The Sun.
London, England, 1867-09-14 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON. SATUROAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 14, 1867.

son of the distinguished histOrian who fills the office
of Inspector to the Academy of Paris, and who is
at the same time an intimate friend of M. Duruy,
Minister of Public Instruction.
I cannot close my letter this week without point-
ing out to the Paris visitor one of the greatest
curios ities I have as yet seen. I have passed through
the El :position, and have marked with the greatest
pleasu re and delight the various improvements in
mechanical and otherwise musical science. I have
listene d entranced to the melody drawn from the
unequalled pianos of Chickering and Steinway, by
the magic touch of M. Alfred Quidant, pupil of
Lizst, but 1 have never been so pleased as I
was this week in passing before of the Gallery
Vaucanson, Boulevard des Capucines, where is
exhibited a little bird, I think a levriot, somewhat
smaller than a canary ; the plumage entirely black
save a scarlet crest, which, perched upon a magni-
ficent bouquet of exotics, and turning from side to
side, the little beak opening with the most perfect
natural action, trills forth a melody which the real
songster might envy. Gentle reader, that little
bird is a musical automaton; it is placed outside the
Exhibition as a specimen for the passer-by. Do
not, then, leave Paris without passing along the
Boulevard des Capucines, and judging for yourself
of an exhibition which, for fidelity to nature and
exquisiteness of construction, cannot be surpassed
even in the great Exposition of 1867.

On Wednesday, the Standard alluded in a lead-
ing article to a document now circulating relating to
the violent death of a British subject at the hands
of a United States soldier. Captain Wilfred
Speer, of West-end Lodge, Thames Ditton, Surrey,
was on the 7th of June, 1867, shot dead on board
a Missouri passenger packet by the sentinel on
duty. Captain Speer was travelling on board the
steamer Octavia on the Missouri in company with a
detachment of the 13th United States Regiment.
He occupied a state room as a first-class passenger,
and was walking from his berth to the upper plat-
form, followed by Lieutenant Terry, when he was
shot, the ball entering the back of his neck and
passing through his head. The detachment was
under the command of Lieutenant Harrigan, a de-
serter from her Majesty's service ; the sentry was
private Barry—both reputed Fenians. The vessel
was a private steamer, unconnected with the Go-
vernment, and the orders of the sentry were
to call a halt from any one approaching the
boat from the shore, to fire on any party who
advanced in defiance of a challenge, and to leave
mthieghpt asbseentgrearsversuinnmg.olesLteideu,
tewnhaanttevTererrdyecdkeptohseeys
that there was no challenge given, and that
his friend was shot by the sentry, who was about 12
yards distant, without any warning. When he fol-
lowed he was loudly challenged, but at the time
Captain Speer lay dead on the planks. Mr. Terry
adds that the general opinion of all classes
in St. Louis with whom he came in contact
was that Mr. Speer was murdered by Lieu-
tenant Harrigan and Private Barry, solely because
he was a British officer. The captain of the steamer
deposes—" I saw the sentinel, William Barry, who
shot Capt. Speer. I asked him whether he was in
his right mind when he did it. He replied that he
was, and that he had done his duty, and obeyed
orders ; his reply was in a most insolent tone."
The Standard asks " Why did he (Harrigan) con-
trive this man's escape from trial ? Why have not
Ihis superiors persisted with the charges he calendared
against the man Barry of murder,' of ' disobe-
dience of orders,' and of ' conduct while on board
the steamer unbecoming a soldier ?' Why did
Lieut. Harrigan file off with his own hands the irons
from the murderer's wrists and ankles, and take
him ashore out of custody in his own boat? We
should be glad to have these things explained. They
are extraordinary, but they happened in a time of
exceptional confusion—in a time of civil war, when
authority was delegated right and left to strong and
rough hands, and when men were easy of obedience
to a discipline which had a habit occasionally of
being brutal. Making all these allowances, how-
ever, .we are still inclined to say that this is a subject
for very serious inquiry."
The remainder of the body guard of the late
Emperor Maximilian left New York on the 31st of
August for London on board the William Penn.
Both the British and French Ministers had left
Vera Cruz on the 18th ult. Two hundred military
officers had been thrown into prison in Mexico for
plotting against Juarez. According to advices
from Vera Cruz of the 13th inst. Lopez was still
alive, and Marquez at the head of a small force in
the State of Vera Cruz. As Lopez has published
an address to his fellow-citizens and the world,
accounting for the circumstances under which
Maximilian fell into the hands of the Republi-
cans, and repudiating with scorn and indig-
nation the imputations of treachery, there is
no doubt that he is alive. He maintains
that ,he was captured by the enemy, and his
sole effort after was to warn Maximilian of his
danger. The most hopeful part of his story—in
which there is probably little truth—is that it shows
strong feeling, which leads us to believe that the
vile mongrel breed have been made to smart under
the scorn and disgust of Christendom. Advices from
Mexico to the 21st ult. report that a banquet had
been given to Juarez, on his arrival at the capital,
at which he expressed a hope that the nation would
imitate the clemency and moderation in victory of
the United States. The populace were tired of
bloodshed, and would unite with the press in de-
manding a general amnesty. A positive denial was
given to the massacre of Imperialists at Queretaro.
The army was to be reduced to 18,000 men, and
many prisoners were to be released.

