The Sun. — London, England, 1864-08-31 00:00:00

THE CIVIL WAR IN AMERICA, (From the Time? Correspondent.) GLIFTON•HOIISE, NIAGARA FALLS, Aug. 15. 'The opposition of Mr Lincoln's re-election gathers et rength every day. Even the great M'Clellan m. 3 eting at New York, imposing in numbers and ex berant in enthusiasm, proved to be more of an ant . . •Lincoln demonstration than an expression of sympathy with the name and character of him in who se behalf it was summoned. The General con-- tin u es to be a " war democrat," while the bulk of the eemocracy is not simply drifting but rushing into peace. New York is always influential, but in the approaching contest it will not be all powerful. The 'West and North-West have become weary of the war, and while the commercial metropolis may send its thousands and tens of thousands into Unions square, to listen to brass bands playing " Yankee Doodle" and " The Star-spangled Banner ;" to gaze at rockets and transparencies, and shout for a name —which they are always ready to do—whether the name be Butler, M' Clellan, Grant, or, if he were successful, Jefferson Davis,—the outlying States of the Union, who have borne the brunt and received none of the profits of the war, are determined either to have change of policy or change of Presidents. To this quiet and picturesque hotel, in Which Northern and Southern men may meet in freedom and on terms of perfect equality, u nder th e safe guard of the British flag, there is a. daily and hourly influz. of the leading statesmen , politicians, and "wire pullers" of the North-Western St a t es ,t o con sult with the three or four Southern emissaries in eferson Davis, who have the confidence of Mr Se temporarily taken up their abode in C ana d a , an d learn from them w h e ther comp rom i se b e not pos . Bible, on any terms' and especially on those of an armistice and convention of the States. As already notified, Mr Dean Richmond may, if he will, become the nominee on this basis of the Chicago C o nvention but he hesitates, it appears, to accept ; the position, though he has not formally declined it. The lerCiellan meeting has not materially altered the conditions of the case. It was by common consent the most numerous ever held in Sew York, and if the vote of that city could carry the Presidential candidate in spite of the wishes of the organised Democracy of other States, it is probable that the struggle would ultimately lie between Mr Lincoln and Gen. M'Clellan. But New York State—much less the city—cannot carry a candidate against the North-West, and against the regularly constituted agencies that nominate the members of the Convene tion, which in its turn nominates the man, whom the party is bound to support, under the usual penalties of disruption. There is a disposition on the part of the friends of Gen. M'Clellan to take the decision out of the control of the partysmanagers, and if he be not nominated by the Chicago Convention, to no. urinate him by the people. Indeed, a threat to this effect was ostentatiously inserted in one of the reso lutions passed at the meeting, but as such a proceed ing would hopelessly divide the Democratic party, it is more probable that Gen: M'Clellan will accept the Chicago platform than that the threat will become anything more than a brutum fulmen. Among a hundred of the most eloquent, distinguished, and in fluential Democrats, who were publicly announced as favorable to the objects of the meeting and pledged to support them by their presence and their speeches, only three of any note appeared. The remainder did not even think it worth their while to send writ ten apologies for their absence—facts which help to show that party discipline has not been seriously re laxed, expectant officeholders under the new rSgiine are true to their allegiance, and have no intention of committing themselves to any candidate until the Chicago Convention shall have spoken. The third of the resolutions, which declared that the final selection of a President "must fall on one of the great soldiers who have distinguished themselves in defence of the principles on which the Government is founded," has greatly damaged the prospects of General M'Clellan, and unless he shall at the eleventh hour, or within ten minutes of the 12th, resign his commission as a Major. General in the service of an Administration that might otherwise compel him to fight for the abolition of slavery, as a condition precedent to peace and reunion, may prove an impassable barrier to his nomination. To Hay that none but a distinguished soldier shall be President is to declare virtually for a military des potism, even though the declaration may be modified by the proviso that such soldier must have drawn his sword in favour of State rights and other fun damental principles of the Union. The feeling of the Democratic leaders, and especially of those who are pledged to support an armistice, is strong against M'Clellan, He is held to be too timid to suit the emergency, even if he should have the pre liminary courage to resign his commission. The coming days threaten to be dark and gloomy,if not bloody ; and a strong-minded, resolute civilian like Mr. Dean Richmond, accustomed to manipulate the masses, knowing the pulse of the public, thoroughly acquainted with party mechanism in all its intri cacies, a man who can manage it as an engineer van manage a steam-engine, is recognised as more likely to be an effective President in a dangerous crisis than a military man like M'Clellan, whose sins, failures, and shortcomings have sprung from excess of caution ; who had the greatest op portunity ever thrust by fortune into the lap of a favourite since the days of Napoleon 1., and who threw it away either because he did not see it or be cause he had not the nerve, the pluck, the tact, and the daring to take advantage of it. In short General M'Clellan labours under the imputation of civic cowardice, or of a slowness and hesitancy of judg ment, which, by producing the same results, would repel the co-operation of men who thoroughly ap preciate the fact that the country is in danger, and that violent diseases require bold remedies. Not withstanding all these things, he may even yet make himself the nominee of Chicago—but if so, he must in a very short interval take a decided step. He must disavow the policy of Mr Lincoln's famous letter, "to all whom it may concern," tear off his shoulder-straps, throw down his sword, become again a civilian, and trust his fortunes to the ballot. boz. By such means he shall regain the military rank which he shall have temporarily renounced— be not only a General, but a creator of Generals; and, as President of the United States, Commanders in- Chief of all the naval and military forces of the Republic. Meanwhile, the military agents ofthe Government in the North• West are doing their utmost to remove all the prominent individuals known to be opposed to Mr. Lincoln's ro-election, and to be in favour of making terms with the South. In Kentucky, more especially, a complete reign of terror has been established by two Brigadier-Generals, one named Paine, commanding in the southern, and the other named Burbridge, in the northern division of that State. Under the pretence that they have harboured guerillas, that they have given aid and I comfort to the enemy, or th e vaguer c h arge that they sympathise with the South, hundreds of the 'wealthiest men in Kentucky are driven from their homes and business, and told in the brutal language of Burbridge—who, before he became a Brigadier- General, was a dealer in mules and asses—to `` go to Hell or to Canada." Choosing the plea santer or cooler alternative, these luckless exiles, with their wives and families, pour into Canada via Detroit and Windsor, and spread themselves along the frontier from London in the west as far as Mon. treed and Quebec in the oast. Many of them take refuge at Niagara Falls and St. Catherine's, where they tell sad stories of the wrongs and indignities they have suffered, and nurse the hope of retribu tion, or, it may be, of vengeance, against their op. P re "'"- Not one of these expatriated citizens will be allowed to return home until the Presidential contest be deeide.d, and probably not then, unless the Peace candidate he elected. Ono of these gen t] ecnen Ivßo warned by a friend to escape to Ginsde. if he woula escape a worse fate, and whose (Tiffin Was th'lt two of his awn were in the Confederate army—arrived hero a few days ago, sand narrates that he saw at the railway