The Sun.
London, England, 1859-10-26 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OP THE SUN.

Snt,—Many letters have appeared in the public press of
late, both from naval officers and civilians, on the important
question of manning the British Navy. Various are the sug-
gestions set forth for raising and keeping sailors ad libitum.
Some go so far as to say that our line-of-battle ships, in
cvsequence of the introduction of steam power, ought to
be manned solely by artillerymen ; and, to render them in-
dependent of sailors, should be sent to sea without the en-
cumbrance of masts or sails. Really one would suppose
that common sense is at a very low ebb, when such twaddle
as this is to pass current for the opinions of practical men.
Now, sir, although we have spent millions in bringing our
screw liners to their present state of perfection, the great
question as to their true merits in action has yet to be solved.
hat would bo the effect of the concentrated fire of a few
32-pounders on the crew or stern post of a line-of-battle
ship during action ? In my humble opinion the vessel
would be in less than a quarter of an hour no better than a
helpless log on the water, so far as her steam power is con-
cerned. If lam right in this idea, it is very evident we
must still depend on sails as a propelling power in case of
accident, and, as a matter of course, man our ships with
seamen to work them.

When Sir Charles Wood introduced his pet bill in 1856,
for transferring the Coastguard to the Admiralty, he pro-
mised the country a reserve of 10,000 seamen • but, unfor-
tunately, like most Admiralty undertakings, the first start
has proved a failure. Discontent reigns among the men,
and now hands refuse to join the service. When the
Queen's proclamation appeared in Maylast, offering a liberal
bounty to British sailors to join the Navy, we were told
that an additional supply of 10,000 or 15,000 seamen would
be procured from the merchant Service within a month or
six weeks. The proclamation has been renewed from time
to time, and is still in force, but where are the men ?
Sir Charles Napier has run up the signal, "England
expects the Admiralty will do its duty ; " and winds up by
saying that so many improvements have taken place in all
navies of the world that, if we are to be preserved from
danger and insult, no time should be lost in providing a
naval reserve. Yes, one and all are unanimous in saying it
is of paramount importance for England to have a naval
reserve; but what is said about preserving the supply of
seamen, if we experience so much difficulty now in procur-
ing a few thousand merchant sailors ? What plan shall we
adopt when the carrying trade of the world is transferred to the
foreigner ? Are we not at this present moment encouraging
the employment of foreign sailors in our merchant ships,
and at the same time offering a bounty for English sailors ?
If we cut off the streams, can we expect the river to flow on
as strong as ever? Will those foreigners who are so vastly
benefited by England's liberality support her in the hour of
danger? Lot the people of England look to this national
question. It cannot be shelved much longer.
I will defy any man be prove from the statistical accounts
of the shipping trade of this country that the foreigner is
not fast supplanting the British sailor in every quarter of
the globe. Considering the enormous increase in the value
of our imports and exports that has taken place during the
past few years, the British mercantile marine ought to
number at least 100,000 more seamen than it does at the
present moment.
_ _

I enclose my card, and remain, sir, yours obediently,
A GOVERNMENT OPFICIAL.

October 24, 1859.

TILE STEPII_EX,

SONS, FA VIER AND
SON.

TO TIIE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

have just seen in your paper of the 17th
inst. that the authorities have granted permission
to inter the remains of the late Robert Stephenson
in Westminster Abbey. Although the modesty
which was so characteristic of him would, I am sure,
have been content with a resting-place at Chester-
field along with his great father, I am glad that
fitting honours will be paid to one who, without
invidious distinctions or comparisons, may perhaps
be called the greatest among his contemporaries in
the engineering world. It occurs to me, however,
that in honouring the son, the father, who was pre-
eminently the author of the locomotive system,
ought not to be forgotten, but that his remains
should be removed from the comparative obscurity
in which they are now placed to Westminster
Abbey, and that a suitable monument should be
erected there in memory of the father and son, to
whom England and the world are so much indebted.
The removal of the remains of the elder Stephenson
was mentioned to me by some of his old associates
not very long ago, although without any anticipa-
tion of the sad event which appears to make this a
proper occasion to bring the matter under public
notice. If you, Sir, and the public agree with
me in thinking such a step desirable, I am sure
the authorities will gladly give their consent to
the necessary arrangements; and the friends and
admirers of the two Stephensons will not be
wanting in their contributions. As a justification
for putting myself forward in this matter,
I beg to add that I was an intimate friend of the
late George Stephenson, and that I also enjoyed
the friendship of his son, whom, indeed, a short
time before his fatal illness I had arranged to join
in a journey through Egypt next month.—l am, sir,
your obedient servant,
JOSEPH PAXTON.
Bilboa, Oct. 21.

