The Sun.
London, England, 1857-04-02 00:00:00

THE SUN,' LONTON, IMURSDAY EVENING, APRIL 2, 1857

noble men were many of theta too. Then Mr.
DISRAELI himself owns that France, as a nation,
prefers, at least for the present, an Imperial
regime ; hence the indifference to the dismissal of
the Assembly. Had the Assembly and the Presi•
dent appealed to the country on equal terms,
however, the indifference would have appeared
'much less. It was awkward to vote against kalf
a million of soldiers when their master held the
ballot box in one band and the keys of a prison in
the other.

But the last step is the greatest ; that
what France did England would do. Indeed !
—would Louis NAPOLEON himself say so ? Could
the best usurper, could even a CROMWELL, get
a majority here by fair means ? Dictation—as
Manchester and London are witnesses—is just the
last thing an Englishman will stand. Had Louis
NAPOLEON tried his experiment here he would
have been assuredly blackballed from John
of Groat's House to Land's End.

No, au Englishman, as tho rule, is a very
common-sense man when he comes to act, and to
act from his own judgment alone, no one compel-
ling him. Jomc B!TLL'S instinct is very strong
against all that is unfair, but give him fair play,
and ho is the least revolutionary mortal upon
earth. Our belief is that the Ballot would make
too little difference,—that so strong is the practi-
cal preference of the many for " their betters" that
property and intelligence would, even under the
Charter itself would keep much about its present
political position. Mr. DISRAELI and his coadju-
tors would still be members for Bucks. The Sir
JOHNS and Sir HARRYS would still represent the
counties, and commercial ability would be the
qualification for our large towns.

We can easily imagine the astonishment which
an intelligent French gentleman must have felt
at witnessing an Election scene in England. His
first impression would certainly be that " they
manage these things better in France." In his
own country there might be some degree of bustle
and excitement ; but there would be none of the
gross personalities or insulting allusions to an un-
popular candidate. The authoritie's would afford
ample protection to every person in any de-
gree concerned, whether as candidate, elector,
or spectator. But such protection could not be
required. "The Ballot," enabling every elector
to record his vote without being subjected to any
improper influence, would suffice. It would not
be the interest of any person to indulge in vitupe-
ration, or to insult others. It is not a French
theory that the Non-Electors, who are not them-
selves deemed worthy of the suffrage, should con-
trol their more fortunate fellow-citizens.

M. ALEXANDRE D URA S, jun., gives a graphic
description of a Metropolitan Election. He ought,
however, to have gone further, and to have wit-
nessed a contest in some provincial borough,
where an infuriated mob made themselves masters,
of the position, and the authorities were utterly
incapable of protecting her MAJESTY'S subjects
from violence and outrage. In Southwark the
police were sufficiently strong to arrest any
person committing a breach of the peace :
noise and badinage were the only means re-
sorted to. Bludgeons, brickbats, stones, tisc., were
used in other places by some of those who did
not consider " their sweet voices" sufficiently
potent to give expression to their displeasure. In
'Kidderminster, the Gentleman placed at the head
of the poll by a triumphant majority, was brutally
assailed, and severely injured. He might have been
murdered, with several of his friends, but for the
shelter afforded by a gentleman in the neighbour-
hood, who fearlessly admitted the fugitives, and
shut out their fierce assailants. It is positively
asserted that during the polling, the non-electors
were informed that the only chance of success for
their favourite depended ou their excrtions ; in other
words, on their intimidating the voters from acting
in obedience to their own conscientious impressions.
We believe that proceedings, at least as unjusti-
fiable as those at Kidderminster, took place in other
districts, and that the local authorities candidly
confessed their inability to afford protection to
parties desirous of appearing at the hustings—
that scenes of "lynching" occurred that might
put to shame any of those recorded in the Slave
StAtes of America, it not being deemed sufficient
to warn off the party without inflicting consi•
derable violence.

