The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-12 00:00:00

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LONDON, SATURDAY, MARCH 12, 1864.

Another breathing time has been allowed to the
Government. The Cabinet is permitted to tide over
the Easter vacation. Immediately the Houses
shall have assembled again after the recess, it is as
plain as a pikestaff, that the Contest of Parties, the
contest so long looming up and so often postponed,
must at length come on in earnest. And the Signs of
the Times as to the result of that contest are but too
apparent. Never have the so-called champions of
Liberalism so systematically fooled away their op-
portunity as our present Administration have done
ever since, now nearly five years ego, they were
ine.ucted into office. They came in, it will be re-
membered, by what billiard-players would call a
fluke, by what Sir HUGII CAIRN:3, in racy idiomatic
phraseology, bluntly called a dodge. They will go
out as those same billiard players would say << oft
the spot," and this, as the penalty not of one dodge
but of a series of dodges—every one of these latter,
unlike the first, signally and disgracefully un-
successful. They came in ostensibly to further
the interests of Reform—but, Reform they,
more effectually than any one else, more com-
pletely than any one five years since could have
supposed possible, have shut up altogether. They
came in for the inauguration of a rational system
of economy and retrenchment at home—instead of
accomplishing anything of which they have
steadily,
during all these four years last past,
maintained a war expenditure in a time of peace.
They came in to mainuin unsullied the fair fame
of England, to preserve undiminished the mighty
influence or prestige of I:ngland in the affairs of
Europe—but, in lien of rcolizing either of those

noble ambitions, they have virtually caused England
to abrogate her influence altogether, they have
rendered the name of England at the Council
Board of the European Powers far worse than a
mere nullity, they have made it an object of
jealousy and suspicion, here and there, even
actually of derision. That such should be
the indisputable results brought about by a
Cabinet presided over by Lord PALMERSTON
appears to this moment a thing almost incredible.
It would have seemed a few years back incom-
prehensible to us that such should ever prove to be
the case, with the Foreign Department placed under
the governance of a statesman like Earl RUSSELL.
But that it should absolutely turn out te be thus not
only with Earl RUSSELL, as her Majesty's Foreign
Secretary, but with Lord PALMERSTON, as Prime
Minister of England, is, we repeat, a thing just
nearly incredible even now. Still, incomprehensible,
almost incredible though it is, that the fruits of this
yet surviving Administration of so-called Liberals
should be precisely what we have, point-blank, de-
scribed them as being, is a fact wholly and abso•
lately undeniable nevertheless. It is so undeniable
that the simple force of the recognition of it has of
itself—without any extraneous effort whatever
being made to bring about such results in the
way of internal and external penalties—the
simple force of the recognition of the truth
of its being so has so operated that it has led inside
the House of Commons to a distinct change in the
Balance of Parties, and outside the House of Com-
mons, among the electors, and not simply among
the elected, to the setting in steadily and strongly
of a positive reactionary movement. Call it what-
ever you like, it is impossible to deny any longer
the reality and the almost universality through-
out the United Kingdom of that reactionary
movement. But, for something indubitably
of that character we should not have been
witnessing, what we have for some time past
been witnessing, again and again repeated,
the rejection of the Government candidate, and the
triumph of the avowed candidate of the Opposition.
An incident so often repeated, that the small majo•
rity originally appertaining to the Ministerialists,
upon the first formation of Lord PALMERSTON'S
second Government, has long since faded out alto-
gether, giving place on the contrary to as clear a
majority to the Conservative Opposition. During
the last four sessions, in effect ever since
the transfer of Power from the Derbyites
to the Palmerstonians, the Opposition has remained
almost wholly apathetic and inactive as an instru-
ment of Party—upon the whole, so inactive, so
apathetic, that the old parrot cry directed against
them in preceding sessions, by way of reproach,
usque ad nauseant has dropped almost entirely out
of parliamentary phraseology, the old monotonous
taunt about a Factious Opposition. Loyal consi-
derations of an affecting earnestness have,
during half of the interval, during two out
of the four sessions last past, led the leaders
of the Conservative Opposition to foregoing
the often very tempting opportunities before them,
the opportunities more than once clearly upon the
cards, for assaulting the position of Ministers, with
every reasonable prospect of worsting them in.the
encounter. Those loyal considerations no longer
interfere between the confronting parties, between
her MAJESTY'S Government and her MAJESTY'S
Opposition. Besides which the powers of endu-
rance witlYout the walls of Parliament, the
powers of toleration within the walls of
Parliament have long and long ago been
utterly exhausted. Nothing whatever of any
kind of interest,' or value is being even attempted by
the Ministers of the Crown in the matter of our
internal anministration—everything that is intoler-
able, vexatious, and galling to the national spirit is
unhappily being done by them only too sedulously
in regard to the making the already visible and
flagrant confusion of the Foreign Policy of the
country, worse confounded. There is no earthly
consideration inducing us to wish further to retain
in power these do - nothing Reformers, these
meddling and muddling Diplomatists. The
signal for the change that is looked for has
become more and mote audible at almost every
hustings to which the electors, whether borough
or county, have for a long while past been summoned.
The assault upon the Treasury Benches can no
longer be delayed. Something in earnest is ex•
pected—not merely by their own party, but by the
country at large, immediately upon the reassem-
bling of the House of Commons after Easter—from
the:resolute Leader and the serried rank-and-file of
the Conservative Opposition.

