The Sun. — London, England, 1856-04-26 00:00:00

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE. SEASON 1856. It is respectfully announced that the OPERA SEASON will COMMENCE on SATURDAY, the 10th of May. On resuming the performances which have been suspended during the last three years, the Director of her Majesty's Theatre is anxious to assure the patrons of the Opera and the public, that no exertion shall be wanting to secure for this establishment that high position it so long maintained ; and he trusts that the renewal of the' enterprise under more prosperous auspices will be accompanied with that favour and support which no frequenter of the Opera needs to be reminded were for se many years accorded to a brilliant and successful management. The secession, in 1847, of many of these performers who had long been attached to the Opera House was the com mencement of a long and arduous struggle to maintain the fortunes of the old house ; and it was not till the wealth of four successive competitors had been fruitlessly lavished upon the rival theatre, that Mr. Lumley was reluctantly compelled to retire from the contest. From that time to the present Mr. Lumley's efforts have been unreutitting to re-open her Majesty's Theatre upon a permanent basis, and to restore the Opera to its ancient home. He has received liberal encouragement from every side, and, effectually aided by noble and generous support from a quarter where the refinements of art and taste never fail to And a patron, he is now enabled gratefully to announce the immediate resumption of performances. At the present moment there are vocalists, of an excellence seldom surpassed, who have never been heard by an English public. Of these the elite have been secured for the present season. Her Majesty's Theatre is marked out by its size, its situa tion, and its convenience of access, no less than by old and interesting associations, as the appropriate seat of the Opera. In the acoustic properties, so essential to the effective pro duction of the lyrical drama, it is acknowledged to surpass every other stage in Europe. In consequence of some happy accident of cou"tructiou a result hasbeen attained that science has failed to explain, and that no architect could engage to reproduce, by which the faintest tones and the most delicate vocalisation penetrate With unimpaired clearness to the re motest recesses of the vast erlifica. The arrangements completed and in progress, both in Opera and Ballet, will, it is confidently hoped, be thought worthy of the former reputution of the Theatre, and of the just ex pectations of its distinguished supporters. In consequence of the late period at which it was resolved to open the Theatre, the arrangements, satisfactory as it is hoped they will even now ba found, arc not yet fully com pleted ; and negotiations are iu progress from which impor tant accessions are expected. The following arrangements have been completed :- 0 E RA. MADAME ALBONI, Her first appearance in London these five years,. MDLLE. PIC _OLOMONI, Her first appearance. MDLLE. GIUDITTA RIZZA, MDLLE. FINOLI, Their first appearance! MADAME AMADEI, MDLLE. BERTI, Their first appearance. And MADAME ALBERTINI, Her first appearance. In addition to the above talent, an engagement has been effceb:,l with MDLLE. JOHANNA WAGNER, Her first appearance. SIGNOR SALVIANI, Of La Pergola, Flerence, his first appearance. SIGNOR BOCARDE, His first appearance in England these six Tears. SIGNOR MARIANI, And SIGNOR CALZOLARI. SIGNOR BENEVENTANO, Of La Scala, Milan ; of the Italian Opera, Madrid; and the Principal Theatres of Italy ; his first appearance. SIGNOR VARIO, SIGNOR FORTINI, SIGNOR BAILLOU, SIGNOR ZUCCONI, Of t'lc Principal Theatres of Italy, his first appearance. , And SIGNOR BELLE TTI. MADAME, ALBONI Will immediately arrive in London, and will make her first appearance on SATURDAY, lOrn MAY, In Rossini's Opera of CENERENTOLA. MDLLE. PICCOLONIONI Will arrive in England on the 14th of May, and make her first appearance a few days afterwards, in Verdi's Opera of LA TRAVIATA, Produced for the first time in England. MADAME ALBERTINI Will arrive in London about the 20th of May, and will make her first appearance in - Verdi's Opera of • . . IL T_ILOVATORE. Leonora Azncena - Madame ALBONI, • Her first appearance in that Character. 3IDLLE. WAGNER Will make her first appearance in the beginning of June as ROMEO, In BeMai's Opera of I•CAPULETTI E MONTECCIII. _ The Combinatiln, in One Company, of F.H.IR OF THE MOST DISTINIIIISHED ARTISTES IN THE OPERATIC WORLD, Each perfect in her own peeu'iar style, Will enable the Direction to offer a varied and attractive Selection from the Established Works of MOZART, MEYEfIBEER, DONIZETTI, AUBER, VERDI, and ROSSINI. Director of the Music and Conductor, SIGNO.R BONET Of the Italian Opera, Paris. Leader of the Orchestra M. TOLBEQUE. „ „ Ballet. JI. NADAUD. THE ORCHESTRA Has been carefully selected, 1;d; with reference to the excellency of the individual Artistes and the perfection of the ensemble. THE CHORUS Has also been selected with great care. BALLET. MDLLE. ROSATI, MDLLE. BELLON, MDLLE. BOSCHETTI, MDLLE. LISEREAU, MDLLE. CLARA, MDLLE. ROSA, MDLLE. KATRINE, and MDLLE. MARIE TAGLIONI. M. VANDRIS, 3f. CHARLES, and M. PAUL TAGLIONI. Maitre de Ballet, M. PAUL TAGLIONL i itaut Maitre de Ballet, M. VANDRIS. Regisseur de la Danse and Souis-3latro de Ballet, M. PETIT. The Grand Ballet of LE CORSAIRE, Now performing at the Academic Royale, Paris, with unpre• cedented success, will be produced early in the Season. Medora Principal Artist to tho Establishment, Mr. CHARLES MARSHALL, The Costume Department will loa directed by Miss BRADLEY and M. LAUREYS, Under the Superintendence of Madame COPERE. Principal Machinist Head •f the Property Department Mr. BRA DWELL. The Subscription will consist of Thirty Nights, and the Prices will be as follows : Pit 80xe5...... l2O to 150 Guineas. Grand Tier one Pair Two Pair 75 to 10) ~ Pit Stalls 25 „ THE THEATRE Will open on SATURDAY, the lOrn MAY, When will be produced Rossini's Opera of CENERENTOLA. Angelina Don Ramiro Don Magnifico and Dandini After which will bo presented an entirely new BALLET DIVERTISSEMENT, entitled LES QUATRE SAISONS, Founded on the Ballet Divertissement of that name by M. Petipa, In the Opera of LES VEPRES SICILIENNES, Principal Parts by Mdlles. Belton, Boschetti, I4iserean, and Katrine. IHSATNE ROYAL, DR - Li tcr . x Lessee. Mr. R. T. Smith. ENGLISH OPERA. THIS E VEXING will be prod uced FRA DIAVOLO. To e - trlude with THE iVATERMA Y. An entalement having been formed with Mr. and Mrs. FLORENCE from the Milted States. these celebrated artistes wi l l have the honour of making their nut appearance in England on Monday, April 28th, in one of the r moat popular national Comediettas. TaEAT3E ROYAL. IYMARKET. Tinder the Man agement of Mr. Blackstone. TIII% EVENING, THE BALANCE OF COMFORT. After which, THE EVIL GENIUS. Followed by zr„ aimriu st-go ; or, The Mexican Goldseeker. In which PEREA NENA and the Spanish Dancers will appear. To conclude with LEND ME FIVE SHILLINGS. ROYAL PRINCE:23'S TrIEATEE. OXFORD-STREET. lll:aerate Liurement of t fr. CHARLES KEAN. MONDAY EVENING , r the Benefit of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kean. THE VICTOR VANQUISHED. To conclude with THE WINTER'S TALE. Principal chmacters Fy Mr. and Mrs. C. Kean. ROYAL TLIKATR J K ADELNII. Prep:lator and Manager, Mr. B. Webster. Directress, Manama Celeste. TIII3 EVENINTIN LIRE AND UNLIKE. stews. B webstiar, wr4ht, P. ite Ler& C. cielby, Garden; Madame Ccl:ste, Miss Wyndham. After vraich. URGENT PRIVATE AFFAIRS. To conclude with Kora= 02n) CRUX