The Sun.
London, England, 1859-09-07 00:00:00

THE GREAT EASTERN IS OFF,

Before very much longer the Leviathan will be
upon the waters of the great deep—away, first of
all, upon her brief experimental trip, from our own
Portland round to Holyhead—and then away
across the broad Atlantic to the harbour of Port-
land, U.S. It was not until half-past seven o'clock
this morning that the Great Eastern at length ac-
tually left her moorings, for the first time, to work
her way down the few devious windings of the
river, the difficulties of which had to be threaded
before the monster steam ship could at length find
herself fairly afloat upon the billows of the Channel.
Assisted in her progress down the Thames, this fore-
noon, by her four powerful steam-tugs—two ahead
and two astern—the noble ship ploughed her way
steadily on by the alternate action (sometimes by
the simultaneous action) of her gigantic paddle-
wheels and her enormous screw propeller. Off
Greenwich—off Woolwich—the good ship " shoul-
dered on" as irresistibly as any nautical Stryver of
the pre-Adamite creation! Among the whales no
less than among the minnows of naval archi-
tecture encountered upon her course—the very
ichthyosaurns or pterodactyl! Latterly, we
observe among the arrangements announced in re-
gard to the intended movements of The Great
Eastern, no further mention whatever of any pro-
jected excursion across the British Channel to the
great French seaport, harbours and arsenals of
Cherbourg. Abundant time yet remains, however,
for the realisation of that, among other rumoured
episodes in the earlier career of this modern Behe-
moth. First of all, after getting safely round to
the Nore, the Great Eastern is to hold a series of
her monster levees at Portland, our own little so-
called " island" (but in reality miniature peninsula)
of Portland "on or about the 9th to the 15th,"
according to the lax, but, of course, as yet neces-
sarily lax, wording of the advertisement. It is
therein and thereafter announced that she will
then leave Weymouth on her trial trip, " which,"
says the same programme, " it is proposed shall not
seeupy more than three days"—the Great Eastern
closing that small initial sea-voyage by returning
to Holyhead. Supposing her to start punctually
upon this trial trip from Portland, near
Weymouth and Alelcombe Regis, "on the 17th
instant," according to another and more explicit
advertised announcement—and supposing her to
occupy ao more than the three days intended to be
occupied in this said trial trip terminating at
Holyhead—we should have the Great Eastern put-
ting into the last-mentioned port not later than
the twentieth of this present month of September.
Nine days would then elapse previous to her quit-
ting those shores of old England at Holyhead upon
her first voyage across the Atlantic—the voyage
having Portland, in the United States, as the des-
tination. Throughout one entire week, namely,
from the 20th to the 26th, visitors will
be received on board at Holyhead for
the purposes of that general inspection which
already, we rejoice to know, has proveed so emi-
nently remunerative. Then the last exhibition day
being over—" Passengers, parcels, and letters will
be received on board, at Holyhead, on Tuesday the
7th, and Wednesday the 28th instant." And then
- —and then—why GOD speed the great ship across
tl'ie deep waters upon that first momentous voyage
of hers, beginning on Thursday, the 29th of Sep-
tember !

Mut before that interesting date can arrive there
will be ample time, as we have seen, for a " look
in 'at Cherbourg ! Not to do so, not to make that
episodical trip, would be a lost opportunity. The
Grea t -Eastern should pay our gallant allies that
great compliment. She should give the French
a polite taste of her quality. It would be a coup
de grat7e at the present moment not wholely inop-
portune. The Russians have had a peep at the
beautiful monster, through the keenly observant

eyes of their representative, the General-Admira,

H. I• B. the Archduke CONSTANTINE. Might not
the Cheat 'Eastern afford the opportunity for a simi-
lar inlspectiolii—Eby going to Cherbourg] —to another
Gene ral Admiral, H. I. H. the old Prince JEROME

the a Illy surviving brother of the Great NAPOLEON ?
(TV QUEEN Witnessed the inauguration of the
4 stupendous maritime works of the French at Cher-
.
tourg, It were appropriate that there, too, a
prineof the house of BONAPARTE might be en-
- Abled to examine in the Great Eastern a matchless
s peeimen of English enterprise—an
unequalled
e xample of our genius in maritime engineering
a nd, 'whether considered in regard to daring or in
Tard,to skill, a wholly unparalleled achievement
in he history of naval architecture.

