The Sun.
London, England, 1860-06-19 00:00:00

THE BOMBAY MAILS.

The Vectis, with the above mails, arrived at
Marseilles at 4 p.m. The mail was to leave for
London at 5 p m.

MALTA, JUNE 15.
HOMEWARD BOMBAY MAIL.

The Columbian arrived at Sues on the 9th.

The Massilia arrived at Malta at 6 p.m. on the
13th, and left at midnight for Southampton, where
she will probably arrive on the 22d.

OUTWARD CALCUTTA AND CHINA MAILS.

The Ceylon, from Southampton on the 4th, ar-
rived at Malta at 6 a.m. on the 13th, and left at 9

p.m.

The Valetta, from Marseilles on the 13th, arrived
at 9 p.m. on the 15th, and left at midnight for
Alexandria. Simla at Galle on the 21st May (20th
April from Southampton) ; Northam at Bombay on
24th May (27th April from Southampton) ; Otta-
wa left Galle for the Colonies on 19th May (12)
18th April Mail from England.

THE INSURRECTION IN SICILY.

Advices from Palermo, of the 10th, state -.

" A decree of Garibaldi fixes the 18th of June
for the levy of men furnished by the conscription,
and the 20th of June for the departure of the con-
scripts for Palermo and Catania. Another decree
orders the collecting of horses and military stores.
These decrees are caused by the necessity of ener-
getically pushing on the war in favour of Italian
unity. Some cannon have been cast. Thousands
of pikes have been distributed among the inhabi-
tants. The Council of defence of the town has
ordered the barricades to be carefully kept up.
" The Archbishop of Palermo has paid a personal
visit to Garibaldi."

SWITZERLAND.
A public subscription has been opened at Berne
to send arms to Garibaldi.

THIS DAY'S MARKETS.

HAY MARI.T&TS.

SMITHFIELD.—Meadow hay, £3 Os to £4lss Od ; clover,
£4 Os to £5 18s Od ; and straw, £1 7s to £1 14s per load.
Supply short; trade firm.
CUMBERLAND.—Meadow hay, £3 Os to £5 Os; clover,
£4 Os to f 5 18s Od ; and straw, 7s to Al 14s per !gad.
A steady demand for both hay and straw, at our quotations.
WHITECHAPEL.—Meadow hay, £3 Os to £4 153 Od ; clove►
£4 Os to £5 15s Od ; and straw, £lss to £1 lls per load.
Trade steady; supply very moderate.

COLONIAL.
TEA.—The market has continued very dull, and prices
are unaltered.
SUGAR.—For the medium and lower descriptions there
has been an active demand, and prices have shown an
upward movement. In the refined market there has been
a steady inquiry at full rates.
COPPEE.—The dealings have not been extensive, former
prices however are current for all descriptions.
ItlCE.—The marker has continued very quiet, and prices
generally have remained without material alteration.
SALTPETRE.—Thera has been more disposition to sell on
the part of holders, and a fair amount of business has been
transacted, but at slightly reduced rates.
TALLOW.—lncreased activity has been apparent, and
prices have shown a decided upward movement. P.Y.C.
on the spot is quoted 52s 3d to 52s Gd, and last three months
52s 6d per cwt.

We learn that the first contract for the execution
of a Fotion cf the new bronze coinage has just been taken
by James Watt and Company, of Soho, near Birmingham,
and that the quantity contracted for amounts to between
1,700 and 1,800 tons, or something like 250 or 300 millions
Of pence, halfpence, and farthings,--Mechanics' iltagazfne,

LITERATURE,

Six Months in _Reunion. By the Rev. P. Beaton,
M.A. 2 vols. Hurst aiad Blackett.

A lengthened visit to one of the islands of the
Indian Ocean, possesses some claims to originality
even in these days of travel and adventure. Re-
union, better known by its former name of Bour-
bon, is a French colony in close proximity to the
Mauritius. Its appellation was changed at the
eventful epoch of 1848, and a less courtly cognomen
substituted for the old monarchical name. The
reverend author having a six months' holiday, em-
ployed it in visiting this island, after a brief so-
journ at the neighbouring Isle of. France. He
gives us many curious details of the manners and
customs of the mixed races who inhabit it, and his
stj le is fresh and unaffected. Although there is a
good deal of interesting matter concerning the
Huguenots and the various creeds of the island,
there is nothing like sermonising in the book. It
opens with an amusing account of his voyage out.
The horrors of a lengthened passage are patheti-
cally bewailed. Fortunately, the skipper had an
inexhaustible store of " yarns," and would enliven
his disconsolate passengers in the evenings with
passages drawn from his own varied experience in
many parts of the world. He had a personal
grievance, which was somewhat curious. After 40
years of a seafaring life, he was obliged, according
to recent regulations, to pass an examination as
master before getting command of his ship on his
last voyage. He declared that he felt himself de-
graded, and could not get over the indignity. Not-
withstanding all the skipper's tales, however, the
montony of a lengthened calm was found weari-
some. Here is our author's humorous description
of his sensations :

