The Sun.
London, England, 1858-10-13 00:00:00

THE AUST.RIA STEAMER.

Mr. Williamson, the Custom-house tide-surveyor
at Southampton, states that the ill-fated Austria had
only 513 souls on board when she left that part,
and. not 600, as has been represented. It was stated
last week that 18 out of the 68 who were saved
were, taken to Fayal and 50 to Halifax. Accord-
ing to the Persia's news 12 only went on to Halifax,
and the rest were taken to Fayal. The published
list of persons saved, with the places they sailed
from, shows that the emigrants to the United States
are from all parts of the German dominions.

We have received the following communication,
dated Fayal, Sept 28 :
" The Maurice (French brig), from St. John's,
Newfoundland, to the Mauritius, put in here on
the 19th of September to land 38 male and 0
female passengers, the first, second, and third ofg-,
cers, and 7 of the crew, saved on the 13th of
September from the Hamburgh steam packet
Austria, from Hamburgh to New York, destroyed
by fire. Twelve other passengers were saved by
the Maurice, and put on board the Lotus (British
ship), bound for Halifax, N.S. On the 14th the
Maurice saw no more on board. A Norwegian
ship was clime to the wreck. Three other vessels
in sight that rendered no assistance.
" The passengers saved ex Austria proceed to
New York in her Majesty's steamer Valorous. The
officers and crew leave for London in the Ireland,
steamer, from Hong Kong."

THE FRENCH GOVE.RNMENT AND

FREE TRADE.

NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE, TUESDAY.
A document of considerable importance has been.
published in the local papers this morning.
The Count de Maricourt, French Consul in this
town, has addressed to the presidents of the Agri-
cultural Societies of Northumberland, Durham,
Yorkshire, and Lincolnshire, the substance of a de-
spatch received from the Minister of Agriculture,
Commerce, and Public Works, in France, through.
the French Foreign-office, respecting the result of
the repeal of the Corn Laws in this country. Simi-
lar communications were addressed to the Newcastle
Farmers' Club and the Tyneside Agricultural So-
ciety, with a request that all these societies, as ex-
pressing the sentiments of the agricultural interest
of the north of England, would communicate to the
French Government their opinion as to the effects
of free trade in corn upon the landed and agricultu-
ral interests. Accompanying the despatch is d.
schedule of questions calculated to elicit their
opinions upon every phase of the free trade ques-
tion. _ _

The French Minister commences by stating that
in the month of April, 1854, his department had
communicated to that of Agriculture, Commerce,
and Public Works, a report emanating from the
Consul-General of France in London, and contain-
ing divers returns and information on the result of
the repeal of the corn laws in England. These re-
turns closing with the year 1853, the Minister of
Agriculture, M. Migne, had expressed a desire to
receive similar information for the succeeding years,
and without wishing to fix the limits of the inves-
tigation necessary to inform him completely on this
subject, he had indicated in an enclosure the points
on which he wished particularly to possess exact
returns. M. Migne further desired to know the
average price and the amount of importation of
foreign corn in each year since 1853, as well as the
produce of the grain harvests in England for
the greatest possible number of years. The
Minister requests the Consul to place him in a
position to reply to the questions of M. Migne for
his district in the north of England, and in case the
officially published documents of the United King-
dom could not furnish sufficiently accurate returns
on the points noted for examination, to address
himself to the different agricultural societies, which,
he doubts not, would without hesitation communi-
cate to him the information which they possess.
The category of questions intended to elicit this
information is as follows :-
1. Whether the breadth of land devoted to the
culture of grain has been extended or diminished ?

2. In the event of the same having been dimi-
nished, whether the extension of drainage has not
had the effect of compensating in a certain propor-
tion for the diminution of breadth under cultiva-
tion, in increasing the quantity of the produce ?
3. What has been the effect of the repeal of the
corn laws onjgriculture in England ?
4. Since the period of that repeal, has the pro-
duce of the soil experienced increase or diminution ?
5. Has the rotation of crops been changed, and
in what manner ?
6. Has the rent of land risen or fallen ?
7. Has the income of those who cultivate their
own land increased or diminished ?

8. Give the same information with respect to
those who occupy their land as tenants, that is to
say, as farmers. In the examples given state also
what are the most useful conditions of leasing, and
what is the usual term of the lease ?

