The Sun.
London, England, 1862-09-29 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY MVENENG, SEPTEMBER 29, 1862.

try—one consequence, at least, would be perfectly
manifest. England would still loss England, it is
true, the British Islands would still remain " en-
compassed by the inviolate sea"—but as to
the British Empire that would be just absolutely

nowhere.
" Assyria, Greece, Rome, Carthage, where are they ?"
Asks Lord BYRON at the close of his Childe
Harold. Professor SMITH would exultingly, tot
sorrowfully, add to these accumulated queries the
name of the British Empire. Concerning his very
able, and some of them in many respects even
masterly, arguments, it is difficult not to
come to a homely conviction that throughout,
somehow, the learned Professor has got the
Bull by the horns certainly, but that after
after all he has got the'wrong Bull. Everything
with him points in only one direction. It seems, as
the Humorist says of Mr. PECKSNIFF, when clam-
ouring for something to drink at M. TODOERS'S—it
seems like an idiosyncrasy. Professor SMITH can
never think of our colonies without clamouring for
us to get rid of them. It is all one to him whether
the colony in question be a mere speck upon the
ocean like the rocky island of St. Helena, or that
vast continent directly at our antipodes—that sup-
plementary continent of Anstralasia, of which Sir
ARCHIBALD ALISON wrote at page 9, vol. 1., of his
continuation of the " History of Europe"—that
magnificent geographical and geometrical Scottish
Bull—calling Australia " that fifth hemisphere !"
It is enough for Professor SMITH that, whatever its
intrinsic value, whatever its geographical position,
whatever its comparative size, the particular portion
of the habitable globe to which he is directing atten-
tion, island, continent, peninsula, province, isthmus,
promontory or what not, is a British colony: for that
all-sufficient reason it is to be lopped away from
our power, as a superfluity and an encumbrance.
And, certainly, if we were to imagine the advice he
is now giving to our rulers so persistently—if we
were to imagine it taken by them and systemati-
cally carried into operation, we do not in any way
see how Professor SMITH, after ridding England
of all her world -wide possessions, should stop
in this astonishing labour of diminishing
her power by giving up possession after possession
—how he could stop consistently in this wonderful
labour of his, saving and excepting only at the
actual shores of this island of ours, comprising
within the compass of the shores, England, Wales,
and Scotland. Admit the validity of his argument
in regard to Canada and Hindustan, in respect to
Malta, and the 365 Bermudas, and by a parity
of reasoning the Channel Islands, the Scilly
Islands (not inappropriately), the Isle-of-Man,
the Isle-of-Wight, must all, if we are to
be guided consistently in this matter, follow
suit. Professor SMITH has got an eye now
to Gibraltar. Again he has mounted his hobby.
Again his war cry against all corners, having
particular reference, of course (in this new joust
which he has just undertaken), to Gibraltar—
" Away with it !" It is useless, he says. It is
worse than useless. It is a constant vexation to
Spain that England retains it. Beyond all this—
and especially in proof of its being worse than use-
less—it is expensive. The sum that Gibraltar costs
us within any given year, Professor SMITH cannot
but feel, would look rather small for his argu-
ment if put upon paper ! Small, that is,
—seeing that Gibraltar certainly does somehow
stand there conveniently for our ships of war at the
very entrance to the Mediterranean ! So
what does Professor SMITH immediately do
to make matters look a little more galling
in the estimation of all our sticklers for
economy ? He clubs five years together and re-
minds us thatwithin these given five years 1853-1857
we have spent in money because of our holding
possession of Gibraltar, £1,854,852. " And cheap
at the price !" will be thought of every loyal
English patriot—when he reads the announcement
awfully placed before him by Professor SMITH,
even supposing any one of our countrymen upon
reading that statement, to have just buttoned up
his pocket (a little emptier than it was a few minutes
previously) after having paid his last instalment of
the income-tax. " And cheap at the price "he ,
will say—remembering that the price is paid by 1
England not in one year, but in five years,
for the retention of Gibraltar ! No Professor SMITH
may insist upon it as loudly and persistently as he
pleases, that in his view it is monstrous that Eng -
land should annually expend four millions upon her
sixty colonies. Let him entertain his opinion still
if he pleases. But others, not a jot less earnest
patriots than himself, think quite differently. They
think as earnestly and as conscientiously as Pro-
fessor SMITH himself, that four millions a-year is
not so very extravagant a sum to pay for the preser-
vation to the British Empire of these Sixty Colonies.
Not at this point is it certainly that we would see
the systematic application of economic prin-
ciples (so called) to the yearly Budget of England,
with a view to the lopping off of £4,000,000 from
our annual expenditure of £70,000,000.