There appears to be in some quarters a strong
opposition to the Government Annuities Bill, not-
withstanding the forcible arguments urged on its
behalf by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and the
evidence which he adduced in support of them
Setting aside interested opposition, however, it is
difficult to see what reasonable ground for com.
plaint or antagonism can exist. The Government
are not interfering with private business in any
arbitrary manner. They are not suppressing the
existing Friendly Societies or preventing the esta-
blishment of new ones. They are imposing no new
tax upon their incomes, nor are they compelling

them to publish an annual balance-sheet. The
Government insurance department is simply to enter
the field as a fair competitor, possessing the one
great superiority over all others, of possessing un-
limited capital and credit, it is true, but labouring
also under several disadvantages which will enable
more daring or more unfettered rivals often to out-
strip it in the race. Mr. GLADSTONE asked very
reasonably what cause good and sound industrial
societies had to fear the competition of the Govern-
ment, and proceeded to point out many points in
which the chance of money•making is all in favour
of the private societies. One main feature of the
Government scheme is, that it is to be entirely self-
supporting, since none of its shortcomings can with
any justice or propriety be charged upon the public
revenue. Consequently, while it is proposed to offer
liberal terms to those who are compelled to drop their
policies, for a time, that indulgence must be charged
for in the premiums. Then, again, the lives of young
persons which form one half of the lives assured by the
industrial societies are excluded by the Government,
who limit their assurances above sixteen years.
The Government, too, will of co urse be unable or
those commission agents who
unwilling to employ
secure so much business to this class of company,
while a still stronger argument in favour of priyate
insurances with many persons will be the difference
in the investments of capital. The Government
cannot invest their premiums at a higher rate of
interest on the average than 31 pet cent., while
private companies, as Mr. GLADSTONE pointed out,
can with safety obtain 4, 41, or even ,5 per cent.
This difference of incane must, of course', make a
corresponding difference in the rate of the pre-
miums, and when we remember the many
collateral
and incidental advantages which private societies
assurances can offer besides effecting
cheaper
at a
rate, we shall see that there is no reasonable ground
for anticipating any overwhelming preponderance
of Government influence. The claims of Mr.
GLAID!TONE'S scheme to support are not numerous,
but they are powerful. We have alluded to the
favourable terms offered to those o, from illness,
Accident, or loss of Work, are cowl pelted temporarily

