The Sun. — London, England, 1864-05-17 00:00:00

TEE CIVIL WAR DI AMERICA, (From tie 2 iines Correspondent.) NEW YORK, May 4. Private despatches in cipher are said to have been received in this city announcing the com mencement of hostilities on the Rapidan at an early hour yesterday morning. None of the facts, how ever, have been made public, and, as the whole story may be bc:sed upon calculation rather than upon knowledge, there are as many inclined to disbelieve as to credit it. It appears to be certain, however, that General Lee has concentrated a large force at Orange Court-house to contest the passage of the Ripidan should General Grant attempt a direct movement upon Richmond, that both armies have received heavy reinforcements, and that the greatest battle of the war is imminent from hour to hour, if it he not raging at this moment. Far the first time since Richmond has been the object of Federal desire, the attacking General has succeeded in keep- ing to himself the secret of his plans and move mements. No babbling secretary or aide-de-camp knows what he has determined on, and, conse- quently, no indiscreet wife or daughter of said secretary or aide has been able to promulgate in strictest confidence to her dear friend with " Southern sympathies," of whom there are so many thousands in Washington, the direction the armies were to take, or the day the march was to begin. On previous occasions Richmond has been better in• formed than New York of every movement that was about to be made, and in this respect General Grant has shown himself to be a good strategist, and virtually doubled the strength of his army until it shall please him to strike a blow. Both sides are confident of victory, but it may not unprofitably be asked whether both are equally well able to sustain a defeat, and whether, in point of fact, a signal reverse could not be far better borne by the South than by the North. However damaging to the prestige of the Confederate cause the loss of Richmond and the defeat of Lee's army might prove, neither event, or both together, would subjugate the Southern people or lead to that ex termination so ardently demanded by such soldiers as Generals Butler and Sherman, such statesmen as Mr. Charles Sumner and Mr. Thaddeus Stevens, and such angels of feminine grace and maidenly gentleness as Miss Anna Dickenson and the strong minded sisterhood of the conventicle. On the con- trary, the Southernlmasses, instead of splitting into factions hostile to their own Government and cla- morons for peace and reunion with the Yankees, would be more likely than ever to forget all minor differences and disagreements, and unite into one compact phalanx of unyielding hate, having nothing to expect from submission but ruin and death, but everything to hope from prolonged and more des perate resistance. On the other hand, a Southern victory, though it might intensify the animosity of a large section of the Northern people, and induce them to call for more men and more mosey to pro• secute the war to the bitterest extremity of desola tion, would be attended with the danger of disrup. tion in the Northern councils, of popular risings in the great cities, of an accretion of strength to the peace party ; of the defeat of Mr. Lincoln's, Mr. Chase's, Gen. Fremont's, and every other Republi can candidate's claim to the Presidency ; and at no distant date of the transference of supreme power to a military dictator, in the person of Gen. M'Clellan, or of some more rigid tyrant of the type of Gen. Butler, But there are few Americans who look so far into the future as to-morrow, unless for busi ness or personal purposes. In public affairs to-day is sufficient for itself, and. to day is always bright and happy. It is the characteristic of the people to be irrationally hopeful, and never to admit the pos sibility of evil till it is upon them. At present they rely wholly upon their superior numbers and their superior wealth to crush the foe, forgetful that num bers in unskilful or unlucky hands may be the source of weakness rather than of strength, and that money too lavishly fabricated by the printing press, though it may pay their armies, may demoralise or disgust the working classes, lead by its superabundance to worse evils than those of scarcity, and ultimately produce that financial crash which will ruin thou sands, and bring the pressure of unwonted poverty to the homes of millions, But none of these things are new thought of. The " rebellion "isto be crushed by one blow. Gen. Grant is the master of the situa tion. The South is to forget and forgive its humilia tion. Like a boy who has been thrashed by a schoolfellow, it is to bear no malice , ; to join in the sports of the playground as if nothing had hap. pened, and to undertake with its late antagonist a nice little foraging expedition to Mexico for the ex pulsion of that impudent French boy who has ven tured into a precinct forbidden by pedagogue Mon roe. Such is the talk of the hour. All is gay, glorious and hopeful. Nothing, in fact, is amiss, except that' troublesome gold, which persists in reaching a pre mium of 80 per cent_ over greenbacks and making things unpleasant in the Treasury Dapartment. The military situation, though the fate of the Republic may hang upon it, does not just now excite half the interest of the Presidential canvass. Grant's success might scatter to the wind in a moment the claims of every rival; but the rivals, if not in their own persons, in those of the friends who hope to attain wealth, position, or place by their promotion, are busily at work in all directions to preeuee nominations by regular conventions of their party. That section of the Republican organi sation which still believes that Mr. Lincoln ought, a 3 a matter of convenience, if nothing more, to be re elected, has determined to hold a convention at Bal timore on the 7th of June. The friends of General Fremont, the favourite of the Dutch (as the Ger mans are called in America), and of such influen tial members of the Republican party as believe that Mr. Lincoln is neither earnest enough, wise enough, nor honest enough to be,entrusted any longer with the destinies of the nation, have called a convention at Clef eland, in Ohio, for the 27th of May. They hope to forestall the action of the other branch of the party at Baltimore, and nominate their candi date under such auspices and with such eclat as shall render it hopeless for any one on the same side to compete with him. The friends of General 3l'Clellan, who bids fair, provided General Grant gain no victory in the interval, to receive the un divided support of the Democratic party, aro to meet in convention in Chicago in June, so that the whole conntry,if General Lee will allow the leisure, will be involved in the preliminary operations of President• making in less than a month, and Mr. Lincoln, even if so disposed, will have no time to interfere with military movements. Meanwhile, to clear the way for a struggle be tween himself and the lesser athletes—whom he can more easily throw than the heavier ones—Mr. Lincoln has been urged to reappoint his two most influential rivals to military command—to send General Fremont to Florida, with a force insufficient to add to his military renown, if not scanty enough to lead him into peril ; nod to send General M'Clellaa to Louisiana to replace General Banks, with the same amiable object. But, as General Grant is Commander-in. Chief, and has been pro mised that no interference in military matters shall take place without previous consultation with him, there are difficulties in the way of these arrangements which Mr. Lincoln, even if disposed, might find it damaging to attempt, or impossible to surmount. Of the three other rivals whose names are bi fore the public--Gen. Banks, Gen. Butier, and Mr. Cause—the first is already disposed o f by his defeat in Louisiana. The second has, it seems, placed himself in the power of the Government by his over-hastiness to grow rich, and will be called bebre an investigating committee of Congress to answer a variety of charges both at Now Orleans and in his present command. 