The New York Herald Newspaper, January 3, 1874, Page 4

4 NEW YORK HERALD, NEW YORK HERALD STREET. BROADWAY AND ANN JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR AMUSEMENTS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING WALLACK’S THEATRE, Broadway and Thirteenth sree —A MAN OF HONOR, ats P. M.; closes at 10:50 P.M. Ps nel Wallack, Miss Aanie Deland, Matinee at | :30 f BOOTH'S THRATRE, enue and Twent thie ect err: OR, THE Chath avenue and Twenty thing greet TT OR. Ue a4 m Mr aC Ghentteu, Muss Balta Pateman. "Matines. OLYMPIC THEATRE, Broadway, between Houston and Bleecker streets. — FAMILY JAKo, ot 8 P. M.; GABRIEL GRUB, at 3:45 P. M.; jogo ot F ‘M. Majilton-Raynor Family. Matinee ale. BROOKLYN PARK THEATRE, precise og re as rag —THE ROBBERS, at 8 P. Kdwin Adams, Miss Emily Gssorne BOWERY THEATRE, ISCHIEF MAKING, at7 45 P.M.; MOTHER Bowery. MI! Coos at 8:3) P. M.: closes atll:15. Mr. Hernandez Foster, Folly Booth. Matinee at2 P. M. METROPOLITAN THEATRE, $35 Broadway.—VARIETY ENTE PoM.; closes ai 10:30 P.M. Matin NIBLO’S GARDEN, tween Prince and Houston streets. — Ti reebieks 1S IN THE WOOD. Opens ats ”. M. ; closes at M. Vokes Family. Matinee atl 90 P.M WOOD'S MUSEU Broadway, corner Thirtjeth serent. Moriver TWIST, at 6 P. M.; closes at li P. E. L. Daveuport, Mrs. E. L. Daveaport. Matine (Br out 1045 GRAND OPERA HOUSE, Fighth avenue ‘and Twenty.third sireet. “HUMPTY DUMPTY ABROAD, at 745 P. closes at 10:45 P. M. Mr. GL. Fox. Matinee at M. FIFTH Tyee eighth coos nee Br P.M.; closes at 4:10 P.M; MAN ai Closes at 11 P. M. Mr. Harkins, Miss Ada Dyas. GERMANIA THEATRE, Fourteenth strech near Irving place.—LES GEOR- ‘GIENNES, at 8 P.M; closes at 10:0 P. M. Mr. Merton, Mule. Binoid. MRS, CONWAY'S BROOKLYN THEATRE, . Brooklyn.—WICKED WORLD, at 8 a closes at 11 P. M. . Matinee at2 P. M. STEINWAY AALL, fourteenth stre ‘THOMAS’ CONCERT, at2 P. M. TWENTY-SECOND REGIMENT ARMORY, ‘Fourteenth street, near Sixth avenue.—GILMORE’S CONCERTS, at8 P.M. ; closes at 10:30 P. M. TERRACE GARDEN THEATRE, path street, near Third avenue.—BARBE BLEUE, F Any e vel ; Closes at 10:15 P.M. Pauline Canissa. as NY PASTOR'S OPERA HOUSE, a me ate ENTERTAINMENT, at 8 P. TO! Ee: 20! Bower: ; closes at 1 P, Matinee at2 P. M. BRYANT’S OPERA HOUSE, Trrenty third street, corner of sixth avetiue —CINDER- ELLA IN BLACK, NEGRO MINSTRELSY, &c., at 3 P. Bt. Closes at 10 P.M. Matinee at 2P. M. RINK, Bush and ie tourth street.—MENAGERIE, UsSkUM MAND CIRCUS at 2 OP. P. M.; closes ata p M5 Sy cloves at WP. ea ROBINSON BALL, ixteenth street.—MAGICAL ENTERTAINMENT AND UGHING Gas, at 8 P. M.; closes at 10:30 P. M. Great J street, mers ater i ‘THE PIL. jones street, corner Latayett _ (GRIM, ats P. M.; closes at 9: 0PM bgp KaHN’S MUSEUM, No. 8 Broadway. F SOLENCE AND ART, — Wew York, Saturday, January 3, 1874. THE NEWS OF YESTERDAY. To-Day’s Contents of the Herald. “VIRGINIA! GOVERNOR KEMPER’S MESSAGE! THE CONDITION AND NEEDS OF THE SOUTH”—LEADER—FovrrTH Pace. WISE LIBERALISM THE KEYNOTE OF THE “NEW DEPARTURE” IN VIRGINIA! THE SENATORIAL CONTEST! YOUNG VIR- GINIA’S PREFERENCES POLITICALLY— Sixra Pace. THE HAVANA MONEY MAKKET MORE EMBAR- RASSED AND THE PRICES OF PRIME NECESSARIES RAPIDLY ADVANCING! GOLD PAYMENTS FORCED BY EMPLOYES— Firra Page. MISTAKEN IDENTITY THE GROUND FOR THE DAMAGING STATEMENTS AGAINST CAP- TAIN SURMONT! THE CAPTAIN OF THE LOCH EARN EXONERATED—FirTH PaGs. CORTINA INSTALLED AS MAYOR OF MATA- MORAS, MEXICO! A STREET BROIL, IN WHICH ONE MAN IS KILLED AND MANY WOUNDED—FirTH Page. WHO STOLE THE POCKETBOOK? MISS ADA DYAS, THE ACTRESS, HAS HER PORTE- MONNAIE SNATCHED AWAY! A HOT CHASE FOR THE THIEF! FIVE PERSONS ARRESTED, ONE HELD—EienTH Pace. WHE CONGREGATIONALISTS’ CONTROVERSY CUNCLUDED! REPLY OF PLYMOUTH CHURCH! MR. BEECHER EXPLAINS THE CASE AND THE STAND TAKEN BY THE CHURCH—SIXTH Pace. VAR SHIPS AT THIS STATION—ROBBED AND ROASTED—ANOTHER LEASE OF LIFE FOR A MURDERER—A CITIZEN CLUBBED—SixTH Page. BUCHU AND THE UNITED STATES SUPREME BENCH—THE MUNICIPAL BOARDS—THE SHARKEY CAPTURE CANARD—Sixta Pace BREAKING UP OF THE GREAT RAILROAD STRIKE! RESISTANCE STILL MADE AT SOME POINTS! CHEAPENING OF PAS- SENGER FARES—FirtH Pace. GLOWING TRIBUTES FROM THE CLERISY OF THE HUB TO THE SAGE OF CONCURD— MORMONISM EXPOSED BY ANOTHER VICTIM—EicuTH Pace. GOLDEN OIL POURED UPON THE TROUBLED WATERS OF WALL STREET! DIVIDENDS AND DEFAULTS! FEATURES OF BUSINESS YESTERDAY—HOMICIDE—SeEvENTH Paces. Q@EGAL PROCEEDINGS YESTERDAY—LINCOLN'S LEGITIMACY ESTABLISHED—TaIRp Pace. ‘Tae Gzweva Awan axp Its Disrasvtioy.