The Sun.
London, England, 1859-05-17 00:00:00

J. URAH4.III. DONCASTER .RACES.-(THIS DAY.)

We are requested to publish the following corre-
spondence :

" War-office, May 14.
"Dear Sir James Graham,—l have waited in
hope that you would have contradicted a statement
reported to have been made by you in your speech
at Carlisle, on Monday last, to the effect, That in
order to influence the elections the War Depart-
ment, by an act of prerogative, Parliament not sit-
ting, had increased the allowance to publicans for
soldiers billeted on them from 11-d. to 4d.'
" Now, this is not only untrue, but if you stated
it, I must leave you to explain how it was possible
for you not to have known that it was not true. In
addition to your long Parliamentary experience
and knowledge of everything connected with the
army, you, when First Lord of the Admiralty,
must have brought in the Marine Mutiny Bill, and
must have known that the allowance to publicans
for Soldiers and marines billeted on them is fixed
by the Mutiny Bill. You must also have known
that last session a Parliamentary committee inquired
into the billeting system, and recommended in their
report that the allowance should be raised from 11d.
to from 4d. to 6d. ; that I was asked publicly in
the house on the 7th of February, this year, whether
it was the intention of the Government to carry
this recommendation into effect, and that I answered
that it was their intention to raise it to 4d., but
that it could not be done until the Mu tiny Bill
was brought in ; that again on the 7th of March, on
the Army Estimates, I made the same statement,
and that Parliament voted the extra sum required
for the payment of it, and that on bringing in the
Mutiny Bill I pointed out that the only material
alteration in it was the increased allowance to the
publicans. The Mutiny Bill passed before there
was any idea of a dissolution, and the War-office
Circular, directing the payment of the additional
allowance, was issued previous to the dissolution.
" Your statement about the castle or barracks at
Berwick is equally incorrect ; but, although you
made it, I think you admitted that you could not
say that it could be proved. _

I am not inclined to criticise too narrowly elec-
tion speeches, but when charges of this nature are
made against a public department it is necessary
that they should be publicly contradicted, and I
shall be glad to accompany the publication of this
-letter_ with any explanation you may have to- offer
on the contents of it.

" Believe me, yours very truly, "J. PEEL."

" Netherby, May 15.
" Dear General Peel,—Until I received your
letter this morning I was not aware that the in-
crease of billet money had been specified and sanc-
tioned by the Mutiny Act; or that provision had
been made for this increase in the vote on account
in the Army Estimates. The statement, therefore,
in the speech to which you refer, respecting 'an
act of prerogative, Parliament not sitting,' is an
inaccuracy. You blame my ignorance. I acknow-
ledge it. A misstatement made by me has been the
consequence. I am sorry for it, and you can give
to this acknowledgment the publicity which you
desire. The fact remains that a large increase of
billet money has been made at the instance of the
Government, and was announced on the eve of a
general election,

" With respect to an alleged promise of an outlay
of public money at Berwick I said that I could not
speak with any certainty, and that I did not know
whether the allegation could be proved. I have been
since informed that it was not the restoration of the
old castle which was contemplated, but the repara-
tion and tie reoccupation of the old barracks at
that place.—l am yours very faithfully,

" J. R. G. GRAHAM.
" Major-General the Right Hon. J. Peel."

THE EARTHQUAKE AT QUITO.

The Seis de Iffarzo, of Guayaquil, gives the fol-
lowing details of the recent earthquake at Quito :

From the different accounts which the Government has
received, it learns that the dreadful earthqt.ake which
was felt in this city on the 22d of the present month has
caused terrible disaster and very lamentable losses in the
capital of the republic, in all the neighbouring towns,
in the capitals of the province of Leon, and amongst
the towns of the cantonment of Latacunga. Equal or
greater have been the injuries caused by the earth-
quake in all cities and settlements of the beautiful province
of Imbaboure, the details of which have not been as yet re-
ceived ; but we shall hasten to make them public as soon
as possible. In the meanwhile we have given place in the
present number to the following article from .E 1 Artesano
which gives an account, in the manner of the official com-
munications and various
.private letters, of the lamentable
state to which that city is now reduced, and the mournful
condition of its unhappy inhabitants :
" THE 22D OF MARCH, 1859 IN QUITO.
" "

"The sweat and labour of man mingled together during
many centuries, and transformed into sumptuous temples,
have just been demolished by one of those terrible convul-
sions of the earth which from time to time strike the virgin
of the new world with consternation.
"A few seconds have been sufficient to-cast to the earth
the magnificent works of architecture which were the glory
and pride of the opulent Quito.
" Yesterday, the 22d of March, at half-past eight in the
morning, after a slight atmospheric detonation, the most
violent movements of tho earth were felt, in which it was
seen that the city had reached its last end. "
" The voice of man was hushed in his ordinary affairs,
and bitter lamentations and prayirs to Heaven ascended in
the midst of the quivering of the earth, the sundering of
mountains, the terrifying reports of the towers and cupolas
of the temples and of the tiles and walls as they fell to the
earth. Seventy-four 'seconds were sufficient to reduce to
ruins the proud edifices which the perseverance of man had
raised up in the course of many long years.
" This eminently catholic city, although hardly Chris-
tianised, prostrated to the earth, perhaps for its offences,
loudly implored the clemency of offended Heaven in such
awful moments.

