The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-09-08 00:00:00

RESECTION OF THE AMERICAN CLAIMS

AGAINST PARAGUAY.

It will probably be remembered that one object of the
costly expedition lately sent to Paraguay by the Govern-
ment of the United States was to enforce a claim for
damages, amounting to nearly a million of dollars, made
by an American company, for injuries alleged to have
been inflicted by President Lopez.: Hostilities being
avoided, through the good offices of General Urquiza,
President of the Argentine Confederation, and the judi-
cious management of Mr. Bowlin, the United States
Commissioner, it was agreed to submit the claim to two
commissioners, one appointed by the Government of
Paraguay, the other by that of the United States.
It appears, from the report of the referees, Mr.
Cave Johnson and Senor Barges, that the company,
which was organised in 1352, with vie* to trading in
the products of Paraguay, was managed by Mr. Hopkins,
the American consul at Asuncion, whose overbearing
disposition was the sole cause of the failure of the enter-
prise. Most favourable concessions were granted by
the Paraguayan Government, and when funds ran low,
through the loss of a steamer belonging to the company,
10,000 dollars were advanced by President Lopez with-
out security ; but Mr. Hopkins disregarded the laws,
insulted the people, and embroiled himself with the
authorities so systematically that the Government
was obliged to withdraw his exequatur as
Consul. He immediately abandoned the company's
property, and claimed an indemnity of 460,606 &liars,
*inch President Lopez refused to pay. Stibsequently the
sum demanded was swelled to nearly 1,000,000 dollars
by charging for a steamer and her cargo lost at sea, for
ships and machinery whiCh the failure of the enterprise
was represented to have rendered useless, for profits
which might have been made, and seven years' interest
on the whole. The Commissioners, after hearing coun-
sel on both sides, and examining witnesses, declared
the claim of the company untenable. "it has
always," says Mr. Johnson, iii closing his
report, "been the pride and the glory of the
Government and citizens of the United States to submit,
to nothing wrong from any Government or people, but
at the same time to demand of them nothing but what
is right. The day is far distant, I sincerely hope, when
East Indian fortunes are to be accumulated with their
approbation and sanction, by the plunder of feeble states,
extorted from them at the cannon's mouth." The deci-
sion appears to have given general satisfaction in the
United States, judging from the tone of the press.
"We are glad," says the Yew York. Herald, " that
the facts of this iniquitous claim have been tho-
roughly sifted and exposed. Whilst the award
rejecting it will be a lesson to such of our citizens
as seek to make the State Denartment the instrument of'
their dishonest speculations, its moral effect upon the
South American governments cannot fail to be beneficial
to our interests. The fact of an American commissioner
not only deciding against. the pecuniary claims and
exaggerated grievances of his countrymen, but doing
full Justice to the conduct and motives of a ruler whom
we had humiliated and forced to this inquiry, will go
farther to convince them of the fairness of our disposi-
tion towards them than all the assurances that can be
conveyed through a diplomatic medium." Similar lan-
guage is held by the Times, Sun, and all the leading
independent New York journals.

A meeting of the Leeds Festival General Committee
has been held, when it wat unanimously resolved to
recommend the holding of a second triennial festival
in the Autumn of 1861.
About 3,500 Volunteers, irrespective of the Bristol
and Birmingham men, have signified their intention to
be present at the great Volunteer review, on the 18th of
September, at Gloucester, and the total number expected
to be present is about 5,000.
The official Gazette of Turin published on the 23rd of
Augusta rotal decree notifying a considerable reduction
in the Piedmontese import duties on yarns, tissues, &c.,
of cotton, hemp, and other articles.
General Lamoriciere went on the 15th of last month
to the :famous chapel of Our Lady of Loretto, and having
like other pilgrims offered his devotions at the shrine,
solemnly engaged to present there ex vote the sword
which he now brandishes on the. Pope's behalf, as soon

•
s he shall have delivered the Pontifical throne from all

Is enemies.

MEN WHO HAVE HELPED THEMSELVES.—There are
various ways of helping yourself. You can do it d/a
Stephenson, or ala Robespierre. If you want to know
what is the final reward of such men, read two great
books—" Self Help " and the " French Revolution."
The first you will find a glowing history of Smiles, the
second a saddening record of Thiers.—Funck.
On Thursday, Mr. F. E. Shipley was again brought
before the Nottingham magistrates, on further charges
of forgery. Five cases were proved against him, the
amounts of the bills being respectively £6B, £4B, £49, 3s.
£46. 13s. and £4l. 195. In each case the prisoner was
committed for trial. Bail was refused.
THE CUTLERS' FEAST AT SHEFFIELD.—On Thurs-
day evening, the Master of the CutlerS' Company of
Sheffield gave the usual annual banquet to the members
of the company, and numerous invited guests, numbering
in all 230. The banquet was held in the Cutlers' Hall,
where the-guests were • received by a guard of honour,
in the vestibule and staircase, composed of members of

