The Sun. — London, England, 1863-12-11 00:00:00

ROYAL ENGLISII OPERA, COVENT-GARDE N. Under the 31:a.7a Bement of Miss Louisa Pyne and Ur. W. Harr►son• THIS EVEND:G, for the 17th time, Balfe's new Opera BLANCH EDE 3 ERS : Miss Louisa Pyne, Miss Anna , kiss Emma. Hey w Messrs.W. H. Weiss, H. Cord, A. Cook, A. bt. Al byn, C. Lyall. Rouse , and W. Harrison. To conclude with t he Second Act of THE DESERT LOWER. Cone Nuctor, Mr. A. Mellon. Doors open at 31f-past Six—Commence at Seven. PHEA.TRE ]!.I.OYAL DRURY-LANE,- Mana,ers. Mess' •s. E. Falconer and F. B. Chatterton. THIS EVENING, hut' Majesty's Servants will perform BEAU: the Farce otOR THE BEAST. Principal cha racters by Messrs. Ad slison, G. F. Neville, Barret, Spencer, and G. Weston ; Mrs 1 :clinand Falconer and Miss R. Leelerq. At er which, Lord I iyTon's Choral Tragedy, MANFRED. Messrs. i helps,.Ryde r, Rayner, M-agreson, Ward, Spencer ; Miss Eburne, Miss F. Atkinson, Miss Leclercq, and Mrs. E. Falconer. Vocalists—Kiss Poole, Miss hitter, Miss Cicely riot*. Miss HeywootT, •tnd Mr. Swift. Followed by MY HI ART'S IN THE HIGHLANDS: characters by Mr. J. Neville, Mr. G. Weston, Mr. Warde, Mr. J. Marris ; Mrs. C. Melville, and Miss Harileur. THEATRE ROYAL HAY NI A RKET.— Sole Lee see and Manager, Mr, Buckstone. TUN EVENI NG, USED UP. Messrs. C. Mathews, Bowe, Rogers, I , .raid Clark, Cullenford, &c. ; Mesdamps Angel, Fitzwillis , m , &c. 2 Followed by THE GOLDEN FLEECE. Messrs. Charles Mathew+, compi on,Weathersby, &c. ; Mesdames C. Mathews, L Keeley. Griffith, &c. With COOL AS A CUCUMBER. Mr. C. Mathews. And MY H CISBA.ND'S G iIOST. Commence at 7. OYAL LYCEUM THEATRE.I Uncle'? the Sole Management of Mr. Fechter. BEL DE Ni.DNIO (a Triumphant Success) will be repeated Every Evening until further notice. THIS EVENING, the Comedietta, by W. Gilbert, entitled UNCLE BA BY: Mess's. Widdicombe, J. G. Shore, Charles ; hiss P. Leol!rcg, and Carlotta Leclerzq. After which, at Eight o'clock, BEL DEMONIC), a Love Story, in Twelve Tableaux, taken" from Stendhal's " Italian Chronicle ," by Mr. John Brougnam. Principal charac ter by Mr. :Pechter, supported by Messrs. Jordan, Charles, Br - mgh,,m, Emery, Raymond, Moreland, Smith, Clifford, Collett, And rews, Sims ; Miss Kate Terry, N. LaYeMle, Airs. Lee, and Ants Elsworthy. Doors open at half-past 6—commence at 7. LEA H.-EVERY NIGHT. --__ MSS BATEMAN.-LEAH.-THIS EVENING, the GI st appearance of the great Tragic Actress, Miss BA TEMAN, in the character of LEAII. In consequence of the unbounded success with which Miss Baternan's imperso nation of the principal character in the new Five Act Drama of LEAH has been attenued. Mr Webstec begs to announce that it will ,toe performed EVER Y EVENING until furthe ------- r notice. I N.FW TRE ATRE-11.0 AL, ADELpm..... sole Pronriiitor and Manager, M. B. Webster, Tins EVENING, at 7. THE TitAGEDY QUEEN: Mrs Stirling. .4t 8, the New Drama of LEAH : Bth weer of Miss Bate man,3plheesnersostrtuurrnSeti.rliaing R. mi l supported bi te ps, 811- ngt on, Stuart, —ad K. Simms, and Mrs. Billingtcn. T Mrnclude with TIIE IRISH TIGER : Miss K. Kelly and. btephenson. OYAL STRAND THEATRE. Manager, Mr. W. g. Swanborough. T ins EVENING, MIRIAM'S CRIME. Messrs. Geo. Honey, Parselle, Belford, Turner, Miss K. Saville, and Miss Manders. Followed by (16th time) PATIENT PENELOPE or, The Return of Ulysses. Messrs. Money and Fenton ; Mesdames wanborough and Simpson. After which, .31r .N. LW PLACE. Mr. A. Wood. Commence at 7. ROYAL ADLER'S-WELLS THEATRE. Manageress, Miss Marriott. THIS EVENING, the successful new Play, by Westland Marston, Esti., entitled PURE GoLD : Messrs. E. Phelps, H. Marston, D. H. Jones, W. D. Gresham, S. Perfitt ; Miss 3 landlebert, airs. B. White, and Miss Marriott. To conclude with THE BRIGAND : Mr. D. H. Jones, Miss Mandlebert. Box-office open from 11 to 4. THIRD EDITION OF " THE SUN," ll Containing the Latest SPORTING INTELLIGENCE, Dan be had Every Evening of G. ft. GLENIE, NEWS AGENT, No. 4, Connaught-terrace, Hyde-park. HIGH. WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. This DAY.—Morning, 2h. 2a2.—Afternoon, 2h. 21m. o-moußow.-:Morning, 2h. 48m.—Afternoon, 3h. 10m. The Weather—Sun Office, Dec. 11, 1863. THERMOMETER. This day at Two o'clock Barometer-30.19. Wind—S.