The Sun.
London, England, 1861-12-06 00:00:00

TIII SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVE NI G, DEC PI .1113 EEt 6, 1861.

and the nation is tending to un-protected and free
religion, therefore the Church must go,'' says the
Oxford Professor.

Another of those admirably useful and carefully
elaborated treatises in regard to French Commerce,
recently contributed to Bentley month after month
by Mr. FREDERICK MARSHALL, appears in the
current number, the December number (CCC.) of
that popular miscellany. The present instalment
(the ixth) of this very able series relating to the
Trade and Population of France, acquaints us with
all we could reasonably want to know at a single
sitting, in respect to the silk growth and the silk
manufacture of our Imperial neighbour. At all
times a matter of interest to us. At the present
moment a matter of real and serious importance.
Now, that is to say, that:the silk growth of the two
countries may be—now that the silk manufactures
of these two great industrial nations are certain to
be—brought, year after year, more and more
directly into competition. How ?—it can scarcely
be asked seriously, every one instinctively appreciat-
ing, of course, that reference is here made to the ine-
vitable influences to this end arising out of the
operation of Mr. COBDEN'S Reciprocity Treaty.
Often though we have had occasion before now to
write the words, we can still never do so without
a renewed sense of their astounding incongruity—
Mr, COBDEN'S Reciprocity Treaty, forsooth ! fifteen
years after the triumph achieved by Free Trade
Principles, thanks beyond all other human means
to Mr. COBDEN'S own unadorned eloquence. Re-
ciprocity Treaties, we might thenceforth have been
led to suppose pretty confidently, were part and
parcel of a system of mercantile legislation that had
seen its day—a system that thenceforth, from the
date of Sir R. PEEL'S great measure, would neces-
sarily, it was thought, altogether, in legal phrase,
cease and determine." An erroneous conjecture,
as events have proved—seeing that Mr. COBDEN
himself, of all men, has been the one deli-
berately to revive, as a sort of new-
fangled device, the old, used-up scheme of a
Reciprocity Treaty. However—'tis the small end
of the wedge, we are told; and so—we must make
the best of it. Accepting it as the small end of
the wedge, in effect—all we have now to do in its
regard is to aid in driving it imperceptibly but
steadily further " home." Until the old gnarled
obstruction of French mercantile Monopoly shall,
in the natural course of things, be riven asunder,
and Free Trade inaugurated upon the opposite
shores of the Channel, as firmly and impartially
as upon these. Then, adieu to all further reci-
procity between us about the export or import,
as the case may be, of coal, or iron, or wine, or
silk, or calico !

A Reciprocity Treaty, however, as it is, we have.
And, therefore, it becomes a matter of interest for us
to examine as carefully as may be, now in the midst
of our earlier experiences of the operation of that
treaty, into the relative position of the trade of the
two countries, France and England, in regard to
anyone of the more important and valuable materials
for exportation or importation. Hence, the pecu-
liar satisfaction with Which we have turned to the
investigation of the very curious and remarkable
statistics accumulated by Mr. MARSHALL with a
view to the throwing of a broad flood of light upon
the silk trade of France. These statistics, we would
here earnestly commend to the scrutiny of
those amongst us who are likely to be more imme-
diately affected by the prospect of our own silk trade
being brought into more intimate competition with
the silk trade of our neighbours.
At the first blush it would seem almost preposte-
rous to talk about the probabilities of any such
serious competition between France and England
—remembering the fact that France, according to
the last reliable estimate that has been formed upon
the subject now under our consideration, produced
as nearly as possible one-tenth of all the silk grown
in the whole world. The estimate here referred to
is the one authoritatively put forth by M. DUM is in
March, 1857, in the Bulletin de la Societe d'En-
courageinent (p. 151), an estimate showing the value
of the cocoons grown in 1833 in all parts of the
globe. It is as follows

France .. • • .. £4,344,000
Italy .. • • .. 11,260,000
Spain, and other European
countries

.. .. 984,000

Total for Europe .. £16,538,000
China .. • . £17,090,000
India .. .• .. 4,830,000
Japan .. •. .. 3,200,000
Persia .. • • .. 920,000
Other Asiatic states .. 2,192,000

