The Illustrated Usk Observer and Raglan Herald

town talk, BY OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT. Otw røders wtH understand that we do not hold ourselves Pffpon- riblefor our able Correspondent's opinions. I love to give the whole name," says Gold- smith, parenthetically, when speaking of that virtuous lady, Miss Carolina Wilhelmina Amelia Skeggs. "The Garibaldi Mutual Life Assurance and Sick Fund Friendly Society bears a name somewhat longer, and a charaeter, if possible, worse than the young lady in the Vicar of Wakefield." The conduct of Mr. Tidd Pratt in exposing the above society is highly applauded in some quarters, while other persons say that he only did his duty, and that in a case where his duty was remarkably easy. They would like to see that gentleman fly at higher game; there are other societies just as rotten, but which it would not be quite so easy to crush. Look at the advertisement sheet of a daily paper: will you not find it full of the puffs of doctors who have no diploma, and societies whose reservefundisamyth ? Thevery name of the above society sounds sensational and suspicious. If you forget all the noble qualities of the great general, and think only of his boldness and daring, there is a certain fitness in the use of Garibaldi's name by a society, whose trustees are fictitious, and which, with £ 49 in bank, declares that it has a reserve fund of X25,000, and offers .£100 to any one who can name an instance in which it has not paid its claims. It would be well if similar swindles, of the existence of which there cannot be a doubt, were exposed. It is revolting to contemplate such attempts to trade on the prudence of the poor man, and cheat his virtue of its reward. You have read Dr. Russell's narrative of the expedition to lay the Atlantic cable. It reads as interesting as the first book of the Æneid. The attempt of human thought to permanently invade the silent depths of the Atlantic has again failed. But the failure is such as to fill those interested in the Atlantic telegraph-and who is not interested in it?—with the utmost confidence in its ultimate success. It would be highly unreasonable to suppose that in an expedition of such risk and magnitude human skill could have provided against every contingency. The cable has been carried to within 600 miles of its destination, it has been grappled for with partial success, in a depth which it is hard to realise; and people look forward to being able, a twelvemonth hence, to send their thoughts thrilling through the oozy valleys of the Atlantic. The manner of picking up the cable is certainly capable of im- provement; and if the suggestion of Captain Anderson be followed out, such accidents as that through which the cable finally came to grief will be effectually guarded against. People are still talking about the fStes at Cher- bourg. Remembering the history of the two nations, it is a remarkable and suggestive thing to see the French and English fleets meeting in the same harbour, not to blow each other to the moon," but to express mutual sentiments of friendship and goodwill. It shows how greater intercourse has crushed the respective prejudices of Englishmen and Frenchmen, while it is in keeping with the spirit of an age whose tilting ground is the workshop, and whose tournaments are industrial exhibitions. It is not surprising, therefore, that some persons were desirous of making theses a means whereby they may argue against the expense to which we have gone in strengthening our fortifications and augmenting our navy. On the one hand it is asked, What are the terms on which we are with France? Louis Napoleon had no hostile intentions < towards us." How do you know ? is the reply of otherswho take an opposite view. How oft the sight of means to do ill deeds makes ill deeds done," say they. Friends are always most willing to assist when their assistance is not needed. The man on whose lip a repartee is ever ready is seldom made the subject of a jest, and the nation whose three-deckers are well manned, and whose army is kept up at high fighting mark, is, probably, more likely to have good allies and preserve its peace than a nation whose assistance in any enterprise must be small, and whose unde- fended wealth may seem an easy prize to the greedy and unscrupulous. There is nothing antagonistic to peace in being ready for war; and we have seen at Cherbourg, that the cannon may boom "Peace and goodwiil, goodwill and peace, Peace and goodwill to all mankind." The cattle disease is still a subject of conversa- tion, and is, I fear, likely to be for some time. There is as much difference of opinion as ever as to its origin, and whether it can be cured, &c. There are quacks, of course, with infallible remedies, whose immodest boldness win the confi- dence and the money of the ignorant. But there is no eure, and there seems to be no hope of any, on which dependence can be placed. The cognate subject of cholera begins to excite some alarm. It is wonderful that notwithstanding all that has been said and written about the im- portance of cleanliness, so much filth fs allowed to exist in some parts of London. For instance, the hot smell from which one suffers in walking up St. Clement's-lane is awful. And near Clare- market there are places where cats'-meat is boiled, and where black-puddings, and tripe, and other delicate dishes are prepared, the stench from which is as bad as that from any dissecting room in the kingdom. These are cases where the autho- rities might fairly interfere. Such places ought not to be allowed to exist in the heart of a large population. Some open space in the suburbs would be the proper site for an establishment of this sort. Forward's career has turned attention to the subject of gambling, and the number of persons who must make a living by sharping. Some have been inclined to pour forth a lamentation over the degeneracy of the age, and point to the wide- spreading evil of gambling. It is, I fear, true that this vice is more general than formerly; but it is by no means carried to the extent amongst the aristocracy it was in the time of our fathers and grandfathers. Perhaps, however, the loss, to a poor man, of a few shillings might be more felt than hundreds or thousands of pounds would be by the wealthy. You may see, even when the rain is coming down fast and heavy, a crowd on the "Euins," in Farringdon-road, with umbrellas and betting-books you may aho see ladies at the races taking and giving the odds in kid-gloves and half-sovereigns; and I grant you there are black-legs in every billiard-room and every club; but who will say that gambling pre- vails to the extent that it did when Hogarth drew the Cock-pit," or when Charles James Fox lost 200,000 pounds in one night; or, to come nearer I to ourselves, when Rawdon Crawley and Becky Sharpe played their little game ? A lesson may be learned from the highly virtuous way in which Forward and gambling are discussed by gentlemen while looking down on the world from their club windows; many of these are not without spot or blemish, nevertheless, they discuss the greater crimes of others with a kind of disgust, whilst they consider their lesser ones harmless, forgetting that one false step leads to many. Even the crimes of that miserable felon will not be without their use if they impress on these gentlemen and on the world at large, the great truth that sin begets sin, and crime beckons on crime, and one passion overgrown assumes leadership of the rest, and drags all into wild revolt. Z.