to suspend their payments. We may see a striking
instance of the benefit which this arrangement
would confer on the labouring classes by what is
now going on in Lancashire. Supposing that the
cotton hands had insured for any number of years,
and paid their premiums with undeviating regu-
larity, no providence or self-denial would have en-
abled the most industrious of them to maintain such
payments during the dire distress of the last two
or three years—a distress brought on them by no
fault of their own. If they were insured in the
best and most liberal of private societies their
claims would be irretrievably forfeited ; whereas,
had the Government plan been in existence a few
years back, they might have recovered their
policies, or at least obtained some compensation
for the loss. The working class are always liable
to such contingencies, not, perhaps, on such a
gigantic scale as in Lancashire; but what has
happened there to thousands upon thousands is
of daily occurrence in our large cities and towns
to tens and units. The savings of the insurer go
to the insurance office, and a working man is
never likely to be able to put by enough to pro-
vide for illness or enforced idleness to such an
extent as to enable him to continue his payments
at such a time. Therefore this is a very sub-
stantial advantage of the Government scheme,
and we should be glad to see it extended to an
insurance for sickness or temporary distress from
loss of work as well. Another advantage to the
poor is, that in the event of their moving from
one part of the country to another, they will
know where to pay their premiums, and be able
to receive their insurances without the delay or
expense of travelling in search of them. These
are really all the special advantages which the Go-
vernment plan can lay claim to, and it will be seen
that they are all advantages to the insurer, not to
the insurance office, The perfect security will, of
course, induce many prudent artisans to avail them-
selves of it in preference to all others, but prudence,
as we know, is by no means an universal possession,
and more specious promises, reduced premiums, and
other advantages will still prevent large numbers
from ir.suring with the Government. The small
amount of the sums insured for, since it must be
remembered the,t Mr. GLADSTONE'S limit is £lOO,
entirely prevents the project from clashing in any
• way with the interests of the large established
offices. Many of these, indeed, have expressed
themselves most favourably about it—the words of
the chairman of one of the Scottish Institutions
being quoted by Mr. GLADSTONE in his address.
This gentleman considered that the new scheme
would increase rather than diminish the prosperity
of the Life Institutions of the country, and spoke
in earnest language of the advantages it offered to
the poor. This is, indeed, its true claim to support.
If it is really for the benefit of that poor and hard-
working class which insures for such a limited sum,
it would be most unfair to withhold it from them
if they are likely to avail themselves of it. If they
are not likely to do so the scheme will soon fall to
the ground, so that in either case the opposition to
the measure is unreasonable and ill-founded.

Those who averred so confidently a short time
back that whatever mischance attended the Ministers
in the House, they would have an unfailing source
of strength in appealing to the country, will, it is
to be presumed, now change their tons and mode-
rate the zeal of their partizanship. The results of
so many important elections have unmistakeably
shown that the general feeling of the country is
against them. It is many long years since so many
Conservative triumphs were recorded. To find a
parallel we must take a retrospective glance at a
period prior to the time which Mr. DISRAELI called
the days of their " dreary Opposition," and survey
the party as they were in their palmy days when
Sir ROBERT PEEL was still their leader. It is quite
absurd for some politicians to declare, as they
always will persist in doing, that these elections are
all chance. One here or there may be carried in
consequence of the influence of territorial posses-
sions, or the effect of a chance irritation against
the other candidate, but so many important
places in town and country declaring against
the Government of the day is a striking
proof of their unpopularity. One cause
or another has kept them in office for some time
past; but they have no right to arrogate to them-
selves that they hold office through the expressed
wish of the nation. Where it has had an oppor-
tunity of declaring itself, with very few exceptions
the voice of the people has been against them.
Only very ignorant or very infatuated statesmen
can close their ears to such rumours, or remain
impervious to the dictates of such teaching. The
Hertfordshire election, which took place yesterday,
resulting in the return of the Conservative by a
majority of 255, comes strangely in contrast with
the bombastic language of Earl RUSSELL in the
Lords and of Lord PALMERSTON in the Commons.
While they are declaring against all interruption,
and inveighing against impertinent interference,
or deprecating the inconvenience of publishing facts
which should remain State secrets till it is too late
to do any good in the way of fault-finding, one by
one the ranks of their opponents are swelled by the
candidates who have been appealing from the
Minister to the people whom he affects to repre-
sent. When the Brighton election took place, it
was argued that the Conservative got in because
there was such a division of interests on the Liberal
side ; but this specious plea cannot be put forward
on this occasion, when there were but two who con-
tested for the privilege. Ic every sense of the word,
this must be considered as a great party triumph,
and it will certainly be found to be such whatever
envy or spite may manufacture in the way of faint
praise or open abuse. It is well that such should
be the case, for it is evident to all who study politics
as a science, and do not take them up as a party
cry, that there is great need of a change. Toujours
perdrix is a well known source of complaint ; it is
inimical to the best interests of the country, which,
after all, should be the chief consideration that
one set of men or oae band •of politicans should
want power and place, and monopolise all the
functions of the State. Human nature rarely if
ever can stand this trying test, and certainly in the
present instance the experiment has been tried
quite long enough. There is every reason to sup-
pose that things are now much changed since the
old days of Whigs and Tories. One who took a
survey of parties as they were when Sir ROBERT
PEEL left the ranks of his friends and assumed the
policy of his quondam opponents would have
been surprised to hoar that in so short
a time comparatively, as it were, the
scene would bo changed, and the parties take each
other's places in the opinion of the nation. The
Conservatives have gradually gained in strength,
and that must be mainly attributed to their in-
creased growth in enlightened and popular
views. The Liberals, on the contrary, have rapidly
fallen in public opinion. Through their fancied
security they have become reckless, and regardless
of those principles the profession of which won for
them their former mighty position. It remains to
be seen what will come of all this, bat at least it is
satisfactory to know that if the Government attempt
anything particularly unpopular or inimical to the
spirit of the country, they will not now be able to
boast with impunity of their majority, and point

