The Sun.
London, England, 1859-01-27 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 27, 1859.

.CiREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.--NOTICE
k7l IS HEREBY GIVEN, That the next HALF-YEARLY
GENERAL MEETING of the Proprietors of this Company
will be held in London,pursua_nt to Act of Parliament, at the
Paddington Station, on FRIDAY, the eleventh day of Feb.
next, at One o'clock precisely, for the Election of Five Direc-
tors in the place of A. K. Baker, Esq., John William Miles,
Esq., Henn,. Simonds, Ksq. , Rowland Jones Venables, Esq.,
and John Williams, Esq., retiring by rotation, and for other
general purposes of business.
It is also intended that the said. General Meeting shall be.
made Special, for the purpose of submitting agreements en-
tered into respectively with the Directors of the Bridpart
Railway Company and with the Great Western and Brentford
Railway Company, for the consideration.and approval of the
Proprietors upon terms and conditions for the lease and
working severally of the said Bridport Railway, and of the
Railway between Southall and Brentford, and of the Docks.
at Brentford connected therewith.
The Chair will be taken at One o'clock precisely.
FREDK. PONSONBY, Chairman.
BA4RINGTON, Deputy Chairman.
The Directors retiring are re-eligible under the provisions
of the act, and, in compliance with a bye-law, notice must be
given to the Secretary, on or before the 28th day of January,
of the names of any Proprietors who are to be, nominated fbr
election as Directors at the said Half.,yearly General Meeting...
. The Transfer, ooks of all Stock and Shares will be closed
on and from the 27th day of January instant, and will not be
re-opened until after the said Half-yearly General Meeting
on the 11th day of February.—By order of the Board.
- CHAS. A. SAUNDERS, Secretary. _1
Paddifig,ton Station, Jan. 21, 1859.

ANNIVERSARY OP TILE FOUNDATION
OF THE AUSTRALIAN COLONIES.

Yesterday being the 71st anniversary of the set-
tlement of the Australian Colonies a dinner took
place at the Albion Hotel, Aldersgate-street, to
celebrate the event. The chair was occupied by Mr._
H. Moor, late Member of the Legislative Council
of New South Wales and Victoria, the Vice-Chair-

man being Sir W. M. Manning, LL.D., represent-
ing New South Wales Mr. J. A. Youl, Tasmania ;
Mr. P. S. Sturt, Victoria ; Mr. E. Stephens, South
Australia; arid Mr. J. E. Fitzgerald, New Zealand.
The list of guests included the Right Hon. Sir E.
B. E. L. Bulwer Lytton, Sir J.Pakington, the Earl
of Carnarvon, Lord A. Churchill, M.P., Mr. Row-
land Hill, Sir J. Stirling, Col. Gawler, Mr. J. D.
Smith, Commissary-General, Mr. Wilcox, M.P„
Mr. Gairdner, Admiral Sir G. Lambert, D.
Dunbar, Mr. S. Morley, Mr. J. Spicer, Mr. J.
Allan, Mr. H. Sewell; and Captain Galton.
Among the colonists present were—Sir H. W.
Parker, the Rev. Dr. Lillie, R. Kermode. Messrs.
E. Wilson, R. Brooks, G. A. Anstey, G. Laing, T.
W. Smart, H. Mercer' D. Larnac, P. Jones, P. T.
Smith, T. S. Mort, C. Newton, G. Rees, J. Levick,

and F. Piper.
There were nearly 200 gentlemen present in all.
After dinner the usual loyal and patriotic toasts
were proposed from the chair and enthusiastically
received by the company.
Thanks having been returned on the part of the
army by Colonel GAwLER,
Sir J. PAKINGTON, in responding for the sister
service, observed that he deeply felt the responsi-
bility of his position at the head of the navy, espe-
cially at the present juncture. As long, however, as
he had the honour to hold that situation he would

devote every energy he possessed to an attempt to
restore that power, that efficiency, that unquestioned
superiority of the British navy--(cheers)—which
the general introduction of 'steam had for
the moment partially impaired. When he used
these expressions it would be understood that he
referred to the ships which belonged to us—not to
those gallant officers and brave seamen whose dis-
cipline, whose prowess, and whose power of serving
their country was as great now as it had been at
any period of our history. (Cheers.) He hoped he
was not guilty. of presumption in attributing the

cordiality of the reception just accorded to him
partly to the fact that he had once been officially
connected with the British colonies. (Hear.) It had
been his fortune to hold the seals of the Colonial

