The Sun.
London, England, 1854-09-16 00:00:00

LONDON, SATURDA LY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 16, 1854.

THE WAR.

NAVAL AND lIILIT.LRY INTELLIGENCE.
Royal Albert, 121, screw, is lying at the north side of
the basin in the dockyard at Sheerness. Her tanks arc
being got on board and her ballast stored in the fore hold ;
stores of all descriptions are being daily taken in. Yester-
day her yokes 'for the rudder were fitted. Her machinery
altogether is in a most advanced state, and only receiviiig
the last finish, Which has proved by the late trial since she'
came out of dock, when under steam all parts of her en-
gines acted in a most satisfactory manner. it is generally
expected that the next spring tides this splendid screw
will go out of dock; that point, however, is not finally
settled; whin she does, however, and gets a few hun-
dred more hands on board, no doubt she will proceed to
Portsmouth for volunteers, and take in her bonded
stores, &o.
Her Majesty's ship Algiers proceeded for Portsmouth at
five o'clock yesterday morning.
Ganges, 81 (built by natives in India), is going into No.
2, graving dock, Sheerness. She is coppered, and has been
thoroughly repaired. . Yesterday she got her tanks on
board, no doubt previously to her being put in commission.
She is a splendid model as a sailing vessel, and was a great
favourite last war.
Colossus, 80, screw, Captain Spencer Robinson, bent
sails yesterday. She still remains in Portsmouth harbour;
nor will she go to Spithead until Tuesday next.
Illustrious, 72, training-ship, Captain Harris, put the
lads through the great gun exercise yesterday.
The Dauntless, 33, screw steam-frigate, Captain Ryder,
is ordered to come into harbour from Spithead. She is
to have new boilers, and is then to proceed to the
Black Son. _ .

The Termagant, 24, screw frigate, the Hon. Captain
Stewart; the Spiynx, 6, paddle sloop, Captain Clifford;
and the Hornet, 14, screw sloop, Commander Forsyth, are
also refitting at this port to join the Black Sea fleet.
The Hannibal, screw, Hon. Captain Grey, is still lying
at the same moorings she first took up on coming in
from Brest. Yesterday 14 more of her crew were sent to
the Chatham Hospital. Her powder was being taken out
of her yesterday morning ; but in consequence of the low-
ness of the tides she will not go into dock till next Thurs-
day, when there will be water enough, as she draws about
24 feet. The defects in her machinery are by no means
considered to be of any extent ; but the guide frames con-
nected with lifting the screw being decidedly out of order
is the principal cause for her going to be docked that they
may be thoroughly examined. _ .

The Valorous, paddle, Captain Buckle (so lately returned
iom hard fighting at Bomarsund), is undergoing the neces-
sary repairs in her Majesty's graving dock, Sheerness. Her
upper works are being caulked, together with that,part of
her bottom which is partially stripped ; her stem and fore-
piece are partly replaced, and some of the rock upon which
she struck has been taken out of her bottom as large as a
361 b shot; her new bowsprit was shipped, and gammoned
yesterday afternoon. Her crew have all gone on 10 days'
leave, commencing from the 15th to the 25th inst. Most
of them have gone to Plymouth to their wives and families
with the advance they have received. Her running gear
and rigging are having a thorough overhaul, and no doubt
in 14 days more this ship will be thoroughly repaired, and
once more ready to prove, in defence of her country, that
she was built a good old English oak.
The Hornet, 17, screw, Commander Forsythe, read his
commission on board yesterday.
The Harrier, 17, screw, and Swallow, 9, sCrow, have
painted topgallantmasts and crossed lower yards.
The Rolla and Sealark, boys' instruction brigs, came
into harbour yesterday, after having been drilled at the
great-gun exercise whilst under canvas.
Rhadamanthns, steam store - ship, Master Commander
John Belam, left yesterday afternoon for Sheerness and
the eastern yards, with stores and boats.
Her Majesty's ship Black Prince (hulk), towed by the
African and 'Adder, proceeded for Portsmouth at 11 a.m.
Her Majesty's steamer Gladiator arrived from the Baltic,
and anchored at 11.30 a.m.

