The Sun. — London, England, 1863-05-28 00:00:00

'HE CALCUTTA AND CHINA NAILS. By the arrival of the Calcutta and China mai we have advices from Calcutta to April 22 ; Mad. ras, April '2B ; Ceylon (Colombo), April 30; Singa• pore, April 23; Hong Kong, April 15 ; and Shang• hae, April 4. INDIA. Few events of importance had occurred since the departure of the previous mail, on the 20th April. "The holiday in celebration of the marl iage of the Prince of Wales (says the Rurkaru) was spent by most of the European residents in Calcutta in writ ing letters for the homeward mail. In the early morning General Showers reviewed her Majesty's 434 Light Infantry, the 40th Native Infantry, the La!,ore Regiment of Light Horse, a bitter, of ar tillery, and the Calcutta Volunteers ; and in the evening the Lieutenant-Governor held a reception at Belvedere, which was almost as numerously at tended as the review. And thus the vacant day was disposed of tant bien que mat." In Madras the rejoicings on account of the Prince of Wales's marriage went off with spirit, but the Atheneum complains of the government fire works as a display of shabby pyrotechny. The same paper says—" With real regret we notice the death at Hyderabad of the aged Prince Shums-001-Omrah, by far the best and most enlightened member that has ever adorned the family of the Nizams of the Deccan. His character, ability, and learning en titled him to the highest respect of both natives and Europeans in India, and his lavish but judicious benevolence rendered him the object of universal affection in the Hyderabad kingdom. He was a truly wise and good man, who se grea t i n fl ue nce was ever used in the right direction, and had the happiest effect during the mutinies, when great danger existed of the overthrow of the Dewan Sater Jung, and the falling of the weak and igno rant Nizam into the hands of the fanatical party who sought to embroil his highness with the Bri tish power, and came very near succeeding. How much both he and it owe to the restraining counsel of Shums-001-Omrah will probably never be known to the world. Had he thrown his weight into the hostile scale the Deccan would have burst into a conflagration the probable extent and results of which it is impossible to think of without shud dering. We• look upon his death as a serious mis fortune to his family, to their state, and to the Queen's government in India." The Ceylon pearl fishery for 1863 has closed; the amount realised, £51,017, is £3,700 below the offi cial estimate, and not two-thirds of what was gene rally looked for at the time that estimate was made, but yet, from the inauspicious turn matters took after the fishery had fairly begun the result seems satisfactory to all parties. We read in the Colombo Observer of April 30 : " Some weeks ago we drew attention here to the great desirableness of our joining the other subjects of the British crown in presenting some memorial to the Princess of Wales, and though we have heard much approval of the suggestion then made to send her some present, manufactured of the pearls se cured about the time of her wedding,' we are sorry to say nothing has been done; and even the very cheap loyalty of an address, which our con temporary the Examiner proposed, is still, so far as we know; only a proposal. • COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. (From the Calcutta Englishman of April 22.) Produce Market—Since our edition forwarded via Bom bay, no feature has been exhibited in any branch of the produce market. Import Market—The market continues very quiet, and the only purchases of moment are by European speculators. The accounts, however, from the interior are good, and a revival of demand is confidently looked for by holders. There are said to be six to eight thousand packages on the way from Bombay to Calcutta, but shipments from Eng land are so trifling, especially of grey goods, that this market can easily absorb these indirect supplies. Joint-stock Shares—The joint-stock market continues buoyant, aided by an easy money market, and the transac tions have been considerable. Government Securities—We hear of no change in Go vernment stocks, Speculators and dealers are waiting for the budget before they commence operations, and prices are a little weaker. Money Market—There is nothing new to report of this market beyond what was given in our overland edition vas Bombay. Exchange—Very little exchange has been sold for this opportunity. The importers are not buying so freely of bank bills, and rates have a tendency upwards. There are very few credit or documentary bills offering on London. The rates on France. China, and Mauritius are the same as quoted by the Bombay mail. Freights—Our transactions since the closing of last mail have been dull for all ports, but no great reduction of rates has taken place. The disengaged tonnage, although small, is quite equal to the requirements of the port. CHINA. The fortnight's news is not important, but is con sidered satisfactory. At Pekin all appeared quiet. The following letters from Sir F. Bruce had been published in the North China Herald, and had caused considerable excitement among the English community at Shanghae Pekin, Sept. 8, 1862. Sir, —With reference to your letter on the proposals made for the management of Shanghae, I have to observe that there is great misapprehension of the position of these so welled foreign concessions. The British concession at Shang base was neither a transfer nor lease of the land in question to the British crown. It was simply an agreement that British subjects should be allowed to acquire land for their atpersonal accommodation within a certain space, in order theymight have the advantage of living together. The land soEcquired remains Chinese territory, it is subject to the land tax, and, if the jurisdiction of the ChineseGoyern ment over it is denied, it is denied becaus e in China it was deemed essential for the security of B riti sh trade that the person and establishment of the trade should be secured from molestation. But the character of the concession has been entirely altered by the acts of the f settlemeerter.tasersbethcom selves. Instead of being a foreign a Chinese city, in which a few foreigners settlement h which ta large Chinese population. The security and comfort Were supposed to be derived from isolating the forei gn com munity have been sacrificed, and land has bean acqu ired, q 'ed net for the legitimate purpose of accommodating foreig n ers, but in order to bui ld on it Chinese houses, which are te anted by Chinese at high rents, attracted by the protection which our bayonets afford, and by immunity from their natural authorities. This system it is proposed to extend as far as it may suit the interest or convenience of parties on the spot; and it appears that the Chinese population so col lected is to be ex-territorialised as well as the land they occupy. The Chinese Governor is to be deprived of his power of dealing with them, they are to be taxed for muni cipal purposes, and his interference is to be limited to judging and punishing them in cases which the foreign head of the nation to which the owner of the property occupied belongs permits to be brought before his tribunal. The - eonaummation of this system is to be the erection of Shang hae into a free port, with a mixed consular and municipal government under the joint protectorate of the Treaty _Powers. It is my duty to remind you that the Chi nese Government has never forma ll y a b an doned its rights over its own subjects, nor has her Majesty' s Governm e n t ever c laimed or expressed any desire to exercise a protectorate over them. The only case in which, con sistently with the principles l aid her M h ajesty's auth or i t i es in ' oountry, down for the guidance of Chinese is inthtehcsoenmsaplloy of a has a right to interfere, i s w h ere th t e is British firm, and whe-e there .t i n s t rason for believing that the arrest of the Chinese sery s an outrage through him •on his employer. But it is the t interests ar of the British sub sprotected. I do not jocr, and not the Chinaman, which understand what interest her Majesty ' : Gover nment has in lending itself to a system which is unjustifiabie in which would be attended with endless embarrassment i o p au e id responsibility, and which the Chinese Government _never submit to willingly. Great Britain has m n e e nt • except in providing a secure place for British tradinmte inte rest blishments ; and whatever inconveniences may arise g e fr a o ta. the conversion of the settlement into a Chinese town, I do ra r ot think that her Majesty's Government will be induced to seek a remedy for them by extending its jurisdiction over a large section of the Chinese population. Because we pro tect Shanghae from falling a prey to a horde of brigands, it sloes not follow that we are prepared to interfere with the natural relation of the Chinese to their own Government. I must impress upon you most strongly the importance of not lending yourself to any proposal which will lead, however indirectly, to such serious alterations in our position in China as are evidently contemplated by some of the resi dents at Shanghae. I am convinced that her Majesty's Go vernment would wish to sea the limits of the so-called con ctiasion reduced, so as to exclude the Chinese, rather than extended, so as to embrace a greater number of them. Our interests in China are trade, and pacific relations with the authorities, and I know no more fertile source of misunder standing than the collection of Cninest within our limits. This is not a question which affects Shanghae alone; it affects our relations with the whole Chinese empire ; and , considering the effect of our example, it is of the utmost importance that we should take no step which cannot be defended upon sound international principle. I request you to reconsider the Land Regulations with reference to the principles laid down in this despatch.