Department at the great crisis of the gold disco-
veries, and when our settlements in Australia were
commencing that marvellous career of wealth and
prosperity the rapidity of which had never been
equalled in the annals of the world. (Cheers.) He
owned that, deep as was his interest in the British
navy, zealous as he was to do his duty towards that
service, he could not but feel on an occasion like the
present a pang of regret that he was no longer con-
nected with the colonies. (Hear.) That feeling,
however, was solely a personal one, for it was his
sincere conviction that the welfare of that depart-
ment could not be, and never had been, entrusted
to better hands than those of his right hon. friend.
(Cheers.) He was sure it was the heartfelt senti-
ment of his right hon. friend, as it undoubtedly was
his own, that theTioble dependencies of this empire
generally, and Australia in particular, might ever
prosper and flourish. (Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN then gave " The health of the
Secretary of State for the Colonies and the rest of
her Majesty's Ministers."
The toast having been duly honoured,
Sir E. B. LYTTON rose and said—Mr. Chairman
and gentlemen, on my own part, and on that of my
colleagues, her Majesty's Ministers, I have to re-
turn you our best thanks for the compliment that
you have paid to us. My right hon. friend Sir J.
Pakington has referred, with much courtesy
towards myself, to the post which I now hold in
the service of the Crown, and which he himself
once filled with so much popularity and talent.
It is, indeed, a post of immenselresponsibility ; and
if its duties are conscientiously discharged it is one
that involves incessant labour. Its powers are as
varied as the different parts of that vast dominion
which it surveys. Every colony, from the greatest
to the least—from the little island of Labuan to
the great province of Canada or Victoria—has a
right to expect from the Home Government the
most careful solicitude for its interests—the most
affectionate anxiety for its progress. But you, the
colonists of Australia, may well elicit sympathy
and respect from the breast of the coldest of states-
men. It is now exactly 71 years ago that the first
colony of Australia, New South Wales, was founded.
Why, that space of time is just the life of a single
man who attains to the verge of old age. In the
comparatively brief period to which the days of any
obscure peasant in one of our remote villages may
extend Australia has added to the sway of Queen
Victoria: more than 1,000,000 of British subjects, of
freemen born to exert a powerful influence on the
future destinies of the world. The revenue of that
young dependency somewhat exceeds £5,000,000
sterling, its imports amounting to £27,000,000, and
its exports to between £22,000,000 and £23,000,000.
These statistics are, I know, within the mark, be-
cause they were furnished a year or more ago. But,
while her material development has been so great
so startling, what has been the growth of Australia
in all that can dignify and ennoble man ? In place
of that miserable penal setttlement with which the
early history of New South Wales began you now
see thriving communities of citizens, valuing the
highest standard of morality, to the utmost degree
enjoying rational liberty, and proving by their
loyalty and good order how well they understand
its blessings. (Cheers.) And with that extent of
liberty there is no part even of the Old World in
which there is so deep an appreciation of that kind
of aristocracy without which I believe no society
can flourish. I mean not the aristocracy of intel-
lect alone, but the aristocracy of civilized manners
—the aristocracy of elevated character. (Hear.)
To education in its higher forms you have given a
wise encouragement. Your University of Sydney
has already received a Royal charter; and the sister
institution' at Melbourne is, I trust, about to obtain
the same boon. These charters will give equal
validity throughout every part of her Majesty's
dominions to the degress accorded by these colonial
Universities in arts, in medicine, and in law to that
which belongs to the corresponding degrees con-
ferred by the ancient and august foundations of
Oxford and Cambridge. (Cheers.) Go next to
Tasmania, which partly from its insulated position,
partly from its smaller extent of available land,
and partly from the absence of gold discoveries
there, has perhaps not achieved the same dazzling
progress as some of the sister colonies, and you
will still find that it has just passed a noble Act of
its local Legislature, endowing no fewer than eight
scholarships at £2OO a-year etch for the support of
Tasmanian scholars at the Universities of this
country. (Cheers.) While, therefore, you have
offered an inviting asylum and ample means of sub-
sNagvi Smehnt
oieeeunrhneoetueose to the working classes at home, you have
shown your quick perception If the great fact that
communitiest
theirroiinst
with
populationaenidndootthahtaeitoni
come
notions
oe socialntoaalone,nd ctsbuoc
ulaatlitue
also
ldesn.vooatbo
Among
oymtmhotoonhns
geet
the various :virtues 'which Australia has derived
from England, I ask you to' take with you that
grand feature called the English gentleman ; and I
believe that as long as Australia lasts, the manli-
ness and gentleness of the gentlemen of England
will be fostered on her soil. The reason why this
identity, not of interests only, but of character,
exists between Australia and England appears to
me to be this :—The first British settlers of America
were refugees, who fled from this country before she
had acquired for herself civil and religious liberty.
We can, therefore, understand how in thaallt casethe•
great
e
there should have long obtained a rankling
feeling of hereditary. resentment, and it may
be a hereditary misconception, so that the
the one which
United
Powers States
oafre,theperwham,