We certainly cannot speak highly of the " Eng-
lish Institution," that leads to such results, or
admire the system. It is true that the country
goes on without revolution. Bat surely such
atrocities are not the " safety valves" that have
preserved the State machine. We should endea..
your to get rid of the reproach to which the
British name has been subjected, and with too
much reason. Nor should we allow despots and
the friends of despotism to point to such scan-
dalous scenes as adequate reasons for maintain-
ing restrictions inimical to freedom. Liberty
may be enjoyed without its degenerating
into licentiousness. Nor should a reckless mob
be permitted to set aside all the ordinary decen-
cies of life. Candidates and parties are afraid to
put the law into operation lest they might become
unpopular. But the magistrates should take care
to prevent anarchy, or even excess. The freedom
of election cannot require or justify insult or in-
jury to a-ey of her INlAJzsTr's subjects, or any
strangers who may be desirous of witnessing an
English Election.

1857.
The followicg is the House List of Governors and
Directors of the Bank of England for the year enmirg,
viz, :

•
Sheffield Neav FOR
e, GOVERNORS.
, Governor.
Banamy Dobree, Esq q.., Deputy-Governor.
FOR DIRECTORS.
Thomas Baring, Esq. Kirkman Danl, Hodgson, Esq,
Henry Wollaston Blake, Esq. Henry Lanneelot Holland,Esq.
Travers Buxton, Esq. Jno. Gollibmnd Hubbard, Esq.
Edward Henry Chapman, Esq. Thomas Newman Hunt, Esq,
Robt. Wigram Crawford, Esq. Alfred Latham, Esq.
William Cotton, Esq. George Lyall, Esq.
Benjamin Buck Greene, Esq. Thomas Masterman, Esq.
Charles Pascoe Grenfell, Esq. Alexander Matheson, Esq.
Henry Hucks Gibbs, Esq. James Morris, Esq.
Thomson Hankey, Esq. George Warde Norman, Esq.
John Oliver Hanson, Esq. Thomas Charles Smith, Esq.
John Benjamin Heath, Esq. Thos. Matthias Weguelin, Esq.
*N.B.—The gentleman against whose name an
asterisk is placed is a new candidate for the Direction.
The election for Governor and Deputy-Governor will
be held at the Bank on Tuesday, the 14th April, and
for Directors on Wednesday, the 15th April, from ten
o'clock in the forenoon till four in the afternoon.

MR. COBDEN FOR ROXBURGHSHIRE.—A meeting of
the Liberal electors of Ilawick was called in the Town
Hal on Monday, at five o'clock, for the purpose of ex-
pressl ing their disappointment at the Manchester and
Huddersfield constituencies rejecting the free-trade can-
didates, ar.d for the purpose of inviting Mr. Cobden to
come forward for E',oxburglishire.—Edinburgh Express.
FT.NSBURY ELECTION.-At a numerous meeting of
el:lotors of the borough of Finsbury, it was moved that
the requisite steps be taken for prosecuting a petitilm
before the House of Commons against the return of Mr.
Cox.

ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS.—The following gen-
tlemen having undergone the necessary examinations for
the diploma, were admitted members of the college at the
meeting of the Court of Examiners on the 27thult. :
Messrs. G. Wallis, Cambridge ; J. Tatham, Burton in
Lonedale, Yorkshire ; J. G. Blackall, Exeter ; R. J.
Sprakeling, Canterbury ; T. Jones, Pencoyd, Hereford
iire R. Goodall, Seabridge, Newcastle, Staffordshire ;
R. Knaggs, Huddersfield; A. Whitefield, Devon ; J. J
Beer, Deal ; H. Rees, Carnarvon ; W. Croome, army.
The following gentlemen were admitted members on the
30th ult.:—lVlem9rB. I. D. Ward, Clifton, near York
\V- L. Baker, Newton Abbot, Devon ; J. Littlewood,
liampole, Doncaster; A. Ardagh, Barrie, Canada West;
3:_li_V.etKhe.rl3inaultlonan Lore, Falmouth ; J. H. Barnes, Westminster
Urihthaltaic Hospital ; R. D. Blucke, Brighton ; and J.
--4mPlugh-hall, Cumberland._

LATEST NEWS.

THE OVERLAND MAIL.

We (Times) have received our private corres-
pondence from Bombay of the sth March ; Cal-
cutta, 23d Feb. ; and Hong Kong,llsth Feb.

CHINA.

