The Sun. — London, England, 1858-08-25 00:00:00

Geographically, we know, of course, that Russia was nearer to China by the breadth of the whole European Continent. But not until the receipt of the astounding news conveying to us, via St. Peters burg, tidings of the close of the war between the Celestial EMPEROR and ourselves, could it have entered into any reasonable man's conjecture that the Muscovites at Moscow are literally, in point of time, a month nearer to Pekin than we sluggish Anglo-Saxons are at London. It appears even scarcely credible, hardly comprehensible, and yet the fact that it is so is far beyond the possibility of any one's misapprehension. Intelligence—to put the matter as plainly as may be.before us—intelligence from the Peiho up to the 27th of June had, by the 20th of August, reached, not Moscow merely, but St. Petersburg ! Yet the news from the Peiho received in this country on the 25th of August was only up to the 4th of June ; so that we positively have the great despotism of the North beating us by a whole month in rapidity of communication with Pekin. This—while Russia has, stretched out before her, the woful wastes, the sandy deserts, the giant mountain ranges, forming Eastern Europe, and Western and Northern Asia—and, as the sole means of traversing the wilderness lying between Pekin and St. Peterburg, relays of horses, and half-savage post messengers ! Whereas, on the other hand, England has the world of science and industry before her where to choose—her enormous fleets, warlike and mercantile, to aid her in the enterprize, steam power applied to the assistance of their sailing powers by paddle-wheel and screw-propeller, and beyond all this, the magic copper wire and gutta percha sub marine cables that wing the words of man with the speed of lightning. It is a fortunate coincidence, we cannot but think, that the startling intimation that Russia (of all the Powers in the wide world !) has this advantage of a whole month over us in regard to communication with the capital of the Chinese Efnpire, should come to us, as a last and crowning incentive to our enter prise, upon the very morrow of our completion of the Atlantic telegraph. That last-mentioned most wonder ful achievement proves as plainly as anything can provethat a broad ocean is no obstacle whatever to the paying out, and the laying down, of one of those mar vellous threads of metal incased in gutta percha, for the transmission of electricity. Already we had learnt much from the successful accomplish ment of the now, comparatively-speaking, insignificant enterprise of the electric cable across St. George's Channel between Dublin and Holyhead, as also the yet more important one across the British Channel, bringing France and England into momentary intercourse. But the Sub-Atlantic Telegraph completes the lesson—leaves us literally nothi)ag more now to learn in the matter as to the difficulties these electric cables can van quish. Traverse the bed of the Atlantic and nothing more wonderful or more difficult, in this way, re mains to be accomplished. Compared with the line now actually thrilling with questions and answers between Valentia and Newfoundland—any other may be regarded trivial in difficulty. It only re quired that we should recognise as clearly as possible that there are reasons glaringly before us why in the matter of these wire lines we should be at once heart and soul bestirring ourselves. That there are such reasons, the astonishing fact that St. Peters a whole montb burgh is nearer Pekin b y n_u_ _ _e than London has be en j ust now pai f 11 y d monstrated. Wherefore —let us without further delay take the initiative in laying down a series of telegraphic cables from England eastwards, along the Mediterranean, across Suez, along t he Red Sea, through the Straits of Babelmandeb, and so onwards to Bombay,Madras, Calcutta, Hong Kong, even to the mouth of thePelho,to the very gates of Pekin. Then-- adieu to the advantages now in the possession of the merchants of St. Petersburg ! Then, instead of being a month behind, we shall be fifty days a-bead of the Muscovite post messengers. Almost at the very time we were writing yester day on the loose manner in which the certificates of " skilful" persons were given—certificates which may condemn innocent persons to incarceration for inde finite periods, placing them wholly at the mercy of their keepers, and depriving them of any society save that of either really insane persons, or helpless and despairing victims like themselves—our views received a singular and extraordinary corroboration. In the inquiry into the state of mind of Mr. RUCK , a gentleman of fortune and good position , one of the " skilful" persons was examined as to the " symptoms of insanity" manifested by the alleged lunatic. We do not at present wish to pre judge the result of the investigation in the slightest degree. The case of Mr. RUCK is before a competent tribunal. He is ably defended, and will doubtless receive full and complete justice. He may be sane or insane ; but what we have to say cannot be at all affected by the result of the investigation Mr. RICHARD BARNET, a Member of the College of Surgeons, of 33 years' standing, and therefore a fully qualified aWI a skilful person, certified to his insanity, is incarceration. had he b een con and authorised . 1 .. 1 t en ted with mere 2y pronouneing judgment, no ;,-, ,, !en taken. There might excep ti o n could have gr ,•,:mds or not. Air. have been adequat e some deep-seated BARNET might have detected him in delusion something that rende.".ed competent to manage ''ed to dangerous to society. But heof his was °lvn co inp ff e a l! " —as assign reasons, or, in other words, to detail some the symptoms of insanity on which b e had formed his opinion, and he was decidedly exceedingly unfor tunate in the selection. One of these " symptoms," prominently put for: ward, was stated t o be " profligate expenditure. Another, " indulgence in intemperance ;" and Mr BARNET has, under cross-examination, stated what he considered sufficient to justify him in arriving at the conclusion which consigned Mr. RUCK to a luna- --- - tic asylum, and induced his wife, doubtless acting in the best spirit, to sell off his stock, which pro duced some ,E 1,30 thereof £5OO for the purposes of the pending inquiry, to pay debts to the amount of £579, to grant leases of his farms in Wales, and contract to pay £4OO per annum to the owner of the private asylum in which he has been detained. Mrs. Rucx, doubtless, believed that she was acting for the best, but she had no authority whatsoever for her proceedings, save the certificates of the " skilful" persons, and we can now see the grounds on which such certificates may be obtained. We believe, in like manner, that the property and effects of the Rev. Mr. LEACH, whose sanity was afterwards clearly established, were sold, and the proceeds ex pended, for what was facetiously termed his benefit, viz., in employing able counsel and skilful witnesses to establish the alleged lunacy. For such acts no adequate redress can be obtained, and therefore it is essential that great care should be taken in the pre liminary steps which are erroneously; supposed to warrant such proceedings. Mr. BARNET was bound to act on what he saw and heard from the lunatic himself, not on the state ments which he heard—as is " invariably the case on such consultations"—from friends and relatives. The reason which induced him to put down " profligate expenditure " as one of the " symptoms" or overt acts, was, that the alleged lunatic " mentioned that his expenses had been very great, and had exoeeded his income." Hear this, all ye debtors who are unable to make both ends meet ! Henceforward it is not merely the Bench or Whitecross-street that is to be avoided. There is something far more terrible, from which you cannot be extricated either in Basinghall-street or Portugal-street. You may be sent to a snug lunatic asylum, where the proprietor is by no means parti cular, provided his charges are duly liquidated, and detained for an indefinite term ; denied access to friends and professional advisers ; forbidden to write; —all because your " expenses have exceeded your income." Again, as to "indulgence in intemperance," that ":skilful" person, Mr. BARNET, admitted that "he had Hever seen Mr. Rucx intoxicated ! He merely meant that he was addicted to the undue taking of stimulants !" The instance adduced by the " skilful" gentleman was, that he had actually seen " Mr. Ruea drink a quart bottle of porter at Shrewsbury, and two glasses of ale at Stafford !! !" Hear this, ye thirsty souls, who indulge either in malt or cordials. You may be perfectly