The Sun. — London, England, 1861-01-12 00:00:00

• ROY AL ENGLISH OPERA' COVENT-GARDEN. Under the Management of Miss Louisa Pyne and Mr. W: Harrison, Sole Lessees. THIS EVENING. Mellon's Opera of VICTORINE. tfiss Louisa Fyne. Miss Thirlwall. Mr. H. Corr Mr. H. Haigh, Mr. A. St. Albyn, and Mr. G. Homoastle. With the Grand Pantomime, BLUE BEARD ; or, Harle auto and Freedom in her Island Home. Clowns, Messrs. H. toleno, H. Payne. Hildyard, and Lilliputians. Harlequins, Messrs. Milano and F. Payne. Pantaloons, Messrs. Barnes and Tanner. Columbines, Mdme. Boleno and Clara Morgan. Sprites, the Zelinski Family. Mr. W. H. Payne, Mlle. Lamoureux, &e. Conductor—Mr. Alfred Mellon. Commence at Senn. T HEATRE -ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Lessee, Mr. J. B. Sueketone. THIS EVENING the performances will commence with DOES HE LOVE ME ? Miss Vandeleur, Miss Fanny Stir ling ; Bubble, Mr. Buckstone. After which, a new Pantomime, QUEEN LADYBIRD AND HER CHILDREN. The Pantomimists by the un rtealled Leclercqs, Herr Cole, and Fanny Wright. Commence at 7. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE .—Lessee and Manager, Mr. A. Harris.—A GRAND MORNING PERFORMANCE of the Pantomime. ROBINSON CRIJSOE ; or, Harlequin Friday and the King of them arib o bee Islands, on !MONDAY, Jan. 14, 'commencing Tw o o'clock. Again acknowledged to be the best Pantomime in London. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATR E . - Lessee and Manager, Mr. A. Harris. THIS EVENING. the performances will commence with THE CORSICAIr BROTHERS. Messrs. Eechter, Harris, Meadows, Mrs. Weston, and Miss Murray. After which, a new Christmas comical pantomime, entitled ROBINSON CRITSOE ; or, Harlequin Friday, and the King of the Caribbe Islands : in which Monsieur Espinosa and Mdlle. Marie atre, of the principal continental theatres, w ill appear. Dumil Clown, Mr. A. F. Forrest A DFLPHT, NEW THEATRE-ROYAL. Role Proprietor and Mower, Mr. Beni. Webster. THIS EVENING, AN UGLY CUSTOMER. Messrs. .T. 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 Robertson, Miss Woolgar, Mrs. Billington, and Mrs. Chatt,erley. To conclude with ft new Burlesque Extravaganza, entitled BLUE BEARD FROM A NEW POINT OF HUE. Messrs. J. L. Toole, P. Bedford, C. J. Smith ; Miss Woolgar, N. Kelly, Laidlaw, and R. Thorne. - _ Doors open at half past 6—Commence at T. Box-office open from 10 till 5. No charge for booking. Private boxes, £2 2s. ; Family Boxes, Al. Orchestra Stalls, ss. ; Balcony, 4s. Front Circle Stalls, Ss. Pit Stalls, 25.; Pit, ls. 6d. ; Amphitheatre, is ; 6cl - Manager—lar. Win. Smith. THEATRE - ROYAL LYCEUM. Soie Lessee and Directress, Madame CELESTE. THIS EVENING, a new Drama, entitled THE IRISH EMIGRANT. Messrs. G. Vininsr. J. Johnstone T. Lyon. Forr e ster, and John Drew; Miss Kate Saville, Miss Stuart, an d Mrs. J. Rouse. Atter which, the Lyceum Christmas Comic Extravag•anza, 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. To conclude with THE OMNIBUS. Pat Rooney, Mr. John Drew. A STLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE.- Proprietor and Manager, Mr. Was. BATTY. This Evening, a new Spectacle, entitled THE LION CONQUEROR; or, The Death Jungle, expressly for the introduction of the Wonders of the World, " The Groups of Performing Lions." The Lion Conqueror, Mr. J. Crockett. To be succeeded by Scenes in the Arena, supported by talented Parisian and British Artistes. Concluding with Batty's Prize Equestian Comic Panto mime, for Good Little Boys and Girls, by T. L. Greenwood, entitled HARLEQUIN AND THE WONDERFUL HORSE ; or, Percinet and Grociosa, the Ugly Duchess and the Greedy King, produced with Gorgeous Scenery. by Mr. Cuthbert, new Costumes and Appointments, and introducing in the comic scenes Batty's Prize Equestrian Ilarlequinade, and the celebrated Old Bob Ridley, and Brandon Ledger. Doors open at half-cast 6, performance commence at 7. Box-offiCe open daily from 11 till 4 Stage Manager—Mr. W. WEST. Director of the Arena—Mr. Pearson. CANTERBURY HALL. Open Every Evening at seven. GRAND SELECTIONS from LA FTGLTA DEL REGI MENTO (Donizetti), NORMA, SONNAMBULA and MARTHA. Principal Artistes Miss RussELL, Madame MARIA, Miss TYRRELL, Miss WILLIAMS, Mr. HENRY HERBERT, C. W BERNARD, and Signor TIVOLI. Musical Director... Mr. P. JCYNGITMANN. The Comic Department comprises Messrs. J. BLANCHARD, A. B. Harmwaswonva, Master BARRY, and E. MARSHALL. The Fine Arts Gallery has been enriched by the addition of the late John Martin's three Grand Pictures—viz., " THE GREAT DAY of HIS WRATH," "THE PLAINS of HEAVEN," and "THE LAST JUDGMENT," on view from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., and from 7 p.m. untill2. CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS. OPERA, DRAMA. VERT TRLESQUE, and - PANTOMIME. EVENING. Clown Columbine Mr. E. MARSHALL. Harlequin Pantaloon SPRITES, by the celebrated BROTHERS CONRAD. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Tins DAY, —Morning, 12h. 46m.—Afternoon, 3h. Om. To-monnow.-Morning, 3h. 26m.—Afternoon, 3h. 46m. THE WEATHER.—SUN OFFICE, JAN. 12, 1561, THEBNOMETEB., IN T 1133 SHADB. 36—highest since noon yesterday. 31—lowest this morning and during the night. 38—this day at noon. _ BAROMETER-30.1 5 . Wrifn--South-Westerly — light ; with mild weather and gentle thaw. THE SUN. LONDON, SATURDAY, JAN. 12, 1881 It was only as recently as Wednesday that Lord PALMERSTON had occasion to address the country at large through the medium of an audience composed of brother Hampshiremen. It was Sir CHARLES WOOD'S privilege upon the very day after, namely, on Thursday, to promulgate his views also, as a Cabinet Minister, upon the general situation at home and abroad, through the medium of a speech addressed, in his turn, to his neighbours down in Yorkshire. Convivial and complimentary harangues of this kind, whether delivered before the promoters of a scientific and literary institu tion, or to the guests of the Lord Mayor of the ancient capital of the North of England, can only afford us, it is true, the merest glimpses of the inner thoughts and motives of ministers,the thoughts and motives guiding the policy of an Administra tion. Yet vague and momentary though these purely incidental glimpses are in themselves, they are for that reason none the less welcome or the less worthy of observation. And acceptable though they are at all times as expressive, however fragmentarily, of the sentiments of our leading a dministrators, they are, never at any period of the political year so peculiarly opportune or so emi nently deserving of remark, as they are immediately before the close of the long Parliamentary recess or vacation—or, in other words, directly prior to the reassembling of the two Houses of our Imperial Legislature. Even straws tossed into the air, the proverb tell us , show which way the wind blows. And when the companions of COLUMBUS were all but driven to despair towards the termination o f his first exploration of the Atlantic, they were heartened on to the discovery of the New World, we are told, by the tangles of seaweed, and the branches covered with leaves and berries floating