-W. ; moderate, and cloudy. c,t4 •:".6!) Ttfj *it '44td_ll-, LONDON, FRIDAY, DEC. 11, 1863. Although the phrase is expressive so far of a mere conventional courtesy among the Monarchs— it is ,something for the French EMPEROR to have elicited from each of the contemporary rulers of Europe the assurance, " Je saisis cette occasion pour sous r enouveler les assurances de la haute estime et de l'ansitie toute particuliere avec lesquelles je suis, Monsieur mon frere, de Votre Majesty, le bon here" —ALiEXANDRE, FRANccis-JOSEPH, GUILLAVME, GEOUGE, LEOPOLD, and so on through the whole list of the reigeing European Sovereigns. To cor dial esteem, to inviolable friendship, they are again thus very recently and very formally pledged ; and the potentate to whom they stand thus pledged anew, is the very one who has hitherto disturb ance flouted as the perpetual meditator of throughout Christendom. This is certainly —if nothing else—a very curious turn-1 11R of the tables, indeed! Could anything be more on „„, - ` o, 3r than the terms in which the King of PRUSSIA, for example, responds to the EMPEROR'S invitation.?-_ " I thank youresponds r to it, thus, by accepting it ! MAJESTYMAJESTY for the hospitality you are kind enough to 0 r ar me, and I am sure that I shall find in Paris the cordial reception which renders the recollection of my stay at Compiegne so dear to me! but it will rathe r appertain to our united Mini sters to enlighten by their discussions and to prepare for the sanction of the sovereigns the propositions that wilt tz i submitted to the Congress.Congress.''Language u in dicative o f th e Royal writer's conviction that the Congress is in very deed tcr ee holden as proposed! 140 Congress that England has refused to participat e In His Im perial Majesty the Emperor of A "MIA, altho ug h refraining from assurances ofco operation So explicit, observes most graciously and graeef t ei, g upon NAPOLEON'S project of a Congress— Step is dictated to your MAJESTY by the sincere desire to spare the world the calamities which war lead, to. To preserve and assure to Europe the benefits of peace, while maintaining the honour and dignity of the country we govern from attaint, ought to be, in fact, one of our most constant preoccupations. Such is also my dearest wish, and to attain such an object my co-operation will always be secured by your MAJESTY." All the KAISER asks, therefore, by way of preliminary, is a sufficiently clear and cate gorical indication of what might probably be the subjects of discussion brought under the considera tion of Pontiff, Emperor, King, and Sovereign- Prince, at the Council-board of this grandly con ceived Congress of the rulers of Christendom. An indication of a programme, that England [salted for a nd obtained, only to repel the original invita tion when she had obtained it. The King of B AVARIA, replying to the French Em l'Elt°lt la a l etter dated Rome, the 27th ;November, o bs erves, it will be seen, " I hope that the Proposi t ion of your Imperial Majesty, fol lowed by ulte rior explanations upon this subject, will meet with th e reception from the Powers di rec tly interest e d in th e solution of these questions indispensably necessar y to :neut.e its success." His Majesty ad din g , " I n this s upposition I do not hesi tate to adhere to the proposi tion of your Imperial Majesty, an d I shall e a s„ ro myself fortunate in cooperating in the work of general ei 7he eefer fication by tak i ng part in th e f uture ences." Again —en acceptance ! accordance proposition given to ILO by the EmPEßon.'s prop Sovereign Pontiff, i s , if possible , still more emph atic in its precision and completeness. His Holiness, beginning his reply to NAPOLEON 111. thus unhesi tatingly:—'• The idea your Majesty expresses o f being able to establish without commotion in Europe ith the Co. —and, please GOD, elsewhere also —w THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 11, 1863. operation of the sovereigns or of their representa tives, a system which may calm the public mina and restore peace, tranquillity, and order to numberless countries in which, unfortunately, those benefits are lost, is a design which greatly honours your Ma jesty, and which