The Sun. — London, England, 1863-12-23 00:00:00

ENGLAND 'S CONGRESS, in the CHRISTIVI.A. • DOUBLE NUMBER of FUN en WEI:KS ESDAY. 0: de Penny. R OYAL ENGLISH OPERA, COVENT-GA.RD EN. Under the 3I inazement 3 iss Louisa Pyne and Ir. W. Harrison.n On BOXING NI GE IT (Saturday, Dec. 26), to commence With the zecond Act ol Balfe's popular opera, TAE BOHEMIAN GIRL. After which, a Grand. Christmas itled Pantomime, on a scale of unprecedented magniacence, HARLEQUIN ST- GEORGE AND THE DRAGON. Doors open at ha.lf-Past Six-- , _ommence at Seven. THEATRE ROYAL DRUR Y-L AN E. 3ranegers, _Messrs. Edmond Falconer and V'. B. Chatterton. On BON:IN-Cr NIG-HT, Dec. 26. the Farce of A ROLAIN.M Fo a AN °LiVEIL Mes.rs. Walter Lacy, Addison, G. nore , the Dlisses lles.th, It. Leelercg, Murray. t o conclude, with the new Grand Christmas Comic Panto or SIN. 1=1.1:1 THE SAILOR ; or, The Seven Wonders of Clowns, Messrs. H. Boleno and C. Lauri; liar;equies, essre. J. Cormack and S. Saville ; Pantaloons, 14tessri4. W. A. Barats and J. A:orris ; Columbines, Madame Bolono and AP isseE Gunniss. Prices as usual. Box ()lice open from 10 till 5 daily. OPAL LYCEUM THEATRE. Under the Sole 3lanagement of Mr. Fechter. BEL DEMONIO (a Triumphant Success) will be repeated 011 BOXING N IGHT, Saturday. Dec. 26, MONDAY, Dec. 28, and Every Evening during the Week. BOXING N IGHT, the performance will commence with a New and Ori 'inal Farce, entitled THE LOST CHILD : Messrs. 11. Wi ddicombe, Shore, Garden, F. Charles Collett, Moreland; SI; sses Percy, Pauline Lezlerci, Wood, Mrs. Lee, and Ailiss E. L avenu. After which.. at Eight o'clock, BEL DEMONIO, a Love Story, in Twe lye Tableaux, taken from Stendhal's "Italian Chronicle , ," t y Mr. John Brougnam. Principal charac ter by Mr. Fe 3hter, supported by Messrs. Jordan, Charles, lirmighsm, En eery, Raymond, Moreland, Smith, Clifford, Collett, Sims ; Miss Kate Terry, E. Lavenu, Airs. Lee, and iss Elsworth 3 The Public ar e entreated to take notice that No Charge is made to the ocir upants of Boxes, Box-places, or Stalls, either for play bills or for the safe keeping of hat , and cloaks, and teat the attend ants in all parts of the house are forbidden to receive any gra . , :cities whatever. Box-office open daily from 11 to 5. Commence at 7. TEIEATRE ROYAL HAYNIARKET.- Sole Les see and Manager, Mr, Buckstone. THIS EVE. , I KG, PAUL PRY : Messrs. C. Mat files Chippenlale, W. 'arren, Rogers, Gordon, Clar k, &c. ; Mes dames C. Mathewii, Angel, Snowden, Coates, ezc And (last time) 'I7:3E GOLDEN FLEECE : Messrs. Chas. Mathews, Comptort, Weathersby, &c. ; Mesdames C. Mathews, L Keeley. Griffith, Ire. Followed by the Second Act of THE CRITIC : Mr. and Mrs. Charles Mathews. Commence at 7. ROYAL ST. YAM ES'S THEATRE. under the Management of Mr. B. WEBSTER, will OPEN on BoXING NIG II r.— Amongst the artists au' are Mr. Benjamin Webster, - 11 r. J. L. Tony, M. P Bedford, and Mi „ F a nny Josephs, Miss WenfWorth, and Mr Chivies Mathew, f; Mrs. Stirinw, Mrs. Frani; Mthews, Miss Cottrell, Mrs. Cti ,, rles Mathe%rs. On BOXING NIG lIT, the new Comic Drama of th e HEN AND CHICKENS T . :Mrs. Stirling in her original character. J i;y . rot), r(l . ,_ and entitled IS61; or TH r F - At ter which, a Cor ai cal Co_ngtomerative Christmas Absu "A6T SEASON, witn a Sha ' rneful dity. by Henry Seeret. ire N lit e n u d - SENSATIOIib OF slit. Scenery by -Revelation of LadF Somebody's Danson and Sons. Appointments by Mr. M. Wanerstein. P-r4_ncipal characters by 1, • Music by Mr. Paul Bedford, Miss Cottrell, Miss Fa-any' .•J. L. Toole, And the BIRTHPLACE OF Pop Josephs, &c. in his original character. GEES : _ Jos J. L. Toole EATRE-li 0 YAL, ADELPHI._ IN gale Proprietor and Manager. M. B. Webster. THIS EVENES"G, THE PRETTY HnESEBREAB ER. Messrs. J. L. Toole, Paul Bedford, and Miss Woolgar. tB, the New Drama of LEAH : Bth wee of Miss Bate man, supported by Messrs. Arthur Stirling, it. Phillips, Stuart, Stephenson, Eburne; Miss 11. S imms ' and Mrs. Billington. To conclude with ICI ON PARLE FRANCAIS. Mr. J. L. Toole. Commence at 7. L EAH.--EVERY NIGHT. IVIISS BATEMAN.—LEAH.—Tins EVENING, the 70th appearance of the great Tragic Actress, Miss BATEMAN, in the character of IJEAII. In consequence of the unbounded success with which Miss Ilaternan's imperso nation of the principal character in the new Five Act Drama of LEAH has been attended. Mr Webster begs to announce that it will be performed EVERY EVENING until further notice. ROYAL STRAND THEATRE. Manager, Mr. W. H. Swanborough. THIS EVENING, MIRIAM'S CRIME. Messrs. Geo. Honey, Parseile, Belford, Turner, Miss K. Saville, and Miss Mamie rs. After which, MRS. BRO WN AT TINE PLAY. Followed by (25th time) PATIENT I'ENE LOPE ; or, The Return of Ulysses. Messrs. tioney and Fenton ; Mesdames anborough and Simpson. To conclude with HIGH LIFE BELOW STAIRS. Commence at 7. T" THIRD EDITION OF " THE SUN," Containinz the Latest SPORTING INTELLIGENCE, pan be had Every Evening of G. If. GLMNIE. NEWS AGENT, No. 4. Connaught-terrace. llyde-pa,..k. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. THIS DAY.—Morning, 12h. 42m.—Aftercoon, lb. 4m To-Afoßßow,-Morning, lh. 30m.—Aternoon, Ih. 51w. The Weather—Sun Office, Dec. 23, 1863. --~ THERMOMETER. This day at Two o'clock Baremeter-50.20. Wind—S.-W. ; fresh, and very fine. grrFr 14/47g S at ,. 44/4 LONDON, WEDNESDAY, DEC. 23, 1863. Th e simultaneous publication of the Presidential Messages—that of ABRAHAM LINCOLN to the Yederais, that of JEFFERSON DAVIS to the Confe derates—brings, now, more vividly than ever into strong relief the contrast presented to view thr oughout this disastrous civil war, upon a corn- Pa i r t i h av ni of the two men, or of the two Govern men t s . 1 A "til the Northern President was seriously in valided at the date of his communication to the Congress t Vashington, the tone of his Message, it will be p ezae i ' v eti, was in no degree more placable. The contest Was still to be fought out to the death. r e , -.ere was to be no miti ga ti on at sill of th E , horrors of this ferocious struggle. In anewer to the secession of the South, there was to be no concern' ew ion of any kind on th e part of the North . Th project of subjug a ti ng territories s till ob e di en t to t h e power the enormou s terr. .or that is at Richmon,a, was _et acted " upon, was et maintained in arg umen t , as vs _ n y u dream admitting. of realisation, mortar it were a day from makin g any attempt of eve n the Partial kind towards lessening the horrors sv 1, - ; ; Civil war in Ppursuance of this nom, ria"*Ei assiduously insane Presi dent LINCOLN is striving, than ever to intensify those horrors by Ming to the iiarkness of civil war the double darkn ess ot servile. war—and that servile war one actu a l ly dandled into being by Mr. LINCOLN in the de nt , crated names of humanity, of of philanthropy, negro emancipati on . I n power f u l contrast with the incoherence and menace of the Northern Pre sident's 11 1eisage, the Message penned by President DAVIS--a 'ter giving a masterly summary of the eventfi which have taken place in vari ous parts of the seat of war since the date of Vie last communication addressed by him to the Ue.mgress at Richmond, a summary in which no 'failure on the part of the South is veiled or glossed over, and in which no success of theirs is in any way exaggeratcd—intimates in terms the plainest, tiva strongest, the calmest, the most unhesitating, unshaken resolve of the Confederate Govern to withstand the deadly efforts made by the aorta . • to effect the conquest of the Southern States, by ea doin g , to deal a d ea th bl ow a t th e i r r i g h ts hEI a Free P eople of Sovereign independence. Upon Confederate P R this P5l " th e C FSIDENT argues with Ircor, (3c rf. ul forc e at tht: very