The New York Herald Newspaper, May 8, 1874, Page 6

NEW YORK HERAL BROADWAY AND ANN STREET. * JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR. THE DAILY HERALD, published every day in the year. Four.cemts per copy. Annual subscription price 912. Letters and packages should be prop- erly sealed. Rejected communications will not be re- turned. y St seethied WW 88. LONDON OFFICE OF THE NEW YORK HERALD—NO. 46 FLEET STREET. Bubscriptions and Advertisements will be ' yeeeived and forwarded on the same terms as in New York. ‘Wolume XXXIX. te \ANUSENENTS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING —_—_—_+___—_ eae, coger oi avenue, co es ae 5 Closes at ity-third street —SPAR- aya MMe. John POLITAN T! ‘No. Broatmanev a raniery ENTERTAINMENT, ae 795 M. ; closes at 102 LYCEUM THEATR SEA ynne.—THE SCHOOL Fow'sea SOANDEL ater M.; closes at il P. M. Mise Jane ‘Coombs. ‘WOOD'S MUSEUM, way, corner of Thirtieth street AURORA RA FLOYD, at2 P.M; closes at 4:30 P.M RTING. at 8 P.M; Jeloses at 10:30 P. at Sophie Milea. ‘Mariette Eavel GERMANIA THEATRE, Sraeee street, Dear eying place. —PARISER LEBER, t SP. M. ; cloves a ' NEW PARK Weawe: Lo aah } DEOBIT, at8 P.M. Miss ada Gray. \ FIFTH AVENUE THEATRE fT wenty-c teach re and Broadway.—MONSIBUR PHONKE at Me; closes at 10:0 M- Mins Ada ae Mia Fanny Davenport, Bijou Heron, Mr. Fisher, fo. 514. Broadwa: rae RETY. SEN SERTAINMENT, ats . M. ; closes at 10:30 P. M. WALLAOK’S THEAT! \prosaws and Thirteenth street—SCHOOL, at 8 P. M.; seloses at [1 P.M. Mr. Lester Wallack, MissJeffreys Lewis. — — latge eer cag THEATRE, ton Fulton street, Brooklyn.— MUULLOGH, ast. M. Mr. Oliver Doud Byron. OLYMPIC THBAT! (Broad: between Houston, and AUD DEY LES aed NOVELTY ENTERTAINMENT at ‘745 P.M. ; closes at 10: Broadway, oppece) Was Taree place.—HUMPTY DUMPEY ar BOe acy scot M.; Closes at Ii P- x he fox. TONY PASTOR'S OPERA HOD! Washi BEN 8 No, 201 Bor VARIETY ENTERT. ao iT, at 2:30 +s Cloven at $30 P.M? also a OF. M ; closes at il a OPERA HOUSE, Zwopty third esr Sixth avenue.—NEGRO MIN- BTRELGY, Se, at BP, Met closes atid Fi COLO! Broadway, corner of Thirty-Atth street.—LONDON IN Bete Same at7P. M.; closes eee jatar. oberg ops street.—GRAND ro ed OF Nv. ONS, ati@o P. M. and TRIPLE SHEET. York, Friday, New Mey 8, 1874. From our reports this morning the probabilities are that the weather to-day will be generally clear. Ma. Joux H. Sreanan has been appointed counsel to the Senatorial committee charged with the investigation of the Police Depart- ment, Mr. Strahan is the Mayor's legal ad- viser. _ ‘mm Acgurrran or Contianp A. Spracun — At last the famous Brooklyn trial is ended, @ trial which has revived the memories con- nected with the great Tammany Ring. This trial has proved that Brooklyn, City of Churches as she is, is not free from the vile influences of corrupt and corrupting poli- tici Tes Firreents Amenpment ANNIVERSARY is not to be celebrated, as was intended, at Oberlin, but at Cleveland. The reason as- signed for the change is that the citizens of Oberlin have neither shown regard for the efforts of the committee nor treated the mem- bers with due respect. Whether is Oberlin or Cleveland the more to be pitied ? Tae Canapmx Pantiamenr and Rarip ‘Trawarr.—A most important bill has just been read a third time in the Parliament of the New Dominion. The bill provides for the in- corporation of the International Transporta- tion Company, with a capital of five million dollars, and the avowed object of the company is to utilize the St. Lawrence and its inland seas, so as to make transportation switter and cheaper than by the Erie Canal, Albany and New York. We had better look after our own interests. We cannot too soon apply steam to our boats on the Erie Canal. Tae Muesine Srzamemre Ernrorpu.—Up to the hour of our going to press the Ethiopia has not arrived. She is now twenty days at sea, and, all things eonsidered, it is notat all to be wondered at that her non-arrival creates much anxiety. The anxiety, as is natural, is con- siderably increased by the fact that she has a large excursion party on board. Weare loath to believe that any mishap has befallen the Ethiopia, the pride of the Anchor line and one of the finest ships that ever floated on the waters of the Atlantic. Commanded by Cap- tain Orsig, the Commodore of the line, we are satisfied that the noble vessel with her precious living freight should safely reach our harbor, Some serious accident has no doubt happened, but it is too soon to give up hope. Tue Froop m Anxansas.