The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-03 00:00:00

LONDON. MONDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 3, 1855.

LIVERPOOL, SUNDAY.
This evening, at 8 the Royal Mail steam-
, ship Asia, Captain G. G. Lott, arrived in the Mer:-
sey with the usual mails from the :United States
and British North America. She sailed from Bos-
ton on the 21st ult., and Halifax on the 23d, and
has brought, besides the mails, 160 passengers, but
no specie.
The Royal Mail steam-ship Canads, from hence
on the 10th Nov., arrived at Halifax on the 22d.
The tone of the American journals is generally
pacific.
The New York _Herald's correspondent at Wash-
ington expresses his fears that the troubles with
Encland are not yet ended.
The Chamber of Commerce at New York has ap-
pointed a committed to investigate the causes of
the seizure of the barque Mary.
We have again to report another serious fire
which has occurred at Alexandria, by which seven
persons were burned.
A treaty has been ratified with the-Swiss Con.
federation.
The latest advises from the Havanna are to the
13 t h ult. Molasses are. advancing in' price. The
island is very healthy. Almonte, the. Mexican
Minister at Washington, has been superseded by
Fernando Mangino, formerly Consul at Hamburg.
At the steamer's departure the New York money
market was easier. Stocks were improving.
There was a moderate 4einand for cotton in the
market, and prices were firm.
The breadstuff market waaactive an* advatielnie
Provisions reported unchanged.
Freights unchanged. Exchange on London lower,
from 1071 to 1081.
THE WEST INDIA MAILS.

The Royal West India Mail packet Magdalena,
Captain G. Abbott, Admiralty agent Lieut. James
Moin, R.N,, arrived yesterday at Southampton
with the West India mails. Her dates of sailing
are :—Vera Cruz, Nov. 4 ; Tampico, Oct. 30 ;
Havana, Nov. 9 ; Greytown, 3 ; Panama, 8 ; Car-
thagena, 10 ; Jamaica, 11 ; Nassau, Oct. 15 ;
Demerara, Carriacon, and Trinidad, Nov. 9 ; St.
Thomas, 15 • Tortola, 14.
The Magdalena brings 59 passengers.
The freight on board includes specie to the
amount of 876,773 dollars. 12,000 dollars are on
account of Mexican dividends. The specie con-
sists of 527,631 dollars value in silver, and 310,772
dollars in gold.
The news from Jamaica is of meagre interest.
Some of the districts are suffering from an unusual
drought for this season of the year. A few cases of
cholera have appeared, but happily it has not as
yet assumed an epidemic form. Otherwise the
country is not unhealthy. A fair business is doing.
Sales of sugar take place at 16s. to 215., according
to quality. A lot of Cuba was withdrawn at 17s.
in bond. Sales of coffee are made at 363. and 375.
Vessels for freight were much wanted, but, ac-
cording to Da Cordova, arrivals adequate to the
demand were expected. Exchange on London-
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The Demerara Gazette reports as follows on the
agricultural operations :
"The weather during the last fortnight has been
generally dry. but we have had a few occasional and
partial showers. The estates have been bu,ily occupied
with operations of cutting and grinding. The yield of
saccharine matter has varied much on different estates—
on some it was nearly equal to an average of years, and
on others much below it. The growing canes continue
to promiQe well for the next year's crop. Our advices
from the islands represent the sugar crop as being
deficient—in Barbadoes to the extent of 5,000 hogs-
heads, and in Grenada of about 2,000 hogsheads- In
the otherl islands the sugar crop was also deficient. The
exports from this colony for the past fortnight are—
Sugar, 1,514 hogsheads, 106 tierces, 914 barrels • rum,
809 puncheons, 92 hogsheads, 17 barrels; molasses,
209 puncheons ; bark, 49 barrels ; greenheart timber,
394 logs ; rice, 750 bags • hides, 1,979. Business
among the merchants in kVater-street is improving.
Freights are on the advance.
The South Pacific Mail Company's steamer Val-
divia has brought to Panama advices from Valpa-
raiso, October 15 ; Callao, 25 ; Paita, 28 ;
Guayaquil, 27.
The extra session of Congress in Chili had not
yet been convoked. A scheme for a railroad be-
tween Conception and Talcahuano had been made
public, and a capital of $104,000 subscribed by 22
capitalists. A dockyard and arsenal is proposed
to be built at Valparaiso by the government. The
prospect for next year's crops is good, but it is yet
premature to speak with certainty. Reports from
the agricultural districts state that more rain is
wanted. Business during the previous fortnight
had been unusually dull. In cottons, woollens,
and linens the stocks are large, and sales very slow ;
metals are all in abundance ; liquors in small de-
mand. Of Chiian produce copper in bars is quoted
at $20.50 shore, with a prospect of a rise. Salt-
petre is quoted at $2.124 per quintal at Iquique,
and a further rise is anticipated. During the month
of September 31,577 quintals were exported to
France, 18,889 quintals to England, and 12,952
quintals to Hamburg ; total, 63,418 quintals.
In Peru the law relative to religion has been
passed, and religious liberty is no longer permitted
there.