close of his remarkable that th e pedoraia " having begun the war 212 direct violation of th e i r . Constitution, WHICH FOR tnE Tin ATTEupT TO COERCE A STATE, have been 50 hardened rn tbrs illegal and unconstitutional have been so hardened in it by the mere proceeding , ferocities of the contest up on which they have thus r, cklessl:v a fiventa,red, that they no long er 'endea , L Tour O on ce a l __ al in all y way th e pur pose with whi c h b e i ng carr i ed the war is now on, namely, at all cost and at all hazard, to pull (low_ to the dust e ro States, t o subvert al the institutions of the S outh together their Independency,. e v e n in thEi meet brit together their Soverego , y werubere o f At all cost ! Therein luck,liant successes (rater on to be re. achieved by the supe rior the North, the secret Nemesis vealed) by whose agency the deadly crime of this most cruel and gigantic of civil wars is safe eventn.. ally to be avenged. , Another year has been run out in the maintenance of the struggle against the incursions of the North by the Confederates. Another year ! In that simple fact—the lapse of another year—lies the greatest advantage gained to the cause of the Confederates ! For, as surely as another twelvemonth has thus been traversed by the contending Governments without bringing the ferocious contest in which they arc engaged to a conclusion, or even, we will say, to the faintest prospect of its proximate conclusion, so surely aro the Federals brought nearer and nearer to the inevitable bursting at last of the financial bubble which is for them the NADAR-Geant by which they are sus tained and carried onward. It is fearful to reflect, no doubt, that upon either side, upon the side of the Federals no less than upon the side of the Confederates, within this ghastly lapse of time throughout which the civil contest has been main tained with such unparal leled ferocit y , with such in creasing and increasing mutual hatred, sixty thou sand men have been violently swept from the face of the earth, sixty thousand Federals, sixty thousand Confederates. The solace to the South, in the perpetual consciousness of the peril in which it s t an ds in being opposed by a power B O vas tl y out numbering it—the solace to the South, in the re cognition eventually of this formidable dispropor tion, is discoverable, however, in no way—in the miserable or, fur that matter, the appalling fact that the losses of the belligerents in men are, thus as nearly as may be equivalent. It is discernible rather in the consideration of the still astound , lug, the still all but incredible truth that by this lengthening out their dreadful civil war by their heroic resistance to Northern invasion, the Confederates have caused the Federals to add recklessly to their already stupendous debt the gigantic sum of two hundred millions sterling ! The mere lengthening out, still further, of the time occupied by the war must of itself, therefore, obviously forward the inte rests of the Confederates—[at a dead loss to them selves no doubt, but still to the eventual vindica. don triumphantly of what is worth any conceivable expenditure, their independence !]—must of itself, we repeat, obviously forward th 3 interests of the Confederates—if, no otherwise, by hastening on the period when the financial crash, so long impending over Washington, can no longer be averted. A most shocking case has lately occurred in Tottenham-court-road Chapel ground. It is a very disgraceful thing to desecrate the bodies of the dead, and it is very much to be regretted that in conse quence of the ground not being consecrated, the case could not come under the cognisance of the Ecclesiastical Court. It is well that it should be generally known that the offence, even in this form, is punishable by common law, but the powers given to magistrates in such cases is far too limited. Mr. COLLIN s, chairman of the Sanitary Committee, very truly remarked that all that could be done was to . nflict a penalty of ten pounds, and it is worthy of notice that in this case referred to the fine ad judged was but half that sum. Five pounds is not at all an adequate sum to be awarded against such an act. The affair was rendered the more unjus tifiable, from the fact that due notice was given at the time of the sale that the parish would protest against any bailding taking place on the spot, as the ground was full of bodies. It seems, then, un accountably outrageous that the purchaser should thus violate the pledges given, and break the com pact entered into at the time of the sale. Some further particulars were furnished at the meeting of the St. Pancras. Vestry, in which it appeared that the ground was crowded with the bodies of those interred there. A former sexton deposed that since he had ceased to be employed there the " bodies were buried, not within two feet, but within six inches of the surface.'' Of course this rendered the proceedings all the worse, for it would be totally impossible to make any alterations or changes without disturbing a great many bodies. The details of the transaction, as they were related at the Marlborough Police-court, are perfectly re volting, Mr. COOPER, the solicitor to the Vestry of St. Pancras, deposed that the human remains were not separated from the earth and rubbish ; they were dug up with spade and mattock, and placed in a heap quite exposed to the view of passers by. Some persons had gone about exhibit ing bones and skulls. In a civilised land, to say nothing of a Christian country, it is fearful to think such things can be tolerated, and for all this only a fine of five pounds was inflicted. It is a pity that the idle time which is so wasted in Parliament during the session cannot be filled up by taking such cases as these into consideration, and seeking to devise some appropriate remedy, thus to put a decided stop at once and for ever to the recurrence of such scandalous proceedings, and to render it nearly, if not totally, impossible for the repetition of such an offence to occur. As one of the gentle men who attended the vestry declared, the police law is a farce, for no one who was engaged in any large building concerns would care for the penalty of ten pounds or double that amount. It is very important that some change should be made at once, for it is highly necessary for the maintenance of public decorum and decency, and the furtherance of the principles of morality, that these evils should be checked at once with a strong hand. Too much attention cannot be given to this subject, as it is one which is immediately connected with those feelings of respect and reverence which should be cherished and encouraged, and the neglect of which cannot fail to exercise a most degrading effect, and to impart deleterious influences on the people who Practice them. Laws which relate to such subjects t sh hat o t , . I '4 be stringent, and c a rr y ou t th e p r i nc i p l es actuated all nations from the earliest a g es , w hoho wept forth to fight "for the ashes of their fathers 4,14 the temples of their gods." The close of a Danish Rigsraad has given the KING the ePPortu, it Y of addressing his people on the anxious and tr l i u g position of the national His MAJEs Tr , a _ ddress is quiet and mode -1 neither threats nor recriminations, although is , mode rate its tone, indulgi na Intel, and eon - Point s out that the - Di e t are neith er pre tensions of the founded on reason the members Ki n g CitnisTlAN reminds .constitutical nor right. Was thought assembled in 1 85:, vi i s t that when they that the long-vexed question of definitely relations of the monarchy was de elusively settled. Such ought to have be nuthe case, and we should have heard no more of that p olitical bugbear, the Schleswig-Holstein