The Sun.
London, England, 1858-09-28 00:00:00

readily enough explained. It arises simply from
our recollection that happily at this moment
there is installed at the Colonial-office, as
Minister of the Crown intrusted with the
care of our colonial empire, a Statesman
who is not the least bit in the world a red-tapist.
One who is exquisitely sensitive )f the national
honour. A man capable of taking a comprehensive
view of a difficult and complicated -subject—and
capable, moreover, of acting boldly and unhesitat-
ingly upon the dictates of his own conviction. An
administrator who can originate and organise—
swiftly, resolutely, unhesitatingly. Otherwise to ex-
press the reason for this new hope of ours in regard
to the happy future of Sarawak—we cannot for
one, instant believe that the Creator of British
Columbia will " willingly let die" the patriotic and
imperial project sustained so long, against such
fearful odds, by the genius and the valour—(for
lesser phrases than these would be here in every
way inapplicable)—of this last but not least of our
British Worthies, the creator of Sarawak as a
British Settlement.

Sir EDWARD LYTTON has obviously had more
pressing responsibilitis urgently demanding his
attention throughout the brief interval which has
yet elapsed since his first acceptance of
office as Her MAJESTY'S Principal Secretary
of State for the Colonies. Nobly, indeed,
has the new Colonial Minister acquitted himself of
those responsibilities during this brief interval of
little more than a quarter of a year—so laboriously
has he toiled in his own important department that
he has already impressedupon it indelibly the print
of his footsteps as an administrator. Insomuch
that his regime, if it were to terminate to-morrow,
could not very easily be forgotten in connection
with the Colonial Department, the tokens
of its existence, even for these three or
four months, could not very readily be
obliterated. And this entirely because of the
qualities already but just now particularised. Re-
membering what hag but so very recently been
accomplished_ by Sir E, B. LYTTON in the Colonial
department, we cannot for one instant believe
that he will lightly abandon the interests of Sir
JAMES BROOKE—the cause of Labuan—that settle-
ment of Sarawak—that standing-ground upon the
north-west coast of Borneo! We are full of hope—
because it is no longer a Whig who is in office :
because instead of that it is a man of original genius
who is at the head of the department—a man o
consummate daring, of large views and of rare
enlightenment. •
At the same time that we are most hopeful—
now that Sir JAMES BROOKE will have to deal
with Sir EDWARD LYTTON upon this long-vexed
question—we are most earnestly solicitous that no.
more time may be wasted in idle day-dreaming
over the possible issues of a great difficult. .Fes-
tine lente must no longer be our motto in dealing
with the question of Sarawak, for it has come at
length to be a question (as Sir JAMES
BROOKE, Rajah of Sarawak and Governor
of Labuan, said yesterday at Liverpool)—
" difficult to evade consistently with faith,
and dangerous to delay consistently with honour."
England, in truth, is long since pledged to it. We
are bound in faith. We are bound in honour.
"Remember," says the Rajah solemnly, impressively
—" Remember the British merchants, and British
missionaries, British subjects of every class and
country, with their wives and families, in reliance
on the faith and justice of their Government, have
embarked their all—life and property—in Sara-
wak." Beyond which—it is important that her
MAJESTY'S Ministers should bear in recollection
the fact that Sir JAMES BROOKE has spent
all the fortune he possesses in bringing
Sarawak to its present condition. Surely
after all those long and agonising delays, he him-
self is constrained to exclaim, " England should
not benefit at my expense, or, in other words,
should not trade on my small capital." " Surely,"
as he adds, " having acquired a valuable province,
she 'should not repay my poor but very highly-
lauded service by the deprivation of my inheri-
tance !" It is strongly put—but it is the truth—
the simple, actual truth—without one particle of
exaggeration. Justice, honour, faith, all demand
that Sir J. BROOKE'S claim should be satisfied, and
that Sarawak should be placed under the direct
protection of the British Government.

