The Sun.
London, England, 1865-01-12 00:00:00

Replies to the Confederate Manifesto,

The Index publishes the following notes that have
been received from the Governments of Sweden and
of the Netherlands by the Confederate commis
sioners in reply to the manifesto issued by the Con
federate Congress :

Stockholm, Dec. 18, 1864.

The undersigned, Minister of State and of Foreign Affairs
of his Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway, has lately
received the letter addressed to him, under date of Paris,
the 11th of November last, by Messrs. Mason, Slidell, and
Dudley Mann, commissioners of the Confederate States of
America, and which communicates to the Government of
the King, his august sovereign, the manifesto adopted by
the Congress of the Confederate States on June 14, as well
as a resolution setting forth the intentions, principles, and
views of those states in reference to the war being waged
between them and the United States of America; and he
considers it a duty to acknowledge receipt of the same, and
to state that he has not failed to place these documents
under the eyes of the King. It is by his Majesty's order
that he must confine himself to a declaration to the com-
missioners that the Government of Sweden and Norway is
resolved to maintain, as in the past, the most strict neu-
trality in regard to the deplorable struggle which has
sprung up between the states heretofore forming the great
and powerful American Confederation, at the same time
that its earnest wishes are for the cessation of so disastrous
a conflict, and for an arrangement which may meet the just
claims of each of the states that were members of the Union
with which, from its beginning, the Government of the
United Kingdoms has entertained the most cordial relations.
In obeying this order, the undersigned profits by the op-
portunity to offer to Messrs. Mason, Slidell, and Mann, the
assurances of his very distinguished consideration.
(Signed) MANDERSTROEM.
Messrs. J. M. Mason, J. Slidell, and
A. Dudley Mann, at Paris.

The Hague, Dec. 30, 1864.
Gentlemen,—l have had the honour to receive through
the King's Legation at Paris your letter of 11th November
last, accompanying a copy of the manifesto issued at Rich-
mond on the 14th June, 1864. In thanking you for this
communication, and with an earnest wish for the prompt
re-establishment of peace in America, I beg you, gentle-
men, to accept the assurance of my high consideration.
(Signed) E. CREWENS.
Messrs. J. Slidell, J. M. Mason,
and A. Dudley Mann.

Foundering of the Steamer North American.

,p.___--__.-_

LOSS OF NEARLY 200 LIVES.
LIVER.POOL, Wednesday.

The steamer Peruvian, which arrived here to-day from
Portland, brings intelligence of a fearful calamity which
occurred on the morning of the 23d December last in the
Mexican Gulf, by the foundering of the steamer North
American, and the loss of 197 lives. The commander of
the ill-fated steamer, Captain Marshall, states that the
North American left New Orleans on the 16th December,
and the South West Pass on the 18th, with 203 sick sol-
diers, 12 cabin passengers, and a crew numbering 44. She
had fine weather until noon of the 20th. At 4 o'clock p.m.
of that day it commenced blowing heavily from the S.S.W.,
with a heavy sea running, and the vessel laboured and
strained greatly. On the 22d the weather moderated
in the early part of the day, but at noon' the gale
began to increase, and the engineer reported that the ship
was leaking badly. At 1 p.m. he reported the water to be
gaining in the hold. The course of the ship was then
changed to the westward. Took off the fore and main hatch,
and discovered water running in forward. They cut away the
ceiling, to try to stop the leak by caulking it, but could not.
They next put blankets and sails over the bow, but all to no
purpose, as the water continued to gain very fast. At 2.15
p.m. they spoke the barque Mary E. Libby, Captain Libby,
bound from Cardenas, Cuba, for Portland. Captain Libby,
upon learning the situation of the steamer, said he would
remain and take all on board his vessel, if necessary. At
2.30 p.m. the water put the fires out. The boats were then
got ready, and at 3.30 the first boat started for the barque,
with the chief engineer and all the lady passengers. Six
boat loads were got aboard the barque ; the seventh boat
at dark, with the purser, pilot, and eight men, is supposed
to have been lost, as it never reached the Mary E. Libby.
The eighth and last boat, with the captain, first and second
officers, and eight men, left the steamer at 7.30 p.m. The
boats were hoisted aboard the barque at nine p.m. It being
impossible to return to the steamer that night, the barque
made sail and proceeded towards the steamer, her lights
all in sight—distant about six miles. About one o'clock
a.m.. the lights disappeared suddenly, and the steamer must
have foundered then, as at daylight nothing could be seen
but a water-cask belonging to the steamer. The barque
cruised about until noon, when all hope was relin-
quished, and she proceeded on her course. Out of 259
souls which were on board when the North American
sailed from New Orleans, only 62 were saved. Among
those who went down with the vessel were Colonel Saunders
and Lieutenant-Colonel Horne.

