The Sun.
London, England, 1871-01-28 00:00:00

DR. LIVINGSTONE.

We regret not to be able to share in Sir Roderick
Murchison's assurance that the communication which he
has recently received from Dr. Kirk relieves us from all
anxiety respecting the fate of Livingstone. The Arabic letter
merely states that the caravan sent from Zanzibar had
reached U-ny-amyembe, and was going on to Ujiji,
where Livingstone was shortly expected from " Manimes,"
a place, it appears, to the westward of Lake Tanganyika ;
but no ground whatever is given for the expectation.
We hope the Arab Sheikh had some better foundation
for anticipating the speedy return of the indomitable
traveller than a pious In-shAa-Allah. His letter, more
over, is dated " the 16th Rabea-el-Akbar " (read,
Rablaah-el-Akhir)--corresponding, if the month is of the
current Mohammedan year, to the 16th of July last—and
was not received by Dr. Kirk till the 24th of December,
an interval of five months and eight days. Had Living-
stone reached Ujiji even two months after the Sheikh
wrote, there would still have been abundance of time for
the intelligence to reach Zanzibar before Christmas Eve.
—Pall Mall Gazette.

MR. POTTER, M.P., AT ROCHDALE.
(CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAM.)

Last night Mr. P. B. Potter, M.P., addressed a
crowded and enthusiastic meeting of his constituents at
Rochdale. He reviewed the proceedings of last session,
alluding to the Irish Land Bill and the Education
Bill in terms of approval. Though the latter
was far from perfect, yet its defects could be
amended without delaying the main question indefinitely.
In the coming session the Ballot must be a prominent
measure, and if not referred to directly in the Speech
from the Throne, he trusted his friend, Mr. Leatham,
would at once proceed with his bill. The University Tests
Bill must be passed without delay, and Mr. Miall:s resolution
for the disestablishment of the English Church would
have his (Mr. Potter's) cordial support. After explaining
the reasons which led him in July to vote against the
proposal to increase the army estimate by two millions,
the hon. gentleman said that the question of
army reform would occupy a prominent place in the pro-
ceedings of the session. As a first step, the purchase
system must be abolished, and a regular military training
for officers, with an opening for the advancement of merit
from the ranks, be established. The dual Government system
must be abandoned, and Parliamentary control exerted
through a responsible head. What was wanted, was a
small, but thoroughly efficient, standing army, a strong
force of engineers and artillery, short terms of service
the creation of a reliable reserve, the amalgamation of
the militia with the line as a further reserve, and
the volunteer forces placed under the command of officers
in the military department. The main reliance of England
was on a powerful navy, and her policy should
be one of strict non-interference. Care must
be taken to guard against the growth of such
a military spirit as that which had led France
into her present disasters. He sympathised as much as
any man with the efforts made to establish a Republic in
France, but he most strongly deprecated the attempts now
being made in this country, actively to interfere on behalf
of the French nation. Such a course would be suicidal for
England, and of no avail to France. Mr. Potter, in reply
to a question, said he should vote for a dowry to be given
to the Princess Louise. A vote of confidence in
the honourable menber was passed, with some little oppo-
sition.

CABINET COUNCIL.—The meeting of the Cabinet
Ministers which was appointed to be held yesterday was'
countermanded early in the forenoon, and was postponed
until this afternoon.

Commander Frederick Harvey has been awarded
£l,OOO on account of his torpedo invention.
Another colonial appointment has become vacant
by the death of Colonel Blackall, Governor of Queens-,
land.

The death is announced of Colonel Sir Proby
Thomas Cautley, Bart., K.C.8., lately one of her
Majesty's counsel for India.

A general colliers' strike has begun in the Pennsyl-
vania coal regions. This strike is one of those periodical
arrangements between the masters and men which of late
years have been resorted to for the purpose of raising the
price of coal, when, owing to over-production, it has got
too low, and it is, to a slight extent, already successful in
its operation.

The coal proprietors of Lancashire, North
Staffordshire, and North Wales having refused the appli-
cation of the miners for an advance of 10 per cent, in
wages, a circular has been issued to them by the Amal-
gamated Association of Miners intimating that if the
10 per cent. advance was not given by the Ist of
February, "they (the miners) would feel in duty bound
to use every lawful means in their power to secure the
same."

AMERICAN RAILROAD ACCIDENT.—An express
train was running on the Mississippi and Tennessee ail-
road on the 3d of January, when an axile broke, and a
passenger
incar was thrown down an embankment, and,
the stove the car falling over, the car was in a blaze
before the passengers could make their escape from it.
Seven coloured persons were so burnt that it was impossi-
ble to identify the bodies. One man, on whom the stove
fell, presented the appearance of having been burnt alive
in it. About 30 other passengers were scorched and hurt,
but escaped alive. The car was first thrown across the
track, and a rail, torn from its place, was forced into the
car, and penetrated it from end to end.

WINES AND SPIRIT
was paid in London by some of
year 1870 :

(Foreign) on which Duty
he principal Firms during the

• WINES (Foreign) SPIRITS (Foreign)
Gallons Gallons.
W. and'A. Gilbey.. .. 781,623 W. and A. Gilbey.. .. 816,946
F. W. Cosens . .. 130,174 Twiss and Brownings.. 255,252
Dingwall, Portal, & Co. 123,264 .1. &W. Nicholson dc Co. 199,793
IR.
It. Hooper and Sons .. 117,116 D. Taylor and Sons .. 149,182
C. Kinloch and Co. .. 103,064 Trower and Lawson .. 101,822
Simon and Lightly .. 90,167 Dingwall, Portal, & Co. 114,169
1 Cunliffe and Co. .. .. 88,243 Bond, Forbes and C 0... 103,468
J. Allnutt, jun., and Co. 86,895 R. Hooper and sons 97,869
Dent, Urwiok, and Co.. 86,004 Seager and Evans.. .. 93,739
D. Taylor and Sons ~ 73,618 13ishop and Sons .. .. 87,316
Brooks and Oldham .. 71,985 K.Burnet and Co. .. 71,981
I?indlater and Co.'.. .. 70,754 F. Webb .. . .. .. 63,437
Matthiessen and Co. .. , 70,517 Marshal, and .Elvey ~ 61,019
Robertson Bros. .. .. 70,.219 E. S. Pick and Co. .. 58,624
Domecq and C 0... .. 70,217 'Bowerbank and Sons 51,265
Besides the preceding there were upwards of 2,000 Firms who
paid Duty on Winesiand Spirits in less quantities than those
above mentioned—(" Wine Trade Review," 15th January,
1871).