The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-31 00:00:00

2,200 miles in length, and has been happily come
pared to a great steam arch, which will unite Cal-
cutta, in the Bay of Bengal, with Kurrachee, on
the Arabian Sea. It is no wonder that in face of
such an achievement the wild hill tribes stand awe•
stricken, and that educated Englishmen deemed
the occasion a fit one for rejoicing and celebration.
By no one could it have been more suitably presided
over than by that energetic and able man who
proved so efficient an administrator of the affairs of
the province ; and it was Sir JOHN LAWRENCE
who in that capacity turned the first sod
of the Punjaub Railway in February, 1859.
India had hardly then recovered from the terrible
convulsions of 1857, yet with the fearlessness which
distinguishes him, Sir ,TOIIN LAWRENCE boldly pre-
dicted the success of the line, and declared that few
railways in India had been undertaken under such
auspices. Three years later Sir ROBERT MONT-
GOMERY, then Governor of the Punjaub, opened
the first section of the line, which extended from
Lahore to Umritsur. Lahore is the seat of the Pun-
jaub Government and the residence of many of the
principal chiefs. Umritsur is of greater importance
in another way, being the chief commercial em•
porium of Northern India. It is densely populated,
and its merchants deal largely with London and
Paris, as well as with Persia, Chinese Tartary, and
all the principal Indian towns. The union of these
two cities was therefore very justly described by Sir
R. MONTGOMERY as " a great event for the Pune
jaub." "Another mile," said he, in his opening
address, " has been added to the great highway be-
tween Kurrachee, the seaport of North-western
India, and Umritsur," and he remarked that the
natural result of the final completion of that high-
way would be to effect a striking change, not only
among the inhabitants of the Punjaub itself, but
i❑ the half barbarous tribes of the frontier, who ex-
pressed the greatest amazement and awe at the
wonderful achievement of the Europeans. A
Brahmin, on the opening of the first section of the
line, exclaimed, while looking at a locomotive, that
" All the gods in India had never produced such a
thing as that." A few months more will see Lahore
placed in direct communication with Mooltan, 220
miles distant, to which the Punjaub Railway is to
extend, being in all 252 miles in length. The in-
auguration of the first section was held at Lahore
on the 19th of October, the day after that grand
durbar which was without parallel among the re-
cords of the hills. Many of the native princes who
had attended to do honour to their old friend the
day before, were present at the opening ceremony,
together with the chief civil and military authori-
ties of the empire. The civilian might see in this
great connecting link the promise of the further ex-
tension of the blessings of civilisation and coma
melee; the soldier might reckon securely on the
protection it would afford in case of hostile
action, while the native chiefs had really the most
cause for rejoicing, since it opened the prospect of
raising themselves and their people not only in
civil importance, but in the scale of education and
intelligence. No longer cut off by the distance and
difficulty of access—no longer regarded as the
" outer barbarians " of the Empire, they will be
placed in constant and rapid communication with
the great emporiums of commerce, with the seats
of Government, with the abodes of wealth, science,
and teaching. Many of the native chiefs have
quite sufficient intelligence and magnanimity to ap-
preciate this, and instead of feeling aggrieved at
invasion of their barbaric State by the busy
modern element, they rejoice at the bene-
fits which it confers. The Maharajah of
Cashmere, with his heir apparent and his
suite, travelled some distance by special train on his
way to his own dominions, and although he had
never seen a railway before, he quite understood
its mechanism and its uses. He is one of the fore-
most among the native princes of the Northwest,
and has a high reputation for his courteous and
princely disposition. Of this he gave convincing
proof, for, on leaving the railway, he not only ex-
pressed his gratification verbally, but placed in the
hands of the Lieut.-Governor the munificent dona-
tion of 2,500 rupees as a gratuity to be distributed
among the enzploy6s of the line. These honest
workmen had good cause to be gratified with
the termination of their labours, for the
railway company entertained 120 with a banquet
in celebration of the event. An eye-witness, in
speaking of this assembly in an Anglo-Indian jour-
❑al, remarks that although the grand durbar at
which the Viceroy of India received 600 princes in
a splendid tent was a magnificent sight, yet the
assembly of 100 hard-headed, plain English mecha-
nics in an ordinary railway waiting room was in
some way more striking and suggestive. " l'he
one was a mere pageant, representative of the bar-
baric splendour of the dark ages, while the other
was_the living embodiment of progress and en-
lightenment." The great central railway station
at Lahore is of itself a fine spectacle. It has been
built with a view to possible exigencies, and will
serve for a fortress as well as a station, so that
i❑ case of danger the European community
could retire within its walls and defend them-
selves and the railway. Had such arrangements
existed in 1857, how different would have been
the state of things. But it is well at last that
the proper steps are taken, though there was no
reason why they should ❑ot have been taken earlier.
The Punj sub was at the time of the mutiny a
most valuable possession, having communication
with the sea by the Indus at Kurrachee. It is a
province of vast importance, extending 100,600
square miles, with a population, including its border
tribes, very nearly equal to that of Great Britain,
It is extremely fertile, being very well watered,
and the fine rivers from which it takes its name
are of themselves important highways. The
Indus, as has been happily said, is to the North
West what the Ganges is to Bengal, and the Pun-
jaub itself linking the Valley of the Ganges on the
east with Affghanistan and Persia on the west, is
one of the most valuable portions of our Indian
dominions. Henceforward its value will be in-
creased rather than diminished, and we trust the
great semi-circle which is to traverse British India
will bring about a rapid advance in the progress
and welfare of its people.

