The Sun. — London, England, 1855-12-01 00:00:00

\. .~3. v:' THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 1, 1855. M.TULLIEN'S CONCERTS. - ROYAL • ITALIAN OPERA, COVENT-GARDEN. Last Night but Twelve.—Madame Gassier.—The Fall of Sebastopol Quadrille.— Grand Selection from II Trovatore. The Programme f o r TOIS EVENING (Saturday, Dec. 1) will include—Overture, Buy Bias ; L'Etoile du Nord Quadrille ; the Andante from Roch Albert's Swiss Symphony ; La Prima Donna Valse (third time this she eason) ; Cava- Una from II Trovatore ; and New Song, The Bird of Forest, sung by Madame Gassier; the Moldavian Schottisch F a ll 010 of Sebastopol, , flute, by Herr Reichardt ; the New Grand Quadrille, the assisted by the military Bands; Grand Operatic Selection from II Trovatore (for the fourth time); the Andante from Mendeissohn's Italian Symphony; the Rataplan Polka (ior the third time) Solo, Violoncello, by M. Montigny; an d the Atlantic Gel:tips circle, 2s. 6d.; . Commence at 8. Promenade and boxes , Is. ; dress private boxes, 125., It. ie., and 1/. II s. 6d. The Mozart Festival will take place next Wednesday, Dee, 5, On Saturday, Dec. 8, Di. Juillen's Annual Benefit. The Beethoven Festiva' will take place on Monday, Dec. 10. M. Jullien's Grand Annual Bal Masque will take place on Mon day, Dec. 17, 1855. sMITITS GRAND BAL MASQUE at DRURY a . _ LANE, for the MILLION. Reduced prices, but increased amusement.—Promenade, 7s. 64. ; private boxes, for two persons, 10s. 6d.; for four. one guinea; dress circle, 23.6 d. ; boxes and galleries, is. Mr. E. T. Smith, Lessee, respectfully informs the Nobility, Gen try, and Public, that a GRAND BAL MASQUE will take place at the above Theatre on WEDNESDAY, December 12, on a scale of mag nitude and expense never before attempted. A superb salon de dense, 400 feet in length, embellished and decorated with illuminated bowers, variegated lamps, and novel devices. Enlarged orchestra, well-appointed masters of the ceremonies, all the new dances, music, Icc. Tickets, 75. 6d. each, to be obtained at the principal music sellers and librarians, and. at the theatre. Several thousand varie gated lamps, by Duffell. The whole of the novel gas Ittings under the superintendence of Mr. Jones, of Bow-street, assisted by Mr. Palmer. The decorations by Dickwynken, assisted by Mr. Need ham. The Bowers and scenery arranged by Mr. Tucker. The re freshments by Messrs. Scott and Watling, of Piccadilly end Pimlico. Masters of the Ceremonies under the direction of Mr. Jarvis. The police under Superintendent Hancock. The Box-office under the superintendence of Mr. Chatterton. THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY-LANE. Lessee, Mr. E. T. Smith. THIS EVENING, Will be performed A GAME OF SPECULATION. Madame Labarrere's Troupe of Lions, Bears, &c. Followed by THE CRITIC. Principal character by Mr. C. Ma thews. THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Under the Management of Mr. Buckstone. THIS EVENING, Will be performed GUY MA.ITNERISG. Characters by Messrs. Villiers, Compton, and Howe; and Miss Swanborough and Miss Cushman. After which, COURT FAVOUR; or, Private and Confidential. To conclude with A KI4liS IN THE DARK. ROYAL PRINCESS'S TLIEATRE, OIFORD-STREET. Under the Management of Mr. CHAELIM KEAN. THIS EVENING Will be performed DON'T JUDGE BY APPEARANCES. After which, the comedy of EVERY ONE HAS BIS FAULT. Characters by Mrs C. Kean, Megsrs F. Matthews, Marley, Cooper, Lacy, Ryder, and Fisher; and Mrs Daly, Misses Heath, Murray, and K. Terry. To conclude with TEE MULETEER OF TOLEDO. THEATRE ROYAL ADELPHI. Proprietor, Mr. B. Webster.—Directress, Madame Celeste. THIS EVENING, Will be performed MAME DUC.I.NGE; or, The Jersey Girl. After which, the comedy of FOREIGN AFFAIRS. To conclude with TWICE KILLED. ROYAL LYCEUM TIIEATRE. Lessee, Mr. J. iI. Aa lerion, 13, Norfolk-street, Strand. LAST WEEK 811 f T 'TO. Increased Attractions, and success in equal ratio VIP!. AND EVERY EVENING, at Eight o'Clock, Will 'se presontel, with entirely New and )laggificent Appoin , - AA.CIIC and Nf YSTERY, in twelve acts, arranged in two parts,by Professor Anderson. - - - • • - . _ _ - - After which, the startling illaqtrations of Spirit-Rapping. TIAL I r- AN-tIOUR WITH TEIE SPIRITS, being the most surprising and interesting series of experiments ever given within the walls of any theatre. Revival, in an improved form, of the astounding novelty which tattled London 10 years ago, the GREAT GU TRICK Prices of admission: —private 13)xes, 11. Ile. 61. and U. Is. ; Orchestra Stalls, 45.; Dress Boxes, 35.; Upper Boxes, 2a.; Pit, Is.; Gallery, 6d. Ne half-price. Box-office open from 11 to 5 daily. Grand Morning Performance on Saturday Next at Two o'Clock. Doors open at Half-past One. ROYAL STRAND THEATRE. Under the direction of Mr. Payne. THIS EVENING, Will be porforme 1 NUM 3L ii NICKLE After which, a SP s.NISq B -ILLET, by the Spanish Dancers. To be followed by MONSIEUR JACQUE 3. To which will be added lIIE G ILICIAN FELT. Followed by NITOCRIS. RIYAL OLY sIPIC THEATRE. TIII3 Will be performed THE SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL. Characters by Messrs. Emery, F. 'Vining, G. Vininz, A. Wigan, Robson, &c. ; Mrs. A. Wigan, Mrs. Stirling, and Mrs Fitzallan. Followed by CATCHING A NIER vIAID. ASTLE ROYAL AMPIIIT LIE ATER. Lessee and Manager, Mr. Wrn. Cooke. Engagement of Herr Johann Enderaohn, the greet Continental Grotesque. Tremendous effect produced by Mademoiselle CLEMENTINE SOULLIER, the first Equestrian in the World Last Six Nights of the Fall of Sebastopol. THIS EVENING. The FALL of SEBASTOPOL, which will shortly be replaced by an entirely new and original equidrama, in which the whole of Mr. Win Cooke's trained horses will appear. After which, each night, the novel ACT 3 in the CIRCLE, Includ ing the Saut des Objets, by Mlle. Cle , nentine Scallion To conclude with a Melange of Amusements. 1;0x-office open from Eleven till Four. Stage Manager, Mr. W. West. Equestrian Director, Ur. W. Cooler. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. TRIM DAY—Morn. 40 min. aft. 6—Evening 9 min. aft. 7 TO-310REOw—Morn. 38 min. aft. 7—Evening 15 min. aft. 8 THERMOMETER, IN THE. SHADE. 53 -highest since noon yesterday. 42 --lowest this morning and during the night. 46 -this day at noon. BAROMETER, 3Q•10. 7.7mr, N.W. by W.—Light, with fine dull weather for the first of December. rsf 44 4 ; 53431, LONDON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1855. The stocks of bullion in the Bank coffers and of notes in circulation are gradually but steadily diminishing. The demand for money, even at the extravagant rates demanded by the Bank and the discount houses, is of a peculiarly urgent cha racter—not merely to supply existing wants, but rather as fitting preparation for the exigencies of " the hard times coming," when the confusion and panic of 1847 may be witnessed on an en larged scale, and 'when perfectly solvent houses may be unable to obtain notes in exchange for even first-class securities. None of the evils against which the stringent enactments of the Act of 1844 were intended to guard are in opera tion. Never was our domestic trade and com merce in a healthier position, save in one re spect. It is not the curb, but the spur that is required. Encouragement should be afforded, but, in place thereof, cold water is thrown on every effort ; and it is almost impossible to obtain the means of carrying on the legitimate operations of industry, except on the most exorbitant and ruinous terms. Nor is this all—prices are still extravagantly high, as every man earning his daily bread by his daily labour knows by painful experience, and there fore the anticipated effect cannot be produced as on forme r occasions. We cannot hope by forced cheapness to attract foreign capital to our shores, so as to change thecurreut that has set in so steadily and rapidly against this country. The conventional remedy having wholly failed, is it not of vital importance to lose no time in trying one of a very different character, th a t ma y possibly prove more efficacious that in former times enabled the country t ,„ overcome far greater difficulties, and safely to weather th e torm ? If the great a nd all - importa n t question were to bo decided on its merits —if it could be decided without fear, pre judice, favour, or affection, there could be but little, if any, doubt as to the result. But, unfor tunately, there are too many interested parties, who seek to improve the opportunity at the ex