The Sun.
London, England, 1867-02-23 00:00:00

Miscellaneous American News.

Senator Wilson's bill to increase the pay of army
officers adds one-third to the pay of all officers b. -
low the rank of major-general, and the pay of all

field and other mounted officers shall hereafter be

the same as is now provided by law for cavalry
officers of like grade. The act to increase the pay
of soldiers, approved June 29, 18G4, is continued
in full force for three years from the 20th August,
1866. The bill has a rider authorising the sale of
the Government property at Harper's Ferry.
GAMBLING MANIA.—The Springfield Republican

has anarticle on the lottery mania which has seized
the people of New York and other cities of the Union.

The success of the Crosby Opera House scheme to
Crosby ! has and will lead to hundreds of worse

swindles. Crosby netted half a million of dollars
by the operation, and has got the Opera House
back, free of encumbrance, for $200,000, which cost
him $600,000 to build. Mr. Lee is richer by
$200,000, a few won pictures and statuary of un-
certain value, and the 200,000 individuals who
got nothing, have the satisfaction of knowing that
they enriched the others at no great personal sacri-
fice. Put it in the light of a voluntary contribu-
tion to those they know nothing of, and care
not a straw about, it is an amiable transaction.

But many angrily declare themselves swindled,

which is very green in them, for they ought to

know that the prizes are rated at double their value,
and the managers do not take up the business from

philanthropic motives. A lottery was drawn at
Washington—as it was said—for some Orphans'
Home, another at New York for the benefit of a
Union House, both conducted by ladies, assisted by

gentlemen of standing and responsibility. All
classes have been seized _ with the mania, and

good people who would refuse to play a
game of whist at their own fire-side carry
lottery tickets in their pockets. The managers
of gift enterprises, barefaced swindles, are
lending their services to benevolent societies,
and pocketing portions of the plunder. The police,
who made a raid on Heenan's private gambling
establishment one evening, assisted next day in

keeping order while the lottery for the Union
House was was being drawn. Though the Massa-
chusetts laws forbid lotteries, many of the best
citizens held chances in the Crosby scheme, and

though they do not consider themselves criminals,
they begin to suspect themselves to be fools ! This
mania is exceptional, and grows out of the un-
healthy state of trade and finance. Business now
resolves itself into gambling, and moral soundness
can only be restored by re-establishing trade and
finance in their normal condition.
The Watchman and Reflector, writing of Liberia,
says :—" Only half a century ago the primary
founders of this African nationality were gathered
in a prayer meeting at Princeton, New Jersey, to
commend its fortunes to the care of Heaven ; and,
surely the prophetic prayers of that day have been
amply fulfilled. What was then a mere conception
is now a fact of history, a living power. On the

first day of November, 1848, a treaty was signed in
London between Great Britain and Liberia, placing
both of the contracting parties in relation to each
other on the footing of the most favoured nation. On
the 25th day of November, 1854, a treaty recognis-
ing the principles of perfect equality was ratified by
the Emperor Napoleon. For more than a quarter of
a century the slave power ruling at Washington
had solemnly sworn that this new nationality
should never be recognised by our Government ;
but just as soon as that slave-power was crushed,
this Black Republic was recognised by a treaty with
the United States of America, signed October 21,
1862 (the ratifications were exchanged in London,
February 10,1863) taking the most perfect equality
and reciprocity as the basis of this agreement,' and
guaranteeing to the citizens of Liberia, in the
United States, full protection for their persons and
property, with the enjoyment of ' all other rights
and privileges which are or may be granted to any
other foreigners, subjects, or citizens of the most
favoured nation.'"
THE MUTILATED SHERIDAN DESPATCIIES.—The
New Orleans investigating committee has been try-
ing to find out who furnished the garbled despatches
of General Sheridan to the press. They cannot
trace them home, but the dishonourable work was
done at the White House, though the President
seems to be cleared by the readiness with which
he furnished the entire correspondence to the press
on being informed of the mutilation committed.
It appears that the mutilated despatch of
Sheridan was printed at New Orleans the
same day as in New York, and on his writing
indignantly to General Grant on the subject
the latter sent copies of all the correspondence in
full to Secretary Stanton, asking to have them pub-
lished, and saying:—" Already a garbled version
of one of these despatches, and an incomplete copy
of another, have appeared in the public prints.
These publications put General Sheridan in the
position of taking a partisan view of the whole
question ; and, what is still worse, of being
one day on one side of the question and another
day on the other side. His despatches in full show
that he takes no partisan view, but reports what he
believes to be the facts, without regard to who is
hit. lam just in receipt of a telegram from him
showing displeasure at his despatches getting into
print in a mutilated and incomplete form."
LITTLE SCENE IN TIIE HOUSE.—When Mr.
Stevens introduced his Military Government Bill,
Mr. Le Blond, of Ohio, Democrat, asked whether it
was right or proper to put such an important bill
on its passage without even half an hour's debate
upon it—a bill establishing military jurisdiction
over all the Southern States ? Mr. Stevens re-
marked that he would allow the gentleman (Mr. Le
Blond) half an hour for debate. Mr. Le Blond said
he did not ask it for himself, but if he had the power
he would demand it as a right on behalf of the
American people. Mr. Stevens suggested that he
would hold the matter in consideration till to-mor-
row, and if he then thought the American people
wished a prolongation of the debate he would accede
to that ; in the meantime the House might as well
adjourn. Mr. Le Blond declared for the American
people that they wanted to be governed by the
constitution and the laws, and not by a military

