The Sun. — London, England, 1848-12-27 00:00:00

MARKET NEWS.-(THIS DAY, CORN EXCHANGE—WEDNESDA Y. The arrivals of English Wheat for our market, this week, have not exceeded 370 quarters, almost wholly from Essex. To day, the show of samples of both red and white was small. Still, however, swing to the thin attendance of buyers, the demand was in a sluggish state, at prices about equal to those pail on Friday last. Most of the parcels wire disposed of prior to the close of business. Since our last report we have received 5,470 quarters of Wheat from abroad. With that article we were► tolerably well, but not to say heavily, supplied. Really fine qualities were in moderate request, at full rates of currency. In the middling and out-of.condition sorts next to nothing was doing, yet we cannot call them cheaper. Scarcely any English Barley was on offer, but the show of loreign was very extensive—upwards of 17,000 quarters having come in. All descriptions were dull in the extreme, and quite Is. per quarter cheaper. The quantity of Malt ready for delivery was trifling ; nevertheless, the trade was heavy, and the quotations had a downward tendency. The best Oats were mostly held at full prices. All other kinds ruled very dull. Beans. Peso, Indian Corn, Meal and Flour, were a heavy inquiry. ARRIVALS THIS WEEK. Wheat. Barley. 1 Oats. I 370 qrs. 30 qrs. 20 qrs. Flour. 530 sk,.. English • • •• •• Irish. ...• Foreign ...... 5,470 17,480 8,560 Malt, -- qrs. BOROUGH HOP MARKET. The best samples of New Hops were in moderate request, at fully last week's quotations. In all other kinds scarcely any business was transacted, at barely late figures. The supply is by no means large. New Hops:—Sussex pockets, 2/ 5s to 21 183; Weald of Kent ditto, 21 8s to 3/ 5s ; Mid and East ditto, 21 12s to 51 17s per cwt. V7HITECHAPEL. Prime Beef, Mutton, and Veal, commanded a steady sale at fully last week's quotations. Otherwise the de mand was in a sluggish state. Beef, from 2s 4d to 3s 8d; Mutton, 3s 6d to 4s 8d; Veal, 3s 8d to 4s 8d; and Pork, 3s 8d to 4s Sd per 81bs by the carcase. SECONDARIES'.—(THIS DAY.) (Before Mr. Secondary JAMES.) FIGGINS AND OTHERS V. READ. This was an action to recover 51. 18s., on a guarantee which had been given for goods sold to a person named Payne. The defendant suffered judgment to go by de fault. The only question in the case was as to interest, which the plaintiffs' attorney contended he was entitled to from the date of the guarantee. The Learned SECONDARY said that the guarantee stated so, but there was little doubt the intention was to pay interest from the date of default, but as the defendant had not pleaded, the verdict might go for the amount. REEVES V. REECE. The plaintiff is the well-known artists' colourman, and defendant is a tradesman at Swansea. The amount claimed was 111. 19s. Ild. Defendant did not plead, and a verdict was given for the amount. MA RLBRO'-STREET- ( THIS DAY.) Richard Hill, a waiter at the London Hotel, in Albel marle-street, was charged with wilfully annoying Mr. Edwin Van der Gutch, the proprietor of Groves Hotel, in the same street, by ringing his door-bell. Complainant stated that the defendant was a waiter at the London Hotel, but was formerly in his service in a similar capacity. For several months past witness had been much annoyed by having his hall door-bell rung at all hours of the night ; and although be suspected the defendant to be the culprit, he did not discover the fact until the previous night, when he disguised himself and went into the street. He had not been watching many minutes when he saw the defendant go up to the door and pull the bell twice and run away. He went again a third time, and having rung the bell, witness darted from his hiding place and collared him. A struggle ensued, and they both foil down ; in the struggle the defendant got a black eye. Defendant admitted ringing the bell last night, but etc utly denied ever doing so before. Fined 75., or, in default, to be committed for a week. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. BETTING AT MANCHESTER —TuEsDAY. CHESTER CUT.-500 to S agst Peep o'Day Boy (0- 500 to 7 agst Melody (t)—offers to take 50 to 1 each about the Tartar and Eagle's Plume. DERBY.-1,000 to 10 agst Andalusian (t). THE IVIARSEILLAISE. At a time when this extraordinary and exciting air has been resounding through the whole world— played in every company, sung with enthusiasm at every concert and theatre, and at the corner of every street in London, and sung by assembled multitudes in the Champs Elys6es at Paris, in a forest of bayo nets, and amidst the roar of the Republican artillery --a few words on its origin and its history may pro bably prove acceptable to our readers. In the early part of the French revolution of 1793, when the armies of France were threatening to over run the whole of Europe, the army of the Sambre and Meuse, the cradle and the birth-place of the " Marseil laise," was assembled ready to rush forward and carry all before it in the neighbouring states, and shake to their very foundations the thrones of more than half the monarchs of Europe. The general officer com manding this army, which was composed of raw re cruits and conscripts, all full of enthusiasm and panting for glory, knew perfectly well the materials of which his army was composed, but, at a loss how to raise their enthusiasm to a pitch that would suit his purpose, and transform the raw recruit into the wild enthusiastic Republican—knowing well the influence of music on the French character, he caused inqui ries to be made if there were in the army a man of poetical talents and a musician, when some of the officers of his staff said they believed there was an officer of engineers who was considered by his com rades as a poet and possessed of considerable musical talents, and he accordingly had the officer in question immediately summoned to his head-quarters, when the General explained to him the nature of his wishes, and, stating that as the army was to march the follow ing morning at an early hour, asked him if he ceuld in that short space of time compose a song or tune that would excite the soldiery. This officer, gentle reader, was no other than Rouget de Lisle, and who boldly replied that he thought he could do both, and would wait early the next morning on the General with the result of his night's operations, and he did so. Retiring to his humble barrack-room, he indus triously set to work, and the morning's sun saw a band of wild enthusiastic Republicans march to vic tory singing the " Marseillaise," and rending the air with its soul-inspiring notes, and then sweeping hostile armies before them with the fury of a tempest which nothing could withstand. The name of " Marseillaise" was given to:this air from the circumstance of a body of troops from the city of Marseilles having been ordered up to Paris, and which they entered, the bands of the several regiments playing this air, which was then not generally known in the part of France in which Marseilles is situated, and which had not had a name given to it. Louis Philippe, who in a great measure owed his elevation to the throne of Citizen King, in 1830, to the enthusiasm created by the above air, as soon as he was fairly installed, set on foot inquiries to ascer tain if the author, Rouget de Lisle, was still in exis tence. He was found in a garret in Paris, in wretched and miserable circumstances—and Louis Philippe ordered an annuity of about six or seven thousand francs a year to be settled on the poor officer, and who probably did not live long to en joy it. No certain account remains as to the time he died, but it probably vas about three or four years after Louis Philippe's accession to the throne, as about that time the books and manuscripts of Captain de Lisle were seen at an auctioneer's office in Paris for sale, and we believe there is an English officer of rank now in London who saw the original manuscript of the "Marseillaise," which is described as being written in a beautiful bold hand, and without a single erasure. The officer in question was most desirous of purchasing this valuable piece of writing ; but was informed by the auctioneer that it had been ordered by Louis Philippe to be purchased in at any price, and no doubt it has shared the fate of many other valuable documents and papers in the universal destruction of those belonging to that ill• fated monarch, in his flight from the Palace of the Tui leries, in February of this eventful year, 1848. NEW APPLICATION OF GUN COTTON AND AS DESTOS.-Mr. Robinson, the dentist, in a communica tion to the Medical Gazette, says:—l have frequently applied collodion, in severe cases of toothache, arising from exposure of the nerve, with perfect success, when no persuasion could induce the patient to submit to ex traction, either with or without the use of chloroform or ether. The method I adopt is to let the patient first wash the mouth with warm water, in which a few grains of bicarbonate of soda have been dissolved. I then re move from the cavity any foreign substance likely to cause irritation. After drying the cavity, I drop, from a point, the collodion, to which have been add, d a few grains of morphia; after which I fill the cavity with asbestos, and saturate with collodion. Lastly, over this I place a pledgot of bibulous paper. In a few seconds the whole becomes solidified, and forms an excellent non conductor of heat and cold to the exposed nerve. By occasionally renewing this, I have been enabled to effect a more durable stopping with gold. An inquest was held on Tuesday last before R. Palmer, Rig., at Shevington, on the body of William Bentham, aged six years. It appeared from the evidence that the boy, on taking some dinner to a coal-pit in Standish, was attempting to put the dinner in an empty basket which was being lowered into the pit. On reach ing his band towards the basket he lost his balance, and was precipitated to the bottom. When taken up he was quite dead. Verdict " Accidental death."