Mr, WALTER and Mr. DISRAELI, the latter having
far the greatest number of landlord clients, seem
likely to have a never-ending quarrel on the ques-
tion of prize labourers—that ploughing, thatching,
rickmaking, shall have premiums for the display of
the greatest skill. That pigs, sheep, oxen, horses,
shall have prizes for their good breeding, is agreed
to, on all hands; but, when the poor labourer comes
in, Mr. DISRAELI will have it, that being good, in-
dustrious, stayin g long in one place, ab3ve all,not hav-
ing become chargeable to the parish, shall entitle
him to be considered a prize labourer; and to go to
church on Sundays in a green coat and bright but-
tons, the proof that " his betters," or those " in
authority over him," have deemed him a good man,
It is said Mr. DISRAELI has his blue riband. It is,
replies Mr. WALTER, his badge of disgrace. Every
autumn this duel is fought; and so far as votes go
at agricultural associations, Mr. DISRAELI has it.
He crows at his own Buckinghamshire meetings,
no one venturing to utter a counter crow. But
when Mr. WALTER attacks the DISRAELI prizes
for goodness in his own Backshire meetings,
labourers.
Mr.
the
he is in a minority. His fellow land-
lords will
onepis
DISRAELI
argumentative
to reta inwAtLhTeER, however,premiums for prize
suacekceossowthleisagymeaern;t hethdartovepMrizre.
I labourers must be defended in their origin, rather
than on their merits. The •
prize had been started
when every labourer was, in turn, almost forced
upon the parish. There was the best reason, then,
for rewarding the labourer
who preferred to fast for
a prize ; and though now the state of things was
much altered, it would create dissatisfactionto give
up the prizes.
Now, as Mr. WALTER cannot convince his asso-
ciates of views in which we entirely agree with
him, we would respectfully proffer him
suggestion, Let him offer a premium for good
masters. Why should not the top step of the cli-
max—prize pigs,
r
nrize sheep, prize oxen, prize
horses, prize labourers—be prize masters ? A most
valuable member of the community is a good master.
As Mr. WALTER so
vainly points out to his intelli-
gent compeers, the prize-labourer's merit is oftener,
in truth, his master's merit. It is at least quite as
common that the master should be one no sensible
labourer should quit, as the labours; no sensible

master would part with. Let a jury of labourers
decide which master pays his labourers best,
treats them most like reasonable beings, fur-
nishes the most well-paid employment, and al-
' together does the most to make it worth a
farm labourer's while to do his best to serve him.
Let the jury of labourers pronounce on the man
whose service they thought it a privilege to enter,
and, per contra, thought it most foolish for a labourer
!o quit.

