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The appendix to the Fourth Report of the Sebastopol Committee con- tains the correspondence between Lord John Russell and the Earl of Aberdeen respecting the competency of the Duke of Newcastle to fulfil- the duties of War Minister. These letters were partially produced, both by Lord John, when he made the statement in explanation of his sudden secession from the Aberdeen Cabinet, and also by the Duke of Newcastle, when he replied to that statement in the House of Lords. The whole circumstances of the case must be fresh in the memory of our readere, but they will feel an interest in the personal passages of the correspond- ence not brought out in Parliament.

As is well known, Lord John Russell, dwelling on the necessity of having the War Minister in the House of Commons, proposed that Lord Palmerston should be intrusted with the seals of the War Department, instead of the Duke of Newcastle. Lord Aberdeen objected : he thought the reasons assigned for the change so inadequate, that "it could only be regarded as the substitution of one man for another," although Lord John might be far from entertaining any such desire.

"Now, with respect to Palmerston: I do not know whether he is aware of the burden you are disposed to lay upon him ; but if not, I should greatly doubt his inclination to undertake it. 'Palmerston is, within a few months, as old as I am ; and, without disparaging his inherent vigour of mind, he possesses no immunity from the effects of age. When I look at the laborious and complicated duties discharged by the Duke of Newcastle and by Herbert, and anticipate others which must shortly be added to them, I fear that I could not honestly advise the Queen to intrust Palmerston, or any other man, with so great a responsibility. "I said in my former letter that your proposal was unexpected by me, because my strong impression had been, from various conversations, that you greatly preferred the nomination of the Duke of Newcastle to the War Department instead of Palmeraton, which had been canvassed at the time in the press and in the House of Commons. But I suppose that I must have

been mistaken in this respect It is useless, however, to enter into the qualifications of different men ; for, as I do not perceive the immediate necessity for the abolition of Herbert's office and the extinction of his func- tions, I cannot consider the proposed change as imperatively called for." In reply, Lord John, after disposing of some remarks relating to offi- cial arrangements, comes to what he considers the greatest question, the immediate requirements of the war. He goes on- " Here you meet me in limine by saying that the transaction would be considered only as a mode of substituting one man for another and that, in justice to the Duke of Newcastle, you do not think that his colleagues, with- out very strong grounds, would wish to place him in such position. Now, I had understood that your Administration was founded on the principle of doing what was best for the public service, without regard to the self-love or even the acquired position of individuals. The Duke of Newcastle would, I think, be the last man to wish for an exception to this rule in his favour. "Your next objection is to Lord Palmerston's age: but when I see the vigour of his mind and body, I cannot attach much weight to this argument. "You say next, that it was your strong impression, from various con- versations, that at the time of the separation of the War Department I greatly preferred the nomination of the Duke of Newcastle to that of Pal- merston. You are mistaken in this respect. But it is true my opinion fluctuated very much, and it was only determined by the strong wish which I understood had been expressed by the Duke of Newcastle to complete in the War Department the preparations he had so well begun. I thought it due to him to presume in favour of his efficiency." Lord Aberdeen rejoins- " You say that I made an objection to Palmerston's age; but this is not quite correct As my acquaintance with Palmerston commenced very many years ago, I rejoice as much as any one to see the vigour of his muid and body; but when I mentioned his age, it had reference to the notion of in- trusting him with the duties now discharged by the Duke of Newcastle and by Herbert. It would be a delusion to suppose that any man, old or young, could attempt such a task with advantage to the public. At the formation of the Government, I proposed to Palmerston to take the Admiralty, but he preferred the Home Office ; and as he told me himself that the Foreign Office bad become too much for him, I am sure that he would never think of un- dertaking the business of the two offices in question."

our readers know, the correspondence somewhat abruptly closed with a promise from Lord John that he would do—what he did not do- plaoe his views before the Cabinet Our readers may remember the case of Lord Forth, and the explanation given of it by his father the Earl of Perth, apparently on the authority of Colonel Cameron of the Forty-second Regiment. Generally it was accepted as clearing the young man from all charges but that of impru- deece. Colonel Cameron, however, writing from Balaklava on the 14th May, seems to think it not satisfactory he addresses the following letter to the Times.