The Mobile Times says the cotton crop of this
year will exceed any yet realised.
The bakers of Buffalo are required to stamp their
bread with their initials. Bread short in weight is confis-
cated.

The ironwork of the Exhibition building, at
Paris, is said to be already sold for exportation to America.
David Henry and Co.'s wholesale liquor store,
No. 20, State-street, Chicago, was destroyed by fire on the
30th August. The loss is $60,000 ; the insurance is
$45,000. The stock of 0. Turner, Bristol, and Co., whole-
sale leather dealers, in the adjoining building, was damaged
by water to the extent of $12,000. West's stock of carpets
was also damaged. The total loss will probably reach
$lOO,OOO.

About one-half of Reynold's City, Montana Ter-
ritory, was destroyed by fire on the 10th August.
The Hamilton Times of Ontario publishes a letter
from Captain Turner of the schooner Algerine, giving an
account of a splendid meteor that fell into Lake Ontario
the 4th instant. The skipper first beheld an illumination
in the north-west; then he saw what seemed to be a large
body of fire approaching with terrific speed. The light
thrown out by this blazing ball was so intense that two of
the crew of the Algerine fell to the deck, overcome by ter-
ror. The meteor struck the water at a point about 300
yards from the bow of the schooner. Immense quantities
of steam and spray ascended, and the captain's ears were
stunned by the terrible sound that announced the instant
of contact of the aerolite and the water. The skipper says
that a long trail of flame streamed after the meteor.
The Times correspondent says—" The purchase
by the United States of the Bay of Samana, in the coloured
Republic of St. Domingo, for the sum of £1,000,000, now
alleged to have been finally arranged, is in harmony with
steps taken by some active New York adventurers 15 years
ago. At that date it was proposed to place 4,000 or 5,000
American settlers in the country, the population of which
is estimated at only about 200,000, and the obvious intent
was to acquire this bay with its valuable coal mines, which,
owing to the development to be given to steam navigation
in the Pacific by tho then newly-discovered treasures of
California, was regarded as one of the most valuable pro-
perties that could be opened up. At that period, in order
perhaps to stimulate the national feeling on the question,
it was represented that Franco had designs upon the
Republic, and about the same time also a futile attempt
was made to raise in London a Dominican loan of
£750,000. Subsequently the temporary re-occupation of San
Domingo by Spain, and the exigencies of the civil war in
America, seem to have diverted attention from the subject.
Its resumption at the present moment may in its commer-
cial bearings be regarded with satisfaction. The Bay of
Samana is among the finest harbours in the world, and the
supply of coal for steam purposes has been alleged to be
virtually inexhaustible, and to be so situated that ves-
sels may even load alongside of the mines. If the
general account of its capabilities be correct the station
will, of course, prove of incalculable importance to the
United States in a naval sense, but even if the assumption
were to be entertained that considerations of that kind
rather than of commercial utility have operated as incen-
tives to the acquisition, we may safely rely that the com-
mercial principle will triumph in th© end, and that out of
the facilities to be gained by an ample supply of coal for
the steam traffic with Australia,, calif9rnia, China, and

Japan, advantages will be realised for the world by the side
of which any results of narrow antagonism would sink into
insignificance."