with lofty scorn to the thin ranks of their oppo-
nents. The best way of estimating the real worth
of this Hertfordshire victory, as indeed of all similar
contests, would be to reflect upon what opportunity
it would have afforded to the Government had they
won it, and what political capital they would have
made of it.

The Peace Society and the Emperor of
the French,

The subjoined Memorial from the Peace Society
has been presented to the Emperor of the French :
To His IMF ERIA.L MAJESTY THE EMPEROR OF THE
FRENCH—THE MEMORIAL OF THEjCOMMITTEE OF THE
PEACE SOCIETY.

May it Please your Majesty,—The Committee of the
London Society for the Promotion of Permanent and Uni-
versal Pease ask permission most respectfully to express
to your Majesty the extreme satisfaction with which they
have observed the proposal recently laid by your Majesty
before the various Sovereigns and States of E drope for as•
sembling an International Congress to adjust by mutual
counsel and concession the unsettled questions that seem to
jeopardise the peace of nations, and to concert measures for
the mutual and simultaneous reduction of those great arma-
ments which have proved at once bo burdensome to the re-
sources, so dangerous to the peace, and so detrimental to
the morals of Europe.

Your memorialists represent a body who have been en-
gaged for many years in propagating the doctrines of peace
on the broad grounds of humanity and religion ; but neither
have they failed to urge upon the attention of Governments
and peoples such practical measures for averting war and
consolidating peace as have now happily received your
Majesty's sanction. But to your Majesty belongs the signal
honour of having taken the initiative in proposing to the
States of Europe to substitute the arbitration of reason and
justice for that of the sword, and to unite in relieving the
people from the grievous burden of those warlike prepara-
tions from which unhappily the nations of Europe have so
long menaced each other. The general and cordial re-
sponse with which the overture was greeted by the Go-
vernments to whom it was addressed sufficiently proves
how entirely in harmony with the conscious wants of the
age was your Majesty's generous thought. It is seldom that
great innovations, however wise and beneficent, succeed on
the first endeavour. But your memorialists cannot doubt
that your Majesty's idea is destined to bear fruit at no dis-
tant day, strictly in harmony, as they believe it to he, with
the dictates of reason and justice, the spirit of Christianity,
and the tendencies of a progressive civilisation.
And should your Majesty succeed in leading the Powers
of Europe into the path of arbitration and disarmament, it
will confer upon your Majesty's reign a glory far brighter
and more enduring than any that can be reaped from the
most brilliant military achievements, because it will be a
glory derived from the gratitude of nations and the well-
being of universal humanity.
And your Memorialists will ever pray, &c.

