The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-18 00:00:00

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Money easy. Gold advanced to.day to 107 and
olosed at 101.

Stocks advancing. New York Central, 116.
:llinois, 1171. Erie, 933 5.20. Bonds, 1071.
NEW YORK, BTEt OCT. (Evening.)
Money easy. Gold, 99 premium.
Stocks firmer. New York Central, 1141.
llinois, 115. Erie, 93 5.20. Bonds, 1071.

Cotton quiet.- Middling Upland, 110 115.

Flour and corn heavy. Wheat dull. Provisions
heavy. Coffee very dull. Sugar limited demand,
Molasses quiet. Petroleum—Crude, 37 ; refined,
63.

MEXICO.
NEW YORK, OCT. 8,

The New York journals publish a doubtful report
from New Orleans, that during the absence of the
Emperor Maximilian from Mexico city Miramon,
backed by the Archbishop of Mexico, had declareii
against Maximilian, Maranda (P) held half the
city,

There were contradictory reports that the French
had raised the blockade of the Mexican ports.

PERU.

NEW YORK, OCT. 8.

Advices received here from Peru assert that the
Peruvian Congress had resolved to declare War
against Spain unless she abandoned the Chiccha
Islands.

SPAIN.

MADRID, Ocr. 17 (Evening,)

The Epoca of to day announces that two.thirds
of the new Prcgressist Committee is favourable to
the policy of abstaining from voting.

FRANCE.

A special train passed through Nantes on Satur-
day, conveying to St. Nszaire about 600 Belgian
volunteers on their way to Mexico. Those men
will embark on board the Louisiane and the Floride
steam packets for Vera (iruz. Their uniform is
becoming, and resembles that of the Chasseurs de
Vincennes, with the exception of the head-dress,
which consists of a Tyrolean hat surrounded by a
band of yellow twisted worsted.
The Journal des Fabricants de Sucre says :
" A bad year for the growers, and more than unfa-
vourable for the manufacturers—such is the
balance-sheet of the situation. The deficits which
had been announced are in fact confirmed, if they
are not exceeded, and the certainty is that on
an equal extent of ground the crcp will not be
greater than that of last year. The quantity
will not be more than 130 millions of kilogrammes.
As to the beet root plant this year it is decidedly
not very rich in saccharine matter, although the
juice and the syrups of the first and second drawings
are readily worked, and the yield will be rather

under than over that of last season, which was far
from being a favourable one. Much pulp is made ;
from 6 to 8 per cent. more than the usual propor-
tion, but every one knows that when there is much
bran, there is little flour."

The planet Mars is visible at present in the con•
stellation of Taurus, between Aldebaran, a star of
the first magnitude and Beta Tauri. This planet,
the real size of which is six times that of the moon,
will be very near our satellite on or about this day
(18th)..
As a young girl of 18, residing in the Rue Ste.•
Anne, was the day before yesterday leaning cut of
a third floor window, watering some flowers, she
lost her balance, and failing headlong into the court,
received such serious injuries that she died in a few
minutes after. The deceased was a fine young
woman and about to be married.

BOURSE, Out. 17.—The market continues firm,
but without any material improvement in prices.
Threes, for the Account, are now a' 65f. 25a., and
Mobilier at 902 f. 50c. railway MArket quiet, but
firm. The market again became rather heavy to-
wards the close, and left off as foflows :

per Cents. . . 92 10
Do. end
3 per Cents
Do. end month 65 20
Credit Mobilier 892 59
Do. end month B9O
Bank Shares 3390
Credit Fancier ll6O
Roman

RAIL

Orleans
Northern
Lyons and Mediterranean
Southern
Western ..
Eastern
Sardinian
• .
Austrian
Lombard
North of Spain
Saragossa
Ditto to Barcelona

Italian Loan 65 60
Do. end month 65 85
Ditto Threes —
New Mexican
Russian
Austrian

Spanieh Threes
Rome Debt
Deferred

"AY%
Cash. Account.
830 835
97J 970
887 60 .. 887 5)
585 680
495 .. 495
497 50 .. 498 75
330 330
43'2 50 .. 435
615 615
375 375
463 60 .. 465 -
- 20)

The Colony of Victoria.

