Papurau Newydd Cymru
Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru
4 erthygl ar y dudalen hon
THE WEEK ABROAD. I I
THE WEEK ABROAD. Intelligence comes from Cuba by way of telegram from New Vork that the i from New lrork that the insurgents in the island are surrendering in large numbers. By the same means we hear of revolutionary outbreaks in several Mexican provinces. DESTRUCTION OF AN AUSTBIAN FRIGATE.—GUE.VT LOSS OF Liry.-A correspondent at Trieste, in a des- patch dated Sunday 3.20 p m., telegraphs The fri gate Radetzky, with 100 men, has been blown up at sea, fifteen miles from Lissa. Cause unknown. Fifteen only saved." We learn from Washington, by a cable telegram, that the House of Representatives have agreed, by 140 votes against 33, to the Senate's Constitutional amendment, prohibiting any distinction from being made with regard to the suffrage on account of race, colour, nativity, pro- perty, education, or creed. The Independence Beige points out that the manifesto recently issued by Queen Isabella, of Spain does not ap- pear to have had quite the effect in that country which her Majesty probably expected. A paper named the ftstandarte, which had been the champion of her in- terests, has now ceased to appear, on the ground that it is impossible to defend a cause supported by such doctrines as those put forth in the Royal proclamation. There has been a race across the Atlantic from New York to Liverpool between two mail steamers, the City of Paris (of the Inman line) and the Russia (of the Cunard). The former arrived first. Great excitement with regard to the issue of the race prevailed in Liverpool, and many bets are said to have been made. Our readers will be glad to hear that the excavations which are being made at Rome under the auspices of the British Archjeological Society there are progressing rapidly this winter, especially on the banks of the Tiber, and at the wall of Servius Tullius near the railway- station. A telegram direct from Bombay, of Saturday's date, says that the condition of the Punjab and the Central Provinces, where apprehensions of distress were enter- tained, has greatly improved. Further disturbances are reported from the North-West Provinces, but a con- firmation of the news is required. The new Greek Ministry has issued an address to the people of Greece explaining the grounds on which it subscribed to the decision of the Conference. In sub- stance, the reason given is that a refusal would have been tantamount to a declaration of war against Turkey, and for that the resources of Greece were per- fectly inadequate, The acceptance of the conditions is, however, described as very painful for the country. General Dix's repudiation, on the part of the Ameri- can Government, of special sympathy with the Greeks is confirmed by a telegram from Athens published this morning. It appears that the American Minister there has written a letter to the Greek Government, in which he says that the United States desire most sincerely that peace should be maintained between Turkey and Greece. He has also been authorized by his Govern- ment to offer his good services to both parties in such a manner as not to compromise the neutrality of the United States. The French Court is as irritable just now as a green- room, and perhaps for the same reason, that all within it are actors. The Great Eastern of France has been trying to buy the Great Luxemburg Railway, that is, as we understand the Belgium Finance Minister, to be able to run carriages straight from Metz to Namur by one line, to Verviers by another, and by a branch not finished, to open a through communication with Germany and Holland, without touching the State lines of Belgium at all. The Belgians, alarmed for their receipts and also for their independence, have, passed through the Lower House, by a vote of 61 to 16, a bill prohibiting the sale of Railways to Foreigners. Thereupon the demi-official press has threatened Belgium with all manner of punishments, from a hostile tariff to an invasion, and declares that the vote is a humiliation to France instigated by Bismarck. It is gravely intimated that the Belgium Senate must reject the Bill, and there is too much reason to believe that strong remonstrances have been addresed from Paris to Brussels. The affair may not become danger- ous, but these little explosions show how much gun- powder lies scattered about. FRENCH REPORT ON INDIA.-M. Jacques Siegfried has drawn up (says the Frieixd of India) a brief but com- pendious report on British India, for the French Govern- ment, with a special reference to its productions and commerce. The writer dilates upon the vastness, effecteu unuei' and fertility of the country, the progress eSecteu u?Ci j?nnsh aamm?i?uu, .uo "'v"uo.-c. oi absolute domination, of exclusiveness, and of religious propagandism, and the attention given to the material interests of the people, who are being guided to civiliza- tion by the somewhat indirect but most sure path of commerce and the exchange of produce." M. Siegfried reports upon the trade of Bombay, of the Gangetic valley, of Madras and Ceylon, and upon French com- merce in India. He laments that the French have not iyet profited by the free trading privileges which our Government allows to every settler, as the Germans and Swiss have done. There are only five French mercantile houses in India. M. Siegfried exhorts the youth of France to turn its eyes towards distant countries. The only political observation worth mentioning is M. Siegfried's foreboding that the danger resulting from the English antipathy to mingle with the native popu- lation will gradually increase as the development of instruction shall cause the Hindoos to desire a share in the government. The Gulf Stream,—our oldest and most venerable geographical tradition,—is called in question. Mr Findley thinks it a Mrs Harris, don't believe there's no such person at least, while admitting the current, he doubts Its effect on temperature, doubts if we are any warmer for it. Dr Carpenter, however, who has just been dredging near the Shetland Isles, comes opportunely to our relief. He shows that the soundings of Sir James Ross in the Sothern hempisphere gave a uniform temperature of 3H deg. in all depths in the parralled of 56 deg. 25 S. lat., and as between 59 deg. and 62 deg. N. lat. Dr Carpenter and his associates found an average temperature of 52 deg., he argues that something must be due to the Gulf Stream, especially as the tetnperature varied a good deal at certain points, and sometimes seemed to show the sudden influence of cold Arctic currents. The warm area was covered with a bottom of globigerina mud, full of animal life. That seems satisfactorily to prove warm and cold currents. Cut are there not warm and cold currents in most seas, in the Pacific as well as the Atlantic? There is no doubt, we believe, that Van- couver's Island is a more temperate climate, at the same latitude, than England and Vancouver's Island, what- ever warm currents it has, never used to have a Gulf Stream. We fear the personality of our very venerable old friend the Gulf Stream is seriously called into question. A letter from Heidelberg contains some notes of in- terest. No country," says the writer, could be poli- tically more interesting than Germany at the present moment, torn as it is by the two conflicting elements- the desire to be a great and united people, and the desire of the individual State to possess their own Con- stitution. In the South here the people cling with ex- traordinary tenacity to the ideal of a United Germany and yet no words could express their hatred to Prussia, the only means by which