The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-19 00:00:00

COURT CIRCULAR.

WINDSOR, APRIL 18.
The dinner party at the Castle yesterday included the
Duchess of Kent, the Earl of Aberdeen, Lieut.-Colonel
Hon. and Lady Mary Hood, Lady Anna Maria Daw-
son, and the Baroness de Speth.
The band of the 97th Regiment was in attendance
during dinner, and played the following selection :--
Overture

Introduzione, " Bella sei come un Angiolo"
Pasquale Donizetti.
Waltz, "Nymph of the Wave" D'Albert.
Cavatina, " Come per me sereno" (La Sonnam-
bula)
Galop, "L'Electricit6" Robert.
Polonaise Kuhner.
Her Majesty's private band attended in the evening,
and played the following compositions :

Overture, " Macbeth" - Chelard.
Couplets and Chceur, Air and Couplets,
" L'Etoile du Nord" Meyerbeer.
Selection, " Marco Spada" Auber.

The Queen and Prince drove out in an open carriage.
yesterday afternoon. Lord Charles Fitzroy and
Colonel F. H. Seymour attended on horseback.
The Princess Royal and the Princesses Alice and
Helena took a carriage drive this morning.
The Earl of Aberdeen left Windsor to-day for London.

The Deputy-Governor of the Bank of England had an
interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer yester-
day at his official residence in Downing-street.
The Earl of Aberdeen returned to town yesterday from
a visit to the Queen, at Windsor Castle.
Viscount Pahnerston left town yesterday for his seat,
Broadlands, Hants.
Despatches were received at the Colonial-office, yes-
terday, from the Governor of Canada and the Lord High
Commissioner of the lonian Islands.

