The Sun. — London, England, 1860-12-28 00:00:00

ROYAL ENGLISH OPERA, COVENT GARDEN.—tinder the Management of Miss Louisa Pyne and Mr. W. Harrison, Sole Lessees. IMPORTANT NOTICE. .• The Management find it necessary to announce to their Patrons that it will be impossible for a few nights at Christ mas to perform Balfe's eminently successful Opera with the Grand Pantomime. The time in representation and scenic preparation required for a Harlequinade of such magnitude, renders this temporary suspension of the brilliant Opera im perative. Boxes and places will continue to be booked daily at the Box-office for its reproduction at an early date. Commence at Seven. Order carriages at half-past 11. THIS EVENING, Mr. Wm. D arrison's popular Operetta, THE MARRIAGE OF GEORGETTE : Miss Louisa - Fyne and Mr. H. Corn. After which, with entirely new Scenery, Machinery, Dresses, and Decorations, a Grand Chr istmas Pantomine, BLUE BEARD; or , Harlequin and Freedom in her Island Home. Writtan by J. V. Brid g man, Es hiefq. ; pro duced by Mr. Edward Stirling ; embracing the c panto nlme talent of the day. A perfect galaxy of Mr. Harry Bolen°, Mr. Henry Payne, Mr. Clowns Hildyard, and the Lilliputians. ITaalequins,....Mr. Milano, Mr. F. Payne. Pantaloons Mr. Barnes, Mr. Tanner. Columbines ....Mme. Bolena, Miss Clara Morpn. Sprites.......... The Zelinski Family. 26 Ladies, Mr. W. H. Payne, Mdlle. Lamou- Ballet reux, Mdme. fierron, and Mons.Vandris. Go4rous scenery, from the pencils of T. Grieve and Telbin, illust.wati the moving events of the year ; decorations. by Blamire. n a sca'e of magnitude and expenditure without f a iry costumes, by Miss James and Mr. Coombes ; parallel ; lend!nir, processions. marches, dgncino - , fun, and Eastern sp Sloman, pro frolic, united to magical transformations by ducing, a combinatien of the grotesque and beautiful, recalling, the golden days of pan'toraime for which Covent Garden stood alone and unapproacheci. lNiorning, Performances every Wednesday and Saturday, Commencing Saturday, Dec. 29, at Two o'clock. Conductor, Mr. Alfred Mellon. Stage Manager, Mr. Ed. Stirling. Acting Manager, 31 - T, Edward Murray. ROYAL ENGLISH OPERA, COVENT-GARDEN. Under the Management of Miss Louisa Pyne and Mr. W. Harrison, Sole Lessees. TO-NIGHT, Dec. 28, MARRIAGE OF GEORGETTE Miss Louisa Pyne and Mr. 11, Corrie. To conclude with the q Grand Christmas Pantomime , BLUE BEARD ; or, Harle uin and Freedom in her Island Home. Clowas, Messrs. H. Boleno, H. Payne. Hildyard, and Lilliputians. Harlequins, Messrs. Milano and F. Payne. Pantaloons, Messrs. Barnes and Tanner. Columbines, Mdme. Bolen° and Clara Morzan. Sprites, the Zelinski Family. M r. W. H. Payne, Mlle. Lamoureux, Szc. Conductor—Mr. Alfred Mellon. Commence at Seven. THEATRE -ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Lessee, Mr. J. R. sw*Rtone. was EVENING, SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER. Tony, Lumpkin, Mr. Buckstone ; Young Marlow, Mr. Howe ; Miss Hardcastle, Miss Fanny Stirling (her 3d appearance here). Alter which, a new Pantomime, QUEEN LADYBIRD LND HER CHILDREN. The Pantomimists by the un rivalled Leclercqs, Herr Cole, and Fanny Wright. Commence at 7. R OYAL PRINCE SS'S THEATRE.- Lessee and Manager, Mr. A. 'flares. THIS EVENING, Dec. E. ERNESTTN Messrs. J G.. Shore, R. Cathcart, Basil Potter ; Mesdames Heath, Car lotta Leclercq, Weston, and Murray. After which, a new Christmas comical pantomime, entitled ROBINSON CRUSOE ; or, Harlequin Friday, and the King of the Caribbe Islands : in which Monsieur Espinosa and Mdlle. Marie Dumilatre, ot the principal cantinental theatres, -will appear. Clown. Mr. A. F. Forrest. A D ELF NEW THEATRE-ROYAL. ,f - A. Sole Proprietor and Manager, Mr. Beni. Webster. THIS EVENING, AN UGLY CUSTOMER. Messrs. J L. Toole, C. Selby, and Warde ; Miss K. Kelly, and Miss E. Thorne. Aster which, THE COLLEEN BAWN. D. Boucicault, D. Fisher, Billington, Falconer, Stephenson. C. J. Smith, Romer. Miss Agnes Robertson, Miss Woolgar, Mrs. Killington, and Mrs. Chatterley. To conclude with a new Burlesque Extravaganza, entitled BLUE BEARD FROM A NEW POINT OF HUE. Messrs. J. L. Toole, P. Bedford, C. J. Smith ; Miss Woolgar, K. Kelly, Laidlaw, and E. Thorne. Doors open at half-past 6—Commence at 7. Box-office open from 10 till 5. No charge for booking. Private boxes, £2 2s. ; Family Boxes, £l. Orchestra Stalls, ss. ; Balcony, 4s. ; Front Circle Stalls, ; Pit Stalls, 25.; Pit, Is. 6d: ; Amphitheatre, ls ; Gallery, 6d. Acting Manager—Mr. Wm. Smith. THEATRE -ROYAL LYCEUM. Setif/ Levtee and Directress, Madame CELESTE. THIS EVENING THE IRISH TUTOR. Dr. O'Toole, Mr. John Drew. After which, the Lyceum Christmas Comic Extravaganza, CRYSTABELLE : or, The Rose without a Thorn, Elbowing THE VISIOv OF 'A ROSE. ITS FADING AT EVE, AND THE MAY-BLOOM OF THE WILD BRIAR. Followed by the comic Drama, entitled HANDY ANDY. Messrs. Campbell, Johnstone, T. Lyon. Forrester, Villiers, Butler, and John Drew: Mrs. J. Rouse, Miss Hudspeth, Miss Ternan, and Miss Neville. A STLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE.- Proprietor and Manager, Mr. Was. BATTY. This Evening, a new Spectacle, entitled THE LION CONQUEROR ; or, The Death Jungle, expressly for the introduction of the Wonders of the World, " The Groupe of Performing Lions." The Lion Conqueror, Mr. J. Crockett. To be succeeded by Scenes in the Arena, supported by talented Parisian and British Artistes. Concluding with Batty's Prize Equestian Comic Panto mime, for Good Little Boys and Girls, by T. L. Greenwood, entitled HARLEQUIN AND THE WONDERFUL HORSE ; or. Percinet and Grociosa, the Ugly Duchess and the Greedy King, produced with Gorgeous Scenery, by Mr. Cuthbert, new Costumes and Appointments, and introducing in the comie scenes Batty's Prize Equestrian Harlequinade, and the celebrated Old Bob Ridley, and Brandon Ledger. Harlequin Mr. Sylvester. Columbine Miss Hariet Dalton. Pantaloon Mr. G. Perks. Clown Mr. James Cooke. Sprites—Messrs. Thorne, Lockhart, and Sons. Doors open at half-Fast 6, performance commence at 7. Box-office open daily trout it till 4 Stare Manager—Mr. W. Wv.ser. Director of the Arena—Mr. Pearson. CANTERBURY HALL. Open Every Eveninz at Seven. GRANWSELECTIONS (First Time) from LA FIGLIA DEL REGYMENTO(Donizetti), NORM A, SONNAMBULA, and MARTHA. Principal Artistes Miss RUSSELL, Madame MARIA, Miss TYRRELL, Miss WILLIAMS, Mr. HENRY HERBERT, C. W. BERNARD, and Signor TIVOLI. Musical Director...., Mr. F. JONGTIMANS. The Comic Department comprises Messfs. J. Br. kNCTIARD, A. B. HOLLINGSWORTH, Master BARRY, G. W. PELL, CHARLEY FOX, and E. _MARSHALL. The Fine Arts Gallery has been enriched by the addition of the late John Martin's three Grand Pictures—viz., " THE GREAT DAY of HIS WRATH." "THE PLAINS of HEAVEN," and " TfIE LAST JUDGMENT," on view until 12 o'clock at Night, THE WEATHER.—SUN OFFICE, DEC. 28, IgBo. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 33—highest since noon yesterday. 26—lowest this morning and during the night. 32 —this day at noon., BAno3ItTER-29.99. Wiwn—Easteriy, inclining to North—light ; with frosty weather. We have had a heavy fall of snow last evening. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. THIS DAY. —Morning, lh. 49 m. —Afternoon, 2h. 11m. To-moßnow.-Morningp 2h. 3 2m.—Aft,ernoon, 2h. 62m. ,:,, i , , . •4. '7 4 117 - ' • • . '1••- ':4 .4... - ot d.,`-. . c -401,V-Z41., . " 14 !•••-•,,, Y: ,-- ( 1 , J 4,. 4 ..,.. - • 4 4'.-. , , . -.;.' - `.t., ,, ,r mo t + ii ~ ` C 4 p 0 , 1-..... 1 -; -6 c;5•,1., - "'"' ,:•-• r CO- - ''s ' 1:: -/" 1 " ' .& ~- P,„ 4 ._...'