The Sun.
London, England, 1862-01-21 00:00:00

MALTA.

VALETTA, JAN. 16.
Orders were despatched by the last mail to Gibraltar for
the Algiers, 89, to return immediately to Malta, and the
Queen to proceed to Corfu ; and it is reported that the re-
mainder of the ships of war at Gibraltar that have not yet
started for the North American station will follow in about
a week, including the Edgar, 91, flagship of Rear-Admiral
Dacres, who is the second in command of the Mediter-
ranean Fleet. The Edgar, when last heard of, was at
Lisbon, with one or two other vessels. The ships
at Gibraltar on the Bth instant were : The Queen,
86 ; Algiers, 89 ; Doris, 32 ; Scylla, 21; Firebrand, 6 ;
Alacrity, 4 ; Cuckoo, 3 ; and Procris, 1, The French paddle
steamer Coligny was also there. The Algiers went out on
the morning of the Bth to exercise the crew at her Arm-
strong and other guns, and returned the same day. The
Exmouth, 90, was at Naples ; the James Watt, 89, at
Messina; the Victor Emmanuel, 89, at Corfu; and the
Mars, 80, at the Pirams, by the last accounts. The Pelican
(17), the Malacca (17), and the Gannet (11), were at Bey-
rout, the Hon. H. M. Nelson, captain of the last-named
vessel, being senior officer.
Her Majesty's ships in Malta harbour are—the Marl-
borom4h, 131 (flagship of Vice •Admiral Sir W. F. Martin,
K.C.8.) ; the Hibernia, receiving ship (flagship of Rear-
Admiral H. J. Codrington, C. 8.) ; the London, 90 ; Nep
tune, 89 ; Wanderer, 4 ; Foxhound, 4 ; Surprise, 4; Trident,
2 ; Medina and Firefly, surveying vessels ; and Hearty,
tug. Foreign—ltalian corvette Tripoli.

MR. SEWARD'S OPINION OF CANADA.

It is appropriate to this time to reproduce the
following extract from a communication made by
Mr. Seward, after a tour in Canada during the fall
of 1857, to the Albany Evening Journal. He spoke
then under the influence of facts, the impression of
which had not been weakened by time or effaced by
the return of the wave of error, and he spoke the
truth, which he realises in a still larger degree
to-day :

"Hitherto, in common with most of my country-
men, as I suppose, I thought Canada—or, to speak
more accurately, British America--a mere strip
lying north of the United States, easily detachable
from the parent State, but incapable of sustaining
itself, and therefore ultimately—nay, right soon—
to be taken on by the Federal Union without mate-
rially changing or affecting its own condition or de-
velopment. I have dropped the opinion as a national
conceit. I see in British North America, stretching
as it does, across the continent from the shores of
Labrador and Newfoundland and the Pacific, and
occupying a considerable belt of the temperate zone,
traversed equally with the United States by the
lakes, and enjoying the magnificent shores of the St.
Lawrence, with its thousands of islands in the river
and gulf, a region grand enough for the seat of a
great empire. In its wheat fields in the west, its
broad ranges of the chase at the north, its inexhaus-
tible lumber lands—the most extensive now on the
globe—its invaluable fisheries, and its yet undis-
turbed mineral deposits, I see the elements of
wealth. I find its inhabitants vigorous, hardy,
energetic, perfected by the Protestant religion and
British constitutional liberty. I find them
jealous of the United States and Great Britain, as
they ought to be; and therefore, when I look at
their resources and extent, I know they can neither
be conquered by the former nor permanently held
by the latter. They will be independent, as they
are already self maintaining. Having happily
escaped the curse of slavery, they will never submit
themselves to the dominations of slaveholders,
which prevails in and determines the character of
the United States. They will be a Russia in the
United States, which to them will be France
and England ; but they will be a Russia
civilised and Protestant, and that will be a
very different Russia from that which fills all
Southern Europe with terror, and by reason
of that superiority they will be all the more
terrible to the dwellers in the Southern latitudes.
The policy of the United States is to propitiate and
secure the alliance of Canada while it is yet young
and incurious of its future. But, on the other hand,
the policy which the United States actually pursues
is the infatuated one of rejecting and spurning
vigorous, perennial, and evergrowing Canada, while
seeking to establish feeble States out of decaying
Spanish provinces on the coast and in the islands
of the Gulf of Mexico. I shall not live to see it,
but the man is already born who will see the
United States mourn over this stupendous folly,
which is only preparing the way for ultimate danger
and downfall. All Southern political stars must
set, though many times they rise again with dimi-
nished splendour. But those which illuminate the
pole remain for ever shining, for ever increasing in
splendour."

