The Sun.
London, England, 1869-03-23 00:00:00

OCEAN HAIL CONTRACTS.

The select committee moved for by Mr. Seely to
inquire into the contracts entered into by the late Govern•
meat with the Cunard and Inman lines of steamers for
the conveyance of the mails between this country and
America met again yesterday. The duty of reporting to the
House on this important matter has been confided
to Mr. Dent (chairman), Sir Massey Lopes, Bin
Hamilton, Mr. Graves, Mr. Seely, and Mr. Greaves•
Though the evidence taken by the committee has assumed
vast proportions, and has been obtained by lengthened
examinations of a great number of official and non-official
witnesses, the actual points to be decided are simply
whether or not it is a wise thing for the post
Office to subsidise the contractors who carry the
mails rather than to pay them for the services they
actually render, and to enter into arrangements with
them for a long term of years. When Mr. Seely brought
forward the subject in the House of Commons, he con-
tended that the amount of £120,000, which was the sum
named to be paid annually for three services a week
in the contracts made with Messrs. Cunard and Bin
Inman by the late Conservative Government, v 135
not only too large, but was in reality sacrificing about
R 40,000 per annum. He also argued that the proposed
mode of contracting was unnecessary, and that by enter-
ing, into an arrangement with the contractors for eight
years, the Post Office would be precluded from taking
advantage of increased speed and other improvements, and
would Le preventing the adoption of the ocean penuY
postage. The motion for the committee of inquiry, which
was not resisted by the Postmaster-General, was carried
by 115 to 86. The committee sat in private yesterday
simply for the purpose of considering their report.

Mrs. Plow, the widow of the clergyman who Iv°
murdered at Todmorden last year, died on Friday evenings
at \Vantage, Berkshire.
It is stated the agreement to submit to an open
Court of Arbitration all matters connected with the "
Ed-
ruands' scat.dal" has come to nothing. The action for libel
(Edwards v. Greenwood), which stood for the end of Feb-
ruary last, but which was withdrawn during the above
negotiations, will now be proceeded with, and will come on
before a special jury in the Court of Ccmmon Picas, \Vest-
minster Hall, the first sitting day after the forthcoming
Easter Term, viz., the 10th of May next.
The Birmingham Post states that the recent con
duct of the released Fenian convicts has caused the Go-
vernment to stop all further steps in extending the
Royal clemency. The Irish Executive was investi-
gating the claims for the pardon of several other
prisoners, but the conduct of the released men caused *
stop to be put to such proposal. The Government is not
indisposed to consider the claims of the convicts, but more
substantial guarantees for good conduct will be required.,
and at present no further liberations will take place.
Mr. Sergeant Cox has issued an address to the
electors of Taunton, in which he does "not attempt to dis-
guise the pain" the recent judgment has given him. ll°
trusts that at the next election the Conservative party Will
endeavour to secure their share in the representation of the
borough. The learned sergeant concludes as follows:--
" I Lid you farewell for a season, in the assured confidence
that when a new Parliament shall be summoned (and none
can spy bow soon that may be), you will restore me to the
honour of which I have been legally, but not equitablY--
and I am sure not deservedly—deprived."
OCEAN PENNY POSTAGE.—There are araumentS
urged against the proposed reduction, both on the grounds
of practicability and expediency. None, however, seem
to us of sufficient weight to counterbalance the manifest
benefits. We cannot share in the fear that the regularitY
and efficiency of the mail service would be impaired. .At
the figure of a penny, freight on the mail-bags would
amount to something over £4O, or 200 dollars per ton--
surely enough to make the efficient fulfilment of postal re-
quirements an object with the wealthiest steamship COW'
pany.—.llrov York Times.
NEW METHOD OF CULTIVATING POTATOES.--
The Stoats-Anzeiger gives us some particulars of the 1101
method of cultivating the potatoe, discovered by Guhlielh
of Pinneberg, in Holstein, and which, it is said, has give"'
surprising results where it has been employed. The lead'
ing features of this new mode of culture are-1. Turning
up the soil to a considerable depth. 2. Choosing as seed
large, sound, and many-eyed potatoes. 3. Leaving ench
seed potatoe a space of 12 square feet. 4. Laying these!,a
potatoe with the budding side down. By a report lai!
before the last meeting of the Frankfort Agricultural
Societywe learn the result of experiments in potatoe grow'
ing made last year. In one rnorgen (two-thirds of en
acre) which was planted with eight metzen seed, and
where each seed potatoe was left twelve square feet, the
produce was 108 scheffels (German bushels). An°ther
morgen of land, planted with twelve metzen, and where
seed potatoe had a space of niter square feet, Yielded
e
e
S 3 scheffels. A third morgen was planted with
scheffel seed, each potatoe being left six square feet, and
the produce was 78 scheffels. The average crop obtained
from 7-8 scheffels on the same land was 50-60 scheffe
The advantages of Guhlich's system then consist oci
—l. A saving of 6-7 scheffels per morgen of seed ;
2, an increase of from 25 to 100 per cent. in the
produce.
THE "CODE OF HONOUR " IN NEw ORLEANgc;
o
A New Orleans newspaper gives the particulars of another
duel, fought on the afternoon of the 4th inst. between
and
well-known residents of the names of Lewis Lalaurie
Leonard Jewell, at the Metairie Course. The diffleulreby
.
originated in an altercation in Carondelet-street,,he
specting a debt of a former partner of Mr. Jewell. 'ne
challenging party was Mr. Lalaurie, and the weapons
selected by his opponent were rifles with round bath;
at fifty paces. On arriving at the grl3und, of
choice of position was won by Mr. Lalaurie, vol_
course took his place with his back to the wind—tie
being at the time a very strong breeze blowing' rds
principals having been placed in
position, and the w% ,t
given, " Gentlemen, are you ready? One, two, three;
the ball of Mr. Jewell passed very close to Mr. Lalal/efr.
head. For some reason not mentioned the gun ef
Lalaurie was not discharged within the stipulated tnnrifie
At the second shot the ball from Mr. Lalaurie'., t
passed through the clothing of Mr. Jewell at the rig
knee knee ; the spectacles worn by Mr. Jewell were blownly
the wind from his face, and his shot failed— t.be
Mr. Jewell is considered one of the best shots I:
thel'
he
city—to touch his adversary. At the third silo oat
ball from Mr. Jewell's rifle passed through the
_he •
sleeve of Mr. Lalaurie, on a line with his heart. -g.i.
ball from Mr. Lalaurie'., rifle lodged in Mr. Jewell r
expressed
left
foot. The challenger and his friends then
The
wound, satisfied with the result of the firing, an
the ground, Mr. Jewell and his seconds following• oe
wound, though not of a dangerous character, is said to be
very painful, and will, doubtless, keep the gentleman
who was injured by the last shot indoors for manY doeto

