The Press. — London, England, 1855-12-29 00:00:00

gallery, with its ruin and confusion, can very im perfectly satisfy. The gallery in which these valua ble photographs are to be seen—for they are hardly visible at present—is inconveniently small, and the want of proper light but ill-supplied by insufficient gas. Surely such a collection deserves every pos sible advantage in the appointments and arrange ments which surround it; And we hope to see Mr. Kilburn's views on some other occasion under more favorable circumstances. THE DIRECTORS OF THE CRYSTAL PALACE have celebrated the present season by two concerts of instrumental music, performed by the bands of the Coldstream Guards, the Crystal Palace Company, and the Royal Artillery. The bands, on Monday and Wednesday, performed an excellent and varied selection of music from the works of Mozart, Meyer beer, Verdi, Flotow, Auber, &c., separately, at eleven o'clock at a quarter-past twelve, and at half-past one, concluding each concert by an united per formance of all three bands at a quarter before three. On Wednesday, in addition to the concert, there was a fancy fair, and an illumination after dusa. Lours NAPOLEON AND En MOTHER.—The dethroned Queen of Holland, Hortensia, whose son, Louis Napoleon, visited me several times, appeared to me a most attractive person. The Duchess of St. Leu was, perhaps, somewhat theatrical in her demeanour, but still charming, and showed herself in conversa tion as rich in heart as in mind ; and when Napoleon was mentioned she spoke like one inspired. A rare woman, well worthy to be a queen, and yet always unhappy as one. On her wedding-day, in the full bloom of youthful beauty, glittering in diamonds, she gave, with secret tears, her band to an unloved consort, lost her throne without a tear, but her native land with deep pain, and afterwards, with yet deeper, in her banishment, herbromising children; and sunk, at last, bowed down by sorrow, to her grave. Prince Louis Napoleon greatly won upon me by his character and talents. But, like his mother, a great and daring thought would easily inflame him to self-forgetfulness. 1 saw him, for the last time, in October, 1836, as he returned from the military school of the Confederation at Thun. He pro ;red mised to pass the next day with me; I receh in stead a note from him, with the information that he had had letters which obliged him to return imme diately. Ho was hastening to meet his misfortunes. Some weeks later, be was a State prisoner, for his share in the rising at Strasburg.—Heinriche Zsehokke. THE POET OLDHAM ♦S A SCHOOL USHER. — Oldham, shut up in his schoolroom, entirely un conscious of the sensation he had crested in the great world of Fops'-alley and the coffee-houses, was one day surprised, in the midst of his tasks, by a visit from Rochester, Sedley, and Dorset, accom panied by other persons of celebrity, into whose hands his verses had fallen. Mr. Shepherd, the worthy master of the school, seeing Lord Rochester's card, and thinking it quite impossible that such a mark of distinction could be intended for his obscure assistant, took the whole credit of the compliment to himself, and, after carefully arranging his toilet, went to receive his visitors. The scene that fol lo Ned might have been put into one of Shadwell's comedies. The old gentleman bad prepared a speech for the occasion, expressing his high sense of the honour conferred upon him, and modestly deprecating his claims to so extraordinary a con , descension, when Lord Dorset good-naturedly I interposed, and informed him that the motive of , the visit was to see his usher. By this time Mr. , Shepherd had got into a little confusion in his j speech, and was probably not unwilling to make his , retreat, confessing, frankly enough, that he had ;, neither the wit nor the learning to qualify him for such fine company. How it fared with the poet when summoned to their presence is not related.— Bell's Poetical Works of Oldham. " MAY HANGING AWAIT You."—On the 21st of December Admiral Dundas gave up the command of the fleet, and returned to England. He was suc ceeded by Admiral Lyons, between whom and Dundas a " signal " parting took place which will long be remembered as a standing joke in the royal navy. As Admiral Dundas quitted the fleets at Kamiesch, the crews of - both English and French ships manned yards and gave him a parting cheer. At the same moment, by the desire of Dundas, a signal was run up to Sir E. Lyons, on board the Agamemnon, "May success attend you," to which Sir E. Lyons ordered to be hoisted in reply, " May happiness await you." But though in real life hang ing and happiness are generally considered as having no very close connection, in the signal code they are remarkably alike. Unfortunately, in the hurry to reply to Admiral Dundas, the flag for the former in stead of the latter word was hoisted, and, what was worse, the stupid blunder was not discovered and hauled down until the whole fleet had seen and read it.