The Sun.
London, England, 1857-06-18 00:00:00

CHURCH RATES.

A deputation, consisting of members and friends of
the, Esi,..wished Church, fiad an interview with Viscount
Palmerston yesterday, and offered the following repre-
sentation with reference to projected legislation on
church rates :

" By a return laid befora Parliament in February of
this year, it is shown that the loss of revenue to the church
by the abolition of church rites may be estimated at about
350,0001. per annum.
" The returns recently laid before Parliament prove as
many as 9,672 parishes to have sent in replies to the ques-
tions transmitted to them. The replies may be divided
into the following classes :
"Parishes in which the church rate has been
granted
8,280

..'arishes in which there is a provision by
Church estates and otherwise .. 544
" Parishes which have given dubious replies ... 440
" Parishes which have refused church rates ... 408
" It appear; therefore, that the parishes which grant
the rate amount to more than 95 per cent, of the whole."
The deputation consisted of the Earl of Shaftesbury,
Mr. Mowbray, M.P., Mr. L. Wigram, M.P., Mr. J.
W. Dod, M.P., Mr. Packe, M.P., Mr. Child, M.P.,
Mr. J. C. Colquhoun' Lard Redesdale, Sir R. Gore
' Booth, M.P. Mr. H. Hoare, Mr. N. Kendall, M.P.,
Mr. R. B. Seeley, Mi. 'R. Spooner, M.P., Lord
Donoughtnore, Mr. Augustus Stafford, M.P., Mr. D.
Pugb, M.P., Lord Calthorpe, Mr. J. C. Traill, Mr.
Ottaway, Mr. J. M. Knott, the Marquis of Biandford,
Mr. Stafford O'Brien, M.P., Sir Wm. Vernon, M.P.,
Mr. S. Warren, M.P., Lord Ossulston, M.P., and Mr.
Braithwaite.

