The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-17 00:00:00

PR1CE..........4d.
STAMPED ....sd.

Naval and Military Intelligence.
..- -- --,.----J.-

THE NAVY.

The Cumberland, 74, Capt. W. K. Hall, C.B,
guardship of the Chatham steam reserve, is bein'
stripped of her rigging, in order to be fitted with a
pair of masting shears, for masting small vease)s on
the plan proposed to flat.. Admiralty by Capt. Hall,
by which it will no longer be ner.essary to send the
vessels either to Sheerness or Chatham to be masted. li

The paddlewheel steamer salamander, 6,818 tons,
220 horse power, fitting for the Chatham steam re-
serve in the Medway, has been almost entirely
rebuilt, having undergone a very extensive repair,
besides being fitted with new boilers, in addition to
which her machinery has undergone a thorough
overhaul. Her standing and upper rigging has been
fixed, and she will shortly be ready to take her
place in the first division of the steam reserve.

The screw frigate Tamar, 3, 2,812 tons, 500 horse
power, Capt. F. H. Stirling, fitting at the Tore for
immediate service at sea, is receiving on board
nearly 1,000 tons of coals in the great basin, where
two colliers are alongside discharging. The coals are
all heisted on board by means of the steam cranes,
by which a great saving of time is effected.
Mr. Stansfeld, M.P., the Civil Lord of the Ad-
miralty, is now on a visit to Portsmouth dockyard,
accompanied by Mr. Walker, Inspector and Auditor
of Dockyard Accounts, engaged in investigating
the principles and data upon which future annual
Parliamentary returns of dockyard expenses are to
be made out.

, The Speedy, screw gun-vessel, Master Comman-
der Burney, in commission for service at the Chan-
nel Islands, having undergone repairs to hull and
machinery at Portsmouth, and received new boilers,
was yesterday tested at the measured mile in
Stokes Bay, under the supervision of the officers of
the steam factory and reserve of Portsmouth yard.
Condensing, she realised a mean speed of eight
knots, and under high pressure she rather exceeded
that rate. The machinery worked satisfactorily.
The Sprightly, paddle-tender, Master Comman-
der Allen, which has also undergone heavy repairs
at Portsmouth, and received new boilers, was tested
at Spithead in the working of her machinery on
Tuesday, and was tried at the measured mile.
The Pioneer, 6, screw despatch-vessel, Comman-
der Robinson, recently returned to England
from service on the Australian station, hauled
alongside the shear jetty of Portsmouth yard yes-
terday, and was dismasted under the shears. She
is cleared out and her stores are returned, and will
be paid out of commission after the conclusion of a
court martial, expected to be held on one of her
subordinate officers, which will probably take place
to-day.
The Lyra, 9, screw, Wasp, 17, screw, and Falcon,
17, screw, wooden corvettes, are being brought
forward for commission as rapidly as possible by
the seamen riggers and reserve in the steam basin
of Portsmouth yard.
The Hector, iron frigate, still remains in the large
dock at Portsmouth, and from the slow progress
being made with her outfit, will in all probability
remain there until driven out by the wants of the
Channel fleet on their arrival at Spithead at the
conclusion of their present cruise.
The following appointments were made yester-
day at the Admiralty :—Andrew Farmer, master,
to the Zebra; Robert Brown, master, additional, to
the Fisgard ; John A. H. Marcus, assist.-engineer,
to the Asia as supernumerary; James R. Gow,
master's assistant, supernumerary, to the Euryalus ;
Edward M. Ommanney, clerk, to the Alert; and
Charles H. Baker, clerk, to the Royal Adelaide, as
supernumerary.

