The Sun.
London, England, 1867-02-23 00:00:00

Ant ipodial Aquatics.

Americans in China have shown their country-
men at home a better kind of international compe-
tition than sailing yachts across the Atlantic. To have
surpassed Britannia in any kind of maritime ex-
ploit is, of course, highly satisfactory. It was very
gratifying when Mr. Stevens, in the America, dis-
tanced the English yacht fleet and revolutionised
yacht-models—still more so when Mr. Ericsson,
with the Monitor, answered Punch's taunt that it
behooved Jonathan, having shown John how to
build a yacht, to instruct him in building a man-of-
war ; and, from the estimate placed by English
yachtsmen themselves upon our last achievement, it
apparently only remains for the Henrietta or the
Vesta or the Redwing, or all of them, to outsail a
fleet of European competitors iu order that our cup
of maritime exultation may overflow. But victo-
rious yachting is, after all, a mechanical crp rt of
triumph, creditable chiefly to .ship-build as and
sailing masters, requiring a kind of pluck which the
heavy pursed alone can display ; while, above all,
the fact that only dwellers near the seaboard
can engage in it preventsits ever becoming among
us a national amusement even for those whose
other circumstances permit. The handful of
Americans at Shanghai have worsted their Eng-
lish opponents in a contest which should win them
infinitely more xvBor than attends the yacht race.
Pre-eminence in rowing has always been held to be
an inalienable British glory, and when to their pre-
scriptive prowess were added the considerations that
the English oarsmen in Shanghai exceed the Ameri-
can by the rate of six to one, and that the match
was pulled in the eight-oared shells with coxswains
instead of our six-oar with bowsman steering, it was
hardly surprising that the English residents filled

the papers in advance with letters patronisingly
eulogistic of the " hopeless pluck of the Yankees "

Their exultation may have been based upon the
previous defeat of American by British men-of-war's
boats, which we can readily conceive, since the

achievements of a naval crew, the build of their
boats, their oars, time, drill, speed, are all of an
order calculated to excite the derision of a Harvard
or Yale freshman. In the race, however, the Ameri-
cans—who, by the way, were all from New York
and Massachusetts, and among whom were two
Harvard race-crew men—took the lead from the
start, and at a pace which carried them over the
mile and a half in eight minutes and a half soon
left their rivals so far behind, that the English cap-
tain relinquished the idea of pulling over the course.

In the minor races on the same day, the American
oarsmen won such laurels and so overturned
popular preconceptions that, as we learn from the
letter of a Yale boating man present on the oc-
casion, the American population of Shanghai
were nearly a week after " still chuckling" over the
event. What the fortuitous representation of
Americans at Shanghai was able to accomplish as
matched against an assemblage of our English
cousins, which afforded much larger field for selec-
tion, it is not unreasonable to hope our college
clubs might do in an international university boat-
race. The prestige of Oxford and Cambridge oars-
men is as well established as it is long-lived, while
it is only within a very few years that Yale and
_ .

Harvard have had any really first-rate rowing in
which to glory. Moreover, the miserable multipli-
cation of our colleges so reduces the number of men

from wliom a college crew can be picked that the
English would have as great an advantage over the
American boats as their countrymen in the an-
tipodes had over ours. The odds would certainly
be in favour of Oxford and Cambridge ; but, on
the one hand, by its victory in an international
university race, Yale or Harvard would gain such
glory as neither has opportunity to win at home ;
and, on the other, there could be no ignominy in
defeat at the hands of such doughty antagonists.

- -
We write without special knowledge of the con-
dition of next season's crews either at Yale
or Harvard. The commodores, however, by
this time probably know pretty well what
material they have to work with for the fall
races, and if, on comparing notes, each
finds that he can do credit to his Alma Mater,
they cannot do better than proceed to challenge the
English university crews to two matches, to 132
pulled on either side of the water, during the next
and the following summer vacations. It is unfortu-
nate that the commencements and class meetings
are held too late in the season to permit any steps
being taken in them, but the navies are prosperous
both at Yale and Harvard, and there can be little
doubt that the alumni of the two colleges, at least
' the boating-men among them, would willingly
relieve the commodores of as much of the expense
of the expedition as should be necessary. The
challenge has long been talked about in a vague
way, especially at the time of the Worcester
regattas, for several years past ; and there is no
reason why it should not at last be made, since, we
presume, the faculties would interpose no difficulties.
Defeat is, of course, among the possibilities, but if •
Harvard is capable of such pulling as last year's,
and Yale as that of the year before, it is not likely.
At all events they would have less discouragements
to face than those over which our countrymen in
China passed triumphantly ; and we hope our col-

