The Express. — London, England, 1867-01-29 00:00:00

MAPPIN BROTHERS.—Established A. x.lBlO. CHESTS of SILVER PLATE for the COLONIES. CUTLERY and SILVER PLATE tar MU(IMMO. MAPPIN BROTHERS, LONDON-BRIDGE. MAPNN BROTHERS, 222, REGENT STREET. B ROWN and POLSON'S CORN FLOUR for CIIILDIUMB To obtain extra profit by the sale other kinds are sometimes offered Instead of iiiioWN and POLSON'S. "John Brown," "John Poison," Is signed by the makers on each packet. ghe erPreol4* TO CORRIIiPONDF.STS. Advertisement, intended for " The &penes. London Evening Paper, must be at the Unice, 10, tiouverieatreet, by Two o'clock uu the day of publication. DRI'RY LA\E. itllsl ETTNING, Phelps. Messrs. Reds lemma., E. litelps, mid Barrett Mesdames H. Vezin, Isabel Admds, & 11. Vandenled.—And N(MKKR NIP . UK, HARLE IN AND 71/1:6 \ THU. GIANT MOUNTAIN. HAYMARk ZT THlk EvEmma. A Lt.:4:+W. tOlit LIFE. Meson. anthem, Rou,n, Clark, Compton, dr. Mrs. Chippendale. Misses lid', Wriaht.k, —And TIIF, lilts FAMILY. Messrs. Liurkstoue, Hoar, Farrell, &c.; Mesdames Chippendale, Moore, Burke, inc. IAINCIOVV& ETTMING, DELICAIViiitiII 7 ND. Meson Vining and J. G. Shore; Miss Katherine Rodgers —And TII /iTlt EFTS I/F LON lEN. tleiani. V. Villiers, Shore, Calhaem, Forrester. Cath cart, Mellon, :old Vining; Mrs. 11. Marston and Miss Rodgers. .L ! I ("SUM. nits Ermine, T 9 F. 111 i PoLTS. Mr. Widdicomis —And ROUCEErN.)I R. Messrs Fecliter, Emery, Cowper. Moreland, Fitzpatrick. Li .Iton, Keynolds, Lomas, Andreas, Prise, Se. ; tars. L. Murray, and Misses ilenrade, Grattan, and C. Leclersq. WrILAN D. „. DIN —Alter which will be produced • Grand Burleaque, GUY FAWKES.—And A SUIT OY frOLBORIV. Tine Evomio, MY TIAN NEXT. Mr. Be!more: Muses Foote sad Lennox.—And FLYING SCUD. Messrs. Neville, Mel. more, Blake, Vollalre, &c. , Mesdames V. Josephs, C. Saunders, Beside Foote, Fiddes, Lennox, Raymond, &e. BRITANNIA. Trim rvxxixo, THE PRINCESS OF THE PEARL ISLAND: Olt, THE THREE KINCINTMs DF PEARL, GOLD. AND KILVF:it MN Lon. awl MN, Tacoba—Vlrst-rate Pantomimist'. And THE SKELETON CREW. HIGH WATCH AT LONDON BRIDGE r 111.9 DAT AW..27ra:. - .: A — fteiii - 00 - o7 MI. :4. TO-MOlLlWw—Morning, 4 34 Afternoon, 14 174 LONDON, TUESDAY, JANUARY 29. A MAJORITY of all parties in the House of Com mons and a considerable number of Peers had, it seems, in their innocence imagined that if the search ‘,f passengers' luggage co ig from France should be suspended from April to November next the public revenue of the United Kingdom would not be likely to suffer any serious loss, or the Treasury balance of the financial year 1867-68 be dangerously disturbed. Such was the thought less inexperience of public men, albeit legis lators, and therefore responsible, first and last, to the country for the ways and moans of carrying on the Qr EEN'S Government, and probably most of them, once a year at least, accustomed to cross the Channel and back again, and therefore in a condition to judge by their own personal observation and experience of the frightful consequences to the national exchequer of passengers being allowed to pass through Dover and Folkestone without having their portman teaus and bandboxes opened and shut again under the eyes of Custom-house officers. People who have never been " civil servants," and have not passed through the inestimable discipline of copying forms, in a good round hand, on large paper in a government office are so desr e 'orately ignorant of the ex treme danger of loosing a single pin in any one of the wheels of the imperial coach, on which innumerable flies are sitting so confident in their pushing power. Mr. WATKIN and the rest of the influential deputation who waited on the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER on Friday last are too evidently led astray by that reckless common sense which only a long habit of breathing the sedative air of a Department can moderate and restrain. They are blind to a thousand difficulties which any eye and nose trained in a Department can see and sniff out with unerring acuteness. The object of this deputa tion was to present to the CHANCELLOR of the EXiIIEQUER the Memorial signed by 448 peers and Members of Parliament, simply asking, as Mr. WATKIN expressed it, "that during the " Great Exhibition of 1867, the examination of " travellers' luggage between Loudon and Paris " be suspended, the right to examine in suspi " ciouscases being reserved." On this request the advice of the Treasuryand of the Customs Depart ment has been taken, and the result of we know not how many communications, and we know not how Large a consumption of pens, ink, and paper, is that the Treasury, while admitting that the search of passengers' luggage "always produces " inconvenience and vexation to the public, and " can only be justified byimporious necessity," ob ject to remove the inconvenience and vexation, on the ground of damage to tho revenue by smuggling spirits and tobacco from Paris to Eng land. The Chairman of the Customs is not at all satisfied that considerable danger to the public revenue will not arise if the indulgence asked for be conceded. And the CHANCELLOR of the Ex- I'HEQCER, oppressed and overburdened by the sense of his responsibility, and anxious, like the provincial Othello, who blacked himself all over, to throw him self soul and body into a part which, histrionically speaking, might be considered not altogether within the range of his art, " makes up " admirably as an inflexible administrator, with an air of solemn hesitation and misgiving whichenablesevery British taxpayer to feel that at all events he will not be called upon to reimburse the amount of duty on spirits and tobacco payable by passengers from Paris to London between April and November next. No doubt it is reassuring to us all to find that we have a Tory Chancellor of the Exchequer who, although he never invented a surplus, sim plified a tariff, reduced a burden, or advanced a step towards free trade, or approved a commer cial treaty, knows how to "abound in the sense" of the Departments, and to keep a tight hand on the portmanteaus and bandboxes of passengers from Paris to London. This conscientious rigour in looking after the shillings and sixpences, and let ting the millions take care of themselves (at the Admiralty and Horse Guards) is a precious quality in a Minister whose genius is so daring and expansive in drawing bills for the repre sentation of the people. If Mr. DISRAELI should still be