sober, and set the magisterial ss. at defianace. The most active policeman cannot allege that you have been either " drunk or dis- orderly," but if you indulge in " a quart bottle of porter at Shrewsbury, and two glasses of ale at Staf ford," you are a lunatic, your goods and chattels may be sold, your farms leased, and yourself con signed to , protracted imprisonment in a lunatic asylum. How greatly will the advocates of the Maine Liquor Law exult in this authoritative dictum in their favour. If a man drink a bottle of porter and two glasses of ale on a long journey, it is a symptom of insanity sufficient to authorise the breaking up of his house hold and the destruction of all his pro spects in life. He will thenceforward, if so fortu nate as to escape from the dreadful prison-house, go forth branded with a fearful imputation. Nothing can restore his reputation. Even the innocent mem bers of his family will be implicated, inasmuch as a relative was detained in a madhouse for a considerable time! As we have stated, we do not in the slightes degree desire to affect the verdict, or influence the jury in the case now sub judice ; but the candid ad missions made by Mr. RICHARD BARNET, a highly respectable gentleman, we believe, and one who would:not be influenced by corrupt motives, so strik ingly bears out the arguments which we yesterday put forward, that we cannot refrain from referring thereto, and showing that if a man above sinister influences could be induced to act with such laxity, what may be anticipated from less reputable prac titioners, who would only desire a plausible pretext to earn a handsome fee, no matter at what cost to the Nietirn. The excuse put forward by Mr.I3A.B.NcT aggra vate.i what we cannot help terming the grave mistake which he committed ! He declares that "he had never read the Act before signing the certificate." He was not aware that it was a misdemeanour for a medical man to sign a certificate authorising the reception of a person into a lunatic asylum, whom he had not before examined sepa rately. His ignorance—avowed and acknowledged ignorance—is the only excuse offered ; and to such " skilful" persons are the liberties and properties of Englishmen and Englishwomen committed. They boast of their habeas corpus, and the checks on des potism established by law ; but where is the check on an interested relative, who may get a large amount of property into his or her possession ; or on the skilful person who has " not read the Act," and who thinks exceeding a man's income, or drinking a bottle of porter and two glasses of ale, manifest symptoms of insanity ? • , _ te k • ^ ti 4 4 01101641 - 1 ' N I : 411 1 11 10 , 1 , 4 01 ~ dik 'ACEEraV ... ',ye; THE SUN. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 1858. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE. Under the Management of Mr. Charles Kean. Last Week but One of the Present Season, and Last Nights of " The Merchant of Venicel" THIS EVENING will be presented Skakipere's Play of THE SIEROIIANT OF VENICE Shylock, by Mr. C. Kean ; Portia, by Mrs. C. Kean. Preceded by the Farce of LIVING TOO FAST. ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE. Manager, Mr. Edmund Falconer. On TO-MORROW, Thursday, August 26th, will be produced a New and Original Comedy, entitled EXTREMES; or, Men of the Day ; in which Mr. Emery, Mr. James Rogers, Mr. Barrett, Mr. E. Falconer, Mrs. Charles Young, Mrs. Weston, and Miss Kate Saxon, will appear. After which, the Farce of THE DANCING BARBER ; Fltzfuggle, Mr. James Rogers. Doors open at half-past 6, to com mence at 7. Box-office open from II to 5 daily. ROYAL STRAND THEATRE. Lessee and Directress, Miss Swanborough. Last Four Nights of the Present Season. THIS EVENLNG, the Comedy of COURT FAVOUR: characters by Messrs, Emery, Belford, Poynter, Misses 31. Wilton, Hughes, and Mrs. C. Melville. After which, the Farce of KING'S G ARDENER: Messrs. J. Clarke, Poynter, Burt, and Miss 31. Wilton.onclude with DIM` AS A POST : Messrs. Belford, J. Clarke, Poynter, Misses M. Wilton, E. Wilton, Hughes, and Mrs. C. Melville. CANTERBURY HALL, Westminster-road. OPEN EVERY EITENING.—The following company of Vo calists are engaged for the performance , of Seleetions from all the Miss Ray, Madame popular OPERAS, HADRGA.S , HissCHORL CHORUSES , GLEES, DUETS, t.re., viz.:—Miss Russell, Hrs. Badsey, Brunell, Bartoletti, Kiss Montague, Hrs. Lawrence, and Mrs. Anderson ' Herr F. Jonghmans , M r. Henshaw, S. Jones, J. Barker, W. Mellin g , error Antonio, E. L. Rime, H Mr. r. Badzey, Senor Tiroli, Mr. Cozens , Mr. Bell, Hr. Barnard, and St. Albyn. Mr. John G. Fordo ' and E. W. Hackney. Pianoforte, Mr. Cecil Hicks ; harmonium ' Mr. Courtnay ; Director , Herr F. Jonghmans. Commence at seven 'clock precisely. Suppers, Sm., until twelve o'clock. THE WEATHER—SUN OFFICE, AUGUST 2.5. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 71—highest since noon yesterday. 59—lowest this morning and during the night. 67—this day at noon. BAROMETER, 30.07. WIND, North-Westerly to West ; rather fresh, with fine eather. THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH. (By British and Irish Magnetic Telegraph.) TO THE EDITOR or THE SUN. SIR,—We have the pleasure to forward you the accompanying message, received between half-past ten and half-past eleven to-night. Although the intelligence is not of public interest, you will perhaps think it worth communicating to your readers. It was receiyed with every word and letter as we send it. Your obedient servant, Aug. 24. SAML. G. W. THOMPSON. " NE WFOUKDL AND, AUG. 24, 11.3 0 F.M. " Two miles shore end "nple have half mile small cable plenty. It is stowed on the beach. Two splicers and jointers here. 6 gall Ons naptha required. Please send authority to draw on Brooking one hundred pounds required immy. for labourers house in a wilderness. Roads to make and woods to cut down and clear. Ought to have some more relays have only one. Great difficulty in sending letters from here. Have written fully. We are now con versing with Newfoundland freely." VALENTIA, WEDNESDAY, 1 A.M. The cable is now working splendidly. We are conversing freely with Newfoundland. The signals to and from are strong and perfect. A telegram has lust been received, dated New York, 25th, 12.53 5.m.. ; stating that the Persia has taken the Europa's . - 2rs and mails. passeng His Excellent:v the Duke de Malakoff le ft Albert gatemorning for Newhaven , there to House yesterdb: 7 embark for Dieppe. Montagu The Duke of Buccle:tell returned to House, Whitehall, from his s.'at near Southampton. T he duke and duchess leave town in the course of the week for Drumlanrig Castle, D um f r i es . The Duchess (E m il y ) of B eh ufort and Ladies Somerset have arrived at D upplin Cast l t :, Perthshire, on a v isit to Viscount and Lady Blanche Dupp.l.n. The Marquis and Marchioness of LTuntley f am ily arrived a few days since at Aboy ne C as tlC, and Aberdeen shire, from Orton - Longueville , Hunts. The Marquis and Marchioness of Clauricacde have arrived at Romberg, where Mr. and Lady CAtherine Weyland are also staying. The Marquis de Piolenc has arrived at the Brunswick Hotel from Paris. The Earl and Countess of Verulam have arrived at Gorhambury, Herts, from Aix-la-Chapelle, where the noble earl and countess have been sojourning for the last month. Lodge, Virginia, Marchioness for Garron Tower, • • Londonderry. The Earl and Anna M Countess of Bective have left the The Earl andne Countess of Erroll Castle, N. 8., surrounded on a visit to Frances Hon. Gen. Gore and joined d a i r il e L c a ci t rrecli S ee. l . a n T i n e e s , i . by a select family The i Earl and Countess of have e intore have arrived ....., ..I : l , g . lis E maldie, N. 8., for the autumn. konloA rr? ) why a , few 41 , :,, Earl. and Countess of Ira accompanied n p . as . s ßyder, left Sandon by : 1 ,-7- yl,ises , l ' il ri . c... d a s n h d ir o e n , and last th N e ve l e i weeks at has gone on a cruise Malvern. IDalkeith, M.P., } )orou , h has left town to The Earl of Bess, ~, in ThishyenEchatr:l of join the ~, n a visit to the Duke and Duchess countess, who is staying Fochabers, N.B. a n d Lady Ellen Browne o f TRihcelimEoanrdiato f G o i r iz d e o n o ni C a a r , e ' tie arrived last week at Harrowgate: qrrived at I - lomberg nob:e earl is in int fro'finliesarEisa. rlys,o,efaPreehrnaphpryokeo l i e i n a l ! n iiiic proved health. LATEST INTELLIGENCE. a sum of 80,000,000 reals, which would have been lying idle in the provinces, had been sent to Madrid, and the receipt of that sum had caused a fall in the interest on the floating debt. It had been decided that the Queen should visit Ferrol, Santiago, and Corunna. As a proof of the frauds committed by the late Cabinets in the electoral lists, it is stated that in the town of Zamora not fewer than 4,000 persons were put down as entitled to vote, whereas only 2,000 had the right to do so. The Progressist jour nals call on General O'Donnell to adopt an energetic liberal policy. FRANCE. PARIS, TUXSDAY, 6 r.m. The Spanish Government has decided to clear out the Riff pirates. Communications to that effect have bees sent to the great maritime powers, and an ex pedition is preparing to rid the seas of this, almost the last remaining, nest of sea brigands. Some time since I informed you that Sir Colin Campbell had asked for reinforcements. Her Ma jesty's Government have assured the Commander in-Chief that more men shall be, and have been, despatched, making up the number he requires—an effective force of 30,000 men for the new campaign, which forces include a considerable increase of cavalry. The Czar, following the example of other crowned heads, is now on the move. A despatch informs us : ,‘ St. Petersburg, 23d.