The Sun. — London, England, 1861-02-15 00:00:00

OPERA, ROYAL ENGLISH COVENT-GARDEN. Under the son Management of Miss Sole Les Louissees.a Fyne and Mr. W. Harri, THIS EVENING, THE SONG OF HIAWATHA, Miss Matilda Seron, Madame Palmieri, Mr. St. Albyn, Mr. H. Corri, Mr. Wallworth. To be followed by BIANCA, THE BRAVO'S BRIDE; MIAs Louisa Fyne, Miss Thirlwall ; Messrs. A. Lawrence, 11. Wharton, H. Corri, St. Albyn, Wallworth, Lyall, Distin, and Mr. Wm. liarrison. Conductor—Mr. Alfred Mellon. Commence at Seven. T I -1 EA TRI4.!-ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Legsee, Mr. J. B. Buukstone. THIS EVENIN(4. the performances will mommpnae with THE. RIVALS. Sir Lu•ius O'TrigF,fer, Mr. John Brougham; Lydia Languish, Miss Fanny Stirling. Alter which, a new Pantomime, QUEEN LADYBIRD AND HER CHILDREN. The Pantomimists by the un rivalled Leclercqs, Herr Cole, and Fanny Wright. Commence at 7. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.--- Lessee and Manager. Mr. A. Harris. THIS EVENING, DON CESAR DE BAZAN. Don Cxsar. Mr. Fchter. Supported by Messrs. Basil Potter, }: Matthews, J. G. Shore, Miss te M. Harris, Xliss BC. Leclercq, and Mrs. Weston. After which, a new Christmas comical pantomime, en title m' d ROBINSON CRUSOE ; or, Harlequin Friday, and the Ki i n osa and of the Caribbe Islands : in which Mon sieur Esp Marie Dnmilatre, of the principal cantinental theatres will appear. Clown, Mr. A. F. Forrest THEATRE -ROYAL LYCEUM. Sore Lessee and Directress, Mada THE me CELESTE. THE THIS EVENING the new drama , HOUSE ON BRIDGE OF NOTRE DAME. Principal characters by Mr. G. Vining, Mr. J. Johnstone. Mr. Villiers, Mr. Clifford, Mr. John Rouse, Mr. Forrester, Mr. MorrisM.Ternan, Miss K. Saville , M iss L. Thompson, and Mada is me Celeste. After which, the Lyceum Christmas Comic Extravaganza, CNYSTABELLE or, The Rose without a Thorn, showin. ' rum 17ISIONT OF A ROSE, ITS FADING AT EVE, A ND TETE MAY-BLOOM OF THE WILD BRIAR. To conclude with a new Divertissement Miss Lydia Thompson, &c. ADELPHT, NEW THEATRE-ROYAL. RolP Proprietor and Manaeer. Mr. Rent. Webater. TIT'S EVENING, AN UGLY CUSTOMER. Messrs. J. j,. Toole, C. Selby, and Warde ; Miss K. Kelly, and Miss E. Thorne. Atte! which, THE COLLEEN BAWN. D. Rousicault, D. Fisher, Billington, Falconer, Stephenson. C. J. Smith, Romer. Miss Agnes Robertson, Miss Woolgar, Mrs. Billington, and Mrs. Chattcrley. To conclude with a new Burlesque Extravaganza, entitled BLUE BEARD FROM A NEW POINT OF 'HUE. Messrs. J. L. Toole, P. Bedford, C. J. Smith ; Miss Woolgar, K. Kelly, Laidlaw, and T.:. Thorne. Doors open at hall past 6—Commence at 7. Box-office open from 10 till 6. No charge for booking. Private boxes, £2 2s. ; Family Boxes, £l. Orchestra Stalls, ss. • Balcony, 4s. ; Front Circle Stalls, Is. ; Pit Stalls, 21.; Pit;ls. ; Amphitheatre, is ; Gallery, 6d. Acting idanager—Mr. Wm. Smith. A STLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE.- Propr i e t o r and Manag•er. Mr. Wm. BATTY. 731_ Immense success of " Turpin's Ride to York." A Grand Morning, Performance will take place on Friday, Feb. 15, commencing at two o'clock with the Pantomime. THIS EVENING. will be reproduced TUR PIN'S RIDE TO YORK, AelD THE DEATH OF BLACK BESS, in which the Brothers Edwin will appear with their celebrated Steed Black Bees. To he 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 FIARLEQT7IN 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 comle scenes Ratty's Prize Equestrian llarlequinade, and th,s celebrated Old Bob Ridley. Box-ofQce open daily from 11 till 4 Stage Manager—Mr. W. WEST. Director ot the Arena—Mr. Pearson. Commence at 7. CANTERBURY -HALL CONCVAITS!!! A Grand Selection from Verdi's Opera, IL CORSARO, consisting of t he following Morceaux : Preludio. Coro Scena ed "Tutto parca Sorridere" Coro di Odalische.... "Oh qual perenne" Covat n a "Vola talor dal Carcere" Coro ed inno Scena ed Aria. ........ " Cento 'eggiadre Vergini" Terzetto Finale Voi tacete io non" will shortly be produced, in the orignal key and Italian laneuare—the first time of performance in this country—in addition to the usual attractions. Mr. F. JONGFIMANS, Musical Director. Also in preparation, Selections from Verdi's New Operas, `l.ln Ballo in Maschera." "Simon Boccaneg - ra ;" and Flo tow's celebrated Opera of "Stradella." HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. THIS DAY.—Morning, sh. 10m.—Afternoon, sh. 24m. To-monatow.-Morning, sh. Um.—Afternoon, sh. 54m THE WEATHER.—SUN Orrica, FEB. 15, 1561. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHAD'. 44—highest since noon yesterday. 29—lowest this morning and during the night. 47—this day at noon. BAROMETER-29.70. W D—Southerly, light, with dull weather. t,s A'ea _ b r , \ , ,~~A~~. .. ~: 4y :~ -' ~, t -5 7 ' g • It o 'II 0.1 i; THE SUN. LONDON, FRIDAY, FEB. 15, 1881. Our gallant fellows, both of the land and sea forces out in China, have now duly received their /need of approbation from Imperial Parliament. Last evening the thanks of both houses were accorded to the victors under Lieut.-General Sir HOPE GRANT and Vice-Admiral Sir JAMES HOPE, cordially, earnestly, and unanimously. Together with the names of these conspicuous " brothers-in-arms and rivals in renown," the military and maritime commanders-in-chief of the British Expedition, were associated the names of their distinguished lieutenants, Rear-Admiral LEWIS JONES and Major-Generals Sir ROBERT NAPIER and Sir J.HN MICHELL, who, by their combination of skill, zeal, and intre pidity, had enabled her MAJESTY'S Ambas sador Extraordinary and Minister Plenipoten tiary, the Earl of ELGIN, in conjunction with the diplomatic representative of our ally, the Emperor of the FRENCH, to bring the late remote and formidable war with the Tartar Government of the Chinese to so very brilliant and satisfactory a termination. The tale that had to be told anew last night in the Lords and Commons was one certainly which, however familiar at this moment in all its details, could not be listened to by any body of patriotic Englishmen without its inspiring emotions of unaffected and enthusiastic admiration. For it can be asserted without a particle of exaggeration that, from first to last, in every one of its successive stages, and this, too, in reference to each and all of the various departments of the public service, the recent war with China was conducted with a dis play of prudence, of forethought, of promptitude, and valour, reflecting the highest credit upon Army and Navy, upon the marines, the medical staff, and the Commissariat. Never has any warlike expedition left these shores so fully and admirably equipped. Never has any expeditionary force despatched from England so rapidly and triumphantly overcome all the varied difficulties it had to encounter, and this at the opposite ex tremity of the globe, advancing from success to success at the pas de charge, from the point of de barkation up to the very walls, into the very centre of the mysterious, the almost fabulous, and un questionably