The Sun. — London, England, 1861-01-15 00:00:00

ROY AL ENGLISH OPERA COVENT -GARDEN. Under the Manage m ent of Miss Louisa Pyne and Mr. W. Harrison, Sole Lessees. THIS EVENING, Mellon's Opera of VICTORINE. Miss Louisa Fyne Miss Thirlwall, A.U. H. Corrie, Mr. H. Haigh, Mr. A. St. • , Albyn, and Mr. G. Horncastle. With the Grand Pantomime, BLUE BEARD ; or, Harle quin and Freedom in her Island Home. Clowns, Messrs. H. Bolen°, H. Payne. Hildyard, and Lilliputians. Harlequins, Mndsrs. Milano and F : Payne. Pantaloons, Messrs. Barnes and Tanner. Columbines, Mdme. Boleno and Clara Morgan. Sprites, the Zelinski Family. Mr. W. H. Payne, Mlle. Lamoureux, &c. Conductor—Mr. Alfred Mellon. Commence at Seven. T HEATRE -ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Lessee. Mr. J. B. Boekstone. - THIS EVENING the performances will nommerae with (by desire)SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER. Miss rlardcastie, Miss Fanny Stirling; Tony Lumpkin, Mr. Buckstone. After which, a new Pantomime, QUEEN LADYBIRD AND HER CHILDREN. The Pantomimists by the un rivalled Leclercqs, Herr Cole, and Fanny Wright. • - Commence at 7. VOYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE 1 .--- Lessee and Manager, Mr. A. Harris. 0, THIS EVENING. the performances will commence with THE CORSIC AN BROTHERS. Messrs. Eechter, Harris, Meadows, Mrs. Weston, and Miss Murray. After which, a new Christmas comical pantomime. entitled ROBINSON CRITSOE ; or, Harlequin Friday, and the Rine' of the' Caribbe Islands : in which Monsieur Espinosa and Mdlle. Marie Pumilatre, of the principal cantinental theatres, will appear. Mown. Mr. F. Forrest. THERE - ROYAL LYCEUM. Soils Lessee and Directress, Madame CELESTE. Last Week of Mr. John 'entitle Enazement. "Tr-Frig EVENING, a new Dra D ma, d THE IRISH EMIGRAN T . Messrs. G. Vinint,. J. Johnstone, T. rvon. F orr ester, and Jo hn Drew; Miss Kate Saville, Miss Stuart, and Mrs. J. Bowie. Alter which, the, Lyceum Christmas Comic Extravazanza, CRYSTARELLE : or, The Rose without a Thorn, showinc , „ rug v isiov OF A ROSE. ITS FADING AT EVE , A ii,ND THE MAY-BLOOM OF THE WILD BRIAR. To conclude with MORE BLUNDERS THAN ONE. Larr y Hoolagan, Mr:John Drew. A DELPHI, NFW TRFATRE-ROYAL. Sole Proprietor tml Manager, Mr. Beni. Webster. TM'S EVENING, AN UGLY CUSTOMER. Messrs. J. E. Tool'e, C. Selby, and Warde ; Miss K. Kelly, and Miss E. Thorne. After NYhich, TUE COLLEEN BAWN. D. Bondman, D. Fisher, Bnlington, Falconer, Stephenson, C. J. Smith, Romer. Miss Agri Robertson, Miss Woolgar, Mrs. Billington, and Mrs. Cha;terley. To conclude with a new Burlesque Extravaganza, entitled BLUE BEARD FROM A NEW POINT OF RUE. Messrs. .T. L. Toole, P. Bedford. C. J. Smith ; Miss Woolgar, I. Kelly, Laidlaw, and V.. Thorne. Doors open at half past 5_ Commence at 7. Box-office open from 10 till 5. No charge for booking. Private boxes, £2 2a.; Family Boxes, £l. Orchestra Stalls, ss. ; Balcony, Amphi th 45.; Fro eatre, l nt Circle Stalls, Sc.; Pit Stalls, 25.; Pit, ls. sd. ; s ; Gallery , 6d. Ac ti n g Vanazer—Mr. Wm. Smith. A STI,EY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE. PrOprietOr and Manager, Mr. Was. BATTY. . Last Five Nights of the Wondrously Trained Lions. A Grand Juvenile Fete will take place on Friday, Jan. 8, commencing at two o'clock with the Pantomime, concluding with the Lions. This Evening„ a new Spectacle, entitled THE LION CONQUEROR ; or, The Death Jungle, expresqly for the introduction of the Wonders of the World, " The Groupe of Performing Lions." The Lion Conqueror, Mr. J. Crockett. To be succeeded by Scenes in the Arena, supported by talented Parisian and British Artistes. Concluding with Batty's Prize Eqnestian Comic Panto mime. for Good Little Boys and Girls, by T. L. Greenwood, entitled HARLEQUIN' AND THE WONDERFUL NORSE .• or. Percinet and Grocioqa, the Ugly Duchess and the Greedy King, produced with Gorgeous Scenery, by Mr. Cuthbert, new Costumes and Appointments, and introducing in the comic scenes Batty's Prize Equestrian Harlequinade, and the celebrated Old Bob Ridley, and Brandon Ledger. Doors open at half-Fast 6, performance commence at T. BOX-0100e open daily from 11 till 4 Stage Manager—Mr. W. WEST. Director of the Arena—Mr. Pearson. CANTERBURY -HALL PANTOMIME " THE ENCHANTED HASH," EVERY EVENING. ENTERTAINING PEOPLE. Mr. MARSHALL and Mr. BELL. GOOD TEOPLE. Wlldrose, t Fairies, with the usual accom- ),Mr. Marshall Primrose, f p lishments. J Mr. Bell. COMMON PEOPLE. Farmer Thickhead (a husbandman, with a Wife and Child, who make a fool of him) Mr. BelL Giles Gosl intl . (the mysterious Orphan. who runs after every Miss, and afterwards Harlequin)Mr. Marshall. Dame Thickhead (who, having worn out the breeches,takes to Pantaloons ) . Mr. Bell. Dolly (the bell of the village, which Glle in tends to ring the—changes to Columbine) ..Mr. Marshall. BAD PEOPLE. llowlenrowley,l Demons of the lackest dye ) Mr. Marshal! Growleyhowlet, J and brightest Magenta. 5 Mr. BalL COMIC PEOPLE, ---- - - 'Harlequin.. .. •• Mr. F. BELL. Columbine Mr. F. MARSHALL. Clown Mr. F. MARSHALL. Pantaloon .. Scene, CANTERBURY (that's) HA LL !—Time A.D. 1861, at half-past nine. Mr. B. A pack of nonsense ! Mr. M. S What we want — Mr. B. Pooh ! pooh ! The idea! a Pantomime played by two ! HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. TRIS DA-Y. —Morning, 4h. 36m.—Afternoon, 4h. 54m. To-moltßow.-Morninz, sh. 10 m.—Afternoon. sh. 25m. THE WEATHER.—SUN OFFICE, JAN. 15, Is6l. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 31—highest since noon yesterday. 27—lowest this morning and during the night. 28—this day at noon. . BAROMETER-30.08. Wmp---East-North-Easterly — fresh; with biting cold weather and sunshine. i • : 1 4 411 ,L,.. - :.• ,„,. ,S'' ' , i ; •SO ' -'-'- , 1 ; I , • ---- .. „... „,_........ ,4. : :" %li k _ ',7!;74,1r ''''' '''' lE , ' . ' TAV a ; A., + i'' ' ' • ' S -''' ''''' \ ' ' Z.----.... T FIE SUN. LONDOT,T, TUESDAY, JAN. 15, 1881. Going—going—going—gone ? No, not the last just yet; but positively on the 19th, come what will. So says the Imperial auctioneer to the expectant monarchs outside and inside of Gaeta, Will the hammer rise again before the irrevocable word is uttered, or will its fall decide what has been so long, and so wrongfully to England, as •xell as to Italy, kept in suspense by their professed friend ? We say wrongfully to England. He has, in the most express terms, assented with apparent cor diality to the English principle of non-intervention in Italy. He knows that the English Government and people are thoroughly at one in that view ; he ' knows, too, that this is moderation on our part, because so intense is the feeling of the English nation in regard to Italian liberties, that the slightest indulgence of our wishes would send to the aid of Italy such a fleet as would dismiss Admiral BARBIER DE TINAN to Z oulon. Yet LOUIS NAPOLEON persists, in spite of his own declaration to us, and in spite of our most earnest wishes, we hope it may be said in spite also of pressing remonstrances from our Foreign-office—he persists in the most barefaced and provoking intervention. We are much obliged to him for a treaty ten times more profitable to him than us. We thank him also for the privilege of travelling about France un-ticketed, spending our money among his shopkeepers, and augmenting French railway dividends. We accept these good tempered