The Press. — London, England, 1855-02-03 00:00:00

A STANDING BRIDGE OVER THE RHINE AT COLOGNE, the want of which is particularly felt in Wintry wea ther, is at length about to be substituted t'or the bridge of boats that has hitherto constituted the means of communication. In addition to the en gineering difficulties presented by the locality must be taken the necessity of arranging for the railway traffic between here and Brussels, and consequently with London and Pails. Financial difficulties also have hitherto stood greatly in the way of the under taking; one very considerable item in the outlay is that for fortification, which the Government has stipulated for as a sine qud non. The bridge is to be built by the state architect Lescze, who constructed the bridge over the Vistula, and oh the same plan, viz , of connecting the piers, not by arches, but by a species of trellis work. Dn. COMARMOND, the conservator of antiquities in the museum at Lyons, is taking measures for a gene ral classification of the antiquities of all kinds which it is expected will be discovered in the cuttings and excavations about to be made for forming conduits and canals, and fur the underground passage of the Lyons Railway. THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT has just purchased the last picture of M. Ingres, " Joan of Arc before the High Altar at Rheims." After having formed one of the attractions of tha Universal Exposition, this fine work will be placed in the gallery of tne Luxembourg. M. DIEN, of the Paris Observatory, announces that on Sunday evening, the 14th ult., he discovered a telescopic comet in the constellation of the Scorpion at 21 deg. to the south-east of the star Gamma. The comet presents no appearance of a tail, but has several centres of light. AN INTERESTING ARCHEOLOGICAL discovery has just been made at Contigny, near Lausanne, of a Roman tomb containing a large earthern vase, in which was another of glass of a square form. The contents of this consisted of bones, ashes, two rings, and four Roman coins—one of Faustina, the wife of Marcus Aurelius, and the other three of Lucille, the sister of Commodus. Between these lay a bronze ring with the inscription " Vita," and close to this a goluen ring set with a ruby, and a clasp set with jewel 3. These trinkets denoted the tomb to be that of a woman. All these objects have been bought by the cantonal museum of Lausanne. M. VICTOR LUZARCILE, an eminent antiquary, has just published a drama of the 12th century in Anglo- Norman,lately discovered among the manuscripts in the public library at Tours, and said to be the earliest known play written in any French dialect. MADAME LOLA MONTES lives a quiet and apparently cosy life in California, surrounded by her pet birds, dogs, goats, sheep, hens, turkeys, pigs, and her pony. The latter seems to be a favourite with Lola, and is her companion in all her mountain rambles. A GErtEr.Ar. ASSEMBLY of the proprietors of Drury lane Theatre was held on Tuesday in the theatre saloon, Mr. B. B. Cabbell, M.P., in the chair, to re ceive a statement of accounts and elect auditors, dec., for the year ensuing. The report congratulated the proprietors upon the unusual fact of the rent of the theatre having been punctually paid by Mr. Smith, the lessee, so that a nearly new theatre, inside and out, had been obtained for an expenditure of about 2,000/. ; although, owing to the decayed state of the timbers, the repairs has cost 3001. more than the original estimates. The quarterly payments hat been duly made to the Duke of Bedford, and 650/. had also been paid to the renters' trustees. The statement of accounts, which extended over three half years, exhi bited a total receipt of 7,0761. 18s. 10d., and a total outlay of 7,1191. 14s. 2d. The report having been adopted, the six outgoing members of the committee were re-elected, as were also the auditors and the sub-committee. THE reservoirs and lakes in the grounds of the Crystal Palace have been completely frozen during the past week, and were well attended by skaters. The Skating Club have obtained permission to appropriate to their special use a piece of water, known as the intermediate reservoir, upon which a number of the members have been daily practising. THE members of the United Service Club, the oldest military and naval club, intend to invite Lord Cardigan to become an honorary member, in conse quence of his distinguished gallantry at Balaklava on the 25th of October last. THE SOLICITOR-GENERAL FOR SCOTLAND, Mr. Tho mas Mackenzie, will, we have reason to believe, suc ceed to the vacant seat on the Scotch bench caused by the death of Lord Robertson.—Globe. THE BOARD OF ORDNANCE have had their atten tion drawn to a newly-invented revolving rifle, with barrels as large as the Minie rifle now in use, and chambers similar to the repeating pistol. This weapon will discharge five shots in four seconds, and MS be loaded with extraordinary facility. PRE s,_ Court ait/3 lastion. Her Majesty came to London on Wednesday morning in order to be at hand during the Ministerial arrangements which were pending on that day. In the afternoon the Queen returned to Windsor, where, according to present intentions, the Court will remain until the 14th inst., on which day her Majesty purposes removing to Buckingham Palace for the season. Yesterday the Queen paid another visit to London for the same purpose of fitcilitating the formation of a new Cabinet. It is the intention of the