The Sun. — London, England, 1860-01-11 00:00:00

BENSON'S WATCHES. " Perfection of mechanism."•—Morning Post. Gold Watches 4 to 100 guineas. Silver Watches 33 nd 3t , Ludgate-hill, London, E.C. Send 2 stamps for Benson's Illustrated Pamphlet on Watches HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. THIS DA.T.—Morning, 3h. 40m.—Afternoon, 4h. 2m To-mounow.-Mornhig, 4h. 24m.—Afternoon, 4h. 48m. R 0 Y . A I, ENGLISH OPERA, COVENT-GA RDEN. Under the management of Miss L. Pyne and Mr.W. Harrison. THIS EVENING, VICTORINE. Messrs. Santley, H. Haigh, H. Ccrri, G. Honey, Bartleman, &c. Misses Parepa, Thirlwall, - • Conductor, Alfred Mellon. To conclude with the new grand pautomime, called PUSS IN BOOTS ; or, Harlequin and the Fairy of the Golden Palms. Doors open at half-past 6—Commence at 7 o'clock. THEATRE -ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Les t ee, Mr. J. B. 'Blackstone. . . There will be NO PERFORMANCE this Evening, in con sequence of the Company being required at Windsor Castle, by command of her Majesty. TO-MORROW, the comedy of THE EVIL GENIUS Miss Reynolds. After which, the new Haymarket Comic Christmas Panto mime, VALENTINE'S DAY; or, Harlequin and the Fairy of the True Lovers' Knot. The pantomimists the unrivalled Leclercqs. THEATRE -ROYAL LYCEUM.- Sole Lessee and Directress, Madame Celeste. Re-engagement of the Spanish Dancers. THIS EVENING, the popular Drama of ST. MA RY'S EVE. Madeline (her original character) Madame Celeste. After which, will be produced a new Grand Christmas Ex travaganza and Pantomime, KING THRUSHBEARD, the LITTLE PET and the GREAT PASSION. Clown, Mr. H. Marshall—Columbine, Miss Eosin°. Commence at T. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE Lessee, Mr. A. Harris. Re-engagement of the Wonderful Dancer, Mons. Espinosa. First appearance of Mdlle. Marietta Rosetta, Principal Dan sense of La Scala, Milan ; and first time of the Delapierre Family. These highly-talented Children will appear every night. The Royal Princess's Rifles on parade every evening. THIS EVENING, THE CRICKET ON THE HEARTH. After which, a new Christmas burlesque pantomime, by 11. J. Byron, called JACK THE GIANT KILLER ; or, Harle quin King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Jack, Miss Louise Keeley—Harlequin, Mr. Cormack Panta loon, Mr. Paulo—Columbine, Miss Caroline Adams—Clown, Mr. A. F. Forrest. W THEATRE - ROYAL, ADELPIII. NEW Proprietor and Manager, Mr. ilenj. Webster. Holiday Attractions.— The Christmas Carol and the New Spectacular Extravaganza, by H. J. Byron, Esq„ the Nymph of the Lurlyberg ; or the Knight and the Naiades. THIS EVENING, THE CHRISTMAS CAROL. Messrs J. L. Toole, C. Selby, Paul Bedford, Stuart, Billington, C. J. Smith. Romer; Miss Woolgar, Mrs. Billing - ton, Mrs. Chatte rley, Miss Laidlaw. After which THE NYMPHS OF THE LURLEYBERG ; or, The Knight and the Naiades. Messrs. Toole, Bedford, Eburne, Smith, Powell, Romer, Miss Woolgar, C. Webb, K. Kelly, Laidlaw. Doors open at half-past six—Commence at seven. Box- Office open from 10 to 5. No charge for securing seats, nor fer bills of performance. All fees to servants of this establishment arc strictly prohibited. Acting Manager—Mr. Wm. Smith. On Wednnesday, Jan. 18, the Theatre will be Closed, in consequence of the Company performing at the Royal Thea tricals, Windsor Castle. R OYAL ST. JAMES'S THEATRE King-street, St. James's. Lessee, Mr. T. B. Chatter ton. The nearest Theatre to Chelsea, Pimlico, and West minster, the Park being open to carriages and foot passen gers all hours of the night. THIS EVENING, THEY'RE BOTH TO BLAME.' Followed by a new sketch, A HOUSEHOLD FAIRY. Bliss Wyndham and Mr. 11. T. Craven. To conclude with the new pantomime of PUNCH AND JUDY. Introducing Miss Lydia Thompson and the Corps de Ballet. Clown, Harlequin, Columbine, and Pantaloon, and the wonderful Performing Dogs. Reduced Prices—Gallery, ed ; Pit, Is. The Box-office ova from 11 to 5 daily. Doors open at half-past six; perform ance commences at 7. ASTLEY'S ROYAL AM PITITHEATR E Westminster-road. Sole Lessee—Mr. William Cooke, his Farewell Season. The Great Christmas Novelty, "Harlequin Tom Moody,' triumphant. THIS EVENING, the entertainments will comthence at o'clock with the droll drama of DOMINIQUE THE DE SERTER. Dominique, Mr. G. Belmore. After which, fine and exquisite Riding Evolutions by floe Star Artistes, Miss Emily Cooke, Mr. John Henry Cooke, and other first-rate professors. Concluding with the really successful Holiday piece and Sporting Pantomime, entitled HARLEQUIN TOM MOODY; or, Old Towler the Hnntsman and the Goddess Diana, introducing, among numerous new and splendid effects, the Derby Day of 1860, by the Astlean Racing Stud and clever jockeys ; also the wonde ful Salamander Horse, enveloped in a body of real fire. A Grand Day performance of the New Comic Pantomime, and very superior novelties in the ring, every Saturday, at Two o'clock, during the Holidays. Stage Manager, Mr. R. Phillips CANTERBURY HALL CONCERTS.- EVERY EVENING. Sterndals Bennett's MAY QUEEN. _ _ And a Grand Selection from Aleyerbeer's new opera of DINORAH. Comic Vocalists -Messrs. George Ito'ort (the Irish Come. lien and Mimic), W. T. Critchfield, and E. W. Jackney. Several interesting Pictures are added to the Fine Arts Gallery. The suite of Halls have been re-decorated and beautified, and constitute one of the most unique and brilliant slights of the metropolis. ROSA BON lIEUR'S celebrated PICTURE of the HORSE FAIR is now added to the already magnificent Collection of Paintings In the Canterbury Hall Fine Arts Gallery. The gallery is open from 5 till 11 on Sunday Evening. THE WEATHER.—SUN OFFICE, JAN. 11, 1860. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE, 43—highest since noon yesterday. 40—lowest this morning and during tho night. 43—this day at noon. BAROMETER-30.15. WIND, Easterly ; light, with fine weather. , 4 -, , ,,„,- ; ri:.,• MA z. 4 ‘ , • ,t ,t -45,*, -- -V ~,..,,•1..- :—. 4,,,, ii. ,11.. nit, ? 4 " - . tikir , ..„ * 47 ' ~ .t. N_.„ 0 • -i* .4 THE SUN. LONDON, WEDNESDAY, JAN. 11, 1860. Scarcely anything could exceed the consummate effrontery with which The San Juan Difficulty has been referred to in his recent Message by President BUCHANAN. The coolness with which the terms of the agreement entered into in 1855 between England and the United States with a view to the mainten ance of a spirit of mutual forbearance until the settlement definitively of the rival claims to the to the sovereignty of those islands—the coolness, we say, with which these sufficiently explicit terms ar© recounted as a preliminary to the narrative of General HARNEY'S proceedings last summer, certainly presents a spectable of matchless hardir hood and moral obtuseness unwitnessed since the days of ROBERT MACAIRE and JEREMY DIDDLER. The two pictures drawn by the goosequill of Mr. BUCHANAN are as well worth contrasting in their way as the portraits of HAMLET and CLAUDIUS, or as any of the classic heroes whose exploits have been recounted, and whose merits have been after wards equally balanced upon that little beam of perfect equipoise, the iron stylus of the historian PLUTARCH. • "Look," we may say (with as apt and nnhackneyed a Shaksperian quotation as any indulged in among her friends by the vulgar wife of that swindling nonentity in Mr. SHIRLEY BROOKS' admirable novel of The Gordian Knot), " Look upon this Picture"—culled from President BUCHANAN'S last Gallery of Political Sketches : " Whilst indulging the hope that no other subject ereen mained which cou ld di s t ur b the good understanding the two countries, the question arising out of the adverse claims of the parties to the island of San Juan,. under the Oregon treaty of the 15th June, 1846, suddenly assumed a threatening prominence. In order to prevent unfortunate collisions on that remote frontier, the late Secretary of State, on the 17th of July, 1855, addressd a note to Mr. Cramp ton, the British Minister at Washington, communicating to him a copy of the instructions which he (Mr. Marcy) had given on the 14th July to Governor Stevens, of Wash ington territory, having a special reference to an appre hended conflict between our citizens and the British sub jects on the island of San Juan' To prevent