The Sun. — London, England, 1869-01-20 00:00:00

THEATRE-ROYAL DRURY-LANE. Role Lessee and Manager, Mr. F. B. Chatterton. THIS EVENING, at 7. MY WIFE S OUT. Followed by the Grand Pantomime, PUSS IN BOOTS. Commence at 7. THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY-LANE. Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr. F. B. Cbatt.rton. Special Morning Performances of the Grand Pantomime on every Wednesuay and Saturday duringthe Christmas Holidays. THIS EVENING., will b performed MY WIFE'S OUT. To be followed by the Great Christmas Pantomime, entitled GRIMALKIN 'THE GREAT ; OR, lIARLEQUrN Puss IN BOOTS, IND THE MILLER'S SoNs, with new and magnificent Scenery by Mr. Wm. Beverley. Characters in the Opening by the entire strength of the company. In the Harlequinade a Double Troupe of Pantomimists; and combining the grandest stage effects of any Pantomime ever produced at this theatre. Doors open at half-past 6, commence at 7. Box-office open from 10 till 5 daily. 'THEATRE ROYAL, HA YMARKET. Sole Lessee, Mr. Buckstone. THIS EVENING, INTRIGUE: Messrs. Howe, genial, Clark, and Miss Fanny 'Wright. After which, HOME: Messrs. Sothern, Chippendale, Comp ton. A stley, &c, ; Mesdames Cavendish, Burke, Bill, &c. Concluding with THE FRIGHTFUL HAIR. ► essrs. Comp ton, Kendal, Weaihersby, Buckstone, jun., &c. ; Mesdames Wright. Burke, Gwynn, &c. Commenge at Seven. THEATRE ROYAL, ADELPIII. Sole Proprietor and Manager, Mr. B. WEBSTER. Directress, Mrs. Alfred Mellon. THIS EVENING, DID YOU EVER SEND YOUR WIFE TO CAM BE lt WELL. Mr. G. delmore, Mrs. L. Murray. ftt a quarter to 8, MONTE CRISTO. Mr. Fechter, Mr. Benja min Webster, Mr. Delmore, Mr. Arthur Stirling, Mr. Ashley, Mr. R. Phillips, Mr. Stuart, Mr. C H. Stephenson, Mr. C. J. Smith, Mr. Romer. Mr. W. H. Eburne, Mrs. Alfred Mellon, Viss Carlotta Leelereq,llrs. Leigh Murray, and Miss Nelly Harris. R OYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE. Sole Lessee and, Manager, Mr. Vining. THIS EVENING, THE SECRET. After which tat 8 o'clock) Dion Boucicault's new drama, in f,ur acts, entitled AFTER DARK, a Tale of London Life. Messrs. Vining, Walter Lacy, Dominick Murray, C. Harcourt, J.G . Shore; Miss Emma Barnet. and Miss Rose Leclercq. Entirely new Scenery by Mr. F. Lloyds ani assistants. To conclude with MASTER JONES'S BIRTHDAY. Doors open at half-past 6, commence at 7. Box-office open daliy from 10 till 5. gar In active preparation, a new Drama, entitled MARIE AN TOINETTE. T") OYAL STRAND THEATRE. J 1) Sole Lessee and Manageress, Mrs Swanborongh. THIS Ev ENING, at 7.30, THE WIDOW HUNT. Messrs. Cl srke. Belford, Joyce ; Mesdames But .In. and Maitland. After which, THE FIELD OF TL. E CLOTH OF GOLD. Messrs. Thorne, James, and Robson Mesdames M. Long more, F. Hughes, L. Maitland, &c. To conclude pith HUE AND DYE. LOBE THEATRE-ROYAL. -At 7, GOOD N-A FOR NOTHING. At a quarter to 8, Mr. J. Byron's orig,inal Comedy, in five acts, entitled CYRIL'S SUCCESS: Messrs. Warner, Vernon, David Fiche Newbound, Andrews, Tindale, Hurlston, and J. Clarke; Mesdames Henrade, C. Thorne, Breman, Berend, Hughgs, and Stephens. QT. GEORGE'S THEATRE (ST. GEORGE'S HALL).—Great Success of SATIDANAPALITS.—The new Drama, SAVED, and the original Ninevitish Burlesque of SAR DANAPALUS ;received with roars of laughter and applause). Every Evening, at half-past 7. The best Shilling Pit in London. _ _ Morning Performances on Th - ursday, Jan. 21, Saturday. Jan. 23, and Tuesday, Jan. 26, at Two p.m. Preceded by a Farce. QT. GEORGE'S THEATRE having been pre viously Let for a long period after the 39th inst., the pre sent p rformances CANNOT be CONTINUED here after that date. Places should be immediately taken to witness the greatest success of the season. ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE AND CIRCUS, HOLBORN. The most charming entertainment in London. Two Thousand Five Hundred seats. No crowding. Ito confusion, The SCENES in the ARENA unparalleled and matchless. The beantiful Horses alone worth seeing. Great success of the Holiday Programme. The Great Carte Troupe every evening, Introducing Herr Oscar Carre and his magnificent stud of Fifty Performing Horses. The laughter provoking Clowns, Burgess and Loyal, in a series of whimsicalities, novel and new. In ad dition, a spectacular bit of Pantomimic Extravagance, entitled THE MA RITELi OF ELECTRICITY, in which the whole strength of the establishment will take part, besides 230 troops and beautiful ponies. Doors open at Seven, commence at Int:f past. Morning Perf)rmances Monday, Wednesday, and Satur day, commencing at Half-past Two.. PHE "SUN" NEIVSPAPER.G. R. GLENIE, Sporting Library, 4, Connau g ht-terrace, Edgeware-road, delivers the LATE EDITION of "THE SUN " at the earliest possible moment after leaving the press. He is able to deliver Jopies in Town, the Suburbs, and in many parts of the country at a comparatively early hour the same evening, say 40 miles by 9.45 o'clock Orders by pot; punctually attended to LICENSED VICTUALLERS' GUARDIAN R. GLENIE, of the Sporting Library, CA • 4, Connaught-terrace, Hyde-park, London, NV., begs to tprom hi.; customers, and the Licensed Victuallers in genera at he has been appointed Agent for the above-named paper i• ddition to his agency for the Sporting Edition of " Tits SuN. nd can supply the same on Friday evening, it required, in tow: br9ountry._ _ _ _ G. R. G. begs to inforni tho Trade that ae is Agent for IL LATEST EDITION of "THE SUN," and can supply it earlic lian any other man in London or Country the evening of pul , Cation. No connection with any other persons. Bailee, 111,. Wright's, and M'Call's Guides. All the Daily Pa;s )ines, and Periodicals as soon as published. Agent for the `tuck Coal C.impany. Orders by roost attervi‘Nl rHE LATEST EDITION of " THE SUN " to be seen Every Evening by 810 at Mr. ROBERT MEACOCK'S, .Itannia, Mensal New-town. THE THIRD EDITION OF " THE SUN," giving all the SPORTING NEWS of the day, maybe seen at JEM ).:Y MA NTO VS house, " The Swan and Horse Shoe," Little Britain, City, E.C. IyII O'S GRAINGER? LICENSED VICTUALLERS' TOBACCONIST, SHEPHERD'S-BUSH. SPORTLN G i DI !lON of "THE SUN " can be seen at MUNGER'S Establishment, as above, every evening by Eight rrilE LATEST EDITION of THE SUN " _I supplied. as ace's as published, Every Evening, by W. ALEX A • 1) ir It (late Tlrooks), Newspaper Agent, 20. 4, Old Cavendish street, Oxford-street. THE LATES r EDITION of " TUE SUET" stippliel n.S so3n RS onblisbcd. containing all the LATEST INTEWS and SPORTING INTELLIGENC M', by H W HABILIS, •i3wspaper Agent, 4,l3lackfriars-road, London, S. THE " SUN" NEWSPAPER.-G. R. GLENTE delivars tho L ATE EDITION at Chelsea, 7.40; Kilburn. 8 ; Starch-green, 8; Woolwich, 7.30; Uxbridge, 9.20; Watford, 9.45. QPORTING.—JOHN ROBERTS supplies the LATEST EDITION of "THE SUN " as soon as pub lished.-4, Bath-street, City-road, E.C. F HE LATE EDITION of " THE SUN' at. AL JAMES SPEEDY'S, "The Wellington,"Wellington-street, Strand. THE LATEST EDITION of " THE SUN." J. 1131.31 ES begs to inform his friends and the public venerally that he surplics the LATEST EDITION of "THE BON " as soon as published.—No.lo, Hampstead-road N.W. LATE EDITION of "TOE SUN " at J. SMITH'S, 39, Bow-street, Covent-garden. TJIHE LATE EDITION of "THE SUN" at W. SMITH'S Camden Stores," 78, Park-street, Camden town THEATRE-ROYAL, HAYMARKET. THIS EVENING, INTRIGUE. Messrs. Howe, Kendal, and Miss F. Wright. Afier which, HOME: Messrs. Sothern, Chip pendale, &cc. ; Mesdames Cavendish. Burke, &c. Concluding with THE FRIGHTFUL HAIR: Messrs. Compton, Kendal, Buckstone, jun., Weathersby, &c. ; Mesdames Wright, Burke, Gwynn, &P Commence, at 7. THEATRE-ROYAL. ADELPHI. THIS EVE/TING, at 7, DID YOU EVER SEND YOUR WIFE TO CAMB F.RW ELL. Mr. G. Belmore, Mrs. L. Murray. At 7.45 MONTE CRISTO. Messrs. Fechter, B. Webster, G. Belmore, A. Stirling, R. Phillips, Stuart, Ashley, Stephenson. C. J. Smith, W H. Eburne, R. Romer; Mrs. Alfred Mellon, Miss C. Leclercq, and Mrs. Leigh Murray. PRINCESS'S THEATRE. Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr. Vinince. THIS EVENING, at 7, to commence with THE SECRET. At R, AFTER DARK, a Tale of London Life: Mr Vining, Mr. W. Lacy, Mr. Dominick Murray; Messrs. C. Harcourt, J. G. Shore, Maclean, Holston; Miss Emma Barnet and Miss Pose Leclercq Concluding with MASTER, JONES'S BIRTHDAY. GLOBE THEATRE-ROYAL. This EVENING, at 7. GOnD FOR NOTHING. At a quarter to 8, CYRIL'S SUCCESS: Messrs. Warner, Vernon. David Fisher, Newbound, Andrews, Tindale, TTurlstone, J. Clarke: Mesdames Ilenrade, C. Thorne, Bremen, Berend, Hughes, and Stephens. ROYAL STRAND THEATRE. Sole Lessee and Manageress. Mrs. Swanborongh. TIIIS EVENING. at 7.30, THE Eel ford, Clarke; Miss Buftrm. T iiE FIELD OF THE C: OTH OF GOLD : Messrs. Thorne. James. Fenton ; e s d ameß M ar i a Longmore, B. Goodall, 'Lydia Maitland, Claire, and Hughes. To conclude with HUE AND DYE. QUEEN'S THEATRE, LONG-ACRE. Manager, Mr. W. H. Liston. THis EVENING, DOT. Messrs. J. L. Toole, S. Emery, W, 1/7 Stephens. C. Wyndham. and L. Brongli ; esdames 3lontague ' J. Rignold, Msxe, and Eyerard. And THE GNOME KING Mr. Toole. With A RACE FOR A DINNER THEATRE-ROYAL, OLYMPIC. THIS EVENING, at 7 SL A SHER & CRASHER : Messrs A tkins, Vaughan, G. Viment. &c. ; Miss Lennox Grey and Mrs Caulfield. After which, at 7.45, THE YELLOW PASSPORT : Messrs. H Neville, G. Vincent, E. Atkins, H. Vaughan, H. Cooper, and H. Wigan; )Mesdames Furtado, Lennox Grey, and Caulfield ROYALTY THEATRE. Tinder the Management of Miss M. Oliver. THIS EVENING, at 7.”0, A LOVIN'; CUP. Mr. Dewar. Miss M. Oliver. To he followed by THE RISE AND FALL OF ITC II A RD III.; or, A New Front to en Old Dicky: Mr. Dewar Mr. Danvers: Hive Collinson. end Miss M. Oliver. To eon• tinde with EVERYBODY'S HUSBAND. PRINCE OF WALES'S ROYAL THEATRE. Under the Manwenv:nt or Nivs Mario Wilton THIS EVENTNG, SCHOOL: Meesrs. Hare, IT. J. .Montarne. Addison, Glover. and Bancroft: Mrs. - Buckingham White. Miss C. Addison, and hiss N' He After which, A WINNING HAZARD. And INTRIGUE. ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE AND CIRCUS, HOLBORN. THIS EVENING, The Oriat Cerre Troupe and magmißcent Stud of 50 Horses; alFo Alfred Pradbury, M. Clifton, and THE mARvF.I.S OF ELECTRICITY. CHRISTY MINSTRELS. St—James's Hall, Every Night, at 8 Wednesdays and Saturdays, at 3 And 8 all the year round. ROYAL AL I I AMB I 1 A PA LACE. THREE BALLET Promenade Coneort. Band of GO. Begin at 8. Is. Box-office open from 11 to 4. ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS, Regerfa-lailt, OPEN clay (ex cept Sundays). Admission, is.; on Mondays, Gd.; Children under twelve, (d. CIVIL SERVICE OF INDIA. VANDIDATES intending to present themselves It..J at the Open Competition, commencing on March 16, 1869. are reminded that Certificates of Birth, Health, and Character should be sent to the Secretary to the Civil Service Commis sioners, London, S.W., on or before the Ist of February. Regu lations may be obtained on application. 4,40, ARtrh - SITIL Diji„tr, • LOA DOS,NWERNESDAY, JAN. 20, 180. Perhaps the best compliment that can be paid to the personal character of the Emperor of the FRENCH, and to his influence in Europe, may be found in the interest invariably excited by his speeches. With us the opening of Parliament has grown to be a very ordinary affair. Unless her MAJESTY graces it with her presence, it is looked upon as a necessary piece of routine, to be got over without needless delay ; as the prologue to the great drama, for whose com mencement all politicians are eagerly watching• Even the Royal Speech excites little attention. Every one knows bcforehand what will be the sum and substance of it, and whatever the constitutional pretence as to its real authorship, it is known to be merely an exposition of that Minis terial policy which has been previously in dicated in a good many different ways. In France, on the contrary, it has not unfrequently happened that the speech at the opening of the Chambers has proved the key note of a startling and unlooked-for policy. Every one remembers the effects produced by these utterances of NAPOLEON 111. in more than one great crisis of European fortunes, effects which certainly confirm the EM PEROR'S claim to be the central figure in the direction of continental politics. In the speech of Monday, however, we find no indication of coming changes or of sudden revolution. Nctwithstanding the anxious and troubled state of public feeling fostered by the enormous armaments which show that every nation holds itself in immediate readiness for war, the tone of the EMPEROR'S address is eminently pacific. The relations of France with foreign powers are, he de clares, most friendly. The Spanish revolution has not altered her good relations with Spain ; the Conference approaches its termination, and all the plenipotentiaries have agreed upon the pri:,ciples calculated to bring about a reconcilia tion between Greece and Turkey. NAPOLEON 111., therefore, indulges in the confident hope that peace being thus generally secured, France will be able to give all her attention to social and domestic improve ments, and to her own interior organisation. Her military task he holds to be accomplished, and France, to use his own words, "is in a position to confront every eventuality." The land and sea forces are upon a peace footing, the armament is rendered perfect, the arsenals and magazines are filled, the reserves well trained, the fleet reconstructed, and the national strongholds in good condition. The EMPEROR de clares the constant object of his efforts to be attained, now that France finds her military resources on a level with her destiny in the world. Retracing the fortunes of his reign, he does not hesitate to assume the credit of the national tranquillity. Compared with the generations which preceded U 3 the last seven teen years have confessedly been to France years of peace and strength. The authority of law has been "maintained, and social order observed. Which is the Government, asks the EMPEROR, that has given to France 17 years of ever-increasing quiet and prosperity ? The answer is, of course, readily sup plied, and perhaps under such circumstances the speaker may be forgiven for overlooking the fact that his whole system depends upon the one central figure. L'empire c'est ntoi is the keynote of his speech. " I am thoroughly resolved" he says to his Chambers " to persevere in the course I have laid down, to adopt all real progress, but also to maintain without discussion the essential bases of the Constitution," and yet he styles himself in an earlier paragrapa " chie f of a free country." The partial concessions which have been made towards popular liberty h.,ve evi dently occasioned him some uneasiness. To maintain the rights of the Government while having due regard to the wants of the age, is, as he reminds us, no light task to undertake on a soil shaken by so many revolutions. The two measures passed last session produced two different effects. The liberty given in part to the intelligence and ambition of the country by the laws for the Press and for public meetings created in some quarters " a factious agitation," but the nation, as a whole, re mained calm, relying on the firmness of the EMPEROR for the maintenance of order. No one can question this firmness, or deny the service which he has, in this respect, rendered to France. Whether or no enemies be disposed to concede to him the single ness of purpose, and the patriotism to which he lays claim, they cannot deny him the credit of a great political achievement. He has consolidated his empire, and welded its jarring parts so firmly toge ther that, however individuals may suffer, the tran quillity of the State is secured and preserved. The destinies of France, says the EM PEROR, rest upon the intimate alliance of power with liberty. Let us hope then, now that he finds unlimited cause for congratulation in the peaceful aspect of French po'itics, that he will see the wisdom of anticipating the wishes of the masses, and of permitting the alliance of power with liberty to become more real, more sub stantial, and more lasting, by relaxing a little of that rigorous control which he holds over the conduct of affairs. Thus the " ever increasing quiet and pros perity of France" may not represent the repres-ion of all political and literary activity, but the actual satis faction of a contented people, who find scope for their political aspirations without rushing into anarchy