The Sun.
London, England, 1863-01-03 00:00:00

THE SUN, lON DON, SATURDAY YE PIS KING, JANUARY 3, 1863

be done gradually, yet.that at once the rights of
husbands and wives, the equal protection of the
negro in law courts, and the prohibition of "slave
breeding" must be secured. And finally they tell
him that one people, as we really are by descent,
the one thing which would do most to cement good-
will between us, would be, the removal of "that
foul blot on their civilization and Christianity—
chattel slavery." Whether we agree on all points,
or not, with the operatives of Manchester we
shall all agree in the noble and happy contrast
which this monster meeting presents to those of
times gone by—gone by, we trust, for ever.

A meeting was held a few days since by the mem-
bers of the National Lifeboat Instution, on which
the accounts of the damage done to our shipping by
the late gales is the best comment. From the
islands of the "storm - tossed Hebrides" to the
southern coast, from Wick to Holyhead, the de-
stroyer has been playing havoc with the life and
property entrusted to the waters. In the far north the
storm has raged with destructive violence. We read
of the boats of poor fishermen on the Scottish coast
being dashed to pieces, and vessels of a larger size
being carried ashore and driven into parks and
highroads. Walls that have stood the blasts
of thirty years have been overthrown,
and

the whole coast is one wide-
spread scene of devastation and ruin. The poor
inhabitants of some of the northern islands, who
get their living chiefly from the sea, have been
heavy losers. In the small Island of Stromoo, on
the coast of Caithness, near which are dangerous
currents, two fishing herring boats, two pilot boats,
and four lobster fishing boats have been com-
pletely destroyed. The loss in this small island
approaches £2oo—a mine of wealth to the frugal
and humble inhabitants, Some of them had to

ave their houses owing the advancing tide, which
in many cases washed the cabbages out of the soil.
Throughout all this neighbourhood the damage was
great; the tides in the Pentland Firth,
in which the Island of Strom is situated,
rising to an almost unprecedented height, and
sweeping away the fishing-boats from their places
of security for the winter, to return them to their
owners in fragments along the shores. Yet, melan-
choly as it is to read of the devastation of pro-
perty on which so many industrious families depend
for their livelihood, the loss of human life is yet
more startling. A large vessel came to anchor
on the coast of the Rabbit Islands, Kyle of Tongue,
during the late storm, but the strength of the gale
swept her away and drove her on the bar across the
mouth of the Kyle, where she went to pieces, and
the whole of her crew perished. Still more ter-
rible is a recent disaster in the Hebrides, where
seven boats containing forty-two men are missing,
leaving the little fishing village they belong to
half depopulated, and the relatives of their unfor-
tunate crews in the most painful state of suspense.
One of the boats was driven on the opposite main-
land, with the crew so much reduced by fatigue
and want that one of them died. This news has
doubtless prolonged " the hope that keeps alive
despair" among the sorrowing relatives.
Among such a catalogue of disasters it is some
satisfaction to turn to the report of the meeting
of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, to
which we have referred, whose members have as-
sisted so largely in the rescue of human life, and
sometimes in saving the vessels also. During the year
which has just terminated the lifeboats of this insti-
tution have rescued 358 persons on our coasts, and as
a proof that they combine skill and efficiency with
daring, it may be mentioned that though the
boats have during that period been manned on oc-
casions of service and exercise by nearly 6,000 men,
only one has lost his life. An interesting incident
was mentioned in the subscription list. A con-
tribution of 2s. 6d. was received from the wife
of an old Scotch sailor, said to be a good
sailor herself. She thought that every one should
give something to the Institution to which
her craft owed so much, and therefore sent
her humble donation. We should like to see
her ex ample more largely followed, for there
are few associations which have more claim
on the inhabitants of a maritime nation
whose obligations to our sailors of every
grade none are anxious to deny. The value of the
lifeboat stations on our storm-beaten coasts must be
apparent to the most superficial observer, and
although few can afford to follow the generous ex-
ample of Miss BURDETT COUTTS and Mr. JAFFRAY
in presenting the Society with the boats re-
quired, most of us can contribute some aid
by influence and exertion. It is proposed to place
forthwith a new lifeboat at Bude Haven, in Corn-
wall, and to renovate the station there. We trust
the society will be enabled to continue and extend
its labours, and to increase the number of its life-
boat stations on all the more exposed parts of the
coasts of the United Kingdom.