[ege oarsmen will " make a note on" the demonstra,-

Lion upon the other side of the world that Ameri-
can pluck and gallantry can be more creditably
vindicated than by heavy betting, fast horses, or
yachts from the best builders and sailed by the most
skilful masters and crews that money can pro-
cure. A French and English international
regatta is being arranged to be held at Paris this
summer, and, although at the season when it is
likely to take place undergraduates will be in the
middle of their term, there is no reason why some
of the crews which in past time have won laurels
for their colleges should not reassemble and be sent
as a much more sensible American deputation than
was proposed by the admirers of the New York
Seventh Regiment.--The Round Table.

Miscellaneous American News.

Senator Wilson's bill to increase the pay of army
officers adds one-third to the pay of all officers be-
low the rank of major-general, and the pay of all
field and other mounted officers shall hereafter be
the same as is now provided by law for cavalry
officers of like grade. The act to increase the pay
of soldiers, approved June 2D, 1864, is continued
in full force for three years from the 20th August,
1866. The bill has a rider authorising the sale of
the Government property at Harper's Ferry.
GAMBLING MANIA.—The Springfield Republican
has anarticle on the lottery mania which has seized
the people of New York and other cities of the Union.
The success of the Crosby Opera House scheme to
Crosby ! has and will lead to hundreds of worse
swindles. Crosby netted half a million of dollars
by the operation, and has got the Opera House
back, free of encumbrance, for $200,000, which cost
him $600,000 to build. Mr. Lee is richer by
$200,000, a few won pictures and statuary of un-
certain value, and the 200,000 individuals who
got nothing, have the satisfaction of knowing that
they enriched the others at no great personal sacri-
fice. Put it in the light of a voluntary contribu-
tion to those they know nothing of, and care
not a straw about, it is an amiable transaction.
But many angrily declare themselves swindled,
which is very green in them, for they ought to
know that the prizes are rated at double their value,
and the managers do not take up the business from
philanthropic motives. A lottery was drawn at
Washington—as it was said—for some Orphans'
Home, another at New York for the benefit of a
Union House, both conducted by ladies, assisted by
gentlemen of standing and responsibility. All
classes have been seized with the mania, and
good people who would refuse to play a
game of whist at their own fire-side carry
lottery tickets in their pockets. The managers
of gift enterprises, barefaced swindles, are
lending their services to benevolent societies,
and pocketing portions of the plunder. The police,
who made a raid on Heenan's private gambling
establishment one evening, assisted next day in
keeping order while the lottery for the Union
House was was being drawn. Though the Massa-
chusetts laws forbid lotteries, many of the best
citizens held chances in the Crosby scheme, and
though they do not consider themselves criminals,
they begin to suspect themselves to be fools ! This
mania is exceptional, and grows out of the un-
healthy state of trade and finance. Business now
resolves itself into gambling, and moral soundness
can only be restored by re-establishing trade and
finance in their normal condition.
The Watchman and Reflector, writing of Liberia,
says :—" Only half a century ago the primary
founders of this African nationality were gathered
in a prayer meeting at Princeton, New Jersey, to
commend its fortunes to the care of Heaven ; and,
surely the prophetic prayers of that day have been
amply fulfilled. What was then a mere conception
is now a fact of history, a living power. On the
first day of November, 1848, a treaty was signed in
London b3tween Great Britain and Liberia, placing
both of the contracing parties in relation to each
otheron the footing of the most favoured nation. On
the 25th day of November, 1851, a treaty recognis-
ing the principles of perfect equality was ratified by
the Emperor Napoleon. For more than a quarter of
a century the slave power ruling at Washington
had solemnly sworn that this new nationality
should never be recognised by our Government ;
but lust as soon as that slave-power was crushed,
this Black Itipublic was recognised by a treaty with
the United States of America, signed October 21,
1862 (the ratifications were exchanged in London,
February 10,1863) taking the most perfect equality
and reciprocity as the basis of this agreement,' and
guaranteeing to the citizens of Liberia, in the
United States, fall protection for their persons and
property, with the enjoyment of ' all other rights
and privileges which are or may be granted to any
other foreigners, subjects, or citizens of the most
favoured nation.' "
THE MUTILATED SHERIDAN DESPATCHES.—The
New Orleans investigating committee has been try-
ing to find out who furnished the garbled despatches
of General Sheridan to the press. They cannot
trace them home, but the dishonourable work was
done at the White House, though the President
seems to be cleared by the readiness with which
he furnished the entire correspondence to the press
on being informed of the mutilation committed.
It appears that the mutilated despatch of
Sheridan was printed at New Orleans the
same day as in New York, and on his writing
indignantly to General Grant on the subject
the latter sent copies of all the correspondence in
full to Secretary Stanton, asking to have them pub-
lished, and saying :—" Already a garbled version
of one of these despatches, and an incomplete copy
of another, have appeared in the public prints.
These publications put General Sheridan in the
position of taking a partisan view of the whole
question ; and, what is still worse, of being
one day on one side of the question and another
day on the other side. His despatches in full show
that he takes no partisan view, but reports what he
believes to be the facts, without regard to who is
hit. lam just in receipt of a telegram from him
showing displeasure at his despatches getting into
print in a mutilated and incomplete form."
LITTLE SCENE IN THE HOUSE. —When Mr.
Stevens introduced his Military Government Bill,
Mr. Le Blond, of Ohio, Democrat, asked whether it
was right or proper to put such an important bill
on its passage without even half an hour's debate
upon it—a bill establishing military jurisdiction
over all the Southern States ? Mr. Stevens re

