The Sun. — London, England, 1863-10-21 00:00:00

_ -_ ~,...._ ROYAL EN GLISH OPERA, CO VENT -GARDEN. Under the Manaszement of Miss Louisa Pyne and Mr. W. Harrison. Tms tvET , T iNG. AN - illace's Romantic Opera, THE DESER T FLOWER : Miss Louisa Pyne, Miss Susan Pyne ' • Messrs . W. H. We iss, H. Corn A. Cook, and W. Harrison Con d uc tor, Mr. A . Mellon.--Doors open at hall-past Seven.. torurnence at Eight. IIHEATRE ROYAL DRURY- LANE. - Managers. 3lessrs. E. Falconer and F. B. Chatterton. TIIIS EVENING, GONE TO TEXAS. Mr. Walter Lacy and Miss Murray. Atter which, Lord Byron's Choral Tragedy, MANFRED. 3les.srs. t helps, Ryder, Rayner, 3L-agreson, Ward, Spencer ; Miss Heath, Miss E. Atkinson, Miss Leclercq, and Mrs. E. Falconer. Vocalists—Miss Poole, Miss hitter, Miss Cicely Nott, Miss Heywood, and Mr. Swift. To conclude with A ItOLA.ND FOR AN OLIVER lIERRMANN.-PRINCESS'S THEATRE.- Immense Success.—" The Tricks and Feats of Herr Herrmann are nearly all of the most astonishing and incom prehensible kind. His sleight-of-hand feats are really mar vellous, and the ease, finiph, and accuracy of his tricks are such as have never before been witnessed in this country."— Standard, Sept. 29. Herrmann in his MONEY TRICK, EVERY EVENING. "A New System of Making Plenty of Money," Commencing at Eight. THEATRE ROYAL HAYNIARKET.- Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr, Buckstone. THIS EVENING, T RE RIVALS : Mr. Chippendale, Mr. Buckstone, Mr. Howe, Mr. Rogers, Mr.W. Farren , /ifr. Braid; Mesdames Snowdon, L. Angel, E. Fitzwilliam, Terry, . After which, T FIE BENGAL TIGER: Mr. Alfred Wigan Mrs Alfred W igan, and Mr Compton. And MY HUSBAND'S GIAOST. Commence at 7. NEW THE ATRE-R0 Ir AL, ADELPHI.—. Sole Proprietor and Manaa Dl er, r. B. Webster. THIS EVENING, at 7, TAE TRAGEDY QUEEN: Mrs. Stirling. At 8, the New Drama of LEAII •. Miss Bateman, supported by Mesers.Arthur Stirlir, R. Phillips, Bailin - 4ton, Stuart, A Wood, Eburne, Miss IL Simms and Mrs. Billington. To conclude with CATCHING AN HEIRESS : Miss Woolgar and Mr. A. Wood. f ISS BATEMAN.—LE All.—The celebrated Al._young American Actress, Miss BATEMAN, having an her first appearance in the New Drama of LEAH olp taed the most triumphant and enthusiastic success that has been wiinessed for many years, and the profound impression created by her impersonation of the character of LEAH upon a crowded au di e nce havim; been completely ratified by the unanimous v erdict ad critical app D roval ot the entire Dail P re ss, the Man ager o n t the NEW AELPHI THEATRE has the honour to announce that Miss BATEMAN will appear in the New Drama of LEAH EVERY EVENING till further notice. -ROYAL STRAND THEATRE, Manager, Mr. W. H. Swanborough. THIS EVENING, TURN HIM OUT. ➢lr. C. Fenton. After which, MIRIAM'S CRIME. Messrs. G. Honey, Farselle, Belford, Turner, Miss K.Saville, and Miss Manders. Followed by THE MOTTO, "I'M ALL THERE." Messrs. Roney, Turner, E. Danvers, Collier, Mesdames Ada Swan borough, F. Hughes, Weston, Thorne, Wallace, and Jenny White. Commence at 7. THI THIRD EDITION OF " THE SUN," Containing the Latest SPORTING INTELLIGENCE, Zan be had Every Evening of G. R. GLENIE, NEWS AGENT, No. 4, Connaught-terrace, Hyde-park. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. THIS DAY.—Morning, Sh. 23m.—Afternoon, 9h. 10m. To-voaßow.-Morninw, 9h. 53(1:L.—Afternoon, 10h. 32m. The Weather—Sun Office, Oct. 21, 1863. THERMOMETER. This day at Two o'clock Barometer-30.15. Wind—North-Easterly ; moderate, and cloudy. CA • :4-, SUM than repressed, and altogether through the length and breadth of the land universal indignation was expressed, and general astonishment prevailed re garding such an anomaly of justice and perversion of discipline. Lord CARNAILVON is foremost among those who essayed most strenuously to divest this complicated case of some of its difficulties, and to adjust in some measure the unevenness and irregu larity of the mode of carrying on affairsatou; penal institutions. His lordsh i p has now presented the report of the committ ee engaged in investigat ipnrgi o t n h the details government.an So f it and inquiring a r asintoit g otehse workings appears o t o f be a very excellent proposal;busotmoef o c b o s u t r a s c e le i s n h t a h v i e s i ns t a nce, as in all similar cases, to be overcome, and some opposition must be ex pected. The remarks made relative to hard labour appropriate, and f urnish a strikin g argu mentarevery tto those who have been gradually decreasing this necessary part of the prison programme, until for all intents and purposes it might as well have been discontinued altogether. Also due reference is made to the importance of giving sufficient in dustrial work, a point which is now sadly neglected. The amount of "trade instruction" is, it appears, very limited. This is a great pity ; and, consider ing the immense sums that are being constantly frittered away for expenses connected with the prison ostensibly, but of which many prisoners do not reap the benefit, it is aggravating to think that means are being neglected whose adoption would be potent to serve, and might prove puissant to save, some of the unhappy class who are thus thrown into prison without, perchance, the power or op portunity of gaining their livelihood. In a refor matory sense there is nothing more calculated, in a worldly sense, to bring about the desired end than to impart instruction in some trade. It stands to reason that the prisoner who quits confinement with some trade at his finger's end, some labour that he is capable of performing handily, must be in a better position, and have a fairer chance of finally settling down into a steady, or, at all events, a reputable member of society, than he who comes into the world again to saunter in idleness and roam listlessly about, until he proves surely and sadly in his renewed offences and reiterated sentence that idleness is the root of all evil. Too muoh attention cannot be given to this branch of the subject. Without going to far as to predict that due regard to this necessity will reform or reclaim the majority of those under restraint, it is certain that some must benefit greatly by the attempt, and that many may be improved by the incitement, and encouragement thus held out to them. The recommendations here made for arranging a progressive scale of labour seem to answer very well the twofold purpose to which all prison discipline should tend, of repression and encouragement. The hard work stringently enforced must prove of salutary effect, and the pros pect of amelioration will give that hope to stimulate and encourage without which human beings will be slow to exert themselves in any sphere. The objec• tions