The Sun. — London, England, 1866-06-28 00:00:00

THE MIANTONOMAII. To say that the Americans are a great people is but to repeat a universally acknowledged aphorism. They build a city, launch a fleet, or set an army in the field in about the same space of time it would occupy us in this grand, old, but slow-moving coun try to discuss the preliminaries. A pressing national want felt by them is supplied at once, without refe rence to bewildered and bewildering " select cora n2ittees." Theoretical problems, in the art of war especially, are reduced with astonishing celerity into a practical, definite form, and the work, when com pleted, stands forth an accomplished fact, with its virtues and its faults freely open to the criticism of all Europe, and is, under all conditions, a striking monument of the energy, decision, and practical business sense of the statesmen and people of the youngest and most powerful among the world's family of nations. One of the latest conceived and executed of these Transatlantic prodigies is the two-turret vessel Miantonomah, now anchored at Spithead, and in allowing this vessel to visit England at the present moment, the Government of Piesident Johnson has conferred upon this country a service only secondary to that so frankly rendered in the recent suppres sion of the miserable Fenian demonstration on the shores of the Canadian lakes. The turret question is just now to us a matter of vital importance with regard to the constitution of our ironclad navy. It r a:ty be eventually that iron-clothed fleets may be com posed wholly of turret or of broadside ships, or that they may be composed of both, as with the American navy, where turret ships occupy the posi tion of the heavy breaching artillery of the fleet, the broadside ships being kept as the main body, avail able for general service where speed and power are both combined in one vessel. No opportunity for studying the whole subject with certain profit to ourselves can be afforded equal to a visit to the Iliantonomah and other turret ships of the Ameri can navy as they may visit our shores. The Miantonomah is a sister vessel to the Monadnock, now in the Pacific. As a war machine for close heavy fighting she appears to be perfect. The 15-inch Rodman guns are mounted on carriages and slides very superior to anything before seen England. The turrets are believed by the officers of the ship to be invulnerable to any gun that can be carr i e d attoat. The sides of the ship are so low in the water that nothing remains for an enemy to hit but the turrets, aild they, with their two 450-pounders, hit very hard in return. The training power of her guns given by the revolving of her turrets is doubled by reversing at any time the action of her twin screws ; she is undoubtedly as safe and as seaworthy as any vessel that ever floated as a man-of war ; she is, her officers say, quite as habitable as any ordinary vessel they ever sailed in ; and she is very much easier at sea than a broadside gun vessel of the same tonnage would be. As a vessel of only 1,500 tons, carrying four 15-inch guns in their pon derous 10-inch iron turrets, the speed of the vessel due from the proportion of her nominal engine power to tonnage has been sacrificed by widening and flattening the form of the ship's bottom, but this has left her with a speed of eight knots, mean, and is quite sufficient to enable her to fight any action in her capacity of a turret ship, any want of speed in manoeuvring which would be felt by avessel of her class, driven by a single screw, being fully compensated by the manoeuvring power given by the reversed action of her twin screws. The first impression felt on stepping on to the Mia.ntonomah's deck at Spithead is that she would make a welcome addition to the fixed forts on the Horse and Noman shoals for the defence of Spit head, and also that she would as assuredly be an efficient weapon with which to attack the same forts and open a passage into Spithead for an accompa nying fleet of iron-clad broadside ships. Between decks the visitor is at first bewildered by the quan tity of machinery scattered about. There are no less than 17 steam-engines, large and small, on this deck, and all have their apportioned work. Six of these engines drive the blowers which receive the air from the main air shaft (standing between the two funnels on the upper deck, about 9ft. in height), and distribute it along shaftings and up through gratings in all parts of the ship, for at sea the ship is neces sarily battened down fore and aft, and the only air that can enter the ship then, except down the main air shaft, is through the perforated tops of the turrets and pilot-houses. With two of the blowers set slowly to work ou board yesterday there was a strong upward rush of cool air through the air gratings in the floor of the ward room and other parts of the ship, the thermometer in the captain's cabin previous to the blowers being set moving marking 75 deg. There was, however, a feeling of oppressiveness which was, perhaps, due to the ab sence of the greater portion of the daylight, and the knowledge that air was being then breathed which had been sucked into a part of the vessel below the water line by mechanical means, through an iron column communicating with the outer atmosphere. All the officers of the Miantonomah declare that they rather like being at sea in a closed vessel. They get plenty of air below from the blowers, and must do so as long as there is any steam to drive them, and of the two, for comfort, they prefer for a sea voyage a vessel like their own to an ordinary cruiser. Indeed, the thermometer records kept on board prove that the heat below during the voyage across the Atlantic cannot have been so great as would be imagined by a stranger looking over the ship as she lies at Spithead and examining the means of supply ing and regulating the inboard draught of fresh air. At sea, however, the upper deck is always awash with the seas rolling over it, and this no doubt tends to cool the atmosphere below. As a handful of facts are, however, with a cartload of opinions, we give here a copy of the thermometer register of the tem perature on the middle of the berth deck on four days, or rather nights, during the voyage across : Juno 12. Juno 13. Juno 14. June 15. Deg. Deg. Deg. Dog. 10 pan 72 71 70 70 12 midnight.- 69 71 70 71 2 a.m 64 70 70 68 4 a•m 64 70 64 68 G a.m 6l 70 70 67 With regard to the seaworthiness of the vessel, no vessel, her officers declare, could have behaved better than the Miantonomah, and there was a suf ficiently stiff breeze experienced between New York and Halifax to test her in that respect. The seas rolled over her deck whenever the waves rose, on the quarters, the bows, or broadside, but they washed over without affecting the ship, an d t h e officer of the watch from his roomy perch on the raised platform between the two turrets could look with perfect equanimity upon the submerged hull of his vessel below. In this respect the Miantonomah only differs from many deep loaded sailing clipper ships in having no bulwarks to hold the water on her decks. Of the exact amount of work to be got out of the 15in. guns there appear to be no exact data available for comparison with the work of our beat present ship gun, the 12 ton 9in. rifle, or 250 pounder. Commander Cornwall, of the Miantono mah, who commanded a monitor before Charleston, once fired a total of 750 rounds from one of these guns, but the greatest number he ever fired in one day was 60 rounds. No phraseology would describe the outline of thi s gun so well as the accepted " soda-water bottle." Although of the immense dia meter of bore of 15in. at the muzzle, the outer dia meter there is only 2 1in., but the breech is im mensely weighted with metal. The gun is so evenly balanced upon its trunnions that the captain of the gun can elevate or depress it with one of his fingers on the screw lever. The elevating screw is lain. in diameter, and works loosely with its heel in a flat bottomed aietal cup, so as to give with any sudden shock from the gun. The carriages are, as already stated, superior to