The Sun. — London, England, 1856-03-05 00:00:00

..THEATRE ROYAL, DRITUT-LANE. Lessee. Mr. E. T. Smitb. For the BENEFIT o' HARRY BOLENO. ?MS FVENING, DELICATE. GROUND. Followed by COOL AS A CUCUMBER. o con.:lude with get DIDDLE DIDDLIs ; et. flariequln King Nonsense anti the Seven Ages of Man. THEATRE ROYAL, HAY3dARICET. traier the Management of Mr. Bucketene. THIS EVENING, SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER. Followed by • liIHE LITTLE TREAURE. After which, LEND ME FIVE SHILLINGS. Aft which the New Comic Christmas Pantomime, entitled THE BUTTERFLY'S BALL AND THE GRASSHOPPER'S FEAST ; or, Harlequin and the Genius of the Spring. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE, OXFORD-STREET., Iltxter the Management of Mr. Cuanza MUM. THIS EVENING. THE MERCIIA.NT OF VENICE. After which, NARLEQUIN AND THE MAID AND THE MAGPIE ; or, the Fairy Paradiaa and hankyPanty, the Enchanter. 1t 010 9 1 0 72 , Mr. Cormact ; Clown. Mr. Italian; Pantaloon, Mr. Peale; and Colombian, Miss Caroline Adams. ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE. FL EXSfORE'S BENEFIT. In COlulainenee of Covent Garden Theatre being required for the Italian Opera, Flexmore be;s to Inform his patron—the Public— that his Henetit will take place at the above Theatre on WEDNES DAT. March 12, and that wards of admission, price is., 25., 35., 45., a 4 & L . may be had at 66, Hercules-Buildings, Lambeth. THEATRE ROYAL ADELTHL proprietor. Mr. E. Webster.—Directress, Madame Celesta. THIS EVENING. BETSY BAKER. To be *Mowed by TWAT BLESSED BABY. To conclude with • JLCZ AND THE BEAN STALK ; or, Harlequin end Mother Goole at Home Main. In which MUM. J. DWI& P. Bedford. Madam Celeste. ins Wyndham, and Miss E. Arden will ap,ear. ROYAL OLYMPIC THEATRE. Lessee and Manager, Mr. Alfred Wigan. THIS EVENING. ATTLL WATERS ItIIN DEEP. Attar which will b 3 procinc.l a New and danbly-moral. though e coetetvely Old, Melodramatic Fairy Extravaganza, entitled DDICTIF=T PRENC gait ; or, the Three Glass Distaffs. In which Messrs. Emery, F. Babson. if. Cooper, Miss Marston, wad Miss Maskell will appear. ROYAL SU3REY THEATRE. Lessees, Messrs. Shepherd and Creswiek. THIS EVENING JASPER LANGTON ; or, A. Duel to the Death, To be followed by THE SAILOR OF PRINCE. To conclude with WAITER AT CREXORNE. ROYAL STRAND TIIZATRX. trader the direction of Mr. Para'. TRIM EVFIIING, THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. After willett, A Baaet Divertlssetnent. Followed by WNY DON'r SUE MARRY? After which, A Petite Divertls3ement. To conoltxle with BLITZ JACKETS. AfiTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE. Lames and Mannar. Mr. wm. Cooks. Last Week of the Pantomtrne ! TIU EVENING, THE /MAR OF THE DF.SERT AND HIS FAITHFUL STEED; In which the ratimality of the borne, taught and trained by Mr William Cooke, fills the audience w th delight and wonder. After which. the EQUESTRIAN EVOLUTIONS in the ARENA. The mirecttions ascent of the huge Elephants from the ring to the To cesxlinbe with (the last week) HARLyQUIN AND ST. GEORGE AND THE DRAGON; or, the Seven Champions of Chestendem. Box-Oleo open from Eleven till Four. Stage Manager, Mr. W. West. F.queetrian Director, Mr. W. Cooke, jun. EMMA STAITLEY'A SEVEN' AGES OF WOMAY, Reappearance of Miss Emma Stanley (after her recent indisposi tion) This Evening, Wednesday. the sth inst., positively. (Rails, 3s. ; Reserved Beata, 2e. ; Back Seats, le. • SAINT MARTIN'S HALL, Long-acre. HIGH WATER. AT LONDON BRIDGE. Tins DAY—Morn. 32 mtn. aft. 12—Evening 0 min. aft. 1 T4-Mol itoW—Morn. 26 min. aft. 1 —Evening 50 min. aft. 1 THE WEATHER-SUN OFFICE, MARCH 5. THEIVIONZTER, IN' VTR SHADS. 44 —highest since noon yesterday. 41 -.owest this morning and during the night. 45—this day at noon. BARON KT RR--30.32—falling. WIND. • Morning, S.W., now E.N.E. to E., with dull, Lazy weather. itk v I.•TAP • • Z 1) ' • ' • • L9NDON, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 1856. A large and comprehensive measure of military reform is "looming in the future." There is at length a reasonable foundation for hoping that the iniquitous system of promotion by purchase will be ultimately abolished, and more judicious and equitable regulations adopted. After what fell from Lord PALMERSTON last night, it is mani fest that there must be a complete alteration, and that the ameliorations, although they may be gra. dually introduced, will be of such a character as to satisfy the just demands of the country. All that was required by Sir DE LACY EVANS was a stringent and searching investigation into the by at e m by competent and impartial judges, who should express their opinions as to the ex pediency of abolishing the sale and purchase of commissions in the army, and on the means by which that all-important object may be accom plished. It is of little consequence whether that investigation be conducted before a Committee of the House of Commons or a Royal Commission, fairly and properly constituted. The gallant General, therefore, acted very judiciously in at once closing with the proposition of the PREMIER, and allowing the matter to remain in the hands of Government. The undertaking that a mixed commission of military men and civi lians should be 'appointed was all that could be desired, especially when the First Lord had candidly admitted that his opinion in the abstract was against a system of purchase. The most zealous and enthusiastic opponent of the objectionable system could not ask for an imme diate change, without full and mature considera tion as to the nature and extent of the substitute to be offered. There are, unquestionably, diffi culties to be overcome, and evils of a different character to be avoided. The reformers must take care, that like him who fell into Scylla w hil e shunning Charybdis, they do not suffer the remedy to degenerate into something almost as bad as the original disease. The improved tone of the discussion, when con t ras ted with that, formerly adopted on the same subject, wad indeed a cheering and auspicious augury for the friends of military reform. Tho glaring fallacies usually resorted to, were carefully excluded. The gross abuses that had sprung up during a long succession of years were universally admitted, and every dis position was manifested to meet the heavy Pecuniary expenses necessarily required for their removal. National faith required that those who have purchased on the faith of being allowed to sell at any time should be permitted to gat back their money, if they think fit so to do, and it has been stated that this would cost no less than eight millions sterling to the exchequer. Be it so I Even for that we should be prepared. No price could be high to remove that which has alone rendered the charge of being a nation of shop keepers a term of bitter reproach, and to add to th e efficieriey of our Army. It is not pleasing to hear the criticisms of those who have spoken of 0 ur troops as a body of liens, led by doih eys. The Crimean Commissioners have expl; tined the enormous losses, not merely i of , i toney, but of the lives of thousands of our ga' &int brethren. occasioned by the incapacity of in en holding high positions in the service ; and w e believe that there is not a single true-hearted E ktglishman throughout the length and breadth of the land who would not think eight, or even tem millions, well expended in removing evils sash as : those exposed in the Report of Sir J. M‘Nzu, ana 1 Col. TIILLOCH. It may be said that these evil s were the fault of the system rather than of the individuals. If so, it materially strengthens then argument, and shows that a tree capable of producing such deleterious fruit should be eradi cat ed with all possible speed. But it would