'Whether the charges be true or false, the investigation can scarcely be other than damaging. In a country like this, when: a public functionary is supposed to be corrupt, merely be cause he is a public functionary, and where it is im passible to be placed in a situation where a fortune can be made illicitly without being suspected of making it, the charges are certain to be believed by a class of people sufficiently large to weaken, if not to destroy, his chance of a nomination by any con vention of his party. Mr. Chase, a much more formidable candidate, though nominally withdrawn from the contest, has been placed in a similar pre dicamen t. General Frank Blair, speaking for the Lincoln brAneb. of the Repubtima party, hasi cused him of personal corruption, with the object of preventing him from attaining the object of his ambition; and this charge has been " endorsed" by the War Democrats in Congress, not, perhaps, because it is believed, but because by keeping the Secretary out of the field, the pros spects of General M'Clellan may b,. improved. The charges are that he has used the public funds for his own electioneering purposes; that he has put illegal facilities of money-making in the way of his nephew, a banker, and of his son-in-law, a rich manufacturer and member of the Senate; that he has for political purposes appointed im proper persons to office in the Treasury Depart ment ; that such persons have been guilty of pecu lation and over issues of postage or fractional cur rency ; and, moreover, that the female clerks in the establishment introduced by his patronage have by their immoral conduct scandalised the whole ser vice. These charges—exceeding in shamelessness, if they be false, the usual bitterness of party warfare _ . _ _ —could not be treated with contempt, and it has been found absolutely necessary to appoint a committee of investigation. The committee has already com menced its sittings, and Mr. Chase, who had made up his mind to resign office, as soon as the Presi dent rewarded his denouncer, has reconsidered his determination, and will hold his place till its report be rendered. It is not considered probable that Mr. Chase has been guilty of the grave offences im puted to him, or that any stain will rest on his per sonal honour, though it may perhaps be found that in nepotism and favouritism he may have lain him self open to unfriendly criticism, if not to serious blame. His great offence in the eyes of General Blair and all who are intriguing for the re-election of Mr. Lincoln is that he has been indiscreet enough, not once, but many times, to speak contemptuously of the intellect and manners of the President, while in that of the Democratic party, his offence is that he is a member of Mr. Lincoln's Government and the soundest intellect of his party. Thus he stands in the uncomfortable position of being attacked by both parties, his fiercest assailants being those of his own political household. The supposition is that if the report of the Investigation Committee be favourable, as almost everybody believes, he will throw up the Secretaryship of the Treasury, and enter the lists as an independent candidate for the Presidency. Such a course of proceeding will set him personally right with Mr. Lincoln and the Cabinet, and perhaps be the means of producing other Ministerial changes, which Mr. Lincoln, if he could foresee them, would be the first to deprecate. The House of Representatives, without a dissen tient voice, has increased the pay of the army at an estimated cost to the Treasury of 40 millions of dollars. It has raised the rates per month for pri vate soldiers from 13 to 16 dollars, and of all the superior grades in like proportion. In this advance the coloured soldiers are to participate. The Fede ral Government could not in honour act otherwise. Expediency, if no higher motive, compelled it to do justice to them. There are, it appears, 130,000 black troops in the service, all of whom were dis contented at receiving only ten dollars a month, while white men received 13. They have for months protested against the wrong, and in some instances have mutinied to enforce a demand which they believes to be otherwise unattainable. A black sergeant, a man of considerable attainments and high character, was recently shot for mutiny, for insisting upon the full amount of the wages pro mised to him on enlistment, for which act of severity Mr. Lincoln was publicly denounced by an ultra- Abolitionist weekly journal of this city as a shedder of innocent blood, and the enemy of the negro race. Since that time the urgent need of black soldiers in default of white ones has induced the Government to reflect upon the impolicy, to call it by no stronger name, of making invidious distinctions between the two portions of its armies. Accord ingly, the Senate, under the leadership of Mr. Charles Sumner, voted an amendment to the Army Appropriation Bill in which this wrong was reme died ; and on Saturday last the Lower House was asked to concur and to decree that from and after the first day of January last the uniform, arms, equipment, rations, medical attendance, and pay of white and black soldiers should be the same. After a debate that threatened to become personal, the House agreed to the propositicn by a majority of 81 against 49. It is expected that one result of this measure will be that the future negro recruitment will be carried on more successfully, and that an additional 100,000 blacks, who could not otherwise have been induced to enter the service, will join the ranks. There is still, however, the question of re taliation to be dccided before the blacks will bo thoroughly satisfied. The Federal Government has solemnly declired to its Southern enemy and to the civilized world that its uniform shall protect its soldier, whatever his colour, and that for every black man taken prisoner and afterwards put to death, because he is a negro or because he may have formerly been a slave on a Southern plantation, it will execute a white Confederate prisoner. It re mains to be seen whether it will carry the threat iato execution. Mr. Lincoln pledged himself at Baltimore to exact " retribution" for the massacre of coloured soldiers at Fort Pillow, if on investiga tion the current reports should prove to be correct. A committee appointed for the purpose by the House of Representatives has just returned from the West, reports, not only that the rumours were true, but that they under rather than over stated the cruelties that were perpetrated. Under these circumstances, it becomes interesting both to the blacks and the whites to know whether by " retribution" Mr. Lin coln meant " retaliation ;" and in what way he is to exact the one cr effect the other. As the bl•icks promise for the future to be the main military prop of Federal power, the question is one of no slight imiylrtance to them, as well as to the civilized world ; and much curiosity is already excited to know what steps Mr. Lincoln will take in the mat ter. Probably, he will make his mind known in a " Proclamation"--his usual mode of extricating himself from a difficulty. A BACKWARD COWRIDE.—Daring the Rev()lu. tionary War, when a corps of the American army was encamped near the borcugh of Elizabeth town, New Jersey, an officer, who, by the way, was more of a devotee of Venus than of Mars, paid his addresses to a lady of dis tinction, whom he was in the habit of visiting nightly. On a discovery of the repeated absence of the officer, and of the Place where interviews with his Dulcinea were had, some waggish friends resolved to play off a handsome trick at his expense, which should d e t er hi m f rom a repet i t i on o f hi s visits. The officer, it appears, rode a very smalf horse of the pony kind, which he left untied with the bridle reins over his neck, near the door, in or d er t o r i de off without delay, when the business of courting and kissing was over, and the horse alwa3 s remained till b ac k ed by the owner, with out attempting to change his position. On a certain dark and gloomy night, when the officer, as usual, had gone to pay his devotions to the object of his dearest affection, and was enjoying the approving smiles of the lovely fair one, his waggish companions wont privately to the door of the house where the officer was, took his bridle and saddle from the horse, which they sent away, placed the bridle on the tail and the saddle on the back, and the crupper over the horns of a quiet old cow, who stood peacefully chewing her cud near the spot. Immediately thereafter they retired some distance from the house, and separating, raised the loud cry of alarm, that the enemy had landed and were march ing into the village. Our hero, on hearing this, took coun sel from his fears, and snatching a hasty kiss, he shot out of the door with the velocity of a musket ball and mounted into the saddle, with his back towards the head on the cow, and plunging his sharp spurs keenly into her sides, caused her to bawl out with excessive pain, and she darted with her best gallop towards the camp. The officer still plying his spurs with all his wine on board—finding himself hut ry efforts torturedrts to ad advance, anding rapidlyhearing the backward, repeatedna ü b gr a w e l o ni f g u s ll ofhl his the i ma gined that ho was carried off by