—Their Imperial Majesties left this morning for their journey throsigh the empire." _ AMERICA. ARRIVAL OF THE INDIAN. FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT. LIVERPOOL, TUESDAY. The Montreal Ocean Steamship Company's steamer Indian, Capt. Jones, arrived in the Mersey yesterday forenoon, bringing advices from Quebec and Mon treal to the 14th inst., and New York papers to the 12th. The Indian brought 82 cabin and 95 steerage passengers. The Nova Scotian had arrived at Quebec from Liverpool, and the Niagara was reported at Halifax on the 11th. " Queen Victoria," says the New Gazette of Prus sia," has delayed her departure from Babelsberg to the 28th." The excitement in respect of the success of the Atlantic telegraph cable continued unabated. According to communications from Brest, the Russian squadron about to leave Cronstadt will visit the French coast and put in at Cherbourg; after which this naval division will divide, half going to the Mediterranean, whilst the remaining vessels will cruise in the Pacific. The Washington correspondent of the Philadelphia Press says :—" Would it not be well for the Ad ministration to make an effort to obtain the terri tory north of the British possessions ? It belongs to Russia, and is of little or no value to her ; but as it is supposed that the gold region extends up through it, our citizens might find it greatly to their interest to develop its mineral treasures, and if the country belonged to the United States, and they could be certain of American protection, they would, no doubt, make the effort." We see it stated in a New York paper that the transatlantic mail averages 16,000 letters a-day. The fact gives some idea of the vast amount of business which would be done by a transatlantic telegraph. The steamer St. Louis arrived at New York on We learn from Vienna, of date Aug. 24, that the baptism of the Prince Imperial took place on Monday at the Palace of Laxenbitrg. The Prince received the names of Rudolph Francois Charles Joseph. ;By Imperial decree the Prince has been named pro prietor and colonel of the 19th regiment of in fantry. The Vienna journals contradict most positively ,he accounts that are given by some continental journals as to the provinces of Turkey, and particu larly Herzegovina and Bosnia, being in a deplorable situation ; they assert, on the contrary, that tran quillity has been completely re-established in those provinces, or very nearly so, in spite of the propa ganda made by foreign emissaries for the advantage of the Greek religion. Count Walewski leaves Paris to-morrow for Vir ley. M. Fould is to arrive at this famed mineral water summer retreat to-night. Kiasim Bey, the bearer of the minutes of the sit tings of the Conference of Paris on the question of the Danubian Principalities, embarked on the 21st at Marseilles for Constantinople. There are certain branches of the retail trades in the 11th, with two weeks' later intelligence from California, having left Aspinwall on the morning of the 3d instant. The Star of the West was to leave on the afternoon of the same day with the mails of July 20, and $1,826,000 in gold, of which amount about $1,500,000 was destined for New York, and the remainder for England. The excitement in re gard to Fraser River was on the decrease, although emigration from California continues with unabated zeal. The mining news from the Golden State is less favourable than usual. An attempt has been ma de to take forcible possession of a quartz mine owned by Col. Fremont, but the rioters being met with a spirited resistance soon beat a retreat. In Oregon, Gen. Joseph Lane and Delazon Smith have been elected to the United States Senate. ale news from Utah, says the New York Times, is not hopeful of peace prospects. The temper of the Mormons continue hostile, and the old grudge against the Gentiles is but imperfectly covered by the exist ing armistice ; and there is reason to apprehend a frellh outbreak at any moment—the probabilities of a new difficulty, previously hinted at, being rendered stronger by recent advices. Brigham Young is re ported to be in a cross and sullen humour; his fol lowers refuse the commonest courtesies to Gentile visitors; the peace commissioners have retired dis gusted ; and none of the federal officials are regarded wit,:ti favour, except Governor Cumming. The _Mor mons were returning in a body to Salt Lake City, bringing their wives and children with them, and the place was resuming its wonted aspect. COMMERCIAL. Paris, the craftsmen of which are complaining just now sadly for want of employment. Cabinet-makers, the workers in decorative ornaments, and jewellers, in fact those trades generally which are dependent on the wealthy classes at home and abroad, are cer tainly doing much less business than usual. The export trade is still suffering from the late European crisis. Some idea of the general falling off in the foreign trade may be gathered from a comparative table of exports published by the Moniteur., France does an immense business in what are called modes, a comprehensive term for every description of articles necessary for the dressing a lady of fashion, whether of New York or St. Petersburg. It appears France exported in the first seven months of 1856 modes to the value of 5, 9 76,524 fr.; in 1857, 4,227,030 fr.; and in the corresponding months of 1858, only 3,518,077 fr. The fact is, French houses have not yet renewed their relations with America, and refuse to do busi ness with the United States excepting on cash terms. It does not, however, appear, according to the reve nue returns of July, as given in the Moniteur, that trade in France has decreased on the whole; it is rather certain branches of commerce, trading in what may be called luxuries, which do not show the usual activity. There are certain labouring classes, not only in Paris but throughout France, who were more fully employed ; such as stonemasons, carpenters, painters, and all trades necessary for building. The want of employment in Paris and elsewhere is confined to those who supply the elegancies of life. PARIS BOURSE.—The market was very buoyant a the opening, and securities were generally quoted with an advance, hut sales for realisation having been effected, it produced a general reaction. Threes, after having been done at 70fr. 20c., receded to 70fr. Sc.; Alobilier varied from 770 fr. to 760 fr.; Austrian, 657 fr. 50c. to 652 fr. 50c. ; Orleans, 1,362 fr. 50e. to 1,347 fr. 50c. ; Lyons, 837 fr. 50c. to 832 fr. 50c. ; Northern, 960 fr. to 955 fr.; and Southern, 555 fr. to 552 fr. 50c. The following were the last quotations : NEW YORK, AUG.I3. GOTTON—Heavy, and the sales made at a decline. Sales, 1,500 bales. Quotations cannot be given. F.REIGHTS—DuII :—Cotton to Liverpool, is. Bd.; flour, is. ; grain, 3d. to 4d. (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) SOUTHAMPTON, WEDNESDAY MORNING. I: ;37 the Vanderbilt steamer Le Fevre we have New York advices to the 14th. ti;he brings 235 passengers, $63,326 for England, and $71,087 for France. The mail steamer Niaaara had arrived out at Boa ton and the Arago at New York. 4.n efficient military staff was being organized for the• Washington and Ore g on territories preliminary to the contemplated operations against the hostile Ind ians. _ L force of 2,500 men will be kept in Utah. The affi irs of the territory are represented to be in a go d condition. The peace Commissioners were (Jail y expected at Washington. Later advices from Mexico state that President ,Zul osga had abandoned the city. Gen. Moreno had abandoned Tampico, upou which the Liberals were adv ancing. Tellow fever continued prevalent in Mexico and Ne w Orleans. _ _ . 