The Sun.
London, England, 1857-07-07 00:00:00

AMERICA.

LIVERPOOL, MONDAY NIGHT.
The Royal Mail steamship Canada, Capt. Neil
Shannon, art ived from NeW York to night, after a
rather lengti,ened run, having been delayed by
eagerly winds. She sailed from New Ycric. on the
24'h ult , at noon, and has brought upwards of
100 passengers, and above $1,250,000 in specie.
She rep,.rts having passed the screw steamship
City of Baltimore hence for New York on the 27th

The Persia arrived at New York on the 23d ult.,
after a capital run of nine days and a half, and the
Khersonese was r-pottecl same day at Portland,
both from Liverpool.
The intelligence is of comparative unimportance.
A settlement is expected of the New Granada
difficulty, and it is stated that the re-opening of the
Nicaraguan route has been resolved upon.
The new commissioner to China, the Hon. W.
R. Reed, was entertained at a public dinner, at
Philadelphia, on the 22d ult.

,
The accounts from Kansas are conflicting, but
the feeling prevails that at the elections the Free
State party will he in a minority.
Havana adyices report the city is healthy, and
sugar uncharged in value. Santa Anni was daily
ex pe„ted.

There are ad vices from Vera Cruz to the Gth ult.,
which report active preparations being made to
repel the expected Spanish invasion.

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.
There is little change to notice in the money
market at New York ; the demand continues quiet,
and rates are unaltered. Stocks are freely pur-
chased for holding over, but few cash sales are re-
ported. Foreign exchange has a -tendency down-
wards. London quoted mg to
Cotton has been favourably influenced by the
Persia's European news. Breads.uffs were aho
higher in value. Provisions rather easier. Freights
languid, with moderate engagements.

THE LITERARY .AND ARTISTIC P ENSION

FUND.

Twelve hundred a year, as Finance Ministers
continually assure inquisitive members, is the pre-
scribed limit to the pensions annually granted by
Government for the relief of distress among the
classes devoted to literature and art; The scope
of this definition is wide, and the body of indivi-
duals whom it comprises present at all tm s, we
fear, only too many inAauces of misfortune. The
allotted margin, however, is never overpassed. To
every claim preferred, when the list for the year
is filled, the Minister replies by quoting the statute
1 Vic., cap. 2, and declaring that however de-
serving the object, or unmerited the distress he is
asked to assuage, the law is inexorable in its pro-
hibition. The national purse is closed, and tie
worthiest applicants are sent empty away.
While the law is interpreted thus rigidly against
the claim of literature and science, a similar strict-
ness should, in comm,in justice, be exercised in its
favour. Perhaps 1,2001. is sufficient, or ought to
be made so, to relieve the poverty into which
" Men of genius"—to use the ordinary phrase—
or their families, are likely to fall.• The Act says
so, at all events, and must be obeyed.
But if the Emit is thus narrowly pre-
scribed, the fund appointed by Parliament
should be religiously set apart for the
specific purpose, and not to he trenched upon in
order to make provision for State pensioners be-.
longing to other classes. The grant at best is not
so liberal as t,) justify excision. Yet the actual
allotment of the pensions for some years past has
shown how slight is the attention paid by the Exe-
cutive to the claims of literature, and how large a
part of the limited sum at their command is given
away, by her Majesty's Ministrs, to recipients
who have no pretensions to the literary or artistic
character. The list of pensions granted in the
year ending on the Ist inst., which has just been
officially published, is no better than its predeces-
sors in this respect. The sum at disposal has been
thus distiibnted. We venture to alter the order of
names for the sake of classification
CLASS I.

Alexander M'Cogan, in consideration of his

literary merits
Richard Corr', in consideration of his desti-
tute condition, and of the useful and valu-
able inventions of his father Henry Cort,
applicable to the manufacture of irni
Mrs. Mary Anne A'Beckett, in consideration
of the literary merits of her husband—the
late Mr. Gilbert A'Beckett.
Philip James Bailey, in consideration of his
literary merits
Dr. Charles Richardson, an additional pen-
sion of 251. a yearin consideration of the
valuable additions which he has made to
works of standard literature
Dr. William Paltenev Alison (late PrOfessor
of the Practice of Physic in the University
of Edinburgh), in consideration of his
scientific attainments
Mrs. Anne Waghorn, in consideration of the
valuable services of her son, the late
Lieutenant Waghorn' in establishing the
overland route to India, and of her pre-
sent narrow pecuniary means
Charles Swain, in consideration of his lite-

rary merits
Mrs. Mary Philadelphia Merrifield, in con-
sid.raton of the valuable services she has
renderel to literature and art, and the re-
duced circumstances in which she is placed
Mrs. Lydia Falconer Miller, in couside ation
of the eminent services rendered to litera-
ture and science by the virtrks of her late
husband, Mr. Hugh Miller, and the
straightened circumstances in which she
is placed by his decease
Mrs. Mary Haydn, an additional pension of
251. a year in consideration of the eminent
services rendered to literature by her late
husband, Mr. Joseph Haydn, and the
straitened ciicutustances in which she is
placed by his decea.le

