The Sun.
London, England, 1858-08-24 00:00:00

EVENING, AUGUST 24, 1858.

ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.
Ender the Management of Mr. Charles Kean.
Lest Week but One of the Present Season, and Last Nights of
" The Merchant of Venice."
THIS EVENING will be presented Shakspere's Play of THE
MERCHANT OF VENICE Shy lock, by Mr. C. Kean ; Portia, by
Mrs. C. Kean. Preceded by the Farce of LIVING TOO FAST.

ROYAL STRAND THEATRE.
Lessee and Directress, Miss Swanborough.
Last Six Nights of the Present Season.
THIS EVENING, the Comedy of COURT FAVOUR: characters by
Messrs. Emery, Belford, Poynter, Misses M. Wilton, Hughes, and
Mrs. C. Melville. After which, the Farce of KING'S GARDENER
Messrs. J. Clarke, Poynter, Burt, and Miss M. Wilton. To conclude
with DEAF AS A POST : Messrs. Belford, J. Clarke, Poynter, Misses
M. Wilton, E. Wilton, Hughes, and Mrs. C. Melville.

CANTERBURY HALL, Westminster-road.—
OPEN EVERY EVENING.—The following company of Vo-
calists are engaged for the performance of Selections from all the
popular OPERAS, MADRIGALS, CHORUSES, GLEES, DUETS, &c.,
viz.:—Miss Russell, Mrs. Badsey, Miss Brunell, Miss Ray, Madame
Bartoletti, Miss Montague, Mrs. Lawrence, and Mrs. Anderson ;
Herr F. Jonghmans, Mr. Renshaw, S. Jones, J. Barker, W. Melling,
enor Antonio, E. L. Rime, Mr. Badzey, Senor Tiroli, Mr. Cozen R,
Mr. sell, Mr. Barnard, and Mr. St. Albyn. Mr. John G. Forde,
and E. W. Mackney. Pianoforte, Mr. Cecil Hicks ; harmonium,
Mr. Courtnay ; Director, Herr F. Jonghmans. Commence at seven
'clock precisely. Suppers, &c., until twelve o'clock.

THU WEATHER—SUN OFFICE, AUGUST 24.
THERMOMETER, IN TUE SHADE.
71—highest since noon yesterday.
57—lowest this morning and during the night.
72—this day at
BAROMETER, 30.15.
WIND, N.E., ; light and fine.

For many years we have been the strenuous ad-
vocates of a complete revision of the Lunacy laws,
so as to afford complete protection, not only to those
who have been unfairly deprived of their liberty,
and subjected, without just cause, to treatment far
worse than that of convicted criminals, but also to
the unfortunate beings who, although subject to delu-
sions dangerous to themselves and to others, and pro-
perly placed under control, have still feelings as keen
and sensitive as their more fortunate fellow-creatures,
and can be as greatly influenced by kindness, as
depressed by harshness and cruelty.
The great unanswerable complaint at present is,
that any man wiatsoever, however exalted his
intellect or prudent his dealings, may be kidnapped
from his home, incarcerated in a gloomy dungeon, and
subjected to ill treatment, which no gaoler of a cri-
minal prison would venture to inflict on any one
under his charge. He may be seized, gagged,
pinioned, carried privately away to a place with
which none but the conspirators against his liberty
and, we may add, his life and fortune, are
acquainted, and where his most intimate friends
aid relations will be refused admission until the
alleged lunacy has become real insanity, through
the persecutions to which he may be exposed. Should
his fate be ascertained ; should he be so fortunate as
to find persons willing to vindicate his cause, months
—aye, years—may elapse before the decision can be
arived at, which will restore him to liberty, or con-
sign him to worse than penal servitude for life.
That there are many private asylums conducted
with great humanity—in which everything possible,
under the circumstances, for the comfort of the
patient is done, we are quite willing to admit. Nay
more, we believe that a majority of those establish-
ments are admirably conducted, so far as bone fide
lunatics are concerned, and that chances of reco-
very are given even to profitable patients. There
are many good men of unquestionable integrity,
amongst this class, who would not lend themselves
to any unfair or underhand conduct, no matter how
high the pecuniary temptation. But, unfortunately,
there are many others of a totally different character,
men who will totally disregard duty whenever it is
opposed to their private interests. We make laws
against fraud, without supposing that a large pro-
portion of our fellow citizens are swindlers—against
larceny, without conceiving that they are pickpockets.
Why, then, should legislation on the subject of pri-
vate lunatic asylums be deemed to cast a slur en
many estimable individuals who may be brought
within the law, but without any reason to dread its
provisions.

