The Sun.
London, England, 1859-04-22 00:00:00

next.

cellor of the Exchequer on the subject, and ex-
pressed an opinion that the present large meeting
would influence the Government to grant their ap.
plication. The Chancellor of the Exchequer remarked
to a recent deputation, " What do you think about
taking off half the duty ?" Mr. Monckton, one of the

deputation, replied that it would be a great boon,
and the Chancellor then made use of these words—

"Why was I not supported in 1852, when I made
that very proposition ?" (Cheers.) They 01 knew
that the next Chancellor of the Exchequer took off
half the Customs duty. on foreign hops, and the home
grower was seriously injured. Hops, in the process

of growing were subjeci to as many plagues as those
of Egypt, and when they were produced, in came the
taskmaster in the shape of the Exciseman, and ex-

pected the planter to make bricks without straw.
(Cheers.) It was not only a planter's question, but a
poor man's question. The poverty of the planters
prevented the labourer from obtaining so high a rate
of remuneration as he would otherwise obtain, and

thus, in some instances, the labourer was driven to
the union house. After expressing a hope that the
present Chancellor of the Exchequer would keep
his place, which was met with cries of "No, no," the •
speaker observed that he wished to abstain from
general politics, but could not refrain from the
expression of his individual opinion.
Dr. MONCKTON, of B renchley, seconded the reso-
lution, and observed that the meeting was convened.
to obtain the absolute remission of the moiety of the
duty payable on the Ist of May in respect to the
hops grown in 1858. They asked for this remission
because they could hold out no hopes of being able to
meet the demand. The Chancellor of the Exchequer
had met the deputation which waited upon him in a
most kindly spirit—not as though he was compelled
to receive the deputation, and wished to get rid of
them, but in a manner which proved that he was
most anxious to receive information upon the sub-
ject, and to do justice. The speaker then alluded to
the prevalent distress amongst the hop planters, and
created some amusement by stating that he had been
informed that the very pickpockets from London
would not attend that meeting as there was no
chance of a harvest. He had endeavoured to obtain
statistical information on the subject, and had ascer-
tained that four of the largest planters, residing in
the most favourable district, had actually lost,
during the last five years, at the rate £77 per acre,
on their growth of hops, and although there was
an average crop in 1858, the loss per acre
throughout the whole kingdom was . £l2 ss.
(A cry of " Then why grow them.") The question
was, could the Government afford to remit the
duty, and ought they to remit it ? He thought
yes, because the surplus which the Chancellor of
the Exchequer had at his disposal was about equal
to the sum which they asked to have remitted. The
speaker concluded by urging that the remission
would be simply an act of justice, as the planters
would then have paid more than their fair quota.
The resolution was supported by Mr. BERRY,
and unanimously adopted.
Mr. PUNNETT moved the second resolution," That
in order to enable the hop growers to obtain re-
munerative prices, this meeting earnestly recom-
mends the entire remission of the war duty of ld.
per lb., and the 5 per cent. levied upon such duty."
He congratulated the meeting upon the harmony
c.x.rstea, ana consiaerea mat thc Lufferunue
of opinion among the planters themselves had
hitherto retarded their interests. The manufacturers
acted upon a different system, and if such an unjust
duty had pressed upon the cotton lords they would
have found the yarn to spin a rope and hang it.
Mr. TURNER, of East Kent, in seconding the
resolution, took an historical view of the tax, which
was originally ld. per pound, but an additional ld.
per pound was laid on as a war tax. It was obvi-
ously unjust that this additional tax should be
perpetuated.
Mr. J. NASH, of Rochester, who avowed himsel f
an advocate of an entire repeal of the duty, but
willing to take half a loaf, supported the resolution,
which was adopted.
Mr. TASSELL, of Wye, moved that steps be taken
to carry out the previous resolutions, by a repre-
sentation to the Government. As an East Kent
planter, he could assure them that much distress
existed in his district. Hitherto the farmers had
been too much like the sheep which they reared.
They did not mind being well sheared, if they had
pretty good food. (Laughter.). He was glad to
find that they were now acting in unison.
Mr. GEORGE HAMMOND seconded the motion,
which was unanimously adopted.
Mr. JACKSON, in a humorous address, moved a
vote of thanks to the South-Eastern Railway Com-
pany, for conveying passengers to Maidstone on
that day, at reduced fares, and also to the Press,
for attending to give publicity to the proceedings.
Mr. JOHN DAY seconded the motion, which was
adopted.
C. W. MARTIN, Esq., M.P. for West Kent, in,
proposing a resolution of thanks to the High Sheriff
for convening the meeting, expressed entire con-
currence in its objects, but observed that, from the
interview he had with the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer, he did not augur- so favourably as to the
prospects of a remission as some of the other
speakers. As an owner of hop land and a lessee
of hop tithes, he was of course interested in tho
question, but it would be simply a measure of
justice to abolish at least the war duty.
Lord HOLMESDALE, one of the Conservative, can-
didates for West Kent, seconded the resolUtion,.
and expressed his entire concurrence in the objects
of the meeting.
The resolution' was then unanimously adopted,
and the large assembly separated.

