The Sun.
London, England, 1865-12-25 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONI)O.N, MONDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 25, 1865.

explosions, leaks would deaden the fire and stop the
action of the guns, and any suspension in the midst
ofaction must be fatal to the ship using such a weapon.
Still the after interest attached to the plan of the
tubular boilers came from reversing the scheme used
by Perkins, viz., employing the tubes as flues for
the fire, to convey the heat through the tubes to the
water surrounding them in an outer boiler. By this
method, without damaging the tubes, it is found
that high-pressure steam can be employed with safety
and advantage, so that Mr. Perkins's invention was
not barren to the outer world, since his tabular
boilers led to their extended employment in railway
and steam-boat engines, and were, I believe, first
employed by Stephenson a few years after the steam
gun experiments had been put hors de combat.

The 'United States Sanitary Commission.
4.-

being accompanied by a list of contents, and addressed to
the General Secretary, No. 21, West Twelfth-street, New
York; where, for present use and convenience, in connec-
tion with the historical work, they will be deposited.
The expense of transportation will be paid by the com-

mission.

JNO. S. BLATCHFORD,

General Secretary.

Recent Geographical Discoveries.

The last of a course of admirable lectures on re-
cent geographical discoveries was delivered on Fri-
day at the Royal Institution, Manchester, by Mr.
W. Hughes, professor of geography at King's Col-
lege, London. In summing up his last lecture on
Australia, Mr. Hughes said that all the knowledge
which had been gained of that country showed that
it had alMost boundless capabilities for the develop-
ment, not merely of that particular kind of wealth
which had hitherto constituted its most prominent
characteristic, viz., gold and wool, but capabilities
also for the multiplication of settlements to a vast
extent. He had next to make some discursive re-
marks upon other lands. He need hardly observe that
in reference to other lands there were no tales of ad-
venture so stirring to be told, connected with re-
sults so important in the way of geographi-
cal discovery, as those belonging to Africa and
Australia. In sketching recent African and Aus-
tralian discovery he had well-nigh exhausted the
great topics of interest. He had used up the great
regions of the globe in which such feats as those
which were unconnected with the names of Living-
stone, Speke, Baker, Macdouall Stuart, Burke, or
Wills, could be told. There were not many conti-
nents to be crossed, and certainly no others to be
crossed for the first time. But there was a vast
deal more to be learned concerning regions as
yet unexplored, or only imperfectly explored,
in the continents already known to us, and
indeed in some which have been known to
us from early periods. In countries, small as well
as large, alike -in the old world as in the
new, there were still regions where every
explorer, especially every surveyor, added
largely to our stock of geographical knowledge ; as,
for instance, with respect to the elevation of moun-
tain chains, the precise conditions of geological
stratification, and the relation of such things to the
drainage and the soil of the country. The produc-
tions of various countries, and the conditions of
human life therein, would task the energies and
engage the faculties of explorers for ages yet to come.
There were many instances in which men of science,
prompted by a desire to extend commercial interests,
as well as to solve geographical problems, were con-
tinually acquiring fresh facts, and adding to our
stores of knowledge, and were bringing to light
fresh proofs of the marvellous variety and abun-
dance which everywhere distinguished nature. Ex-
aminations, more or less scientific in their objects,
had been made by various enterprising travellers,
' some by men of our own nation, and others by
foreigners, in the distant and seldom visited tracks in
the vast interior of Asia, where a good deal of posi-
tive knowledge had been gained in addition to the
materials of those records of stirring and animated
adventure which had constituted a large share of
popular reading during the last few years. In
the new world were to be found large fields and
abundant materials for the further exercise of
powers of observation, and the display of phy-
sical ardour in the examination of the great mountain
chains and river basins which distinguished North
and South America. In the latter, the field in which
Humboldt worked, and in which he thought the
best exposition of physical geography was to be
found, was still open to much exploration. In North
America, the acquisition of further knowledge be-
came more and more a matter of interest and mo-
ment. Lord Milton and Dr. Cheadle had under-
taken a journey across the Rocky Mountains and
into the valley of the Fraser river, with the view of
finding and explorMg practicable passes across that
range of mountains, as a means of connecting the
colonies of the eastern side with those of the western
side of the great North American continent. Some
such passes had been found, three or four or which
were within the British territory, and the question
of those passes became yearly of more practical
moment. Connected with the Arctic shores of the
now world was a most interesting geographical pro-
blem yet remaining to be solved. They wanted to
reach the North Pole ; but why ? He could not
say that such a feat would do either them or him
any particular good, but it would be held by a very
large number of Englishmen to be a national dis-
grace if that vast central area around the Pole, and
containing a million of square miles, was left a
blank upon our maps, after so much had been done
in marking out the limits of land and seas, and so
much scientific knowledge had been gained con-
cerning the condition of the climate and all the
various effects of meteorology on the development
of vegetables and animal life, and so much material
had been accumulated for the formation of a true
estimate of the natural history of the world. That
history could not be complete until they knew
the climate of the North Pole, whether there were

any, and if so what, forms of vegetable and animal
life, or what were the forbidding conditions which
precluded such things, and whether around the pole