—Preston Chronicle. MUNIFICENT BEQUEST.—The late Mr. Allan of Midbeltio, besides malting various bequests to his rela tives, has devised a great part of his fortune, nearly 20,0001., to form a fund for granting annuities to widows of respectable character in Aberdeen and Old Maclaar. The annuities to be allowed are not to be less than 51., nor more than 151. to each widow; and the selection of the parties to whom they are to be granted is left very much to the discretion of the trustees, named by the deceased, several of whom are official gentlemen con nected with the city 91.4budeeni-4 bordeGn Journal, THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 27, 1848, THEATRICALS AT WINDSOR. It must be truly gratifying to every lover of Eng lish dramatic literature to find her Majesty the Queen and the Prince Consort extending their ever conside rate and liberal support in aid of a positive revival cf those rich harvests of public enjoyment, culture, and delight which were wont to prove so abundant in bygone days of the genuine produce of the English stage. With this view her Majesty has commanded five theatrical performances at Winds, r, in the en • suing Christmas vacation, during the time the Court remains there. An elegant and commodious theatre has been prepared for this (special purpose, and the actors engaged comprise a majority of the most gifted performers of the day. A snore judicious or a more gratifying measure on the part of our most gracious Sovereign the Queen and the Prince Consort, one more truly national and acceptable to a large and intellectual portion of her Majesty's loyal subjects, cannot be well imagined; whilst, at the same time, it affords an especial recognition by the Queen of the . claims of the British drama and of native British talent to her Majesty's patronage and protection; and we are hence encouraged to hope that the day is not far distant when the genuine Eng lish stage will again spring up and flourish with fresh vigour, and become, as everything in this country must become under her Majesty's fostering care, and that under the patronage of indisputably the most correct and blameless Court in Europe, it must be considerably raised in its moral and intellectual cha racter. Yes, the genius of Garrick, of Barry, Mack lin, and Palmer—tire commanding and exalted spirits of a Siddons, the Kembles, and a Kean—the ever bewitching and faithful powers of an Emery, a Dow ton, or a Munden, together with the dramatic excel. lence of a hest of other great civilisers of their age, may yet re-appear amongst us, and, "hold as t'were the mirror up to Nature—to show Virtue her own feature, Scorn her own image, and the very age and body of the Time his form and pressure." It is not that we really lack great dramatic talent, we rather fail in the demand for it, and in the means of drawing it forth by fair and legitimate public sup port. A judicious patronage of the English stage, both by the higher and more influential classes of society, and the public at large, could not fail to place the drama in this country in that distinguished position to which it is fairly entitled, More especially If so directed as not to serve the immediate purposes of particular actors or actresses, but to be employed in raising the character of their profession in public estimation. This, the greatest point of all to be ob tamed in the revival of the genuine English stage, would induce highly gifted persons, who now shrink from embarking in the muddy and troubled waters of a theatrical life, to enlist their talents in the service of the drama, no longer feeling it a de gradation to pursue dramatic representation as a valuable and respectaMe profession. For the beneficial influence of the drama itself on the mass of the people we have no fear. Assuredly there is no channel of public culture and instruction so all powerful as the stage—we, of course, except the purely religious instruction of the people, which we do not profess to treat of here. Let those who are entrusted with the care of the public morals look to the " Drama's patrons," and the legitimate English drama will yield no invaluable harvest. The vast in telligence of our immortal Shakspere, always directed in the right path, whether moral, political, or religi ous, and the force of other great dramatic writers, will be heard in irresistible appeals to the moralists to supply antidotes for those actual vices which on the stage are only imitated in order to hold them up to universal condemnation. "Veluti in speculum." " To wake the soul by tender strokes of Art, To raise the genius and to mend the heart ; To make mankind in conscious virtue bold, Live o'er each scene and be what they behold; For this the tragic muse first trod the stage." Seeing then, in this gracious command of her Majesty, who the "Drama's patrons" are, and the impetus they will necessarily give to the British public in support of a well-ordered English stage, we must again repeat that we look on this command of her Majesty to supply regular dramatic perform ances at 'Windsor during the ensuing Christmas vacation, as one of the most important civil measures emanating from the Sovereign of England for very many years; inasmuch as it is likely to lead to a vast and beneficial influence upon the moral and in tellectual culture of the mass of the people. " The apt use of a theatre (says one of our highest moralists) is the most agreeable and easy method of making a polite and moral gentry, which must end in rendering the rest of the people regular in their be haviour, and ambitious of laudable undertakings." That her Majesty is fully entitled to an occa sional enjoyment of private intellectual amusement of this kind, no one can deny, the drama being an equally refined pursuit with music or any other high class of art; the time, moreover, is admirably chosen, and most propitious, since, the Court being absent from London, no immediate or depressing influence can thereby possibly arise to any public theatre or other place of amusement in the metropolis ; nor has less judgment been evinced in the choice made of Mr. Charles Kean to conduct these representatious. Be sides being an Eton scholar and a gentleman of en gaging and conciliating mariners, he is eminently qua l►fied by his dramatic learning and theatrical talents to raise the depressed state of the English stage. Mr. Charles Kean may, without fear of contradiction, be now considered as almost the sole representative of some of the most powerful characters in the Eng lish drama. His Shylock, Hamlet, Sir Giles Over reach, and Richard are at present without any parallel for dramatic excellence and truth. It is enough to witness the Shylock of Mr. Charles Kean to perceive that his dramatic conceptions are of the very highest order. The almost unprecedented success of his Hamlet, at Drury-lane, in 1838, and the sensa tion it created, will not be easily forgotten by those who frequented the London theatres at that time. It was played twelve successive nights to crowded houses, ensuring to the manager a receipt of nearly 4,0001., and effectually stamped Mr. Charles Kean as a great master of his art. Of Mrs. C. Kean it is almost super fluous to speak—our object not being particularly directed to personal criticisms—yet it must be al lowed that never since the days of Mrs. Siddons or Miss O'Neill has any acting more true, touching, or perfect been found in English dramatic representa tion, nor has the English stage been enriched with a brighter treasure. It would be invidious were we not to acknowledge the eminent talent of the other performers engaged in this service to her Majesty— amongst these are to be found the ever-fresh, exqui site, and rich comic excellence of Mrs. Keeley, the inimitable powers of Charles Mathews, Meadows, Farren, and of little Keeley himself, the sunshiny Har ley and quaint I3uckstone, together with other highly talented professional actors, whose exertions will, we feel assured, be actively and perfectly applied in calling forth into life the several characters committed to their care. The pieces selected on this occasion are as follows: — Dec. 28—The .Merchant of Venice. Jan. 4 Used up; and Box and Cox. Jan. 11—Hamlet. Jan. 18—The Stranger ; with Twice Killed. Jan. 25—The Housekeeper; with Sweethearts and Wives. 'We contemplate a rich and highly• intellectual treat to be afforded to her Majesty and the Court by these several performances; and we trust they may lead— as we have no doubt they will—to a further and con tinued patronage of the legitimate English drama, which we look forward to see ultimately re-established in all its native vigour, and in all the moral worth of which it is susceptible.