The New York Herald Newspaper, October 18, 1869, Page 6

NEW YORK HERALD BROADWAY AND ANN STREET. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR. All business or news letter and telegraphic despatches must be addressed New York HERALD. Letters and packages should be properly sealed. Rejected communications will not be re- turned. THE DAILY HERALD, published every day in the year. Four cents per copy. Annual subscription Price $12. JOB PRINTING of every description, atso Stereo- typing and Engraving, neatly and promptly exe- outed at the lowest rates, Volume XXXIV..... AMUSEMENTS THIS EVENING. GRAND OPERA HOUSE, corner of Eighth avenue and 28d street. —CHARLES O'MALLEY. FRENCH poraren, Hdth @t, and éth av.—Comepy SEASON—SAM. BOOTH'S THEATRE, 22dat., between Sth and 6th avs.— Mary WARNER. OLYMPIC THEATRE, Brosaway.—Tus StReEre or New York. THE TAMMANY, Fourteenth street.—Ix10N—ToT; on, Tux RENDEZVOUB, &C. FIFTH AVENUE THEATRE, Fifth avenue and Twenty: fourth street.—As You Like Ir. NIBLO'S GARDEN, Brondway.—Tus CRLEBRATED Pay or EAst LYNNE. WOOD'S MUSEUM CURIOSITIES, Broadway, corner Thirtieth st.—Matinee daily. Performance every evening. WALLACK'S THEAT! TUE SCHOOL FOR SCAND, Broadway and 18h street. BOWERY THEATRE, Bowery.—MONTR CRrrIsto—Rep GNOME AND WHITE WARRIOR. WAVERLEY THEATRE, No. 220 Broadway. —A Guanp VARIeTY ENTERTAINMENT. BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF MUSIC.—Houmpry Dumpty —Hiocony Dicooxy Dock. MRS. F. B, CONWAY'S PARK THEATRE, Brooklyn.— HAMLET, TONY PASTOR'S OPERA HOUSE, 21 Bowery.—Coute Vooaiiam, NEGRO MINSTRELBY, £0. THEATRE COMIQUE, 614 Broxdway.—Comto Vocat- tem, Nrano Acre, &c. a BRYANTS' OPERA HO! Tammany Building, 14th @t.—BRYANI6’ MINSTRELS—NEGRO ECORNTRICITINS, &C. 8AN FRANCISCO MINSTRELS, 585 Broadway.—Erato- PIAN MINSTRELSY, NEGRO AcTS, &0. NEW YORK CIRCUS, Pourte AND GYMNAGTIC PRRFORMANC th, strect.—EQuesTRian 1&0. HOOLEY'S OPERA HOUSE, Brooklyn.—Hoo.ry's MINSTRELS—UNDER THE Lany Lion, NEW YORK MUSEUM OF ANATOMY, 615 Broadway.— BOLENOE AND ART. NEW YORK MUSEUM OF ANATOMY, 690 FEMALES ONLY IN ATTENDANCE. TRIPLE SHEET. October 18), New York, Monda: 1869, TO ADVERTISERS. Iacreasing Circulation of the Herald. We are again constrained to ask advertisers to hand in their advertisements at as early an hour as possible. Our immense and constantly increasing editions compel us, notwithstanding our presses are capable of printing seventy thousand copies an hour, to put our forms to press much earlier than usual, and to facilitate the work we are forced to stop the classifications of advertigements at nine o'clock P, M, Europe. Cabie telegrams are dated October 17. By special telegram through the French Atlantic cable we learn that the Spanish insurgents tn Valen- cia surrendered to the reguiar army force on Satur- day. The place was occupied by the army, General Prim had ordered the storming of Valencia by despatch from Madrid. It was not known when the Spanish Cortes would reassemble. The French legisiative oppositionists are preparing & manifesto. Napoleon will, it ts said, ‘modify’? his Cabinet. The merchants’ clerks of Paris were still on “strike.” Our special correspondents in Europe furnish very interesting details of our cable telegrams to the 6th of October. Paraguay. ‘ Latest advices from the Paraguayans state that Lopez, instead of fleeing the country an shelter in Bolivia, as represented by the ies, has established himself at San Estanislaus, supported by plenty of artillery and a respectable army. Owing to the want of horses and mules the allies were una- ble to continue the pursuit, Miscellaneous, A memorial to Congress has been prepared by the citizens of Washington setting forth various griev- ances under which they labor owing to Congres- sional neglect of affairs of the District of Columbia, A number of public improvements, which properly are the work of the government, they offer to com- plete if permission be granted them. They say the prosperity of their city is impeded by the uncer- tainty of its remaining the national capital, and con- clude their petition by asking Congress, in case it shoula not see fit to grant redress for the several evils complained of, to place the District under the laws and government of the State of Maryland or Massachusetts, or any other State that may be deemed proper. It 18 understood in Washington that Judge Pierre- pont, of New York, will be appointed one of the Justices of the United States Supreme Court, Attor- + mey General Hoar preferring to remain in the Cabinet to accepting a place on the Supreme bench. The Nationat Convention of Local Preachers of the Methodist Episcopal Church of the United States met in Cincinnati yesterday and organized, John Gotohell, of New York, was elected chairman. The Virginia Legisiature reassembles to-day at Richmona for