The Sun. — London, England, 1866-03-20 00:00:00

LONDON, TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 1866. The public will learn with satisfaction that tho terrible disaster at sea which in the early weeks of the present year so greatly shocked and startled the whole community has been brought under the careful notice of the House of Commons. Although the loss of the London had previously formed the subject of a prolonged inquiry, yet therewere many circumstances attending the case which called for a closer inspection than the ordinary form of such proceedings enabled the inquirers to make. The non-member for the Tower hamlets seemed, indeed, to think that the interference of Sir JOAN PAKING TON was harsh or unfair towards the owners of the unfortunatevesgel; but we cannot doubt that Messrs. ~VIGRADI and Co._ are second to none in their desire to sift the matter thoroughly, to ascertain as far as possible the causes of the catastrophe. They have not only the common feelings of humanity which we might naturally to prompt them, suppo se would be motive enough, but if they need a dsaelsgheinto centive they have the heavy loss an: lc> tl r k: the credit of th e ir vessels. By a ll ac counts the London was concidere d a first-rate ship by all con cerned, and there call be no doubt that the weather which she encountered was of exceptional severity. Nevertheless there were some very unsatisfactory points in the matter which the examination at Green wich failed to clear up. As the subject is of such vital interest to the whole community it cannot be laid aside or forgotten as a nine days' wonder. The public sympathies have been deeply moved, and the long list of prematu r e de a ths has left behind a wide circle of mourning friends and relations. But the serious aspect of the case is that we have no security that such an accident may not be repeated again and again. If there was no weak point in the eclitiPinent or management of the vessel, no fault in her construction, her loading, or her navigation, what can we look to to protect us against similar disasters ? It a first-class ship, commanded by a. TII EATRE ROYAL, DRURY-LANE.- Managers, Messrs. E. Falooner and F. B. Chatterton. THIS EVENING, the Play of THE MERCGANr OF VENICE. Mr. Phelps; Messrs. Rayner, Barrett, more, E. Phelps, l!tl'lntyre ; Mrs. Hermann V(zln ; Miss Leclercq, &c. To be followed by A PANTOMIMIC PIECE OF PATCHWORK. Concluding with the Farce BEAUTY OR THE BEAST. Commence 7. THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET.- Sole Lessee and Manger, Mr. Buckstone. THIS EVENING, '[HE OVERLAND ROUTE: Messrs. Buck:tone, Compton, Chippendale, W. Farren, Rogers, Gor don, Braid, Clark. Weatherst.y, White, Coe, dm ; Mesdames Snowdon, lull, Wright, Co!eman, Moore, tc. After which (for the la-t week but one), ORPHEUS IN THE 11A1' MA if KEE Messrs. W. Farren, Fisher, Ba, tic msn, Weal hersby, kc ; Mesdames Keeley, Snowden, Moore, Lindley, Wcolgar, Howard, Coleman. Lovell, Pre- Commence at Seven. ROYAL LYCEUM TEIEATRE.— Under the sole Management et Mr. Pechter. TIIIS EVENING, TUE ILLUSTRIOUS STRANGER Dlr. B. IViddicomb. Alter hich, TIIE MASTER Eme OF Widdicomb, Vezin, RAVENSWOOD. Mr. Frehter ; Messrs. Jord an, ry, J. H. Fitzpatric D. Evans ; inesdamesTernan, E:sworthy, Lavcnu, and C. Leclercq. Box Office open daily from Eleven till Five. No performance during Passion Week. NEW THEATRE -ROYAL ADELPHI. Sole Proprietor and Manager, Mr. B. Webster. THIS EVENING, at 7, a new farce called PIPKIN'S RUSTIC RETREAT. Messrs J. L. Toole and P. Bedford. After which, at 8. RIP VAN WINKLE. Rip (his 168th appearance), Mr. Jefferson, supported by Messrs. Billing ton (-•. Redford, It Phillips, elix Rog as, Ashley, hburne, C. J. smith; Mrs. Biliingter, &o. To conclude with I,Ell IND TIME. Messrs. J. L. Toole, R. Phillips. Eburne, C. J. Smith ; Miss A. Seaman, &c. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE. Sole Lessee and Manager, 31r. Geo. Vining'. 111 IS EVENING, A GHOST IN SPITE OF HIM SELF. After which, at a quarter to Eight, THE STREETS OF LONDON. Messrs. Vinin g , T. Mead, 1). Murray, Shore, Villiers; Mrs. 11. Harm, Miss E. Barnett, and Miss K. Rodgers. IIOYAL STRAND THEATRE. Sole Lessee and Manageress, Mrs, Swanborough. THIS EVENING, at Seven o'clock, a new and origi nal Comedy, THE FLY, AND THE WEB. Messrs. Far selle and Price ; Misses Sivanborough and Raynham. After which the Grand Burlesque, IVANHOE. Messrs. Stoyle, horse, Jame', Fenton : mesdames Swanborough, Raynham, Simpson. Johnstone, and tiughes. To conclude with LENDING A HAND. Messrs. Belford Turner; Misses Simpson and Hughes. MOSES AND SON'S ~• LONDON lIOUSES, 154, 155, 15R, 157, Minories; 83, 84, 85, 80. 87, 88, 89, Aldgate ; pO6, 507, 508, New Oxford—street ; 1,2, 3, hart-street; 157, 138, Tottenham-court-road ; 288, Euston-road. Country Branch—Bradford, Yorkshire. EMOSES AND S 0 N • respectfully call attention to their large and well assorted stock of JUVENILE CLOTHING. The newest t abrics are combined with the latest and most fashionable designs, and the best workmanship. E. MOSES and SON ive particular attention to t his im p ortant branch of their business, and they can with confidence affirm that the prices are such as must satisfy the most economical. This depart anent is in a distinct pat of the premises, which will be found a great convenience for ladies and children. rrHE " SANDRINGHAM " and " DANISH " WRA S trod uced oy them) are the newest and most ashion%b:e styles of Overcoats for the season. R EADY-MADE CLOTIIING for all classes and all ages. BESPOKE CLOTHING for all classes and all ages. NIFORMS for the ARMY, NAVY, and - VOLUNTEER SI:It-VICE. LADIES' RIDING HABITS. LIVERIES. T HE celebrated " INDISPENSABLE" SUIT, from 30s. HOSIERY and DRAPERY for all classes and all ages. H ATS and CAPS for all classes and all ages. B OOTS and SHOES for all classes and all ages. OUTFITS for all classes, all ages, and all climate MOSES AND SON'S E. Establishments are closed every Friday evening at sunset until Saturday evening at sunset, when business Is re sumed until 11 o'clock. articles aro niarKea me 7,A.r.vezt. prn;cs In plain 'iglu ye. • Any article not tippr.,ved of will be excliangta, or the money will be returned. ,ist of Prices with Rules for Self-measurement, Fashion Card, and our new pamphlet, " The Philosophy of Dress," gratis and post tree. MOSES AND SON'S E• LONDON 1101.NES, 151, 155, 156, 157, Minories ; 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, ED, Aldgate ; 506, 507, 508, New Oxtord-street ; 1. 2,3, II art-street ; 137, 138, 1 ottenh ina-court-road ; 83, Euston-road. Country Branch—Bradford, Yorkshire. T"E "SUN" NEWSPAPER.- G. R. GLENIE, Sporting Library, 4, Connaught terrace, Edgware-road, is specially appointed AGEN a' to deliver the LATE EDITION of " TIIE SUN " at the earliest possible moment after leaving the press. He is able to deliver copies in Town, the Suburbs, and in many parts of the Country at a comparatively early hour the same evening, say 40 miles by 9 o'clock. T HE "SUN" NEWSPAPER.- G. R. GLENIE delivers tte LATE EDITION at Chelsea, 7.40 ;lbu.n, 8; Starch-green, 8; Woolwich, 7.30 ; Uxbridge, 9.20 ; Watford, 8.45. 