The Sun.
London, England, 1865-09-16 00:00:00

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE—This day.

LONDON, Sept. 16.—Wind this day at noon—South-
Westerly; moderate breeze and fine weather, but rather
cloudy.

CLYDE, Sept. 15.—Wind S.W.—Arrived—Nueva En-
gracia, from Trinidad de Cuba.

PLYMOUTH, Sept. 14.—Wind W.—Arrived—Advance,
from Prince Edward's Island Sailed—St. Vincent, for
Adelaide.

CA.RDIFF, Sept. 15.—Wind S.E.—Sailed—Monitor, for
Buenos Ayres; Rising Dawn, for Baltimore; G. A. Bonar,
for Portland.

SUNDERLAND, Sept. 14.—Wind S.W.—Arrived—Robins,
from Quebec.

FLYMOUTH, Sept. D.—Wind S.E.—Sailed—Anu Taylor,
for Salina.

Hikßwicar, Sept. 15—Wind S.W.—Sailed—Lucknow,
for Singapore.

OFF PORTSMOUTH, Sept. 15.—Arrived—Maria, from
Rio Janeiro.

COWES, Sept. 15.—Wind S.W.—Arrived—Borussia,
screw steamer, from New York, and proceeded for Ham-
burg.

Hula, Sept. 14.—Wind S.W.—Arrived—Annie M.
Palmer, from Richibucto.

Lemiasir, Sept. 15.—Wind S.W.—Sailed—Black Prince,
for Monte Video.

TRoox, Sept. 16.—Wind S.W.—Sailed--Annie, for

Havannah.

[BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.]
GRAVESEND, Saturday Morning.
Arrived, Sept. 15— Anglia, from Jacobstadt ; Clarissa,
from Cronstadt.
Arrived, Sept: 16—Phcenix and Apollo, from Corsoer ;
Henriette, from Bjornborg.

DEAL, Saturday Morning.
Passed—Adria, screw steamer, from the Mediterranean,
for London; Emerald, from Sunderland, for Shanghai.
Passed in tow—Transatlantic,, from Melbourne, for
London.

The following Letter appeared in the Morning Post,
of the 11th inst. :
THE WINE QUESTION.
TO THE EDITOR OP THE " MORNING POST."
Sir,—As light, pure, and natural wines have for some
time past attracted much attention, we take the liberty of
forwarding to you a dock sample of a pure unbranded wine,
the produce of Spain ; it has, as you will observe, all the
characteristics of Chablis, and might properly be called
" Spanish Chablis." We have at present a quantity equal
to about 700 dozen, but we are endeavouring to make ar-
rangements with our Spanish Mends for regular shipments
of similar quality to sell in this country, at about 16s. per
dozen, the price of the present parcel.
We may add that this wine comes in at the shilling duty,
and that it has never before been sold to the public in its
natural state ; but we purpose placing it in precisely the
same category as all our other light wines, and to sell it
only in the same pure state as received from Spain.
The following figures will show the progress made in the
consumption of light wines since the alteration of the duty
by Mr. Gladstone. For the seven months, ended July 31,
there was duty paid on wines imported from France in the
undermentioned years, viz.
1863. 1864. 1865.
1,142,364 gals. 1,360,464 gals. 1,494,148 gals.
while the average on the whole 12 months in the years
1857-9 was only 630,101 gals. There is also a large increase
in Hungarian and other light wines.
The interest we have taken in the introduction of light
pure wines into this country, and the mention of our house
by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the House of Com-
mons, will, we trust, induce you to give this a place in
your columns.—We are, sir, your obedient servants,
H. R. Wl:Mums AND CO.
Crosby Hall, 32, Bishopsgate-street Within,
London, Sept. 9.

A CATHOLIC CHURCH DESTROYED.—The Roman
.Catholic Cathedral (St. Mary's) at Sydney was
destroyed by fire on the night of Friday, June 30. The
conflagration was the largest and most disastrous that has
ever occurred in that city. The loss is estimated at £50,000.
The only part of the edifice saved is the belfry tower. The
cathedral contained several fine pictures by the old masters.
One, representing the death of St. Benedict, was valued at
£l,OOO. The organ cost upwards of £2,000. The only
things preserved were the chalices, vestments, and reBords.
The cause of the disaster is unknown. The foundation-
stone of the cathedral was laid in 1829, and the building
was consecrated about six years afterwards. An influen-
tial meeting in aid of the rebuilding of the cathedral was
held at Sydney on the 6th inst.; the subscriptions towards
the object already amount to £12,000.

SINGULAR AFFILIATION CASE.—THE EVIDENCE
OF MUTES.—On Saturday, at the Carlisle Police-
court, an old man, a paralytic named Richard Porthouse,
aged 78, by trade a baker, and living in St. Cuthbert's-lane,
was summoned for the support of the illegitimate child of
Jane Elliot, a woman quite dumb and in other respects not
quite wens sang, of which illegitimate child he was alleged
to be the father. It was a most curious case, for not only
is the old man paralysed in his limbs, but the woman could
not tender evidence on account of her own infirmity. She
cannot read nor write, nor use the dumb signals. Her sis-
ter offered to interpret her gesticulations, but the magis-
trates ruled they must have viva voce evidence,and therefore
the case must be dismissed.—Carlisle Examiner.

DEATH OF A MILITARY KNIGHT OF WINDSOR.-

A vacancy has occurred in the Military Knights' Founda-
tion at Windsor Castle, by the death, on Thursday last, of
Captain Hollingsworth, a veteran Knight, aged 78.
The quotation of gold at Paris is about I per mine pm., and
the short exchange on London is 25.22 i per £1 sterling. On
comparing these rates with the English Mint price of £.3
178. 104 d. per ounce for standard gold, it appears that gold is
nearly 2-loths p.r cent. dearer in London than in Paris.