The Sun.
London, England, 1863-08-12 00:00:00

The Bristol Channel Shipping Ports.

The returns of the trade of several of the principal ports
in the Bristol Channel for the financial year and for the
past month of July have just been published, and it is satis-
factory to find therefrom that there is a steady and satis-
factory increase, notwithstanding the continuance of the
American war and other events which materially interfere
more especially with the chipping trade.
BRISTOL.—The financial year of the Docks' Committee
has just ended, and the annual report has been published,
and, notwithstanding the extraordinary advance which the
port made during the years 1860-61, there has been a still
further advance upon the financial year just completed.
In June, 1861, a very large reduction of tonnage rates was
made, the estimated loss of revenue theretrom being set
down as about £6,000. It is gratifying, however, to be able
to state that, compared kith the income of 1860 (the year
previous to the redaction of tolls), the returns of the past
year show but a decrease of £BOO, and there is every reason
to believe that the present financial year of the port will
show returns quite as large as any previous to the reduc-
tion. The total income of the Docks' Committee for the
year 1862 is £12,457, while the ordinary expenditure was
only £29,366; but some extraordinary amounts swelled the
item of expenditure to £31,666. The committee report that
they had a balance in hand at the close of the year of no
less than £16,540; and they therefore felt justified in re-

commending a large reduction of the dues on goods brought
in coasting vessels, which it is expected will tend materially
to develope the trade and prosperity of the port. Referring
to the tonnage statistics, we find an equally satisfactory re••

suit; the tonnage of shipping from foreign ports which
entered Bristol during the past year being 277,329 tons,
as against 262,327 tons of the previous year. Altogether,
the report of the committee is most satisfactory, and there
is every prospect of the trade steadily increasing. _ _

CARDIFF.-This by far the largest exporting port in the
Bristol Channel has had a great impetus to its average trade
during the past month, consequent upon the extensive de•
mand for iron and coal for exportation. The two previous
months.-viz , May and June-were more than ordinarily
dull, but the past month of July has been more brisk than
any previous month of the present year, or, in fact, of any
month in the history of the port. The total quantity of coal
shipped during July was 136,259 tons, and of iron 23,237
tons ; while for the former month of June they only
amounted to 95,108 tons coal, and 15,649 tons iron, showing
an increase in favour of the past month of nearly 40,000
tons of coa', and upwards of 8,000 tons in iron. The ex-
ports of iron during the past month were upwards of 20,000
tons more than the average exports of the previous six
months. The trade of the first ,even months show a total
export of 719,442 tons of coal, and 111,970 tons iron ; the
quantities exported during the corresponding period of 1862
being 734,451 tons coal, and 113,463 tons iron, and for 1861,
628,652 tons coal, and 77,719 tons iron ; the increase of the
present year over 1861 and 1862 being 170,790 tons and
64,991 tons coal respectively. The great increase during
the past mouth has been in the coasting trade.
NEWPORT.-Whatever may be acid to the contrary by
interested parties, we are very much afraid that both the
import and export trade of this port is slowly but surely
falling off, and certainly the empty appearance of the docks
during the latter part of the past month fully guarantee this
assertion. Trade, however, has materially improved of late,
and there has been a certain degree of activity manifested,
but nothing like that which existed some few years ago,
when Newport was justly reckoned one of the, if not the
most prosperous ports in the channel. We have no hesita•
tion in saying that the policy of the harbour authorities in
keeping up the present high dues upon goods and shipping
is most suicidal, and until these dues are reduced, no great
increase of trade can be reasonably expected. We have no
official statistics of the exports of the past month, but, from
calculations and inquiries made, we may state, in round
numbers, that there has been between 50,000 and 60,000 tons
of coal, and 16,000 or 17,000 tons of iron, being somewhat
above the average. The trade coastwise has been more sa-
tisfactory during the past month than for some time pre-
viously.
SWANSEA.-The financial year of this port has just ended
and the statistics of trade were brought forward at the an-
nual meeting of the trustees held on Monday last. From
these returns we find that the rates on shipping received
during the past financial year was £15,890 7s 6d ; the rates
on goods, £8,634 Ils 8d ; bridge tolls, £2,015 ; ballast rates,
£2,946 15s 82-which, together with other minor receipts,
made the total income of the harbour for the past year,
£31,304 193 10d; while the expenditure was £25,931 6s Gd.
Within the past two or three years, however, the Trust has
taken possession of the South Docks and estate of the Dock
Company, and the proper facilities to bring this into profit-
able operation not being yet developed, there has been consi-
derable loss thereon. The total revenue derivable from the
South Dock estate during the past year was £4,938 19s 10d,
and of the harbour railway leading to the docks £2,770 13s ;
making a total of £7,759 12s 10d, while the expenditure
amounted to no less than £14,530 lOs Gd, or an excess over
income of £6,820 18s 4d, and the profits on the general har-
bour being deducted therefrom, leaves a clear loss of about
£1,350 for the year. It is only right that we should again
remark that the whole loss accrues on the South Dock
estate, which is as yet undeveloped, but which is expected
to be fairly remunerative now that the Swansea and Neath
mineral line is brought down thereto, and when the Dun-
went Valley line is complete. Referring to the trade of the
port for the past month we find it one of the most prospe-
rous in the history of the port. The total number of vessels
entering the port were 591, with an aggregate registered
tonnage of GO, 121 tons, and the total shipping rates received
amounted to £1,346 13s 9d, and the receipts arising from
the rates on goods, the bridge tolls, ballast rates, rent of
harbour, railway, &c., made the total income of te Trust
for the month £2,9''9 16s sd. Classifying,- the thrade,
find that there were 349 vessels, of 29,809 tons, engaged in
the coasting trade; 224 ships, of 24,360 tons, in the Euro-
pean trade; and 18 ships, of 5,952 tons, in the foreign
trade. Compared with the corresponding month of last
year, there is a large increase in every department. In
July, 1862, the number of vessels entering
of
e t
port weenrse,
513, with an aggregate registered tonnage 52,710
the shipping rates received amounted to £1,201 lls 7d.
These were classified as 307 ships, of 25,682 tons, coasting ;
193 ships, of 22,380 tons, European ; and 13 ships, of 4,648
tons, foreign trade. Although the special returns of the
exports are not given, it is expected that there have been at
least 70,000 tons of coal and other general merchandise
exported.
Nrann- Since the opening of the Briton Ferry docks
there has been a steady increase in the general trade of the
port, and the past month is no exception to the rule. The
coal drops have been fully employed, and, should the trade
progress in the future in the same ratio as it has dune in
he past, other drops will be shortly requited.