—Herald. COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, TUESDAY. The Queen and Prince, and younger branches of the Royal Family, walked this morning in the Little Park. _ _ The Marquis of Breadalbane, the Earl and Countess Grey, and the Earl of Liverpool, are expected to arrive at the Castle this afternoon, on a visit to her Majesty and his Royal Highness. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent and her Royal Highness's Ladies in Waiting, and Sir George Couper, are included in the royal dinner party this day. The Queen's private band attended on Saturday in the Castle, and performed the following pieces : Overture Selection—" La Fine du Regiment" .. Donizetti. March—" Faust" Glee—" The Red Cross Knight" Senderlinge Walzer Her Majesty's private band performed yesterday : Overture—" Joseph" Mehul. Selection—" J05eph"........., . Mehul. Quartetto, No. 1 (two violins, viola, and violoncello : Messrs. Stainton, Nickel, Hill, and H. Chipp)..... March—" Athalie" . . Tier Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge visited her Royal Highness the Duchess of Glouces ter yesterday, at Gloucester Rouse. The Earl and Countess Grey returned to town on Monday evening, from Sprotborough, Yorkshire, and yesterday proceeded to Windsor Castle. THE TEMPERANCE LEAGUE.—Last evening the first of a series of evening parties on the teetotal system, intended to be given by the London Temperance League, took place at the 8.111 of Commerce, Threadneedle street, the large room at which was tastefully decorated with flowers and evergreens, the tables being covered with fruit, tea, coffee, eake3, &c. Mr. George Cruik shank presided, and was supported by Mr. S. C. Hall, Mr. R. Warner, Mr. G. Attwood, the Rev. A. P. Black, and numerous other clergymen and gentlemen. The evening was passed in the delivery of addresses in praise of temperance. TILE ALLEGED MURDER AT I3RIDGNOaTH.—Ca• therine Mercy New ton, who is suspected of murdering her mother, Ann Newton, has been fully committed to take her trial at the ensuing Salop assizes : , for the wilful murder of her mother. HOLIDAY AMUSEMENTS. THE THEATRES. lIAYMARKET. The Gamester was played last night-, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kean sustaining the principal parts, with all the effect which their performance has given to the revival of this gloomy play. After the tragedy came the clever, though somewhat commonplace, farce of Your Life's in Danger ; and after that again, the novelty of the evening, a burlesque by the Messrs. Brough, the two gentlemen NI ho recently made their (1414 as dramatic authors with the Enchanted Isle, a piece of the class in question, now being played at the Adelphi. On the present occasion the Messrs. Brough have chosen as a medium for a great deal of lively satire, and some really racy fun, the Arabian Nights story of the Prince Camaralzaman and the Princess Badoura. Camaralzcanan and Badoura is a really brilliant burlesque, written with great and fresh comic powers, full of closely and cleverly put points, abounding in lots of puns—some of them capital from their very wretchedness—and con taining many happy lines of vigorous and telling satire. The parodies, with which the piece is studded, are, in almost every instance, effective ; some of them being constructed with a degree of verbalin genuity which is not commonly met with. The plot of the burlesque we do not intend to meddle with. The stories of pieces of the kind hardly bear telling. The burlesque was excellently acted. Mr. Keeley as the Djin, had a very cleverly-conceived character —a sort of pothouse-loving aerial gent, which he played with great verve and gusto. His first scene was one of the best pieces of burlesque acting we ever witnessed. Mr. Bland had one of his favourite despotic parts, in which his tyranny was tremendous. He was well played up to by Mr. Caulfield ; and Mr. Mitchenson, as an eccentric sprite, performed some feats of springing up through trap-doors, which re minded us of poor Wieland. Mrs. Keeley made a delicious Peri, giving her jokes with all the point and stinging piquancy which she knows so well how to lend them. Her burlesque " shadow dance " was a capital bit of pantomime. Miss P. Horton was, as usual, the Prince, spoke her share of the dialogue with grace and spirit, and warbled her songs delight fully. The Princess was played by Miss Reynolds. The burlesque was gorgeously put upon the stage, where it will no doubt continue for some time. last night hung fire in nearly every instance, except two in the opening scene which were splendid. Stilt's Clown was very good, and his stage play was much applauded; he introduced his son (apparently about fbur years old) in one of the tricks as a chip of the old block, and performed several clever though very painful feats of equilibrium; and although rewarded with much applause it was accompanied generally by a shudder. Fenton made an excellent and agile Harlequin, and Miss Horne a very graceful Colum bine. The Sprite (Mr. R. Stilt), and Pantaloon (Mr. J. Johnson) were equally good. The scenery (by F. Fenton and Brunning) was magnificent. The pantomime was quite successful. gave what he styles his " royal entertainment, illus trative of the fallacy of magic, necromancy, witch craft, and demonology." Many of his feats are truly surprising. The most extraordinary trick in his "royal programme of scientific wonders," is that of the magic sketch-book, of which M. Houdin, at the St. James's Theatre, has nearly a counterpart. As it were from a portfolio, which is closed up so tightly as to lead you to suppose there is nothing in it, bonnets, birdcages, birds, and other things are produced, to the astonishment of the audience. Pro fessor Anderson got on excellent terms with his au dience by inviting them to drink the compliments of the season from a bottle which at one and the same time supplied half-a-dozen different sorts of liquors. Brandy, gin, and whiskey (for such spirits were they attested to be), were handed about from this inex haustible bottle in the most dangerous profusion. Indeed, the Professor had once or twice to warn the more sanguine of his audience in the pit of the in conveniences attending excessive indulgence. Name of Company. Australasia .......... Britsh North American Teflon •• ;:ommercial of London • • Gloucestershire lonian • . • • • • .. • • • • • • Londn and Westminstr London Joint-Stock ... Provincial of Ireland.. Ditto, New. • • • • • • • • National of Ireland Nat. Provncial of Eng. Ditto, New.• • • • •• • • South Australia • • • • •• Union of Australia Union of London Union of Madrid ADELPHI. The performances at this favourite temple of Mo mus consisted of the adaptation, in a dramatic form, of Mr. Dickens's Christmas book, the Haunted Man, the Enchanted Isle, and Slasher and Crasher. We have already spoken of the taste and energy displayed by the actors at this theatre in the interpretation of Mr. Dickens's new work and its motto, " Remember wrongs, in order to forgive them," and have only to add that on each night of the reproduction of the Haunted Alan, the circle of the readers of the book among the auditory having nightly become increased, the merits of the piece and the successful exertions of the artists have been thoroughly appreciated and ap plauded. The beautiful scenery of the Eachanted Isle, and the drolleries of Wright and Bedford in Slasher and Crasher, by turns delighted and amused a crowded house; and the evening's entertainment abundantly maintained the ancient reputation of Ma dame Celeste's popular and well ordered company. LYCEUITI. The most magnificent and superb spectacle that has ever been produced, even under the various ma nagements of Madame Vestris, was produced here last evening. The title of this very gorgeous, yet most elegant production, is The Ring of the Peacocks, being a dramatic version by Planctie of one of the fairy tales of the Countess d'Alnois. The story is to the following effect :—The Princess Rosetta (Miss Louisa Howard) has been confined in a tower for the first fifteen years of her life. During the period of her imprisonment she has seen a peacock, and has, in consequence of her admiration for the bird, " regis tered a vow " to wed none save the King of the Peacocks. Her brothers, Prince Irlorizel (Miss K. Fitzwilliam) and Prince Jessamy (excellently acted by Miss Jane Coleman) set out in quest of his Pea cockian Majesty, and are conducted by a May-fly (Mr. John Reeves) to the court of Argus the Brilliant-eyed, king of the Peacocks (Madame Vestris). They present to his Majesty the portrait of their sister, and the Peacock king consents to make her his queen, if her beauty should prove equal to the portrait, but insists on retaining the Princes as hostages at his court. May-fly is dispatched for the Princess, who, accompanied by her gouvernante, the Baroness Huggermugger, and by her faithful dog Fretellon (Mr. H. Marshall), " a green dog with one ear," embarks on board the Chin ese j un k, comman d e d by Poo-le-ha-le (Mr. llariey), for the land of the Peacocks. In the course of the voyage they meet with the Sea Serpent, who is in a hurry " to dine at the Admiralty," and who has scarcely