Chancellor of the Exchequer in April 1868, but with little or no surplus, it will not be for want of a due estimate of the responsibilities of his position as protector of the public revenue from the depredations of travellers and tourists. This is most satisfactory. But it seems a little hard upon a CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEig*ER, who has really no other chance of distinguishing himself in his term of office, that he cannot venture to do a littlu favour to his countrymen without fear of offending the " Depart " ments," or perhaps of embarrassing his suc cessor. Nobody ever expected the Treasury, still less the Customs, to regard this Memorial with approbation. Departments always see what they call " the thin end of the wedge" in the slightest interference with routine. How would the perms nent officials of the " Departments " have judged a priori Sir R. PEEL'S and Mr. GLAD STONE'S alterations in the tariff, or the Commercial Treaty with France? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER charges Mr. WATKIN with having proved too much and made too strong a case for doing away with the search of passengers' luggage altogether. Perhaps this is not so much Mr. WATKIN'S fault as the fault of the case on the other side. It would be very difficult to represent in adequate terms the reasons for suspending the search of passengers' luggage for six months with out at the same time enforcing by impli cation the reasons for doing away with it altogether. As a question of revenue, the suspension of search from April to November next will be the more objectionable in proportion to the extraordinarily multiplied number of travellers from Paris to London. If it would be a serious danger to the revenue to let passengers' , luggage pass unsearched during an ordinary season, it will be destructive to the revenue to suspend the search this year. It might be sup posed that no responsible member of Parliament would commit himself to a proposal for seriously endangering the public revenue, even for the sake of doing a civil thing to our neighbours. If Mr. WATKIN has proved too much for the six months' suspension, the Chairman of Customs has returned the compliment by asking men of business, or rather of common sanity, to believe that the public revenue will be seriously endangered by the quantity of spirits and tobacco likely to be imported in passengers' luggage from Paris to London, if, instead of the present almost nominal search, involving so much unneces sary annoyance and delay to hundreds of harmless passengers, a system of surveillance were estab lished sufficient to prevent a systematic contra, band importation of goods worth smuggling, by persons and in packing cases which the dullest custom-house officer could detect. As Mr. WATKIN remarked to the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, the experience of every smoker could estimate the amount of tobacco likely to be smuggled from Paris to London, and as to spirits, it is known that we export spirits to France. French brandy, to be smuggled by travellers, must be packed in bottles; how many bottles, then, would it take to repay the risk, or how few to escape detection? As to silks and other costlier articles, they are just as likely to escape search, and just as easy of detection now as they would be if the portmanteaux and band boxes of ordinary passengers were not searched at all. For, we repeat, the search of passengers' lug gage is almost nominal, and it is not the severity of the search, but the unnecessary delay and inconvenience that passengers complain of, and the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER is asked to suspend. This delay and inconvenience will be increased in proportion to the number of travellers during an exceptional season. The French Minister of Finance asked what there was to smuggle between France and England ; and assured Mr. WATKIN that the French Government not only would give orders to reduce the search to a mere ceremony, but were anxious to discuss the whole question of modifying or abolishing search under a reciprocal convention. Ono can easily forgive a Department for shrinking from such a conclusion as this, but the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER is not a Department, and might even lead the way towards so happy a result without endangering his reputation, or the revenue. OUR CONTEMPORARIES. (THIS DAY.) THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, JANUARY ~29, 1867. robbery !or arson. The commutation of the sentences is solely suggested by the cessation of danger, and the long continuance oteesnquillity in the province. . - The Tina describes the ill-advised proceeffiap of Seward as rendering the exercise of mercy extremely diffi cult, and thinks that the clemency exhibited oonld only be justified by the security of the province. The change since in the tone of the Fenian and their American sym pathisers seems to justify the wisdom of the advice ten dered by the home and colonial government to the Queen ; and if it be that they no longer dream of the invasion of Canada, we shall have the high satisfaction of knowing that we have been able to show mercy to those who deserved none without affecting the security of the Canadian provinces, and that the dignity of the nation ha. been maintained in the face of communications at once unusual and uncalled for. THE GOVERNMENT AND REFORM. The Time:l - continues to urge that the logic of facts imperatively requires the speedy settlement of re form. Let government shirk the question, or attempt delay, or avoid responsibility, and the leader of the oppo sition has only to move that government, in so doing, has forfeited the confidence of the house, and he can hardly fail of a majority which, even if it be • small one, will be sufficient for the purpose. It may be doubted whether a majority of a single vote will not prove • more serious matter than one of sixty, inasmuch as it would probably send the question straight to the hustings, which would return • house deeper pledged than ever to reform. Even if • conservative measure should be hopeless, it is necessary to the substantive character of the party, neces sary to the weight of their criticisms upon any other mea sures, that one should be proposed. The view that con servatives ought not turn reformers is founded rather upon party tactics than upon sound policy. The world knows well that • large section