The Sun. — London, England, 1862-04-12 00:00:00

' , HEAT RE- ROYAL, HAYMARKET. LeAcee, Mr. J. B. einctstene. THIS EVENING (101st time) OUR AMERICAN COUSIN. Lord Dundreary, Mr. Sothern ; Asa Trenehard, - /Ir. Buck stone. _ _ _ Alter which, a Household Picture, under Two Lights, •ntiticd THE WIFE'S PORTRAIT. Mr. Howe, Mr. W. Farren, Mrs. C. Young, .te- To conclude with FAMILY JARS. Commence a 7 10 OPAL LYCEUM THEATRE. Manager--Mr. Edmund Falconer. THIS EVENING, 129th time of the new and original Drama entitled, PEEP O'DAY ; or, S avourneen Deelish. Messrs Walter Lacy, Hermann Vezin, Charles Selby, Edmund Fill c:,ner ; Mrs. D. P. Bowers, Miss Clara Weston. After which, a new and original Burlesque Extravaganza, entitled LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD ; or, The Fairies of the Rose, the Thistle, and the Shamreck. Principal charac ters by Mr Chas. Selby, Mr. Warlow, Miss Cicely Nott, and Miss Lydia Thompson Acting Manager—Mr. F. B. Chatterton. P-ires as usual. Doors open at half-past fl, to commence at lsox-office open daily from 11 tills. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE. Lessee, Mr A.. Harris. THIS EVENING, THE CRICKET ON THE HEARTH Mr. Ryder, Mr. H. Widdicomb, Mr. Meadows, Mesdames Fielding, Carlotta Leclercq, To conclude with the new Mystic Drama, in four parts, entitled THE ANGEL OF MIDNIGHT. Mr. Ryder, Mr. Potter, Mr. Jordan, Mr. Widdicomb, &c. ; Miss Marriott, Miss Fielding, dm. NEW THEATRE-ROYAL, ADELPHI,- Sole Proprietor and Manager, Mr. B. Webster. THIS EVENING, A PRIVATE ENQUIRY. Mr. J. L. Toole, Mr. Billingt , )n, Mr. Sefton, Miss Kate Kelly, and Miss K. Bland. Followed by THE LIFE OF AN ACTRESS. Mr. and Mrs. Dion Bouc cault, Messrs. Emery, J. L. Toole, Billington, Stuart, Eburne, Setton, Powell, C. J. Smith ; Mrs. Billington, Mrs. Harland, Mrs. H. Lewis, Miss Laidlaw. o conclude with ICI ON FABLE FRANCAIS. Messrs J. L. Toole, Emery, Billington, Misses K. Kelly, K. Bland, Laidlaw, and Mrs. H. Marston. Commence at 7. ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE.- Sole Proprietor and Manager, Mr. W. Batty. Wonderful Pertorreance of Mr. Bell's trained Eleptitnts. HIS EVENING, the Grand Eastern Spectacle of THE RAJAH OF NA GPORE, introducing two colossal Asiatic Elephants, pronounced by all to be the cleverest animals ever exhibited. To be followed by brilliant and daring feats by the un rivalled Troupe of Equestrians. Concluding with a laughable Farce. Stage Manager, Mr. W. Searle. Cl I NTERBURY HALL AND FINE ARTS GALLERY. The renowned ROCKY MOUNTAIN WONDERS, at ten o'clock, for a few evenings only. Grand Selections from " La Sonnambula" and "Dinorah," by Mdme. Negri, Signor Tivoli, and Mr. Raynor, with Band and full Chorus, conducted by Mr. Jongthmans. The COMIC Department by Mr. Hollingsworth, Mr. J. G. Forde, Mr. W. Randall, Messrs. Hildebrandt and Ormond, and Miss Caroline Parkes. The miraculous STECKEL, from the Cirque Napoleon, Paris, will make his first appearance on Monday, the 14th oi April. - - Admission—Hall, Bd. ; Stalls and Balcony, le. THE OXFORD, 6, OXFORD-STREET.- HENRI and PFAU on the Flying Trapeze EVERY EVENING. The musical entertainment as usual, including Robert Burns' celebrated " JOLLY BEGGARS," with music composed expressly for this establishment by Mr. George Linley. Operatic Selections by Miss Russell, Mdme. Negri, Mdme. Maria, and bidme. Enderssohn. Full Band and Chorus.— Musical Director, Mr. F. Jongbmans. Comic—Messrs. Sam Collins, Harvey and French (the serves), E. Marshall, and W. Randall. Ball, 6d.; Stalls and Balcony, ls. ; Private Boxes, 10s. 6d. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. THIS DAY.—Morning, 12h. Om.—Afternoon, 12h. 21m, TO-monHaw.-Morning, 12b. 44m.—Afternoon, lh. fjm, NOTICE. All remittances are, henceforth, to be made to Mr. JOHN CHAPLIN, at .7he Sun office, 112, Strand, who has been appointed, by the Lord Chancellor, Receiver and Manager of The Sun newspaper, and the outstanding debts due in respect thereof. `l'S -'4•4, ''' ;T O, . U I. IV, )- 4 •Z . ,44 - ' s-r4fli c :' :' ; 1..., ; C: ;1- i L I - ' . ''l • if 0 ' ' _ . ''' 1111() it v ° * ~ THE SUN. LONDON, SATURDAY, APRIL 12, 1862. Italians owe much to Sir GEORGE BOWYER. He has served their cause in an assembly whose debates are more i.ead throughout the capitals and larger towns of Europe than those of their own Parliament, and perhaps as much as the short-lived ones of the French Chambers. It is an advantage to them too, that their assailant is a sincerely cre dulous man ; all calumnies and stories are alike welcome to him if they do but prove that Italians hate constitutional liberty and VICTOR EMMANUEL, and love FRANCIS 11. and the temporal rule of the POPE. O'CONNELL'S son said of the Protestant jury which convicted his father on the miserably constructive case got up against him, that they had not perjured themselves, for they could sin cerely have believed any accusation against him, and would as readily have convicted him of horse stealing as of conspiracy. And Sir GEORGE BOWYER, we doubt not, would believe in the truth of any atrocity said to be perpetrated by any civil or military servant of VICTOR EMMANUEL, even should they equal those certainly committed by the order of the POPE, or of his chief butcher ANTO- NELLI. We can join, however, with Lord PALMERSTON in complimenting personally the worthy baronet for his zealous advocacy of such a falling cause as that of the POPE'S temporal rule. It does require a e.egreeof courage to oppose both facts, and reason, and the sympathy of Englishmen for freedom, in the interest of an antiquated and detested despotism, which nothing but a faith totally different from that of most men could furnish. It is impossible, however, that our respect for Sir G. BOWYER'S mUtives should modify our judgment of the worth of his statements or opinions ; they will be to all other men as valuable as the opinions about colours of a gentleman who looks abroad with tinted spec tacles. The nature of his impressions we cannot doubt ; their correspondence with facts we snore than doubt. And Sir G. 13owYEE, does not conceal that he looks on Italy through the spectacles of passionate attachment to the rule of Popes and ex -monarchs. Sir G. BOWYER has, therefore, only succeeded in t wo things. One in snowing how entirely 'the 116t jahHouse of Commons fails to sympathise with 1118 °1946 ; the other in calling forth from Mr. LAYARD, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Lord PAL- M7ERSTo N such a picture of the truth of the case, and such declaration of English policy, as will equally e enconra_tithe Italians, rebuke their ene mies, and aid, so fur as the expression of opinions by some of the first of European statesmen can do it, for Italians their in obtaining complete liberties — liberty from Papal thrald,„ included. The POPE'S Irish Brigade will see, to e , that our veteran Pre mier is in no way daunted by th e imperative orders issued from the Vatican, boasted of by the O'REILL:i's, and acted on by Roman Catholics gene rally, whe,ter electors or others—to vote aga i nst and turn coot by any means the present Govern merit for its sympathy with Italian liberty. Lord PALMERSTON to!d them plainly, though in cou rt ,_ ous language, that the alvernment not only neve r denied sympathy - with the cause of Italian freedom, but gloried in it ; that theyunderstood non-in terv . en tion to mean abstinence from action only, certainly not from interest in the affairs of another country' ; that so far from being "angry at the charges made by the honourable baronet, they were proud of the c harge''. —they were " proud to be thought to have Contributed in thie way the honourable baronet says we hav e Clon e , t o auevent which every person may consider a happy cue.." Lord PALMERSTON gave no opportunity f or m i s t a l o ; if you lik e , h e virtual/ said to the Irish members—Unite with the Tories on any division and turn us out : you mardo that ) but you will not deprive us of our own satisfaction with our course, nor, we believe, of the approbation of the country. But how, meantime, do the Tories behave on oc casions like that of last night, when the liberties of Italy, or indeed of any foreign country, are the subject of discussion. - Why, their leader could leave the House, and the Pakingtons, the White. sides, and the Walpoles, and all the subordinate officers of the Opposition could be perfectly silent, as if it were no business of Tory members to evince their sympathy with the cause of Italian liberty. Mr. LOCKE very properly called attention to this sneak ing, shabby reticence. He demanded of them if a general election came whether they would behave, in regard to Italian freedom, as they had in reference to Free-trade in 1852—and promise to bow to the decision of the people. It may be a politic silence on the part of Mr. DISRAELI, but we are certain that it is not a very honourable one. For him and other ex-Ministers to sit by and shirk a debate so interesting to the country, can but be regarded as political cowardice. If they lean, as so many of them do, to the temporal Pope—the spiritual one also for aught we know—and to the ex-despots, then, if they are, like Lord PALMERSTON, proud of their policy, let them get up and say so. They are pur chasing Ultramontane votes all over Ireland, and in England, too, by taking the side of the POPE, and the banished rulers; why not avow their side in the House of Commons ? The country per fectly well knows the reason why all Roman Catho lc electors are ordered to vote for Lord DERBY; and it would therefore be more creditable to the Tories to imitate the courage of Sir G. BOWYER, and to proclaim themselves in favour of a falling cause. With regard to the facts of the case, the reply of Mr. LAYARD was triumphant. To the tales and fictions with which the credulous member for Dundalk had been crammed for the occasion, the Foreign-office could reply by authorised documents and vouchers. It would have been almost absurd to expect that a whole country of twenty-two millions could re volutionise itself, and pass from the borders of slavery to complete constitutional freedom with no causes of disturbance left. We know well enough that the expulsion of the Stuarts from our own country was followed, to the very memory of our grandfathers, by serious disturbances; and France has never yet been able to retain constitutional liberty for any length of time. The Italians, on the contrary, show the most perfect aptitude for it. Representatives from all the parts, said to be disaffected, meet, and cordially co-operate with those of other parts at Turin. Even a national guard can be everywhere formed and trusted with arms. Throughout all the provinces once sub ject to the Pope, order is preserved without a single regiment, and those provinces are not only quiet but prosperous. It is only in the Neapolitan territories, and in the parts of them adjacent to the residuary States of the Church that there is any pretence of disturbance, and there the cause is 1 notorious. Brigands, chiefly hired from foreign countries, paid and equipped by FRANCIS 11., lodged and countenanced by the POPE and ANTO NELLI, are the sole cause of the trouble. This is placed beyond all doubt, not only by the letters we read from day to day, written by known, we may say public, correspondents, but by the more important corroborative statements of our own con suls and diplomatists: But we may hope that the most important part of the debate will prove to be the statement by Lord PALMERSTON of his views in regard to the French occupation. That is, of course, the answer to Sir G. BOWYER, and all the Irish Ultramontane clique. It proves that they are crazed by a phan tom. There exists no such thing as an indepen dent Papacy—temporally independent, we mean. The French EMPEROR holds the POPE in his hands. He allows him to be saucy within certain limits, but the old gentleman and his Cardinals quite well know that if they venture on any step seriously displeasing to Louis NAPOLEON, they are ruined at once. He has but any moment to withdraw his army, and bid the Romans do as they please, and in a day Italian troops would be welcomed by accla mation into the capital of Italy, and all would be up. To talk of the POPE, indeed, as anything but a Prince mediatised to France is an absurdity. To talk of him as independent, when twenty thousand foreign troops hold his capital is simply unmeaning. ::But, Lord PALMERSTON openly says that such a state of things cannot be permanent. The PoPE's Irish Brigade prophecy eternity for the temporal power of the POPE, but events prophecy to ordi nary mortals something very different. The French army is there—first, in violation of the non-inter vention policy on which France and England have agreed—next, in contravention of the EMPEROR'S '3 717, n toavowed free p i u t r p f o r s o e m the Adriatic—thirdly, it is th ere intheentngltaly, Mediterranean that to be abused by the POPE for the encouragement of a most frightful system of brigandage, which can hardly be longer allowed to continue. By the re tention of Borne the EMPEROR is dishonourably violating his own profession, he is gradually alienating from France, the Italy which would otherwise be naturally her best friend; he is both committing a great wrong against the Romans, I and making their city and its little territory the centre of disturbance and bloodshed to the adjacent territory ; and what does he gain by it ?—the re lentless ill-will of Ultramontanists in France, who would collapse into insignificance, if he had but the courage to leave Rome and Italy to the Italians. Can he long persist in such a policy ? Lord PAL- 1 MERSTON seems to think not. Finding himself incapacitated from any attempt even to distinguish his Budget for 1862 63 by sweeping fiscal changes like the abolition of the Paper Duties, or the remission of a penny upon the Income Tax—Mr. GLADSTONE has ingeniously contrived to elaborate his financial policy this year by a variety of minor innovations. As Chancellor of the ilachequer it was incumbent upon him to do Somethitzg. The recollection of that seems of itself to account for the activity he has shown in changing the position of the pegs struck here and there about that great cyphering table the National Board of ex-Chequer. Moving this round one from the square hole into the circular, and so on vice versa, according to the dictates of his own sound sense and of his rational appreciation of what may be called the congruities. First and foremost—not less in magnitude than in adroitness—among these clever moves of our Financier there is that dexterous scattering to the winds at last of an old, old grievance—the lamenta tions over which have been so wearisomely dinned into the e ars of success i ve Ch ance llors of the Exche "l' There is, in f a ct, the admirably well-contri ved Commut a ti on of commutation the Hop Duties Mr. GLADSTONE'S of the Hop Duties—by imposing on brewers in respect to each barrel of beer 3d. as an equivalent for that duty on now to be remitted. Why 3d. is readily enyou ii w.. quantity explained. A duty to t h a t amount representing of hops, and 21b. of qut used in hops—( l . e. , th e ver y smallest n with 2 bushels of anmalt)—representing with 2 bushels );If malt wh at Pea, according THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY IEVENING, APRIL 12. 