with the co-operation of all, assisted by Divine grace, will produce the best effects. For this reason, with an entirely cordial disposition, we associate ourselves with such a praiseworthy object"—and so forth. His Majesty the King of HANOVER ; by birth an English Prince, acknow ledges in so many words to his having received the EMPEROR'S letter " with equal pleasure and grati tude." King LEOPOLD writes very frankly in reference to his own individual sentiments, "As regards my own personal feelings I should take advantage of the cordial proposal of your Imperial MAJESTY with the greatest satisfaction." King VICTOR EAIMANTJEL answers with point blank explicitness — " As soon as the international Conference takes place I sh a ll take part (in it) in person, or at least send (to it) a representative." From all aides except from the direction of England the answers have come in, couched in terms the most conciliatory. For the curt, snarling, almost cynics: tone of our reply, England herself is not responsible—but, on the contrary, we may rest assured of this, that for that tone she will rigorously hold respo ns ible h er Foreign Secretary. At this season or the year one's attention is natu rally turned to the question of agriculture, there are so many meetings and gatherings in the country ; and the more absorbing and engrossing subjects of politics being in abeyance for the timeLso far there is more opportunity for entering into the discussion of other points. At the meeting of the Society of Arts Mr. CHALMERS MORTON read a paper on "Agricultural Projects, its Helps and Hindrances," which is deserving of consideration for many of its suggestions and remarks. He gave it as his opinion that the indisputable progress that had been made was attributable to many causes, among which he notified " the more extended use of machinery." This opinion coming from an influential quarter is very satisfactory, for some persons have been much against this practice, and more especially in egard to steam machinery. Mr. MORTON also entered into the question of how much benefit had accrued from the establishment of Societies ; the Royal Agricultural Society, in particular, had been most serviceable. There is no doubt that there is great truth in this, as nothing can exercise a stronger influence, or keep a spirit of emulation, and impart interest to the subject in all its branches, than the formation of Societies. They ensure that due regard must be paid to the matter in many varied forms, whereas otherwise, perhaps with the best intentions, those more immediately concerned or intimately connected with the affair might neglect to study its peculiarities, and become negligent or slothful in their vocation. The remarks of Mr. COLE at this meeting were most worthy of notice. He observed that one question of paramount importance, which ought not to be passed over, was the condition of the labourer. He con sidered that no one could deny that the labourer was " worse housed and cared for than the horse, the cow, and the pig." Certainly this is a sad and sorrowful estimate to take of the question, and it is of importance that the view Mr. COLE took of the case be duly considered. He said much evil arose from the practice that landlords had of putting a stop to the existence of cottages on their estates. Their object was to prevent them becoming charge able to the parish rates. This is a very reprehen sible course to adopt, and the results that ensue from it are to sure to prove most deleterious to the cause in which they are engaged, and ensure the most hurtful effects on those connected with them. It is satisfactory to mark in contradistinction to this that many attempts are now made to improve the dwellings of the labouring classes. No state of society can prosper if the hands that toil, and the be ings who minister to the wants of others, are not well provided for, and their comfort made one of the first considerations in forming plans and devising means for the carrying on of the various schemes of agri culture, and the several arrangements relating thereto. A meeting was also held at the St. James's Hall for the purpose of considering the best means of promoting their cultivation. The conclusion