English Intelligence.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 7, Issue 349, 12 February 1866, Page 1

English Intelligence.

HOME TALK. (From Home News, 27th November.) The Temple, £/th November. The public funeral of Lord Palmerston took place on tbe day following that of the d-.s patch of the last mail. It is impossible to make an English procession imposing, unless military features be introduced, which on the occasion in question would perhaps have been out of keeping, if any tribute to the head of a nation can be so considered. The aray, therefore, which attended Lord Palmerston’s remains from Cambridge-house, in Piccadilly, to Westminster Abbey, was not remarkable, and the hearse was small, and in bad taste. But the element of solemnity was in the vast throng of spectators, who, bare-headed and silent, watched the passing of the coffin. The crowd was enormous, and the demonstration of feeling was unmistakeable. The scene in the Abbey was. of course, fine, as any funeral in such a building, and with such music, must be. The Prince of Wales was present. Neither Lord Derby nor Mr Disraeli found it convienent to attend. The assemblage of notables was very large. Lord Palmerston is laid in the north transept, on the left hand as you walk up, aud where Pitt, Fox, Castlereagh, and Canning repose. It is recorded in some of the reports that rings were thrown into his grave —the statement puzzled us, but is, I believe, explained by the fact that the persons who did this, a relative of the deceased, is now suffering from cerebral affection. When I have added that upon the assembling of Parliament a vote for a monument will be proposed, aud that it understood that an English peerage is to be created for the family of Lady Palmerston, the story of the great Minister is complete..

The new Premier, Eari Ru sell, has been and appears still to be engaged in the reconstruction of the ministry. He has had the wisdom to perceive that was called the Palmerston Cabinet, without Palmerston was not likely to live very long, and therefore he has been endeavoring to introduce new strength into his Council. It was easier, however, to attempt this than to perform it. No doubt there are several men of mark who would take office, but their appointment would he indiscreetly significant. For instance, the paper which represents Mr Bright has been loudly proclaiming his claims, and suggesting that he should be made the Indian Minister; but as such an addition to the Cabinet would imply a vast increase of votes, a swamping of the educated classes, the selection of Mr Bright would speedily be fatal to the Cabinet. Mr Lowe was also spoken of, but he is opposed to all reform, and there seems an objection in the Ministry to an avowed reformer. It was said that Earl Russell attempted to secure Lord Stanley, but Conservative stock is thought (by Conservatives) to be going up, and the son of Lord Derby would he entitled to high office in a Ministry of his fathers. So all that has been done at present is this : Lord Clarendon becomes Foreign Secretary ; Sir Robert Peel resigns, and is succeeded by a Mr Chichester Eortescue, who has been Under-Secretary for the Colonies for some years; and Mr Hutt resigns the Vice-Presi-dency o fche Board of Trade, and is succeeded by a new man Mr Goschen, tho member for the city. The last appointment is applauded, as, in addition to university distinctions, Mr Goschen has shown great commercial ability. These are the only changes of which we are at present certified, but there have been allegations to a desire to remove Earl de Grey from the War-office, and place the Duke of Somerset in his situation, as it requires a strong man with a consistently indifferent tenq er to resist the prosure of the Duke of Cambridge and his horse guards. We may fold our hands, and await the opening of Parliament (which has been prorogued to the 28th December, and which is expected to meet on the 25 lb January, in order to get through formalities) for any anuouncement of the politics of the new Cabinet. Several of the Ministers have had opportunities of making revelations, but have distinguished themselves by their reticence. Earl iiussell, at the Lord Mayor's feast, said

lierally nothing that could r oan anything, and Mr Gladstone, who was brought face to face with a reform league at Gffisgow, and therefore was obliged to seem to speak politics, thanked the deputation for bringing tire subject under Iks notice, explained that such was the way by which public men learned the views of their fellow-citizens, and advised those who had political objects to accomplish, to look rather to the institutions of the country than to any particular set of men. This, it will be admitted, is Sphinx-like enough. The advanced Liberals are resolved on forcing tbe Cabinet to bring in a Deform Bill. The moderate Liberals, and the respectable classes generally, think that a large and satisfactory inquiry into the working of the reform act should precede legislation.

