The Sun.
London, England, 1871-02-06 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, :MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1871.

NEWS FROM AMERICA.
THE ALABAMA CLAIMS.
A correspondent writing from Philadelphia on January
16th, says :—The Alabama Question engrosses public at-
tention, but just now so much in the form of complaint as
in an endeavour to secure some practical means, of settle-
ment. I have already reported the visits to Washington
of various delegations of whaleship owners, under-
writers, and others interested in the claims, who have
been urging the Government officials and the Foreign
Committees of Congress to adopt a plan by which
the Government shall assume the individual claims.
The New York Board of Underwriters have also held a
meeting on the subject, at which a large number of in
surance companies outside of New York city were also
represented. The meeting assembled on January 13, and
the discussion took a wide range, although the general
sentiment expressed was to the effect that the Government
ought to settle with the individual claimants, and then
seek redress from England. The recommendations of the
President's Message with reference to the appointment of
a commission to ascertain the amounts and ownership of
the individual claims were approved, and a resolution
adopted appointing a committee of two from each city
represented at the meeting to visit Washington and urge
Congress to pass an Act carrying out these recommenda-
tions. Mr. Parker, President of the Great Western In-
surance Company, whose correspondence with Reverdy
Johnson and others upon this matter is already well
known in England, was chairman of the meeting. In
the House of Representatives, January 13, Mr. Baffin-
ton, Republican, of Massachusetts, introduced a
Bill carrying out these views, although the Foreign
Committee of the House had not at that time deter-
mined upon anything. Mr. Buffinton's Bill
provides for the appointment of Ccmmissioners
to ascertain and determine the damages sustained by
American citizens or corporations by the depredations of
the rebel cruisers Alabama, Georgia, Shenandoah, and
IFlorida, or their tenders, the Clarence, Lapwing, Tacony,
and Tuscaloosa. The bill was referred to the Foreign
Committee, and it is thought will at an early day be re-
ported back favourably. There are, according to its pro-
visions, to be three Cammissioners, who shall meet at
Washington on or before April 1, but who may subse-
quently meet at New York, Boston, or New Bedford,
Massachusetts. They are to examine claimants and wit-
nesses under oath, and all claims are to be presented
within six months from the day of the first
meeting, and must be decided within one year after
that time. The decision of any two of the Commissioners
shall be final. The Board of Commissioners is to give a
hearing to counsel appointed by the Government of Great
Britain. Each Commissioner is to receive a salary of
8,000 dols. a year, and the sum of 50,000 dols. is appro-
priatecPto defray the expenses of the Commission. All
sums awarded as due are to be paid by the United States
within eighteen months after the. first meeting of
the Commission, in twenty-year bonds, bearing
five per cent. interest. For the payment of these
claims the Secretary of the Treasury is authorised to
issue bonds to the amount of 20,000,000 dols., which

shall be known as the British Bonds. Upon the presenta-
tion ut the Treasury Department of the award by the
legal holder thereof the Secretary of the Treasury shall
deliver bonds to cover the larger amounts, and the balance
is to be paid in United States' currency. The holder thus
paid is to surrender his certificate of award to the Secretary
of the Treasury. It is provided that a copy of the bill,
when it passes, shall be given to the representative of the
Government of Great Britain. There is nothing said in
the proposed measure about any ulterior claim by the United
States againsf Great Britain, although that, of course, is to
follow. General Schenck has again delayed his departure
for England, the day of sailing being now fixed for Feb-
ruary 1. He has had a farewell dinner party at Wash-
ington, at which the Vice-President, Secretary Boutwell,

and Senators Sumner, Sherman, Williams, Fenton,
Morrill, and others were present. He made no reference
to his instructions or intended course of action in London.
Upon these he preserves a studied silence.—The Senate
after a long delay, has finally confirmed the nomination
of Vice-Admiral D. D. Porter to be Admiral of the
United States' Navy.—During the past autumn and
winter there has been a severe drought throughout the
North Atlantic States, which has caused serious inconve-
nience not only to millowners, but also the large cities
in the matter of their water supply. Another
frightful disaster has been added to the long,
list of catastrophes in the history of steam-
boating on the Western rivers. The steamboat T.
L. M‘Gill, from St. Louis for New Orleans, was burnt
on the night of Sunday, the 15th of January, on the Mis-
sissippi River, below Memphis. The boat had been
aground on a bar for two days, and had partly unloaded
her cargo so as to lighten the vessel, The origin of the
fire is unknown, but it spread rapidly through the re-
mainder of the cargo, which was chiefly pork and petro-
leum, There was a large number of persons on board,
and 58 lives were lost by burning or drowning.