marked that he would allow the gentleman (Mr. Le
Blond) half an hour for debate. Mr. Le Blond said
. _

he did not ask it for himself, but if he had the power
he would demand it as a right on behalf of the
American people. Mr. Stevens suggested that he
would hold the matter in consideration till to-mor-

row, and if be then thought the American people
wished a prolongation of the debate he would accede
to that; in the meantime the House might as well
adjourn. Mr. Le Blond declared for the American
people that they wanted to be governed by the
constitution and the laws, and not by a military
despotism.
ADDITIONAL MAILS TO THE UNITED STATES.—The
United States' Government have just concluded a

contract with the North German Lloyd's for a
separate mail, to be carried exclusively by the
steamers of that company. At present only two
mails per week are despatched between the two

countries,—viz., one by the Cunard line (Saturdays
from Liverpool, and Wednesdays from New
York), on the part of the English Post-
office ; and one on the part of the Washington
Department. (Saturdays from New York, and
Wednesdays from Southampton, Liverpool, or Fal-
mouth), who for this purpose avail themselves alter-
nately of the vessels of the North German Lloyd,
the Hamburg-American Company, the Inman Com-
pany, and the Arago and Fulton line. By the new

contract the North German Lloyd steamers are to

sail from Southampton on Tuesdays instead of Wed-
nesdays, and from New York on Thursday instead
of Saturdays, and mails will be despatched by them

every week on those days throughout the year.
There will thus be three mails per week despatched

n future between the two countries, and the addi-

tional mail day is likely to prove of great benefit to
the merchants interested in American commerce,
particularly so as the steamers of the North German

Lloyd have shown themselves to be some of the

'astest in the trade. The fleet consists of eight full•

powered screw steamers built on the Clyde, viz., the
New York, Bremen, Hansa, America, Hermann,
Deutschland, Union, and Weser. The new con-
tract will come into force at the end of next month.
THE PROFITS OF SILVER MINING.—The San
Francisco Mining and Scientific Press of December
22 gives a return of several Nevada silver mining
companies with a list of monthly dividends declared
for November, from which we gather that six of the
companies, working a total of 5,000 feet, paid in
dividends $330,000 for the mouth, or at the rate of
$3,960,000 per annum. The returns show that
these mines were paying an average of 51 per cent.
per month, or 66 per cent. per annum upon the
market price of the shares, while three of them—
the Yellow Jacket, the Savage, and the Imperial—
the only ones of which we know the capital em-
ployed, paid at the rate of 30, 76, and 65 per cent.
respectively, for the month, or 360, 912, and 780
per cent. per annum upon the subscribed capital.