The Sun. — London, England, 1866-12-27 00:00:00

II R E E ROYAL DRURY - LANE. —' T. Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr. F. B. CHATTERTON. Special Morning Performances of the Grand Pantomime on Thursday; Friday, and Saturday, Dec. 27, 28, and 29, 1866; and on every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday during the month of January. Children and schools at reduced prices to the following parts of the Theatre : First circle, dress circle, and stalls. THIS EVENING (THURSDAY), Dec. 27, her Ma jesty's servants will perform the Comedietta, A DAY AFTER THE WEDDING: Messrs. Sinclair, Harcourt, J. Johnstone, Miss Isabel Adams, and Mrs. Hodson. After which will be produced the Drury-land Comic Christmas Annual, entitled NUMBER NIP; or, Harlequin and the Gnome-King of the Giant Mountain, written by E. L. Blanchard, with gorgeous and fairy-like scenery, designed and painted by Mr. William Beverley. • Gro tesque masks and costumes, invented and illustrated by Dykwynkyn. Fanciful ballet, arranged by Mr. John Cln•mack, with popular and characteristic music, ctorsse lected and composed by Mr. J. H. Tully. Chara in the opening by Miss Lydia Thompson, Miss E. Bodenbani, Miss Hudspeth, Miss Cardonni, Miss Sey mour, Miss L. Wilmot, Miss E. Brougham , MFerina Stussey, Mrs. H. Vandenhoff, &c.; Mr. Tom Matthews, Mr. C. Seyton, Mr. F. Barsby, Mr. Fitzjames, Mr. J. Ro bins, Mr. E. Clifton, and Master Percy Roselle. The m bar lequinade includes the serv ices of those popular pantci mh-nists, Harry Boleuo and Mr. G. Lauri, Qlowns ; Mr. W. A. Parnes and Mr. J. Morris, pantaloor.s J. Cormack and Allr. S. Saville, harlequins; Madame Boleno and Madlle. Adele l',/arion, columbines. The smallest drummer in the world, tite Infant Vok ins. Au Irish Jig, byMisther Paddy' Son. rne Dev il's Chapeau, by Majilton the Grotesque. A new Troupe of French Dancers, 16 iu number. The whole produced under the direction of Mr. Edward Stir ling. ''l,o Boys of the Royal Military Asylum, with their B a nd, will attend the Morning Performance of the Grand Christmas Pantomime on Monday, Dec. 31.—Prices Pri wtto boxes, 1,2, 3,4, and 5 guineas; stalls, 75.; dress cir 53. ; first circle, 4s. ; balcony seats, 3s. ; pit, 2s. ; low,lr gallery, ls. ; upper gallery, 6d. Box-officeopen from teu 01 five daily. Doors open at half-past six, commence at seven. /pp OYAL LYCEUM THEATRE.- ..kg" Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr. Fechter. VHS EVENING, ROUGE ET NOIR. Maurice D'Arbel (a (ambler), Mr. leebter ; Messrs. Emery, Evans, Moreland, Fits oatricir, Dalton. Reynolds, Lom4s, Newbound, Andrews, Ande."son, Vivian, Bennett. and Edward Priae ra d e , i 'lrs. Leigh Murray, Miss Grattan, and Miss Carlotta Leclercq. Prec deg' by THE TWO POLTS. Mr. 11. Widdieomb. _ R 0 y A PRINCESS'S THEATRE. soleL c4see and Minager, Mr. Geo. Vining. BARNABY RUDGE. Miss A Thom- Tills EVENIT 4 I%. I, son. Mrs. Henry Vil.'l!l Mrs. Charles Horsman, and Miss -r , li at h ar i n e Rogers; osprs. S. Calhaem, F. Villiers. J. G. au a:tr. George Honey, Shore, C. Horsman , To conclude with the INVISIBLE PRINCE. Al R. SOTHERN.-TIIIS EVENING _l3l in a New Comedy, "A LESSUN FOR, LIFE," by Tom Taylor, Haymarket Theatre. rtHEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET, Sole Leesee and Manager, Mr. Buck.stone, TUTS EVENING, A MERE CHILD, Messrs. Howe, Gordon, White, &c. ; Mesdames Chippendale, Yitzwilliam, Laws, Powell, &c. After which, A LESSON FOR LIFE. Messrs. Fothern, Chippendale, Compton, Howe, Kendal, Gordon, Rogers, Braid, Vincent, &a. ; Mesdames Chippendale, Moore, Wright, &c. Followed by JENNY LIND AT LAST. Miss lone Burke ; Mr. W. Farren, &c To conclude with a GRAND BALLET DIVERTISSE MENT. Mdlle. Sophia. Commence at Seven. THEATRE ROYAL ADELPHI. Sole Proprietor and Manager, Mr. B. Webster. THIS EVENING, Dec. 27, at Seven, A SISTER'S PiI;ANCE. Miss Kate Terry, Miss Hughes, Miss Emily Pitt ; Messrs. H. Vezin, Billington, Ashley, Eburne, Horner, aad Stephenson. To conclude with the New Grand Burlesque of THE MOUNTAIN DIIU; or, THE KNIGHT, THE LADY, AND LAKE. Messrs, J. L. Toole (his 2nd appear ance since his provincial tour), Paul liedfOrd, Ashley, K. Homer, and U. J. Smith ; Mrs. Alfred Mellon, Miss Furtado, Miss Hughes, Miss Emily Pitt, (cc. "ROYAL OLYAIPIC THEATRE. New Management. Sole Lessee, Mr. B. Webster ; Manager, Mr. H. Wigan. THIS EVENING, LONDON ASSURANCE. Messrs. Horace Wigan, H. Neville, G. Vincent, Addison, D. Murray, and Mr. Charles Mathews; Miss Milly Palmer, Miss E. Farren, and Mrs. Charles Mathe , s. After whi, h, the successful Burlesque of FAUST AND MAIWCERIIE. Mesdames E. Farren, Sheridan, and Stephens ; Messrs. G. Vincent, W. H. Eburne, 1). Murray, &c. Doors open at half-past Six; commence at Seven. ROYAL STRAND THEATRE. Sole Lessee and Manageress, Mrs. Swanborough. THIS EVENING, NEIGHBOURS. Messrs. I'arsslle, Belford, and G Murray ; Misses Swanborough, Johnstone, and Hughes. After which, will be produced a Grand Burlesque, entitled GUY FAWKES : Messrs. 'I borne, James, Robson, and Fenton; Mesdames Swanborougb, Raynham, Johnstone, II ug hes, Newton, Am To conclude with BOOTS AT THE SWAN. Commence at Seven. lIOLBORN THEATRE ROYAL. Sole Proprietor and Manager, Mr. t efton Parry. EVENING, a new Farce, 311 TITUN NEXT. Mr. Belmore, Miss Foote, Miss Lennox'. After which, Boucicault's drama of FLYING SCUD. Messrs. Neville, Belmore, Blake. Ganien,Vollaire ; Mesdames F. Josephs, C. Saunders, B. Foote, Ilaym nd. riIIIEATRE ROYAL, ASTLEY'S. Under the Sole Management of Mr. W. 11. C. Nation. THIS EVENING, and durlag the week, the performances will cornmenc:i at even o'clock with a Comic Drama, en titicd LICA'I2E GROUND Concluding with, at a quarter to 8, the Great NATIOX-AL Pantomime, written by Charles Alillward, and entitled lIUSII-A-BYE, BABY, UPON TILE TREE TOP. In the Grand Burlesque Opening, Misses Caroline Parkes, Nelly Nisbett, Polly Marshall, Fanny Gwynne, Nelly Burton, Fanny Howard, Lizzie Kelsey, Mrs. Caulfield ; Mes!rs. Atkins, W. H. Stevens, Arthur Milano, Miss Bessie Sim• mends, Premier Danseuse ; and the favourite Children Dans euses, Misses Fanny Highs, Florence and Annie Wright, will appear. The Harlequinade will include—Clown, the original Little Rowena; Pantaloon, Mr. Beckingnam; Har.equin, Mr. Honey wood ; Harlequin ',a, la Whatteau), Miss Ester Austin ;from Paris); Columbines, Misses Gros venor and Simmonds. The truly magnificent Scenery painted by Messrs. Julian Hicks, Hall, and numerous assis tants. The Dances, including an entirely novel and charac teristic Ballet of Ladybirds, arranged by Mr. Milano. N.B.—Mr. W. H. C. Nation begs to announce that MORN ING PERFORMANCES ot th:s, the best Children's Panto mime in London, will be given every MONDAY, WEDNES DAY, and SaI:LT/WAY, being the only Morning Verferm ances on the Surrey side ot the water. First Morning Per formance on Saturday, Dec. 20, at Two o'clock. Box-office open from Eleven till Four. No charge what ever for bills or booking. It will be absolu ely necessary, to prevent disappointment, that seats should be secured in advance. rit liE "SUN" NEWSPAPER.