magic, agic,and roaring out ryn ce that centre ofthee devil camp. ha T d go t him — wash sentinels, th u s carriedhearing moatinto the wer e fired,noise,thedischargeddrums to . p e c a e r s m. a s n , d the fled, 0, andffi eer s e a r e m f t g h u n e i r s q lu uar ng t s e , so rs l a d n ie d rs cri s e t d ar ‘ started from turnout7thwelitrhsalelelptheasstriefnagthhoosftthheaidr disturbed thei r d ream s, and the whole body, running naked, as qu i c k as poss ibl e , i n gallant ' deshabille, prepared half to repel the terrible invader. When lo I the ludicrous sight soon presented it se lf to the i r e y es of the gallant officer o mounted on a cow, with his face towards her tail, her tongue hanging out, her aides gory withithe gouging of the spurs, and he himself al mos t d eprived o f reason an d h a lf petrified ' with horror. A loud burst of laughter burst from the ' assembled band at the rider and his steed—the whole corps I gave him three times three cheers as he bolted into camp. He was carried to his quarters in triumph, there to dream of lovers' metamorphoses, backward rides, sternway ad vances, and alarms of invasions, and thereby garnish his mind with materials for writing a splendid treatise on the novel AdventUrci 14 a c 9 Wricki• - •477ifriOn paper, The Sea Fight near Heligoland, The subjoined description of this naval -action, written by an officer of the Preussiseher Adler, will be found to be a more detailed narrative of the event than has hitherto appeared It appears that n the 6th instant the allied squadron was on the look-out for the Danes, and having heard that they were still before the Elbe, sail was made in that direction. The Schwarzenberg got aground on this day, and remained firm for a short time. About 4 a.m. on Saturday, the 7th inst., a large vessel was seen steering for the north. The stranger was chased by the squadron, all the vessels comprising which were distanced by the Schwarzenberg, with which none could keep up, although flumes issued from the chimney of the Adler, owing to the great heat of the furnaces. The vessel was made out to be the Aurora, sent out by the English Government to maintain the neutrality of the water around Heli goland ; and about eleven o'clock the allies re turned in order of battle to their former cruising ground. On Sunday the Prussian gunboats Blitz and Basilisk were sent towards the Elbe and Weser to gain information of the movements of the Danes, and the Preussischer Adler was sent towards Heli goland with the same mission, while the frigates sailed seawards with their fires banked up, and their screws lifted. No news could be learned from the island, although the governor was very kind, and, hearing that the squadron was not over well found in provisions, he sent a joint of roast meat to the commander. In the afternoon the vessels steered towards the Elbe, and in the evening anchored inside the lightship, in order to wait fcr the morning's tide on which to proceed to Cux haven. The proceedings of the eventful day, Monday last, are thus described : " Wind east, but nearly a calm ; weather fine, but not so cold as on the preceding day. At 9.15 a,m. we proceeded under steam, and had already neared the innermost lightship, near Cuxhaven, when at 10.45 the admiral made signal to follow his move ments. A boat bearing the Austrian flag and a small steamer from Cuxhaven had been alongside his vessel for somo time. It appeared that news had been received, for we turned about and steered sea wards. As it was anticipated that the Danes would soon be met with the necessary pre liminary preparations were made, and at 12,45, when the outer lightship of the Elbe had been passed, it was announced that three frigates, appa rently Danish, were in sight to the eastward of Heligoland. These vessels were then apparently about 15 miles distant—so far off, indeed, that their hulls were not visible, nor could their flags be made out. Another frigate, which lay under Heligoland, in a north-westerly direction, caused some anxiety, as it could not be made out whether she was the Aurora or a Danish vessel. About one o'clock the drums beat to quarters, when we steered northwards in line of battle, following this order—Schwarzen berg, Radetzky, Adler, Basilisk, Blitz. The Danes now approached us, steering southwards. As both lines neared, and when the first Danish vessel was about 2,000 yards distant, the Schwarzenberg fired the first shot, which was quickly replied to by the Danes, and a general cannonade began. This was about two o'clock. In a moment nothing was to be seen but flashes and smoke,and the fire of the bombs crashing in the air, while the pieces struck near the vessels and ploughed up the water all around. After about an hour and a half the Danish vessels steered a more westerly course, and thus obtained the mastery over the Elbe; then steered northward, and we to the south. so that both squadrons were eventually in tha same line as at the cora• mencement of the action, but in reversed order, The Schwarzenberg and Radetzky then approached 600 yards nearer to the Danish vessels, a move ment which might have been very critical, con sidering the brief time during which the crew had been in training. About 2.45 the foremast of the Schwarzenberg was suddenly seen to be in flames. The fire first broke out at the end of the fore-top sail, and soon the whole of the rigging of the fore mast was in flames, while smoke curled upwards from the fore deck. It was clear that we had got into a terrible position. The Schwarzenberg now steamed to leeward in order to keep the smoke and flames to the fore-part of the vessel, and it possible o save the ship. The red glare which was visible a various parts,:and spread more and more, offered a fearful but brilliant sight even in the clear and golden sunlight, and there was no cessation to the cannonade. The rest of the squadron soon followed i❑ the direction of the Heligoland ; and about four o'clock, the fight having lasted two hours, the last shot was fired, and all was still as death. Some minutes afterwards the entire of the burning fore top fell, and inflicted terrible injuries on the crew. About 5.15 we lay at anchor behind the Dune, and to the eastward. '['he Schwarzenberg was now obliged to steam about, and always so to manoeuvre as to keep the wind on the side or at the stern. All the boats were sent towards her with pumps and hose, and our surgeons repaired on board of her and the Radetzky to render help, and they afterwards gave us a terrible description of the scene they wit nessed on board. The lower part of the Schwar zenburg's mast burned till ten at night, as on ac count of the great height the fire coull not be ex tinguished, and it was only at this time that they succeeded in cutting it away and getting it over board. Early in the morning the entire squadron was again under steam, and at half-past four ace came to anchor at Cuxhaven. The Schwarzenberg looks more like a wrack than anything else, for her bowsprit and rigging hang and float around her. She bas 31 killed, 44 badly wounded, and about 50 slightly. The Ridelzky has five killed, eight badly wounded, and some with loss serious in juries. We have no losses, which is to be ac- counted for chiefly by the fact that the Danes kept up a well-directed concentrated fire fore and aft on the Austrians, and it was only as they steered north wards that we, with the gunboats, received their entire broadside. The gunboats had the luck to manoeuvre in a calm sea. They behaved very well, and made good practice with their rifled guns." Great numbers of si ounded were subsequently conveyed to Altona in the Adler. On the 14th instant 160 Austrian seamen passed through Prussia from Vienna on their way to rein force the crews of the Sclawarzenberg and Itadatzky. CORN - WALL, May 13.—Two or three rather im portant Whitson cattle fairs have been held in the county during the week, and ccnsiderable business has been transacted. At Bodmin, on Wednesday, the second and principal day of the fair, there was a good supply of cattle of all descriptions, and nearly all the animals changed owners. Fat cattle averaged from 60s to 633 per cwt ; store cattle, 40s to 4'2a; cows and calves, 553; steers, £lO to 116 each ; oxen, £3O to £3l per pair. Callington Fair on Thurs day was not largely supplied, but the quality of nearly all stock was good, and prices ranged as at Bodmin on the previous day. The pastures in Cornwall are in capital condition. 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Mr. James Roberts, of Frfmley, Surrey, of thirty years' diseased lungs, spitting of blood, liver derange • meat, and partial deafness.