The following story is told by the Watchman and
Reflector:—" A Mean Nobleman.---The hoad of an illus
trious house, whom I shall call Lord Skinflint, had given
one of his cast-off hats to a certain lacquey in his service.
Recognising this hat a few days afterwards on the hall
table, where it had been loft for the moment, my lord in-
quired to whom it belonged, and was at once reminded
of his gift. ' What ! ' cried his lordship, did I give
you such a good hat as this ?' The man exclaimed
that he had bad it re-lined and ' done up.' Umph ! '
says my lord, I never thought of that. Pray, what
did you pay for it ?" Arf-a-crown, my lord,' answered
Mr. Jeames. The nobleman mused for an instant, and
looked at the hat again. I'll tell you what,' said ho at
length, ' I'll give you five shillings for it as it is." If your
lordship pleases,' answered the footman. (In fact there
was nothing else for him to say.) The bargain was struck
at once. Lord Skinflint put on the hat, and, for aught I
know, he may wear it still.
The Pall-Mall Gazette observes :—" It is remark-
able how differently Americans regard the function of
railways from ourselves. The inter-oceanic or trans-
continental railway, from Omaha, on the Missouri, to San
Francisco, of which perhaps half our readers have never
heard, is already one-third completed. In less than four
years it will be open throughout. Its length will be about
2,000 miles, through a region containing at present for
hundreds of miles together not an inhabitant except the
wild Indian. The cost will be about £30,000,000, one
third of which was provided by the Government. Wherever
a district is rich and populous we judge that it deserves a
railway. So do the Americans : but then they also hold
that a railway is urgently wanted wherever a district
which might be prosperous and populous is not so. And
they make it."

The New York Times of the 22nd of August gives
an account of a new patent railway car called " the
Lyman refrigerator," constructed for the purpose of tran-
sporting slaughtered meat long distances by rail in warm
weather. The first of these cars arrived on the 21st of
August at Hoboken from Ohio, with the carcases of 16
steers and 123 sheep, all as pure and fresh as on the day
on which they were killed. They came by way of Pitts-
burgh, Harrisburgb, and the Morris and Essex Railroad,
and had been four days and nights on the road. The ice
in the car, of which about one ton is required, had to be
renewed but once during the trip, the temperature remain-
ing at 45 degrees Fahrenheit. The construction of the car
is such that a current of air passes through the ice into the
body of the car containing the meat.
The New York Tribune says :--" The President
has adopted a new policy. Ho will not publish private
letters. No ! so greatly does he respect the seal of pri-
vacy that he will not print Gen. Grant's letter concerning
Stanton. But the time has been when Mr. Johnson printed
the private letters of Mr. Forney. What explains the con-
tradiction? Gen. Grant wants his private letter printed,
and Mr. Forney didn't. Our amiable Andrew is always
ready to oblige."
In the steamer City of Paris, which sailed from
New York on Saturday, the 31st August last, for Liver-
pool, there were two American bulls an 4 seven heifers for
England as breeding stock. The bulls are said to be valued
at 56,500. This is believed to be the first time that stock
has been shipped from the United States to England for
breeding purposes.

Soon after New Orleans fell into Gen. Butler's
hands the Government sent there by vessel $lO,OOO worth
of postage stamps, The vessel was seized by the Rebel
steamer Florida, and the stamps sent in the original
packages to England via Nassau, where they were sold to
a broker for about $6OO, and the purchaser sent them, still
in the original package,
to Canada. Our consul there,
ascertaining the facts, applied to the Canadian courts for
an injunction to prevent the possessor from parting with
thorn, on the ground that they wore stolen, never con-
demned in any prize court, and therefore still the property
of the United States. The Hon. Caleb Cushing has been
retained for the Government, and Joseph A. Ware, the
solicitor of the Treasury Department, has sailed for
Europe to obtain the necessary evidence. New York
Tribune.

COMIERCIA.L.
NEW YORit, Aug. 31.
Money still continues abundant, the rates ruling as low
as ever. On the best securities advances are made from 4
to 5 par cent., but it is not unusual for them to be done at
3. The best commercial paper sells at 6t07,8 to 9 being
the rates for secondary. Gold has risen, closing yesterday
at 1411, after selling as high as 1421. At the gold ex-
change bank the clearings were $45,290,000, and the
balance $1,124,968. With the rise of gold there has been
a rise in Government Stocks 5-20's, selling as high as 1141.
Exchange is quoted as follows :—London, 60 days, 1091 to
1091; London, sight, 1101 to 1101; commercial, 109/ to
1091; Paris, long, 5.161 to 5.15 ; short, 5.131 to 5.121;
Antwerp, 5.181 to 5.171; Swiss, 5.181 to 5.171; Hamburg
(bankers), 361 to 361; Amsterdam, 411; Frankfort, 41 to
411; Bremen, 781 to 781 ; Berlin, 72 to 721.
The transactions at the Sub-Treasury to-day were :
Receipts for Customs, $422,000; for gold notes, $54,000;
total receipts, $4,175,941 0; ; total payments, $8,799,699
51 ; balance, $116,619,660 98.