_ -_--,---0-0,--
__:,----"--- . - ~---.s-,--
,---
cj 4 ENV S PA PE It
._,..9
A I 1 -,', WA
M. DE PERSIGIITS ..,,..4-•4:ge:.l
-------•-- ~.,P-afiv
.--
The decree conferring a "Du ‘ds' -
•• " 7-Y
-•
-,. 1_ I ~.._-;
precise, the title of duke on :111. d -iyfi f. • ..§
spires the following reflections to M. F.a4ade a the
Revue des Deux Mondes, the new number of which
appears to-day :—" How nervous speculators must
have felt after the panic of Saturday when they
tore open the Mottiteur on Sunday morning ! How
relieved they must have felt when they found that
the official sheet contained nothing but the decree
making M. de Pereigny a duke. It is undeniable
that the anxieties of the readers of the Moniteur
could not be more happily dispelled. It is a real
piece of good fortune for the ex-Minister of the
Interior that the publicity given to his exaltation
should have oecurred just in time to dissipate such
intense alarm. We have alma another civilian for
a duke. We have already stated our opinion on the
subject of the institution of civilian dukes, and
there is no need to repeat it. It would not have
been unders:ood at a time when nobility was a
reality, and when titles were a social distinction,
nor can wo now make up our minds to duke those
who have not won their coronets on the field of
battle. As M. de Persigny follows close on the
heels of M. de Morny, there is reason to believe
that the collection of civilian dukes will be enriched
in course of time with fresh specimens, and that we
shall be provided with a fresh institution. Persons
among us who still cultivate the science of heraldry
are likely to make some remarks on the subject.
It is to be noted that both under the second as well
as under the first Empire no marquises are created.
A count takes a sudden leap upwards and be-
comes a duke. The marquises have no reason
to complain of this system, which will make their
title (the object of so much ridicule at the hands
of Moliere and St. Simon) rare and recherch6
in France. Another remark is, that in making
dukes the second Empire does not follow
the mistakes of Napoleon I. There were civilians
who were made dukes under the first Empire, but
names of towns or provinces were tagged on to
their titles, and effectually swamped a lawyer or
financier under a cloud of feudalism and aristocracy.
Such is no longer the case. Spain has a custom
which seems appropriated to the creation of a civi-
lian nobility. The Spaniards couple the title with
some word expressing a moral idea. Thus they have
Dukes of Victory or Fidelity, and Prsnces of Peace.
Had M. de Persigny become a duke in Spain, he
might, in the most natural way in the world, have
received the title of Duke of Devotedness, cr Duke
of the Elections, but no one will regret that in our
newfangled mania for titles we should have refrained
from imitating Spanish usages. Neither do we feel
inclined to question the eaims of M. de Persigny to
the honour bestowed upon him. The political an-
noyances he may have caused us have never pre-
vented us acknowledging his merits, nor applaud-
ing sincerely the sober and useful zeal with which,
during his last tenure of office, he applied himself
to the beneficial promotion of country roads, as is
proved by his report to the Emperor on the subject.
M. de Persigny, moreover, has long shown himself
deeply learned en the subject of nobility, and the
title of duke could not possibly be conferred on a
man more capable of appreciating or enjoying it.
Surely if such honours can give pleasure to any one
we have no hesitation to admit that they cannot do
anybody any harm. They no longer even excite
the jealousy and envy which the creation of a new
title used to cause in former days. On the con-
trary, the new comer is well received by his prede-
cessors, and his bran new title makes theirs which
date from yesterday appear more respectable be-
cause more ancient, for even our new nobles must
have heard that nobility, like 'wine, improves as it
grows older."

A Carpenter evidently up to a Trick or Two,

Mr. Robinson, in his new work, called " Shirley
Hall Asylum, or the Memoirs of a Monomaniac,"
gives an account of a passage in his early life which,
if not told in the manner of Defoe, is very much in
the manner of Mr. Dickens. When domiciled as a
boy in the house of a stingy uncle, he used fre-
quently to enliven his evenings by visits to the
Lyceum Theatre. A popular piece called " The
Dog of Montargis, or the Forest of Bondy," struck
his imagination forcibly. The dog's master hap-
pens to be cruelly murdered in the forest ; and in
the next scenea street in Bondy is represented, with
several houses in perspective, a bell-handle being
plainly visible at each street door. After smell-
ing at the doors of several houses in sue-
session, the faithful dog gives a violent pull
at the right bell-handle, and announces the non-
arrival of his master. Young Robinson, seized with
the desire of imparting the same amount of sagacity
to his own dog Rover, got one of the carpenters
belonging to the theatre to come home with
him. The carpenter declared himself perfectly 'wil-
ling and able to instruct Rover, at the naoderai:e
of one shilling for each trick to be taught.
Tprcehieboy was delighted and went to fetch the dog :

