The Sun.
London, England, 1858-05-01 00:00:00

Y E VE N I N G,

^".- -w

A very crowded meeting of this society was held
on Monday evening at Burlington-house, Sir Rode-
rick I. Murchison, president, in the-chair. - Among
those present were Prince Nicolas of Nassau, the
Earls of Ducie and Sheffield, Generals Jechmus,
Pertlock, and Monteith, Admiral Scott, the Dean
of Westminster, and numerous literary and
scientific persons. After the election of a number of
candidates the paper read was, "On the importance
of opening the navigation of Yang-tse-kearig, and
the changes that have lately taken place in the bed
of the Yellow River, &c. By W. Lockhart, Esq ,
F.R.G.S." The Yang-tse-keaug, called by the
Jhinese " the girdle of China," traverses a rich
and fertile country through the whole of the centre
of the empire, and is the main channel of commu-
nication between numerous important cities and
districts, having on its banks a population
of nearly one hundred millions of inhabi-
tants. It enters China on the borders of Sze-
chuen, passes through the north-west part of this
province, and then into that of Yun-nan. On leav-
ing the province to the north-east, and receiving a
large stream, the river takes a south-easterly course,
is joined by fresh streams, and after a junction
with another river loses its name and takes that of
Ta-Keang, or " Great River." after tracing its
course and mentioning its numerous affluents to
Han-Khou, at the confluence of the river, which is
the greatest depot of commerce in the interior, and
where, among other merchandise, a brisk trade in
Manchester and Leeds goods is carried on, the
author remarkedon the great importance of securing
access to this spot. Nankin, the capital of the
united provinces, and formerly the capital of the
empire, is situated 200 miles from the sea.
It was here that our fleet anchored in 1842,
when the last treaty was made. The Wu-
sung river, on which the important city
of Shanghai is placed, falls into the Yang-tse-keang
at the town of that name, and a vast foreign trade
has sprung up here diving the last 15 years. The
foreign set, lenient is on the north side of the large
native city of Shanghai, which is a place of extensive
native trade. The author here insisted upon the
importance of throwing open this great river to fo-
reign enterprise. The paper then described the
important changes that have lately taken place in
the Yellow River, which rises in Thibet, 35 deg.
north latitude, 34 deg. east loneitude, passes
through many impor ant cities, and is tortuous in
its course, but almost unnavigable. In Chinese
history it is shown that the present is not the an-
cient site of the mouth of the Yellow River, its
former outlet being in the neighbourhood of
Teen-Tein. The bed of the river at its mouth is
so much above the sea level as to prevent the
ingress of the tidal wave. In consequence of
the constant increase to the bsd of the river, owing
to the perpetual transport of earthy matter from
the west to the lower regions, the emptying of its
waters has ever been a source of difficulty and in-
quietude to the Imperial Government, which, at an
enormous annual outlay, maintained an extensive
staff for the purpose of keeping the work on the
banks in repair. Financial embarrassments since
the outbreak of the present rebellion necessitated a
diminution in the staff employed, which has resulted
in the stream breaking through its borders, directing
its course into other channels and causing great de-
vastation. The author next noticed the course of the
Tai-ping rebellion through the centre ofChina. This
commenced in 1849 in the province of Kwang-Se,
and the rebels, having increased in numbers and in
strength, after taking, various cities, unsuccessfully
attacketlK wei-lin. They theme o3si eded to the north
and entered the province of Honan, and, atter at-
tacking different cities on their route with varied
success, they besieged and took,Wie-c hang, and
wholly destroyed the family of Commissioner Ych,
wile, in consequence, ordered the execution of all
rebels taken during the e eitest. After month ning
their last long and sanguinary struggle with the
Imperialists net'. Pekin, in which they lost some
35,000 men, and their return to Nankin, the author
observed that the Imperialists appear to be hem-
ming them in, and douhts whether they will con-
tinue long to hold that Oleo. At the conclusion
of the paper a very spirited discussion ensued, in
which the chairman, Capt. Collinson, Mr. Craw-
furd, C naul Alcock, Capt. Vansittart, the Rev.
Mr. Mylne, Mr. Pliny Miles, Mr. Williams, Dr.
Truman, and the author took part, when, owing to
the lateness of the hour, the reading of the second
paper, by Mr. Wilson, on North-West Australia,
was deferred till the 10th of May, and the meeting
separa'ed.

THIT ROYAL INSTITIITION.-Yesterday evening an
intere ting lecture was delivered at the Royal Institu-
tion before a crowded au 'fence, by Professor Ra'usay,
upon the " Development of the Geological Features cf
the Province of Canada." The lecture was of an un-
usually interesting nature, and dnri,g its course Mr.
Ramsay gave a very lucid description of the gradually
receding of the Falls of Niagara, by the w(z'arinz away
of the rocks from the ac`ion of the water, The din.
c ,urse was listened to with great attenli,,n, and the lec-
turPr was warmly applauded at its conclu-ion.

