The Sun. — London, England, 1859-02-10 00:00:00

pI. OVAL ENGLISH OPERA, COVENT GARDEN, under the sole Management of Miss LOWSR Pine and Mr. W. Ilarrisoa THIS EVENING, FRA DIAVOLO. Miss R. Isaacs, Miss Susan Pygg, Mr. Geo. Honey, Mr. A. St. Albyn, Mr. Fred. Glover, and 3lr. W. Harrison , Conductor—Mr. Alfred Mellon. To conclude with the new Pantomime of LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD; or, Harlequin and the Wolf in Granny's Ch:thing. Commence at Seven, THEATRE -ROYAL, DRURY-LANE. Lessee —Mr. E. T. Smith. THIS EVENING, OUR. GAL. Mr. dna Mrs. Barney Williams. Followed by BAfINEY TIIE BARON. I'o conclude with Tuck ew pantomime, ROBIN HOOD ; or, Harlequin Friar and the Merry Men of Sherwood Forest. R O YAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE. Under the Management of Mr. Charles Kean. TIIIS EVENING will ACBET be presented Shakspere's Tragedy of M Macbeth, Mr. C. Kean ; Lady Macbeth, Mrs. C. Kean. After which, a new grand Christmas Pantomime, entitled TIIE KING OF THE CASTLE; or, Harlequin Prince Diamond and Princess Brighteyes.! T HEATRE -ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Lessee, Mr. J. B. Buckstone. THIS EVENING, AN UNEQUAL MATCH. Miss Amy Scdgwick, Mr. Buckstone, &c. Atter which, a new grand Comic Pantomime, entitled UNDINE ; or, Harlequin and the Spirit of the Waters. Commence at 7. ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE. Manager, Mr. Edmund Falconer , TITIS EVENING, will be performed EXTREMES ; or, Men of the Day. Messrs. Emery, E. Falconer, Rogers, Are, To be followed by the new Drama of TUE SISTER'S SACRIFICE. Messrs. Emery, Barret, and Rogers. Madame Celeste, Mrs. Keeley, and Miss Jul►a St. George. Reduced Prices—Dress Boxes, 45. ; Upper Boxes, 3s. ; Pit, 25.; Stalls, ss. ; Gallery, is. Box-office opelt from 11 to 5 daily. Doors open at hall-past 6 to commenee at 7 every evening. NEW THEATRE - ROYAL, AD ELPHI. Sole Proprietor and Manager, Mr. Benj. Webster. THIS EVENING, the performance will commence with Wdesire), the comedy of TARTUFFE. Tartuffe, Mr. B. ebster ; Damais, Mr. 13i11in Eton ; Oregon, Mr. C. Selby ; Elmere, Miss H. Simms ; Dorine, Miss woolgar ; Mariane, Bliss Keeley; Madame Pennelle, Mrs. Chatterly. Atter which, THE INVISIBLE PRINCE. To conclude with THE BIRTHPLACE OF PODGERS. Mr. J. L. Toole, Mr. C. Selby, Mr. Billington, Miss Kelly. Doors open at half-past six—Commence at seven. ROYAL STRAND THEATRE. Lessee and Directress, Miss Swanborough THIS EVENING. THE BONNIE FISH WIFE. After which, the new Extravaganza, KENILWORTH ; or Ye Queene. ye Earle, and ye Maydenne. And THE LITTLE SAVAGE Commence at 7 o'clock. A STLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE, Westminster-road. Lessee and Manager Mr. William Cooke. Crowded Houses Nightly. Another highly attractive and successful Drama. THIS EVENING, and during the week, the grand Spec tacle of THE GIPSY GIRL OF MADRID; or, The Edict of Spain. After which, the inimitable SCENES IN THE CIRCLE, introducing Mr. Wm. Cooke's beautiful and highly-trained palfries and ponied and the Starßiclers of Europe. To conclude with the great Operatic and Burlesque Eques trian i'antomime, entitled HARLEQUIN BARON MUN- C fIAUSEN, AND HIS COMICAL CREAM COB CRUISER. Baron Munchausen, Mr. W. Anson • Harlequin, Mr. H. Hemmings ; Pantaloon, M r. Morley:l Clown, Mr. A. F. Forrest, the Grimaldi of the day; Columbine, Miss Julia Weston. Brilliant and unsurpassable Transformation Scene, with dazzling effects of Colour and Fire. Gorgeous Scenery, and eTery incident in bu s tli ng reality, from Resent-street to he New Palace for the People, at Muswell Hill," Dress Circle, 4s. ; Boxes, 3s, ; Pit, 2s, ; Gallery, is. ; Upper Gallery, 6d. Stage Manager, Mr. R. Phillips. CANTERBURY HALL, Westminster-road.— Proprietor —C. MORTON. The public is most respectfully informed that the FINE ARTS GALLERY, in connection with the above Hall, IS NOW OPEN DAY AND NIGIIT, from 11 o'clock a.m. until 12 o'clock p.m. The New Gallery contains an extensive Collec tion of Pictures, by Ancient and Modern Masters and is also devoted to Art productions generally. The Proprietor feels he may confidently assert that, viewed altogether, the exist nz Music Hall, the New Fine Arts Gallery, and th e rec en tly dded Ante-Hall, will present an attraction which, whether s regards the architectural beauty of the structures them selves, or the varied and hitherto unattempted combinations within, will be found to be wholly without parallel in the Kingdom. The MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT commences as usual at Seven o'clock. In addition to the usual entertainment, the SAUVLET FAMILY, of Amsterdam, Eight in number, whose varied instrumental performances have created so marked a sensa tion in the principal cities and towns of the Continent, will perform every Evening at Nine and Eleven o'clock. THE WEATHER.-Sux OFFICE, FEB. 10, THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 49—highest since noon yesterday. 47—lowest this morning and during the night. 49—this day at noon. BAROMETER -29.53. WIND, South. Westerly; light, with dull weather; and partial rain. It rained yesterday all day and night, with heavy squalls. Two o'clock—Fine sunshiny weather. A timely letter from Mr. COBDEN will. be found in another part of our impression of this evening. A communication apropos of the Ballot— of Mr. BERKELEY'S next motion in its regard—of Mr. BRIGHT'S energetic agitation for the Reform of Parliament. Our only regret in respect of this letter is its brevity. Every syllable of it, however, is full of encouragement. Its whole purport is propitious. Coming from Mr. COBDEN'S hand previous to his departure for the United States, and at the close of hisprolonged silence and retirement, it is peculiarly acceptable. It is a letter, as will be observed, to the vice-chairman of the Ballot Society—a letter deprecating the notion that the comprehensive movement set on foot by the Mem ber for Birmingham in anyway whatever implies the advisability of the Ballot Society abandoning their own distinct organisation. "Don't for a moment suppose this"—says Mr. COBDEN, in his homely, forceful way, adding "I'll venture to say, when Mr. BERKELEY brings forward his motion, he will have no better advocate at his back than Mr. BRIGHT." Seconded by Mr. BRlGHT— supported by som e 230 believers in the efficacy of the Ballot already in the House of Common aided by the knowledge that there is that inevitable " appeal to the country" coming fast towards us in the later part of this very session— the pear ripe --th e breezes oftherefor agitation rising audibly, now in one direction, now in another—the Hon. Member for Bristol is at this moment rapidly approaching that very period which he has so long aspired to witness, the period foretold years back by the Hon. and Learned ex- Monber for the City of London, GEORGE GROTE, banker and scholar—historian• of the Greeks, and champion of the , Ballot ! Mr. BERKELEY succeeded Mr. GROTE with the annual motion for the Ballot—now very speedily, we doubt not, to be transformed from a motion into a Bill, and from a Bill into an enactment. The Ballot at this hour has become the touchstone of the true Reformer. It will be the watchword in the midst of the struggle of the next g ener al election. Whichever of the great parties contending for power firs declares for it—as one of them inevitably way shortly—will receive in recompense from the country a prolonged tenure of office. The Whigs, in order to do this, would have to pass, first of all, through the painful ordeal of a flagrant and delibe rate re cantation. As yet, they are distinctly