The Sun. — London, England, 1859-11-17 00:00:00

ROYA.L OPE_RA, COVENT-GARDEIN.T. Under the mana , Tinent of Miss L. Tyne and Mr.W. Harrison THIS EVENING, DI N 0 11. Alt Me,4, , rs. Santley, H. Corti, St. lbyn, and W. Harrison. Nisei Yiilino, Thlrl wall, and Miss _Louisa 'Vile. Conductor, Alfred Mellon. Ballet, I,k FIANCE. Messrs. W. IL Payne, 11. Payne, F. Payne, 3ldlle. Lequine, Pasquale, Pierron, Mons. Vandris. Doors open at half-past 7—Commence at 8 o'clock. THEATRE -ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Lessee, Mr. J. B. Backatone. I'IT IF> EVENING the performances will commence with 'MALLOW E'EN. After which, THE BACHET,OR OF ARTS. Jasper (his ort,zinal character), Mr. C. Mathews. Followed by a new Comodictfa, entitled THE LATE LAMENTED. And MY WIFE'S DAUGHTER. Commente at T. R OYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.— Lessee, Mr. A. llarris. Tars EVENING, the performan , es will commence with a new drama, entitled THE MASTER PASSION. Messrs. Ryder, G. 3lelville, Graham, TI. Cathcart, Garden ; Miss C. Lee ereq and Mrs. Charles Young'. To be followed by A WONDERFUL WOMAN". Mr. A. Barris, Shore, Frank Matthews, and Hiss C. Leclereq. After which, a new farce, in one act, entitled NURSES CHIC KW E F.D. Messrs. Widdicomb, Meadows, H. Saker ; Miss L. Keeley and Mrs. Weston. - • To conclude with the Diverti:;sement from LOVE AND 1 0 0 RA' UN E. NEW THEATRE - ROYAL, ADELPHI. Sole Proprietor and Manazer, fir. Rent. Webster. `THIS EVENING, THE DEAD HEART. Messrs B. Webster..l. L. Toole, David Fisher, Paul iledtord, Stuart, EUlington, C. .7. Smith, Eburne, Moreland; 3liss Woolgar, arid Miss K. Kelly. Followed by the stio,cessfol niece of extravagance, called DINORAII UNDER DIFFICLI.TEES. MeAg,rs..T. L. Toole, P. Bedford, C. J. Smith, Eburne, and Miss K. Kelly. Doors open at half-past six—Commence at seven. Box- Office open from 10 to 5. No charge for securing' seats, nor for bills of performance. All fees to servants of this establishment are strictly prohibited. Acting Manager—Mr. Wm. Smith. ROYAL ST. JAMES'S THEATRE, King-street, St. James's. Lessee, Mr. T. B. Chatter ton. The nearest Theatre to Chelsea, Pimlico, and West minster, the Park being open to carriages and foot passen gers all hours of the night. THIS EVENING, a new Comedy, LONDON PRIDE ; or, Living for Appearances. Messrs. Leigh Murray, Barrett, Charles Young; Mesdames Frank Matthews, Murray, and Nelly Moore. After which (first time) a new Fairy Extravaganza, entitled THE SWAN AND EDGAR Messrs. Barrett, Francis, Miss Lydia Thompson, Miss Clara St. Casse, and the Corps de Ballet. To conclude with A DEAD SHOT. Mr. E. Cockrell. Educed Prices—Gallery, 64 ; Pit, 14. The Box-office open from 11 to 5 daily. Doors open at half-past six ; perform • ante commences at 7. A STLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE, Westminster-road. Sole Lessee Mr. William Cooke. Extraordinary prosperous career of the new historical Dr4ma, in four parts, by Tom Taylor, Esq., called GARI BALDI. New scenery -3lagniflcent Militar, Tableux.— Supported by a Powerful Company—Mr. R. Phillips, Ennis, Belmore, Raymond, Miss Kate Carson, .4.7 c. -The Scenes in the Circle will be sustained by the best and most talented Equestrians of the day, Mr, John Henry Cooke, Miss Rosins Madlle. Marguerite, and a host of British, French, and American talent—Little Menoni, the wonderful Juvenile Equestrian—Facetious Clowns, Parisian Pierrots, and Ec centric Drolls -terminating eac') Night with the comical and mirth-provoking Ballet entitled LOVE'S VAGARIES. Stage Manager. Mr. R. Phillips CANTERB UR V HALL CONCERTS.- EVERY EVENING.—The Music of Verdi's Opera of MACBETH (now first made public in England at these Con certs). - And a Grand Selection from Meyerbeer's new opera of DLNORAJT. - - Comic Vocalists —Messrs. George Flo !son (the Irish Come dian and Mimic), W. P. Critchdeld, and E. IV. Mackney. Several interestinc,r, Pictures are added to the Fine Arts Gallery. The suite of Halls have been re-decorated and beautified, and constitute one of the most unique and brilliant sizhts of the metropolis. ROSA BON FI FUR'S celebrated PICTURE of the HORSE FAIR is now added to the already magnificent Collection of paiatinzs in the Canterbury Hall Fine Arts Gallery. The gallery is open from 9 a in. till 1i p.m. Admission, Six pence. TIIE WEATHER.—SuN OFFICE, NOVE3IBER 16. THERMOMETER, IN THE slur's. 48 —highest since noon yesterday. 42 —lowest this mozaing and during the night. 45—this day at noon. BAROMETEIt-30.15. WIND, North-Westerly; rather light, with dull, cold, weather. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. THIS DAY.-I‘lorning, 6h. 21m.—Afternoon, 6h. 52m. To-Mohnow-Moming, 7h. 27m.—Afternoon, Bh. Gm. 44. I s, 1 . (f.?: 4 -:7 . .. pi t.^ ~," ..; ~-;.' r.l ~ ' 0 5 ,-.,,, ,c r ,,Ti • s -,...._.. „....._ - , ,,,,._•__,:„..,; 4 ....„ ....i5i ...,,,-- rc ,'‘ ~ • 1 , •.. .• . ,-, •,,,,,,%•• THE SUN. TITURSJAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1859 THE EDITOR of the French Press seems not pleased with the Duchies. They have acted inde pendently, when he meant then only to be indepen dent, or to be called independent. They have done unwisely, we are now told ; first, in voting annexation to Piedmont, and, secondly, in voting the Regency of Prince CARIGNAN. And even the Prince, His IMPERIAL MAJESTY THE EDITOR says, has not hearkened to the wise counsels of France, "as expressed in the letter of the EMPEROR to the KING." The double vote, the Constitutionncl tells us, means simply this : " That Italy no longer confided in the wisdom of Europe; that she even distrusted her decisions, since she forestalled them ; and that, having be come mistress of herself de facie, she would, if neces sary, dispense with the sanction of international law. But nothing, absolutely nothing, justified that distrust of the future resolutions of the Congress. Let Italy be Con vinced of this fact—that the Congress of which she is tow advised to decline the jurisdiction can alone achieve and sanction her deliverance. The Congress alone has the power of consenting to the territorial arrangements which may be useful to her new organisation." But we may well ask, what reason has Italy to confide in a Congress ; or, indeed, what title has any Congress to demand the confidence of Italians ? Have these Italian States the rights of indpendent nations, or have they not ? No one is hardy enough to deny them such rights, at least none but the merest thorough-bred tyrants, who hold that nations were made for Sovereigns and dynasties, not Sovereigns for nations. Once allow, however, the principles by which the Sovereigns of the mightiest peoples both of the Old World and the New now occupy 'their thrones or their Presiden tial chair, and it is properly no business of a Con gress at all to tell the Duchies who shall rule over them. They cannot properly acknowledge the right of such a court. They may, if they please, imitating weaker countries—Belgium, Greece, the Danubian Principalities—ask the intervention of . a combination of the Great Powers ; but, unless they ask it, "the Powers" have no more rightful con cern with settling the Government of the Duchies than a highwayman has in settling what I shall do with my purse. He may extort my purse from me for his own use, and " the Powers" may wrench the rights of Central Italy from her for their own use, but the latter deed is but the political counter part of the former—it is political highway robbery, and, like the Treaties of 1815, could have no binding force on the peoples. And the people of the four States show, we are told, " a want of confidence" in a Congress by their vote. Good—and never was a vote of want of confidence better justified. We are now told that he of Naples, and he, the Arch-Shepherd of Perugian fame, are claimants for a seat in