their ideal can now be realized. In intellectual matters philosophy does not now com- mand that absorbing attention which it used to receive a generation ago. Most of the energy flowing in this channel is turned towards philosophy from the histori- cal point of view. But everywhere science is being pursued with the most eager enthusiasm and with the richest results. In this sphere Darwin is a great power here. The attention he has excited, and excites, is ex- traordinary, and many of the best minds are devoting themselves to the further development of his theory. The influence of Mr Mill has also been growing for a long time, and he is almost universally regarded as one of the greatest men we ever produced. In the religous world there are great struggles going on. The orthodox party 1J extraordinarily orthodox, and has far more power than people in England generally suppose. The Broad party IS, however, decidedly broader than the same party home—as a rule, I think, rejecting miracles. Within the last year or two they have formed them- selves into an association, The Protestant Union,' with the avowed object of winning back to Christianity men of learning and cultivation who have deserted it." RUSSIA'S POLICY IN CENTRAL ASIA.—The Examiner says there is no denying the fact of Russia's gradual but steady expansion of her nominal authority in Central Asia. A large portion of Turkestan has fallen under her dominion and, thanks to our maladroit diplomacy at the Court of Teheran, Persia has come to look dependently to her for aid and favour, while Eng- land is regarded with jealousy and distrust. The pos- session of Herat, now as thirty years ago belli tcterrima cans", is contested by Persians and Afghans, upon the verge of whose contiguous territories it, stands, Except to illustrate some foregone conclusion as to the hostile intentions of the Czar, it docs not signify to us a camel s hair which of the two, whether firs-worsbippers or Osnianlis, garrison the unlucky place. All we have now to say is, let us neither be scared into doing what is foolish or dared into doing what is wrong. Our dominions in India are already wide enough in all con- science, too wide, indeed, to be easily and economically governe.1. It were sheer madness further to extend them. We have, moreover, already a frontier on the side of Afghanistan much more easily defended than that which we should have to keep against Persia sub- sidised by Russia, if we sought to garrison Candahar and to enlist the Beloochees as light cavalry. in a word, we can defend ourselves infinitely better by maintaining onr present position than by forcibly or fraudulently attempting to extend it for without fraud I or force, or both combined, no change is possible. Senor Rivero hRs been formally elected President of the Spanish Constituent Assembly by 167 votes against 47 for Senor Urcnse The present Ministers will retain their portfolios The proceedings of the Spanish OoHStitnent Assem- bly are reported by the the telegraph rather felly. The most important incident was a speech of General Prim, who, in reply to Statements in the Paris news- papers is said to have declared that *be late dynasty abonid nev<T reascend the throne of Spain, that Tie would never, directly, or indirectly, aid in endearottrs in favour of the Prince of Asturias. He concluded by reiterating that he had joined Marshall Serrano to des- troy the former regime, and would remain united with him in the work of reconstruction. The Philadelphia correspondent of the Tunes teie- graphs that the Cooper Tariff Bill has been vetoed by the President, .and was returned yesterday with a statement of his objections to the House of Hepreeen- tatives. The Senate Republican Caucus yesterday j decided to take no action on the Tenure of Office Repeal Bill until next Congress. Yesterday was Washington's birthday, and no business was done at New York. The Cape newspapers print a protest signed by lay members of the Church of England against the coil- secration of Mr Macrorie as Bishop in Natal. The South African Advertiser and Mail says that the protest originated with the High Churchmen, who towards the Bishop of Capetown personally and officially cherish feelings of the very highest respect. They repudiate any notion of sympathy with the heretical opinions of Dr Colenso, but feel that be has not been dealt, with in accordance with the laws and constitution of the Church, ot Englaud. His trial and excommunication have been pronounccdby the highest authority in law simply null and void. They therefore hold that, whatever his heresies may be, he is still legally recognled as bishop of the Church of England in Natal The Times has a letter from the correspondent in Paris who has supplied the journal recently with seve- ral interesting essays on French politics in reference to j the Belgian railway question. The writer points out that it is a mistake to suppose, as Englishmen seem to do, that the French press is unanimous in its opposition to the Belgian Government. That opposition has been almost confined to the semi-official papers. Neverthe- less, it is not to be supposed that the incident is with- out importance. It is quite true (the writer adds) that war was very unpopular, not only with the public, but even in the press-except the semi-official one. But j nothing is altered in the general persuasion that war with Prussia must cume sooner or later, as the truit of an unfortunate policy; and to change that belief into the natural wish of getting rid of the nightmare two things only are wanted—a safer Government and a better occasion. The Calcutta correspondent of the Times says that socially Lord Mayo is likely to be kery popular, what- ever his administrative ability may prove to be. The style of the Castle" reigns in Government House, and many are delighted with the change from the plainness and simplicity of the late regime. Sir Richard Temple, the same writer says, is likely to make his financial state- ment earlier than usual, all the estimates having been sent in by the 31st of December last. "Thus, if Parliament had the slightest interest in the collection and expenditure of a revenue of fifty millions sterling, the Duke of Argyll might lay the Indian Budget on the table before Easter. So far as the facts show at present there will be a surplus at the close of this year of about 4200,000. There will be, at least, no deficit. But the famine and opium will grievously affect next year's revenue, and reproductive works will be so extensively carried on that a large loan is certain to be raised, and, it is feared here, in England." The fate of Mrs Surratt, who was executed in lSG5 for alleged complicity in the plot to assassinate Presi- dent Lincoln, will not be soon forgotten by one section of the American people. It was always contended by many that the woman was innocent, and those who were instrumental in her prosecution do not like her name to te mentioned oftener than is necessary. The • i .c_r1a fnr otner day ner remains were given up io uei  private burial, and the incident led to some curious re- velations. It was never known before where the assas- sin Booth had been buried. It was thought that" de- monstrations" of an unpleasant kind would be made over his grave, and the few who knew the secret kept It well. It now appears that the body was brought to Washington, and buried in the old penitentiary build- ings, in the presence of Secretary Stanton, three police officers, and the commandant of the arsenal. The ware- room chosen as a temporary tomb was boarded up, the door locked, and the key taken away by Secretary Stan- ton. Booth's relatives are now asking for his nody, in order that it may receive Christian burial. It is quite as well, for more reasons than one, that the Government stayed its hand in putting accused persons to death after Writz, the keeper of Andersonviile, perished on the scaffold. THE NATAL GOLD FIELDS.