anything of the kind previously seen in this country. They are simply m a d e, and have a "continuity of strength" throughout. T he compressors are three iron plates working between four wooden balks. The slide lies on a level with the turret floor, and is merely two iron beams 9in. by 3in., planed true on their upper edge, and con nected to beams and plates at each end. Two men can run the guns in or out with ease, and one man can regulate the compressors. The sights over the top of the gun gave a range of 2,300 yards. The extreme of the gun's elevation is 9 deg., and of de pression 34 deg. The turrets are Oft. in height above the iron 3-inch deck, the 3-inch wood deck above the iron deck being above the actual base of the turret on the composition ring on which it rests. When fitted to the ship the under surface of the turret plates where they rest on the composition ring, and the ring there itself, are both planed true, and are always afterwards kept well oiled and greased to reduce the friction when the turret is revolving. Supposing that the turret is raised, as it is termed, for revolving, the fact is that only about two-thirds of the weight is taken on the spindle, the remainder slipping round on the composition ring. The turret is built of ten one-inch rolled iron plates, the surfar,e s of which are all carefully planed, and the whole then set up together in a cylindrical form, each plate breaking joint with its next neighbour. The bolts are " marlin-spike " shaped, of less diameter, but more numerous than in our turrets, and their heads are clinched on the outer face of the turret, instead of being cut off, as with us. The top of the turret is closed in with iron bars, 4in. by 3in., which are again covered with iron plating of one inch, per forated. The two gunports are each 2ft. wide by 3ft. 10in. in depth. They can be closed when the gun has been discharged by a 13in. iron stopper, which is pivoted on the floor and roof of the turret, and easily swings into and out of position. The pilothouse on the top of each turret weighs about 30 tons. The side armour of the ship is 7ft. in depth from the deck level to below the water line, and is formed of seven one-inch plates. The engines of the ship are of 800 horse power, nominal, on the back action principle of Mr. Isher wood, United States Navy, the connecting rod work ing towards each cylinder head. The cylinders are 30in. in diameter, with a 27in. stroke of piston, driven at full speed at 80 revolutions, with from 35 to 38 pounds of steam. The screws work inwards. The average heat in the engine-room in coming over averaged 80 deg., and in the stokehole 120 deg. The main faultto be found with the Miantonomah is that she has been constructed of wood instead of iron. The enormous weight she has to carry in turrets, guns, side and deck armour, engines &c., must tell upon a wooden hull. If we compare her with our own wooden-hulled Royal Sovereign, we find her excelling our ship in smallness of target offered to an enemy's shot, and in manoeuvring power by the action of her twin screws. On the other hand, the Royal Sovereign's turrets appear to be mounted on a much better system by reason of the greater diameter and strength of their central spindle and the solid wide area of support given by the frames of conical wheels under the turret turntable. The Roy al Sovereign, too, is much more habitable than the Miantonomah. On the relative merits of the guns and armour of the two ships no one can give a reliable opinion. The only method by which those questions could be satisfactorily solved would be to build two cylinders, one on the American and one orr the English turret principle, and fire with two guns at each turret, one gun being an American 15- inch Rodman, smallbore, and the other a 9-inch English naval 12 ton rifle. The power of the two guns would thus be proved on each turret at oppo site sides, and the principles on which the turrets are built respectively would also be satisfactorily tested. One peculiar feature in the American turret was almost omitted from notice—its ten one-inch iron plates have no backing. The interior diameter of the Miantonomah's turrets is 21ft., and their height from floor to the overhead beams 6ft. 4in. Atlantic Telegraph Expedition. All the final arrangements for the sailing of this great mechanical and scientific expedition were set tled on Tuesday. The great ship is now receiving her last length of cable from the Iris, and the coil ing of this and the final closing of the tank, to secure it from accidental injury, will be completed by to-day. The directors and a few invited guests then pay a farewell visit, and after that none will be allowed on board any of the vessels of the wire squadron, save the representatives of the press and those actually connected with the work of testing and laying the cable. Every part of the Great Eastern has now been got into the most perfect order. The machinery by which in less than four minutes her paddles can be disconnected and made to work independently of each other has been tried and found to answer admirably, and this improve ment is of the last importance in keeping the ship on the same spot while engaged in hauling up the cable laid last summer. It was then attempted to put a very powerful wrought iron guard over the screw, so that in backing astern full power there should not be the least risk of the screw fouling the cable. For this purpoie the great ship was trimmed down by the head considerably, in order to bring her stern well out of water. After a while, however, it was wisely decided not to affix such a guard, and those who remember the imminent risk of loss to which the Agamemnon was exposed in the storm of 1858 by a similar apparatus will not be sorry to hear that the Great Eastern will sail without one this time. On all vessels where it has been tried it has never been of the slightest use, and always a source of more or less serious apprehension. In backing over the cable, therefore, the Great Eastern will use her paddles only. The floats of these latter have been reduced by about a third of their width, and reefed in towards the axle, so as virtually to reduce them to a third of their diameter. This diminution of both surface and size will, of course, have a very material effect on the question of speed, and even after the careful cleansing the bottom has got not more than a knot an hour over the speed of last year is expected this time. Some old lengths of last year's cable have been stowed away on board the Albany and Medway. The Irish shore end is soiled on board the William Corry, which ship will leave with the Great Eastern. We much underrated the strength of this latter ponderous coil in a previous notice. The limit of its breaking strain has never been ascertained, but it is enormous. The outer covering is formed of wires or rather iron bars almost as thick as ordinary pokers, and it weighs upwards of 20 tons to the mile—nearly double the size and strength of the largest submarine cable ever made. The ships which are to take fuel for the Great Eastern to Berehaven have already started, and the whole squadron will sail from the Medway on Saturday next. The tide on that day will suit perfectly, but, as the Channel is devious and the Great Eastern deep, she will only go at very slow speed till past the Downs, being carefully piloted so far by a Government vessel, which will precede her. At Berehaven she will fill up the rest of her coal while the William Corry is laying the shore end from under the cliffs at Valentia. This labour over, h r :: th the splice w ill b e ma d e, an d the Great Eastern will e new commence nece her work. For the fi rs t 100 m il es f rom B cable will be used, but down the gentle incline, into deep water, known in deep-sea Nomenclature as the Irish bank, 300 miles of the cable ptool f o l Ny a e s ed t y w.f a oTu r hne v r a le i a l n l nt b di e r et u s hye e o d yn , eawndefOr the rest of the route age (m a t h? cable no accident a l ccoindleyhtb occur,e is expected to oc cupy not more tha n t en days. Themer e e l x l ed u i e ti d o e n r s at o o f od lBsB