not cost anything like the amount st. lied. Five or six millions, at the outside, would be much nearer the mark. The eight mil lions include not merely all who have purchased their commissions, but many who have received them gratuitously. It is quite clear that the nation could recognise no sums beyond the regu -1 lation prices, the payment of which, although constantly made, are quite opposed to the rules of the service. Nor can any man have a just right to sell that which he has not purchased. All that need be provided will, therefore, be the regula tion prices for the steps actually paid for by the holders. Many, too, of the number will hold on to the last. In such cases the money will be saved to the country, and it will constitute by no means an insignificant portion of the entire claim. The cost will, therefore, be by no means so great as has been calculated ; and although we consider no price too high for the practical improvement, it is well to see that the burden will be less than has been calculated, and that it will be spread over several years, so as to press with less severity on the tax-paying com munity. There may be a fund by which it could most properly be liquidated. If Russia be compelled to render pecuniary compensation for the expenses of the war, the indemnity could not be applied to a better or more appropriate object, or pne that would be more cordially assented to by every un prejudiced and disinterested person. The sug gestion, at all events, is worthy of consideration, and may possibly induce our Plenipotentiaries to stand firm on that important point at the Con ferences. But, however the money is to be obtained, it shall be forthcoming when required. Let no new interests be created. When an officer desires to sell his commission, and has obtained the neces sary leave of the Horse Guards, by no means a matter of course, he may receive an order on the Treasury for the amount, in place of procuring it from his successor. The sum required during the present year would not be very large, and we have no doubt that it would be willingly voted by the House of Commons. The best test of the sincerity of the Government will be the abstaining from creating any further claim, and letting those that may now be regarded as "vested interests" be gradually eliminated by the payment of some by the nation, and by the mortality which will not spare even the wealthy, who have paid for their commissions, and are practically rendering their services with but little, if any, remuneration therefor. The individual who can contemplate the present aspect of Poland without experiencing a feeling of regret can have no sympathy with the loftier aspirations of our common nature, and no claims to the confidence of a free people. Never in the histbry of the world was there a more melancholy spectacle, not to be devoid of hope. A gallant, civilised people, possessing all the elements of greatness, and panting to escape from the brutal oppression by which they have so long been en thralled—the sport of diplomatists and the tool of pretended friends. The noblest scattered throughout France and England in undying pro test against their oppressors, and the meanest compelled to swell the ranks of the most powerful of their tyrants, alike let down, without scruple and without remorse, after being buoyed up with prospects the most alluring and best calculated to deceive ! Is not this a sight at which both "gods and men " should weep ? If ever the truth of the proverb, "Put not your trust in princes" or Governments, had a convincing and disastrous illustration, it is hero. If ever self-reliance was inculcated in groans and blood, it is here. If ever a people had occasion to doubt all friendship not manifested in deeds as well as words, it is the Poles. And if ever a people were entitled to vindicate their rightful claims without consideration for the interests of others, the Poles are that people. They have no friends in high places, and will never have effectual ai , : i until the democracy of Europe is roused. i ii it, lair by the clash of their sabres and the thunder of their guns. Opportunity will never come to Poland—her only policy is to make it. For, thank HEAVEN, there is a Polish people yet—oppression has not erased them from the category of nations. There are living Poles, in whom the chivalrous blood of KOSCIUSKO races with patriotic ardour—living Poles, who need only the appliances of war to break asunder their yoke, and confront in em battled might the legions of their oppressors. Blotted out of the map of kingdoms, Poland is still a name which blanches the cheek of the des pot, and carries a deadly chill to his heart. The "infernal fire" of Sebastopol, splitting the ear with its volleying thunders, could not overpower the whispered word. Bomarsuud in the posses sion of the Allies, Sweaborg in flames, the mighty naval armaments of England and France in eight of Cronstadt, none of these causes of anxiety and dread could cast her for a moment from the recol lection of her oppressors. The ablest marshal of all the Russias was troubled on his bed of death with the anxieties she occasioned him. The brave prince, worthy a better Toaster, who quailed not before is cataract of shot and flame to which hell itself could alone furnish a parallel, was hurried from the spectacle of the captured and ruined city ho had so desperately defended to supply the place of the deceased PA.SRIEWITCH, and keep down that eruption which oppression cannot wholly smotleT— the inextinguishable hatred and revolt of an oppressed nation that do serves to be free. Prate of our diplomacy (1) as we will, vaunt of the strength of our arms and the overpowering might or of diplomacy,our fleets morea s we may more than our than the strength of our arm s , more than the might of our fl eets, is the little w or d '‘Poland." Or rather it is the dread of Poland rising in revolt that lends to the prepara tions of the Allies their chief terror. It is the apprehension of this event, this assault from within, and of Sweden aiding the assault from without, that has stirred Austria to her insidious mediations, and brought the CZAR and his crack brained brother to their muses,and is but too likely to lead to a pernicious peace. It was the fear of Poland in arms, and the revolutions to which that mak would 1-cad..the dynasties z. , ~ c ~:~yt :r ~ ~'. ~ ~ . ti •,r and the princely interests it would topple headlong to the dust—that occasioned our " drifting into war," and has stamped the conduct of hostilities throughout with feebleness and indecision. But let not our aristocratic rulers and our august ally, the Emperor of the FRENCH, deceive themselves. The revolutions that impend over Europe will not be averted, but will be ren dered all the more thorough by a mean and patched-up peace. It was, and still is, in their power to guide the " fierce democracy" in the career of freedom, and contribute to the establishment of liberal institutions throughout Europe ; but, once lost, the opportunity may never recur again. Peace at any price with Russia, or peace on easy terms, may imply with them tranquillity for Europe ; but, unless the signs of the times be given for a delusion and a snare, it will bring with it such a mustering of the nations, and such disorganisation and dynastic ruin, as probably the world has not yet teen. They will do well to interpret correctly the eagerness of Austria and the CZAR for peace, and be wise in time. COURT CIRCULAR. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent visited the Queen yesterday, at Buckinghara Palace. His Royal Highness Prince Albert rode on horseback, attended by Captain the Hon. Dudley de Roe. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, attended by Lady Fanny Howard and Sir George Couper, ar rived in town yesterday morning, from her residence, Frogmore, near Windsor. Her Royal Highness paid a visit in the afternoon to the Duchess of Gloucester, at Gloucester House, Piccadilly, and afterwards left her residence, Clarence House, St. James's, on her return to Frogmore. A - deputation from the Beer Trade Society, consisting of Mr. Bishop (Secretary), Mr. J. Bsswick, Mr. H. Mason, and Mr. S. Dawes, had an interview with Sir George Grey yesterday at the Home Office. A deputation from inhabitants of Islington had an interview yesterday with the Right Hon. W. Cowper, M.P., President of the General Board of Health, at his office, Whitehall. The deputation consisted of Messrs. Geenes, G. S. S. Williams, Fred. D. Edwards, Madgin, Atmell, and Layton. A. deputation from Smethwiek also had an interview with the President of the Gineral Board of Health yesterday. The deputation consisted of Mr. Downing and Mr. Chance. VISIT OF TEE KING OF THE BELGIANS. WINDson, Tuesday.—Her Majesty will entertain the King of the Belgians during his stay in England at Windsor Castle. The king, it is expected, will land in this country on the 17th instant, at which time the Court will arrive here from Buckingham Palace for the Easter vacation. Shortly after his Majesty's arrival the Princess Royal will be confirmed in the Chapel Royal of St. George. Apartments have been prepared for his Majesty on the south side of the Castle, It is said that Claremont will become one of the royal residences attached to 'this Of nirt. The King of the Belgians will remain at the Castle until Monday, the 24th inst. Her Royal Eighness the Duchess of Kent will con tinue to re2i , le at Frogniore-lodge until the Court re to rns to Windsor. LIFE PEERAGES.. The following protest has been recorded : DISSENTIENT,- 1. Because the order of reference not having directed any inquiry whether a writ of summons would entitle Lord Wensleydale to sit and vote in this Thine, the report of the Committee for Privileges purports to decide a question not submitted to them. 2. Because, according to the uniform opinions of the highest legal authorities for above two centuries and a half, the Crown has the prerogative of creating a peer for life, with all the privileges of the hereditary peerage, except that of transmitting bis honours to his descen dants. 3. Because the creation of a peerage for life with a limitation in the patent to collateral relatives has been common even in modern times, and no such patent would have been valid if the prerogative contended for did not exist. 4. Because any subject of the Crown who has received a writ of summons to this house is entitled to take his seat according to the exigency of bis writ, and there is no principle or precedent warranting the house in refus ing to admit him. CRANWORTR, C., HARROWBY,' SUNDRIDGR, PANIIURIC, GRANVILLE, GLENELG, tiTIINLET OF ALDERLEY, BImADALBANE, LANSDOWNE, SYDNEY, Die Veneris; Feb. 22. TIIE HEALTII OF ilfß. BRIGHT, M.P. (Front the Manchester Times.) We are glad to publish the following letter from Mr. Bright, to the chairman of his election committee: "Rochdale, March 3. " My dear %Vi!son,—The writers of newspaper para graphs seem prone to exaggeration, and in that whi& speaks of my he a lth, or want of health, I am represented as very much worse than I really am. "The truth of the matter is this :—For fifteen years I have worked chiefly in public afttirs, with very little relaxation, and now I discover that the brain has had too much exercise, and the body too little. I have been to London twice since the opening of the session, but have found myself quite unable to attend the House of Commons. My medical advisers strongly urge me to give up all attention to business for three months, and to spend the time in seeking relief in a Continental journey. "I need not tell you how unwilling I am to abandon, even for a short time, the performance of my duties in Parliament ; but necessity has no law, and so I submit to what I cannot avoid. My constituents, who, for nearly nine years past, have been so tolerant of my short-comings, will, I trust, believe that I have not quitted my post without a sufficient cause. I hone, when peace is made, and men's minds return tri matters of home interest, I may yet be able to ':"ensler some slight service to the public. I.f I canni!A undertake to sustain, by force of arms, the indepel:,;ence of the Sultan and thel '..loaY work is a h um bl er sp h ere t() lib er:ies and. promote the welfare of my strengthenliberties the Europe, own countrgyme9l " Yours ♦cry sincerely, "JOFIN BRIGHT. "To Geo. Wileor, WI., Manchester." Count Orloff, encountering Marshal Baraguay liars in the salons of the Tuileries, is said to h a v e o b. served smilin g ly, "Ah g. Marshal it is you, I think, who lately visited our country." "Yes, Count," replied the Marshal, "itis I who had the pleasure of icavina a card at Bernarsund."- EASTERN COUNTIES,—rhe numbers polled for the respective candidates for the directorship will be officially decided tomorrow, but in the meantime we have the beat authority for communicatieg to the public the fact that the result of this contest, which has been carried on with extraordinary zeal on both sides, is a majority in favour of Messrs. Waddington, Packe, and Goodson ; the " shareholders"' candidates, Messrs. Helps, Orr, and Walters being left in a minority. THE MAILS.—LIVERPOOL, March 4.—The Quaker City, which arrived here on Sunday in place of the Pacific, the non-arrival of which at New York continues to be the cause of serious alarm, will take her departure hence for New York to-morrow morning, letters and papers being received at the landing stage up to 7 a.m. The next Australian mail will be taken hence on Fri. day by Messrs. Baines and Co.'s fire vessel the Chanspien of the Seas, letters and papers being received up tQ F.! a.m, THE Mans.—SouTßAmtlort, March 4.—The Penin sular and Oriental Company'', steam-ship Ruxine, Cap. taro Joy, sailed this afternoon for Gibraltar, Malta, and Alexandria, with the eerni-monthly India, Chiefs, and Mediterranean mails, 70 pamAengehl, 47 ,4161. in specie, 471,6051. of which ie for thdia i slid the remainder for Alexandria, and a htit general cargo: Among the pas sengers see the Hon. P. North* Captain Champion, Lieutenant Walithem • Captain Anson, Admiral Sir Michael Seyindur, and Lieutenant G. C. Fowler: The Aaa., Captain Field, with the home*ard portion of the India, China, and Medlterfithaall mails, is expected about the 6th inst, The Tagus, Captain Wicks, will con vey the malls to Vigo, Oporto, Lisbon, Cad* and Gib. raltar, on the 7th last, the Captain Raabe, with the homeward mails from these ports, is expected to morrow. The Royal Mail Company's steamer. Paratia, Capt. Baynton, which was due at this pot with the West India, Mexican, anal Pacific mails on the Ist inst. is nut expected for a day or two, in consequenca of the delay she experienced on the outward voyage by heirg coin• pelled from heavy Weather to put into Madeira for coals, which place she did not leave for St. Thomas until the 28th ult., being 11 days from SoiithattiptOn. RUTLAND ELECT/oN.