The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-11 00:00:00

I tws (if such exist) prohibiting such proceedings
shall be enforced. Bat w hether a prima' facie oese
of violation of the law has been established is for the
neutral Governraent to determine. If such a case is
made out, it is then the duty of the neutral State to
put its lewe in operation ; but if other:vise, then any
compliance with the demands of the belligerent
Power amounts to a pure abandonment of national
independence. In a despatch, dated Sept. 5, Mr.
Layard informed Mr. Stewart that on that day her
Majesty's Government had directed the Commis-
sioner of Customs at Liverpool to detain the
steam rams. In the same letter, however, the Under-
Secretary states that the orders had been trans-
mitted previous to the receipt of Mr. Adams's
despatch of the same date pressing the Government
to adopt that course. Unless, therefore, we can
suppose that the Under-Secretary made a deliberate
misstatement, which of course cannot for a moment
be supposed, we must conclude that the transmission
of the orders for the detention of the teems preceded
the receipt of the American Minister's despatch.
There exists no doubt that the Government gave
directions for the seizure of the ironclads of the sth.
of September; and as Mr. Adams's letter bears date
on the seine day, it is more reasonable to suppose
that the despatch was received after the decision of
the Government had been arrived at, than that the
Foreign Secretary should have, immediately on its
receipt, determined on modifying his policy, though
in the absence of any additional evidence bearing on.
the ultimate destination of the suspected vessels.
But, whatever may have been thought of the insuf-
ficiency of the evidence on which the Government
acted in the month of September last, it is impos-
sible to deny that subsequent events have justified
their conduct. We now waive the consideration,
of whether the building and equipping of these
vessels does, in fact, constitute an infringement of
the Foreign Enlistment Act—that is a question.
which still remains to be decided. But assuming
that this statute is not a dead letter, and until it is,
proved to be so the Government are bound to pre-
sume that it is not, theExectitive is unquestionably
bound to put it in operation when acts are done
which to all appearances it was intended to pro-
hibit. That the iron-clads in process of construction,
in Mr. Laird's dockyard at Birkenhead were not
intended for the Viceroy of Egypt, as was at first
alleged, but were in truth designed for the service
of the Confederate Government, tho Secretary of
' the Navy of that Government has himself expressly
admitted. His admissions will, of course, be value:-
less as against those who claim to be the owners of
the vessels on the trial of a criminal information in.
an Elngliith court, but they will go far to satisfy the
public of the soundness of the suspicions enkertaiaed
by the British Government when they gave orders
to their officers of customs to detain the rams.
Earl Russell, with no little dexterity, appeals to
the report of the Confederate Naval Secretary as
affording the most convincing proof that in the
discharge of their neutral obligations the English
Government have furnished no cause for complaint
to that of the United States. If Mr. Mallroy,
the name of President Davis's Administration, com-
plains of "the unfriendly construction" which wei
have put upon our laws, and ascribes to that cause
the inability of the Confederate Government to
procure a formidable navy, it raises a strong pre-
sumption that England has not, as the Federal Go-
vernment are never tired of reiterating, treatedi
with favouritism the Southern States. The North
provided itself in the English markets with every
description of munition of war of which it had need,,
but although our markets are equally open to the,
South, the command of the sea possessed by the
Federal Government necessarily prevented it from
turning the advantages we offered to equal account.
No one but a Federalist will, for one moment, con-
tend that since the commencement of the civil war
the Confederates have derived one-fiftieth part of
the material assistance afforded by British manu-
facturers to the Government of the Northern States.
But the fact is that, whether with or without cause,
a Yankee Government must, if only for the sake of
popularity, vituperate Great Britain. We are
blamed for recognising the belligerent character of
the Confederates, though they have for upwards of
three years waged war in vindication of their in-
dependence, and are still unsubdued. We are re-
proached for permitting any of the natives of the
Southern States to reside in our dominions, and
these reproaches come from a Government which,
like our own, prides itself on the hospitality which
it offers to the political exile. It must be a source
of regret to us that we have failed to give satisfac-
tion to either of the belligerent republics, but the
fact that we have not done so would seem to de-
monstrate the strictness of the neutrality we have
endeavoured to maintain.

COUNTRY MARKETS,

•••• ..... -

MANCHE STER—Tn crnsa&Y.
A fair attendance at market, and English wheat could
only be sold by submitting to reduction of Is per qr from
the currency of this day week, which holders generally
would not accede to. Foreign wheat was neglected, and
receded 2d per cental. Flour met with a dull sale, at prices
6d per sack lower. Oats and oatmeal were very dull, and
unchanged in price. Indian corn quiet, at former rates.
English beans the turn in favour of buyers, but Egyptian
sorts advanced is per qr.

BURTON.ON-TRENT--TIJrnsDAY.
Old white wheat..43s to 46s I Old red wheat, , 38s to 429
New do. ..41s to 45s New do. 37s to 41s
Malting barley... I 31s to 36s Oats 21s to 289
Grinding d0.....27s to 29s I Beans 34s to 409

BIRMINGHAM—THURSDAY.
This morning there was a short supply of English wheat,
and the prices of this day sennight were about realised.
Barley, oats, peas, and beans at late prizes, and in retail sale.,
—English wheat was sold at 40s to 46s for white, and 36$
to 40s per 36 stone for red. Barley, new malting, 30s to
38s per qr ; grinding, 24s to 288 Oats, old, 22s to 30s
per 30 stone ; Irish, 18s to 245. Beans, 34s to 40s per qr.
Peas, 32s to 42s per 36 stone.

MONMOUTIIIWEDNESDAY.
The local markets have been fairly attended during the
week, and the quotations have shown rather a downward
tendency, especially for barley and oats.
Wheat, white.. 4s 9d to 5s 6d Barley. 3s 2d to 3s 91
I
Ditto red. .0s Od to 0s Od Oats ..... ..2s 2d to 2s 6d

BRlSTOL—Tuvitspay.
Thera n; as a fair supply of wheat to-day, and sales were
slow a a shade under previous quotations. Foreign wheat
also a dull trade. Malting barley quite as dear; grinding
sorts in moderate request, and no material change in price.
Oats very restricted in demand, and prices the turn lower.
Beans and Indian corn tending downwards.

EDINBURGH GRAIN—MAttat 9.
Today there was a large supply of wheat, which met a
slow sale, at barely last week's prices. Barley met a good
sale, at former races. Beans and oats sold slowly.
Wheat on the top is 6d up ..average is 6,1 up.
Barley on the top Os 6d up average Os 2d down.
Oats on the top Os 6d up.... average Oa .4d up.
Beans on the top 4s Od up average Os 3d up.
Avet age Prices.
Wheat.. 37s-6d Oats
Barley ..29s 2d I Beans 3ls 9d

Total Supply and Sales.
Wheat .. ,129? qrs Sold 765 qrs
Barley... 1258 qrs Sold 915 qrs
Oats
Beans 275 qrs Sold 233 qrs
Flour sells as follows :—Whites, 395,0 d ; extras, 37s Od ;
superfine, 35s Od ; fine, 33s Od.

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