The great evil is the privacy with which the cap-
ture is effected. Two professional men, or who aie
pleased to arrogate to themselves the denomination
of" skilful persons," contrive to obtain an interview
w::h the alleged lunatic. They annoy him with a
series of impertinent questions, and a little pardon-
able irritation on his part is put down as " unsound-
ness of mind." Indeed, the parties who are selected
in doubtful cases, and who know that they will be
handsomely rewarded if they can meet the wishes
of their employers, seldom care to test
the sanity—their views being taken from their
instructions, and the nature of the certificate
being a foregone c3nclusion. It may be that their
" poverty and not their will consents," but we ven-
ture to say that two " skilful persons" may be found
to report any man, woman, or child in the United
Kingdom insane, if the bribe or fee be sufficiently
high, and that the chances are in favour of impunity.
We complain of the power of continental Govern-
ments of incarcerating any of their subjects, and we
proudly point to our Habeas Corpus Act, which
prevents any man from being detained in
confinement without adequate cause. But, while
pointing out the mote in our brother's eye,
we forget the beam in cur own, and are oblivious of
the fact that it requires not the " lettre de cachet of
a Minister of State, but the simple certificate of two
"skilful persons" to consign a man of rank, property,
and position in society, to hopeless imprisonment,
possibly for life.
It seems to us that a remedy could easily be
provided. The chief' point would be to in-
sure impartial and disinterested inquiry ; to give,
in fact, to the wealthy alleged lunatic the same
protection that is afforded to a pauper supposed
to be afflicted in the same way. The pauper
lunatic must be brought before a magistrate within a
brief period after his arrest, and unless a certificate
be obtained he cannot be received into the public
asylum. Now the pauper really requires less pro-
tection, although he receives far more. Seldom, if
ever, can there be pecuniary interests in operation,
or pecuniary temptations held out to his keepers.
There have been some rare instances, but
they are the exceptions, not the rule. But
a man of independent means and comparative wealth
may be carried off, without having a chance of ob-
taining any disinterested inquiry into his case. There
is no appeal, either to magistrate or public function-
ary of any kind, and the frivolous pretext offered is,
that it might hurt the feelings of the family to have
it stated that one of its members was a lunatic.
Surely it must hurt the feelings of the
victim far more to know that he has been
unfairly carried off, without any of his
friends or acquaintances being permitted to know
anything of his fate. It would aggravate a slight
attack, and perhaps render a roan, who could speedily
and easily be cured,
a permanent and hopeless
lunatic.

Any person who could be supported in a private
asylum can also find adequate means for a brief
preliminary inquiry. The expense would, in the
first instance, be comparatively trifling, and the party
putting the machinery of the lunacy code into opera-
tion, should be prepared to incur the responsibility
thereof. This, of course, would not apply to the
case of pauper lunatics, who, as 4 present, would ob-
tain the partial security of being brought before a
magistrate.
What we cocieve would be right in the case of
parties about to be consigned to private asylums, and
whicb, we believe, would guard against the vast
majority of improper attempts, are contained in the
following propositions :-Ist. That every persc,n
seized as an alleged lunatic shall, in the first instance,
and before being brought into any private establish-
ment, be taken to the public hospital, where
he is not to be detained save for a limited period,
and that be shall there be examined by the public
Officer and a magistrate, in the absence of the pro-

