The Sun. — London, England, 1858-12-01 00:00:00

THE STATE OF SARAWAK: A deputation, consisting of the following gentle men,—Mr. Crawford, M.P., Lord Goderich, M.P., Mr. Gregson, M.P., Mr. Horsfall, M.P., Mr. Ewart, M.P., Mr. Drummond, M.P., Sir Dalrymple El phinstone, M.P., the Mayor of Manchester (Mr Mackie), Mr. William Fairbairn, Mr. Thomas Fairbairn, Mr. Pender, Mr. Ross, and Mr. Simpson, from Manchester ; Mr. Charles Turner, Mr. M'Micking, an&Mr. Adam Gladstone, from Liver pool ; Mr. Nicol, from Glasgow ; Mr. Ingrain Tra vers, Mr. Coulson, and Mr. John Smith, had an interview with the Earl of Derby yesterday, in reference to the propriety of retaining the State of Sarawak under the protectorate of the English Government. Mr. CRAWFORD said that the gentlemen who had asked for this interview formed a deputation which might bp said very fairly to represent the state of the public mind at the various places from which they had come. They were gentlemen from Liver pool, Manchester, and Glasgow. There were also some gentlemen from London, and Lord Goderich to express his own private opinion upon the sub ject, and the sentiments of those whom he repre sented in Yorkshire. Mr. Drummond, who had taken a warm interest in' Sir J. Brooke's private and public career was also there, and some gentle men acquainted with the local trade of Borneo. He would compress what he had to sal; into a very few words. He need not refer in any detail to the early part of Sir James Brooke's connection with Borneo. The matters in connection with it were well known, but he would remark, in passing, that in every instance Sir J. Brooke's proceedings in Bor neo had met with her Majesty's approval, and spe cial favours were conferred upon him upon his return to England after his first proceedings in Borneo. He (Mr. Crawford) would come to the beginning of last year, whence in consequence of the outbreak in Canton a feeling_ was generated and instigated among the Chinese m Sarawak, who rose in opposition to Sir James Brooke's govern ment, when he had almost a lucky escape with his life, but finally he succeeded in put ting, down the rebellion, and established his go vernment, upon as firm a basis as he could. There were gentlemen there who would testify to the fact that the energetic measures taken by Sir James Brooke saved Singapore. The effect produced upon Sir James Brookes mind was that unless he received sonic degree of protection from this country it would not be possible for him to carry on the government of Sarawak as an independent State; that he must fall into one of two courses—he must either aban don the settlement, to the great detriment of the British name, or he must accept offers from other foreign Powers. They knew perfectly well that if Sir James Brooke were to leave Sarawak and he did not surrender the territory to the Dutch, the Dutch would themselves take it. They knew that the American Government were not indisposed to avail themselves of the opportunity of establishing themselves in that quarter. And it was with a view to convey to his Lordship the view taken in Eng land as to the position of British interests in Borneo that the deputation had called upon him that day. Although he had known Sir James Brooke per sonally for a great many years, and had a strong sense of what he deserved at the hands of his coun trymen, he was prepared to argue this case not upon private rights, but simply upon general and public grounds, and with that view he would first call attention to the general geographical position of Sarawak : how it commanded the China seas ; how, :should it fall into the hands of a foreign power, the position of Sarawak might be made detrimental to our commerce, particularly consi dering the great extent of trade that would take place between this country and China. There was another commercial consideration connected with Sarawak which seemed to contain an element for very serious consideration, and it was this : We might reasonably hope to be within a short time in possession of an electric telegraph as far as Singapore. The laying it to Singapore was a matter of no difficulty, and in taking that course to India it would pass through a consecutive chain of the British possessions, from Malacca to Singapore. But how it was to be carried up the China sea, we hardly knew, unless they had these means of continuing our chain of telegraphic com munication: They looked to the necessity of tele graphic communication with China as paramount. They saw from day to day that the telegraph was superseding the post; how the post had become subsidiary to the telegraph. They saw the great advantage it had given to this country over a great number of others to have the postal service of all the world in its own hands, and not to be depen dent upon a foreign Power for its political and commercial despatches. They thought there was a great principle involved in regard to telegraphic communications, and they looked upon the position of Sarawak as being essential to the foundation of our supremacy in that part of the world. They at tached importance to it in that respect. But there was another consideration of still greater magnitude —the immense mineral resources of that part of the country. There was a gentleman present who left Borneo not more than three months ago, who had been employed for some time in working the coal mines in Sir James Brooke's territory, and he would - be able to tell now, or in any other form, the cha racter of the coals that were produced from the collieries and the comparatively very cheap and economic terms upon which coals of the best qua lity could be supplied at Singapore. When they looked at the enormous quantity of coal sent out annually to Singapore, when they saw that steam was superseding as far as it could all other means of conveyance by water, and that that coal can be supplied in any quantity that may be desired from Sir James Brooke's territory, they thought they had upon that ground alone an ample and sufficient case for coming and stating to his lordship, as the head of her Majesty's Government, that they con sidered the retention and control over Sarawak to be at this juncture a matter of paramount import ance. These were the principal commercial grounds upon which he, for his part, entertained the view he had endeavoured to express; but there were others. A company had been established under the name of the Borneo Company, which had commenced and was now carrying on a large and beneficial trade with Borneo. What the consequence would be of that trade being lost by passing into the hands of the Dutch was only too apparent. The exclusive character of the Dutch trading with the East was a matter of fact ; it was particularly adverted to in the correspondence that passed in 1844 between Lord Aberdeen and the representative of the Dutch Government, the papers relative to which were pre sented to Parliament in 1854. The exclusive character of that trading was the subject of a re monstrance on Lord Aberdeen's part, and even at the present time the restrictive policy of the Dutch had been pushed as far as it ever had been before, and he had no hope of anything like a fair dealing between us and the Dutch in those seas. They therefore, upon those grounds maintained that every interest in this country in a commercial sense was dependent upon our allowing or not allowing Sarawak to go into the hands of other parties, and it would be a disparagement to us in the East if we were to allow Sir James Brooke to retire from Sara wak and suffer the country to fall back into the same state in which it was before Sir J. Brooke went there. Those were the principal grounds, taking the commercial view of the case; and he ventured to ask his Lordship seriously to consider, on the part of the Government, the proposals which the deputation now made, which proposals were two :—They asked, in the first instance, either to take the State of Sarawak under-British protection —that is, formally to say to the world that Sara wak is under the British Crown, who will resent any attack made upon it ; or else, if that view should for any reason not be an agreeable view to the Government, that they would be prepared to take a cession of the rights to the Crown. Sir James Brooke's views were directed towards a pro tectorate ; he was in that condition of health which would render it extremely doubtful whether he would be ever able t o re t urn t o S arawa k. H e h a d a nephew n ow i n c h arge o f th e G overnmen t o f Sarawak, who was perfectly competent to dis charge all the duties of the Government there with credit to himself, and with the same amount of James Brookesatisfaction which Sir himself had given. He believed that he expressed the sentiments, not on ly o f b Sir James Brooke, the of many gentle men p resen t, when he said hempLublic would prefer seeing name Sir James Brook e ' s still connected with the administration of affairs'in Sarawak, and that he should be placed in a situation made secu re by the occasional visit of a Briti s h ship war, or by any other means which the word " of protectorate" would i m ply, and that