pense of the great body of the people, who look to their own private and peculiar interests rather than the national welfare. Every delay which they can accomplish increases their wealth, and therefore every device leading to procrastination may be anticipated. But will the People still ex hibit the same deplorable apathy and indifference? Will they still wilfully dose their eyes to the manner in which they have been victimised . ictsed ? We hope not. The exigencies of the case have excited attention even in the bullionist camp, and the very leaders are already arming themselves for the con test, which they perceive to be inevitable. Yesterday a letter appeared in the Times columns, under the signature " Mercator," a well-known " nom de plume," under which it is generally believed Lord OVERSTONE, who, as Mr. JONES LLOYD, was the putative parent of the Act of 1844, published his lucubrations. Such a cham pion would not have entered the arena under ordinary circumstances. At former times the bullionists were contented to treat all attacks with contempt, to pooh pooh the arguments that were offered against their hobby; aid the energetic character of the defence which they have organised proves beyond the possibility of doubt the serious estimate which they have formed of the actual difficulties of their position. " Mercator" earnestly deprecates any inter ference with the Act of 1844 until at least it has done its work, and brought the anticipated crisis to a climax. He tells us that " the high rate of interest is only the indicator of the value of capita.'" This is the cant phrase, the conventional platitude under which the parties so deeply interested at tempt to veil their unpatriotic schemes. It is not from the want of real wealth that the nation is thus placed at the mercy of the moneyocracy. All that is required is a relaxation of the artificial restrictions that have been imposed, restric tions utterly incompatible with existing conditions. We want a currency suited for our domestic trade, ;while affording every reasonable facility for foreign commerce, gold being rendered an article of merchandise, as it ought to be. By the employment of really national notes of small denominations, 11., 21., and 3/. each, 40,000,000 to 50,000,000 sovereigns, which at present act merely as counters, would be liberated, and the gold available for the proper maintenance of the War would at once be rendered applicable for its legitimate use. This remedy would be perfect ; but to be beneficial it should be promptly applied. Let the monetary reformers consider this, and redouble their exertions to pre serve their country from the serious calamities that must ensue if judicious measures be unduly postponed. It is a time for decided action, and we must repeat the injunction which we have so frequently put forward—" Agitate ! Agitate ! ! Agitate ! ! !" The reception of the King of SARDINIA by the population of Dover and London has, as we pre dicted been of the most enthusiastic description, One that no prestige of rank or territorial great ness could have ensured, but a spontaneous and unstinted homage to the virtues of the individual,. Of the man who, succeeding to an Italian throne, had dared to throw down his gauntlet, buckle on his armour, and enter the lists with France and England in the cause of liberty and civilisation. A monarch, it is true, who has acted as he has done, who has set before him as his highest aim, not his personal aggrandisement, or the exaltation of petty dynastic interests, but the real welfare of his people, and the moral and intellectual de velopment of the nations of Europe, will find in the approval of his own conscience his best reward; but VICTOR EJIMANIFEL must have been something more, or rather less than human, if his heart did not beat with intense satisfaction as he witnessed the dense crowds of free men and women congre gated to meet him, and listened to the loud and prolonged cheers with which they hailed his ap pearance. The homage of slaves he is well aware can be had to order, and resolves itself into the g ift 3 of the despot who can command it. ; but the homage of free men, of the high-minded people of England, is of another sort, and knowing this, there can be no doubt his MAJESTY prizes it ac cordingly. It is not as they received him that they would recognise the presence of a Prussian Prince, or a Coburg Duke, a Belgian King, or a German despot among them, but with contemptuous in difference or loud expressions of disapproval ; and it is earnestly to be desired that his Majesty will derive from the fact all the encouragement it is so well calculated to give. As our readers will have learnt, the working men of the metropolis were among the foremost to do him homage. What to them was the loss of a dinner in comparison with doing honour to the glorious cause of liberty and civilisation ? What to the representatives of the workers of the world dry throats, empty stomachs, and the loss of a little time in comparison with the loss of an op portunity like this ? Delighted with pluck in any form, it was not likely British workmen were going to let a trifle stand in the way of showing their admiration of the monarch who had exhibited so much in endeavouring to secure his people's happiness, and to withstand the aggres sions of a Power in whose dark shade there may be human beings but can be no People. And so it was—they whose stalwart frames and pliant muscles have achieved miracles at which the world wonders testified by their presence and truly British cheers that, with the skill to frame and the strength to execute, there was the great Eng lish heart that has ever beat for freedom, and shall yet throb with exultation over• liberated Europe. The more subdued, though not less cordial, greeting of the members of the middle and upper classes assembled along the line of route was souse thing to be proud of ; but the enthusiastic cheers of our workmen, topped by the piercing treble of chil dren's voices, was something to inspire a consti tutional king and a national ally with confidence. It demonstrated beyond all dispute that freedom is prolific of the most generous sympathies, that a free people are grateful for freedom conceded to o others, and that an ally of England, i n th e cause o f liberty, may rely on leve r b e i ng forsaken. Wh e n the foundations are unsound the noblest structure cannot be relied on ; but when a cause, honoured by all classes in this country, is espe cially so by the lower, the might of England must pass away before it will be suffered to fail. Not only, however, on his first reception, but through out his entire visit, is his MAJESTY likely to de rive encouragement to proceed in the Everywhereglorioush e course on which he has entered. will witness what civil and religious liberty can effect, and how steadfast that Monarch's ground of confidence is whose chief earthly trust is in the affection of her subjects. He will see well able to maintain order, and yet advance steadily with the times, they are who in effect make laws and have them administered for them selves ; and whatever may strike his eye as susceptible of improvement in any quarter, he will learn can be remedied without risk of anarchy or confusion. We cannot, to be sure, Parade a great army before him, but we can show him the record of gallant deeds, and, what is more than military Pomp, a cont e nt e d p eop l e , l ov i ng their Mon arc h , and guarding as a precious inheri tance their time-honoured institutions. All this, and more, he will have the opportunity of wit nessing or learning before his departure, ere which yet more enthusiastic greetings and yet further honours await him. Sir Benjamin Hall bag returned to London from Paris, where the right lion. baronet has beau staying for fort. night. VISIT OF THE KING OF SARDINIA TO ENGLAND. WINDSOR, Nov. 80.