—The lion. G. H, Heathcote, son of the retiring member ) now a peer, was yesterday elected at Oalibitro, Without opposition, to represent the county of Rutland. He was nominated by Mr.Eagletou, and seconded by Mr, C, 0. Eaton, The new member, in returning thanks, said he was anxious to promote moderate reforms and retrenchment in the public expen diture. He was a friend to nopular education. As to the ballot, he should oppn3e it, because Le believed it I to be nu-English in its character. He should always take an interest in the prosperity of agriculture. Mr. Heath cote added that be desired peace, but, considering the magnitude of our preparations for war, be thought wa should be foolish to conclude a peace which might not be real and lasting. supposing peace to be delayed, he should not wish to see too great a reduction of our army, and especially of the Artillery, which could not be trained in a day. He wai of opinion that the army had been ton much relueed befoie the war. Although he was not so s traightlaced as to object to innocent recreation on the Sabbath, yet he was opposed to the opening of museums and other exhibitions on that day, Three cheers were givcr, for the new member at the ca4cluEipP of his spoeoh. TOTAL DESTRUCTION OF COVENT GARDEN THEATRE BY FIRE. (This Norning.) One of the most destruAive and extensive fires that has happened in the metropolis for some years past oc• curred this morning at Covent-Garden Theatre, and which has resulted in the total destruction of this na tional place of amusement. Since Christmas this esta blishment has keen in the hands of Professor Anderson, who has spared neither time nor expense iu producing a series of entertainments alike worthy of the reputation of this place of amusement, and commensurate with the patronage which he has been favoured with by the public. On Monday last the Professor's great carnival bene- fit commenced, which was to embrace dramatic and other representations, and to extend, with slight intervals between, from that ,day to Tuesday night; when the long list of opera°, melodramas, and farces which bad begun the festival was to be cr mned with a " ball masque," on a scale of great magnificence. At the ap pointed hour last night for the commencement of the bal there was a considerable assemblage in the sae. The cavaliers and nymphs who "dressed" for the occa sion resorted to the usual diversities of ooetume, those of a " fancy" character prevailing over the " historical." The whole passed off satisfactorily till about five o'clock this morning, when the company were preparing to de part, and whilst the last stanza of the National Anthem was being performed, the first intimation occurred of that dreadful calamity, which, in a coruparatAvely short space of time, enveloped the building in flames, and ended in its entire destruction. Whilst the maskers were grouped about on the stage, and presenting a most incongruous scene of costume and character, congratulating each other on the saisfactory result of the entertainment, a large burning beam fr:11 from the ceiling on to the stave, striking a gentleman on the foot, and scattering the embers about in every direction amongst the company. The greatest consternation ensued from this unmis takeable evidence of the building being on fire. The ladies commenced shrieking and rushing about in wild confusion, and gentlemen were to be seen endeavouring to find their partners, which from the great similarity of many of the ladies costumes made it a task of great difficulty, in order to frrnake a safe retreat. However, after a short delay the company rushed to the doors and made their escape, and fled into the neighbouring streets for means of conveyance to their respective residences, the grotesqueness of their dresses:contrasiing strangely with the scene which the neighbourhood presented ffimn so fearful a calamity on• curring at that hour of the morning. In a very short time after the alarm was given every person employed on the premises endeavoured to save some part of the property, but owing to the immense quantity in the building a small portion only, compara tively speaking, was preserved. _ Mr. Hingston, the Wizard's secretary, was engaged in the treasury when the alarm of fire was given, and rendered great service in saving life and property. He was the last person to leave the theatre, after having ascertained that the whole of the visitors and persons employed had made their escape. A large number of fire-engines from the various stations were very speedily in attendance, and water from the numerous mains around the theatre hav ing been obtained, the firemen, with the aid of an im mense body of assistants, set to work under the superin tendence of Mr. Braidwood. After a very short time it was discovered that all attempts to save the theatre would prove fruitless, and accordingly the exertions of the fire-brigade were directed to the preservation of the surrounding property. The houses extending from the cor ner of Hart-street in Bow-street, to James•street, Covent. garden, from their close proximity to the burning building stood in the most immediate danger from a slight breeze wafting the immense sheets of flame towards them, and it was with the greatest difficulty their total destruction was prevented. The Feathers public-house, notwith standing the immense body of water that was being poured upon it repeatedly, caught fire, and fortunately for the occupant the house was eventually preserved from sharing the fate of the theatre. The houses ad joining the Feathers, for the length of the street we have mentioned, have suffered severely. In Bow-street the scene presented by the tremendous conflagration was extr torclinary, and the same precau tion had to be taken of the houses facing the grand en trance of the theatre, as in Hart-street. Duriug the time the engines were throwing water upon the wijacent property the fire seemed every moment to increase in intensity, and the flames rose to an immense height and spread so vivid a refleiqicn upon all around that the Surrey hills could plainly be di corned by any person standing at the top of row-street and looking in that direction. The scene presented at the moment the roof fell nearly defies description. In a moment, and only for a nn ment, the flames that had been pouring from every window of the theatre seemed to be in some degree extinguished, and large clouds of black and dark brown smoke took their place. Millions and millions of bril liant sparks fell upon all around, and then again rose theflames with redoubled intensity, and the late of every part of the building was from that moment sealed. Still the firemen kept steadily at work, and as the flames which appeared to have strong hold in cer tain parts of • the theatre were extinguished, a loud cheer arose from the thousands of per ions who stood gazing at the scene. At short intervals loud report; continually occurred, and many were the conjectures hazarded as the cause, but the true one was that they arose from ,the falling of the walls in different parts of the house. ToWaris nine o'clock the fire seemed to have con sumed everything except the extensive walls of the theatre, but the engines continued throwing an immense body of water upon the burning ruins. At half. past ten o'clock the scene of destruction was painfully interesting. In Bow-street could be seen, through the window openings, a portion of the interior of what was, till this morning, one of the most splendid theatres in Europe. Large rafters could be distinguished resting against the walls which bad so short a time ago formed a portion of tiie roof. The doors and windows of the grand eetranae hating been destroyed the vesti bule presented a complete scene d rule, rind the only things that remained standing were the eight Doric columes, what from their charred state presented the appearance of whibe marble, and forned a strong can tract to the blackened and ernoktng mass that sur rounded each of them. The four large columns and the architrave ara all that is left of the grand portico. In viewing the remains of the theatre from Hart-street, and looking towards the south, an idea can be formed of the immense extent of the conflagration. There