The Sun.
London, England, 1861-09-28 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 28, 1861.

foes within than against the foreign legions banded
together under the standard of the Duke of BRUNS-
WICK.

In startling contrast to which perilous risings
and arnaings of a population, excited in its social
passions against internal enemies—there are our
three great volunteer movements here in England.
The two provoked by the successive armies for in-
vasion gathered togetber upon the opposite coasts of
the Channel under the standards of NAPOLEON
BONAPARTE. And this last, and we trust final,
(because, let us hope, permanent) volunteer move-
ment, provoked by the recognition of the people
of these islands of their comparative defenceless-
ness if suddenly and treacherously attacked. In each
of these three renowned instances of popular arm-
ings we have seen, history has related how com-
pletely and how profoundly the " national feelings"
Lave been aroused. Upon the occasion of the FIRST
Volunteer Movement the Ministers of the time
co-operated with the multitude in calling the Volun-
teers together to resist the then imminent peril of
invasion. " Let us provide," said Mr. DUNDAS from
his place in the House of Commons, "Let us pro-
vide for the safety of the infirm, the aged, the
women, the children, and put arms into the hands
of the people." Within a few weeks from that
time 150,000 Volunteers were in arms in Great
-Britain. That was in 1798 —when General BONA-
PARTE, the young Conqueror of Italy, was hesitat-
ing whether to conduct his army across the Channel
to the conquest of England, or across the Mediter-
ranean to the conquest of Egypt and Asia
Minor. Five years later came the SECOND
Volunteer Movement. NAPOLEON, then about to as-
sume the imperial purple, assembled a yet grander
army for the invasion of England upon the heights
of Boulogne. Whereupon King GEORGE 111. (em-
powered so to do by an Act of Parliament passed
for that purpose) called for the levy en masse to
repel the invasion of the foe. At that summons—
compulsory conscription came to an end, and within
an interval of a very few weeks 300,000 Volunteers
were enrolled, and armed, and rapidly disciplined.
The movement began in the July of 1803. In the
October of that year the KING reviewed 27,000 of
the Volunteers in Hyde Park. The capital alone
furnished a contingent of 46,000 to the whole body
of the new defenders of the nation. Historical re-
collections like these bring us down to our time.
And remembering that no positive threat of invasion
whatever has given rise to this THIRD Voluntaer
movement in England, but that it has originated
simply and solely from the general recognition of
the possibility of danger to our national indepen-
dence—it must certainly be allowed that there is
visible no falling off whatever in the patriotic ardour
of the multitude at large. Enough in proof of this
when we can say that, with no enemy arrayed
against us, we possess at this moment in a time of
profound peace, in addition to our Noble Army, in
addition to our Heroic Navy, a disciplined force of
very nearly 200,000 Rifle Volunteers. That soli-
tary fact alone is sufficient as a " Counter Blast" to
M. LEDRU ROLLIN'S ungrateful and ungracious
diatribe, entitled—in a tone of sinister prophecy,
that Englishmen can now afford to laugh utterly to
scorn—La Decadenee de l' Angleterre.

Mr. LAING told the Manchester gentlemen that
the Government of India was willing to do its
utmost in regard to the public works, roads, and
canals especially required to make the produce of
the cotton districts available for Manchester, but
that financial considerations hindred them from pro-
ceeding as fast as they wished. Now there does
appear to be ono mode of raising money which the
Indian Government has overlooked, though it would
seem to be the most direct and effective of all—we
mean the sale of waste lands, and the redemption of
the land tax. 'When we say that it has overlooked
this resource, we use probably too charitable an
expression. It has rather refused to look at it.
It interferes so with the routine of Indian taxation,
that it is not easy to force the old Indians to depart
so much from their habits. There appears to be
every probability that heavy as "the rent is, now
paid to the Government, the fee simple of the land
might, to a large extent, be sold at a profit. By this
we mean that it would be sold at a price which
would relieve the Government of more interest
on the Indian debt than the tax arising from
the land sold would pay. To some extent, till
the redemption of the land tax is offered for sale,
calculation must be conjectural; at present, how-
ever, the best independent authorities are of opi-
nion that a considerable surplus of this kind might
be realised. All the civil service nearly would
cry out against it; but ..Mr. LAING will not, we
trust, be imposed upon by them. In India, as
elsewhere, the ruling desire is to have the land as
freehold; let that desire be fairly appealed to, and
from all we hear we are disposed to think that the
Government might by the sale cancel a large
amount of debt, and obtain a considerable surplus
capital to apply to public works. The proposal is
at least well worth putting to the test. The Go-
vernment could always refuse to sell below a cer-
tain minimum, and also to sell too quickly for the
demand.

