The Sun. — London, England, 1860-06-14 00:00:00

BE NS O N'S WATC HE S. " Perfection of mechanism."—Moming Post. Gold Silver 2to 50 guineas. Send 2 stamps for Benson's Illustrated Pamphlet, descrip tive of every construction of watch now made, with their prices. Watches sent to all parts of the kingdom free by post, or to India and the Colonies for ss. extra. 13 and 34, Ludgate-hill, London, E.C. Established 1749. THEATRE -ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Lessee, Mr. J. B. Buskstone. THIS ETENING the pertormanoes will commence with SOCKING EVENTS. Mr. Compton. To be followed by THE FAMILY SECRET. Messrs Chippendale, Howe, W. Farrell, Villiers, Buckstone, Mrs. B. White. Mrs. Fitzwilliam, Mrs. Wilkins, and Miss Amy Sedgwiek. After which, a new farce , en titled FITZSMYTHE OF FIT ZSMYT HE HALL. Messrs. Bucketone, W. Farren, and Rogers ; Mrs. Wilkins and Miss Henrade. To conclude with THE ODDITIES OF THE OHIO. By the Leclereqs £11,850,000 to be distributed over four years, and applied to the improvement and completion of ten distinet fortifications. During the first of these four years, the commissioners propose that we should expend in this way £3,67s,ooo—durin g the second year £4,3Bl,ooo—during the third year £2,686,000—and during the fourth year £1,108,000. Altogether, as we have said, £11,850,000, or, but £150,000 less than the good round sum of twelve millions sterling—to be devoted to the completion and improvement of ten separate fortifications. One of these ten fortified places in truth—the first upon the catalogue—might certainly be divided under two distinct heads, the report of the com missioners here clubbing together, the Isle of Wight and Portsmouth. Confronting each other they are not unnaturally however associated thus inti mately. But after the mention thus of Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight the remaining nine are Ply mouth, Pembroke, Portland, the Thames, the Medway, and Sheerness, Chatham, Woolwich, Dover, and Cork—by the completion of which ten fortified places within the next five years at a total cost of under £12,000,000, barrack accommodation would be afforded there and then to 30,580 men, while not far from 4,000 guns (3,721 in fact) would have been planted behind the embrasnres. With this epitome, comprising within it the gist of the report of the Royal Commissioners, we shall content ourselves to-day as a commencement. Frequent op tunities will present themselves to us for reverting to the many curious and important facts and figures compacted within the compass of this portentous official document in regard . to our fortifications. Portentous we certainly do regard it as—under ex isting circumstances. The mere fact of such a pro position seriously coming before Parliament—the proposition for thus expending another £12,000,000 upon the national defences, a proposition laid before the Lords and Commons within the very year during which we are disbursing £30,000,000 upon our land and sea forces—the mere fact, we say, is of itself significant. A year of peace shall we call this ? rather let us say at once, a year in which we are conscious of the imminent possibility of a great im pending war ! And to whom is all this attributable — to what power is it zeferable ? Is it to Russia, to Austria—to the complication of our foreign rela tions in the East, in Germany—in the Roman,"or in the Iberian peninsula? No—to nothing of all this. We are each and all of us long since perfectly conscious as to whose is the responsibility. It is the armed EMPIRE OF PEACE that, in the very teeth of an intimate alliance thus is necessitating all this ruin ous expenditure. It is in both senses of the word our " dear" ally across the Channel who is costing us all this—compelling us to revive our Channel Fleet, to spend £30,000,000 within the year upon our military and maritime armaments, to raise 100,000 rifle volunteers, to overhaul our gunboats, to reorganise our army, to reconstruct our navy, to rifle or re-cast our ordnance, to secure the improvement of ten of our fortifications by an outlay of £12,000,000, or thereabouts. His Im perial Majesty, the Emperor NAPOLEON lII. in effect—with his 600,000 soldiers, his enormous steam fleet, his intcrutable policy, and his grow ing appetite for annexation—is beginning to force upon us the Question—is the Alliance after all really worth all this monstrous and unna tural expenditure ? Lord PALMERSTON ought to feel highly honoured. Whom should he have, at Cambridge House, on Tuesday, at the head of a deputation of 150 gentle men, comprising, amongst others, Lord ROBERT MONTAGU, Mr. BERESFORD HOPE, and others of the same party—whom should he have but—the Right Honourable BENJAMIN DISRAELI himself. His honourable opponent came there to encourage, by his presence, the Representatives of not fewer than eight " Church Defence Associations," and several " Church Unions," "Church Institutions," and so forth. Their business, too, was to praise the Go vernment—to urge it to perseverance in good courses. It had done so well in proposing to ask each man his religious profession, and each house holder the religious profession of those who dwell beneath his roof—that the cream of the High Church, and the Opposition, had done themselves the honour of paying the Premier a visit to strengthen him in his good resolutions. There was need to do it. His Lordship's regular supporters are making no little stir to get him to draw back: If his opponents do not, for this time, give him their support, the Premier and his Home Secretary would be certainly left in the lurch by those who put him into office, and have kept him there. His Lordship had to recount to this deputation the arguments and state ments of a former one composed of his political friends, which he had received but a very short time before, strongly urging him in the opposite direction. And, as we understood Lord PALMERSTON, his speech on Tuesday indicated that she thought his political opponents had a better case than his poli tical friends had. But as the former were approv ing, the latter censuring a proposal by his Govern ment, we must not, perhaps, wonder at his lan- Commence at 7. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.- , Lessee, Mr. A. Harris. 'CRIS EVENING, RICHELIEU. Mr. Phelps. Co conclude with the drama of PAULINE. Mr. Melville, Mrs. Weston, and Miss U. Leclercq. Commence at 7. A DELPHI, NEW THEATRE-ROYAL. .7 - a. Sole rropriPtor and Mamwer. Mr. Beni. Webster. Last 3 Nights ct Mr. and Mrs. A. Wigan. FeVi nth week of the cekbra ed American Actress, Miss Julia Daly. THIS VENENG to commence with IT'S AN ILL WIND THAT BLOWS NOBODY GOOD. Messrs. Alfred Wizan, J. L. Toole, Stuart, Billington, C. J. Smith, Ward, Mrs. A. Wizau, and Miss 11. Simms.. To be followed by A. MODEL OF A WIFE. Messrs. A Wigan, Toole, Miss K. Kelly. After which, OUII FEMALE AMERICAN COUSIN. Messrs. Stuart, C. Selby, Billie ton, Eburne, Miss Julia Da;y, K. Kelly, Laidlaw, and Mrs. Chatterley. Box-otlice open from 10 till 5. Private boxes, £2 25.; Family Boxes, £l. Orchestra Stalls, ss. ; Balcony, is.: Front Circle Stalls, as. • Pit Stalls, 25.; Pit, is. 6d. ; Amphitheatre, is ; Gallery, 6(1. Acting Manager—Mr. Wm. Smith. FRENCH PLAYS-ST. JAMES'S THEATRE. Directeur, M. Talexy.—Lessee, Mr. P. B. Chattetton. EVERY EVENING. Mdlle. DUVERGER.—M. PAUL DEVAUX THIS EVENING "LA PARTIE DE PIQUET " " LES PREMIERS ARMES DE RICHELIEU "—" LE CODE DES FEMMES." Mdlle. Duverg - er and M. Paul Devaux. Orchestra Stele, 7s. 6d. ; Balcony Stalls, ss. ; Pit, 2s. Gallery, is. Private Boxes, ft= Two Guineas, Commence at 8. A STLEI'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE.- Proprietor and Manager, Mr. Was. BATTY. THIS EVENING, Entire Change. I'roduction of a Grand Historical Hippo- Drama on a scale of Great Magnificence. Varied Novelties in the Scenes of the Arena. On Monday, June 11, 1860, and during the week, the Entertainments will commence with a deeply-intentsting and splendid spectacle in Three Acts, entitled " FAIR ROSAMOND, or the AMAZON CRUSADERS." Produced with entirely new and magnificent scenery, costly costumes, and appointments. To be succeeded by the Scenes of the Cirque, supported by the most talented British and Continental Artistes in the World. Concluding with a Laughable Farce. The magnificent Chandeliers manufactured by Messrs. De fries and Sons, of Houndsditch. Doe: s open at half-past 6, performance commence at 7. Box-office open daily from 11 till 4. Stage Manager—Mr. W. WEST. Di r ect or of the Arena—M. Felix Revolti. CONCERTS.- CANTERBURY HALL THIS EVENING. C. H. GOUNOD'S OPERA, FAUST. First Time in this Country. Faust • Mr. Henry Herbert. Mephistopheles Mr. O. Bernard. Siobel Mrs. Anderson. Marguerite ••••••••• Miss Russell. Conductor Mr. Jonghmana. And selections from Mora h, Trovatore, Macbeth, and numerous other Entertainments. Balcony, is Hall. 6d. Comic Yo ,salists —Messrs. George Hodson (the Irish Come dian and Mimic), and W. T. Crltchfleld. The AFR ICAN OPERA TROUPE, their first appearance since 18 wi 52 c Desisting. of ELEVEN STAR PERFORMERS, who will give the whole of their inimitable entertainment every event ng. The ganef ry is open from 5 till 11 on Sunday Evening. THE NI FEATHER.-Sux OFFICZ, JUNE 14, 1860. THERMOMETER, TN THE SHADE. 61—hil chest since noon yesterday. 48—loi vest this morning and during the night. 63—th is day at noon. BAROMETER-29.7 5 . WIND--; South -Westerly; fresh, with variable weather, but fine. k heavy shower fell in the midst of sunshine — heavy clouds rolling. RIG ill WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. DIO C.—Morning, 9h. 37m.—Afternoon, 10h. 7m. To-uoluto w.-111oruhig, 10h. 37m.—Afternoon, 11h. Sm. ...c.: 14 . 4- le ~ , , ,4 - ,r `,.. - ..,1 4z . 7 ,....:0 ,,, ,P' . ....,-", 4 ' c.- ( ~. 4 '. `" -='' r te; .., ,,., s g ~,, ,a4..-IFNi--'`,`• -,. 4 ,7•At 0 ' 4 : b r i - ,,,,. o' . ' 1 .6_...„,.„4 % ,4411. k ' N ' - -....-i,ni ..„-75... , t ''.i' THE SUN. LONDON, THURSDAY, 'JUNE 14, 18E0, -- ip, --- The National Defences of England—as we have recently, in these columns, taken occasion to de monstrate'—are no longer forgotten or neglected. £30,000,000 a•year being set apart, in a time of peace for our military and maritime expediture, of itself affords proof positive that we are at last in earnest upon the matter ; that thQ people themselves are, at length, aroused to a recognition of its vital importance; that the House of Commons is in a dispositic n to be liberal under this head, even to the length of absolute extravagance ; that the Govern ment is bent upon thus attesting its patriotism in a mariner worthy of those who are at once the guardians of the State, the Ministers and Advisers of the Crown and the responsible conduc tors and regulators of the complicated machinery of the Administration. Apart, however, from the annual outlay in a time of peace of £15,000,000 upon our marine, and of another £15,000,000 upon our land forces—there are abundant indications questions. elsewhere amongst us of this fact, that Englishmen are resolved, one and all, to put an end, if possible. to the uncertainty felt now for a long while past as to our general preparedness or unpreparedness guage. against the chances of invasion. It is thus The question is really a very simple one. Will that in addition to the regular army we Ministers be obstinate or not against their own have nowtamongst the ranks of the civi- supporters ? That is all. No principle is at stake ; lians themselves, distributed far and wide, all and it is simply, therefore, for Lord PALMERSTON over the country, but prepared at any moment for to consider whom he had better try to please. No co-operation and concentration upon any given man in his senses will contend that it can serve point as many (just to begin with !) as 100,000 any important purpose to catechise all the house rifle volunteers! holders of the kingdom, all the hotel-keepers, all And now capping the climax of all these elabo- the governors of gaols and workhouses, on their rately organised efforts in the one direction—that own religious profession, and that of those of perfecting as soon as practicable, and as nearly under their charge. If, therefore, the obnoxious as may be, our complex system of National 1)e- question be persisted in, a very large num fences—there .has come forth at length the care- ber of Members of Parliament, and of electors, will fully prepared and anxiously looked fer report of feel themselves wantonly aggrieved, and will be the Royal Commission appointed last Au g ust to in- certain to res ent the insult, some day, in a way quire into the actual condition of our insular perhaps very inconvenient to a Minister. Even FortiAcations. This remarkable report, although without considering the merits of the ease as a mere dated February the 7th, 1860, only made its piece of political or party prudence, it would seem appearance yesterday. It is a substantial blue- absurd to the last degree for any Government to be book enough, lucidly arranged throughout. It is pertinacious in opposition to a considerable number the well-digested result of the investigations carried of their own friends on a point of detail like this. on during nearly half a year by the seven officers The Opposition could not reasonably ask Lord and gentlemen nominated by the Crown as the PALMERSTON to persevere in what his own friends Royal Commissioners. As a reminder of the pro- opposed, and those supporters of the Government fessional competence of these seven authoritative who do not themselves dislike the Home Secretary's surveyors of the state of things along our coast schedules must be the last to wish that their leader line, it may be as well to recal to the remembrance should create for their sake a schism in their body. of Our readers the names of the different members Every one knows that a provocation is rarely of the Commission, viz.:--Major-General Sir Harry measured by the essential importance of the matter. Jones, of the Royal Engineers ; Major-General Sir Sometimes its very triviality makes the persistence Duncan Alexander Cameron, late of the 42d High- of the aggressor the more annoying. We have a landers ; Rear-Admiral Elliot ; Major-General Sir strong impression it will be so in this case ; to Lord Frederick Abbott, o f the Indian Army; Captain PALMERSTON it seems a very trivial thing, indeed, Astley Cooper Key, R.N. ; Colonel J. H. Lefroy, to answer the question—What is your profession ? of the Royal Artillery; and Mr. James Ferguson, What is that of your household ? That may be. who, although merely a Civilian,was peculiarly Yet he has also seen that gentlemen of all classes competent to take his place at the board, and religious denominations have declared they as a skilled theoretical engineer and the author hate the question ; one M.P. saying that, sooner and projector of an entirely new system of forti- than ask all the servants in his family, and fications. It is noticeable at once, and should be all the guests in his house, what was their mentioned here at the very outset, that the « up, religious profession, he would pay any penalty. shot" of the whole report may be described in This feeling is very common. We • confess so many words as the recommendation of an ex- it is our own. What have we to do penditure upon certain fortifications of a sum of with the profession of all the persons in our office ? money very nearly approaching in round numbers and we are sure the Government has, if anything, to £12,000,000 sterling! The actual total speci. even less to do with it. They may be Methodist fled towards the close of the Report is precisely class leaders and attend-revival meetings, or be the most confirmed