The Sun.
London, England, 1859-08-25 00:00:00

THE BALLOT IN NEW SOUTH WALES.

" Where there's a will there's a way." We insert
in another column an extract from the Sydney Em-
pire, which not only corroborates all preceding
testimony as to the moral working of the Ballot at
elections, but shows how perfectly easy it is to in-
sure secrecy when it is honestly wished to do so.
The returning officer's directions to voters show
how simple an affair it is to secure to every man
the power to "do his own voting." It will be ob-
served that at Sydney the secrecy was " pure et
simple ;" no number being placed on the balloting
paper by which the voter could possibly be after-
wards identified.

COURT CIRCULAR.

OSBORNE, AUG. 24.

Her Majesty, his Royal Highness the Prince Consort,
and the Royal family, attended by the Ladies and Gentle-
men in Waiting, arrived at Osborne yesterday morning
from Aldershot Camp.
His Royal Highness the Duke de Nemours arrived to-day
on a visit to her Majesty.

FOREIGN COURTS.

PARIS, AUG. 24.

On the Emperor and Empress arriving at St. Sauveur,
they found a triumphal arch of evergreens erected not far
from the Pont de la Reine Hortense ; on the top of the arch
was an eagle of the Pyrenees, so well stuffed that it had the
appearance of being alive, and it held in its beak an olive
branch. At night there was a general illumination. Their
Majesties could not reach St. Sauveur until just Lefore
night. At Argeles a mounted guard of honour (white pan-
taloons, blue vests, and red caps) was organised to accom-
pany them as far as Pierrefitte. At St. Sauveur all the
young ladies ni the best families, dressed in the ancient cos-
tume of the country, came forward to present a bouquet to
the Empress. The house prepared for their Majesties is
the last at the southern extremity of St. Sauveur, and com-
mands a fine view of the plain of Luz. Pleasure grounds
in the English style stretch below the house. The Em-
peror's suite occupy a house in the neighbourhood.

BERLIN, Auo. 22,

The library of the late Baron de Humboldt, bequeathed
by him to his old valet, has been purchased for 40,000
thalers, the -Vienna journals state, by Lord Bloomfield,
Ambassador of England at Berlin.
The Prince of Hohenzollern is about to leave for Wein-
burg, in Switzerland, where he will be visited by his son-
in-law, the King of Portugal, consort of the lamented
Queen Stephanie.
Lord Bloomfield, English Ambassador at this Court, will,
it is said, leave here for London immediately, on leave of
absence.

THE GREAT EASTERN.—On Tuesday and yes-
terday this vessel was densely crowded with visitors. The
rand saloon, which had been closed in consequence of
damage done to the furniture by some ill-disposed persons,
being re-opened for inspection on those days only, and the
price of admission being raised to ss. It is stated that no
public intimation will be given as to the exact time of her
departure from the Thames, in order to avoid the inconve-
nience which might arise from a crowded state of the
river. Mr. J. 0. Lever, M.P., yesterday sent in a final
proposal to the directors. He offers to charter the vessel
for £20,000, cash down, to coal her both ways, and to pay
the port charges on both sides of the Atlantic.

The exchanges from China by the telegram yes-
terday morning are less unfavourable for this country. At
Hong Kong the downward movement seems to have been
about 2 per cent., but at Shanghai it was only / per cent.

THE NORTHWICK COLLECTION.—EIGHTEENTH
DAY (Wednesday).—Yesterday terminated the sale of this
magnificent collection of pictures. Those from Northwick-
park were again the objects of competition. Among the
more important examples was-1,758, Murillo—The Virgin,
with the Infant Saviour. A splendid example; from the
collection of Joseph Bonaparte-200 guineas (Nieuwen-
huys). The last day's sale of the pictures and works of
art amounted to £3,750. Total of the 18 days, £95,725.
Thus has been dispersed one of the most splendid collections
of pictures ever submitted to the hammer, realising by far
the largest amount ever obtained by any sale of pictures
and works of art in this country. It is due to Mr. Phillips
and his assistants to state, that the most admirable arrange-
ments were made throughout for the accommodation of the
brilliant assemblage that daily crowded the galleries of
Thirlestane-house. What now remains for dispersion are
the furniture, linen, wines, plate, garden statues, &c., of
this noble mansion.

DEATH OF CAPTAIN JOHN ROBB, AIDE-DE-CAMP
TO THE QUEEN.—.We regret to have to record the death of
Captain John Robb, R.N., aide-de-camp to her Majesty,
which occurred at Hampstead,on the 20th inst. The deceased
officer had seen a deal of active service. He entered the navy
in 1812, and on May 24, 1824, contributed to the destruction
of a 16-gun brig, moored to a position of extraordinary
strength alongside the walls of the fortress of Bona, in
which a garrison of about 400 men, who, from cannon
and muskets, kept up a tremendous fire almost perpen-
dicularly on the deck. In 1827 he was made a lieutenant,
and commanded a tender at the battle of Navarino, whore
the services he rendered had the effect of procuring him a
second promotal commission in 1829. He was promoted to
captain in 1841, and commanded the Gladiator, frigate, for
three years, and afterwards the CHsar, 90 screw, in the
Baltic. He was appointed naval aide de camp to the
Queen on July 15, 1857. By the death of Captain Robb
an appointment of aide de camp to the Queen falls to the
nomination of the First Lord of the Admiralty.

