The Sun.
London, England, 1858-01-23 00:00:00

INDIAN TELEGRAPHS.

(From the Times' City Article.)
In the dispute between the India Company and
the Government the public would like to learn
where the fault lies of the neglect of telegraphic
communication. It must be with one of their
bodies, because the mercantile community did these
part long ago, and but for indirect obstacles a line
would almost at the present moment have been in
operation throughout the whole distance. A short
description of the measures taken and defeated from
some unknown cause will assist the inquiry by
showing that the fatal indifference exhibited has not
been shared in by the outside world. As long ago
as August, 1856, the Indian Junction Telegraph
Company was started with a capital of 200,0001., the
whole of which was at once subscribed with a deposit
of 5 per cent. This was to carry a line from the
coast of the Mediterranean along the valley of the
Euphrates to Bagdad or Bussorah, whence the India
Company were to lay a cable through the compara-
tively shallow waters of the Persian GulftoKurrachee
and Bombay. Nearly a year before the In,lian mu-
tiny, therefore, the work was planned, and with the
zealous co-operation of the authorities it could
actually have been completed, se that the tidings
of that catastrophe might have reached us on the
instant. Of course, however, even the ordinary
legal and diplomatic) formalities rendered such rapid
execution impossible, and it was not till the
following year,—namely, in. August, 1857, that
the company obtained their Act of Incorpora-
tion. Meanwhile the evidence taken on the sub-
ject before the Parliamentary committee was ad-
mitt, d to have established the feasibility of the
work and the ease and despatch witli which it
could be accomplished. Negotiations at the same
'• . _

time were in progress at Constantinople for the
necessary coucessi n from the Turkish Government,
all the assistance of the British Embassy having
been promised for the purpose, and from the Home
Governmt nt awl the India Company a subsidy was
obtained of 12,0001. per annum, or 6 per cent. on
the capital. The India Company also authorised
Sir W. O'Shaughne,sy to accept the office of con-
sulting engioner, and commissioned, as an assistant
in the operations, Lieut. Hawes, of the Bengal
army, to whom and the other executive office's of
the company Lord Clarendon instructed Lird
Stratford and the British Consuls in Asiatic Tur-
key to afford every help and countenance. Thus
far the whole affair seemed smooth, and, as it w..s
evident that Lord Stratford earnestly desired its..
success, no one hid the slightest doubt it would at
once be proceeded with. The idea that Turkey,
for whom England had just completed a great war,
would venture to frustrate the design was never
entertained in any quarter. No means exist of
establishing telegraphs to India except either
through her Syrian or Egpytian territories, and it
was hardly to be supposed that she would be al-
lowed, as a return for what had been accomplished I
on her behalf, to interpeso herself as a bar-

tier, not merely to our natural intercourse w r

our o pof,sesstons, but to the greatest fac lity con-
templated in mo tern times for the advantage of
Europe and the progi ess of civilisation.. The re-
sult, nevertheless, showed the folly of relying upon
any ordinary calculations where political influences
are secte•ly at work. At first the application to
Turkey was cordially met, and on the 13 h of Aug.,
1857, the necessary concession passed the Council
of Tanzimat, and was unanimously recommended
to the Council of Ministers. Sudden changes then
took place in the Turkish Cabinet, connected with
the questions which led to the subsequent visit of
the Empet or Napoleon to Osborne, and the conces-
sion, which bad actually arrived at the formal stage
in which it required nothing but the signature of
the Minister, was positively refused. The reasons
assignol were first, that the Turkish Government
could not pro•ect the line—a duty which it had be n
hoped by the company they would never think of
performing, as the British employes had no appre-
hension on that score—and next that they w.:uld
themselves undertake its construction. It will be
ob,erved that these reasons contradict each other ;
but-, of course, they answered the purpose, since
the pubic would know that the true one lay much
deeper, and might prove inconvenient. llere, it is
believed, as f.,r as the Euphrates Company are
concerned, the matter rests. Seemingly they have
toiled through ail sorts of negotiations for nearly
two yea s, have been stimulated to considerable
outlay, and have now their labour for their pains ;
but it is hard to give the real history of cases of this
kind, as no directors or shareholdels will ever com-
plain until all possibility of a rehabilitation of their
enterprise is at an end. But there is another coin-
pauy who :e proceedings remain to be noticed—
' the Red Sea Telegraph Company, with a proposed
capital of 700,0001. In this instance also some
encouragement was afforded up to a particular
stage, although it was not carried to such a definite
point as to enable the Board to raise their capital.
Ultimately, however, like its sister project, it fell
into the cold shade. The public unanimously de.
sired the simultaneous execution of the two lines,
it being seen that if only one existed and au acci-
dental interruption were to occur, we should, a'ter
we had brought all our habits into conformity with
this mode of communication, find ourselves in im-
becilexonfusion. Both companies are said to have
made every description of offer to modify their
plans in any way that may be deemed suitable to
combine all interests either political or commercial.
For aught that is known, however, the entire ques-
tion is now extinct. If Turkey will not permit her
Syrian territory to be crossed it is presumed her
Egyptian territory will be included in the same
policy. As to the intention on her own part to
construct either ono line or the other it will douLt-

