The Sun. — London, England, 1865-01-07 00:00:00

Sir John Pakingtnn on Art Education. The annual meeting of the Kidderminster School of Art was held on Wednesday in the Music Hall, Kidderminster. Sir John Pakington, M.P., presided. • The report, which read by Mr. J. Brinton, the secretary, was of a highly encouraging character, and showed the effect of the operation of the new Revised Code had been an increase in the aggregate number of children under instruction from 382 to 1,041, while during the past year the number of schools taught by the art masters had been increased from two to fifteen. The total number of prizes and certificates Of success in examination had increased from 108 in 1863 to 195 in 1864, while the school had reaped a substantial advantage in the shape of grants from the department of casts and examples. The report having been adopted, Sir J. PAKINGTON, after expressing the pleasure he felt in acceding to the request of the committee that he would preside on that occasion, said that he did not do so without some feeling of hesitation, re membering that that was a very young institution __only, he believed, in its third year—and that at the two former public distributions of prizes the Earl of Dudley occupied the seat which he now had the honour to fill. He (Sir John Pakington) certainly must acknowledge that he felt himself a v ery unworthy successor of the noble earl. Re thought he might say of the Earl of Dudley that his lordship was a great lover of art, that he was a very good judge of art, and that he was, as they all knew by experience, a most muni ficent patron of art ; and he (the president) might a lso say, although he could not pretend to have any intimate knowledge of what might have fallen from Lord Dudley on the two previous occasions, that as regarded the advice his lordship gave to that infant institution and the encouragement he offered to it, he (Sir John) could not take safer ground than to say he entirely agreed with whatever the noble earl told them. But there was one thing which he might say better, perhaps, for himself than Lord Dudley or anyone else could say for him, and that was to express the great pleasure it gave him to find on all sides of Worcestershire—and not only in that county but in all part of the country—those schools of art were springing into existence in all our populous towns, and were generally attended with very great success. Their importance was of course far greater in towns such, for instance, as Worcester and Kid derminster, in which manufactures are carried on requiring both taste and artistic skill for their cul tiVation. He was not one of those, as they were well aware, who were very enthusiastic admirers of the Committee of Council on Education. He never liked the constitution of that committee, never liked the mode in which they acted. He never approved and could not approve the partial and imperfect manner in which they carried out the great and important functions which the Legislature of this country had intrusted to them. But at the same time, he must admit that he thought the encouragement which the department of the Committee of Council intrusted with the conduct and management of schools of art had given to the cultivation of art in this country was highly commendable ; and he could not help thinking that, although there might be some defects, yet on the whole the management of the Science and Art Department had been such as to give a great stimulus to the cultivation of art in this coun try. (Cheers.) As they were aware, there had been schools of art in different parts of England for a great number of years, but in the course of, compa ratively speaking, the last few years public attention had been more than ever directed to the necessity of encouraginggeneral education, and as a much greater stimulus had been given to general education than formerly, so had that been eminently the case with regard to that particular part of education, namely, the cultivation among the middle and lower classes of a taste for art. (Hear, hear.) Some persons believed that was more especially attributable to the effects of the International Exhibitions which had taken place in this country at the suggestion of the late lamented Prince Consort. When the produc tions of different nations and the arts of different nations were brought together in these Exhibitions, a general feeling existed that England did not stand so high in comparison with other countries, and es pecially in comparison with France, as they all natu rally desired it should do. The effects of the Great Exhibition of 1851, he believed, more than the effect of any other cause, was to give a great stimulus to that cultivation, and at the same time the manufac tures of this country had greatly improved. The importance of our manufactures could not be over rated, and he might go so far as to say that, the re sult of that Exhibition, and the stimulus so given, and the encouragement so given to local schools of art, had established this fact—that, whatever might hitherto have been the superiority of the French in all matters of taste, there was no differ ence in the characteristics of the two nations which should at all forbid the hope that the day was not far distant, if, indeed, -it had not already arrived, when the English people would be found as fertile in good taste and in the art of design as the French people, and that we in England could combine the taste of the Frenchman with the substantialities which have so long and deservedly marked the Eng lish character. (Cheers.) Since he had been in that room a gentleman had placed in his hands a copy of the Times of that day, in which he found reported a speech of an honourable and distinguished friend of his (Sir Stafford S. Northcote, M.P.), who had just been addressing the School of Art at Exeter, under circumstances similar to those under which he had the honour of now addressing them. In glancing somewhat cursorily over the speech, he (Sir John) found with very greut satisfaction that Sir Stafford Northcote alluded to that very question upon which he had himself ventured to touch—namely, was there, or was there not, any real distinction of cha racter between the Englishman and the French man of such a nature as to prevent the Englishman being as accomplished in art as his neighbour across the water? He was very glad to see that Sir Staf ford Northcote, who was a very high authority on such subjects, had come to exactly the same conclu sion as he had. As an authority in these matters, Sir S. Northcote might be estimated from the fact that he moved for and presided over a committee of the House of Commons in the last session upon that very subject. He regretted that the honour he (Sir J. Pakington) had of addressing that meeting had not been reserved for a few days later ; had it been so he should have been able to do that which he was sorry to say he was now unable to do--namely, to tell them that which must be interesting to every school of art, what was the nature of the report of the committee over which, in the last Session of Parliament, Sir Stafford Northcote presided. He was sorry to say that report, although it was now public, had only just been made public, and he (the speaker) had not yet had an opportunity of seeing it, and, therefore, it was impossible for him to know anything about it, excepting such information as he had hastily gleaned from the speech of his hon. friend to whi c h he had alluded. But he was glad to see that Sir Stafford Northcote inti ma ted probably it would b e found .n that would shortly be new regulationsthe report that there issued, and also stated that t be h a e rd t ant d icyl o e tendency y e noefo importanceoamg encourage of these regulations would the provincial schools of art, greater freedom so to act upon the principle of giving masters. (Cheers.) Sir Stafford reedoin to Northcote also touched upon that which h a d b een the subject a of complaint, and which he (Si r J o h n Pakington) had good authority for saying w as no t altogether un founded—that under the system by which the schools of art in this country are being conducted an undue proportion of the grant which Parliament, with great liberality, gives annually had been ap propriated to the school of art in the metropolis, and that justice had hardly been done to the local schools. In conclusion, the right hon. baronet con gratulated the school on its great success, and, after expressing a hope that it would profit by the change which '.would be proposed by the Parliamentary Committee, said he doubted whether it would be able to make more rapid progress than it had done, whatever those changes might be. As to the Re vised Code, to the action of which he had hitherto, obstinately perhaps, attributed nothing but mischief and misfortune, he confessed it had been the cause of a great increase in the number of art pupils, but he felt, nevertheless, that Kidderminster had, in other