question, h ad it not been for the secret influences of German ambi. tion. The K ING explains that the Constitution of the 18th of November—the Constitution, that is, which he has just given his assent to for Denmark and Schleswig, and whose withdrawal is now being made a sine qua non by the G erma ns—is founded on the same basis as that of the Constitution which is at present in force for the whole monarchy. By the old and the new alike are the common affairs of the kingdom distinguished from those specially concerning its several provinces individeally. In neithe r is the Rigsrmal directed to interfere in matters only concerning the provinces; and it is, co nsequently, difficult to see upon what ground- the malcontents of the Duchies base their objection to the new Constitution. King CHRISTIAN declares it to be a misunderstanding on the part of the treaties on account of the of the 18th o f Powers which prevents them from recognising th e edict November ; but we are glad to see th a t h e an nounces no intention of withdrawing that edict with the view of conciliating his enemies. He says, boldly enough, that a desire to dismember the Danish monarchy has arisen in Ger many, but expresses a hope, though not a very confident one, that Europe will maintain his rights. He further tells the Rigsraad that although he does not recognise the Federal execution as jus- tifiable, he has thought it advisable to withdraw his troops across the Eider to avoid a collision. It is to be hoped that the Danish Government will take that river for a limit beyond which the invaders must not be suffered to pass, and England should intimate pretty plainly to her German allies that she will not regard the passage of that boundary by armed troops as a casus belli. Had she done so years ago, when the Pruth lay between the Russians and the Danubian provinces, she would have spared Europe the Crimean war. Another struggle, in volving many Powers, and stimulated by many con flicting interests, is now imminent. It may be averted by a bold and manly policy on the part of our Government, but will they act in such a spirit ? How have Lord PALMERSTON'S frank and straight forward words, at the close of the Session, been fol lowed up by the foreign policy of his Cabinet ? A representative of their views has been sent to Den mark, indeed, to congratulate King CHRISTIAN on his accession to a troubled and doubtful dignity. All that has yet been learned of the mission of Lord WODETIOUSE is that he has counselled conciliatory measures, and recommended important modifica tions in the constitution of the 18th of November. If this is the best aid that England can give in such a crisis her Prime Minister should not have spoken so boldly. If his denunciations of German ambition, and the vision of a German fleet riding in the har bour of Kiel, as the real motive-springs of the dis satisfaction with Denmark, were to be Vox et pre terea nihil, they havo merely served to mislead the nation which trusted his good sense and clear judg ment to take more active measures when occasion called. Whether, like the old story of the lion, he thought it advisable to let the Germans into the Duchy for the pleasure of turning them out again, we cannot say, b u t i t i s certa i m that being in virtual possession of Holstein the Germans will be troublesome customers to dislodge. The public enthusiasm in the Fatherland was in no way diminished. At a public meeting of the members of the different German representative bodies held in Frankfort on Monday, 900 members were present, as well as great numbers of the public. The reso lutions passed were unanimously in favour of the Prince of AUGUSTENBURG. In the Prussian Upper House it was on the same day boldly proposed that Prussia should withdraw from the London Treaty. l was t however, happily for Prussi a , su ffi c i en tly supported. o lt It is therefore not too soon for England and her representatives to assume some decided attitude, and the sooner she does so the more effica cious will her aid be to the Danes, and the better for the credit of Lord PALMERSTON'S Government. There is no quality which Englishmen think more of than fair play, and in cases where it is grossly violated the offender is certain, sooner or later, to be called to account pretty sharply. A more notable instance could not be given of bias and prejudice than that evidenced by the conduct of our Government with regard to the policy of neutrality, as it is called, towards America. President DAVIS may well speak of the "marked partiality of England towards the Federals," and the strange inconsis tency which pervades their conduct in respect to the purchase of supplies by the belligerents. A glaring instance of this has recently come to light. All the employges of Government at the dockyard of Sheerness who volunteered to fit out and equip the Rappahannock are discharged, fur breaking the laws of the country which apply to neutrality. Also, it is stated, that those of the Royal Naval Reserve who belong to the Alabama, Florida, and Georgia are struck from the list, with the loss of all pay and pension. Now this may suit the vies% sof those in authority at present, but while a spark of their old fire animates the minds of Englishmen, it will be pronounced as truckling policy and arbitrary use of power, which should only be entrusted to those more worthy of exercising it. The Government do not withdraw their support from the establishments which furnish arms and ammunition to the Federals, so that their hard and harsh decrees have not even the merit of consistency to bear them out, and can not lay claim to being the result of a strict scrutiny into the justice of the case. Such conduct is so unfair that the most bitter opponent to the Minis terial cause will feel more regret and shame as Englishmen that such an order should emanate from our Statesmen, than satisfaction at the con viction that they are dealing a blow to their own reputation, such as no rival could inflict or contem porary occasion. It comes to this, if we are to have one law for one belligerent and another for the other, w© had better leave off all talk about our indepen dence as a nation and our impartiality as a Go vernment. Nothing can be more extraordinary than the measures which have been lately adopted in regard to America ; and it is to be hoped that when Parliament meets a strict investigation will be made, and the honour of the country vindicated, even if it should be at the eleventh hour that the affair is taken up in the right spirit. BRAIN SPECTRES.—The brain makes ghosts both sleeping and waking. A man was lying in troubled sleep when a phantom ) with the cold hand of a corpse, seised his right arm. Awaking in horror, he found upon his arm still the impression of the cold band of the corpse, and it was only after reflecting that he found the terrible appari tion to be due to the deadening of his own left hand of a frosty night, which had subsequently grasped his right arm. This was a real ghost of the brain, which the awaken.. ing of the senses and the understanding explained. M. Gratiolet narrates a dream of his own which is singularly illustrative of how the brain makes ghosts in sleep. Many years ago, when occupied in studying the organisation of the brain, he prepared a great number both of human and animal brains. He carefully stripped off the membranes and placed the brains in alcohol. Such were his daily occu pations, when one night he thought he had taken out his own brain from his own skull. He stripped it of its mem branes. He put it into alcohol, and then he fancied he took his brain out of the alcohol and replaced it in his skull. But, contracted by the action of the spirit, it was much reduced in size, and did not at all fill up