The Sun. — London, England, 1861-03-11 00:00:00

OYAL ENGLISH OPERA, COVENT-GARDEN. Under the Management ol4Miss Louisa Pyne and Mr. W. Harrison, Sole Lessees. 'ruts EVENING, LE DOMINO NOIR. Miss Louisa Pyne, Miss Thirlwall, Miss Leffler ; Messrs. Henry Haigh, 11. Corti, A. St. Albyn, and Horneastle. Followed by Mendelssohn's Operetta, THE SON AND ST RANGER. Misses Thirlwall and Leffler ; Messrs. St. Albyn, H. Corti, Lyall, and Horneastle. Conductor—Mr. Alfred Mellon. Commence at & THEATRE -ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Lessee, Mr. J. B. Backstone. TTIIS EVENING, the performances will comma THE SUN AND TUE WIND. The Leclercqs, &c. After which, a new and original comedy, A DUKE IN PIFFICULTIES. Mrs. Stirling, Miss Fanny Stirling, Mr. Ouckstone, &c. And MY WIFE'S DAUGHTER. Commence at 7.1 with ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.-- , Lessee and Manager, Mr. A. Harris. THIS EVENING, the Farce of SUSAN SMITH. To be followed by DON CIESAR DE BAZAN. Don Cmsar, Mr. Fechter. Supported by Messrs. Basil Potter, Y. Matthews, J. G. Shore, Miss M. Harris, Miss C. Leclercq and Mrs. Weston. To conclude with a comic ballet, THE JOLLY MILLER. 1,1. Espinosa, Mr. Garden, &c. THEATRE - ROYAL LYCEUM. So:e Lessee and Directress, Madame CELESTE. Last Six Nights of the Winter Season. THIS EVENING the Butletta of TLi AT RASCAL, JACK. Followed by the new drama, THE HOUSE ON THE BRIDGE OF NOTRE DAME. Principal characters by Mr. G. Vining, Mr. J. Johnstone, Mr. Villiers , Mr. Clifford , Mr. John Rouse, Mr. Forrester, Mr. Morris; Miss M.Ternan, Miss K. Saville, Miss L. Thompson, and Madame Celeste. Atter which, the Lyceum Christmas Comics Extravaganza, CRYSTABELLE ; or, The Rose without a Thorn, showing THE VISION OF A ROSE, ITS FADING AT EVE, AND THE MAY-BLOOM OF THE WILD BRIAR. A DELPHI, NEW THEATRE-ROYAL. Sole Proprietor and Manager, Mr. Benj. Webster. THIS EVENING, AN UGLY CUSTOMER. Messrs. J. L. Toole, C. Selby, and Warde ; Miss K. Kelly, and Miss E. Thorne. After which, THE COLLEEN BAWN. D. Boucicault, D. Fisher, Billington, Falconer, Stephenson, C. J. Smith, Romer. Miss Agnes R.obertson, Miss Woolgar, Mrs. Billington, and ?Ars. Chatterley. To conclude with a new Burlesque Extravaganza, entitled lILUE BEARD FROM A NEW POI IT OF HUE. Messrs. J. L. Toole, P. Bedford, C. J. Smith ; Miss Woolgar, E. Kelly, Laidlaw, and E. Thorne. Doors open at half past 6—Commence at 7. Box-office open from 10 till 5. No charge for booking*. Private boxes, £2 25. ; Boxes, £l. Orchestra Stalls, ss. ; Balcony, 4s. ; Front Circle Stalls, Is.; Pit Stalls, 24.; Pit, ls. 6d. ; Amphitheatre, is ; Gallery, ed. Acting Manager—Mr. Wzn. Smith: CANTERBURY -HALL CONCERTS!!! Westminster-road. Proprietor........C. Morton. A Grand Selection from Verdi's new Opera, IL CORSARO, (This opera has never been produced in this or any other country, except at these Concerts), having met with that de cided success which charactise 4 the most popular werks of this meat Master, will be performed EVERY EVENING ; together with a Selection from LA FIGLIA DEL REGGI- M ENT 0, by Donizetti, Principal Artistes—Miss Russell, Madame Maria, Miss Tyrrell, Mr. H. Herbert, Signor Tivoli, H. Drummond, and C. W. Bernard. Director, Mr. F. Jonghmans. The Comic Department comprises Messrs. E. Marshall, A. B. Ilollingsworth, J. Blanchard, F. Bell, W. H. Welland, and the Brothers Conrad. John Martin's Three celebrated Pictures will remain on view a short time longer in the Fine Arts Gallery of the Establishment. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. THIS DAY.—Morning, 2h. 10m.—Afternoon, 2h. 27m. To-MORROW.-Morning, 2h. 40m.—Afternoon, 2h. 54m. THE WEATHER.—Sux OFFICE, MARCH 10, 1861, THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 57—highest since soon yesterday. 48—lowest this morning and during the night. 55 —this day atrnoon.! BAROMETER-29.98. WlND—South-Westerly—light ; with very fine weather Afternoon fresh and squally, with rain from W,N.W. MARCH 11. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADY. 58—highest since noon yesterday. 38—lowest this morning and during the night. 45—this day at noon. BAROMETER-29.38 ; a fall of nearly an inch since yes terday. WlND—West-North-Westerly—fresh ; blowing a gale, with sudden squalls. There must be a storm in the Chan nel, and along the south-western and north-western coasts .es: ) 4_9i', , ~__, -- . - - 7 - ~,_,..= '.- 1 1 ~ , ,e ~ 1 / 44________i i , . , .41; ~., ~ . ..,,k0rL.,, ,, ~,, , .. , .y:.14!,-----,a,,.. „..t. ;•• - IT TII E SUN. LONDON, MONDAY, MARCH 11, 186: Mr. LINDSAY'S motions upon the Navy—down upon the notice paper for to-night —mean, if they mean anything, "Wait ! Diminish the Supplies ! Interrupt all the efforts now being made with a view to the immediate reconstruction of the Royal Navy of England ! And—when we have done all that—let us allow a few more years to elapse, while we are spending several millions sterling additional in making a new series of costly and inconclusive experiments !" Mean while, the other maritime " powers that be"— especially in Europe particularly France — building with the utmost skill and despatch en tirely fresh fleets, iron -built, steel-cased, and screws in all but the expenditure they involve ! Anything more suicidal, anything more irrational, anything more preposterous than the course suggested, to be adopted now,;by the hon. member for Sunderland is absolutely, in respect to our navy, not to be ima gined. The importanye of the decision arrived at by the House of Commons in regard to Mr. LIND SAY'S resolutions is so supreme that we must really give the very words in which they are expressed upon the Parliamentary papers for this evening. It will be there found as the nineteenth paragraph in the long catalogue of the Notices of Motion for Monday the eleventh of March—" Mr. LINDSAY on going into committee of supply on navy estimates, to move, as an amendment, the fol lowing resolutions: —l. That it is inexpe dient to sanction any further expenditure for the construction or conversion of wooden line-of-battle ships. 2. That it is inexpedient to incur, during the present year, the expenditure re quisite for the completion of the line-of-battle ships 110 w on the stocks ; and that, during the present year, it is not expedient to commence the construc tion of any wooden vessels which carry guns on more than one deck. 3. That it is inexpedient, without further experience, to sanction the expen diture of' any money for the purpose of adapting her MAJESTr.S dockyards for the construction of - iron vessels." Now, if these three resolutions mean anything they mean exactly what we have said. When Mr. LINDSAY objects to the further construe. tion of wooden line-of-battle ships—the objection, viewed by itself, particularly in the light of recent experiments, proving the inferiority of teak built ships generally, of even the most admirable heart of-olik men-of-war that can be turned out of the yard of any shipbuilder in the United Kingdom, when Lompared with iron -made, steel-cased vessels like La Gloire, or still better, like the two glorious war ships already launched in British waters—so vie- we d, we say, exclusively in regard to itself, in the