The Sun.
London, England, 1858-10-22 00:00:00

To G. A. HAMILTON, ESQ., M.P.

, Sir,—As representative of the Atlanticßoyal Mail Steam
Navigation Company, I venture to address you the present
letter, with a view of eliciting any explanation you may
consider consistent upon the subject of the renewed con-
tract extended to an existing steam-ship line across the
Atlantic.

It is generally understood and asserted that an extension
of postal contract has just been accorded to Messrs. Cunard
for the conveyance of her Majesty's mails to America,to the
exclusion of other competing lines during such period. This
has caused some anxiety to several parties whose interest
and energies are so intimately connected with the project
with which I have the honour to be associated ; but from
the satisfactory assurances I have repeatedly received from
yourself on behalf of her Majesty's Government, of their
sympathy and support to the Galway line, I am unwilling
to believe that it is now their intention to ignore the ser-
vices that the new company propose to confer upon the two
countries by a more frequent and rapid communication
between Galway and the several ports in British America
and the United States, the details of which plan are known
to you.
Referring to a recently published letter from a member
of the late Cabinet, and feeling the force and the power of
the statement therein contained with reference to the postal
subsidies, &c., alluded to, I conceive it would be a great
satisfaction to the country generally if you could consis-
tently give your views as to the readiness of her Majesty's
Government to negotiate with other companies, eta well as
those now working under contract for an increased service
to British America and the United States.

I beg to enclose a pamphlet for your perusal upon. the
trade and commerce between Europe and North America,
and would call your special attention to the two following
paragraphs, which strike me forcibly, showing the margin
for increased subsidies, especially to America, for addi-
tional postal service :
"It appears, then, that the British Government pays
£475,000 per annum to develop the trade with the West
Indian and Australian colonies, worth £20,156,000 per an-
num, and only £BO,OOO a-year to develop the trade of the
British American colonies, worth £20,788,903 per annum.
" It is a well-understood fact that the British Treasury
has been largely reimbursed for the subsidy paid for the
conveyance of the transatlantic mails between Europe and
America. It would appear, then, to be a sound policy to
foster a line of steamers that will not only give a stimulus
to trade and commerce in Ireland, but largely increase the
trade (which is of incalculable value) of her Majesty's
British American possessions, and that, too, without draw-
ing materially upon the Treasury," &c.—l have the honour
to be, your obedient humble servant,
JOHN ORRELL LEVER.
40, Cannon-street, E.C., London, Oct. 20, 1858.

To J. 0. LEVER, ESQ,
My dear Sir,--I am happy to remove any misapprehen-
sion as regards your company which may have been created
by the extension of the contract with Mr. Cunard.
That extension was assented to by the Treasury, upon a
strong representation made by the present Board of Admi-
ralty, on the 29th of March last, in support of recommenda-
tions to the same same effect by the late Board of Admiralty,
Mr. Cunard undertaking increased services, and submit-
ting to additional conditions, and before, as far as I am
aware, any. mention had been made of your undertaking.
I should regret very much if that extension were to be
considered as indicating any disfavour towards you or your
important project. On the contrary, you have received,
both from the Irish Government and from members of the
Government here, strong assurances of the interest with
which they regard a commercial undertaking designed to
shorten materially the communication between the United
Kingdom and North America.
As an Irishman myself, I view it as an enterprise of
great national and commercial importance. I shall be
happy to render it all the assistance which can be properly
expected, bearing in mind that it is not the province of
Government to grant subsidies except for postal services.
I am not, however, aware of there being anything in the
existing contract to interfere with any arrangements which
may be found desirable for improving and developing the
communication between this country and North America ;
and you are yourself cognisant of the fact that tenders are
in contemplation, and that your company has made one, for
improved postal services with some of our American colo-
nies.—l remain, dear sir, faithfully yours,
Treasury, Oct. 21, 185 g. GEO. A. HAMILTON.

We learn by telegraph from the Limerick .Reporter and
Tipperary Vindicator of yesterday (Thursday), that--
" The committee has just held a numerous meeting, and a
resolution was unanimously adopted to the effect—that the
Mayor and Messrs. Spaight and Russell, M.P., should pro-
ceed at once to London to have an interview, by appoint-
ment, on Saturday with, Mr. Cunard, on the subject of the
transatlantic packet. The deputationproceeds this (Thurs-
day) afternoon. to London."

FOREIGN CATTLE.—From Rotterdam, Antwerp,
Kampen, and Zwolle the following cattle, pigs, and sheep
have been imported into Hull during the past week :-114
oxen, 114 cows, 100 calves, 147 pigs, and 17 sheep. In the
previous week the imports were :-7 oxen, 90 cows, 42
calves, 83 pigs, and 26 lambs.

LORD JOHN RUSSELL IN MANCHESTER.—Lord
John Russell arrived in Manchester on Wednesday, from
Knowsley, the seat of the Earl of Derby, where he has been
staying since Saturday. At the Victoria station his lord-
ship was met by Alderman Sir E. Armitage, President of
the Manchester Athenaeum, whose guest his lordship is to
be during his visit to this city ; which, it will be remem-
bered, has been made principally that his lordship may
address the members and friends of the Athenaeum at the
soiree to be held in the Free Trade-hall. During the
afternoon his lordship,' accompanied by Sir Elkanah Armi-
tage, drove from Hope-hall, Eccles Old-road, the residence
of Sir Elkanah, to the Salford Royal Museum and Library,
in Peel-park, where they arrived about half-past 3 o'clock.
His lordship was received by the Mayor, Mr. William
Harvey, with whom were Mr. Alderman Agnew, de-
puty chairman of the Museum and Library Committee,
and several members of the Salford Council, the borough
treasurer, and Mr. Plant, curator. His lordship passed
through the library and reading-room, and alluded to the
great change since his former visit in April, 1850, three
months after the library was first opened. He also asked
many questions relating to the working and results of
the free library among the operative classes. The party
next passed upstairs to the museum galleries and natural
history-rooms, where his lordship stopped some time to
examine the portraits and the different objects of art and
manufacture in the cases. The lower rooms of the south
wing and the geological room were then visited, and then
his lordship inspected the lending library. On quitting
the building his lordship expressed himself much gratified
with his visit to such an admirable institution. On Wed-
tesdav evening. a number of gentlemen were invited f
incvt his iordejalp at liope-lo,ll,—,ZEtoncitoter Offuntion,