The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-27 00:00:00

SOU'FiJWARK.

-, ROBBERY ON BOARD A FOREIGN STECIIER.—George
Wakelin, a labourer, was brought before Mr. Combe on
suspicion of stealing a small bag of cloves from a foreign
steam•vessel lying in the River Tbame4.
Charles Johnson, a Thames police officer, deposed
that this (Wednesday) morning, about 8 o'clock, he was
on duty on the river off Horselydown. He saw the pri-
soner and other men leave the Kielmansegge steamer,
which had arrived from Hamburg. He suspected them,
and on nearing the small boat witness saw the prisoner
stoop down, and place something under the stern boards
in front of him. Witness rowed up to the boat, and on
searching the bottom part of the vessel ho found a bag
of cloves. Witness subsequently made inquiry on
board the steam-vessel, and ascertained that last even-
ing there were 10 largo bags of the same description
of spice safely stowed away on board the Kielman-
segge, and that one of them had been broken open
and a large quantity of the cloves had been removed.
The prisoner bad been engaged on the vessel as a
labourer in carrying goods ashore.

Captain Horsemann said be had no doubt that the
cloves bad been extracted from the bag.
The prisoner, in answer, said he was not the man
who had stolen the spice.
The prisoner was committed to prison for one
month, with bard labour.

POSTAL AND PASSENGERS COMMUNICATION
WITH THE NORTH OP IRELAND.

We desire to draw attention to the following
Treasury minute. The subject is important, and
we shall have something to say about it hereafter :
" Copy of Treasury Minute of Aug. 15, 1856.
" My lords have under their consideration several
memorials, signed by persons interested in the commu-
nication between the north of Ireland and Scotland, and
praying that their lordships will take measures to de-
termine the ports best adapted for the establishment

of a short sea passage between the two countries,
with a view to promote the quickest postal and pas-
senger communication. One of these memoriols prays
for a public loan to the County Down Railway Com-
pany, in order to enable them to complete their line to
Donaghadee. Fully recoguising the great advantages
which would be derived by the extensive manufacturing
districts in the north of Ireland, in the west of Scotland,
and in the north of England, by establishing a communi-
cation between the two ports which should reduce the sea
passage to the shortest possible time, and in connexion
with a system of railroads on both sides, which, to a certain
extent, already exists, and the completion of which, my
lords understand, is in contemplation, by which a direct
communication will be opened between all the above
impertant districts, my lords referred the subject to
the Admiralty for their Lordships' opinion upon the
nautical question raised in the memorial. Their lordships
have now before them the reply of the Admiralty, in
which the Lords Commissioners report that the most
favourable ports for the establishment of a short sea
passage are those of Portpatrick land Donaghadee, and
they suggest that instructions should be given to them
to institute an inquiry as to the best and cheapest
manner in which these ports may be made suitable for
the purpose. These instructions my lords have al-
ready issued. Before any expense, however, is incurred,
it becomes necessary that my lords should clearly state
their views upon the subject, for the information of all
the parties who have appeared before them, either by
memorial or personal application, and others who take
an interest in it. It has been represented to my lords
that—in the event of the Government deciding upon
the best ports for the pa sage referred to, and especially
in the case of Portpatrick and Donaghadee being
adopted, and provided the Government was willing to
use it as a mail communication—iu the first place a
steamboat service, suited both for passengers and mails,
would be established by a private company, without any
aid from the government, except a fair price for carrying
the mails ; and, in the second place, that the rail., aye,
on each side of the channel, would be cernpleted, so as
to connect Donaghadee, on the one side, with Belfast
and the main line, and Portpatrick, on the o! her side,
with Glasgow to the south, arid Niith laismfries to
the east, by which all the important'''. parts in
view would be fully attained. All this, it has
been understood, will be performed by private
enterprise, if only the government, on its part,
willgelst, Determine the ports most t citable for the
service: 2. Adopt it as a mail passage. 3. Make such
improvements in,the ports as shall best fit them for the
purpose. These conditions my h rds are prepared to
adopt. They have already, upon the advice of the Ad-
miralty, decided that the best ports will he Portpatrick
and Donaghadee, and have instructed the Lords Com-
missioners to report upon the improvements and altera•
tions required, to render them suitable for the service ;
and, when a et am service shall Le established, suitable
for carrying the mails, they will he prepared to use
it for that purpose, upon fair and reasonable teress.
But, before my lords proceed aetually to incur any ex-
pense upon the ports named, for their improvement, in
pursuance of any report that might be made by the Ad-
miralty, it will be quite necessary that they should be well
satisfied that all the arrangements herein referred to,
and which would be necessary to give public utility to
the scheme, will be completed. With regard to the
memorials for aid in completing the railways by a public
loan, there is no fund disposable for such a purpose,
except that annually voted by Parliament for public
works, and administered under the Board of Commis-
sioners appointed for the purpose. It will, therefore,
be necessary for those requiring such a loan to apply to
the Public Commissioners, with whom rests the
responsibility of judging of the security to be accepted
in such cases, and who alone can determine how far the
other demands on the fund at their disposal will enable
them to entertain the request."