respects, suffered severely from the operatiou of the Revised Code. The prizes were then distributed by th president, who offered a prize of 5/. for next y r's compe tition in design. A vote of thanks was passed to Sir John Paking ton for presiding, and the meeting terminated. Working Men's Olubs and Institutes• A meeting was held yesterday evening in the Town-hall, Newbury, when the Rev. J. L. Randall, the rector, presided ; and W. T. Marriott, Esq., a member of the council, attended and delivered an address as a deputation from the Union. The club premises, which will be opened on the 10th instant, contain very necessary accommodation, and it is fully expected that the institution will accomplish much good. Progress of the movement in the North : During the last fortnight the Rev. H. Solly, the secretary of the Central Union, has attended and addressed meetings of an interesting character at the following places :—On Monday, the 26th of December, the Mayor of Salford presided at a Christmas tea-meeting of the Pendleton's Working People's Association, when speeches were delivered by W. T. Blacklock, Esq., the president, J. H. Raper, Esq., Briggs, Esq., Mr. Solly, and others. This association consist principally of the work people belonging to the mills of Sir Elkanah Armi tage and Sons, who have exerted themselves very generously in its establishment and maintenance, in which they have been most efficiently assisted by J. Sugden, Esq., the honorary secretary. On the 29th, a meeting, principally composed of working men, was held in the Tuckerman Institute, Toxteth-park, Liverpool. A large and enthusiastic meeting, at tended by a considerable number of the most intel ligent operatives in the town, among whom were many belonging to the new ship and waggon build ing companies, was held on the evening of Jan. 3, in the Palatine-hall, Lancaster, under the pre sidency of E. M. Fenwick, Esq., M.P., one of the members for the bormigh. Mr. Solly detailed the progress of the movement since his departure from Lancaster, which elicited hearty congratulations, and exhorted his hearers to emulate the example of other places by availing themselves to the utmost of the club and recreation facilities offered by the committee of the Mechanics' Institution. On the following evening Mr. Solly spoke at a crowded soiree of the Liverpool Co-ope lrative Society, held in the Lord Nelson-street Con cert-hall. After dwelling upon the importance of raising the whole tone of the tastes and habits of working men, if co-operative, and similar societies are to be successful, he announced that an impor tant meeting would be held in the course of two or three weeks for the promotion of working men's clubs and institutes in that town, and urged the persons present to endeavour to secure as large and influential meeting as he was addressing that even ing. On the following day Mr. Solly addressed a meeting in the Mayor's parlour in the Town-hall of Manchester, at which the Mayor presided. At the close of Mr. Solly's address the Mayor expressed his entire and hearty concurrence, and avowed his sa tisfaction with the Ancoats Club, of which he was president, and which had been started by Mr. Solly some months ago. The Rev. A. B. Clarke, rector of St. Oswald's, moved, and Councillor Murray se conded; a resolution cordially approving of the movement, and appointing a provisional committee for carrying out the object in Manchester and the neighbourhood. W. Romaine Callendar, Esq., who was .mainly instrumental in calling the meeting, has accepted the office of honorary secretary of the provisional committee, in conjunction with Dr. Watts, but was unavoidably prevented at the last moment from being present. Among those who attended, and who were placed on the committee in addition to the above-named gentlemen, were Councillors Townshend and Booth, the Revs. T. S. Lee and S. A. Steinthal, and Messrs. T. Clegg Pearson, W. Hey - wood, J. H. Raper, J. H. Barker, Maclure and Shirley. The proceedings were of an interesting character, and much benefit is expected to accrue from them. Spa nish Diplomatic Circular upon the Peruvian Question, MADRID, Jan. 1. The Epoca publishes the following Circular upon the Peruvian question, addressed by Senor Liorente to the representatives of Spain in Europe and America : "The consequences that may result within a longer or shorter period from our difference with Peru render it necessary in her Majesty's opinion that I should give to your Excellency, in her name, fresh explanations relative to her views and inte n ti ons , commenc i ng b y stat i ng the origin of the misunderstanding, and by explaining the pre sent state of our relations with that Republic. " These relations have for a long time past been anoma lous and irregular, notwithstandingithe known and often expressed good will of her Majesty's Government,altogether foreign to any views or domination or reconquest in the American continent, and disposed to enter into treaties of peace with all the new States, as well as to recognise their sovereignty and independence. An unequivocal proof of this disposition was afforded by the treaty concluded between Spain and Mexico on Dec. 28, 1836, which was followed at different periods by similar conventions with various States forming part of what was Spanish America. It was equally resolved to recognise the Republic of Peru under another arrangement of the same kind, and the negotiations were so far advanced that, a Peruvian Plenipotentiary having been nominated to that effect, a treaty was signed by both parties in Madrid, which the Government of Lima however refused to ratify. It must be stated that the latter did not even think fit to fulfil the obligations of courtesy and established usage by acquainting her Majesty's Govern ment with the motive of this resolution, either before or after the term fixed for the exchange of the ratifications, and her Majesty's Government was thus in ignorance upon tho subject for a considerable_ time, and might have con tinued so except for having received intelligence thereof through a completely unofficial source. It has appeared to me opportune to revert to this diplomatic incident, which shows how extraordinary are the proceedings of the Peru vian Government in its international policy, and makes it clearly understood who is to be held responsible for the state of our relations with that Republic. " Under the influence of such circumstances and such irregular relations, in a - state of things that was neither war, that having terminated many years before, norpeace resting upon definite and solemn bases, persons of Peruvian nation ality enjoyed in the Peninsula the uninterrupted and un failing protection of the laws and Government, while Spa nish subjects in Peru have suffered innumerable vexations, without finding the protection due from the authorities ; vexations which being known to your excellency I need not enumerate, and which were subsequently lost sight of before the general indignation produced in Spain and Ame rica by the sanguinary catastrophe of Talambo. " At the same time this Government continued to be ac tuated towards Spain by a spirit of perpetual hostility, not always concealed, but openly declared upon those occasions when it could in any way thwart Spanish policy in matters having no connection with the interests of Peru. , 6 With the establishment and reciprocal admission of Consuls in both States it was thought the first step had been taken towards a good understanding ; but these hopes were frustrated as before, since under_frivolous pretexts this Republic resolved to withdraw her agents from Spain. An attempt was subsequently made to have recourse to ar bitration, only used under extreme circumstances, in order to place Spanish subjects under the protection of the ' charge d'affaires at Lima, who would also undertake to urge our just demands. Affording a fresh proof of its loyal and friendly disposition the Imperial ree Governmentsentative, bu but this granted inter vention the required authority to its Government of Lima in th e strongest and most peremptory was rejected b ythe representative, terms ; the subjects of her Catholic Majesty in those countries being thus deprived of all hope of diplomatic support and protection. "The news of this unjustifi able repulse an mentioned horrible events of Talambo obligedda thethealready Spanish Government, having no other available Peruvianoourse ' d iplomatic agent to claim from theto ssend a Government, on behalf of the victims of that and other previous attempts, the justice denied or wrongfully retarded by the tribunals of the Republic. " Your Excellency is aware that this agent was not ad mittetl' under Pretext that the character or title conferredby his c re d entials was not defined in strict accordance with established custom, as if, although it is not certain' sucheven did this irregularity exist, for su c h accidentaldefects was the case,heit wereallow