"Sir—As the last paragraph in the letter from the Earl of Perth which appeared in the Times of the 23d of April may have led the public to infer that the account therein given of his son's conduct in the Forty-second Regi- meat before Sebastopol was derived from information furnished by me, I think it right to state that his Lordship's letter, besides omitting some im- portant facts, contains many statements not authorized by any information ever given by me to his Lordship."

The prisoners taken by the British in the Crimea-considerably exceed the number taken by the Russians. From a nominal return, published in Tuesday's Gazette, it appears that the enemy have captured ten officers, ten sergeants, and 180 rank and file; and that we have taken 647 Rus- sians, 7 Tartars, $7 Po/es, and 5 Jews, besides 45 Russian officers ; total 791, as a set-off against 190.

The Beard. of Trade returns continue to be looked for with interest. The shipping returns for the month of April show a falling-off in the amount of tonnage, but the decrease is relatively larger in foreign than in British shipping. In the corresponding period in 1853, 280,792 tons— in 1854, 357,455 tons—in 1855, 269,003 tons of British shipping—en- tered inwards; showing a decrease of 76,663 tons as against 1853, and of 88,452 tons as against 1854. In foreign shipping, minus that of the United States, there were 174,375 tons in 1853-207,205, in 1854- 86,261 tons entered inwards in 1855; showing a decrease of 88,114 tons as against 1853, and of 120,944 as against 1851. The shipping of the United States exhibits an increase from 54,235 tons in 1853, to 110,187 tons in 1855. The clearances outward show similar relative proportions of increase on the part of the United States shipping, and decrease on the part of British and foreign tonnage. With regard to the coasting trade, the tonnage entered inward was 1,145,014 tons in the month end- ing 5th May 1853; in 1854 it was 1,060,821; in the present return it is 1,028,357, including seventeen foreign vessels' of an aggregate burden of 2158 tons. The clearances outward were 1,200,454 tons in the month ending 5th May 1853, 1,127,208 in 1854, and 1,087,478 (including 2198 tons of foreign) in 1855.

The world of fashion has not been idle in this holiday-time. On Saturday the Countess of Clarendon had an assembly, chiefly attended by diplomatists. In the afternoon there had been a juvenile party given by the wife of the Prussian Ambassador ; but among the crowd of their elders present were the Duchess and Princess Mary of Cambridge and the Grand Duchess of Meek- lenburg-Strelitz. On Wednesday, the Countess Colored° entertained five hundred guests with a ball at the Austrian Legation. Here also were the Duke of Cambridge and his mother and sister. On Thursday, the Duke of Cambridge dined with the Earl of Derby.

Lord Londesborough, as President of the Numismatic Society, held a soiree on Monday, attended by the members of the Society, the councils of various learned bodies, many Royal Academicians, and other gentlemen of po- sition in literature and the arts. The rooms were enriched with objects of vertu.

Colonel Rawlinson has arrived in London from Bagdad, having brought to a close the excavations in Assyria and Babylonia which he has been su- perintending for the last three years on behalf of the Trustees of the British Museum.

Lord Haddo returned to England in the Indus ; his health much improved by his sojourn in Egypt The King of Portugal and his brother the Duke of Oporto arrived at Bor- deaux on Friday last week, and journeyed thence to Paris. Prince Metternich lately gave a grand fête at Vienna to celebrate his eighty-third birthday. Mr. Francis Blocks and his son were driving over the Plains of Abraham on the 11th of May. The horse ran off; both gentlemen were thrown out ; the father was severely bruised, and both thighs of the son were broken. A veteran diplomatist, who has in turn represented England at Lisbon, Rio, Stockholm, and St. Petersburg,—Lord Strangford, by birth an Irish Peer, but raised to the English Peerage in 1825 for his services,—died on Tuesday night, at his house in Harley Street. Be was a man of letters and of fine taste. His son George Sydney Smythe, formerly M.P. for Canter- bury, succeeds to the dtrangford Peerage.