or " changing the essential bases of the constitution." YESTERDAY one of the most magnificent poten tates in the world bade farewell to the country which he had been governing. Yesterday the ruler of 150 millions of people became a private gentleman. He had not been driven from his dominions by enraged subjects whom he had forced into rebellion by his bad government. Ile had not been compelled to abdicate nor to sacrifice his throne in order to save his life. On the contrary, he had been a beneficent ruler, and when he departed he was treated with every mark of honour and respect. The explanation of the puzzle is simply this. Sir JOHN LAWRENCE, having fulfilled his term of office, having ruled one-sixth of the human race for five years, had to retire, accord ing to the wise rule that will not entrust so weighty an office to one man for more than a brief period. Sir JOHN LAWRENCE, having spent just forty years in India in various capacities—from the lowest rank of the civil service to the magnificent position of Vice roy—has now left the country in which he has spent two-thirds of his life,the country which a dozen years ago he saved, and which in all probability he will never see again. Looking back over those forty years, what a series of events must the late VicEnoY recall. The conquest of Candahar, the disaster in Afghanistan, the annexation of ;...'cinde, the Sikh war, the annexation of the Punjab, the Burmese war, the annexation of Gude, the great mutiny, the Bhotan war, the construction of our railway system, the transmission of the first telegraphic message from England. All these, and many other events in swift succession, might well make Sir JOHN LAWRENCE despise our quiet sober going life in England, with its petty disputes. But, after all, the life of a nation does not consist in its wars nor in its annexations. The glory of a ruler is not the square miles which he has added to his territory, but the wise laws which he has given to his subjects. Is the Indian nation any the better for our rule during the ninety-seven years that have elapsed between the assumption of the Governor-Generalship by WARREN HASTINGS and its assumption by Lord . 3IAYO ? Has the Indian THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 20, 1869. nation advanced in knowledge, in morals, in religion, in government, in the arts, in social life ? Is there any Indian nation at all ? There is none. With all our military power, with all our mechanical appliances, with all our moral efforts, we have not succeeded in welding together the numerous races that inhabit the country between Cape Comorin and the Khyber Pass. We have not suc ceeded in making them love our rule, or in doing more than offer us submission so long as we enforce it. They still keep to their old religions, and Chris tianity has made almost no progress among them ; they would even renew their old rites, such as Suttee and immolation to Juggernaut, did we not forbid them. They acknowledge that our government is better than their own was—that it is more equitable ; but they say that they prefer their own, and would restore it if we gave them the opportu nity. At this very time a conspiracy is on foot to bring about a new mutiny ; and Sir JOHN LAW RENCE leaves India conscious that this is the result of his five years of just and conscientious govern ment ; conscious that were it not for our extended railways and telegraphs, were it not that the charge of our artillery has been taken out of the hands of native soldiers, we should be exposed to a renewal of the scenes of 1857. It is not a satisfactory reflection that such efforts should have such a reception. But let the departing VicEnoY take comfort in the thought that he could not be expected to remedy in five years the evil effects of the policy of ninety. It will take a good many LAWRENCES to undo the mischief wrought by only one such governor as DALHOUSIE ; and there were many like him. command is likely to be extremely limited in its circle, and if Robert Browning has to complain of neglect, he must blame those defects in his own style and manner which prevent him from either appealing to the popular sympa thies or catching the popular ear. The writer of the article before us cannot be taken as a guide. His own style shews very plainly that he belongs to the school of Carlyle and Browning and other really gifted men who, having truths to teach the world, labour to make them, it would seem, as hard of comprehension as passible. Thus, speaking of Wordsworth's "two simplicities" of style, as shewn in his blank verse and in his lyrics, the critic writes as follows :—" The one, in its simplification, may seem to have thinned itself to a lisp, or discharged itself of burthen almost into a blank ; and in the other, the lashing of the tail that should by gradual spires intervolve all into the due consummation of sense ecstatically rapt to the giddy brink of nonsense, may have been too glaringly manifest." A writer who could pen such a sentence must certainly not be accepted as a representative of the tastes or the requirements of ordinary English readers. It is worthy of George Gilfillan. A very interesting and able history of the progress of Indian railways takes us from the heights of fancy to the practical business of life. The vast importance of an extended railway system to a country previously without any regular or certain means of communication in parts is strongly insisted upon, and the effect already produced by the lines in full service is highly encouraging. Sometimes the task of construction is one of enormous difficulty, as in the case of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway, carried across the Ghaut range in the neighbourhood of Bombay—a line of precipices averaging in that part 2,000 feet in height. The rivers are often as formidable to the engineer as the mountains. The bridge across the Sone consists of twenty-eight spans, each com posed of iron girders 150 feet long, and the whole length is nearly a mile. Very picturesque is the motley group assembled at an Indian railway station, and very charac teristic the flowery language in which the native passenger appeals to the hard-hearted guard to be allowed to take his luggage with him in the carriage, and so avoid the heavy luggage dues. " Oh, protector of the poor, what words are those I hear ? Behold this most insignificant of parcels. It is absolutely less than nothing." What would one of our English railway guards say if addressed in such a fashion ? The importance of Indian railways as auxiliaries to the Government must not be overlooked among their other advantages. They are well summed up in the concluding sentence of this article. " In 1857 Delhi was distant by at least a month's march from Calcutta. To-day an army of men, in every way ready to take the field, may be moved from one of these places to the other in forty-eight hours—thanks to Indian railways." A German novel, "The Amazon," supplies the material for an entertaining paper, and due honour is paid to John Bright as an orator in an essay on his speeches in connec tion with the late elections. The Quarterly Journal of Science contains an article on " National Institutions for Practical Scientific Research," and discusses a very important question brought specially lunder the consideration of the British Association at its last meeting by Colonel Strange and Dr. Mann. Colonel Strange as Government Inspector of Scientific Instruments for the India Department, and Dr. Mann as Superinten dent of Education and Special Commissioner of the Government of Natal, are well qualified to form an opinion as to the need for increased State action in developing and assisting our knowledge of practical science. So strongly and so successfully did Colonel Strange plead his cause before the Norwich tribunal, that a committee, comprising many eminent names, was appointed to consider whether there existed in the United Kingdom sufficient provision for the vigorous prosecution of physical research. Colonel Strange, at least, is in no doubt on this point, and in the paper before us the arguments in favour of State interven- tion are ably and lucidly set forth. Out of the general conviction of the need for such