The Sun. — London, England, 1861-04-01 00:00:00

T HEA'TIVE-ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Lessee, Mr. J. B. Duke , One. THIS EVENING, the pertormances will commence with A DUKE IN OIFFICULTIES. Hrs. Stirling, Miss F. Haydon, Mrs. Wilkins, Miss Fanny Stirling, Mr. Backstone, Mr. Compton, Mr. Howe, &a. After which, Will be revived, with entirely new scenery and effects, and all the original music by the late Sir Henry Bishop, the melodrama of THE HILLER, AND HIS MEN. Commence at 7.1 T "ATRE-ROYAL LYCEUM. Soil Lessee and Directress, Madame CELESTE. Two New Dramas.—Reappearance of Mr. John Drew, and First appearance of Miss Matilda Heron. THIS EVENING (Easter Monday,) the Butletta of TBE TWO GREGORIES. After which, a new original comic drama, written by Sami. Lover, Esq., entitled MAC CARTHY MORE ' • or, Possession Nine Pointe of the Law. John Drew, J. Johnston, Forrester, J. Rouse, Medlin ; Misses Rawlings, Hudspeth, &c. To conclude with a new drama, NEW YEAR'S EVE ; or, The Belle of the Season. Messrs. H. Neville, Villiers, Jas. Johnstone, J. Rouse ; Mrs. Winstanley, Miss Matilda Heron, Min Willard, &c. RoyAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.--- Leasee and Manager. Mr. A. Harris. THIS EVENING, THRICE MARRIED. Messrs. Shore, Meadows, Garden, and Miss C. Leclercq. Followed by HAMLET. Hamlet, Mr. Pechter. Sup ported by Messrs. Ryder, Hermann Vezin, Graham, Shore, Meadows, &c. ; Misses Heath, R. Leclercq, and Elsworthy. NEW THEA TRE-ROYAL, ADELPHI.- Sole Proprietor and Manager, Mr. B. Webster. Great Attraction for the Easter Holidays.—First appearance this season of Mr. B. Webster and Miss Julia Daly. THIS EVENING, a new drama (Ist time) MAGLIORE , PRESTIDIGITA2OII. Messrs. B. Webster, J. L. Tool e , D. Fisher, Sac.; Miss It. Kelly, Miss FL Simms, dm After which, OUR FEMALE AMERICAN COUSIN. Miss Julia Daly. Doors open at half put 6—Commence at 7. - - 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 charactise4 the most popular works of this great Master, will be performed EVE R Y EVENING ; together with a Selection from LA FIGLIA DEL REGGI MENTO, 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. Hollingsworth, 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. Tins Dly.—Morning, sh. 54m.—Afternoon, 611.16 m. To-moaßow.-Morning, 6h. 44m.—Afternoon, 7h. 10m. THE WEATHER.—Evx OFFICE, MARCH 31, 1861, THERMOMETER, IN TIEB SHAM 61—highest since noon yesterday. 40—lowest this morning and during the night. 50—this day at noon. BAnomrrEn-29.66. Witfn South - Westerly—light; with rain in the morning ; fine at noon. APRIL 1 THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 53—highest since noon yesterday. 35—lowest this morning and during the night. 46—this day at noon. BAuomETER-29.76. Warn—Easterly—light and variable ; with light, bul continuous, rain. A bad Easter Monday for the Volun• teers—Wimbledon to wit, and Brighton to boot. 9e - •L c- _ et 10 At— THE SUN. LONDON, MONDAY, APRIL 1, 1861. The Revenue Returns now published are unhap pily in a very great measure what we have so long been expecting and dreading. Not that we have been prophets of disaster. Simply, we repeat— these earliest results of Mr. GLADSTONE'S enormous experiments of last year turn out to be in a very great measure precisely what we have been dread ing and expecting. None would have avowed more gladly than we should have done, supposing the " Tables" to have been turned—not one would have acknowledged more gladly or more eagerly than we should have done the erroneous nature of our. anticipations. The single regret we have at this moment arises exclusively out of the unaffected pang with which we recognise the complete justifications of those unwelcome and un willing expectations of ours as to the not simply probable, or problematic, but as we conceived last year, and as this year the event has actually proved the certain and inevitable conse quences of Mr. GLADSTONE'S daring exploits, or rather, as we have said, and as they were literally, experiments as a Financier. Without further generalisations of regret, however, in the way of preliminary comment upon these in many parts really afflicting returns, let us turn to a more careful and analytical examination of the tables themselves—these tables for the past year, and especially for the past quarter— examining them under the microscopic lens of the wonderful little official " MEMORANDUM" by which they are accompanied. This most unusual, if not absolutely un exampled " MEMORANDUM"--a memorandum sent forth from the Treasury together with the Revenue returns themselves—tells the tale of the year and of the quarter pretty plainly by the mere fact of its most unlooked for apparition. The returns when looked into, as usual, do certainly appear to require something quite out of the common in the way of explanation. And here—in this Memorandum Extraordinary—is precisely this something quite out of the common in the way of explana tion. The memorandum coming to us from the Treasury, not marked down " Private and Confidential," we presume at once, with out affecting any great exercise of sagacity or accumen, cannot be intended to convey to us any very recondite or esoteric information, any facts or figures confided tons sub rosa, for after use according to our own discretion. Nevertheless, if not whispering information to us sub rosa, the memorandum we are here referring to is manifestly designed to impart a sort of agreeable couleur de lose effect to those otherwise lugubrious facts and 'figures jotted down in the Revenue Returns both ,for the year and for the quarter—facts and figures that when they are viewed in their natural grim mess [not looking anthem through this couleur de 1•ose memorandum] certainly do lour upon us only :too plainly and legibly in the doleful black-on -white. As usual, there are three abstracts in these re turns from the Treasury. There is 1., the abstract of the gross produce of the revenue of the United liingdom in the four quarters of 1860-1861 as com pare,2 with the corresponding quarters of 1859- 1860, supps_lementing this abstract upon those con trasting quarteo—by a comparison of the totals upon each of those financial twelvemonths. There is 11 - , the abstract defining the increase and the de- Crew within the quarter and within the year ending March 31, 1861, as compared with the cor. responding Periods of the preceding year, i c., of the precedin g financial twelvemonth. Finally, there is 111., the o mit , et explanatory of the nature and ' amount of the }L even , last quarter, endin-sga and other receipts of this yesterday, showing also the m application of this revenue t and the charge of the Consolidated Fund for the thatsaid quarter; not forgetti n g either in re gard to ret r.trned mems. of su r p l us or deficiency.charge duly G lancing do wn the second div isio n of the Re venue, Tables —the abstract especially ref erred to by the very curious Memorandum aeeo ra - panyi n. .the ,returvs,—we note in the first place a f a in ; off' .in the revenue for the year ending yesterd of a sum not far short of a round millio ay n 1 Upc 13 the quarter ending yestaday