LONDON.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 234, 19 September 1862, Page 5

LONDON.

(VKOM OUK OWN COBHESPOSjDEHTO

July 21, 1862,

I hereby forward my first monthly con- ; tribution, and in doing so, I beg to state that I feel highly honored by the commission you have ' entrusted to me, niid that my best exertions shall I be used to send yo:i a faithful record of all things ..'important and likely to be interesting which may transpire since the last mail—adopting, for mutual convenience, " brevity" as my motto. I cannot commence with a better . subject this time than the recent marriage of another of "England's daughters'—the Princess Alice with Prince Louis of Ilcsse Darmstadt—a marriage purely of affection, and" currying with it the best wishes of every one ; for this young lady has shown the rarest qualities in the honr of trial—the constant attendant at her father's death-bed—the tender nurse up to his last hour—the solace and support of her royal mother jn her griof ; nothiug too good can be said of this amiable daughter of our afflicted Queen : and that she may be happy is the prayer of all. - You have all, in common -with us, sympathised ■with the Queen's bereavement ; the great consolation is that the Iloya.l children as they gro.v up, display by their conduct the benefits derived from the teaching and examples of their parents. No •wonder then at the' national sorrow for T/rince Albert's death, the respect paid t) his memory, and the universal sympathy with the sorrows of ■ the Queen. .."'.-.•:;:•■.' '. :';;'.' : ...-' .'" O/'"'1':^:: Every month something must be said of the International Inhibition, and unfortunately many a sad tale will be told about the "World's Fair", The building itself (in contrast with Paxton's of 1851) has brought on the devoted head of Cap- - tain Fdwke no cud of ridicule and abuse ; and from the very moment of Prince Albert's lamented decease, the Royal Commissioners, in their arrangements, have too clearly showri the want of a guiding genius. The contractors •worked like Trojans, and so far all was ready by the appointed day, and the opening ceremonial was (considering the absence of Royalty) done well enough. Perhaps we ought not to be severe in criticising a task of suck magnitude. It is, nevertheless, too true, that confusion and - blundering have reigned triumphant ever since the opening. .:. To get their money back was a very early idea with the guarantors, and numerous parties were compelled to purchase season tickets who should, in alt honesty and justice, have been exempt. Fabulnus sums were charged for the permission to Bell refreshments, &c. And, after a little while, a fresh series of season tickets were issued at a reduced price- The consequence has been widespread dissatisfaction ; the original five guiuea ticket-holders have expressed dissent at their neighbors getting the entree at a lower figure ; and the refreshment-sellers have, in order to" get tlteir money back, adopted a scale of prices rather startling to the " British public." In addition to air this the want of conveyance has been sadly felt; it has been a very wet season unfortunately, and ladies don't like their'bonnets spoiled. The number of visitors varies from 50,000 to 70,000 daily ; of course ife would be difficult to provide conveyance for this large multitude, but it is reasonably supposed some better arrangement might have been made for the public convenience. Then,~again, the awards just now distributed to the exhibitors are so unsatisfactory that the jurors, are universally blamed for their want of discrimination,» It is to be expected in a gigantic aflair like this that merit may be occasionally overlooked ; but here it is notorious that very many exhibitors of the first class in their respective arts are left unnoticed, and prizes have been awarded in many cases to exhi bitors who have publicly come forward, and stated their astonishment at their own undeserved success—that it must be" a-mistake, and that the prize is surely meant for their talented neighbour. Now all these neglects and shortcomings are most lamentable, and naturally throw a dark shadow OVer this glorious exhibition of the talent and industry of the world. The names of the successful exhibitors, have.not..yet been published,-'but the awards are handed to the representatives of the different cjuntries—thus Sir. Morrison has the custody of the prizes for New Zealand, Mr, Hamilton for Sew- SouthWale3, Mr. Marsh for Queensland, Sir R. Barry for .Victoria, Sir R. Maedonneli for South Australia, Mr. Andrews for West Australia, and Sir IL F. Young for Tasmania. ....'