upon the surface of the ocean from that unknown continent. Trivial though the reply of a Minister of the Crown may be in respond ing to an after dinner tribute in the shape of a toast to himself individually (as was the case on Wednesday with regard to Lord PALmmtsToN) or to his colleagues collectively (as was the case with reference t o Sir CHARLES WOOD down at York on Thursday)—from the words thus uttered with apparent care lessness, upon an indifferent occasion, very much in respect to the coming session, may at these times, and without much exercise of sagacity, be pretty confidently predicated. We may draw our conclu sions there and then, moreover, not only from what is said but also from what is not said by an admi nistrator. Regarding in this light the speech delivered on Thursday at YoTk by the right honour able baronet the Secretary of State for India, it is impossible not to be impressed at once by the significance of the fact, that rot an allusion was made by him in this speech, either to any hopes for the future, in reference to Parliamentary , ,:,,•;,...-•, , • 1 / 4 •-, ~ .• :• • • • • I ‘,. '' - ..-.4:1 ,' 5.4 ..... . '' 'l.t.'•k g' r r i4 l4 . ' e...4411. i 4i''.14.4 r,%" .• -9 / kirev,ii. ~,- ......; -',.: A ' ',. -. . '' \,, _-- • ' 7 , 1 , e• • ''• ''' " ° • f•••. - ci•r4: ," rz :7: ~.....,,, _ .. f. • ' ~ D,L • - ••, ••, • • ,":.. ••••• ji..,x. -, • • -,„--... Reform, or to any golden prospects of improvement in the financial position of the country. And, let it not be forgotten, Sir CHARLES WOOD'S reticence upon the subject of the national finances cannot but be deemed all the more noticeable, from the circumstance of his having himself formerly held during several years the responsible post of Eng land's Chancellor of the Exchequer ! Not a word, however, said the ex-Chancellor of the Exchequer, about the present critical state of our finances, though it is a matter of European notoriety that upon the treatment of that vital theme during this next session everything may really and truly be dependent. There was only one inkling, and that too of a purely inferential kind, afforded to those who listened on Thursday evening to the remarks that fell from the lips of Sir CHAS. WOOD —only one casual inkling afforded as to the fiscal and financial probabilities of 1861 ! Meaning, that is to say, the one yielded to view by those ex tremely significant observations with which Sir CHARLES WOOD followed up his exultant allusions to the pacific influences certain (according to the Indian Secretary's opinion) to accrue from the Commercial Treaty negotiated be tween France and England by the hon. mem ber for Rochdale, acting as the semi-official repre sentative of her MAJESTY'S Government. " believe," said Sir CHARLES WOOD, in speaking of this Commercial Treaty, " that the extension of Commerce is the best security for good-will and peace among nations. That was the main object of the treaty of last year, and I believe that we have contributed to the cause of humanity and peace by that measure. But we are not such warm advocates of peace that we are unaware of the necessity of being prepared for war, and nothing has been of greater importance than those mea sures of defence for the country which were proposed by the Government, and sup ported almost unanimously by the House of Commons and the people." A sufficiently distinct indication, this, that, in regard to our war estab lishments, Ministers do not propose to adventure upon any very bold or resolute course of retrench ment. Rather disappointing, by the way, to those Liberal economists in the House of Commons, who but very recently sent their round-robin appeal to the PREMIER, beseech ing him to moderate, in the new year, the extent of our late extraordinary war expendi ture ! Yet this was the only glimpse (and, as we have observed, a purely inferential one in itself it was) afforded to his hearers by Sir CHAS.WOOD, and through these hearers to the country at large, in regard to our financial future—that financial future to which we are all of us looking forward at this juncture with a more or less profound sense of anxiety, if not even of absolute trepidation. The solution of the problem, the answering of the riddle he himself has helped to propound for the national embarrassment, and in all human likelihood for his own eventual destruction as a Financier, is left by his colleagues (and no wonder !) entirely to the skill and conscience of the Right Honourable WILLIAM EWART GLADSTONE as—(we wish him joy of those naturally heavy ministerial responsibilities which he himself has contrived to accumulate upon his own shoulders, almost over whelmingly)—as, her MAJESTY'S Chancellor of the Exchequer. Precisely as the Indian Secretary was dumb in regard to ithe state of our Finances, so was he dumb also, as we have remarked, in respect to the great question of Parliamentary Reform. Sir CHARLES WOOD commented at some length upon the satisfactory close of the war with China, upon the negotiation of the Commercial Treaty with France, upon the continued necessity in regard to Italy for the maintenance there of the principle of non-intervention, talk ing volubly enough, also "de quibusdam alas," but he as wisely as significantly left the question of Reform for the comments, later on, of Lord JOHN RUSSELL—Ieft that topic as entirely to Lord JOHN—With none of the bloom taken off it (supposing it to have any bloom at all now remain ing)—as we have already seen, that he had pre viously left the yet more urgent and vital question ,f our Finances untouched for Mr. GLADSTONE! The indefatigable Dr. LETHEBY has again called our attention to an Act which ought to have been among the most useful in daily life of the few public Acts of importance passed last session—The Act for Preventing the Adulteration of Articles of Food or rink. Since his appointment by the City to the office of Analyst, as provided by the Act, he has had, he says, but four applications for analysis. Why so few ? In his own words the reason is this " I am, he says, very anxious that the practical working of this Act should be of advantage to the public, ani should be brought fully and fairly into operation within the City. This, however, must be effected by the energy of the citizens themselves ; for however desirable it may be to expose the frauds and dangers of adulteration, the act has not contemplated that the exposure should be brought about by the offices of the common informer. In every case therefore the public must initiate the inquiry by a fair and open purchase of the articles suspected to be adulte rated." That is, the duty of verifying the genuineness of an article offered for sale is thrown upon the pur chaser, and must be done in great part at his pecuniary cost, and certainly at the coat of creating ill will between neighbours. For weight and measure inspectors are appointed, and in regard to meat, the quality is to some extent watched over for us. But the genuineness of our flour, beer, and other articles used for human food, is not super vised in the same manner. Xet, in truth, we might with more safety