arrived at was that they passed a reso lution highly approving of the objects of the General Steam Cultivation Company. Another resolution was also passed to the effect that it would be advisable to establish a joint stock com pany, to supply " steam apparatus to ap plicants." This would be a very desirable thing if it could be managed with any degree of success, as the results of the more extended use of steam would certainly ensure great benefits to all con cerned in the matter. Lord ROBERT MONTAGU spoke very strongly on the question, and declared that if the steam plough was prevalent throughout the country the " English farmer would be able to compete with those of America, Russia, Poland, and the Principalities of Turkey." This would be indeed a desideratum, and the sooner the experi ment is made the better. There is always so much prejudice to overcome in these matters that the progress of any invention and the adoption of any scheme is always most tardy and tedious. As soon as possible, however, those who are more enlighte ened should seek to dispel the illusions and dissipate the tears of the timorous and mistaken persons who will pursue the beaten track, and prove by their conduct, if not by their words, that they adhere to the old adage that " What they did with yesterday they'll e'en do with to-day." Mr. HOLLAND, the C hairman, adduced several reasons in favour of this experiment. He said that as much could be done in one ' week with steam as in six by the present method . ' and very truly declared that this gave them t o „ atile e xtent the command of the seasons ; besides,sevtus gave fifth ave it harvestas u i since not expensive. He had now got in his he had employed steam, and he opinion that the old system cost 20s. per acre, wherea s t h o must _ steara did it for 10s. These p r oduce an effect in time, and certain r the are more facts energ etically e d ug h eafly t _ e who are in favour of the method set to w ork the soon e r the unbelieving will be iconvertede s . It andis quitethe t a ia hesitating confirm e d i n th e r i g h t w that all possible facilities views. to farme rs to should be giv en employ steam from .pp] , opriate company about to be started has come forward at a most _ machines', and therefore the ess of ..: all whose interestandtime agriculture it deserves is t o promote r o e ncouragement ote th e prog throughout the country. There is no use in expect ing new things 'to succeed if the right moan s are not adopted to enable them to d o so, and conse quently any well organised scheme for providing against difficulties and supplying emergencies should be encouraged. It is idle to consider that agriculture is to be left in statu quo, while all other sciences are undergoing alterations and receiv in g improvements. It is just and ri g ht that all pursuits and professions should share in the great changes now taking place, and reap the benefits that matured experience and additional knowledge are so widely diffusing and largely disseminating through the civilised world. It was quite time that some definite plan was put in farce to supply the defi ciencies and restify the error that militated against the success of this invention ; and it is, therefore, very gratifying to notice the efforts made by influ ential individuals to supply a want and remedy an evil that existed:. Now that an impetus has been given to the cause, it is to be hoped that its advo cates will go on and prosper. The wandering senators, whose holiday is not of much longer duration, are still employing their leisure in enlightening their constituents as to the state of home affairs and foreign politics. It is some times amusing to compare the ver y con t rar y pro phecies and opinions which these gentlemen indulge in. One will dilat e upon t h e tr i umph of t h e Lib eral cause, the popularity of L or d P A LMER S TON, and the approachi ng subjugation of the Southern States. Perhaps on the same day, a hundred miles off, an other M.P. is descanting upon the natural decay of the Government, the advance of Conservative prin ciples, and the hopelessness of Federal success. At the Corn Exchange, on Wednesday, Mr. BUXTON, in addressing his constituents, denounced the short sighted