there is a -• far more formidable decrease, howlver, -, a not decrease upon these last three months of con siderably more than a round million and a half sterling ! During the financial year terminating on the 31st of March, 1860, the gross produce was £71,089,669. During the twelvemonth which came to a close only yesterday the year's produce has been less than that by £805,995, having realized exactly £70,283,674. Within the last quarter just expired the net de crease is set down in division 11. of the Revenue Tables at no less than £1,683,821. It is in regard to this alarming diminution that the Treasury (in point of fact, Mr. GLADSTONE), catching us by the button-hole, reasons with us deprecatingly, through the medium of the agreeable little gossip compacted into the little fly-leaf Memorandum already par ticularised, And no wonder the Chancellor of the Exchequer is:solicitous at once to have "his say," thus anticipatively and in a condensed form before the exposition (in the goodly shape of the Budget) of his Financial Statement—no wonder, we say, he fwants at once to whisper a word or two into our ear by way of preliminary. For look, first of all, at the subjoined table of returns for the Quarter end ing yesterday— _ _ Increase. Decrease X Customs Excise Stamps 63,154 1,000 Taxes Property Tax Post Office Crown Lands ~ Miscellaneous 1,978,000 20,000 1,000 390,357 Totals A table showing, as we have remarked, a net at decrease of £1,6153,01! An aving marvelled awhile over that disclosure, take next companion eclairissement, namely, that conveyed to the judg ment of poor wondering Farmer BULL through the medium of this pleasant little epitome of the increase and decrease upon the year ending yester day Increase. X Decrease Custmoss Excise — Stamps Taxes Property Tax Post Office 90,000 Crown Lands .. 6,089 Miscellaneous — 1,155,125 926,000 105,000 348,483 Totals.. Shewing a net decrease upon the year as already notified of £805,995. It is upon these two tabu lated portions of the Revenue returns for the last financial quarter, and for the last financial twelve month, that Mr. GLADSTONE has a word or two to insinuate (between this and his Budget) in the shape of this Memorandum. Turning back to the Tables already excerpted, it will be seen that the two most formidable items of decrease fall in the last year under the head of Customs, and in the last quarter under the head of Property •tax. The latter decrease, the decrease within the last quarter under the head of the Property and Income-tax, amounting to £1,973,000 in point of fact, but twenty-seven thousand pounds less than two millions sterling ! Two mil lions decrease under the head of one source of revenue within a single quarter !! The first men tioned of these two most conspicuous diminutions in the revenue being the decrease upon the year under the 'head of Customs, a decrease upon the year to the tune of £1,155,125. Besides which it may have been remarked in regard to the diminution of the revenue in the year that there is another item of all but " one million " (L 926,000) under the head of Excise, a decrease within the year under the Land and Assessed Taxes of £105,000, and a further decrease within the year cf £348,483 under the head of Miscellaneous. Summed np with the dread ful diminution just mentioned of nearly £2,000,000 within the quarter under the head of Income Tax—there is a decrease in the Post-office returns of £20,000, and a further decrease of £390,357 under the head of Miscellaneous. Now the Memorandum, while it speaks of the Post office falling off within the quarter as simple, in one word " accidental"—and while it refers to the variation (shewn by the tables) in regard to the Crown Lands as unimportant—and while it alludes to the diminution within the quarter under the head of Land and Assessed Taxes, as showing, after all, but " a very small variation"—Mr. GLAD STONE'S curious little volunteered Memorandum fairly lets the cat out of the bag, in its opening Paragraphs in reference to the real cause of the falling off within the year of nearly one million in the Excise revenue and of over one million in the Customs revenue. Direct ing our attention first of all to the rose colour we are expected to look through while examining these returns, the memorandum reminds us that " the Customs revenue shows a net increase, on tee quarter, of £273,000 arising on corn, spirits, wine, and penny duties (X 400,000), lessened by a falling off of £127,000 on tobacco, tea, and other articles." Adding, however, " on the year, the Customs loss, as- compared with the actual receipt of the preceding year, has been £1,155,000. This loss has arisen upon the numerous articles a f fected by the repeal or reduction of duties." Precisely. And now for the Excise returns, as commented upon by the Treasury Memorandum. Again, the rose colour foremost. " There is an in crease," says the Memorandum, "on the quarter of £366,000, caused by the accelerated payment of the malt duty (L 350,000) lessened by a diminished receipt of £200,000 upon spirits, large quanti 1 ties of which were removed f rom bond in corresponding quarter of- last year, in, an ticipation of an inreased duty.) The Memo randum then observing sententiously, " The receipt upon the year has decreased £926,000. This decrease has arisen upon malt and spirits. The bad quality of the barley last year has caused the reduc tion on malt. The reduction on spirits, has arisen partly partly from the causes which have affected the revenue for the quarter, and partly from diminished eonsumption ; the diminution of the stock of duty paid spirits in the hands of dealers has also tempo rarily affected the Excise receipts of the year." The interference of Mr. GLAD S TONE with the Excise, in fact, has led to the chief part of this falling off in the year's revenue under that head as avowedly, as glaringly, as undeniably as the Customs' falling off is attribut- able to his sweeping repeals and reductions o duties (without any compensative, quid pro quo) for thegratification of our amiable neighbour of La Gloire, of Cherbourg, of 600,000 men notoriety, that magnanimous imperial neighbour of ours, for whose n estimable alliance we are paying annually the chief part of those £30,000,000 sterling required for the maintenance and improvement of our war depart- ments. As to the incidental decrease of very nearly £2,000,000 within the last quarter under the head of the:lncome-tax, the Memorandum acknowledges, as it certainly could not shrink from acknowledging, that the " decrease of £1,978,000 on the quarter is owing to the collection of an additional 4d. in the in the corresponding quarter of last year." Just so. It is a way Mr. GLADSTONE has with him— an eccentric little way of forestalling the future—and then, when the _ future he has been looking forward to has become in course of time the past, he has to deal with, these charming little self-made difficulties. Out of them We heartily wish him. But while in regard to the chief part of th ose diffi cu lti es he has only hi mse lf , he can have only himself, to rely upon—m e can not bat think that Mr. CoBDEx ought for once