urged by the committee as to reduction in the hours set apart for rest seem most reasonable. The notion of allowing ten hours is almost prepostercus. It would be difficult to find many persons engaged in any avocation, or even among those who pursue a career of pleasure, who sacrifice so much time to repose, and to sanction such a proceeding in cases where rigorous and hard measures should be the ruling principle, is very objectionable. Then more strict rules are requisite as relates to the books pro vided for entertainment. That instruction be con veyed to their minds is very essential, and in some cases a little relaxation is good, bat works that are LONDON, WEDNESDAY, OCT. 21, 1863. Another " little war" in Japan—and another "little war" in New Z3aland ! The two localities being as far removed from each other as they are both of them from ourselves. England is certainly, so tar, getting her hands full of those minor warlike difficulties which were regarded with more repug nance by the Duke of WELLINGTON than the grander contests, such as those in which he himself had, during the earlier part of his life, been so conspicuously engaged. These little wars aro certainly more insidious in their evil influences than the great wars. They frequently last much longer, and are more often renewed. They eat away time and money, as perniciously as gangrene exhausts the vital energies. Or to speak with more exactitude, though still by metaphor, the little wars are like the opening of issues in various parts of the body, as compared with a bold applica tion of the lancet. The only course in reason to be pursued in regard to these little wars, we take it, is to enter upon them, if they must needs be entered upon at all, as promptly and vigorously as may be in any way practicable. Instead of grumbling over the evil necessity of another little war in Japan, and another little war, just exactly at thesame time, in New Z aland—what we have to dl now, in each instance, in obedience to the dictates of sheer com mon sense, is to "go in" at both, determinedly and with a will. It is interesting to note in reference to this compulsory revival by the English of war- Ilk ' Proceedings against the Japanese—compulsory Pie lte "Y advisedly, for the English had really no ru ative whatever before them under the cir commonly styled " interesting" should be sparingly doled out. The purpose of prison li e should be to render existence within its confines irksome to the best behaved of its inmates, and painful to such as prove refractory. To provide to any extent what is the worst enjoyable occupation of an intelligent mind is a perversion of right and justice that cannot be countenanced by those who are bringing these prison details prominently forward, and whose duty it is to apply the searching tests of truth to their practices, and to let in the floodlight of publicity where circumstances have too much impeded a general knowledge. The high rate of diet most justly calls for reduction in this department. The allowance of meat is explained by some persons to be necessary to compensate for the influences of prison life, but the Committee very pro perly suggest that the same amount of nutri ment can be imparted by less palatable means of nourishment. To increase the in consistency of this dietary arrangement it is shown that those prisoners who are convicted for trifling offences arc given a diet that is very low, IN hile the men convicted for two years and upwards are at once allowed a much better ration of food than falls to the lot of the labouring classes. It is highly requisit that the plan sub• Bested for making a progressive scale of diet be adopted at once, and carried out effectually. Of course there will be many difficulties in the way of putting these plans into practice, bat surely it cannot be said by the most obtuse or obstinate dissentient to the views of the Committee that the subject under discussion is not worth the time and the trouble that have been devoted to it. The commission of crimes will never cease while mankind walk the earth, but their frequency and their universality does not diminish their fearful effect on human nature, nor detract from their hideousness in the sight of GOD. The more care and caution that prevails in the institutions that are set apart for criminals the greater chance there must be that evil will be diminished, and Vice, to a great extent, restrained. It is evident, at any rate, that to afford prisoners the advantages that are denied to those struggling under the preßaure of ad vers ity, or b rea ki ng down beneath the 'weight of poverty is a cruel perversion:of power from i ts legitimate use, and cannot fail to be at tended by the report i t o t s h t e grace and grievous consequences. If th e excell this be much for the tbsuggestionsy the he that are embodied in Committee are not received with due attention summarily the question a a s uthorities' there will vill be o t a k uswer for hereafter, when and dealt with " up by the Legislature, a national evil that brooks no delay, a n d its important issues. cannot stand trifling with ______ ------- cum4t anees—it is i n t eres tin g at this_ moment to recall to mind the fact that it is now upwards of two hundred years since communications be tween England and Japan were first of all for mally negotiated and opened up by anything like an interchange of commercial privileges. It was, in point of fact, as far back as the 11th of June, 1613, that this occurred. A letter from King JAMES I. Of England, 111. of Scotland, was presented at the Court of Jeddo b Ca ptain SARIS, of the y Clone, in the following July, in the name of his Britannic MAJESTY and as a token of amity. Up wards of two centuries after that incident, another English sea-captain, the skipper of a small brig, entering the bay of Jeddo in 1818, endeavoured, but ineffectually, to obtain a cargo, As recently as 1831 an American vessel Was then and there actually fired upon, under similar circ umstances. V tit w w ith the Americans that th e J apanese first e of all entered entered into the formalitie s o f a regular comme rcial treaty ....namely, on the Bth o f And it was but a littl e more than four ye ars March, 1854 - A a ft e rwards, that the com mercial treaty between the English and th e Japanese was suc cessfully negotiated on the 26th of August, 1858, a t Jeddo, by Lord Elgin—the treaty opening up the ports of Hakodadi, Kana gowa, and Nagasaki to B ritish I from Ist July, 1859 ; the por t of subjects on and Nee-e-gata on and from Ist January, 1860 ; and the and from the Ist January, 1862, Br i t i s h subjects being allo we d, f or th e p ur pose of trade under this new port ß of Hiogo on treaty, to reside after the Ist January,lB62, at Teddo , a nd after th e I st J anuary, 1863 , a t Osacca. It is for the viol at i on of more than the rights an d privileges guar anteed by t reaty , h owever, i t i s f o r the perpe tration of var i ous outrages against the commonest dictates of humanity upon inoffensive British sub jects, some of them invested with authority by the English Government, that the Sword of England has once more been drawn against Japan. .......