—The King of Sardinia arrived at the Castle, on a visit to the Queen, at a quarter past 2 o'clock this afternoon. Her Majesty received her illus trious guest on alighting from his carriage at the grand entrance. The Queen was accompanied by the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, Prince Alfred, and the Princess Alice, and was attended by the Duchess of Sutherland, and the Ladies in Waiting, the officers of State of her Household, and the Gentlemen in Waiting. The Duke of Cambridge, Viscount Palmerston, and the Earl of Clarendon were also at the Grand entrance. The King wore a Hussar uniform, dark blue, with silver appointments. The royal cortege from the railway station to the Castle comprised several open carriages with outriders in scarlet liveries, and an escort of the 2d Life Guards, under the command of Lieutenant• Colonel Ogilvy. The band of the 2d Life Guards was on duty in state uniforms on the top of the Castle-bill. The King of Sardinia and her Majesty the Queen passed up the'grand staircase, followed by Prince Albert, the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, Prince Alfred, the Princess Alice, and the Duke of Cambridge, and were conducted by the great officers of state to one of the state rooms, where the Queen and Prince presented to his Majesty the ladies and gentlemen of their court, and the King introduced the noblemen and gentlemen of his suite to the Queen and Prince. His Majesty sub sequently proceeded to his apartments, which consist of the Queen's state drawing-room, the old ball-room, the Queen's closet, and the King's closet. In the afternoon the King, with the Queen and Prince Albert, and the Duke of Cambridge, visited the Duchess of Kent at her residence, Frogmore. At half-past four o'clock the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs of the City of London arrived at the Castle. Alderman and Sheriff Kennedy and Alderman and Sheriff Rose, accompanied by the City Remembrancer, had an audi ence of the King, to ask on what day his Majesty would receive an address of congratulation from the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons of the City of London, in Common Council assembled. The King was pleased to appoint Tuesday next for the reception of the address, and accepted the invitation of the Corporation. A deputation from the Young Men's Christian Asso ciation of London bad an audience of the King, when the Ron. Arthur Kinnaird, M.P., read the following address : May it please your Majesty—The Young Men's Chris tian Association of London, and the Young Men's Socie ties' Union of the Presbyterian Church in England, would desire, in common with other classes of British subjects, to approach your Majesty with most humble and enthusiastic greeting on your arrival on English soil as the ally and guest of their beloved Queen. They welcome your Majesty as the representative of that land which in their classic halls and artistic studies they havelearned to love and to admire as the birthplace of many of the most celebrated masters in the arts and sciences. They hail you as the bold advocate and uncom promising defender of civil and religious liberty in your realms, the sparks of which will lighten the beneficent flame of intelligence and progress throughout Italy. The youth of England recognise in your Majesty the best friend of Italian youth, assured that under your wise ;,o vernment education will progress, religion will flourish, prosperity will be promoted, and general happiness will ensue. They have heard with exultation of your noble resolution to establish and consolidate constitutional liberty throughout your States. They have heartily ap plauded your firmness in vindicating the sovereignty of states in matters ecclesiastical and civil, and they have admired the constancy and wisdom shown by your minis ters and parliament, as well as the patriotism of your peo ple, in appreciating as we do the blessings of freedom, order, and constitutional rights. They seize this auspici ous opportunity of testifying their best wishes for your Majesty's welfare, and their hope that success may crown all your efforts tending to the extension of Christian civili sation. They reverently commend your person and family to the protection and blessing of God, and pray that not the Sardinian States alone, but the whole of Italy, may experience a great, a true, and a solid progress ; that as she exercises a magic influence by her classical lore, her wondrous monuments, and her natural beauties, she may also be distinguished by the growing nobleness, piety, and virtues of her people, by all that dignifies a nation and re dounds to the advantage of the world. His Majesty was graciously pleased to return the fol lowing answer : Gentlemen,—l am very grateful to you for the demon stration of sympathy which you have been pleased to give me on the part of the Christian Association formed by the young men of London and the Young Men's Societies of the English Presbyterian Church, with other subjects of her Britannic Majesty. You have been pleased to allude iu your address to the encouragement which I have bestowed on the arts and sciences of eny country. The development of the arts and sciences is an essential condition of the prosperity and moral advancement of a nation, and does not fall to form one of the most constant and special cares of my reign. This development can only take place under the protection of a just liberty and the spirit of civil and religious freedom. The artistic treasures of Italy render the task of civil advancement you have imposed on your selves more easy for us. The education which you have in view develop° the intellect, and permits it to appreciate at their true value the marvels of which past centuries have been so lavish towards us. Such education disperses pre judices existing between nations ; and I confidently hope that our hospitality will never be wanting towards you. I very sincerely desire the success of the association which you vepresent. The Queen gave a dinner in the evening in St. *George's Hall. _The distinguished party included his Ma ' jesty the King of Sardinia, the Duchess of Kent, the Princess Royal, the Duke of Cambridge, the Duchess of Sutherland, the Duke of Wellington, the Marquis d'Azeglio, the Marquis of Breadalbane, Earl Spencer, Earl of Clarendon, Viscount Palmerston, Lady Fanny Howard, Baroness de Speth, Miss Barrington, Lady Isabel Howard, Lady Mary Hood, Colonel the Hon. C. B. and Mrs. Phipps and Miss Phipps, the Hon. Mrs. Grey, Colonel Williams, Commanding Officer 2d Life Guards ; Lieut.-Colonel Lambert, Commanding Officer Grenadier Guards ; Colonel Boileau, Commanding Officer 22d Regiment ; Colonel and Lady Emily Sey mour, Sir George and Lady Cowper, Count de Cavoor, Duke de Pasqua, Chevalier Nigra, Major-General Count Morozzo de la Rocca, the Chevalier Maxims d'Azeglio, Major-General Chevalier Luserna d'Angrogna, Major- General the Chevalier Carderina, Colonel Chevalier Cigala, Captain Count de Barone, Captain Count de Robilant, Captain Count de Persan, Chevalier Riberi, Lord Byron and Colonel the Hon. N. Hood (in attend ance on the King of Sardinia), Lord George Lennox, Major-General Wylde,* Colonel Macdonald, and Mr. Glover. The band of the Grenadier Guards attended in the gallery of the hall during dinner. After dinner, her Majesty's private band, with several additional performers, attended in the music gallery, and, under the direction of Mr. Anderson, performed thejollowing selection : Overture— "Der Freischutz" Weber. Chceur et Danse d'Arinide Gluck. • Military Movement, Sinfonia, No. 12 Haydn. Selection—" La Bayadere" March—" Le Prophets". Meyerbeer. PORTSMOUTH, FRIDAY, The Port-Admiral and Admiral Superintendent (Vice- Admiral Sir Thos. Cochrane, K.C.8., and Rear-Admiral Martin) are making preparations to do all honour to the gallant Royal visitors in their several departments. The former received orders this morning from the Ad miralty to augment the squadron at Spithead, by send ing out her Majesty's ship Calcutta, 84, the steam-fri gate andfslcops Sampson, Polpyhemu s' and Salamander, and the thres first-named went out of harbour to the ren dezvous this afternoon ; the latter will go to-morrow, by which time it is expected the Albion and the London, 90-gun ships, and the corvette Niger, 15, from the Me diterranean, will have made the Channel, when they will be towed up to augment the Royal squadron of honour. The Exmouth, 90, the Meander, 44, and the Hecht, steam-sloop, are also ordered up from Plymouth, and as large a naval demonstration will be made as possible on so short a notice. The fleet will comprise the following, should all join that are under orders and expected by the time : Royal George, 121, Captain Codrington, C. 8., from the Baltic. Exmouth, 21, Captain W. K. Hall, C.B. London, 90, Captain A. L. Kuper, C.ll. Albion, 90, Captain the Hon. J. Drummond, C.B. Calcutta, 84, Captain J. J. Stopford. Blenheim, 60, Captain Hall C.B. Hawke, 60, Captain Ommanney. Russell, 60, Captain Francis Scott, Ajax, 60, Captain Warden, C.B. Hastings, 60, Captain E. G. Fanshawe. Edinburgh, 50, Captain Hewlett, C.B. Arrogant, 