—l am, Sce., F. W. A. BRUCE. (EXTRACT.) Pekin, Ja 22, 1863. I wish you to understand that by treaty w 3 1 ave no right to interfere between the Chinese people d eir authori ties; that the words "sanctity of the Brit- h concession" have no meaning ; and that we have no power to compel the Chinese who live within the so-termed concession to pay any tax for local purposes except through and with the consent of their own authorities. I aua inclined to think that the whole system at Shanghae is a mistake; thit the police arrangement of the Chinese within the lines would be more efficiently and economically done through themselves than it is done by Europeans, and that our management is most extravagant and oppressive. I beg you also to remember that what is done in a military point of view is for the de fence of the settlement, and that her Majesty's Government has a right to expect that any charges for that purpose will take the precedence of local improvements, which, under other circumstances, might be desirable. If the Chinese are taxed for local purposes to the utmost, it only proves,as I said above, that the system is a bad one. If the assist ance given at Shanghae entitles us to a voice in the matter of taxes, no distinction ought to be made between the people in the settlement and those in the city. There ought to be no difference made in favour of the settlement; in fact, the accumulation of Chinese there is a great misfortune, and wculd make neutrality impossible, should the Govern ment wish to leave Shanghae to take its chance. It is a great source of danger and insecurity to our interests; and by ignoring the jurisdiction of the Chinese Government over the inhabitants, we release it from any claim under the treaty in case of incendiary fires, &c. That is a point not sufficiently borne in mind by the community. Pekin, July 3. Sir,—ln reply to your despatch of No. 130 respecting a projected new tax on opium,you will state to the Taoutai that he is at liberty to do what he likes with the article when in the hands of the Chinese purchaser. But that on pay ment of the custom dues the British merchant is entitled to deliver it without former formality to the Chinese put chaser. It appears to be that the Chinese may levy any excise duty on opium they like, and there is no article that may be more legitimately taxed to meet the pressing wants of the state. The same observation applies to native products; when in the hands of the Chinese, the authorities may tax them as they please.—l am, &c., (Signed) F. W. A. BRUCE. Sir,—ln reply to your despatch No. 148, requesting my advice as to the proposals made by the Taoutai for the taxa tion of Chinese subjects within the limits of the so-called British Concession, I have to observe that there is nothing in the treaties which warrant me in interfering in any way in such questions. The Taoutai is entitled to levy taxes as he pleases, and as long as he merely seeks to impose taxes on persons resident in the concession, which are paid by those living in the city and suburb, I see no reason for objecting to it, at a time when it is our interest as well as that of the Chinese that the government should not be deprived of its resources. A heavy responsibility will rest on the consul of any part, should his action in such matters lead to the dis banding or mutiny of the highly paid force under foreign officers which the Chinese have embodied, by our advice. —I ate, &c., (Signed) True copies and extracts. F. W. A. BRUCE. W. H. MEDELURST. The China Mail contains the followidg : The Sunkiang garrison, which is another name for what used to be the "Ward Force" is in a most unsatisfactory state. By every account, the Chinese troops have always greatly preferred the rule of foreign officers : regular pay and mild discipline naturally brought the force into favour among Chinamen willing to accept military service; the superiority of foreign drill was also evident to the troops that were subject to it, and it is likely enough that the active hard working foreign officer favourably contrasted with the dull and selfish mandarin, destitute alike of the physical courage to lead his men to the breach, or the moral courage to refrain from peculation. Be that as it may, the rule of Chinese commanders is eagerly deprecated by the disciplined troops, while that of foreigners is earnestly apprecia4 ed and approved of. The consequence is, that little outbreaks, which might easily become serious, are of frequent occur rence, being provoked by the inequality of discipline exer cised by the foreign and the native officer. The last out break, about two weeks ago, was caused by two men having been decapitated for looting a shop, they having already been punished for the offence by one of the foreign officers. The timid Chinese officials seemed to admit the dangerous nature of their course of action, for they caused the men to be decapitated at midnight. These things are a fruitful Source of mutiny and desertion, and form a rock ahead in the prospect of " Sunkiang garrison." COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. (From the Overland China Mail of April 15.) TiErcrstrr, March 29.—Business is not resumed, and the only sales reported are 6,500 pieces shirtings, and 400 or 500 each of camlets, lastings, and Spanish stripes. HANXOW, April I.—Of imports we hear of sales of shirt ings and fancy goods at an advance, and woollens also have found buyers. Of teas, there are only four chops remaining, but the new are expected about the middle of May, a fort• night earlier than last season. SIIANGHAE, April 7.—Not much doing. The sales of imports comprise some 12,000 pieces shir tings—grey, white, and spotted ; 1,000 chintz, and 7,000 T cloths, with a few hundred pieces of other kinds. In teas, the only sale of black is about 500 packages, and of greens a small quantity of Moyunes and Fychow. FuttcHau, April 6.--Sales of imports 500 pieces while shirtings, and 6,000 T cloths. Very little doing in tea; 2,700 chests congou, 500 boxes scented, and a few chests Pekoe. Stocks nearly as last reported. Freights to London, £4 5s ; to New York, 16 dols to 17 dols. Ships loading— Java, for London, and Hound, for New York. • AMOY, April 9.—Scarcely anything doing in either im ports or exports. The total sales of manufactures do not ex ceed 1,500 pieces, and in teas some 200 half chests only found a buyer. CANTON.—The only cotton manufactures at all saleable are white shirtings, at an advance of 20 cents, ; 700 pieces Spanish stripes are also reported sold. In teas 8 chops Congou have been settled ; also 800 boxes scanted orange pekoe and 9,500 caper, 2,600 packages country greens, and 6,500 Canton -made. HONG KONG.—A fair amount of business has been trans acted during the fortnight in imports, and we have to report sales of 20,000 pieces grey and 8,000 white shirtings, 2,700 American drills, and 3,500 each of T-cloths and brocades. Of rice 3,500 piculs have found buyers at former quotations. Exchange—Bank, 4s Hid ; credit, 5s Old, with an upward tendency. Tonnage still in demand for the coast, and to load at Manilla. JAPAN. No definitive information respecting Admiral Kuper's movements has been received, but it was reported at Shanghae just before the departure of the mail, that he had sent in his ultimatum, and that every hope was entertained of a pacific solu tion. The China Mail says : There are not wanting indications of a desire to temporise on the part of the Japanese, but nothing is known suffi ciently definite to allay the general anxiety as to what atti tude they mean to adopt, and what securities for their future good behaviour our minister means to require, in the event of their showing a desire to treat with us peacefully. I n the meantime everything is quiet. The secession of nobles from Yedo still continues, and it cannot be concealed that some grave design is shrouded under that extraordinary proceeding. Two documents, purporting to be translations of native papers, were published in our last issue ; they are believed to be genuine productions, and the opinions to be formed from perusing them are unfavourable to the position of American political agents in this portion of the East, The steamer Fiery C ross, recently purchased by the Japanese Government from a foreign firm here, has been lost in a typhoon in the Inland Sea. A crowded meeting of factory operatives was held at the Town-hall, Macclesfield, on Monday night, when it was resolved that a committee be appointed to raise a fund to enable silk weavers and their families resident in the town and neighbourhood to emigrate to the colonies. SCIENCE EXAMINATIONS AT THE SOUTH KEN SINGTON MUSEUM.