The Sun.
London, England, 1856-11-14 00:00:00

STEAMSHIP ONEIDA.

The following letter ha been addressed to the editor
of the Times :

Sir,— As the great and uniform friend of progress, and
as having exerted so much influence in the formation of
this line of steam communication to Australia, it will not
uninteresting to you to hear of her whereat) ,uts, and
a few of the most prominent facts of this rather eventfu
voyage.
We left the Solen*, as you are aware, midday the 19th
inst., and have bad the most beautiful weather ever
since, but mainly light and unfavourable winds, which,
bough insufficient to retard our course, furnish fresf.
proofs f the indisp usable necessity of steam, auxiliary
or entire, to render a quick passage u-rtain. A sailing
ship of the finest qualities would have done but little in
comparison. We have made, as our position will show,
a steady 270 or 280 miles per day, consuming from 50 to
70 tons of foal in he 24 h pure, and entered this splendi
harbour last night to replenish our fuel.
It i- greatly to be regretted that we shall lose from
three to five days in that operation, the coal losinß
brought from the shore to the ship in lighters, and wi
lie half a mile out.

Tue vessel, a comfortable seaboat, and admirably
veutilated, is commanded and officered by intelligent
and energetic ►nen ; the pr bvisiona varied and abundant,
and the CUZBi7LC and attendaece superior to anything I
have seen in so long a voyage, and I have made the
pa .•age five times in first-class ships.
We have 50 passengers, about equally divided in num-
bore between noviciate adventurers and old col .niits re•
turning—persons of intelligence and educat►on, who
spend their time agreeably in conver•ation and reading.
The principal group is, of c turse, Sir Henry Barkly, the
new Governor ~f Victoria, his wife, child, and aid-de-
camp, whose dignifie•i and courteous manners imoart a
tine to our circle. His Excellency occasionally con•
verses with men of intelligence around him, and especi-
ally if they have resided long in the colones, and are
interest -d in their pro,:ress and institutions. He reads
diligent•y and takes plenty of exercise, and seeros alto-
g• tiltr a man of very active habits. It is impossibe
nat to believe that, added to his valuable experience in
the West Indies, his vigorous and well disciplined
mind, his conciliating and affable manners, will rend.-r
him truly acceptable, and even popular, in the colon)
which he is about to govern.
de has indeed great advantages over his immediate
predecessors, in that the colony is fast settling into
order and prosperity, almost every irritating topic is re•
moved between the colonies and the Crown (and the
squatting question the only one between the colonists
themselves), while his burden in other respects will be
greatly lightened by administering a " responsible go-
vernment. His errors, too, should he make any, will
be visited with less critical severity than those of Sir C.
Hothatn, whose death was accelerated at least by some
who were ignorant apparently that criticism and
courtesy might be combined, and who are now showing
signs of c impuuction. Besides, he will go with the re• ,
putation of an accomplished civilian, and not that of a
martinet, or fresh from the quarter-deck. Nous verrons
It is doubted whether we shall call at the Cape, but
as 20 days might be required to reach its neighbourhood,
and that will involve the consumption of 1,000 tons of
coal, it appears to tee absolutely certain, and especially
as the company are bound by specific contract to steam
the entire distance.
If this little narrative is deemed eli4itile for your
columns it may afford information t• and g, atify other•,
as well as,

Sir, your obedient servant,
A PASSENGER.
St. Vincent, Cape Verd Islands, Oct. 29.

