The Sun.
London, England, 1861-05-18 00:00:00

Louis, and destined for Nashville, Tennessee, was
seized by the Government troops a,t Cairo on the
26th ult.

" The position of Maryland, in its adherence to
the Union, is being daily strengthened by increased
manifestations of public opinion, as evidenced by
the meeting of merchants held at the Baltimore
Corn-exchange yesterday, where resolutions in
favour of the immediate reconstruction of the bridges
recently destroyed were adopted, and a petition to
the Legislature to this effect was numerously signed.
Delaware has taken a still more decided stand on
the Government side, Governor Burton hiving or-
dered the regiment of volunteers raised is response
to the proclamation of the President to rroceed to
Washington for the defence of the capita as soon
as they are equipped and ready to march.
" A conferenee between the authorities of Ken-
tucky and Illinois resulted in the forner state
guaranteeing that it will maintain a neutral
position, and will permit no troops to pass over
its soil to make aggressions upon the Nlrth ; but
at the same time it demands guarantees that no
troops from Illinois shall attempt to pass through
Kentucky, and enters a protest against the blockade
of the river. It has been agreed upon that nothing
but munitions of war shall be intercepted at Cairo.
" The defence of Washington is ampl' provided
for; a force of 24,300 men is now homed in the
capital and its vicinity, all within three hours'
march of the city. But a still further reinforce-
ment is contemplated, and it is decide*that within
a few days there shall be an army of 40,000 men in
and around Washington, to secure the control of the
Potomac and the Chesapeake. At the same time a
force of from 10,000 to 15,000 men will be concen-
trated at Cairo and the same number it St. Louis,
to protect the Mississippi river and repel any
attacks which may be made upon exposed points in
Southern Illinois, and suppress secession movements
in Missouri and Arkansas. A force of 20,000 troops
is to be shipped in transports, under the convoy of
men-of-war, at the earliest possible moment, to
harass the rebel forces in the Gulf States, and ex•
haust their energies by compelling them to move
from point to point, and thus prevent their advance
to the North. The war is thus evidently to be
' carried into Africa.' It is designed also to further
reinforce Fort Pickens from this fleet."

A letter from San Francisco, dated the sth ult.,
states that several officers of the United States army
serving in California had resigned their commis-
sions. Great efforts were being made to break the
Broderick will, and petitions have been put in,
praying that it might be revoked.
Munitions of war, including 5,000,000 percussion
caps, were seized on the 3d by the United States
Marshal—all directed to Savannah and Missouri.

Several shipwrecks are reported in the following
despatches :

" Montreal, May 3.
" There is nothing further concerning the wreck
of the steamship United States. Two steamers
have left to render assistance. The last accounts
state that she was on Bird Rocks, surging over, her
flag of distress at half mast, her high sails loose, no
person to be seen on board, and the ship appa-
rently going to pieces.
" The brig Minnie Dawson is a total wreck, and
one man is lost.

" The ship Spartan is ashore on Sandy Beach.
Crew saved.

" The ship Marion is ashore, is hogged and
thumping badly on the rocks. Her crew have left
her.

" The ship Powerful is among the rocks at Cook
Point. She is at anchor, and her pumps have to
be kept going.
" The ship Salacca is hard on the rocks, twelve
miles below Father Point, and thumping badly.
" The roads in all directions are blocked up
with snow, which has drifted badly.
" The bodies of three men have been recovered.

" The passengers by the steamship United States
have arrived at Quebec. Only one steerage pas-
senger is missing.
" Another ship is ashore at Sandy Bay, 30 miles
below Father Point."

PARLIAMENT R I COMMITTEES.

THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE.

The select committee upon the diplomatic service
resumed their inquiry on Thursday, Mr. Monckton
Milnes in the chair. The other members of the
committee present were—Mr. Layard, Mr. Fey-
mour Fitzgerald. Sir Min to Farquhar, Sir J. Acton,
Mr. Grant Duff, Mr. Baillie Cochrane, and Mr.
Headlam.

The Earl of Malmesbury was called, and
examined by the chairman. He stated that he had
filled the office of Secretary of State for Foreign
affairs for two years. In selecting persons for the
diplomatic service he used in the first instance to
ascertain from personal knowledge the character of
the young men recommended, and having satis-
fied himself that they were fit to enter the service,
he kept a list of names, and as vacancies occurred
he filled them up from that list. They were not
selected with reference to their social position, but,
practically, they all belonged to that class com-
monly called gentlemen, and were men of education
so far as having been to some public school, or
thoroughly educated at home. As they were not
paid on entering the service he considered it neces-
sary that they should have some private fortune of
their own. But if the labourer was worthy of his
hire, he thought that either immediately, or as soon
as he was fit for the profession, he ought to be
remunerated for his services in the same way as a
clerk in the Foreign Office; He did not know upon
what principle a man could be called upon to serve
the Crown gratis. He was favourable to the
system of competitive examination, but there were
instances in which it must be departed frcm. It
was absolutely essential that the French language
should be thoroughly understood by every man
entering the service, as that was the language of
diplomacy, no other being used. Great complaints
had been made of the inadequacy of the salaries
paid, which arose in some extent from the increased
price of provisions in all quarters of the globe.
He thought that a Minister or an attaché ought not
to be called on to expend any portion of his private
fortune in conducting the business of his office, but
at the same time he ought to be careful not to
allow the dignity of the Crown to suffer from any
inadequacy
of means to maintain it. With regard
to leave of absence, he strongly objected to the
system of making deductions from the salaries
while leave of absence was being enjoyed, always
supposing that a fair term were fixed for the
periodical absence of the diplomatic servant. As a
general rule he thought it unadvisable to change
Ministers abroad with the changes of Government,
except in the case of peers who were known to pro-
fess strong party views.

The Chairman—But would it be advisable to
employ a Minister in carrying out a set of opi-
nions diametrically opposed to those which he had
previously advocated ?
The Earl of Malmesbury—lf the change of Go-
vernment led to the adoption of a completely diffe-
rent policy, I think it would be a mistake not to
recal the Minister; but I' would only do so in
such a case. In such cases as China, Japan, and
Siam, I think young men should be sent out
with the view of becoming thoroughly acquainted
with the languages of those countries, and of
making the diplomatic service there a regular
profession. They should also be well paid,
or when they became really proficient they
would be readily snapped up by the mercantile firms
established there. With regard to the small Ger-
man missions, I think it of great advantage to the
public service that they should be maintained. At
present we have fewer missions of that sort than
either France or Russia.

By Mr. Layard—l think that an attache enter-
ing the service should have at least a salary of £2OO
a year. He might undergo a probationary period
of a year as an unpaid attache. I do not think that
an attaché ought to remain for four or five years at
the same post, but he should remain long enough
to learn the language and the social and political
condition of the country to which he is sent. An
attache ought to be sent to the smaller courts in the
first instance, and transferred to the larger courts
by way of promotion. I think there ought to be a
confidential clerk at each mission, who should be
there permanently as a sort of keeper of the archives,
to whom each new minister could refer for informa-
tion. He ought, of course, to have access to all the
public correspondence of the embassy.
By Mr. Seymour Fitzgerald—l do not think that
a first-class university man, or a man who has taken
a degree, ought to be required to undergo an ex-
amination in Latin, in the rudiments of geography,
and in other matters of which he must have pos-
sessed an adequate knowledge, or he never would-
have obtained a degree.
The committee then adjourned.