£3O

100

100

100

£7OO

CLASS 11.
Eliza Doyle (sister of the late Colonel Sir
John Milley Doyle, ; in consi-
deration of the chstingui-thed military ser-
vices of her brother, and of the destitute
circumstances in which she is left by his
decae
Mrs. Jane Margaret Backhouse ; in consi-
deraton of the distressed circumstances
in which she has been left at the death of
her husband, Mr. George Canning Back-
house, who was murdered while d,scharg-
ing the duties of her Majesty's commissary
judge at Havanna!'
Mrs Margaret Gavin ; in consideration of
the distressed circumstances in which she
Ills-been left on the death of her husband,
Dr. Gavin, who was accidentally killed in
the Crimea while employed in the public

£5O

100

s rvie
Mrs. Anne Thomp,on, in consideration of
the gallant services of her son, the late
Capt. Thompson, C. 8., who died of the
wounds which he received at the memor-
able siege of Kars, and of the straitened
cixcurnstances iu which she is now placed.
Ellen Maria Hay and Fanny Anne Hay, is
consideration of the long and faithful ser-
vices of their father in the Admira'ty de-
partments, and of the straitened circum-
stances in which they are now placed
Anne Csthcart, in consideration of the mi.-

150

Went military service of her late father,
the late Lieutenant-General Sir George
Cathc,rt, K.C.8., who wav killed at the
Battle of Inkerman, and of the narrow
pecuniary means in which his family have
been left

£5OO
'We have no'hing to say against the grants al-
lotted in any case. Tile public gift was well be-
s owed and r:c!dy deserved. All that We plead is
th-tt the pensions in the last category given above-
should have been awarded from another fund.
Ampleprovision for the bereaved sister of Colonel
Doyle, mother of Captain Thompson, widow of
Mr. Gavin, or daughter of General Cathcart, was
due fiorn the naiim to the services of those late
gallant officers, but clearly belonged t the vote for
military pensions, and should have been defrayed
out of the army estimates, instead of being drawn
from the pittance allo-ted by Parliament for the
relief of distressed "Genius." The debts were
richly due, and ought to be paid. But the pay.-
tient would have been made with better grace if
not accompanied by a robbery upon a fund osten-
sibly devoted to another branch of the national
liability to its servants and benefactors.—lllorning
Chronicle.

The Presse of yesterday btates that a Baron de
13., who I,:st his fortune by speculations on the
Bourse and who subsequently raised money on
drove yesterday trom the Rue de Rivoli,
where he occepie l a hands me apartment, i o Notre
Dame, where he commuted suicide by throwing
himself from the tower. He held in his hand a
summons which he had received from the Procur. ur
Imporial, to atiswer a charge of krgery. His body
was conveyed t r the Morgue.
Information has reached us of some disturbances
which have broken out in the, S ,uth of Spain, but
they appear to have Leen without importance, and
were energetically suppressed,

ELECTION CORIMITTEEI—(This Day.)

MAYO. •
The committee re-assembled this morning.
Mr. James Jordan was examined in reference to /
statement he had made on a previous occasion, that/
man named Nicholas had been fired at by a perso°
named Kavanagh, an agent of Cul. Higgins, but his stair
ments were of such a complicated character that t 43
committee found it impassible to make any thing of Ili'
evidence on that point. He wal examined at grt
length on the resolution of Archbiehop Mcllale and th'
Bishops at St. Jarlath. It was sent to the printers W
Dr. McGreal, of Castlebar, but he did not know tlaal
an arrangement was made to send a copy to each
parish priest.

In answer to the Chairman, the witness said he Dell:
paw so quiet an election in his life.
Mr. Edward Jordan, son of the last witness, ga
similar testiiuony.

OXFORD (CITY).
The committee re-assembled this morning.
Mr. Welsby addre-teed the committee on behalf of t
sitting member, Mr. Noate. He contended that no ce
of treating or bribery had been made out. He adruitt
that a large number of messengers were employed in t
conduct of the election, who were voters, but the pry
I.arities cf the contest, and the unusual period it lasts
rendered their emplOyment a matter of necessity.

MAIDSTONE.
The Committae re-assembled at the usual hour.
Mr. Sergeant Pigot addressed the committee at sal
considerable length on the part of the sitting member'
Messrs. Hope and Scott, urging that nothing had bee
proved against them beyond the fact that 80013 enths
antic supporters of the Conservative interest in M
stone had made some random promise to electors
vote for the sitting members. The promises, if they we
given, had been made without the knowledge, privity,'
consent of the sitting members. If such evidence ash/
been proved in this case was to make an election void!,
member's seat would be safe. Ifn did not intend to
on that defence al )ne, but should call evidence to BO
that no such promises were made.
Evidence was then called to rebut that given on ill
part of the petitioner.