The Press. — London, England, 1854-12-23 00:00:00

DECEMBER 23, 1854, Taz GOVERNORS OF CHRIST'S HOSPITAL met on Tuesday and passed a resolution, after some debating, to the ordering the appointment of a select com mittee "to inquire and report whether any, and if any, what changes are advisable in the constitution, powers, and duties of the committee of almoners." The committee consists of thirteen members, seven of whom are to form a quorum. TILE ARCHITECTURAL EXHIBITION has opened this week at the Suffolk-street Galleries, Pall-mall. The exhibition of this year is rather poor in provincial contributions of drawings of works which are now in actual progress of erection, plans of which should cer tainly be presented for inspection, as giving the public an opportunity for fairly judging of the positive state of the art in the country.. Designs for villas, town -- halls, churches, and public and - private buildings of every size and description are very numerous, among which, those of Mr. Murray (Nos. 233, 236), are worthy of remark, for good qualities of design and for happy effect. The exhibition altogether may be considered as successful and promising, and we trust may have the desired result of contributing something towards the elevation of the public taste. BURFORD'S PANORAMA OF THE BATTLE OF ALMA.— We have become so accustomed to moving dioramas and panoramas upon a gigantic scale and of a tedious length, that a simple panorama of the old Leicester square style is a pleasant contrast to the modern Americanisms. Mr. Burford's panoramas have been well known for many years, but have rather faded of late before gigantic competitors. However, this pre sent painting of the battle of the Alma ought fully to restore his pristine popularity, for we have not yet seen so beautiful and so perfect a picture in all details of the great battle. The moment chosen is when the Guards and Highlanders have just reached the grand reuonbt and are charging an immense solid ma.ss of Russian infantry upon the hill-side. The various incidents of that moment, which have now become historical facts, are faithfully represented, and, from the central point of view, the whole arrange ment of the field of battle, the advance of the guns and of the different regiments, the long serried lines of the reserve and cavalry upon the other bank of the river, the distant line of fire of the French, the ships at sea shelling the heights, and those terrible batteries, are all distinctly visible. The figures, boldly designed, are painted with great vigour and effect, and a beautiful view of the scenery of the country fur a circuit of many miles is presented to the eye. Altogether it is a most effective painting, and conveys an excellent idea of the subject. THERE have been few novelties produced lately at any of the theatres owing to the preparations for the Christmas pantomimes, which will be produced next Tuesday night with all their traditionary fun. At the Haymarket we are to have The History of Little 80-peep, who had Lost her Sheep.—At Drury Lane, Harlequin and King Mustard. By Leman Blanchard. To be preceded by the tragedy of George Barnwell.— At the Princess's, Harlequin and Blue Beard the Grand Bashaw, from the pen of Mr. Planehe.—At the Olympic, The Yellow Dwarf, also by Mr. Planche.—At the Lyceum a fairy extravaganza, entitled Prince Prettypet and the Butterfly, by Mr. W. Brough.—Adelphi, St. James's, Marylebone, Astleys, Sadler's Wells, and the Surrey, each pro duce their quota to the general stock of amusement for the season. THE SILVER MEDAL AT THE ROYAL ACADEMY.—. We have received several letters respecting the award of the silver medal to Mr. C. L. Eastlake, for the best measured drawing of Burlington-house. The charge made is, that the successful candidate did not himself measure the building, and was not able to produce a certificate of having attended the requisite courses of lectures which other students are required to produce. We hesitate to insert a charge against the justice of the Council in such a matter, and have no doubt it could be made clear, but the manner in which it has been made to us leaves us no discretion.