Congress—and of course the "Great Powers" are all to be there. England will surely be absent, unless it be previously declared that the four States had a right to vote as they pleased,—that, in fact, they were not called on to " confide in a Congress." Now, how on earth could any man in his senses ask the States to trust such a precious Congress as this—Sardinia, alon e, avowedly in their favour; France avowedly desiring them to take back their detested despot ; Russia and Prussia looking, no doubt, most lovingly- on States who had kicked out detested despots; Austria, of course, dead against them; England standing aloof because she will not compromise the primary rights of Central Italy—so a precious jury they are asked to confide in. A jury of despots, on Liberty—rather say of wolves, on_ sheep. VICTOR E3I3IANUEL WEIS wrong in the first instance, when he referred him self and them to a Congress. They did not want him to plead their cause before a tribunal they could not possibly trust. They wanted him to take their cause into his own hands, and it was his duty to have done it. Count CAvourt - would have coun selled him to do it. GARIBALDI would have coun selled him to do it. And once done, Austria might have gnashed her teeth, she dared not have moved. Again, we are told from Paris that " it is ques tioned by what right Sardinia undertakes to pre judge the decision of the Congress in naming a re gent for Central Italy, and thus by his nomination assuming that the Duchies were already annexed to Sardinia. This proceeding is contrary to all cus tom and not in accordance with the rights of the people." This refers, of course, to the nomina tion, by Prince CARIGNAN, of the Chevalier BUONCOMPAGNI as his Vice-Regent, as we may call him. We are glad to see this. It gives some hope that BUONCOMPAGNI will be no mere tool of the Great French EDITOR. The Chevalier, indeed, though not a MAzzim or a GARIBALDI, has won his administrative spurs in the cause of Italian liberty. As commissioner for the King of SAR DINIA, till the imperiousness of France compelled his recal, he managed so well as to incur the dis pleasure of the Marquis of NORMANBY and of all the admirers of the Dukes in Italy and elsewhere. He goes to his Regency as an Italian, we may therefore presume, and so far, the counsels of the Autocrat of France are foiled. We are again, how ever, told that this is " prejudging" what ought to come before a Congress. To which the reply is, as above, that the Italians are the only leg,itimate judges of the question ; LOUIS NAPOLEON, who has no right to prejudge, did so by his letter to the King of SARDINIA; the Italians, who have a right, do so by their double vote. We accept the representation of the meaning of the double vote. We affirm that it is exactly what it ought to be. Instead of not be ing " in accordance with the rights of the people," we may challenge all Frenchmen who, six or seven years ago, elected their own Emperor, to deny the same right to the free States of Central Italy. And the same fact assuredly furnishes an answer to the observation that the conduct of the Duchies is "contrary to all custom." It is not contrary to the custom of France, who will surely think that she may settle the propriety of political customs, as well as the proprieties of crinoline and bonnets. France chose her Ruler in 1852, and told the Powers of Europe it was hers to choose, theirs to acknowledge the chosen. Why may not the Italians follow in 1859 the example set by France in 1852 ? Since the above was written, we have received the following telegram from Mr. REUTER'S office : PARIS, TIII:RSDAY MORNING. " ThG Constitutionnel of to-day, in an article signed by its secretary Boniface, announces that the French Government, true to the principles of its policy, has recommended to the Cabinet of Turin to annul the appointment of the Regency which the Government of the King of Sardinia has dele gated to Chevalier Buoncompagni, as such appoint ment would prejudice the questions brought be fore, and encroach upon the competency of, the Congress. The Constitutionnel says :—' This advice must be considered as a proof of tho solicitude of the Em peror for the Italian cause, which cause he made to triumph on the field of battle, and the final set tlement of which awaits to-day only the decision of Europe.' " Instead of the above being considered as a proof of the solicitude of the EMPEROR, for the Italian cause, it proves very clearly quite the reverse, and exposes NAPOLEON'S hypocrisy to the contempt of Europe, and the well-merited detestation of the Italian people. Who bas not a word of praise for his Royal High ness the General Commanding-in-Chief? This new military reform of H.R.H., issued by his orders, and signed by his Secretary, amounts, really and truly, to nothing less virtually than the Abolition in the Royal Army of England of the degrading punishment of the Lash. Henceforth every recruit tying the particoloured ribbons in his hat, and slipping the QUEEN'S shilling into his pocket, may pass through the whole period of his military ser vitude afterwards without being from first to last in any way not only liable, but capable even, of being subjected to the ignominy of Corporal Punishment. SHAKSPERE ,has written, oracularly, "the cat will mew, the dog will have his day." But from this day forth the cat in the Royal Army of Eng land is virtually a thing non-existent and abolished. It is a reform for which we ourselves have for years and years past loudly and earnestly argued, almost we had said clamoured. The evil of the lash was a part of the military system, regarded, for that matter, by the whole mass of the community with unmitigated abhorrence. There was nothing to redeem it. It was worse than a crime against all the nobler feelings and honest self-respect of our soldiery—it was a mistake, and a mistake the most egregious. It was a part of the system, moreover, that always worked ill. It hardened and brutalised the offenders themselves, and excited far and wide only sentiments of the profoundest indignation. It was literally a betise, a positive stupidity. For among other (almost we might say inevitable) con sequences, the lash in a manner as it were by magic instantaneously, at every singing of the thongs, during the cruel torture of the flagellation, trans• formed the Culprit into the Victim and Martyr, as it were, of a detestable tyranny. 'Whenever a sol dier was flogged of late years, no matter what his offence, the sympathies of the public fell to his lot and not to the authorities—environing ;the offence and not the punishment. The Press, as a body, has for a very considerable time past been strenu ously and most energetically opposed to a it. Some of the wisest and most heroic of our great Captains have expressed their detestation of the lash as an instrument of punishment for the British soldier. One of them the most dauntless and gifted of all the great English Captains of modern times, the man who, as a conqueror, is second only in the role of the Royal Army of England to ARTHUR, Duke of WELLINGTON ; we mean, of course, it is needless to say, the late General Sir CHARLES NAPIER, the Glorious Victor of Scinde, who was dead against this degrading system of corporal punishment in the army. No man was a keener or a more sagacious disciplinarian than Sir CHARLES NartEtt—but it was precisely be cause he was that—because he had really at heart the well-being and the perfect subordination of his troops—of the troops to every man amongst whom he was at once the Friend and the Model, the Protector and the Paragon—because he was such Sir CHARLES NAPIER was heart and soul for the abolition of the lash as an abhorred and barharous institution. Against it he used his pen - as powerfully as ever he wielded his good sword against the foe ! And now, the