The Sun.
London, England, 1859-01-01 00:00:00

mingham, can in any contingency obviate thk
necessity of an appeal to the country, before ei;:her
one scheme or the other can be formal'y embodied
in an Act of Parliament. But—that in. the
existing state of public opinio i from. one
end,of this country to the other are persuaded
that even the present House of Comtnons is pre-
pared in this year of grace, 1859, to prepare the
way for the substantial realisation in it subsi3quently
of many of the long deferred hopes of the popu-
lation.

Again, as to the present " situation" in reference
to the vitally important alternative of scar or peace
—is not the New Year now commencing fraught,
with the most cheering promises at the ve.ry
moment of its commencement ? During the lapse
of its immediate predecessor how many dark and
threatening, and some of them disastrous and de-
structive clouds of battle and revolt have been most
happily dissipated ! The Sepoy iusurrectio n in
the Bengal Presidency has been for the most part
triumphantly suppressed—the last smouldering
embers of the flame kindled by Hindoo fanaticsm
are even now being trampled out by Lord CLYDE'S
army, and utterly extinguished. The Victorian era
has commenced for Hindostan. The Honourable
East India Company is no more--the three Presi-
dencies—together with Scinde, and the Punjaub, and
Ceylon—own their allegiance henceforth as due en-
tirely and directly to Her Most Gracious Majesty
ICTORIA India© Imperatrix. While this moment-
ous transfer of authority, moreover, has been
peacefully accomplished, the Envoy froin the
Crown of England to the Empires of China and
Japan has been securing not only to his own
country, but to the world at large, the invaluable
advantages certain to accue sooner or latter from
the final overthrow, the complete and instant
overthrow of the barriers of separation hitherto
dividing one entire third of the human race
from their fellows unanimously regarded
by them as the outer barbarians. Civilisation, that
is to say the modern civilisation of the Europeans 4
may now look forward confidently to new and
gigantic conquests in those vast regions, sacred to
the tea shrubbery, and the mulberry plantation,
to the growth of " green" and " black," and the
manufacture of silk and crape—regions eventually,
we may now believe, to be traversed by the rail-
.guided steam-engine, and threaded by the magical
wires of the electric telegraph. The Hindoos,
therefore, the Chinese, the Japanese, the Asiatics
generally, yield Hope for England in 1859—thanks
to those bloodless victories won by British state-
craft during thememorable year just terminated.
Happier than in 1858 are the anticipations
opened up to view in 1859 in regard to our alli-
ances, both in the eastern and western hemispheres.
The thunderous cloud of estrangement in the early
part of last year hanging over the Anglo-French
alliance—a cloud, at first, no bigger than a man's
hand, but rapidly assuming to itself, afterwards, a
very formidable magnitude—a cloud rising originally
(as marvellously, in its way, as the Geni out of
the Arabian Fisherman's casket) out of the explo-
sion in the Rue Lepelletier—has long since passed
away, let us trust, never to return, with its evil
threat of a sullen mutual suspicion, ready to burst, at
any moment, into an open rupture between the two
great champions of modern civilization. The mis-
understanding, again—which, in 1858, gave promise
only of becoming increased and intensified in bitter-
ness between the United States and the United King-
dopi, has now, by the New Year's Day of
1859, cleared away from the political horizon.
And though the last Presidential Message is in
some measure ominous of a stormy future for the
American Republic—if the affairs of that demo-
cracy are allowed to be swept on in the direction of
war and pillage by one who, like BUCHANAN, indi-
cates clearly enough a sympathy for filibustering
schemes of wholesale annexation—we will yet
believe that the goodfellowship now existing be-
tween the Governments of St. James's and Wash-
ington may be maintained intact, through the good
sense of the great trans-Atlantic population. Re-
turning peace in Asia,—continued peace in
Europe, in Africa, ix America—an advancing
development of the resources of Australia—the dis-
covery-of new goldfields, and the establishment of a
new colony around those new goldfields on the
the north-pastern shores of the Pacific—are
conspicuous among the.abuadant external sources
of Hope to England upon this New Year's Day.
May some, at least, of all these golden hopes be
realised during the auspicious year, across the
threshold of which we are now advancing in san-
guine expectancy.