—Woods' Campaign in the Crimea. THE PRESS. Fag atO glifitarg Admiral Sir William Parker, Bart., G.C.8., Com mander-in Chief at Plymouth, struck his flag on board the Impregnable, Captain C. Wise, on Thursday last, and proceeded on leave of absence. The duties of the port devolve on Rear-Admiral Sir J. H. Plum ridge, K.C.8., ad interim. Sir M. F. F. Berkeley, K.C.8., and Rear-Admiral Henry Eden, paid a visit to Woolwich dockyard on Monday afternoon, for the purpose of inspecting the gun-boats. Their lordships went over those which were ready for sea, and examined everything con nected with their fitting s and accommodation. Captain Sherard Osorne, who has so gallantly distinguished himself during the operations in the Sea of Azoff, and Captain Rowley Lambert, also dis tinguished for his services in that sea, have just arrived in London from tie East. The Baltic admirals are said to have received orders from the Admiralty to strike their flags and return on shore. Major-General Sir William Herries, C. 8., K.C.H., Colonel 68th Regiment, is labouring under serious illness. The first battalion of the British Italian Legion, 1,000 strong, has marched from Chivasso to Novara, where it will be stationed and drilled previous to its being despatched to the seat of war. The second battalion is now in course of formation at Chivasso. Colonel Bead is unceasing in his activity and exer tions to get men, and it is believed that the Italian Legion will be complete before spring. Savings-banks in the army are established in every regiment, under the presidency of the pay master. The last return, two years ago, showed that there were about 10,000 depositors, representing 162,0001. Rear-Admiral Frederick Jennings Thomas ex pired on Wednesday last, at his residence, near Southampton, at an advanced age. The gallant veteran entered the navy at an early age, and was midshipman on board the Prince of Wales in Calder's action, and served under Nelson, as lieutenant of the Spartiate, at Trafalgar. In 1811-12 he was second in command of the Cadiz flotilla, and was at the storming of twelve batteries, at the spiking or cap ture of several hundred pieces of ordnance, and cap ture and destruction of 150 sail of vessels. The de ceased bad received the silver naval medal and one clasp for his distinguished services afloat. His com mission bore date as follows :—Lieurenant, 14th Feb- ..... -.- rnary, 1806 ; commander, 4th March, 1811 ; captain, Bth December, 1819 ; and rear-admiral (retired), Ist October, 1846. The Army Works Corps is to be further increased. The contemplated augmentation will consist of 4,000 drivers and 750 men,comprising persons of every trade, but principally of masons, bricklayers, carpenters, bakers, butchers, smiths, wheelwrights, collar-makers, and excavators. There are at present ready for em barkation upwards of 300 men for this corps, who only wait for vessels to convey them. Her Majesty's ship Marlborough, 131, launched in the summer, is to be commissioned at once. It is believed that Captain Hutton, with his officers and crew, will be turned over to her from the Neptune,l2o. A court martial was held at Plymouth, on board H.M.S. Impregnable, to try Mr. Alexander Crago Yule, late paymaster of the Arachse, on the charge of not making proper returns to the accountant general of the cash, clothing, and victualling accounts of H.M.S. Salamander during the period that he was acting-paymaster of that ship. The court, after hearing the evidence, considered the charge proved, and sentenced the prisoner to be placed at the bottom of the list of paymasters. FROM THE LONDON GAZETTE. Tuesday, Dec. 25. BANKRUPTCY ANNULLED.—JoaN Thai's, Great•bridge Stafford, timber merchant. BANKRUPTS.—GusTkv BARE, Railway-place, Fenchurch street, City, merchant—JAS. WOODROTFE, White Lion, Leather lane, Holborn, licensed victualler—J-uitss '1 Honks MURRAY, Lower James-street, Golden-square, pianoforte maker—JOSEPH HENRY WErroan, Oxford-street, bookseller and stationer— CHARLES SHARP, Albion-road East, Stoke Newington, wholesale ironmonger —Monks llzywoon and JOHN HEYWOOD. Wood street, Cheapside, lace warehousemen —Taos. HENRY RYLAND, Birmingham, wood turner—TinoTux SPRAY, Lenton, Notting ham, lace manufacturer—PATßlCK FARRELL, Broughton-works, Salford, Lancaster, contractor —JOHN NEWSOME, Dewsbury, York, woollen manunseturer—dknza W. GREGORY, Halifax, grocer—Jona Pkrriasett, Bishop Wearmouth, Durham, builder --JOHN RICHARDSON, jun., Cockermouth, Cumberland, common brewer. SCOTCH SEQUESTRATIONS.—Huou Rem, 4! . .yr, account pIt—WM.CALDWELL, Coldstream, draper—Du s CLN MACLENNAN, Inverness, soliettor—MATTHEW HENRY HUNT, Glasgow, whole sale woollen warehouseman. _ _ Friday, December 28. BANKRUPTS.—JosEru FARMAN, Portobello-terrace, Not ting-hill, builder—GEOßGE FREDERIC CRAOOB, Cobourgdow, Old Kent-road, wholesale fancy stationer—WlLLtot Enwowne, Kidderminster, hosier—JOAN G HIIIWOOD PERKINS, ThrOglllor ton street, City, stockbroker—Moss DAVIDE!, Middle-row, Holborn, winner aud bonnet salesman—GEOßGE TAYLOR, Herby, silk manufacturer—TaowAs Jonas, DowlaUs, Merthyr lydvll, grooer. SCOTCH SEQUESTRATIONS.