The Sun.
London, England, 1856-01-24 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON. THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 23, 1856,

pion out of his own mouth, have defeated
him with weapons provided by himself. We
are, perhaps, wrong in styling him the
" bullionist champion," for many eminent men,
such as Mr. JAMES WILSON, M.P., to whose ad-
mirable views in reference to an increased issue
of bank notes, more especially of the smaller de-
nominations, we yesterday directed attention,
insisted on " convertibility" as an indispensable
condition, while they prove, beyond the possibility
of doubt, the perfect security of the operation.
" Mercator" starts with a weighty postulate—
a heavy demand on the national credulity—per-
haps " gullibility" might be the more fitting term.
He declares that " the subject is not intricate or
obscure ; the public will find it to be simple and
intelligible, if they will only believe it to be so."
This, however, is simply a demand to surrender
their minds into the control of " Afercator"—to
accept all that he lays down as indisputable
truth.

Every argument used is equally applicable to
an exclusively metallic circulation—the scarcely
concealed object of "Mercator." The 22, 000, 0 00/.
issued by the Bank of England and the private
banks, without a deposit of bullion, should, ac-
cording to this "high financial authority," be
altogether withdrawn, and, if he could have his
way, not a single pound could be circulated that
hall not an equivalent in specie safely deposited
in the Bank coffers. The process which he
advocates is one opposed to the best in-
terests of the nation, wholly inconsistent
with anything approaching to permanent
ease. It is condemned by the nation—and it
cannot be continued to gratify the caprices of any
elderly nobleman —or to enable the sevenfold
millionnaire to ride his hobby, without regard to
the sufferings and privations of myriads of his
fellow-subjects, who should be ground into the
dust that he might make further accumulations
to his already over-grown wealth.

RUSSIA'S MOTIVES FOR ACCEPTING
PEACE.

The following is from the rims' (Second Edi-
tion) Paris correspondent's letter dated yester-
day:—" I am aware that it would be wrong to
attach much importance or implicit credit to
telegraphic messages containing mutilated sen-
tences from the newspapers. But if they are
substantially correct, they would justify a sus-
picion that some attempt at trickery is meant,
though I have no doubt that the French and Eng-
lish Governments are fully prepared for all emer-
gencies, and are carefully on the watch against
treachery. I have not seen M. de Nesselrode's
circular, but I think it is not difficult to state,
without its help, the " motives for the moderation
of Russia." Russia has signified her intention to
accept our conditions of peace because she can-
not help herself. She has been driven to the
verge of ruin by the war, and the fact is admitted
by Russians themselves, who literally shed tears
over the humiliation which has fallen on their
country, and which she has no choice but to bear.
Russia accepts peace simply because she cannot
carry on the war, and because she hopes with the
help of her ally (Prussia) to make the best bargain
she can under the circumstances. If the efforts
that are now made to introduce that Power into
the conferences be successful, the shame will be
as great as is the impudence which can advocate
or justify such an intrusion. A good deal of
sentiment will, no doubt, be expended in favour
of Russia, and much argument employed on
the cruelty of humiliating so interesting a
Power. But when did Russia ever spare from
humiliation a State on which her grasp was
laid ? For whom or for what, in her long
career of tyranny and crime, has she ever shown
tenderness or mercy ? No weakness has ever dis-
armed her wrath, no innocence her cruelty, no help-
lessness her brute force. We have extracted the
talons from one of the monster's paws ' • it is a pity
we cannot do the same by the other. If it be de-
cided that Cronstadt is not to follow the fate of
Sebastopol, at least let us take care that it shall not
be dangerous. We have had some trouble in throw-
ing the monster oil he ground ; we have our hand
on his throat, and'. we loosen the gripe till he is
powerless for mischief the fault is our own."

