The Sun.
London, England, 1861-03-11 00:00:00

LATEST.

NEW YORK, FEB. 27.
Stocks higher. - Erie, 331; Illinois, 82-1; New
York Central, 79k. Other markets unaltered.

NEW ORLEANS, FEB. 26.

Cotton sales in three days, 30,000 bales. Receipts
during the same period, 8,000 bales. Middling,
lOic. to 111 c,

RACING IN FRANCE.

Baron do la Rochette, Count Alfred de Noaillesy
and Count H. Greffulbe, as stewards of the races of
the Societe d'Encouragement pour l'Amelioration
des Races de Chevaux en France, have just ad-
dressed a report to the Minister of State, in which,
after referring to the recent modifications made in
the State breeding studs, they mention that the
society, on its part, will continue to labour for the
improvement of the breed of horses by " concen
trating its attention on what in its eyes is the most
important matter of all—the increase of thorough-
bred cattle by means of racing." In support of that
view they affirm that "the intermixture of thorough-
bred horses in crossings with common breeds has
been one of the principal causes of the superiority of
the productions of horses in England , . . and
that races on flat ground are therefore an essen-
tial condition of progress." They then state that
the society has departed from the English system of
" shortening without reason the distance to be run,
diminishing weights excessively, increasing the
number and importance of handicaps in such a
way that a dissimulation of the merits of horses
becomes the best chance of obtaining great suc-
cesses ; and, lastly, giving such sums for 2-year-old
races as to enable animals of that age to remunerate
their proprietors without, however, developing their
merit." Thus, in France, out of 100 races there on
five of which the distance is less than 2,000 metres
(11. mile), only five for 2-year-old colts, and not
more than nine handicaps; whereas in England
there 63 of less distance than 2,000 metres,
40 for 2-year-olds, and 38 handicaps. Even
in handicaps, too, the minimum weight in France
is more than 101 b. above what it is in England.
The stewards then go on to recommend that, in
order to remove, or, at least, to lessen, the objec-
tions which exist to 2-year-old races, the animal
of that age shall not run before the autumn in
each year. They next state that both the admin-
istration of the Haras and the society have in-
creased their subventions to races, and have made
a new distribution of the sums to be run for,
suppressing those of certain races, and increasing
those of others, reserving the most important
sums to races for 4-year-olds and apwards, at the
same time requiring such horses to carry heavier
weights and run longer distances, The admin-
istration des Haras, for example, instead of 82,000 f.,
divided into 27 races, is to give 87,000 f., divided
among 16, and as much as 77,000 f. of this sum is
reserved for 12 of the 16. As to the society it
maintains 11 prizes recently established, augments
others, and founds three new ones. On the whole
240,000 f will be given this year at Paris and Chan-
tilly, which is 27,500 f. more than was accorded last
year ; and of that increase 22,500 f. is raised by the
society, and 5,000 f. is to come from the Adminis-
tration des Harras. To the races at Versailles,
Angouleme, Caen, Moulins, Mont de Marsan, Tou-
louse, and Valenciennes liberal grants are made,
and it is at Amiens, Blois, and Marseilles that
the three new prizes have been established.

AN ORATORIO IN A CHURCH.—We understand
that the oratorio of" Elijah" is to be given on Easter •eve
in the recently completed church of All Saints, Kensing-
ton-park, Notting-hill, previous to its consecration, at
which Miss Louisa Pyne, Madame Laura Baxter, Madame
Alexander Newton, Miss Susan Pyne, Messrs. Wilbye
Cooper, W. H. Weiss, and other artistes of eminence, will
sing. A full band and chorus, assisted by the grand organ,
in all 300 performer, will be under the direction of Dr.
James Pech.

Herr Molique's Abraham will be presented for
the first time in the metropolis on the 17th of April, when
a performance will be given at Exeter-hall iu aid of the
funds of the Mi idlesex Hospital. A distinguished corps of
executants will be engaged, and the direction will be vested
in Herr Molique.
DEATH OF SIR ARCHIBALD MACLAINE, K.C.B.
—The Colonelcy of the 52d (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot
has become vacant by the death of General Sir Archibald
Maclaine, who expired on Saturday last, at his house in
Cumberland-street.

