The Sun.
London, England, 1859-04-27 00:00:00

THE MTN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, APRIL 27, 1859.

in the number of letters delivered annually amount-

ing to 446,000,000 ! The gross amount of the letters
delivered in the United Kingdom in 1858 amount-

ing to 523,000,000. So that the letters of 1858,
as compared with the letters of 1839, are really, to
put it simply in other words, more than seven times
76,000,000! Taking the sister island alone into

account in this matter, we may positively assert
that whereas the number of letters delivered in 1839

showed a total equal to just one letter to each in-
dividual member of the population—the number of
letters delivered in that island in 1858 yielded a

total equal to just seven letters for each member

of the population! The aggregate increase
amounting, as we have seen, to 523,000,000,
showing beyond this an equivalent of no less than
16 for each person in Scotland, and of as many as
22 for each person in England.
What is hardly less remarkable in regard to this
vast total of 523,000,000 letters in 1858—is the

surprising circumstance that very nearly half the
whole amount passed through London : and that
actually one entire quarter Was delivered within
the metropolitan districts. Little more than one
fiftieth of the whole, comprising the sum of the

English postage in relation to the foreign and

colonial. Out of these 523,000,000 letters as many

as 1,300,000 were registered—showing one regis
tered letter as compared with some 400 ordinary
communications. The miscarriages in the Post-
office still yield in all a rather formidable aggregate,
last yearlfaving witnessed the "return" of no less than
1,700,000 letters and 570,000 newspapers. Almost
everyone of the letters being returned, we do honestly
believe from some informality on the part of those
sending them—the majority of the newspapers
probably from the accidental bursting of the covers.
Together with the increase of the " letter post"—
there is a notable increase observable in two other
departments that have more recently sprung into
existence. In regard to Book Packets-1858 shows
a total of 7,250,000 ! In regard to Money Orders
—there were issued for that same year 1858 as
many as 6,689,396! The amount thus passing
current in 1858 through the Post-office reaching a
surprising total of £12,662,105 ! That ex-
traordinary total of £12,662,105 giving a net
profit, after the payment of all expenses in the
labour of transmission, of fully a quarter of a million
sterling, in part of just £25,936. Remembering
that ten years ago (1849) the amount of net profit
realised by means of money orders did not exceed
£322 in all, and that the year afterwards (1850)
that total of profit had increased to £3,236, the
total already mentioned for 1858 of over £25,000
must be allowed to give proof of an astonishingly
rapid development.
Altogether, it is curious to note, in addition to
the ,before-mentioned items, that the report con-
tained in this latest blue-book from St. Martin's le
Grand gives evidence that we have already in these
islands not far short of a thousand head post•
offices, and considerably more than 10,000
sub - post - offices —in all 11,235 ! The distance
traversed diurnally in the transmission of the
national correspondence, according _to the same
reliable authority, considerably exceeds 100,000
miles a day—in fact, 3,000 miles a day more in
1858 than in 1857, the aggregate of the space thus
traversed during the year last passed being in
effect just 133,000 miles a day ! There have been
two or three blunders during the year just
completed, but these blunders have fortunately
been repaired in time—thanks to the repugnance
with which they were received by the public, and
the indignant remonstrances with which the
intending innovations were greeted by the press.
So unmistakeable, indeed, has been the triumph
thus jointly won by the press and the public, that
we may content ourselves with this merely inci-
dental allusion to it. We have every confidence
that we shall hear no more of these perilous
experiments. At any rate—should they unhap-
pily at any time be ever repeated—we are perfectly
certain they will be put an end to quite as
summarily.

THIIID EDITION.

POSTPONEMENT OF
DECLARATION OF WAR BY

AUSTRIA.

We have received the following telegram from
our correspondent at Vienna :
" VIFN.NA, Wednesday Morning, 11 o'clock.

" The British Government has offered its direct
mediation between Austria and France upon the
basis of Lord Cowley's proposals. Austria having
accepted this offer, has postponed the declaration
of war for a day or two.