to our own health be cheated a little in the quantity of what we eat and drink than in the quality, at least we might be with regard to many articles. The Act, Dr. LETHEBY says, has not contem plated that the exposure should be brought about by the offices of the common informer, and there was, we remember, much discussion on that point in the House of Commons. The result was that the traders so far triumphed, that the Act has been almost redaced to a nullity. If we remember rightly Dr. LETHEBY himself o wished to have persons nominated, of course purchases,rse trust worthy persons, to the duty ofmaking for the object of testing the quality of what was sold as genuine, but he was overruled. It seems, how ever, certain that without some such agency the Act will be nearly a dead letter. Few, indeed, of the humbler classes, the most liable to imposition, would like to initiate an investigation in any parti cular case. His obligations are to give notice to the person of whom he has made the purchase that he intends to have the article analysed, to enable the seller to attend him to the analyst, and see the article safely placed in his custody, and to pay from 2s. 6(1. to 10s. 6d., according to the difficulty of the analysis, for its being made. He is to be entitled to a certificate " if the article contains anything injurious to health," which, as the article may be largely adulterated with "powder of post," or water, or anything else equally deserving exposure, but not directly injurious to health, would, in very many cases of great culpability, yet throw the costs on the complainant. Common informers are a tribe no one would wish to create or to encourage ; but surely there is a difference between hiring persons as Lord BATHURST'S gamekeeper did, to make THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, JANUARY 12, 1861. men poachers and then . . inform against them, and appointing suitable per, sons to discharge the office, by the aid of a compete at analyst, of purveyors of articles of human food. The articles brought before Dr. LETIIEBY for analysis are instructive 3. Two were bread, one milk, and one mustard.. The mustard was mixed with wheaten meal and turmeric, The former, it is well known, is necest;ary to make the mustard I meal, which is too strong• and harsh when quite pure, suitable for ordinsasr purposes. The turmeric is regularly used to get the desired colour, and is, we are told, innocuous. The milk was adulterated in the usual way—with water—an article not always easy to get just now, and which, if our temperance friends may be trusted, had better be much more largely used than it is. The ana lyst's testimony here would, we fear, throw the costs, not on the milk-waterer, but on the coin- plainant. But the bread is a more serious case. It is the stuff of which the greater part of the muscle of our country should be made of. One of the samples was made of pure wheaten flour. In the other water, once more, was a prominent ingredient. Not less than 44 per cent., nearly half the weight of the bread, was water. " Water best of all" is an old motto indeed, and one which the Maine force men would place at the basis of all liquor legislation, yet even they, we presume, hardly wish to attenuate their limbs, and perfect the pallor of their coun tenances, by eating as well as drinking the ever lasting water. Most justly Dr. LETHEBY re marks— "Of the many classes of adulteration that deserve atten tion, there are none so serious in their consequences as those which affect the stamina and health of the people. The adulteration of bread, for example, with materials that lessen its nutritive value, is not merely a fraud on the pocket, but also a fraud on the constitution of the consumer; for that which diminishes the flesh -forming constituents of so important an article of diet must necessarily be a means . f impairing the growth of the animal fabric, and of weak ening the force of labour." This is really a serious consideration, and is surely 1 worthy of the attention of the public, and of the Legislature too. Better that the working man and his family should have a less and genuine loaf than the larger one, which he imagines to be cheaper, and has no proper means of knowing to be very dear to him, than that he should purchase bread adulterated with that feeble article of diet, rice, and, in addition, with alum to make the weak flour absorb that article so profitable to sell at from 6d. to 10d• per 41bs.—water. Only think of the enormous illegi timate profit—profit made at the cost of the muscle and sinew of the working man, when nearly half of what is sold him as bread was supplied by the pump or cistern. If London be a fair specimen of all England, and the Doctor's calculations correct, our agricultural friends, as well as Mr. GLADSTONE, must bestir themselves. To them the increased consumption of malt would be no trifle. The chief point is, how ever, to enact suitable clauses for making the act efficient. There is no reason in the world why the sports of the rich should be guarded by the most severe, stringent, and summary set of laws in Eng• land, and the food of the many be protected so slightly. It is, surely, of more . consequence', to the country that flour, bread, meat, and beer should be genuine, than that a starving man should not knock a hare on the head to get a cheap supper. Dr. LETHEBY seems to have - some hope in the matter of beer, by appealing to Mr. GLADSTONE ; and it is certainly remarkable enough that the national Exchequer must also smart severely for the adulterations which defraud the purchaser of the national beverage, of quality and health. The following calculation seems prima facie a correct one, and is too curious to be passed over. After explaining the mode in which adulteration of beer is effected, the Dr. adds : "Now, apart from the question of how much injury is done to the health of the consumer by this practice, or how large is the fraud on the pocket of the purchaser, it is a matter of interest to know what is the effect of it on the revenue. There are, I believe, abeut 6,200 publicans and beer retailers in this metropolis. Supposing that each, on an average, has a sale for only six barrels of beer and porter per week, and that the degree of dilution is but to the extent of five gallons of water per barrel, in the aggregate there would have been used 186,000 gallons of water per week. This, if properly and honestly brewed into beer, would have required about 1,722 quarters of malt ; and as each quarter of malt pays a duty of 225. 