he should be secured from yan ex ternal attack , or from insurrection ammog his - people, which would be the consequence, i n a gr eato degree, of the English protectorate being granted to him. The deputation would not be, perhaps unprepared to hear th at p olitical considerations ' may suggest themselves to some minds as to th e inexpediency of such a step being taken. As to the power the British Government had of adopting Sarawak, that question was set at rest by the de cided view that was taken byLord Aberdeen at the time that the correspondence was passing between himself and the Dutch Minister. They conceived that the questions as to the position of the Dutch and English interests were thoroughly considered at the time ; the Dutch then stated the utmost of their demands, and those demands were unequivo cally set aside hy . the English Government ; and they were of opinion that the view which Lord Aberdeen then took was not only a right view, but entirely consistent with the policy and interests of this country. In that view of the case they came here to ask her Majesty's Government seriously to give their consideration to this very important question, and not to suffer the British character and name in any way to be impeached by the with drawal of Sir James Brooke from Sarawak, and much less that we should allow people who, in a commercial sense, are entirely hostile to us, as the Dutch are, to obtain possession of this state, when the use which they would put it to would be to damage and impede our interests in the East. He believed he had now stated the views generally entertained by the deputation present. There were gentlemen there who would express the views of those they represented from other parts of the country, and there was a gentleman also present who would be able to speak from his own personal knowledge of the enormous resources in a mineral point of view of the state of Sarawak. Mr. TURNER said, that after the remarks made by Mr. Crawford he scarcely thought it necessary to do more than express the great importance at tached by the mercantile community of Liverpool to this State. They were unanimously of opinion that it was of vital consequence to their trade that Sarawak should be maintained under the protection of the British Government, so as to give to that country those rights and privileges which are en joyed in this country ; and it was quite clear that it should not be allowed to go to the Dutch, or any other foreign country. It could not have escaped his Lordship's notice that there was scarcely any country in the world, in the Eastern seas, where British merchants enjoyed th a t f ree d om of trade which the British Government afford to foreign merchants, and the greatest importance is attached to the maintenance of this possession, which will almost give the command of the China trade to those who may hold it. His Lordship had already heard from Mr. Crawford that there is a large field of coal in the territory of Borneo, and held in his hand a memorandum, made by an officer in the Dutch navy, in which it appears that the Govern- merit attach very great importance tothe coal fields there. I was sent to a merchant in Liverpool. The genticinan states that he cannot give his name be cause $t might compromise him with his Govern ment. The Earl of DERBY—It is from an officer in the Dutch navy ? Mr. TURNER—Yes. The Dutch are extremely _ _ _ jealous of any settlement in the Straits of Malacca - , or anywhere in the Straits leading to China. They have a large settlement close to Sarawak, and they look with considerable anxiety to the decision of her Majesty's Government on this point. There had been paragraphs in foreign journals stAting that his Lordship's Government have decided not to encourage Sir James Brooke, and there was a paragraph in the Singapore paper, which showed that the Dutch Government are quite alive to the desirability of increasing their possessions in Bor neo. All the merchants connected with the East India trade and those best acquainted with the country are of opinion that the retention in some way or other by her Majesty's Government is necessary, so as to secure the freedom of trade at Sarawak, which can only be done either by a pro tectorate or some other mode which must be left to her Majesty's Government. They think it of im portance not only that the trade with Borneo itself should be protected, but also our anticipated trade with China, the whole of which will pass through that sea. Mr. T. FAIRBAIRN said he appeared for another large manufacturing district—Manchester. Very soon after the return of Sir James Brooke from Sarawak he was invited to Manchester, and a petition to the Government was adopted and signed by between eighty and ninety of the leading firms of that city. At that time the India Bill t o t a k e over the Indian territory to the Government was not settled. The prayer of the petition was in these words ,—" 1. To bring the future Govern ment of the Straits settlements under the direct control of the Colonial Department of her Majesty's Government. 2. To secure for the benefit of Bri tish commerce the manifold advantages, natural and geographic, of the Sarawak country. 3. To urge upon the Executive Government at once to conclude arrangements with Sir James Brooke, the present rajah of Sarawak, for the exercise of his rights and powers either by making Sarawak at once a British settlement, or by bringing it into direct dependency upon the new Straits Govern ment." He might add, quite irrespective of the benefit, that Sir James Brooke has conferred, on civilisation by his conduct in Sarawak, by the sup pression of piracy, and the organisation of order, his trade with his own political capital had been very remarkable. At the time of Sir J. Brooke's settlement the town of Sarawak was not worthy of the name. It was a straggling village, with a tribe of about 1,000 or 1,200 ; at the present time there is an ordinary town of 25,000 inhabitants, courts of justice, mosques, and other matters indicative of civi lisation. In 1847 the trade was very small; then the exports to Singapore did not exceed in value £i5,000 to £30,0013. In 1857, during the lapse of ten years, the value of the exports has increased to £300,000, and the interests involved are very con siderable. - There are close upon 100 English men and women living under Sir James Brooke's Go vernment; but the British subjects amount to between 300 and 400 people. If Sir James Brooke retired from that country it cannot stand alone. The interests involved both as regards the lives of hundreds of fellow countrymen and the amount of capital invested on the faith of the protection thrown over Sir James Brooke during a portion of his career is very serious. Ile was only speaking the opinion of Manchester of those who are here. The - majority of those who signed the petition, were in favour not of a protectorate, but that it should be ceded to the British Government. The Earl of DERBY—There was some gentleman who wished to speak of his own personal know ledge with regard to the resources of Sarawak. Mr. CRAWFORD—It - vas Mr. Coulson. He has been employed in working the coal mines in Sarawak. Mr. COULSON said he had examined the coal mines of Borneo, and he would only speak of what 'he had seen. The extent of coalfield that he had discovered there is 40 miles in length and 80 in breadth, and very valuable coal it is, it being used by the Peninsular and Oriental Company, and also some other commercial steamers. They had also opened a coal mine, which is at present at work. The Earl of DERBY—Where is that coal mine ? Mr. COULSON—It is in the dependency of Sara wak, about 20 miles from the sea. The Earl of DERBY—Within the Rajah Brooke's territory ? Mr. (10ULSON—Yes, my lord. The Earl of DERBY—Within what has been ceded to him ? Mr. COULSON—They have laid down a tramway of three miles, and the coal mines are in full ope ration. At present two Dutch steamers have been there and taken coals from the colliery. They have pronounced it a very good steam coal, and he knew of a good many seams of coal in the district from four to five feet in thickness, which could be produeed for about 6s. a ton, and from his expe rience of coal mines in this country he had no hesitation in saying that it is equal to a great many of our Durham coals. The Earl of DERBY. —To what extent have those mines been worked? Mr. COULSON said they had been worked under the mountain for about 300 yards, and when he left Borneo there were about 500 tons of coal in the same steamer for Singapore, which sold for about 6 dollars a ton, which is equal to 30s. in Singapore. The mines were driven at the foot of a hill, without any machinery. In fact, the gene ral coal deposits in the Isle of Borneo were very easy of access without any machinery. The Earl of DERBY.—We have all been told a great deal of the value- of coal in Labuan, and in Sarawak itself; hitherto we have had no great proofs by experience. It is now some time since that territory has been occupied, and we have not derived any advantage —so much so that the last Government were on the point of giving up La buan, and abandoning it as a costly and useless settlement. Mr. COULSON.