The Sun. — London, England, 1858-11-09 00:00:00

THEATRE -ROYAL, DRURY-LANE.—Under the Manage of Miss Louisa Fyne and Mr. W. THIS EVENING, Balfe's ROSEMiss Harrison. OF CAST ILLY' , Louisa Py-ne, Miss Susan Pyne, Miss M. Pre ; M and Mr. r. Fer dinand Glover,. Mr. A. S t. Allyn, M Bar s c ot; a W. Harrison. Conductor-3tr. Alfred -Mellon. To conclude with a new Ballet Divertissement.LA FLEUR D'A3IOUR Mesdllea. L. Itiche let, 3lorlacchi, and Pasquale. ------- ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE. Under the Management of Mr. Charles Kean. THIS EVENING will be presented Shakspere's rlarof WING JOINT. King John, Mr. C. I:ean—Constance, Mrs. C. Kean. . Preceded by the Farce of AWAY WITH MELANCHOLY. --______ TTIEATRE-ROYAI„ HAYMARKET. - • .. Lessee, Mr. J. B. Buckstone. `PETS El-ENING will be performed (second time) THE TALI'; OF A COAT. Mr. Charles Mathews. After which,. THE DOWAGER. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Mathews. Fol l o wed by THE ETON BOY. Mr. and Mrs. Cha rles Mathews, &c. And JACK'S RETURN FROM CANTON. Commence at 7. ROYAL STRAND THE ATRE. Lessee and Directress, Miss Swanborough. THIS EVENING, WOOING IN JEST AND LOVING INEARNEST: Messrs. Selby, Parselle, and Miss Swan erough. • After which THE MAID AND THE MAGPIE. Followed by THE LAST OF THE PIGTAILS : Messrs. C. Selby, J: Bland, J. Clarke, &c. And THE BONNIE FISH WIFE. Commence at 7 o'clock. • ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE, Westminster - road. Sole Lessee, Mr. William Cooke. Astounding and Expensive Parisian Engagement. T}WS EVENING, and during the week, will be presented THE 'WOODMAN'S HORSE, introducing a treble company of equestrians and the finest Stud of Horses in the world s . Ch ara cters by . Messrs. Holloway, W. Cooke, Anson, Franci, Mark Howard, Anderson. Followed" by_ the inimitable SCENES OF THE ARENA, in which rift'. W.. Cooke, Mr. Runnels, Miss Kate Cooke, and Madlle. Blt•nche will appear. After w hich, Madame Amilie Maurice, f back rom P of the ,Gall make her Terrific A scent from the Stage to the Mons. Mauri.le will also have the honour to introduce his extraordinary ,D9gs. To conclude with A MISTAKEN STORY Dress. Circle, ; Upper Boxes, 2s. l • Galleries, 84. P r i v ate Ilexes from £ 1 ls. to £ 2 2s. and' upwards. Stare Manager, Mr. R. Phillips. CANTERBURY HALL, Westminster-road.— Prop. - tetor—C. MonToN. The public is most ru.ipecttully informed that 'the FINE ARTS GA t.r.F.RT, in conntetion with the above Hall, IS NOW OPEN DAT AND.NIC4 HT, from 11 o'clock a.m. until 12 o'clock p.m. The New Grilery contains an extensive Collec tion of Pictures, by Andel it and Modern Masters, and Is also devoted to Art productiout generally. The Proprietor feels he may confidently assert that, viewed altogether, the exist ing. Music Hall, the New Five Arts Gallery, and the recently added Ante-Hall, will present an attraction which, whether as regards the architectural beauty of the structures them selves,or the varied and hitherto unattempted combinations within, will be found to be wholly without parallel in the King - dom.. . The MUSICAL ENTERTAINanINT commences as usual at Seven o'clock. THE WEATHER.—Stng OFFICE, Nov. 8. THERMIHETER, IN THE SHADE. 60—highest since noon yesterday. 43—l o west this morning and during the night. 46—this day at noon. BAnomETEn-30.48—a sudden rise. Wtsr, Easterly ; fresh, with fine cold sunshiny wea. ther—a splendid Lord Mayor's Day. The affair of the Charles et Georges, although it at one time presented a very untoward aspect, may eventually lead to very benefical results. There was no doubt that one party to the dispute had deter mined on carrying matters with a very high hand— that although one of those who had very recently I recommended that the arbitration of a friendly state should be resorted to in every case, he had totally repudiated any such interference, and, sub stituting might for right, had insisted on Portugal's acceptance of terms 'dictated by himself—and to which only the hopelessness of the contest that might have ensued could have induced the Cabinet to accede. Any intemperance on their part, or, we may add, on that of England, might have pro duced very deplorable results ! We shall not at present speculate on the possible consequences of a difficulty with France inevitably leading to a general European war. We shall not inquire which party would eventually triumph, but it is not necessary to pretend to any powers of vaticination to say that the most successful party would have many reasons to deplore the unfortunate collision. A hasty word, a point of ridiculous punctilio, might have led to the sacrifice of thousands of valuable lives and millions of money; and that so awful a calamity has been avoided may b 2. attributed to the judicious temperance of the Marquis of LOELE in the first instance, and, secondly, of Lord MALMESBURY and his colleagues in the Government of Lord DERBY. Had Portugal resisted the improper and unwar rantable demand, England must have supported her. We could not have seen our ancient ally, one that has been united to us by many—we do not mean" dynastic"—ties, trampled on. If her cause were just, and we have not the slightest doubt or difficulty on the point, we must have supported her against any and every opponent, and the refusal of France to abide the decision of an arbitrator even of her own selection, in the face of the decision arrived at during the Parisian Conferences, would have rendered British assistance to Portugal per fectly inevitable, and, as we have already said, it would have been impossible to have predicted the results. The prudence of the Portuguese Government has, however, averted these formidable perils. They yielded to the pressure under protest, rightly con sidering that such a course would induce the EMPEROR to look more closely to the nature and character of the transaction than :anything that they could possibly say on the subject. By so doing they deprived him of the faintest scintilla juris," they left him not the faintest Fhad6w of a claim. He has made himself the arbiter. It was virtually an appeal from Pmur drunk to Pnxiir sober—from:an excited to a cool man,. Although the EMPEROR has not yielded a com plete amende honorable, he has made very consi derable 'concessions, and it is manifest that he is thoroughly ashamed of the transaction. lie pretends to justify his unjustifiable proceedings against Portugal on the ground of his sincere devotion to the honour of the French flag. Surely that "honour" would not be vindicated or sustained by compelling an apology where none was due, or by protecting those who were really disgraci ng th e national standard, while they_ availed themselves of its shelter to cover atrocities that would otherwise subject them to sev ere penalties. The Emperor did not cast hi s mantle over BARTHELEMY, or any other criminal who . had offended agPinst the laws of Eng 11',nd, on the ground that they were F renc h su bjects ; why) then, should he hav e complained decision which declared the forfeit ure against the of the Charles et Georges by a competent tribunal, and sentenced its captain to a severe, but in, his case, comparatively lenient we are bound to declare, a punishment. • But setting aside that attempt to et over a very unjustifiable, and at t he same time, a very injudi cious act, .we are bound to admit that the rest of the EMPEROR'S letter, which ap peared in the Moniteur and also •in The San of yesterday , is very satisfactory. It s T h e to his'cousin the Prince NAPOLEON, who is Minister of Algeria and the Colonies, and therefore boi n 1 to look to matters of this description. He declares • 441• -'° • ',.. "'" 41.'"" "4 ' ,;4 , 1111110 ' 1 4445101111 7(:! ' U°2031 THE SUN. TUESDAY. NOVEMBER 9, 1858. that "he had the liveliest