1862. to ordinary calculations, together with a due pro portion of the " native element," to the composition of a barrel of beer. Hence our Financier imposes a supplementary 3d. upon each barrel of beer, as an equivalent for the remitted hop duty. It must be remembered, how ever, that while this is the arrangement decided upon by the Chancellor of the Exchequer—three pence hop duty is really and truly the minimum paid by the brewer in the price of his hops. Conse quently, bearing that simple fact in mind, it was at once comprehensible to all who heard him, when Mr. GLADSTONE remarked in this part of his Financial Statement, that when there is a difference between the 3d. minimum duty and a greater amount of hop duty now paid by the brewer, when —as, said Me. GLADSTONE, with an audible relish in his tone while the words were being uttered, "in that incompar able article bitter beer"—he (the brewer) uses more than 21b. of hops—then, of course, in every instance of that kind, the difference proposed according to this scheme of commutation would, as a matter of inevitable necessity prove a dead loss to the revenue! A loss proportioned to the quantity of hops over and above that minimum proportion of 21b. per barrel used in the manufacture of that same in comparable article—Pale Ale—whether BASS or ALSOPP. Altogether, the estimated loss to the revenue in this way, in spite of, or rather in one sense, precisely because of that compensative duty of 3d. additional on every barrel of beer, the Chan cellor of the Exchequer himself calculated would amount annually to the sum of £45,000. As it happens, precisely the very amount that would have become chargeable yearly upon the country to annuitants under the Suitors' Fund and the Fee Fund in the Court of Chancery. Sup posing, that is, that those united funds, to the gross total of £1,400,000 had been appropriated according to the Government plan to the carrying out of the imperial scheme of a grand centralisation of the Courts of Justice—upon the site already marked out for that new Palace of Justice between Clement's Inn and Lincoln's Inn. Another £45,009 per annum our financier at this part of his new Bud get calculated, therefore, would yet have to be made up somehow, so as to make good the loss inevitable upon the commutation of the Hop Duties. This in spite of the brewers' license (just specified) on the one hand, and, on the other hand, of the private brewers' license, to the tulip of 12s. 6d. upon occu pants of houses, under £2O rent—licenses that it is anticipated will together yield—i. e., supposing the House consents (which we doubt) to them both eventually—£3oo,ooo annunally. Counting upon even which gross sum of £300,000 accruing from the brewers' license and the private brewers' license, Mr. GLADSTONE still has before him that loss of £45,000 per annum, to the revenue, consequent upon this commutation of the Hop Duties. To say no thing of any further sum that might have to be paid np in the shape of drawback upon such an extra ex portation of hops as might take place between this time and the 15th of September, when (it is pro posed) the present duty upon hops will lapse ! That drawback happily Mr. GLADSTONE anticipates will not, however, be considerable. Yet must it, in rea son, be taken into account as certain to be demanded by exporters to a greater or lesser degree. And whatever the ultimate total of it may be, it will have to be added forthwith to the loss of £45,000 per annum already beheld clearly enough by Mr. GLADSTONE himself, in perspective. Added to the proposed duty of 3d. on every barrel of beer and to the private brewing license of 12s. 6d, per annum—as among the new "arrange ments" sketched out by Mr. GLADSTONE'S hand in this his last Budget—there is the simplifi cation of the wine duties, upon which we have already commented at some length. There is the reduction of the ls. stamp duty upon every pack of cards to a threepenny stamp duty. So that henceforth the Ace of Spades that was, might be represented by a whimsical carica turist, like our incomparable GEORGE CRUM SHANK, as looking down disdainfully upon itss diminished and impoverished successor—somewhat as an old GEORGE 111. guinea might look drawn upon a bran new five shilling piece of VICTORIA. Then there is Mr. GLADSTONE'S proposed change in the inventory duty in Scotland, a duty corres ponding in its way with the probate duty of Eng land. There is his scheme for charging (very mode rately it must be admitted) just one-eighth per cent. upon foreign and colonial bonds and loans of all descriptions whatsoever—so as to bring them within the same category as the loans raised in this coun try for purely English purposes, or as very recently was decided in the instance of all loans raised here by authority of the Government of India. So that, in this instance, it is merely a question as to a reasonable assimilation of all loans, &c., whe ther Home or Foreign, Indian or Colonial. Again, and finally for the present, in this succinct enume ration of Mr. GLADSTONE'S novelties in the shape of fresh fiscal and financial arrangements—there is the supplementary publicans' licences for a period L of three days at fairs and similar scenes of tempo rary thirst and miscellaneous entertainment. A novelty this, by the way, that is calculated to call all the temperance people up in arms against it. Whether this proposed change or that ether one of the private brewing license will be carried through the House yet remains problematical, must still remain problematical for that matter, until the business of the session shall be resumed after the lapse of the Easter holidays. It is gratifying to see that Prussians are show ing something like self-respect in the face of the KING'S proceedings and those of his Ministers. In this country we have known what it is for Whigs to be caught bathing while the Tories ran away with their clothes ; but in Prussia the Liberals have rather been garotted by his MAJESTY and his reactionists, and the reductions they desired to effect taken out of their hands by violence. The letter which was permitted to transpire, amidst feigned indignation, does not, however, appear to delude the country. The people see the prepa rations made for a temporary reduction of the army