The Press. — London, England, 1855-11-17 00:00:00

NOVEMBER 17,1855. ate grama. OLYMPIC THEATRE. No novelty has yet followed the singularly bad farce —it scarcely deserves even that humiliated name—in which Mr. Robson sings the song that draws as sin gnlarly good half-prices. New pieces are, however, pron , , ised in the bill, and we regret to have reason to believe the very serious illness of Mrs. Wigan has delayed thOir production. The School for Scandal — the Saturday night performance—has lost none of its attraction. Mr. Wigan's Joseph is the only one which can be acceptable to an audience for whom stage traditions have no value in comparison with natural and rational acting. The old playgoers, the Peninsular veterans of the theatre, do not see its ea. traordinary merit, but modern audiences recognise and applaud a bold and intellectual innovation upon a hacked conception. ADELPHI. LorinoN managers occasionally fallour a London public with their presence in the metropolis, and we acne happy to record that Madame Celeste's " starring" 'engagements in the provinces have again permitted this popular favorite to appear at the theatre under her direction. The lady reintroduced herself on Monday night as Marie Ducange, in Mr. Bayle Bernard's drams of that name. She was enthusias tically received, and performed with all her accus tomed energy and finish a character which few ar tists but herself could render acceptable. Miss Kelly, who la one of the reinforcements here (engagtd consequences of the secession of Miss Woolgar, now Mrs. Alfred Mellon), p r oved herself what, in .conventional phrase, is termed an acquisition to the ,company, but did so by acting a small part most un conventionally and effectively. A Mr. Shore, a pro 'vincial substitute for Mr. Leigh Murray, did not efface the unfavorable impression made by his opening performance in the Hundred Pound Note. Mr. Rogers—an actor who, if he attain self-command, and abstain from extravagance, has a capital position within his reach, and who might, we should imagine, have been turned to better account by his managers —was exceedingly amusing as the " Master of the C e remonies." The houses have been exceedingly g ood during the week, but a theatre like the Adelphi should have at least one novelty in its affiche. An .ola melodrama, an old burlesque, and an old farce, .scarcely compose the sort of bi ll which a spirited unanager should set before the public. DUR TRADE WITH RUSSIA, taking tallow and giving gold, was proved as a tact in evidence at the South wark Police Court on Wednesday. A man was charged with stealing Russian tallow, and Mr. Combe the magistrate inquired, with a natural curiosity, how it was that " Russian tallow " could be now found in the London wharfs. "Easy enough, sir," replied the a►harfinger. "We have large dealings with Russia, altongh we are at war, and our money is extensively received in return. Nearly all our tallow comes from Russia. It comes through Prussia. The tallow in .question came from Memel. It is there sold by the merchants on English account to the care of a Prussian trill, who convey it through Russia and Prussia to Memel where it is publicly shipped to 'England:" What a comment on our " strict block ade and destruction of Russian commerce! Tim DEATH OF DR. FRA•NCK AND HIS SON has exacted a great deal of discussion. On Tuesday Dr. Forbes Winslow addressed a letter to the Times, and :after reviewing the various causes which might beve .led to the mysterious death of the boy, Dr. Winslow 'declared as his opinion that the boy had died a na tural death, and that the father in a fit of frenzy lad destroyed himself. A letter from Dr. Arnold Ruge on Wednesday confirms this view in some measure, by stating that the boy had been examined in his coffin, and none of the usual symptoms of violent death were visible. There is not the least doubt that in the case of the son a post-mortem ex amination should have taken place before a verdict that the hoy " had been strangled in his bed" was returned. The evidence given before the coroner and jury afforded no proof either for or against such an assumption, and the whole management of the in quest is only another proof of the ignorant assump tions and hasty conclusions of coroners and juries. THE OPERATIVES AT MANCHESTER seem determined - to persist in their intention to effect a general "turn out," owing to the reduction of wages. Large meet ings have been held this week, and addresses to employers prepared, couched in the most respectful terms, protesting against the proposed reduction, and appealing to their masters not to carry out their intended reduction of wages; and proposing in lien that a reduction in the working hours should be first effected, in order to diminish the production of yarn, 'which, it affirmed, with the present insufficient sup ply of cotton, to be the primary cause of the present unprofitable state of affairs. THE PRESS. AN AMERICAN "NON SEQUITUR." Tin New York Times publishes an article demon strating very satisfactorily the