The Sun.
London, England, 1867-01-10 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONIAI3.I, THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 10, 1867

came the political deluge. The floodgates were, in
a manner, opened; it was difficult to find any other
man who could either manage the House of Com-
mons, or so guide public affairs that they should not
at once run into confusion. Lord Russell, the new
head of the Government, thought it his duty to re-
commend, as the first measure of his Ministry, and
to a new Parliament, the passing of a second Re-
form Bill. That Parliament had been brought to-
gether at great expense, for they knew by the pub-
lished returns how very expensive a thing it was to
get a Parliament together, even his own election
for Greenwich having cost him 2,000 guineas.
(" Shame.") He would not call it a shame, but cer-
tainly it was rather hard that when members had
just obtained their seats—some of them from a de-
sire to serve their constituents, others thinking they
had talents for public life, others again wishing to
advance their social position, or, perhaps to please
their wives—(a laugh)—they should be asked
straightway to commence making their own coffins.
(Cheers and laughter.) The passing of a Reform
Bill would, of course, have necessitated a very
speedy dissolution. Therefore, upon a retrospect,
they must all admit that a great mistake was made,
and he was only surprised that such clever and
experienced statesmen should have committed it, or
have thought it possible to propose a Reform Bill to
a new House of Commons, with a new leader, with-
out throwing everything into confusion. They all
knew the result. Since the change of Ministry they
had had a great monetary crisis. The effects of the
panic had been more severely felt in that district
than in any other part of the country, owing to its
close connexion with shipping. The events and the
speculations of the last few years had caused a great
increase in the production of ships of various kinds ;
but a sudden check had overtaken that branch of
enterprise, and large numbers of workpeople were
thrown out of employment. No doubt the subject
of wages was somewhat mixed up with that matter ;
but still the question of wages was largely a social
and a moral one, and he had there to deal only with
political topics. (llear.) Nevertheless, in respect to
wages, he might say that we ourselves had challenged
the whole world in the matter of production ; we
ourselves had done all we could to stimulate free
trade, and proclaimed that we did not fear, butrather
invited, the competition of all other nations ; and
the refore it behoved them, whether as employers or
as workmen, to observe narrowly the circumstances
of production in other countries, and take care that
nothing they did should interfere with that steady
progress in the arts, in manufactures, or in commerce
which had hitherto made us the greatest manufac-
turing and industrial nation of the world. (Hear,
hear.) Turning from the past to the present and
the future, the hon. gentleman referred to the ques-
tion of the Alabama claims. lie need not say how
desirable it was that the people of England and
America should be upon the best possible terms with
each other. (Cheers.) The unhappy difference in this
case was, he thought, chiefly caused by some mis-
conception on the other side of the Atlantic as to
the mode in which our neutrality in the late civil
war there had been maintained ; but if any
disinterested person would closely examine the con-
duct of the British Government and of all British
functionaries during that great conflict, he believed
he would find that, whatever might have been the
opinions of individuals among us, every desire had
been shown on our part to observe the strictest
neutrality between the belligerents. Having regard,
however, to all the circumstances connected with the
escape of the Alabama from the port of Liverpool
and her subsequent career, no one could really be
surprised that the Americans should have felt some
irritation on the subject. Still, our Government, in
the earlier part of that unfortunate controversy
had only asserted the principle of international law
which the Americans had themselves acted upon
during the many years of their existence as a
neutral Power. The Alabama, as far as we knew
when she left our shores, was suspected of being in-
tended to cruise against the Federal States ; but
there was no legal proof of that, and without legal
proof the Government of this country was powerless
to prevent her sailing. Yet the Americans were
considerably aggrieved at what happened, and a
very disagreeable correspondence ensued between
Lord Russell and Mr. Adams. Now he believed
that everybody would be glad to hear that, after
time had been allowed for cool reflection as to what
was right and what was wrong between friends, and
when the matter could be viewed apart from any
chance of a threat being used against us, the
British Government had proposed to the American
Government that the whole question shculd be left
to arbitration, or at least all the chief points of it
which we thought could honourably be so left.
(Cheers.) That he took to be a wise, a fair, a politic,
and an acceptable course, and one that every man
who valued the cause of peace and of justice
would rejoice to see adopted. (Cheers.) Ile now
came to the great question of Reform. (hear,
hear.) Upon that he had last Session voted
steadily with the late Government, thinking that
when they brought forward a measure so diffi-
cult and so complicated on their own responsibility,
although it might not be perfect in all its details,
it was his duty to help them to pass it through the
llouse of Commons leaving the house of Lords to
amend it where necessary, and thus to get that
great bugbear out of the way. If the new Govern-
ment should introduce a Reform Bill, he trusted
that every effort would be made by the House of
Commons, backed, as he believed they would be, by
public opinion out of doors, to enlarge the number
of persons entitled to rote for the election of mem-