verything goes on swimmingly in Italy for the
prese sit. The only doubt is how far the people will
be all towed free scope. If Austria be listened to,
and I ter tendencies respected, then all is up, and
war to , the knife must solve the question of freedom
or sla very. We hope for the sake of humanity
that Et rich a grievous destiny may be averted.
At -13ologna th►s National Assembly have unani-
mously asserted their independence of the Papal
authority, deciding at the same time that the
abuses of the Pontificial rule should not be debated
upon. IL . this, we think, they have acted with a
Wise mode cation. Let the past be forgiven, though

it cannot be forgotten. The Assembly voted
unanimously the annexation of the Romagna to
Piedmont, amidst the universal joy of the inhabi-
tants.

News from Berne, of this day's date, assert that
the Castle of Ahrenberg has been prepared for the
reception of the Emperors of FRANCE and AUSTRIA,
where a personal interview is said to be arranged
for the settlement of the Italian question. That
may be so ; but their second meeting will not be
like that at Villafranca, for lei them arrange as
they may, other people will now take the matter up.
The world was not made for two men to settle its
future fate, however great and despotic their power
may be. Italy has been trodden under foot too
long; and now that the people are up and doing for
themselves it is rather too late in the day for either
or both of the late belligerent Emperors to ignore

;he opinion of Europe in matters that concern

its peace and future welfare. We hope the Em-
peror NAPOLEON sees that a moderate course will
serve his own interests best, and that he will bide
his timo for a more fitting opportunity to obtain a
kingdom for his cousin. There is such a thing as
grasping at too much and losing all. Let him
beware. As for the Emperor of AUSTRIA he is
past all prudential reserve. The curse of the
Bourbons is upon him and all of his kidney.

Lord RADSTOCK and Mr. DANA have at length
received a very brief reply, quite in the style,
of the great free-trader himself. Mr. WILKIN-
SON, late of Lambeth, writes to inform Mr. COB-
DEN that, contrary to the opinion expressed by the
latter at Rochdale, large boroughs were as venal in
their way as small ones. He spoke from experi-
ence of both. He had failed at Reigate, he had
failed at Lambeth, and the losing man generally
understands best the cause of his less; and we have
been informed that the Ballot Society always re-
ceives a considerable accession of subscribers after
each general election. Honourable candidates who
fail to become honourable members, being generally
very keen-sighted detectors of the causes of defeat.
Mr. WILKINSON found that not only at Reigate
was a potent local influence far too strong for a
candidate, better liked politically, to resist, but that
in such a borough as Finsbury or Marylebone, he
spares Lambeth, the candidate who would open. a
couple of hundred of public-houses, and hire an
army of canvassers, would always be opposed in
vain by the man who could not afford or would not
condescend to such means.

Mr. COBDEN observes, in reply, that it is im-
portant to know the extent of the evils to be cor-
rected, and on which Mr. WILKINSON'S experience
is calculated to throw light. But forthwith he
turns to those who triumph in the old Massa-
chusetts facts, reproduced by Mr. DANA for
the instruction of Lord RADSTOCK ; who, the
facts being seven or eight years old, was
then in his teens, and of course knew but

little of Massachusetts and the Ballot. Mr. COB-
DEN'S answer to those who exult in the resuscita-
tions of Mr. DANA and Lord RADSTOCK is—"find
me a dozen sane men in the FREE STATES of Ame-
rica who would exchange their mode of voting for

ours."