passed, when the Baroness, instigated thereunto by the malicious fairy Fickle (Miss L. Marshall), proposes to Poo•le ha-le to throw the Princess and her dog overboard. and to substitute for her Runfizina, the daughter of the Baroness herself. The Princess and her dog are thrown overboard, and on the arrival of the junk at the land of the Peacocks Runfizina is presented to the King, who, dizgustcd with her ugliness, causes her and her mother to be thrust into a dungeon, the Chinese junk to he seized, and orders the Princes to be put to death. They, however, obtain a week in which to produce the real Princess, who, having been saved by the fairy Faithf u l (kiss Marshall), arrives at the court, and is married to the King. The first part of the burlesque drags heavily--in fact, it depends for its success almost solely on the splen dour of the spectacle, and it is impossible to imagine anything more gorgeous, both as regards decorations and costuine, than is the court of the King of the Pea cocks. Madame Vestris acte'l the King with infinite archness, and sung her parodies admirably. The parody on " The Breeze," and the imitation of the ship scene in Ilaydee, was capitally given. Young John Reeve as the May-fly also sung an admirable parody in the first act, and was deservedly encored; - his May-fly was not unworthy his father's Cupid ; and Harley as Po-le-ha-le made fun ; yet still the first act dragged until the conclusion, when a nautical dance on the deck of the junk (a sort of sailor's horn pipe of eighteen) brought down the curtain with much applause, and was enthusiastically encored. The second act was much better, the jokes were more frequent, and there was altogether more business and more fun. We had in this act O'Don't know-who, a Milesian fisherman, admirably rolled through by 11. Hall, and Soyez-tranquilla, chef de cuisine of the King, capitally made up and broadly caricatured by Selby. The scene of the blessing the rolling-pin was a magnificentburlesque on the poignard blessing scene in the Huguenots. The last scene, " a magnificent termination to a peacock's tale," is the most superb and ingenious combination of brilliant effects, gorgeous scenery, and ingenious mechanism that we have ever seen. it surpasses anything of the sort that has ever been accomplished on any stage, and secured for the piece a brilliant triumph. Miss Fitzwilliam, as the Prince, sang a series of parodies of grand scenes from operas (" Costa Diva " among the rest) with great taste ; but we would ask Mr. Plancl:e to consider whether such airs as these are the best adapted to burlesque— we think not. The part of Fretellon, the dog, was sustained most effectively by Mr. H. Marshall, whose feats of tumbling were exceedingly grotesque. There are several beautiful incidental dances, one more especially in the second act, in which the sea is broke up into waves dancing in the hands of the fairies. At the conclusion all the principal artistes were called for, as wasthe author, who bowed his ac knowledgments from a private box. The house was crowded. SADLER'S WELLS. The pantomime at this suburban theatre, the scene of triumph of Joe Grimaldi and Bologna, is from the pen of Mr. Greenwood, and is entitled Harlequin and the World Turned Upside Down; or, Number Nip and the Enchanted Fountain. Every portion of Sadler's Wells was crowded to suffocation, and, in accordance with time-honoured practice, more than an ordinary amount of hilarity and fun prevailed among the audience, who came to disport themselves with the Christmas offering. Otway's Venice Pre served was the first piece provided for the entertain ment of the holiday folk, and which was, as a matter of course on boxing-night, mere dumb show ; at times the acting of Mr. Bennett had the effect of restoring quiet, but only while he was on the stage ; imme diately he quitted it the boisterous voice of hilarity and mirth was heard revelling in all its glory. At last the curtain fell on the tragedy—a welcome to the denizens of the upper region. The pantomime was preceded by a very pretty medley overture, and, after the usual shouts of " Down," " Hats off," " //order," Ste., the curtain rose. The opening scene consists of an illustration of the present state of Europe, with the triumph of revolution over several foreign mo narchs. Revolution in the c,ntre, with Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity, as his attendant sprites, and Failure, Disappointment, and Moonshine as his follies. The scene is changed; we are conducted by a dio ramic railroad to the goblin's golden land, leading to the Gnome King's metallic palace in the centre of the earth. In the valley of Wolfenbattel, at the foot of the Hartz Mountain,the transformation of theGnomeKing's palace is really beautiful, and it was rapturously applauded. :Here the Vegetable Court is introduced, and a scene of amusement for the Princess's special delectation got up, including a pas de trois grotesque a navets, and a pas de quatre aux carrottes; and in this splendid palace the transformation then takes place, Nip becoming Clown, Prince Ratibor Harle quin, King Log Pantaloon, Brunhilda Sprite, and the Princess Columbine. The comic scenes open with a view of the new Coal Exchange, which is followed by the exterior of the Colosseum, well-known shops in London, and the Champs Elysges. The tricks are very plentifully scattered through the pantomime, but PRINCESS'S. A bumper house of merry faces did due honour to boxing•night at this theatre. After the pleasant melodies and fairy dances of Robin Goodfellow, came the great holiday attraction, in the shape of a " new grand comic pantomime, with new scenery, ma chinery, properties, dresses, tricks, and transforma tions,' entitled Bluff King Hal; or, Harlequin and the Charmed Arrow. The introduction abounds with spledid scenery and grotesque dresses; but panto mimic bards are not over studious of plot, and we despair of unravelling the mysteries of the present. Suffice it to say that Bluff King Hal, with Cardinal Wolsey, and lull the other historic personages known to the fame of his Court, figure pro minently therein. The King has the folly to essay the trial of true love in a match at shooting Cupid's arrows with a tender-hearted swain of low degree, whom Hymen assigns for his competitor; and the Royal Bluebeard being, as might be expected, signally discomfited, is condemned along with his Ministers to do penance as Harlequin '(M. Bologr a), Pantaloon (Mr. Paulo), and Clown (Mr. Flexmore). The pantomimic artists at this theatre are of great excellence, and kept the audience in a state of thorough enjoyment, as was evinced by the up roarious ebullitions of hilarity which were almost uninterrupted throughout. In the harlequinade there are some good hits ; we may particularise the Quadrant as it is and as it will he, Ramsgate and sea beach, the great Sea Serpent, Jullien's Drum Polka, and the Electric Light. The haven of happiness is gained at length, and closes all with a brilliant fairy view. &T. JAMES'S. SOIREES FAINTASTIQUISS.—Last night a numerous and brilliant audience, amongst whom was a large sprinkling of young ladies and gentlemen home for the holidays, witnessed one of the delightful Soirees Fantastiques of M. Robert Houdin, which he pro poses to continue on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sa turdays, until the end of the Christmas) vacation. We have so recently noticed these surprising per formances, from which the entertainment of last evening presented but a trifling variation, that it is only necessary for us to say that M. Houdin was regarded throughout the whole of his mysterious proceedings with a wonder which was never unmixed with delight. Perhaps one of the most pleasing, as it certainly is one of the most surprising tricks, is that which he plays with the cornucopia, which, after being presented to the audience as an empty , vessel, is made to pour forth an unlimited quan tity of fans, bonbons, albums, journals, and other things. These treasures M. Houdin distributes with a nice discrimination amongst his audience. If, for a moment, he shows a partiality for some striking beauty in a box or stall, or for a particular party of pretty children, who may be stretching out their little hands over a box to catch the coveted prize, M. Houdin does not forget the. claims of beauty in the pit. The society of M. Houdin may be confidently recommended to all fond parents and kind guardians as a means of keeping up . one branch of study, at least, in the rising generation during the holidays. M. Houdin takes his audience into partnership with him. Sundry little colloquies in French occur between him and his audience on the subject of the moment. Many little articles of wearing apparel and jewellery have to be borrowed for the nonce. The loan is asked in unexceptionable French ; and some young ladies and gentlemen, we thought, would have gladly forgot mince-pies and remembered the French master again could they have granted the loan in terms as perfect. This evening and Friday at this theatre will be devoted to the performances of Dum bolton's Ethiopian Serenaders. !OLYMPIC. This neat little theatre had a fair sprinkling of the holiday-makers last night. That excellent comedy She Stoops to Conquer was offered to their notice ; but even