—___ - -- Some years ago there wee matters affecting Mr. NAPIER in the House of Commonsl3l°ti-- made by mission to inquire into various ima.t fora com mission of the Inns the Court, Which Was carried amidst a very general approval, This motion was one for a commission t o ~ inquire lato the system pursued in the Inns of Court for p ro . mo ting the study of law and jurisprudence, th e revenues applicable, and the means most likely to secure a systematic and sound education for students, and a satisfactory test of fitness for admis sion to the bar." This commission emanated in a report which, unhappilY and unfortunately, was never carried into effect, and we suppose was lost amidst the din of war, as it came out in the autumn of 1855, towards the close of the Crimean war, for nothing has now been beard of the report for many years- The benchers of the Inns of Court are still contented to go on calling men to he bar with merely eating so many dinners and attending so many lectures. The bar, as we pointed out on several occasions in former leading grti,:les, stands It is satisfactory to find that great questions which have engaged attention and excited interest during the Parliamentary session are not cast aside nor forgotten when the turmoil of business is over and the strife of discussion is at an end. Perhaps nothing of a domestic character possessed more im portance last session than the attempt made by s ome energetic members to institute a re f orm into the discipline and to amend the managemt; n t of Our prisons and gaols. It had become a scandal among us that these things were fast mergin g into a mockery, and that so lax was the routine,, so ineffi cient the laws, and so mistaxen the mo tives that guided and governed the establishments set apart for criminals, that crime seemed encouraged rather alone from all oth er p rofessions and places of p ublic ga r g an examination. What, r egards sianllowing people to enter it s emolumentlists withou a t s e deu r n we should be glad to know, can there be about legal studies which distinguishes them from other forms of human knowledge and intellectual acqui• sition ? If clergymen are wanted, we examine them. What would be thought of a proposition for admitting all candidates to holy orders who had partaken of twenty dinners per annum in a parti cular building especially devoted to so sacred a pur pose, and who had just attended one year's lectures, they themselves having been asleep all the while ? As a gastronomical test, the game might answer ; but as any evidence of theological acquirement it would certainly break down, So in medicine. Would the public willingly dispense with the slender security afforded us by the examinations at the Apothecaries , Hall, at the College of Surgeons, and at the College of Physicians ? In the Navy officers are examined, if they wish to qualify for appointment in the Steam Marine; in the Army, candidates for com missions, even in the line, must submit to certain inquiries into their intellectual fitness for discharg ing the duties of their rank. To draw the analogy still more strictly, attorneys are examined, and very strictly examined, not only previously to their ad mission on the Rolls, but articled clerks are ex amined during their articles, by what are now termed intermediate examinations, as well as being subjected to a sound preliminary examination, pre viously to being articled, and without which no young man can now become an articled clerk. I3ut all the education a man requires for the purpose of being entered for 'keeping terms for the Bar, is to be able to write his own name. There can be no foundation, in sound reason, for this exceptional privilege of the Bar, and the sooner it is abolished the better, not only in the interest of the public, but of the barrister himself. It is said to be a great hardship that a young man who has passed the whole of his life, from his fourteenth to his twenty-fourth year, in the process of examination, should again be called on to submit to an exami nation. The answer is, that no blame must be imputed to the elder profession o f law, if candidates for admission into their mysteri es may h a ve chosen to spend the earlier portion of their lives in submitting themselves to tests of intellec tual qualifications in other pursuits. When the question is as to mortgages and contingent re mainders, it is of very little avail that a man s hould have been examined many times at Oxford in the Scholiacists upon ARISTOPIIANES, or at Cambridge in the differential calculus. There is simp l y no In the kind of connection between the two cases. interest of the young barrister himself, o f the man who has no attorney connection, nothing , i n short, but his own merit and his own exertion upo n which he may rely, we can conceive no more fortunate circumstance than that an opportunity s h o uld be given him for displaying his capacity and t alent at the very outset of his career. At present there is nothing for it but a friendly attorney, "or to write a book.'' The friendly attorney must remain a constant quantity, while Bar arrangements remain as they are; but, surely, the notoriety obtained by gaining the first place in an examination as to general legal capacity, when the period of pupildom has just expired, must be of far more value than any reputation which can be gained as the author of a legal treatise. Really good works on Law and Jurisprudence are few, very few, in number; while with regard to mere compilations, digests, and reports, they are so numerous that authorship, as far as they are concerned, has ceased to possess any real value. The highest place in a well organised examination, conducted as university examinations are conducted with honours for students who aim at hi g h attain ment, and m ore or di nar y degrees for t hose whose purpose may be answered by a common pass, must be of vast imp or t ance to a young ma n. The exa• mination its e lf w ould g ive a totally d ifferent tone to the profession, in the course of a few years, and help to produce a race of learned ju rists who should regard law, not as a mere ques tion of bread and cheese, but as an intellectual pursuit, to be entered upon and adhered