to European troops the hitherto im penetrable city of Pekin. It is the absolute com • pleteness of the victory which has been thus at length achieved by the Allied Powers over the Tartar Government of the Chinese Empire, which justifies us in the hope now entertained that the war recently terminated by the united efforts of Sir HOPE GRANT'S tactics and of the Earl o f E , LOIN , S diplomacy, may really put an end to these deadly periodical contests between the most populous race of Asiatics and those two Western Powers, who are the recognised Chiefs and Champions of European civilisation. Thrice within very little more than the last score v.f these woeful conflicts have been necessitated out there in China. Considerably less than a quarter of a century has elapsed since the first of those three deplorable causes of collision between the Asiatics and the Europeans, between Chinese, or rather Tartars, and Englishmen, resulted in the discomfiture of the councils of the Manchou, dynasty. That, we all know, history has already related, posterity will long remember, was the Opium War waged by England against the Chinese Government. Afterwards, several years afterwards, came that miserable affair of the lorcha Arrow. And, as a disastrous sequel to that, the last of these three deadly incen tives to war, the infamous massacre of four hundred British sailors and marines by that execrable ambuscade of Tartar gunners behind the screened fortifications on the Peiho. It is this latest, and of all the most heinous of the Chinese outrages, that the forces who were last night complimented in the Lords and Commons were (now scarcely a year since) called upon to avenge as became English men. And nobly did they acquit themselves of that weighty responsibility, led on to victory, both aloat and ashore, with unerring sagacity and courage by Sir JAMES HOPE and Sir HOPE GRANT, and conducted at last through these mari time and military successes to the ratification of a brilliant Treaty of Peace, under the skilled diplo matic guidance of the Earl of ELGIN and KINCAR DINE. It fell, by right of his Ministerial position, to the lot of the youngest Baron in the House of Peers to move in that august assembly the thanks, to our forces out in China, of the hereditary branch of the Legislature. Lord HERBERT of LEA, as her MAJESTY'S Secretary of State for War, had thus the peculiar gratification of making his maiden speech among his Peers upon an occasion involving indirectly a eulogium upon the conduct of his own most responsible and most diffi cult Administrative Department. The recollection of the manner in which, the really admirable manner in which, the War Department under his guidance has conducted the whole of the details of this war against the Chinese—a war carried on at the remotest extremity of this hemisphere—goes far to wipe away the recollection of the frightfully contrasting mismanagement of that far larger but far less remote contest lately waged against the power of another gigantic empire, that of the Russian autocracy, upon the fatal plains of the Crimean peninsula, upon the deadly wintry plateau under the granite walls and giant earthworks of Sebastopol. No more green coffee berries yonder in China, as formerly in the Crimea, served out as rations to our soldiery ! No more naked frostbitten feet among our veterans, while hard by in the hold of some costly transport was mouldering away use lessly a forgotten store of boots and shoes ! All these despicable and miserable blunders have become now, thanks be to HEAVEN, as much calamities of the past as though they had occurred to " frighten the isle from its propriety," not seven years ago, but a whole hundred. Not in vain did our land and sea forces go through those appalling privations in the Crimean cam paign—those wonderful and still incompre hensible privations—which are yet borne like some evil nightmare in the national remembrance. In compensation for that gloomy and pathetic story comes now, alter the lapse of but a very few years indeed, the radiant record of this swiftly accom plished and resplendently successful campaign in China, ending in the advance of the Allies upon the mythic capital, in the flight of the celestial EMPEROR into Tartary, in the capture of Pekin, and in the dictation of the most triumphant terms of peace by her Britannic MAJESTY'S representatives ! No wonder with such a history as this to epitomize that his Royal Highness the Commander-in-Chief found last evening in the House of Lords a congenial theme for his soldierly panegyrics. No wonder that in the House of Commons its veteran leader, the Noble Viscount now Prime Minister of Eng. land, found in that same fruitful theme, the victo rious expedition of our forces in China, a subject upon which his practised oratorical powers might well delight to expatiate. As already indicated in these remarks, those thanks of the British Parlia. ment were, as a matter of course, voted both in the Lord and Commons unanimously. The Ministerial motion for these Thanks, made in the House of Lords by the Secretary for War, and in the House of Commons by the First Lord of the Treasury, being, according to a graceful Parliattlen tary custom upon • these occasions, seconded in due form both in Lords and Commons by the respective leaders there of her MAJESTY'S Opposition. One exceptional objection raised unhappily in both Houses—in the Lords by the Earl of DERBY, and in the Commons by Mr. VINCENT SCULLT I—tended, we grieve to remem ber, to mar the prevailing cordiality of the other wise unstinted approbation expressed by all parties alike in both branches of the Imperial Legisla ture. This one exceptional objection having refe rence to what we ourselves have all along regarded as, on the contrary, the one bright particular spot shining luminously in the retrospect of this our last (pray Heaven it may really and truly prove our last) Chinese Expedition ! The avenging destruction— namely, by fire of the Chinese EMPEROR'S Summer Palace outside the Walls of Pekin the avenging destruction of that gigantic palace of Yuen-Ming-Yuen, seven miles in length and crammed with the spoil of centuries—that vast conflagration by which the soldiers of England, in the most signal and effective manner that was at all practicable (and this without the destruction of human life ! ) avenged the infernal atrocity of the murder, in cold blood, and in viola tion of all the laws of nations, of BRABAZON, and ANDERSON, and BOWLBY, azd ethers of our brave and lamented countrymen ! China will never forget that lesson—we may be sure of that. It is better than a score of victories. It is a beacon that will cast a salutary glare of warning henceforth before the eyes of those savage and ruthless Tartars —bidding them beware, lest by any repetition of their old atrocities they may light effectually in the same way, another such stupendous and, as it might prove perchance the next time, deadly and far more devastating conflagration ! Amongst the not uncommon