We take the following summary from the .31el•
bourne ArgUB of Aug. 25:
ihe question of transportation has occupied a very large
share of public attention during the month. The essence
of a despatch from Mr Card well to his Excellenoy, com-
municating tha determination of the Home Government as
to transportation to Western Australia, has been made
public ; etad the debate in the House of Lords on the
Penal, B,,rvituie Bill has left us at no loss to understand the
arguments on which the decision of her Majesty's Govern-
ment has been based.

Mr Cardwell's despatch has excited a general feeling of
disappointment, which finds vent through every public
channel. The Ministry have already invited all the colo-
nists, excepting Western Australia, to unite in common
action to oppose the continuance of the system, and there
can scarcely be a doubt that this course will be taken,
They also send home by the present;mail intimation of their
intention to withdraw from the contract for the postal ser-
vice with the mother conntry unless the mail steamships
cease to touch at any port in Western Australia.

The border customs question has assumed an aspect
which promises some trouble to the Governments of Victoria
and Now South Wales, and some inconvenience to the inha-
bitants of the Riverine District and the merchants who trade
with them. The Murray River Railway will be finished in
the course of three or four weeks, Echuca, the township on
the Victorian side of the river, will then become the port for
the trade of the vast plains which stretch northwards to
Cooper's Creek, watered by the Lachlan, the Merumbidgee,
the Darling, the Warrego, and other rivers. TheEe plains,
however, are within the limits of New South Wales and
Queensland, and, as the tariff of Victoria is much more
liberal than that of New South Wales, the Sydney Govern-
ment proposes that the Victorian authorities should collect
the extra duties on goods sent across the Murray from this
colony, handing the amount over to the Treasurer el New
South Wales, on payment of a commission for collection.

In commercial matters the state of the colony is sound,
and the yield of gold for the year has, so far, been very
satisfactory.

THE GOLDFIELDS.

This is the dull season of the year for all engaged in out-
door work, and it is but natural that dulness should be
complained of on the goldfields. As long as the days are
short and the ground wet there is little inducement to stir
from any spot where a living can be made ; but the time is
approaching when the miners become restless, and well or
ill judged movements are to be looked for. The news from
New Zealand has not, for several months past, been of a
character to draw men from here ; on the contrary, the re-
turn flow has bun steady since last summer,lbut whether
the stream may take a turn the other way during the com-
ing spring it is at present impossible to guess. The last new
field opened there, in the province of Marlborough, though
free from the extreme cold suffered in Otago, seems to be
little better adapted for winter digging than the gold coun-
try further Louth, but deep sinking promises to answer well,
and we have reports of new tracts cf auriferous land having
been discovered near the west coast, in the province of Can-
terbury and Nelson ; so that accounts may at any moment
reach us of so favourable a kind as to attract the attention
of our miners at a time when rushes there must be in some
direction or other. None of the movements lately within
our own territory have been on a large scale, the greatest
numbers of men having been collected at new spots in
the Whipstick part of the oid Bendigo district, which
has is past years been the scene of so many rushes, of
longer or shorter duration. The gold found in this scrubby
tract of country is mostly coarse; that is to say, consists
principally of lumps of large or small size, and is widely
scattered, not in runs or leads, so that the expectations
raised by the opening of a good patch are seldom realised•
Water is also scarce in most part of the scrub and the ad-
vent of summer has often sealed the fate of a promising
rush. The places lately opened may or may not be of a more
permanent character, tut they are at present of more impor-
tance than any of the other portions of new ground taken
up within the last month or two. At one of these a nugget
weighing 240 z was found, and this alone formed no mean
attraction at the commencement of a rush. In the other prin-
cipal mining districts the changes have been few. The deep
leads in the vicinity of Daylet ford are being steadily followed
up, and this place affords further evidence, if such were
needed, of the value of a fixed population, as of all the towns
on the goldfields it has made the most progress within the
last 12 months.