—The Builder. M. LESSEPS, formerly French Consul-General in Egypt, who is using his utmost influence to cement French interests in that country, has obtained from the Viceroy a firman authorising the formation of a ship canal between the Mediterranean and Red Seas from Damietta, the eastern branch of the Nile, to Suez. The term granted is ninety nine years, and fifteen per cent. of the profits are to be set aside for the benefit of the Egyptian Government. All Go vernment lands through which the canal will pass are to be given gratis; all private lands to be pur chased. To carry our this project, a company is to be formed in Europe. The French General, Gallice Bey, asserts that the completion of such a canal ought not to occupy more than five years. By most of the older European residents the entire affair is regarded as a wild scheme, and never likely to make further progress than its appearance on paper. THE amount of capital invested in French railways is three thousand millions of francs, of which two thousand millions have been paid by companies and one thousand by the State. THE PRESS. tout anb "as n. The Queen remains at Windsor, which will con tinue to be the head quarters of the Court until after the Christmas holidays. On Tuesday her Majesty and Prince Albert came to Richmond by railway, and paid a visit to the Duchess of Cambridge at Kew. Next day the Prince Consort arrived in Loudon, in order to preside at a meeting of the Governors of the Wellington College. His Royal Highness re turned to Windsor in the afternoon. The royal bounties to aged poor were distributed during the pet week, at the Almonry-office, White hall, under the direction of the Lord Bishop of Oxford, lord high almoner. By express command of her Majesty, the new royal steam•yacht, now nearly ready for launching at Pembroke, is to be named the Victoria and Albert, and the present Victoria and Albert is to have her name changed to the Osborne. Lord H. Rokeby, lieutenant colonel of the Scots Fusilier Guards, who is about to leave England for the Crimea, was sent for yesterday week at the re quest of the Prince of Wales, his Royal Highness wishing him to be the bearer of a fur cloak as a present to Sergeant-Major Edwards, of the Scots Fusilier Guards, who when in England was the Prince's gymnastic preceptor. His Serene Highness Prince Victor of Hohenlohe left London on Wednesday night for Germany. Herr Von Usedom, lately Prussian Minister at Rome, arrived in London on Thursday, on a special mission with reference to the treaty of December 2. After transacting business in London, the am bassador will, it is said, proceed to Paris, on a similar mission to the French Cabinet. Herr Von Usedom is the bearer of an autograph letter from King Frederick William to Queen Victoria. Cabinet Councils were held on Saturday, Tuesday, and Thursday last. The Duke of Newcastle proposes to stay in town during the holidays. The utmost activity still pre vails in the Minister of War's department. The Earl of Aberdeen will also remain in town during the greater part of the holidays. The Earl and Countess of Derby and Lady Emma Stanley left town yesterday for Knowsley-park, Lan. cashire, at which hospitable seat the noble earl and countess are entertaining a large party of distin guished guests. Admiral Sir Charles Napier arrived in London on Monday evening from Portsmouth. The gallant admiral was present on Tuesday night in the House of Commons, and listened for some hours to the debate on the Foreign Enlistment Bill. Lord John Russell has purchased Bure Homage, the seat of Sir John Littler, at Christchurch, in Hants. The King of Prussia has received and been pleased to accept a gold medal, ordered some time past by the Czar to be prepared by the Warsaw en graver, Muncheimer, in honour of Prince Paskie witch having completed his fiftieth year (October, 1851). Specimens of this medal in silver have been struck at the Prussian mint for distribution at Berlin. The Chevalier Bunsen continues to reside in re tirement at Hiedelberg, and has jmt sent to a pub lisher at Berlin an historical work, the fruit of his regained leisure. It is reported that the band of the Royal Horse Guards (Blue) is going to Paris, to return the visit of the Guides. One of the Madrid journals states that there are at present in Spain 72 duxes, 597 marquises, 492 counts, 53 viscounts, and 53 barons. Letters from the Crimea state that Mr. Augustus Stafford, M.P., is staying on board the Sanspareil, bnt makes daily visits to the camp and the hospitals, writes letters for the wounded, and seems to be most anxious in his inquiries into the working of every department. The vacancy in the Commission of Inquiry sent to Scutari, created by the loss of Dr. Spence in the Prince, has been filled up by Dr. Laing, and the commissioners have commenced to take evidence. The Queen has appointed the Marquis of Nor manby, K.G., to be her Majesty's Envoy Extra ordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Grand Duke of Tuscany. Mr. Crauftird, the present Solicitor• General, will be appointed to the seat upon the Scottish bench vacant by the death of Lord Rutherfurd. There being at present an Earl of Crawford, the new judge will take his seat as Lord Ardmillan. Mr. Mac kenzie, the Sheriff of Ross, obtains the gown of Solicitor-General. The city tolls heretofore taken at the several bars of the city of London for waggons, carts, &c., not being the property of a citizen, are to cease on and after Monday next the 25th. These tolls brought in a revenue annually of about 6,0001., but gave much annoyance to those engaged in London traffic. 