despotism.
ADDITIONAL MAILS TO THE UNITED STATES.—The
United States' Government have just concluded a
contrast with the North German Lloyd's for a
separate mail, to be carried exclusively by the
steamers of that company. At present only two
mails per week are despatched between the two
countries—viz., one by the Cunard line (Saturdays
from Liverpool, and Wednesdays from New
York), on the part of the English Post-
office ; and one on the part of the Washington
Department (Saturdays from New York, and
Wednesdays from Southampton, Liverpool, or Fal-
mouth), who for this purpose avail themselves alter-
nately of the vessels of the North German Lloyd,
the Ilamburg-American Company, the Inman Com-
pany, and the Arago and Fulton line. By the new
contract the North German Lloyd steamers are to
sail from Southampton on Tuesdays instead of Wed-
nesdays, and from New York on Thursday instead
of Saturdays, and mails will be despatched by them
every week on those days throughout the year.
There will thus be three mails per week despatched
in future between the two countries, and the addi-
tional mail day is likely to prove of great benefit to
the merchants interested in American commerce,
particularly so as the steamers of the North German
Lloyd have shown themselves to be some of the
faded in the trade. The fleet consists of eight full-

powered screw steamers built on the Clyde, viz., the
New York, Bremen, Hansa, America, Hermann,
Deutschland, Union, and Weser. The new con-
tract will come into force at the end of next month.
THE PROFITS OF SILVER MINING.—The San
Francisco Mining and Scientific Press of December
22 gives a return of several Nevada silver mining
companies with a list of monthly dividends declared
for November, from which we gather that six of the
companies, working a total of 5,000 feet, paid in
dividends $330,000 for the month, or at the rate of
$3,960,000 per annum. The returns show that
these mines were paying an average of 51 per cent.
per month, or 66 per cent. per annum upon the
market price of the shares, while three of them--
I the Yellow Jacket, the Savage, and the Imperial—
the only ones of which we know the capital em-
ployed, paid at the rate of 30, 76, and 65 per cent.
respectively, for the month, or 360, 912, and 780
per cent. per annum upon the subscribed capital.

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AFTER Covent-garden Theatre—EVANS' to
SUP.
After Drury-lane Theatre EVANS' to SUP.
After Lyceum Theatre FVANS' to SUP,
Alter Adelphi Theatre EVANS' to SUP.
After Olympic theatre . EVANS' to SUP.
Al ter strand Theatre EVANn' to SUP.' After New Roya'ty Theatre EV ANS' to SUP.
After St. James's Theatre FVANS' to SUP.
After Prince of IVales' Theatre EVANS' to SUP.
London Singing and Supper Club, E VANS', Covent-garden,
Vocal Entertainment at Eight.