The Press. — London, England, 1857-11-07 00:00:00

-- coherently worked out; the opening solo is a N ava rrese melody well known to travellers in the Basque provinces ; the opening duo between the Misses Pyne forcibly recalls Meyerbeer's charming romance a aeux voix in Le Propliete ; the scherzo sang so brilliantly by Miss Louisa Pyne is from Belle's Etoile de Seville, produced somo years since at the Grand Opera in Paris. The Muleteer's song, with accompaniment of bells and whip, is full of cha racter, and is well scored. This is a nightly encore for Mr. Harrison. There is a very weak and dull duo between Miss Louisa Pyne and Mr. Harrison, with an Auberish ending. rho bacchanalian trio for tenor and two bassos (spiritedly sung by Mr. St. Albyn, Mr. Honey, and Mr. Weiss) opens like an old English glee, and has merit. The quartet next in succession, in which the conspirators are mystified at the likeness of the peasant girl to the Queen, is followed by a bravura rondo of Miss Louisa Pyne. The finale of the first act contains nothing remarkable. A chorus of con spiring noblemen opens the second act. The theme is a familiar one, and will be found in one of Beet hoven's symphonies. Weiss has next a lugubrious ballad of the " Heart bowed down" school. The concerted piece with the Queen on the throne excites no emotions, but it leads to a melody, " The con vent bell,"•quite a gem in its way—a truly Balfeish in spiration. Louisa Pyne, who does not excel in canta bile, sings it deliciously. The orchestration is ex ceedingly elegant. Nothing, however, can exceed in absurdity the manner in which this ballad is intro duced. The Queen is first on her throne in great state; her Majesty dismisses her court, and then tells her maids of honour to enjoy full liberty, down with Spanish etiquette, and all hands for the "spree." The Duenna remonstrates, "What would Spain say if she knew" that they were going to have some fun. " Had I the choice," rejoins her Majesty, " I would trot change the humble couch of my con vent cell for yonder gilded throne." Then comes the pathos of the air of the said convent cell ; but after singing of its superior attractions, it is only shortly afterwards the Queen is menaced to be returned to her " angelic" cell a threat which she calls " horrible." To get out of this contradiction the authors made her Majesty explain that the cell is only " delightful " when the heart is disengaged. The buffo duo, trio, and chorus, in which the sup posed Muleteer recognises in the Queen and maid of honour the disguised peasants, is an admirable com position, decidedly the best concerted piece in the opera. The composer is in his hagpiest vein, and the artists—the Misses Pyne and Mr. Harrison—sing it with the raciness and relish which its piquancy demands. This is another nightly encore. It weakens, however, the effect of a subsequent buffo duet, given by Honey and Weiss. There is clever ness in the treatment of the scena, in which Miss Louisa Pyne sings alternately as Queen and rustic. The second finale is Auberish, but is not a very effective one. In the last act there are three commonplace ballads, " Oh, Love's a naughty boy," archly sung by Miss Susan Pyne, a boisterous martial air by Mr. Weiss, and the " Remember me" style of ballad in the melody "'Twas rank and fame that tempted thee," in which Harrison's sustaining power throws the gods into ectacies ; on the redemand he indulges his friends with a prolonged shake. A comic courtship duo between Miss S. Pyne and Mr. Honey, another bravura from Miss Louisa Fyne, with a clarinet obligate cleverly played by Mr. Owen, and a third finale of no moment, terminate The Rose of Castille. On the prima donna Mr. Balfe has imposed the herculean task of a series of florid rondos in each act of superlative difficulties. How magnificently Miss Louisa Pyne overcomes the vocal intricacies with which her part in the vocal score has been studded, has been universally acknowledged. But the " Rose "as it now blooms, must die with her. We have no other singer who could attempt the music. the vitality of the opera may not perhaps concern the present management, for it is a question which interests the public, who interest themselves in the works of our best native composer. It is there fore to be regretted that he has so overloaded the opera with bravura displays. To the chorus, prin cipals, and orchestra, be is deeply indebted for the present reception of his work, and Mr. Mellon, the conductor, has earned for himself additional fame by his masterly management of the resources placed at his command. OPERA BITTA, Sr. JAMES'S THEATRE.