The Sun.
London, England, 1863-01-27 00:00:00

THE OVERLAND MAIL.

We have received by express, via MArseiiles, Cal-
cutta papers to Dec. 22. The following is from the
1 summary of the Bengal Hurkara
The arrival of the Bengal (e s.) from Suez, with
the mails of the 26th nit., at Galle, w,,s announced
yesterday, and telegraphic news to the 6th inst. has
since been received. Owing to the gross negli-
gence evinced in the transmission of one of our
most important messages, the greater portion of it
is rendered unintelligible, and we are compelled to
await a repetition before being able to decipher it,
or make any sense of it. The Express from Bom-
bay ought in due course to reach here to morrow
morning, having been despatched from Bombay ou
the 16th. It has for a long time been rumoured
that, on the completion of the East India line of
railway to Benares, special arrangements would be
made for facilitating the transmission of the Ex-
pleas, but we learn that negotiations between the
Government and the Company are still pending.
The line direct to Benares is opened for passen-
ger traffic this morning, and in the course of a
few days, arrangements will be complete for
the ordinary goods traffic. We understand that
the greatest exertions have been used in order
to complete the line by the time specified, and
although the 17th inst. was originally fixed, the
most punctilious cannot find occasion for grum-
bling at the. trifling delay that has been rendered
necessary. Already orders have been issued by
Government to make the railway available for the
transl of troops and material, and the old system
of dak travelling will at once succumb to the more
rapid and immeasurably superior railway. Over
500 miles of this line are now completed and in
work, and rapid strides are being made onwards.
Whilst alluding to railways we may refer to the
successful issue of the ball given at the terminus of
the Eastern Bengal Railway at Sealdah last week.
The question as to whether this ball should or
should not be given, was for some weeks extremely
doubtful, the egent of the company and the Bengal
Government being somewhat doubtful as to whether
the expense was warranted. However, the event
came off, and was eminently successful. The ball
was intended to commemorate the completion of the
line to Kooshteah, a place over one hundred miles
from Calcutta, and the present terminus of the
line. The official report of the proceedings at
the Governor-General's Council on Wednesday
has been published, from which it appeals that
the discussion was a very important one. The
debate on the report of the select committee
on the Contract Law at length disposes of this long
burked question, but in a way hardly anticipated
by the public. The bill, it was supposed, would
meet all, or at any rate the most urgent necessities
of the capitalist and employer of labour, has been
abandoned in its entirety, and so far as any expres-
sion of opinion to the contrary was given on Wed-
nesday las , the intention to introduce another
" Contract Bill " has been given np. We look with,
interest to the course which the Laudholdera'
and Commercial Association will adopt at this im-
portant crisis, and hope that an urgent and unani-
mous representation on the part of the public will
lead either to the removal cf Sir C. Wood, or the
curtailment of the power which he now uses to im-
pede and obstruct the development of India's re.
sources, and the welfare of her people. Sir C.
Trevelyan is expected to arrive at the scene of his
labours about the middle of January, and he will
meet with a cordial welcome from all classes. We
hear of further disturbances in the Cossyal country,
and are glad to find that the energetic measures.
taken by the Bengal Government to repress this
last insurrection promises to prove effectual, Mr.
E. H. Lushington returned from Europe by the
last steamer, and has resumed his office as secretary
to the Bengal Government; Mr. Eden, ofciating
during his absence, returns to the Revenue Board.

The Emperor Napoleon and the Interna-
tional Exhibition.

The following is the speech of the Emperor of
the French in reply to the address of Prince Napo-
leon at the presentation of the awards to the French
exhibitors at the Louvre on Sunday last :
" Gentlemen, you have worthily represented
France abroad. I thank you for so dong, for uni-
versal exhibitions are not simple bazaars, but strik-
ing manifestations of the strength and the genius of
peoples. The condition of a society shows itself by
the degree more or less advanced of the various
elements of which it is composed, and as all improve-
ments move forward the examination of a single one
of the manifold products of intelligence suffices to
appreciate the civilisation of the country to which
in time it belongs. Thus, when now we discover
a simple object of art of ancient times, we judge by
its perfection, more or less great, to what period of
history it belongs. If it merits our admiration you
may be sure that it dates from an epoch when
society, well established, was great in arms, in
speech, in the sciences as in the arts. It is not then
a matter of indifference in reference to the part re-
served to France to have exposed to the contempla-
tion of Europe the products of cur industry ; they
of themselves bear witness to our moral and politi-
cal condition. I congratulate you on your energy
and your perseverance in rivalry with a country
which had surpassed us in certain branches of in-
dustry. Thus, in fact, was realised at last this for-
midable invasion of the British soil predicted for so
long a time. You have crossed the Channel ; you
have boldly established yourselves in the English
capital ; you have courageously struggled with the
veterans of industry. This campaign has not
been without glory, and to-day I render to you
the recompense of the brave. This kind of war,
which makes no victims, has more than one
merit—it incites a noble emulation, leads to those
treaties of commerce which bring peoples together,
and causes national prejudices to disappear with-
out weakening the love of country. From these
material exchanges is born an exchange still
more precious—that of ideas. If foreigners can
envy us many useful things we he.ve also much to
learn from them. You must, no doubt, have been
struck in England with the unrestrained liberty al-
lowed to the manifestation of all opinions as well as
to the development of all interests. You have re-
marked the perfect order maintained amidst tl.e
vivacity of discussion and the perils of competition.
It is that English liberty always respects the princi-
pal basis on which society and power repose. By so
doing liberty does not destroy but improves ; it
bears in the hand not the torch which causes a con-
flagration, but the light which illuminates; and in
private enterprise, individual initiative exercising
itself with an indefatigable ardour, dispenses with
the Government being the sole promoter of the
vital forces of a nation; and thus, instead of regu-
lating everything, it leaves to each one the re-
sponsibility of his acts. It is on these conditions
that this marvellous activity, this absolute inde-
pendence, exists in England. France will also
arrive at this consummation on the day when we
shall have consolidated the basis indispensable to
the
e,establishmentwork with
of an entire liberty. Let
us, then,
with all our strength in imitating
such profitable examples. Let sound political and
commercial doctrines impressyou incessantly; unite
in a similar thought of conservation ; and stimulate
amongst individuals an energetic spontaneity for
all that is useful and good. Such is your task.
Mine will be to constantly take the wise pro-
gress of public opinion as a measure of improve-
ments, and to clear away administrative obstacles
from the path you ought to follow. Each one will
thus have accomplished his duty, and our passage
on this earth will not have been useless, since we
shall have left to our children great works accon
pli,4hed, and fruitful truths raised on the ruins of
destroyed prejudices and of animosities buried for
ever. I cannot conclude without. thankiug the
IrnpErial Commission and its President for the en-
lightened zeal with which they organised the French
exhibition, and for the spirit of impartial justice
which has presided at the disposal of awards. It
is a new claim which they have acquired to my
confidence and my esteem."

Importing Tea without colour on the leaf pre-
vents the Chinese passing off inferior leaves as in the usual
kinds. Hornituan's Tea is uncoloured, therefore, always
good alike. Sold in packets by 2,280 agents.