The Sun. — London, England, 1866-01-09 00:00:00

LIFEBOAT SERVI C ES. —I) uring the storms of the past year the National Li ebsat Institution, by its t iceboats and other means, contributed to the savin of 707 persona from different NN reeks on our coasts. The Insti tution also expended .021,374 In the same perh,d on its life boat establishments, in addition to granting £4,950 for re- Wards fur saving lite and exercising the litoboats. The Committee of the Institution eirncstly , A erEA I, to the rutin° Lir ASSISTANCE to enable them to meet the continued heavy dcmand3 on the Institution's 159 lifeboat Et ,Hues. Contributions arc received by the London and country bankers ; and by the Secretary, Richard Lewis, Esq., at the Institution, 14, John-street, Adelphi, London. ROYAL ENGLISH OPERA, COVENT GA ILDEN. (Opera Company, Limited.) lIIS EVENII\ (IC r:SDAY). Mr. Charles D. ff.-111's new opera, in one set, Cll ItlS'i MAs N. Madame Jo. Lancia, Madame E. 11. ywood ; Mr. A. Cook, and Mr. D. Miranda. Conductor, Mr. Alfret Mellon. Af!e.• which. it 8, the grand cornlc, af.e.dacular, and ope rvie fll4B Pan °mime, entitled A I.A ULAN ,Fl THE AVONDERPtiI. LAMP; or, Hari, quin and the ying ralac... (See other advertisements. Commence at 7 o'ciccir. II EATRE ROYAL, DRURY-LANE.--- ..11_ MAnagers, Messrs. E. PalJoner and F. B. Lhatterton. THIS EAro:NINO, the Farce ot HUSBANDS, BEWARE. Mr. U. Velmore, Miss Hazlewood, Sze. After v. Well, the Pantomime, LITTLE KING PIPPIN; or, Harlequin Portunatus and the Magic Purse and Wishing . L a p. Messrs. 0. Belmore, 11. Lraytoa, G. Weston. Master Percy Rosen' ; Misses liazlewood, A. Thomson, E. Falconer, Pantomimists, Messr'. H. Boleno. C. Lauri, CO/MtiCK, Saville, Miss Mogan, and 3ladamc Boleno. Commence at 7. THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET.- Sole Lessee and 31antga, Ur. Buckstone. THIS EVENING, BROTHER. SAM Messrs. Sothern, Buckstone, Compton; Mesdames Achy 31c0,e, Snowden, To be followed by ORPHEUS IN THE HAVMARKF.T. Messrs. W. Farren, Fisher, Baqleman, Wei her shy, ; Mesdames he , ! ley, Snowden, Moore, Lindley, Woulc,rar. 'toward, Wright, Coleman, Lovell, PrevA, To conclude wbh MY HUSBAND'S GHOST. Commence at Seven. OYAL LYCEUM T LIEATRE, XI) Under the sole Management f Mr. Fechter. THIS EVENING, TEE ILLUSTRIOUS STRANGER. Mr. li. iViddicomb. A !ler which, TEL 3IASTF It OF RAVi.NSWOOD. Mr Pechter; Me:ssrs. J..rdan, Emery. Windicomo, Vezin, J. H. FitzpatitJ , , I►. Evans; atetdamvsTernan, E exerthy, Lav enu, eu d I.(elercq. Eas Gillet open daily from El. vcn till Eve. NE W THEATRE-ROYAL ADELPHI. sole Proprietor and Manager, Mr. B. Webster. TIII3 F.VENING, at Feven, a new.far:e called LEIIIND ML. Mem s. J. L. Toole, IL rilinipp, Eburue, C. J. Smith; M.as A. z.eatu.n, &c. Atter wh!ch, at 8, TIP VAN WINKLE. Rip (his 109th appearance), Mr. Jefferson, supported by Messrs. Winnow; F. Bedford, It Phillips, kelix ItogLrs, Ashley, f. borne, C. J. Smith; Mrs. Bittingtor, dc. coneude with THE STEEPLECHASE. Messrs J. L. Toole, I'. Bedford, Ashley; 31its K. Kelly, Sis. ROYAL PRINCESS'S TIIEATRE. Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr. Geo. Vining. 'liilS EVENING, QUIV.T LODGINGS. After whi. h, at a quarter tb Eight, IT .NEVErt TOO LATE TO 3! EN 1). haraeters by M sbrs. Vining', 'l'. Mel vil.e, T. Mead,. V. Murray, o. Ca.haern.Liers, J. G. Eho,v, O. 3inizay, 11. 3i,Lon, Seyt-u, It. Cathcart; Nis L. ISl(x•re and Rita Kttherinc Rodgi-is. IOYAL S'IRAND THEATRE. •p v ole Lessee and 3lanagercrs, His L wanborou4h. KIS EVENING. at 7 ;2(0 time), NELLIE'S TRIALS. Messrs. E. Lord, Mc.: Swaaborough and /lance. After wh'e't will be p•ninced a new Opera Burlesque, L'AFltle<4 IN14; ; or, The Queen of the Cannib Islan a. Stoyle, James, Thorne; Mesdames Swaalborou.gh, Itaynham, Johnstone, tize. T., conclude with TURN' 111 - .%1 OUT. GRATIS AND POST FREE. E. MOSES and SONS' FASIIIONAIILE ALMANAC; for 1863, Litt of PrICCS, with Fashion-card tor the prebent seas.m. MOSES AND S 0 N Is respectfully call attention to their large and well assorted stock of J UVENILE CLOTIIINU. The newest fabrics are comb.nen w►th the latest and most fashionable designs, and the best workm.tuship. E. Mos Ezi and SON give particular attention to this important branch of their tJt:,itiess, and they can with confidence affirm that the prices Are amili as must satisfy the most economical. Tnis depart ulna is in a distinct pirrt of the premises, which will bel,und a gre .t convenience for ladies and children. MOSES AND SON • respectfully InvVe public attention to their large and we:l-assorted WINTER STOCK. MOSES AND SON'S t 1,4 • "SANDRINGHAM" and "DANISH." IVRAPPER (11.•ro,:yeed uy them) is the nc,cest and most tashion e kyle of Overcoats for the season. LA MOSES AND SON'S 14 • READY-MADE and DESIOK 141 CLOTRIN for all classes► and all ages. El MOSES AND SON'S • CELLBUATLD "INDISPEN ABLE" bur, Iron 30s. LI MOSES AND SON'S • HOSIERY End Dlt it En', for Mt classes and slt ages. M 0 S n E ATs S AsD A CA N PS D SON'S Lr all classes and all ages. EMOSES AND SON'S . BOOTS and SHOES, for all classes and all ages. LI MOSES AND SON'S Alj• OUTFII6, for all classes, all agcy, and all climates. - Kt MOSES AND SON'S • LONDON lIOUSES, 154, 155, 15A, 157, 31inories; 83, 81, 83, 86, 87, 88, 89, Aldgate ; 506, 507, 508, New Orford--street; 1,2, 3, Hart-street; 137, 132, Tottenham-court-road; 288, Eu.tou-road. Also, Bradford, Yorkshire. riA MOSES AND SON'S • Establishments are closed tvery Friday evening at sunset until Saturday mining, at sunber, when business is re sumed until 11 o'clock. All articles are marked the lowest prices in plain figures. Any article not appi%ved of will be exchanged, or the money retut ned. List of Prices with Rules for Self-measurement, Fashion Card, and our new pamphlet, " Whe rhtlosopny of Dress," gratis awl post tree. (lIE LAST EDITION OF " THE SUN, ,, Containing the Latest SrunTll4o INTELLiuttlAer„ 011711 be had Every Evening of G. It. GLIGNIE, Nzws AGENT, 110. 4, Connaught-terra' e, Hyde-park. I\IIE LATEST EDITION of "THE SUN" supplied, as soon as published every Evening', by W. ALEXANDEIt (late BILOOliS), Newspaper Agent, 21, 01 , 1 Cavendish-street, Oxford-street. 