Emperor of the French to invite most of the crowned heads of Europa to the Exhibi don. The Emperor of Austria is said to have already accepted. Baron Von Usedom left England on Saturday last for Calais, eu route to Brussels. According to the Prussian eorrespondenz. his Excellency will return from Brussels to London, instead of proceeding to Berlin. Lord Stratford de Redoliffe has postponed indefinitely his intended journey to England. MINISTERIAL MOVEMENTS. Since Monday last every day has been busily occupied by interviews, journeys, and consultations, among the political leaders of almost every party. On Saturday last a Cabinet Council sat, and another on Tuesday, at which the Ministers consulted respecting the course to be taken in consequence of the majority upon Mr. Roebuck's motion on the previous night, and came to the determination to resign in a body. Lord Aberdeen accordingly went down to Windsor immediately after the Council broke up, and placed the resignation of himself and his colleagues in the hands of her Majesty, who was pleased to accept them. In the course of the same evening a royal messenger was despatched from Windsor, conveying the Queen's com mands to Lord Derby to be in attendance the following morning at Buckingham Palace. Her Majesty reached the palace at eleven o'clock on Wednesday, and within half an hour afterwards Lord Derby arrived, and was ad mitted to an audience, remaining in consultation with her Majesty an hour and a half. The Earl of Derby afterwards proceeded to the residence of Lord Palmerston, in Piccadilly, with whom he held a somewhat protracted conversation, and then returned to Buckingham Palace, where be had another interview with her Majesty. No other Cabinet Minister, or Cabinet Minister-expectant, visited the Queen during her short stay in town. After the return of the Earl of Derby from the Palace his lordship received the Right Hon. B. Disraeli and several other of his political friends. The Marquis of Lansdowne visited the Earl of Derby in the course of the afternoon, and at a later period of the day his lordship was called upon by several of his usual sup porters. kt an early hoar bn Wednesday, Viscount Palmerston had an interview With the Marquis of Lansdowne at his lordship's residence in Berkeley-square. The Secretary of the Treasury, the Right Hon. G. W. Hayter, was very busy during Wednesday at the clubs, The right hon. gentleman paid a visit to the Earl of Aber deen during the morning, at Argyll-house. The Marquis of Lansdowne visited Lord John Russell at his residence in Chesham-place. The Earl Grey was visited by several of his political friends. Lord John Russell entertained a select circle at dinner. Lord I)un kellin, recently returned from St. Petersburg, was amongst his lordship's guests. A Queen's messenger left Windsor Castle in the course of the evening, charged with a despatch for the Earl of Aberdeen. The messenger returned to Windsor with the noble's earl's zeply to her Majesty shortly after nine o'clock. Shortly before twelve o'clock that same night, Mr. Glad stone, and the Right Hon. Sidney Herbert arrived together at the Admiralty, and had an interview with Sir James Graham. The right hon. gentlemen came direct from the Earl of Aberdeen (with whom they had had a lengthened interview) to the Admiralty. On Thursday the Earl of Derby left town at an early hour, for the purpose of resigning into the hands of the Sovereign the task with which he had been intrusted. The noble earl returned to London in the afternoon, and, en route to his residence in St. James's square, called upon Mr. Disraeli, with whom his lordship had had an interview prior to leaving London for 'Windsor. At two o'clock a Queen's messenger arrived at Lans downe-house, bearing a despatch commanding the attend ance of the Marquis of Landsdowne at Windsor Castle. The noble marquis immediately led London for Windsor, and remained the guest of her Majesty for the night. Yesterday morning the noble marquis returned to town at an early hour, and sent a message to Mr. Gladstone, who came to Berkeley-square a few minutes before eleven o'clock. After holding a communication with Lord Lans downe they both proceeded to the residence of Mr. Sidney Herbert, in Belgrave-square, whence at one o'clock the noble marquis proceeded to the residence of Lord John Russell, in Chesham-place, with whom he staid until half-past one. On leaving Lord John Russell's house the Marquis of Lansdowne called upon Lord Palmerston, with whom he remained in consultation until two o'clock. On leaving Lord Palmerston, the noble marquis proceeded to Buck ingham Palace, where he had an audience of the Queen, who had come up from Windsor for the special purpose of assisting in the formation of a new Administration. THE noble Lord Chamberlain's liberal gift of 9,000 bottles of Scotch whiskey and two tons of potted meats for the Highland brigade serving in the Crimea, the 79th and 92nd Highlanders, hare been just shipped for Balakleva direct. [RDA?, LORD DERBY AND LORD JOHN RUSSELL. A PAsskok; in Lord John Russell's speech on Monday niot in reference to an incident in Lord Derby's career while in connection with the Goderich Administration was seriously misreported in the Times. The version given in that journal was as follows. Lord John said : I remember a transaction in which I was not myself engaged further than in being a spectator of it, of which the history may be easily had by the right hon. gentleman, and