The Sun.
London, England, 1863-01-16 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, JANUARY 16, 1863,

favour of peace at the North, and the severe blow
which the Government and the war party would
receive from the delivery of the final and decisive
verdict of Europe upon the hopelessness of the
hs tar
rudgl
yg ef a
if
lo rt o
t ht
ue r
nrestorationd
yo
wf a tvheer
nUng bi oanl
a,
nccoeu
ind
favour of an armistice, negotiation, and separation.
The idea that recognition would, in any case, pro-
voke the Federal Government to a declaration of
war can only be seriously entertained by those who
are either incapable to reason themselves or suppose
Mr. Lincoln and his advisers to be so. In the first
place, all American jurists pronounce that recogni-
tion of a de facto Government affords no casus ba' ;
in the next place, no one in his senses imagines that
the remnant of the United States could cope at once
with the South and with England, or France and
England combined. War with the North would be
far better than peace on present terms, but of war
there is not the smallest probability. Nothing but
the most obstinate and criminal indifference to Eng..
lish interests, the most unpatriotic and unworthy
partiality for the enemies of England, or the most
disgraceful want of moral courage, can explain the
longer persistence of the Administration in refusing
either to recognise the South or to offer, in conjunc-
tion with France, a just and necessary mediation
between the belligerents. We repeat what we
have said before—that for the continuance of
slaughter in America and starvation in Lancashire
Lord Palmerston's Cabinet are solely responsible.
The responsibility is one that might appal the most
indifferent conscience, and soften the hardest heart ;
but a Cabinet, like a corporation, has neither heart
nor conscience.

sin, we who are the criminals are not now to applaud the
ruin or extermination of those whose position is the sad re-
sult of our own wrong.

There is a rational prospect of the termination of slavery,
but not by the pen of Mr. Lincoln. The South, as an in-
dependent Power,r,will come at once:undcr the influenceiof
European counsel. The-causes, political, statistical, na-
tional, which have barred out action on this subject cease
to exist. The North would be there, a very powerful free
State, and place the system between two fires. The men
of the South are a proud race, axd would tire of a position
that exposed them to the obloquy of the civilised world.
They would end it not after the manner of Hayti, but as we
ended it, with calm consideration and just previsions. It
will as surely depart as a result of Southern independence
and the world's action upon it, as a taper will die out in the
sunlight. But there is a course of events that may preclude
this. If the war continue it will probably end in breaking
up the North into four pieces—Eastern, Middle, Western,
and Pacific. Little refLction is needed to show that in this
case the South will be the param unt Power. One, at least,
of the Northern sections would enter into close alliance,
and practically the evils of the old Union would reappear,
aggravated by military power and spirit. At once departs
the hope of extinguishing slavery, and that of the moral
gains which might have accrued to the people of America
from the great check in unceasing material prosperity.
Hence they who countenance the North in continuing this
war, not only invite its utter ruin, but do their worst to shut
out the rational hope of the extinction of slavery, afforded
to us in the termination of the Union.—Tines.

OUR IRON-CLAD FLEET.

THE MINOTAUR.