lash, thanks to the wise councils and benignant resolution of Mita the Duke of CAMBRIDGE, is a thing virtu ally abolished. By this one act, if by nothing else —and it is not the least of the Duke's military re forms—H.R.H. has earned a right to the baton of a Field Marshal. The remembrance of this act— and it is an act that will be long and gratefully borne in remembrance—will be the gl.;ry of H.R.H.'s career• at the Horse Guards as the General Commanding-in-Chief ! After commenting upon the long-notorious, and TIM' SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 17, 1859,1 i painful fact of " the unequal estimate of crime and allotment of punishment by courts-martial, especi ally as regards clrporal punishment," the General Order announcing this wise and noble reform upon which we are here commenting goes on to observe thusimplicitly, by way of explanatory announce ment : " All men on entering the army will be placed in the first class, and will not, except for aggravated mutinous conduct, be liable to corporal punishment. They will continue in the first class unless they should incur degradation into the second class by the commission of certain crimes hereafter speci fied." After having enumerated the two classes of offences, the General Order adds— " No man guilty of offences under the first head is to be subject to corporal punishment, except during time of war, when the army is in the field." While, upon the other hand, it is said :—" Men guilty of offences under the second head, being crimes of a very serious description, will, if in the second class, be liable to corporal punishment. If, however, they are in the first class, they will, toge ther with their other punishment, not being corpo ral punishment, be disrated, and passed into the second class, when they will thenceforth, on the repetition of crimes under the second head, be liable to corporal punishment, as having degraded them selves by their own bad conduct." The soldiers in this way being placed in the same position as the criminal if brought up and duly convicted upon certain charges upon trial before the Quarter sessions. An important provision has yet to be specified as part and parcel of this beneficent Order, namely, the paragraph announcing that " Uninterrupted good conduct for a year will how ever, again restore the soldier from the second to the first class, as proving a desire for reformation and amendment." The closing sentence of the Order is especially worthy of consideration. It is expressed in the manner following " His Royal Highness trusts that the above classi fication will greatly simplify to the officers of the army the method of dealing with crime ; will deter the evil-disposed from committing offences, justly subjecting them to severe punishment, which, though necessary to maintain discipline, should be restricted as much as possible ; and will give con fidence to the good soldier by securing to him, on entering her Majesty's service an immunity from degrading punishment, which immunity it will be in his power to preserve to the day when his en gagement shall expire." Again we say this wise and just reform thus generously inaugurated by the Duke of CAMBRIDGE as the General Command ing-in -Chief, is his Royal Highness's title to the baton of a Field-Marshal, and with that to the full and supreme designation of Commander-in-Chief. Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cambridge and the Princess Mary have returned to Kow from visiting her Majesty at Windsor Castle. The Prince Vogorides has left the residence of the Turkish Ambassador for Constantinople. The Princess Olga Dolgorouky has left Long's Hotel for Lisbon. His Excellency the Belgian Minister and Madame Van de Weyer have arrived at the residence of the Belgian Legation, in Portland-place, from Brighton. His Excellency the Portuguese Minister has arrived at the residekce of the Legation, in Gloucester-placo, from Widsor Castle. The Duke de Richelieu arrived at the Pavilion Hotel, Folkestone, yesterday, on his way to Paris. The Marquis and Marchioness of Ailesbury left Windsor Castle yesterday, for their seat, Tottenham-park, Wilts. The Earl and Countess of Elgin have arrived at Farrance's Hotel, Belgravia, front Scotland. The Earl and Countess Manvers have left Thoresby Park, Notts, for Brighton. The Earl of Itopetoun has arrived at Long's Hotel, from Scotland. Viscount and Viscountess Enfield and the Hon. Misses Byng have arrived in town from Wrotham Park, Herts. Lord Kenyon is at present staying at the Pavilion Hotel, Folkestone. Mr. Lawrence and Ludy Jane Peel and Miss Peel have arrived in town from Brighton. The Right Hon. Frederick Peel, M.P., and Mrs. Peel have arrived at Farrance's Hotel, Belgravia. The Right Hon. T. H. Sotheron Estcourt, M.P., and Mrs. Sotheron Estcourt, have arrived at Farrance's Hotel, Belgravia, from Estcourt House, Gloucestershire. The King of the Belgians the day before yester day received in private audience Count de Ludolf, who pre sented his credentials as Minister of the Two Sicilies. The Modena Gazette announces that the Arch bishop of Modena has caused the Sardinian arms to be placed over the entrance of his palace. A communication from Vienna, in the "Cologne Gazette," states :—" The Austrian naval authorities seem inclined to introduce the French invention of gunboats plated with iron. At all' events, an experiment with that view has been made at Maria-Zell, in Hungary, by covering with iron iron-plates a large chest made of thick planks, and then firing 48-pound balls at it from a distance of 400 yards. The effect is said to have been astonishing, as the balls wore shattered to pieces without breaking any of the plates." A telegram was received at Lloyd's yesterday, announcing the recovery from the Royal Charter of two bags of sovereigns, weighing about 181 b. each, ono largo box of gold, weighing 561 b., and a smaller box. COMPOSITIONS FOR COATING SHIPS' BOTTOMS.— A number of gentlemen interested in shipbuilding assem bled in the Southampton Docks on Tuesday morning, to witness the result of an experiment which had excited some interest among persons of that class. In the early part of last May the Royal Mail Company's steamship Atrato was coated on:the starboard side with M'lnnes's green copper soap, and on the port side with Peacock and Buchan's pink composition, for the purpose of practically testing the rela tive merits of the two articles in keeping the bottom of the ship clean. On docking the Atrato on Tuesday for examina tion it was found that the starboard side was covered with coral pipe, shells, and barnacles, with a good deal of corro sion; while the port side was perfectly free from coraline incrustation or barnacles, having merely a thin slimy unctuous coating upon it. The result is considered as hav ing incontestibly proved that preparations of copper are of little value in preventing incrustation or fouling on the bottoms of iron ships, while their galvanic action must, sooner or later, prove injurious to the rivets and plates The green composition is now being scraped off the Atrato. THE AMERICAN AGGRESSIONS AT ►SAN JUAN.— Accounts have been received from Vancouver's island which state that the Americans are profiting by the im punity which has been so long allowed them, and are steadily establishing themselves upon the island. - They have now placel the island under the American Revenue Law. A small steamer, the Caledonian ' went a few days before the accounts left with a party of respectable people on a pleasure trip to San Juan, but on arriving were told they would not be allowed to land without a permit from the Custom-house at Port Townsend, in the Oregon terri- tory. They were about to return to Victoria, when a shore boat went alongside into which several of the passengers jumped and went ashore without leave. The authorities .aid they would overlook the act for the present, but would carry the law into effect should it be attempted again. A short time previously some fishermen from Victoria were driven off from the neighbourhood of the island, and told they had no right there. BOILER EXPLOSION.