the skull. He felt it shuffling about in his head. This feeling threw him into such a great perplexity that he awoke with a start, as if from nightmare. M, Gratiolet, every time he prepared the brain of a man, must have felt that his own brain re sembled it. This impression awakening in a brain imper fectly asleep, whilst neither the senses nor the judgment were active, the physiologist carried on an operation in his sleep which probably had often c ccurred to his fancy when a t t he hii: work, and which had then b een su mmar ily di sm i sse d vary frequently. A pursuit which had at labt become one of r outine, and the associ a ti on o f hi mse lf w ith hi s s t u dy e s t e tt a i t t the biz arre an d g h ast l y d ream o f M . G rat i o l et. A on from the gripe of a c o ld h a nd, mi s i n t e rp re t e d by a'atmation acting with o ut th e a id o f th e di scern i ng facultie s ac e° “ul l sfor the ghastly vision of the other sleepe r. AND Year Round." ahs rooerm C sgee A i l ea h S to eAN e satisfactionantd be N or D ns taa A n r E : DE S —We learn with 111,cit,Lheat Lord St. Vincent has with drawns n w a h u i l t b e u , Beau and Archimedes, come fide bisddhaving also claimed those h u i p s o e n lai umaptain Lord Stamford will, we ptainw e n a d ljt h a i i s n lordship Sl hi tWhite h t i h s e cl e a ff i a n i l ; the mattienrgsw haerrpa r u o g i,e ed ed .. The public and between the gLllant has been conveniently and athicably this be suffered to siuk into oblivion,—Sporting i now darueb,iohuoswaeuveert•i,otuhtoarnoudghwlyo tiredtrust that LATEST INTELLIGENCE. (REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.) THE PAPAL STATES. CONDEMNATION OF BOOKS. ROME, DEC. 22. The Congregation of the Index has condemned all the works of Georges Sand, and different works , and Italian authors. of various French, German LETTER OF PRINCE CZARTORYSKL BERNE, DEC. 21. Rumours having been recently current in the press that General Mieroslawski had been dis missed by the Polish National Government from his post as General Organiser of the Polish forces out of Poland, the following letter of Prince Ladislaus Czartoryski to the Polish agent here may not be thought devoid of interest : PARIS, Dec. 16. "Dear Sir,—To your inquiry whether I know anything of the dismissal of General Mieroslawski, I hasten to reply that I have received no credible information with regard to the matter. The despatches received here a few days ago from the National Government, not only contained no allusion to any such dismissal, but manifestly retained General Mieroslawski in the official cha racter with which he was formerly clothed. " I avail myself of this opportunity to repeat the declaration I have already previously made, that I consider myself and General Mieroslawski officials of the National Government, and that th e G enera l may full r e c k x cra t e upon t of my yhe assistance i n every respect to the instructions which have en 'received. " Receive, &c., " Prince LADISLAUS CZARTORYSKI, Diplomatic Agent of the National Government." SAN DOMINGO. MADRID, DEC. 22. A stearucr has arrived at Cadiz with news from San Domingo to the 20th ult., confirming the defeat of the Insurgents, and stating that a great number of them had asked for pardon. THE SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN QUESTION. HAMBURG, DEC. 22 (Evening). It is positively stated here that Hanoverian troops will relieve the Austrians quartered in this city, and that the whole of the Austrians will march into Holstein. THE EXECUTION IN HOLSTEIN. BERLIN, Dec. 21. The Federal troops are to enter Holstein the day after to-morrow. Then will be the time to exclaim, " Jacta est alee," for those who still maintain that the conflict is certain of pacific solution are either deceived or wish to reassure the fatnt-hearted at any price. The German public generally will feel extremely disappointed if the Danish quarrel terminates simply with execution, and diplomacy succeeds in bringing about one of those arrangements characterised in Germany as "einenfoulen Frieden" (a rotten peace) The Germans are bent upon the independence of the two Duchies, and mean to achieve it, if their Governments do not stand in the way. It is not easy to set Germany in motion, but it is less easy still to arrest its progress where it was once commenced to move. It will be difficult for Prussia and Austria to permit the Danes to hold their lines of fortifications at the Schleswig frontier upon Holstein territory; and it is by no means certain that, considering the excitement of the population of Copenhagen, King Christian will dare to order the evacuation of those military points. It will be still more difficult for the Federal troops to prevent the popular meetings which will proclaim Duke Frederick as soon as the Danes have left. The French papers Constitutionncl and La France point out that this embroglio is one proof the more of the necessity of a Congress. Could such an as sembly have met immediately after the death of the King of Denmark to discuss the question, it might have succeeded in finding a pacific solution, but it is now too late, and public opinion in Germany is vehement against the idea of any interference what ever of foreign Powers in the nationality dispute. It would be hazardous to rely upon the firm resolution of the Cabinets of Berlin and Vienna to oppose the impetus of the German nation to the end. They have left themselves a loophole iu re serving the succession question. It is well known at Vienna that the assistance of Germany in certai❑ other eventualities is only to be reckoned upon if Francis Joseph determines to *satisfy the public wish in the present dispute. It is even reported that confidential communications in this sense have been made by Bavaria and other German States who act with Austria. As regards Prussia, it is positively stated that the military party is urging on the King, and that his Majesty's resistance is more apparent than real. PORTUGAL. LISBON, DEC. 22. The Government journal affirms that Ministers will bring in a bill next session abolishing the to bacco monopoly. The Federal corvette Saint Louis has arrived here. d1.1.••••••..0..... FRANCE. REPLY OF THE EMPEROR TO THE ADDRESS FROM THE SENATE. The following is the actual text of the reply of the Emperor to the Senate, as printed in the Moniteur 0 Monsieur le President,—As the organ of the first body of the State you address me in language which touches me profoundly. " I see with pleasure that the most opposite speeches are absorbed in the unanimity of the vote of the Address, and testify the same confidence— and you shall not be disappointed. Good is the sole motive of my actions. At home and abroad I desire the appeasement of passions, concord and union. I direct all my wishes to the moment when the great questions which divide Governments and peoples will be pacifically solved by European ar bitrament. This wish was that of the chief of my family when he cried from St. Helena that to fight in Europe is to make civil war.' This great idea, once Utopian, may it not tomorrow become a reality ? However this may be, it is always honourable to proclaim a principle which tends to cause the prejudices of a former age to ciistppear. Let us unite our efforts with this noble view, and let us study how to conquer obstacles, and to con found incredulity. " Please to be, Monsieur le President, the inter preter of my thanks to the Senate." M. Hubaine, Prince Napoleon's secretary, Las written a letter to the Nation, emphatically con tradicting the authenticity of the curious letter published by that paper last night. The denial runs thus:— Messieurs,—The Nation yesterday published an extract from a letter ascribed by a foreign paper to Prince Napoleon. I am directed to deny in the most absolute manner the authenticity of this pretended letter. There is not a word of truth in it, either in form or substance. The opinions of the Prince are sufficiently welt known; he has openly and clearly expressed them in the tribune. They may be summed up iu two words--Liberty and Nationality, As regards Italy more especially, her unity before all— first in the interest of France and next in her own. Allow me to remark that, before reproducing this absurd and highly improbable letter, it would have been easy to ascer tain its authenticity, and thus have spared yourself this contradiction. _ _ The French Court has gone into manrning for twenty-one days, from the 20th inst., for the de cease of the King of Denmark. The first eleven days are to be ordinary mourning, the last ten, half. BOURSE, Dec. 22.