Full benefit of reduced duty obtained by Pur-
chasing Horniman's pure Tea ; very choice at 3a. 4d. and
is the
4s. "High Standard" at 4s. 4d. (formerly 4s. 861.),
strongest and most delicious imported. Agents in every
town supply it in packets. Courtiers
de
A DUEL IN A BALLOON.—.The
Etats Unis is responsible for the tollowing extra-
ordinary story, which appears in its issue of the 18th July
at New York
—Two aeronauts recently
arrivanedd Tarteiffer, a ,naMtievesrosi
John Lewis, from England'iverks
ascents,
at John' s W ood, where
and at the end of a
Prussia, met about three
both intended to snake publm_
dispute produced by Pr°le"l"al rivalry one of them gave
a challenge to the other. The choice of weapons was debated
for a long time then, after an animated discussion, a con-
elusion was corns
e to which w
joke; it was agreed that_ the twoas generally considered as a
champions should fight in
balloons without parachutes, each one firing, not at the
person, but at the balloon. of his adversary. arther, as a
pistol ball could not produce sufficient effect,
it was decided
that each should be armed with a blunderbuss loaded with
four grape-shot. As we have said, the belief was that this
affair was a pure comedy, or, as theYankeessay, a humbug
inspired by the atmosphere of the country. It was, how-
ever, perfectly serious, so serious that the denouement has
just proved a veritable catastrophe. Thursday last week
two balloons exactly alike, made at Boston, was taken out
and inflated ins field near the village of Sallisburg on the
frontier of Vermont, and each aeronaut took his place in•
the boat of his balloon. Four others accompanied them to
the ground, and shook hands with them cordially before
their departure. At an agreed-on signal the ropes were
cut, and the two aerial skiffs rose parallel to each other in a
perfectly calm atmosphere. The balloons had been started
at 84 paces distance from each other ; the same distance
waR preserved till they reached an elevation of about 100
yards. A rocket was then let off as a signal at the starling
place, and a minute after a double report was heard in the
air. One of the balloons continued its course majestically,
and soon disappeared in a westerly direction. The (Aber
whirled round a rement and then descended, slowly at first;
but the rapidity of the fall constantly increasing, it ended
by falling violently and heavily on the ground like an inert
mass. Mr. Lewis, who was found in the boat, was insen-
sible, with an arm broken and his body dreadfully bruised,
and them is some hope of his life being saved. As for M.
TarteiffeY, no one 1.I:LOW8 ;;hat has become of him.