is most liable to capricious fluctuations in
its friendly affinities to us. Whereas you,
the colonists of Australia, took with you When you
went forth no bitter or angryxecollections. Yon did
not carry with you associations of the reign of the
Stuarts but a tender affection -fora free country
and a benignant -Queen. (Cheers.) The tie is the
stronger because it is the more gently felt. I'can-
mit help thinking how much Australia proved her
sympathy in the :glory and- in the distress of the
mother country during the CriMean war. I -cannot
help recalling -that from Australia came a sura little
short of £150,000 as a contribution for the relief
of our sufferers from that contest. A similar token
of generosity and
~patriotism was called'forth on
the part of Australia on behalf of the sufferers from
-the Indian mutiny. These things muke-us feel that,
thoughOceani divide us, we have'all English hearts,
and that the sceptre of Queen-Victoria is an electric
rod which unites in kindred sympathy the extremi-
ties of our glorious empire. (Cheers.) The-time may
come when these new colonies of Ours will be great
-State's and nations, when they will find it easier to
raise armies among_them than they now find it to
raise a police—when, instead of that single armed
steamer for which the colony Of Victoria now so
nobly pays, she will have in her -harbours forests of
masts, and her waters a navy of her own._ It may
so happen in that distant day that England may
be in danger. It may happen that the great
Power's of OM Europe may then rise 'up against
the venerable parent of many free commonwealths.
If that day should arrive, I believe that her chil-
dren will not be unmindful of the tie which binds
them to the dear mother country'; and that to her
rescue across the wide ocean, vessels will come
quick and fast, among which there will be heard
but one voice,—" While Australia lasts England
shall not perish." (Cheers.) With that hope and
belief, -gentlemen, I now give you the toast which
has been placed in my hands—viz., " The Anniver-
sary of the Foundation of the Australian Colonies."
The toast was received with much enthusiasm,
and was eloquently responded to by Sir W. Manning.
Mr. J. E. FITZGERALD then proposed "The Houses
of Lords and- Commons of England," which was
briefly acknowledged by the Earl of Carnarvon on
the part of the peers, and by Lord A. Churchill on
the part of-the Commons.
The sentiment " Our Fatherland" was next given
by Mr. WILSON, and was followed by " The Go-
vernors and Parliaments of the Australian Colonies,
besides several toasts of a purely complimentary
nature. The party broke up at a late hour.

MANCHESTER CHAMBER •F
• COMMERCE.