JOSEPH PEASE, President
SAMUEL GURNEY, Treasurer
HENRY RICHARD, Secretary.

The following is the Emperor's reply :
To MR. JOSEPH PEASE, PRESIDENT OF THE LONDON
PEACE, SOCIETY.

Sir,—Your committee, in the address which it has for.
warded to me, congratulates me on having proposed a
European Congress. The enression of its sentiments
touches mo all the more because your society, occupying
itself, with an enlightened zeal, with the meaus of main-
taining the general peace, is on that very account better
able to appreciate my constant solicitude for the attainment
of that end,

" Will you be my interpreter to your honourable col
leagues, and offer them my sincere thanks ?
Believe me, sir, with all sentiments,

NAPOLEON.

Mr. Cobden and the Sugar Duties.

Mr. Cobden has forwarded the following reply
to a memorial from the Rochdale Tradesmen's As-
sociation in reference to the sugar duties :
London, March 10, 1864.

Gentlemen,—l have to acknowledge the receipt of your
letter respecting the sugar duties. lam no friend of custom-
houses, as you know, but if duties aro to be levied on im •
ports, the most equitable mode for the consumer of levying
them is on the ad valorem principle, This no one will, I
suppose, dispute. It is said that this mode is impracticable
in the case of sugar, owing to the difficulty of assessing the
value of the different qualities. lam not quite clear that
this is true. But if it be, it is another argument against cus-
toms duties, because it is an admission that they cannot be
imposed equitably. As an approximation to the ad valorem
principle, the present sugar duties are framed so as to impose
a different specific duty on several qualities of sugar. It is
urged in opposition to this plan that it operates as a protec-
tion to the lowest qualities, and to the refiners; and the fact
adduced to prove this is that a very large proportion of the
raw sugar imported is of so low a quality as to require re-
fining. I cannot, however, regard this as a conclusive argu-
ment in the matter, for we know that large quantities of
ccpper ore are imported Lobe smelted in this country, though
there is no duty on copper or copper ore ; and I know the
proprietors of an iron works in Wales who import largely of
ironstone from the Mediterranean, although they raise the
same materials at their own doors. It is quite possible that
if there were no duty on sugar of any kind, it would be ad-
vantageous to import low qualities of sugar to be refined in
this country, inasmuch as the cheapness of fuel, the greater
capitals, and the superiority in labour and machinery,might
more than compensate for the expense of transporting theraw
material from the place of growth to our shores. This ques-
tion has been much forced on my attention, and I really do
not know why, as I have no voice in the Chancellor of the
Exchequer's arrangements. In writing to you, however,
who stand in the position of my constituents, I think it re-
spectful to offer this explanation, and to add, as my opinion,
that if it should lie within Mr, Gladstone's competence to
reduce the duty to a very small rate, it might then be al-
lowed to remain a uniform fixed duty. But if the present
rate, or any thing like it, be retained, then I think in justice
to the consumer there ought to bo ad valorem duties
(which I am by no means convinced is impracticable), or a
discriminating scale similar to what now exists.—l remain,

&0., RICHARD COBDEN.
Messrs. Joseph Handley, Thomas Brandon, and others.

Vacancies, Promotions, and Appointments

in the Civil Service;

(From the Civil Service Gazelle.)

BOARD OF TRADE-Mr C. Pettit and Mr W. W. Leaker
have been appointed to clerkships.
SCIENCE AND ART DEPARTMENT—Mr P. C. Owen and
Mr J. H. Pollen, M.A., late Fellow of Merton, Oxford,
have been appointed museum keepers—Miss Trulock to be
lady superintendent of the female training school—and Mr
H. E. Acton a second-class clerk, South Kensington
Museum.

OFFICE or WOODS—Mr A. M. Hart has been appointed
to a clerkship.
LAW DEPARTMENT--Mr T. Swain has been appointed to
be a clerk in the Master's Office, Exchequer of Pleas,
London.