7 'he excitement caused by the success of the At lant is cable was kept up, and great preparations were mal .ing in different places for suitable demonstrations on the receipt of the Queen's message. T he St. Louis steamer had arrived at New York witl I a fortnight's later news from California, &c. S an Francisco markets were rather dull, owing to hex vy importations. News unimportant. 'he accounts from Frazer River gold mines are into resting ; the yield and quality of dust are said to e qual the best California placers. A great emigra tion was still going on , which the California papers wer e endeavouring to check. G eneral Walker had left New Orleans for Ala ham a. P resident Buchanan left Bebford springs for Wad hington the 13th, much improved in health. E xchange on London was steady, at 109 k to and on Paris 111 to 12i, with transactions at the high er rate. Si socks improving and rates rather higher. Closing pric( :s on the 13th were :—New York Central, 771; Erie , 16i ; lludson, 28 ; Reading, 48 3 1 ; Michigan Cent', tral, 591 ; Southern, 221 ; Panama, 1151-; Illi nris, 731; Galena, 834 ; Toledo, 34k ; Rock Island, 44;i ; Millwaukie and Mississippi, 16; Pacific Mail, 831. T: he market closed steady, without animation. Tra( le in flour less vigorous, and prices favoured inquiry for w heat, at former rates, and a yl cor'n,elNyvhic h was more freely offered and b : f r o g ; Lively chea per. Cottoni n moderate demand, at uniform figut es. Rice and sugars more active, the latter closing a shade higher. Box h err i ngs b r i s k and firm. Pr of ,visions quiet. Little doing in freights. Fr. Ct. Credit Foncier Gin Belgian 41 Piedroontese 5 9O 25 Roman 9l Austrian . Spanish Threes...... Home Debt .LWAYS. Fr. Ct. 41 per Cents 97 45 Do. end of month Three per Cent. Do. end of month 7O Bank Shares Credit Mobilier 755 Do. account RAI Cash—Fr. Ct. Account—Fr. Ct. Orleans Northern New ditto Lyons and Mediterranean B2B 75 .. 827 50 New ditto •••••• Geneva Midi . . . 550 Western' 630 610 - 552 50 627 50 695 - Eastern . Grand Central . Sardinian ........... 425 Austrian 695 -- TURKEY. LIVERPOOL, WEDNESDAY MORNING. 17, he screw steamship Vigo arrived in the Mersey this morning, with dates from New York to the 12th inst., , and .2,000 sovereigns and 67,433 dollars in spec' ie on freight. her dates have been anticipated by t. he Indian. On the 15th inst., in lat. 43 N., long. 60 V tr., exchanged signals with the City of Washing ton, ' bound west. On the 18th inst., lat. 49 N. long. 49 V Y., passed a large iceberg apparently about 100 feet , high and 300 feet in circumference, with several detac ;hed pieces round it ; it appeared to be break ing I up. Ti IE THIRD ROYAL SURREY MILITIA. —Yesterday, in co: mpliance with instructions from Lord Challoner, colonel of Hai 3 above regiment of militia, notices were distributed Unx' ighout the county that the regiment will be called out on tt: e 9th of Sept. for a days' drill. The officers, non coms: tissioned officers, and men are to assemble at 9 o'clock in tie 3 forenoon, at Kingston, when all who are a bsent with out n sufficient cause will be treated as deserters. Al ARAB IN THE WRONG Box.--A letter from Cairc . of the 9th says :—" A curious circumstance occurred a tee days ago in this city. A man wearing the costume of a co phte (Arab Christian) went to the shop of an Arab lusted ier who is noted for his antipathy to the Franks, and order ed some meat. When it was supplied the cophte ob jectec I that the weight was not exact, and the butcher in a rage I began abusing him, after which be heaped curses on Chris tians in general. The cophte told him that he would corn plain to the zabet (police magistrate), and ordered the but tiler to accompany him to the tribunal of that func tion .y. The butcher, thinking that the zabet would be sum to Ile on his side, readily consented, but on arriving at the What' ial, he found to his vexation that the zabet was no other than his customer. The butcher immediately received 500 hi ows on the soles of his feet, and was then dismissed with a recommendation to be more respectful for the future to C VI ristians." A:p.4 IDIOT BOY MURDERED BY lIIS MOTHER.—On Sunb's y evening, the inhabitants of that pa rt of St. Helens knows ras Westfield were thrown into a state of great alarm on its being di scovere d t h at an idiot boy, named William Cool tt re, aged eight years, had been cruelly murdered b y his nax .ther, Ann C ou l ters . The house was soon surrounded, and at .reral constables were immediately on the spot. The pool 2hild was found nicely laid out in bed, quite dead and cold and on examination his throat was found to have beet s. cut so as to have caused instant death. The mother, who • was taken into custody, admitted having cut the child's thrc .at with a razor which was found in the room; and the bedc :lothes were all blocdy. The mother is about 33 years of ap 'e, and has of late been addicted to drinking. The child was i "legitimate, and his father is in Australia. At an in quest t (eld on the body, yesterday, at the Ring of Bells Inn, it app a, ared that the prisoner was living with her two bro thers, a nd an old woman named Paul, and her son. On Saturdr y night she ca me b orne i n drink, and on Sunday tnorning whilst the church bells were ringing, she mur dered ti e child, and afterwards laid out his body. The mo tive app ears to have been to get rid of him, as she was re ceiving the addresses of some old man, and expected shortly to be 'm' arried ; and she appears to have taken the drink with a view 1 .o nerving her to the commission of the horrid deed. The jut% v returned a verdict of " Wilful murder," and she was cola; Initted for trial at the assizes on the coroner's war rant.-t-4 Ilanchester Guardian. THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 25, 1858. 430 - 648 75 A letter from Constantinople, in the Incilpendance of Brussels, depicts the very natural indignation ex cited in that capital by the recent aggressions of the Montenegrins :—" The acts of brigandage committed at Kolaschine by the Montenegrins have put to a severe test the longanimity of the Porte, and its de sire to please those European powers which have taken under their protection Prince Danilo and his mountaineers. The news of this unexpected aggres sion, and of the savage acts which accompanied it, produced extreme indignation at Constantinople. This indignation was even shared by the Govern ment, and the Ministers of the Sultan assembled at once in council to deliberate on what should be done. Some of the Ministers strongly insisted on the neces sity of employing reprisals, but their opinion did not prevail. It was, however, resolved that if any fur ther aggression should occur, the Porte would chas tise the perpetrators." Prince Danilo, says the Agram Gazette, is not un willing to recognise the suzerainty of the Porte, provided certain advantageous conditions are gua ranteed to Montenegro by a treaty. But the majority in the Senate and Mire., the brother of the prince, would refuse their consent to that arrangement. EGYPT. A letter from Alexandria, of the Gth, in the New Prussian Gazette, says :—" Oa the occasion of the Kurban Bairam several arrests took place at Cairo ; patrols went through the streets during the fete and the processions were almost. everywhere prohibited. On the second day of the f e te an Arab fi re d a p i sto l shot on the flag of the Russian Consul. He was im mediately arrested, and sent for six months to the galleys. Another Arab was condemned to the galleys for life for telling a merchant with whom he resided that before 24 hours had passed over the heads of all the Christians would be cut off. On the eve of the fite five persons were executed in the citadel by order of the Viceroy, and the director of the police, a man without energy, dismissed and replaced. The Viceroy well comprehends that an insurrection against the Christians would be the signal for the end of Turkish domination." SPAIN. Th'e Madrid Gazette of the 20th contains a royal decree, s riated Gijon the 16th, by which Lieut.