SINGULAR FRAUD.—It appears that among. the
lot of silver bullion brought by the Pekin on the 10th inst.,
from China, one of the bars belonging to the Oriental Bank
Corporation has
,turned out at the Mint to be lead. —Born•
bay Gazette.
TESTIMONIAL TO H. E. GURNEY, ESQ.-A very
interesting meeting, presided over by the Earl of Shaftes-
bury, was held on Tuesday evening last, to present to Mr.
H. E. Gurney a testimonial of respect and esteem from the
teachers of 20 of the ragged schools of the east of Lol
and
ndon.
The large room of King Edwards Ragged Schoo'
Refuge, Albert-street, Spitalfields was beautifully deco-
rated for the occasion, and presented a_very pleasingtea. ;Mettler;
mice. Upwards of 250 teachers sat down
ea sa is action
having been disposed of, his lordshjp_op.emnedgrthte business
t.f. of
the evening by stating that it aifor.ded_ht
lie stated that he had ng
been
the revered name of Gurney.
to be present on an occasion for doing honour tO one
informed that the teachers present
had met to testify their
appreciation of Mr. Gurney's kindness in entertaining sumo
300 of their number at his country residence, Nutfield, and
also their respect for his character as the friend of ragged
schools and all other benevolent institutions. He intimated
that the teachzhhtadserrvesoelvthedpetorpperteusaethnt thoehimsoustuunchonatateso-f
trteeonmiaelnrertained for him by
lf, teachers. He then, in
aptemaseinutsect
Nto,
iMour.onGuvronlleum,y a
their
veryhnaand me, s 0
ma and
1111 ee idr
bearing the following :—" To Henry E mund Gurney,
Esqt.,offroLom
nthdeoute,aacshaeurs
aoofkuthoewioro
variousp ragged
hismany schoolsof
anyand
thed
em
acknowledgment
varied acts of benevolence, and of his desire generally to alle-
viate the distresses of the suffering poor, and more especi-
ally for his kind interest in the training of outcast and des-
titute children. This token of their esteem is presented by
the teachers participating in Mr. Gurney's kindness in the
autumn of 1857, when nearly three hundred of their number
enjoyed the hospitality of Nuffield Priory." His lordship,
after presenting the testimonial to Mr. Gurney, being com-
pelled by previous engagements, vacated the chair, which
was then taken by Arthur Sperling, Esq. Mr. Gurney then
addressed the meeting in a short and very feeling speech, ex-
pressive of the great satisfaction which the presentation of
the testimonial, so entirely unexpected, afforded him. The
Rev. W. Tyler, in addressing the meeting, said that he was
glad to embrace the first public opportunity, since the case
of Mary Ann Donovan, to express his regret that the King
Edward's Refuge had been so often referred to, in the news-
papers, as " Mr. Tyler's Refuge," at the same time paymg
a well merited tribute of praise to the indefatigable hon9rary.
secretary, Mr. H. R. Williams, to whom the institution toTtlho
so very greatly indebted. Mr. Merrington, gra_
committee, expressed his gratification at M • Pe'
In the of the
cious disclaimer, and alluded to the very m
self-denying labour of Mr. Williams..
several pieces
ritorious and
evening the inmates of the instituttornoceetingis
~ers a f
an
very sweetly; and the whole"P of" _the p
sioictiooy ristitint 04.1