SERIOUS ACCIDENT AT THE THEATRE ROYAL,
LIVERPOOL,—On Thursday night, during the ballet scene
in the pantomime at the above theatre, great commotion.
was suddenly excited by a shriek from the wings. The
alarm of fire was immediately raised, and had its usual
effect upon the audience, who rose in great perturbation.
A gentleman, however, came forward, and reassured the
house, which was persuaded without difficulty into its
wonted tranquillity. The occasion of the alarm, however,
was very serious. Miss Power's ballet dress ignited while
she was standing or walking backwards close to one of the
side lights, and she was immediately enveloped in flames.
These being quickly extinguished, and the young lady's
dress, or what remained of it, having been rapidly re-
moved, she was attended in the green-room by Dr. Roger-
son. Miss Power bore her sufferings with great fortitude.
She is very severely burnt—chiefly on the arm and
shoulders—but generally all over the upper part of the
body. A little child was also burnt on the arm ; its burn
was immediately dressed, and the little thing bore its
trouble very patiently.

THE LIVERPOOL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND
THE CHARLESTON BLOCKADE —This subject was discussed
at the meeting of the council of the Liverpool Chamber of
Commerce, Mr. William Brown presiding. Mr. Brown was
of opinion that the blockade at Charleston and Savannah
could be but of a temporary character from ph3,sical causes,
such as the confluence of two rivers, &c., and that the pas-
sages could easily be re-opened when necessary, He was
of opinion that no representations should proceed from the
chamber on the subject, but that the whole matter be
left in the hands of the Government. Mr. M'Fie and
Mr. Chilton were of opinion that as Government naturally
looked for support to the public bodies of various towns, it
was advisable for the chamber to pass a resolution
approving of the course which Earl Russell had taken (in
remonstrating with Mr. Seward as to the blockade), as
shown by the correspondence just published between the
Liverpool Shipowners' Association and his lordship. Mr
M'Fie therefore moved, and Mr. Chilton seconded, a. reso-
lution—" That this chamber views with great satisfaction
the remonstrances made by her Majesty's Government with
regard to the blocking up of Charleston harbour by sink-
ing vessels laden with stone. Air. Campbell opposed the
motion, on the ground that Earl Russell had only acted
upon partial and imperfect representations and reports, and
that as Mr. Seward's reply would come to hand in a few
days, it would be the wisest course for the chamber not to
pass any resolution at present. He (Mr. Campbell) was
assured by gentlemen who had only just returned from
America that the vessels were sunk by the boring of holes
in the bottom, and that they could easily be raised when
necessary by plugging up these holes and pumping out the
water. Mr. Campbell moved an amendment in accordance
with his views, which was put and lost, and Mr. M'Fio's
motion of thanks to the Government adopted.
THE FROST AND THE PARKS,—Although the
weather was much milder on Sunday evening, the frost set
in again with great intensity after 12 o'clock on Sunday
night, and large numbers of people assembled in the parks
during the whole of yesterday. The ice, however, was stil
[ in a very insecure state, and the icemen and park-keepers
prevented, as far as possible, the public from going on it,
by breaking the ice along the sides of the water. Notwith-
standing all these warnings and vigilance, several hundred
persons managed to force their way on to the treacherous
surface, and numbers of them paid for their temerity by im-
mersion in the water. In the ornamental water in St..
James's-park as many as thirty young men and boys were
struggling in the broken ice and water at one time; and
no danger to life being apprehended, owing to the water
being shallow, their efforts to extricate themselves were
received with shouts of laughter from the persons on the
banks. In some instances, however, where they had been
some time in the water, on being taken out they were
found to be so exhausted by their efforts and benumbed
with cold as to necessitate their being carried to the
tent of the Humane Society, and restoratives had to be ap-
plied before they were enabled to proceed to their homes.
On the Serpentine and in Regent's-park the waters being
much deeper, the numerous iannersims that took place
were of a more serious and dangerous character, and it was
entirely owing to the activity and courage of the icemen
that several lives were not sacrificed. According to the re-
port of the icemen it will require another twenty-four
hours' hard frost before the ice will be in a fit :state for
skating with any degree of safety. The ice on the water in
the Crystal Palace grounds was yesterday thronged with
visitors, and such was the sound condition that not a single
luguorsion took place.

A/OA-EY .211ARKET AND CITY NEW'S.

CITY, Two o'CLocK.

During the last few days the progress of business
in the Foreign and Colonial Produce Markets has
not been very active, and, with one or two excep-
tions, prices have exhibited little variation of im-
portance. Sugar, coffee, rice, and cocoa have main-
tained previous rates, while tea, fruit, and spices
have been dull at almost nominal quotations. The
tallow market has remained very depressed owing
to the large quantity brought forward for sale.
Continued quietude was perceptible in the Liver-
pool Cotton Market yesterday, and prices were de-
pressed. The sales were only 2,000 bales.
About £30,000 in bar gold was sent into the
Bank yesterday, while £7,500 in coin was with-
drawn.