station at Louisville, in Kentucky , as he passed th roug h t h at town, from 800 to 1,000 persons, principally women, who had been banisned en masse b y order of Gen. a to At- Sherman. In his march from Coattano og lanta the G meral recnpild the town of Mari e tt a , hurat down several cotton nod other falterioe engaged in the production of stores clothin g 't g I By this act nearly 1,000 people, mostly women, were reduced to destitution. Gen. Sherman would neither allow them to remain in Marietta, nor transport them within the Confederate lines, but sent them in a body, packed as close as cattle, in the railway cars to Louisville, thence to be conveyed across the Ohio into Indiana, to shift for themselves as best they might. Among the number was one old lady of 92, the grandmother of one of the factory girls, who sat with the rest at the station without food or shelter, under a broiling sun, waiting for the conveyances that were to take them over the river, and there pitch them among strangers on an alien soil, as if they had been of no more account than so many cartloads of refuse and rubbish. Many of the women were sick and ill, and one was prema• turely delivered of a stillborn child in the train. My informant thinks that there were at least 150 young children in this unhappy multitude, and, as far as he knows, not a word of their fate was allowed to a ppear in any of the Kentucky newspapers. Gen. Burbridge, though he revels in the wanton ness of arbitrary power, acts, it appears, under the orders of Gen. Sherman, and does perhaps no more than his instructions warrant. He has declared his intention to make " a wholesome example" of all " Secessionists" and " Secession sympathisers," and to " tolerate none but loyal men and women on the soil of Kentucky." He is particularly scrupulous in enforcing the law of retaliation, and will not only have an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, but two eyes for one eye, and three lives, if he be in the humour to exact them, as a penalty for one. Among the specimens of his "vigour," the following may be cited—At Georgetown, in Kentucky, a man who was known by his fellow citizens to have been in the Confederate army and to have deserted was recog nised in the streets in the Federal uniform. A crowd gathered around him. He was accused of treachery, laden with opprobrious epithets, and vio lently assaulted. He drew a revolver or some other weapon to defend himself, and in the confusion that ensued was shot dead. The circumstance being re. ported by telegraph to Gen. Burb'ridge, he sent the Provost-Marshal to the prison, where some hun dreds of Confederate soldiers were confined, with orders to take out the first two " that came to hand" and have them shot. Two unfortunates were accordingly selected, and two coffins were hastily prepared to receive their bodies. They were then driven through the principal streets of the little town, seated each man upon his coffin, to the place of execution. As soon as they arrived a spade was put into the hand of each, and he was told to dig his grave. This done, they were bandaged, and shot with as little remorse as if they had been wild beasts. When the facts came to be talked over by the people of the town, a large body of men hastily armed themselves, proceeded to the house of Burbridge, near the town where he had left his wife and family, and seized two of his young children, under ten years of age, with the intention of putting them to death in retaliation. This, however, was too horrible to be permitted, and the leading men of the place, hastily organising, flew to the rescue, and were fortunate enough to recover the children from the hands of the mob and deposit them in safety in a distant city. Another case as savagely vindictive as the pre• ceding, and as horribly illustrative of the agonies of civil war, was that of a gentleman named Sparks —a member of the Kentuckian Legislature, and a weil.known opponent of slavery. When the Con federate troops entered the town of Eminence, in which he resided, he fired a pistol at them from a window and killed one of the soldiers. The exas perated comrades of the man thus slain broke into the house, and Sparks, going out by a back door, attempted to make his escape, He was hotly pur sued and brought down by a long shot, mortally wounded. General Burbridge, when made ac quainted with the fate of his friend, ordered three Confederate prisoners to be sacrificed to his manes, and they were accordingly shot, after having been drawn through the town seated upon their coffins, and made to dig their own graves, after the fashion most approved by this great adept in the art and mystery of refined as well as brutal torture. The General, however, does not always wait to be assured of the death of the person on whose enemy he desires to be revenged. Hearing that a man named Porter had been shot by guerillas in the neighbourhood of Russelville, in Kentucky, he ordered a Confederate lieutenant to be taken out of the nearest military prison, brought to Rusaelville, and there had him publicly shot in the open market place. Porter appeared the same afternoon alive and hearty, having only suffered a thYsh wound, and Barbridge expressed his joy that there was a loyal man alive whom he had imagined to be dead, and " one more Confederate in hell." It is not by such modes as these that fraternal union can be re-established in Kentucky or any other State, though, to judge from the general action of the Federal Government, Mr Lincoln and his ad visers, civil as well as military, appear to bo of a contrary opinion. Naval and Military Intelligence. An Admiralty order has been received at Chatham for the fine screw frigate Bristol, 39, 600 horse power, now being brought forward for the steam reserve squadron, to take the place of the Arethnsa, 35, 3,141 tons, 500 horse power, in the first division of the steam reserve, the latter frigate being in tended for the pennant. The Bristol has been re moved into the steam basin, where her fittings are being prepared as rapidly as the resources of the dockyard will permit; but there are several months' work to be effected on board before she is com plete. Her armament is to consist partly of the 100 pounder smooth bore guns, the 110 pounder Armstrongs, and the old naval 6S pounder. The 41 armour plates from the Lord Warden tar. get, recently tested at Shoeburyness, and the re mains of which were removed to Chatham Dock. yard, have undergone a careful inspection by the officials at that establishment, in order to ascertain the quality of the iron after the battering the plates received during the trials with the 600 pounder and other guns. The opinion formed of the quality of the metal is that the plates are the best of the kind yet received at the dockyard, and when it is remem bered that the armour-plates in question were taken from a stack of several hundred tons, sent in by the Iron Company, it is satisfactory to know that those in store in Chatham are in every respect as good as those tested. The Lord Warden plates have been removed from the Anchor-wharf to the smithery, where they will be broken up under the tilt hammer, and the iron used for the general ser• vice of the yard. Capt. F. S. Tremlett, inspector of training ships, completed his inspection yesterday of the Wellesley, 72, training ship, in Chatham Harbour. The paddlewheel steam surveying tender Bann, Lieut. Horner, was placed in No. 3 dock in Daven port yard on Saturday to stop a leak. She was removed on Monday, and will shortly resume her duty on the coast. Preparations are making at Devonport for expe diting the departure of the screw steam corvette Brisk, 16, to Australia. Draughts of men are being told off from the receiving and training ships in Hamoaze, and it is probable that her marines will be sent on board this week. The half•yearly inspection of the troops in Ports mouth garrison took place yesterday on Southsea common. The troops formed in position on the common between 2 and 3 p.m., and consisted of the B and K batteries of Field Artillery, under the command of Major Milman, the Ist battalion of the 21st Regitnoat, Col. Stuart, CA, 20th Regiment, Col. Carey, and the 64th Regiment, Col. Shute. The inspecting-officer, Major- Gen. Lord W. Paulet, CM., accompanied by Col. Shadwell, Assist.-Quarter master-Gen., Col. Thackwell, Assist.-Adjt.-Gen., Col, Elliott, R. A., Town-Major E. 