The Sun.
London, England, 1862-05-16 00:00:00

TILE SITN,'''LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MAY 16, 1862,

~~

Otow

nMer, food, clothing, medical attendance, and
loss of time by sickness, at 185 dollars per head,
or about 238 per annum." While, on the other
hand, he calculates " the cost of a good field
labourer at 12 dollars per month, for six months
together, with board at 10 dollars per month—
altogether, 132 dollars, or say 237." Now, the
bearing of all this upon ourselves has its quite
manifest importance. For the estimate above
given exceeds, by a great deal, the price of labour
in our East Indian Colonies. The Jamaica Cotton
Company sets it down, in point of fact, as actu-
ally
"more than double the cost of labour" among
those they themselves employ. The deduction is
obvious upon the instant: the result of the cul-
tivation of the Peruvian Cotton Tree, or qossy-
plum arborium, would necessarily be remunera-
tive under the circumstances. •
That will be all the more manifest when it is
borne in mind that the tree, when flourishing, is
calculated by Mr. KENDAL, of Maryland, to be
readily capable of yielding two thousand pounds
of marketable cotton to the acre." It follows,
therefore—as the summary of these facts just
brought under our notice—immediately by the
Jamaica Cotton Company, but mediately, of course,
by the Governor of Jamaica—as the circular epi-
tome of these very interesting particulars, concludes
by intimating :—" It follows that for fourpencehalf-
penny per lb. an abundant supply of excellent
cotton may be produced by free labour in our own
colonies, and that the investment of oapital in such
undertakings on an extensive scale promises a
higher remuneration than six, eight, or even ten
per cent. in Turkish, Egyptian, or Russian loans."
Better than bob cherry to children, surely, these
dangling cotton balls before the watering mouths
of our hungry manufacturers in the North. More
tempting, in their way, to them than any golden
apples of the Hesperides, that green and fibrous
fruit of the Peruvian ! We shall eagerly look for
further particulars in regard to the cultivation of
a tree giving such fair promise, at once to our West
Tndia colonists and to ourselves.

A very amusing little mess our cousins have got
into by doing right. The right thing is done, how-
ever, in the midst of wrong ; amongst wrong laws
if not in the wrong place, and there is accordingly
the usual result of attempting to mix oil and water.
Our readers have seen that Congress at last raised
itself to the height of abolishing slavery in the little
district of Columbia, the suburbs, as it' were, of
Washington, and over which it has complete autho-
rity. The Columbiana, it is said, availed themselves
of the measure to make a good price of all their
inferior slaves, and to sell the more valuable to
Maryland, the slave State occupied by the Federals,
in which Columbia, with Washington, are situated.
The slaves, however, seem to have paid the Mary-
landers off in their own coin. They run off now
into Columbia, declare that they are the slaves of
rebel masters, and claim to be confiscated—that is,
freed, in consequence. The military committee,
which has charge of the " contraband" business,
receives them and stands by them. But down come
their old masters, proclaim themselves loyal, say
they are ready to take the oath of allegiance, and
demand back their slaves under the Fugitive Slave
Law.

Under this infamous law—which Mr. LINCOLN,
when he hoped to woo baek secession, declared a
good one, at least a substantial one, and one
which must be preserved—the Maryland slave-
holders have a clear right, if they are
not rebels, to demand back their slaves.
And where, if not at Washington, should the
Federal laws be enforced ? Now the United
States Marshal of the district is liable to a fine of
1,000 dollars in each case, if he does not return the
fugitive, and the Marylanders threaten to com-
mence suits against him. The military committee,
on their part, refuse to part with the contrabands,
and so the business issues in a regular conflict be-
tween the civil and military authorites. We shall
see, now, whether Congress will interfere for the
committee, or for the slaveholders and the Marshal.
When Mr. CAMERON was prosecuted for illegal
arrests of " suspects," Mr. LINCOLN took his acts
on himself, as done by his order, under the lex
supremo of all States in times of war—the law of
self-preservation. This curious little fact only
serves to show how impossible it is to touch
such a root and branch villany as slavery without
going to the root of the evil.