desire, when the diffe rences with Portugal relative to the Charles-Georges had termi►iated, that the question of the engage ment of free labourers on the African coast should be definitively examined and finally settled on the truest principles of humanity and justice." It will be seen that he has postponed the claims of "humanity and justice" to the termination and satisfactory arrangement of the Portuguese diffi culty. While there was the slightest point deroga tory to what may be termed his " dignity," his " vanity," or his self-esteem, he cared nothing for the interests of humanity, of Europe, or even of France, with which he was more immediately concerned, but the preliminary point being disposed of he could enter on the remainder of the question with an easy mind and safe conscience. He now confesses that, as to the principle of the engagement of the negroes, his ideas are far from being settled —emphatically adding, " If, in truth, labourers recruited on the African coast are not allowed the exercise of their free will, and if this enrolment is only the slave trade in disguise, I will have it on no terms; for it is not I who will anywhere protect enterprises contrary to humanity and to civilisation." This is a noble declaration, sufficient to cover a multitude of sins. It atones for every previous error, and places the EMPEROR once more in a right position. It would have been more satisfac- tory if, haling once seen the mistake into which he had been betrayed, he had completely rectified it ; but we shall trust to his magnanimity to render complete justice to Portugal eventually. The most complete proof of his sincerity, how ever, is the desire "to resume with the Eng lish Government the negotiations which were entered on a few months ago." This is a graceful act, and we cordially render to the EMPEROR all the credit to which he is so justly entitled in consequence. It is an addi tional illustration of the truth of the doctrine, that now frequently we " Pluck from the nettle danger the flower safety." Mr. BRIGHT has not gained much, we fancy, in the way of repute by his recent oratorical displays at Birmingham. In everything—saving in regard to the question of Parliamentary Reform—it is not too much to say, he went directly counter to popu lar opinion. Even when endeavouring to repudiate the notion of his being un-English and anti national, he only contrived to prove himself more and more clearly to be both one and the other. Instead of suggesting wholesome and rational eco nomy, he propounded doctrines such as, if carried out at Whitehall, would transform the Chancellor of the Exchequer's premises in Downing-street into an elaborated establishment for the skinning of flints and the paring of cheeses. Never, we be lieve, were any sentiments ever enunciated by an eminent public man more diametrically opposed to the genius of the nation than those recently ex pressed by the hon. member for Birmingham. It has often been said, no doubt, that an Englishman dearly loves a lord; and that in these islands, more- over, there has long been flourishing a baneful sys tem, scornfully dubbed by the chief among our living satirists (men like CARLYLE and TIIACKEIUY) flunkeyism and snobbishness. We don't believe, for our own part, in the universality of this moral stain or social taint among us as a people. The im• putation is, to our thinking, nothing but a libe' upon the general multitude. It is rife among cer tain classes, no doubt, as in every other population of Christendom, but that those classes even predo minate in England we simply deny as an extrava gance. And therefore it certainly does appear to us to be nothing less than a gratuitous piece of im pertinence when any man in a great public assem bly rises for the purpose of inaugurating (in the outraged name of principle) the o most vulgar of all class movements—a movement against the aristo cracy. Hitherto we have assuredly imagined that our constitution was essentially a mixed constitu tion. It has appeared tons that that very blending in it of different elements constituted its strength and excellence. This, according to our view of'things, has been above all the distinguishing characteristic throughout the whole of our national annals, dating from our modern Parliament back to our ancient Wittenagemote. Precisely the same political truths in this way have been stamped upon our annals, though in different characters,"century after cen tury, generation after generation—whether it were the Micklc Synoth or the House of Commons— thanes and ealdormen or the five orders of the nobility—the princes of the heptarchy or the one constitutional Sovereign. It is merely the same thing by a different name —the apparently contrasting identity of six and half-a-dozen—whether we speak of the popular assembly as it was when it consisted of the repre sentatives of the ceorls and the borsholders, or as it is nowadays, when it consists of the representatives of yeomen, burghers, and potwallopers. Monarch, nobles, people -- king, lords, and commons—the same story is.told from the time when on the death of BRIHTRIC, EGBERT returned to seize the sceptre of Britain, after his three years' exile at the Court of CHARLEMAGNE. Even during the so-called in terregnum of the Commonwealth it was the same intrinsically. Then—as before, and as since—there were the two houses of Parliament. There was the House of Commons, and there was—" the other house !" The Upper House being no more called the House of Lords under CROMWELL than it is so termed nowadays in the debates of the House of COmmens. During the Commonwealth, therefore, we repeat, even during the Commonwealth there were the same elements of the constitution as there had been before, as there were to be afterwards. There were the two houses of Parliament—the House of Commons and " the other House"—and in lieu of the Crowned and Anointed King there was his Highness OLIVER CROMWELL, the Lord Protector. And " Long live his Highness ; God save the Lord Protector," shouted the spectators in Westminster Hall on the 26th of June, 1657—as OLIVER sat there in a magnificent chair of state, robed in a purple mantle lined with ermine, hold ing a sceptre of massive gold in his hand ! There on one side of his Highness the Lord Protector, stood the Lord Mayor, with the sword of the city —and on the other the Earl of 'WARWICK, with the sword of the Commonwealth. With different names, pageants, and costumes, it is the same story constantly throughout. So that when Mr.BRIGHT has declaimed with such vulgar zeal against the House of Peers and the Orders of Nobility, he is not only himself un-English and anti-national, but his ideas, his arguments, and his principles are simply un constitutional. Beyond a ll which, moreover, the member for Birmi ng h am ar ti cu l a t es ra th er incon gruously a complaint against the supposed exclu siveness of the House of Lords when he says that as distinctly as at the entrance to the Parks there is the announcement "No dogs are allowed to enter" —so at the door of " the other House" there is vir tually the positive intimation "No traders are allowed to enter." Nothing less th an i gnorance of the gravest kind could speak of the House of I'eers in this way, as the palace of an excuLive oli garchy. Why, in the House of Lords there are scarcely a dozen peers who can trace back their an SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 9, 1858. THE cestry in a direct line . to a period of time removed from this by three c r four hundred years. The noble houses whose c ttiefs sit there by right of their high rank, as hereditary legislators, are of compa ratively recent date as -patrician races. The Lords of En gland, Ireland, at , uci Scotland, Barons,Viscounts, Earls, Marquises, Dult, are there