The Sun.
London, England, 1858-07-14 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlFT,—Another session of Parliament is coming
to a close, without any step being taken—perhaps
not even thought of—by noble lords or gallant
colonels, of our now-cal'ed constitutional force—
the militia ; that militia to which we have chiefly
to look (in the absence of our main army)` for
our defence in case of a foreign invasion, or any
other unforeseen calamity. Bat, sir, can anything,
be more anti-national than our system is for the-
getting up
,and the maintaining 6f that system
The root of the evil rests, in my humble opinion,
in the facility given by the present state of the law
regarding desertion, which has the mild term given
to it of absenteeism, from training. This, in reality,
comprises three distinct crimes--namely, those of
desertion,. perjury, and receiving money on false
pretnces.' Surely each of these crimes -(chiefly the
two latter) is more deserving of punishment, than
the great numbers that come under the cognisance
of our various courts of law. But to be brief : we
lose one-fourth, at lease, of our best militia soldiers
by the wretched state c f the law.
Yours obediently, •
A MILITIA COMMANDANT.
From the Hill, 13:n July, 1858.

CO WES, ISLE OF WIGHT.-July 13.

[FROM our. OWN CORRESPONbENT.]

At the general meeting of the members of the
Royal Yacht Squadron, on Saturday, July 10, at
theft new club-house (Cowes, Castle), the following
members vitro present :—Commoddie the EArl of
Wilton (in the Chair) ; Vice-Commodore, C. R. M.
Talbot, Esq., M.P. ; the Duke of Rutland, the
Marquis of Bath, Henry Thorold, Esq., Lord
Godolphin, Sir A. 'Bannerman, Bart., Spencer de
Horsey Esq., Capt. It. H. Smith Barry, G. It:
Duff, E.g., Etiri of Dalkeittt, Lord Otho Fitz-
gerald, Duke of LeedEt, E. N. Harvey, E,q.:, W.
B. Ponsonby, Esq., Lord Colville, Lord Va.i-, C.
Lce, E-q., Marebant .Thornas 'Albert Ham-
brough, Esq., Chas. Leslie, Esq., M.P., H. 8..
Baring, Esq., M. P., George Bentinck, Esq.

Thjfolle‘i iug members wet e elected :—W. Hal-
liday Cosway, E-q., Sir Gilbert East, Bart., Henry
J. Adeace, Eq., M.P., Philip L. PowyB,
Philip Peiciwl, Esq.

Horace Hamond, Esq., H.B.M. amsul, 'Cher-
bourg, was eltc'ed an h.norary member.
Die following alt2rations were wado in the
R. X. S. Rega:t.i, consequent on lier Maj:,sry's in-
tended ii.parture for Cherbourg :—Monday, Aug.
2d, H. R. H. the Prince Consort's Cup to be sailed
for ; Tuesday, Aug. 3d, the R.Y.S. Dinner ; Wed-
nesday, Aug 4th, her Majesty's Cup io be sailed
for—the R.Y:S. Ball in the evening .; Friday, Aug.
H.I. the Emperor NapOieon's Cup to Le
sailed for.

All the yachts of the Squadron are to assemble
and sail from Goaves for Cherbourg on Thursday
with her Majet-ty.
Arrival?, July 11th—Zoe, the Earl of Yarho-
rotigh, from Gibraltar ; July- 10—Anrann, Sir J.
B. Wal3h, B'trt., from the Western ports ; July
13—Chesapeake, Joseph Gee, Esq., Guernsey.
The Marquis Conyugham arrived here on Mon-
day, and Ins lordship's yacht came into the road-
stead to-day (Tuesday).

THE QUEEN'S SQUADRON FOE CHER-
ByCliG.

PORTSMOUTH, JULY 13.

