The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-04 00:00:00

fierce is the conflict waged, and so desperate are
the capturers that it is computed that the seizure
of one slave costs four lives. Can anything
possibly be more atrocious and outrageous
than this, and all who peruse these
disastrous details must concur in the remarks
made by Captain SPEKE that " the cost of our
present system of suppression was something like
£150,000 annually, and so large a sum ought to
realise much greater results." In pursuance of this
idea he proposed several resolutions, which were
agreed to by the meeting, and which appear to be
very desirable, and it is to be greatly wished that
the Committee may be able to carry them out, at all
events to some extent. After proposing that
our Government should be petitioned to use its
influence in various quarters to suppress the slave
trade, and to form an alliance with the natives for
that purpose, it is further suggested that a mission
be sent out, supported by our Government and other
European Governments. The objects of this mission
are twofold ; it is intended net only that these
envoys should preach to the negroes, but also that
they should impart general instruction. As they
progress and prove the beneficial effects of their
labours, their efforts may be extended to other
places than the immediate objects of their expedi-
tion. This plan of the missionaries teaching
secular as well as sacred things, is a very admirable
one, and the consequence of enlarging their minds
and stimulating their powers of thought and reflec-
tion will be that they will be more fitted to com.
prehend and better calculated to feel the sublimity
of the great truths taught to them. Doubtless
there will be great difficulties in the way of carry-
ing out the concluding portions of Captain SrEKE'S
plan, but nothing great or lasting is ever effected
without much trouble and anxiety, and,what is still
worse,much contradiction and opposition. It is so easy
to find fault, and to say that this plan will not do,
and that suggestion cannot possibly produce the
desired effect. The great reformers of the world in
alleges have had to contend against the pernicious
effects of this opposition, and it will still remain, as
long as the world lasts, the stumbling block to the
timid, the unwary, or the hesitating. A nobler work
cannot possibly be undertaken than this of putting
down the inhuman traffic of elavery. It is the
scourge of the uncivilised races, it is the disgrace
and scandal of the civilised ones. The proposals
made by Captain SPEKE are far more likely to
prove efficacious than any that have lately been
put forward, and it is to be hoped that the prestige
that surrounds his name will impart a greater effect
to his suggestions, and induce waverers to join the
standard and silence the objections that would in-
fallibly have been urged against a man of lower
standing. Great as has bean the renown acquired
by the zealous explorer of Africa the credit due to
tho suppression of the slave-trade will be still
greater. It will bs a higher and a holier triumph,
one that men must appreciate who have a spark of
kindly feeling in their hearts, and that cannot fail
to gain a reward greater than any other work in
science or arms can win, in the consciousness of a
noble undertaking, and the satisfaction that must
accrue from having performed a service to the gene-
ration now living and also to that which come after.