. : : Business-generally-has been much depressed for some time. The lengthened retirement of the Queen has greatly affected .rations trades, especially at the west end ; there have been no levees, or drawing-rooms, or receptions of any kind this year, and parties going abroad have had to apply at the Lord Chamberlain's office, for their cards of presentation to foreign courts. Of course the want of the raw material from America has contributed greatly to the dullness of trade.* If s shocking to read of the distress in our manufacturing districts. In the .Cheshire and Lancashire Unions-■'alone.'there ' are already 150,000 paupcics, and it is feared this large number will, iv a few more months, bo doubled. The nuws from America is so truly'awful, it makes men jr.iusein reading it; and the question arise3—how much longer is it ] ossibte for such horrors to continue? We are now told that the number of. killed and wounded in the seven days' fight before Richmond was at least 80,000, with a prospect of the remainder of M'Clellan's army being entirely destroyed. He has but 70,000 left out of his once magnificent host of 220,000 ; yet even now is the Washington Cabinet beating up for recruits, and proposes sending forth against their Southern brethren another army of .300,000 men. In spite of the doabtfnl nature of American telegrigns. it is now reduced to a certainty that M'Clelian's army, except the above fragment, has been destroyed ; and while Aye: have the certain knowledge that hundreds of thousands of men have been sacrificed in this deplorable war, another campaign is forming of even greater magnitude. We have all these unspeakable horrors before onr eyes, all these fearful privations, these insane sacrifices, when a few words from Europe in the shape of mediation would probably end it, and the grave question now arises whetherjhe proper time for mediation lias not arrived. In the British House of Commons the ministers are "repeatedly being asked this important question, but they still adhere to pon-iriteiventicD, and itis left ibr a merciful providence to stay the red; band, and once more restore the world to its charita*ble ways and peaceable operations. "- * In Italy that ardent lover of liberty Garibaldi is fast losinghis patience, and Srith it much of hisgood sense; ;At: Palermo "lately he indulged y, jbis. audience with a -fierce and warlike speech, _ J__3lling the French Emperor very hard names^ ancl otherwise iniscondueting himself to such an ; extent that the Italian Government were obliged tostophim in his mad career, and makethe amende honorable to the Emperor, for Louis Napoleon is content^ for the presenfc to let-IfcUy take care of itself,, he having: quite, enough work to do just now on his own account. His Algerian province requirestrauch care, although he is pretty; safe in . •■.leaving,-,-, it to Malakoif s Duke ; ; there's' tht} Cochin China expedition still full of trouble and anxiety -he has a large* force in a critical posi tion jointly with'US at present amidst the Taeping rebels j;he has a very tough jobon hand in

Mexico ; and, in fact, is brim fnll of business of a varied nature, and can ill afford tho!time to^atteod tD Itiiliun matters, which he very well knows must wait his Imperial pleasure.- By tbis time, 30,000 men, at the very least, have left the French shores for Vera Cruz," and it will not be long before they give a good account to their master -ot the savage Juarez and his Mexican rangers, and thu3 wipe ofi old scores j for the French have had some hard knocks lately in that quarter —indeed, it was rumoured in France that the expedition had perished to a manf and of courso Xepoleon 111. was not long in promising to vindicate the honor, &c., and General Forey goes to doit. . An important conference is on the lapis.* It is riunored that in September or October the Emperors of Russia and France will meet the King of Prussia in solemn conclave to discuss the affaire of Continental Europe. If this comes off wo shall be relieved from the darkuess whfch at present shrouds the Italian question. The kingdom of Italy has already been formally acknowledged by Russia uud Prussia, and it is significant that Austria is not included in the conference alluded to. Alarming accounts continue .to arrive "from China. We have hitherto kept neutral y ith re-j-pect to the Chinese rebellion ; but now the successful advance of the crnel Tnupings has rendered them bold enough to defy the barbarians ; and for our own security we have been compelled to