- G. R. GLEN lE, Sporting Library, 4, Connaught terrace, Ed4ware-road, is specially appointed At3rEi k to (Oliver the LATE ELATION of " rah; SUN " at the earliest possible moment alter leaving the press. lie is able to deliver copies iu Town, the Suburbs, and in many parts of the Country at a comparatively early hour the same evening, ay 40 miles by 9 o'clock. Orders by Post punctually attended to. LONDON, 77IURSDAY, DEC. 27, 1866. Mr. NEWDEGATE made au interesting speech on the occasion of the presentation of prizes to the Birmingham Volunteers. He said that the Volun teers had been of great service to the country in the matter of effecting a saving, if it were only in preventing the income tax being twopence more in the pound. Referring to the very unsatisfactory state of things just now in Europe, the hon. mem ber declared that the Treaty of Vienna had been torn up, and every State was arming, like England was armed, for defence. He said he had a piece of plate which had been presented to him by the arms trade as a memento of his services on the occasion of the militia being re-established by Parliament, which he should hand down as an heir-loom in his family. As for the subject of breech-loaders, which now de servedly enjoys so much attention, Mr. NEWDEGATE had a great deal to say about them. Ile paid a just tribute to General PEEL for the promptitude which he had displayed in breaking through the pipeclay of the War Department, and thus the Govern ment is rapidly supplying the troops of England with breech-loaders, which, to use a sporting phrase, " would handsomely cut down the needle gun." The moral which he drew from this was that those whom he addressed were volunteers, were citizen soldiers, and that they should not rest satisfied until they possessed breech-loaders for themselves. There was a good deal of sound sense in Mr. NEWDEGATE'S observations on this point, more especially when he said that it was a piece of " departmental coxcombry" to insist upon the inter changeability of every part of every rifle. Such is, indeed, affectation of propriety, aud, as was well explained in this discourse, the plan adopted by the Americans proves its absurdity. They hare seven patterns of rifles, most of them breech-loaders, in their service, and as they have got on, why is it necessary for every part of the gun to be inter changeable, in order that it may be fitted for the English service? The fact is that in all the arrange ments of our service there is too much red-tapism displayed, and hence valuable time is lost and im portant duties neglected ; and while our officials are haggling about trifles, other nations, more wise and energetic, step in and out-distance us in their preparations, without spending half the money that we waste so unnecessarily. We hope for better things at headquarters now, however, and General PEEL has displayed so much foresight already that there seems every reason for us to have confidence in his management. Mr. NEWDEGATE is quite right in expressing such a dis like to being guided so exclusively by departmental opinion. As he pretty plainly put it, "What was he to think of departmental opinion when he had heard it said that the arms trade could not produce more than 30,000 stand of arms a year ? But in the years 1850 and 1855, and three months besides, he saw the arms trade produce 272,000 stand." We think that taking all things into consideration the Govern ment would do well to follow the advice here ten dered to them by the hon. member for Warwick shire when he urges the desirability of obtaining a class of arms such as the Americans found good enough for themselves—breech-loaders ready to hand, so as to avoid the awkwardness of being placed at a disadvantage, as the Austrians were in presence of the Prussians. We cannot shut our eyes to the fact that times have changed, and war is now carried on in a style that was undreamt of by our forefathers, and which we ourselves a few years back did not imagine to see carried on in our days. Mr. NEWDEGATE said, with great force, that, as Englishmen, we must look to these appliances of modern science and art, so as to be prepared for all the emergencies that may arise. He urged upon his hearers the impor tance of strengthening the second line of defence, the Militia, so that we might not be so far behind those nations of the Continent now employ ing so much skill and savoir-faire in the work of augmentation. The army of England could be recruited from the ranks of this trained force, while the " Volunteers held the fortifications in the de fence of the hearths, of the homes, of the altars of England." We are not surprised that this speech should have been well received, for it contains much that is deserving of attention, more especially at this junction of affairs. It is always desirable to look things boldly in the face, and not to be led astray by the specious pretext of those who argue from what they consider infallible rule, but who lack the energy that is so much re quired in momentous occasions thattest the strength of a nation, and put the people on their mettle. Mr. NEWDEGATE seems to rely with justice upon the old English spirit of endurance, and his speech is animated with a zeal and heartiness that we should wish to see infused into others who attempt to direct public matters, but who too often forget the main chance in their anxiety to keep up with the require ments of mediocrity. The residents in the northern counties have been prompt to express their sympathy with the sufferers by the recent terrible colliery explosions. At the close of last week a meeting was held in the Town Hall, Pontefract, for the purpose of organising a subscription for the relief of the distressed families in both districts. Lord HOUGHTON, who was pre sent, made a very appropriate and impressive address, and though there was not much new to be said on the painful subject, yet he was able to express the general sentiment in fitting terms. There was, he observed, something national about the cala mity, though he felt that the main sympathy and interest connected with the disaster must belong to those parts of the county where all were familiar with the process of mining to know something of the circumstances and lives of the colliers. It was not very many years, he reminded his hearers, since the working of such pits as . those which they were then considering was thought so dangerous on ac count of the fiery character of the coal as to be scarcely possible with anything like security to life. But almost simultaneously came the discoveries of Mr. STEPIIENSON and Sir HUMPHREY DAVY, by which light could be obtained in the mina with almost perfect security—security at least dependent on the prudence of the workmen. Lord HOUGHTON paused a moment to consider how marvellous small events and great were linked together, since it was quite possible that an inadvertent blow of one of the hundreds of picks at work against the wire of a single lamp may have been the immediate cause of this tremendous calamity. At the same time it is likely, as Lord lIOUGIITON suggested the other evening, that, in the progress of their work, the valuers had come upon some particularly dan figeeerlnouesd spot l e in do t u h b e t r t e h c a e t s s t e h s e m of i t n h e e mine.engaged " There seemed pit had come upon a large accumulation of noxious vapour, probably secreted in some chamber under ground for unknown ages of time. The effect of this vapour coming in contact with the E SUN, LON IM.N, TD THURSDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 27, IIE "SUN" NEWSPAPER.