46, Captain Yelverton, C.B. Meander, 44, Captain Baillie. Sampson, 6, steam-frigate, Captain Hand. Niger, 14, Commander Hire. Polyphemus, 6, Commander Warren. Hecht, 6, Commander Aplin. Salamander, 6, Commander Mecham. Urgent steam-troopship, Commander Phillips. Transit steam-troops hip, Commander C. R. Johnson. THE LONDON.DERRY MONUMENT. The following is the copy of a letter lately ad dressed to his Imperial Majesty the Emperor Na poleon 111., with the gracious communication re ceived in reply:— " TO HIS MAJESTY THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON. "Sire,—The well-known condescension of your Ma jesty emboldens the committee with whom I act to submit, without formality, the enclosed copies of their proceed ings, as friends of the late Marquis of Londonderry, in relation to the erection of a monument to his me mory. The committee believe that, from the prominent position held by Lord Londonderry, as a brave and chivalrous soldier, and a nobleman of most estimable character, many of his friends in England and elsewhere will share their sentiments, and cordially aid them in their object of honouring his memory by the erection of a monument on the family estate in his native county in Ireland. The Irish people have observed with pride, admiration, and gratitude, the military honours recently paid in France to the mortal remains of their gallant countryman, Torrens ; and recognise in that fact another proof of the mutual esteem and respect which animate the nations and armies of England and France, and of the identity of sentiment and action which pervades the two countries, now so happily and firmly united in the bonds of loyal , sincere, and enduring friendship. Deign to accept, sire, the assurance of profound respect and esteem which I am charged to convey to your Majesty. "I have the honour to subscribe myself, Sire, " Your most humble obedient servant, 4, W. R. ANKETELL, Honorary Secretary Londonderry Monument Committee. "Ballynahincb, county Down, Ireland." " Cabinet de l'Empereur, Tuileries, Nov. 23, 1855. "Sir,—The Emperor has deigned to comply with the request which you have addressed to him in the name of the committee appointed for the erection of a monument to the Marquis of Londonderry. His Majesty has directed 501. to be forwarded to you as his subscription. I have the honour to remit you tbat sum by an order on Messrs. Latouche and Co., bankers in Dublin, and request your acknowledgment of its receipt.—Receive, sir, the assur ances of my most distinguished sentiments. "Le Sons Chef du Cabinet de l'Empereur. "Mr. Anketell." " ALBERT DE DALENAY." PROSPECTS OF PEACE. The Times' (second edition) Paris correspondent says, " I have no hesitation in affirming that, so far as human judgment can be counted upon, peace has sel dom' since the commencement of the war, been more probable or nearer than at the present moment. I cannot, of course, answer for what may happen at some future period. Unforeseen incidents may occur to baffig the faireit hopes, and to undo the most skilful combinations ; but with regard to the present, and with the present only I have to do, I repeat that the chances of peace are most decidedly in our favour. The additional information I have just re ceived is to the effect that Austria has announced her intention of presenting an ultimatum to Russia, calling upon her to accept peace on terms which the belligerent Powers not only may agree to with honour at the present stage of the war, but which they could hardly think unfavourable even after another successful campaign. Of the fact that such a proposition emanates from Austria I think I may positively assure you." It is expected at Paris that the victorious troops re ,urned from the Crimea will make a triumphal entry into he city to-morrow, the 2d of Dec. The body of Admiral Bruat will, it is said, be deposited in the military Necropolis of the Invalides, in the midst of the illustrations surrounding the tomb of Napoleon. His Excellency the Earl of Carlisle is expected in town early in the ensuing week from Castle Howard, York shire. LAMBETH POLICE COURT.—This was the day appoinied for the further examination of George Malby, charged by Dr. Vaughan with perjury relative to the burial fees at Brixton ; but, on the application of all parties, the further hearing was adjourned for a month. It is understood that the directors of the London Char tered Bank of Australia have resolved not to propose any dividend at the next half-yearly meeting to be held on tho 15th inst., losses having been made on bad and doubtful debts, which have absorbed more than the pro fits of the period. After a deliberation which lasted not less than eleven hours, and which only terminated at midnight, the High Court of Justice of Denmark has declared itself compe tent to try the ex-ministers. The trial has been ap pointed for the 15th December. Mr. W. Williams has announced his intention to meet his constituents, according to annual custom, at the Horns' Tavern, Kennington, on Monday evening, Dec. 3, at half-past seven o'clock precisely. CRYSTAL PALACE. —ONE SHILLING DAY, Friday, Nov. 30.—Admissions on payment, 615 ; do. by season pickets, 239; total, 854. Corresponding day last year, 1,042. CHARGE OF MIIRDER.—Simon Hyde was yesterday placed before Mr. Tyrwhitt for final examination, charged with causing the death of his wife, Sarah. The facts of the case have already appeared in The Sun. Mr. Tyrwhitt said the verdict returned by the coroner'. jury would compel him to send the case to a jury. He would, however, accept bail in the sum of 501. for his appearance at the sessions. DREADFUL MURDER.—Yesterday morning a young woman, named Mary M'Nedl, was placed before the magistrate at Worship-street, charged with cutting the throats of two of her children with a razor. The pri- Boner, who appeared in a state of stupefaction during the heating, was remanded. DEATHS FROM FIRE IN SOUTHTOWN, SUFFOLK.—On the afternoon of Thursday, the 22d ult., a very frightful accident occurred at Southtown, or Little Yarmouth, in Suffolk, which resulted in the death of two girls, named Catherine George and Harriet George, who were, re spectively, 18 and 12 years of ag e . Th e mother of the girls left them sitting before the fire, and it i s sup p ose d that a spark ignited their dresses. The youngest girl died on Saturday, and the other lingered until Tuesday. A coroner's inquest was held on the bodies, and a verdict of accidental death returned. DRIVERS FOR THE ARTILLERY.—The employment of disciplined gunners of the Royal Artillery in driving am munition waggons, guns, &c., having been found to mi litate against the public service when th e corps i s ac tively engaged in the field , it is stated to b e th e inten tion of the Board of Ordnance, with the s anc ti on o f t h e Government, to organise a corps of artill ery d r i vers, on a similar system to that which was empl oye d d ur i ng the lass war, and disbanded in the year 1824. By the adop tion of this measure the gunners (whom it requ i res nearly six months to discipline thoroughly) will be avail able for the more responsible duties of th e corps, w hil e drivers, who are on l y required to ride well an d l earn the various calls of the trumpet, will be engaged exclusively in that department. THE MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL AND THE M EMBERS FOR MANCHESTER. — A. private meeting of the Manches ter town council has been held, at which it was resolved to invite the Bishop of Manchester and Sir Harry Smith, as guests, to a dinner to be given to the ex-M ayor , M r. Nicholls, by t h e corporation in the cours e o f next week. The whole proceedings of the matter have not trans pired, but as some erroneous statements are afloat, to the effect that it was decided, after a stormy discus sion, not to invite the two members for M anc h ester (Messrs. Bright and Milner Gibson), w e b e li eve we are warranted in giving a more strictly correct version of the circumstances. The members f or th e c i ty h ave never been invited on any similar occasi on prev i ously, and, although their friends proposed inviting them in this instance, it was decided by a large majority not to do so, not from any disrespect to the hon. members in question, but from a feeling that their we ll-k nown dif ference of opinions on the subject of the w ar f rom t h ose held by the other gue sts whom it had been decided to in vite might produce an unpleasant restraint on both sides. - ANOTHER FIRE AT