" Tossing for weeks at sea in a calm is like tossing for
weeks en a sick-bed. In the morning you long for the
evening, and in the evening you say, would it were morn-
ing. Yesterday, to-day, and to •morrow are as like one
another as the three furies. There is the same regular
routine of sleeping, waking, eating, drinking, and sleeping
again, and the same broad, blue, meaningless ocean to gaze
upon. The head of a living lion may excite interest and
terror, but you have no such feeling on looking at his head
when lifeless. You feel that " better is a living ass than a
dead lion." And so when the ocean is full of life and
emotion, you gaze upon it with the same feeling as Byron
when he penned his celebrated address; but when it bears
for weeks the same dead, motionless, meaningless expres-
sion, the dullest landscape on shore would be far more
attractive. "A life on the ocean wave" sounds amazingly
well in song, but when the roaring deep is turned into the
dull monotony of a three weeks' calm, there are certain
verses of the Ancient Mariner about slimy creeping things
that will present themselves to the mind, though suggestive
of anything but pleasing associations. There are anxious
inquiries made about the supply of provisions and water.
You have horrible dreams at night about—
" Water, water everywhere,
And not a drop to drink ;"
and during the day you look at the fat cook with a half
cannibal sort of feeling, and a mental calculation of how
long he would serve for stores. So hazy and indistinct and
dreamlike does life become, that you fcel disposed, with
Berkeley, to deny the existence of matter. You begin to
suspect that the ship must be the " Flying Dutchman,"
the sailors phantoms, and your venerable friend the skipper
a spectre. At times you feel tempted at table, like the
fat boy in Pickwick, to run a fork into the tender calf of
his leg, so as to find out whether he is substance or shadow.
Having doubts, however, whether he might approve of this
experimentunt incorpore vili, you resist this inclination or
defer yielding to it till some future occasion."
A fresh breeze fortunately soon enlivened their
prospects, and they were further cheered by the
excitement of shark fishing. After a short visit
to the Mauritius the travellers proceeded to the
place of th9ir destination. Among the most in-
teresting passages in the book is the adventures
and misfortunes of a little band of Huguenots. A
gentleman named Francis Legual was one among
the many Frenchmen whom the Revocation of the
Edict of Nantes drove from their country. He
took refuge in Holland, where after some time he
learned that the Marquis du Quesne was about to
form a settlement in the island of Bourbon, which
the French were said to have abandoned. It was
proposed to place the new colony under the pro-
tection of the States General and East India Com-
pany. Many of the French refugees, headed by
Legnat, joined in the project and set sail in a small
frigate. But when they reached their destination,
instead of landing them on the beautiful and fertile
land they came to seek, the captain took them on
to the island of Rodriquez, about 300 miles distant
from Mauritius, and there abandoned his hapless
passengers to their lonely abode. After lingering
two years in this solitude the poor exiles resolved
to endeavour to escape. From the fragments of
wrecks which strewed the coasts they constructed
a frail bark, and after many risks and dangers and
some loss of life, they reached Mauritius, the
nearest land inhabited by Europeans. But
their troubles were not over. An unfortunate
dispute about a piece of amber excited the cupidity
.and cruelty of the governor, who condemned them,
chained, to be transported to a rocky island only
600 feet in length, where they were left to drag
out a miserable existence under the burning sun.
After many months, some of them contrived to
escape to the mainland, and appealed to the crew of
a Dutch vessel, who, returning to Holland, gave an
account of their unjust sufferings, which resulted
in an imperative command for their release, after
three years of persecution and captivity. The rock
on which they were imprisoned at Mauritius still
bears the name of Amber Island. A great propor-
tion of the second volume is occupied by a discus-
sion of the vexed question of Coolie emigration.
The writer, like other travellers, looks with consi-
derable suspicion upon the system. One curious
fact he discovered in his intercourse with them—
namely, that the Coolies in Mauritius never assert
that they have not left India of their own free will,
while the Coolies at Bourbon invariably affirm that
they have been trepanned in some way. He cannot
vouch for the truth of their statements, but attri-
butes some of the difference of feeling to the fact
that the Mauritius Coolie receives nearly double
the wages of the Coolie in the neighbouring island.
As matters now stand, a planter may buy a Coolie
at the auction-mart for a certain sum, may retain
him till there is a rise in the price, and then dispose
of him for five years at the market value. By this
means he has the benefit of his labour for a time,
and gains a profit as well. It is true that this
transaction must have the nominal consent of the
Coolie, but under the circumstances he would find
opposition difficult. Many similar devices contra-
dict the apparent plausibility of the five years
system. The happy idea of civilising Africa by
importing negroes and instructing them in the
arts of civilised life for the benefit
of the importers, is shown in its true
colours. The rapid development of the
sugar-growing resources of Bourbon is greatly due
to the aid of the coolie labourers. Great improve-
ments have been made in the manufacture, and
new machinery has been introduced. From 1815
to 1819 the average annual production of raw sugar
did not amount to more than 696,623 kilogrommes,
there being 1,000 kilogrammes to a ton. From
1820 to 1829 it rose to 6,901,026 kilogrammes,
nearly ten times the former amount. The scale
went on increasing rapidly especially after the im-
provements' in the machinery until from 1851 to
1853 the annual production was 31,647,961 kilo-
grammes, and at present it exceeds 55 millions.
The planter has, however, to contend against many
dangers, foremost amongst them being the destruc-
tion occasioned by hurricanes and by by fire. The
latter casualty, often the result of incendiarism, is
carefully watched against. But the worst foe of
the sugar cans is the rat ; " a more dangerous
enemy," says Mr. Beaton, " than hurricane or
flames. It has chased the Dutch from Mauritius,
and has stood its ground in these islands against
in these i.
"
phosphorus, arsenic, and all the other destructive
d
mwpiliolybeedfou againstn
A agenciesl
an y other w : the r haveesti interesting gbdai leeetnes
pleasant volumes which will furnish agreeable en-
tertainment to a large class of readers.