The demand for money in the West, according to the
Cincinnati Gazelle is not very active considering the season.
Last Wednesday, however, there was more demand, as
small sums were being distributed over the country. Rates
were firm, and at from 8 to 10 per cent. for the best names
between bankers and their depositors, and 10 to 12 per
cent. for good paper in the open market. The wheat
harvest of 1867, both as regards yield and quality, was
never bettor—the crop is nearly secured. The oats, rye,
and barley crop are all excellent. In some sections the
but the Chicago Tribune observes that
report of that sort reached them, there were
y of o
opposite character. The rolling stock is ha-
stwdcuworhyrffienencrte one
i ecnrtp an
toimsbackward, and has been injured by
weather,ove the immense amount of wheat accumu-
lating over the country, and the warehouses in Chicago
andother
10
slipping
ports are being rapidly filled up. The
k rate per cent., and in the open market outside
namesnegotiated at 1 to 1} per cent. per month.
Exchangen
was heavY• The miscellaneous stock market
in this city is neglected, though railway shares have
slightly advanced. There has been a rise in Cleveland and
Toledo on reports of a proposed consolidation with the
baworn
is
Cleveland, Painsville, and Ashtabula Road. A similar
report regarding the Michigan Southern has strengthened
its shares, which wore done at 83 ; Erie sold at 701 ; Cleve-
land and Pittsburgh at 94. The market closed strong, and
0
all stocks were in demand at quotations. The closing
prices
were : _New York Central 1051 to 1051, Erie 701
to 701, Reading 1011 to 104}, Michigan Southern 821 to
83, Cleveland and Pittsburgh 931 to 94, Rock Island 1031
to
The amount of gold in the Treasury on August 27 was
$93,639,000 00; amount in gold certificates, $19,106,000 00;
to 461, North-Western Pre-
ferred lO3, North-Western
01
to7ol,
Fort
Wayne 105.
000 00
$51,332,.
currency, The receipts for the six days
up to the 26th of August vrere—From internal revenue,
$2,879,000, and from customs $3,343,000. The receipts
from the Ist of July were—From internal revenue
$38,007,000, from customs $26,353,000 ; total from both
sources $65,260,000. Subjoined is the total amount of gold
certificates issued and redeemed by the Sub-Treasury,
together with the outstanding balance on Bth May and at
subsequent intervals:—
Issued. Redeemed. Outstanding.
20s $334,900 $206,600 $127,300
100 s 5,321,000
3,758,400 1,562,600
500 s 1,164,500
541,000 623,500
I,ooos 26,065,000 21,859,000 4,206,000
5,000 s 159,675,000 140,130,000 19,545,000
10,000 s 5,000,000 5,000,000
Total. --------
May 18 $197,559,000 $171,495,000 $26,064,400
May 27 198,688,200 173,389,000 25,290,260
June 1 200,012,000 174,475,000 25,617,100
June 22 205,713,720 178,185,000 27,558,720
June 29 207,613,980 179,540,000 28,073,980
July 6 209,639,360 180,156,000 29,483,360
July 20 212,213,220 182,490,000 29,723,220
n
July 27 213,
-87,720 183,892,000 29,695,720
Aug. 3 214,104,220 185,866,000 28,638,220
Aug. 10 214,47;220 186,518,000 27,955,220
Aug. 17 214,867,660 187,731,000 27,136,660
American silver is in limited request at 51 to 6} cents
below the price of gold. Mexican dollars are worth 105
to 1031.

The Government have determined, to the general satis-
faction, to prosecute the defaulters in the Tradesmen's
Bank.

On the Produce Exchange to-day Flour was 15c. to 25c.
lower, and rather more steady at the decline. Wheat was
also more steady.
Corn one or two cents better. Oats
quite firm. Pork irregular and quiet. Beef quiet. Lard
steady.
Whisky quiet.

disposition
great
t retogutloauricth any
The. Tall-Street Journal of the'3lst of August, says:—
, says:—
"Mining stocks continue very heavy, and there is little
Securities are especially neglected, the only exception
being Sensenderfer, which pays its monthly dividends
various mining districts of that State,
Y. Nevada Silver Stocks are much but Nevada Stocks. Colorado
in-
fluenced by the excellent accounts received from the
showing by the
actual product of bullion that the mines are being faith-
fully worked. We note that the 10 per Cent. First Mort-
gage Bonds (interest payable in gold) of the Hamilton
Gold and Silver Mining Company of Nevada have been
introduced on the board, and that several purchases have
bean made at E 3 and 86 per cent. Midas sliver continues
in good demand, and has advanced to $2.35.
The Zacatecas Silver Mines have produced, since they
were first opened, 5796,043,855 worth of bullion.
The Hamilton Gold and Silver Mining Company of
Nevada will pay their September coupons on bonds sub-
scribed in Now York, at the office of Thomas Barclay, 4,
Wall-street, New York ; and on all other bonds at 430,
Walnut-street, Philadelphia.
The Atlantic Mail Steamship Company have declared a
dividend of 21 per cent. (out of the net earnings of the guar-
ter ending August 19th), payable at the office, 5, Bowling-
green, New York, on September 10th next.
The Cleveland and Pittsburgh Railway Company have
declared a dividend of 5 per cent., payable on September
10th next.

