The Sun.
London, England, 1861-12-28 00:00:00

THE SEM Lopo iv, SATURDAY EVENING, DEC MBE R 28, 1861.

refusal. The North, in conjunction with the eleven
seceded States, refuse to give up privateering.
Now in the great game of the eleven of the
South, against the thirteen of the old Union,
the former cannot be deprived by the latter, without
their consent, of one of the political conditions on
which the game began.
It is impossible to put the result of the policy
demanded by the United States, and that on which
France and England is acting more clearly,
than is done by our Foreign Secretary.
"It would be folly," he says, in his letter
of the 28th of August, " logically and con•
sistently, from Ithe attitude taken by her MA-
JESTY'S Government, that the so-called Confede-
rate States, being acknowledged as a belligerent,
might, by the law of nations, arm privateers, and
that their privateers must be regarded as the armed
vessels of a belligerent. With equal logic and
consistency it would follow, from the position
taken by the United States, that the privateers
of the Southern States might be decreed to be
pirates, and it might be further argued by the Go-
vernment of the United States that a European
Power signing a convention with the United States,
declaring that privateering was and remains
abolished, would be bound to treat the privateers
of the so-called Confederate States as pirates.
Hence, instead of an agreement, charges of bad
faith and violation of a convention might be
brought in the United States against the power
signing such a convention, and treating the priva-
teers of the so-called Confederate States as those
of a belligerent power."
Lord JOHN RUSSELL, however, concludes with
reciprocating all the friendly sentiments expressed
by Mr. ADAMS—Wishes to maintain the most
friendly relations between the two Governments,
but firmly adds, "It is in this spirit that her
MAJESTY'S Government decline to bind themselves,
without a clear explanation on their part, to a con-
vention which, seemingly confined to an adoption
of the declaration of Paris of 1856, might be con-
strued as an engagement to interfere in the un-
happy dissensions now prevailing in the United
States—an interference which would be contrary
to her MAJESTY'S public declarations, and would
be a reversal of the policy which her MAJESTY has
deliberately sanctioned."
It is among the too many sad proofs of the per-
version of men's tempers in the States—even of men
high in office—that such a paltry piece of political
jugglery as this is published by Mr. SEWARD with-
out a blush. He is not ashamed of higgling over
the price of humanity.

At this Christmas season we cannot but wonder
sometimes what can possibly have become of a very
benevolent and promising movement set on foot a
twelvemonth or so back by W. D. B. Is it in any
way lost altogether to public recollection ? We can
hardly induce ourselves to believe this possible.
The enterprise was so eminently humane itself, it
was so rapid in its growth, it was taken up with
such very general cordiality—that we feel per-
suaded at any rate of this, that it is with very many
yet held in agreeable remembrance. The rise of the
incipient association—for an association, to all in-
tents and purposes, it eventually became, though
one merely incipient, so to speak, even to the very
last, in its character—the rise of the scheme was in
the first instance as modest and unostentatious as
could well be. One or two anonymous
letters—some of them so brief as to be
little better than mere notes—in the columns of
our leading morning contemporary—prepared the
way, almost imperceptibly, for what followed.
W. D. B. struck the key-note. Several other
letters of the alphabet took up the same theme—
with variations. A chord (in the public heert)
touched here and there carelessly it seemed, and
quite at random, gradually swelled most harmo-
neously in a choral symphony. One excellent sug-
gestion followed another. Funds dropped in, in
guineas and banknotes, until one or two hundreds
had quickly multiplied into as many thou-
sands. A meeting was at last convened by
the generous-hearted gentleman who, somewhat
doubtless to his own surprise, found himself to
have become the originator of a really popular
and wholly unpremeditated movement. This as-
semblage was holden one evening in an excessively
over-crowded room upon the ground-floor of the
Old Thatched House Tavern in St. James's street.
W. D. B. appeared there in propria persona as Mr.
W. DAVENPORT BROMLEY—who explained to a
sympathising audience the circumstances in which
the whole of this kindly project had originated. A
Duke was in the chair—was it not his grace the
Duke of MARLBOROUGH ? Several speeches—ex-
tremely to the purpose—were delivered haphazard
by this person and by that. More moneys showered
in upon the hon. secretary or pro. tem. treasurer.
All the contributions then and previously col-
lected were, to the uttermost farthing, afterwards
most carefully and with the utmost possible dis-
cretion distributed. But—there really and truly, so
far as we can in any way learn, the whole of this
most humane enterprize appears to have terminated.
Its aim will still, of course, be very well remem-
bered. It was designed to supplement all the asso-
ciations previously in existence for the relief of ex-
treme destitution. It was to interfere with none of
the old benevolent institutions. It was rather to be
a pendant to them all. Its promoters aspired to be-
come not simply the relievers of distress, when
applied to for assistance. They designed to go in
search of the direst miseries hiding away in the
squalid courts and back sums of the metropolis,and—
with their own hand, not vicariously but personally
and individually—to carry relief in kind to the most
afflicted. Associations of this kind there have long
been in active operation in other countries, particu-
larly in France. But in England the mere sugges-
tion came to the public ear with all the charm in-
herent in novelty. A lay association of exactly this
very eleemosynary character has but very recently,
for political reasons, been suppressed on the opposite
shores of the channel by a decree of the Imperial
Government. No jealousies of a similar description
could be anticipated among ourselves, or dreamt of
for one moment as likely to nip a project of this
generous description in the bud prematurely.
Everything looked propitious for the scheme
set agoing by W. D. 8., by Mr. W.
DAVENPORT BROMLEY and his sympathisers.
Yet—in spite of all this, What has become of it ?
The population all this while is steadily increas-
ing. And miseries are quite as certainly increas-
ing with it. The reasons there were for organis-
ing an enterprise of the nature but just now
explained, instead of being less, are more
numerous. -What was recognised as eminently
undesirable then—must certainly be recognised as
l
y byt h
yet more urgently desirable now. If the present
winter is milder than the last—as evidenced not
mere
ebmutorebymosdneorhatesiflgunestuoaftitohnos
season
fastohne
thermometer,
as the total absence of the scarlet berries
upon the holly boughs—we may rest pretty confi-
dent that the severities of the winter are very many
of them only delayed. much wretchedness, and
many privations, are in store for the very poor
and the very humble, particularly in our large cities,
above all in our vast and densely peopled capital.
And experience still continues to evidence, what it