Cholera and its Remedy. The week has been full of plagues, rumours of plagues, and remedies for plagues. The cattle pest is spreading into all parts of England, and the cholera has already reached Marseilles, killing there some ten a day. It is marching slowly north-westward, may be expected here in a fortnight, and will probably prove severe, an epidemic among men just after an epidemic among cattle being always a terrible one. The Boards of Health are moving, but it is almost too late for ex- tensive improvements, and the only thing remaining is to teach the people three great truths. First, that cholera is not contagious, and that a panic leading to the desertion of the sick is as absurd as it is cowardly. Secondly, that the best preventives before it arrives are cleanliness, ventilation, and pure water; the best after it has arrived a lavish use of chloride of lime or common white-wash. And, thirdly, that the only sudden remedies which should be taken before the doctor's arrival are a wine-glass of brandy, or a quarter of a grain of morphia, both palliatives found most effectual in India. They do not perhaps cure but they prevent that terrible prostration of the nerves which makes the progress of the disease so quick.- The Spectator. Locking the Doors of Railway Carriages.

In the individual, partial paralysis of the brain evidences itself by weakness at the extremities. So in corporations, which are nothing more nor less than aggregations of individuals, where the central ruling 1 power, the head, the executive, or by whatever name it may be called, is weak in conception and fulfilment of the duties devolving upon it, that the legs and arms of such executive must inevitably fail in performing what ought to be their legitimate functions. We fear that this is too true an illustration of the condition of several of our railway companies. The irregularities that railway directors too often commit in the gross are imitated fey their underlings in matters of detail; in the one case, to the pecuniary loss of the share- holders; and, in the other, to the danger of the public safety. These observations are painfully true of that magnificent line of railway known as the Great Western. Again the rumour is circulated that the coming dividend will be unfavourable, and, in con- sequence, there has been a considerable fall in the market value of the shares. To add to the difficulties of the company, it is reported to be virtually without a head. It is not long since a gentleman was appointed to the lucrative and important post of chairman, who was deemed in all respects well qualified to perform the onerous duties incident to such a position. He, however, is about to retire, and Mr. Watkin, whose railway experience is great, was pitched upon to fill the vacancy. Bat, brilliant as the offer is in one sense, Mr. Watkin, for no doubt very good reasons, will, it is said, decline to accept the post. Perhaps he has not the courage to undertake the Herculean task of setting in order the mismanagement which has hitherto clung about the conduct of the affairs of this great undertaking. As to the practical working of the line, an incident has just come to light, which proves that, notwithstanding the recent railway accidents, both doors of the carriages in which the passengers are confined are sometimes looked. Last session, owing to the indifference of the Government, or perhaps the inability of that insouciant statesman, Mr. Milner Gibson, to devise a general measure, Lord St. Leonards brought in a bill declaring it to be absolutely illegal to lock both doors of railway carriages. At the special request of the Government the bill was withdrawn their representative in the House of Lords stating that the Government had under their considera- tion a general Act for regulating all railways. The consequence of the withdrawal is that, on the Great Western Railway, as the secretary of the Com- pany admits in a letter to Lord St. Leonards, both doors of P,ggODgor oeoriiagoo are HOmetimeS luukea. The reason for persisting in a prac- tice that ought to be declared illegal, and would have been so now but for the interposition of the Government, is that it is necessary to enable the guards to collect the tickets at such stations as Swindon! Lord St. Leonards thought that the discus- sion in the House of Lords would have been as effectual as the bill itself if passed into law. But the public know that corporations are proof against what is called moral influence," and that nothing less than legal compulsion will operate upon them. The latest admission made by the Secretary of the Great Western Railway Company is an instance in point.The Press.

