The Sun.
London, England, 1865-02-20 00:00:00

used can render no service to his country. Those
who think to retain arms for their own defence
should remember that if the army cannot protect
them the arms will be of little use. While no valid
title can be acquired to public arms and equipments
except from the Government, it is reported that
many persons have ignorantly purchased them from
private parties. A fair compensation will therefore
be made to all who deliver such arms and equipments
to any ordnance officers, officer commanding at a
post, officers and agents of the quartermaster and
commissary departments at any station, or officers
in the enrolling service or connected with the Nitre
and Mining Bureau. All these officers are requested
and those connected with this army are directed to
receive and receipt for all arms and equipments
whatever their condition, and forward the same
with a duplicate receipt, to the Ordnance Depart-
ment at Richmond, and report their proceedings to
these head-quarters. The person holding the receipt
will be compensated upon presenting it to the ord-
nance bureau. While it is hoped that no one will
disregard this appeal, all officers connected with the
army are requested to take possession of any public
arms and equipments they may find in the hands of
persons unwilling to surrender them to the service of
the country, and to give receipts therefor. A rea-
sonable allowance for their expenses will be made to
such patriotic citizens as will collect and deliver to
any of the officers above designated such arms and
equipments as they may find in the hands of persons
not in the service, or who will report the same to
those officers. A prompt compliance with this call
will greatly promote the efficiency and strength of
the army, particularly of the cavalry, and render it
better able to protect the homes and property of the
people from outrage.
(Signed) " R. E. LEE, General."
In the Confederate House of Representatives, on
Feb. 2, the Senate bill "to provide for the em-
ployment of free negroes and slaves to work upon
fortifications, and perform other labours connected
with the defence of the country," with certain
amendments proposed by the House of Represen-
tatives, was taken up.
An amendment was adopted providing that the
age of negroes liable to impressment should be from
19 to 40 years, and that all free male negroes of that
age shall be liable to duty. The second amendment,
striking out the limitation of the number so held
liable, was taken up for consideration.
Mr. Brown, of Mississippi, was in favour of the
amendment. He favoured the arming of the negroes,
not to perpetuate slavery, but to secure the liberty
of the white man.

Mr. Wigfall, of Texas, was not in favour of put-
ting negroes in the army. President Davis had
stated that two-thirds of the army were absent from
duty. If these men were returned to their posts
there would be no need of negro soldiers.
Mr. Brown—How will you get them back ?
Mr. Wigfall—How? By placing that great cap-
tain, Joseph Johnston, in command of the army of
Georgia. Do that, and these men will require no
invitation to come back. lam for fighting for
slavery and for nothing else. The patent of nobility
is in the colour of the skin. I want to live in no
country in which the man who blacks my boots and
curries my horse is my equal. Give negroes mus-
kets, make them soldiers, and the next subject in-
troduced for discussion will be miscegenation. The
negro wench will be placed upon an equality with
our wives, mothers, and sisters. There are white
men enough on our'muster-rolls to win this fight ;
and I thank God we have now in command of our
armies an officer who will so direct matters as to
insure success.

Mr. Hill, of North Carolina, thought that white
men could win the fight. He thought the situation
of the South more hopeful at this hour than at any
other during the past two years. The South could
win the right of self-government by means of its
white men alone.
The house adjourned without voting.

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.
NEW YORK, FEB. 8.

Money easy. Gold, 2104. Exchange on Lon-
ann, Dc...•tra, 0.17 Lo fI.IE • Prioelio
advancing. New York Centrals, 1114. Illinois,
118. Erie, 748. 5-20 United States Bonds, 1081.
Cotton slightly firmer. Middling Upland, 85c.
Flour dull. Wheat and corn slightly firmer. Pro-
visions steady. Coffee very firm. Sugar slightly
firmer. Molasses steady. Petroleum inactive.
Crude, 50c. Refined, 69c.