—The annual May examina thens Departmentfand the the the pupils of science schools and cl asses b y h of Science and Art hav e just resultter minated, shows a very s a ti s f actory increase in the number of centres of exami nat i on and the number of pupils who have to ec decrease seexamined,as to a although on some subjects the has been om e up a d com pared with last year. in geometrical drawing the number e rcome of pupils examined in 1862 was 119, but this year they had drawing the number has in- increased to 289. In machine ildi nO . construction there creased from 70 to 194 ; and in bu has been an incre ase f ro m 45 to 107. In theoretical me chanics there has been a falling off from 52 pupils to 35 47 to 52. and in appli e d mec h an i cs t h e d ecrease i s from The experi menta l sc i ences appear the most popu l ar . In acoustics, light, and h eat t h ere i s an increase from 47 to 1 21—and in magnetism and electricity the increase is from 105 to 207. Inorganic chemistry shows an increase from 558 to 679 ; and organic chemistry an increase from 105 to 157. It is rather remarkable that there should be a falling off in some of the natural sciences. The number of pupils in geology has decreased from 189 to 129, and in mineralogy from 81 to 4E. There is a slight decrease in mineral ph fr y om 84 to siology 41. from 349 to 343 ; b ut in zoology the de- In vegetable physiology there is an increase from 66 to 126, and in systematic botany from 26 to 84. In mining and metallurgy, which has been lately added to the list of subjects, there were 29 pupils in the for mer, and 63 in the latter. The centres of examinations have increased from 54, in 1862, to 71, in 1863 ; and the Lumber of pupils examined in the different sub jects has increased from 1,943 to 2,672. These figures only give an approximate estimate of the number - of pupils receiving instruction in elementary science, because a considerable proportion are not sufficiently advanced to attend the examinations. CRYSTAL PALACE,—ONE SHILLING DAY.— Wednesday, May 27.—Admission on payment, 4924; ditto by season tickets, 1,036; total visitors, 5,960, THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY F.',V KNING, MAY 28, 1863, SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. _~_ MANCHESTER MEETING.-WEDNESDA.Y. The Trial Stakes of 5 sovs each, with 25 added, for 3-yr olds and upwards. Weights for age. Winners extra. Once round and a distance. Mr. Samuel's Twilight, aged, Sat 11b.... (H. Grimshaw) 1 Mr. Osborne's Flytrap, Bst llb (Whiteley) 1 Betting-2 to lon Twilight. The non-favourite was indulged with a slight lead, which she retained to the distance, where she was joined by the favourite, who shortly after quitted her, and won cleverly by a length. The Chesterfield Handicap of 5 sovs each, with £5O added, for all aged. Winners extra. One mile. 13 subs. Mr. Samuel's Twilight, aged, 9st 31b (inc. 31b extra: Grimshaws 1 Mr. J. Osborne's Paddy O'Rourke, 3 yrs, Gst.. (Carroll) '2 Mr. E. Buckley's Wynnstay, 5 yrs, Bst ..(Baraclough) 3 Mr. Barber's Jack's Alive, 3 yrs, sst 121 b (inc.3lb extra) (Loates) 4 Mr. Copeland's Golden Drop, 3 yrs, sst 7lb (Tomlinson) 5 Betting-2 to 1 axst Twilight, 3to 1 agst Wynnstay, and 4 to 1 agst Paddy O'Rourke. The flag was lowered to a scrambling start, in which Golden Drop was left some distance in the rear, the lead being taken up by Paddy O'Rourke, Jack's Alive going in second, with tee favourite at his girths to the first turn, when Golden Drop rushed past his horses and took the second place, Jack's Alive next, with Twilight and Wynn stay in close attendance. Entering the straight Twilight got upon closer terms with the leader, and half-way in the distance reached the leader, whom he headed at the enclo- sure, and won very easily by two lengths, a length separat ing the second and third ; a bad fourth. The Sapling Stakes of 5 soya each, with £lOO added, for 2-yr-olds ; colts, Bst 10Ib; fillies, Bst 71b ; the second to receive £25 out of the stakes. Winners extra. T.Y.C, 21 subs. Mr. T. Stevens's Fisherman's Daughter, Bst 101 b (inc. 31b extra) Mr. Fobert's Syren, Bst 71b (J. Doyle) 2 Mr. Merry's Calliope c, Sst 101 b (W. Hayward) 3 Mr. Ambery's Lady de Trafford, Bst 71b ..(Baraclough) 1 The following also ran :—Cutaway, Prescription, Man trap, and Lady Elizabeth (late Miss Peace). Betting-7 to 4 agat The Cure filly, 2to 1 agst Cal liope colt, 4to 1 agat Fisherman's Daughter, and 7 to 1 bar three. After two slight failures they left the post in close com pany, Prescription with a slight lead, the favourite going on second, Fisherman's Daughter third, with Cutaway and the Calliope colt next, the last being Miss Peace. Round ing the Broughton turn. Cutaway gave way to Calliope, who joined the leaders at the lower turn, rounding which Prescription appeared in trouble, and was shortly after headed by the favourite next the rails, who at the distance was joined by the Fisherman's Daughter and Calliope, but halfway up the latter was disposed of, and immediately after Aldcroft brought his filly to the front and won very cleverly by a couple of lengths, a similar distance separat ing the second and third, Lady de Trafford finished a bad fourth, Prescription was fifth, Lady Elizabeth was last, beaten off a long way. The Unioa Cup of 200 soya in specie (given by the Race Committee), added to a handicap sweepstakes a 5 sovs each, for 3.yr-olds and upwards. Winners extra. The second to receive £2O out of the stakes. One mile and a quarter. 64 subs. Mr. H. Wilkinson's Dictator, 5 yrs, Bst 91b.. (G. Doyle) 1 Mr. W. I'Anson's Borealis, 3 yrs,'6st 101 b (J. Loates) 2 Sir H. de Trafford ns Comet, 3 yrs, Est 91b .. (Whiteley) 3 Mr. C. Peck. jun.'s Bernice, 5 yrs, 6st 91b.. (F. Crouch) 4 The following also ran :—Cape Flyaway, Birthday filly, Patrick, Oberon, Misfortune, Fanfaron, Marmion, and Trust. - Betting-5 to 2 agst Cape Flyaway, sto 1 agst Borealis, 7 to 1 each agst Comet and Trust, 8 to 1 each agst Dictator and Birthday filly, 10 to 1 agst Patrick, 100 to 8 each agst Misfortune and Fanfaron, 100 to 7 agst Betnice, and 20 to 1 agst Oberon: The over fastidiousness of Mr. 11I‘George detained the horses at the post upwards of three-quarters of an hour, although an opportunity repeatedly offered of getting them away. At last the flag was lowered, and they left the post in close company, Comet, next the rails, having a slight lead, but on reaching the enclosure the favourite went to the front and kept the command, with Cornet second, Bore alis third, and Dictator next. The others headed by Bernice, with Marmion, Misfortune, and Patrick at his girths, the Hittladay filly acting as whipper-in. Proceeding along the far side, Borealis was pulled back, and her place was taken by Dictator. The leaders as they neared the half mile post got upon closer terms, but at the Broughton turn Borealis went up and joined the favourite, the pair running side by side along the bottom and into the straight, where Cape Flyaway was in trouble, and shortly after was beaten, leav ing Borealis next the tails, who was joined at the distance by Dictator, Comet, and Bernice, who came on nearly abreast to the enclosure, where Dictator obtained a decided lead, and won easily by a length, a length between the second and third ; Bernice fourth, Misfortune fifth, Fan faron sixth, Birthday filly seventh, and Trust eighth; the others beaten off, last of whom was Oberon. On returning to scale the starter lodged a complaint against Metcalfe, Carroll, Church, and Howey for misconduct at the post, which will be investigated by the stewards this morning. The Phillips' Handicap of 60 sous, for all ages. About five AQUATICS. - -- ROYAL LONDON YACHT CLUB. The first race of the above club this season took place yesterday. The entries were exceedingly large, and com prised some of the finest yachts afloat, and the attendance of spectators was numerous and fashionable. The Queen of the Thames had been chartered by the club for the ac commodation of members and friends, and accompanied the races throughout. The programme was as follows : First Class—For yachts above 25 tons, club measurement. Second Class—For yachts above 10 tons, and not exceed ing 25 tons, club measurement. Prizes—lst class, 70gs. and £lO (the first