Ihe jaWrogt warrants a the clayolaud and Rittgburgh

Railroad Company, due on September 1, will bo paid at
the Ocean National Bank of New York, and the coupons
of the Peninsular Railroad Company will ba paid at
the office of the Chicago and North Western Railroad
Company, on September 1.

Old and experienced cotton factors at Augusta, Georgia,
who are in correspondence with most of the cotton States,
put down the cotton crop of the present year at from two
and a half to two and three quarter million bales.
The following is an official record of the Exports of
Cotton during the fiscal year ending June 30th, 1867, as
compiled at the Bureau of Statistics :—Upland and sea
island exported from all the ports of the United States,
667,137,870 pounds; value in currency, as declared by the
exporters on their clearances, $202,870,910. The admix-
ture of sea island with the uplands explains the seemingly
high valuation. Official comparison with the foreign
statistics reveals the fact that the cotton on arrival abroad
fully realised in the market the values sworn to here,
although the price of cotton has declined since October
last. The exports of cotton fur the fiscal year ending
June 30th, 1866, wore, including sea island cotton,
650,572,829 pounds, valued at $281,385,223.

(From E. F. Satterawaite and Co.'s Weekly Circular, Sept.ll:

Per Java we have advises from New York to the 27th
ult. By a telegram, dated New York, September 10th,
per the Atlantic Telegraph, the following prices have
been received :--Gold, 114 ; United States Five-Twenties,
1141; Illinois, 1301; Erie (common), 69i ; Exchange (60
days), 158.

The following is the return of the New York banks :
Aug. 17, 1867—Discounts, $253,232,411; specie,
$5,920,557 ; circulation, $33,669,757 ; deposits,
$194,046,591.
Aug. 24, 1867—Discount, $250,697,679; specie,
$6,028,535 ; circulation, $33,736,249; deposits,
$188,744,101.

The Great Western of Canada traffic is, for week end-
ing Aug. 2?, 1867, £12,955 19s. Bd. sterling, on 350 miles,
or £37 Os. 10d. per mile per week ; Aug. 22, 1866, £11,611
12s. sd. sterling, on 350 miles, or £33 14s. 10d. per mile
per week.

The Grand Trunk of Canada traffic is, for week ending
Aug. 24, 1867, £25,413 sterling, on 1,377 miles, or £lB 9s
per mile per week ; Aug. 25, 1866, £26,786 sterling, on
1,377 miles, or £l9 9s. per mile per week.
The Detroit and Milwaukee traffic is, for week ending
Aug. 22, 1867, £7,709 15s. 3d. sterling, at 189 miles, or
£4O 15s. 10d. per mile per week; Aug. 22, 1866, £6,771
13s. 3d. sterling, at 189 miles, or £35 16s. 7d. per mile per
week.

Since our last of this day week the market in London
for American securities has been mainly affected by the
steady advance, amounting to 2i per cent., in gold at New
York, the premium last quoted being 44. The decline,
however, in 5-20 Bonds has not been more than to 1 per
cent., consequent on the large steady absorbing demand
from the Continent; partly, however, to supply sales pre-
viously made. At the close 1862's are 721 to 73, and 1865's
701 to 71.
From the same cause Illinois Shares are about one per
cent. lower, and Erie have experienced a similar decline.
Atlantic and Great Western Consolidated Bonds have
given way one per cent., but Debentures remain steady.

(Front Messrs. Bowles, Drevet, and Co.'s Circular.)
Paris, Sept. 13, 1867.

Via Queenstown we have but trifling change to report
iu the general market since date of our last circular; but
Americans have been adversely affected by tho advance in
gold in Now York, quoted in a despatch just received at
1481 on the 11th inst. _ _

The above advance, occasioned by somewhat disquieting
political rumours, has had a very depressing effect upon
the bonds of the United States, which close on the
12th inst.
At 821 for the issue of 1862
At 894 to I „ „ 1865
The Bente closes at 7O
Tho Italian closes at
Exchange on London 25 21