—Cure No. 47,121. Miss Elizabeth Jambs, of extreme nervousness, indigestion, gatherings, low spirits, and nervous fancies.—Cure No. 54,816. The Rev. Jae, T. Campbell, Fakenham, Norfolk, "of indigestion and torpi dity of the liver, which had resisted all medical treatment." In tins, 1 lb., 2s. 9d. ; 21b., 4s. 6d ; 51b., lls. ; 121 b., 225. ; 241 b 40s.—Barry Du Barry and Co., No. 77, Regent-street, London; also Fortnum and Mason ; and all Grocers and Chemists to every town of the United Kingdom. [ADVERTISEMENT.]—HoIIoway's Ointment is a wonder. _ . ful remedy for bad legs, whether caused by external vio • lence or resulting from cold, erysipelas, varicose veins, gout, or rheumatism. The deepest ulcerations of the flesh yield to the powers of this unguent with the same readiness and the same certainty as the simplest scratch or slightest inflammation of the skin, The heat and smarting of scalds and burns are checked at once by this soothing application, and the progress of the cure, to the sufferer's astonishment and delight, proceeds in its painless course. This import ant fact should induce every one having the charge of chil dren always to ointment tis ain saving application within reach. Holloways will sparQ the chilct torture wad flag Potilqr arThigl y, Naval and Military Intelligence, THE ARMY. The screw steamship Black Prince, 41, Capt. James F. B. Wainwright, which was navigated on Sunday from Ply mouth Sound into lianmaze, was placed yesterday after noon in the Prince's dock, in Devonport yard. Her draught forward is 25ft Sin, and aft about 26ft 6in, The Edgar, 71, Capt. G. T. P. Hamby, flag of Rear- Admiral S. C. Micros, was navigated yesterday morning into llamoaze, and will be placed in No. 1 dock at Keyham steamyard as soon as the blocks are prepared for her recep- tion. The Prince Consort, 35, Capt. G. 0. Willes, C. 8., having during the morning discharged her powder and shell, was navigated in the afternoon from the Sound into Hamoazo. She will be placed in No. 2 dock at Keyham, after it has been examined ; this dock has been occupied by the Ocean, which was displaced yesterday forenoon. The Prince Con sort draws 25ft Din forward and 271 t 7in aft. It was the intention of the authorities at Devonport yes terday to place the Warrior, 40, in Keyham basin in the afternoon, and put her in dock N 0.3 to-day, and to put the Defence in No. 1 dock at Devonport yesterday afternoon. Her Majesty's despatch vessel Salamis, built at Chatham, and commissioned for service by Commander Suttie, having damaged her machinery in her trial trip, went up to Wool wich yesterday for repairs. Her Majesty's steam storeship Fox, Staff-Commander Pullen,with stores and passengers from the lonian Islands, arrived yesterday in the river and was signalled at Wool wich. The Viandra and Mardias sailing transports, with military stores from the demolished fortress at Corfu, also arrived yesterday. The Morning Star, Britain's Pride, and Melina aro alongside Woolwich pier discharging cargoes also from Corfu. In consequence of the regulations now in contemplation for the abolition of the superannuation allowance to the fac tory men in the royal dockyards, 15 men yesterday received notice of dismissal at Woolwich. They consist of engineers, boilermakers, patternmakers, trimmers, and labourers, some of whom had been employed in the establishment from 15 to 24 years. The men are to be dismissed on the 31st inst., and fear that they will be totally unaided by Government, notwithstanding that the best portion of their lives has been spent in the factory, where some of them have been maimed and rendered unfit for future work. Mahmoud Khan, tho Persiaa Minister in London, went down to Woolwich yesterday for the purpose of inspecting the naval and military establishment. Accompanied by his secretary and five Persian attendants, he arrived at 2 o'clock and proceeded to the Royal Arsenal, where the visitors were received by the heads of departments. These were Col. Campbell and Mr. Anderson, superintendents of the royal gun factories ; Capt. Gordon, C. 8., principal superintendent of military stores; Lieut.-Col. Clerk and Lieut.-Col. Shaw, s uperintendents of the royal carriage department; and Capt. Fraser, assistant superintendent of the laboratory. The in spection of the arsenal (each department of which appeared to interest the visitors exceedingly) occupied more than three hours. The explanation of the various works was given principally in French by Col. Shaw. It was interpreted to the Ambassador in Persian by his secretary. An Admiralty order had been despatched to the dockyard for his excellency's admission to that establishment also ; but on account of the time occupied in seeing the Arsenal, the visit to the dock yard was again deferred. The following appointments have been made in the Royal Naval Reserve—To be Lieut., Benjamin Lodwiek ; to be Sub.-Lieut., Walter Hamilton Bisset. THE SUI, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, MAY 17, 1864. THE NAVY. By order of his Royal Mgt:mess the General-Command ing-in-Chief, Cul. Guy, commandant of camp at Colches ter, commenced on Thursday the official half-yearly inspec tion of the troops at that camp. The Colonel first reviewed the 4th Depot Battalion, and examined their kits, huts. &c. On Saturday the inspection of the 9th and 10th Depot Bat talion commenced, and will be continued this week. On Thursday and Friday Major-Gen. Hay, Inspector-General of Musketry, accompanied by Capt. M'Kay, deputy-assis tant-adjutant-general of the School of Musketry, paid an official visit to the camp for the purpose of inspecting the company musketry returns and registers, and examining the troops in musketry instruction. The inspection ex tended, of course, to each of the three depot battalions at the camp. In accordance with instructions received from the War office, recommending the employment of soldiers in culti vating gardens in which vegetables may be grown for their own consumption, the military authorities at Colchester have granted a piece of land, 9 acres in extent, to the three depot battalions at the camp, each battalion taking three acres, The land selected is situated near the new infant school at Monkwich, and is to to fenced and cultivated at the solo expense of the troops under certain conditions ex pressed in the War-office letter. The Aijutant General, Sir J. Yorke Searlett, has ad dressed by command a circular memorandum addressed to the army at hems and abroad, wherein the Field• Marshal Commanding-in-Chief desires that officers commanding re giments and depots will transmit punctually on the Ist of January, the Ist of April, the Ist of July, and the Ist of October of es , h year a:return of men whose limited services has expired during the quarter ending on the preceding day,—viz., the 31st of December, the 31st of March, the 36th of June, and the 30th of September respectively, show ing how they have been disposed of. Officers commanding depot battalions are requested to supervise the return from each depot before transmission to insure its cot rectness. The examination of candidates for admissiou to the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, before Major-Gen. Hamil ton, C. 8., the vico•president, and other members of the Council of Military Education, will commence on the 4th proximo, at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea. The days allotted to the different subjects of extudnation will terminate on Wednesday, June 20. The next examination of candidates for admission to the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, will be held at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, before the vice-president and members of the Council of Military Education, on the 16th of next month, and will occupy six days, ending Wednes day, the 22d. Inspection of the Third City of London Volunteers. da y a t oaklan d s - h a 1 oinet ftdosnyooleeaoan Kilburn, uv?valee The annual inspection of this regiment by Col. Morris ; C. 8., Assistant -Inspector of Volunteers, took place yester day residence of Mr. Donald Nicoll. Of the corps, which musters nearly 1,000 effective wore the et many have aaa nlv presentbalance been friends eoe n ni in dr al parade, ai rbo a er d e ftw , i charm ing, onnmgd nearly unaccounted and members; nd 23 t 0 ovthefreo were . upwardsa bT Volunteersshe they were accompanied the occasion appeared to afford un mixed gratification. Scarlet in line always presents an im posing aspect, and from the outset of the movement " the Working Men's Corps" adopted the colour understood to be viewed with most favour by the military authorities. Ori ginally their caps and tunics, it is true, were sugg estive rather of Garibaldian than British uniform, but latter l y they have chosen an