The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-14 00:00:00

TO 3D OCTOBER.

The Carnatic left Stuz for Bombay at 8 p.m. on
,he 12th inst.

ITALY.

TURIN, OCT. 14.
The National Bank has raised its rate of discount

to 9 per cent.
The Turin papers state that the resignation of
Signor Sclopis, as president cf the Senate, has been
accepted, and that Signor Alamo has been nomi•
nated in his stead.

RUSSIA.

ST. PETERSBURG, OcT. 14.

The Journal de St. Petersbourg of to-day states
that the article published by the DeutschePetersbur-
ger Zeitung on the 4th instant, with respect to the
encyclical letter of the Pope, concerning the Poles,
is only to be regarded as of secondary importance,
and is devoid of all semi=official character.

SAINT DOMINGO.

SGU rHAMPTON, OcT. 14.

The latest news from Sdint Domingo brought by
the Seine states that the chiefs of the revolution
had retired to Hayti, and were making proposals
to the Spanish generals for a termination of the

The Confederation of British North
America.

QUEBEC, Oct. 1.

The following semi-official communication rela-
tive to the Confederation of the Canadian provinces,
has been published :

QUEBEC, Sept. 23.
A good deal of public interest is felt as to the
recent visit of members of the Canadian Government
to the maritime provinces. People are anxious to
know the nature of the federative scheme brought

under the attention of the Charlottetown Conference,

the reception it received from the maritime dele-
gates, and the probability of its being acceptable to
the several provinces. But little reserve is now
necessary as to the proceedings of the conferencz,

or as to the general scope of the scheme of Federa-
tion now under consideration. It is only as to details
which have yet to be discussed and determined

and as to which► diversities of opinion may arise
among the numerous contracting patties, that re-
serve is expedient. The measure cannot be framed
from any one point of view ; it trust be a work of
compromise. Ohjections from east, west, and centre
will have to be debated and overcome ; and it would

be manifestly unwise and injurious to give publicity
to details that circumstances may hereafter cause

o be modified and abandoned.

Thus far all the proceedings of the Canadian
Government have beet, entirely unofficial and in.
formal. The provinces of Nova Scotia, Brunswick,
and Prince Edward's Island had agreed to hold a
conference at Charlottetown, the capital of Prince
Edward's Island, to consider the propriety of
uniting their fortunes under one Government and
Legislature. The Canadian Government sought
leave to attend that conference, for the purpose `of
inviting the attention of the delegates to the larger
question of a federative union of all the Biitieh
North American provinces. Consent was at once
given, and on the first day of the conference the
Canadian deputies presented themselves at Char-
lottetown, and were mast cordially received, The
Government of Newfoundland was not represented
in the conference, but communications from it have
been received, heartily sympathising with the
movement, and expressing a desire to take part in
any future proceedings.
The Conference commenced its deliberations on
Thursday, the Ist of September, and continued to
sit daily at Charlottetown, until the Bth, when an
adjournment took place to Saturday, the 10th, at
the city of Halifax.
The proceeding of the Conference were conducted
with closed doors ; but it is understood that the
question of union in all its bearings was fully debated
and the conclusion unanimously arrived at that a
confederation of the British North American
colonies would be highly advantageous to all the
provinces, provided equitable terms of union could
be agreed upon. No insurmountable obstacles were
encountered, and a formal Conference of the govern.
ments of Canada, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick,
Newfoundland, and Prince Ed ward'sl3land has been
summoned by his Excellency the Governor-General,

to meet at Quebec on the 10th October, for the pur-
pose of ascertaining formally vs hether the details of
a scheme of confederation, acceptable to all, can be

arranged.
The Canadian delegates were deeply impressed
by the great material resources and the gratifying
industrial prosperity of the maritime provinces.
There is not one of them who does not subscribe
heartily to the conclusion arrived at by the Con.
ference, that a federation of all the provinces would
be highly advantageous.

