The Sun.
London, England, 1860-06-14 00:00:00

MAILS DUE.

Australia, Ceylon, and Mauritius (via South-
ampton) Overdue.
Do. (via Marseilles) July 4.
Bahamas and Havana (via New York) July 4.
Canada, &c. (via Londonderry) .. June 13.
Cape of Good Hope, Sze. .. • • • • July 1.
China, Penang, and Singapore (via S'ampton) June 18.
Do. (via Marseilles) June 12.
Gibraltar (via Southampton) .. Overdue.
India (Calcutta), Ceylon, &c. (via Southampton) June 18.
Do. (via Marseilles) June 12.
India (Bombay), (via Southampton) June
Do. (via Marseilles) .. June 20.
Lisbon, Brazils, Buenos Ayres, &c. .. July 5.
Lisbon, Vigo, and Oporto • • • . June 11.
Malta, Egypt, and Aden (via Southampton) .. June 10.
Do. (via Marseilles) June 20.
United States, California, &c. (%ia Cork) June 21.
Western Coast of Atrica, Madeira, Tenerife(' • . June 10,
West kite§ cuul Facito, Cartitgeua, Cuba, &c, hin 29.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(YEsThRDAY.)
The SPEAXE R took the chair shortly after 12 o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The Lords' amendmentsto the Tenbury and Bewdley
Railway Bill were considered and agreed to, and the bill was
ordered to be read a third time.
The following bills were considered and ordered for the
third reading :—Epsom and Leatherhead Railway Bill;
London, Chatham, and Dover Railway (Capital) Bill.
PETITIONS.

Several petitions were presented, chiefly in favour of the
Education Bill ; against the powers vested in the Poor Law
Commissioners, and praying for an amendment of the law;
against the provision in the Census Bill which required a
landlord to give a return of the religious profession of his
lodgers, as being useless and calculated to mislead as to the
actual numbers of the different religious denominatiois in
the country ; against the mode of registering births, deaths,
and marriages in Scotland; against Sunday trading, szc.
MINES REGULATION AND INSPECTION BILL.
The house went into committee on this bill.
On clause 1,
Mr. PAGET moved to leave out is line 20 " 12," and
insert " 13." The object of the amendment was to prevent
children being admitted to work in mines before they had
obtained an adequate amount of mental and moral culture.
The plan he proposed had been adopted by the provisions of
the Factory Act, and that measure had worked most suc-
cessfully. He was opposed to this bill when it was intro-
duced as being an undue interference between the employer
and employed, but the statement he made as to its success-
ful operation was founded on information furnished by the
most competent authority. The hon. member then
referred to the state of juvenile education amongst
the working classes, and said that it was stated by persons
of the most reliable character, that up to a certain age, only
15 out of 46 could read, and the number would much be re-
duced if the test of writing were required.
Mr. CLIVE defended the clause, which he said was
framed in conformity with the suggestions of those best
qualified to understand the subject. He denied that the
operation of the factory act in respect to the question under
consideration was satisfactory, as it had the effect of ex-
cluding in Scotch factories children under a certain age,
when their labour would be valuable.

Mr. LIDDELL opposed the clause as well as the amend-
ment. He considered that a compulsory enactment of that
kind would materially impede the efforts of those who had
laboured strenuously for the education of the working
classes, and would disgust those classes with that very edu-
cation which it was the duty as well as the desire of the
house to promote. The partial application of the principle
of compulsory labour to any one branch of industry would,
according to sound political axioms, tend to raise wages and
place such branch of trade at a most unfair in-
equality with other branches of national industry. They
should remember that they were legislating for
the working classes; and that in dealing with juvenile
labour, they might be depriving a working man of an im-
portant addition of 65., 75., or Bs. a week to his income, by
the restriction intended to be imposed. He contended also
that, as we were about to enter into a competition with
France, we ought to afford every facility for the supply of
labour in the production of those articles which we intended
for the French market.
Mr. ADDERLEY objected to step by step legislation,
and said that the statute book was in a most anomalous
condition in reference to the subject of juvenile labour. He
contended that there should be a general measure introduced
on this question. They should not say to employers that
they should net employ boys of a certain age, but that they
should employ them cot sistently with the national system
of education. In fact, they were now endeavouring to throw
on the employer the obligation of the parent, while the
house should stand in that relation to the child, or, at all
events, partake of it conjointly witli the parent.
Mr. C. BUXTON said that the system which it
was proposed was one of compulsory education, to which
he strongly objected. Instead of leaving this subject of
juvenile education to the gradual increase of knowledge and
intelligence, instead of having recourse to law, and impos-
ing criminal penalties for its neglect.
Mr. CROSSLEY objected to the bill, and said that its
operation in Yorkshire would have the effect, to a
considerable extent, of confiscating mining property. '
Mining proprietors had no objection to children being edu-
cated while in their employment, but no means could be
devised to render the present bill practical in operation.
The children employed in mines were a hard dreadnaught
class, and it would be useless to depend on procuring them
from schools, so that the effect of the bill would be to drive
children into other branches of industry. He had no
objection to the age proposed,
After some further discussion, in which, however, no new
point was introduced,