the purpose of electing United States Senators. The conservatives have determined to choose a8 Senators only such men as can con- scientiously take the iron-clad oath and will be acceptable to both the aumiuistration and Congress, nud whose influence in Washington will secure government aid in the completion of several enter- prises of great importance to their State. At Taylorsville, Ind., yesterday, during a dispute concerning the settlement of some accounts, & man named Harvey Springster was instantly killed, and bis brother, Abe Springster, so badly wounded that he died in a few minutes, Shortly after the shoot. ing @ vigilance committee went to the house of a man'who had been warned to leave the neighbor- hood by the 20th and fired several shots, causing him to leave at once, Another man who had been ‘warned, but paid no attention to the notice, was found dead tn the woods, Tho East Boston Mavinck petroleum refinery was Gestroyed by fire yesterday morning; joss $60,000, Work has been commenced on the California and Oregon Kailroaa, and will be vigorously pusted to completion. Materiai for 100 miles of road are on hand. The breaks in the Erie Canal have been repaired, ‘and navigation wil) be resumed this morning. The Louisiana State Seminary at Alexandria was Mestroyed by fire on Thursday night last, Loss $140,000—no insurance. The fire 1s supposed jo have been the work of an incendiary. The City. Abont one o’clock yesterday morning a German gamed Streuben, while passing along West atrect, NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1869~TRIPLE SHEET. ‘was seized by two highwaymen, who robbed him of twenty dollars.and then attempted to murder him by throwing bim into the dock, from which he was rescued by the police. Alderman Armfield, of Brook(yn, republican nom- inee for Mayor of that ofty, declines the nomina- tion. Alfred Fries, of East New York, was attacked by three footpads on Saturday night and relieved of $250 and a watch aud chain valued @t seventy dol- lara, is John Adama, aged twelve years, was arraigned before Justice Dodge yesterday morning charged with stabbing Edward Early, aged ten years, in the abdomen, inflicting a severe wound. Prominent Arrivals in the City, William Huntington, of Washington; F, Soiveres, of the Spanish Legation, and Charles F, Wadaworth, of Buffalo, are at the Albemarle Hotel. R. C. McCormick, of Arizona, and R, J. Haldeman, of Massachusetts, are at the Astor House. D, Ruiz, of the Cuban Junta, is at the Hoffman House, , L, Anderson and J. J, Farran, of Cincinnati, are at the Fifth Avenue Hotel. Professor 8. Jaycock, of England, and Colone! W. B. Henry, of Santa Fé, are at the St. Charles Hotel, Major E. E. Sellers, of the United States Army, 18 at the Metropolitan Hotel. P. H. Smith, of Chicago; W. H. Seward, Jr., of Auburn; ©. N, Washburn, of California; N. Lord, of Cucinnatt; J. B, Chaffen, of Colorado; Rev. ©. D, N. Campbell, D. D., of St. Louis, and W. H. Macfariand, of Richmond, are at the St. Nicholas Hotel, Prominent Departures. D. J. Morrill, W. 8. Holman, E, Wella, J. Lynch and General Benjamin F, Butler, for Boston, and J. H. Hackett, for Montreal. The New Commercial Era—Movement of Trade from East to Weat. The expression that ‘‘westward the course of empire takes its way” is true in a commercial.as well as ina political sense. Indeed, in modern times political power and national greatness generally go with commercial influence and wealth, It was commerce or trade that made Tyre and Carthage great in ancient times; this that made Venice and the Italian republics rich and powerful ata later period; this that gave Spain her power in the time of her great- ness; this that made Holland—a small State in Europe—one of the mightiest countries on theglobe; this that gave England her won- derful wealth, great power and an empire larger than any that ever existed.in the world, and this which has contributed largely to the sur- prising growth and grandeur of the American republic. If we look back to history we shall see that commerce and empire have followed the course of the sun from east to west. From Asia, bordering the Mediterranean and the coast of Africa, they passed over to Europe on the west- ward side of that sea, and from thence to the western maritime States of the European Con- tinent, Finally, the course of empire has taken its way across the Atlantic. The American republic is marching with rapid strides to a point of greatness that’ will eclipse all pre- ceding or existing nations. Had it not been for the war we should be now the first marf- time nation on the globe. We had, just before that event, more tonnage than Great Britain, and far more than any other country. Though we have been compelled to take the second place, it cannot be long before we must take the first. The decline of