— G. R. GLENN delivers the LATE EDITION a' Chelse.i, 7.10 ; 8; Starch-green, 8; Woolwich, 730 A:bri4e, 9.2 U; Watford, 8.15. HE LATEST EDITION of "THE SUN." _C 110LALES begs to inform his friends, and the pub;ic :.oierally, that he supplies the LATEST EDITION of ram "as soon as published —No. 16, 112.napstead road, N.Y. - . VIE LAST EDITION of " THE SUN " supplied as soon as I"ublished, containing all the LA PEST iNNWS and S2oltriNG INEBlacktriars-r LLl(iit:M , h, by H. W. HAILitiS, Newspaper Agent T , 4, uad, London, S. O 1 TING-.—JO ITN ROBERTS su pp lies the isti k.. ed. LAT EST -s EDITION -roadof " E.G.b(JN" as soon as pub -I, B.tthtrity, FR O THE LATEST POLITICAL and srowns G INTELLIGENCE see the Late Edition 01 " The sun" at Mr. Blake's, Queen's Head, Windsor street, Uxbridge. LATEST INTELLIGENCE.- Samuel SRITIL late of Chelsei, now of the White hart, Acton, Middlesex, begs to inform his friends and neighbours that the Latest Edition of "The Sun" can be seen at his house as above. MOSES and S O N, J • Ready-made and Bespoke Tailors, Habit Makers, Woollen Drapers, Hatters, Hosiers, Boot and Shoe Manu facturers, and General Outfitters for all Classes. E. MOSES and SON respectfully invite an inspection of their STOCK, which will be found to comprise all the most fashionable styles and an extensive assortment of the newest fabrics. A very large and well-assorted stock of OVERCOATS, and Winter Clothing generally, at their usually moderate prices. The following are the London addresses of E. Moses and Son:- 154, MINORIES. 155, MINORIES. 156, MINORIES. 157, MINORIES. 83, ALDGATE. 84, ALDGATE. • 85, ALDGATE. . 86, ALDGATE. 87, ALDGATE. 88, ALDGATE. 83, ALDGATE. 506, NEW OXFORD-STREET. 507, NEW OXFORD-STREET. .503, NEW OXFORD-STREET. 1, HART-STREET. 2, HART-STREET. lIART-STREET, 137, T Orr EN 11111-00 [M T-ROAD 138, TOT TEN I INM-COURT-ito AD: 233, EUS T ON-ROAD. Also, 13, ERI DOE-STREET, BRADFORD YORKS. ERIDGE-STREE r, BRADFORD' YORKS. ip MOSES and SON'S ESTABLISHMENTS ki• are CLOSED EVERY FRIDAY EVENING at turisot till SATURDAY EVENING at sunset, when business is resumed till Eleven o clock. All articles aie marked the lowest price in plain figures, from which no abatement can be made. Any article not approved of will be exchanged, or the money will be returned. Lists of Prices with rules for Self-measurement and Fashion Sheet, with Patterns and " History of London," gratis and post free. APOPULAR lIISTORY of LONDON from the Invasion of Julius Ca3sar to the Present Tinao. Part the First, from B.C. 55 to A.D. 1066. E. Moses and Son, corner of Minories and Ahlgate; New Oxford-street, and 'fottenham-court-road, London; And Bradford, Yorkshire. Gratis and post five on application. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. CxIB DAY.—Morning, sh. 55m.—Afternoon, 6h.1.8rn r 3-m ORRO w.-Mmrning, 6h. 42m.—Afternoon, 7h. 7m. m k ) , t Wit ) - flay ne of one single lamp would have been sufficient t o . ignite a large portion of the mine, and to produce a n oxious vapour of such intensity as to destroy life at once wherever it existed in the pit." There was thus a double destructive—the force of the e xplOsiOn and the destructive nature of the vapour. It: is some consolation that, owing to the very g: neatness of the danger, there is reason to hope that those who perished were spared much suffering. lade( Id it is likely that those who were saved were the g reatest sufferers, most of them having been injure dby the flames. Of the heroism displayed by the volunteers Lord HOUGHTON spoke, as all felt,. strongly. He showed them boldly in their true colours, not as men animated by ambition, or even for thee most part by high principle. Many of those who so nobly risked their lives for the chance of saving their fellows were, of course, men of educa tion and science, who knew well their danger ; but there vras no lack of the rough and desperate men "whom. the world cared little about, and who cared very little or nothing for public opinion." One and all were animated by the same de sire—to do their best ; and the difficulty, as Lord HOUGHTON said, was not to procure men, but to prevent more going down than were wanted, and the heroism displayed was the more admirable that it was so entirely simple and without any ostentation. But in truth, in presence of that awful calamity, there was little room for such empty or superficial feelings. The description which Lord HOUGHTON gave of the double transformation was very impressive. The busy stirring scene of labour was:changed into the silent spot where a few men were fillip g up the shafts down which the hundreds of their missing fellows had gone to their grave, and the cheerful little village, with its rows of happy homes, was turned into one great place of mourning, wherein only one woman had not lost a near relative. Besides the immediate neighbourhood, other villages show similar scenes of desolation ; and when we re member that in a lesser degree the same thing has happened in Staffordshire, we shall indeed feel that the calamity is one of exceptional severity. It seems by the last intelligence received from Barnsley that only three of the 18 recovered alive from the pit on the day of the explosion are living, and that these are in a precarious condition. The vast body of fire in the mine still rages, though the engineers are sanguine of being able to extinguish it by sealing up the shafts, thus avoiding the great cost and delay of flooding the mine, which would be very serious, since the workings extend 1,900 yards on the dip. The subscriptions continue to be actively increas ing in all parts of the country. The Barnsley Sub scription Fund amounts to nearly £5,000. Bir mingham has also collected a good sum; Pontefract, and other towns in Yorkshire are, as we have seen, are busy ; while London, as usual, is foremost in the good work. Last evening the Mansion House Fund amounted to £lO,BOO, £750 of which was received in the course of the day. More than £l2O was col lected in churches and chapels on Christmas-day; and the subscriptions, which continue to pour in from all ranks and classes, from the nobleman with £lOO to the poor widow who sends ss. instead of a Christmas pudding. There is reason to hope that with the metropolitan and provincial subscriptions there will be sufficient to make a substantial pro vision for the widows and orphans, as was done in the case of the Hartley colliery accident. This will be no easy task, for whereas 204 men and boys lost their lives in that catastrophe, about 500 are now i believed to have perished, and in the village which Lord HOUGHTON visited all the women were father less, husbandless, or brotherless, and all the children either orphans or without a guardian. There is little room for hoping that this great calamity will be the last of its kind ; indeed every year produces as great a loss of life in mines and collieries, although the isolated cases fail to attract attention. The present sharp competition stimu lates the opening of new mines, and with the extension of mining operations there must always be some mines opened whose working i 4 peculiarly dangerous. The community, as Lord HOUGHTON reminded his hearers the other night, are practi cally gainers by this intense competition, since it considerably reduces the price of coal, and if the men employed in this trade are thereby subjected to greater perils, the public at large should promptly and liberally acknowledge the debt. It is to be hoped that a little more attention may