The number of vessels at the Chineha Islands is
smaller than it has been for any time during the
year. _

On the 29th of October, Tampico was closely
blockaded, and short of provisions. Trado was at
a stand still. No specie had been shipped for the
last two months, and vessels lying off the Bar
could not get discharged. The besieged lost nearly
all their mules and cattle on the afternoon of the
29th, being carried off when grazing outside the
lines of defence.
Letters from Vera Cruz of the 4th ult. report all
Mexico to be in a very unsettled state. Solent
shipped only about 280,030 dollars. A conductor
on the road with 3,000,000 dollars not expected
before the 6th or 7th. Another was to leave
Mexico on the 10th with about two millions more.
Dollars scarce and dear at Vera Cruz. They were
landing several hne guns-32 pounders— with large
quantities of shell and shot, from Liege, part of
an order executed for Santa Anna. Trade was in
general dull.
Movements of Foreign Ships, drc.—Nov. 4. Left
at Vera Cruz Spanish corvette Ferrobana, 22 guns
and Mexican squadron, viz., Iturbide,
(s. s.) ; Tamaupos, 3 guns ; and Vera Cruz 10 guns
Cruz, 3 guns.
Nov. 7. Left at Havannah Spanish squadron
Pesta, 42 guns with the flag of Rear-Admiral
Francisco de Asis, 20 guns (s.s.) ; Don Juan de
Austria, 5 guns : 3 brigs and 1 small steamer. The
Crotis, 32 guns, and the rest of the squadron were
cruising off the island. A French brig-of-war of 20
guns was also at Havannah.
Movements of her Majesty's Ships.—Boscawen,
from Halifax to Bermuda • Imaum, at Jamaica ;
Termagant, Commander Kellet, C. 8., and Buz-
zard, left Jamaica for Bermuda, Nov. 7 ; Arab
left Jamaica, Nov. 7, for Grey Town, to relieve
Eurydice ; Eurydice on her way to Bermuda ;
Espiegle at Grey Town Nov. 4 ; Daring cruising
off Cuba ; Mariner at La Guayra ; Vestal ditto ;
Medea at St. Thomas, Nov. 15, from Tortola and
Jamaica ; Scorpion left St. Thomas, Nov. 13, for
Santa Cruz ; Argus on her way from Halifax to
Bermuda. The ships were assembling at Bermuda
to hold a court-martial on the captain, officers, and •
crew of the Wolvereno, lost near Grey Town. The
squadron was generally healthy.
The Magdalena passed the Glencoe and several
other vessels 150 miles west of the Lizard.

The New Prussian Gazette contains the follow-
ing extract of a letter from St. Petersburg :—" It
is said that the Ist battalion of Sharpshooters with
the Ist corps of Infantry, in the Baltic provinces,
has received orders to march to the south. ji
this be true, it would appear to be the intention of
the Government to assemble at the theatre of war
all the best-armed troops of the Empire. It is
known that the regiment of Rifles of the Imperial
family left St. Petersburg in the middle of Sep-
tember for the same destination. This regiment
is composed of three battalions, which with that of
the Ist corps, presents an effective of 5,000 Rifle-
men, supplied with excellent arms."
MALTA, Nov. 25.-0 a Wednesday morning last Lieut.
General Sir John Pennefather reviewed the troops in
garrison on the Floriana parade-ground. There were
present the 51st Regiment Light Infantry, the East Rent
Militia, the Royal Malta Fencibles, the principal part of
the troops composing the depots of the several divisions
(except the Highland division), and a company of the
Royal Artillery. Owing to some unforeseen occurrence
the fourth division did not arrive on the ground until
nearly an hour and a half after the appointed time.
Amongst other evolutions gone through was an imitation
of the manoeuvres performed by the British previous to
the battle of the Alma. The general, we understand,
expressed himself highly pleased with the steadiness and
soldierly appearance of the troops, who, considering that
most of them had but recently enlisted, carried out the',
orders of their officers with precision.