The annual meeting of association was held
yesterday at Manchester, Mr. Turner, M.P., in the
chair.
Mr. Fleming, the secretary, read the annual re
port of the directors' proccedinzs.
The CHAIRMAN congratulated the Chamber that
the year 1859 was commencing under circumstances
much more encouraging than those of a twelve-
month ago. We were then recovering from a very
severe monetary crisis, and Manchester had reason
to be proud of having passed 'Tough that crisis
with credit ; for though it t have experienced
difficulties and disasters, they were not so much the
result of undue trading or reckless speculation as of
the foolish course adopted by bank directors in vari-
ous parts of the country. The mercantile commu-
nity had less to blame itself for than the money in-
terests and those represented by joint-stock banks.
We were commencing this year with every prospect
of prosperity, and Manchester was as flourishing as
he ever recollected it to- be. It was, however, just a
time when a word or two of caution might be neces-
sary. Both employers and employed might take it
into their heads that this commercial prosperity was
never to be checked, and he had been long enough.
in the world and long enough connected with com-
mercial matters to know this was the very period

of danger; that we might go on rashly increasing
our trading operatiins and pushing themin all parts
of the world to a perilous extent, unless we took
warning from the past. However, he saw very little
speculation at present. and believed the business now
carrying on was of a healthy description. It was a
remarkable feature of the times that with such abun-
dance of money, and such reason for exciting our
prosperity, there seemed at present to be scarcely
any tendency to rash investment. (1-11::ar, hear.)
One most encouraging feature was the prospect of
a good supply of cotton, but he hoped the likelihood
of a very extraordinary crop from the United States
would not render us forgetful of our anxieties and
efforts with regard to a permanently adequate sup-
ply. He hoped that the Cotton Supply Association
would not relax their exertions in any degree, be-
cause it should never be forgotten that we were de-
pendent for cotton upon almost one part of the
world only, while most members of this Chamber
were thoroughly convinced that there is a capabi-
lity in another part of the globe, more immediately
under our own jurisdiction ,of supplyng nearly every-
thing we wanted, if proper measures were taken.
(Hear.) He believed sincerely that if the recommen-
dations of this Chamber, so often addressed to the

Indian authorities, with regard to the measures re-
quisite for obtaining a due supply of raw material
for the cotton districts of England, had been taken
—if improvements had been made, roads formed,
agents encouraged to settle in various parts of that
country, and intercourse promoted between our com-
mercial classes and the natives of India, instead of
their being solely brought in contact with mere offi-
cials and military men, we should have heard less
of discontent, and probably have . avoided that re-
volt which has been so disastrous to both countries.

(Hear.) Although the measures proposed by this
Chamber with regard to the future government of
India were not entirely adopted, he was glad to say
they were listened to, and he believed some of the
principle of those recommendations would find their
way into the future government of India. The India
Board seemed to be disposed to adopt plans which
were not so well received by the directors of the
East India. Company,. and various improvements
were likely to be carried out. The favour which the
Madras Irrigation and Canal Company's scheme
had received, and the guarantee it had obtained for
a very large expenditure of capital, was one good
omen of future policy ; and he hoped the same
plans of improvement would be prosecuted in the
direction of road making aid developing the gene-
ral resources of the country. If the India Board failed
in this respect they were sure of hearing again the
complaints from this Chamber which were so fre-
quently addressed to their predecessors in the Go-
vernment. (Hear, hear.) He next referred to the
discreditable allegations as to the proceedings of
one of the Manchester Commissioners in Bank-
ruptcy, as to which the Lord Chancellor had
informed a deputation last year that the removal of
such an officer could only be effected by an address
of both Houses of Parliament to the Crown. If the
directors were to take further proceedings in so
delicate a matter he hoped they would be supported
firmly by the opinion of a general meeting. (Hear.)
In reference to our relations with Brazil he had a
conversation with the Under Secretary of State,
Mr. Fitzgerald, just before feaving London last
session, who informed him that probably they
would be placed on a much more satisfactory foot-
ing. (Applause.)
Mr. BAZLEY, M.P., in moving the adoption of
the report, expressed his satisfaction that a more
constitutional Government had been given to India,
the result of which was that we were enjoying an
amount of commercial prosperity with that country
which had never before been known. He looked
forward to a still greater improvement, and, espe-
cially, when we were able to get a greater amount
of agricultural produce in the shape of cotton and
other staples of that country. It was satisfactory
to know that while the late India Company in 200
years did not expend three millions of money in
roads and in improvements for the development of
its commercial resources, already, within a few
years, such progress had been made that guarantees
had been given for the application of nearly thirty
millions to that purpose. (Hear.) He expressed his
regret at learning, though a bill placed in his hands
by the Town-clerk, that Liverpool was about to
seek Parliamentary powers to dip its hands into
the pockets of Lancashire to the amount of X 40,000
per annum, and hoped that steps might be taken to
prevent the renewal of an injustice which it had
been hoped was set at rest by recent legislation in
reference to the Liverpool town dues.
Mr. Entwistle, Mr. Edmund ?otter, and Mr.
Hadfield, M.P., addressed the meeting, and the
resolution was adopted.
After some remarks from Mr. HENRY ASHWORTH
upon the evils produced in the late crisis by the
encouragement banks at Liverpool and Glasgow
had held out to undue speculation, and the compa-
rative soundness of trade at the present time,
Mr. JOHN CHEETHAM, M.P., moved a resolution
to the effect that a petition be presented to Parlia-
ment in reference to the removal of the Commis-
sioner in Bankruptcy alluded to by the chairman.
Adverting to the Liverpool Bill, which Mr. Bazley
had called attention to, he said he understood, if
they would consent to the rating of the docks,
Liverpool would give up its claim to the town dues.

