The Sun.
London, England, 1854-07-15 00:00:00

THE. HOOD MOIVUMENT.

The afternoon of Tuesday next, at three o'clock,
it should be remembered, has been fixed for the
public inauguration of the Hood Monument in
Kensal-green Cemetery. Whoever may attend
upon the occasion will enjoy the opportunity of
seeing uncovered for the first time, over the grave
of the beloved poet, the exquisitely beautiful testi-
monial, designed by the hand of Matthew Noble,
and of listening to the panegyric pronounced over
the dust and memory of Thomas Hood by Monck-
ton Milnes, the accomplished member for Pon-
tefract.
THE SECRET NEGOTIATIONS.

(Pros the Press of this day.)
The secret negotiations which we announced on the
27th of May last as in active operation, and the object
and very existence of which have been denied by so many
of our contemporaries, have unceasingly proceeded since
that period, and hare already accomplished considerable
results.
The Court of Berlin has signified its opinion that the
reply of the Court of St. Petersburg to the Prussian note
is satisfactory, and indicates the basis on which the peace
of Europe and the political equilibrium may be success-
fully and permanently secured.
The Court of Vienna has declared that if the occupa-
tion of the principalities by the Austrian armies take
place, that occupation is to be considered in the light of
" an act of armed mediation."
It is probable that the altered aspect of circumstances
will lead, in due time, to considerable changes in the
personnel employed at this moment in the transaction of
affairs. It is convenient at a period of probable
transition from that of active, or provisional, hostilities
to one of friendly negotiation and peace, that those
who have taken a pronounced part in the prosecution
or recommendation of hostilities should withdraw, if
only for a period, from the scene. The retirement of
M. Persigny has been commented on in the public jour-
nals. The appointment of M. Droun de l'Huys to a
post of high responsibility may be expected.
The moment the armistice is agreed to, we understand
that Lord Stratford de Redcliffe will retire from her
Majesty's Embassy at Constantinople. We have reason
to believe that Sir Henry Bulwer will be his lordship's
successor. The pest will require not only previous ex-
perience of the scene and principal actors, which Sir
Henry Bulwer possesses, having already been Secretary
of Embassyat Constantinople, but those qualities of con-
ciliation without which the amplest knowledge of affairs
is often insufficient.

We believe that we may announce that the successor
of Sir Henry Bulwer at the Court of the Grand Duke of
Tuscany will be the Most Noble the Marquis of Nor-
manby, K.G.