is nothing but a few pieces of projecting wall to impede a view completely through the theatre, and the window that, it will be recollected, were at the back of the amphi. theatre, can be plainly seen from the point we have men tioned. This fact will.be quite sufficient to convey an idea of how total has been the destruction of the building. With respect to the properties of the theatre, very little, if any, has been saved, and owing to the confusion at present prevailing, we have beau unable to ascertain whether Mr. Gye is (which we hope is the case) insured. Mr. Anderson, we underetend, is insured in the Sun Office to theextent of 2,0001., hnt this will not near cover his loss. - I We understand that no lives were lost. This is en tirely owing to the admirable management of the police in keeping back the curi9us crowd, who, after the alarm had been given, would have rushed into the theatre to the Imminent risk of their own destruction. The loss of property by this calamity cannot be less .ban 250,000/. The theatre which preceded the one burnt down this morning was opened by Rich about 1732, but after undergoing seferal alterations was destroyed by fir,: Sept, 20, 1803. The first stone of the structure just destroyed. was laid by the Dijke of Sussex, Dec 31, 1808, and it was opened on the 18th of Sept., 1800, with "Macbeth." At the time we write, half-pat two o'clock, the en gines are still playing upon the smoking debris. THE GREAT FIRE .AT COVENT. GARDEN THEATRE.—The L'Empereur, powerful prize fire•engine, belonging to Mr. Merryweather, lately exhibited in the Paris Exhibi tion, was brought into play by upwards of thirty men, and rendered great servo° in the preservation of the houses in Bow•street. The BishDp of London has not bad a relapse, as erro noously stated. The right rev. prelate is, if anything, better, being able to tike occasional carriage airings. It is feared that his lord-hip will be unable again to attend to the active duties of his episcopate. MACAULAY BURNT IN EFFIGY.—The North, British, Daily Mail says :—The Highlanders of Glenmore, in Inverness-shire, feeling aggrieved and indignant at the slanderous charges brought by Mr. Macaulay against their predecessors,ln his last volume of the " History of England," assembled together, and, headed by a piper playing the "Rogue's March," proceeded to the Black Rock, near Gleumore House, arid there burnt in effigy the distinguished historian. The assembled crowd gave three shouts of execration as the effigy was consuming. Macaulay, When in the Highlands, resided 1 r a considcratle tiraa at Glenmore House, - .-T~ A.TEST NE WS. BERLIN, MARCH 4. On the receipt of a message from Count Orloff, that Preliminaries of Peace had been signed, a declaration of approval was this day transmitted, through the telegragh, by the Czar. The Russian Ambassador of the Court of Berlin has been informed of this circumstance. The New Prussian Gazette announces that Rus sia will allow consulates to all the PoWers in the ports of the Black Sea ; that she gives up the idea of the reconstruction of Bomarsund, and that the Western Powers atandon their demand on the subject of Nico!aieff. It also says that France, Austria, and Russia are agreed on the sth point. MARSEILLES, MARCH 4. The preparations for Cie embarkation of French troops destined for the East aro on a larger scale than has been stated. They contemplate the despatch of 20,000 men. FRANCE. PARIS, TUESDAY EVENING. This day there has been a fourth sitting of the Congress. The Legislative Body met to-day at two o'clock, after the installation of the bureau, Count de Morny, its President, rose and thus addressed the Assembly : " Gentlemen,—The simple and dignified account of the exalted position of France which you heard yestf rday must have flattered your patriotism. Your feeling= of national pride and affectinn for-your country must have been highly gratified. In no virtue has the ;French nation been deficient. It has proved a firm and loyal ally ; it has carried on the war with vigour, patience, disiterestedness, and humanity. It has been at the same time calm, industrious, hospitable, and gene rous. Thus has France obtained a moral triumph more valuable than that acquired by conTiests, and gained for herself the sympathies and confidence of the entire world. The result, it most be admitted, is par ticularly attributable to the union on the Terene of the two most opposite qualities—energy and moderation. Those short and glorious years which have restored France to the first rank among natiors will fill an important place in history. You mainly contributed to that result, gentlemen, for you granted the Emperor an unreserved ce-operation under the most cri tical circumetancss. Let us now hope that the sound judgment and (malie feelings of the eminent men charged with the negotiations will succeel in removing ajl the difficulties and putting a period to the evils of Europe. Nevertheless, confiuing implicitly on the affec tion and solicitude of the Ernper..r fir his people, and in his care of its dignity ar d interests, we promise him beforeha❑d, come what will, that ho may rely upon us." The budget laid before the Corps Legislatif shows receipts exceeding by 19,220,000 francs and ex penditure exceeded by 96,770,636 francs the same items in the budget of last year. The excess of receipts estimated at 15,417,348 francs. In the expose, it is said that it does not become strong governments or wise financiers to bu 4 their hopes of the future too high. The surplus may appear small in view of the credits constantly demanded, but the Government hopes to be able to restrict the supplementary credits in future. The Emperor and Empress yesterday received Musurus Bey, the Turkish ambassador in L mdoit, who was presented by Mehetned Djemil Bey, tha ambassador of the Ottoman Porte at the Court of the Tuileries. Their Majesties alsO received the following persons presented by his Excellency L jrd Cowley :—Earl of Warwick, Sir W., Lady, and Miss Curtis, Captain Baillie and Lady Maria Glendworth, Hon. Mrs. Vesey Dawson, Captain Yelverton, Captain Johnstone, Captain Mullock, Captain and Mrs. Drummond, Mr. and Mrs. A. H. Dennistoun, Mr. Handworth Williamson, Mr. Butler. The Sardinian and Spanish ministers also. made several presentations. The Emperor has just given his sanction to the draft of a bill for advancing 100,000,000 francs to agriculturists; to be'employedin draining ; and it has boon sent to the Council of State to be exa mined in order to be submitted to the Legislative body. BOURSE, March 3, Two o'Clock.—Stock was de manded at the opening of the inarket, but when the Imperial Speech for the opening of the Legis lative Session was posted up, the Threes declined from 73f. 80c. to 731. 20c. ; they, however, have since rallied to 73f. 70c. It is said that the Credit Mobilier has employed 72 millions of francs in re ports for the liquidating of the Rente and Railway Shares. Half-past Three.—Prices again declined at the close of the Bourse, Throes being offered at 73f. 20c. The report has been very high on railway shares. Baciasn, March 4.—The followin3 were the last quotations Cash. fr. e. End of Month 4} per Cents fi7 —f. 3 per Cants 72 73 45 New Loan 73 Bank Shares ...... - 3,450 Roman • 87 CrOdit Mobilier 1,5135 Austrian Belgian Fives ..... .., 9tll Spanish Threes , Piedmontesf (5) B9 50 Florae Debt. .......... RAILWAYS-IFOR ft. c. fr. a Or!eons _. ...... —1,275 Westorn B7O Northern - Strasimg 975 Lyons - 11o(literranean 1,520 Grand Core,ral 612 50 Lyons Geneva . 735 -- Toste (Jetta BLOCKADE OF TEE BALTIC. KIEL, MArch I.