The Sun.
London, England, 1864-02-17 00:00:00

THE FUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 17, 1864.

THE CIVIL WAR IN AMERICA.

(From the Times Correspondent.)
NEW YORK, Feb. 2.

If Great Britain, France, Italy, or any European
country or nationality were in the throes of such a
revolution as that which now afflicts America, it
would be comparatively easy for the native or
foreign student of events to calculate the proba-
bilities of the morrow from the facts of to-day, and
to predict the nature, if not the exact form, of the
inevitable catastrophe. But in Federal America
such calculations rest upon no tangible foundation.
Everything shifts and changes so rapidly and un-
expectedly that the watcher ceases to be snra
prised, and ends with being bewildered. Yet, not-
notwithstanding the danger of predicting the future
action of a people so anomalous, it is difficult to
avoid believing that Mr. Lincoln in his proclamas
tion of Sunday last, calling for 500,000 men, or
200,000 in addition to the 300,000 whom he de-
manded in October last, has brought affairs to an
issue which will effectually test the great question
of the earnestness of the Northern people in this
suicidal war. If half a million of men will come for-
ward voluntarily with or without a high bounty, or
if the same number will permit themselves to be
compulsorily dragged from their homes and busi-
ness to reannex the un willing South, the establish-
ment of a military despotism in the North may be
looked upon as a certainty. The people will have
virtually declared themselves ripe for it, and Mr.
Liacoln or some bolder and abler man will take
them at their word. If, on the contrary, no new re-
cruits shall offer, and none but the regiments whose
term of service is on the point of expiration shall
enlist during the next four weeks, Mr. Lincoln
must either try what he can do by a forced con-
scription, at the risk of insurrection in the streets
and a new civil war, or stultify himself by with-
drawing his proclamation of Sunday, and trusting
to his old army alone for the work he has under-
taken. He has challenged the people more peremp-
torily than ever, and that, too, in the face of the
fact that his last attempt at a conscription was not
alone a failure, but a perilous experiment upon the
allegiance of the richest and most populous city in
the Union. Under the circumstances Europe may
well look on with wonder, and America with alarm,
to see what will come of his temerity.
In the meantime it augurs ill for the President's
chances of procuring a new army that the supporters
of the Government should think it expedient to fan
up the flickering embers of popular enthusiasm by
the assertion that half a million of men are wanted,
not so much for the conquest of the South, which
they affect to treat as almost a fait accompli, as for
the contingencies of a war with France or Great
Britain. The device is a very stale one, and is only
employed with a view to catch the credulous and
vindictive Irish of the " Fenian Brotherhood." But
the Irish, with all their animosity against England,
are wiser and more cautious than they were. They
are not quite certain that the "Fenian Brotherhood"
are not fools. They have ceased to volunteer in any
considerable numbers ; and the new corners that
pour into New York harbour every week from Liver-
pool are warned before they leave and after they
arrive against taking out their first papers of natu-
ralization, and will claim alienage if any attempt
be made to enforce their services. It is likely,
therefore, that this worn-out subterfuge will fail.
All things considered, the state of affairs is much
more critical than it has been at any moment since
the armies of Generals Lee and Meade fought hand.
to-hand at Gettysburg. The South, temporarily
stunned in Tennessee, has recovered its senses, and
shows abundant life, vigour, and determination for
a new effurt. The silly stories of its exhaustion
and its demoralization are exploded, and no longer
find a solitary believer, except in the ranks of those
whose pecuniary interests lead them to credit what
they wish, The ominous shadow of a Presidential
election carried at the point of the bayonet, or ab-
rogated altogether on the plea of military necessity
lies dark and heavy on the country. But what does
it signify to a people like these ? New York dances,
sings, and rejoices. " Hops," as it is the fashion to
designate balls, were never so numerous, so brilliant,
and so well attended. The theatres are crammed
every night. The jewellers cannot manufacture or
import fast enough to satisfy their fair customers.
Pictures and engravings never commanded such high
prices, or sold so readi y. The books that are most
sought after are those which are most splendidly
bound in gilt and morocco. The ladies flaunt and
flare and trail their velvets, damasks, and satins
through the slush of an ill-paved and much-spitting
metropolis to show how rich they are and how
little they care for a lavish expendit•]re of money.
Shops and storekeepers of all kinds flourish upon
multitudinous greenbacks, and there is so great an
influx of pleasure-loving strangers into New York
from every part of the country that the numerous
palatial hotels are not more than half sufficient for
the accommodation of their guests. Everybody
seems to be growing rich, except the man with a
fixed income and the labourer. The latter, better
paid than his compeer in Europe, refuses to forsake
the spade or the cartwhip for the musket, and calls
upon his fellows in every kind of handicraft to
organise strikes and suck out of the veins of capital
an amount of remuneration which capital would
refuse if it durst, but hardly dares, for fear of the
consequences in a land where labour is scarce.

