OUR LONDON LETTER.

Press, Volume XXIII, Issue 3035, 14 May 1875, Page 4

OUR LONDON LETTER.

LPBOM OTJB OWN COBBESPOKDENT.I London, March 19th, 1875. I should not think of touching upon what in itself is so simple and harmless a little measure as the Regimental Exchanges Bill, now before the House of Commons, were it not that it has been made the subject of the fiercest party struggle which has taken place since the Conservatives came into office. The Bill merely seeks to give to officers of the army the same means of exchanging with each other, under proper control, as used to be allowed them formerly. It would be regarded, as it used to be regarded, by the officers themselves—rich and poor alike—as a great boon. The rules regulating exchanges were such that exchange hurt no one, took nothing out of the public purse, did not in any way impair effioieney, and was a con* Y«utac« to many, Why &•& ife »&«& hatf

met with opposition from a single member it is hard to understand; and yet so bitter is the war waged against it that one would suppose it to be the establishment of a military despotism throughout the country that is being opposed, instead of this harmless little Bill. The Liberal party, almost to a man, have united against it: and it has even brought Mr Gladstone from his retirement to throw himself into the thick of the fight with all his old fire and eloquence. For a long period no debate has provoked so much bitterness and acrimony, or wasted so much of the public time as this. " From what trivial causes mighty contests spring," Who would have thought that whether Captain A, who can't afford to live in England, and Captain B, who can, and doesn't want to go to India, were to be allowed to exchange with each other or not, would be a question which would plunge Parliament into a fierce and general engagement lasting for several sittings? At every stage of the Bill the fight is renewed with increased bitterness. In spite of all this, it will be passed, to the satisfaction of all those who know anything of the question and are not blinded by party feeling.

In my last I described Dr Kenealy's amusing cLehut as a member of Parliament. He has followed it np in a characteristic mamer, He had not been a member many days when he raised a question of Privilege concerning a reflection on his conduct in the Tichborne trial made by a member of Parliament in a speech a short time ago, before Dr Kenealy was a member. The House listened to Dr Kenealy,;or tried to, with that respectful attention always accorded to a new member. It heard him insult the Prime Minister and several old established institutions with every show of forbearance; but when Dr Kenealy wagged his head vigorously and announced his intention of throwing off calumny "as the lion shakes the dew-drops from his mane;" it was too much for the House, and shouts of laughter echoed through the building. During this merriment, which was prolonged, it seemed to occur to Dr Kenealy that this style, which would have suited a Stoke-on Trent audience, did not go down here, and that he had better try something else; for on resuming, he at once concluded his speech by saying in softened tones that he hoped nothing he would ever do in that House would cause any member to be ashamed of him, a statement which was received with generous cheers. It is the old story:—"Ridicule is the most pointed shaft that can be shot." Hitherto, Dr Kenealy's tough hide has been proof against everything. Groans, angry cries, or noises, and he would have soared still higher; but one shout of real unfeigned laughter brought him down from his high oratorical perch like a " potted rook." Let us hope the doctor will act up to his words, and as the motion on the Tichborne trial stands for an early day after Easter, let him bear them in mind on that occasion, particularly. His '' lion Bhaking the dew-drops from his mane" has become historical.

The Tipperary men said that in spite of Mr Mitchel's disqualification after his last return they could elect him again, and they have been as good as their word. Another election for the county has taken place and resulted in his return at the head of the poll for the second time. The event was celebrated with characteristic rejoicings, bonfires and broken heads. Tar barrels blazed in the towns and on the hill tops throughout the county, and in the town of Tipperary any inhabitant omitting to illuminate his house had his windows smashed. The Home Rule members of the House of Commons have been organising themselves under the leadership of Lord R. Montagu. They are evidently preparing for a vigorous campaign, but I do i'ot think,the integrity of the British Empire is seriously threatened thereby.

The Mordaunt divorce case, which has been a public scandal for years is at last over. Sir Charles Mordaunt has obtained a decree. The co-respondent was Lord Cole. The vexed question whether a man can obtain a divorce from a guilty wife, who has become a lunatic and continues to be so, is thus settled. The unfortunate woman, the central figure of this dreary domestic drama, who not many years was the belle of a London season, and the possessor of everything the earth can give, wealth, beauty, and rank, is now an inmate in a private madhouse at Hammersmith, under additional restraint to prevent her from destroying her own clothing. It is the belief in certain circles that Lord Cole was only the scape goat of many others, amongst whom is one occupying a somewhat higher position in life than that nobleman.