„' t l'. Y. 0, "" , • 4 'k iff.s4 ii ''''' - i • b.ii; U • '1 ,1F1 , T72' , .1 ,, r,W.5,.. 4 4, .. , . . •=.,'.4 - ,-7•;;;;p'Zi% `441.;,... THE SUN. LONDON, FRIDAY, DEC. 28, 1880. The Chinese despatches have at length arrived, and we now know all about the old-world mystery of Pekin, and can peruse at our leisure all the minute particulars of the subjugation —more by the mere terror of our approach than by the actual force of our arms—of the haughty and despotic Tartar Government. It was the philosophic remark of the greatest man of modern times, perhaps of any times in the history of the world—it was the profound remark of NAPOLEON the Great, that,whenever a belligerent is cruel even in victory you maybe absolutely certain that he was, prior to his• success, all but defeated. The rulers of the Chinese—mandarins and generals alike— have been, throughout this recent war, most c ruel; cruel• to the . utmost reach of atrocity, and by this infernal and pitiless barbarity of theirs, they have betrayed in the most signal manner that was in any way possible their own consciousness of their ignominious.defeat from first to last. It is true, and not less remarkable than true, that the renowned and 'mighty capital of that vast empire of the Chinese, was entered at length, after all that we had heard of i t, after all that had been written about it and Conjectured about it for centuries, was actually entered at last by a comparatively small but triumphant Allied Force of Englishmen and Frenchmen, without th e the loss of one life, without the infliction of a singl e wound, without the firing of one solitary piece of artillery. The Celestial EMPEROR had fled before the coming of the Europeans in a manner the most meanly and abjectly terrestrial ! The fire-eating Generalissimo of all his vaunted armies had tailed off with his routed hordes of Tartar cavalry. The sword of state, there, proved but the paltriest panto mimic dagger of lath after all—and a dagger of lath that at the find blow fell broken into splinters. Even when the Allied Expedition had passed the gates of the mysterious city—that city that was to have awed and dazzled the " outer barbarian"— rupposing that " outer barbarian" ever to have mirvived his entrance into a place so very wonder hi--even, we say, when the European soldiers Under Sir Horg GRANT and General MONTAUBAN .r...4....,................~............................................ had crossed the for bidden barriers of those awe-inspiring porches of Pekin, there appea Ire d before them no more than a repetition up on a larger scale of that spectacle of squalor and wretchedness, of filthy ruins and unsightly ter Le ments, which had previously been presented to view upon our capture of the frontier towns of the' Empire—such places as Canton and Tien-tsin. It has turned out to be, in regard to Pekin, what, upon closer examination from within, it was long since known to be in regard to Constantinople ! Namely, that all this boasted Oriental magnificence of the capital of China, as of the capital of Turkey, was, in literal point of fact, but the veriest Vauxhall Transparency ! Only, that the modern Byzantium has this advantage over its Asiatic rival and companion, that, when viewed from without, it shines over the Golden Horn with a superb veneer of the picturesque ! Whereas, with Pekin—this long talked-of, long dreamt-of city of Chinese magnificence—the squalor and meanness of the whole place are engrained and undisguisable. The marvellous city of Pekin, the capital of the gorgeous and hitherto impenetrable Cipango, the cherished illusion of those visionaries who believed of yore, to the east, in the gold running rivers of Cathay, and to the west in the golden palaces and the jasper pavements of El Dorado—Pekin, actually this wonderful city of Pekin, has proved, now that it has been reached, and entered, and scrutinised, one of the most mon strous shams and humbugs that has ever deluded the European imagination; Yet—while it is thus with regard to Pekin, it is diametrically the reverse with respect to the Chinese EMPEROR'S summer palace situated with out its walls, the truly marvellous but now utterly destroyed palace of Yuen-Ming-Yuen. There, within that extraordinary structure, or rather mass of structures, the fancied splendours sung of by the Arabian Fabulists seem to have been realised, and even in some particulars surpassed, and that moreover upon a scale of grandeur and profusion absolutely beggaring description. The pomps and luxuries of many centuries had there been gathered together. It was the favourite re sidence of successive dynasties, of a series of despotic rulers over a meek and industrious people numbering the scarcely conceivable aggregate of four hundred million human creatures. There under the roof of that astonishing edifice, or rather crowd of edifices, the treasures of that immense power had, reign after reign, been accumulated. This in truth was the one isolated oasis of grandeur in that widerness of squalid wretchedness. And there, after ravaging the whole place, from parapet to basement—after bearing away from it, for subsequent division, the profuse spoil of its contents, in treasures, apparel, and furniture, in costly stuffs, and precious materials wrought with admirable workmanship—the torch of EROSTATUS (we now know quite well How and Why) was applied with an unhesitating hand by the vict )rs, and this almost fabulous Palace of Yuen-ming-yuen was reduced inexorably to ashes. The destruction thus of Yuen-ming-yuen, let it be Observed at once, was no act of wanton vengeance. It was a deed of simple and richly merited expiation: The crime perpetrated by the Chinese rulers, by the Tartar generals and the Tartar mandarins, was a crime of peculiar atrocity and of flagrant magnitude. It was in notorious violation of the sacred law of nations, the .7 - us Gentium. It was a crime singularly treacherous in its commencement —the seizure of a little bluster of the Allies, bearing with them two flags of truce. It was a crime carried out with execrable cruelties to its gradual consummation through a succession of dreadful deaths—deaths produced by long torture and by frightful mutilation! Among the party of Europeans who had been thus lawlessly taken pri soners in spite of the sacred flags of truce they carried there were in all exactly twenty-six men from the British contingent—nineteen Sikhs and seven Englishmen. Eleven of those nineteen Sikhs were eventually released—and two of the seven Englishmen. Those two Englishmen, almost miraculously spared to us, being Mr. PARKES, her MAJESTY'S Consul, .and Mr. Lour, the English Ambassador's Private Secretary. The last men tioned of those gentlemen, it will be perceived through an account given in another column, landed again upon our shores at Dever only yes terday, meeting there with a reception that might readily have been predicted for him. Who would not like to grasp his hand in sympathy - and give him welcome kick to old England? Heartily do we trust that this gallant-hearted Englishman will meet with his reward, and that the heroic resolution shown from first to last by his noble spirited companion iu peril, Mr. PARKES her MAJESTY'S Consul, to whose unflinching deter mination the preservation of the lives of every one of those who escaped was alone (under God) attri butable—eventually do we hope that Consul PARKES Will, on his return homewards, meet with a befitting recompense. A baronetcy were not too much to award to this' long tried and ever active servant of the Crown and of the Country. As to Sir HorE GRANT, the Commander-in-Chief, and the Earl of