The usual number of new reefs has been discovered, and
the richest of these are of course among the mountains. It
those at and near the Crooked River at all answer expecta-
tions when crushing power is brought to bear upon them
Wood's Point must fall from its pre-eminence, for scarcely
a week passes without the announcement of some fresh
discovery, and the exhibition of specimens better than
the last, notwithstanding the great diffisulty of pros-
pecting among the mountains while so much snow lies
upon the ground. When this clears away they will be
explored in all directions, and great must be the effect of
such an accession of population to those regions as could not
have ventured into them had not the main lines of road been
opened. The Wood's Point reefs are still yielding largely,
but although we often hoar of the large dividends received
by shareholders in town, the actual returns obtained from
the stone crushed are seldom made public. On the older reefs
very high yields have been the exception of late ; an increase
of crushing power making up for the declining average yield
from the quartz. Still, large cakes of amalgamated gold are
occasionally turned out from the mills—a lot of stone from
the oft-named March Reef, at Inglewood, having lately
produced one of 5 l2oz. 12dwt. Another, weighing 5560 z ,
was also obtained at Pleasant Creek, the produce of 283
tons of stone out of a claim on the cross reef, and some
smaller parcels of stone out of Sloane's Reef, at the same
place, have averaged from 3oz. to 10oz. to the ton. The lately
found rich veins in different reefs at Tarrangower have also
been yielding stone highly suggestive of the old times in this '
district; the first ton from a new reef, found at Creswick
three or four weeks since, produced 61oz. sdwt, Daring the
last month the Port Phillip Company at Chines crushed
4,175 tons of stone for the Chines Company, with a yield
of 1,4060 z. 16dwt., or an average of 6dwt. 17gr. to the ton.
Of all the deep -lead companies at Ballarat, the Band of
Hope has lately been getting the largest returns, having
washed out 1,472 ounces in one week; but, as the debts
incurred before gold was struck have to be paid off, only a
small portion of this has been devoted to the payment of
dividends. The Buninyong Company has been paying the
largest dividends during the month—L-10 per share for each
of the two fortnights—while the Koh-i-noor Company paid
£32 per share for one fortnight and £3B per share for the
other. The Great Extended Company has paid lit tle in the
way of dividends for some weeks past, the men being prin-
cipally engaged in trying a new reef found in their claim.

ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, SOUTH KEN-
SINGTON.—The attraction at these gardens yester-
day was the competition of the two celebrated bands of the
Hon. Artillery Company and of the London Rifle Brigade.
'l' his was the final trial between them for the first prize.
Immediately on the gates being open the Hon. Artillery
Company band played the overture to " Masaniello." The
judges appointed to decide the question of superior excel-
►ence in the execution of the subjects chosen were Messrs
Waddell, late bandmaster cf the Ist Life Guards, Mr Smyth,
bandmaster of the Royal Artillery band, and Mr Collins,
bandmaster of the Royal Engineers. Tho subjects chosen
by the respective bands were :--The lion. Artillery Com
pang—Selection from ‘. Un Bello in Maschera" (Verdi),
and selections from " Ruy Blas" (Glover) ; by the London
Rift) Brigade band selections from " Un Ballo in Maschera"
(Verdi), ditto from "I 1 Don Giovanni" (Mozart). The
bandmasters were Mr Hird of the Hon. Artillery Company,
and Mr E. Stanton of the London R 413 Brigade. The
weather was so unpropitious that the attendance of
visitors was very sc nty. The decision of the umpires was
not undo known. nor will it be, as We were informed, until
it is first communicated to the council. Many of tho
ladies, wo fear, must have been sadly inconvenienced by
the rain,

The Confederation of British North

America.

