The Sun.
London, England, 1856-01-03 00:00:00

COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS' BALL.

The annual ball in aid of the funds of the Commercial
Travellers' Benevolent Institution was held yesterday
evening at the London Tavern, and, notwithstanding the
prevalence of private parties at this particular season,
was fully and fashionably attended. Upwards of 200
ladies and gentlemen were present, and danced with
great vivacity and enjoyment up to a late, or rather an
early, hour in the morning. The dancing arrangements,
which were excellent, were under the superintendence of
Mr. Frampton, who fully sustained his reputation as an
accomplished master of the ceremonies. Sir James Duke,
the president of the institution, was one of the earliest
arrivals,
A
andt
about the Lhoarldf
p ast Mayorli e e
l e
enteredk thet h e room
companyshortly
after.ad.
journed to the supper room, where an abundant enter-
tainment bad been provided, and a few toasts were pro-
posed and honoured previous to the resumption of the
proper business of the evening. The Lord Mayor gave
"The Health of the President of the Institution," and
the president, Sir J. Duke, eloquently returned thanks,
taking occasion to notice in justly complimentary terms
the assemblage of beauty and fashion which he saw
around him. The healths of Mr. Gunton and one or two
other leading supporters of the institution were then
proposed, and having been appropriately acknowledged,
the company returned to the ball-room, where the strains
of Adams's band gave them full and pleasant employment
for the remainder of the evening. Too much praise
cannot be given to the stewards—Messrs. W. Yates,
bbas. Blowers, Wooltorton, Hazeltine, and Harvey—for
the polite solicitude they exhibited in promoting the en.
joyments of their numerous guests. Some donations
were acknowledged, amongst others five guineas each
from the Lord Mayor and Mr. Gunton, and ten guineas
from Mrs. Cuffley, a lady honourably distinguished for
her very liberal support of the various commercial chari.
ties of the metropolis.

THE COOLIE TRADE.-WHOLESALE

MASSACRE.

The atrocities of the Coolie trade from China have ex-
cited universal indignation, both among those who know
they are generally the result of ignorant or brutal ma-
nagement, and others who understand nothing about
the trade, and make no distinction between hired coolies
who are treated as slaves, and voluntary emigrants who
pay for their own passages. But all former instances
have been outdone by a wholesale massacre, of which
accounts have just been received. The horrible tale
may be briefly told.
The Waverley, an American ship of 750 tons, recently
sailed from Amoy with 442 coolies for Havana or Callao.
The captain having died shortly after her departure, the
first mate in command of the vessel brought her to Manila
for the purpose of procuring another officer to take his
place. On anchoring at Cavit4 it would appear the mate
bad alarmed the captain of the port about the sanitary
condition of the ship, which prevented free intercourse
with her ; and as, besides the captain, one of the coolies
had died, the prejudices of the Chinese were offended at
the mode in which the burial was about to be con-
ducted, or at some unexplained treatment of the dead
bodies. But the only explanation afforded to them was
the mate's lifting a revolver and shooting down one or
more of their number, the rest being driven without dif-
ficulty below and madeC secure under batches, without
any precaution, or apparently any thought about venti-
lation.

spent the day on shore ; andwas not until after The mate thereafter attended the captain
mid-
night that the agents of the ship, who may till then have
's funeral, and
it
been unaware how the matter stood, took alarm, and in-
sisted that the mate should then ascertain the state of his
human freight ; and so, at 2 o'clock next morning, 12
put on, they were re-
hours
d aft
toe rd
it,,hceo
vh
eart cthheast had2sl been
nthe coolies were lifeless
corpses. Forty-five more are missing, leaving only 146,
of whom several are not expected to survive. The mate
and crew have been imprisoned by the Spanish authori-
ties, and it is said that the United States consul declines
to take any cognisance of the matter.
Other coolie ships have recently left China under cir-
cumstances that afford ground for apprehension that they
may not complete their voyages without disaster.
In connection with this subject (which has not hitherto
been treated as slave dealing) we may mention that the
Governor of Macao has imprisoned two Portuguese sub-
jects charged with buying Chinese girls, chiefly at
Ningpo, for the purpose of exporting them to Havannab;
in taloa, with slave dealing.—China Mail, Nov. 15.

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