American tonnage and shipping interests, resulting primarily from the war, must and will be arrested by suitable legislation, by the complete restora- tion of the republic and our national finances, and by the rapid material progress of the country. The necessity of doing something to this end immediately is seen both by Con- gress and the people. The Congressional committee who have been sitting in this city for the past week for the purpose of investigating the cause of the decline of American shipbuilding and shipping interests and to provide a remedy, as well as the mass of valuable information elicited, show that the public mind is alive to this subject and that we are approaching the turning point, Gloomy as the state of things regarding our mércantile marine has been the last few years, it is impossible that this great, rich and progressive country can long occupy the second position as a maritime nation. Before the year 1900—yes, in twenty-five years—our present pqpulation of forty millions will be increased probably to a hundred mil- lions. And what is not such an ambitious, industrious, inventive and energetic population capable of accomplishing? Then look at our vast coast, over ten thousand miles in extent, on the Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf of Mexico, with its numberless harbors; at the inexhaustible forests of the fimest timber and illimitable deposits of the best iron and coal; at the wonderful variety of products that énter into commerce, and at the aptitude of the America people for trade, enterprise and maritime pursuits. Is it possible for such a people and country to occupy long a second rate maritime position? The British and the people of some other nations are looking to the Suez Canal as des- tined to change the currents of trade, and no doubt that will prdfluce a great effect, as far as the trade of Europe with India and the East generally goes, To some extent and in a cer- tain sense this great work of modern times may turn the course of trade from the West to the East, and may establish an empire again on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean. But even then the ultimate destination and concen- tration of the trade between Asia and Europe will be westward still. France, Italy, Austria and other countries on the European Continent will get a share and receive great benefit, but a large portion will go to England. All this, however, will not interfere with the increasing - tendency of commerce further west still, across the Atlantic, nor retard the progress toward commercial supremacy and an overshadowing republican empire in America. Though the course of trade has been through- out history from east to west, it reaches its most western limit in the United States. It may tend more and more from the Atlantic side to’the Pacific, as the interior of the Con- tinent fills up with population, as the vast West becomes developed, and as the Pfcific States increase their commerce with China and other countries of Asia and with Australia, but it will stop here. The empire of commerce cannot pass over the great ocean and fall into the hands of an inferior race. China, India, Japan and Australia will advance, undoubt- edly, but their progress will only tend to increase the commercial power and importance of the United States ina greater ratio, Mextco and the Central and South Amorican States will all be tributaries to our future commercial Greatnoss, The race for this empire now Is between England and the United States. While the former has some advantages at present in her larger tonnage, facilities for shipbuilding and accumulated capital, she sees her manufactures, upon which her vast com- merce is based, passing into other hands, The cry of alarm has gone up already, not only about this, but from some of her statebmen with regard to the limit of her coal fields also, The thinking men of England begin to look with alarm upon the future. They see that the empire of commerce, wealth and greatness will be here on the American Continent, This is inevitable destiny, The growth and resources of the country will bring that about, however weak and short-sighted our public men may be. While Congress indulges in its twaddle and miserable party politics, and while commercial conventions occupy themselves with highflown platitudes and impracticable resolutions, the republic is marching on through. natural causes toa point of commercial great- ness and empire that no nation has attained, and which none hereafter will approach. Good Nowe from Dr. Livingstenc—The Mighty Nile. We have late and authentic news from that indomitable African explorer, Dr. Livingstone, that he is not only alive and well, but that in prosecuting his geographical researches he has discovered that one of the sources of the Nile, emptying