prize in plate) ; 2d class, 30gs. and £lO (the first prize in plate). FIRST CLASS. Yacht. Tons. Owner. Flag. Phryne 55.. Mr. T. Seddon.... Red, white ; and blue Phosp:l,,rus 50.. Mr. W. Turner.... Blue ' with white lion Vines 45.. Mr. A. Duncan ..Li g ht blue Crusader 30.. Mr. J. Sladt n ....Shelton whiteground Amazon .. _46 .. Vice-Commodore ..Red and white stripes The Queen 39 „Capt. Whitbread ..Blue with crown Audax 62.. Mr. J. ll. Johnson.. White burgee SECOND CLASS. Folly 12 .. Mr. W. L. Parry.. Red square Vampire 2O .. Capt. Commerell .. White with bat Alexandra —15.. Rear-Commodore.. Blue, white, and blue Half. a-minute time was allowed for difference of tonnage. The course was from Erith to Hole Raven and back. All came to their stations but the Crusader, which had been unable to get round from Dover. In the first division the Phryne, Vindex, and Audax were entirely new, the last named being entirely rebuilt and altered, with an increase of tonnage. The Phryne is by Fletcher, of Southampton; the Vindex by Mr. Harrison, of the Millwall Ironworks; and the Audax has been re modelled and reconstructed by Harvey, of Ipswich. In the second division, the Alexandra, also by Mr. Harrison, has been built and fitted in the extraordinary short space of three weeks. She is built with steel plates to give increased lightness, and her appearance, like that of the other novel ties, was looked for with much interest. It is almost unne cessary to say that all the new boats laboured under the disadvantage of having but a very short time to get their proper trim, and also that their sails and cordage were not properly stretched. The signal gun was fired at 11.28 to get ready, the com modore, Mr. Arcedeckne, giving the signal in five minutes afterwards for the start. The wind was very light and variable, mainly from N.W. The respective spiling masters exhibited the usual alacrity in setting their canvas, but the Queen, with the best station, had her mainsail first set, and took a slight lead. They were all round very smartly, but the Phryne evidently had some thing amiss with her peak halyards. They went out in the following order :—The Queen, Amazon, Phosphorus, Vin dex, and Audex—the latter stealing out from the north shore. With the wind aft, the vessels would under ordinary circumstances, have gone away very fast ; but, as it fell very light and paltry just after the start, the yachts con tinued long nearly all together, with various trifling changes—the results of stray puffs of air, which were un•- important in a nautical point of view. In the small class the Folly took the lead, but was immediately passed by the Alexandra, who kept the lead all the way down, and long maintained a proud position with the first division of the first class. In their way to Greenhithe there were several times beautiful pictures presented by the close vicinage of the yachts worthy the skill of a marine artist, and which were beheld with much gratification. Off Greenhithe town they were as follows; Vindex 20 yards ahead. Phosphorus next, with the Alexandra on her weather ; and then the Phryne, Audax, Amazon, Folly Queen, and Vampire. There was still but little wind, and at Gravesend the Vin dex was still ahead ; but the Audax, which had brought a nice little breeze down with her, was second, and to wind ward the Phryne next, and the Alexandra and Phosphorus beam and beam. From the Lower Hope the wind freshened a little, and the Vindex was still leading by a couple of lengths, the Audax being 150 yards ahead of the Phos phorus, which had come down into the third place. The original distance to be sailed had been to the Nore Light; but the course being shortened, owing to want of wind, the boats rounded the club steamer off Hole Haven. The Phryne passed into the first place in the bottom of the Hope and went round first, the times being as under : Phryne 2 hrs. 28 min. 20 sec. Vindex 2 ~ 28 „ 25 „ Audax 2 „ 28 „ 35 Phosphorus Alexandra Folly ,, 2 „ 41 „ 40 „ Queen and the Vampire and Amazon within three minutes. It will be seen by the above that the first three boats rounded within a quarter of a minute. It was dead low water when they turned, and they made a long stretch to the north shore before they began to turn to windward. Off Mucke rig they stood in the following order, the Phryne first, the Audax next, then the Vindex on her weather, the Phosphorus being 400 yards astern. Just as they came up to the Hope point the Phryne and Audax went about, and the wind at the moment northwarding a little, let the Vindex slip through their lee and hold her course up through the Hope without a tack, and the Phosphorus, also similarly favoured by the wind, held her course right through ; but the Thryne shortly after went up to her, and in the course of some very close sailing a protest signal was hoisted against the Vindex by the Phryne, on the ground that she had impeded her by causing her to luff up in order to avoid sinking her rival. The race be tween the smaller boats was very close all through, the Vampire having at the early part of the return a good lead of the Folly, but the latter nearing her very closely at the finish, which was as follows : Phryne Vindex 5 „ 27 „ 18 „ Phosphorus 5 „ 28 „ 35 „ Audax Amazon The Queen Vampire Folly ........ 5 „ 51 ~ 47 „ Alexandra .......... 5 52 9, 4 7 ~ It•will be seen by the above that the Vindex, by her time allowance, became entitled to the first prize of the large class, and the Phryne the second, and the sailing corn • mittee, having considered the protest, so declared the re sult. In the second class the Folly won the first prize and the Alexandra the second. The Commodore then presented the chief prize of the first class to Mr. Duncan, and the second of that class to Mr. Seddon, the owner of the Phryne ; and the prizes of the second class to Messrs. Parry of the Folly, and Mr. Harrison of the Alexandra. The refreshments supplied by the steward, Mr. Dorling, were as usual good. furlongs. Mr. J. Peck, jun.'s Bernice, 5 yrs, 7st 21b (Crouch) 1 Mr. Jackson's Lady Louisa, 5 yrs, 7st 121 b ....(Doyle) 2 Mr. Ken) on's Lord Dundreary, 3 yrs, fist.. (Tomlinson) 3 Leontes, Key of the Gate. Cutler, Gaiety, Mountain Buck, and Stella also ran. Better-2 to 1 agst Louisa, 4to 1 agst Stella, sto 1 agst Bernice, C to 1 agst Mountain Buck, and 100 to 15 agst any other. After several failures the favourite jumped away with a clear lead, Gaiety going on second, with Bernice, Stella, and Mountain Buck lying up to the entrance of the straight, where Gaiety was disposed of, and shortly after passed by Bernice and Dundreary, who came on in waiting upon Lady Louisa to half way up, where the former obtained a slight advance, and won a fine race by a neck. Bad third. Gaiety fourth, Stella fifth, Mountain Buck sixth, close up, and Cutler last. The Maiden Plate of 50 soya, for horses that never won that sum at any one time ; 3-yr-olds, 7st ; 4-yr-olds, Bst 41b ; 5-yr-olds, Bst 91b ; 6-yr-olds and aged, Bst 121 b. Mares and geldings allowed 31b. One mile and a quarter. Mr. C. Peck's Venison, Est 1 llb (Crouch) 1 Mr. T. Cliff's Ferdinand, 7st (car. 7st 31b) (Carroll) 2 Mr. Wilkins's Betsy Copeland, 6stlllb (Mason) 3 Mr. Johnstone's Fawn, 7st (Channel') 4 Mr. Osb orne ' s Sweetcake, Bst lib (Whiteley) 5 Mr. T. tipence's Deceptive, Bst 41b (H. Grimahaw) 6 Betting -5 to 4 agst Venison, 3to 1 agst Ferdinand, and 4 to 1 agst Betsy Copeland. Ferdinand made all the running, followed by Fawn and Betsy Copeland, the others lying off; the last of all was the favourite. Proceeding along the bottom, Venison improved his position, and came into the straight at the quarters of Betsy Copeland, whom he quitted at the distance, headed Ferdinand halfway up, and won cleverly by half-a-length, a like distance separating the second and third ; a bad fourth ; the others tailed off. The following appeared in a portion of our impression of yesterday evening : ASCOT MEETING, 1863. Acceptances for the Ascot Stakes. Yrs at lb Yra at lb Bedouin 4 8 12 , Stanton Investment Bellman 5 8 9 Bandage .. 4 6 10 Canary .. 5 8 9 The Plover ...... 3 6 7 Knutaford .. 5 8 7 ' Romanoff Gorse 4 8 3! Oakapple Oldminster The Knave .. 4 8 0! Sea Nymph ...... 3 6 2 Bro to Rapid Rhone 4 7 13 Conical Rubicon (in. 71b ex). 5 7 10 Indolence Captain Crow .... 4 7 9 The highest weight accepting being Bst 51b, it has been raised to Bst 121 b, and the others in proportion Weights for the Royal Runt Cup, a piece of plate 200 sovs, by subscription of 10 sovs each, with 100 added. New mile. (77 subs). Yrs st lb Win grave 4 8 13 Dictator.,,,, l ic e t e a n t o ° r f . Trumps 9 1 9 7 Carisbrook 4 8 12 Feu de Joie • • •• 4 810 Umpire Argonaut 4 8 8 Brown Duchess .• 5 8 7 llurricane Kn qvsley Brighton Prince Pl ausib e Exchequer Gernma ........ 4 8 5 Lord Burlergh . 4 8 4 Spencer Costa Oldruinster . • . 5 8 2 Queen of Spain.. • • 4 8 1 Alert Marigold ........ 3 0 Lapidist .......... 4 8 0 Ophelia .......... 4 8 0 Michel Grove .... 