The Sun.
London, England, 1857-12-09 00:00:00

SIR' —ln your impression of yesterday evening
a short letter appeared from Lieut.-Colonel Wel-
lington Guernsey, refuting the statement of Dr.
Livingstone, regarding " moral influence of
Giea,tßriaia over the Government of Brazil with
respect to the slave trade." He says " the impor-
tation of slaves is strictly forbidden in the Brazils,
for reasons unnecessary to state those laws are
worihily uphEld by the Emperor and Government,
this, and this only, effectually prevents the impor-
tation of backs into Brazil—not the British squa-
dron, as has often been proved, can prevent them
landing ; or, as the rev. gentleman asserts, the
moral influence of Great Britain, either in England
or through herresident merchants in Brazil, hardly
one of whom are not slawholclers in the strictest
sense of the word—an assertion very easilyproved."
Does the colonel know how long the "importations
of slaves" into the Brazils has bean against the
laws of the. land ? Has he ever read the corre-
spondence that has passed between the Ministers
of both countries upon this impertant subject ? if
ho will look into the " Blue Books" he will find
that for years past the influence of the Govern-
ment of Great Britain has been well and nobly
exerted in the cause of African freedom. That Lord

Palmeraon and other members of her Majesty's
Government of the pr•'eent and of former times
have zealously and. faithfully Laboured to bring
ab:mt a similarity of sentiment between themselves
and the most influential adviters of the Brazilian
crown.

That advice, in a spirit of friendship, has been
constantly given by our Minister at Rio de Janeiro
iu the name of the British Government, to the
Cabinet of the Emperor ; and that lase,though not
least, very serious consequences might have arisen
to the dignity and commerce of the Brazilian
empire if the laws, that the colonel says are so
" worthily upheld by the Emperor and Government
of Brazil," had not been decreed against the con-
tinuation of this abo:ninable traffic. Ido not wish
to deprive theEmp*oror the Government of Brezil
of any part of the credit they are justly entitled to
for this act of Christian benevolence. On the con-
trary, I think they deserve our warmest thanks.
and consideration for their conduct on this moat
important occasion. It is probable that, in time,
other motives than those of acting against the
wishes and opinions of the greet nations of Europe
might have influenced their proceedings and guided
their counsels. But this Ido affirm, without fear
of contradiction, that Dr. Livingstrne is quite
right in his statement that " the present position of
Brazil with regard to the Slave Trade has been ac-
celerated by the moral influence of Great Britain,
and tie enlightened views of the Emperor."
Why, sir, if Great Britain had not stirred in this
matter, what would have been the fate of the Slave
Trade ? Can we suppose that, if this country had
not taken a leading part in the suppression of this
traffic, any other would have cared one straw whe-
ther Spain, Portugal, America, or Brazil were im-
porting slaves into their colonies at the rate of
50,000 a year ? Certainly not, and yet the gallant
colonel denies the influence of Great Britain, and
that any credit is due to her for her exertions.
With respect to another assertion of his, that fl')
" African squadron is of no use," I bog to differ
with him entirely, awl assert that the squadron has
mainly assisted in establishing the " moral influ-
ence" he complains of.

What if the coast of Brazil had been blockaded
by a British squadron, and a right of search esta
blishA over all the shipping that loft or approached
its shores ?

Withdraw the squadron from the'coast of Africa,
and see how the trade would again be revived in all
part* of the world.

The colonel can have had no experience in these
matters, and he would do well to study the "past
and present of the slave trade" bafore he gives an
opinion upon the " good or evil" of the African
squadron.

1 will not touch upon his accusation that our
merchants at Brazil are " Slaveholders in the
strictest sense of the word."

We are as much indebted to the " moral influ-
ence of Great Britain" as to the enlightened views
of the Emperor of Brazil, and his Government, f.r
the present laws existing in the latter country
against the importation of sl Ives.
I remain, yours very faithfully,
A. EARDL EY WILMOT, Captain, R.N.
London Dec. 8,1857.

The Count Luda, accompanied by Chevalier Luda,
has left the Brunswick Hotel, St. James's, for Paris, en
route for Sardinia.

About 260,0001., chiefly in Californian, French, and
Russian geld; was sold to the Bank ye terday. About
80,000 sovereigns, recently brought from New York,
were also delivered there.
The amount of silver supplied for Hamburg by the
steamer Neptune, to sail to-day, is about 55,0001. only ;
a further sum may therefore be expected to be sent by
the packet on Saturday.
THE LEVIATHAN.—The dense fog yesterday proved an
obstacle to the progress of the vessel, which no amount
of hydraulic pressure way able to overcome. The men
were set to work early in the morning, but for some
time laboured in vain. All the pressure and tackle from
the river were pushed and strained to the utmost. The
expedient of suddenly letting the water out of the
hydraulic machine at the aft cradle, which, when ortiC
nary methods have failed, has often started her, was
also tried, but without effect. A general pause was
made, therefore, while some screw-jacks were being pre-
pared, and then, when she was relieved from all
pressure fore and aft, the capricious monster suddenly
slipped of herself for a distance of nearly two fees. She
was immediately followed up, and two or three more
short slips got out of her with slight difficulty, and all
seemed to promise well for a good day's progress, when
the fog intervened. For a tow minutes an attempt was
made to continue work, but the thick murky vapour
swept over from the river in such dense masses that it
not only became impossible to see, but even very diffi-
cult to hear, and at 10 o'clock the efforts were dire)u.
tinued entirely. Toe total distance accomplished
yesterday was only 4 feet 9 inches forward, and 4 feet
4 inches aft.