- •
The greatest activity appears still to exist in the vic-
tualling department of Sheerness dockyard, which is under
the able superintendence of Mr. Thomas Hockings, which,
like many other branches at present, is very shorthanded.
The Lords of the Admiralty are expected at Sheerness
to-day on an official visit to the yard and port.

P.A. RIB UNIVERSAL EXHIBITION OF 1855.

At I the Council Chamber, Tirbitehall, the 12th day of
• f spternber, 1854. By the Right Hon. the Lords of
i Committee of Privy Council, Appointed fir the
reensideration of all matter; relating to Trade and Fo-
r 7ciign Plantations.
5 ay Lords have had, tinder consideration the best
me is is of apportioning the space placed at their disposal
by 113 a French Imperial Commission among the various
rote n ding exhibitors in such a way as to secure the most
' corn p late representation of cur national industry which
that ; apace admits of.
Ins compliance with Art. 9 'of the regulations of the
I toper ial Commission, my Lords forwarded, on the 15th
nlied
the necessary
A ugust (the day, appointed), a return of the applications
re, ,fired tip to that date, representing 2,130 exhibitors,
who`t had e
l a
for
34862
addition
5 square
forefeet
poafsshorizontal
p
T Imperial Commission have announced their inten-
tion of allotting 15,000 square metres (162,000 sq. ft.) in-
cludi rg passages, to this country, a quantityexceeding the
spat 1134 g
62,00 10 square feet the amount allotted to France in 1851,
whicl t must therefore be considered as a liberal allowance.
It is, however, obvious that the demands of the United
Kiev tom must be materially reduced, in order to bring
there .91 ithin the prescribed limits,
t. 3 this time no judgment has been passed upon the
chart letter of the applications, although it must be evident
that c mo part of them is laiore likely than another to re-
fuse c wedit upon our national industry • and that though
there are probably few applications which do not include
somet ding of public interest and value, the general cha-
racter of nearly the whole will be improved, if exhibitors
shout(' l send only their most important productions.
To pass such a judgment is'evidently beyond the com-
petent ee of the officers appointed by my Lords to attend
to the business of the Exhibition, and it is upon the ex-
hibito re themselves, and the committees formed to repre-
sent t In eir interests, that my Lords must depend for un-
dertal ing the selection, which iu other countries is gene-
rally .e: cercised by functionaries norminted by the State.
My I lords havetherefore directed-
1. TI )at the necessary allowance shall be made for
pass, ago s.
2. !Tli tat the net space shall be broadly divided among
the vs rious classes of manufacture.
3. ri that a small reserve be made for the completion of
such d lepartments as may be unrepresented by the de-
mands received ; and,
4. 1 be remainder subdivided among the various cam-
mittees partly in proportion to the number and charac-
ter of the applications that have been received, and
partly n proportion to the scale upon which each kind
of indus %try is carried on in a locality.
Each '.committee will then be requested to make such
a divisii tof the space thus allotted among the intending
exhibitor s as will be most creditable to their district,
or to the, particular branch of industry which they re-
present.
The cot nmittees to which the demands will be referred
will be as follows :-
1. For Machinery and Civil Engineering—The Coun-
cil of the Institution of Civil Engineers.
2. Agricultural Machinery—The Committee ap.
pointed by the Royal Agricultural Society.
3. Manerfactures (Metropolis)—The Associate Com-
mittee for particular Trades.
4. Manufactures (Provinces)—The Local Committees
formed at Aberdeen, Arbroath, Belfast, Birmingham,
Bradford, Derby, Dublin, Dudley, Dundee, Dunfermline,
Edinburgh, Galashiels, Glasgow, Greenock, Hudders-
field, Leeds,, Macclesfield, Manchester, Norwich, Not-
tingham, Paisley, Preston, Sheffield, Staffordshire Pot-
teries, Sto ckport, Sunderland, Trowbridge,
Wolverhampton.