moters of the inquiry. 2d. That if any reasonable
doubt exist as to his sanity, a further and more
searching investigation shall take place iziblicly.
3d. That a certificate of the public officer
and the magistrate, together with a copy or
duplicate of that of the two "skilful persons'
shall be deposited in the office of the ( lerk of the
Peace of the county, or county court of the district in
which the alleged lunatic has been arrested, and in
which he is confined. 4thly, That any person who
may miss a friend or acquaintance may be entitled to
learn whether such friend or acquaintance is de-
tained under any proceeding in lunacy, and to
have access to him, attended by a professional legal
adviser—a medical gentleman—and if necessary,
a magistrate. sth. That, until the examination men-
tioned in the first provision has taken place, and
until the name of the alleged lunatic, and certifi-
cates above referred to have been duly registered as
aforesaid, the alleged lunatic cannot be received into
any private asylum, under the penalty of the
forfeiture of licence, and of the party who
improperly receives the supposed lunatic being
liable to be convicted of a misdemeanour.

These or some such enactments would, we believe,
prevent sane men from being improperly incarce-
rated. Other regulations will be indispensable to
prevent those who may have recovered from tempo-
rary insanity, being improperly detained in custody.
To these we shall refer on some future occasion.

As a corollary to the Treaty entered into with the
Chinese Government, let us hope that some satisfac-
tory arrangement may now be made with a view to
the retention of that colony of Labuan which we have
already designated the Key to the British Tea Caddy.
The Rajah of Sarawak has now been in England
for one whole quarter of a year, having returned
homewards in the early part of 1858, for the express
purpose of coming at length, after so many delays
and anxieties, to some understanding, one way or the
other, with the supreme home Government. A con-
siderable time has now elapsed since Sir JAMES
BROOKE received (if we recollect rightly it was 1845
or 1846) the formal assurance of the then Prime
Minister, Sir ROBERT PEEL, that, as the Ruler of
the North-west Coast of Borneo, his Excellency
might rely with implicit confidence upon receiving,
upon all occasions—especially in the event of any
great and imminent emergency—the fullest assistance
from the imperial authority in these islands. Well
—for that assistance the Rajah of Sarawak has
hitherto looked—even since then—up to the
present moment—in vain! He has had to fight that
terrible fight for life and death, alone and unaided.
He who originally called the colony, as such, into
existence, has, again and again, had it falling around
him in ruin, and again and again has built it up anew
from its very foundations. To this great labour of
accomplishing this wonderful achievement, this
bold and heroic man has dedicated the whole of
his remarkable life. Whether the effort fail or suc-
ceed, it signifies nothing as regards his reputation.
1 His name, in any case, must, henceforth, remain in-
! delibly emblazoned upon the histrionic scroll, lumi. 1
nous with the fair fame of our English worthies.
Conspicuous among that gallant band shines already,
and will shine hereafter, perennially the renown of
Sir JAMES BROOKE some time—happily still—Ruler
of Borneo and Rajah of Sarawak. It rests with her
MAJESTY'S Government whether the first English
Rajah on that part of the coast of Borneo is to be
also the last and only one. It rests with the Minis-
ters of Queen VICTORIA whether the toil of long years,
the devotion of a life, the whole of a private fortune,
set upon the hazard of a die for the good of the em-
pire, will be cruelly and basely scattered to the
winds that blow: or, whether the responsibility
resting hitherto entirely and exclusively upon this one
dauntless subject, will be generously assumed by the
Cabinet, for whose interests it was alone, first of alt,
so daringly created, and afterwards so chivalrously
and devotedly sustained.
An English gentleman leaving the shores of his
native land on board a yacht of his own in search of
adventure, arrives in the midst of a pleasure excursion
among the beautiful spice islands of that vast Eastern
Archipelago. It is the scene of the long past trials