'Breton, and Capt. St, John Paulet, Aide-de-Camp, arrived rn the ground in the front of the line at 3 p.m., fknil wt►s received with the ,sue! honours. After thu parade ceremony of marching past had been gone through the troops were put through a series of mum:lyres incidental to a field-day on a small scale, in which the artillery played a conspicuous part. The troops appeared to go through the different movements very steadily, and at 5 p.m. Lord William Panlet brought the inspection to a close, and dismissed the man to their respective gnarters. The Orontes, screw troopship, Capt. W. H. Hire, was undocked at Portsmouth yesterday, and is ordered to leave Portsmouth on the 9th prox. for Dover, where she will embark troops for the Cape of Good Hope and the Mauritius, calling in at Devonport on her way down Channel. A number of ten-years men whose period of en• listment has expired have this week been either die eharged or re-enlisted at the camp at Colchester. The men who have re-enlisted have obtained three months' furlough, in addition to a liberal bounty. Admiral Sir Charles Burrard, on the retired list, with the pay of 20s. a day, becomes entitled to the pay of 255. a day in consequence of the death last week of Admiral Popham, Sir Charles entered the navy in July 1805, and, after serving in the Chan nel, was present at the capture of the Marengo, 80, and Belle Poule, 40, March 13, 1802. He was ad vanced to Lieut. May 1, 1812, and as such served on board the Mitford, 74, in the Adriatic, and was employed on shore in the batteries at the reduction of Trieste in October, 1813. He became commander June 7, 1814, and commanded the Grasshopper, 18, at the blockade of Naples in 1815. He commanded the Hind, 20, stationed in the Channel for the sup pression of smuggling, from April, 1819, until ad vanced to post-rank January 29, 1822. He was Flag-Capt. to Vice-Admiral Sir H. B. Neale in the Mediterranean from March, 1823, until April, 1827, became retired Rear-Admiral October 1, 1852 ; Vice-Admiral November 4, 1857 ; and Admiral April 27, 1863. The following appointments and promotions were made yesterday at the Admiralty :--Thomas H. 'lizard, master, additional, to the Rifleman ; Sub. Lieut. Alexander R. Kerr, to the Marlborough ; Sub. Lieut. Algernon H. Percy, to the Meeanee ; Sub-Lieut. R. W. Stopford, to the Revenge; Alex. M. S. Gimme, William E. B. Atkinson, Norman L. H. Clarke, Herbart Wilkinson, Robert Sutton, and Henry L. F. Boyle, midshipmen, to the Marl borough ; Bertie W. Vernon, midshipman, to the Meeanee ; Thomas A. Hamilton, midshipman, to the Gladiator ; Murray Johnson, Samuel Ewin, Regi nald C. Prothero, Robert C. Leader, Robert M. Bun bury, and Stephen H. Thompson, naval cadets, to the Marlborough ; Hans H. H. Brooke, naval cadet, to the Gibraltar ; George S. Langton, naval cadet, to the Brisk ; H. J. Leyland, chief engineer, to the Cumberland, for the Forte ; P. Richmond, of the Royal Oak, confirmed as engineer; S. V. Bull, of the Chanticleer, confirmed as first class assist.-engineer ; Michael Harris, of the Insolent, promoted to acting engineer; T. G. Woodfield, of the Asia ; J. W. Owen, of the Dasher, H. Burstow, of the Mfeanee, R. B. Nicholson, and J. W. Watson, of the Indus, to be first class assist...engineers. General Grant's Last Stratagem. A correspondent of the New York Herald, under date of Point of Rocks, Virginia, Ang. 14, writes as follows :—" For some time past Major-General But ler has been conning over a brilliant scheme where with to annoy the enemy and advance the Union in terest in this region materially. His plan contem plated nothing less than the construction of a canal at what has been hitherto known as Dutch Gap, hereafter to be known as Butler's Gap, in the direct face of the enemy, which, when done, should among other results, by reason of its situation, compel the rebels to extend their line of de fence a distance of four miles, that is to say, the l distance saved to us by t h e di gg i ng o f t h e canal—which is to be one 40 yards in length—is seven miles of water-course in the James River Some four days since the proper details of men and officers were made for this important and hazardous work, and these men were encouraged to its perfor mance by extra inducements. The work proceeded handsomely for three days, during the last of whice the enemy discovered our operations, and made in• stant preparations to open fire, which the result will show to have been an advantageous one for them, though the commander, Major Ludlow, nobly and successfully held his position, still holds it, and will continue to hold it, until his appointed work is ac complished. Yesterday morning two rebel rams, believed to be the Virginia and the Richmond, ap peared at Dutch Gap in the James River. The James, at this point, forms a promontory which is very narrow at its apex. Its shape is in the form of a ler g tongue, and verging to the northward and westward makes another turn which forms a point similar to the first, east by north. Hence the river bends yet again, and forms a third angle running north-west. Under cover of this angle, completely and literally sheltered from our gun boats by the two ( rebel rams, their position was such as, taken in con nection with the Howlett-house battery of ti e enemy, to subject our forces to a severe eefilading fire, which was borne throughout the day with manly fortitude by our men. It was one of our advantages to keep up a cross-fire, which we made to bear most heavily upon the enemy, our artil lery having excellent range of their batteries, in. eluding the famous Howlett-house battery, from which work our fire dismounted and disabled a gun early in the day, finally silencing the battery as well as the enemy's batteries situated in the bot toms. The Union monitors and gunboats, as be fore stated, lay wholly quiet in their positions at Crow's Neat, in the James, not participating in the action of the morning by reason of the peculia rity of the enemy's position. The successful con. struction of the canal, of which there can be no doubt, will, it is alleged, enable our gunboats to wholly overcome the formidable obstruction of the James River, and possibly ultimately be the means of their engaging Fort Darling and other rebel strongly-fortified places adjacent to Richmond, and, perhaps, before the end comes, operate largely in the reduction of the rebel capital itself. These are glowing anticipations, but nevertheless they are capable of realisation by patient and indulgent waiting for, Any one of these results added to the necessity imposed upon the enemy of lengthen ing his line of defence a distance of four miles, re. quiring several thousands of men to man this pro. longation of their lines, will certainly be regarded adequate compensation for the time, labour, and men bestowed upon the accomplishment of the undertaking. In every view the substantial results of the day remained to us at nightfall. There can be no manner of doubt that we administered a severe lesson to the foe, and punished him stoutly for his temerity in killed and wounded. The work upon the canal will go on to completion, and we shall insist upon all its contemplated advantages, though we shall not probably realise them fully without further dispute of a similar character to that we have encountered to-day." THE WEATHER AND THE CROPS.—The weather has again become fine and warm al the eastern counties. On Sunday there was rather a considerable amount of rain, which will greatly benefit the root crops, but Monday was favourable for the conclusion of harvest work, and yesterday morning the skies were again unclouded. The harvest will be pretty well closed in East Anglia this week. EXTRAORDINARY ABUNDANCE OF WASPS.