The Right Hon. L. Strutt, M.P., has sustained a se-
vere domestic bereavement by the death, on Saturday
last, at Bonn, on the Rhine, of hie eldest son, aged 17.
Sir Charles Wood has bestowed the out-pension of
Greenwich Hospital on Captain John Reeve, and on
Captain Richard Douglas, vice Rear-Admirals Philip
Westphal and R. Pridham.
The small steam squadron which was lately despatched
to the Baltic is now on its way home again, and may be
hourly expected. It is rumoured that the pending peace
negotiations have influenced the recall of these vessels.
The Egyptian yacht Mustapha Bey, which left South-
ampton last week for the river Nile, in Egypt, returned
to that port yesterday. She had been lying in Yar-
mouth Roads in consequence of the boisterous state of
the weather.
DEATH OF CAPTAIN SlCKES.—Captain Thomas Sykes
(retired under her Majesty's Order in Council of 1851)
died, on the 17th inst., at his residence, No. 3, Stan-
hope-place, in the 82d year of his age.
DEATH OF COMMANDER ROWLATT.—Commander W.
Rowlett (1849) died at Belfast, on the 18th inst., after a
few days' Illness, in the 47th year of his age.
The whole of the Australian postal traffic is estimated
at 1,500,000 letters and 2,280,000 newspapers, and the
gross revenue is!about 47,0001.
The officialrecord of what has been done at St. Peters-
burg is not likely to reach the English and French Go-
vernments for three or four days.
FATAL CAB ACCIDENT IN WELLINGTON-STREET,
STRAND.—Yesterday an inquest was taken by Mr. W.
Payne, at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, on the body of
Frederick Bevall, aged 15, a clerk in the establishment
of Messrs. Robinson and Fisher, lace warehousemen,
No. 12, Watling-street. On the evening of the 7th inst.
deceased was knocked down by a cab crossing from
Upper Wellington-street to Waterloo-bridge. Verdict
—Accidental. Death.
Said-Effendi, jester to the Sultan, and who has held
the same post under four Ottoman Emperors, has just
died at the age of 120 years and 7 months. Notwith-
standing his extreme age he retained, it is said, the use
of all his faculties to the last. He has been sometimes
heard to relate anecdotes connected with facts of such
an old date that persons were at a loss how to believe
his assertions.
THE RUGELEY POISONINGS.—The Wolverhampton
Chronicle of yesterday says that " a book has been found
in Palmer's librarT, which treats of poisoning by strych-
nine, and in one pagli of this book there are a number
of marginal notes in Palmer's handwriting, descriptive
of the symptoms and effects of strychnine, which ex-
actly, in every particular, correspond with the symptoms
exhibited by the late Mr. Cook immediately before his
death. This book is in the possession of the police, and
will be produced at the trial."
EXTSAORDINARY ACCIDENT.—A very extraordinary
accident, serious in its nature, and which might have
been very fatal in its consequences, occurred at Bath
early on Tuesday morning. A large vat of beer, con-
taining nearly 400 barrels, belonging to Mr. C. Bracher,
of the Portland-brewery, exploded with such force and
noise as to shake many of the neighbouring houses, and
induce a beliefamong the inhabitants that an earthquake
had taken place.
The detachment of Royal Artillery in charge of the
trophies from Sebastopol is daily engaged in superia-
L3nding and assisting to land the various objects on the
wharf at Woolwich. The gun-carriages, limbers, and
ammunition-waggons are riddled by the bullets and shot
of the enemy, and thereby rendered objects of great
curiosity. It has been suggested that one of the cap-
tured bells (weighing 2 tons) should be raised in a con-
spicuous part of the Arsenal grounds, in order to com-
memorate the event of their being landed there, as well
as to answer the purposes of the establishment. The
men have been inspected by General Whinyates, the
commandant of the garrison, who assured them how
much he and the whole nation felt themselves honoured
by the achievements which they had been se instrumen-
tal in accomplishing, and which had so redounded to the
glory and renown of the army in general, and of the
Artillery and Engineers in particular.
THE VICARAGE or PENN.—The Ven. Archdeacon
Moore having been presented to the vicarage of St.
Mary's, Lichfield, by the Dean and Chapter, has resigned
the vicarage of Penn, near this town, and of Eccleshall,
near Stafford. We understand that the Rev. F. H.
Paley, M.A., who has been curate of Penn for the last
five years, has, without solicitation, been appointed
vicar of that parish by the Lord Bishop of the diocese.—
Wolverhampton Chronicle.
WEST COAST OF AFRICA.—The following notice was
issued from the General Posli-office yesterday, viz. :—The
departure of the Ethiope from Plymouth has been post-
poned until the Ist proximo. Letters and newspapers
for the west coast of Africa will be in time if posted in
London up to the evening of the 31st inst.
THE MOZART CENTENARY,--Preparations are being
made in Germany to celebrate with great pomp the
hundredth anniversary of the birth of Mozart, which
will fall on the 27th June next. At Gotha, Berlin,
Vienna, Munich, Dresden, Carleruhe, Darmstadt, and
Hamburg, the Governments have devoted ample funds
for the purpose. A t other places musical festivals will
be 'held, which will last two or three days, and in
which all the philharmonic societies of Germany will
assemble. The receipts of these festivals will be de-
spatched to the Mozart Society at Gotha, the object of
which is to facilitate the extension of music amongst the
lower classes of society,