pledged against it. Not so the strong party now bolding the reins of Government. In regard to the Ballot, they, as a Party, have not yet, in either way, dis tinctly committed themselves. Their fate, at this moment, is in their own hands. Let them re cognise frankly t 4 necessity of the hou r , and give the Ball o t, and they may appeal to the country with a perfect confiden cq in the result of that appeal—and th e y may carry their own Re form Bill almost intact through both Rouses in the new Parliament—and they will secure themselves firmly in office as a popular Government. Let them, on the contrary, miss this golden opportunity pre eisely, at the wrong moment, declare against the Ballot—and then—" Farewell, a long farewell to all theirgreatness !" They will forth with besuceeeded by men wiser in their generation. Their now con siderable minority will rapidly collapse to one much confidence in his professions, and believe that he really desires to bestow freedom on others. But we doubt his plausible pro- fessions. We dread the alleged boons coming from such a quarter ; we should greatly prefer a spontaneous movement on the part of Austria. something that would tranquillise public feeling in Lombardy and Venice, and alleviate the excitement now prevailing. The POPE, too, must make con• cessions, or be prepared to endure the consequences of his perversity, when the foreign occupation ceases, and the French troops have beenwithdrawn from Rome and the Austrian bayonets from the Legations. The speech of M. de NToRNY, to which we have already referred, was not altogether ex mero inotu. The inspiration was drawn from another quarter; and it is more than probable that the Eat• PEROR, finding that his own speech did not pro duce the full effect anticipated, put the words into the mouth of the President ofthe Legislative Asscm- bly, which would, he hoped, complete the impres sion ha intended to produce ! The question of Peace or War rests solely with the EMPEROR himself. If he desires the former, he can easily satisfy the rest of the world by relinquishing the gigantic preparations now in progress. If the [atter, he will incur . a serious responsibility, and may possibly cast down the dynastic edifice which he has erected with such elaborate care and well- considered skill. Patience, You have not thoro ug hly Learned n yet. A little more ti me i s t o be all owe d you; whether it be meant for a " wet blanket" y u rlesson or not, is your own f au lt if it d amps faultyou r i zeal f t h ; e t and im e r i t e ciuir fo willdoubtlessr attention l also t o be o the your own urgent o ßeformers! e s s•t matters of Air. DISRAELI and the no distant day of Sir JOHN PAKINGTON means more than a few days, or a week or two at most. We have now the pretty clear intimation that, if the public and the House desire it, the second will that the division may yet be Mr. BRIGIIT and the Ti mes , Easter. as lvel You h ave b ut to 1 as Government,taken before should produce its measure very speedily, andproduce it it must. W e must think delay wholly indefen sible. The bill, Sir JOHN PAKINGTON tells us, i s prepared—then why hesitate to present it • L ong enough has it been in hand ; there is no excuse on that ground for not giving it to us at once. It is the special business of the session ; we ought, there fore, to have it at the earliest possible hour, that we may have full time to do justice to its principles and details. As distant a day as necessary might be named for the second reading ; and thus, while Parliament was attending to matters of temporary importance, however urgent, the country could be attending to its own more appropriate business — how it wishes to be represented. We canmot co nceive a single good reason for withhold ing the first reading of the bill, if it b e re ady, and if i t be not it ought to be. We take, however, Si r JOAN PAKINGTON'S word for the fact of its being in a fit state for the nation to see it ; smaller. They will have committed political suicide. It would be idle, however, to look for anything so inconceivable in the way of fatuity as this from men who have upon all other questions, as yet, since the date of their acceptance of office, shown such remarkable sagacity amidst the mani fold toils and responsibilities of government. What ever course Lord DERBY and his colleagues may pursue in regard to the question of the Ballot, we are at any rate sanguine of this—that Mr. I COBDEN will return from his " very short visit to the United States," but just in time to wit ness the triumph of that Great Question, and, in all probability, himself to participate in the first advantages derived from it, by entering once more the scene of his own former triumphs, as a member of the new re-reformed Parliament. There has been a supplement to the Imperial speech. Count de MORNY has, in his capacity as President of the Corps Legislatif, spoken out plainly and intelligibly in favour of peace—or at least he puts that interpretation on the speech of the EMPEROR. He wishes that there should be an expression of " unlimited confidence, which ten years of wisdom, of moderation, of devotion to the interests of France, and religious care of her honour, must have inspired the people with !" There is, however, one sentence at the conclusion of the address which will de prive the remainder of its efficacy. Count de MORNY says—" Our resolute co-operation will give the. EMPEROR greater authority to negotiate, as it will give him, if need be, greater force to conquer." This was an unfortunate phrase—it showed even at the eleventh hour the ruling passion. There is manifestly a notion of conquest still prevailing. The Empire may be peace, but still that peace may ,be disturbed on the most trivial causes, and conquests are to follow. What, then, is to be the field on which these conquests are to be gained? At whose expense are the anticipated triumphs to be obtained? Italy, at present, seems the destined spot, and Austria the intended victim. She has, however, a powerful and well-disciplined army, occupying posts of great strength ; and should she be disposed to conciliate the Lombardo-Venetians, by conceding much-re quired reforms, France would have no easy task to accomplish in driving her troops out of Northern Italy, after trampling under _ foot all existing treaties. The Austrian loan has failed. English capitalists have refused to hand out the six millions of pounds sterling with that cheerful alac rity so pleasing to Royal borrowers. But although the sinews of war have not been supplied, Austria is by no means helpless ; and if she only conciliates her Italian subjects, and obtains their good will and cordial co-operation, she may effectually resist the most strenuous onslaughts on the part of France and Piedmont. Sardinia, too, is looking' for a loan, but she modestly demands only 50,000,000 lire, or two millions of pounds sterling. We shall be greatly surprised if this transaction finds greater favour in the money market than that lately proposed on behalf of its rival. It must now be perfectly appa• rent that the effect of what may justly be termed a " war loan" must be to greatly depreciate all public securities—to lower the quotations of the stocks and funds of every European nation. Al though no patriotic considerations may influence the parties, they may yet appreciate the extent of the losses they would themselves sustain from a general reduction in the value of all public secu rities--so much so that the prospect of or :?