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

THE ARMY RELIEFS,

(From the Army and _Navy Gazette.)
Although it is, perhaps, somewhat premature to
speculate upon the reliefs of the year which has just
commenced, and although many exceptional cir-
cumstances may occur to vary materially the pro-
gramme that would be carried out in the absence
of disturbing causes, there are yet some moves of
regiments so palpably pointed out by the require-
ments of the service, that we do not run much risk
in looking over the roster and predicting the more
likely of the changes. In the first place, the
authorities very wisely adhere to the plan of carry-
icg • out the Indian relief regularly, and in July
we may expect to see one regiment of cavalry and
five of infantry despatched to the East. In all pro-
bability the 18th Hussars will proceed to the Mad-
ras Presidency to relieve the 17th Lancers; and the
Ist battalion 11th, 2d battalion 12th, 58th, and
45th to Bengal, to relieve the 48th, 71st, 52d, and
81st. The 2aila, at Bombay, will also be relieved
either by a battalion from the Colonies or by the
26th from England. Although in strictness it is
not the turn of the 26th to go abroad next after the
45th, yet the intervening regiments-the Ist bat-
talion 10th 86th, 32d, 84th, 78th, and 29th-
came last from India, and the 26th from Ber-
muda ; and this circumstance will no doubt
weigh in 'favour of having the 26th sent to
India, although it returned to England a couple
of months after these corps. The break up of the
St. Helena Regiment will oblige us to send a wing
to the island, and we are rather short at the Cape.
In all likelihood a regiment would be sent out to be
divided between these two stations, and if so, the
Ist battalion of the 10th, now in Ireland, stands
first for this duty. It is not likely that any other
regiment will go abroad during 1864. The cession
of the lonian Islands in April will place four extra
battalions at our disposal, and they will about suffice
to fill the place of corps on other stations which
have a fair claim to relief. There are, for instance,
the Ist battalion 14th at Jamaica, the Ist battalion
21st Fusiliers at Barbadoes, the 39th at Bermuda,
all of which went abroad early in 1854, and have
been a long time on their present stations. The
fourth battalion released from Corfu might be made
available to bring back one of the battalions of the
Guards sent out on special service in 1861, but now
detained on something like ordinary colonial duty.
There are three line battalions in Canada-the 62d,
Ist battalion 17th, and 633-which having gone
abroad in 1854, in strictness ought to come home
in 1864 ; but when we compare the nature of their
service and the circumstances of their prolonged
absence with those of the 65th and 70th in
New Zealand, they have no very serious ground
of complaint. On the other hand, the Guards,
although ready and willing for service in the field,
are not unnaturally somewhat dissatisfied at being
kept doing colonial garrison duty, and the relief of
one battalion, which is now possible, could not
be objected to. We know not which of the bat-
talions now in Canada has the first claim to return;
both came from Portugal in 1828, both went to
America on the same day in 1861 ; and we are
merely echoing a surmise in saying that the Grena-
diers stand before the Scots Fusiliers for relief. We
have lately had considerable changes among the
'Mediterranean stations-nearly one-half of the gar-
risons of Malta and Corfu having just changed places
-and we may assume that the battalions thus re-
moved will not be speedily disturbed. The 2d bat-
talion of the 7th, the 4th battalion Rifle Brigade,
the 2d battalions of the Bth, 15th, and 23d, and the
100th, would thus appear unlikely to be affected by
the coming changes. The four battalions that have
been longest on the Mediterranean station have not
been so moved ; each of them has had two stations
for some time, ani we doubt not but that they will
now be sent across the Atlantic. One would go to
British North America, one to Bermuda, lone to
Barbadoes, and one to Jamaica. Taking them in
order we may thus expect to see the Ist battalion
25th sent from Malta to Canada (or perhaps to
Halifax or New Brunswick), allowing one of the
regiments here, the Ist battalion 15th or the 21