the very excellent acting of Mrs. Stirling and Mr. Compton, as Miss Hardcastle and Tony Lumpkin, failed to impose silence upon the gods as sembled in the gallery, who imperiously demanded that the actors should " cut it," which was accordingly done, and the " now, grand, gorgeous, historical, comic Christmas pantomime," as the bills had it, en titled William the Conqueror; or, Harlequin Harold, and the Sack of the Saxons, was presented to their astonished vision. The piece was opened, as panto mimes invariably are, with a fairy scene of very con siderable splendour, after which some very grotesque Normans and Saxons strutted for a time upon the stage, giving utterance to many very far fetched jAies and puns. After the battle of Hastings had been per formed according to the approved method of giving effect to such scenes, the transformation took place, when Mr. Chapin() became Harlequin ; Mademoiselle Vallee, Columbine; Herr Coles, Panta loon ; Herr Seymore, the Sprite ; and Mr. W. A. Barnes, the Clown. The Harlequin and Co!umbine drew repeated and well-deserved applause for their dancing, while the Clown, Pantaloon, and the Sprite (all of whom are from America) performed some very wonderful and clever feats of gymnastics, to the great delight of a number of young people, who, for the night were real boys and girls. The usual tricks followed, and there were many hits at the occurrences of the past year. In one of the scenes Sheard's Clothing Emporium was represented, and the owner being called upon to furnish Mr. Clown with a suit, brings out one which is changed into a " suit in the Palace Court ; original debt, 1/. ; costs, 1001." A "suit to last 100 years " becomes a " chancery suit," and " a box of wrappers for all weathers" turns out a very diminutive twopenny postman. In one of the scenes the gods gave forth a loud demand for " Hot Codlins," and they stuck determinedly by it, until Mr. Barnes, who said the song was not in the bills, nor washe particularly acquainted with it, sung it to their entire satisfaction, and by so doing at once established himself in the good graces of his uproarious audience. Altogether we must say that the lessee succeeded in sending his visitors away in good hiimour. The pieces were announced for repetition during the week amidst applause. 211 ARYLEBONE. The Christmas entertainments at this pretty little theatre presented, as their chief feature, a specimen of the pantomime, entitled One o' Clock ; or, Harle quin Demon —one of ar dykn those ute, the time honoured productions e Knight and the Wooden D in which brilliant scenic eff ec t an d th e mec ha n i ca l ingenuity of the machinest are expected to make up for dull dialogue and barren invention. The attempt to render explicit - ifie plot of one of these entertainments by any process of unravelment would be a vain effort. The only mode effectual for the purpose is, like the solution of the Gordian knot —to cut it. There was the usual abundance of grace ful dancing nymphs, fays and fairie:, enchanted castles, oppressed and imprisoned beauties, ogre-like gaolers, demons, pointless witticisms, crystal columns, unmeaning dialogue, and a heterogeneous jumble of things agreeable to the eye and grating to the ear, which the audience endured with edifying composure until the transformation of the characters to Harle quin, Columbine, Pantaloon, and Clown, when the agility and broad humour of Jefferini in the latt er character, aided by the eccentricities of Moreland and Morris, and the grace of Miss Healey, kept the house in uninterrupted good humour until the curtain fell upon a grand tableau, which the bill, in anticipation, correctly described as " gorgeous." The piece was successful. DRURY LANE. The troupe of equestrians from the Cirque Na tional, under the management of M. Dejean, who were so successful here last season, have ret urne d t o this theatre for a brief period. Their performances are already so familiar to the public, that we need not enter into any very detailed description. As a whole, they were even better than last y ear , l ong practice in the provinces having better accustomed the artists to the English taste and habits. The company is a very large one, and comp r i ses a ll t h e favourites of last season. Among the most aston ishing and interesting of the performances was that of M. Adolphe Franconi, with the horses Pyramus and Thisbe ; the " Leap of Streamers" by Mdlle. Ducos ; the scene of Mdlle. Palmyre Anato, in which she leaps over seven scarfs, and through seven circles; and the'," fishvvornan," a transformation act, by Miss Clark. The scene entitled the " Haute Ecole," by Maellle. Caroline, is alone worth a visit to the esta blishment. Familiar as the public are by this time with this lady's graceful management of her steed, the performarce is one which never seems to pall upon the audience. There were also the usual won derful exercises of the voltigeurs, and the scenes in the circle were enlivened by the humour of Auriol, Leclair, Young Auriol, and " Mohamet lien Said." STRAND. SOIREES MYSTERIEUSES.-Mr. J. IT. Anderson, the original Wizard of the North, gave at this theatre last evening the first of a series of entertainments, which he will continue during the Christmas holidays. After a tour through Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Russia, Prussia, and Germany, during which he had the honour of performing before " the whole of the monarchy of northern Europe," who acknowledged their sense of his cabalistic skill by sundry presents and testimonials ; Professor Anderson last night ASTLEY'S. This theatre opened for the season with entire novelties. The first 'piece, in which, if Mr. Batty has not, in the exact sense of the phrase,— " Stooped to truth and moralized his scene," he has provided fur the holiday visitors a piece of serious history, is the Wars of the Jews; or the Fall of Jerusalem, a version of Josephus, or rather of the agreeable pages of Mr. Millman. The tragical inci dents attending the capture of Jerusalem by the Romans, the divisions amongst its defenders, and the sanguinary feuds of the partizans of Eleezar and John of Gischala, which made the people pray for the arrival of the Pagans, and the terrible scenes which preceded the fall of the sacred city, offer many passages of a dramatic character. A few of them are worked into a short story, of which the quarrels between the Zealots and the partizans of Gischala form the groundwork. The chief inci dents are the attack and capture of the fortress of Gamala by the Romans, the massacre of the Pil grims by the Zealots, and the destruction of the " doomed city." The dramatis persona includes per sonages of historical dignity; both Vespasian and Titus appear at the head of the tenth legion, and, be sides the two chiefs of parties, Ananias, the high priest —very respectably represented by Mr. Frede ricks—and Josephus, the historian, are conspicuous characters. There is plenty of warlike bustle in the piece ; the scorpions, balistre, and catapults, are , brought into play; some single and double combats, besides an occasional melee, keep up the proper degree of excitement, and Barnabas (Mr. Attwood), one of the wandering tribe, a kind of Jewish Falstaff, diver sifies the scene by a few humorous passages. More, we think, might have been made of the materials, but the audience were satisfied and gratified, and this is, perhaps, the best test of the merits of such a piece. After the usual " Scenes of the Arena," the impa tience of the house for the customary Christmas treat was relieved by the rising of the curtain for the ex hibition of " a new grand equestrian comic pantomime, enitled Bold Robin Hood, or the Pretty White Horse and the Enchanted Princess of Sherwood Forest." This piece was likewise of an historical cast, blended with the legendary and the ideal. The Fairy Morning (Miss A. Lonsdale), is awakened by the Fairy Night (Miss Mason), and by the aid of Sunbeam, Queen of the Fairies (Miss Rosa Henry), with her attendants, Mirth, Joy, Sport, &c., and Gnatfly, Buzz, Hum, and Sting—four very sprightly sprites; represented by the celebrated Arabs—the whole party travel by an at mospheric railway from planet to planet, and reach ing at length that part of the earth called England, they send the sprites in search of the pretty white horse at Horseshoe Castle. We are here introduced to Sherwood Forest, ,where bold Robin Hood (Mr. Crowther), and Friar Tuck, Little John, and all his " merrie men," not forgetting Maid Marian, are re presented as carrying on their " simple plan" of " taking when they had the power." The whole of this scene is broadly comic. Robin, however, deserts his foresters, in order that he may, with the help of Friar Tuck, release a certain lady, the Enchanted Princess (Mrs. Beacham) who is kept in durance by the brazen-eyed Wizard of Horseshoe Castle, who, in despair of obtaining her hand, transforms her into a white horse. This representa tive of the Princess is a beautiful creature, one of Mr. Batty's magnificent stud. The fairy Sunbeam, however, dissolves the charm, and transforms the Princess into Columbine and Robin into Harlequin. The Wizard, in revenge, lets loose a Clown and Pan taloon upon them, who persecute the lively pair in the usual manner, until all is adjusted, and