THE SACRED HARMONIC SOCIETY.—The committee of
the Sacred Harmonic Society have entered into an ar-
rangement for a great vocal performance by the London
members of the Great Handel Festival Choir, in con-
junction with some of the irnembers of the provincial
choral bodies, to take place at the Crystal Palace o 3
some afternoon early in Juiy next. It is intended to
augment the number of voices in the London division of
the choir. Tios oratorio will probably be "lerael in
Egypt."
VACANCIES, APPOINTMENTS, AND PROMOTIONS IN
Tint CIVIL SERVICE.—General Po4-effice: Mr. Rowland
B. Evans, General Post-office, Dublin, has been pre-
!noted from the first claim in the Accountant's office to
be one of the deputy-controllers in the sorting-office, vice
Mr. W. C. Thompson, appointed controller. The Dock-
yards : Mr. John W. Clarke bee been appointed tem-
porary clerk in Sheerness dockyard ; Mr. Ernest B.
Curtltr has been appointed a third class clerk in the
storekeeper's department. Customs: There will shortly
be vacancies for clerkships in the Examiner's, Comp-
troller-General's, and Long-room offices, owing to the ex-
tension or re-arrangement of (hese departments ; Mr. C.
Browne, principal coast officer at Solve, has been appointed
principal coast officer at Milford. Inland Revenue
Department.—Excise Branch : Mr. George Simpson,
supervisor, Limerick, has been promoted to the rank of
surveying general examiner ; Mr. T. Reidy, supervisor,
Colchest, r, has been appointed to Limerick district ;
Mr. J. R. Davis, examiner, has been promoted to be
supervisor of Colchester district ; Mr. J. K. Hart, ex-
aminer, has been promoted to be supervisor of Tralee
district ; Mr. Alex. Miller, supervisor of Caltpbclton
fifth district, has retired, after a servitude of twenty-two
years. East Indies : Mr. W. Grey has been appointed
to officiete as director-general of the Poet-office of India
during the absence of Mr. Riddell ; Dr. J. P. Walker,
of the Bengal medical establishment, has been appointed
superintendent of the settlement at Port Blair, in the
lendaman Islands, with full judicial and executive autho-
rity throughout the islands ; Mr. A. Littledale has been
:ppointed civil and sessions judge of Shahabad.—Ciett
Slrrife Gaze e.
An entirely different feeling from that which has been
fo- some time exhibited appears to have suddenly come
ep)n all connected with the Mining Market, which has,
within the past few days, shown evident signs of
activity ; and as there is an abundance of money, and
the rate of discount is extremely 1)w, there is every
prospect of the improvement continuing. The recent
fall in the price of copper has placed the copper market
in afar more satisfactory position, and the shares in
copper mines have, consequently, been more readily
saleable, although in most instances lower prices have
been accepted. Copper has now, doubtless, reached its
lowest point, and this opinion has probably caused many
capatalists to come in, and by so doing they can
scarcely fail to realise large profits for their invest-
ment. The price of shares in tin mines has not
been so much affected, but this is easily accounted
f, r. There has been no variation in the quota-
tion for tin, and looking at the supply and
demand, it seems certain that the only change
which is at all probable to take place would be in fa-
vour of the producer. of trey projected companies which
have long ramam el in abeyance, owing to the apathetic
state cf the market, are now being brought forward, aid
one or two of the foremost having experienced little
difficulty in obtaining the required capital. Several pro-
toectusee have already been issued, and it is gratifying
t. find that there is an evident desire to appoint direc-
to's practically connected with commerce, in preference
t ,•4entlernen with aristocratic names, and little else to
rec4rimend them, and that from the encouragement
whit the new Joint-Stock Acts glee for •ocuring pri-
vileells to all c impanies, which were previously granted
only n exceptional cases to those who were fortunate
enougi to obtain a ro)al charter of the most f orourable
description, capitalists embark with considerably more
confidence then they have ever been enabled to. As re-
gards the mines themselves, there has been but little
change werthv of remark.—Mining Journal.
RELICS iF RACHEL.—At the sale of the effects of the

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS.—(YESTERDAT.)
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at five o'clock.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.
On the motion of Lord REDESDALE, the followinz
bile were read a •econd time:—The ‘Vesttninster Pitlac'e
Hotel Company, and Darlev'e Estate.
INDIA.
In reply to the EArl GRANVILLE,

-
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGII said the papers
referred to were six in number, and there wai not
the least objection to their production. The Govern-
ment had determined to send out commissioners—one
from the Trea.ury, one from the Board of Trade, and
one from the Customs—who were to repair be the seve-
ral Presidencies, and each was to be accom-
panied by a secretary, who should be a clerk
of the Indian Revenue Department. The object
of the comrni,sioners wou'd be to look into the whole
system of accounts and revenue in India, and then to
make a report to Government at home, which would
then take what steps they thought fit. There was no
intention whatever of interfering with the powers of the
Governor• General, but by the aid of the commissioners
it was sought to obtain information which could not
otherwise be ob'aioed. The noble earl could have no
concedtion of the infantile state of the natives of India
with respect to keeping accounts.