The Express. — London, England, 1866-12-25 00:00:00

WN 1 t tII 1 ' .. I I; I I ; li 0,1 \.I i ' 1 ' 1 ' . . I 1 : il \ :., tit 1 , 11.1 , 1 ' 1 ii. I tl lt .o , t. t I. Ii t 1 , tilt ; ' 1 11 11 . t 1 f 1 1 ' t ''' I 1' I~~APPIN B ROTHERS: Wiled A. D 1810. SILVERA PL TE fortheCOLONIE6 . . OUTLERY anclrus.llLlir PLATE for MAPPIN BROTHERS, LONDON-BRIDGE. 21[APPIN BROTHERS, 222, REGENT BR°' a l POISON'S cPuTegs'spigg' Jeclidob=drtz tiltrlyetnbdoprZototlit. kinds ere.somethnes lam Brown," "John Poison," la dined tof the =hell en .14"scke— Elte envreoo. TO CORRESPONDENTS. Advertisements a t for " The Repress." Leaden Evening must be at the Mice, 10, Bouverieretmet, by Two i d2:it on the day of publication. HAYMARKET. TO-MORROW Emma, A MERE CHILD. Mem% we, Gordon, White, etc.: Mesdames Chippen dale, Fitawilliant, Laws, Powell, 8c .—A LESSON FOB LIFE. Mr. notheni —JENNY LIND AT LAST. Mies Burk.—And the BALLET. lidlle. Sophia. STRAND. w hy ToNolotow Immo, NEIGHBOIIBIL Mier which will be produced a Grand Burlesque, GUY FAWKr3.—And BOWS AT THE SWAN. HOLBORN. TO-MORsoiSlymmid, MY TURN NEXT. ILr.Belmore ; Misses Foote and Lemnos. — And FLYING SCUD. Mean. Neville, Del more, Maks, Yolimbs, Be. ; Mesdames F. Josephs, C. &anode's, Naas Foote, Melee, Lennox, Raymond, Ra. MN WAWA AT LONDON BILIDOI. TIN DAY —Morning, 4h. Itim......Afternoon, 4h.. 2 41n2. 712. TO-XohßOW—ldorning____ 6h lini ...... Attantoo n, :h ...... oNDON, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 25, nasal newspapers and French letters inform us that the waters of the Loire and of the Garonne, which with their tributaries drain one-third perhaps of France, again threaten with inundations the centre and south of the empire. The calamities of September impend over the closing and the opening year. This letting-out of the waters and the devastations which it occasions in France seem peri odical and decennial. They occurred in 1846 and in 1856, and they are repeated now in 1866. They are something more than a subject for barren speculation or distant sympathy, or even for the international benevolence which ten years since was profusely shown. The floods which came down six weeks ago from the hills of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Derbyshire, putting the streets of our great northern towns and the homesteads and farina of our agriculturists under water, and destroying not only property, but both human and animal life, show that we cannot reckon on exemption from the misfortunes which threaten our neighbours ; and that it is our interest, not less than theirs, to look out for the causes of these calamities, and to apply proper preventive measures ; or in any case to refrain from aggravat ing the evil by persistence in the conduct which has brought it to pass. The cause of these floods lies, there is reason to think, in the too extensive deforestation of the country, to which, on grounds of public policy as well as of national economy, there are many objec tions. While statisticians and political philosophers are pointing to the probable exhaustion within a few generations of our coal supplies, the owners of the soil are busy in clearing away the woods in which lies, if so distant a chance may be taken into account, the coal of the future ; and which, even if we do not look forward so far, would yet form, if they were allowed to remain, the actual fuel on which a not remote posterity must rely for domestic and industrial purposes. But this is not all. The mineral advantages of England have during the last half century and more been gradually transforming her from an agricultural into a manufacturing country. If there be any truth in the anticipations of Mr. Jzvoes and Mr. Mitt, the reverse pro cess may be looked fur a century hence. Tho pembilum will make its backward swing. England, drawing her coal at great cost from vast depths, will be unable to compete in manufactures with countries which, like the United States, can find theirs ou or near the surface. Now, though our national habit is to count laud laid down in woods and plantations almost as if it were waste and unoccupied, there ran yet be no doubt that the existence of mountain forests is of supreme importance to the agriculture of the slopes and plains that lie beneath them ; and that their destruction,wherever it has taken place, has reduced the area of laud available for culture far beyond their immediate neighbourhood. Physical geographers tell us that the effect of wholesale clearings, such as have been made on the southern and south-eastern mountain ranges of France—on the Cevennes and the l'yrenees— has been to change to a desert vast tracts of once fertile country. When the forest is suffered to re main, the water precipitated from the atmosphere in the form of rain and snow is absorbed by the roots of the trees ; it is withdrawn from the sur face to lower depths ; and there forms springs which feed with a regular sup ply the ailments of great rivers. When the wood lands are cleared the snow and rainfalls remain on the surface ; they course down the mountain slopes, carrying away by detritiou the soil over which they flow, until they leave mere naked rock what was once pasture and arable land. As the higher regions arc thus denuded the surface waters pass still more rapidly down them, and converze into torrents which swell the sources of the rivers and cause inundations,which carry away the houses and crops and stock of the farmers in the plain below. The sagacity of the Emperor NAPOLEON saw the state of the case, and gave it homely illustration ten years ago. In a letter to the Minister of Public Works he asked, " Whence come the sudden floods of our " rivers ? From the water which falls on the " mountains, not from that which falls on the " plains. The waters which fall on our fields " produce but few rivulets, but those which fall " on our roofs and are collected in the gutters " form small streams at once. Now the roofs " are mountains ; the gutters are valleys." A French writer has continued the com parison. " Roofs," he says, " are smooth " and impermeable, and the rain water " flows rapidly from their surfaces ; but this " rapidity of flow would be greatly diminished if " the roofs were carpeted