THE LATE BARON DE HOCHEFIED LARPENT.--.
This estimable gentleman, who died on the Bth instant, at
Holmwood House, near Dorking, Surrey, at the age of 77,
waa the elder brother of the late Sir George Gerard Lar-
pent, Bart., sometime M.P. for Nottingham, being the son
of John Larpent, Esq., secretary to the Duke of Bedford
in France, and to the Marquis of Hertford in Ireland, a
gentleman subsequently employed in a variety of official
situation. The deceased, John James Larpent, was born in
1783,
and had the foreign barony of De Hochepied con-
firmed to him by royal licence in 1819. He married Georgi-
arta, daughter of Frederick Reeves, Esq., of East Sheen,
siirrey, by whom he had a family of five sons and three
daughters. He is succeeded in his title and estates by his
eldest son, Arthur John Larpent, Esq.—Court News.
DEFECTS IN THE NEW REFRESHMENT AND WINE
LICENCES ACT.—Two material defects in this act have been
discovered, and an act will be required to amend them. The
houses are not to be opened before b or after 12 in the sec-
tion, but i the licence in the schedule of the act " four"
has been placed for " five." In the 27th section, where the
hours are mentioned, the borough of " Finsbury" has been
omitted from the other metropolitan boroughs and cities.
The new duties are payable from the Ist July, and a short
act will probably be forthwith introduced.
_EAST INDIA (ARMY).-A return just issued gives
the strength, regimentally, in officers, men, and horses, of
the regular local army, of the several arms in India, Euro-
pean and native, at the different presidencies from the latest
r Aurns. It appears from this document that in Bengal
t iere were in the artillery 312 officers and of men 2,036 Eu-
rupeans and 2,309 natives; of cavalry there wore 459
officers, and of man 1,261 Europeans and 22,522 natives; of
infantry the officers numbered 1,147, and the men 2,775
Europeans and 68,828 natives. In Madras the officers of
artillery were 199, and the men 1,878 Europeans and 2,174
natives ; in the cavalry there were 178 officers, and of men
not any mention is made of Europeans, but the natives are
set down at 2,988; the infantry had 1,522 officers and of
men 2,342 Europeans and 61,878 natives. The artillery of
Bombay had 152 officers and of men 1,426 Europeans and
1,883 natives ; the cavalry numbered 72 officers, and of men
no number of Europeans is given, but 7,672 natives are se;
down ; in infantry the total number of officers was 939, and
of men, Europeans 2,166 and natives 37,215. Giving a total
of officers in the presidencies of 4,980, and of men 18,584
Europeans told 210,469 native,

MONEY MARKET AND CITY NEWS.

CITY, Two o'CLocx.