--These insects have multiplied to a most unusual extent this summer, owing, no doubt, to their being a good " plant" in the first place, which has been fostered by the exceedingly favourable weather. Not only are the banks thick with nests (says the Chelmsford Chronicle), but large colonies frequently infest ground cracks in the cornfields, causing great annoyance to tho reapers. Farmers have been obliged to adopt systematic means of extirpating the pests by the liberal use of combustibles and boiling water, but even these stringent measures are not always successful where the nests are built in the ground, while the danger of retaliation is much increased. Tho scarcity of plums and wallfruit has caused a serious attack on pears and apples, which have been attacked long before being ripe, and the intruders have in some cases actylly held the rightful owners at bay, while even indoors there had been a " tight" with thu insects for the quiet posses sion of dinner. The present cooler weather, however, will more effectually than any other means tend to keep the enemy in check. "A Beemaster" (Dr Cumming) writing to the Times, mays—" Lot me beg all that value their lives to examine well every apple, pear, an 1 peach they eat, fer those ween - m. 3 inserts, wasps, T , t'.y ho seen this year ensconced under the skin, end if admitted within the month they will sting the throat, and, as in several recent cases, the sufferers wilt die. Do not conclude lam uncharitable. It is no charity to connive at theft and murder. I am satisfied that killing wasps is no murder. Had Peter the Hermit or 'Walter the Penniless lived in my garden, and witnessed these wicked vagabonds trying every hive, worrying my bees, and stealing my ho ney, they would have preached a crusade against wasps. In one respect they are unfortunate; they have no queen, no subordination, or reverence for law end order. They are genuine Red Repnblicars—Maratf, Vob-3spierrrs, riehly,,deserve the worst they get." Railway and Other Companies, SEVENOAKS, MAIDSTONE, AND TUNBRIDGE, Yesterday the half-yearly meeting of this company was held at the Victoria Station, Pimlico—Mr G. F. Holroyd in the chair. The report was taken as read. The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report, said that he thought the general prospects of the lino were very satisfactory, as, although this was the worst half of the year, embracing only two of the summer months when the traffic was the greatest, the increase in the receipts had been very considerable, and since the accounts had been made up the traffic had increased is still greater preportion. There fore there was every reason to expect that their next report would be still more satisfactory. (Hear.) He was happy to state that an arrangement had been made with the London, Chatham, and Dover Company for the construction of a line between Maidstone and Sevenoaks, which would bring a large amount of traffic over the line, without having to pay anything for it, and at the same time the arrangements of this company with the London, Chatham, and Dover would stand as they were at present. He had to regret the retire ment of their noble chairman. When Earl Amherst ori ginally took the cha:r he stated that he did so temporarily, until the line was completed, as he did not wish to be the permanent chairmat of the company. At the solicitation of the directors from tine to time he had been induced to retain that office, but now 10 felt that the time had arrived when he should resign. 'That must be a matter of regret to them all. In conclusion, :he chairman moved the adoption of the report and statemen , of accounts. Mr C. J. HivroNseconded the motion, which was carried unanimously, and z vote of thanks to the chairman and directors concluded the proceedings. KENT COAST. The half-yearly sleeting of this company was held yes terday at the Victoia Station, Pimlico—Sir C. P. Roney in the chair. Mr JOHNSON, t' secretary, read the report. The CHAnt3fAN : in moving its adoption, expressed the gratification of the lirectors at seeing the chairman of the company, Mr C. J Hilton, once more among them in im proved health. Tie works, for the carrying out of which powers were obtairid last session to raise additional capital, were all progressin; rapidly. The directors had to congra tulate the proprietes upon the largo traffic receipts of the company. The eanings had been still more satisfactory since the commemement of the current half-year, and amounted to £l4; 12e per mile per week, and he believed it would be difficut for any railway in the empire to show such a return inits first year. Yet this return was one that the company raiOat fully expect to be exceeded. The goods traffic was almost entirely undeveloped, and when the sta. tiou of the Loidon, Chatham, and Dover Company at Blackfriars was finished, and the connexion formed with the Great Northirn and other railways north of the Thames an important accession of goods traffic would be brought to the company's Ines. The traffic at present was satisfactory in various ways,aiad in none more than at the present time the company was earning enough not only to pay its ex penses, the inteiest on its debentures, a dividend on the B shares and a divdend on the A shares, but to have a surplus every week of £',oo. The places where the company's rail ways ran were paces of public resort, and as the winter ap proached a falling off in this high traffic might be looked for, but as therewould be a large margin from the surplus there need not le any fear as to the company having ample funds after paybg the expenses, not only to pay the deben tures and the E shares, but to provide a good sum for the A shares. The dividend, it win believed, would be little under 6 per cent. Sitce the lastmeeting a new oyster company had been estabished, and if that company should be suc cessful, it coulO not fail to prove an important source of revenue to the company. He explained the advantages which the comiany offeret to visitors going to and from Ramsgate. Mr. HILTON seconded tLe motion for the adoption of the report, which vas carried non. con. g A vote of thinks to the chairman and directors concluded the proceedings. STAINES, WOKINGHAM, AND WOKING. The half yearly meeting of this company was held yester day at the Lincoln's-inn-Fields—Mr J. Garrard in the chair. The report Laving been taken as read, The CHAIRXAN, in rnoaing its adoption, expressed his regret at the fading off in tie passenger traffic receipts dur ing the half year, althoughthey showed an increase on the corresponding half of 186 ( 4 Last year the traffic to Ascot was very great, and the fdling off on the grand day this year arose probably partly on account of the unfortunate accident at Egham, and patty perhaps owing to a disincli nation on the port of the piblic to encounter the crowd and confusion which were occasened on the previous year by the exceptional influx of visitors. With that exception he thought the accounts were blerabty satisfactory. Although the traffic result+, were not so good as they could wish to have seen, the directors antcipated considerable benefit to this line by the 3nnstructiol by the South-Western Com pany of the line from Chorty to Virginia Water, for which they had obtained the act; as also fix m the Sunningdale and Cambridge-own Railvay. Some large estates in the neighbourhood cf their line had been placed in the market for building purposes from which in course of time the company would be bent cited. Mr R. W. KENNARD, N.P., seconded the adoption of the report, after which a loogthened conversation ensued relative to the opening of aegotiations with the South- Western for terms which \mid improve the condition of this property. Mr Maade, Mr Price, azd other proprietors, strongly advocated that course being at once taken, but it was stated by the chairman and other Erectors that in their opinion the tina3 had not arrived for roving in this business ; at the same titre, it was 'heir desire to give the fullest effect to the wishes of the skareholders. It was argued, on the other hand, that if the lin3 came into the possession of the South- Western Company it was in their power to work it with greater effect than was done at present, 'oy which the receipts would be very mush improvel. The report was unanimously adopted, and the directors were requested to take the matter of the negotiation with the South-Weste?n into their serious consideration. A dividend of 5 per cent. upon the preference, and at the rate of 11 per cen:, upon the ordinary shares was agreed to and the proceedings terminated. BMTON AND SLEAFORD. The half-year], , meeting of this company was held yester day at the Eustai Hotel, Euston-square—Mr T. Parry in the chair, Mr Wragge, tie secretary, read the report, which stated that the traffic of the past half-year had exceeded that of the correspondin; period of 1863 by £1,770. The bill pro moted by the Gnat Northern Company in the last session authorizing a lens to them of this undertaking, on the should receive in respect to their tshareertrls 000 preferential stock to that amount of the Great Norhern Company,bearing dividend at the rate of £1 5s per cent per annum in perpetuity, to commence from the Ist Jul;, 1864, had passed into law, and the pro prietors of this tympany would accordingly be entitled to exchange their hare certificates, of which due notice would be given. Theforfeited and unpaid shares