The Sun.
London, England, 1861-02-01 00:00:00

(Copy.)

"30, Bishopsgate-street Without, London, E.C.,
Dec. 7, 1860.
" To General Garibaldi.

" Sir,—You will doubtless have heard ere this of my in-
tended notion, as a member of the Court of Common Coun-
cil of the City of London, that the freedom of our ancient
City be presented to you, as a mark of appreciation of you
is the cause of Italian liberty, &c. I am desirous of know-
ing whether you would accept the honour if voted to you,
and if you could pay an early visit to England. Your
favourable reply would, I doubt not, obtain a unanimous
vote of the council.

" You will excuse the liberty I take of writing to you,
feeling the immense good to be derived to the cause of
Italian freedom, if the motion could be carried, and if so,
your early visit to England will be arranged.
"With feelings of admiration for your past life, I hum-
bly hope you will be protected by the Almighty hand, to be
instrumental in carrying out and realising a consummation
devoutly to be wished, viz., " The entire freedom of the
sunny land of Italy'

" With fervent hopes and best wishes for your health, I
am, sir, your obedient servant,

"JOHN RICHARDSON.
" To General Garibaldi, Caprera, Italy,"

(Copy.)

" Caprera, Jan. 21, 1861.

" Sir,—lt is my wish to make a journey to England, so
that I may personally thank that generous nation for the
moral and material sympathy and support which they have
given to the Italian cause, but for the moment I cannot
indicate to you when I shall be able to give effect to my
heart's desire.
" In the meantime allow me to thank you for the intended
civic motion, which I approve of with all my heart.—With
esteem and affection, your devoted,
(Signed)
"Mr. John Richardson, in London."

" G. GARIBALDI.

Sir Henry and Lady Sophia Des Veeux have
arrived at Thomas's Hotel, Berkeley-square, from Drake-
low, near Burton-on-Trent.
The accounts from America are more tran-
quillising as to political matters, whilst financial affairs are
progressing favourably; the exchange on London present-
ing a very firm appearance at 106, and a fraction above that
figure for bankers' bls. In regard to monetary
ready and able
ff "t
a all's, I
is stated that the cil
aptalists of the North are
to lend the Government all the money it may need during
the present trying emergency, but they are apparently not
willing to run any risk of unconstitutionally supplying the
revolutionary party, as they term it, with means. In regard
to the secession movement it is argued that if at the worst
fifteen slave states secede, and two or three show as yet no
tendency to do so, the States of the North are abundantly
able to assume the whole debt of the United States, and
pay the interest on it punctually; it not being much more
than the debt of the States of Ohio and New York.
A GIGANTIC GRAVING DOCK.—The Mersey
Dock Board are about to construct a gigantic graving dock
at Birkenhead. It is to be 750 feet long, 85 feet wide, and
106 feet deep. The estimated cost is £84,000. There will
be accommodation for two rows of vessels on gridirons at
each side of the dock, the construction of which is to be
proceeded with Al 5 Ema as possible.

During the year which has just closed, the Na-
tional Lifeboat Institution has expended £6,258 ls,
on the following lifeboat establishments :—New-
biggin, Northumberland; Salturn and Filey, York-
shire ; Caistor, Norfolk ; Aldborough, Suffolk;
Margate and Walmer, Kent ; Selsey, West Sussex;
Grange and Brook, Isle of Wight ; Penzance,
St. Ives, and Newquay, Cornwall; Penarth, Gla-
morganshire ; Llandwynn, Anglesey; Llandudno,
Carnarvonshire; Southport and Lytham, Lan-
cashire ; Silloth, Cumberland; Ayr and Irvine,
Ayrshire •, Kantyre, Argyleshire ; Buckie and
Banff, Banffshire ; St. Andrew's, Fifeshire •
North Berwick, Haddingtonshire ; Portrush,
County Antrim; Tyrella, Dundrum Bay, County
Down. This institution has also expended
on the repairs, stores, alterations, &c., of its nume-
rous lifeboats, £3,632 195.; and £1,550 for exercis-
ing the crews of its lifeboats, making altogether a,
total of £11,441. During the past year the life-
boats of the institution have been instrumental in
rescuing the crews of the following wrecked ves-
sels :—Schooner Ann Mitchell, of Montrose 1;
schooner Jane Roper, of Inverstone, 6; brig Pallas,
of Shields, 3 ; ship Ann Mitchell, of Glasgow, 9 ;
smack John Bull, of Yarmouth, 5; schooner Cathe-
rine, of Newry, 4 ; barque Niagara, of Shields,
11 ; a barge of Teignmouth, 2; brig George and
James, of London, 8 ; brig Zephyr, of Whitby,
6 ; coble Honor of Cullurcoats, 3 ; schooner Eliza,
of North Shields, 7; barque Oberon, of Liver-
pool, 15; brigantine Nancy, of Teignmouth, 9;
smack Wonder, of Teignmouth, 2; brig Scotia, of
Sunderland, 6 • sloop Three Brothers, of Goole,
5; sloop Charlotte of Woodbridge, 5; brig Ann,
of Blyth, 8 ; sloop Elope, of Dublin, 3 ; schooner
Druid, of Aberystwith, 5 ; barque Vermont of
Halifax, United States, 16 ; schooner, William
Keith, of Carnarvon, 2; brig Flying Fish, of
Whitby, 5 ; smack Elizabeth Ann, of Lyme Regis,
3 ; steam dredge at Newhaven, 9 ; schooner Ad-
miral Hood, of Rochester, 6; schooner Susan and
Isabella, Dundee, 5 ; schooner Rose, Lynn, 3; brig
Prodroma, of Stockton, 11; brig Eliza, of Middles-
borough, 7 ; brigantine Freia, 6 ; brigantine Diana,
7; brig Gloucester, of South Shields, 7 ; total, 210.
For these and other lifeboat services the institution
has voted £904 Bs. 4d. as rewards. It has also
granted rewards amounting to £203 4s. for
saving 245 shipwrecked persons by shore boats
and other means, making a total of 455 persons
saved from a watery grave ' • a most satisfactory
result, and clearly showing how much has been
accomplished by the well-directed efforts which
the National Lifeboat Institution has brought to
bear on this humane cause. This great and national
work has, however, only been accomplished by the
society incurring liabilities to the extent of £5,419.
With so sacred an object in view as the rescue of
our fellow-creatures from an appalling death by
shipwreck, it might be supposed that the Lifeboat
Institution had claims which would come home
to the heart of every one in this great maritime
country. Such it may be hoped will be the case
as its operations become more generally known,
and thus an abundant harvest, not only of popular
sympathy, but of general pecuniary support, will be
the permanent result. The committee of the National
Lifeboat Institution do not, therefore, hesitate to
solicit most earnestly the support of the community
at large in aid of the benevolent objects of the
institution. They cannot but sympathise with the
vigorous efforts now being made by the society to
save the lives' of-shipwrecked crews. Their help
was never more needed than at the present time,
when, through the extraordinary efforts the society
has made 'within the past few
years,
108 lifeboats under its management; for itthe main-
has now
tenance of which, in a state of thorough efficiency,
a large permanent annual income is absolutely
needed if its humane 1818810 V 18 to be perpetuated.
We may add that contributions in aid of the philan-
thropic and national objectsof the Lifeboat Institu-
tionb are received by all the London and country
bankers, and by its secretary, 14, John-street,
Adelphi.