expenditure with pleasure, but they know who are the real authors of it. Better still—the Government has openly lectured its employes and officials of all classes on their duty to vote for Government deputies. The advice was hardly veiled in seemingly forbearing language. But, of course, the civil service of a bureaucracy little needs information as to bow it msst vote. Even the dockyards of a constitutional monarch here gene rally know who must be their man. But the Minister, unwisely, included the Prussian Universities and High Schools in the list to those to whom he sent his conye d'elire. German universities 'have often shown more political spirit than German boroughs, and the sending to them a letter, which implied that they were in the same position as custom house or police officers, roused their spirit. Tile Rector and Senate of the Berlin University boldly returned a " protest " against the circular, re marking that, though seven elections had occurred since 1848, no Minister had attempted to inter fere with their liberties ; that they voted as citizens,not as teachers ; that the present struggle was improperly described as one between Demo cracy and Royalty; and if it were so, still the mode adopted would not be the right one to decide it. Briefly, they think they shall be most loyal in abiding by their own convictions, and not interfer ing with those of others, and they therefore decline compliance with the circular. The middle classes of Prussia seem to be generally alive to the crisis, and to the tricks of the reactionary Cabinet, and the prospect seems to be good of the people at the new elections supporting their old representatives. LIFE ROAM AND THE INTERNA TIONAL EXLIIBITION. TO THE EDITOR, OF THE SUN. London, April 10, 1862. SIR,—It was with much pleasure that I read the admirable letter of the Secretary of the National Life Boat Institution in The Sun a few days since, and 1 sincerely hope that that appeal, through the press, will induce the Commissioners of the Inter national Exhibition to grant the necessary space for the Institution's Life Boat and her equipments. As the Secretary reasonably observed, carriages and chariots of pleasure have had space allotted to them, while the boat of humanity, of which Eng land, as a maritime country, should be proud, is not to be permitted to be seen within the walls of a building, dedicated professedly to the display of all that is useful, nationally important, as well as beau tiful. I think, however, we shall yet see the life-boat — not a mere model—but herself, in the coming exhi bition.—l am, &c., HUM ANITUS. LATEST NEWS. INDIA, CHINA, AND AUSTRALIA. We have received, in anticipation of the Calcutta mail, files of papers from Calcutta to the Bth of March ; Madras, 14th of March ; Hongkong, Ist of March ; and Melbourne, 22d of February. INDIA. We take the following from the Calcutta Eng lishman of the Bth of March:— "There is not much to report with regard to our markets either for imports or exports during the past week. There has been a decided, though slight, improvement in the piece goods market, and for some few days there was a fair amount of business done. The demand has, however, now relaxed, ani though no change of prices has been announced, yet the market is heavy at pi evious quotations, and but little business is the result. In exports it needs but a glance at the freight list to show the falling off in the amount of shipments. Freight for saltpetre is quoted at £3 ; rice, £3 ss. ; jute, £3 7s. 6d; and linseed, £3 10s. to £3 12s. 6d. ; in fact, a fall of from 10s. to 15s. per ton all round. Money has been getting tight for some time past, and, though the Bank of Bengal did not raise its rates last Thursday, yet we believe the desire not to cause loss and inconvenience to the public generally had much to do with the decision of the directors. Possibly, too, the anticipated arrival of the bills drawn on the treasury here by the Home Go vernment, which would undoubtedly give greater ease to the money market, may have, in some mea sure, determined them to postpone for another week any rise in their rates. In exchange we can per ceive a tightness too, for the rates ruling for first class credit bills have throughout the week been 201. Document bills have been steady at 2.08. Contrasted, however, with the state of commercial affairs this time last year, we may well say—How great a change is here! Where hundreds were then disposed of, but tens are now sold. But we may fairly anticipate that matters will soon mend; and truly do the merchants here deserve a good time, for, with but two exceptions, they have come for ward and voluntarily made returns to the Chamber of Comme*ce of all the various piece goods con signed to them, and it was discovered from the returns so sent in that the market was by no means so overstocked as had been anticipated. Under these circumstances, we may fairly anticipate a good year for the importers of piece goods, which we sincerely wish them, though we greatly fear that the accounts which reach us by every mail, of enor mous shipments made from Liverpool, may tend to keep the market in its present state. We cannot look upon the action of home merchants in this in stance as otherwise than imminently suicidal. They have a prospect of improvement in the Indian mar kets, and that prospect they are rapidly losing by the way in which they are overstocking every mar ket in the East. The Produce Market is not very active, but the decline in freights has brought forward more buyers for several articles. Stocks, too, are light, and prices, therefore, are well maintained. There has been very little done in Government securities, and quotations are almost nominal. Money continues in some demand, and is reported to be tight in the bazaar. The Bank of Bengal made no change this week. Freights have declined materially since our last, and a further decline is expected. COURT CIRCULAR. OSBORNE, APRIL 11. The Queen drove in the grounds yesterday. The Judge Advocate-General had an audience of her Majesty to-day. Mr. David Chadwick and Mr. Hugh Fraser, of Man. cheater, had an interview with the Right Hon. T. Milner Gibson at the Board of Trade yesterday. The Right Hon. W. Hutt has left London for Gibside. DESTRUCTIVE FlRM—Yesterday morning, ehortly before two o'clock, a destructive fire broke ont on the pre mises of Mr. Charles Holden, known as the Brunswick Loan Fund, No. 1, Brunswick-grove, Cromer-street, King's-cross, St. Pancras. On the alarm being raised, Mr. Holden endeavoured to descend by the staircase, but was driven back by the smoke and flames ; and, as the last resort, jumped from the ffrst-floor window. The fire was not extinguished till the house was entirely destroyed. The cause is unknown. The loss will fall on the Imperial Fire office. WIMBLEDON AND DORKING RAILWAY.— A Wharncliffe meeting of this company was held yesterday at the office, No. 1, Poet's-corner, Westminster Abbey, Mr. Remington in the chair, for the purpose of approving or otherwise a bill now before Parliament entitled, " A bill for authorising the London and South Western Railway Company to make and maintain additional works, and for authorising the lease or transfer to them of the Chard Rail way and the Wimbledon and Dorking Railway, and for making arrangements respecting the capital, and for other purposes." The chairman, in a few words of explanation, moved a formal resolution declaratory of the approval of the proposed measure, which, having been seconded, was agreed to without discussion, and the meeting terminated. THE NAVAL RESERVE.