The Press. — London, England, 1857-07-25 00:00:00

732 be regarded from " a phySical•strength point of view, it will not be accepte 1 by thuse who prefer force to delicacy. It is one of the most feminine Lucias we have ever witnessed on any stage ; and herein Vietuire Balfe can claim a proud supremacy. There are no spasms about it—there are no gym nastic feats in the contract scene. She does not shrug her shoulders, nor does she distort her figure. There is no lack of passionate abandonment, not the less, in the contract finale. When she first came on the stage there was a murmur throughout the house NrIA , III intelligibly conveyed, "There is a real Lucia on the stage—the Lucia of Scott, like the Des,letnous. of Shakespaate"— A maiden never bold, Of spirit so still and quiet, that her motion Blush'd at herself. Of the strange contradictions observed on the Italian stage, the most curious is the manner in which Lucia is costumed in the first act. Raimondo tells Enrico that his sister is a sorrowing maiden, mourn ing over the recent tomb of a beloved mother, and yet is Lucia presented in all the colours cf the rain bow. The stage conventionalism is that heroines must always be mad in white. Apart from the ques tions of toilette, Mlle. Balfe's Lucia is replete with vocal excellencies. Her " aria d'entrata" was im paired by agitation ; the voice seemed muffled and fatigued; but from the duo " It pallor funesto " she took high ground, a.,d maintained it to the last. In that grand and imposingly dramatic finale of the second act, in which Lucia breathes such despairing accents, and Edgard() expresses the height of his passion for her whilst gazing at her as a "wither ing rose," whilst Enrico pours forth such furious menaces, and the minister of religion eadeavours to soothe the excited feelings of the marriage guests, the voice of Mlle. Balfe rose above the choral and orchestral masses with an intensity which thoroughly enlisted the sympathies of the auditory. So power ful was the emotion at the " Chi mi frena," so care fully was the crescendo climax attained, that it was some time before the opera could proceed, Costa, however, very properly declining the encore iu such a dramatic situation. The clear .toned high notes of Mlle. Balfe in the mad scene were delicious, and her style of executing the difficult divisions displayed a perfect method. There were some novel and elegant cadenzas introduced, one of which, a series of pro longed shakes, was exceeding skilful, both in compo sition and execution. The general interpretation of the work was worthy of the conductor's intuitive faculty in seizing upon a composer's conceptions *ith accuracy and embodying them with judicious and forcible colouring. The cast of the opera has been individually stronger, but the zeal of the lead ing vocalists and choralists, and the enthusiasm of the instrumentalists, caused the ensemble to be unusually brilliant and effective. THE ATLANTIC SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH. EVERYTHING connected with the manufacture and stowage of the cable is now completed ; and the Aga memnon and Niagara may be expected to put to sea very shortly. The Agamemnon proceeds at once to Queenstown, where the other vesssel.:, the Niagara, Susquehanna, and Leopard, will also rendezvous. After taking in coals, the four vessels will start together for Valentia Bay. It has been thought advisable to alter the arrangement by which the cable was to have been joined in mid•sea, and the Agamemnon and Niagara then make the best of their way to shore—the former to America and the latter to Ireland. Now, the plan is to submerge the whole cable in a continuous line from Valentia Bay to Newfoundland. The Niagara will lay the first halt' from Ireland to the middle of the Atlantic; the end will then be joined to the other half on board the Agamemnon, which takes it on to the coast of Newfoundland. During the whole process the four vessels will remain together and give whatever assistance is required. While it is being laid down mes sages will be sent back to the coast of Ireland report ing each day's progress, and, it necessary, of course, each hour's. Scientific men look forward to the result of the undertaking with the deepest interest, as some wonderful electrical phenomena are cer tain to be observed during the process of submerging. Of course much anxiety is felt as to the success of this first attempt of so great an undertaking ; and it is quite possible that failure may occur. Errors of manufacture, and of detail in arrangement, are men tioned. But the grand point is the weather; if that be only prcpitious, the chances are greatly in our favour ; if it be foul, and heavy gales of wind set in, we can scarcely hope for success. Yet every pre caution has been taken in event of severe weather ; for if not considered prudent to retain the cable end on board at all, a wire rope will be attached, and the end of that secured again to an immense buoy. The whole can then be let adrift., to bob about as the winds and waves may choose, the vessels remaining as near to the buoy as possible. In order to assist them in finding it again, the uppermost end 't HE PRt B,S, JULY 25, 1857. of the buoy is fitted with four powerful reflectors placed under a flag, so as to be plainly visible amid the dark expanse of waters, even at a eonsideraole distance. The buoy once picked up, the wire rope can be wound in, and with it the electric