11111 E LAST EDITION of " THE SUN " supplied as soon as Published, containing* all the NEWS an.l sroRTING INTELLIGENTE, by LATEST It. W. HARRIS, Nesvepaper Agent, 4, Blaoktriars-road, London, S. THE LATEST EDITION of "THE SUN." J. HOLMES begs to inform his friends, and the pubiio generally. that he supp lies th o LA TEST EDITI , ,N of "THE SUN "as soon as published —No. Hampstead road, N.W. _ LONDON, TUESDAY, JANUARY 9, 18GGe The affairs of Prussia again seem to promise a complication, and upon the opening of the Prussian Assembly stormy scenes may be expected. The circumstances which took - place last year were very significant ones, aud-..this - year the Opposition threatens to become faimore Violent and unmanage able. It is rumoured that the star of the inimitable Count BISMARCK will no longer be so much in the ascendant, and that even now it is on the wane. Certainly he has run a long .race of remarkable success of a peculiar kind—neither brilliant nor glorious, but still of a very notable kind. I t was not likely, in the doctrine of chances, that this state of things should l as t much longer, because th e course pursued by Count Bls3ancic did not depend upon individual exertions or character for Success to much a s u p on gener al incidents, and the adoption of a peculiar and particular po licy gaining ground, and being received with favour by the KING, the Chambers, and the people. The affairof the Duchies came i u most oppor t une ly to, aid sch emes of the wily Count,. and make his worst opponents mute, while those who differed from him in a more moderate degree became his tolerators, if not his actual partisans for the nonce. The other great Powers of Europe did not present insuperable obstacles to the fulfilinent of Herr BISMARCK'S plans, and, with one thing and the other, they seemed rather to favour his schemes than to thwart them. What with the connection of the royal , family of Prussia with our own, and the most un wise and unworthy policy of oar Government, England pursued a policy which virtually rendered all possible assistance of a negative character to the nefarious designs of the great German Powers. France, for many reasons, did not, and could not, interfere. In nothing has the French Emperor been more consistent than in the resolve made in the early days of the Empire, not to allow the entente cordiale with England to be disturbed or ever interrupted. In consequence of the attitude which this country assumed it would have been im possible for any other nation to take up the cudgel in defence of Denmark without compromising itself with our Court and Cabinet in some way or other. Austria, for prudential motives, was mixed up too much with Prussia to allow her to refuse to join in the plunder even if she ran a likely chance of losing her share in the spoil. Russia was not likely to be actuated by any conscientious scruples as to another country pursuing a course of spoliation, and hence the very Power which was really the most indepen dent did the least, and said the least, in the work of protesting against the encroachments of the allied Powers of Germany, and in some degree vindicating the rights if they could not resent the wrongs of Denmark. A change has now come over the spirit of their dream, and many signs and tokens appear which indicate that the designing Minister of Berlin will realise the truth of the proverb, " All is not gold that glitters." The Government of the CZAR thinks it high time to make a stand against the encroach ments of Prussia, and to intimate, if not exactly to declare, that hitherto has Count BISMARCK gone, but must not hope to go further unmolested or un checked. It is one thing for the Imperial Govern ment to give the go-bye to a sort of ex parte ar rangement by which the King of DENMARK was despoiled of part of his possessions, and the whole of Germany in some degree profited by the change ; but the case assumed a very different aspect when it became evident that all the rest were pushed aside in order that Prussia might step in and take the lion's share. Austria was propitiated by some concessions, but the lesser States were entirely ignored, and the inhabitants of the Duchies them selves entirely disregarded. The end of all this would have been that Prussia and Austria would have contrived to sortir d'affaire with an increase of territory, and this would not suit the Court of St. Petersburgb. France, besides, would have put in a word before the annexation of the Duchies was entirely completed, and a friendly suggestion is often more difficult to withstand than an intimation of a more serious character. After consenting to a kind of quid pro quo arrangement, how could the line be drawn exactly which would define where France should end its demands or Prussia begin its remonstrances? In fine, the schemes of Herr BISMARCK are threat ened with many inimical influences abroad, and at home he has even more real danger to apprehend. Next week the Prussian Chambers will be opened, and then the tug of war will commence in earnest. In the plenitude of his power, and in the zenith of his success, with the glories of a victorious war and the achievements of an advantageous peace, the Prussian Minister found it hard work to con front the Assembly, and to hold his own against the vigorous onslaughts and determined opposition of the more independent members. Now that the tide has turned, and that his glory, if not departed, is in some degree shorn of its brilliancy, and dimmed in its lustre, Herr VON BISMARCK will not find his position a very en viable one. A fallen favourite has in all ages, and in all countries through the historic records of re mote antiquity, and the more domestic chronicle of modern times, been an object of the most pitiable kind, and presented a fruitful theme for the dra matist to exercise his powers, an appropriate study for the novelist to sketch, and an admirable instance for the poet to present of the vanity of human wishes. In the case of Count BISMARCK scorn and indignation have been the only sentiments which he has inspired in the minds of honest and honourable men in the days of his prosperity, and when the period arrives which will put an end to his long career of baseness and treachery the only feeling will be that he has met a doom he richly deserved. " Where'er he turns he meets a stranger's eye, His suppliants scorn him, and his followers fly," is the inimitable description of the dark days that waited on an English notability, and the same may yet prove true of the man who has so long monopo lished the favour of the Court, and been dominant over the constitutional rights and popular privi leges of Prussia. The great indignation which his financial schemes excited in the Chambers was made manifest at the end of the Dano- German war, and it is not likely that they will be now regarded with a more favourable aspect when time has shown and experience proved how impossible it will be for the wily statesman to realise his schemes so as to conduce to the ad vantage or credit of the country. The possession of the Duchies seems very likely to be as agree able and profitable as the fruit on the shores of the Dead Sea. Herr BISMARCK may not find the ashes so pleasant to his taste as the promise of the prize led him to sup pose. In the most unscrupulous and barefaced manner the Prussian Government appropriated money without the consent of the Chambers, and refused to alter the Budget, which did not meet with the approval of the Deputies. The session of last year closed very stormily, and ominous clouds now overspread the political horizon at the dawn of another session. Before its close we may witness some of the wrongs of Denmark avenged in the fall of the unscrupulous propounder of the policy of annexation. As for the people of Prussia, they have neither achieved success in the vindication of their