— Various schemes are before Congress for the ‘distribution among the rightful claimants of the Geneva award of $15,500,000 paid over Gnto the national Treasury from England on wccount of those aforesaid Alabama claims. he parties directly interested in this indem- mity money would do well to keep a sharp eye pon Congress, or this award.may go the way tof that of five millions paid over from France ome forty years ago on account of French on our commerce prior tothe year 1800—that is to say, the immediate claimants snay all die before they or any of them get a penny of this Geneva award. ¢ Tax Purmovra Cuvnca Wan with the other Congregational churches of Brooklyn is Brought tos close for the present by a sharp Setter from the brethren who look up to Mr. Beecher as their Pope. It will be found else- gwhere, and will give the impression that the paintly people of the City of Churches are just feeking the buttons off their foils. Peace, ! Your little manuals were never to knock each other om the sconces opti, Virginia—Govermor Kemper’s Message— The Condition and Nerds of the Seuth. ‘The Message of Governor Kemper to the Legislature of Virginia on the assembling of that body and inauguration of the new State government the Ist of January is worthy of particular attention. While it refers neces- sarily and especially to the condition of Vir- ginia the views expressed are applicable, for the most part, to the whole South. It in- volves, consequently, questions of national im- portance. Our readers generally will remember the vigorous contest in the State which resulted in the election of James L. Kemper and the prin- ciples involved in that issue chiefly. Thecon- test was not so much between democracy and republicanism, in the old party sense of these terms, as between conservatism and redical- ism; between negro supremacy and government by the superior intelligence of the whites for the good of all. That was the real question at issue. The administration at Washington, in accordance with the policy of the radicals since the war closed, supported to the utmost of its power Mr. Hughes, the can- didate of the negroes and ultra radical faction. Hughes got 93,499 votes and Kemper 120,728,— a majority of 27,229 votes. It was a conserva- tive success, much the same as that of the pre- ceding Governor, Walker, and not, as was said, a success strictly of the democratic party as old party issues were understood, though most of those who had been democrats afore- time naturally voted for Kemper. Party lines had been broken, to a great extent, by the war et, near Fourth avenue.—THEODORE | lated and its consequences ; for even Hughes, the radical candidate, had been one of the strictest State rights and Southern rights democrats. In proof of these views we quote the language of Governor Kemper in his inaugural Mes- sage. Speaking of political party relations, he says:—‘‘Virginia, recogniz- ing no such obligations as bind her to any national party organization, maintaining her fidelity to all who are and who shall be- come allied in the defence of salou: Hatiabsnt of reconciliation and the return of complete normal relations between the people of the State on one hand, and the people of all the States and government of the United States on the other, is ready to co-operate cordiully with men of whatever party in upholding these measures, supporting those who sup- port them and opposing all opposition to them.” Further, he calls upon the Assembly to reaffirm the conservative platform, ‘‘judg- ing the head of the federal government im- partially by his official actions, and co-oper- ating im every measure of his administration which may be beneficent in design and calcu- lated to promote the welfare of the people and sentiments of good will throughout the Union."" These words of good sense and patriotism show that the Governor is not bound by party ties, and that he looks only to the welfare of Virginia and the South. In harmony with these views, and as confirmatory evidence of the sincerity of the Governor and conservatives he rep- resents, he speaks in the kindest and most conciliatory manner of the negroes. Of the equal rights of the black and white races he says:—‘‘So encouraging and decisive has been the progress of the last four years, so clearly developed by the past are the obliga. tions of to-day, that, if we are guided by pru- dence, if we go forward with courage, tem- pered with forbearance, and if no federal legislation shall intervene to disturb the rela- tions between the races, we cannot fail to bring our great experiment to a successful and prosperous issue.” He refers to the uniform system of free schools for educating both races, and challenges comparison with any similar scheme elsewhere. Events prove, he remarks, how futile and disastrous to its authors must be any future attempt to array the colored race as a political combination upon any principle of antagonism between the races. He gives the meddiesome