4 7 12 Vivid 3 7 12 Tolurno Humphrey .. 4 7 11 5 7 11 Deofoot Birdhill Ace of Club s 4 7 9 Polynesia Bertha Jarnicoton 3 7 8 4 Pilot The Knave 3 7 5 D F l o y n i 6 7 4 5 7 2 Confideace c n a g s t F e r i 11 Yrs st lb Canaco Turcos Catch'em Alive .. Glenorchy 3 6 13 Dunkeld Gladstone M. Philippe 1 6 11 Baldwin 3 6 11 E Gr ri e n yTa r c a o g lt h 1 5 66 6 11 1 00 1 Vil tte Poland Alchymist 4 6 9 The Plover Chaff 3 6 8 Tresham Bohemia Soapstone Tademus Cadeau Michael Scott Tippler 3 6 4 Disappointment .. 4 6 2 Rubiri Laura .. .. Almack •• • Merrymaid 'Victor Muffler Liston Sauterelle Creole Lady of the Isles Indolence ........ 3 5 7 Roly - p01y...... 3 5 7 Nourmahal c.... • . 3 5 7 Nebula ......... 3 5 7 Emily de Lona . 4 ft. Zelle NOMINATIONS FOR THE ASCOT CUP.—Carisbrook, Port Royal, Bonnycastle, Maid of Masham filly, Anonyms, Ben Webster, The Marquis, Caller Ou, Jarnicoton, Stradella, The Plover, Buckstone, Baldwin, Tim Whiffler, Eleanor, Canace, Zetland, Lord Clifden, The Ranger, Jerry, Dusk, ILe Mareehal, The Tartar, Saccharometer, Hurricane, Car blneer, Trojan (pd), Giles the First (pd). Crow, Atkerstone, Magaz - IsTolurtariorte Yon THE G OODW OOD CUP. — in CaPta Copenhagen, Veirwater Adventurer, Melbourne colt, lsoline Tim an, Myrtle, Port Royal, Carnival, Phyealia colt, Blue Mantle ,l Buckatone, La Teucques, , 'Whiffler, Zetland, Bello:Lan, Lord Clifden, and King of Utopia. Manchester Unity of Odd-Fellows. The A.M.C. of this Order resumed its labours yesterday between r L e c y t m o r n s gr themte o s n pe . at nn T dg h A e t r e. G Tni r d n s d d . Master said that the opinion of the Att orne y G enera l on the case unde understanding gd that the se a n il d , morning in the ah P ti u bm b a l db ic yar H i Pratt on the construction to be put upon the Acts of Parlia ment relating to Friendly Societies, had been received, and would come before them in the report of the sub-committee. The New Districts Committee presented their report, which was adopted. The committee recommended, and the meet ing resolved, that the Pimlico district change its name to West London ; the new districts formed were Holt and Den ham Gate, being offshoots from the Norwich and Halifax districts ; three lodges were allowed to change their connec tion ; and eight applications to do so were rejected, the com mittee being of opinion that such requests by single lodges should not be complied with, on account of irs entailing ad ditional expenses for management. The Estimates Corn mittee's report was next read and adopted. The Relief Com mittee's report was also adopted. £lO was granted to the Bright Morning Star Lodge, Little Lever; £3 to Brother S. Thomas, of Oldham ; £3 to BrotherW. Higginbottom, of the Blucher Lodge, Stalybridge. The application by the Rose of England Lodge, Middlesborough, was refused, and also the application from the Manchester district on behalf of P. Prov. G.M. John Ormond, in consequence of the sufficient evidence in support of the case not being adduced, as re quired by the 13th general law. An application was made for the Mercury Lodge, Pendleton, to be allowed to rejoin the IThity, from which it had seceded in 1854, to join the National Society. It appeared that it contained 215 mem bers, whose ages averaged 34i years, and possessed £404 161. 3d. ; but as £1,625 would be necessary to place it in that position which would entitle it to admission, the application was refused. A communication was read from the Swansea district, requesting that a petition on behalf of the Cam brian Deaf and Dumb Asylum, Swansea, might be calcu lated amongst the Welsh districts soliciting contributions in aid of the institution ; but the A.M.C. rejected the proposals. The propositions for amending the General Laws were then considered. The following amendment of the law relating to the polling for towns in which to hold the A.M.C.:— " That the following method for polling for officers of the Order, or for the places of holding the A.M.C. be adopted— each deputy shall write the name of the candidates for office, or place for holding the next A.M.C. on a card provided for the purpose, and put into a box or hat which shall stand be before the G.M. ; unless one person or place has a majority of the whole of the votes of the deputies then present, the lowest number, which cannot with the other num bers below them obtain a majority, shall be cast out, and the polling commence again, and continue until the candi dates or places be reduced to two, when a final poll shall be taken, and the person or place obtaining a majority shall be declared duly elected." The other alterations in the laws were unimportant; but there are many yet to be considered, LADVERTISEMENT.]--Holloway's Pills.--Depression of Spirits, Debility.—Some defect in digestion is generally the cause of mental depression. On rectifying the disordered stomach the long list of gloomy thoughts retire , an d are succeeded by more hopeful and happier feelings. Hollo way's gland in the body, Pills . have been renowned far and wide for effecting lthis desirable charge. They remove all obstructions, regu late all secretions, and convert depraved humours by lutl fYing . the blood and invigorating the stomach. Their andmedicinal virtues reach relieve and stimulate every organ reno vated. N o . . medicine ever before discovered acts so directly and beneficially upon the blood and circulation, as Hollo way's celebrated p ' whereby ' the entire system is ills, which combine the rare merits of efficiency and harmlessness, SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS, TimEs.—The Prussian Chambers have been closed. The King sides with his Ministers ; they possess his confidence, and their actions have his assent. Before the people show by their action whether the Minis ters also possess their confidence, it may be well to say a few words on the principle involved in this struggle. The constitutional crisis in' Prussia will remind English readers of more than one passage in the history of their, own revolutions. A grave political question is made to turn on a cempatatively unim porraut point of form. The dispute between the Ministers of the Crown and the Representatives of the people concerns on its face only the rules of procedure in the Chamber, but it involves in reality the distribution of power between King and Parlia ment. In all these cases, how e v er , th e os t ens ibl e question acquires an extraordinary importance, be cause the battle must be fought on that ground at first, and much therefore depends upon the judg ment with which a particular issue has been selected. It happens that in Prussia the question was forced accidentally and unexpectedly upon the Deputies by the conduct of a Minister, and they had hardly a choice but to accept the trial. Fortunately they find themselves on strong grouud, and in a position which we in this country must regard as unassailable. In Prussia, according to the provisions of the Con stitution, the Ministers of the Crown, though not members of Parliament, are entitled to enter either of the two houses and to be heard upon their de mand. This is no unprecedented arrangement, and if it falls short of our own views on such subjects we must remember that Constitutions are the growth of years. There is no dispute in the Prussian case about the actual privilege of Ministers, but only about the conditions on which that privilege is to be exercised. The Parliament holds that a Minister of the Crown can certainly demand to address the House like any one of its own members, but that he must be subject, like such members, to the rules framed by tue House for the regulation of its own proceedings. The Cabinet maintains that a Minis ter is not only independent of the electoral consti tuencies, but of the rules and forms of the House itself ; that he is not merely on the footing of a member for the time being, but above it ; and that he can not only demand to enter the House and ad dress it, but can do so in contempt of all the regu lations by which the members themselves are bound. Accordingly when, at the beginning of the present month, Gen. Boon, the Minister of War, was called to order by the President, he flatly repudiated all obligation to obedience, and declared in plain terms that the authority, as we should say, of the Speaker stopped short of the table at which the Ministers of the Crown appeared. The issue was raised with the utmost boldness and de cision. No question was made about particular circumstances. The Minister laid down the broad principle applicable to all cases and on all occasions. " I say," said he, "that the President's authority extends up to this table and no further." That is the state iu which the question is left. Now, in this country, if there is one point of constitutional doc trine more universally accepted than another, it is that very point which the Prussian Ministers have ventured to assail. Our proceedings, even in the most trivial matters, are