folly of the Federals in striving to subdue the South. A day before Mr. LEATHAM had been holding forth to the good people of Huddersfield on the glorious prospects of the North. " The Federal operations,' he told them, " had not merely cleft the Confederation in half, but pierced it to the heart ;" and in a triumphant catalogue he summed up the great successes, or what he esteemed the great suc cesses, that have recently awaited Federal valour and skill. As amongst these he reckons the posses sion of New Orleans, which is a very old subject for congratulation ; " Richmond in danger," which re mains to be proved ; and the bombardment of " Charleston, the cradle of the rebellion," an achievement which at present seems more likely to furnish wholesome exercise for Federal gunners, at a somewhat heavy cost of ammunition, than any other practical benefit, we must be allowed to con sider the cause of the South not quite so desperate as Mr. LEATHAM would have us believe. Accord ing to his views, those Southern States which are still in the hands of the Confederacy are " going," if not " gone ;" mutiny and treason are in their camp; gold and credit nowhere, and starvation everywhere. This is comprehensive at all events. It is a pity that to deepen the shadows Mr. LEATHAM could not say that the war was unpopu lar among their people, that their armies were filled with hired recruits, that desertion was wholesale, and the conscription a sign for popular outbreaks and outrages. He finds, of course, a subject of con gratulation in " the firmness of the British Govern ment, which has safely secured the steam rams that were to have raised the blockade," but it remains to be seen whether that security will withstand the inquiries of the House of Commons, and whether Earl RUSSELL and Mr. ADAMS will find it as easy to assume despotic rights over a British subject in the face of Parliament as at his own place of busi ness. The guard of marines who boarded the rams no doubt looked very formidable in the docks at Birkenhead, but happily they are not the only guard to whom the preservation of law and order is en trusted, and however admirable may be the inter nal arrangements of the United States, we have not yet come to their mode of disposing of unruly citizens. The enthusiastic panegyric on the triumph of all the virtues in consequence of Federal deter mination and heroism, his pathetic picture of the tide of liberty rolling back over the world had the Northern States failed in their mission, will not find a very hearty echo in the sympathies of Eng lishmen. However warmly they may feel regard ing social and political freedom—and the strength of that feeling has been shown little more plainly than the Americans have ever shown it—their com mon sense will not allow the profession of such principles to be a sufficient cover to the most tyran nical and arbitrary acts. It is of no use for men to go into rhapsodies about the negro, to " rejoice in the approaching emancipation of 3,000,000 of his fellownaen," whom so long as Southern trade passed through Northern hands troubled himself very little about them. Englishmen, un fortunately, have a habit of looking to see if a man's acts correspond with his words, and of judging him by the former rather than the latter, and this prac tice has been found very inconvenient by a good many potentates and peoples before now. They are not very likely to subscribe to Mr. LEATHAM'S theories at Huddersfield, any more than they will agree to Mr. BUXTON'S views at Manchester. This gentlemanly way of setting the world to rights would have us lead the van in the cause of sacrifice and moderation. England is to sur render Gibraltar out of deference to the feelings of the Spaniards, and for fear of the alarming prospect of a war with that ancient people. She is not, however, to make this surrender too lightly. She is to make it a condition that Spain shall retire from St. Domingo, that France should re tire from Rome, that Austria should withdraw from Venice, and that Russia should deal more gently with Poland. The first of these conditions might very likely be agreed to, but there is a remote possibility of Austria, France, and Russia remarking that it makes very little