—It will be seen from our news this morning that the State of Louisiana is not the only sufferer from the high water which has prevailed over the South. It appears that in some parts of Ar- Ikangas the suffering has been quite as severe as it has been in any portion of Louisiana. In Chicot ‘county the floods have brought dread- fal trouble. Large numbers of families have been so reduced in circumstances through the inundations that they have been compelled to subsist 6n the carcasses of cattle which have died of starvation or been drowned in the overflow. ‘The Relief Committee is blamed for not sending supplies outside the State alias Louisiana, It wong ve bas man on rene resources of bo Committee, and that the "ao daoibelion in the neighborhood of New Orleans makes it impos- sible for the Relief Committee to attend to Ar- kansas. If the Relief Committee is short of funds in this new emergency the truth should be made known, and thé funds’ should be forthcoming at once. Grant Might Have Done. Arkansas bas advanced another step in its progress towards chaos. The ‘Supreme Court” has had s seasion and rendered a de- cision in favor of Brooks as contestant. If this Supreme Court had any authority and respect, if it had any, jurisdiction over the subject, we might consider the decision as having an influence on the discussion. But as it is, the opinion of these four judges is no more and no less than the opinion of any four citizens of Arkansas, The deplorable turbu- lence and chaos into which society has fallen have gone too far to yield to any remedies short of federal interference, backed if neces- sary by military force. It is too late for “Supreme Court” opinions, But this great subversion of ‘social order might have been averted by wise foresight and timely action on the part of Presi- dent Grant. His mistaken views of: the situation and excessive ‘solicitude lest he should overstep the limits of his authority have left the State to be tossed by a tempest which has wrecked its most important inter- ests. Could this have been prevented? Could it have been prevented by the President without passing the limits imposed upon him by the constitution and laws? As no attempt was made it is impossible to: answer with cer- tainty; but there isa reasonable probability that if time had been taken by the forelock a few ounces of prevention would have saved the necessity of a troublesome cure. President Grant has taken too narrow 4 view both of his duty and his powers. He has seemed blind to the possibility of any middle course between absolute inertness and military vigor, as if the moment he ceased to be King Log he must forthwith become King Stork. ‘The beginning of sirife,’’ wrote the wise old Hebrew, ‘is as when one letteth out waters”—that is, the best time for repairing the embankment is at the earliest moment when the water begins to find its way through. If the laws made it the duty of the President to protect the dwellers on the Mississippi against desolating inundations it would be good management for him to strengthen the yielding levee at the first symptoms of a crevasse, thus preventing a destructive en- largement of the breach. A few well driven piles or a few cartloads of stones or earth may avert a catastrophe which would overwhelm and submerge whole counties. Timely pre- cautions may be equally efficient against let- ting out the waters of civil strife. If it be asked what the President could have done in an early stage of the Arkansas trouble, tho answer is not difficult with the great number of precedents which exist for his guidance. Our earlier Presidents set a proper value on.the moral authority of the federal govern- ment as well as on its physical force during the first half of the present century. . It was their practice to so employ the former as to forestall any necessity of a recourse to the latter. We will cites few instractive exam- ples. In the period immediately preceding the negotiation of the Ashburton Treaty, by which the northeastern boundary was settled, a threatening difficulty arose between the gov- ernments of our State of Maine and of the British Province of New Brunswick, in which both parties took up arms in defence of their right to cut timber in the disputed territory. The federal government did not stand idle, but intervened in such a manner as to allay the exasperation and bad feeling and prevent any bloodshed. There was a similar instance not long previous, in connection with the so- called “patriot war’ in Canada. Our whole northern border was ins flame. Thousands of citizens in our frontier towns were arming, eager to rush across the Niagara and the St. Lawrence to aid the rebels, It was the clear duty of our government to lay a restraining hand upon this threatened and formidable violation of our neutral obligations, It did restrain and quell it effectually, but without employing a soldier or shedding a drop of blood. The removal of the Cherokee Indians across the Mississippi, which seemed fikely at one time to be attended with wild slaughter, was accomplished in an orderly and peaceful ‘ manner by substituting moral authority for physical force. The Dorr rebellion in Rhode Island was suppressed by the same salutary means, without employing a federal soldier. Even the South Carolina nullification was put down without bloodshed and with a much larger employment of moral agencies than the general public at that time were aware. We will not extend this long list; but it is an incon- testable fact that, although there were many lawless uprisings during the first half of the present century—uprisings which would have justified military suppression by the federal authority—they were in every instance quelled by mere pacific measures and a dexterous use of moral influence and authority. For the nature of the means employed in several of the most noted of these cases we refer to the interesting autobiography of the late General Scott, who gives their secret history with full details. He was sent South by President Jackson to watch the nullifiers and prevent an outbreak; he was sent to exert a healing moral influence in the re- moval of the Cherokees; he was sent to the border by President Van Buren on a similar errand at the time of the Canadian rebellion, and also to the State of Maine when it was on the point of war with New Brunswick. In every .casé he ‘‘conquered a peace” by moral authority and wise, skilful management, doing honor to his own character as a patriot and philanthropist and to the sagacity of the administrations which sent him on those mis- sions. In relation to his visit to the Canada frontier we read in the autobiography: —“‘All this was a new scene for Scott. In 1812-13-14 he had appeared on the same theatre as the leader of battalions and participator in victories, Now rhetoric and diplomacy were to be his weapons, his countrymen and friends the objects of conquest, anda little corre- spondence with the British authorities beyond the line as an episode to the whole.” He gives » most amusing sccount of the diplo- macy he practised with the warlike members of the Maine Legislature assembled at Au- gusta during his successful — to that State. Ai the time of the Dorr rebellion in Rhode Island the President sent the Secretary of War, John C. Spencer, to watch the progress of events. Mr. Spencer had in his pocket o proclamation duly signed by the President and Secretary of State, with nothing to fill in but the date, and authority to call forth the militia of Connecticut and Massachusetts, or Fort Adame his high position in bringing about a peace- ful adjustment. There can be little doubt that he would have succeeded. The social attentions—dinners and other civilities and hospitalitieswhich would have been given toa personof his ‘eminent character by the first citizens would have made it easy for him to array the best moral influence of the State against any resort to violence, His profes- sion, his military fame, his position os the ‘thead ‘of the army, would have surrounded him with such an atmosphere of authority as to dispense with any intimations that force would be used if necessary. . That inference would have’ ‘been’ silently drawn from the fact of his presence on such @ mission and have powerfully reinforced his friendly coun- sels and advice. Had President Grant pur- sued this course there would be no place for the hesitation and scruples that have so long held him in passive imbecility while a State of the Union is torn to,pieces by lawleas violence. There was no: possible legal: objection to his sending the head of the army to any point he pleased. There is no conceivable objection to a high officer of the army giving friendly ad- vice to citizens. _ No political motive could have been suspected, because General Sherman is quite independent of parties and politicians. It is altogether unlikely that things would have drifted into their present condition if General Grant had acted early, following the wise