-,ths premium could not influence them. We have al ready lent two millions sterling to Piedmont, and in doing so have gone to the utmost length of our tether. We have not the slightest desire to double the extent of the obligation. If she really wants the money for any unobjectionable purpose she can procure it from her new ally, with whom she maintains such friendly relations. England sympathises deeply with Italy, but Louis NAPOLEON is not the champion who could be expected to break her bonds and confer freedom on the anxious patriots. When he has given liberty to France, when he has done all that is prac ticable for the mighty nation that has entrusted its destinies to his charge, then we may place 44 1 1_, Aki o ,1•7 -s • phi; 4, 0 LT THE SUN. THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 10, 1859. VIE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 10, 1859 friends, but we look for fair play in return. It will not be fair play if we have not the Govern. ment -Reform Bill before us all in a very short time. Lord JOHN RUSSELL about hit the mark when he said the House—he might have added, and the country—will " wait their time, but they must not be putting off the subject." Of course, his Lord ship wants to get the Reform business before the House for his own purposes—still, the old adage is ever true, fas est ab poste doceri ; and it was just because Lord JOHN knew correctly the general feeling, that he plied the Government with this re presentation. The least appearance of " putting off" will be more damaging to the Government than even a bill obviously tinged with Conservatism. Both would injure their position, but the latter would be excused as consistent, however severely it might be attacked. The former will be attributed, justly or unjustly, to cowardice, perhaps to fraud. It will be taken for a scheme to protract the dis cussion, by means readily conceived, into another session, perhaps into another Parliament; or, it will be supposed that the Government is conscious that its measure will not be popular. Had onr 'Ministers anything to give us in the way of Reform (it will be said), which ought to strengthen their position with fair-minded men, they certainly would proffer it amongst the first fruits of their labours during the recess. We trust, therefore, that our Premier will carefully consider his position, and that, he will, on a •very early day—why not next week ?—give us a bill which shall enable all the irresponsible Reformers to avow that their "occu pation's gone." Meantime, an opportunity is thus given us to appeal again to those who make Reform Bills, and to those for whom they are made. We place first, as we always have done—The Independence OF THE VOTER. We hold that any reform, which does not secure the integrity of the unit of each constituency cannot secure a sound constituency at all. It seems generally agreed that moderate sized constituencies feel much more interest in the members they select than very large ones ; it seems to be also agreed by all schedule makers that we shall not have equal electoral divisions, and we certainly do not like them, but for a consi derable number of moderate-sized constituencies— for all of these the INDEPENDENCE of the indivi dual voter is the essential thing. Even at Man chester we have heard of millowners conveying their men from the factory yard to the poll, to vote, not for themselves, but for their employers. But second to this is the question on which there is most dispute at present--the re-apportionment of members. Respecting disfranchisement, the Tory party, whether represented by the anti-reforming Times, or the honest but moderateßeformers, like Sir JoHN E. WILMOT, do not irreconcileably differ. The tug of war commences with the question— What proportion of the vacant seats shall be given to the boroughs, what to the counties? We have, we think, placed the question in a much fairer light. We decline to pit the borough constituencies as a whole, against the county constituencies as a whole. We ask, What proportion shall be given to POPULOUS, WEALTHY, EDUCATED COUNTIES, and what proportion to THINLY-PEOPLED, LESS 'WEALTHY, and LESS EDU CATED COUNTIES Let each class of counties take the proportion of members belonging to it. Let each individual county, then take the share which is its due, and then let each county apportion the members fairly belonging to it between the towns in it which are sufficiently populous, and convenient divisions of the remainder of the population . The latter part of the business would be easily enough settled. It is the needless and undesirable element of pitting all the boroughs in the kingdom against all its counties which has caused all the feeling. Take the number of members which any county should have, and probably there would rarely be any dispute within that county as to what towns should return representatives, and how many. What can our Landed Gentry ask more than that the counties should be compared with each other, as the basis of rearrangement ? What can they ask more than that POPULATION, ASSESS MENT TO INCOME TAX, and ASSESSED TAXES— should be the grounds of distinction between county and county ? Bare land can have no claim to vote. Heaths and moors do not want members. Industry requires population, population and industry create wealth ;—so strictly is this true in England, that as will have been seen by our tables the industrious the populous, and cultivated counties can claim more on the ground of property than on that of population itself ! Mr. BRIGHT and we have often enough had oc casion to dffer. He is by no means our model statesman, but he is a man of popular origin, of popular instincts, and of business habits, and his schedules, when subjected to a test so different from any to which he has yet referred, only show that he has been thoroughly moderate in his claims for those counties to which England owes her greatness. These are the counties which enable England to pay the interest of her enormous debt, and to raise her immense revenue—the counties which support her army and navy, and which fill the whole world with the fame of her commerce— the counties which alone make the other counties worth high cultivation, and which require not only all their surplus agricultural produce but that of other countries besides. To the twelve counties which we have contrasted with the forty, our land lords owe the value of their estates, their increased rent roll, the absorption of a surplus population which would otherwise beggar their estates with pauperism, and the best market in the world for their produce, close at their own doors. We call upon the landlords of England to look facts in the face, not to fight with their best friends, but to accept the terms dictated by population, intelli gence, and wealth. Thee Count Perponcher has left Maurigy's Hotel for Berlin. Viscountess Palmerston has issued cards for as semblies on Saturday, the 12th, and Wednesday, the 16th instant. Vicomte Bouillon has arrived at the Brunswick Hotel, Jermyn-street, from Switzerland. Lord and Lady Rokeby have left Montagu House for Windsor. A mysterious wit, veiling his identity under the assumed name of Ben Trovato, has just now celebrated the Burns' Centenary with a volume of "Rival Rhymes," worthy of taking their place henceforth with the famous " Rejected Addresses," and the immortal " Bon Gualtier." Who is Ben Trovato ? asks Curiosity. Rumour replying— ' A literary celebrity, who, for all-sufficient reasons, prefers for a while the mask of the anonymous. About 2,000 b ales of silk, and 40,0001 b. of tea bales a a ol v lue ol b oefr e enseni silk a tsi v n, e hsd d ae from 17te6os5t a,0,1 fo t h ochl e obi c on a on f fe g inta o etlas o . f y h e t h J i s u b y i s e s e e , l a m s r o e r e 2 n , near wool will commence on the 24th. Since the last sale the quantity arrived hasbeen 25,746 bales, about half of which are from the Cape. THE WEATHER IN TILE NORTII.