Total for Asia .. £28,112,000
Africa .. • • • • .• .. 44,000
The Pacific Islands .. 24,000
America .4, 90 00 20,000

General total .. £44,788,000

But while such is the important position held by
France in respect to the silk growth of the whole
world—there is another branch of the trade in
which England already holds a respectable posi-
tion beside her, one in fact in which England gives
promise of holding a still more respectable position
as time advances. Let a brief but sufficient excerpt
or two from Mr. MARSHALL'S argument in Bent-
ley here illustrate this for our reader's information :
—" The silk trade of France," says Mr. MARSHALL,
" is, of course, more important than that of Eng-
land; but it is remarkable to observe that, as far
as the insufficient nature of the information which
exists on the subject allows of a detailed compari-
son between the production of the two countries,
England is progressing more rapidly than France."
The writer then goes on to demonstrate, by the
juxtaposition of actual figures, the literal accu-
racy of this last rather startling assertion. And
he does so in the manner following:—

" The importation of raw and thrown silk into England
amounted in 1860 to 4197 tons; it had just doubled since
1846 ; 194 tons of thrown silk were re-exported, so that the
quantity apparently loft for manufacture was 4003 tons.
The importation of the same raw material into France in the
same year was 5278 tons ; there is no mention of re .expor-
tation in the customs returns, so the whole quantity may
be supposed to have been worked up in the country. The
production of cocoons in 1860 was probably about one-third
higher than in 1856; it may, therefore, be put at 10,000
tons, which, at the average yield of 14 per cent. (it varies
from 10 to 18 per cent., ac cording to the quality of the co-
coons),lwould have given 1,400 tons of raw silk. So that the
total weight manufactured in France last year was probably
about 6678 tons, or two-thirds more than the English quan-
tity. In 1846 the yield of French grown raw silk was about
2,800 tons, while the importation amounted to 1,200 tons ;
the total for that year was, therefore, about 4,000 tuns. As
it reached 6,678 tons in 1830, the trade had increased two-
thirds in the interval. It has just been shown that the
English make has doubled in the same period ; it conse-
quently appears that the prop ess of England is now more
rapid than that of France."

Any one who may be desirous of examining yet
more minutely into the relative position of the silk
trade in the two countries,but more particularly into
the condition, past and present, of the silk trade of
France, cannot possibly do better than refer at
once to the mass of information upon the
subject accumulated together in the paper here
particularised as from the hand of this labori-
ous and luminous compiler. It will place every
one who consults it au courant with the history
L and the statistics of the science of the cultivation
of silk worms, a science distinguished in France
under the imposing name of serioieulture.

CANTERBURY BALL.