" The French troops are now crowding into Sar.

dinia."

We are sorry, however, to add that France has
declined the offer made by the British Government.
-Third Edition of the Times.

•ACCEPTANCE BY AUSTRIA OF THE
MEDIATION OF ENGLAND.

We are enabled to state that her Majesty's Go-
vernment received yesterday the official intimation
of the acceptance by Austria of the mediation pro-
posed by England. The promptitude with which
Austria has acceded to this last proposal on the
part of our Government will, we believe, have a
beneficial effect. Our rulers have acted through-
out this complicated affair with rigid impartiality,
which cannot fail to make a favourable impression
on the various parties in the quarrel. Lord
Derby's speech must have convinced our own pub-
lie, as well as the people of other countries, that by
her Majesty's present advisers the influence and
the power of England will, either in war or peace,
be directed with energy and discretion. Their
great object has been to preserve that harmony,
which has now, with the exception of a short
interval, prevailed for nearly half a century.
The disturber of European tranquillity, whoever
he may be, will not find in them an ac,om-
plice. We hail this amicable act on the part
of Austria as a pledge that she has not irre-
vocably committed herself to a rash policy, and that
she is still willing to make some sacrifices in the
interests of peace. Lord Cowley's mission produced
the best effect, and would, had not the Russian
proposal for a Congress intervened, have been
crowned with success. Our ambassador at Paris is
intimately acquainted with the feelings and wishes
of the French Emperor, and in his intercourse with
Count Buol speedily established a basis on which
France and Austria might work together to pro-
duce a satisfactoey settlement of the Italian diffi-
culty. It is therefore with infinite satisfaction we
learn that Austria has "consented to resume the
negotiations at the point at which they were sud-
denly suspended when the idea of a Congress was
first broached. It affords a proof not only of her
reliance on the impartial conduct of the English
Government, but also of her desire to avoid an
appeal to arms ; and we sincerely trust that it may
lead to important results.—Morning Herald.

COWES, ISLE OF WIGHT.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.'

NEWPORT BOROUGH ELECTION.—The Mayor has given
notice that he shall proceed to the election of two members
to represent this borough in Parliament, at the Guildhall,
Newport, at eleven o'clock, on Friday next. As Messrs.
Cooke and Flowers have retired from the contest, Messrs.
Kennard and Powys will be returned without opposition.
Thus two votes will be lost to the cause of the Ballot.
Neglecting the register is said to have been the principal
cause of the defeat of the Liberals • but the division among
the leaders of the Liberals has also had something to do
with this untoward event.

- - -
CHEAP TRAINS AND STEAM-BOATS.—Hundreds of ex-
cursionists are daily arriving and departing. We have
now sixteen passages to and from Portsmouth daily, and
as many to and from Southampton. The number of stage-
coaches to and from Newport, Ecc., are more than doubled,
there being now eighteen daily, and all loaded outside and
inside ; and the number of steamers and coaches is to be
increased on the Ist of May.

LATEST NEWS.

ENTRY OF THE FRENCH
TROOPS INTO SAVOY.
%Ve (Morning _Herald, second edition) have
received by telegraph the important intelligence
that a division of the French army crossed the
frontier into Savoy, near Culoz, at noon on Tuesday.

The following telegrams have been received at
Mr. Reuter's office :

ALLIANCE BETWEEN
RUSSIA AND FRANCE.

VIENNA, APRIL 26, NooN.

The Russians hem state that an alliance offensive
and defensive has been concluded between Russia

and France.

It is also credibly stated that French troops have
already violated neutral territory in Savoy.
The Sardinian reply to the Austrian ultimatum
will be given at 6 o'clock this afternoon.

VIENNA, APRIL 27.

The Municipality of Vienna has resolved upon
presenting an address to the Emperor, expressing
to his Majesty its fidelity and readiness to make
any sacrifices which the state of affairs may require.

BERLIN, APRIL 26, 8.39 P.M.