Mr. AYRTON said that the only object which they
were then discussing was at what age, whether 12 or 13,
children should be employed in mines, under any restric-
tion or not. The next clause would provide for what the
description of education would be, and the amount of pro-
tection to be extended to children. There were precedents
for fixing the age of the children to be employed.
The age of 13 was that which had been decided on with re-
spect to children employed in factories, and that decision
was founded on a general principle, namely, that it was a
period of life when children had arrived at the ago of dis-
cretion for employment. If this was the case in other em-
ployments, it was most particularly so in regard to labour
in mines, and the age of 13 was the ono best suited to children
engaged in mines according to the report of inspectors of
mines. He contended that this was a question of mo-
rality, religion, and duty on one side, and money and the
acquisition of money in its worst form on the other. With
regard to this latter, it was a fact that the effect of this
bill would be to compel them to make a larger outlay of
their capital, and instead of employing juvenile labour
without restriction, they would more properly be required
to employ adult labour.
Sir G. C. LEWIS said that, as was not an unusual case,
the house was called on to decide between three courses,
namely, two extremes and one medium course. In one in-
stance it was proposed that there should be no restraint
imposed on the employment of children in mines. Unless
they were disposed to sweep away the acts 4 and 5 of Vic-
toria they could not agree to that proposition. He could
not consent to the proposal of the honourable member
(Mr. Paget), for he considered the alteration he was desi •
rous of introducing was not one that should be adopted with-
out some experience. Government did not propose to do
away with the employment of children of 10 years of age in
mines, provided they could. read and write. They could
extend the age to 13 if they found that the addition of two
years was not sufficient for the protection of children.
Col. LINDSAY said that there was much misrepresen-
tation as to the bad condition of persons employed in mines.
The house then divided, and the numbers were—

For the amendment
Against it
Majority —lO7
The amendment was accordingly lost.
Mr. KINNAIRD moved the following amendment,—

" That no such boy shall be kept, or allow—cd to remain: in
any colliery or mine for a longer period than eight hours in
one day."
Mr. CLIVE felt bound to oppose the amendment. The
mortality in mines amongst boys was an argument against
the amendment, because, by the restriction it imposed, it
would be necessary that the boys should be drawn up and
let down from the mines more frequently, which would in-
ovlse the risk to their lives.
KINNAIRD postponed the amendment for the pre-
sent.
Lord. J. MANNERS moved an amendment to the effect
that no c`iiildren should be employed in mines under 12
years of 44: under any circumstances. He alluded to the
Factory Act, and stated that the physical improvement
effected in chilgren employed in factories was a conclusive
argument in favcsur of Increasing the age of children to be
employed in mines.'
After a few words from Mr. CAYLEY,

Mr. BRUCE opposetiany exceptional legislation on this
subject. It had been saici that th er a connection be-
tween ignorance and crim and what e was
was case as re-
gal ded the mining populat,'on ? Mr. Fletcher, who has
collected a number of statistics, on this subject, gives the
following result with reference to committals for crime
within certain periods :—Metropoittan districts, 2'2- per
1,000 ; ircn districts, 18 ; agricultoral, 14 ; cotton, 12 ;
silk, 8 ; and mining districts, only 6 per 1,000. Like the
hon. and gallant member (Colonel Lindsay) he had visited
mines, and could speak to the good condition of the:mining
population.
After a few words from Mr. CAYLEY,
Colonic LINDSAY contended that it was rao,it unfair to
apply a restriction such as that proposed by the bill, the
effect of which would be to drive juvenile labour into other
channels than mining, which would be an injury to the
mining interest and to the public.
After some discussion the amendment was withdrawn.
Mr. LIDDELL moved the omission of the clause.
Lord A. V. TEMPEST seconded the amendment.
The committee divided, and the numbers were—
For the amendment 9l
Against it lBO
Majority —B9
The clause was then agreed to.

