The Sun.
London, England, 1863-03-19 00:00:00

PETITIONS.

Mr. Cox, and other hon. members, presented petitions
praying for a reduction of the fire insurance duty; several
in favour of closing public-houses on Sunday; Mr. GRIF-
FITH' from Devizes, praying for a reduction of the tea
duty to is per pound.
SANITARY CONDITION OF ROTHERHAM.

On the motion of Mr. CHILDERS, an address for copies of
,ny reports or communications to or from the Central
Board of Health relative to the sanitary condition of the
town was agreed to.

SALMON FISHERIES (IRELAND).
On the motion of Sir H. BRvCE, a nominal return of
every salmon fishery in Ireland, and the poor law valuation
of each, and the amount of licence duty paid in 1862 for the
different modes of, and engines for catching salmon, detailing
the amount p id for each mode and engine, was ordered.
LABOURERS' COTTAGES (IRELAND).
On the motion of Sir H. BRUCE, a copy of correspon-
dence between the Lords of the Treasury and the Board of
Works in Leland, on the subject of the restriction placed
by them (and not contemplated in the act authorising the
advance, or sanctioned in England), on the advance of
money for the purpose of building labourers' cottages in
Ireland, was ordered.
SALE OF INTOXICATING LIQUORS ON THE
SABBATH.
Mr. SOMES brought in his bill, the purpose of which
is to prevent the sale of intoxicating liquors on the Sab-
bath, and it was read a first time.

PIMLICO CLOTHING WORKS.,
An HON. MEMBER gave notice that on the motion
for going into a committee of supply, he should call atten-
tion to the fact that military clothing made at Pimlico was
not subjected to the same inspection as clothing made by
contract.

PERSIA.
Mr. DANBY SEYMOUR gave notice that on an early
day ho should call the attention of the house to the state of
her Majesty's Legation in Persia, and the dismissal of Mr.
Eastwick, the Consulate at Tehern.

DURATION OF SERVICE IN THE ARMY.—
LIEUT.-COL, THE HON. C. CHARTERIS.
Mr. CONINGHAM asked the Secretary of State for
War, why the Royal Warrant, dated 28th March, 1861,
which subscribed twenty-five years as a necessary pre-
liminary to the privilege of retiring on half-pay, was de-
parted from in the case of Lieut.-Col. the Hon. Richard
Charteris, who was on the personal staff of the Commander
in Chief, and who only completed his 21 years of service in
October, 1861; also, for what reason a similar indulgence
had been refused to other officers of the army F
Sir G. LEWIS was understood to say that Lieut.-Col.
Charteris changed with another officer who had been 25
years in the service, which he was permitt€d to do by a rule
of the see vice not affected by the Royal Warrant of 1861.
Mr. CONING HAM inquire,' why the like privilege had
been refused to other officers F

Sir G. LEWIS was not aware of any case in which such
indulgence had not been granted.

ATTIRE OF THE FEMALES EMPLOYED IN THE
ROYAL CLOTHING MANUFACTORY AT PIM-
LICO.

Mr. LEWIS asked the Secretary of State for War whe-
ther it was true, as asserted, that an order had been issued
by the director of clothing to the women employed at the
royal clothing factory at P mli co, by which they were ordered
to provide themselves with. the undermentioned articles by
the Ist of April next, viz. :—One black lace cap, trimmed
with scarlet ribbon, one Garibaldi jacket of violet llama,
and one large jean apron.—the cost of which would be 10s.
at least, and that those not complying with the order would
be dismissed; and whether it was true that the average
amount earned by those women did not exceed 103. per
week ?

Sir G. C. LEWIS replied that the adoption of an uniform
system of dress was perfectly voluntary on the part of the
women employed in the Royal Clothing Factory at Pimlico.
He understood, however, that the workmen were willing to