light of those facts, and apart from every other consideration, the objection is in some respects reasonable enough, is at any rate perfectly comprehensible. But when it is found that, in the third of these damaging reso lutions of Mr. LINDSAY, that hon. gentlemen goes crt to declare it to be " inexpedient 'without further experience, to sanction the expenditure of any woney for the purpo se f 0 adapting her MAJESTY'S pockyards for ale construction of IRON vessels into the bargai n , the proposition becomes s i m ply ridiculous, I n fact . nothmr , could unpatriotic than ° the b e more flagrantly serious suggestion to the B r i t i sh House of of Commo ns that no more mone y sh ould be supplied " without further experience" having been obtained —in other words, until more years shall have be en pasume d an d more 4411 iitvve been wasted in making a series of additional, and, for the most part, wholly superfluous experiments. The alternative that the country has to decide about sooner or later, now at once or at some in definite time in the hereafter, is in two words the alternative between Wood and Iron. And already the preference has been pronounced far and wide, here and upon the Continent—the experi ments having all gone to demonstrate the now notorious fact of the superiority of iron over wood for shipbuilding purposes. France is already taking advantage very wisely of the result of these lengthened and costly experi ments. A little while longer and the French navy will be an iron-built, steel-clad floating force, setting at defiance all the old wooden fleets now in exist ence. And while France is thus straining every nerve to accomplish this grand labour of construc tion, England (according to Mr. LINDSAY) —Eng land, forsooth, among all the powers in the world, is to wait idly, so far as ship-building is concerned, is to construct neither wooden ships of war nor iron ships of war, until yet more time and money shal have been consumed in testing the relative advan tages of wood and iron ; or, to use his own gene ralised phrase, until in the matter of wood and iron for shipbuilding we shall have gained a little more experience. Earlier among the notices of motion for to night than the three resolutions above particularised — there appears, as the seventeenth paragraph, another and briefer notice, in connection with the name of Mr. LINDSAY, who, it is there intimated, will call attention to the expenditure upon the navy, imme diately upon the House going into Committee of Supply on Navy Estimates. Now, even in our character as ECONOMISTS, we must, at once, depre cate, in the very strongest terms, the notion of applying our economy, at the out set (of all the departments of the public ser vice !) by preference to the maritime department. Begrudging expenditure there to begin with, would assuredly be the most egregious mistake into which the House of Commons could possibly blunder. Cut down our naval estimates, as Mr. LINDSAY hints at,—stop all the vitally important efforts in the way of iron and wooden shipbuilding now going on in our dockyards, as he also suggests— allowing France all the while to persevere without a rival in the course upon which she has already wisely adventured—and you may imagine the con sequences! " Hang the Ballot !—Why pester us with it this year—Didn't Lord PALMERSTON promise, or as good as promise, us, a Reform nap for a twelve month—too bad—too bad—BERKELEY is a bore—a good fellow too—but thosewho back him won't let him rest." Such, we doubt not, is the tone and spirit of the remarks on both sides of the House when the Hon. Member for Bristol's motion is really in sight. And on the appointed day the wronged members who must be troubled to vote for, as well as against the motion, have their plan ready. Mr. BERKELEY thus described it, with the remedy which he prescribes : " If he was heard at five o'clock, probably his speech and that of the seconder would work the debate on till seven o'clock, which was about the feeding time of the menagerie, and of course at that time—as all animals are ravenous at their time for feeding—there would be uncouth noises, and they Would hear nobody else. Now, a young member, especially one who wished to make an arguments tive speech, did not like to hear roaring lions au bears, and bucolic noises of all sorts made during their speech, so they sat down. Nothing could be more ungentlemanly than their treatment of Mr. LAWSON when he had risen to make his maiden speech. He must have had nerves of iron to have stood what he did. He had suggested the course of adjourning the house. At every interruption some one should rise to move the adjournment, and put the threat into execution." This, he assures us, is the only mode of compel ling a different treatment of the subject in the House, to that which we have so often seen of late years, It has been the endeavour of the half-hearted Liberals and the whole-hearted Tories to shirk a debate, and to let Mr. BERKELEY have all the talk to himself; but a determination to move the adjourn ment of the debate, if the subject were burked in this way, would soon bring even the country mem bers to their senses, " lie might talk for an hour and a half or two hours, and they would hear him in the House, but they would not hear any one else on the same side. That had been the mode of operation lately. When such men as COBDEN, and BRIGHT, and Woo D—who was now Vice-Chan cellor—and men of that calibre, who were resolute in standing up for the ballot, addressed them, they always wanted to adjourn the house if they:were not heard. The only way to get a proper hearing for the ballot would be to find him a certain number of members who would say, " We will adjourn the house, and bring yon gentleman out of your leather bolts and breeches from hunting in the country two or three times in the course of a month, in stead of once, to vote against the ballot. We will bring you from your shooting boxes and from New market. If they found him a certain number of members to do that, they would have a fair debate on the ballot, but until then the matter must rest as it did now." We hope Mr. BERKELEY and his friends will act on this advice in April, when the motion for leave to introduce a bill comes on. Some 230 Liberal members and a large part of the Ministry have voted for the ballot, and a Reform which can muster so many votes is not one which ought to be put down by the cries of gentlemen, merely clamorous, to go to dinner. May we also counsel the earnest Parliamentary friends of the Ballot a little on their tactics. The subject, it is justly said, is settled so far as argument can settle it. All the hypo critical cant of professed moral opponents, all. the chatter about its being un-English, all the pretences about failures in other countries, all the nonsense about trusteeship for non-electors, all the pretences against every elector's doing \ his own voting, have no doubt been all scouted (to the heart's content of all who had hearts more yielding than SHYLOCKS -- but if the fallacies and the replies to them have become known to every one, the illustrations of the necessity and value of the ballot as a means of free and honest voting are