into the great lake Victoria Nyanza, rises some ten degrees south of the equator. If this be true the Nile becomes the longest river in the world, eclipsing even the tremendous sweep of the Missouri from its; sources to the Mississippi and thence to th Gulf, A fair idea of the long line of the Nile may be formed from the fact that the distance between its last reported source and its delta along the Mediterranean is equal to the dis- tance from Lima, in Peru, to the city of New York, or, from the city of Mexico away up to Mount St. Elias, the end of the backbone of this Continent, in Alaska. Well, then, may the ancient river of Egypt be called the mighty Nile. But we need go no further on the one hand than into the mountains of Abyssinia, whence the Blue Nile and the Albara tributaries of the main stream descend, and, on the other hand, to the lakes Albert and Victoria Nyanza, the great reservoirs of the White Nile or main river, in order to establish the life-giving and never-failing stream ot Egypt, in its peculiar features, as the most wonderful in the world. From the deluging rains which, from the Indian Ocean, are borne and discharged upon the Abyssinian mountains and tablelands, come the enriching annual overflow of Egypt, while from the abounding equatorial rains of the lofty regions around lakes Albert and Victoria flows that exhaustless supply of the main stream which; for fifteen hundred miles through a burning desert, bears still its ample volume to the sea. These facts have been fully established by the explorations of that intelligent traveller and dashing son of Nim- rod, Sir Samuel Baker, in conjunction with the equatorial discoveries of Speke, Grant and Burton. Baker, in the service of the enter- prising Egyptian Viceroy, is now at the head of a powerful expedition en route to take pos- session of the wholé line of the Nile, and should Livingstone remain a few months longet “prospecting” around those equatorial lake: Baker will probably find him and bring him off, Such a meeting would be an event for a general festival among the geographical societies throughont the world, General Thomas on Alaska. After a thorough personal inspection of Alaska, General George H. Thomas, a man of careful inquiry and sound judgment, pro- nounces substantially that great purchase ‘a sell.” He does not agree with Mr. Seward at all. What if the American eagle soars in the skies of Alaska and the “humming bird does not disdain to flutter there,” General Thomas still thinks the Territory ‘‘good for nix.” They have plenty of timber and coal up there; but we have plenty of these articles nearer home. For farming Alaska is of no earthly account. Grain cannot be raised there, and the few vegetables that can be, if you attempt to keep them, will be found rotten at the end of a few weeks. They have too much rain and too little sun in those polar regions for farming or gar- dening or stock raising, and the best thing the government can do for Alaska is to cut down the expenses of governing it to a very small military establishment. Such is the opinion of General Thomas, and it shakes our faith very serioualy in the rose-colored description of the enraptured sage of Auburn. In fact, we be- lieve that the practical old soldier is a better judge of Alaska than the enthusiastic old poli- tician ; but still we must not forget the codfish and salmon, Tus Sovrnern ComMErciaL CONVENTION at Louisville has met, deliberated upon various things, passed its resolutions, including a vote of thanks to its presiding officer, ex-President Fillmore, has heard his farewell address, and has adjourned, In point of utility the Con- vention may be classed with a Woman's Rights conventicle, and its proceedings may be summed up in one word—twaddle. In the farewell of the venerable Fillmore he said he should pro- bably never attend another convention, and we are not surprised at his resolution; for this gathering of grannies involved to him a long journey, a considerable outlay, and nothing in return but twaddle—useless twaddle, Very Interestine To THR PorLttio1ANs— The decision of the courtin Philadelphia which has had the case in hand, ousting all the democratic officials in the city government except the Mayor, elected in October a year ago, and ousting them on the ground that they were elected by spurious votes. The repub- licans had a majority of the bench, or the deci- sion would doubtless have been on the other side, But still the decision, founded upon facts, is interesting and suggestive, asa prece- dent, of considerable business in party politics for courts and lawyers hereafter, with the wind in the right quarter for the contesting party. Hyraomtng.