—A correspondent at Grahamstown in a letter received by the mail which came Uti 1. iicauaj Ot*J c. I -1' "<:0 0""t.1 ..1':D:-O"" there is nothing definite or satisfactory. We are con- stantly hearing of mines being sunk, but we have not, as yet, seen anything to lead to the belief that we have an El Dorado on our frontier. The diggers have certainly had sufficient time and implements to test the value of the fields, and from the fact that time and labour have produced so little result, you will be able to judge what the discovery is worth. The latest news is that the blacks have driven the whites out of the country. This is not at all improbable. Not because the fields are so valuable that the natives wish to keep them, but not to have white men in the country. It is to be hoped that nobody will be so foolish as to start for these imaginary gold-fields until we have more certain. information. We have heard nothing from Sir H Swinburn's expedition as yet, but it is generally believed that that expedition will be a warming to all adven- turers at home. Sir Percy Boughes, late Commander of the Forces in South Africa, has probably by this reached home his successor, General Hay is much liked. The Invalide Russc publishes an abstract of the latest reports (dated 18th, 23rd, and 26th of December) of General Abramoff, the Russian commandant in Central Asia. The General says that on Ile Iith of December he marched with his troops to Katy-Kourgan, having received information that Katy- Tourdja, the eldest son of the Emir cf Bokhara, bad captured several towns and ordered many of bia father's adherents to be ex- ecuted. At the same time the emir proceeded with the whole of his army, which is stated to consist of 15,000 men, with eigteen guns, to Karmineh, near which town his son was encamped. The latter, hearing of this, fled to Noor- Ata, where he was defeated by a detachment of the emir's army. General Ambroff concludes by stating that he has now returned with his troops to Samarcand, after requesting the emir to use every effort to capture his son and strengthen the garrisons of the town of Noor-Ata, Karmineh, and Chatziebi that complete peace" now prevails in Bokhara and the whole of Turkistan and that the emir will shortly send an envoy with the sum due by him to the Russian Government. The intelligence from New Zealand is favourable, The committee of the United States' Senate on Foreign Relations have almost unanimously rejected the Convention with great Britain as to the settlement of the Alabama claims. We are not at all surprised, though we are sorry. Mr Reverdy Johnson, whether he knows it or not, bas been>orking hard to obtain this result ever since be began his jocular progress through Great Britain, and devoted himself to. telling English- men how dearlv the Americans love us, when they wish us to feel painfully their reserve and displeasure. Ibe Convention indeed began badly, inasmuch as it originated with a very unpopular President, who was believed to sympathize with the South, and, therefore, not to bear much grudge against England for her South- ern proclivities. The objection believed to be felt to the Convention by the President elect was another weight in the scale against it. Still, the American, Senate has not been wise. Mr Seward had practically obtained a decided concession from us, though we hold it a reason- able concession, as we pointed out last week, and uniess the Senate mean war,—which they don't-they will not easily get as much again, An attitude of dignified displeasure is all very well but a diplomatic success and a fair chance of large damages are much better. America can't sulk for ever, however naughty Eng- land may have been and sulking, when it is all one side, is not a very remunerative business, <- or.nmint. nf the works As a counterpart, lV mc uvp" uvvv- on the Suez Canal given by Mr Fowler in last week's Times, the following extracts from a conversation be- tween M Edmond About and some Frenchmen inha- biting Alexandria are not without interest :-If you happen to be a person whose good opinion is worth gaining, or whose good word will carry weight, you are certain to be invited to see the works at Port Said, and to be well feted into the bargain and who can be very certain of what be sees after drinking one or two bottles of champagne ? At each stage you meet a body of workmen, shovel in hand, half a hundred tents, and even half a dozen houses, which take to pieces in a few minutes, and these accompany you throughout your entire journey. You land from your steamer you admire the works you enter a neat-looking house, and there drink a bottle of wine and eat a crust of bread. Scarcely have you turned your back than the village and workmen take a short cut, across country and await you at the next station. All the French have been taken in in the same way. Even the Prince Napoleon, who passes for being no fool amongst the senators. A national idea it national speculation and, above all, the national wine What wonder, then, if one's head is a little turned. Sir Henry Bulwer. on his visit, provided himself with a knife, and cut a notch in the chalet wherein M. do Lesseps had offered him the first break- fast, and all across the isthmus he found his notch ac- companied him. At the last banquet, when he took leave of the company, M. de Lesseps and his iriends looked for some small compliment., but all that they obtained by way of thanks was-" Messieurs, j ai I'honneur de vous faire observer que, si les diplomates ont une langue, c'est pour se taire-" It is only fair to add that M. About gives his readers to under. stand that implicit credence is not to lie placed in anything you may bear from any European inhabitant of Alexandria. The excitement in Paris about the Belgian railway Question seems to be pretty nearly over. The ConsMu- titjltnl of last night remarks that the friendly assurances of M ffers-Orban in the Belgian Senate on Saturday permit it to hope that the result will justify its good opinion of the wisdom and amicable sentiments of the tho'u"cMbe difficulty with the hostile natives is ccrtainlj not over. The Times correspondent lit. Washington, writing on the 1? Dumber, takes a less hopeful view y the situation than ??to be entertained by the ? ???hourne iournals. This writer sends a letter ad. dressed b? Titto Kowaru to Colonel W bitmore whicb ??o=?Y'n? way The letter i. dated Weraroa r h i ?a  ce o !)e?m)pr .,1868. Tito .yB: is a piece of .rne?l nnd sound advice for Wliitmore. Salutations ? ?nu 'I hi-. is to :?k you whom docs Bngland belong ? and ? ?om belong the ?nd or country you are .t-mdiug .? ? ? ?-? tell y- ? "S.JrS-JmSaJn e?rth were made m.jMU'nc. Ju one d*} was man i ?ca ed? ?d all product?? .t any kind that are in the wSi* and if you think .r arc aware hat God created ali, it is we arc equal thereon, You were formed an European, and England was named as your country; ?? are Maori.n?? Zealand. Bdhink you-there i> been placed between you and me a great barrier-an Ioceat;. Whv did you not consider, or take thought, be- ? eyou crc?.1 over bere ? I did not go from here over to you. Stand away from my place to your own country in the middle of the cc-ao go away from the town to some other place. Arise, and be baptized, and let your sins be washed away. Calling upon the name of the Lord. Sufficient. From Tito Kowaru. GPEECE .