The Sun.
London, England, 1867-05-14 00:00:00

LATEST INTELLIGENCE. The Hall

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

LUXEMBURG.

LUXEMBURG, May 14.

The works on the fortress of Luxemburg, which
up to the present have been actively carried on,
were stopped this morning, and the workmen die-

Sciences.

The following is the programme of the ceremony
for laying the first stone of this building by her
Majesty, on Monday, the 20th inst. :-
1. The Queen will leave the Paddington station
of the Great Western Railway attended by a cavalry
escort, and, passing through Hyde-park, will arrive
at half-past 11 o'clock at the site of the ball, oppo-
site the Memorial to the Prince Consort in Hyde-
park, where a guard of honour will be drawn up
and receive her Majesty with a royal salute.
2. Her Majesty, on alighting from the carriage,
will be received at the north end of the tent cover-
ing the site of the Hall by his Royal highness the
Prince of Wales, the chairman of the provisional
committee, with the other members of the commit-
tee, and be conducted to the spot where the stone
will be laid.

3. During the procession the military band will
play.

4. tipou arrival at the spot the National Anthem
will be sung.
5. The Prince of Wales, after a short address
from himself, will hand to her Majesty the Report
of the Provisional Committee recording the under-
taking, and the measures taken to carry it into
effect.

6. The Earl of Derby will hand to the Queen the
coins and inscriptions, and Earl Granville the glass
vessel in which they are to be enclosed. Her Majesty
will then place them in the vessel.
7. Mr. Lucas, the builder, will hand to the Queen
the trowel, and Lieutenant-Colonel Scott, the
director of the works, will hand the line and plum-
met and assist her Majesty in placing the glass
vessel in the stone.

8. During this operation and at the lowering of
the stone into its place a flourish of trumpets will
be given and a Royal salute fired in Hyde Park.
9. The Archbishop of Canterbury will offer up a
short prayer.
10. The " Invocazione all'Armonia," the compo-
sition of the late Prince Consort, will be given,
under the direction of Mr. Costa, and at its con-
clusion the National Anthem will be sung.
11. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and
the Provisional Committee will conduct the Queen
through the south-east exit from the tent to the
east door of the conservatory of the Royal Horti-
cultural Society, where her Majesty will be received
by the Council of that Society, and be conducted
by the north-western terrace of the Gardens to her
carriage at the Prince's entrance in Albert-road.

12. The line of procession in the parks will be
kept by the Household troops.

THE ALTERATIONS AT THE MANSION

HOUSE.

The alterations in the front of the Mansion
House, consisting of the removal of the iron railings
and the rebuilding of the steps, are now completed.
The result is on the whole very satisfactory, as the
Public gain about 400 superficial feet, the railings
formerly projecting on the average 4ft., while the
appearance of the Mansion House is little, if at all,
impaired. It has long been resolved to widen the
Poultry and to make a new street from Blackfriars
to the Mansion House. The increased throng
which would thus converge to a point already most
blocked by foot passengers rendered it necessary that
some steps should be takenfor givinggreater accom-
modrtion in front of the Mansion House. This
was at first attempted in a very chimsy manner by
rounding off the lower steps and cheating the balus-
trade and piers of their fair proportions, as shown
by a temporary wooden model which for some weeks
was " tried up." It may be remembered that at the
time we protested against this mutilation, and we
are glad to see that the removal of the railings has
enabled Mr. Horace Jones to correct a deformity
which he could never have sanctioned, and to produce
as good a result as the difficulties of the circumstances
permitted. The jointing of the balustrade, strings,
and rail is constitutionally correct, differing in this
respect from the majority cf modern works, among
which it is with regret that we must include the
raking parapet to the steps of the Thames Embank-
ment at Westminster. It is of little moment that
the staircase balustrade of Dorchester House in
Park-lane, should be thoroughly wrong, as being
inside the house few see it ; and though at Baron
Rothschild's new mansion at Hyde Park-corner,
the handsome columned porch is supplemented
by a mean iron railing, it matters little to
the public. The Thames Embankment, on the
other hand, is public property, is seen by all,
and no trouble should be spared to make the
simple features as good as possi-
ble.
Before it is too late it may be well to call
necessarilyattention to the very ugly proposed balusters, a few
of which may be seen near the Temple Pier. Per-
haps in no single architectural feature is there a
greater difference than between baluster and
baluster. Those of Sir Charles Barry were always
appropriate to the character of the work. The
best are perhaps those in Trafalgar-square, which
being in
granite might have afforded the Metropo-
litan Board of Works an idea of the proper method
of treating balusters in that material. Indepen-
dently of improper treatment as regards the ma-
terial, those at the Temple Pier to which we refer
are of as bad proportions and as badly spaced
as
misguided ingenuity unaided by technical know-
ledge could devise. It is not too late to effect some
improvement in these balusters, so few having been
made. The coping or rail of the parapet is not
good in design, and even the balusters have not
even the rigid propriety of those of Waterloo-
bridge in the same material. It is evident that in
this particular no architectural or artistic know-
ledge has been brought to bear, which, considering
the nature of the work, is as contemptuous to the
public who supply the money as it is discreditable
to the board that should supervise its expenditure.
—Building News.