LIFEBOA7S FOR SCOTLAND.

TO THE EDITOR OF TIIE SUN.

Sir,—ln The Sun there appeared some time since
a statement of the wrecks on our coasts during the
past year, and of the efforts of the Royal National
Lifeboat Institution to diminish the dreadful loss of
life which annually occurs from these disasters. I
was worry to observe that an unsuccessful appeal
had been made to the Scotch to second these efforts
by aiding the institution to place lifeboats upon
their coasts, which are at present almost entirely
unprovided with them. The following is the ClE-
tract referred to :
" On the coast of Scotland there is a sad want of
lifeboats. It is along this coast a large portion of
our trade with the Baltic, Greenland, Archangel,
Davis's Straits, and much of that of the Canadian
and United States trade is carried on. In addition
to this traffic the Scotch coast is remarkable for its
great herring fishery. Peterhead has its 2:50 fishing
boats ; Fraserburg and Buckie more than 400 sail ;
while further north, off the coast of Caithness; more
than 1,200 fishing boats, manned by 6,000 persons,
nightly pursue their calling during the season ex-
posed to the proverbial suddenness of a north-east
gale. About two years ago, during a fearful gale
of wind, of a fleet of such boats, five were lost,
from which 42 men were drowned, leaving 27
widows and 79 orphans unprovided for. Since
then calamities to Scotch fishermen nearly equal
in magnitude have occurred. Within the last o'o
or three months the National Lifeboat Institution
has made an urgent appeal to the Scotch people
generally for assistance to station additional life-
boats on their coast ; but we lament to say that
appeal has met with little response from them."
In consequence of these remarks I have made
inquiries, and I find that the following is briefly
the state of the case :
The coast of Scotland, in order to be provided
with the smallest number of lifeboats required by
the coastguard returns, should have twenty-one
boats_ It has, in reality, but three of the insti-
tution's, and a few others of uncertain efficiency,
only t vvo or three having regular crews or mainte-
nance. This lamentable want is due to the extraor-
dinary supineness of the Scotch, for the institution
cannot place boats without local aid, and the 65
boats it has on the English coast are owing to the
support it has received there. The late appall'
though widely circulated among the Scotch, has
not produced a fund sufficient to purchase a single
boat.

Though not a Scotchman, I am the son of s
Scotchman, and feel a deep interest in all that COw
cerns Scotland. I deplore the state of her shoret
which this statement discloses, and for the sake 05
humanity as well as the honour of the country
am anxious to renew the appeal to the Scotch. To
prove that I am in earnest, I have made a com-
mencement by presenting the institution vvith,
two life boats of the value of £lBO each, which
the committee have liberally undertaken to VT'
vide with carriages and houses to place as speedily
as possible on those points of the coast where there 11
the most urgent need. I earnestly trust that th°
example may be followed by the landholders, ship"
owners, merchants, and manufacturers of Scotlana•
If each large town would contribute one or more
boats, and each coast district make an effort in aid'
the work would be done, and Scotland's opprobriul
removed of neglecting the calls of humanity, an
leaving shipwrecked seamen to perish helpless 03
her inhospitable coasts. Shall it be said that Eng;
land provides 65 life boats, and Scotland but three •
That all the wealth and liberalty of the north i°
insensible to the cry of the poor drowning mariner
on its own shores; and while profiting so largelY
by commerce utterly neglects the security of the
seamen who carry it on ? Can there be a ra°re
philanthropic object, or one which it is more a dal
to carry tut than this ?
I will add nothing more. If something is to bit,
done, now is the time. Winter, with its storms and
shipwrecks, is fast approaching, and unless the
Scotch coast is to remain another dark seas°ll
without life-saving means, not a moment is to be
lost in answering the appeal.
I enclose my card, and I am your obedient'
servant, J.
London, Oct. 25.
P.S.—After all, the sum required to accomplish
the object is extremely moderate. There will 113
five efficient boats as soon as the two mentioned
above are stationed. Sixteen only are, therefore,
required, at a cost of about £7,000. I have little
doubt that if two-thirds of this sum can be raised
in Scotland, the institution will receive the supra'
in England necessary to make up the remainder'
The object, then, is to raise about £5,000, and t 0
secure the small local support necessary for the
boats when stationed. If this cannot be entirely
accomplished let a part be done, and boats be put
on as fast as the funds accrue.