Another noticeable peculiarity of New York at
this time is that although it swarms with soldiers,
its mind was never so little set upon soldiers or
soldiering since the war broke out. It is bent on
pleasure and money making alone, and has seen so
many military processions up and down Broadway
as to have grown weary of so flit and familiar a
spectacle. The regiments wh•;se time has expired,
and most of which have re-enlisted for the bounty,
have stipulated for a holiday before resuming their
places in the camp—a holiday to visit their friends
and spend their money. They arrive en masse, and
parade up the streets literally unnoticed. No official
comes out to inspect and make speeches to them;
no salutes are fired and no flags waved by fair hands
from verandah and portico, from window and
housetop, in honour of their bravery. " What does
this mean ?" inquires the most widely read of all
the New York papers of yesterday in drawing at-
tention to this apathy. " Does it mean that our
people have lost their old enthusiastic admiration
for all that is honourable and brave ? Does it mean
that the spirit that set the whole country ablaze at
the assault on Sumter has died out ? No! but it
means that the people no longer recognise these men
as their representatives in a glorious struggle. It
is an ominous sign to the party in power ; for it
means that the people no longer consider the war a
war for the salvation of the country. The war, as
managed by the Administration, has degenerated
to a strife about the nigger. The people see this,
and are disgusted at it." Though this journal
commits what is called the offence—a serious one
in the eyes of the party in power—of spelling negro
with two g'a, it is quick in perceiving the current
of public opinion, and speaks the truth in this in-
stance. Goaded by the organs of the Administra-
tion, the Boards of Aldermen and Councilmen yes-
terday, but with great reluctance, voted the sum
of 25,000 dollars for the purpose of paying the
expenses of a public reception of the veterans, one
of the members of the Board declaring that he would
much rather vote the same amount for the purchase
of artificial legs and arms for the maitnel heroes.
The form which the reception is to assume has not
yet been agreed upon.
The "Fenian Brotherhood," whose leading idea
is to organize an Irish army for the rescue of Ireland
from the grasp of the "greedy and bloody Sasse-
nach," have been rebuked from the Roman Catholic
pulpits of nearly the whole North, and told to de-
vote their energies and their patriotism to some
more practicable purpose. Without, however:
abandoning their primary purpose, the Fenians
have lately bestiired themselves to get up a great
Irish national fair, with the dcuble object of assist-
ing the families of deceased or wounded Irish
soldiers and of raising funds for " Irish national
purposes." This fair is to be held in Chicago dur-
ing Easter week next. Every State in the Union
is to be represented by a stall in the fair, and by a
fair Irish lady to preside over the sale of its
merchandise. It appeals that there are now in Ire-
land several agents of the society, wits the osten-
sible objcct of collecting and purchasing goods for

this purpose. Would it not be worth the while of
the British Government to have an eye to the doings
of these gentlemen ? If they had gone to Ireland to
procure gifts of unmistakable potheer for the
patriotic, if they desire bog-oak ornaments and
arbutus work from Killarney, worsted-work from
Dundalk or linen from Belfast, well and good; but
if whisky and bog-oak, arbutus and linen, are but
thin disguises for recruits of the Federal army—as
many Irish in this city believe, and as, perhaps,
some people high in office in Washington have
reason to know—the least that the British Govern-
ment can do is to watch the proceedings of the
emissaries who have the matter in hand. It was an-
nounced on Friday that one of them, named Henry
O'Clarence M'Carthy, Was to leave this city by the
Etna on Saturday, and as the gentleman's name
appeared duly in the list of passengers yesterday, it
may be presumed that the information is correct, so
far as his departure is concerned.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE,

STAINES, WOKINGRAM, AND WOKING.

The directors of this company have recommended the
declaration of a dividend of 2s, per share on the ordinary
shares of the company for the past half-year.