ablesatisfaction urgently demanded alike by . t. to defer t due between civilised nations, and arespect ice and . the =du referred to the Peruvian Government wa s as if after the proceedings ing itself so scrupulous and difficult in justified in show besides,bnelutters of diplomatic form and usage. It would, general usages of international policy w e it t h e speak of the reference to cases without precedent and relations of Bc. special a cha racter as those prevailing between Spain and Peru, " I consider it unneceseary to refea to other su nt injuries and offences, described and commented upon with rigorous equity in the Circular dated the 24th Juno last, addressed by senor Pacheco, my predecessor in the lii- nistry for Foreign Affairs, to the representative of this Go vernment abroad. That document merits especial mention, since in it are expressed the views of the Spanish Govern ment upon the events in Peru, as well as the limit and foundation of its moderate demands. " These were stated with still greater precision in the project of arrangement dated June 25, presented by Senor Pacheco to the Peruvian Government through Senor Moreira, its Consul in Spain, of which I have the honour to append a copy. "The equity of these proposals exactly corresponding to the spirit of the above-mentioned Circular has been recog nised by all, both in Spain and abroad. In Spain, never theless, there have not been wanting some who consider that her Majesty's Government has shown itself by no means rigorous in expressing its injuries, and excessively indulgent in fixing the nature and limits of the satisfaction it demands. There are those also who, animated by ardent zeal for the national honour, reason that moderation should not alone be kept in view, and that on similar occasions Governments should prove themselves right by confining themselves within the limits of strict justice, at the same time preparing, as circumstances may require, for equitable arrangement or vigorous resolutions if they become indis pensable. "But with much less reason the proposals of the 24th and 25th June have been received in a contrary sense by Peru as a fresh and great affront to the dignity of the Re public. In a document signed by Senor Ribero, the Peru vian Minister for Foreign Affairs, it is affirmed that the attempt of the 24th April was less grave—that is to say, the sequestration of the Chinchas on the ground of revin dication. "In another Circular of the 25th August last the same Minister states that the proposals transmitted through Senor Moreira " were a graver offence to Peru than that of the violent usurpation of a portion of territory and the cap ture of a ship of war.' " The insult consisted in having offered the restitution of the islands occupied and the conclusion of a treaty, the first base of which would have been the recognition of the in dependence of Peru on condition that this Government gave the moderate satisfaction required. • " Her Majesty's Government has gone to the extremes of moderation and prudence ; explicitly disapproved the pro ceedings of the chief of the squadron and the diplomatic agent in making use of the expression 'revindication' on taking possession of the Chinchas Islands, not certainly as the fundamental and exclusive motive, but as one of the arguments serving as apology for their conduct in employ ing this coercive measure instead of others specified in their instructions. "The Government has frankly and expressly renounced any views of aggrandizement and any project of reconquest in the continent that some time formed part of the Spanish Monarchy. Before the occupation of the Chinchas was known in Europe, it had already protested on the 24th of May, against any such design as that attributed to it of re covering forgotten rights, and immediately the news ar rived it reiterated its protests in the clearest and most im- pressive manner. " It further declared that Spain considered Peru as a n independent,free, and sovereign nation, even though through culpable discourtesy it had not been able to advance in the regular measures leading to the solemn formula of recogni tion. By the language it employed, the forms of which it made use, and the frankness of its declarations, her Ma jesty's Government displayed the most deferential respect towards the Peruvian nation, not only in just demands, but even in the most exaggerated scruples of courtesy. "It did more, however, by waiving a long and compli cated series of complaints, the discussion and clearing up of which would have infallibly contributed to the prolon gation of the conflict, and consented to reduce its demands to the latest and most manifest grievances. In this man ner it was hoped that the difficulty had an easy termina tion, and that by obtaining satisfaction for the most recent grievances the Spanish nation considered all former offences atoned for. It is not only in the terms of its ' official documents and the form of its demands that the Spanish Government has shown itself conciliatory and equitable. It has been equally so in its arrangements and acts. Your Excellency will not have forgotten that upon taking possession of the Chinchas our agents declared that the guano existing upon them would continue to serve as a lien for the sums advanced to Peru by foreign subjects under the guarantee of this security, provided that the respective contracts had been previously approved and published. . " They likewise promised that the foreign companies in terested in the said contracts should continue to export the guano, rendering an account to her Majesty's Government of the number of tons embarked. "With such scrupulous fidelity has this undertaking been fulfilled that the guano trade has not experienced the least obstacle, nor has the Spanish occupation given rise to the slightest complaint on the part of those engaged therein, or the creditors protected by this guarantee. This has been stated in Madrid by the representatives of various foreign nations, and is further attested by the silence maintained upon the matter by the Peruvian Government, generally little guarded in the expression of its complaints. Neither, even, has any rigour been used up to the present in ascer taining whether exportations of guano were made solely on account of contracts previously concluded or for very different objects. "The ambitious projects attributed to us at Lima are thus reduced to these limits. Our sailors hold and guard this species of rich factory, while those of Peru dispose of the guano of the Chinchits, not only to satisfy previous ob ligations, but also according to trustworthy t information, to expend the proceeds thereof in preparation and armaments against our squadron. " However strange such condescension may appear, her Majesty's Government does not consider it excessive, since it now serves to prove the generosity of its conduct, and be- fore long will perhaps ba useful to justify the necessity of more'severe:and vigorous measures. In any case the profound respect that it has professed, and will always profess, for legitimately acquired rights and general commercial and ag ricultural interests of other nations, will be manifest. "But the Peruvian Government as not desponded as was expected to so many signal proofs of moderation and pru dence. To the conciliatory Circular of the 24th of June it replied in documents of a style and character very different from the proposals for an arrangement communicated through Senor Moreira, Consul in Spain, and by the dismissal of that functionary on the sole ground of having served as the medium of our proposals for an understanding. This proves once more that the Peruvian Government persists in the in tention which it has always manifested of closing every way of negotiation and arrangement, first refusing to ratify the treaty signed by its plenipotentiary, without even deigning to state the reasons of its conduct, withdrawing its consuls from Spain, and rejecting subsequently, on two distinct occasions, the amicable intervention of France— a friendly and impartial nation,the representative of which endeavoured to extend his protection to the Spaniards resident in Peru. It refused later to treat with the agent sent to Lima by tier Majesty's Government, declaring its proposal for an amicable arrangement injurious and insulting, instead of discussing it and bringing forward another, and finally dismissed its commercial agent in the Peninsula solely for having trans mitted the arrangement proposed by the Spanish Govern ment. "The last act of which we have intelligence is a certain resolution recently adopted by the Congress at Lima, by virtue of which that Government will have to declare war against Spain if the latter refuses to give satisfaction, which certainly it is impossible for us to concede who have so much right to demand it. " Such a proceeding necessarily gives ground for un favourable interpretations. Grant that the Government of Peru is very