be given to the prevention of accidents in mines. Our scientific knowledge has now advanced so much that we may well believe something more might be done in the way of improving the ventilation, or of testing the presence of fire damp. No security can, we fear, be obtained against the imprudence or reck lessness of the miners themselves, but such great disasters as the present will at least tend to impress the dangers attending their employment upon them, and thus produce more care. Out of evil sometimes comes good, and we hope that the whole question of mines and mining, affecting as it does so large a portion of our population, may before long be thoroughly investigated. At this season of the year the attention of well disposed persons who have money to spare is more than ever directed towards finding desirable oppor tunities of so using their means as to turn them to the best advantage, and hence all that is related of the exertions of those who have sought to improve the condition of the neglected is of interest and im portance. The Secretary of the New-cut Ragged Schools has furnished some particulars of this un dertaking which may well serve to awaken atten tion, and dispose the minds of the benevolent to aid the efforts thus worthily made. It is now twenty years since a few Christian people engaged a room in which ignorant and neglected children might be taught. This was the nucleus of the ragged schools, " which, like the grain of mustard seed, has now grown into a great tree, under the shadow of which hundreds have been sheltered, and numbers have been rescued from the horrible pit of sin and ele vated in the social scale, and are filling responsible stations in the great emporium of the world." The committee have since taken another penny theatre, and have commenced a working man's insti tute, in order that many may be drawn from bad companions and evil ways through the holding of temperance meetings, readings, lec tures, &c. More than a hundred pounds has already been spent upon t h e buildin g , but a great deal n more it will be found expedient to employ, and, therefore, subscriptions and donations are earnestly We should think that many might be glad requested. of th ll' is opportunity' of aiding in a good work, and one that, it is no exaggeration to say, will live on and be productive of good effects when they themselves shall have passed away from this busy scene; and a more satisfactory outlay can hardly be made than improving the condition, boei social and moral, of these neglected people. A RIGGER DROWNED.—On Saturday morning, while a rigger, named Patrick Aspinall, who resided at 17, Shadwell-street, Liverpool, was endeavouring to get on board the barque Paulina, lying in the George's Dock, he accidentally slipped his foot on a piece of brass on the rail of the vessel and fell into the water. A labourer of the name of Michael Fahey got into a boat, and went to As pinall's assistance, but was, unfortunately, too late. The body was recovered in about 20 minutes, and removed to tho doadhouso. Deceased was about 45 years old. At an inquest the same day the jury gave a verdict of accidentally drowned. CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS. (FROlt OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) PARIS, Wednesday Evening. Chri3tmas-day having been - a holiday for the printers but few newspapers have appeared this morning. The Moniteur was not published. The Parisians, indeed, are just now occupied with reli gious observances and sight-seeing, so that it must be something very astounding in the way of news to induce any attention even from veteran politicians. A despatch has been received from Vienna, which denies the truth of a report freely circulated in Paris, to the effect that France had attempted to control the wishes and intentions of the Emperor Maxi milian. The despatch also contradicts the statement given in some of the English papers that the Em - peror had been made prisoner. News from Vienna respecting Maximilian naturally has some authority, because the Emperor of Austria, Francis Joseph, of course, takes steps to become acquainted with the movements and desires of his brother Maxi milian. The latest authentic accounts received in Paris from Mexico mention that the Imperialists had evacuated Durango, San Luiz, de Potosi, and Mazatlan. On the 29th of November Maximilian was at Puebla, on his way to Mexico. Several of their Republican chiefs had ceased their opposition to the Empire. A letter from Berlin states that M. de Bismarck is better, and that he has no present intention of leaving Berlin, as was reported. The ornamentation of Paris proceeds rapidly. In a few days it will have another beautiful square constructed before the Church of la Trinite, opposite the Chausse6 d'Autre. The extent of this square is 3,000 metres. Chestnut trees and choice plants have been placed there, and the effect in summer will be very beautiful. As to the Church itself it will be one of the most magnificent in Paris. About five years have been employed in its construction. The paintings and sculpture are of the first order of modern At. The most remarkable statues are those personifying justice, strength, prudence, and tem perance. There are also statues of St. Anathanasius, St. Gregory, St. Hilaire, and St. Augustin. The architect is M. Ballu. It is stated in fashionable circles that as soon as the Princess Clotilde shall have entirely recovered from her accouchement she will accompany Prince Napoleon Jerome to Italy. Baron Salomon de Rothschild has obtained a de cree from the Senate, in pursuance of which his three sons and his daughter cease to be citizens of Frankfort, and have consequently become Prus sians. After long consideration the Commissioners of the Great Exhibition have decided that the admis sion will be one franc, whether on Sundays or week days. An illustration has just been afforded of the cor rectness of the adage that " truth is stranger than fiction." M. Silvestro Camerino has just, died at Padua, and he leaves by will no less than forty two million of francs. More than half of this sum is bequeathed to his nephew, who has for some years been residing in great poverty and privation, and while the testator lived he would not assist his nephew with a farthing. The residue of the pro perty is left in legacies to friends, to charitable in stitutions, and to servants. M. Camerino was a very ignorant man, not capable of writing his name, and in the early part of his life he was a daily labourer, and worked on the roads and highways for less than a shilling a day. The Journal des Debats has an interesting article upon the subject of M. de Ricasoli's letter to the Bishops of Rome who had left their dioceses, but who have now returned. The Debats compares the doctrines propounded by the Italian Minister in his letter to the celebrated formula of Count de Cavour —" A free Church in a free State." It then illus trates M. Ricasoli's principles by the following extract from his letter :—" By the side of the Ca tholic church a Protestant church is erected, the Mussulman mosque and the Chinese pagoda. By the side of the Catholic clergy the consistory of Geneva and the Methodist congregation fulfil their functions. Such a state of things does not en gender either confusion or hike warmness. Why ? Because neither religion demands from the State either special protection or