this, the governor was instructed that the officers of the territory should abstain from all acts on the disputed grounds which are calculated to provoke any conflicts, so far as it ' can be done without implying the concessions to the autho, cities of Great Britain of any exclusive right over the pre-' wises.' The title ought to be settled before either party "Mould attempt to exclude the other by force, or exercise eonm plete and exclusive sovereign rights within the fairly dis puted limits." The " case" is plainly put in that Picture. And Now as Mrs. ROBERT SPENCER (before alluded to) again would say--" look on this !" " Thus matters remained upon the faith of this arrange ment until the 9th of Silly last, when General Harney paid a. visit to the island. He found upon it twenty-6e Ameri can residents with , their families, and also an establishment of the Hudson's Bay Company for the purpose of raising sheep. A short-time before his arrival one of the residents had shot an animal belonging to the company, while tres passing upon his premises, for which, however, he offered to pay twice its value; but that was refused. Soon after the chief factor of the company at Victoria, Mr. Dallas, son-in law of Governor Douglas, came to the island in the British sloop of war Satellite, and threatened to take the American (Mr. Chester) by force to Victoria, to ans .v or for the tres pass he had committed. The American seized his rifle, and told Mr. Dallas if any such attempt was made he would kill him on the spot. The affair then ended.' " Did it ? Let us read on, and see : " Under these circumstances the American settlers pre sented a petition to the general, 'through the United States Inspector of Customs, Mr. Hubba, to place a force upon the island, to protect them from the Indians, as well as the op pressive interference of the authorities of the Hudson's Bay Company, at Victoria, with their rights as American citi zens.' The general immediately responded to this petition, and ordered Captain George E. Pickett, 9th Infantry, to establish his company on Bellevue, on San Juan Island, or some suitable position near the harbour, at the south eastern extremity.' This order was promptly obeyed, and a military post was established at the place designated. The force was after wards increased, so that by the last return the whole number of troops then on the island amounted, in the aggregate, to 691 men." So that the maintenance by the United States of this arrangement mutually entered into with England —was the occupation of the disputed ter ritory of General HARVEY'S troops to the number of close upon seven hundred! Upon the plea, too, that the British authorities were acting harshly, because, forsooth, they proposed to deal as justice required with some Yankee sportsman, either as felonious a shot as a poaching gipsy or as bad a shot as Mr. WINKLE—as bad, perhaps we should say, as the hero of the nursery ditty who shot at a crow and killed a pig! Remembering the shoot ing of that miserable " animal" of San Juan (Mr. BUCHANAN is ashamed to say point blank in his Message that it was " a pig")—and remembering that the immediate result was the monstrous and wholly unjustifiable seizure of the island by 691 of the American soldiers under General HARNEY, and that the proximate consequence threatened at one time to be an open rupture be tween Great Britain and the United States, one can only marvel with PoPE— " What mighty contexts rise from trivial things I" The credit of the dissipation apparently of these ominous and portentous clouds threatening war between England and America, the President coolly and complacently arrogates to the wisdom, prudence, moderation, and magnanimity of his own Government ! It is only of a piece this with the curious maintenance of the agreement by means of the abrupt descent of just upon seven hundred United States' troops upon San Juan. It caps the climax of this last edifying specimen of calm Yankee effrontery. Our remark the other day that a very little time would suffice to place us au courant with the views of all our public men in succession in reference to the rifle corps movement is being rapidly verified. Since then a large number of other notabilities have spoken out frankly, to the point, and to the purpose. Yesterday we gave a glimpse of the sentiments with which the National Arming is re• garded by one of our learned Recorders and also by one of our leading Statesmen. Both, it will doubt less have been already remarked by many of our readers, regard the progress, the advance, and the development of this grand movementwith sentiments of profound and patriotic complacency. Elsewhere in to-day's paper it will be seen that two others have spoken out quite as earnestly and explicitly— the one a gallant old tar (Admiral WALCOTT, M.P.), the other a leading statesman of the Oppo site side (the Earl of MALMESBURY), ex-Foreign Secretary. The arguments of both will be found elsewhere in this evening's impression of our jour nal, and to the consideration of these arguments we earnestly commend all who have at heart the completion, as speedily and thoroughly as possible, of the machinery of our National Defences. Already we have commented upon the justifiably exultant tone with which Mr. WARREN, as Re corder of Hull, availed himself of a not unfitting opportunity in which to refer to the wide and rapid spread of these evidences, at once of our.loyalty and of our civism. It is but right, now, we think, that we should revert for a moment, however cursorily, to the views expressed more recently at Watford, in Hertfordshire, by the Earl of CLARENDON, K.G., the views and sentiments expressed by him in re gard to the same identical movement. The superior advantages of these Rifle Corps, or, in other words, of a regularly organised National Gaard,drawn from the ranks of the people—the superior advantages of this system of defence, over that to which England has a peculiar repugnance, namely, that of a large standing army,the Earl of CLARENDON thus forcibly indicated :—" If," said he, "they were to have a large standing army there would always, be a danger to freedom and liberty, and other Powers might be justified in asking if our intentions were pacific ; but they could not ask what were the in tentions of volunteer rifle corps, the formation of which was merely a defensive measuro for the pro tection of our homes, not calculated to give um brage in the slightest degree to foreign Powers." Than which conclusion nothing surely could be more just and reasonable. The noble lord added, "The movement, although as yet only in its infancy. had produced a very salutary effect throughout Europe." Observing yet further, that "It was the most complete scheme that had been devised to secure peace, and place us beyond the recur rence of unmanly panics of which English men should be ashamed." The next words we cannot but regard as an admirable ex ample of that peculiar mode of argument known as the reductio ad absurdum: It is an argument, in fact, we take it, quite unanswerable—. as unanswerable as the position it describes (and which has often been that of England hitherto) is simply ridiculous. "To see a danger," re marks Lord CLARENDON, "to be frightened, and yet to do nothing to avert it, was worthy only of a nation of old women ; to see it and to shut their eyes to it was pusillanimous ; but to look the danger steadily in the face was the part of freemen and patriots, and worthy the people of England." Thus the matter is now viewed on all hands. Our voices upon this long -vexed question of the National Defences are, at length, thank Heaven, fast becoming accordant. The interest taken by the country at large in the regulation of Indian affairs has fortunately greatly increased of late years. Before *the mutiny which brought home the sad consequences of mis management with such startling violence to so - many English' 'hearths and hearts. people generally troubled themselves very little about the internal arrangements of the Board of Control. It was supposed to be much on the same footing as the other pUblie offices, where the disposal of the patronage would not • always bear examination, but with which it was no one's particular