to, 41; strain a point by getting home as fast as he pos sibly can, so as to be at last in his place once more by the 15th instant, to do a little more of his " yeoman's service," to do a little more perhaps than yeoman's service, for that French Treaty of his which he is so proud of. That French treaty which will no doubt work admirably remote in the hereafter, but which certainly is working wretchedly just to begin with. By this day week we are all to be numbered. Our most gracious authorities condescend now a days to enter into familiar explanations with her MAJESTY'S most loyal subjects ; even Mr. GLAD STONE no longer presents to us the figures of the Revenue Returns without note or comment. The powers who manage the census, having to depend for the value of the results of their labour on the co-operation, with good will, of the people, are even hortatory and almost oratorical in their preliminary discourse. They quote the celebrated Delphic motto, and reminds us that " Know thyself," is a precept as applicable nationally as it is individually. Andlbeyond question many nations, had they known themselves better, would not have undertaken the wars which have brought upon them, even if victors, loss and distress, which has been but ill repaid by the empty honour of military 'glory ; while at home many an Act of Legislation might have been modified, or not even proposed, had the population, the health, and the various statistical changes of trade and industry been understood. And then mere knowledge is worth something. We all like to know the facts revealed to us by a census, especially in comparison with those fur nished by each that has preceded it ; a piece of pleasant information to talk over by our fire sides and at the tea table. Even our cooks and nurse maids would not be quite uninterested in being told how many of their professions minister to the daily comfort of the older and younger branches of the family ; and the numbers and proportions of each trade and profession are, except to the very dullest, an agreeable piece of knowledge to each individual belonging to them. Indeed, not only our own occupations, but many of those of others, down to the humblest artizan, will be of much interest to all of us. The cost of our knowledge will, it is true, figure as a very noticeable item in the national expenditure, but the fraction of a penny it costs per head is what all of us would very willingly pay. We are reminded that the census tables will be a kind of great national directory ; that they will indicate to us how different branches of business are increasing or diminishing; that we shall know the number of our fighting men, which with our intelligence and wealth determine our position among the great Powers of Europe ; that we shall find its advantage in our sanitary studies and legis lation, and in investigating the statistics of crime In short, knowledge is not only pleasure, but' power; nor can we tell while we are laboriously col lecting facts which seem dull and dry in their first cumulation, how soon some master mind may arise who shall seize the principle or principle& latent in them, develope them with a clearness which leaves dispute out of the question, and thus origi nate new laws for the general guidance, which shall become as much the foundation of national legislation as have the principles first broadly developed in this country by ADAM SMITH. Some may think that no such field is now left open for future explorers. So it would have been said before the time of the Scotch philosopher. The commercial men and legislators of those times laughed, at first, at the idea of being instructed by a Scotch philosopher. And our successors may well find that some mighty power of intellect may yet irradiate by his genius the vast mass of facts we are now collecting, and shew their value in teach ing yet unthought of principles and rules in social science. One thing cannot be doubted, that it is the duty of every householder to contribute his individual quota towards doing the great work correctly and well. The nation has agreed it should be done; and a perfect census will cost no more than an im perfect one, while it is attainable only by each entering the names of those who slept in his house on the night of the ith of April correctly. The error we make, if we make any, should be on the side of precision. If we are too particular the Registrar General can generalise our return, but he cannot proceed vice versa. There is no reason why we should not do this. No real secrets are required of us. Snch information as we do give is to be treated as confidential. No tax or charge is involved; we are only asked to contribute our share towards answering the question, " What is this our England in the year of our LORD eighteen hundred and sixty-one ?" " that a large proportion of it could not, in the course of human nature, have any sympathy with the wants and wishes of the people. How was that house . constituted ? There were seventeen members who were Ministers and Lords of the Treasury and Admiralty; twelve who were vice-presidents, com missioners, undersecretaries, and the like; and there were five law officers. Turning to the services which some people took great glory in, he found that there were ninety-two officers of the army in the house—(shame !)—nine naval officers, nine militia officers, forty-two officers of the yeomanry cavalry, and eighteen volunteer officers." And in regard to the national expenditure in this year of lessened trade, of high rate of discount, of large importation of food, of high prices for all articles of human food, we were reminded that Mr. GLADSTONE had said, with reference to taxa tion, that our expenses not merely increased abso lutely, but they increased relatively to our means at a prodigious rate. Between 1842 and 1853 the increase in the wealth of this country was at the rate of 12 per cent., and the increase in the expenditure was at the rate of 81 per cent. ; between .1853 and 1859 the increase in the national wealth was 161 per cent. but the increase in the national expenditure was at the rate of 58 per cent. Could they go on at that game of " beggar my neighbour ?" From many other places we have accounts of hearty meetings for Representative Reform. At Norwich a political union has just been formed, which has published an excellent address " to their unenfranchised brethren," Like their Man chester " brethren," they assert that, behave how they will, it is made an excuse for keeping them out of the franchise. " Excuses for the wrong in flicted upon us," they say, " are ever ready. If we have felt sufficiently annoyed at that wrong to ex press our indignation, it has been urged that at such a time our enfranchisement would be dangerous to the state ; whilst, on the other hand, if we have waited with comparative quietness the result of a measure for our partial enfranchisement, then our very absence from commotion has been cited against us. Can it be wondered that treatment like this has led to distrust and apathy ?" They tell their fellow-operatives to, rely hence forth on themselves only. "Why," they ask, "is a