less remain an intention to the end of time.

LLOYD'S SHIPPING.—',This Day.)

LONDON, Jan. 23.—Wind this day at noon, N. W.;
light breeze and fine.
COWES, Jan. 22.—Wind N. —Anived—Lieutonant,
from Gambia. _

lALmot;i.H, Jan. 22. —Win,' N.E.—Arrived—Dakatob,
from Rangoon.
OFF QUEENSTOWN, Jan. 22.—Arrived- Calendar, from
New Orleans.

PORTNIOUTH, Jan. 22.—Wind N. to N.W.—Arrived
—Oea Eloridge, from Ohinoba.
CARDIFF, Jan. 22.—Wind N. W.—Sailed-:-Meehera,
for Ceylon.
WATERFORD, Jan. 22.—Sailed - Sunbeam, for Gib-
raltar.
PENRANCE, Jan. 21.—Sailed—Tele Tale, from St.
Michael's.

(BY ELECTRIC tELEGRAPIT.)
SOUTHAMPTON, Saturday Morning.

Wind N., hard frost.
Arrived —Melbourne Trader, from Arclrossan ; Cale-
donia, Sunderland ; Dekar, London ; Dtageon, Cork ;
Rebecca, Youghal; Express and Atlanta, steamers, Jersey.
Sailed—Colonist, for Shields ; Havre, a., Havre ; Des-
patch, s., Jersey.

LIVERPOOL, Saturday Morning.

Wind W.N. W.
Arrived—Lady Russell, from Savannah; Queen of the
Lakes, Portland.
Sailed—Joseph Bushby, for Calcutta.
Off— Tuscarora, from Philadelphia ; Ann Thompson.
The Tweedside, screw steamer, which arrived here from
New °deism, encountered a hurricane on the Gth January
from W.S. W., which did considerable damage, and carried
away 19 bales of cotton.

(BY EILMMARINEGARNADVEBSREINTIDITSTaRtLuIRyATmHo.!ning.
Wind, N. W.: fide, half-ebb flue.
Arrived—Tern, from Tercara.
Sailed —Maverich, for Port Phillip ; Concordia, steamer
Calais; Alabama, Hull.

DEAL, Saturday Morning.

Wind, N.W. ; light.
Anchoree—Selskar, from Ismail, for Bremen.
Sailed...Negcbtiator, Mallard, Ida, hope, and Gratitude,
for London ; the first four in tow.

WEST-END SHOEBL&OKS.—On Thursday evening the
poor Irish boys who ;Are employed at the West-end of
the metropolis as a shoebluck brigade under the auspices
of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, were entertained
with a concert at the Hanover-3 pare Rooms. Besides
many tuembers of the Roman Catholic aristocracy, his
Eminence Cardinal Wiseman was present, and distri-
buted prizes of various kinds to the most deserving of
the youths. The entertainment concluded with the exhi-
bition of a series of dissolving views, with which the
" brigade" were highly delighted, as well as with the
more substantial comforts of a good supper., We under.
stand that the buys of this auxiliary " brigade" have had
assigned to them about 40 stations at the West-end by
Sir R. Mayne and the police authorities, as also t
they are well conducted on the whole, audiar e faet
often
learning the idle and prowling
uniform habits
mark the lower class of Irish poorf
em on their arroa.
the initials " S.V, P." embroidred o jnbluwoeu harooh ladrgre too
adtowwintsh.
the boys wore a bright