THE POST OFFICE-Mr E. H. Pratt has been appointed
postmaster at Coventry—Mr Briscoe from the probationary
to the third class of clerks in the Secretary's Office, Lon-
don—and Mr. W. B. Challico a temporary clerk, London—
Messrs. B. Perkins, G. Dumeldenger, E, Fisher, T. Pitt,
and 0. Stanbridge have been promoted from the second to
the first class—and Messrs R. Wilson, P. Cross, W. Lums-
den, T, Winkskill, and D. Commins, from the third to the
second class of clerks, in the Circulation Department,
London.

EMIGRATION OFFICE—Mr. R. Reece has been appointed
STATIONERY OFFICE —Mr J. A.
an extra temporary clerk.
Guppy has been ap-
pointed a sub warehouseman.

INLAND REVENUE—Stamps and Tax Branch—Mr W.
W. Jackson has been appointed to be assistant-surveyor of
taxes. Excise Branch—Mr Kemp, officer, Alloa, fifth
division, Stirling collection, has been appointed examiner—
Mr E Cullinan, officer, Brentford, first division, to Ham
mersmith, first division—Mr W. Reeves, officer, Camden-
town, fourth division, to Brentford, first division —Mr J.
F. Snowden, officer, Norwich, fourth division, to Camden-
town, fourth division—and Mr. G. H. Madden, officer,
Woking ride, to Norwich, fourth division.
IRELAND.---11r G. 0. Hanlon has been appointed a clerk
in the Commissioners of Metropolitan Police-office, Dub-
lin—and Mr T. M'Murray, Mr R. J. Brow, Mr T. F.
Taylor, Mr J. De Glanville, Mr A. C. E. Hill, Mr J. F.
Beveridgv, Mr W. Bailey, and Mr C. 11. Teeling, clerks
in the Registrar-General's-office, Dublin.
THE EAST INDIES.—Mr R. F.
Stack has been ap-
pointed to officiate as Solicitor to the Government of India
Mr J. W. Twalling to be registrar in the Financial Secre •
tary's-office—Mr I. G, Hewson to be probationer in the
Financial Secretary's office—Mr A. T. 'l'. Peterson to be a
member of the Council of the Lieutenant-Governor of Ben.
gal for making laws and regulations—Lieutenant-Colonel
J. C. Houghton to be commissioner of Cooch Behar--
Captain G. F. S. Browne, deputy-commissioner, first-class,
Central Provinces, to Le Commissioner of the Jubbulpore
division, vice Mr A. 11. Cocks, CB, resigned—Mr E. F.
Lautour, to be additional judge of Bhaugulpore--Mr W.
Ainslie to be civil and sessions judge of Patna—Mr A. E.
Russell to be civil and sessions judge of Behar—Mr W. B.
Buckle, officiating civil and sessions judge of Moorshedabad,
to be civil and sessions judge of that district—Mr W. T.
Tucker, officiating civil and sessions judge of Backergunge,
to be civil and sessions judge of that district—Mr T. E.
Ravenshaw to be a magistrate and collector of the first grade
in Midnapore—Mr R. Alexander, to be a magistrate and
collector of the second grade in Rungpore—Mr E. G.
Birch to be a magistrate and collector of Balasore ; Mr. E.
W. Molony to be a magistrate and coilector of the second
grade in Jessore ; Mr H. F. I. Kean to officiate as joint-
magistrate and deputy collector of Behar ; Mr H. A.
Mangles, officiating civil paymaster, a Government director
of the Bank of Boinbay; and Mr W. M. P. Coughlan, to
be senior assistant and sessions judge at 33reach, vice Mr

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

jREUTEn'S TELEGRAMS.]

FRANCE.

PARIS, MARCH 12.
The Emperor received the Duke of Saxe Coburg
Gotha yesterday.
The Minister of the Emperor's Household has
just charged M. Chenillion with the execution of a
bust in marble of the late Cardinal Morlot.

The Emperor, on the proposition of the Minister
of War, has extended his clemency to 599 military
prisoners. Out of that number 402 have had the
remaining period of their punishments remitted,
and the 197 others have had their terms of confine-
ment reduced.