This evening's edition of the National Zeitung
states that a treaty offensive and defensive between
Russia and France was concluded on Friday last,
according to which Russia is to make her first mo-
bilisation of four corps d'arrnee, two of which are
to be advanced towards the Austrian, and two
towards the Prussian frontier.

SARDINIA.
TURIN, TUESDAY, April 26

A religious ceremony is to be solemnised in the
Cathedral to-morrow, which will be attended by
the King and the Deputies of the Chambers. After
the ceremony the King and his Staff will leave for
Alessandria.
The Austrians are making preparations for the
passage of the Ticino.
At 5.30 this evening Count Cavour delivered to
Baron Kellersberg the answer of Piedmont to the
ultimatum of Austria. _ _ _

Baron Kellersberg took his departure at 6.15
p.m., accompanied to the frontier by a Sardinian

officer.

NAPLES.

MARSEILLES, TUESDAY, April 26.
Advices have been received from Naple3 to the

23d inst.

Disturbances have taken place at Palermo,
followed by numerous arrests. Letters received
state that 300 individuals were seized.

'SWITZERLAND.

BERNE, TUESDAY, April 26,

Five Sardinian steamers on the Lago Maggiore,
which had taken refuge in Switzerland, have been
disarmed. Many members of noble families from
Milan have arrived at Lugano, and numerous
arrests have been made among the aristocracy.

BERNE, APRIL 27.
The Federal Diet has been convoked for the 2d

of May next.
Three battalions have been ordered to the banks

of the Ticino.

The English Ambassador, Captain Harris, having
received counter orders from his Government, has
not left for Milan.

FRANCE.

PARIS, APRIL 27.

The Montiteur of this morning publishes the
official account of yesterday's sitting of the Corps
Legislatif.

The speech of Count Walewski passes in review
all the phases of the negotiations, and calls to mind
the last aggressive act of Austria.
The Count then proceeded to say :
" The whole negotiation shows that France has
manifested excessive moderation ; but if, in the
present state of affairs, Sardinia is threatened—if,
as everything raises the presumption, her territory
is invaded, France will not hesitate to respond to
the appeal of a nation with which she is allied.
The Government of the Emperor awaits with
calmness the course of events, feeling confident
that its conduct during the different phases
of the negotiations, as they have followed one
another, will meet with the unanimous approval of
France and Europe."
The Constitutionnel announces that the native
Algerine Sharpshooters arrived at Genoa yesterday
(Tuesday) morning. They were received with
enthusiasm.

The Constitutionnel also gives the report that-
the advance guard of the French corps d' armee
arrived at Turin yesterday evening.
Count Chassaloup Laubat, Minister for the Colo-
nies, has taken his departure for Algeria.

PARIS, TUESDAY.

The sitting of the Legislative Body to-day was
looked to with unusual interest, and a considerable
number of persons collected on the Pont de la
Concorde and at the entrance of the Chamber to
learn as soon as possible what would occur. In-
side, every place appropriated to the public was
occupied long before the proceedings commenced.
Count de Morny took the chair at a little before
two o'clock, and immediately after Count
Walewski, Minister of Foreign Affairs, entered the
house. M. Baroche, who occupied the seat set
apart for the Government commissioner, presented
a bill for the increasing from 100,000 to 140,000
men levy authorised by the law of March, 1858,
the expose des motifs merely stating that the
bill was intended as a simple measure of pre.
caution. Cuunt de Morny then addressed the
members, and after dwelling on the necessity of
showing unanimity and devotedness on such an
occasion as the present, proposed that the bill
should be considered in the bureaux immediately
after the sitting, a report to be presented forthwith,
and the vote on the bill to take place the next day.
This was acceded to with acclamations. Count
Walewski then read a statement of the whole pro-
gress of the late negotiations, and declared that
France, having done all that was possible to pre-
serve peace, considered herself freed from all
responsibility, and looked with confidence to the
progress of events. Great applause greeted the
hon. Minister's address, and accompanied him when
he withdrew. M. Baroche then presented a second
bill, to authorise the Government to contract a
loan of 500 millions of francs, after which the
deputies withdrew to their bureaux, as had been