endless. Now, cannot the Ballot Society beat the dinner-men of the House of Commons by a little arrangement. Suppose they made a division of labour for their friends— allotting to one the English counties, to another the Welsh, to another the Irish ; suppose they took a little travel, and assigned to a fourth member the American ballot, to a fifth the Australian, to a sixth the Belgian, Sardinian, and Genevan; to a ssventh, the exposure of the vices of the Imperial management of the ballot box, with the wonderful fact that it would often, nevertheless, foil the cor ruption of '_Mires and Prefets, Suppose English boroughs, and the evidence furnished before Com missioners, and before the House itself, formed another branch. By a careful division of work of this kind, and by pretty good briefs full of un deniable facts, put into the hands of men who ronld not be daunted by the tactics above described, we should think a fusillade even from one side might be got up which would give a good evening's entertainment to the House, even if opponents should sit in silence to hear it all. Let them sit, and sit till they were tired if they pleased. They would find that they could not prevent a good discussion of the Ballot, however one-sided they might like to make it. Probably before 12 o'clock their patience would fail. Lord JOHN would pepper away a little of his spite against what he once proposed, but now hates as being the most real of reforms. Sir G. C. LEWIS would bring out some of his heavy " Edin. burgh Review" pages ; if they did, so much the better, provided a speaker, ready at reply, had been kept back as a reserve against a bringing up of Cabinet forces. We do not underrate the difficul ties of a determined attack like this, but that it would succeed, if resolutely made, we have not the smallest doubt. The Corn-law Repealers, when argument had long lost its novelty, found no diffi culty in providing abundant new illustrations of old arguments to make a good and a dreaded dis play. Oar Ballot friends should do the same. If there be Liberals disposed to complain of an annual motion for the Ballot, the reply is, what would you suggest to those who do not mean to give up till they get what they want. Every other important liberal measure has been thus forced on the attention of the Legislature and the public. What would opponents themselves say if for a single year, in which no special obstruction arose, a motion was not made, and a division taken by the friends of free voting ? This year the pro posal is more than usually appropriate, because the Corrupt Practices Act—An Act which Sir W. G. HAYTER acknowledged to be worthless, is to be proposed for renewal—if Cabinet Whigs can be found perverse enough to do this after the revela tions at Gloucester, Wakefield, and Berwick, they will, with an ill grace blame those who insist on proposing the remedy which the most practical of men—CorPocK—and such philosophical Liberals as GROTE and MOLESWORTII, have alike asserted to be the cure, and the only known cure for half the mischief which the trumpery Whig Act undeniably does not remedy. We retort the charge of being bores, on the men who plague the house with such solemn hy pocrisy as these bills designed merely to evade the remedy they dread—a remedy which we reassert has but one fault in the eyes of Lords PALMERSTON and RUSSELL and Sir G. C. LEWIS, namely,—that it would cure the disease. It would cure rich men of buying what they could not be sure of; and landlords and others who had power over their neighbours from coercing their votes. We deem it no want of charity to say that this is the only reason why Lord J. RUSSELL, and Liberals like him, hate the ballot so bitterly. They know it would do its work too well for territorial ascendancy. They know it would give reality to Representation, and they want only a manageable and seeming repre sentation—a representation nominally of electors, practically of landlords and their nominees. They may, however, rest assured that, fence as long as they will, the ballot will break their guard at last. It will be the law of England. It is but a question of time. And, as it is no party question, so, when it is carried, as in Australia, all parties will join in its praise, and wonder they were fools enough to resist so long such a simple means of quiet and honest polling. ROYAL ENGLISH OPERA. The season terminated on Saturday night with Amber's " Black Domino," the production of which opera has certainly been one of the most legitimate achievements of the present direction. The finished and brilliant singing of Miss Louisa Pyne, as Angela, and the admirable performances of the band and chorus, under the guidance of Mr. Alfred Mellon, were enjoyed more than ever on this occasion clamorous demonstrations of approval—accompa nied by a loud call for the principal artists, suc ceeded by another, exclusively for Miss Louisa Pyne (who was led on by Mr. Henry ' Haigh)— following the descent of the curtain. Subjoined is the farewell address which, in accordance with annual custom, was submitted to the audience : " Ladies and Gentlemen,—At the termination of our third season at Covent-garden (and fifth of management in London) we beg to say farewell to those kind friends who have supported us through it. We did not think it neces sary before the season began to state the enormous addi tional outlay we had incurred to gratify our kind patrons and the public, or to stt ourselves forward in any ostenta tious light whatever ; we, therefore, might be said to open silently, deeming that our friends and patrons would now have good faith in us, as we had in them; and that this trust should not be disappointed, we considerably enlarged our company, our band, and our chorus—made arrangements for the production of Mr. Balfe's new grand opera, "Bianca" (written expressly for us), with all splendour, and entered into numerous arrangements, scenic and otherwise, to give effect to the most expensive pantomime that has ever been undertaken ; these were concluded prior to our season commencing, and induoed the necessity of withdrawing "Bianca" during the Christmas festival. Through all the discouragement of a season which has proved adverse to all public entertainments, we have exerted ourselves to the utmost, keeping faith with the public, and never closing a single night on any pretence whatever; the various novel ties, and our great repertoire, have been produced in every instance with expense, care, and attention, and we have endeavoured faithfully to ratify the promises made by us when we (who were the first instigators) undertook the onerous task of establishing a national opera, thereby affording a home for English composers and English artists. We therefore still hope that you will uphold us in our efforts, and as we are about to venture on future seasons here, that they may prove, by your liberal support, as prosperous as the preceding ones have been. Several works by native composers have been accepted, and will be produced with completeness. Several eminent artists are added to the establishment, and a difference will be made in the tariff of. admission. To quote a favourite bard—" Tis not in mortal to ensure success, we can but study to deserve it.' Wishing a kind farewell to all, we most respectfully bid you adieu. " LOUISA PYNE, 1 Managers. " " W. HARRISON, " March 9. ADVICE TO A POLITICAL LANDLORD ON MANAGING HIS TENANTS. Of all his grumblings take no note, "Upon his farming virtues dote ; His wishes and his whims promote, But—clap the padlock on his vote. HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.