THE DUBLIN STEAL! WHARF. Considerable uneasiness has lately prevailed amongst the various steam-boat companies, and the inhabitants located near the London and St. Katharine Docks, in consequence of the breaking ont, within a period of 10 days, of not fewer than five fires in the extensive pre mises known as the Dublin Steam Wharf, situate in Lower East Smithfield. A report of a destructive fire which took place in these premises on Tuesday night ap peared in this journal of Wednesday last. The cause of that fire was officially returned by Mr. Braidwood as " incendiarism." A reward of 501. had been- previously offered by Mr. Hartley, the proprietor, for such infor mation as should lead to the detection and conviction of the persons who had caused the three former fires. Yesterday morning 1001. reward was offered for the same object, and yesterday evening, just after a load of some tons weight of hemp had entered the gates of the wharf in Burr-street, it was found tha, the hemp had been set fire to. Fortunately a number of the workmen and police at once proceeded to that part of the premises, and by great exertion succeeded in beating down the flames. Mr. Fogo, the foreman of the fire brigade, describes the damage done as follows :—" A waggon of hemp, of three tons, after drawing under gate way, took fire ; side of hemp in ditto damaged by fire in several places; cause doubtful. The fire was extinguished by the police and East London Company's water. MANSLAUGHTER BY A TICKET-OF -LEAVE MAN. — LIVERPOOL, Nov. 30.—An inquest was held before the borough coroner this afternoon on the b,dy of John Craddock, a seaman, who bad met with his death under the following circumstances :—On Monday evening the deceased was standing near Blezzard's public-house, at the corner of Addison-street, a district occupied chiefly by low Irish, when he perceived a friend of his, named Baines, talking with a young man named James Jeffers, whom he knew to be a returned convict. His friend told him that he was going to the play with Jeffers, when the deceased cautioned him not to do so. Words ensued be tween the ticket-of-leave man and the deceased, and a few blows wore exchanged, but the whole party ultimately went into the public-house, where they remained drink ing some time. The deceased went away first ; and soon afterwards his aunt met Jeffers in the street with a knife in his hand, saying that he would rip Craddock up. At this juncture Craddock made his appearance, and, over hearing the threat, knocked Jeffers down. His aunt called to him to beware of the knife ; but before he could prevent him, the returned convict rushed upon him and stabbed him in the abdomen, producing a wound through which the bowels protruded. Jeffers was pursued by a person who had witnessed the encounter, and was speedily secured. In his flight he had thrown away the knife, but it was afterwards found and given up to the police. The deceased was taken to the dispensary,y,where he died on Thursday from inflammation of the peritoneum. The jury returned a verdict of Manslaughter, and the pri. omaer was committed for trial. COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, FRIDAY. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge (attended by Colonel the Hon. J. Macdonald), the Duke of Wel lington' Earl Sp encer , t h e M arqu i s of Breadal b ane, the Earl of Clarendon Viscount Palmerston, Lord George Lennox, and Ma ' jor•General Wylde, arrived to-day, on a visit to her Majesty. His Highness the Maharajah Dhuleep Singh, Vis count and Viscountess Hardinge, Colonel Sir T. Trou bridge, Lieutenant-General Sir J. Simpson, and Sir J. Login left the Castle this morning. The Duchess of Sutherland arrived yesterday at the Castle. The royal dinner party at the Castle yesterday even ing included her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, his Highness the Maharajah Dhuleep Singh, the Duchess of Sutherland, Lady Fanny Howard, Lady Isabel How ard, Viscount and Viscountess Hardioge, Colonel Sir T. Troubridge, Lieutenant-General Sir J. Simpson, Sir J. Login, and Colonel the Hon. C. B. Phipps. The band of the 2d Life Guards w as i n attendance, and played during dinner. Despatches for the Governor of Canada were sent lasi evening from the Colonial-office. Despatches were re. ceived at the Colonial-office from the Governor of St Helena. REPRESENTATION OF LEEDS.—In the event of a diE solution of Parliament, Mr. Robert Hall, a well-known barrister on the Northern Circuit, has given notice of his intention to offer himself as a candidate in opposition to Mr, Baines and Sir G. Goodman, LATEST NEWS. A Vienna despatch announces that Omer Pacha re-commenced offensive operations on the 9th. The result is not known. Reinforcements from Kamiesh and Eu patori a had on the 21st ult, raised the force of the Allies at Kertch and Yenikale to a strength of nearly 45,000 men. The chief concern of General Wrangel, commanding in the eastern extension of the Crimea, is to protect Arabat, which will be indispensable to the Russian Commissariat this winter. KIEL, FRIDAY. General Canrobert arrived at Kiel this day at noon, by mail steamer from Copenhagen. He is staying at Brand's Hotel, where the French and English admirals will come ashore to visit him. MADRID, Nov. 29. The sitting of the Cortes has been unimportant. Marshal Espartero yesterday replied to the junta of manufacturers that the Cortes would not de cide anything relative to the bill concerning the tariffs without having previously heard the Cata lonian commissioners. FRANCE. PARIS, FRIDAY EVENING. By a decree in the Moniteur, M. de Parieu, Vice-President of the Council of State and member of the Superior Commission of the Dotation of the Army, is named Vice-President of that commission. The Moniteur contains a decree confirming the grant of 28 military medals made provisionally by Marshal Pelissior. An Imperial decree nominates Rear-Admiral Febvre to the post of head of the staff of the squad ron of the Mediterranean, of which Vice-Admiral Trehonart holds the chief command. An Imperial decree, dated the 28th, offi c i a lly declares the Universal Exhibition of Industry and of the Fine Arts to be closed tomorrow, Nov. 30. About 2,000,000 f. of the subscriptions raised for the army of the East have already been employed, and the following purchases have been made with the money so collected :-5,000 hectolitres of wino, 940 hectolitres of brandy, 186,880 kilogrammes of juliennes (for soup), 312,500 kilos. of different sorts of vegetables, 2,200 kilos. of onions, 8,000 kilos. ham, 2,620 kilos. hogs-grease, 13,445 kilos. Dutch. cheese, 26,000 kilos. chocolate, 43,000 kilos. to bacco, 200,000 pipes, and 16,000 mats. A sum of 50,000 f. has besides been set apart for the French prisoners in Russia, and 100,000 f. for the families of the victims in the wreck of the Semillante. The purchases being now terminated, the Minister of War has decided that the portion of the subscrip tions not disposed of shall be paid into the fund for the relief of the families of the soldiers and sailors who may have died in the course of the war against Russia. BOURSE, Nov. 30.—The following are the las quotations : Cash. fr. e. End of Month. 4. per Cents 9O 75 —f. --c. 3 Cents per 66 10 ..._ 66 10 New Loan Bank Shares... 67 _ .. 3r,0 Roman Credit Mobilier 1335 Austrian Belgian Fives 931 Spanish Threes Piedmontose — Home Debt 311 RAILWAYS-POR CASH. fr. c. 0. Or!lana ... Northern Lyons . ....... 