is to be an important alteration in the plan of elec tricalthwi what a y t e i a s r . n The w w operations and 1865 proved, merely the Atlantic, but engineers, that there is no difficulty in by laying a wire rope across to lay such a rope with an insulated telegraph conductor in its interior without damaging its integrity has , hitherto proved impracticable. This year, as we have said, great improvements have been made in the plan and apparatus for testing the e lectrical con dition of the line. The Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company have secured the professional services of those eminent electricians, Professor William Thomson and Mr. Cromwell Parley, who are now the consulting electricians of that companY• Last year the tests for determining the condition of faults and also the strength of earth currents were Performed on board ship. This year accurate tests will be made at both ends of the cable and a con tinuous exchange of results will be telegraphed from one to the other, the information which the shore can give to the ship being of the highest importance to enable those on board ship to find out the position of a fault accurately and rapidly should any unfor tunately OMIT. The principal batteries used for testing will be on board ship, and the shore will have to read off and decipher these indications without any other access to the battery than what is afforded through the cable. It is of the utmost consequence that the most com petent electrkians should be at each end of the cable, and it has been, therefore, finally decided that one of the consulting electricians shall be at each end of the line during the operation of paying out. Pro fessrm Thomson will go out in the Great Eastern NO,th Mr. Willoughby Smith, while Mr. C. F. Varley 'will remain at Valentia. Mr. It. A. Glass, who will be also at Valentia during the submergence, will this time be assisted by the presence of highly competent authority in elec trical matters, and such information will be ex changed almost hourly through the cable as will enable those on shore to know not only the posi tion of the Great Eastern and the amount of cable paid out, but also the electric condition of the cable and the approximate distance of faults, should any unfortunately be discovered. It is worthy of remark that during the manufacture of the 1865 cable and its being coiled on board the Great Eastern several faults occurred. This year there has not been a single one, which is a good omen of success for this great enterprise. Messrs. Thomson and Varley will remain for some time at each end of the line after it has been laid, to work the cable by their new appa ratus, known as the curb key. Mr. S. Canning, Mr. H. Clifford, and Mr. Temple are in absolute charge of the duties relating to laying the cable, and after wards finding the broken end of that so unfortu nately lost last year. Capt. Anderson, assisted by his chief officer, Mr. Halpin, has entire command of the ship. in case that a fault be indicated by the electric test at any time during the paying out, the course to follow will be instantly, on an order being given by an officer in the electric room, to stop and reverse the ship's engines, and to put on the greatest safe-weight on the paying-out break. Thus, in the course of a very short time, the egress of the cable may be stopped, and if the weather be propitious the vessel may be kept, by judicious use of paddles, screw, and rudder in the required position for hours to allow the cable to hang almost vertically, with little more strain than the weight of the length of that portion of it between the ship and the bottom of the ocean. The best system of electric testing that has been brought into actual use, or even planned, cannot show within less than a mile the position of a fault consisting of a very slight loss of insulation unless both ends of the cable be at hand. Whatever the character of the flaw may be, unless the electric tests demonstrate its position to be remote from the outgoing part, the only thing that can be done to find whether it be just on board or just overboard is to cut the cable as near the outgoing part as the mechanical circumstances will permit. The electric test immediately transferred to the fresh-cut seaward end will indicate instantly if the insulation be perfect between it and the shore. A few minutes more, and the tests applied to the two ends of the remainder on board will show very closely the position of the fault, whatever its cha racter may be. The engineers will then be able to make proper arrangements immediately for re-splic ing and paying out good cable, and for cutting out the fault from the imperfect part. But if this fault occurs between the land end and the fresh-cut sea warJ end on board ship, proper simultaneous tests on board ship and on shore must be employed to ascertain whether the fault lies so near the vessel as to make it advisable to haul back the cable until it is got on board. This plan has not hitherto been much adopted, but if properly executed it is sure to be efficacious. If, then, it be necessary to haul back the cable, steam-power must be applied to reverse the paying -out machine, and by careful watching of the dynamometer, never letting it go above 60 or 65 cwt., and controlling the power accordingly, • the cable, which can bear a strain of 7 tons, will not break, and the fault will be got on board more surely, and possibly in a shorter time, than a " sulky sal mon" of 301 b. weight can be landed by an expert angler with a rod and line that could not bear 161 b. A question suggests itself :—How is the cable of last year to be brought to the surface when hooked? The operations of last August failed from the fact that the available rope tackle and hauling machine were not strong enough for this unexpected experiment. On no occasion, however, was the electric cable itself broken. The strongest rope employed last year in raising it consisted of iron wire and hemp spun together. This was capable of bearing 14 tons, and had been prepared merely as a buoy rope, and was all in 100 fathom lengths, joined by shackles with swivels. It had been manufactured to provide for the contingency of being obliged, by stress of wea ther or other causes, to cut or leave the cable in deep or shallow water. The wire rope itself never gave way, but on two or three occasions a swivel yielded. At one point of the operation of hauling in, 900 fathoms of Manilla rope had to be employed for the upper part, there not being enough of wire rope left ; and when 700 fathoms had been got in, it broke on board beside a shackle, and the remain ing 200 fathoms of Manilla rope, withl,slo fathoms of wire rope, the grapnel, and the . electric cable which it had hooked, were all lost for the year 1865. With tackle sufficiently strong, and the hauling machine of adequate power, both being under perfect control, the lifting of a submarine cable, as good in mecha nical quality as that of 1865, even from a depth of two nautical miles, is apparently practicable. The several plans of proceeding that have been proposed are of two classes—those in which by three or more ships it is proposed to bring a point of the cable to the surface without breaking it at all ; and those in which it is to be cut oz broken, and a point of the cable eastward from the break is to be brought to the surface. With reference to either plan it is to be remarked that by lifting simultaneously by several grapnels so constructed as to hold the cable without slipping along it or cutting it is possible to bring a point of the cable to the surface without subjecting it to an strain amounting to the weight of a length of cable equal to the depth of the water. But so many simultaneous grapplings by ships crossing the line of cable at considerable distances from one another would be required that this possibility is scarcely to be reckoned on practically without cut ting or breaking the cable at a point westward of the parts raised by the grapnels. On the other hand, with but three ships the cable might, no doubt, be brought to the surface at any point along the line