constitutional liber ties, nor have they done what is some times called of greater importance, and held to be characteristic of greater excellence, they have not shown that they deserve success. On the contrary they have allowed themselves to be cheated, in order that their rulers might cheat others, and if this generation shall pa ss away before they re cover their lost position they have only to thank their own want of principle. The periodical meetings of the Royal Geographical Society usually afford some interesting information. In spite of the exertions and enterprise of our pre sent hardy race of explorers, in spite of the gradual knowledge acquired in the pursuit of commerce and by the love of adventure, in spite of all the facilities of modern travel, and the powerful auxiliary steam, there still remains a goodly portion of the habitable globe of which we know very little. The interest of our geographers at present centres chiefly upon Africa, and certainly when we look at that vast continent, just fringed as it were by civilisation and organised communities, we can only wonder that so much time has been suffered to elapse without greater efforts being made to explore the interior. All the, forces of nature certainly frown upon the intruder, while the human beings whom he meets are, generally speaking, to be classed among his most dangerous foes. We have had in this generation, however, a good 1_ any travellers of sufficient hardihood and determination to brave the risks to health and life, the hardships, the sufferings of various kinds which the African ex plorer must make up his mind to undergo, if he would add to the store of general knowledge and enrol his name on the list of successful explorers. Dr. LIVINGSTONE, the lamented Captain SPEKE and his companion GRANT, Captain BURTON, and Al. DU CHAILLU have all enriched our stores, and given us most interesting records of the wild and uncivilised races of the interior. Such information serves to excite more than a passing interest, and to stimulate more than an idle curiosity. To civilise Africa we must first know our ground be fore we can hope to carry intelligence, commerce, and religion among those untutored hordes of savages; we must learn something about their ways and their relative positions. We must know the features of the country itself, for it will not do for the instructor to be dependent upon the information which his pupil may choose to afford any more than it would be well for the merchant or the trader to place himself and his goods at the mercy of the cupidity abd cruelty of the natives. The interest excited by the several accounts which the explorers have given from time to time has been very great and lasting. They have bad naturally to contend against difficulties at home as well as abroad, and many of their narratives were held to be almost too marvellous for credence. " Gentlemen of England who lived at home at ease " seemed to think it showed superior ability and acuteness to dispute and to doubt everything that was said by those who had actually visited the places and peoples they described, and appeared to find ground for complaint and suspicion in the fact that life in Central Africa was not in all respects conformable to our recognised standard of social existence, or rather, perhaps, that it did not fully carry out the received and established theories. Al. DU CHAILLU especially had reason to complain of the suspicion with which his statements were re ceived in some quarters. No doubt, in common with all travellers, he tried to make the best of a good story, as well as to arrange his facts in the most effective manner, but that they were facts there seems no reason to deny. At the meeting last evening, at which M. DU CHAILLU was present, he delivered a very inte resting address. No less an authority than Pro fessor OWEN spoke strongly in his support. The learned Professor pointed out to the - audience that all the statements for which M. DU CHAILLU had been most attacked had been borne out by subse quent evidence. He had made the unwelcome statement that he had encountered a race of canni bals which had been called in question, probably because it was opposed to those theories of human innocence and refinement in an uncivilised state which are now so popular ; yet Captain BURTON, who subsequently travelled over the same districts that M. DU CHAILLU had explored, confirmed the statement. As for the gorilla, man's original ancestor, as some of our philosophers would fain have us believe, Professor OWEN expressed his con viction that if M. DU CIIAILLU had given a false account of those animals, he should have discovered some traces of the falsehood from his own know ledge of the conformation of the animal, whereas he had not the slightest reason to question the traveller's statement. Mr. DUN KIN, of the Green wich Observatory, remarked upon the multitude and accuracy of M. Du. CHAILLU'S astronomical observations ; and Sir RODERICK MURCHISON, the President of the Society, informed the com pany that his friend M. Du CHAILLU had undertaken this last journey entirely at his own expense, having devoted to it the whole of the pro ceeds of his successful work oa Equatorial Africa. This fact makes it the more to be regretted that owing to an unfortunate accident the traveller's journey was cut short, and he also lost the greater part of his instruments and other valu ables. The account which M. DU CHAILLU gives of this disaster is short and simple. He had penetrated some 200 miles further than had yet been explored, when he reached a village in which one of his men, for what reason is not stated, fired off a gun. This shot killed two of the na tives, upon which the villagers, not unnatu rally, became excited, and attacked the party with their bows and arrows. M. DU CHAILLU ordered his followers to retire, which they did at first in good order, while he kept behind, thinking he was less an object of resentment than his followers. Unfortu nately a panic seized his party, and, taking head long flight, they threw away everything they carried. g. DU CHAILLU had, of course, no choiae but to make the best of his escape after them, leav ing with great mortification and regret most of his valuables behind him, which it was impossible for him to rescue by himself. Thus, having lost his ammunition as well as his instruments, it was use less to continue his journey, and therefore he re turned at once to Europe. Of the people and country through which he passed M. DE CHAILLU gave an interesting account. His researches, it will be remembered, have been prosecuted from the western coast, just opposite the position on the eastern side from which our other explorers have started. M. DE CHAILLU thinks, from the resemblance of the words mentioned by GRANT, SPEKE, and BURTON to the language used in the district which he traversed, that the tribes of Eastern and Western Africa were origi nally one common stock. He renewed his acquaintance with gorillas, but saw no reason