modelled upon Parliamen tary forms. We do nothing without a " meet ing." At every meeting the first and indis periable proceeding is to elect a chairman, and that chairman's authority is absolutely in violable. To his decision even the most lawless unhesitatingly defer, and the unanimity with which everybody is always prepared to " support the Chair," bespesks a kind of instinct in our political nature. That any man should address any formally constituted assembly and reject the authority of its President appears to us almost unintelligible, and our practice is certainly based on sound principles. No assembly can work without rules for the conduct of its business, and the application and enforcement of those rules must be left to the presiding autho rity. This is so clear that it seems to pass argument, but the Prussian Ministers have found something to say for their pretensions. They argue that as Ministers are entitled by the provisions of the Conetitution to enter and address either House of Parliament, the claim of the President to call them to order is in violation of thoseprovisions. If they are to be "subject to his disciplinary power" at all, they must be subject to it altogether, and consequently they may be reduced to silence by his authority in spite of their acknowledged right to speak and be heard. It seems almost idle to discuss such reasoning as this. A right to speak does not and cannot imply a right to speak in defiance of order. It is simply a right to speak according to the vales of the assembly before which the speech is de livered. Every deputy returned to the Prussian Chamber by the votes of the people has a right of speech, which must certainly be asgood as that of the King's Ministers, and yet no deputy would hold his rights invaded by the claim of the President to re gulate his speaking. The position of Ministers in the House is independent of the votes of the people, but it cannot be independent of rules of the assem bly. They cannot be more than members—in fact, they are members for special purposes. They are so far privileged that they can enter Parliament and take part in its debates without being sent by the people, but they are not privileged to defy the rules by which the business of the House is conducted. No assembly could conduct its business at all if any persons taking part in that business could insist on the rights of membership without acknowledging its duties. The extreme case to which the Minis terial argument reduces the question is simply an absurdity. The competence of a President to "im pose silence" on a Minister can be nothing more or less than his competence to "impose silence" on any or all the members of the House together. Of course, when pushed to the utmost, the authority of the President can stop a debate or adjourn the Assembly, but that authority was never yet held to if the right of speaking. The Prussian Deputies f they pleased, might borrow this argument, and maintain that the claims of Ministers to speak when and how they pleased without interruption from the Presi dent were in detriment of the rights of speech un doubtedly possessed by members ; but the argument is puerile in any shape. It is a self-evident doctrine that the right of speech in any assembly, whether of ordinary or extraordinary members, is conditional, and that such right receives no carnage from being subjected to rules reasonably framed for the conduct of business. We have preferred to consider this question as one of principle only, and we therefore make no inquiry into the merits of the case on which the question was raised. It will have been seen, however, from the Address of the House to the King, which we published two days ago, as well as from the King's answer and the closing of the Chamber, that the Deputies have now pa sse d beyond the ostensible dispute, and have entered without reserve into those questions which both parties know to be at the bottom of the quarrel. The Address informs the King that " between the Councillors of the Crown and the country there exists a chasm which cannot be filled up otherwise than by a change of persons, and still more by a enange of system." The King replie9 " that he sides with his Ministers," These words express the reality of the matter. The difference between Ge neral Boon and the President would never have pro duced this rupture if there had not been a standing difference of far greater moment between the Minis ters and the Chamber. General Roon's demand to be disorderly was but of a piece with the general demands of Ministers to govern the country without the intervention of Parliament. His claim to be in- dependent of the authority of the President and the rules of the House did but express incidentally the pretensions of himself and his colleagues to subordinate the Representatives of the country to the nominees of the Crown. So the great issue was suddenly accepted, probably without design on either side, and we now witness the spectacle of a King and a Parliament brought into direct collision. Ministers refuse to attend the sittings of the House except on condition of being placed above its rules. The House not only refuses to proceed to business without the attendance of the Ministers, but now demands a change of Ministry in terms as plain as could be used by our own House of Commons. The King refuses to yield, identifies himself with his Ministers, and closes the Chamber, thereby showing his determination to try to govern without any Parliament at all. That is the state of affairs in Prussia. The friends of constitutional freedom can have but one wish for the result, but every lover of peace and order will regret that the matter has been allowed to come to the present pass. HERALD.—" In the case of the prize vessel Springbok the judge of the New York District Court has decided that where a vessel is suspected of car- rying contraband goods, even if she had not at tempted to run the blockade, her cargo may be ex amined...to determine whether it is contraband or not." We will grant to Lord Russell everything he can claim in regard to this most important item of the late news from America. We will admit that the newspaper report may be inac cura t e, an d , by the omission of some essential parti cu l ars, may give a false colouring to the judi c i a l d ec i s i on above quoted, though it is difficult to understand how this can be. We will grant to him that the decision may possibly be reversed on appeal ; though we have little reason, judging from the well known character of American tribunals, and from the pre sent behaviour of the Federal Government, to be lieve that anything of the kind will be done. But we must ask leave to insist on two points—first, that so monstrous a decision never could have been given by any court entitled to the least regard or re spect at the hands of foreign Powers ; that the mere fact that such a sentence has escaped the lips . of any Federal judge would be sufficient to discredit him, his breth ren , an d t h e G overnment w h ic h appointed him, and to render it necessary for neutral Govern ments to take stringent precautions for the protection of their subjects from the injustice which they are certain to suffer at the heeds of courts so contemp tuous or so ignorant of the law which it is their duty to administer; and, secondly, that no American court would have dared so flagrantly to outrage the law of nation s an d t h e rights of neutrals if the Foreign Secretary of England had been true to his duty ; it he had not encouraged outrage by his care ful avoidance of all plainspoken declarations on poiets of lay.: repeatedly brought under his notice, in Patliament and elsewhere; and if he had not induced the Federal Goserntueut and the people of he Northern States to believe that England is dis posed tamely to endure any violation of her rights which may snit the convenience of the former or gratify the malignant passions of the latter. It, is the moral sveahriess, the official cowardice of Lord Ru ss ell, which is nuswerable for all the loses that English commerce has suffered from the unscrupu lous aggressions of Federal cruisers and the unprin cipled and shameless partiality of Federal prize courts. It is to this cause that we must attribute the fact that English merchants find it necessary to resort to the protection of the French flag; that heavy war insurances are effected on ships sailing for Nassau or Matamoros ; that our commerce with our West Indian possessions is carried on subject to the risks and humiliations of a smuggling trade ; that Mr. Adams dares to denounce the bulk of our communications with Mexico as fraudulent, and to grant licences to such portion of that trade as, for American purposes, he deems it wise to tolerate; and that such decisions as that just delivered in the case of the Springbok are possible. The meaning of that decision is simply this—that whether or no a neutral vessel be bound for a neutral port