THE AMERICAN MAns.--Advices just received
from America state that the Post-office department at
Washington has contracted with the New York and Bremen
Steamship Company and the New York and llavre Com-
pany, both under the American flag, in pursuance of which
those companies have undertaken to despatch a steamer
fro,u New York every Saturday ,7ith mails for Europe, and
also to maintain a weekly communication from this side to
New York. In accordance with this arrangement the
steamers from Bremen will in future be despatched thence
on Saturday, to sail from the Weser on Sunday, and to
leave Southampton on Wednesday. Tho Now York and
Bremen Company have announced their intention to de-
spatch the Northern Light, formerly one of the wall-known
Vanderbilt line, in succession to the 'Western Metropolis,
which is now on her voyage across the Atlantic, having left
New York on the 4th inst. They are also making arrange-
ments to place now steamers of greater speed on the line.
The contract above referred to is independent of that re-
cently commenced with the North German Lloyd, by which
a weekly mail is carried, leaving Now York on Thursdays,
and Southampton on Tuesdays.

MACKEREL.—An immense quantity of mackerel,
estimated at 350 tot.s, was caught on the Cornish coast
during the past week. Upwards of 170 tons were sent from
St. Ives to London in a single day, and the large provincial
markets were also extensively supplied. Prices varied
from 12s. to 30s. per six score, according to the condition
of the fish when landed. The mackerel have moved a long
distance from Penzance and St. Ives, and the fishermen
have to arrange with the largest and swiftest boats to get
the catches on shore in time to be despatched by the
morning and mid-day trains. A steamer is called into re-
quisition when available. The fishery has for some time
given constant and profitable employment to a very large
number of people.
ARBITRATION VERSUS STRIKES.—During the past
week the manufacturers of hosiery in the town and county
of Leicester have resolved upon following the example of
the hosiers of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, and have
arranged with the working men fur the establishment of
a Board of Arbitration fur that district. In the lace trade of
Nottingham and Notts, which has suffe; ed so frightfully,
and which has teen partially driven from the country by
long-continued struggles between master and workman, the
operatives, attracted by the excellent working of the hosiery
Board, are contemplating the formation of a similar Board
for all the branches of their own trade. Mr. Mundella, the
president of the Nottingham Cuamber of Commerce, and
the originator of the scheme of arbitration in Nottingham,
has had protracted interviews with the Council of the
Laeemakers' Society on the subject, and they have decided
to invite their employers to form a Board. Should this
effort prove successful, the staple trade of three counties
(Notts, Derby, and Leicester) will be free from the
ruinous effects of strikes, the men at the same time pre-
serving their unions intact.
GENERAL ROBERT LEE iS writing his history of
the recout civil war in the I.Juitecl States.

1.,,...cis

eff rt
GM F/1 tlralbr

HER MAJESTY, &c•

OSBORNE, May 13.
The Queen and Princess Beatrice rode on pouffe
in the grounds this morning.
Princess Louise walked out, attended by the
lion. Flora Macdonald ; and Prince Leopold walked
out, attended by Mr. Legg.
The Right lion. Spencer Walpole left Osborne
to-day for London.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer has issued
cards of invitation to a Stato dinner on the 25th inst. to
celebrate her Majesty's birthday.
The Baroness de Samuel has arrived at the Oat-
lauds Park Hotel, Walton-oa-Thaines.

Lady Molesworth received at dinner last evening
the Earl and Countess of Charlemont, Viscount and
Viscountess Torrington, the Hon. Mrs. Stonor, Mr. and
Mrs. Pendor, Lady Tierney, Mr. Millais, R.A., and 31rs.
Millais, Mr. and Mrs. Higgins, Mr. Augustus Lumley, Mr.
Frederick Antrobus, and Mr. John Lumley.
Lady Eleanor Balfour has arrived at Claridge's
Hotel from Paris.

