The Sun. — London, England, 1854-12-25 00:00:00

TILE '14.101Y IN THE CRIM EA.- The Agen ts and Friends of G entlemen In the Army are respectfully informed that the Subscriber has a large supply of CLOTHING suitable for Wintering in the Crimea. Large Heavy PLAIDS, Warta WRAPPERS , the Famous HIGHLAND CLOAK, Warm Coloured FLANNEL SHIRTS, TOP-COATS, Stout STOCK INGS, &c., ace., ikc, Parcels leaving Inverness twice a-week by Rail to Londo . n, and then ce carefully forwarded to the Army by Subscriber's Agent D. M.DOUGALL; THE TARTAN AND TWEED WAREHOUSE, ENTVERNESS. DRITRY-LANE.—Lessee, Mr. E. T. Sr t - 1 Reduced Prices as usual.- A Morning Performance every Wednesday, at 2 o'clock.-To-morrow Evening (Tuesday), Dec. 26, - her Majesty's Servants wits perform Lillo's Tragedy of GEORG E BARNWELL. George. Ba rnwell, Mr, T. Mead ; Freeman, Mr. Lingham; Thorogood, Mr. A. Youtage ; Blunt, Mr. Walton ; Uncle to Barnwell, Mr. Morelli ; Gaoler, Mr. Inchfotd ; Millwood, After Miss Jane Hanson; Maria , Miss Love; and May, Mrs. Selby. which will be produced an entirely original, extraordinary, lite rary. traditionary, comical, gastronomical, and peculiarly culinary and fantastic domestic grand comic Christmas • Pantomime, e n tit l e d JACK AND JILL; or, Harlequin King Mustard and the F and -Twenty Blackbirds Baked in a Pie. The extensive scenery.s tartly new, by Messrs. Nicholls, Cuthbert, Cooper, Gordotrna,naarsi__lneaon_, and Moore. The machinery by Messrs. Tucker. The n on, b el y i properties, decorations, tri2ks, changes, and transfix Needham. The choregraphic arc ngements by J. H. Tully. The overture and music composed and selected 5 models . and sketches Mad J. Louise. Leader, Mr. Ilaysvprd. The whole of the desigose many weeks past furnished from the studio of Dikwynkyn, for has been personally supervising their execution. L. Bianchari i an d The novel grotesque burlesque opening invented and writtenosie r " the hum' diate superin the wsole arranged and pro !med. u is'siricipal7,lriarienditnenetsilnimnsithnse tendence Ur. Edw-rd Stirling. Christmas Bill of Fare : -The Hall of f ilar ° t o Mrs. Belford. Fog, of Dulsess.-Misanthropy tion Q; (his ste ot Drizzle, Taxes, Spleen, Wet, E. V. Load, E s t Indiges Melancholy), Messrs. E. Azure Dia olicals in attend- Day, E V. Weight, and E. -ar• B ills. Fret, Fidget, Worry, Flurry, Fume, ranee, Messrs. Croak. Q u a ke ' Vex, Groan, Growl, Gru mble, arid Grizzle. Apparition of Misan thropyte Nightmare , and Magical Appearance of on her faT"rihristmas Car. Good Humour, Miss alder Good Humour in, her C Lightheart and i f (her Attendants), Misses Honey and Glas se !!he original "Cook's Oracle." and the well- Brown; 'Mrs. knownady iw of the First catch your hare," /sc.), Miss itoSilla Collin.s. The receipt given to wake a good pantomime , and i ts con coction accordingly. Cottage of Jill on the borders of Fairylan d (b y , Sunrise) Section Enchanted Kitchen, Garden, and Region of Preserves. , w "Sing a Song of Sixpence, "Pocket full of rye, • "Fearsand-twenty blackbirds, "Baked in a pie."-Ancient Nursery Legend. Jack (the interesting hero of the olden story, who went up the jaill to fetch, &C ),Afterwards Harlequin, M. Milano ; Jill (the heroine of the advieneeee, i n love with Jack), afterwards Columbine, Mdlle. Bolenol Marmalade (the Fairy Queen of the Preserves), Miss. K. Warrington ; Pineapple, Raspbe rr y , Lemon, Cherry, Apple, ind G_reehllntre ( her Assistants), Misses C lifford, Gower, Johnson, Love, Limb, and Richardson ; Strawberry, Cranberry, Gooseberry, Cur rant, Apricot, Damson, Quince, &c. (Fancy Preserves), Mis arles, ses Grace Honey, Ellen Money, Laura nce, Louise, Therese, Ch Kinr. Sidney, Gordon, Barnes, Emily Barnes, Richardson, Eliza Richard son, Rose . Sidney, Emily Moore, Elizabeth Smith, Lilla Ellis, Rosa Harrison, E. Box, Tayler , M atilda Chenley, Martiney, St. Clare, Evans, John Levine* S. Johnson, and Roberts ; Preserved Ginger (their warm ally), Master Pungent; Fruit Blossoms by a Blooraing collection of Coryphees. The Will and the Way-the Talismanic Sixpence he Change. Grand Ballet. Principal Dancers, Mdlle. Therese and Annie Cushitic, Therese, Smith, &c. The Four-and- Twenty Blackbirds, Masters Tweet Tweet, Toot Too, Loodle Loodle, fee. The Reading of the Will " Jill most not a husband take, -- , Till she a pie can make and bake." Interior of Jill's Cottage (by Moonlight).-Coal, Mr. Nobbs ; Brendle of Weod. Mr. Halfpenny • Congreve Box, Mr. Fizze Roll inr ; Bellows, Mr. Leathertongne ; Dutch O ve n, Mynheer Von Tan ; g Pin, Mr. Smoothpaste ; Gridiron, Mr. De Bar; Frying Pan, Mr. Broadrim ; Soyer's Three-legged I r on Pot, Herr Potluck. Cruet Castle in the Table Cloth Territory (by Moonlight), and Golden Palace of King Mustard. -King Mustard (afterwards Clown), Harry Boleno ; the Empress 'Vinegar (afterwa: ds Pantaloon), Herr Kohl ; Black Pepper and White Pepper (Sentinels on duty at Cruet Castle), Mr. Husky and Mr. eneezums ; Sweet 011, Miss Florence: Cayenne, Mr. Capsi cum; Harvey's Sauce (attendant in waiting), Mr. Savoury ; theAry of Tests, Messrs. Indian Soy , Curry , C a p ers, Ketchup, Mushroomms, Garlic, Shalot, Sweet Herbs, Potted Tongue ; Potted Beef, Potted Bloaters, Potted Anchovies, Potted Shrimps, &c.; Horse Radish (from the King's stable), by a Racing Na;. brand Review -Ter - rifle Attack upon the Appetite, aisd Rally of the Relishes--Great Progress of Jill in her Culinary Career. The Abode of Chutnee in the Province of Pickles (lay Sunset).-Chutnee (Chief of the Pickles), Mr. Fiery Facies ; the Pickle Army, Messrs. Onionfyalnut, Gher kins, Cauliflower, Red Cabbage, Sec. - Small Jar, Mast Great demand for Pickles and determination of the Door to s iasin Jar. Interior of the Stup endous Salt Mine (by Moonlight). _ salt- Rock (a bright White Sprite), Herr Willikind Moleno. Imtiiiitat danger of Jill in splitting upon a Bock of Silt - Treachery of Vinegar -Upsetting the Pall above, and Evaporation of the Saline Stalactite Columns, disclosing The Emerald Temple of Mut -Magical Union of the Sweets and Sours, and " a Ple " termination of the Loves of Jack and Jill. The Transformation. -Harlequin, M. Milano ; . Columbines, Mdlle. Boieno and Miss Ellen Honey; Pantaloon, Mr. Cole ; Sprite, Herr Willikind Moleno ; Clown, the celebrated Harry Boleno (his first appearance in Landon for many years) ; Aerial Evolutionists, by the Inimitable Italian Brothers. The Turk's Head Public-house and Hairdresser's Ph , p.-Hairdresser, Mons. Pomade ; Publican, Mr. Billy Williams ; Customers, Misers. Rednob, Sinockface, Owen Swift, Beardless, Whisker Want, Baron Niche son, and Tom Steed; the British Pub lic by themselves; Policeman Al, Mr. Vigilant. Approach of the target Rugged Russian Bear-How he Whines after the Porte, which, being rather old, turns oat somewhat crusty-A Dose of Turkey Rhubarb-A Don-e Cossack -Pure Circassian Cream-How one Sham 11l makes all well-The Great Bear turns out a Great Boar -Russian Attachment to Grease-Clown Cuts hi: Customer's Hare and afterwards Dresses it a la Soyer-The Great Moustache Move ment-A Close Shave -Clown show s' his high attachment to the Pole-Sudden Rise in Porter-An et.T.M.P.-A Patten Logk at 10 o'clock-A Bona Fide Traveller-Ginger Beer and Gin without ger -A Mill, a Fight, a Regular Row, and Station-house for Two. Great American Baby Show.