On clause 2,
Mr. ADDERLEY suggested that it should be post-
poned, as well as clause 3.
Sir G. C. LEWIS declined to accede to the suggestion.
Some discussion ensued, after which,
Mr. KIN NAI RD moved the amendment which he had
previously brought forward, limiting the time of work for
boys under 11 years of age to eight hours a-day.
£he committee divided—
For the amendment
Against it
Majority
The amendment was lost.
The Chairman reported progrees and the house resumed.
The Local Boards of Health Bill was read a second time.
The Local Government Supplemental Bill was also read
a second time.

LANDS CLAUSES CONSOLIDATION ACT (1845)
AMENDMENT BILL.
This bill was read a second time,

FRIENDLY SOCIETIES ACT. AMENDMENT
BILL.
This bill was read a second time.
ANCHORS.
Sir J. ELPHINSTONE obtained leave to brin in a bill
for testing anchors and chain cables in tho merchssiat ser-
vice.
The house adjourned at six o'clock.

The number of insolvencies in Australia in
1858 Was three times as groat as in 1857, last year there
was a further increase of 50 per cent., and this year up to
the middle of April the rate has experienced a fresh advance
of about 70 per cent. The total liabilities of failed firms
from 1842 to 1859 were £5,981,026. and the assets stated in
schedules amounted to £3,735,613, but of the latter amnounts,
if we may judge from the experience of such cases on
probably not 50 per cent. was ever realised. .
Austra-
lian accountants are doubtless as expert as our own in allay-
ing the first burst of indignation against their insolvent
patrons, and that feat accomplished there is little dread of
further inquiry, and private investments, marriage settle-
ments, and all other prudential devices are certain to by
left unnoticed and undisturbed.—Tithes.
BVPRICE OF GOLD.—The quotation of gold at
Paris is about at par, and the short exchange on London is
25.12/ per £1 sterling. On comparing these rates with the
English Mint price o £3 17s. 10d. per ounce for standard
gold, it appears that gold is about 2-10ths per cent, dearer
in Paris than in London. By advises from Hamburg
the price of gold is 423 per mark, and the short
exchange on London is 13,3 i per £1 sterling. Standard
gold at the English Mint price is therefore about
2-10ths dearer in Hamburg than in London. The course
of exchange at New ,York on London for bills at 60
days' sight is about 1092 per cent., which, when
compared with the Mint par between the two countries,
shows that the exchange is about at par ; and, after making
allowance for charges of transport and difference of inte-
rest, the present rats leaves scarcely anv profit on the
importation of gold from the rigtid

T.HE NAVY.

FLAG PROMOTIONS IN THE RorpiL NAVY.

Admiral of the Blue Sir Henry Prescott, K.C.8.,
having accepted the service pension o f £l5O a year,
vacant by the death of Admiral Edvvard Hawker,
the following routine promotions will take place :
Vice-Admiral of the Red Edward Ha rvey becomes
Admiral of the Blue—Vice-Admiral of the White
Francis E. Lock becomes Vice-Admiral of the Red
—Vice-Admiral of the Blue Win. N. Hope John-
stone becomes Vice-Admiral of the 'White—Rear-
Admiral of the Red Sir Charles Ho we Fremantle,
K.C.8., in command of the Channel Squadron, be-
comes Vice-Admiral of the Blue—Rear-Admiral of
the White Sir Thomas S. Pasley, ?Bart., becomes
Rear-Admiral of the Red—Rear-Admiral of the
Blue J. A. Kingcome becomes Rear- Admiral of the
White—Captain Robert Spencer Robinson (1840)
becomes Rear-Admiral of the Blute. In conse-
quence of the above promotions, a captain's Good
Service Pension falls to the patronage of the First
Lord of the Admiralty, and Captain 111. C.
Symonds, C.B. (1841), a recipient of the Good Ser-
vice Pension, becomes the senior officer for promo-
tion to Flag rank.
Vice-Admiral Sir Arthur Fanshawe hoisted his
flag yesterday on board the Impreg as ble, 104, in
Hamoaze, as Commander-in-Chief' at Plymouth.