—On Tues day next a short season of Italian Comic Opera, intrcducing a decided novelty in this country, in the person of the veritable Neapolitan Pulcinella in his mask, will commence. The artistes are also new to us, and the repertoire for the most part unknown to the English musical public. Report speaks highly for the character of the music of the opera to be per formed on the opening night, La Columella, and of the powers of the young and fresh artistes engaged. The theatre has been entirely renovated for these performances, UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE. OXFORD. The first election at All Souls' College under the new act took place on Wednesday evening, when Mr. Charles Henry Alderson, M.A. (son of Baron Alderson), late Scholar of Trinity College, was elected to the vacant fellowship. There were seven candidates. Mr. Alderson obtained a first class in the first public classical examinations, 1t452, and a second in the final classical examinations, Michael mas term, 1853. A supplement to the Gazette of Tuesday night contains copies of nine new statutes recently framed by the University of Oxford for the application of certain gifts or endowments belonging to the uni versity, under the 30th section of the Act of the 17th and 18th Vic. cap. 81; and notice is given that it is lawful for the bodies or persons mentioned in the 35th section of that act, within one month after this publication, to petition her Majesty in council against the approbation of any of the statutes, or of any part thereof. - CAMBRIDGE. The Rev. Dr. Philpott, Principal of St. Catherine's College, has been re-elected Vice• Chancellor for the ensuing year. At a Congregation held on the sth inst., the new statutes were discussed. Ten graces appeared on the paper; five were rejected and the rest passed. The grace fixing Michaelmas on the Ist instead of 10th Oct., that fixing Easter on the 7th April, and that for uniting the two houses, and that for repeal ing the provision for a Court of Heresy, were re jected. THE PRESS, NOVEMBER 7, 1857. bug latket aith ditg Inttitigenct. FRIDAY EVENING. THE weekly Bank return will henceforth be brought down to the Wednesday evening previous to the publication in Friday's Gazette instead of Saturday. This change is a concession to public opinion which has long been demanded ; and it will be of advantage to commercial men and capitalists by making them acquainted with the exact position of the Bank twenty-four hours previously to publication, or little more than twelve hours after it has undergone the consideration of the weekly Court of Directors. Why the change has not been made before, when the Governor and Deputy-Governor of the Bank and the whole body of Directors were in favour of it, is extraordinary ; but, now that it is made, it is highly acceptable. In the present week we have two returns. The first is brought down to Saturday, the 31st of October. This, compared with the returns for the previous week, shows the following changes : Increase in Circulation Increase in Public Deposits Increase in Other Deposits Increase in Private Securities Decrease in Bullion Increase in Rest Decrease in Reserve Bullion iu both Departments Circulation, including Rank Post Bills The second return being, under the new arrange ment, brought down to Wednesday, the 4th Novem • ber, includes the operations of the week ending that day. There ere no means of precisely comparing these operations with those of the previous week; but as the first return is inclusive up to the 31st ult., the following may be taken, substantially, as the changes made in the position of the Bank c uring the three days that intervened between the two : Decrease in Circulation Decrease in Public Deposits Increase in other Deposits Decrease in Government Securities Increase in Other Securities 430,931 Decrease in Bullion Increase in Rest Decrease in Reserve Bullion in both Departments Circulation, including Bank Post Bills 21,079,942 The Bank of England, perhaps, never appeared in a worse position than is indicated by these two returns. The change now made will be memorable if for no other fact than this. In the ten days included within both returns the Bullion appears to have fallen no less than 872,0001., until it is now less than eight millions and a half. The Reserve has dimi nished 1,370,0001., and the Private Securities have increased to the enormous extent of 2,223,&-11. Under such circumstances the Directors had no alternative but to advance the rate of discount to nine per cent. As to the effect of the high charges for money upon our own trade, home and foreign, we confess we have serious apprehensions. Those houses who have large available capital can afford no doubt to pay them, and they will come out of the pressure with higher credit than ever. So