doings, and hope good will come of them. We wish his MAJESTY, however, to under stand that, nation of shopkeepers —as we are—we have as much pride as our neighbours have vanity. And if it really flatters French vanity to prevent the Italian fleet from consummating Italian liberty, it wounds English pride, that France should agree with us to Pursue &just policy in Italy, should know that our hearts are set upon it, and should then, without the shadow of a p r etext, break her own word to do the very thing which makes every Englishman indignant. "Lord PALMERSTON knows me and will believe me," said Louis NAPOLEON not long ago to Count PERSIGNY. Believe what if sub sequent actions are to tell us, Lord. PALMERSTON must look at Gaeta, and believe that the most solemn professions of the EMPEROR are not worth the paper they are written on, if England can but be insulted, and Italian union delayed. Were the case reversed, and had wo done anything similar, shouts of " Perfidious Albion" would have resounded from Cherbourg to Toulon. The wrong to Italy is yet more obvious. How the Italians bear it with such patience is the marvel. It is partly, no doubt, with the honourable recollection that, after all, be gave them the start for freedom in 1869 ; but still more, we apprehend, because bear it they must. France has receiltlY eirrasomartzarraset deserved well of Italians, and earned a title to their gratitude. Her ruler professed that a grateful Italy would be the best support of France on that side ; and yet, with the perversity of despotism, he is doing all he can to cancel all the obligations of Italy to France. The mischief of the purely wanton intervention at Gaeta is as great indirectly as directly. We all see the cruelty of prolonging quite uselessly the defence of a fort, to the certain sacrifice of many human lives; but even worse than that is the mischief done to the South of Italy generally. While the KING is at Gaeta, brigands, whose only real object is plunder, dignify their petty turbulence with the name of Royalist insur rections, and the greater part of these scamps con sist of disbanded soldiers of the King's army, a great part of whom consisted naturally of the very scum of the population. At the same time the army which ought to be putting down all this is detained by the French EMPEROR in the trenches before Gaeta. There is indeed a general belief, which is due to his os n heartless and despotic intermeddling, that the petty unsettlem ants which trouble and perplex Southern Italy are due to Imperial agents and to Imperial gold. At all events—Louis NAPOLEON is guilty of thwarting the desire of Italians for unity, so far as mortals can understand, for no earthly object but to gratify his spite against them for refusing his confederation with a Papal Head, and to retain unrighteously the suzerainty of the country. What he will do in the spring no mortal can conjecture. A letter we publish to-day from Turin strongly affirms that the Garibaldians are deter mined on action in the spring and ready for it. It tells us, that they do not mean to waste their attempts on the forts of the Quadrilateral, but to take Austria on her vulnerable side. This may be true, it is certainly not improbable, and equally certain that Austria keeps a sharp look out in that direction. Her consuls prevented the conveyance of arms up the Danube into Hungary by Genoese vessels; but the attempt shows which way the Italian patriots are looking. What a complication there might be if Hungary were to change her present admirable legal course, for an appeal to the Sword. We cannot, for Hungary's sake, wish it at present, since she seems to be winning back her old rights one after another by passive resistance, and what we might almost term passive action—merely doing what is legal by old laws, which she simply refuses to allow can be repealed by arbitrary Imperial edicts. But, returning to England, no country has so much right to complain of the EMPEROR'S general conduct as we have. It seems as if he were intent upon keeping us just in the position, that we should never be able to lessen our military expenditure. The members who are, so properly, calling the Pre mier's attention to the subject, will find in the French EMPEROR their real difficulty. He will not give us the practical assurance that we may lie on our oars a little. Not only does he keep up and increase hls warlike preparations, but he is pertinacious in intermeddling everywhere and in every thing till we never can guess what he will not do. Savoy, and the Lake of Geneva, Rome, Gaeta, Syria, even Egypt—everywhere the restless man has some iron in the fire, as if to multiply the possible causes of war ; and what course his caprices may take with Hungary, Austria, and the Govern ments of Germany, no one can guess. He may almost any dayplace us in the position that we must speak out, and back our speaking, if necessary, with something more than words—in other words, we owe the ten-penny Income-tax of last year to Louis NAPOLEON solely—and if we cannot get rid of it all this year it is LOUIS NAPOLEON who picks all our pockets. We are much obliged to him for saving us a sixpenny passport, but we should be much more obliged to him if he did not saddle us with the hateful Income-tax. Every Englishman with a hundred a-year and upwards is fined a heavy per tentage on his income, for nothing else in the world than to insure himself against some possible escapade of Imperial vanity. It is a terrible time just now for the humbler classes. The thermometer several degrees below freezing point. The wind blowing just now keenly, blightingly, due east. Work of any kind inaccessible to the vast majority of our stalwart day-labourers. Food and fuel—for a long time past high-priced--rising and rising deplorably. Everything almost that Poverty could (during these many weeks of hard frost) put its grasp upon and carry off to the pawn broker's, long since exchanged there for little scraps of pasteboard, never afterwards, in the greater number of instances, to be thought of for the redeeming of those pledged articles of clothing and furniture—exchanged there, at the pawnbroker's, for those miserable little packs of cards (that gamble away so very lamentably the poor man's goods and chattels), and for a few wretched handfuls of pence wherewith to buy the bare necessaries of existence ! This is strictly and literally the actual picture pre sented to any one's view who cares to penetrate, at this time, into the humbler class of dwellings, whe ther in this vast metropolis or throughout the whole wide country side. We have ourselves carefully examined into the state of things for a long while past in some of the most squalid of the back slums of London and Westminster. And there, during weeks and weeks past, we have found almost in variably the same miserable spectacle of wretched ness. The one house-room—sitting-room and sleep ing -room, alike for parents and children, and these children often enough, oftener than enough grown to an age rendering this general "litter down" of the whole family in the same narrow apartment a violation of all the com monest notions of decency—this one deplo rable room stripped of nearly everything portable, poorest rags of clothes, poorest sticks of furniture, represented now by a bundle of dirty little scraps of cards stowed away in an