THE KING OF SARDINIA.

The Queen took her royal visitor, the King of
Sardinia, on Saturday to see the workshops of the
Arsenal at Woolwich and to witness a review of
Artillery on the Common. His Royal Highness
Prince Albert and his Royal Highness the Duke
of Cambridge accompanied their Majesties, who
were attended by a brilliant suite. They proceeded
to the Nine Elms station from Windsor by special
train, and were thence conveyed in carriages to the
Arsenal, where all the heads of departments were 1
waiting to receive them. The'route which they fol-
lowed in the course of their inspection took them
first to the shop for boring and turning brass cannon,
next to the foundry for casting this description of
ordnance, then to that for casting shells and other
projectiles ; thence they passed through the engine
room and smithery into the great workshop, which,
by a curious perversion of the word in its ordinary
signification, is called " The Laboratory," and in
which a variety of processes connected with the
manufacture of shells, Minie bullets, percussion-
caps, rockets, &c., are carried on. Proceeding
along the river quay of the Arsenal, the Royal
visitors had a good opportunity of observing the
enormous scale upon which the demand for war
materiel (shells especially) is being met in this esta-
blishment. Close to the " proof" department, the
inspection of some interesting Russian trophies,
including field artillery and medical store carts, &c.,
arrested their attention for a short time. They then
examined various arrangements fur testing the
strength of gun-metal, and, in connexion with
them, -the fragments
.of different descriptions of
cannon that had from time to time burst when
in course of prcitif. - The Lancaster shell factory
was also visited, but was, from some cause or other,
not examined with that degree of care which the
grandeur of the mechanical processes exhibited
there might have been expected to excite. Cross-
ing the artillery park, which is everywhere covered
with enormous supplies of materiel, including guns
of all kinds and sizes, mortars, platforms, waggons,
&c., the Queen, accompanied by the Duchess of
Sutherland, and the Hon. Flora Macdonald, pro-
ceeded in her carriage to the Royal Artillery Bar-
, racks, while the King of Sardinia, Prince Albert,
the Duke of Cambridge, and the suite took a rapid
survey of the carriage department. They then
mounted on horseback and rejoined her Majesty at
the barracks, ,where luncheon was served in the
messrocnn. The Royal party then reviewed a
troop of Horse Artillery and a field battery on the
common, after which they returned to the Bar-
racks, and her Majesty, in the presence of her
illustrious guest and ally, had a number of wounded
Sappers and Artillerymen from the East brought
into her presence. The ceremony took place in
the library, each of the poor fellows bearing a card
which set forth his name, the length of his service,
and where he was wounded. To all her Majesty
addressed words of sympathy, rendered all the
more precious by an earnestness of manner which
in ono case was manifested even by tears. At the
close of this affecting reception the Royal party re-
entered the carriages, and returning to Nine-elms
station by the same route as they had followed in
the morning, were safely conveyed thence by special
train to Windsor. It is almost unnecessary to add
to this brief resume of their Majesties' visit to Wool-
wich on Saturday that all the customary ceremo-
nial observances on such occasions were duly at-
tended to ; that the cortege had an escort of Horse
Artillery ; that at the Arsenal, at the Barracks and
on the Common, Guards of Honour were drawn up,
and that the police, under Captain Labalmondiere
and Superintendent Mallalieu, who has charge of
the district, made ample and unexceptionable provi-
sion for the maintenance of public order. Every-
where the Queen and King ware received with en-
thusiasm. In their progress through the work-
shops of the Arsenal the people employed kept
exemplary steadfastness to their respective ma-
chines, but in the laboratory, just as the Royal
party was leaving, they could not resist the temp-
tation of giving three hearty cheers. The King
seemed to be more at home on horseback and re-
viewing
Horse and Foot Artillery than in studying
the mechanical appliances of the Arsenal. He is
a bold and graceful horseman, and in that respect
contrasts favourably with the Prince Consort, who,
however, probably had the advantage of him in
the intelligent inspection of the machinery.
Royal visits like that to Woolwich are nowadays
such preconcerted things-so fenced round by cere-
monial observances, engagements as to time and
so forth, that it seems very doubtful whether the
good they may indirectly effect counterbalances the
interruption which they cause to the great pressure
of business in such vast establishments. It may