special privilege. Each religion exists and is developed under the shield of the law common to all ; and the law, equally respected by all, guarantees to each equal liberty." In conclusion, the Debats charac terises the letter as " a programme of reconciliation between the Church and modern society." The Lyons and Mediterranean Railway have drawn up an official account of the accident which I mentioned. It appears from this statement that the number of killed was 14, and not 12, as was first supposed. Five were Baden soldiers, and the rest commercial travellers and persons employed on the Railway. It is announced that the section of the railway from Nantes to Napoleon Vendee and that of Napo leon Vendee to Sables d'Olonne will be opened for traffic on Saturday next. A subterranean telegraph wire now gives instant communication between the Bourse and the Grand Hotel on the Boulevards, so that the residents may have quick knowledge of the price of the funds and of any news officially posted up. • Independently of the Great Exhibition on the Boulevards there will be a supplementary Agricul tural Exhibition at Billancourt, a pretty village, about eight miles from Paris. The authorities have given permission for the erection of a restaurant, a cafe, a theatre, and shops, and the exhibition is likely to be attractive. A. TIMELY REPRIEVE.--The Leipsic journals contain accounts of an extraordinary reprieve of a con demned criminal at the very moment of execution. A tailor named Kunscher had been sentenced to death for murder, and on the morning of the 18th was brought on the scaffold and attached to the plank of the guillotine ; suddenly a cry of " Stay ! Stay !" was heard, and a mes senger appeared bearing in his hand a telegram from the King of Saxony ordering a respite. The despatch had been forwarded only three-quarters of an hour before from Berlin, where his Majesty was staying, and without the haste employed by the bearer would probably not have arrived in time. The man had run from the telegraph office across the park to the prison, and being delayed by the crowds of persons assembled around, he raised the cry which was repeated from mouth to mouth until it reached the scaffold, when a passage was made to enable the mes senger to reach the spot. The official who directed the proceedings then took the telegram from the man's hands, and read aluu I : —" Postpone the execution until further oftlers. More ample details by post.--Jous, King." SINGULAR CASE OF SUICIDE IN STAFFORD GAOL. —On Monday morning, Thomas Parker, 59, the master shoemaker at Stafford gaol, committed suicide by hanging himself in his work-room ; and at four o'clock in the afternoon an inquest was held on the body before Mr. Morgan, coroner. Deceased has 'been connected with the gaol for some twenty-five years. The first witness called was Joseph Parker, a son of deceased. He identified the body, and stated that his father had for a long time past, but especially of late, been much depressed in spirit, in consequence of his having only a life interest in a cer tain property. Witness had often been with him re cently, endeavouring to ease his mind by his presence and conversation, and he was with him until half-past nine o'clock on Sunday night. He never at any time heard deceased hint at self-destruction. George Low bridge, warder, produced half-a-sheet of note paper, which he found on deceased's cutting board. It contained a short statement in the unfortunate man's handwriting, in which he referred to a case of irregularity at the gaol that was brought to light and finished a few weeks back, made allusion to the false swearing of some party or other, and protested his perfect innocence of bribery and other irregular practices. Where the point of this statement lay, however, did not transpire, as the witnesses stated that deceased was in no way implicated in the late breach of prison discipline. John Astbury, storekeeper at the gaol, said that having in the way of his duty some thing to say to deceased, he went to his workroom at ten minutes to 11 o'clock, and there found him hanging by a piece of rope from a hook, the hook being attached to a staple that was driven into the beam which was across the ceiling. There was a stool lying on the floor behind him, as though he had at first stood upon it and then kicked it from beneath his feet. Witness at once felt his hands, and finding thorn stiff and cold, ran to Mr. Lowbridgo, who helped to cut down the body. He saw deceased on Sun day, and was impressed by his variableness—at one time he was very sleepy, and at another excited and restless. James Hall, warder, stated that deceased came to the gaol at half-past 6 o'clock on Monday morning, half an hour before the fixed time, and he asked him why, but received no answer. After a short address from the coroner, the jury, deceased ,witho to without hesitation,okaway h returned own life a b verdict to the effect that hanging himself wluls in kfitais of unsound mind. 1861 LATEST INTELLIGENCE. (REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.) TURKEY. CONSTANTINOPLE, Dec. 26. The Porte has again addressed energetic remon strances to the Greek Government on account of Greek soldiqrs having disembarked at Candia among other volunteers coming from Greece. The Porte also remonstrates against the concentration of Greek troops on the frontier, and has declared that it will hold Greece responsible for the consequences. THE BOMBAY MAIL. SOUTHAMPTON, Dec. 27. The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer Poonah arrived here to-day, with the above mail, 47 passengers, £4,734 in specie, and 383 packages of general cargo. From Alexandria to Gibraltar she experienced head winds and heavy seas. The British war ships Skylark and Redpole, the American turret-ship Aliantonoinah, and the sloop Auguste were at Gibraltar. The Prussian frigates Gadzelle and Blidge were at Malta. The exchanges at Gibraltar are unaltered. The following telegram from Bombay, dated Dec. 13, has been received by Messrs. W. C. Sillar and Co. :—Exchange on London for a first-class bank bill, 6 months' sight, Is. 114 d. per rupee; the Calcutta rate for do., 2s. Od. 5-16th per rupee ; exchange on Calcutta at sight, 101 to 1011 ; Go vernment 4 per cent. paper, 88rs. ; do. 5 per cent. paper, 1044r5. ; do. 5i per cent. paper, 1104 rs. ; Bank of Bombay rate of discount, 8 ; bar gold, 99i touch ; bar silver, 17 to 17i betterness, 108 rs. per 100 tolas. 