The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-29 00:00:00

EDINBURGII IMPROVFMENTS.

Although there are no large rnanuracturinr,b establish-
ments in Eiinbitrgh to attract a great numbtt of the
working classes to it as a field for employment, yet
the attractions of our city as a place of residence,
and the employment given to tradesmen by the ex-
penditure of the resident gentry and professional men,
together with the advantages of its educational estab-
lishments, all contribute to swell the tide of popula-
tion, which marks its increase in the continued ex-
tension of the city. During the decennial period from
1841 to 1851, the population of Edinburgh and Leith
increased from 166,450 to 193,920, being an addition
of 27,429 in ten years. At the same rate of increase
the population of the metropolis is now 210,000. This
increase of population has given an impulse to the
building trade, so long stagnant after the over specula-
tion of 1825. Within the last five years there have
been built the beautiful buildings of Clareodon-creFcent,
Eaton-terrace, and Cambridge-terrace, at the Dean.
bridge. In the same vicinity, Randolph-crescent, Ran-
dolph-place, and Great Stuart-street, have been com-
pleted. The large district to the south of the city
consprisin:4 the Grange, Whitehouse Estate, Green-
hill, Morningsicle, and Merchiston, extending over a
space of one square mile, has been intersected by
numerous streets, and almost covered with houses,
and, which, in five years more, will have become a
southern city of villas. Numbers of houses in the
same style have been built, and are building, on the
north side of the city at Trinity and Grantou ; and in
many streets of the city numerous dwelling. houses are

in pi-ogress. At present there are no less than thirteen
churches building or about to be built—namely, the
Baptist Church, in Dublin-street, for the Elder-street
congregation ; English Episcopal Chapel, S. Vincent-
street ; St. Andrew's Episcopal Chapel, south back of
Canongate ; Free Tolbooth Church, St. Andrew's-
square, on the site of the Exchange Bank ; Free Buc-
cleuch Church, Crosscauseway ; Free St. Mary's,
Broughton-street ; Independent Chapel, George IV.
Bridge, for Dr. Alexander's congregation ; United Pres-
byterian Church, South Clerk-street, for Dr. Peddie's
congregation, Bristo ; St. Peter's Episcopal Chapel,
South Clerk-street ; New Free Church Aesembly
Hall, Lawnmarket; Grayfriars Church, rebuilding ; new !
chapel in the castle; and Trinity College Church, Calton•
hill. Seven splendid mansions are now building in the
Royal-terrace, Calton-hill. Ten handsome villas are in pro-
gress at Bruntsfield-terrace (a new street facing the Links
at Greenhill), and six more in Greenhill-gardens. A new
street, to be called Leuchars-street, is in progress behind
Clarendon•crescent. Large additions are being made to the
Advocates' Library ; and on the opposite side of George
IV. Bridge and Victoria terrace large and handsome
buildings are i❑ progress. At Holyrood new accesses
have been formed to the Palace from the south and
north, which have greatly improved its appearance. A
large range of buildings is nearly finished, forming one
of the four sides of Melville-crescent, Melville•street.
The Life Association of Scotland is erecting a handsome
edifice in Princes-street, which is to be similar in de-
sign to the new Commercial Bank in Gordon-street,
Gla,gow. A new street has been opened leading from
Lauriston to the meadows, and several houses are erecting
there. The new road from the south side of the city to
Duddingston and Portobello, through the Queen's-park,
is being contracted for, and will be commenced immedi-
ately. The Town Council have approved the report upon
the new road to the east of the National Gallery, and it is

in course of formation. In addition to the many fine
statues which we already possess, one of Professor Wilson
is being cast, and will be erected in East Princes-street
Gardens, probably in front of the eastern portico of the
National Gallery. A statue of the late Lord Mel_
vine is to be erected in front of the County Buildings,
The pedestal to receive the statue of the late Lord Jus-
tice-General Boyle has been erected in the great hall of
the Parliament House.

THE HONDURAS INT ER-OCEA NIC
BAIL WA Y.