Lord Charles Manners, a brother of the Duke of Rutland, and a soldier who had seen much service, died on the 25th May, at his house in Sackville Street. He entered the army in 1798; was one of Lord Chatham's Aides- de-camp in the Walcheren expedition, and fought in Wellington's army through the campaigns of the Peninsula. He died a General in the army,, and Colonel of the Third Light Dragoons, at the age of seventy-four.

Another old General, Sir William Macbean, died on the 24th May, at Brompton. He was Colonel of the Ninety-second Foot; and had fought in Ireland, the Peninsula, and the Cape. He was one year younger than Lord Charles Manners, but two yearsolder in the service.

Marshal Harispe died on the 26th ultimo, at Bayonne, at a very ad- vanced age.

The regiments of cavalry under orders for the seat of war—viz. 1st (Kings)' Dragoon Guards, 6th Carbineers, and 15th (King's) Hussars, with the rein- forcements for the 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards, 5th (Princess Charlotte of Wales) ditto, 1st Royal Dragoons, 2d North British ditto (Scots Greys), 4th Light Dragoons, 6th Enniskillen Dragoons, 8th (Royal Irish) Hussars, 10th (Prince of Wales's) Royal Hussars, 11th (Prince Albert's Own) ditto, 12th Lancers, 13th Light Dragoons, and 17th Lancers—will augment the cavalry force in the Cnmea to about 5650 sabres; viz, estimated strength of the cavalry at the seat of war, including the 10th Hussars and 12th Lancers, recently arrived from India, 3100; three regiments under orders for im- mediate embarkation at 650 sabres each, 1950; and at least detachments of fifty mounted men for each of twelve regiments before Sebastopol, 600. Up- wards of 1200 trained horses from the various cavalry depots will proceed with the reinforcements, being intended for the remounts of a large portion of troopers who have been without horses for some months.—.Daily rapers.

The British squadron destined to blockade the White Sea will be placed in communication with England by the Post-office, on the same footing as the squadrons in the Black Sea and the Baltic. Letters addressed to the British squadron in the White Sea were forwarded by the private steamers which left Hull yesterday evening, and may be sent on every alternate Friday even- ing subsequently, for Christiania; whence the letters will be sent on to Ham- merfest by the regular Norwegian mail-packet, or by such opportunitiea as may offer by private ship. Letters will also be sent to the squadron by any vessels of war or transports that may be proceeding to the White Sea. Letters under a quarter of an ounce will be charged 3d., above that 6d., and 3d. for every quarter in excess. Soldiers or sailors' letters sent by Queen's ships or transports will be charged ld., but newspapers will be forwarded free of postage.

A little girl, Christiana Benson, daughter of the late Mr. Benson of Annan, sent three pairs of wristlets to Lord Raglan in December. They were cha- racteristically_ acknowledged in the following letter. "Before Sebastopol, April 22, 1855. Dear Miss Christiana—I received only last night your little note of the 20th Ltecember, forwarding to me three pairs of very nice wristlets. Although the winter is over, and the weather is generally fine, yet occasionally there is a very cold wind, and wristlets are still most ac- ceptable, and add materially to one's comfort. I shall wear these you have so kindly bestowed upon me with the greatest of pleasure ; and I shall ever remember with pride and 'satisfaction the little girl whose feelings of bene- volence dictated so useful an offering. Yours very gratefully, Raglan.—Miss Christiana Benson, Ecelefechan, Scotland."

The people of Sydney, animated by the news of the battle of Inkerman, assembled in the Theatre, soon after the news arrived, and expressed their sympathy by subscriptions to the Patriotic Fund. One gentleman, "Daniel Cooper,"subscribed 10001. and promised 5001. a year till the end of the war. Several of the banks gave 500e, and numbers of persons tendered their 100/. In three days the sum collected was 35001., and, the aggregate subscription was soon little short of 30,000/.

Lord Palmerston, after several applications through the Archbishop of Canterbury and other prelates, has refused to advise the issue of a Queen's letter for the Church-Building Society.