—Her Majesty and his Royal Highness the Prince Consort honoured this theatre with their presence on Saturday evening, accom panied by her Royal Highness the Princess Alice, Coun tess of Caledon, Hon. Eleanor Stanley, Hon. Flora Mac donald, Lord Harris, Gen. the Hon. C. Grey, and Col. the Hon. Arthur Hardinge. _ _ _ We regret to hear that Field-Marshal Lord Sea ton is suffering from very serious illness. Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cam bridge and the Princess Mary are expected to leave St. James's Palace at the end of the ensuing week for Cam bridge Cottage, Kew, for the Easter recess. The Countess (Dowager) of Jersey arrived in Berkeley-square a few days since, from Middleton Park, near Bicester. Viscountess Jocelyn and family left Cambridge House on Saturday for St. Leonard's•on-Sea. Lord Cremorne has taken a house in Curzon street for a term of years, late the residence of Colonel and Lady Laura Meyrick. The shipwrights employed on the Repulse, 91, screw frigate, which is now in a forward state at Wool wich, have received orders to cease working on that vessel for the present, as it is contemplated that some alterations fromt he original design will be made in her construction. According to statements from Dundee the liabi lities of Mr. James Crichton, flax merchant in Dundee and London, whose suspension was announced on Tuesday, are chiefly to London houses, and are eaid to be upwards of 580,000, of which, however, a large portion is covered. His nominal assets are stated to be over that amount, and some persons entertain a hope that there will be no ultimate loss. Mr. Crichton was understood recently to be pos sessed of considerable capital, which he has lost partly by bad debts, and partly by speculations in jute and hemp, of wilicb, his stock almost entirely consists; LATET NEW S . TELEGRAPHIC INTELLIGENCE. PARIS, MONDAY. The Paris papers publish telegrams dated Bey rout, 25th February, asserting that the Mussulmans had redoubled their insults and provocations against the Christians at Damascus. The Mussulmans were said to have thrown down the crosses and trampled them under foot, as they did before the late massacres. The Paris papers add :—" It is asserted that con sular reports confirm that the Christians are in danger." The emigration is said to have recommenced. The Druses of the Hauran threaten the most implacable vengeance should Fuad Pasha order the execution of the condemned Druses. TURIN, MARCH 11. The Cpinione says :—There is no truth in the statement that negotiations had been entered into with Rome. The tendencies now prevailing at Rome would render any arrangements difficult." POSEN, MARCH 10. Funeral ceremonies took place in all the churches of Warsaw yesterday. The Exchange was closed. The Town Militia, composed of citizens to the number of 440 men, maintained public order, with out the concurrence of the police. Tranquillity has been nowhere disturbed. The Emperor's reply to the address is awaited with great anxiety. CRACOW, MARCH 8. The Czas has received advices stating that the Bank of Poland has in its keeping Russian bonds belonging to the Government which it is not bound to pay in specie. The Government, however, de manded payment of these bonds in hard cash, and on the Bank authorities refusing to comply, the Bank was surrounded by military, who took the amount required from the metallic reserve. The same journal announces that the royal castle has been transformed into barracks. POSEN, MARCH 9. Complete tranquillity prevails at Warsaw. Five hundred citizens and town militiamen alterhately patrol the city every night. This morning religious funeral ceremonies took place in all the churches of Warsaw. A judicial inquiry, conducted by a commission composed of Poles and Russians, under the presi dency of General Liprandi, is being impartially carried on. Fresh arrivals of military from all parts of the country continue to take place. Many women are leaving the city, and are taking up their quarters in the Citadel of Warsaw. The reply of the Emperor to the address is anxiously expected. The city is still in deep mourning. The shop windows contain nothing but articles of mourning, and the booksellers' windows nothing but black Prayer Books. Photographic portraits of those who fell in the late disturbances are sold in great quantities. The burial ground in which they were all interred has been decorated with a great number of flower wreaths. MTH, MARCH 10. Several Comitats have energetically pronounced themselves against any representatives being sent by the Diets to the Council of the Empire. The dissatisfaction of the Hungarians has been increased by the decree ordering the assembling of a Servian National Congress at liarlowitz. PAWS, MARCH 10. A letter from General Turr, to General Klapka has been' published, exhorting the Hungarians not to compromise the deliverance of Hungary by a premature movement which, de letter says, Aus trian agents are fomenting. General Turr urges his countrymen to preserve their forces intact for more favourable circum stances. VIENNA, MARCH 10. An autograph letter of the Emperor appoints Baron Lichtenfels President of the Council of the State, and orders him to make propositions for its reorganisation. AGRAM, MARCH 10. The Sclavonian inhabitants of Dalmatia have addressed a petition to the Emperor, praying for the incorporation of their province with Croatia, in order that they may be protected against the Italian portion of the inhabitants, which, the Scla vonians declare, endeavours to exercise a tyrannical influence over them. -...---. ST. PETERSBURG, MARCH 9. The Emperor of Russia has conferred on Francis 11. and his Queen the Military Order of St. George. Prince Paskiewitch will be the bearer of the insignia of the order. ROME, MARCH 9. The speech of Prince Napoleon in the French Senate has produced great enthusiasm. A subscrip tion has been opened among the inhabitants of Rome with the object of presenting a token of their gratitude to the prince. BERNE, MARCH 9. The Federal Council has authorised the Swiss Minister at Paris to commence negotiations for the conclusion of a treaty of commerce between France and Switzerland. GREECE. The Greek Chambers were opened on Feb. 27 by King Otho in person. His Majesty spoke as follows : " Gentlemen Deputies, Gentlemen Senators,— " It is with pleasure I see you assembled round me to-day. I confidently count upon your support for the furtherance of public business. " It has given me great satisfaction to behold the order and calmness displayed by the nation on the occasion of the last elections. By adhering to Conservative principles the Grcek people has shown that it understands its real interests in the present as well as for the future. " My relations with foreign Powers are