The Sun.
London, England, 1868-06-17 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.

Sir, —Admiral Rous having thought himself jug•
tified in using my name in a letter which he has
addressed to the Tinzes, I beg you will be goof
enough to permit me to make in reply the following
statement.

I was desired by the Marquis of Hastings (who
did not intend to be at Epsom on Tuesday before
the Derby) to scratch The Earl for his Derby en-
gagement. Lord Hastings informed me that he had
de'.ermined upon that course, as Lady Elizabeth had
arrived safely at Epsom, ant was to run in the
Derby. In consequence, however, of a conversation
which I had with the Duke of Beaufort, I did not
comply with Lord Hastings' request, but returned
to town for the purpose of representing to him the
conversation which I had with the Duke of Beaufort.
That conversation was to the effect that his Grace
wished Lord Hastings to reconsider his intention of
scratching The Earl, as his doing so would be un-
satisfactory to the public. I faithfully represented
:his to Lord Hastings, who, notwithstanding, de-
cided upon scratching the horse. This he himself
did, by writing a letter to Messrs. Weatherby, which
was conveyed to them by Mr. Hill. Shortly after
the letter had been sent, Lord Westmorland came
into Lord Hastings' room, where there were already'
Mr. Coventry, Captain Barlow, and some other
gentleman, whose name I do not remember. Before
leaving the room I mentioned to Lord Westmorland
that I had reported to Lord Hastings the represen-
tation made by the Duke of Beaufort, but without
effect, and I added that Lord Hastings had sent
letter to Messrs. Weatherby desiring them to scratch
The Earl. I had no control over or interest in the
horse, and I was no party to his being scratched ;
and Lord Hastings, in the presence of the gentle►nen
whose names I have mentioned, accepted the exclu-
sive responsibility of the act.

In conclusion, I beg most unhesitatingly to st ►te
that I had not betted one single shilling either on
or against The Earl for his Derby engagement.
1 am, sir, your obedient servant,
HENRY PADWICK.
4, Hill-street, Berkeley-square, June 16.

Mr. A. G. Lawrence, United States Minister t)
Costa Rica, has been deprived of his office for
'Lighting a duel near Washington with Baron Kos-
3erow, of the Russian Legation in the same city.
At the same time Mr. Seward has recriested the
Russian Minister to call the attention of his Go-
vernment to the matter, "in order that Baron
von Kosserow and Count Lothum may in a proper
manner be made sensible of its displeasure."
The overseers of Chorlton-upon-Medlock have
decided against the claim to vote at Parliamentary
elections made on behalf of the ladies who are
householders in that union.
Six ladies have already contributed £5O each
towards Mr. John Stuart Mill's election expenses
as candidate for Westminster.
The Dublin Protestant Defence Association
have forwarded to Mr. Disraeli a copy of a vote of
thanks for his " most earnest and satisfactory as-
surances that the Protestant Church and Protest-
ant Institutions of Ireland will have the cordial
and determined support of her Majesty's Govern-
ment."

The new telegraphic experiments at the Camp
of Chalons have proved quite successful. The
different commanders of corps are placed in corn-
rnuncation with the General-in-Chief, who trans-
;nits orders to them not alone when the troops are
in quarters or on the march, but when they are
executing the most rapid and complicated move-
ments.

The "Monster Tower Drums " were originally
manufactured for the Great Ifandel Festival,
held in Westminster Abbey, A.D. 1784. They
were called " Tower " drums, owing to the fact
,hat the heads were made from the skins of the
celebrated lions exhibited at the Tower of London
about that period.
Tim ABYsSINIAN CAPTIVES.—The Abyssinian
captives (says a letter from near Magdala) cannot be said
to bear many traces of their long confinement. Captain
Gammon- is sadly brokon down, but has mended con-
siderably since his arrival in camp. In spite of the
intense and increasing anxiety they must have endured
during the past month, a few grey hairs seem to be the
only souvenirs they have brought with them from Mag-
dala. The Germans are, however, taking back to Father-
land souvenirs of another kind—beautiful Abyssinian
wives aad quivers full of children, the latter as robust
and noisy as any over whom the brawling Rhine'throwo
its spray. The fact is, they had been living in luxury up
there, and so far as the cuisine and liqueurs are concerned,
have reason to regret their being transferred to the
British camp. Tej, arrack, and choice wines are un-
known here ; the captives could not be treated with

_ -
cigars and cogniac as they had expected, and "What, not
even rum!" showed the surprise they felt on being told
that the army had been
,deprived of that beverage too
Had they asked for a glass of water, the probability is that,
in nine tents out of ten, they would have been able to ex'
claim, " What, not even water !" for all supplies of that
necessary have failed ; none can be had nearer than
the Bashilo, seven miles off. We suffer more from want
of water here than over we did at Zoula. In point of kit,
too, the majority of our new-made friends seem to be well
off, requiring from half a dozen to five-and-twenty ser-
vants to attend it to the shore ; but probably their indents
!nay be subjected to a little of the fashionable cutting
down which has b3en practised so piteously and success-
fully upon others.

THE HOP PLANTATIONS.—Rochester, June
16.—
The reports which have come to hand from the various
hop-growing districts of Kent all concur in describing the
'sop plantations as looking exceedingly luxuriant and pro-
mising-, while the growth of the bine during the past fePt
weeks has been unprecedentedly rapid. On the whole the
fine is generally free from vermin, but in some few of the
;rounds iu Mid-Kent a few fly are to be seen. From the
prolonged absence of rain the bine in the more stiff soil 9
gives signs of flagging, but generally there is no cause for
Lpprehension, the prospects of the planters being at prosget
of the most favourable character. The bine is still froe
from vermin, and the few to be seen aro well kept in cheek
by the fly goldingq, which continue plentiful. lu many 0.1

the more forward grounds the plants are throwing out their
lateral shoots, and in some of the strongest grounds the
bine is beginning to show burr. From present appear:
ances this year's hop crop promises to be both early and
abundant. The accounts from the Sussex plantations or°
of a very promising character, the hop plants generally'
looking healthy and strong, with an almost entire fib'
sense of vermin. Some heavy showers are, however'
much needed. The hop market continues dull, with de
cliniag prices.
EXCLUSIVE, VERY IMPORTANT, RARE,' AND VALUADLI
are the properties of Lamplough's Pyretic Saline, curing the
worst headaches, sickness, skin, or biliary affections. Pleasitot"
palatable, and invigorating. Sold_by all Cheraii4ts.--(Advt.l