HONG KONG, FEB. 15.
The steamer Cadiz arrived here on the Ist inst.,
bringing English news to the 10th of December.
Via Calcutta, we have telegraphic news from Eng-
land to the 26th of December. The Cadiz leaves
to-day with the outward mails.
Since we wrote to you on the 30th ult. occur-
rences have been unimportant.
Allum's trial commenced on the 2d instant, and,
after an investigation which lasted five days, he
obtained a verdict by a majority of the jury of
" Not guilty."
The evidence is given at full length in the local
papers. It was chiefly circumstantial, and although
it did not prove sufficient to lead to a conviction, a
strong feeling exists as to the guilt of the principal
parties tried. The case was ably conducted on the
part of the Crown by the Attorney-General, the
Hon. Mr. Anstey.
On the prisoners leaving the Court-house, they
were re-apprehended as suspicious characters under
a late Government notification, and Allum, we
believe, is to be detained in the meantime.
At Hong Kong all remains quiet. The addition
to the forces that has lately taken place has allayed
any uneasiness that previously existed in case the
place should be attacked by the Chinese. The pri-
vate steamer Sir James Brooke arrived here on the
31st ult., taken up by the Government of Singa-
pore, and brought on from the Straits about 210
men of the 29th and 38th Regiments Madras Native
Infantry (Major Cazalet, Commander), and some
gun Lascars and Madras artillerymen.
Her Majesty's sloop Elk, 12 guns, and brig
Camilla, 16 guns, arrived here on the 10th inst.
The Company's steamer Auckland is also here.
The United States steamer San Jacinto and
sloop Levant are still in harbour.
The French mail steamer Catinat has gone on a
cruise. The Virginie went out, we believe, in coi
sequence of advices being received of a disaster to
the French ship Anais, with Coolies on board. The
vessel loft Swatow on the 29th ult., bound for Ha-
vanuah. The following day the Coolies rose, mur-
dered the captain, mate, and supercargo, and ran
the ship ashore near Breakers-point, where the re-
mainder of the crew landed. They were taken
charge of by the authorities, and would be, we hear,
forwarded to Swatow.
Admiral Seymour left this on the 6th inst., in
her Majesty's steamer Barracouts and came down
for the mail last evening in the Niger.
There is little to report of occurrences that have
taken place up the river.
An attempt was made at the end of last month
to burn her Majesty's ship C-omus, which was near
proving successful. Two junks wore sent down
upon her. They were on fire, and alongside very
quickly. One cleared the vessel without doing
much injury ; the other was got clear with diffi-
culty, and at one time the danger appeared immi-
nent, the flames being over the fore part of the
ship. No serious damage was done.
Numerous junks still keep in the proximity of
our ships ; there are no means at present of follow-
ing them. Two small river steamers have been
fitted up with guns, but these even will scarcely
prove of sufficient light draught of water to allow
them to follow the junks.
The comparative impunity with which the junks
have fired at the steamers on one or two occasions
apparently induced the Chinese to act with less
caution on the 10th inst., when her Majesty's
steamer Hornet, Captain Forsyth, and a small
river steamer under charge of Lieutenant Dent,
were attacked by a fleet of about 200 junks. Cap-
tain Forsyth anchored the Hornet abeam of the
junks, and opened fire, which, we hear, was very
precise, and must have done a great deal of damage.
A Chinese rep rt of the affair, previously re-
ceived, stated the junks suffered severely.
Night coming on the fleet could not be followed
up the creek. One large junk was cut out by the
Hornet's boats, two sunk, and two blew up.
Pekin, Gazettes to the 6th Jan. report several en-
gagements gained over the rebels, and the retaking
of some of the towns in the province of Hopeh.
The retirement of the rebels from some of their
poets to reinforce their body at Nankin, where dis-
order still continued, is stated as the origin of these
reported Imperial successes.
Yu-Yaou, a town about 30 miles from Ningpn,
is said to have been taken by the insurgents, the
head mandarin killed, and about 300 of the Impe-
rial soldiers.
The Gazettes do not contain any allusion to the
troubles with foreigners at Canton.
The report is correct of an edict having been
issued to the high officers of the coast provinces not
to interfere with the quarrel at Canton.
Yeh is said to have orders to establish peace, but
nothing is said of opening Canton.
It is said that the Emperor has expressed the
highest confidence in Yoh's ability to deal
with foreigners, and although recommending
clemency, yet that failing, the barbarians
ate to be driven into the sea. Yesterday ac-
counts were received from Canton to the effect that
under Yell's direction the ploughshare had tra-
versed the site of the late factories, irhizh the com-
missioner had sown with salt.
At Ningpo considerable excitement prevailed to-
wards the end of last month, and the missionaries
left the place ; but at the last date, Ist inst., all
was quiet. The cause of the apprehensions ap-
peared to be a permission from the Intendant to
the Canton men to make an attack on the lorcha
men. The permission, however, was withdrawn,
and disturbance took place.
Shanghai adviees are to the 7th inst.
Our relations with the Chinese authorities there
continued amicable.