Lady Georgina Bertie has left Brown's Hotel
for Aldbury.
Sir Henry and Lady Fletcher have left Farrance's
Hotel for Paris.

The Master of Lovat and Mrs. Fraser have left
Brown's Hotel far Ince Blundell Hall.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR,—SO I have not only been a correct sooth-
sayer, but more has come to pass than I had ever
dared to hope or anticipate. The Government have
not only brought in but have carried their Reform
Bill through the LoWer House, and have thus so far
saved us from the expense and trouble of a general
election two short years after our last election. If
they have .done nothing more than this I am sure
the country is greatly indebted to them. In 1859
our present most reckless and disgraceful Opposi-
tion (for I can call them nothing more) drove Lord
Derby in self-defence to appeal to the country, and
we were put to all the expense, trouble, and worry
of. a general election only two years after we had
had a former one, as there was one in the early
spring of the year 1857, albeit Lord Derby
was so shamefully bullied and defeated by
Lords Palmerston and Russell, and also by Mr.
Gladstone with his bill of 1859, that it never saw
the light. It can now fairly be said that no Reform
Bill ever prospers or passes either House of Parlia-
ment unless our present illustrious chief happens to
be a member of the Cabinet. For half a generation
have reform bills been brought into the House of
Commons, but nevertheless this is the first of the
series that has arrived at maturity. The year
1867 will be the most remarkable as regards
Parliamentary Reform since the ever memor-
able year 1832, thirty-five years ago. Then
as now was Lord Derby an efficient and
eminent member of the Cabinet. Then as now did
he triumph over a disgraceful (for I am no admirer
of the great Duke of Wellington and the late Sir
R. Peel of those days, although I admire them .5.0
very much at other periods of their lives ; as I have
often told you I belong to no party, political or
religious, but am for measures and not for men,
per se) Opposition. The present is all to nothing
the greatest triumph that the Conservative party
has gained since the ever-memorable election of
1841—a quarter of a century ago—which brought
to pass the five years' glorious Administration of
the late Sir It. Peel ; and, as I have repeatedly
remarked to you in the course of my correspondence
this last winter, this 1811 election sent the Whigs
for five long years to the bleak and dreary regions
of the Opposition, during which said time our re-
venue, which bad become all but insolvent in 1841,
was quite replenished, resuscitated, and wholly re-
stored to vigour, health, and happiness in 1846.
The great principle of free trade found its way into
the English law, which, only so recently as 1839
and 1840, the late Lord Melbourne and Lord John
Russell declared a man would be mad, and worse
than mad, if he ever thought of enacting. Our com-
mercial tariff was placed upon a new and improved
system, and it has continued to improve steadily
ever since ; and now I trust the Whigs are again
banished for another five, if not fifty, years to the
cold shades of the Opposition ; and, if even we
should not have as many good reforms as we did
have between the years 1811 and 1816, we shall
at least have a little honesty and fair dealing, and

this we have long, long been perfect strangers to.
It will be, I trust, as that able correspondent
" Zeta" (who was in the habit in days of yore of
writing to the Morning Post, then called " Old
Betty") said when the Government of the late Lord
Melbourne resigned, which they did for a few days
28 years ago, in the spring of 1839, " Good night

to the Whigs." Until last summer, with very
slight intermission, they had held the reins
of office for 20 years. It is therefore fair surely
that the Conservatives or Tories should have soma
considerable taste of the sweets of office. I havo
repeatedly pointed out to you (with exception of
the Reforms passed during the Administration of
the late Earl Grey) more useful reforms have found
their way to the statute book than have ever got
there under Whig or Liberal rule or misrule. lam
glad to find therefore that the country has taken
my advice, and is at length disposed to give a Tory
Government a fair and proper trial, for I am quite
certain we have had enough, and more than enough,
for many years past of the Whigs. The only reason
the Whigs enjoyed their recent seven years' lease of
office was that party spirit and party feeling has
been for so very long a time at such a remarkably
low ebb that it was not thought worth while to turn
them out. The seven years, from 1859 to 1866,
can only be regarded as seven years of downright
waste and idleness; as what single good or useful
measure did the Government of the late Lord Pal-
merston ever carry, or even attempt to carry, during
the six and a half years of its moribund existence?
As regards the eight months' Administration of