amicable. Greece continues to enjoy the sympathies of the civilised world, and especially of the great Po wers who have been her benefactors ; those sympathies which have contributed so much to consolidate her independence must act as a perpetual stimulant for her advancement in the path of progress. " My Government, full of the importance of its duties is incessant in endeavouring to increase the internal prosperity of the country by the develop ment of the constitutional institutions, by the improvement of the different branches of the public service, and especially by the regulation of our financial position, so as to strengthen public credit and to enable it to meet all the wants and obligations of the State. For this purpose various bills of great import ance will be laid before you. _ _ "As the Budget was not discussed by the Senate last year, you will this session have to occupy yourselves with the examination and vote of finan cial measures for two consecutive years. We shall thus resume our regular way, while, CA the other hand, my Government, conforming to the decisions of the Chamber, has provided, as far as was possible, for the security of the public interests and for the maintenance of order. " I doubt not, gentlemen, that your wisdom and patriotism will inspire you with sentiments equal to actual circumstances. lam sure that you will sincerely assist my Government in advancing in the path pointed out to us by the national interests in the "point of view of a good administration at home and of consideration abroad. " It is thus that we shall be able to look forward with confidence to the future, and to invoke with out fear the blessings of Him who shields nations and brings pure intentions to a good end." FRANCE. The following circular was addressed from Paris, on Saturday, by Generals Klapka and Turr to their countrymen ; PARIS, MARCH 9. It has come to our knowledge that Austrian agents mean to take advantage of the coming elections to provoke a premature movement in Hungary. Wo fulfil a duty in warning our countrymen of these manoeuvres, and we entreat them to use their utmost efforts to frustrate the scheme. A rising in Hungary at the present moment might compromise all our most legitimate hopes. We are certain that nobody will doubt the patriotic sentiments which guide us in offering this advice. We are persuaded that all fellow-labourers in the work of the deliverance of our suffering country, whether at home or abroad, will agree with us when we say, that we must reserve our forces intact for the moment when more favourable cir cumstances will hold out a sufficient chance of success to justify an extreme resolution on the part of the nation. GEORGE KLAPKA. ETIENNE TURK. BOURSE, March 9.—The market has been rather heavy, and prices have given way. Threes, for the Account, which opened at 68f 25c, are now at 68f 15c. For cash, the prices have been better main tained. The Railway Share 'Market has been also heavy. The following are the last quotations :- 41 per per Cents ... 95 75 Credit F oncier 930 Do end month.... i Belgian 4} 991 3 per Cents Do. end month 6B 10 1 Roman Bank Shares 2885 Austrian Credit Mobilier.... 658 751 Spanish Threes 4B Do. Account 660 Home Debt RAILWAYS. Cash. Account. Orleans 1425 1427 60 Northern 966 25 .. 966 25 New ditto Lyons and Mediterranean 950 .. 951 25 Geneva 382 50 .. 381 25 Southern Western Eastern Sardinian Austrian Lombard . 473 75 .. 472 50 LITERATURE. Dinners and Diners. By E. L. Blanchard. One Vol., pp. 118. Adamson. A pleasant, laughter-moving, delightful name on any title page is the name of E. L. Blanchard. Is it not recognised with delight by children of all ages as that of a veritable Master of the Revels ? one from whose whimsical fancy came that genuine " screamer" among farces, the' The Artful Dodge" —one who is author, too, of all sorts of comical dramas, such as " The Road of Life" and of all kinds of extravagantly humorous burlesques, like that of " Antigone "—and inventor (we believe that is the correct stage phrase in regard to this particular department of authorship) inventor of the grotesque, imaginative openings of scores upon scores of world-famous Pantomimes ! Why, in regard to this last-mentioned field for the display annually by Mr. Blanchard of his inexhaustible capacity as a caterer for public amusement—is it not enough to bear in recollection for a moment the fact that no less than three of the principal among our London theatres were provided by E. L. Blan chard this last Christmas season with their popular Pantomimes ? There was Tom numb at Her Majesty's—there was another capital pantomime of his at Sadler's Wells—and there was (a mere mat ter of course, this last), the usual grand Drury-lane pantomime. The Christmas frequenters of Old Drury meet E. L. Blanchard there every successive winter with his new pantomime. This year he took his theme, it will be remembered, from the wonderful fairy tale of " Peter Wilkins." The pre decessors of " Peter Wilkins" on the boards of Drury -lane Theatre having been in this way (thanks to that vis conzica of our author, which is year after year so irresistibly provocative of the risus emnieus), among others, " Robin Hood," "Little Jack Hor ner," "Harlequin Hudibras," "King Humming Top," " Jack and Jill," " Seven Ages of Man," " See-Saw Margery Daw," and " Jack and the Beanstalk." If only, therefore, out of a pleasant remembrance of all these resplendent dramatic comicalities a humorous volumette like this about " Dinners and Diners," from the pen of E. L. Blanchard, is right welcome, and must be greeted accordingly. The motto of the little prelection, subdivided into a dozen chapters, including the invitation and the conclusion, is sufficiently suggestive : " We may live without learning—what's knowledge but grieving ? We may live without hope—what is hope but deceiving ? We may live without love—what is passion but pining ? But where is the man who can live without Dining ?" Does anyone want a taste, however, of the banquet of fun here provided ? We givJ him a plentiful " Help" in the form of the following hypocondriacal LINES TO MY LIVER, WRITTEN IN A MOMENT OF DEEP DESPONDENCY. Remote, inactive, dilatory, slow— A line evoking Goldsmith's recollection— Behold my liver, and the world will know From this broad hint whence comes my deep dejection. Source of all gloomy thoughts, all direful deeds, All moping by the melancholy river, Where he who plunging, strangled by the weeds, Oft curses Fate, when he should blame his liver I 111. Mysterious morsel of the human frame, Recondite region of the rueful blues, Tremendous tissue, from whose dark cells came Those rays, far-stretching, of cerulean hues I Why shouldst thy gloomy veil spread, far beyond. A dark dim curtain o'er our future days, or Make mortals shrink from pondering o'er a pond, Or hesitate each morn to raise a razor ? Vicarious viscus, that we know, yet see not, Hepatic horror that we would forget, Enlarging woes that be, and those that be not Inventing, as the woes to greet us yet. To thy shortcomings may be traced the gloom That makes us feel by all the world deserted To thine inaction may be traced the doom, Which if thou actedst right would