-The Greek reply to the declaration of 1 the Conference, upon the strength of whicb diplomatic relations are to be re-establ;?bed between Turkey and Greece, is published. It iR dated the 6th of February, is signed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, bl. Theo- dore P. Delyanni, and addressed to M. de Lavalette. The Minister says The result of the deliberations of the Conference has been received, I must not conceal the fact from you, with a feeling of painful emotion by the whde of the Hellenic people, and the ministerial crisis having lasted several days, it was impossible in that interval to give an answer to your Excellency's letter The Cabinet of which 1 have the honour to be a member has deemed it its duty to take in considera- I tion, as soon as it was constituted, the contents of the declaration and of your communication Ibe E-ing s Government has seen with regret that his Majesty B Minister at Paris was unable to take part in the work of the Conference, owing to the position of inferiority in which he bad been placed with the plenipotentiary nf T^nrkev In the presence of the unaattoty of the ? Great European Powers, and of your own declara- tion to the effect that the plenipotentiaries, by divert- I I ing tl> debate from the matter of fact, bad in view Ioulv to lay down the rules of c,?nduct which are to i guide the relations between Greece and Turkey, I hasten to inform you that the King's Government adheres to the general principles of international jurisprudence ontaS in the declaration of the Conference, and tbat it is determined to conform its attitude with th?em. While begging your Excellency to be good enough to brine this adhesion to the notice of the Conference, I am willing to hope that the six Great Powers, appre- ciating the difficulties of the situation, will take into account the desire of Greece to accede to their wishes, and to contribute, for her part, to the maintenance of the general peace." th^ySe address of the Hellenic Government to the nation, excusing itself for yielding to the wishes Iof the Powers by accepting the declaration of the <Uerence is published to-day. Its pith is contained in tbe lowing passage However painful it is to Gre? ?o acquiesce (fn the conditions laid down), neiTher is it bound for the future nor are its aspirations stifled. But if we refuse to adhere to the decisions of the Conference, nothing remains for us but to make war against Turkey-war for which we find ourselves, unfortunately, entirely unprepared as regards our navy, nor are we ready to carry on a campaign by 1 A PARIS.—MONDAY.—The debate on the budget of the city of Paris was opened to-day by M. Garnier-Pages, who can hardly be called an attractive speaker. It was thought that M. Thiers would have been one of the first to mount the tribune, but he entered the Chamber un- provided with documents and evidently intends reserving his fire. It is thought in some quarters that the Bel- gian incident will again assume an alarming com- plexion. At the last meeting of Ministers the vote of the Senate at Brussels was not known and the council was adjourned to Wednesday yesterday, however, the Emperor sent round notes requesting the attendance of Ministers on Tuesday. The semi-official press, though not nearly so violent as during the first days of the diffi- culty, seems determined not to let the matter drop. The Peuple of this evening contains three articles on the vexed question. It asks what use the Belgian Govern- ment intends to make of the power just conceded to it. The Eastern Company, adds the writer, is en- caged in negotiations for two lines running over t^rritnrv the Arlon Brussels and the Liege and Luxemburg branches let us await the result 01 these negotiations. The same paper asserts that the Belgian has just obtained from the Dutch Government an authorization to run a line through Limbourg this line which commences at Hasselt, terminates at Giad- S in Prussia, and will one day be of the greatest -?nuanTce as it forms one of the branches of the most direct line between Paris and Hamburg. M. Emile de J G.? rardin demands nothing less that the immediate recall of ?d?e l??Guer?onn ???L? d a claim for the repayment | of ^O0,00S,000 francs spent ^ngA^wjjp. and securi n'g th independknce of Belgium.-No onebasany right to complain of thegCant cerfmony with which the detreat m™eWetings where Government >s fp.tn.aH, orators wander from ?e que?st io?n ?a. at ?Mont? parnasM the other dav, to compare tbe two Napoleons to Marat the other ?y. to compare be ???po to blame for and Robespierre but ?????n orators of a different stamp from tbos of the Vieux Chene and Jardin de Paais are concerned. Obstacles have been thrown in the way o, f such mePn naas s JJu uees^ Faa"vree», St Marc Girardin Jules Simon, Legouve, Pel1etan, and otbers addressi the public on social questions. The result has been the same as usuai-sl, arger attenddaanncceeand ggreater enthusiasm. Government is ratber uneasy lest a demon- stration should take place on the 24th of February, the ann.versary of the ?? Louis Pbihppe. Several clubs proposed to meet, and a large number of w?rkmen Wednesndnaoyu.n? 'th? i??on of not -king on ,a?":
,- - - -CARMARTHEN WATER SUPPLY.
CARMARTHEN WATER SUPPLY. TO THE EDITOR OF THE "WELSHMAN." ,i__ nf fho vtrat.er nnnnlv I SIR,-Now, that tne estcumuu VL — rr » for the town of Carmarthen is under the consideration of the Town Council, allow me, through the mcdium of your valuable paper, to make a few remarks on this important question, not with a view to undo what has b? done, but to assist, if possible, in ge?ttng the beat and purest supply at the smallest cost. As «conslder able sum of money will have to be laid out on the in- creased supply, it is desirable that it shonld be d permanent site, where the purest water can be  Lhould recommend sinking ^r.al well in the ^"J,d between the Carmarthen Tin Works' stream ??d d river Towy. above Tanerdy, to see if the- is   of gravel below the bed of the iive- If J I £ have no doubt a constant supply of 2,000,000 gallons of water ?o form a storage during the ?n,ght ? ?d? ? ground to form a storage during the night to -juj **PPV r coming in by day when Pumping. H •  got by this means, we  have ater filtered thro ugh a^ n a tu r alfi 1 ter be and free from fish ed other 'impuntie. which will be pumped   taken direct from the Tin Works ?' g bt£ .egaa.inT) and thus avoiding the necessity of keeping one of the reservoirs for the water to subside in before being 8upplied to the town, and at the same time settle the question o pojia. tion by sewage, &c. "? condensing steam engine, ^enty-fi.re orB^ working six days a week, at ten hours per aay ^wjli raise the quantIty of water required. I have not made any drawings of the machinery, &c., but estimate the K'^SSaS# r.te»^nSi»e, pum*. buildings, main from pump, to reservoirs, wells, &c., At from £1,400 to j?1,500 (exclusive of purchase or com- pensation for land). Cost of working steam-eng.ine, six months in the year, will be-for coals, oil, engme- driver, &c., about L140, to which must be added interest on capital expended. The "?"?''?'? worked at any time required to keep the reservoirs full in case of fires, a consideration that should not be lost sight of. The principal streets can also be watered from the fire- plugs by uBing a hose instead of the watering.cart, and Lve the expense of the horses now used for th h t pur- pose. P Thave just seen an advertisement of the Guildford Local Board for tenders for sinking a well an to increase their water supply on the same principle I advocate. I am, Sir, Vrmrs trnlv. THOMAS BRIGHT. Old Foundry, Carmarthen, -'THOMAS BRIGHT. February 24, 1869.