-Arrival of the Infantry-Sudden Squall-Ma's upon the Eve of Battle-General Attack-Awarding the Prizes-Clown and Pantaloon's Offsprings- The Prettiest Baby in the World-A Model Baby and a Spirit Child -The Wonderful Effects of Dr. De Jongh's Cod Liver Oil-Clown's Great Prize Baby -Fresh Arrival of 300 more Babies-The Judge Confounded - Great u i er. . t -An Unwekome Visitor to a Ladies' and Juvenile Party and TrKaNlinari case of Suspended Animation by the Ita lian Sprites. aeet ana t's c OaL t ter t ah v o_r_._s_lttee!sp . sper-office, and Puraell's Biscuit Baking Up rouse ye then, my merry menfk:mirno.beinrileffthnrinti,ddeaey7hi-lir-HOisil for one and a Lobster fur two M usc le-Duty and Custom - A Bride Cake and a w:dtit i ne C ake - First Edition and Second Edition-Left Out c.r want of Ito Ist eta of the • Privilege and Privileges of the Press -•• Oh , whet a row, *rumpus, what a rioting." Baker, Mr Crust ; Fishmonser. Mr. Scales; Master Newsboy, Christmas-box; Printers, Messrs . Typo and Chapel ; Editor, Mr. Cutemdown ; Critic. Cutemup; Pas sengers, Messrs. Trot, Cosey, Strutalong, Lounge, Loiter, and Walk abmit ; Beardmae, Mr. Boisaday. Bost r's Shep and New Wing 0* Somerset-house. -Here we are-Merry Christm:s and a Happy New Year -High Prices and Low Prices-Manchester Sluff -Eng lish Comforters-Stocks on Hand and Handsome Stocks-Ford's Eureka Shirts-Reform In the Civil List and Cue vii Treatment of the. Clerks-Transfer day at the Bank, and General Thlyclay at Somerset-hou . e -Ilos'er, Mr Stoeien ; Sl:err:an, Mr. Early bird ; Boy, Master Toddles. Soyer's Marie Kitchen.- Chef Cuisine, Mons. Soya; Kitchenmaids, Misses If asteaway and Drippingsell; Guardsman, Corr oral I ongshanks ; Policeman, Sergeant i'cdger. Cupboard Lovers-Soy cis Last Soup - Where's the Knives and Forks ? - Boiled and Unbolted Lob sters-Headless Swains-Lobster Patty wad GI let Soup-Clown ere all to Pot-Harlequin Gets wed Towelled and afterwards Mangled-Clown and Vail alum In a Stew-A Regular Bra- g - Ilea comest in such an unquestionable shape, that I will speak to thee (foyer, or rather Shakepeare)-Too Many Cooks Spell the (Clown's) Broth-The scene firitahes in a very spirited manner. An Illuminated Page of the History of England.-Gra"d Alle zorical Tableau with Panoramic Effects, Muare ive of the Triumphs of the All , ei Forces. Young Jullien's " Allied Army Quadrille," by the double bands of the tisei-li and French. "God save the Queen," Partant pour la Syrie," and " Yule Britannia " Daughter of the Regj f ent, Miss Rebecca Collins, In which character she will sins the spirited patriotic effusion, published in " Blackwood's Rag zinc" for December, and written by Corporal John Brown, of the Grena dier Guards, when the men g.t some drink fur the first time at Balaklava, Sept. 28th :- Come all you gallant British hearts that love the red and blue, A nd drink the heal th ot those brave lads who made the Russians rue. Then fill the glass, and let it pass, three times three, end one more, For the twentieth of September, eighteen hundred and fifty-four. Vestibule of the Temple of Victory. The Tribute of England to the Brave Patriots. Distribution of Laurel Wreaths, Gorgeous and Electric §cenic Climax, with Revolving Columns and Varieg , ted Illuminations. Terrific Flight of the Italian Brothers. The whole scene preeenting a coup d'ce:l never before witnessed on the Erglish stage. Admission :—Stalls, 55.; dress circle, 43. ; second price, 25.; upper circle, 3s: ; second trice, Is. 6d.; pit, 2s. ; second price, 18 ; lower gallery, Is.; second price, • d.; upper gallery, 6d.; private boxes, 10s. 61, 155., 213., ant upwards. Doors open at hall-past 6, performance at 7 o'clock. Ralf -price a , 9 o'clock. The box office open daily, from 1l till 5 o'clock, under the direction of Mr. Edward Chatterton. Notice.—Thu following pi ccs are approved and in preparation, and will shortly be pr , duce.l : —The Grand Christmas rantOrtlilllC, by E. L. Blanca-Ird, Esq. ; a I)..ama, by Dton Ilcurci cault, Esq ; Two l)raniss, by A. }Janis, Esq.; an Adaptation from 31feyerber's Opera, L'Etoil , do Nord,. with new scen e ry, p ro p er ti es , and effects; to be succeeded I , y an I nglish ventral (by Mr. Reynold son) ca Gluck's Iphigenia in Tauride. The Grand ill torics.l Euyp tian Drama, many months in preparation, will also shortly appear. TIIE_ATRE ROYAL LIAYY IRKET. Under the managemer.t of Mr. Yr.astone. TO-MORROW INENING, vac. 26, WM be performed the Comedy of r3ESENTED Al' COURT. Principal characters by Mcsw4. Buckstone, 1 1 7. F 311214, and Howe ; Misses Reynolds, E. Chainin, Gralithain, an I Lavine• Followed by anew grand Chistmas Pantomime. entitled LITTLE BO•PEEP; or, riarieluin an•l the Girl who Lost h r Sheep. Little 80-Peep. Miss L. '1 hompson ; Harlequin, Mr. Cbapino ; Pantaloon Mr. W. Barnes; Clown, Mr. App' shy ; Columb ne, Mfis► M. Brown' 111 311 WATER AT LONDON BBIDGE. :me DAY —Morning 50 ratn.after 5 Evening 18 rnirokft. 6 To.lozwit - Morning 4Z min.after 6 PWCIII.7Ig 10 min.sit. 7 THE WEATHER.--Bno Onto', Dec. 24. THICIIIIONNTEN, IN THE SIIADN. 49 —highest since noon yesterday: 41—lowest this morning 52—this day, at noon. and during the night. BAI3,O2dITSB? 29'92. W IND , W. —Light breeze, with fine weather. Rain in the evening. DECEMBER 25. 53 —Lighest since noon yesterday. 48 —lowest noon. this morning and during the night. 55 — th is day BAROMETER, 29'71. westerly.—Fresh breeze, with heavy squalls and occasional rain—a very dirty un-Christmas day. r"!f j) 4e• . , , - ;~. LONDON, MONDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1854. Another Christmas has arrived. Every family throughout the length and breadth of the land is celebrating the great festival, so peculiarly dear to English hearts. Many relations, separated at other periods, assemble together round the social board. It may be that they have not met since the similar period of last year—that they may not again exchange friendly greetings for twelve months more. There is a genial influence in operation that softens even the sternest disposition, and predisposes it to acts of kindness and mercy —to charity, the greatest of virtues in the most extensive interpretation of the term. There is the good cheer supplied in every household—the best fare that can be provided by the master or mistress. The inmates even of Prisons and Work houses are feasted, and there is a general re joicing, in which few hearts are so poor as not to ROYAL. PRINCESS'S THEATRE Under the Management of Mr. CHhILES KEAN. TO-MORROW EVENING, DEC. 26, Will be presented THE COURIER OF LYONS. Principal charac ter DI Mr. C. Kean. Af t er Which will be produced a New Grand Christmas Pantomime. entitled. HARLEQUIN BLUE-BEARD; or, Th e G rea t B aa h aw , , II aslequin, Mr. Corm ack ; Clown. Mr. Huline ; Pantaloon, Mr. Paulo ; and Columbine, Miss DeN borough. TUE ATR 0 ROYAL AD ELPIIL Proprietor, Mr. B. Webster. --Directress, Madame C'eleste. TO-MORROW EVENING, Deo. 26, Will be performed an entire new Rustic Drama called PIERRE THE FOUNDLING. Supported by Messrs. B. Webster and Kee— ley, and Mrs. Keeley and Miss Wuoigen After wirch, a new grand Eccentric Extravaganza , called Z'G ZAG : Travels et Messrs. L'anube and Pruth. To which will be added a new Farce , en titled THE RAILWAY BELLE. • ROYAL OLYMPIC TIIEkTRE. Leases and Manager, Mr. A. Wigan. TO-MORROW EVENING, DEc. 26. I,lllbe ;resented a new Comedietta, cslled A *TEE'S JouvisL Sancta. by Messrs. Brown, Emery, Harcourt, and Leslie;' and fils. brown, and Miss Maskell. which. a new Fairy Extravaganza entitled THY.. YELLOW :kati" AND THE KING OF THE GOLD MINE , . Charac pillit2-F. Robson. Miss Julia :t. George, 3liss E. ()monde, 7 7 b3 Ttillrtts Ttromtey, ant Mrs. Fitzal'an, 'To cotiel with the Farce, called A BLIGHTED BEING, in which Atr. t rtia....._ e --"""' 'AR appear. RCMI4.I. LSCEUM TEIKATRE. "'under the managemera of Madame Veetrie. Sole Les3ee Mr. C. Mathews. 0,12 1 1 1 CC1, DEC. 26, To:MORTtow EVE Will be produced a new and titled PIZIgCE PRETTYPE r and YitE7rair). Extravaganza, To be followed oy WO 111 1 :Aui n 'F r TERILY. en Box-oftlee open from 10 until 6. c•rTER, OiE. Bole agent for Private 130%ea. Mr. Alleroftos. ew Bond-,treet. ASTLEY'S noTAL AmPRITnEATItt. • . Levee and Manager, W!lllarn C ooke. •TO-MORROW, Tufs,lay (noxing-day), A MORXIXGPERFORMXSCE at Two o'clock ! Thn Scenoo the Cinile, and the first represcntath n of the New (.emit rantonu: 4 1 io on the Monday mornings of January let, 80, and 15th TO-MORROW NIG LIT, THE BATTLE of THE ALMA! After which, the SCENES In the ARENA ! relson Lee, To conclude with an entirely new Harlequin:We by li with new music, scenery, dresses, tricks , transformation% -4 7 11 6 r,.