1157 50 New Ditto 755 Mediterranean 1280 Grand Central 590 Lyons Genova 672 50 Teste Cette THE OVERLAND MAIL. CHINA. We (Times) have received our private correspon dence and papers from Calcutta of the 22d Oct. ; Bombay, 2d Nov. ; and Hong Kong, 15th Oct. The following is our Calcutta correspondent's letter : " CALCUTTA, OCITOBUR 22. "We are in the midst of the Doorgah Poojah holydays, when every one in Bengal considers himself entitled to do nothing. The merchants go up the river, the Custom-house is prac tically closed, the Treasury is shut, the banks suspend business, and even the shops of Calcutta are left with scarcely an attendant. Everybody is out of town, and the newspapers are even more newsless than usual. Of course the suspension of business, which lasts nominally for 10 but really for 16 days, is a heavy tax upon the port. It must shortly be abandoned. This year, for instance, the Mint has been compelled to sus pend operations, though the Chamber of. Commerce offered double wages to the native employes if they would surrender their privilege. Add to the loss thus created the cost of 16 days' unnecessary de tention to some 200 ships, and your readers will have an idea of the direct pecuniary loss inflicted by the holydays. The indirect loss cannot be esti mated, but it is serious, and even the merchants of Calcutta, schoolboys as they are, are beginning to contemplate the possibility of a reform. The movement, however, should come from the Eng lish shipowners. It is from their pockets that the expenses ultimately come. " Nothing new has transpired of the progress of the Sonthal rebellion. Every day a mass of details are published in Calcutta, but they are unintel ligible even to us, and to readers in England would present only a list of barbarous names and incomprehensible military movements. It is cer tain, however, that the insurgents are not defeated, that Beerbhoom is still in their hands, that the pea santry are still harried by an enemy worse than the Mahrattas, and that martial law has not yet been declared. Every officer, civil and military, is loud in remonstrance, but the Council will not act. It would, I verily believe, see Calcutta burned to the ground sooner than depart one inch from the path of routine. Meanwhile, I have seen a paper which explains to a considerable extent the origin of the movement. It is the confession of Seedoo Manjee, the leader of the insurrection, through whom the Deity is supposed to utter his decrees. This man is not a bad specimen of his race ; a bold, clear-spoken savage, with no con science and no remorse for the crimes ho has com mitted. Ho says the Sonthals were ground down by the Bengalee money lenders. The savages are always in want. They are fond of hunting, drink, and dancing, and always anticipate the harvest. The money lenders supplied their wants, and demanded interest at the rate of 500 per cent. The Sonthals were willing to pay only 25, or, as they phrase it, 4 annas for every rupee. The Mu hajuns beat them, abused them, pulled their ears, and seized their crops. The Sonthals petitioned, but of course Englishmen, with their fixed ideas of free trade, refused to annul their agreements, or indeed to interfere. They resolved therefore to right themselves. Seedoo summoned all the Man jees, or village headmen, and while talking to them saw the Deity descend in the form of a cart-wheel. Two pieces of paper also fell on his head, in which he was ordered to exterminate the money-lenders and the Zemindars. A branch of the Saaltree was sent out to all the villages, and with the murder of an insolent darogah the revolt began. There was no hostility to Government whatever, and no wish at first to injure any one but Muhajuns and the Superintendent of the district, Mr. Pon tet. Of course, a race of savages once let loose soon ceases to discriminate in its wrath, but revolt was no part of the original design. The in surrection began and continues from the same cause, the ultra-civilisation of the Government. It would not believe that the grand English laisser faire does not suit all races, that savages require to be governed, guided, and protected, political economy notwithstanding. At present it will not see that savages once let loose must be brought into subjection by the sabre. Your readers will scarcely believe that one official, who had caught a number of Sonthals, took from them security bonds' for good behaviour. The Sonthals cannot read, and they carried the bonds through the villages as the Company's order to murder the Muhajuns.' Meanwhile the continuance of the re volt is most seriously weakening .the prestige of Government—every race in India begins to fancy that an armed struggle has a chance of success. Everywhere Government is reminded that it has been beaten by tl-0 beasts of the jungle. Ido not say tee feellug will soon develops itself in actiou. The prestige of a century of victory is not so easily overcome, but that it has received a most serious wound is admitted by Government itself. Such wounds in a country like India are apt to ulcerate. " The East Indian Railway has at last published an account of its resources and expenditure. The receipts amount to four per cent. per annum on the gross cost of construction. The expenditure is 68 per cent. upon the gross receipts. The net profit therefore is only 1 per cent, per annum. Much of this expenditure is only temporary, and the re ceipts are no fair test of the prospects of the share holders. The coal line, which cost as much as the trunk, is in fact a branch not yet worked. The means of carrying the coal are scarcely sufficient, and the district is very thinly inhabited. The line must be extended to Benares before we begin to absorb the traffic of the north-west ; and this sec tion is perhaps the most difficult, and will certainly be the longest in construction. The Sonthal insur rection alone has caused a loss of two years' time." CHINA. HONG KONG, OCT. 15. The London mail of the 10th of August arrived on the 24th of Sept., per steamer Ganges, which leaves to-day with the outward mails. Her Majesty's ship Nankin arrived hero on the 11th inst., from Japan having on board 103 Rus sian prisoners, part of the crow of the wrecked frigate Diana, captured to the number of 280 by her Majesty's steamer Barracouta while making for the Russian settlements, in the north, on board the Bremen brig Greta, whioh vessel is now here as a prize. Among those captured are the surgeon, mas ter, chaplain, four midshipmen (one of them Prince Michaeloff), and two interpreters. The officers are on their parole. The Allied fleets have done nothing to the north ward, and we understand Sir James Stirling has been employed in the negotiation of a treaty with Japan, which Commander H. Stirling is expected to proceed with to England next mail. The British fleet is expected to return hero shortly, while the French, we understand, pro ceeds to Manilla. Her !Majesty's steamer Rattler returned from Cochin China on the 16th inst. Sir John Bowring's messenger was politely received, but little encou ragement given to diplomatic proposals. Shanghai advices are to the 7th instant, and we learn that Captain Vansittart, of her Majesty's brio Bittern, has again rendered important service Co commercial interests, by destroying, to the south ward of Ningpo, a most formidable piratical fleet of 22 vessels. A bold resistance was shown, and the brig was struck in many places, and we regret to say that the master (Mr. Turner) and a marine were killed, and 18 men wounded, several severely. The whole fleet, however, was destroyed. The measure proclaimed by the Taoutae for the reform of the currency has met with considerable opposition from the mercantile body as being too sudden and circumscribed. It is, therefore, very doubtful if the matter will be pressed, the more especially as we understand the Taoutae has been recalled. Of the rebels in the north we have no intelligence. Her Majesty's steamers Styx and Barracouta were at Shanghai, but were to leave again shortly. At Canton some excitement has been caused by intelligence of the Imperial forces having been de feated by the rebels on the borders of the province. Further accounts are anxiously looked for, the more so as a demand for money is likely to be made by Government. This would fall very heavily on the people. Rice is abundant and cheap. Exchange on England—At Canton, 4s. 91d. per dol. ; at Shangai, 6s. Nd. per dol. RUSSIA, We have received the St. Petersburg journals of the 23d of November. The Invalide Busse publishes the following : " Under date of the 6th (18th) of November, Aide• de-Camp General Prince Gortschakoff sends the follow Nothing remarkable has taken place in the Crimea. According to information deserving of credit only a °mull TuLelea hew'. left Eu r i a vv,...;%. The European troops have remained there, and on every point the enemy generally is occupied in making great preparations for the winter. " The number of the enemy's ships of war in Kamiesh Bay and in Sebastopol roads is very small."' Under date of Simpheropol, 31st Oct. (Nov. 12), the Emperor Alexander addressed the following order to his troops : " Brave soldiers of the army of the Crimea! By my order of the day of the 30th of August last I expressed to you the sentiments which filled my heart with sin cere gratitude for your services, which have immor talised the glory of the defence of Sebastopol. But it did not suffice for my heart to thank you from a dis tance for the great acts of bravery and self-denial which even astonished