be averted, VII. Lugubrious liver ! is proud man to be The slave of thy remorseless eccentricity ? Must still the sky be hung in black for thee, Insensate increment of infelicity ? VIII. No, think it not—thou Gorgon like conjunction, Stone-deadening everything on which we look, Locking up every wholesome human function, Leaving the keys with publican or cook I One is not going to be so besotted As now to think he's wzonged, and robbed beside, And ought to sever his poor bared carotid, Because there's something wrong with his inside, Man's wiser grown—and when he feels unhappy, And life is tedious, he goes out of town ; And there, if still a sad and wiser chap, he At once will send, to cure him, Doctor Brown. Having provided which effectual whet to the appe tite of the reader in search of the humorous, we commend anyone and everyone who loves a laugh to the feast of merriment and flow of fun here pro vided for them by one who, as a comic writer, Is certainly a host in himself ! And as to the advan tage flowing from such harmless laughter, has not old HORACE asked nineteen centuries ago— Ridetztem dicere venni: quid vetat ?" MISCELLANEOUS MAGAZINES. The Welcome Guest still maintains its character for clever and amusing stories, among which we may cite " Recollections of a Relieving Offieer." Cassell's Popular Natural _History is concluded, and to those desiring a cheap and well illustrated natural history this work presents great attractions. Cassell's Illustrated Family Bible is continued with its usual ability. The illustrations of the Book of Job are well executed. The National _Magazine commences with an article on "Witches," and the engraving of the " Schoolboy" is well drawn. The Eclectic contain an article on George Fox, likewise one on George Wilson. A paper on the " Dodges of Romanism" is well written. In Cassell's Illustrated Ilz . nzi/y Paper the stories are continued. Duffy 's Hibernian Magazine on &knee and Art contains a continuation of " The Double Prophecy" and " The Two Chinese Novels," part 111. of " Good Words," an article by the Rev. Thomas Guthrie on `f Religious Life," and other moral tales. Cassell's -history of England, part xiv., is devoted rather to the history of France. The execution of Marie Antoinette is described at length. A Pamphlet on Canada, published by G. Lovel, contains general information to intending exigrants, AMERICA. THE UNITED STATES. QIIENSTOWN, SUNDAY: The royal mail steam-ship Africa, Captain Shan non, from New York on the 27th ult., arrived here at 4.15 a.m., landed all mails except those for Liverpool, and proceeded at 4.30 a.m., all well. She brings 35 passengers. The staamer America, from Liverpool, had ar rived out. The Senate and the House of Representatives had agreed to all the amendments to the Tariff Bill, with the exception of the articles relating to tea and coffee. It was expected that the bill would pass immediately. The New York papers publish the bill in full. The New Fork Herald states that the Peace Con ference at Washington, after three weeks' labour had accomplished nothing ; and that the genera belief was, that it would not be able to do anything towards a settlement of the existing troubles. The discussion of the Force Bill had been post poned. On the 26th ult. Mr. Lincoln was notified of his election to the Presidency of the United States. An infernal machine was found under Mr. Lin coln's seat in the train which conveyed him from Cincinatti. General Twigg had surrendered the Federal military property in Texas to the State authorities. The voting in Galveston and Houston had re sulted in favour of secession by a large majority. Advices from San Francisco were to the 13th ult. The Assembly had endorsed the Crittenden propositions. COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. NEW YORK, FEB. 26. Exchange : Bankers' bills are quoted 105! to 106 ; commercial, 105 to 1051. Cotton active, but the demand is less spirited. Sales to-day 1,800 bales ; middling Upland 111 c. to 11ic. Flour and Wheat in fair demand. Corn buoyant. Pork irregular. Sugar firm and steady. Freights steady. LATEST. NEW YORK, FEB. 27. Stocks higher. - Erie, 331; Illinois, 82-1; New York Central, 79k. Other markets unaltered. NEW ORLEANS, FEB. 26. Cotton sales in three days, 30,000 bales. Receipts during the same period, 8,000 bales. Middling, lOic. to 111 c, RACING IN FRANCE. Baron do la Rochette, Count Alfred de Noaillesy and Count H. Greffulbe, as stewards of the races of the Societe d'Encouragement pour l'Amelioration des Races de Chevaux en France, have just ad dressed a report to the Minister of State, in which, after referring to the recent modifications made in the State breeding studs, they mention that the society, on its part, will continue to labour for the improvement of the breed of horses by " concen trating its attention on what in its eyes is the most important matter of all—the increase of thorough bred cattle by means of racing." In support of that view they affirm that "the intermixture of thorough bred horses in crossings with common breeds has been one of the principal causes of the superiority of the productions of horses in England , . . and that races on flat ground are therefore an essen tial condition of progress." They then state that the society has departed from the English system of " shortening without reason the distance to be run, diminishing weights excessively, increasing the number and importance of handicaps in such a way that a dissimulation of the merits of horses becomes the best chance of obtaining great suc cesses ; and, lastly, giving such sums for 2-year-old races as to enable animals of that age to remunerate their proprietors without, however, developing their merit." Thus, in France, out of 100 races there on five of which the distance is less than 2,000 metres (11. mile), only five for 2-year-old colts, and not more than nine handicaps; whereas in England there 63 of less distance than 2,000 metres, 40 for 2-year-olds, and 38 handicaps. Even in handicaps, too, the minimum weight in France is more than 101 b. above what it is in England. The stewards then go on to recommend that, in order to remove, or, at least, to lessen, the objec tions which exist to 2-year-old races, the animal of that age shall not run before the autumn in each year. They next state that both the admin istration of the Haras and the society have in creased their subventions to races, and have made a new distribution of the sums to be run for, suppressing those of certain races, and increasing those of others, reserving the most important sums to races for 4-year-olds and apwards, at the same time requiring such horses to carry heavier weights and run longer distances, The admin istration des Haras, for example, instead of 82,000 f., divided into 27 races, is to give 87,000 f., divided among 16, and as much as 77,000 f. of this sum is reserved for 12 of the 16. As to the society it maintains 11 prizes recently established, augments others, and founds three new ones. On the whole 240,000 f will be given this year at Paris and Chan tilly, which is 27,500 f. more than was accorded last year ; and of that increase 22,500 f. is raised by the society, and 5,000 f. is to come from the Adminis tration des Harras. To the races at Versailles, Angouleme, Caen, Moulins, Mont de Marsan, Tou louse, and Valenciennes liberal grants are made, and it is at Amiens, Blois, and Marseilles that the three new prizes have been established. AN ORATORIO IN A CHURCH.