AN EXAMPLE FOR THE ENGLISH AD3URALTY.—The
French Government, acting with true practical wis- '
dom, has promoted Lieutenant Bonie, who was on
board the Retribution, 28, Captain the Hon. J. R.
Drummond, when that ship entered Sebastopol, and
who furnished important information to the Minister of
Marine about the batteries of that harbour. It will be We are indebted to M. F. Germain de Lagny for a
recollected that Lieutenant O'Reilly, son of Captain very interesting description of this important commercial.
O'Reilly, of this town, also took important sketches of point of Russia in the Baltic, of which his long residence-
Sebastopol, which were forwarded to the Admiralty, and in that portion of Northern Europe renders him peculiarly
ualified to speak with accuracy and knowledge.
as a reward for which services an example is now set by q
the act of the French Government under precisely shin- Between St. Petersburg and the frontiers of Prussia
far circuinstances.—Kentish Mercury. four rich provinces border the southern shores of the
Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Sea ; these are Ingria,
PRICE OF GOLD.—Tuesday Evening,—The quotation
Esthonia, Livonia, and Courland. Here the coasts pro.-
of gold at Paris is about 3 per mille discount (according
to the last tariff), which, at the English Mint price of sent a different aspect from those of the more northern,
3/. 17s. 101 d. per oz. for standard geld, gives an ex- provinces of Russia in the Baltic ; they are more sloping,.
change of 25.091 ; and the exchange at Paris on London and less bristling with rocks and shoals. The soil in
at short being 24-95, it follows that gold is about 0.58 some places is sandy, in others marshy, or partly covered
per cent. dearer in Paris than in London. By advises with muddy water and reeds. But more inland, in the
hiparts,
from Hamburg the price of gold is 420 per mark, which, higher the arable land has a thicker bed of soil
at the English Mint price of 3/. 17s. 100. per oz. for than in Finland, resting on a substratum of granite
standard gold, gives an exchange of 13.21 ; and, the ex-
rocks, which occasionally crops out to the surface. The
change at Hamburg on London at short being 13.11, it
mountain chain of the Valdais extends its last undulating
and sterile branches to the shores of the Baltic across.
follows that gold is 0.30 per cent. dearer in Hamburg
Livonia. Of all the towns along these coasts Riga is.
than in London. The course of exchange at New York
the most important, and indeed, it is one of the righest,
on London for bills at 60 days' sight is 108 i per cent.,
finest, and most active of the Russian empire. Situated
and the par of exchange between England and America
at thebottom of the Gulf of Riga, it is shut in by two
being 109 20-40 per cent., It follows that the exchange
large and very important islands, Oesel and Dago, of
is nominally 0.83 per cent. against England. But, after •
which we will speak afterwards. Riga is celebrated by
making allowance for charges of transport and difference
more than one passage in the history of Germany.
of interest, the present rate leaves no profit on the trans-
Under the Knights of the Order of Swoadbearers ( Ensti
mission of gold either way between the two countries.
Feri), so powerful during the latter period of the middle
THE SYSTEM OF BLASTING IN COLTIERIES.—The two
great explosions at the Ince Hall Colliery, near Wigan, ages, under the Danish dominion, and under the rule of
Sweden. Riga was always the capital of Livonia. By,
by which within a period of twelve months nearly 150
the treaty of Nystad, in 1721, it was ceded to Russia,
lives hare been sacrificed, have led the owners to forbid
and became the chieflace of the
the firing of shots (or blasting) in the mine. The jury,
Governmentcapita of Livonpia.rovinde of Riga, and
it will be recollected, expressed an opinion that such a
Its position on the right bank of the Western Dwina,
course was dangerous. Of course a higher price has
a short distance only from its mouth, has attracted to
to be paid (4d. per ton) for getting coals by the wedging
it a commerce which, by its extent, has raised Riga to
system ; but the colliers are so prejudiced in favour of
the rank of the second Russian port in the Baltic. The
blasting, by which more coals and hieher wages are
river has a majestic breadth, even under the very walls
secured, that nothing like a full complement of workmen
of the town, but ships of very large tonnage cannot
can be got into the mine an the new system. Colliers
ascend so high, and are obliged to discharge and take
have been heard to express great readiness to go to work
;., in cargo at Dunamunde, a small fortified port which
at Ince Hall if they might be allowed to " fit're shots
commands the entrance to the Dwina.
but less wages, though accompanied with greater seen No town which they have conquered displays in so
city to life and limb, are insuperable objections to the
striking a manner the disorganising spirit of the Rue-
majority.
DESPERATE RENCONTRE ON BOARD AN AMERICAN clans. It seems as if everything that bears the imprint
STEAMER.—We have often heard of meetin of an anterior civilisation.annoys and irritates that peo-
g a murderer
ple, and excites it to the task of defacing every trace by
on the high seas, but seldom have to record such scenes
of violence as occurred on the steamer S. F. J. Traube, any means in their power. Beside a German town of
brick. and wooden gables, in all the quaintness and ori-
on the Mississippi river, during her recent trip from New
a nahtv of Teutonic architecture, the Russians have
Orleans. As is usual at this season of the year, the boat -i. -
raised a new town the exact type of their retrograde
was crowded with deck passengers, chiefly flat boatmen •
ill -lighted, plastered
geniue It is built of logs and presents all the eharac-
respect on the
from the Wabash and coal boatmen from Pittsburg. • "of Muscovite ' which utility '
tenstece a town, in
Among the latter was a set of turbulent, quarrelsome men,
who were about half drunk when they got on the boat at ficed to. effect. The housesareilzwe,very
simbiu„aar,eoai
ImAorscthatnemgel).tedOtno
over with coloured chalk,. and .
New Orleans, and had fought among themselves before
model of Moscow,
the boat left port. Captain Tucker was notified by a fiart
friend who recognised one or two of the men that he walking through Riga, you
At first thei •
whether you arc not dreaming. impression
would have trouble with them, and they would try some old-fasl • d
none German town,
is that you are
in
midst of
to take the boat. Soon after the boat was under
