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Leader (1850-1860), 8th November 1856, Edition 2 of 2, Page 16, THE MOON'S ROTATION. (To the Editor of t...

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      Imperial Stock-Jobbing. "We Find Ourselv...

      from receiving it simultaneously with our Secretary to the Admiralty ? ¦ ¦ ¦ . This 5 s but one instance out of many ; but ex uno disce—Sebastopol est pris .

      1072 The I,E^ D^B_G ::_^ [No. 346, Satu^...

      1072 THE I , E ^ D ^ B _ g :: _^ [ No . 346 , Satu ^ ay ,

      Keform-Bill Rumoxjes. A Nttmbbb Of Rumou...

      KEFORM-BILL RUMOXJES . A nttmbbb of rumours are flying about concerning a Eeform Bill which Xord Paimerstoit Is to introduce next session ., and wlich Lord John" Uttsseli . will endeavour to set aside in favour of a more popular bill projected by himself . - Some of the rumours have come to us neatly finished , -writh . the various schedules alphabetically marked , and Lord John Rttsseli . ' s amendments more plainly set forth than we could hope to find them at Chesham-place . But the story bears very little examination . It is old , and comes of a notorious family . The truth is , that such Teporta have been among the autumn fruits of ten successive years . "We always expect in November to hear of next session ' s Reform Bill . The -war being over , and a new -war not yet commenced , the promise is renewed for 1857 .: but we confess that we feel not in the least degree

      excited- Iidrd Palmebstoh" does not want Reform ; the House of Commons certainly does not want it ; we very much doubt whether it is wanted by the constituencies . "We must not shut our eyes to the fact that twenty years' possession of the franchise sufficed to render the ten-pound householders a petty political aristocracy , which is not everywhere inclined to lower the qualification and cheapen , the privilege . In some localities the electors may be eager for Reform , because , though the Bill of 1832 gave them influence , it did not give them enough ; and the power

      ot the territorial aristocracy has a tendency to increase . But if the constituents , as a body , had made up their minds aboui ; Reform , and if there were twenty . men in the House of Commons really earnest on the subjeict , we should not have public opinion nibbling at rumour , and political plans the exclusive property of gossips . We , of course , do not abandon the hope of a thorough renovation of Parliament ; but whatever may be the views of the [ Liberal party , no good purpose can be served by concealing the truth that the masses of the nation are indifferent , and that the Reform Bill rumours flit from

      tongue to tongue without exciting expectation or interest . It is felt that , at present , the work to be done is to be done abroad .

      Imperial Responsibility. The Jpays Has A...

      IMPERIAL RESPONSIBILITY . The JPays has a reply to the suggestion of the Times that the Emperor of the Trench is not to be held responsible for all the proceedings of his Ministers . ¥ e call our readers' special attention to these paragraphs from the article : — *' The Times insinuates that differences of opinion exist between the Emperor and his Ministers ,

      amounting to a difference of policy , and that the Emperor ' s views ' are sometimes misrepresented by the acts of his Cabinet . But can such a proposition bo seriously affirmed ? Not only does the character of the eminent men , placed by the confidence of the Emporor at the head of public affairs , demonstrate tho absurdity of this hypothesis , and place th e Ministers of France beyond the reach of the attacks of the Times ; tho simplest knowledge of the mechanism of our institutions would suffice to do so .

      11 Is it possible any one can persuade himself that a French State functionary could , in these days , entertain a policy different from that of the Epiperor , ox contradict , by his personal conduct , tho wise inspirations of mm to -whom the entire nation has confided its destinies ? itave we fallen again amid tho evil days of tlie parliamentary regime , in which a Minister , resting- upon his Pa Jv . y . £ c 5 t * B a Personal majority , might annul the £ tl 1 } £ * > nwob . ™ d relegate him , an impotent goTemi ?» tq ? ° wWch h 0 mi 6 ht "fc * w * thout

      The devout imperialism of the Fays can hardly be suspected . It writes a literal connrmation of our statement on this subject , published last weelc .

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      ( fityttr CEtrariL ¦

      ¦ ¦ • ¦ V . -¦¦ » •¦ [Ik This Depa.Utukn...