immense progress made by the Canadas during the last twenty-five years. That progress has been mainly owing to the introduction of British capital for the extension of water communication. The canal enterprises are paying commercially, but it would be impossible to estimate the benefits they have afforded to our North American provinces, by affording an outlet for their produce. Tried by every test, the New York journal finds that the growth of the Canadas in " material progress and well-being almost rival any " thing in that line that democratic America can ex " hibit." The advance made by West, or British, Canada has been most marked. The population of this province in 1829 was only 196,000, in 1854 it had risen to 1,327,000. The increased value of property was proportionably greater. The total assessable value of all property in the province was in 1829 only 2,500,0001.; in 1854 it amounted to 50,000,0001. The export of wheat from West Canada in 1838 amounted to 296,020 bushels; in 1852 it amounted to 5,496,718 bushels, an increase of more than eighteenfold in fourteen years. The total exports of both Canadas were in value 2,082,5671. ia 1831; and in 1853 they reached 13,945,6841. By this criterion, says the American journalist, the wealth and commerce of the Canadas must have in creased nearly sevenfold in the space of seventeen years. He continues : From all these factr it is evident that our brethren beyond the Lakes and St. Lawrence have notheen slumber. ing and idling in these latter days ; and that in population, agriculture, commerce, and opulence, the growth of Canada has been unprecedentedly rapid and vigorous for a colony and province. The admission is very satisfactory from an American journalist; and when the writer goes on to say that all Americans must "take a peculiar inte " rest in the prosperity and welfare of Canada," we infer it must be on account of the natural connection between the two countries, and from their commer cial relations, which must make one nation share in the prosperity of the other. We are even prompted to suppose that the Yankee writer may feel some pleasure in seeing that our North American provinces thrive so well under British rule and protection. But no such thing. The United States people rejoice in the prosperity of Canada only from believing, that the more rapidly Canada progresses in opulence and power the sooner will she break the bond which binds her in dependence to the mother country, and come with her wealth and her strength to seek admittance into the American Union. This is actually the conclusion of the New York journalist. How perverted must be the mental faculty which arrives at such judgment from such facts ! Because Canada has thriven unprecedentedl under British sovereignty, she must be anxious to escape from its beneficent protection. Can a more glaring " non sequitur" be imagined? glaratt au Otitg FRIDAY EVENING. THE English Funds have suffered some depression this week, and Consols are nearly one per cent. lower than when we last wrote. The decline is to be attributed to the greater demand for money which has prevailed, to the near approach of the day for the payment of the 10 per cent. instalment on the English Loan and the 15 per cent. instalment on the Turkish Loan, and to the anticipation that a new loan to a considerable amount will be thrown on the market immediately on the meeting of Parliament. The new channels thus open for the employment of capital has the effect of rendering money tighter for commercial purposes ; and as there seems no present probability of the existing rate of discount being lowered, capitalists speculate that, unless some de cided change in the political situation should occur, money securities must fall to a lower figure than that at which they stand at present. Consols for money which opened on Monday at R/ria f dropped to 88i fat the close. On Tuesday they slightly drooped, and on Wednesday declined a, low as 87i ; but as the Governor and Deputy- Governor of the Bank of England had an interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Tuesday, with the view, as supposed, of obtaining an extension of the bank note circulation, and it was stated on Wednesday afternoon that the Government had acceded to their request, a reaction took place, and Consols advanced to 88i 11. Consideration, however, greatly damped the sanguine anticipations at first formed, as, supposing that the extension related merely t) filling up a portion of that void caused in our bank-note circulation by the decline in the issue of the country banks, it would merely add half a million to the fourteen millions which the Bank of 1103 England is already authorised to issue without any basis of bullion. The effect would be scarcely appreciable even in the first instance, and would very shortly be entirely unfelt. On Thursday morning, accordingly, the advance after business hours on Wednesday was not main tained. Consols for money sank to 1471, and re. mewed dull at that quotation to the close. Today the news of Omer Pashas success in Georgia— though extremely satisfactory, as showing that Tur key may be made a firm defence against Russian aggression—failed to animate the market ; and, after some trifling fluctuations, Consols sank to the figure of the preceding day---88i for money, and 881 for the 11th December account. Exchequer Bills, not withstanding the recent advance in the rate of interest, are heavy, and were done to-day at 10s. to 7s. discount. Turkish Stock continues in a lifeless condition, the last quotations for the Six per Celts. being 804, and for the Four per Cent. Scrip 31 discount. The last quotation of the French Rentes indicated heaviness, the Three per Cents. being 641. 