HER MAJESTY'S GUN VESSEL ALGERINE.—The
following is au extract from a letter received by last mail
from an officer on board of her Majesty's gunvessel Alge-
rine :—" Hankow, Oct. 13, it64.—Yesterday a fire broke
out in the Chinese city, burning an immense extent of
houses and some of the English and oth,rr foreign houses
on the river side, outside our concession. The Algerines
were there as soon as possible; their behaviour was really
admirable, as it had been during a previous fire about a
fortnight since. On both occasions they were surrounded
by liquor, and I had not occasion to find fault with a
single man. Every one on shore remarked, how these
men do work I' And, truly and candidly speaking, I have
been at several fires in China, and I never saw men work
so well and steadily."

SUICIDE AT BRIGIITON.—On Tuesday an inquest
was held on the body of William George, aged 69,
a carpenter, who committed suicide on Christmas Eve,
Deceased h.cl been visited with fits of late, and had com-
plained greatly of his head, He was seen after five o'clock
by an errand ly,y on the Marine-parade, walking along the
beach so that. the sea washed over his legs, When opposite
German-place he walked into the water up to his neck, and
the boy lost sight of him, The lad ran down to the beach,
and could see the unfortunate man floating on the water.
As no one was by just then, assistance was not forthcoming
for some time. When the lad returned with a coastguards-
man, whom he saw at the western end of the pier, deceased
had disappeared, and his body was not recovered till
Sunday forenoon, when it was washed up near Ratty's
Groyne. The jury returned a verdict of "Temporary
insanity,"—,BriyhtQn Oazdee.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

[REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.]

THE WEST INDIA, PACIFIC, AND
MEXICAN MAILS.
SOUTHAMPTON, DEC. 31.
The Royal Mail Company's steamship Shannon
has arrived here with the above mails, 75 passen-
gers, pearls and je xellery to the value of 24,085
dols., and '2,760 packages of cargo, chiefly cigars,
bark, indigo, tobacco, and indiarubber.
The Shannon also brings 2,530,731 dols. in specie,
of which 3,231 dols. are on account of the Mexican
dividends.
She left St. Thomas on the 15th inst., and brings
dates from Lima to the 26th ult.
The South American Congress met on the 14th
and appointed the representative of Peru first
President of the Assembly. Frequent sittings had
since been held, at which the greatest harmony
prevailed. The question of the highest importance
being the difficulty with Spain. The Congress
closed the conference on the 26th by unanimously