of the company were sold by auction on the Sth and 9th haat, and from the proceeds of the sale the directors are arranging for the dis charge of all the outstanding liabilities. After paying the debenture interest there remains £3,763 to the credit of re venue, from whiei the directors recommend a dividend at the rate of 4 per Sent. per annum, being 1 per cent. more than the divident for 1863. The CHAIRMAN', in moving the adoption of :the report, said the business of the company was now almost brought to a close, Bente dissolving, however, there would be a meeting held it November to finally settle the financial business. The sa,e of shares had produced £13,270, being an average of £9 Gc. 3d per share. The liabilities were not yet arrived at, but 113 thought the balance that would remain in hand after liquiclAting all claims would yield something be between 38 andSs per share. Ile did not, however, pledge himself to the tmount. Mr TooTAI seconded the motion, which was agreed to. The dividend was then declared, and a vote of thanks to the chairmanconcluded the proceedings. BRISiOL AND NORTH SOMERSET. The report states that considerable progress had been made with his undertaking. A very advantageous con tract had beet made with Messrs. T. Brasscy and Co. who would at oncE proceed to complete the works. The plans of the tramway play wall, and landing stages at Bristol had been satisfactAily arranged with and approved by the cor poration of tlat city. The capital account showed a total receipt to the 30th of June of £53,287, of which £22,375 remained umxpended. IRISTOL AND PORTISHEAD. ' The report statos that the works of the railway were now in course et vigorous prosecution. The purchases of the whole of tht land, with the exception of a few acres not immediately wanted, had been arranged, and possession transferred the contractor of all required for the works between the junction with the Bristol and Exeter Railway and the level country some distance below Pill. These pur chases had Been made generally on satisfactory terms. The tender of Mr W. Tredwell for the construction of the whole lino had been accepted. Arrangements had been made for the early completion of the portion of the line which con nected the Bristol and Exeter Railway with the intended station at liownham. The accounts showed an expendi ture up to tae 30th of Juno of £33,702, and the receipt of £37,(00. 11ARTMOUTII AND TORBAY, Tito halt-yearly meeting; of this company Waft held at Dartmouth on Monday; Mr C. S. Rayne in the chair. The report stated that the line to Kingswear had been opened on the 6th inst, and the works necessary to accom modate the goods traffic were proceeding as speedily as pos sible. The Harbour Commissions were about to construct quays and a deep-water pier in connexion with the railway. The net earnings of the line had been £lOO in excess of the same period in 1863. Tho Cumin'AN mcved the adoption of the report, observ ing it was pleasing tn' find that, notwithstanding the great engineering difficultiek which they had had to encounter, the line had been opened for passenger traffic. They had now opened up inland railway communication to ono of the finest ports on the south coast, and he had no doubt that in the course of a few years it would become an important har bour. It was, he thought, possible that Dartmouth might be made a steampacket station, as the port had been in spected and reported favourably to Government. (Hear.) The motion for the adoption of the report was seconded by Mr BELFIELD, and unanimously carried. A vote of thanks to the directors concluded the proceed ings. LA.UNCESTON AND SOUTH DEVON. The half-yearly meeting of this company was held at Launceston on Friday—Mr Derry in the chair. The report stated that the directors expected that at tho next half-yearly meeting they would bo able to announce the completion of the undertaking. Tho purchase of land had on the whole proceeded satisfactorily, and a large number of contracts had been completed. The opposition of the com pany to the proposed Launceston, Bothnia, and Wadebridge Railway was the means of securing provisions in the bill which the directors believed would be found materially be neficial to the shareholders. The capital account showed the total receipts had been £95,139, and the expenses £91,519, leaving a balance of £3,620. The report was adopted without discussion, and the pro ceedings terminated. KNIGHTON. The half yearly meeting was held at Shrewsbury on Mon day—Sir C. R. Boughton in the chair. The report stated that the traffic over the line of railway for the half year ending the 30th of June last would enable them to recommend that a dividend of £5 per cent. per annum for the half year be paid, less income tax, on Mon day, Sept. 19. The permanent way on the line was in a good state of repair. The agreement for the amalgamation of the company with the Central Wales, on the opening of the Central Wales Extension line to Llando- Central Wales Company at the special general meeting of the shareholders of both companies, held on July 4; and when the amalga mation came into operation the directors confidently ex pected that the through working of traffic opened out by the southern outlets would prove of considerable and per manent advantage to the amalgamated companies. The works of construction of the Central Wales Extension line from Llandrindod to Llanndovery were actively progressing. In moving the adoption of the report, the CitnlealiN said the line was being very satisfactorily worked by the North Western Railway Company, and though only partially opened, the shareholders would have a dividend of 5 per cent. per annum for the half year. The motion was carried unanimously. CENTRAL WALES. The half yearly meeting of this company was held in Shrewsbury on Monday—Sir C. IL Boughton in the chair. The report stated that the works of the railway have been so far completed as to admit of the permanent way being need continuously from Knighton for a distance of 17 miles, and the other portions of the works were in a forward state, and the line would be ready for traffic early in October. Thu amalgamation of the company with the Knighton, un the opening of the Central Wales Extension line to Llandovoy, was sealed by this company and the Central Wales Com pany on July 4. The directors expected that the through traffic would prove of considerable advantage to the amal gamated companies. In moving the adoption of the report, The CHAIRMAN said it was a matter of great satisfaction to the directors to be able to give so favourable an account of the progress of the works. A short time ago the direc tors themselves went over the line as far as Llandrindod, and were well satisfied with the substantial character of the works. Ho thought the amalgamation would be bene ficial to the company. lie had only to add that every pos sible exertion was being made to forward the completion of the works, and they were looking forward very hopefully to the success that would attend their opening. Mr G. PRICE, M.P., seconded the motion, and it was agreed to unanimously. CENTRAL WALES EXTENSION. The half yearly meeting was held on Monday at Shrews bury—Sir C. R. Boughton in the chair. The report stated that the works had made considerable progress during the past six months. The tunnel at the Sugar Loaf had made steady progress, the cutting at the south end being completed. The works at the north end had been delayed by the difficulties of contending with the water. The Neath and Brecon Company's Bill for tho ex tension of their lino to the company's line at Llangawmareh received the Royal assent during the past se.sion, and the agreement had been sealed between the two cumpaniss for the interchange of traffic. The CHAIRMAN moved the adoption of the report, and congratulated the shareholders on the successful progress of the works, and upon the completion of the arrangements with the Neath and Brecon Company. Mr G. PRICE, M.P., seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. Mr W. F. Maitland and Sir C. R. Boughton, the retiring directors, were re-elected. Mr J. Green, the retiring auditor, was re-elected. The CHAIRMAN said the next resolution he had to pro pose was that £120,000 in ordinary £lO shares be created, in accordance with the company's Act of 1863. Mr G. PRICE second.d the motion, and it was carried unanimously. The directors were authorised to borrow, when neces sary, £40,000, on the security of the company's debenture bonds. This motion was also agreed