of the so-called conserva tives wish to see such a reform as shall enjoy a large mea sure of popular support. That section is entitled to hare its wishes, and certainly to be excused the dissimulation of seeming to disavow them. It has • right to be spared that organised hypoca:sy which government will have to force upon its followers If it declines to take up reform. The Trirgrapli observes that a great reform meeting will be held to-day, not in the Agricultur►l Hall, under the presidency of Mr. Beaks, but in Downing-street, with Lord Derby in the chair. We all know what the cabinet which will assemble in • few hours ad] have for the sub ject of debate, and, perhaps, of division. It is an open secret. The " people in the market place" are as well aware of the purpose of to-day's cabinet council as the ministers themselves. Whatever extraneous matter may be mixed up with the business of the two hours. each councillor will enter the dingy precinct with the certainty that he must answer a momentous question. He w ill have to give him voice for or against the policy of trying to pass • conservative reform bill this session. The Star says the title of the volume of Mr. Disraeli's speeches ought to have been " Speeches against naliamen tary Reform." He is against manhood suffrage, household suffrage, a :1/., a V., or even a it. borough franchise ; he is against anything like a proportionate redistribution of sesta with regard to population ; he is against the ballot. What remains in the shape of reform? Anybody who can show us anything kit which Mr. Disraeli could propose or support, and which any true reformer who has not for gotten altogether the old creed and sacraments of his party could care to accept, is welcome to wait and hope, and to talk in the meantime about "giving the best consideration" to the so-called reform bill which the Star trusts and believes the present government have no in tention whatever to propose. FLVIAN CANVICTS. Nothing, remarks the Daily Noma, could have been fairer than the trial of the Fenian prisoners in Canada, and the verdict was the only one consistent with the evidence. Mr. Seward's proceeding was a gross attempt to interfere with public justice, and his pretensions are repelled in a dignified way in Lord Carnarvon's published despatch. Mr. Seward, for temporary political reasons, wished to place his government before the people of the western continent, as able and ready to exercise a supervision over judicial proceedings in Canada, and his language was such as has not been employed by one sovereign government to another since the usurpa tions of the first Napoleon. It would have been impas sible for our government to admit for • moment preten sions so offensive and outrageous as three, and Lord catnarvon could do nothing less than firmly set them aside. The tone and manner of his despatch is in marked contrast with that of the American Secretary of State. Mr. Seward's argument as to the offence of the prisoners was simply absurd. No party in Canada in any way in vited or encouraged this invasion : it was simply a buc caneering raid. Every homicide committed in it was a murder--every act of pillage or destruction done in it was Vitt Court. OSBORNE, Jam 2S. The Queen drove out this morning, accompanied by Prism= Christian. Prince Christian walked in the grounds. The Prince and Princess of Wales, with Prince Albert Victor and Prince George, arrived at Marlborough House yesterday afternoon from Sandringham, attended by the Marchioness of Carmarthen, General Knollys, Major Grey, and Mr. Fisher. Hia Royal Highness, attended by Major Grey, left for Trentham, late in the afternoon. A deputation from the Committee on Infanticide of the Ilarveian Society, consisting of Dr.lTyler Smith (Chairman of Committee), Dr. James K Pollock (President), Mr. J. Brendon Curgeven (Hon. Sec.), Mr. JOADOR Hart, Mr. Benson Baker, Mr. W. Sedgwick, Dr. H. C. Stewart, Dr. W. Camps, Dr. Frederick Cock, Dr. D. Menzies, Dr. Thos. Ballard (Vice-President), Mr. Edwin Lowe, Dr. Maudsley, Mr. W. Acton, Dr. Cleveland, Dr. Westma. eon, Mr. J. B. Walker, Dr. R. Greeahalgh, Mr. J. Evans, Mr. C. R. Drysdale (Hon. Soc.), Mr. T. Carr Jackson, Dr. Graily Hewit, Mr. Henry Power, Dr. Edward Hart Venen, Dr. John C. Langmuee, Dr. John Hall Davis, and Mr. T. Fox, had au interview with the Right Hon. Spencer H. Walpole at the Hume-office yesterday. Despatches were received yesterday at the Colonial. office from the Governor of Canada. A FRENCH PORTRAIT OF HR. GLADSTONE. The Nord contains the following description of Mr. Gladstone's appearance at the banquet recently given to him in Paris:—" As soon as the applause with which the toast was received had ceased, the illustrious English statesman, with that eloquent facility which we all know, at least by reputation, thanked the Political Economy Society, and discussed the influence of men of science on the progress of governments, the peace of the world, and the approximation of the two great civilised nations of the West. He dwelt on the reciprocal benefits which the treaty of commerce could not fail to confer on both England and France, and, on this head, adroitly introduced a panegytio as original as it was characteristic on Cobden, and an approval of the enlightened firmness of the Emperor Napoleon. Then taking a rapid survey of the past and future he said :—' I have abolished or reduced the taxes on 1,400 articles, and I look forward to the time when the Custom•houss will be merely a recollection. If it be permitted me to do this im mense service for England and to prepare the way for a like one in other countries, I shall never, gentlemen, forget the aid which the learned and distinguished statesmen who surround me have given in enlightening the intellect and preparing public opinion. This day is at once for me an honour, gratification, and a treaty of alliance.' It would be difficult to convey the effect produced by this remarkable speech, which lasted for three-quarters of an hour. Of fair height, the forehead large and bold, the eyes brilliant and strongly fixed, Mr. Gladstone speaks in turn with a warmth, a persuasion, and a logic which enchains the hearer and forces upon him his own conviction, after the manner of doctrinaires; at other times, with a slightly ironical smile and with a fund of humour which rivets his audience, and lends attraction to the force of his eloquence." Lord Derby has had a slight attack of gout. It