resolving :
" First, That the Government of Peru must pro-
ceed immediately to give instructions for the re•
covery of the Chinca Islands, and to account to
Congress within eight days.
"Secondly, That the President of Peru shall have
no power to make a treaty or have any terms with
the Cabinet of Madrid, until the islands have been
given up by Spain or have been taken by the farces
of the Republic."
On the 27th ult. the President ordered all the
fleet to proceed on a cruise for exercise, including
the ironclad Loa. While the fleet wore manoeuvring
iu Callao Bay, an American vessel, from the Chin.
chas, arrived with news that Admiral Piizon's fri-
gate had been totally destroyed by fire at the Chin-
eha Islands on the 25th. Much excitement pre-
vailed at Callao, and the public impatiently awaited
the orders from Lima for the fleet to proceed to the
Chinches to engage the remaining frigate and gun-
boats, ',rid to occupy the islands.
At Lima, exchange on London Ras quoted 37
pence, 60 days, and 37i pence, 90 days' draft.
Important news from Peru is expected by the
next mail.

FRANCE.

PARIS, DEc._3l.

AR Imperial decree has been issued to-day
authorising the importation of merchandise of
every description from any country, and under
any flag, into St. Louis, Senegal, and the Isla of
Goree.

Another decree has bee❑ issued opening the port
of Cayenne to both French and foreign vessels.
The weather is considerably less severe in Paris
and yesterday presented the Appearance of a thaw
setting in. At six in the morning the thermometer
of M. Chevalier stood at one degree above zaro
Centigarde (331 Fahrenheit), at noon 3 MO above
Centigrade (37 2-3 Fahrenheit), and at four o'clock
at 2 5-10 above C. (36 3.5 F.) Hopes are entertained
that the ice in the Seine will now break up. Large
cuttings have already been made in it opposite the
Louvre, which will render the movement of the ice
less dangerous for the washing barges and vessel,
moored along the banks. The general accounts
from the provinces speak of somewhat milder
weather, particularly along the Atlantic.
The Prince Imperial, having heard that the pupils
of colleges would only have two days' holiday, in
consequence of New Year's-day falling on a Sunday,
requested that a third day might be accorded. The
Minister of Public Instruction, in accordance with
that wish, has written to the Rectors to say that
the pupils are not to retur❑ until Tuesday evening
instead of Monday.
The Museum of the Hotel de Cluny has just re-
ceived a fine collection of ancient earthenware and
other articles, given by M. Bi!lard. The objects,
which are not less than 70 in number, consist of
fountains, flower-stands, dishes, &c., coming from
the oid manuft:ctories of Rouen, Clermont, Lune-
viile, Strasbourg, and Sceaux, some of the articles
being remarkable specimens of French workman-
ship in the 17th and 18th centuries. Among the
objects are also two consoles in wrought iron, and a

processional cross i❑ bronze.
The bulletin of the Paris Observatory gives the

following as the atmospheric state of Europe yes-
terday :—" The storm, the centre of which was on
Wednesday a little to the north of the Gulf of
Bothnia, has to-day removed to the north-east of
Russia ; it therefore follows its regular track. Bhd
weather still continues on the Adriatic and on the
south of Italy, but as the barometrical pressure in-
creases in a rather rapid manner on the eastern
coasts of Spain and on the Gulf of Lyons those
siorms cannot fail to soon disappear. In France
the weather is calm and the sky generally cloudy.
BoußsE, Dec. 30.—The Market has been firm,
and prices show a further improvement, Threes,
for the Account, are now at 66f. 15c., and Mobilier

at 950 f. Railway Shares have been in demand,
and the majority of the lines are at the present
time rather higher. Sales for realisation caused a
little retrograde movement towards the close, and
the market left off as follows:

4; per Cents .. 91
Do. end month....
3 per Cents
Do. end month 66
Credit Mobilier 952 60
Do. end month 947 50
Bank Shares 3160
Credit Fonder 1265
Roman
BAIL'

Italian Loan 66 50
Do. end month 66 35
Ditto Threes ..
New Mexican 50 75
Russian
Austrian
Spanish Threes —
Rome Debt
Deferred
VAYB.

Cash. Account.
Orleans
Northern .... ......
Lyons and Mediterranean 892 50 .. 890
Southern ...... 592 50 .. 587 50
Western ..ie . ... 521 25 .. 525
Eastern
Sardinian
Austrian
Low bard
North of Spain
Saragossa 460 .. 446 25
Ditto to Barcelona