11IE LATEST EDITION of THE SUN 1 ' supplied, as soon as published every Evenint , , by ALEXANDEtt (late IlltOOKS), Newspaper Agent, 24, Old Cavendish-street, Oxford-street. firm LAST EDITION of " THE SUN " supplied as goon as Published, containing all the LATEST iu ani SI'ORTING INTELLIGEXCE, by 11. W. HARRIS, Nesspaper Agent, 4, Elaclariars-road, London, S. lIHE LATEST EDITION of " THE SUN." J. HOLMES begs to inform his friends, and the puthie generally, that he supplies the LATEST EDITI,,N of " SUN " as soon as published —No. 16, Hampstead road, N. W. i twk `SPORTING.—JOIIN ROBERTS supplies the LATr.ST EDI Hos of SUN" as soon as pub liahed —4, City-road, E.C. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. T is DAY.—Morning, 4h. 20m.—Afternoon, 4h. 42m. To-Monnow.-Morning, sh. sm. —Afternoon, sh. 28m. G ~A‘L A eil„ ft "1.-11{14"4 tried and able officer, goes down in the open sea without any other cause than the violence of the storm she encounters we ratty well look with appre hension and anxiety at the vast increase of our marine traffic. at least, is sd of fa any in different ten ti on o ptio n i o S n i r , j a . n P d A l K v i h N i G l e r ° h N e ' attack or censure any of the parties, and assured the House that he was influenced by no personal motive in bringing forward the matter, he expressed his conviction that the recent investigation was perfectly useless, and that the present state of our law for the protection of those whose business compelled them to pass to and fro between the colonies and the mother . country was called loudly for improvement. Early . in January last, said the right hon. gentleman, two of the finest ships that ever sailed from England left our ports at nearly the same time. So highly were they estimated that extra fares ' were charged for the superior accommodation and additional security which they offered to their passengers. The Amalia, of 3,000 tons, from Liver pool, and the London, of 1,700 or 1,800 tons, from London, both met their fate within a few days of leaving port. " They were overwhelmed by the sea ; within a very few hours, if not minutes of each other, and also within a few miles of each other, these two magnificent vessels sunk to the bottom like stones." But the most extraordinary part of the story is that, while these two fine vessels were thus totally lost, smaller vessels rode out the storm in safety. The passengers and crew of the Amalia were conveyed in her boats to a vessel near at hand; the nineteen survivors of the unfortunate London, after buffeting about in a common gig for 24 hours, found safety on board a small Italian bark. Looking at all these circumstances, said Sir J.'PAKINGTON, we need not wonder that the public interest felt in;the official inquiry into the causes of these two great catastrophes was unusuallystrong. Of the inquiry itself the right hon. baronet spoke in no measured terms. lle paid due regard to the courtesy and kindness of Mr. TBAILL and the able gentlemen who took part in the inquiry, but he did not hesitate to declare that in his opinion the inquiry itself was a mockery and a delusion, utterly futile ' for the purpose of discover ing the real cause of the calamity. Very great disappointment, said the right honourable baronet, was felt at the prohibition of the magistrate to the counsel retained by the relatives of the lost passen gers to cross-examine the witnesses. Certainlyif the object was to elicit the truth, to learn all that could be learned as to the cause and origin of the catas trophe, such a prohibition was most extraordinary. What would be thought in a case tried in an ordinary court of law if no cross-examina tion of witnesses were permitted ? In the naval inquiries there were, it is true, no persons directly under accusation, and we may hope no parties interested in keeping back facts as there might be in a civil case, but the object of the courts of law, and of the conductors of an inquiry under the Merchant Shipping Act., ought to be precisely the same, the discovery of the whole truth without prejudice or favour, without regard to persons or interests. Cross-examination is a valuable adjunct in obtaining this end, because skilful counsel may naturally perceive the importance of minor points, which witnesses who have not studied the whole case impartially cannot see. Sir JOIIN PAKINGTON read extracts from two letters addressed to him on this subject by gentle men who had the misfortune to have relatives on board the London, and who were consequently deeply interested in the result of the inquiry. One of them actually engaged a counsel to watch the case, but the counsel, after applying in vain for permission to cross-examine the witnesses, retired from the case in disgust. One of these gentlemen (Mr. TuomAs) writes—" To those who watched the proceedings they appeared to be mainly an exami nation of officials by a tribunal of their own. The fact that private persons like ourselves, who came forward at some cost and inconvenience, were not permitted, even by counsel, to try to elicit anything, lest it should be adverse to the owners of the ship, or the administration of the Board of Trade, speaks for itself." The other letter, from Mr. BENSON, formerly in active practice as a barrister, says, "The witnesses, for days toge ther, consisted of either crew or defendants of the owners, or persons directly interested in prov ing that no fault could attach to the ship or her fittings. See how the aspect of things changed when the only independent testimony was adduced —viz., the three surviving passengers. These were strong in denunciation of the behaviour of the vessel, and all were men accustumed to the sea." Other letters were read by Sir J. PAKINGTON refer ring to the supposed overloading of the vessel. One was from Captain STEIVAP,T, of the Royal Navy, who was at Plymouth when the London passed that " A sailor's eye," says the gallant captain, " can always detect whether a ship looks too deep iu the water or not ;" and, he adds, that comments port. were freely passed at Plymouth on the depth of the London. A gentleman who was at Dover when the vessel passed the Straits told Sir JOHN that the alarming depth of the vessel in the water was the subject of general conversation on the pier. Surely all these facts called for a different method of inquiry, and we can only hope that this terrible disaster may be the means of re organising the whole system. The public owe a debt to Sir J. PAKINGTON for his fearless and able advocacy of their interests, which we hope will pro duce the desired effect. After the lapse of some time it seems as if ths Austro-Prussian question were again to engross attention, and to claim a paramount share of at traction. It is true that those who were well acquainted with the aspects of the case expected nothing less than some such catastrophe ; but, no doubt, the generality of observers will be startled at the sudden turn which affairs have taken. It was not likely under any circumstances that the affair of the Duchies could be settled without some angry feelings springing up, but it was thought likely that a compromise might be made, and at any rate extremities might be avoided on both sides. We do not think it very likely that this will be the case now, for both the German Powers have com promised themselves to such a degree that we can hardly see how they will extricate themselves in a peaceable manner. Signs and tokens are not want ing to show that strife is imminent. Austria has addressed a Circular Note to the non-German Great Powers,ite disclaiming all re