"As soon as the convulsions of the earth had ceased a
new, horrifying, and tender scene took place on the scene of
terror. The parents sought their scattered children ; these,
in their turn, their parents ; members of families implored
one another with vehememt breath, in the midst of the
weeping and confusion, as if hoping that they might unite
together so that one spot might serve them for a common
sepulture ; or, in consolation, shedding tears one over the
other.

" Here some sustained in their arms dismayed and aged
people; there tender virgins whose strength had deserted
them ; further on were to be seen groups of parents and
friends whose intertwined arms expressed the pleasure
which they felt at meeting.
"As soon as there was a little calm of the feelings we
went out to examine the ruins, and we have passed by the
feeling of breathing the dust of the ruins of the temples.
Here the Eternal seems to have said, I will root out my
house and my habitation from among an ungrateful
people.' •
" There is not an edifice which has not suffered, and
many do not admit of repairs unless they are demolished.
The cathedral is mutilated, and one part of its balustrades
fell to the ground, and the place which was used as an
ecclesiastical court also lost its roof. The portico of the
chapel of El Sagrario lost its best half, and the middle
aisle is greatly injured. The temple of the Augustines
lost its principal cupola and the tower and angle of its
cloister. The temple of the Catalines came to the ground
in its main part, which formed the front and the cupola,
leaving several persons in its ruins, who, in consequence of
its immensity, it is impossible to discover until after some
days of labour. Of the temple of the Dominicans there fell
the balustrades, two angles of the principal court, and one
of the second. The tower of the hospital demands imme-
diate demolition, in consequence of the ruinous state ia which
it has been left. The church of our Lady del Carmen is
greatly injured, the great bars of iron which supported its
angles having fallen. The magnificent temple of Santa
Clara has been completely damaged, in consequence of the
loss of her collateral arches and the destruction of her little
cupola. From the temple of La Merced there fell the high
cupola, some convent cells, and the little cupola of the
tower, while the clock was striking the fatal hour for the last
time. Both towers of the temple of San Francisco were found
to be greatly damaged; but this one has suffered the least,
although the interior of the convent is greatly damaged.
The temple of St. Roque lost its tower, and one of the two
temples of St. John the Evangelist lost one of the two which
it had. The church of Recoleta de Dominicos is completely
ruined.
" Of the public edifices, the walls of the company at the
corner of the San Francisco place are ruined, and the tiles
of the building which was used for the transaction of the
business of the supreme, and superior courts have fallen.
The government palace is completely injured in its two ca-
binets, as well as the archiepiscopal palace. The colleges
and chapels are all left in greater or less ruin. We conclude
this faithful account by stating that, although there are a
.
few houses not completely destroyed, there not a single
one which does not demand immediate repair. "
The number of victims ascertained up to this moment
is very small, and does not exceed ten persons who have
perished under the ruins.
" From some accounts which we have received from
adjacent places we learn that the city of Machachi is de-
stroyed, as also the towns of the north—Perucho, Pomas-
qui, and Cotocollao, including the habitations of the fields.
We are even ignorant of the number of persons who might
have been in the towns, and even of the motive cause of so
lamentable a catastrophe.
"We will hereafter, as we have promised, give more de-
tailed accounts of the injuries which have resulted from the
earthquake in the towns of the north."

FAILURE IN BIRMINGHAM.--Yesterday a circular
was issued announcing that the firm of Charles Villatti and
Co. was unable to provide funds to meet the current en-
gagements, and a meeting of the creditors is convened. The
house did business with South America, and the stoppage
is attributed to the suspension of payment by the house cf
Alfred Willers and Co., of Hamburg.
A HOPEFUL SCHOLAR.—An engineer of world-
wide celebrity, on visiting a parallel which was in course of
completion by a party of the corps, went up to the nearest
sapper to interrogate him with reference to the work he was
executing. The workman was private Solomon Whelan,
who was not remarkable for wit or good sense. Colonel—
What is your name, sir ? Sapper—Solomon Whelan, sir.
Colonel—Well, Solomon Whelan, what slope is that ?
Sapper—a very good slope, sir. Colonel—But what is its
name ? Sapper—A slope, sir. Colonel—You are a very
stupid fellow. Sapper—Yes, sir. The colonel paused to
scrutinise the genius ; and having surveyed him from head
to heel, resumed the examination. Colonel—Supposing
the first sapper were killed, what would you do with him ?
Sapper—Stuff him in the gabion 1 Colonel—And what
would you do with the Aecond, if he were killed ? Sapper
—Make a fascine of him 1 Colonel—Well, Solomon Whe-
lan, you certainly are a curious fellow. Sapper—Yes, sir.
Here the dialogue ended, and the colOnel strode away
twisting his whisker, evidently amazed at the species of
information the interview had elicited.—Romance of the
Bank.