without cutting it, and without subjecting it to much more strain than the weight corrseponding to the vertical depth, as is easily seen when it is considered that the cable was laid generally with from 10 to 15 per cent. of slack.' The plan which seems surest and simplest is to cut the cable at any chosen point, far enough east ward of the present broken end to be clear of en tanglement of lost buoy rope, grapnels, and the loose end of the electric -cable itself ; and then, or as soon as possible afterwards, to grapple and lift at a point about three miles further eastward. This could be well and safely accomplished by two ships, one with a cutting grapnel and the other—the Great Eastern herself—with a holding grapnel. The latter on hooking will haul up cautiously, never going beyond a safe strain, as shown by the dynamometer. The other, when assured that the Great Eastern has caught the cable, will haul up at first cautiously, but ultimately, when the cable is got well off the bottom by the big ship, the vessel on the west will move slowly eastwards and haul up with force enough to cut or break the cable. This leaves three miles of free cable on the western side of the Great Eastern grapnel, which will yield freely eastwards, even though partly lying along the bottom at first. She will then be able to haul up and work steadily east ward, so as to keep her grappling rope, and there fore ultimately the portion of the electric cable, hanging down on the two sides of the grapnel, as nearly vertical as is necessary to make sure work of getting the cable on board the vessel. The handiness of the Great Eastern, about which so much scepticism has prevailed, has been proved to be very much better than was expected, and to be sufficient for the requirements of the expedition in moderately fair weather. She has both screws and paddles, an advantage possessed by no other steamer in existence. By driving the screw at full power ahead and backing the paddles, to prevent the ship from moving ahead, or in case the screw should over power the paddles by driving thepad t d h l e scesfrtet aheadper astern, and driving at the same time with power enough to prevent the ship from going astern, " steerage way" is created by the lash of water from the screw against the rudder, and by this means the Great Eastern can be steered effectually without going ahead. Thus she is in calm or moderate weather as manageable as a small tug steamer, with reversing paddles, or even as a rowing boat. She has been made still more con trollable than she was last year by the adoption of a plan to disconnect either paddle at any moment—a plan which we have said has been most successfully accomplished. It may, perhaps, be interesting to state that during the past winter, and, indeed, up to the present day, the half of the cable laid last year has been incessantly watched and tested night and day. These tests show with great certainty that, up to the point of fracture, the cable is elec trically perfect, and has actually improved in con dition since it was first laid. Proclamation of Neutrality. A supplement to the London Gazette, dated Wednes day, June 27, contains a proclamation by the Queen, which, after the usual formal recitals of the state of war between the Sovereigns of Austria, Prussia, and Italy, declares—That, being desirous of preserving the blessings of peace, which her subjects now hap pily enjoy, England is firmly p ur p ose d an d deter mined to abstain altogether from taking any part, directly or indirectly, in the war now unhappily existing between the said Sovereigns and States, their subjects and territories, and to remain at peace with, and to maintain a peaceful and friendly inter course with all and with each of them and their re spective subjects, and others inhabiting within any of their countries, territories, and dominions, and to maintain a strict and impartial neutrality in the said hostilities and war, unhappily existing between them. The proclamation continues :—We, therefore, have thought fit, by and with the advice of our Privy Council, to issue this our Royal Proclamation. And we do hereby strictly charge and command all our loving subjects to govern themselves accord ingly, and to observe a strict neutrality in and during the aforesaid hostilities and war, and to ab stain from violating or contravening either the laws and statutes of the realm in this behalf, or the law of nations in relation thereto, as they will answer to the contrary at their peril. And whereas in and by a certain statute made and passed in the 59th year of his Majesty King George the Third, entitled " An act to prevent the enlisting or engagement of his Majesty's subjects to serve in a foreign service, and the fitting out or equippingin his Majesty's dominions vessels for war like purposes without his Majesty's licence," it is amongst other things declared and enacted as fol lows :—" That if any person within any part of the United Kingdom, or in any part of his Majesty's dominions beyond the seas, shall, with out the leave and licence of his Majesty, for that purpose first had and obtained as aforesaid, equip, furnish, fit out, or arm, or attempt or en deavour to equip, furnish, fit out, or arm, or pro cure to be equipped, furnished, fitted out, or armed, or shall knowingly aid, assist, or be concerned in the equipping, furnishing, fitting out, or arming of any ship, or vessel, with intent or in order that such ship or vessel shall be employed in the service of any foreign Prince, State, or Potentate, or of any foreign colony, province, or part of any province or people, or of any person or persons exercising or assuming to exercise any powers of Government in or over any foreign State, colony, province, or part of any province or people, as a transport or store ship, or with intent to cruise or commit hostilities against any Prince, State, or Potentate, or against the subjects or citizens of any Prince, State, or Po. tentate, or against the persons exercising, or assum ing to exercise, the powers of government in any colony, province, or part of any province or coun try, or against the inhabitants of any foreign colony, province, or part of any province or country with whom his Majesty shall not then be at war, or shall, within the United Kingdom, or any of his Majesty's dominions, or in any settlement, colony, territory, island, place, belonging or subject to his Majesty, issue or deliver any commission for any ship or vessel, to the intent that such ship or vessel shall be employed as aforesaid, every such person so offending shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanour, and shall, upon conviction thereof, upon any infor mation or indictment, be punished by fine and im prisonment, or either of them, at the discretion of the Court in which such offender shall be con victed; and every such ship or vessel, with the tackle, apparel, and furniture, together with all the mate rials, arms, ammunition and stores which maybelong to or be on board of any such ship or vessel, shall be forfeited; and it shall be lawful for any officer of his Majesty's Customs or Excise, or any officer of his Majesty's navy, who is by law empowered to make seizures for any forfeiture incurred under any of the laws of Customs or Excise, or the laws of trade and navigation, to seize such ships and vessels aforesaid, and in such places and in such manner, in which the officers of his Majesty's Customs or Ex cise, and the officers of his Majesty's navy, are em powered respectively to make seizures under the law of Customs and Excise, or under the laws of trade and navigation; and that every such ship and ves sel, with the tackle, apparel, and furniture, together with all the materials, arms, ammunition, and stores, which may belong to, or be on board of such ship or vessel, may be prosecuted and condemned, in the like manner, and in such Courts as ships or vessels may be prosecuted and condemned for any breach of the laws made for the protection of the revenues of the Customs and Excise, or the laws of trade aid navigation." And it is, in and by the said act, further enacted, " That