Mr. LAING tells us, indeed, that in regard to the
waste lands, they lie so far from the population
which should cultivate them, at the mouths of
rivers or the hills, that nothing can be realised from
them. This seems incredible after the representa-

tions we have heard. There is now before the coun-
try a public document, " The memorial of the
Landholders and Commercial Association of British
India," on the subject both of the redemption of
the land-tax,. and placing the proprietorship of the
land in fee simple, and on that of the sale of waste
lands. The Associition would be satisfied to grant
the fee simple to the natives or to any one, on the
extinction of a corresponding portion of the debt ;
trusting to the rapid improvement of the agriculture
of the country for the increase of native wealth and
afility to contribute to the general taxation. But
as to the waste lands, the whole amount realized
from land sales would go to increase the revenue
from what does not now produce a penny. They
propose that the upset Government price should be
the same as in America and Canada, five shillings
an acre, making allowance for absolutely unculti•
vable land included in the land sold. They accom-
pany their memorial with a series of rules, which

seem carefully devised to secure to the Government
the full value of any lots more valuable than others,
and to simplify the purchase and conveyance.
It is certainly disgraceful to the Indian Govern-
ment that the despatch of Lord STANLEY should
not sooner have been acted 03. So long back as

his Indian Ministry has this very simple business
been hung up at Cilcutta. And while it is clear
that the qu2stion of land tenure lies at the bottom

of all permanent improvement in India, the stupid
hatred of "interlop3rs"—thlt is, of intelligent and

independent wealth creators, seem to be as strong
asit washalf acentury back. So slow are all protected
bodies to open their eyes to the general interests
of a country. There is one consideration which is
of the highest importance—one which ought to
arouse the attention of our Parliament to the
necessity of action. Indian Railways, and
the Indian debt are, practically, a responsibility of
this country's. If India be severed from England,
the dividends of both would, in all probability, fall
ion our Exchequer. There is but one way of

throwing off this responsibility—that of getting rid
of the debt, and purchasing the railways out of
Ilidian funds. If no other benefit arose from extin-
guishing, the debt by the sale of the land-tax than
that of relieving this country from any liability
whatever for it, this, in the eyes of a statesman,
ought to decide. No one can doubt that, however
Parliament may refuse nowto acknowledge liability
for the Indian debt, if the day of trial come, it
would be impossible to resist the demands of the
Indian creditors.

Happily the state of things in America is
arousing the attention of a class who will not let
the Indian Government at home, and the adminis-
tration at Calcutta, sleep on, We are compelled to
think now of Indian improvement by the fearful
prospect of a famishing little kingdom in the North.
It is a Cotton Rot, which is threatening to repent
in Lancashire the dire work of the potato rot in
Ireland. Much distress will almost inevitably be
occasioned this year, but a second year of a short
supply would be intolerable. We only fear that
the difficulty of the case, unless India can be opened
by the next season, may drive us to acknowledge
prematurely the independence of the Cotton States,
and induce our statesmen to insist, whether the
North be willing or not, on access to our old
sources of supply. Then, farewell to emancipation
for the negro, and to the enrichment of our Indian
Empire by the most profitable of our commerce.

While on this subject, we may commend to the
notice of our readers an admirable pamphlet, pub-
lished by SMITH and ELDER, and written by
R. BENSON, Esq., entitled "Indian Resources Ap-
plied to the Development of Indii." It will repay
the perusal of all who are interested in our Indian
financial policy, and in cotton cultivation in con-
nection with it.