MONTREAL, C.E,, Oct. I

An organised opposition is being got up against
the proposed Confederation scheme by Mr. Lanctot
and his confreres of L' Union, in which other Franco•
Canadians participate. They regard the measure
as inimical to their political interests, and as likely
to detract from the autonomy of the French race.
At an indignation meeting lately convoked, for
the purpose of opposing any alteration in the form
of government, the following resolution was sub-
mitted, clause by clause, and carried by acclama.

tion:--

"Resolved, that in the. opinion of this meeting
a Confederation of all the provinces of British
North America would tend to extinguish French
Canadian nationality, and impose upon it a system
of direct taxation which it could not well meet ;
and that this meeting formally expresses its diEs
ppprobation of all Ministerial schemes of cowl%
tutionalchanges,which schemes,if they were carried
into t fftet without being first submitted to the
direct approval or disapproval of the people of this
Province by means of general elections, held ex•
elusively to judge and appreciate them, and without
the application of the principle of the double
majority, would be the greatest blow which has
ever been levelled against the immunities and the
rights of the people of the Province."
About 1000 French Canadians attended the meet-
ing in question.

In proposing the above resolution, Mr Lanctot
gave a résumé of the history of the country from its
settlement to the passing of the Act of Union, which,
he maintained, was forced upon the French resi,
dents. He contended that the treaty effected in
1760 guaranteed the civil and religious institutions
of the French Canadians, and that no alteration
could possibly take place without their consent.
Even the Act of Union, he averred, contained a
proviso tending to perpetuate their rights, that of
equal representation ; and as the enemies of the race
were aware of this, they passed an act for making
the Legislative Council elective for the purpose of
sending home the Constitution for alteration. The
only remaining guarantee was therefore gone, as
Lord Durham had foreseen, when he drafted the
Union Act. They were ❑ow drifting into the abyss
of Confederation, the only escape from which was
to be found in national unity. The speaker also
denounced Mr Cartier and other public men who
now favour the new political change, but who in
1858 characterised the scheme as absurd and highly
prejudicial to the best interests of the country.
Placards, emanating from the Rouge party, are
freely circulated about the city, calling for another
public meeting to oppose the contemplated political
charge. The announcement which they contain
ends with the significant words--" Viva la cause
Nationale !"

The conference of Ministerial delegates from the
five provinces will ms-et inQut bee on this day week.
The Russell House, Palace-street, is engaged for
the occasion. The Canadian Governmsnt have their
programme already prepared, and on such a basis
that some members of the Administration are
sanguine that it will be favourably entertained by
some, if not all, the representatives of the maritime