s p ons ibilit y w i t h regar d to the con sequences of any conflict with Prussia o the question of the Duchies. This looks sig nificant at any rate, and warns us to be on the look-out and prepared for any i n t e lli gence we may hear. For some time past the Vienna Cabinet have been resisting the encroachments of their unscru pulous ally— at first in a moderate form , and subse quently after , a more decided fashion. Of course great blame attaches itself to Austria for the part which she played during the war with Denmark, but it cannot be said that her share is at all equal to that of Prussia ; and, besides, the latter Power was the ruling spirit, and so far responsible that without her manoeuvres and machinations nothing would have been done. We must also exculpate Austria from seeking to provoke this quarrel which has rot Ached to such a pitch, and threatens to pro duce a disastrous and most sanguinary war. It was scam 31y possible that the extraordinary demands of P russia could have been acceded to by any n.ution. possessed of self-respect and desirous of 3.nai ntaining her proper position among the nations of - the world. We do not suppose that the Prussian Government sought to provoke this quarrel or really desired an altercation to take place ; but all other considerations are put aside, and all other influences are set at nought whenever a scheme of lie rr BISMARCK was to be carried out. This crafty statesman has from the firstsct his mind and directed his; energies to the accomplishing of a definite pur pose. The Duchies were long ago marked out for -the prey of Prussia, and it is possible in taking a retrospective glance to note how all has tended to that end, and ministered to the furtherance of their deep design. The claims of justice, the scruples of honour, the rights of nations, have all vanished into the distance and melted into thin air, while, with a perseverance worthy of a better cause, one obstacle after another was overcome and the goal gradually reached. Prussia, on her side, is quite resolved to show no symptom of recantation, and we find that a decree has been issued in Schleswig which unmistakeably tells the temper of the Berlin Cabinet. This enactment, which was alluded to the other day, specifies that any person who signs an address or delivers a speech in favour of the Duke of AUGUSTENBERG Will be liable to imprisonment. The ob ject of this extraordinary decree is, of course, to bring Austria to a standing point, and force her to decide whether she will issue a similar decree in Holstein, and thus that Power is placed in a very awkward predicament. Not to follow suit to Prussia is to give dire offence, and to do so is to lose the ground already gained in Holstein by her considerate conduct. This arbitrary enactment has given naturally enough great offence in all direc tions, but little heed will Prussia take of their wrath and their indignation. A stronger proof could not be given of the length to which Prussia will go in support of her pretensions, and in the pro secution of her purpose of annexation, than was recently afforded on the occasion of the funeral of the Prince, who was recently in terred in Schleswig. It was thought likely that the Duke of AUGUSTENB ERG would attend to pay the last tribute of respect to the memory of his uncle, and it was intended by the Prussian authorities to arrest him, in order that no demonstration of respect should be paid to him. Fortunately the Prince was warned in time, or he would have been by this time incarcerated by order of the false Power which once professed to make war on his account. In mcdern times we have had no more notable instance afforded to us of shame less tergiversation and unblushing effrontery than in this affair of the Duke of AUGUSTENBERG. Political honour is indeed at a discount in Prussia when her rulers can thus forswear themselves and violate their most solemn pledges in this barefaced manner. The unfortunate Duke has indeed made a bad bargain in trusting to the goodwill and sense of rectitude of his ally, and he will rue the day he allowed himself to be thus put forward as a make believe. Under the peculiar circumstances of the case, Aus tria should take heed to her ways, and endeavour by all means to been on good terms with Hungary and Venetia. It is the uncertainty of her posi tion with regard to these that makes Austria take so much advantage, and give herself such lati tude in prosecuting her plans. It will be a source of deep regret to the lovers of constitutional freedom in Europe if the issue of this war, if war there be, should place Prussia in a position of more power and influence than she at present possesses. Even if that authority be but of a temporary nature, who can justly estimate the amount of mis chief that so unscrupulous a Power can effect in a very short space of time ? For all the interests of nationality it is to be trusted that the Austrian Government will stand firm, and show them selves in this emergency more equal to their duties than they have often been on former occa sions. Prussia aims at possessing the Duchies, and now she seeks to become the head of Germany. Then, armed with undisputed authority she can trample in the dust all the pretensions of the ruined States, and crush out the lingering remnants of public spirit in her own dominions. It is too late now for the interference of the other nations of Europe. Unhappily the opportunity has been lost of checking the arbitrary course of Prussia, but it rests with Austria at the eleventh hour to do something ; and if she would not straightway sink into comparative nothingness, she must arouse herself and maintain a firm atti tude and a bold demeanour. They have gone too far now for the adoption of compromise and expe diency, which is always a dangerous resource ; but perhaps even now Prussia may draw brack, if she thinks her former ally in earnest. If not, and war ensue, the hopes and wishes of all independent men will go with the Austrians to the contest, for the conduct of Prussia throughout has been unbear able, and her arbitrary demands have become a scandal in Europe. We may now more fully appreciate them at this time of their occurrence the unhappy consequences of the policy of inaction which our Government persisted in pursuing, and perforce made France adopt also. A timely hint to the Cabinet of Berlin would have stopped the war with Denmark, and saved Prussia herself from much loss and disgrace, and might have avoided the catastrophe to which she is hastening. AN ILLUMINATED PEERAGE.