ELGIN, her' MAJESTY'S Ambassador — the former has nobly earned his Marshal's baton, and the latter his advancement to the Marquisate ! This moreover not only for the victorious occupa tion of Pekin and the triumphant negotiation of the new.treaty of peace with the Government of China, but yet more, if possible, for the noble course pursued by each in regard to the. treatment of the r&tnains of the poor murdered prisOners, and the avenging thunderbolt struck at the very place where the slow assasination of those ill-fated pri soners commenced, namely, the gigantic and sump tuous palace of Yuen-Ming-Yuen !.It is impossible to peruse without emotion the record of the burial of BE NORMAN and BOWLBY and PFIIPPS and ANDER SON (poor BRABAZON'S remains were never re covered)—with Mr. PARKES and Mr. Low walking among the number of pall-bearers, and Lord ELGIN and Sir HOPE GRANT following as Chief Mourners in that melancholyprocession. It is equally impossible to remember without a thrill of exulta* tion, that the resplendent palace where those mur dered Englishmen were first tortured, has ,been burnt to the ground, in expiation of the crime, and that a vast heap of mouldering ashes seven miles in length alone marked (when our last acfvices [eft) the historical site of Yuen-Ming-Yuen. The members for Edinburgh have barely escaped a vote of censure from a meeting, we cannot say a public meeting, of their constituents. So great indeed, was the apprehension of a hostile vote that the exclusion policy was deemed the only safe one. Known supporters were admitted by circular' some time before the doors were thrown open to the public, and thus the platform and orchestra were filled with supporters ready to drown, if possible, with "Hurrahs" the tremendous hootings which we re expe cted from the body proved the excellence othe f of the hall. general ship Th res ult ; only the proximity of the hurrahs availed to prevent the shouts of disapprobation from echoing much the more loudly in the ears of the represen tatives of the Modern Athens. The cause of all this was a double apostasy on the part of Mr. BLACK, and the carrying ofan unpopular measure on the part of his colleape,o -~.__-=- THE SUN, LONDON, ''nIDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 28, 1860. the Lord-Advocate. Mr. BLACK had been guilty I of aiding the defeat, for the session, of the Minis- I terial Reform Bill ; and also of withdrawing a good and popular measure in regard to the Annuity-Tax, after having taken it to a second reading; and of , doing it in favour of the Lord-Advocate's obnoxious measure, This measure, however, was the only offence of the Lord-Advocate, as he had, of course, supported the Reform Bill of his Government ; but the perpetuation of the Annuity-Tax was quite enough to irritate exceedingly the now very nume rous inhabitants of Edinburgh, who, since the great Disruption, have had to support the "Residuary Church," as they term it, by com pulsion, and their own Free Church by their voluntary contributions. When to them we add a considerable number of previously misting Dissenters, it is not wonderful that the author and the accepter of a bill which has resulted in fixing for perpetuity a tax as odious in Edin burgh as Church-rates are in all English towns, or as the abolished ministers' money was in Ireland, wa cannot wonder that the t wo members found th em selves in pretty hot water. The result of the meeting, indeed was, after all the care taken to pack it, that the LORD PROTOST could not tell which side were in the majority; he, therefore, gave the benefit of the doubt to the accused members, who will cer tainly find themselves much more at ease on the floor of the House of Commons than they did on the platform from which they addressed those who loudly denied that they vt ere their representatives. Mr. BLACK, who spoke first, was unquestionably the greater sinner. His. conduct had been—" Old Tfrhig"—to the backbone. While a £6 franchise was a party move, in opposition to Mr. DISRAELI, he voted for it as an amendment to throw out the antagonist of the Whigs. We 'are not giving too dark a view of Mr. BLACK'S conduct,'_ for the BLACK view itself is this—" At that time, and in the circumstances we were then placed, I was dis posed to recommend £6. And why ? because, in the first place, Lord JOHN RUSSELL had moved and carried a resolution against Mr. DISRAELI, proposing among other things £6 as the limit of the franchise, and on that occasion I voted with 'my party in what was really a party motiou, and thus got in some degree committed, although, if I had voted on the other side, I should have been worse committed still, for then Mr. DISRAELI, for the Protectionist party, showed their willingness to offer the same bribe to the Radicals, or to come even lower, and Mr. BRIGHT, besides many of those who glory in the name of Advanced Liberals, would hardly be content with a £5 franchise, but would only take it as an instalment. All parties in the House of Commons appeared to me to be committed to the lowering of the franchise, and in these circumstances I was disposed to recommend the highest limit that was likely to be got." A view this certainly which needs not the addi -1 tion of any paint political of ours to make it darker in the eyes of all hearty Liberals. We believe, however, that Mr. BLACK spoke on Monday the sentiments of a whole battalion of " Old Whigs" who would hardly like to speak so frankly them selves, Mr. BLACK openly says, "1 wanted Mr. DISRAELI out, and Lord PALMERSTON in—Reform of Parliament, in any popular sense, I had, on re flection, turned my back upon ; it was useful, very useful, to eject Conservatives, but there its utility ended. Mr. Desraeli was ready to give as low a franchise, if not a lower one, than Lord .Tohn Russell, and for that very reason lam all the more gratified that I helped to turn him out." We thank Mr. BLACK for these honest revelations. We know that no man is more deeply in the councils of the " Old Whigs," and as we always attributed to them the political meanness of turning out the Conserva tives, not in the interest of reform, but of party merely, and always predicted that we should get a better franchise from the Tories than from the Whigs, we are glad to have our views of Whig policy confirmed from so well informed a quarter. We beg, however, in fairness, to acknowledge that we do except Lord JOHN RUSSELL from the charge of indifference to his own measure. We believe his amendment to eject Mr. DISRAELI was factious ; but we have little doubt that, afterwards, his slow pace with his own bill was due to the Anti-Reform party in the Coalition Cabinet, of which party the Premier is notoriously at the head. It was the old Whigs, in and out of the Cabinet, who used the very respectable citizen of Edinburgh 1 as one of their tools, that really "put the spoke in 1 the wheel'' in the Reform Bill of last session. We certainly shall not follow Mr. BLACK in his recitation of the old reasons of recreant Liberals for rejecting the franchise when formally proposed by Lord J - OHN RUSSELL, which they willingly accepted from him as a promise in order to get their party back to power. This much we say of all the clique, that we regard them as we should commercial men, whQ, having the means to pay, yet refused to honour a bill which they had accepted. Would that they could be as summarily dealt with. It was not the Tories who deprived us of Reform last session. They were, at least, but subordinate actors. Mr. DISRAELI had declared that he would let it pass. Afterwards, when " Old Whigs" began to