Admiral Sir H. Prescott, has been
awarded the service pension rendered vacant by
the death of Admiral Hawker.

Rear-Admiral Superintendent, Thomas S. Pasley,
Bart., who has been absent on leave. returned to
duties at the Devonport dockyard yeterday.
The following vessels have recently undergone a
trial of their engines:—The Torch, ,5 guns, screw
steam gunvessel, 80-horse power. t!;he is a new
class of gunvessel, and of a superior character
and build, from the hands of Messrs. Napier, of
Glasgow. She was six hours out. Her speed was
9 954 ; draught of water forward, 8 feet ten inches;
aft, 10 feet 6 inches. The Plover, guns, screw
steam gunvessel, 80-horse power (a twin vessel to
the Torch, and built by the same firm). She was
out for seven hours. Rate of speed, 10-ZBB ; draught
of water forward, 8 feet 3 inches ; aft, 12 feet 10
inches. The Waterloo (late first-class sailing ves-
sel, of 100 guns, and for several years flagship at
Sheerness), which has been cut down, lengthened,
and converted into a 90-gun screw steamship,
500-horse power, has had a successful trial
of her engines. The engine-room was cool
and well ventilated. Her engines were built
by Messrs. Ravenhill and Salkeld. Rate of
speed, 11.329 ; draught of water—forward, 19 feet ;
aft, 22 feet. The Irresistible, 80, screw steamship,
400-horse power, has also had a successful trial of
her machinery. Her speed was 11.010 ; draught
of water, 19 feet 8 inches forward, and 22 feet 6
inches aft. Her engines were built by Messrs.
Penn and Son.

The Atlas, 91, line-of-battle screw steamer, build-
ing at Chatham dockyard, although commenced
only a short time ago, is so far completed that she
will be fit to be launched towards the latter end of
next month, when another two-decker screw steamer
of equal size and tonnage will be immediately laid
down upon the same slip.
The Tartar, 21 guns, screw steam corvette, 250-
horse power, and 1,322 tons burden, which has just
been fitted with new boilers and had her engines
refitted, besides undergoing a thorough repair,
under the superintendence of Mr. Blaxland, on
Monday got up steam in Sheerness harbour and
proceeded to test her speed at the measured mile
off Mapling Sands. There was a strong wind
blowing from the S.S.E., and the rain fell heavily.
The ship was under the command of Captain
Schomberg, Mr. Price, inspector of engineers, and
Mr. Blaxland, chief engineer at the Sheerness
yard. The following are the results of the
trial :—Diameter of screw, 12 feet 1 inch; pitch,
16 feet 7 inches ; length, 2 feet 9 inches ; speed,
9 627 ; revolutions, 74. The draught of water was
13 feet 6 inches forward, and 14 feet 5 inches aft.
The machinery worked admirably, and the trial
was in every respect satisfactory.
Her Majesty's paddlewheel steam sloop Hecate,
Commander Hosken, fitted out at Woolwich for
survey in the Pacific, sailed this morning from
Greenhithe for Portsmouth, performing the mea-
sured mile from Shoeburyness on a trial of her
engines, under the superintendence of Mr. Patridge,
inspector of Government steam machinery afloat.
The Hecate conveyed to Portsmouth 120 boys and
12 ordinary seamen from the flagship Fisgard, for
the fleet, who proceeded early this morning, in
charge of Mr. Hall, instructor of novices, to Green-
hithe, in the steam tender Bustler, Second Master
Commander Draper.
The screw steam storeship Supply, 2, W. H.
Balliston, master commanding, left Plymouth on
Tuesday, for the Mediterranean.
The paddlewheel steam sloop Geyser, 6, in
Hamoaze, got up steam on Tuesday and went out-
side Plymouth breakwater to try her machinery,
prior to being placed in the steam ordinary.
The paddlewheel steam frigate Terrible, 21, Capt.
Glasse, C. 8., got up steam in Plymouth Sound on
Tuesday and went into Hamoaze to land the lug-
gage of Port-Admiral Sir A. Fanshawe, C.B.
The paddlewheel steam tender Lizard, Lieut. E.
Maunsell commanding, left Plymouth on Tuesday
for Sheerness.