—There can be little doubt about s value. Mr. TURNER referred to a report written to the Pacific Company from the managing director of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Company, re ferring to the subject of the Borneo coal. Mr. FAIRBAIRN.—When you sold the coal at 6s. a ton, do you know what the price of English coal was at the same time ? Mr. COULSON said he did not know what the price was at the time ; the average price of Eng lish eoal in Singapore was about 355. Mr. FAIRBAIRN.—The price of English coal in Singapore has averaged between six and seven dollars. Mr. CouLsoN.—The Borneo coal is equal to any thing we can get from India. Mr. CRAWFORD.—Thero is another production of Sarawak, which is antimony, which is used for type, and, mixing up the two questions together, when we look, at sonic future- day, to the removal of the paper duty, that may be of importance. Mr. TURNS';,.—Is not the Sarawak coal con sidered generally better than the Labuan coal ? Mr. Coui.sox.—So far as it had been tried, the former coal in Sarawak was not so good as that discovered lately. Mr. FAIRBAIRN—The evidence of Mr. Coulson is that the last coal discovered is superior to that found before. Lord GODERICH said he did not wish to detain his lordship after the full statement made by those who had preceded him, but he believed he might say it was the opinion of Sir I. Brooke, and all those who had examined the case, that some final opinion must be come to at the present time, partly from Sir J. Brooke's illness, and partly from the insurrection of the Chinese. He had reason to think that mere fact, although it was put down, had somewhat interfered with his authority, and had also deprived him for the time of those who were his best labourers. He (Lord Goderich) be lieved this would be borne out—that if the colony were taken under the English protection the Chinese would then feel that security which would enable them to return, and give that supply of labour necessary for the proper working of the country. He ventured to ask his lordship to consider the position of this country in regard to Sarawak at the present moment. Sir J. Brooke had been re cognised and rewarded by- the English Government for what he had done in that country. He had received rewards and encouragement, and it did appear to him it would be extremely difficult, and the people would never consent that the Govern ment should desert Sir J. Brooke and those other Englishmen whose capital had been expended there. Supposing that any attack was made on them, or they were to be threatened by foreign countries, or a native Power, it was quite impossible under these circumstances that the British subjects could be deserted, looking upon them in the light of British subjects. If the period had arrived at which some change in the mode of government must be made there, the only alternative, if the English Govern ment do not agree to give him protection, or to take to themselves the territory, would be, that Sir J. Brooke would be obliged to give it up to some foreign Power. It was doubtful if he could do that without direct permission of Government, and was Government prepared to give that direct authority to enable him to hand over that settlement to the Dutch or to any other foreign Power ? If not, Sir J. Brooke, after what he had done, after the approba tion of the Government and of his Sovereign, was put in a very hard position. He should be exceed ingly sorry if the Government gave him leave to hand it over to the Dutch. One point was not touched upon very much, which was, if we really are in a position not to take possession of that colony, we are bound to give some kind of support to our own subjects, who on the faith of what had been done, have embarked their capital, and to a certain extent their lives in that district, and he would venture to impress upon his lordship the political importance of a coal field of that kind. In these days of warfare possession of a coal field of this kind is of the highest importance, and they should not let it slip through their hands, if they had the power of retaining it. In Mr. Devereux's report be left the question of Sir James Brooke's title very indefinite by the want of a deed of possession on the part of the Rajah. Now a copy of that deed was in the room, and it gives to Sir James Brooke full power to make that territory over to any person or Government. The Earl of DERBY—By whom is that drawn ? Mr. FAIRBAIRN—It is drawn by Sir Jas. Brooke. Mr. CRAWFORD—I wish to make one observation more with reference to the question of boundary. The boundaries are clearly defined, by the sea on one side, by mountains running on the other, and also clearly defined on the other side ; so that there can be no question of the boundaries. A MEMBER of the DEPUTATION—Your lordship will allow me to observe in point of fact that if Sir James Brooke has no protection from this country, there is nothing to prevent a Dutch ora French ship . of war going and taking possession of it. It is clear that he cannot carry on a war with the French or with the Dutch, and he must at once give way. If Sir James Brooke had taken my advice; after the treatment he got from Lord Aberdeen's Government he wouldnot have troubled any other Government. These gentlemen have aright now to ask for a deci sion—" Yes' ;or "No ;" whether this county mean to grant this protectorate or not. As far as I am indi vidually concerned for Sir J. Brooke, I confess that I do not care either way. The Earl of DERBY said, he had listened with great attention—the attention to which the depu tation was entitled—to the statements:made upon this subject, which was one of considerable import ance, but one of considerable difficulty. What had fallen from Lord Goderich had only strengthened the view which he had always felt of the extreme inconvenience, to say the very least of it, of such undertakings as Sir James Brooke's. He wished to speak of him with the highest respect. He was a man of great energy and influence, and there was not the least doubt, to his personal influence and efforts the improvement was owing in the district of Sarawak. But what fell from Lord Goderich, to the effect that it was impossible that the British Government could allow British subjects who have invested their capital on the faith of what had been already done and to a certain extent sanctioned, to remain unprotected was a very strong argument against the extreme inconvenience of sanctioning such undertakings as those of Sir James Brooke. Sir James Brooke, a mere private individual, and upon his own ',responsibility, without consultation authorisation from the Government, entered into a treaty or arrangement, or whatever they pleased to call it, into the terms of which he need not in quire too closely, by which Sarawak was made over to him, subject to the Sultan of Borneo. He exercised very considerable influence in the coun try, and no doubt effected considerable improve ment; but if every English subject were to:be allowed to settle in any district he might think fit, and afterwards to call upon the Government as a matter of right to give him military and civil protection, and to secure him from the consequences of con duct which was not in the slightest degree° an ticipated by the Government, it must lead the Government into endless difficulties and expen diture. With regard to the opinion that seemed to be entertained as to the seizure of Sarawak by the Dutch in the event of its not being taken into the possession of the British Crown, he rather thought that the negotiation to which Mr. Crawford referred between Lord Aberdeen and the Dutch Government some years ago, and the treaty which had been concluded with the Sultan of Borneo, did away with all apprehension of any exclusive jurisdiction being exercised by Holland ; and, whatever the importance of different posses sions might be, in point of fact that country which had the command of the sea would always have the command of the trade and commerce of those districts. He (Lord Derby) did not deny the merits of Sir James Brooke, and he did not deny the ad vantages which he had conferred on Sarawak ; but he very greatly doubted Sir James Brooke's power to make over—certainly not to the Dutch, but to make over to the British Government —an absolute, entire, and unconditional sovereignty of that terri tory which he had been permitted to govern. Moreover, the question was one of very great diffi culty and doubt whether, apart from the personal influence of Sir James Brooke, the settlement of Sarawak was one of the importance which the gen tlemen present seemed to attribute to it, and of course that very much shook his opinion upon the subject. But certainly hitherto it had not been a thriving settlement. It had not conferred very great commercial advantages, although there had been some ire ease in the exports. Under the pre sent circumstances it seemed to him very doubtful whether it was one which it would be for the in terest of the Government to take into their hands, multiplying