The New York Herald Newspaper, April 17, 1874, Page 6

6 NEW YORK HERALD BROADWAY AND ANN STREET. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR. THE DAILY HERALD, pubditshed every day tn the | year, Four cents per copy. Annual subscription yrice $12. All business or news letters and telegraphic despatches must be addressed New Yore Hepa. ave LONDON OFFRSE OF THE NEW YORK HERALD—NO. 46 FLEET STREET. €ubscriptions and Advertisements will be received and forwarded on the same terms | as in New York. Volume XXXIX........... eeeseee -MNo. 107 AMUSEMENTS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING C. MY OF MUSIC, pong of Fourteenth street.—Grand Fane as MAGIC FLUTE, at §?. M.; closes at iP. i ily. Tima di Murska. "$ BROOKLYN THEATRE, WemnaPeen, sree Koa at Fulton street, Brooklya.— CONN: BOOUATS ate? M,; closes at LL P.M. Mr. and Mra. Barney Williams. MPIC THEATRE, Broad’ bet Boo Houston and Bleecker streets — VAUDEVILLE and NOVELTY ENTERTAINMEN!, at T:45 P.M. ; closes at 10:45 P. GRAND OPERA HOUSE, th avenue and Twenty-third street—EILEEN OGE, P. M.; closes atl P.M. Mr. and Mrs. Florence. BROADWAY THEATRE, Broadw: opposite Washington p.ace.—HUMPTY DOMPTY AT HOME, &c., at 84. M.; Closes at LP. M. G L Fox. BOOTH’S THEATRE, xth avenue, corner of Twenty-third street—ZIP, at . M.; closes at 10:45 P.M. Loita. BROOKLYN PARK THEATRE, res, City Hall, — MARJOLAINE, at 8 jeloses at P.M. Fanny Foster. BOWERY THEATRE, 5 —THE LITTLE DETECTS é TERTAINMENT. Begins at 8P. M.; . METROPOLITAN THEATRE. ee Broadway. saat ENTERTAINMENT, at P.M. ; closes at 10:30 P. M. NIBLO’S GARDEN, ‘oadway, between Prince and Houston streets.—DAVY Fave KET, at$ P. M.; closes at 103) P.M. Mr. Frank ayo. and VARIETY loses at 11 P. M. LYCEUM THEATRE, ffourteenth street, near Sixth avenue.—Grand Parisian | Wolly, at 8 P. M.; closes at 1 P. M. WoOopD’s MUSEUM, roadway, corner of Thirtieth strect—THE HIDDEN AND. at2 P. Mj 4, Sone sae E- ‘A NEW WAY 10 | RAY OLD DEBTS, ats P. M5 closes ataoe Mr. aod Mrs. B. L. Davenport. PARK THEATRE, Broadway and Twenty-second street.—LOVE’S PEN. | ANCE, at8 P. M.; closesatil P.M. Charles Fechter. GRRMANIA THEATRE, rteenth street, near Irving place.—MAMSELL GOT, at 8 P. M.; closes at 1 P.M. “PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY, <jeademy of Mavic.—Grand General Rehearsal, at 2:30 2*, M.; closes a P, M. Mile. Iima di Murska. DALY'S FIFTH AVENUE THEATRE, ‘Twenty-cizhth street and Broadway.—MONSIRUR ALPU")*SE, a8 P. M.; closes at 10:30 P.M. Miss Ada Dyas, Miss Fanny Davenport, Mr. Fisher, Mr. Clark, THEATRE ane E, Eb Slt Broadway. me KNTERTAINMENT, at 8 P.M. ; closes at 10:30 P. WALLACK’S THEATRE, mecetwey and Thirteentn street.—THE VETERAN, at 8 M.; closes at li P, M. Mr. Lester Wallack, Miss Jemteys Lew is. TONY PASTOR’S OPERA HOUSE, No. 201 Bowery.—V ARIETY ENTERTAINMENT, at 8 2 ‘M.; closes atil P.M, Matineeat 2 P. BRYANT’S OPERA HOUSE, Twenty-t Seivagetcest, 5 near Six! venue. NEGRO MIN. SIRELSY, &c., at 8 P. £10 P.M. co Broadway, corner ot street PARIS BY HOONEIGHT: TET P.M; closes wt5 P.M. Same at7 F. .5 Closes at 10 P. M. TRIPLE SHEET. New York, Friday, April 17, 1874. From our reports this morning the probabilities are that the weather to-day will be cloudy, with some rain. Ispuan Conversions 1x Catrrornta.—A let- ter has been received by the President from Mr. Bateman, agent of the Round Valley reservation, California, an extract from which we print in the Heratp of this morn- ing, giving an encouraging and hopeful ac- count of the Indians in that section. A re- vival has broken out among the red people and large numbers of them are being admitted to the Church. We shall be glad to hear that the good work goes on and prospers. Eanu Russext on THE Rampace.— Yesterday evening Earl Russell, in the House of Lords, gave notice of his intention to demand trom | the government the documents containing the correspondence with the governments of Ger- many, France, Russia and Austria relative to the maintenance of the peace; copies of the instractions sent to Sir Edward Thornton, the British Minister at Washington, relative to | the Oregon boundary, and an account of the compensation made by the United States for the damage done by the Fenian raid. Does his lordship mean to impeach Mr. Gladstone ? Beconsrruction iv Ankansas,—In Arkansas there is another republican monstrosity. That State, like nearly all the others, was recon- structed not on any sound political principles, a NEW YORK HERALD, FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 1874—TRIPLE SHEET. ‘Thore is something appalling in the news which we print this morning of the sinking of the Amérique, of the French steamship line, on the coast of France, and the threatened wreck of the fine steamer Nederland on our Jersey coast, near Atlantic City. The