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Leader (1850-1860), 16th June 1860, Edition 2 of 2, Page 11

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      Austltlv-Uer Character, And Dealings Wit...

      in that State ( Hungary ) , so that all plnces were full of complaints ; and the Empekob was so besieged by the authors of these oppressions , and the proceedings were so summary , upon very slight grounds , that it was not to be wondered if t-lie Hungarians were disposed to shake off the yoke , when a proper "' opportunity should offer itself . " ,. " he adds , " it is not t 6 be doubted but the French had ao-ents among- theiri" —a description of danger which it seems Austria i < Twilling repeatedly to incur , rather" than forego her meddling . This was in 1701 . Shortly afterwards , Ragoczi was mads King , but on his expulsion , the " Austrian Esri'EKon was again admitted to the Royalty , on his once more engaging to leave to Hungary its civil and religious liberties .

      After this , in 1722 , the Hungarians made the further concession of admitting even the female ' heirs of tire House of Austria to their throne—sn addition to the before-mentioned arrangement . Almost every reader knows that , later in the century , Austria's debt of gratitude was enhanced—that the Hungarians literally saved the throne of Austria from Fkkdekick the Gheat . They have been faithful subjects in extremity , and for all this Austria's debt has been paid in repeatedly-violated covenants . We repeat , that we do not consider the Hungarians positively blameless : such men as Hagoczi and Tekeiat may have been

      unreasonable ; the congregations may have been Unwise in rejecting . the reforms of Joseph II ., simply because he had not gone through the ceremonial of being crowned King of Hungary . In their internal administration , as far as it has been left to themselves , the country nobles may have been overbearing and ignorant , and the town deputies silent and despised—but Austria has had no right to-forget her obligations and violate her word . In social matters , Hungary owes nothing to Austria . Not many > years agr > . a German traveller , Koiii ., "' was able to say that " there * did not exist in . Hungary one hospital , altn . shouse , •¦ poor-house , or lunatic asylum supported or instituted by Government . All improvement was left to such men as SzECHEKYi and Kossuth—long before the latter natne was known as that of a justly malcontent missionary of . resistance against Austria . , .

      Austria has not a ; moment to lose in thoroughly- conciliating Hungary , if she wishes to concentrate her strength for any coining struggle . Her last move was the act of blindness and bigotrybad Tor herself , bad even for the religion of \ y _ hich she wishes to be the champion , and which has made its last advances in England , at any rate , solely on the ground that in Germany , atr-leasty . it had ceased to be tyrannical and aggressive . This was one of the keynotes of almost all the thinking- men ~ Avho advocated the measure of Roman Catholic Emancipation . A - . cross is often erected where brigands have committed a murder . JPerhaps ^ thW Cross of Rome more strongly resembles the hiHr of the dagger left-in the body of expiring liberty—¦ ¦ " Exfcnntes reclusia

      Pectoribus capulos ( Ituliivs ) . We hope sincerely that any reform which Austriii may be making in , her treatment of * the Protestants of Hungary may be permanent , but we cannot help reverting- to past experience . in ; this matter .

      June 16, I860.J The Leader And Saturday ...

      June 16 , I 860 . J The Leader and Saturday Analyst . & 67

      The Grkat Roittff I Cation Job. Ri^Lle C...

      THE GRKAT rOitTff I CATION JOB . ri ^ llE conniry is now in possession of the expected report of the X Fortification Commissioners , and no one will be disappointed at the result . It was wise on the part of the Government fo bringsuch a question before Parliament towards the close of a session , and the votes required j if taken at all , will be most appropriately passed in the small hours of the morning , when vigilance has been outweuched and the national purse guardians are asleep . The sum demanded for this precious scheme is just tinder twelve millions , — -the Commissioners , with a ludicrous affectation of exactness , stopping short at , ,-fcl 1 , 850 , 000 . For this sum , in a little more than three years , we may construct work's at various places , as the following table will show : —

      ' J ¦ . J Ijccoinmondations Of The ' Alr...