give the rebels a tasty of oar quality. A large body of Chinese has been organised and disciplined by an American officer (Ward), and with this gentleman the English and French representative!! have entered into an allbnee against the Tacpings, Already several severe engagements have taken place,-resulting in the death of t.'io French Admiral Protet,- and other" casualties, without making much impression on the enemy, and the latest accounts bring word that five or si* hundred of the English and French are completely surrounded by ferocious hordes., We arc anxious to hear that the skill and energy of the allied- forces have extricated them from this perilous position, as the dreadful fate that else awaits them is toa horrible to contemplate. The Turks and Montenegrins are still at " daggers drawn" with alternate .success and immense slaughter.- This struggle is anxiously watched by parties who would.like.to'hate a "finger In the pie," but " Non-interventiou "is the order of the day, any interference in that quarter would be viewed with great suspicion; and without the sanction of England and France few will attempt it, despite the " itching palm," so these belligerents (like the Americans)'must be left to fight it out alone, with friend Punch's moral'-of tha •'* Kilkenny Cuts'* straight before them. Kven now we read that boys..of 12 years oi ago help to make up jhe Montenegrin army. The King of Portugal is going to marry a daughter of Italy, King Victor's " Pia," named after her god-father the poor old Pope of Rome, aud of this said Pope we can say but little, lie is as obstinate as ever.and it answers no one* purpose to interfere further with his Holiness; the probability is that the present state of things will last his life-time—the future is far the historian. The King of Belgium is still in a precarious state, and we may expect any day to hear of another blow at the peace of mind of our afflictel Queen, She,is very fond of her uncle Leopold, and indeed he is universally respected. This sad event will be an European loaa—miy- ifc ba far distant! The accounts from Poland tell alternately of riots and arrests, punishments and pardons, and unhappily of fearful crimes. No doubt the Poles are a much injured race, but their cause cannot in any way be assisted by the wicked and cowardly attempts at assassinatiou wo read of. General Ludcr3 and Duke Constantino had narrow escapes, and tho probability is they were at that time engaged io good offices for tho oppressed Poles. At all events the Czar appears disposed Ito benefit his peoplo by reforming the hitherto austere Russian code, and it is much to be deplored that fanatic violence and premature excitement should staud in the way of his good in« tentions. Mention has recently been made of the death m America of Col. Colt, of famous memory. He died worth a million sterling. In this country we have Mr. Cort (the descendant "of, the improver in the manufacture of iron) so poor as to declare on our pension list for a paltry hundred a year. His ancestor ruined the whole family in maturing bis useful invention, while a stranger realises n plum by converting that invention to the man vi facture of the deadly revolver. The contrast ii \ not a pleasurable one. | We read in the Otago Daily Times of a public i meeting relating to apolitical separation (domestic separation is perhaps a better term) of the Middle Island from" the Northern. It was a meetling admirably conducted and the orators were [ quite to the point—the case seems clear enough; I but of course there is much work to do, let that j work bo done well, and Otago will soon become a colony. There seems - to' be plenty of talent, energy, and prudence, in tho leaders-of this movement, a movement evidently based on justice and equity, and <!very success is wished it by the Queen's lieges in the old country. The niory colonies we have of our own flesh nxi>\ blood, the better for all; there is no mistaking the colonial question, it is one of the most important iv the Imperial Administration, and few men will be found rash enough to raise a voice against progress of this description. Once nJbre we say in England' your cause is good and just, " go on and proapor." Your next papers will tell us much on tbis subject, we are especially anxious to read how Sir George Grey received your deputation, and his reply.-.. •.. .. .. - . ... '"; ' ..