and mis- chievous carpet-baggers a rap by saying that, whatever their claim to eminence, ability or philanthropy, they cannot understand the character and circumstances of the col- ored population or wisely administer to their wants. The Southerners, he properly asserts, are best qualified to perform the task assigned by Providence with regard to the colored peo- ple. He adds that, if not restrained or thwarted by superior power—that is, by the federal government—the Virginians will per- form their duty, resolutely and effectually, in promoting the best interests of both races and by scrupulously guarding the newly ac- quired rights of the colored man. There are matters adverted to in these re- marks, though not dwelt upon at any length or very pointedly, that are really full of mean- ing. Twice the Governor remarks that jus- tice will be done to the negroes, and Vir- ginia will be both progressive and conserva- tive, if not thwarted by the federal govern- ment. ‘Not thwarted by superior power” is the expression. That is, if the party in power end the administration will cease med- dling with the affairs of the South- ern States for political ends, as they have meddled all along since the conclusion of the war. In other words, the white people of the South, if let alone, will honestly carry out the laws placing the negroes on an equal- ity politically with themselves, and will both conciliate and educate the colored people so that the two races may live in harmony and march together in the way of improvement. The great evil that has afflicted the South were the persistent efforts of the radicals and their carpet-bag emissaries in that section to array the blacks against the whites in order to main- tain political control over the Southern States through the colored votes. This infamous and ruinous policy had its effect fora time. We have seen it in part in the fearful corruption and crushing debts of those States. Had it not been for the good sense, conservatism and moderation of the whites, more serious conse- quences might have followed in a conflict be- tween the two races. Something is due also to the good behavior of the blacks and their latent affection for their old mas- ters. The widespread organizations of se- cret clubs, in affiliation with one another, among the negroes, was very threatening at one time. Happily the colored people are learning to estimate the radical firebrands and plunderers at their true value. Though they still adhere to the radical party for the most part many of the most intelligent begin to see that their interests are identical with their white fellow citizeus of the South. Governor Kemper shows that he understands this when he gays, ‘“‘recent events’’ (that is the late elections in the South) “‘prove how futile and how disastrous to its authors must be any future attempt to array the colored race as a political combination upon any principle of antagonism between the races.” This admir- able and statesmanlike view of affairs on the part of the Governor of the grand old State, and still leading State, of the South will in- spire hope in every lover of his country. Then, in the declaration of Governor Kem- per that Virginia will not be chained to the car of any party, but will give its support to those who-rare intent on promoting peace, harmony and equal rights between the North and South, we see the dawn of better days coming. There can be no doubt that the Southern people gen- } erally will respond to this declaration, for the radical party has wronged and deceived them, and their old demogratic allies have neither been able to help them nor to offer them a platform on which to stand. The South needs friends, and it will support those who prove themselves to be such, As we have intimated before in our editorial columns, this state of things indicates a change in the political affairs of the country. The South, if we mistake not, is on the eve of taking pretty solidly an independent course, and will, probably, unite with the grangers and free traders of the West. The South and West have interests in common, springing from their agricultural pursuits, and they are not likely to continue much longer the hewers of wood and drawers of water for the radical protectionists of New England. The time is not distant when political issues must turn upon the material interests of these vast sec- tions of our common country. While commending the views and temper of Governor Kemper’s message in the matters referred to above, we cannot approve of the policy he advocates for the federal government to assume the debt of his State, Admittin; that Virginia i is in a peculiar and ~aeselional | tgs of thé ernment, it would be better that a relative proportion of the