sceptics, just as they please, if each does but furnish creditably his respective quota ,owards placing The Sun in the hands of our - - readers at the proper time. Like the member of Parliament referred to, we could not bring our selves to catechise them on their religious profes sion, and we should not choose to be Government agents for such a purpose. This kind of repugnance is, we are confident, a very wide-spread feeling, and it will occasion very general resentment if, merely to please a knot of High Church zealots, the Government intrudes on our English privacy on such a subject, with their ill-timed sectarian Our readers have doubtless seen what this silly piece of mischief-making sprung from. In the census of 1851 a return was obtained of the attend ance upon all the places of worship in the kingdom, on one and the same Sunday. Unfortunately, the result did not suit High Church purposes. A slight majority of the worshippers on that Sunday turned out to have been at the various dissenting chapels. Hence the return was denounced in every way, and represented as unsatisfactory and incor- rect. We do not think it well could be ; any Swa day would do for an average ; and though some churches might not be so well attended on that particular day, it is obvious the same migh be the case with many of the chapels. In deed, we think the demand of these over hot Churchmen, for another mode of tak ing the religious , census, shows that they were afraid to test the accuracy of the old re- LATESrIs NEWS. The) following telegrams have been received at Mr. Reuter's office : PARIS, JUNE 14. The Moniteur of this morning contains several decrees regulating the customs administration and the military organisation of Savoy and Nice. According to a project of law, which has been sub mitted to the Corps Legislatif, Savoy will form two departments. TURIN, JUNE 13. Marshal Vaillant is expected here. He will visit the King. PALERMO, JUNE 11 (EVENING). The embarkation of Royal troops continues. The :own is still barricaded. PARIS, JUNE 13. The Commander de Martino arrived the day before yesterday in Paris, and has been received in private audience by the Emperor at Fontaine bleau. VIENNA, JUNE 14. The Council of Ministers has unanimously ap proved the re-establishment of the Ministry of Commerce and Public Works, as proposed by M von Plener, successor of Baron von Bruck. The choice of the new Minister of Commerce has already been made by the Emperor. The name of the person 'appointed will not, however, be made known before the Reichsrath Committee on the Budget has finished its task, as, on account of the expenses which will be necessitated by the re establishment of the Ministry of Commerce, the Government desires to act in concert with the Council of the Empire. turns by keeping to the same plan, though all mus acknowledge that the value of statistics depends so much on the results admitting of comparison. But we affirm decidedly that if we are to have religious statistics at all—the desirableness of which we 'very much question—the old plan was far the better. It involved, on the one hand, nothing un pleasant to individuals ; on the other, it tested the only point of real interest to a practical people like us—what each body of religionists was doing. It indicated pretty well how many paid no attention at all to religion, so far as public worship indicates attention, and how far each sect was successful in creating an interest in religious worship. We are a working people, and the old census told us how much work of this kind was doing. We would not give a farthing for a register of religious opinions—of the numbers who would register them selves as belonging to sects whose worship they never attended—nor would we give much for the old returns. Still the value of a census of the religious profession of persons not checked by the ♦ery easy test of regular attendance on the worship of their sect, must be a worthless one indeed. We may ask LordPALmEßsToN,:therefore, now to choose between friends and foes. Two deputations have presented themselves to him. The first consist ing of those who vote for him at elections and in the House—the next nearly all of them persons who take the opposite course. The point in dispute is, not a great principle, but a new detail in the Census Bill ; one, the underhand origin of which is apparent from this last deputation, who gladly father it, and thus prove its illegitimacy—Tory prompters and a betrayed Liberal Minister. We advise the Government to concede at once. Better, we should say, give up the religious census altogether than annoy, for such a mere crotchet, a large body of ac tive Liberals ; if a religious census must be had, let it be as before one of worshippers ; and, if wished, one of accommodation also—the last would, indeed, be the best and fairest of all. It could be open to little doubt. Should Lord PALMER STON and Sir G. C. LEWIS, however, be so ill advised as to prolong this dispute, we should not be at all surprised to see their majorities of thirteen nine, and twenty-one, dwindle to minorities of at least the same numbers. Those who gave up a Reform Bill to Tories may very well give up a Census Bill detail to friends. BERLIN, JUNE 13. The Prince Regent, accompanied by his Cham berlain and military suite, will leave at 6.30 p.m., for Baden Baden. The King of Hanover arrived here this morning and had an interview of several hours' duration with the Prince Regent. The King returns to Hanover this evening. MALTA, JUNE 9. It is said that the English fleet, commanded by Admiral Martin, will to-day leave Malta for Besika Bay. The Portafo,qlio announces that several English men of war have been sent to Naples. CONSTANTINOPLE, JUNE 6. Sir Henry Bulwer has firmly pointed out to the Porte the necessity of repressing abuses, and said that upon such repression would depend the sup port of England. The Sultan has favourably received these repre sentations, and has sent his portrait to the ambas• sador. SOUTHAMPTON, THURSDAY. The Hamburg and American Company's steamer Bavaria, Captain Meier, from New York, on the Ist inst., has arrived. She brings 218 passengers and 109,195 dols. in specie, of which 104,196 dols. are for London, and the remainder for Hamburg. On the 2d the Bavaria passed the American ship Margaret Adams, bound west ; on the Bth she spoke the bark Cassange, from Guzerat for London, and on the 13th inst., off the Lizard, the American ship Ashburton, bound west. FRANCE. PARIS, JUNE 13. BOURSE, June 13.—The market was buoyant at the opening, but the upward movement was after wards checked by sales for realisation. Threes, after having been done at 68f 65c and 68f 70c, re ceded to 68f 45c. Mobilier varied from 673 f 75c to 670 f; Austrian, 525 f to 521 f 25e; Lombard, 501 f 25c to 500 f.; Lyons, 878 f 75c to 876 f. 25c. ; Orleans, 1,337 f 50c to 1,333 f 75c; Northern, 982 f 50c to 977 f 59c. The following are the last quotations :- 41 per Cents. .... 96 60 , Credit Foncier 845 Do. end month .. Belgian 4i — 3 per Cents 6B 55 Piedmonteso (5) .. 84 50 Do. end month 6B 55 Roman Bl Bank Shares 2860 — i ` Austrian — Credit Mobilier .. 668 75 I Spanish Throes Do. Account ..... 668 75 !Home Debt 47! RAILWAYS. Cash. Account. Orleans Northern 9BO .. 980 New ditto. 867 50 .. 867 50 Lyons and Mediterranean 876 25 .. 877 50 Geneva 402 50 .. 400 Southern Western 572 50 .. Eastern Sardinian 415 417, 50 Austrian Lombard .. Exchange on London, at sight, paper, 25f. 121 c. ; money, 25f. 120. ; three months, paper, 24f. 90c. ; money, 24f 871 c. A HINT TO MR. HORACE MANN.