The Sun.
London, England, 1852-02-16 00:00:00

AMERICAN NEWS.

LIVERPOOL, FEB. 15.
By the Royal Mail steam-ship America we have tele-
graphic `iidvicoa from New ,York to the 4ch inst. She
has 150.000 dolls. in specie on freight.
The Humboldt put into Halifax on the Ist, with rud-
der damaged.
Nearly 2,000,000 of golddust had been received by
the Prometheus and Cherokee, and the Oregon had
Ended from San Francifico wish 1,345,000 dolls. en
freight.
Kossuth was at Cleveland.

The Washington correspondent of the New York
Herald asserts that the statement relative to Colonel
Bateman's negotiated sale of the Fremont Mariposa grant
in California to an English company for 1,000,000 dolls-
is incorrect. Colonel Fremont bad refused to sell till
the Land Commissioners had reported on his title.
The whale ship Saratoga bad arrived at the Sand-
wich Islands. She had penetrated to latitude 71'deg.
40 min. north, longitude 159 deg. 40 min. west, and saw
whales in large numbers working north.
Congress bad voted 6,000 dolls. for the relief and the
return of the American prisoners in Spain.
Joanus, one of the Comoro Islands, . west coast of
Africo, had been bombarded by an Americanyfriinga,,,t.tee.ribi
Prices for Government securities were firmly main..
tained. Foreign exchanges were firmer. On Eng-
land 110 to 1101.
ara.
The rates for money had not undergone anitis
alteration since the sailing of the Asia.
The prices for cotton had agdivinieic, ei
ad,ribsuetinliftrtleei,bhuts'
ness was transacted, awaiting arrival of the N,
tins
expo:
The cotton statement made up on the 4th
an increase in the receipts of 9 8,950 bale, i shows
to Great Britain of 73,078 bales, El, , .2.
ati"li:::lsien tottleke
66,276 bales.
The Humboldt's advices had
flour market, and likewise eeet'ston
b •

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.
Arrived at New York—The Golden Era and Madon-
na, from Cardiff' ; Henry Nesmith and 'Dorcas Prince,
from Bristol; London froril London, and Isca, from
Newport; Atinerva, J. L.,
John Stewart, Argo, Guy
Mannering and Connecticut, from Liverpool.
Arrived at New Orleans—The Alice Wilson, Justin,
Endocia, and Africa, from Liverpool; and Kate Howe,
from Newport.
Arrived at Philadelphia—The Hero, from Liverpool.
Arrived at Savannah—The Salisbury and Intrinsic,
from Cardiff.
Arrived at Alobile—Th. Arraminta, from Liverpool.
Arrived at Boston—The Daniel Webster, Arcathtin
and T. B. Wales, from Liverpool.
Arrived at Charlestown—The Arab, Susan G.
and Amelia, from Liverpool; iltilliade,
Id., from
Astoria, from Glasgow; and Vurrell, fT?fr.Lmancashire.
The British barque Jane Strong, of Sh
quo Peru, with a cargo of salt
was run on the rock of Gualpepne,trrteoi, the
0 dolls.
(crew saved). The wreck 8014 fo
unnogrtha
olefaßk.
ioabniod
~,, tor r'.tttn,,nin, wsx
1)1e b•Ditin ti"'n
On , a
" "th fatitude ruin.
oße
Owens,lif,a/us Belfast;
1 5I
hick ; tz„.`),l.-; 'krdown
t. int :.;!e,.;
er"'' 13,in, "",",61,„Pu'effeded to aeni„g""l',!r„r,
u'Lng expo ' u 'ania, The, crorpe;int ditd item
about 100 miles from I
exposure.
O
—The British ship or barque George
Crew
Annaß hGaOdsl4 . beenE c
vvc
at Queen Charlotte's Island.
American
passengers have been captured
n 2io:c1:-ed
by the Indians.

BIDEFORD, N bunt DEVON, FEB. 10.—About
seven o'clock this morning a fisherman on the beach adjoin-
ing the property of Sir J. 11. Williams, of Clorelly-court,
picked up the body of a gentleman, supposed to be one of
the passengers by the ill-fated Amazon, and to have lain In
the water about a month. The wife of the nom who picked
up the body has just been here, and says that the body is
that of a person six feet high,, stout made, wearing a frock
coat lined with silk, a great coat, and a fancy stripfl shirt ;
he had in his pocket a steel pen and bolder, with MN
trOb3CG9.

