The Sun.
London, England, 1857-01-03 00:00:00

THE PENINSULAR MAILS.

SOUTHAMPTON, FRIDAY:
The Peninsular and Oriental Company's screw
steam ship Sultan, Capt. Neil Cook, arrived this
day, at two p.m., with the usual Peninsular mails,
in charge of Lieut. Pearson, R. N., Admiralty
agent. The Sultan brings 18 passengers, and on
freight specie to the value of 37,1351., 1,100 boxes
of oranges, 185 elephants' teeth, two barrels of to-
matoes, 19 cases of dates, 80 boxes of chestnuts,
seven barrels and eleven cases of lemons, 25 casks
and four cases of wine, 167 cases of eggs, and 19
packages of sundries.
She left Gibraltar, Dec. 26th, Cadiz 27th, Lis-
bon 29th, Oporto and Vigo 30th.
Her Majesty's ships Urgent and Curlew were at
Gibraltar ; Duke of Wellington, Caesar, Colossus,
Centurion, Exmouth, and Sauspareil, were at
Lisbon.

SWITZERLAND.
The following are some details relative to the
respective attributions of the political bodies HOW
sitting at Berne, to protect the interests of the
Helvetic Confederation. The sovereign power
resides in two councils, the national one and that
of the States. The former is composed of deputies
of the Swiss people, in the proportion of one for
every 20,00 G souls. The number of members is
120, who are elected for three years by universal
suffrage, every citizen who has attained the age of
20 having a vote. The Council of the States is
composed of 44 members, two from each canton.
The two councils form together the legal repre-
sentation of the Confederation, under the name of
the Federal Assembly. This body, which holds
an ordinary session every year, and extraordi-
nary ones as are called for by circumstances, is
sovereign on all questions of general interest,
political laws, finances, police, mlitary organisa-
tion, and revision or modification of the constitu-
tion. Next comes the executive power, which
bears the name of the Federal Council, and which
is composed of seven members, elected for three
years by the Federal Assembly, and chosen with-
out distinction from amongst all Swiss citizens,
r with this single restriction, that no two of the
members can belong to the same canton. The
Federal Council is charged with the internal ad-
ministration and with the direction of the foreign
relations of the confederation, but the initiative
and the decision on all general questions belong to
the rederal Assembly.
A letter from Berne of the 28th u,lt. gives some
details concerning the late attempt at arrangement
made there by the diplomatic corps :—•
" Mr. Fay, the American charge d'affaires, and Mr.
Gordon, the English Minister, assumed the initiative in The amount of specie to be forwarded by the India and
endeavouring, for the last time, to see whether it were China mail is estimated at 430,0001., almost entirely
not possible to bring about an arrangement and avoid a silver. Although the heaviest shipments are for Bomay, disastrous war. To that end, Mr. Fay invited his col- and Calcutta, a portion is destined for Hong Kong,
leagues of the diplomatic body to meet at the Hotel de Shanghai, and Canton.
la Couronne. Every one entered heartily on this diffi- CHATHAM, Jan. 2.—The Iris,commissioned
26, by
cult task, and finished by drawing up a plan of arrange- Capt. W. Lorine, C. 8., for the Australian station, has
went to be submitted to the Federal Councils and to already received a number of seamen, and is being made
Prussia. According to this project, the Federal ready for sea with all despatch. Her marines are to be
Council was to engage to propose to the Federal As- selected from the Chatham division.
senably the release of the prisoners ; and the diplomatists SUICIDE OF THE CHIEF WARDER IN MILBANK
in the name of the powers of which they were the Peisole.—On Thursday morning Me. Bedford, the West-
representatives en their part engaged to interpose their iniester coroner, held an inquest at Milbank Prison on
good offices with the King of Prussia, to solve the the body of Mr. John Jackson, aged 45, the principal
Neuchatel question according to the wishes and de- infirmary warder, Who committed suicide on Tuesday
sires of Switzerland.' This project was communicated last by taking prussic acid. James Higgs
(a prisoner)
to M. Sto3eniefli by Mr. Fay and Mr. Gordon. M. deposed that on Tuesday last he was sent by Mr. Clark,
Steempfli not finding in it sufficient guarantees, required the compounder of medicines to call Mr. Jacksoe. He
that it should he expressly said that the Confederation want to the deceased's room,~and, nd, after knocking at the
'in the exercise of its sovereignty' consented to release door for seine time without 'receivinga any answer, looked
the prisoners ; and that it should be added that the in, and saw him lying on the bed. Witness went np to
powers would interpose their good offices 'to obtain the him and pulled him by the coat, but he still gave no
cession of Neuchatel.' The diplomatist; yielded, al• answer, and awaassleeinp,
orenaekninfghias
though some of them loudly declared that such a word- noise like snoring. eared as
ing of the project would not be signed by their respec- hands. Dr. Bailey said he was exceedingly good
tive courts. In the end the project was accepted on and active, but sometimes he presented the appearance
small bottle was
both sides, but, as the diplomatists had not instructions of a person
whose mind wee confused by drink, although
ad hoc, they were obliged to apply for the ratification of Dr. Bailey never saw him intoeipated. On Tuesday
it from their respective courts. The Belgian minister, morning the deceased looked very strange, and was
who does not appear to have any cypher, would not trust much flushed in the face. Half an hour afterwards
to the Swiss telegraph, and setoff for the French frontier witness was called to his room, and found him lying en
in order to correspond with his government by the French the bed auffrirg from the effects of poison. The stomach
line. His sudden departure gave rise to a rumour that pump was used, but the deceased expired while the pipe
he had left for Berlin on a mission from the diploma- was in his throat. The bottle contained a few drops of
tic body. At last the replies came one after the other, prussic acid. The deceased, being chief infirmary war-
but lam only aware of part of them. Belgium refused der, bad free access to all the medicine. An ounce
to interfere in the matter; and Russia, Austria and bottle of prussic acid was missed from the dispensary.
Franee formally refused their signatures. The des'
etch Mrs. Jackson, the widow, who was much affected, sand
of Count Walowski to M. de Salignac Fenelon stillpgives that when ho went to the prison he left a paper on
some hopes of maintaining neace. If I am well in- 1 which were written the following words :—"Williams
formed, it was as follows You will not sign the de- I owes you 15s. and a book ; Turner, ss. Adieu." The
elaration ; we maintain our propositions, and we repro- jury returned a verdict of "temporary isanity."

A severe gale of wind commenced at Gibraltar
on the 20th ult., causing a heavy sea. Among the
casualties reported are the following :—The British
barque George, of Sunderland, in ballast, from
Carthagena to England, was caught by the gale,
and being light was unable to weather Europa
Point, and was consequently driven on Shore near
Sunara. The Sibina was blown out to sea from
Motril, having lost both Anchors, but had since
returned. The French barque Sophia, from Mar-
seilles for Matacon, struck on the reef of rock,
running from the Green Island towards Cabrita
Point, and will probably become total wreck.

AnOther gale of wind blew with great violence on
the 25th and 26th, in which five vessels were driven
on shore—three of them on the Neutral Ground,
and two near tho Ragged Staff. Several vessels
parted fromtheir anchors. No lives were 1 ost.