debt which East and West Virginia should bear should be determined by some means and be paid by these States. If the government at Washington should open the door to such a claim all the States might demand that their debts be assumed in like manner. This would swell the national debt enormously, and would lead to that very con- solidation which the Southerners have always resisted. It would be a dangerous innovation. Let the several States work out their own re- demption. Let them depend upon their own energies. Arbitration might settle the diffi- culty between East and West Virginia. The claim the Governor makes for more currency in proportion to the population and needs of the State is reasonable enough. The South has not had its due proportion. This could be granted without increasing the volume of currency in circulation, and by a more equit- able distribution. The message, as far as it relates to political matters, to the conservatism and disposition of the Virginians and to the negroes, is worthy of all commendation. A Happy New Year—The Reign of Crime. It is melancholy to note the long list of crimes which ushers in the new year. Scarcely had the chimes of the merry bells announced that another year was born when the young nurseling received a bloody baptism. The dangerous classes seem to have run riot, and on the slightest provocation, or with none at all, the ready knife sought its victims. In all the long list of stabbings and cuttings there is not one where the shadow of a justification can be shown. In every case the knife was the agent of a cowardly and unmanly vengeance. There seems to be only one effective way of putting an end to these murderous outrages which are becoming alarmingly frequent, and that is the infliction of con- dign punishment. Even in self-defence the use of deadly weapons ought not to be con- doned, except where extreme danger to life can be clearly pleaded in extenuation. The application of the law on this subject has been altogether too lax, and there has gone abroad among the class of roughs an idea that being worsted in fisticuffs is sufficient justification in the eye of the law for the commission of murder. It is only by dealing with the ut- most severity with all men proved to have used or attempted to use murderous weapons that life can be rendered safe in our city. It isa matter deserving the serious attention of our courts. Tae Comancne Inpians are at their old work of raiding on the Texan stock raisers and farmers, with the usual bloody results. A Washington despatch reports the particulars of a raid in which some thirty white men were killed and a large quantity of stock ‘run off.” The attacking band numbered only torty In- dians, but as they fell on the settlers in detail the number they managed to kill will not ap- pear startling. When pursued by the troops from Fort Clark the cowardly cutthroats ran for their lives, and unhappily succeeded in carrying some of them away. With such In- dians there should be but one policy—namely, extermination. These Comanche Indians range the banks of the Rio Grande and make themselves at home on both sides of the river. The greatest vigilance should prevail on the part of the army authorities to give our citi- zens in Texas something like protection. The entire lack of co-operation on the part of the Mexican government prevents the complete caging of these predatory tribes, but raiding Indians should find graves awaiting them when they cross the Rio Grande to rob and murder on the soil of the United States. Mex- ico is making some fuss about reforming her social abuses. It is about time that she should attend to her duties to her neighbor. Tue Prrrssurc Enareens’ Srnme has ended in the submission of the men. A great deal of inconvenience was suffered by the public, a good deal of money was lost to the companies and some wages lost to the men during the few days that the foolish strike lasted. It must be called foolish, because its sudden collapse shows how faint its prospect of success must have been at anytime. Asa body of men who must be possessed of some sense the engineers will now see the fatuity of attempting to fight a downward tendency of wages when the concerns they worked for were suffering from the effects of the panic. The companies appear to have so far succeeded in breaking the blockade, by procuring outside condition fs Feeuns dab jp. copped jnencé visio! the State by the fe: Fler gov-, help, that the strikers find themselves in danger of being permanently shut out if they do not hasten to submit to the tem per cent re- duction. The failure of this strike will, probably, deter the engineers on the main line of the Pennsylvania Railroad from attempting to resist a similar reduction