The Sun.
London, England, 1855-11-20 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sir,—A paragraph having appeared in the Daily News
this morning to the effect that the Pacific steamer, which
conveyed a portion of the Army Works Corps to the
Crimea, had foundered, I shall be obliged by your insert-
ing this letter to state that I have the best reasons for
believing that such report is altogether unfounded. The
Pacific grounded at the entrance of the Dardanelles, but
was got off without difficulty and arrived safely at Con-
stantinople.
I have received a letter this morning, dated the 6th,
informing me that the Pacific was then coaling at Con-
stantinople, and it was expected that she would leave for
Balaklava on the morning of the 7th.
It is therefore, I conceive, impossible that the vessel
can have afterwards foundered and the intelligence of it
have reached Marseilles on the 17th.

The publication of this letter is necessary to relieve
the anxiety of the families of the 500 members of the
Army Works Corps who left England in the Pacific.A
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
JOSEPH PAXTON.
18, New-street, Spring-gardens, Nov. 19.

BURNLEY IMPROVEMENT COMMISSIONERS
AND TBEIR SERVANTS.

The Burnley Improvement Commissioners at different
times have shown abundant proofs of want of fore-
thought, and on more than one occasion have sanctioned
proceedings, as a public body, which each one would re-
pudiate in his private capacity. Amongst the most ob-
jectionable errors of judgment we feel ourselves com-
pelled to place the motion carried by a majority of the
Improvement Commissioners at their general meeting on
Wednesday last. In public meeting assembled they then
deliberately laid down the law that " henceforth no ser-
vant of theirs shall presume to ask for an advance of
wages until he has left their employ !" They thus de-
liberately ignore the long services of their oldest servants
—they refuse to acknowledge that either they or the rate-
payers are at all indebted to them for long years of
patient industry, and, it may be, with insufficient wages.
They appear to be afraid lest some underpaid officials
should respectfully solicit them to consider their case,
and by one fell act they close the mouth of all such cla-
mourers by passing a regulation which denies them the
power of making known their desires, or of pleading
their ill-requited services in the hope of obtaining more
equitable remuneration. The injustice of such a mea-
sure is too manifest to require proof.—Burnley Ad-
vertiser.

Her Majesty will hold a Privy Council, to-morrow,
at Windsor Castle.,

The Duke of Rutland is still at St. Leonard's-on-Sea.
The Marquis of Granby leaves town, to•day, on a visit
to his noble father.

The Duke and Duchess of Wellington have arrived at
Apsley-house, with the intention of sojourning some
weeks in London.

The Duke of Argyll is expected to arrive in town,
this evening, from Scotland.

The Earl and Countess of Mountcharles leave town,
to-day, on a visit to the Duke and Duchess of Bedford,
at Woburn Abbey.

The Earl and Countess of Stamford and Warrington
left Hill-street, yesterday, for Enville•hall, Staffordshire.
Viscount and Viscountess Paltnerston will arrive in
town to-day from Broadlands.
Lord Frederick Gordon Hallyburton has arrived at
Kensington Palace from his seat in Scotland.
General Simpson is on his way to Marseilles in the
Telegraph steamer, and will probably arrive in town
about the end of this week.

The Right Hon. John Wilson Fitzpatrick has been
appointed Lord-Lieutenant and Castos Rotulorum of
the Queen's county.
Mr. Frederick May, proprietor of the Taunton Courier
has been elected, for th• second time, bailif and return-
ing officer of the borough of Taunton.

THE KING OF SARDINIA.—The Moniteur states that
King Victor Emanuel will leave Turin on the 20th, and
will arrive at Marseilles nn board the screw-frigate the
Carlo Alberto, probably, at nine o'clock in the afternoon
of the 22d.
ANTICIPATED VISIT OF THE KING OF SARDINIA TO
THE ClTY.—Alderman and Sheriff Kennedy has given
notice of the following motion, which will be taken into
consideration at the Common Council meeting, to be
held on Thursday next, viz.—" That an address of con-
gratulation be presented to his Majesty the King of
Sardinia, upon his visit to her moat gracious Majesty
the Queen ; and that this court do consider what other
mark of respect should be paid to his Majesty on the
occasion."

During the at sence of Lieut.• General Sir Colin Camp-
bell, G.C.8., Brigadier-General Cameron, C. 8., will
take command of the Highland Division ; and Colonel
Atherley, 92d Regiment, will take command of the Ist
Brigade Highland Division.

TILE GLASGOW COUNCIL ANTI SIR COLIN CAMPBELL.—
At a meeting of the Town Council of Glasgow, held on
Thursday, Mr. M'Adam, councillor, gave notice that at
the next meeting he would move that the freedom of the
city be presented to Sir Colin Campbell. The feeling
displayed augurs that the motion will be heartily ap-
proved of.—Edinbvivh, Courant.
The reappearance of Sir Colin Campbell at the United
Service Club on Saturday created quite a sensation
amongst those who were fortunate enough to be present
on his arrival. Many of his old companions in arms in
the Peninsular and Indian campaigns congregated about
the gallant veteran, and welcomed his return with
greener laurels and from new victories with a cordial
warmth and enthusiasm that must have been highly
gratifying to the brave old soldier.

