The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-07 00:00:00

out an aching heart : the faces, not ill-shaped, were massed
with dirt, and they had scarcely a rag of cohering upon
them; there was no furniture in the room, the window
was plastered with mud ; and the floor, although an able
woman was there, had probably not been washed for
months.

Such dismal revelations, varied according to the
circumstances of the locality, abound to such an

extent as to render the summer reports
of the Registrar-General a matter of no
marvel. Just now the intense cold may
enforce claims on temporary charity of a different
description, bat no one can turn a serious thought
on the condition of the houses and haunts of the
London Poor without heartily sympathising with
this "Blow for Life" so appropriately struck at the
present Christmas season.

It is satisfactory, while the bitter winds are pain-
ully reminding us of the privations of our Lanca-

shire countrymen, to find that the prospects of the

cotton trade are decidedly encouraging. The progress
of the American war is so slow and tedious, and the
state to which the country at large and the cotton

crops may be reduced at the close of it so uncertain,
that it is gratifying to find.other sources of supply

opening to us, unaffected by such risks and uncer•

tainties. Another reason which must make us
anxious to be in some degree independent of the
States cotton, is the arrogance and insolence of the
American Government, which may possibly at some
future day involve us in hostilities. It is never
wise, according to homely country wisdom, to
" have all your eggs in one basket," and especially
when that basket is in the hands of one who is at

best a very questionable and capricious friend. The
Americans have already reckoned too much on our
dependence upon them, and there is no doubt that

both North and South relied upon our need of cot-
ton for bringing us to their side. Whatever may
be thought of the policy of our Government on this
matter, there can be no question that the wisest
course for us to follow, without regard to the con-
dition of the American States, is to encourage the
cultivation of cotton in all parts of the globe where
the soil and climate are favourable to its growth,
and to hold out a prospect of a regular market
for good cotton from whatever quarter it
may come. According to the accounts read
at a late meeting of the Cotton Supply Asso-
ciation, whose efforts have done so much towards
stimulating enterprise, the experiments made in
Southern Africa are highly successful. A letter
from Natal asserts that nearly every planter in that
colony has land under cultivation, and that mecha
nice in the town are giving up their business to
grow cotton. The yield is said to be at the high
rate o: 3001 b. per acre, and the sample forwarded is
valued at 34d. to 36d. per lb. From Syria we learn
that lack of irrigation has retarded this season's
success with American seed ; but we have the
authority of the British Vice-Consul at Latakia.
North Syria, for anticipating that the quantity
produced there will amount to 5,000 bE.les of 2 cwt.
each. But there is one point that requires looking
to. It is said that, owing to a lack of the means of
transit to England, the greater part of the produce
Imakes its way to France and Russia. The boats of
their companies " are unable to take the quantity

of cotton offered, and the last French steamer sent
back 19 loaded lighters, while not a single English
st9amer has yet found it worth while to make its
appearance." Nor is this the case in Syria alone,
for the British Consul at Salonica, while teding us
that from 3,000 to 4,000 bales are shipped weekly
from thence, informs us at the same time that most
of it goes to Marseilles, owing to the want of direct
steam communication with England. Again, the
Haytian Government have distinguished them-
selves by their efforts to stimulate the cultivation
of cotton, and the result is that the last year's crop
was expected to exceed 3,000,0001 b. while that of
1864,it is calculated, will probably reach 4,500,0001 b.
Yet of this only a portion comes to us, the rest being
taken by France and the United States. Of course
we have no right to a monopoly of cotton, nor
should we resolve that French cotton spinners are
to starve while our own mills are working full time;
but, as the largest consumer of the raw material,
we have certainly the right to look after oar own
interests, and it is our own fault if the superior en-
terprise of French, Russian, and American traders
carry off more than their share of what we
so much need. Our deficiencies in this respect
should be promptly remedied, for surely we have
speculators and capitalists enough to make the ven-
ture, even if it be not done officially. From Para-
;uay, Dominico, and Antigua, we have favourable
accounts. In the latter cotton was formerly culti
vated, and stilt grows wild with great luxuriance.
From several other parts the intelligence is also
cheering, ind-pendent y of our expectations from
India, where the prospects are good. The Bengal
supply will exceed, it is said, that of last year, in-
stead of falling short of it as was feared, while in
the Punjaub experiments are about to be made
with Egyptian seed and steam ploughs, which are
expected to prove highly remunerative. All these
various efforts must tend to good—the success of
one compensating for the deficiency of Inother,
until we may reasonably hope that within a com-
paratively short time we may draw a full supply
of the precious staple from quarters unaffected by
he Transatlantic civil war.

ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.—In this frosty
weather the fellows of the society are making good
use of their ponds and canals, which are only about two feet
deep. Ladies have there the opportunity of practising
skating secure from the roughness incidental to contact
wi h all comers, which is unavoidable in public places ; and
we understand that the council either have already ap-
pointed, or are about to appoint, an instructress in skating,
to attend upon those ladies who desire to acquire this
healthful accomplishment. The society's rules of admission
to the gardens at South Kensington have been so far re-
laxed as to allow fellows during the continuant() of the frost
to admit their friends, either personally or by written orders,
on payment of ls. for each person.
OUTWARD CAPE MAlL.—(Renter's Telegrams.)
PLYMOUTH, Jan. 6.—The mail steam ship Roman left this
port to-night with 44 passengers and the Cape mails, con-
sisting of 21 bags of letters, 101 bags of papers, and 14 bags
of books. _ _ _ _ _

THE CRAWLEY DEFENCE FUND.—The fund which
is in progress to relieve Lieut.-Col. Crawley of the
expenses incurred by the recent court-martial at Aldershot
now amounts to upwards of L 1,220. The expenses are said
to amount to between £3,000 and £l,OOO. Amongst the
contributors to the fund are—Earl Vine, Lord C. Fitzroy,
Lord Hotham, M.P., Lord Colville, the Earl of Orford, the
Marchioness of Londonderry, the Dowager Lady Raglan,
Lord Leconfield, the Right Hon. Sir George Brown,
G.C.8., commander in chief in Ireland ; General Sir G.
Bowles, K,C.8., Admiral William Bowles, K.C.8., Gen.
Sir J. Aitcheson, K.C.8., Col. the Hon. J. Calthorpe, Ad-
miral the Hon. Sir Henry Keppell, K.C.8., Col. the Hon.
E. Douglas Pennant, M.P., Sir Henry Foules, Bart., Sir
F. Adair Roe, Bart., Sir W. Eden, Bart., Rear-Admiral
Brunswick Popham, and many distinguished officers of both

services.
DISCOVERIES AT POMPEII.—The Chronique des
Arts states that among the articles recently die •
covered at Pompeii is a small head of Juno, in silver, of
exquisite workmanship; also the body, in silver, but broken;
a bridle-bit in bronze; a lamp in the same metal complete,
with cover, suspending chain, an extinguisher; a pater,;
a large and handsome vase, with the handles terminated
by winged genii holding a cornucopia; other small vases
in bronze; and a seal in that metal bearing the name of the
master of the house in which the articles were found—
Lucio Cornelio Diadurneno.
ARCHEOLOGY IN FRANCE.—The Moniteur des
Arts states that there were discovered a few days
since on the Banks of the Rhone, near Lyons, 45 Gallo-
tombs,the skeletons in which were coraplete,the faces turned
towards the east, and the heads supported by • a small
earthern urn. One of the tombs only is formed of Roman,
tiles, of a very large size. No inscription, arms, or coilas
of any kind have been found in any of the tombs.