Amérique was on her way to France with a large passenger list, and our readers willbe gratified to learn that all the passengers were saved, only one un- fortunate officer losing his life. The passen- gers have all been landed safely at Brest. The Nederland belongs to a new line recently established between Antwerp and Philadel- phia, in furtherance of the policy of the present King of Belgium to establish com- merce between this country and his own. Happily the Nederland has no passengers, and although drifting helplessly on a most danger- ous coast, without wheel or rudder, there are hopes the vessel may be saved. An accident at sea is an event to which it is hard to become reconciled. The imagination associates the ocean with eternity. Written on its face, according to the poet, we find the image of eternity. Every form of death seems to be involved in that of death by sea. One is alone, so utterly alone, in the mighty vastness of the waters, so helpless in his very strength before the storm and the pitiless waves, that when the tidings of a disaster like that of the Ville du Havre come it is more terrible than the results of a battle. We can afford to consider these recent disasters more calmly, because happily they were unattended with aloss of life. But the saving of life under circumstances like those attending the sinking of the Europe and Amérique is almost accidental. Had it not been for the arrival of the Greece the Europe would have gone down with all or most of her crew. In fact, whena vessel springs aleak at sea, or burns, or incurs destruction in any way, the chances of safety are so few that deliverance may practically be called a miracle. Our steamers travel for days and days without seeing a friendly sail. Our signal system is so imperfect that one steamer might sail within twenty miles of a sinking vessel and not know the danger. At sea twenty miles is little more than a thread of space. We track across the ocean ina hurrying, helter-skelter way, anxious to make rapid trips and provide the cabin passengers witha good table. In our impetuous, careless fashion all we care about in our steamers is, that the wine should be good and that they should sail more than three hundred miles a day. So that fora long time steamers have taken dangerous courses away up among the icebergs and the storms in order to make rapid journeys. Much of our navigation has been the blind trusting of chance. Chance in the long run, as life goes, with its ups and downs, is a good friend to landsmen and seamen. But we can- not trust too much to it, and our comment upon the whole management of most of our Atlantic lines is that too many risks have been taken in the navigation of the sea, and too little care has been taken of the lives of the passengers. We are not disposed to be invidious in our comments upon these disasters. Nothing could be in worse taste at this time or more harmful in its results upon public opinion than blindly to rush at conclusions, and assert, for instance, that no steamers are safe except those commanded by Englishmen. We have had no disasters more terrible than some which have happened to vessels com- manded by Englishmen and built in English yards. We have had, of course, the remark- able success of the Cunard line,’ whose steamers have sailed between this Continent and England for a generation without the loss of a passenger ship. We attribute this largely to the admirable discipline maintained in service, a discipline that might well be imi- tated by other lines. But our confidence would not be destroyed in the Cunard line if the sea, which is no respecter of flags, would do its dreadful will upon it to-morrow. We believe that, generally speaking, all the lines that sail from this port are well handled. There is a freemasonry among seamen that gives the profession practically equal standing. Our German lines are magnificent ships, well commanded. We have had no finer vessels than the French line, and the history of sea- manship shows no nobler instances of courage and skill than what French mariners have shown. In considering these recent disasters we must throw aside the whole theory that seamanship is the heritage of one nation. One The Ocean Disasters and Their Leeson. | demands of navigation, So far as possible Sne line should be a ‘safe-conduct or a convoy for another. It should be made a matter of penalty for any ocean steamers to go beyond these lines except in stress of weather. More than all, it would be wise for our in- surance companies, in taking risks upon passenger steamers, to impose a for feiture in the event of this rule being broken. We must surround navigation with every safe- guard. The equipment of all vessels, espe- cially in the matter of engines and lifeboats, should be conscientiously