agreed to.
The Algiers journals announce that a battalion
of the Ist Regiment of Native Riflemen, about
1,200 strong, had arrived in that city to embark for
France, and had been passed in review by General
Yusuoff, commanding the division. Many of the
men wore the English Crimean medal. The same
journals state that the day after a part of the city
was the scene of considerable disturbance, caused

by the conduct of some of the riflemen, They
attacked with great violence the general body of
the Jews, several of whom, both male and female,
were much ill-treated. In certain quarters of the
city, particularly in the Rue Medee and the Rue
du Centaure, the Jews barricaded themselves in
their houses, and from the balconies hurled down
stones and other missiles on their assailants. The
Prefect, on learning what was going on, called for
the assistance of a strong party of other troops,
and, patrols having been sent round, the attacking
party were obliged to proceed to their camp out-
side the Porte d'lsly.

The officers belonging to the 34th and 37th
regiments of the line, who, as already stated, are to
form part of the army of the Alps, in garrison at
Toulon, have been paid the usual allowance on
entering a campaign, and have received all their
camp equipments. Several vessels belonging to
the squadron in the port have been fitted up so as
to be able to take on board a considerable number
of horses, if required.
.A Marseilles letter says :—" The camp of the 2d
Regiment of Foreign Legion, near the railway sta-
tion, presents the most picturesque appearance, and
is a great object of attraction to the inhabitants of
the city. The soldiers are generally fine men.
There are among them -Belgians, Italians, and
Germans, a number of these last being old Austrian
soldiers who had been refugees in France."
A Paris letter in the Independance of Brussels
says :—" Three French corps d'armee will advance
simultaneously to the assistance of Piedmont the
day when the entrance of the Austrians shall be
certainly known. The first will enter by Culoz and
.Mont-Cenis ; the second, by Grenoble, Brianson,
and Pignerol ; and the third, going by sea, will
land at - Genoa. This last-named point will be
kept as the base of operations, and. the French
forces will thence be able to march immediately on
Alessandria. The first two corps will march
toward the interior, one on the left of Turin in the
direction of Novara, and the other directly on the
Piedmontese capital."
"It appears positive," says the Nord, " that
Austria has succeeded in contracting treaties of
alliance offensive and defensive with Bavaria and
Saxony. Wurtemburg has as yet resisted the
entreaties of the Cabinet of Vienna."
The following nominations have been made in
the Sardinian army :—General commanding in
chief, the King; second in command, General de
La Marmora ; commander of the • division of the
Guards of Savoy, General Durando ; of the division
of Piedmont and Aosta, General Cialdini ; of Cuneo,
General Cucchiari ; of Pignerol and Casale, General
Fanti ; of Savoy and Aqui, General Castelborgo ;
of the cavalry, General Sambuy ; and of the En-
gineers, General Menabrea.
The letter of the Germanic Confederation to the
King of Sardinia is stated by the Opinione of Turin
to be nothing more than the reply to his Majesty's
notification of the Princess Clotilda's Marriage.
BOURSE, April 26.—The mark€t has been un-
settled, in expectation of the communication to the
Legislative Body, but prices have been rather more
steady. Threes have been done at 63f. 30c., declined
to 62f. 50c,, and are now 62f. 75c. and 62f. 85c.
Mobilier varied frem 565 f. to 5501. ; Orleans,
1,150 f. to 1,145 f. ; Lyons, 7551. to 745 f. ; Northern,
840 f. to 835 f. ; Southern, 5571. 50e. to 550 f. ; and
Austrian, 437 f. 50c. to 430 f. The following were
the last quotations :-
41 per Cents. .... 89 70 I Credit Foncier 615
Do. end month .. 90 Belgian 41
3 per Cents 62 90 Piedmonteso (5) .. 72
Do. end month 62 95 Roman Bl
Bank Shares. • 2500 Austrian
Credit Mobilier .. 5.52 50 Spanish Threes
Do. Account ..... 555 Home Debt 36 50