The progress which has been mode in the construction of
our armour-plated fleet is most satisfactory, and proves that
the Government are fully alive to the importance of the
work to which they pledged themselves two years ago. There
are now afloat or in course of construction no less than 21
of these iron-clad ships; some of them of enormous tonnage
and unprecedented speed, all heavily armed vessels, formi-
dable for offence, and possessing more or less of the impor-
tant quality of invulnerability. This fleet, which is rapidly
forming, already consists of 11 varieties or classes. We
hinavoeo, fimmrsits,sitohne',Wanardrwiohr
irtonhd BhalvaeckarPmroinocrep,
loaf 6, now
g,
only
a portion of the sides of the ship, leaving the bows and stern
unprotected. Then there are two smaller ones constructed as
"rams," of small tonnage and considerably less speed, but
liipes,sathmee principle
caesatnnde
mission, and their fipp
rresoftev
nci provided
.wbTiot
thhhe armourraoreo
ra
offot
waptol aaotnte.
dst
hiuenps upon not
ton-
nage is 3,668. A fifth class or variety is the Achilles, now
building at Chatham, and far advanced towards completion.
It is of the same tonnage as the ships of the Warrior class.
In addition, however, to the central plating of armour, the
Achilles has a belt of iron carried round the ship at the
load water line. The effect of this arrangement is to give
to the Achilles greater strength in parts where the ships
already mentioned are most vulnerable. The plates of
Finch iron of the Warrior and others will not keep out the
solid shot, and, if it holed below the load line, the safety of
the ship will depend entirely upon the water-tight com-
partments in the interic r; and unless the numerous man-
holes and scuttles are properly attended to, the ship may
quickly come to grief. A fourth variety consists of the
Hector and Valiant, of a tonnage between the Warrior and
Resistance, being of 4,363 tons. There have a broad belt
of iron plates all round the ship, but the fore and aft plat-
ing is not so deep as that of the midships section. These
ships are approaching completion, and they have the credit
of being the ugliest specimens of naval architecture ever
designed. We have next the timber ships Prince Consort,
Royal Oak, Royal Alfred, Ocean,Triumph, and Caledonia.
These are of 4,005 tons, and are of wooden framing, en-
tirely covered with armour plates. Next, we notice three
varieties of cupola ships—the Royal Sovereign, 3,765 tone,
having five turrets; the Prince Albert, 2,529 tons, with six
turrets or shields; and a two-shield ship of 1,385 tons,
There are then two classes of gunboats—the Enterprise,
990 tons, and the Favourite, 2,186 tons ; and in these the
plating is upon the same principle as that adopted in the
Achilles—iron belt at the load line, combined with broad
surface amidships.
The class, however, with which on the present occasion
we have more particularly to deal, is that one of which the
Minotaur, Northumberland, and Agincourt are the types.
They are the largest class of iron-plated ships yet at-
tempted. To a certain extent they are made upon the
model of the 'Warrior type, bat they differ in several very
important particulars. In their outline and appearance
they possess all that fairy-like grace and delicacy which in
so remarkable a manner distinguish the Warrior and the
Black Prince from all other ships of war of great tonnage.
The Minotaur is in the hands of the Thames Iron Works
Company at Blackwell, the same eminent firm by whom
the Warrior was built. It was commenced in December
of 1861, and already the whole of the hull is complete, and
great progress has been made in the internal structure.
As this monster now lies in its cradle its appearance is
most imposing. Standing on the lower floor, walls of iron
rear themselves on each side, while arching overhead are
the massive iron girders, looking like the gratings of a pri-
son-house, where one might expect to meet such horrid
monsters as those of half man half bull which give the
name to the giant ship. Curving up these iron walls and
stretching upwards to these iron bars, like monster pythons,
are the iron ribs that give shape to the hull, and to which
the framework of the ship is attached.. These gradually
fade away in the perspective until their individuality is
lost and they merge in the solid wall of dark and
gloomy ;metal. Looking more closely into the internal
structure it is seen that the lower end of these ribs of
metal are about 2ft. 6in,in depth, and are firmly bolted to the
keel pieces, three feet six inches deep and one and a half in
thickness. As they mount upwards the ribs are not quite
so deep, and at short intervals there are other pieces of iron
placed horizontally between the ribs, and which with them
form complete ribs of iron. Tens of thousands of rivets hold
together the pieces of this mighty puzzle. In every direc-
