The Sun.
London, England, 1858-09-18 00:00:00

THE SU' N, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 18, 1858

supremacy intact, and so long as Britannia really
" rules the waves," thex(3 is no danger of her sinking
from the high posit ion which she admittedly
occupies amongst fir nations of the world. But
it is by no means, an easy task to keep facile
princeps in any pa cticular line. And as to naval
matters England must not only be the first naval
power, but can bear no rival near the throne."
Whatever experiment is tried by other nations with
reasonable prospects of success, must be forthwith
tried by us at any cost or expense. If we cannot
keep the lead, we must at all events advance pari
passu with every aspirant to naval power.
This is the age of new inventions. All the
notions of our forefathers have been completely
changed by the rapid progress achieved. A new
and powerful clement (steam) has been introduced
into all the arts of life, whether peaceful or warlike.
The genius of Watt has wrought a social revolution
of no ordinary magnitude. Whether we travel by
land or water, steam is the universal mode of pro-
pulsion. It supplies motive power to the elaborate
and beautifully-constructed machinery that ren-
ders England the first of manufacturing nations.
It has rendered our ships of war virtually
independent of time and tide. And could
NELSON again review a British fleet, he would
behold with astonishment the changes that have
taken place, and be at a loss to know how to
manoeuvre the squadron. Our old 84 or 74-gun
men-of-war were quite sufficient for the wants and
exigencies of the period. But would any admiral
now like to enter with such vessels on a naval
contest against others having all the modern im-
provements ? It requires but little prescience to
declare that, whatever his skill or bravery, or the
enthusiasm of the gallant and devoted sailors under
his command, the result would be but a foregone
conclusion--an ignominious defeat would be a
matter of perfect certainty. Science will still pre-
vail over mere physical power ; and so it would be
if electricity should supersede steam. Those which
are at present the most formidable instruments of
war, would become comparatively useless, when
another of a superior description was introduced
and. brought practically into operation.
Admiral Sir G. R. SARTORIUS has recently
directed public attention to a new class of vessel,
which he declares—and on such matters he is an
unexceptionable witness—" would prove far more
efficient for home defences than any vessel of the
present construction." He suggested the plan at the
commencement of the late Russian war, but of course
could not get rid of the red-tapism that obstructs
every improvement, until its imperative necessity
is clearly demonstrated. He wrote both to
M. DE PERSIGNY and Sir C. WOOD, pointing
out the advantages of his plan, and the dan-
gers that would arise if Russia were to
adopt one of a similar character. Nothing, how-
ever, was done, but now it appears that a vaisseau
belier (ram-ship) is actually constructing at Cher-
bourg; and if its powerO, and capabilities be as
great as those indicated by Sir G. R. SARTORIUS
we must keep pace with the enterprise of our ally,
or submit: to the consequences, whatever they
may be.
We cannot as yet declare that all the conditions
referred to in the letter of the gallant Admiral,
which appeared in our impression of Tuesday last,
can be obtained whether that complete in-
vulnerability can be combined with superior
speed and easy management, for these are
points of vital importance. But unquestion-
ably the matter is worthy of calm and
attentive consideration, and of searching inquiry.
In such a matter red-tapistit must be set aside, and
all the precedents of the " Circumlocution"-office
specially ignored. We know that it was ono of
the most formidable modes of maritime war in the
olden time. In the days of CAESAR and POMPEY,
and MARK ANTONY, when the empire of the world
was decided at sea, every galley had a powerful
beak, in order to enable them to run down their
opponents. But there was no mode of propulsion
by which they could obtain the requisite speed.
At present all that is required is a full and fair
investigation ; so that it may be ascertained
whether this plan may be carried into execution
with any and what modification.

COURT CIRCULAR.

BALMORAL, SEPT. 15

Her Majesty the Queen and his Royal Highness the
Prince Consort, with their Royal Highnesses the Prince of
Wales, Princess Alice, Princess Helena, Princess Louisa,
and Prince Arthur, honoured with their presence a ball for
the servants and gillies given by her Royal Highness the
Duchess of Kent at Abergeldie.

The Royal party was attended by Lady Churchill, the
Hon. Miss Stopford, the Earl of Derby, Major-General the
Hon. C. Grey, Lieut.-Col. Ponsonby, Major Teesdale, and
Mr. F. W. Gibbs.