has so often demonstrated only too painfully before
now, that it is not enough to aid the destitute who
ask for assistance. But that there are others who
are probably in yet more dire extremity, who have
to bo hunted out, in order that society may come to
their relief before it is altogether too late—before the
only boon that can be afforded them shall have
been reduced to the posthumcus gift of a work-
house *bell and the slovenly tribute of a pauper's
funeral. Recollecting these bitter truths, as one
cannot very well help remembering them at this
return of the good Christmas season, we cannot but
express a hope that something further may yet be
learnt of W. D. B.'s really beautiful and eminently
benevolent enterprise.

Though the answer to our uli imatuna will be
delayed for more than a week, we fully hope to be
able to inform our readers on Monday, of the recep-
tion given by the multitude and by the Press of
America to the news carried out by the Europa.
They had previously only the information taken
by the Hansa, from which they merely
learned that we meant to act legally; and the
fact that we were not in as wild a fury, as they
well know they would have been, was taken
by them as an indication that we should receive
this last insult as meekly as we have borne so
many before. The fact of an ultimatum arriving,
and the information that all Englishmen, her Naval
Reserve included, were united as one man in de-
manding satisfaction, will come upon them almost
like a thunder-clap in a clear sky. And when it
will be also quickly learned that France and Austria
share the judgment of England on the whole case,
we may imagine what mingled dismay, and fury, and
wild resentment, and defiance will be seen and
heard in the streets of every American town and
city. Not a soul will confess itself afraid—it will
be demonstrated that England must be mad to fight
America—we are told, in anticipation, that " our
country is nourished of the PRESIDENT'S country,"
and therefore, like some of old, we must desire con-
ditioLs ofpeace—and, that America can shift for her-
self, but what could needy England do without
American corn and cotton. The latter we should
certainly get all the more easily for a war, and as
to the corn, the North-west needs our
markets to sell in much more than we
do theirs to buy in. Such facts are, however, not
to be thought of by the mob whose orders Mr.
LINCOLN must execute. Were the whole question
left to him, or even to the cunning Mr. SEWARD, we
could hardly doubt what the practical answer would
be; they but too well know what the issue of war
must be ; they quite understand that the South
would be at once released from its blockade, and
its independence recognised ; that then our ports
must submit to blockade ;r, return ; and that
even if they choose themselves to acknowledge
the South, and turn North to Canada, their advan-
tage there would be very doubtful; at least tempo-
rary, and that they would have to pay a heavy
penalty in Maine, if not elsewhere also for unpro-
voked villany.
We can hardly imagine, however, that even the
mob will not give in when it learns the course
taken by France. The bluster may last till the EM-
PEROR'S letter arrives, but that will assuredly extin-
guish it. A merit will be made of necessity. Old
friendship will be assigned as the reason for giving
way, and common-sense will return under the Gallic
discipline. The only possibility is, that the mob
may have frightened Mr. LINCOLN into a course
from which he cannot retreat before the French
letter arrives. It is impossible, therefore, to predict
with any certainty to what such a reckless people
may have committed themselves and their Govern-
ment. Nine months unsucessful war, and forty mil-
lions deficiency, besides boundless debt staring them
in the face, ought to make them sober if anything
would do so. Whether it will do so we shall per-
haps know in a few hours have some idea.