—The Church feels that the example of Father Hyacinthe is a very dan- gerous one, and that he must be compelled to secant If possible by all the dreadful threate it may fulminate. Such is the indication of the urgent appeals to him to take the foree out of lis examplo. Spain—Alarming State ef Things. Our news shows that the situation in Spain grows more critical every day. The Cortes have discontinued their sittings. Seventeen republican members, who are said to have participated in the rebellion, are to be prose- cuted. Salvochea and Paul, two noted repub- lican leaders, are said to be in the neighbor- hood of Malaga, where they have erected the republican standard. The insurrection con- tinues in Bejar, a thriving little town in Leon. Madrid, according to a late report, is practi- cally isolated from the rest of Spain, the rail- roads and telegraph lines having been de- stroyed for miles all round the city. Asan offset to these reports we learn that Valencia, which has been in the hands of the insurgents for some days, has been stormed and taken possession of by the government troops after some hours’ hard fighting and a capitulation. It is also said that two republican bands have been beaten by the government troops in Catalonia and Andalusia. It now no longer doubtful that the repub- lican spirit is vigorously active all over Spain. We hear of the republicans in the east, in the south, in the heart of the country at Madrid, and in the west, close to the borders of Portu- gal. The Northern provinces are not so republican, but that danger is apprehended even there is manifest from the fact that Napoleon has deemed it necessary to station a corps of observation on the frontier. It may still be possible for the government to put down the insurrection, So far as we have heard the troops are still faithful, How long they will continue faithful is the great question of the moment. The widespread disaffection which now exists must soon touch the hearts of the soldiers. The popular cause is, after all, their cause. If defection but begins it will prove contagious. The events’ about to take place cannot fail to rouse the popular spirit. The trial of the deputies and the punishment of the Valencia insurgents may have the desired effect on the army. In such acase the popular cause will have a fairer chance than it has had since the revolution broke out. Where is Don Carlos now? Where are the friends of Isabella?) We may rest assured that both of those factions are eagerly watch- ing the course of events. It is not at all im- possible that both are giving secret encourage- ment to the republicans. It is their interest to break up the power of Serrano and Prim. Anarchy will give both Isabella and Don Carlos another opportunity. It may also give the people the power and banish royalty and regency forever from Spanish soil. The Prevention of Railroad Accidents. The Society of Practical Engineers does a valuable service to the community in its con- tinued discussion of the causes of railroad accidents. Already it has shed on the origin of these disasters a great deal of light; and by keeping the subject permanently open, thus affording a way in which every man’s know- ledge, and even the least hint of experienced persons, may be utilized for the public benefit, it is to be hoped that we may ultimately have pointed out such definite means of prevention as companies cannot venturetoignore, Atits last meeting this society touched upon the radical defect of our American railroads—their faulty primary construction, especially in regard to the roadbed. We trust it may be able to fix public attention more upon this point, already recognized by many persons, but not suffi- ciently attended to by the people. We are often forced to the comparison between roads here and in Europe by the comparative safety of railroad travel beyond the Atlantic and its danger here; but we can never hope to have the same safety till we enforce the same system of construction. Society in Europe is Jess eager to give to a corporation a valuable franchise than to secure the lives of the people. Hence everything is more closely scrutinized before the Legislature, and the road must be built, in the first instance, up to the best possibility of engineering science. Here this is very different. The object is to get the road down and have the receipts begin at the earliest possible moment, and no one stands fora few lives. How can we secure a change in this respect? Unfortunately the the people are less potent before Legislatnres than the railroad men are; for corrupt jobbery or the open bribe carries everything. Before these venal knots of small politicians that assemble in our State capitals we need hope for nothing. The chance for the people is in the assumption by Congress of its rightful power over this whole subject. In the infahcy of our railroad system, when State lines were observed, it was proper enough that the State government should control them. But now commerce recognizes no’ limit, and sweeps across the Continent from ocean to ocean in one continuous groove. What have the State Legislatures to do with sucha growth? Its government, as a great national concern, be- longs to Congress, and before Congress there is some hope for the people. Frenon Rep Repusiicans tn Lonpoy.