whisper to the Tories "Why did your leader serve us so ? we looked to him to get rid of the bill for us—go at it, and we will back you "—then, indeed, the Tories gladly followed the promptings of their Liberal friends, and the disgraceful process com menced of smothering the bill with talk. This we believe to be the true history of the Whig Reform Bill of 1860, and we must say that it was, politi cally, a BLACK business. THE CAPE OF GOOD ROPE MAIL, PLYMOUTH, FRIDAY. The Celt, with the above mail, arrived here this morning. She left the Cape on the 21st ult., St. Helena on the 30th, and Ascension on the 4th inst. The Celt brings 25 passengers, among whom are Major Mannsell and Assistant-Surgeon Crisp of the 59th Regiment, and Captain Hall of the 13th. Her cargo comprises 1,369 bags of copper-ore, 100 tons of antimony, 320 bales of wool, and a small quantity of wine. British Kaffraria was proclaimed a separate colony on the 30th October. The territory between the rivers Keiskamma and Great Kei constitutes this new dependency. A league had been formed in the Eastern pro vince to procure a separation from the West. Influential meetings in favour of this movement had taken place in all the principal towns of the East, and large sums had been subscribed with the same object. Sir George Grey was still at Cape Town. But little progress had been made in public business. The public journals complained of the delay. Several souvenirs from Prince Alfred had arrived and been distributed. The 13th and 59th Regiments were holding themselves in readiness to proceed to New Zealand. Admiral Koppel was last heard of at the Manritius. The Brisk had captured the slaver Manuela with 765 slaves on board. The slaver Lyres, taken on Oct. 13, had been condemned. The Hornet had arrived at the Cape. The lassie, a vessel belonging to Cape Town, had been discovered to have gone slaving. The ship Lord Clyde, from Calcutta for London had been burnt. Immigration prospects were favourable, as there was plently of work at outlying places. Proceed ings had been taken for the naturalisation of Adam Kok and Griguas as British subjects under feudal tenure. Letters had been received from Zanzibar, and also from Mr. Moffat. Commercial and monetary affairs at the Cape had improved. DOVER, Thursday.—lis Royal Highness Prince Alfred, attended by Major Ccwell, R.E., and Captain Du Platt, arrived here last nightby the 7 10 train, and, after dining at the Lord Warden liotel, embarked in the mail packet John Penn, specially 'rdered for the service of the Prince ; and, under the supeintendence of Capt. Jenkyns proceeded to Ostend, en you eto Germany. His Royal Highness was received at therailway station and attended to the packet by Major-General Crawford, Major Jones, A.D.C., Mr. J. G. Churchyard, &c. The weather had been very tempestuous the p•evious night, but had mode rated during the day. After the departure of the Prince, however, the wind began to blow hard again from E.N.E., and during the night freslened into a strong gale. The John Penn, nevertheless, a-rived off Ostend at one p.m., but a dense fall of snow and sleet were so blinding that the packet had to feel her way hto harbour by soundings, and at length got alongside tin: quay at 2.30 a.m., when the Prince landed, and remainal at the Bath Hotel until the departure of the German train at 7.15 a.m. The weather came on so bad last night that the Belgian Government packet remained in Dovpr harbour all night, and left with the mails this morning. It is understood that Prince Alfred will return to England about the 6th of January. His Excellency, the Earl of Carlisle, who has been staying on a visit to the Duke and Duchess of Suther land at Trentham, has left for Castle Howard, his lordship's seat in Yorkshire. • We understand a marriage is arranged to take place between Lieutenant-Colonel Cust, of the Grenadier Guards, and Lady Florence Lascelles, sister of the Earl of Harewood. We hear a marriage is arranged to take place early in the spring between Miss Victoria Russell, eldest daughter of Lord John Russell by his first marriage with Lady Ribblesdale, and Mr. Henry Montagu Villiers, eldest son of the Bishop of Durham, and nephew of the Earl of Clarendon, K.G. The fair betrothed is a goddaughter of the Queen. The funeral of the late Marquis and Earl of Dalhousie took place on Wednesday. A testimonial; a service of plate of the value of 120 guineas, was yesterday presented to Mr. G. N. Tyrrell, late chief superintendent Of the London or southern division of the Great Western Railway, by the working staff. The Weekly' Register denies the statement that the late Duke of Norfolk left a large sum 'to the Pope. It says that when the will is proved, it will be found to con tain fto legacies. • The Paris correspondent of the Weekly Register asserts that since tho return of the Empress Eugenie, the Emperor has declined to allow her to attend any meetings of the Council of Ministers, as formerly. The writer says that the Empress has presented Cardinal Morlot, her con fessor, with 100,00 Q francs, as an offering to the Pope. The last number, of the Bulletin des Lois contains a decree, dated Dec. 17, approving a convention between the Minister of the Interior and MM. Bower, Trotter, and Curtis, for laying down a submarine telegraph between France and the United States. The half-yearly meeting of the Canada Company took place yesterday. Out of the funds in hand in London, amounting to £26,044, the directors recommended the pay ment of a dividend of £2 10s. per share, free of income tax, which was agreed to. The tobacco manufactory at Florence, a Govern vernment establishment, caught fire on the 21st. A quan tity of tobacco was destroyed to the amount of about 8,000 f., but the establishment was insured at Venice and Trieste. The fire is considered to have been accidental. THE WEATHER.—SOUTHAMPTON, Thursday.— The severe frost and cold continue. We had another heavy snowstorm last night, and a considerable quantity of snow has also fallen at intervals to-day. There is now (5 p.m.) every appearance of a further heavy fall, with the wind from the east. CRYSTAL PALACE—The revels attracted a large concourse of visitors yesterday, numbers of whom found their way to the lakes, and amused themselves on the ice. The Palace was lighted up in the evening, and the enter tainments went off with perfect success. One Shilling Day, Thursday, Dec. 27.—Admissions on payment, 6,350; ditto by season tickets, I,3Bo—total visitors, 7,730. EXECUTION AT DURHAM.—The execution of Milner Lockey for the murder of Harrison, at Urpeth, took place in front of Durham Gaol yesterday morning. Along with Lockey, Thomas Smith, for the murder of John Baty, at Winlaton, also suffered the extreme penalty of the law. GALLANTRY AT SEA.—At the Liverpool (tempo rary) Sailors' Home; Mr. Imrie, chairman of the Liverpool Local Marine Board, on behalf of the President of the United States, presented to Captain Donaldson, of the Liverpool ship Roderick Dhu, a valuable sextant, bearing a suitable inscription, in acknowledgment of his gallant con duct in having rescued the crew of an American vessel. ACCOMMODATION FOR THE COAL . TRADE AT THE BIRKENHEAD DOCKS.—The Mersey Dock Board, at their meeting yesterday, agreed to meet the demands of the coal trade at Birkenhead, by letting a large quantity of land on the margin of the great float at the rate of ls. 3d. per yard per annum for seven years, and to expend £4,000 in laying down lines of rails, &c. During the discussion which took place on the subject, it was elicited that the coal trade of Birkenhead had increased from 62,000 tons in 1851 to 300,000 tons in the present year. THE IRON TRADE.