tion the eye meets with evidences of tremendous power, as
though some of the fabled Vulcans had been called upon to
construct a battery in which the Titans would storm the
very throne of Jove. Armed with tremendous power the
monster is itself invulnerable, and the bolts from Olympus
would rattle harmlessly upon the iron hide of the Minotaur.
For the one great point of difference between this ship and
the Warrior is that it is protected with armour plates all
round from stem to stern, while the 'Warrior carries armour
plates on her sides for about 220 feet only of her length, all
the other parts being of ordinary plate iron. In addition to
having a larger area covered and protected, the armour
itself is much thicker, the plates being 51 against 41in,
previously adopted. Instead,
.however, of having 18in. of
teak backing, there are but
.9in. in the Minotaur. The
Is slightly in favour of the Mino-
taur, are in the onefor caitsse
gliBalant. bsiyde4sl.in.T,
heqeudaliffetore2n2clie
while the monsteroit.,hstnaonlenogn.s.trtuhcatingadhai
istibountai9in,thhyicks: iens.s,
oe in
wqfouioganlhet
ion
enhlo4ti:if
iron,
as compared with the Warrior, with its 18ia. of teak.
These iron plates are forged in the same manner as those
which were made for the Warrior, and which have on
every trial proved their superiority to those of other make.
At present the Admiralty, and indeed all persons engaged
in the manufacture of iron plates, are working in the dark.
Experiments are made upon various descriptions of plates,
and, where the results are.no t conflicting, they are incom.
plate or unsatisfactory. This much, however, appears to
be proved, that hammered plates offer greater resistance to
solid shot than rolled plates. It also appears pretty certain
that iron is better adopted for the purpose, to say nothing
of its economy, than steel. Thin steel plates will resist
shot better than thin iron, but when the thickness is
increased beyond a certain extent, the superiority is in
favour of the iron. The qualities of iron that is best adap-
ted for these plates are those of toughness and solidity.
When, the iron is hard and brittle it is easily cracked and
broken by the shot, and, if unsound from blisters or lami-
nation, the power of resistance is seriously affected, Plates
of iron made up of layers of thin plates have failed in the
tests to which others have been submitted. Scrap iron
carefully selected, such as was employed for the Warrior
been.
iron
plates, appears to be the best adapted for the purpose, and
plates made from this scrap have opposed successfully
every description of smooth-bore and rifled ordnance
in the experiments at Shoehuryness and else-
where. A return made to the House of Commons showed
that of the 'Warrior's plates, weighing about 950 tons, all
were hammered, and only five of them proved faulty in the
process of manufacturing. Of the 1,200 tons of plates re-
quired for the Defence and Resistance, 45 were condemned
for being blistered, laminated, or overheated; while for the
lerteNziriainpeedra, ntdhe3ro2fohreem,
tmhaerteidnonthese
Black Prince, 100 tons of the plates were all rolled iron, and
olpowrffroooentrdhoo
production
acissalett
sdi
constructing
tloi platesrnfegat
hdtrejected,eyhs
e plates tmae
thansmv
aei thesnrsyyi
laborious
onlf.' ht ah
Emo
veoesi
rh3lo.ernrcoean.r
care
buildersns Worksttahkeo
efhnat
firsthva the
manufacturearoef
thrown
hh
re
opwl ant ei sn,
taontdh tehe
fires,m et
ohne
dd
hot aro subjected to the steam-hammer, and
instance,twhhe
is
lee worksred-hot
d
brought to a uniform mass of about half a ton in weight.
This lump is then placed on the top of a siruil mass, the
whole made red•hot, again subjected to the hammer treat-
ment, and welded
firmly together. Scrap iron of the best
description, selected and cleaned,
is only used ; and when
hammered as above, it is rolled into bars six inches broad
and half an inch thick. These bars are next cut up and
hammered into slabs
; several of these slabs are placed
together, again heated, and hammered out to the form re-
quired ; this process is repeated, and the plate goes on
graduallyincreasing until the required length is obtained,
The plates having been thus roughly formed into shape, are
planed and squared by enormous
machines, which hug them
in their arms, and force them slowly and resistlessly under
the sharp edge of the tolls,
until bright shavings o; the
metal peel off and curl up in long bright ringlets of iron, and
attest the tremendous
power whi ,
and the geed quality of the iromtll these machines possess,
When the edges and sur-
faces are made as smooth as the finest work of the cabinet-
maker,. the plates are plated on end, grasped firmly by a
mortising machine, and as they travel slowly to and fro in
the framework a small tongue of steel cuts iu them a groove
of about lin. in width and depth, into which the projection
made on the side of a corresponding plate will fit with per-