& e., called, GIILLI ' VER'3 TRAVELS T iIkOLTH II TIIE LIWs§E ISLANDS ; or, Harlequin and Britannia! oa.oMee open front Eleven til l Four. Stage Manr:lW: .' W. Director , tut W Acting Manager, Mr. .H. Cooke. Equestrian • '. Wm.tooke, jun. THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENIN G. DECEMBER 25, 1854 participate. It is tot, however, the mere creature comforts that promote, or, we should rather say, occasion the general happiness. Any amount of good cheer could never produce the tranquillity of dis position, the gentleness of feeling that generally prevails. Past memories, present enjoyment, and future hopes, combine, we think, of the absent of the dead—not when the first bitterness of grief is blunted, sorrowfully, but rather hopefully. The great event we are commemorating justifies I these hopes, and enables us to indulge in the fond anticipation that the separation from those we love is not eternal, and that as we may look forward to the return of those far from their homes, we may also humbly contemplate a re union with those whom we can never again look on in this world—and while dwelling with " mournful joy" on what has been removed, we may feel the deepest gratitude to the " Giver of all Good" for the blessings that remain, and those which may yet be accorded. Such associations should lead to important re sults—every person, whatever may be his capacity, should determine to spare no exertion collectively or individually to render assistance where it is required, to treat with kindness and considera tion those over whom he has any power. How ever lowly his position or scanty his means, he may yet do something. " The widow's mite" was a more acceptable offering than the treasure be stowed in a spirit of pride and ostentation, which sought its reward in the admiration of the spec tators. If every one strive to do his best accord ing to his power, an aggregate of godd would be aciaomplisheci that would surprise the world. Each man would feel astonished at the results of his own acts, at the amount of happiness we might confer on those over whom we had some control, or whose destinies we might influence in some degree. According to the fable, the mouse was enabled to rescue the lion from the hunter's snare, and if it is not often that such a chance arises there is still something that may be at tempted for some one, which will be " twice blessed," gratifying the recipients, and giving still greater pleasure to the donor, which certain will not lessen his appetite for his Christmas dinner. This may be regarded as " preaching." It is not the less appropriate. We seek to influence, not merely individuals, but the nation, as wt demand from each person what he or she has accomplished, or may determine to accomplish, for the general happiness—what wrongful deed he has committed, for which he may even yet make reparation—what act of beneficence he has left unfulfilled. We may still more urgently call upon the Legislature to remove, with all conve nient speed, the unseemly blots still remaining on the national escutcheon—to pay greater attention to the wants of the poor—to see that the most humble individual is protected from any undue encroachment on his rights and privileges, and that he may, so far as practicable, be enabled t 6 acquire the comforts suitable to his position, that his welfare and happiness may be' promoted to the utmost degree. ' We have in some respects entered on the right path, but our progress hitherto has been very tardy. Let not this golden opportunity, then, pass away without a resolute determination to make amends, and to produce the great end and object of all legislation — the production of " the. greatest good for the greatest number. for once attend to the interests of the " million ' rather than of the " favoured few," who have hitherto been the chief, if not the sole, objects of the Legislative solicitude. Let us The event of Friday night's debate was, not the division and the second small majority accorded to the Cabinet by reluctant supporters, but the speeches of the great League twins in favour of 'peace. Mr. BRIGHT'S we have had before in his letter ; indeed on Friday he was chiefly occupied in defending the statements of Mr. COBDEN from the misrepresentations of Lord Jorix RUSSELL. Both speeches will, of course, be translated by the CZAR for the benefit of his subjects ; and the Eu ropean reputation of Mr. COBDEN will no doubt be employed for very different purposes to that at which he aimed. We entirely acquit the Honourable Member of any unworthy motives, but we are much mistaken if he will not materi ally aid the Czar and all the despots of Germany in their efforts to prolong the base policy of that combination of little and great States adjacent to Russia which has been so fatal to our troops, and which has prevented the War being closed in a single campaign. Had Austria and Prussia, with their subordinates, declared to the CZAR that they were ready to join the Allies at once if he did not keep on his own side of the Pruth, they would have given him an honourable reason for doing it. He would have declared himself outvoted by Europe, and have remained quiet. And at the present moment it is not the " good offices" of all Germany which will obtain a safe peae3—her arms alone will do it. Mr. COBDEN says that nineteen out of twenty of the German people wish us success, but, will not join us in fighting for it. We give them credit for less selfishness, and more honour and wisdom. They must know that their present position is most degrading and contemptible, and must know also that the universal arming of Ge rman y aga i ns t th e patron saint of despotism would quickly bring him to his senses—above all, that it would materially aid them in obtaining those free institutions to which they all aspire, but of which, while supported by the CZAR, their perjured tyrants have so long de frauded them. But far NICHOLAS, 1848 would have left Germany in a very different political condition ; and. her people must be aware that such a favourable opportunity for throwing off the paralysing Russian nightmare, as co-operation with the Western Allies, may be long ere it occurs again. Perhaps the most marked of Mr. COBDEN'S falla cies was his appeal to the wishes of Prussia and Austria as the parties most interested in weaken ing the undue power of Russia. If they, being so near, would be content siith•the four points in a Russian sense, why not we ? for the first pres sure of over-grown Russia must be on them. Yet Nlr. COBDEN has himself described nineteen-twen tieths of the people as wishing success to the Allies. It is quite plain that what will content the tyrants of Germany will not content her people. The arbiters to whom Mr. COBDEN would refer the terms of peace quite understand their game. They wish for a CZAR strong enough to intimidate their subjects, though not so strong as to presume to talk of Austria as he did to Sir H. SEYMOUR. We should have little fear ourselves of appealing to the peoples immediately conter minous with Russia, or to the German people generally ; but to bring forward the wishes of their Governments as a reasonable criterion of fair arrangements is a totally different thing. What could Mr. COBDEN mean also by talking of the freedom of Danubian trade underßussia ? Have ' not writers of his own party shown at length, that, over and above the blocking up of its mouth, she imposed such inexcusable quarantine regulations and expenses, and that in favour of Odessa, that ships were detained for months before they could get rid of their cargoes, or were required to pay ruinous fees to Russian officials here or at Ga latz ? At the latter place, Russia having, more over, no more right to interfere than we have ; the river itself also being throughout its entire length, except the small portion at its mouth seized by the CZAR, not a Russian river. Indeed Mr. COBDEN'S whole speech is full of the suppressio rtri, we may add of the suggestio falsi, though we incline to attribute this practical partisanship less to design than to an exclusive attention