The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-16 00:00:00

I LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

severest lesson the Maories have ever learnt," and
as there is no reason to suspect an English General
of Yankee manoeuvring, we may safely accept the
latter version as the true one. There is no doubt,
however, that the engagement was a severe
one, and not altogether profitable in its results,
since, although the natives were much discomfited
by it, their discomfiture induced them to abandon
the position which General CAMERON was prepared
to attack, and to retreat into the interior, where it
is not at present possible to follow them. General
CAMERON left part of his troops under his second
in command at Orakan, in the Waikato district,
where the natives had constructed works blocking
up their main road to the south, and he himself
proceeded to the spot where the main body of the
enemy were entrenched. Daring his absence, how-
ever, the officer in command, with more gallantry
than prudence, attempted to storm the position of
the Maories at Orakau. He was unable to carry
it, owing to the want of scaling-ladders, and with-
out further assistance, and accordingly General
CAMERON returned from his expedition to sup•
port the attack. It proves the daring and resolu-
tion of the native tribes, that when outnumbered
five to one they refused to surrender, and by a bold
and unexpected movement dashed through the
opposing forces, and fled for their lives through the
neighbouring swamp. They were pursued by the
English troops and many of them killed, wounded,
and captured. There is no doubt, according to
Mr. CARDWELL'S information, of the district of the
Upper Waikato being now in our possession, and
accordingly the prospects of the colony are bright-
ening, however tedious and inconclusive the course
of the war may at times appear to be, Thee has
never been any room for doubting the ultimate
establishment of British supremacy and the event-
ful triumph of the colonists, provided they are
assisted by the mother country during the time of
severe trial. The loan proposed by Mr. CARDWELL
to be made to the Colonial Government is fair and
reasonable. There is no great risk incurred, since
there is every prospect of a loan of £1,000,000
being repaid out of an average surplus of £200,000.
The financial piespects of the colony are most re-
assaring and quite sufficient to warrant a loan of
the amount specified, since in the year ending June
30th, 1863, there was a surplus of receipts over the
expenditure of £260,000, while even for the pre-
sent year the estimated surplus of £200,000 is
likely to be exceeded. The minor arrangements
explained by Mr. CARDWELL are fair and straight-
forward, neither putting an undue burden on the
mother country, nor taxing too heavily the resources
of the colonists. It was proposed that after
this year the colonial Government shall make the
same payment as the Australian colonies for any
military aid it may receive from the Imperial Go-
vernment, with the exception of one regiment,
which, in consideration of the native tribes, is to
be sent free. This indulgence can hardly be be-
grudged to them, since their position is one of some
risk and considerable difficulty, and they have come
manfully for ward to fight their own battles in this
emergency. In the province of Auckland the whole
population, from sixteen to fifty-five, have been
under arms at once, and the colonists are certainly
entitled, as Mr. ADDERLEY remarked, to "great
credit and great consideration for the spirit with
which they have met their difficultiee, and the ex-
ample which they have set to other colonies."
Surely when our settlers show such readiness to
fight for themselves, and are so ready to meet us on
fair and moderate grounds with respect to financial
matters, it is the leaat that can be expected by the
mother country to affard soma temporary assist-
ance without waiting for actual payment to be
made. If the colonists sat in their homes and asked
England to send her troops to fight for them gratis,
some opo3ition might justly bo made, but when
the whole population of a prosince is under arms,
no charge of selfish inactivity can justly be made.
As to those logicians who contend that we have no
more interest in our distant colonies than in foreign
lands, their arguments, eve❑ o❑ the low ground of
self-interest, are quite untenable. Should England
abandon her protectorate of the islands of New
Zealand, what is to hinder them from putting them-
selves under the protection of some other Power,
say France or the United States? An American
Governor may yet order British vessels out of the
ports, and profit by the trade of our rejected colo-
nies without our having the right to object. But
the ties between the mother country and her chil-
dren are too strong to be so easily sundered. Eng-
land is as proud of her widely extended dominions
as the settlers are of their connection with the
Mistress of the Seas, and the mutual strength de

rived from the union is essential to the prosperity
of both. England has no cause to question the
loyalty of her colonies. In every time of national

distress or trial they have come gallantly forward,
and it would ill become us, after the munificent

contributions of Australia to the relief of Lanca-
shire, to begrudge a temporary outlay on her
younger and less flourishing neighbour. It is a
very un-English quality to forsake a friend in diffi-

culties; and in the present case principle and profit

interest and feeling, all combine in advocating the

same policy.