feet accuracy, the plates being all made to dovetail into each
of the four sides. The work of forging is facilitated by the
use of powerful cranes, which swing the glowing masses of ,
iron from the furnaces to the steam-hammer, while a nicely
adjusted balance is provided by a massive iron lever, one end
of which is welded into and forms part of the metal ; the
other end is provided with a dozen or more horns, or han-
dles, by which the metal can be turned in any direction. The
plates when finally brought into shape by the hammer are
about 15ft. long and 51in. thick.
The length of the Minotaur between the perpendiculars is
400 ft., or very nearly two-thirds of the length of the Great
Eastern. The extreme breadth to outside of plate is 591 t.
31in; depth of hold from top of floor to upper side of lower
deck beam 21ft. lin. The tonnage is 6,620 tons, or about
400 more than that of the Warrior. Her engines will be of
1,350 horse power, against 1,250 place I in tha Warrior and
Black Prince class. Some novelties will be introduced in
the rigging, with a view to reducing the excessive weight of
the top hamper. The Minotaur will carry five masts, the
main, and one fore and aft, being square rig, and the fore
and wizen of a lighter description, the character of which
is not, however, yet finally settled.
Perhaps the greatest improvement in the Minotaur, as
compared with the 'Warrior and Black Prince, in regard to
construction, is the plan which has been adopted of making
her what may 1)-! called a double ship—for she is really a
ship within a ship. In the Warrior there are cells or com-
partments running longitudinally between the floor of the
ship and the kelsons which carry the engines and boilers, so
that in the event of taking the ground, and the outer skin
being damaged, there would still remain the inner skin to
keep out the water. But the space so reserved is exceedingly
small, not more than 10ft. 6 on each side of the middle of the
kelson. The plan which, at the suggestion of Capt. Ford,
has been adopted by the Admiralty is a much more corn.
plete and comprehensive one ; inasmuch as a clear space is
left between the two skins of 7 feet 6 inches. The uses to
which this space can be applied are most valuable in con.
nection with supplying water ballast for the ship. The
Warrior and Black Prince have a most unpleasant propen-
sity for rolling in a heavy sea, and especially after a few
days' consumption of coal. The reduction of dead weight,
combined with the heavy rigging and the enormous weight
of armour plates, causes the ships to roll at times to as much
as 40 degrees. By an an angement of sea cocks the whole
or portion of the space between the inner and outer skin
may be filled with water, so as to give steadiness to or trim
the ship as required. The water may be let into the fore or
the aft compartments, or into the centre ones, just as the
state of weather, the consumption of fuol, or other circum-
stances might determine. About 750 tons of wafer may be
thus supplied at the bottom of the ship, and the effect of
this additional weight will be greatly to diminish the amount
of rolling.
The arrangement tends generally to the strengthening of
the ship, inasmuch as the plan of construction adopted
produces in effect one continuous girder from stem to stern.
Additional safety is provided for the ship in the event of her
being injured by grounding; for whereas the compart-
ments in the Warrior extend only for a few feet on each
side of the kelson, the water-tight compartments in the
Minotaur extend right across the bottom of the ship, and
beyond the turn of the bilge, and connected, in fact, with
the wing passages at the sides. Greater facilities are also
provided for getting at every part of the bottom to clean,
paint, or repair the iron-work. In the Warrior the com-
partments are so cramped and confined that the men who
go down to examine the state of these iron cavities have
scarcely room to move or even breathe, much less to make
rivets tight or paint them. When in action the introduc-
tion of the water ballast will be found of great service,
whether engaged in a strong wind and with a heavy sea,
or in a light and on smooth water. The armour plates ex-
tend only to sft. bin. below the load line. When, however,
the ship rolls heavily she will of necessity expose a much
greater portion of her vulnerable surface; and a watchful
enemy would therefore like nothing better than to engage
these huge iron-sides in rough weather, and when rolling
at some 40 degrees they presented not only a larger target
but the weaker portion of the structure for attack. Any-
thing therefore which tends to diminish this rolling, and
give increased stability to the ship in rough weather,
will make her more secure against the shot of the
enemy. Increased stability will also make her more
formidable to an antagonist, for the severe rolling
would render it impassib:e to work the guns, for the ports
would be nearly immersed. In calm weather and still
water the system of ballasting will also have its advantages,
inasmuch as the admission of some 800 tons of water would
bring down the load line about two feet, still leaving ample
height for working the guns, and while affording less mark
to the enemy would place the screw and rudder so much
under protection as the extra immersion would give. The
system of water ballast appears, therefore, to possess many
advantages ; and it is a matter for regret that it was not
adopted in those of our iron-clads which have already been
constructed. It was proposed for the Warrior, at the time
it was being built, by Cept. Ford, but it shared the fate of
many good and practical suggestions which are stowed
away in the pigeon holes of the Admiralty. The improve-
ment will add about 33 tons to the weight of the ship. The
additional cost will be about £4,ooo—a small sum to pay
for an alteration which promises to make these costly ships
more durable, more effective and secure in action, and more
easy in their movements at sea.