—Her Majesty has been graciously pleased, upon the recommendation of the Duke of Somerset, to confer upon Capt. J. H. Brown, R.N., Re gistrar-General of Seamen, the honour of Companion of the Bath, as a recognition of the important services rendered to the country in originating and carrying into effect the measure for forming a Naval Reserve. To Capt. Brown is due the credit of having solved this difficult problem of manning the navy on an emergency, and the records of the Admiralty testify with what unceasing perseverance he urged the attention of successive boards to that subject. Till now the merchant seamen have looked upon the scheme with great suspicion, and it was only after calling the men together at the several ports, and explaining the provisions of the measure, that Captain Brown at length succeeded in removing the prejudices they had against all relating to the navy. The force now numbet s nearly 12,000 picked Ab.'s, and the country lately witnessed how readily and heartily they tendered their services in the American crisis. Captain Brown is one of the few survivors of the battle of Trafalgar, having been midshipman of the Prince, 98, in that action. ANOTHER MYSTERIOUS DEATH IN THE REGENT'S CANAL.—Yesterday morning, shortly after seven o'clock, the body of a male person of gentlemanly appearance was found floating in the Regent's Canal, near the New Globe bridge, Stepney. Mr. Horton, the divisional medical offi cer, examined the deceased, who had, in his opinion, been immersed in the water nearly a week. The body bore several marks or abrasions round the neck and front part of the throat, as if the deceased had been garotted. The de ceased was about Mt. sin. in height, with dark hair and eyes, and appeared to be about 35 years of age. There is a public footway near the spot where the deceased was found, and this is the third mysterious discovery in the same part of the canal within a few weeks. THE INCREASE OF CHILD MURDER.--INQUESTS. —Yesterday forenoon Mr. John Humphreys, the coroner for Middlesex, held an inquest tit the board-room of Mile end Old Town Workhouse, Bancroft-road, Stepney, respect ing the death of a male infant, newly born, supposed to have been murdered, discovered on Wednesday morning last by a police-constable in Ben Jonson's-fields, Stepney. Mr. James Stephenson, surgeon, said that the deceased had been dead several days. The body was fully developed, and the umbilical cord had not been secured. He believed that the deceased had died from neglect at birth. The jury, in the ebsence of positive evidence, returned a ver dict of "Found dead ; but whether born alive they had no legal testimony to prove," A second inquiry was also gone into at the London Hospital, respecting a female child found, wrapped in a piece of brown paper, on the grass in the back garden of the London Hospital, on Wednesday morning last. Mr. Dyte, the resident medical officer, stated that the deceased had been born alive, and had died from pressure or from suffocation. The Coroner having remarked on the frightful increase of the crime of child murder, the jury returned a verdict of " Wilful murder against some person or persons unknown." A FIRE EXTINGUISHED BY CRlNOLlNE.—Yes terday morning an investigation was held at the Poplar Hospital by the Middlesex coroner, touching the death of Frederick Hayden, aged six years, who lost his life under the following shocking circumstances :—Mrs. Mary Hay den, 4, Anne-street, Plaistow, said that deceased was her grandson. Last Wednesday she went out to purchase the dinner, leaving the child playing about the room. She had been absent only twenty minutes, when she was sent for, and upon returning she found that he had been most fear fully burnt, the clothes having been consumed from his body. He was removed forthwith to the hospital, whore death put an end to his sufferings. Mrs. Martha Offerd, a lodger in the same house, said that directly after last witness went out she heard fearful shrieks from the deceased, and upon going upstairs she found him rushing about the room in a body of flame. She had nothing at hand to fling over him, so she wrapped him up in her crinoline and stifled the fire. A juror remarked that crinoline had never been put to so good a use before, and witness deserved much credit for her presence of mind. The witness stated that the poor child was drealfully charred, and had no doubt set himself on fire by playing near the grate. The coroner summed up, and the jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death." COURT-MARTIAL —A court-martial was held yesterday on and tho Victory, flag-ship, for the trial of Edward Caroll, A. 8., of her Majesty's ship Hawke, wait ing a passage on board the Victory to join his own ship, on charges preferred by Commander Bonham, as prosecutor, Ist, for striking Corporal William Poole in the execution of his duty in endeavouring to arrest him; 2d, for resist ing the naval police in the execution of their duty. The Court was composed of Capt. Dickson, Trafalgar, president; Capt. Powell, Defence ; Capt. Lord Gilford, Tribune ; Com mander Miller, Asia; and Commander Henderson, Mega3ra —E. Hoskins, Esq., acting as officiating judge-advocate. After a great deal of evidence, which was, however, very conflicting, the prisoner was found guilty, and the Court Sentenced him to be imprisoned with hard labour for three months in Win c h es t er Gaol. MORMON CONFERENCE IN LONDON.—On Sunday the 32d anniversary of the organisation of the Mormon community ifyriyf incin co Am er e e r n ic c a e , the Mormons of London held their half-yearly ea gathering in St. George's Hall, Southwark. Three of the 4 ‘ apostles"—Amasa Lyman, Charles C. Rich, and George D. Cannon—were on the platform. The hall was crowded to excess. In the evening at least 1,000 Mormons were present, with a stifling crowd of curious strangers within the railings in the street. The conference was called to order at three and 6 30, ad journing at 4 50, and concluding at 8 15. Elder Staines, in giving a report of his twelve months' presidency, stated that the conference was financially prosperous, had cleared off (Z 75) inherited from the previous year, and a balance, after providing for all liabilities. 177 converts h b bapti se d , schoo l s h a d been fou n d e d, contain nitnnagdtu v t the been now be teah stated. 243 child ren , an d 85 " saints" had emigrated o The number expected to leave this season could ets 250 were announced as ready, but fresh accessions to the emigrant list were coming in daily, lead ing him (Elder Staines) to think that half the conference m ight go ere the season closed. Votes of confidence in the presiding authorities in Utah, in Europe, and in the metro polis were taken in the afternoon, the affirmative of each proposition being supported by a forest of right hands. Addresses were given in the afternoon by Elder Cannon, and in the evening by Elder Lyman. SPECIE FOR THE EAST.