9. Has the selling price of land increased or
diminished ? _

10. What has been the influence of recent legis-
lation on the consumption of bread and on that of
butcher meat ?

MARRIAGE SPEECHES,

At the marriage of the Hon. Julia Duncan to
Lord Abercromby, which took place at Camper-
down-house last week, Lord Panmure proposed in
felicitous terms the health of the young couple.
Lord Abercromby (who spoke with a fluency, ease,
and correctness remarkable in a nobleman who is
only yet in his 21st year) rose and acknowledged.
the toast as follows :—"I desire to return thanks for
the honour you have done me in so cordially re-
sponding to the toast which my uncle, Lord Pan-
inure, has so kindly proposed. After the very able
manner in which he has described the merits of her
whom I am so proud, for the first time, to call Lady
Abercromby—(applause)—it would be superfluous
in me, who am not a practised speaker like him, to
say more than that I cordially concur in the praise
he has bestowed on my bride. (Laughter and ap-
plause.) I feel she must be a favourite among all who
have the pleasure of her acquaintance, arid that she
possesses every quality which will make me A happy
home and a proud husband. (Applause, and crimes of
Bravo.') I am glad to have this opportunity, ii:
presence of so numerous an assemblage, of saying
how much I feel indebted to my wife's relations for
all the kindness and affection they have shown me
since they adopted me as a member of their
family." (Applause.) The Earl of Southesk pro-
posed " The health of Lord Camperdown." Lord
Camperdown, in acknowledging the toast said, "
certainly upon this occasion feel most proud. I
feel proud that my grandfather now bears a name
inscribed in the proudest pages of our country's
history. (Applause.) I am quite sure that my
noble friend here—l may call him my grandson
now—will recollect what he has to do to support
the honour of that name. (Applause.) I know
that in whatever situation he is placed he will sup-
port it ; and I confess the few words I heard hint
speak to-day in this company give me great hopes
that in the Senate he will yet do honour to that
name which is already so celebrated on the field of
battle. (Applause.) I again repeat that I feel
most proud of this marriage. I have only heard.
one single breath against it. lam told that my
noble friend is too young. All I can say on that
point is, that I married three months younger than
he is at present--(laughter and applause)—and all
I can wish for him is that he may enjoy for 54 years
the same comfort and happiness which has fallen
to my lot." (Applause.) The Earl of Airlie pro-
posed. the health of Lord and Lady Duncan, the
father and mother of the bride. Lord Duncan
returned thanks. He said—" I have in the
course of my life been present at several marriages,
but at no marriage that I was ever present at have
I witnessed so much genuine good feeling and joy
as I have witnessed on the present occasion. (Ap-
plause.) lam proud to stand here and say that
during the course of my acquaintance with my new
son-in-law every day has increased the good feeling
between us. Considering him as Ido as one of my
fathily, I have felt proud on the present occasion at
the manner in which he returned thanks when
his health was proposed. (Applause.) My noble
friend in the chair, far more ably than I
could presume to do, has alluded to the
deeds of his ancestors : but there was one ances-
tor whom my noble friend omitted to name, but
whom I cannot banish from my memory. I have
sat 20 years in the House of Commons, and during
that period I recollect one of the name of Aber-
cromby who, with distinguished ability, presided in
that assembly. I trust that my son-in-law, born as
he is to a high station in this land, will recollect
that these are times in which every man must be
dependent
lroe.cupylhtirgust that among
h
with credit the
e not for occupying
unmindful of my noble
and late lamented friend Lord Dunfermline ; fbr in
connexion with this marriage which we have this
station
is ancestors t
oow hnihceh himself
h will
day celebrated, if there is one thing more than an- -
other which I reflect upon with joy, it is this, that
the late Lord Dunfermline, on giving his blessing
to my noble son-in-law, said that the marriage he
had contracted in every way met with his views.
(Applause.)

The chairman of the Electric Telegraph Company
has arrived in Dublin, for the purpose of taking measui
for liying down a new line of communication between Ire-
land and England. It is stated that the new line will be
direct from Kingstown to Holyhead. That at present in
use goes round by Belfast and Donaghadee en tb.;: northern
met, to Fortpariek in §c9tlond,