The Sun.
London, England, 1852-04-28 00:00:00

SUN,

There are things which may be treate,cl with jest at
an' cad, ari
at the otiaTr. It there i 3
any mn v not'ic'use3lY e whare the Tory Re.storation
ashdo vdco reys• g Q
is carrying us, I should ba quite ready to except him
from tho.right of suffraga on the ground of mental in-
capacity. The thing is done; wo have t, :t the tail -of
the storm which has passed over Europe. We are
prostrated .before the power our fathers shook off forty
years ago. The Tory is in the avtin, looltiog
as pleasant as he knows how, and yet unablo to restrain
certain untimely outbreaks of ancient inclinations. We
have it all to do over again;, and the sooner we begin
the better.

On Tuesday Mr. Locke King made his motion for
ns,imilatin,(_g County Election: to those in h!oroughs.
Good motions have always their use; though :after the
vote of the preceding night on County refreshments, the
chance of any prewnt eaccess was like planting a pine.
apple at Melville Island. The reason urged for continu-
ing the elections for two (lays, might give rise to curious
inquiry. It was, that the county is of larger extent
than the 1-Airough. In what way does this crette a ne-•
cossity, in these days of railways, for keeping the poll
open two days? b might in the days of our fore-
iat.hors, when the chances were two to one for the voter
at:clting fast in a slou4b. Tee motion was finally nega-
tived by 202 against 149. We got th© ..Tory Reform
Bill on Monday night. We could not expect another
on Tuesday:

I am, Sir, yours very sincerely,
AN OLD REFORMER.
Blackheath, 28th April, 1852.

PARLIA.IVIENTARY BUSINESS.

(From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commons.)
STANDING ORDERS COMMITTEE.
The following Bills were reported as not having standing
orders dispensed with : —Ennis and Fergus Improvement.
Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway.
The undernamed Bills were reported as having standing
orders dispensed with :
West Middlesex Waterworks.
Shropshire Union Railways and C mai (Branch Railways, &c.)

f COUNTY ELECTIONS.
Government has achieved another triumph. The for- I
I mid.:bie Mr. Locke King, vv:e) beat Lard John Russell
-I lest year by two to one, nod drove him thereby several
(lees from power, has this year been beaten by Lord
John Manners and Mr. Disraeli in a division of 202 to
149. The haajoeity last yeae was 48 ftg'ttitlAt the Mids.
ters; it ii this year 53 'tig?..inst Mr_ Locke King. emit
be denied any longer that Cee neastitutioe is safer faun
rash changes-in the hands of a Derby than of a Rus'sell?
But the truth inust be spoken. Like moist other mortal
1 triumphs, the one befOre us fades under sCrudny. Why
is Mr. Locke King beaten this 1-ar,, after having made
a Ministerial crisis last year? The man is the same,
the measure is the same, the Whigs are the sarpe, the
Coniervaeives are the same, . and there is no very
striking novelty in the condition of. the people at
large. All the difference bet ,eeen the division this
year and last year is, that on February 20, 1851, the
Cettservatives•not being in power, bat having imbibed
'an itilinenso draught of encouragement from their small
'minority on Mr. Distat:lt's recent motion, left Lord
John Russell to light his own battle will his own re-
fraeory followers.. Tau had
.no objection :to see tae
1'46-lister in it minority, even in what they believed to be
a good cause. 'Leis year the case, or rather the sleet.
dents of the case are quite different. The cause 'of. the
C6nstitution, as they deem it, happens to be
,their own
cause as well; so they are all at their pasts. More than
a hunircd acid fifty. gentlemen who last, year connived
by the;r I absence 'at e proposal to swami), as theY - '
think it, the cotinty•th constituencies, ha e this year
rushed. to their rescue. Last year they regarded
with complacency the . presp,.cts of some hundred
thousand 101. householders returning the eo.called
county Members. This year they are once mere true
to the Claanios voters. The victory, therefore, wiliA
we have trumpeted- with all due firmality, consists in the
trifling little fact that the gentlemen now in 'office*and
their friends will do for the sake 'Of themselves what
they would not do for their country; that before they
take the trouble to vote they ask what interest they
have themselves iu the question, and.be the cause ever
so bad, if it answers their purpose that it should gain a
temporary triumph, they wilt even let it so prosper. It
is surely unnecessary to observe that such coeduet is
factious and dishonest;- still less necessary to ,obserie'
that all parties now-a-lays are guilty of it. Whirr or
Conservative, it matters not, pe,ple will not do their
duty unless it answers their purpose to do it.
There is, perhaps, much greater agreement on tho
motion discus;sed last night than would appear at
first sight. It is advocated by nobody as an insulatt>d
measure, and condemned by nobody on its own merits
Tee gentleman who makes it his annual cheva

de bata. die Would associate it with other raeastires Limed.

