The Sun. — London, England, 1855-12-27 00:00:00

THE SU N, TO ARRIVE THE SAME EVENING, supplied to any STATION on the EASTERN C )11 NTIES RAILWAY, Carriage Free, by CLAYTON and SON, General Newspaper and Advertising Agents, 265, Strand, London. fjg OUTS-EASTERN RAILWAY.- TELEGRAPHIC MESSAGE 4. From and after the Ist of January, 1856, the charges for Telegra phic Messages on the South-Eastern Railway will be—For Messages of 20 words and under, within a circuit of 25 miles, Is. ; between 25 and 50 miles, Is. 6d.3 above 50 miles, 2s. No charge for name and address of sender or ?eceiver. For further particulars no Company's Time-books for January. S. SMILES, Secretary. -ANNUAL QOUTH-EASTERN RAILWAY, TICKETS.—For the revised rates charged for Annual and Season Tickets to the stations on the South-Eastern Railway see the Company's Time-books for January, 1856. Only one-third of the published rates, for the time being, for Annual Tickets will be charged hereafter (for the period of seven years) to perilous building dwelling-houses in th e ne i ghbourhood of Godstone, Edenhridge, and Penshurst stations on the main line ; Betchworth, Oomshall, Chilworth, and Shalford stations on the R ea di n g and Reigate line ; AbSeywood, Erith, Deptford, Green hithe, Northflect, and Higham stations on the North Kent line. F o r particulars See Company's Time-books. London-bridge Terminus , Dec. 27, 1855. S. SMILES, Secretary. MR. W. S. WOODIN'S OLIO of ODDITIES, illustrated by 59 instantaneous Metamorphoses of Voice, Character, and Costume, and a moving Panorama of the beautiful Lakes of Westmoreland and Cumberland, every evening, at 8. A representation of the celebrated tragedienne, Mlle. Rachel, as Camille In Les boraces, with other new features, have been added to the *hove entertainment. During the Christmas Helldays Mr. W. S. Woodin will give two morning performances only—Saturday, Dec. 25, and Saturday, Jan. s .—Polygraphic-hall, King William•street, Charing-cross. DR. KAHN'S CELEBRATED ANATOMICAL MUSEUM (the rarity and completeness of whose contents have already acquired for it an European reputation, and obtained the warm commendations of the press, in this and other countries) is now open daily. A New Series of original Speci mens and Models, embracing some most important and curious features, illustrative of the wonders and secrets of the human struc ture, has just been added to the Collection, which now stands wholly unrivalled in the world. Medical practitioners and students, and the public at large, are invited to visit the Museum, where Lectures are delivered during the day; and a new and peculiarly interesting one is delivered by Dr. Kahn, et half-past eight o'clock every even ing, on the Reproductive Functions in Man. Admission, One Shilling. Just Published, price One Shilling, Free by Post (Gratis to Visitors to tho Museum), a New Edition of Dr. Kahn's Treatise, '' THE Stlolus and QUICKSANDS of YOU CH," an Essay, specially intended to avert dangers to which the young and susceptible are peculiarly liable, and to arrest the progress of evil. THEATRE ROYAL, DRURT-LANr, Lessee. Mr. E. T. Smith. . THIS EVENING, LITTLE TODDLEKINS. Followed by TRYING IT ON. After which, HEY DIDDLE DIDDLE; or, Harlequin King Nonsense and the Seven Ages of Man. THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Under the Management of Mr. Buckstone. THIS EVENING, THE LADY OF LYONS. Claude Meluotte, Mr. Howe ; Colonel Damas, Mr. Chippendale ; Boansant, Mr. W. FArren; Pauline Deschappelles, Miss Reynolds. After which a New Comic Christmai Pantomime, entitled THE BUTTERFLY'S BALL AND THE GRASSHOPPER'S FEAST; or, Harlequi❑ and the Genius •f the Spring. ROY tr. PRINCESS'S THEATRE, OXFORD-STREET. Under the Management of Mr. Ca&ax.. Kw!. THIS EVENING, The comedy of EVERY O . :.•TE HAS 1113 FAULT. Characters by Mrs C. Kean, Messrs F. Matthews, Harley, C•oper, Lary, Ryder, and Fiither; and Mrs D ply, Mig3o.4 Heath, Metrray, and K. Terry. After which, HARLEQUIN AND TIIE MAID AND THE MAGPIE ; or, the Fairy raradisa and hanky Panky, the Enchanter. Harlequin, Mr. Corma , .,k ; Clown, Mr. "'untie ; Pantaloon, Mr. Pante; and Colum'Ane, Miss Pheebe Beale. R3YAT. OLYMPIC THEATRE. Lessee and Manaaer, Mr. Alfred Wigan. TINS EVENINO. TIIE JEALOUS WIFE. Characters by Messrs. A. Wig tri, G. Yining, Emery, Leslie, Dan• vera, MN. Stirling, and Miss Marston After which will be produced a Nevr and deuhly-moral, thangla excessively old, Melodramatic Fairy Extravaganza, entitled Tim DISCREET PRINTCEAS; o-, the Three Glass Distal% In which Messrs. Emery, F. Robson, 11. Co3per, Miss Marston, ant Miss Idaskell will appear. TIMATRE ROYAL ADELPIIT. Proprietor, Mr. B. Webster.—Directress, Madame Celeate. TtIIS EVENLNG. MOTHER AND CHILD ARE DOING WELL. After which HOW'S YOUR UNCLE ? To conclude with a Grand Coalition of Burlesque and Pantomime, to he called JACK AND THE REIN STALK; •r, llarl•quin and Mother Goose at Home Again. In which Meksrs. J. Bland, P. Bedford, Madame Celeste, Miss Wyndham, and Miss E. Arden will appear. ROYAL SURREY THEATRE. Lessees, Messrs. Shepherd and Creswick. THIS EVENING THE FLOWER GIRL. To conclude with A PRINCE OF PEARLS; or, Harlequin and lane Shore. ROY IL, STR A.ND THEATRE. Under the direction of Mr. Payne. T/118 FL VI: NIS% NOEIHE; or, 'ha Foster Sliter. After which, IT RUNS IN TUE FAMILY. To conelads with HARLEQEMR BLACK-EYED SUE ; or, All In the Downs and Davy Jones's Locker. ASTLEY'S ROYAL A.MPHITHCATEN. Lessee and Manager, Mr. Wm. Cooke. Tremendous success of the new Equestrian Comic Pantomime THIS (THURSDAY) EVENING, The successfhl Espaldraroe called RO3KWOOD; or, TURPIICS RIDE to YORK. After which the SCENES in the CIRCLE. To conclude with (second time) a Grand Equestrian Comic Panto mime from the pen of Mr. Nelson Lee, called HARLKQUEN AND Er. GEORGE AND TIIE DRAGON, or the Seven Champions of Christendom. One hundred horses, ponies, and other quadrupeds, trained by Mr. William Cooke, who has invented and arranged all the equestrian effects. This astonishing production may be desig nated the " Eirinh Wonder of the World." It Is an exhibition un precedented and unparalleled I it-s-oftlee open from Eleven till Four. Stage Manager, Mr. W. West. Equestrian Director, %f'. W. Cooke, Jan. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. TRU atv—Morn. 17 min. aft. 4 Evening 34 min. aft. 4 TO- MORROW—Morn.S3 min. aft. 4—Evening 12 min. aft. 5 THE WEATHER —SUN OFFICE, Dec. 27. THERHOIIETER, IN THE SHADE. 5% tlf,,Letst biuce noon yesterday. -iovrost this morning and during the night. 52 -this day at noon. BAROMETER, 29.60. WIND, S.—Light, with fine sunshiny weather. t) • , ti P.