be very interesting to see the processes by which
some of the more important items in the munitions
requisite for the prosecution of a great war are pre-
pared, and it certainly must be satisfactory to the
nation to know that the Queen can with confi-
dence take her ill estrious guest and ally over works
which two short years ago were in a state of ne-
glect and decay. But somehow or other Royal in-
spections have, in these later days, lost all practical
value, and we fail to trace in them the indications
of anything beyond the gratification of a common-
place curosity. Thus, what it was really of con-
sequence to examine carefully was passed over in
a hurry, and what, as involving no novelty or
difficulty might have been dismissed with a brief
survey Was leisurely scrutinized. No one at all
familiar with the state of the mechanical arts in
this country can be astonished at the extent to
which machinery has at length been brought to
hear Upon the manufacture of war materiel at
Woolwich. A very cursory view of the departments
will convince him that the useful and advantageous
applications of that great modern labour-saving-
power hale by no means reached their limits, and
that much still remains to be done. Yet it must be
conceded, remembering the deplorable condition of
these establishments up to very recent date, re-
membering, too, the impediments to progress which
the'old Board of Ordnance and its antiquated staff
of officials presented, that upon the whole great,
creditable, and successful efforts have been made.
The number, excellence, and variety of tools used '
leave no reasonable ground for complaint. Novel
combinations, such as the American percussion
cap machine, are not wanting, and the organisa-
tion and fittings of the different workshops are upon
the most advanced and modern plans. Of this the
suceessive processes in the manufacture of wooden
fuses for land and of brass for sea service shells,
are good illustration ; also, the Lancaster shell
factory, although there the violation of a mechani-
cal law in the principle upon which the Lancaster
gun is made considerably diminishes the satisfac-
tion with which that splendid sequence of mechani-
cal appliances is surveyed. The machines for boring
and turning brass cannon were well shown on Sa•
turday, each performing its own share of the work.
The foundries for casting this kind of artillery, and
for shells, grape, &c., have been very much im-
proved, and to the former it is probable that the
authorities will shortly seek the permission of
Parliament to add the means for casting, iron
ordnance as well as brass. Of the laboratory,
which contains the largest workshop in the
Arsenal, it is worthy of temark that if the hands
only take out of the machinery therein collected
the amount of duty of which it is capable, the
British army and navy will have, in tho supply
of shells, rockets, percussion caps, and Minie bul-
lets thus produced, an abundance more than suffi-
cient for any conceivable quantity of fighting that
they may be called on to undertake. Anderson's
bullet machines, which are said to be at work day
and night and to turn Out every 24 hours some
half-million bullets, give little hope of safety to the
rest of the human family when our soldiers are
taught to shoot as accurately as an average sports.
man. At present it is calculated that not more
than one in a thousand shots /hits in the field dur-
ing an action, and the proportion to the expenditure
of small-arms ammunition during protracted mili-
tary operations like those in the East is probably
much greater. The Royal visitors on Saturday
did not inspect the department in which the cart-
ridges are madeand the Minie balls fitted with their
iron or wooden cups. Had they done so they would
have been much amused by the manual dexterity
of the children employed, but perhaps it was con-
sidered that this branch of The laboratory, which
is shortly to undergo great improvements, was in
its present state unworthy of such high notice.
The American machine for turning out percussion
caps is open to the objection that, if any one por-
tion of it becomes deranged, : ill the rest is stopped
until that is rectified. In the processes carried
on in this department the re is a considerable
amount of woodwork, which one would suppose
belonged more appropriately' to the division of
the Arsenal, over which Ct Tulloch
_as
pre-
sides. But, taken together, Captain Box9rh
every reason to feel satisfied with the effective
state of the laboratory, and vith the
in spite
immense
improvements which he has limeaded
of many difficulties and di secm ragto eents' in
and
introducing into them. On their way
from the proof department t heßoyal visitors
had several opportunities 4sf observing the
very ingeniously contrived c es..urses for the easy
transmission of heavy projec Wes which have re.