question which has made and unmade Govern ments, which has been the rallying cry at the hus tings and the testing point at the poll-booth, still only a question, and not an accomplished fact ? One reason is obvious—we have left too much to others the work we should have done ourselves." If Lord PALMERSTON tells Mr. ROWCLIFFE that the people have been apathetic in support of the bills which his colleague introduced, the Norwich Political Union can tell him why they were apathetic. " We contend, moreover," they say, " that no mea sure of Parliamentary Reform has been introduced sufficiently comprehensive to enlist the real earnest ness of the working classes. Spite of their acknow ledged progress, their admitted loyalty, their patience under privation, and their inherent love of fatherland, it is still believed that, as a class, they cannot be trusted !" They call on each other to repudiate this calumny, and point to unity as the means of success. If they resolve unitedly to be free, those who now trifle with their liberties will quickly find ' L it convenient to grant them. Their brief programme is the same as that of all the meetings which are now being held everywhere. Beginning with the suffrage, they add—" But we hold that, whilst every man has a right to vote, he has an equal right to pro tection in its exercise; on this ground we ask for the Ballot. We contend, however, that without a fair distribution of electoral power, even manhood suffrage and secret voting are insufficient to secure impartial legislation. Whilst some members of the House of Commons represent 300 each (as Thet ford), others 5,000 (as Norwich), and others 27,000 (as the West Riding of Yorkshire), the widest suffrage would be a farce. Nor till a national pro vision has been made to defray the necessary ex penses of electoral contests, so that not the wealthy alone can present themselves to constituencies, will the political rights of the people be conceded." We advise Lord PALMERSTON to look about him. The breeze desired by Lord JOHN RUSSELL seems really to be arising; if he could silence the Tiverton butcher on the Tiverton hustings, he can not, it seems, silence the honest man's opinions ; t f h o r e ref large or m Governmentsm W e t ehht that e n t hgt the iw a l lroeor give env; then, em y w ent: h honest r oe e na ens t tt e ol represen tation. e i d n pe g rme sae t n h n de tation. THE VOCAL ASSOCIATION.—This excellent society will give their second subscription concert at St. James's Hall on Wednesday evening next, when Mendelsshen's psalm " Hear my prayer" will be performed, with Madame Lemmens-Sherrington as principal soprano, and M. Lem mens, the eminent organist, will accompany the psalm throughout, and also perform a fugue in C minor. M. Sainton, the unrivalled violinist, will perform with M. Benedict Beethoven's romance in F for violin and piano forte, also a Scotch fantasia for the first time. The choir of 200 voices will sing the choruses in Mendelsshon's psalm and several madrigals and part-songs, the compositions of some of our most eminent musicians. Altogether the con cert will be a great musical treat. Bulwer Lytton's " My Novel" is translated into French, by H. de l'Espine. " Der Freischutz" is to be brought out shortly at the Grand Opera, Paris. The Emperor Napoleon has conferred a pension of 5,000 francs (1200) on M. Mery, who is suffering from consumption and opthalmia. The Oriental Budget states that Mr. Tbacke ray contemplates taking up the story of England's history at the point where Macaulay left it. Her Majesty has appointed Mr. Smirke, architect, to be the treasurer of the Royal Academy, in the room of Mr. Hardwick, who has retired from that post. THE FRENCH NAVY.—The following paragraph on the French navy appears in Bullier's lithographic sheets: " I have already directed your attention to the extraordinary activity which prevails at the Ministry of Marine. I am informed that an office exists at that Ministry of which the chief is charged with acquiring all the information possible with respect to the supplies it may be necessary to demand of mercantile houses. It is further added that M. Chasse loup Laubat, the Minister of Marine, has sent for the heads of houses engaged in the copper trade, and likewise for the representatives of some English houses who have smelting furnaces in Wales. He entered into the most mindte details with them as to the quality of the mineral and the man ner of reducing it to copper. A new contract for the sup plying the Marine Department with 500,000 kilogrammes of copper is spoken of. If we add to that 300,000 kilo grammes which have been lately delivered, it may be pre sumed that there are a great many new ships of war to be coppered. The last copper was supplied at if 30c. in ingots which was formerly worth lf. 65c., and at lf. 45c. for copper in sheets whieh was formerly worth If. 80c. The Minister expects to obtain copper of the same quality at if 25c. in ingots and at if. 40c. in sheets." At Madrid, Lisbon, and - other towns in Spain, Verdi's opera "11l 13allo in Maschera," which is announced for performance at Covent Garden during the forthcoming season, has been received with the utmost applause ; it was less successful when brought out at Paris than else where. While Lord PALMERSTON is engaged in sparring with Mr. ROWCLIFFE—a Premier against a butcher —at Tiverton, while he is praising the working of the Corn-laws Repeal, and the wisdom of Parlia ment in repealing them, after he and the Whigs had fought for them to the last, and even expired with "the ruling passion strong in death," shouting for an Bs. duty—and while he was praising the people that they worked so hard and paid high prices for food, so patiently—the people in many places were not speaking quite so loudly in his praise. Manchester was holding a large meeting, in which Mr. ROWCLIFFE'S views were far more popular than the Premier's. Reform of of the Representation according to the Row- CLIFFE model being the main object of the meeting and the subject of the speeches ; and there were men of mark present too, the great manufacturing member for the city being at their head. The House of Commons was rather mercilessly analysed and shewn to be so connected either with the Lords or " the Services," that the wonder was not thatthey spent money, but that they did not spend even more. One speaker, amid great cheering and applause, "hit" as hard as the redoubtable butcher of Tiverton himself, only Lord PALMERSTON Was not present to complete the fun. He re marked "that it was idle to intimidate the Reform party by saying that if Lord PALMERSTON went out the Tory party would come in, for people wanted to know the difference between Lord PALMERSTON and a Tory, and were beginning to ask, Is he not a Tory already ?' Was it not, therefore, the duty of the Liberal party to turn out that Tory, let the consequences be what they might ? The cry that the working classes did not want reform was a gratuitous calumny. Because the people , had relied upon the solemn pledges of the Govern ment, and were disposed to be quiet and expectant, that confidence had been misconstrued into indifference. The improvement of the work ing classes since 1848, their forbearance, good order, and their disposition to co-operate with those who did not go so far as themselves in poli tical innovation, and their confidence in the pledges of the higher classes, were now thrust in their teeth as the very reason why they were unworthy o f political power. He knew nothing so infamous as this in the whole history of political intrigue and Another steel-plated frigate, to be called the Invincible, is to be launched at Toulon on the 4th of next month. The Russian frigate Oleg has been taken into dock at Toulon, in consequence of injuries she received during the late gales, while anchored in the port of Villafranca. SEDUCTION AND INFANTICIDE.