if any person in any part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, or in any part of his Majesty's dominions beyond the seas, without the leave and licence of his Majesty for that purpose first had and obtained as aforesaid, shall, by adding to the number of the guns of such vessel, or changing those on board for other guns, or by the addition of any equipment for war, increase or augment, or procure to be increased or augmented, or shall be knowingly concerned in increasing or augmenting, the warlike force of any ship or vessel of war, or cruiser, or other armed vessel, which, at the time of her arrival in any part of the United King dom, or any of his Majesty's dominions, was a ship of war, cruiser, or armed vessel, in the service of any foreign State, Prince, or Potentate, or of any per son, or persons exercising, or assuming to exercise, any powers of government in or over any colony, province, or part of any province or people belong ing to the subject of any such Prince, State, or Potentate, or to the inhabitants of any colony, pro vince, or part of any province or country, under the control of any person or persons so exercising, or assuming to exercise, the powers of government, every such person so offending shall be deemed guilty of misdemeanour, and shall, upon being con victed thereof, upon any information or indictment, be punished by fire and imprisonment, or either of them, at the discretion of the Court before which such offender shall be convicted." Now, in order that none of our subjects may un warily render themselves liable to the penalties im posed by the said statute, we do hereby strictly com mand that no p erson or p ersons whatsoever, do c ommit any act, matter, or thing whatsoever con trary to the provisions of the said statute, upon pain and of our high displ easure . Penalties by the said statute imposed, of the several And we do hereby further warn and admonish all our loving subjects, an d a ll perso n s w h a t soever en titled to our prote-Ai on, to observe towards each and all of the aforesaid Sovereigns and States, their sub jects and territoxies, an d t owar d s all belligerents w hatsoever, with w h om we are at peace , th e d u ties of neutrality ; and to respect, in all and each of them, the exercise of those belligerent rights which we awl our Royal predecessors have always claimed to exercise. And we do hereby further warn all our loving subjects, and all perso ns w h a t soever en titled to our protection, that if any o f t h em s h a ll presum e, in contempt of this cur Royal Proclamation, and of our high displeasure, to do any acts in derogation of their duty as subjects of a neutral Sovereign, in a war between other Sovereigns and States, or in violation or contravention of the - law of nations in that behalf, as more especially by breaking, or en deavouring to break, any blockade lawfully and actually established by or on behalf of any or either of the said Sovereigns or States, by carrying officers, soldiers, despatches, arms, ammunition, military , stores or materials, or any article or articles consi dered and deemed to be contraband of war, accord ing to the law or modern usages of nation, for the use or service of any or either of the said Sovereigns and States, that all persons so offending, together with their ships and goods, will rightfully incur, and be justly liable to, hostile capture, and to the penal ties denounced by the law of nations in that behalf. And we do hereby give notice, that all our sub jects and persons entitled to our protection who may misconduct themselves in the premises, will do so at their peril and of their own wrong ; and that they will in no wise obtain any protection from us against such capture or such penalties as aforesaid, but will, on the contrary, incur our high displeasure by such misconduct. Society for Improving the Condition of the Labouring Classes. The twenty-second annual meeting of the sub scribers and friends of this society was held yester day, at Willis's Rooms, under the presidency of the Earl of SHAFTESBURY. The Rev. EmmuS BAILY having opened the pro ceedings with prayer, Mr. PAGE, the secretary, read the report, which speaks of a gradual improvement in the position of the society and the extension of its operations, and calls attention to the great necessity of such an agency consequent upon the overcrowding, resulting from the clearing away of the dwellings of the poor for new railways. It then states that the railway bills of the present session contemplated the removal of 16,000 houses, while the whole of the model lodging-houses only supplied accommodation for 8,798 persons, and after referring to recent legisla. tion on the subject, and urging the importance of extending the efforts to provide cheap and healthful dwellings for the working classes, it gives the fol lowing abstract of the cash account and of the funds and property of the society for the year ending 31st December, 1865 :—The funds actually received in the year from all sources for the general purposes of the society was £5,981 is. 6d. ; the balance in hand at the commencement of the year being £287, makes the total amount to be accounted for £6,268 is. 6d. The total current expenses of all the lodging houses (including repairs and re-paint ing, &c.) amounted to £3,365 6s. 33-d. ; the loans repaid, and other claims, and interest on loans, &c., amounted to £1,932 Bs. 4d. ; and the rent of of fices, salaries, manager's commission, printing of publications and plans, stationery, postages, and all incidentals, £669 4s. 3d. ; leaving a balance of £3Ol 2s. 71d. The real property, &c., of the society (valued at cost) is £44,365 3s. id., and the general liabilities £21,015 ; leaving assets, £23,350 3s. id. The Rev. J. B. OWEN moved a resolution adopt ing the report and recognising the Divine blessing upon the society's operations. As showing the value of the application of simple inexpensive methods of sanitary reform, he stated that of the population inhabiting the society's dwellings, numbering 1,678 persons, there had been only 28 deaths during the year, and of those 12 were children under 8 years old ; snaking the average of deaths among the popu lation inhabiting the society's houses only 16 per 1,000, the average in the entire population of London being 26 per 1,000, and the average in Edinburgh 27 per 1,000, in Manchester 33 per 1,000, and in Liverpool 41 per 1,000. Dr. GREENHILL, who from personal knowledge bore testimony to the benefit which had resulted from the sanitary measures adopted by the society in the provision made by them for providing improved dwellings, seconded the motion, which was carried. The Rev. Canon CONWAY moved the re-election of the members of the committee, and pointed out that as a means to the greater end of improving the moral and religious character of the lower classes, the operations of the society were of great import ance. The resolution was spoken to by the Rev. E. BAILY, who remarked upon the commercial aspect of the question, that by taking old buildings, alter ing them, and adapting them for suitable dwelling places for the poor, 5 per cent. might be secured on the outlay, and that upon freehold securities. On the motion of Mr. Spurling, seconded by the Rev. Mr. Wilkinson, who stated that five thousand poor persons would be dispossessed of their homes between this and October on the site of the proposed new law courts, and drew attention to the evils which overcrowding must occasion at such a season as the present, thanks were voted to the chairman, who, in acknowledging, said he had received letters regretting their inability to attend from the Bishop of London, Lord Ebury, and Lord C. Bruce. He then referred to the munificent gift of Mr. Peabody, and expressed the desire of the people of this coun try to reciprocate ; and in urging the claims of this society, observed that there was no greater obstacle to the social, moral, and intellectual improvement of the population than the domiciliary condition in which they were allowed to remain. He added that one result of the displacement of the dwellings of the poor to make room for railways and other improve ments was to increase rents so much that families who used to have two or more rooms were now crowded into one, and had to pay for that one as much as they formerly paid for two, and the evil was increasing to such an extent that the ultimate effect was fearful to contemplate. THE ASYLUM FOR FEMALE ORPHANS.