adopt the proposed dress. It was furnished at 3s. sd. each,
and the women, who earned Os. or 10s. per week, were re-
, quired to pay off the account, at the moderate rate of 3d.
per week. (Hear, hear.)
UNITED STATES—THE ISLAND OF SAN JUAN.
Mr. LONGFIELD asked the Under Secretary for
Foreign Affairs, what progress had been made towards a
settlement of the dispute between the Government of Great
Britain and the late United States of America as to the
Island of San Juan; if any correspondence between the
two Governments had recently taken place on that subject;
and if theft was any objection to lay the same before this
house ?
eN,Jr. LAYARD replied that since the breaking out of the
civil year in the United States all communications had
been suspended between her Majesty's Government and
that of the United States. There had been some previous
correspondence, but he should not deem it expedient to lay
it on the table of the house.
CHINA. THE oRESS OF ENGLISH OFFICERS
EMPLOYED BY THE CHINESE.
Mr. ADDINGTON asked the Secretary to the Admiralty
whether the officers of the royal navy now in the service
of the Emperor of China, had received permission from the
Admiralty to wear the uniform of her Majesty's navy dur-
ing the period of such service; and, whether there would be
any objection on the part of the Government to produce a
copy of the instructions given to Commodore Sherard Os-
borne on his proceeding to China
Lord C. PAGET replied that the officers permitted to
be employed by the Emperor of China were not entitled to
wear her Majesty's uniform. (Hear, and laughter.) The
Admiralty had issued no instructions to Corn modere Osborn,
who was absent on foreign leave, and by an order of coun-
cil could enter the service of the Emperor of China.
Mr. ADDINGTON enquired it the uniform of the Eng-
lish service had been adopted in China ?
Sir G. C. LE WIS replied that the Cninese Emperor had
adopted the English uniform for his own troops.
Mr. ADDINGTON desired distinctly to learn if the
English officers serving in China were permitted to wear
the uniform adopted in the English service ?
Lord C. PAGET replied in the negative.
GREECE.—PERSONAL EXPLANATIONS,
Mr. GREGORY said in the course of the debate the
other night he made some allusion to Mr. Elliot. He said
that Mr. Elliot had been partly sent to Greece to supersede
Mr. Scarlett, and alluded to a rumour to the effect that it
was the intention of the Government to send Sir James
Hudson from Turin, and to replace him by Mr. Elliot.
The remarks which he made were uttered in the spirit of
banter; but he regretted to learn that they had given pain
to al r. Elliot's family, and was assured that no steps what-
ever had been taken in the matter, and that indeed no
change whatever was contemplated. He regretted, there-
fore, having occasioned pain to a gentleman who was well
known as an honourable and excellent servant of the
Crown. (Hear, hear.)
OBACCO DUTIES BILL.
On the order of the day being read for going into com-
mittee,

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER appealed
to the hon. member for the Tower Hamlets (Hr. Ayrton)
not to persevere with his motion for a committee up stairs,
but to permit the house at once to go into committee on then
bill. The step the hon. member proposed to take was
entirely unprecedented, and, if agreed to, would have the
effect of postponing proceeding with the bill until almost
the end of the session. The manufacturers of Scotland at d
Ireland had generously given their support to the bill, with
certain amendments which he proposed to introduce, and
an eminent house, competent to speak authoritatively
for the largest wholesale English manufacturers,
hlcsars. Grant, Hodgson, and Co., of Fenchurch-street,
had written to him urging that any larger delay would
affect the trade. A committee of the whole house was per.
fedtly competent to deal in the matter.

Mr. AYRTON declined to withdraw his motion, and en-
tered at some length into his reasons for doing so.
The house then divided, when there appeared—
For going into committee
Against it
Majority
Tqe house then went into committee.

(LEFT SITTING.)

VICTORIA AND BRITISH COLUMBIA,

(From the Times' Correspondent)
SIN FIiANCISCO, Jan. 20.
By the steamer which arrived on the 11th we have news
from Victoria, Vancouver Island, to the sth inst,
The Victoria Chronicle gives a statement of the gold dust
shipped from Vancouver Island in 1862—viz,, by the Ame-
rican Express-house of Wells Fargo, which has a branch
office in Victoria, 1,573,095 dols ; by the bank of British
Columbia, 21,500 dole; by Schloss and Livingston, 187,000
dols; by Wllonald and Cv., bankers, 3 ?5,378 dols, all
shipped to San Francisco ; and shipped by the Hudson's
Bay Company to London, 50,208 dols, making the amount
of the shipments, as manifested, 2,167,182 dole. " These
figures," the Chm•onicle remarks, "do not include the
amounts shipped, or carried, by private handss
which, if correct data were obtainable, would, it i,
believed, swell the total of the year's shipment to
3,000,000 dols." This estimate would have been con-
sidered excessive, perhaps, some little time back ; but so
much gold has of late come down from Victoria in the pos-
session of Cariboo miners, who have returned to winter in
San Francisco, that the above amount is now thought by
the best informed to be rather under than over the export of
1862, One of the largest buyers of golddust in San Fran-
cisco tells me that, judging by amount of his own business,
he would be disposed to return the total received in this city
at 4,000,000 dols , rather than adopt the above estimate of
3,000,000 dols.
The entire produce of Cariboo was estimated two mouths

ago at only 3,000,000 dols, but from all we have since learnt
of-the shipments, and taking into account the amount of
money in the hands of miners and residents of -Victoria,
where, as the local papers assert, " there are men now who
have male from 5,000 to 40,000 dais, each this season," and
whore " there are also numbers who have made smaller but
respectable amounts," assertions which are corroborated to
some extent by the sums of money changing hands in pay
mentof land and for the building of houses by men who had
no means a year ago—taking all these facts into account,
the conclusion is inevitable that the yield of gold in
British Columbia in 1862 was very much larger than it has
hitherto been estimated.

