The Sun.
London, England, 1865-10-19 00:00:00

Bank of England Return.•—This Evening.

An Account, pursuant to t:
cap. 32, for the week ending

;he Act 7th and Bth Victoria,
Wednesday, Oct. 18, 1865.

ISSUE DEP
Notes issued ....X26,054,810,

ARTMENT.

Government Debt £11,015,100
Other Securities .. 3.634.900
Gold Coin &Bullion 12,004,840
Silver Bullion

£26,C51,840
BANKING DEPA.RTBIENT.
Proprietors' Capi- Government Secu-
tal .£14,653.000 rities (including
Rest
Public Deposits (in- nuity)
eluding Exche- Other Securities
quer, Savings' Notes
Banks, Commis- Gold and 811ver 78.31.8
missioners of Na- Coin ,
tional Debt, and
Dividend Ac-
counts) 3, g 89,35 1
Other Deposits..,, 14,015,614
Seven Day and
other Bills .

X 26,6.54,840

563,9 3

£35,8J5,478

[ £3',595,478
FORBES, Deputy Cashier.

Oct. 19, 1865.

The French Press on the Alabama
Correspondence.

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Several of the Paris journals publish comments on
the despatches exchanged between Mr. Adams and
Earl Russell, and seem to look on them as mere
diplomatic sparring and nothing more. The Presse
declares that all idea of hostilities between America
and England on such a futile cause is simply pre-
posterous, and that the rapidity with which the
Cabinet of Washington has disbanded its troops and
restored its peace establishment proves that it has
not the slightest intention of resuming'a belligerent
attitude. The writer adds :
Mr. Seward and Mr. Adams are too intelligent not to
comprehend that, although their complaints are serious,
although their demand possesses an incontestable character
of equity, if considered in the strict point of view of the
existing right of nations, still there has not been on the
part of the British Government any precise material vio-
lation of national and international law. It is certain, on
the other hand, that the said Cabinet has not acted,
with respect to the Union, in a straightforward and
friendly manner—has observed a neutrality more apparent
than real.

Our contemporary believes that the Government
of the United States has a more elevated object in
view than any pecuniary reparation, namely, to call
the attention of the civilised world and of all the
Governments concerned to the omissions and im-
j>P*~ootioiaa of +he prcocuG law yr iidtams, awl to
provoke from genaral good sense and the force of
public opinion a legislation on the subject of a more
extended and equitable character, and more in con-
formity with the progress of civilisation. The Monde
on the same subject remarks :
The American Government has not yet arrived at a sa-
tisfactory arrangement with the Cabinet of St. James in
regard to the question of maritime indemnities and the re-
cognition of the Confederates. A commission, however, is
spoken of. That comedy might well be called after that of
Shakspere, "Much Ado About Nothing." Doubtless the
Government of Washington only wishes to get rid of its re-
sponsibility towards the American shipowners plundered by
the Confederate corsairs. It often requires a much less seri-
' ous affair to bring about a war; and if one sets aside the
grandiloquent causes to which were attributed the Mexican
expedition, the indemnities demanded from Juarez were not
more worth speaking of than those demanded from Lord
Russell. Under the present circumstances, however, such
an eventuality is not to be dreaded, and the notes of Mr.
Seward will merely be made us of as matter of reference
should the relations between England and America assume
an unfriendly tone at some future period.
The Gazette de France also remarks on the diplo-
matic correspondence which has been exchanged,
and refers to another description of claim made by
the American Cabinet on France, and which the
writer considers to be of such a nature as not to
present the slightest chance of being favourably re-
ceived. The character of the demand is explained
in the subjoined extract :
The issue of the dispute with England gifts reason to
hope that the Government of Washington will not sig-
nify to France that she also will have to pay damages
for the same cause. Nevertheless, the American Cabinet
shows a desire to indemnify itself, and with that object it
has just sequestrated the merchandise of several French
merchants as a guarantee for a sum of several millions
demanded for Customs' dues, which the Americans say
they have neglected to claim up to this day. The fol-
lowing is the foundation of the really strange demand,
which we should refuse to credit were it not of American
origin. In the United States, goods imported have
hitherto been charged with a duty based on the prime
cost of the object and not on the supposed price of its
sale after importation. Never was it otherwise at the Cus-
tom-house. Thus, a bottle of Champagne wine sold at
sf. in the cafes and hotels of New York and elsewhere was
valued, on its entrance, as having cost the maker 3f., and
paid duty in proportion. The American Government has
suddenly changed its opinion, and now decides that dues
on importation must be calculated on another principle.
It even pretends to go back on the past, and to give
to this modification of the tariff a retrospective force.
As the Amerieans are shrewed calculators, a very few
multiplications have sufficed to make out that the com-
merce on Champagne wino was indebted to it 11 mil'
lions; that of Bordeaux, 18 ; and that of the silks o
Lyons, from 25 to 30. The said Government has not con.

fined itself to putting forward this unheard-of pretension.
At once, without any form of trial, it has seized as a

security on the French goods stored in the warehouses.
The merchants, menaced with complete ruin by this

proceeding, have complained to the French Government.

Let us hope that it will speak, and even act, if necessary
with firmness. Such is its duty."

Liverpool Cotton Market—This Day.

Market opens very quiet, at about i below Fri-
day's rate. Sales, probably 5,000 bales.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE—T his day.

:[BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPII.I
GRAVESEND, Thursday Morning.
Arrived, Oct. 18.—Jeltina, from Petersburg; Silver
Star, from Demerara; Auliore, from Philadelphia; Lotus,
from Shediac ; Kensington, from Akyab ; Trident, from
Nicholaff ; Alberta, from Mezagan ; Taunton Packet, from
Dalmatia ; P. Nordpol, from Gefle ; Familiar, from Sunds-
well.

DEAIy Thursday Morning.
Passed.—Trent, from London, for Trinidad; City of
Bangor, from Bassein, for London.

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FIRES.—This morning a fire broke out in the
premises of Mr. Richard Morris, coachbuilder, 782, Old
Kent-road. Owing to the inflammable nature of the stock,
the building, which consisted of three floors, was entirely
consumed. A fire also occurred at the house of Mrs.
Warren, lodginghouse-keeper, 19, Old Quebec-street, but
was soon extinguished. Messrs. Tubbs and Lewis, india-
rubber manufacturers, New North-road, had a fire on their
premises, which destroyed part of their warehouse. Several
other fires took place, but the damage done at each was
trilling.