--The new asylum for female orphans was opened at Bedding ton, near Croydon, yesterday, by the Duke of Cambridge, K.G., the president of the institution. After the arrival of his Royal Highness, who was received by the vice-pre sidents, the committee, and the secretary, ho proceeded to the building, accompanied by the Archbishop of. Canter bury and the Bishop of Winchester. Mr. W. H. Stone, M.P., then read an address, in which ho referred to the his tory of the institution. He stated that since it was estab lished in 1758 it had provided a home and a useful and Christian education for 2,874 orphan girls. At the time of its first foundation the situation of the f asylum at Lambeth was, no doubt, well suitedfor its purpose, but the enormous extension of London during late years had produced such changes in the neighbourhood as to render it in several respects inconvenient for an institution of this kind. The commit tee and guardians decided upon the removal of the children to a new situation in the country; and with that view they purchased the estate and mansion of Bedding ton, a former residence of the Carew family. The man sion had been successfully converted into an asylum capable of containing 200 children, with abundant space and venti lation, and all the advantages afforded by the best modern construction. The value of the old sito at Lambeth, together with the surplus land which might be disposed of at Beddington, would, it was hoped, cover the whole ex pense which had boon incurred in the removal. On en tering the large hall, one of the most remarkable parts of the mansion, an old Tudor building, which has been re stored and extended with great taste, the children and company, accompanied by the band of the Grenadier Guards, sang the National Anthem. A dejeuner, at which various toasts were proposed, closed the proceedings. [ADVERTISEMENT.]—Du Barry's delicious and health reste.ing Revalenta Arabioa Food, which contains three times the nourishment of the best meat, saves fifty times its cost in other remedies, restores perfect digestion, strong nerves, sound lungs, healthy liver, refreshing sleep, func tional regularity, and energy to the most disordered or en feebled, removing speedily and effectually indigestion (dys pepsia), habitual constipation, diarrhoea, hremorrhoids, liver complaints, flatulency, nervousness, biliousness, fevers, sore throats, catarrhs, colds, influenza, noises in the head and ears, rheumatism, gout, impurities, eruptions, hysteria, neu ralgia, irrita`Jility, sleeplessness, acidity, palpitation, heart burn, headache, debility, dropsy, cramps, spasms, nausea, and sickness, sinking fits, coughs, asthma, bronchitis, inci pient consumption. scrofula, tightness of the chest, pains at the pit of the stomach, between the shoulders, &c. Certi ficate No. 29,410. We find it the safest remedy. Andrew lire, M.D., F.R.S. ; Dr Harvey; Pr Wurzer ; Dr SLorland ; Dr Campbell. We quote a few out of the 62,0 0 cures —Cure No. 57,314. Tittenson • I cannot express my gratitude for the benefit I have derivt d from Du Barry's food. My ap petite is perfectly restored, the pains in my leg, back, and chest are quite gone, and I am fast gaining strength and flesh. Mrs A. Owen.—Cure No. 51,812. Miss Virginia Zeguers, enact of consumption, after her medical advisers abandoned all hopes of recovery. - Cure No. 49,432. Of fifty years' indescribable agony frcra dyspepsia, nervousness, asthma, cough, constipation, flatulency, spasms, sickness at the stomach, ri.ld vomiting,. Maria Joly, Wortham, Ling, near Dies, Norfolk.—Cure No. 47,121. Miss Elizabeth Jacobs, of Naaing Vicarage, Waltham Cross, Herts, of extreme nervous ness, indigestion, gatherings, low spirits, and nervous fancies In tins, 11b, 2$ 9d ; 21b, 4s 65 ; 51b, 11s ; 121 b, 22s ; 241 b, -IN.—Barry Du Barry and Co., No. 77, Regent-street, London; also Phillips, tea dealers, 8, King William-street ; likewise at 61, Graoechurch-street ; 4, Cheapside ; 49, Bishopsg-ate street Within ; 63, 150, and 298, Oxford-street ; 330, Strand; 54, Upper Baker-street ; 103, Tottenham-court-road ; 96, Upper-street, Islington, N.; Harvey, Notting-hill; Close Brothers, 66, High-street ; and Stubbs, Queen's-terrace, St. John's-wood. London; and all respectable grocers and ch'e , mists.---Beware of spurious imitations. SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. TIDIES.--At last the telegraph brings us news that the armies of the two great German Powers have met on the field of battle. The centre of the Prus sian army has, as our readers know, crossed the Austrian frontier within the last few days at the eastern extremity of Saxony, and advanced on Reichenberg and Turnau, while the left wing, under the command of the Crown Prince, extending from Landshut to Neisse, entered north-eastern Bohemia in force. Both these great divisions of the Prussian army have now engaged the enemy. There has been an encounter near Turnau, in which the Prussians are said to have been victorious, taking prisoners seven Austrian officers and 500 men. But this success will be more than counterbalanced by the disaster which appears to have befallen the Prussians at Silesia. The various accounts received by tele graph made it uncertain at what point the Crown Prince intended seriously to invade the Austrian territory. The Prussians were heard of at Oder berg and Oswiecin, at the extreme south-east of Silesia ; they were in possession of Zuckmantel and Friedberg, having crossed the frontier oppo site Neisse, and they were also operating further to the north-west. As we anticipated, it is at a point not too distant from the centre of their line that they have entered in force the Austrian territory. The centre of the Austrian line is sup posed to have extended from about Turnau to Josephstadt, and it is with the main body of Bene dek's army that the Prussians have been engaged in this the first German battle of the war. The mili tary pride of Austria may well be soothed by the event. In four days two battles have been won, and the invading armies of her two adversaries driven from the field. All we know of the battle is, that it was fought on Austrian ground, between Joseph stadt and the frontier. The troops engaged advanced through Nachod and Neustadt to Skalicz, which is within ten miles of Josephstadt, and here we may suppose they were met by the Austrians in force. The battle began at ten o'clock yesterday morning, and lasted till six in the evening. The Prussians were repulsed from Skalicz, the Austrian cavalry taking part in the action; and the Prussians were at the close of the day, according to the telegraphic despatch, in full retreat, leaving their dead and wounded on the field. Such is the success which the Austrian arms are said to have achieved. It may be exaggerated by a partial report, but there is in it nothing improbable. Field Marshal Benedek may have shown that if the Austrians have allowed their opponents to gain signal advantages at the beginning of the campaign it has not been for want of ability in their commander. The promptitude of the Prussians has gained for Berlin the supremacy of Northern Germany, but the inactivity of the Austrians, from whatever cause it has arisen, may at last have given them a triumph over their too confident opponents. We do not know the designs of the Prussian generals, nor what have been the dispositions of their forces; but it is difficult to believe that any good strategical purpose can be served by an invasion of Bohemia. The people are not German, they are sufficiently attached to Austrian rule, and they are above all things anti-Prussian. Any dislike they may feel for the Germans of the South is a faint sentiment when compared with the antipathy they bear to their neighbours across the mountains. No moral effect