* • , • Ar • LONDON, THURSDAY - , DECEMBER 27, 1855, Count ESTERRAZY Will soon display his folded toga before the despot of St. Petersburg, and offer the alternatives, Peace or—the withdrawal of an Ambassador ! The paltry threat, coupled with the disbanding of troops, proves trickery at the bottom. Russia, for certain, is well up in all the intentions of her despised neighbour ; she knows she has nothing to fear from Austria, and the beautifully -balanced menace of withdrawing an Ambassador, and, at the same time, disbanding forces, must even save the tender feelings of the Cult and his Muscovites. Austria would, no doubt, be thankful enough, poor wretch, for Peace at any price but the price of fighting for it. All she can do in the way of giving Russia a decent pretext for coming to terms she is ready enough to do, and it may well be that the inter pretation of her self-contradictory acts is, " Tell the Allies, if you lik e , that you are unwilling to distress your despot friend, but at the same time understand that I merely place my a pparent diplo- A ustria does matic displeasure at your service." seem, indeed, to be somewhat in a fri g ht. Her miserable poverty or the fear of revolution, or both, keep her at her wit's end. Peace is t o h er a necessity ; the trembling coward, however, has clone nothing towards it but take the SULTAN'S territory in pawn, and treat it, meantime, as her own property. Had she had courage to join the Allies actively at first, and the Allies bad courage to enter on War as War, then doubtless, by this time, poor decrepit Austria might not have been reduced to Withdrawing an Ambassador. She m i g ht have seen the Peace she longed for, and have ratified it by withdrawing an army. Th e question of greatest interest to Eng land is whether the proposed terms will be accepted, We trust they will not ; we expect they will not ; yet it were absurd to prophesy, especially believing as we do that all classes in Russia are suffering almost beyond endurance, and that the flower of the Russian army is in the grave or the hospital. Russia will so keep up appearances to the last that she may be on the verge of a treaty without our knowing it. No country in the world can longer sustain a decep tive part. We should not be surprised at her evacuating the Crimea or proffering terms, or anything else, if she thought it advantageous. Honour, for its own sake, she neither under stands nor cares for. One of her most probable attempts will be to endeavour again to accept in general and evade in detail. She will not relax in her own efforts, but she believes, we fear too justly, that, even after the warning of last year, the Allies will somewhat slacken their prepara tions while disputing over particular modes of carrying out the proposals. No folly could be more costly or ruinous, but it seems as if they were to be befooled by Austria and her Master. The Peace Party both in the French and Eng lish Cabinets have managed cleverly. They have concocted proposals which confessedly have some ' thing in them ; and which are so far better than the purely empty ones of last year as to display very glaringly the treachery of tie latter. It is something to have the fortresses on the Black Sea destroyed, aid Bomarsund left in ruins, the Danube flowing entirely through Turkisk terri tory, ships of war banished from the Euxine, and Protectorates wholly renounced ;—something, we admit, but something which would leave the heart of England sad, and which will prove but a poor remuneration for the cost of the War. It was not for a consummation like this, that England was willing to part with hundreds of millions of money, and to sacrifice her brave soldiers by thousands. It is, after all, a counterfeit. Not, perhaps, ut terly valueless metal like that offered last year, but like a gilt shilling for a sovereign. For a gene ration to come we shall feel ourselves a cheated people. We shall retain, in consequence, a per manent detestation of the swindlers ; and a legacy of war engendering hatred will be thus bequeathed to posterity by our patchwork statesmen. Without adverting to Poland and Finland, which we may allow that the imbecility of our statesmen have not enabled is yet to mention in a treaty, is nothing definite to be included re Council for the suspension of cash payments was applied for. The Noble Lord declared— " The credit of the Bank for all domestic purposes was perfect. There was no man in the country who was not ready to take its paper as a means of circulation, and to give even his gold for it, the moment he was assured that his neighbour would take it from him again. The gold was not wanted to send abroad ; the state of the foreign exchanges forbade it ; there was, therefore, no fear of depreciation of paper. The necessity and pres sure were purely domestic ; what was wanted was some thing which everybody was disposed to trust as a sub stitute for what everybody distrusted ; and the paper of the Bank of England answered in such a state of things the purpose as well as gold—it may be said to have done so even better, as being more transmissible, and reaching more readily and happily the points where it was wanted. "In this state of things the remedy for the difficulty was obvious, and unanimously agreed to by us. Although the Bank had no specie left, a large additional issue of notes was made, and about 1,5110,000/., of those of 11., which were accidentally found to be in existence, were circulated ; the relief was immediate, the country re ceived a circulating currency in which everybody had entire confidence, and the USELESS GOLD WAS RE TURNED TO THE BANE. The notes by this pro ceeding were increased from 19,743,000/. in Decem ber, 1825, to 24,479,0001. in March, 1826 ; and having served to relieve the pressure, they gradually sub sided before the end of that year to their ordinary amount again of 19,951,0001., while the bullion in the Bank was successively increased by this increase of paper in oppo sition to the theory of 1844, which presumes from such cause a necessary diminution." Now this shows what would be the efficacy of an adequate supply of really national notes of small denominations, of 11., 21., and 31., such as we have so long advocated, and which would afford instant relief to industry. The country would re. ceive " a circulating currency in which everybody would have entire confidence," and which could never be run on under any possible combination of circumstances—which, as being more transmissible, and reaching more readily aid rapidly the points where it was wanting, would be far better than gold, and which would, therefore, lead to the speedy re turn of the aseless gold to the Bank, or the bullion dealers, where it woald discharge its legitimate function as a valuable article of commerce, useful hi certain events for adjusting the balance of trade with other nations. Paper thus secured, and re ceivable in payment of taxes, would indeed an swer all the essential attributes of currency or circulating medium far better than the precious metals. necessary to affect warlike tendencies, and emu late the extravagant language of its rivals. The obstinacy of the EMPEReI is ascribed to the clergy, who, as is generally tho case with weak well-meaning monarchs, have much influence over him. His better genii are to be found, it would in the E MPRESS and the Queen Dowager e o e ft , he NETIIBRLANDS, who are not insen sible to the need he has for good counsel and re solution, but whose turn of influence has not yet arrived. In conclusion, the writer expresses his inability to calculate the chances of peace, not being acquainted with the exact tenour of the Austrian Propositions. From all this it is quite evident that the operations of the Allies have pro- ' duced an immense effect throughout Russia—that the empire has received a grievous blow, and that we ma d e a grand mistake when we suffered Kars to go unrelieved, and its brave garrison to be compelled by famine to yield themselves prisoners , to the Russian General. LATEST NEWS. PARIS, THURSDAY. The Aroniteur says that Count Walewski has signed a new postal treaty with Lord Cowley, by which books and all printed papers may be sent as ordinary letters. The Momiteur prints despatches from the army in the Crimea. General Pelissier reports from Sebastopol, under date Dec. 11, the affair of the Bth inst., when the Russians attacked General Chotemarre's out- posts. The enemy ended by leaving 150 prisoners in our hand. MARSEILLES, DEC. 25. General Mouravieff has directed a column on Akhaltaik. Selim Paella, with 12,000 men, is at Trebi zond, waiting the arrival of the Egyptian divi• non. It would be far more "portable," one of the chief recommendations of gold as a circulating medium. It could be transmitted from place to place with the utmost safety and despatch, the few oabalistical characters rendering the owner more wealthy than the man who had tons