AU DOING WELL, ROYAL OLYMPIC THEATRE. Lessee and Manager, Mr. Alfred Wigan. THIS EVENING STILL WATEUS RUN DEEP. After which will be produced a New and doubly-moral, though excessively old, Melodramatic Fairy Extravaganza, entitled THE DISCREET PRINCESS; or, the Three Glass Distaffs. In which Messrs. Emery, F. Robson, H. Cooper, Miss Marston, and Miss Maskell will appear. ROYAL SURREY THEATRE. Lessees, Messrs. Shepherd and Creswiek. THIS EVENING, Will be performed a new Drama, entitled HOW WE LIVE IN THE WO - MD OF LONDON. Followed by SARAH'S; YOUNG MAN. To conclude with THE POS MA VA KNOCK. ASTLEY'S ROYAL ANIPHITHFATRE. Lessee and Manager. Mr. win. Cooke. THIS EVENING, Lord Byron's MA ZEPPA and the WILD HORSE. After which, the skilful and varied SCENES in the CIRCLE, with other Entertainments. ro conclude with EvGL AND'S HARVEST HOME and GRAND NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE. 8,,x-office open fr m E even till Four. State Manager, Mr. W. West. Equestrian Director, Mr. W. Cooke, jun. E NIMA. STANLEY'S "SEVEN AGES OF WOMA.N." Evening performances as usual, on Idondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, at 1 3 o'clock. Admission—Back Seats, Is.; Centre Seats, 2s. ; Stalls, 3s. SAINT MARTIN'S lIALL, Long-acre. lIIGEI WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. T DAY—Morn. 16 min. aft. s—Evening 39 min. aft. 5 T 1-Nfonnow—Morn. 2 min. aft. 6—Evening 32 min. aft. 6 THE WEATHER—SUN OFFICE, APRIL 26. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 70 —highest since noon yesterday. 52—lowest this morning and during tho night. 63 —this day at noon. BAROMETER, 29'55. WIND, S.W.—Fresh, with cloudy, mild weather, sun shine and rain. Heavy rain came on last night, with heavy clouds from S.W. 1 Vt.ii ^ ~~c LONDON, SATURDAY, APRIL 26, 1856. The Marriage Law Amendment Bill was last night refused a second reading in the Upper House by a majority of 19, in which the Bishops largely figured, as well as in the debate. The amendment(!) was proposed by a Right Rev. Pre late, and three others spoke against the measure, while only two lay lords followed on the same side, and yet not one of the number ventured to assert that a clear and express prohibition of these mar riages vas to be found in any part of Scripture. The whole argument, if argument it could be called, was based on the usages of the early Church, which might just as well be resorted to in order to enforce the celibacy of the clergy, and to prove that every one of these pious occupants of the Episcopal Bench were living in a state opposed to the Divine law. We would venture to remind them that One, whose authority they will not - dare to repudiate, in speaking of similar arguments, declared, "Ye m tke the Word of GOD of none effect by your traditions." How, then, can they endeavour, by their traditions, to dispense with the sacred writings—which at least a large proportion of the many persons " of re ligious and moral character," so deeply interested in the question, are disposed to regard as the sole rule of faith—the only authorities by which they will permit themselves to be bound ? The Bishop of OXFORD, the principal speaker against the measure, founded his opposition mainly on the ecclesiastical law, forgetting that the great and rapidly-increasing body of Pro testant Dissenters unequivocally repudiate that law, and that their consciences should not be bound, in a country professing to accord unli mited civil and religious liberty to every professor of Christianity without exception. Even in the Establishment itself a large propor tion of the clergy and laity deolaro that there is nothing either immoral or reprehensible in such unions, and yet a minority are permitted to impose undue restrictions on the consciences of their fellow-men, debarring them from the exercise of ' the most sacred and valuable privilege belonging to mankind—the right of selecting a partner for life—of giving a kind, loving mother to their orphan children. Verily, we may exclaim with LUTEER—"Perish, therefore, those cursed tra ditions of men, which have been brought in only to multiply dangers, offences, and miseries in the Church." It is also remarkable that the question of expe diency, or social inconvenience, was equally avoided by the lay and clerical opponents of the Bill. They clearly perceived that on such a point they had no foundation, and, therefore, judici ously—for they also are wise in their generation —rode off on a collateral issue, the canons and xaditions of the Church. They advisedly and deliberately avoided the only ground—other than a Divine prohibition —on which the restriction could be justified, and thus practically relin quished the argument to the advocates of civil and religious liberty. There is nothing to show that in the earlier ages these marriages were prohibited or censured in the Christian Church. St. PAUL, who espe cially directed his attention to the subject of marriage, never alluded to it in any way, and as these unions were frequent then as now, there can be but little doubt that he would have done so if lie considered them in any way objectionable. In the Jewish Church "it was distinctly under stood to be permitted, and on this point neither the Divine law, nor the Rabbis, nor historical Judaism, leaves room for the least doubt." Such is the statement of Dr. ADLER, Chief Rabbi of the Jews in Great Britain, an unexceptionable witness on such a question. After some centuries they were prohibited in the Roman Catholic Church as a "matter of discipline." But the same power that created the difficulty, found means of over coming it by granting dispensations wherever the applicant possessed a golden key to unlock the fetters impose I not by Divine, but merely human authority. It was the " scraple,s of conscience" of a sanguinary and licentious tyrant, who proved that he had other means of dissolving the nuptial tie whenever he became tired of his partner, or desirous of a new one, that led to the movement in the sixteenth century ; and that HENRY migh t indulge his caprice, dud ELIZABETH be regarded as legitimate, the Canons were framed, although not without considerable hesitation and contro versy, which included marriage with a deceased wife's sister, as prohibited by Scripture. There were then, as at other times, Prelates willing to sanction anything desired by one who possessed the power of rewarding or punishing. Had HENRY desired to maintain indissolubly his connection with CATHERINE of Arragon, the obedient Bishops would have obeyed the injunction, and it is to his licentious and fickle dispo s iti on t h at we are indebted for this most inequitable and impolitic law. Up to 1835 these marriages were not abso lutely void, but merely voidable. If no proceed- .ngs were taken within the lives of both parties, ndeed:unless a final decree had been pronounced, ,hey were to all intents and purposes valid and binding, and the children legitimate. The cases where malicious scoundrels, or greedy relatives, interfered under a pretended anxiety for the soul's health of the parties were rare iudeed. THE SUN LON DON, SATURDAY EVENII-46 } APRIL 26, 1856. Unfortunately, however, a nobleman of the highest rank in the peerage had married his deceased wife's sister, the niece• of another Peer of equal rank and vast influence. A bill was introduced for the purpose of rendering that marriage effectual, and preventing the youth ful heir from being deprived of the numerous honours and wide-spread domains of his ancient family. It would, however, be invidious to spe cify a particular case, and, therefore, the privilege was extended to all similarly affected. The Right