Now. why should not such a farmer have a
prize ? Why should he not have a " blue riband ?"
Why should he not have a bucolic coat of prize
colour, and buttons with a suitable embossing of a
portly JOHN BULL and a healthy hat-touching,
cheerful-looking swain? Why should he not go to
church or to market in the orders conferred by his
peasantry ; his neighbours surely would not titter
at him ; that would imply that the equals of Mr.
DISRAELI'S greencoat would do the same. We will
not suppose such jealousy in bucolic natures, or
imagine that they could suspect each other of that
course of conduct elegantly known as " currying
favour." If Mr. WALTER will boldly advertise his
prize and its conditions, he will surely do something
towards rewarding men surely worthy reward—
good masters. We mean, of course, on the Dis-
RAELI hypothesis, that "emulation is the origin of
all our excellencies," and that it will not do to leave
virtue to be its own reward. Perhaps, indeed, we
ought to have rather proffered our suggestion to
Mr. DISRAELI than to Mr. WALTER, since it is the
development of the former's hypothesis. We
thought of it, however, for Mr. WALTER, because we
are pretty sure it would prose the truth of his
argument, that the prize labourer is commonly the
servant of one whom no labourer, in his senses,
would willingly leave. The servant, in fact, of a
prize master.

CONFEDERATE PRIVATEERS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sir,—When standing towards the Isle of Flores,
on the 10th inst., we observed a rakish looking
steamer steering direct towards us, changing her
course as we crossed her path. As she neared us I
hoisted the British ensign. The steamer then
changed her course, and stood towards an American
schooner, firing two shotted guns across the latter's
bow. The schooner then hove to, and boats from
the steamer took possession of her. They were two
miles' distance from my ship. Boats from the
steamer approached the island, and, as they passed
under our stern, the men in them desired me to
report that the steamer was the Alabama Confede-
rate war steamer, commanded by Captain Semmes,
late commander of the Sumter. They were landing
the crew of four Federal whaling ships which they
had burnt, and the men reported the schooner would
also be destroyed.—l am, Sir, your respectfully,
THE COMMANDER OF THE
Sept 26. CAIRNGORM.

His Royal Highness the Commander-in-Chie ris
expected to proceed to the inspection of the troops in the
south-eastern district in about ten days.

The Marquis of Lansdowne left Lansdowne House
on Thursday, for his seat, Bowood.
The Marquis of Breadalbane, who has recovered
from his recent indisposition, has left his mansion in Park-
lane for Germany.

The Marquis of Clanricarde has left town for
Portumna Castle, Galway. The marchioness and Lord H.
de Burgh have gone to Marston House, Somersetshire, on
a visit to the Earl and Countess of Cork.

The Baroness Brunnow. has left Chesham House
to join his Excellency Baron Brunnow at Brighton.
The Earl and Countess of Westmoreland have
been receiving a succession of visitors at their seat, Ap-
thorpe, Northamptonshire.

A marriage is about to take place between the
Hon. Charles A. Murray, C. 8., her Britannic Majesty's
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at the
Court of Saxony, and Miss Edith Fitzpatrick, fourth
daughter of the Right Hon. 3. W. Fitzpatrick, Lord Lieu-
tenant of Queen's County, Ireland.
FUNERAL OF THE EARL OF ELLESMERE.—The
funeral of the Earl of Ellesmere took place at Wonky
Church on Saturday. The chief mourn..a were v..ri
Grosvenor, Lord Brackley, Lord Egerton, and Lord Wil-
ton. The tenantry and fifteen colliers from each coal-pit
joined the procession. The service was read in the church
by the rector.
THE NEW ARCHBISHOP OF CAN TERBURY.—Dr.
Longley, who has accepted the Primacy of All England, is
the fifth son of the late Mr. John Longley, Recorder of
Rochester, and subsequently resident magistrate at the
Thames Police-court. He was born at Boley-hill, Roches-
ter, in 1794. He was educated at Westminster School,
whence he proceeded to Christ Church, OXford, where he
graduated in 1815, taking a first class in classics. In
1825 he was appointed public examiner, and, having filled
the office of tutor and censor of Christ Church, he was pre-
sented by his college to the incumbency of Cowley, a small
benefice in the immediate neighbourhood of Oxford. In
1827 he was presented by Mr. C. B. Wall, M.P., who was
at college with him, to the reczry of West Tytherley, near
Stockbridge, Hampshire, and held it until 1829, when he
was elected by the trustees to the head-mastership of Har-
row School. In 1831 he was married to the Hon. Caroline,
eldest daughter of the first Lord Congleton. In 1836 the
see of Ripon was founded, ant Dr. Longley was appointed
the first bishop. On the resignation of Dr. Maltby in 1856
Dr. Longley was translated to the bishopric of Durham,
and on the death of Dr. Musgrave, in 1860, to the Arch-
bishopric of York. As soon Es the necessary forms can be
completed ho will be enthronEd in Canterbury Cathedral as
the Primate of All England, It may be mentioned that
there have been five precedents for a translation from the
throne of York to that of Canterbury. In 1396 Thomas
Fitzalan, otherwise Arundel, was translated ; in 1451 John
Kemp, in 1575 Edmund Crandall, in 1747 Thomas Her-
ring, in 1757 Matthew Hutton. In every century since the
14th, with one exception, Primates of England (Arch.
bishops of York are Primates of England only) have be-
come Primates of All England. Dr. Longley preserves the
tradition for the 19th century. The confirmation of the
Archbishop nominate will tEke place at St. Mary-le-Bow
Church, Cheapside, immeditrely after his election by the
Dean and Chapter of Canterbury.