The shipments of specie by the Delta, for Bom-
bay, represent £160,040, of which £134,510 is silver and
£25,500 gold.
DESERTERS FROM THE NAVY.—The number of
seamen and boys who deserted from the Royal Navy in
1858 was 1,880 ; in 1859, 1,873 ; and in nine months only
of 1860, 2,322. Of the latter number, 160 only were boys.
A meeting of creditors of Messrs. Benyon &
Co., flax spinners, took place on Thursday at Leeds, when
a balance-sheet, prepared by Mr. Bolton, accountant,
showed liabilities expected to come on the estate £52,265,
with assets estimated to realize £17,017, the deficiency
being thus £35,248. Messrs. Benyon's relatives offered to
give £10,000; which will raise the dividend to 10s. in the
pound. The creditors, in reply, intimated that if £15,000
were offered that sum would be accepted. Ultimately the
meeting was adjourned for a week to give time for further
consideration, and it is expected that the difference will
be divided, and the present offer consequently increased to
£12,500.
DOCKYARD ARRANGEMENTS AT PORSTMOUTH.—
For the future the entry of all artisans and labourers rests
with the superintendent of the dockyard, who will be re-
sponsible that no workmen be admitted but such as are in
all respects the best to be obtained for her Majesty's ser-
vice. No person will be eligible for entry in the establish-
ment whose age exceeds 35 years, to be proved by certificate
of birth from baptismal register or such other document as
the superintendent may require. Certificate of eheracter
will also be necessary. Every candidate before entry will
be tested in the use of his took. He must be examined by
the surgeon of the yard, an pronounced fit for service.
On first entry for the establishment, all men will be re-
quired to serve one month on probation, and if at the end
of that period they shall have proved themselves competent
to the satisfaction of the superintendent their appointment
will be confirmed. In filling up vacancies on the establish-
ment preference will be given to hired men in the yard who
are of good character and ability.
THE GUN AND MORTAR BOATS.—A return has
been laid before Parliament purporting to give au account
of all gun and mortar boats built by contract since 1852,
though the list given contains only 226, and the select com-
mittee on gunboats stated that 286 had been so built be-
tween 1854 and 1857. The 172 gunboats here accounted for
cost rather more than £1,000,000. According to this paper
some of them have required repairs to no greater amount
than £l, £3, or £2. If so, the difference in quality was re-
markable indeed ; for upon each of 17 of them, costing
about £5,000 a piece, and launched only in 1856, there has
been, or at the time of this latest but undated return was
to be, above £l,OOO laid out in repairs. Among them was
the notorious Caroline, repairs £2,125; the Mackerel,
£2,248 ; the Pheasant, £2,164 ; and the Highlander, £2,006.
But several of the gunboats are still only described as " or-
dered to be examined," and of the mortar vessels almost
every one not turned into a lighteryet remains unexamined.
$.O the last 9f this story is still to Ogle;