There Lave been some additions to the American despatches on the subject of the claims for compensation for the damage done by the Alabama. The American Minister appears to desire to ascertain exactly what sort of demands Earl Bussell would be willing to submit to the arbitration of a commission. Our Minister has distinctly said he will say nothing about the Alabama claims, and the aspect of the affair is at present pacific. The enormous interests that would be disturbed by any hostile action are perhaps an assurance that this'- business will be settled amicably, although we know that such considerations have not always sufficed to retain the fiery folly of nations, especially as the class which is most bellicose is not the class which chiefly loses by war. There seems a disposition on the part of the American government to he friendly with us, and though certainly Mr Johnson has released John Mitchell, the Fenian, we cannot see any evidence of malice towards England in tills, as Mitchell, the incarnation of baboonery, is fatal to any cause he takes up. Thackeray lias spiked him in a verse of the famous Battle of Limerick: — “ O, the lovely toy was spilt Ou that day of Oiroiaad’s guilt, Says Jack Mitchell, ‘ I am kiltßoys, where’s the back door? ’Xis a national disgrace, Let me go and veil my face,’ And he belted with quick pace from the Shannon shore.” —We cannot say that in handing over such a person to his friends there was any uukinduess towards England. The American naval service has been ordered to show all hospitality towards those of this country. There were rumors, the other day, of a rupture between the States and France, and of the French ambassador demanding Ms passpoits, but the telegram announcing this was treated as a stock-jobbing ruse, and and repeated only by ilie inferior journals. The “sensation news” of the time has been the accounts from Jamaica. W e learn that tire blacks near Morant Bay, aggrieved at certain legal proceedings, first got up an ordinary riot. This was taken in hand by the volunteer militia, who fired, and then the African nature awoke, the riot became tenfold, and most savage and hideous deeds were perpetrated. The Mack victory was brief, the authorities called in the soldiery, and the vengeance inflicted was of the most emphatic character. Between two and four hundred negroes (the margin is wide) are said to have been shot or hanged, and flogging had been awarded with much vigor and liberality. But not only this, the Government deemed it politic to make an example from a higher level, and a Mr Gordon, a brown person, of wealth and talent, who has been an active leader of the negroes in their democratic movements, was sought out, and he endeavored to save himself by surrender, but, after a brief trial, he was hanged. The general feeling at home is that when a very small wbirc population in a distant island, finds itself attacked by blacks, who outnumber it by about eight to one, it is difficult to say what precautionary or avenging measures must ha considered in excess of the demands of the situation. But the organs of the Bright party and of the Dissenters have raised a tremendous clamor, accuse the authorities of having murdered the blacks, and especially Gordon, and demand impeachments and all sorts of things. J ne Baptists are the noisiest in this outcry, the rather that the sect in question is the most influential with the negroesinthecolonies, and is thought to emnloy its missionaries rather more in political agitation than in the legitimate duties of spiritual envoys. I think it

possible that irregularity has been committed by the colonial anther! 3?. unci the subject, of course, will be duly enquired into; but when, a raging populace is murdering people, and eating their brains, mixed with rum and gunpowder, the time is not favorable to the observance 'of legal technicalities.

I must again mention the cattle disease. A full report has been mr.de by the commissioners charged by Government with the inquiry, and some of them recommended very strong measures, such as the total suppression of traffic until the real seat of the disorder could be ascertained. But this proposal excited much dissatisfaction, and the Government have issued a final order superseding all previous directions, and giving local authorities the power to appoint inspectors who may order premises to be cleaned and disinfected, and may also require animals to be slaughtered. The owners of diseased cattle may not remove them by road or rail. Fairs and markets may be closed, and no cattle may be moved, without a license, into districts which are closed. Every animal brought to market in London must be killed within a given time. There was duubt whether the usual cattle show would be held, but it has been decided that this shall take place, but a little later than usual, and for a shorter time, and divers restrictions and inspections are ordained.

' \ The disease among the Irish animals called Fenians is being checked by very salutary measures. The trials of the prisoners will take place at once, hut it is characteristic of the me a who were to rouse all Ireland, languishing ia bondage and burning for vengeance, that they have been endeavoring to get tried elsewhere than in their own metropolis, because public opinion, they alleged would prevent the investigation being a fair one. The course of justice, however, does not run as smooth as , raid be desired. The head-centre, a man called Stephens, with his aides, had been captured by the police in au igaominoua manner, the whole party surrendering without an attempt at resistance. Stephens was afterwards brought before a magistrate, and duly committed for trial, which was to have taken place this day, November 27. Lut it apppears that about 2 or 3 o’clock in the morning of November 24 he effected his escape from Richmond prison. At 4 o’clock in the morning his cell-door was found open with a duplicate key in it, and as it was necessary that he should pass through several other doors, and dually scale a wall to effect his escape, the obvious conclusion is that ho was aided ia breaking prison by some of the officers placed over him. The Government have taken effectual measures for preventing his flight from the country. The coast and the railways have been placed under strict surveillance, AIOOO reward has been offered for his capture, with £3OO more for information that may lead to his capture, and a free pardon to the informant if concerned iu his escape. It is not likely that the head-centre can long evade the vigilance of the authorities.

A curious domestic casualty has occurred. We were always told that those enormous cylinders absurdly called gasometers could not explode, and we knew, without telling, that gas does not explode without the aid of a certain quantity of atmospheric air. But one of the gasometers at Nine Elms, in London. did explode some time ago, killingmany men and shattering many houses. We are consoled l»y being assured that this occurred through the carelessness of workmen, who were doing repairs, but Ibis is not much comfort, as all gasometers need repairs, and most workmen are very careless. London is studded with these giant receivers, and there is an immense one within half a quarter of a mile from my chair —should that explode at any time while I am iu the Temple, these letters will cease, and you may send on to New Zealand to tell the sketches of the ruins of St. Paul’s that the broken arch of Lomlonbridge is ready for him. The gas companies ate both literally and morally in bad odour, they charge awful prices for an abominable gas, their pipes leak and poison the mud m the streets, and to all remonstrances they reply byintimating that theyhavo a monopoly, guaranteed by Parliament. But I imagine that something wUi be done, either to wrench the

monopoly from them or compel them to lower their prices. As for moving the gasometers, of course it ought to he done, but our proverbial forgetfulness of danger, when a catastrophe is over, makes me doubt whether we have as yet been frightened half cuough.

(To be continued.)