Count Persigny has nut yet had an interview wi'h
Lord Clarendon since his return. The Count, however,
expresses himself confidently that the instructions which
he has brought over ae e of a nature to restore the accord
of the two Cabinets. The precise nature of those in
etructiens we have not been able to learn, but we are
inclined to believe that France offers to support the Dig-
Itch view of the B .Igrad question, provided England will
acquiesce in the proposed union of the Principalities. It
is to be hoped Lord Palmerston and his Cabinet will
agree to ne such conditions, whatever may be the lean.
ing of Lord Clarendon ; for the union of the Principali
ties wil be the first step to a declaration of their inde.
peedence, and a declaration of their independence the
assured precursor of their annexation to Russia.—
Morning Paper
SALE OF THE SURREY AND SUSSEX TOLLS.—Yesterday
a general meeting of the trustees of the above roads was
held at the Sessions-house, Newington, Mr. Johnston in
the chair, for the purpose of letting the tolls on lease for
the term of one year—commenCing on the 31st of Dec.
next --to the best b:dder. The tolls realised last year
the sum of 20.020/, over and above the expense of col-
lectine the same. The gates and bars at which the tolls
were collected extended from Camberwell-gate, in . Sur
rey, to East Grinstead gate, in the county of Su sex, and
included Kennington-common gate, Peckham gate,
Kingston gate, Albany-road bar, A idington-square bar,
Southampton-street bar, Red-cap bar, . with numerous
other bars. There was a crowded attendance of lessees,
but there being no offer the auction was declared at an
end. Subsequently a tender from Messrs. Levy and Co,,
for 24,5601., was accepted. On the previous day a meet-
ing"
of the trustees of the North Rent division was held
at the Green Man, Blackheath, when the Ws in this
division were put up to ancrion. The sum asked for
was 11 74.01., but there was no offer,
WESTERN GAS LIGHT COMPANY.—TheannUel meeting of
the proprietors in the above company was held yesterday
at the offices, Argyll-street, R-gent-street ; Mr. Francis
Wm, Russell, M.P., in the chair. The secretary, Mr.
S. Barber, read the report from the directore, which
stated their regret that owing to the accident which oc-
curred in June, 1855, to the large gasholder, erected by
the company's former engineer, they were unable to de-
clare any dividend upon the working of the concern for
the 13 months just past. The consequences of that acci
dent were far more serious than was:at first anticipated,
nor was it until the 27th Dee, last that the gasholder was
available for regular service. Up to that period, there-
fore, the company had to 'meet a constantly-increasing
demand for gas with only one-third of the gasholder
room that previously exlstee. The supply of the district
with gas was, under the circumstances, only accomplished
at a very heavy cost to the bempany, and accounted for
the small balance of profit remaining The gas rental of The Madrid papers of the 9th have reached us.
the last year exceeded that of the Preceding Year bY The Gazette contains a circular from the Minister
2,829/., but the increase of manufacturing items had been of the interior to the governors of provinces, sot-
in the aggregate upwards of 8,0001., an amount which ting forth the manner in which the decrees of 1845
would have been sufficient to pay a dividend of 4!, per relativetothe press, which havebeen re-established,
cent. The reportdded that the works had been co 81. are to be carried out. Amongst other things, the
derably enlarged arid improved, and the company's engi-
neer had expressed himself perfectly satisfied with the
governorscontroversies on religious subjects, except with per-
new gasholder. The present storeage room was adequate
to the supply of one million cubic feet per diem. During mission of the bishops; andofanything "inconsistent
.
the current balf.year the working had been more profit- With religious respect for the sacred person of the
able than at any previous period. The report wasmonarch or the throne
t or any • or,
adopted, and the retiringauditore re-elected. The services proper Yl,. other.of the bases of society ?
or attacking the right of
of the directors were acknowledged ty a vote of thanks. lastly, renecialg offensively on foreign sovereign.