clerical scandals o the day is that of clergymen refusing Christian interment, in certain cases where conscience or bigotry scents a case for tormenting the relatives of the deceased. The Rubric furnishes them with three classes of unfortunates—those who " die un baptised, or excommunicated, or have laid violent hands on themselves." Over these it forbids them to perform the burial service. The common law, on the other hand, requires them to perform the service over any that are buried in the churchyard; fromwhich the doctors of the law have deduced the conclusion that the Rubric defines the class of persons who can be brought to the churchyard for burial. This would seem to be, indeed, setting the Church in its sectarian sense, as in the good old Tory toast, before the King or the State. Such, however, we believe to be the fact. And as the freehold of the churchyard is held to be in the parson, although it confessedly belongs to the parish, it would seem that the parson could even prohibit the interment of a corpse of the classes of persons referred to from being buried at all. The general case, however, is that the clergyman refuses the burial service to the unfortunate person, generally an i nnocent c hild, who dies unbapti se d . This and efrequent grievance of Protestant Dis senters; the grievance is the more felt because, with a dog-in-the -manger temper, they refuse to allow other 'Christian minister t o p er f orm any christ aiao; service whatever! Meth o di s t s h ave b een much agg.riev ed in this way, whenever some small minded cle rig 3 denies the validity of a Methodist minister's b e ptism. No Dissenting ministers in the kingdom a; such servile Tories as those of the Methodists r--they even profess a strong sentimental affection fur the Establishment from which they separated, Tout all has not availed to save them from the spaniel's fate, with apparently the same result as in that of the flogged animals. Another large sect is, however, especially obnoxious to this kind of priestly persecution. The Baptists do not baptise their children till we should deem them of age for confirmation. Hence, should a person of this sect have a child die where no cemetery or chapel burial-ground was at hand, he would perhaps hardly be refused liberty to inter it, on payment of fees to the clergyman, in the parish burial-ground ; but, neither will the clergyman perform a service at the funeral, nor allow, even in the open air itself, the performance of any by others ! Again, there are frequently cases of children remaining accidentally unbap tised till death, especially if they die unexpectedly in infancy. So many cases of some one of these kinds have appeared in the papers of late years, that we need not tire our readers by referring to them—the last, and as good an exemplification as any, was that of a not over wise Vicar of an out-of-the way place, Horsey next the sea, in Norfolk—who not only refused to perform the service over an infant, who, accidentally, died unbaptized, but prosecuted the mother and a worthy Methodist for joining in singing a pious consolatory hymn over the poor little innocent's grave. It is surely time that the possi bility of such clerical cruelty should cease. We believe the cruelty to be almost unconscious ; superstition in religion has the singular power of rendering even otherwise worthy men insensible to the tortures they inflict on others. From the times when it was thought a virtue to burn infants in sacrifice to MOLOCH, to the present times—in which, when the little innocents, being beyond the reach of pain, the aching hearts of parents can alone be made to smart, superstition has inflicted its horrid sufferings, apparently with perfect coolness, and even with complacency, in the thought that it was doing GOD service, It is not, however, for laymen of common sense and unperverted natural and Christian feeling to tolerate this cruelty to survivors. The law is a little obscure now, but it is high time it were made clear, and in the direction of humanity and Chris tian civilisation. We see, therefore, with pleasure that Sir MORTON PETo, an eminently practical, businesslike, and respected Dissenter, will endea vour to carry a bill on the subject. This ought not to be a difficult task. The principle seems to us clear—that in this day of religious liberty any parishioner or other person who dies in a parish should be entitled to burial in the parish church yard or cemetery, with such religious service as the dying man or his survivors may prefer. We would not indeed require the parson, more than any other minister, to perform a service against the judgment of his own conscience, but we would de prive him of the right to say that no other should per form one. Probably the classes of persons aggrieved would At object to paying the narrow-minded man his fees, little as he deserves them ; the sub stantial grievance is, that in those hours of sorrow which may come to any of us at any moment, and which we must all cause at some time to our sur vivors, a mortal man should be permitted to assume the place of the Judge of all, and to add the most painful sorrows to grief already severe enough. Churchyards are the nation's property. Dissen ters, in objecting to Church-rates, never have objected to keeping parish burial-grounds in repair, but this implies that, as parishioners and therefore English men, they have a claim to the use of the national property. There will, perhaps, be some purblind old Tories who will resist the passing of an Act of the kind indicated, and Bishops can hardly be expected to enter into the feelings of other men when a shred of penal ecclesiastical power is at stake ; but surely, in the Lords as well as in the Commons, the voice of natural sympathies and unsophisticated Christian feeling, will be too strong even for them. Sir MORTON PETo's bill deserves the heartiest support of every man of the slightest pretensions to humane and Christian feeling. Sir G. C. LEWIS could not expect to please every one by his proposal last night, but now it is before us, all we can say is that we accept it, as about as good as, and not worse than, half a dozen which might have been made". Here are four seats long ago forfeited, for reasons which should place many more seats in the market. How shall they be allotted ? Scotland clamours for more, with a popu lation less than that of London; Ireland, of course, wants something when anything is to be had ; and then English counties and boroughs, on different grounds, claim the whole of the four seats, and boroughs even seem likely to quarrel with boroughs over them. As good a plan as any might have been to put the names of the claimants all into a bag, and let Mr. BENTINCK and Sir G. C. LEWIS draw alternately ; or shake them up well, blindfold Mr. BRIGHT, and let him draw for all. Perhaps the Cabinet did do something of the sort, for no particular principle seems to have guided their choice. It seems, however, quite good enough ; it has one merit at