business to meddle. Some politicians .)bjected to the system of the double Government, hut unless the appointment of a Governor-General, or a cha nge o f M i n i stry, b rought I n di an a ff a i rs pro minently forward, th e su bj ec t was th oug ht littl e o f. Since 137, howev er , ma tt ers are very diff eren t. l'he de s t ruct i on of Assumption o f directtl p te ow o e l r d monopoly, and the by Go vernment, have b roug h t home th the esen s l e m o pe Imperial respon sibility to the English public, who are honestly anxious 'to do their best for the extensive territory `And vast population counnitted to their charge. A deep interest is, consequently, very gene rally felt in the management of this . THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING JANUARY 11, 1860 ' department. The working of the new system was narrowly watched and its tolerably successful con tinuance was the subject of general satisfaction. Rumours are now afloat, however, which we earnestly hope may be unfounded, and which tell of most unjustifiable interference with the official patronage on the part of the Secre tary of State. The appointment of Sir CHARLES WOOD was one which we censured at the time of the Ministerial changes, as we considered him unequal to the proper fulfilment of such onerous duties ; but we are quite willing to suspend any opinion in the case in question nntil the matter has been publicly discussed. It is very possible that the rumours, if they have any foun dation, have much exaggerated the facts, and sub stantial reasons may be given for any alteration on the part of the authorities. At the same time, the supervision of the public cannot be otherwise than beneficial, and if the case is, as we hope it may be, Sir CHARLES WOOD need not shrink from inquiry. It is said that the applicants at the India House for nominations have received for answer the information that there will be no distribution of military patronage this year ; and with respect to all other services, that there have been no regulations yet established, but that the whole has been assumed by the Secretary of State as attaching to his office. Supposing this to be true, plausible reasons will, doubtless, be brought forward to support the alteration, but the adoption of such a system would be entirely opposed to the wishes of the country and to the intentions of the House of Com mons. The uncontrolled disposal of the patronage should certainly not be placed in the hands of a Minister who is necessarily subject to the influences of political parties; and when we consider the vast importance of efficiently supplying our Indian vacancies we shall not be disposed to remain in doubt on the matter. The speedy meeting of Parliament will afford the necessary opportunity for an inquiry into this important question, and we hope there will be no delay in bringing it before the notice of the Legislature. 3 The following telegrams have been received at Mr. Reuter's office : PARIS, WEDNESDAY. The 3loniteur publishes the speech addressed by the Pope to General Goyon, and says : " We believe that this allocution would never have been pronounced had the Pope received the letter sent to him by the Emperor on the 31st December." The Moniteur publishes this letter, which says : " Among the great reasons which induced me to conclude peace must be reckoned the fear that the revolution would assume larger proportions. If the Pope, according to my demand, had consented to an administrative separation of the Romagna, and to the nomination of a lay governor, those provinces would have remained (rendees) under his authority. Unfortunately the Pope would not do it, and I have been powerless to arrest the establishment of the new rule. The Congress will be assembled, the Powers will not deny the incontestible rights of the Pope over the Legations; nevertheless they will probably think it better not to have recourse to violence for subduing them, because it would be necessary to again occupy the Legations by mili tary for a long time, and this occupation would keep up hatred and ill-will among the Italians, and would perpetuate irritation, uneasiness, and fear. " I believe that the solution most suited to the interest of the Holy See would be to make a sacri fice of the revolted provinces. "If the 'Pope, for the tranquillity of Europe, would renounce those provinces which, since N years, create dso much trouble to his Government, the Powers would guarantee the possession of the remainder of the States of the Church. "I do not doubt that order would be immediately re-established. The Pope would insure to grateful Italy peace during many years, and to himself the peaceful possession of the States of the Church." The Emperor then recalls his devotedness to the Catholic religion, and to the Pope, and concludes thus : " I have expressed my thoughts without reserve before the Congress is assembled, but I request your Holiness to believe that its decision will in no way alter the line of conduct I have always ob served towards your Holiness." PARIS, MONDAY JAN. 9. In the month of August last, when the Confer ence of Zurich threatened to be dissolved, the English Cabinet proposed to the French Govern ment to come to a special agreement between France and England for the settlement of the affairs of Central Italy. Count Walewski, in order to prevent the pro posal of Lord John Russell being accepted, ten dered his resignation, which was, however, with drawn on the publication of a note in the Moniteur of the 9th of September last in favour of the restoration of the Grand Duke of Tuscany. The object of Lord Cowley's journey to London is to resume the negotiations which had been inter rupted. The dismissal of Count Walewski was already decided upon when Lord Cowley left Paris after the reception on New Year's Day ; but it is prema ture to assert that his Lordship has been the bearer of certain proposals as the basis of an agreement between France and England, either in the form of a protocol or of a treaty. There is for the present no other negotiation going on than to resolve upon a basis which might become the point of departure for negotiations with the other great Powers, England having always recognised the principle that the territorial arrange ments of 1815 could only be modified with the consent of the other great Powers. MADRID, JAN. 9. The Spanish forces have moved forward, having provisions for five days. The stormy sea and the rain prevent communication . with the squadron. JAN. 9. The storm has ceased. The communication by ship between Ceuta and Algesiras has been re esta blished. There is no longer any telegraphic com munication with the army. VIENNA, SAN. 10. The Austrian Government has ordered Prince Metternich to declare to the French Cabinet that it would decline to enter into negotiations on any other basis than the agreement of Villafranca or the treaty of Zurich. BERLIN, JAN. 10. The Conference for the discussion of the question of fortifying the German coasts was opened here yesterday, under the presidency of Lieut. Moltke. To-day the Prussian project for a system of common defence was submitted to the Conference. concerted between the ec,hinets of Pro-i 9 end London, to vviiieli tho other i'om, en, ilift.resied w:11 be at liberty to give their adhesion and their-sig natures. Several other European questions, which were not less menacing to the political order of Europe, have been regulated in that manner. The independence of Greece, .the sepa ration of Belgium, and the guarantee of a new order of succession to the throne of Denmark had uo other origin. As was the case in these ques tions, a protocol concerted and proposed by certain powers would necessarily lead to conferences in which foreign diplomatists would have interest in taking part. The mission of Lord Cowley has be come the pivot of the situation. Opinions are much divided as to the precise character of that mission ; but the belief at London is that it refers to the ap proaching withdrawal of the French troops from Rome. Our London correspondent, however, makes the remark that the responsibility which may fall on England by the consequences of that withdrawal is not sufficiently taken into account in that city." PARIS BOURSE.