to with loftier views and more worthy objects. There is one point which in former articles on this subject has not been sufficiently in sisted upon; it is a great mistake to suppose that a large proportion of those whose names are enrolled upon the Bar List of England ever intended to practice the law as a profession. Those persons, therefore, who object to the introduction of legal examinations, on the ground that they would not in all probability produce a better cro p of barristers than the present voluntary system, establish but little, even if they succeed in establishing their point. The English Bar has for a long time been a nursery for aspirants in the various branches of the civil s erv i ce . Th e mos t usual cla use in an ac t of Parliament requiring certain appointments to be made is that the appointments in question shall only be given to barristers of a certain standing. Bo it remembered that sincethe appointment of the commis sion to enqa:re into the arrangements'of the Inns of Court and Chancery in the early part of theyearlBs4, nearly 10 years ago, access to all the civil appoint ments in the country has been closed to all who have not produced the certificate of having passed an examination ; under the present arrangements the qualification of giving divers public appoint ments to barristers of so many years' standing is a mere mockery ; but it might be made something very different if all candidates were required to gi ve proof of diligent study in various branches of La w Jurisprudence, before they were a dmitted to t he honorary and honourable title of B arrister-at-La w. Finally, we would say to the Bar of England, that the only way they can avoid the result which they most seem to dread, namely, that the attorneys should oust them from their honours, is by giving plain proof of superior education and attainment. If they are to be held as worthier than attorneys they must show themselves to be so by raising their own standard of education and intelligence. The usual monthly meeting of the General Com• mittee of the Central Relief Fund gave rise on Monday last to a very interesting discussion. In the first place, Mr. MACLURE'S Report confirmed the gratifying intelligence which had previously reached us of the gradual decrease of pauperism. Up to the 26th ult. the returns show a considerable increase of employment in the cotton mills and manufactures of the district. The number of reci pients of relief during the nine months of the cur rent year show a gradual but decided diminution, and although the Committee think it advisable to wain the public that there is reason to anticipate considerable fluctuations, we may accept the exist ing state of things as a source of thankfulness fo they p ere r d es t e h n a t t ad of ho innsam some cases, for the future. es,w here the area I is con of t.relie is should re due b e e d tr v a int s h f i e n r narrow redto th the limits, Boa The Central C ommittee, while mak d i t n h g oef this whole re 1 i Guardians,e sugges tion, at the same time take the opportunity of ex pressing the creditable manner in which the local committees have fulfilled their office. The task has certainly been no easy one, and if wo b ear i n m i n d the thousand conflicting in fluences, the difficulties to be overcome, and the serious nature of their duties, we shall readily admit that the gentlemen who voluntarily undertook a teak of such labour Three Golden Rules of Good Humour. As PROPOUNDED DY THAT MODERN DEMOCRITUS or OURS, DEAR, DELIGHTFUL TOM HOOD. I. Never meet trouble half way, but let him have the whole walk for his pains I 11. One of the pleasantest roads a true-born Cockney can go is that leading ;row _Dullage to Griunage I HI. The best fence against care is a Ha 1 Ha The ship Sebastian Cabot, which was disabled in the Channel, has arrived safely off Waterford. The pre mium ranged from 30 to GO guineas. On Friday several risks were taken at 25 guineas only on her total loss. On Saturday the prices dropped down to the nominal premium of 20s, and responsibility, and carried it out with such un LA ST INTELLI The irjury NCE - flagging energy and disinterestedness, are entitled [RETJTER'S TELEGRAMS.] TEGE i to a very high meed of praise. There can be no doubt that the system of sub-division of labour, which these local committees enabled to be put in practice, assisted materially in the relief of the distress. Indeed, it would have been almost im possible for any plan of centralised authority, or superintendence, to have worked satisfactorily, so as at once to guard: against all the frauds and impostures of the undeserving, and to secure the relief of every real sufferer. On the principle of the postscript to a lady's letter, the appendix to the seeingreport th a t was we perhapshad gth aered the main f a cts a s to the most imp or t an t par t, the decrease of population from the statistics given at the weekly meetings. Mr. AsnwoßTH, who has carefully compiled much valuable information respecting the cotton trade, furnished a paper On the Prospects of the Cotton Supply of 1864 over 1863," in which he arrived at the most satis factory conclusions. He anticipates a total increase of 610,000 bales over the supply for '63—the sup posed addition raising the amount of labour required from three days weekly to four days and a half, thus increasing the working hours one-third. The principle quarters to which he looks for the esti mated increase are India and Turkey—the former being set down for 350,000, and the latter for 200,000. The Turkish correspondent upon whose information one part of this calculation is based went so far as to anticipate an increase of 250,000 bales from that part of the world ; but Mr. Ash-- WORTH has thought it more prudent, in considera tion of the recent damage done by locusts and other casualties to reduce this amount, and has, therefore, only allowed for the quantity above named. The Egyptian increase is allowed by the least sanguine to be fairly placed at 100,000 bales, notwithstanding the damage done in some quarters by the unusual extent of the overflow of the Nile. The stoppage of the railway traffic from the same cause will retard the transmission of the Egyptian cotton to this country, nevertheless it is there, and may be safely reckoned on. In Italy the Govern ment, as in Turkey, has taken active steps in pro moting the growth of the staple with considerable success—it being only in our own colonies that the Government thinks proper to look coldly on the movement. From Queensland and other parts of Australia we are told it is premature to expect a large supply. It would not have been quite so premature had the authorities encouraged instead