considered. Wo fear the boilers and propelling screws ond sidewheels of outgoing vessels are only nom- inally examined. When we reflect upon what may result from the breaking of a screw or & wheel in mid-ocean, when we think of the number of lives dependent upon the honest construction of machinery, we see the aw/ul importance of the inspection of every seagoing vessel before its voyage. There is scarcely a week in which we do not see a ship come crawling and panting into port in a helpless condition. Sordid owners send their vessels to sea trusting to chance to reach other coasts, If the ships go down all material losses are covered by insurance. As to the loss of mere men be- fore the mast itis only an imperceptible ad- dition to the death _Tate, for Chance isa good master even in “crossing the ocean, and we find him sailing many vessels, But better masters than Chance are Care and Discipline. Trust in Providence when the storm comes, but at the same time look to keel and sail and take care of the pumps. Our fault in America, and in England likewise, is that we leave navigation to the unchecked control of mer- chants and shipping companies, They care only for freights in winter and pantry com- forts in summer. Accordingly we constantly incur those risks which destroyed so many lives on the Arctic and threatened the loss of so many on the Europe and the Amérique. Let the great maritime nations therefore come together and revise the whole system of sea navigation. Let there be an agreement in the matter of steam lanes immediately. This can be arranged in an hour with a pair’ of compasses anda map. Let us have a con- vention deciding the equipment of vessels, their freights and passenger accommodations, and anticipating as far as possible every danger of the sea. In time we may may make sea travel so safe that there will be no disasters but what are really unavoidable accidents. As yet we have never made a serious effort to control the sea, and calamities are continually occurring which arise not from the ordinary dangers of the ocean, but from an imperfect system of navigation. Dockery Sentenced to Death. Such is the news telegraphed from Key West, Fla. Startling and painful as this announcement is, it will hardly surprise any one. For any American citizen to be charged with communicating with the Cuban insur- gents, for whatever purpose, is tantamount to a conviction and sentence to the severest pen- alty by the brutal Spanish authorities in Cuba. Dockery, who was at one time a collector in Florida, and, therefore, presumably an Amer- ican citizen, was arrested on the charge that he had come from the interior and had been communicating with the insurgents. The American Consul at Nuevitas was arrested, too, on the ground that Dockery had told him of his journey to the interior; but the Consul lesson to be learned from. these disasters is that steamers should take a course far south of the home of the icebergs. This is the practice of the Cunard line, of the Inman and, perhaps, other lines. But it isa recent cus- tom. The Inman managers took warning from the dreadful fate of the City of Boston. This vessel is believed to have gone down ina hurricane by striking an iceberg. So the directors have selected a southerly route. The Cunard owners did the same thing, and so wise is this precaution that we feel that no but merely with a view to putting into the great offices men who would increase the pub- lic revenues and divert them from proper public purposes into the pockets of distin- guished and influential republicans. In the prosecution of this simple programme a quar- rel arose between the important instruments and one of the parties to the quarrel put up an honest man for Governor and somehow got him into office. But the honest man has proved an obstacle, so the parties to the quar- rel have made up their differences and in combination have managed to get out Baxter and put in Brooks ; but the two sides are in arms face to face, and the final result is not clear. ‘Toe Cenrexnut.—We print elsewhere an eloquent appeal from John Welsh, of Phila- delphia, the chairman of ‘The Centennial Board of Finance.” This document sets forth clearly the present condition of the movement in favor of s centennial celebration of Ameri- can independence in Philadelphia on July 4, 1876 This is a subject which largely interests our neighbors and friends in Philadelphia, and we are glad to seo that the public spirited ‘ opal that patriotic city show so ‘much aland resolution in their work. Nothing would be more gratifying to the citizens of and, we are sure, to those of every city in the Union, than a celebration that would fittingly commemorate the virtues courage of the revered men who pro- liberty in Independence Hall, and at ce adig er show what progress the