      ¦ ¦ ¦ v . - ¦¦ » •¦ [ IK THIS DEPA . UTUKNT , A 3 AXT . OPLNIONS , HOWEVER EXTUKME , A 11 B ALLOWED AN EXPRESSION , TUB ESITOB NECKSSARILT HOLDS HIMSELF BESPOKS 1 BUS FOB NONE . ]

      There Is No Learned Man But -Will Confes...

      There is no learned man but -will confess he hath much profited by reading controversies , his senses awakened , and his judgmeat sharpened . If , then , it be profitable for him to read , why should it not , at leaab . be tolerable for his adversary to write ?—Mli / TOH "

      The Austrians In Italy. (To The Editorqj...

      THE AUSTRIANS IN ITALY . ( To the Editorqj ' the Leader . ) Sir , — -I have just received from Italy the address of the Provincial Congregation of Brescia to the Austrian Government of Lombardy . The importance of that document makes me hope that you will think it proper to lay before the English public the following translation of it . I am , Sir , yours truly , A loMBAED .

      XHK PROVINCIAL CONGREGATION OF BRESCIA . TO THE CJOVEKNOR OH XOMBiiKDT . Excellency , —Among the original attributions of the Provincial Colleges , one of the most important is the right granted to th « m to respectfully represent to the sovereign the wishes of the population , and , above all , its most urgent wants , so that , either through the justice or the clemency of the monarch , they shall never bring tlie subjects to such irretrievable economic disorders as are always productive of public dissatisfaction , of sanitary and social disturbances , as well as of grave transgressions both in the moral and in the political life .

      The Municipal Councils , not less than the 334 , 000 inhabitants of this province , gratefully acknowledge that the importance of those attributions , and the confidence of which the Provincial Congregation is the object , are exclusively intended to promote the intellectual and material development of tlie represented population . The undersigned would fail in their duties towards the population , and in their responsibility before his Imperial Majesty , were they not to inform the competent authorities of the actual economic condition of the province : they accordingly beg your Excellency to take into special consideration what they are going to state .

      Owing to the great commercial associations established in other countries , to the advantages they derive from the abundance of capital , from the discovery of coal and the improved means of communication , every article of our provincial industry has become unable to withstand the competition of the cheaper manufactures , either foreign or of other parts of the empire . The sources , consequently , of our local industry , consisting in ironworks , arms , paper-mills , leather , wool , thread , and other articles , are nearly dried up . This may easily be argued from the increase of pauperism along the -shores of our lakes , and especially iii the Sabia and Trompia

      valleys ; and it noay also be inferred from the number of unproductive loans weighing on those communities , the interest of which is mostly unpaid since two or three years , nor do they present any prospect of being settled ; and it is a fact full of mournful gravity , that more than fifty thousand inhabitants are without any industrial occupation . INor can we expect much from the rent of woods , which is so much exaggerated in the official estimate that the products are reduced to a rate below the public liabilities ; and it may also be added , that , in consequence of the destruction of vines , fuel wood has undergone a general decline in its price .

      The silk manufacture , which was the only one remaining and the most productive , has been subjected to an alarming situation , owing to the fact that only 80 , 000 jpesi ( nearly 13 , 388 cwt . ) of cods have been obtained , instead of the ordinary product of 550 , 000 pesi ( nearly 92 , 000 cwt . ) . The owners of the soil , in the impossibility of supporting the usual expenses of agricultural work , are effecting a considerable reduction in the number of hands , and leaving aside any idea of improvement , they are compelled to reduce , also , the necessary outlay of animals , manure , and ordinary works . This sad necessity weighs tho more lamentably on those who suffered from tho late hailstorm , which , through hnlf of the best territory of the province , destroyed almost all the Indian corn crop and part of that of the wheat .