—Our suggestion re cently in The Sun, that the ladies of England should apply some at least of the taste and industry now lavished by them on the collection of postage stamps and monograms to the illumination of the heraldic designs, the crests and coats of arms scattered through the pages of a Peerage or Baronetage like that of Debrett, we are gratified to observe has already taken with our fair countrywomen. A correspondent of The Queen, into which newspaper our remarks about the illumination of Debrett had been copied verbatim, writes, we observe, in the last number of that journal as follows : " Having read the extract quoted from The Sun in the Queen of the 10th, together with some appro priate remarks, I write to say that I have seen a magnificent illuminated book of heraldry. It was published in the reign of Charles 11. by Gwillim, and the various coats of arms were most splendidly emblazoned. I cannot imagine a more charming occupation for young ladies than the illuminating of " Debrett's Peerage" would be. Some friends of mine copied several of the memorial bearings in the book of heraldry I allude to, and coloured them beautifully ! I should much like to know if any of the readers of the Queen have ever seen one of Gwillim's emblazoned books of heraldry. I was told a short time ago that there were but three of them extant ; one in the British Museum ; one which was sold at the late Duke of Buckingham's sale to a gentleman whose name I could not ascertain ; and the third which belonged to my father. It contained portraits of the " Merry Monarch," and many noblemen of his court. There were two exquisite pictures of the Beauclercs, like nesses of quite young boys dressed in full court cos tume, and one of Lord Chancellor Finch in his robes of office. Strange to say, although the book is 200 years old, the colouring is as bright and exquisite as though it had just been emblazoned. • THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, MARCH 20, 1860. CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS, (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) PARIS, Monday Evening. I gave you the particulars, at the time, of the outrageous conduct of Baron de Meyendorff, Rus sian Minister, towards the Pope, on the occasion of the diplomatic addresses to His Holiness on New Year's Day. It will be recollected that the Pope was so disgusted with the Baron's language and demeanour that His Holiness abruptly inter rupted the conversation. Diploniatic relations be tween Russia and the See of Rome have since been entirely suspended. The ifoniteur of to-day says " Baron de Meyendorff, who has hitherto been the Representative of the Emperor of Russia at the Court of Rome, is about to leave that city with the whole of the Legation. It is known that this result was the consequence of what took place at an audi ence given to the Baron by the Pope, which led to an immediate rupture of the relations between the two Governments." M. Baroche, Minister of Public Worship, has addressed an official communication to M. Martin Paschoud, Protestant Minister, in which he gives an opinion that the protest of that gentleman against the Act of the Consistory was well founded. It will be recollected that M. Paschoud, who is the pastor of the French Protestant Church in the Faubourg of St. Germain, was dismissed from his functions summarily by the Consistory without the assignment of any reason for that dismissal. M. Paschoud is known as an eloquent and exemplary preacher, and his dismissal caused equal astonish ment and dissatisfaction. The Minister states iu his communication to M. Paschoud his agreement with his argument, "that according to the terms of Ar ticles 25 and 26 of the law of the 18th Germinal year 10, it was not legal to replace a pastor accepted by the Government, except in consequence of death or voluntary resignation ; and that any case of placing a minister on the retired list, except at the wish of the minister, was only an irregular mode of placing a substitute in the ministry. I have in formed the Consistory of my decision." There is nothing decisive in the German papers respecting the dispute between Austria and Prussia, but some of them adopt a bellicose tone, and state that both Powers seem to be making preparations for a hostile result. A new paper has just appeared, Le Moniteur de la Salubrite Publire—the Monitor of Public Health— which appears likely to render much service. It will not only publish remedies for various diseases, but it exposes the dangers arising from the adulte rations of food, and the employment of poisonous articles for use or ornament. For instance, it states that poisonous substances are used to colour sweet meats, cakes, and other eatables, and also for beve rages. A case is mentioned of the poisoning of a child who sucked the colour from a toy, and also a similar case of the death of a child at Bordeaux from the same cause. The toy called Pharaoh's ser pents, or India serpents, has in its composition mer cury and other highly poisonous ingredients ; and several cases of poisoning from this toy have taken place in France. On the 2d of September last Prince 0-- had a very dangerous attack, arising from having been present 'at an exhibition of this toy, but his life was saved by timely medical assistance. The Paris papers announce that Pharaoh's serpents are harmless, but Le Moniteur de la Salubrite Pub- Urine cautions its readers against their employment. Some of the necklaces and bracelets, supposed to be made of lead, and worn by children principally, are stated to be productive of disease. The journal proceeds to give explanations and directions upon various important points connected with health, such as purity of air, cleanliness, and culinary pre cautions. It has been stated that an arrangement was pro bable between France and England for a near extra dition treaty. A semi-official paper denies the fact, and asserts that the French Government will not proceed further in the matter unless England shall make some new proposal in conformity with the views expressed by France upon the subject. A play in Paris is often an event almost as excit ing as an erneute or a revolution. This is exactly the case with the new drama of M. Emile Angier, "La Contagion," produced on Satur . day at the Odeon. The rush of the public was immense, but it was known that the occasion was not an ordinary one, from the fact that the Emperor and Empress appeared in their box with their accustomed punctu ality, precisely at the time appointed for the rising of the curtain. The Princesses Mathilde and Annie Murat also attended the representation. I cannot to-day give you an account of this drama from my own impressions, but the opinion of those papers which I have seen is that it will rather detract from M. Augier's high dramatic reputation. The conta gion is not a contagion of disease, but a shadowing forth of the plague arising from evil conduct, bad language, and bad sentiments, which characterise some of the passages of the drama. The play was originally written for the Theatre Francais, and accepted by the Committee of Selec tion, and M. Angier wrote one of the characters expressly for M. Got, a leading actor of that theatre. After a long delay, however, M. Angier was informed that it was not the intention to represent his play at the Francais. Determined not to be beaten, how ever, M. Augier made arrangements to have his drama produced at the Odeon, and obtained the necessary permission of the Emperor for M. Got to be allowed to play at the Odeon the part which it was originally intended he shmtld play at the Fran cais. M. Angier is one of the youngest members of the Acadtmy. He is about 46, but he has written, I think, rather more than 20 plays. Some of them are very popular, but, according to present impression, " La Contagion" will be less so than any of them. The steeplechases at Vincennes yesterday were very attractive, there being an important prize at stake, contested for by the leading steeplechase horses. I subjoin the results :—Prix de la Touvelle, 3,000 f.