it referred to one whom he, at least, respects—l mean Lord Derby. When Lord Derby was Secretary for Ireland in Lord Grey's Administration, and when the great ques tion was impending—a question of no less importance than the emancipation of the slaves in the West Indies—it was thought desirable that the office of Secretary for the Colonies should be held by a man possessing influence and weight iu this house, and who could exert that influence with the eloquence known to be possessed by Lord Derby. The Earl of Derby had no hesitation in stating that to Lord Goderich, and Lord Goderich, giving way to that impres- Mon, accepted office, but I never heard that termed profli gate intrigue; if it were it would have been profligate in trigue on the part of the Earl of Derby to get posession of the seals of the Colonial Secretary. It was for the public benefit, and enabled Lord Derby to bring forward with ability, which all who recollect it admire, the plan fur the emancipation of slaves, of which he was the author. More correct reports are given in other papers. The Herald thus renders the passage When Lord Derby held, in Lord Grey's Adminstration, the office of Chief Secretary for Ireland, and when the great question of negro emancipation was pending, it was thought advisable that the office of Secretary of State for the Colonies should be held by a person of the influence and weight in this house possessed by the Eail of Derby, and supported by the eloquence which he was well known to possess. Lord Grey did nut hesitate to suite his con victions to Lord Goderich, and Lord Goderich gave way, and accepted the office of Privy Seal iu the same cabinet. ( Hear, hear.) But I never heard that that was denominated a profligate intrigue. If it was a profligate intrigue it must have been a profligate intrigue on the part of the Earl of Derby, who got possession of the Colonial Secre taryship. But it was for the public benefit that Lord Derby should have been enabled to bring forward, with that ability which we all admire in him, the plan for the eman cipation of the slaves of which he was the author and mover. The Morning Chronicle version is as follows: I remember when the Earl of Derby held the office of Chief Secretary for Ireland, under the Administration of Earl Grey, the great question of the emancipation of the slaves in the West Indies was before the Cabinet, and It was thought desirable that the office of Secre tary of State for the Colonies should be held by a man of the influence and weight possessed in this house by the Earl of Derby, and Eari Grey had no hesitation in stating his conviction to Goderich, who, giving way to that opinion, accepted- the office of Privy Seal in the same Cabinet. I never h sat as denominated a " pro- aigate intrigue." Other journals report the passage in a similar sense, and the misrepresentation of the Times has called forth the following letter from Lord Derby himself : TO THE EDITOR OF THE " TIMES." Sir,—Your report of last night's debate in the House of Commons, in this day's Times, attributes to Lord John Russell an expression with regard to me which, I am con• fident, was not used by the noble lord, both because it is wholly at variance with the fact and because every other paper which I have seen gives another, and, I have no doubt, a correct version of the speech. In the Times he is made to say that in 1533, when it was thought desirable that a change should be made in the administration of the Colonial-office, " Lord Derby had no hesitation in stating that to Lord Goderich ," and yet he never heard that called a profligate intrigue, if it had been, " it would have been a profligate intrigue on the part of the Earl of Derby to get posession of the seals of the Colonial Secretary." In every other paper the name of Earl Grey, the then head of the Government, is substituted, I presume with perfect truth, for mine, as that of the person who made the representation to Lord Goderich. Had I made such a representation myself, it would have been an act of gross impropriety ansi impertinence. Had I taken any steps towards having it made, I should have thought it partook of the nature of a discreditable he• trigue ; but the facts of that case, though no interest may now attach to them, are notorious. Some short time before I had been compelled to represent to Lord Grey that, though willing to serve him in any capacity, or to support him with out any office, I could not again return to Ireland as Chief Secretary under the late Lord A ngelsey ; and this altogether on public grounds. This was in January, on my return from Ireland. In the following March Lord Ooderich brought forward a scheme for the abolition of negro slavery, which was not approved by the Cabinet ; and in conse quence, whether of his own accord or upon a suggestion from any other quarter! know not, Lord Goderich resigned his office, and accepted that of Privy Seal, which I think had just been vacated by Lord Durham ; and on his resig nation I was offered, and accepted, the office of Secretary of State for the Colonies. I trust you will do me the j ustice of correcting the passage in your report to which I have adverted, whiA,though referring to a transaction long goi by, places my conduct in a very erroneous and unfavour able light. Dzaay. St. James's-square, Jan. 30. COLONEL THE Hon. R. BRUCE, of the Grenadier Guards, has, it is said, been appointed Surv e y or ' General of the Ordnance. P Al 6 lottign Xittraturt, at.