with mosses and grasses, " more still if they were covered with dry leaves, " little shrubs, strewn branches, and other impe " diments—in a word, if they were wooded." But this prevention of floods is only part of the benefit which mountain forests confer. The woods which, during the season of rain and snow, detain the excess of water, and prevent it from inundating th . e country beneath, render an opposite service m the time of drought. They then shelter the water-courses from the heat which would other wise dry them up ; and so equalize the fertilizing supply over the year. It follows that the clearing of land, which is usually the first step towards an increase of the area under cultivation ; may, if it is pushed too far, defeat its own purpose, THE condition of our metropolitan workhouses and their fitness as receptacles for the sick poor must necessarily be discussed early in the coming session. The implications and admissions of a few months back are still fresh in the public mind; and a definite scheme of reform is looked for which shall render a recurrence of the old scandals impossible. What this sc heme will be, and how far it will fall in with the wishes of those who have been most prominent in dragging the evils of workhouse management to light, there has been hitherto but alight means of judging. Mr. }LARDY makes no sign, unless one outspoken fling at the national fetish worship is construed into a deter mination to grapple with the evils directly arising from what is miscalled local self-government. The Poor-law Board officials appear to show an over weening respect and consideration fur the guar diaus ; and the guardians to be unusually ductile in their hands. The Workhouse Infirmary Asso ciation rests upon its oars, and is apparently &alio fled to wait until the PRESIDENT of the POOR-LAW BOARD, the Committee on cubical space, and the permanent officials agree among themselves, not as to what is necessary, that is already known, but as to what will be expedient, and politically safe. The discussions and incrimi nations which followed Mr. Haitiiv's acces sion and Mr. F ARNALL'S summary removal have been stmeeded by a comparative lull, and the outside world waits with sonic im patience for such intelligence as may be officially vouchsafed it. Pending this information being given, it is satisfactory to state that several im provements have been inaugurated, and that our London workhouses are less shamefully inadequate than before. The number of inmates has in many instances been reduced. This has been effected by an extension of out-door relief, and by removing the children to district schools. There is a better classification of the sick, and infectious cas es are kept as far as possible infectious the rest. The beds in sick wards have been thinned, and in some houses rooms appropriated to the paupers which were not previously used for them. Additional paid nurses have been appointed, and those employed during the day are no longer expected to perform night duty. Be sides these changes, the internal conveniences I I and sanitary arrangements have been seen to. I Ventilation has been improved, in seine cases by opening fresh windows, in others by introducing ventilators. Additional lavatories, baths, water closets, and furniture have been provided, and such minor comforts as combs, brushes, and hair mattresses more plentifully supplied. Such are the practical results of the exposures with which our readers are familiar, and we are not disposed to underrate them. But it must be remembered that these concessions have been made under con siderable pressure, that the parochial system and the Poor-law Board itself have been declared to be on their trial, and that the positions of both guar dians and salaried officials have been, and are still, iu considerable jeopardy. The point to consider, th ere fore, is not whether a partial settin g of houses I I in order is meritorious, but whether suppressing or modifying sonic notorious evils is to be taken as a justification of a system under which those evils took root and flourished. If minor improvements are to be made the plea for perpetuating gigantic abuses, then reform itself has been enlisted by the enemy ; and while the I I Poor-law Board may point complacently to its in creased usefulness, the parochial authorities can claim credit for their obedience to the central power. It is moreover somewhat suspicious .2_ _ 1 1 while we now hear nothing of collision on points I Miss RYE'S EMIGRANTS.—Tba Underley, a new of principle between the parishes and Whitaall, a be_irutilrteer fild o t o rt f o u nt o e 3 d . bz f t o h o e o l u V , hl o te r star Co p left I determination to make the best of things, to hush Melbourne—J:ptain Blown, commander; Dr. Newbold, up ugly scandals, and to avoid publicity, has . surgeon :t sipeliintend r ent ; od liAs fore C f r l lth , : f m o; ;iniautrir.e She been very apparent. In some instances the Poor- TAammaensa;e:lnaketllot• u n ic a principles as those governing the law officials and the guardians have obviously played ' Red Jacket- viz., absence of cabin passengers, and the di into each other's hands, and inothers a nipture would vision e o w f otlieenshipmilto,thecriece departments,—poop maned people; dec e i t ; ,f fore si seem to have been avoided by the simple expedient (te l l, for sTnglC men. This division of the people pe is strictly of lowering the standard of requirement. The I enforced during the voyage ; nor should emigrants ever be improvements we have enumerated can therefore s o g t o r g coouttinftoryri;veitfluoidietreytenotreion saidt tl t i o es i e ,e ru su l p e e s.. only be received as indications of what still re- I ; e t o i l rior to even those going out in the Red Jacket, which pos- Mains to be done ; and what the benevolent pub- /ably may be accounted f for . by . the fact, now getting well lic has to consider is, how it can best ensure its Yotttalltl: !