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THE M?LFACTL.? OF J?LLEK  dc?t.?n.t of Fu.e Art pfoducUon?o this branch of tbe tnJnbUi.t t?dcB.in? the period ?? gre ExbibitiO" is admHably .x?.phH. in a most ?t''??,?"? ,?? puilhshed by Mr J. W. BEN?uK, who holds ME apGp.oint- ",ent to 11 KB the Ilirine,, ?f «d H.H. the Mah.rajah ofBu?an. of?. ?,?S?o? Street; 99, West- bunrnc Uro'c; and Ujf C'ty Steam ?ac?M??? 60, Legate H,ll It i* profusely illustrated with the most beautiful d.?nsof B?.cel.-?oo? FE?..r?D"?'Loocket.. &c„ &e iu ""en conceivable d with prices att.h.d..nd ?.-??'?-? purchaser i. enabled tO make a el('ction s?-d to h s eJ* ind have it forwarded to any p? .f the ?it? KlDgdom, India, or tbe Colonies. The price of thia most useful guide ,"???? '? for which it is for?aide ?d post free, and to any one wPn fa contemp]?"" ?'? weddtn?. a purchase, either for per,.orul wear or fOJ Ii weddIng. birtb-day, Christmas, or ot?her present, !t wwiilll l to found of the ury greate«t service. IL 16
-THE WEEK AT HOME. I
MR, FOfiStEfrS BILL. Evidently the Government thoroughly appreciates the aecessitjr for immediate legislation on the Middle-Class Endowed Schools, and does not share Mr Lowe's desire ftitttply to confiscate the endowments and appropriate tbill to such purposes as free libraries. The Vice-Presi- dent of the Council has lost not a moment in intro- ducing a Bill on the subject; and though we write with- out distinctly understanding all that he does propose, as his speech on Thursday night was too brief to give any command of the details of the subject, we may assume two points as certain,—(1) that Government is going to take full power so to utilize and classify the endowed grammar schools as to make the £ 210,000 a year, now worse than Wasted on them, really efficient for the edu- teatioti of the middle classes; (2) that it will constitute a good. ihspecting Board, with the assistance of the Uni. versities of Oxford, Cambridge, and London, which will fexamine both schoolmasters and schools, and certificate the teaching capacity of both,—and this not or.ly in re- lation to endowed schools, but to all private schools. These two steps are great steps, though of course it must depend on the way in which they are carried out, how far they will be successful for their end. But one thing is certain;—if the Government earn real credit for the measure they are proposing this year, as we hope they will, they will have done a great deal to lighten their task in dealing with the primary education next year. The objection to compulsory rating felt in many quar- ters, and especially in the agricultural districts, is not a btt!é due to the feeling of the farmers, and of others in their position, that while they are to be rated for the tnistruction of their labourers' children, they have access to no decently economical and efficient educational sys- tem for themselves that they are taxed heavily for the children of others, while the most terrible expense of their family life is the extravagant cost that they are compelled to incur for the teaching of their own. If this impression can be removed, and the middle-classes find that an efficient school is erected in every district costing, say, not more than £ 10 a year in all, for a day scholar, and not more than jE30 or e40 for a boarder, the angry jealousy of the taxation for primary schools would disappear. At present, it is undoubtedly true that the poorest class have a far better, as well as a far cheaper, education open to them than the poorer Middle-class. With regard to the modus operandi, we cannot of Course properly speak, till we have heard at length the intentions of the Government, and their reason for the modification they have introduced into the report of the Middle-Class Schools' Inquiry Commission. The most important of thsse modifications appear to be the sur- render of the local principle of re-organization. The proposal of the Commissioners had been to establish in each district a provincial board of education for the endowed schools, containing a Government Commis- sioner, who should be ex-officio trustee of every educational trust of the kind in the district and inspector Of all the schools in the district, and six or eight unpaid and independent residents of the district. They would have bad the power to consider and sanction all plans for the reorganization of the endowments of the district, for collecting driblets of endowment into a single fund adequate for a school, for spliting up other endowments, for transfering a school from a useless to a useful site, for determining which of the endowed schools should be uay-schools and which boarding-schools, and for decid- Ing of which grade' the school should be, i.e., whether Mapted for children who would have to leave and begin  at ?' ? at 16, or for those who, staying at school MM is' would be prepared with a view to further m the Universities. All this work of reorgan- hon Was intended, by the Commissioners, to have u^• done by these local Boards, though, of conrse, telr proposals were not to take effect without the sanc- ^v.6- Charity Commissioners. Now, as it appears, bIS ■««, i is to be, at all events, commenced by a single cceen?tral board,-a "very small Commission," Mr Forster !P £ °inL as we understand, for three or four years, tw whose work would be to draw up new trust ddeS eds ? where necessary, lT alter the existing trust deeds for all the endowed schools in England and Wales' to submit them to the Privy Council, which, if it ap. proved, would lay them before Parliament -no Bcheme to take effect if objected to by either House. Speaking with full reserve, and without objecting to be convinced that this is the best plan on sufficient evi- dence, we do at present incline to the original recom- mendation of the Commission. A local origin for any scheme of reform will be of immense advantage in silencing hostility, and in giving the new scheme a good popular start. There is still,—especially in some districts,—a keen jealousy of the central power. Yorkshiremen will look with infinitely more favour on a scheme that has proceeded from Yorkshire than on a scheme set down from Lunnon." And besides this, the work of local re-organization is no trifle, and it will need a good local inquiry and demand a good deal of local evidence. A school cannot be moved every two or three years. The alteration of the centres of education is a grave matter, and if done without sufficient atten- tion to the middle-class wants of the district, may have to be done over again. Whether the Government be right or not, there is unquestionably a strong case for the plan of the Commissioners. However, on this point of course we need to have the reasons of the Govern- ment at full length before we can pretend to decide. We observe with satisfaction that Mr Forster indi- cated that his own opinion still leans to the old plan. We notice that onr Tory contemporaries are already preparing to earn more of that gratitude from the Eng- lish Church which has been so useful to them on matters of greater moment, by crying out that whatever freedom is to be permitted in altering the trust deeds so as to make the founders' money more efficient, there must be no tampering with the provision for instruction in the principles of the Church of England, whenever that provision is included in the founders' wills. Now we bave no objection at all to insisting that whenever Church instruction is provided for, it shall be procured for those whose parents wish them to have it. But we should lose one of the greatest of the promised advan- tages, if we do not resolutely insist that all day-schools shall at least be open to the whole country, without any question of the differences of belief or creed, and that DO child shall be compelled to hear religious instruction to which its parents object. Another point seems to us of essential importance. There must be, in future, no restriction of creed in chosing the masters for any day- school, even though Church of England instruction be provided for expressly in the trust-deed. There is no reason at all why this should not be provided for by special arrangement with a clergyman and, for day- at least, the master should be the person most mcient to superintend the general instruction. With regard to Church boarding-schools, where the trust to each the Church Catechism has been expressly embodied in the deed, and the wants of the district show the need o such a school, it may, no doubt, be necessary to have the head master a Churchman or even a clergyman; but even intbisease,if there be a day-school also, the Bill ought le think, to provtde for