-General Baron de Meer's resignation of his functions as mem ber of the Consultative Junta of War is accepted. In the civil wars the general made himself celebrated for the merciless rigour with which he governed the principality of Catalonia during the regency of the Queen Mother. His resignation is caused, not by political motives, but by age and infirmities. All the journals confirm the fact of Marshal Pelissier being about to marry the Countess de Paniega. M. Isturitz, Minister Plenipotentiary to the British Court, has lately taken by the Finance Minister , completely recovered from his late illness, and in tends to set out next week for his post. which the Govern remit their surplus p produced very Madrid after payingsatiencatteocaroyrorvetsinuchisa,l and treasurers have ave greatly have t o T by he l m ir e t a u s e ur o e f off funds li to r the central Treasury in liabilities is stated to have simplified the public accounts. in consequence of it REIGATE ELECTION. A great deal of excitement prevails in this borough upon the subject of the approaching election. The reappearance of Mr. Wilkinson on Saturday last, after having formally retired, and thus dividing the Liberal interest, has given much dissatisfaction. A very crowded meeting was held at the Town-hall on Monday night, convened by the requisi tion of Mr. Wilkinson, in order that he might give some explanation as to the reasons which induced him to come forward as a candidate. Mr. Campion was called to the chair. Mr. WILKINSON in his speech said that when the vacancy in the representation of the borough was first made known, he bad not the slightest notion of presenting himself to the notice of the electors, but from the position in which he stood at the last election it was not unnatural that an appli cation should be made to him to come forward as a candi date, and such an application was subsequently made to him. He at first hesitated to comply, but having been assured by a large body of the Liberal electors that he was the fittest man to represent the borough and to fight the contest successfully on their behalf, he did at length consent to come forward. He then alluded to what took place at the former election, and said he believed that if a struggle were not made on this occasion, the borough would again fall into the hands of the old territorial and Conservative party, and that he was the most likely man to succeed, and to prevent such a result from taking place. The honourable candidate concluded by stating that he should not upon that occasion enter into any statement of his political opinions, as he had so recently canvassed the borough, but he was ready to answer any questions that might be put to him. Mr. EDWIN JAMES, who had entered the Town-hall during the speech of Mr. Wilkinson, and who was received in the most enthusiastic manner, when he had concluded, addressed the electors at considerable length. He said that a good deal had been stated by Mr. Wilkinson upon the subject of the last election which they bad nothing to do with except that he believed some bitter feuds and animo sities had been created by it between certain sections of the Liberal party, which he had hoped in coming forward to have heated for ever. He threw himself candidly and un reservedly upon the electors. Mr. Wilkinson at this time had resigned, and he said he now came forward again solely, as he believed, because he knew that he (Mr. James) would have been the successful candidate. The CHAIRMAN at length put a resolution to the meet ing to the effect that Mr. Wilkinson was a fit and proper person to represent the borough of Reigate in Parliament, to which an amendment was proposed that Mr. Edwin James was the more fit and proper person, and the amend ment was carried by an overwhelming majority, scarcely more than a dozen bands being held up for Mr. Wilkinson. HEALTH of LONDON during the WEEK. (From the Official Report.) The returns of the metropolitan registrars are still of a satisfactory character. In the week that ended last Satur day (August 21st) the deaths registered were 1,112, of which 569 were those of males, and 543 those of females. In the corresponding weeks of 1849 and 1854, when so many lives were destroyed by cholera and diarrhoea, the deaths rose to 2,230 in the former year, and to 1833 in the latter. In the corresponding weeks of the 10 years 1848-57 the average mortality was 1,259. The deaths of last week occurred in an increased population ; and the present rate of mortality is therefore comparatively low, being 273 below the cor rected average deaths in London. Of the 1,112 persons who died, 614 were under 20 years of age ; 136 were 20 and under 40; 148 were 40 to 60; 161 were GO to 80; and 40 were 80 years of age and upwards. The births registered exceeded the deaths by 446. The zymotic class of diseases caused 379 deaths, or about one-third of the total mortality, including ✓2 by measles, 105 by scarlatina, 28 by whooping-cough, 43 by typhus and other continued fevers, 113 by diarrhoea, 10 by cholera, &c. To the constitutional class of diseases 215 deaths were registered ; of this number phthisis or consumption was fatal to 116, 96 of whom were between the ages of 20 and GO. In the local class of diseases 294 deaths occurred ; in the developmental class of diseases 145 deaths ; in violent causes 54; and in 15 deaths the cau3c was not specified or Scarlatina (diphtheria) is much above the average. The deaths during the last six weeks were 73, 58, 78, 86, 85, and 105 respectively ; last week, with the exception of 7 persons, all the deaths from this disease occurred among children under 10 years of age. At 25, High-street, St. Giles, the two children of a printer, aged one and two years, died of scarlat;na maligns. Mr. Faulkner, the medical attendant, describes this house as inhabited by 33 or 34 persons, 18 of whom are children all more or less bearing traces of illnese in their features. For the last two years there has been no stink trap in the sink in the basement floor, the tenants of this house have bee❑ inhaling the poisonous gases evolved from the sewers, and four persons have died within the last three weeks. At 9, Kenning's-buildings, Rotherhithe, the son of a labourer, aged two years, died from cholera (12 hours). Mr. Bayley, the registrar, adds :—" Complaint was made of an obnoxious smell aridng from a gully in front of this house, and several persons in its vicinity have been attacked with illness." Three persons whose deaths were registered attained the advanced age of 90 years and upwards. Last week the births of 812 boys and 746 girls, in all 1,558 children, were registered in London. In the ten corresponding weeks of the years 1848-57 the average number was 1,518. At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean readings of the barometer in the week was 29.689 in. The daily mean temperature was 63.3 deg., or 2.2 deg. abave the average, but ranged from 83.0 deg. to 47'8 deg. On Saturday the _ . thermometer on the grass indicated 32.2 deg. ; the highes reading in the sun was 104.6 deg. on Thursday. The differ ence between the mean dew-point and the air 9.7 deg. The wind veered south, and changed from south-west to north-west. The sky for the most part was cloudy through out the week. Rain fell on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.; and on Saturday, rain fell genera?ly till evening. THE VICTORIA CROSS. (From the London Gazette of last night.) WAR-OFFICE, AUG. 23. The Queen has been graciously pleased to signify her in tention to confer the decoration of the Victoria Cross on the undermentioned Officer and Non-Commissioned Officers, who have been recommended to her Majesty for that Deco ration on account of Acts of Bravery performed by them in India, as recorded against their several names, viz. :- 66TH (GHOORKBA) BENGAL NATIVE INFANTRY. Lieutenant JOHN ADAM TYTLER, Feb. 10, 1858.—0 n the attacking parties approaching the enemy's position under a heavy fire of round shot, grape, and musketry, on the occasion of the action at Choorpoora, on the 10th Feb ruary last, Lieut. Tytler dashed on horseback ahead of all, and alone, up to the enemy's guns, where he re mained engaged hand to hand, until they were carried by us; and where he was shot through the left arm, had a spear wound in his chest, and a ball through the right sleeve of his coat. (Letter from Captain C. C. G. Ross, commanding 66th (Goorkha) Regiment, to Capt. Brown / low, Major of Brigade, Kemaon Field lli•rce. 37TH BENGAL NATIVE INFANTRY. - - - Sergeant-Major M. ROSAMOND, June 4, 1857.—This Non- Commissioned officer volunteered to accompany Lieut.- Col. Spottiswoode , commanding the 37th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry, to the right of the lines, in order to set them on fire, with the view of driving out the Sepoys—on the occasion of the outbreak at Benares, on the evening of June 4, 1857; and also volunteered with Sergeant-Major Gill, of the Loodiana Regiment, to bring off Capt. Brown, Pension Paymaster, his wife and icfant, and also some others, from a detached bungalow, into the barracks. His conduct was highly meritorious, and he has since been promoted. LOODIANA REGIMENT. Sergeant-Maier PETER GILL. June 4. 1857.