— SOUTHAMPTON, April 12.—The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamship Ell ora , sailing t0, £43,860 ; bar gold, £20,000; gold, co i n , £9,695; and sove reins, 1,500. day, takes out in specie--bar silver, CHINA. We take the following summary from the Over land Friend of China of the Ist March : " The past fortnight is somewhat barren in news of interest both as regards China and Japan, " From Pekin there is no political intelligence ; everything appears to be going on smoothly at the capital, and the Prince of Kung is the man of the day. It is very satisfactory to see the Chinese Government for the first time in the hands of a ruler who is friendly to foreigners, but it is much to be regretted that, notwithstanding the lapse of many months since the new Government was settled, no steps have been taken to prosecute the civil war with more vigour, and to restore prosperity to many a distracted and ruined province. It is true that nothing has been heard of the Northern rebellion for some time, but the likelihood is that it eats its way still in quarters beyond our means of commu nication. One thing is certain, that if any victory had been gained over the formidable bands that were last heard of at Che-foo, it would have been duly reported at Pekin ; instead of which, the Imperial army has scarcely been heard of since the capture of Nanking. The only exception to this has been in the case of a force of Imperialists under Colonel Ward, an American, who have lately been active in driving away a large body of rebels from a village in the neighbourhood of Woosung, where the latter had barricaded themselves. " The northern ports being still closed by ice, we have no reports regarding them. Her Majesty's gunboat Manilla (formerly Attalante) will shortly commence running between Tien-tsin and the south, with mails and despatches. Her Majesty's gunboat Hesper will complete the communication to Japan. " From Nanking reports have reached Shanghai that the inhabitants are in great straits for want of food, and are eating human flesh. This requires authentication. " Shanghai is still the centre of some alarm from the rebel forces, who are in possession of the entire province round about. The city continues under foreign protection ; the Imperial forces are nearly useless, and their employment seems to have been abandoned ; the foreign settlement is getting into a thorough state of defence, fortifications being erected, and a volunteer corps of horse and foot having been organised and got into a tolerable state of discipline." AUSTRALIA. THE COLONY OF VICTORIA. We take the following from the " Summary for Europe " of the Iffelboterne , _:rgus of the 22d of February ; " The history of the month centres in the Land Bill, now progressing through the Legislative As sembly. On the 4th inst. the second reading was affirmed, after a keen debate of four nights, by a majority of 38 to 26 in favour of the Government. "It is impossible to predict what may be the ultimate fate of the New Land Bill, but we may venture to believe that it will not be much altered in its progress through the two houses. And, for the first time in our history, there is at length something like a definite , assurance that the land question will be settled in a legal, constitutional, and equitable manner. The passage of the bill will afford every possible encouragement to the im migrant, by placing at his choice the best lands of the colony, at a moderate price, without competi tion ; and it is confidently expected that the next year will witness another great influx of population to our shores. The All-Eleven of England had beaten the Twenty-two of New South Wales by 49 runs. FRANCE. BOURSE, April 11.--The market continues in the same quiet but firm state, and prices are maintained at about the closing rates of yesterday. The Rail way Share Market remains firm, and quotations well supported. The following were the last quo tations :- 1 / per per Cents 98 Do end month 3 per Cents Do. end month_ 70 10 New 3 per Cents Do. end month 69 20 Credit Whiner B2l 25 Do. end month 822 50 Bank Shares — Credit 1 4 oncier 1525 Belgian 4f, Piedmontese FivQs, Italian Loan 67 55 Austrian Spanish Threes, Home Debt RAILWAYS. Cash. Account. Orleans ....... 1270 1265 Northern • 1047 50 .. 1041 25 New ditto ............ — _ Lyons and Aledito-ranean 1133 75 .. 1132 50 Geneva 390 390 Southern BO2 50 800 Western .....• Eastern .....•... •• • Sardinian...... Austrian LOW bard 573 75 .. 570 illlSS GL y N'S REAPING.-EUSTON STATION INSTITUTION. This celebrated actress last night gave a reading in the magnificent meeting room of the North- Western Railway Station to the members of the Library and Literary Institution of this railway. The room was well attended, and the deepest atten tion was paid to the impressive and elaborate read ing of Miss Glyn. The play chosen was Shake speare's Macbeth, and all the varied grandeur and stupendous power of the mighty drama were ably intimated by the reader, trying and arduous as the task is of keeping up the energetic utterance de manded from such a variety of impulsive characters as the play comprises. Of course so judicious an actress and reader as Mit.s Glyn knows where to bestow her power, and takes care to bring out into high relief the greatest scenes. She was fine in all that related to Lady Macbeth, that being one of her finest stage perso nations. In the murder scene she gave the horror and remorse of Macbeth with great force, and sub dued her audience to the most intense admiration, followed by applause of the most impulsive kind. To sustain such a play is a very severe task, but Miss Glyn completely mastered it, and carried her hearers with her to the very end, when she received from all the complimentary admiration and applause she had so well earned. WEST COAST OF AFRICA. LIVERPOOL, APRIL 11. The African Royal Mail steamer Athenian, Capt. Lowry, arrived here this morning from the west coast of Africa, Teneriffe, and Madeira. Her dates are Benin, Feb. 24 ; Cameroons, March 1; Old Calabar, 3 ; Fernando Po, 4 ; Brass River, Nun, and Bonny, 7; Lagos, 10 ; Accra, 12; Cape Coast Castle, 14 ; Cape Palmas, 16 ; Sierra Leone, 21 ; Bathurst, 25 ; Teneriffe, April 1; and Madeira, 3. Among the passengers by this vessel are President Benson, of Liberia, and his son. Advices fr )m Bonny are very unsatisfactory, and the trade at that port was exceedingly dull, while at nearly all the trading ports on the various rivers there was a general depression in trade. At Bonny, the dulness in commerce was caused principally by the unsettled state of affairs between the people of that place and the natives of EbJe. There was, up to the time of the departure of the steamer from that port, a good deal of fighting going on between the two parties at a place called Umabager. This town is so situated over a narrow pass in the river, that all communications are cut off with the Eboe fairs. The people of Bonny had been defeated at Umaba ger, and canoes were arriving daily at the former place, filled with killed and wounded. King Pepple, of Bonny, was in the enjoyment of good