—We understand that the oratorio of" Elijah" is to be given on Easter •eve in the recently completed church of All Saints, Kensing ton-park, Notting-hill, previous to its consecration, at which Miss Louisa Pyne, Madame Laura Baxter, Madame Alexander Newton, Miss Susan Pyne, Messrs. Wilbye Cooper, W. H. Weiss, and other artistes of eminence, will sing. A full band and chorus, assisted by the grand organ, in all 300 performer, will be under the direction of Dr. James Pech. Herr Molique's Abraham will be presented for the first time in the metropolis on the 17th of April, when a performance will be given at Exeter-hall iu aid of the funds of the Mi idlesex Hospital. A distinguished corps of executants will be engaged, and the direction will be vested in Herr Molique. DEATH OF SIR ARCHIBALD MACLAINE, K.C.B. —The Colonelcy of the 52d (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot has become vacant by the death of General Sir Archibald Maclaine, who expired on Saturday last, at his house in Cumberland-street. The shipments of specie by the Delta, for Bom bay, represent £160,040, of which £134,510 is silver and £25,500 gold. DESERTERS FROM THE NAVY.—The number of seamen and boys who deserted from the Royal Navy in 1858 was 1,880 ; in 1859, 1,873 ; and in nine months only of 1860, 2,322. Of the latter number, 160 only were boys. A meeting of creditors of Messrs. Benyon & Co., flax spinners, took place on Thursday at Leeds, when a balance-sheet, prepared by Mr. Bolton, accountant, showed liabilities expected to come on the estate £52,265, with assets estimated to realize £17,017, the deficiency being thus £35,248. Messrs. Benyon's relatives offered to give £10,000; which will raise the dividend to 10s. in the pound. The creditors, in reply, intimated that if £15,000 were offered that sum would be accepted. Ultimately the meeting was adjourned for a week to give time for further consideration, and it is expected that the difference will be divided, and the present offer consequently increased to £12,500. DOCKYARD ARRANGEMENTS AT PORSTMOUTH.— For the future the entry of all artisans and labourers rests with the superintendent of the dockyard, who will be re sponsible that no workmen be admitted but such as are in all respects the best to be obtained for her Majesty's ser vice. No person will be eligible for entry in the establish ment whose age exceeds 35 years, to be proved by certificate of birth from baptismal register or such other document as the superintendent may require. Certificate of eheracter will also be necessary. Every candidate before entry will be tested in the use of his took. He must be examined by the surgeon of the yard, an pronounced fit for service. On first entry for the establishment, all men will be re quired to serve one month on probation, and if at the end of that period they shall have proved themselves competent to the satisfaction of the superintendent their appointment will be confirmed. In filling up vacancies on the establish ment preference will be given to hired men in the yard who are of good character and ability. THE GUN AND MORTAR BOATS.—A return has been laid before Parliament purporting to give au account of all gun and mortar boats built by contract since 1852, though the list given contains only 226, and the select com mittee on gunboats stated that 286 had been so built be tween 1854 and 1857. The 172 gunboats here accounted for cost rather more than £1,000,000. According to this paper some of them have required repairs to no greater amount than £l, £3, or £2. If so, the difference in quality was re markable indeed ; for upon each of 17 of them, costing about £5,000 a piece, and launched only in 1856, there has been, or at the time of this latest but undated return was to be, above £l,OOO laid out in repairs. Among them was the notorious Caroline, repairs £2,125; the Mackerel, £2,248 ; the Pheasant, £2,164 ; and the Highlander, £2,006. But several of the gunboats are still only described as " or dered to be examined," and of the mortar vessels almost every one not turned into a lighteryet remains unexamined. $.O the last 9f this story is still to Ogle; RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE. The railway meetings of this week, although again numerous, generally comprise the less im portant companies. At the Stockport, Disley, and Whaleybridge a dividend was declared at the pro posed rate of 21 per cent. per annum. The receipts during the past half-year were stated to show a satisfactory incre Ise. The report of the Caledonian recommends a dividend for the past half-year at the rate of 51 per cent. per annum out of the available balance of £96,103, leaving a surplus of £10,596 to be carried to the contingent fund. The gross revenue was £404,714, showing an augmentation of £17,848 over the previous year. The expenditure on capital account amounted to £126,723, of which £69,923 was for land and works, £27,700 for plant, and £29,100 for shares in the Lymingtcn, Biggar, and Broughton Railway. The Hereford, Ross, and Glocester have ordered a distribution of 4s. per share, leaving a balance of £1,197, which is to be appropriated in aid of capital for the liquidation of the company's debt. At the Shrewsbury and Here ford meeting the guaranteed dividend of 41 per cent. per annum was agreed to. The receipts in the past six months have increased £5,111. At the Rhymney meeting it was stated that the revenue for the past half year was £20,660, or 35 per cent. more than in 1859. The working expenses have been diminished from 571 to 51 per cent. The South Staffordshire have declared their usual divi dend of ss. 2d. per share. At a meeting of the Sittingbourne and Sheerness the question of a divi dend was deferred until the accounts of the London, Chatham, and Dover under their agreement shall have been settled. The state of the money market has embarrassed the operations of the company, and in some degree prevented the completion of the pier. The report of the Stratford-on-Avon an nounces that the line was opened on the 10th of October. The traffic has already produced nearly £lOO a week, and a larger revenue is calculated upon in future. The distribution of the Boston, Sleaford, and Midland Counties is 2s. 6d. per share. At a meeting of the Bradford, Wakefield, and Leeds a dividend was declared at the proposed rate of 8 per cent. per annum, leaving a balance of £4,656, which was appropriated to the reserve. The gross revenue during the past half-year was £10,719. At the East Suffolk meeting it was stated that the unfavourable weather during the last six months has been prejudicial to the working of the line, especially as regards the pleasure traffic. There has also been an inadequate supply of trucks, the de ficiency being attributed to the action of the Eastern Counties. The report of the Cornwall announced that the receipts for the past half year showed an increase of £5,004 over