The Sun.
London, England, 1862-08-07 00:00:00

r.AIL WAYS.

Cush. Account.
Orleans
Northern ....
New ditto .. . • _ • •

Lyons and Mediterranean 1:08 75 . 1110
Geneva .. 352 50
• •

Southern
833 75 .. 830
Western
Eastern
Sardinian

Austrian
Lombard

THE AMERICAN BLOCKADE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SEN.

SlR,—Believing that the state of affairs now
existing in the Bahama Islands may possess some
public interest, I beg to inform you that I arrived
at this port on the Ist inst., having sailed from
Nassau, N.P., on the 2d of July, in the British
schooner Albert, under my command, and laden
with cotton, resin. and logwood.
On the 3d of July, at about 2 p.m., my vessel
was brought to by a shot from a Federal cruiser
about three miles on my port quarter, and was
shortly after boarded by an armed boat's crew,
under command of an officer wha asked the name,
destination, &c., of the vessel, and demanded all
my papers. These were delivered to him and un-
derwent a strict examination ; they were then re-
turned to me, with the following endorsement upon
my clearance :

" July 3, 1862, lat. 27.39 N., long. 76.17 W.
Boarded from the United States' steamer Mercedita,
Commander H. S. Steliwagen. Papers examined
and found correct.

" F. T. GOVER, U.S.N., Boarding Officer."

This individual then returned to his boat, and I
was, after a detention of an hour and a half, per-
mitted to proceed on my voyage.
Now, in all this there is nothing to complain of
if the Bahama Islands and passages are unde
blockade by the United States' naval force, since all
the customary forms prescribed for such a case were
complied with ; but up to the time of my sailing
from Nassau no notice of such blockade had been
made public, and I have been unable to find any
such notice in the newspapers since my return to
England.
The United States' vessels now on duty off Abaco
are the Mercedita, Quaker City, and Albatross, and
their vigilance and attention to the business in hand
are such that no vessel bound to or from Nassau
can pass either way without being overhauled and
searched, except by a rare and fortunate accident.
Such vessels es the commander of the cruiser fancies
he seizes ; others he permits to escape. I consider
myself fortunate in being among the latter on the
present occasion.

I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
GILBERT ERIKSON, Master of the British
schooner Albert, of Liverpool.
Liverpool, Aug. 4.

CRYSTAL PALACE.—One of the Banana plants
(muse ensete) in the Crystal Palace is just bursting in
flower in a remarkable manner. The petals of the bud are
of the same nature as ordinary leaves of the plant, but
smaller and more delicate, and, at present, of a cream
colour, where not exposed to the light, instead of that
peculiar tint so characteristic of the muss family. The
bud springs out of the centre of the tree and bends over so
as to be fully visible, and from the interior of it comes the
flower itself, unusually large, and full of promise of fruit.
The flower is fast opening, and every new wheel or circle
of incipient fruit is disclosed, but, at present, the unopened
portion has the appearance of a short thick closed umbrella,
about 9 inches in diameter, and 2 feet long, with the point
towards the spectator. So large a bud has not been seen
before on the Bananas in the palace, indeed, it is probable,
that even under a tropical sun, and in the most fav Durable
circumstances, neither plant nor flower attain the great
size which these have reached. The tree is in the basin in
the tropical end, close to the monti fountain, and exactly
opposite the Alhambra court. But no one who looks for it
can fail to see it.

LOCH TAY SALMON FISHING.—Loch Tay has
during the past wet k been in fine ply for angling. On
Saturday and Monday, especially, good sport was enjoyed,
and a number of large salmon in fine condition were killed.
At the east end of the loch salmon and grilse are plentiful,
and both have risen freely to the flies in the evenings and
mornings since the weather set in milder. Fishers have
also been very successful on all the neighbouring streams
and good sport is enjoyed with
during the last few Clays,
minnow after sunset.—Scotsman.