intervention have arisen State observatories for astronomical research. It is not possible for even the most ardent imagination to conceive that the results arrived at in special departments by their means could have been secured in any other way ; if, for instance, the tables of the moon had been exclusively contributed by a few private observers, and each following his own independent method, instead of the work being carried on under the direction of the Astronomer Royal. "To the State is due all that has been done for preserving in uncontaminated integrity the national standards of length, weight, and capacity. What private or simply co operative agency could have F. ecured the result which has been already attained at Bloomsbury and South Ken- I sington? The influence for good of the School of Mines in Jermyn-street is now widely recognised and accepted, and that certainly is an establishment which could not have been organised and supported otherwise than by the State. The Kew Observatory, although not a State insti tution, is a very noteworthy instance on the same side of the argument." It is further observed that the duty of encouraging and prosecuting scientific research belongs of I right to the older nations of the civilised world. The Iyoung communities, who have to people vast tracts, to subdue the wilderness, and to cultivate the desert, have I their work marked out for them in another direction. Yet one of our own colonies has recently set us a notable example. Great Britain has at the present moment not a single first-class telescope at work adapted for the required investigations now demanded from the rtifron-mer • while, thanks to the public spirit of „ the Melbourne Government, an instrument of this class has just been completed, at a large public outlay, for the colony of Victoria. In an article on the great solar eclipse of August is, it is noted that the phenomenon stands alone in the annals of astronomy. The time of its duration, nearly seven minutes at the maximum, exceeded that of all recorded eclipses, and more than thirty genera tions of astronomers will come and go before an equal length of totality be witnessed. We shall the more appre ciate this fact when we remember that the great eclipse of 1860, when the physical constitution of the red protuber ances was ascertained, lasted only 3 minutes, so that it is not surprising the eclipse of 1868 should have excited unprecedented interest in the scientific world. In a careful review of the scientific progress achieved during the year just concluded, the spectroscope plays an important part. Some of the most interesting discoveries of modern astronomical science have been effected through its aid. The November meteors, which excited so much attention the year before last, have been decided by our observers to belong to belts of meteors which move with planetary regularity within the limits of the solar system. They are visible during a space of about five hours, so that, as the earth traverses the meteor stratum in space at the rate of 18,000 miles an hour, this gives us an expanse of 90,000 miles more or less densely filled with these mysterious bodies. Two other considera tions press upon the mind of the observer: first, the thickness with which the central line of the meteoric belt is studded with these luminous bodies, since within an hour they have been counted by hundreds ; and, secondly . , the evidence of the continuity of the meteor zone afforded by the annual recurrence of the meteoric showers, though the part traversed by the earth varies by millions of miles from year to year. .ilfeliora naturally turns to the two most pressing social problems of the day—our increasing pauperism, and our prison discipline ; and, equally naturally and very justly, this representative of temperance views finds in the uni versal passion for alcoholic liquors the secret of our ever growing army of paupers. The more the matter is inquired into, says the writer, the more apparent becomes the connection between our drinkin g h a bit s an d the development of pauperism. "It is not pauper colo nies, public works, arts, or working men's clubs that we most want. Even as mere palliatives these would prove useless. Nothing less than a change in our drinking habits and the greater restriction of the drink traffic will meet the emergency." It is always interesting to have the views of an earnest and practical social reformer upon a subject of such increasing importance. There can be no doubt that intemperance is the greatest influence in pro ducing the pauperism from which England suffers so much, though there can be no doubt that the want of work is another real cause of distress. The article on prison discipline gives a very cheering account of the good which may be effected by an en lightened and reformatory system as opposed to a merely primitive method. The former plan has been tried with signal success by Mr. Edwards, governor of Devonport Gaol, who has not only effected a saving of £250 a year in the charges of the prison, but has produced a sensible effect on the number of re-committals. Mr. Edwards foun-ls his system upon three principles : first, that nothing shall be done for the prisoners that they can do for themselves ; that all labour shall be remunera tive ; and that from every prisoner capable and willing a certain amount of work shall be exacted. The work done by the prisoners comprises an unusual variety. All the clothes required for prison use are made, washed, and mended in the establishment. The garden produces all the vegetables required for the use of the prison absolutely free of cost. Besides this, the prisoners do whatever car pentering, masons' work, and -sainting may be wanted, while their other employments consist of oakum-picking, sack-making, and mat and brush -making,. The mat-making is the most profitable of these, though the governor never finds any difficulty in disposing of his wares. Care is taken that the prisoners shall never want remunerative employment, and the shot-drill and crank are never used. The governor's experience has shewn him that remunerative labour is at once more punitive and more reformatory than ordinary prison discipline ; and so fully are the local authorities convinced of the superior excellence of his system, that they make it a rule at Devonport not to sentence criminals to hard labour, since by recent legisla tion the first three months of the term must be spent at unproductive work. Mr. Edwards's plan for inducing his prisoners to work well is very original and effective. His rule is that every prisoner capable of work shall earn the cost of his or her food. On their entry into the prison he tells them what they have to do, and the consequences of fttilure If they do fail, they are not confined in the dark cells, which are never used at Devonport, but they are punished, nevertheless. An adequate proportion of the daily allowance of food is cut off, the full amount of work being at the same time exacted. Mr. Edwards acts upon the scriptural precept, "He that will not work, neither shall he eat," and he records with satisfaction that lie has never known it to fail. A paper on " Almanacks, Old and New," is appropriate to the season. It gives some curious and entertaining particulars respecting the early almanack makers, who were many of them more success ful in their ventures than they deserved to be. In alma nacks, as in other branches of periodical literature, there is, fortunately, a marked improvement at the present day. LATEST INTELL LGENCE. (REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.) BELGIUM. BRUSSELS, Jan. 19. The bulletin of the health of the Prince Royal since the 14th inst. has been published, according to which his Royal Highneas's state has seriously changed for the worse. PORTUGAL. LISBON, Jan. 19. It is said that the King has received a telegram from the Duke of Saldanha, in which he declines the task of forming a new Ministry, on the ground of the impossibility of organising a Cabinet which shall satisfy both the King and the people. The King afterwards summoned the Marquis La de Bandeira, and charged him to continue with the present Ministers. It is said that one of his first acts will be the dissolution of the Chambers. TURKEY. CONSTANTINOPLE, Jan. 19. The newspaper report that Mr. Morris, the American Minister, had been recalled on account of some disagreement with the Porte, has been for mally denied, and it is stated that the relations be tween the Turkish Government and Mr. Morris continue excellent. BOMBAY (HEAVY) MAIL GIBRALTAR, Jan. 18. The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer Alassilia, from Alexaudria, arrived here to-day at 7 a.m., and leaves at 11 a.m. for Southampton, where she may be looked for on the 23c1 inotant. All well. INDIA, CHINA, AND AUSTRALIAN MAILS. MESSINA, Jan. 20. The Syria passed through the Straits of Messina at 5 o'clock this morning en route for Marseilles. FR &NCE. PARIS, Jan. 20. BOURSE, Jan. 19.