The hopes that had been entertained respecting a
pacific solution of the existing complications have
been greatly diminished, if not destroyed. Austria
is, in the present instance, unquestionably the
aggressor, having thought fit not only to reject the
propositions put forward by the English Govern-
ment, and acceded to by France, Russia, and
Prussia, but to send an ultimatum to Sardinia, to
the effect that unless she consented to dis-
arm, and to send away those volunteers
who had rallied under her standard, war would
be proclaimed within three days. The term will
expire on Easter Sunday. The great festival,
commemorative of the resurrection of the SAVIOUR
of mankind, is to be thus desecrated by a Power
professing to be actuated by Christian principles,
and, beyond all others, subservient to the Papal
authority.

Austria could not, by any possibility, have
aupposed that its arrogant demand would have
been accepted, or that Sardinia should consent to
her own humiliation.

The brief period allowed for a categorical answer,
for it appears that an " evasive reply will be
considered as a refusal," proves beyond doubt that
she has resolved upon war, and is determined to
precipitate the crisis, so that she may take Sardinia
at a great disadvantage, destroy her forces, and
ravage the country, before French aid can be
rendered available. Eighty thousand Aus-
trian troops have been ordered to the
banks of the Ticino, in addition to those
already there, making up two hundred thou-
sand in all, which it is supposed will be suffi-
cient to sack Turin, and devastate the intermediate
country before adequate assistance can be obtained.
It is also rather significant that Prussia has
ordered three corps darmee amounting to 70,000
men to be placed on a war footing, and although it
is stated that " these measures are merely of a
defensive character, and without any aggressive in •
tention ,"we cannot altogether accept the statement by
a semi•ofcial journal as completely satisfactory,
or one in which implicit credence can be reposed.
It seems, therefore, more than probable that the
Cabinet of Vienna has received assurances of sup-
port, which induced it to suppose that it can
gratify its vindictive feelings against Piedmont
with impunity. We do not by any means desire
to justify the conduct of VICTOR EMMANUEL. That
it was highly irritating and calculated to produce
strife is beyond dispute. But he was merely the
tool in the hands of a more powerful monarch,
and he may have bitter cause to deplore the part
he has been induced to act.

FRANCIS JOSEPTI is now, however, manifestly
the aggressor, and has thereby forfeited any sym-
pathies that might have been entertained on his
behalf. He has cast the firebrand that
mast create a conflagration throughout Europe
which cannot be quenched so easily as
FRANCIS JOSEPH may fondly imagine. That
there will be indignant remonstrances from
the British Cabinet may be readily conceived, and
it is barely possible that they may be of such a

character as to induce the Cabinet of Vienna to
- pause in the reckless course on which it has so
unwisely entered. Telegrams, however, cannot
enter into such matters as fully as more deliberate
written communications. Nor will they be accepted
as of equal authenticity by a Power apparently
resolved on war. We fear, therefore, that hostili-
ties will be commenced on Sunday next, of which

it is impossible to predict the results, but
which must inevitably produce vast expen-
diture and bloodshed, not only on the parties con-
cerned, but on those who have kept themselves
free from the scrape and are perfectly innocent in
every respect. We only hope that Great Britain
may avoid being implicated in any way-or on either
side ; and although an armed neutrality may be
very costly, and lead to a considerable increase of
taxation, it will be far better than letting our
gallant soldiers bleed in a cause where neither
party can come into court with clean hands, or
reasonably anticipate any intervention on their
behalf by the English. Government.