Thils far nothing definite as to the details of the
scheme has been agreed upon ; notwithstanding the
discussions of the last three weeks, every point will
be open to unfettered inquiry by the Quebec Con-
ference. No one, however, could have failed to
gather from the newspapers of the Lower Provinces
the general outlines of the scheme under considera-
tion at Charlotteville.

It appears to have been suggested that the
Confederation might consist for the present of
three sections, namely :—Upper Canada, Lower
Canada, and the Maritime Provinces, coming into
the Union either collectively or separately, and
hat provision might be made for the admission
into the Union hereafter on equitable terms of the

North-West territory, British Columbia, and Van-
couver. The whole country might have one name,
say Canada or Arcadia.
It appears to have been suggested that each of
the provinces should have a local legislature and
Executive, charged with the control of all local
matters ; and that in a General Legislature and
Executive should be vested the control of affairs
common to the whole country. It seems to have
been held as indisputable that the functions of the
general and local governments, and the subjects
delegated to each must be clearly defined in the
Constitution, so as to prevent collision and give
security for local interests, the whole to be em-
bodied in an act of Imperial Parliament.

In regard to the construction of the General or

Federal Legislature, the representation in the
Lower House on sectional equality, the mode of

selecting the members of the Upper House is a fer-
tile subject of discussion. Somo favour election for
a term of years by tho people, others prefer to have

;heir election vested in the Local Legislatures,

while others again advocate their appointment for
of the day. The solution may be found in a solu.
tior of these views.
The Federal Government would be constituted as
now, the representative of the Crown being advised
by an administration possessing the confidence of
Parliament.
To the Federal authority thus constituted would
obviously be committed all questions of trade, navi•
gation, currency, banking, general taxation, bank°
ruptcy, and criminal law. It would have control
of the militia and defence, of coinage, weights and
meeeures, lighthouses, sea fisheries, letters patent
and copyright, naturalisation, the census, the postal
service, immigration, inter-colonial works, &a.
The manner in which the local Legislatures
should be constructed affords scope for debate.
There are those who advocate for each section two
Legislative Chambers, while others prefer one
Chamber. Some are for an Executive Government
responsible as at present, to the Legislature;
while others are in favour of the Lieutenant-
Governors and other chief officials being elected by
the people. It would of course be desirable that
all the local Governments should be constituted on
some uniform plan, but this does not seem abso-
lutely essential, in the event of serious variance of
opinion arising.
As to the powers and duties to be committed to
the local Governments, there is also room for much
discussion. Manifestly, however, Lower Canada
will insist that all judicial and legal matters—in
fact, the whole body of civil and municipal law,
with the exception of criminal law—must be vested
in the local Legislatures. It is equally clear that
Upper Canada and New Brunswick will contend
that the wild lands of the several sections should
be vested in the local Governments. The control
of roads, bridges, and harbours—with the exception
of international works—of inland fisheries, of
education, of prisons, hospitals and charities, of
agriculture, and r.ll other local matters would
naturally be committed to the local bodies. It has
been suggested that provision should be made for
the educational interests of the minority in each
section.
A difficulty would manifestly arise in committing
these details to the Local Legislatures from the
absence of local revenues to meet the necessary
expenditures. It has been suggested that an allow•
ance from the public revenue might ba distributed
for local purposes according to population, inasmuch
es the General Government will, by the federative
arrangement, be relieved from charges now borne
by each province, and will have absorbed all the
sources of revenue from which they are now
defrayed.