of gold, or even of diamonds, if we should follow the example of Eastern capitalists, and adopt gems as a more convenient measure of value for the large operations of trade. It is also less perishable, for the ownership of paper currency may be so guarded that no real loss oould be sustained, although the actual repre sentative had fallen into the hands of robbers, been consumed by fire, or sunk in the bottom of the ocean. In both of the leading characteristics the superiority of paper is, therefore, perfectly manifest, while it possesses the additional advan tages, and those of no ordinary magnitude—that it is not liable to wear or tear, and requires no loss of interest or capital to those who use it. If the gold in England be estimated at only sixty millions, the cost or deterioration may be safely calculated at the very lowest at 3 per cent. for wear and tear and 3 per cent. for interest. Here there is at once no less than 3,600,0001. per an num which might be saved to the over-burdened tax-payers by the adoption. of a judicious and well-regulated system of currency. But, however large this amount, the benefits arising from an equable, almost an unvarying, circulation, with which fluctuations in the value of money would be rendered, if not impossible, of comparatively trivial amount, would be far greater. Then the trade of the nation could be based on secure prin ciples, and our merchants would no longer be en gaged in gambling speculations, which might give inordinate profits, but would be far more likely to lead to bankruptcy and ruin. On every ground, then, we advocate the adoption of such a circu specting Circassia, anti. all the trans-Caucasian possessions of Russia ? Ismail again, the terror of the Danube, front whence a fleet of gun-boats could at any time be 'wired upon its waters, what about this fortress ? Nicolaieff also, capable of nursing a whole navy of these formidable bombarding vessels—is that to re main a creator of war ships, if none are ever- MADRID, DEC. 25 The Ministry has introduced a Bill authorising the house of Pereires to establish a Spanish Credit Mobilier. Tranquillity reigns throughout the provinces, It is expected that Sir E. Lyons and the Duke of Cambridge, attended by Sir A. Ilirey, will be present at the Council of War about to be held at Paris. 115.arshal Pelissier is said to have given his opinion that no campaign is pos sible from the present base of operations. more to float on the sea ? Then, above all, the Crimea—is that, with its north side forts, still to remain aproof that two or three hundred thousand soldiers and a whole navy could not wrest it from the aggressor ; and are the tombs of our brave soldiers to be insulted by Russian slaves ? In the very proposals that we hear of, these and many similar things remain to be settled, and to be settled in the interests not of Russian ambition, but of European security. To us it is obvious that negotiations once begun upon the bases now talked of would afford endless matter for debate ; that the nation would again, in all probability, grow weary of Russian shuffling, and that either a Coburg peace, to the lasting dis gust of the nation, must be hastily arranged, or the negotiations again broken off. THE ALLIES IN THE CRIMEA. ,Frent Special Correspondent of the Morniug Herald.) HEIGHTS OF BALAKLAITA, TUESDAY, DEC. 11. From the time I last wrote to you till yesterday , morning the weather hero has been very bad in deed. But yesterday brought a change ; and again a clear blue sky was seen overhead, and the late piercing rawness of the air had vanished, to be suc ceeded by a crispy frostiness more seasonable and more agreeable, but unfortunately not quite sharp enough to harden oar muddy slushy roads. Horsemen, however (and here their name is le gion), who had been provokingly confined to their drenched huts and tents nearly a whole week by the rain, gladly availed themselves of the dry open weather on Monday, and spread merrily all over the country, gathering together their " small stores" for Christmas, and fill ing up all sorts of gaps in their larders, as the heavily laden pack-saddles of their servants return ing from Kadi Keuy, or Spring Hill, plainly showed. Another advantage—a drying day —ac crued to us from this unexpected fine weather, one that may be much disregarded at home, but ono of too vital interest to be forgotten in the Crimea, where the many means and appliances of old Eng land, connected with the useful profession of linen washing and drying are missed week after week, and sighed for to an almost incredible extent. It is ne joke here to be " down to your last shirt." To wash is one thing, to dry is another. Cleanli ness is next to godliness. Dirty linen and creep ing things are inseparable i n th e Crimea ; and, se riously, any individual wh o would start a washing and in-door drying company at Balakl ava , as h ore or afloat, would not only receive the thanks and patronage of the army, but might, perhaps, hope for some Government reward —even to be iaa'le in time a Commander of the Bath. Seriously speaking, our greatest difficulty out hero is getting things washed and dried. I\l'importe, we have already locomotives and a railroad, and a steam bakery, and in due time may, I suppose, hope for " baths and washhouses." Yesterday, I regret to say, two cases of cholera occurred in the 42d Regiment (Royal Highlanders), and I must add that the two previous cases in the 92d have proved fatal. Private Alexander Reid (county of Forfar) was admitted to hospital at six o'clock a.m. on the 6th of December inst., and died at six o'clock p.m. on the same day. Private David Hunter (of Edinburgh) was also admitted to hospital at six o'clock a.m. on the 6th of De cember inst., and died at ten o'clock p.m. the next day. The above are the only cases up to last night in the Highland Division. I then rode over purposely to the Highlanders' camp to make inquiry on this head, because I doubted the rumour which bad already magnified the outbreak of this fell disease most monstrously. Should it unfortunately increase or not, the medi cal men will, I hope, never see the "lavender" sneer revived, which was so injudiciously launched against the Highland corps generally in a journal not altogether unknown in Printing House square. But, if repeated, it would be just as untrue in the second case as in the first. Is the service of the soldier to be estimated only by the return of the killed and wounded ? Is the military profession held so low that its only praiseworthy duty is fighting? Is the itian who is planted on a yard of ground alone to keep watch and ward over the safety of his tired and sleepy comrades, and the position they defend, ordered to listen for the approach of the enemy, and to stand fast in that important duty under rain and sleet and snow, and up to his knees in slush, to be taunted as one in a state of " lavender ?" I think not ; and whether, so far as fighting is con cerned, the Highlanders have been improperly re served for a grand coup I know not ; but this I do know, that all through this campaign they have been ready and willing for much closer service against the enemy than they have had the luck to perform ; and this I also know, that a gallant English officer at the Redan exclaimed, " Oh, that I had the Highlanders hero ;" thi s I may add, that there are more veterans in the Highland Brigade than in any other (and Napoleon the First knew the value of veterans) ; and, moreover, let it not bo forgotten that if the Highlanders have not a heavy " butcher's bill" to parade, it is not their fault, but, if fault at all (and it is not), it is the fault of him whose orders they obeyed, whether the late Lord Raglan or General Simpson. Ido not add the name of General Codrington, now Com