24,000 bales cotton sailed from Bombay during the fortnight. Imports quiet. SUEZ, Dec. 26. The Malta arrived at 7a.m. to-day (due on the 28th). OUTWARD MAIL OF DEC. 4-10. The Nubia sailed for Calcutta on the 20th inst at 4 p.m. OUTWARD MAIL OF DEC. 20. GIBRALTAR, Dec. 25. The Nyanza arrived to-day at 5 a.m., and left at 10 for Alexandria. SOUTHAMPTON, Dec. 27. The North German Lloyd's steamship America has arrived with 113 passengers for Southampton, Havre, and Bremen, 45 sacks of mails for England, $295,329 for London, and $5,000 for Bremen. Her news has been anticipated. OPENING OF THE HESSIAN CHAMBERS. DARMSTADT, Dec. 23. Herr von Dalwigk, President of the Council of Ministers, opened the session of the Chambers yes terday with the following speech : "Illustrious and Most Honourable Gentlemen, " His Royal Highness the Grand Duke has ordered me to open the 19th Session in his name. The war events of the past summer and the treaties of peace which have succeeded them have com pletely tranformed the political situation of our German Fatherland. Austria has quitted Germany. The North is separated from the States south of the Maine, the Confederation, to which Germany has owed fifty years of peace and moral and material development, no longer exists. But the idea of one great and common country, the tie that embraces German hearts could not perish, and therein lies our hope that the day will come when Germany will be regenerated in new hope and new greatness. "The Government of H.R.H. the Grand Duke will not cease to devote its efforts to this lofty aim ; it is aware that in so doing it may reckon upon the support of both Chambers of the Grand Duchy. We shall first lay before you for your constitutional assent the Peace Treaty of Sept. 3d, 1866, by which the old friendly relations with Prussia have been re-established, which were interrupted to the great regret of H.R.H. the Grand Duke. " The position H. R.H. the Grand Duke took up immediately before the outbreak of the litql war, and pending its duration, renders him desirous of learning the opinion of the Hessian people as to that position. Consequently tha old Chamber, elected under other circumstances, has been dissolved, and a new Assembly of the Estates has been con voked. The Grand Ducal Government entertains hopes that the present Chamber will not refuse to approve the political line of conduct it has hitherto followed. The peace treaty of Sept. 3, 1866, stipulates that those portions of the country situated north of the Maine shall belong to the Northern Confederation. Although it would have been very desirable that all parts of the country, indeed all German States upon this side of the Maine, should have been received into the new Confederation, insurmount able obstacles have nevertheless opposed the accom plishment of this wish. It will first be our task, while fulfilling with the greatest zeal and fidelity the new Federal obligations we have contracted, to act so that the peculiar position of the territory situated north of the Maine shall not change in any essential form the constitutional ties connecting the various parts of the Gand Duchy, nor the equal rights of the three provinces. The ulterior propositions of the Grand Ducal Government will relate to the la kv of the elections to the Northern Parliament, then the introduction of part of the Hessian legislation into the newly acquired territory, next the participation of those districts in the representation of the Grand Duchy ; lastly, the settlement of our financial administra tion, which has well supported the trials of recent months. " Other propositions, relative to the constitution of the Northern Confederation to the development and completion of our own constitution and our legislation, as well as to the increase of means of communication in the country, will be laid before you as soon as the labours required to prepare them shall be terminated. The Government hopes to be in a position to do this in the course of the session. " In the name of H.R.H. the Grand Duke I now declare the 19th session open." FRANCE. A most terrible railway accident has taken place near the Franois station, on the line from Dijon to lksancon. A goods train came into collision with the passenger train No. 212, on Sunday evening, and twelve persons were killed. Twenty persons received injuries, many of them very serious. This line is worked by the Paris-LyonsMediterrandeCom pany. No accurate particulars respecting this acci dent have yet been received in Paris. BOURSE, Dec. 26, Two o'clock.—The market is much more buoyant, and all Stocks and Shares have advanced, some of them considerably. French Threes have improved 20c., at 60f. 67f c. A siinilaz rise is quoted on Italian Fives, at 56f. 50c. Credit Mobilier shares have gone beyond par, and are now worth 508 f. 75c., or higher by 15c. Credit Foncier gain 2f. 50c., at 1,392 f. 50c., and Comptoir d'Es compte are in much better demand at 857 f. 50c., an improvement of 10f. Less is doing in Railway shares, but they nevertheless are quoted in advance. Lyons have again reached 900 f. The second half yearly dividend of 1866 on Bank of France shares is announced at 76f. Three o'clock.—Securities have continued firm to the end, with a further advance. The closing prices are as follows : q per Cents 9B 10 Do. end month — 3 per Cents. 69 75 Do. end month 69 72* Credit Mobiher 510 Do. end month Credit Foncier — Do. end month 1392 50 RAIL Bank Shares 3630 Italian Loan 55 50 Do. end month 56 55 Mexican Loan — Do. Bonds — Spanish Threes Home Debt — Deferred 'AYS. For Account. Orleans Northern l2OO Lyons and Mediterranean 9OO Southern 582 50 Western SG2 50 Eastern Sardinian. - Austrian Lombard 386 23 North of Spain — Saragoszl Ditto to Barcelona 130naam,„,.,„,„ 0 0 0 00 73 -- CHRISTMAS AMUSEMENTS. An elaborate preface to the preparations and performances with which theatrical managers and the caterers for public amusements have welcomed the recurrence of Christmas-tide is worse than a thrice-told tale. We shall therefore leave the gen tlemen who have attended these entertainments to speak for themselves of what they saw and heard, premising merely that pantomime last evening formed the staple at no less than seventeen theatres. The immense amount of time, talent, money, and labour expended on these productions would furnill ma terial for calculation for a member of the Statistical Society ; but, fortunately for the reader, even these men of figures are just at this juncture making holi day. Suffice it to say, that no denizen of London possessing a " splendid shilling," nor of the country who has the wherewithal for a railway ticket and the requisite leisure, need deprive him or herself of a first-class evening's entertainment, dramatic, musical, scenic, comic, combining all these qualities. DRURY-LANE. " Bravo, Chatterton ! " so said one of the largest audiences ever assembled in Old Drury last evening ; and so say we, for most certainly the grand Christ mas annual submitted for the gratification of the holiday folks is one of the most extraordi narily brilliant spectacles ever produced at this theatre, now so celebrated for Christmaspantomime. The great and jovial audience having most good naturedly sat out the short farce of " A Day After the Wedding," the appearance of Mr. Tully in the orchestra was loudly cheered, and on his gently tap ping the music- stand as a signal for the commence ment of the overture to the pantomime; the cheer ing was renewed again and again. The over ture is invariably a great feature to en tertainments on Boxing-night at Drury-lane, as the gods invariably appropriate the popular airs of which it is composed for a display of their vocal powers. The opening strains were listened to atten tively, but when the air of the " Mousetrap Man" broke upon the ear it was immediately taken up by the jolly Christmas party above, and one and all joined in merry chorus. The air " Champagne Charlie" also afforded another opportunity for vocal display ; and certainly Mr. 