as such for the most part—in the vas t majority of instances—in reward for noble servici s done to the State by Com- Now a vali int soldier, now a heroic sailor, now a learned edge, now a skilful diploma tist—becomes a Peer a nd bequeaths to his descen- moners. dants on his death a ti tle and a coronet. The son of a ilighland gentlnm an, only the other day, in recompense for , his display of high qualities upon the battle field, bec( =es Lord CLYDE of Clydesdale. The first Lord NELSON, the greatest sea captain the world has ever known—though but a younger son of a poor country dc nyman—notoriously won his title at the sword's point, going into action with the words " A Peerage or Westminster Abbey !" Mr. SUGDEN, the son of a small tradesman in our own time, moreover, is, as a lawyer, Baron ST. LEONARDS. Mr. HARRIS, at the clot;e of the last century, by reason of his genius for diplomacy, became the first Earl of MALMESBURY. As a body, the Lords are drawn from the Commons. It is, consequently, to our thinking, both vulgar and ridiculous to de claim thus against the Peers and the Peerage, as against some pernicious incubus, instead of both being, as they are, part and parcel of the Constitution. But, says Mr. BRIGHT—" Traders are not admitted —and therefore the House of Peers is exclusive." Let any man prove that his being a trader benefits the country and leaves himself unrewarded—and be sure that rara axis will not have long to wait for his elevation to the peerage. But it is simply absurd to complain, because traders, as traders, are not admitted to the Upper House of Parliament. As well complain that successful sportsmen and accomplished anglers are not recompensed with peerages when they return with their bags and baskets crammed to repletion. Trade is its own great reward—in the gold tinkling in a Damen shower into the till. The Golden Calf :is excel lent, in its way, melted:down at the Mint, and stamped with the effigy of the reigning sovereign. We are not popularly desirous of having it raised upon a pedestal. We only want the use of it as a nation—passing through the purse and the breeches pocket. As a means for the performance of good service to the country, trade may even: now, when it so wills, win a peerage. Besides, the honoured ex-Chancellor already mentioned (Lord ST. LEO ' NARDS), how many members of the House of Peers are there not who are the descendants of trades men ! Let a trader, or the son of a trader, fight by land or by sea, as HORATIO NELSON and COLIN CAMPBELL fought before him—let a trader, or the son of a trader, master the rugged science of law, like Mr. YORKE—triumph, like Mr. HARRIS, in diplomacy—write essays and histories, prose and verse, like Mr. MACAULAY, and be sure he will find Trade no obstruction to the gaining of a peerage. Altogether, we cannot but think that people gene rally are arriving more and more distinctly at the conclusion that—as is undoubtedly the case—there is a great deal of eloquence in what is said by Mr. BRIGHT, but there is also a great deal of—Bosh. THE THEATRES. LATEST NEWS. THE INDIA MAILS. MALTA, SUNDAY, Nov. 7. The Ceylon left for Southampton at 7 p.m. The Euxine for Marseilles at midnight. The Ripon arrived at 3, and sailed at 9 p.m., on the 6th, with the outward Bombay mail. The Panther arrived at 9 p.m., and sailed at midnight. CONSTANTINOPLE, Nov. 3. The conference on the affairs of Montenegro has resumed its sittings this day, and the members composing it have come to an understanding. The dead body of Ghalib Pacha has been found. The laying down of a telegraphic cable between the Isle of Crete and Egypt has been commenced. The plague is stated to have completely disappeared from Bengazi. The Ambassadors of France, England, and Sardinia have presented notes to the Porte against the change in the political system of Turkey which would result from the return of Mehemet Ali Pacha to office. The Presse d' Orient publishes a sumptuary decree, having for object to put a check on the extravagance of the persons employed in public offices. The in habitants of Volo in Thessaly being exasperated at the exactions of the authorities, have soli cited the protection of the European consuls. r---- BERLIN, Nov. 7. The now Cabinet has just been definitively composed as follows :—President of the Coun cil, Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen ; Foreign Affairs, M. de Schleinitz ; War, General de Bonin; Finance, M. de Patow ; Agriculture, Count Puckler ; Public Worship, M. de Bethmann- Hollweg. M. Von der Heydt remains Minister of Commerce ; M. Simons, Minister of Justice ; M. Flottwell, Minister of the Interior. M. Auerswald is to be Minister without portfolio. The following telegram was received at Mr, Reuter's office : MADRID, Nov. 8. The Council of Ministers was occupied in its last sitting with the affairs of Mexico. The Ministers of Portugal have announced to the Chambers great administrative reforms. FRANCE. PARIS, MONDAY. BOURSE, Nov. B.—The market has been buoyant to-day, with a brisk rally on all securities. Threes, after having been done at 73f. 45c., improved to 73f. 60c. ; Mobilier varied from 952 f. 50c. to 965 f. ; Austrian, 665 f. to 667 f. 50c.; Lyons, 875 f. to 880 f.; Eastern, 702 f. 50c. to 705 f. —c.; * Northern, 985 f. to 990 f. ; Southern, 575 f. to 577 f. 50c. ; and Orleans, 1,360 f. to 1,362 f. 50c. The following are the last quotations : it per Cents. .... 96 Credit Foncier Do. end month .. Belgian 41 . — 3 per Cents. 73 60 Piedmonteso (5) 93 25 Do. end month.... 73 75 Roman 94 50 Bank Shares 3155 Austrian Credit Mobilier .. 972 50 Spanish Threes Do. Account ..... 972 50 Home Debt After the presentation of this report, Baron de Manteuffel on several occasions transacted business with the Prince, but the latter said not a word. to him about the report. This significant silence; joined to the arrival in Berlin of personages osten sibly summoned to form part of a new Ministry and among them M, d'Auerswald, an ardent poli tical adversary, caused the Ministers to resign." The King of Prussia, says a letter from Meran; has become much better, and regained in some measure his fdrmer portly appearance. It adds that in conversation his Majesty is more expansive, and appears in good spirits. Count Apponyi, the Austrian Minister in Lon don, arrived at .Vienna on the 4th, and was received at a private audience by the Emperor. Baron de Prokesch had the honour of dining at the palace on the 3d. The Archduke Charles Louis, Governor of the Tyrol, arrived on the 3d at Trieste from Vienna. A letter from Munich says :—" The . children of King Louis of Bavaria have inherited his Majesty's taste for literature, -end especially for poetry. His Majesty's eldest son, the reigning King, Maximi lian 11., has already published several poetical pro ductions; Prince A dalbert, another son, has also written poetry; and the Princess Alexandra, a daugh ter, has published a volume of tales, which has a large sale, and the proceeds of which are devoted to charita ble institutions. Duke Maxirailiam of Bavaria, also, is known.. for a work called ' Phantasus' and by several translations." Several of the Lisbon journals publish a note to the effect that al lymber of journalists had hel4 meeting to discuss the propriety of supporting a project for raising by national subscription the amount of the indemnities demanded-by the French Government for the capture of the Charles-Georges; and that they came to the conclusion that the pro posed subscription was inopportune. THE TREATY WITH JAPAN. We are enabled to state the more important sti pulations of the treaty signed at Jeddo, on the 26th of last August. This treaty, in the first place, engages that there shall be perpetual peace and friendship between her British Majesty . and the Tycoon