of checking experiments some yeare since. Africa is preparin g t o contr ib ute a f a i r supp l y. In addi tion to the st ore l oo k e d f or f rom Egypt, Natal, and the West Coast, and the River Gambia are all making efforts to supply our needs. South America and the West Indies also form a prominent feature in the reckoning —the Paraguay Government, as we have previously heard, going so far as to pro mote a cotton company ; while the Argentine Con federation i s a l so us i ng every exert i on to encourage cotton planting. Coming last, but not least, to India, where from some unhappy prejudice the authorities refuse to believe in the capacities of the country for cotton growing, Mr. ASHWORTH'S estimate of 350,000 bales increase is by some regarded as too low. "It is impossible," he admits himself, "to estimate the effect which so large an accession as £20,000,000 sterling in one year may have in stimu lating the production of cotton in so fertile a country as India and with so industrious a popu lation?, Oa the other hand there unquestionably exists, as was afterwards observed, considerable uncertainty as to the actual state of affairs in India. Mr. PLATT, of Oldham, who expressed his belief that Mr. AsitwoßTH's estimated increase was below rather than above the mark, at least so far as regarded Egypt and Turkey, observed that it was somewhat singular that while they could speak with comparative confidence of Turkey and other places, all parties were at sea with regard to India. " Somehow or other," remarked this gentleman, repeating what we have often said, " they had never yet been able, unless within the last few weeks, to impress upon the rulers of the country that India could produce useable cotton. The con sequence had been that there had been no Govern ment efforts made in India, like those of other countries, to grow cotton. The same speaker after wards mentioned as a well-known fact that magni ficent cotton had been grown in India from New Orleans seed. The committee showed considerable hesitation in adopting the appendix as a part of the report, feeling that a good deal of weight was attached to the expression of their opinion, and being naturally reluctant to mislead the public with delusive hopes and expectations. One gentle man in particular, Mr. MASON, subjected the appendix to a most severe criticism, disputing almost every one of its conclusions. Indeed, he was disposed to view the matter so much en noir, that if Mr. Asuwouri's estimate be considered too sanguine Mr. MASON'S calculations may be taken as too desponding. After all his depreciatory criticism, however, he contented himself with striking off 100,000 bales from Mr. ASHWORTH'S sum total, and the exaggerated expectations from Asia Minor , a nd consequently, notwithstanding Indian deficiencies, greatly increased exports, Mr. MASON allows us to of 510 000 hope for an increase in the current year , bales. At the worst, therefore, our prospects are rapidly mending,but although it is certainly wise to hoar both sides, and to be moderate in our expecta tions, it is only fair to remember that Mr. ASH WORTH'S calculations are no visionary p ossibilities, but are founded on the statements received from communicated by Earl our consuls in the several countries referred to, and RUSSELL to the Cotton Supply Association. His figures are therefor e based on the estimates of what has actually b een d Of course such . done in those places, not wha t mi g ht b y some ha ppy possibility be accomplishe s are by no means infallible, and bearing in mind their inevitable uncertainty, Mr. ASHWORTH tells us that he has in every instance allowed for a o ne stated. It is a notice smaller supply than the able fact in connection with this question, that the amount of American cotton received this year shows an increase of 33 per cent. --a startling fact for the blockaders. The Cotto n Su pp l y Association has done good service in distributing seed and cleaning machines in all countries supposed to be favourable to the cotton growth, end their efforts have met with most encouraging success. Cotton has been received, we are told, i n crease of the crop in some from upwards of fifty new places, while the rapid of the old quarters , who can help s With such statistics b e fore u h a s been already alluded to. re gretting that such e hour of need to back, instead of waiting till th efforts were not made ten y ears begin looking out for fresh sources of supply ? AMERICA. (Per the Bohemia.) NEW YORK, OCT. 10. Gen. Johnston is reported to be at Santon, Mis souri, with 15,000 men, to intercept Roseneranz's reinforcements. Advices from Charleston to the 6th state that Gen. Gilmore's preparations are nearly completed. The Confederates are operating against Forts Smith and Scott, in Kansas. Gen. Blunt's staff have been captured in Kansas. Uncertain reports have been received of a defeat of the Federals above Port Hudson, with a loss of 1,500 prisoners. Gen. Franklin has advanced 50 miles beyond Brashear City without meeting resistance. Gen. Banks has ordered the conscription in Louisiana. Negroes on the plantations will be de tailed for service. OCT. 10 (Evening). The Confederates are advancing on Fort Scott and Kansas city. It is reported the Kansas militia will be called out. Gen. Blunt will go to Texas, unless his forces are weakened by the Confederate movements in other quarters. Governor Brown of Georgia, who is a secession upholdor, is reported to be re-elected. The Richnzond Enquirer expresses the gratifi cation of the Confederates at having the French for their neighbours in Mexico, and says:—" The South would willingly make an alliance with France to protect French and Southern interests in America." The Richmond .Examiner deuouncos all peace propositions. The Evening .Post urges the Government to de mand from England an explanation of the conduct of the Cape Town authorities respecting the Ala bama. If an explanation is not rendered, Govern ment would at once proceed to press its wrongs. The Russian Admiral has accepted an invitation to visit Boston with the squadron. Foreign Con suls and French and British officers are to be in vited to the municipal banquet to the Russians. The steamer Jose has been seized at New York upon suspicion of being a blockade runner. NEW YORK, OCT, 10 (Evening), The Federal Government has received advices from Chattanooga, with all encouragement for the Union cause. The Confederate cavalry had been overtaken below Shelbyville and completely routed with a loss of 100 killed. The Federals were in pursuit. Admiral Milne has visited the Secretary of the Navy at Washington. COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. NEW