'fully has every reason to be satisfied with the admirable manner in which the great chorus of about 2,000 voices kept time under his baton, more especially with "When Johnny Comes Marching Home." The author, Mr. E. L. Blanchard, has taken for the basis of his produc tion a well-known German legend, and the title under which his piece is presented is "Number Nip ; or, Harlequin and the Gnome King of the Giant Mountain." The proper characteristics of the German Elf and the scene of his mischievous tricks are followed in the pantomime, and the pencil . of Mr. William Beverley has done every thing that Could be desired in the way of effective illustration. A scene near the outset representing " the Willow Island of the Drachenfels " and the Rhine by moonlight at once stamped the piece with popular approval, and the succeeding pictures were equally good. Number Nip was cleverly embodied by Master Percy Roselle, and the Rhenish fairy Pipulee by Miss Lydia Thompson ; while as the piece progressed Tom Matthews surpassed himself by his ludicrous performance of the Silesian farmer, Hans. Mr. E. Clifton, as Gammer Grethel, the farmer's wife ; Mrs. 11. Vandenhoff, as Romance ; Miss E. Bodenham, as Burlesque ; Miss Hudspeth, as Nymphalia, Queen of the Water Fairies ; Miss Seymour, as the Princess of Silesia, and Mr. C. Sey mour, as her grotesque suitor, all ably:contributed their services. Mr. Fitzjames, as Count Hosschesnutz, chief minister of the Prince, and Mr. Robins, as his fat equerry—a 22-stunner, as he announced himself to be—kept the audience in the most exuberant good-humour. The story is introduced by an alle gorical scene, in which there is a bantering dialogue between Romance and Burlesque on the popular tastes and follies of the time. The succeeding bal let, which takes place on the island already men tioned, is an admirable representation, and its won drous variations elicited loud and repeated plaudits, a large portion of which was bestowed on the prin cipal danseuse, Mdlle. Ferena Stussey, of the Royal Opera, Dresden. Iu this ballet scene, it appears that if Numbor Nip, who takes a new form every winter, can be made to fall in love, and wooed into matrimony, he will thenceforth be unable to change, this being a legendary symbol of constancy. Hav ing been transformed into a ploughboy, and taken service with Hans, the Silesian farmer, who culti vates the valley of the Giant Mountain, Nip plays a number of goblin pranks with the crops and trea sures of the homestead. The palace of the Gnome King in the centre of the mountain, to which he bears off the Silesian Princess, is succeeded by a wonderful scene in the cotter's dwelling, where 100 little nixies, or German Elves, perform astonishing feats in shoemaking and tailoring. The giant moun tain itself, frowning gloomily on the spectators, is at length exchanged for the transformation scene, in which the nuptials of Number Nip with the Prin cess are celebrated. The pictorial climax of the story is really a most brilliant spectacle, realising all the most dazzling effects of fairy illustration, and one that completely defies adequate description. At the back of the stage a large fairy palace of crystal rises from a bright and placid lake, composed of the same material, and hundreds of water fays, floating, flying, and drifting in all directions amidst a shower of sparkling diamonds, make up a scene of magic splendour unparalleled in stage illusion. The audience were in ecstacies; and, in obedience to an enthusiastic call, Mr. Beverley, the painter, and Mr. Chatterton, the lessee, had to make their ap pearance and bow their acknowledgments to the hurricane of applause their transformation elicited. In what follows capital service is done by Messrs. H. Boleno and C. Lauri, as clowns ; Messrs. Barnes and J. Morris, as pantaloons; Messrs. Cormack and S. Saville, as harlequins ; and Madame Boleno and Madlle. Adele Marion, as columbines. The tricks and frolics of the pantomime were of theliveliest order. Among the objects of fun are the " Christmas waits," and the ladies' chignons, the latter being presented under most varied and amusing aspects ; while the now chimney-pot hats of the other sex are seen enormously prolonged. An omnibus marked " Turnham-greenm is magically turned into a greengrocer's shop, a gigantic sherry cobler into a youthful son of St. Crispin, and there are many 'other surprising changes. In " Clown's Chambers" we are treated with some capital novel tricks in that well-used department, winding up with a wonderful scene, iu which Clown's bed revolves with him, and pictures and other articles in Ole room are in the wildest possible mood. In the course of the pantomime there is a capital drum performance by a tiny infant, and an astonishing exhibition in which a male performer spins a loose flabby cap with a stick, under every possible attitude, standing or sitting. It should be added that the well known artist Dykwynkyn employed his talents on the masks and allegorical devices, and that his efforts afforded the greatest satisfaction. Another good feature remains to be noticed--the perform ance terminated by about half-past 11. COVENT-GARDEN. Although pantomime of course formed the main attraction at this establishment last night, it was not the only novelty of the evening, having been preceded by a new operetta, in one act, called " Terrible Hymen," which served to fill up the preliminary hour before the specialty of the occasion ; and to maintain (although but in a very slight degree) the associations of the house with musical purposes. The operetta is a mere trifle, both dramatically and musically ; in the former respect apparently an adaptation from some French vaudeville, while the music also has some affinity to the same school in its lightest aspect. The libretto is a mere thread on which to hang three songs and as many duets for the two charac ters of the piece —Pierre, a timid lover, whose courage constantly fails him when on the point of proposing marriage to Marie, the object of his affections ; the lady taunting him with his vacilla tion, and proposing an exchange of names, and being met by a counter-proposal of a change of costume. In this exchange of characters a little and the badinage leads to a better u The book is by nderstanding,Mr.bert a Beckett. The usual happy termination. music, by M. Emile Jon as has a light vein of dance-like melody, which is pleasant because unpretentious, and not prolonged so as to become tiresome. The characters of Marie and Pierre were representod by Madame Linas Marto relli and Signor Gustave Garcia, both vocalists of considerable accomplishments, who gave their songs and duets • with much finish and point. A little more case in the acting of the gentleman will doubtless come with further stage practice. • The pantomime was a great and genuine success, and was received throughout with frequent demon strations of applause by an audience which occnrird cwry is the, theatre. There can be no doubt that "Ali Baba" wi:l prove a long sourcs of attraction to the public, and of profit to the ma nagement \ld hich has placed it on the stage in so lavish and costly a style. HAYMARKET. Notwithstanding the absence of the ordinary stock Christmas piece—the expected pantomime or extravaganza—the Haymarket programme was yesterday diversified even beyond the voracious appetite of a Boxing-day public. Yet in the midst of all its diversity, the Haymarket so far preserved the dramatic unities and its title to recognition as the theatre of comedy par excellence as to make the comic element the flavouring ingre dient in the preparation of its holiday novelties. To begin with, there was a morning performance by a troupe of Lilliputian artists, consisting of 