The Sun.
London, England, 1867-06-17 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARMA HENT

HOUSE OF LORDS-THIS EVENING.

The LORD CHANCELLOR took Me seat on the woolsack a
five o'clock.

CHANCERY BUSINESS BILL

The LORD CHANCELLOR introduced a bill, and it
was road a first time, for regulating the business
in the Superior Courts in Chancery, and the business in
the Chambers of these Judges belonging to those Courts.
STANDING ORDERS RELATING TO RAILWAYS.
Lord STANLEY of Alderley'said that he trusted that
there would be some regulation introduced relative to the
standing orders regarding railways, inasmuch as they were
at present very unsat:sfactory with regard to both Houses
of Parliament.

Lord REDESDALE was understood to say that a pro-
position of the kind was likely to be carried out.
The Marquis of CLANRIOARDE thought that some-
thing with regard to the standing orders relating to rail-
ways ought to be brought in next session.
The subject then dropped.
THE SITTINGS OF THE HOUSE OF LORD 3.
The Earl of SHAFTESBURY said that he considered
that it would be advisable that their Lordships' house should
sit earlier; at four o'clock, for instance, or at least
at half-past four. He believed that a great number
of the young members would then attend who did not do
so now. He therefore gave notice that he should move on
the subject on Friday next.

THE COUNTY COURTS ACTS AMENDMENT BILL.
This bill was committed, and objections were made to
certain portions of it relating to public house scores, trials
as to property and legitimacy which might be brought
(under the regulations of the bill) before a county court,
and various other points as.to jtidgments, the investment
of money, small trust funds, &c.
Lord CAIRNS said that there was one point which he
would direct their lordships' attention to, and that was im-
prisonment for debt. It was said that such imprisonment
was virtually extinct, but it was most lively in the county
courts. In those courts they imprisoned a man
who was confessed to have no property, and to
encourage him to earn his own living and free himself
from debt he was imprisoned. In fact they imprisoned the
very man who was dependent upon his own exertions to
earn his own living and pay his debts. He trusted that at
this juncture, or at a further stage of the bill, something
would be introduced to alleviate this hardship.
The LORD CHANCELLOR said that this was a
_question which he could not, and must decline to enter
into.
Lord CAIRNS said that the very recital ofthheadjudttsg-t
ments was quite sufficient to show- what
he
,
stated. It showed that the defendant had
unro paurodpeolrotuy,
and therefore was dependant upon his l
sequently the greatest hardship was inflicted upon him.
The LORD consideredCHANCELLOR
imprisonment was abolished it would
inflict tmoreha that
hardshipif the
upon his wife and children, who would probably lose the
little furniture they possessed.
'Y BILL.
The bill theilLevnytNth,sroucgahAcßomilnittee.
This bill was read a second and third time.
CHESTER COURTS BILL.
This bill was read a third time and passed.
THE SOUTH OF IRELAND.
The Marquis' of CLANRICARDE said that, with regard
to the notice which he had given, calling attention to the
state of the Southern provinces of Ireland, and the mili-
tary drill there, he trusted that their lordships would allow
him to withdraw it.
The house then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—Tms EVENING.
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
UNIVERSITIES OF DURHAM AND LONDON.
Mr. J. GOLDSMID said he intended to move an amend-
ment to the effect that it would be inadvisable to group
the London University with that of Durham.
LEAVE OF ABSENCE.
Mr. HANBURY-TRACY asked the First Lord of the
Admiralty whether it was the intention of the Admiralty
to make any alteration in the amount of leave granted to
naval officers, so that an equivalent to the leave of one
month per annum on full pay, at proseut only enjoyed by
officers on the home station, may beg ranted to those re-
turning from foreign service ?
Mr. CORRY said some alterations had been made which
conferred certain privileges, but a circular would soon be
issued givinc, full details.
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
Mr. GOLDSMID asked the Secretary of State for the
Home Department whether it was the intention of the
Government to introduce a measure for the more effectual
discovery and punishment of persons using false weights
and measures?
Mr. HARDY said a commission of inquiry irto the state
of the standards was now sitting, and until it had reported
he could not state what was to be done.
PROMOTION IN THE ARMY.
Sir C. RUSSELL asked the Secretary of State for War
whether majors promoted for distinguished service would
be allowed brevet rank as lieutenant-colonels after eight
years' service, as in the case of lieutenant-colonels, who
under the existing warrant aro promoted to the rank of
full colonel after eight years' service.
Sir J. PAKINGTON said the question was regulated by
royal warrant, and he had no power beyond it. In 1864
there was an inquiry, and it was then decided to adhere to
the existing terms of the war, ant, but ho felt the subject
was one which might be reconsidered, and if he was ap-
plied to by the Horse Guards he should give the applica-
tion his best consideration.
THE IRISH REFORM .BILL.
Mr. STACKPOOLE asked the Chief. Secretary for Ire-
land when he proposed to introduce the Isish Reform