upright, and the nation too enlightened not to listen to the dictates of reason and prudence, still it cannot be ignored that in its relations with other States, and espe cially with Spain, the said Government makes use of un usual and irregular forms; and further, considering the disorderly passions which surround it, may it not be sus pected that under the pressure of foreign influences there has failed to preside at its resolutions and acts all the sere nity and independence required for the exercise of public authority ? " I speak exclusively of its acts in as far as they refer to the course and direction of international affairs, the sole aspect under which I have an interest, as well as right and intention to pronounce upon them. It may, in like manner, be apprehended that the Circular and proposals for an ar rangement, of the 24th and 25th of June, were wrongly in terpreted at Lima, the spirit of moderation and prudence by which they were dictated being attributed to weakness and vacillation, without reflecting that thd moderation of Go vernments on such occasions is usually, and was certainly in this case, a sure indication and precursor of the firmness of their intentions. "Be this as it may, her Majesty's Government perse veres in the same desires and proposals for an understand ing, the change of Ministry in Spain forming no obstacle, i p osdheloniuctlyi should y; opposet a o n f v d ie it w w s a, I,p c ne e eo s tds speedy certainlyr necessary n f d or t the e i since ch a nges of this nature are quite reconcilable with the satisfactorygui our da n w c i e s a h rra o ft international] g t e a m n e y n t t li' anything after reflection, the Peruvian Government now accepts the ,dseGmaovnedrenmd einnttwhaotulddocleaveenpteberuiingpoobs: basis laid down in the proposal of the 25th of June. The tae legitimateher reMeirajeeaslty session of the Chincha Islands, and a treaty of peace might shortly be concluded establishing and regulating friendly relations between both nations. If, on the contrary, the Government of that Republic persists in the determination it has manifested of refusing to enter into terms of arrangement, and in declaring, as hitherto, all complaints unfounded and all prciposals inad missible, the time willvery shortly arrive to renounce nego tiation and resort to the use of those measures only justifi able, as they certainly now are, when supported by right and recommended and demanded by the most imperious necessity. From June to the present time many months have elapsed, but time has not allowed the voice of justice to be heard in Peru, nor the most disinterested and friendly counsels to obtain consideration. "Meanwhile the prolonged stay in Pacific waters of the Spanish squadron, which it has been necessary to reinforce, by occasioning expenses and material losses, is contrary to the political views of this Government, inclined, without doubt, to a conciliatory settlement, but resolved in any case that the pending conflict shall be shortly teaminated. " In view of the eventualities that may arise from this determination her Majesty's Government has deemed it ME SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, JANUARY I, 1865. opportune for me to make, in its name, the following de clarations : "1. That it insists in considering as sufficient satisfaction the proposals contained in the scheme of arrangementAthe 25th of June last. But these proposals will be considered withdrawn and as null and void in the event of their not being accepted within the time which her Majesty's Go vernment may fix, and whereof it will give previous no tice to the Government of Peru. "2. That whatever may be the termination and settle ment of future events it now again disavows any views of reconquest and domination in the territory of the Ameri can continent. 3. In like manner her Majesty's Government insists upon not considering the Chinchas Islands as occupied under the title of revindication, but as a coercive measure to obtain from the Peruvian Government just redress for repeated and manifest injuries. "4. That it is possible it may be obliged to make ulterior arrangements with regard to the exportation of guano and the trade in that article in the Chinchas Islands, as much in order to prevent the Peruvian Government from obtain ing by this means resources that might be applied to hos tile preparations, as to obtain an indemnity for losses in curred or that may arise from the occupation of the Islands until their future abandonment when the present differ ences shall have terminated. But in any case it is contem plated to proceed in such a manner that no prejudice may result to the commerce and agriculture of other nations nor to the foreign creditors of Peru, who became such under contracts approved by the Peruvian Congress and published prior to the 14th of April last, the date of the occupation, in as far as regards the lien or guarantee that may have been established in their favour upon the proceeds of those securities. These obligations contracted and these securities given, the exact fulfilment of which will be a point of honour with the Spanish Government, it only re mains for me to state, in its name, the profound regret which it feels in being compelled to commend the redress of so many offences to the sole means it is possible to employ, when all ways of negotiation being closed the natural limits of endurance and prudence are reached. Though an inde pendent Government may place in jeopardy the destinies of the land to which our ancestors carried the blessings of civilisation and Christianity, at least the countries in past times the theatre of the prowess of Spaniards should not now become the scene of continued and unpunished affronts. The bonds of a domination which no one dreams of or has an interest in re-establishing being for ever broken, may they soon be replaced by the ties of friendship and com merce, the only link that will maintain and strengthen mu tual respect for the rights and interests of both nations. " God. preserve your Excellency for many years. (Signed) " LLORENTE. " Madrid, Nov. 8, 1864." POLICE INTELLIGENCE—Jan. 6. MARYLEBONE. - EXTRAORDINARY FRACAS. - A stylishly-dressed woman, named Elizabeth Irvine, aged 21, Elm-villa, Elm Tree-road, St. John's-wood, of no occupa tion, was charged with violently assaulting Miss Elizabeth Hyde, and also further charged with breaking the arm of a Mrs. Mary Wright. Mr. Lewis, Ben., of Ely-place, and Mr. Pain, of Maryle bone-road, appeared for the prisoner. The case seemed to create a good deal of excitement amongst the denizens of St. John's-wood, by whom the court was crowded. All witnesses were ordered out oi court. The first witness called was Elizabeth Hyde, who said,—l reside at 20, Elm Tree-road, St. John's-wood. This lady (prisoner) came to my gate last night. My dog, which is harmless, was there. She came on horseback and beat it. She came in at the hall door, and I thought she was a friend of Mr. Jarvis's, next door. I asked her what she wanted, and she said my dog had torn her riding habit. She called me all sorts of names. She was told to go out, and struck me with a stick. She was perfectly intoxicated. Mr. Jarvis told her to come in and he would see if he could settle it. My carter was at the door, and I showed him to the back where the corn-room was. The coachman had gone for a policeman. She tore my clothes and beat me unmercifully, and two men who were with her kicked me. lam bad now. They broke my sister's arm. She said that I walked the streets with my sister seven years ago. Two men beat us, and I have wit nesses to prove it. She is a very wicked woman, and a nuisance to the neighbourhood. _ _ _ Mr. Mansfield—What is the assault complained of ? Prosecutrix—She struck me with a riding whip, tore my clothes, and left me almost naked. My clothes were all off me but my chemise. lam independent. Cross-examined—l am an independent lady. It is my own fortune and property. I receive no visitors, only my friends. The house is my own freehold property. lam always peaceable and quiet. It is my first appearance in such a matter as this. I was summoned here the other day by my coachman. I have never been here but once. I don't know whether I have been here before. I had a coachman here 10 years ago for striking me. I have not been in any other police-court. I have two dogs. Never had any com plaints about them. They are quiet, and do not fly at any one. She did not complain that her clothes had been torn and the dog biting her. I mean to say that without any single word passing she struck me. She was not dragged in from the road. She came in very violently, without any cause. I asked why she came in, and she said the dog ha torn her riding habit. I did not see that her riding habi and her dress near her neck were torn. I did not strike her and call her a bitch and a prostitute. Prisoner did not call out murder. I did, as my poor sister is an invalid. Mrs. Wright is