There is one fact relating to the Election and to
Reform Bills, which has hardly received the distinct
attention it justly claims—the position taken by
the working classes. Perhaps we might better say
their taking no position. They are just now one
of the cards of party, the football, or the corpus
vile, with which some play, and on' which others
make experiments, but they hardly make any
movement themselves. We have Mr. ROEBUCK,
one of the authors of the Charter, honestly appeal-
ing to the middle classes to confer the franchise on
those who, in 1832, helped them to obtain it. We
have LORD JOHN RUSSELL bidding much higher or
lower, as we may please to regard it, than ever he
did before; the Government having, as he thinks,
given him this opportunity to outbid them. We
have Mr. BRIGHT consistently endeavouring to
enfranchise the class which he well knows and
trusts ; it is a part of his scheme of Reform. We
have even Mr. HENLEY and many other Conserva-
tives desirous to give a low borough franchise, and
thinking such a step a really Conservative one.
Meantime, we hear next to nothing from the
working men themselves ! Time was when they
could sign petitions almost a mile long for Univer-
sal Suffrage and the Ballot ; and, a fatal step for
their object, could drill and arm themselves, as if
they would win by the pike if they could not by
petition. Now, except a few noisy fellows inter-
rupting meetings here and there; a few gatherings,
in which Mr. ERNEST JONES figures as the fugle-
man ; the organisation of the working people round
Newcastle,, and a few other insignificant meetings,
—there is hardly anything to show that our "in-
telligent artisans "who, every one says, "ought to
have the franchise, care a straw about the matter."
This is surely a singular fact, explain it how we
will. We do not deny that, whenever operatives
of any class assemble, they demand manhood or
universal suffrage. Of course they do. When the
question comes before them, they cannot—" write
themselves down asses." Working men who vote
on the subject will, of course, vote themselves into
the Register. The wonder to us is that they do
not bestir themselves universally. When, in 1831,
it was proposed to enfranchise the middle classes,
there was no lack of enthusiasm, of almost terrific
enthusiasm for the boon ; less the actual electors of
the time, than those whom it was proposed to make
electors, compelled the proud British Muse of
Lords to give way to their demand. But for this
we should have never heard of ten-pound house-
holders.

It seems to us that the attitude of the working
classes entirely exonerates the Government for
making no offers to them beyond what Mr. BRIGHT
terms " fancy franchises." Ministers were unques-
tionably better acquainted with the temper and
views of the operative class than was commonly
supposed. Had there been a national and strong
feeling amongst those who live on weekly wages
to share with shopkeepers and. tenants-at-will the
privilege of a vote, doubtless Mr. DISRAELI would
have been as ready as others to content that feeling
in any way which would not frighten the present
electors. But he probably thought it needless to
give what was hardly asked ; whether he was wise
in so thinking, wise for the interests of his own

party, may well be questioned. Some of them who
would not make the slightest pretensions to a frac-
tion of his genius, but who were men of wide prac-
tical knowledge, differed from him, and we must
think that, in the interests of their own party, they
took the sounder -view.