The public will learn with sincere regret that
they are about to lose the active services of one to
whom they are very largely indebted. The name
of RoWLAND HILL claims grateful acknowledg-
ment from everyone who holds communication with
his fellows or concerns himself in any degree with
the concerns of this lower world. Does he live in a
remote place, where news agents and reading-rooms
are inaccessible P Thanks to ROWLAND HILL, his
daily paper, faithfully delivered, will let him know
the sayings and doings of the world at large. Does
he need a bulky volume for which he has no ready
means of carriage? The red-collared officials will
bring it to his door at a very moderate charge.
Does he 'Nish to hear of the fortunes of far-distant
friends, in the Himalayas, perhaps, or in New Zea-
land, or in New York ? ROWLAND HILL has been
busy in securing a safe and rapid tracsit for his
letters at a price little more than would have been
charged last century for transmission from one part
of England to another. Or if a man be such a
Sumer or a hermit as to regard public affairs with
indifference, and to have neither friend nor foe
with whom he wishes to correspond, he can yet be
scarcely so superior to the ordinary wants of human
nature as not sometimes to avail himself of the
facilities offered by the Post Office for sending
the same means. To the busy world of commercial
orders to tradesmen and paying for their goods by
lila the Postal system offers incalculable advan-
tages, and parliamentary, literary, and professional
men of all classes partake largely of its benefits.
Itlis no longer a serious thing for a person of
limited means to keep up an extended correspon-
dence, and how quickly the public have availed
themselves of the conveniences offered to them is
proved by the immense increase in the postage.
The number of chargeable letters at the time when
the new system was inaugurated was 76 millions,
it is now 600 millions ! During the same 27 years
the annual amount transmitted through the post
hes risen from £313.000 to considerably more than
L 15,000,000! This astonishing change is of course
not only due to the cheapness and facility of the
postage, but to the conveniences afforded by the in-
troduction of money orders and by the security of
the registration system now in vogue. Notwith-
standing the increased expenses and the diminished
charges, the revenue of the Post-office is now
greatly enlarged. With all the additional poets,
the vast establishment, and army of employes ren•
dered necessary by such an amount of business, the
annual income is much higher than it was 30 years
years ago. Sir ROWLAND HILL has at least the
the
satisfaction of seeing
great work he set on foot
thoroughly Well done; its accuracy,
efficiency, arid
extent being an absolute marvel. Perhaps the best
compliment we can pay to the management of the
Post-office is that we take its regular working as a
matter of course, only expressing surprise if a letter
should fail to reach its destination. Yet,when we con-
sider the vast extent of its work, and the rarity of
its blunders or delays, we must certainly rank the
Postal system inaugurated and for so many years
superintended by
ROWLAND HILL among the
greatest of our modern improvements. It is cer-
tainly one of our public offices which is carried to
the greatest perfection ; but, however the nominal
heads of the office may change with political changes,
however great may be the zeal or ability of succes-
sive Postmasters-General, the public know that
their thanks for the successive reforms and additions
to the original scheme are primarily due to the able
and indofatigablo secretary who is now exhausted
by his long labours, and compelled to withdraw into
private life. Year by year some improvement has
been thought of at home or abroad. It is not very
long since two very
important branches were added
to the system, The Book Post, whose marvellous
convenience we have all appreciated, and the divi-
sion of the metropolis and its suburbs into postal
districts, have both proved most satisfactory in prac-
tical working.
All Sir ROWLAND HILL'S schemes
have indeed been practical. He is none of those
theoretical reformers or inventors whose projects
will not stand the wear and tear of everyday life.
This great reform has now endured the daily trial
of a quarter of a century in the busiest country in
the world, only to be crowned with unimpeachable
success, and to rank its author among the public
benefactors of hie time.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

LREUTER'S TELEGRAMS.]

JAPAN.

NEW YORK, FEB. 19 (Evening).

Advices from Japan to the 7th January, state
that the Tycoon's Palace at Jeddo had been burnt.
It was set on fire on Christmas-day.

A large portion of the town was destroyed by
another fire on the Ist January.

BLOCKADE OF NEUSTADT.
COPENHAGEN, MARCH 3, 8 p.m.
Neu3tadt and Holstein is now blockaded.

SWEDEN.

STOCKHOLM, MAncli 3.

Count Bjoerstjerna, who was formerly Minister
at Constantinople, is to be appointed ambassador at
Copenhagen.

The appointment of a new Minister of War is
expected.
On Sunday next a large popular meeting is to
take place in favour of an alliance with Denmark.

______s

INDIA AND CHINA MAILS,
MARSEILLES, MARCH 4, 10.30 A u.
The Messageries Imperiales mail steamer Moeris
arrived here at 7 a.m. to-day with the India and
China mails, 58 passengers, and 396 packages mer-
chandise.

THE ARCHDUKE MAXIMILIAN.
PARIS, MARCII 4.

The Moniieur of this morning says :—" The
Archduke being detained, by indisposition, at
Brussels, a report has been circulated that his Im-
perial Highness had renounced his intention of
going to Mexico. This rumour is Without any
foundation,"

SPAIN.
POLICY OF THE NEW MINISTRY.

MADRID, MARCH 3 (Evening).

In to•day's sitting of Congress, Senor Mon
declared that he would govern with the co-operation
of the Cortes, settle the Constitutional question,
and abolish the measures introduced in 1858.

AMERICA.

(Per the City of Washington, via Roche's Point,

4 20 a.m.)

NEW YORK, FEB. 19, 5 p.m.