prec- edenta set by those who have gone before him. The moral authority of the government is as important, and‘on many occasions as efficient, as its physical energy, and it is always deplo- rable to be driven by events to exert the latter when a wise and timely use of the former might have precluded such an overmastering necessity. : The Manhattan Club Reception. Our report of last night's event at the head- quarters in this city of the gentlemen who are supposed to carry about with them the brains of the democratic party will exhibit not so much the aspect of a particular occur- rence as the fact of a peculiar fermentation in political thought. To the superficial ob- servers the gathering in Fifth avenue was to prepare cups for galvanizing a club; but this would be an unimportant and inconsiderable purpose for @ political rally such as this proved to be, and would ‘‘resemble ocean to a tempest wrought to waft a feather or to drown a fly.” It was in the general percep- tion of the company assembled that, there was a deeper significance in the event, and a consciousness that the time at last seems near when a long pull, a strong pull and a pull altogether may get out of power the tenacious party now in. Indeed, it is the opening of a recruiting station for forces to | carry on the political conflict that is imme- diately before us, and in the speech of Senator Bayard will be found two very practical points for the plan of.campaign. Ong of these, and the great one, ‘is to adopt asa policy the no- tion of putting honest men in office; and the other, 8 convention of all the States to see where we stand with regard to the constitu- tion. Both excellent ideasand cogently urged. The City Estimates. The Board of Apportionment have notified the departments to submit new estimates for the eight unexpired months of the present year, in order that the expenses of the city government may be reduced wherever prac- ticable and the rate of taxation decreased. There would seem to be room for saving in some of the departments. The care and maintenance of the parks in 1871, under Tam- many rule, was $525,000. This year, under a’ reform administration, the amount reqnired is: $650,000, or $125,000 more than in 1871. At the same time a far greater amount of work was being done on the parks in 1871 than is, contemplated this year. The salaries in the Finance Department are largely in excess of those under Tammany rule in 1871. Nearly $110,000 more is required to run that depart- ment this year than was expended under Con-. nolly. The ‘‘contingency’’ leakages are all to be stopped, as that prolific source of favoritism and corruption is done away with by the law. The other departments should be cut down as closely as possible, for the people have been promised a great reduction in the rate of taxa- tion, and it should come in the way of actual saving and not by merely ‘bridging over’’ until next year. Serrano AND THE Cantists,—Marshal Serrano has had an opportunity of his opinion of the of the Carlists in the North. Con; are in upon him from all parts of the kingdom, and from men who represent very different shades of political sentiment. Among the men who have sent in congratulations to the President must be mentioned Sefior Castelar. Ser+ rano, with a modesty, which becomes true Greatness, says that “the Carlist movement is only shaken, not vanquished entirely.” Don Carlos has not yet, as will be seen from our. news despatches, givenupall hope. In hisnew proclamation to his followers he expresses his belief that his cause will eventually triamph. It is evident from all this that the fighting is not yet ended. The final result, however, is not doubtful. After the relief of Bilbav Ser: rano.can. afford.to be modest. Don Carlos | but.does his duty when he cheers on his des spaizing friends and followers. Toe Manacewent or tHe Deparment of Charities and Correction is pronounced by the Grand Jury to be disgraceful to. the Commissionérs and to the city, and fruitful of corruption. «It will not do for the Commis- sioners to affect ignorance of these grave charges, or for Mr. Havemeyer to suffer the presentment of the Grand Jury to poss un- noticed. ‘The -Mayor is the more bound to éall the Commissioners to account for for thetr purchases and contracts since members of his ‘own family are said to be among the contrac- tors, Welearn that the of Ac- counts have commenced an investigation of ‘the books and accounts of the Department of Charities’ and Qorrection; but this is