6d. to the revenue, there is a fraud of rather more than £1,937 sterling per week, or nearly £lOO,BOO per annum. In like manner almost every such fraudulent practice of trade has a wider relationship to the public interests than the mere act itself would imply." LAI E,knrr NEWS. (REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.) THE SIEGE OF GAETA. VIENNA, SATURDAY, NOON. The French Ambassador yesterday officially in formed Count Rechberg that the French fleet will leave Gaeta on the 19th inst. The Wiener Zeitung of to-day contains an hug perial autograph letter, appointing Count George Apponyi Judea Curie for Hungary, in the place of Count Czirakys. TURIN, SATURDAY. The reports that General Fanti had resigned, and that the political committees were enrolling volunteers, are both unfounded. Farini has been appointed Secretary of the private Cabinet of the King. PARIS, JAN. 12. The Moniteur of to-day says :—" The report that a change would take place in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is without any foundation. The Emperor never thought of depriving himself of the enlightened and devoted concurrence of M. Thouvenel." PARIS, JAN. 11 (Evening). The Patrie asserts that a project of law trans ferring the Bourse property to the State will be submitted to the Corps Legislatif. The rise in the funds to-day was occasioned by the rumour that the turnstile at the entrance of the Bourse will be abolished. TURIN, JAN. 11. To-day the National Bank raised its rate of dis count to 7 per cent. NAPLES, lAN. 10, The popular demonstration which was announced for to-day has not taken place. It is expected that the Council of Lieutenancy will tender its resignation. A decree has been published granting pensions to the poor priests. MADRID, JAN. 1 The Epoca says :—" The Moors, not hating fulfilled the stipulations of the treaty, it is said that Spain is about to occupy the principal forts in Morocco." A solution' of the difference between Spain and Venezuela is shortly expected. FRANCE. BOURSE, Jan. 11.—The market has been rather more buoyant, and prices are a shade better. Threes, for the Account, are now at 67f 10c; Mobilier, '667f 50c; Orleans, 1,360 f ; Northern, 948 f 75c ; Mediterranean, 892 f 50c; Austrian 467 f 50c ; Lombard, 465 f. The following were the 41 per per Cents 96 40 Do end month 96 50 3 per Cents Do. end month 67 20 Bank Shares 2895 Credit Mobilier 670 Do. Account 668 75 last quotations : Credit Foncier — Belgian 4} 9B 75 Piedmontess Fives 7B Roman Austrian Spanish Threes 4B Home Debt . . RAILWAY 2. Cash. Account. Orleans 1362 50 .. 1362 50 Northern New ditto 872 50 .. 870 Lyons and Mediterranean 895 .. 896 25 Geneva 370 370 Southern 503 75 .. 503 75 Western Eastern Sardinian Austrian Lorebard AMERICA. QUEENSTOWN, SATURDAY. The Royal Mail steamship Persia, Capt. Sudkins, from New York on the 2d inst., arrived here at 6.15 a.m., landed all mails except those for Liver pool, and proceeded at 6.30 a.m. ; all well. The Persia brings 37 passengers. She was off the port at 4 a.m., but could not communicate owing to the foggy weather. The Australasian had arrived out. The secession movement showed no important development. It was said that the seisure of public property at Charleston met with little sympathy from the Southern members of Congress. The President was engaged on his special mes sage respecting the action of South Carolina. The Committee on the state of the Union had not been able to agree. On the Ist inst. Mr. Benjamin made a secession speech in the Senate, declaring that the South could never be subjected to the North, whereupon great confusion ensued in the galleries. In the House resolutions were passed by a majority of 43 that the employment of force was impracticable. The military preparations at Charleston were actively progresiing. COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. NEW YORK, DEC. 31 (EVENING.) Tha banks' returns, to-morow, are expected to show an increase in the reserve of specie. The state of the money market is more satisfactory. The rate for the choicest paper is 10 per cent. Exchange closed firm—Bankers' bills 104 k to 105 ; commer cial bills 103 to 104. The cotton market is firmer, with a good demand. Sales—to-day, 4,000 bales on the basis of 11f, for middling upland. At the close of the market some holders demanded 111. Flour is less active, the-firmness of freights check ing sales. The market closed firm at previous quo tations. Wheat unchanged. Corn firm, and in good demand. Pork firm. Sugar steady. Freights firmer. NEW ORLEANS, DEC. 29. Sales of cotton, to-day, 10,000 bales. Middling 111 to 111. Freights for cotton to Liverpool ss. Bd. "KING FROST" IN 71IE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS. INDIA, CHINA, AND AUSTRALIA. By extraordinary express in anticipation of the overland mail we have received our letters and papers. The dates are—Hong-Kong, Nov. 29; Calcutta, Dec. 8 ; Sydney, Nov. 21. The nylishman"s Weekly Mail (Calcutta, Dec. 8) says ; " The six days only which have elapsed since our last dispatch have brought no change of position worth remark in commerce, although money is rather more in demand, owing chiefly to the open ing of the indigo sales, and in a minor degree to the rising rates at Bombay, resulting, we believe, from heavy opium speculations by houses there. Their bank raised their rates one per cent. for a third time in a month on Thursday last. The Bank of Bengal shows the extraordinary balance in hand of over three millions, yet Government Securities droop, owing to the continued, if not increasing, want of confidence in the Government, which has neither power nor spirit to resist unjust inroads on our limited resources by their master at home. "The sales of indigo of the new crop have opened with considerable spirit, every parcel offered being sold immediately at full prices. " What with Grants at headquarters, and Campbells at our stations, capitalists at home will not need much explanation of the low esteem in which Government and its securities are held by capitalists—not of the ryotry order—here. " We hope that the means taken here to back the representations of this Government will cause some independent member to ask Sir Charles Wood, ' in his place,' on what grounds he has given £440,000, with certain annuities and prospective payments, to Prince Gholam Mahomed, other than the only apparent ground that he had the assurance to ask for a good deal more, and the astuteness to go to Eng land to look after his own case, in the pursuance of which he is said to have dispersed whole bales of undoubted Cashmere shawls, and no end of soft words and glowing promises. There is no possible pretence of any personal power or influence here whic eould render this man or his family formid able in a political. sense. We have heard that Sir C. Wood talked with more than his ordinary folly about ' not being able to afford another rebellion at Russapuglah.' The simple fact is that Sir C. Wood, for reasons certainly other than those of State, has given away more than half a million of our public money, and there is naturally an indignant protest, and inquiry for these other reasons." THE TREATY WITH FM:INCE. (From Last Night's Gazette.) Board of Trade, Whitehall, Jan. 11. The Right Honourable the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council for Trade have received, through the Secre tary of State for Foreign Affairs, a copy of a French Impe rial Decree, fixing the import duties on the undermentioned articles, at the following rates, from and after the 10th of January Imported in French Ships. ( 0 4 51, 7.5 A 0 Articles. 