—Last week a man was found frozen to death among the snow on the hills near Stanho th pe, in of bod Durham. In th e same week some sports men found e y a person known as an American prophet lying out on the wilds of Northumberland, near Falstone, where he had frozen to death. In the same week ga o t t h h e e r r ed hay near rs g S a t r o d e e k n to fl u o , l% !enrsDur ham, in,full and bloom in the public parks and gardens in the t owns on the coastmco.ali;sfilooi cowslips wallflowers re andrNorthumberland. and we warn the present Government that delay will be bath undignified and hazardous. We have always demanded fair play for our Conservative VOCAL ASSOCIATION, ST. JAMES' HALL. After a brief overture, it opens with a spirited chorus, " Wake with a smile, 0 month of May," followed by a graceful air for the tenor, " Oh, meadow clad in early green," which Mr. Wilbye Cooper, who was unexpectedly called upon to supply the place of Mr. Sims Reeves, sang with much taste and expression. One of the gems of the piece was the charming solo with chorus, "With the carol in the tree," in which Miss Stabbach rendered the soprano part most successfully. An unanimous encore was elicited by this striking passage, which was followed by a melodious duet for the May Queen and her lover, " Can I not find thee a warrant for changing ? " sung by Miss Stabbach and Mr. Wilbye Cooper. Mr. Santley, as Robin Hood, took the bass part, and acquitted himself respectably, though he scarcely did justice to the spirited bass song, " 'Tis jolly to hunt in the bright moonlight," which might have been given with much more animation and effect. The trio for soprano, tenor, and bass, was carefully sung; and the choruses, "111-fated boy," and " Hark their notes the hautboys swell," though very different in character, were both very well rendered. Miss Stabbach sang the last soprano solo very grace fully, and the chorus finished this charming can tata with spirit. The instrumental music was excellent, and the performance of the chorus, though not always perfect, was very creditable to them, considering the novelty of the music. Mr. Wilbye Cooper acquitted himself satisfactorily, though it was impossible to avoid regretting the absence of Mr. Sims Reeves, to whom the tenor part seems especially suited. At the conclusion of the piece it was warmly applauded, and there were enthusiastic calls for the composer, who acknowledged the compliment from the gallery. We cannot refrain from felicitating Mr. Chorley on his graceful and flowing verses, which afford full opportunity for the composer to display his varied abilities. The second part opened with M. Benedict's festi val overture, very well played. A new part song, composed for the Vocal Association by Herr Otto Goldschmidt, though not rendered with perfect correctness, was so animated that it" was rede manded Miss Stabbach sang Weber's difficult scena, "Ocean, thou mighty monster," with care, but it is an arduous undertaking for so young a singer. A tuneful part song by Mendelssohn, and Beetho ven's march and chorus from the Ruins of Athens," concluded the evening's entertainment. The hall was attended by a large and fashionable audience, who appeared highly gratified by the per formances. THE COUNTESS OF DERBY'S ASSEMBLY. The Countess of Derby opened the season with a political reunion last evening, at the family mansion of the First Lord of the Treasury in St. James's-square. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge honoured her ladyship with his presence, arriving at 11 o'clock, at tended by Col. the Hon. James Macdonald. The party was rather more select than, numerous. Among the members of the corps diplomati4ue we re marked : His Excellency the Turkish Ambassador and the Prince Vogorides, his Excellency the Belgian Minister, his Excel lency the Bavarian Minister, his Excellency the Austrian Mi nister and the Countess Apponyi and the Countess Baum garten, his Excellency the Spanish Minister, his Excel lency the Netherlands Minister, his Excellency the Ame rican Minister and Mrs. Dallas and Miss Dallas, his Excellency the Minister of the Hanse Towns and Madame Rucker, his Excellency the Swedish Minister and the Countess Platen, his Excellency the Hanoverian Minister, his Excellency the Danish Minister, his Excellency the Sardinian Minister, Capt. de Falbe, Count Jaucourt, M. Blanpre, Count Blucher, Chevalier de tavalho, Baron Aldenburg, Count Chotek, Count Brandenburg, and M. C. Tricoupi. , Among the general circle were ---Their Serene Highnesses the Prince and Princess Edward of Saxe-Weimar, the Duchess of Inverness and Miss Wemyss, the Duke of Hamil ton, Maria Marchioness of Ailesbtuy, the Countess of Sefton and Lady Cecilia Molyneux, Count and Countess Grote, the Countess Sandwich, the Earl of Hardwicke, the Earl of Lanesborough, the Earl of Carnarvon, the Earl of Powis, the Earl of Mornington, Viscount Campden, Vis countess Combermere, Viscount and Viscountess Melgund, Lord and Lady C9lchester, the Lord Chancellor and Lady Chelmsford and the Hon. Miss Thesiger, Lady William Powlett, the Ladies Murray (2), Lord Downes, Lord and Lady Claud Hamilton, Lord Wynford, Lord and Lady Sondes and the Hon. Miss Miles, Lord Henry Gor don Lennox, Lady Burghersh, the Right Hon. H. T. L. Corry, M.P., and Miss Corry, Hon. Capt. Grey, the Queen's Advocate and Lady Hardinge, the Solicitor-General and Lady Cairns, Hon. Charles Murray, Sir William Jolliffe, M.P., Col. R. Taylor, Mr. and Lady Elizabeth Russell, Sir Roderick Murchison, Sir R. W. and Lady Carden and Miss Carden, Sir Charles Locock, Sir Hamilton Seymour, Col. and Mrs. Brooke Taylor, Col. Tyrwhitt, Col. Lowther and Miss Lowther, Capt. Archdale, the Right Hon. Spencer and Mrs. Walpole and Miss Wal pole, Hon. Charles Edgcombe, Mr. and Lady Mary Stan ley and the Hon. Miss Stanley, Hon. Mrs. Spencer Ponsonby, Col. Airey, Mr. A. Corry, Mr. Wilson Patton, Mr. Fleming, Mr. R. Perry Nisbet and Miss Nisbet, Mr. Robertson, Mr. Merivale, Mr. and Mrs. Gaythorne Hardy, Mr. Hardy, Mr. Alfred Montgomery, Mr. Conolly, Mr. and Mrs. Seymour Fitzgerald, Mr. and Mrs. Bovill, Mr. Cavendish Bentinck, Mr. Macartney, Mr. Graham Vivian, Mr. William Peel, Hon. Henry and Mrs. Butler Johnstone, Mr. Adams, Mr. and Hon. Mrs. Higgins, Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Drummond, Mr. Campbell (of Islay) and the Misses Campbell (2), Mr. New deg,ate, Mr. and Mrs. Jones (of Pantglas), Mrs. Disraeli, Mr. and Mrs. Darby Griffith, Mr. Dundas, Mr. Adderley, Mr. F. Eliot, Mr. Willis Fleming and Miss Fleming. Previously to the assembly the Earl and Countess enter tained at dinner his Excellency the Ambassador of France and the Duchess de Malakoff, his Excellency the Prussian Minister and the Countess de Bernstorff, the Marquis and Marchioness of Salisbury, Lord and Lady Arthur Hay, Lord and Lady Colville, the Earl of Malmesbury, Count Louis Corti, Col. Hon. W. P. Talbot, Hon. C. Eliot, &c. AMERICAN MAILS. —The Canard mail steamer Canada will sail from Liverpool for Boston and Halifax on Saturday next, with the mails for North America. The Post-office box will close at 12 noon, with late fees at 1 p.m., and on the landing stage at 2 p.m. THE MAIL SERV ICE.—SOUTHAMPTON, Wednes day.