to, and the meeting separated. COLNE VALLEY AND HALSTEAD. The half-yearly meeting of this company was held at Halstead on Monday—Mr J. Brewster in the chair. The report was taken as road. The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report, stated that the revenue account had been prepared, but as there was a difference of opinion between the secretary and the auditors as to some of the items being properly charged to revenue, it had not yet been settled. The result was not so favourable as could have been wished, although as much so as could have been expected in presence of all the interests acting adversely to the company. A staff was required for working a line of 20 miles as if it had been much longer. In fact, it had become evident that some arrangement must be come to either with the Great Eastern Company or some other company. Negotiations were pending with that com pany which he had reason to hope would result in arrange ments satisfactory to all parties. The lion. Major VEREKEB, seconded the adoption of the report, which, atter some discussion, was adopted, and the proceedings closed with a vote of thanks to the directors. Explosion of a Federal Ammunition Ship. The correspondent of the .New York Tribune gives the following account of the explosion of gun powder 'on board a Federal ammunition boat, at City Point, James River, on the 9th inst.:-- At the main steamboat landing here, where the mailboat lands, there ia—what's left of it—a substantial new pine wharf, a third of a mile or so in length along the river. Behind this, 10 or 12 feet from the edge of it, ran a mam moth now pine Government warehouse, nearly the length of the wharf, and opposite the ammunition section of this warehouse lay the barge Major-General Meade, loaded with condemned stores, including ammunition. Outside of her the ammunition barge J. E. Kendrick, loaded with fixed ammunition for distribution, and outside of or near her the J. C. Campbell, loaded with commissary stores, with other boats and vessels close around and above and below. On the morning of the explosion, while sitting on the walk board along the top of a car, I heard a deafening shock, as of the terrific explosion of a monster shell near me, and felt as if the concussion of the air were bending me involuntarily over on the deck of the car, as a plant bending before the storm. My first thought was that an ammunition car had exploded just ahead of the one I was on, but it proved to be the ammunition car J. E. Kendrick that had exploded from the careless handling of percussion shells or some other kind of ammunition, it is supposed. No one that was aboard of the boat remains to tell the tale of her destruction. Yea have read of eruptions of Vesuvius, such as buried Her culaneum and Pompeii ; you have seen illustrations of them in the books. This must have been such an explo sion as one of these, except that, instead of lava and duet and ashes, it rained over the circle of a mile, in whose packages and by piecemeal, everything you can imagine at a military depot. Entire boxes of flied ammunition came down among the tents in the town a quarter of a mile distant, and scarcely a tent or house or boat can be found within the circle of a mile solid shot, or small that is not riddle- by shell, ammu nition. The massive plee wharf, which was bolted down upon piles and sleepers of pine teen, is lastshed aside for about a third of its length, as if it had been made of the paper I write on, while the substantial plank wareLousey with massive beams, built for at least a quarter of a cen , tury, has been crushed nearly its entire length as if it had been a.lady's bandbox. The pine board row in which were the post-office, Adams's express office, and a quar termaster's office, was also crushed—but fortunately, or rather, miraculously, none of its occupants were seriously injured. The neighbouring sutlers, while equally unfor tunate in the demolition of their establishments, were equally lucky is the safety of their persons, with perhaps ono or two exceptions, which will be found in the accom panying list of casualties. Every frame house in the town was jarred by the concussion alone to the extent of having its inside plastering knocked off, besides other damage by missiles, &o. Against the hotisz. , ,s and other obstructions near the wharf, and even upon the hill, hundreds, and perhaps thousands, of broken, twisted, and splintered muskets and such d6bria lay in heaps :like straw drifted by the wind, and all over the ground for at least a quarter of a mile from the scene of the explosion the shell, solid shot, grape, canister, musket, and minie balls, pieces of shells, naile. screws, bolts and bolt heads, and fragments of almost everything wooden, iron and leaden you can think of, are strewn and drifted like hail and chunks of ice imme diately after a dreadful hailstorm. Up on the hill, 200 yards from the scene of the explosion I noticed a shattered musket, among re any others lying around, stuck muzzle downwards into the hard street to the depth of more than a foot, and so tight that it could not be pulled out by any one man. This was near where the twisted section of a boat keel lay. Everywhere are seen the rents, dents, deep abrasions and scarred furrows of the iron and leaden storm. The thou sandth part cannot be told. And now for the casualties. How many were blown into into the river, from the Ken drick, never to be heard of, is not known, but probably they will not exceed a dozen or so. The captain of the Kendrick is safe, having been absent at the time of the explosion on another boat. 'f he other boats entirely destroyed and sunk were the General Meade and the J. C. Campbell. The un fortunate fellows on board the Kendrick were mostly 3oloured labourers, and some of their remains were blown to various parts of the town. Various theories aro afloat as to the cause of the explosion. Some say the careless handling of ammunition, others an old-time torpedo ; some surmise a rebel spy in the matter, while others attribute tho disaster to a rebel shell or shot from across the river. The entire loss of property by the explosion is estimated at about two millions. The noise of the explosion was heard for many miles around, further than any artillery, and the smoke ascending was taken, 30 or 40 miles down the river, for the conflagration of Petersburg or Richmond. Vast water spouts were thrown up, which, mingling with the powder, cinders, and ashes, caused a black pasty shower, with the other debris, SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. TIMES.—A general survey of the events in Ame'. rice reveals nothing so distinctly as the incapacity of either belligerent to prevail against the other. At every point one commander is held i❑ check by another, and neither can obtain any decisive advan tage. In the Shenandoah Valley the Confederates assume the initiative and make occasional raids into Maryland and Pennsylvania, but they are neverthe less compelled to retire at intervals by the advance of a Northern force. In the vicinity of Richmond, where the main armies of the belligerents are en gaged, the Federals represent the invaders, but are absolutely incompetent to accomplish the object of the invasion. They can scarcely be said even to occupy the Confederate army, for Lee despatches whole divisions of his troops to the North or to the South, wherever they may be wanted, with perfect unconcern. On the other hand, Grant cannot be driven away. He still hovers about Richmond in force enough to pounce upon one point after another, though to little purpose, and if he has failed of suc cess he stubbornly refuses to acknowledge his failure. Exactly the same deadlock recurs at At lanta. Sherman cannot take the place, but Hood cannot compel him to relinquish the attempt. Even at Mobile, where it might have been expected that the result would have been more promptly de■ termined one way or the other, the same suspense prevails. Admiral Farragut halts in mid-victory. He effects an entrance into the harbour and destroys the Confederate flotilla, but when we look for in telligence of his further operations we find nothing but an official report of the operations previously reported. In the whole of this vast field of war there is not a single point at which events even pro mise to be decisive. At Richmond Lee is as much master of the situation as ever ; at Atlanta Hood is rather gaining than losing ; at Mobile Admiral Far ragut finds that his chief work is yet to be done. We have