Our agricultural friends, who annually visit the metro-
polis to sit in judgment upon the most useful portion of the
animal creation, will next week, after the critical labours of
the day, find hosts of evening entertainments inviting their
attention. If the music hail offers superior attractions, as
no doubt it will, to the majority, we feel it to be a pleasing
task to remind the visitor to London that the Canterbury
Hall and its splendid Fine Arts Gallery present a fund of
amusement which is not to be found in the collective dis-
plays of any other music hall. It will be seen that we
allude to the double attraction of the Music Hall and Pic-
ture Gallery. The Canterbury Hall also enjoys the advan-
tage of a noble ante-hall, which gives elbow-room to the
visitor, and affords easy access from the Concert Room to
the Picture Gallery. There is an air of quiet grandeur
about this building, derived from its gigantic proportions
and unostentatious style of decoration, which is not attained
by others. The salle, comprising Picture Gallery and
Ante-Hall, offers a grand promenade for the fairer portion
of the visitors, and " fashion" need not circumscribe itself
to ensure an undisputed march about the interior.
So much for characteristics eminently distinguishing
this hall from its competi.ors, which have made its
triumphant success their starting point in a similar
career. The musical atttractions for the " Cattle Show
week" will not be found without special interest. Should
we be offending our provincial friends, if we suggested that
a good " laugh" would be the most welcome excitement
after the profound labours of the day.? Food for laughter,
then, there is in abundance. The sway of Mr. Sam Cowell
over the visible muscles is as potent, but genial, as ever.
" Tbis is the House that Jack Built," is a song founded:on
the nursery legend, and " Sam" traces the incidents of
the story, to which a modern application is given with the
most ludicrous effect. Each actor on Sam's magic can-
vass—from the " malt," to the " cock that crow'd in the
morn," is invested with some astounding attribute, which
would have made our infancy tremble. The joke about
the aqueous liquid given forth by the London
representative of the " cow with the crumpled horn,"
will be accepted by our country cousins rather
as a playful satire upon the weakness of the metropolitan
milkman than a reflection upon the purity of our Alderneys.
Mr. Cowell has a budget of old and new songs. Of the
old ones we incline to the time-honoured " Lord Lovell,"
for the novel and masterly character of the make-up. There
is a song sung by another clever comedian, which is pecu-
liarly apt at this moment. " They Don't Bamboozle Me,"
(a song for " John Bull" personified by Mr. Marshall)
suggests the difficulty, as in " The Young Man from the
Country," of " getting over" one of our countrymen.
" John Bull's" complacent chuckle now applies with equal
force to Brother Jonathan as to the " Mounseers." Messrs.
Harvey and French are unique in the indescribably ludi-
crous and vocally accompanied dances. In the Ethio-
pian department, Master Wood bandies equivoque
and solves riddles with alarming precocity, and
dances with all the finish and more than the
agility of the famous " Joe Brown" of America and Can-
terbury Hall fame. Miss Harriet Coveney sings some
"sensation" songs and ditties a la Mrs. German Reed, with
fascinating effect, and combines with many of these efforts
some very piquant and graceful dancing. We have left to
the last our mention of the operatic selections, which are
the most conspicuous features of the whole entertainment.
Flotow's " Stradella," and Verdi's "La Traviata" have
furnished the facile Mr. Jonghmans with material for two
striking selections, in which those accomplished artists,
Miss Ernst, Miss Russell, Mr. Herbert, and Signor Tivoli,
suppertedby a powerful chorus (made up of excellent solo
singers) take part. The completeness attained in these
selections has long been a theme of admiration, to which it
will be merely necessary to advert, even while addressing
such occasional visitors as will appear in London during the
next busy week.

The Earl of Sefton has left town, on a visit to
the Countess of Craven, at Ashdowne Pal k, Berks.

DEATH OF LADY CANNING.—We deeply regret
to announce that intelligence was yesterday received at the
India-office, by telegraph, of the death of the Countess
Canning, wife of the Governor-General of India. The
lamented lady expired on the 18th ult. at Calcutta. The
late Lady Canning was the eldest daughter of the late Lord
Stuart de Rothesay, G.C.8., and Lady Elizabeth Margaret,
third daughter of Philip, third Earl of Hardwicke, and was
born in 1817. She married September 5, 1835, Earl Can -
ning, then the Hon. C. J. Canning, the only son of the
well-known statesman. Her ladyship was for many years
Lady in Waiting to the Queen, and was deservedly much
esteemed at Court. The late Countess was sister of Louisa,
Marchioness of Waterford.

DEATH OF HER MAJESTY'S CONSUL AT CAIRO.—
We have to record the death of Mr. Fredk. Henry Crowe,
recently appointed to be her Majesty's Consul at Cairo,
which occurred at his father's house, near Devizes, on the
2d instant, after a fortnight's illness, at the early age of 34
years. 'f he deceased was acting Vice-Consul at Tripoli in
1846 and 1847, and at Bengazi in 1848. He was promoted
to the rank of Vice-Consul on Jan. 27, 1855, afxrwards
appointed to Susa, and in Dec., 1856, transferred to Bengazi,
Tripoli.
REINFORCEMENTS FOR CANADA.—The Cunard
steamship Australasian, which was to have taken the
American mails of Saturday next, has been chartered by
the Government for conveyance of reinforcements to Canada.
Her place will be supplied by the America.

The Cunard steamers chartered by the Govern-
ment as transports are the Australasian and the Persia,
both to convey troops fo Halifax. The Australasian is a
powerful screw steamer of 2,700 tons.

At Lloyd's yesterday not much business was
done, but the tendency is towards higher premiums for
war risks. The rates at present usually charged are about
15s. per cent. for outward ships to the East, and about 20s.
for those coming home.