Rev. Prelates could waive their conscientious scruples where one Duke and the niece of another were concerned : they were quite willing to render all marriages that had previously bean celebrated legal, which was all that the measure provided. But one of their number, the Bishop of LONDON, at the last moment, introduced a clause, rendering them absolutely null and void for the future. It was rejected by the House of Commons, but un happily they yielded in the too great anxiety to save a few from inconvenience, and in the hope that the obnoxious clause would speedily be repealed. The measure was thus carried, and serious grievance inflicted on large and respectable classes of her Majesty's subjects. The evil has now continued more than 20 years. Many efforts have been made to obtain an adequate remedy, but hitherto they have been foiled by the mischievous zeal and energy of the occupants of the Episcopal Bench. We trust, however, that these efforts will not be relaxed— that the question may be unceasingly agitated, until it is finally and satisfactorily dis posed of. Truth is great, and must ulti mately prevail. Parties will at length be induced to inquire for themselves, and to form their own judgments, without suffering them selves to be led astray by the lawn-sleeved gentry. Possibly the Prelates may, by a much-required act of peerage reform, be exempted from the labours of legislation, in which case there caa be little doubt that the wishes of the great body of the people will receive immediate attention, and the obnoxious enactment be for ever erased from the National Statute Book. PEACE and PLENTY—of—Gun-boats, when we do not want them ; hardly one to be had in 1854 when we did, and could have had them ; not even in 1855, when we might have had them all in the Baltic as easily as at Portsmouth on Wednesday. Plenty of gun-boats now no Swea borg, or Helsingfors, or Cronstadt may be touched —scant supply enough when those fortresses might have been tumbled into a convention with the Aland Isles ;• and when the CzAR, battered out of St. Petersburg, would have given up gladly, not a paltry strip merely, of Bessarabia, but the whole of it, and mach more to boot. Plenty of gun-beats—some 250 of them—now they can do no harm to the great modern spoiler of nations, to the Emperor of all the Russres, but the oppressor of a vast territory which never was a Ritssia, and which honest nations ought to have wrested from the dishonest one. Plenty of gun boats for sight, none when they were wanted for service. Plenty of gun-boats to create nice little steps of patronage in peace, none when there was work for them to do. PEACE and PLENTY—of consideration for Russia —none for Poland, Finland, the Tartars, and the Circassian& Plenty of humiliation spared to the aggressor ; plenty of money left in his bands, which, according to his own practice, he ought' to have paid to Turkey at least, and to the partners of Turkey too. Plenty of fortresses left to him with which to menace Germany ; a " Con tinental Sebastopol" among them, Lord PALMER STON being witness. Plenty of exiled Poles in Siberia, and plenty of Crimean Tartars journeying thither for selling food to our troops ; plenty of consideration for the oppressor, none for the op pressed. Plenty of delicate silence about the atrocities and knaveries of the Great Despot, and total silence touching the rights and wrongs of the Rations. Peace, and plenty left undone which ought to be done. PEACE and PLENTY—Of Austrian troops in the Principalities, and on the borders of our noble ally, Sardinia ;—of money in the pockets of Prus sians for a hostile neutrality ;—of military tro phies for France, while Kars and its English General, perhaps, the greatest hero of the War, was left to his fate ;—of Coburg influence at the Court and the Horse Guards ;—of Crimean Reports on the " want of promptitude and ingenuity" on the part of the English commanders, and of Chel sea inquiries to prove the truth of the Report, but to let off the honoured incapables of the War office. Peace, and Plenty—of money spent, of lives thrown away, of horses killed, of battles won by soldiers, of assaults miscarrying through the Ge nerals; Peace, and plenty of—" care for Down." Peace and Plenty—of despots and despotism —little enough of liberty, civil or religious ; some thirty or forty, we forget how many, pup pet, yet real despots, in Germany ; a despot in Prussia, a despot of the most odious descent, in Austria, a despot in Naples, another as bad, or worse, in Rome, another in Tuscany ;—and what, as to his form of Government, can we denomi nate an Ally who will not permit the nomination of any but a Government candidate for election —Sardinia is, of course, a happy exception ; and the despot of Turkey seems to be next in honestly liberal tendencies. Elsewhere we have plenty of Concordats, and oppression of Protestants by Catholics, and of both by the Greek Church in Russia ;—plenty of religious intolerance on the part of monarchs who will give to no Christians, but those of the despot-favoured Church, the religious liberty and equality which the SULTAN now concedes to all ! Peace, and plenty of civil and religious tyranny, and civil and religious slavery. Quite natural, then, that we should have PEACE and PLENTY—of Government shows. Splendid naval reviews, peace and splendid Government fire-works--peace and rejoicings made to order ; all very reasonable, when the people will not re joice for what Government has dove, that Govern- went should rejoice itself. Nothing like a bold face on a thing. EIGHT THOUSAND POUNDS worth of Fireworks ! ! Why all the lads and lasses under fifteen will applaud the peace to the echo, and wish for a peace every year. The Moniteur, the Invalide Busse, and all the despots' journals of the Continent, will re-echo the Government re- joicings for England to the tune of "Exhausted Albion." A Ministry gilding their own misdoings and not.doings v ill, over all the Continent, be represented as the nation. Yet what a difference! Those who are old enough to recollect the last peace cannot understand this. They remember the spontaneous and universal fetes, illuminations, and rejoicings ; whatever Government did was anticipated everywhere by the people. It was peace and plenty of—heartfelt rejoicing. Now it is what au eloquent Athenian orator so justly denounced—what the same Government has also done in the case of the Crimean commanders—an attempt by rewards and honours to anticipate the scrutiny. How are we to condemn the of6..3ers whom the Hare Guards have honoured for the very conduct for which they were rewarded ? How to censure the peace which a naval review, salvos of artillery, and 8,0001. worth of fireworks have proclaimed to be a splendid achievement of war and diplomacy ? The worshippers of the Sabbath have received a call to arms. About a hundred clerical Sab hatarians have indeed taken the field. The friends of a rational worship on the Sabbath will do well to buckle on their ara-lour and prepare for the coming conflict. Sir BENJAMIN HALL is not, if the Sabbatarians can help it, to have his own way. The pleasing, wholesome, and wholly in nocent recreation he has promised the frequenters of the Parks on each successive Sunday afternoon is, if possible, to be withheld from them—Sir BENJAMIN notwithstanding. " The whole metro polis " is to be appealed to—then " the whole people of England"—to petition against measures conceived in such a spirit of anti-Sabbatism, and threatening that idolatrous creed such a mortal blow. We wish they may but they wont. The Sabbatgrians instinctively shun appeals to the people not in print —hole-and-corner meetings by ticket—deputa tions of oily professors to Members of Parliament threatening them with the loss of their seats if they vote according to their consciences—hawk ing petitions in quarters where a refusal of signa tures might be followed by the stoppage of daily bread—obtaining signatures privately on false pretences—collecting them from Sunday scholars —these practices, and others less creditable, are more in their way. An abundance of signatures will, however, be obtained ; and these will, it is not improbable, have a similar effect to that pro duced by the last harvest, unless the friends of a reasonable observance of Sunday bestir themselves. The present Ministry hold the reins of power on too precarious a tenure to he trusted. Unless the people combine and strengthen them to resistance by an unmistakeable demonstration of opinion on the matter, Sir BENJA3IaS measures will assur edly be thrown overboard. Public meetings should. be held all over the metropolis, and peti tions carried about for signatures in the streets and through the parks. Deputations should be counteracted by deputations ; sophistry by argu ments, and misrepresentations by fair statements of the merits of the case. Above all things, let it be insisted on that no intention and no desire exists to deprive the working man of his weekly day of. rest. That monstrous calumny has been hitherto but too successful, and cannot be too speedily or too thoroughly exploded. It is not the abolition, but an improvement in the character, of the day of rest that it is sought for— recreation for the mind and heart as well as the physical frame, such a recreation of the entire man as will make worship a little more the act of a reasonable being, and not abstinence from attendance on public worship. This cannot be too forcibly inculcated, nor can the facts that JUSTIN MARTYR, in the second century, LUTHER, CALVIN, and CRANMER, in their day, held the teaching of the Sabbatariauism of Ours in abhor rence, and pronounced most strongly against it, and that it would be as Christian to insist on "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" indeed for the observance of the entire Je wish law as it is to insist on the present puritanical observance of Sunday. Scripture authority, rea son, common humanity, are alike in antagonism to Sabbatism. The measures cf Sir BENJAMIN HALL do credit alike to his head and heart—let him, we say in conclusion, be supported ! THE FOUR MISSING ARTICLES OF PEACE. We are assured that the four missing Articles of Peace were preiented from appearing by the wish of Lord Clarendon himself ; and that they are of such a nature that all England will exult over them as containing everything to be desired —more especially an indemnity for all the ex penses of the War, which will relieve us from the Income Tax. His Lordship, it is thought, pre ferred to enjoy the pleasure of first communicating them to Parlisonent himself ; but the Chancellor of the Exchentier was of course fully aware of them when he granted the 8,000/. for fire-works. —Government Paper (24th). THE INTERNAL CONDITION OF TURKEY. ) THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. ---- SlR,—Peace is re-established, but have we attained the object so much sought for ?—have we improved the condition of the unfortunate population of Turkey ? Promisee and Hatti-Hutnayouns we have in numbers, but are they obeyed by the governors of the Turkish towns ? I am sorry to say no. The condition of Turkey is worse now than ever, as I learn from friends residing there ; and from a letter of eine I extract the following, which I hope you will be able to publish in your valu able columns, that it may become known, and then, per haps, a remedy attempted. My friend writes :—"Tbe country is infested with robbers. We hear of nothing else but murders, and people carried to the mountains for ransom. Stores in this town have been plundered, but where are the authorities f—what has become of the firmans ? The guards sent to protect the pnvinees commit the greatest enormities—enormities which will bring disgrace on the allies if they overlook them. If a Christian has a pretty daughter he is sure to become the victim of the precious commander of the Guards. We have had several cases lately of young fema'es being carried away by force, and when the bishop insists on their being brought befcre the mizlish to declare herself that she has willingly embraced Islamism, they bring a Turkish woman let° the court covered with her garmack (and thus rendering it impos sible to be recognised), who declares that she willingly accepts the "true faith." Such is the state of affairs here, and such things the poor Christians suffer. Where is Christian Europe ? Where are the protectors of the Christians in Turkey ?" Thus my friend write; and I trust you will find a corner in your valuable paper for this ; and may it be the cau-e of some improvement. —I am, &C., April 25, 1856. A CHRISTIAN. THE NATIONAL GALLERY JOBBERY. TO THE EDITOR OF TEE SUN. SlR,—Whilst the Chelsea Commission is endeavouring to entangle some small fry of puppets in its meshes, permit me, Mr. Editor, to call its attention—or better, the attention of your readers—to the following brief summary of facts. Whilst our gallant allies the French were successfully approaching the redoubtable Malakhoff with the assist ance of 4,000 sappers and miners, the English were try ing to approach the equally formidable Redan, with but 250 sappers and miners. The French leapt into the Malakhoff and victory from their ten yards' distant entrenchments, without the loss of a single man. The English, in attempting a similar feat from their two hundred yards' distant cover—only realised death or ignominious defeat. Thanks to the Filo-Russians at hame, who, in plaCe of emulating the French in forwarding to the Crimea a quantum sufficit of engineers, of whem'no country in the world could have furnished a more ample supply than England had our rulers willed it. But these preferred rather to devote the funds which I and my countrymen cheerfully con tributed towards the effective prosecution of the war to the buying of pictures !—and such pictures ! !--to the paying, for the first time, one thousand per annum for a National Gallery director !—and such a director ! ! to the paying, for the first time, some seven or eight hundred a-year to the director's secretary, to draw up a Catalogue Raisonnee! (shades of mutilated Claudes and Canaletties !!) To the appointing and pay ing, God knows how much, to a foreign collector of pic tures, that he might buy u . ) such " vamped-up " Paul Veroneses as the newly-mitalled "Adoration of the Magi," at the price of blood-1, 9771. For who would deny that bad this one thousand nine hundred and seventy•seven pounds—in addition to the foreign collec tor's commission, added to the slight shade worse than useless National Gallery Director's 1,000/. per annum, added to the 8001. a-year of the suspicious " Catalogue Raisonneer "—been offered in the shape of increa , ed pay to some two or three hundred able-bodied and ictelligent mechanic, a sufficieut number of sappers and miners could have been improvised in six weeks to have enabled our bravo soldiers to realse as glorious a triumph at the Redan as, on the contrary, they were betrayed into so deplorable a defeat ? but, if such convicting letters as that of Mr. W. Co ningham's of the 30th ult., and the startling denouncer of tha 17th inst., from the pen of that veteran foe to picture mutilation and disgraceful National Gallery jobbery—Mr. Morris Moore—fail toshame the betrayers of public trust into the amende honorable, then, in- deed, should I feel disposed to endorse the following con cluding paragraph of the Times' leader of Saturday : " It is England's own fault if the commits htr her Ler traau,r, affil in men venom e..