least, neither of the two great counties, and neither the metropolitan nor the com mercial borough, will be likely to be guilty of the sins of the boroughs whose privileges are to be conferred on them. Politically the arrangement seems fair enough. South Lancashire has proved that by due exertion it can return two Tories, though supposed to be safe for the Liberals. The West Riding has been guilty of the same offence in days not long past, yet the Liberal Government hands over a seat apiece to these im mense populations—from five to eight hundred thousand each, even omitting their crowded towns. What the politics of the two new boroughs would be, we presume no one would yet venture to predict. The West-end of London ought to have a number of influential upper class voters, not very likely to be liberal overmuch ; and it Birken head be a commercial place, its parent borough, Liverpool, has plenty of Toryism in it. As a party question, therefore, the proposal of Sir G. C. LEWIS ought to pass easily enough. Now, it strikes us that a good deal of reform might be done, without a Reform Bill, in the way of tranferring seats to constituencies most deserving them. Several boroughs are now awaiting their sentence from the House of Commons—Gloucester, Wakefield, and Berwick have all to be called up for judgment. Might not their punishment be something of this kind ? Reduce them all to one member each. Reduce their franchise to the lowest amount, and compel them to vote for this one member by a rigorous enforcement of the ballot. Give them a trial with one member and secret voting. We should then have two more English seats to allot. But why stop here? There may be, and con fessedly are, good reasons for disfranchisement where there is no suspicion of the less criminal form :of corruption, known as bribery. Every Reform Bill, 'Whig or Tory, has acknowledged that extreme paucity of population, and fewness of electors, is a reason why a town should return bet one member or more. Thetford, Arundel, 'Woodstock, and others--we need not give the well known list should part with one or both, in favour of the great towns, and populous districts. Why not bring in a succession of Bills—taking each of them one trumpery little borough, and the important constituency to which it was proposed to transfer its member or members ? Why not commence a regular persevering course of action of this kind? The electoral demerits of the worthless influ ence borough in comparison with the claims of some important place, would far more illustrate the desirableness of the change than long schedules, presenting no distinct points of comparison. We pseseat the suggestion to our working reformers as one worth their consideration. We are fully aware that Toryism will scent Parliamentary Reform stealing on them by such a process, just as eccle siastics tremble for their Establishment at the men tion of Church Rate abolition ; but still the reac tionary party, whether old Whigs or Tories, will we imagine, fight at a disadvantage, in resisting particular reforms, after all parties have got rid of a "comprehensive measure." If we cannot have Reform Bills, let us have Repairing Bills. PUBLIC INCOME AND EXPENDITURE. An account of the gross public income and ex penditure for the year ending the 31st of Decem ber, 1860, was issued yesterday. The total income amounted to £71,067,494, the expenditure being in excess of that amount £611,137, or in all £72,578,632. The income was as follows : Customs £23,032,395 Excise Stamps Taxes (land and assessed) Property-tax Post-office Crown Lands (net) 259,568 Miscellaneous Total £71,967,494 The expenditure may be summarised as follows : Expenditure connected with the na tional debt £26,833,469 Charges on the Consolidated Fund 2,239,898 Supply service Total We have disregarded the shillings and pence in compiling this table, but have given the accurate totals. Her Majesty's Theatre was honoured last even ing by the presence of her most gracious Majesty the Queen, his Royal Highness the Prince Consort, her Royal Highness the Princess Alice, her Royal Highness the Princess Eleanor, attended by Lady Churchill, Miss Stop• forl, Lord de Tabley, Lord A. Paget, and Lieutenant- Colonel de Ross. ThE LATE RAILWAY ACCIDENT NEAR WIM BLEDON.—The coroner's inquisition into the circumstances attending the death of Dr. Baly was resumed this morning at the White Hart Tavern, Merton, and was proceeding when we went to press. GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.—The ordinary half yearly meeting of the directors and shareholders was held to-day, at the Paddington Station. The directors' report has already appeared in The Sun. The recommendation of the directors, that the same dividend should be paid to the proprietors as was declared for the corresponding period of 1859, viz., at the rate of 31 per cent. per annum, leaving £13,601 19s. 3d. to be carried forward as balance to the current half : year, was agreed to. The dollars brought by the Mexican steamer have been at length disposed of at 591 d., showing a decline of Id. per oz. from the price realised for those by the last packet. The absence of demand for China is the rea son for this depreciation, which reduces dollars to about their actual value as silver, THE FATAL ACCIDENT AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE STATlON.—Yesterday morning Mr. William Carter, coro ner for the eastern division of Surrey, opened an inquiry at the Paxton Arms, near the Crystal Palace, to investigate the circumstances under which Ellen Lynch, aged 68, and William Eager, aged 21, came to their deaths. The Jury returned the following verdict:—" We find that the de ceased persons met with their deaths by accidental causes; but we recommend that passengers should not be allowed to cross the rails, hut that they should go up the stairs re ferred to in the evidence, or that such other accommoda tion should be provided as will prevent a repetition of such an occurrence." BERLIN WATERWORKS COMPANY.