" Rover was accordingly introduced, and the ear,
penter examined him attentively and critically,
while I stood by in a state of no little anxiety, wait,
ing for his judgment.
"That dog will do capitally, sir. I never say
one, leastways judging from his appearance, who
could learn faster. 'What a shame, he continued,
in an under tone, to starve a poor brute in that

manner.'
"I felt exceedingly annoyed at the remark, but,
as it was a true one, I said nothing. The meanness
of my uncle's housekeeping was visible in poor.
Rover's ribs, all of which might' easily be counted.
After a moment's silence on both sides, the carpen-
ter said,

Well, sir, is it a bargain ? lam agreeable if
you are.'

_
~ 4 It is,' I said, ' and there is the shilling for tho
first trick.'

" Which would you like to know, sir ?'
" How the dog of Montargis was taught to ring
the right bell.'

" The carpenter put the shilling into his pocket.
"' I will now tell you faithfully, sir, how it is
done. I never gets off a bargain. All the ball-
pulls in the street is made of wood except the tone
at his own house, and that's a sausage.'
" A what ?, I almost screamed.

A sausage. The poor brute knew his own
house by the sausage for the bell-pull ; and when
he catches hold of it, he naturally rings the bell.'
" Then I can't teach Rover to ring my bell
" Oh, Yea, you could sir, if you had a sausage
tied to the wire ; not otherwise. But then I don't
know that your servants would much like it, for
they would soon have to answer the door pretty
often. There is not a dog within a mile round that
wouldn't soon find it out, and have a pull at your
bell to tell you his master was murdered.' I was
thunderstruck at the information, but there was no
help for it; the money was gone."

POLYGAMY IN BENGAL.—It is believed at Cal-
cutta that the Hon. Rajah Deo Narain Singh in..
tends to introduce a bill to lessen the evils of polygamy.
This is a very delicate question and will be dealt with ten-
derly. In 1856 the leading Hindoos of Bengal petitioned
the Legislature to put down a curse which practically is as
bad as infanticide and worse than suttee. The question is
a moral not a religious one ; and that a Hindoo member of
council from the sacral city of Kasi or Benares should deal
with it is a great advantage. Tho Shasters nowhere do
more than tolerate polygamy, and it exists in Bengal in a
hideous form unknown elsewhere. Three centuries ago,
when Bengal was ruled from Gour by Adisur. a low-caste
king, ho found there was not a Brahmin in his dominions
who could perform certain ceremonies, owing to the perse-
cution of the Buddhists in former times. He accordingly
applied to the King of Kanoje, who sent five Sagnic Brah-
mins, venerated priests, who preserved till the hour of their
death, for their funeral ceremonies, the sacrificial fire
lighted by their parents on the day of their birth, and fed
daily by fuel and clarified butter. From these live have
descended a whole crowd of Kutin or privileged families.
They are simply hereditary spiritual pens, and as no father
will marry his daughter, if of a certain caste, except to
them, many of them live solely by such marriages.
Twenty wives is a common number for a Kulin Brahmin to
have—but there are cases in which one man has ISO. The
polygamist does not feed these wives, but resits the richer
of them at their father's houses, and is in fact maintained
by his wives. In many cases whole families, consisting of
sisters, aunts, and nieces are married to one avarici .us sen-
sualist. You may imagine the moral evils which flow from
this, and understand how, as
asocial_nforambuasti!o,nnaistinvecwopbineiir.ong
would like it put down penally. T
collected by the Itajah to see how much further legiqatien
can g 0 than this,-4egor from, ailouqq,