--A Lisbon joura al states that the parish priest of a place called Lavre is arrested on a charge of infanticide. Having seduced a girl, who became while living with him the mother of a boy, ho baptised the child as soon as it was born, and immediately afterwards strangled it--thus affording an extraordinary instance of the compatibility of sincere religious belief with the settled determination to commit the most ferocious crimes. It is well known that in the Roman States there used to be professional assassins who would kill a man for 10 scudi, provided they were permitted to give him time to say a prayer ; but if required expressly to kill him without a moment's notice, the strain upon their conscience was sueja that they required deuble the money, political apcstacy." On the composition of the house it was remarked THE SUN, 'LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, APRIL 1, 1861. LATEST NE WS. TELEGRAPHIC INTELLIGENCE. WARSAW, MARCH 31. Count Zamoyski, on the occasion of his being received in audience by PrinGe Gortsohakoff, ad dressed him in a speech, of which the following is a summary : " The country," said Zamoyski, " will accept the reforms with gratitude, but at the present moment these are but nominal. The country now depends upon the same being carried into execution." Prince Gortschakoff replied : " It was not incumbent upon the Emperor to have conceded anything, but in granting reforms his Majesty does so freely and loyally." M. Wielopolski, in a speech delivered by him at the Medical Academy, said that the academy might consider itself as one of the faculties of the future University of Warsaw. An imperial rescript has been published, which explains the nature of the concessions recently granted. Prince Gortsehakoff, the Governor, has been appointed President of the Council of State. A proclamation of the Governor impresses upon the inhabitants the necessity for peace and order. M. Karnicki has arrived here. TURIN, MARCH 31. The Opinion of to-day says It has been notified to the Marquis d'Azeglio, on the part of the Queen of England, that her Majesty would receive him in the quality of Minister of the King of Italy. " The Federal Council has made a similar decla ration to our Minister at Berne." MILAN, MARCH 31, The Perseveranza of to-day says:— " The movements of the Austrian army in Istria continue. Urgent orders have been given for the construction of additional works to the fortifications of Pola." VIENNA, MARCH 30. The Military Gazette of to-day says:— " The Emperor has ordered that all the soldiers belonging to the effective reserve whose term of service expires at the end of June next may at once go on furlough." BERNE, MARCH 31. The Federal Council has, at the instance of Sar dinia, appointed federal commissioners for adjust ing the affair of the Ticino Bishopric. The Conferences will be held at Turin. CALCUTTA AND CHINA MAILS. SOUTHAMPTON, APRIL 1. The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer Ceylon, Captain Evans, has arrived here, with the heavy portion of the Calcutta and China mails. The Ceylon left Alexandria on the 19th, Malta on the 22d, and Gibraltar on the 26th of March. She brings 126 passengers. Her cargo includes 2,000 bales of silk, value £200,000 sterling, jewel lery, to the value of £3O, and 284 packages of sundries. At Alexandria were H.M.S. Terrible and the French transports Eldorado and Mayenne. At Malta were H.M.S. Neptune, Hannibal, Cressy, James Watt, Liffey, Medina, and Fox hound. The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company's steamer Valetta left Malta for Alexan dria on the 22d of March. On the 19th ult. the Ceylon observed the Penin sular and Oriental Company's steamer Euxine, steering for Alexandria, and on the 30th ult. the Tagus, steering S.W. At Gibraltar were HMS. Ariadne, Immortality, and Argus. The Masailia reached Gibraltar on the 25th and sailed for the east on the 26th ult. The schooner Exced, 26 days from Liverpool, had arrived at Gibraltar_ , On the 26th ult. Gibraltar exchange on London, 90 days, was quoted 50-1-; on Paris sf. 30c. ; Mar seilles and Genoa, 51. 31c.; on Madrid, eight days' sight, par ; Cadiz, par to * dis. ; Malaga, Seville, and Valencia, par ; Alicante,* dis. ; Barcelona, premium. Freights to London and outports is United Kingdom, 255. to 30s. per steamer, and 10 per cent: ; Brazil and River Plate, 12 dole. per ton, and 10 per cent. ; Gulf of Mexico and Havannah, 12 dole. per ton, and 10 per cent. Spanish pillared dollars Ferdinand, 3 per cent. premium ;no demand. Ditto Carolus, 22 per cent. ; in demand. AUSTRALIA. PLYMOUTH, MONDAY. The ship Monarch, 1,282 tons register, Captain J. W. Gill, belonging to Mr. Richard Green, of London, was off this port yesterday, 96 days from Melbourne, having ,sailed therefrom December the 25th, 1860. She has 22,000 ovaices of gold, valued at £BO,OOO, 20 cabin and 86 steerage passengers, and a cargo of wool, copper ore, and black sand. The Monarch has experienced generally un favourable winds; much ice was met to the west ward of Cape Horn, which was rounded January 29th. On the 13th of February, in lat. 29.32 S., long. 28.30 W., she spoko Her Majesty's paddlewheel steam sloop Gorgon,, 6, Commader Bedford C. T. Pim, with the Swift in company, seven days out from Rio Janeiro, for the Cape of Good Hope. The Monarch crow ied the line on the 2d of March. FRAUDS ON 711 E COMMERCIAL BANK. The further exam ination of the prisoners, John Dui den and James liolcroft, took place at the Bow street police-court on Saturday afternoon, and occu pied the court till tl te hour of closing ; Mr. Met calfe attending for Durden, and , Mr. Sleigh for Holeroft, as on the previous occasions. The prisoner Burden appeared much better in health, but manifested no great interest in the pro ceedings. Holeroft,, however, appeared anxious and careworn, and had evidently suffered much from his incarceration. Mr. Humphreys stated that the accumulation of important evidence rendered it impossible to close the examination to-day, but he should be able to trace another of the notes which had been taken from the bank, through the testimony of a Mr. Millard, with whom the prisoner Holeroft had had very extensive business and money trans actions. It had been discovered, also, that the account of Mr. Joel, a customer of the bank, had been tampered with, but Mr. Joel being a gentle man of the Hebrew