—The Imperieuse, Capt. IL B. Watson, C. 8., arrived here about 1 o'clock this morning, the Pylades and Falcon having gone to Elsinore, where they will be followed by die HAT. rier and Dragon, while the Euryal us, it is expected, will come here and join the Imperieuse. It is most probable, however, that the Imperious° will proceed almost immediately towards the Russian coast, that the mesures adopted for the main tenance of the blockade may be carried on under the personal orders of Captain Watson, who has the command of the squadron, and with this view they are now foading the requisite supply of coals, so that no detention may occur. AUSTRIA. The Post Ampt Gazette, under date of Vi-. enna, says The announcement is confirmed that Count Buof has come to an understand. ing with the French Government relative to the Principalities. It is certain that, under any circumstance, an agreena:2nt has been c9rne to to continue the occupation of iLe Principalities by Austrian troops, while those of the western Powers! woull treaty of only, after the signature of th: peace, occupy Turkey properly so called. Th,',!; latter point is not, however, completely settled betwCen the Porte and the Western Powers. The Porte thinks itself able to carry into effect all its pro posed reforms without assistance, and therefore demands that the occupation shall be only for a limited period, say six months, instead of for such an indeterminate period as would result from the expression until the reforms shall have been con. aolidated.' It is doubtful whether the Western Powers will accede to this demand, as they have already, on a former occasion, declared that their troops should remain for one year from the signing of the treaty of peace." A letter from Vienna, in the German Journal of Frankfort, states that Baron do Mandestrom, who had been the Swedish ambassador at the Court of Austria, is to be replaced there by M. de Manshach, who formerly held that post. In Yoss's Gazette we find a letter from Vienna, of the 28th nit., which says :—The recruitment of the present year was preceded by a long discussion between the Central Military Chancellorship and the Ministry of the Interior. The first desired that the recruitment should comprise 120,000 men, insteadb of 60,000, for the reason that in the past year no levy had taken place, whilst the 3d and 4th army bad sustained a heavy loss during their stay in Galicia and in the Bukowina—a loss repre senting, 2,000 men per month, and which has not yet been replaced. The Minister of the Interior replied that in 1854 two recruitments had taken place, and he proved by statistic tables that a levy of 120,000 men would he very prejudicial to agri culture. The Emperor has approved of the Minis ter of the Interior, and ha 3 established the con tingent at 60,000 only. RUSSIL Now that the information can be of little ad vantage or disadvantage to any one, the Russian journals publish a variety of data connected with tho lately raised militia. will be recollected that the ukases directing the levies of militia re 7. quired that the complement of every druschine should amount' to 1,030 inr,n ; it appears that there have been 337 druschines organised in all. If these druschines have all their full complement, they must represent a force of 347,000 men, besides the marine force organised. by the grand Duke Constantine. The Ooyornment of Witegsk I raisi•d 3 \Vladimir, 11, \Vologda 9, Woronesch 17, Wiatka 18 (the largest num ber), Kaluga 11, K..)strona 10, Kursk 17, Mo hilefr- 3, Moscow 12, Nischegorod. 11, Novgorod 8, Olonetz 2 (the smallest number), Orenburg 7, Orel .15,. Pensa 11, Perm 16, Pultowa 9, Pskoff Riazan 14, &Mara 12, St. Petersburg 5, Sara toff 14, Siinbirst: 11, Smolensk 11, Tambuff 17, Tver 14, Tula 11, Tchernigoff 9, Kharkoff 14, and Jaf oslaff 9. In addition to these the Governments of Tchernigoff, Pultowa, and Kharkoff had to raise six regiments of . militia Cossacks. As the ukases required from 22 to 27 men to be levied `for every thousand registered "souls," we can form an ap , proxiinative idea of the number of mcu in Russia capable of bearing arms. • A letter from St. Petersburg of the 23d ult., in the Cologne Gazette, says :—" ' Prince Paskiewitch, who has left a fortune of 70 millions of Polish florins (the florin is 60 centimes), has bequeathed it as follows :-30 millions, principally landed property, to his son Theodore, and 20 millions to each of his daughters, the P'rincess Wolkonska and the Prin cess Labauon Rotowoska. He has left nothing to his widow, as, in addition to her own private for tune, she will enjoy a pension for her !ife of 30,000 silver roubles as the widow of.a governor of Poland." A letter from Alexandria states that a new negro Emperor has sprung up. Kass, the brother-in-law of one of the petty - .kills of Abyssinia, has de 'throned hiS relative, and assumed the rank of Ern peror with the name of Theodore I. He has offered his friendship and alliance to the Viceroy of Egypt. The Queen of Bavaria iS so unwell that the New Prussian Gazette publishes daily bulletins on the state of her health. WEST INDIA. MAILS. SOT:TT r, AMPTO IN - , WEDNESDAY MORN/ NG. By the Royal Mail Company's steam-ship Parana, Captain Ba,yutum, with the West India and. Pacific Mails, we have 'dates from Jamaica, 7th February ; D4merara, 9th ; Trinidad, 10th ; Barbados, 12th ; Sc. Thomas, 17th. The Parana brings 25 passengers, $1,100,000 in specie, and the usual cargo. The Queen, - 35 days from Liverpool, arrived at Barbados on the 9ch ult. THE GENMAN LEGION. HAMBURG, March 2.—lt now appears that our saltpetre and sulphur merchants were needles-ly thrown into a state of alarm by the appearance of her Majesty's steamer Prometheus in the Elbe. The panic subsided when it became generally known that she was not sent over to look out for contraband of, war, but to'carry over recruits for the German Legion to Heligoland. The arrival of the commander and the purser of the ship at Hamburg was connected with the receiving of a large sum of money in specie, the amount of bills drawn by the eou.nuisgariat at Heligoland on the Government at home, for the payment of the Ger man Legion whose pay was in arrears The de- Mand for bills on London is still very great, and the exchange continues to rise. On her first trip to Fieligo,land the Prometheus took over more than 80 recruits, and as many on her second voyage. A great many of these have been brought up to different trades, and a great want of artisans is beginning to be seriously felt in the coast district of Hanover, particularly for the trades of tailors and shoemakers. Last autumn_ the authorities here gave them selves a deal of trouble to catch some one in the act of recruiting for England, in order to make an example of him. G'reat suspicion was entertained that' the stewards of the steamer Heligoland, which plies regularly between that island and this port, were eugag'd in enlisting recruits, and their papers were accordingly seizod.and examined, but without the expected result. The Senate has now pub lished its decrees in this matter. Messrs. Diesel dorf and Co., the shipbrokers of the 'steamers, are Hued 200 dollars, " nvt from their implication being proved, btiVbecause there is reason to sup pose that they must have . reaped some pecuniary advantage fro it." Mr. Sieger, the chief steward, is fined 150 dollars for the same reason, and the Second steward 100 dollars, besides which several other persons connected with the steamer, or in employ of the owners, Messrs. Godeffroy, are lined in different sums of from 25 to 100 dollars each. ARRIVAL OF THE JAMES BAINES. LIVERPOOL, TUESDA.Y. The Black Bill Royal mail-ship Jitnaqt3 Baines, Capt. Chas. M'Donnell, arrived in the Mersey at an, early hour this morning. She left Melbourne on tke 28th of Nov. Her ,news has already appeared. She had on board '26 saloon and 210 second cabin and intermediate pas sengers, and 90,617 ounces of gold. Her cargo consisted of 2,123 bales of wool, 3,703 bags of cop per ore, 24 bags of tin ore, 64 casks of tallow, and 198 packages of merchandise. She encountered on her voyage a perpetual suc cession of,calins, and head winds throughout. On the 25th of Dee. she passed the Monarch, from Melbourne to Cork, lat, 57 S, long. 71 W. ; Jan. 01, the .Lord'Althorp, Callao to Liverpool, 90 days out, lat. 3 S, long. 39'W. ; Feb. 11, the French barque Eigle, Guayaquil to Bordeaux lat. 24 43 N., long. 46 20 W., 105 days out ; and on Feb. 12, the Brazilian barque Enplie, Rio Janeiro to Lis bon, 33 days out, lat. 24 34 N., long. 47 10 W.. MARK&T NEV7i3.