and triumphs, hopes and fears, of Sir STA.MFORD
Ilarri.Es—the region in which the distinguished
labours of that brilliant, but day-dreaming diplo-
matist, had been at the last hour rendered so lament-
ably nugatory. The English gentleman arriving in
those remote seas, with his yacht, visits, now some
iscore of years gone by, the noble island of Borneo,
1 in the neighbourhood of the greatprovince of Labuan.
I Ile takes part in its local turmoils, social and political.
Being a man of uncommon energy, he makes fur
h irnself a name in that region of excitement, at that
most propitious period of all others to that end, a
period of transition. He is soon recognised by the
Sovereign of Borneo to have done good service in the
maintenance of law and order, in the vindication of
morality, and the restoration of tranquillity in
L abuan—he is appointed Rajah of Sarawak. Hav-
ing obtained this standing ground, and covered him-
self with this authority, Sir J. BROOKE (Mr. BROOKE
as he was then) enters at once vigorously upon the
task of developing all the latent resources of the
country, brought thus by his genius and valour
under Anglo-Saxon domination. The vegetation is
of course prolific, and its produce for the
most part valuable as merchandise. But beyond
this, there is for a considerable time a belief cherished,
in the first instance, or we are much mistaken, by
Sir JAMES BROOKE and his companions—a belief
indulged hopefully and not unnaturally at home here
—to the effect that the mineral wealth of Labuan
was also in one important particular extraordinary.
That notion is, to be plain, that coal exists in
great abundance on the north-west coast of Borneo.
That idea is understood to have been recently proved
upon examination to have been altogether illusory.
Labuan proves, alas ! to be without coal. Had it
been otherwise there could hardly have been a mo-
ment's doubt as to the wisdom of its re-
tention. A great natural eoal depot, at that
particular point in the eastern seas, south
of the Asiatic continent and north of the Indian
Archipelago, would be obviously a possession little
less than actually priceless in value to this country
with its vast mercantile transactions—here with
China—there with Hindostan. But, as we have said,
" the wish" seems alone to have been " father to
the thought"—there is no coal there, as was so
long and so sanguinely anticipated. It is argued
in consequence by those who are opposed :to
the retention of Labuan by England, that the colony
would be too costly an acquisition, and that, there-
fore, it had better be allowed quietly to pass out of
our possession. It would not, it is maintained, be a
self-supporting colony. We should have to pay
largely, at any rate for some years to come,
towards its maintenance. Now, upon this
head we are not by any means perfectly
well satisfied. We do not believe it to
be yet proven that Labuan could not be rendered
self-supporting. We think it might, on the con-
trary, be shown clearly enough that it might actu-
ally be rendered very speedily not only self-support-
ing, but remunerative. However this may be,
nevertheless of one other thing we are long since abso-
lutely convinced, viz., that, come what may,
Sir JAMES BROOKE'S demand requires from us the
most generous consideration. Ile has earned the
right to this by every act of his glorious career. We
are bound in honour at the very last to do this great
man justice—and to treat him in every particular as
it befits us that we should treat oneof the most loyal
subjects of the Crown, and one of the most distin-
guished
representatives of the SOVEREIGN.

The Marquis and Marchioness of Headfort arrived
in Kells last week, when his lordship proceeded at once to
the Lodge, Virginia, ou a visit to the Earl and Countess of
Bective.
The Marchioness
of
Ely,
with the youthful mar-
quis and the Ladies Loftus and Mr. Hope Vere, has arrived
at Ely Ledge, Wexford.
Le Marquis and Marchioness d'Assche have left
Farrance's Hotel, for Brighton.
The Earl of Afornington has arrived at the
Claradou Hotel, from Germany.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

FRANCE.

PARIS, MONDAY, 6 P.M.

M. Sabatier, the French Commissioner, has left
Paris for Jeddah, accompanied by M. Emerat, who
will act as an interpreter.

The Emperor, Empress, and Court, now at St.
Cloud, will leave for Biarritz at the end of the
month.