Cash. fr. c End of Month.
44 per Cents
3 per Cents 66 40 66 50
New Loan
Bank Shires 3,850 Roman
Credit Mobilier 1,255 Austrian
Belgian Fives ...... .. 97 Sp inish Throes
Piedmontese (5) B9 Houle Debt

RAILWAYS—FOR CASH.
fr. c. fr. c
Orleans 1,2 ,0 Western
Northern 877 50 Strasburg (x d) 795
Lyons 1,230 New Ditto (x d) 725
Mediterranean 1,575 Grand Central ... 55 ►
Lyons Geneva
Cette

A royal decree in the Gazette annuls certain enact
rnents in a circular of the 3d September, 1854, siis.
pending nomil.a ions to vacant cures and depriving
bishops of some of their patronage. A second de-
b 6-4 nominates General Co taller Captaiti,Gent-ral
of Porto Rico ; and a thiid appoints General Las-
sala to the Military Governorship of Cadiz. The
'gazette also contains royal decrees which sup-
press the Council of Admiralty and re•estab-
Nil it in another form, under the name of
"direction of the navy," and which make be
long expected nomitiaticris of the new Royal
Council of &ate, M de la Risa being
appoin.ed VicePre6deot, of it. The Espana says
th .t the Queen, as a mark of special esteem, bad
presented the Duke de Valencia (Narvaez) pith
the finest horse in her staiiles, and had at the same
time written him a flattering autograph hitter.
The Queen ordered the equerry charged to present
ithe horse to tell the duke that if he did not like

the animal, he might exchange 't for any othox she
possessed. The Boja Autografa says that the
Civil Governor of Madrid has forbidden the dis-
cussion of politics in coffee-h uses and other places
of public resort, and has made the owners of such
establishments re,p,,nsible for the execution of his
orders. A slight dt cline in the price of wheat and
oilier grain had taken place in the market of
Madrid.

A letter from Helsiogrors, in the Austrian Ga-
zette, says :—" The activity displayed in the im-
provement of our navy continues in spite f3f the
advanced season. It is natural that Sweden should
he alarmed by these measures, and the Govern-
ment of that country has determined not only
on carry ng out a series of fortifications la
the inter or, which will form a system •f
central defence, but will likewise reinforce the
existing forts. Tee firearms of the army
will
l.kowise be changed ; and, in a few year
the whole of the Swedish army will be armed with
rifles. An order for 5,000 rifles for conical balls
has already been given in Belgium. The staff-
officers of the Swedish army are at present °cell"
pied in drawing up a minute map of Sweden."

The Nord says :—" According to accounts which
we receive from Trieste, King Orho arrived there
on the Bth, and iminedia-ely embarkrd on hoard
the Austrian war steamer Prince Eugene. In the
suite of his M±sty was M. Notaras, the marshal
of his Court ; Col. Botzaris, his aide-de-camp; and
Prince Mourousi, his orderly officer. On his aryl.
val the King was received at the government hotel
by Boron de Mertens,_ the civil awl military glom'.
nor ; Rear-Admiral Baron de Bujacoviich, arid all
the military and naval olfic,rs then at Trieste'
Chevalier de Giachenesi, the Greek consul, wag
41so present to pay his respects to his Majesty'
Followed by this brilliant era cegt4, King OLIIO pro;
ceeded on board the steamer, which left the per,",
under salutes from the forts and the vessels'of war.

BANK OF FRANCE.

The following is the monthly debtor and creditor
account of the Bank of France, made up to yester'
day (Thursday) :

kin. Fr. e'
Cash and ingots
Cash at the branch banks 85,105.'281 --;
Bills due yesterday to be paid to-day 772,049 7:
Bills becoming due in Paris
Bills in the branch banks -
Advances on coin and ingots
Do. in the branch banks
Do. on public securities of France 36,723,936 1
Do. in the branch banks
Do. on railway shares and bonds 26,026,500
Do. in the branch banks -
1),. to the State by treaty of
June 30, 1848 - ,
Advances on Ti ea ury hills
lei t-.+ t-s of the reserve fund 52,190,045 98
Rrnies of disposable funds 12,980,750 14
El tel and furniture of the Bank
Real property of branch banks 5,311,728 ---
ti:x pe uses of administration 1,536,625 63
Premiums on the purchase of matihres 2,764,097 81
Suudr es , 3,515,351 55

950,150,905 5$