Bill ?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said tho
Government had considered the question of the Irish Re-
form Bill with the greatest desire to deal with it, but the
present time was extremely unpropitious, as there was in
that country a general feeling of distrust and a consider-
able sense of danger. Under these circumstances, as it
was not possible for the Government to deal with the
question of Parliamentary reform in the spirit that they
wished, therefore it was their determination to postpone
the consideration of the subject until a more favourable
opportunity.
INCREASE OF PAY IN THE ARMY.

Mr. PUG/I asked the Secretary for War from what
ime the increase in the pay of the army was intended to
,ake effect ?

Sir J. PAKINGTON replied from the commencement
of the financial year.

IiETER REGULATION OF PLACES OF
AMUSEILENT.

Lord E. BRUCE asked the Secretary of State for the
1191110 Department when the measure promised early lad

session by his predecessor in office for the better regulation
of theatres and other places of public entertainment in the
metropolis would be laid before this house.
Mr. HARDY said he was not aware that such a bill had
been prepared, as he had not seen it. He certainly was
not. prepared to introduce such a measure.
THE VOLUNTEERS.
Mr. W. E. FORSTER asked the Secretary of War
whether, in case of volunteers "acting for suppressing and
quelling riots," as contemplated by paragraphs 8 and 9of
the Instructions lately issued by the War Department,
their commanding officers had any legal power or con-
trol over them. Whether, by paragraph 7 it was
contemplated that the rifles or guns, the property of
her Majesty's Government, issued to volunteer corps,,
should be used in "quelling civil disturbances," and if
so under what regulations. And, whether article 98 of the
Volunteer Regulations of 1863, by which " Volunteer corps
are forbidden to ass...rattle ruder arms fur any purr. ,ses un-
connected with military drill, parade, or rifle prhetice, ex-
cept with the approval of the Secretaryol State," had been
abrogated.

Sir J. PAKINGTON said the volunteer officers would
have no legit powers of volunteers under too circumstances
mentioned, as they acted when so called out merely as
special constables. With respect to the reeoutt part of the
question they would act under no regulations, and with
respect to the 98th regulation it bad not been abrogated.
THE PURCHASE SYSTEM.
Mr. HAYTER asked the Secretary of State for W..ir
whether his attention had been called to the " Gaz.nto of
the 11th instant, in which a captain of the 97th Restment
stated to have retired from the service by the sole ot his
commission, the said officer having actually dieJ, accord-
ing to the obituary in the Times newspaper on
the Ist of this month ; and should such notice have
escaped the attention of the Secretary at War, if he would
take such steps to prevent in future an arrangement pre--
judicial to the interests of non-purchasing officers, and
tending to destroy confidence in the medical certificates
required from officers upon their retirement from the ser-
vice by sale of their cotnmissiolis.
Sir J. PAKINGTON said the preparations for the sale
of this commission commenced on the 24th of April,
although the Gazette did not contain the announcement
until the 11th, the officer having died on the Ist of June.
For the future it would be directed that a medical certifi-
cate should accompany the application to sell. (Hear,
hear.)

REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE-THE
BOUNDARY COMMISSIONS.