Mr. Thornhill, M.P. for Derbyshire, when at
Zurich, on his way to Italy with Mrs. Thornhill, slipped
and fell on the polished flocr of the salle a manger of the
hotel, breaking his ribs. Pe was detained at Zurich for
some time, but left on Saturday for Paris, returning home
instead of continuing his journey southward; for, although
much better, ho requires English medical care to put him
quite right. —Court Journel.

POST-OFFICE SAVIIMS BANKS.—Notwithstand-
ing the depression of trade and the distressed condition of
the manufacturing districts, the Post-office banks are rapidly
attaining a business of enormous magnitude. The acknow-
ledgments for deposits, which are sent from the General
Post-office to the depositors, are printed with consecutive
numbers, and Mr. Tidd Pratt states that two months ago
he saw acknowledgments the numbers on which showed
that there had been already more than 360,000 deposit,.
Each post-office issues its own set of depositors' book s,
numbered consecutively, and many post-offices are known
to have issued books to more than 500 depositors, several
of them to more than 1,000, and there are above 2,500 Pest=
office banks open. Trustees of old savings banks, who have
in many instances maintained their establishments at con-
siderable exercise of time and labour, and from purely bene-
volent motives, are rapidly determining to transfer the la-
bour and responsibility to the shoulders of the Government.
An instance will best show the accommodation afforded by
the Post-office banks :—A man who had deposited money
in one of them in London, and who had to go to the north
of England and wanted his money there, wrote for the
amount in the usual way to the General Post-office on a
Thursday night, and on the following Saturday morning
the money was paid to him at the post-office of the town in
which he was staying.
BRISTOL AS AN EMIGRATION PORT.—Mr. H.
Berkeley, M.P., and Mr. John Millington, shipbroker, of
Bristol, had an interview on Tuesday with Mr. Walcot, one
of her Majesty's Commissioners of Emigration, to urge the
claims of Bristol as a desirable port for Government emi-
gration, and also to solicit that the Ivanhoe, a vessel which
has been chartered by the Commissioners to convey 350
emigrants to Melbourne, may be allowed to embark her
emigrants at Erietol. Mr. Walcot intimated that with re-
gard to the Ivanhoe the Commissioners could not disturb
their present arrangements. As to the matter of Govern-
ment emigration generally, Mr. Walcot expressed himself
favourably disposed to the claims of Bristol, provided simi-
lar facilities were offered to those afforded at other ports.
The matter is being taken up by some influential citizens of
Bristol, and steps are being taken for providing the accom-
modation now afforded at London, Plymouth, Southampton,
and Birkenhead.
ROBBERY AT A CHAPEL. The police have re-
ceived information of a robber at the Roman Catholic
Chapel, Duke-street, Lincoln's-iynn-flelds. It appears that
some p
er --nor persons effected an entrance into the chapel ,
ver chalices and other
by means, it is suPPosed, of the roof, and carried off the sil-
articles, said to be of the value of 450.