—This Non- Commissioned Officer also conducted himself with gallantry at Benares, on the night of the 4th of June, 1857. He volunteered, with Sergeant-Major Rosamond, of the 37th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry, to bring in Captain Brown, Pension Paymaster, and his family, from a detached bungalow to the barracks, as above re corded, and saved the life of the Quartermaster-Sergeant of the 25th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry, in the early part of the evening, by cutting off the head of the Sepoy who had just bayoneted him. Sergeant-Major Gill states, that on the same Right he faced a guard of 27 men, with only a sergeant's sword ; and it is also re presented that he twice saved the life of Major Barrett, 27th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry, when attacked by Sepoys of his own regiment. 42D REGIMENT. Colour-Sergeant WILLIAM GARDNER, May 5, 1858—For his conspicuous and gallant conduct on the morning of the sth of May last, in having saved the life of Lieut.- Colonel Cameron, his commanding officer, who during the action at Bareilly on that day, had been knocked from his horse, when three fanatics rushed upon him. Colour-Sergeant Gardner ran out, and in a moment bayoneted two of them, and WBB in the act of attacking the third,when he was shot down by another soldier of the regiment. (Letter from Captain Macpherson, 42d Regi ment, to Lieut.-Colonel Cameron, Commanding that Regiment.) The Earl Jermyn and Hon. Mr. Hervey are making a tour of the German Spas. • The Couttess of Jersey and Lady Clementina Villiers intend to leave Homberg at the close of the month for Paris. Viscount Ranelagh, Col. the Hon. H. C. Lowther, M.P., Capt. Lowther, M.P., and Mr. Bentinck,.are stay ing at Lowther Castle. The party have had capital sport since the commencement of grouse shooting. POST-OFFICE NOTICES.—The following notices were issued from the General post-office yesterday, viz.:— The next mail from Calcutta direct, Penang, Sinaapore, and China, via Marseilles, is due in London on the 27th instant. The next mail from India, via Bombay and Marseilles, is due in London on the 3d prox. Mails for the Mediterranean, Egypt, India, Mauritius, Ceylon, and China, via Marseilles, will be despatched on the evening of the 25th inst. Mails for the Mediterranean, Egypt, India, and Mauritius, via Southampton, will be made up in London on the morning of the 27th inst., to be forwarded by the Sultan, appointed to sail on that day. The Australian mail, via Marseilles, is due in London on the 2d proximo. A mail for India, via Bom bay, will be made up on the 11th proximo, to be conveyed from Southampton by the Australian mail steamer Cambria. Notices were also given that the North American, with Ca nadian mails, will leave Liverpool, and the Fulton, with New York mails, will leave Southampton to-day, and the Asia with direct Boston mails, will leave Liverpool on Saturday next. THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH. We are indebted to Mr. George Saward, the indefatigable secretary of the Atlantic Telegraph Company, for the follow ing report of Mr. C. T. Bright, the engineer-in -chief of the Company, in reference to the proceedings during the paying out of the cable from the Agamemnon :-- "Atlantic Telegraph Company, Aug. 19, 1858. "TO THE DIRECTORS OF THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH COMPANY. " Gentlemen,—On arriving at Valentia on the morning of the sth inst., I forwarded to you by telegraph a brief report of the success which has attended the company's endeavours to place Newfoundland in electrical communi cation with Ireland, and I have now the honour to lay before you fuller particulars of the operations carried out on hoard H.M.S. Agamemnon, which I have been unable to do sooner, owing to the pressure consequent upon the return of the expedition. " After our departure from Queenstown, at 2 a.m., on the 18th ult., we proceeded towards the rendezvous, which we reached on the night of the 28th, having been delayed by contrary winds and a head swell ; we found the Niagara, Valorous, and Gorgon, which left Queenstown on the 17th, waiting for us, and on the morning of the 29th, the sea being smooth and the barometer standing at 30.50, the Agamemnon and Niagara were connected by a hawser stern to stern. The end of the cable on board the latter ship was then brought by the boats of the Valorous to the Agamem non, where the splice was finished by one o'clock local time, our position then being lat. 52 deg. 8 min. N., lon. 32 deg. 27 min. W., distant 938 2-10 statute, or 815 nau tical, miles from the White Strand Bay at Valentia. " Having veered out a sufficient length to bring the splice into the centre of the curve formed by the cable hanging between the ships, the hawser was released, and we proceeded on our course slowly, paying out slack freely for the first three hours, after which the speed of the ship was increased to four, and at 7 p.m. to five knots per hour. " All went on well until 7.45 p.m., when, immediately after passing from the outside to the centre of the coil in the main hold, the beginning of the first turn of the flake next below that in process of delivery was seen (on being exposed by the uncoiling of the cable above it) to be squeezed between the side of the cone in the eye of the coil, and the end of the piece of wood by which the leading in part of the coil was defended. "This injury occurred through the extent to which the coil was distributed during the gales encountered in our previous voyage. Although the whole of the upper part of the coil which had been displaced to such an extent as to promise any difficulty in paying out was removed, and coiled upon the upper deck abaft the foremast, it would appear that all the new cable which had been lately placed on the top of the main coil had shifted somewhat in the heavy weather, for it was necessary to rectify another defect arising from the same cause at a similar part of the coil soon after. " The old cable, which had been coiled for a longer time, and was more thickly coated with a mixture of tar and pitch, was not in the least degree disturbed. " When the defective piece had been passed under some of the turns of the flake then paying out to the outside, in order to allow of more narrow examination than could be made in the centre of the coil where the cable was passing out of the hold, Professor Thomson reported that continuity had ceased. " On the cessation of signals, I requested Capt. Preedy to stop the ship, having placed Mr. Clifford to superintend the machine, so that as little cable might be payed out as was consistent with safety. Mr. Canning taking charge of the reinstatement of the injury,while Mr. Hoare attended to the dynamometer. " It is in great measure owing to the care of these gentle men that no ill resulted from this critical mischance. " At 9.15 the fault was repaired, and shortly afterwards signals were again reported from the Niagara. We had at this time payed out 46 nautical miles of cable from the Agamemnon. " The depth of water at the time of this stoppage was 2,030 fathoms according to the nearest sounding. " By noon on the 30th we had payed out 135.8 nautical miles, being then in lat. 52.24, long. 29.50 by observation, and 718 miles distant from Valentia, the Niagara having laid 130 miles of cable. " After this the wind freshened, and a heavy swell got up, increasing the motion of the ship very much, and at mid night it was blowing hard from S.S.E., the consumption of coal required to keep up the speed which I desired to main tain being so great that some apprehension was felt in regard to the sufficiency of our supply of fuel. " At noon on the 31st the Agamemnon had paid out 280 miles, and the Niagara 285. " The weather did not allow of any observation, but our run by dead reckoning made us about 605 miles from Va lentia, and in the locality where the depth of 2,400 fathoms (the greatest in our route) was obtained by Capt. Dayman, in 11.M.5. Cyclops last year. " During the day the wind continued to blow heavily, the sea running very high; by midnight the barometer had fallen to 29'50, and everything indicated a change for worse rather than for better weather; we had then payed 350 miles of cable, the Niagara 365. "At noon on Sunday, August 1, we were 4781 miles from Valentia, our position, by observation, being lat. 52 deg. 26 min. 30 sec., long. 23 deg. 16 min. 30 sec., 434 miles having been payed oat from the Agamemnon, and 448 by the Niagara. " During the morning the wind had changed to S.W., and the weather gave signs of amendment, but a heavy swell remained, and in the afternoon the breeze freshened, squalls followed each other in rapid