snry to its beneficißl operation, while there is probably
not ono of his oppoßents who does•not think that the
county 10/. householders would ba a very respectable
addition' to the constituency. That rate of holding in
the rural districts generally indicates a much higher
level of character and position than in a large town, for
in most villages and small country towns a 104, house-

holder is a man of some little property, or of great in-
dustry, or of superior education. This is evident front
the much smaller proportion of houses rated at that
amount in rural districts than in large boroughs. The
rural 101. householder is usually more fixed, better
known, and altogether under stronger pledges for
his good behavionr than the man who pays that
rent in a large town; and though village shop-
keepers, tradesmen, carriers, and hucksters are
not always very devoted to the aristocracy
or the Church, they will stand a favourable
comparison is these respects with the prosperous classes
of our manufacturing towns. Taking, therefore, Mr.
Locke King's clients on their own merits, it is scarcely
possible to deny their very strong claims, not merely on
the justice of the Legislature, but even on the sympathy
of the agricultural interest. But it is not for a moment
imagined, either by Mr. Locke King or his opponents on
this question, that were the county constituencies to be
augmented by the addition of this class, they would or
should be left with no, further alteration.. All parties
would then agree on the necessity of extracting from the
county constituencies towns of more than eight or ten
thousand inhabitants, and giving them representatives.
either singly or in groups, according to their importance.
This would be necessary in order to prevent one or two
towns from returning the so-called county Members.
For Members of their own, too, these towns would be
well content to lose their therein the wider constituency
of the county. Thus it is that though, as a _ matter of
convenience, and for the subdivision of political labour,
Mr. Locke King moves the enfranchitemeint of the
county 101 householders, and nothing more, that is not,,
and cannot be discussed as an insulated Measure.
The debate, such as it was, consisted chiefly of annr
sions to the political topics of the day, apperently with
a view to call out the opposite pages. Neither of
theta, however, seemed very anxious for CloSe qnarters,
and the occupants of the Treasury bench were evidently
well content with a silent victory. Mr. Hume reminded
them of their " militia franchise," arid challenged them
to stand up and say how far they would go in that direc-
tion. Lord John Russell left no sore unprobed. He
began by taunting Government with the little pressure
it applied to the business of the session. Seeing the
Solicitor-General opposite, he reminded him of some
passages in his Harwich speech on the necessity
of deciding our commercial policy at once, and
on the ruinous effects of free trade. He then
touched successively Lord John Manners, Sir John
Pakington, and oar old friend Mr. G. F. Young,
evidently in the hope that they wouli afford him a little

sport. As the topics of allusion had nothing what() ---
to do with the measure before the House, and as any
debate that could have arisen out of his remarks must
have been of the most episodical character, their wis-
dom at that particular moment is at least questionable.
The victims of the sport, however, refused to show
fight, and, with the exception of the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, maintained a judicious silence, even though
Sir Benjamin Hall brought his heavy artillery to bear
on the foe. Both sides contented themselves with
throwing out hints of what they would do, if
events only favoured their generous designs. But
for the trifling difficulty that whatever is pro-
posed by one sib will be infallibly opposed
by the other, we • might congratulate the coun-
try on the vast quantity of popular measures an-
nounced for perforusence at the earliest opportunity, in-
cluding, of course, the complete enfranchisement of
la-
bout by Mr. Disraeli. That gentlemen, however, we
greatly fear, will neither bo allowed to enfranchise
labour himself, nor will he allow anybody else to do it
if he can possibly prevent it. Much the same may be
said of various suggestive intimations thrown out in tho
course of the debate. But is it not high time that our re-
presentatives should be sent back to their constituents
when they can do nothing but bid for popularity? The
speeches last night were little more than hustings ad-
dresses, as will probably now bo the ease every night of
the session. This cannot be regarded as a normal and
healthy condition of the Legislators; nor can it be pro-
longed without impairing its credit. This session is
already lost to business and wasted on faction, and we
doubt whether it will bear any other crop than idle
quarrels and electioneering promises.—Tines.