In reply to Mr. POWELL,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the
commissioners would be empowered to do every-
thing except one, and that was to diminish
the influence and proportions of those places they woull
have to consider, because such a diminution would savour
of disfranchisement. Lord Eversley had accepted the post
of the head of the Bouniery Commission, and would re-
present it in the other house. He thought it was expe-
dient that the commission should also be repre-
sented in that house, and therefore he had offered the
post to an hon. member opposite. Ho had hoped to have
been enabled to communicate the names of all
those who would compose the commission, but if the
motion of the hon. member for Wiek was carried, it would
be considered conclusive as to the merits of the scheme,
and therefore further proceeding with it would be useless.

If the proposal of the hon. member for Wick, he
repeated, received the sanction of the house, we, continued
the right hon. gentleman, should have to consider our po-
sition generally with respect to the bill altogether. (Hear,
hear, and cheers.)
The House then went into committee on the bill.
On clause 10 being proposed,
Mr. LAING moved to insert after the word "the" the
following words--cities and boroughs named in the third
schedule in the Act, viz., Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, and
Liverpool, Manchester, and Sheffield shall return three
members to Parliament instead of two, and each of the
boroughs named in the fourth schedule, viz., Birkenhead,
Merthyr Tydvil, Salford, Swansea, shall return two
members to Parliament instead of one. The honourable
gentleman then proceeded at some length to urge the
adoption of his proposal, which he contended was nothing
but what was urgently required in justice to the extensive
and important places he had named. Ho was of opinion that
the adoption of his proposal would strengthen, not destroy
the bill, and that he hoped the house would not be deterred
from assenting to his motion by the tremendous conse-
quences shadowed forth by the right hon. gentleman the
Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Mr. BAINES and Mr. BRIGHT snpported the proposal.
Mr. T. HUGHES moved an addition to Mr. Laing's
amendment to clause 10, viz., that after "members instead
of two," insert `•and in each such city or borough,
each elector shall be entitled to three several votes,
and shall be at liberty either to give all his votes
to any one candidate, or to distribute them among any
two or more candidates in such proportions as he may
think fit."
A sharp discussion ensued with respect to the proposi-
tion of Mr. Hughes, the chairman the committee, stating
that the proposal of the hon. member for Lambeth was
not an amendment but an addition to the amendment,
and therefore it could not, with due respect for order, to
moved until the first amendment had been disposed of.
LEFT SITTING. I

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.—This Day.

GRAYESESD, Monday Morning.
Arrived Juno 16.—Lady, Newborough, from St. Kitt's ;
Bride, from Trieste; Arracan, from New York; Orion,
steamer, from Hamburg; Aliwal, from Guernsey ; Edward
Percy, from Calcutta; Twende Broders, from Krageroe ;
Granton, from Algoa Bay; Devonport, from Madras;
Lashella, from St. Vincent; Adele, from Licata; Patri-
cian, from Jamaica; Schwan, from Windau; Magnoli,
from Honduras ; Courier, from Windau.
Arrived, June 17.—Ualacia, !steamer, from Lisbon
Dolphin, steamer, from Antwerp ; Octa, steamer, from
Petersburg; Cologne, steamer, from Boulogne.
Sailed.—Oonferener, for Buenos Ayres.
DEAL, Monday Morning.
Passed, June 16.—Galacia, screw steamer, from Cadiz
for London ; Citizen, screw steamer, from London for
Bordeaux ; Charles Howard, from London, for Lisbon.
Anchored.—Roseau, from St. Vincent, for Lisbon.
Passed. Merry Monarch, of Sunderland, from the
north, for the west.

LORD'S CRICKET GROUND.—The committee of
management have just erected a very handsome and com-
modious "grand stand" in a most commanding situation,
which, whilst it meets a long-required want, is at the same
time a decided ornament to the ground. The new struc-
ture has been raised according to the design of Mr. Allow,
and is remarkable for the admirable manner in which it
fulfils the purposes desired. It is composed principally of
iron, by which a lightness and elegance is
imparted to it,
colouring also giving it a very cheerful appearance. The
principal compartment of course is appropriated to the
members of M. C. C., the seats on either sides being parted
off in 12 blocks, each containing comfortable and numbered
accommodation for 30 persons. Above this is placed an-
other tier of seats, and below it a long range of refresh-
ment counters easily accessible from all parts of the build-
ing. Ono of the most important arrangements, however,
is the elegant suite of retiring rooms provided for ladies,
which doubtless will render the grounds a very attractive
place for those without whose presence all real enjoyment
is wanting. Hitherto a lady visiting "Lord's" has had to
endure all sorts of weather without the slightest protec-