to alter his previous account. Further to the east he met a race of singularly diminutive people, whose average height was about 4 feet 5 inches. This statement was received with some doubt by the Chairman of the meeting, though there seems no impossibility in one tribe of men being smaller than their fellows than there is in the superior height of other races. Perhaps M. DU CHAILLU may have underrated their size, as he admits that he was only able to examine one or two of them, but in matters of this kind it is well not to judge hastily. The travellers as usual underwent great hard ships and for some time suffered severely from want of food, having only two monkeys to divide between a party of twelve persons during four days. The small-pox ravaged the country of Asturia during his visit and spread misery and death on every side, so that his trip was a somewhat unfor tunate one. He has, however, succeeded in bringing back some valuable details, and we trust that he will be enabled, should health and energy be spared him, at some future time to extend the area of his observations, and complete the arduous, though honourable, task which he has set himself. PROFESSOR SIMPSON.—The Queen has been pleased to confer a baronetcy upon this distinguished Edinburgh Professor. This is, we believe, the first time a baronetcy has been given to a Scottish professor, or to a medical practitioner in Scotland. We regret to learn that Sir William Hoste, Bart., the second senior Captain in the Fleet, and Groom-in- Waiting on her Majesty, is dangerously ill, but little hope being entertained of his recovery. Sir William was born in 1818, and has one son, born in 1860. Captain Robert Hall, R.N., at present Private Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty, will in all probability succeed Captain William Loring, C. 8., as Cap tain Superintendent of the Pembroke Dockyard. Captain Loring, who is now senior Captain in the Fleet, and also Aide-de-camp to the Queen, will vacate both appointments ou promotion. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. THIS DAY.—Morning, 7h. 22m.--Afternoon, 7h. 45m. To-Mou.Row.-Morning, Bh. 15m.—Afternoon, Bh. 46m. fr - k . 1 1 it 6,W 34434 J,„ THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 9, lE(6. CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS. m- (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) PARIS, Sunday Evening. I have already explained to you that the absence of Lord Cowley from the Tuileries on New Year's day was purely accidental. His Excellency soon after his return to Paris requested an audience of the Emperor, being very anxious to state the cause of his absence, particularly as some ill-natured re marks appeared upon the subject. Lord Cowley had yesterday an interview with the Emperor, and was received most cordially and graciously. Ilis Majesty assured Lord Cowley that he knew before hand that his absence was unavoidable, but he was happy to receive him at a special audience to pre sent the congratulations of the Queen of England on the occasion of New Year's-day. Private letters from Madrid represent the insur rection. in Spain to be of a much more serious cha racter than might be supposed from the telegrams. Two proclamations have been received in Paris, one from the Governor of the province of Valladolid, and the other from a more distant part of Spain. In these proclamations, it appears that the regiments in revolt are those of Calatrava and Baylen. A battalion of the regiment of Almanza, in garrison at Avila, had also joined the insurgents, whose object does not very clearly appear. For some time, however, there has been increasing dissatisfac tion against the Government of Spain. A difference, almost amounting to a strike, has been existing between the manufacturers of painted paper for rooms and their workmen. The workmen demand a reduction of the hours of labour from eleven to ten hours, so as to increase the time for relaxation and attention to their families. The manufacturers, in a conciliatory spirit, appointed a meeting of delegates of masters and workmen, which took place to-day, but I have not yet heard the re sult of it. The speech of Mr; Bright at Rochdale forms the present subject of discussion with the Paris papers. Some of them give Mr. Bright a much higher rank in the public opinion of England than he really possesses. The Passe, whose editor, M. Emibi de Gerardin, is not remarkable for consistency, says --" In a country which enjoys the right of writing, speaking, and meeting, like England, when a po litical man is endowed with such superior oratorical and seductive talent as Mr. Bright, it is not neces sary for him to ,be a Minister in order to do great timings, and to exercise an immense influence over the affairs of his country. This is the reason why we do not attach much importance whether Mr. Bright, with all his power, all his force, and all his independence, should remain out of the Cabinet or take his place on the Ministerial bench in the House of Commons." M. Ponchard, the leading singer at the Opera Comique some 40 years ago, died yesterday, from an attack of bronchitis, which brought on paralysis. His voice was much of the same style and calibre as that of Mario. The death of M. Ponchard has followed very closely upon that of M. Provost, of the Theatre Francais, the best comedian of the day. Among the notable visitors to Paris at present is an expert and audacious English pickpocket. A lady, travelling by the Orleans Railway to Paris, had received 4,600 f. in bank notes. She held them in her hand, but on reaching the station she put them in her reticule for greater safety. The Eng lish thief observed her, precipitated himself upon her, and dashed his hand into the bag. It did not, however, prove a lucky bag to him, for the lady, with presence of mind, detained the hand and bag together until the police arrived and captured the delinquent. Some new cellars are in course of construction at the Bank of France, which are calculated to make " assurance doubly sure" for the safety of the valuables deposited there. On the stairs leading to the cellars is an iron door locked with three keys, and it can therefore only be opened with the con currence of three functionaries. This door leads to a compartment where is deposited the cash sufficient for the ordinary wants of the day. Beyond this compartment is another, which can only be opened with the same formalities. It is called the serre (lock-up). Here are deposited bullion, precious stones, and miscellaneous valuables. The Duke of Brunswick always consigned his valuable diamonds to this spot when he was travelling. Madlle. Mars also always had her magnificent diamonds placed here for security. When the lot tery was announced, the chief prize in which was a bar of gold worth about £16,000, it was locked up here. Beyond the serre are two cellars guarded by a door of iron, which can only be opened by a key of various combina tions. When this door is opened the descent can only be effected