=elilset, e a t erermui reward Al forto make conduct,e wishes being carried out. These are simple and defi- awl not banishment from.fordbmadrhigrhoauvlofiutr Sevefruuldyoung rite. Decently humane treat ment for the p oor, w ro o n m sl en Iricereilbslete''.4issthye's disposal by Lord "i hff e te n .. e : and direct responsibility fro m those havin g charge bury. sad and some of his friends. Great praise is due to of them ; a more exalted notion of public duty in Mr. Chant, the despatching officer n o w t h l f . r is i :er i Ttl ,:s fo ee r rr r e l the trustees of the public fonds, or some curtail- vmeirtytiliateriegtovsend impartial r nment rules while the young people have mont of their at present almost unlimited power ; been in the Birkenhead depot. This is the third ship are the aims of those to whom the present anus- l:n^lend in j s an se e n i t m o t lit rhense, weeoluonntentordhiewerretue7 tto. liorations are indirectly due. If anyone could be 100 more single women and ten families to Mel charitable enough tosuppose that guardians as seises bourne at the beginnin of the New Year . Application faufs o nna u. t; i be made to that lady, 1, dam-street, Adolph', have grown more humane, intelligent, or discreet, the proceedings which are taking place around us It is understood that the Irish law officers of the week by week would be sufficient to dispel the late government, by whom d the supplemental dream. The different vestries are fair types of jarearted_ determ the question o r f its v s final judgment as speedily as legal forms the guardians of the several parishes, and under permit. :I .' i 4 , I i 'l. '„i i I i , . t \. 1 1 ; i ' . • 1,1 i ' ' 1 IV • r i EXPRESS, TUESDAY EYED, DECEMB' and absolutely diminish the amount of soil available for production. nil has the case, as evidence in excess exists to prove, in the southern and south-eastern districts of France e , owing to the destruct ion of the foe s e on th Alps, the Cevennes , an d the Pyrenees. Th ad jacent regions, of which these ranges f or m the watershed, are leas productive and less densely peopled now than they were half a centurj ago and every census bears witness to a decline. What was once pasture is now bare rock. The periodic distress inflicted by the inundations, though the most intensely felt, is the less serious part of the ca lamity. Human industry and enterprise soon repair the damages occasioned by these outbursts ; and, by strengthening the banks and deepening the channels of the rivers, and by the formation of dykes, partial security may be taken against their occurrence. The reduction to waste and desert of what was once cultivated and in habited land, and the diminution of the amount of human production and happiness, is a graver and more permanent evil. This has its origin in the short-sighted greed of the owners of moun tain forests. The colliers and miners to le excessive demands for wages the trans ter of s part of our iron trade to Bel gium and other countries is attributed, are sometimes reproached with making a selfish sacrifice of the future to the present. Does not the same charge lie as strongly against the owners of the soil who are denuding the land for momen tary gain ? They expose agriculture to difficulties whore it is still possible; they limit the area on which it is practicable; they subject life and property to periodical danger ; they make wood fuel scarcer, while coal is becoming less accessible; they cut off at the s ame time the chief material of, at least, our merchant ships and our domestic architectur e. The November inundations show that the same causes will produce the same effects in the Treut, the Med lock, the Ribble, and the Aire, as in the Loire and the Cher, the Garonne, and the Tarn ; and it would be vain to expect exemption from the per manent and constant, any more than from the oc casional and transitory evils of a wasteful and thoughtless cupidity. In warning our artisans against any shortsighted sacrifice of the present to the future, let us not spare those who with even less excuse have just as little patriotic forethought. the local acts governing some metropolitan dia trieta the guardians are only elected from and by the vestry. The accounts we gave recently of the deliberations of Lambeth and St. George the Martyr, the refusal to obey a magistrate and pro secute the scoundrels who were poisoning the poor, and the turbulent disorder which culminated in shaking fiats in a clergyman's face, are but average examples of the tone and character of vestry and guardian meetings. Within the last few weeks the guardians of Bethnal-green indulged in a personal brawl of too disgraceful a character for descrip tion, and levelled imputations at each other which it would be libellous to repeat. Within the same period the vestrymen of Clerkenwell varied their proceedings by a stand-up fight, in which both combatants " drew blood." This last incident was subsequently glossed over, and a statement made that as the vestry formally adjourned before the fight began, it was only in their private capacity that these gentlemen turned the Vestry-hall into a prize-ring. But the fact remains that a recent debate of this vestry culminated in a wager by battle, after one orator had given his brother the lie direct ; and its significance is not lessened when we remember that the Clerken well guardians are elected by and from tie Clerkenwell vestry, and hold their offices for life. The conduct of these men, both at board meetings and in their general administration, brands them as unfit for the virtually irresponsible power they wield ; and to bring forward any alterations which may have been forced upon them as proofs that the system under which they exist can by any possibility be a right one, is like placing plucked blossoms on a rotten tree and vaunting them as evidences of its life. Nor is the conduct of guardians at the other end of the social scale more chcerirg. Those of Padilington have recently ex cluded from their workhouse the lady visi;ors who presumed to act on behalf of the poor, and have acted thus tyrannously in defiance of expo sure. The Poor-law Board is powir•less, or unwilling to deal publicly with the serious charges brought against Lambeth and Shoreditch, and the present state of affairs may be summed up in the single w ord--anticipatory. If a satisfactory scheme is evolved out of recent inspections and committee meetings the public will welcome the string of minor improvements which have been ettected. If