come.
THE ERNEST JONES DEMONSTR4TION.—'To
PROGRAMI .IL—A full meeting of the Central Committee
for conducting the above demonstration at Trafalgar:
square, on Good Friday, has just been held at the Nag
Head, Lmtirr-lane, Mr. Lucraft in the chair. The sub
committee brought up their report, which stated that ar•
rangements had been made for the men of IlackneY'
Bethnal Green, Shoreditch, Spitalfields, Mile-end, polo:
&c., to assemble at the Salmon and Ball, Bethnal Green, 3`
two o'clock, from whence they will march to Finsbury;
square, to be joined by the Islington and 11°''t°i
,
contingents, and then proceed to join the main body a"
lerkenwell-green, from whence the procession, aec°lll:
panied by several bands and banners, will start at fou,
o'clock for Trafalgar-square. The West-end processi
%vhich will embrace the German, French, Italian, an
Polish societies connected with the International Werk•
ing Men's Association, will assemble in and sot:
Sot' eh
from Soho-square at half-past four, and the so
London procession will assemble and leave the Ope:
lisk, Blackfriars-road, at the same hour. The proceed
ings in Trafalgar-square will commence at five o'clock,
and the speakers will be Mr. G. J. Holyoake, Rey' I\f.
Appletree, Messrs. C. Bradlaugh, G. Odger, and
Wade, Mr. Lucraft acting as chairman. The committee
also reported that the various societies of Irishmen in the
metropolis would also take part in the demonstration, out
of respect to Mr. Jones for his able defence of the Man.
chester Fenians in 1867. The report of the sub committee
having been discussed was approved, and the meeting,,
then adjourned. - • '