exceedingly neat shako and closely fitting tunic, and when assembled in any numbers their bearing closely resembles that of a smart and well set-up regiment of the line. Their movements yesterday were of the cha racter usual on such occasions, and were perfo rmed with great steadiness and solidity, rather than with any attempt at dash or display. The opening volleys were scarcely as connected as might have been desired, but tow ards the close of the proceedings a marked improvement w as visible. At the termination of the movements Colonel Morris, whose habit it is never to praise unleia t h e men passing before him have thoroughly entitled themselves to commendation at his hands, to express his satisfaction both with the numbers in said he was glad to have it in his power which they had attended and the manner in which they had gone through their evolutions. He was well aware that 99 out of every 100 men in the ranks forfeited a day's earnings in order to be present; but it must be some compensation to them to know that by this substantial sacrifice they were not only promoting the interests of their corps, but in a material degree rendering service to their country as well. Colonel Morris pointed out a few details in which the men themselves would acknowledge that atten tion to drill was calculated still further to promote their efficiency, a n d i n timated h is intention of report. ing in favou ra bl e t erms to the War office. In the to the regiment, were entertained at dinner by evening those members of the co r p s who had attended the inspection, and the cadets belong in g Major R ichards and the other officers of the regi me nt, at the n ew hotel, situate in the Vale of Health, Hampstead, heath. For purposes of this kind the hotel is charmingly situated, and will no doubt become a favourite place of resort. In one point of view it was, per haps unfortunate that, owing to c onsiderations of space, the officers and men should have been separated; but no un pleasant feeling could have arisen on this score, as the men themselves were distributed in different departments. More over, the liberality of the officers provided not only a sub stantial repast, but one chosen in very good taste for the men, and which seemed to com mand their entire approval! The officers, of course, remain ed to see that the wants of their subordinat es were duly supp lied before sitting down to their own dinner, and, as a necessary consequence, the latter was thrown back to a late hour. The only accident occur ring to mar the proceedings of the day was one which befell Private Lodge. Having loaded his rifle, he incautiously placed his left hand on the muzzle and brought the butt smartly to the ground. The hammer falling with the shock, the middle finger of the unfortunate man's left hand war so shattered th a t am p u i a tiop had to be resort ed to. This was bo res r i n d e en w c i e t . h r s e u m e a h rk w a a b s le th fi e rm sy n r aespea,thyexcited by the accid en t and the sang almost with indifference, amounting with to close biu upon po it ni was 23 enduredvias raised that o a n sub scription theandtheyou fng ro m a n, refusing the aid of a stretch er , walked to the nea res t ca b , i n w hi c h he was duly forwarded to his 1 spot by Mr Nicholay, the Quartermaster of the regiment. Persons: in debt may obtain instant protection against imprisonment or seizure of their goods, and an entire release from all debts and liabilities without publicity, by application to Messrs. Marshall, solic!tors of the Court of Bankruptcy, Charges under £5 payable by easy instalments. Offices — (established 1830), 12,ilatton-garden. City branch —6, Noor gate-street, Bank,—Apyr, Volunteer Review at Leatherhead, The volunteer movement can do very well without pliffing, and it serves no possible good purpose to announce that so many thousands of the home guard will take part is a re view when it is perfectly well understood by inspectors and commanding ellicers that there will hardly be as many hundreds on the ground. Inc press and the public have of late been victimised more than once in this small way, and it is nearly time that an end were put to the thing, which has become a social nuisance. Yesterday there were to have been 4,000 volunteers at Leathcrhcad, but hardly 600 turned .up on the Downs. Moreover, nobody entitled to pronounce upon the matter expected 4,ooo—hardly a quarter of that number. It was morally impossible that so many men could be found among the London volunteers willing to sacrifice the second Monday holiday of the year, especially when it is remembered that on Saturday week they will be asked to make a holiday for the birthday re view by the Prince of Wales. So only three corps put in an appearance yesterday before Colonel M'Murdo. These three were the Inns of Court, under Colonel Brewster ; the 2d and Bth Tower Hamlets, under Colonel Walker and Major Sarnuda ; and the Ist City, or London Rifle Brigade, under Colonel Warde and Major Rose, M.P. The lawyers wore the strongest, numbering perhaps 230, the Tower Hamlets had, may bo, 180, and the London Brigade might have counted up to 160. The ground was reached about 4 o'clock, after a dusty march of a couple of miles along a road commanding one of the loveliest views of Surrey. By favour of a Mr Fletcher the volunteers passed through that gentleman's grounds to the Downs above, and thus saved themselves the worst bit of the road. But nevertheless they were pretty well blown when they arrived at the spot ee• lected for the mancnuvres. A quantity of beer and sandwiches that had been provided by the forethought of a member of the Ist City were despatched with a relish which showed that the heat of the lovely day—" there was not a cloud in the sky"—had produced the usual effect upon the throats of the citizen soldiers. If Colonel M'Murdo had formed line at once on reaching the ground there would have been something like a mutiny ; but, considerate as ever, he allowed due time for cooling down before he gave the word. It was five o'clock when the ranks were refilled, and then the movements at once commenced. They rec.:ere no de tailed description, inasmuch as, though exceedingly well done, they were of the ordinary character. A wheel to the right in open column of companies, a charge of front with the left thrown back a quarter circle, and an advance of the right wing in direct echellon were the principal features. The Inns of Court formed the right wing, Col. Walker's corps, the centre, and the City Brigade the left; and while the palm must be awarded to Col. Brewster's command, there need be no invidious comparisons drawn, since every thing was done with the utmost steadiness, and in the most creditable manner. Some of the volley firing was very g,,od, while the file firing was in all cases excellent.'t The Inspector-General, who was in undress, was assisted by Lieut.-Col. Ibbetson, as brigade major, while Captain M'Murdo, of the Guards, and Sergeant llarris—superbly mounted, as usual—did duty as aides-de-camp. The corps returned to town at dusk, many of the men expressing a decided opinion that it would be well if nest year the great spring review were deferred from Easter to Whitsuntide, an alteration which would enable the various corps time to recover from their winter torpidity ; before they appeared at the annual muster. Small as the numbers were yesterday, the influence of the drills undergone since Easter as very apparent. There was a certain steadiness in every move ment which could not have been looked for sevan weeks ago, when the corps had in a measure forgotten their autumn drills and had not yet begun to " set up" for the season. SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. TIM ES.