and increasing the colonial dependen cies of the country, which were already too nume rous; every fresh, addition to which added fresh expenditure--not only the expenditure of the local government, but the consequent increase of the military and naval forces to protect them. So that he looked with very great jealousy tat increasing the number of our dependencies or new settle ments. They were not additions of strength but of weakness, and all these considerations had been very carefully inquired into by the Queen's Govern ment. They did not think there was any appre hension whatever with regard to the case of the Dutch. He must say, at present they were not fully satisfied with regard to the commer cial advantages of Labuan aad Sarawak, and the various propositions put before them by Sir James Brooke appeared to them to involve a choice of difficulty, inconvenience, and embarrassment. Of all the proposals which had been made, that which was the least objectionable would be the absolute surrender of Sarawak to the British Crown as a colonial possession ; but, then, there must betaken into consideration whether the ac ceptance of that as a colonial possession was worth the price to be paid for it in the first instance and the expense of maintaining it afterwards, because they must bear in mind, although it was very true that Sir James Brooke, by his personal influence, may have been enabled to improve that settlement and keep up good relations with the native tribes, it (lid not follow that the same consequences would ensue if the settlement were made over to the British Crown, and thrown open to British enter prise and colonisation. And all experience showed them, and Sir James Brooke would be the first to admit it himself, although he has been able to make the revenue of the settlement pay for the government—the revenue being about .£15,000 a year—that, if it were handed over to the British Government, twice that sum would not maintain ”.•••••• • .1.• • the local government. ^ If they pressed him (Lord Derby) for an immediate answer, the Government would take into consideration any suggestions that came from gentlemen of experience and knowledge, such as themselves ; but he must say his own opinion and that of his colleagues had been, and was up to that moment, adverse to the adoption of any propositions which had been made to them by Sir James Brooke. He would not say that'decision had been taken finally, but certainly at the present moment he was not in a condition to say that the Government were prepared to accept any of thc§e propositions, nor did he think it likely any of those propositions would be accepted. With regard to Sir James Brooke, he did not conceive he had a claim upon the Government in respect of what he had done for his own purposes, and ob jects ; his was a half political and half com mercial speculation. He (Lord Derby) did not think he had a claim upon the country in consequence of the steps he had taken ; it must be a matter of pure balance of the advantages or disadvantages of taking or not taking this as a settlement, even suppo4ing, under the terms of his engagement, Sir James Brooke has the power, without the consent of the Sultan of Borneo, to make over a sovereignty which he does not, he thought, at the present moment possess. It • was manifest, unless he had entire authority to hand it over, it was not in the power of the Crown to accept a feudal tenure, and he believed Sir James Brooke had nothing more than that description of feudal tenure. At the present time the views of the Government were not favourable to the adoption of any of the propositions laid before them. Lord GODERICII.---I did not mean to lay it down that any British subject can rest a claim upon the rewards given him. Mr. FAIRBAIRN said be should be sorry to leave the room without confirming the remarks of Lord Goderich and endeavouring to remove the erroneous impression on his lordship's mind. Sir James Brooke never asked the protection of England nor sought her interference in his country until, as a consequence of the honours which were showered upon him, and of the shield of apparent protection which was thrown over him by the English Go vernment of the day, British subjects were induced to embark their lives and their money in Sarawak, and thus placed upon him responsibilities too heavy for a private gentleman to bear. M.r TURNER.—The English Government did recognise the authority of the Sarawak courts of law over British subjects. There was that kind of formal acknowledgment of his position. Lord DERBY said he supposed there was over any British subject settling there. They consented that he should exercise the same authority over the British subjects as he exercised over the native population, which authority he derived from the powers conferred upon him by the Sultan of Borneo. The Sultan gave him authority, and they on their part said, if British subjects went to Sarawak they must consider themselves under Sir James Brooke and subject to the laws of the place. They could not hear causes of complaint on the part of British subjects if they chose to go there. Sir DALRYMPLE ELPIIIISTONE thought the main point was the geographical position. The whole commerce that passed through the Straits of Singa pore must of necessity, pass along the coast of Borneo ; and if there should be a war, and privateers were to get into that sea, and these coal mines were in the possession of anyother Power, then our com merce would be cut up. The Earl of DERBY—That depends upon our ' naval superiority. Mr. CRAWFORD thanked the Earl of Derby for his courteous attention, and the deputation then withdrew. THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 1, 1858, PROGRESSIVE LEGISLATION. The following is an extract from a letter ad dressed by Lord Brougham to the Earl of Radnor, as President of the Law Amendment Society : " But I must here turn aside for a moment from our own jurisprudence, and the amendment of it, to congratulate . you, which I do most heartily, upon the measure in contemplation, we may say actually begun, for effecting a great improvement, perhaps the greatest that can be conceived, in the legal sys tem of a foreign country, and indeed in its social state—a country far removed from us both by its position and its institutions, and where we might the least have hoped, even in this age of progress, to witness any change—l mean the Russian empire, with its vast population, the very great majority of which is in a state of personal, at least predial ser vitude, attached to the soil and the property of its 'owners, as the inhabitants of the rest of Europe, even of England, were some centuries ago. The just and humane, but also the truly wise policy of the present Emperor, with the full concurrence of his most enlightened and best informed councillors, has of late taken the direction of preparing the com plete emancipation of the serfs by safe and well devised steps. The obstacles interposed by the ignorance and unreflecting prejudices of some among the upper classes of landowners greatly in crease the merit of the Sovereign, while they add to his difficulties ; and the alarm which false views of their own interest have made them industriously raise, whether really felt by them or not, renders it a matter of doubt if we should dwell upon the subject in this country, lest our satisfaction may be ascribed to our prepossession in favour of what. ever proceeds from, and supports, constitutional government, the object of our warm and just affec tions. The danger of popular movement, anti- Jacobin clamour, cry of French principles, and other topics to which were accustomed rather than reconciled during the Revolution, and which for a season destroyed some invaluable measures of im provement, and postponed so many more, might be the consequence in Russia of our gratification de clared at popular meetings, as if we took part with the peasant against his lord, This apprehension I own it was that made me most reluctantly abstain, at the late Social Science Congress, from giving expression to my . feelings of admiration and gratitude for the wise and generous conduct of the Russian Em peror and his able councillors. But what I now write will only have the limited circulation of a professional journal, and be confined to the perusal of professional men. On the mode and manner of making this great change I shall of course not now dwell, further than to express my earnest hope that the errors which either accompanied or soon after followed our colonial emancipation may be avoided, and that the gross inconsistency may not be committed of making great sacrifices for the compensation of the landowners, and then both greatly injuring them and their peasantry, by ex posing them to the competition of foreign produce raised in more advantageous circumstances, as we let in the produce of foreign colonies, the fruits of the slave trade, which we do our utmost to sup press, and thus at once encourage that execrable traffic, and injure our own planters and their liber ated slaves. Nor .is this the only great improve ment .which now engages the Russian