REAR-ADMIRAL NLTNDY, C.B.—lt is stated that
the country is about to lose the services of Rear-Admiral
Rodney Mundy, C.B. ThiS distinguished naval officer)
who has lately returned from the Mediterranean, is in so
precarious a state of health that he has felt it incumbent on
him to intimate to the Admiralty his intention to resign his
command.

STEAM SHIPBUILDING ON THE CLYDE.—Messrs.
J. and G. Thomson, of Govan, have launched a fine screw
named the Cortes, intended to run between Cadiz and
llavannah, being the first of a fleet of steamers destined
for that line by the Spanish Steam Navigation Company of
Cadiz. The Cortes is 2,200 tons burden, and 500 horse
power ; she has a lifting screw propeller, and all recent
improvements, and will be fitted for the accommodation of
170 first-class and 70 second. class passengers. Messrs.
Charles Connel and Co. have launched, at Overnewton, a
screw of 500 tons, built for Messrs. Handysides and Hen-
derson, and intended for the Mediterranean trade. The
vessel has been named the Livorno, and is now being en-
gined by Messrs. A. and J. Inglis, Whitehall Foundry.
Messrs. Connel and Co. have now on the stocks a fine iron
ship of 1,000 tons, building for Messrs. G. Smith anl Sons
and intended for the Calcutta trade.

ACCIDENT AT A RAILWAY STATION.---A shocking
fatal accident occurred on Thursday afternoon at the New-
cross station of the London and Brighton Railway Corn •
pany. It appears that about 200 persons were waiting for
the down train to the Crystal Palace. Among them were
two sons of Mr. Samuel Ambrose Davies, a gentleman re-
siding at 4, South. street-terrace, Rye-lane, Peckham, aged
respectively 13 and 22. So soon as the train came into the
station a rush was made by the persons assembled to get
into the carriages, when the deceased fell between the
platform and the line of rails, the wheels of the still moving
train passing completely over his body and mutilating him
in a shocking manner. His brother, seeing him fall, en-
deavoured to rescue him, and in doing so sustained severe
injury to one of his feet, two of the toes of which were
severed by the wheels of a carriage passing over them.
When extricated the deceased presented a frightful spec-
I acle, and expired almost immediately after being taken
into a waiting-room at the station.

THE CLYDE.—Of the Clyde it is impossible to
speak in other language than that of admiration. It is but
the fourth river in Scotland in volume of fresh water, and
the third in length; inferior to the Forth or Tay in High.
land scenery, and to the Tweed in pastoral beauty; but it
is superior to all of them in utility, in artificial improvement,
in manufactures, in commerce, and in the triumphs of me-
chanical genius. The improvements on this river have,
we must say, been conducted on a scale of unusual magni-
ficence. About a century ago its depth at the point where
the Kelvin discharges into its channel was only 18 inches
at low water, and 44 inches at high water. Its course, far
below Dumbarton, abounded in shallow lagoons, inter-
spersed with low islets and marshy ground. By judicious
engineering operations, spread over a series of years, ac-
companied with an enormous expenditure of capital, it is
now as navigable as the Thames. In fact, by dint of dredg-
ing, cutting, excavating, and embanking, to the tune of
about a million and a half sterling, the navigable depth of
the river has been increased, within the last 50 or 60 years,
from 3 ft to 20ft, and the revenue from £3,000 to £90,000
per annum. The Broomielaw harbour is at this moment
nothing less than half a mile of excellent docks—we need
not say how much crowded; and the contrast is indeed
great between the small fishing sloops and Virginia traders
which once unloaded their treasures on the same spot and
the gigantic iron steamer and the merchantman of 2,000
tons, which now constitute the honour and glory of the
Clyde.