persuasion, was prevented by the Holy Passover from being in attendance that day. There would be no difficulty in having him at the next examination, and his clerk was then present. - The Clerk—l have, Mr. Joel's pass-books with me. Mr. Humphreys said they would not be evidence, and the attendance of Mr. Joel was quite indispen sable. He believed that the depositions of to-day would go materially to strengthen the charge of complicity against the prisoners at the bar. Evidence was them taken, at the eon elusion of which the prisoners were further remanded for a fortnight. "Le Pied de Mout( an," already performed two hundred and one times at the Porte St. Martin, Paris, is said to have brought ZIO:( )00 (profit ?) to the exchequer. THE MAGAZINES. Blackwood. There is a very entertaining article called " Americanisms? , It brings before us in a striking manner some of the peculiarities that distinguish that race beyond the broad Atlantic which styles itself "the smartest nation in all creation." Really we can hardly believe at first sight some of the ex traordinary anecdotes here cited, and one has to remember that the authority is reliable before entering fully into the details. The work here noticed is a glossary of words and phrases usually regarded as peculiar to the United States ; and in introducing the subject an amusing instance is mentioned of a dull man who had Johnson's Dic tionary lent him by a friend, and he read it through, observing, when he had finished, that the author was a person of great information, but his style was unconnected. In perusing the theme of these words we meet with a great variety of information. The following quotations furnish proofs of the dif ferent plans adopted by judges according to the different positions in which they are placed. In a case at Baltimore a juror was supposed to be in toxicated : "The judge, addressing the man alluded to, said—' Sir, are you drunk ?" "The juror, straightening himself up, in a bold half defiant tone, replied, No, strive bob !' "'Well,' said the judge, I fine you five dollars for the ree, and 10 for the bob.' "—Baltimore Sun, March, 30, 1857. In the other case the counsel for the plaintiff was engaged in an affair more profitable than honourable, and his friend made the following excuse for him : " Who's for the plaintiff ?' inquired the judge, im patiently. " ' May it please the court,' said a rising member of the legal fraternity, 'Pilkins is for the plaintiff; but I left, him just now in the tavern playing a game at poker. He's got a sucker there, and he's sure to skin him if he only has time. He's got the thing all set to ring a cold deck, in which case he'll deal himself four aces and his opponent four queens ; so that your honour will perceive he must rake the persimmons.' ' Dear me said the judge, with a sigh, 'that's too hod I It happens at a very unfortunate time; I'm very am xious to get on with these cases.' A brown study followed, and at length a happy idea struck the judge. ' Bill,' said he, addressing the friend of the absent Pilkins, who had spoken, you understand poker about as well as Pilkins. Suppose you go over and play his hand ?' " Again, can anything be conceived more absurd or exaggerated than the subjoined illustrations of what creates propriety or impropriety in conversa tion : " The euphemistic shifts to which delicacy is compelled to resort in American society are too notorious to require much illustration. All our readers have heard of, and ad k mired the scrupulous modesty which speaks of the limb' of the piano, and even, as we have been assured, insists in E lora° cases upon putting little frilled trousers upon it. Some allowance is to be made, no doubt, for travellers' stories ; but what is to be said of Mr. Bartlett's evidence, given with all the stern impartiality of a philologer ? ' Stockings,' he assures us, are consider e d unmen ti ona bl e i n the west; long socks' being as far as anyrefined mind can go with safety. The Washington Union—whose subscribers are no doubt very select—dares not for its life advertise such necessary articles as shirts and drawers under any bolder heading than gentlemen's belongings.' A bull is called a cow-creature)' or a gentleman-cow'—which latter is ' a bull in a double sense, certainly." The most amusing sketch of this strange state of society is here chronicled in the description of a peculiar style of entertainment, which is thus humorously commented on :- 1 "But what degree of social perfection may not be expected in a land where such a feast of reason as the following is possible ? "." SauAYrum.:—The name of a species of fun known to ; the Nantucket folks, which is thus described by the Hew York Mirror: A party of ladies and gentlemen go to one of the famous watering-places of resort, where they fish, dig clams, talk, laugh, sing, dance, play, bathe, sail, eat, and have a general good time.' The food generally con sists of chowder, baked clams, and fun. No one is ad mitted to the sacred circle who will take offence at a joke; and every one is expected to do his and her part towards creating a general laugh. Any man who speaks of busi ness affairs (except matrimony) is immediately reproved, and ou a second offence publicly chastised. Care is thrown to the wind, politics discarded, war ignored, pride hum bled, stations levelled, wealth scorned, virtue exalted, and —this is 4uantum."' " Hodes cceneerue Deum ! 'lf there be an Elysium on earth,' it lies in Nantucket, which Tom Moore did not know. The lost Atlantis, the fabled Islands of the Blest, the vanished Golden Age, the good time coming,' are but shadows of this. To think that the ideal of happiness, which philosophers of all ages have so long vainly sought, should be found at last—and that its name should be Squantum 1" Those who would meet with . information, blended with much amusement, cannot do better than per nse this paper. An interesting article is that on " General Patrick Gordon, the Russian Scot." Many may not have heard of this man, but it is well worth while to become acquainted with his fitful career. He carried with him to the far North that energy for which his country has been so dis tinguished, and which has written in imperishable letters the name of her sons on many a splendid page of history, in many a record of wonderful achievements, and on many an heroic scroll. Gene ral Gordon was of signal service to the Czar Peter the Great, and that distinguished man was not un glindful of his services at a period when they could profit him no longer. " Patrick Gordon died on the 29th November, 1699, and we are briefly but effectively told by the editor of the diary that the " Czar, who had visited him five times in his illness, and had been twice with him during the night, stood weeping by his bed, as he drew his last breath, and the eyes of him who had left Scot land a poor, unfriended wanderer, were closed by the hand of an emperor." An extract is given in this account which furnishes a very peculiar mode of operations suggested by Gordon to take a be sieged city. His plan was to bury the fortress. This original idea proved successful, and the mag nitude