Two sister ships, the Northumberland and Agincourt,
arp in courgp ef•eenctruotlon on the Mersey and the Clyde.
The Minotaur will be ready for launching before the close
of the present yerr.

The Archbishop of Dublin and Mrs. B. Stowe.

The subjoined letter has been addressed by Arch-
bishop Whately to Mrs. Stowe, in answer to one
forwarded by that lady to his grace.

TO MRS. BEECHER STOWE.

Palace, Dublin, Jan. 6, 1863.

Dear Madam,—ln acknowledging your letter and
pamphlet, I take the opportunity of laying before you
what I collect to be the prevailing sentiments here on Ame-
rican affairs. Of course there is a great variety of opinion,
as may be expected in a country like ours. Some few sym-
pathise with the Northerns, and some with the Southerns;
but far the greater portion sympathise with neither com-
pletely, but lament that each party should be making so
much greater an expenditure of life and property than can
be compensated for by any advantage they can dream of
obtaining.
Those who are the least favourable to the Northerns are
not so from any approbation of slavery, but from not under-
standing that the war is waged in the cause of abolition. It
was waged, they say, ostensibly for the restoration of the
Union, and in attestation of this they refer to the proclatna •
tion which announced the confiscation of slaves that were
the property of Secessionists, while those who adhered to
the Federal cause should be exempt from such confiscation,
which they say did not savour much of zeal for abolition.
Many who have a great disliko to slavery yet hold that the
Southerns had as much right to secede as the Americans
had originally to revolt from Great Britain; and there are
many who think that, c ,nsidering the dreadful distress we
have suffered from the cotton famine, we have shown great
forbearance in withstanding the temptation to recognise the
Southern States, and creak the blockade.

Then, again, there are some who are provoked at the in-
cessant railing at England, and threats of an invasion of
Canada, which are poured forth in some of the American
papers. There are many also who consider that the pre-
sent state of things cannot continue much longer if the
Confederates continue to hold their own as they have done
hitherto, and that a people who shall have maintainei their
independence for two or three years will be acknowledged
by the principal European Powers. Such appears to
have been the procedure of the European Powers in all
similar cases, such as the revolt of the Anglo-American
and Spanish American colonies, of the Haytiens, and
the Belgians. In those and other like cases the rule prac-
tically adopted seems to have been to recognise the
revolters, not at once, but after a reasonable time had been
allowed to see whether they could maintain their indepen-
dence—and this without being understood to have pro-
nounced any decision either way as to the justice of the
cause.