mander-in-Chief; for, if he were appealed to, I am certain his opinion of Sir Colin Campbell is not that he is a "lavender" officer, but that (for litera scripts manet) he was just the man to have succeeded General Simpson. I don't like to en large upon this subject, but that "lavender" phrase has hurt the feelings of many a brave man, officer as well as private, and English, and Irish, as well as Scotch. Does any one believe that in the Highland Brigade all are Scotch ? Certainly, the majority were "raised" north of the Tweed, and I wish all had been so ; since there is nothing so utilitarian as clanship and esprit de corps. If you were to rechristen the Guards into the "St. James's Rifles," or the " Windsor Fusiliers," the link that now unites them would, probably, be sensibly weakened, and the country be the loser. Highlanders have never failed at a pinch. And the Guards (although those who marched out of Lon don have been sadly thinned) deserve full praise, not censure ; they do their duty, have done it, and will do it again ; but, injudicious penmanship must not s ow see d s of jealousy between them and the Hi g hl an d ers. Before I pass on, let me give an examp l e of Highland March an d A pril of the present year about "lavender." In 180 was th e average daily report of Highland era in h osp it a l , in one regiment alone, the 79th, and thi s d i d not include medical i 21911 When to all this we add that not a word is yet said about repayment of the costs of the War, the most righteous of many righteous demands ; not even indemnity for the SULTAN'S expenses de manded ; not a step taken therefore towards de priving Russia of the sinews of War for the future ; remembering this, we think, every sen sible man will rejoice in an unequivocal negative by Russia to the ESTERZIAZY proposals. We look seriously and even painfully at the cost of the coming campaign ; but we shrink from a paltry compromise as an unendurable disgrace. If any doubt could exist on the point •f wile her it is currency or capital that is wanting, it would be removed by a recent admission of the Bullionist organ. The Times, which, on all monetary questions, endorses the fallacies of " NlEnolron," takes more correct views thereof when arguing on other points. Although on the 14th instant it assimilated the nation to a man obtaining money beyond his means, getting his bills into circulation, and by a union of dexterity and good luck, actually coming out with suc cess, which it declares to be only " a case of for tunate rashness, if not dishonesty," on the 24th it asserts that " our country is wealthy beyond computation, our people energetic and adventur ous beyond all other races." It sustains and adopts the arguments of " the high financial au thority" whom it so loudly applauds, that " the commerce of a country is carried on, not by means of its paper money or its circulation, but by means of its capital," and arrives for the time being at the comfortable conclusion that all the evils so painfully apparent in the state of trade and manufacture, and of the industrial population of the country are ascribable to "a general defici ency of capital." Subsequently, "Nous changons tout ce20.," the Times discovers that " our coun try is wealthy, beyond all computation," and is therefore capable of paying the men of other na tions to fight for us, and to carry on the War with vigour and energy. But although we fully concur with the latter conclusion, it is necessary to fix so Protean an anta gonist to some decided point. We cannot allow it 44 t0 blow hot and cold," or lay down as unques tionable, conflicting facts as the buses of argument. On Tuesday we proved beyond the possibility of doubt that wax w possessed rea l canital, and that our only want of an adeq ua t e measure and repre sentative thereof, one that would answer all the purposes of internal commerce, and be readily a c . cepted by evory s po__rson to whom it mi g ht b e offered. With accumulated and realised propertyillns fotololl ex tent of at least five thousand millions cin of sewn e bev en ira or sterling, and the thews and sinews n. eight millions of adult males, we lating medium, which would place the prosperity of Great Britain on a far sounder foundation than any on which it has ever hitherto rested. * " The Cor*mereial Crisis," p. 13. The perfection of the art of lying, as developed by the most distinguished practitioners, is not to lie "slick ahead," but so to dovetail recognised facts with inventions that the one shall lead the reader without mistrust to the other, and lend them such a colouring as to torpidity reason, and command at least a temporary belief. To this per fection we yesterdayshowed Col. TAL. P. SHAFFNER has no pretensions. Instead of having regard to probabilities, and seasoning his story judiciously with recognised facts, he sets not a few at defiance, and the result is that no one can give credit to a word he says. Had his zeal only been qualified by knowledge what an ugly customer for the Allies he would have been. How many would have taken the lies which, skilfully presented, might have served the CZAR at the present crisis, for Gospel truths. We would not have referred to the Colonel again but for a communication to the Constitu tinnnd from its St. Petersburg correspondent, in which the actual sentiments of the Russian nation with regard to the War are revealed. From this we gather that instead of the nation being united as one man in favour of the prosecution of the War, the balance of public opinion is on the side of peace, and that at no former period was the division between the German and the old Russian parties more, if so much, marked as at the present time. That instead of all being har mony and patriotic enthusiasm the country is at sixes and sevens, the struggle between the two parties not being confined to one locality or ono class of individuals, but being carried on, and with the utmost bitterness, almost everywhere and by all classes. To such a pitch have the passions of the population been excited that in some places we are told "almost public manifestations are made in favour of peace, and in others the War is sanctified, when either its continuation is de manded or nothing else is spoken of than an in vasion of France or England." The citizens, the people, the nobility, the Court, the Imperial family are at daggers drawn among themselves ; and in his own palace, and from his own brother, the CZAR has not escaped insult. What miserable lying to describe a nation torn to pieces by the bitterest antagonism as a happy family ! Unfortunately for Russia, but not for the world the , Russian party, w i th that hooted and gold ac old acquered Cossack, the Grand Duke CONSTANTINE at its head, still maintains its ascendancy, and the almost entire command of the press. On the phrenzied passions of these i ncen di aries the counsels of NESSELRODE fall like oil on fire, and the veteran diplomatist, who could have saved an poverished by the withdrawal from our shores, or more probably the hoarding, of some two or two and-a-half millions of ounces of gold. We have all that constitutes bona fide strength allot wealth, and we should not suffer ourselves to be victimised to gratify the interested theories of any currency quacks. In every previous financial, or rather monetary Crisis, an adequate remedy was immediately pro vided whenever the Bank of England had the courage to extend instead of restricting its accom modations and issues of notes. That was all that was required at any time to weather the storm, and yet, with unparalleled political blindness, we have expressly prohibited the only means by which an effectual and speedy cure could be ob tained. We learn from an unexceptionable wit ness--the late Lord ASITBIIRTON, at least