Of the parentage of a Reform Bill, sketched re-
cently by a webkly contemporary, we have no
knowledge whatever : its features are germane to
the Whig style of Reform ; but beyond that we
know nothing, and the Whigs appear, openly at
least, to have made no sign of their intentions. The
draft Bill alluded to may well be the suggestion of
some of the old clique—it is at least not an unsuit-
able feeler for the party. On the other side we have
but the general indications that they do not expect
to get off without having to offer something in the
shape of Reform ; and hence, even Mr. HENLEY
professes to be a believer in "progress." The firmest
old Tories quite understand that their leader, with
all his abilities and influence, can never carry their
party through another Session, much less through
a general election, without he has something to
proffer in the Shape of Representative Reform. The
country is quiet, to be sure, and the Whigs are
divided among themselveS by the ambition of their
leaders, and the Radicals from both sections of the
Whigs by their more advanced principles; but, at
any moment, the desire of office may unite
the old Whigs and draw from them such engage-
ments with the Radicals as shall decide the latter
to reunite with their old, and, so oaen, faithless
allies. Of course, should that occur, Tory govern-
ment were at an end. Neither in the present house,
nor in any one that could now be elected, would
anti-Reforming Tories have the shadow of a chance.
The present Government, therefore, if it means to
retain office, must not take a leaf out of Lord PAL-
MERSTON'S book. It must put a reform of the re-
presentation, not only into the QUEEN'S Speech, but
into the ;shape of a'producible bill ; it must have
some such bill as the Liberals of all parties would
not combine to reject by a vote equivalent to a non-
confidence vote ; or it must have a bill which, if
this house will not have it, it may be fairly ex-
pected the country will.

Let us look a moment at the position and. objects
of the rival Premiers and their followers. Both
have one object in common to prevent power
passing more than they can help into the hands or
the people, yet to persuade the people not to dis-
trust them ; but each desirons to attain this object;
so as not to weaken his own party, but rather to
strengthen it. We believe neither party fears the
abuse of power by the people so much as it once
did ; but still it is erring on the safe side, as both
the late and the present advisers of her MAJESTY
think, to give power: to the people in appearance
only, not in reality. At the same time each wants
to make all actual concessions or changes in such a
manner as to serve their own party purposes.
The Whig Bill, the RUSSELL-ABERDEEN -Bill,
especially were conceived in this spirit. The last-
mentioned scarcely lowered the franchise in towns
at all, though it seemed to do so. The middle classes
in towns are the strength of the -Whigs—the lower
classes tend too strongly to Radicalism ; hence the
object was to preserve the shopkeeping constituency,

while it looked as if someth4.ng much wider was

intended, and a £6 rating clan ;e did this cleverly.
The other classes enfranchised. by the Bill referred

to for the most past possess it already in some
shape. The Bill also containeo. the famous minority

clause for large constituencies returning three mem-
bers. These are gencrallycount y constituencies; their

number was to be increased under the : and

the designed effect obviously was to give to the

Whigs, who in most counties are a very large and
respectable minority among the landlords, the third

or minority member. In towns returning three
members, which would be but few, the third mem-
ber would probably be a Tory. The Whigs, in any
Reform Bill of their concocting will drive at the

same objects still—to retain power with the

aristocracy, but with the Whig aristocracy. They
will probably be afraid to venture again the dodge
—it deserves no better name—of minority mem-
bers ; but they will rack their brains to the utter-

most to effect the same purpose by other means.
By schedules A and B ; by 'towns disfranchised
and towns enfranchised ; by counties divided, and
by the manner of their division.

The Tories on the other hand will also drive at
the same general objects. Suppose they should
proffer a low franchise for boroughs they will not
hurt themselves much. They will not lose by that
any borough which they now have, while the
members for those boroughs would be com-
pelled to support them ; they would at the
worst merely get in some places a Radical instead
of a Whig member—no great loss to them—while
their opponents would lose the member. The
Tories, therefore, would lose less, directly, by a very
extended borough franchise than the Whigs, for the
former would only lose, if we may be allowed the
Hibernicism, what they never had. The Whigs,
on the contrary, would often be undone. Of course
the Tories do not crish to. catch Radical Tartars
instead of safe Whigs, yet it would injure them but
little politically. Then in , regard to the country
boroughs ; if, insteadof much disfranchisement, they
were to propose amalgamation—districts of boroughs
—these, with a low franchise, would be almost
entirely in the hands of the landlord class. In no
case, we imagine, need the Tories lose much by a
liberal borough franchise, while they would certainly
secure the goodwill for a time, and at the first
election almost certainly, of the class they had
enfranchised.