Trade had not bean renewed since the Chinese
holydays-26th of January. Previous to that date
a large business had been done in imports ; but the
settlennts of produce had been small, owing to
short supplies, and the high prices asked.
The currency remained in the same unsatisfac-
tory state. _

Longeloths.---Greys quoted 1.78 dollars to 2.05
dollars; whites, 1.3:5 dollars to 1.90 dollars. Sup-
plies heavy.

Silk—About 2,500 bales settled at an advance of
fully 10 dol. per picul. No. 3 Tsatlee quoted
375 dol. to 380 dol. ; No. 4, 360 dol. •; Taysaam,
middling to fair, 290 dol. to 310 dol. ; inferior to
middling, 250 dol. to 280 dol. The total export
from China since Ist July, 1856, to date is 69,000
hal ez,.

Tea-12 chops of new Ning Chow had been
settled, after considerable competition, at about
3 taels advance on last month's prices. There were
on the market eight chops of similar tea, of same
quality, held for 18 to 20 taels. About 25 chops
Ning Chow, yet to arrive, would finish the season's
crop.

The export from China shows a decrease on that
of last year to the same time of 4,000,0001 b.
Exchange-6s. 7d. on England for Sycee silver,
at 110 dol. per 100 taels ; on India, 302 r.
Freights 11. 10s. to 21. for tea, and 4/. ss. for
silk.

Foo-Chow advices are to the 4th inst. Quietness
prevailed there. A further advance had taken
place in the price of teas. Stocks stated at 3,000 ;
a few chops more of Ning Chow were expected.
Commonest kinds of Congou quoted 11 to 12 taels ;
Ning Chow Congou, 25 to 39 taels. Four vessels
had left for Great Britain, and one was loading.
The authorities were endeavouring to induce the
bankers to take Mexican dollars.
Amoy dates are to the 4th inst. Business had
been resumed. The prices of cotton yarn were
higher, and 290 bales, mostly 16-24, sold at 24.50
dol. to 26.10 dol. Grey shirting., 1,350, pieces,
61 catties, sold at 2 dol. About 2,200 bales of
cotton sold at 8 dol. to 10.
The Samson was at Amoy. Nothing was seen
of the pirate Hest of which she was sent in search.
At Canton, we learn from Chinese, great distress
prevailed, and rice had gone up in price to 31 dol.
to 3i dol. per picul. The authorities had taken
possession of a large quantity of rico stored in the
Chinese packhouses belonging to foreigners, and
we understand other goods were sold and the pro-
ceeds paid into the Imperial treasury.
At Hong Kong little or nothing is doing in the
way of trade. Rice bas advanced to $2.90 per
picul, in consequence of the demand for Canton and
the neighbourhood.

Exchange on England, 4.7 i to 4.8 i • on India
216 to 217 rs. Tonnage is abundant. ilany ships
have left seeking, and a large number have been
taken up for emigrants to Australia and California.
3,000 Chinese emigrants have gone to Australia
since the commencement of this year, and the ves-
sels on the berth will take about 7,000 more.
Dr. Parker, the United States Minister, addressed
Yeh, asking him to allow Americans to remove
their property from Canton. Yeh replied that all
approaches to the city were commanded by the
British vessels, and recommended that Americans
should move to the other ports to trade.
The Hon. Mr. Mercer, Colonial Secretary, is a
passenger for England by the Cadiz, on leave of
absence. The acting appointment has been con-
ferred on Dr. Bridges, with permission to continue
his private practice as a barrister.
Manilla advices are to the 4th jut. Clean

Mexican dollars were quoted 23 per cent. premium.
Exchange oa England for six months' sight bills,
4s. 21d.
Cur latest dates are—from England, 2Gth. De-
cember ; Calcutta, 24th January ; Bombay, 221
January ; Singapore, 2d February ; Sydney, 11th
November; Melbourne, Ist December; Manila,
4th February ; and Sbaughae, 7th February.