MIDLAND,
The half yearly meeting of this company was held yes-
terday at Derby, Mr. Beale, M.P., in the chair.
The report, an abstract of which has appeared in Tke
Sun, was taken as read.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report,
said in looking at the accounts they would see that he had
not been wrong in saying that they had derived very little
advantage from the Great Exhibiticn ; on their line the traffic
had increased by comparison in the past half-year; and their
expenditure had been relieved from that which was always
incident to an exceptional traffic ; so that, in fact, their ex-
penditure had come back to a normal ratio as compared with
the traffic. Every thing in their accounts came within the
ordinary and known charges ; the only unsatisfactory item
was the cost of the great accident at Market Harborough ;
that was now done with and liquidated, and the accounts
would in future be free from it. As to their position it was
a most diffieult matter to know how to deal with such new
complications as might arise in railway -affairs ; the new
lines and new projects springing up would require careful
judgment. It would be impossible to apply any particular
principle. Every circumstance must be carefully weighed,
and each project discussed on its own merits. The new pro-
jects affecting the metropolis were a proof of this, in reference
to which there appeared an admirable article in The Sun of
last Saturday. The same course had been pursued now as
many years ago. It had been said that something like the
French system ought to be applied, and Lord Dalhousie's
report recommended a sort of restricted monopoly, but that
was upset by Parliament, which left things, as it were, at
haphazard. He had been strongly recommended by the ac-
curacy of the article in The Sur.; it had reminded him that
many years ago he gave evidence is favour of a line from
Derby to Leeds. Since that tine a second line to that town
had been obtained, via Dewsbury, by the London and
North-Western; a third by the Great Northern ; and now a
fourth was threatened. This showed the absence of any
fixed principle, the public felling varied, and wherever a
disposition was manifested to make a line Parliament was
too apt to give power, irrespec ive of other considerations or
interests. He then referred to the new projects before Par-
liament, of which, he said, about 100 proposed to do some-
thing or other with the Midland. It was necessary that all
these schemes should be care'ully watched by the Board.
He alluded to the new works croposed by the Midland Com-
pany, one of these being the construction of a new line to
Sheffield which bad been long pressed upon them, and the
erection of a central station it that town; they ware pre-
pared to redeem a promise Ion; since given, and to do the
best in their power for that important town. Last year one
of their projects was a junction with the Metropolitan line;
that scheme had been withd'awn. Now they had one for
making a junction which world be costly, but it would put
the Midland Railway in as complete communication with
the Metropolitan as the Great Northern or any other rail-
way. He pointed out the necessity of their projected short
line from Bath to Mangotsfield, connecting the former city
with the Midland system ant' the north of England, and
also of negotiations with the London and North- Western
Company, by which the prelminaries had been arranged
for the Midland becoming joiat -partner with that company
in the Lancaster and Carlisle, This would put an end to
old grievances between the two compa❑ies in respect of the
traffic in that part of the couitry. This was, however, an
important bill, and would be lrought before a special meet-
ing of the shareholders. 113 said they were spending a
great deal of money on the B.dford and London line. The
works were being pressed fo ward with ranch vigour, and
early in the spring or summer they would have to consider
how they should raise the tapital to carry out the works
connected with the bills of last year. The proprietors
might depend on it that wha,ever was done would be with
due regard to their interests. He concluded by moving the
adoption of the report.
Mr. HUTCHINSON, the deputy-chairman, seconded the
motion.

Mr. HADLEY said that in his opinion the report and
statement were more eatisfacto•y than on former occasions.
It was a comfort to see that bey had earned £GI,OOO last
half year in excess of the conesponding one, and that not
more than 25 per cent. had leen expended in earning it.
He thought this was no nacre than ought to be ; the in-
crease or traffic had flowed naturally on the line--it had not
been got from other companies There was a large amount
of £IS,OOO as compensation for the Market Harborough
accident.

Dr. O'BRIEN said that a Um from Mangotsfield to Bath
would be like putting a fifth 'heel to a coach ; it would be
a waste of money to make a :ine to save going round six
miles. Ho also recommend3d the shareholders to reject
the proposal for a lino to rhornborough ; it was net
needed.