tion ; but matters are changed, and the fair sex can now
witness the good and true English game of cricket without

the slightest fear of the rain destroying their piquint head-
dress which it would be an error to call a bonnet. The
committee have worked zealously for the comfort of the
ladies, and none more so than Mr. Fitgerald and Mr.
Allem, the architect.
DIFFERENT HABITS.—In letters from Paris de-
scribing the French Exhibition we find such statements as
these :—" Neatness, order, decency are everywhere; and if
there is anything else in Paris it does not make its appear-
ance in public. People come out by the hundred thousands
—all the liquor shops of Paris are open ; there is no Maine
law; the supply of liquors is unlimited, and not one person
is seen drunk." In Boston we have a Maine law, and every
day policemen aro seen carrying drunken men and, un-
happily, oven drunken women through the streets. That
is the difference between Boston and Paris. Is it owing
to the climate ?—Boston Advertiser.
MASKS AND FACES.—Mr. Ernst Schulz gave his
extraordinary entertainment at the Egyptian Hall,
Piccadilly, on Saturday afternoon, to a brilliant and ocowded
audience. As on former occasions, the performance was
divided into four parts—namely, Humorous Sketches of
the Varieties of Mankind; the Physiology of the Beard, or
Lights and Shadows of Character in Human Faces; My
Portrait Album, or a Collection of Twelve Life Likenesses;
and, fourthly, Types of Haws and Nationality. We have
already noticed in detail the merits of this which may be
said to be the best entertainment of the kind in the metro-
polis (as shown by the criticisms written upon it), and we
desire merely to draw attention to the fact that these
studies of character and physiognomy are still given every
evening except Saturday, and on Wednesday and Saturday

afternoons.
THE DUKE OF LIAMILTON'SFRIENDS.—Mr.:HOOry
Padwick, who it appears occupies the somewhat ambigu-
ous position of " Commissioner to his Grace the Duke of
Hamilton, writes to the Times to contradict a rumour to
which we incidentally referred last week. It seems that
"neither Mr Naylor nor any other poison has purchased
Hamilton House, nor has his grace sustained a loss on the
turf to render a sale of any portion of his property neees_
sary." This statement must be very reassuring to the
Duke of Hamilton's friends, and is exceedingly satisfactory
when taken in connection with another announcement in

the Tunes. In the advertising sheet of the leading journal
a firm of auctioneers direct attention to "Hamilton House,
Arlington-street, Piccadilly. The ducal freehold mansion,
magnificent in its proportions and general arrangements,
the reception rooms overlooking the Green Park and
Buckingham Palace, cont•iilliug every accommodation that
wealth can purchase or luxury desire ;" and proceed to state
that "they have been favoured with instructions from the
noble owner to sell at the New Auction Mart, Tokenhouse-
yard, Lothbury, E.C., on Tuesday, July 23, at two o'clock
precisely (unless an acceptable offer be made by private
contract.), the princely mansion known as Hamilton
House." it is stated in the same advertisement that "the
mansion can be viewed by special order fr-mn„enz:
And we
Pad-
wick, Esq., 2, Hill-street, BerkeloY-square, w
are further informed that "the purerr connten of this
may have
have the
option of purchasing the magnificentprincely mansion with tile' xec'Ptil
of certain objets ,
d'art which will be rcinovcd."—.44o 'a" "''' •
lock's to Joseph DaW5Oll'S a.r Now-
all his horses (twenty-nine
inLnouridubGerla)sfgroemw has removed

IRELAND.

Minix, June 14.