--DUDLEI, Dec. 27.—The iron masters of the district held their preliminary meeting this afternoon at the hotel in this town. There was a nume rous attendance, and the feeling of those members of the trade who were present was very unanimous in favour of maintaining the prices agreed upon at the last quarter day.: The new rules, under the Mines Regulation and In. spection Act of last session, which the mine owners of this part of the kingdom have resolved to submit to the Secre tary of State for his approval, formed almost the only topic of discussion. THE IRON TRADE.—BIRMINGHAM, Dec. 27.—The usual preliminary meeting of the ironmasters in the South Staffordshire and East 'Worcestershire district was held to day, at the Hotel, Dudley. There was a very full attend ance, and a resolution for maintaining existing prices during the ensuing quarter was passed with only one dissentient. Very little discussion took place upon the present inactive condition and probable future prospects of the trade, the proceedings being for the most part confined to a conversa tion upon the special rules under the Mines Inspection Act, which the mineowners have adopted, and which, after the requisite publicity has been given to them, will be sub mitted for the approval of the Secretary of State for the Home Department. LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN RAILWAY.— A special general meeting of the proprietors was held yes terday, at Euston Station, the Marquis of Chandos in the chair, for the puypose of creating £208,125 stock of the company, and authorising the issue of the same, or so much thereof as may be required in exchange for stock or shares now held by the shareholders of the Warrington and Stockport Railway Company, in the proportion of £9 58. London and North-Western stock for each £lO stock .or shares of the Warrington and Stockport Com pany, in pursuance of the powers contained in the War rington and Stockport Railway Leasing Act, 1859, for the purchase of such railway. And also for the purpose of creating £496,884 additional capital in shares, in pur suance of powers contained in the several Acts of Parlia ment relating to the company. And also for the purpose of authorising the appropriation and issue of the said capital, and of stock already created, to the shareholders of the Shropahire Union Railway and Canal Company, in exchange for the stock or shares now held by them, in the proportion of £5O London and North Western stock for each £lOO Shropshire Union stock, in pursuance of the resolution of the special general meeting of the company held on the 21st day of June, 1860. The noble chairman explained that the object of this meeting was of a purely formal Ohara, far, and propoaod roaolotio nd in accordano• with the terms of the advertisement by which it had been convened. These having been agreed to, the meeting adjourned. SERIOUS DAMAGE TO RYDE PIER.—In the heavy gale of Tuesday night a great deal of damage was done both on shore and afloat. Two schooners, the Havelock and the Thomas, and the ketch Rose, were driven through Ryde pier. the Thomas, collier, was the first; she was driven broadside on, and made a clear sweep of it. She was followed by the Havelock, also a collier. The Rose cut her way through in another part of the pier. Several lighters, &c., were sunk. The Thomas and Havelock were both moored to the Pier Company's moorings, and all the da mage done them and the pier, it is understood, will fall on the Pier Company. THE GREAT JEWEL ROBBERY.—James Thomas and Elizabeth his wife, were yesterlay placed before Mr. Arnold, the magistrate, at the Westminster Police-court, charged with being concerned in the late robbery of £2,000 worth of jewellery from No. 3, Lowndes-square, Belgravia, the residence of Lady Talbot de Malahide. The main evidence against the man was tho finding of a hat, with his name and address pasted in the inside of it, on the roof of the adjoining house to 'the one in which the robbery was committed. There was no evidence against the woman. She was ordered to be discharged, but the man was re manded. None of the stolen property has been as yet dis covered. A MAN ROASTED TO DEATH, AT HULL.-0,11 Tuesday night, a young man was found in the hold of the sloop Hope, of S wainefleet, near Goole, lying in the Queen's dock, at Hull, roasted to death. The deceased obtained a living by frequenting the vessels and subsisting on what the seamen gave him. The accident was first discovered by John Bayes, a sloopman, whose vessel was lying along side the Hope. Observing smoke and sparks issuing from the hold of the Hope, he proceeded at once to pour buckets of water down wail the fire was extinguished. On de scending to see what extent of damage had been done, he discovered the deceased lying at full length near the cabin stove, with the upper part of his body and one of his arms burnt to a cinder. The deceased, it is supposed, went into the cabin to warm himself, when the fumes from the coke overcame him, and while lying on tko cabin floor his dress aught Are. 'IET NEWS. (REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.) DEPARTURE OF THE QUEEN OF NAPLES. MILAN, DEC. 27. The Perseveranza states on good authority that the young Queen of Naples has left Gaeta. GAETA, DEC', 24 The bombardment continues day and night. The firing is replied to by the besieged. VIENNA, DEc. 28. The official Mener Zeitung contains two Imperial decrees : The first orders that in view of the present extraordinary state of things the forced currency of bank notes (zwangcours) in Lombardo-Venetia shall be maintained. The second orders that the payment of the inte rest of the national loan shall be effected in bank notes with the corresponding agio. The decrees are preceded by two reports of the Ministers of Finance, stating the motives for pro posing the measures. PARIS, FRIDAY MORNING. The Moniteur publishes the text of the treaty concluded with China, and a despatch of Baron Gros detailing the ceremonials which accompanied the signing of the treaty. A letter from Messrs. Mires and Co. has been published, announcing the extension of the sub• scription to the Turkish Loan, and stating that 120,620 bonds have already been subscribed for. TURIN, DEC. 27. The official Gazette of to-day publishes four royal decrees, dated Naples, Dec. 17, declaring the pro vinces of Naples, Sicily, the Marches, and Umbria to constitute an integral part of the State of Italy. The King will leave Naples on the 28th inst. PARIS, DEC. 27 (Evening). The Pays says :—" The tendency of public opi nion presages that the 3aribaldian party will obtain the majority at the elections to the Italian Parliament, Count Cavour has the intention of retiring, at least provisionally, from the Sardinian Ministry." CONSTANTINOPLE, DEC. 19. The Sardinian ships are still detained at Galatz and Sulina. Their cargoes of munition: have been sequestered by the Hospodar, in compliance with orders from the Porte. The Principalities aro agitating in favour of Hungary. BERLIN, DEC. 27. The ireuz Zeitung publishes a telegram from Vienna, stating that the Emperor has already sanctioned the resolutions of the conference of Gran, and has resolved upon convoking the Hun garian Diet for February next. y"'~r ~,. FRANCE. BOURSE, Dec. 27.