THE MURDER IN tIVERPOOL.—Tho inquest on the
body of the unfortunate girl, Sarah Drummond, closed
about 6 o'clock on Tuesday evening, when the jury re-
turned a verdict of "Wilful Murder against John Fer-
guson," who was committed under the coroner's warrant
to take his trial at the next assizes. During the inquiry
the prisoner, who is a miserable looking undersized man,
with a remarkably small head, displayed considerable
emotion.

THE SUPPOSED MURDER AT HAM.—The inquiry re-
specting the death of Mary Ann Peacock, of which
some particulars have appeared in The Sun, was resumed
yesterday at Ham by Mr. Carter, the coroner. Two
bargemen named Ford and Jackson have been taken
into custody. The evidence given yesterday, however,
did not elicit any positive information upon the matter,
and the inquest was again adjourned.
THE ALLEGED MURDER AT BATH.---The inquest upon
Eliza Howell was resumed on Tuesday, at Bath, before
Mr. A. H. English, the coroner, and, after some addi-
tional evidence, the jury returned a verdict of " Man-
sleughter " against James Howell, the husband. The
prisoner underwent another examination on the same
day before the Bath magistrates, who committed him for
trial on the charge of wilful.murder.
VALUE OF SLAVE LIFE.I—A few weeks ago two in-
toxicated Kentuckians found a negro asleep in an hotel
at Cincinnati, and, for amusement, they took a camphine
lamp, and, pouring the fluid over his whiskers, ignited
it, and the poor fellow's head and neck became instantly
wrapped in an intense blaze, which continued until the
fluid seas consumed. The sufferings of the victim were
dreadful in the extreme. No refinement of torture could
have produced more excruciating misery. But, strange to
say, death did not release him from torment until after the
lapse of two weeks. No legal investigation took place,
and the young men arratmed the matter by paying the
landlord of the hotel I,2oo'dols. for the loss of his ser-
vant.—American Paper.
VISIT OF FRENCH OFFICERS TO BRIGHTON.—On
Thursday a French war screw steamer, Le Faon, ar-
rived off the town on her way to Newhaven. On the
intelligence being communicated to the Duke of Rich-
mond, his grace despatched an officer to the French com-
mander with an invitation for himself and his officers to
dine that day at the mess. The invitation was accepted,
and the captain (Martine) and two officers, a lieutenant
and a midshipman, came from Newhaven, where the
ship is at anchor. Besides the officers of the Royal Sus-
sex Militia, there were present on the occasion the Rev.
Thomas Cooke, Dr. Pickford, and J. Lawrence, Esq.
The healtli of the Emperor and of the French officers,
proposed by the Duke of Richmond, was drunk with
enthusiasm. The French captain (who was decorated
with the Cross of the Legion of Honour and the Crimean
medal) thanked the gentlemen for the manner in which
they had drunk the toast, and expreved a hope that the
two countries might never be separated, but that they
would be more closely united by ties of mutual esteem.
The French guests were present at the military ball at
the Pavilion in the evening, and on their entering the
rooms the band struck up " Partant pour la Syrie."—
Brillytott Ex.:Vatter.

the full approbation of Mr. Cobden and men of the
like kid hey :
"If party spirit on the other side of the Channel
should again endeavour to bafft) the efforts male by
Austria to give peace to the world, a cry of indignation
would be raised throughout Europe, and it would soon
be seen that the most powerful of British Ministers
would be unable to oppose the unanimous longing for
peace which is felt throughout this quarter of the world.'