      ' j ¦ . j IJccoinmondations of the ' Alremly v ,, i Jvpyil Commission . j authorized , Total " ' , 1 bat not ¦ 1 ' un-niisa of , . Erection of . voted . ! J-nml . I Works . | | ' _ , ^ _ , ^ . ^ ^ Portsmouth i iwo . ooo 2 , 070 , 000 400 , 000 s . soo . ooo Viymnuth 7 . > . "> , ooo j . im . ooo ' : ? r . o , ooo : i , 020 , 000 Fembroko :. l 100 , 000 -Vip . oOO i m > , 000 7 ti 5 , fO (> l'ortlnnd ! 100 , 000 150 , 000 | : 58 O 000 , ( W 0 . 000 Thiuno * \ , nnfll , r 18 ( 1 , 000 i Nil . l . . OnO McdWiiy and Shcernesd ... J " ° ' oni ) \ 400 , 001 ) Nil . -ir . o . oOO C'hllillHHl 180 , 000 1 , 170 , 0 ( 10 j Nil . ! ] ,: i . > l ) , 000 Woolwlcll UOO . OOO lOO . OOl ) , Nil . j 700 . 000 Dovw ... ... 20 , 000 ir »(> , ( MH ) ! l (! » , 0 ( ji 1 . ' 1 : 15 , 000 Cork —• * i ! io , i > cu > ; Nil . 120 , 0 ( 10 Arinntupnt . or Works ... — — \ — J fiOO . 000 floating L > olunce « — -- _ _ I I » . " »» . ' » " > Total ... i . C ] , arfft , « oo 7 , oor > , ooo j i , . hjo , ooo | ii . bso . ouo

      The Pretence Of Every Job Is It.I Econom...

      The pretence of every job is it . i economy , mid an oksoquious Cabinet could have no difficulty in proving 1 that the country was a gainer by paying His Royal Highness Pat eh famuli as tlio salary of u ITiold-Mursbul . in , mhUtion to hid other puy . Our Crnimjssionors pretend that their fortifications would enable us to do with fewer troops , although the contrary is obviously tho case , for ovary one of tho plans specified would require large garrisons , and additional forces must bo provided to meet the euoiny in the field . Wo nra almost surprised that our fortifiers admit that tho wholo const

      1 ¦ . .. J cannot be defended by walls , batteries , and bastions . Sir Joseph Paxton ' s notable design of putting all London under a glass case , and growing our metropolitan beauties like hothouse grapes , would have been transcended by a scheme for ¦' encircling our tight little island with ramparts and guns , and Lord Elgin might have reen commissioned to send home . plans and particulars of the Chinese wall . '¦ ••' : ¦ ' . ' . . : One great object which the fortification schemes had in view , was to provide for the defence of our chief arsenals , if they were assailed by a largo force landed upon our shores . The theory is , that our - Channel fleet would he certain of preventing the landing of an army

      on some part of the coast , and from this probable surmise a false inference is drawn , that great fortifications are desirable . In the first place , if our home fleet were well appointed , and did its duty , and if our chief rivers were defended by gunboats , and movable Armstrong guns along their banks , no important landing-place could be many hours in the possession , of an enemy ; and we must remember , it would require several days to hind a large army , with its complement of cavalry , artillery , baggage , and stores . It would be a great achievement * for all possible enemies combined , if they could disembark 100 , 000 men anywhere near an important place , and such a number we ought to be able to deal with , without putting them to the trouble of a tiresome siege . To make out the

      amount of weakness necessary for the success of our invaders , if no fortifications checked the ardour of their arms , it is necessary to dispose of our volunteer forces , and fortification commissioners can beat as ir . nny us you like with a stroke of the pen . This kind of authority manufactures its own history , as well as its designs for forts , and wilfully ignores the abundant proof that volunteer troops are fully equal * to regular armies . The soldiers of a French revolution who scattered . the best-drilled legions of their enemies , were to all intents and purposes volunteers—not practised men . The Hungarian -volunteers- put to flight the old warriors of Austria , and Garibaxdi ' s Cacciatori did not fail either at Varese