AMERICAN PIRACY.—LEA AND PERRINS'S WOE.
cEszansinitE SaucE.—The proprietors of the far-famed
Worcestershire Sauce, which is now consumed in all quarters
of the globe, as a relish which no other provocative of the
palate can supply, have had occasion to prosecute a store-
keeper in New York, named Raphael, for counterfeiting
their labels and selling his mixture as the genuine sauce.
The case was tried at the Court of General Sessions of the
Peace of the city and county of New York, on the dth of
March. It was proved by a person who had been in
partnership with Raphael that he compounded a sauce of
his own, which he put into bottles in which the Worces-
tershire Sauce had once been, or into others made some-
what in imitation of them, and that the labels co closely
imitated the originals, even down to copying the names of
Lea and Perrins, that purchasers could scarcely fail to be de-
ceived. Messrs. Duncan and Son, grocers,
of New York,
who are the sole agents for genuine Worcestershire Sauce in
America, gave evidence of the immense sale which the sauce
had in that country, and pointed out the particulars in which
some bottles which had been purchased at the prisoner's
store, under the United States Hotel, differed from the true
ones. The prisoner's counsel made ataappeal to the preju-
dices of the jury against British manufacturers, and after
they had consulted for some couple of hours they found a
verdict of acquittal—having evidently among them some
who had a spite against the Britishers, and probably thought
that Mr. Raphael was only a laudable exemplification of
Yankee cleverness.— Worcester Herald, April 24, 1R52.
Intelligence has been received from Adelaide,
South Australia, to the 10th January, being several days
later than that already published. The discovery of gold in
the colony had turned out to be a fabrication. The Govern-
ment Commissioners had a second time proceeded withiMr...G.
M. Stephen, the party by whom the reward had been claimed,
to the spot indicated, and upon testing the soil were unable
to procure the smallest portion of metal. Upon a previous
trial every spadeful had been found to yield gold, and the
Commissioners in their report subsequently assert that
pieces must have been introduced on that occasion for the
purposes of deception. With regard to the 'general state of
the country, it appears that the disorganization caused by
the departure of the inhabitants to Sydney and Port Phillip
had been much exaggerated. Out of a population -of 67,000
the total emigration was not more than 5,000, and it is as-`
serted that much of the prevailing commercial panic
was to be attributed to the natural collapse of the
worthless mining and building speculations which had
been carried on for the past year or two. The success of the
Burra Burra, and the discovery of the Kapunda mine,
caused 250,000/. to be squandered in delusive companies, and
now that the fancy for these had been destroyed, and a
slight pressure had arisen for the demand for coin in. the
neighbouring colonies, the inevitable results could no longer
be averted. Already, however, there were symptoms of re-
action. The market price of Burra3 Burra shares, instead of
being 60 or 80, was 100, and so far from the works having
pfet e d o rnearly so, o 1
been abandoned, they are represented as in full operation,
with no symptom of pause or discouragement. " A corn
and hay harvest," it is added, "of unprecedented abundance
o ashnidpm if, shipments,"
owing it is h
I:erfloorwe
, .. The w
secured. while the promise of fruit was never so fair
talesososmaiecill,o:a‘tareconi
gto
length-
ened drought of the
previous summer, the clip -does not
quite reach the •
better condition,weight of that of the previous season, it is in
andmuch
7'l7nes. more carefully got up than ever:.
The re
week reports of -
state
during the past of trade in the provinces
show little alteration. A, healthy
business generallßank rate of y prevails, to which the reduction in the
discount will impartadditional change in the weather also, firmness. A
so
cause increased activity. „Awthenever it shall takeplace will
well maintained, although the Manchester prices have 'been
been scarcely equal to those of number. of transactions has
light, with a full supply of
ordeirast. week. Stocks continue
ham ;Accounts describe a favourablelid hand. The Birmirg-
States, as well as a satisfactory home etrade.rand from the United
shows a remarkable diminution, even as Pauperism still
diminished returns of the corresponding periodec'ofpared with the
There has been little variation at Nottingham, last year.
the backward-
ness
of the season, both here and in America, tending to
delay many of the usual purchases. The woollen markets
have been dull, but notwithstanding the long-continued
complaints, the export c f cloth this year has exceeded the
first four months of 1851. In the Irish linen trade there has
been no important change, although the indications have
been towards ihttnes,

A IVIE R, [CAN NEWS.