of the attempt may be imagined from the fact that twelve thousand men were constantly working night and day to raise a circumvallation of earth. This attempt was successful, and safe, it is stated, as not more than three hundred men were lost during the siege. " Italy; by Marc Monnier," :refers to a work recently published by a French gent3eman on the important and suggestive subject of the state of Italy. An analysis is entered upon concerning the principal topics mentioned in the book, and it attracts attention alike from the characters brought before us, and the interesting nature of the theme itself. Mr. Monnier mentions some of those whom he considers to have produced a great effect on the feelings of society, and it is said " his thesis was the life of Italy, as proved by the intellect of its educated class, not by the courage of its soldiers, or the assistance of its powerful allies." It is stated further on, very truly, that too much importance is attached to this by the French author, and that " the whole influence is attributed to dramas of the loftiest order, and disquisitions on government composed in philosophic language. Smith's Wealth of Nations' never could overthrow a dynasty, nor Cato, in five acts, make us long for a republic. The literature with which we are made acquainted by our author is too high for the success he attributes to it." " Norman Sinclair," in this instalment, presents the reader with the most exciting chapters that have yet appeared in this story. A lucky chance reveals the object of the search that had been so vigorously undertaken, land Speedwell is caught in the act of administering poison to his unhappy dupe, Littlewoo. The various events are narrated in a very exciting style, and this portion of the tale is quite dramatic in its strange and startling incidents. "The World of Weimar," in the form of a letter, relates some of the wonders of that place. It is instruc tive in its way, and may tempt some to exchange a busy life here for a quiet existence there, in the capital of Central Germany, which is described as " on the skirts of the mountain district called the Thuringian Wood, on the banks of the classic Ilm, haunted by the shades, or at least by the associa tions, of the Dioscuri of German literature, Schiller and Goethe." There are two articles on new works of interest and importance, called " Lsfe in Central Africa," and "The Puojaub in 1857." There are outlines sketched of these volumes which serve to exemplify their plan and purpose, and may probably induce s o ometo i peru o se f them in their entirety. The book especial importance, as it is "a narrative of the Measures by which the Punjaub was saved, and Delhi recovered during the Indian Mutiny." Dublin University Magazine. _ _ The first article is entitled " Remorseless Criti cism," and refers to the " Essays and Reviews" which have so recently occupied so large a share of :public attention. The present paper specially con siders :the contribution of Dr. Williams to that •volume. The writer of this article has executed :his difficult task with considerable success, and de monstrated forcibly, in many instances, the falsity I3f the arguments that are so speciously employed, 1 tnd made manifest the danger of the doctrines in- I allcated in the brilliant essay alluded to. Nothing i s more calculated to lead the mind astray than to iperuse a work in which some truth is mingled with :much error, and where, with an apparently frank and fearless display of knowledge, the vital truths of religion are one by one gradually denied, and the very foundations of the faith of Christianity are mapped and undermined. In no instance does the •writer express himself more forcibly than where he ' alludes to Dr. Williams's definition of the Scripture. t" The Bible is, before all things, the written voice i)f the congregation." It is most truly stated here Ithat "the notion is one absolutely destructive of 1 all fixed objective faith." It would be supposed by many that such an expression► of opinion of itsett 'would be sufficient to evidence the nature of the new doctrines, but there are some who are not likely to find out at once the full meaning of the ideas , that are thus presented to them. It is said here, in reference to the passage quoted, " We will not believe but what the writer of this sentence would refuse to let it have its ordinary meaning and its own intrinsic force. There is some technical, some controversial, some modified, some secondary mean ing for him in its terms. Oh, let him confirm our word on his behalf, and say so. He is a trainer of young men for the Gospel ministry. We will not believe he cries to them, Be instant, bre thren, in season and out of season, preach the Word, it is the congregation's written voice, young bre thren before all things. They would answer him, " ToThandy back the congregation's own voice to itself is an unworthy ministry. We will not stoop to bear its ignominious burthen," and his bold spirit, for it is a bold one would approve their answer. Young brethren ye say well, He is a parish priest in a green valley, overhung by breezy downs, and we will not believe that when some shepherd who shall not drive his flock up to them again, sends in his closing hours for the pastor who should point him to the unseen fold; no, we will not believe, that by the dying peasant's bed he o pens that blessed book and says, " listen thou sheep that goest alone into the valley of the shadow of death, listen, for thou shalt hear the con gregation's voice." For then the sick man would make answer from his dying bed, "the bleating of the flock is not the sound I care to hear ; speak me words spoken by the Great Shepherd o the sheep himself.' . " An only Son" is continued at some length, and the scene of the story changes• At first we are told how sad Constance felt at the dismay and suffering that were entailed on the peaceful dwelling of the Locksleys. The scene be tween her and Mrs. Locksley is well described. In a difficult position each maintained her dignity► and at the same time the casualties of love did not destroy friendship, which was a proof of their good principles as well as their good feelings• Further on we see Ned introduced to his new life under not very favourable auspices, for there are some very undesirable acquaintances introduced to his notice. There is an amusing sketch of military life, and the conversation between the stiff and solemn Major and his Irish young friend is most entertaining. The Major was making satirical prophecies regarding the effect the suns of India would have in reducing the , proportions of his companion, when the latter exclaimed, "True for you, Major dear, and I told me friends at parting to take a good look at me, share the better they'd know me now the worse they'd re cognise me when home again. A paper on " Recent Poetry," is worth perusing, and contains some just strictures on the method of criticising poems that prevails nowadays. The books here noticed are " Lucille," which production is spoken of in terms of praise, while many faults are found: Of M. Stigant's " Vision of Barbarossa," also a good