of Japan ; secondly, that her Majesty may appoint a diplomatic agent to reside at Jeddo, and the Tycoon a diplomatic agent to reside in London, both of • them respectively to have the right of tra''elling freely to any part of the empire of Japan, and to any part of Great Britain also either .rower may appoint consuls or con sular agents . at any or all the ports of the other. The ports of Hadodadi, Kanagowa, and Nagasaki, in Japan, are to be opened to British subjects on the Ist of July, 1859. Nee-e-gata, or if Nee-e-gata be unsuitable, another convenient port on the west coast of Nipon, is to be opened on the Ist of Jan., 1860 ; Hiogo on the Ist of Jan., - 1863; and British subjects may permanently 'wide in all the fore going ports,,may lease ground, purchase or erect dwellings and warehouses, but may not erect forti fications. Within a certain distance of the specified ports they shall be free to go where they please, or, speaking generally, they have a tether of some 20 or 30 miles around either of them. From the Ist of Jan., 1862, they will be allowed to reside at Jeddo, and from the Ist of Jan., 1863, at Osaca for the purposes of trade. All questions of rights, whether of property or person, arising between themselves shall be subject to the jurisdic tion of the British authorities ; if they commit any crime against the Japanese they will be tried and punished by their own authorities, and vice versa, Japanese subjects in the same predica ment will be tried and punished by theirs ; but in either,ease the British Consuls are to act in the first instance as amicable arbitrators. In respect of debts contracted on either side, the respective autho rities will do their utmost to enforce recovery, but neither Government will be held responsible for the debts of its subjects. The Japanese Government will place no restrictions whatever upon the employment by British subjects of Japanese in any lawful capacity. British subjects will be allowed the free exercise of their religion, and for this purpose will have the right to erect suitable places of worship. Foreign and Japanese coin may be used indifferently for commercial pur poses. - Supplies for the British navy may be stored at certain specified ports free of duty. If British vessels are wrecked or stranded the Japanese autho rities will render every assistance in their power. British merchants will be at liberty to hire Japanese pilots. Munitions of war are to be the only excep tions to articles of import and export, which last, on the payment of an ad valorem duty at the place of import, are to be subject to no further tax, excise, or transit duty. Such articles may be re-exported without the payment of additional duty. The Japanese are to prevent fraud or smuggling, and to receive the benefit of all penalties or confisca tions. The treaty is written in English, Japanese, and Dutch, the Dutch version to be considered the original. Ali official communications on the part of the British to the Japanese authorities shall, how ever, henceforward be written in English, though for five years from the signature of the treaty, to facilitate the transaction of business, they are to be accompanied by a Dutch or Japanese version. The treaty may be revised on the application of either of the contracting parties, on giving one year's notice after the Ist of July, 1882. All the privileg es, immunities, and advantages granted, or to granted hereafter, by Japan to any other nation are to be freely and equally participated by the British Government and its subjects. The treaty is to be ratified within a year from the day of its signature. For the regulation of trade the articles which are appended to the treaty are to be considered as forming a part of it, and as equally binding. The majority of these relate to the arrangements of the Japanese Custom-house, but the more important contain the tariff of duties to be levied. In the first class, as free of duty, are specified gold and silver, coined or uncoined, wearing apparel in actual use, • and household furniture and printed books not intended for sale, but the property of persons who come to reside in Japan. On the second class a duty of five per cent. only will be levied, and this class comprises all articles used for the purpose of building, rigging, repairing, or fitting , out' ships, whaling gear , of all kinds, salted provisions, bread and breadstuffs , livi n g anima ls , coals, tim ber for building houses, rice, paddy, steam machinery, zinc, lead, tin, raw silk, cotton and woollen manufactured goods. A duty of 35 per cent. will, however, be levied on all. intoxicat ing liquors ; and goods not included in any of the preceding classes will pay a duty of 20 per cent. Japanese products which are exported as cargo will pay a duty of five per cent. The above are substantially all th 9 material stipulations of this important document. • THE LAKE COLONEt STRATON, C.B, TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sir,—l think it my duty to inform you that I have this day received a_ otter from Major Kent, of , the 77th Reginienti, dated " Calcutta, September 21, 1858," in consequence of his having seen my letter in the Times of the sth of August respecting my late brother, Colonel Straton, C. 8., 77th Regi ment. I beg to give you two extracts from his letter which I feel sure you will consider it right to publish in your paper. He says " The account in the Times is a base fabrication from beginning to end; the truth is, your brother (Colonel Straton) was far too ill to march himself to Dumdum, an deputed Colonel Chichester to do so for him." . . • . . . . " No man in the regiment has worn a stock since we were in Dublin more than a year ago, and it is simply absurd to attribute his death to such a cause. I offer no remarks on these statements, they speak loudly themselves. I am, Sir, your faithful servant, GEO. W. STRATON. Aylestene Rectory, Leicester, Nov. 5. NORWEGIAN' GRATITUDE.—Some time ago' a young gentleman, evidently a foreigner, and who, we be lieve had been studying farming in East Lothian ' called at the station of the North British Railway here, m aking in quiries about the price of a third-class ticket to Hull. On being told that there were no third-class by the e vening train to Hull, he seemed embarrassed. After a good deal of hesitation, he informed the station master, Mr. J. Bruce, that it was of great importance to him to get on by the first train, brit unfortunately a remittance of money, which he had expected, halnot.come to hand, and he wa s un able to pay for a second-class ticket. Mr. Bruce, in his usu al f e the rank and generous manner, and seeing , n o doubt, at a glnc sterling honest man written in the face of the youth, at once offered to pay his fare to York, an d if he required any mor money to give it him. This offer was of course gratefully accepted, and the stranger went on his way : Charming simplicity of Mr. Bruce, some people will exclaim. However in the course of a post or two a letter was received from Hull, enclosing the money lent, and gratefully thanking Mr.tßruce. So the affair is ended, thought he, and so the most would think. B ut not so. Some thought days a rather strange -looking packet was delivered by the postman to Mr B ruce , w hich, on being opened, disclosed to his astonished view an elegant silver cup, with a suitable inscription en graven upon it, as a token of a Norwegian's gratitude, and "in remembrance of Frederick Due, of Christiania." —.Berwick .Advertiser. POSTAL SUBSIDY TO THE GALWAY LINE. NEWS FROM NORTH AMERICA. The news of the first instalment of the success of the Galway line of steamers was communicated to the directors yesterday morning. Lord Bury has imparted the gratifying intelligence that he' has concluded the terms of a subsidy