LIvER.POOL, TUESDAY.—The British and North
American Royal Nail steam- ship Canadt has just
arrived in our harbour. AS she sailed from Boston
on the ' 14th instant, the news received by her is
• brought down four d,,ys' later in date than any pre-
rect,ived. Ti:t Canada made the usual fort.
call It on the 16;h inst., to land and
receive the mails end passengers connected with the
NOrth American -colonies. Sh'e brings 23 passengers
to this country.
A fresh arrival froM California brought 1,000,000
delis. In gold dust to New York, and dates to March
17. Sacramento city was inundated, caused by a
freshet.. Ditmar;le'done not extensive. A flood was
expected. Business in California had been somewhat
interrupted by the rains, but was improving.
Tils Canada passed the America on the 16th inst.
'
outwards to Boston.
ANOTHER FIitGLITFUEJ STEAII-BOAT DISAS-
. TEIt—ONE ITUNDRED LOSI‘.
L,Extso•rox.
APRIL 9,—T ho 3teahw Sa-
bpuad forAiOnnett. Bluffs, eTpluled her boilers at
thhi place tacitly. She had on bOard, besida. other pa..-
seogers, Is. large number of ktarm'in immig,irsets. All the
officers of tb.3 beat were killed except the first clerk and
mate. -About 100 hies are'ouppctied to have been lost.
The boat is a tOtal wreck; her boilers have been in we
several years.

. .
GREAT FIRE AT SAVANNAH.
SAVANNAH, APII/1, 1 L it, fire was discovered at five
O'cicck this (Sunday) rsornin,,, in Larnar's cotton press
5 1203s,:apd the wind being high, tin il'imes spread with
great rapidity.- -
at Tthh:csvbhiaPr3f,4:nndP licorldlnn°ontdbaeurde
Limes warehoise Contained sevaral presses and from
4,060 to 5,000. balcs of cotton, which were entirely con-
,
slimed;
~
. .
The.form,.4r was mea'rly consumed with a large quantity
Of' cotton on blfird.-
Thc Isabella also sustqined much
.
injury.' I..aniar's shed and were aground
presses coot 59,000 dollars.
DlStltOrl Only for 20,000 dolls.
Messrs. Allen end Ball lost 10,009 bales of cotton—in-
mi s6avbeedl
.1 a w
iti 1.6 d. ' • ' . .

G. W. Gar and CO. lost 800 halm.
MeLz4ri. E. 'Aiolyneux, A. Low and Co., William Bat-
tersby, and seven other firms lost different
,quuntitie3
of cotton. They were. P..? 1 insured.
Lamar's goods and papers in an iron safe were er-
tirPly destroyed. Ile also lost a horse valued at 1,500
dollint. The total loss is estimated at 300,000 dollars.

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.
Commercial matters Were favourably reported.
Money• easy. Stocks and securities in good demand.
Little had been doing in breadstuffs, prices receding:
Western Canal flour 4 dont?. 50c."t0 4 dolls. 62fe., barely
supported; Geaneire prime wheat, 1 doll. 8 cents. to
10 cents. per 601 b.; southern wheat, 98e. to 1 doll.
per 60th.; Indian corn, round yellow, 64c. to 66c.
per bushel.
Cotton quiet, business moderate, and prices steady.
New Orleans and Mobile, middling fair to fair, 9ie. to
91c. per lb.; Uplands, Bic. to Bic. Excess receipts,
500,000 bales.
Freights unchanged.
Provisions firm. New mess pork, 171.
Exchange on Loncidn 109 to 1091.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.
THE 'DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND'S LEVEE.—The
following officers attended his Grace's levee yesterday:.--,
Captains Sir E. Stanhope, W. Carleton, H. J. Douglas,
J. J. Onslow, R. B. Watson, E. H. Delafosse, W. Lor-
ing, H. Dundas, A. Farquhar; Commanders H. Harvey,
Trollope,P.Craycroft, R. Lloyd;
W. Greet, R. B.
J. B. West, C. Gay ton, H. B. Mason, W. Morris, G.
rhouse, M. Smythe, W. B.
RML
juieltnlheterer,nftonr. dtps,. R.
.De
B.
jovieusr,raeutye:
Noah‘, W. H. Hooper.
DEVONPORT, TUESDAY,—The Britomart, Commander
Hesseltine, was towed into the Sound yesterday by the
Confiance steamer, and will sail in a few days for the
coast of Africa.