A new Colonial bishopric has been constituted, for Borneo, the Bishop having the title of "Bishop of Labuan." The first incumbent will be Dr. Francis T. Macdougall, who has been for some time the chief missionary of the island. Dr. Macdougall was formerly in the medical profession, and held an appointment in King's College Hospital. There will now be thirty Colonial bishoprics in connexion with the Church of England.

The Queen having discovered that a large portion of. the children of the domestic and other servants at Buckingham Palace are very much neglected in the matter of education, has commanded that premise& in Palace Street, Pimlice„ should be fitted up as a school., to be opened for educational pur- poses on Monday next Mr. Charles Dodd, a gentleman. of tried ability in

his vocation, has been appointed master. The whole of-the expenses will be defrayed by her Majesty. The number of scholars of both sexes at present eligible for admission is sixty-six. An evening school will also be esta- blished for such of the elder children as may be prevented- from attending in the day-time.—Globe.

There is a great competition among the leaders of the bar for the appoint- ments vaeated by Mr. Phinn, the Second Secretary to the Admiralty—Coun- sel to the Admiralty, Judge-Advocate of the Fleet, Recorder of Devonport, Counsel to Post-office on Western Cavell and to the Royal Forests in Hamp- shire. The first appointment is worth Me per annum..

A large number of Members of Parliament, of all parties„ have signed a memorial praying that Mr. Smith O'Brien may be allowed to return to this country without conditions. Last week a deputation waited upon Lord Palmerston and presented the memorial. The Premier took time to consult his colleagues.

Lieutenant John Packwood, of the Retribution steam-frigate, has been tried by court-martial at Sheerness for sleeping during his watch one night.

The ease was fully made Out: 8004 after he had assumed his watch, Lieu- tenant Packwood went into his cabin, threw himself on a bed, and went to sleep; one of the crew had to shake him to awaken him. He was found guilty, and sentenced to be dismissed from the service.

Though in some parts the grain crops have undoubtedly suffered by the ungenial weather, the general report of their present state is favourable. In the London corn-market on Monday there wax a slight decline in prices.

During the past week a large number of vessels have arrived at Hull from Constantinople, Odessa, and Kertcle The receipts of linseed at Hull from the Black Sea exceed in quantity those of the corresponding periods of former years, when we were at peace with Russia. At the meeting of the Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, it was stated by the President, that whereas the import of Black Sea seed into Hull in the month of May 1853 was 6500 quarters ; in May 1854, 10,900; in May this year, that is to say during the past fortnight, those imports had been 41,440 quarters.—Hull Packet.

The specie arrivals last week amounted to no less than 870,0001.; while the exports were trifling.

The business of Toy and Son, of the Soho Works, has been resumed, under inspection.

The Post-office authorities have devised a plan by which the mails to the North will reach Edinburgh and Glasgow two hours earlier, and leave those places two hours later than at present, thus giving four additional hours for correspondence. This has been done at some sacrifice, as certain places will have to despatch their branch-mails at an earlier hour to meet the down- mail ; and, as the speed of the train will be greater and the stoppages fewer, the bags for certain places will stop short or not reach their destination, so that mail-carts will have to complete the journey. "Great pains, however, have been taken, and large expenses incurred, for the purpose of bringing such inconvenience within the narrowest limits; and, though for the most part the advantage on the one hand, and the disadvantage on the other, will severally attach to different parts of the country-, yet, as the one will greatly exceed the other, it is hoped that where some disadvantage is felt it will be readily accepted for the sake of the general benefit."

Henceforth there will be a mail twice a month to Australia, carried by clipper ships. "The mails for Australia will be made up in London on the evening of the following days—June 4 and 19, July 4 and 19, August 4 and 20, September 4 and 19, October 4 and 20, November 5 and 19, December 4 and 19. The packets will, in each case, leave Liverpool on the succeeding days. All letters and newspapers for New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Van Diemen's Land, and New Zealand, will be forwarded by these packets, unless addressed to be sent by any other opportunity. The packet-rates of postage will be chargeable on letters so conveyed; but news- papers will not be liable to any postage." The James Baines, clipper, has made the run out to Melbourne as quickly as the steamers.

