The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-19 00:00:00

The progress of cotton cultivation in different
pets of the world still continues to excite consider•
able interest, and indeed it can hardly fail to do so
while the necessities of the population are so much
effected by it. All classes have more or less suffered
from the extravagant price and inferior quality of
cotton fabrics, and, like a friend, who makes his
value felt by his absence, cotton has taught us how
useful and übiquitous it is by our constant need of
it now that it is difficult to get, and of doubtful
finality when obtained. The poorer classes more
especially have had cause to lament the American
War, not only as regarding Lancashire, but as put-
ting the common commodities of household economy
almost beyond the reach of heads of families. There
is little doubt, however, that what has caused such
wide distress will in the end be productive of large
and lasting good. Ihaides the stimulus given to
Indian trade, which has borne it through the first
difficulties, many countries with idle or ill-employed
land have turned their attention to this profitable
cultivation. In several parts of Africa there are
promising indications of a thriving trade, which, if
it should realise the expectations formed of it, may
prove of the greatest service to that country, and
may even serve eventually as a check upon the slave
trade by raising the value of negro labcur at home.
The Executive Committee of the Cotton Supply
Association, which has done such good service in
encouraging experiments i❑ cultivation, lately re-
ceived a letter from Durban, Nate!, enclosing two
fine samples of Sealaland cotton, valued respectively
at four and five shillings the pound, This kind of
cotton, which is one of the finest sorts, succeeds
wel', and is said to be better adapted to the climate
than any other. The weather in that part has been
unfavourable, being very stormy, but the planters
were not discouraged. Cotton in Barbary is de-
scribed as thriving, and the Moors have taken up
the notion with great energy. They are sowing
cotton in quantities, and seed had been in great
zequest. The West Indies are fortunately well
adapted to the growth of cotton, as might be sup•
posed from their geographical position. Sheule
they be able to open a good trade in this quarter it
will go far towards restoring their long lest

prosperity.
From Jamaica samples have been received, valued
as high as 33d. and 34d. per pound. From the go.
vernor of Antigua a fine sample, grown from New
Orleans seed, has been received, with a despatch
stating that it had been.grown under unfavourable
circumstances, as from the period of planting to
that of picking—three months—no rain whatever
had fallen. The Governor is very anxious that the
cotton cultivation should have a fair trial in this
island, as there are many estates now lying waste
which might he turned to profitable account. From
Berbice and St. Thomas there are favourable ac-
counts, while is Ceylon an individual has made an
experiment with so much success that he has made
application for seed sufficient to plant 50 acres. Io
the Navigator Islands the attempt to sow cotton
is also being made with a fair prospect of success.
But the cultivation is not everywhere prosperous,
and the Association chronicles with equal fidelity
the efforts which fail and which answer. In Madeira
it has proved a decided failure; a plot of ten acres
being in one instance planted three times without
any result. One speculator had been more fortunate
in his first attempts, but subsequently his crop en-
tirely failed, so that experienced men are of
opinion that it will not do to try cotton
in Madeira. This affords a curious contrast
to some other localities not, one would think,
so very dissimilar. It is evident that cotton
does not requithe,the same elements of strength and
health as human Leiugs, seeming to flourish best in
the least salubrious places. In the -West Indies, as
we have seen, it is thriving, while, on " fair
Madeira's vine crowned hills of health," as MONT-
GOMERY styles them, it absolutely refuses to grow.
In South America it bids fair to Lemma of some
importance. From Peru accounts have been re-
ceived which are very encouraging, and the
Peruvian plants stand the sun so well that they are
well adapted for introduction into Southern India,
where, if properly watered, they are more remunea
rative than the indigenous variety. The produce
is of fine quality ranking next to Sea Island. They
have been extensively grown in the districts of
Kistua and South Arcot, where the yield has been
at the rate of 560 lbs of clean cotton per cawny,
which is equal to an acre and a quarter. The
plant shoot out fresh blossoms before cue crop is
fully gathered, At Nellore it has Leen found that
the yield of cotton (from New Orleans seed) is at
.he rate of 150 lbs per acre, but where irrigation
is employed, once in eight days, it is 250 lbs.
[n several parts of Africa, as we have said, the
cultivation is thriving ; and, indeed, in many places
it already grown in some quantities by the natives.
The Governor of the Gambia gives some valuable
information acquired by Staff AssistantsSargeon
HARVEY, on his route to the Upper River, when he
saw large inclosures with fair crops of cotton. At
Medina, the capital of the people told him
that they could bring plenty of cotton to market if
wanted. Dr. HARVEY suceeedrd in negotiating a
treaty with the King of \Voolli, who is very anxious
for the friendship and trade of English merchants,
so that traders may now with perfect safety
establish depots throughout the King's dominions.
Farther north, on the sane continent, things are
more advanced, for we learn from Alexandria that
money is in great demand, owing to the large sums
sent into the interior for advances on the new
season's cotton crop, which some persons value at
£25,000,000. Should these anticipations be even
partially realised, Egyptian cotton will have a
beneficial effect upon the English market, and help
to brighten still further the improving prospects
of Lancashire.