PORTSMOUTH, TUESDAY.—The oarapson steam fri-
gate, that had been tent to the back of the, island to look
for the Queen, returned 'about two o'clock yesterday,
and remakled at St. Helen's till dark, when she came up
to Spithead. •
This morning the Queen, 116, Captain C. Wise, with
the flag of Admiral Sir William Parker flying, in com-
pany with the Hercules, made her appearance off Ball'
bridge Ledge, the wind being light and baffling. The
Avon steam-vessel, having her steam up, went down to
her, and having,•spoko the Queen proceeded on for Ply-
mouth. The Sanapson was also ordered down to her, and
as Soon as she could get up her steam went to her. The
Sprightly also, after putting Admiral Sir Thomas Briggs
on board the Rodney,„ went out to the Queen. The
Sampson having taken the Queen in tow she auchored
at Spithead soon after twelve o'clock, having previously
saluted the flag of Admiral Sir Thomas Briggs with 17
guns, which was returned with a like number by the
Victory.
Rear-Admiral Prescott, in the afternoon, proceeded to
Spithead in the Portsmouth yacht, and paid his respects
to Sir Wm. Parker.
The gallant Admiral Sir William Parker, attended by
Captain Wise and flag-lieutenant, landed ut the Dock-
yard at about four o'clock, and proceeded to the resi-
dence of Admiral Sir Thomas Briggs, the latter being
the senior officer. Miss Parker, the Admiral's young-
est daughter, also landed, the two others remaining on
board.

The Queen has been 20 days from the Rock, the last
ten of which she has been knocking about the Chan-
nel, in company with the Hercules, against easterly
winds. On Friday and Saturday last she wasopsails, in a strong g
under close-reefed maintale from
the east.