—The fee for admission to the Bourse will continue to be levied. The closing of the subscription to the Turkish loan is postponed until the sth January next. The market has been very heavy and with a downward tendency, owing to the arrival of the English funds with a decline of I per cent. For the Account, Threes are now at 68f sc; Mobilier, 752 f 50c ; Orleans, 1,381 f 25c ; Northern, 988 f 75c ; Mediterranean, 910 f; Austrian, :502f 50e ; Lombard, 472 f 50c. The following are the last quotations :- 41, per per Cents 96 60 , Credit Fancier 955 Do. ead month.... Belgian 41 — 3 per Cents Do. end month 6B Roman Bank Shares 2852 50 Austrian Credit Mobilier.... 750 — 1 Spanish Threes 5O 25 Do. Account 752 50 Home Debt sanitary officials who form e d a p ar t o f th e garri son, and who belonged to the regular army of the Two Sicilies, will retain the rank they held on the 7th of September, 1860. 4. The rank held by the under officers at the time of surrendering the place will be also recognised, on the condition, however, of completing their engagement as determined by the law of conscription in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. ... At the moment of surrendering the place the eapoiitan commissioners will deliver up to the King's commissioners the list of the names of the officers and under-officers, with a statement of the ranks they hold, also an inventory of the ordnance and stores in the citadel. After Count de Sanfront had communicated to General Fergola these honourable conditions, the latter convoked a council of war, which I am assured decided on accepting them. This opinion was also entertained by the soldiers, but the old Neapolitan general, being of a contrary opinion, resisted the wish of the garrison and refused to surrender. By this time the operations against the citadel must have already commenced, and as it will be attacked by sea and land, it is to be foreseen that it cannot long hold out. It is therefore at Gaeta that Francis 11. is going to play his last stake; it will be, doubtless, a very bloody one, but cannot be very long, for with soldiers so insubordinate they cannot defend the place as they would if the gar rison were French or Piedmontese. ARRIVAL OF MR. LOCH AT DOTER, DOVER, THURSDAY, • This afternoon the royal mail packet Alliance, arriving at this port from Calais, brought to Eng land Mr. Loch, with the already anticipated de spatches from China. The intelligence that Mr. Loch was on board, though ascertained only a quar ter of an hour before the arrival of the packet, rapidly spread itself over the lower part of the town, and on the arrival of the Alliance alongside the Admiralty pier there was a crowd of eager and enthusiastic spectators ready to give Mr. Loch, so fresh from the scene of the regent exploits in China, a hearty congratulation on his safe arrival once more upon English soil. On the vessel being brought to her moorings, Mr. J. G. Churchward, of the Dover and Continental Mail Service, pro• ceeded on board, and as an old acquaintance of Mr. Loeb's, offered his congratulations. The Mayor and Mr. W. H. Bodkin, the recorder of the borough —the last-named gentleman having fortunately just arrived at the Lord Warden just at the time the telegraphic message announcing the departure of the Alliance with Mr. Loch on board had been received—also offered their congratulations on his safe return. The Mayor (J. Birmingham, Esq.) warmly welcomed him on his safe arrival in Eng land. He assured him that the recital of his suf ferings had excited the utmost sympathy and com miseration of his countrymen. He felt, however, that those sufferings had induced the vigorous mea sures that had resulted in a glorious peace. He regretted the corporation, in a body, were deprived of the honour and pleasure of waiting on his land ing. Mr. Loch tendered his best thanks, and expressed his gratitude for all the kindness shown him. Among the persons assembled at the railway station were a great number of ladies, including Miss Birmingham, daughter of the Mayor. All gracefully welcomed Mr. Loch, who appeared highly gratified with the reception afforded him. From the communications made by Mr. Loch, it appears that at the time he left the scene of opera tions in China Lord Elgin expected to follow in about three months. Two regiments were about to leave, and 12 men•of-war were also coming home. As the train moved out of the station the persons assembled raised a hearty cheer. TILE _FRENCH DESPATCHES 1120 M CRINA. The Moniteur of yesterday publishes the follow ing despatch from Baron Gros, a telegraphic sum mary of which appeared in the Moniteur of the 20th of December, via St. Petersburg : PEKIN, Nov. 7. Peace was signed on the 25th of October between the brother of the Emperor and myself. The ultimatum of Shanghai has been accepted. The exchange of the ratifications of the Treaty of Tientsin has taken place. 60,000,000 f. will be paid as an indemnity to France ; 3,750,000 f. will be paid in cash on the 30th of the present month. The emigration of Coolies is authorised by the Chinese Government. The churches and cemeteries, with their dependen cies, belonging formerly to Christians throughout the whole empire, will be restored to them, through the medium of the Minister of France. Prince Kung sent to me yesterday an official document containing the statement of handing over to me, already done, of the Catholic Cathedral of Pekin ; he adds that he knows that in the Imperial city there was formerly another church, now destroyed, but that the ground and dependencies will be handed over to me. This day I have given passports to missionaries. On the 28th of October nearly the whole of the army, headed by the Embassy, took the six victims of the ambuscade of the 18th of September to the Catholic burial ground already handed over to Mon seigneur Mouly, Bishop of Petcheli, and where re pose the remains of the reverend fathers Gerbillon, Ricci, and Shaal. General Grant and his Staff joined us; M. Ignatieff, the Minister of Russia, whose frank support has been of great use to me on all occasions, awaited us in the burial ground. On the following day, the 29th, mass was peformed in the Cathedral, which has also been given up to M. Mouly. The iron cross has been replaced on the summit of the edifice, and the " Domino, salvum fac Impera torem" has inaugurated the public and legal re establishment of the Catholic faith in China. Moreover, there has been remitted to me, as an especial indemnity for the outrage of the 18th of September, the sum of 1,500,000 f. Everything is progressing admirably, and en courages the hope that this success will be lasting. I shall probably leave Pekin in two or three days to return to Tien-tsin, to concert there with Lord Elgin as regards what remains to be done. BARON GROS. The Moniteur adds the following to the above despatch:— To explain the above it is as well to give the principal points of the ultimatum addressed to the Chinese Government :- 1. Formal excuses for the attack on the allied forces at Taku. 2. Exchange at Pekin of the ratifications of the Treaty ~onclUded before at Tien-tsin. 3. Declaration that the French Government reassumed the right of establishing a permanent diplomatic mission at Pekin. 4. Payment of an indemnity of 60,000,000 f. BRIGHTON ANTI-HOTEL COMPANY (LIMITED.) — An advertisement appeared a few days since under the above heading, and, being sent on Christmas- Day, was inadvertently printed. It was a bad joke, and was a perversion of the proper use of public announcements; and we regret that it ap peared in our columns. THE WEATHER AND THE PARKS.