—We have recently received very interest ing information with regard to the important events which are transpiring in a remote corner of the American continent, to which public attention, na turally preoccupied by occurrences in that part of the American continent which lies nearer to Europe and of which Europe knows most, has been little directed. The remote province of Louisiana, situated on the western side of the Mississippi, and out off by the capture of New Orleans and by the successes of General Grant from the rest of the American con tinent, has just been the scene of one of the most decisive victories which have occurred in the course of a civil war already sanguinary beyond all former record. It seems that General Banks set forth on a campaign, the object of which was nothing less than to seize upon a vast quantity of cotton, and by means of this article of commerce, now as much in demand as gold itself, to relieve Mr. Chase from his present perplexities with regard to the unruly up ward tendency of the gold market. The history of the expedition reads something like a duplicate of poor Braddock's unfortunate aavance to Fort Duquesne. Firmly persuaded that there was no enemy within 60 mile 3, the General advanced in loose and straggling array. The cavalry, newly 6,000 strong, together with the artillery and a waggon train, were advancing between two woods five miles ahead of the infantry, when they were sharply attacked by the Confederates on each side of the road, and, although bravely supported by the infantry, fled, carrying them away in their disorder. In the next day's battle the Federals claimed a success which was marred, they say, by an order from Banks to retreat, and ended in the abandon ment of the wounded and one of the most dastardly flights which have disgraced the Federal records. The victory seems to have been signal and com plete. The Federal army was not only beaten, but thoroughly demoralised, and a division which was coming up to General Banks was, as usual in cases of such un-looked disaster, exposed to the utmost risk of being cut off. What makes this defeat more provoking is that in order to make up the army which has thus signally failed the posts on the Mississippi were weakened, Fort Pillow lost, and Memphis seriously endangered. It is not wonder ful that so important a success should have given rise to speculations on the possibility of obtaining peace, end developed certain Southern sympathies and antipathies which we have long foreseen, but of which we have hitherto had no very direct evi dence. It seems that the South regards the West with far less aversion than the East, and that people even go so far as to start the idea that it t eeight be possible to arrange a reunion from which t h e BAstern States should alone be exelueed. It ma y e asily be imagined that the present monstrous proceedings in Congress, by which it is sought to double the import duties for two months, is not favourably received, and that such an event falls like fire on fuel on. the Southern and Western people, and tends powerfully to develops an ap proximation to which other circumstances are gradually leading. Meanwhile the North seems to have carried its point with regard to the abolition of slavery. The planters in Louisinia, at any rate, are convinced that it is impossible to return to the state of things which existed before the war, and are most creditably endeavouring to set negroes to work by making them an allowance of food and clothing, together with a portion of the crop for compensation. This scheme, however, is grievously thwarted by the proceedings of that great champion of the black race, General Banks, who as our readers know, has got a scheme of his own for emancipating negroes by holding them to forced labour and depriva ing them of that assistance in illness and old age which they used to derive from the kindness of their mas ters. The result of all this is that within the juris diction of General B Inlet; cultivation is almost at a standstill. The planters feel relieved in manylcases by the desertion of negroes. in order to support whom they had reduced themselves to the barest necessaries of life; and the indiscriminate plunder of cotton, even when found in the hands of loyal holders, has occasioned very recently the destruc tion of some 80,000 bake, which might, if matters had been conducted with reetzenable fairness and good sense, have found their way into the possession of the Northern General for no unreasonable price. Altogether the administration of Louisiana, civil and military, presents a picture of iucapacity and blunders such as one could hardly believe possible, even where fanaticism is joined to incapacity and both are united to dishonesty, for this element also is not wanting. .Tust az Napoleon, after having stirred Heaven and earth to keep - British goods out of the Continent of Europe, then turned suddenly round and sought to turn an honest penny by sell ing license.a to violate his own laws; so we find, to say the very least of it, a very profitable traffic driven in the New Orleans Custom-1;01;8e in "permits," under which goods are conveyed to points on the river with a view of introducing them into the Con• federate lines, The cost is great, about a third of the invoice of goods but the prices realism by qui nine for instance, which the humanity of the Nor thern Government withhold from its fever etrinken adversary, cover all outgoing and and leave a handsome profit: The Federal gunboats on the one side and the guerilla bands which are in arms against the Federala on the other are actively employed in this traffic, each pai ty being recon ciled to this deviation from duty by a share of the plunder. The names:of persons high in office are freely mentioned as concerned in this exceptional commerce, and there seems some foundation for the assertion of a high ofr,.cial, himself exempt from all corrupt influences, that all the reacted Ta99 3 o t Y of the United States has been concentrated upon' the Mississippi River. In the meanwhile the Govern ment of General Banks,after having restored slavery itself in en aggravated form, is setting up, it would seem, a species of cmall slave trade of its own. Negroes having no o s t ens ible me aua of ' e tv; t ng are seized upon, locked up, and supplied to enterprising Northern squatters who have taken possession of abandoned estates, at the rate of 10 dollars a head. Such is the picture of Louisiana under the degene rating influence of the Government which would have us believe that it is carrying on a bloody and destructive war mainly for the sake of negro race and the doetrinc,6 of a sensitive philitnthrepy. The Smthern plant6rs may lie exeusei if thy feel rather indignant when they find themselves ex poll-d from their estates, and turned adrift upon the world, avowedly in the ;:nterest of those slaves for whom the sympathies of the North are so ten- derly interested. It must be with singular feelings that they behold the re-establishment on the ruins of their former prosperity, not only of a system of slavery retaining all the harsher features of that odious institution, but unredeemed by maintenance in sickness and old age, on which alone the mind of auy man of benevolence could rest with the slightest satisfaction. Singularly, too, must they be affected on beholding the revival of the slave trade in the shape of a traffic earned on by the Government in their own fugitive negroes. We also cannot feel wholly unmoved when we turn from the description which we have given above of the manner in which the Confederates are supplied with the necessaries of life in exchange for cotton, which is furnished to the exigencies of the Northern Government, and com pare this relaxation of their own rules in their own favour, and the circumstances of pecuniary cor ruptien with which it is attended, with the rigid exclusion of this same article from the markets of Western Eumope. While the American Govern ment is denouncing us as little better than pirates and outlaws for the attempts of individual mer chants to run the blockade, we have the satisfac tion of seeing that they have no objection to run the blockade on their own account, and to turn an honest penny by selling to their own citizens exemption from the prohibition which they have created. They have brought to perfection the art of tempering justice with mercy. Justice requires that the Confederates should be absolutely excluded from intercourse with the rest of the world; but mercy steps in and qualifies the Draconian severity of the rule by an exception in favour of those who are willing to pay handsomely for it. Virtue is said to be the mainstay of republics. If this be so, we may easily calculate the probable duration of republican institutions in the State of Louisiana. HERALD.