difference to them whether England or Spain holds Gibral tar, and they do not see what connection the exchange has with their abandonment of their claims in other quarters. They would, no doubt, be doubly glad to see such a step, on the part of England, as lowering her power, and on the prin ciple of the old saying, "Quern Deus vult perdere prius dsmentat." It is only to be hoped that when Mr. BUXTON'S scheme is carried out, as, with Earl RUSSELL is really not impossible, England, in right of her originating the extraordinary pros posal, will request the other Powers to move first, as wise men like to see the change before they give a cabman half-a-crown for a sixpence. The prin ciple of non-intervention which Mr. BUXTON up holds so strongly, and which has certainly been carried to the extreme in our days, is susceptible of another interpretation than the one he puts upon it. It may be read as commending each nation to mind their own affairs, and keep their own statu quo, and, according to this view, the wisest thing that England can do is to leave the other Powers to themselves, and retain quiet possession of her own hardly earned dominions. THE FRENCH CLERK OF THE WEATHER, Similar to Admiral Fitzroy, is M. Mathieu du Drome. He, how ever, takes in a few days in advance, and is not contented with predicting the nest day's weather. He is prophetic of great storms for the early part of December, and foretold that of last week. THE SPLENDOUR OF THE ACTOR'S ART.—A 3 Campbell, the Poet, beautifully sang, how— It re it Illusions perfect triumphs come, Vcrse,ceases to be airy thought, And sculpture to be dumb"— over and above musician, Mrs. p..._ kill, remarks, Remble, in the current number of the Corn. auir a e r s k i s, in a kindred strain, of the Histrionic Art : as the actor p e „ images of b professors the imagination of the poet, the ear of th e muai i e t , the eye of the painter and sculptor, and, his own voice these, a faculty peculiar to itself, inasmuch is fulfils and embodies his conception ; own face the canvas cunningly modulated instrument ; his beaut y own frame the mould in which pressions of his pa s C n he rn he portrays the various ex and whereas the painter and : e nd majesty that fill his brain ; sib's attitudes, occupation s , he casts the u a l tt p a tor may select, of all pos sible to the beautiful effect theexpressions, the most fix, and bid it so remain fixed for av Y er des t ire to produce, and and move through a temporary existehneceactor must live of poetry and passion, and preser ve throu g hout its duration that ideal grace and dignity, of which the ca nvass and the marble give but a silent and motionless image. LATEST INTELLIGENCE. (REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.) DENMARK. COPENHAGEN, DEC. 11. WITHDRAWAL OF SWEDEN FROM THE DANISH ALLIANCE. Sweden has withdrawn from tho alliance with Denmark. The reason put forward, according to the Dag - black is that, as the quarrel now pending between Denmark and Germany concerns tbo London treaty of 1852, Sweden cannot separate herself from the other Powers who signed the treaty. WURTEMBERG. THE HOLSTEIN SUCCESSION. STUTTGART, DEC. 11. At the sitting of the Chamber of Deputies yes terday evening, it was unanimously resolved to forward an address to the Government, requesting it to propose in the Federal Diet the im mediate occupation of Schleswig, and the dis missal of the Federal contingent of Holstein and Lauenbnrg troops to their homes. The Address is also to include a request for the proximate recogni tion of Duke Frederick's right of succession, and that the Government will advocate such recogni tion by the Federal Diet by every means in its power. Aa additional motion by Herr Seegers for a solemn protest against the maintenance of the Lon don protocol was carried by 78 to 3. FEDERAL EXECUTION IN HOLSTEIN. FRANKFORT, DEC. 8. Unless counter-orders should intervene, Federal execution will take place without fail , dispite the withdrawal of the Patent of the 30th March, which King Christian has declared null, and of no effect with regard to Holstein. It is true that the Diet has not received official notice of the withdrawal, but there is no doubt the plenipotentiaries have received