—A fearful boiler explosion took place at West Cranilington Colliery, about ten miles from Newcastle-on-Tyne, on Tuesday ; one man was killed and another dangerously hurt, but from the amount of de struction that occurred, and the number - of persons about, the most miraculous thing is that so many persons escaped without injury. There were three boilers placed along side of each other, and on Tuesday morning, Th.:mu Graham, the foreman blacksmith, and Henry Tate, another smith, were employed rivetting some plates in one of them that was disused, when the boiler adjoining to it ex ploded with a noise that shook the earth, and which was heard at the other colleries, three or four miles distant. The boiler that exploded was torn completely in two, one-half of it being carried into the air, alighting on the other side of the pit. Dislodged materials were flying about in all direc tions ; a large piece of timber fell through the roof of a pit man's cottage, another large piece of boiler plate fell at a pitman's cottage door; end a huge fragment of the boiler was thrown on to the waggon way, close to where a wag gon driver was passing, but without injuring. him. Other persons had most extraordinary escapes. Graham ; the foramen blacksmith, who was inside the unemployed boiler at the time of the explosion, escaped with a slight cut of the head, while his partner Tate, who was working under :math it,.was literally boiled to death by the scalding, water thrown out by the explosion. William Curtis, the fireman attending th 3 boiler that exploded, was buried among a alas.; of bricks and rubbish, but though he is very much hurt, hopes wcrr entertained of his recovery yesterday. The damage done by the explosion is very considerable, and about 400 pitmen and lads will bo thrown out of employ ment some time, until the boilers and engines aro put into a working state again. PROPOSED UNIVERSITY PRIZE ESSAY ON SIR J. FRANKLIN.—A member of the University of Oxford has offered a prize of £5O for the best poem on The Life, the Character, and the Death of the heroic Seaman, Sir John Franklin, with special reference to the Time, Place, and Discovery of his Death." Competitors, who must be ment bers of the University, are to send in their contributions on or before Juno 1, 1860. The judges are t 3 be the Vice- Chancellor, the Dean of Christ Church, and a third person named by them. N E TV NUS/C. The- Gay Deceiver. W. IL Montgomery. An Evening with the Christy Minstrels. Moir gomery. _Reminiscences from Flotox's Opera of" Martha A. B. Berg. Six Airs from " Liz Tratiata." Montgomery. Mu Lovely Angel Mine. C. L. Fischer. hou art _Adored. - ATerctdante. " The Gay Deceiver" forms one of an unexcep tional series of ladies' comic songs, and Mr. Montgomery has certainly done justice to the quaint and good-natured satire of the words, which are by Eliza Cook, and appeared in this journal a short time since. The melody is smooth and flowing, and admits of great humorous effect in singing. We advise young ladies to enlist it as soon as pos sible into their service, if they wish to give a gen tle " rap on the knuckles" to the modern " exqui sites" w•ho value themselves and their moustachios at a very high figure. "An Evening with the Christy Minstrels" is an arrangement of eight of their most popular airs in an easy and familiar style, admirably adapted for young musicians, as it combines an amount of useful practice with attractive genuine harmony. Berg's " Reminiscences" from Flotow, and Montgomery's selection from La Traviata may be classed as possessing the 'same constituents of ex cellence and equally well suited to juvenile pianists. " Thou Lovely Angel Mine" is a beautiful German song—brilliant, elegant, and tender. " Thou art Adored" is the well-known cantata from Merca dante's "Il Giuramento," and consequently needs no further mention. If is fairly due to the' publishers of The Musical Bouquet to say that their fastidious judgment and indefatigable energy in presenting first-rate music to the public, at a fabulously cheap rate, demands the praise and patronage of all who are not above blending economy in expenditure with exhibitions of sterling art and refined taste. The finest classical works of the old masters, and the choicest produc tions of the modern ones, are given in rapid succes sion, while the superiority of the paper, printing, and general getting up, fully sustain the character of the Musical Bouquet as being amongst the very best musical publications of the day. SITAKSPEARE PAPERS. By WILLIAM M!GINN, LL.D. Bentley, New Burlington-street. The name of the late Dr. Maginn is sufficient war rant for the quality of the volume before us. Powerful in thought, lucid in criticism, and at tractive in style, his articles are always welcome to the lover of literature; and, perhaps, among his nu merous works few have met with more appreciative admiration than the "Shakspeare Papers," which were originally contributed to Bentley's Illiscel lany, on the establishment of that journal. He gives us an agreeable and instructive commentary on each of the principal plays ; bringing the lead ing characters out with analytical and photo graphic distinctness, and presenting the consecu tive intention of the whole drama in a light that renders every touch of refulgent brilliancy, and every depth of masterly shadow as discernible to the solf-taught artisan as to the metaphysical scholar. The author's minute delineation of " Lady .Macbeth," " Borneo," " Falstaff," " lago," and " _Hamlet," are peculiarly intellectual and discriminative in treatment and tone, eliciting much from the characters and construction of the story which may have escaped the perception of those who are accustomed to look on our " immor tal Shakspeare" rather in the aggregate than in the integral. Many valuable incidental notes are appended, which convey important suggestions for consideration touching the various readings of the text ; and the good taste and modesty with which these suggestions are offered afford an example which many of our flippant, shallow-brained de picters of the Great Bard would do well to profit by. Dr. Maginn was becomingly impressed by the magnitude of the genius he was approaching, and evinced a delicacy and sense of veneration which did honour alike to the shrine and the wor shipper. The acute penetration of his reasoning faculties, the genial refinement of his poetic spirit, and the energetic flow of his ideas, rendered him a fitting judge to " sum up" in a Shakpearean case, and we most cordially recommend this volume as an essential and graceful addition to every book-shelf where the " Swan of Avon" holds his loved and honoured place. LATEST NEWS• The following telegrams have been received at Mr, lle.uter's office : PARIS, THURSDAY. The Constitutionnel of to•day, in an article signed by its S 3cretary Baniface, announces that the French Government, true to the principles of its policy, has recommended to the Cabinet of Turin to annul the expedient of the regency which the Go vernment of the King of Sardinia has delegated to Chevalier Buoncompagni, as such a course would prejudice the questions brought before, and en croach upon, the competency of the Congress. The Constitutionnel says :—" This advice must be considered as a proof of the solicitude of the Em peror for the Italian cause, which cause he made to triumph on the field of battle, and the final settle - ment of which awaits to-day the decision of Europe." PARTS, Nov. 16. It is asserted that the measures taken suddenly in Turin in