The Sun.
London, England, 1859-08-02 00:00:00

THE NAVY.

Capt. Sherard Osborne reported himself at the
Admiralty on Saturday, on his return from the
China station.

A portion of the sick brought by the Calcutta,
84, which arrived in Plymouth on Saturday from
China, have been sent to hospital, and the remainder
to the flagship Impregnable. The Calcutta will be
paid off at Plymouth.
The screw steamship Himalaya, Commander
Seccombe, arrived yesterday morning at Plymouth
to embark the 96th Regiment.'
The Cumberland, 70, Capt. Henry D. Rogers,
C. 8., reported in The Suez of yesterday as having
arrived at Plymouth on Sunday, left Rio Janeiro on
the 4th June, and during the voyage home experi-
enced light winds from the eastward. She brings
passengers Lieut. Tathwell B. Collinson, late in
command of the brigantine Spy, 3; Mr. John W.
Lowe, late master of the storeship Madagascar, at
Rio ; Mr. Tattershal, master's assistant, late of the
Spy; Lieut. Thos. W. Simeon, late of the paddle-
wheel steam frigate Leopard, 18 • Lieut. C. D.
Baynes, Bth Regiment ; Lieut. Worsley, Company's
49th Regiment ; and Mr. Fleming, gunner of the
Spy. The Cumberland was put in commission
April 2, 1857, since which she has been constantly
engaged as flagship on the south-east coast of Ame-
rica. Her former commander, Mr. Joseph Edye, and
Lieut. Henry L. Round have joined the Leopard, and
First Lieut. 'Vernon W. Sims, of the Royal Marines,
has, with 50 men, been left for service at.Buenos
Ayres. Orders have been received for the screw
steam-sloop Harrier, 17, Commander Sir Malcolm
MacGregor, to returriUme ;t- ;he was at the time
in the River Plate, and may be expected in Eng-
land about the 10th inst. The Cumberland spoke,
June 2, lat. 1, 30 S., lon. 31 10 W.,_ the Dutch bark
Maria, of Eiddleburg ; July 2, lat.ll 40, lon. 36 51
W., the American ship Western Star •, July 13,
lat. 36 40 N., lon. 39 2 W., the brig Wanderer;
July 15, lat. 38 10 N., lon. 39 10 W. the Russian
bark Genoa; July 22, lat. 43 10 N., lon. 24 5 W.,
the English ship Whampoa ; and July 30, lat. 49
40 N.,10n.22 10W., the Swedishship Audacia. The
sick and invalids have been landed in Plymouth.
Some were sent to the hospitals, others to the flag-
ship Impregnable. The Cumberland will proceed
to Sheerness to be paid off.
The screw steam coastguard ship Blenheim, 60,
Capt. F. Scott, left Portland harbour on Friday
evening under canvas for Torquay, Dartmouth,
and other stations on the coast. She is expected
to return in about a week or ten days. The Abou-
kir, 91, Melpomene, 51, and the Topaze are in har-
bour.
A letter from Malta, dated July 26, says :—Re-
ports are prevalent at Malta that the English and
French fleets have been sent to Egypt on the sub-
ject of the Isthmus of Suez. I have just seen a
diplomatic gentleman, many years resident in
Egypt. A tew days ago, he had a long interview
with the Pacha, who authorised him to state to all
the subjects of his country that the Suez Canal
could not be undertaken till the Sultan granted a
firman, which was now refused. The Consul-
General of France told him the same, and the Eng-
.Lsh Consul-General confirmed it. M. Lesseps re-
tur;.as to France by this mail, and he speaks de-
sponci;_nglY
Sultan's he returns• to endeavour to get the
;
;efusal removed. The Pacha stated his
intention oi" leaving Egypt in a few days for the
purpose of pay:ng a visit to the Sultan at Beyrout,
where he was exp,nted. The Pacha intended, if
possible, to induce the Sultan to visit Egypt.
Neither the Panther no,: the Ripon, on their return
from Alexandria, saw
anything of either the
French or English fleets,
supposed to be on their
perfectly quiet at
Aroluetxeantdhriitah earn. d
the
eTereyxtpheientg i
expected of the English
s
and French' fleets appears a perfect mystery. Her
Majesty's ship Orion is still repairilq.. at Malta ;
when ready for sea she is to proceed with her Ma-
jesty's ship London, on her arrival, to Alexandria.
1

.THE LATE THOMAS PRO UT, ESQ.