THE DUCHESS OF KENT.—Her Royal Highness
the Duchess of Kent continues to take walks and drives in
the grounds in the vicinity of the castle, and we believe
enjoys highly the quiet beauty of her Deeside retreat.—
Aberdeen Journal. _ _ _

His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge,
accompanied by Lieut.-Colonel Clifton, arrived at Hanover
on Tuesday last, on a visit to the King and Queen of
Hanover. _

The Prince and Princess of Kotschikoff and suite
have left the Brunswick Hotel, for the Continent.
Lord John Manners, Chief Commissioner of
Woods and Forests, is spending the autumn at the Birnam
Hotel, Perthshire.
The Marquis of Lansdowne will arrive at Bowood
Park to-day, from a tour of visits to Scotland.
We regret to learn that the Countess of Abingdon
is very seriously ill at Wytham Abbey. Lord and Lady
Norreys 4were summoned from Scarborough, on Thursday,
in consequence of the alarming symptoms her ladyship's
attack had exhibited.
The Earl and Countess of Rosebery are passing
the season at Dalmeny Castle.
Lord and Lady Foley will leave Worksop Manor
on Monday, on a visit to the Duchess of Grafton, at Euston
Hall, Suffolk.
The Hon. Somerset J. Calthorpe has arrived in
Grosvenor-square, from Perry Hall, Birmingham.
Mr. Secretary Walpole left town yesterday, for
Balmoral. . _ . _

-----
Lord and Lady Harry Vane arrived in town last
evening from Battle Abbey, Sussex. The noble lord and
her ladyship will leave town to-day on a tour of visits in
Scotland.
Lord John Scott has left the Clarendon for
Causton House, near Rugby.
The Duke of Bedford is entertaining company
at Woburn Abbey.
The Marquis and Marchioness of Londonderry
left town a few days since, for Mount-Stewart, county
Down.
The Earl of Clarendon and Lady Constance Vil-
liers are on a tour in Germany. The noble countess and
the remainder of the family are passing the season at the
Grove, near Watford.
The Earl and Countess of Erroll are entertain-
ing a select circle at Slaines Castle, Aberdeenshire.
The Countess of Jersey and Lady Clementina
Villiers have left Homburg for Paris, en route home from
Germany.
Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston will leave
Cambridge House on Monday next for Broadlands.
The marriage of Lord Walter Scott, third son of
the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch, and Miss Hartopp,
daughter of Sir W. and Lady Hartopp, is to be solemnised,
the first or second week in the ensuing month, at Four
Oaks, the family seat in Warwickshire. Lord Walter
Scott has recently retired from the army.
Mrs. Gore, the popular novelist, who has recently
become afflicted with partial blindness, is about to submit
to an operation for cataract. This lady's loss of sight is
attributed to protracted anxiety for the fate of an only son,
who has been serving with much distinction on the staff at
Lucknow and in theßohilcund campaign.
THE LATE MR. SAMUEL RlGG.—This eccentric
but truly benevolent old Quaker died at his residence, in
Bayswater, on Monday last, at the advanced age of ninety-
one years. He retained his mental faculties and character-
istic shrewdness to the last. He had been a solicitor for
nearly forty years, and had left the profession more than
thirty years ago in disgust, which he was in the habit of
professing in decided terns. He confined his businees
chiefly to conveyancing. Besides legacies to several friends,
he has left lartie donations to eleven public schools and four
temperance societies. Of the latter he was a zealous advo-
cate and supporter for many years. His will was written
out by himself only three years before his decease, and a
clause inserted that if any dispute should arise amongst the
legatees such dispute should be referred to arbitration, the
decision of which should be final ; and any dissentient re-
fusing to abide by such-decision should be deprived of all
benefit under his will. The executors deputed to carry
out his intentions were his old and esteemed friends, Dr.
Gourley,
of Regent's-park, and Mr. W. Parnell, of Can-
terbury.

LATEST NEWS.

BERLIN, FRIDAY.

It is stated on high authority that the King has
consented to appoint the Prince of Prussia co-

Regent, with unlimited power, and that the latter
accepts the position.
The Chambers are to be officially informed of the
arrangement, so that it is probable the Prince has
agreed to accept the constitution.

The St. Petersburg journals of the 9th announce
what they call a " decisive defeat" of Schamyl in
the Caucasus. According to them, on the 2d ult.
a large detachment of his forces attacked a Russian
column in the gorge of Acho, but was repulsed with
considerable loss ; whereupon Schamyl with a part
of his troops resolved to make a diversion at Wladi-
kankas. He marched there, and found a column
of Russians, under General Mischehanko. The
Russian general manoeuvred in such a way as to
entice him into the place, and then, dividing his
force into two columns, he attacked him both on
the right and left, and at last routed him with a
loss of 370 men killed, capturing, besides, 84 horses,
424 muskets, 280 swords, 445 pistols, and 14 tents
—one of the latter Schamyl's own. It was on the
11th ult. this engagement took place, and it is said
that the Russian loss was only 14 killed and 16
wounded.