promises to yield to treatment, but it is necessary that he should as much as possible remain in the same tempera ture. The Cabinet Council to-day will therefore be held at Lord Derby's house in St. James4.square. The Earl Percy left Northumberland House on Saturday, for Albury Park, his seat in Surrey. The death is announced of the Countess of Devon. The sad event took place at Powdmham Castle on Sunday. Her ladysLip was married to Earl Devon in 1830 ; she was sister of the late noble Earl Fortescue, and is aunt of the present earl. The deceased lady leaves two children Lord Courtenay and Lady Agnes Courtenay. At the meeting of the Royal Geographical So ciety last evening, Sir K. I. Murchison, Bart., president, in the chair, a paper was read "On the Best Site for a New Capital of India," by Mr. George Campbell. Gustav Freytag, the author of " Debit and Credit" and other novels, whose popularity is not con fined to Germany, is a candidate for the representation of Erfursh, in theNorth-German parliament. The Bremen ship Maria, Captain Meyer, is shortly expected at Ragusa, with the library, painting, and other effects of the Empress Charlotte. The cargo consists of 622 chests, insured for 20,000/. A few days ago, being a fine, cold day, one Ernest Mabner jumped into the Rhine at Mayenoe, and swam a considerable distance with the stream. The hardy swimmer has long dubbed himself " the German apostle of health," and by example, as well as precept, endeavours to make his countrymen as indifferent to cold and fatigue as Tacitus says they were. The United States' government is preparing for an active and vigorous campaign against the hostile Indian tribes of the extreme west. Troops, horses, and munition+ of war are being concentrated at Leavenworth, Omaha city, and other points on the Upper Missouri, and the campaign will begin with the opening of spring. All the military posts on the plains are to be strengthened at once. A general attack and =mare is feared from the Indians, and the frontier wittier. are in great dread of their lives. Sixteen thousand dollars have been aubecribed in New York for the families of the unfortunate men who were lost from the yacht Fleetwing, and they are to have a theatrical benefit in that city, at which the principal New York actors will perform. The Union announces the approaching marriage of the Princess Marguerite of Parma with the Infante Don Carlos, nephew of the Counties de Chambord. The cere mony, it says, will take place at Frobadorf on the 4th of February. The princess was born on the Ist of January, 1847. The Mhnorial of Amiens states that the town of Lille learnt with affright on Saturday last that M. Point, head of an important bank in that place, had died sod denly in the night, and that the house the neat mornin g had stopped payment. The liabilities are estimated at fifteen millions of francs. The mete are not as yet known. Mr. Smith's third and fourth lectures at Man chester are upon William Pitt. The subject of yeetertlity evening's lecture was that tort of the youthful premier's administration which preceded the war. Mr. K. Yates Thompson took the chair. The post of Historiographer Royal of Scotland has become vacant by the death of Mr. ()wage Brodie, who held the appointment many years. The Enghsh independent announces that the Rev. Henry Christopherson, late minister of New College Congregational Chapel, St. John's-wood, is about to take orders in the Church of England. SPECIAL SERVICEE AT ST. PAUL'S.—The following are the preachers appointed for the special services for February :—February 3, the Rev. Daniel Fox Sandford, M.A., militant minister of St. John's Episcopal Church, Edinburgh ; 10th, the Lord Bishop of Ripon ; 17th, the Rev. Henry Peril Liddon, M.A., prebendary of Salisbury, and examining chaplain to the Biahop of Salisbury ; 24th, the Rev. Dr. Moberly, late head master of Winchester School. DECORATIONS IN EXTREMIS. — ViSCOIIIIE de lit Gueronniere has received the Grand Gordon of the order of the Guelphs from the et-King of Hanover. MM. Cohen and Seemlier, writers in the Prance, have been named knights of the same. METROPOLITAN FRES HOSPITAL, DRVONSEIRE SQUARE, Ciry.—Theaggregate number of patients relieved during the week ending an. 26 was—Medical, 821 ; sur gical, :568 ; total, 1,389 ; of which 657 were new canes. LATEST IiTELLIGENCE. WPM% TELEGRAMS.) PRUSSIA. BERLIN, JAN. 29. The English Ambassador at Berlin, with Dr. Windthorst, formerly Hanoverian Minister of State, will negotiate with the Prussian government for the restoration of the Hanoverian royal pro perty to King George. FRANCE. PARIS, JAN. 2q. The Mouiteur of this morning says :- -" Yesterday the Emperor rode through the Quail', the Halles, and the Boulevards. His Majesty wan everywhere enthusiastically cheered." ARRIVAL OF THE ENGLISH SQUADRON AT ALEXANDRIA. ALEXANDRIA, J. 28. The Psyche, with Admiral Lord Clarence Paget on board, and the rest of the English squadron, have arrived here. CALCUTTA AND CHINA (HEAVY) MAILS. GIBRALTAR, JAN. 28. The Tanjore leaves at 8 p.m. for Southampton, where she may be expected about the 2nd Feb ruary. OUTWARD INDIA, CHINA, AND AUSTRALIAN MAILS. The Pere, from Southampton on the 20th inst., arrived on the 26th at 6 a.m., and left at 9 a.m. for Alexandria. She experienced three days' bad weather. All well. OUTWARD MAIL OF JANUARY 12-18. SUEZ, Ja.x. 27. The Carnatic left at 5 p.m., to-day for Bombay. JAMAICA. LIVERPOOL, JAN. 29. The steamer Chilian, with dates from Jamaica January 3, has arrived here. News has been received of a rising of Indians at Honduras, and troops had been sent from Kingston to Belize to suppress the revolt. AMERICA. LIVERPOOL, JAN. 29. The Tarifa from New York arrived here this morning. The Cunard steamer Aleppo arrived out at New York on Wednesday last and the lowa from Glasgow on Friday. (BY ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH.) NEW YORK, JAN. tki, EVENING. Gold, 1341. Sterling exchange on London, 109. 5-20 United States Bonds, 1071 ; Illinois, 112 ; Erie, 54-1. There is a panic in stocks. The Inman steamship City of Boston arrived out to-day. The North German Lloyd's Steamer (,Union arrived out on Saturday. NEW YORK, Jezt 22.