her name. She is a doctor's widow. She is not my servant. I keep two female servants. I have a coach- man as well. My servants did not attack this woman. She beat me and pulled my hair, and made use of bad lan guage. She called me a strumpet without any cause what ever. Prisoner left, but shortly afterwards returned habited in men's clothes. The row lasted about one hour. The fight was not going on for the whole of that time. When she came again she did not know the police were there. She did not say that when the police came she would give me into custody. I gave her in charge. I never saw her before. Ido mean to tell his worship that a lady whom I had never seen before came and assaulted me without any reason whatever. Walter Jarvis, a young man, said—l live at 21, Elm-tree road. I had come home from business about half-past six last evening. Whilst in my room I heard the sound of a whip and a dog barking furiously, also some one screaming. I went to see what was the matter. I got to Miss Hyde's gate, where the prisoner was, with her habit torn, and I asked her what was the matter. She had a whip, and wanted to see the lady of the house. The bell was rung, and the coachman came to the door. When Miss Hyde saw the prisoner she thought it was my brother, and Mrs. Wright touched her (the prisoner) under the chin, and said, what a nice lady he made. I told her it , was not my brother, and asked prisoner to go in, thinking I would make it "all square." Prisoner began to be furious, and a little more desperate, and put her fist in my face, and used violent language which I thought her not capable of. She said she would knock me down, and knock my,eye out. The coach man came, and I sent for a policeman. Cross-examined Mrs. Wright thought it was my brother dressed up, and touched her under the chin (Laughter.) I dare say he would look well dressed up as a lady. His age is 17. Mrs. Wright's words were " Frank, what a nice lady you make." (Laughter.) She did not offer to kiss him. (Roars of laughter.) I only know Miss Hyde and Mrs. Wright as neighbours. I go in there now and then. Ever since I have known them I have always found them highly respectable. M r. iLn.ewis—EsPecially as they pat your brother under the chin. _ . --- Cross-examination continued-4 did not know what was - - going on in the house. I do not understand what you mean as to what I do for Miss Hyde. Miss Hyde was very peace able. I could not say she was excited. I heard no cries of "Murder" or bad language from her. Ido not understand what you mean by her paying me for what I do. I went for the policeman, and so saw no assault committed. I heard her complain of the dog tearing her riding habit. She did not say anything about a bite on the neck. I thought when she came in she was going to enter upon her complaint. Wm. Holloway, coachman (who on being sworn insisted upon kissing the inside of the Testament), stated—l saw the prisoner come in at the gateway. She rang the bell and walked to the front door. I did not know what the row was about, and walked out of the stable. She would not go out, and turned round and hit Miss Hyde a slap on the face._ I asked her to go, and saw what occurred. She said if a policeman came she would go. A sergeant of police came up. She struck Miss Hyde again. Cross-examined—l have been her coachman on and off this time for six weeks. I have been in Miss Hyde's service several times. She is a lady, and a lady in title too. Mrs. Wright is her only sister. She does not act as servant. I saw that lady (prisoner) when she first came to the house. I did not know what took place till I came out of the stables. I did not hear my mistress's tongue going very loud. She was frightened. When I came from the stables the two ladies were there and the young gentleman. Mistress only wished her to go out. I did not hear her call " Murder." The call of murder was after I left. Mistress told me she called murder. Before I went for the police my mistress was not in a violent temper. When I came back I found Mrs. Wright had her arm broken. Mary Ann Loveday deposed—l am a charwoman. The dogs began to bark, the bell rang, and I went to let them in. On opening the gate I saw the prisoner, and thought she was a man. She began to beat the dogs most unmercifully, and I said, " You will kill them." She would not desist, and Mr. Jarvis came down. She struck me in the face and went up to the hall. Two men came in and broke Mrs. Wright's arm. Cross-examined—I saw Miss Hyde there. She was not excited at all, and begged the lady to go out. I heard her say that the dog had torn her dress. Did not hear her say the dog had bitten her. Did not hear any names called at all. I heard her call me names without any rhyme or rea son. She was quite tipsy. Beastly drunk she was, and she fell from her horse. I did not see her fall. Mr. Lewis—Then how do you know she fell Witness—She told me so. Her hat was crushed and her , habit torn. , Robert Brookes, carman—l drew up with my van at Miss Hyde's. There was a row inside the gates between the footman and two ladies. Prisoner was there. The coach , mu tried to put her out. Ile could not succeed and went for a policeman. I began to take the sacks of oats in, and Miss Hyde went first to show me the way. Prisoner fol lowed me, and with her whip struck her on her head. I came back with a second sack, and: after putting that down went and fetched the bag of biscuits, and a lady and gentle man asked me where Miss Hyde was, and I said at the back of the house. They went in, and I heard murder called, and put the biscuits down. Miss Hyde was screaming " Murder." She was down, and the prisoner and two men on the top of her. The prisoner struck her with her whip. Cross-examined—lt was commenced when I got there. Prisoner was not dragged from the road into the house. She passed me at the door, and rushed up to Miss Hyde as we were going to the back. I don't know what was said. I saw her strike with the whip when complainant was down. Mr. Mansfield called the constable. Sergeant Thomas Westlake, 14 S, said—l was called to the house and saw the prisoner in the garden at the front door. Prosecutor said she would give her in charge for assaulting her and breaking her sister's arm. I took her to the station-house. Mr. Mansfield—Was the prisoner sober ? Witness—She was greatly excited, but I cannot say whether she was under the influence of drink. She had been pulled about a good deal, and she said it was by the dog. _ _ By Mr. Lewis—lt is not true that she wasbeastly drunk. I saw from her appearance she had been pulled about a good deal. She had only a little jacket and a pair of black cloth trousers on. Mr. Lewis, for the defence, said his client was riding her horse home, when the prosecutrix's dog flew at her and tore her habit, and also the clothes about her neck. After she had taken her horse home she went to remonstrate about the dog, and only got insulted. He thought the bet ter course would be to adjourn this case, for probably an action might arise through the injury sustained by Mrs. Wright, who could not now be in attendance to speak for herself. He had a witness present who would tell his wor ship that he was the person who caused the injury to the unfortunate woman by accidentally pushing her down. Mr. Mansfield—So far as I see yet, there is no evidence to fix your client with breaking the arm ; so that falls to the ground. _ . Mr. Lewis—Then do you think that, under all the cir cumstances, there is evidence to support this charge. My client was most grossly assaulted. She has been knocked about, and had her clothes torn. Ido not know whether you think it necessary that I should call my witnesses. Mr. Mansfield—l will hear your witnesses. Rebecca Spriggs said—l am servant to defendant. I re member her coming home on horseback. I opened the door. She was quite sober, perfectly so. Her riding habit was torn from under the arms, and the skirts torn off. (It was held up in court, torn into shreds, and smothered in mud. It caused much laughter. It was very much torn. I saw her go across to Miss Hyde. I followed, and saw three females having hold of her, ill-using her. She told me to fetch a policeman. I went and could not find one. They were violently ill-using her. In my presence she did no t strike any one. Some one made use of bad language. Miss Hyde was in an excited state. In my presence my mistress did not strike Miss Hyde. I fetched mistress's coachman. Grand Riches—l am defendant's coachman. I was called to Miss Hyde's where I saw three persons tearing my mis tress to pieces by her clothes. They were very violent. There was a cry of murder before I got into the house. I tried to separate them as well as I could. Defendant was quite sober. George Green said—l live at 16, Earl-street, Lisson-grove. Last evening I was standing at the corner of Melina-place, talking to a friend of mine, and saw the defendant ride by on a saddle-horse. She came back in about ten