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.—The ensuing week will
present a succession of grand field days. The great at-
traction of "Don Giovanni" has necessitated an extra
night on Monday evening, the 22d, and on Tuesday
a tenor, Signor Belart, of whom we do not think
the less because his appearance has not been
preceded by a flourish of trumpets, will make his
first appearance. Wednesday morning is appointed for
Benedict's Second Musical Festival, at which the char-
mer, Piccolomini, will make her first appearance in
" English," by singing a ballad of our popular composer,
Belie. On Thursday, 25th, we are again to have the
immortal "Don Giovanni ' • and on Saturday, 27th, the
" Lucia di Lammermoor, which next to "Don Giovanni"
has, we believe, been the most successful opera of the
season. Nor does this extraordinary aeries of attractions
terminate with the week. Oa Monday morning, the
2flth, we are to have a morning performance, when, for
the accommodation of those that come great dis-
tances, an act of Sonnambula, with Alboni and Belart,
will be added to the already engrossing attraction
of " Don Giovanni," with Piccolomini, Spezia, Ortolani,
Beneventano, Belletti, Vialetti, Corsi, and Giuglini.
These morning performances may be reckoned among
the most important features of the present day, extend-
ing the luxury of the lyrical, drama to countless persons,
who have hitherto been debarred from participating in
its harmonising influence.
The condition of the discount-market has had an in-
fluence on Exchequer Bills, which have declined to a
point that will cause some of the holders of the June
descriptions to regret not having availed themselves of
the recent opportunity of claiming payment. The clos-
ing prices on Wednesday were sa. dis. to par.
DECUASE Or PAUPERISM.—A return, yesterday pub-
lished, shows that in every week of the quarter ended at
Lady-day last the number of paupers relieved in Eng-
land and Wales was less than in the corresponding
weeks of the quarter ended at Lady-day, 1856. The
difference varies from 1.6 to 3 8 per cent. in-doors, and
from 0.2 to 5.2 per cent, out-doors.
A LAB SHOT THROUGH A DOOR.—On Monday even-
ing, a lad of 13, James Barlow, was with other lads
amusing himself in his father's yard, Park-lane, Tipton,
by firing off a revolver pistol, Laded with lead bullets.
Making a target of the yard door leading into the public
road, young Barlow fired,- and the bullet went through
the door, and came in contact with the head of a little
boy named Isaiah Williams, aged six years, who was
playing in the street. On examination it was found
that the poor lad had sustained a fractured skull,
and that one of the arteries in the bead was
lacerated. The bullet was found in his clothes,
The hole in the door is said to have been
an inch long, and as perfectly clear as if it had been
bored. Young Barlow was of course very mnch agitated
when he beard of the occurrence, which seems to have
been purely accidental. The injured boy is going on
favourably, although his recovery is by no means certain.
—Birmingham Journal.
THE MAILS.— SOUTHAMPTON, Wednesday.— The
Royal Mail Company's steamship Parana, Captain
Bevie, hence to-day with the West India and Pacific
mails, 67 passengers, 30,000/. in specie, jewellery value
0,000/., and a full cargo. The Peninsular and Oriental
Company's steamship Sultan, Captain J. K. Joy, sailed
to-day with the Peninsular mails, 21 first and 10 second
class passengers (among whom are Lieutenant-Colonel
Lockhart, Lieutenant Newman, Dr. Somerville, and
Mrs. Crawford, for Gibraltar), specie value 88,0001. for
Lisbon and Cadiz, and a miscellaneous cargo of mer-
chandise. The United States' mail steamer Herman,
Captain E. Higgins, and the Vanderbilt steamer North
Star, Captain Lefevre, both left about 2 p.m. to-day for
New York, the former having 50 passengers and the
German, French, and English mails, and the latter
having two passengers from Southampton and 150 from
Bremen. The European and American Company's
steamship Calcutta, Captain Blackmore, also sailed this
afternoon for Antwerp, which she leaves on the Ist
proximo, and Southampton on the 4th, for Lisbon and
the Brazils. The Pera, Captain Soy, which leaves here
on Saturday with the India and China mails, will take
out about 100,000/. of specie, of which 17 waggons have
arrived from London to-day.
THE AUSTRALIAN AND NORTH AMERICAN MAILS.—
LIVERPOOL, Wednesday.—Three fine screw steamers, of
the collective burden of 8,000 tons, have taken their de-
parture from the Mersey this afternoon. The first to leave
the port was the Montreal Ocean Company's steamer
Indian, Capt. Jones, bound to Qiebec'and Montreal,
with the usual fortnightly mails for British America and
375 passengers. The Liverpool and New York Steam-
ship Company's vessel the City of Baltimore, Captain
Leitch, followed at 3.10 p.m,, conveying to New York
422 passengers and a ship mail for the United States. At
4 o'clock the Cunard Company's screw steamer Emeu,
-Capt. Small, started direct for Melbourne with 22 caoin
passengers and a very heavy ma'l for Australia, consist-
ing of 504 boxes, being the usual monthly mails for the
Antipodes. The Eineu is chartered by the European
and Australian Royal Mail Company to supply the place
of the Oneida between Melbourne and Suez; the latter '
vessel being now on her passage'to this country to repair
damage to machinery which she sustained in the Indian
Ocean in January last.
THE WEST INDlES.—Cossack, 20, screw, sailed from
Port Royal, May 20,. for England, via the Gulf of
Mexico. She brings home a party of the 36th Regiment,
there not being accommodation for the whole regiment
on board the transport; Victor, 6, screw, arrived at Port
Royal, on the evening of the 20th May, from the coast
of cube, and the Tartar, 20, screw, on the morning of
the 22d, from New Orleans, whither she conveyed the
filibusters, part of Walker's force. The officers of the
Tartar speak highly of the kindness shown them by the
Americans. Perseverance, screw troop ship, arrived at
Port Royal on the 22d ult., with troops ; Basilisk, 6
paddle, arrived at Port Royal, May 23d, and Pioneer,
6, screw, was expected the following day ; Tartar was
to proceed to Greytown, and Intrepid sailed for England
on the evening of the 231 ; Orion, 91, screw, was at
Carthagena.
A new prospectus has been issued of the Flax Mills
Company which was introduced some time back. The
proposed capital is 100,0001. in 201. shares, and the
board of directors is composed of influential and expe-
rienced agriculturists. The object is to promote flax
cultivation, by supplying the only want that has lately
prevented it from assuming the important place to which
it is entitled in the national industry—namely, that of
mills in suitable localities to convert the crop as har-
vested by the farmer into linseed oil, oil-cake, flax fibre,
and tow. The chief support of the scheme is anticipated
to be obtained from the landed interest. Not more than
a fourth of the capital is to be called up until experience
shall have demonstrated its utility.
ARTERIAL DRAINAGE IN IRELAND.—The grand total
amount of expenditure on arterial drainage in Ireland,
up to the date of the final award, is 926,1061., including
the sum of 122,170/.' the amount of awards made final
between the 31st of December last and the date of the
return. The total amount charged under the final
awards to proprietors, owners, and counties is 565,6801.
This and other particulars are embodied in a return
moved fot by Lord Dundari,