Government. Important amendments of the judicial system, and considerablelacilities to the press, are understood to be more than contemplated. " I have mentioned the late congress at Liver pool, and I perceive no small number of mistakes committed as to its objects, and especially its ten dency. Thus, some represent its labours as only calculated to obtain information, and diffuse this generally--a very useful thing, no doubt, and of importance proportioned to that of the subjects of inquiry, the great interests of the community in jurisprudence, in' education,• in the health of the people, and in their morals. But the propounding of opinions, and the discu ss i on o f th em , is a l so p ar t of the association's duties; and, I must add, which removes another error respecting it, that there never will be the least scruple about obtaining the opi nions and ascertaining the inclinations of large bodies, with the express view of affording help to the Government and the Legislature—help which can not so well be given in any other way. Take an example from what has occurred, both in the last assembly and in the first at Birmingham. The whole of the Bankrupt Law was fully discussed, with all the plans proposed, whether by the Government or by individuals, for its improvement. Not only was a considerable body of information collected, but resolutions passed, for the most part with 'unanimous approval, embodying the opinions of those who joined in the discussion. And who were they P Delegates from the Chambers of Com merce, and other mercantile bodies in all parts of the kingdom. They for -whom the law is made have the best right to decide upon its operation ; and their decision is without appeal if they declare that they suffer under it. They have an equal right to propose the remedy, though here it by no means follows that their proposal must be adopted ; it deserves, however, careful and respectful conside ration. Who can doubt that the greatest benefit must accrue to the country from the aid thus given to the Government ? Parliament may hear the complaints of different places through their repre sentatives; petitions may contain important infor mation and suggestion ; but all this must needs be partial. The statements of opinion are of necessity insulated, and arise out of little discussion ; whereas a congress of those who represent the feelings and the opinions of all the great trading bodies must have a salutary influence upon the Legislature, both because they have the amplest means of information, and because their judgment is wholly unbiassed by party differences. Let me now advert to the mea sures of last session bearing upon the amendment of the law. " It is certainly a mistake to suppose that nothing was done ; though the change of Ministry cut short some very promising measures, and gave a degree of despondency, I hope and trust ground less, to the friends of law amendment; at least there can be no ground for despair. The Attorney- General is a tried and efficient ally ; he has already done something, oven during the late session, though he has unhappily been prevented from ac complishing more—a remark which will be applied also to the Irish Chancellor by all who read his most able and enlightened address delivered at our late congress. I must observe, too, that some of the:amendments carried are much more important than at first bight they appear to be, because they remove great defects, one may say rectify gross blunders, in former legislation, brought to our no tice by manifest failure of justice in causes actually tried. Thus it was found that the true construc tion of the old act punishing the obtaining money or goods on false pretences did not reach the case of acceptance of bills, or signature of notes; so that a person might cheat you of your acceptance or signature for £l,OOO, because it had no value in your hands; but it became .the means of at once charging you with that sum at the suit of the dis counter who had given value for it without the knowledge of the fraud. At the suggestion of the Law Amendment Society I obtained the assent of Parliament to a bill for amending this glaring de fect in our criminal, I may say, in our mercantile law. The Copy-hold Acts, which I was some years ago prevented from making as effectual as I had desired, and which did not give either to the lord or the tenant sufficient powers of compelling en franchisement, still continue inadequate ; but a con siderable portion of the compulsory powers I had so long contended for is given by an Act passed late in the session ; and I greatly approve of the provi sions respecting certificates of incumbrance, which really make them a marketable security transfer. able by endorsement. " The violent opposition to the Divorce Act of 1857 had caused many defects to be left in it. Though this is one of the few subjects on which I fear you and I still disagree, I know well that, if the proceeding for dissolving the marriage con tract is to form part of our judicial.system, you will be the first to admit it should not be ham pered with repugnant matter, and disfigured by ano malies which leave in its full force the principle objected to, and only needlessly increase the ex penses of the parties seeking relief under it, and augment the difficulty of the Court in construing the Act of 1857. The adversaries of that act resisted the Attorney-General's Bill to amend it ; and hence some material defects arc allowed to remain. But considerable good has been effected by extending the Judge-Ordinary's powers, by protecting the de serted wife's property, by admitting the evidence taken in suits before 1857, by removing all doubt as to appeal in cases of nullity of marriage, and by enabling the Court to dismiss a party from the suit in which there was no evidence against him, in order that he may be a competent witness. This last provision was thought necessary in consequence of the Court having decided that my Evidence of Parties Act (1851) excluded parties under the act of 1857, and that they could not be made competent by dismissal. I ventured, with great deference, to agree with the minority of the judges who wore divided in that case, and I had hoped that the judg ment would be altered on further consideration. The new act, however, removes all doubt and diffi culty. " But another measure of the Attorney-General must be regarded as a very important step in the right direction, and is likely to be followed by further progress, though in itself it may seem to be of subordinate importance, from being confined to one kind of suit. I allude to the act, introduced for the first time into our law--the declaratory action, found so beneficial in Scotland, for the security of titles, prevention of vexatious litigation, and preserving the testimony of living witnesses. This act is con fined to cases of legitimacy, marriage, and place of birth ; it enables any person to apply for a decree of the new Court, declaring his legitimacy, the validity of the marriage of his parents and their parents, and that he is a natural born subject. The decree is not to affect the rights of persons not cited in the • cause, nor of those claiming through persons cited. The want of declaratory action in England has been complained of by all Chancellors when dealing with Scotch causes under that joined in this complaint, and endeavoured to supply the defect (it formed the subject of one of my nine bills, introduced in 1845, the greater part of which have since passed, but not this), I begin to enter tain hopes, from the partial success of my friend the Attorney-General, that hereafter the same re medy will be extended generally, and persons no longer obliged to continue in uncertainty of their rights until actually sued, when their adversaries alone may possess the evidence their case requires. " The step which has been taken in Ireland for the permanent establishments of the Encumbered. Estates Court, and the extension of that most im portant jurisdiction to other than cases of encum brance, is of incalculable value. It really gives one hopes of a similar benefit being conferred upon England. But I was induced again to present my bill for facilitating the transfer of real property ; the'postponement, however, of so large a measure for further discussion was quite unavoidable. I certainly consider it of great importance; and the rather because it is grounded on actual experience. The bill was drawn by my very able and learned friend. Mr. Fawcett, and the plan is the result of his long and varied experience. He is an excel lent conveyancer and practised lawyer. But the experience to which I refer is as steward of many of our Cumberland copyhold and customary manors during a period of 30 years. Thus, in one he has never found a single instance of disputed title in all the 500 estates of the manor ; they have every one been repeatedly passed by sale, mortgage, and de vise or descent. The cost of the conveyance never exceeds a few shillings, and the length of the deed 100 words. That the extension of this system to freehold estates will require some machinery for registration is clear ; but, when you consider the provisions of the bill, I would fain hope that you will admit the change in our system to be both practicable and safe: " The great extension and improvement of our judicial statistics, is a matter of just congratu lation ; and Messrs. Fonblanque and Redgrave deserve great credit for their most able co operation to it. What my Bill of 1856 was beneficial law ; and having more than once both intended to provide has been happily commenced, especially the extension to civil proceedings. When the plan is complete, legislation will become more entitled to the praise ofbeing a science, and founded upon principles of induction. " That I continue to indulge the hope of con tinued improvement, notwithstanding all our dis appointments, is chiefly owing to the encouraging aspect of the times, and the:, now universal and. even earnest resolution of the country for the pro motion of well-considered measures of reform in our institutions ; and, most of all, because it is the first of all, in our jurisprudence. I purposely pass by Parliamentary Reform, not that either of us can feel indifferent on that great subject, but because it be longs not directly to the matter now mainly in hand. Yet, how can I avoid turning my eye to wards other countries when speaking confidently of our own steady, though occasionally somewhat tardy, progress, without feeling most thankful for security from all that has happened to their reforms? Think, my dear old friend—well may I say so, for I am reflecting on the period of our first acquaint ance at Professor Playfair's class, during the Reign of Terror in France, perhaps in England too, when the savage and irresponsible tyrant, the multitude, domineered in the one country, and the law, through Erskine's immortal triumphs, bore sway in the other —think how all has been peaceful progress, with freedom more firmly established here; and there— but let us tun from the sight. The difference be tween the two countries, both well fitted for a free constitution, lies in a sentence, as I took leave to declare in our House when discussing reform in 1857. In England there ever prevails and ever rules the wise principle of avoiding extremities in the most violent of party contests, so that by timely and often by mutual concessions, our institutions may be saved ; in France, all party conflicts tend towards disruption, and too often terminate in re volution." [ADVERTISEMENT.] SIGHT AND HEARING. -- SPEC • TACLES.-"POWERPITI. TELESCOPEB.—OPERA_,_ RACE, AND PEUSPECTIVE GLASSES. S. and B. Solomons, opticians, 89, Albermarle-Street, Piccadilly. Observe— opposite the York Hotel, W.—Opera, Race-course, Field, and general Out-door Day and Night Perspective Glasses, very small, for the waistcoat pocket, each containing 12 and 18 lenses, constructed of German glass. Will show dis tinctly a person to know them at two-and-a-half and three miles, and an object from eight to ten miles distant. Her Majesty's Coast Guards are making use of them as day and night glasses in preference to all others; they are also pre ferred for deer-stalking by sportsmen, gentlemen, and. gamekeepers. Telescopes 31 inches long, by which a per son may bo clearly seen and known at 31 miles' and an object at 12 to 14 miles' distance; and with an extra astro nomical eye-piece, Jupiter's moons, Saturn's 'rings, and the double stars are distinctly seen. All the above can be had of larger and all sizes, with increasing powers, and are secured by her Majesty's • Royal Letters Patent. The Royal Exhibition, 1851. A valuable, newly inventee, very small, powerful Waistcoat-pocket Glass, the size of a walnut, by which a person can be seen and known ono and a half mile distant. They answer every purpose on the Race-course and at the Opera houses. Country scenery and ships are clearly seen at four to six miles. They are invaluable for shooting, deer-stalking, yachting, to sportsmen, gentlemen, game keepers, anetomists. Price 30s.—Spectacle Lenses of the greatest transparent power. The great advantage derived from this invention is, that vision becoming impaired is preserved and strengthened, and very aged p ersons are enabled to employ their sight at the most minute occupation —can see with those lenses of a much less magnifying power, and they do not require the frequent changes to the dangerous effects of further. powerful assistance. Persons can be suited at the most remote part of the world by send.. ing one of the glasses out of theirs pectacles in a letter, and stating the distance from the eythey can read small print with it, and those who have n ot made use of spectacles by stating their age. Deafness. — Ne w Discovery.—The Organic Vibrator, an extraordinarily powerful small newly-invented instrument for Deafness, entirely different from all others, surpasses anything of the kind that has been, or probably ever can be, produced. Being of the same colour as the skin, is not perceptible. It enables deaf persons to hear distinctly at church and at public assemblies ; the unplea sant sensation of singing noises in the ears is entirely re moved, and it affords all th e assistance that p ossibl y could be desired.-39, Albemarle-streQt, Piccadilly, ob serve _ °mato the York liotel, W. FROM THE GAZETTE OF YESTERDAY. WAR-OFFICE, Nov. 30. The Queen has been graciously pleased to give orders for lie appointment of _ _ Charles Joseph La Trobe, Esq., some time Lieut.-Governor of the Colony of Victoria; Herman Merivale, Esq., one of the Under Secretaries of State for the Colonial De partment; James Douglas, Esq., Governor and Com mander-in-Chief in and over Vancouver's Island and the Colony of British Columbia; William Stevenson, Esq., Governor and Commander-in -Chief in and over the Island of Mauritius ; William Arrindell, Esq., Chief Justice for the Colony of British Guiana ; and James Buchanan Macaulay, Esq., some time Chief Justice of the Coirunon Pleas for Canada, West ; to be Ordinary Members of the Civil Division of the Third Class, or Companions, of the Most Honourable Order of the lath. WAR-OFFICE, PALL-MALL, Nov. 30. Royal Eng,ineers—Brevet-Colonel Henry Owen Crawley to be Colonel, vice Savage, removed as a General Officer; Brevet-Major James Holt Freeth to be Lieutenant- Colonel, vice Crawley ; Second Captain and Brevet- Major Charles Brisbane Ewart to. be Captain, vice Freeth; Lieutenant Charles Elwin Harvei to be Second Captain,,vice Ewart. • COMMISSARIAT DEPARTMENT. Acting Commissary-General John W. Smith,.C.B., to be Commissary-General. Commissary-General John W. Smith, C. 8., to be Com missary-General-in• Chief. Dec. 10, at half-past two, am d Jan. 11, at two, at the Court of Bankruptcy. George Cook, grocer, Low er-road, Islington, Dec. 8, at twelve, and Jan. 14, at two, a it the. Court of Bankruptcy. George Lewis, leather cute 31) Clarence-place, Hackney road, Middlesex, Dec. 10, at l calf--past eleven, and Jan. 14, at twelve, at the Court of Bar, lcruptcy. Frederick Spencer, mercer, Birmingham, Dec. 11 and 31, at half-past eleven, at the Bir. mingham District Court. Thomas Coke Johns, print er, New-street-square, city, Dec. 10 and Jan. 7, at twelve, at the Court of Bankruptcy Alexander Gibbs, stained gla as painter, Bedford-square , Dec. 13, at half-past twelve, an i Jan. 1 7, at twelve, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Alfred Rolfe, timber ram •chant, Dorrington-street , Clerkenwell; Dec. 9 and Jan. 17 , at eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Henry Monument, victualler and tavern keeper, city road, Dec. 13, at eleven, and Jan . 17, at one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Richard Clear Parvin, haberd asher, Oxford-street, De.c• 8, at one, and Jan. 7, at twel ye, at the Court of Baur ruptey. COUNT.RY 02-ARKETS. BREVET, Major-General George Judd Harding, upon Unattached Pay of the Royal Engineers, C. 8., to be Lieutenant- General, vice Fanshawe, deceased. Major-General William Douglas, retired full-pay Royal Engineers, to be Lieutenant-General, in consequence of the promotion of Major-General Harding, who stood next be low him on the effective list of the corps at the date of his retirement. Colonel Henry John Savage, to be Major-General, vice Harding, COMMISSIONS BY LORDS LIEUTENANT. Royal Wiltshire Militia—Evan Thomas Williams, Gent., to be Ensign, vice Roe, resigned. 2d Regiment of the Duke of Lancaster's Own Militia— Ensign Richard Trevor Irvine to be Lieutenant. 4th or Duke of Lancaster's Own (Light Infantry) Regi ment of Royal Lancashire Militia—John Bryce Wilkinson, Gent, to be Lieutenant, vice Edwin Richard Lloyd, re signed. Warwickshire Militia (2d Regiment)—Octavius Lewis Bland Ward, Gent., to be Ensign, vice Richard James, promoted ; Ensign Henry Robert Grimes to be Lieutenant, vice Richards resned. 