as high an authority as the present Lord OVERSTONE-the facts unanimously recognised by Lord LivEnrooL, !qr. HusicissoN, the then Governor of the Bank of England, a nd himself, in reference to the serious emergency of 1825, when an Order in 1 t., empire, has the mortification of being outrivalled by au ORLOFF, whose genius finds its limits in an assassination. Predominance, however, is not willingly given up, and a desire for self-preserva- tion will now and then lead men to acts of folly, and thus we suppose it happens that, desirous as the German party is for peace, it has deemed it THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 27, 1856 or other officers. The complaints were dysen tery and fever, and at ono time " all the medi cal men were down (ill) at once ;" and there upon Dr. M‘Lean, a very rising surgeon, was "lent" from the 42d to do duty with the 79th, and so also was Dr. Mills from the 63d Foot. Night-watching, and bad food, and insufficient cloth ing had upset our men. Individuals have thus gone to the " bourne whence no traveller returns," but there are kilts enough remaining to meet any number of Russians, to cross bayonets, and to achieve many more glorious victories. I must honestly confess that I have little news as to the incidents of the camp to report to-day. Men might have faced the elements during this week, but horses could not ; that is, day after day. And during the bad weather it was, of course, im possible for troops to do anything. Even the " riled" Russians somewhat stayed their fire from the north side. Thus I have nothing important to recerd. I left Sebastopol a few days since, intend ing to return, but the rain has not only detained me here, but kept my servant weatherbound in that roofless city. Confined to hut or tent, I only learn that Captain Shervington (46th), the Pro vost Marshal at Balaklava, has ordered all can teen-keepers to bury their broken bottles, and not, as they have done, to leave them on the sward, whereby many valuable horses have been seriously cut and injured ; that officers " absent on urgent private affairs" are to have the forage for their horses stopped ; and, in short, I scarcely remember any more news, except that a . famous ;stream of water has been discovered at Kamara. IThe last is important and deserves notice. For some time in many parts of the camp we have had to send to great distances to water our 'horses, and to greater for drinkable water for our selves. The Highland Brigade will henceforth Ise spared this difficulty. The Artillery (a detachment) adjoin the Highland camp. The other day, a man of that corps, using a pick-axe, struck a stone,which 'plitting, allowed a jet of water to spring heaven ward, and with such force that the astonished gunner received at once a very superior style of shower bath. Removing the broken stone, an ex cellent supply of beautiful mountain -water was dis covered, rushing out from and over a well, and in quantity sufficient to supply the whole division. It ' appears that Liprandi, before quitting this ground, cunningly blocked up the well and flowing stream, , not only at the source, but for some distance, and more cunningly led the water underground by an artificial channel into a neighbouring. marsh ; so that, but for the accident of the pick-axe above , mentioned, our troops would have had all the winter to have sent far for water. They have it, now, close lat hand • and, in fact, it i s now believed that other sources Of water have been also concealed, inasmuch as near Balaklava Heights one fountain only was at first found when the departure of the rear-guard, the Cossacks, allowed us to take up the enemy's ground. These Russians are ever full of " dodges." I am to pitch my tent to-morrow close to this new watering-place at Kamara, but my a dd ress will still remai n " P os t Office, Valaklav a . ' From my new position, which I visited yesterday, I can with a good glass even see the Russians fix bayo nets. We can't get up to the m , an d th ey are far too wise to comedown to us just yet. They will fail to capture our Christmas puddings. Some officers of high rank stated in my presence the other day that the best plan to beat Russia would be to burn and blow up all on the south side ; fall back upon and hold Balaklava and Kamiesla • embark the sp are t roops for Nicolaieff, the Danube, and Asia Minor; move down against the north side from Eupatoria ; keep the fleet, especially the gun-boats, moving (some few blockad ing Sebastopol) • and then, sa id th ey, R uss i a must give in, for we ;hall stop all her supplies, prevent a concentration of her troops, and, if she will fi g ht in the Cri mea , meet h er in ie open field (instead of behind earthworks), when, as at the Alma and Inkerman, we can beat her, hand over hand. Be this as it may, we all out hero want to see Parlia ment meet, if but to prevent Ministers from patch ing up a sudden and unsatisfactory peace. The following letter, written by a French officer, dated Sebastopol, 9th inst., gives an account of the engagement mentioned in Marshal Pelissier's telegraphic despatch of the same day : "Yesterday morning at break of day 2,500 Rus sians, hoping to surprise our sth battalion of foot Chasseurs, encamped at Ourkousta, on the site we oc cupied previous to our last retrograde movement, de scended from the positions of Kaden Otar and Kerner Tcherrse into the plain. A. patrol of the 4th Regi ment of Chasseurs d'Afrique fortunately perceived their movement, and lost no time in apprising the nearest corps of the approaeh of the enemy. In a few moments the whole of our fi rst di v i s i on was under arms and prepared to meet the Russians. The sth battalion of Foot Chasseurs, under the orders of Com mander Gamier, who received five dangerous wounds at the first attack upon the Malakhoff on the 18th June, assisted by a few companies of the 20th Regi ment of the Lino, commanded by M. Richebourg, bravely stood their ground, and the assailants, de ceived in their expectations, precipitately retreated, leaving 200 men on the field of battle, with 20 pri soners, among whom were two officers. It is to be regretted that the nature of the ground prevented us from pursuing the enemy in his retreat. Our loss does not exceed 18 or 20 men, and an officer of the 26th Regiment, who was so dangerously wounded that he is not expected to survive. The recent surprise of a post of eight men we had at Kaden Otar no doubt en couraged the Russians to make this attempt." TURKEY. CONSTANTINOPLE, DEC. 13. Advicos from Erzeroum up to the 29th ult. (says the Times' correspondent) confirm the news of the surrender of Kars. General Kwety and Fezi Pasha (Kohiman), who, if captured, would have been handed over to Austria, and doubtless hung, succeeded in making their way through the Rus sian patrols, and were at Erzeroum on the 28th November. Of Omar Pasha's movements I have heard nothing since my last. Will ho go and retake Kars, with its 150 pieces of artillery, or is he, as his sanguine supporters lately antici pated, already in Kutais menacing the Russian rear ? Without attempting to foresee the future we may be permitted to deplore the past. The fall of Kars is a scandal and a disgrace to all who might have contributed to prevent it. Why the place was not long ago efficiently re lieved is a question that everybody asks, and which some one, it is to be hoped, will be com pelled to anwswert. has se But,lo li o na king pa t s o h s a ub h o e rd en ina d te oing all this de linquents, ha time at Erzeroum, with at least 9,000 or 10,000 effective men, infantry, cavalry, and ar tillery, under his orders ? If, immediately on re ceiTing, news of the terrible defeat of the Russians on the 27th of September, he had marched on Kars, lie most assuredly might have