In the prosecution of the prisoners et the Lime-
rick Special Commission the Crown bas wisely put
aside the encumbering forms connected with the
charge of high treason, which could have no object
now but to enable the judge to pronounce sentence
of death which would not be executed. It is well to
avoid everything that looks unreal in these solemn
proceedings. Time is saved, and the pretext for
false sympathy with the criminals is removed,
while in the very terms of the charge justice is
tempered with mercy, and reaches its object more
directly and surely. Yesterday Mr. Coffey, coun-
sel for the priioners, endeavoured to shake the
testimony against them, and to show that it
was all tainted by the evidence of informers.
But Mr. Justice Keogh, while agreeing that great
caution should be used in dealing with such evi-
dence, showed that in this case the jury had no less
than ten witnesses deposing to Walshe's complicity,
either in connection with the Fenian conspiracy or
the attack upon Kama Hock, the greater number of
whom could not be regarded as tainted. The same
might be said of Bradley and Riordon, their offence
being aggravated by the attempt upon the life of
Mr. Bourne. They were not, however, charged with
this. It was simply introduced to support a portion
of the case against the prisoners, and if they be-
lieved that it had not been fully proved they should
let them have the benefit of the doubt, but other-
wise they should find a verdict of guilty.
The jury had no difficulty in the matter. After
retiring only five minutes they returned with a ver-
dict finding the three prisoners guilty, as you have
already been informed by telegraph. The prisoners
were sentenced respectively to 15, 10, and 7 years'
penal servitude.
Daniel Hennessy and John Sheehan were next put
on their trial for the same offence, and some evidence
for the prosecution was given, when the Court ad-
journed till this morning.
A Limerick correspondent writing in the Daily
Express protests against applying the title
" General" to the convict Burke, stating that he
never served in either of the American armies,
and that he has been confounded with Brevet
Brigadier-General Denis F. Burke, of the Irish
Brigade, Federal army, a Fenian suspect in Mount-
joy Prison in 1866, and now a resident of New
York city.

The Waterford Standard states that the wrath of
the populace broke out with such violence against
the informer Corydon that the police had great
difficulty in saving him while driving through the
streets. The cab was almost smashed with stones,
and several of the escort were struck.

The Court of proprietors of the Bank of Ireland
stock held their half-yearly meeting yesterday, and
declared a dividend at the rate of 41- per cent. per
annum, free of income-tax. For the payment of
this the governor stated that it would be necessary
to take about £4,000 from the rest fund. The re-
port was adopted, and, on the motion of Mr. King,
seconded by Mr. Thom, thanks were voted to the
gavernor and directors for their successful manage-
ment of the affairs of the bank for the last half-year.
The motion for an injunction to restrain the
Senate of the Queen's University from acting on
the supplemental charter came before the
Master of the Rolls 'yesterday. The motion was
made by Dr. Ball, Q.C., on the part of William
M'Connac and others, who have now become re-
lators in the suit that was argued twice and dis-
missed, the Attorney-General having given his
name formally for the purpose. of having the ques-
tion of law settled. Mr. Lawson, Q.C., addressed
the Court for the Senate, who were quite satis-
fied as to their legal right to confer degrees
under the disputed charter. Bat the respon-
dents felt that their position was now changpd
by the Course which the Attorney - General had
thought proper to take in giving his official
sanction to an information being filed at his suit,
in which the same persons were named as relators
who had been already declared to be destitute of
any interest in the matter. It was sought to be
established by the Attorney-General in this petition
that her Majesty's charter did not confer upon
the Senate of the University those powers upon
which they considered themselves authorised to
act, and would be still prepared to act, and feel-
ing this they did not think it fitting to enter upon
an unseemly contest with the Crown for the pur-
pose of establishing that her Majesty's Royal char-
ters did grant powers which the Attorney-General
now insists were not thereby given. They, there-
fore, did not intend to appear upon, or take any
part in, the pending motion, or in reference to the
information, or to take any further steps towards
carrying the supplemental charter into execution.
Mr. Dix said he appeared for the Attorney-General.
Having read the judgment of his lordship in the
former case, and seeing that there was a serious
question to be decided, the Attorney-General thought
it would be wrong for him to refuse his sanction to
the information. The Master of the Rolls stated
that, after this assurance of Mr. Lawson, there was
no necessity for an interim injunction, and the
matter should stand over till the question of the
validity of the charter was decided.
The Secretary of State for War has appointed
Major E. C. Manus, late Barrackmaster at the
Curragh Camp, to be Principal Barrackmaster in
Ireland, with the rank of colonel, vice the late
Colonel R. A. Daniell. Having been engaged in
the formation of the Currah Camp, and had charge
of it in a similar capacity for a period of nine years,
he won the respect and confidence of all parties, and
acquired an amount of practical experience such as
few enjoy. It is therefore gratifying to find that
his long and valuable services have obtained this
mark of appreciation and approval. Colonel
Mucus has already arrived in Dublin to enter upon
the duties of his office.