LATEST NEWS.

THE WAR IN AMERICA.

QUEENSTOWN, SEPT. 27.

The Royal Mail steamship Asia, Capt. Anderson,
'foal Boston on the 17th and Halifax on the 19th

ist., arrived here at 11 p.m. to-day.
She brings 80 passengers and 26,354 in specie.

The Asia landed 70 sacks of the mails and five
passengers, and proceeded at 11.30 p.m.; all well.
She experienced easterly winds.
(Per Asia, ma Boston and Roche's Point.)
NEW YORK, SEPT. 16 (Evening).

An engagement occurred on the 14th inst. at
Mumfordsville, Kentucky, in which the Confede-
rates were repulsed with heavy loss.

Nashville is being fortified against an expected
attack of the Confederate General Bragg.
A portion of the Federal army has left Nash-
ville to get in the rear of the Confederates in
Kentucky.

The Confederates in superior force attacked the
Federals on the 10th inst., between Fayette and
Gauley, in Western ♦irginia.

The Federals have retreated to Elk River, below
Charleston, Virginia ; they had previously shelled
that place, destroying all the salt works, and con-
tinued their retreat to Ripley, Virginia.
The Provost-Niarshal of St. Louis has received
instructions immediately to carry out the Confisca-
tion Act in Missouri. The property liable to con-
fiscation is estimated at 50,000,000 dols.

The I?,iclonond Whig says that the expenses of
the Confederate Government since the commence-
ment of the war to August of this year amount to
347,000,000 dole.

The Confederate Congress has adopted a reso-
lution to make a proposition to the Federal
Government to treat upon the manner of conduct-
ing the war so as to mitigate its horrors.
A bill has bean introduced in the Confederate
Congress to facilitate obtaining letters of marque,
so as to render privateering more efficient.

A resolution was also passed recalling Messrs.
Mason and Slidell.

(By Telegraph to Halifax and from Queenstown.)
NEW YORK, SEPT. 18 (Evening).

After the engagement reported by M'Clellan on
the 14th inst., the Confederates retreated during
the night in the direction of SLarpsburg.
No official despatches have since been published.
The newspaper correspondents report that the
Federals pursued the Confederates on the 15th, on
which day a battle occurred near Sharpsburg, be-
tween General M'Clellan and the Confederates
under General Lee.

The battle was renewed on the 17th, when Gen.
Lee was reinforced by Gen. Stonewall Jackson, who
had recrossed the Potomac into Maryland.
Gen. McClellan had also received reinforcements.

The Philadelphia press describes the battle of the
I6th as very severe, and states that the Confede-
rates were flanked by Generals Hooker and Porter,
and severely punished.
The battle was renewed on the 17th by the
Confederates with great vigour, lasting till 4 o'clock
in the afternoon, when the Confederates retreated,
leaving the Confederate General Longstreet and
part of his division prisoners.
The same authority states that six Confederate
batteries and 15,000 prisoners were captured since
Sunday.
The latest news received states that the result of
the battle of the 17th was decidedly in favour of the
Pectorals, but another battle WAR nocroceary to deter-
mine definitely who shall finally be the victor.
' The carnage is reported to be very great.

The Federal Colonel Miles, with 6,000 men, sur-
rendered at Harper's Ferry to General Jackson on
the 14th. The Federals were paroled. It is re-
ported that the Confederates have since evacuated
Harper's Ferry, and that it is now occupied by
Burnside.

The Federal gunboat Essex bombarded Natchez,
Mississippi, during two hours and a half. The city
surrendered, but was not occupied by the Federal..
The Essex has burnt Bayou Sata, Mississippi,
leaving two houses standing.