...
there was land or sea. A proposal for a new expe-

dition was now under the consideration of the Ad-
miralty, and when they considered the number of
explorers who had voluntered to go out, they ought
to be proud that England pOssessed men of unselfish
energy and gallant determination.

MR. SEWARD'S FIRST KNOWLEDGE OF THE DEATH
OF LINCOLN.—Mr. Seward hid been kept in ignorance of
the attack on the President, his physician fearing that
the shock would be too great for him to bear, and all
newspapers were rigidly excluded from his room. On
the Sunday following his assassination, the Secretary
had th 3 bed wheeled around so that he could see the
tops of the trees in the prk opposite, just putting on the
spring foliage, when his eyes caught the stars and stripes
at half-mast on the War Department, on which he gazed
awhile, then turning to his attendant, said :—"The Pre-
sident is dead!" The confused attendant stammered and
changed color as he tried to say nay, but the sagacious
old man said If he had been alive ho would have been
the first to call on me ; but he has not been here, nor
has he sent to know how I am, and there's the flag at
half-mast." The old statesman's inductive reason had
told the truth, and he lay in silence, the great tears
coursing down his gashed cheeks, as the dreadful truth
sank into his mind.

yN
TIIE ALLEGED ENGLISH CONFEDERATE BOND-
HOLDERS.—The Paris correspondent of the New York
Herald, writing on the 21st of November, says :—" The
statements of certain American correspondents of the
English press, and the denials of the alleged English
holders of and losers of the Confederate cotton bonds,
will, I believe, be pretty thoroughly refuted ere long, by
the publication of a legal document, supporting the
original statement, and exhibiting in every case but one
the names originally published—the exception is Mr.
Sampson (city editor of the London Times). The theory
of the New York ilerald, in explanation of this matter, is
undoubtedly the correct one—that the gentlemen who
make the denials had never in reality received or applied
for or held any Confederate bonds. But the names of
every one of them, with the exception above given, are, I
know positively, down for a certain number of shares,
which were attributed to them by the Confederate mana-
gers, undoubtedly with an object. The list of bond-
holders is divided into two classes—those who received
interest on their bonds and those who did not. In the
latter class are the gentlemen who have made the denial.
They were down on the books for a certain number of
bonds, which, had the Confederacy become a fact, they
would in all probability have received and profited by as
a reward for their services. Mr. Delano, of the London
Times, is down. Mr. Gladstone is down for twenty, and
Sir F. Pollock, who gave the decision against us in the
Alexandra case, has no less than one hundred against his
name. Regarding Mr. Gladstone there is other strong
presumptive evidence. I know that Mr. Dudley Mann
said to a gentleman who called upon him a year ago in
London, lam sorry you did not come a little sooner, as
you would have met Mr. Gladstone and added, he is
one of the holders of our bonds.' But enough of this at
present. The story that the list lately published was
fabricated by Mr. Bigelow or anybody else will, I believe,
receive a triumphant denial in a short time, from docu-
ments the honesty and genuineness of which cannot be
called in question."
LADVERTISEMENT.] Holloway's ,Pills.—Bilious affec-
tions and stomach complaints induced by a too liberal diet,
if not early chocked, are often attended with serious con-
sequences. When any ono finds his ideas less dear than
usual, his eyesight dimmed, and his head dizzy, while he
is indisposed for all exertion, physical or mental, he may
be quite sure that he is in immediate need of some cooling
and purifying medicine. Let him send at once for a box of
Holloway's pills, after a few doses of which his head will
be clear again, his spirits be elevated, and all his energies
be restored. Printed directions for the guidance of patients
in the use of this admirable medicine are affixed to each
box.