Lord Russell, it can only be regarded as a stopgap
and expletive ; the Whig Government, which had
long been in a state of inanition and atrophy, re-
quired this little drop of gin and brandy just to Booth
its dying hours. And this little brandy or gin,
which alone kept it alive, did Lord Russell prove to
the dying embers of the Whigs. There is an old
proverb which says, " Dead men's things wear out

like themselves ;" and so it proved with the remains

of the Administration of the late Lord Palmerston,
which, less than nine months after his decease, gale
up his ghost. Again allow me to congratulate you,
and all well-wishers to the country, on the late
Government majority. I shall anxiously watch the
progress of the Reform Bill through the House of
Lords, and I trust no factious opposition will pre-
vent its forming part and parcel of the law of the
land before Ministers shall have one year in office'
—I remain, Sir, your obedient servant,
A LOVER AND OBSERVER OF HISTORICAL
DATES AND FACTS.

PRESENTATION TO HARRY KELLEY.—Just before
Harry Kelley, the champion oarsman, left Newcastle by
the two o'clock train on Friday morning, ho was invite
a
to meet a number of gentlemen at Mr. Baird's, Star Hotels
Northumberland-street, Newcastle. Mr. E. D. Gault oc-
cupied the chair, the duties of vice-chairman being dis;
charged by George Drewitt. Mr: Baird, in the course 0`
the evening, presented Harry with a beautiful gold centre
seconds stop watch, iu estimation of his upright colachi.t.
The worthy host of the Star also presented the vice-eOIW
man and J. Bright each with a gold ring. The re. iPic'ut:
severally returned thanks. Thu champion, in the c 00.%
of a few pithy remarks, said he had been highly 'lettere'
by the reception he had received from the Nesveastl
people. He assured those in attendance that the present
he had just received was one of the greatest rewards 11e
had ever got during his boating career, inasmuch as it "
presented by one of his best friends. W c hen the trai:
rritli Harry in it, loft the central station, there wo's °ll,
siderable cheering. We understand that some of o'l
state-
s
Newcastle friends have been greatly annoyed by
went which has appeared in some of our conteraporarie
to the effect that several brickbats and stones were throwil
We
at Kelley during his late race with Chambers. kind,
only say that we never witnessed anything of the
and we have the authority both of Mr. Bush and Kelley
for stating that the latter experienced the most tiutf
Y
courtesy and kindness throughout the whole of his styatuons tho Tyneside.o.

XARKET

AND -
lOMMEROIAL YNTF;T_

TWELVE O'OLOOK.

The Discount Market to-day is very quiet, and
the rates show no alteration.
The following gold ships are now on their voyage
from Melbourne to England :—The Kent, with
39,526 ozs. ; the Ilolmesdale, 16,421 OZ3. ; the Yoko-
hama, 24,616 ozs. ; and the Superb, 40,000 ozs. ;
the whole representing £569,261. The Damascus,
the Sattara, and the Orwell have also sailed from
Sydney with a total of 6,617 ozs., or £26,468.
There were no gold operations at the Bank of
England yesterday afternoon.
During the last few days there has been very
little animation exhibited in the Foreign and Colo-
nial Produce Markets. Sugar, however, has in most
instances maintained previous rates. Coffee con-
tinues r.t steady prices, while only a limited business
has been transacted in rice, at barely previous rates.
Tallow has been neglected, and quotations for pre-
sent and future delivery show a downward ten-
dency.