by a spiral staircase, while only one person at a time can descend. The vault un derneath is 40 yards long, and contains a larger amount of specie than any other place in the world. In case of sudden alarm the staircase can instantly be covered over with slate, and the cellars can be inundated and even filled with mephitic air, which no one can breathe without being suffocated. The late beautiful weather has received a sudden check to-day. The wind is cold and tempestuous, and it has rained heavily at intervals. Such a day as yesterday was seldom seen anywhere at this season of the year. -.Hundreds of fashionable ladies were sitting for hours in the Tuileries gardens, en gaged in embroidering, crocheting, or other needle work. It was evidently for pastime, as that part of the Rue de Rivoli facing the gardens was filled with the carriages in waiting for them. There was an alteration for the worse at the Bourse yesterday, but the Rente resisted tolerably well the tendency to weakness and the circulation of disquieting rumours, all more or less without real foundation. The state of Spain is the chief cause of anxiety among capitalists and speculators, and assumes an importance even beyond those of Italy and Mexico. I happen to know that.a letter from Madrid received in Paris to-day gives rather an alarming account of the origin and progress of this fresh insurrectionary movement in Spain. To morrow I expect to be in possession of further in formation on the subject. PARIS : Monday Evening. As the Legislative Session is about to commence, it will be of interest to mention a few of the im portant measures delayed from last session, which I understand will be submitted for consideration pro bably before any new Government proposals will be pressed forward. One which excites much interest is the abolition of the law of arrest for debt. The passing of this law is perhaps looked forward to with more anxiety than any other. The Government was very anxious to have it carried into effect last session, but, as is often the case in England, it was compelled to postpone it to push forward bills of a more_pressing and temporary character. There was a time when the mercantile and 'trading interest of Paris opposed such a relaxation of the law, in the belief that it Would be impossible to obtain pay ment of some debts if the power of imprisonment did not exist; but communications between the Government and the heads of some mercantile estab lishments prove that opposition will be withdrawn if, as the Government intends, that stringent regu lations shall be proposed for the punishment of fraudulent debtors. A fact better than theory to prove the state of public opinion is that the arrests for debt since the close.of last session have sensibly decreased. The law next in importance to be pro posed relates to crimes and offences committed in foreign countries. This law, I need hardly say, will form the basis of the new treaty to be proposed regard ing the extradition of accused persons. The otherlaws to be discussed relate to primary instruction, and for the abolition of various Customs duties ; that is to say, an extension of the principle of Free Trade. It appears from the Madrid papers received to day in Paris that the insurrection is of a military rather than a political character, and that the move ment is under the auspices of General Prim. The General has been considered to be one of the Queen's most loyal subjects, and is of very ancient family, the members of which claim the privilege of remaining uncovered in the Royal presence. Gen. Prim has for supporters Brigadier Milans de Bosch and General Contrevas, heretofore con sidered to be equally loyal as himself. The next insurgent in influence is General Pierrard. The insurgents seem to have been repulsed at all points, and at the latest date Madrid was perfectly tranquil. Marshal O'Donnell, Minister of War and President of the Council, has taken the most ener getic steps to crush the mutineers. It was reported that the Duke de Victory, better known as Marshal Espartero, was concerned in the movement. This is untrue. The duke is now residing at Logrono, and for a long time past has not taken any share whatever in political affairs. Aranjuez, where the insurrection begun, is within 30 miles of Madrid. It is there the Court resides in the summer. The palace is one of the most magnificent in the world, but the environs are desert and miserable. I know the locality well, and join in the idea of all well informed Spaniards, who imagine that Gen. Prim by marching in the direction of Cuenca intended to oc cupy the mountains of the province of Toledo, because he could not only easily defend himself there, but be cause it would be a good position to wait for rein forcements. This position, too, would give him power over all the communications of the capital with the southern part of Spain. It would appear, however, from the latest accounts, that if General Prim seriously believed that many regiments would join him he has been signally disappointed. The Constitutionnel gives apparently the best explanation of the motives which induced General Prim to join in this absurd though perhaps dangerous move ment. It says--" Astonishment may be felt that General Prim should give his aid to such a demon stration. It is, however, to be supposed that the military plot had ramifications upon which he reckoned. The active measures of the Government defeated in the outset an insurrection which other wise might have proved very formidable." According to a German paper, the question of the Duchies has entered a new phase. Austria, to which the administration of Holstein is confided by the Treaty concluded at Gastein on the 14th of August last, has expressed the intention to convoke the Provincial States of the Duchy in order that they express their own opinion in regard to their future Government. If Prussia should oppose any obstacle to the desire of Austria, the Cabinet of Vienna will appeal to the Powers parties to the Treaty of London, to settle the question. A letter from Berlin states that the Cabinet of Prussia has abandoned theproject for the construction of a canal to form a junction between the North Sea and the Baltic, across the Duchies of the Elbe, for which permission is given by the Treaty of Gastein. The Moniteur of this evening states that a private telegraphic despatch, dated Vienna, January 8, announces that an autograph letter of the Emperor of Austria, dated Jan. 1, relieves all the natives of Lombardo, Venetia, condemned for unlawful emi gration, from the legal consequences of that con demnation, orders the return of their sequestrated property, and that the proceedings against them shall be discontinued. The Governor of Venetia is authorised to grant to persons irregularly absent, or emigrants, the free resumption of their civil rights. A Plea for Chztucc.r. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sir,—May I not be allowed, as Chaucer's trans lator and admirer, to protest againt the Vandalism that would destroy so valuable a relict of the great poet's century as the time-honoured Tabard, whence his pilgrims started for Canterbury, to make way for a railway station, where few will know even the name of Chaucer, and few still care for him or his works ? Must modern progress be converted into a Juggernaut's car, always busy eradicating the traces of the past ? Is its motto to be delenda est Carthago? While Paris is being shorn of all its picturesque features and the traditions of its med:ca val times, I hitherto always admired the pious care with which the tangible relics of a bygone era were cherished in your provincial towns and out-of -the way nooks. I have seen Shakspere's dwelling honoured as a shrine, and the memory of even inferior geniuses lovingly fostered in the places they iuhabitei, and where they exercised their influence; and shall the father of English poetry not excite sufficient reve rence to prevent this contemplated desecration ? That is the question which I should like to see you ask of your numerous readers, who, on your appeal, might perhaps bestir themselves in time to avert an irreparable loss to the lovers of 'antiquarian lore.— I remain, sir, yours respectfully, Jan. 3, 1866. LE CHEVALIER DE CHATELAIN. Kemorial Tomb to Leigh Hunt. As PROPOSED BY MR. S. C. HALL, THE EDITOR OF THE " ART JOURNAL." At the close of a singularly charming and appre ciative " Memory of the late Leigh Hunt," which appeared recently in the pages of the Art Journal, the accomplished Editor of that publication, himself the writer of the " Memory," added the following footnote, or as it might be called postscript : " He was buried at Kensall Green, but unhappily there is, as yet, no monument to record his name and preserve his memory ; that is a reproach to all who knew him, and to all who have read, admired, and loved his many works—a generation that reaps the harvest of his labours. His works will, indeed, do both—they will be his monument—more enduring than of ' piled up stones'—and they will preserve his name for ever among the foremost men of his age and country. But it is not right that the crowded ' graveyard' which contains sculp tured tablets of so many illustrious au th ors, artists, and men of science, should be without one to this great writer, and I appeal to the thousands by whom he is estimated to remove from Engl an d the reproach. It will gratify me much if I can obtain contributions for that purpose, in addition to my own. A large sum is by no means requisite. Such a monument as Leigh Hunt would have de sired should be unassuming and unpretending as was his career in letters ; and if I am so happy as to receive responses to this invitation, I will set about the work." Since then, Mr. Hall has energetically set on foot a movement calculated very speedily, we believe, to lead to the realisation of his kindly-hearted design. Quoting his own footnote (as here already given), at the head of a Circular Letter, addressed espe cially to men of letters and admirers of the genius of Leigh Hunt, Mr. Hall writes : " I have added the above to a ' Memory of Leigh Hunt,' published in the Art Journal. May I respect fully ask your aid in this matter, to the extent of a guinea or half-a-guinea.—Yours truly, C. HALL. 8, Essex-villas, Argyll-road, Campden ." _ _ And already we believe the response has been such that the chief part of the BUM required for the erection of the proposed monument over the hon oured but as yet unmarked grave of Leigh Hunt in Kensall-green Cemetery, has been secured : as will be understood indeed upon a glance down the pre sent list of subscribers :- 1. B. W. Procter, Esq. 21. Mrs. Milner Gibson. 2. John Forster, LL.D. 22. C. R. Reynell, Esq. 3. W. C. Macready, Esq. 23. John Dillon, Esq. 4. Charles Dickens, Esq. 24. W. J. Allen, Esq. 5. Theodore Martin, Esq. 25. J. Ridley, Esq. 6. Edmund Oilier, Esq. 26. F. W. Fairholt, Esq., 7. Sir F. G. Moon ' Bart. F.S.A. 7. Wilkie Collins, Esq. 27. E. M. Ward, Esq., R.A. 9. Charles Kent, Esq. 28. Edmund Yates, Esq. 10. G. Cotterell, Esq. 29. G. J. Do 'Wilde, Esq. 11. C. Ratcliff, Esq., F.S.A. 30. John Bright, Esq., M.P. 12. Sir John Bowring. 31. Martin Tupper, Esq. -13. Sir Rowland Hill. 32. Payne, Esq. (Maxon's) . _ 14. Sir E. L. Bulwer Lytton, 33. Blanchard Jerrold, Esq. Bart. 34. Colonel Cunningham. 15. W. Smith Williams, Esq. 35. W. H. Russell, Esq., 16. J. Durham, Esq., P.S.A. LL.D. 17. Chas. Hill, Esq., P.S.A. 36. Edwin Arnold, Esq. 18. G. Godwin, Esq., F.R.S. 37. John Ruskin, Eq. 19. P.Bennocli, Esq., P.S.A. 38. John Hunter, Esq. 20. James S. Virtue, Esq. 39. S. C. Hall, Esq., P.S.A. *** Those others who would enjoy the privilege of participating in the grateful labour of raising this memorial stone over the remains of Leigh Hunt would do well, therefore, at once to forward to Mr. S. C. Hall their intended guinea or half guinea subscription. Liverpool Cotton Market—This I ay. The market opens with quiet demand. Sales probably 5,000 bales. THE MURDER AT MOUNTAIN Asir.--The coroner's inquest upon the remains, as supposed, of John Davis, was adjourned till Thursday net. CONVIOTION,_ FOR AtILUDER..-r-EDINBURGII, Mon day.—Brown, the mate of the schooner Nymph, of Mon troso, has been found guilty of murder of the captain of the ship off Forfarshire coast. Sentence delayed. LA TEST INTELLIGENCE. (REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.) TEE MILITARY REVOLT IN SPAIN. I3AYONNE, JAN. 8. General Prim has gained the mountains of Toledo, 'whither he is being pursued by General Zavala. General Concha has taken up a position at Man zananes, in order to bar the passage of General Prim into Andalusia. News from Madrid states that General Eschague was about to leave that city at the head of fresh forces. The insurgent garrison at Avila have crossed over into Portugal. The provinces continue quiet. R O M E. ROME, JAN. 8. At a Consistory held to-day the Pope nominated a Patriarch, three Archbishops, and 12 BishopS. Msgr. Ledokowski has been appointed Arch bishop of Posen. The Bishop of Osnabruck has been named Arch bishop of Cologne. His Holiness did not deliver any allocution. VENETIA. VENICE, JAN. 8. The Central Congregation of Venice has elected a committee for the purpose of examining the reforms necessary for the development of the autonomy of Venetia. Several ordinances of the Governor of Venetia have been published, suppressing the district com missioners and creating 22 vice-delegates. The communes are in future to correspond directly with the Provincial Congregations. Venice is placed directly under the Governor, and the Central Con gregation of the provinces is suppressed. FRANCE. PARIS, JAN. 9. Count Walewski and the Duke de Mouchy have been elected members of the Commission for the Exhibition of 1867. CHINA AND JAPAN. SIIANGHAE, Nov. 2G. Sir Rutherford Alcock has arrived at Pckin at a critical moment. The anti-foreign party are en deavouring to carry out an exclusive policy. The Inspector-General of Customs has been dis missed without