H. C. OWEN, Captain RE., Secretary.

between Russia and Europe is to assume that it signifies
nothing to German Governments' whether there shall or
shall not be any European law protecting the weaker
States against the more powerful. If, in fact, there were
any. Governments in Europe to which the concerted ag•
grossions of Russia were matters of Mae importance,
these were the Governments of France and England, for
to them the Czar offered a certain deference and a cer-
tain share of the spoil, while of the German Govera-
ments he spoke in language evincing little more respect
than he showed to Turkey itself.
The simple truth is that Prussia, or, as we should

rather say, the Prussian Court, is content to forego the
conideration, not only of German 'interests, but of
European interests altogether, for the sake of preserving
an alliance deemed essential to the'stability of absolutist
.princigleS in Gerniany. The real question debated at
Berlin is not how the Emperor of Russia can be brought
to reason in the mattei• of Turkey, but how a Govern-
ment so useful to absolute monarchies as that of the Czar
can be protectedirom humiliation or damage. This is the
object which is disguised by a false solicitude kir the par-
ticular interests of Germany, and it is this fact which
alone explains the inconsistencies of Prussian policy.
Prussia could not pretend to deny that the Czar was in
the wrong, and she would have been not ill pleased if
he could have been persuaded, without much abatement
of his pretensions, to put himself by timely concession
in the right ' • but, now that the affair has come to
blows, and that a war has been commenced which is
likely to carry loss to the vanquished, she is only anxious
to prevent the consequences from falling too severely on
the Government to which she looks for political sym-
pathy and succour. With this view, she abstains from
entering the field herself, and intimidates Austria into a
like resolution, while, by palliating the conduct of
Russia, and throwing out insinuations against the policy
of the allies, she does her best to render the contest less
unequal than it would be, and to provide the Czar with
what he would otherwise want—the friendship of a
European Government. Prussia, Nyhile-ruled upon :lb,
solute principles, cannot be a party to any operations,
however justifiable, which would weaken the great
champion of absolutism. Such is the simple explanation
of the case before the world.

As it happens, this conduct is not likely to have
much influence on the eventual result of the con-
test. A more honest course of policy might indeed
have brought the war to a more speedy termination ;
but the forces of France and England will, it may be
reasonably assumed, prove quite sufficient for effecting
the parposes in view, and Prussia will be left is the posi-
tion to which such proceedings must consign her. We
cannot, however, omit to point out a moral which a cer-
tain class of politicians among ourselves may draw from
these events, and which must prove, we should think,
immediately fatal to the theory of international' " arbi-
tration." Who, in European differences, could be arbi-
trators except the representatives of the controlling
Powers of Europe ' • and how could an impartial arbitra-
tion be anticipated from umpires, some of whom, as is
now shown, do not hesitate to consider the interests of a
political party as superior even to the requirements of
justice put on record by themselves ? The operations -of
the allied forces will soon, we trust, enable Europe to
look with profound indifference on the politics of Prus-
sia ; but this conduct of a Power pretending to no in-
considerable weight in the affairs of the world should not
be lost sight of in future times.—Times.

OUR TRADE AND COMMERCE IN THE

PACIFIC.

A considerable degree of apathy and indifference still
prevails respecting the extension of-our commercial re-
lations with the islands and States situate in the Pacific
Ocean. This can scarcely result in the present day,
from inadequate knowledge of their position and re-
sources, but most probably arises from a concentration
of attention on other points, to which the tide of com-
merce has been more directly turne3. Still it cannot be
deniell that we are .too ready to abandon all the most
prosperous and lucrative sources of trade in that quarter
to American enterprise ; and even the French are
stealing a march on us in commercial transactions among
the equatorial island groups to the Pacific.
The whole of the Pacific Ocean is studded with islands
abounding in every species of tropical production, whose
riches are, to a great extent, at present unknown and un-
sought. In those islands are to be procured trepang,
or bdcb6-de-mer, arrowroot, cocoa-nut oil, tortoiseshell,
timber of various descriptions, sponge, matting, fibres, and
coarse rope, together with various fruits. There also is
a soil capable of growing all tropical produce, if encou-
ragement were but given to the natives to cultivate it.
The Pacific Islands were long since called " the West
Indies of the Southern Hemisphere." The internal
traffic of the Pacific has scarcely yet commenced ; that
traffic of the Pacific depends on a natural law—the bene-
ficial exchange of the productions of one climate for those
of another.