Notwithstanding the extraordinary cheapness of
money which has distinguished the latter part of
the year just terminated, trade and commerce
have not revived to anything like the extent
that might reasonably have been anticipated. With
" money a drug in the market"—the great discount
establishments underbidding the quasi National
Bank, which had reduced its rate to 23. per cent., it
might be supposed that all would " go merry as a
marriage bell," and that every fair and bona fide
trader would obtain the legitimate accommodation
which he might require, and to which his antece-
dents fairly entitled him. Such, however, is not
the case. The terrible commercial crisis of 1857
has left a bitter sting behind, and still exercises a
paralysing influence over the industrial interests of
the country. Capitalists, proverbially a timid race

under the most favourable circumstances, were
panic-sfricken by the monetary convulsion, so that
what might have beeii considered as salutary cau-
tion degenerated into abject terror. Credit, on
which the foundation of national prosperity so
greatly depends, received a heavy blow and great

discouragement. The worst feature of the transac-
tion, too, was, that it was withdrawn from the small
hard-wailring parties to whom it would have. been
a real boon; Any person putting forward high
pretensions can obtain any facilities, albeit a strict
investigation might show that it was by no means
merited. He-may be the daring speculator, gam-
bling with other people's money, against whom so
many cautions have been delivered, but so long
as he carries a lofty head, money will
be freely tendered
.for his acceptance ;
while the tradesman who has paid his way
fairly and honourably for a series of years will find
his name scorned and his bills rejected unless he
consents to pay an extravagant rate of discount.
And yet the commercial frauds that have excited
so much comment and so much terror were not
committed by the latter class. The offenders oc-
cupied a more exalted position. They dealt in
hundreds, or in thousands--not in twenties or

thirties. They talked largely, and presented a
good appearance to the world ; and, therefore,
capitalists were quite willing to discount or en-
dorse their obligations. We are told that " a bitter
wail has gone forth against the criminals," but

the punishment is inflicted on those who have had
nothing to do with the offence, but who are made
the victims of a system for which they could not in
any degree be considered as justly responsible.
They are deprived of the accommodation which they
justly deserve, and which would be peculiarly bene-
ficial in their trades or callings. Foreign loans or
companies, however, possess far greater attractions
than the _legitimate demands of our own fellow.

subjects, or of our own colonies and depende'ncies.
We have, accordingly, a large allotment of such
investments tendered for our acceptance, respeCting
which it would be well if small capitalists exercised
the caution which they are disposed to exhibit on
every domestic matter.

Such commercial delinquency was prac-
tically unknown in the olden time. Men en-
tered into speculations, and occasionally failed ;
but there was not the wholesale manufac-
ture of fictitious paper, nor the gigantic stakes
played for, that have been witnessed in later
days. Then discount vibrated between 4 and sper
I cent., and the main point required was, that the
"-merchant adventurer"—a designation that beto-
kened:a certain amount of risk—should make himself
thoroughly acquainted with the state of the pro-
duce market, and the fair prospect of improvement
or depreciation in the particular article in which
he was about to speculate. Another element occa-
sionally entered into the calculation. He might
have to estimate the probable price of gold ; but as
the balance of trade was generally in favour of
Great Britain, and there were no rapid fluctuations
in the value of the precious metals, no great per-
turbations were occasioned to compel men to re•
sort to criminal means to bolster up their affairs, or
to incur the danger of penal servitude, in order to
carry on a few months longer; those' few months
being capable, however, of changing the bankrupt
speculator into a wealthy and respectable merchant.
It is the Act of 1844 which has occasioned all the
mischief. The fluctuations in the value of money
e., in the rate of discount) have led to com-
mercial fraud. They proceeded directly from that
unjust and impolitic law. Before its enact-
ment the changes were of comparatively trivial
amount and inconsiderable importance, but
since its fatal operation we have seen discount
varying from 23 to 10 per cent. at head-quarters,
and in almost a duplicate ratio out of Thread-
needle-street. The soundest calculations were
thereby defeated. There might be famine in the
land, our brothers and sisters starving, and yet
orders for flour should be countermanded. Cheap-
ness was of no importance when the merchant
could not obtain credit to pay for that which he
desired to import, or the purchaser for what he
wished to consume. The former might recklessly
dash onward on the principle that, if he succeeded
he would realise enormous profits, sufficient to extri-
cate him from other embarrassments ; but, if other-
wise, the consequences of his failure would be
scarcely more disastrous. The speculation might
prove the plank to the shipwrecked sailor, that
would bear him from the sinking ship, and although
some might have strength of mind to resist the
temptation, many would yield.
Such arc some of the results of the Bank Charter
Act, which, should it remain unmodified, will be
the cause of the decline and fall of British prosperity
and British honour.