We must confess the apathy of working men
has somewhat chilled our own zeal in their behalf.
Political rights don't, as the Germans say, " Fly
into our months, like ready roasted pigeons." It is
a thankless task to labour to get them for those
who do not want them; or perhaps an idle task, as
they would not be used if gained. Let not the
working classes imagine that a few noisy meetings
for the purpose will have any weight, much less will
interruptions of other meetings by roughs hired to
disturb. All such things rather indispose Members
of Parliament and electors to extend the suffrage.
If working men intend to be made electors in
another Reform Bill they must do two things—
they must bestir themselves pretty universally;
and they must do it in modes which will convince
those in power that they may be trusted.
We should say that non-electors should hold
meetings, in every borough at least, in the kingdom.
That they should take especial care to conduct
them in an orderly manner ; that they should
abstain from vituperation and threats, while they
may be as firm and decided as they please in the
assertion of their rights. The most intelligent and
businesslike resolutions are those which have most
weight with Parliament and electors. The same
remark applies to petitions—let the arguments be
brief and unanswerable, but free from anything
which can be thrown aside as indicating ignorance
or passion. Why not, also, memorialise the electors
in each place ? If every non-elector who can write
his name signs a memorial to the electors of his
own town, requesting them to elect a candidate
who will give them also votes, it would be a step
which must have weight, not only with the elec-
tors, but with Governments and Parliaments, who
do not fail to notice such movements. Were the
non-electors of some two hundred boroughs thus to
petition Parliament and memorialise the electors,
they would find Lord DERBY in the coming session
proposing to give them the franchise. Without
some such reason as this he will not offer it him-
self, and will probably, in the Lords, prevent its
being done by others should he not continue in
office.

If Lord STANLEY should, with or without his
own consent, be put in nomination for the City,
he will probably run Lord JOHN RUSSELL very
hard, and, more likely than not, defeat him. There
is, to our knowledge, a strong feeling in the minds
of many Liberals that Lord STANLEY is at least
one stage further advanced than the ex-Minister
on the now testing question of protected voting.
We believe Lord STANLEY has never voted against
the Ballot. We have heard that he has expressed
himself in favour of it. We all know that he
walked out of the house in the most marked way
he could when the late division was taken, while
the two Whig ex-Premiers, and some of the old
family party, walked into the lobby against it.
Perhaps, although Lord STANLEY is not the man
ordinarily to shrink from voting or speaking as he
thinks, we could hardly, in his peculiar circum-
stances, ask more than this. Lord STANLEY, as
far as public action is concerned, is neuter on the
Ballot ; Lord JOHN RUSSELL is hostile to it.
As at present advised, we should therefore feel

compelled to vote for the three Ballot candidates,
and for Lord STANLEY. We cannot conceal from
ourselves that, for him to be neuter on the Ballot,
when he is in office with his father and the Conser-
vatives, is to be, personally, for it. We cannot
refuse to see that he has more confidence in the
electors than Lord JOHN has; and that he must
feel assured that, voting free from undue influence,
they would subject the candidates to his favourite
competitive examinations, and make their appoint-
ments by merit. Lord JOHN'S own meeting of
electors the other day, after Mr. DILLoN had carped
and cavilled at the Ballot, cheered Mr. SAMUEL
MORLEY'S defence of it so enthusiastically, that
Lord JOHN saw that even this self-elected committee
was strongly in its favour. If, then, notwithstand-
ing all, he remains obdurate and hostile, he surely
deserves to be postponed to Lord STANLEY.

MR. G. 2'. F. SMITH'S MINISTERIAL

PREDICTIONS.

It is again my province to submit another proof
of Ministerial predictions to the marked attention
of the public, deduced from the " Horoscope of our
loved and gracious Sovereign," a work published
by the proprietor of the Cheltenham Examiner in
the year 1848, and therefore now matured by a
lapse of 11 years.
Prediction—Summer of 1859: A Government
Crisis, and also much aggression following in the
interim of summer 1859 and 1860, ere the predic-
tion is complete. But, firstly, upon the Ministry
that forms only one of a series that have been con-
secutively before the public, both in Cheltenham
and the metropolis, namely : William the Fourth's
Ministry of 1835—Qucen Victoria's Ministry of
1839—Louis Philippe's of 1842—the Queen's Mini-
try of 1846, their very critical position in 1850, the
Resignation of 1851, the Resignation of 1852, the
Resignation of 1857, and lastly, the Resignation of
Lord Derby's Ministry, summer of 1859. Thus a
mass of specific evidence and published facts, so
many years prior to occurrence, and without equi-
vocation, have been from time to time before the
public ; but hostile aggressions tending to warlike
proceedings ere the autumn of 1859 transpires still
are looming in the distance, before the prediction
is complete.*
Predictions on the Emperor of France.—The
Emperor of France will encounter much hostility
from the autumn of 1859 to spring of 1860.
Government conspiracies or attacks will harass his
position.