The Chronicle adds that Well's Fargo's Express alone
shipped from 1868 to 1862 the sum of 5,373,211 dole., and
that during the same period .I‘l'Donald and Co. had shipped
1,543,03.5 dole. By-far thegreater portion of these sumsiwero
remittances in payment of merchandise supplied to the two
colonies from San Francisco.

A considerable quantity of goiddust which now comes
to San Francisco would remain in the colony had the
Government Assay:office been placed in Victoria. where

its facilities would be available, instead of being at New
Westminster, where it is of little UFO to the public and of
no benefit to the country, which supports it in idleness for
three-fourths of the year. True, there are private assay-
offices in Victoria, but they do not command the confidence
nor the patronage that would be given to a Government
establishment.

As evidence of the progress of Victoria, it is stated
that a company has been formed for making a railroad
from the town to Esquimalt (the principal harbour of
the colony). The distance is about three miles, the
grades are easy, and the capital £60,000, which is said
to have been all subscribed for in a few days after the project
was brought out. That this railroad will be of great advan-
tage to the:mercantile houses and a great convenience to the
community in general there can be no doubt, but whether
it will pay as an investment I give no opinion. Another
company has been formed to supply Victoria with pure water
for a lake in the neighbourhood. The object is one of such
universal utility and necessity that, with prudent manage-
ment, this undertaking ought to pay handsomely. Bills to
authorize the establishment of both companies, on the prin-
ciple of limited liability, are now on their passage through
the Legislature.
A gas company the Victorians have already, and they are
improving their streets with some activity, which gives
work to many of the men who were unsuccessful in their
efforts at mining. Buildings of a costly character continue
to be erected, among which are hotels of great splendour,
having accommodation for several hundred boarders each;
and general commercial business is brisk in consequence of
the mildness of the winter, which has kept communication
with British Columbia opon.

As to subjects of general interest affecting the colony at
large, the Governor in addressing the Legislature declares
the country to be settling quickly, and to be in
a prosperous condition. His Excellency solicits funds to
subsidise a mail steamer to call at the various settlements,
nish&e., as well as to defray the expense of a geological
survey of the island and its dependencies, and also for en-
couraging the taking of cod and other fish, with which the
is
the waters teem.
declaration
The
most
"that a
highly important
portion respectable o
English
association the addressal
association is about to form a setilement at Quatseno,
on the west coast of Vancouver Island, who propose to
open coal mines, to establish fisheries, to embark largely in
the export of deals and of ships' spars, and in other brancthes
of trade that promise remunerative employment of capital,"
There is no doubt that the colonial resources do afford, as
the Governor asserts, the means of employing capital to
great advantage in such fields as its forests, coal and cop-
per mines, fisheries, quarries of stone and of lime, agri-
tu ral lands, and town property in VictorL% and other
sites; and the present is the proper time to engage
insuch pursuits, while the Government And the
Legislature are disposed to grant liberal terms for the en-
couragement of settlement and for the investment of cap
I am convinced that both colonies are far safer fields for
investments, ital.
intelligently made :and judiciously managed,
that, most of those selected by English capitalists in
foreign countries. One unequalled advantage is that
here they have English law honestly administered and
ample protection for life and property, with a healthy
climate, and the means of existence at moderate
cost. Perhaps the only drawback is the high price of
labour, but this is more apparent than real, for it is Met, in
commerce, by the high prices of produce.

A SLEEPY FELLow.—I there learnt that a man,
a farrier, at 12 o'clock of the last night, being drunk,
had fallen overboard. In the silt or seven minutes during
which he was in the water, the boat was lowered, and he was
picked up. His eyes, however, were so sealed with sleep and
gin that he did not awake until he had been on deck some
time. Ho now remembers nothing. How delightful this
turtle sailing must be I He was, however, in toy opinion,
an unlucky fellow, as he did not sleep through the voyage.
—Ltle of Sir Robwt Wi(son,