—I don't be lieve a word of the Registrar-General's return. I have no kind of confidence in those Census papers which are occa sionally distri'auted at our houses. In point of fact, when I know how the cook and housemaid at Gamma-lodge set the laws of their country at defiance upon the occasion of the last returns, and yet have not been sent to Newgate or the Tower, neither has the Attorney-General done any thing to their prejudice in an ex officio way, how is it pos sible to have contidenee on more critical points ? Cook is 57 years of age, if she is a day; she represented herself as 26. Betty is a Particular Baptist, but returned herself as a member of the Establishment, because she considered it more genteel.—Once a Week. WOMEN AND MEDICINE.—Women never have been, and never will be, debarred from practising medicine, openly or on the sly. It is so natural to them, and so irre sistible while they live in families and have the charge of the sick that no remonstrance or ridicule has ever availed to put a stop to female quacking. The best informed and most rational physicians have always seen, and the most courageous have always said, from that day to this, that the only cure is in making physicians of some well-quali fled women, who alone can convince their sea of the seri ousness of medical practice, and the infinite mischief of meddling with the delicate organisation of the human frame without all the knowledge that can be obtained of the structure and action of its various parts. The time has arrived for this reform to begin.—Miss Martineau in Once a Week. The Philosophy of Luggage. That there is philosophy in luggage we are convinced ; we have known people who travelled with unnumbered boxes and bags, and yet were without essential comforts, and we have held pleasant company with those who had extremely compact arrangements, yet needed nothing. Some persons ale as diffuse and unmeaning in their packing as in their conversation. We have seen a bit of top-string put round a chest of two hundredweight ; we have seen an address left ' on a valise, indicating that it was to be sent to Bristol, when the owner fully intended it at the present time to go to Cambridge ; we have seen hampers burst open at the most awkward moment, and parcels " come undone," when it was impossible to do them up a gain, whereat whereat the " lords of creation " generally get in a way," and make speeches as sharp as their razors. Somehow, men seldom put up heroically with trifling a n _ noyances. They can look a bankruptcy in the face with the courage of a lion, and often bear the death of a wife, who brought them ten thousand poun ds, with Spartan re signation ; but give them an ill-cooke d dinner, ask them to wait for you five minutes, or let a parcel, as we have stat e d above, run restive in their hands, an d one might think a linchpin was coming out of the world's axle, by the fuss and fume they make. Poor things 1 they are but hum, after all. Certainly, it is very provoking to find ourselves at a railway-station, as the reputed proprietors of divers ad juncts, nobody knowing exactly what or where,—trunks uncorded, bags unfastened, brown paper bundles in most equivocal security, cloaks here, rugs there, and umbrellas out yonder. One gets into a heated bewilderment, that leaves us in our corner seat, with our " back to the horses," in a state somethin g between scarlet fe ver and nettl e - rash. Be assured that phil os ophy and luggage have j an affinity that yields gr ea t p erson al comfort, and we a dvi se all who " pack up" for ge neral travelling excurs io n s, to do with as tiefye e w t es poan packages lrlrange asd parasols, that i t l h a they teytti they clicks, yne are and the easily t t b h eos like , packages as concen tratedclosely and fir m ly, as possibl e . Strap all loose wrappersavailable in tog e e a th ee er e , f a r n e d . quieition, and put plain addressee on every package. Eschew all the impeding animalcule of locomotion —such as indescribable baskets filled with everything that is never wanted, bunches of flowers that are dead long before they reach the hands they were intended for, bags of biscuits which you never eat, or if you do, only remind you of the possibility of getting bread from sawdust. Carry no more books and papers than you can put in your pocket, and above all, as the highest practical point of the " philosophy of luggage," renounce band-boxes.--E/iz 4 Cook's " Jottings -fro,/ my THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JUNE 14, 1860. LITERATURE. Voyage en Russie, en 1856. Par M. Boucher de Perthes. 1 Tome, pp. 580, Paris, 1859. A delightful volume of travels by a writer of rare ability and, in his own country, of very considerable reputation. It is a production which happens to be peculiarly welcome to us at this moment, bringing the name of Monsieur Boucher de Perthes before us, as it does, at a time the most opportune imaginable. The present juncture, in truth, is one—political, economic, and commercial—affording to us, in this writer's regard, precisely the very instant he him self could best have desiderated for an introduction to the English public generally. For, are we not all of us now, both in England and France, exactly in the very midst of those mercantile re-arrange ments which are supposed to have sprung origi ginally from the revelation to our Gallic neigh bours, by the hon. member for Rochdale, of the Free-Trade principles and the Free-Trade Philoso phy ? Than which impression, however,—it must be confessed in all candour and simplicity—there has seldom been one more extravagantly illusory and erroneous. Mr. Cobden, the introducer into France of the Free-Trade Principles and the Free- Trade Philosophy ! As well might one seriously regard Amerigo Vespucci as the genuine discoverer of the new world—Columbus himself to the con trary, notwithstanding ! But, alas ! it is ever thus in all the arts and in all the sciences—it was thus before, it has continued to be thus ever since, the great Mantuan poet capped his own unfinished and anonymous distich in honour of Augustus to the confusion of the poetaster Bathyllus : " Sic vos non vobis nidificates ayes ; Sic vos non vobis vellera fortis ores : Sic vos non vobis mellificatis apes : Sic vos non vobis fortis aratra bores." And so it has come to pass that the member for Rochdale is now enjoying the fame among the generality, both there in France and here in Eng land, of being the Free Trade Apostle, in despite and defiance of all the Opinions ever published by Monsieur Cristophe of Abbeville. M. Cristophe sows anything but the storm, and Mr. Cobden reaps anything but the whirlwind. M. Cristophe sows broadcast the seeds of Free Trade, and the fruition of them is poured in the fullness of time into Mr. Cobden's pocket, and within the magic circle of his reputation, as from an inexhaustible cornucopeia. The truth being, nevertheless, quite indubitably that years and years before ever Mr. Cobden had set about his famous Free Trade agita tion in the United Kingdom—MM. Boucher de Perthes and Michel Chevalier had propounded and promulgated in philosophical arguments addressed to the French population, and through that popula tion to the rest of the nations of Christendom, those grand and wise economic doctrines which are now diffusing broader and broader light over the earth as with the dawn of a new civilisation. All this is as iedisputable as that Mr. Cobden himself here in England had been preceded as a free-trade advo cate by the written arguments of Adam Smith and the spoken arguments of William Huskisson. What is that chivalric motto emblazoned under the heraldic device of Nelson ? Is it not the old cry that has rung so often through the dust of the knightly tournay—"Palmam qui meruit feral ?" The " palm" here belongs by right to men like MM. Boucher de Perthes and Michel Chevalier—let Mr. Cobden rest contented with the " oil-of-palm" (as money has been christened in the poetry of slang) rung out to him fourteen years ago to the tune of £BO,OOO sterling ! But—some may ask wonderingly—indeed many may in this country put the inquiry in some bewilderment— You