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

The railway meetings of this week, although
again numerous, generally comprise the less im-
portant companies. At the Stockport, Disley, and
Whaleybridge a dividend was declared at the pro-
posed rate of 21 per cent. per annum. The receipts
during the past half-year were stated to show a
satisfactory incre Ise. The report of the Caledonian
recommends a dividend for the past half-year at the
rate of 51 per cent. per annum out of the available
balance of £96,103, leaving a surplus of £10,596 to
be carried to the contingent fund. The gross
revenue was £404,714, showing an augmentation of
£17,848 over the previous year. The expenditure
on capital account amounted to £126,723, of which
£69,923 was for land and works, £27,700 for plant,
and £29,100 for shares in the Lymingtcn, Biggar,
and Broughton Railway. The Hereford, Ross, and
Glocester have ordered a distribution of 4s. per
share, leaving a balance of £1,197, which is to be
appropriated in aid of capital for the liquidation of
the company's debt. At the Shrewsbury and Here-
ford meeting the guaranteed dividend of 41 per
cent. per annum was agreed to. The receipts in
the past six months have increased £5,111. At the
Rhymney meeting it was stated that the revenue
for the past half year was £20,660, or 35 per cent.
more than in 1859. The working expenses have
been diminished from 571 to 51 per cent. The
South Staffordshire have declared their usual divi-
dend of ss. 2d. per share. At a meeting of the
Sittingbourne and Sheerness the question of a divi-
dend was deferred until the accounts of the London,
Chatham, and Dover under their agreement shall
have been settled. The state of the money market
has embarrassed the operations of the company, and
in some degree prevented the completion of the
pier. The report of the Stratford-on-Avon an-
nounces that the line was opened on the 10th of
October. The traffic has already produced nearly
£lOO a week, and a larger revenue is calculated
upon in future. The distribution of the Boston,
Sleaford, and Midland Counties is 2s. 6d. per share.
At a meeting of the Bradford, Wakefield, and Leeds
a dividend was declared at the proposed rate of 8
per cent. per annum, leaving a balance of £4,656,
which was appropriated to the reserve. The gross
revenue during the past half-year was £10,719.
At the East Suffolk meeting it was stated that the
unfavourable weather during the last six months
has been prejudicial to the working of the line,
especially as regards the pleasure traffic. There has
also been an inadequate supply of trucks, the de-
ficiency being attributed to the action of the
Eastern Counties. The report of the Cornwall
announced that the receipts for the past half year
showed an increase of £5,004 over the correspond-
ing period of 1859, notwithstanding the inclemency
of the weather. The interest account showed that
£22,240 was the charge in the six months against
£14,767 profit on the working, leaving a deficiency
of £7,473. The Blyth and Tyne have declared a
dividend at the proposed rate of 10 per cent. per
annum. The traffic was said to have fully kept
pace with the augmentation of the capital. At a
meeting of the Scottish North-Eastern, it was an-
nounced that the revenue in the past six months
was 1300,253, of which, after deducting expenses,
&c., £2,075 was available for the Aberdeen stock,
and £15,214 for the Midland. A first dividend
was agreed to on the former, at the rate of i per
cent. per annum, and a distribution on the Midland
of 41. The Glasgow and South Western have
divided at the recommended rate of 51 per cent.
per annum. The receipts in the six months ending
in January were £215,459, being an increase of
£19,645, the greater part being from goods and
minerals. The opening of the Port Patrick Rail-
way between Castle Douglas and Stranraer is ex-
pected to be soon accomplished. The report of the
Whitehaven and Furness Junction recommends a
dividend at the rate of 4 per cent. per annum, and
that of the Whitehaven Junction at the rate of 8.
The revenue in the former case has increased £2,099
over 1839, and in the latter £2,131. At the East
Anglian meeting preference dividends only were
ordered. The receipts in the half-year were £24,357,
showing a decrease of £764, arising from the un-
favourable season and bad harvest. The effect has
also been aggravated by the heavy charge of the
Eastern Counties for working expenses. The Leeds,
Bradford, and Halifax Junction have made a dis-
tribution at the recommended rate of 6 per cent.
per annum. The profit on the half-yearly working
compared with 1859 shows an increase of £3,759.
At a meeting of the Oude it w.ls resolved to keep
the company in existence until a better opportunity
for carrying out the undertaking, but to return the
deposit of ss. per share. The report of the Illinois
Central states that the company has been relieved
of its floating debt. The funded debt on the let of
January was £3,350,000, and the capital stock sub-
scribed £3,190,000. The revenue from the line will
pay the expenses, State taxes, and interest on the
debt, so that the railway has now ceased to be a
burden on the lands. The net income this year
should exceed £240,000, whilst the interest on the
bonds cannot be more than £210,000. In the past
year the balance of revenue over expenditure was
£226,000. The shareholders of the Pernambuco
have confirmed the resolution authorising the direc-
tors to continue the payment of interest out of the
funds of the company at the rate of 7 per cent. per
annum. A return of the French railway traffic
during the past year shows that the aggregate
receipts in 1860 were £16,328,549 on 5,689 miles,
against £15,545.194 on 5,488 miles in 1859, being
an increase of £783,355, or 5 per cent.