recapitulated these facts in order to apply them, if possible, to the elucidation of politi cal movements in the North. It is now clear that whereas the Confederates are as numerous as ever in the resolution to resist, the Federals are no longer of the same mind as to the continuance of the attack. There is a strong party desirous of raising the great question of peace or war at the approaching Presidential election. From the de scription which has been given of their policy, it is obvious that they are not unprepared to accept the condition of peaceful separation from the South if nothing better can be done. The resolution is dis guised under a proposal for a general Convention at which the question may be discussed, but as it is known that the South will insist on independence, thoae who commence a parley with this conviction must necessarily be prepared to surrender. Now, the question to be asked at this moment is, what will be the effect of such events as we witness on the views of the contending parties? Thu answer will give the Confederates two chances against one. A battle may be either won, or lost, or drawn. If the Federals win—if Grant takes Richmond, Sher man Atlanta, and Farragut Mobile—we may anti cipate that the peace party will be discouraged, and their opponents enabled to prosecute the war. If, however, the Confederates win, and the Federals experience any signal disaster, the war party will bu overpowered, while a similar result would pro bably follow even if neither party won and things remained exactly as they are. This is the strong point in favour of the South. If they can only pre vent the balance from being turned decisively against them, the advantage of the campaign will be theirs. In this event we cannot but anticipate important consequences in the Northern States. It may be admitted that what these may be is at present a matter of conjecture, but it appears impossible to imagine that the impending election will not raise the great issue of peace or war in some shape or other. Nobody can well anticipate that Mr. Lincoln would be re-elected without a contest, or that the contest would be otherwise than desperate. But a desperate contest implies con flicting principles, and Mr. Lincoln's principles have been distinctly pronounced. His policy, as at present avowed, is war—war "to the bitter end," and it is on the perry professing similar views that he has hitherto relied for support. But this adoption of the war on the part of one political section leaves the other with no alternative but to adopt, in some shape or other, a policy of peace. It may be transformed or concealed under various dis guises, but to this end it must come at last. Who ever condemns President Lincoln's policy must vir. tually condemn the war. It is vain to talk of the prosecution of the war on better military principles or a more skilful plan. All plans and all principles have now been tried. Every General: has had his chance in turn, and all have failed alike. M'Clel lan's scientific caution fared no better than Grant's invincible obstinacy, except that under the former commander there was not so great a sacrifice of life. That the war has been wasteful beyond all prece• dent is perfectly true, and if exceptions were taken to the prosligality with which blood and treasure have been lavished, they might doubtless be sus tained. But though the war might have been managed more cheaply, we do not see how it could have been conduct ea more vigorously. No Minister could have raised more men than Mr. Stanton. or more money than Mr. Chase. No Chief of the Republic could have kept " pegging away" at the war more indefatigably than President Lin coln, or rejected more bluntly all proposals of compromise. If the Republicans with their un sparing efforts could do nothing against the South, it is not to be imagined that the Democrats, with their half-and-half police ; could do any more. I►f M`Clellan is to be their champion, we know already what may be expected. The armies of the North would be more prudently handled, and after a check would be more expeditiously withdrawn, but they would certainly make no more impression on the South than the armies of Grant or Hooker. It appears to us, then, that if the Democratic party make a fight for power they must do it sub stantially on principles of peace, and the events of the next few weeks will probably enable us to an ticipate the result. If either Grant or Sherman should achieve any signal victory, or inspirit the North by any important conquest, the Democrats might be deterred from taking the field, and either Mr. Lincoln or the conquering General himself would be left to win. But if the achievements of the Federals fall short of this success, there is such an opportunity for the South as has never occurred before. This is what gives such extraordinary and exceptional importance to the events of the present campaign. It is not that they affect directly the issue of the war more than the events of the last two years, but that they are occurring on the eve of a Presidential election. Last autumn the Confederates held their own, but only to see the war recommence in the spring. If they can do as much this autumn, next spring may possibly see affairs in good train for peace. POsT.—The Turkish Government has prepared a Report to the Sultan on the state of administration and finance throughout the empire. It is both volu minous and comprehensive, and it embraces the actual and the projected reforms in nearly every department ; while it also affords a clear synoptical vie ee of the national progress. There has been so much predisposition to look upon the reforming declarations with which the present Sultan began his reigtl as either exaggerated or evanescent, that the public in thf,s country have naturally, perhaps, waited for somc as. etual results before they gave entire credit to the ti:: l a n ge which was th e n com e menced. This doeurnetn therefore, will be found ; v e r y seasonable, inasmuch .48 it details a state of things which goes far to make peed the declarations that accompanied the Sultan's acceoion. It extends over finance, administrative reorganisation, road making, telegraphs, cotton cultivation, end other matters of less general interest. The financial ques tion, however, is dealt with in less detail, because a Widget is about to appear whielt will do jnetieo length to that department. It is stated, however, j in the present Report, " that the Budget about to be submitted to his Majesty, with a view to pub • lication, will show that the expenses of the various public deparments have been less than the estimates, and they will be subjected to still greater reductions during the eataiug financial year." This intelligence is satisfactory, not simplyas concerns the credit of the treasury, but becausa it also affords a pledge of the sincerity of th e Sultan. He announced, some time ago, that when the then existing Montenegrin war was terminated, and hi s difference with the Princes of Servia and Moldavia were arranged, he would reduce hie nxrnditure and bring it largely within the current income of the State. These questions being now happily' settled, the Sultan has made good his pledge. While the revenue under the same degree of taxation hag increased, the expenditure has diminished, and the reign of economy appears to have at length begun in earnest. In spite of the pressure for money that was experienced during the Montenegrin and Syrian wars, not a shilling has been added to the P debt of Turkey since the accession of the p rey Sultan, with the single exception of the fun d for tile Maronite indemnities. The loans which hav e bees since either created or consolidated represe nt j ust so much local debt, floating debt, and inconv ertible) paper together. So that the total liabilitie s of the empire are now, in a consolidated form, very much what they were on the death of the late Su ltan in greater 1861. Of this we may be able to speak in üblia detail on the arrival of the Budget. We ca nnot attempt to do justice to so elaborate a docum ent on a single occasion, and must be content with sketch ing a few of its salient points. It adverts , in tlie first place, to the results of the labours of t he Im perial Commission which the Sultan desp atched some time ago into both the European and tho Asiatic provinces. This commission organised a variety of reforms in all the local centres of govern ment that it visited. It has now established a, financial organisation for the regular