A letter from Vienna, in the Boersenhalle, says:

Russia of the Sardinian
by
Villafranca
isbeginning
to create bad blood
here, and the affair will probably not end so quietly
as is hoped at St. Petersburg and Turin. Although
port T h o
fe acquisition
it is known positively here that the Russo-Sardi-
nian convention was concluded with the full appro-
bation of France, the establishment of Russia in the
Mediterranean will perhaps soon become the sub-
ject of serious diplomatic discussions. To Austria,
the cession of the port of Villafranca to Russia is
doubly grave ; first, because it 'will embarrass the
increase of her military and mercantile shipping in
the Adriatic ; and next, because it will seriously
menace her political interests. During forty
years, Russia attempted to obtain a Dalmatian
port—either Ragusa or Cattaro—but failed, in pre-
sence of the perseverance of the Austrian Cabinet.
Now, however, Russia has adroitly taken advan-
tage of the disposition of the Sardinian Cabinet to
conclude a good affair on account of its financial
difficulties, and to promote its anti-Austrian policy.
To a port in Sardinia, Russia will only have to add
one in Albania ; and then she will have two mari-
time positions which cede in no respect to those at
England, and from which she may hereafter pursue
the realisation of her political projects."

FRANCE.

PARIS, FRIDAY.

" Their Majesties," a letter from Biarritz states,
" enjoy their residence by the seaside exceedingly,
and are in excellent health. -The Prince Imperial
is also as well as could possibly be desired. The
Empress bathes every morning. Their Majesties
pass several hours each day in the open air, and
take a considerable share of walking exercise. In
addition, they drive out every afternoon."
" The visit of Prince Napoleon to Algeria, which
was to have taken place on the 24th Sept., has,"
says a Paris letter in a Brussels journal, " been ad-
journed to the end of October. The Prince is de-
sirous, before leaving, of settling the great ques-
tions now pending relative to the organisation of
the colony."
The final arrangements agreed to at the conclu-
sion of the Paris Conferences have been ratified by
all the Governments, and will be made public
forthwith.

The Independence of Brussels says :—" The King
of the Corea has offered the French Government a
portion of his territory to found an establishment
on. That Sovereign, though tributary to China, is
perfectly independent in the administration of his
States."

BOURSE, September 17.--The market has been
steady, but speculators have not entered eagerly
into affairs. Threes have been done at 72f. 65c.
and 72f. 75c. ; Mobilier varied from 9111 i. to 930 f. ;
Orleans, 1,427 f. 50c. to 1,430 f. ; Northern, 995 f. to
I,ooof. ; Eastern, 747 f. 50c. to 750 f. ; and Lyons,
860 f. to 857 f. 50c.. The market remained steady
to the close, when the following were the last
quotations :

4i per Cents. .... 96
Do. end month .. ..... _

pex.Cents 72 75
Do. end month 72 95
Bank Shares. 3150

Credit Mobilier .. 930
Do. Account . 950

Creldit Fonder 670
Belgian 4} . —
Piedmontese (5) 92
Roman 92 50
Austrian
Spanish Threes
Home Debt 4O

ItAILIVATS.

Cash. Account.
Orleans
Northern
New ditto. 835 —: .. 842 50
Lyons and. Mediterranean
Now ditto
Geneva 647 50 .. 650
Midi . 607 50 .. 610
Western 645 .. 648 75
Eastern
Grand Central _
Sardinian . 467 50
Austrian 690

462 50
690 -

men to Gaza, where he caused nine Mussulman
priests and others to be arrested, and sent them off
for trial to Jerusalem. This act of vigour exaspe-
rated the Mussulmans, who threatened to be
revenged the moment the troops left. Seventy
Christian families, alarmed at these threats, took
refuge at Jaffa. Unfortunately there are not
troops enough in Palestine to maintain order, and
the Porte must remedy that deficiency, if it wishes
to keep the country."
Another letter of the same date, in the Moniteur,
gives a more favourable account :
" The excitement which had been produced
among the different classes of the people by the
massacre at Jeddah has now subsided. The
country is at present tranquil, and I can assure
you that the journals of Europe which represent
Egypt as being a prey to agitation and dis--
turbance are ill-informed. As to the plague, it is
exactly with it as with the talked-of conspiracies.
All apprehension on the subject has disappeared,
and it may be said that the public health was never
better than at present. It is therefore much to be
desired in the interest of commerce that an end
should be put to the rigours of the quarantine
regulations, which are now no longer necessary.
M. Sabatier, the French consul-general, has arrived
here. The Cyclops is still at Suez."