The Sun.
London, England, 1865-07-27 00:00:00

£ 39,261,269
W. MILLED, Chief Caehier.

Mr. Cameron's Imprisonment in Abyssinia.

The France publishes a letter from " Count R.
Dubuisson," dated Province of Wolkait, Abyssinia, -
April 16, on the subject of Mr. Cameron's impri-
sonment. We extract the following :
For the last 18 months the Envoy Extraordinary of
Great Britain has been a prisoner; the representative of
haughty England, with a carcanet round his neck, irons
on his legs, and a chain on his right arm which fastens
him to the left arm of an Abyssinian appointed to keep
watch over him, has been for eighteen months dragged
about like a wild beast in the suit of the Emperor
Theodore. One is astounded to think that the in-
sulted party is England, and the insulter Theodore.
Living as I do, and for a long while have done, on the
spot, among Abyssinian personages, either principal actors
in, or eye-witnesses of, this violation of the laws of na-
tions, I am in a better position than anybody else to give
you authentic and circumstantial details of this affair,
which greatly pre-occupies the English Celina, and is the
occasion of much active diplomacy at Constantinople. The
English Ministry is assuredly not indifferent to the affront,
quite novel for England, which it has received ; but, being
misled by its agents as to the true character of Theodore,
it has taken a wrong course. The English mistake is that,
judging of the substance of things from outward forms,
they suppose the Negous to be a "savage, an inferior being,
a despicable enemy." Mr. Cameron's captivity is due to two
causes. First, the haughty susceptibility of Theodore,
who felt greatly hurt at Lord Palmerston's taking upon
himself to answer a polite authograph letter addressed to
Queen Victoria. It is true that the Queen did subse-
quently write with her own royal hand a very gracious
letter to Theodore. This is a fact, for I have read the let-
ter. But the answer of the "illiterate savage" consists of
these few words, which one is astounded to read on Afri-
can soil—" It is too late." The second reasonfor the arrest
is unknown in Europe, and more especially at the Foreign
Office ; and this is the main, the serious cause. The first
visit of the English Envoy to the Negous was brilliant, the
reception cordial and majestic, and everything promised the
complete success of the politico-commercial mission of this
diplomatist. Basiness called him back to Kassala-Soudan,
and there he became great friends with an Abyssinian
prince, whose acquaintance he had made at Gondar.
Whether this prince was one of the numerous
spies that the mistrustful sovereign employs, or
a mere traveller, I cannot undertake to say. How-
ever that may be, Mr. Cameron and the Prince
talked continually about Abyssinia, its prospects, and the
Emperor Theodore and his policy. You may possibly not
be aware that Theodore, terrible in battle, implacable in
victory, after having overturned all the dynasties that stood
in his way, contented himself with confining the children
of the conquered sovereigns in an Amba, an inaccessible
mountain. The following Abyssinian notabilities are now
in that fortress, where they are honourably treated :
Balgueda Area, the first warrior in Abyssinia ; the de-
scendants of Oubre, King of Tigris, of Sahalafre, King of
Choa, of Goudchou, Prince of Godjam, of Negoussie,
and of Raz-Ali, King of the Amarah. Now, in the
course of Mr. Cameron's conversations with the Prince,
the portraits of all these illustrious prisoners were
drawn, and their respective merits and chances dis-
cussed ; and in the comparisons instituted between
the conqueror and the conquered the balance did not
always incline to the side of the de facto monarch. Did
the talkers go further? In presence of the great misfor-
tune which has happened to Mr. Cameron I shall be silent
on that head. Suffice it to say that when the Consul re-