LORD WARD AND SIR J. PAKINGTO

ON _REFORMATORIES.

At the Worcestershire Quarter Sessions on 1VI°21:
clay the subject of the management of reformatoriao
for juvenile criminals was discussed on a motion by
the Rev. J. Pearson, who desired to see a more ni°l;
form system of management adopted, and stated
that for want of this the results were not so saw',
factory as would otherwise be the case.
Lord WARD (who has established a reformatelle
for boys at his own cost at Woodbury-hill, in th,
county of Worcester), after stating his willingne7,
to increase the accommodation for boys if it War"
required, at his reformatory, and;to establish also
girls' reformatory if the magistrates of the count'
could show him any want for such an institution,
said the cause of the present position of matters al
between the promoters of reformatories and the
Government was to be found in that system of
promise which characterised our modern system °
legislation. The Government merely gave aid .„
the exertions of private individuals, instead
placing a measure before the country enabling thaw
to do for juvenile criminals what it did for adni.tt
He was sure it was not the wish of the originat,,,Re'
of reformatories to preserve for themselves M
little patronage and power which was connect'
with such establishments. Let the Governrael
take the management of them into their own hands' „d
if they wished, or let the counties manage then'
they did their lunatic asylums and other institn
tions. He should not object to reformatories bell
governed by one uniform set of rules, but he though
these institutions ought to possess the right f
refusal to admit inmates under certain Weil
stances, especially when there was a chance u
bodily or moral contamination. (Hear, hear.)
Sir Ram PAKINGTON said the law was ce„
t
°0
e
tainly in a very anomalous state as regarded t
government of reformatories. Power was given
send to them offenders of a certain age, but the
law did not require them to receive the offendeofto
so sent. Every reformatory had the power, a
exercising. its own discretion as to the admisslo_
or refusal of an inmate and this discretion had been,
repeatedly exercised. This anomalous and unsaqi
factory state of things existed solely because the
!
Government and the Legislature had allowed to
existence, merely from the reformatory system being
an experiment, though a great, interesting, and int
portant one. It was to be hoped that GoverntaL
would ere long, whether they were memorialised. on
not, take care that tinkle institutions were put nir;
more satisfactory and definite shape than they We
at present. (Hear, hear.)
No action was taken by resolution upon tho
subject.

CRYSTAL PALACE. ONE SHILLING DAV;
TUESDAY, Oct. 25—Admissions on payment, 3,413; -3
by_season. tickets, 1,197; total visitors, 4,610.