It is very fortunate that little or no difficulty
seems to present itself on the subject to the Federal
finances. On the conEummation of the Union all
the debts and assets of the several provinces would
of course be assumed by the Federal Government;
and a close examination of the financial position of
each province shows that no injustice would be in-
flicted by this arrangement. The debt and the annual
burden uow borne by the people of the several prof

vinces are pretty nearly equal, and the public
exchequers of all of them show a surplus.
Commenting upon the above, the Quebec Chro%
nicle, in its impression of September 26, observes :
" The scheme is neither more nor less than a tran-
script of the American Union, which is just now
offering so sorry an example of its cohesive and
Governmental powers. It is a very grave question
whether this is the best mode of union for the pro-
vinces. Cu' bono? What shall we have gained that
we could not have obtained by the far less cumbrous
plan of a legislative union after the fr shion of Eng-
land herself? Why all this roundabout and un-
wieldly phalanx of legislators ? Why six or seven
of these Siamese twins ? Why 12 or 14 of these
legislative bodies when one would be more Efficient
at a tenth of the cost ? No doubt there are advan-
tages of consideraLle magnitude from a :federal
union of all the provinces, bat we maintain that
there is no! one of these advantages which could
not be attained by less costly and far more easily
worked machinery.

The Canadian Government has been considering,
the informations laid before them by the County
Crown Attorney for Eisex respecting the late rebel
raid on Lake Erie. This has been done on the re-
quisition of the Attorney-General, and officers are
now in pursuit of the suspected persons.
Owing to the frequency of fires in Quebec the
insurance companies have taken alarm, and have
determined upon undertaking no further risks until
a radical reform is effected in the city fire depart-
ment. At a meeting of directors and other officials
connected with these companies, recently held, a
number of resolutions were submitted and carried
unanimously. The suggestions embodied in these
resolutions have been referred to a subcommittee to
be elaborated and reported upon.

WEST INDIA AND PACIFIC MAILS.

SOUTHAMPTON, Oct. 13.

The Royal Mail Company's steamer Seine, Capt.
Revett, with the above mails, has arrived. She
brings 75 passengers, and on freight specie value
2,042,156, of which amount 617,789 dols. are from
the Pacific ports, 1,365,211 dole, from California,
and 59,156 dole. from the West India Islands; also
jewellery value £620 sterling, and precious stones
value £2,455.
The Seine left St Thomas on the 29th. She ex-
perienced fine weather to the 9th October, since
which strong breezes and unsettled weather passed
over Belize and Honduras, doing considerable
damage, and destroying six vessels lying in the
harbour.

The war in Santo Domingo is considered to be
drawing to a close, and prospects of peace are en-
tertained.

No mention is made by this mail of the loss of her
Majesty's ship Bulldog.
The weather continued fine at Grenada, and
much activity prevailed on the estates. The public
health inland was good.
At Barbadoes the crops were improving. Ground
provisions were more plentiful. Next year's sugar
crop promised to be large.
Her Majesty's ships Styx and Pylades arrived at
Jamaica on the 15th. Yellow fever still raging
among the troops at Bermuda. The surgeon in
charge had fallen a victim to the scourge,
At Trinidad the weather was very hot, the
wharves were bare of shipping, and trade dull.
Cuba had been visited with fine rains, and the
coming crop of sugar was expected to be large.
The balance of the old crop remaining for ship
ment was 6QOOO hogsheads of sugar and 38,000
hogsheads of molasses.
The Seine brings the following cargo-280 serons
cochineal, 42 serons indigo, 40 live turtle, 145 bales
of cotton, 101 packages of silver ore, 156 bales of
bark, 160 bales of indiarubber, 52 packages of skins,
and 64 packages of sundries.
The weather continued very hot at Jamaica,
small-pox was extending its ravages throughout
the island, and the deaths numerous. The new
crops of coffee had commenced arriving at market ;
the first purch.ases were made at from 403., and
quoted firm. The supply of pimento will fall short.

A spec;al meeting of the shareholders of the
Bank of Jamaica has been called for the 25th of
October, it having been decided that the vote to
wind up its affairs and transfer its interest for a
bonus of £lO,OOO to the Colonial Bank, must be
confirmed at such meeting before the transfer can
be legally made.
I: has been ordered by thepovernor in Executive
Committee that the public moneys be deposited
hereafter is the Colonial Bank, instead of the
Island Treasury, the bank allowing 3 per cent. on
the daily balances. The amount at present in the
public chest is, it is understood, to be transferred
forthwith.