—The market ha s bee n without much animation, but quotations , in th e limited amount of business doing, s how a slight improve went. Threes, for the Account, are now at 66f. 45c. Mobilier Shares are also r ather higher, being last quoted at 1,037 f. 50c. R firm. The market closed %ilway Market quiet, but as follows Italian Loan Loan 7l 70 Do. end month — Near ditto ..... Do. end month — Russian Austrian Spanish Threes 52 Rome Debt 'Deferred 41 per Cents 94 10 Do. end 3 per Cents - Do. end month 66 40 Credit Mobilier 1033 75 Do. end month 1033 75 Bank Shares 3350 Credit Ponder l2lO Roman — RAIL' 'AlfB. Cash. Account. 970 .. 967 50 965 .. 965 Orleans Northern .... New ditto Lyons and Mediterranean New ditto Geneva S althern Western Eastern Sardinian .. Austrian Lombard North of Spain Saragossa ..... 925 - .. 926 25 • • .-...-- 677 50 .. 678 75 503 75 .. 505 475 400 397 50 403 75 40.5 518 75 .. 521 25 517 b 0 .. 517 50 617 50 .. 617 50 Ditto to Barcelona 302 50 THE CALCUTTA MAIL. Messrs. Glass, Elliot, and Co., have received the following telegram from Suez, dated Dec. 22, 6 p.m.. " The Calcutta mail, due Suez, 18th inst., not yet arrived." THE PROPOSED CONGRESS. The French Minister for Foreign Affairs has sent the following circular despatch to the chiefs of the French diplomatic missions abroad:— The Sovereigns have replied to the letter of the Empe ror, and in their replies all have rendered homage to that bold initiative which, laying bare the dangers of the situa tion, proposed the most pacific and loyal means to appease them. As you know, the greater pot Lion of the Courts have ad hered without reserve to the proposition of France; others have accompanied their adhesion with certain restrictions in requiring that the French Cabinet should lay down in ad vance the programme of future deliberations. The German Sovereigns, personally favourable to the idea of the Con gress, have been compelled to make their conduct subordi• nate to the collective resolution of their confederates. The reply of the German Diet has not yet reached us. One sin gle Power, England, has refused. Under these circumstances it was our duty to express to the British Cabinet all our regrets, our gratitude to the Sovereigns who have accepted unconditionally, and to ren der an explanation to those who have required it. _ _ The French Government did not believe itself to be authorised to confine the high jurisdiction of Europe to a programme; it was far from the idea of the Emperor to set himself up as an arbiter. It is superfluous to enumerate the perils which menace the peace of the world : these perils are evident. It is only for Powers united in a Congress to decide the questions which ought to discussed and those which should be discarded. The declaration made by the Emperor nn the sth Nuvem ber Edmitted two hypotheses : an unanimous acceptation and a partial acceptation. In the first case, minds would be greatly appeased, and, if even all the difficulties should not be resolved, a better understanding would be established between the Sovereigns. Daily meetings at which each could exchange ideas, express his desires or his fears, might silence many susceptibilities, remove many mistakes, and cause many prejudices to dis appear. The probable result of these conferences would have been a salutary and honourable transaction, France, which had no advantage to gain for herself in the eventuality of a general Congress, would have made common cause with all the enlightened Governments to bring about reconciliation, extinguish rancours, and esta blish those indispensable ameliorations which prevent revo lutions or war. Was this a Utopia ? Recent events have proved to us the contrary, and to justify sooner than we believed the pro visions of the Emperor. The King of Denmark dies ; pas sions are aroused, people become agitated and undecided, Governments balance between the letter of treaties and the national sentiment of their country. A Congress could alone conciliate the duties of Sovereigns bound by conventions and the legitimate asuirations of the peoples. The refusal of England has, unfortunately, rendered im possible the first result which we had hoped from the appeal made by the Emperor to Europe. The second hypothesis now remains—the restricted Congress. Its realisation de pends on the will of the Sovereigns. We should be able, after the decision of the British Cabi• net, to consider our duty as accomplished,and for the future, in the events that may arise, only to take account of what may be suitable to us, and of our private interests. But we prefer to take cognisance of the good dispositions which have been manifested towards us, and to remind the Sove reigns who have associated themselves with our intentions that we are ready to enter frankly with them on the path of a common understanding, An agreement of views and of conduct between the principal Powers of the Continent who comprehend with us the dangers of the present, and the ne cessities of the future, would be of great weight in future events, and would prevent the abandonment of alliances or resolutions to chance. When a general Congress was in question the Emperor could not, without falsifying the part traced out by himself, draw up a programme, nor take concert with some of the Powers to subsequently submit to the others a plan agreed upon in advance, and thus prelude by a separate negotia tion the negotiations where it was decided to present one self without preconceived ideas, and free from private engagements. But as this meeting cannot now be com pleted, it will not have the judicial authority which would have belonged to a European Congress. We understand from that time that, before meeting personally, the Sovereigns will charge their Ministers for Foreign Affairs to come to an understanding on the questions which should be discussed, in order that the Congress natty have more chances of terminating in a practical result, You are, then, authorised, according to what precedes, to explain the intentions of the Ewperor to the Court near which you are accredited, and to leave a copy of this de. spateh with the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Receive, &c , DROUYN DE LHITYS, Official Prussian Idea of the Liberty of the English Press. From the .National Zeitung, of Dec. 9, 1863, we learn that in the House of Representatives, on the discussion on the Secret Service Money, a member asked how the sum proposed to ba voted was to be expended. MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR—The money will be de• voted to the press. SYBEL—The press will be influenced for party purposes. I therefore shall vote against the proposal. The question is whether money shall be voted by the Chamber to be spent abroad in carrying out the London Protocol (Danish Treaty). MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR —On what is the patti sanship of the English press for Denmark founded ? On this—that the Danish Government was wise enough and rich enough to pay the English journals. If we had had the same means, the press and the public opinion of Eng land would have taken a very different view. In regard to the ordinance respecting the press, it would not have been necessary if we had had 300,000 instead of 30,000 thalers to expend upon it. We have much pleasure in stating that the sub scriptions collected by W. N. Rudge, Esq., amongst the members of the Stock Exchange, on behalf of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, now exceeds X5OO. MARKED PARTIALITY OF EARL RUSSELL.