The late Under-Secretary of State for War, Sit
BENJAMIN HAWES, K.C.8., was one of those able,
hardworking public servants who ought always to
be held in honourable remembrance at least by their
own contemporaries. This, failing the possibility of
their being able to lay any claim whatever to the
grateful regard of posterity. Sir BENJAMIN
HAWES, though but five years short of the allotted
age of man—the deceased being at the time
of his demise, on the 15th inst., in his 65th
year, having been born in 1797 here in
London— cannot but be regarded, neverthe-
less, by all who knew him personally; as having
died prematurely. Almost to the:morrow of his de-
mise he bore all the appearance of a vigour of con-
stitution as yet unsapped by age or toil. Glancing
down the perspective of those sixty-five years of a
useful and honourable career, it is interesting
to remember of the late Under-Secretary
of State that in 1820 he was married
to the daughter of Sir ISAMBARD BRUNEL, the
great inventor of the Block Machinery at Ports-
mouth, and fabricator of the Thames Tunnel. So
that the future administrator was thus associated
by intimate family ties with two of the chiefs of
that great school of engineering which has benefi-
cially affected the progress of civilisation during
this last half century more even almost than the
policies of Governments !
'The stages of Sir BENJAMIN HAWES'S career are
readily enough enumerated. In 1828 he was ap-
pointed a magistrate of Surrey, as well as
deputy-lieutenant of the county. In 1832 he was
elected M.P. for the borough of Lambeth, a consti-
tuency which for fifteen years, namely until 1847,
he continued to represent in Parliament. At the
end of those fifteen years, during which he
had then very ably represented the borough of
Lambeth, acquiring for himself, while so
doing, a certain distinction more than marked by
the attributes of mere respectability in the popular
branch of the Legislature—Sir BENJAMIN HAWES
was, almost it seemed by a whim, rejected by his
old constituency. He obtained another seat, how-
ever, the year afterwards, namely, as M.P. for the
borough of Kinsale, for which place he sat from the
March of 1848 to the February of 1852, when he
withdrew altogether from the ranks of the national
representative.. -A c, )(Mg previously as the year
1846 he had been nominated to the post of uuaei-
Secretary for the Colonies. In 1851 he was ap
pointed Deputy-Secretary for War. At length,
however—upon the formal abolition of that office
as a superfluity—he was gazetted in 1857
as permanent Under Secretary of State for War,
His labours during the year previously, while
holding his earlier post (a position of very great
resinsibility) at the War Office, were justly re-
. wardea, o the way, after the close of the Crimean
War by his nomination as a Civil g"lmallt-
der of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath. Iwo

Sir BENJAMIN HAWES was, in his time, a good
sound debater, and a very effective pamphleteer,
should also be remembered in his regard. But,
beyond that, he was a consistent Liberal poli-
tician, and a really clever and laborious adminis-
trator.

The capture of New Orleans is looked upon far
more seriously than we had expected, even in
the South itself. Their own papers describe it
as the most disastrous event since the commence-
ment of the war. They point out that it de-
prives BEAUREGARD of his army supplies, and
threatens with privation all classes of society.
We cannot wonder that the North should look
with exultation on the fall, first, of the great
capital of the South itself, then on the fort, Ba-
ton Rouge, next in importance, and that Govern-
ment Securities of all kinds should rise nearly to
par. But that the South itself should see in the
yellow fever of the half-tropical city their only
hope, does look as if it was aware that their loss
might be the beginning of the end. New York
monied men and Southern journalists appear to
be of one mind. Of course, some Southern papers
rant about it defiantly, but it may be reasonably
assumed that those are most to be relied on who
discard such a style.
The weightiest circumstance is that, with New
Orleans, the real capital of Secession is gone. If
Richmond or Charleston were taken, it would
damage Southern prestige; but the taking of the
great commercial city of the South is the destruc-
tion of the heart of Secession. The Slave and
Planting States proper are nothing without New
Orleans. While the Federals hold it they leave
Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, and Arkansas
perfectly helpless. All they can buy and sell must
pass through the hands of the conquerors. The
other towns on the Gulf are comparatively unim-
portant, and easily controlled, or captured. But
now BEAUREGARD is without a capital to fall back
on, while the Federal fleets are advancing—one,
upwards, from New Orleans, without difficulty;
the other, down stream, successively taking the
forts from Island No.lo—will soon be at Memphis,
and leave BEAUREGARD ao chance but the vigour
of almost hopeless desperation, or of surrender. If
BEAUREGARD be thoroughly beaten, Secession will
be hardly worth another battle.