■ London just now presents a enrious aspect. Nothiog like the London of a few years back, for what with the numerous foreigners, the shoals o country folks, the countless party-colored Volunteers, the large increase' in the number" of vehicles, the extensive street improvements, the pulling down blocks of houses and building up others, the numerous bridges that are thrown and about to be thrown across old father Thames, the springing up of ingenious itinerants to suit the wants of the accumulating multitude,—all these things stagger a man iv his belief about the reality of this modern Babylon. 1851 was a puzzler, and many there were who could not realize that wonderful epoch ; then what shall be said of London in 1862? Imagination must be left to its functions. But let the wheel revolve, and : bring us to another International, say 1872. Was it worth while to pause, we should for our pains be lost in wonder and amazement We have just thrown opeii the new bridge at Westminster, which will be, when its approaches are completed, one of our ', chief ornamentI?,—it's a beauty! We are constructing an underground railway from King's Cross to Blaekfriar's Bridge, •which would be now nearly completed but for the nasty'temper-.shown by a crotchety neighbor called the Fleet Ditch, This temper displays itself by continually upsetting the ornamental brick arches anil other devices; indeed to such an 1 extent as to induce Punch to' change the i railway's name to the 'Underwater Railway/ but ! it's no joke to the contractors, be assured. Then !wo arc about commencing the long talked of ''.Thames embankment" The principal opponent to this measure, has been the Duke of Buccleugh -who,has lately pulled down the old family mansion at Whitehall, and built up a splendid ducal I one closeto the water, and as this new highway will come exactly between his house and the Thames,-the Duke begins to wish he had never built such a beautiful thing for the vulgar people to deile. Committee after committee sat on this important Bill, and the Duke's opposition was supported by a large amount of Government influence, but in these enlightened .- daya the " people have a; voice, and, sometimes a very loud one ; they made themselves heard this time and the Bold Buccleugh bites the dust The consequence will bo a magnificent carriage road and foot path at the water's edge all the way from Westminster bridge to London ditto. i It is rumoured that Lord Mayor Cubitfc has not yet had Enough of thej Civic Chftir, bis friends are :beating the" bush, for a third election, a la Whittington; a baronetcy, looms in the future. Tlie Prince of Wales will attain 21 on the 9th Novembei' next.fnd the Loid Mayor's baronetcy will thos slip out dtCubitt's family, but the nexfc in rotation is Alderman Rose, whp thinks himself as much entitled to nobility as the other gentleman, and it is expected a fi«?c« struggle will ensue.

The principal lion in liondon now is the Viceroy of Egypt, lie is a fine fellow,'and goes everywhere. Ho has a country house at Wandsworth' nnd a yacht on the river. He goes to Corporation' dinners alt ovir the kingdom, and gives grand entertainment* .in the chief cabiri ,of his aquatic honir. Ho is-very popular and very interesting • the latter quality consisting of his being with two or three brother* (certainly «ot more) the only survivors out of a-family of 8i bairns. No wateris drank by this illustrious stranger, except that which comes direct from the river Nile, How it is conveyed here we are not informed. A remark-' able iiict is connected with thus visit; it is not knowntlut the Prince of Wales has once called on his Highness since his arrival in this country which is unaccountable when we consider tno manner iv which our young Prince was everywhere received while on his recent travels in the Iy.3t. This ]ook3 ungracious and inhospitable and naturally excites surprise. While ou this subject wo are reminded that tho Nile is now rising, winch it is hoped wUI not be attended with such disastrous consequences as occurred-last, year. • Lord Stanley presided lately at a banquet given by the Aceliwitiouioii Society hero, when several choice specimens from New Zealand au4 Australia %rero discussed ; but how tJie-e antipodean delicacies agreed with the tough ftaxon stomachs of the scientific aud learned Right Honorable.