reference to the regency have been com pletely disapproved of by the Emperor. It is also stated that the French Government has made known its disapproval to the Sardinian Government, and to all the other powers of Italy. The Marquis do Mousticr, French Ambassador at Berlin, has been appointed Ambassador to the Im perial Court at Vienna. BOLOGNA, Nov. 15. The document relative to the regency which has been published has produced an excellent impres sion in Bologna, and likewise in Parma and Modena. The Governor of Bologna has decreed the suppression of the Tribunal of the Inquisition. TURIN, Nov. 16. It is expected that the treaties of peace will be ratified on Sunday next. The full powers entrusted to the Plenipotentiaries will then be withdrawn. The subscriptions to the national loan having reached the sum of 20 millions rentes, a proportional reduction will be made in allotting the amounts applied for according to the time when the applica tions were sent in. Those who subscribed during the first five days of the opening of the subscription will have allotted to them 47 per cent. of the amount of their subscription ; the others less. MADRID, Nov. 16. Marshal O'Donnell has returned to Cadiz, after having effected a survey of the coasts of Africa. The military operations will immediately begin. MOROCCO. The following protest has been made by the Moorish Government in the name of the Emperor, against the conduct of the Spanish Government in declaring war on Morocco : " Glory and praise to the Almighty I To the represen tatives of foreign powers, residing at Tangier°. The rela tions between us and the Spaniards have been broken off. I think it my duty to give you an exact account of what has taken place between us and the Spanish representative, and for this purpose I annex to this communication copies of five letters which the said representative has addressed to us, as well as copies of four answers which we made to him. This is all the correspondence that has passed between us since the day when the Arabs of Aujera destroyed the posts planted to mark out the limits that being done with out our order and in formal oppositi on t o our wishes. "By this correspondence You will be able to exactly judge of the conduct of the Sultan, our master; and will see whether he has acted in these negotiations in a regular and friendly manner, or whether the Spanish Government has manifested from the commencement a desire to find a pretext for declaring war against us. You know that when the Arabs of Aujera committed the act above mentioned, the Sultan Muley-Abderraman, our master died. We had not at that period the powers necessary to adopt any measure and to settle that affair. It was not possible for us to occupy ourselves with it until we were confirmed in our post by the Sultan Sidi-Mohamed, our master, whom God has just raised to the throne. " The Spanish Government, in presence of the events which had taken place, fixsd a first delay which expired on the sth October; that delay was extended to the 13th of the the same month. Before our nomination we had done all that was in our power to make the pe"ple of Aujera abstain from any further outrage. You will observe that the Spanish Charg6 d'Affaires demanded in his first letter that public buildings m'ght be constructed in the camp of Ceuta. In the old stipulations, and in that of 1815, mention is made of the camp and of ground' for pasturage belonging to the Spaniards, but M. Blanco in his letter only speaks abso lutely of the camp. " The Sultan, our master, in his exalted wisdom, and inspired by the sincere wish to maintain friendly relations, ordered us to accept the demand made, and consented that the Spaniards might construct fortifications within the camp. We received that order before the sth of October, the delay fixed by tho first ultimatum. After that Spanish Charge d'Affaires as you will see by his letter, put forth a fresh pretension ; he demanded permission to erect fortifi • cations on the ground which we had conceded in 1845, and which was exclusively intended for the pasturage of the flocks. This new demand was contrary to what M. Blanco had formally promised, as we can prove, nevertheless, he received on the 11th October complete satisfaction on that sn.bject " On the 13th October a new pretension was put forth. The Spanish representative demanded possession of the heights necessary for the defence of Ceuta, and if you read with attention his letter of the sth of this month, you will see that he twice declares that he only asks for authorisa tion to construct fortifications within the enclosure of the line of limits. We did not, however, take any notice of the disingenuous manner in which he sought to explain his wishes, and did not seek to ascertain whether he was right or wrong; we granted what he asked for, understanding that those heights were necessary for the defence of the place, and because in a private conversation he assured us that they were close to Ceuta, and not at a distance from it. " Ho accepted our explanations, and returned here in the night of the 16th inst. Another pretension was then brought forward; this time it was a demand for the posses sion of a vast territory comprised between the valley of Libel Moma and Ceuta. To that pretension we replied that we could not give a precise answer without applying to the Sultan our master. From that moment relations ceased between us, and war was threatened. " I beg you to send the annexed documents to your Government, 'making known to it that in the name of the Sultan, our master, we protest against the Spanish Govern ment because on three occasions it has paid no attention to its word and to its engagement, and has declared war against us without any legitimate motive. "We have been much surprised on hearing that some journals in speaking of this affair state positively that the people of Aujora every day harass Ceuta. You are well aware that for the space of a fortnight not a single act of aggression took place until the day when the governor endeavoured to erect fortifications on ground which does not belong to Spain. We beg you therefore to transmit to your government a faithful recital of all that has taken place on this subject. You are well aware of the conduct of the inhabitants of all the towns of the empire, who are desirous of living in peace with all nations. " On the death of tho late Sultan, and when symptoms of disturbance and insubordination manifested themselves, no one was insulted or ill-treated. At Mazagan the inha bitants fought with the people in defence of Europeans. I desire that you make known these details to your Govern ment, begging it not to attach any credit to the language of those who are not acquainted with this country, or who feel no sympathy for its inhabitants or its Government. " Our desire is to keep up the most friendly relations with all nations, but we renew our protest against the un just conduct of the Spanish nation, which does not know how to decide on what it demands, or to respect its promises. We appeal to Almighty God and to the great and powerful Governments of Europe and of America; we appeal to all men who in this world follow the path of justice, and who judge the rights of others without having recource to force. We put our trust in God, praying him to regard us with a favourable eye. We calmly await the course of events, and we shall act in such a way that no one shall be able to reproach us ; all the evil will come from our enemies. " Peace be with you " Oct. 25." MominEn-LE-Liam. FRANCE. • PARIS, WEDNESDAY. The Debats makes the following observations on the designation of M. Buoncompagni by Piedmont as a suitable person to fill the office of Regent in Central Italy : " It is easy to see how the Piedmontese Government, which has tvfiee shrunk from the responsibility