Art is of no politics. "M. Horace Vernet," says the Inde'pendant der Ouest, 4' has just proceeded to Frohadorf to paint a portrait of the Count de Chambord, of the size of life. The Count is to be represented on horseback." Last year 'Vernet was in Bulgaria waiting to sketch any battles that might turn up.

On Sunday the Paris Exhibition was opened free, by order of the Emperor. The visitors- numbered 105,022.

The eruption of Vesuvius was almost at an end by the last accounts; and a long period of repose is now expected. The quantity of matter thrown out duringthis convulsion has been enormous.

A railway is in course of construction from Rome to Frascati, the first link of railway Communication to Naples. The contractors are seeking to raise a portion of the capital in England. It is expected the line will be opened in October.

Sixtesn miles more of the Bombay Railway are completed, making a total of fifty, The Pasha of Egypt has directed the corifitruction of a railway from Cairo to Suez, eighty-four miles. French engineers will construct it. it is ex- pected ta be finished in three years.

The recent shocks of earthquake at Broussa and the neighbourhood were very destructive of life and property. By the first shock 445 persons were killed or wounded ; by the second, 204. Great numbers of buildings were destroyed by the convulsion, or consumed by the fires which ensued.

The proposed expenditure of Victoria for 1855 is 1,113,675/. less than that of 1854. The largest item in the reductions is that for public works- 566,2281.

According to the Melbourne correspondent of the Times, gold-digging in Victoria is becoming a steady business. Very rich deposits are no longer dis- covered; diggers are found willing to work for regular wages, and machinery for crushing gold-bearing quartz is introdueed. The writer thinks that tha future yield of gold will be about 2,000,000/. a quarter, with a tendency to increase.

There have been several large fires at Melbourne. The insurance companies have raised their premiums.

The Golden Age, a large steamer plying between. San Francisco and Pa- nama, has been stranded after striking on a reef on the island of Quibo. The conduct of the master, Mr. Watkins, was admirable. The ship was on her way to Panama, with-800 passengers, the mails, and 1,300,000 dollars. During the night, though the master, was on the watch, she touched a reef, apparently unknown before ; a large hole was- made in her bottom, and the water poured in. Mr. Watkins coolly prepared to run the vessel ashore in a better place. She was backed off from the reef, and steered for &sandy cove ; every minute there was a large increase in the water within the ship; and thus the fires were gradually extinguished, the steam reduced, and the speed diminished, While the engineers were up to their necks in water : but the ship approached the shore, and when the motion of the wheels was nearly over she gently stranded, and the 800 passengers were in safety. Some of the crew afterwards put off in a boat, and fell in with the steamer John L. Stephens ; this vessel immediately steered for the wreck, and having taken off passengers, mails, and specie, put back to Panama. Mr. Watkins hoped to be able to patch up the fraoture of the hull so as to get the Golden Age to a port.

The amateurs- orb° recently performed at Drury- Lane Theatre have 'mid from the receipt; of the night 7001. to the funds of the Wellington College, and presented 50/. to the fund for Mr. Angus Reach.

The Times contradicts a "marvellous statement" of some "London cor- respondent" of a provincial journal, to the effect that a Bristol Canon re- cently appointed one of the Queen's Chaplains is a writer of "slashing articles" in the Leading Journal. If the Times intends to contradict all the marvellous statements of the "London correspondents," it will need to enlarge even its monster dimensions.

"P." informs the Times, that in Henry the Seventh's Chapel there is a vacancy where Lend Dundonald's banner and sword ought to be suspended as a Knight of the Bath, sines Lord Dundonald has been restored to his honours.

The new scheme for the management of St. Cross Hospital, so far as allowing the brethren seven shillings per week each in addition to their usual rations, came into operation on Saturday last.

Mr. J. Niven gardener, Keir House, has succeeded in fabricating paper and rope from the common garden hollyhock, and has patented his invention under the title of " Niven's patent hollyhock paper and rope." The paper is ofthe appearance and texture of that used for small bags and parcels by grocers &c., and is very clean and. firm. The rope is about half an inch thick, fight and shining in colour, and apparently of considerable strength. —Perth Courier.