GENERAL SIR CHAR S NAPIER
NATIONAL 11EFENCE.
.18 moss distinguished and experienced offic et has
30 come before the world in the shape of a pamp nleteer
OD the national defences. He thus concludes his t cern-
.mon-zonee brochure:—
" I have not, ;in this pamphlet,' entered much in t 3 the
question of improving arms, became writers in abur dance,
with names and without names, have said enough to
make our troops lose confidence in the queen. of
weapons,'—viz., the musket and bayonet, which, as far
as I can judge, is the best. However, men with as much
experience, and who aro better soldiers than I am, bold
contrary opinions. Still I maintain that before the
musket and bayonet are condemned, these gentlemen
ought, in common fairness, to do that which they have
not yet done—viz., have a musket made which costa as
much money as the minie rifle, to compare with the
latter weapon. They produce a highly•tinished, beau-
tiful minie rifle, costing a large sum of money, and they
try it on Woolwich practice-ground. Now, 1 have not
any confidence in such a trial, where a musket, which
Costs about a pound, is pined against a minie riff.) that
cost:. probably t•ii or fifteen guineas. Lot the musk:q
cost fif.e:n guineas, en] then try it. Let the powder
used with both bet the very worst that can he made (fur
on such the !'ate of a campaign may, by the accidents of
war, depend). Take two hardy, uncouth, stupid soldiers •;
give one the simple hut well-finished musket, costing
ex:zotly the t 3 ti ,) price as the minie rifle, with which arm
the other soldier. Let ach fire sixty rounds, and then
change arms, and fire sixty snore, the whole with bad
powder; and it the min: a beats the musket in rapid
firing, in range, and in hitting the target, which should
be six Fa ds loug by 5-ix feet in height, and that the
mitre has exactly the musket bore, and the ammunition
nut ereavier, then I think the rainie rifle should lint tried
by two whole regiments as a further experiment, and
those regiments should fire Go rounds of ball cartridge
every day, alternately, for one year; and let two more
regiments, with muskets as costly and well-finished as
the mime rifles, be tried in like manner. Then the
results, noted accurately in all their details, would be in
some degree decisive;
but both weapons mast always bo
used with the worst description of powder, and by two
--robing regiments, commanded by men who will suffer
a to be played off, and to be under the command
.riot general officer. I laugh at battle powder,
een-guinea rifle, used by a dead shot, and alt
humbug,' with champagne luncheons at
Woolwich, to the great damage of officers'
pockets, and 'distinguished foreign travellers' iv_
pleading. This is no trial of weapons fit for war.
Firing in a dark night, rainy weather, tired soldiers,
clumsy fingers, made snore stiff by cold, empty bellies,
not a drop of champagee to wash the experiment
down, but .ts stern will to shoot all foreigners' the
moment they become distinguished' is the gloom of
the night or dawning -of the day! 'We do not want
fire-arms in the infantry for individual combat, but
for combat in masses, where the nice aim of the
deerstalker is not wanted, and human nature will
not take it till men grow old in war . and. become
more calm in danger than those who are'less practised;
and even then the veteran cannot see through the dense
smoke of battle; he knows well that to level low and to
lead quick is his game. If the minie rifle be really an
improved musket, I have not another word to say
against it; but this is not yet proved; and before the
nation arms its 100,000 men with such weapons, the fact
should be very clearly demonstrated. For my part, I
don't think the old distich holds good as regards ' Brown
Bess'—