now being made on their wages. The Ament of Independent Criti- cism. If newspapers quietly submitted to the pre- tensions which theatrical managers of a certain showman type are ever ready to advance the public would be treated to pretty dishes under the name of criticism. Indeed, criticism would completely disappear. Now, it is not at all difficult to demonstrate that a journal which gives itself over to base puffery of theat- rical concerns must lose all caste in the domain of mathetics. While a single indepen- dent journal existed the fraud upon the public would be easy of detection, and hence the value of praise where blame alone was due would become small indeed. The theatre which makes a trade of overpuffery will find, in the end, that the public fs not to be perpetually blinded “to” shortcomings by cheaply bought Jaudation, The audience which pays to see comedy acted is an intelligent audience, and the man- agement which, by resort to showmanship, en- deavors to persuade the public that a wooden nutmeg comedy or hickory ham tragedy is the real Goldsmithian or Shakespearian article will find that a solitary case of deception is more injurious to a theatre than a series of failures. Failures come to the best regulated houses, and, however stern may be the critical con- demnation, there is, with the honest journal- ist, no prejudice against a management on that account. Plays and operas are things of which it is impossible to forecast the success. They must be seen and heard, with all their stage conditions, before —— can be passed. Whena manager risks nusually 1stQ8"wunt on “Something that the public does | Ville du Havre not care to see he must not blame the critic sistitetke aasew’s ‘as the ‘public. All the ‘puffery in the world would not bolster a dull piece. There are, however, classes of plays which attract, in one way or another, for the sinfulness that is in them. They are deliberately launched in the hope that they will invoke the condemnation of those who belong to what rakish Bobby Burns termed the ‘anco guid and rigidly righteous.” They crave publicity, sure of success if that is granted, and when the showman is shifty and unscrupulous he will often succeed. But this success is a small matter. It has given the showman a stamp he must bear through his career, or one which it will require a great deal of active repentance torub out. When the critic has done his duty by such showmen and their plays he may discover, to be sure, that there are very foul words in the showman’s vocabulary of vituperation and several mus- cular rowdies among the showman’s ‘‘gentle- men ;” but these things are neither a help to a theatre nor a hurt to a journal. The personal question, or that relating to criticising actors, is one which is fraught with ®@ great many difficulties if the critic for a moment consents to swerve from the position of being completely unbiassed. Those players whose aim is to reach success by the surest methods do not busy themselves about asking critics for a “send off.’ They rely on the ripening of their art for a ripening of praise, and a kindly reminder of a failing overlooked is never bitterly unwelcome to such players. A class of actors which has been developing for some years past meets criticism with very different feelings. These worthies start in their profession with the modest idea that from Roscius to Garrick and thence to the present day no actor has ever attained the proper idea of stage comportment. They place their ideals so high that the critic, even with his opera glass, cannot reach them. Small wonder is it, then, that in a sound criticism these actors: cut sorry figures. If the actor were not so wholly separated from what he aims to be a hint or two might be useful; but they would be thrown away in any endeavor to join such a player to what he believes he is, Managers owe no favors to journals which should make them give free admissions to representatives of the latter. It is simply cowardice on the part of the theatres which perpetuate the system of free passes. The journal owes to the public a fair criticism of a play which it consents to notice. The manager who is content in his inmost soul with such a criticism is rarely possible. If the manager were allowed to write it himself it would tbe something different, something stronger, even if only a little, Independent criticism is that which leaves everything out of sight except the play as it is placed on the stage and which honestly judges that. This is the kind of criticism which it is the aim of the Henatp to supply for the benefit of the public, and not to please or displease actors or managers. The puerile, silly attempts of ignorant, rum-tinkering managers to coerce the press into buchu