minutes, and went to Elm Villa and rang the bell, when a dog, half mastiff and half-retriever, flew at her, and saw three females follow her and drag her from the road into the house, and one struck her. She was quite sober. They were all ill treating her. Prisoner was not violent at all. I know none of the parties. Miss Hyde was dragging her in from the road. There was a general row in the house amongst the lot. Her dress was very much torn. The dog is a terror to the neighbourhood. Children aro afraid to go about for fear of it. Samuel Jacobs, in the service of the Imperial Gas Com pany, was called to speak-of the savage nature of the dog, which always flew at him when he went round to light the lamps. Mr. Mansfield said he took it for granted that the dog was a ferocious beast. No doubt the defendant, when out riding, had the ill luck to be set upon by a savage beast that ought to be destroyed, and by it had her habit torn. She went no doubt with some degree of irritation to detail her grievance and ask for compensation. When she got there she was taken for some one else, and was treated jocularly by being touched under the chin. It seemed to him that the defendant went to the house, and was re quested to leave and refused to do so, saying she would not till the police came. She had some foolish notion that because she had received some injury from the dog she had a right to remain upon the premises. He thought that an attempt had been made to eject her, as she was an intruder and refused to leave, and that she gave a blow, which blow was illegal. She must pay a fine of 51., or in default of payment to be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for one month in the House of Correction. The fine was paid, and defendant left in a cab with a gentleman. Complainant went away in her brougham, which had been waiting for her. MANSION-HOUSE.—TEE MARESFIELD GUNPOWDER COMPANY (LIMITED). —At the conclusion of the evidence to sustain the summone, which appeared in our afternoon edition yesterday, . Mr Sleigh made some observations to the effect that his client, Mr. Sharpe, could not be considered a director of the company in 1863, after his resignation. He merely attended at the offices afterwards to give Mr. Dalrymple his assistance on his appointment as manager. Mr. Murphy said he intended to show, either at that court or elsewhere, that this was not a company which it was intended should furnish a list of shareholders for re gistration. He contended the company was formed ante rior to the passing and coming into operation of the 25th and 26th of Victoria, and therefore was exempt from its operations. There was, according to his view, so much doubt about the matter, that it would be asking too much to have it declared that his clients, for their non-compliance with the provisions of the act, were liable to a penalty of 51. for every day they allowed such a state of things to exist. The Lord Mayor said he felt that the 176th section gave him power to adjudicate in the matter. He should, there fore, dismiss the summons as against the directors indi vidually, and inflict a mitigated penalty of 5/. on that taken out against the company. SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS TlMES.—There are two kinds of lessons which may be learnt by experience ; the one is most com monly expressed by the proverb that experience makes fools wise. But experience has also another teaching. It has its evil as well as its good side ; it tends not only to eradicate errors, but in some cases to confirm and make themlinveterate ; in other words, it acts not only on the understanding but on the feelings, and while it is generally supposed to enlighten the former it not unfrequently warps and distorts the latter. The cause for which a man has suffered becomes sacred in his eyes, and the feelings which those sufferings have called forth are apt to become more violent and more intense just in pro portion as they ought to die away and subside. No better illustration of this latter or perverted kind of experience can be found than the one furnished by the history of Spain'. The character of no nation has been so entirely made up from the events of its most striking and interesting history. Almost every peculiarity which distinguishes the modern Spaniard from the rest of his brethren of the European family may be accounted for from some leading fea ture in the history of his country, It was the fate of Spain to be conquered by the Moors, and to ex pel them from its territories after an obstinate struggle of 800 years, during which the mutual ani mosity of Moor and Christian, the fanatical devo tion to its own faith, and the equally fanatical hatred of the rival creed, was carried to the very extremity of fervour and passion. The Moors were expelled, but the fiery passions which they had raised survived their expulsion, and, after having during several centuries lighted up the flames of the Inquisition, still make themselves manifest in an intolerance to all other creeds, which unhappily dis tinguishes Spain from all other European nations, and a hatred of strangers which is equally contrary to the spirit of the time and to the dictates of that , religion to which Spain professes such entire devotion. The sagacity which induced Ferdinand and Isabella alone among European Sovereigns to promote the enterprise of Columbus placed at their feet the bound less riches and docile populations of a new world, and made her the undisputed mistress of those vast stores of gold and silver which until the end of the last century were regarded as alone con stituting the wealth of States or of individuals. From this unhappy facility of importing wealth, for which she gave no return in the products of her own labour, we may trace the decay of the country, the scantiness of its population, and its obstinate adhe rence to a singularly perverse system of political economy. Spain acquired, together with thecoT mand of gold and silver, a number of colonies m the New World, the possession of which served to satisfy in some degree that desire of universal domi nation which had been created in the days of her sudden and groundless prosperity. These colonies successively threw off the yoke of the mother coun try, and we have no doubt that by so doing they relieved the overburdened exchequer and scanty po pulation of Spain from a pressure to which they were wholly unequal, and thus took the first step towards her recovery from the state of weakness into which ' she had undoubtedly fallen. At any rate, during the last 10 years Spain, enjoying comparative quiet at home and being relieved from the burden of an ern ' pire the profit of which was by no means commensu rate with its extent, has increased greatly both in population and wealth, and gave lair promise, had her resources been wisely and economically employed of founding a flourishing and durable monarchy. No English statesmen will doubt what ought to have been done. A system of protection fatal to the in dustry of the country and to the interest of revenue, should have been swept away ; intolerant laws, cal culated to drive away strangers and to keep the na tion itself in ignorance and barbarism, should have been repealed ; the debts disgracefully repudiated should have been scrupulously paid, not merely for the sake of preserving the honour of the nation, but the sake of that credit without which a poor country must wait centuries for improvements which might otherwise be effected in a few years. Such was the course marked out by the commonest precepts of good sense, but Spain was rich in experience, and she did not lose any time in applying: , it. She had an inveterate hatred of the Moors, and, therefore, lost no time in picking a quarrel with them, out of which she has reaped much loss and little profit. She had a vivid recollection of the glories of her colonial empire, and so she undertook a crusade in San Domingo, from which she seems likely to retire with nothing to show for great exer tions and large expenditure, and now she has entered into a quarrel with her own revolted colony of Peru, in the commencement and prosecution of which she occupies, on her own showing, a position equally undignified and discreditable. In a circular addressed to Spanish ministers at foreign courts, Senor Llorente, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, purports to explain to the representatives of Spain in foreign countries the causes of quarrel between the monarchy and Peru. But the statements . are so sweeping and so general, and there is so careful an avoidance of any distinct statement of facts, that it is quite im possible to form any judgment upon it. For some reason or other Spain has never recognised by treaty the independence of Peru, and there having ensued between the two countries, in consequence, exactly those difficulties which were sure to flow from such a state of things, there was no means of settling quar rels, and the outrages