your .enemies, and which made you brave all those difficulties of nearly a year's siege. " Here, in the midst of you, I desired to say to you personally how much benevolence and real affection I entertain for you. My interview with you has procured me inexpressible pleasure, and the brilliant condition in which I found all the troops of the army of the Crimea, after having inspected them, surpassed my ex pectations. I felt pleasure in beholding you and in admiring you. I thank you, from my very soul, for your services, your exploits, and y our bravery. They are guarantees for me that my brave army well knows how to uphold the glory of Russian arms, and to sacrifice itself for its faith, its sovereign, and its country, " In commemoration of the celebrated and valorous defence of Sebastopol I have instituted, especially for the troops who defended the fortifications, a silver me dal, to be worn at the button-hole, with the riband of St. George. "May this sign be the certificate of merit for each, and inspire your future comrades with that sentiment of duty and honour which constitutes the unshakeable foundation of the throne and country. " May the union upon this same medal of the name of my father, of imperishable memory, and myself, be a pledge to you of our sentiments, which are equally de voted to you, and may it perpetuate with you the inse parable memory of the Emperor Nicholas and of myself. "I am proud of you as he was. Like him I place full confidence in your tried devotion and in your zeal in the accomplishment of your duty. In his name and in my own I once more thank the brave defenders of Sebastopol.—l thank the whole army. (Signed) " ALEXANDER." AUSTRIA. The Ost Deutsche Post of Vienna states that the presence of General Count Coronini in the Aus trian capital was partly connected with the pro posed railway from Kronstadt (Transylvania) to Bucharest. Prince Stirbey and the principal Boyards have given their support to the project proposed by the Chamber of Commerce of Kron stadt, and it has been decided that the works shall be commenced simultaneously at the two ex tremities. SWEDEN. The deliberation of the commission respecting the Sound Duties, which were to commence on the 20th November, but were postponed, will not now commence before the arrival at Copenhagen of M. Tegoborksi, formerly Secretary of Legation at that capital, who is expected with instructions from St. Petersburg. The other governments interested in this question will be represented by their respec tive diplomatic agents at Copenhagen. Mr. Bid clinger, the United States Minister, still remains without instructions. The President of the Con ference has arrived in Copenhagen. He is M. Bluhme, one of the m em b ers o f th e f orme r Cabinet, the trial of whom is at this moment pending before the High Court of Justice for high treason. NAPLES. A letter from Naples of the 24th Nov. says : "The King has ordered the execution'of an under taking of great public utility. The lake Averno into communication be form e d i n t o a m ili tar y port and put communication with the Lucrine lake and the sea, by means of a junction canal which is to run into the port of Baja, near Pozzuoli. The object of this important work is, in the first place, to render the country near those lakes more healthy, [the pestilential emanations from them being very in jurious, particularly during the great heat ; and next, to have in this place, which is surrounded by natural defences, an excellent military port, where vessels of the largest size may always find shelter. Four officers of the naval engineers, 40 sailors, and 500 convicts from the galleys have been already ordered to commence the works." Major-General Sir A. J. Cloete, C. 8., lately in com• mand of the South Wales district, has been appointed Commander of the Forces in the Windward and Lee ward Islands, with the local rank of Lieutenant-General, in succession to General W. Wood, C. 8., resigned on promotion. Sir J. Cloete is a distinguished officer. He served at the Cape for mary years, and rendered much valuable service to the colony. He was, in 1816, sent in command of an expedition to take possession of the island of Tristan d'Acunha, served in India during the Pindaree and Mahratta war from 1817 to 1819, and during the last two Caffre wars in various situations 0 importance. EGYPT. ALEXANDRIA, Nov. 2L—Several of the engineers appointed to survey the Isthmus of Suez, to report on the practicability of the proposed canal between the Mediterranean and Red Seas, arrived here from France with M. de Lessops on the 17th. The Com mission, as it is called, consists of MM. Renaud and Lieusson on the part of France ; Mr. M'Lean for England ; Monsieur de Negrelli for Austria ; Lens; for Prussia.; Conrad, for Holland. Mr. Rendel, who was also appointed to represent England, and M. Paleccappa, on the part of Sar dinia, have not come. English worknen have come out to fix the buoys which are to mark the channel of the entrance into this port, which, when done, will be of very great advantage to the numerous vessels that frequent Alexandria. Several robberies of specie and goods in transit to and from India have lately been committed on the road between Suez and Cairo, and there is rea son to feitr that the Director of the Transit, Mr. Lee Green, is losing favour with the Viceroy on this account, and because several complaints have been made against the Transit Administration. Fachange on Louden, 9S pia txo4 peR gs NAVAL OPERATIONS IN THE SEA OF AZUFF. DESTRUCTION OF THE TOWN OF GHRISK. The following extracts from private letters of one of the officers of the squadrons in the Sea of Azoff, to a friend, will be found interesting ; "Off Mariopol, Nov. 2. " We arrived here with nine vessels this afternoon at at out one o'clock, and about two in the middle watch we weigh again to attack Ghrisk first, about 20 miles off. All our boats' crews are ready for landing with two days' provisions for each man. " Nov. 3.—We got under weigh early this morning, but not quite so soon as we expected, and stood into Mariopol with a flag of truce lying, and they soon an swered it from the town; and the Grinder, with an officer from the Vesuvias, went in and sent a boat on shore. We h tel not the remotest idea what the flag of truce was about. The officer remained on shore, talking to some Russian officers on th e b eac h , about half an hour, and, whatever it was about, it seemed to be satisfactory, as we all got under weigh again, and put to sea. We are now near Ghrisk, but it is too dark to see anything. An expedition will go away to-morrow. All our boats' crews have received orders to be in readiness in the morning. They will have to go into a lake, and it is to be hoped they will not find the water so sh:llow as they did at Temriouk, and cause them to fail getting near the town. " Nov. s.—Yesterday, Ardent, Weser, and Curlew attacked the sea side of the new town (Ghrisk.) All the marines and as many men as could be spared went in side the lake in the gun-boats. Recruit, Cracker, Grinder, and Boxer attacked the old town. We kept up a heavy fire during the morning, which was answered from rifle-pits in front of the town, and in the afternoon we landed on a spit to the left, and destroyed the cus tom-house and several large buildings by fire. Some cavalry rode out and attacked our boats' crews employed in this business, but of course to do so they had to expose themselves to a heavy fire from the ships, which they got, and no mis take ; many and many an empty saddle telling sad tales of the correctness of our fire. Our men finished their work before they again embarked, as the cavalry, owirg to our cover, could not remain long on the spit; and as the shades of evening began to close around us we could see the old town in a perfect blaze, showing that the other division of our squadron had also suc ceeded. To-day the gun-boats got cloie to the town, so the place was half surrounded. It is a very large place and well built ; in fact, the first Russian town I have seen. After shelling it for an hour, the gun boats landed their men on the lake side, and we lauded ours on this. They began to advance about ten o'clock ; but as they neared the town the head most column received such a tremendous fire that they had to fall back. They had no sooner done this when it became evident to us that the enemy were out in very strong force, and that our men stood a chance of being cut off. Lieutenant Ross, of the Weaser, did hesitate, but