Re- made ina century of national ex- r nt steamer should be permitted to cross the ocean with passengers, under éither the English or the American flag, that did not adopt thesame plan. This, we think, is the first lesson. So im- portant do we regard it that we feel that General Grant could do nothing more popu- lar at this time than to address a communi- cation to the governments of France, Belgium, Germany and England, asking for a conven- tion between these countries to consider sea navigation. It happens, most unhappily, that all of our European steamers sail under foreign flags and are not within our jurisdiction. We have, therefore, mo power over them beyond quarantine and dock regulations. We may exercise the power of public opinion, but that is uncertain and capricious. What we need is a code of international rules concerning the sea. In this we are more interested than any other people. Our citizens use the ocean § Asa summer highway. Hundrods of thousands of our best citizens come to us from Europe, as hundreds of thousands will come in the future. While foreign authorities are happy enough to see Americans ag pleasure-seckers they would gladly place an embargo upon emigration. So, in approaching any matter of this kind, we wonld encounter only « half-willingness to treat for rules that will simplify sea travel and make it more secure. At the same time our government, if it enters into the question with any earnestness, will compel negotiations that must result in an advantage. We must have definite steam lanes laid down in charts. These lanes should be as narrow aa possible consistent with the was released. We have not the particulars of the charge against Dockery. If they are ever given they will be, no doubt, colored in true Spanish style, to make the offence appear highly criminal. Trials in Cuba are one- sided and go all one way, particularly when American citizens are the victims and when their cases appear to have any reference to the insurrection. We have seen what a narrow escape from death our own correspondent had for merely secking information for the public within the insurgent lines, Had he been executed the Spaniards would have made the most damaging charges, folse though they would have been, of Complicity with the Cubans. It is as likely that poor Dockery’s character, action or motives may have been blackened to justify the bloody and atrocious conduct of the Spaniards in his case. In no other country called civilized would death be pronounced upon such a charge ora Consul arrested on such a flimsy pretext. Had the Consul been the representative of the British government he would not have been arrested, and if Dockery had been a British subject it is not likely the Spanish authorities would have proceeded to such extremities. The Spaniards know well that the American government does not protect its citizens, and mock at its puerile and reiterated protests. It is the old and often repeated story of outrages upon Ameri- can citizens, and: there will, perhaps, be the same talk about investigation, which will end in nothing. The motto ‘Let us have peace” is carried out fally; but it is, alas! the peace of national humiliation. When Dockery is dead explanations will be made, probably, and placed on file in the State Department, to be heard of no more. Mr. Disracli’s Budget. In the House of Commons last night Sir Stafford Northcote, Mr. Disraeli’s Chancellor of the Exchequer, submitted the annual budget. It is a satisfactory exhibit and reveals the increasing prosperity of the British Empire. The revenue for the year which ended March 31, 1874, amounted to seventy-seven million three hundred and thirty-five thousand pounds. The expenditure for the same year amounted to seventy-six million four hundred and fifty-six thousand pounds. This expenditure, it will be seen, included the Geneva award, but not the cost of the Ashantee war. For the year end- ing March 31, 1875, it is estimated that the revenue will amount to seventy-seven mil- lion nine hundred ond ninety-five thousand pounds. “For the same year the expenditure is estimated at seventy-two million five hun- dred and three thousand pounds, A surplus is thus counted upon amounting to five mil- lion four ‘The teu and pg thousand pounds. The ally Mr, ie cect Se lor AT eplon Gladstone's.” TT! enables the is to be gener- ous, One penny is to be taken off the income tax. The sugar duties are to be abolished. It is proposed to create additional terminable annuities to the amount of four hundred and fifty thousand pounds; anda plan is submitted by which in ten years the national debt will be reduced by seven miil- ions, Mr, Lowe at once gave his approval of the main features of the budget; a resolution was passed in favor of the aboli- tion of the sugar duties, and