• The House of Representatives has passed a bill requiring the government to make its sales of gold publicly and to the highest bidder. • Received in London at 9 a.m. on the 29th inst. EXPRESS FROM PARIS. THE DEMI-MONDE AND THE STAGE. (FROM OFR OWN CORRIRSPONDCiT.) PARIS, MONDRY EVF.NING. While the whole Paris press has not twenty lines about the Gladstone banquet, their columns are crowded with details of another soiree, of a far different kind, which took place on the same Saturday evening a few hundred yards from the Grand Hotel. bidlle. Cora Pearl that evening made her debut in the character of " Love" in Offea back's Orphie auu Enfers at the Theatre des Bouffes in the Passage Choiseul. Who is Mdlle. Cora Pearl ? The question is difficult to answer con es nablement. Ido not apologise for using a French word, because I shall be compelled to use many more in the course of any attempt in pursuanceof theduty forced upon me in my position as a Paris corre spondent to give English readers some slight idea of the nature of the sensation caused in Paris by her appearance upon the stage. The event will afford ample materials for new editions of M. Veuillot's °deur* de Paris, and a charming book just published by MM. Texier and Kaemfen called Paris, Capitals du Monde. Cora' earl is an English woman, and one of two claimants to be the original Anonym*. For some years past she has been what is called a selebriti in Paris. It is said that she keeps 12 horses in her stables. She is a good whip, and her " moms" is in great part attributable to her frequent appearances in the Bois de Boulogne, driving herself in variously constructed carriages and in infinite varieties of fast costumes. The management of the Thatre des Bouffes, which has been in difficulties, was as much surprised as rejoiced a short time ago to receive an offer from Miss Cora Pearl to appear as "Love," in a costume as near approaching to the realistic notion of the character• as the itispecteur des mews could be persuaded to allow. It would appear ' that this functionary did not show himself severe on the occasion, for the reports say that Cora Pearl was dressed in a diaphane co& tume, " qui commence bien au dessus du genou pour se terminer Bien au dessous do la poitrine et se prite dana l'intervalle aux explorations les plus audacieuses." The attraction was to see by strong gaslight and the aid of opera-glasses, on vulgar stage-boards, the real form and features of a personage which the non-privileged public had only been wont to admire in the manifold ampli fications of skirts and crinoline. This at traction—such are the manners of modern Pari s —raised the prices of the most uncomfortable single seats to two Napoleons, of certain boxes— and the boxes in the Lilliputian Bouffes Theatre are all very small—to 201., and of stalls to iil. A frieean d'attente, we are told, awaited the appearance of the dibutants, who came forward with her stays and slippers—almost her only clothing—glittering with diamonds. The fine fleur of French aristo cracy attended the performance, but so much pudeur yet remains in Paris that the ladies in the audience belonged exclusively to the denti-monde. Among the princes, ambassadors, dukes, mar quises, &c., belonging to the fine fleur aforesaid, the reporters remarked : Prince Napoleon, who sat concealed in a private box, le Due de Mouchy, le Prince Acbille Murat, le Prince d'Aren berg, le Prince Mustapha-Pacha, le Marquis de Scepe►u, Kbalil•Bey, le Vicomte Darn, le Duc Hamilton, le Due de Caument la Force, le Marquis de Coma, le Prince de Swami, le Due de Rivoli, Nips, Ambaseadeur d'ltalie, le Marquis de Mornay, le Due d'Acquavivs, le Vicomte de la Fee ri&e, le Compte de Colobiano, le Gontaut-Biron, Pietri, Mlles Claparede, de hfourgues, de Kergolsy, de Castel. bajac Saint-Priest, Ernest Andre Garcia, Antonio de Expeleta, George et Maurice Frewee-Rahnbaad, de Merle moot, Henri Cartier, le Marquis de Modem, le Vicomte Davillier, Regnault de Saint-Jean d'Angely, Is Marquis de Rennepont, le Comte Ed. de Viel-Castel, le Vicomte de Brimont, le Vicomte de Turenne, is Comte de Montaaulmin, le Vicomte de Cowie Brisaac, de Laureston, Blount, Emile Angier,Camille Doueet, Auber, Ms* Auguste Vaequrrie, etc., etc., et taw los represestmals do la grade et de la petite press& The performance appears to have been below contempt. The clibutante, as might have been ex pected, had not any artistic qualities whatever. She unfortunately, says one critic, had not only to show her physique, but to speak, sing, walk, and even, pa urre fille, to try to be espilgle ; and all these attempts were such ridiculous failures, that it was impossible for a French audience to appear even to admire them. The demi-monde alone was visibly delighted at the discomfiture of one of its envied rivals. The Opinion Nationale says that all wives ought to send their husbands to the Bouffes, as a sure means to get them disenchanted, and to make them say when they see Mabille ladies, jai qne ca a/a ma /eon. I think this is a good saying with which to close an unwilling notice of a very disgusting subject. Business at the Bourse was quite insignificant. Bente closed without change. THE LICENSING SYSTEM'. CONFERENCE.-(THIS DAY.) A conference of gentlemen favourable to a revision of the licensing system was commenced in the lower hall, Exeter-hall, to-day. The meeting was very thinly attended, there being only about a dozen gentlemen on the platform, and little more than twice as many in the body of the room. In the absence of the Earl of Shaftes bury, who was to have presided, Lord ELIOT, M.P., took the chair. Soon after the proceedings commenced Dr. Manning, the Roman catholic Archbishop of Westminster, entered the room and took hie seat on the platform. Mr. R. TURNER, the secretary, read letters from Sir J. Rowring, Mr. Goschen, M.P., General Sabine, the Bishop of London, Mr. Matthew Hill, Mr. J. S. Mill, Sir T. Hastings, the Dean of Carlisle, Lord S. G. Osborne, Mr. T. Taylor, Mr. Kinnaird, M.P., Dr. Fairbsirn, Sir F. Crossley, the Rev. Newman Hall, Lord nary, and a number of other gentlemen, all expressing sympathy with the objects of the meeting, and apologising for their absence. After • few introductory observations from the CHAIR RAN, The Rev. Sir LOVELACE STARER coved the first resolu tion, " That in the opinion of this conference the present number of houses licensed to sell intoxicating drinks to be consumed on the premix es is roil yconsiderably in excess of the real wants of the population.” He said in his district the evils from drunkenness were many and great. Many schemes had been devised to put a stop to the drunken ness which existed, hut in his opinion, and in