FRIGHTFUL COLLIERY ACCIDENT.

TEN PERSONS SUPPOSED TO BE KILLED.

It is our melancholy duty to record a fearful calamity
which took place on Thursday at the South Mostyn Col-
liery, by which it is feared that ten human lives have been.
sacrificed.

From particulars which we gathered at the scene of the
disaster, we learn that the accident was occasioned by an
explosion which it is supposed took place through the fan
on the surface which is used for ventilating the mine, as the
shed and buildings belonging thereto were destroyed. At
the time of the accident (five o'clock in the morning) the
night men only were in the shaft, and from all appear-
ances were on the eve of finishing their work and coming
up on the surface. Had the explosion taken place in
the day time the consequences would have been much
more serious. Ihe explosion was heard at a considerable
distance from the colliery, and in the immediate
neighbourhood the shock was particularly perceptible. On
Thursday afternoon (when our parcel left) five of the un-
fortunate sufferers only hal been rescued, and the scene at
the colliery pit can be better imagined than we can describe.
There, friends and relatives were to be witnessed in the
deepest agony, awaiting the recovery of the lifeless forms
of those dear to them, and in one or two instances the scenes
were particularly heartrending.

All that human aid could render to ameliorate the suf •
ferings of the survivors was considerately performed by
Mr. Eyton, who, with his agent, Mr. John Williams, and
assistants from the other collieries, were indefatigable in
their exertions to extricate those remaining in the pit, and
carefully providing due and proper attention to the unfor•
tunate sufferers as they were brought to the surface.
The names of the bodies brought up from the pit when
we left were :—Hugh Rowland, Mostyn Square, unman•
ried ; William Parry, Mostyn, wife and child ; John
-Roberts, Tai Trevor, wife and large family ; Thos. Jones,
Penybryn, wife and three children; }lenry Roberts,
Mostyn, wife and one child. The following are still in the
pit :—John Williams, Gwebnant, wife and five children;
Moses Dennis, Mostyn Square, wife and six children;
Kendrick Roberts, wife and family; Edward Hughes,
Mostyn •square, unmarried ; Edward Twist, Mostyn, wife
and seven children.
The bodies of the poor fellows we have named above were
not in the least burnt or disfigured, and evidently must
have been suffocated by choke-damp. ,
The real cause of the accident is as yet not known, but
an inquest was opened on Thursday afternoon. Several
attempts were made to recover the five remaining men, but
the noxious gases would not admit of it. The last body
found was at least 350 yards along the level from the bot-
tom of the pit, the four others being much nearer. It is
supposed that the remaining five must be in the extreme
end of the level, and it was doubtful when their bodies
could be had.

The fan in which it is supposed the explosion took place,
and which is about 100 yards from the mouth of the work-
ing pit, had only recently been erected as a substitute to
what was considered the dangerous process of ventilating
by a furnace.

An appeal has been already made to a sympathising
public on behalf of the widows and orphans now left desti-
tute.

THE EARL OF DERBY.--We are gratified to say
that the noble earl has recovered from his cold, coupled
with the gout. His lordship will entertain a large circle of
friends at Knowsley, where there is a prospect of excellent
shooting. •
The Marquis and Marchioness Cholmondeley
arrived in town yesterday from Houghton Hall, Norfolk,
on their way to. Cholmondeley Castle, Cheshire.
THE BISHOP OF RIPON.—We are sorry to say
that the right rev, prelate is not in the health his friends
cou'd desire ; but there are strong hopes of his ultimate re-
storation.

Count Lansdorff has left Claridge's Hotel for
Paris.

