The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-16 00:00:00

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e;sel,
has on every side a clear vi ew oer the
caiques which he has not actually rtio down.
In the Talia this bridge-house steerit`g has
been introduced into the Sultan's: yacht s for
the first time, because Abdul Aziz alweiys comm ands
the yacht himself, and when on boerd on a cruise
drops his Caliphate to become its commander. It
is in the State saloons of the Talia, however, that
the care with which the Sultan has watebed every
step in the construction of this beautiful vessel is to
be seen. Every pattern and every decoration, it is
said, were sent by the Sultan hims elf, and the result
is a specimen of the most perfectly Oriental style of
decoration, yet at the same of the richest,
quietest, and most striking that we hme ever seen.
The Prince and Princess yesterday were most ear-
nest in their praises of its magnificent good taste.
The whole style may be described by saying that
the panelling is entirely composed of the gemnetria
patterns of the Bombay work iu silver and ivory
with which we are all so familiar on the Indian
work-boxes. These patterns and massive but ex-
quisitely brilliant cue-glass corn;ces, balustrades,
and hand-rails are the materials of the decorations.,
which are blended together with a skill and effect.,
that cannot easily be described. There was great.
difficulty in getting the cut-glass work so to fit as to,
avoid the risk of fracture from vibration ; but.
Niessrs. Green, of Upper Thames-street, contrived it
somehow, though it is to be feared that the saloon
will wear a different appearance after it has crossed
the Bay of Biscay to what it wore yesterday,
the Indian panelling, and, in fact, all the rest
the decorations, were intrusted to Messrs. Holland.
Yesterday was not the first trip of the Talia down
the river. She had been tried once before at the mea-
sured mile on the Mapiin Sands, when the average of
her runs at the mile gave her 171, knots, or a little
over 21 statute miles an hour. On that occasion her
engines, though only of 350-horse power, worked up
to 2,500 indicated hors© power, and made 40 re.
volutions a minute, with a pressure of less than
251 b of steam. There was no attempt made at this
speed yesterday, for, in the first place, the Talia was
in deep sea trim and rather down by the head with
coals, so that if the speed had been wanted she could
not have made it, and, in the second place, the river
was so crowded with shipping that it w us difficult
to go a quarter of a mile without stoppin g or slow-
ing. The Prince, as we have said, visited the en-
gine-room with Mr. John Penn and Captai a Comyn,
the English commander of the vessel, and Colonel
Ahmed Bey. His royal highness remained some
time watching the machinery, which was working
with the apparent ease and perfect silence that seems
to belong almost exclusively to the finished ma-
chinery of Messrs. Penn. There was only 20lb of
steam while the Prince was below, but even then,
while condensing, the engines were doing 33 revo-
lutions a minute, though the stroke was only fire
feet and the diameter of the cylinders 71 inches.
At this time the Talia was running 19 miles an hour
by the land. When near Gravesend the royal party,
with the members of the suite and the Turkish Em-
bassy, retired to lunch, while the Talia kept swiftly
on her way down amid the crowds of shipping,
which dipped flags as they neared the royal standard
and kept them down till the vessel was almost out
of sight.
When off Southend the wind was blowing so
fresh that every part of the ship, which, with much
justice, claims to be perfectly ventilated, was as cool
below as on deck, which is saying a great deal. The
wind, however, was little thought of, but the masses
of black clouds that gathered round the horizon
were so ominous of heavy rain that a little below-
Southend, near the Mouse Light, the Talia was pat
about, and, turning easily in a small circle, again
headed up the river. Then, indeed, the cold strong
wind was felt in allits bitterness. It seemed, however,
to make no manner of impression on the Princess
who, with Madame Musurus and Lady do Grey, had
returned to the deck with his Royal Highness and
sat as qu'etly in her chair as though the hard angry
squall was a mere gentle breeze of the south. But
their composure was not destined to last long. When
off Gravesend pier, where the Princess had not been
since the memorable day she landed there to meet
her Royal husband, the long impending rain came
down at last, and after a futile attempt to keep it
out with wraps and shaws the Princess at last gave
way, and made a fair run for the deck saloon, fol-
lowed quite as eagerly, though perhaps not quite so,
actively, by the other ladies. The run back averaged
a little over 19 miles an hour, which, considering
that the Talia was down by the head, and put forth
little more than three-quarter speed, augurs well of
what she is likely to do in the smooth waters of the
Bosphorus. At a little before 5 o'clock the yacht
returned to Woolwich, and after taking a most cor-
dial farewell of M. and Mde. Musurus, their Royal
Highnesses disembarked and drove back to town,
having, to use their own expression, " enjoyed their
trip most thoroaghly."
The Talia is all ready for sea now, but it is not
expected that she will leave before Monday next.
With such costly and fragile furniture it would al-
most be wiser if her trip across the Bay of Biscay
were delayed till the equinox were past. But in
whatever order her state saloons may arrive, cer-
tainly in machinery and hull a finer steam yacht
will never have entered the Bosphorus.