—Three o'clock.—The market closed as follows : 41 per Cent. End of month — 3 per Cent End of month_ 70 10 Credit. Mobilier Bank Shares 3050 Ital'an Loan — End of month.., Mexican Loan Do. Bonds Spanish Threes Boum Deb' Deferred ...... .„ s , Cash Orleans ... 9281 Northern „, 1177f Lyons and Mediterranean Southern..... Western Eastern • • 568 Sardinian Austrian Lombard 44Bf North of Spain Saragossa Roman 49 End of month... 273 75 Credit Foncior ...1545 End of month... RAILWAY RAILWAY AND 0711 ER COMPANIES. LONDON, BRIGHTON, AND SOUTH COAST. The directors of this company state that the ac counts for the past half-year show that, after pro viding for the payment of interest on all the pre ferential capital of the company to December 31, a sufficient balance remains to enable the board to recommend at the approaching general meeting the payment of a dividend on the consolidated stock of the company at the rate of 12s. GI per cent. NATIONAL BANK OF LIVERPOOL.• The report of this bank was issued yesterday. The net profits of the year amount to £29,794 19s. 9d. The directors recommend a dividend of 10s. per share, and carry a sum of £2,707 to the reserve fund, increasing it to £75,000. FRENCH TRAFFIC RECEIPTS. The traffic receipts on the Paris and Mediterra nean Railway for the year 1868 amounted on the old and new lines, 2,423 miles in length, to £8,655,367, and on 9 ,330 miles for the year 1867 to £8,363,266, showing an increase of £292,101. The traffic receipts on the Paris and 'Orleans Railway were for the year 1868 on the old and new lines, 2,091 miles in length, to £4,309,767, and on 1,851 miles for the year 1867 ti £4,213,372, showing an iacrease of £96,395. The traffic receipts on the old and new lines of the Eas tern of France, 1,671 miles in length, amounted to £4,261,483, and for the year 1867, on 1,650 miles, to £4,198,220, showing an increase of £63,263. The traffic receipts on the old and new lines of the Northern of France, 887 miles in length, amounted to £3,635,675, and for the year 1867, ou the same mileage, to £3,733,000, showing a decrease of 97,325. The traffic receipts on the old and new lines of the Western of France. 1,342 miles in length, amounted t0:£3,285,120, and for the year 1867,0 n 1,305 miles in length, to £3,380,255,5h0wing a decrease of £95,135; and on the old and new lines of the Southern of France Railway, 1,006 miles in length, to £1,886,589, and for the year 1867, on the same mileage, to £1,760,484, showing an increase of £126,105. The total traffic receipts on the six principal railways in France for the past year amounted, on 9,420 miles of railway, to £26,034,001, and for the year 1867, on 9,029 miles in length, to £25,648,597, showing an increase of 391 miles and of £385,404. The traffic receipts on the Paris and Mediterranean railway for the year 1868 averaged £3,572 per mile; on the railways of the Northern of France, £4,099 per mile ; on the Paris and Orleans, £2,061 per mile ; on the Eastern of France, £2,550 per mile ; on the Western of France, £2,448 per mile ; and on the Southern of France, £1,875 per mile. The ave rage receipts on the whole amounted to £2,764 per mile in 1868, against £2,842 per mile in 1867. SOUTH AUSTRIAN AND UPPER ITALY. The total traffic receipts on the South Austrian lines from the Ist of January to the 31st of Decem ber, 1868, amounted on 1,172 miles to £2,794,057, and for the same period of 1867 on 1,090 miles, to £2,302,297, showing an increase of 82 miles, and of £491,760, or 21.3 per cent. The total traffic receipts on the Upper Italy railways, inclu ding the Venetian lines, amounted on 1,480 miles of railway, for the year 1868, to £2,162,615 and on 1,400 miles, for the year 1867, to £2,090,159, showing an increase of £72,456. The aggregate receipts on both lines, 2,652 miles in length, amounted for the year 1868, to £4,956,672, or £1,896 per mile ; and for the year 1867, on 2,490 miles of railway, to £4,392,456, or £1,764 per mile, showing an increase of £564,216, or £lO5 per mile. NORTHERN OF CANADA. The traffic receipts on this company's line from the Ist of July to the 26th of December last amounted to £55,539, and for the corresponding period of 1867 to £58,945, showing a decrease of £3,406. RAILWAY BILLS. Yesterday the Examiners for the Standing Order proofs of the House of Commons resumed their sittings. Before Mr. Frere, the Elham Valley Rail way complied with the Standing Orders, and also the Severn and Wye Railway and Canal. The Clapham and London -bridge Railway Bill was struck off the list. Before Mr. Palgrave, the Man chester City Railway Bill complied with the stand ing orders, and the Sandwich and Adisham was withdrawn. THE MANUFACTURE OF WATCHES AND CLOCKS.- A. most interesting and instructive little work, describing briefly but with great clearness, the rise and progress of watch and clock makin , has just been published by Mr J. W. Benson, of 25, Old Bond-street, 99, Westbourne-grove, and the City Steam Factory, 53 and 60, Ludgate-hill. The book, which is profusely illustrated, gives a full description of the various kinds of watches and clocks, with their prices, and no one should make a purchase without visiting the above establishments or consulting this truly valuable work. By its aid persons residing in any part of the United Kingdom, India, or the Colonies, are enabled to select for themselves the watch best adapted for their use, and have it sent to them with perfect safety. Mr. Benson, who holds the appoint ment to the Prince of Wales, sends this pamphlet to any address on receipt of two postage stamps, and we cannot too strongly recommend it to the notice of the intenaag purchaser, THE QUARTERLIES. Though I do not find much variety in the London Quar terly, it is, nevertheless, a number of great merit. its eight articles are almost entirely devoted to theology and kindred subjects, or criticisms on the collective works of imaginative writers, but some of them will repay atten tion. The paper on William Blake is a meritorious attempt to increase the popularity and appreciation of a little known but remarkable genius. This sketch of the idealist, poet, and artist is very well done, but a perfect illustration of the mind of Blake requires what the review could not furnish—a few facsimiles of his drawings. Acquaintance with them out of London is, I believe, very rare. " The Plymouth Brethren and the Christian Minis try " is an uncompromising, indeed fierce, attack upon the former on behalf of the latter. The leading doctrine of the Brethren—that the privilege of Ministers is now common to the whole body of believers, and that all the Christian offices of the New Testament times have passed away, as well as the inspired Apostles, is made the subject of controversy. There can be little doubt that the reviewer is successful in his detailed refutation fr.