admission of children of all sects to the secular classes on payment of the school fees. The ^p ommission should at least get rid of all needless re- strictions on the efficiency of the masters, and we are happy to observe that masters are not in future to be required to be in holy orders, except in those endowed School's -we believe comparatively very few,—where it shown that the founder intended, and that the inten- Ion bas been continuously carried out, to make the 80hool a distinctively denominational school. O the whole, we have great reason to be satisfied Wth the prompitude and energy of the Government. hatever Mr Forster's Bill may have omitted to do, it 0- early takes enough power to revolutionize completely the organization of the endowed schools of England ar)(I Wales There is no question but that the pro- osed Commission can mass or distribute endowments, mo a school, determine whether any school is to be 11 boarding-shool or a day-school, alter the subjects of at Udy, and, in short, adapt the system absolutely to the Walmts of the district. This is the sine qua non. We Want to have no more endowed schools without scholars, GO more schools which profess to teach only Latin and reek grammar in any case, and don't teach that to ten Per cent. of the pupils,-no more schools whose only ech is to prepare for the Universities, and which yet?? ?sr by any chance do prepare a scholar for the Xj .V6It'es' If Mr Footer's Bill provides a machinery that^l-n sweep away these anomalies, we shall not be xjQnc 18P°sed to quarrel with that machinery, so long ag p ariiament can be persuaded to adopt it.—?ce?o?-. HiiT, .1.U.I!À HISTORY OF THE FRENCH TREATY. I II "I,, tne French treaty was under discussion in the Souse of p m°°S' Mr Horsman laid great stress upon ?c slitth<.??? it Put upon parliamentary government ? Franc He insisted that the negotiation had only succeeded h ? ^.aaon of the provision in the Imperial Constitutio -1?*1 empowered the Executive to con- Onatitution le empowered the Executive to con- elude o ereiil treaties without the sanction of the e isla?ure. a 1856 the Corps Legialatif had made an ^availing t i°r^e abolition of this power, and  Horsman con< that for England, knowing this, to be a nartu < ° ??y which, he maintained, Corps LegiBlatifwb|ch, as he maintaiaed, th e CORP" ?eg's'ELtif would certainly have rejected had it be,. Ited,  make herself the accomplice of X.P.J., Ill. in '3ilenel'39 even that attenuated re- presentation which worth « Mf** to the French people. The argument was worth "Othing, since one nation can only deal with aiaother through the medium of its re- cognized sovereign, ??,iif France ? content to be governed after this absolute f?- governed after this absolute trb.1ce 18 content to be why England should be more s Q there is D0 reason she chooses to be for herself Bq eatnlsh for her than Mr Horsman founded his reasoni'°° ?cta on which first time been given to the worlJng have now for the first time been given to the world 8n iTe authority of an unimpeachable witness. on y 0 In an appendix to Professor Bonamy pri ?? >"lectures on Currency appears a letter from M. Mich h ect.res containing a complete account of the manner i e:;t the treaty of commerce was arranged Itse!?.???' In first publication of Professor Price's inaugu:aÍ ?tura at Oxford, M. Chevalier considered tha? "? P?a?e of it the credit of introducing free traS i? Praxtee had been too exclusively attributed to th Emperor. Professor Price at once offered to publish an statcmen which his correspondent might feel dis- Posed ♦ 5 make by way of correction. The' offer was accepted, and a long letter dated the 8th of January, 1862, is the result. Considered as a contribution to contemporary history M. Chevalier's narrative is of unusual interest. The Imperial Government, he says, had been convinced by the Exhibition of 1855 that French industry was perfectly competent to hold its own against all comers without the aid of prohibitory duties but an attempt to act upon this conviction in the following year was so ill received by the Corps Legislatif that the idea was altogether abandoned. This failure drew M. Chevalier's thoughts to the exceptional power possessed by the Emperor under the Constitution, but as the moment was not favourable to its employ- ment, he was obliged to wait for better times. In the summer of 1859, however, he came to London and there met Mr Cobden, to whom he pointed out the provision in the French Constitution, and the use that might be made of it in the conclusion of a commercial treaty between their respective countries. Mr Cobden, who was at first opposed to the project, soon camejrpund to it, and undertook to communicate it to the English Government. Several reasons combined to point out that autumn as the time for action. Lord Palmerston wanted to strengthen his majority in the House of Commons, and, with that view, was anxious to secure the wavering votes of the Manchester school; while the Emperor of the French, whose personal sympathy with the cause of free trade had never been doubtful, wished Lord Palmerston to remain in office, and might, therefore, be expected to look approvingly on any scheme which increased his chance of doing so. In October M. Chevalier visited England again, had inter- views with Mr Cobden and Mr Bright, and finally, on the evening of the 15th, with Mr Gladstone. Mr Cobden had so well prepared the way that all the details of the proposed treaty were settled in three quarters of an hour. M. Chevalier then crossed over from Carlton-gardens to the Athenaaum Club and ar- ranged with Mr Cobden to meet him in Paris on the 22nd. It was agreed that they should travel by different routes, in order not to attract the notice of the Prohibition- ists." On reaching Paris, M. Chevalier laid the matter before M. Rouher, by whom it was communicated to the Emperor. M. Chevalier and Mr Cobden were at once received in strict privacy at St. Cloud. The Emperor told them he had determined upon concluding the treaty, but begged them to keep the secret for some weeks longer. In the middle of November the negotia- tions were formally begun-MM. Rouher and Baroche representing France, and Lord Cowley and Mr Cobden England. M. Fould, the Minister of State, was favour- able to the treaty, and was, therefore, let into the secret. M. Magne, the Minister of Finance, and M. Greterin, the Director-General of the Customs, were Protectionists, and consequently no hint was given them of what was going on. Indeed, so great were the precautions taken that not a single subordinate was employed throughout the negotiations. M. Rouher's notes were written out fair by his wife, and Mdme. Michel Chevalier performed the same service for Mr Cobden. It was not till the treaty was all but ready for signature that the Emperor mentioned the subject to the Council of Ministers. The Protectionist leaders made all the use they could of the brief interval that remained, but their efforts, as we know, were unavailing. M. Michel Chevalier may well claim to be the promoter" of free trade in France.— Pall Mall Gazette. COUNTY FINANCIAL BOARDS. I We have reason to know that some Members or the present Government, with the Premier at their head, have long been giving their attention to the question of County Financial Boards, so that with their advent to office something is really likely to be done." It is five or six weeks since we stated thus much, and in the Royal Speech on Tuesday the following paragraph occurs: "A measure will be introduced for applying the principle of representation to the control of the County Rate by the establishment of Financial Boards for counties." It is probable that the Bill thus pro mised will be based on the Report of the Select Com- mittee of last year, which runs thus: 1st. That the Boards of Guardians in counties should elect represen- tatives, who should be admitted to take part in and vote at all meetings of magistrates held in such coun- ties for the consideration of questions of county expen- diture. 2nd. That in cases where a Poor-Law Union is situated in more than lone county, a representative may be elected in each county where there are at least six parishes or townships and that where there is a less number, the parishes or townships should be added to the adjoining union for the purposes of election. 