these are designed as an excuse for inaction, and a plea for maintaining things as they are, Mr. HARI)Y will bu unpleasantly reminded of his confident pledges, and asked how far he has resisted or pandered to that morbid attachment to local institutions which he has been forward to denounce. ate 'Qgi't• OSBORNE, Me. 24. The Queen walked and rode in the grounds this morning, accompanied by Prince Arthur. Prince and Princess Christian drove out. Princess Louise walked in the grounds, attended by the Bon. Caroline Cavendish; and Prince Leopold, Princess Beatrice, and Prince Henry of Prussia, went out. ---- The Queen will hold a Council at Osborne on Friday next, the 28th inst., at one o'clock. Despatches were received yesterday at th e Colonial office from the Governor s of the Cape of G oo d Hope, Natal, St. Helena , and Heligoland. Despat c hes were sent to the Governors of the settlements on the West Coast of Africa. The Right Hon. Spencer Walpole left town yesterday for Cambridge. The Marquis of Bath has left Thomas's Hotel, Berkeley-square, for his seat, Longleat. The Earl and Countess of Leicester are enter taining a large party at Holkham Hall. Mr. John M'Cl intock, of Drnmcar, has been appointed Lord-Lieutenant of Louth. The Duke of Richmond, as Chancellor of te in the Un i vers ity of Aberdeen , h as g iven his casting co t e favour of Mr. Grant Duff as Lord Rector. Archbishop Maiming has been so unwell during the past week that be has been compelled to delegate s ome of the duties ois office to others. Ris illness, how ever, is not represen f t h ed to be very serious. -.-----------. CRYSTAL PALACE. OUR CONTEMPORARIES. (THIS DAY.) The topics dealt with to-day by most of our con temporaries are of the ordinary secular character. The Times discusses the prospects of the Turkish empire ; the need of wore judges ; the crowding of the City of London, and the efficiency of our iron-clad navy. With regard to the East, it is said had it been at all in our power we could have wished not to hear of any disturbances likely to compromise the secu rity of the Ottoman Empire, but should it come to the point that the battle between the Crass and the Cres cent had to be fought out to the death, we could never forget that we are rather Christians than 111ussulinans, rather Greeks than Turks ; that we look upon tho expul sion of the Ottoman from Europe as a mere question of time, and that we have shown both the earnestness and the disinterestedness of our sympathy with the Greek cause. During the last Guildhall sittings little more than one sixth of the business set down on the cause list was transacted, while no less than me-third was postponed for want of time. The Tin's points out the inconvenience and pecuniary loss entailed by this state of things ou the mercantile community, and urges that we have not in creased our judicial staff in proportion, or in anything like proportion, to the increase of population, wealth, and litigation. If twelve judges were not too many some time ago, fifteen aro too few now, unless, indeed some radical change be made in procedure and practice. The Daily News expects much from the German palls ment, despite the marks it bears of the incomplete power of those in whose interests it was devised or has been ac. cepted. Should the North German Confederation,which the world regards as simply an essay, work well, it will excite in the southern states of Germany desires which must prove irresistible. What Count Bismarck could not ac complish in the name of Prussian military power, he may be able to effect with comparative ease in compliance with the demand of the German people ; and we cannot doubt that in older to invite and encourage that demand the Prussian government will do all in its power to convince the nation that its inLicsts and those of the House of Hohenzollern are the same. 1 1 All that is distinctive in the Christian system, says the P.,/, starts from this day. The initial point of that faith which all the churches, eastern or western, have held fur nearly twenty centuries, is built upon the incarnation of the Son of God. Get rid of that central fact, and the doctrines circling round it, and Christianity is at an end. Then either the Jewish dispensation is yet in force, or we are referred hack to the systems of the ancient philoso phers. If neither of these content uwe are cast loose upon an unlimited ocean of speculations , and left, each one for himself, to make what conclusions we can out of the mysteries and problems that lie around us. The Herald and Star plead the cause of the poor, and urge that whatever may be our thoughts of Christmas, we shall believe in it most thoroughly and with best warrant as a time of enjoyment if we number first amongst its pleasures the luxury of doing good. The Tell yrapli dwells ou the day in language p eculL itself, and which the following specimen will it lusttate " The cruel, splendid, passionate, careless world of the Casars to be rent, and riven, and re-modelled by the tiny hands stretched from that manger at Bethlehem ! The small mouth , pressed to the pure maternal bosom, to be charged with the messages which should by-and-bye close the great circus with its blood stained sands and sweep of fierce faces, break the chains of slaves, strip the worship and the glory from the high Gods of Greece and Rome, veal up the oracles, and send ambas sadors of the Love of God far and wide into the world, subduing all men to the kingdoM of the King whose diadem was a crown of thorns with blood-drops for rubies, and his proclamation the insulting scroll nailed over his , I drooping head on the cross of Calvary !" st I M t 1866. IT Itr----FELLP DENCE. THE STATE OF SPAIN. The Paris Liberti haa th e following as latest The news " A co.ip (Mat is imminent i n S p ain. dissensions in the c abinet on account of une the measure s adopted against t he insurgents of J 22 have now assumed the propo r ti on s of a will ministerial crisis, the re sult of which be to eliminate from the ministry those members who, albeit reactionary, are imbued with a leaven of constitutional traditions. In all p ro bability General Pezuela, governor of Madrid, a nd M. Gonzales Bra vo will b e entrusted w ith the task of constructing a new cabinet on exclusively absolutist principles, and with the hearty sup port of the Queen." --........