—The market has been again heavy, and prices slightly depressed. Threes, after having been done at 68f. 40c., and 68f. 30c., are now at 68f. 45c. Mobilier varied from 745 f. to 752 f. 50e. ; Lyons, 913 f. 75e. to 917 f. 50c.; Orleans, 1,380 f. to 1,382 f. 50c. ; Lombard, 562 f. 50c. to 565 f.; and Austrian, 532 f. 50c. to 535 f. The following were the last quotations :- 41 per Cents. .... 97 Credit Foncier 717 50 Do. end month .. Belgian 4f — 3 per Cents 6B 55 Piedmontese (5) .. 84 50 Do. end month 6B 45 Roman B2. Bank Shares Credit Mobilier .. 753 75 Spanish Threes Do. Account ..... 752 50 Home Debt 42a FRANCE. PARIS, TUESDAY. By an Imperial decree, Vice-Admiral Regault de Genouilly has been appointed Member of the Coun cil of the Admiralty in the room of hear-Admiral Aubrey-Bailleul, admitted to the Section of Reserve of the General Staff of the Navy. By another, Captain Protet has been promoted to the rank of Rear• Admiral. The Jurisconsults who have as yet signified their adhesion to the opinion of MM. Ploque, Berryer, Dufaure, Marie, Lionville, &c., on the questions proposed by M. de Haussonville, are—MM. Des marese, Huron, Rivolet, Allon, Du Leil, and Huchard, Members of the Council of the Order of Advocates ; M. la Boulaye, Professor at the College de France ; MM. Vatismenil, Henri Didier, De Seze, De la Boulie, Freslon, Victor Lefranc, Emile Heroun, Senard, former Representatives of the people in the National Assembly ; MM. Jules Favre, and Ernest Picard, members of the Legisla tive Corps. MM. Hebert and Odilon Barrot in tend giving additional reasons for their opinion. It appears, then, that some of the most able members of the Paris bar take the same view of the case as the batonniers of the Order of Advocates. Among the names just given are found persons who have been Ministers of State, representatives under the late Republic, or deputies under the pre sent Empire. It is not too much to presume that the stand made by. M. de Haussonville on the ques tion of the press is perfectly legal, and we see that it is favourably received by all the fractions of the Liberal party. In the proceedings taken by M. de Haussonville against M. Dubuisson, his printer, to oblige him to print, in the form of a pamphlet, his letter to the balonniers as inserted in the Courrier du Dimanche, M. de Haussonville has so elearly the law on his side that we can hardly doubt of his gaining his cause before the Tribunal du Commerce. The following calculation has been made of the cost of new-year's presents in Paris :—Sweetmeats and confectionery, 1,500,000 E; toys, 2,000,000 f. ; jewellery, 4,000,000 f. ; china and glass, 2,000,000 f. ; articles of curiosity and bronzes, 1 ,000,000 f.; toys of superior quality, 4,000,000 f. ; flowers, portraits, and photographs, 1,000,000 f. The house-porters receive in money 3,000,000 f. ; the house servants, estimated at 110,000 in number, 2 ,200,000 f.; post men, messengers, &e., 500,000 f.; finally, waiters in hotels, cafes, wine shops, &c., 1,000,000 f. The Nord contains the following :—" It is stated to be likely that an attempt may be made to regu late the Italian question by means of a protocol RAILWAYS. Cash. Account. Orleans' 1377 50 .. 1380 Northern . 920 .. 920 New ditto 835 .. 840 Lyons and Mediterranean 917 50 .. 918 75 Geneva 520 .. 520 Southern Western 570 .. 570 Eastern Sardiniaß Austrian Lombard .. .. Exchange on London, at sight, paper, 25f. 10c. ; money, 25f. 90.; three months, paper, 24f. 95c.; money, 24f. 931 e. PRUSSIA. The .Prussian Weekly Gazette, which represents the Ministerial party, considers the restoration of the dethroned Italian Princes as the best possible solution, but frankly admits its impossibility, and declares in favour of annexation to Sardinia, a measure which would not in any way be dangerous either to France or Austria. The Gazette, however, fears that annexation would fail before the ideas, already decided on, of certain Cabinets in favour of a new Kingdom of Etruria, a solution which that journal declares to be the worst of all, because the new kingdom would be necessarily dependent on France. THE PRINCIPALITIES. The following is the reply returned by Prince Couza to the message of the Central Commission relative to the projected new Constitution for Moldo-Wallachia " I have received the document which you ad dressed to me on the 12th November under the title of Draft of a Constitution.' I applaud with all my heart the national sentiment which actuated you in drawing up that document and which has caused you to give a new form to the wish for union which is always present in your minds as it is in mine. But however strong may be our desire to see the political aspirations of our country realised, we must above all things take care to abstain from compromising its present in terests by hazardous measures. The nation feels a profound need of political repose, and demands that, for the future, we shall in con formity with the convention of 1858, occupy ourselves with the practical ameliorations for which it has too long waited. I feel convinced therefore, that I shall act in accordance with its interests by postponing to a more favourable epoch, which I reserve to myself to designate the considera tion of your pocket, in which, however, my Go vernment will be able to obtain valuable indications ' for the preparation of laws. What Roumania needs at the present moment is the revision of codes, the organisation of finances, of justice, and of all the other branches of the adminstration, so that they be put in harmony with the constitu tive act, which has been placed under your protec tion in order that it may be scrupulously complied with. I hope, then, that all the great powers of the State will resolutely enter into this path of practical utility ; and my Government is ready to exercise the initiative which belongs to it to second the Central Commission in the accomplishment of the task which the convention has specially reserved to it, in the general plan of our re-organisation." The Carlsruhe journals state that great dis content prevails in the town of Fribourg on account of the Concordat ; and that the belief was entertained that the existence of the uni versity of that place was menaced. " Every body," adds one of the journals, "considers that the Archbiship of Friburg, who yields in every, thing to the people about him, is going too far, and the same opinion is entertained in all the towns of the Grand Duchy." WEST COAST OF AFRICA. The African Company's Royal Mail steamship Athenian arrived in the Mersey yesterday after noon, with the mails from the West Coast of Africa, and 4,053 ounces of gold dust, together with a large miscellaneous cargo and full complement of passen gers. Her dates are—Benin, Nov. 24 ; Fernando Po, Dee. 21 ; Cameroons, Dec. 2 ; Old Calabar, Dec. 4 ; Brass, Dec. 5 ; Bonny, Dec. 7 ; Sierra Leoue, Dec. 21; Bathurst, Dec. 25 ; Teneriffe, Dec. 31; Madeira,,Jan. 2 ; Lagos, Dec. 10 ; Accra, Dec. 12. Our Liverpool correspondents are indebted to the courtesy of Mr. Curry, purser of the Athenian, for the following summary of news by that vessel. At Benin the health of the residents was good and trade brisk. The steamers Fidelita, Sea Flower and Benin loading. Fernando Po was healthy, and the new Spanish governor was doing much in the way of improving the island. Ships at Clarence Cove—United States gunboats Sumpter and Mystic ; British schooner Eliza, of Bristol; and Hamburg barque William Oswall. The Cameroons were healthy, but trade rather dull. The natives were quiet, and the recent dis turbances had been amicably settled. The dry sea son continued very long this year, but rain had fallen previous to the Athenian's departure. The Montezuma and the Eli za b e th E m ily were in the river. Brass river was unhealthy, and trade was stag. nant. The Empress, Arabian, Florence Nightingale, Orient, and Bell were in the river. At Bonny trade was rather dull, but the health of the place was good. The . Grand Bonny arrived in the river on the '3(l. Dec., and the Valleyfield sailed for Liverpool on the same day, full of oil. The ships Mississippi, Empress, Adventure, Mary Black, Mary, Fanny, and Pomona were loading. LAGOS, Dec. 10.