The suspension is announced of Messrs. James
Lunham and Co., who for many years have carried
on an extensive business in the Borough as whole-
sale provision merchants. The liabilities are esti-
mated at 200,0001. The following circular has been
issued to creditors by the solicitors to the firm :--

7, Walbrook, London, E. 0., Jan. 11,

Gentlemen,—We have to inform you that Messrse. James
Lunham and Co., of the Borough, provision merchants,
have this day been compelled to suspend payment. The
books have been placed in the hands of Messrs. Ooleman,
Turquand, Young, and Co., who will forthwith prepare a
statement of affairs, and convene a meeting of the creditors
at the earliest opportunity.—We are, &c.,
J. and J. H. LINKATER and HACKWOOD.
EXTRAORDINARY POISONING CASE.—At Bath,
on Monday, Henry Fisher, a shoemaker, was
charged with poisoning his wife. It seems that trade hav-
ing become dull, Fisher dreaded poverty, and suggested to
his wife that they should mutually destroy themselves by
poison. Having agreed to such a course to put an end to
their existence, Fisher set to work to procure a sufficient
quantity to effect his purpose. He went, therefore, to seve-
ral chemists' shops throughout the city, and asking at each
place for only two pennyworth was served without any
hesitation. On Friday night the prisoner and his wife were
in their apartments, and were visited by his mother-in-
law, who, after knocking at their sitting-room door, and
failing to receive any answer, made inquiries of the lodgers
all of whom pronounced both to be at home. After listen-
ing a short time a movement was heard in the room, and
suspecting something wrong, an attempt was made to force
the door open. The man then came and opaned the door,
and said that he and his wife had both taken poison and
were determined to die together. The woman lay in a state
of insensibility in bed. Two medical men were soon in
attendance, but she died on Sunday morning. From the
appearances the room exhibited the husband no doubt had
vomited, causing him to discharge a large portion of the
poison he had swallowed. He was removed to the United
Hospital, where the proper remedies were applied, and
he quite recovered. The unfortunate fellow, it appears,
has on one or two occasions exhibited symptoms of in-
sanity, and has been confined in a lunatic asylum. Fisher
has admitted that his wife swallowed from eight to eleven
teaspoonfuls of the laudanum, and that he took a similar
quantity.—He was remanded.

•
DONATO IN PARlS.—Donato, says a Paris paper,
has cancelled his engagement with the proprietors
of the Aleazar, because he would have been obliged to ap-
pear in plain evening dress, the authorities in Paris not
allowing a performer to figure in costume at a Cafe Chan-
taut. Dancing in public on one leg in the evening dress of
private life would certainly be a difficult undertaking ; and
we are not surprised that Donato should shrink from such
an ordeal before a Parisian audience.
CHRISTIAN'S MISTAKE. By the Author of
"John Halifax, Gentleman," &c.—This new work by one
of the most justly popular writers of the day will be warmly
welcomed by all her admirers. It is full of the same deli-
cate and truthful delineation of character, the same touch-
ing pathos, the same acute observation, and, above all, the
same power of deeply interesting the reader, which distin-
guishecl. " John Halifax." The heroine, Christian, is a
charming character, and we think it will be generally
acknowledged that the story of her " Mistake" forms one
of the most attractive books that have appeared for a very
long time past.