that might be incurred by accepting and exercising the supreme authority in the Duchies, has at last been induced to take the step which at first lied appeared to alarm it. After de clining to sanction the annexation of these territories— after setting aside the offer of the Regency for the Prince de Carignau—the l'iedmontese Government takes upon itself to appoint a Regent. We have nothing to say against that step, and even yesterday we remarked that a definitive refusal would be more embarrassing for Piedmont than for the States of Central Italy ; but, however much in clined to do so, it is impossible to see any difference be tween designating a Regent and accepting the Regency. This is so true that the arguments presented this morning against the acceptation of the Regency, by a jour nal which delights to assume a semi-official character (the Constitutionnel), is meant to apply with equal force to the designation of a Regent, an event which the said jour nal, though correctly informed so far as its infor mation went, does not seem to have expected. Should the Piedmontese Government,' it says, 'not decline the Regency offered to the Prince de Carig - nan, its influence in Central Italy will cease to be legiti mate ; it will assume another character, and become a real intervention.' Who will venture to assert that designating a Regent is not also an intervention, and—what is most important in the present case—equally declared and equally official with the acceptance of the Regency :3" So serious a step does this designation of a Regent by Piedmont seem to our contemporary, that it insists that in case of an armed attack on the terri tory of Central Italy, King Victor Emmanuel would be obliged to intervene with his troops : " Who would so far insult the Piedmonrese Government as to insinuate that in designating M. Buoncompagni, in stead of the Prince de Carignan, its only object is to secure the right and the opportunity of abandoning its representa tive, if it should be necessary to support him by force ? It is impossible to maintain that in thus designating M. Buoncompagni Piedmont incurs less re sponsibility and assumes less binding obligation towards Central Italy than would have followed the Prince's accept ance of the Regency. And, to adduce a proof easy of coin ' rehension, let us suppose that the Pontifical Govern ment, forgetting its weakness, overlooking its true in terests, and reasoning only in accordance with the law of nations, considers this official designation of a Regent over an important section of its territory as a declaration of war, and attacks the Legations annexed to this new Regency, is not Sardinia bound to lend assist ance to the Regent ? Can she honourably dispense with doing so on the pretext that the Regent whom she has designated is not a member of the Royal family ? We are therefore witnessing the solution of the Italian question before the Congress meets. This solution may not bo the last; it may, on the contrary be the opening of a new drama ; but it is none the loss the most decisive step that Sardinia has hitherto taken in sanctioning the wishes of the Italian people." The Siecle expresses its satisfaction at M. Buon compagni's appointment, as calculated to promote union among the Central States. It says:— " That the provinces which have achieved their inde pendence be administered by Prince de Carignan or M. Buoncompagni, is indifferent. The important point is that all the power shall be united in one hand ; that the administration of the Duchies and of Romagna shall have the force of unity and cohesion ; that annexa tion, so to speak, shall be worked out. Since the King of Sardinia and the Prince do Carignan have followed the counsels given them, wo must believe that it is with the assent of the Powers that M. Buoncompagni will take the regency delegated to him by the Prince. We shall see how this great piece of news will be received by the Royalists and tltramontanes. But we may foresee that the Regency of M. Buoncompagni will not be re garded by them with more favour than that of the Prince, and that the Jupiter Tonans of the Unicers is already pre paring his thunderbolt to strike down the Regent, who ever he may be." THE BOURSE, Nov. 16.—The market has been heavy. Threes, after having been done at 69f. 95c., declined to 69f. 80c.; the Mobilier varied from 777 f. 50e. to 770 f.; Lyons, 886 f. 25c. to 882 f. 50c.; Or leans, 1,367 f. 50c. to 1,365 f.; Northern, 947 f. 50c. to 945 f. ; Southern, 515 f. to 512 f. 50c. ; Austrian, 547 f. 50c. to 545 f. ; Lombard, 547 f. 50c. to 546 f. 25c. The following were the last quotations : The Moniteur publishes an Imperial decree rais ing M. Rouland, Minister of Public Instruction, General Count de La Grange, and M. Caignart de Saulcy, 11Iember of the Institute, to the dignity of Senator. 4t per Cents. .... 95 55 Do. end month .. -- 3 per Cents 69 85 Do. end month 69 85 Bank Shares 2900 Credit Mobilier 771 25 Do. Account Credit Fonder 965 Belgian 4/ lOO Piedmonteso (5) Roman B6 50 Austrian — Spanish Threes 44 60 Home Debt 43 -- RAILWAYS. Cash. Account. Orleans Northern ... 950 .. 950 New ditto B3O .. 830 Lyons and Mediterranean • BB5 .. 885 Geneva 530 .. Southern Western 567 50 .. 565 Eastern Sardinian 412 50 .. Austrian Lombard ..... • 543 75 .. 5.16 25 Exchange on London, at sight, paper, 2,5 f. 12c. ; money, 25f. 10c. ; three months, paper, 24f. 971 c. ; money, 24f. 95c FERTILISE TIIE LAND, PURIFY ?RI:- I . TO THE EDITOR OP THE SUN. SlR,—Agriculturists are continually call in g attention to the evils which result from withdraw' ing from the land the sewage so necessary for its fertilisation and production of human food. This view compri ses b u t half the story of the present mischievous distribution of sewag e, an d important questions are left unnoticed and undis cussed. The sewage now so mu c h wanted by thelandi is distributed to the rivers, where it poisons the is °, causes a deposit to subside which putrifies, ex hale f pestilential effluvia, and stimulates the 'gro wth , ° . l • weeds, till the whole st re a m becomes a som i _soue mass of vegetable growth. Lttor All the beautiful species of the salmoniche a—ht foul and filthy rivers, and delight in the brio transparent waters which naturally flow throng' the lovely valleys of England. na The trout preserver is ever jealous of his fish, a ~ it would be curious to see a Parliamentary retnr of the number of c o m pl a i n t s m ade, actions t hrew ' ,- ened, judgments obtained, injunctions in Chane er i s which have been decreed, nay, even attachtnealt which have been issued for contempt of the hig lie 4 legal tribunals against the various boards of help of this country. of The present syst e m o f th ese so-called bear-% health is to pass the filth of their own tow n by t'ee nearest brook or river to the neighbouring villaglai and I myself have b een compelled to make effiets complaint to the Privy Council that the inh abit° of villages upon the course of a stream have been drinking unawa res th e excre ti on o f a large l e„, ". 