THE CRYSTAL PALACE.—The Prince of Wales and
Prince Alfred visited the Palace at 10 o'clock yesterday,
and remained for two hours. They were attended, dur-
ing their stay, by Mr. Farquhar, Mr. Deane, Mr. Digby
Wyatt, and Mr. Phillips. The number of half-crown
admissions during the day was 2,382, and of season-
tickets 3,747. On Thursday the official return showed
a total of 15,614 shilling visitors and of 1,410 season-
ticket holders. The heavy rain which fell on Wednes-
day did not deter 10,476 people from going down to
Sydenham, of whom 9,867 paid at the doors. It would
thus appear that the company are losing money by hav-
ing two days .of the week reserved for the wealthier
classes— one day would probably be found quite enough
for that purpose, and the extra charge might i.dvan-
tageously be lowered from ss. to 2s. 6d.—Tintes.
Despatches from the Governor of Gibraltar well, re-
ceived yesterday at the Colonial-office. Despatches
were sent last evening to the Governor of Canada.
The Hon. John Van Buren, son of the Hon. Martin
Van Buren, formerly President of the United States,
has arrived in London.
A deputation respecting the Highways Public Health
Act had an interview with Sir William Molesworth yes-
terday at the office of Public Works aisd Buildings in
Whitehall-place. The deputation consisted of Mr. F.
H. Berkeley, M.P., Mr. W. H. Gore Langton, M.P.,
Mr. James Harris, Mr. W. Harris, and Mr. G. Sturges.
THE STAR CLUB.—The members of this club have
appointed Wednesday, the 26th instant, for their last
meeting this season, to be held at the Star and Garter,
Richmond. Amongst the parties invited and who will
be present are the Austrian, Prussian, and American
Ministers, the Spanish Charg4 d'Affaires and Madame
Comyn, Miss Lane, M. and Madame de Soveral, Portu-
guese Secretary, the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress,
the Belgian Secretary of Legation and Madame Del-
pierre, Mr. Lee, M.P., Don Rafael Florez, Mr.
Pll-
- M.P., the Earl of Kingston, and a numerous
party.
PARIS BOURSE.—The last accounts from the Paris
Bourse last evening show an average rise of about a half
per cent., with a predominance of money purchases.
At Vienna there has been no very material alteration,
but the tendency is still unfavourable. In the Amster-
dam stock-market there has been considerable activity,
and an improvement in most descriptions.
RATES OF EXCHANGE AT PARIS.—The advices from
the continent with regard to the rates of exchange con-
tinue to present an unfavourable appearance. At Paris
the quotation is still fiat, and at Amsterdam it is rather
lower. At Hamburg, however, there has been no
alteration, and money is abundant there at 2k per cent.
The letters from Belgium mention a small failure, the
house being that of Loos, Brothers, in the corn trade.
DOLLARS.—The dollars brought by the last West
India steamer were sold yesterday at 61id. per ounce,
chiefly to supply orders from China. This is a decline
of 14d. from the late high rate, but under all circum-
stances the price is considered a good one.
EAST AND WEST INDIA DOCK COMPANY.—At the
half-yearly meeting of the East and West India Dock
Company, held yesterday, the dividend declared was
at the rate of 3 per cent, for the half-year. From
a statement made it appeared that the shipping tonnage
had largely increased, and that the stock of goods in
the warehouses is considerably above that at the cor-
responding period of 1853.
EAST INDIA AND CHINA ASSOCIATION.—The East
India and China Association have just published their
comparative statement of the number of ships, British
and foreign, with their aggregate tonnage, entered in-
ward and cleared outward from and to places within the
limits of the East India Company's charter, from the
Ist of January to the 30th of June, in the years 1853
and 1854.
DEFALCATION.—A defalcation is understood to have
been discovered on the part of one of the clerks in the
issue department of the Bank of England, who has dis-
appeared from his post. The amount, however, is un-
important.
FIREs.—A, great many fires took place early yester-
day morning. Considerable damage was done to the
extensive warehouses of Messrs. Cook and Co., Carter-
lane, Doctors'-commons, and the shipping offices and
private dwelling were nearly destroyed. Some of the
adjoining houses were much injured. Fires, which did
more or less damage, also occurred upon the premises
of Messrs. Unthank, linendraper, Oxford-street, and
those of Mr. Smith, oilman, Houndsditch, Mr. Hum-
phreys, milliner, Shoreditch, Mr. Ware, boot and shoe
estof the SOErnVIaC Ordnance
Yt
maker, Gun-street, Spitaffields, and Mr. Button, West-
bourne-park-road, Paddington.
iORDNANCEmate
erdawyas a
given
in a
supplemental
Par-
liamentary paper amounting to 31,0001., of which 25,0001.
is for the factory at Enfield, and 6,0001. for experiments
estimateses
in gun-barrels under the superintendence of Mr. Whit
worth.

SEAMEN'S HOSPITAL SOCIETY.-- THE DREADNOUGHT.
, —Yesterday the usual quarterly court of the governors
of this society was held at their offices, King William-
street, London-bridge—Admiral Hope in the chair. It
appeared from the report that there had been 855 pa-
tients treated on board of the hospital ship during the
quarter ending 30th June, of whom 704 had been dig-
charged cured or relieved, and 151 remained on board.
The accounts showed a deficiency on the quarter, to the
extent of 701. 11s. 3d., which, added to former balances
against the charity, made the total deficiency 609/. 9s,
7d. The report was unanimously adopted.
FATAL ACCIDENT.—On Thursday morning an acci-
dent happened at the works of Mr. J. 13. Edelsten,
Warrington, by which a young man of the name of
Ticket was killed almost instantaneously. A large
grinding wheel of stone, turned by a steam engine,
while at its greatest velocity, suddenly broke in pieces,
one of which passed through the wall of the building,
hurling the bricks across a street ; other pieces wero
driven through the roof, and fell upon the unfortunate
youth, who was standing at the wheel, killing him on the
spot.7C4estfr Courant.