succession, and the ship pitched as much as before. " By noon on the 2d we were in lat. 52.35, long. 19.48, 351.6 miles from Valentia, 605 miles of cable having been laid from the Agamemnon and 615 from the Niagara. " In the afternoon the force of the wind decreased, and the motion of the ship was much easier. At three p.m. we bad to alter oar course for a few minutes to avoid a three masted schooner which passed us on the port bow, so closely as to make it a subject for congratulation that she did not cross our path astern. The cable grew out very much to the starboard side during the change, but I caused an addi tional amount of slack to be payed out at the time, so that no undue strain came upon it. " During the evening the weather was squally, and by four i❑ the morning of the 3d the wind had got round to the N.W., and a long slow swell from the S.W. caused the ship to pitch and roll as much as before. At this time some ex citement was caused by a barque bearing down upon our starboard beam ; we increased speed to clear her, but she hove to on being intercepted by the Valorous. " At noon on the 3d we had payed out 776 miles of cable, oeing then in lat. 52 deg. 26 min., long. 16 deg. 7 min. 40 sec., 202.2 miles from Valentia, the Niagara having laid 780 miles. " After this, the depth of water, which had averaged 2,000 fathoms since the Ist instant, began to lessen, and at five p.m. the greatest variation in our track (from 1,750 to 550 fathoms within about 10 miles) occurred, an extra per tentage of slack being laid to provide for any irregularities which might there exist in the bottom ; by midnight the depth had further decreased to 216 fathoms. "At four a.m., on the morning of the 4tb, the large coil in the main hold was exhausted, and we commenced paying out from the upper deck coil. " By noon the water had deepened again to 400 fathoms. We were then in lat. 52deg. llmin., long. 12deg. 40min., only 891 miles from Valentia, having laid 924 miles of cable, while the Niagara had laid 925. "During the day the wind and sea dropped, and at eight lu haviuK LLAttued di,tallee fluut Vtderltitt to 50 miles, the Valorous steamed ahead to make out the land. " The water now shoaled gradually. At 8.30 p.m., having finished the second coil a change was effected to the cable on the orlop deck. " At midnight we were in company with the Valorous in sight of the Upper Skellig Light ; and at dawn on the morning of the sth abreast of the Blasquets, steaming slowly towards Valentia. " At 6 a.m. we anchored in Doulas Bay, 2,022 nautical miles having been paid out between the two ships, and pro ceeded to coil a sufficient length of cable to reach the shore into one of the paddle-box boats of the Valorous. " The wind freshened in the course of the morning, by which the landing of the end was somewhat delayed, the swell becoming so great that Capt. Preedy got up steam in the Agamemnon, ready to put out to sea at any moment. " At 3 p.m. the end of the cable was safely brought to the beach, and passed into the company's station at Knightstown. The strain upon the cable varied during the paying out under different circumstances of weather, depth of water, and speed of ship, as will be seen by the accompanying tabu lar log,* which furnishes details recorded several times in each hour of the indicated strain, weight on breaks, angle of cable, rate of paying out, rate of ship, revolutions of screw, distance run according to Massey's log, distance made good by ot)servations, and a journal of all the events worthy of note in each watch ; an entry is also made of Greenwich time, so that the electricians' diary and the log kept on board the Niagara may be more readily compared with it. " Some inconvenience was experienced by the great accumulation of pitch and tar,' a second coating of which was laid on the cable when coiled away at Keyham for the winter to prevent it from rusting; but this had also its ad vantage in keeping down the cable leading from the coil, which had, if too dry in any place, a tendency to fly out when running at a high speed. " The paying -out machinery (consisting of the addition of Mr. Appold's brake to one of the two machines fitted on board each ship last year, as recommended by your com mittee, with the dynamometer for indicating the strain) has worked exceedingly well, in a manner which reflects the highest credit upon the manufacturers, Messrs. Easton and Amos. " The handwheel for lifting the weights when required, designed by Mr. Amos, was of considerable service during the unfavourable weather which prevailed for the chief part of the voyage. " The amount of slack payed out amounted to 22 per cent. upon the distance run. Less might have been laid, but I considered it desirable, to insure the cable lying everywhere on the bottom, that ample slack should be used to cover any irregularities within the bounds of probability. " I must not conclude this report without again ex pressing my deep sense and appreciation of the labo rious zeal and untiring patience exhibited by Captain Preedy and the officers and company of the Agamemnon; nor can I too strongly express my obligation to Mr. Canning and Mr. Clifford, who so ably took part with me in the general superintendence of the work, and to Mr. Hoare and Mr. Moore, whose supervision of the dynamometer and machinery was of the utmost value ; and it must not be for gotten that Capt. Hudson and the officers and crew of the Niagara, with Mr. Everett and Mr. Woodhouse, who had charge of the operation of paying out from the Niagara, with the assistance of Mr. Kell, have also performed their share of the labour equally with those who have returned to Ireland in the Agamemnon.—l have the honour to remain, your most obedient servant, "CHARLES T. BRIGHT, Engineer." * Forwarded to the Directors. THE NAVY. A Russian squadron, consisting of two corvettes and a clipper, arrived at Spithead yesterday morning, under the command of Commodore Popoff, from Copenhagen, bound for the Pacific. The Valorous,l6, Capt. W. C. Aldham, has been docked at Chatham, for the purpose of being cleaned and examined, in order to ascertain whether she received any injuries during the time she was employed in assisting to lay down the At lantic Telegraph. As soon as her defects have been made good she will assist in towing the large steamer Mersey, 40, to Portsmouth, after which it is understood that she will be ordered to the West Indies, to join the squadron under the command of Commodore H. Kellett, C.B. The Contest steamer yesterday arrived at the Royal Ar senal, Woolwich, bringing a portion of the siege guns or dered by the War Department, to be supplied by the con tractors at Lowmoor. Two 68-pounder guns, cast at the Royal Standard Iron Foundry, burst under proof an Mon day. Some of the fragments fell at an immense distance from the butt, and were lost In the Thames. It was stated that the accident occurrred from the inefficiency of the moulds. _ _ The funeral ear of the late Emperor Napoleon at Wool wich is now complete. During the progress of the renova tion various applications were made at the Arsenal for per mission to view the carriage, but in each case the applica tion was refused. _ Her Majesty's steam transport Industry, Master G. J. Hodges in command, sailed yesterday from Deptford, with victualling stores for Cork. The paddlewheel steamship Scourge, 6, Commander Prince Victor Hohenlohe-Langenbourg, left Plymouth on Friday evening for the Mediterranean. The steam frigate Terrible, 21, Captain F. H. H. Glasse, returned to Plymouth on Sunday with Mr. Mudge, Master of the Impregnable, and the party lent to the Queen, 110, to assist in conducting her to Sheerness. The Terrible is gone up to Hamoaze to have defects made good. The paddlewheel steamvessel Oberon, 3, Captain F. G. C. Paget, from Woolwich, with officers and supernumeraries for the storeship Madagascar at Rio Janeiro, arrived at Plymouth on Sunday afternoon, and having been supplied with fuel and an anchor, sailed on Monday evening for South America. ~7~{ . Y ~..J~., THE ARMY. Col. Moody, R.E., has not been appointed by the Govern ment to the office of Lieut.