•m Scripture of this prominent article of the Plymouth creed. But his opening tirade against the policy of this sect is far too vehement, especially as the Brethren are neither numerous nor important, whilst their common right of ministry doctrine is accepted in a mild form by other denominations of much greater strength, and whose policy is not markedly " aggressive and sectarian," and whom it would be unfair to charge with " propagating their doctrines in a disingenuous manner." This is not the age for hard words to make impression. The attack upon the Plymouth Brethren is followed by an onslaught, not less vehement, but more feeble, upon the Positivists. Here, too, the writer weakens his case by overshooting the mark. Nothing could be more legitimate than to institute a comparison between morality with God and that form of morality without God which is called Positivism ; and nothing more certain than to decide such a contro versy against Comte. But why enter into the question of whether virtue can exist without God? The writer stops in the midst of his charge upon Comte, and turns aside to break a lance with the Rev. R. W. Dale, who believes that, " apart from the recognition of God, how ever, virtues lose their purest grace and their perfect beauty, but they are virtues still." Without deciding between this writer and the reviewer, I may observe that the subject is a very large and thankless one, and involv ing not remotely the great question of the heathen, and, further, that it has but a general connection with Posi tivism. But the reviewer goes farther : demands to know how the Positivists claim to be a philosphical sect at all, and after a few pages assumes that they are not a philoso phical sect. Surely Positivism may claim to be a philosophy, and surely it is unworthy of a defender of the Christian religion to deny the followers of Comte the poor bati,factiou of regarding themselves as a philosophical sect. After the Plymouth Brethren and Positivism, an article on social and religious progress in India is a refreshing change. Indian affairs are assuming greater importance in the eyes of people at home than they were wont to do, but we are still far from being able to claim the credit of giving our vast possession the consideration which they require. It is satisfactory, how ever, to find from this, as from other sources, that British rule progresses steadily, though slowly. Those who have not read Miss Carpenter's work will find some valuable information in this article. It shews, for instance, that the influence of British rule has been felt in nothing so much as in improving the position of the weaker sex in India. The abolition of the suttee was the first of a series of reforms which is now bearing sub stantial fruit. Women in India are not now regarded in the light of chattels ; they have acquired many of the better habits of European life; and education, though still far behind, is not at all stationary. The subject is exceed ingly interesting. I must not, however, omit to warn the reader of Miss Carpenter's work that some of her informa tion applies to only a portion of India, and that some of her deductions are upon insufficient evidence. She has committed the common fault of English travellers in look ing at a question " through her eye-glass," and then writing about it ; nevertheless, I see nothing in this paper to which objection may be taken. The article on Swinburne is good a fair estimate of the genius of the writer, and a fair expose of his great fault. The criticism on George Macdonald is less appreciative and liberal. It is true that the author of " Annals of a Quiet Neighbourhood" addresses himself chiefly to an audience of young ladies ; but is the securing the attention of such an audience an achievement to be despised? As the religious teacher even of one class, Mr. Macdonald does not labour in vain. An article on " The Mythical and Heretical Gospels," and another on " Tertullian, the African Divine," make up a very good issue. The December number of the North British is marked by accustomed ability, and by a wider range of subjects than is usual with this Review. There is less of the theo logical and didactic element, which has sometimes unduly preponderated in its pages, and more that will find its way to the tastes and sympathies of readers south of the Tweed. Lady Minto's animated and graphic memoirs of her grandfather, the Right Hon. Hugh Elliot, occupy the first place, and the critic very happily sum marises the substance of the work, giving at the same time ample evidence of its brilliant and vivacious style by frequent quotations. Mr. Elliot was for some years British Representative at Berlin, where the redoubtable Frederick then ruled with unflagging will, though with failing strength. By an act which was undoubtedly highly indiscreet the Ambassador contrived to embroil himse!f with the King, and an external reconciliation did not prevent Frederick from seizing every opportunity for aggravating and insulting the envoy. This was playing with edged tools, for the most pointed shafts of the King were turned aside by the ready wit of the assailed. Some amusing instances of this war of words are given. On one occasion "an ill-conditioned fellow" was sent to the London Embassy merely_to spite the English Cabinet. " What do they say of - in London ?" asked Frederick, tauntingly. " Digne rePresentant de votre Majeste," replied Mr. Elliot, bowing to the ground. Again, when questioned by Frede rick as to the antecedents of Hyder Ali, who had been ravaging the British territories in the Carnatic, Mr. Elliot curtly described him as "an old despot who had greatly pillaged his neighbours." The defeat of Hyder Ali by the British arms, and the official expression of gratitude to Providence, drew from the spiteful King the remark that he did not know before that England counted Providence among her allies. "The only one, sire, that she does not pay," was the cutting and well-merited retort. Two poets, one English and the other French, are dis cussed in separate essays. The life of Alfred de Musset forms but a melancholy and unsatisfactory page in the history of genius, exhibiting as it does one of those painful and striking instances in which the capacities and aspirations of the intellect are utterly at variance with the achievements of the life. The copious extracts given from his poems will enable the reader, if they arc new to him, to form a tolerably accurate idea of their character and tendency. The poet undoubtedly escaped many of the drawbacks which cramp ordinary French verse, but the spirit and morality of his principal poems is only too French in its morbid sentiment. Very different is the nature of the other writer, whose literary career is discussed in a succeeding essay. Robert Brown ing belongs to an entirely opposite school, and his poems, if too obscure to influence the multitude, have at least no evil tendency. The author of the article upon him is an enthusiastic admirer, notwithstanding he tempers his admiration with occasional censure. But the enthusiasm which a write so involved and so unmelodious can' ELECTION PETITIONS. -0- DROGHEDA.—On Tuesday, Justice Keogn declared Um' Mr. Whitworth was guilty of undue influence at th( Drogheda election, by himself and others, that a systen of intimidation had been organised, that outrages wen committed which had deterred electors from voting, azz that the costs of the petition must be paid by Mr. Whit worth. GIIILDFORD.—The trial of the petition against Mr Onslow, the member for Guildford, has commenced before Mr. Justice Wines. Mr. Elkins and others are the petitioners, and they pray that the election be declare void, on the ground of bribery carried on on behalf of the sitting member. Mr. Overend, Q.C., opened the case fol the petitioners. BEIVDLEY.