with Newfound land and the Imperial Government conjointly for that colony. It is understood that this commence ment has been made on the most liberal scale, and we have reason to believe that the future opera tions of Lord Bury with the remaining colonies will be conducted to a similar issue. It may there fore be considered that the Atlantic Royal Steam Navigation Company is now in a position to com pete with all, or any, lines of transatlantic steamers. Lord Bury is at present negotiating with the United States Government and the rest of the North American provinces. Considering the manner in which the Galway Company have itherto fulfilled all their promises, the immense I boon conferred upon Ireland by their agency, and the fact that through them British North America may look forward to the happy development of her colossal resources, this intelligence will be received throughout the empire with feelings of unmixed gratification, It is evident that the ex tension of the Cunard subsidy is not intended by the Government as a monopoly to be enjoyed by that energetic individual, who has certainly done much more to forward and foster the interests of the United States than those of the British colonies, and consequently of the British people. Hitherto, it has been a fact, that of - eight lines of steamers leaving the Unit - 1d Kingdom for various parts of the world, not one has despatched a single vessel from the shores of Ireland. Nor has a single Irish emigrant been enabled, previously to the establish ment of the Galway line, to sail even from an Eng lish port in a transatlantic steamer, at a cost easily attainable by a poor man. In this respect Ireland has hitherto been little better than a mere Wren breakwater to England. No Englishman who has the true interests of his country at heart can desire such a state of things. To Newfoundland has oc curred the good fortune of being the first to re spond eagerly and energetically to a claim which every colonist must feel carries a reciprocal boon in favour of his country and himself. So far, then, we heartily congratulate Lord Bury on his first auspi cious result of his patriotic mission, and we await with eager interest the next instalment of the noble viscount's successful negotiation on the other side of the Atlantic. SERIOUS ACCIDENT B 1 FIRE-ARMS. A most distressing accident occurred on Friday night from the use of fire-arms, Mr. Shiers, of Greenhill, has made a practice for some time of commemorating the sth of November by having a large bonfire near his house, at Greenhill, and in viting a number of his workpeople from the mill to assist in firing off two cannons, and letting off some fireworks. On Friday night he invited five of his overlookers up to his house, and they, with himself and sons, aided in firing off the cannons, as usual, and igniting fireworks. For .the purpose of causing the cannon to give a louder report they were rammed hard, by the end of the cannon being placed on an anvil and the ramrod struck with a sledge hammer. There were two cannons about 18 or 20 inches long, one inch or one and a quarter inch bore. the metal of the sides being one inch thick. About a quarter-past nine, after the firing had gone on for some time, one of the cannons was placed on the anvil for the purpose of being loaded. .A man named Edwin Cheetham, of Moorhey-street, a gardener for Mr. Shiers, held the cannon on the anvil ; Joseph Buckley, of Plane-street, worked the ramrod, and Joseph Bradley, of Side of Moor, stood on a kind of trestle, and struck the ramrod with a sledge-hammer. Either a piece of ignited wadding had remained in the cannon after the last firing, or the blows on the ramrod struck fire, and caused the powder to ignite, and the cannon burst. The effects were fearful. Cheetham had both his • hands shattered dreadfully with the fragments of the cannon, the left hand merely hanging by apiece of skin, his left leg was broken in two places, and he is considered to be in a very dangerous state. Buckley was severely wounded about the thighs and legs, and his trousers were set on fire. Bradley was knocked off the trestle by the force of the explosion, and lay on the ground on his back, but rose unin jured. John Lees, Royton-road, who was standing by at the time, had the first finger on his right hand blown off, and was badly wounded about the face. His clothes were also set on fire. Mr. John Shiers, jun., who was near at-the time, received a wound in the fleshy part of 4te thigh, but not a dangerous one. Joseph Ward, formerly a police man, who was also near the spot, was thrown on the floor by the force of the shock, but was not hurt. Mr. Shiers and several of his children were standing near, but, with the exception of Mr. John Shiers, none of them were injured. The injured workpeople, all of whom are married, were conveyed to their respective homes in cabs, They were attended to by Mr. Halkyard, Mr. Thompson, and Mr. Wilkinson, surgeons, who were sent for immediately after the accident had occurred, and who speedily attended and used their endeavours to alleviate the anguish of the sufferers. Mr. Shiers and his family also paid every attention to the wounded men. The melancholy affair, as may . well be supposed, caused considerable excitement in the neighbour hood.—Oldham Chronicle. A Cabinet Council was held yesterday at the o fficial residence of the Chancellor of the Exchequer in Downing-street. The Ministers present were :—The Earl of Derby, the Right Hon. B. Disraeli, the Lord Chancellor, the Marquis of Salisbury, the Earl of Hardwicke, Mr. Secretary Walpole, the Earl of Malmesbury. the Right Hon. Sir E. Bulwer Lytton, Gen. Peel, Lord Stanley, Sir John Pakington, the Right Hon. J. W. Henley, and Lord John Manners. Mr. Drummond Wolff, the new Private Secretary to Sir E. Lytton Bulwer, is the son of the Rev. Mr. Wolff, the hero of the mission of Bokhara, and himself the author of " Rambles through Corsica," and a novel called " Bon delle," which some years ago made a noise in the world. SWEARING IN OF THE LORD MAYOR FOR THE ENSUING YEAR.—Yesterday the Lord Mayor, Lord Mayor elect, aldermen, sheriffs, under-sheriffs, and chief officers of the corporation met in the Court •of Aldermen, and pro ceeded to the Guildhall, where the newly-elected Lord Mayor (Mr. Alderman Wire) was sworn into office. FAREWELL DINNER AT THE MANSION-HOUSE. — After the ceremony of swearing in the Lord Mayor at the Guildhall, the aldermen and sheriffs, the master, wardens, and court of assistants of the Innholders'i Company, the masters' wardens and court of assistants of the Cutlers' Company, the master and wardens of the Girdlers' Com pany, and the City officers, were entertained according to ancient custom at dinner at the Mansion-house. The Hon. William Ashley has been very seriously ill in the south of France, and at one period his condition was considered so precarious that his brother, the Hon. John Ashley, was summoned by telegraph to join him. We are happy to learn, from letters received by the family at the close of last week, that the hon. gentleman had ex perienced a favourable change, and that his medical atten dants were sanguine of his speedy ro3toration to health. THE ARCTIC EXPEDITION.—A bottle was on Ifonday picked up on the shore at Portobello, near Lti, h having inclosed in it a slip of paper bearing the following words :—" 1857, August 4.—Ship Lady Franklin, Arctic Regions, all well. Dear mother, P.B. One boy killed, PB." _ _ _ —• A meeting took place yesterday at the London Tavern, to consider the question of Bankruptcy Lim- Amendment, when a thoroughly practical " discussion took place t and a committee was appointed to investigate the merits of the two measures which are to be brouglkt unfler tale notice ofilie Legislature. -- REPRESENTATION OF THE COUNTY OF FIFE.