bers. There were now many anomalies even in a
borough like that. Greenwich stood pre-eminent
among the constituencies for the large proportion of
working men which it included among its electors.
Yet when he went into a yard to canvass the work-
men,
he often found that the foreman and
higher class of artisans, being lodgers, had no votes„
while the lab,,urcrs who attended on them possessed'.
the franchise. (Hear, hear.) That was a very
glaring defect which needed remedying ; and if the:
working classes would look at the matter practically„
and get rid of such phrases as " registered and resi-
dential manhood suffrage," which might mean any-
thing or nothing, they might hit upon a measure:
that would be acceptable to the country at large,
and so have that long-vexed question settled. They'
could not afford in this country to have a war of
classes, the workmen turning out against the,
masters, and the masters combining against th€:
men ; but they ought all to endeavour to approach
that subject in a rational spirit. Whether its solu-
tion was in Liberal or in Tory hands he did not
care, because, after all, the people who returned the
Parliament would decide by whom the country
should be governed. The question was not to be
settled by attempting to intimidate the House of
Commons by monster meetings which were utterly
childish. (Hear.) Let them meet, as they did
that night, in small parties, and talk matters over
in a rational way, with a view, if they had grievances
to get them redressed. There were many other
subjects of public importance which would receive
attention when Reform was out of hand. The local
affairs of that great metropolis were in a very un-
satisfactory state. Their thoroughfares were most
inconvenient and often almost impassable. The in-
habitants were heavily taxed, and yet got very little
for their money. He did not wish to create jealousies
between the east-end and the west-end, but some
of the funds derived from the rates ought to be spent
for the improvement of that town as well as for the
improvement of Park-lane and other rich parts of
London, which could better afford to pay for it.
Indeed, it was monstrous that the whole of that
metropolis should not be formed into one Union for
the purposes of the relief of the poor, watching,
lighting, and similar matters. Then the richer dis-
tricts would have to bear a fairer share of the bur-
den, while the poorer and struggling districts would
obtain a proportionate relief. With respect to rail-
ways and railway property, it did seem extraordinary
that when £500,000,000 of capital had, within the
last 30 or 35 years, been laid out in these works in
this country, they hardly knew what was legally a
secure investment and what was not. Things had
occurred lately which did not reflect much credit on
our business men ; and that subject would probably
engage attention next Session. The working classes
had a great interest in the question, because, unless
credit was good, and that description of property
was safe, people would not embark their capital in
new railways, the chief outlay upon which went to
pay for labour. They might imagine how much
employment had been given by the expenditure of
£500,000,000 to which he had referred. But unless
the law was made more clear as to the security of
advance for such purposes, men could not be expected
to lend their money to railway companies. He would
just touch upon another point. This country hav-
ing been the first to make steam engines ought
also to be the first in making them cheapest. It was
said that wages had something to do with this ;
that France, Belgium, and Germany exported en-
gines and locomotives, and that we did not have the
share we ought to possess in that branch of manu-
facture through the difficulty of making contracts,
because when the workmen found their employers
were doing very well they immediately struck for
higher wages. (Hisses and cheers.) Why should
anybody hiss ? He was never afraid to look any of
them in the face ; and as their representative he
wished not to flatter them, but to confer frankly
with them and tell them the truth, in order that he
might advance their interests to the best of his
ability. (Hear, hear.) He was happy to say that
the public revenue was in a flourishing condition ;
but the Army and Navy, it appeared, were about to
undergo revision, and it certainly seemed very hard
that, by an expenditure of nearly £25,000,000 per
annum on those services, they could not be placed
in a proper state of defence. (Hear, hear.) In con-
clusion, the worthy alderman offered to answer any
question that might be put to him.
Several persons availed themselves of this invita-
tion. In particular a working man inquired whether
the hon. gentleman believed that the Trades' Union
men caused all the present local distress ?
Alderman SALOMONS replied that he would repeat
what he had said on a former occasion,—that, in
his opinion, the distress had arisen entirely from
natural causes—viz., the over-production of ship-
ping, and the collapse of so many speculative com-
panies. Yet, he added, in a general way, that in
this country, engaged as they were in a keen com-
petition with all the nations of the world, the price
of a steam-engine must have some reference to its
price in other countries, much in the same manner
as the price of a barrel of flour must do. Answer-
ing a remark of his interrogator as to the superior
advantages of America, the worthy alderman said
that America had as heavy, perhaps a heavier, debt
to bear than this country, and that all the articles
required by the working man there were now very
highly taxed.
A resolution expressive of the continued confi-
dence of the electors in their senior member was
proposed by Mr. J. Bell, seconded by Mr. Bass, and
carried unanimously ; and thanks having also been
voted to the chairman, the proceedings closed with
he National Anthem.

Melancholy Shipwreck.