have spoken of M. Cristophe as well as of MM. Boucher de Perthes and Michel Che valier— and who then may M. Cristophe be in the name of fortune ? " Not to know him," we may reply—(though " the proverb's some what musty")—" argues yourself unknown." Be it known then to those to whom these presents may come—to those Englishmen who are yet unac quainted with a fact long years back delightfully familiar to almost every educated Frenchman — Monsieur Cristophe is the alter ego, the nom de plume, the half-mask, the pseudonym of M. Boucher de Perthes. It is to M. de Perthes what " Timon" has been to M. de Cormenin, what " Drapier" was to Dean Swift, what " Plymly" was a few years back to that Great Gun among English wits the Canon of St. Paul's, what " Boz' is yet remembered to have been once upon a time to the greatest of our English Humorists. Under the shadowy name of Monsieur Cristophe, M. Boucher de Perthes issued from the French Press—long before Mr. Cobden dreamt of being returned to Parliament (as he was for the first time in 1841 as M.P. for Stock port)—M. de Perthes, we say, had long prior to Mr. Cobden's appearance as a Free Trader or even as a politician, given to the public in his own coun try the celebrated Opinions de Monsieur Cristophe in four separate instalments—the first " partie" being entitled"_ Sur la Liberte du C'ommerce," and the second quite as suggestively " Voyage commer cial et philosophire.' As about the first and fore most of all Free fraders in France therefore, M. Boucher de Perthes is peculiarly entitled at our hands—especially in this year of grace 1860, the year of this much talked of Commercial Treaty be tween France and England—to our honourable mention, to our cordial welcome and honest recog nition. At the very least this gifted author claims indefeasably as a right the privilege of sharing the honours—appertaining to the earliest known Apostles of Free Trade—with his eminent countryman M. Michel Chevalier. They are the Leverrier and the Adam of this outermost planet in the complex system of political economy— the one embracing within the circumference of its vast orbit the whole of the minor worlds circling within and around each other in the empyrean of mercantile philosophy. Apart, however, from his important Free Trade arguments and politico-economic disquisitions under the assumed name, style, and title of M. Cris tophe, M. Boucher de Perthes has acquired for himself, in France especially, but in a lesser degree elsewhere upon the European continent, a very noticeable reputation in a singular variety of the manifold departments of polite literature. His works—numbering them in volumes—amount alto gether to very nearly thirty ; if we are not mis taken, they extend to precisely seven-and-twenty substantial tomes—distributed in sixteen distinct publications. These writings include among them —tales, romances, legends, ballads, songs, satires, essays, sketches, dramas, and recollections. They embrace, among other more serious and more pre tentious works, five volumes De la Creation—a treatise on the origin and progression of existences. They range from the lighter Contes et Chansonnettes, to the more sober Antiquites Celtiques et Antedi luviennes. They present to us, in agreeable diver sity, a volume of ,Nouvelles, another compacting together Quelques Lettres de Femme—two volumes entitled I'squzsses de mceurs adnzinistratives—four volumes comprehensively designated Bommes et Choses. Altogether, as we have said, 27 volumes, or 16 distinct publications. Conspicuous among these miscellaneous writings are four works in which M. Boucher de Perthes appears before his readers simply and avowedly in his character as a Traveller. The latest of these we have now lying before us—a goodly tome, in forty-eight chapters, in which our author recounts to us, as a witty Frenchman only can—with that effervescent vivacity which is among the most delightful cha racteristics, which is, in fact, the distinguishing characteristic of his race—his experiences as a traveller - through Russia, in 1856, the year of the reigning Emperor's coronation at Moscow. M. de Perthes ha . d previously travelled, and recounted his travels through Denmark, through Sweden, through Spain, through Algeria, and through-and through Constantinople. He tells us at the outset of his present effusion, that his design, in 1856, had been originally to pass from the Eastern to the Western hemisphere—seeking " fresh fields and pastures new" upon the virgin soil of America. The temptation to witness some, at least, of the ceremonials attendant upon the anointing and crowning of the Czar Alexander 11., was too powerful, however. And, as surely as the slope of Russia itself is, according to M. de Lamartine, " towards the East"—so did our literary nomad, M, de Perthes, find, in 1856, that his was "towards Russia" inexorably. His plans changed, his passports (which had actually been made out for America) altered -behold him, then, at his third page en route for his new destination. And a charming, gossipping, exhilarating, instructive, and most facinatine com panion he proves to be—as the reader will find who is fortunate enough to accept him as such through these very nearly 600 pages descriptive of a Voyage on Bussie, and of the return homewards again by way of Lithuania, Poland, Silesia, Saxony, Nassau, and Wiesbaden. As an example of the mere man ner of our author (but, then, has not Buffon averred —le style, c'est l'homme?)--as the mere "brick" of the old Hieroclesian skolastikos—the subjoined fragmentary passage, taken almost haphazard, may not be unacceptable. It will, at any rate, serve to afford our English readers a specimen of M. de Perthes' animated powers of description, while bringing them pleasantly face to face with one whom (thus depicted) they will not find themselves unwilling to greet fraternally as a worthy type of the travelling Civis Britannicus ; Assez decontenance demon aventure, je me dirige vers l'hbtel. Je tenaia beaucoup a ma montre, je la portais depuis vingt ans. . . . Je regrettais un vieux cachet, meuble non moins venerable, et portant les armoiries de ma famille. Quand j'entrai, la table etait au grand complet. NI- Spink me temoigna eon regret de me voir arriver si tard, car dejh on avait en partie consomme un fort beau poisson de la Neva, qu'il avait, disait - il fait servir a mon intention.Je le remerdai, et pour m'excuser je lui racontai a deal \ro es ce qui m'etait arrive; sans me preoccuper outrem ent de m EMBANKMENT OF THE THAMES. A public meeting of the inhabitants of the Strand and the surrounding neighbourhood, convened by the St. Martin's-in-the-Fields Ratepayers Protec tion Society, was held last evening at Exeter-hall, for the purpose of protesting against the low-level north sewer being carried up the Strand. Mr. HENRY HOARE presided. The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings, said that there appeared to be but one opinion with re gard to this low-level sewer being carried up the Strand and Fleet-street, and that was that it would be an unmitigated nuisance. When they got below London-bridge he confessed that it would be abso lutely necessary to go under ground for some dis tance, but that was no reason why they should have it in a place where there was no necessity for it, as in the case of from Westminster to London bridges. He thought that such a work as that should be made a matter of profit, so as to make the outlay have fair returns and give interest to the capitalist who has embarked his money in it, as well as be greatly beneficial to the agriculture of the country. Mr. DouLToN moved a resolution to the effect that in the opinion of the meeting the embankment of the Thames between Westminster and London bridges would be highly beneficial to the public at large, by improving the navigation, covering the mud