— An influential meeting of electors was held at Markinch on Thursday (says the Dundee Courier) to consider and arrange for a successor to Mr. John Fergus. Mr. H. E. Wemyss occupied the chair. After some discussion it was resolved to support, for the Liberal interest, the worthy chaiiman. PUBLIC DRINKING FOUNTAIN ON HOLBORN HILL.—We understand that energetic efforts will shortly be made to obtain the consent of the proper authorities for the erection of the first public drinking fountain in London; and we believe the site selected will be Holborn-hill. The arrivals of gold announced yesterday were large. The Africa and City of Baltimore brought £151,000 from the United States, and the Lincolnshire £422,448 from Melbourne. The American supplies wore delivered to-day, and the whole will be taken for the Continent. Of the Australian a portion may for a tinge be deposited with the Bank. Gold continues to be sent from Russia, and a parcel of 00,000 is now on its way. In a short time, how ever, the navigation will be closed, and any future sums must be transmitted overland. Baron de la Noncere le Nou:y, the commander of the French naval squadron on the Newfoundland station, has just made a present to the Museum of Natural History of a young beaver which he caught in the river St. George. This curious animal, which is now becoming scarce, was b roug ht to France by the steam corvette Gassendi. During the voyage it was kept in a large boat on the deck; it re mained very quiet during the day, but at night was con stantly on the !wive, gnawing the thwarts, the oars, and the gunwales of the boat. Its teeth aro remarkably sharp and strong, being able to penetrate the hardest wood and even act like a file on iron. When taken out of the boat and allowed to run about on the deck it would approach the sailors, place itself on its hind legs, and hold out its fore p aws , w hi c h i t uses as hands to convey its food to its mouth. It was generally fed on vegetables, and was very fond of apples and pears. It would not touch fish, although, from fish bones having been frequently found in the beavers' huts at Newfound land, an opinion generally prevails that fish forms part of the usual food of those animals. Several large Newfound land dogs, who wero on board, used sometimes to approach it in rather a threatening- way, but without causing it any mark of fear. Although very tame, it would not allow itself to be fondled, and if any of the sailors attempted to touch it, would utter a cry like that of a child. M. do la Ronciere has also brought with him twa bustards; a large Newfoundland eagle ; a large sea-gull of the species called coals; and also several spruce plants, from which a kind of beer is made, much used among the sailors on the coast of America, and considered by them to be an excellent anti scorbutic beverage. DitURY-LANE. The ninth week of the Pyne and Harrison. company opened last evening with Auber's ever delightful and sparkling opera, " The Crown Diamonds." Miss Louisa Pyne undertook the difficult role of Catarina, and rendered its music with her usual delicacy of tact and brilliancy. The duet with Diana (Miss Susan Pyne) was linNaimonsly encored, as also was Rode's celebrated air with variations,. which was introduced by Miss Pyne upon this • occasion with the most triumphant success. It was of itself a mas terpiece of extraordinary modulation, and more resembled the effect of a tour de force masterpiece of manipulation on the flute or flageolet than a specimen of vocalisation. Mr. W. Harrison's Don Henrique de Sandoval was a dashing _ _ _ impersonation, the music of which was delivered with feel ing, power, and that artistic ease and facility for which this artist is so remarkable. Several of his morceaux were en cored, and Brinsley Richards' favourite ballad of "Oh, Whisper what thou feelest," was repeated with marked applause. Mr. Henry Corri made his first appearance this season as Rebolledo, the coiner chief. Mr. Corri's baritone told to great advantage, and his histrionic power was fully appreciated, as it deserved—his make-up should not be for gotten, which is deserving of the greatest praise. The audience appeared to appreciate the music of this truly charming opera as much as ever, and if bouquets, encores, calls throughout the piece and at the fall of the curtain, together with the most marked, conse cutive, and unequivocal applause, constitute public appro bation, we can cinly designate the representation of " The Crown Diamonds" at Drury-lane as an obvious and decided success. ASTLEY'S. Last night the favourite spectacle, entitled " The Wood man's Horse ; or, The False Knight," was renewed here with new scenery, dresses, and decorations. The piece, when first produced, met with great success, and, from the enthusiastic manner in which its repetition was received, a second success, more enduring than the former, seems to be pretty certain. The part of Clarence, the supposed low born, but noble youth, was sustained by Mr. Holloway with his usual ability ; and Miss Weston, as the Cicily Talk, secure a full share in the honours of the evening The other characters were very fairly sustained, but the play is to be prized chiefly for the frequent opportunities it affords to a horse not inappropriately named " Beauty," to exhibit the wonderful accomplishments that he has acquired under the skilful tuition of Mr. Cooko. This learned steed is, to all intents and purposes, the hero of the drama, and a " hero" he may well be called, since he does battle for dis tressed damsels, makes unmannerly oppressors take to their heels, restores captives to liberty by drawing with his teeth the bolts of their prison -doors, and, in a word, performs many of the glorious achievements which fell to the lot of knights errant in the days of chivalry. At the conclusion of the drama, previous to the " scenes in the arena," Madame Amilise Maurice made her first appearance in one of those perilous feats which causes, to a portion of the audience at least, great anxiety, viz., the ascent from the back of the stage to the highest gallery on a line of telegraphic wire. The ascent, though awe-inspiring to the spectators, has no terrors for Madame Maurice, who performs her wonderful journey with ease, amidst the loudest applause—in fact, "the gods" almost seemed inclined to insist on an encore. Another novelty was the introduction. f a troupe of performing doga. The entertainment concluded with the ever brilliant and ever amusing " Scenes in the Circle," in which Mr. W. Cooke showed to what perfection he had brought the art of horse training. The house was crowded. LYCEUM. Last night that magnificent concentration of talent, the elite of musical artistes, the chosen sixty of M. Jullien, performed a selection from " Der Freischutz." The intense meaning of the composer has never been so grandly inter preted before; both the conception and execution left nothing to be desired. The audience acknowledged a treat so un usual with acclamations of applause at the close. We regard this as one of the finest of M. Jullien's musical efforts, and hope to hear it frequently repeated, despite the threatened self-banishment of the illustrious composer. ALHAMBRA PALACE. Messrs. Howes and Cushing commenced their winter season last evening at this splendid edifice, with the most encouraging tokens of success. During the absence of the great American troupe, from the metropolis, great additions have been made to it, and it now embraces some of the most wonderful equestrians, both male and female, that ever graced a saddle. The company is now composed of 60 of the most renowned performers, amongst whom may be found Mr. William Omar, Mr. Holland, Mr. Murray, Mr. Richards, Miss Rose Madigan, Madlles. Mathilde, Gertrude, &c., &c. ; and, in order that a proper quota of fun may be given, no less than four clowns have been en gaged, viz., Myes, Pentland, Ferdinand, and Jackson. The different acts of horsemanship performed last evening were of such an astounding character, and executed with such great skill, that it would be invidious to single out any for special mention. This last remark does not apply to the elegant performances of the splendid horse Black Eagle, or the educated mules, Pete and Barney. The first is, according to our notion, the perfection of horse training, and the latter one of the most laughable performances ever produced. Taken as a whole, the entertainments at the Alhambra Palace are of the highest possible excellence, and well deserve the patronage that is so lavishly bestowed upon them. It is almost needless to say the vast building was crowded literally to the ceiling. RAILWAYS. Cash. Account. Orleans Northern New ditto B 3O .. 