Lieut. Daniel, of the steam frigate Forte, at the
Cape of Good Hope, is under arrest on board the

gunboat Wasp, at present in Plymouth Sound. on
a charge of drunkenness on board the said gunboat,
which is bound for the Cape.
The screw steamship Gibraltar, 101, building at

Devonport, will not, to all appearance, be launched

Month

The paddlewheel steam sloop Firebrand, 6, Com-
mander J. M. Bruce, arrived at Portland on Mon-
day night from Portsmouth. This vessel will pro-
bably remain in this harbour as guardship until
the arrival of the Colossus, 80, which is expected
shortly.
The following appointments have been made at
the Admiralty :—Lieut. F. H. S. Webber and Lieut.
A. G. Wootton to the Donegal ; Lieut. G. B. Gool-
den to the Mars ; Lieut. G. A. Brine to the Monarch ;
Lieut. W. J. Walker to the Barracouta ; Lieut. F.
Blackwood to the Aboukir; Lieut. E. C. Batty to
the Blenheim, for service in the Violet ; Lieut. G.
Stratton to the Blenheim ; John W. Elliott, third-
class assist.-engineer, to the Asia, as supernume-
rary ; James Nelson, acting third-class assist.-
engineer, to the Asia, for service in the Comet ;
Percy V. James, master, to the Geyser ; George
Moore, master, to the Blenheim ; Thos. J. Whinier,
master, to the Asia, for the Princess Royal ;
William J. Cunningham, second master, to the
Torch; Thomas H. Tizard, second master, addi-
tional, to the Britannia; Charles Love, master's
assistant, to the Ranger; G, J. Hirtzel, master's-
assistant, to the Algiers; Robert W. Clarke, staff-
surgeon, to the Blenheim ; Horace H. Smith, addi-
tional surgeon, to the Blenheim ; William Ellis and
Robert I)eveson, paymasters, to the Blenheim ;
Henry Tucker, assistant-paymaster, to the Blen-
heim ; Edmund G. Ellis and Cecil P. Walker,
assistant-clerks, to the Blenheim.

The following► young gentlemen passed their
examinations at the Royal Naval College, her Ma-
jesty's Dockyard, Portsmouth, on the 6th, 7th, Bth,
and 9th inst. :

For Naval Cadets, 24 Candidates (14 and under
15 years of age)--J. 11. Corfe, first of his class, G.
L. Poe, F. A. Watkins, J. S. Hallifax, H. G.
Gough, E. C. Stewart, W. H. Gabbett, H. B.
Sheridan, V. B. Orlebar, G. S. Deacon. 20 Candi-
dates (13 and under 14 years of age)—T. T. A.
Smith, first of his class, S. H. Orlebar, G. G.
Compton, R. H. H. Henderson, F. C. Master, A.
C. 0, Boddington, A. W. Massey, Count F. C.
Mataxa, G. A. E. Crattwell, A. 0. Hill, C. J. Fel-
lowes, A. A. Joyce. 31 Candidates (12 and under
14 years of age, under the new regulations).—C.E.
Wood, first of his class ; J. E. Symons, F. I'apillon,
J. S. Mackinnon, S. G. Smith, A. G. Leith, S. M.
E. Wilmot, G. S. Smith, W. B. Kirwan, A. J. Ha-
milton, F. A. Blackett, A. St. Maur, J. P. E. Jer-
voise, A. R. Woodriffe, A. S. White, C, H. Millett,
C. B. Neate, F. R. Knollys.
For Masters' Assistants—A. E. Andrews, first of
his class ; A. R. Wonham, A. J. Neville, E. Kearns,
E. J. Behenna, F. J. Palmer, B. 0. Jones, G. Hole,
G. Wood, A. R. Ring, C. J. Carter, E. Nankivell,
R: St. G. Deane, A. W. Coward, A. C. Dennys, H.
A, 11,teeson, and A. Martin.
For Marine Cadets—Competitive Examination
(6 canci.idates)..—F. H. Mountsteven and H. J.
.Bowman,