to his own view of the whole question. Mr. COBDEN laboured hard to prove that the Turks were a hopeless race, and that it was useless as a security for the future to destroy Sebastopol. We fear the Russians are about as hopeless as the Turks morally ; and, except in their capacity of becoming ready imps to do the behests of the arch-enemy, they are no better politically. The regeneration of Turkey is as hopeful as that of Russia ; and to talk of the Christianity of the latter is, we really think, a profane insult to Christianity itself. Its doctrines and benign pre cepts may be known to the CZAR, but they are utterly unknown to his practice, except as he can use it, which he does abundantly, as a purely political engine. To his people the precepts of our holy faith cannot be said to have any influ ence at all. As to Sebastopol, if we have not now had demonstration enough that it has been constructed for the subjugation of the Black Sea, the Archipelago, the Levant, indeed of all the East, we should deserve to find it ten times stronger than it is. For any consideration of national honour, or a secure future, however, Nir. COBDEN seems to have but slight concern. To get off most easily for the present is his only object. For the suffering of our men we feel as deeply as he or his eloquent comrade Mr. 33nronr but we believe that nothing would plunge all now in the Crimea into deeper distress than a summons from the walls of Sebastopol with their work un done. In their denunciations of Ministerial in capacity and neglect we must concur, and only wish that they may produce their effect in the proper quarters. S- Although the additional consumption of tea, when the duty was only is. per lb., might make up for the reduction, the change would not follow on a reduction to ls. 6d. only. We had a striking illustration of this in the experiment made in postage of letters before the uniform penny charge was introduced. Those who dread ed a loss to the revenue, from the adoption of ROWLAND HILL'S judicious proposition, tried an intermediate four penny rate, which led to a considerable loss. The sum demanded was still too high to induce the poorer classes to correspond with distant rela tives. Fortunately, however, the) plan was fully developed, and the loss sustained in the abor tive experiment was fully recovered. So it will be with tea—at ls. 6d. duty, we shall only, witness the loss. The ameliorating influences have not and will not become perceptible, but give the project fair play ; let Mr. Dr 3RAELI—for he it was who introduced it, although Mr. GLADSTONE afterwards adopted it—obtain a reasonable trial. Let us sce whether we shall not obtain a better revenue at is. than at ls. 6d. There is, fortu nately, time enough to consider these matters. If the voice of public opinion be clearly and dis tinctly expressed, Mr. GLADSTONE may be induced to abstain from an experiment which may prove no less detrimental than some of those by which he has signalised his presidency at the Exchequer, and which have by no means advanced his charm ,er as a Financial Minister. LATEST NEWS. the four points. Count Buol gave the required explanations. It is said that on the 14th conferences were held between Count Buol and the ambassadors of the Western Powers, in order to come to an un derstanding about the measures to be taken in vir tue of the treaty of December, in case the Czar should not yield to the demands of Austria and the Western Powers." freight of fruit, consisting principally of oranges and lemons. The Madrid experienced fresh winds on her homeward voyage, with a tremendous sea, espe cially from Vigo to Southampton. She has 123 passengers in the aggregate. When the Madrid left Gibraltar the French war steamer Newtown and American screw-steamer Jacinto were lying in the Tagus ; as also the Eng lish screw-steamers De3ta and Norman. At Lisbon.—H.M.S. Meander. The French war-ship Prince Jerome left Cadiz on the 15th, but her destination was not known. Some anxiety existed at Lisbon on account of the continual rise in the staff of life—bread. It was thought that Government would prevent fur ther exportation of corn. GIBRALTAR. By the arrival yesterday afternoon of the Penin sular and Oriental Company's steamer Madrid a Southampton we have dates from Gibraltar to the 14th inst. The 39th Regiment embarked on board the steam-ship Cambria ou the 9th inst., for the Crimea, amid loud and rapturous cheering from the spectators, who lined the ramparts. This regi ment is the third that had taken its departure for the East from Gibraltar within a week, the 17gli and 19th Regiments having respectively embarked by the Niagara and Tamar. The Tamar had ar- I rived out at Gibraltar in four days from Southamp ton. The subscriptions in aid of the patriotic func atiGibraltar now amount to $4,179. The s.s. Tiber, six days from Palermo, touched at Gibraltar on the 9th inst., en route to LiTerpool. The Penin sular and Oriental Co.'s steamer Euxine, 51 days from Southampton, with the outward bound India mails, ro ached Gibraltar on the 10th, and proceeded for Malta and Alexandria. 11. M 's steam-sloop Curlew left Gibraltar on the 9th inst. for the east ward. The steamer Euphrates, 7i days from Li verpool, arrived on the 11th inst., and left for Corfu. The screw steamer Metropolitan, 5 days from Southampton, with wooden houses and stores for the Crimea, touched at Gibraltar on the 12th nst. The U. S. steam frigate San Jacinto arrived at Gibraltar on the 12th inst. The screw steamer Baalbec, 4 days 22 hours from Liverpool, bound to Constantinople, arrived on the 12th inst. The screw steam-ship New York passed the Straits with troops on the 12th inst. The British steam transport Charity, and a French line-of-battle ship, towed by a frigate, passed through the Straits on the 12th to the eastward. The screw transport Norman, 9 days from Southampton and 6 from Toulon, with wooden huts for the Crimea, reached Gibraltar on the 12th inst. The sailing transport Clifton, 106, with Government stores, arrived on the 12th. The screw steamer Delta, 6 days from Malta, arrived at Gibraltar on the 14th inst., bound to Tangier and Liverpool. The French steam-sloop Sentinelle left Gibraltar-bay on the 14th inst. COURT CIRCITLAR. W IND SOR, The dinner party yesterday included her Royal High ness the Duchess of Kent, the Archbishop of Canter bury, the Earl and Countess of Ellesmere and Lady Blanche Egerton, Major• General the Hon. Charles and Mrs. Grey, Sir James Clark, and Mrs. Codrington. The band of the Royal Horse Guards played during dinner, and her Majesty's private band afterwards. The Queen, with the Princess Royal and Princess Alice, walked in the Home Park this morning. The Prince of Wales and Prince Alfred rode on horseback to-day. All the visiting company left the Castle this forenoon. There was no addition to the Royal dinner party to-day SUNDAY, DNc. 24. The Queen and Prince, the four elder Royal children, and the Duchess of Kent, the ladies and gentlemen of the Court, and the domestic household, attended Divine service this morning in the private chapel of the Castle. The Hon. and Very Rev. the Dean of Windsor read the Prayers. The Bishop of New Zealand read tho Communion Service and preached the sernicn. His Royal Highness Prince Albert, attended by Major- General the Hon. Charles Grey and Captain the Hon. D. de Roe, left Windsor by a special train yesterday for Sandhurst, and inspected the site for the Wellington College, about to be erected near that place. The Prince returned to the Castle in the afternoon. Despatches from Lord Raglan, in the Crimea, were brought by a messenger to the Foreign-office on Satur day morning. Sir Charles Wood left the town after the Cabinet Council on Saturday afternoon for Lis seat, Hickleton hall, Doncaster. MINISTERIAL MOVEMENTS. After the Cabinet Council which separated on Satur day evening summonses were ssued for a Cabinet Council on Wednesday next. The Marquis of Lansdowne left Lansdowne-house yesterday (Sunday) morning for Bowood-park, Wilts, for