'Tis good to be off with the old love
Before you are on with the new.'
I would by no means ' be off with my old love,' till the
new one's temper bas been bettor tried.
However, you gentlemen, whose chief work would
be distant shots, avoiding a close encounter with the
enemy, unless a good opportunity offers for skivering
him,' as the soldiers say; you racy have battle powder'
and champagne too, if you please; you may try the
minis rifle. The weapon that best pleases you who are
dead shots is the best for you, always provided that it
carries a musket ball; for there must not be two sizes of
ball for the small arms of an army. This is imperative.
" One subject more, and I have done, for my pamphlet
is already too long. It is on railroads, to which the
public appears to me to attach an undue importance. I
do not much like to say anything about this, because
the subject fo railroads bears on the grand gene-
ral plans of defence which the Duke has no
doubt formed in his own mind, and will
execute, if you gentlemen give him the means
of execution; and on these any suggestions from a humble
individual like myself would be presumptuous and im-
pertinent in the extreme. But I am free to say that I
cannot see any great military advantage in the rail-
ways. The trains may perhaps be used with advantage
in bringing troops together rapidly at first—say the first
two or three days. They may also possibly be useful in
bringing provisions together. But beyond the first days
I see no advantage. The movements of contending ar-
mies could not be regulated by railways for one moment.
I imagine they would embarrass a commander, for they
would force him to make movements to cover them or to
take them up. I confess that I have not much faith in
railways as regards war, except in India.
In the foregoing pages I have carefully abstained
from politics. Ido nut pretend to conjecture whether
the President of France will invade England, or whether
he will first quarrel with other powers, or maintain
peace. I neither know his character nor his intentions
nor what be may be forced to do by circumstances. He
may endeavour to make the Rhine ;the French frontier.
He may attack Egype He may attack Malta. He may
invade Etiglate,. lie may take the Channel islands. He
may invac,. Ireland. Ile may ploy the part of Wash-
ington. 11--, easy do a'l these things. Ho has the
courage, the utilities, the strength, and the secrecy
nrocssary ; but I have entered into no discussion of
such matters, beeauie it is not risc2saiy to
my object, nor would it be becoming in one who
neither hes, nor seeks to have any public employ-
ment, but who his nine of that want of moral courage
which fears to be ridiculed as 'an alarmist.' I laugh
when I see men begin with lam no alarmist,' and go
on to show that they are. I think that, when every one
believes-the country to be in danger we should prepare
to meet it I Ido not believe that there is any danger if
we are bold and prepared to meet it; but I believe we
are in great danger it we arc not prepared. I shall not
be listened to. How can an humble individual like
myself expect to be listened to, when by the Duke of
Wellington you have born forewarned' and are not
fore-armed?' The greatest and the bravest men in
England have sounded the alarm, and aro not listened
toI But if invasion takes place I shall have the satis-
faction of knowing that, in my own small sphere, I did
my best to avert danger by preaching preparation, show-
ing that without great expense we can, by a few hours of
drill in the week, place England in such a posture that
to invade her would be an enterprise, if not beyond the
power of France, at least demanding her whole fere°.
and even then prove fruitless I As
recollect
number of our
regular troops is small
you should
India you could recal your 30,000roalidsesoElduireorpseaant
troops once
and let the East India Companyfor itself. It ties ohemery six turopean battalions of its
own, which are as good as ours.
"Finally, I. bold that the militia and volunteers,
neither of which oan leave England, era the proper
forces to prepare for danger in time of peace. Confined
to the single object of defence, the arming of such a
force can give
no cause of umbrage to other nations.
Tee whole world know that no government can
order a singlei man cemposing such a force
to leave our saores. It depends on you, gentle-
men, to organise such a force, and,
dour, I should say that England
when once this is
is safe, because she
would then have a force of such power that she could not
be attacked without those great
preparations on the part
of an enemy that would i.,ive time to make more ex-
tended arragetneuts on ours. The small increase of re-
gular troops now orders (' is a plain proof that there is
some appiehension on the part of our government.
"As to our naval defence I knew nothing. It be-
longs to those general arrangementsTs I which II intention of touchinghatoveenxo-
cite country gentleleeuriptoon.form clorpesttof voluer is fleYers, and
aid them, as far as I am able, to prepare for any
mischif which the force of existing circumstances may
produce.

" Since writing the above I hear that the Government
propose to call out the militia—it will, I hope, ruEet
with your cordial support. The militia and plenty of
v olunzeer corps will place England in a position to defy
invasion."

RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS.
BRISTOL, FEB. 14.
STOCK EXCHANGE,—The market continues active, and
shares command advanced rates. Bristol and Exet'r were
done to-day at S 7 4—(;rest Western, t 614 ex dir.-1(i land
Stock, 88