—Mr. Justice Blackburn has commenced the hearing of the petition against the sitting member foe Bewdley. The petitioners are Messrs. Sturge and Bald. win, and they claim the seat on behalf of Mr. Lloyd, the defeated Liberal candidate. The excitement here was very great, and in the rush to enter the court a policeman, was crushed to death. As fax as the inquiries have proceeded, two Liberals have been unseated in Ireland, Mr. Devereux and Mr. Whitworth : and in England one Conservative, Sir Henry Stracey. SANITARY STATE OF INDIA. It is now admitted that the climate of India is not so injurious as some persons have supposed it to be. Many causes have contributed to the sickness and mortality which prevailed among the European troops, but these chiefly related to sanitary arrangements in which im• provements could be made. It is encouraging to notice in the reports of the permanent Sanitary Commission which appear in the Blue-book just issued, that some excellent measures have engaged the attention of the local Government in respect to public health. Until the year 1856 the mortality of European forces in India was 69 per 1,000 strength, but in 1864 the mortality of the British army was not much over 20 per 1,000. The first thing that struck the Royal Commission was that the civil servants of the Company at the soldiers' age did not die at a higher rate than 20 per 1,000, because it followed that the climate of India was not necessarily fatal to any higher proportion. People were astonished at the great reduction in the rate of mor tality which followed upon the labours of the commission. Bad choice of stations has been the cause of much injury to the troops, and magnified the ills attendant on the climate a hundredfold. A sanitary committee and depart ment have been appointed at the India Office, in order that due attention maybe given to the important questions affecting public health in India. In 1865 the Govern ment of India proposed a reconstruction of the Sanitary Commissions of the three Presidencies, and so recently as April 1868 Sir S. Northcote forwarded a despatch to the Government of India, urging the adoption of Lord Herbert's army medical regulations with as little delay as possible. These made ample provision for the health of the troops, but they have not yet been fully adopted in the Indian army. The India civil sanitary service is divided into two branches—the discovery of local causes of disease, and the work of executive officers, whose duty it is to remove these causes. The memorandum states that the public health problems in India are more extensive than any that we have to deal with in England. A valuable sketch of sanitary progress in the Bengal Presidency previous to 1864 is given by Dr. Goodeve, and he makes suggestions for the improvement of the sanitary abstracts in future years. Abstracts of sanitary reports in each of the presidencies shew the improvements that have been effected in the health of European and native troops, and the health of the inmates of gaols and of the civil population of India. In 1866 the mortality among the European troops was 20'1 per 1,000 in Bengal ; 17'9 per 1,000 in Madras ; and 12'7 per 1,000 in Bombay. The statistics relating to the civil population are as yet imperfect, the measures for securing accurate returns of the registration of deaths having only recently been adopted. Mr. Bright was in Leeds on Monday and Tues day, on a private visit to Mr. R. L. Ford, solicitor, of that town. The right hon. gentleman was met at luncheon on Tuesday by the Mayor and Mr. Darnton Lupton, presi- dent of the Chamber of Commerce. Lord Carnarvon, the Bishop of Chester, and Mr. Charles Buxton, M.P., have been appointed members of the Ritual Commission, one vacancy having been caused by the death of the late Archbishop of Canterbury, Ind two by the withdrawal, on taking office, of Mr. Cardwell and of the Lord Chancellor. PENRYN AND FALMOUTH ELECTION 'PETITION. The Western Morning News says :—" We understand that there is not the remotest possibility of the election petition for Penryn and Falmouth being withdrawn by the peti tioners, as suggested by rumour, the expense being quite a secondary matter. It is stated, indeed, that the evidence obtained is so strong that it is quite impossible for the peti tioners, even if they had a desire to do so, which they have not, to withdraw." FATAL MISADVENTURE.—At the Derby Lliirrilary last Friday a female nurse supplied one of the patients, named John Waite, with what she thought was his medicine, whereas it turned out to be a lotion ordered to be applied to his thigh, which he had injured by an acci dent. The unfortunate man took a dose of the lotion, and several hours elapsed before the mistake was dis covered. The usual remedies were resorted to, but the poor fellow died. The jury returned a verdict that the deceased died from the administration of carbolic acid and oil taken in mistake. The proposal of a member of the Oxford Town Council to present a corporation address to the Lord Chan cellor on his elevation to the woolsack has found such favour at the hands of that body, that instead of nominating two or three gentlemen, as is usual, as a deputation to wait on his lordship, it has been arranged thet the whole of the council shall accompany the mayor and. sheriffs to town, and it only remains for his lordship to name a convenient day for the resolution to bo carried into effect. Tho Lord Chancellor, as Mr. Page Wood, first re presented Oxford city 21 years ago, and was returned on three different occasions unopposed. THE PUBLIC HEALTH. —The results of the mild weather are again apparent in a decreased mortality. In the seven days which ended on Saturday last, 1,490 deaths were registered in London, the average number for the second week in the year being 1,830. The deaths thus fell short by 340 of the estimate, and were 11 less than were recorded in the previous week. Of the total number who died in London last week, GOO were children under five years of age. The mean temperature of the week was 40'4, or rather more than four degrees above the average. The temperature ranged between 33'1 on Thursday night, and 50'9 on Friday. SURVEYING THE ENE➢IY'S TERRITORY.—A cor respondent of the Vossische Zeitung says that France has made every preparation for war. He relates an amusing anecdote in connection with the surveying of the German fortress by French spies. One of the persons employed in taking measurements of the works at Coblentz and lihrenbreitstein feigned drunkenness, and rolled down the glacis. The sentries picked him up, took him to the watch-house, and after he was supposed to have slept off the effects of his debauch, dismissed him without any further investigation, or even ascertaining his identity. The process, however, of rolling down the grass bad enabled him to measure places with tolerable accuracy, which he could not have done in any other way. On Monday the Right Hon. James Moncreiff was installed as Lord Rector of the University of Edin burgh. The ceremony took place in the music -hall, in presence of the students and a large company of ladies and gentlemen. The principal of the university (Sir Alexander Grant, Bart.) occupied the chair, and Mr. Moncreiff, having been formally presented for installation, was duly invested with the robe of office, and proceeded to deliver his inaugural address. He began by paying a graceful tribute to his predecessors in the office, and thereafter gave a sketch of the distinctive features of college experience between 1825 and 1832, when he was a student at the university. lie next noticed the pecu liarities of the Scotch university system as compared with that of the English universities, and concluded with some remarks on the much-vexed question of classical study. A BALL ON BOARD A MAN-OF-WAR.—The grand hall given by Lady Clarence Paget on board the armour plated flagship Caledonia, " to see the old year out and the new year in," was a magnificent novelty in this part of the Mediterranean, and turned out a really splendid success. The upper deck of the Caledonia, presented a most beautiful and magnificent scene. An immense awning, inlaid with the glorious flags of Old England and all nations, extended two-thirds the length of the ship at a height of about sixty feet, and different parts of the vessel were decorated with bouquets of flowers, bowers, and flags, giving the whole deck a fairy-like and enchant ing appearance ; the ship being brilliantly illuminated with gas, and a large and beautiful gas star appearing on the poop. An excellent orchestral band, placed in a good position on the fore part of the vessel, played select and spirit-stirring pieces of music, whilst the dancers kept them selves at their gay work alive on the spacious deck ; and, to crown the noble festivity, the jolly Jack tars, part of the crew of the vessel, numbering about 400, were conside rately perched on the hammock netting's, dressed in their seat summer clothing, as living statues and spectators of he festive occasion, apparently enjoying this grand ball, and no doubt ready to take a moreketive Part if deairede7f, %war, j‘\ roi I A r ~11 1,1 , • 11Ell MAJESTY. OSBORNE, Jan. 19. The Queen drove in the grounds yesterday after noon. The Hon. Mrs. Ponsonby had the honour of accompanying her Majesty. Her Majesty walked in the grounds this morn ing, accompanied by Prince Leopld and Princess Beatrice. Princess Louise walked in the grounds, attended by Lady Churchill, POLICE INTELLIGENCE— This Day. -~•- MARLBOROUGH- STREET. EIEARTLF.SS AND SYSTEIfITIC ROBBING OF CHIL DREN.