2d Regiment of King's Own Staffordshire Militia—Smith Hill Child, Gent., to be Ensign, vice F. C. Sneyd, pro moted. Royal Berks Militia—Adjutant F. H. Lang, late Captain in the 34th Regiment of Infantry, to serve with the rank of Captain. Royal Ayrshire Rifles—William Cooper, Gent., to be Captain, vice C. V. H. Campbell, resigned. TREASURY WARRANT. Whereas by an Act of Parliament, passed in the fourth ,year of the reign of her present Majesty, intituled " An Act for the regulation of the duties of postage," power is given to the Commissioners of her Majesty's Treasury. from time to time, by Warrant under their hands, to alter and fix any of the rates of British postage or inland postage, payable by law, on the transmission by the post of foreign or colonial letters or newspapers, or of any other printed papers, and to subject the same to rates of postage according to the weight thereof, and a scale of weight to be contained in such Warrant, and from time to time, by Warrant as aforesaid, to alter or repeal any such altered rates, and make and establish any new or other rates in lieu thereof, and from time to time, by Warrant as aforesaid, to appoint at what time the rates which may be wyable are to be paid. And whereas by another act of Parliament, passed in the 11th year of the reign of her present Majesty entitled "An Act for giving furtherfacilitiesforthetransmission of letters by post, and for regulating the duties of postage thereon, and forotherpurposesrelating to the Post : office," further powers are given to the Commissioners of her Majesty's Treasury, and power is also given to the Postmaster-General (amongst other things) to collect and receive the foreign and colonial postage charged or chargeable on any letters sent by the post, and also, with the consent of the Commissioners of her Majesty's Treasury, to require the postage, British, colonial, or foreign, of any letters sent by the post, to be prepaid, either in money or in stamps, as he might think fit, on the same being put into the Post-office; and also, with such consent, to abolish or restrict the prepayment in money of postage on letters sent by the post either alto gether or on certain letters, and to require the prepayment thereof to be in stamps ; and also to refuse to receive or send by the post any letters tendered contrary to any regu lations thereby made ; and power is also given to the Postmaster-General and any officer of the Post-office to detain any letters which should be posted or sent by the post contrary to the regulations therein men tioned, and to open such letters, and either to return them to the senders thereof, or to forward them to the places of their destination, charged in either ease. with such rates of postage as the Postmaster-General, with the con sent of the Commissioners of her Majesty's Treasury, should from time to time direct. And whereas the Commissioners of her Majesty's Trea sury have by divers warrants, under their hands, fixed, made and established certain rates of British postage, pay able on the transmission by the post of certain colonial letters therein respectively mentioned. And whereas the Commissioners of her Majesty's Trea sury, by a certain other warrant, under their hands, bear ing date the 15th day of January, 1858, did make regula tions for the prepayment of the several rates of postage payable on letters posted In the United Kingdom, addressed to any of the colonies therein mentioned, and on letters posted in any of such colonies addressed to the United Kingdom. And whereas it is expedient to extend the provisions of 1 the said last mentioned warrant to letters posted in the United Kingdom, addressed to Ceylon, and to letters posted in Ceylon, tddressed to the United Kingdom. Now, we, the commissioners of her Majesty's Treasury, in exercise of the powers reserved to us in and by the said hereinbefore recited acts , or either of them,!and of all other powers enabling us in this behalf, do, by this present war rant, under the hands of two of us the said commissioners by the authority of the statute in that case made and pro vided, order and direct as follows ; that is to say :- 1. On every letter posted in the United Kingdom, ad dressed to Ceylon, and on every letter posted in Ceylon, addressed to the United Kingdom, the postage thereof shall be paid at the time of the same being posted. 2. If any letter shall be posted in the United Kingdom, addressed to Ceylon, without any postage having been paid thereon, or having thereon, or affixed thereto a postage stamp or stamps, the value of which shall be less in amount than the single rate of postage to which such letter, if not exceeding half an ounce in weight, would be liable under the regulations in force relating thereto, every such letter shall, until the 31st March, 1859, inclusive, be forwarded charged with the amount of the postage to which it would have been liable if the postage had been paid when posted, together with a further and additional rate of postage of sixpence; and, from and after the said 31st day of March, 1859, every such letter, instead of being forwarded, shall be detained and opened, and be either returned.or given up to the sender thereof. 3. If any letter shall be posted in the United Kingdom, addressed to Ceylon, having thereon or affixed thereto a postage stamp or stamps, the value of which shall be less in amount than the rate of postage to which such letter would be liable under or by virtue of the regulations in force relating thereto, but equal in amount to the single rate of postage chargeable on any such letter if not exceed ing half an ounce in weight, every such letter shall be for warded, charged with the rmount of the difference between the value of such stamp or stamps so being thereon, or affixed thereto, and the postage the postage to which it would have been liable if the postage had been paid when posted, together with a further and additional rate of post age of sixpence. And if any letter shall be posted in Cey lon, addressed to the United Kingdom, and the postage paid thereon shall be less in amount than the rate of postage to which such packet would be liable under and by virtue of the regulations in force relating thereto, but equal in amout to the single rate of postage chargeable on fifty such letter, if not exceeding half an ounce in weight, ever such last-mentioned letter shall be forwarded, charged with the amount of the difference between the postage paid thereon, and the postage to which it would have been liable if the postage had been paid when posted, together with the fur ther and additional rate of postage of sixpense. 5. The several terms and expressions used in this warant` shall be construed to have the like meaning, in all respects, as they would have had if inserted in th e sa id A c t, p asse d in the fourth year of the reign of her present Majesty. 5. The Commissioners for the time being of her Majesty's Treasury, may, by warrant, under their hands, duly made it any time hereafter, alter, repeal, or revoke any of the orders, directions, or regulations hereby made, and may make and establish any new or other orders, directions, or regulations in lieu thereof. 6. This warrant shall come into operation on the firsi day of January, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine Whitehall, Treasury Chambers, the 27th day of Novem• ber g 1858. _____ HENRY WHITMORE. H. G. LENNOX. PRIZE MONEY. Department of the Accountant-General of the Navy, Admiralty, Somerset-house, Nov. 25. Notice is hereby giveii to all persons interested therein, that preparations are now making for the intended distri bution of the awardlfor salvage services rendered to the mer chant vessel Abyssinian, by her Majesty's ship Tortoise, between the 16th May and 19th July, 1856. Agents or other persons having any just and legal de mand, unliquidated, against the said proceeds are required to transmit the particulars of any such demand to the Re gistrar of the High Court of Admiralty, in order that the same may be examined, taxed, and allowed by that officer, and paid under the sanction of the Judge of the said Court. Agents and other persons holding powers of attorney, prize orders, assignments, or other instruments, by virtue of which they m ay be legally entitled to claim th e s h are belonging to any captor, are requested, with as little delay possible, to transmit the same, accompanied by the usual as documents, to the Prize Branch of the Department of the 'Accountant -General of the Navy, Admiralty, Somerset house. Due notice will be given, by future advertisements in the L'indon Gazette, of the date proposed for the commence ment of distribution; and, at the same time, the amount of an individual's share in the respective classes will be an nounced. BANKRUPTS, William Gledhill, plumber, Monkfrystone, Yorkshire, to surrender, Dec. 16. and Jan. 14, at eleven, at the Leeds District Court. Robert Williams, builder, Liverpool, Dec. 13, and Jan. 7, at eleven, at the Liverpool District Court. Edwin Nathaniel Ealand, plumber, Birmingham, Dec. 11 and 31, at half-past eleven, at the Birmingham District Court. Thomas Bryan, hatter, Liverpool, Dec. 6 and Jan. 4, at eleven, at the Liverpool District Court. William Sheppard, auctioneer, Exmouth, Dec 10 and Jan. 20, at one, at the Exeter District Court. Richard Philp, watchmaker, Okehampton, Dec. 10 and Jan. 14, at one, at the Exeter District Court. IVilliam Lemon Oliver, stock broker, Austin-friars, City Dec. 14, at two, and Jan. 14, at one, at the Court of Bank ruptcy. William eoliths, linen draper, Rydon-terrace, City-road, Dec. 13, at half-past eleven, and Jan. 17, at two, at the Court of Bankruptcy. John Bowles, millwright, Colchester, Dec. 10, at half past one, and Jan. 11, at one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Robert Griffin, cattle dealer, Stewkley, Duckiughapolure, LIVERPOOL— Nov. 30. To-day there was only a modem to attendance of the too and country trade, and wheat wa s in limited demand, til e , turh being in favour of the buyer. Flour in retail sale, ID late rates. Oats and oatmeal easie rto buy. Barley, beano , and peas remained. as last quoted. Indian corn in fair rr quest for feeding---lbralia beingobti unable at 27s 3d to 21 6d ; American, 27s 6d to :18s ; and. Galati, 28s to 28s 6d.; prime wheat, 32s to 32s 6d: per qr. LEEDS—Nov.. 30. We have Tt good show of wheat, which meets an exceed' ingly slow sale at fully is bei ow last Tuesday's rates. P, ley ratheriower. Other art ides about the same as LIP week. Averages fo r the week : Wheat . 