27 actors and actresses, varying in height from 30 to 50 inches. Most persons would be apt to smile at the idea of a comedy performed under such conditions, where the little actors must be supposed to con their parts and fill their " humorous stage" veryptich as parrots might be supposed to do. But a visit to " Littletop's Christmas Party," and the burlesque of " Sylvius" which follows, in the morning perfor mance at the Haymarket, will disabuse the a prior thinking public of any such idea. The evening entertainment commenced with a comedietta in one act, entitled ci A mere Child," by Mr. Westland Marston, Miss Rebecca Powell per forming the part of the " Child." The "Child" is seventeen, and her aunt, Mrs. Radnor (Mrs. Law B ) is anxious to keep her in the state of innocent ignor ance supposed to be represented by those numerals. But the " Child" experiences a feeling which, with some doubt and hesitation, she supposed to be a part of her nature ; She induces her aunt to allow her the exercise, if only by way of essay, of her newly-discovered instinct, and the result of the ex periment is that by her simple and artless manners she takes the place of Miss Dampier (Mrs. Chippen dale), a perfect woman of the world, in the affec tions of the rich and high-born Charles Grande)* (Mr. Howe). The piece seems to have been written . expressly with a view to the special acting qualifi cations cations of Miss Powell, and in this point of view I' answered exceedingly well, for it gave ample oPP °r " tunity for the exhibition of that naive and simpl e style which she possesses in a hi g h degree. In the " Lesson for Life," a come dy i n three act s, by Mr. Tom Taylor, Mr. S o th ern was welcom ed back to the Haymarket boards as to his home- „ A pleasant farce, entitled " Jenny Lind at Last, and a ballet divertissement, in which Mdlle Sophia, of the Berlin and Copenhagen Theatres, took the principal part, followed, and wound up a day's en tertainment of a pleasant and diversified kind. Th e house was very full. ADELPHI. The Christmas piece at this house is a burlesque by the surviving author of " Kenilworth," f o unded upon the familiar theme of " The Lady of the La ke, and entitled " Mountain Dhu ; or, the Knight, the Lady, and the Lake." The principal incidents in Si r Walter Scott's poem are, to use a theatrical expres sion, " utilised" in the construction of this piece ; but in the arrangement of incidents and the delinea tion of character the author has abundantly availed himself of the freedom which burlesque claims as its With it Rob Roy's name is not M'Gregorl even when his foot was on his "native heath," cun less that appellation falls naturally into rhyme; and it is therefore not surprising that James Fitz Jam es ' Douglas, and Roderick Dhu should have undergoee moral transformations almost equal to those PhY s . l o, cal ones which are to be found in pantoniiines,ll, order to adapt them to the Adelphi stage., 1, 1 % Knight of Snowdon, as represented by Mrs. lie is entirely innocent of Lincoln green, and 0 1111 ,,' 1c ' , " the manners rather of a Cockney excursionist t ' an i s of a sporting sovereign. The Douglas, in the bands of Mr. Paul Bedford, has lost all his fury, and " 1 . 111 ; proved" into a heavy father; while the Rod erick Dhu of Mr. Toole has so far submitted to the ie flll- ence of civilisation as to take snuff out of 3 say er box, and carry his whisky in such a flask as is to be met with any day in a first-class carriage between London and Brighton. Mr. Toole made his firs t a i r t pearance last night after his return from a sonlowrld prolonged provincial tour. He was warmly gr eete upon his entry, and a few lines " appropriate t o the occasion," in which, among other things, be nu ; nounced that he had left the dews of Ben Nevis, and meant in future to take his due of Ben Webste r ' were heartily applauded. The burlesque was preceded by " a Sister's Pen ance." Miss Kate Terry, who plays the heroine, I va ; warmly applauded in all the principal scenes; and was, with Mr. H. Vezin, called before the curtain at the end of the play. own. OLYMPIC. This house re-opened last night under the lessee ship of Mr. Benjamin Webster and the m anagerae ut of Mr. Horace Wigan, with a revival of Mr. l3ouci cault's early comedy of " London Assurance," a Pi a / that has been a stock piece for actors of comedy for more than twenty years. Mr. Charles. Mathews has returned to the scene of his early and most success ful labours, accompanied by Mrs. Charles Mathews, and, looking younger than ever, performed his old part of Dazzle with wonderful spirit and finish. Lady Gay Spanker, a character associated in the minds of playgoers with Mrs. Nisbett, found a charming re presentative in Mrs. Charles Mathews. Sir Har court Courtly was given to Mr. Horace Wi gan , Charles Courtly to Mr. H. Neville, Mark Meddle to Mr. G. Vincent, Max Harkaway to Mr. Addison, Dolly Spanker to Mr. Dominick Murray, G ra ce Harkaway to Miss M. Palmer, and Pert to Miss E. Farren—a strong and efficient cast. The afterpicce is the burlesque of " Faust and Marguerite." LYCEUM. The new drama " Rouge et Noir," produced bore last night and received with every sign of appro. -6i ' by a crammed house, is a five-act adaptation by2dr• Leslie, author of the t , Orange Girl," and other pieces. The original French play " Trente Ans de la Vie d'uu Joueur," was produced 40 years ago 3t the Porte Saint Marriu, and the Great Frederic Le maitre created an enormous sensation in the leading character. The plot extends in the present version over a period of only 20 years ; and the principal figure in it is that of Maurice d'Arbel, a young mai l of high family but an inveterate gambler. He is haunted by an evil genius in the shape of one Gas pard de Layrac, and watched over by one Erie Gautier, who supplies the counteracting good agency all through the piece. In the first act Maurice is found at a gaining-house in the Palais Royal ; iu the fourth and fifth he is reduced to the utmost pitch of destitution, and barely manages to avoid starvation by cutting wood in the Black Forest. A son, lost sight of 20 years previously, comes to light at last, and the original French catastrophe is changed into a happy ending, to suit our more dainty English susceptibilities. Maurice was im pressively played by Mr. Fechter, and it offers hial abundant opportunity for the startling contrasts of character he loves to display. Parts of the imper sonation were splendid. The scene in which be appears old, haggard, travel-stained, and well nigh despairing, to accept alms he has almost stooped lose enough to solicit, created a profound impression. Very excellent., too, was the struggle in his breast witnessed in the last act. His hatred for his enemy waned fast before the thirst of gold the adroit Gasper knew* how to awake. his hand grew tremulous with excitement, his dull eye brightened with a fierce, unnatural brightness, his weak frame was inspired with a strength not his own. Many other points of equal merit might alsob,: singled out for mention. Mrs. Leigh Murray, as the gambler's mother, who dies of the shock her system receives on learning the perfidy and baseness el lter son, was admirably per- trayed. very cl play e d Mr. S. parts Messrs. to " R ( 8 o'clo The me reputat this spe destruc The pik. enabled a rot' The ; videcl n Alessrs. 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