—A change in the weather took place last night, and several heavy showers of snow fell. The thermometer on Wednesday night was at 29 deg. ; at 7 o'clock yesterday it was 31, and at noon it stood at 37, but last night at 7 o'clock it was only 31, one degree below freezing point. The barometer was 29.51. The ice in Regent's-park had about 5,000 sliders and skaters on the surface, and several accidents took place, amongst which were the following :—Charles Hall, of 11, Great Charles-street, Hampstead-road; Thomas Carman, of 1, Love •lane, City; and a boy named Hulbert, who was rescued by Park-constable Snelling, to whom great praise is due. 8,000 skaters and sliders ventured on the ice on the Serpen tine in Hyde-park, including many members of the Skating Club. Many persons fell upon the ice —four of whom had severe cuts on their heads. These were taken to the humane Society's House, and the wounds dressed by Superintendent Williams, and they were enabled to go to their homes. The Long Water in Kensington Gardens had about 2,000 sliders and skaters on the ice, but no material accident happened. The Round Pond had 3,000 skaters and sliders on the ice, but no accident occurred. On the ornamental water in St. James's Park a great number of persons nearly lost their lives by breaking through the ice, and being tripped up by the skaters. Amongst the number thus injured were James Morris, 21, Jane-street, New-cut, Lambeth; John Coulson, of No. 2, Lee-street, Holborn. The ice in this park is described as being still exceedingly dangerous. No accident of any importance took place in the Victoria Park, the ponds on Clapham-Common, or Hampstead-h e ath. THE NEW FOREIGN TVINE DUTIES. The following are the new Customs Duties Regrl' lations in reference to the new wine duties, which come into operation. on and after the Ist of January, 1861 : The board have again had under consideratio n the instructions which it may be desirable to issue for the guidance of the officers with reference to the provisions of the Customs Duties Consolidation Act, 1860, under which wine, on and after the Ist of will be liabl e t o different rates of January, 1861 duty, according to the quantity of spirit contained, therein, and the importation of wine is to be re stricted to such ports as may be approved by this board. The board rescind their general order 74, 1860, prescribing the course to he pursued in ascertaining and recording the strength of wine and casks, and specifying the ports into which wine may be Do' ported, and direct that the following regulation s be observed in lieu thereof, viz.:- 1. That the entry of wine on importation be lowed under the general term of red or white wine' as now required by the tariff, without calling 00 the importer to specify the particular rate of duty to which it may be liable. 2. That, with the view of obviating unnecessary delay and inconvenience, wino will be allowed to be warehoused without the rate of duty to which i t may be liable being first ascertained, and, if after wards entered for shipment, that it be allowed it; like manner to be exported ; but if it be intended for home consumption, that one cask in each mark, or more if deemed necessary, be tested by distilla tion previous to entry ; and in cases in which the, number of casks of ea c h mar k exceeds e i ght, that not less than one in eight be tested in the ston e manner ; and that the same course be adopted when casks of wine are removed under the warehousing regulations, the rate for d u ty b e i ng note d i n the despatch. That in all cases where the importers or owners make application for assessment either be fore the wine is passed into the warehouse, or dui . ' ing the time it remains in bond, the officers will be prepared to test any samples which may be sent to, them with as much d es p a t c h as the b usiness 01 their respective departments may permit, and the rate of duty to which such wines may be liable wil l be duly recorded accordingly. The gauging officers will in all cases note in the usual official books and documents the rates of duty to which wines so tested are liable, under the fol lowing heads Class A, for wines containing less than 18 degrees of proof spirits ; Class B, fo r wines containing less th an 26 d egrees of pro ol , spirits ; Class C, for wines containing less than 40 degrees of proof spirits ; Class D, for wines con' tanning less than 45 degrees of proof spirits. 3. That all wine entered for consumption be charged with duty at the rate attaching to the class under which it shall have been so recorded , and that wine removed under the warehousing regulations be in the same manner charged with duty at the place of receipt according to its class, as noted in the despatch, unless the merchant claims its admission to entry at a lower rate of del than that at which it has been assessed in th e warehouse register or in the despatch -note ; and in those cases the wine may be again tested and delivered according to the rate so ascertained, pro' vided the officers are satisfied the wine has 11 01 ' been in any way tampered with. Wine that has been fortified, mixed, or vatted after assessment will be re-tested by the officers previous to delivery for consumption or removal under the warehousing regulations. With regard to the ports of importation, the Board approve the following ports for importation of wine in casks on and after the Ist of January next, viz. :—London, Barnstaple, Bristol, Cher stow, Dover, Exeter, Falmouth, Folkestone, Goole, Glocester, Grimsby, Hartlepool, Hull, Ipswich , Liverpool, Lynn, Newcastle, Newhaven, Plymouth, Poole, Portsmouth, Rochester, Shields, Shorehata , Southampton, Stockton, Sunderland, Swansea Truro, Weymouth, 'Whitehaven, Yarmouth, Aber' deen, Glasgow, Greenock, Leith, Belfast, Cork , Dublin, and Waterford ; the operation of testing wine being, until further orders, confined to the ports of London, Bristol, Folkestone, Glocester , Hull, Liverpool, Newcastle, Plymouth, Southanir ton, Glasgow, Leith, and Dublin. As respects wine in bottles, the Board do not deem it necessary to impose any restriction as to the ports of importation ; such wine will be liable to the duty of 2s. sd. per gallon under Class C, and may be charged accordingly, unless the officers have reason to suspect that the strength thereof amounts to 40 per cent., in which case the wine must be tested previously to its delivery for con' sumption or removal. Ail wine containing 45 per cent. and upwards of proof spirits to be deemed mixed spirit, and charge"' with duty as such. RULES TO BE OBSERVED ON THE TRANSMISSION Of SAMPLES FROM " NON -TESTING" TO " TESTING PORTS." 1. A request in writing to be made by the chant to the collector or principal officer, setting forth the particulars as to the imports, marks, mar bers, &c., of the casks of wine of which samples al, required to b e f orwar d e d f or testing, on receipt 01 which the principal officer is to direct the necessary samples to be drawn by, or in the presence of the proper officer—viz., one sample of each imp: o4 mark, or more if deemed necessary, and in cases ill which the number of casks of each mark exceeds 81 not less than 1 in 8. 2. That such samples, when drawn, be sealed by the principal officer, placed in a box or other con ; venient package, and forwarded, under seals a office, by r ail wa y or o th er conveyance to the nears! : or most convenient port; it being understood that whatever port be selected as the most conveuielftf the same is to be deemed the testing port. 3. That a letter of advice be sent by post to 00 collector of the testing port, who is to return the document as soon as practicable, noting th e reo n the class unde r w hi c h t h e d uty on the wine should be assessed ; the sample to be retained at the testing port. - 4. The expense of providing bottles, cases, ace.' and forwarding the sample to be borne by the Crown, empty pa c k ages b e i ng returned free o f expense for carriage to the port whence sent. And copies of this minute are to be delivered to the proper officers in London, and transmitted to the collectors and controllers at the several out ports for their government, and with directions to them to acquaint th e merc h ants and other parties concerned at their respective ports with the regultv tions herein contained. RAILWAYS. Cash. Account. Orleans 1378 75 .. 