Tharsday next was fixed for the discussion of the budget in detail. Mr. Disraeli isto be congratulated on the skill which he has shown and on the suc- cess which so far has attended his present term of power. The British people are to be Bongratulated on the financial prosperity of the Empire. Louisiana—The Southern States and the National Obligations. In view of recent events and of the remark- able attitude assumed by the South with re- gard to the national obligations, the case of Louisiana seems to us to have an entirely dif- ferent aspect from that it presented when viewed strictly as a question of constitutional right and justice. But a short time since we could see no reason why strict constitutional justice should not be rendered to the oppressed people of Louisiana, and we spoke our most earnest sympathies tor a people afilicted by the ter- rible visitation of carpet-bag government. Every Tmeasure that seamed likely to ‘relieve them or that even only went so far as to acknowledge that they were wronged had our support. As there was no resistance to federal law in Louisiana, as the people all de- clared themselves equally loyal, and as the State had formally. accepted and ratified the changes made in the national constitution by the war, and with the pledge of their honor had given the only possible guarantee that they would accept in good faith the re- sults of the war and all the acts done in the name of the nation as their acts—in view of all this’ it seemed to us that national inter- ference in the concerns of that State, the pretence of the general government to dress the balance of local politics for or against one or another party, was an iniquity of the greatest magnitude, and no more to be jus- tified in the case of Louisiana than it might be in the case of a party dispute in our own State. And we are still of opinion that the interference was an outrage and a crime, and we believe that its whole purpose was corrupt, and that there never was an honest impulse behind any step taken to secure it. But since, by the act of public authorities who have been false to their oaths, a State that should be the sovereign arbiter of its destinies is now ina condition of suspended political vitality, it may be wise to consider what, in the light of new facts, we may fairly suppose would be the use made of the justice the nation should render to Louisiana. Does the South mean to give its support morally and politically to the movement for the repudiation of the national debt? If so, is it not wise to have as few votes from the South as possible in the United States Senate or elsewhere? And, instead of assisting Louisiana to a sound social and political condition, should we not rather desire that States now fully represented might, by such facts as are on foot in Arkansas, justify the occupation of their State houses indefi- nitely by the national troops? We have already seen that the South votes with una- nimity for inflation, and that it explains this vote by the declaration that it means to in- validate the national currency and put our debt, if possible, side by side with the debt of the Confederate states. On the inflation measures we see the West voting heavily for them and the East heavily against them; but neither section is unanimous. In the Westa few perceive more clearly than thé mass of their associates the necessary effect of such legislation, and in the East a few are misled; but in the South the vote goes by a common impulse, and we are told by Southern men that the meaning of that impulse is not friendly to the national honor. No one can require the South to admire the national debt, It represents money spent in conquering the Southern States ; that is the only point of view they can be expected to state ; and the main result of the debt that they feel is an oppressive misgovernment, which must sooner or later provoke a new revolt. But, in order that they might not be governed as military satrapies—in order that they might have the form and the possibility of recovering all the rights of States—the Southern communities accepted an amend- ment to the constitution which declares that the validity of the public debt of the United States shall not be questioned. But it would appear that that obligation sits very lightly on their consciences, and legislation for Louisiana or other States may fairly wait until the couniry sees more clearly whether the South has any respect whatever for its forma] ad- herence to the fourteenth amendment. Recognition of Cuban Belligerency. , Senator Carpenter’s resolution calling for the recognition of Cuban belligerency de- serves special attention from the Congress of the United States. It is now well nigh six years since the people of Cuba rose in arms against hateful rule, and during that