,wethheou pe on
to ex
see acahin,
We hear the Queen has some defects, particularly
about her rudder, a;hi•
ch will occasion her being docked.
hlfer, she
ation requires much to be don© to
•r captain, officers, end crew turned
over to the N
at Plymouth. ePtuue at Portsmouth, or to the St. George
The Queen sae,
frigate, which vessel
of the Retribution, Steam-
the Channel relieei ' i" supposed to bo at the Chops of
The reason the nrc; the homeward-bound trade.
that the Ceylon, ,
wrercales has returned from Malta is,
such good condic ea examined, was found to be in
ceiviag-ship. 1011, that she remains there as ra-
The Encouat
• er, et,
taken into the an 'am-corvette, Captain Gordon, was
examined, gin dock to have her screw-shaft
The Eurydice, 25
sea-stores in the d, is receiving her anchors and heavy
will be Ipekad basin at Portsmouth, and
We are s commissioned shcnat
sorry to -,y.
scientific and talentedrort that John Fincham, Esq., the
hogdockyard, has, from master-builder of Portsmouth
resigeatioe,
an? ill7healtb, been obliged to tender
count accepted the t that the Admiralty have on that ac-
able and faithful Aeraille. Mr. Fincham has been a most
50 Years' Without v"
of the Crown for upwards of
tlao top of his prete interest, he has worked his way to
ledge and perseveraansi°a.bY his superior practical know-
of his scientific atta' ce; and we have now a specimen
tainly the finest, shiltiments in that superior, and cer- i
gent, now lying ea p, of her class in the navy, the Arro-
regret that so few 4" King's-stairs. We only have to
signed and built b vessels are in the naval service de-
The Sprightly ate
ye this clever and practical builder.
Master-Commanding Mr. George Allen, Acting-
Briggs this morninog, took out Admiral Sir Thomas
Charles Graham, to inspect the Rodney, 92, Captain
C. 8., of the Exec et 113., at Spithead. Captain Chads,
Chief, and exercise ,t, accompanied the Commander-in-
Tee Rodney s bed the ehip's company in gunnery.
on. Thur.de.y, rillsat ' Paid advance to-morrovr, and sail
The Sprightly Present contemplated.
, after I .
board© the Rodney, leaving the Port-Admiral on
Qamen, and attend wentUpon
Rear-Admiral Sir William
about four o'clock, broughtaccompanied
into harbour this afternoon, ,
who most hospitably ertlpanied by Sir Thomas Briggs,
Ad-
miral at his official
ree_
mansion
his gallant brother
--oli io •
n this evening.
APpo,
WOOLWICH', Aantat, 2 "'NT/KENT .
7...._
the Winchester, 50, At Carpenter Richard Bate to
Portsmouth.teasaat
Assistant-Engineers of °Tawas,
Serving in the Magioienne, the Third Class—John Sear,
gate, of 400•horso power, 16, Paddlewheel steam-fri-
man, serving in the Panel at Devonport; R. H. Slee-
frigate, of 650-horse pewer°Pe. 16, paddlewheel steam-
Cothe Mast of Africa station; and a:lag-ship, on the West
in cgmra irorrectereatea "ries J. Sargeant, serving
power—to be Assistant-Engintun troop-ship, of 350-horse
The Comte d'Aquila, eeeowers of the Second Class.
dor of his Majesty the King of
flied by the Ambassa-
Deptford Dockyard, Greenw,cte Two Sicilios, visited
quently Woolwich Dockyard, fzio*...ne Hospital, and subse-
at the latter naval port by Commodore "a and was received
Flag-Lieutenant E. K. Gore, and Henry Eden,
the departments, who accompanied
ec.reral of the heads of
to the Agamemnon, 90, now re'audnim during his visit
afterwards to witness the Nvorkin Y for launching, and
mers, the saw-mills, and the va.„11,,,0f Nasmyth's ham-
Comte d'Aquila then went afloat in
convict-shiP• The
herobae to visit the Fisgard fig..ahr' the Commodore's
isited the Royal Albert, 120, auPd; theon again landing
construction and repair of stcatn-enea factory for the
on his return to town. The lagttnneis, before leaving
Marner-Commander Henry William Allen, steam-vessel
or-
ders to attend the Comte d'Aquila tomorrow'fl, is under
to the flag-ship at Sheerness, and, according on a visit
arrangements, the Comte will proceed to present
by
Kent Railway to--Gravesend, co Gravesend, and thee the North
in the Light-
ning to Sheerness.
The Vivid, Dover mail packet, ea
Went down the river .at eight o'clock A.Ptain Smithett,
.M
speed, after being refitted with now boilers •, t,
and o try her
board Captain Smithett, former commander of to Ban-
shee-mail packet When on the Holyhead station, with
several` gentlemen end Mr. Triekett, assistant
chief enginee 'Woolwich dockyard. to the
the measured mile at Long Reach, tee On arriving at
Vivid made Ch-
i ions down and three runs up, and on the average ' .60
six runs her 'speed was found to be
14,71 of the
hour; her engines, of 160-horse power, b.l° knotsJ, per
and Son, making 35;a" revolutions per m'riaml Penn
draught of water was 7 feet 1 inch fk.nee , minute. The
.ftru and 7 feet
6 inches aft, about n'l average of three inches more than
her catenated immersion, which
vms
occasioned by tak-
in round to Dover a large quantity of spare gear and
other articles, to be ready for use should they be re-
quired. When these are put on shore and the' n ef
commences her regular dunes, it is expected ''''''''' she will
make a speed of 15 knots per hour on the average—tke
same speed - she accemplished when first - employed
in 1848. .-: ' . ".
.

MENAI STILAITA NAVIGATION.—It is the intention
of Government to propose that a sum of 4,0001. be voted in
the prevent year on account of the Dienai Straite navigation.

