The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-29 00:00:00

Sailed—Etherel, Landsdown, and Percy, for the west.

THE ABYSSINIAN CAPTIVES.--The Times of India
of July 12 gives the following from Aden, July 2:
—" The Abyssinian mission is in statu quo at Massoweh,
drawing its extra pay, and doing nothing. The prisoners
are said to be in good health after their eighteen months'
captivity. This speaks well for the climate of their prison
house and their powers of endurance. Their chance of
release is about as remote as that of Mr. Rassam reaching
Gondar."

MR. IV. F. WINDHAM.-Mr. Windham appears
to be keeping very closely to his coaching life. On
Tuesday ho drove a large party down to Yarmouth races
in a "dun" from lior;sieb, and as he "tooled" his four-
in-hand away from the old city he appeared in the highest
spirits, shouting out the refrain of " Slap Bang !" in his
peculiar fashion. About 10.30 p.m. the drag reappeared,
the mirth of the party more exuberant than ever, and the
everlasting " Slap Bang !" being still on every lip. The
drag seems to have reached its destination quite safely.—
Norfolk News.

STOKE-UPON-TRENT, Aug. 26.—The iron trade of
North Staffordshire is now fairly active. At present
orders aro not much in advance of the make, but in most
cases the iron ordered is for homo consumers, and is ur-
gently wanted, a sign that a fair business is being done
by engineers and constructors.

A MISSIONARY CIIAPLAINCY.—The Bishop of La-
buan has appointed the Rev. C. W. Hawkins, of St. Augus-
tine's College, Canterbury, to be a missionary to the
Sibuan Dyaks, settled on the river Merdang, a branch of
the liver Sarawak. The Sibuans are ono branch of the
great tribe of Sea Dyaks who some years ago were so
troublesome to the commerce of the Eastern seas.

AWFUL DEATH OF MR. RAY, THE SECRETARY OF
TIIE HAND-IN-HAND INSURANCE OFFICE.—A very
painful sensation was caused this morning in the vicinity
of Fleet-street and Bridge-street, Blackfriars, arising out
of the following deplorable circumstance :—lt appears that
about a quarter before eight o'clock one of the upper win..
dows of the lofty pile of buildings belonging to the Hand-
in-Hand Insurance Office, in New Bridge-street, Black-
friars, was opened by Mr. Ray, the secretary, and almost
instantly the unfortunate gentleman either threw himself
out of the window or fell out by accident. He fell upon
his head with a loud crash. Two men, who witnessed the
occurrence, picked him up, and he was conveyed to St.
Bartholomew's Hospital ; but life was extinct—the skull
being completely broken. Mr. Ray was 65 years of age,
and has left a wife and family to deplore his loss.
The Napolionien of Aveyron states that during
the ten days which have elapsed since the opening
of the shooting season in the southern zone of France, the
sportsmen of that department have been very successful
Hares are numerous, and there is a great abundance of
partridges. Quails are scarce in the neighbourhood of.
Tarbes, but rather plentiful in the environs of Lourdes.
The police of Montpellier have just arrested two
Italians, named Achari and Frediani, who were
suspected of uttering false coin. In their possession were
found a considerable sum in good money, some valuable
jewellery, and 28 counterfeit 10fr. pieces. Both have been
committed for trial.

The cost of the ball on board the Ville de Lyon
at Brest will be rather heavy, amounting, rumour
says, to 400,000 f.

The Courrier de Marseille, the organ of the Pre-
fecture, in speaking of the cholera, states that on the
24th there were 50 deaths, 25 of which were chil-
dren. Out of that number 20 were declared to be
cholera, of which four were in the hospitals On
the 25th there were 37 deaths, 15 from cholera; on
the 26th, 59 deaths, 28 from cholera.

The English steam-frigate, Racoon, 22 guns,
entered the port of Algiers on the 23d instant, last
from Portsmouth.

The temperature in Algeria continues to be very
elevated. On the 23d the thermometer in the sun
marked 49 5 10 Centigrade (121 Fahrenheit) and
in the shade 38 C. (99 F.)
" Marshal Niel," says a letter from the Camp of
Chalons, " has just left, taking with him all his
officers. Gen. Picard immediately assumed the
command, which he will exercise until the 31st
August. On the Ist September the camp will be
officially raised, as already stated, and the troops,
the movements of which will last until the 12th,
will pass under the orders of Gent. the Marquis de
Linieres, commander of the division of Chalons."
A correspondent of the Opinion Nationale has
addressed a letter to that journal from Philippeville
(Algeria), dated the 25th instant., announcing that
fires were then making great ravages in the forests
of cork oaks which surround that town. The fires
commenced simultaneously in twenty different
places, and the damage already done was immense.
The Vigie of Dieppe says that Mr. Milner-Gibson,
President of the Board of Trade, who has regularly visited
that town for some years past during the bathing season,
had just arrived there on board his yacht the Resolute.
M. Godard has forwarded a letter to the journals
stating that the stray balloon captured at Ostend was the
one lost by him at Rouen on the day of the Emperor's
fete.
The quotation of geld at Paris is about l; per mine pm., Lnd
the short exchange on London is 25.22 i per £1 sterling. On
comparing these rates with the English Mint price of £3
17s. bold. per otuacc for standard gold, it appears that gold is
nearly 2-I‘thiger cent. dearer in London than in Paris.