TIIE USE OF POISONED GRAIN BY FARMERS.-
The practice of scattering abroad poisoned grain for the de.
struction of rooks and small birds has very much increased
of late. The very dangerous consequences attendant on this
practice is shown by a letter which a magistrate has written
to the _Field :—" In the course of the sowing time last year
my keepers told me that they picked up no less than 17
pheasants in one field. I have a large manorial dovecote,
containing at times from 200 to 300 pigeons, which were
accustomed to fly in flights of 40 or 50. I was surprised to
miss every bird in its flight about three weeks since, and
sent my servant to the dovecote, where he picked up 79
dead birds, and 10 more in a dying state. The birds were
buried, but I had two dug up and sent to my medical man
to analyze. On examination there was not a particle of
food in their crops, which led to the conclusion that the
poison was arsenic, as it is a great promot r of digestion. I
am informed that chemists sell a mixture, of which arsenic
is the foundation, and that farmers sow it broadcast over the
land. On consultation with medical men very eminent in
my neighbourhood they were of opinion that if a labourer
were to pick up a bird and take it to his family for dinner
(a not unlikely thing), it would be highly dangerous to
human life. If any man is brought before me, in case a
fatal result occurring, I will undoubtedly commit him for
trial."

A DUEL AT PARIS.—A duel between M. Stevens,
a Belgian painter, and the well-known Parisian artist, M.
Gerome, ha; caused some excitement in the artistical world.
It may be recollected that a few years ago M. Gerome, ex-
hibited a painting of considerable merit, entitled the "Due
of Pierrst," and by a singular coincidence M. Gerome has
been wounded under circumstances very similar to those
which he illustrated in the above painting, for although not
exactly on leaving a masked ball, it was after a dinner party
he had been giving to some friends that the quarrel occurred
which led to a duel. The antagonists were placed 30 paces
apart, and M. Stevens, being the insulted party, fired first.
His ball entered M. Gerome's right arm under the wrist,
grazed the bone without injuring it, came out again just
below the elbow, then penetrated into the biceps above the
elbow-joint, and came out on the opposite side. M. Gerome
is now doing well.

INSURANCE FACTS AND THE CLOSING YEAR.—
The insurance statistics of the year reveal some very inte-
resting and instructive insurance facts. During 1361, 13
companies have ceased to exist, 10 have transferred their
business, five new ones have been founded, and 19 pro-
jected. Forty-nine are now in Chancery under a winding-
up process, seven of these having obtained admission into
this select list since our last annual stock-taking. Six
companies have changed their place of business, and one
branch office has been opened. Four secretaries, two actu-
aries and fivemanagers have been appointed to fill up vacancies
caused by resignation and otherwise. The chairmen of two
insurance companies have been elected M.P.'s by two very
large and influential constituencies. Four directors, two
managers, and one medical officer have died during the
year. One manager, one actuary, and one secretary, being
incapacitated by old age or aglietion, have retired into pH.
vate life. Since the year 1844, 599 companies have been
projected, 267 founded, 246 have ceased to exist, 52 have
opened branch offices, 187 have changed their places of
business; eleven amalgamations have been effected ; 144
offices have transferred their businesses to other institutions,
and 49 have been, or aro being, wound up in Chancery.
Ninety•tbree Insurance companies have discontinued their
fire business, or in cases where they were only fire offices
they have been dissolved.—The News.