AMERICAN AND AFRICAN MAIL DESPATCHES
FROM LIVERPOOL-The Montreal Ocean Steam-ship Com-
pany's steamer North Briton sailed from the Mersey yes-
terday for Quebec and Montreal, with the Canadian mails,
120 cabin passengers, and 100 steerage passengers. Amongst
the passengers were Mr. Gibbs, the late tutor to the Prince
of Wales ; Sir Henry Holland, physician in ordinary to the
Queen; the Hon. Mr. Bolton, and the Hon. Henry Smith,
Speaker of the Canadian House of Parliament. It is
thought probable that his Royal Highness the Prince of
Wales will visit Canada this fall, to open the Victoria
Bridge of the Grand Trnnk Railway, which is to be com-
pleted in October. Yesterday also the African mail steamer
Armenian sailed from the Mersey for the West Coast, tak-
ing out the mails and 33 passengers. The next mail de-
spatch to America will be by the British and North Ame-
rican Royal Mail steamer Europa, which sails from Liver-
pool on Saturday next for Boston, with the North Ameri-
can and United States mails. The box at the Liverpool
Post-office will be open on that day till 8.15 a.m , and on
the landing stage until 9 a.m. The additional fee at the
landing stage is Is., which must be prepaid in stamps.
Telegraphic despatches can be forwarded through the office
of the New York Press, 10, Exchange-street East, Liver-
pool.
THE ALLEGED MURDER ON BOARD TAE AMERI-
CAN SHIP CONQUEROR.-Yesterday Charles Bontelle, mate
of the American ship Conqueror, was charged before the
Liverpool magistrates with having caused the death of
Peter Antonio, a seaman on board, on the voyage from
Liverpool to Quebec. It was stated that injuries which he
had received at the hands of the prisoner had so aggravated
a natural disease under which Antonio was labouring that
he died on the day after his removal to the Northern Hos-
pital. The beatings and ill-treatment were described by
several of the crew, and the surgeon to the hospital stated
that Antonio's disease had evidently been accelerated by
ill-usage, and that death had thus been caused. The in-
vestigation was adjourned till Monday next.
A GALLANT VOYAGE WITH A LITTLE SIIIP.—
Some few months ago instructions were received in Eng-
land, by Mr. John Watson, of London, who is contractor
of the undertaking, to despatch to Bahia a small screw boat
to ply in connection with the Bahia Railway. Accordingly,
a pretty little craft was built of steel plates, and as it was
utterly impossible to steam such a distance, even had she
been freighted with coal, it was resolved to send the Little
Lucy to Bahia under sail alone. Although only 20 tons
register, to obviate too great buDyancy, which would have
proved fatal in a squall, she was loaded with 18 tons of
cargo, and started from the Tees on her long and perilous
voyage. On reaching Falmouth the captain and crew,
becoming faint-hearted, put into that port and declined to
proceed farther. A message was then sent down to
Liverpool, with the object of procuring a captain
for the little vessel. Ultimately Captain Richard
Breckon, a member of the Liverpool Mercantile
Marine Association, and the all-but successful can-
didate for the school: hip Conway, offered to na-
vigate the vessel to Bahia. After much difficulty a crow
was got together, but so fragile was the appearance of the
tiny bark that one of the crew absolutely jumped overboard
no less than six times in a vain attempt to escape, the gal-
lant captain on each occasion capturing the would-be runa-
way. On the 20th of April last, the Little Lucy again being
ready for sea, Captain Breckon hoisted sail, and fearlessly
steered down channel, his friends at Falmouth bidding him
a sorrowful adieu, with the conviction that he never would
reach Bahia. The bold captain, however, had no such fears;
he had been to every part of the globe, was thoroughly
familiar with every trade, and, having confidence in his
little craft, with a full and flowing sail the Little Lucy
bowled dowd channel, and the result proved that Captain
Breckon's judgment was right. Nothing of importance oc-
curred until the vessel reached the Bay of Biscay, when she
encountered two severe gales, but miraculously, as it seems,
she weathered both nobly, rising like a cork to every wave.
At length, after a passage of 49 days from Falmouth, Capt.
Breckon entered Bahia, where the appearance of his vessel
created, as might be expected, a great sensation.—Liverpool
Mercury.
WOMAN'S MISSION.—To stop at home by the
fireside whilst man goes out to collect materials to make
the pot boil.—. Punch.