_ .
In a conversation with the Town Clerk on this
subject, he was surprised to learn that during the
late contest against the town dues this question of
dock rating was never considered in terms of settle-
ment. In this light he thought his Liverpool
constituents were right in the endeavour to rate the
docks, as a part of the greater movement which was
going on in the country to compel the authorities to
pay rates for their various public establishments.
Mr. DUGDALE seconded the resolution, which was
carried.

The meeting separated, after electing directors
for the present year. .

BRISTOL CHAMBER OF G'OMMEBCE.

The annual meeting of this body was held
yesterday afternoon in the hall of the society of
Merchant Venturers, under the presidency of Mr.
P. W. S. Miles, of Bristol and Melbourne.

The secretary (Mr. I,..Bruton)' read a comprehen-
sive report of the proceedings of the Chamber during
the past year, including details of the steps taken
in reference to providing accommodation for the
largest class of ocean steamers at this port, the
mercantile 'marine, and bankruptcy and insolvent
laws, registration of partnerships, tribunals of
commerce, Bristol as an emigration port, harbours
of refuge, the Stade duties, , consular services,
through conarantlication bet Ween Bristol and
-the continent, marines tore dealers, the expense of
obtaining private Acts of Parliament for public
purposes, the rates of wages in the district, and the
trade of the port. In reference to the latter point
the report gave a tabular statement, showing an in-
crease in the total customs' receipts of 1858 over
1857 of £84,182, and in those derived from the
direct trade an increase of £144,308. The foreign
and colonial tonnage entered inwards with cargoes
during [the year 1858 was 846 vessels of 199,119
tons, against 690 vessels of 185,762 tons in 1857,
and 670 vessels of 172,050 tons in 1856. The au-
dited accounts showed an excess of £2 Bs. 7d. in the
receipts over the expenditure of the past year, and
the statement of liabilities and assets for the same
year exhibited a balance of L7B ss. 4d. in favour of
the Chamber.

The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the
report, congratulated the Chamber on the increase
of the trade of the port during the past year of
commercial distress, and hoped that the efforts
for increasing the accommodation for the
largest class of ships and ocean steamers would be
persevered in and carried to a successful issue.
The resolution was seconded by Mr. E. S. Robin-
son and was carried unanimously.
The meeting was further addressed by Messrs.
M. Whitwill, I. M. Hyde, W. Terrell, A. Warren,
G. E. Bevan, T. Thomas, G. Cole, and T. Evans,
all of whom echoed and enlarged on the remarks of
the chairman respecting the necessity for extend-
ing the dock accommodation of the port, and pledg-
ing themselves to renewed efforts for carrying out
that object. As a proof of the increase in the trade
of Bristol, it was stated by one of the speakers that
one-eighth of the whole of the sugar imported into
the country during the past year had come into
Bristol.

proAcel,odtiengosf.thanks to the chairman terminated the
The resignation, through illness, of Mr. Robert
Bright, of the firm of Gibbs, Bright, and Co., of
Liverpool and Bristol, as President of the Chamber,
was announced at the meeting ; and Mr. P. M. S.
Miles was unanimously elected to the vacant office.