3rd. That Committees appointed for the purpose of managing the finances of separate departments, should consist of an equal number of magistrates and repre- sentatives, each body electing its own members of such committees." Nobody would seem to have been par- ticularly satisfied either with the constitution of this said Committee or the result of its deliberations but we will assume, as Her Majesty's Speech expresses it, that the principle of representation" is embodied in the recommendations here quoted and this at least is something to go on. After, then, the number of years the agriculturists have been busy over this matter, they may surely be congratulated on at last having a place in the Parliamentary programme. It is very possible, indeed, that the Government may be induced to go on even further than the Committee, if the Farmers' Friends in the House only do their duty and seldom have these honourable gentlemen enjoyed a greater opportunity. For the new blood, more particularly, the occasion offers an almost unparalleled opening. Throwing aside for the nonce all party feeling, they can go honestly with the Government in the effort to do some justice to a class in the State for which, so far, so little consideration has been evinced. Somehow or other, however, the promised measure does not seem to meet with quite that warm welcome which might have been anticipated. Mr Corrance, in fact, the only Farmers' Friend who has Hitherto deli- vered himself, was manifestly dissatisfied with all he had heard. Strangely enough, moreover, although he commenced by a somewhat pointed reference to the threatened financial reforms, he had not a word of thanks to offer for the suggested reform of County Finances. On the contrary, he entirely ignored this paragraph in the Speech, as apparently having no interest for himself or his constituents, while he went on to say "It must, he thought, be acknowledged that the agricultural community, consisting of landlords, tenants, and labourers, had not had its due share of that enlightened legislation by which the commercial classes had of late years so benefited. If such should continue to be the case, the result would be that their representatives would take their place in that House as an interest apart, in order that they might the better be able to fight their battles." Of course all this ap- plies quite as much to a Conservative as a Liberal Go- vernment, and if Mr Corrance will only turn to the Royal Speeches issued when his own Party was in power, he will pretty generally find that even less men- tion was made of the agricultural community than in the Address of which he now so earnestly complains. But, beyond this, cannot the Honourable Member for Suffolk see that the present Government is ready to fight one of the farmers' battles? Let me have some voice and share in the management of the funds to which I contribute so largely," has been the poor man's prayer for ever so long. And to this Mr Gladstone responds on the very first opportunity after the Com- mittee has concluded its labours, You shall have a voi e in the matter, as it is only fair and proper that you should." Providing always, that is, the farmer's own very par- ticular friends will let him. The Bill of last session came from the other side of the House, and had Mr Disraeli remained in office it is very doubtful whether any such paragraph as that on County Boards would have been admitted to Her Majesty's Speech. It would be affectation to attempt to conceal the fact that the country gentlemen are in their hearts very generally opposed to any share and share of management. The leading members, indeed, of the Conservative side have openly avowed as much. Sir John Fackington has declared that. We all in our consciences know there is nothing to complain of in the internal management of the affairs of our counties that there is no extrava- gance, no mismanagement, but merely the honest dis- charge by the gentlemen of England of the functions which the law imposes on them. Mr Warner Henley has said with more bitterness of tone they had hither- to managed their affairs very smoothly;" and Sir Matthew Ridley has spoken to the transaction of financial business in every county by a numerous body of gentlemen, who had performed this for a long period .1.- L.- ftnH satiafap.tinn of thA nnhlip," Tn LU LLL", r the House of Lords another eminent country gentleman, Lord Berners, is known to be as inimical to the eman, ment; and although Lord Hardwicke asked one ,ove- day for the following return, it is very problematical whether his Lordship did so with any idea of s:a lea ing the Government measure The amount of pport- raised in England and Wales by the magistrates in the year 1868 showing the county or portion of I county, the amount in the pound on the rateable pro- perty of each county, how the moneys so raised in each county were expended, with the amount under each head of XD Still, as we have said, the introduction of the Bill will offer an extraordinary opportunity for those in earnoeT st, nan nd if the Central Chamber of Agriculture be in earnest, it must not suffer this to slip through its ang?ers ?? ??? h?nds, as it did the cattle-plague business.  the last report the Chamber congratulates i?tself ?on 'hh?a?v?° o?i?ted, or at any rate. revived "I present manifestation of public opinion in favour of Present man?t.a_tio?? I public ? opinion in favour uf County Boards Let ? us ? ? ? while the second wou?dbe?n? ? ?? the Government has promised to ? a as the third step must be, of course, carrying ^his through. Let there be no of course carrym ??i  g^^ of the must bme,i? stake about ??- ???, parliament, at the Chamber is to look to matters before Parliament, at the same time that it is not a poh,. h, ca? ??o?y It recognizes neither Whig nor Tory-Coservative nor adical. Here is a matter before Parliament over WhICh the Chamber can arrange ??.??,?' and we are very will. ing to admit that ?t?.?b?? ?,h?.. to do. There are some very shifty people to aea^ with j and the action of the Chamber will be regarded with close at- tention, not to say suspicion. The first Chairman of the Central Chamber recently seconded a rree8sooliuuntioonn which went to aoirm that the management of County Finances was not a fit subject to be considered by the farmers of the county which he represents in Parlia- ment. The late Chairman, when in the House, was always promising to do something about Financial Boards, but never did anything and the present Chair- man at only the beginning of this year was very resolute in contradicting a report that he was preparing any Bill on the subject. Yet further, the deputation that went up to Mr Gladstone the other day was especially anxious that County Finance should never be mentioned, while Mr Corrance, another leading mem- ber ofe Chamber, would seem, as we have just shown, to by no means appreciate this piece of consideration for the agriculturist on the part of Her Majesty's Ministers. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. There can be no possible doubt but that a number of county members and country gentlemen who are not members of the Central Chamber will oppose the County Finance Bill. They will do so not merely because they are in opposi- tion, but because their own feelings and opinions are against the establishment of such a principle. The point is how can their influence be counteracted P Can they be talked over or smoothed down ? Or can the M.P.'s of the Central Chamber be set up against them F Mr Gladstone no doubt thinks, and thinks rightly, that in bringing in this Bill he is meeting the wishes of and doing justice to the farmers. But if he sees that the farmers' representatives are lukewarm over the business he will become proportionately lukewarm himself and we shall so obtain even a less share of enlightened legislation." Mark Lane Express. THE NEW BELGIAN TROUBLE. I it requires some patience to study, and still more to discuss, the new difficulty which has arisen, or has been made to seem to arise, in Continental politics. We use the cautious phrase advisedly, for it is bard to resist the suspicion that the word of command which has clearly been pased to the French journals to alarm Europe has been given without serious intent, in order to keep tip an excitement in the French mind, which Imperialists consider favourable to their cause in the forthcoming elections. If there is to be war, internal reform must wait, that is the instinctive, and we may add, the patriotic conclusion in the mind of almost every voter in France, and it may be consequently an object with the French Government to keep up the idea that war is a possibility. No more profigate policy could be conceived, and that it should be even suggested is a strong proof of the deep distrust felt by the Opposition in the loyalty and fairness of the Administraion but unfortunately France has become too accustomed to expect manipulations of the elaborate" to dismiss the idea as