More activity has prevailed in the Foreign and
Colonial Produce Markets during the last few days.
Sugars have been at slightly improved prices, while
tea, coffee, and cocoa have been fairly dealt in at
late quotations. In rice the transactions have been
limited, and prices have undergone no material
variation. The dealings in saltpetre have been to
a fair extent, and prices have given way. In tal-
low a steady business has been transacted for both
present and forward delivery, and, owing to the
limited stock on hand, quotations have undergone
an advance.

Rather more activity prevailed in the Liverpool
Cotton Market yesterday, and prices were tolerably
well supported. The sales were estimated at 8,000
bales.

The demand for money is well supported, but
bills can be negotiated on previous rates.
There were no bullion operations at the Bank of
England yesterday. The bar silver by the last
West India steamer has been sold at ss. lid. per oz.
standard.

The steamer Ripon, which leaves to-morrow for
India and China, will take out £10,216 in gold and
£375,404 in silver, making a total of £385,620, of
which the Government remit £98,562 to Hong
Kong.
The New South Wales Government have given
notice that debentures, amounting to £185,060, will
fall due within the current year, and will be pay-
able at the Oriental Bank Corporation ; after which
no further interest will accrue on the said deben-
tures. _

Notice has been given that the interest on
Spanish 3 per Cent. Consolidated, ditto Deferred
Bonds, and New South Wales Government Deben-
tures will be paid on and after the Ist proximo.

There has not been much animation to-day in
the market for public securities, and the variation
in prices has also been limited. Towards the close
of business yesterday afternoon the funds tended
upwards, and the improvement has been tolerably
well maintained, Consols being 931 s ex. dividend.
The New 3 per Cents. and the Reduced Annuities
are steady at 981 1. Long Annuities have receded
to 161, India 5 per Cont. Enfaced Paper is heavy
at 974' ditto 51 per Cent. ditto remained at 102,
and the Debentures are 961. Exchequer Bills 3s.
to 5s prem.
A moderate amount of business is recorded in
Foreign Securities, and prices are steady. Turkish
per Cents. are 771 to 771 ; ditto New, 601 to 60:1;
Brazilian 4f per Cents. (1860) remain at 88; Rus-
sian 41 per Cents., at 97 ; ditto 3 per Cents., at 64-i ;
Portuguese are 451 ; Spanish Deferred, 39.
The Ocean Marine Insurance shares are 11 I pm. ;
the Thames and Mersey ditto, a 1 prem.; and the
Universal, par / prem.
A firmer tone has been apparent in the Railway
Share Market, and several of the principal British
lines are at slightly advanced quotations. Caledo-
nians, Lancashire and Yorkshire, North-Western,
and Scottish North-Eastern improved ss. ; Midland,
North-Eastern (York), and South-Eastern, 10s. ;
and North British, 15s. London and Brighton de-
clined ss. . _ _

The Foreign Market continued very dull, no
business of any importance having been transacted.
In the Colonial Market, East Indian declined ss. ;
Grand Trunk of Canada and Great Western of
Canada ss.

Joint-Stock Bank and Miscellaneous Shares
have experienced no material alteration in value.
Union of London have receded about ss. ; Austra-
lian Agricultural, ss. Great Ship Company are
steady at I ; and Royal Mail Steauk realise 61.

BRITISH FUNDS—CLOSING PRICES.
Bank Stock
3 per Cent. Reduced Annuities 93i i i
New 3 per Cent. Annuities
Annuities, 30 yrs, expire sth Jan., 1880 —
Ditto for 30 yrs, expire sth April, 1885 l6l
India Stock
Ditto Enfaced Paper, 5 per Cent —
Ditto 3 per Cent.
Ditto 5± per Cent.
Ditto Debentures, 1858 —
Ditto, 1859
Ditto Bonds £l,OOO
Consols for Account, 10th July .. 931 14
India Stock, 5 per cent.
Ditto Account
Exchequer Bills, £l,OOO, lid
D tto £5OO 7 d
Ditto Small
FOREIGN FUNDS—CLOSING PRICES.
Brasilian 5 per Cent
Ditto 41 per Cent. 1860 BB
Grenada New Active, 3± per Cent.
Ditto Deferred 4l
Portuguese 3 per Cent., 1853
Ditto Account
Russian 5 per Cent. 1822, £ St ..
Ditto 41 per Cent 97
Ditto 3 per Cent., 1859
Spanish 3 per Cent...
Ditto Account
Ditto New Deferred
Ditto Account
Ditto Passive
Turkish 6 per Cent
Ditto Account
Ditto New Loan
Ditto Account
Dividends on the above payable in London.
THREE O'CLOCK.
Consols for Account, ex div 931 a