---.- EXPRESS FROM PARIS. The experiment experiment of a full dress rehearsal on Christmas-eve of the entertainments of Boxing-day was eminently successful yesterday , an d attracted an immense crowd to the palace. Both railways ran extra trains all the morning, and in addition there was a very cons l ideraPalace ble am ount of omnibus and cab traf fi c. The Crysta has, at different periods of its existence, and as some new phase of its fitness has developed itself, been pronounced to be the best place in the world for all sorts of entertain ments ; and this year it has proved to demonstration that it is the most suitable of all places, except home, in which to celebrate Christmas. It is so well-roofed in that it defies the rain and the snow, when there is any, and the temperature is kept so even and comfortable inside that one might fancy himself enjoying a Mediterra nean winter without any fear of a terrible " mistral" rush ing down from the Norwood Alps to disturb his equani mity. Within, it is as green as if it were late sprin st gor of ear ly summer, and looks , i n fact, like a very fore Christmas trees, with the great monarch of the woods himself standing proudly at the top of the nave, covered with flags and pennons and guidons, and etrennes of glistening gold and silver, all of which his majesty proposes to distribute generously amongst his loyal and loving subjects before the end of the week. A fancy fair runs down the centre of the grove, and the wood nymphs who mini ster there are ready to dispose of an incalculable variety of toys and other fancy articles on the most reasonable tenns. lastly, and not least impor tant, the refre s h men t department has been put for the week on the full war to the knife-and-fork establish ment. Sirloins of beef, mighty hams, innumerable pork pies and immeasurable beer, have been laid in, and a new tariff has been published which brings all these luxurious comforts within the means of the poorest holiday visitor to the palace. The " bill" of yesterday's performances was rich in in finite variety. There wait first a stirring overture well performed by Mr. Manna and his orchestra, followed by the surprising contortions of Carl the Woodrous, Dippclo the Marvellous, Byron the Graceful, and funny little Jean, all of which human prodigies fully impressed the spec tators that they belonged to a new variety of the inverts brata which had been secured for Christina' by the inde fatigable Mr. Rowley. Then there were the Canine Comedians, one of which, who personated a young lady in an expansive crinoline, elicited shouts of laughter. After this came Mr. E. Marshall's sensational drama, which is beyond criticism, and must be seen to be appreciated ; and finally we had the new Christmas pantomime, the first attempt of the kind at the Crystal Palace, and which was so decided a success a s to be entitled to a paragraph to itself. I n Liege min maier ; or, Harlequin King Spider an d the Knight ,f the Nitro . Shidd, Mr. Nelson Lee has attempted no violent innovation. Mindful of the signal failure that some years since attended the attempt of a club of our most distinguished wits and dramatic writers to " improve " the pantomime and cheat the children of their traditional sensations, Mr. Lee has been wisely con tent to walk in the old ways of the constitution, and he has entirely succeeded in consequence. The dangerous situation of Miss Muffit, when surrounded in her cottage by the Spider King and his household troops: excited the liveliest sympathy amongst the juveniles ; and laughs of almost ferocious joy rang through the building when this terrible king was discomfited in an arduous broad - swo rd combat, by the gftllant Prince Peerless, the knight of the silver shield. Simple Simon, the knight's faithful squire, also became at once a popular favourite ; but how could he be otherwise, seeing the zeal with which he served his brilliant young master, and the vigour with which be served out any one else, whether spider or demon, who came in his way. King Spider lost nothing of his innate ferocity in the hands of Mr. Randall; nor was it to be wondered that he should fall in love with Miss Muffit , seeing how gracefully that persecuted young lady was represented by Miss Lizzie Marshall. The Spider King carries Miss Muffit off to his retreat. Prince Peerless carries her away again. There is a collision between the rival interests in an enchanted forest, and various other exciting situations, all of which terminate in the gorgeous transformation scene to which we have already made some allusion. The scene worked splen didly yesterday, and when a mass of unruly clouds, that stuck fast half-way up, can be got under better command, we have no doubt but that this scene will bear a compari son with any transformation scene in London. There was some capital fun, and a jolly old-fashioned pantomimic row —plenty of turnips, carrots, and discomfited policemen in the harlequinade ; and the entertainment terminated, amid shouts of applause, iu a second many-coloured blaze ~. of triumph. A word for the music. It was well selected, and well played — both mu ch better done than we have known at very important thea tres in town. liar to LORD ST. LEOPARDS.—We have great satisfac. Lion in stating that the announcement of the death of Lord St. Leonard' was incorrect. The manner in which we were led into a participation in circulating the statement will be understood on a perusal of the following letter which we have received from a member of his lordship's family : " Stspeley House, Nantwich, 22nd Dec. is66.—l led you into a mistake that I fell into about Lord St. Leonardo' death. On arriving here just now, I found that it was his eldest son, Henry sitgden, who was dead. The telegram misled both my wife and myself as it was from Miss Sug,den (no direction) :—' Papa died to-night.' We never thought of but one Miss Sugden."