ROUEN.—The letters from Rouen mention that the
market for manufactures was fairly supported, con-
sidering the period of the year, but that at present there
was no expectation of increased activity.
ST. PETERSBURG. —The letters from St. Petersburg
state that by a new ukase the export of all grain is pro-
hibited from Russia, excepting wheat sent over the
Polish frontier. This is assumed to be in consequence
of the bad harvest. The rate of exchange was as low as
34d. to id.
The specie by the American steamer this week is
175,0001., the whole of which, it is believed, will go to
France. Although the additions made by the British
Government fo the West India fleet had excited discus-
sion, the full announcements published with respect to
them on this side, and which were transmitted by the
Cunard steamer Of the 27th of October, had not yet been
received.

The shipments of specie by the Peninsularaud Oriental
steamer Ava amount to 298,3191., of which 28,5801. is
gold, for Alexandria, Ceylon, and Madras, and 269,7391.
silver, for Bombay, Madras, and Calcutta. The Royal
Wes; India mail-steamer Tyne takes out 4,6001.
The departures from the port of London for the Aus-
tralian colonies during the past week have comprised six
vessels—three to Port Philip, one to Adelaide, oae to
New Zealand, and one to Launceston, with an aggregate
capacity of 3,593 tons. The rates of freight show i^
material alteration.
SOMERSET WINTER ASSIZES.—The winter assizes

this county (i. e. criminal business only) will be held at
the Castle of Taunton, the first week in December. The
learned judge, Mr. Baron Parke, will arrive in this
town by express
.train on Monday, the 3d of December,
when the commission will be opened, and hia lordship
w ill proceed from thence to St. Mary's Church. The
court will commence with the trial of prisoners on the
following (Tuesday) morning.
DECLINE OF MORMONISM.—The Mormon delusion is
fast evaporating in this neighbourhood, where for the
last twelve months a couple of " elders " have in ♦ain
attempted to propagate the pernicious doctrines of their
noted chief, Brigham Young. As a proof of the unsuc-
cessful character of their mission, we may mention that
the Public Hall, Bath-place, in which the Mormonite
meetings have hitherto been held, has been let to a glass
and china dealer, for business purposes.—Taunton
Courier.

The latest statistics of the passenger traffic between
England and France show that the aggregate number
from and to Boulogne during the past month was 17,006,
against 10,661 in Oct., 1554, the increase being 6,345,
or 60 per cent. For the first ten months of the present
year the number has been 123,254, against 89,071 in
the corresponding period of 1854, exhibiting an increase
of about 38 per cent.
THE LORD MAYOR.—On Monday evening last a pub-
lic dinner took place at Joseph's Tavern, St. James's-
place, Aldgate, which was attended by a numerous party
of gentlemen belonging to the Hebrew nation, and other
well-known friends of liberal opinions. The entertain-
ment was served up in first-rate style, and gave every sa-
tisfaction. Saul Yates, Esq., of Devonshire-square pre-
sided as chairman. Its object was to celebrate the tri-
umph which civil and religious liberty has achieved in
chairman
the election of the Right Hon. David Salomons to be
localm a
manner
teller aafsyt so Mayor
werec3r
health tghieveCuitfyrumof
the chair,
aAufdterertahnekusinuaal
0 fu
tl fully showingL Lord
rd
m a they or , sincere
which
received
the in au appropriate speech, proposed the
the
with je7:-
thusiastic cheers. Other toasts, including the health of
the chairman,
ceived,and several
severally proposed, and well re-
prevailed throughosountgtsirnag. The greatest conviviality
every attention to the comforta evening.
Mr. Joseph paid
at of his assembled guests,
and the party broke ulate hour, longing for
another opportunity of similarp ae
TESTIMONIAL TO SIR C. NApnijoyment.
of the inhabitants of Southwark EL—A public meeting
the Prince William Henry, in Be
Bermondsey-street,
held last night at
take into consideration the proprietyni ndosfeyf-street, " to
com-
mittees in the borough of Southwark to carry
gutobject of a testimonial to Sir C. Napier." _ y 0 the
Mr. Jeffrey
was called to the chair. Some discussion took
ttplacemi re-
lative to the proceedings of a central com •
ee, said to
be located at 3, Silver-street, Golden-square, for the
pur-
pose of receiving subscriptions for a national testimonial
to Sir C. Napier. A deputation from the central com-
mittee were in attendance, who were told by Dr. Ro-
berts, the chairman of Sir C. Napier's election committee
that some of the collecting-books were in the hands of
illiterate and improper persons. A strong feeling was
expressed in favour of confining the operations of the
present meeting to the borough of Southwark, and the
following resolution, proposed by Dr. Button, was car-
ried unanimously :—" That this meeting, while viewing
the enthusiasm displayed in all parts of the borough of
Southwark at the success attending their exertions in
behalf of the return of Sir C. Napier as a member to the
House of Commons, propose that subscriptions be raised
in the different parishes to defray the whole of the legal
expenses incurred in Sir Charles's election ; and that a
committee be formed to carry oui; that object." A com-
mittee was then formed, and the proceedings te ' 1
rit4ttatei„
with a vote of thanks to the chairman.