7 -
ing has been very general, but the greater propor-
tion for India, China, rind the Mediterranean. The
home trade have bee= buyers, but have not operated
nearly to the extent they would have done in con-
sequence of the high prices required. The yarn
market closes very sneang, with o decided upward.
tendency. In cloths there is also a demand, which
is only checked by the higher prices required by
manuiacturers. Oar report of Friday stated the
improvement which, h eying comtneneed last Tues-
day, had led to some :heavy purchases, and Messrs.
Pender and Co., in their semi-monthly circwar (via
Marseilles) of the Bth, confirm that report, stating
that the business of the week " has included a wider
extent of buying in cloths than has been the case
conse-
quence for a considerable time past." The demand con-
tinues quite as brisk to-cliely, perhaps ; but business
has b
eoefr: cotton, which
within
remainshinnarrowaetr
nearlylimits,
thecon-
siderable in
of manufacturers, like spinners, trying to
force up prices, so as to cover the increased.
price
advance which it attained the week
before last. At the prices of last week for cloth,
sellers report that they could still do a good
o
busi-
ness, but that the advance has checked,
though i t
has not suspended, operations. The
chief business
doing is for India in the lighter makes f
O.
shirt-
ings, madapollams, long-cloths, and jacconets, but
there is also some inquiry for the home trade
and
for various smaller foreign markets. The im-
provement has caused a more cheerful feeling in the
market generally. It appears that the prospects of
increased employment have for the present received
a check, as shown by Mr. Faraall's report to teqe
Central Committee yesterday, and in fact this was
to be expected. The consumption of cotton has
already reached, probably, the limit which the
supply is likely to afford for sone )time to come, and
this alone would stop more mills resuming work for
the present. There is another indication of the
limit being reached also in the fact that the demand
for cotton goods probably already exceeds half
what it did before the cotton famine, so that in
reality fully as much or more money is turned over
in the trade as in 1860—a limit which the best in-
formed commercial men have all along expressed
an opinion was not likely to be much exceeded.
Messrs. John Slagg and Co. report of the cloth-
market :—" The better feeling in the market re-
ported on Tuesday last continues, and we have a
steady demand for nearly all descriptions of goods,
and the full prices of last week are readily obtained.
Yesterday and to-day sellers are generally asking
an advance, but this only serves to stop business."
LEEDS, Ang. 11,—There has been a satisfactory
market in the cloth halls to-day, as was evidenced
by the attendance of buyers, end the spirit with
which they made purchases. Considering the
amount of really seasonable goods on offer in the
halls, a more than ordinary quantity for a Tuesday's
market changed hands at the full current rates.
Diagonals, meltons, witneys, and tweeds are the
main kinds of fabrics in request, and in them are
found considerable variety, as well in pattern as in

quality and make. Considerable orders for fine
white meltons have been given out, and of such,
to be afterwards dyed and finished according to

taste and demand, the market is rather bare. Not
only is there a good business doing in the home
trade, but large shipments are making by some of
the German houses, and fair ones are still making
for Canada and America.
NOTTINGHAM, Aug. 11.—At this exchange-hall
to-day there was an average attendance of dealers
in lace yarns, but only few buyers were present,
and a limited share of business was done at late
prices. There was rather more doing in hosiery
yarn, and full rates were obtained. No material
change in the value of silk. For brown nets the

demand was flat, buyers having already purchased
stocks for the Leipsic fair to be held in September.
ROCHDALE, 10th.—Both at market and in the
warehouses an excellent spirit exisits. Buyers have
been somewhat numerous, and the number of actual

transactions proportionately large. There has been
perhaps less doing :n the finer qualities of goods,
but medium sorts, and also such as can be bought at
low prices, met with a rather brisk sale. There is
a good spirit also with regard to fancy goods. From
such a demand as has been witnessed to-day manu-
facturers may expect more business, as at the pre-
sent moment they have nothing like stocks sufficient
to replenish the
.market. The Yorkshire goods
branch has been as animated as the other, and the
supply being smaller than usual it rather tended to
dearness. Sales of wool are not very easily effected,
though there is an average business, considering
the prevalent dearness.