A meeting was held to-day at the Hotel of
Foreign Affairs to take into consideration a com-
pensation to be awarded to Mr. Morse for his tele-
graphic inventions.
It is generally believed in Paris that Russia has
gained considerable advantages by the treaty which
China is reported to have agreed to contract with
England and France and that Power. For some
time past Russia has established a strong maritime
station at the mouth of the River Amour. The
Celestial Empire is now said to have ceded to the
Czar a considerable amount of territory—an impor-
tant acquisition both in a commercial and military
point of view. Russia is supposed to have influenced
the Government of Pekin in offering terms to Eng-
land and France; but,,in doing so, the Cabinet of St.
Petersburg does not, it is reported, recommend
China to admit English and French Ambassadors as
residents at Pekin. We are, however, still without
any details concerning the terms of the treaty of peace
with China which can assist speculation.
Count Walewski and nearly all the Foreign Am-
bassadors accredited to the Court of the Tuileries are
about leaving Paris, to pass a month or six weeks at
watering places or in the country. Politics, both do-
mestic and foreign, are likely to sleep for same time.
A letter from Berlin of the 20th says :—" The
President of the Council this day gave a grand diplo-
matic breakfast in honour of the Earl of Malmesbury ;
it was attended by several members of the diploma-
tic body. The official journal announces that the
King and Queen will arrive here on the 31st ult.
from Tegernsee, so that their Majesties will not meet
the Queen of England here. In the Admiralty-office
there is still a question of raising a loan for the
navy, the resources at present possessed by it not being
sufficient ; but the Minister of War opposes the de-
velopment of the navy."
In a few days railways uniting France and Savoy,
and Piedmont with Lombardy, will be completed
and open to the public. The Opinione believes great
political results must eventually follow the establish-
ment of increasing intercommunications between the
Italian States.
M. de Lesseps has been received by the Russian
authorities of Odessa with great enthusiasm. The
Russian Government favaurs that gentleman's scheme
for piercing the Isthmus of Suez.
The Moniteur publishes the official returns of the
Customs' revenue during the month of July, which
amounted to 20,258,188 f., being an increase of
4,311,611 f. on the corresponding month of last year.
The receipts for the first seven months of 1858
were 113,260,592 E, showing an improvement of
886,034 f. on the corresponding period of 1858.
Among the items of revenue which have improved
during the seven months of the present year
French colonial sugar stands for 11,788,961 f. ;
coal, 594,217 E; oil, 275,062 E ; hemp, 148,933 E;
cocoa, .55,509 f. ; cochineal, 43,086 E; sulphur,
32,086£.; pepper, 16,928 f.; rough salt, 13,342 f.
Those articles which during the same period
have shown a decrease are sheep and cattle, 44,404 f..;
mahogany, 113,003 f.; portable liquors, 4,934,364 f. ;
coffee, 366,149 f.; corn, 777,172 E; raw cotton, 739,057 E;
raw wool, 783,408 f. ; linen thread, .213,605 ; olea-
ginous seeds, 217,535 f.; indigo, 93,718 E; hemp and
flax, 27,074 f.; rough castings, 949,184 E ; bar iron
and steel, 340,950 f.; lead, 33,543 f.; zinc, 6,162 f.;
gold and silver, 35,0421. ; nitrate of potash and soda,
17,022 f. ; raw and spun silk, 11,247 f. ; foreign sugar,
1,086,466 f.; linen and hempen cloth, 150,482 f. ;
fresh and salted meat, 10,597 f.; sundries, 1,121,7601.
The Ocean of Brest states that the Emperor has
decreed, or will shortly decree, some measures of the
highest importance connected with that town and its
port. As far as regards the railway, that journal
says :—" We scarcely need allude to it, as it is a
matter due and irrevocably accorded. The workmen,
which the Western Company were obliged during
last year to employ exclusively on the Cherbourg
line, will be employed on that from Rennes to Brest,
where the works will be carried on with great
I activity. Before the expiration of two years this
line may be terminated, and the Emperor will pre-
side at the inauguration of a railway from Paris to
' Brest."