-- " TRAVELI,ER," in a letter to us says :—President Davis has every right to complain of this in Earl Russell's permitting the Northerns to get everything they want (not requiring ships), but preventing the Southerns to get what they do want—ships—and in doing so breaking the laws of his country by illegal seizures. Earl Russell will get from the House of Commons on this question his own language on the Conspiracy Bill with a little compound interest. " Nolumus leges Anglia mutari" being our motto in reply to the demands of any foreign Power. How can Lords Palmerston and Russell refuse recogition to the Confederate States after recognising Belgium, in rebellion against Hol land for a few months, when only for recognition the revolt would have been suppressed ; or the expubion of the sove reigns of Naples, Modena, and Tuscany at the will of their people, when they will not act in the same spirit to our own " bune and sinew." The Government have shown a marked partiality to the North, when, in justice, they should have shown fair play, and, in the old British spirit, backed the weaker party. LONGEVITY.—On Sunday was buried at King's Heath, Ann Fereday, who had attained the great age of 101 years. The old lady, it seems, had been a resi dent at King's Heath up to September last, when she came to reside at the b 101 of 12, Brearley-street West. With the exception of a paralytic stroke, which she had suffered during the last six months, and a slight deafness, she was in possession of all her faculties, and dttriog the last three years had survived a fracture of the arm and a dreadful worrying by a dog.—Birmingham Post, A CIintISTMAS SUMMER.—In Yorkshire the mild ness of the season is unusual. The gardens, many of them, retain the scarlet geraniums and stocks of s ummer yet in bloom, and roses still keep their foliage. Gooseberries are in leaf partly, and about Scagglethorpe, in full south positions, have actually flowered, and rhubarb is rushing in the open ground. Altogether there hrore not been more than 12 hours of slight frost. In the f ie lds the wheat cropsd are remarkably forward—" proud," as tb.e farmers say, and the breadth of wheat sown—thanks totb e open weather—is very large. Turnips have hardly ceasol growing yet—the season, indeed, is mo re Mehaelmas c4ristreas. THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER g,23, 1861 THE CRAWLEY COURT-MARTIAL. There is every likelihood that the finding in the case of Lieut.-Colonel Crawley will be made known while the facts connected with that investigation are fresh in the recollection of the public. When the Aldershot Court-martial closed its public sittings on the 18th inst., it was generally supposed that the verdict would not be promulgated much before the meeting of Parliament, as the Court would probably require some time to deal with the mass of evidence taken in the course of the previous five weeks ; and after their decision had been agreed upon, in the ordinary course of things, some weeks longer would be occupied in the process of revision at headquar ters. This assumption, however, left out of ac count the fact that all the parties concerned had been watching the case narrowly as it proceeded. The members of the Court not only kept records of each day's testimony, but in nearly every instance analysed and compared for themselves the main passages of the evidence. The Judge- Advocate-General, meanwhi,e, gave constant and careful attention to the course of the in quiry, and attended in person on the three most important occasions—the opening day and the days on which the defence and reply respec tively were read to the Court. When the public were ordered to withdraw last Friday afternoon, the officers composing the Court-martial at once ad dressed themselves to their remaining duty, and were able without any great delay to pronounce a collective opinion on the issues submitted to them. The Judge Advocate-General was equally prepared to approach the task devolving upon him, and, the legal validity of the trial having been established, the next step was to submit the finding to the Com mander-in-Chief. Having been duly weighed by the military authorities, the decision is then sub mitted to her Majesty for approval, and as soon as the Royal approval is obtained the necessary forms will all have been complied with, and there will no longer remain any obstacle to the publication of the verdict. The exact terms of the finding are for the present a secret, but it is pretty well under stood that the Court took a favourable view of Colonel Crawley's conduct, making ample allow ance for the circumstances in which he was placed. WELLINGTON COLLEGE. The boys of Wellington College gave their annual concert on Monday evening to a numerous assemblage of the neigh bouring nobility, gentry, and clergy. Music has now re• covered its place—lost for two centuries—as a recognized part of a gentleman's education, and by the aid of an effi cient music -master, a good organist, and choral service, the Wellington scholars enjoy an opportunity desired by many in vain, and are making good use of it. Everybody was struck with the palpable improvement upon last year. Of course, when the material consists exclusively of boys, variety can only be attained by the ingenious adaptation of pieces meant for matarer voices, and by efforts of rather an ambitious character. But, under these cir cumstances, the success was great. The concert opened with Bishop's glee, " Stay, prithee, stay," sung by the whole choir in a way to assure their own courage and inspire the hearers with confidence. Of Mendelssohn's " Lark Song,"and Leslie's, trio, "Memory," the former was sung with appropriate buoyancy; the latter with as much melan choly as Messrs. Hay, Strettell, and Burton had at com mand on the eve of breaking•up day. Mr. Maxwell had to surpass his last year's performance, and, as this could not be done in brilliancy and flexibility, it could only be in graver sentiment. Bishop's " Daughter of Erin" appeared to be chosen for this purpose, and was sung with most touching sweetness and pathos. Leslie's "From your choral chambers" showed a careful mastery of difficulties. Mr. Bishop, the music• master, with the aid of the whole choir, wound up the first part with Bishop's " Tramp Chorus," with a spirit and pre cision that showed his command on the attention of his pupils. After a pause the " Vesper Hymn," from the music of Beethoven, was given by Messrs. Hay, Strettell, Baker, and Moberley—the effect of distant chanting by the chorus in another apartment—and the illusion would have satisfied the most mystic cravings of our London playgoers. Mr. Maxwell again was himself,—that is, what he was a year ago, but can hardly expect to remain a year longer, in Balfe's " Good Night," sung by him and Messrs. Browne and Moberley. Mr. Bishop had a piece to himself in More's wine song, "I come from the bountiful Rhine and gave it with all the joyous effect which the theme is supposed to inspire. The full choir bade adieu to the bril liant ranks before them in Greenwood's serenade, " Gentle Lady," and finished with Leslie's " Joy Bells" and " God save the Queen." Mr. Bishop, Mr. Maxwell, and several others were rapturously encored. Of the instrumental pieces, all done with much care and taste, perhaps the most striking was the overture to " Guillaume Tell," by Messrs. Ghica and Maitland, The trial of Luke Charles, for the murder of his wife, at Pendleburg, was brought to a close at Liverpool, yesterday. The prisoner was found guilty and sentenced to death. A PUGILIST "AT HomE."