not enough. The, presentment of the Grand Jury must be an outrage and « falsehood or the Commissioners are unworthy to hold their positions and should bs removed, ‘The Gemeva Arbitration. The motion of Lord Russell in reference to the Geneva arbitration. does not seem to have made much impression upon the House of Lords, If this were simply the opinion of Lord Russell we should pass it by as the whimof an old map, his mind weighted and darkened ‘| by the burden of years. But wo note that the London Standard, which is the organ of the Disraeli government, commends Lord Russell for defending the honor of England, and behind the London. Standard there is an active public opinion taking the same view. There was hardly a tory speech made during ‘the last election canvass in England that did not ring the changes upon the dishonor of England at Geneva. These election legends were to the effect that Mr. Gladstone, in a moment of weakness, had consented to the arbitration of all questions arising out of the Alabama claims ; that he had gone to Geneva in a spirit of the utmost conciliation ; that he was there encountered by a furious American representative in the person of Bancroft Davis, assisted by three unscrupulous Yankee lawyers — Cushing, Waite and Evarts—who hesitated at no trick to carry their pointand hoodwink the English representatives. Furthermore, the Court of Arbitration was unfortunate in its construc- tion. The only judge ‘who knew anything was Sir Alexander Cockburn, the Lord Chief Justice of England. The other judges were little more than figureheads or tools in the hands of Mr. Davis and his sharp colleagues. Instead, therefore, of having a fair trial, the whole matter was prejudged. England, which never did any harm to the United States, was compelled to pay a large sum of money as a penalty for simply doing ‘her duty in the pre- servation of an armed neutrality. This, we say, is the legend which was elab- orated to the English public during the last canvass, and Lord Russell, supported by the organ of the Disraeli government, comes for- ward to champion it. Well, as a nation, we can stand our share of detraction and misrep- resentation; but this Geneva business is be- coming monotonous, and we do not choose to be constantly summoned ‘before an English Parliament as having in some way taken an advantage of England. The truth is that the arbitration at Geneva was not sought by the United States. Sir Edward Thornton gave the intimation that an effort to arbitrate would be welcome to the British government before Mr. Fish made the offer. A distinguished Englishman of high social rank and influence in America as well as England came to this country to encourage the negotiation, and was created a baronet for his trouble. The treaty was made to satisfy the English government. The one point about which England was anxious was this:—In the event of a war be- tween Great Britain and another maritime Power would the United States have the same right to make an indirect war upon the com- merce of England that England practically waged upon American commerce during the rebellion? In other words, England, having thoroughly destroyed American commerce, ‘was only too anxious to prevent America from retaliating at a future time. Mr. Gladstone saw plainly that unless a treaty was secured mak- ing every nation responsible for the acts of privateers that escaped from its ports a hun- dred Alabamias would issue from American ports to sasail the British flag as soon as the first gun was fired in maritime war against that flag. So thé treaty was made, in that spirit of peace which always animates the United States in dealing with foreign Powers. Once the rules were adopted which made it impossi- ble for us to allowan Alabama to leave our porta, England had gained her point. All through the negotiations she craved the treaty. Bat the moment the arbitration was opened her opposition began. The English journals here, who represent British interests with af- fectionate and patriotic fidelity, began an at- tack upon the American case. This attack was continued in England. The press of the Continent and the public opinion of neutral nations united in saying that our case was a just one,in no way exaggerated, and that we had a right to stand up before the Geneva Court and ask judgment upon it. But the case was maligned, misrepresented, assailed and finally destroyed, rather than break the treaty. America, for reasons appealing to her self- Tespect, would have