CITY, Two O'CLOCK.
The shipment of gold to the continent confirms
active, and as the American supplies are limited,
the Australian remittances arc purchased for ex-
portation. The consequence is that the accumula-
tion at the national establishment has been arrested
and some small parcels of gold have lately been
withdrawn ; the movement hitherto, however, has
not been important, and as large consignments are
eta route from the antipodes the stock of bullion is
not likely to undergo any immediate diminution
calculated to affect the tendency of monetary
affairs. While the exports to France have in-
creased, moderate consignments of silver arc being
forwarded to India principally on Government ac-
count, as the authorities are transmitting the pro-
ceeds of the last £5,000,000 Loan, of which so large
a proportion has been paid in advance.
There is still rather an active demand for money
in the general market, but as the supplies are
plentiful no alteration of importance has taken
Place in the rates charged for accommodation.
They still range as low as 24 per cent., and the
Mercantile community find ample facilities for the
active prosecution of business so far as money is
concerned. Great caution, however, is still ob-
served; and although the Board of Trade returns
show an important improvement, speculation is
avoided, and operations are for the most part re-
gulated by current requirements.
At the Bank of England, yesterday, there were
to bullion operations of importance.
In the Foreign Exchanges, yesterday afternoon,
It considerable advance was apparent in the Austrian
rates ; the quotation for Hamburg, however, was
slightly lower.
fs The Peninsular and Oriental Company' steamer
urifa, which leaves to-morrow for B3mbay, will
take out £39,178 in gold, and £200,451 in silver,
Making a total of £239,626; of which £145,844 is
on Government account.
, Accounts from Liverpool report the Cotton Mar-
ket yesterday closed steadily, and 10,000 bales were
sold
at firm rates. In the Railway Share Market
however,
was quiet, but prices, in some instances,
mftever, improved.
The meeting of the Royal Mail Steam Packet
.Company took place to-day, Captain C. E. Mangles
Ittinge chair. The result of the half-year's opera-
wast very satisfactory, a considerable reduc-
uml having been effected in the item of coals,
Provisions, port charges, &c., while the increased
amount of passage money was £11,086 ; but the
freight had fallen off to the extent of £3,590,
Which arose principally from the diminished
h °'neWard shipments of specie from Mexico. The
„
iceeonts of the half-year showed receipts, £382,802
s' 3d-; and the disbursements, £250,220 2s. 1 ld. ;
i
tejtving a surplus of £132,581 19s. 6d. From this
directors proposed to pay a dividend for the
'
b.,ltlf-alicyear of £2 per share, leaving a considerable
e eto be carried forward. Some discussion
:lea in respect to the Australian contract and
other matters, but the report was adopted.
to English securities have been well maintained
(lan but the transactions en speculative account
48
well as for investment have been very limited.
Consols have been 951 96 for money, and 951 96
for the account. A favourable effect has been pro-
duced by the improvement reported yesterday on
e Paris Bourse, which, according to the telegrams
O/11 received, is firmly supported. The New Threes
1,11,vt the Reduced Annunities are firm at 941 I.
7 New India" Stock is steady at 1031, and the
P at 1031 ?,-; ditto Loan Debentures (1858)
3_e 961; ditto (1859) have receded to 961. Bank
11* remains at 225 to 226; and. Exchequer Bills
re 27e• to 31s. prem. ,
The transactions in the Foreign Stock Market
continue on a very restricted scale, and prices are
steady
Turkish 6 per Cents. are 78 to 79 ; ditto
itteW, 67,1 to 684 ; and the 4 per Cents. are firmer,
s'°3l-; Venezuelan 21 per Cents., at 281 ; and
r liars 5 per Cents., at 1011 1-1 ; Mexican is
edadY) at 24. -1-; Russian 5 per Cents, have re-
sed to 1091 ; ditto, 3 per Cents., to 69k, but the
P remains at dis• , • Guatemala 5 per Cents. are
marked 60.
heelll the Railway Share Market the dealings have
11 to a moderate extent, but in most instances
higher Great
rates have been realised. Eastern Counties,
advanced
Western, South-Western, and Midland
iraneed 5s ; Lancashire and Yorkshire, 10s. ;
an°,lth'Eastern (Berwick), 155.; and Caledonian
v 4 North-Western, £1; Oxford, Worcester, and
elverliampton, South-Eastern, and South Wales
'lave declined ss.
ber4° Foreign and Colonial undertakings have
ten exceedingly dull. Lombardo-Venetian, Great
fol4o4lbourg, and Sambre and Meuse brought
ittorraer rates. Grand Trunk of Canada improved
ut 10s. ; Great Indian Peninsula, 10s. ; East
an declined 10s. to 15s.
exh"hlt-Stock Bank and Miscellaneous Shares have
ibited less variation of importance. Electric
4itrapla, however, have advanced to 103/ 104.