old cracked teapot—the pawnbroker's tickets ! The labourers —fathers of those neglected homes—long out of work—labourers now no longer. The wives and children, ailing for the most part from cold and hunger, from insufficient clothing, but more parti cularly from inadequate nourishment. Frequently the wretched mother's boots off her feet—half worn boots pawned, too, at the last gasp, for a few shillings to buy bread with. To obtain, upon the instant, something more than an inkling of all this—it is only necessary, without going down one of those lowly byways of our great capital, without climbing-up into one of its stark garrets or down into one of its pestilential cellars—it is only re quisite to glance for a moment at the records pouring in just now from all the numerous police offices and union workhouses. The latter are long since choke-full,even to overcrowding. The gateways are besieged by the swarming applicants for outdoor relief. The stone yards littered with the labourers —respectable workmen, for the most part under ordinary circumstances, brought down now for an interval to the lowest pauper toil of all—men wielding the stonebreaker's hammer there, from earliest dawn to latest sundown, for a daily pittance of twelve or fourteenpence at the outside Some of which must go for their own support, and for t h e purchase of a, mug of beer or so, or A Wow of tobacco, to enable them to get through the eight or ten hours' hammering in the open air. The refaidue----we may fancy how little that must be when the day's toil is over !—being taken home at nightfall to the wife and children. For the alleviation of all this scarcely calculable or conceiv able mass of wretchedness wo are conscious that the noblest efforts are being made, and that, more over, systematically, in a variety of different direc tions. There are the hard - hearted poor law establishments themselves—for such as they are — in full operation. There are great diversities of other eleemosynary associations, endeavouring earnestly (alas ! however, how vainly !) to keep pace with the widening and expanding circle of squalid des titution. There are the Night Refuges at Field lane and elsewhere crammed full during half of the twenty-four hours—giving rations for one meal and shelter for one night to the wretchedest of all wayfarers ! There are isolated efforts being made here and there by individual benevolence. There is last of all, but in very deed not by any means least of all—the youngest of our charitable insti tutions in this vast metropolis— The Society for the Relief of Distress a noble organisation due to the benign suggestions of W. D. 8., in our chief morning contemporary—to the admirably well - timed suggestions (we have long been enabled to tear aside from him the veil of the anonymous) of Mr. W. DAVENPORT BROMLEY— suggestions which that gentleman has been enabled to carry into effect by the energetic co-operation of a throng of sympathisers, as our readers had an opportunity of recognising yesterday as "an accomplished fact," through the medium of a most encouraging advertisement. If the plague of poverty now desolating so many obscure homes cannot be altogether dissipated—its ravages may happily by the continuance of these and other beneficent efforts in behalf of the countless sufferers around us be very considerably and appreciably mitigated. It is while we are yet in the midst of this season able solicitude for the suffering poor of the metro polis that the Prime Minister comes in person before his auditors down at Romsey, and speaks to-day to the whole mass of our English multitude through the medium of the Whispering Gallery of the London Press apropos to the kindred wretchedness now being endured to a frightful extent by the rural population. Elsewhere in our impression of this evening will be found those most impressive remarks, uttered only yesterday down at Romsey by the noble Viscount our veteran First Lord of the Treasury. His lordship, it will be observed, was followed in these remarks most effective by the more lengthened comments made upon this general wretchedness by his step-son the Right Hon. W. COWPER, now Her MAJESTY'S Chief Commissioner of Public Works, and consequently empowered to speak upon a sab ject of this nature with some authority, as as administrator peculiarly entrusted with the responsibilities of that most responsible depart ment. Mentioning a case in point in reference to this theme of vital importance, a case in point that had come (as will be observed immediately) under his own personal observation, the noble Premier in his brief but pithy remarks, said—" Some years ago when the cholera prevailed generally, a very distinguished medical gentleman hap pened to be staying at Broadlands. At my request he made a medical inspection of this town, and drew up a report, of whioh a copy, I think, was given to the Mayor for the time being, and which is now in the possession of the authorities of the town. He stated that there was a great number of habitations which were not fit for the occupation of human beings, that they were destitute of all those accommodations and con veniences requisite for a decent dwelling-house, and that they were positively unhealthy owing to the want of ventilation and the absence of a sufficient number of cubical feet of space for each parson who lived in them. I believe that that report was acted upon, and that a great deal of good resulted." What has' thus been done partially at Romsey— has not even been begun, has not even been thought of, in a vast number of other localities, north, south, east, west, in every shire in England and Wales, to say nothing of Scotland and Ireland. Yet the necessity for some effort at improvement in the dwelling-houses of our poor labourers,whether town labourers or agricultural labourers, is matter of abso lute notoriety. Look at those last sad pictures—we can't call them comic cartoons—appearing in this weeks number of our London Charivari, that great humorous publication of Punch, which has now for twenty years illustrated so effectively and beneficently, in the midst of the general laughter, the truth of the good old adage, which says that there is many a true word spoken in jest. Look at those two last contrasting cartoons in this latest number of our ever-welcome Punch—that peep into the Squire's Stable, and that other peep into his Labourers' Cottages. In Heaven's name let us set about this grand reform at length in real earnest —about this grand reform at least, if about no other. It will be a Reform, in every imaginable way, beneficial to the poor labourers, whether of town or country, and to ourselves. It will be a great sanitary improvement. It will advance the grand cause of morality amongst the humbler classes of the community. It will economise money and time and labour—all of them eventually, some of them immediately. And while doing all this for the poor, both metropolitan and provincial, it will remove a great scandal and, at the same time, a fearful responsibility from our own shoulders. Our readers will all be gratified to see that ANDERSON, the fugitive slave, who killed DIGGES in attempting to escape from slavery, and whom two of the judges in Canada were prepared to deliver up under the Ashburton treaty, will now be brought before her MAJESTY'S Courts at Westminster on a writ of _Habeas Corpus. The