1 which had been insidiously thrown into a pelinc.l! trout stream which had serve d the inhabitants !C/Ir. drink and domestic purposes from time inomelOriet, Sewage after deoderisation, although translatrent. contains in solution a large quantity of animal ter, together with all the more valuable sy'ir. When it passes into a still pool or millhead, asap l)° taneous separation occurs, and a layer of o r g a. mud is deposited, which, under the action of shine, gives off m ilky cle llu , 4 gas with a peculiar 0 ness, This gradually extends from millhead millhead till the whole stream becomes cea ti f b. , nated, and a sou rce o f p es til ence to the ileib bourhoed. ana Ultimately a peculiar fermentation is set a. ' 4 . a il the water becomes perfectly bright, having lest fert . l; l its organic matter. By this operation the ing matter which ought to be returned to the fan is spent upon the water, and vegetation, esP ee i le te d the growth of the new water weed, is s tinitlaa l es to an almost in cre dibl e ex t en t. All the streaea, round London are f u ll o f thi s pes t, and th e the Colne, the Wandle, contain vast masse s ' e en During the pa s t y ear my a tt e ntion ha s t b or , forcibly directed to the consideration of the r aa the and it appears to me that possibly, as far al ine y water weed is concerned, this apparent curse be turned to a benefit and profit. duc ks, This weed is especially the food of swans, t he and other waterfowl, and a food which can fo rm muscles, bones, an d f ea th ers o f suc h creatures alkusea contain all the el emen t s o f nu t r ition in a ni : r ied, manner; and havi ng cause d a quan tity to b r ichdried, itl Dr. Gilbert analy se d it an d f oun d it as nitrogen as clo ver , b es id es con t a i n i n g PhesP -- hrio , o sulphur, and various salts. the The experiment is now ripe for trial IV ° b u t higher animals. Horses are fond of the we ed, ctt . bow about milch co ws ? I ha v e not had th e $ venience for dotermining the point, but ra ther cipate it may be found a valuable food. de of The present distributiox of sewage is a e or the right stuff in the w r ong place. Bl er 'i m : ro pir prietor calls for the fertili ser t o increase hi s a for and every guardian of th e s t rea ms cries ale" ter , a prohibition against the p o ll u ti o n of the wnti re' and no person will re s t sa ti s fi e d till we have cut turned to the earth its d ue , an d re stored th e ; fo to the brooks and th e sa l mon t o the rivers. A main, sir, your obedient serrant, ALFRED SM°' 7, Finsbury-circus, Nov. 17. INQUIRY INTO THE MA NA G 1? OF GREENWICH HOSPITAL• This Shields, WilliamL n C o 1) 0 1 1 N ur I tt : T, I n I Eg . S ha S aci l rn. 0 : —(THISN INEIs. pq..,(1f0. rc .0, 3 , f D a t A .: : . co ) a . rui s: a on : jo John Charles Dalrymple, Esq., captain in her gai es r ' re d navy, assembled at the Admiralty, under powers cofe . , upon them by a Royal Commission, to inqtur a in to theitsllll, ternal economy and management of Greenwi ch 11°6P he' and of the funds by which it is maintained, and a t ta w ge ther the resources of the hospital can be more ea' rv - 11; ously applied for the benefit of seamen who have Be- ea . , the Royal Navy. lit OP On the 26th of July last Sir Charles Napier broeg — t subject before the House of Commons, when he e ta u . tec l v ital he wished to see the old seamen in Greenwich .i'l e „ n - ' 6 ,re treated h with as much justice as the officers. Those e"" i . e . twin them pensions before they entered were allow ed t iv ° oo em, but a seaman's pension was taken ova/ malt he entered the hospit a l, an d he only received the malt a nance given to a man who had served a certain ner a— u itil years. The salaries of the officers of Greenwich ii , °9 ,: v on amounted to £25,598 103 a- year, while the sum ePe l !,",, - 1 3 the maintenance of the . pensioners was only ''''''t s i -6 a . Ho should propose that the men should be allowed t° r ., e vt their pensions for wounds. He complained tett the $ll -.% # once to the men was not sufficient to enable then toti""".; ta . in their wives and families, and it was notorious tha till: , bo v h s were not maintained by the hospital or in the o ei g iss of ur ood with anything like decency. Another gre at t o r, complaint was that the governor, lieutenant-gecelot andthe other officers of the hospital had not w the ar tede power in the world, but were continually th cif o an om d m th is e s i i r one r t e a c , om w m h e o nd r a ec ti o o i n v s ed ov fr e ora muled by thr i L e l n ° be' sides a their half-pay, and some of them (17i.d00nottoev7';51:aails' mi reenwich, but in London. The existence of theee i c o i. seioners was entirely unnecessary. On these e1a",..'61 ous other grounds which the gallant admiral fully ea dre w to ;the House, he concluded by moving that an int a should be presented to her Majesty, praying . Commission to inquire into the management the 6 0 p an ital.. The motion could not be put on that day. owing 00 obstruction arising out of the forms of the Mule. 1.7 11- bit, the 28th instant Sir Charles againproposed it. 111. ' - A it, opO se " the bread, in the absence of Lord Clarence Paget, but promised that the Government ' would, du rin x !wag recess, investigate the subject. On the , "„ d j. by hoofo .10, which took place, the motion was negate remise 142 against 82. Acting upon the pro lot given, the Government afterwards thought it wise to aPP I : g . a Royal Commission, and accordingly entrusted 311 r. ham, o Mr. Hutt, and Captain Hay with the inquirP„ the On the assembling of the commissioners this morw-ueLg. secretary read her Majesty's Commission,and ?d r ' .--- .8 ice .s., ham briefly indicated the course which the conli a then would take in conducting their investigation. T hey w ho proceeded o to call witnesses, the first taken being those h high and responsible offices in the hospital. kor It is expected that the inquiry will last about a wee ,. be ten days, and that the report of the commissioners week of ready to be laid before Parliament at the commenecte the forthcoming session. STATE OF TRADE. LEICESTER, Nov. 16.-There is no Inaitaerdiefil; change to report in the state of the hosiery ir - 0 ,1 all useful articles continue in request, and th ere r ers• numerous A orders in the hands of the manufa ctli tifet At Loughborough and Hinckley trade is n ature. and future prospects are of an encouraginl ea' The workmen in nearly all branches are B ell , lot gaged, and wages are as high as they have u ° , ea di. ii some time past. The wool-market is less s' here is not much change in yarns. ~ yeller NOTTINGHAM, Nov. 16th.—There is n- A or tible improvement in the lace trade. Buyer ° y uc o f chase very sparingly, and manufacturers Piniel, or the most part only what is actually re c l ll o ys. tern thus keeping down stock and preventing illi J i s ia rn of "jobbing." There are a few orders O r Aro nets, but very little doinc , iti other branches. my silk b. lace trade continues extremely fiat. l'e ss t i a llf e in l ery is at work, and workmen more Pa r ' oe etmp oyed. The hosiery trade continues in an .s ive h condition • the demand for borne consuTPoiso 1a ove an average. The shipping trade , i 9 .8 on good, and manufaaurers have plenty of oral era , ~h and which are awaiting execution. The ° P a vd Lives are well employed both in the toWn neighbourhood. The yarn market is firm. er Of THE AUDI r- OFFICE.—A ParliamentarYiOr P of t o i 0 pages in ex t en t, y es t er d a y published by q e s t 1 !