Moreover, there aro many who say that the negroes and
people of colour are far from being kindly or justly treated
in the Northern States. An emancipated slave, at any rate,
has not received good training for earning his bread by the
wages of labour; and if, in addition to this, and his being
treated as an outcast, he is excluded, as it is said, from
many employments by the refusal of the white labourer to
work along with him, he will have gained little by taking
refuge in the Northern States.
I have now laid
:before you the views which I conceive
to be most prevalent amongst us, and for which I am not
myself responsible. For the safe and effectual emancipa-
tion of slaves, I myself consider there is no plan so good as
ono which was long ago suggested by Bishop Hinds. What
he recommended was an ad valorem tax on slaves, the value
to be fixed by the owner, with an option to Government to
purchase at that price. Thus the slaves would be a burden
to the master, and those the most so who shou d be the
most intelligent and steady, and therefore the best qualified
for freedom ; and it would be his interest to train his slaves
to be free labourers, and to emancipate them, one by one, as
speedily as he could with safety. I fear, however, that the
time is gone by for trying this experiment in America.—
With best wishes for the new year, I remain, dear madam,
yours faithfully, R. WHATELY.

BANKRUPTCIES LAST YEAR.--It appears that the
number of bankruptcies gszetted last year in England and
Wales was 9,308. Of these 4,104 occurred in the London
jurisdiction as compared with an annual average of 548
clueing the previous ten years ; 569 in the Liverpool dis•
trict, as compared with a previous annual average of 79;
662 in the Manchester district, as compared with a previous
annual average of 89 ; 1,336 in the Birmingham district, as
compared with aprevious annual average of 156; 1,046 in
the Leeds district, as compared with a previous annual
average of 105 ; 898 in the Bristol district, as compared
with a previous annual average of 68; 380 iu the Exeter
district, as compared with a previous annual averaged of 42;
and 313 i r the Newcastle district, as compared with a pre-
vious annual average of 36. It is boarcely necessary to re-
call the fact that the prodigious increase observeable is
almost entirely attributable to the operation of the new
Bankruptcy Act.

The Members for Leeds on Commercial
Topics.

On Wednesday the annual meeting of the Lecds
Chamber of Commerce was held in a room of the
Leeds Town Hall, Darnton Lupton, Esq., president
of the association, in the chair.