AN ENGLISH LADY'S CARICATURE OF PARISIAN
FRENCIIMEN.—I was very fond of walking in the
B do Boulogne, Parisian Madame is very great there.
Dressed within an inch of her life, she haughtily surveys
from her carriage the humble pedestrian, I like the ap-
pf arance of Madame.—l saw many faces which pleased me
mightily piquant faces, with blight eyes, clear skins, full
lips, and pert little noses of no particular architecture. I
cannot speak so favourably of Parisian Monsieur ; he is an
ill-looking animal ; he is fat, stumpy, and badly put to-
gether ; he has short, sunk features, and a sallow dirty
skin. The hat he wears does not improve him. His hair
cut close, after the fashion of the enforced coiffure of her
Majesty's gaols, is not becoming. He shaves off his whis-
kers and a livid blue mark meanders over his fat cheeks,
The nape of his neck is thick and red, and his closely-
shaven head reveals it in all its hideousness. Ido not like
Parisian Mossoo ; he is rude and ill-bred, La politesse
.Francaisc n exists plus—it must have been one of the ear-
liest
victims of the Revolution.—London Society.
'THE NEW CATHOLIC CHAPEL AT LEAMINGTON.
.—lbe ceremony of conseeretiog the new Roman
Catholic chapel at Leami❑gton was commenced on Wed-
nesday morning, by the bishop, Dr. Ullathrone, assisted by
the Rev, G, Jeffries, vicar-general, and about eight or nine
clergy. The walls of the chapel were first sprinkled, out-
side and inside, with holy water, and afterwards the altar
was consecrated. There was a Maltese cross in the nave,
upon the two shafts of which the bishop wrote the letters
of the Greek and Latin alphabet, signifying the union of
Greek, barbarian, and different nations in the one fold of
Christ, The celebration of Mass brought the ceremony to
a close about eleven o'clock. The chapel, which stands
upon a large and eligible plot of land, in Dormer-place,
opposite to the Royal Pump Room Gardens is said to be
one of the finest of any of the Catholic chapels within the
circuit of the midland district. It has been erected by Mr.
W. G. Gascoyne, builder, of Leamington, from the design,
of Mr. Chitton, New Burlington-street, London.
" LORD DUNDREARY" AND " BROTHER SAM" IN
THE LAZE DISTEICT.—Under this heading we recently
inserted a paragraph which has, we regret to hear,' caused
some annoyance to Mr Clifford (the manager of the Kes.
wick Theatre), a gentleman who holds a respectable position
in his profession, and who is deservedly enteemed in the
Lake district. Our correspondent who furnished us with
this information in good faith was unwittingly made parti-
cipator in a foolish hoax.

It is much to be regretted that the prejudices en-
tertained against transportation to Western Ana-
tralia should still remain in full force in many quar-
ters, for until more general views are held on the
matter it seems very difficult to decide what is to be
done with our convicts. Still, while persons sup-
posed to be acquainted with the de. ails, and ap-
pwarently interested in the bearings o the question,
ill persist in making so many objections to the
schame, it is an awkward thirig for the Home co-