been justified in walking out of Court, but the spirit of peace prevailed. Having won this advantage, the English fought @very new point in the course of the arbitration. Lord Cockburn, who went to Geneva, as was supposed a judge, avowed himeelf a partisan. His manner throughout the deliberations was angry, severe and unjust. He discussed every question with a passionate vehemence. Tow- ‘‘Brds Mz. Stacmpfii, the Swiss arbitrator, hé behaved with singular brutality. When the verdict wis rendered he left behind ‘him a yolume of “reasons” for dissenting, marked with a bitter feeling towards the United Stats and illustrated with eulogies on Lord Russell and Stonewall Jackson, The whole manner of the negotiation—the trial, the payment, the debates in Parliament, the tone of the press, and especially the addresses during the can- vass—shows that England feels that America, with traditional and conspicuous dexterity, took a dishonorable advantage of a friendly nation. ‘The truth is that in the whole Geneva busi- ness England won important concessions. If there is any doubt about it let the treaty. be broken. If Mr. Fish desires to know what England really feels let him send a message to Lord Derby saying that America does not ‘want the indemnity money, has no use for it, would rather pay the losses of her people out of her own treasury, and at the same: time ww her approval from the rules em- bodied in the Washingtor. Treaty. If we are to be held up on every occasion as having taken an unjust advantage of England let us put ani end to it and make the only restitution in our power. Give England her money and give us our treaty, and in the event of a war and the Republic appears to. be.one of the most peaceful of nations, But Germany is “‘irritated.’’ We do not sce the cause for irrita- tion. William is Emperor, Germany is united, Bismarck is a prinoe, the Parliament has voted @ seven years’ army, and this army, Moltke says, is.a ‘guarantee for the peace” of Europe. But, with all of these comforts and honors and @ degree of fame that has not been gained by any ruler since the Great Napoleon, the Em. peror is in a nervous state, We saw this somewhat fretful anxiety during the debates on the Army bill. France wasthe apparition that rested upon the triumphant, dauntleas German soul, One Minister showed that France was paying as much for the army now as she paid in time of war. Germany was required to maintain ‘a powerful force to carry on a vigorous policy, ‘a force that was feared in order to maintain peace.'’ The Fi- nance Minister took the peculiar ground that a large army was a benefit to the Empire in a financial point of view. No matter how much it costa, peace could only be secured when the army was in a condition to command it, Count Von Moltke brought his vast repu- tation to the discussion. As the Count’s trade is that of warrior and field marshal we can understand his fondness for a large army. ‘So long as France shouted for revenge Germany,” said the Count, ‘‘should keep her hand on the sword.” Disarmament of the Ger- ™man army would mean war. He was sure that “French wisdom” would avert war. He gave the Parliament some views on the last cam- paign. The general impression is that Ger- many showed a degree of severity in dealing with France that has no. parallel in modern warfare; that her terms of peace were exacting to the last degree—so. exacting as to call forth @ protest from England. But Moltke now assures us that Germany did not abuse her power. While she could have forced France to yield to all of her demands she merely “exacted back the land which a restless coun- try had torn from a weak neighbor.” What she wanted was peace. But fora peaceful nation the imperial hysteria is alarming. So faras the French are concerned this is one way of putting the case; but there seems to be another. Germany pressed France to the very last point which M. Thiers would admit. If it had gone further Thiers would have thrown up his hands in despair, the Bordeaux government would have dis- solved and the German army would have been compelled to occupy and pacify a country in insurrection. We do not think that Moltke would have looked upon such a duty with cheerfulness, in a country like France, which has a! Revolution, a Vendée insurrection and the-wars of the Fronde among her historical memories. If Alsace and Lorraine were “torn from a weak neighbor’ we must re- member that it was two centuries since; that two centuries are a long time in politics, and