the Christmas holydays. The Lord Chancellor, accompanlis I by Lady Cran worth, after the breaking up of the 'abinet Council on Saturday evening, left town to pass a few days at his lordship's seat near Bexley, Kent. The Right 'Ron. Sidney Herbert, M.P., and Mrs. Herbert left town on Saturday evening for Wilton house, near Salisbury. The right hon. gentleman comes to town on Wednesday morning. The Right Hon. Sir George Grey, the Secretary for the Colonial Department, left town, by mail train, on Satuidly night for Falloden, near Hawick. Viscount Palmerston has vacated his house in Carlton-gardens, and removed to the mansion he has taken of Mr. Beaumont, M.P., in Piccadilly. Lady Jocelyn and her youthful family are staying with the noble Viscount and Viscountess. Tile Duke of Argyll has taken possession of Bedford lodge, Campden-hill, formerly the residence of the Dowager Duchess of Bedford. The Duchess and family arrived there on Saturday, from visiting the Duke and Duchess of Sutherland at Trentham. The noble Duke and Duchess purpose passing the holidays in town. Lord John Russell, the Lord-President of the Coun cil, left London on Saturday, after the Council, to join her ladyship and family at the Duke of Bedford's seat in Bedfordshire. The Right Hon. the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Mrs. Gladstone left the right hon. gentleman's official residence in Downing-street on Saturday evening for Hawarden Castle, Flintshire, on a visit to Sir Stephen Glynne, Bart. The right hon. gentleman will be in town on Wednesday. The Right Hon. Sir C. Wood, Bart., left Chesham place on Saturday evening for Hickleton-hall, York shire, to pass the Christmas with Lady Mary Wood and family. The Duke of Newcastle, the Right' Hon. Sir James Graham, and the Earl of Aberdeen are in town, public business demanding their constant attention to their re spective departments in the State. The Earl of Clarendon left town by the last train on Saturday night for the Grove, near Watford, Herts. The noble Earl will come to town to-morrow. Earl Granville has left town for a few days, but will come to London to attend the meeting of the Cabinet Ministers on Wednesday. The Chevalier Buhsen, says the Gazette de l'Academie of St. Petersburg, continues to reside in retirement at Heidelberg, and has just sent to Berlin an historical work, the fruit of his regained leisure. GENERAL SIR DE LACY EVANR.—This gallant officer is hourly expected to arrive from Dover at his residence in Bryanstone-square from. Paris. We are happy to learn that the gallant General's health has improved since he left Malta. PRUSSIA. The first Chamber of the States of Prussia has adopted, by a majority of 89 to 13, a proposition made by Count Istemplitz for the suppression of all the articles of the constitution which guarantee to citizens the free disposal of their property, and also of those which abolish seignorial rights. This is, perhaps, the most audacious blow yet aimed at the Prussian constitution. GERMANY. Letters from Nassau state that orders have been given to prepare for a mobilisation of the army. The medical inspectors of the army have instrue• tions to send in the names of those surgeons who are ready to accompany an army to the field, and the burgomasters are to send in returns of avail able horses for the artillery. Nassau has no ca valry corps. - THE BALTIC. A letter from Christiana, 12th, in the Boersen- Italie of Hamburg, says :—" The Minister of the Interior has made known that the French and Eng lish ambassadors at Stockholm have declared, in the name of their Governments, by notes dated the 25th, that in the event of the blockade being renewed next spring, the commercial relations be tween Finmarken and the Russian ports in the White Sea, which continued last summer, will be no longer tolerated." BELGIUM. BRUSSELS, Friday.—This afternoon the Belgian Senate voted the literary convention with England, and the bill allowing still of the free admission of foreign coal. The general annual assembly of the shareholders of the Great Luxembourg Railway was held this day in the Brussels office of the company. No business of any importance was transacted, and the meeting was adjourned till the 13th of Feb ruary. The works between this city and Namur are nearly completed, and are actively carried on in other ports. FRAN CE. PARIS, SUNDAY. The Moniteur contains a report to the Emperor Napoleon from M. Billault, Minister of the Inte rior, representing that, owing to the price of pro visions being at a higher rate than in good years, the prevalence of the cholera, and the failure of the vintage, it would be desirable that an appro priation of 5,000,000 of francs should be granted by the State in aid of those that might require succour, and whose industry, even aided by pr i v ate benevolence, would not suffice for their support ; as also for the promotion of public woiks, with the same view. Constantinople letters of the 10th, in the Con stitutionnel, state that the Duke of Cambridge was going to the Crimea again, instead of coming to England. Also a decree of the Emperor, dated December 20, authorising the grant of a subvention of 5,000,000 of francs for the purpose named by the Minister of the Interim. A decree also for the nomination of a great num ber of magistrates. The Minister of Marine has ordered a new levy of sailors, comprising all of the class who have not served the State four years. The Moniteur du Loiret announces that Marshal Narvaez, who has been residing for some time at Orleans, is about to quit that place to fix his resi dence at Paris. The Pat) ie announces the death of M. Victor Hennequin, formerly editor of the Democratic Paci fique, and member of the last Legislative Assembly. The Constitutionnel says :-- "In addition to the telegraphic despatches, letters arrived yesterday from the Crimea to the 13th of this month. Our troops continue to be animated with the very best spirit. Reinforcements and supplies were arriving every day. No fact of importance bad taken place." The Paris papers publish a, letter, from Berlin, alleging that the Cabinet of Vienna has formally informed Prussia that it was disposed to accede to the proposal which she had made, to have the four points discussed in common at Vienna by plenipo tentiaries, and to have a "positive understanding come to as to their precise meaning. It is believed here that conferences will be opened shortly at Vienna. It is known that the Prussian Cabinet has made an application to that effect at London and at Paris. ITALY. Letters from Rome of the 15th mention that a despatch had been received there the day previous from the War.office in Paris, ordering the depar ture of a battery of the Bth Regiment of Artillery which has been for some time in garrison in that city, and at the same time of a regiment of Dra- • goons. The half of that force was ordered to march on the 20th, and the remainder on the 22d. They are to go by land, and it is only when they shall have marched some distance that their destination will be communicated to them. It is supposed that they are to enter the Austrian territory, and thence to proceed to the Danubian Principalities. I men tioned some days since, on the authority of a letter from Lyons, that a brigade of cavalry of that city and a considerable body of infantry were expected soon to take the same route. THE OVERLAND MAIL TRIESTE, SUNDAY. The steamer Bombay arrived this day, at four a.m., from Alexandria, in 110 hours. ALEXANDRIA, DEC. 18. The India mail leaves Alexandria on the 19th December, with advices from Calcutta to Novem ber 19 ; ladras, November 24 ; Shanghai, No vember 5 • Amoy, October43o ; Canton, Novem ber 5 ; Hong Kong, November 11 ; Singapore, November 20 ; Bombay, November 28. Dost Mahomed has opened a friendly correspond ence• with the Governor-General. A treaty has been made with the Khan of Kelat, to protect our frontier from Kurrachee to Can dahar. Nepaul is increasing her military forces. The Burman Envoy, from Ava, was expected at Calcutta. The price of