7 5 .3, 3 ":1; ,15 8 E 4 4 4,5 o Q s oo' c , 2 a 4, a rZ fr. c. fr. C. fr. c. fr. c. Raw hides, fresh or dry, large or small, and skins of all sorts, raw, dressed, or in pieces : By sea lOO k. Free :Free 250 250 By land Horse-hair, prepared or all kinds Grease, of an kinds do. Free Free 200 200 Elephants' teeth do. Free .. 300 300 Tortoiseshell do. Free .. 500 500 Mother of pearl shells, rough do. Free •• 400 400 Oleaginous fruits and nuts, by sea do. Free Free 250 250 ditto by land do. .. Free 250 Balsam of Benzoin do. Free .. 250 250 CaOutchoue and gutta percha, rough or cast in lumps Woods (sweet scented) Cocoa nuts B and seeds for carving do. Free Free 300 300 Flax and hemp and other vegetable filaments, not denominated .. Free Free Free Free Jute, in stalks or stripped Madder, roots, green, 'and dry, or alazari and ground, or in straw Free Free Free Free Sulphur, not purified, and sulphur ore .. Free Free Free Free Ores—lron. copper, lead, tin, zinc, crude, or calcined, pul verized or not, cobalt, anti mony, arsenic, and others not denominated .. Free Free Free Free Copper, pure or mixed with zinc, brass of first fusion, in masses, bars, or plates, and old broken works and filings Lead, old broken works of, and filings Lead, rough ' Tin, rough and filings, and old broken works do. Free Free Free 025 Bismuth Zinc, of first fusion, in rough masses, pigs, bars,or plates, filings, and old broken works Nickel, pure, or mixed with other metals (argentan) in masses do. Free Free Free 025 Bones and hoofs of cattle, rough, calcined, and bone black do. Free Free Free Free By the same decree, the bounties hitherto granted on the exportation of refined sulphur and brimstone; hides or skins, tanned, curried, or dressed ; lead ; copper and brass, beaten, in plates, or otherwise worked, are abolished. THE SIEGE OF GAETA.—The Presse states that the Spanish frigate lying off Gaeta has been observed mak ing, for the guidance of the besieged, signals which have been followed by better directed firing on the Piedmontese position. A Toulon letter says :—" The Tage, line •of battle ship, at present stationed at Messina, has received orders to return immediately to Toulon. The surrender of the citadel of Messina being altogether dependent on the fate of Gaeta, the continued presence of this vessel there I has been judged wmeceasary." TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sin, —Your readers will, I am sure, be sorry to hear that the inclement weather, which has swelled the weekly bills of mortality, has been very fatal to our pets in the Zoological-gardens. The noble Nubian lion, who had been 12 years in the gardens, and was the admiration of all visitors, is dead. In the afternoon he was apparently well, and in the morning he was found by the keeper lying stiff and cold in his den. A post mortem examination, attended by various scientific men, disclosed the sad fact that the king of beasts had succumbed to the intense cold, no organic disease having been discovered. His wife, with proper conjugal affection, mourned his death, and gave birth, two days after her bereavement, to a stillborn cub. Although the excellent and zealous superintendent of the gardens has taken great pains to preserve the animals committed to his charge, the mortality has been very large among the antelopes, birds, and monkeys. The hippopotami are, however, though natives of tropical countries, flourishing. They are, of course, confined to their inner den, in the tank of which I saw them a few days since gambolling with great vivacity—old Hip, as usual, keenly looking out to play off his mischievous pranks. Lady Hip, I may add, as a fashionable on dit, is said to be in that state which ladies like to be who love their lords.—l am, &C., C. R. WELD. Burlington House, Jan. 11. DISTRESS AT GREENWICH.—Last evening an influential meeting was held at the Green Man Hotel, Blackheath, for the purpose of adopting measures to relieve the distress existing among the working classes in the district, owing to the severity of the weather. The chair was occupied by Mr. W. Angerstein, M.P. for Green wich, who alluded to the large number of men thrown out of employment consequent upon the setting in of the pre • sent severe frost, and the privations they and their families were labouring under. The meeting was subsequently ad dressed by several gentlemen, and on the motion of Col. Lavie, seconded by Sir Ralph Anstruther, it was resolved to form an association to grant relief, principally consisting of food, fuel, and clothing, to the distressed, a committee being appointed to wait upon the residents in the neighbour hood to collect subgniptions towards the necessary funds, CHINA. The following is from the China Nail, Hong Kong, Nov. 29 : " The intelligence from the north of China con tinues to be of great interest, as the treaty has, with the Emperor's consent, been posted over the walls of Pekin; the Russian ambassador has established him self in the city ; preparations were being made for the reception of Mr. Bruce early in the spring; and the whole of the allied army had left Pekin, the greater part of it having reached Tientsin by the 17th instant. " In our last Overland issue we mentioned that the ratifications of the Treaty of Tientsin had been exchanged, and a Convention entered into con taining such highly important new stipulations as the opening of Tien-tsin as a port of trade, and the removal of the interdict on emigration from China. The consent of the Emperor to the treaty was received, and, having been posted all over the walls of Pekin. was read by crowds of the astonished natives, who could scarcely believe their own eyes on beholding such an instance of Imperial condescension. Our advices make no mention of the convention of Pekin having been published in a similar manner ; and we trust that such an unadvisable step will not be insisted on, as it may very likely cause new difficulties, and the substantial results gained from the Chinese are too important to be imperilled for the sake of subjecting them to further barren humiliation. " Several ceremonial visits were then exchanged at the Imperial Palace, between Prince Kung and the English and French ambassadors, and on these occasions less of the undisturbed sulkiness' was displayed. On the 7th inst. the army was under orders to proceed to Pekin, but its departure was delayed in order to give eclat to the introduction of Mr. Bruce to the Chinese officials. That gentle man arrived on the Bth, and on the same day he was introduced to Prince Kung by Lord Elgin, on which occasion polite remarks were made by all the chief parties. " On the 9th, Lord Elgin, Mr. Bruce, and their suite left Pekin, and proceeded by the river to Tien tsin. Mr. Adkins, of the Consular service, was left in Pekin, to make preparations for Mr. Bruce's resi dence there. He is the only English official left in the capital ; and, after recent events, the courage he has thus displayed is worthy of admiration. Mr. Adkins was in one of the gunboats sunk at the mouth of the Peiho in 1859 ; so, for a non-combatant, he has certainly had more than his share of the danger. " Pekin is described to us