—Healthy. Trade brisk ; re ceived 240 casks of oil. Outside the bar her Ma jes,ty's ship Medusa, United States gunboat Sumpter, ships Prussian Eagle, Palma, Galatea, and screw steamer Fidelita. The new British con sul, Mr. Brand, was pleased with the place and in health. ACCRA, Dec. 12.—N0 news. Health and trade pretty good. CAPE COAST CASTLE, Dec. 14.—Healthy. Trade brisk. A serious riot took place on November 24 between the people of the Intin and Bentil quarters or companies into which Cape Coast Castle is di vided. In consequence of some misunderstanding their old feelings of jealousy and mutual hatred broke out, and they went out to a plain about two miles from Cape Coast to .fight: The authorities of Cape Coast, when they beard of these proceed ings, lost no time in marching to the spot, with as large a force of regulars and municipal volun teers as could be raised. Lieutenant Williams marched boldly between the two rival parties, and the chief justice went about amongst them endeavouring to persuade them to retire, He 41.1r1'71 rfrf. With the excepiiuo, however, of a few shots, actual fighting took place, and the troops retired for the night. Next day the [battle began in earnest, the Intins numbering 3,500, and the Ben tils not more than 700. The latter, notwithstand ing their inferior numbers, fought with great courage. The arrival of Lieutenant Williams and his force about 9 a.m. put an end to the combat, but not before 15 men had been killed and 40 wounded. SIERRA LE ONE, Dec. 21.—H.M.S. Sharpshooter arrived on the 20th, and sailed southward on the 21st. H.M.S. Surprise is undergoing repairs. Garland. of Plymouth, Phoenix and African Royal Mail steam-ship Cleopatra sailed December 17. BATHURST, Dec. 25.—Healthy, inhabitants keep ing up Christmas in true English style. TENERIFE; Dec. 31.---Ship James Shepherd. No news. MADEIRA, Jan. 2.--Placed in quarantine A.R.M. ss. Armenian. LIST OF PASSENGERS.—From Brass : Mr. Mit chell. From Bonny : Lieutenant Glover, RN., and servant; Mr. Walker, Mr. Taylor, Mr. Watts, four seamen. From Accra : Mr. Moffatt. From Cape Coast Castle; Mr. Small, Sergeant-Major Broadhurst. From Sierra Leone ; Mr. S. M. Carter, Mr. John Levi, J. Cuddy (distressed sea man). From Bathurst : Captain: Brown, late Ist West India Regiment, C. A. Morphem, ditto. From Madeira ; seven distressed seamen from the Madras, and four from the Flying Foam. There were also three Portuguese, whom, the Athenian being placed in quarantine, the authorities would not allow to land, but requested Captain Lowry to take them on to Liverpool, and hand them over to the Portuguese consul there. .2118. ALBERT SMITH. Mr. Albert Smith's rapid and complete recovery from the very severe illness with which ho was recently attacked is an event which can scarcely be more gratifying to the numerous private friends of that accomplished gentleman than to the public at large, to whose amusement he has ad ministered with such signal success for so many years that Londoners have long regarded his charming enter tainment as one of the pleasantest social "institutions" of their mighty city. Yesterday evening he made his ap pearance at the Egyptian Hall, for the first time since his serious indisposition, and we observed with much satisfaction that the interest of the occasion attracted a brilliant and crowded audience, by whom he was received with unbounded enthusiasm. When the peals of applause and shouts of welcome with which he was greeted had subsided, Mr. Albert Smith thanked his patrons in impres sive terms for the fervour of his reception, and then made a brief and touching allusion to his recent Maas, observ ing that during the gloom and suffering through which he had now happily passed, he had been solaced and comforted beyond expression by the sympathy evinced by crowds of un known friend s, whose kind and anxious inquiries led him to be lieve he had been so fortunate as to create in the public mind a feeling of esteem warmer and more profound than any that could have been awakened by the mere exercise of his pro fessional talent. The cordial concurrence of the audience in this sentiment was proved by the heartiness of their cheers. Mr. Albert Smith looked quite well last night, and went through his entertainment with a freshness and vigour of spirit which appeared to indicate a perfect restoration to health. " Those who live to please must please to live," and in the interest of the public, not less than in his own, we wish him a long life, which we doubt not that Lis genial temper and abundant wit will also make a merry one. A Cabinet Council was held yesterday afternoon, at the official residence of the First Lord of the Treasury in Downing-street. It was attended by Viscount Palmer ston, the Lord Chancellor, Earl Granville, the Duke of Argyll, Sir G. Cornewall Lewis, Lord John Russell, the Duke of Newcastle, the Right Hon. Sidney Herbert, Sir Charles Wood, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Duke of Somerset, the Right Hon. T. Milner Gibson, the Earl of Elgin, the Right Hon. C. P. Villiers, and the Right Hon. Edward Cardwell., The Duke of Newcastle arrived in town yester day morning from his seat, Cluruber-park, Notts. Maria Marchioness of Ailesbury, accompanied by the lion. Colonel and Mrs. Macdonald, have left Badmin ton, the seat of the Duke and Duchess of Beaufort, for Strathfieldsaye, Hants. The Marquis of Abercorn, who has been paying a brief visit to his estates in Ireland, will return to Brocket llall in a few days. The Earl and Countess of Lichfield have returned to their residence in Bruton-street, from visiting the Mar chioness of Abercorn at Brocket Hall. Viscount Palmerston arrived at Cambridge House yesterday morning from Broadlands. The noble viscount left town in the afternoon on a visit to her Majesty, at Windsor Castle. Her ladyship remains at Broadlands. Viscount and ViscoustessValletort arrived in town yesterday from visiting the Marquis and Marchioness of Abercorn, at Brocket Hall. The noble viscount and vis countess will leave town to• day for Mount Edgcumbe, De- vonshire GOVERNMENT PRESENT.--A very beautiful pre sent is about to be made by tho Government to M. Tchokar, a gentleman of Bucharest, as an acknowledgment of the hospitality and courtesy exhibited by him towards Sir Henry Bulwer, in the year 1857. M. Tchokar placed his house at the disposal of the English representative, and as he refused to accept of any recompense when Sir Henry left, it hasbeen thought right to make an acknowledgment. The present consists of a magnificent and valuable inkstand. The centre is composed of a finely modelled representation of a Wallachia' gentleman and his horse, the latter stand ing underneath a palm tree, the emblem of peace. A more perfect piece of workmanship has never been executed even by Mr. C. P. Hancock, of Bruton-street, to whom the task was intrusted. It is worth while to pay a visit to Mr. llancock's establishment, if only to inspect such a tasteful and beautiful specimen of art manufacture. THE LONDON ORCHESTRAL ASSOCIATION.— The first meeting of this society took place on Saturday evening at St. James's Hall, when upwards of 60 amateur instrumentalists were present, and very creditably per • formed several overtures and symphonies, under the able direction of Dr. James Pech. The next meetings are an nounced to take place every Saturday evening, terminating in June. GOVERNMENT EMIGRATION.--The Government emigrant vessel West Australian, 599 tons, Captai n J ames Downie, belonging to Messrs. Park, Brothers, of London, which sailed from Plymouth on the 12th of July, arrived at Perth, Western Australia, on the 24th of October, with 20 married couples, two single men, 99 single women, four boys between the ages o f one an d 12 , f our male infants' and seven female, making a total of 156 souls, equal to 1431 statute adults, under charge of Surgeon- Superintendent George Mottley. Two births and one death (an infant) occurred daring the voyage. 