The Revenue Returns for the year and quarter
are once more before us. They present no very
remarkable features, and all that can be said is,
th-at they are about what might have been ex-

petted.

There is an increase on the quarter of £1,125,496,
but it must be borne in mind that the comparison
is made with the most disastrous period which the
nation has witnessed for many years, when trade
and commerce were completely paralysed, and no
money was paid that could possibly bo avoided,
the mininutm rate of discount at the Bank of Eng-
land being 10 per cent. The decrease on the year,
however, is no less than £4,103,347. Far more than
that has, however, been lost by the Income
Tax on which the diminution on the year has been
no less than £7,546,809, a result Iby no
means astonishing when we consider the reductions
that have taken:place in the duty, in consequence
of Mr. DISRA.ELI having kept faith with the na-
tion in reducing it to sd. in the pound, and it may
be remembered that each penny of the tax was
estimated to produce £1,000,000 sterling to the
revenue.

There is an increase in the Customs on the
Quarter of £619,169 when compared with 1857,
but a decrease of £20,000 if the comparison be
made with 1856 ; on the Year the increase as com-
pared -with 1857 is £1,627,648, but £518,000
only as compared with 1856. These increases are
owing also in part to a reduction of balances in the
hands of collectors; the net increase arises prin-
cipally upon Sugar, Tea, Corn, and Tobacco.
The increase in the Excise on tho Quarter is
£235,000, and £494,000 on the Year, arising
chiefly from the Malt Duty. The results, when
compared with 1856, are less favourable, there
being a decrease on the year 1858, as compared
with 1856, of £lOB,OOO. As the increase of duty
on Irish Spirits was estimated to yield an increased
revenue of half a million, the result-in this respect
is no satisfactory.
We fear that the failure of the duties on spirits
to produce the estimated additional revenue may,
in a great degree, be attributed to the increase
of illicit distillation which invariably attends high
duties, Where a sufficient premium is offered to the
unfair trader to engage in the demoralising traffic.
The Revenue from Stamps is more encouraging;
the Quarter shows an increase of £268,000 beyond
the same quarter of 1857, and of £191,000
beyond 1856 ; the increase on the year 1858
as compared with 1857 is £727,120 and about
the same Sum as compared with 1856 ; the augmen-
tation arises from an improvement in the receipts
from the Succession Duty and other heads of
Revenue, and from the new tax on Bankers'
Cheques.
In taxes there is a slight improvement. This
does not go far to indicate any great prosperity.
As an enlarged population must have a greater
number of dwelling houses.! The:increase on the
quarter is £22,000, and on the year £51,013
small but satisfactory results.
As we have• stated, the loss on the Income-tax
for the year is £7,546,809, but on the quarter
it is only £261,307. This proves that the smaller
amount is more cheerfully and promptly liquidated.
The Post-office exhibits an increase of £50,000 on
the Quarter, and of £83,000 on the Year, due
mainly to the progressive increase of the busi-
ness of that department. The Crown lands
show a trifling improvement on both' year and
quarter. Much more might, however, be, and
doubtless, will be, effected. There is also an in-
erase on miscellaneous both on the quarter and the
year.

On the power of £192,264 and on the latter of
£453,895. This is, however, but casual revenue,
the mere waifs and extra that come into the
clutches of the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
On the whole, as we have stated, the result is
as well as could be expected, and seems
to indicate a good time coming, when the
country is recovered from the paralysing effects of
the undue caution now exercised respecting honest
and solvent traders.