Naval and Military Intelligence.
4.-
,

Col. J. F. M. Browne, C. 8., attached to the
head-quarters of the Royal Engineer establishment,
Chatham, has been appointed Assistant-Adjutant-
General, Royal Engineers, at the Horse Guards,
and will assume the duties of the appointment on
the Ist proximo. An order issued at Chatham gar-
rison announces that Capt. Fitzroy, M. H. Somerset
will succeed Col. Browne at headquarters, Bromp-
ton Barracks. Capt. 0. A. Marindin, Royal En-
gineers, attached to the camp at Aldershot, has been
ordered to join at headquarters, Chatham, for duty.
A detachment of the Ist division of the Depot
Brigade, Royal Artillery, consisting of two non-
commissioned officers and 41 gunners, left head-
quarters, Chatham, on Saturday, and proceeded to
Liverpool, where they embarked on board the Cali-
fornian for Jamaica, where they will join the 15th
Brigade, Royal Artillery.
A draught of the 2d Battalion, 6th Regiment,
consisting of Lieut. C. Whyte, one sergeant, and 30
rank rank and file, left the camp at Colchester on
Friday afternoon for Liverpool, to embark to join
the service companies of the regiment in Jamaica.
An order has been received at Chatham garri-
son, directing Capt. Davidson, Royal Artillery, to
proceed to Woolwich, for the purpose of going
through an extended course of gunnery instruction.
Capt. J. D. Power, 2d Battalion 10th Regiment,
has received orders to embark for Madras,
to join the service companies of his regiment in
India. Staff-Assist.-Surg. P. G. Power, M.D., at-
tached to the 3d depot battalion, Chatham, has been
ordered to embark for Gibraltar for medical duty at
that station. Lieut. H. W. K. Hawks, 15th Regi-
-1 ment, has been ordered to join the depot companies
of the regiment on arrival from Malta.
Detachments from the depot companies of the 2d
Battalion 4th King's Own Regiment, 2d battalion
15th Regiment, and the 29th Regiment, at Chatham
garrison, have been placed under orders to embark
for Gibraltar and Malta, to augment the service
companies at those stations.
On Saturday, by special permission of Col.-Com-
mandant J. 0. Travers, C. 8., commanding the
Chatham division of Royal Marines (Light Infan-
try), about 300 non-commissioned officers and men
from the various companies now at head-quarters
were granted an extended leave of absence, to enable
them to spend the Christmas holidays with their
friends. The non-commissioned officers and men
to whom this indulgence was exclusively granted
were all of good character. The men left head-
quarters early on Saturday morning to proceed by
railway to their respective destinations, an advance
of pay being in all cases made to these requiring the
accomomdation.

'Dr. Griffiths, of Milford, has been appointed Go-
vernment surgeon to the various forts and batteries
at Milford Haven. He was highly recommended by
Sir H. Owen, M.P., and the Hon. Capt. Edwardes,
and the appointment has given general satisfaction.
The following are the quantities of solid shot and
shell for which provision is to be made on board the
ironclad frigate Lord Warden, 24, 1,000 horse
power, now fitting for sea at Chatham-dockyard—
viz., 9-ton 8-inch rifled guns ; 240 common, 80
double elongated. and 80 shrapnell 8-inch shells,
with 320 cast 8-inch shot and 160 steel 8-inchshot;
7-inch breech-loading Armstrong 110-pounder pivot
guns; 184 common, and 96 segment 7-inch shells,
and 200 hollow 7-inch 100-pounder shot.
Her Majesty's ship Fox has arrived at Pembroke
dock from Woolwich and discharged a quantity of
stores and machinery for the dockyard and for her
Majesty's ship Vestal, recently launched.
The Wivern, 4, screw, iron turret ship, Capt. H.
Burgoyne, V.C., is ordered to proceed from
Portsmouth to Devonport to be docked and
make good her defects preparatory to further trials
in moderate weather of her turrets and guns. We
presume from this re-arrangement of the Admiralty
orders that Capt. Burgoyne will retain the command
of the Wivern, and conduct the contemplated trials
for which he by this time, from his long command
of the ship, must be so well qualified.
His Excellency the Japanese Commissioner,
Shibata Hiougano Kami, with his secretary and
suite, paid a second visit to Portsmouth dockyard
lon Saturday. He was accompanied by the Flag-
Lieutenant of Rear-Admiral Superintendent G. G
Wellesley and by Lieut. Mgiechnie, H.M.S. Asia,
and after lunching with the Admiral proceeded
round the yard, inspecting with much apparent in-
terest the various workshops, with their machinery,
and also (to Which great interest appeared to be at-
tached) the ironclads in the port—the Warrior,
Wivern, Scorpion, and Minotaur.