The latest betting in the Gallery we believe to
be, " Two to one on the Lords ! " A fitting
'lose, in truth, to the session. In the absence
of any opportunity for serious contest poli-
tically, the Peers and Commoners are, it will be
observed, about to buckle-to good-humouredly for
a little sham fight in the way of rifle-shooting.
Just to keep their hands in, of coarse ! The expla-
nation extorted yesterday so very gravely from the
noble mad learned lord on the woolsack, by the Earl
GRANVILLE—an explanation immediately vouch-
safed by the Lord Chancellor with such an amiable
frankness of manner that it really seemed to
render it delightful to know that there lad been
reason given again for a fresh apology by Lord
WESTBURY for yet another irregularity : this
seeming little incident yesterday brought out at
length distinctly to view the remarkable fact, that
in the handling of the Enfield Rifle the Lords and
Commons are actually just now pitted against each
other.

How the truth came out yesterday, at the close
of the Lords' sitting about six o'clock in the even-
ing, it is really worth observing. That cheerful,
blithe beau garcon of the Government, himself the
Ministerial leader in the House of Peers, the Earl
GRANVILLE to wit, for once with an aspect of grave
importance, rises in his place for the purpose of
solemnly demanding an explanation. And of
whom P—of the Lord High Chancellor. "Before
the House adjourns" Earl GRANVILLE said "It may
be convenient for your lordships to know whether
there is any truth in a certain rumour that this
House is likely to be soon at War with the other
House of Parliament. (Expression of surprise on
the part of several members.) It appears that a
challenge has been offered in due form, and
accepted on behalf of your lordships,- though how
far the noble and learned lord on the woolsack has
been authorised by the orders of the House to go
the length of accepting it, without some prelimi-
nary measure which might have led to an amicable
understanding, lam not prepared to say." (This
announcement was received with marked silence.)
Such is the record jotted down by the
pencil of the parliamentary reporter. The
silence with which Earl GRANVILLE'S observa-
tions becoming awful, when
fm the received,
woolsack—rises the Lord Chancellor
ro are
in explanation. "My lords," he says, les larmes
dans la voix, but a dry twinkle in his eyes, "it is
undoubtedly true that the Lord Chancellor stands
before you as one
who has to confess that he has
given way to
another irregularity. (Laughter.)
My lords, I will state the manner in which it oc-
curred. As I was leaving the house I had the
honour to receive from the Speaker of the House of
Commons a challenge; it came on behalf of the
House of Commons to the House of Lords, and was
delivered to me. It is true I did not stop to inquire
whether I had the authority to accept it; but, hav-
ing that spirit which I trust every one of your
lordships would desire me to exhibit, I accepted
at once the challenge." (Laughter.) And—" Like
a Briek"—we doubt not will be the instant comment
of many a blunt outspoken Volunteer, himself more
or less skilled by practice in the knack of rifle-shoot-
ing. "I ventured to intimate," adds the Chancellor,
with delightful formality and deliberation, as if he
were explaining the precise manner in which he
had arranged the preliminaries of a duel, " I ven-
tured to intimate that we should meet the House
of Commons in honourable rivalry at any place, at
any time, with any weapon. (Renewed laughter.)
I may have been irregular, but I felt it would not
do to hesitate; although" [he adds, with a sly look
askance], " if I had had the fear of the noble duke
(BvccLEucH)—(a laugh)—before my eyes, I might
have referred the question to your lordships." In
conclusion, the Lord Chancellor observes, "I trust
we shall meet the House of Commons in the same
spirit in which they offer to meet us. lam sorry
to say, therefore, that your lordships stand pledged
to the combat, and I venture to prophesy that you
will not recede from it, but will enter the lists in
a manner worthy of this House of Parliament.'
And so the matter rests—nearly, as in the old
fire-eating days when the laws of the Duello were
paramount—with a Mem. something to the effect of
" Coffee end Rifles for two at cockcrow" some fine
morning. All this may appear (to those who don't
understand a joke) mere trifling. Say to one of
those hard-headed Scotchmen, to get a jest into
whose head, SYDNEY SMITH once declared, it would
i•Priaire a qurgicul operation to begin with ! Yet, in
simple truth, and as a mere matter of fact, it is
about the aptest tail-piece that could well come, by
way of illustration, to the history of -the present
session of Parliament. And in spite of the odds
talked of in the Gallery (strangely we cannot but
think) in favour of the Lords—between our readers
and ourselves, we should be disposed to back the
Commons in preference ! •