unworthy of consideration. It may be a mistake nevertheless, to accept that solution of all disputes too easily. The elections are still distant if Napoleon does not hasten them, there is no proof that the Emperor has abandoned all idea of extending the frontier of France, and there is much evidence that the irritation amongst certain sections of French society at the "pretensions" of Prussia is strong enough of itself to make war easy. Belgium always haunts the imagination of French politicians, and there are minds like M. Emile de Girardin's, to which the idea of a fight with Prussia for Belgium, that is, for a stake more substantial than national prestige, has almost irresistible attractions. No such contest would be possible were England willing to interfere decidedly, but the French may be relying on the notorious, and indeed avowed, reluctance of the present Government to engage in war. It is not, indeed, likely that Count von Bismarck has made over- tures to Dord Clarendon which have been coldly received, as the curious French newspaper sold in London, and apparently as hostile to Prussia as if it were demi-official, ventured recently to say, but the quiescence of Great Britain must always be a point for or against any project in the Emperor's calculations. It is worth while, then, just to glance at the cause of the present disturbance. The Great Eastern of France has been for some negotiating an arrangement with the Great Luxemburg Railway, a concern belonging mainly to Englishmen, which is described as a complete fusion, giving the French the control of the most im- portant strategic lines in Belgium,—direct routes from Metz to Brussels and Verviers. All French lines are more or less under the control of the State, and in the event of war, supposing the Luxemburg line not to be destroyed,—and the American expedience shows that the destruction of a railway in war time is extremely difficult,-a French army could be thrown by railway below Brussels, which would then be threatened from two sides, and be absolutely untenable. Moreover, the line extending, as it does, to Verviers, brings the French Army close to the Prussian frontier by a road which the French Government could use at once, while the Prussian Government could not until they had fought successfully for its possession. Using it for such a pur- pose would be a breach of neutrality; but the neutrality of little States is not always respected in war, and for Belgium to tear up French rails to arrest trains full of French iioupD vvuviid tc « "on" t»oV tv.. u. these considerations, or its permanent anxiety for the stragetic position of Belgium, moved the Prussian Government to make representations at Brussels is still entirely uncertain. The French journals say the representations were made; but the French journals are very angry, and other explanations are at least as possible. The Government of Brussels may have feared for its own position, which was cer- tainly menaced by the transaction, and for its own financial prospects, which, according to the Minister of Finance, might have been deeply affected, the scheme embracing a branch line which would have given the French an alterative route to Holland and Germany without passing over the State Railways of Belgium at all. That this fear was not the only one which influ- enced them is evident from a remark by M. Oets, who, in the report drawn up for the information of the Cham- ber, declares, as one main reason for prohibiting the scheme, that there are things in a people's life which are felt without its being necessary to express them, and what is best understood is precisely that which need not be said j" and from the formal statement of M, Frere-Orban, Belgian Minister of Finance, that he trusted the House would protect the dignity of the nation but the Belgian Ministry took advantage of the" economic danger" to avoid any further expres- sions irritating to France. Under cover of alarm for aeir finance, they introduced a Bill prohibiting the sale of Belgian lines to foreigners, requested a suspension of the standing orders, and swept their measure through the Chamber by a vote of 61 to 16, the only serious op- ponent being M. Coomans, who was rather laughed at than answered by his adversaries. It still awaits the sanction of the Senate, but of this there is no reasonable doubt, and the entire transaction may be considered quashed. I I That the measure proposed by tne oaDinet ot Brussels is one within the competence of an independent State seems beyond discussion, the shareholders in the Luxem- burg line being State concessionnaires but it is clear also that it indicates a deep distrust of French designs in Belgium, and the French journals are savagely an- noyed. The Journal Officic.1, of course, takes no notice of the affair but La France, which is still directed and owned by M. de la Guerroniere, the French Minister at Brussels, traces the hand of Count von Bismarck throughout the transaction, and declares with some dig- nity of expression that France is weary of the uncer- tain and precarious situation of her foreign relations." The Liberie, edited by M. Emile de Girardm, screams for the frontier of the Rhine and most ominous of all, Le Peuple, a halfpenny journal, believed in Paris to be the Emperor's private property, and certainly devoted to the ideas of Imperialist democracy, declares that France has long desired the annexation of Belgium, and has only been restrained by the moderation of the Emperor. The International, the little evening paper mentioned above, printed in Paris and London, sold in all kiosques, and certainly not hostile to the Govern- ment, telis the Belgians they are hastening the day when their country will be once more the battlefield of Europe and even L' Opinion Nationalc expresses a feeling of annoyance at another French defeat. All this may not mean that any serious complication is at hand, may be, as we have said, an excitement fostered for electioneering purposes, or even the mere result of a dull journalistic season but it looks very much as if the French Go- vernment were not indisposed to seize any occasion of a quarrel or dispute either with Belgium or Prussia, and as if France herself felt on that point some sympathy with the Emperor. Much of this feeling is, no doubt, traceable to vexation at the language recently employed by the Prussian Premier, which, as we pointed out last week. is frank to a desrree rare even amoner German statesmen, and which naturally wounds a people who, as a rule, talk rapiers, not bludgeons but the ultimate cause lies deeper. Frenchmen cannot get rid of the idea that the new distribution of Germany fetters, or rather chokes, France, and are always feeling their own necks to see if there is really a collar there. It is not quite false, either, all this. The idea that Count von Bismarck worries himself about Belgian Railways may be an exaggeration of ill-temper, though his organ did say that Belgium would be protected by the whole power of North Germany but still it is true that the rise of Prussia has greatly limited the influence of France, has, for example, given Italy an alter- native alliance, has made Belgium more inde- pendent has destroyed French authority in Germany, and has made a strong" policy in the East much more difficult and full of danger. Wherever, says M. de la Guerrnnier's paper, there is a Erench interest, an order from Berlin is sufficient to thwart it. In Luxemburg, notwithstanding the evident justice of our claims, we were openly defied in Italy every misunder- standing was promoted which could estrange from it a friendly country indebted to us for its iniependence; at Bucharest, the army of Prince Karl has been Prus- sianized, and our military mission has been rendered impossible; at Brussels, Beligum has been drawn within the orbit of Prussian policy, and France is held up to suspicion." France dose not like this, even while she yields to it; and although not disposed to compel the Emperor to a war for prestige, she would, we fear, follow him with even more than her usual alacrity to a struggle which it is clear, from M. Bismarck's speeches, he is not unwilling to accept. This, the angry jealousy between Prussia and France, is the one grand danger of Europe, the one point which makes it needful to watch every indication of the Emperor's mind even to Collate little sentences and small paragraphs from semi-inspired journals This jealousy removed, Europe might enjoy another half-century of peacc but while it exists a general war is possible, even abfut the proprietorship of a Belgian railway, or the change of garrison in a Baden fortress,- Spe(!tatoi-.