At Limerick the trial of Hennessy and Sheehan,
resumed this morning, terminated at half-past 2
o'clock, when the jury returned, after five minutes'
deliberation, with a verdict of guilty, and a recom-
mendation to mercy.

Twenty-eight of the strangers who landed near
Dungarvan on Saturd:iy week left here by this after-
noon's train for Dublin, wrier the escort, of 42

police.

RUSSIAN AMERICA.
(From the Anglo-American Times.)

The "New Monthly Magazine" has an article on
Russian America which is worth notice, though
conceived in a foolish spirit of hostiity to the Great
Republic. When Peter the Great was on his death-
bed he drew up the plan of an expedition to settle
the question of connection, or not, between Wes-
tern America and Eastern Asia. He had com-
pleted his conquest of the vast dominions of Nor-
thern Asia, and, though interrupted in his work
by death, the Empress Catherine resolved to carry
out his ideas, and intrusted the task to a Dane in
her service named Behring. This officer after many
difficulties discovered the Straits, and in 1741
sighted the Continent. He effected a landing near
Mount St. Elias, and continued along the coast
till baffled by its windings and the dangers of navi-
gating among numerous islands. Behring was ulti-
mately wrecked on an island off the coast of Kamt-
schatka, where he died miserably, though most of
the crew regained their native land.

During that century many expeditions were fitted
out, chiefly of the Hudson Bay Company, founded
in 1669. In 1770 Hearne explored the Copper
Mine River, and in 1789 Sir Alexander Mac-
kenzie navigated the river which bears his
name, from Lake Athabasca down to the
Arctic Ocean. The boundary between British and
Russian America was in 1825 defined as extending
along an arbitary line, drawn on the parallel of 141
deg. west longitude from Mount Robinson or
Demarcation Point on the Arctic Ocean to Mount
Elias on the North Pacific, whence it was made to
stretch further southwards, embracing, however,
only a narrow lateral of ten marine leagues in.
depth, with several large and small islands.
" These limits have been adhered to in the
cession made to the United States, with the addition
of a westerly extent of limit, by which the island of
SL Lawrence is included in the newly-acquired ter-
ritory. The line there passes midway between the

island of Altoo, which is the most westerly of the
Aleutian group, and the Copper Island of the Kor-
mandorski group, in the Pacific Ocean, to the
meridian of 193 deg. west longitude, which is sup-
posed to mean 167 deg. of longitude east of Green-
wich, so as to include in the territory the whole of
the Aleutian islands east of that meridian. The
island of Altoo lies in the parallel of 172 deg. east
of Greenwich. This arrangement gives to the
United States the whole of the Sea of Behring, or
Kamtschatka, as also Behring Straits, but it is not
said if it is meant also to include the half of the
North Pacific Ocean ! "
Baronoff first built a fort on the island that
bears his name, which was destroyed by the natives
in 1802 ; but two years afterwaids the Russians
expelled them, and founded near one of their vil-
lages the present town of Sitka on a spacious har-
bour. Offering good anchorage, Sitka is surrounded
by mountains, in great part covered with excellent
timber, which has given to the settlement the means
of shipbuilding on an extensive scale. There are
about one thousand inhabitants in this town, main-
tained chiefly by the trade in furs, though a large
quantity of fish is caught. Some two thousand
tons of shipping carry on this trade, which is
confined to Vancouver, California, and the Sand-
wich Islands, whence the salt is imported used in
curing the fish. Grain is procured iu California, as
the climate is too humid to grow it in these islands.
There are not on an average from 60 to 70 days in
the year free from rain. Snow is frequent during
three or four months, but does not lie long on the
ground, and it is rare for frost to continue for ten
days together.