thrown sup plies into the town before the Russians had recovered from the shock of their disaster and received re inforcements from Gumri. It is mere waste of blood an I treasure to carry on the war with such commanders. With Englishmen to direct the Turks do well ; left to their own commanders they are detained in disgraceful inaction. As I write, I receive a letter fr om O mar Pasha ' s head-quarters. It is written in hast e , an d i s un dated. The writer says, " I can hardly believe that much will be done in the way of military operations after we reach Kutais, as a good deal. is required to put our magazines and depots in order. The army has been much delayed hitherto by want of means of transport, which is certainly increas ing, but the beautiful weather we enjoyed has broken up, and rain descends in torrents, greatly increasing the difficulty of bringing up sup plies." From this it is to be inferred that in Omar Pasha's army they reckoned prettyconfidently on the capture of Kutais, as does also, I have reason to be lieve, the Turkish Government here. Hitherto the Russians have been retiring, and have evacuated several places on th e mere approach of their enemy, whom it was supposed they sought to draw on into the interior, with a view to then attacking him at a disadvantage. But the weather now forbidding further operations, they must feel pretty sure that if Omer Pasha gets Kutais he will make himself snug there for the winter, and it is difficult to un derstand their motive for thus at once supplying him with winter quarters and abandoning a place they might defend, and which has hitherto served them as an important depot. PRUSSIA. BERLIN, Dec. 23.—Th e pre li m i nar i es , as ap proved of by the Western Powers on the represen tations of Austria, have been communicated to this Government with au invitation at the same time to Prussia to advocate their acceptance at St. Peters burg. Looking at the two incidents together, Russia's reported acceptance of the main principle involved, and Austria's inviting Prussia to back her representations in St. Petersburg, we must say either the first comes too soon, or the second comes too late. On Thursday last Count Esterhazy, the Austrian Minister here, had a private audience of the King, to which he was introduced by 13Aion Mantentlel ; in all probability he was the bearer of a letter from the Emperor of Austria to his uncle on the subject of the preliminaries about o be communicated to the Court of St. Petersburg. The official despatch on the subject was handel to t h e King on Tuesday evening, within a very few hours of its arrival from Vienna. His Majesty, however, seems to have required twice 24 hours' time to reflect on the matter before he received the Austrian Minister. On the same day that Count Esterhazy was received here by the King (last Thursday), Prince Labanoff, of the Russian Em bassy here, left with deva,tolass for st, Petersburg. CHRISTMAS AMUSEMENTS. be now "familiar to the ear as household words I" Suffice it to say that "all passed merry as a wedding bell" until the great event of the evening—the Greed Pantomime —commenced with all its wonders. If al ' worthy scoffers should lament the decadence of theatrical art, and the desecration of its choicest temples, their jeremiads would be changed to rejoicings at beholding the truly legitimate successor to " Mother Goose," the "Great Bed of Ware," and other glorious specimens of the pantomimic dynasty. The subject of "Ye Bell e Alliance ; or, Harlequin Good Humour and y • F ield of ye Clothe of Gold," was felicitously chosen, being I)°' culiarly appropriate at the present moment ; and Mr. Geo. Augustus Sala, who has added largely to the laurels already honourably earned, made the most of the Golden opportunity. The opening displayed the pa l ace or cavern of the Gnome Britannicus, in the realm!! of Subterraneanuesia. This potentate, "great in his h e ' lief in Beer, Baccy, Beef, and Boxing," after witnessing a very excellent " Ballabile des Diablotinee," is startled from his propriety by the announcement in the Necr°' mantic Times that the English monarch is about to tak° "pot luck" with his Gallic confrere. He resolves to prevent the sacrilege, and starts, per " the Car of Dea' gone," for the purpose. En, Route he arrives at the Land's-end, the residence of Good Humour (admirabll enacted by Miss Harriet Gordon), who, as the amiab le spirit, is resolved to oppose the evil intentions of her crusty visitors. She conjures up visions of the future before him, in which, in two well.execated Dioramas, we behold the enthusiastic reception of the Empero r Napoleon in London, and the visit of Queen Victoria to the tomb of th e fi rs t o f the Great Napoleoae, in the Hotel des Invalides, in Paris. Nothing, however, wi ll satisfy the discontented Gnome, who perseveres in his wicked notion of Bossing strife and dissension between what he was determined to keep the rival nations. The Deck of the Royal Harry shows the embarkation of Bluff King Hal, with wife and suite, including th e renowned Cardinal. The mirth of the monarch wax" fast and furious. He rushes into the dance of the sailars, but while vigorously executing a horoPiPe rs seized with sea-sickness, which spares neither king 13°r courtier, but produces a very ludicrous effect for those not visited by its pangs. We have then th e chateau of the French king, who is rather taken by out' prise, the preparations not being quite completed for th e splendid rec e pti on . Th e transition to the Field of Cl o t h of Gold, with its gorgeous spectacles, jousting, ol d ballots follow in due coarse, and then the wicked GO n r contrives that both th e monarc h s shall be smitten by the charms of a very beautiful country girl, Blondette--- while their respective queens are simultaneously attacked by the green-eyed monster. The farm of Blondette le accordingly visited, and there the kings, after having t ° fly from the wrath of some indignant peasants, and being tumbled, the one into a cueurnber-bed, the other int o a pig-stye, are about to be involved in a real quarrel, when presto the farm vanishes, and we are introduced to "the abode of the Fairy Queen in the Golden Groves °f Good Humour" —a scene that displays all the gorgeous skill of Mr. W. Beverley, and attracted enthusiastic ar plause. Then the transformation takes place, and the real work of the evening commences. Blondette, trans:, formed into C o l um bi ne, h ad an exceedingly pretty a n graceful representative in Miss EMMA Horne, wh ile her rustic lover, Mr. C. Brown, made a very nimble Harlequin. The Pantaloon and Clown (Messrs. Barne s and Flexmore) were the best we have aver witnessed, and we greatly doubt if " we shall e'er see their lik e again." We have already had occasion to speak in very laudatory terms of Mr. Barnes, but we Lad formed no conception of his real merit,. There was extraordine r y vigour combined with a well-assumed appearance of dr crepitude, whil e h e sus t a i ned with surprising equanireitY the rough jests of his collaborateur. But what shall w e say of Flexmore—the inimitable, the renowned monarc h of grotesque ! He accomplished what we believed to be impossible—and what, certainly, no other man could do —he surpassed himself, and left all his former 03 c* ploits far in the shade. He manifestly felt th e magnitude of the occasion, and devoted himself tie° rt , and soul t o th e d u t y h e had undertaken. Never di° we see so much energy displayed in so short a times while his brilliant equestrian performances on two hobby-horses might put to the blush the most dari n g riders. Were there nothing to be seen but the feats of Clown and Pantaloon it would be worth a pilgrimag e from the Land's-end or John o'Groat's ; but with every' thing that could