—The annual meeting of this company was held yesterday—Mr. W. H. Goschen in the chair—when the report was adopted and a dividend declared of Is. per share. It was stated that the progress of the undertaking during the past half-year has been steady, although slow. The service-laying by the company has considerably increased, while the amount of similar works by local plumbers has augmented in a still greater ratio. The additional customers, irre spective of those supplied by meter, comprise upwards of 1,500 families. The increase of revenue from wa ter-rates during the past six months has been £936, against £571 at Midsummer. It was also mentioned that lately, while there were 42 degrees of frost, penetrating 3ft. 2in. into the ground, the temperature of the water sup plied by the company was four degrees above freezing point, and that the cold has caused no injury of any consequence to the pipe system. In answer to questions, it was stated that there were no outstanding charges. The question of extending the charter has not been lost sight of, but is de ferred to a more favourable opportunity. Of the 80,000 families in Berlin, 8,000 are supplied by the company. Some discussion took place upon the propriety of increasing the dividend, but an amendment to make it is. 4cl. was lost. THE METROPOLITAN UNDERGROUND RAILWAY. —ln consequence of the rapid progress of this underground line of railway, steps are in progress at the west of the proposed stations to proceed with the erection of them. At the top of Portland-road the excavations have ex , tended to above 30 feet, and the foundations of the build ing have been proceeded with. At the commencement of the line, near the Great Western Railway Station, a more rapid progress has been made in the erection of the station, as also at the station which is in course of con struction at King's-cross. Here also the underground line has been greatly advanced. At Lisson-grove, near the Yorkshire Stingo, an extensive area of ground has been taken for the station to be erected at this spot, and by which there will be an open lino of rails till it reaches Marylebone-road, from which point it will pass under ground at King's-cross. At the end of Chapel-street, in consequence of the station requiring a portion of Maryle bone-road, the thoroughfare from Chapel-street has been diverted, and a bridge is being built for the purpose of carrying out the new line of road. At Baker-street on the north and the south side of the Edgware-road, a station will be erected, one for the up and the other for the down lines. On each side purchases have been made for the pro perty required by the company. On many parts of the distance the line of railway is completed, notwithstanding I the obstacles which have been thrown in the way by the late severe weather. FIRE AND Loss OF LlFE.—Yesterday morning, between five aid six o'clock, a fire broke out on the pre mises of Mr. Abbott, a retailer of ale and beer, nearly facing the terminus of the Eastern Counties Railway. Not more than five minutes after the alarm was given the flames burst from the windows with the greatest impetupsity. A scene of a most pitiable character then presented itself, Mrs. Abbott having made her appearance with three children at the second floor window. She screamed frantically for help, but the heated smoke and sparks were entering her apart ment with such fury that she was compelled to throw the three children into the street: Fortunately they were caught by the police and bystanders, and received no serious injury. Dl r. Abbott also managed to get safely out of the house, just in time to see his wife jump out of the upper window. She in falling :truck a policeman on the shoulder, and both were badly injured Mr. Abbott, on looking round, found that all the inmates, with the exception of two of his children— one named Emma, 13 years of age, and the other William, three years—had got out of the blazing building. Recol lecting that these children slept in the third floor back, he again entered the house, regardless of the great danger he ran. He could not find the children, and he groped his way through the heated smoke into the front room on the third floor. Before, however, he had time to look round this room, he having incautiously left the door open, the flames entered the apartment, and he was compelled to jump out of the window, and was badly injured and taken to the hospital. The Royal Society's fire escape arrived at the spot in less than three minutes after the alarm was given, and, the conductor having placed his machine in front of the house, he Wail informed that the children were in the third floor back. He at once ran up the escape, and entered the front for the purpose of getting into the back, but the flames drove him back, and he had great difficulty in again reaching his escape. The two poor children, it appears, had crawled from •the back room to the front, and, no cries being heard to proceed from them while the conductor was in the place, there is no doubt they were at that time suffocated. As soon as the ruins were sufficiently cooled to allow the fire men to enter, they went in search of the missing children, and found them in the front room on the third floor, not extensively burnt, except about the feet. Mr, Abbott was insured in the Imperial fire-office. THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY Env EKING, FEBRUARY 'l5, 1861. L 'l7‘ A NEW S. (REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.) PARIS, FEB. 15. The Moniteur publishes the usual monthly re turn of the Bank of France, which shows the fol lowing results as compared with the January return INCREASE. Fr. 42,775,000 DECREASE. Bills discounted not yet due .... 136,000,000 Advances Treasury balance Bank notes Current accounts NAPLES, FEB. 13. The Spanish Ambassador has sent to ask for a Spanish steamer, as he wishes to leave. Francis 11. has sent the French Consul to ask for the means of leaving. Steamers go from here to Gaeta to-night. The enthusiasm is immense. The conditions of the surrender are not yet known. VIENNA, FEB. 14. The Oesterreichische Zeitung says:— " The statutes for the organisation of the pro vinces and the statute in reference to the council of the empire are being printed. The number of members of which the Diet will consist is consider able. The captain of the cointry (Landeshaupt mann) is to be appointed from among the members of the Diet. The council of the empire is to con sist of two chambers, and will contain 350 members." BERLIN, FEB. 14. The conference on the affairs of Syria will be assembled about the 20th Feb., at Paris. The statement contained in some German jour nals that the Grand Vizir was about to proceed to Berlin is untrue. The Grand Vizir has, however, personally presented to the Prussian Ambassador at Constantinople the congratulations of the Sultan to be conveyed to the new King of Prussia, and has announced to the Prussian Ambassador that the Sultan is about to write a congratulatory letter to the King. PRUSSIA. On receiving the deputation which on the 12t)i inst. presented the address in reply to the Royal speech, his Majesty King William I. spoke as follows : " Gentlemen,—•l accept with emotion the expres sion of the regrets which the Chamber of Deputies has testified on the death of his Majesty the King, my beloved brother. " Your regards are now turned on me, I trust, with confidence. " I have on various occasions expressed the prin ciples according to which I am resolved to exercise the power which God has entrusted to me. The country entertains no doubt on this subject. " I firmly rely that the National Parliament will second me in the accomplishment of my intentions, in the sense of the intact maintenance of the power of my Crown, for that is necessary for the real wel fare of the country. " As regards questions of home or foreign policy, touched upon in your address, already made known to me by the regulations of the Chamber, which, I hope with you, will receive ameliorations in the