By the way, this reminds us of a trick of our op-
ponents which deserves exposure. They would re-
ply to Mr. COBDEN, yes ; but the American ballot
is no ballot in your sense. It is not a secret ballot.
It is, at best, but optionally secret. You have no
right to justify your demand for a compulsory
secret ballot by an appeal to America. Yet these
very gentlemen, when we demand a secret ballot,
taunt us with the silly sneer of Americanising our
institutions. Now, let them choose their alterna-
tive. It would be a wretched argument, at best,
that we were learning something from the experi-
ence of five and twenty millions of our own race,
inheritors of our freedom, our laws, and our lan-
guage ; but, such as it is, it cannot be urged
against us, in the same breath, by those
who tell us that the ballot we ask is not
an American institution. The truth is that,
in the agricultural States, where every far-
mer is a landlord, the independence is so complete
that few need secrecy, or care about it ; but that in
Massachusetts, as Mr. COBDEN remarks, where a
large portion of the people are engaged in trade
and manufactures, the demand for an improved
ballot has arisen, and has been partially successful.
But Mr. COBDEN—so inveterately practical is
he—gives all the young Radstocks and all the old
anti-Ballotists a fair challenge. He has an answer
once for all, to all those who triumph in the DANA-
RADSTOCK letters—" Give me a trial of the ballot
ir one election, for one election in any large
borough in this country, and I will undertake to
devise a plan which shall secure complete protection
to the voter." But, asks the good-natured politi-
cian, in the manner in which he used to put sly
questions to the Tory Lords and Squires at public
meetings—" Will this really commend the Ballot
to the favour of those who are now parading the
want of secrecy in the United States !" We fancy
the American Ballot, according to their own de-
scription of it, would be far preferable in their eyes.

But Mr. COBDEN makes the anti-BallotiAs yet
another offer, one in which he backs his opinions
under a very heavy forfeit, indeed. " Grant me the
one borough, and one trial in it," he says, " and if,
after one such trial, a constituency voluntarily re-
solves to abandon the orderly, peaceful, moral
ballot, and return to our present mode of taking the
poll, I will engage to accept their decision, and to
say no more on the subject during the rest of my
political l ife ."
Now there is a fair challenge from one held
worthy by the present Premier of a post in his
Cabinet—a challenge to him, to Lord JOHN RUS-
SELL, and to all the Reformers, especially, in the
Cabinet. Why should they refuse this frank,
manly demand from the representative of an un-
deniably large section, of the Liberals ? Here, now,
are the Metropolitan boroughs, Birmingham, Man-
chester, all of which places have long returned
members who have engaged to vote for the Ballo+.
Now then, take them at their word. Bid each of
them try it next time. Let them try it on the
simple plan of New South Wales, or any simpler
plan, if that.be possible, devised by Mr. COBDEN
and the friends of the Ballot. Then let us hear
the verdict of each town in a town's meeting. We
have repeatedly made the demand now made by
the great Free-trader, the refuser of a seat in the
Cabinet and of a " Right Honourable." We must
hold those who reject such a request as guilty of
dreading electoral order, morality, purity, and in-
dependence. Otherwise they could not shrink from
a few fair trials. Lord JOHN RUSSELL may con-
sent to offer what he pleases, but if he will consent
to no fair trial of the Ballot in a few constituencies
we tell hire, frankly, we think we should carry a
better Reform Bill under Lord DERBY.

We have more than compensation for the lite
sudden change in the temperature. The last
weekly report made by the Registrar-General as
to o the Health i
of the metropolis, is full at once of
n and encouragement. According to
consolation
:lth
these consolatory' statistics the mortality during
this past week is not only below the average, but
considerably below it. Whereas that mortality
was actually between 2,000 and 3,000 in the cot.

responding week both in 1849 and 1854—the
registered deaths have amounted to no more than
1,047 during the week just ended on the 3d of Sep-
tember. Excluding the years of epidemic cholera
from the calculation, this is actually, as the Re-
gistrar-General observes, seventy-six less than the
average, that average number being 1,123—
seventy-six even when the calculations are cor-
rected for increase of population. It does certainly
occur to us that the Registrar-General overlooks,
perhaps, in this gratifying deduction, that with a
positive and, so to speak, permanent increase of
population, there is about this season, in the metro-
polis and its suburbs, a no less positive, though of
course merely temporary, decrease of popula-
tion. London, in fact is just now " out of
Town" scattered to the seaside, voyaging Up the
Rhine, straggling through Fraice and Switzer-
land. The West End is for the most part deserted.
Pall-mall is so much of a solitude, even at noontide,
that its pavements might almost tempt the foot-
steps of the ghost of ZlMMERMAN—supposing thal
mournful shade to be still " walking" its rounds in
beatific isolation. However this may be, however
much London may be emptying itself of its popu-
lation, more and more freely every succeeding
autumn by means •of railway, and highroad,
and steam-packet—the fact, the consolatory,
encouraging and incontrovertible fact still remains
as the Registrar-General has stated it, that whereas
in the corresponding weeks of 1849 and 1854 be-
tween 2,000 and 3,000 of the London population
died, the registered deaths in the m etropolis amounted
to no more than 1,047 in the week ending on
this last 3d of September ! That to reiterate a
statement that is really worthy of being repeated—
after excluding the years of epidemic cholera, we
have had seventy-six less than the average number
of deaths—and this though the average number has
been corrected for increase of population.

