The Sun.
London, England, 1865-12-26 00:00:00

EXHIBITION OF NATIONAL PORTRAITS. —The ga'

leries in which Lord Derby's great scheme, so historically
suggestive, is soon to find its realisation are in rapid pro-
gress of completion at South Kensington. The galleries are
perfectly dry. The arrangements to maintain a proper
uniform temperature (excluding all fire from the premises)
and for constant watch by the police, give every security
that can be provided. They have a quiet look of fitness,
both in the simple arrangement and decorative colouring,
and are calculated to contain about 800 pictures, about the
number of British oil paintings exhibited in 1862. We
understand that they i,vlll not fail to be adequately filled.
On all sides there has bas been a hearty reponse, and many
family treasures, which have never before left walls where
They have hung for generations, have been placed at the
disposal of the committee. It has been proposed that the
first year's exhibition, which is open in April next, should
extend to the Revolution of 1688 ; but we learn that the
number of fine portraits offered may perhaps compel the
committee to terminate the first year's exhibition with the
portraits of the Commonwealth.
MUTINY ON BOARD SHIP.—The Singapore Free
Press, of November 2, says :—" We have to report
a rather serious matter on the morning of the 28th ult.—a
matter fortunately of rare occurrence in our port—that of
a mutiny which took place on board the British barque
Thomas Dryden, Captain Thompson. It appears that this
vessel arrived from Hong Kong on the night of the 27th,
and next morning at six o'clock the captain had occasion
to read to one of the crew an extract from the ship's log
regarding misconduct during the voyage. Having heard
it, the man attacked Captain Thompson, who was knocked
down. The first officer seized the mutineer, and a scuffle
ensued. A rush was then made by the rest of the crew
towards the cabin, with an evident intention of rescue.
Seeing this Captain Thompson caught up his revolver
from its usual place in the cabin and tired at the mutineer
who was pummelling the first officer, not, as he says, with
the intention of wounding him, but only to frighten him
and the others who were then crowding into the cabin.
Unfortunately the shot grazed the head of the mutineer,
which we believe is nothing very serious, it is true, but
still to be regretted. It, however, effected the captain's
intention, as the crew, seeing the determination on his
part to suppress any uprising, quietly returned to their
stations. The Master Attendant when advised of the affair
was speedily on the spot, and on a preliminary inquiry
arrested the whole crew."

COOLIE LABOUR FOR THE SOUTH.—The Stan-
dard's New York correspondent states that a mercantile
firm engaged in business in New Orleans recently addressed
the Secretary of State, in order to ascertain what the
course of the Government would be if an effort to import
coolies should be made. The firm represented, in this
matter, many leading planters of Louisiana and Mississippi,
and Mr. Seward deigned to reply to the letter. He in-
formed the merchants that the coolie trade was prohibited
by a law adopted by Congress in 1862, which prescribes a
severe punishment for those who employ registered United
States vessels in the transportation of coolies. By this act,
however, the deportation of Chinese is permitted, provided
a certificate is obtained from a United States consul that

the persons so shipped are consenting parties to the ship-
ment, " or voluntary emigrants." It is understood that seve-
ral prominent Mississippians are about fitting out a fleet,
if two or three vessels may be called such, for the purpose
of securing some of these "voluntary emigrants," the fact
having been satisfactorily demonstrated that the freedmen
will not work. If it be true that a movement is on foot to
bring coolies into the United States, it is quite certain that
the Radicals will demand Government interference to put
down what they will doubtless call "a now form of
slavery." But " slavery" or not, it is something that the
Government of the Sandwich Islands has consented to,
and to its profit, as it seems. In May last Dr. William
Hillebrand, a botanist of distinction, was sent to China
from the islands, at the solicitation of the planters, as
Royal commissioner of immigration. As the result of
his labors a cargo of 250 of the "immigrants" arrived
a few weeks since at the islands. About one-fourth of
these coolies are women. The Government contracted
for them at the rate of $BO for each laborer. The person
employing them refunds this sum to the Government, and
in addition guarantees to pay $4 per month to each laborer
($3 to each woman) for the term of five years—supporting
them meanwhile. This example in coolie importation
should not be lost upon the Southern planters, who, it is
quite evident, must look elsewhere than to their late slaves
for the labor necessary to the production of the great
staple* of the South.