period they have gallantly sus- tained the struggle for independence against all odds. Public —_ opinion has time and again spoken in favor of the recognition of Cuban independence, but the mysterious power that rules Congress from the lobbies has always interposed a veto to the popular will. Before the President had fallen into the hands of selfish politicians he was in favor of a manly and self-respecting policy with regard to Spain; but latterly the mysterious power that influences Congress in favor of Spain seems to have made General Grant forget the advice of true men like Rawlins to hearken to the sophistry of the pro- Spanish party. Only a few months past tho Washington government allowed itself to be snubbed and the sovereign right of the na- tional flag to be trampled on under the pre- tence of siding republicanism in Spain. Now, when a4 military dictatorship has been established mainly through the gold and in- fluence of the Cuban slaveholders, the attitude of the Washington government is not less friendly than when Castelar ruled at Mpirid. The war carried on by Spain in Guba will end, os oll her wars in America have ended, by the final withdrawal of the Spanish forces Had Spain the power to suppress the insurrection it would long since have been suppressed; but, so far from this being the case, the power and influence of the insurgents grow stronger every day. If they were allowed to supply themselves freely with arms and ammunition the end of the conflict would not be remote, The interests of human- ity demand that the struggle be brought, as soon as possible, to a close, and the best way to do this is to acknowledge Cuban bellig- erency. The Spaniards might then recog- nize the hopelessness of their efforts to con- quer the island, and consent to make peace on such terms as would be profitable and honorable to them. Rapid Transit. The question of rapid transit has been ro- duced to this proposition :—We must either make New York worthy of the metropolis or we shall have the metropolis spreading itself over the outlying banks of the rivers and the bay. We cannot build a city in the clouds, nor would our habits of life and thought permit us to build one like Vienna, where a half mill- ion of people are compressed into a smaller space than Newark. We want air and sun- shine and wide, open spaces, and, although there is no more reason why people should not dwell in the isolation of apartments any more than in the isolation of houses, there is something in the absolute possession of a home gratifying to the patriotic American mind. His free soul craves a chimney and an alley, his own particular woodshed and window. The result is that Manhattan Island is rapidly becoming the home of millionnaires and wharf rats, The business part of the city has long since been abandoned as a home. Citizens of moderate means who desire to see the green grass and running water and smokeless skies fly over to Brooklyn and.the Jerseys. Yet the most attractive spots on this coast are in the upper part of the island and the lower part of Westchester. No one cares about crossing a river as a part of his daily duties. We cannot hurry across a ferry to keep a business engagement in the morning or a dinner appointment in the even- ing. A journey over the ferry has twenty teasing annovances that we do not deliber- ately welcome into our life, the inexorable ticket man, who looks like an exile from society ; the flower girl, the gum candy boy, the swarm of newspaper gamins, who add a new terror to the journey by forcing local journals upon us; the man who will smoke: and the lady who never finds a seat and dis- courses loudly about the politeness of the men in her day; the desperate man, who jumps before the chain is down, and the industrious employé, who begins to sweep as soon as the boat is full: all of these individuals and inci- dents combine to destroy the comfort of a life over the water. When to this we add the fog, the snow and the ice the measure is complete. Yet notwithstanding these discomforts the policy of our city and State is so narrow that every inducement is really offered to citizens to abandon New York and create cities else- where, Accordingly we have a very large population, a city in itself, divided into Newark, Brooklyn, Williamsburg, Hoboken, Jersey City and so on, that really belongs to New York. Hero the people do business, and labor and earn moftiey, But the money they earn, which should be as much the capital of the city as Broadway and Fifth avenue, is carried away. New York is drained of her wealth and her population, and in violation of the laws of growth and progress. If we had been governed for the last twenty years by statesmen, in- spired with a policy like that which has given us Central Park, we should have on this