THE CASE OF DR. SMETHURST.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—Will you kindly allow me, through the
medium of your columns, to correct a statement in
several papers ? It is asserted that—
"Dr. Julius and Mr. Bird yesterday waited on
the Home Secretary with the view of undoing the
effect of their evidence against Dr. Smethurst.
They represented to the right hon. gentleman that
they chiefly grounded their conviction of the guilt
of the prisoner on the evidence of Dr. Taylor rela-
tive to the finding of arsenic in certain evacuations
of Miss Bankes; whereas it is now ascertained that
the arsenic so discovered came from the impure re-
agents which were employed as tests of the pre-
sence of poison in the lady's body. We further
understand that the two medical gentlemen in
question are most anxious to relieve themselves, by
this course, from the moral responsibility which
they had incurred by the criminating nature of the
evidence they gave on Dr. Smethurst's trial."
In reply to the above, I beg to state that I was
requested to attend at the office of Messrs. Symes,
Teesdale, and Co., the solicitors for the prosecution,
to answer certain questions, I believe suggested by
the Home Secretary, and my answers were corrobo-
rative of the evidence I gave on the trial ; and I
can truly say that neither Mr. Bird nor myself feel
any desire to be relieved from a responsibility which
has unavoidably been incurred by the discharge of
a most painful duty to society and to ourselves as
conscientious men. And I would also add that our
opinions as to the cause of Miss Bankes's death
have not been in the slightest degree shaken.
I am, sir, yours obediently,
FREDERIC G. JULIUS.
Old Palace, Richmond, Sept. 6.

PORTSMOUTH, Wednesday Morning.—The Ge-
neral Admiral, with the Grand Duke Constantine
on board, sailed for Cronstadt at seven o'clock this
morning. The Perseverance has arrived from the
Cape. Her dates are anticipated by the mail
steamer.

It is said that the India Council made a further
loan yesterday of about £400,000 for several weeks at 2 per
cent. _ .

vV
A further sum of £64,000 in Australian gold
went into the Bank yesterday. The £145,000 in American
gold by the Arabia and City of Manchester has been taken
for the Continent. £37,000 brought by the Hammonia, has
not vet been dealt with.
Its Excellency Major-General Sir Henry C.
Rawlinson, K.C.8., the newly-accredited Minister to the
Court of Persia, left yesterday for his post, accompanied by
Dr. Dickson, attached to her Majesty's Legation at Te-
heran.
REPAVING OF LUDGATE-HlLL.—Yesterday morn-
ing the workmen were busily engaged in taking up the
pavement on Ludgate-hill, which will be repavel with new
granite stones and iron gutters.
The French Emperor has recently awarded a
medal of honour to Captain Paul, Commander of the South-
Eastern Company's steampacket Lord Warden, plying be-
tween Folkestone and Boulogne, for having gallantly
rescued the crew of a French fishing boat in distress in the
month of November last. _ _ _

SOUTHAMPTON, Sept. 6.—The North German
Lloyd screw steamship New York, Captain 11. J. Von
Santen, sailed hence this afternoon, en route to New York
from Bremen. She has 810 tons of cargo and 654 pas-
sengers (of whom about 500 are steerage), being the
largest number which has ever left a German port in one
ship.
THE AUSTRALIAN MAlLS.—Yesterday notice was
issued at the chief Post-office, St. Martin's le-Grand, that
the mails saved fro:e the mail steampacket Northam,
wrecked in the Red Sea on her passage from Australia,
would arrive in _London via Marseilles on the 12th inst.,
and be delivered on that day. The heavy portion of these
mails will reach the metropolis via Southampton on the
18th inst.