3 ~ Ise .Nord mentions a rumour, to which, however, it does not give credence, that Marshal Canrobert is going to Rome on a.special mission, to take the command of the corps of occupation, and to direct the evacuation which, on that supposition, would be determined on, and near at hand. Mr. Cobden attended the monthly dinner of the Society of Political Economists in Paris on Thursday. The conversation turned chiefly on the Isthmus of Suez scheme. Mr. Cobden observed that the opposition in Parliament was owing in some measure to the manner in which.tlie question was introduced, the House of Commons almost fancying that it was expected to take shares in the enterprise. The principal opposition was found among diplomatists, who seemed to think that the concession of lands and the cone struction of forts might at some period be turned to the injury of English interests ; but that there was no opposi tion on the ground that any country on the Mediterranean could deprive England by means of that canal of a conside rable portion of her trade with the East. The natural ad • vantages of England and her geographical situation ren dered any such apprehensions futile. Moreover, the oppo sition to the scheme had much diminished in England. DEMOCRACY IN VICTORIA.—As a result of the General Election conducted upon the basis of the ballot and "Manhood suffrage," half-a-dozen working men, including . two or three representatives, whose candidature was re garded as a "practical joke," have been returned to the Victorian Parliament.—_atustralian Mail. A NEW SOUTH WALES SQUATTING CASE.—A decision of considerable importance has been pronounce] by the Supreme Court iu a squatting case—Pringle v. Ma chettie. The action was for trespass by the driving of in fected sheep over plaintiff's run, whereby the plaintiff's flocks became diseased. To this it had been pleaded among other things, that the sheep were driven along a public had actually highway, Theand tqluutetsttiehneyweaxs,imb,ihteedtheait thisthe taihmseettneoe.esifgnwshft disease. form ed any resal defenceresulted re itan thean actionmab efocra held, had a clear right to drive lea The, defendant, it was P • •although that highway pretence of the diseased flock ? The Court sustained the his flock along the highway, even led injuries guilty which knowledge, passe responsible or any en gagedarm- in a lawful act he was not sue therefrem, provided it ful consequences which might en d through his neighbun's land. Being .f thereforeh resulted from circumstances over which ho had no control. Thus if he had really no knowledge of the existence oi for the communication in his flock he would not be responsible communication of this disease to the plaintiff's sheep.— Australian Mail. The steamer with the-llombay mail on Thursday will take £10,542 in gold for Alexandria, £7OO in gold for Men, ,and £112,750 in gold and £282,010 in silver for Bombay, the whole being on private account, 4,1F" --- 47r LITERATURE. Ceylon. By Sir James Emerson Tennent. Third Edition. Two vols. Longman. _ _ It is long since a work in every Way so superior has appeared before the public as the one before us, and there is no reason to wonder at its remarkable success when its merits are takes into consideration. Its author has had the advantage of residing for many years in the island he describes to us, and he has made the best use of his time there, for these chronicles of Ceylon that are the results of his literary and scientific researches are of that nature and character, that an intellectual and cultivated generation will not willingly allow to be forgotten. It will be found on perusal that the work amply fulfils its promise en the title-page, of giving an account of the island, physical, historical, and topo graphical, with notices of its natural history, anti quities, and productions. It is also illustrated by maps, plans, and drawings. Comprehensive in design as this appears, the execution does not fall short in the graphical sketches before us. The "arrangement of the various parts is very clearly and effectively made. The five divisions of the first volume are as follows :—Physi cal Geography ; Zoology ; The Singalese Chroni cles; Sciences and Social Arts; and Aleiheval History. The author remarks in the introduction that " There is no island in the world, Great Britain itself not excepted, that has attracted the attention of authors in so many distant ages, and so many distant countries, as Cey lon. There is no nation in ancient or modern times possessed of a language and a literature the writers of which have not, at some time, made it their theme." He goes on to say, however, that while it has been described by the classic Greeks, the Romans, by the writers of China, &c., and by the annalists and geographers of many other nations, there is a dearth of information concerning its state during recent periods and the present day. He has endeavoured to supply this want while giving a general history of the place; and the labour of the task may be sup posed when it is told that " for almost every particular and fact, whether physical or historical, I have been, to a great extent, thrown on my own researches, and obliged to seek for in formation in original sources." No better idea can be conveyed of the style of this fascinating book than in the following passage, which introduces it to the reader in its general aspect : " Ceylon, from whatever direction it is approached, un folds a scene of loveliness and grandeur unsurpassed, if it be rivalled, by any land in the universe. The traveller from Bengal, leaving behind the melancholy delta of the Ganges and the torrid coast of Coromandel; or the adven turer from Europe, recently inured to the sands of Egypt and the scorched headlands of Arabia, is alike entranced by the vision of beauty which expands before him as the island rises from the sea, its lofty mountains covered by luxuriant forests, and its shores, till they meet the ripple or the waves, bright with the foliage of perpetual spring. " The Brahmans designated it by the epithet of Lanka, ' the resplendent,' and in their dreamy rhapsodies extolled it as the region of mystery and sublimity; the Buddhist poets gracefully apostrophised it as a pearl upon the brow of India;' the Chinese knew it as the ' island of jewels;' the Greeks as the land of the hyacinth 'and the ruby ;' the Mahometans, in the intensity of their delight, assigned it to the exiled parents of mankind as a new elysium to console them for the loss of Paradise; and the early navi gators of Europe, as they returned dazzled with its gems, and laden with its costly spices, propagated the fable that far to seaward the very breeze that blew from it was re dolent of perfume. In later and less imaginative times, Ceylon has still maintained the renown of its attractions, and exhibits in all its varied charms ' the highest conceiv able development of Indian nature.' " The soil in these regions is consequently light and un remunerative, but the plentiful moisture arising from th e interception Of every passing vapour from the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal, added to the intense warmth of the atmosphere, combine to force a vegetation so rich and luxuriant that imagination can picture nothing more won drous and charming ; every level spot is enamelled with verdure, forests of never-fading bloom cover mountain and valley ; flowers of the brightest hues grow in profusion over the plains, and delicate climbing plants, rooted in the shel ving rocks, hang in huge festoons down the edge of every precipice. " Unlike the forests of Europe, in which the excess of some peculiar trees imparts a character of monotony and graveness to the outline and colouring, the forests of Ceylon are singularly attractive from the endless variety of their foliage, and the vivid contrast of their hues. The moun tains, especially those looking towards the east and south, rise abruptly to prodigious and almost precipitous heights above the level plains ; the rivers wind through woods be low like threads of silver through green embroidery, till they are lost in a dim haze which conceals the far horizon ; and through this a line of tremulous light marks where the sunbeams are glittering among the waves upon the distant shore. " From age to age a scene so lovely has imparted a colouring of romance to the adventures of the seamen who, in the eagerness of commerce, swept round the shores of India, to bring back the pearls and precious stones, the cinnamon and o d