The Duke and Duchess of Roxburgh° and I.'l-
- and Lord Charles Inn.. ti -

".---

----J
--, ALer have arrived at the

vittr =on for the gleasolt.

The Marquis and Marchioness de PeHolly have
arrived at the Brunswick Hotel, Jermyn-street, from Paris.
Viscount and Viscountess Gormanston have arrived
at Brown's Hotel from Ireland.

Lord and Lady Hatherton have arrived Thomas's
Hotel, Berkeley-square, from Teddesley Hall, Staffordshire.
Lady Dinorben and family are staying at the
Bing of Italy's Palace of Stupinigi, near Turin. His Ma-
jesty graciously invited her ladyship to accompany her sis-
ter, the Princess of Capua, to this place on a visit, after the
severe bereavement the family have recently sustained.
Lady Emily Foley has arrived at the Clarendon
for the season.

Mr. and Lady Elizabeth Adeane have arrived at
the Clarendon from Babraham.

General Sir John Burgoyne, Bart., Inspector-
General of Fortifications, and some of the officers of the
Royal Engineers quartered in London, entertained last
night at dinner at Willis's Rooms Field-Marshal Niel, of
the French Engineers, the senior officer of that corps during
the siege of Sebastopol. Among the officers present we
noticed Sir Harry Jones; G.C.8., General Sandham, Col.
Chapman, C. 8., Colonel Simmons, C. 8., Colonel Owen,
C. 8., Colonel Ford, and Lieut.-Colonel Jervois.

BEAUREGARD'S COUSIN.--At the weekly meeting
of the Manchester Board of Guardians, held yesterday, it
was mentioned that a warrant had been obtained against
Andre Beauregard, an artist, who claims to be a cousin of
the Confederate general, for deserting his wife and family,
and leaving them chargeable to the union.

SUDDEN DEATH.—We regret to say that the
Rev. it. M. Feilden, rector of Bebington, was suddenly
taken ill yesterday, on the racecourse at Chester, and died
almost instantly. His body was removed to the grand
jury room at the Castle, to await the coroner's inquest.
The rev. gentleman qualified as a justice in 1826, and was
chairman of the Birkenhead bench of magistrates for many
years, in which capacity he was much respected. The de-
ceased, who was rector of Bebington for about 40 years,was
upwards of 70 years of age.—Liverpool Mercury.

The Dublin conclave has broken up, and most of
the prelates are on their way to Rome to assist in the cano-
nisation of the Japanese Martyrs, and probably to give
their advice about a successor to Pio Nono and the course
that should be adopted in the present crisis of the Papacy.
The Pope has written a letter to Cardinal
A rAhishon of Lyons, thanking him for the sum of
£12,000, which the importunity of the pricroto uae nut,Wuut.d
in wringing from that distressed city " for the succour of
onr indigence" —• that is his Holiness's expression.