turned to the Emperor, the angry countenance of the
latter presaged a storm. " Serpent !" muttered Theodore ;
but being too cunning to allow it to be supposed that he
was afraid of a plot, or gave himself a thought about his
vanquished enemies, he dissimulated the real cause of
his rage, and the representative of England was ar-
rested and loaded with irons, on the pretext that ho
was responsible for the insult put upon the Emperor by
the Queen, For a long while Theodore dragged Mr.
Mr. Cameron about with him wherever ho travelled, but
being at length tired of this following, he has now shut
him up at Magdala, near Debra Tabor, with several other
European prisoners, among whom are two Frenchmen,
M. Bardel and M. Mackerer ; the rest aro Germans or
English. Such are the facts in all their truth. England
is at this moment redoubling her efforts on Mr. Came-
ron's behalf. An English steamer remains constantly
at Massawah, which place the Turkish Governor has left;
and Commander Rassam has started to see the Negous,
and submit to him fresh propositions. He is yet •waiting
in vain for permission to enter the country. According
to the lastest intelligence, his messengers had returned
from Theodore's Court with discouraging news. The
fiErmstpesoelyf-onacerh exasperation
him."
all friendly proposals, and his ultimatum
was, "If the English want Mr. Cameron, they must comp
and
state
ft
pmimer.oa"ftioalnnt
whichmore seeingtThhanoodporroebaibs,le,thaton
thethe
serious aggression on the part of
England he will respond by cutting off the heads of Mr.
Cameron and all the other prisoners. It has been stated
in Europe that orders had been given to put to death all
foreigners in Abyssinia. But that is a complete mistake,
since I am here quietly writing these lines to you, and all
the employes of the colony are extremely well treated when
they make excursions. The Emperor, however, naturally
takes precautions against the intrigues of his enemies, and
suspected persons are not allowed to go into the interior
of the country. The British Cabinet, as a bust resource,
has invoked the mediation of the Copht patriarch of
Egypt, who, according to immemorial usage, nominates the
primate of Abyssinia. This, again, was a mistake, for the
and
is interference,ofAb
Abyssinia, the
so f
theA baor from be
ana,is in cionms usefulplete
disgrace,
to
Cameron, would be only likely to aggravate his position..
The negotiation between the Patriarch and England was
dignitary
avrsvte
receive
yeeueradi
ors:
rewenic
vrat eehi
waiting
thereei y
mg.
at
hospitably
Koro Tersa
hpuswiosetoatli
balselonyfi
Avf
oioonmrtyht r
astAeh fbevrs
yotehr
strictest
houses
Abyssinia.
st a.
but that
nf hcr
iiott ghhegh-
hee
customtnoiwtoa no
ids tarhtoee
merchants. The Copht envoy took immense pains to
show themselves as little as possible, and to avoid every-
thing likely to call the attention of the Negous to their
presence at Kassala. But unfortunately a week before
their agents at Theodore, disguised as pedlars, took up
their quarters in every house along the line of route in
which strangers were likely to lodge, and the Cophts
unconsciously, while fancying they NV ero hiding
themselves, passed their days in more or less com-
promising conversation with these gentry. The police of
this "man," who is deemed a savage, is more perfect than
that of many civilised states. At the commencement of
his career, the Emperor was au admirer of European su-
periority, and endeavoured to attach some foreigners to his
person ; but he found so much reason to complain of the
irst comers, that ho has taken a disgust to all Euro-
peans, and they are now very little considered, and enjoy
very little influence here. Nothing serious can be at-
tempted against Abyssinia without the co-operation of
Egypt, and England with the aid of Turkey is trying to
get this, but I doubt whether she will succeed.