health, but he had taken no active part in the strug gle going on between his people and those of Eboe. By this mail he has written home to appoint a gentleman in London as his consul at a salary of £5OO per annum. He has also applied to a lady well known for her charity (understood to be Miss Burdett Coutts) for a loan of £20,000, to be devoted to the building of churches at Bonny. He states that he is desirous that one of the missionary so cieties should send him out two clergymen to offi ciate as his chaplains. Our readers may possibly remember that the previous news from this sable monarch stated that his English attendants had been so disgusted with the King and his Queen, that they all left him (most of them withoat their salaries), the habits of these two royal personages being such as to sicken the most anti-fastidious of their European officials. The slave trade on the coast is described as being as brisk as ever, and in many instances the number of slaves shipped from Wydah and the adjacent ports have far surpassed the shipments made in the palmy days of the African slave trade. The Spanish ship Manuel Orliz had been cap• tured as a slaver, and taken into Cape Coast Castle. At present there does not appear any prospect of getting cotton from the windward districts of the Gold Coast settlements. In the eastern districts, however, a movement of much importance has been made. The Basil Mission Society had caused gins and a press to be fixed at Kooring, on the banks of the Volta, and as cotton was already grown in some quantities by the tribes on the opposite bank of the river, hopes were entertained that there would soon be the commencement of a cotton trade in that di rection which will ultimately lead to great results. There had been an outbreak in Aquapim ; several persons had been killed, among whom were the son of the King, and Olutu, a chief next in rank to the King. A Cape Coast correspondent states that every department of the local government except the re venue department was more or less disorganised, and that the administration of justice was more impure than it had ever been during 25 years. Sometimes juries were kept waiting a whole day for the judge, and on one occasion a jury was kept two days, and he did not appear. Great anxiety was felt for the arrival of a new Chief Justice or the return of Chief Justice Corner. The Hon. Major Cochrane, who commanded the troops on the Gold Coast, went out in the Ethiope, and was to return to England in the same vessel. The cause of this was, that the major objected to the interference of Governor Andrews in the details of military duty, and the Governor in consequence took the extraor dinary step of removing Major Cochrane from the command, and ordering Captain Brennen to take his place. The Gold Coast press has become so obnoxious to the government that they have made a desperate attempt to put it dowd. THE OIL WELLS IN CANADA. The last Canadian papers show that the supplies from the oil wells constitute an increasing topic of attention throughout the province. As the quanti ties are apparently illimitable, freight is the grand question for consideration, and the Toronto Globe points out that the real abundance of the article will not be manifested in Europe until special facilities for transport and shipment are brought into opera tion. In the instance of refined oil there are no particular difficulties; but the refining process can be carried on more economically and extensively on this side, and the object therefore is to contrive means for the cheap transport of the crude material. In that state its smell is so offensive that grain flour, or other articles carried in trucks or vessels in which it has previously been stowed become damaged, and there is consequently a general indisposition to take it except at very high rates. A class of tank vessels will thgrefere probably have to be created for the purpose. " A vessel," it is observed, "that carries one load of petroleum is fit for no other business save coal, iron, timber, or other article which cannot be spoilt by the odour." Still, even at the high rates j at prcsent paid for both land and sea freight, it is calculated that the price is sufficient to yield a good profit to the owners of the flowing wells, who are at no expense for pumping. petroleum, landed at Liverpool,ts consists of the i The value of the :‘ about per gallon, and nearly the wholeo of h charges for transport ; while the belief in Canada is that under an orga nised s y stem these char g es might be reduced to 241 per gallon, or even low er . The room for an extension of the trade is, there fore, beyond calculation. At one of the flowing wells the oil rises from a depth of 234 feet, at the rate of 26 barrels, or about 1,600 gallons per hour, and much of it is allowed to run to waste from the inadequacy of the supply of barrels, and of the other means to store it. At another well the supply is alleged to have poured forth at the rate of 70,000 gallons a-day uninterruptedly, except when the opening is pugged, since the 16th of January last. A third well exists of similar capacity, and the other wells which require labour or machinery for pumping are innumerable. The latter, however, at present prices, do not pay for working, since the proprietors of the flowing well s are o f course rea dy to part with their produce at rates which are little more than nominal. The United States' wells in P enn sylvania are equally, if not more extensiv e , and the quantities of oil seekir.g. transport to New York and Boston are said to be far beyond the pre- Power of the Atlantic and Erie Rail -s:anytsc.arryng Under i the circumstances, the preparation of a sufficient ro lli ng stock, and the completion el the short links which are to bring the districts into direct connection respectively with these lines in the United S tates and w i th t h e G reat Western in I Canada; will be awaited with general interest. 'a" E: CO 11 BRUTAL TRE ATI B F TWIUN PRANCE AND PRUSSIA. Tale,Stern-Zeitung, which is a semi-official organ of the Prussian Government, publishes the follow ing analysis of the treaty of commerce recently concluded bet ween France and Prussia : The treaties and tariffs drawn up and cons lucied by the plenipotentiaries of France and of Prussia consist of a treaty of commerce and of navigation ; of 'a convention relative to the customs dues - to be paid on international traffic by railways ; of anothe r convention for the reciprocal guarantee of literary' and artistic property ; finally, of two supplements on the tariffs. The essential enactments of the treaty of com merce may be thus condensed : All merchandise coming from the Zollverein, or belonging to, or fabricated in, countries belonging to the Customs Union, shall be admitted into Franco by land and by sea, whether it comes under the flag of France, or under the flag of one of the States of the Zollverein, on payment of the stipulated dues. The same stipulations will be made for French mer chandise on entering Germany. Merchandise of the Customs Union (Zollverein), imported by Hanseatic ports on the Elbe and Weser, or by Belgian and Swiss railways, will be consi dered as imported directly. The two Governments