banks, affording relief to the present over crowded thoroughfares of the metropolis, and by providing a healthy and agreeable promemade to the inhabitants of London. Mr. Churchwarden MARSHALL, in seconding the resolution, enlarged upon the great benefits which the public would derive from the plan of the em bankment of the Thames as proposed by the reso lution, and the great inconvenience which would arise if the low-level sewer was carried under the Strand. The motion was carried unanimously. Mr. TEMPANY moved a resolution to the effect that the construction of the work should be com menced without delay in order that the low-level north sewer might be constructed within such embankment, instead of being carried through the Strand and Fleet-street, a course that would not only be of serious inconvenience to the public traffic during the execution of the work, but pro bably of permanent injury to the property of the locality and detrimental to the occupiers of Muses in those lines of thoroughfares." The motion was seconded by Mr. CRILL, and carried nem. con. Other resolutions in furtherance of the object for which the meeting was convened having been carried the meeting separated. PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES. THE THAMES EMBANKMENT. The committee reassembled on Tuesday, Sir J. Paxton in the chair. The other members present were Mr. Phillips, Sir J. Shelly, Mr. Walter, Mr. Tite, Mr. Beamish, Lord John Manners, Mr. Roupell, Lord R. Montagu and Mr. Stiring. Mr. Bazalgette, engineer to the Metropolitan Board of Works, was called, and explained the nature of the works now in progress or contemplated for the drainage of the metropolis. He stated that the high level sewer on the north side, commencing at Hampstead and running down to the river Lea, from whence the sewage is carried by gravitation to Barking, is nearly completed. The middle level sewer, commencing at Acton, joins the high level sewer at Bow. The whole of the works are let and in the course of construction. The contract for the high level sewer is £152,000, and for the middle level £300,000, being rather under the estimates. The low level sewer, commencing at Chelsea Hospital, proceeding along the Strand and through the City, terminates at Abbey Mills ' where the s ewage is to be raised up to the high level sewer. The estimate is £388,000. The soil excavated would have to be carted to those outskirts which required raising, and would of course considerably impede the general traffic. Some portions of the sewer would be executed by means of tunnels. The fall would be two feet per mile. If an embankment were carried along the Thames, with a sewer under it, it would be an enormous advantage. He had pre pared a plan for the embankment, with a roadway 100 feet, from Westminster Bridge to Queenhithe Dock, where it was proposed to stop, because the narrowest part of the river was between Queen hithe Dock and London Bridge. It would be ex ceedingly difficult to construct an embankment along that part which would not interfere with the important trade carried on in that district, and there was no strong reason why the embankment should be continued to London Bridge. The first object was to get a direct road to the London-bridge station, which was provided for by the construction of a road by the Metropolitan Board of Works on the south side of the river. If the road were continued to London-bridge the distance to the London -bridge station would be reduced by not more than 100 yards. Blackfriars-bridge was an inconvenient and bad bridge and in a dilapidated state, and, whether the embankment was constructed or not, must come down. Some of the arches had sunk considerably. He proposed that the roadway should proceed from Westminster -bridge, with an inclination of 1 in 60 until it reached Privy-gardens where a small dock would be con structed, to. be called the Westminster Dock. O pp ositePri Privy gardens there would be a solid embankment. The vy- level would be four feet above Trinity high-wa ed_ haercreosp to construct a roadway on a series f os At e r mark. Over that solid em bankment Whitehall -place. the He t r h oa e d en en d of th e P e r m iv h y a -g n a k r m d e e andunder the project e d the road under the b rid g e proposed to have a do ck at Hungerford ; to carry ts he to V proposedh telia of embankment railway, and also under Waterloo-bridge. proposed to have a solid at Templ e H e Gardens, and a dock between there and Blackfriars brithre, w hich the roa dwa y would pass on a le ve l, and proceed to Queenhithe, dock called Blackfriars Dock where there w ou ld b e a . From Queenhithe a street might be constructed to the Bank. The esti mated cost of embankment on the north side from Westminster -bridge to Queenhithe would be £1,000,000, with a roadway 100 feet wide and includ ing the docks; and the sewer under the embankment could be constructed for £lB,OOO. The cost of the street from Queenhithe to the Bank would be £750,000. The embankment would be constructed by means of cylinders sunk into the ground, and ~MM. compagnons de table, que je croyais ttop affaires autour du form cofferdams which would facilitate the con miractflent Poisson, pour faire attention a mes paroles. En struction of the sewer between them. The cost of ceci je me trompais, et je finiasais la description embanking the south side of the river would be des manieres beates et des mines confites de IPA? saints voleurs lorsque clentetdie partir du milieu £250,000. The whole expense of the embank de la table to plus retentissaut eclat de rire ments and the new street from Queenhithe to the qui ait jamais frappe mon mine. Je regards, le fieur etait Bank will be £2,000,000. t The:embankment would un jeune homme ala figure pale, au type nettement Britan- very greatly improve the condition of the river. nique. Des quo son asses fut un pen calm 6 it se met .a The sewer if constructed under the embankment , faire en Anglais la na rration de ma mesaventure , qu'il would proceed as far as Queenhithe, and then pass egaya sans doute, car son hilarite, g a g na immetiatement la societ6 eatiere' moi, je laisais une pauvre mine , sauf M. Spltls, qui avait Pair frappe de under the City. He did not believe t ha t the con stupeur. Quanta no struction of the sewer under the City would at all sachant si je devais rire ou me Eicher. Jo crois q uo la endang er St. Paul's or any other public building. mauvaise humeur allait l'empo rter, q uand le centaur, tom- ' the plan which he had sketched was not an official prenant qu'il pouvait m'avoir please, se leis, vient moi, one. It had been prepared by Mr. Hemans and et, avec une franchise toute gracieuse, me dit en Franc aie —Pardonnez moi, Monsieur, mais votre accident etait himself. It had not been submitted to the Board raconte d'une mainere si originalo que je n'ai pas pu re- of Works. sister, et si ces messieurs ont ri et rient encore de si Mr. George Hemans, ,civil engineer, who had bon cceur, c' est que jeleur al traduitlittera lement vos paroles. ieme, was then called, and was examined at assistedcon the previous witness in drawing up the —Comma je tardais a Jul repondre, ajouta :—Disposez de moi, je connais St. Petersburg, et sos usages, e t si vous sc h eme, voulez me le permettre, je vous conduirai apres dejetmer, siderable length as to the details of the scheme. chez le magistrat qui pent vous faire retrouver vetre montre. He entirely corroborated the Itatements of Mr. LC-dessus it m'offrit la main que j'acceptal. Bazalgette, ; and stated, in addition, that ample Mon nouvel ami, age de trente t r ente-cinque SW, provision ha d been made in the plan for the steam grand, elance, avait dans l'expression du visage , dans le traffic on the:river. geste et dans la voix tous ce qui denote un parfait gentil homme. Ilse nommait, comma it me l'apprit bientot, The committee