Excepting Sitka, the Russian had no important
station on the coast. To the north the country is
of a very Alpine and sterile character, for the most
part wrapped in eternal snow. The primitive moun-
tains of granite or slate rise in some places imme-
diately from the sea, running in ranges which
reach an elevation of 10,000 feet, their flanks in
more southern latitudes clad with pines and birch,
and in some favoured spots with alder, the sum-
mits
being constantly covered with enormous masses
of ice, which often detach themselves and roll down
with a fearful noise into the valley below, which
they entirely fill up, or into the rivers and bays,
where, remaining without melting, they rise in banks
of crystal. Northwards the pine forests give place
to dwarf trees and shrubs, and these to heath,
heathworts, grasses, a few flowering plants, mosses,
and lichens, constituting vast swamps and marshes.
The animals, though fewer in number, are the
same as met with in British Columbia—the
great deer, the wapiti, the elk, and the carebon,
as also the black-tailed deer, the fallow deer of the
Pacific, besides Arctic hares and rabbits. The
beaver in some rivers, black bears and grizzly bears,
as well as Polar bears. Racoons are numerous in some
parts. Two species of marten, the yellow-breasted
or pine marten, and one of a white colour, of which
the skins are in request, and collected in numbers by
fur-traders, being worth from Gs. to Bs. each. There
are also minks and skunks. The seal and other skins
are the most sought. The land otter is of little
value, but the skin of the sea otter, undressed
and measuring six feet, is worth thirty blan-
kets, or from £l2 to £l4. This skin is of
the highest value in China, as well as that
of the silver fox. There are red and black wolves,
squirrels and marmots, swans, geese, ducks, plovers,
snipe, and some land game are met with ; and the
seas and inlets, bays and rivers south of the Arctic
circle, are literally alive with fish. Salmon are so
numerous that some of the rivers have actually been
known to become offensive from the putrid bodies
of such as have failed to make their way up the
various falls.

Constantine, on an island in Prince William's
Sound ; a factory on Cook's Inlet ; a fort on Nor-
ton Sound, with a trading fort in the interior, and
one on Colville River, with Alexdrovsk in Bristol
Bay and Sitka, constitute the permanent settlements
on the coast, and the interior of a country equalling
Greenland in severity of climate. .Esquimaux have
been met with at favourable points on the coast,
and Indians. The " Slave" and Dog-robed Indians
were found on the Mackenzie, as well as the Dc-
guthee Dinees. Indians are the hunters for the
factors. A considerable traffic is carried on in the
ivory tusks of walrates, which are exchanged fur
Russian kettles and knives. Esquimaux met with
even to the east of Point Barrow spoke of trading
with other natives, exchanging furs and ivory for
Russian articles. These Esquimaux are Mongolian,
unlike those of north-eastern America, of European
origin. Their summer residences •and hunting
grounds are on the sterile islands lying off
the coast ; their winter residences are on a short
distance inland, upon the Main. From the
abundance of seals and fish the northern coast
of America may be considered as sparsely in-
habited. The coast east of Point Barrow is de-
scribed as being one vast plain, the soil of a dark
blue clay, without a stone or elevation to break its
strange monotony. From the beach the eye ranges
over an immense green flat, variegated with moss;
grass, and flowers, and broken here and there by
fine sheets of fresh water. The landscape is
strangely novel, and totally unexpected in the near
neighbourhood of a sea of eternal ice.
Russian America produces so little that the colony
has been a failure from the beginning. It was
hoped by Russia that the settlement would give
employment to fishermen and trappers, and be a
nursery for seamen. But this result has not been
obtained, and notwithstanding all the support of
the Government to support the Russian America
for pay, which has had the monopoly of the trade
and the management of the settlement, the society
has been far from prosperous. The shares, which
were originally issued at 150 roubles, had fallen to
85 roubles, and at that price there were no buyers ;
no dividends have been paid for several years, and
the Company was considered on the eve of bank-
ruptcy.