that if France or any other nation were to *‘exact back’’ from Prussia all the land she has torn from Austria and Denmark and Sweden and France, not to speak of the Ger- man States, during the last two centuries, Prussia would not be much more of @ king- dom than Belgium. If Moltke’s law holds good, then England would have a right to “exact back” from America the thirteen origi- nal States who signed the Declaration of In- dependence. It is our interest to have some kind of ‘‘a statute of limitations’ between States. Finally, the Emperor has his army, and this. should quiet him; but he will persist in being agitated. And we note that the Germans headed the list of emigrants to the United States last year. The tendency of the German mind seems to be to find a father- land as far as possible from Alsace and ‘Lorraine. Perhaps the spectacle of hundreds of thousands of manly German men who love their wives and children and do not care to be dragged over the Rhine to fatten the fields of Champagne with their bones, at the whim of a nervous Emperor, distresses the imperial mind, It ig gertainly not pleas- ant {o a German Kaiser to 4&4 bis subjects flying for life and liberty to another init thag, the Fatherland. But men of peace do not always want to live in a country which haa had three wars in ten years and whose rulers are #0 hysterically anxious about ‘the peace of Europe” that they may stumble into another war at any moment. Tas Amentcan Canprnat.—The Roman Catholic. Convention has adjourned in Cin- cinnati, Most of the prelates have gone to their homes. The nature of their work, wo are informed, will not be known until after its approval in Rome. We hope the reverend fathers have not forgotten to remind the | Holy Father of the claim the Catholic Ohureh in America has upon the Pontificate,, The. Catholics in America have been among'the most faithful children of Rome) ‘They liave contributed largely to the revennes of tho Holy See; they have had among their cletgy- men prelates of great learning and virtues, but His Holiness has never seen proper to give them a» cardinal. His Holiness found’ no difficulty in appointing @ young. cousin of the Emperor Napoleon to be Cardinal, to please the Emperor. This Prince Lacien Bonaparte, was named when he was only forty years of age. Even now he is only 8, 1874.—TRIPLE SHEET. forty-six. Why not appoint one of ourrevered and venerable prelates, to please the American Catholics? We hope the Convention of arch- bishops has submitted this point.to. His Holi- ness, for it is'a point worthy of attention in Rome. stom Nekest Wi a Our advocacy of the establishment ot “eteam lanes’ has exeited so. much interest in the maritime world that the discussion is now narrowing down to the ptaoctical aspects of the subject, ‘Can ‘‘steam lanea’’ be laid down on the charts? That question has been | by the steamships sailing to and from this port? Yes, has been the response. Has there been any opposition to ‘the project we: have urged with so much earnestness, ‘knowing that the readers of the Hxnstp are largely inter- ested in transatlantic travel? None., On the contrary, ‘steam lanes’ are favored by sea- men and navigators. They have been urged by the Chamber of Commercs in 8 memorial to Congress, signed by some of the most dis. tinguished, merchants, and shippers of the city. Senator Conkling, in the Senate, and Mr. Cor, in the House, have taken charge of the bill, which, although too narrow in scope and too indefinite in terms, will, with amend- ments. which may even suggest themselves to these gentlemen, bring the matter into shape for international action.’ The provisions of this bill, as réported, are these:—That the President shall . appoint & commissioner on the part of the: United States, with a fixed compensation, ' to ‘meet'other commissioners of other maritime natforis, who shall assemble ‘and lay down ‘‘steam lanes;” to declare in favor of the use.of electric lights and raft accom- modations in cases of accidents at sea, and that the President shall notify the other Powers in- terested of the legislation of Congress. The mistake of the bill lies in the fact that no one man is competent, from the important nature of the innovations proposed, to speak at once with intelligence and impartiality in the name of the maritime interests of the United States. Perhaps Senator Conkling is not aware that the establishment of ‘‘steam lanes,” which really comprehend all the other changes proposed, involves a complete revolution