as distinguished from other Chinese cities by its size, the splendour of its walls, and the breadth and regularity of its streets. These latter are almost all unpaved. Though the houses are neatly carved in front, they are, on the whole, mean-looking; and the streets are either badly paved, or not paved at all. The temples are described as magnificent, though some of them show signs of neglect. " Count Ignatieff, the Russian ambassador, has already established himself at Pekin, and intends to remain there throughout the winter, while the Hon. Mr, Bruce winters at Tientsin along with a portion of the army, and does not proceed to the capital until .early in the spring. "The allied army left Pekin about the 10th, and a portion of the movement onwards was partially effected in boats. On the 17th inst., which is our latest date, the whole of the army had reached Tien tsin, with the exception of 1,500 men, who were waiting at Ho-si-wu. Our latest date from the Taku fort is the 19th inst., at which time a portion of the army was being rapidly sent off, and of these troops many have already arrived at Hong Kong. Major-General Sir Robert Napier, with a portion of his staff, arrived here on the 27th inst. The Chesapeake, Admiral Hope's flagship, is expected here shortly; and it is understood that Admiral Jones proceeds to Japan, with a squadron, in order to make a moral demonstration. " In the neighbourhood of Shanghai the rebels are again displaying some activity, and it was re ported by the Toutae of that place that 400 boats full of them were on their way to attack it. They had beaten the imperialist forces at Tsinghoo and at Sunkeong. At Ningpo, on which the rebels are believed to be marching, the greatest terror pre vailed. At Amoy the dock company continues its labours with success; and at Swatow, or in its neighbourhood, some attempts have been made to kidnap coolies, one lorcha full of them having been despatched from Macao. " At Canton an important concession has been obtained from the Governor-General, chiefly, we understand, through the exertions of Mr. Hart. Permission has been given to the 80-peep, a foreign steamer, to run in some of the inland waters, and trade with Kum-chook, a village among the silk villages to the west of Canton, and also to Shek loong, a village from whence sugar may be ex pected in large quantities, in the Toonkoon district. This is the beginning of what may be an immense carrying traffic. " Another matter of importance at Canton is the difficulties which are said to be arising in the way of the emigration of coolies to the West Indies. Mr. Austin has threatened to shut up his depot unless some difference is made between him and the Spanish agents. A more serious difficulty is that a number of peasants who were coming down to Hong Kong to emigrate, were stopped on their way by the mandarins. " At Fuhchau there has been a bloody and despe rate conflict between the mandarins and some Can tonese pirates. It appears that the foreign commu nity in that port are much in need of protection from the British navy. " Hong Kong is again becoming enlivened by the presence of members of the expeditiQUAry force. The Civil Service Abuse Commission had had some more meetings, dragging its weary length along. " The exorbitant demands of the teamen had brought business to a comparative stand. The sales of country teas show that recent accounts from home have restrained the impetuosity of late operators, who must be heavy losers at last home prices." AUSTRALIA. (Front the Melbourne Herald of Nov. 4.) The colony is once more passing through the ordeal of a ministerial crisis. This familiar event has this time come upon us somewhat more sud denly and unexpectedly than usual ; nor, at the moment we write, is it at all easy to forecast its ultimate issues, politically speaking. At worst, however, it will be but the substitution of one set of Ministers who may possibly possess the confi dence of the country for another set of Ministers who, once possessing it, lost it irretrievably, and solely through their own impolitic conduct. The Legislature met for its second session on Tuesday last, when his Excellency delivered the following speech :- " MR. PRESIDENT AND HONOURABLE GENTLEMEN OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL " MR. SPEAKER AND GENTLEMEN OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY— " I regret that the necessity of providing for the exi gencies of the public service of the ensuing year has obliged me to call you together after the short interval allowed for repose from the fatigues of the last session, at a time when attendance upon your Parliamentary duti©s must be incon- venient to you. "I trust with your assistance, to be enabled to make arrangements by which future sessions may commence at a time of the year more suitable for the despatoh of public business. To effect this object it will be the duty of my advisers to submit for your consideration such measures only as are indispensable for the public welfare, in order that the present session may be brought to a elose at the earliest possible period. "The bill for the Better Management of the Goldfields, which was laid before you at the close of the last session, has since received material amendment, and together with bills for the better Administration of Justice upon the Gold fields, and for authorising and regulating Gold Mining on Private Property, subjects upon the importance of whioh I need not dwell, will be submitted to you. "It is my duty to call your attention to the subject of the occupation of the Crown lands of the colony for pastoral purposes. A series of resolutions will be submitted by my advisers, as to the mode of dealing with these lands, and as the basis of a bill which will be introduced for the pur pose. I recommend to your most earnest consideration the means by which they may be rendered most productive to the public revenue, and most available for the public benefit. "The necessity for a reform in the present system of transferring land becomes daily more apparent, and a bill to simplify and render indefeasible titles to land will at once be introduced. "Your consideration will be invited to measures for the amendment of the existing laws relating to municipal in stitutions, and for the establishment of district councils with large powers of self-government, and taxation. I need not point out to you the evils arising from excessive centralisa tion of the functions of Government, or the advantages to bo derived from local institutions. "A bill for the consolidation and amendment of the existent insolventlaws, the defects of which are seriously felt by the mercantile community, together with other important measures of law reform, will also be laid before you. "The moral and social evils arising from the number of neglected and deserted children in this community are painfully conspicuous, and a bill will be introduced pro viding for their maintenance and education. " Among other measures which will be brought under your consideration, I may enumerate bills for consolidating and amending the laws relating