THE BALLOT SOCIETY.—The weekly meeting of
the executive committee of this society was held at the
office, 5, guildhall-chambers, on Tuesday last, Mr. F. Clowes
in the chair. Mr.Whitehurst, Mr. Elt, Rev.W. H. Bonner,
Mr. Mann, Mr. Le Maitre, Mr. B. T. Williams, &c., were
present. Various subscriptions were reported. Mr. Thos.
Yates, of Warrington, was elected a member of the council.
The approaching election for Birkenhead underwent careful
consideration at the hands of the committee, with reference
to the desirableness of bringing forward a candidate for this
newly create•rl borough, Mr. Brassey, the soi-disant Liberal
candidate, not being favourable to the protection of the
voter by the ballot.
THE FIN SBURY REPRESENTATION.—Mr. Mills
met the electors of the western district of the borough last
evening at the Music-hall, Store-street, Bedford-square.
The meeting was very fully attended, and the hon. candi-
date experienced a most favourable reception. His address
was precisely of the same nature as those previously deli•
vered, and at its close, having answered several questions
satisftietorily, a resolution pledging the support of the meet-
ing was adopted. Mr. Cox's address is expected to appear
to-morrow or Monday. In the meantime a strong com-
mittee in his behalf has been formed, the head-quarters of
which are at the Macclesfield Arms, City-road.
THE EXPORT OF MILITARY STORES.—BIRMING-
SAM, Dec. s.—The Queen's Proclamation prohibiting the
export of arms, ammunition, percussion caps, &c., has pro-
duced a sort of convulsion here. As to the gun trade, there
are large offers on hand, in which all the principal makers
are participating. There are a great many guns ready for
shipment, and many more approaching completion. The
manufacture will at once be stopped, and a heavy loss will
accrue to the trade, particularly to a large number of work-
men who have become little masters during the late excite-
ment created by the American demand. Persons so situated
will be left with a considerable quantity of unfinished work
on hand, upon which extravagant wages have been paid.
The legitimate military arm trade will share in the loss,but
those engaged in it will now be in a good position to proceed
with their contracts for our own Government, these having
been hitherto interrupted, in spite of all the efforts made to
prevent it. This has not been, however, to any serious ex-
tent, inasmuch as the contractors have been guarded in
the engagements they have entered into with the pur-
chasers of arms for America, and no very recent contracts
have been made for that quarter. There have been seve-
ral agents here from America, all eager purchasers of guns,
but none very recently,
BIRMINGHAM CATTLE, &C., SHOW.—BIRMING-
IOAM, Thursday.—The annual meeting of the promoters of
this show was held at the Hen and Chickens Hotel this
morning, the Earl of Dartmouth in the chair. On the
motion of Mr. C. M. Caldecott, of Rugby Grange, seconded
by Sir John Ratcliff, the Earl of Ailesford was elected
president for the ensuing year. Thanks were voted to the
various honorary officers, including Mr. John Shackell, the
treasurer, whose active services have extended over 13
years. The noble chairman announced his intention to
give next year, as a special prize, a silver cup, value £lO,
for three Shropshire shearlings that shall have been shorn
before the Ist of May, 1862, and not touched or trimmed
except on the face. Suggestions were made that separate
classes should be opened for Scotch cattle and Shropshire
ewes. The number of persons attending the show this
year has been enormous—on the " private view" day,
5,483 ; on Tuesday, 8,600 ; on Wednesday, 7,500, exclu-
sive of the working-class tickets, of which 30,000 were pur-
chased. To-day the attendance has been very large. The
attendance at the dog show has been on a corresponding
scale—on Monday (the ss. day), 2,500; on Tuesday, 6,466 ;
on Wednesday, 7,200.
THE PRINCE OF WALES AT NEWMARKET.—WOn-
derfuIIy as the Prince of Wales has been educated, widely
as he has travelled, and ably as he has fulfilled the few
duties he has as yet been ci,fled upon to perform, no act of
his life, we believe, his been more generally acceptable to
the great mass of the people than his visit to Newmarket.
Cantering on his grey pony, with the Duke of St. Albans
and Lord Pollington, who were both Cantabs like himself,
the trio formed as pretty a group as we could desire to see,
and not a point of interest escaped the Prince's notice. Had
his Royal Highness been the winner of The Cesarewitcb. or
The Cambridgeshire, or The Two Thou-and, he could not
have been more closely inspected ; but he bore th:, gaze of
the multitude well, enjoyed his cigar, and watched every
race with the utmost interest.—. From " Our Van" in
Baily's Magazine for Devem6er.