future, my Government has clearly explained to you the points of view which guide it according to ray intentions, and to which it will remain faithful. I hope that the Chamber of Deputies will support it by its assent. "I hope that your labours, which will shortly commence, will bring to a satisfactory solution the important projects submittted to you by my Go vernment. We shall introduce reforms into many institutions, on legal grounds; there cannot be any doubt in that respect. " Union is strength, and, as it is necessary that we should be strong, we must be united. This is true as regards Prussia as well as her position towards Germany. My efforts in this respect have been crowned with the happiest results. "I know that my people will show me inviolable fidelity in good times as in bad times, and I heartily welcome the reiterated promise of such fidelity on the part of the Chamber." The different members of the deputation were then presented to the King by the President of the Chamber. His Majesty conversed with each of them in turn, and, on their leaving, said : " Gentlemen,—You are about to commence your labours ; I trust that in a few months we may separate in good feeling and friendship." Prince Hohenzollern and the Minister Auerswald were present on this occasion. FRANCE. BOURSE, Feb.l4.—The market has been heavy, and stock having been freely offered, prices have declined. Threes, for the account, which opened at 68f 35c, are now at 68f 15c. The following are the last quotations:— ft per per Cents 97 90 Credit Fancier 940 Do end month.... 97 90 Belgian .. — 3 per Cents Do. end month 6B 10 ' Roman Bank Shares 2890 j Austrian Credit Mobilier.... 686 —1 Spanish Threes 4B Do. Account 686 25 Home Debt .. 47 RAILWAYS. Cash. Account. Orleans 1405 — .. 1403 75 Northern New ditto B9O .. ..._ Lyons and Mediterranean 922 50 .. 925 Geneva 377 50 .. 380 Southern Western Eastern Sardinian 375 .. 375 Austrian Lorebard , ITALY. The Opinione of Turin, of the 12th, contradicts the statement of some journals to the effect that the opening of the Italian Parliament would be prorogued to the 27th ; and announces that it will most positively be opened on Monday next. The same paper states that M. Ratazzi has accepted the candidateship for the Presidency of the Lower Chamber, offered him by Count Cavour. A letter from Mola di Gaeta of the 7th, in the Sieele, gives some further details relative to the explosion at Gaeta :—" About half-past four yester day afternoon, while our batteries were as ucual slowly bombarding the place, a tremendous explosion took place, and immediately after an enthusiastic shout of exultation burst forth from the camp and from the crews of all the vessels of the squadron. The garrison of Gaeta having been in expectation of an assault, had prepared mines, and one of the shells from the camp falling on one of them, the whole of the bastion of San Antonio flew into the air, opening a vast breach on the part towanis the sea. After this unlooked-for piece of good fortune, General Cialdini ordered the bom bardment to be increased, and Admiral Persano ordered the Re Galantuomo line-of-battle-ship on the north side and the Garibaldi frigate on the north-east, to fire at the place at several times dur ing the night. At 8 o'clock last evening Captain Amtco, who commands the Garibaldi, put out all his lights, shut his ports, and approached to within 1,000 yards of the Borgi di Gaeta, when he ran out his guns and commenced a heavy fire with shot and shell. The garrison was for a moment as if thun derstruck, but afterwards opened a complete tern pest of shot on the frigate, although without doing any damage. At ten o'clock Admiral Persano signalled to the frigate to haul off, at the same time complimenting the captain on his gallantry, and as the Garibaldi passed the other vessels, the crews loudly cheered. During the two hours the frigate threw more than 200 projectiles into the place, without the slightest injury." HUNGARY. It may be remembered that, according to letters from Pesth, Kossuth, Pulsky, Klapka, Turr, Irangi, Horn, Szalwady, Kisz, and other Hunga rian refugees had been proposed by the comitats for the Hungarian Diet. Pulsky has just addressed a letter from Turin to the Comitat of Neograd, in which he says that he has joyfully supported for his country loss of fortune, exposure of his name on the pillory, exile, and other miseries ; and promises that for the future he will i❑ all his acts consult only the welfare and happiness of Hungary, whether fate may bring peace or war. Turr, in a letter to the same comitat, expresses a hope that the God of Hungary will inspire with courage such of her sons as are exiled from their country, and that they may make for them selves a road by which they will be able to resume the place from which the Austrian Government now excludes them, Cash in hand . CRACOW. It is stated in a letter from Cracow of the 10th that for some days before the local authorities had been acting in a manner which appeared to indi cate that some energetic resolution was about to be taken by the Government; also, that the editors of the journals had been summoned before the censorship, and warned to be extremely cautious in their manner of treating both foreign and domestic questions. The letter adds that the cen sors were displaying such rigour that the Polish journals were not even allowed to translate certain articles which had been permitted to appear in Russian papers. THE DANUBIAN PRINCIPALITIES. A letter from Bucharest in the Austrian Gazette says : "The cargoes confiscated in November last, consisting of two batteries of riflpd cannon, and from 8,000 to 9,000 muskets and cartridges, arrived here yesterday evening. By order of the Minister of War, the muskets will be im mediately distributed among the troops of the garrison, and the cannon placed in the summer residence of the Prince at Koduczen." Prince Couza has addressed a long despatch to M. Negry, the agent of the United Principalities at Constantinople, with instructions to communi cate it to the Ottoman Ministers, and to give a copy of it to the representatives of the great Powers. In this document, couched in very moderate language, the Prince complains that, notwithstanding all his efforts to satisfy the Ottoman government, he has not succeeded in removing the feelings of distrust entertained by the Porte against him, but that those feelings are still manifested on the slightest occasion ; as, for instance, in the recent case of the arrival in the Danube of Sardinian vessels laden with arms, an affair with which he and his govern ment had no concern whatever, but repudiated it as soon as it came to their knowledge. He says : " Scarcely had the two Sardinian vessels anchored in the port of Galatz, when the English agents insisted that I should seize the arms they contained. From the very first I distinctly perceived the full bearing of this application and that it implied suspicions at which I had good reason to feel offended ; but, being