be devised to render the matter perfect in all its parts, it would indeed be surprising if t he Wizard did not command the success which he has s° well merited. Drury-Lane. The genius of pantomime has certainly taken up her abode at Old Drury. Never had a manager better cause to be pleased with an audience ; and it is but justice to say that the enthusiastic and rapturous bursts of applause so frequently bestowed during the evening, and the more substantial proofs of approbation afforded by a house crowded to excess in every part, were fully merited by the indefatigable manager who now wields the sceptre of this national establishment. Long before the com mencement of the performances every available corner in boxes, pit, and gallery were filled to overflowing by as merry and good-tempered an audience as we ever re member to have seen collected within the walls of a theatre. The performances commenced with the laugh able farce of "Little Toddlekins," and " Trying it On," in both of which our inimitable light comedian, Charles Mathews, sustained the principal parts with his usual ability. But the great feature of the evening was the pantomime, and the bell ringing for the overture was the signal for a volley of applause. As is usual oh such occasions popular ditties are the chief points in such a composition ; and on the air of the " Rat-catcher's Daughter" being played, the "gods " joined in chorus, and were with difficulty persuaded to forego an encore of the overture. At length the curtain rose upon the new grand comic Christmas pantomime, entitled " Hey Diddle Diddle ; or, Harlequin King Nonsense and the Seven Ages of Man," and we find ourselves in the Hall of Nursery Rhymes in the Kingdom of Nod'. sense. His Majesty, who is pictured as the guardian of infancy, and the honoured parent of Jack Sprat, Humpty Dumpty, Jack Horner, Simple Simon, and other equally celebrated personages, is about to concoct a pantomime, when Common Sense, a bright and beautiful fairy, arrives to lend him aid. King Nonsense is not at first disposed I to accept the proffered assistance, but at length Common Sense convinces him of the folly of such refusal, and ho assents. A difficulty now presents itself in the persons of Old Routine, and his constant companion, Red Tape ; but it is resolved to banish them for ever to Noodledoin, and they are accordingly despatched to that locality. The King and Common Sense then select " The Seven Ages of Man" as the subject for their Christmas panto mime, and the scene changes to the pretty village of Pretty well. Here we find Young Hopeful, the school boy, "creeping like a snail unwillingly to school," for whose arrival Dr. Birch has been most anxiously waiting in order to test the efficiency of a bran new rod he had previously placed in pickle. Hobbedyhoy, the dunce of the establishment, comes to the aid of Hopeful, and they both determine to run away from school. All the incidents of a school-boy life, from the first time of playing truant until the falling in lova with a young lady at a neighbouring seminary, are brought out in very amusing detail. The next scene brings us to the Blacksmith's Smithy and Roadside Inn, and here Young Hopeful is transformed into the lover, and writing the memorable sonnet, which is, in this instance, dedicated to Rosa, the ward of the Justice. It is needless to say the " County Magistrate" refuses to give the hand of his ward to Young Hopeful, and be therefore determines to enlist for a soldier. Previous to his departure for the wars Rosa promises to meet him by moonlight alone, not in the grove at the end of the vale, but in the old abbey ruins, for which much-loved spot he immediately departs. The lovers aecordingly meet, their guardian fairy arrives to protect them, and conveys both of them to the Abode of Love, in the golden groves of Fairy land. The scene is one of Beverley's exquisite produc tions, and elicited the most enthusiastic applause, which it was impossible to silence until the lessee came forward and bowed his thanks. A very pretty ballet, in which Miss Rosina Wright sustains the principal part, then ensues ; and we scarcely know which most to admire—the sparkling scenery of Beverley, or the bright and beauteous forms of the attendant fairies. This scene is followed by another, representing the County Justice Room, where Rosa's guardian sentences two of his labouring men to a fortnight's imprisonment with hard labour for having gone to see a review. Young Hopeful finds it impossible to obtain the con sent of the Justice to his marriage with Rosa, and they accordingly determine to elope, and this brings them to the Ruined Cottage of Old Age. The flight of the lovers having been discovered, pursuit commences, and just as the Justice is about to convey Young Hopeful to prison, the Fairy Queen ar rives, and with a waive of the wand the scene changes to the realms of perpetual summer. The change from the cold winter prospect to bright summer was one of the most marvellous talismanic transformations ever wit nessed. The back part of the wood gradually disappears, and groups of fairies appear in bowers of gold and amethysts, which slowly rise, and at the same time the snow which has covered the bushes dissolves, and hundreds of golden palms take their places. From the centre of each a fairy, clothed in shining silver, rises, and then appears at the extreme end of the stage the Fairy Queen in her bower of brilliants. This bower, by a most ingenious mechanical contrivance, slowly ad vances, and reveals to the astonished and delighted audience another bevy of fairies, clothed in burnished gold. From either side of the stage darts forth rays of gold and silver, and jewels of surpassing brightness seem to keep up one continual shower. The effect of all this was heightened by a magnificent pyramid of brilliants, upon which the bower of the Fairy Queen was placed, from which kept shooting forth all the colours of the prism in quick succession. Lastly, the whole picture is successively lit up with emerald and ruby-coloured fires, which produces the most extraordinary effect imagin able. Nothing, we can truly affirm, has ever been pro duced on the boards of a theatre that can be com pared to this scene of gorgeous splendour; and familiar as the concluding tableau of the "Island of Jewels" must be to most of our readers, it, with all its beauty, pales into insignificance compared to this most wonder ful production. The audience appeared to be in an ecstacy of delight, peal after peal of applause burst forth from every part of the building, which were again and again renewed, and there arose loud cries of " Smith," " Bravo," &c. Again had the lessee to appear before his audience, who, by this time, had well nigh become frantic with delight, and then arose a call for Bever'ej, the artist. For nearly ten minutes the progresa of the pantomime was impeded by the cheering of the audiencs, and it was not until each one had tired himself out in applauding that the action proceeded. The change to the usual pantomimic characters then takes place. We have two Harlequins, Messrs. Veroni and Furth, two Columbines, Mdlles. Bulono and Charles, two Panta loons, Messrs. Tanner and Duelin. The clowns are Barry Bo!eno and the renowned Tom Mathews, two of the best pantomimists of the day. In addition to these talented artistes we have the brothers Elliott, who go through their won derful performances during th e representation of the pantomime. The harlequinade is as excellent as the opening, and the comic business never flagged for a single instant. The tricks worked admirably ; not one single hitch occurred during the whole of the evening. Mr. Smith has ag a i n secured the palm of superiority, and in his pantomime this year he possesses a charm that