Lord Chief Justice and the other judges were unanimous that the writ should issue. The law under which it ought to issue had never been expressly repealed by any of the statutes which have conferred increased independence on the colonies ; and nothing but explicit legislation could deprive the Queen's Courts of this right. We apprehend the Lord Chief Justice need not fear that the colonists will regard such a power of our courts as any intrusion on their liberties, but rather as a safeguard of them. They all look to the English Bench as a palladium of liberty, and will only be too thankful, we believe, to see, that, in the last resort, local oppression or errors can be redressed by an appeal to the imperial judges. We heartily congratulate Mr. EDWIN JAMES on the success of his appeal. IVe have been informed that the Letter on the National Expenditure, addressed to the Premier, which we published and commented upon a few days ago, and which had then been signed by only a few members, was intended to be a private docu ment. Between fifty and sixty members have now affixed their names to it, and more, it is fully expected, will do so. It is obvious, therefore, that a document in the hands of so many public persons could not be expected to remain a secret. It came to us, indeed, without any intimation of the kind. We may add that, as it is in every way creditable and as it is very desirable that t t o h e the supporters promoters,of members in the country should be aware of it and request the signatures of their repreAeututives, the publication cannot be regretted, THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 15, 1861 Great anxiety is felt respecting the fate of the screw steamer New Pclton, owned by Messrs. Ford and Jackson, of London. This vessel left Llanelly on the 29th of December last, coal laden, for Havre, and has not since been heard of. Accounts from Brussels announce that the treaty of commerce between France and Belgium had been signed. The stipulations are not known, but it is believed that the duty on coal entering France is reduced to 90 een • times the ton, and the duty on cast iron to 2f. Me., instead of 4f. 50c. It is reported that the terms proposed by the London and North-Westernand Great Northern Companies jointly to the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Com pany are as follows :—A guarantee of 11 per cent. per annum, increasing per cent, per annum up to 31 per cent. in perpetuity, and the privilege of exchanging every £lOO Sheffield Stock into £65 (or £7O ?) London and North- Western Stock. Three Sheffield directors have been ap pointed to confer and negotiate with directors similarly appointed by the other boards. The resignation of the Marquis of Chandos of the chairmanship of the London and North •Western Company occurred, it is said, in conse quence of his opposition to the guarantee. A circular of Messrs. Arles Dufour and Co., of Lyons, mentions that although the United States take annually about .£8,000,000 worth of silk goods from Europe, the fall in prices since the outbreak of the disunion crisis has not been more than between two and three per cent. on the superior descriptions, owing to the limited supply in the market. In the common descriptions there has been a reduction of between six and twelve per cent. The report of the Union Bank of London, to be presented to-morrow, states that the profits of the half-year ending the 31st of December were £63,063, which, with a previous balance of £3,407, makes an available total of £66,470. A dividend of 12s. per share is recommended, and £30,470 will remain to be carried forward. THE REV. J. BONWELL'S CASE.—The case of the Rev. James Bonwell, incumbent of St. Philip's, Stepney, who is under sentence of deprivation by the Dean of the Court of Arches, will come before the Judicial Committee of Privy Council, at the sittings which will be held at the close of Hillary Term. In the event of their lordships con firming the decision of the Court of Arches, Mr. Bonwell will cease to be a clergyman of the Church of England, and his benefice will revert to the patrons, the Principal 'and Fellows of Brasenose College, Oxford. TERRIFIC CONFLICT WITH A TIGRESS.—On Fri day morning, while Maccomo was going through his per formance with the Bengal tigers, at Mender's Menagerie, Shaw's-brow, Liverpool, a tigress caught his hand in her mouth. Never were coolness and nerve displayed to greater perfection by any man than were shown by Mac como at this j ancture, for, planting his knee in the small of the tigress's back, and pressing her against the bars of the cage, then seizing her lower jaw with the right hand, he held her powerless to do more than retain the left hand ix her mouth. So cool was Maccomo in this trying posi tion, that lookers on thought it part of the performance, but when Maccomo called to one of the keepers, " She has got my hand fast in her mouth, bring a bar of hot iron," the truth of his dangerous position flashed through the minds of those present, and created the greatest excite ment—one lady fainting away, others running from the painful sight. Four or five minutes elapsed before the iron was ready, during which time Maccomo stood as a piece of statuary, net a quiver of the lip to show the pain he was enduring. When ready, the hot iron was applied quickly and surely by one of the keepers to one of the l arge t ee th i n the upper jaw, and, as though she had been electrified, her mouth sprang open. Maccomo, quick as lightning, drew his hand away, caught hold of a thick stick, struck the treacherous animal a terrific blow on the skull, brought her down, and forced her to finish her performance before he left the stage. When Maccomo came out of the cage his bleeding hand testified to the frightful struggle which had been going on between man and beast. One gentleman gave Maccomo 10s. as a mark of appreciation of the cool courage displayed. We cannot avoid expressing our dis like to see cool and daring men placed hourly in such a position as must atlast, in all probability, terminate fatally. —Live: pool Mercury. THERMOMETERS.—Mr. E. J. Lowe, in a letter to the Times, says :—" Allow me to say a few words in reply to the letter of Messrs. Negretti and Zambra, a firm to whom we owe much for their improvements in thermo meters and for the great care they bestow in the construc tion of these instruments. Their excellent letter of caution has been misunderstood. "What they have stated is per fectly true as regards instruments in the hands of the pub lic, but it does not apply to those used by the careful ob server. All meteorologists are aware of the fact that the spirit evaporates in the thermometer tube, and on again becoming condensed is collected at the end furthest from the bulb, but they also know how to remedy this source of error from time to time. I have been extensively asked if 20 degrees must be added to the very low readings of ray thermometers for the 24th and 25th of December, 1860. On referring to my letter in the Times, dated December 25, it will be seen that 13.8 degrees and 11.7 degrees below zero were recorded by mercurial thermometers. These thermometers are exceedingly sensitive, being two of those which were specially prepared for me by Messrs. Negretti and Zambra for observation of the total eclipse of the sun in Spain last July. In short, none of my thermometer readings require corrections. 