— Vaucresson, 1; Betty, 2; Tambour- Battant, 3 ; Tulip Orageuse, 4 ; total amount of prize 4,450 f. Emperor's Prize Handicap, 10,000 f., offered by his Majesty for any horse 4-yrs-old and upwards—Astrolabe, 1 ; Ossian, 2 ; Valentino, 3 ; Niger, 4, Betting-3 to 1 agst R. M. D., 4to I agst Laura, 4 to 1 agst Astrolabe, 5 to 1 agst Augusta, 7 to 1 agst Valentino, and 7 to 1 agst Ossian. Total amount of prize, 12,500 f., 1,500 f. to second, and 500 f., to 3d. Donjon Prize, gentlemen riders, 3,ooof.—Katinka, 1 ; Zora, 2. Total amount of prize, 3,250 f., 300 f. to second horse. TIIE RUSSIAN ARMY.—The following is the lan guage of the Invalide Busse denying any movement of troops in Russia :—Having received more positive infor mation, we are enabled to announce with complete cer tainty that no measure has yet been taken by the Minister of War which can have given rise to the news of a con centration of our troops on any point whatever ; all the corps remain in the localities in which they were stationed for the winter. It is difficult to conceive what can have given rise to the false reports we contradict, unless it bo the desire of certain newsmongers to alarm public opinion." FORGING RAILWAY TICKETS. —Yesterday a re spectable young man, named William Vincent W he e l er , who is said to be a m i ss i onary, res idi ng in Bewley-road, Goods, was :charged b e f ore tho mag i s t ra tes in that town with forging a railway ticket and travelling with it from King's-cross station to Holbeck (Leeds) station on Saturday last. Mr. Haile, solicitor, appeared for the company, and hsaaiddbseirein atildu since the of January many tickets which stations of the Great Northernaltreti had b e en This had led tobineen collected at different more vigilance on the part of the collectors, and on Satur day night Benjamin Woollett took at Holbeck the tickets from the passengers in the train which had left London at 5 o'clock. The prisoner gave him a ticket which purported to be from King's-cross to Holbeck; but tho case for the prosecution was that the ticket had been taken at King's cross for Holloway, after which the letters " loway" had been erased, and " beck' su b s tit u t e d. The forgery in this case was detected, beca use th ere vas not printed upon the ticket the words "Via W es t Ridi n g Railway." This re ference is to a lino width was lately opened, whereby the London and Leeds route is shortened several miles. In order that the ticket-clerk from King's-cross might attend the prisoner was remanded for a week. Mr. Granger, so licitor, who appeared for him, said ho would give a satis factory account of his being in possession of the ticket having, in fact, paid 163. for it to an unknown person. The prisoner, he added, was respectably connected, and he be lieved an alderman and a councillor of the borough would bo bail for him. ILIQ magistrates agreed to accept good bail. LA TEST INTELLIGENCE. (REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.) AUSTRIA AND PRUSSIA. VIENNA, MARCH 19. It is stated that since Sunday declarations of a re-assuring character have been received from Berlin by the Austrian Government, and that the apprehensions of war between the great German Powers have been thereby removed. It is further stated that the Gastein Convention will be adhered to. TURKEY. CONSTANTINOPLE, MARcii 19. In case the great Powers should urge such a course, the Porte is willing to sanction again excep tionally the union of the Principalities under a native Hospodar. Instructions to this effect have been sent to the Turkish Ambassador at Paris. No movement of troops has yet taken place on the Danube. ITALY AND SWITZERLAND. BERNE, MARCH 20. The Italian Cabinet have addressed a fresh note to the Swiss Government on the subject of the pro jected Alpine railway, protesting against the opinion of the Federal Council that the Splugen route is in admissible. CALCUTTA AND CHINA MAILS. ALEXANDRIA, MARCH 19. The Syria left at six a.m. and the Pera at noon to-clay. The former may be expected at Marseilles on the 25th inst., and the latter at Southampton on the Ist April. MARSEILLES, MARCH 19. The Messageries Imperiales steamer Said, with the India and China mails, left here to-day. She took 69 passengers and £440,000 in specie for India and China, and 49 passengers and £20,000 for Alexandria. THE WAR IN THE BRAZILS. BATTLE AT PASO DE LA PATRIA, RIO EE JANEIRO, FEB. 25. A battle has been fought without decisive result at Paso de la, Patria between the Argentine and Paraguayan armies. Both sides sustained heavy losses. Admiral Samandere has joined the Brazilian squadron, which now consists of 15 vessels. FRANCE. BOURSE, March 19, Three o'clock.—The marke closed at the following quotations : 9 per pents ..... .... 97 501 Roman _ _ 15o:end month — 3 per Cents. 6B 40 Do. end month 6B 421 Credit Mobilier Ottoman Fives Mexican Loan 4B 50 Do. Bonds 306 25 Russian Do. end month ... 688 75 Austrian Bank Shares 3545 Credit Fonder — Italian Loan 6O 90 Do. end month 6O 85 RAIL' Spanish Threes 41 Home Debt Deferred 2Y5. Cash. Orle9,ns , Acct. 877 50 1132 50 885 - ... 557 50 - 565 - ... 542 50 ... 125 Northern Lyons and Mediterranean Southern Western Eastern Sardinian Austrian Lombard North of Spain Saragossa Ditto to Barcelona Roman 395 - - - ... 405 - - - ... 167 50 - - ... 222 50 - - ... 105 - LITERATURE. My Life and Recollections. By the Hon. Grantley Berkeley. Vols. 111. and IV. Hurst and Blackett. Mr. Grantley Berkeley, pen in hand, has con trived to clear volume after volume of these his harum-scarum personal recollections, as cleverly as he has often and often before this—when lightly seated in the pigskin, foot in stirrup, hand on bridle —cleared, now a fivebarred gate, now a quick-set, now a brook, now a veritable rasper, each of them taken at a breakneck pace, in the hunting field. And, watching him as he gets over his ground, helter-skelter, slap-dash, almost anyhow, according to the spur of the moment, it has been pretty nearly as interesting and as anxious work for the reader turning over the leaves of his book, as it must frequently have been for the looker-on when tracking the author's flight across country at the tail of the pack, in his hot youth when George the Fourth was King 1 So repeatedly has our author— in his wild and random way of careering onwards, pen in hand, over tho paper, seemed, time and again, within an • ace of coming to grief I No thing daunts him in the outpouring of his Recol lections. Reputations of lords and ladies alike go to the wall, as often as he talks quite confiden tially about this, that, and the other, to that noun of multitude signifying many, his reader. In the tone of his talk throughout the whole of these four volumes, however, it is just medium talk after all. For, while on the one hand he never talks what we call largely, on the other he never indulges in mere small talk, in the mincing, lisping, prattle of your fribbling epicene jack-a-dandy. He is so confidential with his readers, too, in an odd sort of a way, that, while he almost affects in his manner to utter his choicest confidences in a whisper, it is almost, we might say, a whisper delivered through a speaking trumpet. As for what he says about his mother, the late Countess of Berkeley, that is a matter between himself and the other members of his Happy Family. " Brothers in arms" (against each other) the Berkeleys have been, about as long as we our selves can well remember—" Brothers in arms" (in that way) and " rivals in renown." Into their