ours , o f C ey l on . The tales of the Arabians are fraught with the wonders of ' Serepdid ;' and the mari ners of the Persian Gulf have left a record of their delight in reaching the calm havens of the island, and reposing for months together in valleys where the waters of the sea were overshadowed by woods, and the gardens were bloom ing in perennial summer. The portion of the descriptions which relates to the gems is very interesting. From time immemorial this island has been celebrated for its sparkling mines. The accounts of travellers returning from the east gave to the story-tellers of the "Arabian Nights" the fables of the jewels of Serenclib, and the profusion in which they still exist is enough to to prove that there is foundation for the marvels re • lated of the olden time. Diamonds are not native in Ceylon, as has been sometimes said, but there are many brilliant gems to compensate for this defi ciency. It cannot but be desirable to become ac quainted with the facts here specified concerning the climate of Ceylon. It would appear on un questionable authority that it is very far from being so injurious in its effects as many foreign locali ties. The subjoined lines cn the subject will be acceptable : "The climate of Ceylon, from its physical configuration ' and insular detachment, contrasts favourably With that of the great Indian peninsula. Owing to the moderate dimen sions of the island, the elevation of its mountains, the very short space during which the sun is passing over it in his regression from or approach to the soltices, and its sur rounding seas being nearly uniform in temperature, it is exempt from the extremes of heating and cooling to which the neighbouring continent of India is exposed. From the same causes it is subjected more uniformly to the genial in fluences of the trade winds that blow over the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal. " The island is seldom visited by hurricanes, or swept by typhoons, and the bre eze , un lik e the hot and arid winds of Coromandel and the Dekkan, is alway s more or less re , freshing. The ra nge o f the thermometer exhibits no vio lent changes, and never indicates a temperature insupport ably high. The mean on an annual average scarcely ex ceeds 80 deg. at Colombo, though in exceptional years it has risen to 86 deg. But at no period o&the day are dan gerous results to be apprehended from exposure to the sun ; and except during parts of the months of March and April, there is no season when moderate exercise is not practic able and agreeable. For half the year, from October to May, the prevailing winds are from the north-east, and during the remaining months the sonth-west monsoon blows steadily from the great. Indian Ocean. The former, affected by the wintry chills of the vast tracts of land which it traverses before crossing the Bay of Bengal, is subject to many local variations and intervals of calm. But the lat ter, after the first violence of its outset is abated, becomes nearly uniform throughout the period of its prevalence, and presents the character of an on-shore breeze extend ing over a prodigious expanse of sea and land, and exert• ing a powerful influence along the regions of southern Asia. " In Ceylon the proverbial fickleness of the winds, and the uncertainty which characterises the seasons in northern climates, is comparatively unknown ; and the occurrence of changes or rain may be anticipated with considerable accu racy in any month of a coming year. There are, of course, abnormal seasons with higher ranges of temperature, hea vier rains, or droughts of longer continuance, but such ex tremes are exceptional and rare. Great atmospheric changes, occur only at two opposite pericids of the year, and so gra dual is their approach that the climate is monotonous, and one longs to see ag a i n the falling o f th e l ea f' to diversify the sameness of perennial verdure. The line is faint which divides the seasons. No period of the year is divested of its , end its harvest in some pert of the i s l an d : and f.' , 1:1 1 mg , MI the lir,inehes thei aro gariMalod with opening 'buds. But as every plant has its own period for the production of its flowers and fruit, each month Di characterised by its own peculiar flora. " As regards the foliage of the trees, it might be expected that the variety of tints would be wanting which forms the charm of a European landscape, and that all nature w ould wear ono mantle of unchanging green. But it has been re' marked by a tasteful observer that such is far from the fact, and though in Ceylon there is no revolution of seasons, the change of leaf on the same plant exhibits colours as bright as those which tinge the autumnal woods of America. It is not the decaying leaves, but the fresh shoots, which es" hibit these brightened colours, the older are still vividly green, whilst the young are bursting forth; and the extre• mities of the branches present tufts of pale yellow, pink, crimson, and purple, which give them at a distance the ar pearance of a cluster of flowers." One of the most curious things mentioned in the accounts of the plants and trees is the strange growth of the fig-tree, whose seeds take root in an • extraordinary manner. There is an engraving which represents "the marriage of the fig -tree with the palm." The original tree, strangled with the weight of its companion, at last dies, and leaves the intruder in undisturbed possession. These penile' vering interloprs also assail the ancient mono' ments of Ceylon. One, in aruined edifice at Polls. • narrua, is the most conspicuous object of the place; , " its roots, streaming downwards ever the walls 0 0 if they h a d once b een fluid, follow eve r y sinuositl L of the building and terraces till they reach the earth." The palm is the most attractive, both 1 0 singularity and beauty, of all the trees in the forest , of Ceylon. The leaves are converted into maul • uses for the Singalese, one of the most interc e stip( being as " substitutes for paper, both for books an ordinary purposes." It is worthy of notice in hof many various forms the palmyra is of signal see' vice. The natives of the south boast of the hundred uses to which the cocoa nut palte may be applied, and those of the northell . provinces find their palmyra equally available. fruit yields them food and oil, its juice palm NO?° and sugar, its stem is the chief material of their buildings, and its leaves, besides serving as roofs to their dwellings and fences to their farms, suppli. them with matting and baskets, with head.dressee and fans, and serve as a substitute for paper fot their deeds and writings, and for the sacred Woke which contain the traditions of their faith." In the, chapter on the literat ure o f th e Si ng h a l ese we w ee' with details that arrest the attention ; in the, a o ' count of the pal m t ree th ere i s a d escr i pt i on °` the preparation of olas, which are strips take°, from the lea ves o f th e pa l m f or the purpose 0 ' forming substitutes for paper. The books of the ' Singhalese are formed to-day, as they have been fo r ' ages past, of this strange material. In old final the Buddhist priestho o d were t h e depositories 0 ' all learning and the dispensers of all knowledge' " On these palm leaves the custom is to write W an iron stile held nearly upright, and steadied 11! nick cut to receive it in the thumb-nail of theleP, hand, the furrow made by the pres sure o f th e ste" is rendered visible by the application of chareFt ground with a fragrant oil, to the od our of wise' the natives ascribe the remarkable state of preset; vation in which their most sacred books are foul its aromatic properties securing the leaves freg destruction by white ants and other insects." many of the works are in Pali or Sanskrit that tt Singalese can scarcely, it is said, be considered possess a literature in their own dialect. It strange that such is the passion for verse the: nearly all Singalese wo r k s , i n a ll t i mes, are co o , posed in that form ; and p er h aps some hopelee, students here would be glad if th e E ng li s h wri te' followed the example of the writers of the null rous grammars that are found i n th e i s l an d , f o r, is mentioned that "even the rep u l s i ve a b strac tion of Syntax have found an Alvarez, and been el, veloped in metrical disguise.