The Sun.
London, England, 1866-08-20 00:00:00

TIIE SUN, LONDON, MONOAY 141VENING, AUGUST 20, 1866.

enterprise may prove as successful as your efforts
have been persevering. May the cable under the
sea tend to promote harmony between the Republic
of the West and the Government of the Eastern
hemisphere 1" The message to Secretary Seward
was answered in these words : "Acknowledg-
ments and congratulations. If the Atlantic cable
had not failed in 1858, European States would not
have been led in 1861 into the great error of sup-
posing that civil war in America would either per-
petuate African slavery ordivide this republic. Your
great achievement constitutes, I trust, an effective
treaty of international neutrality and non-interven-
tion." The first telegram brought the news of July
27, and was published in New York two days after
leaving London. The Associated Press gave their
despatch in the following words :—" The London
Times of the 27th of July says of the Atlantic Tele-
graph, It is a great work, the story of the age and
nations, and they who have achieved it deserve to
be honoured as the benefactors of their race.' A
treaty of peace has been signed between Austria
and Prussia. A previous telegram says that a five
days' armistice between Austria and Prussia com-
menced at noon on the 23d." A contract has been
entered into between the Associated Press and the
Atlantic Telegraph Company for the regular trans-
mission of news. The Press will receive daily a
despatch from Europe of about 40 words, for which
they will pay annually £22,000. The expense will
be borne by the daily newspapers published in the
United States and Canada—the arrangement is, of
course, contingent on the cable lasting.
Many people think that petroleum is destined to
finish off the world's career in a universal blaze—
that for a spell will light up the whole heavens, and
be a marvel to other worlds, ere it burns out, leaving
a charred and dried ball, if it does not melt with
fervent heat and run to chaos. This inflammable
oil is doubtless spread over the surface of the earth,
and we have lately had two examples of what con-
flagrations can be produced by comparatively small
quantities. Ten thousand barrels of petroleum
have furnished fuel for a blaze in Antwerp that has
seldom before been seen in Europe. Once on fire
any attempt to extinguish it was mere child's play
in the result produced, though no child's play in the
danger involved. Barrel after barrel exploded,
shaking the city and tumbling down houses. The
burning petroleum flowed into the sewers and carried
a flame into the surrounding houses. Probably half
a million of property has been destroyed. Only a
few days earlier the oil regions in the State of Phila-
delphia was treated to a similar illumination ; on
the 2d instant exactly 10,000 barrels were burned
at Pithole. In this district, however, people are
accustomed to the conflagrations caused by petro-
,eum, and the tremendous explosions resulting there-
!rom.

By advices from Vera Cruz, dated 27th July
last, we learn that a revolution had been attempted
in the city of Mexico. Many arrests had been made.
Some were banishedto Yucatan,'others were brought
as prisoners to Vera Cruz, and placed in the castle
of San Juan previous to transportation. The country
was very excited. Three hundred exiles from the
Rio Grande have arrived at Tampico. Yellow fever
prevails at Vera Cruz. The Empress is now at
Paris, and has had an interview with Napoleon.
Her presence in Europe has had an injurious effect
on Mexican Bonds. The holders interpret her visit
as a sign of overwhelming financial embarrassment,
and they have little faith in France acting as
Maximilian's paymaster any longer. Maximilian
is said to have signed a treaty with the French
Minister with the following provisions: —" Seven
thousand French troops will remain in Mexico for
five years. France will furnish beside $500,000
every month for five years, to meet the civil ex-
penses. Maximilian is to give as security the rail-
road from Vera Cruz to Mexico. Maximilian's re-
venues are to be collected by French officers."
Although the Tariff Amendment Bill failed in its
passage, two changes have been effected. The
duties on cigars are 50 per cent. ad valorem, or $3
per lb. A clause previously stricken out has now
been re-inserted, adding to the estimate of the cost
of merchandise the transport, shipment, tranship:
ment, packages, &c. This will add $10,000,000
to the revenue. As the subject is of considerable
importance we give the clause :—" Sec. 9. That in
determining the dutiable value of imported mer-
chandise, there shall be added to the cost on the
actual wholesale prices, or generalrin omaarl marketsketvalue o
at
f
the time of exportation in the principal
the country from which the same shall have been
imported into the United States, the cost of trans-
portation, shipment, transhipment, with all ex-
penses included, from the place of growth, produc-
tion, or manufacture, whether by land or water, to
the vessel in which shipment is made to the United
States ; the value of the sack, box, or covering of
any kind in which such goods are contained ; com-
mission at the usual rates, but in no case less than
two and a half per cent., brokerage, export duty,
and all other actual or usual rates for putting up,
preparing, and packing for transportation or ship-
ment, and all charges of a general character incurred
in the purchase of a general invoice, shall be dis-
tributed pro rata among all parts of such invoice,
and every part thereof charged with duties based
on value shall be advanced according to its propor-
tion, and all wines or other articles paying specific
duty by grades shall be graded, and pay duty accord-
ing to the actual value so determined. Provided,
That all additions made to the entered value of
merchandise for charges shall be regarded as part
of the actual value of such merchandise ; and, if
such addition shall exceed by ten per cent. the value
so declared in the entry in addition to the duties
imposed by law, there shall be levied, collected, and
paid a duty of 20 per cent. on such value. Pro-
vided, That the duty shall in no wise be assessed
upon an amount less than the invoice or entered
value. Provided further, That nothing herein con-
tained shall apply to long-combing carpet-wools
costing twelve cents or less per pound, unless the
charges added shall carry the cost above twelve
cents, in which case one cent per pound duty is
to be levied."
We have more than once alluded to the subject
of providing means to enable distressed Americans
in London to return to their native country. The
class most concerned are seamen, and we are rejoiced
that the British Government has taken the initia-
tive with respect to them. Sir Frederick Bruce has
proposed officially on behalf of England that a
reciprocal treaty be entered into by the two coun-
tries for the benefit of seamen in distress. Con-
gress can alone ratify such a treaty, but there can
be no doubt that the measure will receive its sanc-
tion. Each nation will agree to send home seamen
of the other country in distress in its ports. When
the treaty comes to be discussed we hope the whole
subject will be fully entered on, as seamen are not
the only class deserving of Government aid. Most
distressing cases of destitution among Americans
occur in London. Good men may be deprived of
the means of living by sickness, failure of their
employers, and circumstances over which they have
no control, and find themselves reduced to the
greatest straits in this vast metropolis, with no
other resource than the private assistance of Ameri-
can residents. Some recognised official should be
authorised to inquire into such cases, and where the
applicant was found to be the victim wholly
of misfortune, the means of returning to his
country at his country's expense might surely be
extended to him. Many of these persons could
give bonds to return the amount, and what is done
by such colonies as New Zealand to introduce a
population into the country might be done by the
Great Republic in aid of its own citizens in distress
in a foreign city.
We extract the following account of the Generals
of the regular army and their order of seniority
from the New Pork Post :
" The quick promotion of Sherman to the rank lately
held by Grant, and of Porter to that of Farragut, will
please everybody. The army have, in the establishment
of the new rank of General, an especial and professional
pleasure, as it completes the round of grades. Hitherto
we have had no rank to correspond with the highest com-
mands in our army. During the late war a Major-General
commanded a hundred other Major-Generals, which is
as though a Colonel should command an army corps. This
anomaly is now remedied. The promotion of Hancock
to a Major-Generalship in the regular army will be re-
garded as a fit recognition of the brilliant and important
services of one of the most prominent subordinate com-
manders of the army of the Potomac, who was always—
f em the Drat tight st Williamsburg to the last of filo cam-