The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-18 00:00:00

THE KIN
SPEECH.

Captain Farquhar is going on favourably in Ifaslar
Hw4pital.
Rear-Admiral Michael Seymour returned from the
Admiralty to Devonprt on Saturday, when he hoisted
his flag, blue on the mizen, on board the Royal Wil-
liam, 120, and resumed his duties as Superintendent of
the Dockyard.
We learn by electric telegraph from Plymouth, that
the new screw steam-frigate Malacca, 17, from Woolwich
for the Black Sea, taking a mail, arrived in Plymouth
Sound yesterday morning : the Calcutta, 85, from Fal-
mouth, also arrived there in the evening.
The Bulldog war steamer, Captain Hall, arrived in the
Tyne, from Kiel, on Friday afternoon. In her passage
across the North Sea she had encountered very rough
weather, and had lost her stern boat. She took in eight
keels of coals on Saturday, and will leave for Ports-
mouth immediately.
Surveyors from the Devonport Dockyard have con-
demned the stowage of the screw-transport Firely, 153,
which left Woolwich overloaded for the Black Sea, and
was compelled to put into Plymouth Sand. She will be
relieved of 80 tons of dead weight-in the bottom of her
hold, and her cargo will be re-arranged.
In consequence of the numbor of recruits and volun-
teers who have joined the Plymouth division of Royal
Marines, the barracks are now full and same of the men
are obliged to be billeted on" the innkeepers.
Captain Hillyar, appointed acting captain of the screw
corvette Malacca pro tem., has joined that vessel, and
she left Portsmouth for the Crimea on Saturday evening.

THE MILITIA.
The Leicestershire Militia assembled on Friday at
Leicester for permanent service.
The Royal Cumberland Militia have assembled at
head-quarters, Whitehaven, and the men have mustered
exceedingly well, aleznit 750 being present. All the staff
serjeants are from crack regiments of the line.
The Northumberlancl Licht Infantry Regiment of
Militia aro tv be embodied on Tuesday, the 9th of
January next, at Alnwick, and are to hold themselves
in readiness to march to any part of the united king-
dom. The nominal strength of this regiment, as en-
rolled, is 1,277, but this number has been reduced below
1.000 by enlistments into the regular forces and other
causes.
The militia forces raised in Oxfordshire have been re-
gularly drilled during the week, and are already attain-
ing great proficiency. The complemei•t of the fine is
nearly completed, and at present no intimation has been
received as to its being ordered away on garrison duty,
although both officers and men are ready and willing to
go wherever their services are required.
The 3d West York Militia, stationed in Dublin, have
already furnished 136 volunteers to the regiments of the
Guards and line serving in the Crimea, and many others
arc still enlisting. .