Freights were dull. Rum sales 23 3d for proof
18 in bond. Sugar—Dark, 21s; middling, 223 6d
to 233; fair, 253 to 263. Tobacco dull.
At Demerara provisions are in sufficient supply.
but the market is extremely dull. The estates are
now beginning to grind, and produce may be ex-
pected to come forward freely towards the begin•
Ding of next month. There is some demand for
molasses; good bright, 25c. to 260., dark 21c.
The weather is still sultry and disagreeable, on
account of the prevalence of the land breeze. The
sickness which has prevailed among the shipping
shows signs of decrease. The cases of fever are b 3
no means so virulent as when the infection first
broke out.

Freights continued unchanged-2s 31 to London
and Liverpool.
The pipers from the interior of California men'
tion the fall of rain in various parts of the State.
An early and wet winter and good times for the
miners are anticipated.
Earthquakes had occurred in the mountains in
several places. We have accounts of severe shocki,
having been felt at Nevada Grass Valley and
Marysville, but without any serious result.
From Portland we learn that telegraphic offices
have been opened at Fort Vancouver and Monti-
cello, and these places are row in telegraphic con-
nection with Washington territory. The line is
being pushed forward to Olympia and Victoria, and
will be completed to the former place by the Ist
October next.

BANK OF FRANCE.

PARIS, October 13.

The following is the return of the Bank of France
for the week, together with the corresponding
figures of the previous account :
_. _

OCT. 6.

OCT. 13.
DR. f.
Capital of the Bank 182,500,000
Profits in addition toCapital
(Art. 8 law June 9,1857) 5,722,688 53 6,599,779 33
Reserve in the Bank and
its branches
Reserve in landed property 4,000,000 4,000,003
Notes in circulation 754,479,725 751,377,975
Bank notes to order and re-
ceipts payable at sight 5,679,107 48 5,950,092 35
Treasury aco. cur. creditor 66,934,450 58 62,437,649 46
Current accounts—Paris 100,080,572 15 106,398,396 29
Do. branch-banks
Dividends payable
Discounts and sundry
interests..
Re-discounts of the last

182,600,000 -

six months 2,588,735 17 2,588,735 l'
Sundries

1,195,808,044 51 1,199,324165 76

C R.
Cash in hand and branch-

banks 251,423,737 64 267,533,219 15
Commercial bills overdue 082,803 29 3,094,019 90
Commercial bills discounted
not yet due 321,289,231 02 314,194,664 57
Do. branch-banks 297,967,113 292,386,484
Advances on deposits of
bullion .. 22,182,053 95 21,143,853 95
Do. branch- banks.... 4,468,000 3,849,900 -
Advances on Frenchpublic
securities ..
Do, branch-banks 8,932,450
Advances on railway shares
and debentures 27,921,600
Do. branch-banks 19,811,200
Advances on Credit Fon-
cier Bonds 448,500
Do. branch-banks.... 398,500
Advances to the State
(Conven. June,lo, 1857) 60,000,000 60,000,000 •
Guvt. Stock Reserve 12,080,750 14 12,980,750 14
Do. disposable
Rentes iinmobilisees (Law
June 9, 1857) 100,000,000 100,000,000 -
Hotel and furniture of the
Bank
Landed property, brandies
Expenses of management 1,615,512 14 1,593,556 94
Sundries .. 4,238,655 42 4,960,779 20

16,229,600 -
8,723,4;0 -

27,400,200 -
19,306,300 -

439,200 -
385,100 -

8,398,800

1,195,803,011 51 1,199,324,165 7t
Ccrtified by the honorary Vice-Pceakient of the Couuci
of State, Governor of tho Bank of France.
(Signed) ROUI44ND•