DUNBAR HERRING FISHING.-A very large
number of boats went out on Monday night. About 20 of
the Irish boats returned to the harbour at 9 o'clock, fearing
a gale; the remainder of the Irish and all the other boats
kept at sea, and were rewarded by a splendid fishing. Many
of them had 20 craw. The fish were of the best quality,
and current prices were 275. and 28s. per cran. Although
a few of the last boats sold at 255., this price is exceptional.
—August s.—Scotsman.
THE COAL TRADE TO THE METROPGLIS.—The
returns made of the quantity of coal conveyed to the metro-
polis by railway, canal, and seaborne, still show a very
marked diminution. For the present year 755,85 • tons
14cwt of coal have been carried by railway, against 958,713
tons llcwt for the corresponding perio 1 of 1861, or a de•
crease of 182,862 tons 17cwt. The canals show 6,722 tons,
against 11,815
.6ons 15cwt, or 5,093 tons I.scwt less this
year than last, The seaborne coal has declined 53,072 tons,
the quantity for the present year being 1,932,581 tons, as
compared with 1,985,653 tons for the first seven months of
1861. For July last the London and North-Western Rail-
way have conveyed 50,029 tot's lowt ; the Great Northern,
25,0661 tons; Midland, 14,588 tons; Eastern Counties,
12,256 tons; Great Western, 7,212 tons; t hathem and
Dover, 243 tons ; llowt ; Tilbury, London and Southend,
60 tons, total, 109,455 tons 2cwt, against 119,677 tons
15ewt in the month of July, 1861. The receipts by canal
for the last month were 534 tons, against 1,6',0 tons for
July, 1861. The importations from Newcastle have been
80,999 tons ; Sunderland, 79,724 tons ; Hartlepool and
West Hartlepool, 57,397; Seaham, 24,959; Middles-
borough ; 4,427 ; Blyth, 2,224 ; from Wales, 9,553 tons ;
Yorkshire, 3,140; Scotch, 1,334. Of Duff, 1,559 tons;
small, 1,313 ; and cinders, 2,358, making a total of 209,408
tons, against 290,918 tons for July, 1861.
HEREFORD, HAY, AND BRECON RAILWAY.-
Yesterday the half-yearly meeting of this company was
convened at the offices, 9, Bridge-street, Westminster, but
as a sufficient number of shareholders were not present to
form a meeting, it was adjourned. The report, which was
circulated, referred with satisfaction to the fact that the act
authorising the construction of a line from Kington to
Eardisley, forming a junction there with the company's line,
and calculated to form an important auxiliary, had been
passed, and also the company's deviation bill, The report
of the engineers, Messrs. Macneill and Pierey, stated that
notwithstanding the difficulties an d delays that had occurred
they had every reason to belitve that the line would be
ready for opening up to Norton Canon during Sep ember
next, and that negotiations were in a forward state for car-
rying on the section beyond. The Hon. G. Morgan, M.P.,
had been cho-en chairman, and Mr. W. B Buddicomb,
deputy-chairman. Mr. W. L. Banks had been elected a
director in the place of Mr. Watkins; and Mr. R. Swan
had been appointed secretary. The cash account showed a
total receipt to June 30, of £105,951, and a balance in hand
of £344.

THE LATE CASE OF CRUELTY.—The statement
made in the House of Corona ns on Monday night, by Sir
G. C. Lewis, to the effect that Sergeant Ashton, who ordered
the man Bishop to be scrubbed with sand, had been dis-
missed the service by the Commander-in-Chief, is in some
respects incorrect, inasmuch es Sergeant Ashton still re-
tains his rank in the regiment, having been superseded
only as chief officer of the military police, by which he loses
Gs- a day. Evidence has been obtained which proves that
Bishop is a deserter, and a court-martial is ordered to in-
vestigate the matter. An official inquiry ha a taken place
relative to the cruel punishment to which this man was
subjected, and although the result has not been made
'ublic, we believe we are correct in sating that the prat:-
ce of .crubbing prisoners with sand has been carried on to
a considerable extent in Vie cells at Woolwich, and under
the direction of an officer holding a Wall position under the
commandant. A senreant of the regiment, who tormerl3
acted as chief officer of the military police, invariably de-
clined to carry out this punishment, unless he received an
order in writing, which was never given. but it is stated
that Sergeant Ashton act'md on verbal instructions from his
uperior officer.