the Sheffield and liallamshirc Rise Corps. The bells
of the parish church rang merry peals in honour of the
occasion. The hand of the Yeomanry Cavalry was
stationed in the balcony of the banquetting-hall, and
played some popular airs during dinner.
THE MURDERER TwrGG.—The- man Twigg, who is
now in Stafford gaol waiting his trial for the wilful
murder of his wife, at Bilston, in that county, has
written two letters to his relations, who have now the
charge of his children, in which he refers with poignant

feelings to the cause to which his crime is traceable.
He tells his children " never to look at drink and
liquors, to knock off bad company, and prepare to meet
God for their wicked drunken father's sake." To his
wife's brother he writes, " I hope when your family
and mine see liquors and drink they will take it to be a
sting from a serpent, for my sake." In the second
letter he four times refers to the " drink and liquors as
having influenced him to murder his wife, " whom he
calls his " tender bosom friend." Again, " for his
sake," he urges his " butty workmen never to look at
drink nor liquors ;" and concludes by saying, " God
knows I little thought I should have been snatched
away like this, through drunkenness."
GREAT VOLUNTEER REVIEW AT YORK.—Earl Fitz-.
william, the lord-lieutenant of the West Riding, having
signified his intention of holding a review of the West
Riding volunteers at York, on the 27th instant, we are
in a position to state that an invitation from Lord
Wenlock, the vice-lieutenant of this riding, was received
on Wednesday by Lieut.-Colonel Samuelson (Hull
Artillery), and Lieut.-Colonel Pease (Hull -Rifle.*
His lordship, in the most courteous manner, inquired
whether the Hull volunteers would co-operate on the
occasion, and we believe we are correct in saying that
they will take part therein. The occasion will most
certainly be a great one, And Knavesmire will present a
scene the like of which it has never before beheld.
While we have great pleasure in making this announce-
ment, we have additional pleasure in announcing that a
sixth company of Hull rifles is in course of formation._
Eastern Counties Herald.
DESTRUCTION OF THE LARGE CLIFF AT CUXTON.
The preparations for the destruction of the large cliff at
Cuxton by the Sappers and Miners of the Royal En-
gineers having been completed, the attempt was made
on Thursday afternoon to remove it by several immense
charges of gunpowder. The operations for igniting the
powder were at first totally unsuccessful, and continued
so, in spite of all that could be done, for more than two
hours. Not discouraged by repeated failures, the offi-
cers and men of the Royal Engineers continued their
attempts to explode the charges, which, after some time,
they succeeded in accomplishing, and a considerable por-
tion of the cliff, estimated at several thou=and tons, was
blown down. The several galleries were fired by means
of the voltaic battery, which, at the commencement of
the operations, was fixed about a quarter of a mile froni
the mines. Subsequently, however, the battery was
removed to within about fifty yards of the shafts, and
at this distance the several charges were successfully
ignited, the galleries in the large shaft being exploded
first, and in about a quarter of an hour afterwards those
in the second shaft, the effects of ,the explosion being
very grand. The Earl of Darnley, General Eyre, Gene-
ral Sandham, and a number of other officers were pre-
sent at the blowing up of the cliff, having remained
until the explosions were effected.
THE Ssroxo NUISANCE ON STEAMERS.—The Admi-
ralty yacht Vivid on Thursday steamed down the river
to Sheerness, from Woolwich Dockyard, to try her
machinery and to test the merits of Mr. Lee Stevens's
patent regulating air doors, one of the numerous appa-
ratus applied to Her Majesty's ships with a view of
remedying the smoke nuisance. The vessel left the
offing of the dockyard at ten a.m. and returned about
six. The result of the trial is stated to be satisfactory
as regards the consumption of smoke—a slight vapour
only being perceptible from the chimney, except at the
time of adding fresh fuel, when smoke was seen to issue
for a few seconds only—and to leave no grounds for
complaint. It 'was_ also stated that a saving in fuel was
realised, but that the speed of the vessel is, somewhat
impeded, which it was hoped might be prevented on a
future trial, with a greater amount of caution on the
part of the stokers. The amosphere of the boiler-room,
it was stated, was considerably improved, as a constant,
current of air necessarily passed through the perfora-
tions of the doors. • .
THE IRISH COURT.—A country journal (the Sligo
Champion) furnishes the following bit of London gossip :
—" There are some curious rumours afloat here as to
the visit of the Prince of Wales to America. It is said
that Lord-Carlisle was the projector, some months since,
of this Transatlantic tour, and that it at once met the
concurrence of the Queen ; but it is further stated that
the Royal Prince will make Ireland in his way home—
Cork and Kingstown are both mentioned as the ports o
debarkation—and call at Dublin Castle. How this is to
be managed is not stated, hut some of the quidnuncs go
so far as to say that his Royal Highness will make a
lengthened sojourn in your country. apropos of Dublin
Castle—Lord Carlisle is the last Lord Lieutenant, or,
to speak with more certainty, the very last Whig Viceroy
you will have in Ireland. This you may take for granted.
It is just possible, if the Tories come into office, that
,you may be treated to their' last man,' but the office is
irrevocably doomed ;
and thereby hangs a tale of Royal,
arrangements of which I may give you an inkling in
my noit."