Lieu
tenant E. D. Young, found the Arabs ex-
tremely alarmed at the advent of o steamer,
which they think could stop the slave
trade by sinking their dhows; and he Is
so indignant at the scenes he has witnessed,
that he avows his intention of speedily
putting a stop to the traffic. He believes
q dozen EngIishmen could do it, and re-
lates a most striking story of the estima
ton in which the English character is
held. A gang Of 800 slaves passed within
fifty miles of the Mission, and one poor
creature could travel no farther. Instead,
however, of killing him, as is the regular
orootfoo Tho sloyar0 ralo0c0l him faIlInO
him the English would be sure to take
care of him. lie reached the Mission,
after great hardships, with diseased spine.
The motive of the slavers on the lake APP
pears to be the want Of any legitimate
means of getting money, but there is al
incidental and unpleasant reference to Por-
tuguese slave-purchasers from Qnillimau e.
We have stated elsewhere reasons for
believing that, while the Great Powers
are for the moment pausing and deIlbera-
ting, the German Emperor 10 particular
summoning Prince Bismarck from Lauen-
burg, the danger of war between the
Porte and Servia and Montenegro is greater
than ever. We may add here, that the
Berlin correspondent OF the Times, who
Is CXC6pLIOIGlL WGll-IulOIIIou as w huy
view the German Chancellor wishes to be
believed, persistently affirms that this war
will come, and on Thursday telegraphed
that NJ. Miletics, leader Of the Servian
party in Hungary, asserts deliberately that
a "Servian war against the Turk is now
more absolutely certain than anything
else in the world" Our impression is
that this is substantially a correct view,
and that the Powers mean at first to "make
q ring" and let Turkey and her subjects
fight it out. That is perfectly fair, if only
Greece, half whose natural subjects are
still ruled by Turkey, Isl llowed to join in,
90 if she were still o vassal state.
The House of Commons re%-assembled on
Thursday, but not q question was address
ed that evening to the Government on
British policy in the East. The leaders
of Opposition, it is said, are most adverse
to any questioning calculated to embar-
rass the Government in so serious a conjunc-
ture. If this means that they know what
is doing, and have confidence in the Cabi-
net, this reticence is wise but if they do
not know, or have not confidence, it is
very like an a~bnegation of the proper
function of an Opposition in the State.
There is serious danger that we may drift
into a defence of Turkey against the will
of the nation, and vet the Government is