With the counties it is different. Suppose they
had got rid of the small towns, or got them into
a manageable shape by amalgamation, unless
universal suffrage were adopted the next
class to the present one which could be enfran-
chised, does contain many elements of indepen-
dence. The tenant farmer—the serfs of Toryism—
now suffice in most counties to give it the victory.
Were all the independent persons who inhabit ten-
pound houses beyond the limits of a borough pos-
sessed of a vote, they might, in many instances,
turn the scale in favour of the Liberals, even in a
county. Indeed, the Whigs themselves do not like
their now favourite county constituency, their
tenants-at-will, to be outnumbered by free Eng-
lishmen. Still, Mr. LOCKE KING'S proposal would
work much better for Whiggism than for Toryism.
The Tories will therefore assuredly endeavour to
keep up the county franchise ; and also, like thei r
opponents, they will try so to divide the counties
afresh, and so re-apportion members, that their own
districts shall get more, and those of their op-
ponents fewer members. In this part of any Re-
form Bill there will be, we expect, no end of

jugglery.
It is time for the country to be thinking of its
work. We believe the aristocracy are inter man-
tores, not overlooking the question " How to keep
power by means of a Reform Bill." "Politics
next week," we have no objection tc—that is, the
work of politics ; but, as the old Germans discussed
grave questions drunk, and acted sober, so shall we
take leave to talk a little about them after our sea-
side strolls, or our mornings among stubblcs and
turnips, and come not only fresh to work, but also
with a little notion of what we are to do.

THE CORNISH FISHERIES.—At Mevrgissey the
seines are all put out to pay, and ;there is no prospect of
fish. It has been a very dull season. Several large shoals
of pilchards have been seen in St. Ives Bay during the past
week ; but the seines did not take any. The drift boats
have brought in from 5,000 to 15,000 per boat. At Fal-
mouth very little has been done in the fishery, the weather
having been against it.
HER MAJESTY AND THE THEATRICAL PROFES-
SION.—We have heard it whispered, we know not with
what authority, that the most illustrious personage in the
world has had: her attention directed to the enforced with-
drawal of Mr. Alfred Wigan's son from a Brighton school,
in consequence of the distaste of the parents of other boys
to their children's association with an actor's son. It has
been stated that the Queen has herself communicated her
sentiments on the subject to Mr. Wigan, in a kindly and
sympathetic letter, and desired that a copy of the paper in
which the circumstance was first mentioned should be for-
warded to her. Nothing less could be expected from one
whose appreciation of theatrical entertainments is as keen
as it is discriminating, and who evinces it by a most com-
mendable regard for the worthiest and most accomplished
of our actors.—Constitutional Press.
CHESS MATCII BETWEEN MR. MORPHY AND
Hann HARRWITZ.—This match, now playing at Paris,
verges towards the close. Up to this moment six games
have been played. Herr Harrwitz won the first two, but
his able American antagonist, not at all discomposed by this
defeat, thought it was now time to be up and doing, and
since then has scored every game, and it is generally ex-
pected will win the remaining three. We are sorry to hear
there has been some reason to complain of the conduct of
Herr Harrwitz, who on two occasions failed to meet Mr.
Morphy at the appointed time; to the great disappointment
of the numerous visitors at the ;Cafe de la Itegence. Herr
Harrwitz afterwards pleaded indisposition and solicited from
his antagonist a truce, to which Mr. Morphy, with his
usual courtesy, readily agreed. During the contest the cafe
has presented a scene of great animation, all classes having
flocked to catch a glimpse of the famous American player.
THE POTATO CROPS.—Farmers are now begin-
ning to get up the later kinds of potatoes, and as far as our
inquiries have gone the result is satisfactory, the amount of
the bad being very trifling in comparison with former years.
In some fields the marks of the disease are hardly percep-
tible, the tubers being clear and perfect as in the olden time
—these, however, are isolated cases, but it is certain that,
up to the present time, the potato is less injured than it has
ever been at the same period since the destructive ravager
made his unwelcome appearance. The late heavy rains
may have an injurious effect, and it would be premature to
judge of thelater kinds still in the ground ; but as far as the
getting up has hitherto proceeded, the grower has no
reason for dissatisfaction. We have now before us a splen-
did sample of the Blue Farmer, many of . which weigh
a pound and a-half each, and the general run of the crop,
which yielded five strikes to the rood, weigh from six ounces
to a pound, the quality being equal to the produce. At pre-
sent they appear perfectly sound, but here and there one
may be found with the fatal speck upon it. Soine time ago
we read in an agricultural work a method of stopping the
progress of tAo disease; which-is very easily tried, and as it
appears feasible we would recommend, where the bad turn
up in any quantity, a trial of its efficiency. Heat a boiler
of water to scalding heat, and dip the tubers in, a basket-
full at a time. Let them get perfectly dry, and store them
in the usual way. Sound potatoes-(not seedlings, of course)
served in this manner will keep till a late period in the
season. As it destroys the germinating principle, there is
no sprouting in the spring.—Birmingham .Daily Post.
IS THE,, ATLANTIC CABLE SEVERED ?—The
public sentiment, there is no concealing it, is greatly dis-
quieted about the Atlantic Telegraph. Tho latest evidence
of vitality that has reached us was furnished on the Ist inst.
in the despatch read by Mr. Cyrus W. Field at the Crystal
Palace. That despatch, dated upon the same day at Valen-
tia, stated that the directors were on their way thither to
open the line to the publie. Ten days have elapsed without
further tidings. For seven of them the operators on this side
confess that they have had no communication from Ire-
land ; and although they represent the insulation as re-
maining perfect we are left at a loss to know how they
ascertain the fact in the absence cf intercourse. Mr. Field
comes to the rescue by stating that it is probable a contem-
plated change in the shore end at Valentia is the cause of
suspension ; but as he owns to having had no later infor-
mation than that given to the crowd at the celebration,
and as that, so far from indicating such reason for
delay, announced the immediate opening of the line, with-
out further changes or experiments, we cannot avoid a
suspicion that some more serious causes have inter-
vened. Has the cable parted ? In traversing that wide
reach of 2,000 miles, how many a profound valley is that
slender cord suspended across, like the land wire between
its posts ? How many a rocky summit may it not rest upon,
swinging and wearing in currents and waves, in respect to
which, after all assertions and pretended soundings of in-
vestigators, we really know nothing? How many thousands
of submarine casualties may it not be exposed to, of which
we have no idea or possbility of information ? It must be
owned that a strong probability of accident to the wire does
exist, strong enough, indeed, to prepare the public mind for
the melancholy disappointment which its rupture must, if it
occur, bring home to the universal sense. The denouement
will be awaited with painful anxiety.—New York Times.