the mere fact of her having on board a cargo which, from its character, seems likely to be destined for the Confederate States, shall be sufficient to justify her condemnation in a Federal court ; for unless the presence of contra band on board would cause her condemnation there could be neither right nor motive to ascertain the fact. It is the decision of this court—the most important prize court in the United States—that no British ship shall carry to a neutral port goods of such a nature that, if bound for an enemy's port, they would fall under the description of contraband of war. To enable our readers to understand the full effect of such a decree we may remind them that medicines have been declared by the Federalists to be contraband of war, and therefore if a vessel be carrying medical stores to Jamaica or Havannah, she would, under this rule, be liable to 7 confiscation for the benefit of Admiral Wilkes and his squadron. Nay, more, it would be within the scope of the de cision to condemn a vessel carrying such stores for India or China, for in the eye of the law there is no difference whatever between a voyage to a neu tral port within ten miles of the enemy's territory and a voyage to one ten thousand miles away. It is not necessary to repeat the arguments by which we have often demonstrated the utter illegality of the pretensions involved in this audacious dictum. No lawyer would dream of upholding th em . B ut it is our wish to insist on the very important fact that, in the present position of the American belli gerents, there is no case in which the qu es ti on o f contraband of war can possibly be raised. Goods going to a neutral port cannot come under the de scription of contraband, all trade to such ports being equally lawful. A cargo of arms and munitions of war shipped to Matamoras is not, so far as the Fe deralists are concerned, contraband. In regard to the war between North and South,Mexico is a neu tral country, and we have a right to sell to Mexi cans, or to residents in Mexico, whatever they are pleased to buy. With their intention in buying, or ours in selling, the Federal Government courts and cruisers have no concern. The arms and ammuni tion sold to Mexico may be destined to destroy Frenchmen at Puebla, or Yankees on the Potomac ; but in neither case is the Federal power entitled to stop them on their way to Mexico. The same holds good in regard to Nassau with even greater force; for Nassau is a British port, and to seize a British ship bound thither from London is precisely the same thing as to seize a ship trading between Li verpool and Dublin. It is perfectly true that a ship nomi nally sailing for one of these ports may be really on her way to Charleston or Mobile, and in that case no one disputes the right of the Federalists to seize and confiscate both vessel and cargo. But this is not the case contemplated by the New York decision, for in this case the vessel would be, in point of in ternational law, " attempting to run the blockade." And if the vessel is really bound to a neutral port, it is a physical, moral, legal impossibility that she should have on board that which does not in such case exist. Cannon, rifles, sabres, munitions of war, she may have. She may be laden to the deck with them ; but contraband of war she can by no possi bility be carrying, even though the port for which she is bound were separated from a strong Confede rate port only by a ditch six feet wide. Let us ask, by the way, whether we should tolerate the con demnation of a British vessel by a Confederate court on the ground that she was carrying arms and stores to Quebec, which might possibly be there sold to the Yankees? But if there can in no case be contra band of war on board a vessel really bound for a neutral port, what is the case in regard to a vessel really bound for a Confederate port, though her nominal destination may be neutral P This point, as we have seen, is not raised by the New York judgment, which has reference to vessels not at tempting to break the blockade ; but it deserves our careful attention, as bearing on the question of con traband generally. It is quite clear that arms, am munition, probably provisions and naval stores, and by a forced construction of law, medicines also, would on board such a vessel be contraband of war. But it would not signify a jot to any party concerned whether they were contraband or not. The Federal Government claims to have blockaded the whole Con federate coast; and that claim has been tacitly ad mitted by England. So long as the validity of the blockade is acknowledged, all vessels, whatever their cargoes, which are intending to break that block ade, are liable to capture and confiscation, with everything on board. In this case, therefore, the question of contraband has no significance. Either, then, a vessel is bound to a neutral port, in which case she is free, whatever she carries—or she is bound to an enemy's port, and the enemy's ports being now under blockade, she is liable to confisca tion, whatever the nature of her cargo. By raising, therefore, the question of contraband the Federal courts at once proclaim their intention to overstep the law. We cannot allow any weight to the plea that the carriage of arms and munitions of war to Nassau and Matamoras, thence to be transmitted as favourable opportunities may occur to Charleston or Galveston, is an exceedingly provoking act, and that we ought, therefore, to be lenient to the Fede ral cruisers, when, in the excess of their irritation, they transgress the letter of international law. The law is already highly favourable to belligerents, giving them rights over neutral trade which are extremely inconvenient and oppressive ; and it is our right and duty as neutrals to see that bellige rent privileges are not extended against us beyond the limits which we ourselves, when at war, held ourselves bound to acknowledge and respect. Again, looking at the matter from the point of neutral freedom, the law of capture is a penal law, a law in restriction of liberty, and must therefore be con structed strictly. It is out of the question to allow to the United States the exercise of powers which no other maritime belligerent ever dared to claim, or to permit them, by the vexatious u se o f th e i r ad . . mined rights, to inflict greater injuries on our com merce than thosa which, by the strict letter of the law, are incident to the condition of neutrals in time of war. If the liberties which are fairly ours are proVoking to them, they must endure the pro vocation as best they may, remembering how long we had to endure much worse from them ; if, in the frenzy of their irritation, they violate our rights, it is the duty of our Government to exact iredress, first by gentle remonstrance, than by peremptory demands, and lastly, if driven to that extremity, by war. But to wrong, whether committed by a uiser or a prize court, we cannot submit ; and the Minister whose policy is submission is not fit to represent the nation or to have in his keeping the honour of England, POST.—However strongly the sufferings of the Poles may have enlisted in their favour the sympa thies of the public of this country, there can be no doubt that those wh o di rect i ts pol i cy are not in a position to confine themselves to the purely humani tarian view of the question. We do not wonder that the Wester n P owers should have entertained the idea of proposing to the National Government at Warsaw an armistice, in the hope that, should hos tilities cess9, some arrangements might be come to at a congress at which Russia should be induced to accord terms sufficiently liberal to satisfy the popu lations in revolt. Such a proposition has, we un derstand, been actually made. We are not as yet aware in what spirit it has been received by those to whom it has been addressed. That Russia would gladly consent to a cessation of hostilities in the kingdom of Poland we have little doubt, but she would certainly not consider herself bound to take any course of action in the province that should have the appearance of 'having been forced upon her by foreign dictation. Any proposi - ,1 emanating from the Government of this country, and addressed to the National Government at Warsaw, implies that that body is in a position to treat with a fo reign Power, and should therefore be entitled to accredit its official agents in return, and to claim the right of recognition, at least, as a belligerent. It is not likely that the National Government will con sent to receive any semi-official communication from a foreign minister, except as a preliminary step to its recognition. We have never, in the case of the Southern States of America, held any direct inter- course with the Government of Scfferson Davis ; We have refused to receive his agents, and yet we hav e recognised the Southerners as b e lli ge rents. With what appearance of consistency, after this, could we ucturAllv enter into otgotiations w ith