determined to carry concilia tion to its utmost limits, I merely called the attention of the English consuls-general to the consequences of the measure they proposed. As they still insisted, and showed me despatches from the English Minister offering me the god offices of England in case the seizure should cause me any embarrassment, I acceded to their wish, and the vessels were seized accordingly. The Prince then states that,•although he had adopted that extreme measure at the instance of England, and with a view to please the Sublime Porte, he was still the object of unjust suspicions which the most categorical denials on his part had failed to remove. On that occasion, as on all others, he had done all he could to conciliate the favour of the Turkish Government, sometimes even at the risk of displeasing his own countrymen ; and he concludes by calling on M. Negry to spare no effort to remove this groundless mistrust, and to place the relations of his country and of the Ottoman Porte on a footing of mutual confidence. ROME AND VENICE. A committee of succour for Rome and Venice has just been formed at Palermo, and the following is the proclamation it haa iqqued : " Fellow-Citizens,—When Sicily uttered her war-cry against the Bourbon all Italy was moved, and, rendered enthusiastic by our voice, called her sons to arms. A hand ful of heroes, collected in haste by the captAin of the people, flew first to our aid, and wrought those miracles that have made Europe wonder. Nevertheless, our Titanic efforts, in ferior to the enterprise, woull have remained inef f icacious had not Garibaldi, by a wise thought, promptly instituted in every town of Italy committees of succour for Sicily, for the purpose of reinforcing our insurrection with men, arms, and money. Thanks to the activity of the generous men charged with the holy mission, strong and frequent aid reached us in succession, by means of which we were able in a few days to destroy a numerous army, deliver the island, and affect a landing on the Continent to lend a helping hand to our brothers. " Southern Italy was redeemed. Twenty-two millions of men, united by the bond of fraternity, with Victor Em manuel, the constitutional king, form already the Italian family. But Italy is not wholly formed. Rome and Venice send us groans of grief that lacerate our souls, take away from us peace and rest, filling the people with pity and the despots with terror. So long as Rome and Venice are not free there will be no peace in the world. "Let us prepare ourselves, then, for the redemption : let us keep ourselves ready for the call of our captain. " In every corner of Italy committees of succour have been formed for Rome and Venice by the inspiration, and under the presiding care of Garibaldi, with a view to col lect arms and money, and prepare the contingent for the liberating army. " In Sicily, such committees have not yet been formed. The undersigned, invited by the central committee at Genoa to commenoe operations, accept willingly the charge, and constitute themselves as a committee of succour for Rome and Venice. " Fellow citizens, you know by experience what the liberty of a people casts, and how priceless its acquisition is. You, restored to freedom yesterday by your courage, and that of your brothers, have contracted the most sacred duties towards our country, and, being ever the first in sacrifices, you will faithfully and joyfully perform them. " Rome and Venice hold out their arms to you, and im plore your help. Sicily's answer will be worthy of Rome and Venice. " Palermo, Feb. 4, 1861. The members composing the committee : Georgio Asproni; Conrad Valguarnera, Duke of Arenalla ; S. Constantini, advocate; Baron Vin cent Favara ; Hyacinto Scelsi, advocate ; Francesco Perni, major; Baron G. S. Butera, cashier; P. Sciales, advocate, the secretary. CANTERBURY BALL. Yesterday morning, through the kindness of Mr. Chas. Morton, the proprietor of Canterbury Hall, Westminster road, the varied and attractive entertainments of that eminently popular establlshm3nt were exclusively devoted to the amusement of the children of the Li tensed Victual lers' School, while, with a liberality of spirit of which he has on so many former occasions given proof, the entire proceeds of the performance were presented by him to the Institution itself. The thanks both of the children and of the Committee of Management are also eminently due to Mr. Stanley, Mr. Morton's partner, a gentleman not less desirous of the per manent prosperity of the Institution, and who yesterday exerted himself to the utmost, to insure the thorough en joyment of the occasion by the little folks whom it was intended to please. The children arrived at the Hall shortly before two o'clock, and were introduced by Mr. Harris and Mr. Richardson, two members of the Committee of the Incor porated Society. Seats were assigned to them in the spa cious galleries, whence they commanded an excellent view of the spot which was so on to be the c ynosure of every eye. M eanw hile the hall had been gradually filling, and at two o'clock, the time fixed for the commencement of the perfor mance, every seat was occupied, and even in the large lobby outside the hall locomotion was attended with a somewhat uncomfortable conviction of the impenetrability of matter. The delight of the youthful visitors was evidently im mense, and their pleasure and gratitude to the founders of their entertainment beamed from their intelligent and happy countenances. After a second refreshment of cakes, oranges, and wine, under the inspection of their friends, the Governor and Committee, the school-band, with its fifes, drums, and cymbals, headed the procession, and returned to the School-house in Kennington -lane. The National Zeitung says :—" According to re port, the Queen of Prussia, with the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, will, towards the end of May, visit the English Court at Balmoral, where, on the 24th of the month, the birthday of Queen Victoria will be celebrated," THE UNITED STATES. LONDONDERRY, THURSDAY. The Canadian screw steamer, North Briton, Captain Borland, from Portland, Maine, on the 2d inst., has arrived here and landed all mails. The Bohemian and Arabia had arrived ont. The United Kingdom passed Cape Race on the Ist inst. The Convention Bill had passed the North Carolina legislature. At Washington, on the 31st ultimo, Mr. Seward presented the New York petition favourable to the adoption of resolutions for an adjustment on the Border States plan. This petition bore 38,000 sig natures. Mr. Seward made an able speech. The debate was participated in by senators on both sides. The impression gathered from Mr. Seward's speech was that the incoming administration had resolved upon a coercive policy towards the South should the endeavours for a peaceful settlement fail. On the 31st ultimo the grand jury found indict ments against Floyd, Russell, and Bailey, for hav ing defrauded the Government. The New York Legislature had decided on