The Sun.
London, England, 1853-07-19 00:00:00

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•
officers give vidence in its favour, and the opinion of
the com ' sion has been disregarded. Great as these
resour are, they are still more formidable when we
lea iat the crews of the Mediterranean fleet can bit
_.
1111
transported overland, and be at sea. in the ChaimeLin 13 _
10 days. (Evidence of Adm. de Ia Susse, p. 83.) 131ie r\--7-=--i-' ,
estimates of the sub-commission appear to have bee . .ii,rp,.!.VA,---7 -,:e',i--,-,
carefully framed ; but, making all possible alto ~—, igi, N 4 ‘.-V-Ai";
for the difference between men on paper and IM th-':., ; 4':i n1;:t-;r4
board ship, it is yet impossible to doubt that the '4.:7;4,-.„,•`:- ,-,-....'!.4
4,03 a)
)
organisation places, at all times, a very powerfu' `fe . 7---.-"•'..,--- --'4- /
4.'d ' --
at the command of the Government. ' . /4.... -,
• ...4_.4, .
Vice-Admiral Hugon in his evidence, page 69, "" i A
~ NS'.4
1 expresses the opinion of the French officers as to th 410sA-4'`''
'l/44....44.4
state of their navy :
" The fleet is extremely well composed ; it is in a better
state than it has been in for 50 years. The ships are well
fitted; the crews are well fed, well clothed, and rowdily
lodged; the officers have all the knowledge that can be
desired; they have acquired, besides, a great deal of expe-
rience at sea ; the officers are now really seamen, much
more so than they have ever been since the first revolu-
tion. The ships sail well ; their armament is excellent;
what we should do is to maintain the actual system. My
fear would rather bo that anything should be changed. I
would forbid that the principal things of the marine should
be touched for at least 10 years to come."
The fleet of ships, he says :-
"Is entirely in proportion to the resources we have in
the 'inscription maritime.' While the ships were being
completed (at the outbreak of war) the sailors would
arrive; the ships ready, the 4 coinpaguies permuuentes'
would furnish their crows, and in a very short time they
might take the sea in a state t) meet the enemy."
Vice-Admiral de Ia Susse says,—
" The number of men of the 'inscription maritime' be-
tween 20 and 40 years of two amounts to 50,000 ; by add-
ing to these the men warn the ' recrutement' and the
'lnfanterie de la Marine' could supply, France, in case of
a naval war, would have 90,000 disposable men, sufficient
to man all the ships of the fleet. .
We might greatly multiply similar extracts, for such
are the universal opinions of the French officers, who
also very generally enlarge on the deficiency of orga-
nized means of raising seamen in England to meet an
emergency. Probably the French organization would
prove less perfect in practice than in theory, and we
have resources for obtaining men without resorting to
impressment, which, if known to the French officen,
are at least not referred to. Still it cannot be denied
that the due organization of our immense resources has
been greatly neglected ; and if we should incur disasters
from the measures which have been so carefully pre-
pared without our knowledge, or at least without pro-
ducing any adequate measures ofprecaution on our part,
we shall but reap the natural consequence of a perpe-
tually changing naval executive, trammelled by party
politics. No one would be responsible, for the fault lies
in the system, and extends over a period of 38 years. It
is most desirable to make employment in the navy an
object of desire to the best seamen in the country, and
the present Admiralty is doing good service in this re-
spect. Still the great difficulty is how to raise a great
body of seamen in case of war, and as yet we have but
feeble and remote palliatives for a pressing deficiency.
(To be continued.)

INVERNESS GREAT SHEEP AND WOOL FAIR.