38c. Foreign Funds have been exceedingly dull, and we have to note a general decline in nearly all descriptions of Shares. Great Western were to-day sold at 484, and London and North-Western at 93. The Bank return in last night's Gszette shows a small decline in the stock of bullion, the total amount being 11,234,438!., as compared with 11,299,034/. of the week previous. The loss is only noticeable as showing that, notwithstanding gold arrivals, the Bank is barely enabled to maintain its stock of bullion. The item " Other Securities" shows a considerable decrease, the amount in the last return being 17,879,5041., as compared with 18,355,5481. This would seem to show that there has been less pressure on the Bank for accommoda tion, but we believe, as has been stated in a morning journal, that the Direction has been scrupulous in its discount of Mincing-lane paper. We drew attention several weeks back to the speculation veinal pre vailed in Colonial produce, and particularly in sugar. Prices have since then considerably advanced, but with only the effect of still further stimulating speculative dealings. Whether the parties who have been active in these operations will clear themselves through the excessive rates now prevailing, or will tempt fortune too far, yet remains to be proved. The excitement in the Sugar Market during last week communicated itself to the Tea Market at the beginning of the week, large purchases having been entered into at a great advance. Common congou was quoted 94d. to 10.1. Coffee also advanced, the native Ceylon kinds having realised 565. per cwt. Rice was dearer on account of the upward move ment in corn, which on Monday advanced from 2s. to 3s. per quarter. The strike at Manchester is a most unfortunate occurrence at the present time. That the masters should have been driven to the necessity of reducing the wages of their hands at the approach of winter, and in f on° of the dearest seasons, all things considered, which has been known for many years, is an unfavor able indication of the state of trade in the great cotton manufacture. The high rate of interest which pre vails has probably an adverse influence on this par ticular branch of trade. The commercial advices from New York are un favorable as regards the Stock Market, an average decline of four or five per cent. having occurred in the principal railway and other securities. This was mainly attributable to the accounts received of the further advance in the rate of discount at London and Paris. In the Money Market a considerable pressure was observable, arising rather from dis trust than any other cause, the commercial demand not being excessive. For short first-rate paper eight per cent. was readily paid, while the general range was from nine to twelve per cent. The following paragraph from the Times gives, we apprehend, ajust view of the communications between the Bank Direction and the Chancellor of the Exche quer : While it is quite probable that the Government propose giving effect to the provisions of the Bank Charter Act foe enlarging the bank issues on securities to the extent of two-thirds of the lapsed country notes, it is certain that most exaggerated and erroneous opinions are promulgated of the effects of the measure, which is simple in charactes and limited in scope. The authorised issue of the Bank of England on securities was fixed by the act of 1514 at 14,000,0001., and that of the country backs at 14,048,0001 Of this amount of country issues, portions, making an aggro gate of 700,0001., have been gradually dropped, owing is the extinction of some banks and the adoption by others of the issues of the Bank of England; and although the many modifying circumstances which arise forbid the expectation of precise correspondence in the results, it( is the case that the average internal ci rculation of the notes of the Bank of En g land, which was in 11143-4 20,000,0001., amounted in P 444 to 20,700,0001., while that of the country banks had decreased in a more than cor responding ratio. It is obvious that if the groundwork on which Sir Robert Peel filed the credit paper of the Bank of England at 14,000,0; 01., and that of the country banks at 5,048,000/., was sound, the resuscitation of the portion which has lapsed is not only safe, but is necessary to the full operation of the bill. It will, therefore, create no