battalion 17th, to fill the place of the Guards bat-
talion in Canada ; the 2d battalion of the 2d
Queen's, from Gibraltar to Bermuda, relieving the
39th ; the 2d battalion 3d Buffs, from Gibraltar to
Barbadoes, relieving the Ist battalion 21st Fusiliers;
and the 2d battalion 6th Regiment, from Corfu
to Jamaica, relieving the Ist battalion 14th. We
should thus have the remaining three battalions
from Corfu to take the place of the 25th at Malta
and the 2c.i and 3d at Gibraltar. In all probability
the 2d battalion of the 9th would go to Malta, and
the Ist battalion 9th and 2d. battalion 4th to Gib-
raltar, thus completing the Mediterranean, West
Indian and North American arrangements for this
year. Beyond those coming from India we see no
immediate prospect of any of the regiments in the
East being brought home. The corps of the Cape,
Ceylon, the Mauritius have not been long enough
on foreign service to entitle them to a turn of home
service for some time to come; but in New Zealand
there are some regiments whose detention abroad
can only be justified by the very urgent demands
of the war with the Maoris. Thus the 65th went
out in 1846, the 70th in 1849, the 43d, just gone on
from India, in 1851, the 40th in 1852, the 75th in
1853. The 68th, too, possess a strong claim to
relief, owing to the fact of their having been only a
few months in England when they were suddenly
despatched out to India ; but all these regiments
must wait for the conclusion of the war before they
can expect to see England again.
Our home changes during the year are likely to
be tolerably numerous. Toe Irish establishment
is rather short ; the three battalions-Ist battalions
19th and 21st, and the 36th Regiment-not having
been adequately replaced. When five or six more
come to be sent abroad, it is apparent that we must
send a tolerably large number of regiments across
the Channel. In all likelihood the 78th Highlanders,
41st, 49th, Ist battalion 60th Rifles, 53d, Ist bat-
talion Bth, 61st, and 2d battalion Ist Royals, will
leave for the sister isle in the course of the year,
their places taken by regiments from Aldershot, and
by those now on the eve of sailing from India-the
Ist battalion 13th, 74th, and 69th-and by the regi-
ments from the West Indies and Bermuda. It is
very likely that one of these corps, instead of going
to Ireland, may be sent to Glasgow to take the place
of the 41st, and that a regiment from Sborncliff, the
sth Fusiliers, or 83d " County of Dublin," may go
to Ireland. Tae 92d Highlanders and 85th Light
Infantry are, we believe, the only regiments at home
who have not yet gone through a course of camp
instruction; the former will come up from Edin-
burgh to Aldershot, and will very probably be suc-
ceeded in the Scotch capital by the 74th, shortly
after they have landed in England. The 85th will
doubtless also be sent to Aldershot.
With respect to the cavalry reliefs, as we have
said, the 18th Hussars are certain to go to Madras
in the course of the summer to take the place
of the 17th Lancers at Secunderabad ; but the
latter regiment will not be home till early in 1865.
The Bth Hussars may be expected from India in
the course of the present spring, and very likely
they will be quartered at Exeter. Two regiments
are likely to be brought over from Ireland, and
two sent in their place. The 15th and 4th Hussars
are those to come over, and one of them will no
doubt take the place of the 3d Hussars in Scotland.
The 16th Lancers are, in strictness, the first cavalry
regiment for service in Ireland; but, inasmuch as
they are for India in 1865, it is not likely that the
expense and trouble of sending them across the
Channel for one "year's service will be incurred.
Under these circumstances the 9th and 12th Lancers
are the corps most likely to succeed the 15th and
4th Hussars on the Irish establishment. The Scots
Greys and 14th Hussars 'will come up from Bir-
mingham and Manchester respectively to Aldershot,
in place of the 13th Hussars and Carabineers. We
shall, no doubt, as usual, have a fine cavalry force
at the great camp this summer, and it is probable
that the 2d Life Guards, Carabineers, Royal Dra-
goons, Scots Greys, 9th and 12th Lancers, and the
13th, 14th, and 18th Hussars, will all be at
Aldershot for a greater or less period.