opium had begun to rise at Calcutta. Capital abundant—almostoedundant. At Bombay, trade bad. • In the north of China, the imperialists have gained some advantages over the insurgents, and they expect shortly to recover Shanghai. Teas, at Canton very trifling purchases ; at Shanghai a little cheaper. In silks, a large business was done. Exchange at Canton, 4s. Bd. ; Shanghai, 6s. THE UNITED STATES. ARRIVAL OF THE AFRICA. LIVERPOOL, SUNDAY. This day the Royal Mail steam-ship Africa, Cap tain Harrison, arrived in the Mersey with the usual mails from the United States and British North America. She sailed from New York on the 13th inst., and has brought besides the mails 70 passengers, but no specie. The United States mail steam-ship Pacific, from hence on the 28th ult., arrived at New York on the 13th inst. By the last arrival from California we have dates to November the 15th, and one• and a half million dollars in gold dust, but the news is unimportant. The Sandwich Island treaty of annexation with the States has been signed by the king and nobles. In Mexico, Santa Anna has defeated Mararez and suppressed the rebellion. Alaygu dry-goods house at Boston is reported to have failed, and the liabilities to be about two mil lion dollars. At the departure of the steamer, business in New York was unchanged, but st ill dull. Stocks weak and fluctuating, and money very tight. In the cotton market cottons were offered freely at a reduction of one-eighth cent in price, the southern ports yielding but slightly. The breadstuff market was inanimate, and being but a light stock, prices w ould have advanced but , for the stringency of the money market. There was a fair demand for provisions ; prides unchanged. Freights incline downwards. Exchange on London lower, 107 1 t o 108 i ; ditto on Paris, 5.161 to 5.20. THE PENINSULAR MAIL. SOUTHAMPTON, SUNDAY. The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steam ship Madrid, Captain Neil Cook, arrived this after noon with the usual ten-day Peninsular mails. Her latest dates are—Gibralta r, Dec. 14 ; Cadiz, 16 ; Lisbon, 19 Oporto, 20 ; Vigo, 21. The Madrid brings 18,1611. in specie, and a large ANTICIPATED ATTACK ON ODESSA. VIENNA, SUNDAY EVENING, The Oest. Correspondent has letters from Odessa of the 12th, stating that the fear of an attack by the Allies is so great that new strand batteries have been constructed and intrenchments made on the land side. General Schabelsky, a most energetic man, has succeeded General Annenkoff as Governor. The rainy weather continues, and the roads are so bad that it takes three days to travel 50 English miles in the Crimea. The garrison of Odessa now consists of 50,000 men. Eight steamers have been taking soundings off Etchakoff, and it is feared the Allies will make a descent on Kinburn preparatory to an attack on Perekop. We have received the following from our cor• respondent at Marseilles : " MARSEILLES, SUNDAY. " The Telemaque, expected with dates from Constantinople of the 14th, has not arrived. " A miscreant fired a pistol to-ritzy at General Rostolan. " The shot missed, and the assassin was ar. rested," RUSSIA. We have received the following from our cor respondent at Berlin : " BERLIN, SUNDAY. "By an ukase dated the 13th a levy of 10 men in every 1,000 throughout the eastern half of the empire is decreed. " This levy will commence on the 15th of February, and must be finished by the 15th of March. " The Jews are not exempt." GERMANY. VIENNA, SATURDAY. Colonel Manteuffel arrived here yesterday even ing from Berlin. To-morrow he will be received by the Emperor in private audience. THE PRINCIPALITIES The Wanderer of Vienna has the following from Jassy, 16th :—" The property of the Greek con vents, which are richer than the state, will be con fiscated on account of their revolutionary tenden cies. The French divisionsare impatiently expected in the Principalities." The German Gazette of Bucharest, of the 7th, says that the government has just published the following important notice concerning the-Greeks residing in Wallachia :—" In consequence of mea sures decided on by the Sublime' Porte relative to a t i o itY us by the —measures t w h hei G eh ree h k a s v w e ho be r e e n side c i o n ta t m hi u s n P ic ri a r t lc e i d p order of the Sultan —all these Greek subjects are placed under the authority of the Wallachian go vernment, and all of them are to give security for their remaining quiet. This order is to be most rigor ously enforced, and all Greek subjects are to imme diately inform the authorities of theirpresence in the country, and to give the requisite securities. Any persons who do not conform to this order will be at once expelled from the country. The authorities are furthermore to be attentive to discover such Greeks as have served in the corps of volunteers, as such persons are not permitted to remain in the principality. Nominative lists must be drawn up without delay of the position and residence of every Greek subject, w hich lists are to be sent in duo course to the Millister of the Interior." THE CRIMEA. The enna following from Vi h_a On the n the 19th ult. a military cou ncil was held at Seb astopol in presence of the Grand Du kes Nicholas and Michael, who A , udgastbeudrYthGealzeBttthe were then in the Crimea. The head of the staff of Prince Menschikoff is said to have proposed new means of defence for Sebastopol, which were agreed to unanimously. In consequence it was resolved, it is said-Ist, That a squadron shall be equipped in the port of Sebastopol for occasionally going out ; 2dly, That the defence should not be any longer extended to the whole circuit of Sebastopol, hut be restricted to the point of attack ; and 3dly, That a fortified camp should be established between Bakschi-Serai and Simpheropol, with a detached corps on the Tchernaya. The letter in question terminates with the follow ing consideration :—" As long as the Isthmus of Perekop is not closed, the Russians will remain masters of the situation. Perekop is the most im portant strategetical point for Prince Menschikoff, being, in fact , the key of the Tauris, by which can always arrive reinforcements and provisions in abun dance." A NEW PLAN FOR ENLIGHTENING THE RUSSIANS. We read in the Corriere Italian° of Vienna of the 19th December, the following account of a new application of scientific discovery to the purposes of warfare :—There is a project submitted to the Western Governments, that electric lights should be thrown from the Allied positions on the works and batteries of the Russians. Their every move ment and exact situation could thus be shown the Allied artillerists and riflemen, while the latter would be concealed in the deepest obscurity, occa sioned by the intensely brilliant light. AUSTRIA. A. letter from Vienna in the Breslau Gazette says that the Lloyd was put in type for the 17th, but did not appear on that day. Mr. Warrens, the chief editor of that paper, had bad a private audi ence of the Emperor, who gave him a kind recep tion ; and he afterwards obtained permission to re sume the publication of his papers. " Foreign countries," the correspondent adds, " can have but a faint idea of the warlike prepar,ations of Austria. It is certain that there are at present 600,000 men under arms. On the 15th the Emperor caused an experiment to be made in his presence of the blowing up of a pontoon bridge. Prince Gort chakoff went toCount Buol the other day to demand explanations, in the name of his government, on the last Austrian note, and the new form given to NAVAL AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE. Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Napier, K.C.B, Com mander-in-Chief of the Baltic fleet, struck his flag on board the Duke of Wellington, 131, at Spithead, on Saturday evening, having obtained Admirality leave for the Christmas. The Royal George got up steam at Sheerness on Saturday morning, and steamed down to the docking moorings, where she will remain until next spring tides. Her - crew have also similar leave to the crews of the Majestic and Cressy. The screw seam-ship Princess Royal, 91, Captain Lord A . Paget, having been fitted with a new false keel; was taken out of dock at Devonport on Saturday. The screw steam-ship Ciesar, 91, Captain Robb, was docked at Keyham on Thursday. The Monarch, 84, will leave Hamoaze for Plymouth Sound on the 21th inst., and is appointed• to sal for South America on the 2d of January. The Majestic, 80, was slipped from her moorings on Saturday last, warped into the fitting basin, and docked in No. 3 dry dock, Sheerness. Her crew. were granted leave until to-morrow morning. The crew of the Cressy, 80, who were draughted from the Portland, Fox, and %Vaterwitch on her going to the Baltic, were sent up to Chatham in the Wildfire to re ceive their pay and the same term of leave as the crew draughted from the Centaur to the Majestic. All her crew here were granted liberty on Saturday last, to ex pire to-morrow morning, when they are to be paid and have leave granted them. The steam blockship Cornwallis, 72, will be taken o' of dock at Devonport on the Bth of January. The Imperieuse, 51, Captain Watson, C.B:, arrived at Spithead on Saturday from the Baltic. The screw steam-frigate Euryalus, 51, Capt. Ramsey, last from Spithead, arrived in Plymouth Sound on Satur day morning, and is appointed to go up Hamoaze for repairs. APPOINTMENTS. Lieutenants. —George John Malcolm (1849), from the Powerful, 84, to the Waterloo, 120, at Sheerness ; Lord F. Conyngbam (1845), from the Blenheim, 60, screw steam-ship, to the Exmouth, 91, screw steam-ship, at Devonport ; Benjamin L. Lefroy (1854), to the Blen heim, 60, at Portsmouth ; the Hon. William L. H. Anson (1853), recently serving in the Monarch, 84, to the Tartar, 21, screw ste urn corvette, at Chatham ; Charles A. B. Pocock (1853), from the Excellent gunnery ship at Portsmouth, to the Monarch, 84, at De vonport ; J. P. Smallpage (1854), from the Boscawen, 72, to the Belleisle hospital ship at Devonport. Master George H. Loveridge (1847), recently serving in the Salamander paddlewheel steam sloop, to the Coast Guard. Chaplain Robert Picton Picton to the Powerful, 84. Mates —Philip H. Colomb (1852), recently serving in the Phcenix screw steam sloop, to the Ajax, 60, screw steam ship; J. F. St. G. M9Donnell, recently serving in the Racehorse, 14, sloop, to the Nankin, 50, at Chatham. Assistant Surgeons—John Hudson (1853), serving in the Waterloo, 120, flagship, at Sheerness, is confirmed to that ship ; Thomas Coghlan, serving in the Royal George, 120, screw steam ship, at Sheerness, is con firmed to that ship. Third Class Assistant-Engineers—George Hl)vvgate, William Fowler, William Hurst, and James Higgons Bray, to the fleet. THE PRUSSIAN GUN-BOATS. The Nix and Salamander gun-boats, sent from Prussia to Plymouth, in exchange for the British frigate Thetis, are to be surveyed by the officers of the Devonport dock yard, in order to ascertain whether they are perfectly fitted, and whether their machinery is in good order be fore the exchange is completed. MISCELLANEOUS. Information was received at the Admiralty on Satur day that another Russian vessel, called the Ariel, had been seized in the port of Belfast, sailing under false colours. Her crew, six in number, were sent prisoners to Greenock, and put on board the Athol troop-ship, to be brought to London in her Majesty's ship Powerful. The Oscar screw steam-vessel had her compasses ad justed at Greenhithe on Friday last, and was to leave immediately after for the Black Sea. The Adelaide screw steam-transport was to have her compasses after the Oscar, and them leave Greenhithe for the Black Sea; with munitions of war, &c., fot• the Crimea. All officers' packages on board the steamer Firefly will be sent forward by that ship, which has had to un f load part of her cargo at Plymouth. On Friday a :considerable quantity of medical and other comforts, bedsteads, &c., were forwarded from the Tower stores to Croydon barracks, which is being pre pared for the reception of invalid and wounded soldiers from the Crimea: THE APPRENTICES' BRIG, The Commander-in-Chief, 1 /;ice Admiral Sir Thomas Cochrane, paid a visit on Friday on board the naval ap prentices' brig Rolla, under the command of Lieutenant Fenwick. The lads were put through the great gun drill, and fired several rounds. The whole proceedings elicited the warmest acknowledgments from the gallant admiral at the proficiency of the lads in all branches of their drill, and he complimented Mr. Fenwick on the occasion. THE TRANSPORT SERVICE. The Imperatrice steam transport arrived at Spithead from Liverpool on Saturday, and went into Portsmouth harbour to prepare for the reception of 900 troops for the Crimea. Two officers and 158 men of the 19th and 38th Regi ments arrived at Portsmouth on Satuday evening, from Hastings, to embark for foreign service. The yde steam transport, Captain Henderson, has had her boiler repaired by the engineer establishment of Portsmouth dockyard, under the direction of Mr. Mur ray ; she has coaled, and hauled alongside the dock yard-jetty to ship troops and stores for the Crimea. The Lady Franklin, sailing transport, has completed loading with about 500 tons of victualling stores frow the Royal Clarence-yard, Gosport, for the depots at Malta. These stores 'consist of beef, pork, tea, hay, rum, and biscuit. She sails immediately. The next transport ship expected at Portsmouth—the Louisa Margarita—has sustained some damage on her passage from the Thames, and has put into Margate for repairs. The transport Royal Albert, taken up for the Con veyance 6f troops, has been ordered to Portsmouth, to receive detachments of the 36th Regiment for Barbadoes. The transport Euphrates has arrived at Portsmouth, , nvey troops to New Zealand. MILITARY. Her Majesty has been pleased to approve of Colonel Thomas Gordon Higgins, of the Royal Artillery, being placed a s a colonel upon the staff of the army, with a Viewto his commanding the Artillery!serving in Ireland, in succession to Colonel W. B. Dundas, C. 8., pro•, n oted to be Major-General. The Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance has nomi nated Lieut.-Colonel J. H. Francklyn, of the Royal Artillery, to the command of the Artillery in the Cork district, in succession to Lieut.-Colonel Crawford • and Lieut.. Colo n el N . E . Harr i sonfto the comman d o f the Artillery •in the Kilkenny district, in succession to' Dent.- Colonel Nedham. UpWards of 200 of the men of the 3d West York Militia, now stationed at Richmond barracks, Dublin, have already volunteered into the line, and the number is daily increasing. • One point of the forthcoming Budget has been suffered to leak out. There is, if Mr. GLADSTONE is allowed to have his own way, to be no further reduction in the Tea Duties until after that in- definite period, the conclusion of the War. In place of being gradually reduced to ls. per lb. the duty is to remain stationary at the present rate of Is. Gd. We regret this determination for many reasons. We regret it on account of the class to whom "the cup that cheers without inebriating," being their only comfort, has become an article of primary use. The over-toiled sempstress, " singing the song of a shirt," made for 11d., in some instances id., or chaunting the refrain of a military great coat made for id., out of which the miserable victim provides needles and thread, may abandon the hope of a cup of tea. Teetotallers may despair, although we confess we do not greatly sympathise with their annoyance—at the encouragement thus afforded, to " in- -Tiring bold JOHN BARLEYCORN." Mr. J. - _ LLOYD PHELPS, of Birmingham, may per- ceive the equivalents given for tho extended and subsequently doubled Income Tax, one by one vanishing from his bewildered vision, until ho finds that he has to meet a positive charge of 41. 