—MATTHEW HENRY Huur, Glasgow, wholesale woollen warehousernan—itear.FataataiaYa, Oalashie.t, merchant. SATURDAY, glants Tarktt an tit 3nitiligtna. FRIDAY EYZNING. TnE return of the Bauk of Engls.ad, published to-night, for the week ending the 22nd inst., shows the following changes in the position of that estab lishment compared with the returns for the preceding week : Decrease in Circulation £191,123 Increase in Public Deposits 016,313 Decrease in Other Deposits Increase in Government Securities 139,821 Increase in Other Securities Decrease of Bullion „ 324,593 Increase of Rest 14,305 Decrease of Reserve Present circulation, exclusive of Poet Bills 18,379,890 This return shows several important changes. The decrease iu the circulation has now been continuous for some weeks. The addition to the Public De posits is considerable; much of it is owing to the payment of the final instalment of the Sixteen Mil lion Loan, which is partially brought into the present account; besides which, it was to be expected that with the low balances to the credit of the Govern ment the collectors of the various taxes would be moved to increase their returns. The present amount of the Governmentbevosits is 5,344,7531; in the corresponding week last year they amounted to 0,500,4141. They are therefore nearly 1,200,0001. less, and somewhere about a million and a half below the sum usually provided in the week previous to the dividends falling due. Under these circum stances it is highly probable that Deficiency Bills must be resorted to, or sales of Stock made to realise the necessary sum. The decrease in " Other De posits" is, in all probability, owing to payments made in this country on account of the Turkish Loan, a large portion of which is retained in the Bank. The additions to the Government Securities would lead to an inference that the Bank has been lending on Stock; whilst the amount of the " Other Securities " represents the extremely active demand which prevailed during the week for discounts. The de crease in the stock of bullion is very large under present circumstances; and it is worthy of notice that its present aggregate is less than at any previous period in the whole year. The diminution in the Reserve is more moderate than might have been expected; and this item continues to be well main tained. On the whole the return cannot be regarded otherwise than unfavorable. The business of the week has been partially inter ' rupted by the festivities of the season ; whilst, as the end of the year is at hand, there has been an indis position to enter into commercial or monetary transactions for any except immediate wants. In fact, people are taking time to consider the prospects of the future before contracting engagements of con sequence. Hence the activity which marked the business of last week has been suspended in the present ; and consequently we have little, or rather nothing, to say, beyond recording the fact of this temporary lull. The Money Market has, upon the whole, been ex ceedingly quiet. Much f the great demand which prevailed last week was obviously caused by prepara tions for the present ; and hawing been then satisfied, bankers and discounters have not since been much pressed for accommodation. Yesterday they were rather more called upon, particularly on paper from the manufacturing districts of Lancashire and York shire, and to day the demand was resumed with some what mote urgency. There is no change in the rates. On the Stock Exchange advances have been made on Government Securities at six per cent., but the prevailing rate may be said to be five and ahalf. The imports of gold have been very small since our last. The) have only amounted to 122,2281., being 100,0001. from the United States, 2,3871. from the feninsula, and 19,8411. from Australia. Of the arrival from the United States 80,000/. was for the Continent, its ultimate deatination being said to be Russia. Little more than 40,0001. therefore remains in this country, and against this the exports must be reckoned. They are, however, but small. The prospect of immediate supplies of any magnitude continues unfavorable. From Australia there are no positive advices of shipments up to the 15th of September, the latest date ; and the comparative ex changes still show that it is not profitable to bring specie from the United States. It is true that in surances have been efiected in Liverpool upon cer tain amounts that are coming by the next And succeeding packets; but this gold has been pur chased in New York at a premium, and none of it is intended tv remain in this country. The greater part will go to Holland. A large amount of silver, probably 8,000,000 dollars, is expected by the West India mail steamer due on Tuesday. The Donald hl `Kaye arrived to-day from Melbourne, but it is not yet known how much gold she has brought. The prices of all descriptions of Public Securities have been maintained with much steadiness. Con-