island more than a million of souls. The poor man could leave his pleasant, flower-em- bowered cottage in the morning, near Yonkers or New Rochelle, and be at his place of labor inahalf hour. Swift trains would fly over ground and under ground. Communication would be as rapid and as frequent as between Jersey City and Newark, and the city would become more and more attractive to hun- dreds of thousands who would gladly make this island their home and contribute of their substance and store to the grandeur and wealth of the metropolis. As it is the city has become paralyzed by a stoppage of circulation. The millionnaire may live on the splendid avenues, the wretchedly poor may swarm around the wharves. While Brook- lyn and Jersey City are growing prodigiously, New York limps and pants like one stricken with palsy or sure decay. Wesee that our neighboring cities mean to hold their domin- ion. Brooklyn has enterprise enough to build a bridge with our assistance which will make Prospect Park much nearer to the Hznarp office than Central Park, If we continue this wretched, makeshift, depressing policy New York will simply become a warehouse: Home will be found elsewhere, What we want is a splendid, imperial city, worthy of the metropolis of America, In the beginning let us have rapid transit. That is the most pressing want. Let the city become interwoven, as it were, with all of its suburbs. Let us have railways over the roof-tops, under the streets—everywhere. Let us have bridges, if necessary, over the rivers; because we rejoice in the progress of our sister cities as heartily as we doin our own. Then eur- round the lower part of the island with a system of docks worthy of our commerce. If we only had statesmen who would begin this work and plan out a series of needed im- provements the people would submit to any taxation to pay for them. Every dollar paid in taxes would return twentyfold. Heretofore we have given our money to thieves who squandered it. Let us only have wise men who will spend it in railways, docks, wharves, highways and boulevards, and a hundred mill- ions will be placed at their command without @ murmur. The Overflowing Mississippi. The flood in the Lower Mississippi grows hourly more and more alarming. Within the past week the Ohio has been steadily and rapidly rising. So also has the Cumberland, which, on Monday last, had risen twenty-four feet above the mark of the previous week. The immense freshets in these two water courses would, without further rainfall, have occasioned a dangerous inundation, as they converged near Cairo and thence southward. But on Tuesday night very heavy rains fell over Tennessee, Kentucky and the Lower Ohio Valley, and these, we may predict, will make the great river enormously larger ftom Cairo towards New Orleans. The deluge-threatened districts have had o week or ten days’ forowarning from the weather bulletins and predictions. But we fear it will require larger levee-repairing forces, more systematically end skilfully handled than any now organized, to save the alluvial lands of the Mississippi from exten- sive overflow. A similar inundation of the —_——. Tensas bottom in 1850 caused destruction & the estimated amount of $5,000,000, and suel 4 disaster now will be sorely felt. In view of such losses, to which this fortil valley i every year exposed, it seems strang that more effective levee provision has not bees made. . The area of alluvial land under cub tivation from Cape Girardeau to Red River it said to be about seven million acres, and thi area below Red River at least one million Each acre is capable of producing one bali of cotton annually, and, hence, the annud product of this vast cultivable region may bi valued at from four to five hundred million of dollars. This sum is risked every year fo want of better leveeing, which the ablest army engineers, in 1861, computed would not cos over seventeen million dollars. The inten state economy which these facta sugges ought to be at once considered and acted upox by the States interested in rescuing so mag nificent a domain from the annual ravages a the flood. With the outlay of a few millions the Mississippi might be kept within its banka or short enlarged high water outlets mighi be cut, connecting it at Lake Providence wit! the Tensas Bayou and the Black River. The opening of such floodgates and th perfecting of the levees, with the present sys tem of tri-daily river reports and flood warm ings, issued from Washington, would bi worth, annually, ten times the total cost. Our World of Amusements. The theatrical season is now ripening to 1 close. It has been an eventful season, full of incident and enterprise, and reflecting great credit not only upon our own people as as amusement and art loving race, but also upoz the taste and experience