No authentic war news of importance has been
received for several days. The extreme severity of
the weather is believed to have delayed all move-

ments.

Th 3 capture of Jackson, Mississippi, by General
Sherman (previously reported), has been contra-
dicted.
COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

A bill is under discussion in the House of Repre-
sentatives which authorises Secretary Chase to sell
from 12 to 20 millions of surplus gold in the Trea-
sury, for the purpose of breaking down the high
premium. The probability that the bill would pass
reduced the price one time to-day to 158, but after-
wards recovered and closed at 159-10
Great speculative excitement exists in the stock
and share markets, and prices generally have ad-
vanced. The closing rates are :
United States Sixes, registered, 1881, 112 ; Trea-
sury 7.30 notes, 1101; New York Central Railway,
135 ; Erie, 1231 ; Illinois Central, 1341.
Cotton, 80c. Breadstuffi heavy, and lower.
Provisions dull. Sugars firm, at 13e. to 131 c.
Coffee quiet, and steady.

FEBRUARY 20, 11 A.M.

General Gilmore officially reports to Geaeral
HaHeck the capture of Baldwin Florida, on the
9th. He also reports that on the march to that
place he captured 100 prisoners and eight cannon.
Chattanooga despatches of the 19th deny that
General Thomas has moved upon Dalton, and state
that General Johnston has concentrated his forces
at that point, with advanced piokets at Ringgold.
The conflicting amendments to the Conscription
Act by the Senate and House of Representatives
have been compromised by a Committee of Refer-
ence, and have received the sanction of both Houses.
The commutation clause of 300 dole. is retained,
but exemption is to be valid for one year only.
Negroes are to be included in the enrolment, and
are to receive the same pay as the white soldiers.

The Committee of Ways and Means of the House
of Representatives has reported against the bill
authorising Mr. Chase to sell his surplus.
Gold this morning is 59: premium.
The City of Washington takes out 109,000 dole.
in specie.

(REUTER'S EXPRESS.)
(Per the Olympic.)
NEW YORK, FEB, 18.

Nothing of importance is reported frum the Army
of the Putomac. Gen. Meade is still in Washington.
Rebel deserters say that Gen. Lee is making great
exertions to increase the strength and efficiency of
his army, with a view of advancing against Gen.
Meade as soon as the condition of the roads will

permit.
It is rumoured that the rebels purpose a raid
into Ohio, by crossing the Ohio river at the
Greyandotte road. A rebel deserter reports that
troops hive been concentrating for this purpose
for some time past.

A telegram from Cumberland Gap states that
on the 12th inst. Gen. Longstreet had his head-
quarters at Morristown, and that his army was
encamped, under marching orders, at Strawberry
Plains. Rebel deserters assert that Longstreet had
been deterred from attacking Knoxville by a lack
of confidenze in his men.

Gen. Schofield, who succeeds Gen. Foster, and
Gen. Stoneman, who is to command the 23d Army
Corps, arrived at Knoxville on the 9th inst. The
situation at Knoxville was unchanged. Longstreet
had his railroad working to Strawberry Plains.

Advices from North Carolina to the 13th inst.
state that Major-General Peek had arrived at New-
bern and assumed command. The troops were
working vigorously to strengthen the defences of
the place in anticipation of an attack by the rebel
General Pickett. Wide spread dissatisfaction
against the Richmond authorities is reported to
extend throughout the state.
Twenty-six of the Union officers who escaped
from Libley prison have reached the Federal lines.
They report that they worked for 51 days upon the
tunnel through which they made their escape. It
is feared that the rebels have succeeded in recaptur-
ing most of the remainder.
The New York Herald asserts that the expedition
recently landed in Florida is intended only to secure
for Mr. Lincoln the three electoral ballots of the
state in the approaching Presidential election.
The Washington correspondent of the New York
Herald says that it is believed in political circles
that Mr. Lincoln will issue on the 22d of February
a " universal emancipation prommation."

It is reported that the rebel General Morgan has
attached to each regiment of his new command a
negro barber, for the purpose of shaving the heads
of all Federal officers whom he may capture, in
retaliation fora similar indignity practised upon
him ih Ohio,