—(This Day.) CORN EXOIJANGE. The supply of English wheat in to-day's market was chiefly the refuse of. Monday, anti in but middling condi tion. The trade was in a most inactive state, at that day's decline in the quotations. In foreign wheat so little was doing that prices were almost nominal. Inferior samples might have been pur chased on lower terms. • _ -- Barley was held at late rates. Malt was exceedingly depressed. • The oat trade was heavy, and prices were with difficulty supparted. Beans, .pea, and flour wero exceedingly heavy. •RRIVALV IMO W Wheal A alt. I Oats. 1 fr.oar, ,Cnglish .:Lo s 2,39e•.3.167 24 1 1,120 Irish •• • • 6,839 ) Foreign 6,230 „,, 4850 " f aka BOROUGH HOP. There is only a moderate business doing in our market. Prices, however, rule the same as on Monday. WfifTECH APEL. The trade generally ruled inactive, as follows :—Beef, from 2s 10,1 to 4s 2d'; , mutton, 34 to 4s ; veal, 4s Od to 53 Od ; pork, 38 4d to 4s 8:1 per 81bs by the carcase. LLOYD'S SHIPPII4G.—(This Day.) LONDON, March 4:— Wind this ray at noon, Westerly; light airs and dull hazy weather. PORTSMOUTH; Marsh 4:—Wind N.B. PLYMOUTH, March 3.—Wind S.W.—Arrived—Victoria (5..), from Southampton, for Melbourne. SCILLY, March 3.—Wind'E.—Arrived—Charles Ward, from New Orleans, for Havre ; Gravina, Batavia, for Am sterdam. OFF PILL, March 4.—Maria, from Demerara. DUNGLOW. March 3.—The City of Worcester (ca.), of Glasgow, from Westport, for Liverpool, wont ashore on 2Sth Feb., during foggy weather; crew saved. 11 ) 103 ELBOTUR TELEGRAVii. SouTHAurzoN, Wednesday Morning Arrived—Ondine ( 8 .) , from London ; Belle, Hartle pool ; Leader, Jersey. • Sailed—Norden, for Constantinople; South-W es t ern, (s.), Jersey ; Candia (. tpt.), Black Sea. LIVERPOOL, Wednesday Morning. 'Wind N.N.E. Arrived —A shi r ass r e La and Falcon, f rom Al exandr i a ; A g enoria, St. John's, N.B. Sailed—Governor Baron de Vriere, f or O s t en d ; Wood cock, ilaanbu g ; Rival, Ceylon ; John Darrow, New Or leans ; Josephine, Malta. QUEENSTOWN, MARCH 3. Wind E.S.E. Arrivod—Tiberiz ., s, from Mauritius. WATERFORD, March 3. Wind E.S.E. Arrived—llannab, from Rotterdam. BY SUBMAIIINS ANL) ffttlTl9B TiILiCGRAFTI.) Dr L, Wodnesday, 9.25 a.m. Wind N.W., light sirs. Passed—Reliance, from London, for Algal. Bay. Sailed—id.7.lasp.,s, for Inver orlon ; Achilles, Aber deen ; Olive, for Leith ; Lucy, Elsinore, with most of the homeward bound. SUICIDE. --Dixon, the officer in whose hands the war rant obtained by the South-VYe•tern Railway Company, on the application of Mr. Ballantine, against Mr. Wm. Dunn, of Staines, fcr fraud in riding by their carriages with an exhausted ticket, was p!aced; reported to Mr Elliott, at Lambeth polce•offlce, that be went to the Old Royal Baths, in Newgate-street, and there found the body of the defendant. From what tie learned there it appeared ,that the unfortunate man called at the baths about 9 o'clock on Saturday night, and requested that a private bath might . be prepF red fur him. This was done, and nothing were was heard or seen of him until ten o'clock at night when ►,e was found lying in a reclining position in the bath, with his head and chest out of the water, and life perfectly extinct. His gold watch, gold spectacles, two rings, and a small sum of money were found on the table, and, from documents found in his pockets, there could he Lilt very little deubt that the unfor'muato gentleman conunited suicide. Ono letter from a legal firm threatened that unless a sum excredinc , 3,0001. was immediately paid t)roceedings wonld be taken against him. He had further learnt that the de ceased had left eight clitidrvu, one of whom is in the )iluecoat Schott _, ~_ - u the Public; Joarnals: -...,3,.-_- Mom the Times of this day.) An Old proverb says, with more force than ele gance, than you cannot-make a silk purse out of a . • sow's ear. No doubt, that is no easy task, but it would be still more difficult, in our opinion, to ina•ke a sow's ear out of a silk purse. We shall' not . say which of the materials thus compared applies most to the question before us, but it is evident • the great difficulty that stares us reformers con , . tinually in the face is the utter intractability of ,the natural material. Whatever it is you have to make in this country you always have certain articles put into your hand to make up as well as you can. Mr. Bull deals with his lawmakers much as his *emit,- mica' spouse does with her dressmaker. She goes to half-a-dozen shops, and buys a piece of silk and the requisite quantities of trimming, lining, braid ing, sewing silk, buttons, and the rest, and takes • them to her dressmaker, whom she expects to assi- • milate the discordant elements into an effective dress, in spite of her protest that there is not enough of tbis, or of that, that the colours do not match, or the whole will be a failure. The task js much the same in the manufacture of any one of our institutions. Passing by the rest, we will go at once to the army. In this instance you have your man of wealth, your man of rank, your conr- tier, your favourite at the Horse Guards, and here and there a man with a genius for his profession— you have your clodhopper, your mechanic, your anobb, all to be worked up into a good army. No- thing is to be done but to make them all keep their places as well as you can, to keep the ploughman always worshipping the gentleman, to give the rich man something for his money, to make the upstart know his place, and to go.into action, if not a good army, in the scientific sense of the word, at leapt perfect specimen of the British community. Yes. They were no vulgar hireling's, no mere professional infantry and cavalry, that the Rietsiaas saw jn the Crimea ; they were rather per ions of English society—a piece of Norfolk, or Dorsetshire, or Yorkshire, as it might be. Nor is it at all certain that anything else could be made out of them than is now made. It is a Chinese puzzle, in which the parts remain respectively unchanged, though com bined into some sort of unity. How far the pre- • Bence of discordant materials, their obstinate in congruity, . the perpetual by-play of the parts, and the episode which every class of the army expects to perform during the drama of war, contribute to ~ the efficiency of the weapon, considered as a whole, may reasonably be doubted ; but it is mot - every combatant that has the choice of his•weapon, and we certainly have not the choice of ours. That, indeed,, eas the prevailing sentiment last night. In the House of Commons all the materials of the British commonweal are duly represented, • and full justice was done to all. Even though the speakers argued pro and con. in the old approved fashion, yet they met one another half-way, in -the spirit of mutual accommodation. They are all if agreed in admiring a theoretical army, in . which • • merit should be the rule of promotion ; but even, . • the theorists only asked for inquiry, and the defen ders of things as they are prefaced