At the last meeting of Liverpool Chamber of
Commerce, which laps appointed its president to co-ope-
rate with Mr. W. Brown, M.P. for South Lancashire,
chairman of this enterprise, in making known its im-
portance to the mercantile community of both hemi-
sphei es, the latter gentleman said—The length of the line
is 161 miles, through the republic of Honduras, from
Puerto Cabello to the Bay of Fonseca. The charter from
the Government of Honduras, ratified by the Legis- '
lative Chambers, April 28, 1855, and proclaimed by the
President as a law of the land, provides that the ports at
both extremities shall be free ; all property in, transitu
free of duty, and no passports required. The state gave
the company about2,3oo square miles, or 1,500,000 acres;
also a bounty of 75 acres to each labourer, and exemption
from public service to each citizen entering the service of
the company. The protection of the United States and
Great Britain is extended to the route, by the Convention
of July, 1850. This road will establish adequate and per-
manent transit bet ween the Atlanticand Pacific, primarily
for the Californian and Australian trade ; secondarily,
that of the Western States of the American Continent,
the Pacific Islands, and the centres of Oriental commerce
in India, China, and Japan. The existing travel be-
tween the Atlantic and Pacific ports of the United States
is 80,000 passengers per annum; the trea-ure equals
80,000,000 dole. (16,000,0001) annually ; and the fast-
increasing general commerce demands corresponding ac-
commodation. Add the probable requirements of Aus-
tralia, amounting in treasure (1854) to 43,850,000 dole.
(8,770,0001.) ; passengers (1855) 52,309 ; and imports
(1853) from England alone, $72,530,000 (14,506,0001.).
The peca!iar advantages which will enable the line to
mint those requirements are-1. Fine ports, for the
largest ships and steamers, at both extremities, sur-
rounded by fertile districts, capable of furnishing the
amplest supplies for ships and passenger?. 2. A posi
tive saving over Panama, the only other available and
practicable route across the Isthmus of Central Ame-
rica, of not less than 1,300 miles of sailing distance, ar.d,
from the superior facility of embarkation and disembar-
kation, of not less than from 7 to 10 days from Europe
and the eastern ports of the United States to the great
centres of trade and travel in the Pacific, viz., Califor-
nia; Saud wich Islands, China, Japan, and East Indies.
3. It passes through a country of eminent salubrity,
and vast mineral and agricultural riches, ranking, in these
re.pects, with the best parts of Mexico. Ti short, it is
unrivalled in respect of distance, cheapness of construc-
tion, climate, scenery, local resources arising front mi-
neral and agricultural wealth, cheap timber and other ma-
terials, perfectly safe harbours, accessible at all times to the
deepest sea going steamers and sailing vessels. Nearly
100,000 souls exist in or near the line, which runs
through Comayagua, capital of the Republic of Hondu-
ras. Several thousands on the north coast are employed
in cutting mahogany and other precious woods for ex-
port, precisely the kind of work required on the railway.
Contracts are offered for the supply of from. 2,000 to
6,000 skilled native labourers as may be required, at
from 10 dole. to 14 doll. (21. to 31.) per month, including
rations. By this route, at the present rate of speed,
passages can be made by rail and steam, from New York
to California in 14 days ; and from London or Paris to
Australia or China in 45 days. Mr. Brown referred to
the settlement of the Central American question, recently
arrived at between Lord Clarendon, Mr. Dallas, and the
Honduras Plenipotentiary, Senor Don Jean Victor Her-
ran, as calculated materially to facilitate the undertaking.
Mr. J. C. EwART, M.P. for Liverpool, in seconding
the resolution, which was carried unanimously, as to the
President of the Chamber of Commerce acting on the
directorate of the railway, said the importance of the sub-
ject could net be overrated. It was most desirable to
improve the communication between the two oceans,
and, with the guarantees of England, France, and Ame-
rica, they could not doubt of success.

MAIL PACKETS TO THE CAPE OF GOOD
1:10P1; AND INDIA.

Her Majesty's Government having entered into a con-
tract for the conveyance of mails by a line of screw
steamers, to be despatched monthly to the Cape of Good
Hope, and thence to Mauritius, Point de Chile, Madras,
and Calcutta, mails will be made up at this office on the
evening of the sth September, and on the evening of
the sth of each succeeding month, and will be forwarded
to Dartmouth, for transmission by those vessels.
When, however, the sth of the month falls on Son-
day, the despatch of the mails will be deferred until the
following evening.
All letters, &c., for the Cape of Good Hope, Natal,
St. Helena, and Ascension, will be forwarded by the
new line of packets, when not addressed to be other.
wise sent ; but letters, &c., for Mauritius, Ceylon, and
India will continue to be forwarded as a rule via Stu z,
and will be sent by the Cape packets only when specially
so addressed.

The Cape packets will call at St. Helena and Ascen-
sion on the homeward voyage only, but separate mails
for those places will be made up by the outward packets,
to be delivered in all cases where the packets may
accidently touch there, and in all other instances to be
'left at the Cape.
The following table shows the rates of postage charge-
able upon letters, newspapers, and books forwarded by
these packets.

In those cases where an (*) is prefixed, the postage
must be paid in advance.

For a Packet
For a Letter of Books For each
Places. not exceedlnz not exceeing Newspaper.
half-an-ounce. half-a-pound.
Cape of Good Hope._ *1 0 ... *0 6

*a 1

To Cape Town only.
St. Helena 0 6 ... *0 6 ... *0 1
Ascension

*1 0

*0 6

0 6

*0 8

*0 1