criticism can only recoil on themselves sooner or later. Increase of the Public Debt. The public debt statement shows an increase in the debt of $8,453,272, and for the fiscal year so far, since the first of July, of some $12,000,000. The late panic has caused a considerable reduction of the Treasury re- ceipts, and the Virginius affair has resulted in a considerable increase of the national expendi- tures. In the general appropriations for the ensuing fiscal year there must be large reduc- tions, or we must have increased taxes or an inflation of the currency. The country pro- testa against increased taxation, dearly bought experience warns us against inflation, and so the only safe alternative is retrenchment. The original estimates of the Executive Depart- ments, in this view, have been cut down to the extent of some $20,000,000; but this is not enough, A reduction of at least $50,000,000 will be required to make both ends meet, and there is no good reason why this reduction should not be made. But sa every member of Congress has his little job to look after in behalf of his constituents, there will, we fear, be no general reduction of the annual appro- priations equal to the emergency—and what then? Why, then, we may look for inflation or taxation, or both. Inflation, we apprehend, is the entertainment to which we shall be invited; and once upon the smooth descending road of inflation it is a very difficult matter to stop the wagon short of the dismal swamp at the bottom of the hill SATURDAY, JANUARY 3%, 1874. Coal Comspiractes Agatust tme Foor. Oppreasive laws are made to “‘protect’’ the products of several States—one of which is Pennsylvania; and the coal interests of that State count for a very considerable quantity in every lobby that labors to secure such laws. In order that the mine owners and workers of Pennsylvania—who also own and control the railways that run in connection with the mines—may pile up their millions a little more rapidly a tax is laid on an article of such paramount necessity that we cannot live with- out it; and having thus secured a monopoly as against the outside world, the mine owners form a combination which shall prevent com- petition as between themselves, and of this gi- gantic conspiracy the people are the victims. We are in the winter, and already arrived at that part of it when the weather becomes most severe, and we hear that coal must go up. Not yet recovered from a commercial crisis that has thrown hundreds of thousands out of em- ployment, with an ynusual distress among the poorer pebple, with no immediate prospect for better times in many a little circle where Dread is scarce, we hear of coal combinations that will deprive the wretched of the solace of their little fire; and if we heard of any such new infliction upon the wretched inhabitants of some barbarous land in the middle of Sibe- ria we would perhaps congratulate ourselves upon living in a civilized and Christian coun- try. If the State of Pennsylvania cannot con- trol her big monopolies—if her Legislature also is owned by combinations of capitalists who use the power they secure only to crush the people of other communities—it would be a good thing to open the eyes of the Keystone scoundrels by a sweeping repeal in Congress of all the laws made to protect the products of Pennsylvania. The Ville Havre Investigation—Ac- quittal of Captain Robertson. A cable despatch from London informs us that yesterday the investigation into the and that the "foi animously decided that Captain sail of the Loch Earn, was blameless, An attempt was made to have the proceedings adjourned until the French wit- nesses could attend; but, the court not ap- proving, the application to that effect was withdrawn. In his examination Captain Robertson denied that the charges against Captain Surmont proceeded from him. He was incapable, he said, of taking away such & brave man’s character. In the course of the investigation yesterday evidence was given by Mr. Waite, of New York, who was @ pas- senger on the steamship, to the effect that the crew of the Loch Earn confounded the pilot of the Ville du Havre with Captain Sur- mont, and that this gave rise to the statement that the clothing of the latter was dry when he came on board the Loch Earn. . Mr. Waite further testified that be was rescued by a French boat, and that the same boat after- wards rescued Captain Surmont, who was clinging to some wreckage. So far so well. It is pleasing enough to learn that the one captain was not to blame for the sad affair and that the other did his best when the dis- astercame. If Mr. Butt’s theory is correct, that the misfortune was due to the tired con- dition of the watch on the French ship, it does not say much for the