The following is the text of the speech delivered
by the King of Sweden, on the closing of the Diet,
on the sth
"Gentlemen,—Your labours are terminated.. In dis-
missing you, I feel a real satisfaction at the manner in
which you have employed the time, upwards of a year;
which you have passed in deliberation. The coup'
.ry
has derived as much advantage as renown from it its
situatbn inspires confidence and respect both p;,
home
and abroad. After a careful examination, I tho :oght right
to lay before you bills relative to the inann'a in which,
in certain given cases the Government of the united
kingdoms is to be constituted, and relative to the press.
Whilst preserving in the fundamental law the principle
of the liberty of the press, as one of the most precious
rights of the Swedish people, I have proposed to you to
insert therein the principal points which consecrate it, and
to place in the general enactments of the civil code the
subsidiary rules for the application of it. These
questions, which can only be solved in the next
assembly of the States-General, cannot fail to obtain
from them the serious and pati iota° appreciation
which their importance and the interests of the
country demand. I have seen with satisfaction that you
have occupied yourselves with solicitude with the amelio-
rations to be introduced into the Commercial Code. This
grave question will be to me a subject of incessant at-
tention. In consequence of propositions which I have
addressed to you, you have adopted decrees relative
to the consolidation of public credit, the adoption of
uniform postage for letters in the interior, and the adop-
tion of a decimal system of money, weights, and mea-
sures. You have accorded large sums for productive
objects, and principally for the participation of the State
in great railway lines—these resolutions will no doubt
be very advantageous to the country. I thought it
my duty to communicate to you at the beginning
of the session a bill for circumscribing the manu-
facture and consumption of a spirituous liquor, the
disastrous effects of which on the morality and wel-
fare of the people have been too well proved by long
experience. I have learned with pleasure the serious
and patriotic zeal which you have displayed in this
question of general interest ; and I shall derive there-
from a strong inducement to adopt the measures
which it is necessary for me to take, in order to assure
the execution of the laws which you have voted.
The principles which you have laid down with respect
to the customs' legislation constitute a marked progress
in a more liberal sense. The prosperous situation of the
commerce and manufactures of the country presents a
favourable moment for the changes to be introduced
on tis+. point. Yoo have adopted my propositions
to simplify the collection of the taxes, and to re-
lieve the tax-payers in several important branches ;
and in spite of new allocations, necessary for the
regular march of the administration, you have found
means to diminish the additional imposts by more than
one-third of their former amount. I cannot but warmly
recognise your adherence to the measure by which
the fund for the alleviation of the sufferings, which
may arise in consequence of a want of food, has been
considerably augmented. The generous munificence
which you have shown in favour of establishments of
education and of public health, has not escaped
my notice. In addition to the sums set apart for the
fine-arts and sciences, you have voted considerable sums
for public buildings and hospitals, and for the ameliora-
tion of the condition of several classes of persons employed
by the state. The sums which you have voted for the
army and navy show that you have formed a just
appreciation of the wants of the country with regard
to its means of defence. In approving of my proposition
for fixing the credits intended fur unforeseen cases,
you have put me in a position to take such measures
as might become urgent in consequence of circumstances
impossible to be determined on in advance. I fully ap-
preciate your confidence, rind am penetrated with a
sense of the obligations which it imposes on me. The
Diet, which is now at an end, will hold a prominent
place in the annals of our history. In pronouncing its
close, I indulge in the firm hope that its results will
contribute to the happiness and glory of our country,
and I perform a sacred duty in expressing to you my
gratitude for the good that you lia7e done. I renew to
you, gentlemen, the assurance of all my royal affsction
and kind feeling."

STATE OF TRADE.

(From the Manchester Guardian of Saturday.)
MANCHESTER, Dec. 15.—The demand continues active
from the Mediterranean and Levant markets, and for
some articles it increases ; so that certain longcloths,
T's, and some other goods, with extra hard twist, have
somewhat of an upward bils 'T and low counts of mule
and water, generally, are perfectly firm. Doubled yarns,
from 60's upward, of German quality, are improved.
Altogether, the aspect of business is not less satisfactory
than it was a week ago ; indeed, the prospects as to the
supply of cotton render it rather more favourable for the
interests of our producers.
GLASGOW, Dec. 15.—The demand continues but to a
limited extent, and prices are fully ad. per lb. lower
this week.
BRADFORD, Dec. 14.—Wool—The increase" of lookers
referred to in our last has not tended materially to add
to the small transactions in the wool trade. The spin-
ners buy with great caution, and at the price sought by
the staplers it is impossible to cover cost. There
is no disposition on the part of the growers and
country dealers to accept prices at all in accordance with
a. Noils and brnic.a oar - -
Yarns—There is no inducernatit to increase the prodnc-
tion, and as the majority of the spinners are only work-
ing daylight, and others not so much, the supplies are
daily diminishing, and ruled yarns in stock cannot be
found at present prices. In spool yarns the supply is de-
' crease:l, nor is there any chance of stool frames being
put to work without a great advance on the prices now
current. Pieces—ln the warehouses for finished goods,
the demand has been better, and the merchants have re-
duced their stocks far below their usual average. This
course has deterred the manufacturers from making,
nor is it probable there will be any marked activity un-
less better prices can be realised than have been current
throughout the autumn.
LEICESTER, Dec. 14.—Our market continues to re-
ceive great relief from thegovernment orders, both in
the regular hosiery, glove, shirt, drawers, and fancy
branches.