We have amongßt us two American revivalists, Messrs Moody and Sankey, whose mission at present is the regeneration of London. They have been for a month or two in the country, and in their progress through the great northern towns, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, &c, have obtained an enormous following. In the towns they have visited the unusual spectacle has been witnessed of thousands of people walking through the streets in procession singing hymns. The fame of their doings in the provinces had preceded them, and their arrival in the metropolis, a week ago, has created an immense sensation. They hold services two or three times daily, and each one is attended by a vast concourse of people. In fact, all London may be said to,be flocking to hear them. The Agricultural Hall at Islington, the largest room in London, is at present their head-quarters, and at some of the Eervices held there as many as 19,000 souls have been present. They are heartily supported by the nobility, and a large number of clergymen of all denominations The services are conducted in the simplest style. Mr Moody reads from the Gospel and expounds as he goes on, while Mr Sankey presides at an American cabinet organ and leads the singing. Mr Moody's style is the strongest American, and his method of dealing with scriptural subjects at first jars on the ears of the educated. He will illustrate a passage of scripture as if the personage and the scene belonged to " Sari Fran " or Chicago, and puts into the mouth of the former expressions which might emanate from a citizen of either of those places. But gradually this mannerism loses its off ensiveness, and the earnestness, the ready thought, rough eloquence, and the peculiar gift of command this man possesses, carry all before them. His manner at times reminds one of a man-o'-war captain issuing his orders. After the preaching, any one is allowed to address the audience, but his time is limited to five minutes, and exactly at the expiration of that allowance, " Your five minutes up, sir," from Mr Moody, puts an effectual stop to the speaker, be he a nobleman or a mechanic. Mr Sankey is a valuable addition to the services. His,voice, though an untutored one, is wonderfully clear and powerful. He generally sings a verse of a hymn as a solo, and then the congregation join in a chorus. The airs are stirring and simple, and easily caught, and everyone is particularly requested to join. There are some who cavil at Messrs Moody and Sankey, but I believe myself they have done, and are doing, a great deal of good. There is no doubt they have reached the hearts of thousands that have never been touched before, and if they awake in many, not only a desire, but a resolution to lead, better lives, can anyone sneer at their efforts and say they are useless. .. _ _

■ The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Bace takes place to-morrow, and its looks as if the tide of fortune, which has been for six six consecutive years with Cambridge, is at last about to turn. For weeks the coming event has, as it always does, occupied a ridiculously undue prominence in the public mind. From day to day for the last six weeks each daily paper has devoted about half a column to the style, doings, and state of health of each particular member of the two crews. The two shades of blue—the light of Cambridge and the dark of Oxford— meet the eye everywhere throughout the metropolis—in the shop windows, on the whips of cab and 'bus drivers, and on the horses. Medals, struck in honor* of the event, are attached to light or dark blue ribband, and, with these on their breast, boys and idiotic men walk about the streets with quite an air of pride, as if they bad obtained them at the cannon's mouth instead of at the trifling outlay of one penny apiece, The ladies, too, are brilliant in the two shadee,and it ia uoticwblfl that the Woodw «ea to b« all fo

Cambridge and the brunettes all for Oxford. To your lady readers the secret of this partisanship will be obvious, but it m»y not be so well known to the other sex that light blue is most becoming to a fair complexion, and dark blue to a dark one. One great reason of the wonderful popularity of the University Boat Race is that every one knows that there will be no " scratching" at the last moment, no " roping," no " nobbling," as on the turf; but that it will be rowed from start to finish honestly and pluckily, that each individual will do his utmost, and that the best crew will win.

The Grand National Steeplechase at Liverpool, one of the greatest sporting events of the year, was run yesterday. It obtained some increase of interest from the fact that this year it was almost an international race. There were amongst the horses two French, some Irish, and an American. It was won by a horse called Pathfinder by half a length, over a four-and-a-half mile course. The winner was ridden by Mr Thomas, one of the finest gentleman riders of the age. For cross country racing the gentlemen are greatly superior to the professionals, though they cannot touch them on the flat. Pathfinder started at 100 to 6, and La Veine, one of the French horses, who was first fayoriU, finished third. The The stakes are valuable, being worth XOOO soys, added to a handicap of 25 soys each, minus 100 soys given to the second horse. There were 79 subscriptions, and 19 horses horses started.

The Bessemer steamer, the one with the swinging saloon, which is to make seasickness a thing of the past, and is to ply between Dover and Calais, is completed, with the exception of some internal decoration. On her voyage from the Hnmber, where she was built, to the Thames, where she now lies, the machinery of the swinging saloon was tested in a conveniently rough sea, and is reported to have answered beyond expectation. She will commence running shortly. The Dicey steamer, the one on the double canoe principle, though finished nine months ago, is still in dock. She seems to be suffering from something chronic in her boilers, unless her boilers are merely a peg to hang her failure upon for the present. The preparations for the arctic expedition are being pushed vigorously and with a liberal band. It will be equipped and ready to start next month. It is very popular in the service.

To-day, as appointed by the stock exchange committee, is the special settling day in the scrip of the New Zealand immigration and public works loan for £4,000,000. Subscriptions for this loan were invited by Messrs N. M. Rothschild and Sons in debentures of £1000, £500, £200, and £100 respectively, bearing interest at the rate of 4J per cent per annum. The price of issue was 94 per cent, and the principal will be repayable at par within thirty years. Three-fourths of the loan is required for the construction of railways and the remainder for immigration and public works. lam justified in telling you that the financial policy of New Zealand has been regarded of late as a little too " go-a-head," and creates a certain feeling of uneasiness in the minds of investors. If a loan for two millions only had been placed now on the market by the loan agents for New Zealand and the remaining two millions after an interval of nine months or so, the operation could have been conducted on more advantageous terms. But as it is, the loan agents being compelled by the New Zealand Government to place the whole four millions on the market at once, have, instead of raising the loan as usual through their own brokers, felt themselves obliged to resort to the services of a well known financial firm like that of Messrs N. M. Rothschild and . Sons. The operation may be regarded, however, as successful, but had the other course been adopted it would have been more so.

I have heard it stated as a fact that a suggestion made to the Government to confer the honor of knighthood on Mr Vogel, the New Zealand Premier, has been. promptly rejected, the recent policy of that Minister having failed to meet with the approval of the Imperial Government.

The Mansion House relief fund for the benefit ot those who were loßt in the Cospatrick amounted to a net sum of £3050. The two orphan daughters of Captain Elmslie received £500; the relatives of the crew, £865; ant the relatives of the passengers about £1300. There is a balance of about £350 in hand to meet contingencies.