—Dublin Evening Mail. TAUNTON AGRICULTURAL A.SSOCIATION. —The annual meeting and dinner of the members of the above association took place on Saturday, under the presidency of Mr. E. A. Sandford. At the dinner the chairman was supported by Sir Alex. Hood, Bart, M.P., and Mr. W. Gore Langton, M.P. After the loyal and constitutional toasts, the chairman proposed " The Blembeis of the Western Division of the County of Somerset." Sir Alexander Hood, in responding, expressed the satisfaction he felt that, although they bad not that day the usual at traction of a cattle show in Taunton, Somerset had distin guished itself at the Smithfield Club Cattle Show, and that Mr. Farthing, a tenant of his father-in-law, had brought home with hint five prizes. The present government were taking every precaution against the disease being re-imported. and the agriculturistsof England mustbe contented to bear those restrictions which were so necessary at the present moment to eradicate the disease. He rejoiced to see that the events of the present moment were bringing men of mode rate opinioss together, and he hoped that junction would continue to be formed. Sir Alexander next alluded to the overthrow of Austria by Prussia, which had led to a united Italy and a united Germany, and which, in its re sult, more nearly balanced power, which afforded an additional security to the peace of Europe. It would not do, however, for England not to take a lesson hom what bad occurred. She should be prepared, in case of sudden attack, to hold her own, without trusting to the friendly interference of other nations. Besides looking to the military and naval forces of the country, there was one thing of paramount importance, viz., that they should be a united, contented, and loyal people. He trusted that the question which had excited so much interest in some parts of England would be treated in the next session of parlia ment in a large, wide, and liberal spirit, such as would be consistent with the best interests of the country. He aid not himself think that the present parliament would last long, perhaps not after next autumn. In conclusion, Sir Alexander intimated that at the next election it was not his intention to ask for a renewal of that confidence now reposed in him, by his constituency, an announcement that was quite unexpected, and created some surprise. Mr. Langton, M.P., also briefly responded. (FROM 01:111 OWN comeoNDm.) FAItIS, MONDAY Evmcc. To an ordinary reader, the speeches exchanged between the Emperor and General Dix on the occasion of the presentation of his letters of cre dence by the new American plenipotentiary will probably appear to consist of mere matter of course compliments, banatites, befitting the o ccasion. l And I think the ordinary reader will be right. see in the speeches nothin g angular, nothing eailla at; nevertheless the Patric of this evening thinks it decent and ex p edient to be satirical upon General Dix. It says that his speech was "overlaid with general considerations and those elastic philosophical maxims with which American politicians love to amplify their ideas." It goes on to say that the note in the Maniteur, publishee. i mme di a tely at the foot of the report of General Dix's interview with the Emperor, and stating that the French government had no imowledge of the despatch sent by Mr. Seward to Mr. Bigelow by the Atlantic cable, and dated Nov. 23, is a " significant commentary upon the compliments exchanged on the occasion of General Dix's reception." The Patric renders a bad service to the government by thus insinuating that the Emperor meant to snub the United States government at the moment when he assured its new representative of his desire to maintain the most friendly relations. You are already aware that the sole reason why the despatch which the French government " knows nothing about" was not presented is that Mr. Bigelow, know ing that he had obtained everything required in that despatch, and more, took upon himself not to pre sent it, because under the circumstances it was un necessary. The Arcuir National pointedly observes that while the Ma niteur speaks of the scores of despatches, of which the one not presented forms part, as " very incomplete," it neglects to supply the public with a correct version. All this is very puerile. The French government journals take the unnecessary trouble of trying to keep a portion of the truth from ignorant French readers. But every body acquainted with politics knows that the rea son why there is really no subject of difference between France and the United States on the sub ject of Mexico is that France has been obliged to give way altogether, and that the United States has nothing more to ask for. An accident occurred yesterday on the railway from Dijon to Besangon, by which twelve persons were killed and twenty wounded. Nu further par ticulars are yet known. ITALY. (PROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDSNT.) FLORENCE, Dec. 21. The Chamber of Deputies has not yet completed the stupidly tedious work of electing its officers. With the exception of the President, the selec tion of these—vice-presidents, ( t imothy, secre taries, and what not—is a matter of too little moment to be of interest beyond the immediate precincts of the Florentine political world. These elections are merely little preliminary trials of party strength, which might be tried to much better purpose by a debate on any one of the. im portant subjects that are awaiang the legislation of the Chamber. It is vain, however, to expect that these little personal contests should not have a greater degree of interest than could be wished for such a body as the Italian Chamber ; and our own House would not probably show itself in a similar case above a similar reproach. But the mode of election, the necessity of an absolute majo rity of the votes given, and failing this the recourse to a subsequent balloting, together with the tedious process of voting by the roll-call of the entire Chamber, make this business of completing the " personale " of the Parliament a terribly long and time-consuming affair. It was quite a matter of course that Signor Mari, the late president, and the government candidate, should be easily elected. The compact mass of Venetian votes, added to the previous somewhat shaky government majority, renders it by far the most powerful section of the Chamber. 