31315 H FUNDS—CLOSING PRICES.
St k
ocRI
°llk 226 5
15er n
3 ,-ent. Reduced Annuities
per c 941 14
Isi,v,Consols Annuities
1 d• 3 Per Cent Annuities
4la St • Ditto,
Stock
DittoLt°, 859, 5 per Cent. lO3 k I 3 2i 3k
/31, Loan Scrip, 5 per cent: lO3l 3 B k
'4O Debentures, 1858 96f
Ditt bitto' 1859
C„_ . bonds, £l,OOO
it_r,ola for Account (Nov. 8)
eitib'equer Bills £l,OOO, lid 29
° Small, 1d 27 8 31
11 I'OREIGN FUNDS—CLOSING PRICES.
ttwili
N., an 5 per Cent.
lir"Yalela, 5 per Cent.
eramn
It bi a Account r Cent.
ioce
bitaz, 1822, £ St., 5 per Cent 109k4 2
.
bi'a) 3 per Cent., 1859 s7i t
gpt tto Scrip,
.bl,iall per Cent —
i‘ito Account
bilto New, Deferred, 3 per Cent. —
TurkictY Account
h 6 Ditto per Cent
Ditto'to Aceo t
ve in
it,New Loan
bitr Ace°llllt
bit,.? Guaranteed, 4 pr Cent. -031
VG - `"lleoeunt
,Ilozuela 2i per Cent.
Ditto Account
Dividends on the above payable in London.

THREE O'CLOCK.
ConAols, Money 951
Ditto Account /Nov.)

AQUATICS.

CULLERS' RACE AT KINGSTON.
tte'i. maulsers' race, which, while it lasted, was of a vory
011,14111 g nature, but which was unfortunately soon over,
to unlooked-for circumstances, came off yesterday
Tr viz opera course which is rarely disturbed by rowing matches,
free near the Waterworks at Thames Ditton, to One
444' at /lam, in the vicinity of Teddington Lock, with
Of lel. The competitors were George Collis, a landsman,
toei auaTPton, and John Tagg, jun., a waterman and fisher-
V %-st Mousley, both being known in their respective
toourhoods as great scullers. The stake was £l5
e
th e: but although the amount of money depending upon
larkt,,esitit Was very small, great interest was created, and a
ritramount of money speculated, Tagg being the favou-
IC All the preliminaries having been arranged, includ-
TVIO appointment of William Kilfoyle as umpire for
Langshaw for Collis, and James Messenger, en-
Pion of the Thames, as referee, the men went to their
'3llB and started in torrents of rain. They got away well
14.tbcr, and remained so for 200 yards, Tagg slightly.
ei4 easyollis fouling a boat, Tagg went in at his
lite) an winner.

lloTtrn„,
"ot STEPHENSON A Bo TO THE LAsT.—
leApj" like, or rather exceedingly like, his father in some.
4e N.B, especially in the easy unimposing manner in which
<<.e s,
about hi life's work, he was hardly to be accounted.
e°m,h.et's inferior, except perhaps in the quality of heroic
otheclLlveness. Father and son, independently of each
ee tlt',.4rld both in conjunction, have left grand and benefi-
411`esults to posterity, and both recal to us Monckton
Des's men of old, who,
Went about their gravest tasks
eha'ee
Like noble boys at play:
rt f unconseicus characters, a genuine
tePshtless qua I o unrit of aztritaijl was the pec both Stephensons in a
4 tebert e degree. Even up toy his last trip to Norway,
uo tilt the
gipsutnobk..• boy at play"—
‘ver till tb.e last fell of disease laid him low, and we
aho had
to learn that a great man was gone from us,
ho'ad rendered immense services to his cbuntrymen, and
'''ol7;" ashes have been fitly laid in the national mausoleum.
SI ape a
Week.
ttfter„ uLAR DEATH OF A CHILD.—On Friday
41111-°°/1 a girl, 19 months' old, daughter of Mr. Edgar,
er at Xirkpatrick Fleminm, wandered into the mill, and
la „„ttlY aftarwards was founedead in the flour trough. It
btePPesed that the child had gone to the flour trough and
eo4;eating some flour, that the dry flour had caused it to
ke.f.2,,and, while doing so, that it had overbalanced itself,
-`v44elt “Mona- the final- and had hepn gliffneated.