— Gambetta, Bancel and Jules Favre have arrived in London. What does it mean? Have they gone to see Ledru Rollin and the other flery spirits who may not yet enter France? It is a favorable time for the repub- licans. If they would encourage Spain they must make a bold struggle in France and else- where, Or have they fled from danger? It is well known that the extreme party in the Corps Législatif, indignant at the Emperor's delay in convening the Chambers, have been meditating an invasion of their premises on an early day. We have already said to our read- ers that another coup d'état might make such a demonstration impossible. Have MM. Gam- betta, Bancel and Favre taken fright? In any case this trip to London is significant, We shall expect to hear more of it. Jorpan Has A Harp Roap To TRavet.— The speech in the Gold Room on Saturday of the gentleman called upon to give information of the condition of the Gold Exchange Bank exhibits him asequal to the way of the trans- gressor at ite hardest. He assured the gen- tlemen present that ‘‘every damned man of them would have been broken and four or five banks have gone to the devil” but for the good conduct of the institution referred to, More- over, that they on several occasions “acted like damned fools,” which was very true, and, finally, that he was ‘‘too damned mad to choose hig words,” There is the whole diffl- culty. Everybody in Wall strect is too mad to choose his words or settle his accounts; but is this “damned mad” article good on ‘Change? The Israclites in Europe and America. From a variety of causes the condition of the Israelites in Europe, especially in Eastern Europe, is one of great misery. In all the great centres of population and trade it is true there are many Jews who have amassed immense wealth. In these same centres, however, many of thom are very poor. Away from the large centres they are generally a wretched class. In some parts of Germany, in Russian Poland, in Southern Russia, in the Danubian Principalities, the Jewish quar- tera are scenes of great wretchedness and poverty. We have often in these columns ad- verted to the very different condition of the Israclites in this country. Here they prosper and grow in wealth and influence. With us, in fact, the name of Israelite is suggestive of success and affluence. Why this difference? The reason 1s obvious. In Europe the Jew is despised and down-trodden. In the East of Europe, particularly, the son of Israel is not supposed to have any rights which a Christian is bound to respect. It is only recently that there were enacted in the Principalities, and bearing spe- cially upon the Jews, laws worthy of the worst days of Spain, when a Jew was well off if he were not used for fuel, and of the days of King John in England, when it was @ Christain custom to find out a Jew’s purse by plucking the teeth out of his head. How can any man get on if you trample the life out of him? The Jew fails in Europe—he is poor and wretched, because he is down-trodden and oppressed. He cannot succeed, because he has no chance, Here the Jew has fair play, He has the rights of a free man. Every privilege, every office is open to his ambition, He has a fair field. He is allowed to win if he can, and he often succeeds. We have often said, and we say it again, for the special benefit of the Alliance Israelite Universal Society and its worthy President, M. A, Cremieux, that this is the true promised land of the Israelites. Here are the milk and honey for which they and their fathers have for generations been longing. Here, on our mountain sides, on our far- spreading valleys and on the banks of our mighty rivers, are corn and wine and oil in rich and overflowing abundance. Here, too, there is room enough and to spare. Let the suffering Jews of Europe make an exodus to this grander land of promise. We bid them welcome, and we will not think the less of them if they imitate the example of their ancestors and borrow ere they set out ‘‘every man of his neighbor and every woman of her neighbor jewels of silver and jewels of gold.” Shipbuilding and Commerce. What is the reason that ships are no longer built inthe United States—that one of the greatest and noblest of our industries, an industry in which we are capable of excelling the world—is extinct? The reason is that we cannot build ships at prices to compete in any market with the prices of other ‘countries, England can build cheaper than we can. But what is the reason of this