rewards and punishments are properly distributed by the good natured fairy in her very splendid palace, or Grand Hall of Revolving Light. The period of probation is marked by the customary incidents,—transformations, cuffs, rows, buffets, and scrimmages ; but none of the tricks were new, and many were marred by the re fractoriness of the machinery, which a few nights' use will remedy. The house Was filled in every part, and young and old seemed to enjoy the fun. EXHIBITIONS, &c. DIORAMA. The very beautiful picture of " Mount Etna" still continues to be the attraction at the Diorama. It is seen under three aspects, that of sunrise, sunset, and a night eruption. The spot in which the spec tator is supposed to be stationed is one of the southern declivities of Mount Taurus, below which stretches a glorious panorama of sea and shore, and which com mands a fine though distant view of Etna, showing the general shape and immense bulk of the mountain. The fore-ground is occupied with the picturesque ruins of the classic theatre at Taormina. Skirting the shore is seen the little town of the same name. From thence the eye wanders along the graceful winding of the coast, until, upon the further side of the champagne district of Mascali, it is arrested by the snowy form of Etna. This glorious landscape is shown under the atmo spheric effects of sunrise and sunset; and the very cleverly managed representation of a night eruption is effective in the highest decree. COLOSSEUM. One of the most attractive and instructive of the various exhibitions with which the metropolis abounds at this moment is the Colosseum. The grand pano rama of " Paris by Night," conveys to the mind an idea of that beautiful city, which description, however elaborate, fails to furnish. Added to this—the chief attraction—are a well selected museum of sculpture, also conservatories, Swiss cottage and mountain tor rent, and classic ruins. The museum of sculpture is brilliantly illuminated during the day, and forms a pleasant promenade for the visitors. CYCLORAIIIA. This exhibition, which has been for a long time past in preparation, was thrown open yesterday in a large building in Albany-street, at the back of and adjoining the Colosseum. It is a moving panorama, like the last-mentioned, representing the city of Lis bon as it was in 1755, and ending with the earthquake in that year. The public attended in large numbers. A new grand Apcllonicon performs appropriate music during the exhibition. COSMORA2IIA. This dioramic and panoramic exhibition, as the bill styles it, attracted a good throng of visitors yesterday, in spite of the unfavourable state of the weather. It comprises a rich variety of views of picturesque scenery and magnificent buildings, which are well worthy of a visit, and never fail to be admired. From the following list it will be seen that there is abundant fare for tastes the most diverse :—The City of Berne —the Interiar of St. Peter's, at Rome, with sunshine and shade—the Palace and Park of Versailles—the Pyramids—the Monastery of the Grand Chartreuse, near Grenoble—Mount Blanc, from Chamouny—and Mount St. Bernard. MISCELLANEOUS AMUSEMENTS. The exhibitions of a minor character which just nowinvite the patronage of the public may be dis posed of in a few words. The little children who are known by the designation of the "Minstrel Fairies" are to be found at the rooms formerly occu pied by Miss Linwood, in Leicester-square, where, in conjunction with the "Tremont Serenaders," they hold daily levees, exhibiting certain acts of early musical capability well calculated to touch maternal sympathies. In the vicinity of the same building " The Mysterious Lady," who deals in second sight, has pitched her winter tent; and in a neighbouring room may be found Mr. Burbank's large picture of " Daniel in the Lion's Den," a colossal production, measuring some twenty feet by twelve—probably the largest specimen of water- colour drawing ever known. To those who are curious in the Electric Telegraph, and desire to learn its nature, as well as the mechan ism by which its communications are carried on, the lessee of the office at the Great Western station at Paddington opens his doors to inquirers, and we do not know that young people can be more rationally entertained than in witnessing the operations of this wonderful agent, and in becoming apprised of the natural phenomena upon which it is based. Amuse ments of a totally different complexion are offered at the Salle de Valentino, in Leicester square, and the Adelaide Gallery, in the Lowther-arcade, where, under the denomination of Casinos, music and dancing may be had at a cheap rate, under the exhilarating batons of M. Musard and M. Laurent. Yesterday intelligence was received at Ll o yd' s o f the total loss of the brig Fortschrit, of Stettin, RoLd fleisch master, bound to Dublin, on the North Sand. On the vessel striking, the master and crew, eight in number, got in the long boat, which prevented the sea, as they went before it across the sand, from breaking into their boat. This novel expedient preser ve d th e i r li ves, as t h e boat would otherwise have b een swamped, and they m ust all have perished; they were t h us able to cross the sand, and were picked up and landed in Ramsgate. Erratum in The Sun of yesterday, the 26th De cember—ln the 3d page, 4th column, and 17th lino from the Inttotn, (a f forest read turret. DOCKS. Dividend Amount Name of Coin;l ay. per of Paid. Price. Annum. Share. £ s. d. £ s. d. C Anmercial East and West India 6l. pr cent. Stock. 117% Eist Country London bl. pr cont. Stock. Ditto Bonds •• ••• • 41. per cents St. Katharine .... •• .• 4 per cent. Stock. 72% Ditto 80nd5........ 4%/. pr cent. Southampton •• —. . 21. per oent. 00 0 0 SO 0 0 , GAS-LIGHT AND COKE COMPANIES. Dividend ! Amount Name of Company. per of Paid. Price. Annum. Share. r--. X. s. d. Z. is. d. British .. •• .......... I/. 40 0 0 Is 0 • 14 Ditto Provincial.... 11. as. 120 • 0 19 0 0 20 Bristol ........ ••• • .. 101. per ceat. l 20 0 0 Brighton —••—— . • .. 51. per cent. 1 20 • 0 16 City of London .. •• .• 101. 100 0 0 l• 0 • • 245 GontinentalConsolidat. 925. pr share SO 0 0 39 0 0 Ditto, New • • .... 855. pr share 50 0 0 37 10 0 Equitable.. .•.•. . • • .. 451. pr share 50 0 0 50 I 0 1 36 Imperial .......• •• .• 61. per cent. 50 0 0 50 • 0 1 65 Independent ....... • • 61. per cent. 40 0 0 40 0 0 64 L0nd0n..••••........ 150 0 I 50 0 0 Ditto• 150 0 0 50 0 I Phcenia . ...... • • .... 51. per cent. ,50 0 0 46 0 0 , 39 ltatcliff ..... ........ 5/. 100 0 0 90 0 0 72 United General —— •• 4%1. pr cent.' 50 0 0 50 0 0 12% Westminster Chartered 3/. 150 0 0 60% Ditto, New -... 12s. JOO 0 0 10 0 0 1 10 50 $ I - 46 0 0 , 39 90 0 0 72 50 0 0 12% - 60% 10 0 0 10 ciuxr.ar.s. Names of Dividend ) r „ Names of Dividend C =pante& g I er ''"* Companies. IA Ineurn Price. F: I A nnum. v.; II X - A.el,tn& Oldh 97 51. p a 78 Macclesfield . 100 L - lb Barnsley •• • • 1601 121. 180 Neath •• • • 100 181. 343 rknk&Abrg l lso l 61. 85 Oxford.. •• • • 100 20/. 190 Birmingham 35 1 41 75 Peak Forest. 78 I 3/. 40 Coventry ... • 1001 25/. 195 Regent's.... 331 11. is. 16% Derby ••• • • 100, 61. 63 Rochdale.... 85 I 41. 54 EllsTre&Chs 133' 565. 40 Somrset Coal 150 71.105. 130 ash •• • 1100 32/. De.L kFd St 121 61. p. C. GrandJunctn 100 bl. - Stffrd &Wore 140 281. 290 Grand Surrey 100' 21. -30 Shrewsbury.. , 1251 151' - Grand Union 100 11. 10s. 25 Stoarbridge.. 145 201. 286 Grantham .. 150, - - Savant and l Kcnnt & Avn 39, 7s. 6d. 5% Wye Rail. 26 11 . 86 . 24 Leeds& Livrp 100 341. 310 Warwick& ) Leicester .. ,140 101 . 75 'firming. 100 41 . 47 Leicstr &Nt . h l 84 41. 36 Warwick& 100 31. 41 Loughborogh l l42 701. 650 Napton. sionmouthsti 100 81. - Worcstr Mntgemrysh 1100 - - Eirming. '7l 21. 39 MeltnMwbry, 100 - - Wilts & Brks - 11. 9% LIST OF SCOTTISH COMPANIES' PRICES Dividend Amount Name of Company. per of Paid. Price, Annum. Share. £ s. d. X a. d Bank of Scotland British Linen Company 81. per cent. 100 0 0 100 0 0 194 Caledonian Bank City of Glasgow Bank . 61. per cent. 10 0 0 10 0 0 10% Clydesdale Bank.. •• 6% per cent. 20 • 0 10 0 0 12% Commercial Bank •• 71. per cent. sto 0 0 100 0 0 152 Eastern Bank 61. per cent. 25 • 0 13 • C 91.105. Edinbiz Glasgow Bank 61. per cent. 50 0 55 0 5 1 4 Exchange 'lnk of Scot Si. per cent. 100 0 0 50 0 0 32% Isle of Man. Company 71. per cent. 10 0 0 7 0 0 - National Bank 6% percent. 50 0 0 10 0 0 13% Northof Scotland Bank al.per cent. 20 0 0 5 0 0 31.175. North British Bank 50 0 0 10 0 II 355. Royaillank of Scotland 51. per cent. 100 0 0 100 0 • 117 Union Bank of Scotland 81. per cent. 100 0 0 50 • 0 77 Western Batik.. •• • • 81. per cent. 50 0 0 50 0 0 7i % Aberdeen Fire and Life 121. per cent. 12 10 0 2 0 0 2% B.Accord. Life stud Fire 20 0 0 Dll 0 9s Od British Guarantee Ins. 10 0 0 1 • 0 8s Id Caledonian Fire Insur. 101. per cent. 100 0 0 10 I 0 21 Church of England Ins. 50 0 0 2 0 0 2 City of Glasgow Life 6l. per cent. 25 0 0 2 0 0 21. 5s Edinburgh Life Insur 6l. per cent. 100 0 9 12 10 0 18 East of Scotland Life lO 0 0 0 15 0 lls.od Eng. & Scot, Law Life 51. per cent. 50 0 0 217 6 46s 6d Hercules Insurance Co. 71. per cent. 100 0 5 10 0 0 10% incur. Co. of Scetlnd•• bl. per cent. 100 0 0 10 0 • 7 Life Assoc. of Scotland 51. per cent. 15 0 0 1 0 9 11. 