could therefore be produced by capturing positions in this essentially hostile territory. The Prussians could never conciliate or even conquer the Bohemian population. The only object, then, that an able com mander could propose to himself would be to anti cipate Benedek's invasion by attacking the Austrian army on its own territory. And in this he might feel some diffidence. Where the Great Frederick failed it is hardly given to another to succeed. Bo hemia is a country offering many positions for de fence ; it is strengthened with fortresses which have been carefully repaired within the last few months ; and the line of railway through Moravia to Vienna allows men and materials of war to be sent to any point of the frontier that may be threatened. The Austrians, too, have had large experience in de fensive warfare. Even when their organisation was most defective they fought great battles against the most active and spirited soldiers of the Continent. The student of their campaigns against either Napo leon knows that they have always been stubborn enemies, who might be borne down by French energy, but were hardly likely to succumb to brother Germans. These things might well have made the Prussian Generals hesitate in such a scheme as the invasion of Bohemia. It may be that their purpose was to get possession of the lines of railway which place Prague and the Saxon frontier in communica tion with Vienna, and thus to take a better hold of their new conquest. But, whatever the plan may have been, it seems to have been defeated. After a doubtful campaign the Prussians would have to re tire from Bohemia, probably at all points, and leave the Austrian commander to mature his own plans unmolested. In Northern and Western Germany matters look more favourable for Prussia, though the battle of yesterday may have its effect on all classes, raising the spirit of the Federal party and discouraging the Prussian alliance. But the ad vantages gained by the Berlin Government cannot be easily impaired. One of the strangest incidents of the war has been the effort of the Hanoverian army to escape, and the uncertainty which has pre vailed as to its fate. The last news was that a capi tulation would be effected, and that the greater part, if not the whole, of the army would surrender and be disbanded. Prussia, it was said, had again offered the King an alliance, with a guarantee for his pos session of the Throne, on the basis of Federal Re form. 'The King will neglect his own interests if any family or dynastic pride prevents him from ac cepting this offer. Whatever may be the military events of the war, it can hardly be doubted that the old Confederation is at an end, and that Northern Germany, at least, must be united under the leadership of Prussia. All the tendencies of the age are in favour of unity, and the monarchy of Berlin may justly look upon time as its ally. Thelonger the war lasts theless is it likely that the minor Sovereigns can be restored to their old state and independence. The shock of hostilities and the pressure of calamities will destroy the minor Courts and Bureaucracies of Germany. They can only prolong their existence under other conditions, and by leaning on the Power which has shown that not one of them has the strength to maintain its own independence for 24 hours. There is as yet no movement in the Federal army, to the command of which Prince Charles of Bavaria has been appointed by the Federal Diet. It may be presumed that the choice . of a commander has been dictated by the desire to attach the Bavarians as firmly as possible to the cause. This State can bring at once 50,000 men into the field, and in a few days the Federal army will amount to not less than twice that number. It remains to be seen what effect the Austrian success will have on the minds of the people whose Governments maintain the alli ance with Vienna. POST.—The Russell:Gladstone Administration, when it comes to have its hi s t or y written, will run the risk of having said of it, as was said of Charles 1., that the most graceful act of its life was its death. Nothing could be at once in better temper and taste than the short speech in which Mr. Gladstone an nounced on Tuesday the final decision which had been arrived at, and it is impossible to avoid the re flection that if former speeches from the same quar ter had partaken more of the same character we might even now have been in presence of a Reform Bill passed and a Government saved, instead of having to lament over the ashes of both bill and Go vernment. The House of Commons is a peculiarly sensitive assembly, and it is easy to conceive that the assumption of a somewhat dictatorial tone towards it—and that not only in the manner of proceeding but in the matter which was forced upon its reluctant attention—has had much to do with the astonishing rea3tion which has driven from office a Government starting with so much promise, and commanding so large a majority as the mori bund Administration which is now only await ing the appointment of its successors to retire from the direction of public affairs. The names of which it was composed, although wanting in such mighty towers of strength as those of Sidney Herbert and Cornewall Lewis, which shed so much lustre upon it in former days, were undoubtedly those which commanded the greatest respect and represented the greatest power among the whole Liberal party. With the traditional name of Rus sell in one house, and the increasing name of Glad stone in the other, it could boast of leaders second in most qualities to none who have ever preceded them. To Lord Clarendon we are indebted for the maintenance of a discreet, and, at the same time, a dignified foreign policy which has done something by no means inconsiderable towards the rehabilita tion of our much-decayed influence on the Conti nent, and especially towards the cultivation of in creased good feeling between this country and the French Empire. The Duke of Somerset, with a love of work and an application to details which are rare among those of much lower rank, has carried out that reconstruction of our navy of which Sir J. Pakington only t a lk e d ; L or d C ranwor th has main tained unsullied the honour of the Chancellorship, and filled it as worthily as his known ability and experience led the public to expect ; and, in addi tion to this, such men as Mr. Villiers and Mr. Mi ner Gibson not only brought to the Cabinet busi ness habits and great special aptitude for the work of their own departments, but also represented the great and growing power of the advanced section of the Liberal party. We cannot but feel regret that a Ministry so constituted should have come to so untimely an end, and that regret is increased by the reflection that the occasion of it need not have existed at all had Lord Russell and Mr. Gladstone but refrained from pressing upon colleagues who were certainly lukewarm, if not advetse towards the subject, their determination to attack the question of Reform, or even if, having attacked it, they could have had the generosity and justice to treat the House of Commons wifh more frankness and consideration. Mr. Gladstone's speech of Tuesday would appear to indicate that the lesson has not been lost upon him, and we confidently look for its effect when he next assumes the leadership of the house. In a Constitution like ours, not only the abilities but also the tempers of our political leaders are of vital importance ; and when, as in course of time he must do, Mr. Glad stone succeeds to the chief position in his party, we doubt not that he will habitually exercise that con trol over his temper which at times, under pecu liarly ,trying circumstances, he has shown himself to possess. Lord Derby having been sent for by her Majesty, there is no reasonable doubt that he will succeed in forming an Administration—and, although the materials with which he has to work may not be easily adaptable to the task in hand, the Conservatives have been out of office too long not to try their hand. At any rate the first difficulty that must present itself will be the choice of a Foreign Minister capable