L T N

THE CIVIL WAR IN AMERICA.
(PER THE EDINBURGH, via QUEEN STOWN.)
NEW YORK, Nov. 22, EVENING.

Edward Everet, George Sumner, and other lead,
ing American legal authorities, declare the capture
of Messrs. Mason and Slidell to be in accordance
with international law. The subject, nevertheless,
causes a universally uneasy feeling in the public
mind in respect to the relations of A merica with
England.
The Secretary of War has notified to the Governor
of Maine that an officer will immediately be ap-
pointed to report on the sea-coast defences of that
State.

The Federal troops are reported to be in full pos-
session of Accomac, Northampton County, on the
eastern shore of Virginia.
Governor Jackson and the State Legislature of
Missouri have passed a Secession ordinance.
Mr. Smith, Federal Secretary of the Interior,
has disavowed the policy endorsed by Mr. Cameron,
Secretary of War, of putting arms into the hands
of the slaves, declaring that such is not the policy
of the Federal Administration.

Twenty-five vessels, which are to be sunk at the
entrance of a Southern harbour, have sailed laden
with stones.
The Union men of North Carolina have esta-
blished a provisional State Government at Hatteras.
The Confederates have burnt Warsaw, Missouri,
in order to prevent the Federals making winter
quarters there.
General M'Clellan reviewed 70,000 men at
Washington, on the 20th inst., being the largest
body of troops ever reviewed on the American
continent.

General Halleck has issued a proclamation noti-
fying that no more fugitive slaves will be allowed
to enter the Federal camp, as they have carried
valuable information to the enemy.
The steamers Asia and City of Manchester have
arrived out.

The French frigate Bellona arrived at New
York on the 21st inst.

Nov. 23, 11 A.M.
The British frigate Immortalite arrived at Port
Royal on the 18th inst.
The bids at yesterday evenings's stock board were
slightly firmer.

PRESIDENT DAVIS'S MESSAGE.

NEW YORK, Nov. 23.

President Davis has delivered his Message to the
Confederate Congress. It is most determined in
tone, and states that after seven months the Fede-
rals have failed to extend their occupancy of
southern soil, and at many points have been driven
to act on the defensive.

The Message announces that the military means
and the financial condition of the Confederates are
stronger now than at the commencement of the
struggle. It praises the people of Missouri, and de-
fends the occupancy of Kentucky.
The Confederate financial system is stated to have
worked well, and to promise good results for the
future.

The Message continues :
"The system of issuing Treasury notes has fully
answered the expectation of the Confederates, and
and if they husband their means and make judicious
use of their resources, it would be difficult to fix a
limit to the period during which the Confederates
will be able to carry on the war against the Federals.
" The reconstruction of the Union, which the
Federals seek to effect by force of arms, bas be-
come more and more palpably impossible. The
causes which induced the separation not only re-
main in full force, but have been strengthened.

" The Confederates shrink with aversion from
the bare idea of renewing connection with the
North.

" The South will be content to live at peace with
the North, but the separation is final. The South
wilt accept no alternative."
President Davis then informs the Congress that
Messrs. Slidell and Mason, commissioned to repre-
sent the Confederacy abroad, had been seized while
under the protection and within the dominion of a
neutral nation, and says, " The claim of the United
States to seize them in the streets of London would
have been as well founded as the seizure on board
the Trent."

" Had they been malefactors their arrest could
not have taken plaee.on board British ships except
according to the law provided for the extradition
of criminals.

"The Confederates asked no aid from foreign
Powers, but perhaps had a right to inquire if the
European doctrine that the blockade to be binding
must be effective, was to be generally applied, or
only in particular cases.
" Evidence will be laid before the European Go-
vernment of the total inefficiency of the blockade?'