Belfast allowed their animosity to O'CoNNELL's vernment to deal with them so as to do justice to
memory to lead them so far in their carrying out the whole of the parties concerned. It is of ims
of a counter-demonstration, that—in lighting the manse importance to the convicts themselves that
bonfire th at roasted the effigy of the Liberator, they should be sent to that State, for there they can
they may be said to have kindled their own begin a new life, as it were, when they have worked
passions beyond control, thereby igniting a out their sentences, It adds greatly to the vexation
conflagration more lamentable and more dis- of the affair that the objections which are so plea-
estrous of its kind than that which has just tifully put in against this proposal are not of a
reduced two hundred houses to ashes at Limoges. tenable nature, bat almost always the result of pre-
Whosoever it was among the Orangemen of Belfast judice and the consequence of looking at the ques
who first set or. foot that ridiculous counter demon- tion in a one-sided manner. However, it is well
stration—which distinctly gave thesignal for all this known that imaginary fears are often more difficult
the windows of pri- to overcome than well-grounded apprehensions, and
rioting in Belfast by smashing
vette dveetlinghouses, mol atiog foot-passengers, and therefore it will not lessen the regrets of those who
wrecking a nunnery—whosoever among the Bedeast rend and hear of the many obstacles interposed to
Orangemen led the way in those first day's know that eseperience would prove the fellacy of the
proceedings —is the firebrand that kindled inimical as guments. The Royal commission which
those evil passions on both sides, which have since rece.n'.ly investigated the subject of penal servitude
been raging so disastrously, there in Belfast, for were greatly in favour of this plan of sending con-
nearly one whole fortnight—passions that threaten vie is to Western Australia, but their recommehda-
to spread riot and bloodshed from Belfast to Don- t ,ons have shared the same fate that usually attends
dalk, and from Dundalk far and wide through those such advice, and it is greatly to be deplored that
north-eastern parts of Ireland. such should be the case. Ia a letter which has been
addessed to the Ylines by the late Chief Justice of
South Australia this subject is taken up again: the
various points are discussed with great moderation,
but still the writer is dead against the proposal. It
is rather curious to notice some of the points which
h 3 argues upon, for they seem to contradict them-
selves in a great measure. In the first place, he
admits that many of the places that now object to
the introduction of convicts among them. were
originally penal settlements, and that the convict
labour and the capital of the Government expendi-
ture were the beginning of the great wealth which
they now enjoy. It would seem rather strange,
then, that Western Australia should be deprived of
all these advantages because the old colonists have
discovered that they do not like to have
convicts sent out. It cannot be true that
the same evils attend their dispersion in
those distant colonies that are inseparable from
their being sent forth here to mingle in our crowded
cities with their old associates, and resume their
bad ways. It is impossible to have the same checks
interposed upon them here as naturally arise out
there, and the judgment which condemns the trans-
mission of convicts is an erroneous one in itself, and
productive of great and serious evils to many. Why
should it be so much worse for the colonists to have
hundreds of these men whose sentences have ex-
pired among them than for us at home to have them
constantly about us. It is a cruel determination on
the part of the protesting colonists, and one that is
not likely to du them any credit in the long run,
when the full consequences it involves are taken
into consideration. All that tends to lessen the
spead of evil, and decrease the chances of re-convic-
tion by old offenders, should be gladly hailed as a
boon by all wellwishers of their kind, and it is dis-
heartening to witness the predominance of such
selfishness, and tho exhibition of so tench prejudice
among those who have gained their advantages in
many instances from the very plan which they now
so bitterly inveigh against. It is EOLLIQ satisfaction
to know that in this country the system of penal
servitude will be carried on very dill rently from
what it has been, so that if we aro forced to keep
these unfortunate outcasts among us there will not
be the same risk that there has hitherto been in the
arrangements. Tne circular letter addressed by
Sir GEORGE GREY to the judges is a proof of the
improvements that have already bean effected, and
doubtless, as time goes on, additions will be made
to the reforms already instituted in this respect.
Some of the most striking of the changes and altera-
tions that have been made exemplify the full im-
portance of the subject, and there is great reason
to rejoice that so much should have been done to
deter the devotees of crime from the prosecution o
their iniquitous purposes. The short sentences that
have done so much harm are now done away with,
and five years is th; least term that can be assigned
for the duration of imprisonment. This regulation
is a very desirable one, since it must increase the
terrors of the law that have of late years been too
much divested of their deterring attributes. The
more stringent measures to be henceforth adopted
in respect to tickets-of-leave are also highly to be
applauded, and strict attention to the rules enjoined
will most likely be attended with a desirable issue,
as here stated the consequence of these arrangements
will be that " nothing is left to accident or caprice,
but the punishment inflicted is precisely that which
was intended." The mode of granting "remissions"
will be changed in a great degree, and it will not in
future be so easy for a convict to became possessed
of this advantage as it has hitherto been ; steady
and laborious industry as well as general good con-
duct will now be requisite towards the obtaining of
the desired end. 'lbis will interpose a salutary
check to the course of deceit practised by those
supposed to be the most hopeful, and put them to a
test which they cannot easily evade. It is especially
desirable that a decided clause should have been
passed in respect to life sentences, so that when
Dace a convict has received this extreme sentence it
should be adhered to, and nothing
except " the
mercy of the CROWN, on special grounds," should
be allowed to alter its course, or put a period to its
duration. Altogether it must be considered that
the changes mentioned are most suitable and satio•
factory ones, and the benefit that will accrue to
society from the introduction of these salutary
changes in our system of prison discipline and
course of penal servitude are most likely to be great.
It was certainly time that something was done to
improve the existing state of things, and it is we
that such decided steps have baen taken.