(11Y ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.)
TRIAL STAKES.
Dead heat between Clara Webster and Weasel.

LATEST BETTING.
DONCASTER lIANDICAP.
4to 1 agst Far West (taken)
4to agst Clara Webster (taken)

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

TATTERSALL'S-AIONDAT.

A full room, and attention principally occupied by the
settling. Only two city men were reported hit and
missing; one of them has not for a long time been deemed
as sound as a bell. Promised Land receded to sto 2, taken
and offered, whilst Electric and Ticket of Leave were in the
most demand throughout the afternoon. Marionette was
again looking up. Even money was at one time betted
on the two first faveurites against the field.

DONCASTER HANDICAP.
3to 1 agst Burgomaster (taken) •
3to 1 azst Far West (taken)
sto 1 agst Clara Webster (taken)
6to 1 agst Princess Royal (taken)
Bto 1 agst Shafto (taken)
DERBY.
sto 2 agst Promised Land (taken and offered)
4to 1 agst Musjid (taken to £2OO, and afterwards
offered)
100 to 8 agst Electric (taken)
13 to 1 agst Marionette (taken and offered)
21 to 1 agst Ticket-of-Leave (taken)
22 to 1 agst Cavendish (taken)
25 to 1 agst Trumpeter (taken)
30 to agst Glenbuck (taken) ,
33 to 1 agst Enfield (taken)
40 to 1 agst Schuloff

OAKS.
sto 4 agst Mayonaise (taken)
6to 1 agst Ariadne (taken)
10 to 1 agst Rosabel (taken)

ENFIELD.-Mr. Joseph Bond has sold Enfield for
£1,600, with a contingency of an additional £3,000 should
the horse win the Derby. He will remain in Armstrong's
stables at Epsom until after the race. Mr. A. Gray, who
bred him, has also received a very liberal offer for the
brother and darn.

RACING FIXT

Salisbury
Ludlow . ,
Bath ... ,

Ju
Chelmsford
Beverley, Hull, and E.R 8
Hungerford
Ascot 14
Manchester l5
Hampton 22

Richmond.
Bedford ...

JRES FOR 1859.
1 Harpenden 27
Epsom Summer 3l

Newton ..22
Newcastle 28
Odiham 28
Bibury ClUb 29
Stockbridge

•
OCTOBER.
4 1 Newmarket S.O. 10
8 1 Newmarket H 24

Winchester ..,
1
Carlisle
Newmarket July 5
Worcester Summer 7
Abingdon ' l2

Liverpool July 13
Nottingham 19
Stamford 2l
Marlborough
Goodwood 26

AQUATICS.

FOUR-OARED RACE.-A four-oared race took place yes-
terday between the members of the Prince Albert Aquatic
Club and the Temple Unity Rowing Club, for £2O. The
following were the crews :
Prince Albert Aquatic Club 1
Mr. Nelms. Mr. Wooley.
Mr. liis-more. Mr. Fenton (stroke).
_ I

Mr. Burfon (cox.)
Temple Unity Rowing Club
Mr. Sheridan.
I Mr. Bowles.
Mr. Cotter. Mr. Hughes (stroke).

Mr. John byer (cox.)
The distance was from Putney to Barnes, and despite the
unfavourable state of the weather, the race was accompa-
nied by several friends. The Temple Unity had the best
station, and they started and rowed well together for nearly
half a mile, when the Prince Albert gradually drew away,
and ultimately achieved an easy conquest. Mr. Going,
of Wandsworth, was referee.

THIS LAY'S MARKETS.

HAY MARKETS.

SMITIIFIELD.—Meadow hay, £2 15s to £4 12s ; clover,
do., £4 5s to £5 lOs ; and straw, £1 4s to £1 8s per load.
Trade rather dull.

CUMBERLAND.—Meadow hay, £2 15s to £4 12s; clover
do., £4 5s to £5 lOs ; and straw, £1 5s to £1 9s per load.
Supplies moderate.
WHITECRAPEL.—Meadow hay, £2 106 to £4 lOs ; cloves
do., £4 5s to £5 lOs ; and straw, £1 4s to 7s per load.
A heavy demand.