Railway and other Companies.
-•-
GREAT NORTHERN.

The directors of this company state in their report that
the capital account was increased by £572,704 received for
new ordinary stock, including the premium of 25 per cent.
thereon, and by the capital of the Boston and Sleaford, and
Bourn and Essendine undertakings. The disbursements on
capital account included the cost of the Boston and Sleaford
and Bourn and Essendine lines, and the payments on ac-
-count of subscriptions to other undertakings, including the
advance of £300,000 to the London, Chatham, and Dover
Company, aid of the construction of their line between
Blackfriars and the Metropolitan Railway. The capital
ac-
count showed that the receipts Amounted to £13,971,805,
and the expenditure to £13,792,067, showing a balance of
£179,739 to meet the demand for additional rolling stock
for the new lines in course of construction, and to provide
necessary accommodation at stations, the directors had en-
tered into contracts for the supply of engines, waggons, and
had also ordered other works. The construction of the
Spalding and March, Doncaster and Gainsborough, and
Lincoln and Honington Railways, was being actively pro-
ceeded with, and those lines would be opened at the earliest
practicable period. The revenue accounts for the half-year
showed that £970,578 had been received, and £478,345 paid
for expenditure, leaving a net profit of £492,233. To the
balance of £492,233 was added £1,421 from the previous
half-year, and £12,504, amount due from the Great Eastern,
and London, Chatham, and Dover Companies, making the
balance of revenue £506,158; from this was deducted fixed
charges including mortgages and debenture stock interest,
and preference dividends £280,833, leaving a net balance
available for dividend on • the original stock and shares
£225,325, against £210,071 for the corresponding half of
1863. That would enable dividend to be declared on the
original stock at the rate of £8 15s. per cent. per annum,
giving for the half-year, £4 7s. 6d. to the original stock,
£3 to the B stock, and £5 16s. to the A stock, and on the
proportion of new ordinary stock entitled to dividend at the
same rate per cent. per annum as the original stock, leaving
a balance of £745. The dividend for the whole year would,
therefore, be £7 2s. 6d. per cent. on the original stock, £6
per cent. on the B stock, and £8 ss. per cent. on the A stock.
The gross increase of revenue forthe half-year was £98,000,
including the whole of the receipts derived from the Boston
and Sleaford and Bourn and Essendine lines, which were
not included in the accounts for 1863. The half-year's re-
ceipts were charged with dividend on more than £600,000
of capital expended on lines in course of construction and
subscribed to other undertakings yet incomplete or unde-
veloped. The partial opening of the coal trade to the south
of the Thames had materially increased the receipts from
that source, and afforded abundant evidence that when the
London, Chatham, and Dover line between Blackfriars-
bridge and the Metropolitan Railway was completed, and a
through route established to the south of England, a valu-
able accession of traffic might be anticipated. The direc-
tors regretted that the claims for compensation had re-
quired payments to the amount of £B,lOO in excess of those
for the corresponding period. The directors again find
themselves to incur serious expenses in Parliament in op-
posing an application by the Great Eastern and Lancashire
and Yorkshire companies for a railway from Long Stanton
to Astern. The directors proposed to the Eastern Counties
Company in October last, that they should exercise run-
ning powers for coal traffic, on rates to be agreed or settled
by arbitration, over the Great Northern lines from March
to Doncaster, which, having very favourable gradients,
were admirably adapted for the transit of heavy loads.
Those
er
a efoolingntproposalsou l
thatd t were,
nhoe wy
hado hn ol
only
exhausteds v
submit
t d
tehc
el e i
ivnr
ee
caser
yd , a
fairna
gd a theimn e t
oa dirn s e
oc
st rt
ts
Par-
liament, with the confident hope that former decisions of
committees of both houses would be maintained and con-
firmed. The directors, with deep regret, announced the
retirement of Mr. Denison, who for nearly 18 years ably
presided over the affairs of the company.