that of many others, nothing could be done without a revisica of the licensing system. In the borough of Stoke there were more than • thousand houses licensed for the sale of drink, of which 243 were public-houses and the remainder beer-shops, • number far exceeding the wants of the population. The Rev. HDIRT SOLLT seconded the resolution. He adduced • series of facts for the purpose of showing how the licensing system interfered with the establishment of working men's clubs where the working man could Sod the companionship which he now found in the public-houses without their attendant evils. But he had found that where a working men's club was established • public-house was almost sure to spring up. A club was esta blished at Notting-hill which did an immense amount of good, but a license was applied for for a house close by, and though • lion against it was signed by many respectable ir. habitants, the magistrates granted the license. The evils attendant upon the present system were incalculable. The licensed houses in London, allowing 21 feet frontage to each, would if placed aide by side, extend 38 unites, and Mr. Leone Levi calculated that the working-classes alone expended sixty millions sterling per annum in intoxicat ing drink. He found also that there was • vast amount of canvassing going on among the magistrate", and espe cially when a new neighbourhood was springing up, at which there was no wonder when they considered that the granting of a license for the sale of spirits enhanced the value of a house 100/. or Mi. a year. He did not mean to say that the magistrates were corrupted, but he did say that they were subject to undue influence. There could be no doubt of the evils of the present system, but the question was whether the present was necessary. It was kept up toeupplythe sup wants of the working - class. The upper classes, who formerly resorted to taverns, no longer did so, but had their clubs and their literary insti tutions, and there was no reason why the working men should not have institutions of a kindred character. Mr. Lvoe, chairman of the petty sessions of Burton upon-Trent, who said he attended at the request of Lord Lichfield, defended the magistrates from the charges brought against them by Mr. Scilly, and contended that the greatest evils of the present system arose from the beer-shops, which were not under the control of the magistrates. In his neighbourhood there was another dam of licensed dealers, who were lower even than the ordinary beer-shop keeper, and thew were persons who paid for theit license a sum of :is. • year for the sale of beer at lid. a quart, but they sold beer which was of an intoxicating character, and at all hours, and it was almost impossible to reach them so as to bring them within the law, for their invariable answer was that the persons drinking in their houses were lodgers, and this it was difficult to disprove. Mr. Weirivef a., who said he attended as one of the de putation from Kendal, moved an amendment by inserting the word " supposed " before wants, which he said would render the resolution more acceptable to those who thought that intoxicating drinks were not necessary at all. Councillor THOMSON seconded, and The Cola ulnae announced that the gentlemen on the platform acquiesced in the amendment. Archbishop blanetee said, when the committee in vited him to take part in this conference, he answered that he would take part in it because he cordially concurred in the object for which it was convened. He understood it to be this, to ask of the legis ture to retrace certain steps that it bad taken. It appeared to him that they were not met there to-day to speak common-places on drunkenness, nor to give statistics to the extent to which it prevailed. If that were necessary Mr. Solly had already done what was more than enough. He thought also they were not there to discuss the moral remedies without which the legislative remedies were of no effect, but todismass one simple subject, namely, whether past legislation had not given most dangerous facilities and therefore multiplied to an immense extent the inevitable temptation which caused their labouring poor to fall into the state of drunkenness. On that point the experience of more than thirty years, one half among the poor in a countay district and the other half among the poor or London, convinced him that this war true, and he did believe that the number of places where intoxicating drink was sold, spirits or beer, was greatly in excess of the wants, real or supposed, of the population, and that this number ought to be diminished. He could give an example. He could recollect when the lowering of the duty on spirits caused a great increase of the consumption of spirits in the country, and he remembered also the introduction of beenhope which invaded all their country villages. He remembered also that when he was in the country he sup ported • plan by which beer should be carried to the houses of the poor instead of its being consumed in the bcershoput ; but those who supported that system were utterly driven out of the field. He now came to London. In a street close to Buckingham Palace, where his duties caused him every morning about the hour of R o'clock to pass to and fro, he remembered counting within 200 steps not less than nine gin-shops. If anybody could say that this was not greatly in e:.cess of the real or sup posed wants of the population, he should very much like to know what was. And one fact might be noted in the north-east of London especially, and that was that in the new neighbourhoods where there was not • house finished or occupied, they might see • large house at the corner of every new street—a large home which was intended for a future gin-sbop. It was quite clear that the whole of this had become • trade and speculation on the weakness and infirmity of temptations of our nature. It appeared to him that this was a legitimate subject for legislation, just because the legislature haul done the evil, and so without irreverence to the wisdom of parliament he might be permitted to say the legislature must retrace its steps, because the legislature had gone astray. He had watched the effect of the two actahe had referred to for 30 years, and he was convinced that the vice of drunkenness haul extended itself among our labouring classes, and that it bad spread to women and children of twelve years old and up wards. For the last twelve years be