~'

Mr, Gladstone and the Government Annuitieg

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, in committee
on Government Annuities Bill, intends to move the
following clause after Clause 7 (Life Annuities) :
" The Postmaster-General, with the consent of the Com-
missioners of her Majesty's Treasury, may, if he shall think
fit, authorise and direct such of his officers as ho may select
to receive such moneys as may become payable upon con-
tracts entered into under this act for remittance to the Com-
missioners for the Reduction of the National Debt, and to
pay on behalf of the said commissioners all such moneys as
may become duo and payable under such contracts.
" The Postmaster-General, with the consent of the Com-
missioners of her Majesty's Treasury, may make all regula-
tions for carrying out the provisions of this act, in so far as
his department is concerned ; and regulations so made shall
be binding on the parties interested in the subject matter
thereof, to the same extent as if such regulations formed
part of this act; and copies of all regulations issued under
the authority of this act shall be laid before both Houses of
Parliament.

" The annual accounts of the Postmaster-General and of
the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt
to the 31st day of December in each year, in respect to all
moneys received or invested under the authority of this
act shall annually, prior to the 31st day of March in each
yoar bo submitted to the said Postmaster-General and by
the said commissioners for examination and audit to the
commissioners for auditing public aceountB,,,

Mr. Hankey intends on Thursday to ask the
, with reference to his
i connexion with the
proposed
savings banks, to dtato what is the amount of a single
Chancellor
insurance
o f the Exr
of ch
lives equcl n
premium proposed to be charged on the insurance
of £lOO on lives of the following ages—viz., 20, 30,
40, 50 ; and also the annual premium to be charged
for insurance of £lOO on lives of the same ages;
and whether he will lay upon the table of the hones
a paper giving the above information.

~I,IIE SECRETARYSHIP OF THE GENERAL POST
Ol'Pim—Thin appointment, vacant by the resignation of
Sir Rowland Hill, has been bestowed by the Postmaster-
General, Lord Stanley of Alderley, on Mr. John Tilley,
Senior Assistant-Secretar), who has been for the last 35
years in the service of the department.
lIOROLOGICAL PRODUCTIONS.—" Hanged around the
base of the clock were the watches which Mr. Benson ex-
hibited, and which have been universally admired for the
beauty and elegance of the designs engraved upon them.
The movements are of the finest quality which the art of
horology is at present capable of producing."—lllustrated
London News, Nov. 8, Mc' Chronometer, duplex, lever,
horizontal, repeaters, centre seconds, keyless,
split seconds
and every
description of watch, adapted to all climate's.
Benson's illustrated pamphlet on watches (free by post for
two stamps) contains a short history of watchmaking, with
prices, from 3to 200 guineas. It acts as a guide in the pur-
chase of a watch, and "-OP 'those who live in any part of the
world to select a Watch, and have it sent by post. Prize
medal and honourable mention, classes 33 and lii. J. W.
Benson, 33 and 34, Ludgate-hill, London. Established 1749.
Watch and clock maker by special warrant of appointment to
11. I. H. the Prince of Wales.

weekly as
Machines will do well to apply at one*
00Prreorwseciriasowfhseewhianyge been in the habit of paying-
and become members of Messrs. Watts and Co.'s Sewing
Machine Clubs. By so doing they will not. Only save the
money they now foolishly throw away, but at the same time
secure to themselves the possession of one of the best and
most celebrated sewing machines in the world. Every in-
formation vela on application; or by letter addressed, with
a stamped g
envelope,
to Messrs. Watts and Co., 12, Beaufort-
l
buitdiegv, Strand, London, W.C., where mein no are en•
tolled daily between 10 and 1; Saturdays, 10 and i•

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