reason. Why does it cost so much more to build ships here than in England? Many reasons concur. Some of these are inseparable from our financial condi- tion, as the inflated currency, which puts prices and wages altogether on a false footing; but a more potent reason is that our tariff, made for ‘‘the protection of American indus- try,” immensely enhances the prices of ship- building material. Thus by protecting one in- dustry we destroy another. But, then, the sim- ple-minded would suppose our commerce need not suffer, only our shipbuilders, since our merchants can buy their ships of those who sell them cheapest, and the shipbuilders must wait for better times. Unfortunately Con- gress, perceiving that it has killed shipbuilding by protecting other industries, has endeavored also to protect shipbuilding, andin doing this has merely killed commerce. Ithas made a law rendering it impossible for fore ign built ships to obtain an American charter. This is so that merchants shall not buy abroad, but shall be compelled to buy here, let ships cost what they may. But as the commerce that lives by cheap ships thrives where the commerce of dear ships dies, England gets the trade of the world and its shipbuilding too. All of which illustrates with what wisdom we are governed. The Board of Health. Backbone is the serious want of the Metro- politan commission that is supposed to have charge of the public welfare in its sanitary aspects. It is an invertebrate body, and is altogether lacking in the force and initiative that are necessary to the performance of its very important duties. At the time when the necessity for such a board was perceived the people of the city were suffering from the nuisances accumulated everywhere by selfish money getters—from the contractor who pocketed the cash and did not clean the streets to the burly beast of a bone boiler who did not suffer from the noxious airs of his establishment, and did not care a button for the twenty feeble infants in the neighbor- ing teyement houses that he killed every day. It was known then thgt three or four amiable and ornamental old gentlemen in a back room, intent upon their ease and the interests of science, could do nothing to relieve the city of these evils; but it was thought that the medi- cal profession, at the same time that it pos- seyed special knowledge, could furnish suffi- cient administrative vigor to do what was necessary. We are not ready to say that this was altogether an error; for we do not think the profession hereabouts is satisfac- torily represented in the present éomposition of the Board of Health. It is certain that the Board as it stands is a failure, and its medical members ought to resign and let us have a fresh chance in entirely new appointments, More Trovpre in Enrte.—Mr, Bontwell would not lend Jay Gould eight hundred thou- sand dollars in currency to pay the wages of the men on the road, and apparently he has not been able to raise the wind in any other quarter, for the men have struck, and wfl not labor without pay. Perhaps with a little more kiteflying and Gold Room somersaults these Erie financiers will learn that they had botter cast a moment’s glance occasionally to seo how the railroad gets on. The Churches and Sermons. Our exhibit of the state of religion, ao it was presented yesterday in the churches of the metropolis and the. districts surrounding New York, is of a very consoling character. The labor of our reporters supplies to the read- ers of the Hzracp this morning ample details of the services and sermons which were per- formed and delivered during the day, as well 48 with accurate and very interesting descrip- tions of the ceremonial witnessed at the dedi- cation of two new Christian temples by the episcopacy and pastors of two different creeds and of opposing forms of worship, each one endeavoring to ‘‘straighten the way” and make the burden light, according to the faith which isin him. The home clergy are at their posts and alert, as behooves them specially to be on the almost eve of election day, and the watch towers are faithfully guarded, proving con- clusively that although the sovereign Pontiff and Church of Rome possess an immense power for purposes of propagandism their united forces of attraction are not sufficient to turn back the free tide of milk and honey which is flowing out to our American congre- gations and centralize its source in the Vati- can, affording to the Holy Father an opportunity to claim, perhaps, by Apostolic successionary commission the right of holding the wave flow in the hollow of his hand, and thus the power of restricting or extending its action at will. Enjoying a perfect freedom of thought and expression under the constitution, the efforts of our ecclesiastics were directed in various channels of reformation, and sinners