domestic contentions, however, we care not to enter. It is unpleasant merely to contemplate them quite dispassionately from without, and would certainly be intolerable to take part in, in any way what ever. There are broad facts, no doubt, in re gard to the cause of all these contentions, that are we take it altogether beyond the reach of dispute or denial. For instance, there is the well known fact, to begin with, that Frederick Augustus, sth Earl of Berkeley —who *as born May 24, 1745, and who succeeded his father, .the 4th Earl, August 8, 1 810—lived during several years with his future countess née Cole, by whom he had several children. After the birth of those children he (the fifth Earl of Berkeley) on the 16th of May, 1796, married their mother, having several other children by her who was thenceforth his acknow ledged wife Mary (née Cole) Countess of Berkeley-- the eldest son born after that marriage, in the same year (1796), being Thomas Moreton Fitahardinge Berkeley, the present or sixth Earl of Berkeley. Earl of Berkeley, Moreton, at any rate, was declared to be, a good many years ago, by a formal decision the House of Lords. That title, however, he has steadfastly refused to accept ever since the decision was pronounced. An earlier marriage than the one known to have taken place on the 16th of May, 1796, between his father and mother, Moreton (vir tually Sixth Earl of Berkeley) insists upon it took place as long previously as on the 30th March, 1785, maintaining this, in common with all the rest of his brothers, saving and excepting only the author of these Four Volumes of " Recollections," mean ng the Hon. Grantley Berkeley—the novelist of the romance of " Berkeley Castle" the horse whipper of the late learned and not very reputable Dr. Maginn—Grantley, who was many years (but who is now no longer) M.P. for one of thedivisions of his native county of Gloucester. As every body knows—who knows anything at all about the family—supposing this second son by the marriage of the Fifth Earl with Mary, née Cole, on the 16th May, 1796—t0 survive (in the course of nature) his elder brother by five years, namely, Moreton (who is, really and truly by law, the Sixth Earl)—that second son by the marriage which is known to have taken place in 179 G, will at once assume his title and take his seat in the House of Lords as legally Seventh Earl of Berkeley. He simply bides his time. And, meanwhile, he writes his Recol lections. They are very shocking, no doubt, these Recollections, to his immediate kith and kin. But for all that, to the heartless multitude who are not of his kith and kin, they are very pleasant reading indeed. He has stores of anecdotes to tell—anec dotes many of them well worth the telling—and many of these latter moreover he contrives to tell very delightfully. Opening chapter after chapter as he thus talks to us from his printed pages, it is with each of these chapters as if he were talking to us over a fresh bottle—so thoroughly after-dinner toned are the style and manner of his monologue. Sometimes, too, when he indulges in what to him evidently appears so much mere harmless chit-chat, but what undoubtedly most other people are in the habit of regarding as so much scandal and persona lity, this talk of his over the fresh bottle, as it were, has the flavour sometimes noticeable in the conver sation that takes place over the dessert after the ladies have quitted the dinner table, and have rustled their silken way into the drawing rooms. Then it is that there comes to us the stage whisper we have hinted at —the whisper through the speaking trumpet ! Otherwise than for these same excep tional portions of the four volumes—to which por tions we would hereby intimate that we must be understood to take the very strongest excep tion—the work as a whole is a most amusing and exhilarating repertory of anecdotal recollections illustrative of the highest and the lowest (never once of the middle) classes of society here in Eng land during the chief part of the first half of the present century. Princes and pugilists jostle each other in the throng thus introduced to us. One or two kings, and a great many more than merely one or two rougher specimens of humanity, naffs and creatures of the demi-monde, are here likewise made to pass before us processionally or panoramically. There is a distinct chapter, by the way, on Byron and his circle. There is another distinct chapter on Dandies and their sometime paragon, Beau Brum mell. Now Gore House is the particular locality traversed anew by the author of these varied remi niscences. Now we take a ramble with him a whole generation back round the margin of Virginia Water. One specimen quotation at least, we must here indulge ourselves and our readers with, by way of indicating the vivacity with which the Hon. Grantley Berkeley pours out these his recollections. A friend of our author, calling one morning at Mr. Brummell's to pay his homage to the Beau, has just been introduced to the costly dressing room of Brummell, when that great leader of fashion is completing his toilet for the day : He entered a luxuriously-furnished dressing-room full of magnificent mirrors. But the first objest that attracted his attention was the person of the illustrious beau, seated in a low arm-chair, in a muslin dressing-grown, having his hair dressed by a tall fellow in a white apron, with deep pockets, who he readily recognised as the principal coiffeur at the West End. The man bowed, but proceeded with his important duty without hazarding a word. Mr. Brummell inclined his head very slightly to the bow of introduction, but that was all the notice he seemed dis posed to take of his -visitor. " Watson," he said, in a somewhat drawling ,one, addressing his valet, " what has arrived ?" "Three haunches of venison, four salmon, two turbots, one dressing-case, five lap-dogs, and an easy chair, sir !" "Send the fish and the venison to Groves's. What is the use of presenting things to a man who has twenty in vitations to dinner every day of his life ? Aw—no—re serve the finest turbot and the finest salmon for my Lady Cholmondeley. Her ladyship gives a large dinner party to-night —so send at once, that the cook may have it early." " Yes, sir." "Aw—and tell Groves I shall expect the full allow- ance." " Yes, sir." • " Aw—and the dressing-case and tho easy chair may also be sold. I have five easy chairs and three dressing cases." " And what's to be done with the lap-dogs, if you please, sir ?" " A.w—if there is a pug amongst them, send it to my Lady Cowper; it there's a King Charles, send it to my Lady Soften ; if there's a Blenheim, it must go to Mrs. Drummond Burrell. A w—l don't know anybody else who requires anything of the kind ; so the rest may be disposed of. Is there anything else ?" " Yes, sir ; a box of French kid gloves, three pairs of worked slippers, a china christening bowl, a butt of Spa nish wine, and a canister of Dutch snuff." " Aw--put the gloves away for use. I've got a drawer full of slippers ; I shall never be able to wear half of them. If the bowl is unusually large, reserve it for punch ; the wine may be bottled if of superior quality ; the snuff, if very good, may go to Lord Petersham and the Prince. Anything else ?" "My Lady Castlereagh sent to remind you that you aro engaged to her dinner party ; my Lord Conyngham called to leave word that you