After the report—which detailed the operations
of the society during the past year—had been read,
and some other routine business transacted,
Mr. BEECROFT, M.P., congratulated the associa-
tion on the continued prosperity of Leeds, a circum-
stance mainly attributable, in his id.ea, to the great
variety of industries carried on therein. It was
gratifying to find that the Belgian tariff had done
some good, and that several good orders had
already been received in the town. On the sub-
ject of harbours of refuge, he held that the esta-
blishment of them was a work of mercy, and that
a national harbour of refuge ought to be imme-
diately constructed at Filey, for the loss of life
on the north-east coast was dreadful to contem-
plate. With respect to the new law of bankruptcy,
he expressed his opinion that some amendment of
the act must soon take place, and hoped that the
Government would shortly introduce a measure em-
bracing the whole subject. Such a measure would
reseive the support of the commercial classes both
inside and outside Parliament. A strong feeling
prevailed throughout the country that a consider-
able reduction should be made in the national ex-
penditure. In 18M, the expenditure on the army
and navy was only about £15,000,000, whereas in
1861 it had crept up, including the charge for forti-
cations, to £40,000,000. No doubt much of this in-
crease was due to the fact that we were now engaged
in the work of reconstructing our navy. It was
much to be regretted that we had allowed France
to distance us in this respect, for when they were
building iron ships we were foolishly throwing
away money on wooden ships. A great deal had
yet to be done before our iron-clad ships could be
considered invulnerable, and we must, consequently,
prepare ourselves for a considerable further outlay
on our navy. Our very existence as a nation de-
pended upon our Government having the command
of the sea. Whilst they were disposed to support a
wise and rigid economy, they mast still make them-
selves safe as a nation, and this could best be accom-
plished in a time of peace by way of preparing
themselves for any change of affairs. During the
recess he had spent some time in France, and in one
arsenal he founi 5,000 men at work, and at another
6,000 men were employed. His own impression was
that the French people generally had not the slighest
wish to go to war with this country; but there was
nothing which would contribute so much to the
permanent peace and security of this country as
its being known by foreign nations that we were
fully prepared to defend ourselves if attacked.
If they asked him in what particular respects
the estimates could be reduced, he answered that
in many of the departments great savings might
possibly be effected. There was one item of ex-
penditure about which he entertained considerable
doubts, and that was the item for fortifications—an
item of £30,000,000 according to estimation, but
which might be swelled up to double that amount ;
and if, after all, these land fortifications should
prove inefficient, it will be so much money thrown
away. According to Sir F. Smith it would require
30,000 men to man the forts at Portsmouth alone.
For his (Mr. Beecroft's) part, he had much greater
faith in moveable fortifications in the shape of float-
ing batteries than in fixed fortifications. (Hear.)
The hon. gentleman concluded by a reference to
the prosperity of the country, as evidenced by the
revenue returns lately published.
Mr. BAINES, M.P., devoted his remarks to the ad-
vantages which would attend a commercial treaty
or convention between this country and Austria.
His attention had been drawn to the subject by Mr.
S. Beaumont, M.P., who had recently brought it
before the Newcastle Chamber of Commerce, and
had given to the public the information which he
had obtained during a recent visit to Austria. Aus-
tria had now come into the enjoyment of a large
measure of civil and religious liberty, and the young
Emperor and his advisers seemed to be sincere in
trying what representative institutions could do to
revive the prosperity of the empire. Austria occu-
pies a position of first-rate importance in the heart
of Europe, and, with all its past faults, it has ever
been the political ally of England. It touches, or
nearly so, all the principal nations of the west and
east, of the north and of the south. It has a tempe-
rate climate, a fertile and varied soil, great mineral
riches, and fine rivers which empty their waters and
their traffic into the Baltic, the Black Sea, and the
Adriatic. Its inhabitants, generally speaking, are
intelligent, industrious, loyal, brave, and friendly.
Its maritime commerce was restricted by the fact
that it has only two good seaports—viz., Trieste and
Venice, both of which, however, were now free ports.
But the want of maritime facilities was made up by
its excellent system of railways, which it began
exactly contemporaneously with those of England,
and which are of the aggregate length of 3,000 miles,
reaching to every extremity of the empire. The
weakness of Austria,it is well known, consisted in its
comprising too many nationalities, but it appeared
likelythat freedom would propitiate those whom des-
potism aggrieved ; and at all events there would re-
m ain ,afier anypossible dismemberment,the heart and
limbs of a great empire. Mr. Baines then, at some
length, entered into the commercial statistics of
Austria, and showed by a series of tabular returns
the inequality of the present tariff with England, as
compared with that between Austria and the Zell-
verein.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

DANUBE AND BLACK SEA.

The adjourned half-yearly meeting of this company was
held yesterday at the offices, Abingdon-street, Westminster,
Sir S. Cunard in the chair. _ _

Mr. C. W. Eddy, the secretary, read the report.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report
and statement of accounts, said he would be glad to answer
any questions that might be put to him. The traffic had
much improved, although in the spring of last year they
had suffered from unusual floods, which were greater than
had been known for half a century. This had delayed the
works, and if those obstructions had not occurred they would
now have been in a better position than they were at present.
This was an unavoidable circumstance, and could not have
been prevented.
Mr. M'GAREL wished to know how it was that they had
expended so much as £60,000 during the past year on so
small a concern as theirs; there was £16,000 for engineer-
ing, which was about 5 per cent. on the whole capital, and
there was £lO,OOO for well-sinking, lime-kilos, and other
matters, which he thought were large sums.
Mr. LEWIS, a director, explained that the items referred
to included other matters than were stated in the account.
One reason why the accounts were not so clear as they
should be was the sickness that prevailed among their offi-
cers, and the accounts were not made up until the last mo-
ment. The sickness in the autumn had been fearful ; they
had lost the services of three of their most important men,
and the whole of the business had to be done by the traffic
manager. Although he believed the amounts stated were
right, they had not received the full details.
The CHAIRMAN remarked that they could do nothing
without the harbour at Kustendjie, the hotel was in'lispen•
sable for the passenger traffic, and would repay for the out-
lay. They had taken £2,000 in the last half-year for pas-
sengers.