YORK, OCT. 10 (Evening). Money easy. The large export of gold has caused an advance of 2 per cent. in its price, being now quoted 481 per cent. premium. Exchange on Lon don—bankers bills, 164. Stocks dull. New York Centrals, 1341 ; Illinois, 1261 ; Erie, 1081 ; G per Cent. United States Bonds, 1071, Cotton steady. Middling upland, 90c. Flour and corn advancing. Wheat. large speculative sales. Provisions, very firm. Coffee quiet. Sugar and molasses advanc ing. Petroleum very dull. Crude, 33: 1 c. Refined, 53c. NEW YORK, OCT. 12 (Evening). The Confederates are moving in Virginia, and a strong Confederate force is concentrating in the vicinity of Madison Courthouse. lows : creased, despatch ; A Federal cavalry brigade encountered Stuart's cavalry, while reconnoitring the Confederate posi tion, near Robertson's River. An engagement ensued. The Federals, being repulsed, retired to Culpepper. General Hill's corps has passed from the left to the right of Meade's front, at Blue Ridge Moun tain, apparently to get on - Meade's right and cut the railway communication, or else us a ruse to cover an attack upon his front. The communication between Nashville and Chattanooga is uninterrupted. A combined land and naval attack upon Charles ton was to take place on the 11th. COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. Money easy. The anxiety concerning the mili tary situation in Virginia, Tennessee, has caused an advance in gold, which is now quoted 51: 1 ,-, per cent. per annum. Exchange on London, bankers' bills, IG4 to 165 ; stocks dull. New York Cen trals, 135 ; Illinois, 1261; Erie, 1091; 6 per cent. United States' Bonds, 1971. Cotton steady ; Mid dling Uphold, 90c. Vim the Correspondent of the Times.) NEW YORK, OCT. 9, 5 p.m. A. telegram to the liehmond Enquirer from General Bragg's army, announces that the Confede rates, on Missionary Ridge, shelled the position of General Rosencranz for several hours on the Gth inst. Federal accounts, via Nashville, on the 7Lh and Bth, state that skirmishing was of constant occur rence, and that another general engagement was considered imminent. Communication between General Rosencranz and his base at Nashville is still interrupted, and reports had been received at Nashville that Shelbyville, with all the Federal troops there, had been captured by the Confederates. General Bragg is said to have been heavily rein forced from Richmond and elsewhere, and that his forces now number at least 175,000 men. It is also represented that 55,000 troops, under the command of Gen. Joe Johnson, are held as reserves. Confederate accounts from Charleston of the 6th report that on that day an attack was made upon the Federal fleet, in which the frigate Iron sides was considerably damaged, and the other vessels of the fleet great'y alarmed for their safety. It is not stated what constituted the attacking force ; but, from the fact that three of the crew of the Confederate gunboat Chicora are reported missing, it is presumed that it consisted of Confede rate iron-class. Despatches from headquarters of the Army of the Potomac of the Bth inst. state that during the pre vious 24 hours there had been many indications of a steadily approaching collision with the enemy. An expedition of land and naval forces sent out by General Foster fora Fortress Monroe, on the 4th inst., to some point in North Carolina, had not been heard from up to the 6th inst. Serious apprehensions exist in Leavenworth of a Confederate invasion of Kansas. On the Bth the Confederates were reported to bo advancing on Fort Scott and Kansas city. All the Government troops in Leavenworth had been ordered forward, and the state militia called out, to repel the invader. THE AMERICAN MAILS. ACCIDENT TO THE AFRICA. (By Telegraph to Cape Race.) ST. JOHN'S, NEWFOUNDLAND, 0cr.13. The outward-going Royal Mail steamship Africa struck, in a dense fog, near Cape Race, on Monday night (the 12th). She was afihore above half an hour, but got off, making much water, and bore up for St. John's, where she arrived to•eay. The ship has been beached, and must discharge. is supposed to be extensive, and the cargo is damaged. MEXICO. PARIS, OCT. 21. The Paris papers of to-day publish a telegram from Saint Nazaire with intelligence from Vera Cruz to the 18th September, stating that according to news received from the interior of Mexico a numerous party exists favourable to the annexation, pure and simple, of Mexico to France. ST. NAZAIRE, Ocr. 21. Advices received here from Vera Cruz to the 18th Sept. state that the Archbishop of Mexico had arrived, and had met with a magnificent reception. The national fête of the 16th was of a brilliant character. The blockade of all hostile Mexican ports has been effective since the Bth of the month, PRUSSIA. BERLIN, OCT. 21. The result of the preliminary elections is as fol- In Berlin the old Liberal majority has been in- In the provinces, is far as is known, the elections are said to be also in favour of the former Liberal majority. The result of the election in the lowland districts is not yet known. NADAR'S BALLOON. BREMEN, OCT. 21. Nader's balloon descended near Cystrnp, in Elanover. There were nine persons in it, of whom Iree were seriously and two slightly injured. FRANCE. PARIS, OCT. 21. M. Baroche has been nominated a senator. A friend of M. Nadar has received the following " We descended near Nienburg, in Hanover, at noon on Monday. Our balloon was dragged for several hours, the anchors having been broken — St. Felia, my wife, and Jare, rather seriously hurt; the others are better. We owe our lives to the courage of Jules Godard. More detailed news to morrow." BOURSE, Oct. 20.—The market has completely changed its tone, and Stock having been freely offered, prices have receded. Threes, for the Ac count, are now at 67f. 25c. Mobilier has declined to 1,440 f. Railway Shares are also heavy, and in some cases lower. The market continued heavy to the close, and left off as follows : 4t per Cents. 96 Do. end month --- 3 per Cents Do. end month 67 20 Credit Mobilier 1135 Do. end month 1136 25 Bank Shares 3350 Credit 1 oncier Italian Loan 73 50 RAIL' Do. end month 73 45 New ditto Do. end month — Russian Austrian Spanish Threes — Home Debt Deferred Roman PAY% Cash. Account. Orleans Northern 997 50 .. Lyons and Mediterranean 1018 75 .. New ditto 9lB 75 .. 965 Geneva .. 497 50 .. Southern 695 .. 691 25 Western Eastern Sardinian 4lB 75 .. 420 Austrian Lcrrbard North of Spain Saragossa 635 .. 