_ • Hon. the House of C o mmons, gives some dotal t hst state of business in the Audit-office. It aloPe a „ rs us py May, 1857, the number of accounts for audit a n ii' s l oon, e 620, the number in arrear of delivery 26, and at thel of accounts in office not audited 336. In May , f d c livo were 617 accounts to be audited 13 in ar rest 0 _ ere 1 and 167 in office not yet audited. ' So that there 185v1 accounts less to be audited than in 18 0 7. I° 00'37, aa th un e di r i e tledo w G e tyh r e e atn s t B oin B a u uldsi cc B o tB u . nts for audit annually, 1 3 1 e s top Hankw a T se h ya o :De n io.r u p.. m ch b n e a r l y o f 6l a . ceo T moved for by Mr. uhnitasrelturos was Sr. LIMES'S TIIEAT_RE. The new extravaganza produced at this prosperous establishment last night, under the laughable title of the ". Swan and Edgar," has about as much con nection with the famous firm in Piccadilly-eircus, whose name it somewhat unceremoniously assumes, as has St. James's Theatre itself. The scene of the story is laid in the shadowy realms of fairyland, the heroine being Cygnetta (Miss Lydia Thompson) a beautiful being, half-swan, half-fairy, who falls in love with Edgar (Miss Clara St. Casse), and who, by reason of having lost a certain magic veil which is essential to the exercise of her supernatural at tributes, is banished for a time from the society, •f her sister-elves, and, in company with her lover, passes through a variety of romantic adventures in this dull sublunary sphere. The piece is chiefly to be esteemed as affording a new field for the display of the brilliant Terpsichorean accomplishments of that pretty blonde doree, Miss Lydia Thompson, who danced herself into the good graces of Mr. Chatterton's patrons on his opening night, and has been pirouetting there ever since, to the great de light of all beholders. In the new burlesque she dances with her usual grace and spirit, and wins applause and bouquets to her heart's content. She is capitally supported by the corps de ballet, who perform a number of dances, and especially a "Ma zurka," in charming style. Nor must we omit to bestow a word of commendation on Miss St. Casse, whose melodious and expressive singing-adds not a little to the attraction or the piece. The house was crowded. ST. MARTIN'S HALL. Handel's music to Dryden's "Alexander's Feast," and Sterndale Bennett's " May Queen" were per formed at this Hall last night, and inaugurated the winter season. Mr. Hullah, as usual, was the effi cient director, and the chorus consisted of his Upper Singing School, who acquitted themselves on the whole, with credit, and in some of the choruses were loudly applauded. The music of " Alexander's Feast " is well-known. It is varied in its character, and is in the severer classical style of the composer. Miss Martin and Miss Rowland were the chief soprano and contralto. Miss Martin is a young singer of promise, who requires care and practice to improve and soften her style. She has a fine clear voice, but the vehemence with which she sung some passages made it harsh and strained, while it greatly diminished the effect she produced. She must be more subdued in her style, and aim at something more than singing loudly if she wishes to make the most of her abilities. and become a suc cessful vocalist of classical music. Miss Rowland sung with care and credit. She distinguished her self in the air, " He sung Darius, great and good,'" which demands pathetic expression as well as cor rect sinning. Mr. Wilbye Cooper and Mr. Weiss displayed their usual ability as tenor and bass. The chorus performed their part with spirit. In the chorus, " Behold Darius," and in the last, "Let old Timotheus," they were more especially success ful. Bennett's graceful cantata was well performed. M iss Banks sings the chief part with great ability and care. The gem of the piece, the chorus and solo, " With the Carol in the Tree," was unani mously encored, and a similar compliment was raid to Mr. Wass's spirited rendering of the fine bass song, "'Tis jolly to hunt in the bright moonlight." Miss Bradshaw was an excellent " Queen," and Mr. Wilbje Cooper was a correct and careful tenor. The hall was well filled, and the whole performance well received •by the audience. The Marquis and Marchioness of Stafford arrived at the Pavilion Hotel., Folkestone, on Monday, on their re turn from visiting the Emperor and Empress of the French at Cvnivicatia, TEE CASE OF SMETHURST. The following is a copy of a letter addressed by the Right Hon. Sir G. C. Lewis to the Lord Chief Baron, communicating the grant of a free pardon to Smethurst, so far as the alleged murder of Isabella Bankes is concerned : " Whitehall, Nov. 15, 1859. "My Lord,—l have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your lordship's further report, of the 18th ult., on the case of Thomas Smethurst, who was convicted at the Central .Criminal Court in August last of murder, and sentenced to death. "As your lordship suggests in that report that reference should be made to the judgment of medi cal and scientific persons selected by the Secretary of State, for the purpose of considering the symp toms and appearances of the deceased Isabella Bankes, and the result of the analysis, I have sent the evidence, your lordship's reports, and all the papers bearing upon the medical points of the case, to Sir Benjamin Brodie, from whom I have received a letter, of which I enclose you a copy, and who is of opinion that, although the facts are full of sus picion against Smethurst, there is not absolute and complete evidence of his guilt. " After a very careful and anxious consideration of all the fact; of this very peculiar case, I have come to the conclusion that there is sufficient doubt of the prisoner's guilt to render it my duty to ad vise the grant to him of a free pardon, whi c h w ill be restricted to the particular offence of which he stands convicted; it being my intention to institute a prosecution against him for bigamy. " The necessity which I hare felt for advising her Majesty to grant a free pardon in this case has not, as it appears to me, arisen from any defect in the constitution or proceedings of our criminal tri bunals. It has arisen from the imperfection o medical science, and from the fallibility of judg ment, in an obscure malady, even of skilful and ex. perienced medical practitioners. " I have, &c., " The Lord Chief Baron." gg G. C. LEWIS." A free pardon, under the Great Seal, was received by Mr. Keene, the Governor of Horsemonger•lane Gaol, on Tuesday, for the prisoner, in reference to the crime of wilful murder upon Isabella Bankes. The announcement was, of course, formally made to him, but, as he had been led to believe that this would be the result from the course that had been taken in reference to the charge of bigamy, he did not seem at all surprised that the Government had absolved him from the crime of which he had been convicted. Dr. Smethurst is now, therefore, merely in the position of a prisoner under committal upon a charge of felony, and he is, of course, relieved from all the restrictions to which he was liable, under the gaol regulations, as a convict under sentence of death. He will remain in Horsemonger-lane Pri son until a few days before the next session of the Central Criminal Court, when he will be removed to Newgate, and take his trial in due course for the offence of bigamy. The utmost punishment that can be awarded for this crime is penal servitude for four years. CHANCELLORSHIP: OF EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY. --The following letter has been received from Lord Brougham by Sir David Brewster, in reference to the elec tion of the noblo lord as Chancellor of Edinburgh Univer sity :—" Sir,—l have had the honour of receiving your letter announcing to me the great kindness of the Council of the University, and it is altogether unnecessary for me to express my respectful thanks for the high honour which they have been pleased to bestow upon me, or the pride which I have in the enjoyment of it. I only wish it were in my power to show myself worthy of it. All I can hope to do is, by the faithful, discharge of the duties im posed, to testify my gratitude for the honour conferred.— Believe mo to be, with great respect, your faithful servant, BROUGHAM." Loss OF A TYNE BRIG AND NINE HANDS.— SHIELDS, Tuesday.—lntelligence has reached Mr. James Derkin, - the owner of the Harvey, of North Shields, that that vessel was lost about the 24th October, on Stormy Point, on the coast of Newfoundland. The Harvey was bringing a cargo of timber from Quebec to Hartlepool, on the fall voyage. She is totally lost, with her cargo ; and we regret to state that Mr. Miller, the master, and eight of the crew, have perished with the vessel. Th e on l y survivors are Andrew Harvey, the mate, and Daniel M'Cambridgo, a Belfast man. The crew, with the exception of the master and the mate, were Belfast men.