BOURSE, AL rch 11.—The market remains with•
out any material change, bit with little business
doing. Threes, for the Account, are now at 66f.
40c. Mobilier have receded to 1,040 f. Very little
doing in Railway Shares. The market closed as
follows :

41 per Cents .. 93 5
Do. end month....
3 per Cents
Do. end month 66 45
Credit liobilier 1045
Do. end month 1042 50
Bank Shares 3310
Credit F oncier 1250
Roman —

Italian Loan
Do. end month —
New ditto —
Do. end month —
Rnssian
Austrian .. —
Spanish Threes. e 5l 75
Elome Debt
Deferred

RAILWAYS.

Cash. Account.
Orleans lOO2 50 .. 1005
Northern
New ditto
Lyons and Mediterranean

927 50 .. 927 50

--- --•-- - • - - -
New ditto
Southern
Western
Eastern
Sardinian
Austrian
Lombard
North of Spain
Saragossa 585 .. 582 50
Ditto to Barcelona

THE WEST AFRICAN MAILS,

---•s--

The Macgregor Laird, mail steamer, with the
West African mails, arrived at Liverpool at 5 p.m.
yesterday, with 1,690 ounces of gold dust, £5,000
i❑ specie, and 42 passengers.
Her dates are—Benin, January 24th; Fernando
Po, 29th ; Cameroons, 31st ; 0:d Calabar, February,
2d; Brass River, 4th; Bonny, 7th; Lagos, 10th;
Accra, 12th; Cape Coast Castle, 14th ; Cape Palmas,
16th; Sierra L'...:one, 21st; Bathurst, 25th; Tencriffe,
March 21, and Madeira, 4th.

The rivers were generally healthy. A terrific
explosion had taken place at New O.ilabnr, at noon
on the 25th January. The hulk Merlin, the first
vessel lying up the river, caught fire ; she was laden
with gunpowder, and an explosion took place.
The fire catching seven other vessels, which also
had gunpowder on board, they likewise blew up,
causing a fearful concussion and extensive loss of
property.

Signs of dissatisfaction had been given by the
King of Ashantee, and the Government of Cape
Coast Castle was about to paeify him.
The Confederate cruiser Florida was penned up
in Funchal Bay, Madeira, and the Federal cruiser
St. Louis was preparing to cut her out.
When the Macgregor Laird left Madeira the
Florida had been refused leave to coal.

The French in China,

-- -0,

The ./Ifoniteur de la Flotte publishes an interest
lug letter from a correspondent at Saigon, the capi-
tal of the French colony in Cochin-China, dated
the 30th of January. The colony is said to eejoy
perfect tranquillity, and the rivers were never so
safe, thanks to the energetic measures adopted
against the pirates who infested them. The last
harvest was most abundant, which, perhaps, is one
of the causes of the tranquillity that prevails. In
consequence of the great number of merchant ves-
sels which have arrived at Saigon the price of rice
is well maintained, a fact which will dispose the
natives to remain at peace. At the date of the letter
there were 20 foreign merchant ships loading rice
at Saigon. A great number of Annamites are
demanding grants of land from the French autho-
rities, others are seeking employment. Euro-
peans are beginning to establish themselves
outside of Saigon, and they are treated with
great kindness by the natives. The land is culti-
vated in every direction, fresh gardens are planted,
and the Saigon market is well supplied with vege-
tables. Although the population of the sown has
tripled within 12 months the price of provisions has
diminished, and it is expected to fall lower. The
Annamites are delighted to find that the French
authorities render justice gratis, and the custom of
giving presents to the native magistrates is gradu-
ally losing ground. It is the intention of Admiral
de la Grandiere to build a gunboat at Saigon ;
hitherto the largest vessel completed was a whale
boat. A naval arsenal has like Wise been commenced,
and several workshops covered with thatch are
already occupied. The Annamites are industrious
workmen, and excel in imitating the work of others.
The Annamite seamen likewise continue to render
good service. The Admiral Governor is about to
send several boys to France, as he expects that on
their return they may be very useful as interpreter'.
The Forbin has taken three; the European will take
as many, and great numbers offer themselves for a
similar voyage.