and difficulties which natu rally arose between a country so imperfectly civi lised as Peru and a country so haughty and dicta torial as Spain were consequently allowed to fester and become envenomed without any satisfaction given or received. Matters were at last brought to issue last summer by the seizure, on behalf of the Spanish Government, of one of the most valuable pieces of property belonging to the State of Peru— the Chincha Islands, for the purpose, as was an nounced at the time, of revindication—that is, as we understand, of reannexation to the Spanish mo narchy, to which, as part of Peru, these islands ori ginally belonged. The Spanish Government thought it necessary to disprove the expression " revindica tion," and to disclaim all designs of aggrandise ment, and having as it believed got possession of a powerful means of influencing the Peruvian Govern ment, it hastened to declare its readiness to acknow ledge its independence, probably for much the same reason as the King of Prussia is anxious to sup port the title of Denmark to the Duchies which it has been compelled to cede. Spain has also for borne for the present from appropriating for its own use any portion of the guano, but the Peruvian Government has not responded as was expected to so many signal proofs of moderation and prudence. It actually seems to consider itself as greatly ag grieved by the seizure of these Chincha Islands, has withdrawn its consuls, and even presumes to demand satisfaction, and threaten war if that satisfaction be not given. Under these circumstances the Spanish Government perseveres in the ultimatum which it offered, but feels greatly harassed by the detention of its squadron in the Pacific waters and by' the necessity of reinforcements. It, therefore, announces that it is still willing to accept the terms proposed by it in June last ; that it again disavows any in tention of aggrandizement ; that it adheres to the occupation of the Chincha Islands as a measure of coercion ; that it may be induced to seize upon the guano for its own profit, and that it will have re course to some ulterior measures when the limits of forbearance are reached. We greatly fear that these words point to some bombardment or other means of coercion, after the infliction of which it is the intention of the Spanish Government to aban don its quarrel in the Pacific. Surely it would be more in accordance with the dignity of a great nation dealing with one of its own revolted colonies, which it disclaims all wish to reduce again under its allegiance, to quit a scene where it has by its own admission gone far beyond the limits of discretion and propriety, without leaving behind it any futile memorial of its vengeance. It is quite clear that the Statesmen of Spain are thoroughly convinced the time has arrived when the aggressive policy hitherto adopted to satisfy the misdirected ambition of a nation just awaking to a consciousness of its own reviving strength must once for all be abandoned. Would it not be better to make the change hand somely and at once, and not to throw in the way of the return of peace any impediment such as might be created by violence, which may embitter the feelings but can hardly coerce the conduct of the Peruvian Government ? What will it avail to lay in ashes Callao or any other of the beautiful cities which she herself has founded in the New World, if all that is to follow such a proceeding is the withdrawal of Spain from a contest which she finds it utterly hopeless to carry on to a suc cessful result ? It is quite clear, as Queen Isabella says, that the state of the Spanish monarchy is not satisfactory. Her ambitious policy has outrun her resources, and she finds herself absolutely obliged to change it for one less glorious but more suited to her power. Let her do so with a good grace. In this respect we may venture to our own example for her imitation. Let her consider what we have borne from the Americans, who are the descendants of our own revolted colonies, and from the Aus tralians, who have not yet revolted, and that with a flourishing exchequer and the command of the sea ; and she will perceive how much wiser it often is to put up with small insults than to avenge them, and how little is gained by a demonstration of strength toward those on whom it is discreditable to exert it. POST.—Some four years ago the united managers of the London theatres tried the question of how far the music halls might venture to offer " theatrical representations" to their audiences. They succeeded in prevented anything in the shape of dialogue be tween two or more persons taking place on the stages of those resorts of amusement. They advanced the plea that this constituted a " stage play," and therefore came under the Act 6 and Victoria, re quiring a licence from the Lord Chamberlain to render the performance legal. It was of course understood at the time that the attractions of the music halls, whose visitors were enabled to add to the delights of the concert room the convenience of the tavern, were very materially interfering with the profits of the licensed theatres. It therefore excited no surprise that a determined resistance should be offered to the production of anything approximating to a " stage play" at the former, that being the only privilege left by which the latter could hope to maintain their position in the public estimation. But inasmuch as the music halls, despite this prohibition, have continued to increase in attraction, another attempt is now in progress to clip those pinions with which they are soaring too high in popular favour. The music halls took refuge in ballet, and now the managers declare that a ballet is a " stage play," and requires the Lord Chamberlain's license as clearly as a dia logue. They seem thus to argue that a music and dancing license such as is granted by the magistrates at special sessions only permits of dancing by the public, not in presence of them, and that, because the action of a ballet is intended to express or con vey some incident or other, it comes under the pro visions of the Act 6 and 7 Victoria. The proprietors of the music halls dispute that issue, and Mr. Tyr whitt promises his decision on the point in a few days, premising that, in his opinion, the question, involving . as it does interests of great magnitude, is a fitting one for the judgment of th e su p eri o r courts. Those who were present at the Marlborough -street Police-court on Wednesday, and heard the proceed ings which have arrived thus far in the matter, might have imagined that the managtrs were illus trating a stage play well known to their repertory, " Much Ado About Nothing." Whole hours were wasted in demonstrating through professional wit nesses whether what takes place nightly at the Al hambra was, in a " professional" point of view, a " theatrical representation" or not. Why did they not produce a few of the audience, whose decision on such a point would be far better worth having. Any lawyer's clerk would have told them that he had entered what was to all intents and purposes a theatre, save only that where is usually the pit were to be found tables (for the further convenience of eating and drinking) as well as seats. Anyone who holds this distinction to be fatal to the proposition might as well argue that " Astley's" was not a theatre when it had a circus in front of the orches tra. At the Alhambra the visitor finds himself oppo site a vast proscenium, draped with the usual curtain. He sees an orchestra well filled. A capacious stage is illuminated by a brilliant " float." The curtain raised, discloses side wings, drop scenes, and flats. A troop of 50 or 60 agile damsels glide on and go through for his edification a series of graceful evolutions, in which there is at least one consolation, that any body may interpret them exactly as he Pleases. He sits and looks at all this, and if he be not in a thea tre, where on earth is he ? and if this be not a thea trical representation, what on earth is it ? But, on the other-hand, it would seem impossible to hold that such an entertainment is not rendered to all intents and purposes lawful by the licence which enables that building in which it takes place to be kept (to quote the very words of the Act 26 Geo.ll. cap. 36). for "publick dancing, musick, or other publick entertainment of the like kind." As the act for the better regulation of theatres (6 and 7 Viet., cap. 68) in no way infringes upon these provisions, it must be presumed that it confirms them in their privileges ; and it would be a very curious interpre tation of the statutes to find the same incident law ful enough under one Act of Parliament but illegal by another. There are, however, many phases of the entertainments generally given in music halls which would not be thus able to shelter themselves, but which would certainly come under the category of " stage plays ;" and the certainty, therefore, be eomes daily more dhd more