—Th e ilrahawanso: mentioned as the chef d'ccurre of Pali literatll the compilation of the Buddhist priests. "It sts!, at the head of the historical lit era t ure o f the Elrg unrivalled by anything ex t an t i n Hindustan, tw wildness of whose chronology it contr°; and unsurpas se d, if it b e equa ll e d , the native annals of China or Kashol . ,kt' t An account is gi ven o f B u ddhi sm and Demon 'W ship, which convey s a very good idea of the ge_te j ral state of the island i n re li g i ous matters; ral although the author prefac es it b y stating them exists considerable difficulty in the taski m will be found by the reader, on perusal, that sketch is so succinct and so skilfully arranged, t''; he can hardly fail to be f am ili ar w ith t h e strat i v b e tenets of faith that have held permanent sws9 ° loj i the people from a time that ma y b e considereu:ey in the twilight of fable, and which still exert to mighty sway, and exercise their appa ren tl y . trovertible influence. Buddhism is here emphs cally designated as destitut e o f vitality. " The he , and fears of a Buddhi s t are at once mean and e! ) cumscribed; the reward s h e ld i n prospect by',7o creed are insufficient to incite hi m to virtue, One, punishments t oo remo t e t o d e t er him fromc tf l'hus insufficient for time, and rejecting eterol6, the utmost triumph of his religion is to live 0. ( out fear and to die without h o p e ." Th e folloicl;; „ ; passage illustrates the impedi men t s th a t hi n der: e if progress of the missionaries, a n d f rus t ra t e tu efforts towards Christianising the island : 00 " Thus the outward concurrence of Christianity in 03 0 points on which it agrees with their own religiTlf , proved more embarrassing to i the natives than their er i plexity as to others in which t essentially diff e rs ; ti l last, too timid to doubt and too feeble to inquire, they ers with helpless tenacity to th e i r own superstition, and iss subscribe to the new faith simply by adding it on to old. " Combined with this state of irresolution a serious ° t lg stacle to the acceptance of reformed Christianity by i d Singhalese Buddhists has arisen froluthe-differences disagreements between the various chirches by whoa 5, nisters it has been successively offered to them. 111 4 persecution of the Ro man C at h ol i cs by the Dutch, the 0-i1 sequent supercession of th e Ch urch of Holland by thity England, the rivalries more or less apparent betweeu,4 Episcopalians and Presbyterians, and the peculiars which separate the Bapti s t s f rom t h e Wesleyan Met h —all of whom have their missions and representaiive o ,,, Ceylon—the Singhalese can discover little more than ,t 1 they are offered som e thi ng s till d ou b tful and unsettle a # exchange for which they are pressed to surrender their 43 ancient superstition. Conscious of their inability to de o on what has baffled the wisest of their European teacheJ , reconcile, they hesitate to exchange for an apparentili certaintly that which has been unhesitatingly believe , generations of their ancestors, and which c omes reel", 4 mended to them by all the authority of antiquity; and 0 :: 1 , when truth has been so far successful as to shake their cm.) fidence in their national faith, th e choice of sects vtl3)to has been offered to them lead s t o utter bewilderment 0".4 the peculiar form of Ch r i s ti anity with which they Pr most confidingly replace it." We shall take an early opportunity of again We; ring to this admi ra bl e work, which offers subje ct for attention and c on t emp l at i on i n almost ege t/ page. TILE NEW _INDIAN GOVERNMEX AND ITS PATRONAGE. There were two ack now l e d ge d diffi culties in the settle ment by Parliament of the home constitution for Ind/t be substituted for the East India Company and Boar u j Control. These were, first, the control of expendituiv familiar terms, the question w h o was to be vested wit ty power of the purse; and, secondly, to whom was the patronise to be transferred which was then enjoyed bl„ r s East India Comp an y, an d di s t r ib uted among the direo_"ol who allotted a double sh are t o th e P resident of the BeePiDe Control. These difficulti es were f u ll y recognised in 0 discussions which took place in the House of Commollf ,e o 1858, and it was espe c i a lly f or th e purpose of meeting tPoie that the Council establi s h e d b y t h e act of that year was strong in number, and, by the conditions of election o# nomination with a declared t enure f or li fe, as iudependeeo, character as could w e ll b e d ev i se d . To the Council so.,,„cre; stituted the act specific a lly gave t h e control of expentb,: o i requiring the concurren ce o f a ma j ority for every vote money, and the signatu re o f th ose members of the Oca,,f to every document for its issue. The military, which , the most important branch of patronage, was also sPe c i' cally directed to be dist r ib u t e d among the members, as 11;;p1 toforo among the directors of the East India Company, .7eit a double share to the Secretary of State as president Council. One-tenth, however, was reserved to be ttl' priated to the families of men who had deserved we 0 , service in" India upon any royal or local establishO'd With respect to other services and establishments, it) 0 0 , left to the S ecre t ary of State in Council to make reguloloo for the p a t ronage, which were to be eventually laid he' Parliament. Such was the constitution established in 1858, now Io i , A J second year of it s wor ki ng. Th e Council [have not Yoo easy times in finance, but the credit of India is now rise; and it is likely, when the enormous military chs'i# occasioned by the necessity of sending upwards of 9 0 24 men of the line to subdue the rebellion of the Bengal se regiments, shall be reduced, and that branch of the rulDr have to be placed on its ordin ar y peace f ooting, the Coteee6 will again be able to lay before Parliament a balance-P e ? proving India's ability to meet her own annual expe l t i o g from annual revenue. It is much too premature to this branch of, the subject under review, and to whether the control of the supposed independent Cow has been, efficient or otherwise in its management I l e But:withrespect to the patronage, itis known to those 1, 6 .0 have made applicati on a t th e East India-house, as vgidfili claimants on the scor e o f p u bli c services, as candidates "o' hoped for a nomin a ti on f rom the personal favour of ris e , bers of the Cou nc il, th a t the answer they have received ,e that there is to be no distribution of military patrons e this year ; and with respect to all other services, that t''oo have been no regul a ti ons yet established, but the whole „ ie been assumed by th e S ecretary of State as attaching t ° gr l office. Thi s i s lik e l y to lead to sad disappointment anci°Pee those classes of the community who, through past collide tion with India, h ave h ad the lion's share of this patre„l l r oef in some way di s t r ib uted amongst them. It cannot, of c°""dis' be pretended t o j u d ge of the grounds upon which the 110 tribution presented by law for their military patronage been susp en d e d f or this year. One of the avowed refl.' o p is said to be, that there are outstanding, and not t a ket l , l , by nominees, or not appropriated, nearly as many now;,or, tions to the Indian army as are usually made in one. This, even if true, is no sufficient reason; for, since;oes introductio n of examinations a year is given to a netai o te to pass them and take up his appointment , this 1 %4' of necessity, l ea d t o appo i ntments being a year boiled hand, just as would be the case if cadets were recutd to pass a year at Sandhurst or any other military There must evidently, therefore, be some other ty'4o for suspendin g th e opera ti on, if noti endeavourin g to ~,a`s9 the act of Parliament, and a breach Of faith with the n"bli of Commons and th e country in this respect; and preb, the unsettled state of the question relating to the reorgpt. sation of the India n army may have something t o do with,' might accou n t f or suspending the issue of eatigt s '"i,j