*, the report statea not; nevertheless, such Associations as these do much good to all. v;; \ ; k J :r / ;ii t We have had asplehilidshowinlßattereea parkl by the lioyal: AgriciilturalTS>ci3ty,; lasting for 3 several weeks; exhibiting the latest injproveinenWin all tilings agricultural, whether in tho iatten-'i ing of eattto or iv the abridgment of labor; tbG? steam plough excited much interest and, has.' bad several successful trials. Another estaneivs show has been held at Isliugton, culled the Grand Dog Show; both these exhibitions were crowded daily, and yet the returns show a pecuniary loss of somo thousands in each case; whatoccasioned these results is being sifted. .:r '-The llouso'of.'Commonsis at issuo here with the London Garotters—tho Men ber for Blackburn (Air. PilKitigton) ou his way horns from tub House, at two o'clock in the mo-nm;?, was attacked m Rill Mall, robbed, and nearly killed. I iiio Home Secretary was called to account for this, and promised more protection to honorable mumbera for tho future. These outrages are of constant occurrence, and the police setiro powerless in'the matter, but perhaps . the audacity of garoltmg mi M. P. will lead to more safety far the general public, and induce our representatives to keep better hours. Mr. EJwiu James's delinquencies having bean notsu&l iv the-New Zetland papers, it may be a* well to mention Unit we have other gentlemen at the Bar, whose conduct has lately been enquired into here. Mr. Digby S *ymour, M.l*, for Southampton. Mr. -Kennedy': who "\fas concernasl in tho btt'tnfau costs, and other*. It appears that these enquiries t:iko place before the/.'Bencher* who decide as they please, without responsibility, something after the stylo of the ancient " laqoUition." Long articles in the papers, and longer sp^cche^ in Parliament have been prolific on"thw subject, but no good result obnutied. It is hoped this disgrace will be removed. At present, so km* as a barrister keeps vnthin th •taw, he can do much injury to Ins clients, and discredit his profession with impunity. Mr. Punch i* now watching this question, and facetiously says that the initials "Q. C." are allowed to stand, and "understood to raeon " Qtiastionabte Character." Is he right? The theatrical world hero is dull enoagh, wanting alike in pieces and actors. Some stir ha* been made by the Webster Bourcicault quarrel, about which there is no getting at a decision j one after another tho Law Courts repudiate the ease, aad these two clover men get nothing by their motion but costs. The principal attraction in Londoa is a Music Hall, where a man can be amused and enjoy his pijHj aud grog at tho same time. These places are now all the go, ami no wonder, for they get the entire first-rate comic talent iv the country. An Instance will suffice; in all England there its scarcely a man so popuhir as "the great Mackney," and anything he introduces speedily becomes what the 'Time* impudently called the "vulgar slang of the hour." Ik> that as it may, few things have over been so universal in men's mouths as " Old Bab Htdley," "In the Strand," &c.; and that-whicu rages now is.«« Any Other Man," First-class paper* quote this without apology, because it comes from Mackney. Our foreigu visitors arts hound to be satisfied with the arrangements made here 'ilike for their reception, their comfort, and amusement,- nnd it may be also fjr a. little extra excitement (the latter ingredient, perhaps, some of them fancy might have been omitted from tho nntional programme.) It is perchance, too exciting even for a "Continental" to be engaged in discusiioa with a Lon lou cabman or a .Thames waterman on the "proper fare"—too exciting, probably, to encounter 3ome of the numerous " Ticket*, of leave" iv a crowd, &c-~but these little incidents are no doubt speedily forgotten when they ccc the vast preparations made everywhere for their amusement. Aquatics and cricket, horse racing and field sports galore—any quantUr of theatricals and harmonics—swimming matchei, foot races and "fistiana,"an<l if the latter is at all to their taste, they, like the heroes themselves, must have had a "belly full" last week when Bob Tmvers mot Prttsey Reunion in martial array in Hampshire Cauuty, and hammered away at each other for four consecutive hours, and would probably have continued the spart up to this present writing, bnt for the lucky interveution of a fearful thunder slorm, which proved a good friend to the Irishman, by flooring his sable antagonist nnd rendering him at once insensible to the gen tie persuasions of Alex. Keen and Nat Langhan, and a host of the talent puKllwtw. In addition to all this catering for the edification of our visitors, we have every eveniag in Leicester Square, a billiard tourney, in which our champion player John liobcrts, contends tor supremacy with a celebrated Frenchman ; the talent displayed may be judged of by the fact that Robert's large saloon, which .accommodates three or four hundred is filled nightly, at prices