There is no particular in which improvements
have been made of late years that has resulted
in more substantial benefits than the efforts made
for the amelioration of those employed in fac-
tories. It is now some years since the Earl of
SHAFTESBURY made his praiseworthy efforts in
the cause of justice for the overtasked operatives.
Amid the bustle of more stirring events, and the
general hurry-skurry of existence, these struggles,
so momentous at the time, may be perchance for-
gotten ; but the skilful disciple of progress will
acknowledge that we then entered upon a new
and blessed era of our country's manufacturing
industry, when protection was afforded to the
weak, the helpless, and the young. Many had
cause to bless the day when the Ten Hours' Bill
was introduced; and, when more exciting and
brilliant epochs are forgotten, the still small voice
of truth will bear witness to the lasting effects
of that effort, and the beneficent results of that
struggle. Much has since been found to do in
following in the wake of that enterprise, and the
subject is one which attracts the attention of all
who can comprehend the vast importance of the
question, whether we regard it from a social,
mercantile, or moral point of view. It is satisfac-
tory to find that the second reading of the " Fac-
tory Act Extension Bill" tock place on Tuesday.
This excellent measure proposes to extend the
rest r ictiona of the Factory Act to those trades
which are specially injurious to children
and young persons. Mr. BRUCE made some
very interesting remarks on this subject, and
it must be a source of great pain to all who atten-
tively study the details of the case that the little
labourers should be so early exposed to toil that
brings with it suffering and injury. Some strin-
gent regulations are most urgently called for, and
its seems surprising that something decisive was net
done before in order to check those serious evils
which accrue from the misdirected and uncon-
trolled pursuit of business and trade. It is against
the interest of the country that the juvenile race
should be injured and deteriorated. In making
haste to be rich, and otriving to excel all other

nations in trade and commerce we are sapping our
foundations, and poieening the root of our strength
by cutting off future supplies. A diseased and de.
crepid generation of labourers will militate against
any eminence that we may hope to reach, and mar
the effect of any effort male by posterity to carry
on successfully the arduous endeavours of the pre-
sent community. Besides, the wrong thus perpe-
trated is positively frightful to contemplate.
Nothing can excuse or justify the fact that young
children of a tender age are put to trades which
inflict vital injuries on their unformed constitutions
and wither their undeveloped strength. The
provisions of this Bill seem to be very
admirable, 'and to have taken under notice
many matters that will materially affect the
welfare and comfort of these distressed operatives.
Between seventeen and eighteen thousand children
are employed in dangerous trades, such as inciter
match making, manufacture of percussion caps, &c.,
and rules have been given for the proper cleansing
of the places where they work. The children are
not to take their meals in the place of manufacture,
and no child under eleven years of age is to be em-
ployed in any trade above mentioned. This is a
very excellent arrangement, and will prevent much
suffering to then of tender years. Some parents
are so heartless that they sacrifice everything to
money, and are glad to get their children out of
the way. Besides, there are thousands of these
little ones who are without a proper guardian, and
for these it is right and fitting that the law should
provide some protection. In the potteries, many
children work for thirteen and fourteen hours a
day. Ia one portion of the work, the " dippers"
seldom remained meny years without paralysis
supervening. It is greatly to the credit of those
concerned that they have sent a memorial to the
Government, signed by the manufacturers at the
potteries, which prays for the adoption of this
bill. In the lucifer trade, children are often em-
ployed from six in the morning until ten at Light.
This bill will prove of great service to these
children in many ways. It limits their hours,
secures ventilation, and obviates the necessity
of their taking their meals in the factory.
The paper-staining trade i 3 not injurious
in itself, but the poor little workers were
kept so many hours at their labour that
they sometimes " fall from sheer exhaustion,
while all their limbs became sore from long stand •
ing at the machinery." Such pictures are frightful
to contemplate, and the critic, the cynic, and the
caviller may well smile at the zeal which sends mis-
sions to the uttermost ends of the earth, and under-
takes to remedy so many evils abroad, while the
children of England, the sons of the soil, are
crushed and trampled upon like this. It is greatly
to be rejoiced at that so efficient and comprehensive
a system should have been organised, and the
labours of the Commission appointed to inquire into
this complicated case seem to have been crowned
with success. It will be a source of uemitigated
satisfaction to every one who appreciates the im-
portance of the question, that there seems every
reason to hope these propositions will soon become
the law of the land. Lord JOHN MANNERS ex-
pressed a hope that " before many weeks were over
they would see this measure unmutilated receive
the royal assent." That such may be the case a