LATEST NEWS.

INDIA AND CHINA.

The following telegram from Mr. Acting-Agent
and Consul-General Green, dated Corfu, 27th
Sept., 1858, 4 p.m., was received at the Foreign-
office, yesterday, at 9 p.m. :
" ALEXANDRIA, SEPT. 23, 1858.
"The Bengal steamer arrived at Suez yesterday;
she brings Calcutta mails, &c.
" The Nubia had an accident to her machinery
after she left Madras, and having reached Ceylon
returned to Calcutta with the passengers, &c.
Transferred from the Bengal, the steamer from
Bombay arrived at Suez this morning. Dates—
Bombay, 7th inst.; Aden, 17th inst. Both Cal-
cutta and Bombay mails go forward by the Sal-
sette to-morrow.

" The fugitive rebels from Gwalior, after being
defeated on the 14th August, by General Roberts,
retreated towards Chumbul. They left some 700
killed on the field; our loss was very trifling.
" The fort of Poeurce,- after 30 hours' shelling,
surrendered to General Napier on the 24th of
August.

" Sir Hope Grant's foree_is still in the neigh
bourhood of Sultanpore, but its movements are im•
peded by the rains.

" A brilliant victory was lately gained by 550 of
the police over about 4,000 rebels.

" Three of the Bengal Sepoy Regiments have

been re-armed.

" The Pimjaub is tranquil, as are also the Pres
dencies of Bombay and Madras.

"From China there is [no?] news of any impor.

tant interest.

" Corfu, Sept. 27, 1858, 4 p.m."