far, the question is one of capital. But numerous houses, whose trade in ordinary times is based upon a sound foundation, must be brought to the ground ; and there is grave reason to fear that this last step on the part of the Bank, which is admittedly caused by external circumstances, will precipitate a huge cata strophe. Already prices have given way fearfully, causing enormous losses in all directions ; and em ployment is partially suspended throughout the wide area of country from Birmingham to Glasgow. Some trades the silk manufacture for example, are in intense distress, and soup•kitchens have been opened to keep life in the poor weavers. The depres sion is extending • failures are increasing ; and there is a growing absence of confidence apparent in some parts of the country. Under such circum stances, commercial enterprise and speculation, which are the very basis of activity, are out of the question. Yet at the present moment the sentiment of panic has been happily avoided. It will require the exercise of much coolness and prudence to con tinue this state of feeling ; and if panic does come, it will be solely in consequence of the high value put upon money. Since our last, about 250,0001. in gold bars has been taken out of the Bank for export. The known exports, including 956,846/. sent to India and China, nearly all of which was id silver, have amounted to 1,026,146/. About 100,0001. have gone to America. We have had no imports of gold, but the Australian steamer Emeu is daily expected at Suez. She will probably bring some amount ; and her intelligence will enable us to judge when we may expect supplies by the ordinary sailing packets. Until we have arrivals from Australia, the stock of bullion in the Bank is the only resource to supply the foreign demand. _ _ The Continental Exchanges during the week have not been materially different from those of last week, but they have been much more irregular. This afternoon they were nearly all higher. Two or three arrivals from the United States have each brought more unfavourable news, and they have, in conjunction with the demand for money, effectually counteracted the effect upon public securities produced by purchases on the part of the public. Consols last Saturday were run up to 901, but since then there has been a daily fall, and yes terday they left off at 881 to To-day they opened at 88 to 1, and closed at 881 to 1. In the Foreign Market there has been a decline nearly all round. Turkish Six per Cents. are one half per cent. lower. Railway Shares are from two to three per cent. lower than on Saturday. The heavy shares are affected not only by the advanced rate of discount, but by falling traffics, particularly on those lines which run through the manufacturing districts. Banking, Mining, and Miscellaneous Shares are all lower. Exchequer Bills have fallen 103. to-day. The present price is 255. to 18s. dis. India Bonds have been at 455. dis., but they are now a little better. The Liverpool Borough Bank has reopened, for the purpose of paying all depositors of 2001. and under. In all other cases time is given, but the Lank must wind up. Several heavy failures have taken place during the week, and the trade of the country is altogether too quiet to be satisfactory. BANK OF An Account, pursuant to the A, for the week ending on Wednee ENGLAND. ,ct 7th and gth Victoria, cap. 31 sday, the 4th day of Nov., 185/ ISRIIII rcvssiitzsr. Notes issued .... 4;22,422 NO Government Debt 811,015,100 Other Securities .. 3,459,900 Gold Coin ,t Bullion 7,94:,060 'Silver Bullion 122.4225 M I BAILING DICPLETNYNT. ProprietoratapitalZ4,ss 9 : o &covernm en - t Seen- Rest Public Deposite.. 4,871,244 Dead WeightAno 410,120.10 i Other Deposits .. 11,2104670 , Other Securities .. 22,628.251 Seven Day et other I Note■ . 2,155,316 Bills .13L,454,320 I 735,454,390 * Including Exchequer Commissioners of National Debt Siviuga . Banks. and Dividend Accounts. BRITISH FUNDS.— Closing FriCsno OFFICIAL QUOTATIONS. MouL i Tssead. Wed.Tkurs. Friday,. 20 I 89f 89 9 381 B7l 8 90 L , 8 9j fB9 i flB 88$ 89j list 988 *e7 I 87 Ish 89 t 8468 1,88 7 87i 171 171 115-16 15-16 15-14 210 209 210 205 73 15d 10d 10d 154 251 —42 d 34d 364 404 SIGN FUNDS. Mond Tend. Wed. Merl Friday. 1 991 ' —99 j 84 Ts Ts r 67( c'67; 20c i i7f 158 57f c f f fc!: e l f. 19 —— I l f. 1 a 74 972 97 25t 40j int 4 , 25$ 83 1301 1 871 2 661 5 per Cent.Consols Ditto to: Account 3 perCer.ts Reduced 3 per Cents Long Annuities Bank Stock 7 per Cent New 21 per Cent Annnit Exch. Bills, 20. India Bonds,(1,0u01.) Per Cent Brazilian b Danish 5 Dtch. (Ex 12 Guil )2e French 3 Do. 41 f • f a L 18; Do. Bank Stock s Mexican Peruvian 4i Portuguese 4 Russian 4 4 Spanish 3 Airkish 1093