collection of taxes after the European method, and abolished the old and extravagant system of farming the r overs This has taken place already in a very considerable proportion of the provinces, and the change w ill be extended into the rest of them as soon as the staff for the working of the new system can be obtained there; It appears also that a wholesale revision of the ste t of local administrators has taken place, the Sulta n e t commissioners having ejected the idle and disluin ee officials of his predecessor, throughout the provinces, without mercy. The system of village management and the church property have also been r eforme d , and these instances may serve as examples of verY: many improvements ot a similar kind into whieu". we cannot now enter. The Government apP be fully convinced that material reforms are quit e as Important as improvements either in adrainistra" tion or finance. A portion of the report states th e progress that has been made with roads and tele' graphs. Nearly 1,100 English miles of highway t have been either created or repaired during the P ee l , year. This refers to European Turkey alone ; fre t3 ",i roads having also been constructed in Anatolia an" - other provinces of Asia Minor. All these are ne vi wide carriage roads, where, only three years ag e, ears to there were little more than mule tracks or rid e ' Coach services have been established, and the trans" port of passengers and merchandise is now 00 eael as it is by road in most continental States. similar progress has been made with regard to til e telegraph. Nearly 800 miles of telegraphic wire were laid down during the past year alone, and sr e now in working; 900 miles, besides, are in course of construction, and there are 76 centres of commit' nication in working. Much of this roadetnekiff, activity has been stimulated by the demandaur '°` els Turkish cotton, and the report states the s eas that the Government have taken for promoting its growth. By these means the cotton grown in th° interior will be brought down to the coast with littla difficulty and at a trifling cost, more especially Asia Minor ; and a very large revenue is expected in_ 0' the course of a year or two from its cultivation. T°7 silk manufactures and many other bran ches industry have been promoted in a similar 110911 steam navigation companies have been started Wile new powers ; the lands have been drained ; in th fertile plains of Mesopotamia dykes and virot, l er• guards have been built to free them from intin ua ; tion, and cottonegrowing has there been set shu n s in earnest. All this industrial reform w hundredfold into the pocket of the country sod ° the Government. The working ot several recetsY: discovered mines has also begun with fair prospectta. Ten concessions have lately been made for c a ns, bashing cotton-ginning factories at SEOY - n r Adrianople and other cities. The concesson several railways have also been lately made, and the works have already been begun by the co ill returs f tractors. In the primary sc hools for educa tion great change in system has taken place ; the titl e ministration of the law has been freed from of its complication and injustice, arid so on. "_7 cannot, however, touch upon more of the chii!ir: that are here recorded ; they serve to present key as a State in the short space of three ye ars t u _ s; greatly changed as to have passed a;m ost from Asiatic to a European community. T he travel d now finds Stamboul and the Bospho rous lighte d like a European capital every night ; wher eu g three years ago, he found nothing but darkness an dogs, and cut-throat outcasts of every country: The change which he sees at Constantinople appears to be little mare than a fair example of the change which he will soon be able to detect wherever he travels throughout the empire. COUNTRY MARIO TS. BRISTOL—TUESDAY. A moderate attendance to day. A fair show of graitn, bt l . t . little business doing, although prices were maintained I° ` everything. LE ED S—TUESDAY. There was a fair show of fresh grain this week. New wheats still come slowly to hand, an d realise fully lasp . 1 uesday's prices. The demand for old is quiet, b ut boll. very firm. Spring corn met a fair trade , and supporteu, late rates. Averages—Aug. 29—Wheat........ 43s 4id per jr. —Oats ...... 23s old —Beans ........ 398 101 d - —Peas ..........- - s —Barley ........ 6a -- MON MO UTH—T UESDAY. Tho local markets have been fai rl y attended by bulb:. buyers and sellers during the last six. o r seven days, ailav43 ! business has been limited, at about f ormer rates. The rage quotations aro as follows : Wneat, white 5s 3d to 5s Od 8ar1ey...... 3s 4d to 3 s 211 I Ditto red..... Os Oct to Os Od 0at5....... 2s Od to 23 t MELTON M OWBRAY—TuEsDA Y. The following wero the currencies :—New white wheat! 42s Od to 46s Od • new: red, 38s Od to 44s per 36 AO!' beans, 38s to 42s for old ; new sorts, 35s to 37s per 38 8 1 ,:_?: barley, —a to —s for malting, and 270 to 298 per qr. I , ? s ' grinding; new oats, 208 to 25s Od per 24 atone; old, 2 's to 298. LIVE RP 0 0 L—T trEsnta. There was a good attendance of b oth town and country g dealers at market to-day, but the b usiness done in Enlistt wheat was restricted to the supply o f immediate wanto• Prices for flour may be quo ted nominally unaltered, a very slow trade. Oats a nd oatmeal made the prices wl 0 last week, as also did barley, beans, and peas. Indian dull, but a larger quantity offering. SIIEFFIELD—TUESDAY. Trade was much more buo y ant than last week. Tberil was an increased de mand for the best samples, and both o 14 and new wheat sold freely, and were quite as dear. ° tit beans, and other articles unchanged. Ited wheat, per load of 3 imperial bushels. 16 Od 017 s Ch i .11 • s White » t New red $ New white „ 7, Beans .. 4. ........ 1 111 7 1 88 : 8 : 66°6 dddd to tt to 9121 °O- 558 . °Ugli: /9 If Peas, per qr 4os Od to 44s 0L! Grinding barley, per • qt 28s eid to 32 s (2•1 Mullin"- ditto, 3 . ,s ()a to 3os ill b 7) ' , 711 03 Oats 225 Od 0 7 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Flour, is Gil to Is 10(1 per 14 lb. A I)VELTIOEMENT.—HOHOWEty'S C ° A l)3 O :, plaints and irregularities of the system produced bY prayed or over abundant bile can always be corrected 11,13 few doses of these inestimable rills, which are everyville* admired for their rare combinations of mildness and P ° ,„ vi , crf t for though they conquer with case and rapidity the " -- Li '3 obstinate disease, they never weaken the stool strengthen the organs of digestion, give increased ctierbYj and life to all the animal functions, and fit both hand an brain for fresh exertions, The sick and enfeebled 6'o e asily discover what a happy revolution th ese Pills 11411 the power to effect in the human system. Births. BURY . — On On the 29th inst., at Rutland -gate, theVisac/ulitesil . Bury, of daughter. HEADLAM.— a On the 29th iils• ' t at 3, Morpeth-terrace. the wife of Edward Headlam, E sq., of a aon pl a ce, Ampt" TYSON.—On the 29th inst., at 9, Hong hill-square, the wife of Alfred Tyson, 04 " at a son.hwu TY" Marriageo. BURNABY —DIXIE —On the 29th inst., at St. Paul :of o r second daughter of the Guards, to Louisa Julia of Y' v.' late Sir Wollaston Dixie, of bosworth-paik, Loiceste Knightsbridge, Lieutenant-Colonel Burnaby, Grenadier shire. DASHWOOD—GEEB.E.—• O n the 27th inst., at West }lava, Bsqng e ., st t of Albion-road Stoke a te 000 Stoke Droving' Peyton Dash.wood , ton, to - usauna. Y g Geer°, Esq., a S tra tford, E mu. l DeathDeaths.ou daughter of On o , .the 29th inst., at Great Burford Ho ui e r John Arnold, Esq , of the firm of I'. an A R I i N e ARNOLD.' L f o u r ci . — s bi r Arno ld, 1 35 , Aldersgate-street, aged 74. yre COOTFL—On the 23d i ns t an t., a t Ischil, Austri a, . c o ote, Esq., West-park, Hants. fo Li,o - ru.—On the 29th inst., Henry Lloyd, Esq ., late Lombard-st ree t, b an k er , aged 80. MouLEY.—O n th e 28th i n st., at the seat of Mrs. Parker' Whiteway, Chudleigh, Devon, the Earl of Morley. PUGH.—On the 28th inst., at his residence, Church©%l Presteign, Radnorshire, John Pugh, Esq., of "-I aged 67. SHEFFIELD.—On the 29th inst„, at his residence . ..! ill off oB' tharnpton-park, Canonbury, Wm. Sheffield, -tie ( l't a " Old Broad-street, aged 37. __......! ~..___ - _______ ..----- , s Lon of No. 112 don : Prin:ed and PrEtished by WILLIAM ANP U .,.. r!V i 12, , Strand, Printer, at ThE SUN Ofnee 11 . 1 - ~„- a Strand, in the Prooino iti t of the Savoy. the 4,%• 111 Z.11441c§0,77-yiredneoclay, August 31, 1864.