A Madrid letter of the 19th alludes to a rumour
which has been current in the Court circles of that
capital for some days past :—" Yesterday it was
known iu aristocratic circles that the marriage of the
Duke of Malakhoff, French Ambassador in London,
with the Senorita Sophia Paniega, daughter of the
Marquis of Paniega, has been definitively arranged.
The Senorita is a lovely woman of about 26 years,
surpassingly graceful in her carriage, the very type
of an Andalusian gentlewoman. She is a near rela-
tion of the Empress of the French." Whether the
Duke's approaching departure from London has any
thing to do with this " rumour" I kno w not.
The Patric is of opinion that a visit of the Sultan
to the Christian provinces of his empire would lead
to excellent results. It says : " The events
which have taken place in Bosnia and the
causes to which they are to be attributed
are well known. Troops were despatched from
Constantinople to put an end to the agitation. Up
to the present time the high functionaries who
were ingested with the powers of the Sultan have
succeeded but little better than the troops charged
to support them. The revolt has been suppressed
on several points, but tranquillity has not been re-
stored, for that can only be accomplished by inspir-
ing confidence. Would not the result have been
very different if the Sultan had gone himself into the
heart of the provinces ? Would not the prestige of
his immense authority, his calm and noble bearing,
and his moderation and firmness have everywhere
re-established order and confidence by tranquillising
the weak and making the wicked tremble ? It is a
duty incumbent on all princes placed at the head of
a vast empire to visit the people under their sway
and to personally inquire into their wants. For the
Sultan Abdul Medjid, in the perilous position in
which Turkey is now placed, it is more than a duty
—it is a necessity."
PARIS BOURSE.—The market has been steady, and
prices rather buoyant. Threes, after having been
done at 69fr. 60c. and 69fr. 55c., rallied to 69fr. 65c.;
Mobilier varied from 725 fr. to 737 fr. 50c. ; Austrian,
640 fr. to 643 fr. 75c.; Orleans, 1,332 fr. 50c. to 1,337 fr.
50c. ; Lyons, 822 fr. 50c. to 825 fr. ; Southern, 547 fr.
50c. to 550 fr. ; Northern, 950 fr. to 952 fr. 50c.; and
Eastern, 690 fr. to 695 fr. The market continued im-
proving to the close, when the following were the
quotations :

Yr. Ct.
41 per Cents._ . 97 45
Do. end of month 97 45
3 per Cent. 69 75
Do. end of month 69 75
Bank Shares .... 3,169
Credit Mobilier.. 745
Do. accouut. .... 741 50

Cash

Orleans
Northern
New ditto

Lyons &Mediterranean
New ditto .
Geneva
Midi

Pr. Ct•
Credit Fonder 625
Belgian 44 —
Piedmontese 5, 9O 25
Roman.
Austrian

Spanish Threes . 43 50
Ilona D0L.... 33 25

'AYS.

i—Fr. Ct. Account—Fr. Ct.
1,305 1,346
952 50 .. 932 50
806 25 .. 800
8'25 8725

610 -
54u 50

Western .
Eastern
Grand Central

623 -
690 --

Sardinian —
Austrian ..... 645

Gl2 50
550 -
622 ;7)0
692 50

ITALY.

425 -
650 -

TURIN, AUG. 20.

Polities for the moment are enjoying their doke far
.niente. Some of the Ministers of the King are on
furlough. Signor Deforeeta, the Minister of Jus-
tice, is gone to spend a few days at Nice, his native
town. Gen. Lamarmora, the Minister of War, is

,DA:

about to make a tour to Spezia and other maritime
places. Count Cavour goes often to see the King at
Sommariva Perno, the summer seat of his Majesty.
Sir Charles Eastlake was here the other day en
route from Venice home. English travellers are not
so numerous this year in Italy as they were for-
merly, and especially as they were in the last two
years.