There passed through the General Post-office
this morning (Jan. 1) not far short of 2,000 pack-
ages enveloped in folding-papers, upon each of
which was imprinted, .in staring characters,
" WRONGS WHICH CRY FOR REDRESS."
Some hundreds of them were directed to Members
of Parliament. •

It is said that her Majesty has written a most
affectionate letter of condolence to the Bishop of Peter-
borough on his late severe bereavement. The bishop, it
will be remembered, was tutor to the Princess ViCfCiria (the
Queen).
DEATH OF THE ARCHDUCHESS MARIE ANNE
(Or AUSTRIA).—A telegram from Vienna announces the
death of this lady on Wednesday. The deceased duchess
was born on the Bth of June, 1804. She was sister of the
Emperor Ferdinand 1., who abdicated in favour of the
present Emperor, and of Archduke Francis Charles, father
of the latter. She was consequently aunt to the present
Emperor.

RUMOURED ROYAL MARRIAGE,—A letter from
Munich, of the 27th, says :—" The departure of the future
Princess Royal of the Two Sicilies remains fixed for the
12th of January, and her brother, Prince Luis, is to accom-
pany her Royal Highness to Trieste via Vienna. It is
said that the Princess Matilda, born in 1843, and fourth
daughter of the Duke Maximilian of Bavaria, is to marry
the Count do Trani, born in 1838, younger son of the King
of Naples ; but the marriage is not to take place for a year.
These two Princesses are sisters of the Empress of
, Austria."
The Duke and Duchess of Montrose are expected
in town in a few days, from visiting the Countess of Powis,
at Powis, Welshpool.
The Marquis and Marchioness of Exeter have
returned to Burghley, from Hastings, where the noble
marquis and marchioness have been residing for several
months past.
The Count and Countess de Jarnac have arrived
in town from Ireland.
Sir John Shelley, M.P., has left Alaresfield House
for Chirk Castle, North Wales.
Sir Edward and Lady Hulse have arrived at their
residence in Burlington-street.
HEALTH OF THE EARL OF CHARLEVILLE.—WC
have authority to state that the Right Hon. the Earl of
Charleville has been pronounced to be convalescent, 'find
that he is now rapidly progressing towards recovery. This
is an announcement which will afford very great and gene-
ral satisfaction throughout this and the adjoining counties,
his lordship being deservedly respected and esteemed.—
King's County Chronicle.
It is rumoured that by the Budget of 1860 the
salary of the professors of the college of France will be
doubled—that it is to.'say, increased from 5,000 f. to 10,000 f.
There is &rumour that Mr. Berkeley, M.P. for
Bristol, is about to assume the editorial pen, in the direc-
tion of a paper to advance his favourite topic, and to be
called the Ballot Box.
General Garibaldi is passing a few days in Alice,
where he is respected and liked. He is one of the few
public men who rose to eminence in Italy in 1848, and
have preserved the good opinion of their followers and of
the people.
RINGING THE OLD YEAR OUT.—Last night,
according to ancient custom, tho departing knell of the
year 1858 was tolled on the bells of the several churches
throughout the metropolis, and at midnight a merry peal
heralded and welcomed the commencement of the present
year.