-Governor of British Columbia. The post to which he has been nominated is, we understand, that of Chief Commissioner of Public Lands and Works. He will also command a detachment of Royal Engineers. A Dublin paper contains the following items of intelli gence :—" We are sorry to hear that information has been received of the death of Col. Wm. Campbell, commanding the Bays in India, of fever. Col. Campbell was Private Se cretary to Lord Eglinton on his first coming as Lord-Lieu tenant of Ireland. The 2d Battalion Stb Regt., quartered at Mullingar, are under orders for Gibraltar. It is reported that H.R.H. the Duke of Cambridge, Gen. Sir H. Douglas, and Gen. Lord Clyde are to be raised to the rank of Field Marshal. An encampment is again to be formed at Wood lands next week." _ _ _ The recent visit of Major-General Peel, the Secretary of State for War, to Chatham has already been attended with great benefit, and several important improvements are in contemplation, in order to promote in an increased manner the health and comfort of the numerous troops quartered in that garrison. During the inspection of the barrack-rooms in Chatham garrison by General Peel it was pointed out that a great improvement would be effected if the number of soldiers now apportioned to each barrack-room could be somewhat reduced, in order to give, additional space to those troops remaining, who have to continue in the same room daring the day and night. The number of men now occupying each room is 16, and occasionally 18, exclusive of women, and this number was often exceeded before the camp was formed at the Spur Battery, when the barracks were very crowded. It is now proposed that the maximum number of men in each room shall be 12, which number is never to he exceeded. Each man will also be supplied with an increased quantity of fuel during the winter months. Several other minor alterations have also been directed to be carried out at Chatham Barracks, which will prove of great benefit to the soldiers quartered there. On Gen. Peel visiting Brompton Barracks, which are occupied by the Royal and East India Company's Engineers, his attention t was directed to the hospital for sick troops, which is placed in the very centre of the barracks, and, indeed, occupies nearly the whole of one side of the building, the healthy troops being quartered in almost the same building. It now appears that the obnoxious system of crowding sick and healthy troops together in the same barrack is at length to be abolished, the authorities at the War Department having arrived at the determination to erect an hospital on a suit able site at Chatham for the sole accommodation of the sick troops belonging to the Engineers and Ordnance corps, together with those in the East India Company's service quartered at Brompton. By this arrangement additional space will be afforded the Royal Sappers and Miners, who are at present very much crowded, and, as a natural conse quence, sickness is more than usually prevalent. An addi tional storey will also be added to one portion of Brampton Bat racks, in order that barrack-room may be provided for the additional companies, which will be formed as soon as the contemplated augmentation of that important arm of the service has been carried into effect. Several additional huts are to be erected near Prince Henry's bastion, adjoining those occupied by the depots comprising the 3d battalion, so that a larger number of men may be hutted before the winter sets in. The present state of St. Mary's Barracks, which are used almost exclusively as depot for the convalescent sick and wounded troops on their arrival at Chatham from India, and after their discharge from hospital, the condition of which has recently attracted a great deal of attention, was particularly investigated by Gen. Peel. As the large hospital at Southampton, to which the whole of the invalids will he transferred, is now nearly completed, it has been determined not to expend any large outlay of money in making extensive alterations at St. Mary's, and that building will therefore be permitted to re main in its present condition, which is altogether unfit for the reception of invalid, or indeed any other of her Ma jesty's troops, until the invalid establishment has been re moved from Chatham, when it is intended to quarter otber troops there. Fort Pitt will at the same time cease to be used as a hospital for the sick and wounded troops arriving from India and the colonies, and will be appropriated to troops, it being the present intention of the authorities to quarter ar tillery at that fort. Most of the improvements and altera tions ordered by Gen. Peel are to he immediately carried into effect. The following district order was issued yesterday by the Commander-in-Chief of the South-west District:-- DISTRICT ORDER, AUG. 23, 1858, BY MAJOR-GENERAL THE HON. JAS. YORE SCARLETT. " Her Majesty havingbeen pleased to promote Lieut.-Col. Wright, Assistant Quartermaster-General, to the command of a battalion, he necessarily vacates his appointment in the south-west district, and will cease to perform the duties from the 23d inst. Lieut.-Col. Conolly, Brigade Major, as a tem porary measure, will from that date do duty as Assistant Quartermaster-General, and Captain Thursby, A.D.C., Brigade Major. While congrawCating Colonel Wright on the promotion his services have so well earned, the Major-General cannot but be sensible that he is deprived in his district of an officer whom it will be very difficult to replace. The duties of the south-west district during Lieut.-Col. Wright's tenure of office on the staff have not only included the usual routine business of a very consider able body of troops belonging to the district, but also em barkation and disembarkation of upwards of 180,000 men and 7,000 horses. In the arrangements necessary for despatching them from Portsmouth, or receiving them from other sta tions by rail, not • ....lb-inns. kn. nor a man or horse been mis-sent, or any sort of delay taken place, owing to the admirable arrangements of Colonel Wright, combines with his instructions from head-quarters. Vessels at Spithead have been visited in all weathers and at all hours when necessary, and no pains spared by Colonel Wright to insure by due inspection the orders of Government for the comfort of troops on board being carried out, and every con venience secured to them. In the zealous and uncompromis.- ing performance of these duties, Lieut.-Col. Wright has, by his temperance and discretion, gained the confidence of all with whom he has had intercourse, and of none more than the general officers under whom he has served." In consequence of the volunteering from the Militia to the Line being opened, there will be nu field-day at Aldershott to-day. The A troop of Royal Horse Artillery, in command of Major Le Mesurier Tupper, left Woolwich on Monday for Canterbury, in charge of a battery of 18-pounder siege guns• Two batteries of the same calibre guns were yesterday de spatched from the Royal Arsenal for Colchester, to add to the fortification of the coast defences, and two other batte ries have left for Hythe and Eastbourne, in charge of Cot- Bent and Capt. Milward, R.A. The extra labour thus sud denly entailed on the Royal Carriage Department, has de manded an increase of hands, and an arrangement has been made to complete and turn out two batteries per , week. HOP INTELLIGENCE.—Kent : The reports which have been received from the several hop gre.wing districts invariably speak of the great improvement which has taken place in the appearance of the grounds during the last far days. The long drought, however, followed by the recent warm rains, has given to the plantations hi many places the appearance of bearing two crops at the same time—nee having attained the size of fullgrown hops, while the other is still in burr. The prevailing opinion among planters appears to be that although the yield will be less than lastyear , it will still be much too large to be profitable. The quality generally, however, is stated to be excellent ; though in few places in the Weald, we are informed, the flea is still doing some mischief among the forward kind. In Gondhurst there are this year rbout 60 acres less in plant than Jss year, while in the neighbouring parish of Horsmonden there is a diminution. Were this reduction of the quantity grown general, it would soon make itself felt upon the market price; but such a method of adapting the supply to the demand is only partial, some parishes having largely in' creased their acreage of hops during the past yga r . Pickings we are told, will be general in the Weald in the beginning of next week, while in Mid and West Kent it is not ex pected to be general till the Bth or 9th September. SusseX and Surrey : The accounts from the plantations in these counties speak of the progress of the hops during the past week as very great. The grounds generally are looking healthy, and the hops promise, if favourable weather con tinues, with warm nights, to attain a large size. In some districts, however, we still hear of pieces of slack biae, and that the crop is chiefly an outside one. Duty called c. 255,000 to £ 2 6o,ooo.—South-Wastern Gazette. - AI Par) des 17, Pan Der of t Eli a( scc.