—Has Denmark any real claim to the assistance of England in her present conflict with Germany ? In espousing one side or another in such an argument men are led as much by their wishes as by any abstract sense of right. Of the latter they may be dimly conscious, or so uncertain that they willingly commit themselves to the guidance of a more intelligible motive. Thus those in whom a sense of self-interest predomi nates are for taking one view of this matter; those whose generosity is stronger are for the other alternative. As in most political questions, there is:much to be said on both sides. On the side of prudence it is argued that we have not committed ourselves to the Danes by any distinct promise or guarantee ; that we are not bound to Denmark by any alliance, offensive or defensive ; that however painful to our feelings it may be that wo have to witness the spoliation of a small kingdom with which we are on friendly terms, it is better to condone the wrong than to endanger our prestige by entering alone into the lists with two powerful nations, and excite a gene ral war of possibly indefinite duration in vindica tion of the] title to two insignificant provinces, which, after all, are German. ,This argument, weighty as it may seem, is but a selfish argument. It is not likely to prevail in the end, as it makes no account of feeling which is more potent than reason in directing the actions of nations and of men. The honour of the country is not taken into calculation ; the maintenance of her position in the front rank of the Powers is postponed to a timid apprehension of her present safety ; the blundering of our statesmen is made an excuse for desertion of a kingdom that for some time past has looked to us for advice and guidance, and has been regarded by the rest of the world as under our protection. If it should yet turn out that this unfortunate dispute can be settled without an appeal to arms, we should be the last to advocate a resort from which we would fain escape if it were possible. We are most unwilling to add, by irritating arguments or appeals to pas sion, to the widespread and growing impatience of the people of England, who are sick of being trifled with an.l insulted by the spokesmen of nations which they have been accustomed to regard as their infe riors. The German Powers must be convinced by certain late demonstrations that Englishman are getting by degrees into a dangerous mood, that it they are wise in time they will consent to any mo derate terms of accommodation that may be pro- posed by the Congress. If they will not take a hint they will have themselves to thank for the conse quences, and they will find that England is not ex. aetly that toothless old matron whom Charivari has depicted and Frenchmen have laughed at, who has muzzled her lion and put corks on the points of her trident. The moderate tone adopted by the Danish newspaper press :shows that the wide constitu tional ►iberty which has been granted to the Danish people has not been abused by political writers in their country. The articles in Dagbladet, the Daily News of Copenhagen, would do credit to any journal in Europe, in point of ability, and are marked by a common sense and calmness which are rarely found amid the excite ment of an absorbing and irritating struggle such as that in which the Danes are a t presen engaged. The arguments by which that paper urges upon England the obligation of assisting Denmark against Germany are as nearly as possible identical with those which we have so often put forward. In an article published in the issue of the 11th instant the writer begins by taking up the broad ground that all the powers signataries to the Treaty of 1852 were bound to make common cause to resist its infraction, as that treaty was part of the public law of Europe. It is known that the other great Powers do not consider it their duty to maintain the treaty by arms; but it does not follow because they have come to this conclusion, that we are quit of the obligation. The Danish paper endeavours to convince us that we are committed in a special and peculiar manner. How does it prove this point ? It might have been thought that some claim would have been founded on the dynastic union so lately and happily consummated between the two Royal houses. But Dagbladet magnanimously throws aside this argument as one of pure sentiment, and having no further weight. It agrees with Lord Palmerston that "kingdoms have no cousins," or it sets the alli ance of the Princess Royal as a makeweight against that of the Princess Alexandra. Little as foreign na tions may suppose that the English people is apt to be moved by sentimental considerations, we suspect, for our part, that the marriage of the Prince of Wales has excited among all ranks of the subjects of our Queen an interest in Denmark and her King which nothing else could have aroused. If it had been Prussia that was attacked the people of Eng land would have thought of their Princess Royal; but it is one thing to fly to the rescue of one whom we love and reverence, another thing to back up the relatives of such an one in a career of ruthless aggression and triumphant wrong. Dismissing this matter as becomes a serious po'itician, the Danish journaliet reminds us that English statesmen have for some years past taken a lead ing share in the conduct of the dispute between Denmark and the German Powers. The letters that have been written by them on this subject make together a very balky blue book. England might, had he chosen it, have been a passive spectator—she might have recommended conciliation in general terms. When it came to an outbreak site might have left the two parties to fight it out with some show of grace. This was not, how ever, the line of her policy. In 1857 and 1858 she assumed, by ehoipe, the feremost place in the nego ciations between Denmark and the Diet. She gave urgent adeipe te Germany at one time, at another exerted pressure on Danmark, "The result," says the Danish writer, " was to weaken our position, to inure our cause, to arouse among us expeatations w are now coldly declared to be illusions." The Danes followed' all the counsel given them, but England shifted her ground as she encoun tered German opposition, and Lord Russell went to the length at 'get of inditing the famous despatch of September, 1862, recommending the submission and capitulation of Denmark. Lord Palmerston speaks too flatteringly of this re markable document when he stylus it as "of his toricalimportance without practical interest." There is no doubt that this letter was the chief cause of the bold advance since made by the German Powers, which has had so disastrous an issue for Denmark, and has sent our diplomacy to the right about. By urging her to yield point after point Lord Russell has led Denmark into the snare ; by suggesting to her fresh encroachments he has given heart of grace to Germany, and furnished her with an argument againt himself and his policy . " The r e p roac h es which we address to England," says the Dane, "cen tre themselves in reality on Lord Russell. His super. ficial ignorance, his unreliable attitude, his utter want of tact, react upon the Government to which ho bal f ongs and the country in w h ose name he speaks." The only politicians who have been able to understand aright the Dano-German quarrel are to be found, he says, in the ranks of the Conserva tive party. But it was Lord Palmerston who said, on July 23 of the last year, that if the independence of Lenmark was attacked she , qould pot be left to fight alone. having undertaken the chief conduct of this quarrel we cannot suffer it to be settled in defiance of our sense of right ; having encouraged the Danes to lean upon us, and abide by our ad vice if they wished to obtain our help in time of need, we cunn4t deeert theta now, or consent to the partition of their kingdom at the demand of Ger many. AUSTRIAN SQUADRON.—DEAL, May 16.—A line of battle ship, a f r i ga to, a rare, with two gunboats, p asse d from west to east outside the Goodwin on tho 16th, sup pesed to by tiA Awltria4 §gtodr9A. Lady Explorers of the Nile, At the meeting of the Historic Society, on Thursday, Mr. M'Quto presiding, Mr. J. A. Tinne, r.n.0.5., read a paper on " Geographical Researches and Discoveries in Central Africa, by three Dutch ladies." The paper was illustrated by valuable unpublished maps, prepared for the occasion, and kindly lent by the Geographical Society. On rising, Mr. Tinne was greeted with loud applause. He said the three Dutch ladies, who were his sisters, left the Hague in July, 1861, for the purpose of visiting the Nile and the countries adjacent to it, having previously visited Egypt twice, in 1856 and in 185 S. They arrived at Alexandria, wintered at Cairo, and proceeded up the Nile on the 9th of January, 1862. They had a large party with them, which included a strong guard of soldiers, and they also had a quantity of stores, The first point of interest was their journey across the desert of Nubia, which, to their astonish meat, they found to be a romantic country, furnishing a plentiful supply of herbs, and not destitute of water. They visited, in the course of their passage through the desert, Mr A. Melly's tomb, at Gagee. Mr Melly, who was a Liver pool merchant, died in the desert in 1851 whilst visiting the country with his family. Proceeding onward to Khartum, the party traversed the Blue Nile, which they considered the reverse of pretty, and thence to the White Nile, with which they were delighted. They found it a beautiful ornamented water, richly wooded. An interesting incident