'While alluding to the great cold on Christmas-day, 1860, let me answer the numerous inquiries as to whether ' Murphy's cold day in 1838' did not exceed in severity that of December 25, 1860. In this neighbourhood (Beeston) the greatest cold in January, 1838, was 8 degrees above zero, or 16 degrees warmer than on December, 25, 1860, and the mean temperature of the 24 hours was—ln 1838, 14.1 degrees ; in 1860, 4.0 degrees ; or above 10 degrees warmer in 1838." IRON-CASED MEN-OF- WAIL—We are gratified at being able to announce that the Admiralty have decided upon increasing without further delay the number of our iron-cased steam men-of-war, and letters were sent out on Saturday from Whitehall calling upon Messrs. Napier, Laird, Scott Russell, Mare, Samuda, Palmer, Westwood and Co., and the Thames Yard Ship Building Company (Limited), to send in tenders by the 24th inst., for building two ships of about 4,000 tons each. The vessels are to be very similar in construction to the Resistance and Defence, now nearly complete. They are to be 280 feet long, 66 feet broad, and plated 'with iron slabs fore and aft. The angular principle will not be adopted in this instance, notwithstand ing all that has been done and said upon the subject. We however infer, from inquiries which we have made, that the question is still a moot one with the officers of the Comptroller's Department, and that consequently the instal ment made to our iron navy is at present only a small one. The report made by Captain Hewlett of the Excellent, last August was, we are informed, decidedly favourable to Mr. Josiah Jones's invention; and he is supported in his state ment by the openly expressed opinion of all the principal scientific officers in the Royal Navy. BIRDS AND THE WEATHER.—A writer in a con temporary says :—lt is not so very long since you published in a letter from a correspondent, a floral catalogue to prove the mildness of the season. Your readers may now form an estimate of the severity of the season by running an eye through the subjoined catalogue of birds seen, and in most instances shot, within the last week on the twelve miles of coast between Wells and Thornham-harbour, Nor folk :—Pink-footed goose, Brent goose, merganser, mil lard, red-headed poachard, gold-eye, curlew, widgeon, gulls of three kinds, godwit, redshanks, gray plover, knot, san derling, purple sandpiper, dunlins in myriads (probably " the seven snipes at a shot" of one of your correspondents), oyster-catcher, wild swan, diver, scoter, and jack snipe. Among land birds I observed the short-eared owl, snow bunting (probably "the piebald birds" noticed by another of your correspondents), moun tain and common linnet, corn bunting, and black headed bunting. But what was most remarkable was the number of land birds driven by the severity of the weather from the meadows and arable land to pick up a subsistence on the seashore. Among these I noticed crows, Royston crows, jackdaws, starlings, greenfinches, meadow pipits, thrushes, redwings, fieldfares (the last so tame that they allowed the observer to approach within 20 yards of them), and larks flocking with dunlins, and alight ing on the " scarves" of the submarine forest of Brancas ter, when almost covered by the advancing tide. THE WEATHER ON THE EASTERN COAST.--At Burgh Castle, three miles from Great Yarmouth, at 10 feet above the sea level, the following have been the lowest readings, at night, of two minimum thermometers, one of Negretti and Zambra, and another tested and working with theirs. The thermometers were in the open ground 4 feet above the surface. Sunday, the 6th.-16 deg. Heavy fall of snow at night two inches on the level. Monday, the 7th.-0 deg. Another heavy fall of snow five inches more on the level. Tuesday, the Bth.-2 deg. Wednesday, the 9th.-2 deg. Thursday, the 10th.-10 deg. Friday, the llth.-29 deg. Saturday.—A cold thaw now set in. The barometer has been steady at 3033. The air is very light from the south-west all the week. On Monday, the 24th of December, the thermometers marked 0, at night, and on the 25th, 6. The salt-water tidal rivers within a short distance of the haven were frozen to the thickness of 9 inches, and on Monday and Tuesday night the channel of the Yare, a salt tidal river, froze to the thickness of 31 inches. From the proximity of the sea the coast is generally warmer than inland. No weather so cold as that of the past week has been observed hero within living memory. TESTIMONIAL TO A RAILWAY OFFlClAL.—Yes terday morning a handsome testimonial, in the shape of a purse containing the sum of £l7l 15s. 6d., was presented to Mr. Gibbs, chief inspector at the Slough Station of the Great Western Railway, by the passengers using that line, as a mark of the high eEtintation in which he is held by all classes, and the courtesy and kindness uniformly shown by him in the discharge of the important duties of his office. The testimonial was subscribed for by nearly 300 of the passengers, among whom were the Duke of Buccleuch, the Earl of Darnley, the Earl of Dartmouth, Viscount Ebury, Viscount I? owerscourt, Lord Carrington, the Earl of Bass borough, Lord Taunton, his Excellency the Belgian Minfa. ter, Lord Home, Lady Mary Hood, Lady Molyneilx, Sir George Couper, W. Yansittart, Esq., M.P., & c . The ounh Sta t'on, in the presence a a Araerous body of the nocribers, E eBe at 4 ti°a took 1 . ,11.ce in one of the lar 9 :0 rooms at the L E N ' 4 .4 , (REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.) TURIN, TUESDAY MORNING. The Opinione publishes a despatch announcing that a part of the French fleet left Gaeta on the 14th inst., and that hostilities had been suspended on both sides. PARIS, JAN. 14. The Moniteur publishes a decree convoking the Senate and the Corps Legislatiff for Feb. 4. The Moniteur also publishes a comparative table of the French revenue derived from indirect taxes, which shows a decrease in 1860, compared with 1859, of 21 millions of francs. BERLIN, MONDAY. The Chambers were opened to-day. His Majesty in his speech lamented the death of the late King. The King then made mention of the new organi sation of the army, which he said had become necessary, the defence of the integrity of the Ger man territory being his first duty. His Majesty said that negociations were imminent between France and the Zollvereia in reference to their mutual commercial relations. His Majesty continued thus :—" The relations between the great Powers have become still more friendly by the personal meetings which have taken place. It is therefore to be regketted that the steps taken by Germany for the settlement of the ques tion of the constitution of the German Duchies placed under Danish rule have remained without any result. Prussia, as well as the rest of Germany, recognises it as a natural duty to finally bring about the proper solution of this question." The King energetically stated that it was his intention to remain faithful to the principles of government which he imposed on himself on assuming the Regency, as he found in those principles a safe guarantee against the revolutionary spirit spread abroad in Europe. NAPLES, lAN. 12. A proclamation of King Victor Emmanuel to the inhabitants of the Neapolitan provinces has been published. The King says—" The affairs of the state compel me to separate myself from