The Sun.
London, England, 1861-12-31 00:00:00

TEE PRINCE OF WALES.

The extreme earnestness—we had almost said
vehemence—with which the limes, for two or
three consecutive days after the death of the Prince
Consort, appealed to the Prince of Wales to decide
instantly and finally in favour of a life of honour
and usefulness in preference to a life of frivolity and
folly, has induced many persons to suppose that
his royal highness was hesitating as to the choice
he should make, and that his tastes and habits are
not such as his royal mother could wish, or the
nation approve of. Under other circumstances it
would have been gross impertinence in us to thrust
ourselves forwards as the defenders of his royal
highness; but, as most erroneous notions about his
life and conduct have been prevalent for the last
few days, and as our journal is published among a
community which has lately had the best means of
knowing what the tastes and habits of the Prince of
Wales really are, we are sure we shall be pardoned
if we give public expression to what we know is the
universal opinion in Cambridge on the subject.
During the time the Prince resided at Madingley
and Cambridge, his daily life was so completely
before the public; there were so many ways of as-
certaining how he spent his time, and everything
connected with him was s 6 completely free from
secrecy and seclusion, that if there had been anything
to find fault with in his conduct, it most certainly had
been known to ourselves and the Cambridge
public; and therefore, considering the unreserved
manner in which he lived among us, it is proof
positive that his conduct was irreproachable when
we are enabled to assert, in the most emphatic man-
ner, that we never once heard even a whisper, de-
preciatory of his royal highness's tastes and habits.
We declare, without fear of contradiction, that while
the Prince of Wales was at the University he proved
himself to be a good and amiable young man, a true
English gentleman, and a prince wholly free from
every thing approaching to a debasing tendency.
No parent could wish his son to behave better,
and now that his time of trial has come, we feel
confident that his royal highness will be found
neither unwilling nor unfit nor unable to console
and assist his bereaved mother, and to fulfil the
warmest hopes of the people.— Cambridge indepen
den"

THIS DAY'S LITARKETS.

HAY MARkETS.

SMITRFIELD.—Meadow hay, £2 5s to So , clover, £3 10s
to £5 128 6d ; and straw, 10s to £1 18s Od per load.
Both hay and straw in slow request at late rates.
CUMBERLAND.—Meadow hay, £2 Es to £5 Os; clover
do., £3 108 to £5 15s; and straw, £1 108 to £1 18s per load.
A slow trade.
WHITECHAPEL.—Meadow hay, £2 5s to £5 Os; cloves,
£3 108 to £5 15s Od; and straw, Ss to 16s per load.
Trade dull.

COAL A
(Prices of Coal per Ton a
s. d

ARKET.

the close of the market

Bate's West Hartley 15
Carway and Duffryn
Malting 24 0
. _

Do. -Anthracite.. 21 6
Wylam ..16 6
Davison's West Hart-

ley ....16 9
Burnhope Gas 14 0
Tanfield Moor 13 6
Tanfield Moor Butes l3 6
II olywell
Walker Primrose 13 3

s. d

THE REPLY FROM AMERICA

Lord Lyons had not received on the 18th inst.
the despatch sent out to him in the Europa—that
is certain. The Africa, which should have left on
the 18th, was detained by his lordship until the
20th. It is scarcely possible, however, that that
steamer can bring the answer of the Federal Go-
vernment to the Europa's despatch. It is almost
certain that the despatch will reach Washington
by the 19th, and the following is a statement of
the names of the steamers which would leave the
United States for the next 20 days after the de-
spatch had arrived out, their dates of sailing, and
when their news will be due in England :
Names of When they When their
Steamers, leave the news is due
United States in England.
Africa ..
Anglo-Salon
~ 21
Glasgow
„ 2
Hansa „ 21 ...... „ 3
Europa
Jura
9, 8
City of Washington.... „ 28
~
9
Teutonia „ 28
America
Nova Scotian
City of Edinburgh .... „ 4
Niagara
71 8
The Anglo Saxon, Jura, and Nova Scotian sail
from Portland, and their news will reach us from
Londonderry. The Europa and Niagara will sail
from Boston and Halifax. All the rest will sail
from New York.
The news brought by all the New York and Bos-
ton boats will reach us from Queenstown, except
that of the Hansa and Teutonia, which will reach
us from Southampton. Each of the above-named
steamers may bring from Cape Race three days'
later news than that which it brings from its por
of departure.

The news brought by the Bavaria from Cape
Race is nothing more than the effect produced in
America by the version of the English journals,
published between the 28th ult. and the sth inst.,
of the nature of the despatch, and their comments
on the Trent outrage. These journals were carried
out by the City of Washington and .Tura steamers,
and the deliberations of the Federal Cabinet must
have been also on the news and opinions received
in this way. It is not probable that the Cabinet
will decide on their answer to the British Govern-'
went until they have received some farther intelli-
gence as to the feeling of Europe generally on the
Trent affair, and of course Lord Lyors will give
Mr. Lincoln and his advisers a reasonable time to
decide on their answer to his demands. It will be
seen from the above dates as to the leaving of
steamers from America that the Europa will leave
Boston within six days of the reception of the
despatch, and the answer of the Federal Cabinet,
to be sent by that steamer, muot be given in five
days. The Europa's news, as has been already
stated, will not be due before next Monday.
News had reached New York that the Southern
steamer Vanderbilt had run the blockade, and
landed at Havannah Messrs. Hunter and Soule,
who were sent to Europe by the Confederates, in
the room of Messrs. Slidell and Mason. They
were about to be conveyed to St. Thomas in the
Royal Mail steamer Clyde. If this is true those
two gentlemen may be expected to arrive in the
steamer which is now hourly due at Southampton.

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SCOTCH

IRON TRADE.

(From Thorburn' s Circular.)
The iron trade continues to manifest an irrepressible ex-
pansion. The quantity of pig iron produced in the last
twelve months has been 1,035,800 tons, showing an increase
of 35,000 tons over that of the preceding year. During the
year the total deliveries amounted to 927,0,0 tons, and ex-
hibit an increase of 24,000 tons when compared with those
of 1860. The stock has therefore increased 108,000 tons,
and is now (exclusive of Carron) 535,000 tons, lying in the
makers' and warehouse-keepers' stores, It must not, how-
ever, be forgotten that it is only hero the stocks of iron have
accumulated, and when a great demand for the article shall
arise, it is from Scotland alone that a promi.t supply can be
obtained.

The fluctations in the price have scarcely exceeded 2s 6d
either above or below the average price of 49s 3d per ton
for the year, and were chiefly governed by conflicting ope-
rations for a rise or a fall. The lowest price reachedwas 47s
in March, the highest 51s 9 in August.
The malleable works, foundries, and ship-building yards
on the Cslele have, as well as other branches of industry,
felt, though not as yet severely, the disastrous effects of the
American revolution. Still the quantity of iron used in the
local consumption has been only 3,000 tons less than that
in the last year.

Meanwhile, the year, gloomy from its first hour, grows
full of shadows at its close. But should war arise, we have
the melancholy, but still satisfactory consolation, that we
shall engage in the same in defence of a just principle, and
to assert alike the interests of the world's commerce, and
the rights of our common humanity.