* Predictions only, and not qualifications alone, induced
the great poet Dryden, and the magnates of every age, to
study and delight in its most philosophical truths.

COURT CIRCULAR.

WINDSOR, APRIL 21

The confirmation of the Princess Alice took place in the
private chapel at Windsor Castle this morning, her Royal
Highness having been examined on the previous day by
the Dean of Windsor, in the presence of the Queen, the
Prince Consort, and the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of Oxford
(Lord High. Almoner), the Bishop of Chester (Clerk of the
Closet), the Dean of Windsor (Resident Chaplain to the
Queen), the Rev. Lord Wriothesley Russell (chaplain to
the Prince Consort), and the Rev. H. J. Ellison, took their
seats within the rails of the communion table shortly before
12 o'clock.

The ministers and other company invited to witness the
ceremony assembled in the Green Drawing-room at a quarter
before twelve. The ladies and gentlemen in waiting on the
Queen and Royal Family assembled in the corridor.
The company were then conducted to their seats in the

chapel.
At 12 o'clock Princess Alice entered the chapel with her
father, the Prince Consort, and stood in front of the com-
munion table.

The Queen, and the Duchess of Kent, Prince Arthur,
Princess Helena, Princess Louisa, the Duke of Cambridge,
the Duke of Saxe Coburg, Princess Mary of Cambridge,
and the Prince of Leiningen also entered the chapel.
Her Majesty and the Prince Consort, with the members of
the Royal Family, occupied chairs in the centre of the
chapel ; the great officers of State and the ladies and gentle-
men in waiting took their seats immediately behind the
Royal Family ; the remainder of the company were placed
in pews on either side of the chapel.
The Prince Consort, the Duke of Cambridge, and the
Duke of Saxe Coburg appeared in the Windsor uniform,
and each wore the Ititaand, Badge, and Star of the most
noble Order of the Garter. _

The gentlemen of the Queen's and Prince Consort's
household wore the Windsoruniform; the members of orders
of knighthood wearing their respective insignia.
The gentlemen of St. George's choir attended and per-
formed the following

CHORALE.
0, happy bond that seeks my vows,
To Him who claims our highest love I
Let cheerful anthems fill His house,
While to that sacred shrine I move.
'Tis done : the great engagement's done;
I am my Lord's, and He is mine :
He drew me, and I followed on,
Glad to confess the voice divine.
High Heaven, that heard the solemn vow,
-That vow renewed shall daily hear,
Till in life's latest hour I bow,
And bless in death a bond so dear.
The archbishop having performed the service, the follow-
ing anthem, composed for the occasion, was sung :
Psalm cxvi., verses 12, 14, 16.—W. G. Cusins.
" I will receive the cup of salvation : and call upon the
Name of the Lord.

"Behold, 0 Lord, how that I am thy servant : I am thy
servant; Thou has broken my bonds in sunder.
" I will pay my vows unto the Lord, in the sight of all
his people : in the courts of the Lord's house, even in the
midst of thee, 0 Jerusalem. Praise the Lord."
Mr. W. G. Cusins presided at the organ. -
His Grace then delivered an exhortation.

The ceremony being ended, the Queen and Prince Con-
sort, with the Duchess of Kent, the Duke of Saxe Coburg,
and the Royal Family, quitted the chapel and entered the
Green Drawing-room, where her Majesty received the con-
gratulations of the company present.