—A good story is cur rent respecting King, the pugilist, and the "host" of Hassocks'-gate Inn, where he resided during his training. It appears that a day or two previous to the encounter with Heenan, King, during his " play hours" from training— the " ruling passion" being strong in him—induced "mine host" to have a set• to in the parlour, the host to do all the hitting, the great pugilist stipulating not to return it, but only to parry the blows. Warming at his work, "mine host" let fall his blows both fast and furious. " Now," said King, who was standing with his back close to the wall of the room, " hit me full in the face." Quick as thought the request was responded to, and with equal quickness aid King avoid the blow by shifting his head, when the knuckles of the worthy host went with such tremendous force against the wall that the sponge was immediately thrown up. Indeed, so serious was the injury sustained, that mine host was compelled to seek surgical aid in Brighton, and there is every probability of his retaining a lasting memento of the visit of the great pugilist to his house.—Surrey Standard. ANOTHER AUSTRIAN VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD.—The Austrian screw steamer Marco Polo will leave Trieste on the sth of March next, "on a voyage round the world." It has been calculated that a period of eight months will be amply sufficient for the purposes of the voyage, in the course of which 30 different seaport✓✓ will be visited, or five more than called at in the famous Novara expedition. About 200 days will necessarily be spent on the sea, whilst there will be 50 days to be availed of on land for the visiting and inspection of the various points of great interest in different parts of the globe. The share holders will consist of from 60 to 60 persons, and the contri bution of each is fixed at 5,000f1., equal to about £4OO, which will cover all expenses during the voyage, including board and lodging on shore. The following are the places which it is intended to visit during the expedition:—Algiers, Gibraltar, Madeira, Liberia, St. Helena, Cape of Good Hope, Madagascar, Ceylon, Nicobar, Singapore, Hong Kong, Canton, Shanghai, Sandwich Isles, Acapulco, City of Mexico, Panama, Lima, Valparaiso, Falkland Isles, Monte Video, Rio Janeiro, Canary Isles, lonian Isles, two Dalmatian and two Italian ports; thence home to Trieste, to arrive about the middle of November. The expedition which is being formed under the auspices and superinten dence of the Austrian Government, will bo provided with influential letters of recommendation to the various consu lates in difLrent points of the world. THE FuUNDERING OF THE FEDERAL IRON-CLAD WEEHAWKEN.—The following are some particulars respecting the foundering of the Federal iron-clad Wee hawken, in Charleston Harbour : On the afternoon of Sunday, Dec. 6, while the Federal feet was lying oft Charleston, a furious wind prevailed from the north-west. A signal of distress was made from the Weehawken, which was answered, ana boats were despatched to her assistance. While the admiral on board the flagship was watching the boats hastening to the Weehawken, the officer on the deck made out a new signal, and immediately re ported her to be sinking. A moment after she settled swiftly down by the head, careened slightly over to star• board, and disappeared beneath the waves. When the first signal of distress was made no one diviried how serious Is as the danger; and when, at length, the vessel went down, it was difficult for those who saw her disappear to credit even the evidence of their own senses. The c °u fusion on the flagship arising mainly from the difficulty of 0 0 . 1 launching her boats, and the desire of both officeirs • Tile wind to be first in them, was ✓most intense and Painetuboats which was now blowing with great fury, P e d e r i hastened from all sides to the scene encountered in picking up from the water the few n before she sank. Almost getting away from the Weehawken some 20 or more sprang at the moment she wenteddoiwnng , waves by the launches et e tting away. As warn,' the d u g o r c e e a e t d to the boats and succeeodm perished. A , - correspondent of one 01 oththeeflrsagl'eirpe, csouth r C ar o l t i h n e a and the tugboats Dande lion and Iris. Thirty - Pe Titi writing upon the subject, says : the New York PaPer s ! " The Weehawken is gin five fathoms of water, and will soon be raised. Until she is brought up no one can tell witb certainty why ehe sank. It was through no fault of her overhang.' for she apparently took in no water except at her forward hatch and hawse hole. It was, to the best o f m y knowledge, through the inattention, neglect, and bad management of those on board that the vessel has been lost. Had the pumps been set at work when the waves first dashed in, it is probable that the Weehawken would at this moment have been afloat. Had the bars with which has compartments were made watertight leen in their pro• per places, it is quite likely that the (lire calamity would never have occurred,'' - • te,,, tin/ , EN rt eltafiat HER MAJESTY. OSBORNE, Dec. 22. The Queen, accompanied by Princess Louise, walked and drove in the grounds yesterday. Princess Helena, attended by Lady Caroline B.rrington, drove to Ryde. Departure of the Prince and Princess 0: Wales for Osborne. Yesterday morning, at a quarter past 10 o'clock, their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales, accompanied by Prince Alfred (who arrived on Monday at Frogmore), and attended by the Countess of Maccle,field, Lieut.-Colonel KePPe l ' and Major Cowell, left Frogmore House for the Windsor station of the Great Westcrn Railway, eU route for Osborne, where they will spend the Christ mas with her Majesty and the royal family. Their royal highnesses travelled by the ordinary 10.30 down train, and on their way to the s aloon carriage in which they rode the salutations of a great. number of persons who crowded the platform were cordially returned by the prince and princess. Their royal highnesses travelled toßeadipg, and thence to Basingstoke, when they continued their journey t" the South Western line, and on arriving at Gosp ort at about a quarter to two o'clock they embarked f or Osborne on board the royal yacht Fairy, command ed by the Prince of Leiningen. Every arrangement for the comfort of the roy al travellers was made by the railway authorities, an d the platform was under the charge of Inspector Walker, of the prince's household, who was in at tendance on their royal highnesses. There was no guard of honour or any ceremony whatever on their departure from the royal borough. The Prince and Princess of Wales will remain at Osborne for about ten days, and on the expiration of their visit to her Majesty will return to Frog/I:pre, where it is expected they will reside for about a month, after which they will reside at Marlboroug h House for some time. The Duke of Newcastle left town yesterday fo r his seat, Cumber Park, Notts. The Dowager Countet.s of Mexborough remains for the present at the Royal Crescent Hotel, Brighton. Lord Courtenay, who has been the guest of the Earl and Countess of Cardigan at Dean Park, has left on a visit to the Earl of Coventry at Crowe Court. Sir Henry and Lvly Fletcher have returned t ° Farrance's Hotel from Mount Felix, Walton-on-Tharae S. The Right Hon. T. H. S. Sotheron-Estcour t ' M.P., and Mrs. Sotheron-Estcourt, have arrived at par rance's Hotel from Estcourt, near 't'etbury. We understand that the Hon. Leonora Caroline, second daughter of Lord and Lady Digby, is engaged to be married to Mr. Alexander Hush Baring, M.P. for The t ; ford, eldest son of the Hon. Francis Baring, and nephew 0 ` Lord Ashburton. It is said the marriage will take Pla ce early in the ensuing month. A marriage has been arranged between Miss Vic toria Van de Weyer (daughter of the Belgian Minister) O a Mr. Brand, son of the Right Hon. 11. J. Brand. MARRIAGE OF DR. STANLEY AND LADY AUGUSTA BRUCE.