send ing nine commissioners to Washing , on, the majority of whom were to decide how the votes of the whole were to be cast. Charleston was quiet. California was strong for the Union. Their As sembly had failed to elect a president after 72 ballots. Advices from Havannah are to the 27th January. Sugar was dull, and prices tending downwards. Money tight. Exchange on London nominal. COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. NEW YORK, Feb. 1. Stocks dull and lower. Cotton dull. Sales to day 1,800 bales—middling Upland, 12c. Flour firm ; wheat dull ; corn prices tending downwards. Rice and sugar steady ; coffee and molasses un changed; bacon quiet; lard heavy; freights to Liverpool drooping. LATEST BY TELEGRAPTL NEW YORK, Feb. 1, Evening. A thick fog prevails. The Marathon, City of Washington, and Arago will probably sail to-morrow. The Mint and Custom-house at New Orleans have been duly taken possession of by the Louisiana authorities. The Government officers are retained. COMMERCIAL. Stocks lower ; New York Central, 77a ; Erie, 30; Illinois, 72 to 73. Cotton improved—middling Uplands, 12 to 121,c. Breadstuffs declining; pro visions dull. NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 30. Cotton firm. Sales to-day, 18,000 bales; mid dling,llc. to llie. SOUTHAMPTON, FRIDAY. The Hamburg and American Company's steamer Teutonia, Captain Taube, from New York on the Ist inst., has arrived. She brings 24 passengers for Southampton, and 67 for Bremen, also 6,752 dols. in specie for London. She spoke on the 4th inst. the Russian barque Kawe, steering eastward; and on the 13th the English ship Lancashire, steering north eastward. THE WEATHER. METEOROLOGICAL REPORTS. • Feb. 15, between 8 and B. E. M. D. F. C. I. S. 9 a.m. -- --- Nairn 29.43 33 32 se . 2 9 r. 2 Aberdeen Greenock Lerwick 29'56 38 36 W.N. W. 1 7 f. 5 Portrush Shields Galway Scarborough Hull L verpool 2 9 .61 40 39 S.E. 2 5 c. 2 Queenstown 2 9 .28 48 47 S. 5 4 m. 3 Yarmouth 2 9 .76 40 39 S.W. 2 8 r. 4 London 2 9 .73 45 44 S. 2 9 0. NEA t extreme 29 81 41 S.E. 3 9 r. K ew. ... 29 72 45 43 S •S. W. 2 9 0. Dover 2 9 .76 45 44 W. S.W. 5 4 8 0. 3 Portsmouth Portland Pqmouth Penzance EXPLANATION.—B. Barometer, corrected and reduced to 32 deg at mean sea level; each 10 feet of vertical rise causing about 1-100th of an inch diminution, and each 10 deg above 32 deg causing nearly 3-100ths increase. E. Exposed thermometer in shade. M. Moistened bulb (for evaporation and dew-point). D. Direction of wind (true-- not magnetic). F. Force (1 to 12—estimated). C. Cloud (1 to 9), T Tnit;als blue alry; n , (datar.l - .0): f., fog. ' • h., hail ; 1., lightning ; m., misty (hazy) ; 0., overcast (dull) ; r., rain ; s , snow • t., thunder. A letter repeated augments—thus, r.r., much rain. S. Sea disturb ance (1 to 9). WIND AND WEATHER Alderney, S.S.E.; cloudy Ayr, E.SE. ; mild Belfast, S. ; wet Birmingham, S.E. ; fine Bradford, S.E. ; fine Brighton, S.E. ; unsettled Bristol, S.W. ; fine Cambridge, N. W. ; foggy Cardiff, W.N.W. ; fine Chatham, S.S.W. ; cloudy Cork, S.S.E.; dull Deal, S.E. ; cloudy Derby, S. ; fine Doncaster, S.E. ; fine Dublin, S.W. ; damp Dumfries, N E. ; dull Dundee, N.E. ; dull Edinburgh, S.E ; soft Glasgow, N.E. ; rain Goole, N.E. ; fin• Gravesend, W.S. ; light Hartlepool, S.E. ; thaw Harwich, S.W. ; rain Inverness, E. ; snow ,EPORT, THIS DAY, 9 sac liolyhead, S.E., light breeze, and clear Kingstown, N. W. ; wet Leeds, S.E. ; thaw Leith, E. ; thaw Limerick, W.N.W. ; rain Londonderry, N.N.E. ; dull Lowestoft, W.S.W. ; fog Middlesborough, S.E. ; frost Milford Haven, S.E. ; cloudy Newcastle on Tyne, S.W. fine Newmarket, S.W. ; very we Norwich, E. ; cloudy Peterborough, S.W.; cloudy Southampton, S.S.W.; cl'dy Stockton on Tees, S.W.; thaw Sunderland, S.E. ; dull Wakefield, S.W. ; fine Waterford, S. ; dull Weymouth, S.S. W.; unset tled Whitehaven, E. ; damp Wolverhampton, S.E. ; fine IBIS DAY'S SHIPPING. LoNnoN, Feb. 15.—Wind this day at noon —South; moderate breeze, and cloudy weather, with r a i n d ur i ng t h e night. DEAL, Feb. 14.—Wind N.E. — Arrived—Kate Cornie, from Shanghae. PLYMOUTH, Feb. 14.—Wind S.E.—Arrived—Countess of Seafield, from New York. Sailed—Her Majesty's steamer Oudine, for Lisbon. NEWPORT, Feb. 14.—Wind S.E.—Arrived—Kearsays, from Havre for Havannah. CLYDI, Feb. 14.—Wind W.—Arrivod—Maiha, from Java. Sailed—St. Magnus, for Buenos Ayres; Norval, for Newfoundland. FLEETWOOD, Feb. 14.—Wind S.E—Sailod—Hoighton, for New Orleans. SUNDERLAND, Feb. 14.—Wind S.W—Sailed—Jeesy; for Demerara. (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) SOUTHAMPTON, Friday Morning. Arrived, Feb. 14—Kate, from Ibrail; Duke of Cornwall, steamer, from London; Arbutus, from Cardiff; Havre, steamer, from Havre ; Alarm, L av i n i a , M ary A nn, an d Azores, from Newport. Sailed—La Poule, for Cherbourg; Duke of Cornwall, steamer, for Dublin. (BY SUBMARINE AND MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH.) GRAVESEND, Friday Morning. Arrived—Nil Desperandum, from Constantinople. Sailed—Cid, for Bilboa • Seine and Tarnise, for Paris; Alberdina Edzina, for Antwerp; Comet, for Madeira; Leonore, for Dunkirk. DEAL, Friday Morning. Passed, Feb. 14—Sylph, from London for St. Michael's ; Diligent, from London for Carthagena ; Union, from Hull for Jersey. Passed, Feb. 15—Tubal Cain (of Deal), from the west for the north; Her Majesty's ship Spitfire, from the west ward, for the river. THE LONDoN NECROPOLIS COMPANY.—At the annual meeting of the London Necropolis Company, held yesterday, Mr. Alderman Dakin in the chair, the report was adopted. The share capital remains at £149,160, and eight acres of surplus 'and have been sold by auction at an ave rage of £ll7 per acre. A large number of gentlemen returned from the Australian colonies, assembled in Glasgow on Friday, at the Clarence Hotet, when upwards of 50 sat down to supper. The chair was oecupied by James M 'Ewan, Esq., from Melbourne ; appropriate speeches in the interest of the colony were made. The West India steamer Atrato has brought 116,000 in gold and £BO,OOO in silver. It is understood that the Bank of France would have reduce- their rate of discount yesterday but for the receipt of a telegritm announcing the step taken by the Bank of England. CHARITABLE FUNDS.--A return has been made showing the aggregate amount in the hands of the official trustees of charitable funds at the close of the year 1860. These official trustees are appointed by the Lord Chancellor under the C heritable Trusts Act of 1853, and to them the judge of any Court may direct the transfer of funds for better security, or at the desire of the previous trustees; and at the end of the year, they held no less than £785,008 Government Stock, £1,369 India Five per Cent. Stock, £5,388 Bank Stock, and £3,000 debenture stock of the London and North-Western Railway Company, besides £25,652 cash. CRYSTAL PALACE.—ONE SHILLING DAY.— Thursday, Fob. 14.—Admissions on payment, 585; ditto, by season. tickets, u 42; total visitors, 1,127. • R. i