Orders hare been promul,gited. this day by the •
Lords of the Admiralty, on the cornmand of the '1
Queen, for the aggern Wing. of a squadron forthwith
'at this port to attend her-Majesty to Cherbourg-on
her forthcoming visit to the Emperor and Empress
of the French at that great naval rendezvous: This
squadron avid consist of six sail of the line, six,
frigates, and a'flotilla of.the Queen's. and the Ad..:
miralty's steam yachts, comprising the following,
the whole wider the command of Admiral Lord:
Lyons, with Rear Admiral Sir C. H. Fremantle as;
second in •:command
Royal Albert, 121, Capt. the Hon.. Francis Eger-
ton, flag of Vice-Admiral of •the Whi•e the Right
Hou. Edmund. Lord Lyons,' Commander-in-Chief ;
Hannibal, 91;
.C:ipt. H. Chads, flag of Rear-Admiral
of the Red. Sir Charles Howe Fremantle ; Brunt-
wick, 81, Capt Ommanney; Orion, 91; Capt D'Eyn.
court ' • Renown, 91, Capt. Forbes Cigar, 91,
Capt.-Frederck ; the Enryalua,: 51, Capt. Tarle-
ton, C. B. ; the Arrogant; 47, Capt. Heath, C. B. ;
the Diadem, 32, Capt. Moorsom, C. B. ; the Cora-
pa, 31, Capt. T. M. Mason; the Racoon, 22, Capt.
Paylittr ; the Terrilde, 21, Capt. Glasse, C.B. ;
the Valorow, 16, Capt. Aldham ; the Victoria and
Albert, Capt. the Hon.. J. Denman • the Fairy Royal
tender, Mr. D. N. Welch, master, P.N. ; the Ellin
Royal tender, Mr. •A. 13alliston, master, R.N. ;
the Osborne Admiralty yacht, Mr. G. H. K. Bower,
master, R.N. ; the Black Eagle Admiralty yacht,
Mr. J. E. Paley, roaster, R.N. ; the Fire Qiinen
Adimiralty:yacht, Mr. W. F. Paul, toaster, R.N. ; I
the :Sicirightly' sieara tender, Mr. George Allen,
acting master, R.N:

It Is by her Alrijesty's'express wish and command
that _Aitinifal tiord.Lyons commands in chief this
squadron of honour, for which duty tha Royal
A i bert, .Carrying his lordship's flag, arrived at Spit.
head this afternoon.

LADY BULIVER LYTTON.—We are informed on the
best authority, that all matters in reference to this lady,
about whom paragraphs have appeared in some of the
public journal?, are in process of amicable settlement,
by family arrangements, to the sati!,fsction of all partiee.
concerned.
In the matter of Messrs. CalVert and Co., the judg.
meat delivered by Mr. Commissioner Evans in the Court
of Bankruptcy, refusing a certificate upon the ground
that the evidence was not eatislactory as to the deed
having been- signed by Fix-sevenths of the unsecured
creditors, was affirmed by the Lords Justices yesterday.
It waA intimated, however, taut the petitioners can pre-
sent themselves before the commiesioner again with fresh
evident 3.
THE PRICE or.-GOLD.—The quntation of gal r.t
is about 2 per tuille,discount, and the short eXnhange on
London is 25.021 per 1/. sterling. Oa c-mparii:g-these
rates with the English Mint prxe of. 3/. 17e. 1031. per
ounce for efandard gold, it ap, ears that gold is wady
hg thii price of gold is 424 per ma-k,
nor cent. dearer m Paris than in Lon(lon. Bi
ad vicei bona:Leatur
and_ the effort (xeliange on Lond,on is 13 .5!; 1e; 1/.
sterling. &aEilard gold at the English Mint pr ca is,
therefore, a'itout 3-10 ha per cent. dearer in Londoo thin
in Hamburg. The course of exchange at New Yrk on
London for bills at 60 days' eight is 1091 to 1091 per
cea*., which, when compared with the Miut proportions
between the two caun•ries, shows that the exchange is
about at par; and af,er making allowance for charges
of transport arid difference cf interest, the present rate
pr.iit Oa tiLJ imputOiqii. of Bold from the
United States,
•

L TEST NEWS.

THE JEDDAH MASSACRE.

The following additional despatch from Alexan-
dria has just reached us via Malta :

" It appears that
.the first intelligence of the
massacre was given on board the Cyclops by several
Greeks, who swam to the vessel during the night.
She sent two boats next morning (16th June) to
the town, but they were obliged to the on the na-
tives, who strove to cut off their retreat. The
French Consul, his wife, and several of his house-
hold were beaten to death with clubs. The
daughter of the Consul, M. Eraeral the chan-
cellor, and two servants escaped by miracle, and
safely arrived: at the French Consulate-general here
(Alexandria) on the 6th. The English Consul and
his household were literally hacked to pieces. The
murderers were about 5,000 in number."

TRIESTE, rj TH.

Accounts fro'n Alexpndria of the 6J2 state that
a considerable agitation against Europeans pre-
vailed at Suez, and that it had been found neces-
sary to send troops there in order to prevent a
movement. 1,000 English and 900 French troops
had recently arrived at Hong Kong.

FRANCE.
PARIS, TUESDAY.
BOURSE, July 13.—The following were the latest
quotations : _

4,i per Cents " 95 50 Credit Foncier ... ...... 600
Do. end month 95 50 Belgian 43 ...... ...... 993
3 per Cent. .....
Do. end month 6B 45 Roman 9l
Bank Shares . . ..... 3100 Austrian
Credit Mobilier ... • 635 Spanish Threes
Do. Account... 635 nom° Debt —