right-minded individuals will concur is hoping, for
it is an undisputable fact that it does not do to trust
these important matters to the good sense, the good
faith, and the good feeling of employers or the
friends of the young employed. The law must be
the universal referee, and there must be a distinct
and decisive regulation laid down from which there
is no appeal. It is certain that all these changes
Will give rise to opposition at first, prejudices will

arise, and partiality be displayed, but there e,l:nEot
be a better CAIIEe [of wh:eb the reformer may brave
the difficulties of improvement than this, which
seeks protection for those who cannot protect
themselves.

LE EUTER'S TELEGRAMS.]

SPAIN.

MADRID, JUNE 15 (Evening).
The Council of Ministers was occupied yesterday
with the Peruvian question.
It is asserted that the Cortes will be closed on
Saturday neat.

RUSSIA.

ST: PETERSBURG, JUNE 16.

The Deulsehe Pdersburger Zeitung publishes a
scmi•cflicial article pointing out the absurdity of
the assertions of the Augsburger Allgemeine Zei-
tung, namely, that a personal union of the Duchies
with Denmark under the rule of a Prince of the
Oldenburg branch, was aimed at by Russia; and
this, it was stated, would be rendered possible by
the abdication of King Christian IX., and by pay-
ment of indemnity to the Duke of Augustenburg.

DENMARK.

COPENHAGEN, JUNE 15, 11.22 A.M.

Daybladet of to-day calls upon the Government,
at the resumption of hostilities, should assistance
from England and Sweden then be withheld, to
seek support from the revolutionary elements of
Europe instead of from legally constituted Govern-
ments, which have forsaken the cause of Denmark.

It also urges the raising of a foreign legion and
the acceptance of Garibaldi's offer.

THE BOMBAY MAIL,
MARSEILLES, JUNE 16.

The Eilora, with the above mail, arrived here at
1 a.m. this thy.
The mail. travels for London at 11.30 a.m.
The Baroda, with the Southampton portion of the
mail, left Malta at midnight on the 14th inst.

FRANCE.
THE DANISH QUESTION.

rAms, JUNE 16.

The Constitutionnel of today, in an article
signed by M.Limayrac, states, that in case hostili-
ties be recommenced, England will be compelled
to participate in the Dino-Gelman conflict by her
maritime interests in the Baltic, as well as by the
fact that a family question is involved, and also
by a state of things which the English Cabinet
has created for itself, and which, already belong-
ing to I,htory, it is useless to dissemble. None
of these necessities exist for France, and we may
therefore congratulate ourselves, because, if even
with the intervention of England the war should
remain limited, it would become general should
France take part in it.

The writer continues—"lf Europe has not to
fear the scourge of a general war, it is to the
far-seeing wisdom and moderation of the Imperial
Government that it will be due."

The ferrous Polish General Dembinski, who has
resided in Paris for nearly 15 years, died yesterday
at the age of 73. He was till lately extremely
vigorous. I met him not many years ago in the
Champs Elysees, drcased in the braided blue frock
coat waich he habitually wore, rolling his eagle
eye, and with little of the old man about him except
his white beard.

BOURSE, June 15.—The market has been firm,
but with Halo improvement either in th© amount
of business doing or in quotations. Threes, for the
Account are now at 66f, 950., Mobilier at 1,082 f.
50c. Railway Market quiet, but ❑p to the present
time former quotations pretty well maintained.
Sales for realisation previous to the.close produced
a little retrograde movement, and the market left
off as follows :-
41 periCarto. f3 20

e ri_tA month

DJ.
,C.2.:d C 6 85

orue.it .. .. .....
00. end m0nth...,1075

Italian Lon C9 50
flo. evil moctb 69 80
l'frii.o Threes 42 75
Na w llexicau . a a a 57a
itu.;a.