It is stated that Mr. Palgrave, the traveller, has been
appointed by the Government to go out to Abyssinia, with
a view to obtain the release of British subjects detained in
captivity.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE—This day.

LONDON, July 27.—Wind this day at noon—West;
moderate breeze and fine weather.

CARDIFF, July 25.—Wind S.W.—Sailed—Spornoza, for
St. Thomas.

PLYMOUTH. July 25.—Wind S.W.—Arrived—Cospa-
trick,from Bombay.
CLYDE, July 26.—Wind S.W.—Arrived—Persoveranco,
from Bahia.

Railway and other Companies

METROPOLITAN.

The directors of this company have resolved to
recommend to the proprietors a dividend at the rate
of 7 per cent. per annum on the ordinary stock and
new ordinary shares of the company for the half
year ending the 30th of June last, carrying forward
a balance of £3,400 to the next account.

LANCASHIRE AND YORKSHIRE.

The directors of this company have decided on
recommending to the proprietors, at their next
meeting, to declare a dividend for the half-year
ending the 30th of June last, out of the net revenue,
at the rate of 51 per cent. per annum, less income-
tax.
MANCHESTER, SHEFFIELD, & LINCOLNSHIRE.'
The half-yearly meeting of this company was held
yesterday at Manchester ; Mr. Watkin, M.P., in
the chair. The report, an abstract of which has
appeared in The Sun, was held as read.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving its adoption, explained
the causes of the diminution of dividend since this
time last year. The locomotive expenses had in-
creased solely owing to a larger expenditure in ma-
terials for repairs and renewals, and not from increase
in fuel or wages, or other ordinary current charges ;
the increased cost of the traffic department arose
mainly from a larger amount of work having to be
done for the same or a less amount of money. An
increase in law and parliamentary charges had been
unavoidable ; but the most important item of in-
creased charge was on the interest on new capital
invested in the new line toLiverpool, and other works
at present unproductive, but which would yield a
large profit when developed. He reminded the
shareholders that he had atprevious meetings warned
them that this state of things must come upon them.
For two or three half years, unless something ex-
traordinary happened in the increase of prosperity,
there would not be very satisfactory accounts to lay
before them. It must not be forgotten that during
the past half-year theyhad to meet the consequences
of the settlement of the great American question.
It injured to a great extent one of their best trades,
the outward trade of Sheffield, which largely went
to different parts of America, and it entirely stopped
the export of cotton yarns and goods from Grimsby
and Hull to the north of Europe and elsewhere.
The passenger traffic, as a matter of comparison
with last year, was also affected by the windfall of
nearly £7,000 extra receipts arising at the time of
the Sheffield inundation. As to the South York-
shire lease, by the recent assimilation of the ac-
counts with those of the Sheffield, the whole of
. whatever loss had arisen was charged to the current
. account instead of being deferred, as formerly. The
total South Yorkshire Railway and Canal traffic of
the half-year had been £92,870, and the working
expenses were about £39,005, leaving a balance of
£53,865, and the amount of interest and dividends
which the Sheffield Company were liable for and
had paid was £59,182, so that the loss to the Shef-
field was £5,317. In return for that they got a
most valuable connexion, and traffic was sent upon
their main line which flowed from the South Yor-
kshire ; and he did not think, looking at all the cir-
cumstances, and considering the generally disturbed
state of trade which there had been in the colliery
districts, that this was a very unfavourable result.
He then explained the advantages to the trade of
An
glo-French
steamers. which would flow from the
steamers. He then adverted to the Great Eastern
agreement named in the report, than which he be-
lieved no more important arrangement had been
made in the recent history of railways for the com-
mon good of all railway property. He was one
of those who foresaw, when the Great Eastern
system was amalgamated into one, three or four
years ago, that it was impossible to keep back so
large a system of railways from these northern dis

tricts. He regretted that his views on the subject

were not at that time adopted by the Great Northern
Company; but after the successive defeats of the
Great Eastern and Lancashire and Yorkshire coin-

bined scheme for a line from Lincoln to Askerne he
had again urged upon the Great Northern directors
to negotiate terms with the Great Eastern to take
their traffic upon fair terms, instead of compelling
them to undertake a competing line, which they
would ultimately obtain. At last the three parties
had come together and made an agreement. Instead

of making their own line, the Great Eastern were to
run over the loop line of the Great Northern from
Spalding to Lincoln, onwards over the new line
northward by way of Gainsborough, in order to get
over the Great Northern to Doncaster. The Great
Eastern were also to become joint proprietors with
the Great Northern of the whole of the line from
March to Doncaster, and they were to run over the
West Riding and Grimsby (which the Sheffield had
to guarantee 4i per cent. upon) in order to get to
Wakefield and other Yorkshire towns beyond. As far
as the Sheffield were concerned, they gave the Great
Eastern running powers from Lincoln to Retford,
and the two parties were to be at liberty to exchange
traffic for all places by way of those two points
within a certain radius, that radius involving the
principle that wherever the Sheffield had the short-

est route that should be the road for the traffic,

and wherever the Great Northern was the shortest

route that should be the road. He had also made

the suggestion—and it was cordially received by the
Great Northern and Great Eastern—that wherever

the Lancashire and Yorkshire route was the short

est the Great Eastern should be at full liberty to
arrange if they chose to send their traffic by that
route. He considered this a just and honourable
basis for the settlement of a question involving more
peril to railway property than any which had been
raised since the original construction of the London
and York Railway. (Cheers.) He concluded by
urging the shareholders to look at the general and
permanent prospects of their entire concern, and,
like a farmer who encountered an adverse season,
not to be overwhelmed by the difficulty, but to re-
member their business was not the adventure of one
bad year only, but to be continued from year to year
when circumstances would certainly become more
favourable. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. S. J. ROBERTS made some severe comments
upon the policy of the company, which he thought
suicidal both as regarded the South Yorkshire, the
Great Eastern, and the Liverpool and other schemes.

The CHAIRMAN having answered some questions,
the motion (seconded by Mr. Fenton) was adopted,
Mr. Roberts being the only dissentient.
The various preference dividends were then de-
clared, also a dividend at the rate of 1 per cent. per
annum ou the ordinary stock, and the proceedings
concluded with a vote of thanks to the chairman
and directors.

COLCHESTER AND STOUR VALLEY.
The half -yearly meeting of this company was held
on Tuesday at Colchester ; Mr. T. L. Ewen in the
chair.
The report was adopted, and a dividend at the
rate of £3 6s. per cent. per annum free of income-
tax was declared, and the proceedings closed with a
vote of thanks to the chairman and directors.