-en experience will not make wiser ; and who, while alone responsible for her calamities, seem alone uncon cerned." NEMESIS, LATEST NEWS. VIENNA, FRIDAY, NOON'. All foreign troops are to quit Turkey and the Principalities within six months ; sooner, if pos- sible. ST. PETERSBURG, APRIL 24. Prince Gortschakoff is definitively appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs. BERLIN, APRIL 25. The raAfications of Prussia to the treaty of the 30th March were Rent off to Paris yesterday evening. The King has left to-day for Dresden, and will return on the 29th. HAMBURG, APRIL 24. We learn from Heligoland that the Anglo-Ger- man Legion, which was still in that island, had received orders to embark, it was thought, for England. Only 72 quitted, it is said, the island spontaneously. FRANCE. PARIS, FRIDAY EVENING. The Emperor yesterday received the reply of the King of Portugal to the notification of the birth of the Prince Imperial. The Duke and Duchess of Alba and the Countess of Montijo, mother to her M a j esty th e E mpress o f the French, leave Paris in a day or two for Madrid. Probably to morrow the French Foreign-office will possess the treaty of peace, with the sovereign ratifications of all the contracting Powers. The official Moniteur will then immediately publish the text. We read in the Constitutionnel :—" Some of the Madrid journals have spoken of a direct invitation which is said to have been given by the Emperor to Marshal Narvaez for the grand review of the Ist April. These journals have committed an error in this respect which it is important to rectify. The invitation, requested by the marshal, - was granted to him, as to all the other foreign general officers who solicited the honour of forming part of the cortege of his Majesty, -and was transmitted to him under cover to General Prim. As far as regards the pro:ended sending of a horse to the marshal, there is positively not the slightest truth in the details given by the Madrid journals." The report of the committee of the Legislative Body charged to examine the bill for granting life annuities to persons who had suffered in the insur rection of June, 1848, sets forth that the bill in question is nothing more than a fresh application of that of Juno 13, 1850, by which a sum of 712,650 f. was voted for the above purpose. It is intended for the purpose of granting life-pensions to five persons who belonged to the garde mobile and national guard, and who received wounds which have maimed them for life, and to the de scendants of nineteen who were killed. The com mittee adopted an amendment to the bill to the effect that the pensions proposed to be awarded should not came the credit of 712,6501. originally voted to be exceeded. This amendment was adopted by the Council of State with the addition of a clause that persons who might feel themselves entitled to the pensions proposed to be given should have three years allowed to them to make good their claims. The amount of the now pensions to be granted is 14,883 fr. BOURSE, April 25.—The following were the last quotations : Cash. ft. a. End of Month. t: per Cents 93 75 —f. —o. i per Cents 74 15 74 20 New Loan 74 50 Bank Shares 3,975 Roman Credit Mobilier 1,745 Austrian 831gian Fives — Spanish Threes Piedmonts& (5)...... 93 50 Rome Debt RAILWAYS—pox CASH. fr. c. _ ft. e Orleans 1,405 Western 9, 5 Northern Lyons . 1,450 New Ditto..... (x d) 800 nediterranean 1,660 Grand Central Lyons Geneva Bl5 - Testa Cette 790 Austrian C0rn......, CZY 50 PARLIAMEN VARY DIVISION'S. HOUSE OF LORDS,-APRIL 25. The following is a list of the majority who voted again& Lord -- SE. Germans' bill for legalising marriage with a de. ceased wife's sister or niece : Kingston Mayo Munster Nelson Lord Chancellor Romney DUKES. Stradbroke VISCOUNTS. ARCIIBISIIOPS. Armagh Canterbury Leeds Montrose MARQUISES, Bath Camden EARLS. Dungannon Lifford BISIIOI'S. Cashel Chichester Bantry Exeter Carnarvon Hereford Clanearty Llandaff Galloway c St. Asaph Harewood St. David's PAIRS. Winchester BARONS. Berners Colville of Cairon Congleton Crewe Delamere Dinevor Faversham Lifforil Lyttelton Panmnre Redesdale Sondes ' Stafford Tenterden Wynford FOIL AGAINST. Radnor, Earl St. Vincent, Earl Portsmouth, Earl Winchilsea, Earl Abinger, Lord Ely, Marquis • Canioys, Lord Dolawarr, Eail Hatherton, Lord Kenyon, Lord Londesborough, Earl Colchester, Lord Orkney, Earl Egmont, Earl Sidney, , Viscount Rosebery, Earl Gosford;. Earl .. Bangor, Bishop Enfield, Viscount Douglas, Lord Bangor, Viscount Courtown, Earl Lurgan, Lord. Lucan, Earl Wodehouse; Lord Malmeshury, Earl Rivers, Lord Bradford, Earl Suffield, Lord Combermere, Viscount Lansdowne, Marquis Oxford, Bishop G] a iville, Earl Derby, Eail Someis, Earl De Tabley, Lord Sudeley, Lord Waldegrave, Earl Exmouth, Viscount Wilton, Earl Denbigh, Earl Harri ng t on , E ar l Airlie, arl Breadalbane, Marquis Foley, Lord Downes, Lord Vivian, Lord Hawardeu, Viscount Townsend, Marquis Beauchamp, Earl Torrington, Viscount Effingham, Earl Abingdon; Earl Mansfield, Earl Buckingham, Duke Buccleueh, Duke Cloubrock, Lord Salisbury. Marquis Durham, Earl St. Leopards, Lord Sligo, Mirquis Mornington, Earl Spencer, Earl Longford, Earl Ellesmere, Earl Harrowby, Earl Willoughby de Broke, Lord Dartmouth, Earl Leigh, Lord Brougham, Lord Stanley of Alderley, Lord Egliuton, Earl Overstone, Lord Campbell, Lord HOUSE OF CO M MONS.—Armr, 25. POLICE (COUNTIES AND BOROUGHS) BILL. Clause 1 (where a constabulary is not already established for the whole of a county, quarter sessions to cause the same to be established). Amendment proposed (for which see our Parliamentary report). Question put, "'That the words ' under the said acts of the second and third and third and fourth years of her Majesty, stand part of the clause.'? The committee divided—Ayes 263, Noes 91. AYES-268. Aclandi SirT. Foley, J. 11. Mundy, W. Acton, Joseph Forester, Col. Newport, Viscount Adderlev, C. B. Forster, Sir Geo. Noel, G. Agnew, Sir A. Forster, John Norreys, Sir D. .. 'cock, T. Freestun, Colonel Oakes, J. Anderson, Fir J. Gall wey, Sir W. O'Connell, D. Antrobus, F. Galway, Viscount O'Connell, J. Atherton, W. George, .I. oShorne, U. Baines, Rt. Hon. M., Gibson, H. Packe, C. Ball, J. Glyn, G. • Paget, Lord A. Barrington, Vist.'. . Gordon, A. Faith - L.4ton, Sir J. Bass, M. Gower, F. Palk, L. Baxter, W. Graham, Sir J. Palmer, Robert Beamish, F. - Gr * ene, Thomas Pahnerston, Viscount Beaumont, W. Gregson, Samuel Patten, Col. Beckett, W. Grenfell, Charles Peacocke, G. Bennet, Capt. P. Grey, Rt. Hon. Sir G. Peel, F. Bontinck, G. Grey, It. Perry, Sir E. - Berkeley, G C. Gurney, I. H. Philipps, J. Bethel!, Sir R. Gwyn, Bowel Phiiiimore, J. G. Bignold, Sir S. Hale, Robert Pollard-Urquhart, W Black, Adam . Hal, General John 1 ortal, M. liiiikemore, T. Hamilton, Lord Claud Power. N. Bland, L. 11. Hankey, T. Price W. Blandford, Marquis of Harcourt, G. G. Ricardo, 0. Ii nimin-Carter, - J. Hardy, G. Ricardo, S. Booth, Sir Rt. Gore Hastle, Alex. Rice, E. liouverie, lion. E. P. Hustle, Archd. , Rich, H. Brady, J. T. Headlarn, T. Rid:ey,george Brainston, 'l'. W. - Heard. J. itobartes, 'f. Brand, HB. W. -Heathcoate, Sir W. Robertson, P. Brotherton, J. Ileatheote, G. Rushout, Capt. G. Bruce, H. A. Heneage, Geo. F. Russell, F. C. Buckley, Gen. Herbert, S. Ittis,ell, F. W. • Burroughes, El. N. Heywood. J. Rust, James ittirrowes, RObert Ilindiey, C. Sawle, C. Cardwell, E. Holford, R. Seyiner, 11. Castlerosse, Via. Holland, E. Seymour, IL Oavendist, C: C. ' Horsman, E. Shelburne, Earl Cavendish, G. C. Howard, C.' Shirley, E. Chambers, M. , , Hutchins, E. Smith, J. B. Chambers, T. • Hutt, W. Singh, M. ChaplhOr4 • "i , . ' Ingham, R. • Smith, R. Cheetham, John ' Trion. S. Smi h, Abel Chelsea, Viscount , Jackson, W. Soinirset , Colonel Child, Smith Jermyn, Rt. Hn. Earl Spooner, It. Cholmondeley, Lord Johnstone, J. Stafford, A. Clay, Sir W., Bt. Johnstone, Sir J. Stafford, Marquis Clinton, Lord R. Jolliffe, Sir W. Stanley, W. ~ Clive, lion. R. W. Kerrisoo, Sir E. Steel, John Cocks, T. S. King, L. btracey, Sir H. Cole, H. A. • Kingscote, Capt. IL Strutt, lion. E. Colvile. C. R. Knatchbull, W. Stewart, Sir M. compton, H. - C. Knightley, R. Stuart, Captain 'Coote, Sir C. H. Labouoere,BUlen.ll Talbot, C. Corbally, M. E. Ladon, Sir E. Tancred, H. Cowan, C. Laing, $. - Taylor, Colonel Craufurd, E. H. J. Langston, J. IL Thom,. eon, U. Crossley, F. Langton, W. H. P. G. Tbdruely, T. 