then adjourned. Keon (Miles Gerald). Habitant de Londres, et l'un des re dacteurs du Horning Post,il etait v enu en Russie pour assister au couronnement et en donner la relation. M. Keon our lequel j'aurai souvent l'occasion de revenir, ami particulier de l'ecrivain celebre Sir Edouard Bulwer Lytton est Irlandais et Catholique 2616, it emit et parle facilement le Francais, connait au mieux notre litterature, et comma helleniste et latiniste it est de premiere force. Malbeu reusement• un pen fantasque, ainsi quo tons lee Anglais gens d'esprit, it se preoccupe fort de sa sante, en faisant pre cisement tout ce qu'il faut pour la detruire. Sa maniere de travailler n'etait ni plus hygienique ni plus rationnelle : presse de besogne, it passait le jour &flamer; et pais, au liea de se toucher, it ecrivait toute la nuit, mais alors it le faisait avec Imo facilite merveilleuse. Throughout the whole forty-eight chapters into which this record of M. de Perthes travels in Russia, Lithuania, Poland, Silesia, Saxony, and Nassau has been subdivided, the spirit animatin g every sentence of the foregoing passage is unflag gingly sustained. The entire volume may be de scribed, if not as an ebullition of high animal spirits, at least as an effusion, sparkling with good humour and with evidences of good qualities both in head and heart, such as the dullest and least sym pathetic of readers must find in the highest degree exhilarating. The secret of our author's lucidity and volubility, however, is easily enough told. Has he not himself remarked as truthfully as sententiously towards the close of his last page—" Quand un howne vous parle de ce qu'il somprend bien,il est toujours Clair et eloquent ?" And, manifestly, he himself understands to the full, and possesses to the full the happiest qualifications that go to constitute an almost perfect travelling companion. The feelings thereby awakened be tween himself and his readers are, by the time the perusal of this pleasant volume has been completed, not merely those of the most amiable character, they are feelings right cordially and thoroughly reciprocated. If M. Boucher de Perthes can in spirit bid adieu to each of his unseen readers with an implied rather than articulated au revoir—that kindly farewell will be echoed back to him as surely from those who may turn these entertaining pages with an equally hearty though no less inar ticulate a rivedvrla ! With which sentiment—un affectedly expressed—we will let our comments upon the Voyage en .Russia terminate. GUN AND MORTAR BOATS. The select committee appointed to inquire into the circumstances which have caused the alleged detective state of a considerable number of the gun and mortar boats of the Royal Navy met yes terday—Sir F. Smith in the chair. Sir B. Walker, Surveyor-General of the Navy, was first called, and stated that since he had - been in that office there had been several contracts made , for the supply of gun and mortar boats. The -wit ness then went through the whole list of the builders of gunboats up to the present time, and stated that the terms of the contract were that they should find proper material of every kind. The names, of all the contractors have been already published.) By this, of course, was to be understood properly seasoned wood : but the fact was that there was not sufficient seasoned timber in the country at the time, and the builders could not therefore have procured it. There was very little surplus timber in private yards, and there would be less since the introdue tionmf iron ship-building. We have a return being made out of the defects in the gunboats. There is no reason to suppose tnat the defects have been so great as has been generally supposed. They have worked well in China. There are 45 hauled up at Haslar, and 23 have been repaired, and are in a good state ; 14 have not yet been ex amined. The return called for by the House of Commons is being made. No gun-boats have been broken up. Two mortar-boats have been, and some of the gunboats ought to be. The vessels were built in the depth of winter, exposed to all the frost and snow, without shelter. The name of the builder of the vessel broken up was Thompson. If the gunboats had not been built in the hasty manner they were, they could not have been sup plied in time, while the demand for them was urgent. In the gunboats now standing over, it was ascertained that the sap was in the timber. In one of the boats built by Messrs. Green there were 100 short bolts and bolts not clinched . It was impossible to say how it was that, when there were 100 short bolts in a vessel, it was not disco vered by the inspectors. In Messrs. Green's yards the Government had two resident inspectors, but the men were working night and day, with frost and snow on the ground, and exposed to all weathers. If there had been more inspectors, perhaps the short bolts might have been detected ; but it would have required relays of men to inspect, and they could not be spared. The pressure at the time was enor mous. Many of the contractors lost a large sum of money, in consequence of the rise in wages owing to the pressure. That was represented to the Ad miralty, and a bonus of 355. per ton was allowed on such vessels as were completed within certain spe cified times, and that bonus amounted to £32,500. Notwithstanding such, the builders were still con siderable losers. By Mr. Bentinck—All the vessels which had been examined had been found in a more or less defective state. Fourteen hauled up had not been examined; but means had been taken to ventilate them. The boilers had been lifted, and part of the bulkheads removed, in order to procure internal ventilation, while precautions were at the same time taken to avoid too great a draught of air. In December, 1857, after they had been hauled up, they were examined, and no symptoms of premature decay had been observed. He did not call that a regular examination, only an overhauling. In the latter part of 1858, or early in 1859, all the gunboats were ready for service. The whole of those vessels laying up were ordered to be put in condition last year, and they are now ready for any service to morrow. The committee adjourned at four o'clock. THF, FLORAL BALL. The beautiful floral exhibition, which has been so tastefully arranged in this hall, was yesterday thrown open to the public. On the previous evening her Majesty and the King of the Belgians had honoured it with their presence after the perfor mance of " Dinorah." The attendance yester day was large and fashionable, and univer sal admiration of the beauty of the flowers and the elegance of the arrangements was ex expressed. The azaleas and rhododendrons were especially remarkable, all the modern varieties of shape and colour being present. The general effect of the hall, with the raised slopes of flowers at each end and the pyramids up the centre, was most effective ; and the novelty of such an exhibition in such a locality was much commented on. The success of the show has been so great that Mr. Gye has arranged to open the exhibition for to-morrow and the following day, closing with an illuminated display on Saturday evening. There will also be another private view after the opera tonight, and those who have not seen it by gaslight should avail themselves of one •f these opportuni ties, as, owing to the skilful arrangement of the artificial lights, the effect is extremely brilliant. Captains Acton and Caracciolo, of the two Nea politat frigates which failed to prevent Garibaldi's landing at Marsala, have been tried by court-martial at Naples and acquitted. The Opinione states that the new customs lines on the Savoy side are already organised. The first French line is at Lansburg, and the second at St. Jean de Mauriene. The Sardinian line is to be established at Susa. Prince Milosch, of Servia, who was lately dan gerously ill, has so far recovered as to be able to go to Alexinatz, to take the waters. The princess, his daughter in-law, is about to visit Ostend. _ _ A muting of the creditors of Messrs. Joseph Foot and Son, in the silk trade, who stopped payment on the 13th of May, tcas held yesterday. The liabilities wore stated by Mr. Jay, the accountant, at £14,033, and the net assets at £13,667, showing nearly 20s. in the pound. After some discussion three inspectors were appointed, to confer with Messrs. Foot and Son respecting the payment of a composition; failing such arrangement, the estate is to be wound up under inspection. The firm stopped in the crisis of 1357, but subsequently met their engagements satis factorily. DEATH OF THE REV. BADEN POWELL.