were on no account to forget the masquerade ; Sir Benjamin Blomfield has left his Royal Highness's command for your attendance at the concert to morrow evening; Sir John Lade drove up to inquire if you could breakfast with him any morning this week ; and the Duke of Dorset and my Lord Moreton rode to the door to invite you to dinner on your first disengaged day." " Aw—when is that likely to be ? People are most un reasonable—every day they expect me to eat a dozen breakfasts, as many luncheons, at least a score of dinners , and to attend an unlimited number of concerts, masquer ades, balls, private theatricals, conversaziones, and enter tainments of every possible description. Aw—Sir Boyle Roche wished he was a bird to be in two places at once ; but I'm required to do a great deal more than that. I'm requested to be at Mayfair and 'Carlton House ; to be at Manchester-square and St. James's ; to be at Grosvenor place aid Knightsbridge, and I know not how many. more distant parts of town, where I am expected to have the digestion of an ostrich, the agility of a dervish, the loqua city of a parrot, and the constitution of a horse." " And very right, sir !" exclaimed the valet; with the freedom of a favoured domestic ; " ordinary people are only asked to do ordinary things, sir! —that you know, sir !—and that this gentleman knows, sir !—who, like so many thousands of the nobility and gentry, has come to pay his respects to you !" Here the great man slightlynodded again, andniy friend bowed in return. "But a Brummell, sir, as everybody in the three king doms is aware, is an extraordinary person—l may say a very extraordinary person, sir !—therefore what so natural as the general expectation that he should do extraordinary things?" "Aw, yes ; but not impossible things, my good fellow. But did anybody else call ?" "His Highness the Prince Esterhazy, the most noble the Marquis of Cholmondeley, and my Lords Fyfe, Wilton, Petersham, Alvanley, and Yarmouth." " I wished to have seen them, Watson." " So I thought, sir—and asked them into the drawing room, where they have been waiting this half hour." " You have done, Le Fleur?" "Yes, sare. The hair of your head . is superbe—it is ravishing !" The beau turned and looked at the effect in the glass, with a very critical gaze ; the hairdresser and the valet examining it at the same time with the most intense grati fication. My friend regarded the scene with all the inte rest of an amateur, almost afraid to exercise the privilege of amateurship, oppressed by what he saw. " My coat—my morning coat, of course." The Frenchman tenderly took off the dressing-gown, and delicately hung it on a peg at the back of the door, while the vallet brought the requited garment, which he helped on with the air of serious concern that might be ex pected from a person holding so responsible an office as the confidential attendant of so renowned a potentate. It fitted to a hair—there was not a speck of dust nor a crease on the cloth. The beau looked long and searchingly into the glass, adjusted his cravat, turned round to see the fit of his frock coat, pulled up his stiff shirt collar, smoothed the folds of his waistcoat, and carefully examined his trousers and boots. " Aw—l think I shall do," he said. " You never looked better, sir, and that is saying a great deal," observed the vallet, with an air of profound satisfac tion. "Monsieur shall excel himself," and the hairdresser fell back a pace or two, clasping his hands, and looking exceed ingly happy. " What do you think, sir ?" said the beau, suddenly ad dressing his visitor for the first time " There cannot bo two opinionsabout it, Mr. Brummell," was the reply. "If you are not the best got-up gentle man in his Majesty's dominions, I should like to know who is." " Come along with me," criod the great man, apparently well pleased, and taking him by the arm in a friendly way, led him into tho next room, where my friand presently found himself in the company of six of the most fashionable men of the day. " Aw—delighted to see you, Prince—charmed to see you all, by G—d 1" . " How are you, Brummell ?" and other conventional greetings were said in the way of reply, every one direct ing his exclusive attention to his host—not ono appearing to be aware of thepresence of the stranger. They were all dressed after one pattern, but there were some slight variations. Lord Wilton wore a fur collar to his frogged surtout ; Lord Yarmouth a long overcoat. All carried walking-sticks except Prince Eit;terhazy, who held a riding-whip. They wore stiff stand-up collars, and ful trousers, showing the boot at the instep fastened with straps. The prince was scarcely to be distinguished from a well-dressed private English gentleman, except on State occasions, when his display threw that of the greatest magnificos into the shade. Lord Alvanley's stout proportions and round face, with its little nose, immediately attracted my friend's attention• From him he glanced to the tall figure and smiling features of Lord Petersham. The others, in turn, came in for a full share of his scrutiny. My friend's attention was again absorbed by the conver sation. In a fow minutes he turned once more, and again noticed the dandies clustered about, gazing on his with as much wondering cut i os it y as so many l ea rned savants might have exhibit e d a t su dd en l y h av i ng prese nted to them a wild specimen o f th e genus ltonto of an entirely new species. They rapidly move d away, an d b ega n to look at other things as s oon as th ey f oun d th ey h a d at tracted the stranger's ob serva ti on . person He had, he said, taken especial pains to be wall dressed, when he made up his mind to attend the levee of such 3 connoisseur in personal decoration, and the beau's friend!), manner of bringing him amongst the most select of his little court had not only particularly gratified him, but put him entirely at his ease. Noticing, however, the singular. behaviour of his companions, he could not help feeling rather annoyed as well as somewhat alarmed. "Remember," continued my friend, " that my career as a man of fashion had scarcely commenced. I was but & youth. I felt a morbid anxiety growing upon me that now shaped itself into a fear that I had committed some egre gious blunder while making my toilet, and at once grew very rod and uncomfortable. "1 speedily moved to another part of the room, and tried to quiet my disturbed thoughts by an examination of some rare Dresden on a side table. From this I was pre sently aroused by an exclamation of surprise from my host, and looking towards him had the satisfaction of perceiving that he and Prince Esterhazy were intently observing Ina through their eye-glasses, the rest of the company doing the same thing, and that he looked with an expression_of mingled concern and amazement. " My dear fellow," he exclaimed, advancing nearer to me, with his glass to his eye, the others following example• Aw, whore did you pick up that extraordinary affair you have put on your back. I protest I never saw anything 6 ° singular." "Most singular, indeed," cried Lord Yarmouth. " May be it's an heir-loom ?" suggested Lord Fyfe. " Coeval with Alfred the Great, at least," observed Lord Al vanloy. "Exactly !" said Lord Wilton. "Exactly," echoed another. The Prince laughed good-humouredly, as he added, "It is not your fault, mine goot sir; you shall not be