3s. 4d. on his salary of 1001. per annum, while his weekly bills are enhanced rattier than diminished. But what signifies the vexation, dis appointment, or inconvenience of any or all of these parties, so long as Mr. GLADSTONE is al- lowed to indulge his financial crotchet of provid- ing for the whole of the extra expenditure of the country out of the annual revenue, and that his name may be handed down to " posterity" as the clever financier, who, by grinding his own gene ration, exhibited the extraordinary financial de monstration of paying off eight millions of debt, just at the period when the nation was entering into a life-and-death struggle with a Power like Russia, and afterwards, without replacing the money thus abstracted from the Exchequer, applied the fiscal screw to suoh an extent that the unfortu nate sufferers groaned under the intolerable pres- sure? But the complaints and sufferings of the people might be of comparatively trivial importance if the object for which the change of law is to be demanded could be attained. We believe, how ever, that the revenue will be injured rather than benefitted thereby—that the Tea Duties would be even more productive if the gradual reduction sanctioned in 1853 were suffered to take effect than by its further progress being arrested. The reduction from .2s. 21d. to Is. per lb. on tea was advocated, not merely for the sake of its beneficial consequences on our commercial rela tions with China, but because it was supposed that the lower duty would be nearly, if not alto gether, as productive as the higher one, and that thus the consumer might be materially relieved without any serious loss to the revenue. The Chinese - insurrection, perhaps we might more appropriately term it " revolution," has hitherto impeded, if it has not altogether pre vented, the anticipated results. The increase in the first cost price of tea neutralised the advan tages that would otherwise have arisen from the reduction of duty. Besides, that reduction was 6_ not sufficient to produce decided consequences. to co THE ROYAL BARON OF BEEF. The baron of beef, which from time immemorial has formed the staple Christmas dish of the Sovereigns of . England, was this year supplied by Mr. Minton, of Peas cod-street, Windsor, butcher to her Majesty. It was cut from the carcase of a fine Highland ox, fed by his Royal Highness Prince Albert, at the Model Farm, in the Home Park. The baron weighed precisely 60 stone, or 4801b5., and judges pronounced the meat to be of very superior quality. The process of roasting so large a weight of beef is one of no ordinary difficulty, and only to be accomplished perfectly in the largest baronial halls, or in the kitchen of Windsor Castle. In the present instance the baron was put down before an enor mous fire on S tturday afternoon, and for fourteen hours was it watched and basted by relays of assistants, under the superintendence of the head roasting-cook: A hot time of it have those watchers and basters, but they consider themselves conapensated by an unlimited sup ply of ale. After the baron is taken up and allowed sufficient time to set and cool, then conies the operation of paring aad trimming, so that the immense mass of meat is sensibly dimirished in actual weight, but materially improved in outward appearance. Placed on a dish as large as an ordinarily-sized table, it is then decorated after the most approved fa shion. The royal cypher is traced round the edges of the dish ; the holly and misletoe apparently sprout from the outside fat of the meat ; and his lordship is then duly placed on the sideboard of the dining-room in Windsor Castle, where her Majesty the Queen and the Royal family, surrounded by an illustrious and distinguished circle of visitors, partake of their Christmas banquet. This evening, the baron will be placed on the royal sideboard for the first time, RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE. INVERNESS AND ELGIN. Public meetings have been held this week in the eastern burghs, at which much life and energy were displayed, and great exertimas made to secure subscrip tions for the capital of this undertaking. Tbat at Elgin, on Tuesday, was presided over by Provost Grant ; and the same evening a meeting was held at Forres (Provost Kynoch in the chair), which was attended by Sir Alex. P. G. Cumming, Mr. Grant, of Kincorth, and many other gentlemen of the neighbourhood. The Hon. L. Grant represented his brother, the Earl of Seafield ' • and we are glad to hear that Lord Fife's trustees, who have so much property along the line, take a deep interest in the measure. Mr. Mackintosh, of Raigmore, Captain Fraser Tytler, and Mr. Mitchell, C.E., attended on the part of the promoters, and explained the whole details of the ar rangements made with the directors of the Great North of Scotland Railway Company, which were well received, and approved of. Yesterday, resolutions in favour of the measure were passed by acclamation at a most re spectable meeting held in the Burgh Court-house of Nairn, of which the Provost, Colonel Findlay, was chairman, supported by General Gordon, of Lockdhu, General Ket-, chen, Alexander Smythe, Esq., of Balnageith ; Captain Gordon, Ivybank ; James Mitchell, Esq., Millfield ; Dr. Grigor, W. Dick, Esq., Adam Davidson, Esq., &c., &c. Local committees were named in all the burghs to can vass among the tenantry and resident inhabitants for shares ; and after the public meeting held to-day at Dingwall, and that announced to take place in the Castle, Inverness,,to morrow, we have no doubt ample funds will be secured to enable the requisite Parliamen tary deposits to be made by the 31st current. It will be an advantage rather than otherwise, that, not withstanding the magnitude of this great national undertaking, the shareholders will not be called on to pay up all the money they subscribe for at once, but that the payment will be by instalments, spread over a period of three years. Let the act, by pre sent energetic exertion, be once obtained, and we have no fear of ample means being got for the execution of the whole works. And with more especial reference to the meeting in the Castle on Friday (to-morrow), we hope a numerous attendance of the district will at once show their interest in this important undertaking, and be the means of stirring up all the northern counties to united exertion in supplying a trunk communication so essential to its interest. To all it is a matter of deep importance, and it is particularly so to the shareholders of the Inverness and Nairn Railway, to whom the for mation of the through line will double the traffic of their portion between Nairn and Inverness. To the counties and district north of Inverness this movement must be of vast consequence, for it not only will connect them closely with the large district of which Aberdeen is the capital, where the feeding of stock is every year extend ing, but it brings the giant system of British railways, ' with all their ramifications, to their very doors, and thus the central Highlands will, for all practical purposes, be made as easy of access to the wealthy millions of England as their most fashionable watering places were a few years ago. ' Thursday Evening.—The Dingwall meeting passed of with much spirit. Sheriff Cameron presided ; the factors for Tulloch and Coul, and Banker Macivor, moved the principal resolutions. — Inverness Courier. CABINET'COUNCIL.—A Cabinet Council was held on Saturday at the Foreign-office. The Ministers present were—the Earl of Aberdeen, Lord John Russell, the Marquis of Lansdowne, the Duke of Argyll, Viscount Palmerston, the Earl of Clarendon, Sir George Grey, the Duke of Newcastle, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir James Graham, Sir Charles Wood, Earl Granville, the Right Hon. Sidney Herbert, and Sir William Moles worth. The Council sat four hours. SAILING OF THE WILDFIRE. —The barque Wildfire,• Captain Downward, belonging to Messrs. Brassey and Peto, sailed from Liverpool by Saturday's afternoon tide, for Balaklava. She carries out about 30 navvies, and a quantity of railway material and plant, to be em ployed in constructing and working the railway from the harbour at Balaklava to the trenches before &baste.. pol. 4 i