the correspond ing period of 1859, notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather. The interest account showed that £22,240 was the charge in the six months against £14,767 profit on the working, leaving a deficiency of £7,473. The Blyth and Tyne have declared a dividend at the proposed rate of 10 per cent. per annum. The traffic was said to have fully kept pace with the augmentation of the capital. At a meeting of the Scottish North-Eastern, it was an nounced that the revenue in the past six months was 1300,253, of which, after deducting expenses, &c., £2,075 was available for the Aberdeen stock, and £15,214 for the Midland. A first dividend was agreed to on the former, at the rate of i per cent. per annum, and a distribution on the Midland of 41. The Glasgow and South Western have divided at the recommended rate of 51 per cent. per annum. The receipts in the six months ending in January were £215,459, being an increase of £19,645, the greater part being from goods and minerals. The opening of the Port Patrick Rail way between Castle Douglas and Stranraer is ex pected to be soon accomplished. The report of the Whitehaven and Furness Junction recommends a dividend at the rate of 4 per cent. per annum, and that of the Whitehaven Junction at the rate of 8. The revenue in the former case has increased £2,099 over 1839, and in the latter £2,131. At the East Anglian meeting preference dividends only were ordered. The receipts in the half-year were £24,357, showing a decrease of £764, arising from the un favourable season and bad harvest. The effect has also been aggravated by the heavy charge of the Eastern Counties for working expenses. The Leeds, Bradford, and Halifax Junction have made a dis tribution at the recommended rate of 6 per cent. per annum. The profit on the half-yearly working compared with 1859 shows an increase of £3,759. At a meeting of the Oude it w.ls resolved to keep the company in existence until a better opportunity for carrying out the undertaking, but to return the deposit of ss. per share. The report of the Illinois Central states that the company has been relieved of its floating debt. The funded debt on the let of January was £3,350,000, and the capital stock sub scribed £3,190,000. The revenue from the line will pay the expenses, State taxes, and interest on the debt, so that the railway has now ceased to be a burden on the lands. The net income this year should exceed £240,000, whilst the interest on the bonds cannot be more than £210,000. In the past year the balance of revenue over expenditure was £226,000. The shareholders of the Pernambuco have confirmed the resolution authorising the direc tors to continue the payment of interest out of the funds of the company at the rate of 7 per cent. per annum. A return of the French railway traffic during the past year shows that the aggregate receipts in 1860 were £16,328,549 on 5,689 miles, against £15,545.194 on 5,488 miles in 1859, being an increase of £783,355, or 5 per cent. MEXICO. It was recently mentioned that there was scarcely . an influential mercantile house in Mexico whose letters to their English correspondents were not filled with indignant remarks at the disregard manifested by our Foreign-office of all British inte rests in that country. The advices by the last mail both from the city of Mexico and Vera Cruz are of a still stronger tone in this respect, and point to the conclusion that if the opportunities now existing for a restoration of our trade and transit in that region —which is second to none in its importance to us — be lost, the evil will, as far as any inferences can be drawn in such matters, be chargeable to Lord John Russell, It would be unfair to speak thus strongly if any number of persons of influence in Mexico were found to entertain a different opinion or even to be passive on the subject; but if his lordship ever troubles himself to ascertain the na ture of the communications addressed to our lead ing firms he must be aware that the feeling is unanimous, and totally apart from any of those restless expressions of anger sometimes got up among English commercial communities at the in stigation of a few speculators. If the grievance, indeed, were simply raised by an idle knot of ad venturers it would already have attracted attention in Downing-street, for these persons know how to create that amount of noise which best operates upon Government departments, while the really solid and conservative mercantile classes will bear anything rather than take steps involving public action. Many months ago Sir Charles Wyke was nominated to proceed to Mexico as our Minister, but there is not the slightest idea in that country as to when he is to be expected. During , all the critical events of the past season, which has been employed by France, Spain, America, and even many minor States to achieve their respective aims in the republic, we have been virtually without an representative. Sir Charles Wyke, it is alleged, preferred a winter residence at Paris, While the other Powers, therefore, are exacting stipulations for the settlement of their various demands, there is no one to act on behalf of England, " although," it is said, " the present is the critical moment, before the proceeds of all the Church property are squan dered." At the same time Spain, encouraged to a certain extent by France, has the field almost clear for her exertions in favour of a restoration of priestly misrule, the position of the United States' Minister being greatly weakened by the disunion crisis in America, and by the absence of any sup port such as might be afforded by the friendly co-operation of a Minister from Great Britain. On all sides it is confirmed that the Liberal Govern ment manifest an unequivocal desire to meet every claim that can properly be made upon them. It is evident, however, that their capacities are strained to the utmost to control the reactionary intrigues of the powerful European nations, with whom they are left to contend without a particle of moral aid from the country to which of all others they are most disposed and entitled to look. These intrigues moreover, are openly conducted, so as to show, if possible, to the people of Mexico that English in fluence can avail nothing. Senor Diaz, who is charged with complicity in the robbery of the British Legation, would, through foreign interces sion, have been allowed to leave the country but for a prompt and vigorous protest from Captain Ald ham, the commander of the Valorous, at Vera Cruz, who seems to have been for a considerable time the only person capable or willing in the smallest degree to insist upon respect being paid to us, Finally, although Miramon stands charged by us with felony, and not as a political offender, it is believed that his escape from Vera Cruz was con trived by the French Consul, who is reported to have allowed the French uniform to be dishonoured by disguising him in the clothes of a French officer. His passage to Havannah also was granted, with all honour, in a Spanish national vessel.-24nes (ity Article. The Canada, for Boston, on Saturday, took out £176,620, making the total shipped to America during the Wed; hall' a naillim sterling,