'COM, W. Langton, H. G. Thornhill, W. Davie, Sir. H. R. F. Lascelles, E. Tollemache, J. Davies, D. Lek w Tottenham, C. Davies, J. Lenaox, Lord A. 1. Tyler, sir w. Davison, R. Lewis, Sir G. C. Tyrcll, Sir J. no..icon, .T. E. Liddell, 11. G. Uxbridge, Earl Dering, Sir E. Lisburne, Earl Vernon, G. ' De Vere, S. E. Lockhart, W. Villiers, C. Dillwyn, L. L. Lovaine, Lord Vys:, jot. R. Disraeli, B. Lowe, R. , ' Walcott, Admiral. Dad, J. Luce, T. Walsh, Sir J. Duff, G. - - • Lushington, C. M. Walter, J. Duncan, Viscount' Lytton, Sir E. Warner, E. Duncan, George Mackie, J. Watkins, Col. Dtmdas, F. ' ' March, Earl of Watson, W. Dungarvan, Viscount Marshall, W. Whatman, J. Dunlop, A. Martin, P. Whitbread, S. Du Pre, C. Massey, W. Wilkinson, W. East, Sir J. Meux,•-ir H. Williams, W. Bbrlogton, Viscount Miles, W. Wilson, J. Egerton, Sir P. Milligan, R. Whaniugton, Sir T. Estcourt, T. Mills, T. Wood, sir C. E wart, W. Milnes, R. Woidd, B. Farnham, E. Moffat, G. Wrightson, W. Fellowes, E. Monck, Vis. Wyudliam, H. Fenwick, H. Moncreiff, J. Wynn's, W. Fergus, John licore, G. IV yvill, M. Ferguson, Colonel Morgan, 0. Ferguson, Sir R. ' Morris, D. Ferguson, J. Mcdyn, E. Fitzgerald, J. M owatt, F. Foyer, J. !Mowbray, J. R NOES-94. Adair, R. Fox, W. J. Bailey, Sir J. Gardner, R. Baird, J. Goderich, Viscount Ball, E. Graham, Lord M. Baring, Sir F. Greaves, E. Banns, T. Greenall, Gilbert Barrow, W. Greene, John Bell, J. Grogan. Edward Bernard, Vist. Guinness, It. S. Biggs, W. Hadfield, George Blackburn, P. Hamner, Sir John Blake, M. J. Hervey, Lord A. Bramley- vieore, J. Bildyard, R. C. Brocklehurst, J. Hor.fall, T. Brockman, E. D. Hotharn, Lord Buck, Col. , Kell Sir F. Butt, G. ' Kendall, N. Christy, Samuel . Kershaw, J. Colibett. J. Knight, F. ;'oi,ody, T. Laslett, W. Crook, J. Lennox. Lord H. G. Dashvvood, Sir G. Leslie, C. P. peedes, William Lindsay, W. Denison, E. Lowther, Capt. Duckworth, .9.1 r J. T.B Macartney, G. Duke, Sir J. Maddock, Sir Duncombe, lion. A. Manners, Lord J. Evelyn, NV. J. Michell, William Evrart, J. Dlitcheli,T A. Farrer, J. Muntz, G. Ferguson, Sir J. Murrough, J. P. Filmer, Sir E. Napier, Sir C. Forster, Charles Newdegate, C. TELLERS. Hay ter, W. liulgras e, Earl of North, Col. J. Northeote, Sir S. Peellell, Sir G. Pennant, Co'. E. Pilkington, J. Itepton , G. Scholeficld, Scobt 11, Capt. Scott, F. Sibthorp, Major Smijth, sir W. Smith, W. Srn th, John Som , tville, sir W. Starttio, Le G. Thesiger, Sir. F. Tite, W. Vance, John I r ansittart, G. Vyvyan, Sir R. Waddington, D. Walmsh,y, Sir J. Whitmore, IL Wickham, 11. Wilcox Williams, W, Willoughby, Sir H Wyndham, Gen. TELLERS. Henley, J. Hamilton, B. LLOYD'S SHIPPING.—(This Day.) LONDON, April 2G.—Wind this day at noon, W.; moderate breeze and cloudy. PLYMOUTH, April 'zs.—Wind E.—Arrived—El Do rado, from Monte Video ; Holyrood (s. tpt.), Deptfird. Off the port —Anglesey, from Melb u - nr„ FALMOUTH, April zs.—Wind E., strorg.—Arrived Elias Pike, from Akyab ; Giovanni, Monte Video for Antwerp. Sailed—Valuna, for Quebec. Off the port— Hauer, from Bahia, for Hamburg. NEWPORT, April ?s.—Wind E.—Arrived—Juno, from London, for St. Thomas ; Agatha and John Christian Si mony, London. LOWESTOFT, April 25—The Treffery (not Jeffery, as before reported), from Newcastle, for Plymouth, which grounded on the Corton Sand, got off last night and pro ceeded. JERSEY, April 24.—Wind. E.—Sailod —Nameless, 80. liva, and Swift, for Labrador. CORK, April 24.—Wind S.S.E.—Arrived.--Liffey, from Barbadoes. CARDIFF, April a—Wind S.W.—Sailed—Nonfarm, for Singapore; Jason, Rio Janeiro LEITH, April 25.--Arrived—Judith from Matanzas. HARTLEPOOL, Wind 25.—Wind S.E. —Sailed —Eliza Robson, for Quebec. RUSSIA. Thy Journal de St. Petersbourg publishes the following report from General Luders, dated 2d (14th) of April :--- " Yesterday I had an interview with the Commanders in-Chief of the allied armies. I arrived at noon with my suite at the Kamenol brirign (stout over the Tehernaya, whero 1. was received by the French General M‘Mahon ; two battalions of Zouaves were drawn up on each side of the road, with their band, which paid me the usual honours ; at the same time salutes were fired from the batteries on the Fedukhine heights ; shortly afterwards Marshal Pelissier, attended by a numerous s rite, came to meet me, and immediately afterwards Gtnerals della Marmora and Codrington, also accompanied by their staffs. After the usual com pliments and introductions, I invited the foreign Gene rals to the camp of the 11th Division, on the Mackenzie heights, whither we proceeded on horseback. On our approach salutes were fired by our batteries on the Mac kenzie heights. Near the hut of the staff of the division I presented the company of honour, carrying the flag of the Selinghinsk Regiment, to the Commanders-in -Chief. After a few moments' repose we proceeded to the 12th Division, which was waiting for us under arms, in co lumns and sections. Military honours were paid to Marshal Pelissier. "After the review the troops marched past in sections; the bearing, dress, and especially the step of the men pleased the strangers much ; I then invited the Com manders•in-Chief to dinner in a tent prepared specially for the purpose ; many other generals and officers par took of this repast. " After a toast proposed by me to the health of his Majesty the Emperor of the French, of Queen Victoria, and of the King of Sardinia, Marshal Pelissier proposed the health of his Majesty the Emperor and of the armies of his Imperial Majesty. In a long speech, he expressed his veneration for his Majesty, and his warm sympathy fcr our troops ; he especially requested me to bring to the knowledge of the Emperor that what he said came from the bottom of his heart. " During the whole of the day a great number of officers and soldiers of the allies visited our camp. "On the whole, great cordiality prevailed on all sides." The Commercial Gazette of St. Petersburg pub lishes the following letter, addressed by 12 English merchants of the Port of St. Petersburg to the Minister of Finance : "On the very first apprehension of the eventuality of a rupture between Russia and Great Britain your Excel lency deigned, in the name of the late Emperor Nicho las, of glorious memory, generou•ly to declare to the English merchants that, even in case of war, their per sons and property would remain inviolable. "In consequence of the magnanimous views of the Rw=sian Government British subjects domiciled in the empire have, throughout the whole of the war, enjoyed not only perfect personal security and the inviolability of their property, but also all the rights of export and import trade. "To-day, in the midst of the general rejoicing