to the naturalisation of aliens, and the laws between master and servant, for regu lating the fencing of land, for the amendment of the law relating to the impounding of cattle, for the regulation of harbour trusts, and of weights and measures, for postal reform, and for the taking an account of the population of the colony, in accordance with the desire of the Imperial Government that a simultaneous census should be taken throughout her Majesty's dominions during the year. " I have had under my consideration the report of the commission which I appointed to inquire into the state of the civil service of the colony. A bill, based upon and carrying out the most important suggestions contained in that report, will be submitted to you. This measure will effect material saving in the expenditure of the country, and will, I trust, diminish the labours of future sessions, and increase the efficiency of the Public Service. " GENTLEMEN or THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY. " The estimates for the ensuing year will immediately be laid before you. They have been framed with the strictest regard to economy compatible with the efficiency of the Fublic service, and embrace important reductions from the expenditure of previous years. "HONOURABLE GENTLEMEN OP THE LEGISLATIVE COVN CIL, AND GENTLEMEN OP THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY. " Your attention will be invited during the session to the propriety of providing a permanent and adequate supply of water to the interior of the country, and to the necessity for the protection of our harbours from foreign aggression. " The subjects which I have mentioned, though few in number, are of great importance, and I earnestly pray that your deliberations may, under the blessing of Almighty God, insure the continuance of the tranquillity and pros perity which the country now enjoys." When the Assembly met to discuss the foregoing speech, there were unmistakeable evidences per ceptible of a coming storm. Mr. Jones executed his assigned duty in a perfunctory style, which had the effect of concentrating the attention of the house on the many glaring defects and omissions in the speech. The seconder, Mr. Lyall, did not say a single word upon it. The house then adjourned. Next day Mr. Brooke came down prepared with a specific amendment on the Ministerial address— which was, in reality, an indirect vote of censure on the Government for their non-announcement of anything like a definite scheme of policy. The result of the division on Mr. Brooke's amendment was a majority against Ministers of 34 to 21. It was clear that their hour was come. They had hinted at the possibility of a dissolution in the event of the motion being carried against them ; but the division showed them to be in such perfectly hope less straits, that even a dissolution would not have availed them. The only course left open to them was simple resignation. Mr Nicholson accordingly announced next day that the Ministry had resigned. The besetting sins of the fallen Ministry were an overweening self-confidence, and weakness of intel lectual capacity. Mr. Nicholson, on resigning, recommended his Excellency to send for Mr. O'Shanassy. That gentleman was accordingly summoned, but he definitively declined to take office at present, for certain strong personal and political reasons. His Excellency, on Mr. O'Shanassy's recommendation, sent for Mr. Ebden—who also declined, on similar grounds. Both these gentlemen, however, dis tinetly stated their willingness to give their hearty support to any Ministry that might be formed from their side of the house. Mr. Brooke was next sent for, as being the mover of the adverse resolution; and that gentleman has undertaken to attempt the construction of a Cabinet out of the thirty-four who voted with him. The negotiations to that end are still in progress. THE EXPLORING EXPEDITION. During the past month facts have been disclosed with regard to the progress of the exploring expedi tion which tend in a great degree to destroy whatever confidence may have beengentertained by the public in this undertaking. Mr. Landells, the second in command, and who had charge of the camels, has resigned his situation, and has recently returned to Melbourne. The grounds of this step are his belief of the unfitness of Mr. Burke, the leader, for the safe conduct of the expedition, and the alleged interference of that gentleman with his (Mr. Lan dells') duties in the management of the camels. Some strange incidents have been recorded by Mr. Lan dells of Mr. Burke's conduct to those under him, and, if they be true, they certainly would imply that Mr. Burke is not the " right man in the right place." From the first opinions were entertained by several persons that Mr. Burke's qualifications were not at all of that character which should entitle him to the command of au expedition so important, and involving an expenditure of some nine or ten thousand pounds of the colonists' money. His sole qualification would appear to be that he had filled the situation of Superintendent of Police, was related to the Chief Justice of Vic toria, and had formerly been in the Austrian service, He was no bushman ; he had no scien tific education; and he was not even possessed cf the simple attainment of ascertaining his latitude and longitude. Doubtless many explorers have made themselves eminent with but very trifling scientific attainments, but they have invariably possessed a practical experience of _ exploring, which has rendered their services valuable, or they have shown an innate ability, a perseverance, and. a general aptness for their position, by which they - have been enabled to render inestimable service to the cause of exploration. Mr. Burke, however, as would appear from all accounts, is possessed of none of these qualifications. His unfitness for the leadership of the expedition will not, of course, _ _ _ prove Mr. Landells' competency for the duties he had to perform, although as yet there is certainly nothing to disprove it. There seems to have been a sort of implied understanding of a divided command between these two gentlemen, or at least that Mr. Landells was to have the sole control of the camels. The Exploration Committee in their wisdom never contemplated the contingency that Mr. Landells' duties, as comptroller of the camels, would fre- quently clash with those of Mr. Burke as leader of the expedition; that Mr. Landells might consider that the efficiency of the camels would be impaired by their not being supplied with their usual medi cal comforts in the shape of "arrack,"and that Mr. Burke might, though he had never seen a troupe of camels in his life, nor ever have been acquainted with their habits, have despised this mode of treat ment as fanciful. This, however, ridiculous it may appear, was one of the causes of the outbreak. By some mischance, the shepherds at one of our out-stations got drunk on the arrack provided for the camels ; and Mr. Burke, with a charac teristic impetuosity, declared that it should be left behind, and in effect that the camels and the effi ciency of the