of our managers There is a general, but at the same time quit erroneous, impression that the dramatic art can only flourish with the encouragement ol great States; that the opera is an exotic and needs royal and imperial sunshine; that we cannot have a theatro like thi Théatre Francais, because we have no system of government subventions, no aristocracy, among other things, to patronize and em courage the players. Furthermore, ithas been said again and again that the absence of « titled society in America is seon in a lowering of tone in our amusements, and that they lack art and taste and finish, This would be a natural result under on dinary circumstances. But thetruth is that is New York we have amusements on as complet a scale as inany city of the world. Take thi London Times of the latest files, and, under tht amusement head, we find eighteen different en tertainments, sixteen theatres and two operas In the Hznatp columns we have ninetees amusements, including the opera, which nov comes to an end, only to appear again after a season of unusual splendor and success. Mr. Strakosch deserves especial honor for his achievements as a man& ger of the opera. Not only have we had tht old works, the inspirations of renowned mag ters, who may be said to have filled the world with a new harmony, but we have had 1 unique and unusual success in the presenta tion of ‘Lohengrin.’ This opera, as ow readers know, represents a new school, wha has been called the ‘“‘music of the future,”’ ix a strain of contemptuous irony. Founded by the genius of Wagner, in utter violatior of the cherished and traditional laws of music, “Lohengrin’’ has always been at experiment, and so delicate an experiment thai it has required the revenues and the counte nance of a monarch like the King of Bavarii to introduce it to the German people. Bul New York gave Wagner more than a royal reception. Crowded houses listened to tht loves of Elsa and the passionate, patheti( vows of the unknown knight. The legend a the Holy Grail, so mysterious in Germany was welcomed and comprehended by listen ing thousands. We do not venture to giw Wagner his real place in art, nor to antics pate any verdict which posterity will bestow upon his fame. But his success in demo cratic America, where his music came un heralded, unattended and without royal patronage, is an evidence of the highest tas for art and harmony. We observe also in the London Times lid that our English cousins are satisfied with im different entertainments. We note “School” and “The Rivals’ as the only classical or, more correctly perhaps, standard plays. Wa observe many waltzes and burlesques, transla tions into English of French opéra bouffe. We look down the Herat list, and we have standard actors playing in standard parte, Al Booth’s Miss Neilson announces ‘Romeo and Juliet,” while in Mr. Stuart’s new theatre we have that highly skilled and most admirable actor, Mr. Fechter—a school in himself, and worthy ot the most careful study. Mr. Stuart is not only a great manager, to whose appreci- ative genius we owe the marvellous success of Booth, but a critic and a scholar likewise—in- stinctive in his love of art and sparing no pains to make his new theatre a gem of art and taste. In addition we have E. L. Davenport, one of the finest of the old school tragedians, in his time the supporter of Macready and the rival of Forrest, who con- tinues the triumphs-he has won on the stages of two hemispheres. In all respects we have a range and variety of amusement not equalled in Paris or London. But we see how much higher our taste has become when we look at our own Théatre Frangais, the in- comparable Wallack’s, whose name is a house- hold word and whose theatre has become one of the institutions of our country. We speak of a ‘‘Wallack audience”’ as the highest type of culture and taste. This supreme honor Mr. Wallack has gained through a long series of years, by a conscientious devotion to art and a successful resolution to present the highest works of dramatic art in the most thorough and expressive manner. Mr. Daly, in his new theatre, also deserves great praise. ‘“Mon- sieur Alphonse,” which his admirable com- pany now presents, isa fine work of art and adds another to the long list of triumphs achioved by this young and persistent mam ager. . SUPREME OOURT OALENDAY. Rocuusrer, N. ¥., April 16, 1874, The following is the Calendar of the General Term of the Supreme Court for to-morrow (Friday), April 17:~Nos. 131, 1 134, 1: 187, @, 143, 147, 149, 154, 160, 00, 161, 183 and tea posite: THE ORANGE OHUROH SAVED PROM THE HAMMER, St. John’s (Roman Catholic). charch, Orange, N. J.,has been saved from the Sherif’s hammer, a the ‘creditors have accepted the $40,000 casD offered them by Bishop Corrigan. ~ ene ee ee Meee Ae ee Ne Oe