was here re lated of the redemption of several slaves by the ladies. The travellers selected a station at the foot of a chain of moun tains called the D'Jehel Hemays, in which to pass the sum mer season. It was on the east bank of the White Nile. Here they remained till the 7th July, at which date they proceeded up the river. The youngest lady of the party was everywhere taken to be the daughter of the Sultan, and in several countries the people entreated her to become their queen. The party next made an excursion up the Sobat River, returning to the Nile to Lake No, beyond which they found the river abounding in splendid vegetation, but the navigation was dangerous. On Sept, 4 they arrived at St. Croix, a station of Austrian Roman Catholic missionaries. The band of missionaries originally consisted of 30 mem bers; only three remained at the time of the visit, and on the return of the party down the river these three came away. One of the ladies made an excursion into the interior for 8 days, and found the country exceedingly beautiful, and was delighted with everything she saw. On the 15th Sep ;ember they resumed their journey up the river, the scenery I improving as they advanced. The next stopping place was Gondokoro, which abounded with more magnificent scenery than any they had yet witnessed. They had been informed that above this point the river was not navigable. They, however, attempted to pass on further, but after 5 hours' labour they found it impracticable and turned back. They mentioned that the people living in the neighbourhood ridi culed the idea of there being but one source of the Nile. They would have gone across the country, but abandoned the attempt on account of the amount of marauding that was being carried on. One of the ladies suffered very much from exposure to the sun. On the 22d October they commenced the return journey, and arrived at Khartum in November, 1862, The sail down the river, occupied 170 hours, being only about one-half the time occupied in the voyage up. They remained at Khartum until February 1863, refitting. They started again in that month with restored health, after spending a cold winter, sometimes stormy, but the weather always bracing. At this time the ladies were joined by a Dutch gentleman named Baron D'Ablaing, and two scien tific Germans—Dill, Von Henglin and Dr. Steudner, They purposed ascending a great western tributary of the Nile, the Bhazal, and so proceeding as far as possible southwestward. On Feb. 5 they again arrived at Lake No and set forth up the Bhazal, where they were astonished at the number of ani• mals, birds, and fishes that abounded on every hand. They next disembarked at Lake Bek, where they found 35 trading vessels waiting for cargoes. One of the German gentlemen purposed on March 25 to find a suitable champaign between this point and the mountains of Casingo. Both the Ger mans, however, fell sick, and one of them, Dr Steudner, died on April 10 of fever. There were many other delays, so that it was May 12 before the party was prepared to ad vance. At that time they had a very large retinue, in cluding 120 soldiers, in their service. During the absence of the German gentlemen the ladies were visited by Mr Petherick, the late British Consul at Khartum, and his wife, who were greatly dejected at the ill-health they had met with in their search for Capts. Speke and Grant. In their letters to him (Mr Tinne) the ladies requested him to take every opportunity that might present itself to relieve the minds of the people in this country from the unfavourable opinions with which Mr. Petherick was regarded. Captains Speke and Grant, they said, had been prejudiced against him by a man whose nephew ho had caused to be apprehended for slave trade. The ladies went forward on May 17, at which time the surviving Dutch gentleman, Dr. T. Von Heuglin, was too ill to be removed, and the Dutch gentleman and Mr. Petheriek remained behind to take care of him. A succes sion of severe storms and cold brought on fever in one of ,he ladies, and for some time she lay at the point of death. At the same time the soldiers mutinied, and troubles ac! cumulated, but at the date of the last advices, the 2d of July, 1863, they were induced to proceed further into the country, which was still described as exceedingly beautiful, and surprising all the expectations of the party. In many places they had been received with the greatest hospitality, bet they had suffered a great deal from imposition and ex tortion, and also from the climate, which told considerably upon their healths. Mr Tinne resumed his seat amid loud applause. A discussion followed, in tho course of which Mr P. B M'Quie thanked Mr Tinne for the observations he had made respecting Mr Petherick. He said that that gentleman's reports and accounts were now in the posses sion of the Royal Geographical Society, and would b e pub lished Ehortly. Th e y wou ld free Mr Petherick from the charges which had been made against him. The Govern ment had chosen to abolish the consulate of Khartum with out any reasonable grounds, and also to identify Mr Pethe rick with the slave trade, but it would be found that for the charge there was no foundation whatever. COUNTRY MARKETS. COLCHESTER-MAT 14. We had a fair show of wheat on offer at this market to-day, with an inactive business, and last week's advance was lost, spring corn was limited in supply, and fully as dear, Wheat, white. 420 46s Besns,Mazagan..2BB 32s red 38s 42s middle & small.32s 36s Barley Oath NORTHAMPTON-111AY 14. White wheat, new, 38s to 428; new red, 366 to 40s; old. 38s to 42s per qr. Barley, new malting, 338 to 35e--• grinding, 256 to 30s per qr. Oats, 186 to 326 per 24 atone. Beans, 308 to 41s. Peas, 30s to 378 per qr. ILOtTESTER-Mly 7. - • - There was a fair supply of English wheat to-day from the farmers, which sold slowly at a decline of Qd per gr. Foreign wheat in moderate demand, at former pica. No change in oats, beans, and peas. CHELMSFORD—MAv At this corn exchange to-day there was a fair thew of wheat, and last week's rates were in many instances is per qr lower. In Spring corn an average trade, and prices firm. Wheat ; old:white 30s 45s new 43s 47s old red 34s 37s new 36s 40s Barley 25s 33s Chevalier ..268 36s Grinding ... .20s 28s Malt.... Chevalier . 648 68s Oats 2os 26s Peas, Partridge 3d 3s' White 30s 34fi Boiling 3Bs 420 Dun 31s 355 Ditto new —B ..--8 Beans, Tick, old 348 3Gs new —s --- 0 Harrow Ticks 348 36s new —s — 6 Mazagan 2Bs 335 KIRKCALDY GRAIN —MA-It 14. We had a good quantity of wheat, oath, and barley to-dal Sales slow. Prices slightly declined, Wheat. Barley. Oats. First...3ss Od 26s 6d IHs Gd Second ..36s Od 27 s Gd 17 8 Od Third....37s 6d 29s 0d 19s Od COAL M.! Prices of Coal per Ton at ,RKET. the °Wee of the market. s. d. West Hartley 16 3 liolywell 17 6 Buddle'sWest Hartley 16 3 Byass's Bebside West Hartley ..16 3 Lambert's West Hart- 0. de loy 16 Tauf4eld Moor 14 North Felton Gas 13 Ships at mark, Walla End. Hartlepool l7 3 Twastall lO 3 liarton l5 9 Byron ............. Caradoc 17 v Haswell..... ...18 0 Kelloe ............. ..16 Cassop ........ 17 1 KeiperGran ge 17 :et, 80 ; sold, 46. Births. CLEMENT.—On tho 15th inst., at Lorn.road, 13riztollf t ba wife of Thos. Cl ement, Esq., of a son. GLOVER. —On the 15th inst., at 18, BelgraYe-road, N. ) 14 111 ' Richard Gloy er , o f a daughter. PELLY.—On the 15th inst., at Warnham Court, Horphaulf the wife of Sir J. Henry Pelly, Bart., of a eon. TIIELLUSSON.—On the 15th inst,, at Aldeburgh, Suffol k ' the wife of Lieut.-Col, Thellusson, of a daughter. Marriages. GORDON—STEEL.—On the 14th inst., at Wallasy Ch William Gordon, Esq., New Bri g ht on , t o M argar et, the daughter of William Steel, Esq*, Liverpool. rit SHARP—BROAD.--On the 16th i ns t., at St. Cleitl e Danes, Strand, Mr. Charl es Sharp, of Bromley, Te n ' f to Mary Ann, widow of th e l a t e M r. C harles Broa d ) of Andover. Deaths. BROOMAN,—On the 14th inst., at Dunbar, Wm, Broo Esq , Commander R.N., aged SS. CLARK.—On the 15th i ns t., G eorge Clark, late o f the Wharf, Tower of Loudon, aged 78. Corvg.--On the 15th inst., S amuel Couch, Esq., , it"- of Stoke, Devonport, aged 82. DENDY.--0a the 15th inst., at 21, Attu:Wel-street, Strands Edward Stephen Dandy, E'q Chester Herald, and E ar Marshal's Secretary, ag e d s z. LAwronp—Or t the lath inst. at The Paragon, Blackh e2ths Samuel Lawford, Esq., aged 87. RoimisoN.—On the 15th inst., at Southeee, Admiral Ile" cules Robinson, aged 75. SOMMER.—On the 15th inst., at Hackney, Mr. John Sommer, aged S 9. London ; Printed and I'Tb:dolled by WILLIAM ANDlth ' 2 of N o. 112 , Strand, Printer, at TUE SUN Office No• /1 Strand, al the Precinct of the Savoy, n the Ceuv f / ° JiIAY 17, MI. I