63 Mercantile Life .. • National Fire and Life il. per cent. 10 • 0 1 0 0 20s. Od North British Insur. •• 5%1.pr cent. 200 0 0 20 0 0 ' 22% North & West et Scot. 61. per cent. 10 0 0 1 0 0 178.0 d. Scottish Life and Guar. , - 20 5 0 •11 0 ss. Scot. Mag. and Gen.Lif - 1 0 0 0 15 0 les.Sd Scottish Union Insrnee. 63(1. pr cent. 20 • 0 1 0 0 1 11. Os Standard Life •-• 51. per cent. 50 . 0 0 4 5 0 , United Dep. Assurance 51. per cent. 10 0 0 I 0 0 125.051 MISCELLANEOUS. Dividend Amount Name of Company. An p num. Share er of . Paid. Price. X. 8. d. A. s. d. Australian Agriculturl 100 0 0 30 0 0 18 Anglo-Mexican Mint.. 11. 46. 10 00110 0 5 - Ditto, Half Shares.. - 2 10 5 ..... Canada •• •• •• 61. per cent. 100 • 0 32 10 0 2$ 82 Uppr Canada Bonds 51. per cent. - City Ponds.. •••• • • • • 3%1. pi cent. - - 01 Comp. Cppr Mari Ent. 51 . p er cont. 100 0 0 70 0 0 Gen. Revers. & Invest. s p. c.& bs, 21 100 0 0 105 0 I - Equitable Reversienry bl. pr cent. 100 0 • 100 0 0 95 Gem.StearnNavigation 11. 88. 15 0 0 14 II 20 Lo n don Institution . • • 78 15 - Peninslr & Orient.Stm. 8/. per cent. 50 0 • 50 06% Reversionary Int. Soc. 4%1. pr cent. 100 • • 100 0 0 90 Royal Mail Steam.. 3%1. pr cent. 100 0 • 60 5 0 - South Australian... • • 11. per share. 25 5 • 25 5 II - Tan Dieman's Land.. 100 • 0 23 • 0 Universal Salvage•• •• 25 0 • b 0 0 - ACCIDENT AND FORTUNATE Escarn.—On Monday evening, as the ferry steamer was about to leave Gran ton Pier for Burntisland, a man and woman, hurrying on board, unfortunately missed the gangway, and fell int o the water, between the vessel and the pier. By the ex ertions of Captain Jack and the crew, the man was speedily rescued; and the woman was saved by the gal lantry of the pier master, who threw off his coat, leaped into the water, and kept her floating till further assist ance was procured. After getting her on board, some thing was seen floating, which was supposed to be a child, and the pier master again jumped in, swam after and seized it, when it was discovered, to the gratification and mirth of the spectators, to be a bundle of clothes which the woman had been carrying on her arm.—Cale donian Mercury. MOINTROSE.—DISEASB AMOAIG CATTLII.—The dis ease among cattle still lingers in our neighbourhoood, and has carried off two oxen on the Mains of Dunottar within the last few days. This farm has suffered more than any we have heard of in the county; and we believe there is not a farmer in the district but sympathises with Mr. Dickson, who has lost no fewer than 23 oxen, be sides a number of calves within the last 12 months. Such a loss is not easily sustained; it almost doubles the rent of a fsrm, and cannot be made up by years of pros perity. We believe Mr. Dickson has done everything which could possibly be done to save his cattle. lie has fumigated, washed, and even scraped his byres—taken all his cattle out of them, and allowed the wind to blow through them for months; but all this has proved una vailing, for on Monday last he earthed his twenty-third os, which had only survived two days after it was ob served toThe affected.—Ross-shire Advertiser. TIIE COLLIERIES.—We understand that the whole of the collieries of this district, after this day (Friday), will suspend their operations in the working of coals from 7 to 114 days, for the purpose of repairing their milways and machinery,.—Sunderland Herald, PRICES OF SHARES ,N BANKS, ASSURANCE, AND OTHER COM. PANIES' STOCK. From the Official List, PUBLISZIED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY EVENING. LONDON. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 26. JOINT-STOCK BILNILS. Amount of Share. 25 0 0 100 0 0 50 0 0 100 0 0 10 0 0 SO 0 0 100 0 0 20 0 0 25 0 0 50 0 0 40 0 0 BRIDGES Dividend Amount Name of Company. per of Paid. Price, Annum. Share. ....... X. e. d. X. E. d. Charing-cross ...... - - - 25 0 0 - Southwrk, Nw Sub• Av. - 632 12 8 -2% Ditto Nw of 7% p.c. 355. per cent. 50 0 0 - 15 Waterloo ............ - 100 0 0 - 4 Ditto Old Ann. oft!. 11. 55. 4d. - 60 • 0 28 Ditto Nw ditto of 71. 11. 2s. 2d. - 40 0 0 24% Vauxhall .... • • • Av. 11. 17s. 70 10 3 - 24 WATER -WORKS. Dividend Amount Name of Company. I per of Paid. Price. 1 Annum. Share. -- - X s. d. X s. d. Birmingham..... .... 18s. 25 0 0 25 0 0 - East London.. • • • • • • • 81. 100 0 0 - 170 Grand Junction •• •• .• 21. 10s. 41 13 4 - 80 Kent • • •• •• • • • • • • • • • • , 31. 10s. 100 • 0 - 74 New Rivr Lndn Brdge ; 21. 10s. - - 05 Vauxhall ...... • • • • • • 1 151. per cnt. 100 0 0 - 100 West Middlesex . . . 1 61.05. pr cnt.. - - 117 INSURANCE COMPANIES. 1 Dividend Amount Name of Company. per of Paid. Price Annum. Share. £ e. d. £ 5. d. Albion • • • • • • • • •• • • •• 3/. 10s. 500 0 0 50 • 0 75 Alliance Brit. and For. 61. per cent. 100 0 0 11 • 0 - Ditto Marine.- • • •• 61. per cent. 100 0 0 0 0 0 - Atlas . British Commercial • • 7s.per share 50 0 0 i 0 0 1% Clerid,Med.&Gen.Life t pr ct.& IN. 100 0 0 IS • 6 IS County • • • • • • • • • • .• • • 31. 100 0 0 10 0 • - 14s. 00 0 0 5 0 0 13 Eagle Eng.& Scot. Law •• .. 51. per cent. 50 0 0 2 12 6 - European Life • • • • • • 5) per cent. 20 0 0 All paid. - FamilyEndowmut Soc. 41. & be. 100 II • 4 I I - Freemasons' .• • •• • • • • Cl. per cent. 20 0 0 3 0 0 - Globe - 114% Guardian ............ 51. 100 0 0 36 10 0 43 Imperial Fire •• ...• •• 121, per cent. 500 0 0 50 0 0 215 Imperial Life •• •• •• • • 12s. 100 0 0 10 I • 14% Indemnity Marine- •• 11.1 h. & bs. 100 0 • b 13 1 28 Law Fire • • • • • • •• • • • • - 100 I 0 2 10 0 2% Law Life.... •... •• .. 11. 16s. 100 0 0 10 0 I - Legal and General Life - 50 0 0 2 0 0 41 10s. London Fire • • • • • • • • 10s. 25 • 6 12 10 0 13% London Ship . Marine • • • • • • • • • •• .. - 100 0 0 15 0 0 $d Med. Inylid&Gen.Life 4%1. per ct. 50 0 0 2 0 0 2% national Lean Fund 51. per cent. 20 0 0 2 10 0 - National Life. - Palladium Life Bl. per cent. 50 0 0 2 0 0 11 185. - - - - Pocenix - - 137 Pi otector Life• • •• • • • 54. per cent. 20 0 0 1 0 0 - Provident Life.• • ..• .• 11. 55. & bs. 100 0 0 10 0 0 26 Rock Life • • • • •• • • • ... 45. 1 0 0 0 10 0 4% itoyal Exchange 5l. per cent. Stock. - 172 Sun Fire. - - 1 197 Ditto Life . • • - - 49 Universal Life-. • • • • 10% pr cat. 100 0 0 9 0 0 - Victoria Life . - - 4 0 0 - , LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF EXCHEQUER, Dec. 23. T. H. WAKLEY V. HEALEY. In a brief report of this case in The Sun of Monday, in which it was stated that a verdict was returned fur the plaintiff with 40s. damages, we omitted to state that Sir Frederick Thesiger, in opening the case for the plaintiff, did not ask for damages, but solicited only the "mere verdict of the jury" in vindication of the plain tiff's character. SHIPWRECKS AND HARBOURS OF REFUGE. (From the Cornwall .Royal Gazette.) NEWQTJAY.—On Sunday cvering ' the wi n d bl ow i ng a storm from the S.W., with a very heavy ground sea on the west, the schooner London, of St. Ives, coal laden, from Swansea, bound for Portreath, and the schooner Richard Carnal, with iron, from Cardiff, bound for Leith, came inside the pier. The wind blew from S. to S.E., until both vessels were below Newquay Head, when it shifted to S.W., and blew a storm, and had not Newquay harbour aforded them protection, they must have been driven to some port in 'Wales, at a great risk of life and property. The London is 1110 tons burden, and the Richard Camel about 130. On Monday, the Thomas, of Penzance, put in here for shelter during a terrible ground sea, and too boisterous weather for her to go further down on the north channel. PAR.—The coast was visited, early on Friday morning last, with one of the heaviest gales of wind and sea from the S.S.W. known for many years; and soon after day break, when the gale was at its height, a vessel was ob served running up the bay apparently in imminent danger every one expecting her to founder, as the sea at times completely buried her. She, however, passed Pen tewan and Charlestown, when the master tried to gain Fowey, but was unable to weather the Gribbenhead. By this it was a most anxious and fearful time. The people belonging to the harbour soon assembled on the breakwater, although the sea was then making a com plete breach over them, to signalise and render all the assistance they were able, as this was the last and only chance left of saving the vessel from destruction. She accordingly bore away for the pier, and in a few minut es was got inside the breakwater in perfect safety. The vessel is the schooner Brilliant, Walter Williams master, bound from Antwerp to Bristol with grain. The master of the vessel expresses himself as follows: " I feel indebted for the preservation of our lives and vessel, under Providence, to the breakwater of Par, for had it not been for this noble little harbour of refuge, no doubt our lives and vessel would have been sacrificed. (Signed) " WALTER WILLIAMS. " Par, Dee. 15, 18.48. , PonTHLEAvEN.