Jan. 7, 1564.

DR. ANDREW REED wrote the following epitaph
for himself:—" I sprang from the people; I have lived for
the people—the most for the most unhappy; and the people,
when they shall know it, will not allow me to die out of
their loving remembrance."

SUN OFFICE, HA .F-PAST 4 o'CLocK.

GREE CE,

Letters have arrived from. Athens via Trieste
says the Pays, a week later than those before re-
ceived via Marseilles. M. Bnlgaris had relied on
embarrassing the King by gi:ving his resignation,
but he now regrets that it; was accepted, and is
making efforts to regain his portfolio. He declares
teat he is ready to sign the new organisation of the
army, to make peace with M. Smolentz, to admit
into the Cabinet all his political enemies, even M.
Cnriatides himself—in a word, to do anything rather
han retire. A Canaria, Rilbis, and Z :iris Cabinet
is talked of, and what is c-.rtaia is that overtures
have been made to those gentlemen.

H*l I EDITION

SUN OFFICE, SEVEN O'CLOCK.

Bank of England Return,--This Evening.

An Account, pursuant to the Act ith and Bth Victoria,
cap. 32, for the week ending on Wednesday, the 6th day
of Jan., 1864,:

ISSLTE DEPARTMENT.

Z,Otes issued ......X25.1b4,280, Government Debt £11,(15,1C0
Other Securities .. 3,f,R4,•.+00
Gold Coin & Bullion 13,511,280
Silver Bullion

£28,164,280

BANKING D

rroprietors' Capi-
tal '14.553,000
Rest
Public Deposits (in-
cluding Exche-
quer, Savings'
Banks, Commis-
missioners of Na-
tional Debt, and
Dividend Ac-
counts) 10,001,982
Other Deposits 13,054,601
Seven Day and
other Bills

601,044

£28,1C4,'.:80

:PARTMEN T.
G overnment
Seca-
rities (including
Dead Weight A-
nnuity) £10.957,330
Other Securities '22.432,763
Notes
Gold and Silver 6:2,494
Coin

X,1,518.440

.£41,518,44
.IISIIALL, Chief Cashier.

Liverpool Cotton Market—This Dap•

Sales probably only about 1,000 or 2,000 bales, at
id. to -Id. below Thursday. Import, 2,403 ; previ-
ously, 8,416.

Mr. Bright and the Pirate,

(From the Birnzingham .Post.)

Those of our readers who remember the bankruptcy of
Mr. J. Rubery will no doubt remember also that Mr. J.
Rubery had a brother, younger than himself, who, being
sent out to Now York to " settle accounts" with a Mr.
Hill, wandered off to California with, it was stated, certain
moneys in his possession. The young man was the object
of a great deal of discussion and evidence in the Bankruptcy
Court, and if we remember rightly the case was adjourned
once, or more than once, for his production as a witness.
He never came, but in his place Hill made his appearance,
remarking, when asked what brought him here, " The
steamship Europa." Hill, if our recollection serves us as it
should do, stated that young Rubery had called on him,
settled accounts, and set out for California. As to the
" set,ling accounts" we know nothing--but it was agreed
on all hands that California was the destination of Mr. J.
Rubery's brother. It now turns out that the young man
has, through the influence of Mr. Bright, M.F., narrowly
escaped hanging. So far as we can make out, Rubery (of
Califon' ia), getting money somewhere, became part pro-
prietor of a steamship, which set out from New York with
supposed supplies for California. At all events, whether
part proprietor or not, he was supercargo ; and the " cargo"
of which he was " super" seems to have consisted chiefly of
arms and ammunition, with a great deal of quicksilver
thrown in as "a blind." The real object of the journey,
however, seems to have been a piratical one, the plan being
to lie off San Francisco until an outward bound gold vessel
should fall into the clutches of the crew of the " supply"
steamer, in which case there is lithe doubt that the crew
of the gold vessel would have been murdered, and their
cargo stolen. Two of Rubery's sailors, however, got
ashore, and divulged the whole business, whereupon
the supply ship was seized, and Rubery and his compa-
nions were in imminent danger of being hanged, if, indeed,
they were not already sentenced; we do not know how
this was. This, however, is pretty certain : Rubery wrote
home explaining that he had an objection to being hanged,
but stating that he did not care much for a term of impri-
o sonment, his apartments at the gaol bring the most comfort-
. able he had occupied for some time past. As was natural,
his friends here were greatly concerned ; and feeling that
Mr. Bright and Mr. Cobden were about the only persons

in this country who had influence enough in America to
get a commutation of the young scapegrace's sentence,
they applied to the friend of both gentlemen, Mr. Charles
Sturge, ex-mayor of Birmingham. Mr. Sturge, a strong
advocate for the abolition of capital punishment, at once
wrote to Mr. Bright, and Mr. Bright at once communicated
with the Federal Government at Washington. The result
was a commutation of Rubery's sentence to 10 years'
imprisonment and a fine of ]O,OOO dols. Here Mr. Sturge's
efforts ended. The crime of which Rubery was convicted
was, as he took it, a very serious one, and the only ground
on which be had been induced to interest himself in the
young man's behalf was his belief that capital punishment
was simply judicial murder. Mrs. Joseph Sturge, how-
ever, together with certain members of the Society of
Friends in Birmingham, looking at the young man's
youth, his previous good conduct, and the influences by
which he was surrounded, moved Mr. Bright to obtain,
if possible, a full pardon. Mr. Bright, it would seem, com-
plied with this request, and by the last mail received a
letter from a high authority in Washington—at all events
such a letter has been communicated to Rubery's friends—
containing the following passag,: :—" Rubery's pardon
will issue as soon as the papers can be prepared. There
is touch feeling in Calfornia against the crime of Rubery
and his associates ; but the judge who tried him, and both
senators say, that everybody will be satisfied if it be known
that Mr. Bright, the good friend of our country, desired
the pardon."