—The Royal Mail Company's steam-ship Tyne, Capt. Sawyer, left the river this day, with the usual Brazil and River Plate mails, 76 passengers (among whom is Mr. Cow per, her Majesty's consul for. Pernambuco), specie value £40,637, jewellery value £ 29 ,200, and a full genera l cargo. The steam-ship Fulton left Cowes Roads this day for New York, with the French and English mails, a full com plement of passengers, and a good cargo. The steam ship Union, destined for the Mauritius, is still in the Solent. The Orissa, with the heavy portion of the Bombay mail, may be looked for on Friday. LATER DEPARTURE OF MAILS FOR AUSTRALIA. --As it appears that the packet by which the Australian mails of the present month are to be conveyed from Suez to Sydney cannot reach Suez until at least a week after the proper time for her arrival, it has been decided to postpone, for the period of one week, the despatch of those mails from London. The mails for the Australian colonies, to be con veyed via Southampton,. will accordingly be made up on the morning of the 19th instant, instead of on the 12th ; and those to be conveyed via Marseilles will be made up on the eveninr , of the 23d, instead of on the 16th inst.—By com mand of the Postmaster-General, Ito wLAxp HILL, Secre tary.—General Post-oflice, Feb. 9 1859. NATIONAL EDU ICATION IN RELAND.—Two blue books, yesterday issued, contain the 24th Report of the Commissioners of National Education in Ireland for the year 1857. Why these reports appear so out of date re mains to be explained. It is shown, however, that at the end of 1857 there were 5,337 schools in operation, an average daily attendance of 268,397 children, and an average num ber of children on the rolls amounting to 514,4475. The increase, as on 1856, is equivalent to 14,386 children actu ally attending, and from 26,000 to 28,000 is the average number on the rolls. There were 13 " district model schools" at work in 1857, and 166 " national agricultural schools. The amount expended from the Parliamentary grant in these latter schools was £6,721. The total receipts of the commissioners for the year amount to £302,224, and the expenditure to £289,425, leaving a balance of £12,799 at the close of the year. We believe that the question has s e n d n ihn oftii Pa r liament e p u bl i c moneywhether it is on te pu n tin g NOr rt h o a whilei f r t e h a e d ty s o -ol sb t I pe t n ee nn i d n r o saj u o s details and tabular statements appended to the "report" properly so called. The first dress concert of the season was given last night by the Vocal Association, in St. James' Hall. It opened with Beethoven's fine overture " Leonora," which was exceedingly well played, I and elicited warm applause. Three songs of Handel's, sung by Mr. Santley, Miss Palmer, and Mr. Wilbye Cooper, followed--all performed cre ditably. The great attraction of the evening, how ever, was the production of Professor Sterndale Bennett's new cantata " The May Queen," which was a complete success. At its previous perform ance at Leeds, and at St. Martin's-hall, its success was unmistakeable, and the enthusiasm which it excited last night on the occasion of its first production at St. James's Hall muse have been very gratifying to the composer. It is a charming composition, full of fresh and varied melody, and so simple and unaffected in its charac ter, that it disarms criticism. missioner. us." LATEST NEWS. THE CALCUTTA AND CHINA MAILS. MARSEILLES, FEB. 10. The Calcutta and China Mails arrived at Mar seilles last night, and were to leave by the ten o'clock train. Their delivery in London may be expected to-morrow (Friday) morning. The following telegrams have been received al Mr. Reuter's office : DRESDEN, FEB. 9, The Dresden ,Tournal publishes an extra edition in which it announces that the hereditary Grand duchess of Tuscany, daughter of the King of Saxony has fallen seriously ill at Naples. On Sunday, at her desire, she received the sacra ment. Yesterday's news state that she is no worse MARSEILLES, FEB. 9, Advices have been received from Constantinople to the 2nd inst. The reserve of the Turkish army has arrived ; but such is the want of money that the arrears of pay of the forces in Asia, and also of the Government employes, have - remained undis charged for 18 months. Ten per cent. has been offered to the creditors of the Civil List, which, however, was protested against by them. The Sultan has ordered magnificent fetes to cele brate the occasion of the new marriage. The contest among Ministers in the Divan still continues. Kybrisli Pasha denounced the conduct of Safetti Pasha. According to a report from Persia, the populace of Herah (Herat P) had expelled the English Com- CONSTANTINOPLE, FEB. 2 Ethem Pasha has been sent to the Principalities as extraordinary Commissioner. Twenty batta lions of infantry, together with the necessary artillery, will be despatched to the Danube and placed at the disposal of Ethem Pasha, who, in certain exigencies, is empowered to order the troops to enter the Principalities. THE SARDINIAN LOAN. SPEECH OF COUNT CAVOUR. TURIN, FEB. 9, The following is a summary of the speech of Count Cavour on the occasion of the debate con• corning the project of the new loan. He said:— " Our consistent policy has been at all times national and Italian, and never of a revolutionary character. Austria has lately taken a menacing attitude towards us. It has increased its military force at Piacenza, and has collected very large forces on our frontiers. Therefore the necessity arises for us to look for means for the defence of the State. The English alliance has always been the constant care of our whole political life. We have always considered England as the impreg nable asylum of liberty. " The cries of suffering coming from Bologna and Naples arrive still at the borders of the Thames, but the tears and groans of Milan are intercepted by the Alps and the Austrians; but the cause of liberty, of justice, and of civilisation triumphs always. As regards England, Lord Derby will not tarnish his glory in making himself an accom plice of those who wish to condemn the Italians to eternal servitude. Our policy is not defiant ; we will not excite to war, neither will we lower our voice, when Austria arms herself and threatens The project of the loan was ultimately voted by 6 against 35. PARIS, TuuRSDAY, The Atoniteur, in giving an account of the sitting of the Corps Legislatif of yesterday, states that the project of the budget and a project of a contract between the state and the railway companies has been communicated to the members of the Corps Legislatif. AUSTRIA. The Austrian Gazette of the 6th, alluding to the remark of the Earl of Derby that Austria will not make any attack, says :—" We well know Austria has never had any intention of making war on Sar dinia, although sufficient causes have been given for doing so. Austria does not wish for any conflict ; she would rather avoid it; she can gain nothing by such a course, and will not seek for it. The most im portant thing is that France also promises not to attack, if Sardinia is not interfered with. That promise has doubtless been given tithe English Minister in a very positive manner, and in face of it disappears all the rumours, pamphlets, and articles of the semi-official journals. There only remains the case of Sardinia commencing war of herself, in the hope of bringing on a general struggle. We think little of the political talent of Count de Cavour, but we do not dispute his common sense, and he would have lost the last spark of it if he were to resolve on such a mad act. We therefore retain the hope that there will be negotiations, and no fighting ; that ink will be spilt, and not blood." THE CASE OF THE REV. THOMAS PUGH.