4,201 qrs., at 42s 3d 8ar1ey......... 2,718 ~ 34s ld. Oats 4lO ~ 24s qd Rye l2 ~ 3rs 9d. Beans Peas .... 15 „ 4os 2d Arrivals th i 3 week : Wheat Oats Barley Beans Rapeseed Linseed 3,892 qrs. SHEFFIELD —Nov. 30. At this corn market to-day th ere was a tolerable shoat wheat and a fair attendance of £ Inners. Wheat sold at rir ther under the rates of last week . Wheat, white l6s to 20s B cans, Mazagan..—s to I red 15s to 16s Middle & small 17s to 20 Barley 33s to 36s S Thite peas 48s to 54 5 I Oats 2ls to 32s Grey 48s to 54.4 Millers' prices for flour—ls sd, is 7d, and is 9d Pi s 141 b. Hay, 80s to 85s ; wheat straw. , 28s to 345; oat straw, lBi to 345; turnips, 15s to 23s per it( )n. SUNDERLAN I )—Nov. 27. We have to report a small , supply of wheat at marke t ' and prices ruled about the same as last Saturday. Wheat ...38s to 43s ( )ats.... 23s to % A t White .42s to 44s 1 leans 43s to 3 7 Barley .28s to 30s N [alt.. ....—s to "*/ RICHMOND- —Nov. 27. There was a middling supply .of grain to-day, and t business at the annexed pnces :—White wheat, fro 0 t , Od to 6s 6d per bushel; red, 5s Od to 6s 6d; barley, 0 4s 6d per do. ; oats, 2s 9d 4to 4s; beans, 6s to 6s 6d. BRISTOL—Nov. 30. There was a fair supply of R led from the farms '.l's day, and transactions were Limited at a reduction of is r qr. Not much doing in other t torts. ROCHDALE—Nov. 29. ------- The market continues quiet, but prices are aboT tt Eur ported in the few transactions _recorded this week.. o f In the provision market the re was a large si lovi be potatoes, and the trade was brisi lc, with lower price tt close. Flukes, 9s; radicals, 8s to 9s 6d; Wellingtons, per 2521 b. GLASGOW- —Nov. 29. A large supply of wheat to- day, at last week's .uric d, Barley was quite as dear. 0 , ats met a better &JO Beans and peas unaltered. CORK-7 gov. 29. 11 ,4 The following were the quotations this rnornin; • wheat, 15s to 20s 6d; white, 2,1 s Od to 22s Od; bark 103 to 14s 6d; oats, Hs Od to 13s 'Od. BELFAST '—Nov. 29. At this day's market we la ad a fair attendan t o of th o ° ,, trade, and wheat met with a moderately good dc anandli consumption, at the prices of this day week. P;eans "4 0 Indian corn steady. . Oats me t a fair inquiry. Cs a itnteP favour of the buyer. NORWICH CArTLE—Nov. 27. There was a large show of store beasts to-day, oons of Scots, shorthorns, Irish, and .Devons. Sales were s' rt .. fair. The selling price for Scots was 4s to 4s (kl ; horns, 4s Od to 4s 6d ; Irish, 3s to 3s 6d per stone of 0 ss estimated weight when fat. Fat beasts firm at 8s Oc t 6d per stone. Sheep—Fat sheep, 8s to 8s 6d, prime lots 9s per st one ..k • Pigs—Good store pigs, 158 to 20s per head. Fat.; f 0 " - ' 5s 6d to 6s, prime 6s 6d per stone. COURSE OF:EXCHANGE.•••-•YESTERDAT. • Amsterdam Ditto Rotterdam — 11 17 11 ,'" 1 ,; Antwerp Brussels — 25 25f 25 t 1" Hamburgh Paris Ditto Marseilles — 25 32i 25 da• Frankfort on Maine —118 k 18 - 1 10 42 10 - Vienna 48 T r i e ste Petersburgh 3 Madrid Cadiz 49 4 9 4 Leghorn ' 29 75 29 Genoa — 25 45 25 ov -- :-- Naples Palermo' —122 k 22 1 Messina: — , 123 ] 231 Lisbon Oporto Rio Janeiro 6O days st. .. • . New York — • • :: 01 o E.I. Co's bis. House t D. - Calcutta, Co.'s rupee 26 2 Bombay ditto Madras ditto — 26 23 East India Company's, Bills drawn from the 24'_ t . ' 1"..u1t. t ° the Bth inst. Bengal £1,201 5 0 Madras 0 0 0 Bombay £1,201 5 0 Foreign Gold in Bars (Standard) per oz. X:3 1 7 Mexican Dollars Silver in Bars (Standard) 7) 0 0 THE ISLAND OF MADEIRA.—The trade of Ills. . deira appears, from an official paper to be languish il l' o Thus in 1852 the imports and exports arm ranted 0. £281,760; in 1854 to £175,200; and in 1856 to £1 96,1(1 ,„ 01 this trade, £132,310 passed through British vessels: T v 1852, £107,600 in 1854, and £122,550 in 1856. T 1 w quaDo„P",ntl of wine exported from the island was 6,690 ,es 18 4,205 pipes in 1853, 2,227 pipes in 1854, 1,776 pi] w s in 50; and 1,891 pipes in 1856. The population of Madeira NO 103,097 in 1856. Q , [ADVERTISEMENT. Horse and Cat tie IraPr ing Food is equally adapted to improve the stamina of illy conditioned Horses, Cows, Bullocks, Calves, Sheep, Pigs. It causes no extra expense, as it contains far In e '" and better nourishment than its cost of 14-d. i per feed OP; plies in corn and hay ; hence ensures an actual saving 1 the keep. But its principal advantages are a great impra s 'i ment in the digestive functions, the stamina and genera condition of horses enabling them to perform labour without getting distressed. It imparts ne w vi g ° to sick, debilitated, or old a.pparently worn-out horses, an d far m o ur re it puts rapidly the finest flesh on cattle generally, and iny proves the milk in cows, as it enables them to extract the entire nourishment out of everything they feed on. Rare/ and Co., 77, Regent's Quadrant, Piccadilly, Londo2; Packed in tins of about 90 feeds, lls. ; in casks of about feeds, 50s. ; of about 1,000 feeds, £5, being about lid. p r feed. BIRTMS. CAITENESS.—On the 30th ult., at 17, Hill-street, v j r. ley-square, the Countess of C a ith ness, of a son an d be l MALDErr.—On the 29th u lt., at 2, Lyall-street, Relgo's'e. square, the Viscountess Malden, of a daughter. 1 , 0 4. MILLAIS.—On th e 28 t h ult., at Bowerswell, Perth/ '— wife of John Everett Millais, A.R.A., of a son. 00 HOBART.—On the 28th ult., at Ex e t e r, the wife of f Hon. W. A. H o b ar t, 3d B om b ay European I n f an tril ° a son. MARRIAGES. CARLTON—WATTS.—On the 24th ult., at Heaton gerecY Congregational Chapel, James Carlton, Esq., Wh a Range, Manchester, to Emma, eldest daughter of w lr James Watts, Abney Hall, Cheshire. VETCH—BAYLIS.—On the 27th ult., at the British Pll - Paris, the Rev. James Edward Vetch, son of car; tain James Vetch, R.E., to Martha, daughter of the la Robert Baylis, Esq., of Birkenhead. DEATHS. ATKINSON.—On the 28th ult., at the Vicarage, Rll V I I,: the Rev. H. A. Atkinson, son of the Rev. Thos. 1) 013-- Atkinson, vicar of Rugeley, and Rural Dean, aged 2 9 ' BARNEWALL.—On the 28th ult., at East Sheen, Surre, Dease Barnewall, Esq., aged 69: N J. BLADES.—On the 27th ult., at Wandsworth-road, NJ.' Blades, aged 73. . - JERRARD.—On the 23d ult., at the Rectory, Long St ton St. Mary, Norfolk, Major-General Joseph Jeri'' aged 85. JONES.—On the 28th ult., at Cheltenham, Caroline, wi fe of Vice-Admiral the Hon. A. Jones. ROUTIL—On the 29th ult., at 19, Dorset-square,Com r ti sary-General Sir Ra n d o lph I s h am R ou th, KU.B., ag 76. LAMBERT.—On the 28th u lt., D an i e l L am bert, Esq., f 0 Lincoln's-inn, and Banstead, Surrey, aged 46. LormoN : Printed and Published by MURDO yoUN G n , of No. 112, St ran d, P r i n t er , a t Th e Sun Office, No. 11 1. Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the Multi ° tiNdlesez, Wednesday,tDecamber 1, _lB6B. ONDO: , J WAY.— ..atter WEDN PIONS will CIIANDISE, 3 tanehester, infttmediate and Yorkshir tion at the Cc '°,ll l)atiy'# A , 1 Il eapside, an Thames- s tree • • B orde EustonY Sta C A THT ST. JAs - Gentlemen • modation for nwnts are Tar! Moderate. y l efi gagefl Ott a/ • By Ord( 27th Novem EURGI P of Gent 4 )i. Also his THE T. 7, Bluil-bupdi l .11 E ACCI It D II. Establish • Kenyc tr, Henry Cd'," 13usines k i 't . A 'NY hay tINE INsu ee Pany adr,i egrt ditt 'nee enmp : 11:an A alia n k it d u l c ' e a r Pr 1"o n l : • • 'Claims I kesttrance -11 4, and 31 -','ether • • wit r °Pos af4agir , t rl'Y to the 3 °l .l lpany's loc 7 , tank-buil soc 11013 tir WIg~rLLI liingsfc Th n f Barnetl 'tight II( *merle . rard Cha M n* nnas Edgar Alexander lar t- RYNiciArt—N 41711 cmort—Be l 0 1.1CITOI A.CTIJAII Assu T! loT.vest r A he whole of / ceumula .., - w•ing its -weversionar) licies to th 4 'he last Bon t Cent, oi t.olleies in foi pe Annual , Pnrstiance Of e vent of HD the It admitte lee ext ikunnranees e ppate eatP4 Pee ruses to t ll / 4 1 ),: h ill b : 4 ; i N lin t Y y co ( o r13 1 : I kE OPI r i — Bubscribe 'allot aen T s • P e. olie r l4o o z u le. s . e n , Bath. erber 4 :c ori ./ O l i t geßidsdal Buckmasi I,Ptain Damp ' i \vat er. Captain Frede h. ph Buekm 'Auditors• ° llcitors—Mel 4V:era—Mess ..~`_ Q.EC