a cause. Articles of war are being manufactured in large qlantities. General dissatisfaction is felt at the irregularity of the mail service. Several mails in succession have been days behindhand. Trade generally is brisk. The cotton crop has failed. Advices from Japan state that the combined expedition had returned in consequence of the Mikado's refusal to open the ports' of Ossaca and Ilioga. Advices from Shanghae for the 9th December, received via Gallo, and published on the sth inst., announce that the Mikado has since sanctioned the treaty, and that the ports would be opened on the Ist January. A chamber of commerce had been established at Yokohama. AUSTRALIA. AND NEW ZEALAND. MELBOURNE, Nov. 26 (via Alexandria). A motion of want of confidence has been intro duced in the Legislative Assembly, and resulted in a majority for the Ministry. The Tariff Bill has been rejected by a large majority in the Legislative Council. The Ministers refused to bring in the Appropria tion Bill, and announced the prorogation of Par liament and an appeal to the country. A petition to the Queen to recall the Governor has been signed by members of the Executive Council. Great dissatisfaction prevails. SYDNEY, Nov. 22. Advices from New Zealand announce further skirmishing with the natives. They had been attacked at Opotiki, and several were shot ; among them one of the principal murderers of Mr. Volk- ner. The natives at Poverty and llawkes Bays were laying down their arms. Kawa Pah has been captured by the volunteers. The rebels suffered great loss. New Year's Day at Rome. ROME, Jon. 2. • Yesterday the Pope held the usual reception at the Vatican, at which the Diplomatic Corps, the members of the various episcopal colleges, the Mi nisters, the Council of State, the Municipality, the officers of the Pontifical army, and many other high functionaries, offered their congratulations for the New Year. General Count de Montebello and the officers of the French army of occupation paid their respects to his Holiness at noon in the Hall of the'Consistory. In reply to their congratulations, the Pope is stated to have expressed himself in the following terms : " I accept with pleasure the good wishes expressed by your General. As in previous years, I give you my apes toile benediction. I have been informed, and have re peatedly heard, that the French army is to leave Rome. It is, therefore, the last time that I have the satisfaction of giving you this benediction. I bestow it upon you, then, with all my heart, full of affection and love. " I will remind you of what was said by the great Apostle Paul :—'Scio quoniam intrabunt post discessionem lupi rapaces ;' and, applying it to present circumstances, thus translate it,— ' I know that after your departure the savage beasts will enter.' Then I shall be like Jesus before ascend ing Golgotha, when he prayed in the garden of Gethsemane and an angel came strengthening Him. lam too miserable to be compared to Jesus Christ ; yet I also shall pray to obtain consolation. I shall pray for poor Italy, which has been made an unhappy country, and has been precipitated into an abyss of misery, impiety, and irreligion. But I am departing from the subject before rue. I shall pray for France, for the whole French army, whom I esteem, and for the Imperial family ;—I shall pray for you all, to whom I owe so much. May God, therefore—God the Father, Author of all good—bless you; may the Son, eternal wis dom of the Father, communicate to you that wisdom so necessary amid the difficulties of life ; may the Holy Ghost, eternal love of the Father and the Son, inspire you with that love, so that you may love one another !" All the officers were subsequently permitted to kiss the ring of St. Peter. In receiving the Finance Minister the Pope is represented to have again expressed his unshaken resolution to ignore the September Convention, and not to accept, either on the question of the debt or any other, any arrangement implying the aban donment of the rights of the Holy See and the re cognition of facts accomplished in defiance of those rights. - - - - - The Holy Father is also said to have communi cated to the Finance Minister a letter that he had written to the Emperor on the subject of the pro posal contained in the Convention, that Italy should pay that portion of the Pontifical debt due from the former provinces of the Church. His Holiness promised to acquaint the Ministry with the Em peror's reply as soon as he received it. A telegraphic despatch from Frosinone announces that five other brigands namely, Andreozzi, Marino, Colella, Silvestri, and de Filippi—had sur rendered themselves to the authorities. Up to the 30th ult. twenty-three brigands had surrendered in accordance with Article 9 of the Edict of the 7th December. . erepita '7\l4Y . (firtular. HER MAJESTY. - - OSBORNE, Monday. Her Majesty, their Royal Highnesses Princess Ilelena,PrincessLouise, and Prince Arthur attended Divine service at Osborne yesterday, which was performed by the Rev. G. Prothero. Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice attended the service at Whippingham Church. Royal Geographical Society. • - The Royal Geographical Society held one of its monthly meetings last evening, and it being veil generally known that M. P. B. Da Chailla was to - read on the occasion a paper describing his second journey into Western Equatorial Africa an unusually numerous audience was drawn to gether by the circumstance. Sir R. Murchison, the president of the society, occupied the chair, and among the general company were Mr. Adams, the American Minister ; Lord A. Churchill, Mr. Craw furd, Sir IL Rawlinson, M.P., Mr. G. Poison, pre sident of the American Ethnological Society ; Pro fessor Owen, &c. The minutes of the last meeting having been read and confirmed, and some other preliminary business having been transacted, The PRESIDENT introduced to the meeting his friend M. Du Chaillu, to whom he was sure they would give a most hearty reception. (Cheers.) M. DU CIIAILLU then mule forward amid re newed cheering, and having stated that for the last two years he had no opportunity of speaking Eng' lish or French, and had, therefore to claim the in dulgence of the audience for any deficiency they might observe in his pronunciation, proceeded to read his papers. He left London on the 6th of August, 1863, and .on the 9th of October in the same year he reached a point called Ferman Bay, on the African coast, immediately to the south of the Equator. He advanced eastwards to the Ashira country, where he had been on a former journeYl and where he was well remembered and kindly re ceived. He had many offers of marriage pressed upon' him, but these he had respectfully declined. (A laugh.) In reading the works of Grant, Speke, and Burton he observed many words which were identical with and which closely resembled words used in the dis trict be - had traversed, and lie had no doubt that the tribes of western and eastern Africa had formed_ originally one common stock. He