A piece of intelligence appears in Thursday's
Constitutionnel, not alluded to by any English paper. It
is to the effect that Lord Palmerston has received a severe
injury to the knee, and that, in the opinion of his lordship's
physicians, he will consequently be unable to resume his
place in the House of Commons next session. The Con-
stitutionner s authority is " a letter from London."
The officers of the garrison of A lessandria—
where, by-the-bye, the works are at a stand-still, in spite
of the declaration to the contrary of certain Piedmontese
journals—have established a first-rate club, on continental
principles, that is, provided with a concert-room, fencing-
room, library, reading-room, &c. •
IMPROVEMENT OF BOULOGN E HARBOUR.—The
commission appointed to examine the question of a low
water landing, or quai de maree, have been unanimous in
approving of the plan which has been sanctioned by the
Government. We learn from the best authority that the
works will be commenced next month, and that there will
not be 20 times in a year in which a vessel cannot land her
passengers at low water. •
The Galway Vindicator has been given to under-
stand on good authority, that the report of the commission-
ers has been presented to the Lords of the Admiralty, and
that it is highly favourable to the port of Galway as a
transatlantic packet station. Sir Allan M'Nab, one of the
directors of the Atlantic Steam Navigation Company, ar-
rived in Galway on Wednesday evening.
HER MAJESTY'S DOCKYARDS.—As a sequel to
the Order in Council making it compulsory to retire at
seventy, we are informed that officers and clerks who shall
have attained the age of sixty-five, and those ranging from
that age to seventy, on the 31st of March next will be at
liberty to retire. This will add materially to the efficiency
of our dockyards, and doubtless will prove the best minute
ever issued by their lordships for the benefit of the public
service. As there is a committee of inqviry into the eco-
nomy of her Majesty's dockyards now sitting, we would
draw their attention to one of the principal sources of the
waste of public money in the dockyards—v:z., the system
of dismantling ships and returning their stores after three
years, instead of re-commissioning such vessels Or another
period of three years.—Civil Service Gazette, •• -
RECOVERY OF AN ENLISTED APPRENTICE.—An
application was made to tho Liverpool stipendiary magis-
trate yesterday, for the delivery up by the 28th Regiment
of a youth named Thomas Byrne,lB years of ago, whehad
enlisted while- yet an apprentice to Messrs. Renalds and
Jackson, rope manufacturers, Old Swan, near Liverpool.
Proof of Byrne's age, and also proof of the apprenticeship
(which will not expire before November, 1860) having been
tendered and accepted by the court, the apprentice was
given up. Mr. Mansfield remarked that the law in such
cases was, that at the expiration of the apprenticeship the
young man would be claimed by the regiment, and if he
refused or evaded this claim he would be punishable as a
deserter. Mr. Garnett, the law clerk, said that the• law
recognised another punishment, namely, that the delin-
quent could be prosecuted for obtaining money by false
pretences.

MILES" STAN DISH'S PIPE AND PISTOL.—At
the administrator's sale of the effects of the late Zachariah
Standish in this city yesterday, by S. M. Parks, the veri-
table pipe of Captain Miles Standish, which came over with
him in the Mayflower, and was smoked by him till the day
of his death, was sold. It is a little iron affair, of about the
size and shape of a common clay pipe, and though some-
what dilapidated by time, is still capable of being smoked.
It was struck off to- Mr. Gates, of Lebanon, for 15 dols. A
pistol, which also belonged to the Puritan hero, was sold at
the same time. It is of antique make, worn and rusty,
and is past military service. It brought 15 dols. from Mr.
MeCanunon—cheap enough, considering the antiquarian
interest which will always attach to it. —Albany Journal.
THE CASE OF SUSPECTED MURDER IN EDINBURGH.
—We understand Francis Thorburn, who was apprehended
on Tuesday in his house at Heriot's-buildings, Leith-walk,
for assaulting his wife, who had that morning been found
dead, and bearing various marks of violence, on her body,
has been remitted for examination on a charge of murder.
A post mortem examination of the body of the decease,. was
made on Wednesday; arid it would see.... co be the opinion
that the cause of death was suffocation, and that the suffo-
cation was evidently not self-caused.—,E...nburgh Courant.
ANOTHER COLLIERS' STRIKE IN WEST YORK-
•