GOVERNMENT STEAME RS.
f Some merchants and shipowners .connected' with
, . Mexico and the West Indies have petitioned the Chen-
. , eellor of the Exchequer upon the delays of the Wen ' India mails. ' Now, with all duo deference to the very.
irespectable firms whose names we find appended to this
petition, they eppear to us among the most unreasonable
of her .Majesty's subjects. Why, the very result :they
treat as a grievance would be looked Upon, by, the British
Admiralty as a most signal triumph. Is it possible that
there are steamships in existence which contrive to per-
form this long voyage, Red yet to be only sixteen days'
oeerdue at the time of their arrival in port! Admiral
Berkeley will poeh-pooh such an achievement. "My
Lords" will consider it as beyond the pessihilities of wood
and iron. A set of ungrateful malcontents! If one of her
Majesty's steam-frigates were put upon the work she
' might be looked fir about six weeks after the arrival of
the ordinary liners. Nor, if' the six weeks
were enlarged into two . mouths, • should we be
seriously alarmed for the safety of the passengers
end crew. We should picture, them to our.
minds. 'as engaged in the healthy cecupation of ,
pumping in the middle of the Atlantic, with no griev-
ance in p,articular to complain of,. except want of water
and previsieee, and a gen-eel uneertainty as to the re-
mote contlegmac'es of t'acir earthly career. Only sixteen
days overdue, -and yo!., these heartless complains! The
apparition of any transport or steam-ship of-war at so
early a date in any of our ports—we beg
,pardon, near
any of our ports—would fill the deeizyard people with
the justeat alarm. They would never be brought to be-
lieve that the ship had really arrived at her port of des-
tination, and completed the return voyage. The 'enteral
suggestions that would arise to any one's mind would be,
that the Government ship had
,been baffi.d in her out-
ward voyage, and after two or three leaks, and two or
three breaks down, had been conapelled to put back. It
is too bad to find the Royal Med Company performing
their journeys with such astounding accuracy, and yet
, exposed to the murmurs and complaints of mere shere-
going merchants, who are clearly unacquainted with the
vicissitudes and uncertainties of a sea ate. How is it,
' with the recollections of the service between Eugland
and the Cape during the last fear months present
to their minds, that they can have the face to gait,' ut-
terance t 3 the following complain.? "So imperfectly
is the service performed, that the duplicate correspon-
deuce has during the last 24 in,onths been performed by
another company, with two exceptions only, many days
in anticipation of the It)yal Mail Cernpaby,, whose ves-
sels have invariably arrived after their due date, in the
last instance sixteen cloys." There is a pretty specimen
of human gratitude! If our worthy friends who have
signed the petition had only been for six months in the
hands of the Admiralty they would have known how to
appreciate punctuality when they met with a display e
that rarest of all qualities where a public Board is con.
cersed.

There is the Conflict, now—an excellent Government
boat. What a lovely voyage she has made from Bahia!
She only overstayed her time a month, and yet that is
called, in the Admiralty language, rather better than a
good average passage. To be sure, she blew up
once and broke. down '
too in the course of the passage;
but then accidents will happen, and machinery wasn't
made to last for ever, or what would become of the en-
gine makers? And then she was towed into port by
another Government ship; bat then that is the usual
way in which Governmcnt steamers arrive in port. Was
there not the famous case of the Vulcan the other day,
which was bringing home dispatches from the Cape, but
overstayed her time two months, or some trifle of that
sort, which was taken in tow by another Government
steamer, which was taken in tow by a third, as her en-
gines, too, had broken down? A tow is all fair; but
tow and tow is too bad. Indeed, if we wished to put the
West India merchants to the blush, we need but reca-
pitulate to them the history of our ccmmunications with
the Cape during the last six months.
But we need not go to the wide Atlantic, and to the
long sea passage between England and the Cape. It
was only the other day that a crack steam-frigate—the
Horatio—one of our great pillars of defence—a chief
ship among Admiral Berkeley's invulnerabies—ventured
upon the daring feat of making a trip from Sheerness to
Southend. Wood and iron could not stand so terrible a
strain. Lang before our gallant defenders had reached
the Essex coast the machinery gave way, and the great
defence of the Thames was adrift upon its waters. If
our ships sail and steam so well, how will they fight?
We will venture to assert that if a French squadron were
to be signalled in sight they would put to sea without
water, like the Brit.innia—without powder even to make
a signal of distress, like a steamer which shall be name-
less—and with balls too big to enter any of the cannon,
as was the case the other day on the batteries at Malta
—when the alarm was given. Lot us by all means get
out the Chelsea pensioners! —Times.