management of the line. Under proper management such a state of things should be impossible. The public have a right to complain, and they ought not to rest satisfied until such arrangements are made as shall prevent similar disasters in the future. Custom House Irregularities. The difficulties thrown in the way of the honest trader by the present unsatisfactory and uncertain mode of collecting duties deserve the serious attention of our legis. lators. It is well that the utmost severity should be shown to the unscrupulous class who seek to cheat the government by false entries, but the laws on the subject ought to be so corrected and simplified that im- porters would not be made to suffer by the stupidity or oversight of the customs authori- ties. Under the present system a merchant may honestly enter certain classes of goods, pay the duty demanded by the customs, and yet be liable at some future time to pay extra charges upon. which he never calcu- lated. This is carrying protection to the government a little too far, because it renders the mercantile community liable for the stupidity or ignorance of the agents of the Custom House. When a merchant honestly enters his goods, and a cer- tain duty is demanded and paid, he probably disposes of such goods on the basis of the duty exacted and the original cost. It is therefore manifestly unfair on the part of the govern- ment to come upon him after a lapse of time, and demand additional duty when the goods are no longer in his possession. This is but one instance of the inconvenience to which importers are subjected under the pres- ent system. What is needed is a thorough re- form, and, above all, the putting at the head of the appraising department men, not alone thoroughly acquainted with the values of goods, but also well informed in the laws re- gulating the imposition of dues. If the government fail to appoint capable men it ought to be responsible for the errors of its agents, the same as any private com- pany, unless it can be clearly shown that fraudulent entries were made by the interested parties. All good citizens will approve of the utmost severity being shown to fraudulent traders, who, by cheating the revenue, rob the public. But we hold that better protec- tion ought also to be extended to the honest trader than he receives under the present muddled system of collecting the revenue. More Juprcran Murpers Taararenep 1 Faance.—Since the close of the war large numbers of convicted Communists have been shot; in larger numbers they have been de- ported to New Caledonia. The Communists were, no doubt, great offenders; but it is not to be denied that if they sinned they have suffered. The world is tired of hearing of the work of this special court martial. Mac- Mahon behaved magnanimously towards Bazaine. It is time that some such magna- nimity was displaycA towards the sinners of the Commune, When the crime of which they were guilty is all but forgotten it is too late to punish. Yet one of our latest de- spatches from Paris inférms us that six more unhappy Communists have been condemned to death. Two out of these six will in all likelihood suffer the extreme venalty. It reste pas brought to a close, at With President MacMahon to say whether the camp of Satory is to be stained with more of the blood of the Commune. Financial Troubles in Havana. Our bellicose friends of the Casino are in sore trouble from the difficulty of getting money. Only a few weeks ago they were very boastful of their wealth and unbounded re- sources, and even went so far as to allege that they could buy up the United States. To-day they find some difficulty in buying bread. They may be able to catch Fish, but bread and meat must be paid for, and can neither be humbugged nor bullied into giving themselves up without a consideration, The result is that prices have gone up, meat has gone up, and even gome of the terrible newspapers that were going to carry on war for a thousand years, more or less, against Uncle Sam, have gone up also. In fact, the whole system seems in a fair way to go up, and we shall not be much grieved if it “leave not a wreck behind.” The junta of merchants who are trying to make worthless shinplasters pass for real dollars are not very successful, nor are they likely to be s0. The paper flation “has been carried to such an, extent that it has become altogether “too thin,” and people will not exchange real values for promises to pay which are worth nothing. If the scarcity of food continues in Havana the volunteers may be forced into the field, and hunger may compel them to do, what no amount of patriotic gas has as yet effected—to face the insurgents. International Meteorology at Vienna. One of the most important movements un- dertaken by