suddenly, 10 the your illusion you turn a
when
way, and before she had proceeded many miles up thefindyourself in
a corner and
river, one of the Pittsburg coal boatmen attacked
streets and houses as straight and regular as a regiment
1 el' man, who was quiet and peaceable and t "carry arms !"
of soldiers a The German town runs
a Woe,— • -,-
- to liim, and knocked him down, and the bank of the river ; the Russian town stands
had said nothing Two of his friends interfered along
beat him dreadfuly. e ei,n , ofthe old
on a part
5a,,e,4 when they were one is busy and animated, the other is silent and
to save him from further thee
apt, one of them had gloomy. In the first one almost believes in freedom ;
beset and beaten nearly to cie.2.91,
his arm broken by a blow of an ago in the L'udo of one in the other you feel Russia and its instruments of tor•
of the rloteee. The deck het was epee:, and an2ther_ ture and flagellation. Here the streets are narrow,
after 6,-.. first fray, I brooked,__.. and gay, and remind one of the old towns of
passenger, a small man, stepped up
and called for a drink. While he was In the ::•-ct ?'. the e'.l-ausa, where the people were free, independent, and
drinking, a burly fellow, a bully among the coul bcret,i , almost se-evereign ; there the straight line represents the
men, stepped up and seized him by the neck, c?,,en Cosy, laneee, the autocratic will of a despot, who
him, and threw him to the deck as if he were s,c.iire'and sums up in himseY the whole national will. Every one
and then stamped on him. He was suffered to e Pei
nediannicted in Livonia speaks Gern2en and nothing else ; the man-
es soon as he regained his feet he drew a
knitreast, which ners and habits are the s.:.'ime as they were under the
right
a terrible wound in the big man's tof the tr. grandmaeter Gothard Khetsleie _
placed him on his back during the he
The Protestant churches used to 'Suffice for the mil-
li() was sent to the . That did not
and on the arrival of the hoat here
the coal pious wants of the population of Rigs
.F
Not long after
boatmen became perfectly wild
anxiety for a fight, and were
they would take thellA g woictchurrruceo r o
heard toq rtheir
swear that
boee and do as they pleaseu.
-., - .3...,-0, ..„.,„ „„wded with passengers, and the quiet
meet the views of orthodoxy, and a refoem was deter-
mined on. In less than a century eight. Greek churches
Teased, were built, and that in a town where the garriseen alone
belonged to the Greek faith. It would be curbeUs to
know what the Emperor Nicholas would think if Prneleia
• -aut. and were beset e claim
.
very
, should some day put forward a to the proteetion
and orderly had no vox°, or ~... .
...-
,led to quell of her Courland and Livonian co-religionists against
. moment. Captain 'McKee' hell- deterte,._
--"A
P •
nese= intolerance.;
the riot, and summoning his crew, Amon: whom w,.... 'monuments of her rest
21 Spaniards, arming them -el
with shortclubs— ' efs, — •
Intel... Riga ..,_ e-
ll possesses some
.e churches with towers in the middle)
and whatever weapons he could he '
~ marched tothe
glory ; two or tu.- • --talaoe in which the grand male,
lower deck and endeavoured to restore order, and put the 5 an ancient e - - formerly resided, and &
rioters on shore. The tioter gothic style,
e laughed at him, and one
tern of the Teutonic knights .. remarkable. The
big fellow shook his fist
whole crew. The span. tinder his nose and defied the
town hall which presents nothing ' ...
bulent populae
.•d, in solid phalanx, armed
Russian Government, to flatter the tdu._
ni.,,, hospital,
with a club and tt 3r ~n-,
8 knife, were , ordered to advance
time whose discontent it apprehende , b
for the' gave!'
and seize the rineleadnd a palace . ..ii it
,leader. TI
,-..).!T1 ensued a scene of strife
barracks, public promenades, a. _ _ y depict
and confusion seldom seen oil the deck of a boat, The
nor. It did not fel-get the prisons, lac
by ' .
Spanish crew, he
to secure fear of the
were victorleile, .trio Mena- .eu —-ed a few of the peincir streets.lase
Besides veil
the ringleaders, who were tied neck wi.Dae:lie '—flfiell i'c'73;t Q. Ple efirseticeeldeb °4/131212"
and heel, awl
' peace hag a cieaae- f the toms
the mob was was at once- restored. The chief of Riga is a iu" ' • The aiStanGe 4
be found, 8 not caught, and for
nd,
and
it
was thought
several days could not strong fortifications, ~. - surprise•
or five others, vas.t ought that he, together with four the lower course of the rivet;
drowned had jumped overboard,
orashore. Several and either were from sea,
• ,however, protects it Evora_.;
swam of -----
gers aver that they distinctly the cabin passeu-
the river,and
as the affair
left New ' occurred soon after the boat
Orleans, it was impossible to tell who was lost.
During the melee a coal boatman, of the name of Blakely,
was much hurl, and dangerously stabbed in the side.
of by
He was taken care the officers of time boat, and
sent to the
hospital. The mate of
the Traube received
I cut in the head from a knife,
which he caught just as
one of the mutineers made a lunge at him. The four
that were arrested were put off the boat soon after the
affray wasu l' d
q e ie , and when the boat was in the neigh-
bourhood
missing
of Millikin's Bend the big fellow who had been
had been g
secreted N
was
found, and was forthwith set ashore. He
under the cylinder timbers, .
No fur-
ther outbreak occurred during the trip,though
threats
were made just before the boat many
The • • •
discipline of the S • • reached the port.
of the officers of the boat,painards' and the determination
put an effectual stop td the
lawlepanegg of the coal b
boatmen,-.lofitvilla Qourier.

A FRESH MAN

RIGA AND ITS-COMMERCE.

." ri Plld

INCREASE AND DIMINUTION OF SALARIES ill
OFFICES.—.The annual account made up under this title.
has been presented to Parliament. It shows the effeetz
of changes made during the year 1853. The chief item
is set down to the Post-office, in Which department
1,220 more persons have been engaged, at salaries
amounting to 26,358/. ; the convict establishment else!.
has 109 more servants than in the previous year ; thf
Customs, 67; Stamps and Taxes, 59. On the othe
hand, the Excise has 207 less, and the consequent lasi
in that department is 24,7341. ; but there is an incre
in the same department, under the head of " expenr
to the extent of 15,748/. The general result is s
crease of 1,478 in the number of persons emplo-
some of the public offices, and a diminution of
the number employed in others ; in money, an
of expense in the one set of offices to the
105,672/1 and a decrease in the other to tht
1?,91M