—Yester day, at the meeting of the representative vestry of St. Pan cras, for the purpose, amongst other matters, of considering the appointment of a chaplain to the workhouse in the room of the Rev. Thomas Pugh, who was dismissed from his office on account of his refusal to give up the address of the absconded medical officer, Maskett—Mr. Chu rc h war d en Attenborough in .the chair, a communication was read from the Poor-law Board, stating that by an order issued in 1846, still in force, the dismissal of an officer could not be carried out without their sanction. The Rev. E. Eckett disputed the right of the Poor-law Board to interfere, and said as the question of their pow er h a d never been tried it was the duty of the vestry to contest the point. He moved that the communication be referred to a committee, with power to take legal advice in the m a tt er . Mr. Collins se conded the motion. Mr. Churchwarden Cameron said the 19th section of their local act was so clear that the vestry had power to remove all officers at their will and pleasure, that he could not conceive the Poor-law Board had the slightest ground for their interference. Mr. Nodes moved that the communication from the Poor-law Board be ac knowledged, and that it lie on the table. Mr. Ross seconded the amendment, which was carried. THE ROYAL ACADEMY AND THE FRENCH EXHIBI TION OF ART.—The following letter has been addressed by Mr. John P. Knight, secretary of. the ROyal Academy, to M. Theophile Silvestre, appointed by his Excellency the Minister of State and of the Household of the Emperor of the French, to inspect the museums and other institutions of the Fine Arts in Europe :—" Royal Academy of Arts, Trafalgar-square, London, J an . 31,- 1859.—Sir,—I your two letters, the last dated the 24th inst., before the president and council of the Royal Academy of Arts, at their meeting on Saturday last, and am directed to convey to you the assurance of their - high appreciation of the ex pression of his Excellency the French Minister of State, in appi obation of the English school of art, and also of the offer on his part to devote-a itom for the reception of Eng lish works of art for exhibition at the Palais de l'lndustrie in April next. I have also received instructions to make known this gratifying and generous offer to the president of the different art societies in Great Britain. The president and council feel that this expression of sympathy for British art, on the part of the French government, deserves and de mands an earnest response from British artists, as founding a noble emulation and mutual good-will between the artists of the two countries.--I have the honour to be, sir, your obedient servant, JOHN P. KNIGHT, R.A.Sec. M. Theo ) phille Silvestro." PUBLIC INCOME AND EXPENDITURE.—In the year ending the 31st December, 1858, the public income of the United Kingdom amounted to .£66,286,995, and the public expenditure to £65,159,388, leaving a balance of in come amounting to £1,127,657. The balances in the Ex chequer at the end of the year were £7,755,455. The fol lowing are the items of the income of 1858 :—Customs, £24,091,999; Excise, £17,966,000; stamps, £7,996,342; taxes (land and, assessed), £3,158,034 ; income-tax (inaccu rately styled " property-tax"), £7,591,187 ; Post-office, £3,075,000 ; and Crown lands, £277,440. The items of expenditure are :—lnterest'and management of the public debt, £28,501,479; the charges on the Consolidated Fund, £1,832,576 ; and the supply services, £34,575,282. The Army (in this last item) figures for £12,588,736 (including Commissariat, Ordnance, and Militia charges) ; the Navy (including packet service, transports &c.), for £9,637,103; Miscellaneous Civil Services, for £'4253,059 ; the salaries of Revenue Departments, for £4,474,440 ; the China Naval and Military operations, for £391,943 ; and the war expenses (Russia), for £230,000. The Civil List costs the country £406,871; annuities and pensions, £339,405; salaries, &c., £158,060; diplomatic salaries, &c., £162,638; and courts of justice, &c., £598,885. A MAGISTRATE UNDER FIRE.—J. Foord, Esq., J.P., found himself in a most disagreeable and somewhat perilous position the other day, in crossing the ground at Tom All-Alone's, Chatham, used for musketry practice. The officer in command stopped the firing at first, but it re sommenced before Mr. Foord had got out of its range, and the worthy magistrate was compelled to se e k sa f ety by lying flat on the ground until the practice-was over. Ile was not release d f rom his danger until ho had spent more than half an hour in listening to the bullets whizzing over his head. —litaicistyne 4Tornal, FRANCE. PARIS, TUESDAY. The Tuileries' ball last night was, it is said, rather dull. The Emperor was suffering from gout or rheumatism, and did not appear. The Princess Clotilde was fatigued, and kept her apart ment, and Prince Napoleon was equally invisible. Admiral Hamelin is about to make a personal inspection of the French ports. ' The number of ships of war at present in com mission in the French ports is 200. A ship being in commission, however, does not imply that she is ready for sea, as has been erroneously stated by some journals. It is announced that the draught of a bill is shortly to be submitted to the Council of State for establishing aline of steamboats between Algeria, Suez, the island of Reunion, and China. BOURSE, Feb. 9.—The market has been more steady, but the variations have not been very im portant. The Rente, after having been done at 68f. 50c., declined to 68f. 35c., and are now at 68f. 45c. Mobilier varied from 782 f. 50e. to 792 f. 50c.; Austrian, 560 f. to 557 f. 50c. ; Orleans, 1,325 f. to 1,322 f. 50c. ; Lyons, 835 f. to 832 f. 50c. ; Southern, 517 f. 50c. to 515 f. ; Northern, 922 f. 50c. to 920 f. The market remained firm to the close, when the following were the quotations:— 4} per Cents. 97 Do. end month 96 80 3 per Cents. 6B 40 Do. end month 68 46 Bank Shares 2920 Credit Mobilier Do. Account Credit Fonder Belgian 4} . 94 25 Piedmontese (5) B4 Roman BB 50 Austrian Spanish Threes Home Debt 39 25 RAILWAYS. Cash. Account. Orleans Northern 925 .. 930 New ditto BO2 50 .. 801 25 Lyons and Mediterranean 837 50 .. 833 75 New ditto . Geneva Mid 542 50 542 50 • • 520 --.. 520 Southern Western 592 50 Eastern Grand Central Sardinian 405 — Austrian Exchange on London, at sight, paper, 25f. 121 e. ; money, 25f. 10e.; three months, paper, 25t.; money, 24f. 971 e. CAPTURE OF AN ESCAPED CONVICT.—Gray, whose escape from the Durham_county prison was noticed in our impression yesterday, was captured at half-past 11 on Saturday night, in a low beer-house, Hartlepool. Mr. Hodgson, a warder in the prison, in company with some policemen, found him treating some lewd w omen with glasses of rum, He made no resistance. He was safely deposited in his old quarters on Sunday.