the Polish N . - tional Government, and met refuse to recognise the Poles as belligerent s a l so ? W e w ill not n ow enter at length into oth er ques ti ons w hi c h wou ld have to be considered by the National Government in .con nection with this subject. H ow cou ld they e sure that the arrangements which might be ulti mately arrived at Nyould be satisfactory to them, and, in the event of thi,ir declining to accept theca , it, what position would they be to resume (de?' sive operations ? The delay would be fatal to their chances of success, while it would be all in f a vour of Russia. Sh e wou ld h ave h a d t i me to t ra mple out the flame in th ose more remote prov i nces into which it is now in s idi ous l y exten di ng i tse lf. Every day that passed wo u ld b e a ga i n to h er prest i g e lo those parts of her em pi re w hi c h are now di sa ffected and hesitating. Th ere s h e wou ld h ave t i m e to consolidate her pow er , an d t err if y i nto su b m i s sion those who are gai n i ng courage b y t h e protrac ted resistance in Poland. I n th at country she wo uld not be idle; she would reorgan i se h er new demo ralised army, and make use of the breathing-time to imprison or exile those who were concerned in the revolt. How would it be possible, unless the first condition was the evacuation of Poland by the Russian army, to prevent any excesses being com mitted upon the population ? How, during this in terval, are the insurgents to dispose of the arms it has cost s o muc h to tain ? Are they to hand them over to the Russian authorities, or will the Western Powers take charge of them, and give them back to the insurgents in the event of the negotiations fail ing ? How are the Powers to guarantee the safety of those who have been actively engaged against the Russian army ? or how is either side to be made to adhere to any condition which the Powers may lay down. unless there is a foreign army of occupation ? From whatever point of view we regard it the scheme seems impracticable, and the proposal useless. We must hit upon some other so l u ti on o f t h e pro bl em if we wish to see the peace of Europe maintained. If we underrated the forces at work in Poland at the outset of the movement, let ns not remain in error any longer. The terms which might have satisfied them two months ago will do so no longer. Their hopes are rising with every victory they gain, and with every fresh province that revolts, The very anxiety which is betrayed by foreign Governments gives them confidence, for they see that the lute rests of the great Powers are becoming involved, and they hope more from interests than from synk pat Ly. They have everything to gain, and nothing to lose, by a European war ; and they are naturallq endeavouring to excite one. If we want peace We must buy it, and the Poles tell us that we can only buy at the price of the reconstitution of their cowl' try within its ancient limits, Meantime the armies of Russia and the diplomatists of Europe are grog' gling to obtain it without paying for it at all. We have not much confidence in the success of either the one or the other. COUNTRY MARKETS. - - ----- NE WARK.-.WEDNESDAY. Since our last report scarcely any rain has fallen, and the crops are now beginning to suffer through want of: ioisturet spring corn especially. Wheat, generally speaking, up to the present looks well. White wheat new, 47s to 63s Barley, grinding.. 29s to 32s Red do. 44s to 48s Oats, old, .. 2Bs to 31s Old white s ss t o 60 s New do 22s to 25s Red do. 50s to 54s 1 Beans.. 38s to 43 0 Barley, malting.... 38s t0,41s 1 Beans, new 37s to 400 Peas, ....40s to 445. LYNN-1 A small show of wheat at n sale for the best samples ai corn without alteration. White ........... 50s to 52s ......... 45s to 475 1 Beans —B to —s New 36s to 38s tESDAY. Larket to-day, with a ready Is per qr advance. Spria Barley .. 35 s to SO grinding Oats • ... 2 2 2 8 5 s w top BDl —s tO /0 Peas HULL—TUESDAY. The wheat trade during the week has been rather &O t : To-day there w as a very sma ll supply of English whet; which was taken off by local millers at fully l as t wee!, currency. Foreign n r re i nqu i re d f or. Beans and 13' firm. Oats slow, but not quotably lower. Wheat.... Old white....per qr Old red » New white .. „ 85 8 fis s 00 0 cid d tt t 00 0 54 5 37 0 os s 00° 0 ii Od New red .... „ Barley.... English malting 32 s Od to 38s n i d Od Grinding 26s 6d to 28s v, Saal and Oderbruck Holstein and Danish 2 Bs Od t o 293 Od ,3,, Grinding 2 Bs Od t o 31s ~: Oats English, old 26 s Od to 288 IR! Archangel and Riga, p er st oBl2*cl to 1361 11 Friesland and Dutch Swedish and Da n i s h o 2l2*d t o osl , d Beans ....English, old, per qr 4ss O to 468 Od New pigeon 42s Od to 413 Od New tick 4os Od to 42s Od 33s Od to 34s Od Egyptia n 36s Od tc 38s Od Peas Foreign boilers ... Grinding .... Tares ....Spring. Indian Corn — 5 3 2 3 :8 s ° O Ol i d d t t t 0 0 0 6 3-6 4 Linseed, feeding crushing • 4OB Od to 5 0 Linseed cakes Hull) Z9 10 0 t o 10 0 0 Foreign Bl5 ot o 9 0 0 Rape cakes 6 5 oto 6 1 v 0 Bones 5 5 oto 610 COAL A Prices of Coal per Ton al ARKET. the close of the market. s. d. North Pelton Gas, 12 9 Wylam 16 0 Carway and Duffryn Malting . 19 6 Eden Main l5 0 Hastings Hartley l5 0 Tar-field Moor 13 6 8. d. Walls End. Riddell Ships at mark( Walls End. Haswell .. l6 9 Hartlepool 16 A 6 Trimdon Hartl e p oo l 16 - East Hartlepool 16 u South Hartlepool 15 3 Hetton. l6 9 K elloe Braddyll's Hetto n 15 v Stewart's 16 9 t, 50 ; sold, 56. , Foreign Mail Packet List. MAILS DUE. Aunrall4 and Mauritius, via Southampton. June 1 0 8 ' via Marseilles J u ne 1.0 Brazil and Cape Verds, by British packet. June 4. . 29 Cape of Go o d H ope , A scens i on, and St. Helena May --0 China, Penang, and Singapore, via Southampton June via Marseilles May 2s' Falkland Isla n d s Gibraltar, via Southampton June 2 ' India (Calcutta), an d C ey l on , v i a S out h ampton June 2. via Marseilles May 210 India (Bombay), via Southampton .. June ' via Marseilles June 5. Portugal.... June 4. Malta, Egypt, and Aden, via Southampton June, via Marseilles Ma Y,l/, Newfoundland ................ ..MaY ' Oporto and Vigo .. Ma/ by U.S. packet.... . by Canadian packet.MaY - 7, - 0. W.C. of Africa, Madeira, and Teneriffe June ' Bahamas, via New York June 4. Mex'co May 2 9 ' ••• All parts of West Indies, including Chili, Peru, I May 29. California. an d British' Columbia. LOAN SOCIETIES.—The business of the loan so cities continues to increase. In the year 1862 they received from their depositors, or shareholders, sutra amounting in the whole to £210,139 ; the sums in bor rowers' hands at the close of the year amounted t0£454,3 59 ; The gross profits of the year, including no less than £9,5 9 ; received for forms of application and for inquiry, reache d £48,418; the expense of management was £19,337. 112° sum of £26,179 was paid as interest to depositors or shar e ' holders. In the course of the year 176,469 applications we re made for loans, and loans were in fact made to 161,150 pe r. sons. 16,137 summonses were issued in the year for the r e ' covery of £32,772, and the summonses were followed 1 1 1,585 warrants— no t 10 per cent, of the summonses, and n ° 1 per cent, of the loans of the year. The sum of £2,725 s o° paid by bo rrowers or t h e i r sureties for costs. These staff ments are for England and Wales only. Births. BOSANQUET.—On the 27th inst., at 34, Bedford-0 6 6. Russell-square, the wife of Charl es B . P . Bossy(' ' Esq., of a daughter. ;f a of BEVAN.—On the 26th inst., at 31, Princes-gate, the w F. A. Bevan, Esq., of a son. HALCOMBE.—On the 26th inst , at the Charterhouse) the wife of the Rev. J. J. Halcombe, of a daughter. Marriages. ATKINSON—CALHOUN.—On t h e 26th inst, at St. 00, Kennington, R. M. Atki nson, Esq., of . M a rker N or thaller t ; bo Yorkshire, to Elizabeth Mary, eldest daughter of late William H. Calhoun, Esq , of Arundel, in the c tigli of Sussex. Fox—WRIGHT.—On the 26th inst at Osmaston, shire, Charles D oug l as Fox, Esq., eldest son of Sir L t, Fox, Kght., to Mary, fifth daughter of Francis W ri Esq , of Osmaston Manor. — A o ii i i i sli t e h , eEs2q7.t,ha ginedsDeaths.t,4i& at A ij h s a L r i l E es . BARNAVELL.—On the 24th inst., Fredk. Lowry B ar— RRIE.—On the 24th instat B 1 Esq., of Heath House, Twicknham. the Rowntree, Dim:: Cu -sur-ge r ' ~ ou ogue infant son of H. Currie, Esq., 74th Highlanders. rdeo D URRAM.—On the 25th i ns t ., at 7, LeAinster-g9 Hyde -park, James D ur h am , E sq. , age d 74. Doug n OILLESPIE.—On the 25th inst , E -q., aged 61. at Parkhall, —° Lanarkshire, Thomas Gillespie,' i c hara Goon.D.—On the 24th inst., at Hartlip, Ken t, R Goord, Esq., aged 72,11Ytil RONALDS.—On the 26th in s t., Mr. John Ronal d ' s, Kent, aged 80. - Lon of No. 112, don : Printed and Publish by WILLIAM AND — ) 1 12 Strand, Printer, ed at THE SUN Office. No. Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the Comity Mithilesex.—Thursday. May 28 1863.