The American coast west of the Rocky Mountains is
now peopled by a hardy, enterprising, and persevering
race of men, who are destined to become the lords of the
Pacific Ocean. Already, within the short space of four
or five years, half a million of people have settled in the
New States, in the far north-west, and, under their in-
fluence, the waters between Asia and America will be-
come—what the waters of the Western Hemisphere
have long been—the high road to commerce. Although
the !Pacific trade is yet in its infancy, the op-
portunities and channels for its expansion are im-
mense. Three years ago the British trade with
the South Seas and the Pacific amounted in value
to 3,000,0001., and our trade with the South
American States on the Pacific to 2,250,0001. more ;
whilst the value of the United States' exports, in 1851,
to the South American States on the Pacific and the
Islands, was but half-a-million sterling. Since then.
American commerce in that quarter has received an im-
mense impetus, and the merchants of California are
striking out energetically, in all directions, in those seas.
The North Pacific is now traversed in various quarters
by an immense fleet of American whaling vessels,
giving employment to nearly 20,000 seamen, and the
principal place of resort for these vessels is the Sand-
wich Islands. Besides the direct trade between Cali-
fornia and the Isthmus, in passengers, light goods, and
specie, steam communication has recently been com-
menced by American enterprise between the porta of
Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Pa-
nama. The scope of country thus opened to commerce
is one of the richest in natural production on the Conti-
nent, whilst its virgin wealth has been comparatively.
untouched. Guatemala, the most northern of the Cen-
tral American States, with its population of 500, 000 souls,
is rich in all the minerals and precious metals, and
the soil, being extremely fertile, produces sarsaparilla,
cocoa, corn, and fruits in the greatest variety, besides
cochineal. The value of the British trade is about
500,0001. San Salvador is smaller than G uatemala, hav-
ing a population of about 300,000; but produces in
luxuriance, indigo, dyewoods, rice, sugar, and fruits.
Honduras, having a limited extent of coast on the Pacific,
also abounds in minerals and dyewoods, but is principally
a grazing country. Nicaragua, with her 350,000 in-
habitants, is one of the richept producing States in
America. Costa Rica is becoming one of the most im-
portant republics in that region, and is particularly
noted for her fine copper. Next comes New Granada,
a State of similar character, with which the United
.States already carry on an import and export trade
of the value of 400,0001. to 500,0001. per an-
num. To the southward, some 300 miles from Panama,
is San Buena Ventura, one of the greatest avenues of
wealth on the western coast of America, not only on ac-
count of its mineral and agricultural productions, but
by reason of its geographical position and proximity to
the valley of the Amazon, and from thence large quan-
tities of gold dust are sent monthly to Panama and
Lima. The imports into the Central American States
amount to about 1,400,0001. annually. The exports
for 1852 reached the sum of 2,100,0001. But correct
statistical returns relative to the Central American Re-
publics are difficult to obtain, as very few are kept ; and
civil dissensions occasionally interrupt them where they
are even kept with anything like system.
Hitherto the Pacific has been a field of adventure
rather than of regular commerce. Till recently it has
been cut off from all direct communication with the
trade and civilisation of Europe and America. No
maritime nations of importance have occupied any part
of the extensive line of coast by which it is circum-
scribed, and within which it has lain in silent repose,
rather like a secluded lake than a mighty peopled
ocean. But a new destiny is beginning to dawn
upon it. The Pacific is casting its hitherto dormant
wealth into the lap of those whose perseverance, skill,
and daring enterprise have called it into life ; and the
forests and prairies of its shores are being re-
duced to the service of man. The sound of
the ocean's waves aro no longer echoed by the
silent rocks, but are repeated by the busy murmur-
ings of human life. The steam-vessel foams along the
coasts and rivers on the western shores of America,
where the canoe once glided, and the wharf and the palace
have supplanted the wigwam and the pine-tree. Barren
and untenanted islands have yielded up treasures to com-
merce which have enriched states and individuals, and,
by fertilising distant lands, have proved a blessing to
thousands. If we look still further westward the vista
is equally interestipg. A British surveying expedition 1
in the Pacific seas is' accomplishing results which will
prove highly beneficial to Australian mariners, and a
similar expedition sent out by the American Govern-
ment, under Commodore Ringgold, is destined to open
to eastern commerce certain accessible routes and chan-
nels of approach from the Australian ports to China, to
the east of New Holland, and perhaps through some of
the various groups of islands known as the New Hebrides,
New Britannia, New Guinea, thence up by the Csro-
line, Pellew, and Philippine Islands to Canton. The
examinations and surveys of Commodores Perry and
Ringgold, of the American navy, of the French squadron
in the Pacific, and of the Commanders of her Majesty's
ships Herald, Torch, and Pandora, will accomplish much
in the surveys of the coasts and harbours of New Zealand,
New Caledonia, New Guinea, and the Feegees, of the
islands of Japan, and of the two or three routes formed
by the great chain of islands lying between the meridi-
ans of 150 degrees and 170 degrees east longitude.
"The prospect of trade opened up (observes an Austra-
lian contemporary) is dazzling in the extreme. America,
I Australia, Japan, China, India, and 'the isles,' are the
, countries tb.st will furnish the elements of this Jaw