The Cattle Plague. It really appears to us that foreign cattle are safer and sounder than English cattle. Last week there were at our cattle-market nearly 4,000 foreign beasts to about 3,000 English, and a salesman on the spot assures us that several of the native animals were in- fected, but not one of the foreigners. Nor do we much wonder at this. We have certainly got a cattle plague among us, wherever it came from, but France and Belgium and Germany have no such misfortune. They might object to our beasts more reasonably than we to theirs. And they are exceedingly vigilant and careful in the matter. They employ skilled inspectors at the ports of embarkation, while we are now doing the same at the ports of debarkation, so that there is a double security against infection. Indeed, as far as we are aware, nobody asserts that any beast visibly or presumably plague-stricken has been admitted into this country. The theory is that the disease was dormant," and developed only some time after landing. How far this theory is probable the public may judge; but it seems to us that a great deal more evidence of its truth should be forthcoming before we shut our ports against foreign cattle, and confine our- selves to a market not half large enough for our wants, and known to be infected withal.—Times.

Close of the New Zealand War. The surrender of William Thompson is an example of what may be done by the employment of disinte- rested and reasonable agencies. Some weeks ago we announced, on the authority of private letters, that the Governor had yielded to the entreaties of Mr. George Graham, a member of the House of Repre- sentatives, and had sanctioned his projected mission to the disturbed districts. Mr. Graham is an old settler, J and, like many of his class, enjoys the confidence of the 1 natives, and is anxious to secure their just treatment. J He has withal the utmost faith in their capacity for < improvement and in their reasonableness as men. He straightway made for William Thompson's head- 1 quarters, and found that chief accessible to argument and persuasion. The first fruits of his admirable 1 enterprise are seen in the surrender of the New Zea- ] land kingmaker; and Rewi, another chief of equal E importance, is likely to follow the same example. 1 This is what has already been accomplished by a peaceful, unarmed envoy, and we believe that if more of such men were employed, the work of restoring peace upon a firm basis would be far from difficult. Times. r The most important news that we have to record in this month's summary is the submission of William Thompson, well known as one of the prime movers in the rebellion, together with other native chiefs of in- ferior note. There have been so many peace negotia- tions with Thompson that his reported submission was at first not believed true, or, if true, not to be of that satisfactory nature as would be likely to ensure a last- ing peace. Saturday last, the 27th of this month, was the memorable day on which Thompson acknowledged the Queen's authority to Brigadier-General Carey; and the place of meeting was a native village called Tame- here, where the rebel chief had promised tolay down the symbol of his submission. It is still an open question, and one that can only be decided by the lapse of time, whether Thompson has really and unreservedly sub- mitted, or is only saving his conscience as a Kingite by a very clever artifice.-Tke Southern Cross (New Zealand).

♦ ITALY. The Italia of Florence says "The rumour that a financial arrangement exists between the Italian Go- vernment and the Holy See for the settlement of the Roman debt is devoid of foundation." The Minister of the Interior has addressed a circular to the Prefect relative to a recent circular of the Minister of War. The Minister of the Interior explains that the object of the last-mentioned circular was to exhort the officers of the army not to allow their esteem and confidence towards their brother officers to be diminished until the accusations brought forward, 2d lIJi,lbhcl5r ,or Privately, against their comrades had been proved. He also expresses regret that cer- tain members of Parliament had taken part in the manifestations to which the circular of the Minister of War had given rise.

OPENING OF THE SUEZ CANAL. ™ fl ISMAIL A, AUG. 17. The floodgates of the Suez Canal have been thrown open, and a vessel laden with coal passed direct from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea on the 15th inst. Intelligence of this event was telegraphed on the same 1?Z Napoleon at the Chalons camp. His Majesty dispatched a message in reply conerratu- lating the company upon their success. °