830 Lyons and Mediterranean 877 50 .. 878 75 New ditto — .• Geneva — .. 630 Midi Southern Wes tern 615 616 25 • Eastern 705 710 Grand Central Sardinian 457 50 .. 456 25 Austrian Exchange on London, at sight, paper, 25f. 10c. ; money, 25f Me.; three months, paper, 24f. 95e.; money, 24L 92ic. THE EAST. A letter from Rhodes of the 23d ult. gives the following account of the incidents which caused the English Consul to strike his flag :—" The English Consular Agent residing at Castelorizo was insulted by some Ottomans ; he made a report to the Consul at Rhodes, who demanded from the Governor that the offenders should be removed to Rhodes and punished severely. The Turkish cutter stationed in the port was accordingly sent to bring those persons to Rhodes, but on their arrival the Governor, instead of placing them in confinement, allowed them to walk about the town, alleging that until they should be tried and condemned he could not punish them by imprisonment. The Consul then went in full uniform to the Governor, and declared to him that his allegation was only a pretext to avoid doing justice, and that if the men were not put in prison at once he should consider Great Britain insulted. But the Governor refused to change his determination. The Consul in consequence struck his flag, sent a note to the Governor announcing that he had put an end to official relations, and confided to the French Consul the protection of the interests of British subjects. He ha s sen t a report of the whole affair to the English Embassy at Constantinople, and is now awaiting instruc- tions." by the Ottoman P or t e precious stones are forbidden. The following are som e o f the sumptuary enact mend "P ip t e s s just e ne i r a c d d o A p v t i t e In the public offices neither coffee, pipes nor sor bets are henceforth to be served. The function. aries above the grade of bala to the highest one alone to be allowed to have two horses in their carriages, and are forbidden to have several domes tics on horses. From the grade of bala downwards functionaries can only use one horse carriages, and boats with two pair of oars." PRUSSIA. The Prince of Hohenzollern on the 6th took the usual oath to the constitution, The other members of the Cabinet signed the same day the political programme which had been drawn up, and were received by the Prince Regent. A Berlin letter in the Post Gazette of Frankfort says :—" The following are details of the Minis terial crisis. It is certain, in the first place, that if the Ministers tendere44heir resignation, that course was brought about by the Prince Regent himself. After long deliberation the Ministers resolved not to offer their resignations, but to submit to the Prince a new programme. M. Flottwell, Minister of the Interior ad interim, who considered his func tions as terminated once that he had issued the circular relative to the elections, requested at the same time the Prince to allow him to retire and resume the office of President of the Province of Brandenburg. The Prince declared that he intended to retain him permanently as Minister of the In terior; but M. Flottwell answered that he could not remain Minister under the Presidency of Baron de Manteuffel, and that, besides, his views werenot in accord with those of the other members of the Cabinet. H.R.H. then expressed the hope that all the Ministers would place themselves at his dis posal. M. Flottwell asked if he should tell them so, and H.R.H. answered in the affirmative. M. Flottwell having communicated with the other Ministers, the latter held a council and resolved that their President should once again explain the situation to the Prince. This M. de Manteuffel did. The Prince requested a written report, and one was drawn up with such despatch that it was pre sented to him next day. In this report, which was written with much abiltty and dignity, the Minis ters exposed the present state of the country, gave the assurance that they had administered the country during ten years in the most conscientious manner, according to the instructions of the King, declared that after due reflection they considered themselves bound, as responsible Ministers of the Crown, to advise that no sudden change should be made in the system heretofore followed, and concluded by saying that they were disposed, if H.R.H. thought their services useful, to remain in office and to conform to the will of the Regent. THE lONIAN ISLANDS. The announcement that Mr. Gladstone will pro ceed to the lonian Islands in order to investigate the political condition of that dependency of the British Crown is pretty generally remarked upon by the continental journals. What new events, it is asked, have cecurred obliging the Fesence of a spe cial envoy at Corfu? I will give you the best infor mation I can obtain on the subject. Some ten years ago, or a little more, a constitution was accorded to the lonians, in order that they might not be in a less free condition that their brothers of continental Greece. This constitution placed the government of the domestic affairs of the lonians in their own bands in the form of a Parliament elected by uni- versal suffrage. When the constitution was pro mulgated there was much rejoicing, and the lonians thought themselves better off than if they received their sovereign authority from Athens. The Par liamentary Government was conducted with more or less success until the Queen of Greece and the Greek Government, inspired by Russia, revived a sentiment for Greek nationality, and this about the time when Russia advanced into the Danubian Principalities. Agents left Athens for Candia and the lonian Islands, to excite the Greek population to join in a proposed war on Turkish or British ground—wherever, in fact, the population was by religion and language Greek. To such an extent was this feeling universal that it was feared the whole of the Greek population of the East would eventually be engaged in invading Turkish ground, backed by King Otho and what was understood to be the patriotism of the classical Hellenes. France and England then at war with Russia, were not slow to discover what Power was exciting the Greek Court to create a diversion, and it became a question whether the treason of King Otho (or rather the Queen) should not be punished by depriving him of his throne. At all events it was necessary to send an army to Greece in order' to prevent the Greeks from revolutionising the,„Turkish frontiers and Candia and the lonian Islands. An Anglo- French force, as all the worldknows, was encamped many month s near Athens, and eventually retired without even obliging a change of Ministry. The Athenian Court and Government was put on its good behaviour, and England and France satisfied with promises tobehave better in the future. From that day the real patriotic party in Greece, who looked