in ocean travel, which must be followed with changes likewise in the navigation of sailing ships. It is hardly to he presumed that, when the maritime nations shall behold in these trackways a suc- cessful regulation between the Eastern and ‘Western Hemispheres, the reform will be confined to the Atlantic Ocean. We look to the day, which can hardly be far distant, when a general system of maritime regulations and jurispradence will compel ‘‘steam lance” over the busy highways of the Mediterranean, from the sLores of Asia to our own Pacific coast;. indeed, over every sea now ploughed by the leviathan agents of commerce, ‘Lanes’. for sailing craft may become a fact of the future also, Now ® ship without steam power, sailing from this port for Liverpool, with adverse winds, must utilize every local advantage, ‘‘tacking” according to her ability, sometimes finding herself far to the northward of the routes of ocean steamers. and often far to southward. If a belt for sailing ships, laid down after an exhaustive digest of the log books, by which Maury was able to organize his geography of the sea, could be placed upon the charts fur- nished for the merchant marine, there would be no difficulty in compelling sailing ships to confine themselves to opecified zones. It would thus ultimately result that we would have a perfect knowledge of the navigable ocean, and-that a vessel would seldom be out of sight of some immediate and protecting power. How, in view of the great change necessary to security of life and property, can Messrs. Conkling ‘and Cox hope to accomplish acreditable success by the appointment of one man to elucidate all these questions; before an international commission? We re- peat, then, what we have heretofore urged, that five commissioners should be appointed, representing the steamship interest, the Hydro- graphic Office, the Ohamber of Commerce, the public and the captains themselves. No move- ment can succeed which bears even the sus- picion of partiality. Tae Cuamszs or Commence met last even- ing and feasted and “‘iudulged its soul.” Several good speeches were made—one by Mr. Evarts, one by Judge Noah Davis. Mr. Dodge was re-elected President and Mr. Have- meyer made his one hundred and eighth annual response to the toast of New York city. PERSONAL INTELLIGENCE. Mr. Alfred Sandison, second dragoman of tho British Embassy in Constantinople, has been pro- moted to the rank of second Oriental Secretary. The Archduchess Maria Immaculata, wife of the Archduke Cnarles Salvator, of Tuscany, has given birth toa daughter. The child was born in Vienna, The Very Rev. Dr. Peel, a brother of the late Sir Robert Peel, has resigned the deanery of Worces- ter, England, which he has held for twenty-nine years, Count 4’Eu, eldest son of the Duke de Nemours, Generalissimo of the Brazilian army, has visited the gfeat blast turnaces, iron foundries and stecl mills at Le Creugot, France. Mr, Lionel Levy, proprietor of the Globe Theatre, in London, has presented the Duke of Edinburgh, a8 8 wedding gift, 8 dessert service of solid gold. Its value is between. 3,000 and 4,000 guiness. ‘Major Owen Tudor Burns, 0, 8. L. private secre- tary to the late Lord Mayo, has been appointed EA the Marquis of Salisbury Assistant Secretary in 4 Political and secre’ Departments of the India toe, the Reform Club, London.: One revetved Afty-one, and the other was favored with) forsy4Vo of the polite hints, , ‘The late May. Robért Freeland, of Gryffo Castle, Bridge of. Weir, omiing Cotton sploner, has be- queathed ‘and charitable tn. stitutions aod a servants amounting to up. wards of £40,000. The Bishop of Mahchester, England, has written letter, in which he desires to impress upon Mr. joseph Aro thé extreme responsibility of nis “and counsels reason ahd moderation Doth in bis language and his domands, ‘At the Edinburgh University graduation cere montal degrees were conferred on sev: eral; Tesidents in tne West of Scot- land, the Rev. A. Bonsr, Glasgow, and Rev, RB H. ‘Story, Roseneath, receiving the degree of Di D. and Sherif Dickson that of LL. D. Right Rev. Bishop Wordsworth, in intimating ‘tits intention of resigning the of St Androw’s, Scotland, says that during his twenty: seven years’ service he has endeavored to pro mote the weltare of the Scoton Ohuret to the best of his judgment and ability. He think: “the time bas come when he may fairly claim to bt allowed to retarn and devote the remainder of hi live and strength (o the service of the Churoh of kb native land,”