cable at its end. The buoys are capable of supporting a weight of seven tons—ot course much greater than they will ever be requited to bear, and are so placed at the sides of the Niagara and Agamemnon as to be launched clear of the ship in an instant. Sir Culling Eardley, on Thursday, entertained the men and officers of the Agamemnon at a great fête in his grounds at Eritli. The American officers of the telegraph-ship Niagara were entertained at a public dinner at Liverpool on Monday. Captain Hudson, in return ing thanks, made a rather laughable speech : I believe we shall have no failure—l believe we shall carry the cable out safe, because I have belief in that over• ruling Providence. It is watching over us; and I have no doubt when the cable is carried across the Atlantic, and when the electric wires carry the news from one country to another, it will be the means of moralising the men chants of both nations. That is, in respect of their wild speculations. The advantage of talking to each other in the way of trade will make all the difference. Yea, the truth ought to be spoken. No man will be ruined by great hazarding, by the wild speculations of putting fortunes in their pockets in an hour. They will be con. tent to plod about the world's business, as I and my brother officers have done here for a period of many years, and I am sorry to say that we are no richer than when we began. THE LAND TRANSPORT CORPS. THE report of the select committee on this corps has been printed. The committee think that the terms of enlistment were not violated by the immediate discharge of the corps on its return from the East. They regret, however, that in discharging the men the ordinary rules of the service have not been ob• served, as then all claims must have been investigated and settled prior to each man receiving his parch ment. discharge. The committee, however, find that the Government did notify to the men their readiness to investigate all claims, and to settle them when proved; that this inquiry was accordingly instituted, and still continues. They say : Your committee cannot quit this subject without re• calling to the recollection of the house that a time may come when the services of our artisans may be again needed for the support and furtherance of the most important interests of our common country, and that it will depend upon the opinion entertained by the working classes as to the justice of the Government towards them, whether those services can be obtained; they would therefore suggest that all •the unsettled demands made by the Land Transport Corps, and the various classes of artificers engaged during the late war, should be carefully and justly examined by the departments which employed them ; that no niggard, narrow spirit should preside over the examination, and that claims justly made should in all cases be freckly acknow ledged and generously discharged. The committee point out the proved want of unity in the relation of the Secretary for War and the Corn mander-in-Chief with reference to the corps, and call attention to the fact, proved by Colonel Wetherell, that during the time the army was in the Crimea the Land Transport Corps was not under the orders of the Commander-in• Chief in England. CRYSTAL PALACE.—The success attending the first appearance of the Vocal Association has induced the directors to arrange fora second concert by that able body of choristers, to take place in the centre transept this afternoon, under the direction of their indefatiga ble conductor, Mr. Benedict. The programme com prises glees and madrigals, already established favourites, as well as several novelties which cannot fail to interest the musical public. alonc2 fflathet an 6itg Ptelligenct. FRIDAY EVENING. THE return of the Bank of England for the week ending the 18th inst., shows the following ci.anges compared with that for the week preceding : Increase in Circulation Increase in Public Deposits Decrease in Other Deposits Increase in Government Securities 377,857 Decrease in Other Securities Increase in Bullion Increase in Rest 41,168 Increase initeserve 23007 Bullion in Both Departments .... 11,640,652 Circulation, including Bank Post Bills This comparison shows the present return to be, in all essential respects, the most favourable that has appeared in the present year ; for while the bullion and the reserve are both larger than at any previous period in 1837, the amount of private securities is less. The bullion proves to be more than was anticipated, and the same may be said of the reserve. The repayment of advances, and the reduction of that item to its present amount, accompanied as it is by an addition to the government securities, shows that the Money Market is comparatively easy. Yet even these satisfactory features are likely to be netaralised by the state of feeling with regard to India. The public deposits are beginning to grow , but there is a slight falling-off in those of a private character. The Money Market has all the week felt the benefit of a good supply at the joint-stock banks and discount houses at the reduced rates established last week; for though there has been rather an active demand during the last day or two, it has been readily met without any ap preciable advance in the terms. At the same time the tendency at present is not so favourable as it was some days ago. This, in a great measure, is owing to the state of feeling created in the minds of