1227 Captain Stewart has been appointed deputy governor of the convict prison nt Portland, vice Baker, transferred to the Warrior Hulk at Woolwich as governor. The Rev. W. H. Buck, curate of St. George's, Southwark, is appointed chaplain of the Queen's Prison, vice the Rev. H. Vachell, resigned. The Archdeaconry of Carlisle has become vacant by the death of the Rev. Dr. Goodenough ; also the rectories of Great Salkeld, Cumberland, and Mare ham-le-Fen, Lincolnshire. The appointments, which are of the aggregate value of 1,6001, a year, are in the gift of the Bishop of Carlisle. Dr. Goodenough was a son of a late bishop of that diocese. Valitual an inntral. THE RUSSIAN COURIERS manag3 to get from Se bastopol to Moscow, by way of Odessa, iu ninety-six hours ; from Moscow the ) reach St. Petersburg by an extra train in twelve hours ; thus already 108 hours suffice ' when no accidents occur, to convey Prince Menschikod's despatches from t he seat of war to the centre of Government. To mitigate the present delays and stoppages ex perienced so constantly by carriages crossing Lon don-bridge, the Commissioner of City Police has given notice that, on and after New Year's-day, all waggons, carts, and other vehicles moving at a walking pee will be required to keep close to the herb-stone of the bridge. THE LATE EARL OF BEAUCHAMP bequeathed 00,0001. for the erection and endowment of alms houses at Newland, in Worcestershire, for the benefit of infirm agricultural labourers. Nearly two years having elapsed since the decease of the late earl, the poor of that county are anxiously expecting the resi dutuy legatees, executors, and trustees of the said charity to fulfil the intentions of the testator, the land having been granted for this purpose a twelve month ago by a deed of conveyance enrolled in the Court of Chancery. THIRTEEN HUNDRED DEATHS were registered in London in the week that ended last Saturday. A small decrease is observed on the mortality of the two preceding weeks in which the deaths were 1,350 and 1,331. In the ten weeks cgr. responding to the last week of the years 1844453 the average number was 1,219 ; and it this is rained in proportion to increase of population, it becomes 1,374. The mortality of last week is therefore less than the estimated amount by seventy-four deaths. The season is rather unfavourable to the youthful part of the community, who are peculiarly subject to scarlatina, and some other diseases of the zymotie class. A PARLIAMENTARY RETURN gives the following state ment " of warm clothing lost on board the Prince" : Woollen socks, 35,700; woollen frocks,s3,ooo; flannel drawers, 17,01 X); watch-coats, 2,500; blankets, 16,100; rugs, 3,700. ON Saturday last, about 150 navvies in the employ of Messrs. Peto and Co.,engaged for the construction of the railway from Balaklava to the trenches in front of Sebastopol, left town by a special train for North Shields, whence they were to be conveyed to the Austrian territory. The men are to have ss. per day, and their lodging, food, and clothes found them. The total number to be sent out will, it is stated, exceed 2,000. A WAR-OFFICE MEMORANDUM, issued on Tuesday, orders the standard of recruits for the infantry to be " further " reduced to five feel. four inches. 3rtiant. - Another assault on a scripture reader is related by the Kilkenny Moderator. It states:—" In Carlow most violent outrages have been committed against scripture readers during the past week. On Friday, one of them, named Kenny, was struck down by a stone, and his life is placed in imminent danger. The resident magistrate has offered a reward for the discovery of the perpetrator of the outrage. A Boman Catholic priest passed by when the assault was being committed. He was cheered by the mob, and made no attempt to stop the outrageous proceedings." A warrant has been issued for the apprehension of Mr. Paumier, an actor of some local eminence, who, one night recently, at the Belfast Theatre, spat in the face of, and struck, the Hon. Arthur Annesley of the 92nd, and some other officers, whom Mr. Families' thought were deriding him. The Munster New; is informed that a communica tion has been received from an Irish member of Parliament, at present in London, communicating the intelligence that " the promulgation of an in junction from the highest authority against the in terference of Catholic priests in politics is immi nent ; and that a concordat between the British Government and the Court of Rome is fat from im probable." I I J•JiA