LETTERS FOR THE COLONY OF NATAL.

The following official notice has been issued :
Letters for Natal, when not addressed to be sent by
some vessel proceeding direct to that colony, will in
future be forwarded by way of the Cape of Good Hope,
and will be subject in this cauLtry to the same charge
as letters addressed to the Cape of Good Hope, which
charge must be paid in advance.
For their conveyance from the Cape to Natal they
will be liable to an extra charge on delivery ; but letters
forwarded from England, by direct ship, will be subject
to the ordinary charge of ship letters, and no more.
Upon these letters the ship letter rate of 3d. per half-
ounce must be paid in advance.

RETURN OF THE QUEEN AND ROYAL

FAMILY TO LONDOiV.

This morning her Majesty, Prince Albert, and the
Royal family left Osborne, isle of Wight, for London.
Her Majesty and suite arrived at Gosport about
11 o'clock, and were received at the Clarence Yard by
the whole of the authorities, the 22d Regiment terming
a guard of honour.

The officials connected with the South-Western Rail.
way, the Hon. R. H. Dutton, Mr. Beattie, Mr. Scott,
Mr. Godson, and Mr. F. J. Macaulay were also in at-
tendance.

Her Majesty and suite having taken their seats in
the. Royal carriages, the train immediately started, and
arrived at Kingston at one o'clock.
At Kingston the Queen, Prince Albert, and the Prin-
cess Royal quitted the railway, and entered the Royal
.3.rriages in attendance, when. the Royal cortege pro-
ceed to Kew, and from thence to town.

Immediately after the departure of her Majesty, Prince
Albert, and the Princess Royal, the train containing
the other members of the Royal family proceeded on•
wards to the Nine Elms station.

On the arrival of the t;;it;-t Vauxhall, the Royal
party entered their carriages, and left fur Buckirgham
Palace, arriving there before three o'clock.
The whole of the arrangements of the gentlemen con-
nected with the South-Western Railway were such as
to merit special approbation.

BILIRSET NEWS.—(This Day.)

CORN EXCHANGE.

Scarcely any English wheat was on sale in to-day's mar-
ket ; nevertheless, the demand for all kinds ruled less
active than on Monday. In the few transactions re-
ported no change took place in value.
We were well, but not to say heavily, supplied with
foreign wheat. Importers were very firm, but the amount
of business doing was very moderato, at Monday's cur-
rency.
Floating cargoes were hold at the late advance. The
arrivals are but moderate.

Barley sold to a fair extent at extreme quotations, and
malt was rather firmer.

We bad a good consumptive demand for oats at full
prices.
Bems, peas, and flour were steady, but not dearer.
ARRIVALS TB'S WISIIIL

Wheat. I Barley. I Malt.
Zrglish 710 40 1,100
Irish 1
Foreign 1 12,4-30 I 5,720

Oats. I Flew..
620
1,340 1
brls.
6,610

BOROUGH HOP.
We have scarcely any business doing in any kind of
hops, and prices aro nominal.

WHITECIIAPEL.

There was a moderate demand for inch kind of meat, as
follows :—Boof from 3s 4,1 to 4s 44 ; mutton, 3s 4d to, 4a
$d ; lamb, 4s 2d to 5s Gd. ; veal, 3s 8d to 4s 4d ; pork,
3s Gd. to 4s Gd per Blbs., by the carcase.

An excursion train left Southampton yesterday for
the Crystal Palace ; it contained 800 persons.