their speeches uniformly with the confession of Ovid's frail beauty - —that they saw the better course and preferred it, but actually followed the worse. There was always the same reply—that, talk as men might of French eqUality, Piessian science, and Austrian discipline, •: you could not do 'it in this country, and there was an end of it. In France everybody fancies himself an embryizi Marshal, everybody is jealous of every body else, everybody lights his cigar from every body else's cigar, everybody flirts with the regi mental cantiniirei and takes his turn at her eau de rie • so, of course, th ere it i s no great s h oc k to anybody's feelings when • the private finds himself the fellow-officer of his lieutenant. He was familiar enough before the change, and ho is not much more familiar now. They neither of them possess much fortune, and if one of them has money and the other has not, the capitalist is content to save, and does 'not quarrel with a general rate of living which permits him to do so. To be sure, promo tion is mighty slow. The officers of the Grand Army hug their pay unto death, be it five francs a-day or five-and-twenty; and their juniors, if they chance to have money, cast an envious eye on . the rapid promotion of theyoung British " milords." Not but what this envy has its revenge when some French colonel at 30 meets a British celebrity en . an important service, and, to his surprise, finds him a mere captain, or less, at 40 or more. On these •, eccasions the explantion is that the officer is only in the Engineers, or the Artillery, which, of course, • is satisfactory to the intelligence and justice of a .! Frenchman. He.' sees the matter with' French ,eyes, and we with English eyes. Even among our selves there is some diversity of vision on the sub- • ject. A man with neither money, nor friends, nor anything, except a little professional knowledge, is not always content to see his youngers leap over his head, without the opportunity of taking his turn over theirs. It is a perpetual game of leap- frog, without its rotation. But, then, says that most exemplary defender of all established institu tions, good, bad, and indifferent, Mr. F. Peel, even the poor man gets his indirect benefit. The wealthy ones buy and sell. As soon as they are , tired of the army, or want some ready money, they sell out, and there is a general move upwards, i 4 which even the poor man may possibly get a step. You have thus, too, a perpetual succession of young officers. On a former Occasion we have observed .that this recommendation unfortunately fails just at the point where it would be most important. • • There is no great harm in having your regimental officers men of ma - ure years, or, at all events, a little above the average age of ours. , Nay, it is rather absurd to find in a wh o l e mess not an officer who has smelt powder, except at a review. It is • in the higher ranks, in the command, that we occa sionally want a little youthful energy, enterprise, invention, and fire. But that is just the place where purchase, with its rapid promotion, leaves us in the lurch, and the leaden rule of seniority ' comes in. So there, at the very point, falls to the ground the chief argument for the present system- But it has occasionally happened that a jealous rule of exclusion has lost all its force, not by as sault from without, but by the very number of its defenders. In these days money is a test of con tinually decreasing severity. For one man who could pay a round sum for his commission twenty years ago three can do it now. Even twenty years ago the sons of wealthy tradesmen found their way into the army, and even into crack regiments. Men whose fathers had trades of a rather grotesque • character, and whom it was impossible to divest of ri. , liculuus associations, if they had tolerable names, and had gone through the ordeal of a public school and college, were 'admitted into the Guards, and by force of money jumped over the heads of needy lords. This is an, increasing class, for there: s scarcely a man with his 5,0001. a-year who would not like to have at least one son in the army. What is to be done, then, when the class becomes nu merous? The only course is that which Sir' De Lacy Evans spoke of in his reply last night. We want a competition among. the young millionaires themselves. When the wealthy cotton-spinner, and the wealthy tobacconist, and the wealthy rail way speculator, and the wealthy shipowner, and the wealthy upholsterer have all asked for commis sions for their sons, with money in their bands, let the prefer ence ti e g i ven t o th e one w h o s h ows some , ' knowledge of the profession he professes to choose. -• We have no objection to wealthy officers, still less to young lords. But .of the class, ctsteris paribus, as they say at the Universities, we prefer a wealthy soldier to a wealthy fool. Cannot we have some security that, even without the extinction of the system of purchase, and without having to buy for the nation every bought commission in the army, the best man will still step into the vacancy, in whateVer rank ? We will not do so great a dis honour to our country as• to suppose that this is wholly out of tbe question. FASTING IN THE AUSTRIAN ARMY. Voss's Gazette publishes a remarkable document —a general order by the Commander-in-Chief of the Austrian army, giving directions for the obser vance of the fasts of the church by the tr@ops of_ the empire. This innovation is another result of the Concordat. The Commander-in-Chief says that the rules aroiSrornulgated at the instance of the Victor Apostolic. The first regulation forbids the generals, superior officers, and members of the gene r•al staff to eat meat on Fridays, and the last three days of the Holy Week. The second extends the same prohibition to the men from the serjeant major downwards ; the third bids officers and men observe the ordinances of the church as to their diet on saints' days ; the fourth enjoins attendance on the Easter confession. In the fifth it is inti mated that the venerable bishop expects the grati tude of the faithful for the indulgence he has shown in these Lenten regulations, and hopes it will be rewarded by their frequent attendance at divine service and confession. Voss says that this order has produced the greatest sensation in the army, which has never before received orders respecting the observance of Lent iu this form. It is said to be the intention of the Austrian Government to introduce the use of certificate of confession into the army, and each officer will have to show that he has confessed at least once in six weeks. UNITY BANE.—Tha subscribers .to the Unity Bank have cgrupisted the, requisite payment of 50 per cent. o its capita! of 300,000/., and it is stated that immediately on th, receipt ,f the charter from • the Board of Trade, hi di is exp-eted in the course of the present month, the bank wit! commence operations. ' "'~5. _~ _.. iv O CO' The I very firr °f Amer Were wi 8 ,000 L tion), co to 7,1 . ; bid• to Sea Isla Share tiehs we The a, !epresen Improve, demand Was ex pi able for t tim e. the mar ° wing tc Unsettles etieeoraF, b rought th e we( h ad ar the yes, T he 'ho Emi wily hi /enien ce 59 days therefor( Comm 441 '0Urai) ar ld einb Notwi Frain tin o NiceE ther e. In , flour Was 89f. (5 f 285 s , th ere wa ° Ms and Tiotatioi Tip© It tiuif orm i t hrou , ilic th eir lab lire an d keetings tures. It has the Prus 111 ° 4 0pol . F or thi s / ` lB apps l 'ePert Lc abandons Accoul tilers era 20i rs , ortugu t entS., Ce eertiam Vori th e co, Llneast 4t ß at 1 ''' l3 no Mini, 'r oe 4 PN:du} 140 EaE R ltrris b tteh bitto THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVEN i NG, MARCH 5, 1856, J