The Sun.
London, England, 1860-07-14 00:00:00

The Oldest of the Old World, By Sophia May

Eckley. Bentley.

The record of a lady's wanderings amid the ruins
of Thebes and Memphis, or even through the streets
of Jerusalem, and by the desolate shores of the
Dead Sea, present little positive novelty in these
adventurous and stirring times. Still, it is never
totally uninteresting to meet with a fresh and
simply-written account of a traveller's impressions
when first visiting the scenes and localities ennobled
and consecrated by history, sacred and profane, by
the memories of the great ones of old, and by the
masters of song, in whose verse their names and
deeds have been recorded. The route taken by our
authoress was one which offered the greatest at-
tractions to a cultivated and intelligent mind,
stored with the recollections of the past. Starting
from Leghorn, and passing by Naples, Pompeii,
and Sicily, the travellers paused at Malta,
visited the Cathedral and the Library of the
Knights, and the other curiosities of the island.
Thence they proceeded to Cairo, and explored the
marvels of Egypt; afterwards travelling through
the Holy Land, an account of which occupies a
good share of the volume. Constantinople, Rhodes,
and Athens formed part of their homeward journey,
and at the conclusion of six months they were once
more in Italy, having visited " the oldest of the Old
World" in that brief interval of time. The work
is written in a clear and easy style, and the strong
religious convictions of the author cause her to in-
troduce reflections drawn from the sacred writings,
which will render her work all the more attractive
to a large number of our readers. There is nothing
very new or striking in the volume, as it tells an
often-told tale, but it is especially suited for young
people, to whom it offers an agreeable mixture of
pleasant reading and historical information.

THE MADRAS IRRIGATION COMPANY.

The Cotton Supply Association have addressed
the following memorial to the Right Hon. Sir
Charles Wood, Batt., M.P., &c., her Majesty's
Secretary of State for India in Council :
" Sheweth—That the correspondence between the Secre-
tary of State for India in Council, and the Madras Irriga-
tion and Canal Company, subsequent to the presentation of
their former memorial to the Secretary of State for India in
Council, on the 16th day of April last, regarding the pro-
posal made by that company to raise, in England, sufficient
capital to construct throughout the Province of Orissa and
the adjacent territories, works of irrigation and means of
water transport, has been brought to the notice of your
memorialists, who have given to the same the most careful
consideration.

" That, looking to the extensive natural capabilities of
the territories in question, for producing a large and con-
tinuous supply of cotton to this country, if provided with
the proposed works ; and consislering, also, the important
and additional fact that such works will, when executed,
form the most convenient and advantageous outlet to the
coast for the produce of other districts notoriously adapted
to the growth of that article, your memorialists view with
considerable interest the proceedings of a company seeking,
without material aid from Government to open up to the
consumers of cotton in England a field of future supply of
so large and so promising a character ; and they respect-
fully, but firmly, submit that it is of vital importance
that the most prompt and liberal encouragement and sup-
port should be freely given by Government to such an
enterprise, not only on account of its own peculiar merits,
but because its success will inevitably be the means of
attracting to the rapid and complete development of the
resources of India, and the consequent benefit of England,
the surplus capital of the latter country ; and by thus
securing the social and material welfare of the former, create
firm and lasting feelings of loyalty on the part of the native
population, based upon their prosperity and contentment.
" That their perusal of the correspondence before ad-
verted to, has produced in the minds of your memorialists
feelings of deep regret and disappointment, inasmuch
as they cannot view the reference of the Govern-
ment of India at Calcutta, therein proposed, for the pur-
pose of transferring to that distant authority negotiations
which have already taken up4nuch time in this country,
and should be concluded here, otherwise than unnecessary
—productive, at best, of indefinite delay, and calculated to
check if not wholly prevent the future flow of British capi-
tal into India; for it is manifest that English promoters
and directors of undertakings for the improvement of that
country, will not, at their own expense and risk, enter into
an uncertain negotiation to be carried on by the unsatisfac-
tory medium of written correspondence, and to result only
as
.e terms
in an arrangement with a subordinate and distant portion
of the Government, upon which it would be unsafe to at.
tempt to raise capital in this country.
c
"That your memorialists submit that thes which
the Secretary of State for India in Council has, 'after ful
to
consideration, suggested as fit and proper form the basis
of an arrangement with the Madras
such
the that company,
and as they are willing to procur necessary funds
nor necessary that such thereon, it is neither desirable
delayed,
much
ar-
rangement should be further less than the
•
whole matter should be re-opened and rediscussed between
that company in England and the Government of Calcutta
in the mode proposed, the more especially as the only
item of such terms in respect of which it can be consi •
dered essential that local knowledge should be brought
roper settlement, to bear for its roper 1- Will even then be left for
the derision of the Legislative Council at Calcutta. And
your memorialists are informed that the fullest information,
-
regarding the views of the whole of the local authorities in
India., upon the general question of entrusting to private
companies works of irrigation, is now in possession of her
majesty's Government.
That your memorialists are firmly persuaded that it is
not only for the good of India, but also to the direct pecu-
niary interest of Government that the works now under
consideration should be forthwith carried out by private
enterprise, and that it is wholly impossible for the former
to undertake their construction without prejudice to those
other works, for the speedy execution of which they now
stand pledged, and irrespective of numerous projects of
great magnitude urgently required for the general govern-
ment and advancement of the country.
" Your memorialists therefore most respectfully pray,
"That the Right Honourable Her Majesty's Secretary of
State for India in Council will forthwith conclude with
the Madras Irrigation and Canal Company an arrange-
ment for the construction by the latter of works of irriga-
tion and water transit in the province of Orissa, and adja-
cent districts, based upon the terms which have been
mutually considered proper for that purpose without
referring the same to the Government of India at
Calcutta, and,
" That he will also afford to such company every encou-
ragement and support necessary to enable them to carry out
those important works with success.
" And your memorialists will ever pray, &c.
" Signed at a meeting of the Executive Committee held
at the offices of the Cotton Supply Association, Manches-
ter, on Tuesday, July 10, 1860. _

" JOITN difEETHAM, President,
"EDMUND ASHWORTH, Vice-President,
"G. R. HAYWOOD, Secretary."