Our columns lately recorded the decease of this
gentleman, an event which causes a vacancy in the
tanks of radical reformers not likely soon to be
tilted up. mr. trout was a = - -
Cornwall, which place, however, lie left at an early
age and settled in London. His business was that
of a patent medicine vendor. Early in life Mr.
Prout became a radical reformer, and the opinions
which lie then adopted he held to the last day of his
life without variation or shadow of turning. It was
in connection with the elections for the city of
Westminster that Mr. Prout first gave practical
effect to his political convictions. In common with
the late Francis Place and others he aided the re-
turn of Sir Francis Burdett, then the parliamentary
leader of the radical party, and at a later period
the election of Sir John Cam Hobhouse. He ren-
dered quite as efficient service to the cause of radi-
oal reform when at later but different periods the
two baronets deserted their radical
principles, on
which Mr. Prout as actively aided their rejection
from Westminister as he had before promoted their
return. Up to the last Westminster election, he
took an active part in the contests for that city ;
and, indeed, it was chiefly, if not entirely, owing
to his wise and temperate counsels, that the elec-
tions of 1857 and 1859, union prevailed amongst
Westminster liberals of all shades of opinion, and
no sign of a Tory candidate appeared. His coun-
sels and assistance will be much missed in future
contests for Westminster. On the formation of the
Metropolitan Anti-Corn-law Association, which
preceded that of the Anti-Corn-law League, Mr.
Proud became one of its members, and took an
active part in it proceedings. After the free trade
struggle was over, the National Parliamentary and
Financial Reform Association was formed, and into
this agitation Mr. Prout, now advanced in life,
threw himself with great zeal and energy. He had
ever been a great advocate of the ballot, of the ne-
cessity of which his experience as a leading elector
of Westminster had given him practical proof ; and
on the formation of the Ballot Society Mr. Prout
became one of its treasurers. He gave more in
time and labour, and though last not least, money,
to this than to any of the other organisations we
have previously mentioned. At the earliest and
most critical period of the society's existence he
daily attended at the offices, and never missed the
weekly sittings of the executive committee, until
latterly failing health compelled him most reluc-
tantly to be more frequently absent, If absent he
was in constant communication with the secretary
and other officers. This was the case until within
a few days of his decease. The loss of his zeal,
his matured experience, and his liberality, will be
feltpngrapsehuenrreaabodootartuumi
tastctocupiarstldn
matters,
irreparable injury by his colleagues. Mr.
Pront's pecuniary liberality in aid of any move-
ment for political reform was remarkable; his
purse was always open to the claims of such move-
ments, not only to the associations of which he
was an office-bearer, but to ethers, such as the As-
sociation for the Repeal of the Taxes on Know-
ledge, with which his only connexion was that of
a subscriber. Nor was his pecuniary aid confined
to public objects ; his private benevolence was
equally generous and extensive. Another charac-
teristic of the deceased reformer was his entire dis-
interestedness. Much as he interested himself in
avnnepaceesuottesbtifsl
vefli
those
siefoohcerna:, hephsnhtehi
his
rwe
et
su2nihetsisreohentvvfehauiercterl
jeths
escsuoe
doamluwuyr
sought
hheaahi
rittnntchtaohdter:ortdiimmrthsuaeeirrkcwnieeiemai
tgsysetaaeeahtidehnpi.masesrflowotoamen:nentligryda-e.
yesterday deposited in the Cemetery, Norwood.
He leaves to the young an example that an active
and successful career in business is not opposed to,
but may be combined with, the most diligent dis-
charge of the duties of citizenship ; to the old he
leaves an example of unflinching consistency in
opinions and perseverance in maintaining and ad-
vocating them.

A report has been circulated from New York of
the floating of the steamer Pararnatta, lately stranded on
the Anegada Reef. This statement, it is feared, is with-
out foundation, no intelligence to that effect having liee,n
received at the Royal Mail Company's office.
Letters from South Australia reach to June the
Ist. The Legislative Session was opened by a speech from
the Governor on May 18th, in which, in reference to the
mining industry of the colony, he expressed his hope that
44 the recent discovery of extensive and valuable mineral
deposits to the north of Port Augusta will, at no distant
date, add new sources of wealth." The financial and com-
mercial state of the colony he declared to be satisfactory.
An interruption in the telegraphic communication between
Adelaide and Melbourne had occurred, through damage
from a severe storm. The South, Australian .Register of
M
Burra Company had declared their 38th
dividend of 100 per cent. The price of shares was £145.
Copper was at £lOO per ton.
THE INDIAN' ARMY.—The total sums charged
against the Government of India on account of her Majesty's
troops (exclusive of her Indian forces) since the Ist of May,
1857, up to the date of the returns received, amount to
sTayhse: B —u4rr‘
a The mines in. work are going on favour-
abalyy. 38
£4,614,563, For 1858-9 statements have not yet arrived
from India. The above sum includes claims in respect of
disbursements in India on account of Queen's troops serving
in India and retiring pay, pensions, &c.