opinion is entertained ; but " Faithful for Ever," by Coventry Patmore, is not so favour ably mentioned. The reader who peruses the eic tracts here quoted will not think the conclusion arrived at is harsh or unfair. In one passage a well-known line is quoted as appearing strangely without recognition— " They've nothing in the world to do, But as it's just their nature to." " Oh, shade of Dr. Watts, what sayest thou to so daring a plagiarism from thine immortal hymns !' All will approve of the paper --- " Captain Boyd, a Hero's Obsequies." The fate of this brave man excited the greatest sympathy in all ranks, and the throngs who crowded round to pay a last tribute to his memory, only echoed the sentiments of those who far away bore testi mony to his worth and valour. His friends might console themselves for his premature loss by the recollection of his brave spirit exemplifying its prowess in the hour of danger, and truly might they exclaim— " Who would not envy such as him to live; And died he not as heroes wish to die ?" There is a short paper on " Income-tax Grievances" which words are synonymous in the opinion of many. It is thus remarked " The man who stood foremost among those who pressed for its early removal, has but lat e l y d one hi s wors t to annihilate the hopes of his own fostering. In the very year of our promised freedom Mr. Gladstone contrived to sink us into a more hopeless slavery than before. It was easy for a statesman se fruitful in sounding fallacies and sudden turns et mind, to simplify the fiscal proc ess by knocking off a host of small items from the Customs' r e ,: turns ; but a wide-spread taste f or li g ht Frenc h wines has not yet begun to sh ow it se lf outside the airy fabric of Mr Gladstone's dre ams ; the dutie s he has surrendered are gone f or ev er , and in a time of outward peace, the count r y i s paying an income tax of tenpence in the pound, which but for a timely rescue of the paper duty by the Upper House might now have mounted up to one shilling.' " Dismal Dobbs" is a most ludicrous sketch of a night in Crow street Theatre in a period more dis tinguished for fun and frolic than good order and high appreciation of the drama. The visitors to the theatre went to be seen and heard rather than to see and hear. The " Silent Figure" who so' companied the merry party here chronicled had a busy part to play on the stage of that night's events, and those who wish for a lively resume of past days will be pleased with its perusal. Among other articles of interest may be mentioned The Wellington Papers," which contain despatches and correspondence of the late duke, edited by his Er. As may be supposed, in the pages of this magazine a natural exultation is expressed at the achieve' ments of one of whom his country may well be proud. The last passage alludes to the bright roll of names which appear in these volumes, and which will hereafter appear in the pages of history... Note the names which meet the eye as it glances along the correspondence—Combermere, Seaton, N a pier, Gough, Hardinge, Raglan, Clyde. The triumphs of fifty years in every part of the globe have been as it were recruited from the ranks of the Penis' snla. That land was not only the theatre but the school of greatness. Let Ireland be proud, for she has a right to be proud that she has given to the empire, to fame, to futurity, the hero of modern o times--the " vainqueur du vainqueur du monde BentleY's Miscellany. The first book of " The Constable of the Tower," which we have already noticed, is completed in thle number. Some curious information, and some which will rather surprise many, is to be found if/ Chapter I. of "The Population and Trade of France'' (by Frederick Marshall). This chapter relates es' elusively to the population, and the author endea vours with much ability to show that the slow increase of population in France is caused, not by the unwillingness of the French to marry, but to their prudence in refusing to have children. This 1 0 certainly something new i n na t ure. " T own an d Country," by Monkshood, is a comparison between rural and city life, in which the country, of course, and, as we consider, unjustly, is given all the advan tages. Onida furnishes his quota as usual, but this month he has changed his tune. For some time back he has made all his stories end hoPPiIY, but " Trente-et-Un, or the Two Rivals," is tragic, and bears a moral to all gamblers. The subject is not new, nor is there much plot in the story, but never theless it is well executed, and is far superior to many of Onida's productions. "The Biography of Marshal Niel" does justice to the military and engineering genius of this brave soldier, and, although his biographer does not rank him with Marshal M'Mahon, he gives him full credit for the victory of Solferino, which credit, as first in coin' mand, of course the modest French Emperor took to himself. " The Life and Letters of Mary Gran vine" (Mrs. Delany) are reviewed at length, s ea many curious and interesting anecdotes are related* " Crooked Usage, or the Adventures of Low Loriot," by Dudley Costello, carries us and poor deluded Lorn deeper into the wiles of the clever swindlers, among whom our hero has fallen. NV: look forward with inte res t to the continuation °` his adventures. ne At. James's Magazine. No. I. Saunders and Another n ew competitor for public f a vour WI entered the ranks of the serials. During the lava year or t wo th ere h ave b een cons id era b le ad di t ion made to the number of existing magazines, en fortunately for the public, although the moderation( of their price is remarkable, they are all worth,' 0 1 encouragement. They will e a ch i n th e i r seve n styles bear rigorous comparison with the lesle a r members of the old fraternity, and as the deman for good and interesting light literature is continua. ally on the increase, we trust they will all fib s room to flourish and prosper. The St. Jarie s c. Magazine appears under the auspices of Mrs. S. Hall, and coming thus accredit e d, the roue"„ is prepared to find it worth attention• He will not be disappointed in tlll9 ' expectation, for the contents are varied and attraoi tive. The editress has gathered a force of effloiel l allies, for we find the names of Dr. Doran, t he author of " John Halifax," Robert Hunt, Bober! Bell, Owen Meredith, the author of "Paul Ferrol,. J. Halliwell, F.R.S., and others among the contri butors. The editress herself gives us the open,int chapters of an interesting tale, entitled " u, 1 , 1 Wrong be Right P" and also a domestic story " the young of the household." The fair weare rs 0 fashionable colours may learn from Mr. Hun" clear and concise account of the origin of the uevy a zi n dyes how, by the wonderful action of che mical science, the refuse matter of gasworks is t rans ; fm James,, of Mr. Bell's paper, and he traces the chang es 4) ; owhiched n givesitom its a t u i v t l e e to and themag magenta. magazine, S st t la . e subi°l that famous locality from the days when a hospita l for lepers stood on the ground now occupied by the palace. .Another dinurgye paper ell the of ane ing Ba sit pr ell th w