—On Thursday morning last, about eight o'clock, a vessel was seen to founder off Portia. leaven. She proved to be the James Wearne, of St. Ives, Captain Thomas Mathews master. She had lately arrived at Falmouth from the Black Sea, and the wreck has come on shore. The master's watch has been found in part of the wreck washed in at Mousehole. The crew consisted of six men and a boy. The unfortunate vessel, which sailed for Falmouth on Wednesday night, was bound for Limerick, with a cargo of corn. The value of harbours of refuge on a coast by which, in one channel or the other, two• thirds of the trade of England passes, has received an illustration during the past week, both at Par and Newquay. The vessel saved at Par is the eighth that has been preserved from ship wreck by its breakwater, and that without one shil ling expense to the owners. Both these harbours owe their existence to the enterprise and engineering skill of one gentleman ; nor could skill be more severely tasked than by the undertaking to form good harbours in such unfavourable situations. The construction of a breakwater on the muddy bottom of Tywardreath Bay, which afforded no foundation, had been deemed by en gineers impracticable, and a visitor who can ap preciate the value of the result, and these difficulties to be overcome, will be surprised as much as gratified to find by what simple yet effectual means these diffi culties have been surmounted. Newquay is thus far only the germ of a great undertaking. It is a scheme on a grander scale and of bolder conception. If it succeed, and the success which has attended the past enterprises of Mr. Trefiry is a pledge that his plans have been laid with a full consideration cf all the ditficul ties to be overcome, it will be a work of more real value to the commercial interests of the kingdom than almost any upon which the State has lavished its resources. A harbour of refuge, where the largest ships may find safe anchorage in all times of tide, midway between Milford Haven or Lunday, a n d th e Land's End, would be a boon chose value can scarcely bo estimated, not only for the protection it would afford to life and property, but for the confidence it would give to shipping in putting to sea. We trust, therefore, that his valuable life will be spared to complete this great work, or at least, that he may so far carry it out as to command the confidence of the mercantile interest and public authorities; that, if all that may be necessary to the execution of the com plete plan should exceed the powers of an individval, the requisite aid may be afforded by the Government. FIVE CHILDREN BURNT TO DEATH IN A PEDLAR'S CART.—FAVERSHAM, DEC. 24.—Mr. J. Hiude, one of the coroners for Kent, held an inquiry yesterday (Sa turday), near this town, respecting a very appalling oc currence. From the evidence adduced, it appeared that in the course of Friday afternoon a pedlar, of the name of John Davey, was hawking in the vicinity of White hill, in the parish of Ospringe, about two miles and a hall from this town. In order to vend his goods at the different farms and other dwellings, he, with his wire, left their van in a by road, which leads from Whitehill to Spalding. It was like those used by hawkers, a perfect travelling habitation. It had a tilt to it, Iv) ich tore five of their children, the eldest about eight years of age and the youngest six months. These, with the vehicle and goods, were left in charge of a girl, seventeen years of age, and a boy who is in his leventh year. On reaching a place called Plumford Farm, the boy, perceiving a threshing machine at work, asked the man ho was driving th e mac hi ne to give him ' some traw, the weather being very inclement. The man refused, end the lad then proceeded to gather some of the loose straw that was lying about. Having cel l( etc d a handful, he called the eldest girl, his sister, ho was in the van, to carry it. She did so, but, unfortunately, whi;st arranging it, a portion of the straw touched the fire, and instantly the whole mass was in a blaze. The girl ran out, and screamed fur help, and the boy, as if from fright, ran away, apparently perfectly unable to render the least as sihtance. A party of labourers speedily arrived, but,un fortunately, not knowing that the pour children were in side, exerted themselves in suppressing the flames. They dragged the vehicle into an adjacent fie'.d, and, on sub duing the fire, they discovered the charred remains of the five creatures. It is needless to state that life in each case was quite extinct. Mr. Rush, assistant to Mr. Hoare, surgeon, of this town, was quickly in attendance, but his efforts were of no avail. The jury returned a verdict of accidental death in each case, and the Coroner reprimanded the father for the imprudence he had exhi bited in reference to the safe keeping of his children. ROYAL ARTILLERY.—WOOLWICH, DEC. 26.—Cap tain 1 3 / 3 nne's company arrived at head quarters on Sun day afternoon from Devonport. Captain Harrison's company, 11th Battalion, has received orders to proceed to Languard Fort and Hare ich on Tuesday next, to relieve the soldiers of Captain Turner's company at those stations. Captain Harrissn's company, on their arrival, are to send out four recruiting parties to Suffolk and Norfolk. There is now no doubt that a considerable augmentation of this branch of the service will take place, as it is intended the troops of the Royal Horse Artillery, the field batteries, and the officers, non-com missioned officers, and men of the battalions are to take the routine of duty in the East Indies, or in any part of the world where their services may be required. Tim CHRISTMAS TREE AT WINDSOR CASTLE.—A Christmas tree is annually prepared, by her Majesty's com mand, for the royal children. The tree employed for this festive purpose is a young fir, about 8 feet high, and has six tiers of branches. On each tier or branch are ar ranged a dozen wax tapers. Pendant fropm the branches are elegant trays, baskets, bonboarders, and other recep tacles for sweetmeats, of the most varied kind, and of all forms, colours, and degrees of beauty. Fancy cakes, gilt gingerbread, and eggs filled with sweatmeats, are also suspended by variously coloured ribands from the branches. The tree, which stand s u p on a ta bl e covered with white damask, is supported a t th e root b y piles of sweets of a larger kind, and by toys and dolls of all de scriptions, suited to the youthful fancy, and to the seve ral ages, of the scions of royalty, for who ae c s nh e t g i rn r et a ce t in i p fi di c ee a dn t t i f o oi n rs they affi xe l a to re the dls d P o i ll e ,liciOnbTonh,e norosuntheeropfrees it, so that no difference of opinion in the choice of dainties may arise to disturb the equanimity ofthe s trious juveniles. O n t h e summit of the tree stands l the u !small figure of an ange l , w i th outstretched wings, holding in each hand a wreath. Similar trees are arranged in various apartments of the Castle for the Duchess of Kent and the royal household. These trees are objects of much interest to all visitors at the Castle, from Christ mas-eve, when they are first set up, until Twelfth-night, when they are finally removed. They are not accessibleto the curiosity of the public, but her Majesty's visitors accompany the Queen from room to room to inspect them when they are illuminated. Her Majesty, i s tree is furnished by his Royal Highness Prince Albert, whilst that of the Prince is furnished according to the taste of her Majesty. The other trees are jointly provided by her Majesty and the Prince, who plan and arrange the gifts of the table.—lllustrated News. MANCHESTER, TUESDAY. —As was to be ex. panted, there has not been so brisk a market this day as for some time past. The holiday season has in part contributed to this, but the late advance in the raw ma terial has been so great that such buyers as are anxious to operate have been prevented doing so to any great extent. It is evident, however, that the demand for goods, both at home and abroad, is still increasing, and that the late improvement has arisen from the most legi timate source. For the last twelve months our pro ducers have kept their stocks as low as possible, the result of which has been that the first increase of de mand produced considerable competition amongst the buyers. That competition has continued to increase up to the present time ; and, 'ex ce pt the price of the raw material is raised to a factitious standard, there is no doubt that state of things will continue for some time to come. The prospects at the termination of the year are certainly brighter than for some years past. JEALOUSY AND SUlClDE. — Ye s terday evening, be tween five and six o'clock, a young woman committed suicide by precipitating herself into the Thames, Bank side, Surrey. It appears that she had been drinki ng a t a l public house in Blackfriars•road with a young man, when another female entered, to whom he paid greater attention, and the unfortunate woman, smarting under the slight, left in tears, and though followed by h er ma l e friend, who failed in reconciling her, she must have im mediately proceeded to put her design in execution, as he had not parted from her more than ten minutes when the alarm of her self-destruction reached him, on his return home. Paid. Dividend per Annum. 51. per cent. 71. per cent. 61. per cent. 51. per cent. 151 per cent. 61. per cent. 6/. per cent. 61. per cent. 81. per cent. 81. per cent. W. per cent. 61. per cent. 51. per cent. Si. per cent. 61. per cent. 61. per cent s. d. 40 0 0 50 0 0 25 0 0 100 0 0 100 0 0 I a. d. 40 0 0 50 0 0 25 0 0 20 0 0 25 0 0 25 0 0 20 0 0 13 0 0 10 0 0 25 0 0 10 0 0 22 10 0 35 0 0 10 0 0 22 10 0 25 0 0 2 10 0 10 0 0 40 0 0 Price ~-*~