of worthily replacing, at so difficult a juncture, Lord Clarendon. The chiefs; of the Adullamite party, who have really brought the Conservatives in, will not, however, it is under stood, join them, more ostensibly than at present, but will so far support them as to stand between them and the Opposition, to prevent them from being unduly harassed, though how far precisely they may be inclined to go in defence of Tory prin ciples still remains to be seen ; and, judging from past experience, they may possibly at no distant time prove as dangerous to their new friends as they have been to their old. The new Administration will have the advantage of coming into power at the fag-end of the session, and consequently may be considered as safe until the meeting of Parlia ment next year. It would not, indeed, be loyal or fair in those who have been compelled to abandon the reins of power themselves to harass those who take them up without giving them some chance of showing their capabilities. The same reasons which were recognised as being so weighty as against a change of Government at this time will be of equal force as against a second change, and the forbear ance which should be shown to any Government now taking office should be great. The Liberals have had a long lease of power, and can well afford to be magnanimous for the present. When Parlia ment meets again it will be fair and proper enough to have a trial of strength. In the meantime, the propriety of abstaining from anything like factious opposition to whatever Government may be formed is apparent, and will, we doubt not, be fully recog nised by those who find themselves in the unaccus tomed places of opposition. COUNTRY MARKETS. NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE—TuEsDAY. At our market this morning there was a small supply of English wheat, and a moderate quantity from abroad. English wheat found buyers at an advance of from 2s. to 35., and fine foreign of from is. to 2s. per qr. on this day week. But the trade was not so active as on Saturday and secondary descriptions of foreign moved off slowly at an improvenieut of barely is. per qr. For very fine old English 595. were made. Barley and oats were the turn dearer. Malt was firm. Beans and peas were unchanged. Flour 3s. to 4s. per sack dearer. There was a moderate supply at llexham market to day, and prices were checked by the high rates asked. The quotations would bo about 2s. per qr. in advance of last week. There was a small supply of oats, and the demand was good at an improve ment of 2s. per qr. MONMOUTHSHIRE-TUESDAY. Tho various markets have been well supplied with wheat, and transactions were active. For best kinds there was a good inquhy, and prices still ialed upward. For foreign the demand was active, and the better sorts of inferiors sold more brisl-ly. The show of barley was be yond the average, and grinding qualities realised I.s. per qr. more money. The following are the average quotations:--Wheat, red, 5s 9d to Gs Gd per bushel ; inferior ditto, 5s 6d to Os. Od ; white, Gs 3d to is ; nialtingbarley, 36s to 40s per qr ; grind ing diao, 29s to 30s; beans, 445; white oats, 25s 6d to 275; black ditto, 21s 6d to 25s 6d. LYNN-TUESDAY. To-day there was more wheat than of late, the demand was steady, at an advance of 3s. per qr. upon last Tues day's rates. Barley and oats wore ls. per qr. higher. New wheat, 51s to 55s ; now red, 47s to 52s ; old white., —s to —s ; old rod, 52s to 56s per 36 stone. Barley for malting, 37s to 40s ; secondary, 33s to 355. Oats, now, 24s to 26s per 24 stone. Beans, small, 48s to 50s. Peas, 36s to 40s per 28 stone. SALISBURY.-T VESDAY. This market was moderately supplied with wheat to day, for which holders asked considerably enhanced rates. Transactions, however, were slowly effected, at an ad vance on last week's pi:ces of from as. to 4s. per qr. Oats ruled dearer, and I tans and peas had likewise an upward tendency. For flour, from 2s. to 3s. par sack more money was asked. Tho following are the quotations :—Wheat realised from 50s to 60s ; barley, 30s to 40s; oats, 2-Is to 32s ; beans, 484 to 5-is; and peas, 42s to 50s per qr. Tares, from Gs to 7s (id per bushel ; Best bread, 13d ; household ditto, 12d. per 81b loaf. Flour, liSs to 42s per sack. HULL-TUESDAY. An advance of upwards of 3s. per qr. being asked on English wheat sales were checked, and what little busi ness was done was at an advance of fully 2s. per qr. on last week's prices. Beans, peas, and barley were in good request, at full prices, while oats may be quoted 6d. per qr. dearer. There has been a largo importation of foreign wheat this week. English old white wheat, 60s to 65s ; old red, 50s to 535. Barley, English, 36s to 375. Oats, Russian, 24s to 255. Beans, new English, 43s to 445. Peas, English blue, 403 to ns Od ; grinding, 40s to 41s Od per 36 stone. COAL MARKET. Price per ton at the close of the market. s. d. s. d. Walls End Haswell... 19 6 East Hartlepool Kelloo Hough Hall Colvpen Hartley New Belmont l7 6 Hartlepool Harton Walls End Hetton ... 19 6 Ships at market, 36 ; sold, 34. Foreign Mail Packet List. MAILS DUE. Australia and New Zealand, via Southampton July 20. Ditto, via Marseilles July it Brazil and Cape Verde, by British packet. ..... July 1. Ditto, by French packet Cape of Good lope, Ascension, and St. Ilelena July 22. China, Penang, and Singapore, via Southampton—July 3. Ditto, via Marseilles June 27. Falkland Islands Gibraltar, via Southampton June 27. India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, via Southampton.... July 3. Ditto, via Marseilles ......... ....June 27 India (Bombay), via Southampton. June 27. Ditto, via Marseilles July 7. Malta, Egypt, and Aden, via Southampton July 3. Ditto, via Marseilles June 27. Mauritius, via Southampton July 13 Ditto, via Marseilles. July 7. Newfoundland • July 4. Portugal Ditto, by private ship to Lisbon.. United states and British North America, by Bri tish packet .... June 28. Ditto, by United States packet, via Southamp ton Ditto, via Cork . Ditto, by Canadian packet, via Londonderry ..June 29. {Pest Coast of Africa, Madeira, and Teueriffe ..July West Indies and racifio (except Bahamas and Honduras) Cuba and Mexico June 28. Bahamas, via New - York. June 28. Bermuda, via Halifax .July 4. Births. CARNARvoN 7 On tho 26th inst., at 66, GrosTenor-street, the Countess of Carnarvon, of a son and heir. CAVENDISH—On the 26th inst., at Burlington-gardenof Lady Emily Cavendish, of a son, stillborn. NORTH-At Liscard, Cheshire, Mrs. H. North, of a son. RALLI—On the 26th inst., at 81, Westbourne-terrace, Hyde-park, the wife of P. C. Bali, Esq., of a son. Marriages. KENNErr—AmsoN—On the 16th inst., at St. Mary's Church, Acton, Charles Kennett, Esq., 18th Hussars , only surviving son of the late Captain C. L. Kennett, to Emma, only daughter of the late Joseph Allison, Esql of Friars-place, Acton. SPAIN—STEwART—On the 26th inst., at St. Clement'St Sandwich, G. Spain, Esq., of Hacklinge, t o G eo rgians Louisa, third daug hter of Captain Thomas D. Stewart , Royal Navy. Deaths. CORNELL—On the 27th inst., at Ilford, J. Cornell, Egg, ° f Fowkes'-buildings, Great Tower-street, late of Mark lane, aged 56. DYKE—On the 25th inst., at Long Newton, near Darling ton, the Rev. Thomas H. Dyke, aged 64. GRAHAM -On the 25th inst., at 9 Carlton Villas Angell park, Brixt on, Thos. Graham, Esq., late of the ' Natio ns Provincial Bank, aged 83. MAITLAND —On the 24th inst., at Warriston House, Logs, George R. Maitland, Esq., Writer to the Signet. OWEN--On the 25th inst., at his residence, Owen Owen, Esq., Gadly's, Anglesey. STREATFIELD--OR the 26th inst., at 52, Russell-square, the Rev. N. W. Stroatfield, aged 37. SPoorzrat—On the 25th inst., at 54, Regent's-park-road, Spooner, Esq., aged 56. Thouoirrox—On the 26th inst., at Milton House, Graves" end, Captain Joseph Troughton, RN., agod 75. ----- London: Printed and P u blished by WILLIAM AND REWS' of No. 112, Strand, Painter. at Trig: SUN °Moo, No. 112, Strand, in the Precinct or. the Savoy, in the County of Bllddleam—Thursday, June 28, 1866. THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JUNE 28, 1866,