THE OPERA AT FLORENCE.—Miss Anna Whitty,
who made her debut at Mr. Benedict's recent concert, has
left England to occupy the position of prima donna at the
Florence Opera-house.
SINGULAR ACCIDENT AND FORTUNATE ESCAPE.
—On Monday evening an accident of a very singular cha-
racter occurred near the Portslade ' station to a railway
guard, named Price, the guard of the 6.30 p.m. short train
from Littlehampton to Brighton. It appears that when ho
left Portslade he had turned the handle of the door, but the
door was not shut, and shortly afterwards, on leaning
against it, it gave way, and he was precipitated upon the
embankment. The engine was immediately sent back frorh
Brighton, and he was [found not very much hurt although
considerably shaken.—Sussex Advertiser.
WAGES IN DORSETSHIRE.—At the Wimborne
petty sessions, last week, a case occurred which painfully
illustrates the condition of the Dorsetshire peasantry.
George Frampton,• a labourer, was charged with being in
possession of a hare which he had caught while he was at
work in a harvest field. A nominal fine of ls., but a real
mulct of 12s. costs, were inflicted upon him ; but, inasmuci
as it was stated that he had a wife and five children, and
that his wages:were only Bs. a week, a fortnight was allowed
him in which to pay the money.
SUNDAY BANDS IN THE PARKS.—The, fourth
season of these bands terminated on Sunday last. The
music was enjoyed by very large and perfectly orderly
audiences, the greatest number assembled being in the
Regent's-park.
SINGULAR DEATH.—On Sunday Mrs. Price, the
wife of the landlord of the Crooked Billet, Ash-next-Sand-
wich, was sitting in her room, when a vein in her leg, near
the ancle, burst. Medical aid was speedily sent for, but in
seven minutes she was dead. Mr. Delasaux held an in-
quiry into the case yesterday.—Kentish Gazette.
DISINTERESTED BENEVOLENCE.—An application
was made last week to the City Act Committee of Bath on
behalf of the Licensed Victuallers' Asseciation of that place,;
for a site on which to erect a public cold water drinking
fountain. The mayor supported the application, and a
committee was appointed to inspect a site which was named
and report upon it.
FLOGGING IN THE HOUSE OF CORRECTION
'COLDBATH. FIELDS.—The punishment of flogging has, we
understand, been resorted to somewhat frequently lately in
the House of Correction, Coldbath-fields. On Friday last
a prisoner was tied up and had three dozen lashes inflicted
upon him, by order of the visiting justices, for having
thrown a cell -4 at one of the officers.

CARRIAGE ACCIDENT IN CORNHlLL.—Yesterctay
afternoon a brougham and a cart came into violent collision
in Cornhill, causing the driver of the former to be com-
pletely pitched from his seat to the ground, where he lay'
stunned and insensible for upwards of ten minutes. Such
was the force with which the two vehicles came into con-
tact, that one of the mainsprings of the carriage was corn-
pletely smashed, and it was only by the aid of tying with
ropes, &c., that it was enabled to proceed.
THE STRIKE IN THE BIRMINGHAM GUN TRADE.
—The strike of the " screwers" employed by the Birmino•-•
ham contractors for small arms for the Government has
been settled by arbitration. This took place on Monday
afternoon, and occupied several hours ; the result of the
award was that the men are to receive the amount they
demanded (4s. 6d.) for the partiCular class of work of the
constabulary gun.
A letter from Cherbourg announces the arrival
there, on the 2d inst., of the sailing frigate Cleopatre, boat -
ing the flag of Admiral Penaud, coming from Stt Pierre,
Newfoundland, whence she sailed on the 18th of August.
This frigate is to be laid up and replaced by the steam fri-
gate Bellone, of 200 -horse powe. Admiral Penaud will
hoist his flag on the Bellone, and return with her to New-
foundland. He came to France to relieve the crew of the.
Cleopatre, who had served for several ycaus in the. West
Indies, andi he took advantage of the opportunity to quit the
West Indies during the great heats.
The lest advices from Havannah mention that a
general meeting of the shareholders of a company, with a
capital of £lOO,OOO, for promoting the growth of cotton in
Cuba, was to take place the day after the packet sailed.
The quality of the cotton produced is described to be supe-
rior to that of the United States, and the crop is free from
the vicissitudes of climate experienced in Louisiana. It is
also asserted to be more productive than sugar, tobacco, or
any other article grown in the island. The formation of
the company is owing to the constant exertions of Mr.
Crawford, the British Consul-General at Havannah, and
the utmost protection of the Spanish Government has been
secured for its operations. The shares are of £5O, or 250
do's. each, and the directors appear to be capitalists, and
practical agriculturists of great respectability.