Mr. HOBSON, of Sheffield, suggested that the money re-
quired for the construction of the line from Bedford should
be raised by the issue of ori;inal stock, the dividend en
which might be deferred for wo or three years. As to the
new line for Sheffield, he was sorry to say that it would
have the opposition of the town-council and all the great
authorities of the town, and a very unwise opposition it
would be. He wished the d rectors had done for Sheffield
Mr. BATEMAN complaiuec of the excessive law charges.
ten years ago what they were proposing now.
The CHAIRMAN replied. In reference to the claims for
comp nsaticn, he said the trade claims, as he might call
always received the most delicate attention at the hands of
many of them, made on Oldie companies, required and
this company. Nothing wis ever done by the professional
men which had not the direct sanction of the Board. As
to the Sheffield project, he said it was intended to make
the hie and station, and their desire was to do everything
to accommodate that tcwn. With reference to the law
bill complained of, it was not that of their own professional
men, but included the charges of all the other solicitors
with whom they had transactions on that particular line.
He denied the statement of Mr. Hadley that they always
under• estimated the cos; of new lines and works. As to
the Malvern line, he had admitted that he has] pressed
it on the Midland Company, and he now regretted that
they did not make the line, for the passenger traffic on
it was better than on any part of the Midland system.
He considered also tha', Dr. O'Brien's objections to the
Bath line were futile, the iron mines to which he referred
being actually open and in work.
The motion for the adoption of the report was put and
agreed to, with the exception of that part of it which refer-
red to the Mangotafield and Bath line. A resolution to the
effect that it would be an unnecessary outlay of capital to
make it was moved by Dr, O'Brien, and negatived, two
hands only be:ng held up in favour of it.
The various dividends were declared as recommended,
and a vote of £lOO,OOO was taken for more waggons.
The retiring directors and auditors were re-elected ; and
the meeting was then made special, at which a resolution
was passed to the effect that such of the £0 is stock of 1559
as had been fully paid up be converted into stock.
The meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to the
chairman.

through both houses of Parliament without opposition. ►
With regard to the proposed new lines for the metropolis,
they could hardly find that any of them would be beneficial
to the Blackwell line. Some of these projects that would
have been injurious to them had failed on standing orders.
Their goods traffic had increased to a certain extent, and
they had made agreements with the Great Eastern Com-
pany for the use of sidings and arches, which would bring
them a considerable addition to their coal traffic. They
were on good terms with the Great Eastern, and were
likely to be so in all respects.
Mr. MACNAUGHTEN, deputy-chairman, seconded the
motion for the adoption of the report.
Mr. JEGGINS thought the report on the whole was very
satisfactory. The lowering of the fares had been an advan-
tage to the company, and a success. He had estimated that
the cost of working traffic belonging to other companies
over their line was 20 per cent., or for the past half-year
£5,520, and for working their own traffic 50 per cent.,
or £11,995, making together £17,517. He found that their
actual expense of working was £17,431, and he thought the
expenditure could be reduced. There was nothing down
for compensation, and as they had nearly 400 trains a day
over their lines for so many years without accident he
thought they were greatly indebted somewhere for that re-
sult, and suggested that they should give their best thanks
to Mr_ Wightman, their general manager, for the successful
manner in which he had worked the line for so many
years. (Hear.)
A SHAREHOLDER complained of the dirty state of some
of the carriages, and that they were too narrow between
the seats to accommodate the passengers properly.
The CHAIRMAN said they were obliged to work the old
carriages as long as possible, but all the new carriages has
been enlarged.
Mr. WIGHTMAN, the general manager, explained that
the old stock of carriages had been on the line since 1840,
and they had great difficulty in accommodating the fashion
of the present day. The stock on the North London was
newer than theirs, and other companies' carriages were
newer still, but as the company gradually renewed their
carriages they adopted all the improvements up to the time
of renewal, They had great difficulties at times, as some of
the passengers complained that they were not allowed to
smoke in the carriages, and others complained of the smok-
ing. With regard to the expenses, every economy had been
exercised. They were obliged to employ a great number of
men to work the traffic, which was from 7 in the morning
till 11 at night. All the signal and switch men were changed
at 2 o'clock in the day. They had therefore not a tired man
at work. No doubt the expenditure was increased by this,
but he believed it enabled them so avoid accidents. There
was not a greater interval than 21 minutes without trains
running. The cost of working averaged about 33 per cent,
of the receipts, and he did not think anything could be
saved upon it. (Hear.)
The CHAIRMAN thought they might carry cheap fares
too far. They had increased the receipts by £240, and had
carried but 117,000 more passengers. They had no plea-
sure traffic on their line.

Resolutions were passed adopting the report. declaring a
dividend at the rate of 4} per cent, per annum on the pre-
ference stock and at the rate of 4 per cent. per annum on
the consolidated ordinary stock of the company, payable on
the 17th inst. ; re .electing Mr. Wetham and Mr. Mangles,
the retiring directors, and also Mr. Ratcliffe, the retiring
auditors.

On the motion of Mr. JEGGINS, the best thanks of the
meeting were voted to Mr. Wightman for his care and
management ir. conducting the traffic during many years
with perfect safety.
This meeting was then made special, and the agreement
for the transfer of the Haydon-square railway and works to
the London and North-Western Railway Company in con-
sideration of £95,000 was unanimously approved.
The proceedings concluded with a vote of thanks to the
chairman and directors,