Her Majesty the ex-Queen Marie Annelle, his
Royal Highness the Duke de Nemours, her Royal High-
ness the Duchess Auguste of Saxe-Coburg, accompanied
by the Duke de Montmorency, the Baroness de Finguerlin,
General Count Dumas, and a numerous suite, arrived yes-
terday at Grillion's Clarendon Hotel from Claremont.
The Duke of Cleveland and Lady Augusta
Poulett, who came to town a few days since from Raby
Castle, left St. James's-square yesterday to pass three weeks
in Paris.

The Duke and Duchess of Sutherland will leave
Stafford House to-morrow for Cliefden for the Easter holi-
days.

The Duke of Leeds has arrived at Grillion's
Clarendon Hotel, from Flomby Castle, Catterick, York-
shire.

The Earl and Countess of Malmesbury had a
dinner party, last evening, at their residence in Whitehall-
gardens, when the Marquis and Marchioness of Stafford,
the Earl and Countess of Shaftesbury, his Excellency the
Marquis d'Azeglio, the Chevalier Massimo d'Azeglio, his
Excellency Sir James Hudson, and Mr. Bidwell, were
among the guests of the noble earl and countess.
The Earl and Countess of Yarborough left town,
yesterday, for Tunbridge-wells. We are happy to learn
that the health of the noble earl has lately improved.

The Earl and Countess of Ashburnham and family
left Ashburnhatn House, yesterday, for their seat in Susses.

The Earl of Donoughmore left London, on
Wednesday night, for Ireland.
Lord and Lady Gardner have arrived at their
residence in Dover-street, from Scotland.

Lord Alexander Paget and Lord Berkeley Paget
have arrived at Howchin's Hotel, St. James's-street, from
their seat, Beaudesert.
Mr. Secretary Estcourt returned from Windsor
Castle yesterday afternoon, and was present at the Cabinet
Council.
The Very Rev. the Dean of Westminster and
family have arrived at the Oatlands Park Hotel.
A Cabinet Council was held yesterday afternoon,
at 4 o'clock, at the official residence of the Chancellor of
the Exchequer, in Downing-street. The Ministers present
were—the Earl of Derby, the Right Hon. B. Disraeli, the
Lord Chancellor, the Marquis of Salisbury, Mr. Secretary
Estcourt, the Earl of Malmesbury, General Peel, Lord
Stanley, and Lord John Manners.

TRIAL TRIP OF THE MERSEY.—The Royal Mail
Company's new steamship Mersey, built by Samuda
Bro-
thers, left Southampton yesterday, under the command of
Captain Bas, for Stokes Bay, where her speed was tested
by the measured mile. The result was highly satisfactory,
an average speed of 13 knots per hour being obtained, the
result of four successive trials, two of them being against a
strong head wind. The Mersey is of 1,000 tons burden and
250 horse power. Her engines are oscillating, and were
constructed by Messrs. Mandalay. She is schooner rigged,
and of the following dimensions:—Length between Terpen-
diculars, 260 feet ; breadth, 30 feet ; depth, 16 feet ; draught
of water, 10 feet. There is accommodation for 92 passen-
gers, and the berths are exceedingly roomy, equal to any
of the ships belonging to this company, the whole of which
are noted for their excellent accommodation. Among'those
presant were Mr. Tufnell and Captain Wilson, directors of
the company ; Captain Vincent, the company's superin-
tendent ; Messrs. Hughes and Luke, Admiralty surveyors;
Mr. Ruby, surveyor of the Board of Trade ; Dr. Normanby;
Mr. Ritchie, the company's superintendent engineer ; Cap-
tain Strutt, &c. The Mersey is fitted with every new ap -
pliance , Clifford's lowering apparatus is attached to seve-
ral of the boats, and Normandy's excellent filtering con-
denser is on board. She will leave on. Monday next with a
mail for the Brazils, and is intended to occupy the station
between Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Ayres.
•

- '
S `fit
.47.
- • A
-DROTT 46

THE SUN.
FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 1859.