you. A domestic affliction has caused the retirement of Farini. Prince Carignan will govern the Neapo litan provinces in, my name. Show that you always fervently desire the unity of Italy." ROME, JAN. 14. King Francis 11. has, in deference to the Empe ror Napoleon, accepted, without reserve, the pro posals of France in reference to the armistice. General Cialdini has replied that he must refer the matter to his Sovereign, but he has refused to suspend the siege works during the armistice. TURIN, JAN. 14. The ambassador of tie Shah of Persia to the French Court was received to-day by the King, and presented to his Majesty the decorations of the orders of Persia. VIENNA, SIN. 14. The general meeting of the shareholders of the National Bank, which was held to-day, was less excited than had been expected. The proposals of the opposition were not adopted. A dividend of 32f1. was proposed. The meeting was finally adjourned to await the decision of the Government, which is expected to-morrow. The Vienna journals publish a dispatch dated Trieste, January 14, asserting that the Count and Countess Montemolin died yesterday. No confirma tion of this news has been received. THE HAGUE, JAN. 14. Baron• van der Goes van Dirksland has been appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs in place of Baron Zuyler van Nyevelt. FRANCE. PARIS, JAN. 14. BOURSE, Jan. 14.—The English funds having arrived with a slight improvement, the market has been firm, at about Saturday's quotations. For the Account, Threes are now at 67f 15e ; Mobilier, 665 f ; Orleans, 1,363 f 75c; Northern, 950 f; Mediter ranean, 893 f 75c; Austrian and Lombard, 463 f. 75c. The following were the last quotations:— ft per per Cents ... 96 40 Credit Foncier 940 Do end month.... 96 50 Belgian 4t 9B 25 3 per Cents Do. end month 67 15 Roman .. 72 50 Bank Shares 2885 Austrian Credit Mobilier.... 665 Spanish Threes 4B Do. Account 662 50 I Home Debt RAILWAYS. Cash. Account. Orleans 1365 .. 1363' 75 Northern New ditto B7O .. Lyons and Mediterranean 896 25 .. 895 Geneva 370 .. 370 Southern 505 .. 505 Western Eastern Sardinian . 7 2 Austrian Loir bard N 462 60 .. 03 75 PRUSSIA. A letter from Berlin, dated 12th January, says : "To avoid misunderstandings in the Holstein question, allow me to observe that Prussia has not, as some papers have announced, made a separate motion at Frankfort. The Prussian envoy, in explaining in the sitting of the Committee of the Diet on the 7th inst., in concert with the Austrian envoy, the point of view of the two great German Powers on the measures to be taken against Hol stein, only supported the motion made by the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg on the 26th July last. That motion proposed armed interven tion in Holstein, as resolved on the 11th Feb ruary, 1858, adopted (in principle) on the 12th August, 1858, but provisionally suspended by a federal decree of the Bth March, 1860. " It is supposed that the Chamber of Represen tatives, on the occasion of the change of Sovereigns, will this year vote an address in reply to the speech from the Throne. " General Bonin, ex-Minister of War, has arrived at Berlin. The General will be sent to England to notify to her Majesty the accession of the new King. M. de Manteuffel has resigned his place as member of the House of Representatives. The Count of Flanders, Prince Murat, the Grand Duke Nicholas of Russia, andthe Grand Duke of Tuscany have left Berlin." A Turin letter in the Independance affirms that the French :fleet, on leaving Gaeta, will go to cruise in the Adriatic, "in order to relieve the Italian fleet of the painful duty of acting against Garibaldi, in case he should persist in making an expedition against Venetia." LONDON; BRIGHTON, AND SOUTH . COAST RAILWAY. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SIR,—I am instructed by the Board of Directors to inform you that the accounts for the past half year having been this day submitted to them, they have decided upon recommending the payment of a dividend for the half-year of £3 10s. per cent. on the consolidated stpck of the company, making the total dividend for the year amount to 6 per cent. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, lan. 14, 1861. FRED. SLIGHT, Secretary. TUE CAMBRIDGE PROCTOR AND TUE SPINNING HOUSE.—Yesterday, in the Court of Common Pleas, Sir F. Kelly obtained a rule against the plaintiffs to show MIN why a new trial eholild not take place. TIIE DWELLINGS OF THE POOR. ROMSEY, MONDAY. A meeting, convened by private circular. and attended by nearly all the landed proprietors of the district, was held in the Town-hall of Romsey this afternoon, for the purpose of taking into conside ration the best means of improving the dwellings of the labouring classes. Lord Palmerston pre sided, and there were also present—the Right Hon. W. Cowper, M.P., Chief Commissioner of Public Works ; the Hon. R. Dutton, .M.P., Mr. W. E. Nightingale, Sir George Shee, Mr. Fluder (mayor of Romsey), the Rev. G. L. Berthon (vicar), the Hon. and Rev. C. Harris, the Rev. F. H. Tragett, Mr. Eyre, Mr. Lordan, &c. Lord PALMERSTON, who was received with great enthusiasm, in opening the proceedings, said—We are met here, gentlemen, at the suggestion of our worthy vicar, to take into consideration the state of the habitations of the poorer and labouring classes. The badness of that condition has been long, especially in this town, the subject of remark. I don't know, however, that we are worse off in that respect than many other towns, but it is our duty to look to what exists here, and endeavour, if possible, to provide some alleviation and remedy for the evil. (Hear, hear.) Some years ago, when the cholera . prevail.ed generally, a very distinguished medical gentleman happened to be staying at Broadlands. At my request he made a medical inspection of this town, and drew up a report, of which a copy, I think, was given to the mayor for the time being, and which is now in fhe possession of the authorities of the town. He stated that there was a great number of habitations which wera not fit for the occupation of human beings, that they were destitute of all those accommodations and con veniences requisite for a decent dwelling-house, and that they were positively unhealthy owing to the want of ventilation and the absence of a sufficient number of cubical feet of space for each person who lived in them. I believe that that report was acted upon, and that a great deal of good resulted. There was, I think, a committee appointed for the removal of nuisances, who were very actively occupied, and who, by their exertions, removed in some degree the causes of illness which at that time prevailed; but of course nothing could be done, because the functions of that committee did not include any measures for improving the habi tations of the lower classes. Our worthy vicar, who devotes his mind most assiduously to the welfare of his parishioners, and who is not content simply with making provision for their spiritual welfare, but also directs his attention to their temporal advan- tage, has been exceedingly solicitous that measures, if possible, should be taken to improve the condition of these very bad habitations, of which I trust there are not a great many, though I believe there are still a considerable number. We are met here to day, gentlemen, to take this important matter