ranging from ss. to 103. each— this may seem an extravagaut recital, it is a fact nevertheless. ■ ■ . ! Our Parliament is just now voting succour to the distressed Operatives in the north of England —much discasston was needed to avoid givin" offenco while administering relief, and a plan is i being adopted entitled." a relief rate in aid," which appears to meet the views of all parties, aud that it will be carried' out to the boneiit of th« poor creatures who are so patiently suffering, the world may be assured. ; The Government have offered a reward for the discovery of Mr. • Pilkington's vile assailants • the Umiliar placards « £100, and a free pardon "&c., now grace our public streets, and next mail it is hoped will inform you that justice has overtaken somu of our midnight assassins. . The very important subject" Canadian Militia" is now occupying much of our time. A few words will do for a subject pretty well known. It appeared to our Government essential that Canada should be in a proper state of defence, and that a Militia.-force of 50,000 should be organized, with a reserve of another 50,000; this project was introduced to the Canadian parliament some time' ago, but was hotly opposed; indeed the Ministers had to resign in consequence, and the present one will only tolerate a militia fdrceof 10,000, plainly I telling us at the same time that if the toother country is so anxious about her Canadian provihco, she must protect it. Lord Monk told them a, "tot of his mind" iustanter; for surely amore absurd ideacould scarcely exist, looking at the defenceless state of the Canadian frontiers, and tho eMn(ua/»//e»:.on'{.tiie termination of the American war. Lord Palmeriton has recently stated in broad terms that we shall send them no more troops, and so, if with this assurance before them they still remain inactive and indifferent to their j own security, it will appear as if they care nota fig whether they continue part and parcel of the British Empire, and thereby safofrom the buccanneermgpropensity of their neighbors,-or whether they -jom tlie Union." - This -is a very serious busmess, and it is to be hopedtliat better counsels SXnT v Witli° at «toPP«Sf:now to .scrutinise the figures, it may be taken thatupto the present v!f. c i l *umo^ Ker c<}Untry htt«'--not had much the besr. of the bargain. - ;" i; I •:" .'.-•. .CJkr^- vr^ parrel as it stands, 1' appears thatjictonan^^ dispute between the Argul and Mr. Foster, and we expect soon to have it argued here before our own «big wigs,"~in this as in

most others, there are two sides to A newspaper editor may'innocently enough commit 3£l ilf £ rm, ed / biiaeh of l"1^ it-occur* oneu in England, and is generally thus disposed or. a rnutnm is made, a -resolution come to, andau aiwlotfy accepted, all this is done with perfect gcnrtonwdjr^r.liag on all sides, but when an .tfui.orflpeftKi'-fanAr.r. as "a privileged ruffian'" an.i tiie meu *r himself excels the editor in impß>wwty oi speech, and the member's friends in in- uouso v» ..'arliament use the language of the : vulgor,ttndfiij Attorney-General even descends t<» coane personalities, when we see that all this iupptms and much more, a question naturally aoM» as to the diflference between a breach of pnirjlcgo «taking P l H ce in Australia, and a breach ot privilege asking place In the British House of Commoua.- It is thought hero that little good •will come of an appeal. Certainly it might j>erjupi more clearly define the' Victorian Constitution,Uwt would b 3 something gaiued, and again, v might teach honorable members better manners and Attorney-Generals more discretion; in the mean time, Mr. Dill has suffered some imprisonment and much discomfort, and is seeking his remedy at law. ° A grand passage of arms came off recently at Wimbledon, between the warlike members of the British orhtocracy—tlio Lords and the Camming each sent into the field a dozea of their picked men, who fought with rifles «it a target, the firing i on both sides was admitted to becxccllent, and after a sharp nngagament the brave peers of the realm were ■ proelalrnedtho viators amidst loud an-P-J UI-* B!#»action:.- being demanded: by ths van.( qrtisn^l Coaimowj'tind gen^i-oiisry granted. On I : the wuoe day, the national prizes were contended ! far by all our volunteer regiment*, when the chief pme, "The Queen* TWo Hundred and iHfirWuHas," was won by Serjeant Pixley, of \ the Victoria Rifles, i ■Next mail shall bring a long article, with dc- ! tailedparticnlar3,on t!ielntcr-national Exhibition- i but to save this po3t, I must now conclude ' '<■