abolish the export dues. An exception will only be made for France as re gards rags and driltes serving for the fabrication of paper, and for old rope, upon which there will remain a duty of 12f. and 14f. per kilogramme; the Zollverein, on its part, will establish a duty of 1i thaler on old rope per custom-house quintal. Spirits of wine and varnish of spirits of wine will pay, on their entry into France, in addition to the dues fixed in Tariff A—the first a duty on French consumption of 90f. per hectolitre of spirits of wine, and the varnish 90f. per hectolitre for the spirits of wine contained in the varnish. The following articles will also pay a supplementary duty Chemical productions, glass, articles of glass, inso much as the French Government shall not have abolished the duty established in France upon the salt necessary for their fabrication. These supple mentary duties shall be suppressed or diminished when the premiums for exportation actually exist ing in prance shall be in their turn suppressed or diminished. Merchandise of every description, coming from one of the two countries and entering into the other can never be subjected to a duty of superior con sumption than that established on similar produce of national fabrication. The wines of France,. brandies, and the corps, gran, which have already paid the entrance dues, shall be exempt from auy other duty established by one of the States of the Zollverein, by the communes and corporations. Merchandise imported from France by land and by the frontier shall be admitted into the States of the Zollverein at the same duty as if entered by sea and under the French flag. Merchandise com ing from the Zollverein and entering France by land, shall be admitted on paying the same duty as that established upon articles imported under the French flag. The origin or the fabrication of the merchant - Ise imported must be indicated to the Custom-house Department of the respective country by means of official documents emanating from the local autho rities, or from Consuls acting for the country for which the merchandise is destined. The value of the articles destined for exportation shall be deter mined by the price of the article in the country of its origin, adding thereunto the coat of transport, insurance and commission, to the town whore the importation takes place. Should the Custom-house authorities deem the value declared insufficient. they are authorised to purchase the article at the price declared, adding 5 per cent. The transit dues are suppressed in both countries , The French Government will maintain only the prohibition of the transport of gunpowder, and re serves to itself the right of authorising specially the transport of munitions of war. The subjects of the contracting parties will enjoy in the two countries on their voyage and return the same advantages as nationals ; they may purchase or rent houses, warehouses, or any other real estate (immobiles), on the same terms as subjects of either country. Commercial travellers---recognised in France as such —may carry on their business throughout the whole of the Zollverein without pay ing a commercial tax. Zollverein commercial travellers will enjoy the same privilege in France. A reciprocal protection is assured to the designa tion and ticketing of merchandise, bales, samples, and manufacture marks. The conditions of the Treaty of CommErce ure also applicable to Algeria, both as regards importation and exportation. As regards future changes in the tariffs or other ameliorations, the two contracting parties assure themselves mutually the rights of the most favoured nations. The treaty is concluded for a term of twelve years, dating from the day o f its ratification, and if it is not given up twelve months before the expiration of that term it will remain is force until one year has passed, dating from the day that one of the contracting parties has given it up• Should the Zollverein — be dissolved — before the above-mentioned period, the reciprocal engagementS enumerated in the treaty will cease at the same time as the treaties concluded between the different States of the Zollverein. AIV ENGLISH WELCOME TO FOREIGNEM. A foreigner, in a letter to a contemporary, s ays: —I shall feel very much obliged by your kindly giving publicity to the following remarks, as they are but too well founded in truth. I air. one of the passengers that arrived last night from Hamburg by the Berlin steamer, belonging to the General Steam Navigation Company, and I have bitterly* to complain of the manner in which I, for one, have been treated on going ashore at St. Katharine's' wharf. A pack of vagabonds in nobody's service suddenly take possession of the steamer, and p r esto their services in the most insolent manner. Ye ti find no regular porter in the company's service with number to mark him, and are therefore compelloclf after some hesitation and remonstrance, to give '4 ll your luggage to be taken from board the steamer' You ask, " Have you got a cab for me ?" " 'reef sir." You follow your man through the squalid buildings where the Gravesend Customs ofb.cere check the marks, and there you are. Arrived out side the building, you find yourself in a liarrovi street, badly lighted ; no:,puliceman within eye' sight ; a few cabs, but none for you. The rascal puts down your luggage on the opposite pav e ment at some distance from the cabs, and insolently de' mands his remßneration. You decline, of course , saying that he has not accomplished his part o f the duty he undertook, and request him to get yoll cab. He will do no such thing. You try to take your things under your protection, and t o reach one of the cabs which appears to be disengaged' he uses viol e n ce , and claims his due. You screael out for assi s t ance against a robber; who is there t ° heed y ou ? Daring the contest and loud disput e th at ensues, a workman from the docks passes 119 who says that you are right and the fellow wrong' He once more takes your trunk, &c., on his shout der, and passes on towards Tower-hill. Arrived' half-way between this latter place and the docket he puts down your things in the street z and ther e you are. Wh a t w ill y ou d o ? Half-past tea o'clock at night, dark street, no police oftficel' no cab, alone, a stranger ! Really, this is W I bad. I did not finish my narrative. 11. have to add that fo r t u nately a cab, with three or four pers o n s i ns id e , ca me by at th ee: : critical moment, a nd th e y, see i ng there was so e_ thing wrong, offered to take me up. I gave e l e fellow without name and number 1.5., thinking .that shfficient for such a s e r v i ce . He returned it to ro e with these words, " I make in Sou lave him the Se.' g u a present of it pay is 35." Tired as I w glad to escape one cf the w orst ruffian s the world. The waterside practice is a disgrac e t o L on doll' I write because a c hange is imperiously n ee de,3. have heard of much worse acciden ts which 1 100 _ befallen others , l adies es p eciall y. If this hap p eas to one who fo r the third time visits London, wh ° dder to think o f i t. t m im us e t ? be l oau the case w i th such as arriv e for the. fire : of R th Sp ve ha P.- tr' r Ar, Sr Sp; 7u Ca Ca