into serious consideration. I have no particular proposal to make myself, but there are others here who, I am sure, will suggest some means whereby the evil may be alleviated. I therefore shall be glad, as you I have no doubt, will be, to hear their opinions as to the best means by which it may be possible to remove the evil, and provide a sufficient and ade quate remedy. Having stated the object of the meet ing, I leave it now for any person who has matured in his own mind the consideration of this important subject to state what has occurred to him in the course of his reflections. Mr. COWPER, M.P.,—Having been called upon to make a few remarks, I think I need not say much as to the improvements—as to the necessity for im proving the dwellings of the labouring classes in this country. In former times there was very little knowledge and very little interest taken in the subject by the public at large ; but, happily, in re cent years the inquiries of commissions, the infor mation which has been collected by the clergy, by the medical profession, and by persons who have turned their attention to the condition of the working classes, and in a great degree the discus sions we have had in the newspapers, have brought us to this point, that it is universally acknow ledged that one of the means by which we can best assist in promoting the welfare of the labouring elassva of the country is by doing something to improve the dwellings in which they live. The pro gress of science and skill has at last raised a stan dard of decent habitation which is pretty generally recognised as one that ought to be attained. I do not think there is anything in which the progress of civi lisation is more apparent than in the changes which have taken place in the homes and houses of the people. (Hear.) We know that in the time of Elizabeth, when there were no carpets, the floors of even the best houses were strewed with rushes, and we are told, in some of the contemporaneous letters that have been handed down to us, that when a ball took place, and the floors were cleared for dancing, and the rushes were swept away, there arose such a stench from the decayed vege table matter that even the most enthusiastic and steadiest dancer hardly ventured to commence the saltatory amusement until the effluvia arising from the floors had in some degree abated. (A laugh.) In modern times we have had great improvements introduced, not only in the mansions of the great and the smaller class of private houses, but espe cially in the dwellings of the cottagers. We have had model buildings erected in accessible situa tions. In London we have many such models, and on most well managed estates in the country you will find that improved and comfortable cottages have been built. I say again, there are no means by which the poorest classes can be so well helped as by improving their dwellings. (Hear.) It is a perfectly safe method of assisting them. Charity given profusely will sometimes induce working men to rely too much on the benevolence of others, and to relax their own exertions in earning their livelihood. But in regard to their houses the matter is entirely beyond their reach. The labour ing man has no means of building a house; all he can do is to choose the best that is presented to him, and it must depend on persons of capital what sort of a house he can obtain. But it is wonderful how much the mere influence of the Louse he lives in acts both upon the mental and physical condi tion of the labouring man. (Hear, hear.) If the house is built with walls too thin, if the outer-door opens into the riving room, so that every time the door is opened there is a rush of cold air into the apartment, and the house is liable to con tinued draughts, and if the floors are damp, the occupants become positively afraid of the fresh air which ought to find its way in for the purposes of ventilation, and exert all their ingenuity to stop up every crevice that may exist, and thus expose themselves not only to colds, but rheumatism and ailments of a more dangerous character. Then, agaie, if the mother of a family has not a proper place in which to wash and dry the clothes, and is obliged to carry on that operation in the living room, the living room becomes untenantable to the father and children, and they desire to get out of it as often and as soon as they can. In my opinion, that is the cause by which one of the greatest curses of our country, viz., drunkenness, is promoted and encourages'. It is the discomfort of a man's home which induces him to withdraw from it whenever he can, and resort to the public-house for comfort which he cannot get at his own house. It is by this accidental circumstance that he is led into a habit of drinking, which he would probably have abstained from if he had had a more comfortable home. (Hear, hear.) Then, again, there is no thing that more conduces to the morality of a family than having a decent dwelling-place. It is one of God's ordinances that the fam il y relationship shall be the means of preserving the members of the family from temptation and evil, and anything cal culated to make the home uncomfortable and diminish the ties of family could not be too much deprecated. (Hear, hear.) It is most im portant that the youth of this country should be e ducated, but if , on returning home from school a boy finds that the home influences do not coincide with the moral lessons he has been taught, there is a great risk of those lessons being deprived of the greatest portion of their efficiency. (Hear, hear.) If, instead of finding peace and comfort at home, be finds discomfort, annoyance, and irritation, the most evil consequences are certain to result. (Hear, hear.) Now, I believe there is no way in which the wealthy classes or this country can better spud , money than by improving the dwellings of the poor. No doubt many cottages are in a satisfactory condition, but still there are in all large towns and in every rural district a certain number of dwellings in which a proper state of decency, of propriety, and of self-respeet cannot by possibility be attained, in which health cannot be preserved, and in which the whole moral atmosphere of the family is tainted and deteriorated. (Hear.) I believe it is pretty well understood by enlightened landed pro prietors that they have resting upon them the duty of providing, as far as they can, that the persons dependent upon them shall be well lodged, and I don't think it will be found in most of those cases in which complaints have been made that the cot- tages belong to persons of capital. The evil gene rally arises where cottages, either in town or country, are held by persons of small means, who have not sufficient capital to enable them to im prove old or build new good houses at the begin ning, and, cons( quently, neglect a duty which their position ought to require them to perform. I think that the best means by which that difficulty can be overcome is by the formation of a society, consisting of kind-hearted persons, who will join in a sort of joint-stock undertaking, and by subscribing shares endeavour to put themselves in the shoes of persons who, having small means, are yet possessed of cot tages unfit for decent human habitation. If we agree to form such an association, I think I can foresee many great benefits that will result, and at very little