      Nor is it to bo supposed that the districts could bo able to allay tho public misery by the means of now works to employ tho poor : Firstly . Because , to pay their share of the national loan , they are obliged to sell out a part of their public patrimony , tho more ao as they arc still indebted on account of tho expenses caused by the cholera of 1855 . Secondly . Becauso any augmentation of

      supplementary taxes would be in opposition to the Govern ment despatch of May 30 th , 1856 . The public institutions for the support of the destitute are in a distressing financial condition . Commercial people can" scarcely afford to meet their private engagements , and the public yearly contribu tion of 99 , 000 Austrian livres ( 3300 ? . ) - Landowners are obliged to have recourse to a system of unpro ~ ductive loans to discharge the governmental taxes imposed since 1848 , as well as to support the agricultural labourers , especially such as live in the area of 64 , 548 jugera of land where the vines have beeu withered by the cryptogam plant . Summing up the foregoing exposition , the Provincial College begs to lay before your Excellency the following comprehensive statements : — The income of the Province of Aust . liv . Brescia is . . . . 12 , 240 , 627 54 Ordinary land and additional taxes .: ¦ . ... 5 , 010 , 375 s 64 District taxes . . . . 367 , 218 84 Trade and art taxes . . . 99 , 000 Income-tax ... . . 101 , 000 Customs - . . . . 6 , 600 , 000 12 , 177 , 594 4 . 8 12 , 177 , 594 livres !! That is to say , we pay for public charges all the prodxict of the province , as vre have included in Llie above figures the product of the trade , arts , and income-tax , which , although it should be laid on other sources of rent , resolves itself into a land imposition , because it falls on the product of th . e soil in consequence of the absence of external commerce and industry . These charges are so excessive , that to speak only of the first district in 1853 , upon a sum of 184 , 000 Austrian li-yres , an arrear of from 17 , 000 to 19 , 000 livres remained unpaid ; and in the present year , 185 £ J , 29 , 000 livres in the taxes of the month of March , and 31 , 000 livres in those of June ; hence there is a great number of land-lots which are about to be sold toy auction to the profit of the Government , and tie complaints of ruined families are consequently numberless and continuous . Excellency , it is the first time , that the Provincial Congregation of Brescia has had recourse to you , with a hope that it will not be in vain . Our exposition is confirmed by the joint support of the municipality , to -which we have also added similar petitions from the inhabitants of the districts of San Bartolomeo , Rezzato , Bovezzo , and Calcinato . The only thing we ask for is , that , through the powerful intercession of your Excellency , the contributions niaj be put in harmony with the rent , before the capital , already so impoverished , of this province be altogether annihilated . . ( Signed ) Cavalier Porcellt , Relator .

      The Moon's Rotation. (To The Editor Of T...

      THE MOON'S ROTATION . ( To the Editor of the Leader . ) Sir , —I would , with your permission , ask your correspondent on the Moon ' s liotation , Thomas Best , to make two very simple experiments ; I have found them to be very efficacious in enlightening people in his mental condition . Let him pour some water into a large basin , and , having allowed it to become quite motionless , carefully place in the middle of it a piece of straw three or four inclies long . Then , having taken hold of the basin with both hands , let him turn smoothly round on his heels once . The straw will seem to turn round ; that is , the water will have an apparent rotatory motion . Let him put the basin gently down again , he will find this motion to have been only apparent ; the straw will be as motionless as it was before he lifted the basin , that is , the water in wluch it is placed will have no rotatory motion . The reason of this phenomenon is , that in performing tlie above experiment a compound motion is communicated to the basin , a part only of which it transmits to the water . The basin not only moves round the experimenter , it also turns round on its o-wn centre , and has a rotatory motion . The water moves round the experimenter , but in rotation to its own centre remains at rest , has no rotatory motion . If this le true , it follows that if tho water could be nmde to rotate along with the basin , the straw would appear to be motion leas . Let Thomas Best , then ( haying first removed tlie straw ) cause tho water to whirl round in the basin , say by stirring with his hand , and having allowed the rotatory motion thua communicated to become very slow and smooth , let him carefully replace tlie straw in the centre of tho basin . He will then fl " that he can , by turning round with the basin ui n » hands in a direction contrury to that in whicli t » e water is revolving , causo the straw to appear at rest , and ( ns tho moon always presents tlie sameifaco * the earth ) to present ftlwuys tho same end to ins nose . I am , & c , & c , Edinburgh . William Kenvmrd-

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 8, 1856, page 16, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_08111856/page/16/