at the conclusion of peace, and the re-establishment of friendly relations between the Powers who were at war, we feel it a sacred duty to address to your Excellency the very humble prayer of placing. at the feet of his Imperial Majesty the sentiments of our most profound and most respectful gratitude for the protection granted to us, and under which we have not ceased, during the war, to enjoy in Russia the same security and.welfare as Russian subjects. " Sign ed,— "ROBERT CATTLEY, THOMAS ANDERSON, M. ANDERSON, C. MOBERLY, D. LODER AND Co., J. W. BUSK, W. D. BUSK, M. WILSON, F. KRUGER, for THOIISON, BONAR, AND Co., T. SeIIULTZ, S. C. GWYER, J. R. CATTLEY." The Minister of Finance had the honour of com municating this letter to his Imperial Majesty, who deigned graciously to accept the expression of the sentiments it contained. PRUSSIA. The Hamburg correspondent of the Brussels Independanc e wr it es :—" Th e news which we have received from Stockholm leaves no doubt as to the approaching marriage of Prince Oscar, second son of the King, with the Princess Mary of Cambridge. The Prince will leave almost immediately, with the Queen Mother for Paris. From thence be will proceed to London, to make a somewhat prolonged stay, and will complete the arrangements for the projected union. The fortune of the Princess of Cambridge amounting only to about 3,0001. a year, it is believed at Stockholm that at the next meeting of the four Chambers of the Diet the King will ask for an annual grant for his son, in order to enable that Prince to worthily sustain his rank and that of his court. This project already excites much pub lic attention." SPAIN. MADRID, April 24.—The Duke de la Victoria leaves this evening for Valladolid, where he is to inaugurate the railway from that place to Burgos. h<.!' w ill pr;o ,‘; ; ;, and thellce to - Satagc•ssa for the i ,a,luratai of the railway o f that place. He will Le at Saragossa about the 4th of May, (PEE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPII.I SOUTHAMPTON, Saturday Morning. Arrived—Air and Vulcan, from Sunderland ; George Canning, Port Packet, Isabella, Matild a , M ar i a, W hitfield, and Eliza, - Cardiff; Prothesa, Ann, and Phillimoro, Leith; Mary Popo, Atlas, Adelaide, Saucy Lass, and Jessie, Newport; Merchant, Swansea; Cit y o f Rotterdam (s.), London ; Purveyor, Portland, Sailed—Sir Robert Peel, for Sunderland. (BY SUBMARINR AN'," BETTISTI TELECtRArn.) GRAVESEND, Saturday, 10.15 a.m. Wind S. ; tide, 6 hours' ebb ; cloudy. Sailed—Margaret, for Dunkirk ; Aurora and Frederick Simony, Aalborg; Clarendon (s.-t.) Malta. DEAL, Saturday, 9.55 a.m. Wind W.S.W. ; moderate. Passed—General Taylor, from Havre, for Newcastle ; Wild Cat, Calcutta • Lido Inglis arid Dayspring, Mauri tius ; L a dy 31 'Donald, Ceyl on; J ane , M o u! mei ; Cretan], Shanghai ; for Lond on . Pleiades, Calcutta; Teri, St. Michael's—all Anchored—Stitlej, from London, for Newport; Barba rian, London, Cardiff; Eliza Neilson, East, North Ara°. rica. Sailed - -Odin;for London. rut back—Truro, for Adelaide. ARRIVAL OF THE ANGLESEA. — The AngleFea, Captai n Thorne, from Port Philip, has arrived with 51,319 , than', th e , ounces of gold, valued at 205,2761., and alvi ces to the 20th of January; off. Ptymmu , h. Lady II relict of the late Gov - jnor "f Vietcri.-1, 41:!: : - dit.., are among the passenge* , . The letter s and t:.L•per 2 r.,re e.x pected in town to-day ; and, being about tea clays later than the advices by the Red Jacket, they will be perused with considerable interest. GELhBRATION OF SIIAKSPEBE'S BIt.TR DAY AT STRATFORD-UPON-AVON. THE DINNER AT THE HALL, At five o'clock in the evening, was attended by up wards of rights gonilein n ; the Presidential honours by Wojainin Webster, E q., of the Theatre•Royal, Adeloi, London ; a9d tho Vice-chair was filled by Dr. Tito musical arrangements were highly satis tac, ory Thf7opual loyal toasts havn g been drunk with much enthus,aem, Mr, WEBSTER proposed " The immortal memory of Shale-p -r.." (Loud cheering) He (the chairman) could see by the way in whiei they received the toast that they were aware it was the toast of the evening ; he need scarcely tell them bow inadequate he felt to do justice to it, and therefore asked their kind indulgence towards the few remarks he might make in connexion with it. (Applause.) He scarcely knew how to trust himself upon such a theme; it was unique and glorious : Shake pere, in his powerful touches of nature, had exhausted old worlds and created new, so that it was impossible to do adequate justice to it. The genius of Shakspere seemed to light up the darkness of the middle ages, towering above all other nations, and enthroned above them aq if by one voice. In Germany Shakspere was a household word, and in France and America there was not ktable or shelf but what was enriched by his writ ings. It was no w nder that the authorship of such wondrous works shou'd be questioned ; and it had been positively asserted that " Shakspere" was written by Lord Bacon. (Hear, bear, and laughter.) This, he repeated, could not be surprised at, when at the present day they were actually questioning the motions of the moon. The OhAirtimu osiii fu,tnta vnlalgod upuu Olialan• pere as being the poet of nature, and also to his con nexion with Edward Allen, who was also a highly gifted man, and a brother actor. Both deserved well of mankind, and God rest their souls ! The toast was drink in solemn s le, ce. Mr. CARPENTER then proposed " The Drama." In doing so he observed that beautiful as was religion, in the writings of the drama more excellence could be found than in many a sermon preached in the fashionable churches of England ; and in them the pumps and vani ties of this u orld were truthfully depicted. He would pi repose " Success to the British Dram t." (Three times three, and one cheer more for Mr. Webster.) The VICE CHAIRMAN proposed the health or Mr. Web ster which was drunk with three times three. The CEAIRIIAN, in responding, stated how highly he felt the compliment which had been paid him by being placed in the chair on such an occasion. He was proud ~f his connexion with the drama; he took great interest ,in it and was happy to say he bad thriven by it. Ile was proud of his profession, although at the time he en tered it, by Act of Parliament, the members of it were designat: das vagallonds. This was a strange contrast to the time nf Shakspere, when every actor was allowed to sign himself as gentleman ; and this fact they would find in the record. of that p rind. Now, however, they were assured of their gentility, and treated as human b ings. la conclu-ion he begged to thank them for the cordial way in which the toast had been received. (Great applau=e.) Mr. ELvitis, in proposing "The worshipfultheMayor, and Pro. pr to the borough of Stattord-upon-Avon," p id a tribute of respect to the memory of the late Mr. Sheldon. The 111Avox responded to the toast. 'I he 11,v. Mr. LEA responded to the toast of "The Vicar and the clergy." The subst quent toasts vrnr3, "L3rd Ellesmere and the Sha , z,,D(re Soci.ty " "Prosperity to the Roya 1 Shaksperem C.ub ;" "Lord Carlisle, and the London ennmit'ee, and subscribers to the Shakspere House Fund ; " "The Lord Lieut. of the County of Warwick;" "The War wickkhire La. ses ;" and "The Visitors." The conviviality of the evening was kept up till a late hour. LORD DALHOUSIE'S PENSION.—The Court of Director of tbn E tst India Company have voted an annuity of 5,000/. to the Marquis of Dalhousie, late Governor- Gent-ral of India. A general court of the company, at which the directors' resolution will he submitted for ap pro"al, is called for Wednesday, May 14. SUBMARINE CABLE ACROSS THE UMBER.