638 75 Ditto to Barcelona A Graceful Tribute to Sir Wm. Atherton, the late Attorney-General, The country has, for a time, lost the services of one of its most able public servants, in the resigna tion of Sir William Atherton, the late Attorney- General. We regret deeply that Sir William has been obliged, owing to continued and serious ill health, to take the step of giving up the labours of his important office, and the regret is increased by the fact that his illness has been accelerated, if not actually induced, by his unremitting and conscien tious discharge of his official duties. We make this statement on the very best information, and for the purpose of correcting a suggestion that has been going the round of various papers (which know nothing of the facts, by the way), to the effect that his withdrawal from office is due either to a mis understanding between himself and the Cabinet, or to an absence of confidence on the part of his col leagues. We know that so far from such being the case, nothing can exceed the regret with which all the members of the Government, from the Premier downwards, have received the resignation. Like Lord Herbert of Lea, Sir William Atherton has only laboured too incessantly and too long, and the statements that have been made suggesting other causes are all as untrue as they are unworthy. The taste for writing sensational and foolish paragraphs on subjects comparatively trifling, is bad enough; but, when it extends to the art of perverting the judgment of the world in its estimfite of public men whose sterling merits are beyond all dispute, and whose efforts are beyond all praise, it becomes simply an atrocity, which the better and wiser portions of the press should promptly and resolutely condemn, whenever and wherever they may meet with it.— Social Science Review. The Duke of Somerset and the Totnes Electors, A writer in the TVestern Morning News, signing himself " One who delights in freedom," says _ _____ I send you herewith copies of two letters and a copy of a notice to quit, being one of the cases of coercion by the Duke of Somerset which you so ably and rightly exposed a few days since : THE DUKE OF SOMERSET'S AGENT TO MR. TURPIN, " Berry, Sept. 28, 1863. cc Mr. Edward Turpin,-1 am told to-day that yon do not intend to give up possession of the house you occupy according to the notice served on you. Now to prevent any fah() impression on your mind that you can hold on, I think it friendly to tell you that this will not be permitted, and that unless you do give up possession I shall proceed to compel you to do so; and as it is not my wish to put you to expense, which I must do if you hold on in de fiance of the notice, I now again tell you that I expect you to clear out to-morrow.---Yours truly, " THOS. MICHELMORE. ' MR. TURPIN TO TIIE DUKE OF SOMERSET'S AGENT. " Bridgetown, Sept. 29,1863. " Thomas Micbelmore, Esq.—Sir, In reply to your letter of yesterday Iv beg to state that I am very sorry that I cannot gie you possession of the house I now occupy. I was not aware you would be so particular with me. You may depend, as soon as I can suit myself I will leave. When I was at your sister's funeral I asked you if it was your in tention to carry your notice into execution, when you replied I should see you again on the subject, but this you have not permitted ; and as you have acted so unmercifully I would remind you of my supporting the duke's interest ever since the passing of the Reform Bill in 1832. I never hesi tated a moment in giving my voice for both mem bers to serve the interest of his grace, neither should I at the last election had not your clerk (John Col lard) stated publicly at the Exeter Inn, that every one could vote as they thought best for the country. Believing Mr. Dent to be far the best of the two candidates, I promised him ; and my promise, you know, I always fulfil. It is not my practice to de ceive. I told your senior clerk (Mr. Cross) so wh en first he called on me.—Your obedient servant, " EDWARD H. TURPIN," THE AGE OF TUE PREMIER.—Lord Palmerston, K.G., the venerable Premier of her Majesty's Government, yesterday entered upon his 80th year. His lordship was born on the 20th October, 1781, and consequently is 12 years younger than his late political opponent, Lord Lyndhurst. THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 21, ISM urt • ICrt 41, THE QUEEN IN SCOTLAND. BALMORAL, Oct. 18. Mr. Theed's statue of the Prince Consort, which has begin placed in the principal corridor at Balmoral, was uncovered yesterday morning. The Queen, the Crown Prince and Princess of Prussia, Prince and Princess Louis of Hess, Princess Helena, Princess Louise, Princess Beatrice, Prince Arthur, and Prince Leopold assembled in the cor ridor at half-past 1 o'clock. The ladies and gentlemen of the household in waiting were, by her 'Majesty's permission, present, as well as the servants and gillies who had been particularly attached to the Prince Consort's service. At her Majesty's command the covering was re moved from the statue by Mr. Tneed, and the Queen was pleased to express her entire approval and admiration of it. The statue, which is of marble, represents the Prince Consort in the High land dress, with a rifle in the left hand—the right resting on the head of a favourite dog. Upon the pedestal is the fallowing inscription, selected by her Majesty :—" Albert, Prince Con sort, 1861 ; his life sprang from a deep inner sym pathy with God's will; and, therefore, with all that is true, and beautiful, and right." The Queen, accompanied by Princess Helena and Princess Louise, and attended by Lady Churchill, drove yesterday to Alt-na-Guithasach, and returned in the evening. BALMORAL, Oct. 19. • The Queen, accompanied by Princess Helena, and attended by Lady A. Bruce and Lord C. Fitz roy, attended Divine service in the parish church of Crathie yesterday afternoon. The Rev. A. Ander son officiated. The Prince and Princess of Wales. SANDRINGHAM, Oct. 20. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, his Royal Highness Prince Christian of Denmark, with Cap tain Grey, Captain Castencbjold, Dr. Holtzman, and Colonel Cifton, have been out shooting this morning. The Princess of Wales, the Princess Christian, and the Princess Dagmar walked in the grounds this morning. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge attended by Colonel Clifton, is expected to leave Sandring ham, Norfolk, after visiting their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales, on Thursday next. Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cam bridge and the Princess Mary, attended by Colonel Home Purees and Lady Geraldine Somerset, have arrived from Paris, in which capital they made a few days' stay on their way home from Rumpenheim, near Frankfort. Prince Gortschakoff has arrived at the Alexandra Hotel (late Wallace's), from St. Petersburg. His Excellency the Prussian Ambassador and the Countess Bernstorff and family arrived at Prussia House, Carlton House-terrace, on Monday, from Brighton. . _ The Duke of Leinster arrived at his residence on Carlton House •terrace on Monday, from visiting Sir Edward Baker at his seat near Blandford. His Excellency the Bavarian Minister and Baroness de Cetto arrived at the Bavarian Legation at Hill-street, Berkeley-square, yesterday, from Brighton. The Duchess (Dowager) of Sutherland and the Marquis and Marchioness of Kildare, arrived in town last evening from Cliefden Park, near Maidenhead. The Duchess de Sotomayer and family have left Thomas's Hotel, Berkeley-square, for Madrid. The Earl of Chesterfield arrived in town on Mon day from Newmarket. The countess has gone to Bretby Park, near Burton-on-Trent. Count d'Haussonville has arrived at the Claren don Hotel from Paris. Lord and Lady Bagot are expected to arrive in town from the Continent in the course of the week, on their way to Blithfield Park, Staffordshire, for the winter. Baron and Baroness Von der Heydt have left Thomas's note], Berkeley-square. Colonel the Hon. Henry Byng, second son of the Earl of Strafford, was married a few days since, at St. Katherine's Church, Savernake Forest, Marlborough, to the Countess Henrietta Danneskiold-Samsoe, eldest daughter of his Excellency Count Christian Danneskiold-Samsoe. The ceremony was performed by the Hon. and Rev. F. Byng, the brother of the bridegroom, assisted by the Rev. Plater Browne. DEATH OF MR. S. H. LANGSTON, M.P.-Mr. James Haughton Langston, one of the members for the city of Oxford, died at Sarsden on Monday. Mr. Langston, in his early career, became an unflinching Li beral, and was a strenuous supporter of the ballot. Tho vacancy thus caused in the representation of Oxford will, it is anticipated, bring several gentlemen into the field, Mr. Fletcher, of the Reform Club, and Mr. Cartwright, of Ay nhoe, being amongst those who have been announced as candidates. Mr. A. Peel, the rejected of Coventry, has also been named. MR MACLISE' S GREAT PICTURES, " The Interview between Wellington and Blucher after Waterloo," and " The Death of Nelson."—lt has been the custom (on the occasions of the opening of Parliament by the Sovereign), to have a double range of seats Fitted up for the accommodation of persons witnessing the cere mony. These seats are kept in store ready to be framed for use. They are so inconsiderately constructed that the backs of the sitters hide, if they do not even touch, the surface of the pictures upon the walls. It is obvious that there is great risk of damage being done to the works upon which Mr. Maclise has spent some of the best years of his life, to a result wholly admirable. These pictures, moreover, were intended to form, so to say, integral parts of the ceremonials, as the scene of which the Royal Gallery itself was especially designed. It is surely desirable that the works should be delivered from even the chance of damage, and that they should be seen as they were intended to be seen. We are quite sure that the responsible authorities need only to' et informed on the subject to induce them to take steps to the desired end. If the authority of the late Prince Consort is needed in the matter, let us say that it may be found in the shape of a sketch, made with pencil by his own hand upon the framework of mouldings surrounding the picture first named above. This sketch shows an arrangement sug gested frir the purpose of his Royal Highness. In order to preserve the sketch it has been covered with water-glass, so that it will remain safe from injury, unless Sir C. Barry's extraordinary expedient of painting the solid stonework be repeated.— .4!kenceuni. A CONGRESS OF VITICULTURISTS is proposed to be held very shortly at Paris, to find a solution to the vexed question that has for so many centuries given rise to endless discussions among our neighbours on the other side of the Channel—" Which is the best wine pro duced in France ?" It is added that three illustrious orators will speak on the occasion. The announcem e nt is now going the rounds of the French journals, but we con fess our inability to discover whether it is seriously meant, or intended only as a genthe persiflage of the existing rage for holding congresses that pervades the Continent at the present day, and of which we have lately witnessed so man y examples, from the culminating- congress of sove reigns at Frankfort down to the congress of working men held at Leipsic the other day. As many people prefer claret, Burgundy has its supporters, and there is no lack of people who lean towards champagne. It appears to us s imply a matter of taste, and, as such, precluded from serious competition with each other in the sense proposed for solution by the congress.— Dena Trade and I?,evieto. LORD DUDLEY remarked once to that genialeSt of wits, Sydney Smith—" You have been laughing at In° constantly,its, Sydney, for the last seven years ; and yet in all that time you never said a single thing to me that wished unsaid." VOLUNTARY EMANCIPATION.—Th e work of ica" Weston,county l Yste d r dagyh N. of liberated j his. mediate emancip a tion, by owners voluntar i ly sett inS er e aei their slaves free, is goin g f orward qu i te extensively if; Platte A l n e e x g a r n o d e e s r . , re near His wife all their clothing washed out and put in order ; Mr. A. fu r ' niched them with t ransportation and funds to meet inciden tal expenses, and provisions to last them until next spring. W e fear that these negroes will never find a home such as 01 , 1 had in the family of their late master and mistress. 1 \ 1r : Joseph Pence informs us that he shall do the same with D' 4 slaves as Mr, Alexander has ; and that they are only waiting to hear from Kansas, before taking up their line of m arch' Large numbers of slaves, we learn, have been liberated iv' this manner in different parts of the county. A gentleino:. informed us that some 50 had been set free and started 1 0 ' Kansas in one day.—Platte County &ntincl, Sept. 24. t GALLANT RESCUE OF A LITTLE CHILD F il°3 DROWNING.—On Monday afternoon, at 2 0 min uteo past 2 o'clock, a child about four or five years of age, baying, through some accident, fallen into the ornamental water.!; St. James's-park, must infallibly have been drowned but the instant promptitude of a gentleman who happened t passing by. The child had sunk when this gentleins"o though upwards of sixty years of age, plunged into tu water without a moment's hesitation, and without v l3l . llna , even to take off his over-coat. H a ving rescue d the c . d the amateur claimant upon the attention of the Itoyallllio ma ne Society coolly swan/ off againagaintor the rocoverY f hat 1—Q(0? .