A considerable robbery was perpetrated a few
days ago at the Palace of Prince Schwarzenberg at Vienna.
The thief introduced himself into a bedroom, and carried
off a pocket-book containing 800 florins in bank notes ; a
pearl bracelet with a diamond clasp, valued at 5,0001 ; four
pearl peas, worth 6,00011. ; five gold braclets, worth
500 f ; two necklaces, worth 10,000 f. ; twelve brilliants of
the :sloe of peas, worth 6,00011. ; two pair of earrings in
brilliants, worth 1,20011. ; a ruby cross, ornamented with
brilliants, valued at 50011. ; and a small gold cross ena-
melled in blue, with fine pearls, worth 50011.
MR. WINDHAM IN GREENOCK.—It is said that
Mr. Windham, of lunatico inquirendo notoriety, has been
in Greenock for about a fortnight back, and is about to sail
by steamer for China, where he will reside for a year or
two. Mrs. Windham will accompany him.
GOLD IN COUNTY DERRY..—It is stated that
while some workmen were sinking a well within the bounds
of the Cullycupple Bleach-green, Aghadoey, at the depth
of about 12 feet from the surface, they came upon a mineral
substance of a yellowish colour, mixed with the sand, and
which, when tested, has been found to contain gold in cer-
tain quantities.—Freeman' Journal.

Advices from Madras to the 14th ult, confirm
the anticipations of the completion of the Madras Railway,
and report its opening to Coimbatoor. A special train was
to convey Sir Bartle Frere two days later the whole way
across from Madras to Beypoor, on his way from Calcutta
to assume the Government of Bombay, and the through
opening of the line for traffic was to take place, subject to
the completion of some station arrangements, on the Ist
of this month. In conjunction with the steamers running
on both sides of the peninsula, this railway is expected to
become the general route between Calcutta and Bombay.
THE PEW SYSTEM.—The attention of the Bishop
of Bath and Wells having been drawn to the fact that two
pews in the parish church at Weston-super-Mare were ad-
vertised, the one for sale, and the other to be let, his lord-
ship has written to the churchwardens to forbid both the
sale and the letting of the pews." He adds :—" All persons
whilst parishioners, are at common law entitled to accom-
modation in the parish church without payment. No pri-
vate person can sell or let his pew, unless it is attached to
his house either by prescription or faculty. The allotment
of pews in the parish church belongs to the office of the
churchwardens, subject to the control of the ordinary, i.e.
the Ecclesiastical Court."—Sherborne el-ou7nal,
THE BALLOT SOCIETY.—The weekly meeting of
the Executive Committee was held at 5, Guildhall Cham-
bers, Basinghall-street. The Hon. H. Berkeley, M.P. (in
the chair), Lieut.-General Thompson, Mr. W. Hargreaves,
Mr. Whitehurst, Mr. Clowes, Mr. Bontems, Mr. Syden-
ham Nodes, Mr. Jenkins, M.A., Mr. Elt, Mr. Man, Mr.
Harris, Mr. Le Maitre, Mr. Everett (Luton), Mr. R. A.
Marsden, Mr. Washington Wilks, and Mr. W. E. Dawes
were present. Subscriptions were announced from Mr. A.
W. Poulton, £5 ; Mr. Cobden, M.P., Is. From Man-
chester— Mr. Joseph Stanley, £1 ls. ; Mr. Wright Turner,
1 ; Mr. T. Roberts, £1; Mr. Joseph Spencer, £1; and
other smaller sums. Bury—Mr. James Wrigley, £2.
Oldham—Mr. John Platt, LI ls. ; Mr. Thomas Emmott,
£1 ls. Ashton-unde• Lyne—Mr. Hugh Mason, £1; Mr.
James Knott, 10s. The committee were engaged in deli-
berating with the chairman of the society on the proceed-
ings to carry out the policy indicated by the recent circular
of the honorary secretary to the Parliamentary supporters
of the Ballot, and it was resolved,--to seek an interview
between Lord Palmerston and a deputation of members of
Parliament, and their consti uents, on the critical position
of the Liberal party, as evinced by recent elections.
Arrangements were also matured for the approaching mo-
tion of the Ballot which is expected to be made in the
House of Commons on Tuesday, the 27th inst. and a sub-
committee was appointed to prepare resolutions for accept-
ance or otherwise, at the United Conference to be held on
the 20th inst., between the society and the delegates to the
Reform Conference.