—The want of direct telegraphic communication between this port and London having long been felt as a great disadvantage to the mercantile community, the Electric Telegraph C tmpany have determined to afford the req iisite facilities the extension cf a wire for the purpose, by the way of Grimsby and P. terborough, crossing the Humber just above the pier at New Holland. The direct communica tion to London will in al probability be completed by the middle if May. A second cable, for the purpose of a direct communication with Grimsby, is cont , mplated, as well as similar direct wires to Manchester and other t►wns.—Laste'n Countie.l Herald. THE NAvIGATION IN THE BALTIC.—The following ad vices, relatinz to the navigation i❑ the Baltic, were re ceived at Lloyd's yesterday :—St. Petersburg, April 17 —The port of Cronscadt is expected to be free from ice be weer the 13th and 20th May. The first St e tti n steamers are a Ivertised to start on the 17th May.--Bol deraa, April 15—The ice is fast as far as the White Church. The northerly wind has again driven large ma 'see of ice towards the coast.—Riga, April 17—The ce in the river has been in motion for some days, and to-day the water is almost free, so that in about eight days at latest the re-opening of the naVigation may be expected. ROYAL SWEDISH RAILWAY.—At the meeting of the Royal Swedish Railway, held yea relay, Mr. J. Rhodes presiding, the report of the committee of investigation was received, and a new body of directors was appointed. The shareholders, however, declined to pees resolutions authorising the issue of preference stock at the rate of 7 per cent. for five years, and afterwards to bear 6 per cert., to raise the 350,000/. which it is stated will be necessary to complete the line, until they shall have had time to digest the contents of the document presented, and a short adjournment, after come discussion, was consequently agreed to. It appears to be considered that the undertakit g may be resuscitated, and that, if the Swedish Government can be induced to restore its lost privileges, there is a prospect of all classes of pro prietors eventually deriving benefit. The geographical Position of the railway, its relation to various other lines in course of formation, and the encouragement afforded by the native pepulati n to the introduction of tt is species of communication encourage a belief that tho traffic will be largo and remunerative. As it was intimated that only about 50,0001. will be required to carry out the first section, it was suggested that the better plan will be to raise a limited amount, so that advantage may be hereafter taken of an easier state of the money-market. It was, however, explained that the claims of creditors must likewise be settled, the whole if whist, have hitherto been forborne to suit the cumvoEienco of the company, n e frauds of the hate ?Jr. J. SaJleir and tho Leglig,rice of his colleagues re ceived geueral condemration ; but the detaee was prin cipally directed to the measures proposed for Tutoring the property to a more favourable pooition, The thirtyseeend anniversary dinner of the Royal Sbakeperean Club, in cenememoration of the natal day of the immortal bard, was held in Shakspere's Hall, on the 23d instant; The town on this jeyous occa-ion was say and animated ; banners and flags - were displayed from all the public buildings ; the bells of the parish church rang merrily; and the day was marked by all the features of a general holiday. At eleven o'clock in the morning, the "Birth-place Committee" held a meeting at the ball, under the presi dency of D. Rice, Esq., the mayor of the town. There were also present Messrs. W. 0. Hunt, E. Adams, E. Gibbs, J. Atkinson, and J. S. Leaver: The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed, and a finance committee was appointed, consisting of Messrs. A. B. Wheler, W. 0. Hunt, J. Atkinson, D. Rice, E. F. Flower—three to form a quorum, and to meet quarterly. The following gentlemen were added to the committee-- Mesere. F. Keridale, H. B. Sowdon, H. Kingsley, M.D., H. Stanley, C. Lucy, and K. M. Bird. A letter was all before the meeting from Dr. Thomson, giving in his resignation as President of the Society, an office which he had held for many years to the satisfaction of every o:.•e connected with it. The Dr. had been one of the steadiest supporters of the club from its commencement, and ho took a most active part i❑ raisin the fund for the 'purchase of the birth-place of Shakspere. A vote of thanks was unanimously passed to him for his valuable ~ ervices, and-Dr. Kin esley was elected to the vacant office. Lire Secretary, Mr. J. S. Leaver, read the following re port, which was adopted unanimously :—" Annual Report f the Shakesperean Club for the year ending 23d April, 1856 :—E, er since 1847, when the Committee wade the purchase of the "birth-place" and premises, rimy had been in expectation of being able to announce the liquidation of the debt incurred by the Committee for the completion of the purchase ; and this year they have r hat gratifying information to give, and the society is now free of debt, in relation to the liability so long existing. The . original sum formed from the Bank was 4701. se cured to the Bauk by a note, signed by your president, and Messrs. W. 0. Hunt, C. H. Brapebridge, Flower, and D. Rice, which was cancelled in November 22d last ; the interest paid on it amounted to 751. 4s. 11d. In the effort, the Committee have felt it their duty to make, to remove the debt they have been'obliged Ito incur, some further t'•eh;lities in the necessary re pairs of the " birth place" and adjoining houses, and in ' paving the front of the house, to the amount of upwards ••,f 1001., but, at the same time, they have pleasure in saying the whole of the property is tenanted, and with the doeatiorie fram victors, and some other sources of income, they are sanguine of being in a position to make a very satisfactory report at the next festival. A return is expected to be made from the L')ndon Committee. Ae soon as that is receive], an abstract of the account will be cr fully prepared, and with a list, of contributors t• tie fund, hang up in tee birth-place. The finances of the Club show a sm, 11 halaeice in favour of the trea surer, but the liabilities allured to render that eco nomy will be necese ry in order to carry out the views of the committee. The committee cannot close this re port without alluding, with feelings of deep regret, to the lamented death of their treeitrer and valuable sup porter, Mr. William Sheldon,—his active participation in the anxieties attending the purchase of the birth-place, —hi= marline a to cn•operate with them in any matter that m!ght tend to the improvement of the property or the advaetage of the society, render his loss a severe one, and the members generally arid the committee, we ar, confident, will sympathise with them in their ex pression of regret at the demise of one who had been so Ling associated with them The committee also report teat upwards of two thousand visitors have placed their names in the visitors' book at the birthplace ; although this return gives the names only Of those who enter them in the book, it a lows an estunat, to be made as to the actual number of persons who arnually visit the birth-;r lace, and hich the committee incline to consider as very considerably more than the number of names shown. d egre BeCUr. befer Cent, for th ti ties. t he at Been, Mi have uncle Bite Dor p er n hdia EXI Dit P itl( razi Dit litszi Dii Russ' al td i Di' 'Pan Dii Span Dii Dii • E're 4 tics, tzlo th e the clot Whc