had had much ex perience of reformatories, and he could bear testimony to the fact that the drunkenness of parents was the cause of filling their streets with those unhappy and abandoned children. It seemed to him that they were within the limits of common sense in asking that a change should be made in the law so as to diminish these ,facilities, which he was convinced the legislature never foresaw. He had said quite as much as he intended, and perhaps rather more. But there was one point which, if he were to allude to without tres passing on the patience of the meeting. He 'OM that it was intended to ask of the legislature to limit the facility for obtaining these licenses. It appeared to him that that was very wise. There was one point not touched upon in this resolution, and he thought) wisely, he meant the question of these houses being open on the Sunday ; but he was convinced that until the subject had been dealt with, all that had been done would be of little use. He believed that in a part of Ireland, by moral influence, the public houses were entirely elated on the Sunday. In the town of Tipperary there was not • single public-house open on the Sunday!: that had been done by local influence ; but unless the legi slat u re made it universal, they would never apply an effectual remedy. It appeared to him that all they could do in the applica tion of moral remedies would be useless in great part unless the legislature retraced the course it had taken in times poise. It was, therefore, to assist in the labours of so many zealots men whom he Mir around him, that he haul attended at this conference in order to do what he could to abolish a vice wLic., a as breaking up the domestic life of the poor Loan, 4,4 more than that, wee withering and destroying the Sowe r and promise of the future—the children of En g i apd. (Chasm.) [The conference was proceeding when our repo r t mg NATIONAL BANK.-( THIS DAY.) The 32nd annual meeting of the ahareholdera was held at 1 o'clock, at the head-office, 13, Old Breed. street ; Mr. J. N. M' a, M.P., in the chair. The report said : " The directors of the National Bank have great ple a . sure in presenting to the proprietors the 32nd annual mese of the state of the society, made up to the close of leer;, In July lust the directors submitted to the propitiate their report for the half-year ending the 30th June; their present statement incorporates the pr,fi t and for amount for the two half-yearn of 161 . A, agreeably with precedent heretofore observed. The d wi . dends and extra dividends payable for the year lei;, h e y, been declared at the same rates as those paid for 1843. The following accounts in the usual form exhibit the state of the company's a ff airs at the close of 1866 : " Assets and Liabilities.—Assets : Gold and silver cols at branches, ,568 112/. se. 10d. ; cash on hand and at th e Bank of England, 584,2141. 19s. &L ; advances on semi ties at call, 688,8181. 18s. 11d. ,• government funds, Exche quer billa, Faohequer bonds, and debentures, 440,476/.34A1. ; ditto advanced, parliamentary and other deposits, 20,11'.0.• Advances on securities at sundry dates, and current ae : counts, 2,250,904/. Is. 9d.; bills discounted, 3,611,0;31. his. 23.; bankers' guarantees and securities held against acceptances per contra, 463,5711. Bs. 7d. ; bank premises in London, Dublin, and branches, freehold and leasehold, 163,433/. 12s. 11d.—total, 8,790,7241. 91. 74. Liabilities : Notes in circulation, 1,097,865/. 10s. •, due by the bank on deposits and current accounts, 5,169,00. 8a Id. ; acceptances to bankers' drafts and on security, 463,571/. tes. 7d., together 6,730,4701.66 Bd. ; capital paid up, 1,500,0001. ; rest or undivided profits at this d..te, 560,274/. 2s. 11d., together 2,060,254/. 2a. 11d. ; total, 8,7!10,7241. 9s. 7d. . _ . "Profit and loss account. 1866.—Jan. Half-year's din. dead at 8 per cent. per annum, 60,000/. • with extra divi. dead, 16s. per share, 40,000/.-100,000/. ouly. Half-yeara dividend at 8 per oent per annum, 60,0001. • with extra dividend, 16s. per share, 40,000 L-100,000/. Dec. 31. To balance, being the amount of rest at this date, 560,254/. 2s. 11d. ; total, 760,2341. 2s. 11d, Rest or undivided profits at December, 1865, _556,0i3/. Its. Bd.; net profit for the half-year to the 30th June last, 111,86;1/. 9s. Bd.; net profit for the half-year t o 31 s t December, 1866, after writing off all bad and providing far all doubtful debts, 109,0191. lfie. 7d.; less re bate of interest on bills not due, 16,6831.; leering 92,3361. 16s. 7d.-21.44,2001. ria. 3d.-760,2541. is. 1 ILE Since these accounts were made up, a dividend at the rats of 8 per cent. per annum on the paid-up capital of the bank, and an extra dividend of Its. per share, together 21. a share, have been declared on the 50,000 shares which constitute the company's capital; and the run are now payable at the head-office and bran:bee of the company. The dividend and extra dui. cloud now payable for the half-year ending 31st December, 1866, amount together to 100,000/. The direc tors desire to state that the decrease in the profits of the past half-year is chiefly due to the fact that they deemed it prudent, in the face of an extremely exceptional state of public credit, to maintain larger actual cash reserves than were deemed requisite in former years, and which were necessarily wholly unproductive. Another circum stance must be noticed as affecting the amount of profits. The return of commercial and lima cial ease in Great Britain had scarcely been felt, before the Fenian excitement a second time manifested itself in Ireland, in consequence of which, prudence Apia dictated to the directors to send extra remittances of specie to their depots, at a considerable expense and loss of interest. The directors, however, are gratified to state that before the close of the year the excitement had completely passed away, and gold has commenced and continues to flow back steadily. The deposits of the bank have increased 346,570(. in the last half-year. The winding -up of the Bank of Hin dustan (a company which has had a valuable and profitable account with us since 1864) by voluntary liquidation, under supervision of the Court of Chancery, has been de termined on by the shareholders of that company, and is now being carried out under an order of the court, by liquidators in whose good faith the directors of this bank have complete confidence. There is not the remotest