The sad adventure which happened some time
ago to that unfortunate Jewish family at Bologna
(Mortara), deprived by order of the Holy Office of
a young son, six years old, has produced every-
where in Italy a feeling of indignation. The Liberal
press of this country immediately took up the cause
of the Bolognese family, but no man of sense can
expect any favourable result from the exertions of the
Sardinian free writers. It is too well known that the
Court of Rome is not in the habit of listening to the
outcry of public opinion, and there is no doubt that
she—if not compelled—will neither give way to the
prayers of the poor family nor to the remonstrances
of the press. It is curious to observe that the clerical
papers here which have recently so warmly espoused
the cause of the six Swedish females who embraced
Catholicism, and were in consequence condemned by
the criminal court of Stockholm to banishment from
their country, and have eTen gone so far as to open a
subscription in their favoir, should not have raised
a single voice in behalf of the Mortara family. These
pious writers seem to believe that the principles of
religious toleration are only to be applied when their
peculiar tenets are concerned.
I am informed that 'he Jews residing in this
capital have made an aplication to Count Cavour
in order to obtain the weight of the influence of
the Sardinian Government to rescue the child
from the grasp of the Holy Office ; but
their application, which met of course with sym-
pathy, could elicit no further support. And this
must be evident, for as this country is actually under
the displeasure of the Popish Government, and the
Sardinian Ministers are well known to be the friends
and supporters of enlightened religious toleration,
the cause would be hopeless in their bands, and only
tend to rouse the worst passions against the victims
of the Roman Inquisition. It remains now, there-
fore, to be seen how far the public opinion of the
civilised world will endure such a violation of the
laws both of nature and reason, and whether it will
be borne, in the nineteenth century, that such
an outrage to the rights of humanity should be
suffered to pass without redress and with impunity.
The Israelite community in every part of Italy
have got up addresses to the governments and to
their co-religionists in Paris and London, and if
sympathies are so strong here in their behalf from
all classes and all persuasions, what will they not be
in those emporiums of civilisation ?
The last atrocious murder committed at Locarno
(Switzerland), through the agency of the Mazzinian
sect, has produced here a general feeling of horror
and of indignation which I need not describe.
Several arrests have been made by the Sardi-
nian police, but up to this moment the assassin
appears to have escaped. The victim, whose
name is Parodi, although grievously wounded,
appears to be in a better state now than was ex-
pected, and the doctors begin to hope that he will
recover.

Count Giulio Gropello, the Sardinian Charge
d'Affaires at Naples, has just passed through Turin
on his way to Munich, where he is going to marry
the daughter of a distinguished Bavarian diplomatist.
The absence of Count Gropello from Naples will not
be long.

THE lONIAN ISLANDS.

CORFU, AuG. 17.

I arrived here from Malta on the 11th inst. in the
Austrian Lloyd's steamer Malta, after a calm passage
of three days. We touched at Messina ; but, owing
to the Bengazi plague, were not allowed to land or
communicate, except by word of mouth, and leaving
money in payment fur fresh provisions. The prin-
cipal article free from quarantine in all parts is
money.