Mr. Tirrpro had the utmost confidence in the undertak-
ing, but he thought they had keen tarrying in the wilder-
ness. He hoped the directors would state freely what their
feelings were on the subject. The £61,000 expended on
rolling stock and plant was a little beyond Ihe requirements
of any business they were likely to meet with for some time.
He wisl2ed to know whether they received rent for the use
of the granaries.

' The CHAIRMAN stated that the directors and himself
were perfectly satisfied with the present state of affairs;
they felt no dissatisfaction, but, on the contrary, looked for-
' ward with hope for better times. The floods of last spring
were unusual, and had delayed the completion of some of
their works nine mouths. As to the plant, they had hardly
enough at present, because some of their locomotives had
been injured by using bad water, and had caused a very ex-
pensive item in their charges. They received rent for the
use of the storehouses, and looked forward to a fair share
of traffic. It should be remembered that they had to send
everything about 3,000 miles to the works. They had bean
greatly disappointed in respect of obtaining labour on the
spot, and they had been obliged to send out men from Eng-
land, which was a matter they did not expect when they
commenced operations.

Mr. S. BEALE, M.P., a director, said he had no doubt
their position would now have been better it they hid not
lost a few months with the works last year. While they
were carrying on the harbour works they would require
engine-power, but when those works were completed he
believed they would have ample stock for the traffic. He
was sorry they were not enabled to spend more money on

the harbour last year. They had had three storms, which
tested the stability of their works, and the ships in the har-
bour had ridden out the storms in strfety.Their difficulty had
been to divert the trade from the ordinary route to the railway
and harbour. They had recently made contracts with emi-
nent houses for the conveyance of produce, and ho had no
doubt that when ships got into the practice of using their
harbour they would peter taking freights at low rates to
going empty; and there was no doubt the merchants would
find their line and harbour the cheapest mode of convey-
ance. He considered that their harbour and works were not
fairly opened for trade until the Ist of October last.
Mr. LEWIS remarked that since they had commenced
operations the Salina mouth of the Danube had been im •
proved, and the vessels navigating the river had thus been
enabled to reduce their rates, and they had caused the com-
pany to reduce its rates.
Mr. LIDDELL, the engineer, explained that the improve-
ment of the Sulina mouth was very considerable ; the Danube
Steam Company and .they vessels were carrying at unre •
munerative rates, but as the corap,ny's undertaking afforded
great advantage to merchants he had no doubt they would
get the trade. They had from 30 to 40 merchants sending
by this route, but they had only two or three last year.
When the machinery for loading and unloading was com-
pleted they would reduce their working expensas very con.
siderably.
The report was adopted.
The three retiring directors (Mr. Henrick, Mr. W. J.
Newall, and Mr. J. Lewis) were re-elected, and also Mr. R.
Potter, the retiring auditor. The articles of association
were altered so as to admit of the accounts being made up
to the 30th of November in each year, and the half-yearly
meetings to be held in the months of February and August
of every year.
The proceedings concluded with a vote of thanks to the
chairman and directors.

METROPOLITAN AND TOTTENHAM AND

HAMPSTEAD.

This extension of the Metropolitan Railway is intended to
start from the eastern end of their Gower-street station, in
the Euston-road, St. Pancras, and terminate on the south
side of Swain's-lane by a junction with the Tottenham and
Hampstead. It is estimated to coat £lOO,OOO.