-Emily Green, about 28 years of age, wear ing a light dress, chocolate-coloured shawl, and 3 straw bonnet trimmed with drab, was charged befor e Mr. Tyrwhitt with robbing children. The court presented the appearance of an exten sive nursery, there being not fewer than 18 children accompanied by their mothers in attendance, and while the case was proceeding other parents and children kept arriving. Police-constable George Welling, 138 E, s aid that yesterday, about half-past seven, he was on duty in Saville-street, and in consequence of infor mation he received he stopped the prisoner as sh e was leaving an undertaker's, and asked her wha, t , she had under her ar m . Sh e rep li e d , ''Nothing, but on his looking to see she said it was her chil dren's clothing, and a female then came up and identified the clothing as the property of another female. Inspector Hubbard, E division, said he was Pre' pared with a dozen cases against the prisoner , who had been robbing children all round the neigh' bourhood. Mrs. Ann Hall, of 34, Clipstone-street, idea' tified some articles of wearing apparel, consist ing of an overcoat, jacket, and scarf, as thg clothing of a little boy named Charles Shee, and whose parents resided in the same house as her' self. She went to a baker's to get some bread, and the little boy went with her to help t o carry It home. She gave him two boxes, and told him ne t to go out of the shop till she was ready, but he did so, and when she looked for him he was gone. Sh e called for him, but could not find him, and went home, and found lie had not returned. On P ing along Titchfield-street, a quarter of an hour after wards, she met the child without the things she ha d mentioned, and he said that a woman had taken 11 0 into a public-house at the corner of Riding 110'13e lane, and taken the things from him. Inspector Hubbard said the prisoner, who hal been placed with other women, had been identified by several children. William A. Monro, about eight years of ag e ' living with his mother, a widow, at 8, Lavelies" place, Endell-street, said that he was coming home from school on Monday afternoon week, a vo' panied by his sister, four years of age, and anothe r little girl named Sibley, when the prisoner accoi:ted them, and asked him if he would like a ca ke " lie said he would, and, after going som e distance the prisoner gave hi m a h a lf penn y to g! some sweets, and when he returned he missed hi s sister and the other littl e g i r l an d wen t h o me, an d they were b r o ug ht h ome a f terwar d s w i t h some , their clothing gone. Mrs. Clarissa Monro said that her little girl Wa g brought home without her black sealskin jacket scarf, and petticoat, which she had on when she went to school, an d anot h er li ttle g i rl ha d had several of her things also taken away. Mrs. Susannah Sibley said she missed from h er daughter, Charlotte Ann, four years of age, a jacket' pinafore, and petticoat. Maria Phipps, ei g ht years o f age, stay i ng wi th Miss Campbell, of Brownlow-street, Holborn, said the prisoner came up to her, asked her to have ii cake, and then took off her petticoat, boots, and frock - , and went away, and she (witness) then we pt home. Miss Campbell proved missing the articles on the child coining home. Annie Bennet, who said she was getting on f O4. six, said the prisoner came up to her, and told he r that she knew her moth er , b u t s h e t o ld th e pris°Peic she did not know her, and the prisoner then t° ° ,, her down a long dark pl a c e an d t oo k o ff her cloth e° and left her in the street. Mrs. Sarah Bennett, of N o . 11 , B oo thy-Plac e ' said that her daughter Anni e was b roug ht borne u„ J ci a policeman without he r pi na f ore and j ac k e t, some butter which she had sent her for. Frederick Goodge, a li tt l e b oy living at 5, k' iT n., by street, Middlesex H osp i tal, proved being rob b e d the prisoner of his coat, boots, hat, cap, ku icke bockers, and comforter. Mr. Tyrwhitt remanded the p.isoner. The Orontes screw steamship, Capt. 11. rhe l9 ,l now nearly compl e t e d i n h er outf i t an d repairs -„ Portsmouth dockyard for f ore i gn t roo p serv ic e ' is an illustration of the false system of estiniat ing for work to be done in her Majesty's d c l s , yards whi c h h as so l ong b een en f orc el " f Boards of Admi r alty, an d th e mys teries ° which Mr. Seely's late committee so vainly en d fr o voured to penetrate. The original estimate for alterations, repairs, and outfits of the Orontiv was about £38,000. This sum ha s b een now nea rl y expended, and the wo r k now t o b e d o ne is 113° 0 a than the remaining b a l ance o f th e mone y gra° f ; 9 1 will accomplish. An application for an aclditi °l " er sum to the Admiralty—of trifling amo unt howlis —has met with a refusal, Mr. Childers an d h o Board, no doubt, thinking enough moue,' ~ already been expended upon the ship. This is st ar ply one instance of the disadvanta g es of the n° pulsory system of drawing up estimates for 004 to be done during the year in the dockyards. 111 the present instance it does not tell mate ria 0 . against the national purse. Th e f o lly of the es to blished rule is that an o ffi c e r , i n d r awing 0, o il estimate for work upo n , sa y an eng i ne , or the fl or of a ship, which may p oss ibly ex t en d t o 140, 0 ° ° 0 £50,000, is required to name the exact SUm 1 10 will be required. If at the end of the work he au found to have spent less money upon it t OO he asked he is severely reprimanded. If, (3 ' ll ol other hand, he asks for more, he gets a rePri f° no less severe, and no amo un t o f ex planation c o ' 1 , set him right in the eyes of hi s c hi e f, the Con o , ler for the time being. The natural results f° ll° o o ing upon such a state of things, although not i 0 ou t case of the Orontes. It is that in nine 03°3 an d of ten " enough" is ask e d f or i n estimates/0-er any surplus when the work is finished is pended." e ter: WESTBOURNE MALL.--:11r. A. Silvester'C e d tainment, which has bee n so sa ti s f a ctorily' 1 3 ' 3 ,: c 0,- before the Bayswater p u bli c during the Christmas /-bio tion, we perceive will sho r tly close, as he a nnoup eeB t ,of benefit for Monday next, w h en we hope the res ide/i f hi , this important distri c t w ill s h ow t h e i r a ppreciatio n ° a • highly curious and very talented performanc es, 911 8 their liberal supp or t on t hi s hi s l ast n i ght ma rk their -001.1, of his spirited conduct in opening every night for a l i ra t i, a hall which has hith er t o on l y occas i ona lly afford eu , tO O opportunities for pleasurable enjoyment. Mr. Silv,e'froo name has long been associated with novelties scientific research, and often have the public be en be for e gratified by the curious successes he has plg eed n ois them, but the Bayswater debut of the " Talking LA°7„rroe", far the most curious and iu.l)st novel. We are Mr. Silvester is about to commence a countrY legit: true, we feel assured the " Talking Lion" will p r°v° cess, which, however great, will be well deserved' r 10 3 ' s . ue quotati.m of gold at Paris is about at PV r tin t . tare short exchange on London is 2.5 i. Vic. Pe r ',.. it' vrW e ° In comparing these rates with the English Ai n " "..g Cl ° ~s. loud. per ounce For standard g-,)14, it ps' bil l. gold i the same price in Lc:Lion and Paris. for The course of exchange at Nev York on Lon ere ereeo:l at 60 days' si,._;tht was on the last date about 1 9 At this rate there is no profit on the liopor tati°- 4 from the Cluj cu :tates. Wg e° - DUNVILLE and Co., Belfast, are the ior ig r e o holders of Whisky in the world. Their Old Ir ish Wl'i!o frol Cic commended by the medical profession in preference or o exvort'b_ ;, Brandy. Supplied in casks and cases for home 1-15° tion. Quotations on appli ca tio n to Messrs. Duncilla '10,4:,>1 Belfast; cc 4, Beaufort-buildings, Strand, Loticl° 3 Terasemcbt.]