1 have reason to believe that the negotiations at Rome are affording some important result ; but what that may be I cannot pretend to tell you. The arrival of despatches from Rome was followed by an immediate assembling of the Minis ters, presided over by the King at a sitting which lasted far into the night ; and on the fol lowing morning (yesterday) a courier started with despatches for the Eternal City. The corre spondents of Tuscan papers at Rome declare that the more Italy is prepared to concede the more Antonelli increases his demands ; but I am inclined to think that all this is mere guesswork. If it is true that the Cardinal Secretary of State really intends to make a difficulty of the incontcranfrato of the episcopal property, he is indeed asking for' the top brick of the chimney, which Italy cannot give him. Perhaps fill the readers of the News are not aware of the meaning of iiieu((e . (•(l motto. These Latin tongues lend themselves to such delicate euphuisms. This in-chambering of the property of the bishops means simply II the taking possession of it by the State — (not, of course, without supplying the place of the incomes so taken away by an arrangement which will make the bishops sti pendiaries of the State). !And this is a measure which, I think, no amount of eagerness on the part of the Italian government to conciliate the Roman court will induce it to give up. r s th u i l sZ i t e h theeintent Italianof It is rumoured that the object of General disarm i s ; to an P Fi go e v u e rY mn i fe r n res t teiontce h to ere France in giving such counsel is the expectation of being able to avail herself of the forces of Italy in an expected struggle with Prussia—Russia and Prussia to be arrayed against Austria, France, and Italy. lam not sufficiently a pessimist to believe in such a catastrophe. That any counsel which should seek to persuade Italy to keep on foot for an hour longer than is unavoidable the military force which is rapidly exhaust big her vital forces would be beyond all else pernicious and fatal—that, in case so great a misfortune as such a war as that above indicat e d should fall upon Europe, it would be a suicid a l madness more monstrous than any other cowed,. able folly for Italy to take any part, and above an such a part in it—are propositions which I think no sane man who knows aught of the state of Italy can doubt. Nor would such an application to th e Italian government, if indeed it is to be suppos e d that any such has been or may be made, come very well contemporaneously with the report at the commission entrusted to consider the pestle% of the reorganization of the army. This report, i o addition to a variety of recommendations on poi n t s of detail of less importance, lays down emph a ti., cally the rule that, in time of peace, the Italia army ought not to exceed one hundred s o d eighty thousand men. Many men well co o , patent to form a judgment on the subject s e/ that this number is some thirty thousand too many. But it may be very safely assumed that the go . vernment commission, who have after much mai. deration come to the decision in question, h as , Ab not erred on the side of too greatly reducing th e forces of the country. Above all things—stoo, lately a bove all things—it is necessary that the rec ommendation of the committee in this respect should be carried into effect with the least posi t % delay. A tolerably healthy condition of the finances cannot by any possibility be attained without this reduction of the army. And without such a condi tion of the finances, it is idle to hope for all th e other improvements and progress of which Italy stands so much in need. I read a statement in an English paper that rents in Florence were much lowered because it wu do general opinion that the capital would shortly t o removed to Rome. It can hardly be necenary to tell anybody who has taken an interest in thecoures of Italian affairs for the last two years, that never at any moment since the September convention les it been so certain as it is now that Florence will remain permanently the capital of Italy. It is probable that the remarkable words on the subject of Rome in the King's speech, at the opening c d the Chambers, were placed in it as a preparation for a formal renunciation of the vote which long op declared Rome to be the definitive capital of Italy. Whether, however, the government may in t h e present state of public feeling venture se a vote rescinding that popular declare- tion or not, nobody who understands the necessities of the present condition of the Romsa question will imagine that it can be so solved as to admit the posaibility of making the Pope's city the capital of Victor Emmanuel's dominions. The English writer to the paper in which I saw the statement I have mentioned, has probably found that furnished apartments are somewhat cheaper this winter than they were last year. It is so ; and the reason of it is that the floating population el strangers who make the demand for them is some what smaller this year than was the case last winter. But it will be readily understood h ` tat this pheno menon has nothing whatever to du ith the depre dation of house property which would ensue from the removal of the capital from the City of Flower* flabiti mar itlilitarg. CHATHAM, DEC. Si The Lords of the Admiralty lutve given directions for three new vessels to be laid down :it this dockyard se soon as the work now in progress will allow of their being commenced. The vessels ordered include two of the in. proved corvette class, together with a double screw gun vessel, it being likewise intended to build one or more composite gunboats of iron and u-ed, and each of about 500 tons burthen. The vessels ordered will be laid down on the vacant slips early in the ensuing rear. About 1,000 of the soldiers a ituyat Marnes left the garrison this morning, on leav nd e of absence i for the lose of of spending the Christmas holidays withtheirfriends NAVAL Co V ET-MARTIAL. —A court-martial ae aembleil on board the Victory. a t Portsmouth, on Friday and Saturday last , to tr y Henry Mills, supernumerary a* seaman of the Duke of Wellington—First, for baring, on the night of the 3 r d of September, on board he .Ilajesty's ship