to blame, because a devoid-of-conscience-influencing tradesmen de-, ceive you when you do him the honour to purchase of him his delusive fabrics." " Is there anything the matter with the coat ?" my friend inquired, in a dreadful state of confusion. " Coat !" exclaimed Beau I3rummell. " Coat !" cried his friends in chorus, all in extreme astonishment. "For Heaven's sake, sir, don't misapply names so aborain" ably ! ' cried the host loudly, and every one continued to scrutinise the garment ; " it's no more like a coat than a cauliflower—if it is, I'll be, d—d." There was a wild laugh, which enraged the young RIO': teur of fashion more than the extravagant commenting; and he was meditating a hasty retreat from his unpleasant position—indignant with what he considered insurmount able criticism—when th4e door suddenly opened, and the, valet announced some very great lady, whose name I have forgotten. " I was piqued, perhaps," continued my friend, " for they must have known whose son I was, and the rank, too, t° which one day or other I must attain ; the intervielc, however, had the wholesome effect of curing one °f dandyism ; and though, as you know, I was a servant man-about-town, I thought more of politics, sports of all kinds, and hunting and racing, than of the pupperi" of useless folly," Every now and then there is in the midst of all these random recollections a naiveté on the part Of our author quite refreshing in its way. A 5 where speaking about Lord Byron, he re" marks —" When Byron and myself commenced, our several careers, we had a good many tastes and feelings in common, however much we leg have differed in other respects. Although neve r approaching his talent for poetry"—surely a nobl e and affecting admission on the part of Mr . Grantley Berkeley !—" I was fond as , 3 youth of poetic versification." And so on. 11 might multiply instances like this one very readily, upon merely lightly turning the pages of either of these two concluding volumes of the work, 'twixt finge r and thumb. The passage just given about Byron,. however, will surely suffice. Towards the close of the work the veil of the inner room of the. sanctuary of home is dropped : and our ante' biographer allows himself in direct violation of an the instincts of his own genial and cordial nature to indulge in taunts, sarcasms, and vituperations vex , ' much akin indeed to the hallucinations of Al r ' Whalley, M.P. for Peterborough. It is upon 3 theme, however, that to some minds appears to be always somehow suggestive of what Mr. Cobden happily termed a craze. We pass it by, therefore, with a sense of wondering regret. We pref er looking back to the world of agreeable pages Pre ceding these same final pages of the last volume of the work—these pages darkened by the shadow of a domestic trouble out of which has sprung up this most fantastic hallucination. We prefer listening to Mr. Grantley Berkeley Whe n he is in his kindlier moods, when he is not splutter ing personalities over his blotted pages, as if fr °l° an ill-nibbed pen with ink darkened beyond its cus tomary tomary depth with the g a ll o f bitt erness ! We like him best when the sm il e an d no t th e sneer is on i. is lip : and when in his racy telling of an aliecdcte , w can almost hearfrcim the printed page the contag leua ; peal of his laughter. R egar di ng hi m so lely in t ll3 light, his name is bo rne by us ver y agreeablY ~, our remembrance. FRENCH WlNES.—Messrs. Mann Nephews beg tin announce the Third Edition of Mr. W. Ray Smee's 1 331/1 : phlet on " French Wines at One Penny per Bottle Cuet e t - Duties" is out of print, but the Fourth Edition will be pub lished as soon as possible, with a preface, shelving the re duction to one penny for all light cheap wines is prefera ble to 2d., as decided upon by the Government. DEATH OF MRS. GERALD MASSEY. We have t ° record the death, on Tuesday last, of Mrs. Jane 3fass e A ll wife of Gerald Massey, the poet, who a t th e time of her ne : cease resided with her husband an d th e i r t wo children Water End, near Berkharapstead. The deceased lady w ag possessed of rare_ accomplishment; and was only in tb° prime of life, being between 30 and 40 years of age- DEATH OF MR. S. WILDERSPIN. We annOtille° with regret the death of Mr. Wilderspin, which took p lace at his residence, Westgate, Wakefield. The deceased one of the pioneers o f th e e d ucat i onal movemen t. For Ye ° before the imp or t ance o f the subject was acknowledged b° laboured to obt a i n an ex t ens i on of infant schools for thel)001"; His efforts were restricted to no portion of the kingdom, bur extended to all parts of England, Scotland, a nd Ireland a long time his labours were carried on under great difficTe ties and obstacles, but they obtained recognition from t ° late Sir Rob er t P ee l ; an d an annuity, w hi c h was P °l- 1 1 from Governm en t an d p ar tly th e resu lt of public subs er ' r tions, was obtained for him.—Leeds Mercury. t O OIC , DESTRUCTIVE FIRES.—This morning afir e d fi re place in the premises of a block-maker and smith , situate, in St. George-street, St. George-in-the-East, and destres.ren the basement and considerably damaged tie u pper port by of the building. A number of inmates were res cued gr the fire-escape men, after much exertion. Anot her also took place at Mr. Holmes's, a carpenter, at pott l; lane, Notting-hill, and was not extinguished until t fire contents of tht4 workshop were destroyed. A nd t' No happened in the coachhouse of Mr. C. Fox, a carma n ' a ble 9, Seymour-yard, Marylebone, which also did co nsider damage. jn PARLIAMENTARY REPORTING IN AUSTRALIA.--i. addition to the reports of the proceedings of the Pa o ' . e l_ ment of Victoria, Australia, which are given in t 4° do bourne daily newspapers, there is in future to b e an ;a pendent record published at the Government office. To furnish this special report three reporters. viously connected with the staff of the Melbourn4 A S us ' have been engaged by the Government. T h e 1 007 of ment was to come into operation at the commen cenie !in the session of 1866. From the aspect of pol i t i ca l affel . r . b eet Victoria at the date of last mail there is e very Pr °l _,,x. that the session will provide them with plenty of A The Government reporters will be perfectly untrammenn in the discharge of their function; their sole duty being__': give a faithful report of the discussion; free from a n_lrv?. political or personal bias. Messrs. T. R. FladleY7 Robinson, and H. Willoughby are the reporters wh undertaken this responsible task.—Leeds FIRE AT THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH, GORn n SQUARE On Sunday night some alarm was caused r " . 11 ; 5 dou-square, Tottenham-court-road, owing to a rcTeetiteoyai raised that the Apostolic Church was on fire. Society's escape and the engines promptly attendericlia, fire was confined to the destruction of some linen 0e1P.,0 Mr. Westland Marston's new come d y , the re "Favourite of Fortune," has been produced by fr. 3 8° at Glasgow, with success. This comedy is to be rel 3 °:: ba in Liverpool, and, after these provincial rehearsals, v," presented to a London audience on Easter Monday' in be It is confidently reported that a libel fo g prosecuted against the Rev. Dr. Macleod at the next wee . b.ut the of the Presbytery of Glasgow.—Glasgow Morni 7l 9 *Pu it 13 1 ruc bu ba 2 I tja 13(