The mass was Beethoven's in C, and was admir-
ably played and sung by the numerous choir. The
organ was lately built by Bishop, and is of extra-
ordinary richness and beauty of tone.
The celebrant was the Rev. William O'Connor,
Senior Chaplain, assisted by the Rev. Edward
Price, as Deacon, the Rev. John Doherty, as Sub-
deacon, the Rev. Dr. Faa di Bruno, and the Rev.
Sebastian Faenza, as assistant priests.
A large body of police were in attendance, who
kept excellent order among the dense crowd as-
sembled in front of the chapel to welcome his Ma-
jesty.

WINDSOR, DEC. 2.
1 His Majesty the King of Sardinia, went yesterday
to vist the Royal Arsenal and Dockyard at Wool-
wich. The King, the Queen, Prince Albert, and
the Duke of Cambridge left the Castle in an open
carriage at a quarter before 10 o'clock, for the station of
the South. Western Railway at Windsor. The Duchess
of Sutherland, the Duke of Wellington, the Count de
Cavour, the Hon. Flora Macdonald, Major-General
Wylde. Major-General the Hon. C. Grey, Captain Du
Plat, Chevalier Nigra, Chevalier Luserna d'Angrogna,
Count de Barone, and Count de Robilant, followed in
several carriages to the station.
A special train was in readiness, and the royal party
started at 10 minutes before 10 for the private station at
Vauxhall. The Queen and his Sardinian Majesty, with
Prince Albert and the Duke of Cambridge and the suite,
proceeded to Woolwich in royal carriages and
four,
escorted by Dragoons.
Their Majesties, the Prince, and the Duke of Cam-
bridge, inspected the Royal Arsenal, and then went to
the review.
After the review of the Artillery, the Queen inspected
a number of invalids recently returned from
the Crimea,
and the Duke and afterwards with the King, the Prince,
was
of Cambridge, partook of luncheon, which served in
the Royal Artillery mess-room.
The royal party returned
Windsorto the private station at
Vauxhall, and afterwards toa special train,
arriving at the Castle at 10 minutes yabst 6 o'clock.
The French Ambassadorand the Countess de Persigny,
rkee;
Sir
re
Charles Earl o f
the Countess of Granville,
tt e Duke of Argyll, Viscous.
toss of Clarendon, Lord and
tess Palmerston, the
Lady John Russell,
Minto, Viscount
theCo Earl
r Lord oofr dllPaar dn
Inw jue
Hardinge,Graham, Lieutenant-General Sir John
Wood,
James
Major General Sir Colin Campbell, ar-
rivedßurgoySneir,
al visit to the Queen.
yesterdayand 3
Her Majesty h°and.a dinner party in the evening. The
included his Majesty the Bing of Sardinia, her
company
Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, her Royal High-
his Royal ass the Princess Royal, Highness the Duke
n
of Cambridge, the Duchess of Sutherland, the French
Anibassador and the Countess of Penigny, the Countess
of Granville, the Duke of Argyll, the Duke of Welling-
the, thedßinelgian Minister
the and Madame Van de Weyer,
tSarian Mini Marquis of Breadalbane,
Earl Spencer, the Earl and Countess of Clarendon, the
Earl
John Rus of Haserdwick°, the Earl of Minto, Lord and Lady
11, Lady Fanny Howard, Caroline Barring-
ton, Baroness de Spetb, Lady Isabel Howard, Viscount
and Viscountess Palmerston, Viscount Hardinge, Lord
Paninure, the Right Hon. Sir Charles Wood, the Right
Hon. Sir James Graham, the lion. and Rev. W. and
Mrs. Moore, Col. the Hon. C. B. Phipps, the Provost
of Eton, Lieut.-General Sir John Burgoyne, Major-
General Sir Colin Campbell, Miss Codrington, Misses
Maria and Emma Codrington Chevalier Cann",MaxCount
Corte, Count de Cavour, Duce Pasqua,
ime d'Azeglio, Major-General Count Mor:ar.ngrdogna,l
Chevalierzo t 1
_a
Rocco, Major- Gen. Chevalier Luserna d A
Col.
Major• Gen, Chevalier Carderina, Chevalier Riberi,