The roadstead, or rather bay, of Corfu is com-
pletely land-locked, surrounded on three sided by
the island, and on the other by the main land, with
only narrow exits to the north and south, not visible
from the harbour itself. On passing the citadel,
the first building which attracts notice is the palace,
which stands on the verge of the beautiful Esplanade.
It is constructed of Maltese stone, flanked by the
two handsome gates of St. Michael and St. George,
each of which frames, as it were, within its columns
a lovely picture of the distant mountains of Albania.
I must say that the opposite coast of Albania, the
fortifications of the island of Vido, the citadel of
Corfu, built on two precipitous rocks running out
into the sea, the palace of the Lord High Commis-
sioner, the town itself, and the rugged country, as
well as the distant mountains of the island, form a
splendid panoramic v:ecv.
On arrival here we (the passengers from Malta,
numbering 12) were astonished to find that a
quarantine of 15 days had been established a few
days before on all arrivals from Malta, for, when
we left, the public health of that island was in a per-
fectly good state, and indeed our steamer was fur-
nished with a clean bill of health. Every precau-
tion was taken by us at Malta to avoid
being placed in quarantine here, and in fact, on
the day previous to departure, inquiry was made
of the Acting Chief Secretary to Government, Capt.
Brett, whether free pratique would be given at Corfu ,
to arrivals from Malta, when we were informed that
it would be given, consequent on the precautionary
measures taken in Malta, and in proof thereof Capt.
Brett produced a telegraphic des?atch which the
Governor of Malta had received from the Lord High
Commissioner here to such effect, in order, as he
said, not to mislead. And as Cle authorities of
Malta had, a few days previous 4-,o our departure,
taken further precautions, by establishing an in-
creased quarantine of 21 days on all arrivals from
Bengazi, and 15 on those from Tripoli, we had every
reason to suppose that pratique would be given in
this place ; but the sanitary wiseacres are so fearful
of the plague that they put Malta down as an
infected place, whilst the public health of that
island is perfect. I need not dilate on the serious
inconvenience and injury which the quarantine
causes to all travellers and passengers, and you must
know that the Lazaretto of Corfu is by no means an
enviable dwelling locality ; on the contrary, it is a
plague to all during their detention, which savours
much of incarceration. All the passengers to Corfki
by the Malta are British subjects, and, coming from
a British possession, Malta, to another island ruled
by free England, they are much surprised and vexed
at being placed in qua quod for so long a term as 1.5
days, whilst Malta enjoys perfect good public health.
We addressed a petition on the subject to the
Lord High Commissioner, praying for a reduction
of the term of quarantine imposed on us, and the
answer received was as follows :—" The Lord High
Commissioner is very sorry for the inconvenience
they are put to, but it is unavoidable, for if Malta is
not placed in quarantine by the sanitii authorities of
Corfu, Corfu would be placed in quarantine by all
the neighbouring countries." So much for this pest
of quarantine imposed in these parts with such
rigour. However, we are now settled in the Lazza-
retto, and make ourselves as merry and happy as
possible. Lieut. Hollway, 21st Fusiliers, is amongst
us. English travellers take a much longer time
than those of other countries in arranging little
matters appertaining to personal comforts. English-
men do like to make themselves comfortable. Whilst
bathing this morning off the rocks of the Lazzareto
an unwelcome visitor, in the shape of a large shark,
made his appearance a short distance before us. I
need not say that such an unexpected customer has
put a damper on one of our principal pleasures here.
I understand that sharks generally visit Corfu in the
summer time.

On our arrival in this roadstead we found her
Majesty's sloop Ariel anchored off the citadel,
and an Austrian frigate lying near Vido. The
lonian steamer was also in the roadstead. The
Ariel left yesterday for Patras and Ithaca. The
British mercantile steamers Rhone and Minho
are both here, the former discharging a valuable
cargo in the Lazzaretto to the great injury
of the goods and owners. She was placed in
quarantine for having communicated with Gibraltar.
Capt. Syms, paymaster 3d Buffs, is a passenger
Jy the Rhone. The 46th and 91st Regiments of this

garrison daily expect to leave for India, via Alexan
dria ; and the 4th battalion Rifle Brigade and
Canadian Regiment are ordered to relieve them.
The 3d Buffs are distributed amongst the other
lonian Islands.

Capt. Blakeney, the Resident of Paxo, died a few
days ago. He was much respected both at Paxo and
Corfu. The vacant post, it is said, will be filled up
by Capt. Lane, aide-de-camp to the Lord High
Commissioner.

Admiral Fanshawe's fleet is daily expected to arrive
in Corfu roadstead for a short stay.
For political matters you must wait until I get out
of quarantine.

I understand that the olive and grape crops this
year are rich to overflowing, so that the countrymen
are quite happy and contented. Nothing like plenty
to satisfy the chief wants of the people.

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THE SU N.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 1858.