THE GREAT GERMAN POWERS ON THE SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN QUESTION. A special correspondent of a London contemporary, writing from Berlin on the 16th of August, says :— "Some of the most threatening clouds have disappeared from the political sky. The meeting between the Emperor of Austria and the King of Prussia, on which all the friends of peace found their hopes, will positively take place. The King will leave Gastein in a few days, and return via Salzburg. It is believed that the Emperor will be present at the rifle festival which is to be held at the latter place on the 18th, and, perhaps, also the King of Bavaria and the Grand Duke of Hesse. In spite of these accounts, however, a good deal of uneasiness still prevails, most people believing that the present improvement is but a calm between two storms, and that even the visit of the Emperor is but an act of pure courtesy, that will not be attended with any consequences. All that is expected to result from Count Blome's second mission is an understanding on the prolongation of the joint possession. But even this consummation will be at- tended with difficulties. It is certain that Prussia, as a condition sine qua non to this settlement insists upon the departure or expulsion of the Duke of Augustenburg, upon an alteration in the organisation of the Administration and introduction of a more rigorous system of joint government on the part of the two Powers, and, above all, upon the removal of Augustenburg influence. To judge from the late manifestations of the Vienna Cabinet one would scarcely suppose the latter to be in the necessary frame of mind to comply with these pretensions. Notwithstanding, the last accounts state that Austria is ready to submit on these points. It is affirmed that the Duke, since his councillors have left him for different destinations, has determined to follow their example, a resolution at which he would scarcely have arrived without a hint from Austria, or at least some indication that this step would give satisfaction at Vienna. Another indication of compliance on the part of Austria has been furnished by the circumstance that a series of measures in the direction desired at wh J6<s K?n •op-^d, the provincial adminis- tration of Schleswig-Holstem. Lastly, we are told that General Von Manteuffel will retain the command of the troops of both Powers, and will soon present himself in this capacity to the Emperor at Vienna, an event which could scarcely occur if the mutual relations of the "proprietors" possessed the dangerous character attributed to them by public opinion. But even in the most favourable case such an understanding really taking place and lasting an indefinite time, all parties would still be far from a satisfactory goal The Schleswig-Holsteiners would be blessed with two jealous and disunited Regents Austria would realise neither the hopes of the Dake of Augustenburg nor of her German confederates; and she would, moreover, be continually exposed to the danger of her influence being from year to year more fr mLU1rermine- 7 Prussia> Prussia would r derive none1 of those benefits from the Duchies which she anticipated. It is, therefore no woxxaer tnac tne Liberal party should violently oppose the continuance of the provisional state of things, and charge the Schleswig-Holsteiners in fierce language with the creation of this abnormal position by their political infatuation, as the expression is. I subjoin the following extract from the Kolnische Zeitung on this subject "This compromise," says the Rhenish journal, wfll ieave much to be desired in every direction- still it possesses the advantage that war will be avoided and time given for reflection. May this time be profitably employed, and particularly so by the Schleswig-Holsteiners. They never oared anything for the Augustenburgers-not even during the first days after the death of Frederic VII. did anybody in the Duchies think of the Augustenburg hereditarv claims. Their zeal for the alleged hereditary Duke if.lia ml1-ch,newer dat.?' and the entire legitimacy as ^oblematical as possible. Among the Schleswig- Holsteiner teachers of State rights nobody, for the B { °* !?. y/eara of this century, ever doubted the Danish right of succession to Schleswig, and even for Holstem the Augustenburg right can by no means be proved to apply to the whole of the country. But even if the doubtful hereditary right should not have jundically expired, as affirmed by the Prussian Crown jurists and lately also by Austria, it has at any rate been morally forfeited. And is it for the sake of questionable a title that the Schleswig-Holsteiners are going to incur the misery of "petty stateism ?" Where are the Schleswig-Holsteiners of 1848 and 1849, who formed the essence of the German y— ?. We*0 never tired of assuming that they were Prussian to the bone; that, if Prussia would but liberate them from Democrats, they would become Prussians cheerfully? Where see one now and then in the Daohies. The others will not even offer Prussia ¿:L. _'L. w1110^ was already conceded by the Imperial Con- • stitution of the 29 th March, 1849, and if they refer to the miserable system of Government that at present exists in Prussia, this is but a poor pretext for their unhappy. desertion of the great German fatherland. If the t0Abe introduced to-morrow co5d scarilv ? concessions to Prussia som? nf T7 ,Ie?? Pa8sionate. It is the ancient song °t the great German nation — the jealousy, the dissension, and rivalry of the German rulers! None will submit to the other. Fortunately this is no longer necessary. A great German State has been formed, uniting Germans of al- ,9 most every race. Under what race are the Schles- wig-Holstemers, whose manliness and capability nobody disputes, to subordinate themselves ? Under the Brandenburg, perhaps, with its much talked-of junkers, who are as little to our taste as to that of the Schleswig-Holsteiners. Brandenburg forms but a small part of the State of Prussia, and the Schleswig- Holsteiners are much more closely related to the Brandenburgers, the Pomeranians, &c., than, for in- stance, we Rhinelanders. And they will be allowed to have as much influence on us as we on them." »

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