Bank Shares
3,6 r)

Credit k wader 1237 50
Roman

Austrian .. B2
Spanish Threes. 502
H MBA Debt
Deferred

ILA IL %% S.
eaah. Account.
Orleans „ • 870 867 50
Northern •• • •
Lyons and ticditrraneau 862 50 .. 865
New ditto
Southern
Wenern • .
Eastern ....
Sardinian
Austrian
Lot-ph-Jr('
North of Spain
Saragos,a ..
Ditto to Barcelona

618 75 .. 647 50
4PB 75 .. 501 25
463 75 46.5 -
365 - 367 50
405 - 407 50
528 75 .. 528 75
441 50 .. 442 50
565 - •567 50
257 5) 257 50

Mr.. John Bright and the Licensing System,

In some of the reports of the late debate on Mr Lawson's
bill it did not clearly appear whether Mr Bright, whilst
of jetting to xlve power to the ratepayers to suppress all
licensing, 'las not in favour of investing town councils
with permission to do so; but fr.,m the following letter it
is clear that he only proposed to give town councils the
power to veto the granting of any additional licenses, and
of withdrawing them where there were just grounds of
complaint :

Lon, J 13.
"Dear Sir,—lf it is desired to put" theond licensin une g
power
into the hands of the residents of any town or district, I
think the municipal corporations are the proper channels
for exercising that power, and they would give licenses
freely or not, as puclic opinion directed them. I did not
propose to give the power to shut up all the public-houses
and beer-shops, but only for the future to restrict the
granting of licenses ; they would also have power to suspend
or withdraw licenses in cases where there were just grounds
of complaint against those to whom they have already bees
granted. Ido not urge this proposition with much confi-
dence—there is something to be said against it , but I think
it better than the scheme of the friends of the Permissive
Bill. I cannot consent to the "rough and ready" way of
dealing with the question which many friends of tempe-
rance in their zeal seem disposed to advocate. I think they
would inflict a great injustice in many cases, and might
create a strong reactionary feeling against their own prin-
ciples. The case is full of difficulty, and I speak with
hesitation upon it.—l am, very respectfully, yours,
"Mr Robert Martin, Warrington."

"JOHN BRIGHT.

A letter from Constantinople, in the Augsburg
Gazette, says :—" Prince Mourad, eldest son of the late
Abdul Medjid, and heir presumptive to the throne, is kept
under close surveillance at Top. Kapou, and the other
princes, who wore at their villas on the banks of the Bos-
phorus, have been recalled to Constantinople. The young
brothers of hlourad have been sent to the Dolma-Bektche
Palace. Rumours of all kinds are in circulation. A
conspiracy against the life of the Sultan is even
spoken of, and of a mine filled with gunpowder
having been discovered in the Summer Palace of Fleanar.
What is most probable is that tho prodigality of the heir
to the throne led to violent explanations between him and
the Sultan, and that the nephew made use of not very
respectrul language towards his uncle.'
AGES OF AMERICAN GENERALS.--The following
list goes to prove that the best of cur military
leaders are by no means young men, but mostly men of
middle life, or beyond it :—." General Rosencranz is 44, and
General Grant 42 ; Stonewall Jackson died at 37. General
Banks is 48—General Hooker 45—General Beauregard 48
—General Bragg 49—General Burnside 40—General Gil-
more 39—General Franklin 41—General Magruder 53
General Meade 48—General Sehulyer Hamilton 42—Gene-
ral Charles S. Hamilton 40—and General Foster 40
General Lander, a man of great promise, died in his 41h
year. General Kearney was killed at 47, and General
Stevens at 45, Ganerel Sickles was In his 41st year when
he was wounded at Gettysburg, and General Iteno was 37
when he died so bravely at South Mountain. General
Pemberton lust Vicksburg at 45, General T, W. Sherman
is 49, and General W, T. Sherman 44, Genoral M'Clellan
was in his 35th year when ho assumed command at Wash-
ington in 1861. General Lyon had not completed his first
month of his 43d year when ho fell at Wilson's Creek.
General lePleowell was in his 4'cl year when ho failed at
Bull Run, in consequence of the corning up of General
Joe Johnston, who was 51. General Keyes ia 53—General
Kelley 57—General King 40—and General Pope 41. G-
eneral A. S. Johnson was 49 when ho was killed at Shiloh.
General Halleck is 48—General Langstreet is 40. The best
of the Southern cavalry leaders was General Aehby, who
was killed at 38—General Stuart 39. On our side Gene-
ral Stanley is 30—General Pleasanton 40—and General
Averill about 40. General Phelps is 51—General Polk 68
—General S. Cooper 68—General J. Cooper 54—and Cione-
ral Blunt 38,—ainterican raper.