the leading capitalists by the aspect of affairs in India, by certain unsatisfactory elements upon the Paris Bourse, by the less favourable character of the American Exchanges, and by the discovery of a conspiracy against the Emperor of the French, which, it is feared, may lead to demands upon this country with respect to the right of asylum not a little embarrass ing. The great consideration, however, is India. All others sink into insignificance compared with that. Practically it is the only impediment to a solid improve ment in the value of securities of all descriptions, and the sole obstruction to more ease in the Money Market. Its influence may be partially conceived, when it is mentioned that from Saturday up to Tuesday there was a gradual improvement in all values which by this time would have been firmly consolidated; hut the mere breath of a suspicion that the mutinous spirit had extended rather confirmed by the faint official denials immediately stimulated the worst apprehen sions, and induced speculative and bonii•fide sales of stock, thus reviving the pressure for money and main taining the terms required for it. Not much business has therefore been done, particularly since Wednesday, under the Bank minimum. The market, however, is yet under the influence of large supplies, and in this respect it looks satisfactory ; but on the other hand it is sensitive to and excited by anticipations of the next Indian news now hourly expected. In fact, it is in a state of transition ; whether for better or worse depends upon this intelli gence more, for a time at least, than upon the simple relations of supply and demand, or any conditions con nected with the trade or politics of Europe. The specie imports of the week have amounted to about 300,0001.; the exports to quite a 3 much, as an active demand has sprung up for silver for shipment to India and China by the next packet. which, it is said, will take out fully 1,000 0001. Silver has advanced to ss. lid. per ounce, and is firm. Owing to this export very little gold has been taken to the Bank this week—under 20,0001. But yesterday advices were received of the arrival of the Simla, from Australia, at Suez, and she brings intelligence of the sailing of a number of vessels with gold on board to the value of more than 1,100,00 W., a great portion of which may be expected in a fortnight or three weeks. From the United States the supplies are likely to fall off in the present state of the exchanges. The Continental Exchanges are upon the whole rather flatter, though in some places, such as Antwerp, they are a shade higher. The Bank of France has reduced the rate of interest from six to five and a half per cent. Consols, which closed this day week at 911 to / for the account on the 6th August, left off last night at the same, being just a shade better than they had been in the course of the day. On Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday they stood at 921 and 92, but on Wednesday the speculative sales alluded to above were made, and a decline to 911 was the immediate consequence. They have been dull ever since. To-day they closed dull at 911 buyers. The Foreign Market has been dull. Turkish Six per Cents. have fluctuated in consequence of a variety of reports respecting the projected loan for the Sultan, and they are fully three quarters per cent. lower than this day week. In other stocks no material alteration has occurred, but the business of the week has been very quiet. Railway Shares, after having recovered from half to one per cent. upon the lowest prices of last week, lost the im provement through the same influences which depressed Consols; and yesterday they closed from three•eighths to five•eighths lower than this day week. Business has been confined to the dealers, the public having held aloof from investing as much as possible, preferring to wait the course of events in India. French Shares were in demand in the early part of the week, and some descriptions obtained a considerable advance; but it has since been partially, if not wholly, lost. All the other markets have been very quiet. Exchequer Bills have declined to I.M. dis. The Commercial Bank have declared a dividend of four per cent., making, with the previous payment, a total dividend of seven and a half per cent. for the year, free of income tax. It was stated that as much as thirty-six per cent. of the assets are retained in cash to meet liabilities in lieu of twenty-five per cent., the ordinary proportion ; and that no large sums are sunk in building or inconverti ble securities. The halfyearly dividends of the leading joint-stock banks in the country, so fur as they have yet been held, are quite as satisfactory as those earned by the metropolitan establishments. The Carlisle Cit.) and Dis count Bank have declared a dividend of five per cent., and a bonus of five per cent, fur the half-year ; the Perth Banking Company a dividend of 201. per share over and above a previous bonus ; and the Clydesdale Banking Company seven per cent., being 10,0001. to be added to the reserve. The Directors of the Crystal Palace Company have issued a circular to the shareholders recommending the creation of a debenture stock of 210,0001., carrying a per petual preference interest of six per cent. The object is to remove the financial uncertainties consequent upon the present form of the company's floating debt. The charges to be so paid off amount to 347,7801. _