at all risks formed a junction with them, by crossing in front of the town, and this move saved them, for we could then see, as the Russians in their turn fell back, how nearly they were surrounded. During the whole of the day our men were on the advance, and the town in several parts in flames ; all their windmills and one or two manufactories were burnt to the ground. We had to fire hard far it, for the Russians kept up really a terrific fire • the extent of it must have been three miles, and we should have suf fered very heavily had it not been for sundry stacks of wood and . mounds of earth, which afforded us shelter. Having destroyed all we could, and seeing the necessity to keep the open ground in our position, we beat a re treat at half-past two, and embarked the men. Although the enemy had such heaps of troops in the town they did not care, after yesterday's experience, to follow up our retreat, or attack us in any way. Having destroyed an immense deal of property, and made the enemy suffer in loss of life to a considerable extent, we shall soon, I suppose, start to attack some other place. Our loss in the attack upon Ghrisk was three men killed and three badly wounded. _ "Yenikale, Nov. 13. " We arrived here this morning, having experienced a heavy gale for the la,t three or four days. We found several of our squadron at anchor here, but looking in just such a had plight as ourselves ; in fact worse. Harpy was high and dry, nearly out of the water alto gether ; so after all we are not the worst. We left Ghli6k with the idea of attacking Arabat, which was to have been the finishing stroke to this year's operations in the Sea of Azoff ; but on arriving here we find the expedition is abandoned. All the squadron, it appears, are to return to Genitchi again, except Weser and Re cruit, which are to await at Kertch for further orders from the commander-in-chief." BUILDING OF PONTOON BOATS BY RUSSIA. The following letter has been addressed to the editor of the Times : Sir,—The last letter of your correspondent from the camp on the Tchernaya speaks of a puzzling piece of intelligence having been communicated by a Cossack deserter to the PiedmonteEe. The enemy, it seems, are " building large boats and covering them with skins." Your correspondent proposes the simple explanation that these large boats are intended for pontoons, and that the Russians are employed in repairing the losses they have sustained in this particular article during- the summer campaign. If the words in which the report is given are actually those of the deserter, I doubt this solution of the riddle. Pontoons must be far too familiar to every Cossack to allow of his describing them in a periphrastic manner. Floating bridges are the common—l believe I might say the only—kind used in Southern Russia ; and probably not one Cossack in a thousand has ever seen any other sort. I should rather conjecture that the boats in ques tion were only a species of coracle, constructed of such materials as alone are available by Prince Gortachakoff —viz., their frames of the wood growing on the Mac kenzie heighte, their covering of the skins of those myriads of animals which have been killed for food, or have perished fr m exhaustion in his camp. Supposing these boats really to be coracles, what ob ject are they intended to subserve ? The most obvious thought, of course, is (especially if coupled with the an ticipation of an attack upon the allies), that they are to be employed, when a fitting occasion arises in transport ing troops across the harbour. On the feasibility of this operation it would be idle for any one not on the spot to sty a word. But there is another service to which cora cles might, perhaps, be made subservient, on which I will, with your permission, offer a few observations. In the account of the gallant feat recently performed by Commander Commerell, at the mouth of the Salghir river, I, for one, was much struck by a circumstance he mentions, that he found a towing-path on each bank, and water enough to float boats of small draught. Now, as no towing-path would ever be made, except for the purpose of facilitating water communication between two points which for some reason or other it was de sirable to connect, common sense tells us that we must look to the other side of the Sivash for one of these, and somewhere up the Salghir for the other. For the deterinieation of the former, we have only the choice between Genitchi and Arabat, of which I should have no hesitation in fixing on the first for several rea sons, of which I shall only mention the one—that the Sivash, in the immediate neighbourhood of Arabat, is so completely of the nature of a reedy swamp as to make • it doubtful whether even a Lincolnshire duckboat could float there. But at Genitchi it has been ascertained that there is quite sufficient water to float barges; in fact, our flotilla saw several there, and were only prevented from destroying them by the inability to enter the Strait, ex cept with boats, which would have been destroyed by the enemy's batteries on the cliff. I infer, therefore, that a transit of stores, and possibly of men and materiel, has already taken place from Genitchi to some point of the Salghir along the southern portion of the Sivash ; and I apprehend that these coracles are intended again to per form the same service. If there exists a channel of only a couple of feet of water there is no doubt that a vast deal of transport may be effected even by such a rude expedient as the Cossack deserter described. And, let' it be observed, the time at which this water communi cation would be most feasible is exactly that at which it would be most valuable—l mean, after the autumnal rains have fallen, which will reduce the north of the Crimea to a slough, and before the frost of winter has prevailed to such an extent as to freeze the Swash and the edges of the Sea of Azoff, and (probably) permit con siderable traffic to go on by means of sledges on the ice. How high up the Salghir the towing-path observed by Commander Commerell extends must be a mere matter of guess work. I should not, however, bo surprised to find that it ascended the river as high as the point where the easternmost road from Karasu-Bazar to the north crosses it. Just there the Russian map places a cluster of three villages, containing in the aggregate 81 hornesteals—an unusual thickness of population in the plain of the Crimea, and suggesting the existence of some particular reason for it, such, for instance, as the meet ing of land and water transport at the point in question. It is possible that the waterway may extend still higher —as far as Kiyat on the Western road from Karasu- Bazar, or even Ispet on that from Simpheropol. I am quite aware that the Salghir, a'though the largest of the Crimean rivers, is described as a very shallow stream in parts, except after rains. But the towing-path observed by Captain Commerell proves that some portion of it is actually used as a canal, and I be lieve that the various accounts of its shallowness all rest ultimately on the statement of Pallas, who spoke of it, as far as his personal knowledge went, from its appear ance at Simpheropol and the higher parts of its course Who knows what may have been done of late years by Russia, towards rendering it more available for transport, at any rate during the autumn and spring ? Who would have believed in the existence of a towing-path, if it had not been seen ? Yet there it is, and the only question to be answered is, how far does it extend ? It is scarcely necessary for me to point out the utility of the Salghir to the enemy, if it has been really made to serve as a canal. It would furnish the power either of evacuating the Crimea, or of in troducing stores during those months in which a march across the northern steppe would be altogether impos sible. It would dispense with the necessity for either carrying water, or moving troops in small bodies, in order not to exhaust the wells. It would render pos sible the transport of heavy objects without any great command of draught animals. And it is obvious that each of these points must at the present moment be of the deepest interest to the Russian commander, whether he intends to go or to stay.—l am, sir, your obedient servant, A HERTFORDSHIRE INCUMBENT. Nov. 30. The agents of the Danish Government have adver tised the particulars of the bonds of the 5 per cent. loan drawn and cancelled in conformity with the terms of the contracts, stei bib esti