[PRICE SD.

commerce. China has a population of 200,000;000 on
her sea-coast alone, 4nd is on the eve of great changes,
t which must tend to throyv her commerce more open
o the world.
Japan, . with her population of
130,000,000, has recently, by treaty, • permitted free
intercourse with her people. As for India; she only
reqiiires the means of internal communication to re-
enrich the world. Wo have also to take into calculation
the vast but undeveloped resources of Polyne.sia, and the
Indian ..kreLipelago. 'The Sandwich Illtiads and Samoan
Group already show, a progress whict:lld scarcely be
credited. The other groups' of PelYriesia rni:Yht also be
rapidly developed under a system of regular steam
communication, which would cress- this very path.. In
the Eas tern Archipelat;o' Celebes contains 3,000,000 ;
Java, about 6;000,0D0 ; Sumafrig,: 2,000;000 ; Boreno
'
4,000,000 ; and .the Ph,ilippineft about the giole number
Besides these there are the island,; of New. Guinea, New
Caledonia,'New Zealand, and Othe4T, which Come under
the general denomination of Alkstralasia.7 (
All these form, as it were, the passive.agents of com-
merce ; and it devolves upon America and Australia, as
the active agents, to turn them to good 'account. The
connecting links of the chain are still wanting in periodi-
cal steam communication across the Pacific. And it is
an unparalleled circumstance that, with an import and
export bade with Australia, which reached last year in
value to 27,000,0001. we have at present no•regular line
of steam. communication direct from kugland to the
Australasian colonies. Trade, however, preserves its
steady course, and eagerly seeks new channels for de-
velopment. Commerce and civiliS•ation are being carried
by the three great nations among the islands of the
South Seas, and, ere many years have elapsed, the calm
still watee's of the Pacific Ocean will be covered by as
many steamers as now traverse the Atlantic. British
merchants:and shipowners should not be behind hand in
the contest for success. They have the means and the
will at command, and require but the finger-post to
poin • t their attention to ,t.lae field of operations,—Ship-
ping Gazette.