The Sun.
London, England, 1857-04-06 00:00:00

TILE SOUND DUES.

Subjoined is the translated copy of a circular
issued by the Sound Custom-house :
In accordance with a treaty signed on the 14th
inst. by his Majesty's Government and the diplo-
matic agents of divers foreign powers, relating to
the abolition of the Sound and Belt dntic', so that
their being levied as a source of revenue by this
country shall cease from the Ist of April next ; and
further, in conformity with a protocol signed at the
same time, whereby it is declared that the Danish
government is entitled provisionally and as security
for the duties which she, by treaty, has consented
to abolish, until the conditions contained in sec-
tions 7 and S are fulfilled by all the contracting
powers, his Danish Majesty's Government has
hereby resolved, in order to relieve trade and ship-
ping as much as possible from unnecessary deten-
tion, to limit these guarantee arrangements as fol-
lows, viz. :
Until the Government of any of the contracting
powers has fulfilled the said articles of the treaty,
shall the dues continue to be calculated on the
ships and cargoes of the vessels of such nations as
may be passing through the Sound or Belts, with-
out, however, the actual deposit of such dues being
demanded. The captains' personal report and
production of the ships' papers will nevertheless be
required in this stadium.
Should, however, the master of a vessel passing
through the Sound under these circumstances desire
the papers which he has handed in for the regula-
tion of these charges to be returned to him, he must
apply directto the Custom-house authorities ashore
at the Sound Custom-house, or else on board the
guardship, where authorised parties will be sta-
tioned for that purpose, and as soon as the dues are
calculated, as also the below-mentioned declaration
been duly signed by the captain, a written attesta-
tion will then be given him of his having reported
himself, and he can then proceed without further
hindrance on his voyage.
Should the shipmaster, on the contrary, not re-
quire to have his papers returned to him, and for
this purpose it will be desirable that he be furnished
with duplicate sets, and in such cases where his
papers are accompanied by the below-mentioned
declaration, it will be allowed him (without any
expense however to the Danish Government)to send
his papers direct to the Sound Custom-house or to
the guardship, and then to proceed without further
delay on his voyage, unless he should require a
certificate of having reported.
Should the shipmaster (which, however, as a
general rule, would not be advisable) desire to have
his papers sent after him, he must in such cases, in
writing and with care, denote his address and place
of destination, and one will then doubtless with
success, Consul, obtain your assistance for the ships
of your nation, in receiving papers from the cus-
tom-house, and seeing that they arc forwarded to
their destination.
The above-mentioned declaration, which the
shipmaster will have to sign, will be as follows :
I, the undersigned N.N., master of the vessel
N.N., of the burthen of N.N., belonging to N.N.,
under to-day's date passing the Sound on her pas-
sage from N.N. to the port of N.N. with a cargo
consisting of N.N., hereby declare most con-
scientiously to have given a true and faithful
report over my whole cargo ; and further, I bind
myself in the case that the treaty signed on the
14th of March of the present year, relating to
the abolition of the Sound and Belt duties, be not
ratified, then to pay without demur to his Danish
Majesty's Sound Custom-house the dues and charges
that might legally be due thereon, according to the
hitherto acknowledged treaties, on this my present
voyage.
Silely in the latter case can I then be entitled to
the hitherto customary primage.
The 1857,

(Signed) N.N., Master of the Vessel N.N.
Blank forms of these declarations in different
languages will be procurable at the Sound Custom-
house.

As soon, on the other hand, as any of the foreign
governments in question has fulfilled the conditions
of the treaty, will the proof of the vessel's nationality
solely be required, and his Majesty's authorities
will feel bound, as far as lies in their power, to
carry on this arrangement without obliging the
captains to come on shore. The hoisting of the
national flag and the production of the ship's regis-
ter will be sufficient.

I flatter myself, Consul, that in the interests of
the vessels of your nation, you will afford your
assistance under these circumstances, and beg you
to receive the assurance, &c.
Elsinore, 29th March, 1857.
(Signed) OLRIK, pro tern. Dir.
To Consul

THE ELECTIONS IN SCOTLAND.

ROSS-SHIRE.

The nomination for the county of Ross took
place at Dingwall on Thursday. There was no op-
position to Sir J. Matheson. The hon. baronet
was proposed by Mr. D. MUNRO and seconded by
Mr. C. MUNRO.

Mr. J. MATHESON, in returning thank?, said,
he had been the representative of principles which
had now become established in the political and
social economy of the nation, and never had the
nation been so prosperous as it was at the present
moment. "Of the soundness of these principles,"
he said, "every succeeding year gives fresh confir-
mation in the unexampled prosperity of agricul-
ture and the rapid advance of agricultural improve-
ment, in the vast expansion of our commerce, un-
interrupted even by the exigencies of the late gigan-
tic war, and in the elevai ed position which our coua-
tryoccupies among the nations ofthe earth. It is satis-
factory to reflect that the voice of the country, so
unequivocally pronounced in the elections that have
hitherto taken place, affords an assurance that Mi-
nisters will now be enabled to persevere in the
course of policy and cautious reform which already
proved so beneficial to the country, and which is
now indispensable not only to our further advance,
but even to the maintenance of the high position
we have attained. (Cheers.) And it must never
be forgotten that go: d government is dependent
entirely on the sound discretion and good judgment
of the electors, for no Ministry, however able and
however honest, can act with efficiency or maintain
their places unless supported by the voice of the
people. (Cheers.) In looking forward to the future,
he must candidly state that he did not think,
whatever might be the ardent desires of some public:
men, that any material change in the present re-
presentative system wiis called for beyond apply-
ing a remedy to such anomalies as have been
proved to exist. He was an advocate for reform
proceeding hand in hand with the education of the
people ; and if this were done, reforms gained
would be safe and permanent. But if education
were not the basis, no change could be for the
public good. With regard to the hostilities in
China, had he been present in Parliament at the
time of the late division, he should have given his
hearty vote for Lord Palmerston, and against the
very unpatriotic opposition by which he was
assailed. He would continue to give a general
support to Lord Palmerston, but yet would act
quite an independent part, and on all occasions
seek to promote the public good. (Cheers.)