1380 Northern New ditto 895 .. Lyons and Mediterranean 907 50 .. 908 75 Geneva 375 .. 377 50 Southern 517 50 .. 518 75 Western Eastern Sardinian Austrian Lorpbard - .. 472 60 GAETA. The Paris correspondent of the Hominy Post says :—Official telegraph despatches via Turin say that the Sardinians will be able to enter Gaeta on the Ist of January. Their siege artillery is most successful. Nevertheless, King Francis will make his Bavarians hold out to the last. His Majesty yesterday went on board a Spanish vessel with the Ambassador of Spain, in order to avoid the perils of bombardment. How swift is the judg ment ! Only a few weeks since, and he ordered the city of Palermo to be destroyed. According to the following letter in the Paris Frew, dated " Moli di Gaeta, Dec. 21," Francis 11. thinks it no longer safe to spend his nights in the bombarded town : Since I wrote to you in my last letter, the firing has only ceased for short intervals on either side. Beyond a doubt the fire from the place is hotter than our own, but we are endeavouring to show these Neapolitan gentlemen that our gunners know how to handle the rifled guns in the bat teries already mounted. Our siege works have much advanced these three days, and approached much nearer to the place. We have abandoned the position of Monte-Cristo, which was a little too far in the rear, and on that side we have raised a battery on the heights of Costola. From Costola the battery extends to the left towards the Capucini, Monte-Conca, and Monto-Portola. If you follow these positions which I have just traeed out on the map, you can easily ascertain the progress we have made and how the place is already surrounded by a formid able line. Our work, however, does not stop there, for the impious of the engineers are on the point of constructing another line still more formidable, which will soon be finished, I hope. Even if the famous Cavalli guns, so much spoken of, should not arrive in the course of the month, we have at our disposal a goodly supply of rifled ordnance of j every calibre for setting the business in hand. The besieged, who have been already able to con vince themselves of the destruction these guns can commit when they are properly aimed, have thought it prudent to dislodge the population of Gaeta, who inhabit the quarter of Colts Smerga, by turning them into the dwellings in the Rue San Montano, which is more on the south side of the town. The King himself, believing that he is not very safe in the rooms of his palace, has taken the prudent resolution of passing his nights on board of the Spanish frigate lying in the harbour. There is again a rumour in our camp that your squadron is decidedly on the eve of quitting the waters of Gaeta. It has produced the most favourable effect, for no sooner will the French veksels have left than Admiral P ersano w ill b e able on his side to attack the place, and thereby hasten the solution of an affair which it must be confessed has become rather a bore. Two days ago the French fleet was seen suddenly to hoist its flags half-mast high, in sign of mourning. We were naturally lost in a thousand conjectures, but this morning a Neapolitan officer who had been able to quit Gaeta explained to us the reason. It was the captain of the Redoubtable who had just died, and of typhus fever, it was said. I think I have already told you that the Count de Sanfront, an aide-de-camp of Victor Emmanuel, had left last Sunday for Messina, with the mission of communicating the order to the Neapolitan General Fergola, that he should surrender the citadel. The conditions which General Fanti has just made to the governor of that place have been communi cated to me. They are as follows :-1. The citadel of Messina, with all its stores, will be given up to the army of his Majesty the King Victor Emmanuel, as soon as it shall present itself. 2. The Nea- politan troops forming the garrison of the citadel of Messina will leave it with the honours of war, and will be embarked in order to be conveyed to one of the ports of the kingdom, which they will garrison, 3. The officers, the administrative and MIS DAY'S SHIPPING. LONDON, Dec. 28.--Wind this day at noon—Northerly; moderate breeze and hazy weather, with a heavy fall of snow last night. FALMOUTH. Dec. 27.—Wind S.E.—Arrived—Ama ranth, from Buenos Ayres; Stiliana, from Matanzas; Strang, from Honduras. PLYMOUTH, Dec. 28.—Wind S.E.—Arrived—Celt, steamer, from the Cape of Good Hope; left on th e 210 November. CARDIFF, Dec. 27.—Wind E.—Sailed —phoenix, for Bombay; Dunsbery, for New Orleans; Agnes, for Gib- SWANSEA, Dec. 27.—Wind E.—Arrived—Joh+►nnst from Bilboa. SILLOTH, Dec. 26.—Wind N.E.—Arrived—Edwin? 'rom Quebec. QUEENSTOWN, Dec. 26.-Iyind N.E.—Arrived—Ada° Carr, from Miramichi. HULL, Dec. 27.--Wind S.E.—Sailed—Josepha ) fo r Quebec. WARRENPOINT, Dec. 26.---The Barbona (brig, fr Ardrosson to Havre, with pig iron), was abandoned on the 25th inst., north o f T uskar, in a sinking s t a t e ; ereir wee picked up by t h e Gleaner, of Newry, arrived here today. 011 Y ELECTRIC TELIIGUIPII.) SOWTNAMPTON, Friday Morning. Wind E. Arrived, Dec. 27—Courier, steamer, from Jersey; M a ' lanta, steamer from Havre. Sailed, Dec 27—Alhambra, steamer, for Lisbon ; Won" der and Southampton, steamers for Jersey ; Massiliat steamer, for Alexandria ; Argyll, steamer, for Carentan. ET SUBMARINE AND MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH. GRAVESEND, Friday Morning. Wind E. ; weather fine. Arrived, Dec. 27.—Herman Hendricke, from Groningen ; Berlin, steamer, from Hamburg. Arrived, Dec. 28.—Elizabeth Gertrude, from Gr ° ' ningen. Sailed—Chryssolite. for Hong Kong; Ferosepore, for Calcutta; James R. Keeler, for New York. DEAL, Friday Morning. Wind E. by S., fresh. No arrivals. WIND AND WEATHER REPORT. THIS DAY, D Aberdeen, W. ; fine, frost Brighton, N.E.; snow Bristol, E.S.E. ; [mow Cambridge, E. ; fine Cardiff, E. ; snow Chatham, E. ; fine Cork, N.N.E. ; frost, foggy Deal, E. by S., fresh Derby, N.E. ; frost Dublin, S.E. ; thick fog Edinburgh, S.W. ; frost Falmouth, N.N.E.; dull Glasgow, N.E. ; frost Gravesend, E. ; fine Harwich, N.N.E. ; cloudy Hartlepool, S.E. ; fine CONTINENTAL S' Brcat, W.; oloudy Brussels, N. 8.; cloudy Cherbourg, S. ; foggy Dttairk, ; cloudy Ec. 28. 9 A.M. Holyhead, S.E. ; breeze, clear Inverness, N.W. ; flne Kingstown, S. ; dull Milford Haven, N.W.; frost Newcastle wa Tyne, E. ; hard frost Newmarket, N.E. ; clear and frosty Norwich, N.E., light ; frosty Peterborough, N.E. ; f r ost Southampton,E.N.E.;cleutil `Waterford, N.E. ; frosty , Weymouth, N.E. ; unsettle ( ' Whitehaven, S.E. ; frost ATIONS, DEO. 27. Havre, E. 8.1. cloudy . York, E.N.E. ; f og . Paris, S. S. E . ; very f o , E y,rala Turin, ; fog iu Vicuna, calm fog 13o E ve ry Turki to s 7i to 601, 4 1res 861. Ai" cf Alt Thi Antes Recif 31021 Janus ofier e ha g r , 1 3 ,t ( deliv, 4 Per New • India Ditto bi tto: to ' )itt 44dis. E Di qteht tr az ij Dit 44 tlenA leXi( issi 12- 6 o n " Pani 4 Uri, l grab Zvi Aga TI " eel morn zero tool boci lost MI Irel 4111 1301 tia 110