lIIRE.—The colliers in the employment of Messrs. J. Lock
and Co., of Kippax, have refused to resume work on the
same terms as all the other men, who have gone in at a re-
duction of 71 per cent. instead of 15 per cent., but ask for an
advance of 5 pet cent. above the rate of wages paid before
any reduction was made in April. The Messrs. Lock refuse
to accede to this demand, but offer the same rate of wages
as agreed upon when the rest of the men went in. A meet-
ing of the coalowners of the district was held on Tuesday,
at the White Hoise Hotel, Leeds, when it was resolved to
support the Messrs. Lock in resisting the demand.
SPECIAL RELIGIOUS SERVICES AT ST. JAiIEs'S-
HALL.—We have received the announcement of a series of
special Sunday evening services to be held in St. James's-
hall,.Piccadilly, to which all classes are invited. The list
of preachers for the first quarter includes ministers of the
Wesleyan, Baptists, Countess of Huntingdon's' Indepen-
dent, and PresbyterianNeemtexions, and is as follows :
Rev. W. Morley F'unshon, Rev. Newman Hall, •LL.B.
Rev. William Landels, Rev. John Graham, Rev. John
Stoughton, Rev. Henry Allen, Rev. Francis Tucker, Rev.
J. Baldwin Brown, 13. A., Rev. William Chalmers, M.A.,
Rev. Thomas Archer, D.D., Rev. Francis A. West,'Rev.
William Brock.

HORSE RACING IN FISKNCE.—From a statistical
return published by the Sport, it appears that in the course
of the present year the stakes at horse races consisted cif
66,500 f. given by the Emperor, of 302,200 f. given by the
Government, of 77,900 f. by the Jockey Club, 118,340 f. by
racing societies, 77.900 f. by municipalities of towns,
39,600 f. by councils general, of departments, and .16,500 f.
by railway eolapanies. 18,304. .were, given
for flat races at Ghent,. Spa, and. Tourney, in Belg,itun,
and 63,950 f. for -Steeplechases ..at La Marche, Bordeaux;
Dieppe, Spa, and Weereghena. The total of all was
780,790 f. The amount of entries for the various races and

. „_ ...._ .....-
steeplechases was 342,000 f. Of the total stakes 121,500 f.
were run for at Paris in 37 events, and 73,000 f. at Chan-
tillS, in 28. Of the steeplechases 27,450 f. were given at La
Marche in 13 events,—G`alignani's Messenger.

- .
GUN ACCIDENT.—A lamentable accident occurred
at the house of Mr. M. Mitchell, farmer, at Greystones,
Wheatley, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, on Monday
evening last. Mr. Mitchell's son had been out shooting,
and on returning home he left the gun, loaded but without
a cap, on a rack above the fire. Some time afterwards,
when the family were seated round the fire, Mr. Mitchell
took down the gun. Not knowing that it was charged, he
put a cap upon the nipple. and tried to blow out the candle
z
way of amusement. The eldest daughter of Mr. Mit-
e ell, who was nearly opposite her father, at a dis-
,
tance of but lour or five. yards, was severely wounded on
the left side, and the other members of the family were
thrown into a state of great consternation. Mr. Jubb,
surgeon, Halifax, was early in attendance. On examining
Miss Mitchell he found 30 shot ' wounds, nearly all on the
left side, and succeeded in extracting eight shots. Hopes
are entertained of her recovery, Had it not been for the
thickness of her clothing where the shots penetrated, she
would probably have been killed on the spot.

AUSTRALIA.—So much importance is justly at-
tached to all matters connectod with our Australian colo-

nies, which are so rapidly increasing in the commercial
scale of nations, that it is well to separate from the recently
published return of the Board of Trade those details of our

exports which refer exclusively to those territories. By
these statistical documents, we find that, in the month of
November of the year 1858, the total value of enumerated

exports was declared at £837,700, which for the same
period of 1857 wore £635,008 ; so that there is -an increase
of £202,792; and this is allowing for a collective de-
crease of £31,469, which' occurs in iron to the extent of
£12,112, spirits to £9,722, hardwares to £8,751, and earth-
enware to £BB4. Of the increase, apparel and slops take
first rank, being to the extent of £41,394 over 1857. Next

in imvortance as to value is millinery, .which was £46,497 ;
third is stationery, in £31,557;, fourth, woollen stuffs, in
£27,202; fifth; wrought leather, in £20,183; cottons are
sixth, in the sum of £14,454 excess; woollen •cloths are
seventh, in £13,094; eighih is linen, in £11,282; and so
downwards in beer, silk stuffs, tin-elates,_ lead, saddlery, &c.
_
—Xining Journal.