—Yesterday afternoon, at five o'clock, thti Rev. Dr. Arthur Penryn Stanley, D.D., Canon of Chris Church, Oxford, and Regius Professor of Ecclesiastical History in the University of Oxford, Dean-nominate of Westminster, was married by special license in Westruih" ster Abbey to Lady Augusta Bruce, daughter of Thomas , seventh Earl of Elgin and Kincardine, and sister of the late lamented Governor-General of India. The ceremoeY was throughout of a private and simple character. There were no bridesmaids. The service was read most impres sively by the Very Rev. H. G. Liddell, D.D., Dean °f Christ Church, Oxford, who was assisted by the Rev. j" . Haden, M.A.,, the precentor of the abbey. There was no singing. Among those present were Lord Stanley of Alder ley, the Very Rev. Dr. Trench, Archbishop-designate of Dublin, late Oean of Westminster, Lady Charlotte Locbers, the Rev. J. G. Bradley, M.A., headmaster of Marlborough School, the Rev. Dr. C. J. Vaughan, of Doncaster, Professor Max Muller, Professor Joweet, the Rev. W. "'- Fremantle, and many Oxford friends of the new Dean. The Gazette published by us last night, it Will be seen, officially announced the appointment of Mr. Ser geant Shee to the judicial bench, and that also of Canon Stanley to the deanery of Westminster. MR. JUSTICE SHEE.—Yesterday Mr. justice Shee heard summonses for the first time at judges' cham bers since his appointment. His lordship attended on Mon day and made arrangements to take the business until the commencement of Hilary Term, when he will take his seat on the bench at Westminster Hall. An amusing incident occurred in the course of the day. The summonses, as usual, were of a routine character, and his lordship partially heard the parties. In one application his lordship remarked that there was nothing in it, and good-humouredly said the parties had surely " come to see the new judge." Two other learned judges sat in the chambers of the other court, Mr. Justice Byles taking the summonses of the Court of Com mon Pleas in the afternoon. The chambers will be closed on Thursday until Wednesday morning. ROYAL ACADEMY OF MUSIC.—The competition for the Westmoreland Scholarship and Potter Exhi bition took place at the Institution on Monday, the 21st instant. The following professors composed the board or examiners :—Mr Charles Lucas (chairman), Mr John Goss, Mr F. R. Ccx, Mr G. A. Macfarren, Mr H. Blagrove, Mr W. Dorrell, and Mr Waiter Macfarren. The candidates elected were:—For the Westmoreland Scholarship, Miss' Prentice. The following candidates were Emily Wynne; and for the Potter Exhibition, Mr Itidl ui e l . mended : —Misses E. Pitt, S. Neighbour, B. Al T ° B ila 4 and E. Wolfe; Messrs. T. W. Walstein, and a '''' - ‘ll3l - bridge. THE ASTON PARK COMPANY. The history Of an other the Aston Park Company has advanced stage. The mortgagees have issued the) notice: to foreclose; and unless the corporation or the public make .bas te 4 wil redeem' probably be out of their power to secure the place a.toi the promise which Mr, Ratcliffe made to the (2 1 - I ° ell * ° do not know the exact time when the terms of the toortgag•G specially old:- deed allow the company to wind up their affairs after the notice has been secured, but presume that either throe or Bil The short 3 r months will be the longest term of grace. period will be ample for the conclusion of the busines s with the town council, one way or the other. For ouraelves we can only suppose one way possible. After the publication vsspiseietduilsytirminlhant Gazette. of the mayor's letter to Mr. Percivall, the purchasing- of ti le park seems the only course left. It is useless to argue nowr whether the town council gave the mayor authority to write t h ewords he has written or not. He took upon himself power of pledging the corporation, and without that pledg it is scarcely a matter of doubt now that her Mivestilf would not ha:ve come at all, The only impression whleo such a document could have on the mind of the Qin' e ., and her advisers was that the purchase of the park W ti :: removed from the doubtful power of a limited conoPoiJl. into the certainty of the corporation completing the woi'!, Under this impression she visited the town, and under tbl3oo. impression she wrote her last letter to Mr. Sturge. NN , the , t_ru m k „. "' the council allow their Queen to be deceived in which she has given to the language of their mayor. I % v il ro ., ever may be the responsibility of the company, i lla ost eponsibility must have been limited by their power. t b e they have failed to buy the Park is an issue w hic-b idea mayor evidently contemplated from the first; and Pr?tv out. against it by pledging the corporation t° cardrYthat the Times without number has the public been . thetlo enin of Queen came to visit Birmingham, the park was only an incident of seems to Is 0 cause. If this be so or not, the tespon ee l : foot on the plat-. Bi t e il s l tY t e time she again. the same. From the time ` e DI form of the New-street tion, tahriadtiotivhbiatyandpnet g tl se entered the train at Aston, she was the guest of the May or coififfßeirimnvinitgehdahmer. the Atayaosrtohte. B m i a r y m o i r n , gb h a e her; as the mayor, he .`vas knighted. The company bad t aside in all the negotiations respecting; the ' been quietly rut to have been done by visit, and a ll seems . ,..one .3 , the represe,ata tive of the corporationin his mayoral capacity. It certain -1i appears now I too ate to deny the responsibility which all, i t must b e done toA been incurred, If the work, h • r d one men.Mt,e r r t . a lt i :lei thus however is to be on The Toulon journals announce the arrival at that port of the steam-transport Ariege from the west coast of Africa, whether she was despatched in August last with. provisions f or t h o naval division ou that station. T." Ariego lett Gabon on the 11th October, and on her we)' hon.te touched at St. Louis (Scnegal), Gone, and Grand Bassan. She brings back 180 persons and convalescents- Six passengers died during the voyage, but not from eon tagious diseases—and the cannery state on board was bo satisfactory on her arrival that she was at once admitted to free pratique. THE OSBOENE ANlNEAL.—Csborne's frontispiece this year, as seen through this celebrated provision n' usu dealer's windows on Lu d g ate-hill, is more thaal-19 interesting to housekeepers, as it announces that the near caries of life have seldom been cheaper for many Yeurf l The artistic portion pourtrays, by a model, Conway Castlel and its bridge and railway viaduct. A vessel in ear. movement, sails " like a thing of life" surface of the river,' wlaich, in its turn, wedding the ° e4 ,..' doubtless typifies the junction of the salt with the fr . e . e° upon the riPPA ed (butter in the window). The latter, the butter, with t . " a- -.estive pride of humility bears a label of its cheapness, stti, of plentiful grazing, and that all other provisions are like wise within the reach and enjoyment of the general corn' munity at this season of universal hospitality.-0104c• an 1 den log tim the nio, Sea Eni act in pri trlo pre Seri Ste cet 33 wh Iv