--.Neweastle Chro nicle, LITERATURE. Japan and her People. By A. Steinmetz, Esq., Barrister. Routledge. Japan and her people threaten to become as wearisome as Constantinople and Hindostan have lately done. Books of all sorts—histories, travels, descriptions, essays, magazine papers, quarterly articles—seem likely to render the subject tedious, without the public obtaining much real or solid information. The little work before us will at least be useful in conveying some idea of the cus toms and habits of the Japanese, and of the amount of our knowledge about them. It is compiled from all the existing works of value on the subject, that is to say, it is in the author's own words, but he has read and studied all authorities of whatever country, and has founded his account upon the most authentic. It is very comprehensive and well arranged, and the numerous illustrations will assist the reader in forming a clear idea of the natural or artificial curiosities represented. New York to Delhi. By R. B. Minturn, junior. Longman. A lively and clever narrative of the impressions of an American traveller, who went from New York to Delhi by way of Rio de Janeiro, Australia, and China. He, therefore, gives us an account of some very different localities, describing them all with spirit and animation, and the reader, when he differs from the opinions expressed or the prin ciples defended, is always entertained by the style. The author is evidently a man of sense and observa tion, and as such his work, even though on a some what hacknied subject, affords information and entertainment. • Painting Explatned. By T. Gullick, painter, and John Timbs, F.S.A. Kent and Co., Fleet-street. This is another of those useful little works, pub lished under the auspices of Mr. Timbs, which bring down the principles of arts and sciences to ordinary comprehension. The object of this little volume is to supply a practical history of painting, showing the various steps made by succeeding generations, and the processes through which each department has passed before attaining its highest development. It is a work calculated to be especially useful and interesting to artists, but, as the preface justly says, "As all men cannot be painters or watchmakers —cannot all learn how to do it or even see it done—surely the next best thing must be to get a trustworthy description of how it is done. This will at all events save them from making some awkward mistakes." Painting in tempera, and encaustic, mosaic painting, missal illuminations, fresco paint ing, oil painting, and painting in water colours are all discussed in separate departments, with an account of their earliest mention, their progress and development, and the chief artists in the respective styles who lighted the path for: others. It forms a very interesting record, which those who appreciate the art will gladly avail themselves of. It does not aim at being attractive to the general reader—that would, indeed, be scarcely compatible with the accuracy and minuteness of its details, but it is calculated to be of much service to the young student, and full of interest to the connoisseur and collector. The labour and care manifest in its composition, and the knowledge of Art and its history which it displays, reflect the highest credit on the writer and artist who are its joint authors. THE lONIAN ISLANDS. According to the Nord — , the following is the text of the address sent by the lonian Parliament to the Queen of England : " Madam,—The lonian people, which has always preserved the consciousness of its nationality, and which desires its union to free Greece, presents itself to-day respecfully before your Majesty's throne, to place at your feet the official expression of that ardent sentiment. "In the midst of the sufferings which the Hel lenic raw has had to endure, the lonian people has lost nothing of its civilisation, and has conserved intact its nationality and its independent. " The treaty of the 15th of November, 1815, con cluded at Paris, without the lonian people taking any part therein, and in virtue of which the lonians have been placed under British protection, had only in view the preservation of a small State, which the same treaty acknowledges to form a State of its own, free and independent. " These terms define the object of the duties de volving by the treaty on the protecting Power, as they also indicate the political relationship which ought to result between Great Britain and the pro tected people. But, on the creation of a kingdom. of Greece, the reason which had dictated that rela tionship having vanished, the lonians spontaneously conceived the ardent desire of their political reunion to the free portion of the nation of which they form an indissoluble part by identity of origin, religion, language, traditions, and by their numerous sacri fices in the same struggle. " The sentiments which the ninth lonian Parlia• ment was forbidden authentically to proclaim, and the wish expressed by the eleventh Parliament at its sitting of the 20th of June, 1857, were only the consequence of that irresistible aspiration ; the Lord High Commissioner Extraordinary, whom your Majesty has, deigned to send lately to the Seven Islands, has had a striking proof of the fer vour of those aspirations, and of the unanimous desire of the lonian people. • " Strong with these motives, the representatives of the lonian people, in the Parliamentary sitting of the 27th of January, 1859, voted as one man That the sole and unanimous wish of the lonian people was and is union of the Seven Islands to the kingdom of Greece.' "In submitting these considerations the lonian Assembly entreats your Majesty to communicate the present declaration to the other great European Powers, and to co-operate with them,for this just and sacred wish of the lonians. " The representatives of the Seven Islands hope that Divine Providence, which once armed England in favour of the Hellenic nation, will again inspire your Majesty, so that, by your powerful assistance, the lonian people may obtain the restoration of its nationality ; the bonds o f i nvar i a bl e sympathy which will then arise from deep gratitude will for ever bind the hearts of the Hellenic nation to the throne of your Majesty." ARM Y. Then look at the vastness of the work to be done. There was Delhi to be retaken, the Punjab to be held, 800 miles of turbulent frontier to be guarded; there were the Affghan tribes to be kept at arm's length ; then there were 15,000 Pandies to be de stroyed, coerced, or driven out, and 20,000 more to be watched, guarded, or disarmed. For all this terrible work at home—i.e., the Punjab—there were a few . thousand Europeans. What else could be done except enlist Punjabees r Then look at the work there has been abroad—i.e. out of the Punjab. Our Punjabees have been employed in the conquest, occupation, or pacification of Oude, Behar, Rohil cund, Bundelcund, Hindostan, and Gwalior. How was all this immense work to be done, ex cept with a large Puniabee army ? Where else were troops to come from ? Not from Bombay, for its army could not be trusted. (Scinde, however, furnished two battalions.) Not from the disturbed districts of Hindostan, Oude, Behar, &c., for the people have been too much demoralised by the dis turbances' and have only f urn i s h e d a few battalions. Not from Bengal, for the people are effeminate. In fact, whenever troops are wanted every one has looked to the Punjabees as the trustworthy, the martial people; and when they have been raised and have pulled us through the scrape, every one now decries and mistrusts them ! Notwithstanding the kind of cry that gets up, we are always getting requisitions from other parts of the Presidency for more Punjabees, despite Sir John's oft repeated remonstrance that we have already pat too many. At last, at Sir John's earnest request, the Governor-General has notified in gene ral orders that no more men are to be enlisted in the Punjab. But, despite the risk and hazard, it is evident that at present we must retain this Pun jabee army. On the one hand, we must never let native troops have a preponderance; on the other hand, we cannot hold the country without a certain proportion of them ; and so long as we are pretty strong, we can always keep a party in the country who will fight faithfully on our side. In the meantime, as we must have them, we may comfort ourselves with the reflection that they have done nobly for us as yet—almost as well as if they had been