will attract thousands nightly to his theatre for the next three months to come. In fact he has gained "the blue riband of the ancient and illustrious Order of Panto mime. We shall not attempt to describe the various extraor• dinar) tricks and transformations that took place. II such cases "seeing is believing," and the most elaborat e description must fail of conveying the ■lightest notion of what will greet the wondering gaze of the spectator• The last scene, " The Apotheosis of Ye Belle A11i• ance," designed by Mons. Guerin and executed by Ur' Beverley, ie one of the most gorgeous in its effects that can be conceived—it even excelled the most brilliant visions of the Lyceum. There were a few trifling hitoilat inseparable from a first performance anywhere, and, coo• sidering the short time that the Professor has had VIP session of the theatre (only a single week), it is astonish• ing that so much should have been accomplished. W ° may lend easy credence to the assurance of Mr. Flo more, who, at the fall of the curtain, deolared that ell should be right to-morrow." Should the Wizard, with all his skill, he enabled to improve, we only hope " we may b e th ere t o see, " a feeling in which every A d' wirer of the go od o ld E ng li s h pantomime will c ordit4lf participate. that Haymarket. The performances last night commenced with Sir E. B. Lytton's popular play of the "Lady of Lyons," 6° part of Pauline being ably sustained by Miss Reynolds, and that of Claude Melnoita by Mr. Howe, who peered for the first time in that character, and with de' cided success, The attraction of the evening, however, was the new pantomime, entitled, " The ButterflP Ball and the Grasshopper's Feast ; or Harlequin mid the Genius of Spring," the authorship of which is et' tributed to" Mr. Buckstone. The piece is founded on ono of Roscoe'e principal poems, and afforded Mr. Calcat an excellent opportunity of displaying his artistic ability —an opportunity of which he has taken the full advert' tape, for many of the illustrations are truly beautiful, and the comic scenes do equal credit to Mr. Morris and Mr. O'Connor. There is always considerable difficulty in comprehending the plot of a pantomime, but of course there is a plot, and in the present case it may be the° described. Lady Silverwings, a fair butterfly, havi n g fallen in love with and been betrothed to the Grass' hopper, determines to celebrate the nuptials with splendour becoming the important occasion, and accord iugty invites her friends to a grand ball and feast. The Wasp, a rejected suitor, animated by a fell spirit of re• venge, waits upon Belladona, the poison witch, to ob tain a draught of deadly nightshade, wherewith he nlaY destroy not only the lady and her lover, but all the friends she has invited. The poison is supplied, bet the insidious plot is overheard by Brightray, the Genius of Spring, who hastens to the Garden of the Butterflies, and there promises protection to the light-winged nee. Silverwings and her lover are, however, interrupted in a very pleasant tete-a-tete by the wicked Wasp and the sanguinary Spider, who are only discomfited by the activity and bravery of the gallant Grasshopper. On his way to the feast the Wasp looks in at the Kitchell of the Lady Silverwings, for the purpose of administer ing the fatal concoction that he has obtained, and poisoning the dishes that are being prepared for the banquet. The cook, upon seeing a wasp upon the premises, makes sundry vain efforts to catch him, and his escape is only purchased by the loss of his phial, which he breaks during his conflict with the chef de cuisine. The trumpeter Gadfly now summons the guests, and we see a procession of all the insects passing on until the scene of the revelry is reache4., which is a beautiful green lawn overshadowed by the spreading branches of a mighty oak. The nuptial ban quet is literally going as "merry as a marriage bell,' whea the Wasp and his objectionable friend the Spider intrude upon the festive throng. Fi;d c i h n e g er t l h es a s t he has lost the poi son , th e Wit c h st ill determines that the mi e . chievous intent sh a ll no t b e f rus trated, and cha ng i ng the beautiful su mmer l an d sca p e into Covent-Garden. The great Wizard of the North, the Wizard par excel 'crier, who has immeasurably distanced all competitors n the pursuit which he has chalked out for himself, has ventured on a great experiment, and, judging from what we last night witnessed, we may, without any pretence to extraordinary powers of vaticination, venture to pre dict that none of his =any successful experiments was ever carried to a more triumphant and satisfactory result than the present will be. He tells us that, in gratitude fur the extraordinary patronage bestowed on him by the British public, he has determined to devote a con siderable portion of the large balance left at his banker's to their use. Bat we in turn tell him that the attempt will be foiled, and that its inevitable consequence will be that the balance, in place of being reduced, will be so largely enhanced that it will puzzle a conjuror, albeit unequalled in his vocation, to get rid of it in any legiti mate manner. The money which he has scattered with such profuse liberality will find its way back to his coffers, and he must submit to the infliction. Never in its most palmy days did " the Garden " ex hibit a more brilliant or more crowded audience. Every available "inch of space " was occupied, and indeed it seemed as if the Wizard must have availed himself of his peculiar skill in contriving to find room for twice as many persons as could be commodiously packed in the space. It was, in fact, a leviathAn edition of " the Pro fessor's Scrap-book," which, even on the smaller scale, excited such unparalleled astonishment. They fitted well, however, and, like the well-trained pigeons, seemed to suffer little if any inconvenience in the process. The throwing out a grand balcony in front of the dress circle, as in many of the continental theatres, conduced largely to this result, insuring to the aristocratic visitors what may be regarded as stalls of the best class, where any possibility of disturbance on account of seats was com pletely removed. one, the insects become suddenly torpid, and pa ss to a state of hypernation. Brightray, the gOod friend of the Butterflies, sends forth, however, at this critical junc ture, one of her brightest and most genial rays, and warming up under its reviving influence, the insects re viva, the:scene becomes one of glittering sunshine, and whilst the Grasshopper and Butterfly are changed into Harlequin and Columbine (Mr. Milano and Miss Mary B rown ), the Wasp and Spider are transformed, by the o pposing power, into their tormentors, Clown and Pan taloon (Mr. Appleby and Mr. Mackay), when, of course, th e pantomime chase commences, and continues till the levers again meet in the Bower of Bliss, and promise to live happy ever afterwards. The harlequinade, which has been supplied by Mr. William Dorrington, abounds in social and political allusions to the prominent events of the day. The overture and music of the opening story was composed, selected, and arranged by Mr. Edward Fitzwilliaw, and includes several of the most It is needless to dwell on the feats of "Magic and Mystery" with which the opening was inaugurated. Wh o is ignorant of what has already been witnessed at the yceur by more than U 59,000 Persons; 494 c 1 which DaUlt popular airs. One of the most effective scenes ie the Butterfly's Haunt in the Woods of the Mountain Asb, is which is iutroduced some yety graceful dancizz in di. bee to I put ma roar. Nan• panto moth, Haile out of begin lent. was from apple► to rei 1111 TO the 1 nett, level Yale Pant Th •nee drolle tomir even evidc TI crow