to England as the mother and guardian of their modern freedom, became the persecuted vic tims of the Court, and gradually the Chambers and Senate of the Greek nation have lost all go verning influence and power. These retrospec tive events must be recorded in order to under stand the sedition of the lonian Parliament. There are some hundred men of the lonian Parlia ment, generally poor, and open to foreign intrigue, who have been taught to believe that England, the country which made modern Greece, is the enemy of " a universal Greek nationality and independence." These men have, more particularly since the Russian war, employed their time in denouncing British authority, and abusing England and the English in the lonian journals, thus creating hatred towards her'Majesty's authority, and rendering civil rule almost impossible. I will now tell you what I be lieve to be one of the main secret causes of this rebellious action. The President of the lonian Chambers, Count Roma, Gen. Metaxa, and M. Michael Sontzo, are all said to be employed by Russia, through the Greek Government, to revive what is called the patriotism of the lonian Greeks. The means employed are perhaps known to her Majesty's agents.at Corfu; and from such sources, if I am correctly informed, this discontent of the Parliament is fed. Mr. Gladstone is a man of the most severe integrity ; conscientious to a fault, patient, investigating, and slow to arrive at conclu sions. When he gets to Corfu all these qualities will be employed to ascertain if the lonians have any real grievances. He will probably at length find that the Home Government has given the lonians material for a freedom and prosperity far greater than that possessed by any other group of the classical family whose ancient glory has lately received so graceful a tribute from his oven accom plished mind. He will perhaps further ascertain that foreign agency, working on ignorance and in digence, has deprived the people of the advantages which their late political freedom might have bestowed. .On the other hand, if those who know the character and condition of the lonians inform me correctly, there is a party, and that composed of the most respectable portion of the inhabitants, who are more alive to their real interests, and discover under the mild authority of the British Crown more guarantees for freedom and prosperity than could be hoped for if they were ruled from Athens. Around the Acropolis they find a Court deNo:ed to Russia, and a constitutional government as silent and lifeless as the classic marble which strews the land where he buried those patriots who but a few years ago fought for the freedom which the Bavarian King has slowly followed out with intrigue, and made an empty mockery. If such prove a correct picture of the political scene which awaits Mr. Gladstone, it will be found necessary to revise the constitution, and place the administration of affairs in the hands of a restricted and wiser assembly. Instead of going to the lonian Islands, perhaps Mr. Gladstone would have found the evils he seeks to unmask more readily at St. Petersburg and Athens.--Paris Correspondent of the Morning Post. THE HIGHEST RAILWAY IN THE WORLD. The Pabellon and Chanarcillo extension of the- Copiapo Railway in Chili is so far advanced that a trial trip has :been made on twelve miles, by Mr. Jaggert, the superintendent of locomotives. The engines, with a pressure of 1001bs. to the inch, easily moved round curves of 500 feet radius, and surmounted inclines some of which have a gradient of 170 to 324 feet in the mile, and atlength reached the terminus, which is at an elevation of 4,075 feet above the level of the sea—a less height, of course, than that to which Trevethick worked the sta tionary engine in Pasco, but said to be 1,000 feet higher than any other locomotive has reached. Doubtless the great engineer, when traversing the Andes, contemplated the day when the locomotive engine which he had invented—and George Stephen son was then studying in England—would be em ployed to pass the gorges of the Cordillera, where the llama is now the only beast of burden. We know that Trevethick did contemplate the apioli cation of the railway on this coast, and proposed, soon after his return, a railway to work some of the rich copper deposits of Atacama—a result which is now realised. The value of the railway for crossing the snow-bound passes of the Andes, and uniting the coasts with the verdant plains and pampas of the inland, can scarcely be estimated, and it will be the greatest means for making profit able the resources of the rich desert of Atacama. The Copiapo Railway is the only one in the world that has paid quarterly dividends, and other rail ways are in progress, or projected to work the Coquimbo, Huasco, and Chanarcillo districts in Chili. It is said that the summit level of the Copiapo extension is higher than the- only one in the world—that of the Great Indian Peninsular Railway for traversing the Western Ghauts. The Bore Ghaut incline is one of the grandest works in the world. The sum mit of the Seemmering Pass, on the Vienna and Trieste Railway—the highest in Europe—is about 3,000 feet above the level of the sea. The highest summit in North America is the p_ass of the Blue Mountains; terthe Baltimore mid — Ohi6 Railway, about 2,700 feet high. As the Valparaiso and San tiago Railway - only crosses the Cordilleras de la Cuesta, it does not reach the elevation of the Copiapo Railway. The elevation of 4,075 feet is not, however, the topmost height 'of the Copiapo Railway, for when the extension is completed two miles further, it will have reached 4,479 feet above the level of the Pacific. Some of the extension lines from Rio Janeiro cross the Sierra dos Orgaes, and in time they will reach the moun tain regions of Minas Goraes, but at present the Copiapo Railway has the claim of being the highest railway in the South American continent. The opening of this line is not a mere curiosity, but it is a useful example for the promotion of other undertakings. Thus, for instance, in Chili itself it will encourage the prosecution of the grand line projected to unite Santiago and Valparaiso with Buenos Ayres, by way of Rosario, and of which part of the system is completed, or in progress, and the rest surveyed. • It promises likewise the continuation of the railway system of the Brazils, from the coast to the inner feeders of the Amazon and the Plata. It is likewise a fact in favour of the many railways which are projected, and will be executed, from the Atlantic shore to California, traversing the Rocky Mountains, from Halifax to English Columbia. These summit levels teach engineers greater daring ; and the Alps, Cordilleras , and Ghauts, even the mighty Himalaya itself, -will no longer be considered bounds to the railwiil system. The summit of the Northern Bengal Railway at Darjeeling is as high as that of the Copiapo Railway.—Building News. M. Coste, so well known in connexion with the artificial breeding of fish, went a few days ago to the coast near Brest to examine the experiments made under hie direction for the breeding of oysters. He found that the experiments have succeeded beyond expectation; some of the fascines which had been thrown down some time Le k were, when raised, literally covered with little oysters, and the whole coast to Granville and Cancale is, so to speak. ein" bedded with them. The fishermen, having thought t h ! success of M. Coste impossible, were quite astonished. One of the fascines covered with oysters was carried away to D 0 shown to the Emperor, his Majesty taking great interest ill the experiments. P a Stec sale a fi PTO miss all u oiler tr a Ti firm, li qiu aeti l Per l'anc 20? --, - i i Darr and amo , tev e men sh ol and tan D; Dit t bitt , Ca