the late Meteorological Congress at Vienna was that proposed by the Chief Signal Officer of the United States Army in behalf of a connected and ‘synchronous sys- tem of international weather observations. It = slong been held by eminent scientists that SI pa. some sich gross the eee along the axial driit of Z Gulf Stream and make their way to the British isles; . but the proposition of General” Myer, if carried out, as it doubtless will be, will not only finally decide this question, but furnish data for calculating the time and rate of their transit. The dis- tance from our seaboard to Yalentia is about 3,100 miles, and, while this” may appear a long distance to be correctly predicted—for théte” are several things to be considered as favoring the feasibility of such prediction—on the smooth, liquid plain of | the ocean these revolving meteors run with almost the regularity of speed of a railway train; no continental mass, no mountain, nor even an island opposing their progress or deflecting them from their fiery track. The average progressive velocity they attain is about twenty miles an hour, or 475 statute miles adey, in our Ia! titudes, so that the trip across the Atlantic ‘‘canal” (as dome geog-" taphers call it) is more rapid than that of a steamship, On the 4th of October, 1869, Pro- fessor Draper observed a low barometer at the Central Park, which passed away to the eastward at one P. M. Its mean velocity for two previous days had been carefully noted on land and found to reach nearly three hundred miles a day. This number, divided into the number of Eng- lish miles between the American and English weather observatories, gave him the data for the inference that it would reach Falmouth on the 18th of the same month, which the official reports of the British Meteorological Office show was the day of its arrival, or at least, we should say, of the arrival of a severe gale. In numerous instances similar computations appear to have been similarly verified, although, the marine observations over so wide an expanse of sea being wanting, it is impossible to say whether the arriving and the predicted storm were identical Notwithstanding the lack of a complete transatlantic chain of observations, taken by vessels while sailing the course from New York to Liverpool, it is clear, after four years’ tenta- tive work, that Mr. Draper and other mete- orologists have discovered that a connection exists between the meteorology of the two sides of the Atlantic. What that connection is, what the paths of the hurricanes which set out from our shores and finally spend their fury on the British islands, and what may be their rates of eastward advance, can only be determined by long observation. It does not absolutely follow that the storm of October 4, 1869, ever entirely crossed the Atlantic, and, unless we had barometric read- ings froma line of vessels not more than two hundred leagues apart, stretching over the course from Sandy Hook to the vicinity ot Cape Clear or Valentig, the nexus of proof would be incomplete. Evidently, in the para- mount interests of commerce, navigation and science, this splendid and most practical in- vestigation should be transferred from the field of computation (ably as it has been han- died there) into that of precise marine obser- vation. This can easily and quickly be done by util- izing the willing service of the many able and sagacious masters of ships and steamships in the European and American trade and chart- ing the combined data furnished by such sea- men as they make port. With the information which could soon be extracted from such data the Weather Bureau would be able to give some indication as to whether the ship about to weigh anchor was in danger of storm or calm, and also when and where she would be most likely to be overtaken by the cyclone. The investment of money and labor neces- sary to make the most out of such a beautiful and beneficial investigation would be wise and sate, and we shall look for most important re- sults from it. . Our January Tuaw this time appears to have come with the new year, The warning of a rough and cruel winter which was given in the freezing spell of November appears to have been a false alarm ; for we have seldom had a milder December, all through, than was the last. January, however, is the test of the winter; and we may yet have some arctic frosta before we get out of January, thoagh we now hope we shall have, right on till the re- opening of the Hudson, ® much milder winter than that of a year ago. Tae Marorauty or Maramonas.—Genorai Cortina was installed in office as Mayor of Matamoras, Mexico, yesterday. The ceremo- nial passed off peaceably. Some of the more active of the oononents to Cortiga’s election dee,