The Sun.
London, England, 1838-08-31 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FEIDAY, AUGUST 31, 1838.

HALF-PAY AND RETIRED ALLOW-

APICES.

By a return just published by order of the House of Com-
mons, it appears that the military hall-pay, pay, and pensions,
was, for 1834, 2,701,1391. ; 1835, 2,749,2391. ; 1836,
2,625,0901. ; 1837, 2,702,2581.
The Naval half-pay for the same period was, in 1834,
1,561,998/. ; 1835, 1,557,9951. ; 1836, 1,498,580/. ; 1837,
1,532,4701.
The Ordnance half-pay was, in 1834, 167,910/. ; 1835,
164,524/. ; 1836, 154,053/. ; 1837, 157,4051.
The totals of the three military services amounted, in 1834,
to 4,431,048/. ; 1835, 4,471,759/. ; 1836, 4,277,7231. ; 1837,
4,392,134/.
The retired allowances of the Civil Department came to,
in 1834, 522,787/. ; 1835, 534,970/. ; 1836, 540,124/. ; 1837,
529,526/.
And the total of both Civil and Military services was, in 1834,
4,953,835/. ; 1835, 5,006,729/. ; 1836, 4,817,847/. ; 1837,
4,921,660/.
The total dead weight then increased from 1834 to 1835,
and it was only 32,0001. less in 1837 than in 1834. That the
civil service should have increased 7,000/. in that period, con-
sidering the immensely greater call there has been for civil
services than before, surprises us much less than to find that
the dead weight of the military services only decreased 39,000/.
in the three years. When, at this ratio of decrease, our war
burdens are to come to an end, would almost puzzle Mr. Fin-
layson to calculate. We can scarcely wonder that the nation
is neither prosperous nor contented, for it has all the burdens,
and none of the excitement, of war. The improvidence of the
gentry in publie affairs requires to be checked by a greater
infusion of the frugality of tradesmen and the parsimony of the
working classes into our councils.

COLONIAL SIIIPPINO.—The number of vessels built and
registered in all our Colonies, according to the Parliamentary
Paper 724, just published, in 1814 was 131, bearing a tonnage
of 16,696. From that time to the present, with considerable
oscillations however, the number of vessels built has continu-
ally increased ; and in 1837, it amounted to 496, having a
tonnage of 70,878. Both 1825 and 1826, however, surpassed
1837. In the former year, the number of vessels built was
536, and their tonnage 80,895 ; in the latter, 580, and their
tonnage 86,554; adding to the many proofs of the extraordi-
nary spring made in all branches of industry in those cele-
brated years of speculation. On the whole, however, it is
extremely gratifying, remembering the periodical wailings
of distress made by our colonists and shipowners, to find such
conclusive testimony to their prosperity, and to the ever-in-
creasing maritime strength and power of our empire.

LA TEST NEWS FROM AMERICA,
BY THE GREAT WESTERN STEAMER.

ARRIVAL OF THE GREAT WESTERN.
" BRISTOL, AUG. 30.

" True to her time," as the New York papers express it,
flis wonderful vessel came to anchor in King-road, at twelve
dclock, last night, having experienced very heavy weather in
tic early part of her voyage. She left New York on the
e'ening of the sth, having thus performed her homeward pas-
sage in thirteen days! The outward passage was fourteen days
aid a half, having reached New York in the morning of the
sth (the morning after the departure of the Royal William),
braging news (to New York), sixteen days later, from Eng-
laid, and, says the New York Gazette, " a gentlemen who
taint passenger in the voyage out has done, what was never
be'ere done, been absent from New York thirty-nine days,
has been to England, spent twelve days there, and is back
again !
The Great Western brings eighty-seven passengers, whose
names are given underneath. I also send extracts from her
log-book of vessels spoken with—l came up with the passen-
gers in the Calabria, at an early hour this morning : the Pier
%yrs crowded with people to witness their arrival, guns were
fir ng, and the colours of all the vessels in the river flying,
and every one appears as much gratified as if it were au occa-
eicn of public rejoicing.
I send you files of New York papers to the 17th, also Ja-
maica Papers, to July 13, and latest dates from Quebec,
(August 6), St. John's, Washington, Philadelphia, Bos-
ton, Delaware, Cincinnati, also the Diario de la Alabama, of
July 27.
You will see that there are sixteen of the Canadian " rebels"
left for execution—to be hung and quartered. These threa-
tened executions appear to have created great excitement.

LIST OF PASSENGERS B Y THE "GREAT WESTERN" PROM NEW YORE