had' seen during his travels numbers of gorillas, and he saw nothing after his renewed experience to retract in the account he had already given of those animals. (Cheers.) After he and his party had been about three weeks in Ashira a visitation of smallpox ravaged the country. Misery and destruction were spread cn every side, and he was himself reduced to a most dejected, and prostrate condition. He could not procure sufficient nourishment, and he and his 11 coal - . panions had upon one occasion nothing to eat for four days but two monkeys, and very agreeablefoo d they thought them. (A laugh.) He was ultimately enabled to continue his journey eastward, and in the course of those travels he met with a singularly diminutive race, their average height being only from 4ft. 4in. to 4ft. sin. After he had advanced 200 miles further than any European had yet pene trated his undertaking was brought to an unexpected termination by an accident. He reached a village il l which one of his men fired off a gun, and, c ontrary to his intention, two of the natives—a man and 3 woman—were killed. The villagers became at onc e excited, and attacked himself and party with the ir bows and arrows. He could not blame them for th e . suspicion and irritation under which they acted, and he therefore forbade his men to fire on them. li e then ordered his followers to retire, which they did , at first in good order, while he himself remained ill their rear, as he believed he was in a less degree than they an object of resentmentto the excited na tives. A panic, however, soon seizedthe party ; they threw away all the articles which they carried; b e himself felt compelled to join them in their flight , and to part with many of the most valuable things' which he had in his possession. The result was that/ although his men energetically rallied, he lost all his instruments as well as his ammunition, and all that could have enabled him to continue his journey wit h advantage. He at once, therefore, retraced his WO westwards, and immediately afterwards made b 1 way back to England. M. Du Chaffin concluded his address by his expressing his gratitude to Sir Murchison and Professor Owen for the support b i e had received from them throughout his labours, an u amid all the opposition with which he had to contend. Sir It. MuRCHISON next briefly addressed the meet ing, pointing out the remarkable qualities which 3 1 * Du Chaillu had displayed throughout his travel s ' and observing that it was not perhaps generally known that he had undertaken his last journey e ll tirely at his own expense, and that he had been enabl ed , to do so only by devoting to that object the whole °' the money he had derived from the sale of his very remarkable work on Equatorial Africa. He had at the same time exhibited a skill, hardihood, a lld courage worthy of the gallant country—France ---111 which lie was born, and Englishmen and French men both would gladly welcome him as their oWn' (Cheers.) Professor OwrN then spoke in support of th e veracity of M. Du Chaillu, remarking that all th e st a tements for which he had been most attacked ha d been borne out by subsequent evidence. He ba u ; for instance, made the unwelcome announcem en t that he had met with a race of cannibals. 1113 statement had been called in ques ti on; b u t it had bee ,„ confirmed by Captain Burton, who had followed hi ll/ t over the district he had t raverse d. Th en w ith resPe e a to the gorillas he felt sure that if M. Du Chaillu ha; given any false accou n t o f th e i r habits he should have found some traces of that falsehood in the kne ss ; ledge he had been able to obtain of the conformisti e t of those animals. He bad not, however, the slight est reason to suppose that what had been said IT ,„. Du Chaillu on the subject was in the slightest re spect untrue. (Hear, hear.) Mr. DUNKIN, one of the assistants of the Green c i with Observatory, then came forward and sta te d that he had been astonished at the multitude a l & accuracy of the astronomical observations which' Du Chaillu had made. it Mr. J. CRAWFURD, the chairman, said he 0 10 to be his duty to declare that he found it imposs iu 'o to believe in the existence of the race of &ora l. which M. Du Chaillu stated he had met in .Afri e f 3 c ; These people, if the statement were correct, w e e ' o smaller than any human beings that had yet b e is known, and he could not understand how it 'et possible that they could live in the midst of 'nt h races who appeared to speak the same language . ra n M. Du CIIAILLU observed that those people r,,0 away when he approached them, and he had been g u t , to examine only one or two of their number ; i_ with respect to them, he had only to repeat facts as they had come under his actual observation. The meeting then separated. TEA DONE TO A T.—Perhaps there is no reallf ,11 truer test of the delicacy of sensuous perceP ti° than a high tone of feeling on the subject of tea. T i f b -61 is nothing that is easier to make, granted of course ": e proper quality of tea to start with, without any exper i „ e ?i° at all, than tea, and yet there is nothing i n which more hopeless to expect even moderate excellence f r°lr ;: person of unrefined mind. A cultivated man or wom an troduced to this beverage for the first time will on the gill experiment easily grasp the whole points of the case3"—vat take care to extract the true aroma without extrac ting tb :s horrible colouring matter which is got by letting the t brew, as the revolting phrase is—" brew," as if it were b e v el t —will see tho critical importance of seizing the 212°T,c, when the urn or kettle just boils, and no mare than bono is at 212 deg. Fahrenheit, and not higher—for eliciting the full fragrance of tea, and will have a fine feeling" f° r 0 function of cream in softening without overpowerivg, t of most refined of sedative, the most stealthy and OW ° , ett stimulating, beverages. But preach to an ordinary kit c ' l . l . - 0 maid for 40 years of the true rationale of the processgle her Messrs. North or Messrs. Twinings' best Seue ll°9 ` ) now as low as 4s. 10d. a pound, thanks to Mr. Gladstonweli green tea is never permissible to a pure taste—an d sh° „ t in produce you, after a life of melancholy endeavour ,51)',asp wrestling not with any external difficulty but with the .1 of her own organisation, a cup of as coarse kitchen te, A t she would make for herself out of " a very decent A rtidle ico 2s. 4d." with skimmed milk, and that refuse of animalcu:li and dried treacle called brown sugar—an ingredient l'ill.lc,o alleviates rather than exasperates the unspeakable 11°11°1 of such a decoction as this.—Spectator. *Aft, ......... al The conditio A.ll abu P r °babli at th e r h ave hi( balance, Th e pointed Bank, in isa n k , h ave. al ' ° ll lba th e iatt Lusi; k arket re rY di rat es 48 als o f° rwarc Seale. Ac e° Th ree Firm. The s 'l'Port accoun , _ 4B to; 4 letro i Easte r; S outh ' Stock J kist r i t 41 124 D o. , ;D o • 13 11 • eti o; Po. I) .ltei Do' e,„ boe.