The Duke and Duchess of Sutherland are enter-
taining a select circle of friends at Dunrobin Castle.
Count and Countess Schouvaloff have arrived at
Claridge's Hotel from Torquay.
The Earl of Clarendon, who is appointed Ambas-
sador Extraordinary at the coronation of the King of
Prussia on the part of her Majesty, will leave town next
week, accompanied by his staff, for Konigsberg.
It is with much regret that we hear of the serious

illness of the Right Hon. Sir Edward Blakeney, G.C.8.,
Governor of Chelsea Hospital. Few officers now alive have
seen such long and varied active service as Sir Edward,
dating so far back as the capture of the West Indian Islands

in 1766.—Army and Navy Gazette.

Two good-service pensions of £lOO a-year each
have been placed at the disposal of his Royal Highness the
General Commanding-in-Chief by the death of Gen, Dennis
Tierbert.--Army and Navy Gazette.
Lord and Lady Stuart de Decies have left the
Brunswick Hotel, Jermyn-street, for Dromana, county
Waterford.

We announced last week the resignation of
Colonel M'Dougall as Commandant of the Stpff College.
His successor in that office will be Colonel W. C. E. Napier,
now Superintendent of the Cadet's College, who will, in
turn, be replaced by Colonel T. E. Lacy, late Assistant
Adjutant-General at Gibraltar.—..eirmy and Navy Gazette.
Ernest Tilley Ward, who was convicted, on
Thursday, of stealing the sum of £5OO from his masters,
Messrs. Hennant and others, was sentenced to six years,
penal servitude.

PLYMOUTH ELECTION.—Friday, 10 p.m.—.The

. -
Hon. William Wells, Addington, of Venn Ottery, eldest
son of Viscount Sidmouth, arrived this evening as the can-
didate in the Conservative interest, in opposition to Mr,
Walter Morrison.

WRECK AND Loss OF 800 MEN.—" The Russian
navy," says the Pays, "has sustained a severe loss on the
coast of Japan—that of the Swellana, line-of-battle ship,
100 guns and 800 men. All the crew are said to have
perished."
The first manumission of slaves under the recent
proclamation of General Fremont, took place on the 13th,
the slaves made free belonging to Thomas L. Smead, of St.
Louis.

The Union prisoners in Richmond now number
nearly 1,400, and are confined in five tobacco warehouses.
Newspapers aro denied them, and the supply of coffee and
sugar cut off. Extracts from official reports in Richmond
show that 75 guns are mounted at Fort Macon, near Beau-
fort.

LAUNCH OF THE CELESTIAL—Messrs. T. A. Gibb
and Co.'a new paddlewheel steamer, the Celestial, was suc-
cess lolly launched on Wednesday, the 25th inst , from the
shipbuilding-yard of Mr. Charles Lungley, at Deptford;
and from her handsome appearance and fine lines, will no
doubt prove a favourite in China. The machinery i 3 ready
to be put on beard, so that she will be ready to leavo for
Hong-Kong by the Ist of Dec:)mber. She has only been
three months under construction, and is a proof of how
much can be done in iron shipbuilding in a shot t time, as she
is a vessel of 800 tons and 200 horse-power, faill has been
built to meet the requirements of Lloyds' rules.

The movement of the Bank of France to 51- per
cent. is attributed partly to a rather rapid loss of bullion
since the publication of the last monthly return (the value
of the foreign wheat purchased since the results of the har-
vest became known being estimated at about £11,000,000),
and partly to an expectation that this ellux of specie is
likely to be further stimulated by importations of general
goods that May take place after the Ist of October, when
all the provisions of the Commercial Treaty come into force.

A I 7 : S
1 •
I "
_J

TURIN, SEPT. 28.

The Opinione of to-clay says :

" France having interposed her good offices to
prevent a rupture between Italy and Spain, our
Government has suspended all further discussions
in reference to the recall of its representatives at
Madrid."

4 BOLOGNA, SEPT. 27.

Disturbances arising from the dearaess of provi-
sions, similar to those which recently occurred in this
city from the same cause, have taken place at Ra-
venna and Lugo.

PARIS, SEPT. 27.