ground for apprehending any loos by the account, as One spective of the liability of the shareholders) the suns of the bank passing to the liquidators are sworn to be largely in excess of their liabilities." The CHAIMMAII, in moving the adoption of the report, observed that, although the last year was marked by cals. mity, yet at no period had the cash balances of the bank touched as low a figure as was sufficient in ordinary years; and not only had not that bank bad occa &ion to apply to the Bank of England for sasiatance, but it had not been compelled to deny proper assistance to customers. Rumours to tie contrary had indeed been circulated, more particuhuiy is connection with the Bank of Hindustan, but they sore without foundation. Had they refused 'Asians* to the latter bank, they would not have been in a better position than they are now, but they would thus have inflicted great loss on others. Prudence was, of course, a duty, but in the case of the hank of line (Nam the board was enabled to render assistance without any injury to its interests. The total amount for which that bank stood engaged to the Bank of Hindostan in May last was 2,264,0001. It had been since reduced to 850,0001., against which the bank held securities of the nominal value of upwards of 1,000,4109/., which were unquestionable for 500,0001. It was, there fore, quite improbable that their ultimate claims to be realised out of the estate of the Bank of Hindustan would exceed 3.50,0n0/., and if the amount involved were double that figure it would be perfectly safe of realisation to the last penny. icheera) Their position with regard to other companies who had been their customers was equally aecure. In conclusion, he referred to Fenianism and expressed his belief that Fenianism had no hold on nineteen twentieths of the people of Ireland, and that it was not likely to cause much further trouble. He added that the number of metropolitan accounts in that bank at the end of It 4 i 0 exceeded that at the end of 184 - 4 by 574; ; and that all that was owing to the Lank by Overend, Gurney, and Co. at the time when they stopped payment, namely, 82,000/., had since been paid 4 , 4. (Cheers.) The report was adopted, sun' the proceedings terminated in the usual manner. WRST.VINSTER PALACE HOTEL CO.VPANY. (THIN DAT.) The 19th half-yearly meeting of shareholders in the above company was held this day at the Hotel, Victoria-street,Wertminster; Sir is It in the chair. — Mr. JXrrntiEs, the secretary, read the report, which stated that the gross receipts for the half-year ended December 31 had been 15,9711. Oa. 7d.; the expenditure, 11,316/ W. 9s. 7d. and there remains as net profit., 4,6141. lls., which, after deducting 743/. 12s. 11.1. interest on mortgage, and also after charging the amount of the respec• tive reserve funds, via., 941 W. 19s. Id., will, with the amount carried over after paying the last dividend, viz., 1,690/.1. 1 tr leave to the credit of profit and loan account, as avail able kr dividend, 4,619/. 13s. Out of this a mount the board recommend a dividend at the rate of 6 per cent. per annum, clear of income-tax, and to carry over the balance, viz., 7191. I_:r. The tenancy of the India Boanl expires in August nest. Steps have been taken to re-let the portion of the building occupied by them, and several applications for °el^ shops, !Lc., are under consideration. The board lia , e reason to hope that the whole of the premises will, ann• out any considerable loss of time, he profitably re•let ; although they fear the entire rental of 6,000/ per atarou may not he secured in the filet six or twelve month.. The Cita inSidN, in moving the adoption of the r, vest. said the receipts of the hotel during the past six moot been slightly affected by the monetary panic. but rnly to a slight extent, while the directors had been enabled V, reduce the expenditure to a far greater extent. Thy Isxml had under their serious consideration the diapoaal of that portion of the hotel now occupied by the India and several plans had been suggested, but nothing had yet been decided. Mr. Itamsr.r recondef the reiolutii.n, which sfti r.oine disciauion mi. unanimously agreed to. The Earl of Cadogan, the retiring director. and Brook and Crouch, the retiring auditors, having IMrn "" elected, a vote of thanks to the chairman iainciu.lelti. o proceedings. THE ELECTRII• AND INTERNATIoNAI. C ,,, Tr‘sv• (THIS Dsr.)—At a meeting to-day of the tlirectoi •it eat resolved to recommend to the proprietors a dividend per cent. for the last half-year, free of income.tax. DiantE4slNG AtVIDENT.—A few days atzri a t' , .ung man named Reed, eon of a farmer near tioniten, ikvoch was out walking with his father in the tiel.l%. sublo.ly the gun, which he cairei.4l in his pocket, went ed . , wounded him so dreadfully that in a few hours afterwards he expired. SKATINO IN CHICAGO.—The T r ibe, has the following amongst its advertisements -" The Sk. , tind Season.---West Side.—Rink. This ev — This even"{. Grand Fancy Dress Carnival and Maa g me nnle. The ice will be crowded with skaters in costume. The rink inn blaze of glory ! Seating accommodations for r''t rl one, and a perfect view of the imposieg scene. The greatest sight ever witnessed in 'Menge. At a q uarter before 9 (first bugle call), the ice will be cleared of all but the masqueraders. At 9.15 the skaters will ngwin trke theism and join the merry circle. At 9.30 (second bugle call), all masks will be removed. DOOlll open at 7 p.m. Randolph cars will pass the door every five minutes. Those wishing to come in costume will he admitted free , on registering their names, and procuring tickets ut John son's Skate Depo t or at the Rink." CRYSTAL FALACI. ONH SHILLING Day. -- MoNDAY, JAN. 28. Admissions on cuyinent. 1,"I; ditto, byecason tickets, 1,003. Total vishois, ~VERI Thu door flop 0 tither the li clerk. An *ll Kr. contril had be holder was h in ha Mr. IL were Si 1 sitting This 1:ros col for du 'odie, Goo rown Brat Mr. ,!fend employ Peel:110d he lea turd ' lent 1 Mr.. lent ta be am train* were ni taken been p be the of the be • VI beak en Mr. 1 he rely the left alitniti not bee tzamilu levell er m hill, bu r ehma l Mr. Ii tninatio the go.. He rep, Kith out I: ing r ttleg e d Elmore' ren ur After 116 if ad toljo ae The b. ithout t?.tr ge . 11 Lt. the the hest Mr. bad beet He Maa he bi urell d kinaa, a wets w, 'as otd fff ..ki n de,l; „If,. 4 condl ..441,411 I .arrifq 4 ' 1 ° , 1 tp: led