The Sun.
London, England, 1848-08-03 00:00:00

ARMY AND NAVY ESTIMATES.

Captain PECHELL said it appeared from the votes
that the army and navy estimates were to come on to-
morrow. Now, as the papers connected with those esti-
mates were not yet in the hands of Members, he wished
to know whether it was the intention of the Chancel-

for of the Exchequer to take those estimates in the Com-
mittee of Supply to-morrow?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, he
believed the report to which the Hon. Gentleman
alluded had been printed, and was in the hands of
several Membere.

SUGAR DUTIES.
The House then went into committee on the Sugar
Duties. Mr. Bernal in the chair.
Lord GEORGE BENTINCK then rose to propose
an amendment. He observed that in the second
column of the scale of duties, the duty on double re-
fined sugar was 18s., and on single refined sugar 165.;
that being a reduciion of if. 6d. on the first class of
refined sugar, and of ls. 4d. on the second class.
The 16s. scale no longer stood amongst the duties at
all, and the 18s. and 163. were amalgamated with
one of 16s. 4d. That, however, was nothing
to the purpose, because if the duty of 17s. 4d. wash a fair
amalgamation of the duties of 16s. and 18s., it was per-
fectly clear that the duty on cloyed sugar should be placed
in the same position in 'which it ought to have been
placed, supposing the originalduty of 16s. to have stood—
as the duties stood they were absurd. He begged,
therefore, to propose, as an amendment, that the follow-
ing duiiea be adopted in lieu of these in the schedule-
14s, 6d., IU 4d.. 12s. 3d.. and I Is. 6d.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER main-
tained that the rate of duties in the schedules were
adopted after mature consideration, and contended that
they were those which ought to be adopted by the House.
Atter some further discussion, the House divided,
when there appeared—
For the amendment
Against it
Majority against it --70
The amendment was accordingly lost.

T 11; House then went into Com-mittee.
Lord G. BENTINCK said there were six more inac.
curacies in the schedule, but as they were favourable to
the British planter, ho did not intend to propose that they
should be corrected.—(Laughter.)
(LEFT SITTING.)

POLAND.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sia,—ln the present state of German aggrandizement,
Poland prostrate, is again a prey to further spoliation,
not from its open enemy, but its disguised friends.
The criminal division of the country, admitted even' by
the participators in the crime as such, brings now and
then an eruption of despicable sympathy from the west
of Europe, more with the self-interest of keeping the
Poles in agitation than really meaning any ulterior
good to Poland, or even intending to do 80 at the most
fitting opportunity. The present times will suffice to
illustrate both French and German sophistries, the
latter, though being more active in the onset, turned the
more treacherous. In my opinion, Poland has less to
fear from Russia than from the encroaching spirit of
Germans, whether in Posen, Cracow, or Tarnow, upon
its nationality and well-being. I will not enter upon the
past, but merely appeal to the present—not to Europe,
but to my own countrymen. I beg them not to be
imposed upon further, either by the chivalrous French
or the virtuous Germans, who wish at one time to make
us their bulwark, at another as wadding to their cannons;
but at once, with spontaneous feeling of dignified people,
to fraternise with the empire, which, by the consan-
guinity of races and its strength, can give us protection
and security against the devouring elements of the
Germans. I ask them to join an open enemy, in pre-
ference to faithless and designing friends. I entreat them
to enter upon a moral regeneration of our fatherland,
and thus strengthen the Sclavonian stock in bonds of
friendship and brotherly love, which is sure to produce
the development of our immense national wealth—ensure
confidence of the now despotic ruler, and bring recon-
ciliation of the people—cause progressive reform with
the
spirit of the age, and ultimate freedom of both
nations in power, veneration, and even fear of the faith-
less west.

I am, Sir, your obedient humble servant,
S. RAKOWSKI,
Officer in the late Polish army,
Manchester, July 31, 1848.

SCOTTISH NAVAL AND MILI

TARY ACADEMY.

The examination of this popular establishment (as we
shortly stated on Monday) took place on Tuesday and
Wednesday, and the exhibition came off on Friday.
The examinations of the various classes still uphold the
well earned fume orthe masters, and called forth, on the
part of the directors, the warmest compliments both to
teachers and pupils. The importance of such a school as
this, and the propriety of its recognition by Government,
in the way of giving it countenance and substantial sup-
port, we are annually reminded of by those excellent
examinations and exhibitions ; and we still wonder that
the people of Scotland should be so apathetic in not call-
ing the attention of Government to the maintenance of
a school which sends so many excellent officers into the
army, and without which many would have entered
it under serious disadvantages. We are informed
that the directors of the academy have requested
no more from the Government than the privilege of
being allowed to purchase two commissions in the
army, to be disposed of to two of their most distinguished
students. Now, while we should be happy to hear that
even this was granted, we cannot suppose that the peo-
ple of Scotland would rest satisfied with this small
boon. A gentleman, for instance, may have it in his
power to purchase a commission for his son, but if he
has not influence to introduce him to the military schools
in England, this son enters the army uneducated as a
soldier, undrilled, unacquainted with fortifications, mili-
tary drawing, and unimbued with that professional
spirit which renders his introduction to the army easy
and agreeable. To such a person the Scottish Military
School opens a door; and so many in Scotland are thus
situated, that, for upwards of twenty years, the academy
has sustained itself without the least assistance from the
resources of the country. But why is the officer's sou
excluded from the benefits of the endowed military schools
of England? Why is not studyeininencen
e Scottish
school is equally with the student of
to
h
e
the same premium here? The student i
of
Sandhurst t
Woolwich, destined to serve their country, and have a
and
d h
right to enjoy the same advantages.
togleltTier a exhibmitoioren
tithiatnheusuluasiliyc
nlinallnloorncuFgriadhady
by
assemblage. On this oct•a.ion the directors' chair n
dthwclis
taken by Major-General Riddell, the officer ecnnrna ii g
in Scotland, who was supported by Mr. Gordon. e
Sheriff of the county, the officers of the North British
Static and several officers stationed in Edinburgh. In
addition to the ordinary display of military exercises,
fencing, broadsword exercise, and gymnastics, there was
exhibited b ivti.e da 8 t h
ort,,n
dismountedfor t the
afinrds t timeremounted
the
we
ixt exhibition
i bgi
great
ei oant
of the academy, the artillery exercise, which the young
gentlemen went through with great activity. A three-
pounder field.piece was brought into the hall; the forms
of loading, unloading, and firing were shown, and the
dispatch—after dismounting, the young gentlemen seated
ss thel:trd, :h
e yo carriage,ung the
i effectemc
hs:llveassLoanutaohnetditisjocbienrttesdon pieces
was scenic, and elicited much approbation.
gen-
tleman who carried off the first prime of this last-named
exorcise, was a successful competitor in four other prize

lists, viz., book-keeping, landscape drawing, and firelock
and broadsword exercises.
Before the distribution of prizes, Captain Orr, the su-
perintendent of the institution, advanc( d to General
Riddell, and intimated that the exercises for the day
were now concluded. General Riddell then stepped sor-
ward to the young gentlemen, who were drawn up in
the centre of the hall, and briefly stated the gratification
which he had experienced in the course of the day, bear-
ing testimony to the excellent manner in which the in-
stitution was conducted, and to the remarkable profi-
ciency of the papils which had just been manifested.—
Abridged from the Caledonian Mercury.