Our annual market commenced, as usual, on Thurs-
day last—the second Thursday of July. Its importance
to the whole northern counties is well known, for it in-
cludes the disposal of our staple products—sheep and
wool ; and sales of the value of about 200,000/. are
transacted. A slight rise or fall in prices, extending
over large flocks and whole districts of the country, is
therefore regarded with lively interest ; and we are
happy to say that for several years there has been a
steady advance in the value of both sheep and wool,
consequent upon the continued prosperity of the coun-
try. Last year we recorded a considerable rise, and
this season the advance has been from 20 to 30 per
cent., including all the descriptions of sheep—lambs,
ewes, and wedders—particularly lambs, on which the
advance is greatest. All were in great demand. Fat stock
sold high last year ; the buyers made well by their Inver
ness purchases ; and, though the turnip crop is rather
under than over an average, it has revived with late rains,
and the demand for mutton can scarcely be met by the
supply. Our friends from the south, therefore, came pre-
pared to give good prices, and the farmers have not been
disappointed. In wool the sales have been limited, in
consequence of the prices asked. From 20 to 30 per
cent. on last year's prices, and even more, was offered,
and, in many instances, refused—the sellers of the great
lots being disposed to consign their wool to the commis-
, sion agents at Liverpool. The wool purchasers from
England state that business is considerably unsettled by
the Turkish question and the rumours of war. The con-
sumption of wool has for some time exceeded the supply,
although there has been no falling off in the imports of
foreign wool. In fact, the general prosperity of the
country, and the increasing amount of our exports, affect
equally the value of the fleece and the carcase, and tend
to benefit the sheep farmers in no ordinary degree. Their
grain, however, is an index to the flourishing state of the
kingdom, and no one else can advance in trade without
extending the benefit to other interests, all of which are
mutually dependent on each other.
. .

At the ordinary on Friday the large room of the Cale-
donian Hotel was filled to overflowing. As four o'clock
approached, the gentlemen formed parties in the
lobby, ready to take possession as soon as the door
was opened ; and when this took place, there was a
tremendous rush towards the seats, which were in-
stantaneously occupied, and many gentlemen forced to
retire. The chair was takeir by Alex. Campbell, Esq., pf
Monzie, who had previously been waited upon by a
party of gentlemen connected with the market, and re-
quested to preside. The croupiers were Provost Suther-
land, Mr. Kennedy, Kirkland, by Thornhill, and Mr.
Mactavish, Ness Park, town clerk of Inverness.
Around the chairman were Provost Grant of Elgin,
Dr. Manson, Spynie ; Mr. Waterston, manager, Cale-
donian Bank ; Mr. Brown of Linkwood ; Mr. Gunn,
Rhives ; Mr. Horne of Langwell ; Mr. Gillespie, Ar-
dachy, &c. The company consisted of gentlemen whose
names are elsewhere mentioned as constituting part of
the attendance at the fair. No district of Scotland
could produce a body of men of greater intelligence, re-
spectability, or enterprise. Ample justice was done to
an excellent dinner ; and the chairman ordered a copi-
ous supply of champagne, which had the effect of quick-
ening the animation and hilarity of the party.
The sales of wool are proceeding, and it is believed
that the total amount disposed of will not be so much
inferior to the sales of former years as was anticipated
early in the day. The good lots are from ss. to 7s. per
stone above last year's prides.—lnverness Courier.

CHARGE OF MURDER AND MANSLAUGHTER
AGAINST TUE CAPTAIN OF AN AFRICAN
SHIP.