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On the night of Nov. 21 the British barque Coya,
of London, from Sydney, bound to San Francisco,
was totally wrecked near Point Ano Nuevo, a bout
60 miles to the southward of San Francisco, and of
the 29 souls on board but three succeeded in reach-
ing the shore alive. Mr. G. Byrnes, the sole sur-
vivor of the passengers on board the ill-fated ves-
sel, says that on Nov. 23, as they approached the
coast of California, the weather became thick and
squally, so that no observation was obtained, and it
remained the same on the day following, so that the
vessel's true position could not be ascertained. On
that evening the captain judged the vessel to be by
dead reckoning within sight of the Farrallone
or at least 40 miles to the northward of where he
was, and say 20 miles to the wastward, or off shore.
As darkness came on the barque was standing in
towards the land under short canvas, and about
half-past 7, the second mate, who had the watch on
deck, reported to the captain that land was in sight
to leeward. Going on deck immediately, the helm
was ordered up, in order to wear ship off shore, but
being under short sail her movements were sluggish,
and before she could pay off on the other tack and
and get headway she struck with tremendous force
on the rocks and then swung broadside on to them.
The swell rolling in was very heavy, and as she
lifted and came down: again with terrific violence
her bottom was stove in and the hull be-
came a fixture. Then the huge breakers began to
roll completely over the vessel, carrying everything
before them ; the boats were swept away, and there
appeared to be no hope that anyone could be saved.
By this time the passengers had all rushed on deck,
with the exception of a Mrs. Jeffries, who only two
days previously had been confined. The scene now
became appalling; the deck was being forced up by
pressure of water from below ; the women were,
screaming with frantic grief, and one by one they
were washed away to leeward and drowned. One
gentleman took off his life preserver, and placed it
upon his wife, in the hope that it might secure her
safety, but it served no purpose, both being lost.
A tremendous roller now bore down upon the ship,
and as it broke over the vessel nearly everything
was swept away clean from the decks, and at the
same time the vessel, with a heavy roll, settled over
to windward, with her masts in the water. The
few souls that now remained (about 10 in number)
were holding on to the taffrail, with the sea con-
stantly breaking over them ; they were gripped to
only drawers and shirt in order not to be encum-
bered with clothing when compelled to take the
chance of reaching the land. The hull now began
to break up rapidly, and in a short time the after
part gave way, leaving the unfortunates adrift.
Five were all that could now be seen, tossed and

whirled about upon the waters ; three only of the
;number were to be saved, the others had gone to
their long account. The first one to be thrown
ashore was one of the seamen, supported by a
piece of timber. The next was Mr. Byrnes who
gives this description :—He had a lifebuoy on.
The last to reach the land was the chief mate, Mr.
Bairstow, who had provided himself with a cork life-
belt. The night was a sad and miserable interval
for the three survivors ; they dug a hole in the sand,
and there, huddled together to obtain some warmth,
they awaited the coming of day. As soon as it was
dawn they descried signs of civilisation not far off.
They were near the ranch of Messrs. Fish and Camp,
and they at once started for the farmhouse, where
they were hospitably received.

testing till June 4 the various plans submitted, they
recommended the conversion of the Springfield rifle
muskets into breech-loaders. This alteration has
been so successfully effected that it is believed that
the arm now in use is in all respects superior to the
Prussian needle-guns, while the metallic ammuni-

tion is decidedly superior. A large portion of the
report details the measures taken in behalf of the
maimed and those who fell during the war. The
United States holds that the duty of the country to
its soldiers does not end with the bullet that renders
the man useless or kills him outright. Much
care has been taken to secure the most durable, use-
ful, and comfortable artificial limbs. There have
been supplied to disabled soldiers 3,981 legs, 2,240
arms, 9 feet, 55 hands, 125 surgical apparatus, and
it is supposed that not more than 1,000 limbs still
remain to be supplied, at an estimated cost of
$70,000. But the care of the Government extends
beyond this. On the 30th June last the remains of
101,526 Union soldiers had been gathered and
deposited in 41 National and Military Cemeteries.
Sites had been selected for tea more, which are
now being prepared. It is estimated that
_close on
one quarter of a million of patriotic soldiers sacri-
ficed in the contest will be removed to these
cemeteries before the work is complete. The average
cost of each transfer is $9 75c. Small cast iron
monuments, protected by zinc coating from rust,
will supply the wooden head boards heretofore
used. Six lists of the dead, containing 32,666
names, have been published, and will be continued
as rapidly as they can be prepared. The facts re-
corded in Secretary STANTON'S report will be
valuable to the future historian. It is from such
documents that an idea is obtained of the magni-
tude of the proportions this extraordinary contest
assumed.—Anglo-American Times.

America and the New Year.

One year ago, at the commencement of the fes

Lye season, we addressed some words to our readers

n relation to the then New Year 1866, and the

Event which had been accomplished for America
and for the World since the beginning of the
then expiring year. To-day we recur to the sub-
ject, not less hopefully and cheerfully than we did
then. Eighteen hundred and sixty-five stands on
the record of History as the best and the holiest year
since the Christian Era, for that year saw
the bonds which bound four millions of