The History of the Arabian Nights Enter•.

tainments.

Antoine Galland has the merit of introducing a portion
of this work to the European world. Like most Oriental
scholars, he was .induced to investigate the treasures of
the East by a pure love of the subject. When young be
underwent much privation, and was very nearly compelled
to earn the means of existence by some petty tred.. lle
managed, however, to surmount all difficulties, and died in
Paris in 1715, having filled the of of Professor of
Arabic for several years.

The manuscript which he used still exists in the Impe •
rial Library at Yetis. It consists of three small quArto
volumes (a fourth having been lost.) We may here mention
that Galland added several tales which he procured
from other sources. Among these are "Aladdin, or the
Wonderful Lamp," " Ali Baba, or the Forty Thieves," and
several others. These are excellent stories, but form no
part of the genuine "Arabian Nights." The manner in
which Galland's translation was written is open to serious
otjections, for in striving to make everything in the book
agree with European taste, he very much injured its origi-
nal character. This defect is of course still more apparent
in the English translation, which possesses no particular
merit, and was probably executed to order for the book-
sellers.
From time to time various portions of the original were
obtained, but the work was very imperfectly known in
Europe until good fortune threw a complete manuscript
copy into the had
severalof the ceyleeabrrsa theedhOad inquiredriental in vain,
and Jovseapb.,
von IL thawmeer;•
Forn s
very moment when his wishes were accom-
plished, his literary ardour saved him from tho most im-
minent peril. Ono or two intimate friends pressed him to
join in an excursion on the water. After considerable hesi-
tation, his zeal for Eastern learning prevailed, anti he re-
fused to delay the perusal of the cherished manuscript. Ail
those who went perished within sight of the shore, and ne
was thus saved by his enthusiasm from an almost certain
death.

Von Rammer translated the portion of the manuscript
which Galland did not possess, into the French language.
This translation was, however, unfortunately lost bel,re
arrangements for its publication could be made. A Ger-
man Nersiox by Professor Zinserling had fortunately been
already completed, and was published in three volumes in
1823-4. From this a French translation was made by M.
Trebutien. Both these works have now become scarce,
and can with difficulty be procured in this country.
The first edition of the original text was published at
Breslau, the capital of Silesia, under the superintendence of
Professor llabieht, and after his death, of Professor Fleis-
cher. The text does not agree with that of the manuscript
of Von Rammer, and is said to be full of vulgarisms. The
manuscript was procured for Professor Habicht by a learned

native of Tunis. It is printed in 12 small volumes, and may
be considered a hatadsome book. The first volume was pub-
lished in 1824, the last in 1843. Th 3 concluding portion of
the Breslau edition differs materially from the editions of
Cairo and Calcutta. For those who are curious in these

matters, it may be as well to state that the last 118 Nights of
the Breslau edition may be found in a German translation
of the " Arabian Nights," publiblicel at Breslau, in five
volumes (1840), under the care of Professor liabicht and
others.

About the same time, that is to say, about 1839, two other
manuscript copies were pi inted, one at Cair,o, the other at
Calcutta. The Calcutta edition was edited by W. H. Mac..
naghten, Esq., Bengal Civil Service, better known as Sir
Macnaghten, who was murdered in Affghe..nist an some
years afterwards. Both the Cairo and Calcutta editions
agree in the main with the manuscript of Von Hammer,
and with each other. The Cairo text contains more poetry,
and is supposed on the whole to be the best,
We must next take notice of the translation of the "Ara-
bian Nights" published by Charles Knight, in three vols.,
royal Bvo. (1839-41). This translation was executed by Mr.
Lane, who is acknowledged to be one of the best Arabic
scholars in Eurppe, and is the only faithful representation
of the original. Several objections which wero made by
critics to Mr. Lane's plan proved rather their own ignol'ole
of the subject than any fault in the author. Numerous wo:Al
engravings, by Harvey, embellish the text. Some time sh., ce
a second edition was published, which
first in beauty,— .5'0ci.,7/ scienceit(viewis very inferior to the