Orontes, , secondly, stolen a C.lte a ch of porter, ths property of the crown; and on ine of per juy. The court consisted of Copt:dna Edward Tatham, ci the Bell , rophon (president), the Hon. F. Egerton beside , aide d e -camp to the Queen (Victory!, W. C. Cham (Asia), C. Fellowes (Duke of Wellington). J. E. Commerdli V.C., C.B. (Terrible), H. T. Burgoyne. V.C. (Wiveral, H. W. Hire (Orontes), S. H. Henderson , Urgent). and .I.G. Goodenough (Minotaur). Mr. E. Hoskins otheiated U Judge-Advocate. It appeared that on the ni , rht in questies the prisoner was one of a working T into employed on beard the) )routes loading ammunition into that ship from tie Medusa lying alongside. After the workina.party ill left the ship the case of porter was missed. and on tie re -assembliug on the following morning Mr. Blake. the boatswain in charge of them, tohl them they were accused of the theft, and said if any of them knew a nything abet it they had b e tter step forward and say so. AIM tyoffite name d Robert Doran and the prisoner then came forward and said they knew who did it, and accused Mr. William , ' Stevenson, a boatswain of the Orontes, of the theft. court-martial was consequently assembled for the trial. Mr. Stephenson, and the prisoner and Doran swore that they saw him carrying the case, and that be called the former to help him break it open. :knottier witness, however, proved seeing the pp risoncr and Doran attempt* to break open the case, and 3lr. Stephensonwas honours* acquitted of the charge. The court found that the fall charge against Mills was not proved, but that the weed was proved, and sentenced him to be imprisoned end kas to hard labour at Lewes for twelve months ...„ , T HE ATLANTIC OCEAN YAUHT RACE. 1:00 • lowing communication h as been addressed by the Abe ralty authorities to the American consul at Southenies t —" Admiralty, 20th Dec., 1844. —Sir,— I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to soprani you that they have directed Admiral Sir T. Past ei l e ft Ne . 0 54 arrival of the three American yachts. which York on the 11th inst. to rice to Cowes. Isle of Wigbli that he is to communicate with their captains or owes) and, in case of need, offer them the assistance of the del. yard.—l am, sir, your obedient servant (Signed ) il Lrri G. LENN.A. To John Britton, Esq., United Stall Consul, Southampton." The King of Bavaria, who returned from ns.. en the 10th, from bis journey into the northern precse! left again on the 13th for the Tyrol, being about to for some time at his palace at liehenseioranga u. The °6"r<delir de Iftoffec announces the deati Count Charles de Bugger°lle in the almshouse of town, after having for nanny years filled the situation, forest-guard. He belonged to an ancient and di i stingui WOO shol family at Poitou. His father L o uis a cmninaniel to America, and one of his uncles w an °thee army of Conde. The present head of the f a mily is poster in l'aris. The Paris correspondent of the 3foening 1 writes :—" A curious incident took place at Hyacinthe's last lecture—the subjact of which, l.e as told you, was ' Public Immorality .' Among t was 31. Earoche, Minister of Justice and laPublic ship, who sat next to th e Archbishop of na as Father Hyacinthe confined himself to a vapid denunciation of social evil, S.C., sil on smoothly enough, but at the a loe of the ~ • part of his lecture, he dwelt on dm evil ' effect. scepticism and freethinking in France. He conrasted with the deep religious feeling of England—a OW which was not ashamed to pray ; with the piety.' U n ited States, whose thanksgiving and h umiliatr he described as ant grand OW iflAt ill , 11l If can Imo faefr ; and concluded by stating that so France continued to propagate inanorslity p res s, her literature , and her stage, she forfeit her rank in Europe, and hurry with rota to the gulf of servitude.' Here the Father short—the Archbishop was seen to beckon to • , descended from the pulp it, but he did not he reaso'l • la , The auditory all the whi le were waiting for t of the lecture, but it was not delivered. Ills slowly withdrew, rather puzzled at this abrupt tion ; but some people fancy that 51. Laroche I reason why." The use of a wire tiller-rope r a stated principal reams why there was n ot a tembie in the recant burning of the steamer Von Phi lower Mississippi. The usual tiller -rope would been burned off, and the boat have become anon FRIZZ • • lemtem' a d a y, that an aooount of fst I:131T the e loped was in. t h os e which . fat poultry tional compe po rtant in former shows contrasts tha visitor, in th the country our Christm teal figures t k e ys, geese ranged upon with ever.. Champs E . their brown their snowy the southern men with sh. clothes, all old gourma intche or 1 mutton in distinguish: were their should be d Along the e inscribed " there were lingering ov central troll ment of chit were magni • enriched th were fine . butter salo. reidal and as cream. in the list list, intlee. whose farn samples 0 the half poultry, specimens fowl, and was devo la Breese for the wings p assumes they wou men as a feather-t edges of t there of then basis were of nese. bons rou to M. over the Martin pigeons after th just see specime recogni. Bain i mention them. vivacity being (it shrewd for ca price b llouda man b or Bre effects birds a birds wings a submit quills capons • for twe ▪ led tot a of ext • saw fin ot turkey • of hon. • were a), being G. one t • birds, rad and &atm tie shape tad necks heir salons tie chines teed the teat sea David weld Thro lea natiot A punge Sid flat glass 1 ihe prote. men. to th Paag Palo in* chew see each sa 1 US Bngl chee. e fol. indiff Adoi. dairi quo: —n axial and en qu * iet Berk , t bited but t wows an id e (10 etm Hod stewwhet cold. of fl is to dusiTh in e nsue were to naii in al cows leathof Du tc of dal Gnu • w ooed dot Rog WO• . Du aria 11. wer. by ; is a 'ar t he f. o e lect' Bo : t Fe° Swi IS I bef° l N ie ssaTag fro iblie Wog. My • $0 iota Ba N Tn bel 41 Wit tha tie yos i Po effect' t eve wasted Teat ostk i .ty "of lb. asys str , INN(' S P . PO 10 1 4 th Lc 14 ' 80 E's li T she 4,1 &TO . I:er itorPt Se to reoer'. it ti• is to third tit mew In Art 10 kW " a to • d e lois et ty de , a lo uld s t s . ta ve Diu