our own countrymen. Wherever English troops have been, they have been also. In our ser vice they have marched all over the Presidency; they have endured every kind of fatigue and hard ship; in devotion they have almost rivalled our white men. They have been victorious over our enemies of various kinds, and in var i ous sorts of warfare. Theyhave bled and in ied by thousands our cause. M an y regiments covered with decora tions have lost half their numbers during this war. We have employed 85,000 or 90,000 of them; and out of all these only a few rascals in two corps, on a remote frontier, have given cause of trouble. It would not be well, therefore, that their indignation of their m should be moved by ou r i ngratitude and depreciation erits. The great thing, no doubt, is to keep their numbers d own to the very lowest figure compatible with the efficiency of the public service. None can be more alive to this than Sir John Lawrence. He is constantly looking over returns of their numberS — Clipping here, paring there, reducing everyw h ere. Within the last two or three months the number of Punjabee troops in the Punjab has been lessened by several thousands. We have now about 36,000 Punjabee troops in the Punjab, from Delhi to the Trans -Indus frontier. Before the mutinies, we used to have within this area 41,000 Hindostanees and 24,000 Punjabees—in all 65,000 men. We have now 36,000 Punjabees, or little more than half, in the place of 65,000. (It is true that we have several thousands of Hindostanees still, but they have to be guarded, and are really minus quantities. If they were removed, no fresh Punjabees would be employed in their place.) So• you see how immensely we have economised in respect of native troops in the Punjab. 11R. COBDEN ON PARLIAIIIENTABY REFORJT. Mr. Cobden in sending to the Ballot Society his ; annual subscription to their funds, accompanied it with the following letter to Mr. E. C. Whitehurst, the vice-chairman of the society : " Midhurst, Feb. 7, "My dear sir,--I enclose my subscription to the Ballot Society. Don't for a moment suppose that Mr. Bright would wish you to give up your dis tinct organisation. I'll venture to say when Mr. Berkeley brings forward his motion he will have no better advocate at his back than Mr. Bright. I cannot be present at your ballot dinner, simply be cause I have laid down a rule, which for a season will prevent me from attending any public demon stration. Had it not been for that resolution, which I had formed before Mr. Bright took charge of his Reform Bill, I should have been at his side long ago ; for th e programme he has put forth is almost identically the same as that which I en dorsed in 1848, and which I supported in the house when it was brought forward by our revered friend Mr. Hume. Watching from my retirement Mr. Bright's progress, I am struck with the similarity of the ordeal he has gone through to that which I underwent in the earliest stage of the League agi tation ;—the same misrepresentation of motives and misstatement of his arguments, the same affected horror of his designs on monarch, church, aristoc racy, and property which he now undergoes, I also went through; and if he s h ou ld persevere f or a few years until his plan in its main features be comes law, as it assuredly will do, then he will ex perience, as I did, the pleasanter side of the ordeal. Then when everybody discovers that instead of all the evils predicted, nothing but increased security, contentment, and prosperity springs from his re forms, he will find nine-tenths of those who now profess the greatest dread of him the most eager to shake hands with him on the success of his mea sures. Nay, they will claim to have been always with him on principle, only regretting that they did not better understand each other at the outset. This is the chequered fate of all the pioneers of political progress, and our friend has had too much experience in such matters to be either disappointed or discouraged at what is now happening. It is true that I am about to carry out the intention I have some time entertained of paying a very short visit to the United States. I hope to be able to report to you that I have witnessed the operation of the ballot in that country.—Believe me very truly yours, " R. COBDEN. "E. C. Whitehurst, Esq." THE SIKH ELEMENT IN THE INDIAN A letter from " Camp near Lahore," of Nov. 26, says :—lt is now a month or so since I last wrote to you. Since then the public anxiety about the Punjab has apparently increased both at home and in India. Out here it is commonly thought that the Punjabee army is too strong for the Govern ment, and that our next struggle will be with them ; and, in truth, although we are right as yet, there is trouble looming in the distance—even if it be distant. You will remember about that conspiracy in two Punjabee corps at Dera Ismail Khan in August last. It was necessary in consequence to send a European column to that quarter, where European troops had never been before. The time when the column arrived at Dera Ismail Khan was critical. If the Punjabee troops had, most of them, a clear conscience, then they would not be sorry to see the Europeans arrive ; the well-disposed ma jority would feel confidence, the evil-disposed minority would be overawed. If, on the other hand, they were, most of them, conscious of having in• tended mutiny or brewed mischief, then they would regard the arrivai of the Europeans as ominous ; they would believe that the Government had found them out, and was about to punish them. Such a feeling might bring on an outbreak, and in that case the European column, though the largest we could spare, was not large enough to overpower the Punjabees on the Dera Ismail Khan frontier. The column, however, crossed the Indus and halted at Dera Ismail Khan, without any excitement among the Punjabees being produced. We may therefore hope that the conspiracy was not exten sive, and that for the most part it was limited to the comparatively small number against whom proof is obtainable. We received not unfrequent warnings from well informed and well-disposed natives that the Pun jabee troops are very numerous, and that the national pride of the Sikh race is rising fast. Sur feited with the plunder and spoils of Hindostan, the Sikhs are contented as yet. But they think less of us and more of themselves than they did a short time ago. The men on service continue to write to their homes in the Punjab most satisfac tory letters, breathing a good spirit. But those who return home from leave are said to be vain glorious of their own deeds, and declare that they have reconquered India for the English. Now I see that in some parts of India, and par ticularly in Bombay, people write and talk as if this Punjabee army had been gratuitously created —as if Sir John Lawrence, while saving the State from one danger, unnecessarily exposed it to another. It may therefore be as well that I ex plain one or two parts of this subject. In the first place, Sir John Lawrence was obliged to raise these troops. The emergency was extraordinary in 1857. It might be objectionable to create a fresh army when one had just mutinied ; but we must have either done that or perished. There was no other alternative—no option whatever. At that time our few Europeans were wasting away; native troops must be had as auxiliaries, or else the British would be swept away. Now that things are somewhat altered people forget how terrible the emergency then was, and how in evitable was the necessity of raising a Punjabee army. inai it li ditt to € itt Sat ea 4 to ti I n , tt re India Po oa rdc S har( stead