Atlantic and Great Western Railway debentures
remain steady at 32 34, and the Consolidated Mort-
gage Bonds at 21 22.
The reports from Cornwall and Devon arc most
unfavourable to the mining interest. The miners,
always a badly remunerated class, are now utterly
without wages, and are thrown upon their parishes
all over the county of Cornwall and in that portion
of Devon where they used to be employed. In the
Redriith and Camburn districts the greatest amount
°I suffering is to be found, as those are the regions
where mines are more thickly clustered. Within a
fey months, 50 mines have stopped working. There
are 100 mines now being wound up in the two
great mining counties. The low prices of tin and
copper are generally considered the causes of this
state of thing; but the most formidable cause is
that the mines in that part of England have be-
come too deep in the working to be economically
and remuneratingly conducted. In 1848 the prices
of tin and copper were lower than now, yet
there was no such sweeping distress in the
west. Mines and miners were then much fewer,
ani prices soon rose as the panic subsided. Of late
many exhausted mines (exhausted for practical and
Paying purposes) were worked, or attempted to be
worked, companies having been got up for that pur-
pose. Ore of course was obtained, but at an ex-
Pense which ruined the companies. Our mining
adventurers must be in quest of discoveries nearer
the surface, or in testing lodes which have not been
proved in well-ascertained metalliferous districts.
The directors of the Port Phillip and Colonial
Gold Mining Company have received the following
advices from their resident director, Mr. Bland,
dated Clunes, 26th March, 1867 :—Four weeks'
returns for February—Quantity of quartz crushed,
4,487 tons ; gold obtained, 1,252 ounces ; yield per
tom, 5 dwts. 14 grs. ; receipts, £4,858 13s. Bd. ;
payments, £5,355 ss. 9d. ; excess of expenditure
,uver receipts, £491 12s. ld. Mr. Bland writes
liereun as follows :—" The above account shows a
deficiency of near £5OO as the result of the month's
Work ; but the board will observe that the excess of
expenditure over receipts is caused by the large
outlay for firewood for the year's supply,
and the remittances to England for stores that
have
„l not yet arrived. These two items de-
ducted would leave a profit of about £7OO for the
41°11th• This is always a difficult time of year in
respect to finances, on account of laying in the
winter stock of firewood and mine timber, and this
Pear
3 the difficulty has unfortunately been increased
y a diminution in the yield of the quarti. The
return for four weeks in March is as follows :
Quartz crushed, 4,235 tons; gold obtained 1,697
; yield per ton, 8 dwt. The current month
will include, as usual in March, six weeks'
return.
This is a considerable improvement
ulrer late returns, and I am in great hopes we may
be able to keep it up. Should the current fortnight
yield as well as the average of the last four weeks,
a will place us in a very good financial position
aln• Our heaviest expenses will terminate this
month ; all the winter's stock of firewood at the
Reduction Works has been delivered, and will be
paid for before the end of the month, and Ido not
anticipate any unusual expense at the mine."
2rn
e The directors of the English and Australian Copper
Pany (Limited) have received advices from their
-lauager, dated Port Adelaide, March 29. The
rantitY of coal at Kooringa was 1,697 tons, at
apunda 681 tons, and at Port Adelaide 2,146 tons.
;%.t the Bourn Works coal continued to be stocked
or the winter. At the port all the furnaces were at
Work, with the exception of one refining, which waa
out for repairs.

Two o'CLocx.
British Government Securities remain in a very
strong position, although less buoyant than they
were a few days ago. This no doubt arises from
Rates in realisation of property. Consols are now
94 ill cum div. for money, and 908 j- ex div. for
the account.
The New throes and Reduced Annuities are
89-1. 90i, and 891 90 respectively ; Exchequer
Bills, 225. to 265. preen. ; Bank of England
Stock, 253 ; India Stock, 218 ; ditto 5
per Cents,
1111 ; ditto Enfaced 5 per Cents, 104; and ditto
Bonds, 525. prem.

Foreign Stocks to-day show an improvement in
Value in most instances. Spanish Passive have ad-
vanced to 21i k ; Certificates, to 138 148 ;
Turkish 5 per Cents. f, to 301 i ; Russian Scrip,
I, to f dis. to par ; Chilian Scrip, 8, to 3f 2 dis. ;
and Danubian Scrip 1, to 4 3 dis. ; but Greek have
declined it, to 13 12 ; and Italian f, to 52 -I. Mexi-
can remain at 16f 1-•
Increased depression has prevailed in the Railway
share,„ Market. Midland have declined 2 ; Great
Northern A Stock, 2 ; Great Northern and Metro-
Politan, each 1; Great Western and North Western,
B:,nd Lancashire and Yorkshire, each ; and South
astern, 8
In the Foreign and Colonial lines there has been
rrio change of importance. Great Luxembourg
he dealt in et 9 ; South Austrian and Lombardo-
detian, at 15-1 f ; Bombay and Baroda, at 102 i ;
Great Indian Peninsula, at 108! 109.
aniank shares continue in very limited demand,
andhow no great alteration in values. London
CCounty New Shares have declined to 221 ;
_
tclof London to 39 ; City Bank have improved
; and Union of Australia receded to 461.
iseella.neous and Finance shares remain very
‘4ttliet, but prices generally are well supported.
50 Atlantic Telegraph 8 per Cents. have improved to
44,1'2 ; Credit Foncier of England to 2 5-16ths ;
17i elegraph Construction and Maintenance to
gYerY little change has taken place in American
z urities. United States 5-20 Bonds are lower,
at 721
; Erie Shares and Illinois continue at 42
atidz 76
respectively.