provinces.
Incendiary fires are very common just now
throughout the Province. The warehouses belong.
ing to th© Horn John Young, of Montreal, have
been consumed, and the Mayor offers a large reward
for the discovery of the miscreants. Other buildings
have likewise been set on fire, it is supposed, by a
gang of scoundrels who have combined for this
nefarious purpose.
Only a few days since an extensive fire, also pre-
sumed to be the work of incendiaries, occurred at
Woodstock, C.W. The loss is estimated at nearly
100,000 dole. A great many stores have been de-
destroyed. It is estimated that the loss will fall on
the insurance offices to the extent of 20,009. The
following offices will have to bear the heaviest
burdens:—The London and Liverpool, the North
British, the Royal, the Western, the Queen, and
the Etna.
The officers who were in pursuit of the Lake
pirates ha-te returned, withfu`, tfftcing the capture
of any prisoners.
A detachment of the Royal Canadian Rifles have
lately left Kingston for service on the Detroit river,
where they will aid in suppressing any offensive
demonstration against the American frontier.
The Grand Trunk Railway has distributed several
thousand pounds amongst the families of the killed
and maimed at the late Be;ceil accident. It has
also munificently given 2,000 dols. to the Montreal
General Hospital, and has become a regular sub
scriber of 400 dols. annually to the funds of the
institution in acknowledgment of the care and
attention bestowed upon the unfortunate sufferers
thrown by the accident upon the charity of the
hospital.
The school question is exciting a good deal of
bitterness in Lower Canada amongst religionists.
Several meetings of Protestants have been held, at
which resolutions were passed denunciatory of the
present condition of the law with regard to the
regulation of public schools.
It has been alleged that the policy of the Governs
vernment has been to foster Roman Catholic schools
and colleges to the detriment of Protestant educa-
tional institutions. Protestant landholders complain
that they are obliged to pay taxes for the support
of Roman Catholic schools in places where Protese
tent schools ezist, in case such landlords are non
residents.
The Provincial Exhibition which was held this
year at Hamilton has just closed, It is considered
the best show which the Agricultural Association
has yet held. During the four days the exhibition
lasted 27,000 quarter-dollar tickets were sold, in
addition to 1,000 members' tickets at one dollar.
At the termination of the exhibition the Presie
dent (Colonel dames Johnson), in accordance with
the customary usage, delivered an address. Al-
ludir g to the soil of Canada, he remarked :
" We have an extensive country compared with
many lands. No portion of it is yet densely popu-
lated, much yet is very thinly settled, and over vast
portions of it the primeval forest yet remains undis-
turbed. This, then, is the natural channel into which
the chief current of our industry must for many
years continue to flow ; and if it be true, as one of
philosophic mind has remarked, that the man who
makes two blades of grass grow where only one had
grown before deserves well of his fellow-man, what
scope is there here for honourable repute in bring-
ing still more extensive regions of We wilderness
into subjection for the wants of civilised man, and
in introducing a superior system of agriculture.
Long may we confine our warfare to the subju-
gation of the forest, the reclaiming of morasses, and
the conquering of the millions of acres which lie
before us."

DEMOLITION BY GUNPOWDER OF THE GREAT
EXHIBITION BUlLDTNG.—Yesterday a considerable
number of persons visited the neighbourhood of the
Great Exhibition Building, it having been announced that
it was intended to blow down the two towers that supported
the great dome, adjacent to the Horticultural Gaidens, in
the Exhibition-road, but the operation was postponed for a
day or two to enable Sir John Burgoyne and other officers
of the Royal Engineers from Chatham to be present at the
operation. The public, however, had the opportunity of
witnessing the corps of Sappers and Miners, under Captain
Knocker, at work upon the basement of the towera, where
they were engaged during the day in boring at intervals in
the brickwork the requisite chambers for the displosion.
TIIE COUNTY CUP AT LEICESTER.—The following is
the decision of Lord Bateman, ono of the stewards in this
race, which has been in abeyance since the Bth of Septem-
ber, the day on which it was run : —" An objection having
bean raised on the part of the second horse against Land of
the West (who came in first for this race), on the ground
of his being incorrectly nominated, both as to name and age,
it appears, on investigation, that not only was no age men-
tioned in the original nomination (as laid down in Rule 14),
but further, that the horse was improperly described both
in the Racing Calendar and on the cards of the day, as
lord of the West, 4 yrd old,' in lieu of Land of the West
3 yrs old,' thereby tending to mislead, and to invite the
objection. In accordance with Rule 14, the objection must
bo considered valid, and I therefore award the race, to
Cervus, who was second. Captain Christie, my colleague,
concurs in this decision.—(Signed) BATEMAN, Steward.—
Oct. 17, 1861."

TAXES IN THE CITY OP LONDON,--Llst year
the land tax in the City of London produced £46,654, the
iii3ic!6i4tl taxed £3,254, and the 504,071.

tlankt
141

HER MAJESTY.

The Queen continues in the enjoyment of excel"
lent health at Balmoral,with Prince Alfred, Princess
Helena, and Prince Leopold. The infant son of
their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of
Wales, accompanied by the Ccuntess de Grey, a"
rived at Balmoral yesterday from Denmark, and
will return with her Majesty and the Royal Family
to Windur on Tuesday next.