were fervently invited to return to the fold by any or every path on which they could obtain a sure Christian footing, so as they would only just strike off immediately from tle “broad” way which leadeth to consequences and places exceedingly unpleasant, even in a terrestrial point of contemplation. On the whole, as will be seen, it was the “grain of mustard seed” rescued from the choking weeds, pulverized with the hammers of pulpit ecclesiasm and administered in all its health- giving pungency, after having been duly sea- soned with that unalterable salt which, as we are assured on the very highest authority, is “the salt of the earth" ad infinitum, Bishop Robertson, of Missouri, held forth in the Church of Heavenly Rest on ‘Idolatry, Ancient and Modern.” With respect to the ancient system he was very severe on our newly found friends in Asia, as well as our un- obtrusive fellow citizens here—the Chinese— using very many hard, almost unpronounce- able, words in an endeavor to extinguish or excommunicate Confucius, with whom, so far as we have read the report, he is very imperfectly acquainted in a spiritual sense. Of modern idolatry the Bishop was not exact in his specification of the idols; * whether the car of * Juggernaut, the gates of Ghuznee, the goda manufactured in Birmingham, England, for Asia, a coach and four, the bullion in the Bank of England or that which was lately in Wall street, the Italian opera or a new silk dress. However, he “went against idols” or the “bowing down to” or “worshipping of” such, and that was good and charitable. Bishop Loughlin dedicated the Catholic church of St, Vincent de Paul, in Williamsburg, attended by many of his clergy, in the presence of an immense congregation ; while in the same city Rev. Mr. Porter offered the new building of the First Reformed church to the service of Almighty God. Rev. Dr. Chapin was eloquent, erudite and useful in the Church of the Divine Paternity. The Rev. Mr. Hepworth heralded the ‘‘Coming of the New Church” appropriately in the Church of the Messiah, trenching slightly on the virgin field which the Hgratp is endeavor- ing to reserve for Father Hyacinthe, but which is free to all and with no right of primogeniture, the industrious laborer who comes at the “eleventh hour” being certain of fall payment according to the first rule of wages—settlement laid down in the Bible. Rev. ©. B. Smyth was eloquent and forcible in and with the “Word.” Rev. Mr. Beecher filled Plymouth church, Brooklyn, with the fall fashions, piety, repentance and resolution. He delivered an excellent sermon on the gift of “tongues,” or languages, to the Apostles, giving a very inspiriting view of what may be accomplished even to-day by on-linguists, so they possess and exercise faith, hope and charity. The rector of St. Mark’s church, Williamsburg, officiated on the thirtieth anniversary of his pastorate, and, on the whole, we are exceedingly well pleased to recommend and endorse the united work of the universal church. If the people will be only moderate in politics, and separate “rum from true religion,” as Lord Byron advised in England, New York and the sur roundings, at least, will soon come ‘“‘all right” for the end. “See Witt1aM.”—The gentlemen of York- ville who are sticking bravely to their text in agitating for more efficient means of travel up town have glimmerings, On Saturday they went to see Commodore Vanderbilt, This shows that they are beginning to get their eyes open as to where the real powers of this neigh- borhood live, and so we may hope that they will waste no more of their eloquence on peo- ple so utterly unable to give them a lift as the municipal authorities, Vanderbilt talked to them very plainly, and told them that they could have the Madison avenue railroad whenever the street was graded and paved, so that the rails, if put down, need not be taken up again a day or two later. Here the gentlemen saw that they were thrust to the city authorities again, and, not willing to go @ hopeless hunt in search of somebody with power in regard to streets, they changed the subject and asked for additional trains on the Fourth avenue road, whereupon the Commodore advised them to see his son William. This was not a satistac- tory answer, perhaps, but the visitors may rejoice that the Commodore did not send them to Corneil, Tur Erontgenta or Noveuper.—Gover- nor Hoffman, in proclaiming a day of thanks- giving for New York, has adopted the day recommended to all the people of the United States by President Grant, and we presume that all our other Governoss, Siate and Terri- torial, will follow this example. Socially, politically and religiously considered, the in- stitution is a good thing for the union of the States and the unity of the people of all sec- tions, nationalities, races, creeds aud classes,