MR. G. F. TRAIN ON THE TRENT AFFAIR.--The
London American gives an account of a discussion at the
"Forum" on the Trent affair, on Monday night last. Mr.
G. F. Train, the tramway contractor, was present, and
spoke in a tone strangely at variance with his silly and
bombe st"c letter to the _New York llerald. He now admi s
that his countrymen have committed a wrong to England,
and advises them to give up the prisoners. He said:—
"At first patriotism overshadowed judgment, end I said
give up the men only at the point of the cannon. I now
say, in any case, give up the men. (Cheers.) On com-
paring notes all the analogies have fallen to the ground.
Everett and Sumner have been handsomely floored in the
Laurens case, and Bonaparte, M‘Manua, and the Caroline
seizures are not analogous to the Trent. (Hear, hear.)
The water runs through them all. Lord Stowell, Wheaton,
Phillimore, Kent, Person, Pratt, Vattel, Puffendorf, and
even old Grotius decline to give their assistance. It seems
the Mason and Slidell capture is entirely original with
Wilkes. International law has not provided for it. My
opinion began to waver some days since, and when the
author of the Maritime Law of Nations' gave Lord
Palmerston his special decision, I was convinced that the
, Americans had not got a leg to stand upon. (Cheers.)
America, in 1812, made war on account of the very act
which Wilkes has committed. The flag covers every-
thing. (Applause.) M. Hautfeuille is clear in his analysis.
Between neutral nations there can be no war—hence no
belligerents—no right of search—nothing. contraband.
(Applause.) Denmark and Spain are at pease—Havana
belongs to the one—St. Thomas the other. The Trent,
belonging to another neutral, is steaming away peacefully,
when the San Jacinto, owned by still another neutral,
commits the offence that has aroused the lion into a war
frenzy I and no wonder, (Hear, and applause,) America
would have been wild under the insult. So would France.
The incoming mail will bring a clever argument
from our premier—perhaps so clever as to evade the
question—but I cannot see where he will find his point,
While there is no analogy for Wilkes, England can point
to a case that justifies the Cabinet of Washington in giving
up the men. Lord Mulgrave, of the British ship Ardent,
captured the Dutch ship Hendrica and Alida, bound from
Holland to St. Eustatia, with arms and munition, and five
military passengers, and carried them to the Prize Court,
at Portsmouth. Sir George Hay decided that, inasmuch as
she was bound from one neutral port to another, there could
be nothing contraband of war. Hence the ship was libe-
rated—and the five officers, with commissions in their
pocket from the rebel commissioner Benjamin Franklin, at
Paris, to join the rebel army against England were dis-
charged, What better precedent does Mr, Seward require
for action on the Mason-Slidell affair ? (Hear,) I again
say, give up the men I I hope that Seward will do it
graciously, that ho will send them over in a war ship—
(cheers)—that he will meet with a manly spirit the haughty
demand of this proud nation, (Hear.) Nay, more. I hope
that the Cabinet of Washington will not only give up the
men, but will soul a despatch to Halifax offering a free
pass through Portland to the bold winter army—at the ex-
pense of the American people—on their way to Canada,"

KARL IiUSS'ELL'N DESPA7I,_!ii TO

LORD LYONS.

At a meeting of British residents at Hamburg,
on Monday last, to pass an address of condolence
to the Queen, and one to the Princess of Prussia,
Mr. Ward, the British Consul-General and Charge
d'Affaires, took the opportunity to make some ex-
planations respecting the American difficulty. He
said (according to a report in the Hamburger Nach-
richten) that the British Government bad informed
the American Minister in London that they could
not look upon the burning of the Harvey Birch by
the Nashville as an act of piracy, and that as a
neutral Power they could not refuse to allow the
Nashville to enter and remain in an English har-
bour, but that they would strictly maintain the
law which forbade the fitting out of a ship of war
belonging to the Confederates or the shipping of
English sailors. Referring to the Trent affair,
Mr. Ward announced the contents of the despatch
addressed by Earl Russell to Lord Lyons, and stated
that it was couched in a very moderate tone. It
first described the forcible removal of Messrs.. Mason
and Slidell, with their secretaries, as Commander
Williams had reported the occurrence to the Ad-
miralty. It contained nothing of the known opi-
nions of the Crown jurists, but described the re-
moval of the commissioners simply and decidedly
as a breach of international law, and as an affront
to the British flag ; and, in conclusion, stated that
the English Government did not for a moment
doubt the harmony and the friendly relations
existing with America, nor that the commander
of the San Jacinto had made seizure without having
received instructions from his Government, and
were confident that the Washington Cabinet would
not hesitate to do all they could under the circum-
stances—that was to say, to surrender immediately
the four commissioners, and to offer an adequate
atonement for the offence to the British flag. Mr.
Ward then reminded his hearers that, according to
the resolutions at the Conferences at Paris, a neutral
flag covered an enemy's goods, and he had no doubt
that if the right of search were exercised uncondi-
tionally by American ships of war, English mer-
chants would yet be placed in a more secure posi-
tion respecting their property on board English
ships, so long as they conformed to the terms of the
proclamation respecting contraband of war. The
meeting received the remarks of Mr. Ward with
great applause.