His Highness the Prince Sehakoffskoi and the
Count Krakinsoff have left the Brunswick Hotel, Jermyn-
street, for Paris.

His Excellency the Saxon Minister has returned
to town from Dresden to resume his diplomatic duties.
The Duchess of Hamilton has left Paris for Nice.
His grace, who arrived in town a few days since from his
seat in Suffolk, will leave early next week to join the
duchess and family.

The Earl Deiawarr is much better, but still
remains at his lordship's house in Upper Grosvenor-street.
Lord West is staying at Buckhurst Park.

The Countess Cowper, the Earl Cowper, and the
Ladies Cowper have arrived at Broadlands, on a visit to
Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston, from Panshanger,
Hex ts.

The Countess of Sefton and Lady Cecilia
Molyneux have arrived at their residence in Grosvenor-
place for a few days.
The Countess Gifford has left town for Lord
Dufferin's seat, Clandeboye House, Belfast.

Count Charles Kniphausen, nephew to the Hano-
verian Minister, has left town for The Grove, -Watford, on
a visible() the Earl and Countess of Clarendon.

The Hon. Cnarles Barrington has left town to
join the circle assembled at Broadlands, Hants.

Mr. Adolf Schmettan is appointed Secretary to
the Hanoverian Legation, in the place of the late lamented
Mr. Carl Klingeman, who was secretary for upwards of 30
years.

Mr. and Mrs. Hicks have left Fenton's Hotel
for Liverpool.

_ -
A notice has been issued that an International
Agricultural Exhibition will take place at Hamburg next
June.
TnE NABUYILLE.—The Liverpool Journal of
Commerce states that the Nashville, which hos
been for some time caged in the Cgeecbee River, has been
sold for 120,000 dollars to a private company of merchants.
She has been cut down and armed with one 100-pounder
guu forward, and a smaller one aft, and she is intended to
fight her way, laden with cotton, through the blockading
fleet.

ACCIDENT TO THE CROWN PRINCE AND PRIN-
CESS OF PRUSSIA.—A letter from Berlin notices,
that on Monday afternoon, about four o'clock, the Crown
Prince and Princess met with an accident while riding
.dwacsompirnoc:einmegonatacat
withvery rcsootudeerfiatree
g Tempelhofer Strasse. Thed cartilage, which was
g
pace, in order to avoid .
o• by at the time. A careless
driver,
engines which were passin,.,
drawnqlon by
however, managed his horses so
try,
the waggon to which they
ehin.,B4 that the centre pole of.
ftomt two
hheoresoeus,n
the window of
were attached was carried right through.
shattering it to
one of the doors of the Royal carriage,
pieces. The Crown Princess, in the terror of the moment,
put out her hand to seize the door, and was cut by the
broken glass. The injury is not eonsiderable f and the
accident rirgbt have been greater but for the exertions
of the Crown Prince. It is to be hoped, adds the writer,
that this occurrence will call the attention of the autho-
rities to the abominable carelessness of drivers in Berlin,
who seem to delight to drive the more recklessly the
more crowded the crossings are with vehicles and foot
passengers.

the past fortnight, 3,000 bales. Total export to
date, 51,250 bales. Exchange on London, B.lk.

CALCUTTA, DEC. 15.
Imports rising. Freights firm.
BOMBAY, DEC. 16.
Cotton piece goods and mule twist lower.
Five-and-a-Half per Cent. Government Securi-
ties, 112 k.

JUBAL, JAN. 1, 7 45 P.M.

The Penininsular and Oriental Company's
steamer, with the above mails, has passed here

en route for Suez.

THE BOMBAY AND MAURITIUS MAILS.
MARSEILLES, JAN. 2.
The Euxine, with the above mails, arrived this

day, at 9 p.m.

The mails leave for London by the 10.30 p.m.

train.

CHINA.

SHANGHAI, Nov, 23, via JUBAL.

Alarming reports are current of the rebels being
in the neighbourhood of the city, and an engage-
ment has taken place at Paokong between the
Burrgeyine (9) and the rebels, in which the latter
lost 2,000 killed. The Russians have offered their
assistance for the capture of Nankin.