sacrifice to those who are willing to enter into the undertaking. If such a society were formed, the first business would be to hunt out with great keen ness all the worst habitations ; following their scent, they should then endeavour to detect the most offensive portions of the town. They should seek the open ditches and gutters, the places where noxious gases are emitted ; they should follow a picturesque eye and see where the cottage roofs are most dilapidated, because, however well they may look upon canvas, they are most repugnant to the eye of a philanthropist. Having discovered the worst portions of a town, they should endeavour either to purchase the property or take possession of it upon long leases. Then, if there are houses which are discreditable to the neighbourhood and the town, and in such a bad state of repair that they cannot be improved, they should at once be pulled down. But if the foundations are good and [the outer walls are sound, the modus operands', should be to convert the tenement from one of discomfort into one of comfort and health, by closing in the doors of the outer porches, by properly distributing the rooms inside, and by providing bedrooms for the decent accommodation of both sexes of the family. Then the floor must be changed from a brick floor into a boarded one, the walls must be whitewashed, and a good grate provided, capable of giving the greatest amount of warmth and cooking power at the smallest expenditure of fuel. (Hear, hear.) By these means a cottage may be changed from a really bad, unfit, and improper place of residence into one which the most benevo lent person might fairly wish to see provided for a decent respectable family. The way has already been trodden by many societies, one of which is the Cottage Improvement Society as Hastings. The society has now been in operation for three years and a half. It has a capital of £12,000, in shares of £lOO each, and has obtained possession of 100 houses. It has not built any, but has merely taken existing houses and improved them. The gross rents they have received have been about 11f per cent. on the total outlay, and the net rental, after paying rates, taxes, and insurance, has been about 82 per cent. They have paid every year since they started a dividend of 6 per cent., and have laid by a reserve fund amounting at the present moment to £2OO. At Red-hill there is another society, which has been in operation for three years, and, in addition to an accumulating fund, has paid its shareholders a dividend of 5 per cent. The society at Windsor has also paid a per centage upon its operations, In London the society esta blished in the Strand have directed their attention to the renovation of old houses rather than to the building of new ones, and they have realised a net profit of about 41 per cent. The experience of these societies shows that it is not, as people fancy, a hopeless thing to get a fair interest for money laid out in this manner. I may de scribe to you what the London society has done. At Tindal's-buildings, near Holborn, they expe rienced great difficulty in obtaining possession of the property. Before it came into their possession, Tindal's court was known as one of the worst nests of fever in the Holborn district ; but such a change was produced by the improvement which the society effected during the last year that there was not a single case of low fever there at all. Another point to which I ought to direct your attention is to pro vide lodging-houses for single men. In ordinary cases it is found that a man living with a strange family takes up the room that is wanted for others, and he is generally driven to the publichouse. Thera is one thing to be avoided in establishing these societies. Care must be taken that the staff is not so large as to swallow up the profit. I think we can fairly establish this good work without any great sacrifice, or without embarking in it any consider able amount of money. What we have to consider is not merely a scheme of pure benevolence and charity, but a proposal which, by an investment of our money, will give us a fair interest, and enable us to effect a vast amount of good. (Cheers.) Mr. Dutton, M.P., the Rev. E. L. Berthon, and Mr. Taylor having addressed the meeting, The MAYOR moved the appointment of a com mittee for the purpose of forming a company, under the Limited Liability Act, to carry out the otjects of the meeting. The motion was seconded and unanimously agreed to. The proceedings were then brought to a close by a Tote of thanks to Lord Palmerston for presiding. THE POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION. An extraordinary general meeting of the proprie tors of the Polytechnic Institution was held yester day afternoon in the premises, for the purpose of receiving from the directors a report of the present position and future prospects of the institution. The Rev. J. B. Owen occupied the chair. The minutes of the previous meeting having been read and confirmed, the report of the directors was read. It sfated that they had purchased the leases, stock, and fixtures of the late Polytechnic Institution for the sum of £4,000. The small amount of share capital subscribed had enforced on the board the greatest economy in making the alterations and repairs. The directors having only one-half of the shares subscribed had done their utmost to bring dawn the outlay. There had been incurred for the repairs and alterations of building, £5,013 lls. fiel.; for gas apparatus, fit tings, views, &c., £366 Os, Bd. ; for wages, legal and other expenses, &c., up to opening, £1,875 10s. 3d. The total on capital account in re opening the building to the public had been £12,255. The number of shares taken was given at 1,010, representing a capital of £lO,lOO. The sum of £5OO had been received in donations, and £2,000 had been lent to the institution partly on a guarantee given by certain shareholders, and partly on the security of the leases. The total capital account received had been £12,908 12s. 6d., which left £653 9s. lid. in hand when the whole of the uncalled capital was received, but against which there was owing £1,500 on the loan before mentioned. The current account, the report went on to say, had not done much towards placing the institution in a satisfactory position. In the 1860, a,. 31 a , instthe sum of £Bll the sum of ex s seven weeks (lheadd. b oe e e f n n d t h i ears as g rle3dom Dec. might be considered inci dental to the opening season, and therefore the expenditure might fairly be put down at £7BO, and it was to be remembered that November was the least remunerative month in the year. The directors believed that a greater excess of receipts over expenditure might be anticipated, and the two weeks of the present year confirmed that opinion to an extent which justified them in believing that the institution was growing in public favour. Either the shares at present subscribed for would require to be fully called up without loss of time to meet outstanding claims, or other exertions would be required. The directors hoped that, seeing success had so far been attained, the proprietors would dispose of at least 200 more shares, which would enable the institution to be carried on with advan tage to the public and the shareholders. Mr. E. MAYHEW having explained in detail the figures in the report, it was adopted. I