expedition should suffer from the mis conduct of the shepherds. We are not sufficiently acquainted with the idiosyncrasies of the camel to know whether that animal requires this stimulant in the prosecution of its labours ; but this was certainly a point upon which Mr. Burke's in terference was out of place. Or else, what was the value of Mr. Landells' appointment? Or what was the occasion for the committee to give Mr. Landells £6OO a-year for his ser vices, with compensation to his wife, in the event of his , death? It proves this much, that the duties of Mr. Landells, in his relation to Mr. Burke, have not been properly defined by the Exploration Committee, and that thus the efficiency of the expedition has been seriously impaired. Mr. Landells is not the only one who has seceded from the party. Dr. Beckler, the medical attendant and botanist, has resigned because Mr. Landells had left, and because he did not consider the expedition safe under the leader ship of Mr. Burke, and four or five of the working party originally taken from Melbourne have either resigned or been dismissed since then. Our last accounts from the expedition are that it had reached Menindie, about 450 miles from Melbourne, that a depot had been formed there, and that Mr. Burke had started for Cooper's Creek, the furthest point in the interior that has yet been reached in that direction. From here his instructions are to make for the Gulf of Carpentaria by the most practicable route. Up to the time Mr. Landells left the party the camels were found to be efficient, and it is to be hoped that they may prove of service to the party. Independently of the effort at exploration which is being made in this colony, great exertions are being made in South Australia in the same work, Mr. Stuart, a South Australian explorer, has made two or three attempts to reach the inte rior of the continent„ and in his last expedition he declares that he travelled over two-thirds of the dis tance between Adelaide and the Gulf of Carpentaria. He says that he met with no interior desert such as was supposed to exist, but that he came upon large tracts of well watered and apparently fruitful coun try. There is some reason, however, to believe that Mr. Stuart's exploration has not been so exten sive as it is assumed by some, especially our South Australian neighbours, to be At present we have only his word for it, as his journal and maps have been placed in the hands of the South Australian Government, who have not made them public, whether from a personal feeling to Mr. Stuart, or from jealousy of the Victoria expedition, is not clearly discernable. Mr. Stuart expests a reward from the South Australian Government, and per haps has a right to insist upon his. secret being kept for the present. He has again set out with the view of more thoroughly exploring the interior, and this time he is assisted by Government. It is to be hoped that, notwithstanding the reverses which have happened to our Victorian Expedition, some good will result from it. OUR GOLDFIELDS. For the first time for upwards of a-year the quantities of gold brought down by escort show an increase on the corres ponding period of last year. True, the difference is not very great, but it is on the right side; and we have every reason to hope that our escorts will soon show a very con• siderable improvement. Many of our mining companies are getting to work, and improvements aro being daily made in the machinery employed upon the goldfields. During the past five weeks, the escorts have brought to Melbourne 202,857 oz. of gold, as compared with 199,490 oz. in the corresponding period of the preceding year ; the total amounts being 2,011,384 oz. in 1859; and 1,823,336 oz. in 1860, showing a deficiency for the present year of 188,048, equivalent to £752,192. The shipments during the four weeks ending the 17th November were 253,670 oz. this year, and 136,225 oz. during the last ; the total quantity exported up to the present period of 1860 being 1,899,224 oz. COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. The month past, though not distinguished by any specu lative movements, or by any extraordinary fluctuations, has upon the whole been ono of more than average activity. Complaints of dullness are not altogether silenced ; but there is a far more general feeling of satisfaction and hope, and Ihe belief that better days are approaching is becom ing daily more prevalent. Among other causes that have contributed to this effect may be specified the intelligence of declining shipments, as brought by the last mail. THE NEW ZEALAND WAR. At last the British arms in New Zealand have been victorious ! A bloody skirmish was fought with the natives on the sth inst., at Mahoetahi, in which a victory was obtained over the Waikatos, who have recently joined the rebels. The following particulars are from the Taranaki _Herald of the 10th inst.:— The most brilliant and desperately contested action ever yet recorded in the annals of New Zea land, was fought on the 6th November, at Mahoetahi. On one side were arrayed the Waikatos, resolved to win the day, and deluded with the notion (since expressed by one of the prisoners) that they had only to fire a few rounds to accomplish this ; and on the other side our own forces were arrayed, equally resolved to conquer, and allay the pre sumption of the enemy. The main body of the Waikatos lay in a raupo swamp well concealed from observation, and another body occupied an entrenchment on the crest of Mohoetahi Hill, in which were some entrenched whares. The 65th detachment, which had formed the advanced guard during the march from town, now formed a line of skirmishers, under Lieutrit. Bailie and Toker, at the base of the hill, and ex tended towards their right. This body was com manded by Captain Turner. The Rifle Volunteers continued this extension towards the left, under the direction of Major Herbert ; and the 40th Regi.. ment, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Leslie, were massed in columns, forming the reserve ; while the detachment 12th Regiment, under Major Hutchins, which had formed the rear-guard during the march, now remained in charge of the baggage, and spare ammunition, &c. The detachment Royal Artillery, under Captain Strover and Lieut. M'Naughten, rendered, as usual, important service. The whole force was commanded by Major-Gen. Pratt, C. 8., who, throughout the engagement, occupied a foremost place, and was much exposed to the hot and rapid fire of his determined enemy. The Waikatos commenced the action by firing the first shots from an old entrenched position in the crest of Mahoetahi hill. This was quickly returned by the skirmishers, and after a short fire the 65th and Volunteers rushed up the hill and stormed that position ; in performing this service they were exposed haa to h eavy flanking fires, but it was not until they entered the ent renc h men ts that they ex perienced any loss. Within that confined space a heavy fire from the entrenched whares laid low the gallant son of the Rey. H. IL Brown, a volunteer not cont Was list the otEe 40t1 the the Wri cal