The Pays of this evening says:---" A despatch
from Vienna announces that Gcneral Klapka, M.
Kossuth, and General Turr will have a conference
with M. Deak and other Hungarians relative to the
affairs of Hungary.
Last night, at 11 o'clock, a terrible accident
occurred on the Northern Railway, near the Paris
station. Five passengers were killed, three were
wounded, and four received contusions.

The Patrie publishes the following details respect-
ing the accident on the Northern Railway :

" The express train from Amiens to Paris ran
into another train coming from Dammartin, at the
junction of the two lines. Five carriages of the
Dammartin train were overturned. The driver was
blown into the air by the explos:on of the engine
boiler, and fell on the rail without sustaining any
serious injury. The Amiens train was not much
damaged by the collision.

,‘ Some of the wounded passengers were brought
to Paris, others were taken to the Lariboissiere
Hospital, and the remainder returned to their own
homes.

" At present the number of the dead does not
exceed five, but the reports of the surgeons give
reason to fear that this number will b 3 augmented.
"A judicial inquiry has been opened."

NAPLES, SEPT. 27.

A band of twenty Spaniards and Bavarians has
disembarked near Agropoli, in the Principato-
Ultra.

Another band of brigands, commanded by Mit-
tiga, endeavoured to penetrate into the province of
Catanzas, but was attacked and repulsed by the
Italian troops.
The Nazionale of to-day publishes a proclamation
issued by Borghese, addressed to the Calabrians and
Neapolitans, urging them to expel the " foreigners"
in the name of religion and Francis 11.

VIENNA, SEPT. 27.

The Royal rescript relative to the convocation
of the Transylvanian Diet has been despatched to
Klausenburg, where it will be published to-morrow.
The Diet is to assemble at Karlsburg on the 4th of
November.

PESTH, SEPT. 27.

Numerous arrests have been made in consequence
of the disturbances which took place here yesterday.
Among the cries raised by the people who endea-
voured to prevent the removal of the confiscated to-
bacco was " Eljen Garibaldi!" or " Long live
Garibaldi !"

RAGUSA, SEPT. 27.

The insurgents have attacked Gatzkow, and have
burnt three villages. They killed 17 Turks and
carried away five pieces of Artillery. Omar Pasha
has marched against them.

MADRID, SEPT. 26.

The Iberia of,this evening says :

"A rumour is current that Baron Tecco, the
Italian Minister, is on the point of breaking off
diplomatic relations with the Spanish Government,
and leaving Madrid."
The Moorish Envoy has arrived at Madrid, ac-
companied by a suite of 30 persons.

MADRID, SEPT. 28.

To-morrow a Council will be held at the Escurial,
under the presidency of the Queen, who will sign a
decree convening the Cortes for the 30th October.
Muley Abbas has arrived at Valencia.

THE BOMBAY MAIL.

SOUTHAMPTON, SEPT. 28.

The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer
Euxine, with the heavy portion of the above mail,
has arrived in dock. She brings 25 passengers,
1,740 dols. in specie, precious stones, value 5,000
rupees, pearls valued at 33,000 rupees, and 1,780
packages of cargo, including rah► silk of the value
of £llO,OOO.

She spoke the steamer Rebecca, of Glasgow, on
the 23d inst., bound south.

The British schooner Superior, of Liverpool, was
wrecked on the 15th inst., three miles north of
Arzilla. The crew were saved.

The Dutch schooner Robert, from London, bound
to Syria, foundered on the Bth inst , in conse-
quence of a collision with the Spanish steamer
Venceilor de Africa•

The British brig Distin, from Hartlepool, bound
for Genoa, struck on the rocks off Apes Hill on the
16th inst., and was abandoned by the crew.
The Spanish papers say that 1,500 troops,
destined for Cuba, will be ready by the 15th of
October.

Business at Malaga was more brisk for the United
Kingdom and the North, but continued dull for the
United States.

Thirty-two vessels had entered the port since the
6th inst. to load fruit.

Freights were unaltered.
GIBRALTAR, SEPT. 22.
Exchange on London, 90 days, 49 to 49; ; Paris,
5.29 ; Marseilles, 5,30 ; Madrid par.
Freights unaltered.