KELSO.—SUCCESSFUL SALMON ANGLING.--.-0C
Monday his Grace the Duke of Roxburgbe had a fine day's
sport in Floors Water. He killed five clean salmon, the
three largest of which weighed respectively 131 b., 151 b.,
and 161 b. He also ran other three fish, one of which
escaped as it was about to be landed, and a considerable
number of fish also rose to the hook. Three clean fish were
also killed in Sprouston Water on the same day, and three
on Tuesday. The river for many weeks has been flooded, or
slightly swollen, every few days, and to this, doubtless,
sportsmen are indebted for their recent success among
clean fish. Belts are no longer to be had, and smolts have

nearly all left the rivers, so that trout fishers are now little
troubled with them. On Monday a gentleman killed a
grayling in the Teviot about four miles above Kelso, the
first, we believe, ever known to be taken in that river, into
which they are said to have been placed some years ago by
the Marquis of Lothian.—Scotsman.

DANGEROUS MISTAKE.—On Sunday, two women
residing in Market-street, Greenock, shortly after taking a
seidlitz powder, were seized with symptoms of having taken
poison. A medical man was immediately called, who
found, upon inquiry, that the sufferers having purchased,
along with the seidlitz powders, some sugar of lead, which,
on mixing the powders, they had taken in mistake for soda.
He at once prescribed antidotes with success, though they
suffered a good deal from the dangerous mistake.—Greenock
Advertiser.

FIRE IN THE QUEEN'S COLLEGE, CORK.—Thin
morning the western wing of the Queen's College was com-
pletely destroyed by fire. The flames and smoke were first

discovered by some turnkeys of the county gaol, who gave
notice to those residing in the college, all of whom were in
bed. On examination the entire upper story of the build-
ing was discovered to be in flames, and at each door in the
lower corridor were found half-consumed matches, and the
lower edges of the doors were slightly charred, which has
given rise to a suspicion that the fire was the work of an
incendiary. The council are now investigating the matter.
The fire was spreading rapidly when it was discovered, and
very soon the entire wing which contained the lecture rooms
and a large amount of rare and valuable property belonging
to the college and professors, was destroyed. There being
no hopes of saving that wing, efforts were directed to pre-
venting the fire from communicating with the remainder of
the building, which were happily successful. No estimate
can yet be made of the value of the property destroyed,
which, however, must have been very great. Neither the
building itself nor any of the property in it had been in-
sured.—Cork Examiner.
" THE LARGEST CIRCULATION OF ANY PAPER IN

THE WORLD ." The currency of Austria.—Punch.
A COOL REQUEST.—Wind N.E. Thermometer
29 deg. Clara, " Well, Charley, dear, as you say you are
such a good swimmer, do jump in and get me that pretty
fiower."—Punch.

THE LAST FASIIIONABLE VlCE.—Enamelling is
already on the spread. We suppose tne Rachels of this
superficial accomplishment will soon copy thl example of
the photographers in the cheap neighbourhoods, and place
touters at their doors, whose business it will be to waylay
ladies as they go by, and to tempt them with tho insinuat-
ing inquiry of "Please, Mum, will you have your face
enamelled ?"—Punch.

A NEW CRY FOR CONSERVATIVES.--The
Derbyites have at last got a good cry. It has been dis-
covered by Mr. Disraeli, who proclaimed it the other night
in the House of Commons. The new Derbyite cry is
" The Independence of the Pope I" Conservative electors
should understand the meaning of that cry, They must
not suppose it to mean the mutual independence of the
Pope and the Roman people, It means the maintenance
of the Papacy by the force of French arms, How very in-
dependent his Holiness nor is of T - •
Napoleon The
Derbyite and D'"`" loW'
_...aetite policy is to keep him so.
tnen, Conservative Members, turn out Lora Faimerston.
'The independence of the Pope 1" Oh, what a bottutifui orY
to go tv the Country with.—Ancht