There is an increase of £2,328 in the traffie
receipts of tho Brighton Railway, and of £159
on the South-Eastern for the past week.
The traffic receipts of the Great Western Rail-
way of Canada for the week ending the 3d inst.,
exhibited an increase of £4,224 compared with last
year.

A moderate business is reported in the general
discount market, and the rates continue easy.
The half-yearly meeting of the Mediterranean
Extension Telegraph Company will take place on the
7th proximo.

The committee of the Stock Exchange have ap-
pointed Thursday next a special settling day in the
shares of the Indian Carrying Company.

- -
At the half-yearly meeting of the St. Katherine
Dock Company held to-day, the rEport, which was
adopted, stated that the gross earnings for the past
year amounted to £254,578, and the expenditure to
£187,698, showing a nett profit of £66,877 ; from
this sum a dividend at the rate of 1-1 per cent.
was declared in July last, and a similar dividend
was recommended to-day, leaving tho rest at
V 8,003, which was agreed to :after some dis-
cussion.

The market for public securities has continued
to present a heavy appearance, although the tran-
sactions have again been conducted on a rather
restricted scale. The speculators have proceeded
very cautiously, and the investing public are evi-
dently seeking securities yielding a higher rate of
interest than 3 per cent. for the employment of
their available resources. Consols are 921 for
money, as well as the account. The New Threes
and the Reduced are flat at 927 1.; Exchequer
Bills, March, are 18s. prem.; ditto, June, 20s. to
235. prem. Bank Stock is 2403 and 242; and
India 5 per Cent., 1053

Less firmness has prevailed in the Foreign
Market, and the dealings have been rather re-
stricted. Turkish 6 per Cents. are 82-1 to 83
ditto, 1858, 731 y ; Mexican remain at 28i 29 ;
Spanish have receded to 52?.-, ; the Certificates to
; Russian to 981 2 ; and Venezuelan to 24. The
Moorish Loan is 41, 54-, prem.

The operations -in the Railway Share Market
have been on a very limited scale, and the changes
in values unimportant. North Westerns have im-
proved 55., and South Westerns, 10s. ; while Lan-
cashire and Yorkshire, Midlands, North Eastern
(Berwicks), and South Easterns have declined ss.
The Foreign and Colonial undertakings exhibit
no change of importance in values. Great Luxem-
burg realise 91 ; Grand Trunk of Canada 21 ;
Great Western of Canada, 11 ; East Indian, 101 i,
and Great Indian Peninsula, 99k, 1007,-.

Joint Stock Bank and Miscellaneous Shares con-
tinue dull, London and Westminster are steady at
721, 73 ; Union of London, 304-, 31; National Dis-
count Company, 5 ; and Red Sea Telegraph, 19.

BRITISH FUNDS—CLOSING PRICES.
Bank Stock
3 per Cent. Reduced Annuities 921 1 1
-3 per Cent. Consols Annuities
New 3 per Cent. Annuities 92a a a a
New 21 per Cent. Annuities
Annuities, 30 yrs, expire sth Jan., 1880 —
Ditto for 30 yrs, expire sth April, 1885 l5 9-16
India Stock
Ditto 5 per Cent.
Ditto Enfaced Paper, 4 per Cent —
Ditto 5 per Cent lOOl 100
Ditto 5f per Cent lO5l 1 1
Ditto Debentures, 4 per Cent., Oct., 1863 991
Ditto ditto April, 1864 991
Ditto ditto Aug. 1864 or 66 99a I
Ditto Bonds £l,OOO
Ditto under £l,OOO
Consols for Account, Feb. 6
March. 1 Jung.
Exchequer Bills, £l,OOO 2d.... 17 20 23
Ditto £500
Ditto Small lB I
FOREIGN FUNDS—CLOSI _.....,,e15.
Buenos Ayres 6 per Cent
i)itto Account
Ditto Deferred, 1 per Cent
Chilian 6 per Cent
Ditto 41 per Cent .. 86}
Mexican, 3 per Cent
I )itto Account
Grenada Active
Portuguese 3 per Cent., 1853
Ditto Account
Russian 5 per Cent. 1822, £ St .
Ditto Account
Ditto 44 per Cent ,
Ditto 3 per Cent. 1859
.. 60/
Spanish 3 per Cent
Ditto Account
Ditto New Deferred
Ditto Account
Ditto Passive
Spanish Cert. of Coup. not funded
Turkish 6 per Cent —
Ditto Account
Ditto New Loan .... —
Ditto Account
Ditto £lOO Bonds
Venezuelan 3 per Cent
Ditto Account
Ditto 11 per Cent l2
Dividends on the above payable in London.
Dutch 21 per Cent., Exchange 12 Guil —
Ditto Account . 641
Ditto Certificates. 4 per Cent...
Italian, 5 per Cent., 1861

THREE O'CLOCK.
Consols, Money 92f
Ditto Account