NAPOLEON 'AND THE CZAR.
Prince Napoleon left Paris yesterday by special
train for Warsaw, accompanied by several officers
of his household. He is expected back on the
sth or 6th of next Month, A less important in-
cident occurring when politics are in a lull—
when the Court is far away at the sea-side--
when our most distinguished politicians are rus-
ticating—and when no scandals of any note are
abroad—would excite curiosity among the news-
mongers of the Bourse and the boulevards.
Military manoeuvres on a large scale are to be
executed, under the eye of the Czar himself, on
the plains of Warsaw, and the Prince who
stands in such close relation to the Imperial
Throne must not miss the opportunity of witnessing
as a friend the simulated war which he saw in
reality and, as a foe, in the Crimea. Some believe
that the journey of his Imperial Highness is simply
an act of courtesy in the name of the Emperor, his
cousin. Had the Czar been at Brussels, or Turin,
or Berne, or London, or Madrid, it might be under-
stood, but Warsaw is rather distant from Paris.
Then we are 'told of matrimonial views, of which
Prince Napoleon is the object, and for which the
Czar's influence is most desirable, and most poten-
tial where German princes and princesses are to be
matched. On the other hand, it is rumoured
that the Prince is gone to Warsaw to invite
his Russian Majesty to pay a visit to Paris.
It is said that when the Emperor Alexander
received a similar invitation last year, he softened
his answer on that occasion by hinting that he
might visit France on some future day. Every
one knows the anxiety of the Emperor of the
French to see foreign Sovereigns at his Court.
It is perhaps one of the weak points in his cha-
racter. It would seem that he is hardly considered
a bona fide monarch until this craving be satisfied;
and the presence of the Emperor of All the Russias
in the capital of the French Empire, dwelling
under the same roof, and partaking of his bread
and his salt, would be a triumph to his vanity. To
overcome any repugnance of the Muscovite Auto-
crat to figuring at the Tuileries would be a great
point gained. We were but half satisfied with the
flying visit of the Grand Duke Constantine, who
no doubt thought it an act of condescension on his
part to come even alone. What a triumph, then,
if the Czar, and especially the Czarina, accepted an
invitation from his bon and and frere ! Whether
Prince Napoleon is really entrusted with such a
mission I do not affirm, though I should not be sur-
prised if he was.—Paris Correspondent of the
Times (Second .Edition.)

MADRID, SEPT. 27.

In Spain the elections absorb almost entirely the
attention of the public, and active preparations are
now making by all parties.
A Royal decree fixes the elections for the 31st of
October.

The garrison of Madi;id is 15,000 strong.

FRANCE.

PARIS, MONDAY.
M. Duchene de Bellecourt will leave on the 3d of
October for China, with the treaty ratified by the
Emperor. After the exchange of ratifications has
taken place, Baron Gros will return direct to
France, and Admiral Rigault de Genouilly will
proceed on his expedition to Cochin China.
BOURSE, September 27, Two o'Clock.—The mar-
ket has been buoyant, and prices in advance on
Saturday's quotations. Threes have been done at
73f. 35c. and 73f. 40c., and are now at 73f. 35e.
Mobilier varied from 975 f. to 982 f. 50e. ; Austrian,
680 f. to 683 f. 75c. ; Lyons, 987 f. 50c., to 992 f. 60e.
Eastern, 755 f. to 760 f. ; Northern, 997 f. 50c. to
I,ooof. ; Southern, 610 f. to 6121. 50c. ; and Orleans,
1,440 f. to 1,442 f, 60c. The following were the last
quotations :

ilk per Cents. .... 96 —;
Do. end month .. —1

Cr4clit Foncier.. —
Belgian 41
Roman 921
Austrian
Spanish 'Threes
Home Debt —

3 per Cents. 73 2.5
Do. end month.... 73 40
Bank Shares. 3lOO

Cr6dit Mobilier .. 985

Do. Account .... : 990

RAILWAYS.

Cash. Account.
Orleans
Northern
Isreiv ditto 835 -- ..145
"
Lyons and Mediterranean BBB 75 .. 890
New ditto
Geneva .. .. 670 .. 665
Midi
Western 647 50 .. 647 50
Eastern
Grand Central — ..
Sardinian
Austrian 6BO .. 653 75

Exchange on London, at sight, paper, 25f. 20c.; money,f
25f. 171 c. ; three months, paper, 25f. 2fc. ; money, 25f.

NAPLES.

A letter from Naples, dated Sept. 22, gives a
despatch from the King's Minister to Prince Pe-
trul'a, Neapolitan Minister at Vienna, in reply to
inquiries from Count Buol relative to " pretended
secret negotiations with the courts of St. James's
and the Tuileries."

" The King, our august master, has never dero-
gated from his duty for anybody or anything, in any
circumstances. Constrained, contrary to his will,
.by force and violence, to submit to acts against
which reason, justice, and law protest, he may have
been ;but these acts will never have the sanction of
his conscience, and his Majesty will always consider
them as an outrage to his sacred person, against
which he has no means of reacting. The heart of
his Majesty knows not forgetfulness.
" His Majesty was profoundly wounded wh'n
France and England, without reason, contrary to
international law and for causes which were in
reality only pretexts, withdrew their ministers
from his court. Having been thus offended, and