—We have to record ithe death of the Rev. Baden Powell, Savilian Professor of Geometry in the University of Oxford, which took place at his residence in Stanhope-street, Hyde Park gardens, on Monday last. It is expected that Government will send £lOO,OOO in specie to Hong Kong, for the purposes of the China war. by the steamer of the 26th inst., which will probably also take as much as £300,000 or £400,000 on mercantile account. Telegrams from Vienna announce that a full and official statement of the public debt of Austria is about to be published. The London and North Western Railway traffic return this week shows an increase of £5,003 ; the Great Northern, an increase of £879 ; the Great Western, an in crease of £6 '4 ; and the London and South Western an in crease of £4,021. The directors of the National Provincial Bank of England announce a half-yearly dividend at the rate of 8 per cent. per annum, and also a bonus of 7 per cent, pay able the 12th July. Lord Clyde will, it is said, succeed the late Lord Strafford in the command of the Coldstream Guards. The two other vacant colonelcies will be filled by the appoint ment of Major-General Maunsell and Monins, both officers of Peninsular service. - The Australian papers by the present mail con tain the annual address of the President of the Melbourne Chamber of Commerce. This document confirms the opi nion frequently expressed during the last two or three years as to the character of the Australian trade, and at the same time demonstrates that its bad features have not as yet re ceived the-slightest check, since the imports for the first two months of 1860 had actually shown an increase, not withstanding the disastrous results of previous arrivals. This state of things is rightly described to have arisen " from undue facilities given to manufacturers and shippers in England," and it is pointed out that it is in England the chief losses have fallen. Our banks and discount establish ments will doubtless be very indignant at the inference to which these observations lead, but it is impossible to avoid the conclusion that the recent cases of Mr. J. Blaikie, the Scotch lawyer, and Mr. J. P. Edwards, of Birming ham, both of whom absconded after having operated as large consignors to distant markets, leaving deficiencies of betweenLloo,ooo and VOO,OOO, are merely samples of many othere•that are likely to occur. EXTRAORDINARY CASE OF PROSELYTISM. On Monday afternoon the Norwich magistrates were occupied with a case of considerable interest and importance, the Rev. Canon Dalton, priest of the Roman Catholic chapel in St. John's Madder market, Norwich ; two jewellers, named Beha ; and an auctioneer, named Foulsham, being sum moned with reference to an attempted flight from Norfolk to the Metropolis of a young man, named William Henry Vansittart, son of Mr. W. Van sit tart, M.P. for Windsor. Mr. Vansittart attended to watch the proceed ings, and was further represented by Mr. Carlos Cooper, barrister, of Norwich, the parties on the other side being defended by Mr. W. L. Mendham, town clerk. William Henry Vansittart, a youth of about 16 years of age, entered into a state to the effect that he had run away from Rackheath, where he was at school at the rector's, and went to Canon Dalton's, at Norwich. The latter, after hearing who he was, said he must keep very quiet. The rev. gentleman advised him to pawn his watch, and with the pro ceeds to go to London, where he was to see Mr. Bowyer, M.P., and to take the following letter to "Father Thomas : " " St. John's, Norwich, Saturday. " DEAR FATHER THOMAS,—The bearer of this note, William Vansittart, has left school, where his father placed him, in order to become a Catholic. His father is member for Windsor. The young man is well known to Bishop Grant, but in case his lordship should be from home will you kindly take him where he can find the Rev. Mr. Bonfield ? The young man will tell you all you wish to know- With regards to dear Dr. Doyle, I am yours most sincere, " J. DALTox." Before, however, he could leave for London a. police-inspector found him out. He was most kindly treated at Rackheath, and left solely through the persuasion of an Italian priest, named Giugini, who had seen him before when at Brighton, and who followed him secretly into Norfolk. Mr. Vansittart, M.P., on being sworn, stated that the youth who had been the subject of inquiry was his only son. As regards his own religious opi nions, he was a strong Protestant, and had a.perfect abhorrence of anything like Puseyism or Roman Ca tholicism. His son was originally intended for the navy, and he had obtained a nomination for him. The boy failed, however, to pass the very severe examination, as he could not grapple with mathe matics and double decimals. He was then placed with a Mr. Jansen, who kept a military sem inar y at Brighton. Mr. Jansen was in t he habit of taking some of his pupils abroad with him d uring the summer vacation ; and he (Mr. Vansitt ar t) thought it would be a very advantageous thing that his son should see the Continent, acqu i re a pure French accent, wi th per p a smattering of German, besides se ein g the Fre nch army , the Zouaves, and so on ; he p ermitte d him to go. The has boy had spent his last winter in Ireland with some relations; when he came back he seemed restless and uncomfortable, and on his going back to Mr. Jan- Roman Catholi c pr i nc i p l es . H e (th e f sen's he sho wed evide nt symptoms of having w as telegraph e d f or to B r i g ht on , an d on going down he found the boy had been secreted somew here in a pla ce k nown t o a M r . Cl er y, a Roman Catholic prie s t. H e c alled on Mr. Clery, imbibed at her) 'and insisted on his son being restored to him. Mr. Clery agreed :to do so, and afterwards, on looking about for a P ro t estant c l ergyman i n th e coun t r y, he (Mr. Va ns i ttart h ear d o f M r . H o d gson , and being very we ll p l ease d w ith th e convers ation he had with that gentleman, he sent the boy to him. The Mayor —Did the priest at Brighton at once agree to give your son up Mr. Vansittart replied that he spoke sharply to him, and threatened him with a mandamus. The priest hummed and hawed at first, but he (Mr. Vansittart) had not much difficulty in gaining his point. The Mayor, after consulting with the other mem bers of the bench, stated that they considered the case a very serious one. They should remand it for a week, and in the meantime issue a warrant for the apprehension of the person called Giugini. All the parties summoned were admitted to bail, in the case of Foulsham his own recognisances only being required. The inquiry excited great inte rest, and the court was crowded throughout the proceedings. A FORTUNATE CANADIAN.—It is stated at Nor wioh that a person who a few years since was employed in one of the offices of the Norfolk Railway Company, and who emigrated afterwards to Canada, has by some fortunate mining adventure amassed a fortune of £lO,OOO. The case is quite an exceptional one, but Canadian mining certainly seems about to open a rich field for British industry and en ' terprise. I to of