manifest that, not only does the intricacy of the question require higher jurisdiction, but, in all probability, extended legis lation. But it is quite obvious that, in this struggle between managers of theatres and proprietors of music halls, the interests of a third party, equally entitled to consideration, have been entirely lost sight of. In the name of the "public," we submit that this is a question which should virtually be de cided by themselves. In these days of competition and free trade we cannot see why monopoly and protection should still be retained for the theatres that be. We can perceive no reason why music halls should not be licensed for whatever representation they please, subject of course to the approval of the requisite authorities. Licences would naturally be necessary for revenue, and also for purposes of supervision ; but there need be no restriction to their number or purpose any more than to the number or destination of licences for public vehicles. The public knows best what it wants, and how much of it it wants. Profit or loss would very soon determine that average. If the public desires to witness "Hamlet," or " Doing Banting," whilst it is eating its supper, why should it be deprived of that gratification? If it finds increased enchantment in a ballet through a thin veil of tobacco smoke, where is the necessity of interfering with its eccentricity ? There will always be theatres enough for those who prefer their theatricals " neat ;" but that is no reason why those who enjoy them flavoured with comic songs, stump oratory, tight-ropes, and contortionists should not be allowed the choice of finding them all under one roof. The public, in fact, is the real judge of what it wants, and it at - least ought not to be fettered in its choice by mercenary considerations. The theatres would have no right to complain of such " free trade," on the ground of capital invested in their speculations, for one glance at the Alhambra, as at others of its class, demonstrates the proof of enormous outlay. They could scarcely murmur at the tavern advantages over them, for there is not a"pit or gallery in London that does not provide re freshments almost as comprehensive as, and as much to the detriment of, the bar of the neighbouring gin palace. Nor can they in any fairness object that the privileges which they obtain under their licences should be shared by as many minor establishments as please to apply for them, since if they thus ad vocated a halt in progress of the theatrical age, an expansion of such a theory would place themselves once more under the harasgng restrictions formerly exerted over them by the arbitrary privileges of the " Patent Theatres." COUNTRY MARKETS. et. LINCOLN.--FRIDAY. With a tolerable supply wheat sold slowly at a shade more money than last xveek ; new white, 40s to 45s ' • new red, 36s to 39s per 36 stone. Barley c ame s l ow ly t o hand, and prices were unchanged; fine malting sorts 30s to 34s per qr. ; grinding, 25s to 303 per 30 stone. Oats limited, and sold at about former quotations : new, 20s to 23s ; old, 24s to 28s per 24 stone. Beans same as heretofore, viz, 36s to 42s per 38 stone. LIVERPOOL-FRIDAY. The market was_only thinly attended to-day, and a more quiet tone prevailed throughout. Wheat was in limited request, and the few transactions concluded were at prices rather in favour of buyers. Flour nominally unchanged. Indian corn in limited request, and 3d per qr. lower. WAKEFIELD.-FRIDAY. Wheat Must be noted rather dearer than on Friday last, but the trade is not active. No change in barley or other articles. The following are the averages for the week ending Jan. 2 :—Wheat, 2,538 qrs., at 42s 31d ; barley, 1,321 qrs., at 26s 10Id ; oats, 18 qrs., at 19s 9d ; beans, 86 qrs., at 35s 3id ; peas, 35 qrs., at 355. STAMFORD.-FRIDAY. The wheat trade was more active to-day, and prices ad vanced is per qr. ; new white, 40s to 42s ; new red, 36s to 38s per 36 stone. Barley was in good request at late rates, fine sorts, 32s ; ordinary, 26s to 30s per qr. No particular change in the price of other kinds of grain ; oats, 20s to 265. Beans, 38s to 40s per qr. BRISTOL SUGAR.-FRIDAY. The market was re-opened on the 4th inst., having been closed for the holidays since the 24th ult. On the 4th and sth there was a steady demand, and several parcels of West India sold at prices not obtainable in December ; now, however, there is less disposition shown to do busi ness, and prices are decidedly easier. Refined goods are quiet, and 6d cheaper. Rum—the demand is good, at id advance. COAL MAR s. d. 8. d. Bowers West Hartley 17 6 Hartlepool Holywell Main l7 9 Heugh Hall - 22 0 Lambert's W. Hartley 17 6 Kelloe Walker Primrose l5 9 South Kelloe Cowpen Hartley Buddles'Westliartley. 17 6 Braddylls Hetton 2l Ships at market, 72:; sold, 27. • ET, JAN. 4. Foreign Mail Packet List. - a - Australia and New Zealand, via Southampton.. Jan. 18. Ditto, via Marseilles Jan. 12. Brazil and Cape Verds, by British packet Feb. 3. Ditto, by British packet Jan. 21. Cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and St. Helena Feb. 19. China, Penang, and Singapore, via Sou' hampton Jan 18. Ditto, via Marseilles Jan. It. Falkland Islands Jan. Gibraltar, via Southampton India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, via Southampton.— Jan. 18. Ditto, via Marzeilles India (Bombay), via Southampton. Jan. 11. Ditto, via Marseilles ... Mauritius, via Southampton Ditto, via Marseil e 4 Jan. 5. Newfoundland ..... Jan. 18. Poring I Ditto, by private ship to Lisbon.. United States and British North America, by Bri- tish packet America, by British packet Ditto, by United States packet, via Southamp- tcn Ditto, via Cork • •• , . •••• Ditto, by Canadian packet, via Londonderry.. Jan. 8. West Coast of Africa, Madeira, and Teneriffe Jan. 10. West Indies and Pacific (exCept Bahamas, Cuba, and Mexico Jan. 9. Bahamas, via New York. Jan. 12. Bermuda, ditto..., Jan. P. Cuba and Mexico Jan. 29. BREAKFAST BEVERAGE.—ilomo3opathio practitioners, and the medical profession generally, recommend cocoa as being the most healthful of all beverages. When the doc trine of' homeopathy was first introduced into this country, there were to be obt fined no preparations of cocoa either at tractive to the taste or acceptable to the stomach ; the nut was either supplied is the crude state, or so unskilfully manufactured as to obtain little notice. J. Epps, of London, Ilomceopathic Chemist, was induced in the year 1819 to turn his attention to this subject, and at length succeeded, with the assistance of elaborate machinery, in being the first to produce an article pure in its composition, and so refined by the perfect trituration it receives in the process it passes through, as to be most acceptable to the delicate stomach. For general use Eppa's Cocoa is distinguished as an invigo rating, grateful breakfast beverage, possessing a most deli cious aroma. Dr. Hassall, in his work, "Food and itS Adulterations," says -"Cocoa contains a great variety of im portant nutritive principles —every ingredient necessary to the growth and sustenance of the body." &gain: "As nutritive, cocoa stands very much higher than ether coffee or tea." Directions —Two teaspoonfuls of the powder in a breakfast cup, filled up with boiling water or milk. Secured in tin-lined Ob., lb., and 11b. labelled packets, and sold 14 a 11 grocers, confectioners, and chemists.— [A arr.] Births. CUMMINU.—On the 3d inst., at Palmer's Farm, Penshurs4 Kent, the wife of Nicholson Cumming, Esq., of a son. EAST.—On the sth inst., at 7, Curzon-street, Mayfair, Mri• East, of a daughter. EARLE.—On the 4th inst., at 22, Rutland-gate, Mrs. Chas• Wm. Earle, of a son. Marriages, DERRIMAN—LYSLEY.--On the sth inst., at All Saints, Knightsbridge, Samuel Hoskins Derriman, Esq., Capt• RN., to Caroline Gertrude, younger daughter of W. J• Lysley, Esq., M.P., of Princes-gardens, Hyde-park. ROSS—HENDERSON.—On the 3d inst., at St. Paul's, With-• ington, Hercules G. Ross, 8.C.5., second son of HoratiO Ross, Esq., to Mary, third daughter of Charles Paton Henderson, Esq., of Withington Hall, Lancashire, and', 5, Upper Hyde-park-gardens, London. Deaths. CHRISTMAS.—On the 4th inst., at Coleshill, Herts, Mr. Jag. Christmas, aged 66. DANIEL.—On the 4th inst., at Longford House, Glouces" tershire, the Rev. Joseph Daniel, incumbent of Longnel and Elmore, aged 64. INNES.—On the sth inst., at Clapham, John Jameson Line* late of Rood-lane, city, aged 60. KYLE.—On the sth inst., at Hythe, Kent, Henry Stopford Kyle, Esq., aged 55. Proorr.—On the 4th inst., at 4, Upper Grosvenor-stree t / George G. W. W. Pigott, Esq., aged 68. RooKE.—On the 2d inst., at 44, Newington-place, Sarre Charles Archibald Rooke, Esq., aged 78. London : Pri ,fed and Published by WILLIAM ANDR.C", 2 , of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at THE Sur Office, No' Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the County Middlesex.-13aturday, January 7, 180. `i