      or in Sicily , because regular troops fought against them . I he Fortification Commissioners and army red-tape officers confound raw levies with . trained . ' and wellranned Volunteers . There is no reason why our volunteers should be ignorant of their business ; they , have proved that they can leasn soldiering much quicker than the ignorant men who are -the ; usual subjects . of the recruiting sergeant's eTigagiiig attentions ; and all that ' they want ' . ± 0 make them efficient in the field is , to be commanded-by officers whom theybelieve they can trust . Under a Gakibaldi thty would not flinch from any foe ; and if war should arise , our .-patriotic Queen would no doubt lock up the . Greys and Puippses in one of-theroyal cupboards until the

      victorv was won . We " shall return to this subject / atr * greater length on another occasion , but we could not lose a moment in denouncing a ^ cheme that can only be the precursor of sinister designs upon the national credulity and purse , and would have us trust in stone walls , rather than in that indomitable courage of our people which has never failed us in the hour of need .

      Museums And Pictulle Galleries. ] T Does...

      MUSEUMS AND PICTUllE GALLERIES . ] T does not appear probable that the British public will trouble . ' itself- much about its collections of paintings , sculpture , -and

      antiquities . It is in a verv . secondary degree affScted-b . y : imttmrl ¦ history , however well exemplilied and illustrated by stuffed beasts , birds , fishes , insects , and reptiles . It does not care greatly for menageries , though it is always well pleased when it does catch a " Hmpso of them , and it will even spare a second or so to view the happy family at the foot of Waterloo Bridge . But beyond this quiet acquiescence in them as good things , which belong to itself , and arc-therefore to be proud of , it takes no further care ; and were they—National Gallery , British Museum , and all—transpl a nted to Coventry , it would do no more tliau growl for a week or two , and decl ;\ ro the whole proceeding a disgraceful :, job . We all ^ know that the British lion is a remarkably somniferous animal , hard to awake , and when awakened hard to stir up . You may do anything to him but take away his dinner , and he will let a g-oocl deal of that go

      before he will get up . . Presuming upon this notable good nature of the beast , those who mann » o his art-concerns for him tako very much their own way ,-and cony 11 leaf out of the Spanish book , and as in Unit country when it rains they " let it rain , " so here , when tho British lion growls they let him grow ) . We have lately had several striking instances oi this . Sir Edwin Landskku , a paint .. r , has been appointed to carve the lions for the baso of the Njfxson monument ; they were given to Mr . Louok ; but , as ho is a sculptor , and pecnlnuly skilled in animal life , the commission was cancelled , lest an inmmo idea should get abroad that a man who huH Huything to do lor . Government in the way of art ought to be qualified to do it well . Indeed , the prenovice should be employedbecaus

      vailing notion seems to be that a , e if hi ) jfot'fl wrong , the nation can pay for it , iind never mind the little hill which comes in among the miscellaneous estimates ut tho < muI -of-tho ywuyand really ja such a triilo alter all . Tho only condition i « tluvt he ' should be a novice of the right sort , that be » hOula bo a friend , or whnt is htill better » connection of t \ w family—that ho should be in good odour with Gukys , HusMttLS , and Ju . motts , or , whnt ia equally meritorious , that he bhould bo-ft German , . fcxporimeuts Imvo been lutely made with bo much ' success on tl » e public temper , that we shall soon have a new arrangement ot nil our treasures of art , unless we enn stir up a little / eeliiw , on the Huhieot The plnn is by no means given up of removing tho pictures from the Natiunnl Gallery to Kensington , where , ns a inouns ol

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), June 16, 1860, page 11, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_16061860/page/11/