General Ivoil; composer of the Russian National
Hymn, died on December 28, at his estate in the Govern•
ment of Kowno.

THE UNIVERSITIES.—Four scholarships, tenable
for three years—two of £6O and two of £3O per annum—
will be open to competition in April next, at Magdalene
College, Cambridge. The examination will commence on
April 18.

THE LIFEBOAT BAZAAR IN DUBLIN.—The follow-
ing ladies were among those who presided at and contri.
buted to the supplying of the stalls :—The Marchioness o
Drogheda, the Countess of Howth, the Countess o.
Granard, Lady Alice Havelock, Lady Gray, Lady
Margaret Stronge, Lady Ventry, and Lady Power.
The International Association has passed a resolu-
tion to the effect "That Mr. Otway, M.P. for Chatham,
having honourably withdrawn from a professedly Liberal
Governmentwhioh, while professing friendship for France,
has basely deserted her in the hour of need, we hereby
tender to him the thanks of the association, and request
him to become its president."
PAPER FROM WOOD.—Mr. James McDonnell, of
Dublin, a paper manufacturer, has lately used wood as a
substitute for rags in the manufacture of paper. Deal
boards are chopped up into fibre, and placed in a boiler at
200 lb. pressure. It then assumes the form of a rich
cream-coloured pulp, which bears printing admirably.
Mr. McDonell holds a patent for this process, and has
made arrangements for using this ingenious substitute on
a large scale.
Some particulars of the wreck of the steamer
Borneo are given in the Anglo-Brazilian Times of
January Q. It appears that of the seventy-seven persons
who had been on board, only forty-two reached the land
alive. The only passenger saved was Mrs. Walker.
Those who perished were Mr. Piogio Mr. H. Thomas,
Miss Lewis, Mrs. Walker's two young daughters, and
Mr. Butcher, the agent. Of those belonging to the
vessel, the captain, the chief officer, the doctor, four
officers, and thirty-five of the crew were saved.
DEATH oF Di.. SIJERIp4N MuspnATT.—We have
to announce the death of Dr, Sheridan Muspratt, of the
Liverpool College of Chemistry, and brother of the presi-
dent of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce. The
deceased was a favourite pupil of Liebig, and he was held
in high esteem by a large circle of friends as a chemist of
exceptional talent both in a literary and experimental
sense. In Harrogate Dr. Muspratt was highly popular,
and he is said to have added greatly to the reputation of
that favourite watering place. He was the son of Mr.
Muspratt, of Seaforth Hall, near Liverpool, and some 20
years ago he married Miss Susan Cushman, sister of the
most famous of American actresses.
THE SMALLFO:X. IN FRANCE.—The smallpox con-
tinues its ravages in several parts of France, in addition
to the other disasters of the country. M. Pereira, the
Prefect of the Loiret, and his brother-in-law M. Peau,
have died from it. Until a few hours before
M. Pereira's death, a Prussian guard was stationed at
the Prefecture, for he was kept as prisoner. The
Gadois.mentions a fresh instance of the heroic devotion
of the Sisters of Charity. Forty-seven sisters were sent
to Bicetre to nurse the smallpox patients at the hospital.
Eleven of the sisters caught the disease and died. Eleven
more were asked for to replace them, as none could be
spared from the dangerons service. Thirty-two imme-
diately volunteered, and ots had to be drawn for the
required eleven !
A STEAMER DESTROYED BY Finp.—Some further
particulars of the destruction of the Mississippi steamer
have come to band. Seventy-two lives were
lost, which are twelve more than those pre-
vionsly reported. The Zeager steamer was near
the M`Gill when the fire broke out and she des-
patched a boat to her assistance, but the flames had
almost enveloped her and passengers and crew were drif t-
ing about on cotton bales and planks. The boats of the
Zeager succeeded in rescuing many of the relief rom the
water, but it was impossible to get near burning
vessel. All efforts to reach the unfortunate captain of
the M`Gill were unavailing, and the heat and
flames prevented him from getting to the boat.
About fifteen persons were seen clinging to the steamer,
but they could not be reached, and were unable to save
themselves in consequence of being benumbed with cold.
Had it not been for the opportune appearance of the
Zeagers boats the number of lives lost would have been
110, instead of 78. A number of the charred remains of
the passengers were found amongst the wreck.