On Saturday, at the Liverpool police-court, a charge
of murder was brought against Captain J. W. Chapman,
of the ship Cleopatra, trading between that port and the
coast of Africa. From the evidence of the carpenter of
the ship, William Duncan, who was the complainant, it
appeared that the Cleopatra sailed from Liverpool for
Bonny River on the 16th of August, 1852, with 21 men
of a crew, including captain and mate. On the Ist of
October the Cleopatra fell in with the Vicar of Bray,
Captain Harrison. The two captains visited each other
several times, a boy named White being engaged in
rowing the boat of the Cleopatra from ship to ship. On
the night of the 2d of October, when it was dark and
squally, the boat in which White was placed was hauled
close to the Cleopatra in a very dangerous position. It
capsized
nolinscwe,asbutld
torigthotetdheagcaaipnt,aianndwlVohirteefucosendtiniAuitehd
i
an oath to allow any person to interfe're with it, and the
dresultn
ewda. s
St taotr
ttllyt e
aboat t
ha
sa
ti nh e capsizedidz.,-tendudut
under
rl
cus
tathpeet
awdi
na
rkeecptti
ohni
where
n in
n
of th ironse
the
e ins
t captain, al ti
bvs nyi can,g amtbee iadnlsh
ofe
doctor
Barba-
does,
boardeddoes the ship, communicated with the authorities,
who arrested the entire crew, and all, with the exception
of complainant, were tried for piracy and mutiny, and
sentenced to from one to three years' imprisonment. No
definite charge was made against the captain, and having
when,
anothere)np,owingto resocnaew sailed
aisagreemaegnatinwfitohr
tßnyhoencaptaßini,vehre,
left the ship, and returned to this country in another
vessel, when he gave information to tliE authorities and
had the captain arrested. The magistrate, after some
discussion, declined to entertain the charge, as it had
been fully investigated by the highest court at Barba-
does. The captain was discharged, but immediately
afterwards arrested on a charge of murder, which was
gone into yesterday (Monday) at the Liverpool police
court, when, after hearing all the evidence in support of
the charge, the magistrate expressed his conviction that
it was not sufficient to justify him in committing the
prisoner, who was accordingly discharged.

THE MAILS.—SOUTHAMPTON, Monday, July 18.—
The Royal Mail Steam Ship, Magdalena, Captain C.
M. Chapman, sailed this afternoon with the usual West
India and Pacific mails, in charge of Lieutenant Ticket,
R.N., Admiralty Agent. She took out 55 passengers,
among whom are Commissary General Darling, the
Right Rev. Dr. Hyne, &c. The Magdalena has on
freight a valuable cargo of British and French manufac-
tured goods, and 14 boxes specie, value 16,1561. 19s. 9d.,
sterling, for St. Thomas, Jamaica, Chagres, and Guade-
loupe. La Plata, Captain Weller, will be the next
steamer homeward, due at Southamyton on the Ist
proximo, with the West India and Gulf of Mexico
mails. The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Naviga-
tion Company's Ship Tagus, Captain J. IK-
left at 2 p.m., to-day, with the mail, for Vigo,
Oporto, Lisbon, Cadiz, and Gibraltar, aeo passengers,
and and specie value 7,0001. sterling.
Thursday
the
p e
nni
ne next.
•with the heavy portion of
Chinaleave monaii7eadnndestdhaeyrzwipiothn the outward.Th and
the East India, China, and Mediterranean mails is
Theexpected
Madridto is
reach
o n Southampton
d
2 t h instant
from
been chartered by the Peninsular Oriental Company
Jar ports. The City of London, Captain Cargill, having
for a further term of four months is to leave on the 27th
instant, for Gibraltar, Malta, Smyrna, and Constanti-
nople. On the arrival of the steamer Valetta at Malta,
for which port she sailed from Southampton on the 7th
instant, the Euxine, Captain Meehan, will be relieved,
and is ordered to proceed at once to Constantinople and
Smyrna, where a full cargo of produce has been engaged
for conveyance to Southampton. The United States'
h(isnugntodna,y)CeavpetaniinngE,
a.
nMd.
iFs ittochi,ea7e..
nMvaei
dl steamshere
y he
si pt
e,
hday,
for New York on Wednesday with the usual semi-weekly
American mails. The William Watkins arrived here
to-day from Cadiz, bringing the following wine con-
signed to Southampton and Hull, viz., 91 butts, 137
hogsheads, 84 quarter casks, 14 octavos and 1 barrel
sherry.
THE CHOLERA IN COPENHAGEN.—On Tuesday last
there were 53 new cases of cholera, and 36 deaths.
Since the 12th of June 427 persons have been attacked,
and 234 have died. •