instructions in reference to the act. Details of yesterday's sitting of the Diet have transpired, previous to the publication of the official report. It appears that the plenipotentiaries voted twice upon the question whether Federal execution should be carried out conformably to the resolution of Oct. 1. At the first scrutiny the votes were equal, 8 against 8; at the second Darmstadt and the Saxe• Ernestine houses (who forma the 12th vote) abandoned their opposition, and the Austro-Prus sian proposition was adopted by 10 to 6. The press inveighs with much violence and bit terness against this result. Austria and Prussia are accused of intending to re-enact 1550; the peo ple are warned to be upon their guard. One paper stigmatises the resolution of the Diet as "shame ful," and asks what the German people—who are determined only to recognise the Duke of Augusten burg—can still expect from an Assembly that passes such a vote. Be that as it may, marching orders have been despatched by telegraph. The expeditionary corps will consist of 22,000 men, including 5,000 Prus sians, 5,000 Austrians, and 12,000 Saxon and Hano verian troops. The reserve, 45,000 strong, is to be furnished exclusively by Hanover and Prussia, and will take up its position upon the Elbe. The bat teries in garrison at Hanever will leave that city on Thursday ; part of the artillery is _already at Langenhahen and Buywedel ; the Cam bridge Regiment of Dragoons will march from Celle to-morraw to the Elbe. The Saxon brigade will march towards Lauenburg by way of Rica, Juterbogk, Berlin, Wittenbergi, Hogenow, and Buchen. The Prussian troops belonging to the-13th division will pass by way of Minden, Wunstorff, and Werden, where they will leave the railway to march upon Harburg in three columns. Finally, the Austrian brigade, now echeloned along the railway on the frontiers of Bohemia and Saxony, will pass through Dresden, Leipzig, Mag deburg, Brunswick, Lehrte, Celle, and Luneburg, and debouch upon the Elbe. The loan that Duke Frederic of Augustenburg seeks to raise meets an excellent reception. The bonds of this loan range from fiv e t o ten t h a l ers , and no anxiety is felt as to the guarantee offered. One inhabitant of Frankfort has taken for 20,000 florins. It is the Duke's intention to have the loan guaranteed by the Holstein estates as soon as he shall be firmly seated upon the throne. SPAIN. MADRID DEC. 18, Evening. The Gazette publishes a decree organising the financial administration of the Antilles. Disunion prevails among the members of the Opposition, and the position of the Ministry has been thereby strengthened. AMERICA. SOUTHAMPTON, DEC, 11. The Hamburg and American Company's steamer 0 Teutonia, from New York on the 29th ult., has arrived off Cowes. She brings 46 passengers, England, 11,901 dols. for F 2l r , a 4 n s c o e, d Her news has been anticipated. and le 1 1 ,00 spec i edole. for r Hamburg. BOMBAY AND MAURITIUS MAILS, SOUTHAMPTON, DEC. 10. The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steam; ship Ellora, Captain Kellick, with the heavy por tion of the Mauritius and Bombay mails, arrived this evening, bringing 57 passengers, and, on freight, 3 packages specie, value £BBO ; also 25 boxes valu ables, 131 packages sundries, and 523 bales raw silk, value £50,000 sterling. The Ellora spoke, on the 28th ult., the St. Iberia on the 30th the Pera ; on the Ist inst. the Vectis ; and on the Bth the Ripen, with the outward mails of the 4th. Her Majesty's ships Hibernia, Phoebe, Foxhound, and Icarus were at Malta on the Ist inst. ; and at Gibraltar the Redpole, Racoon, and Procris. GIBRALTAR, DEC. 6. The following British vessels have arrived here : —Steamer St. Patrick, 8 days from Liverpool; steamer Genova, 14 days from Glasgow ; steamer Delta, 41 days from Southampton; steamer Latona, 7 days from London ; steamer Rhone, 8 days from Liverpool ; steamer Danube, 81 days from Liver pool; steamer Palestine, 71 days from Liverpool; steamer Cadiz, 9 days from London ; steamer British Queen, 8 days from Liverpool ; and_barque Pasha, 41 days from Newcastle. Gibraltar Exchanges on London, 90 days' dare, 50; Paris, sf. 26e. ; Marseilles, sf. Bc. ; Genoa, sf. 30c. to 31c. ; Madrid, 8 days' sight, 2 prem. ; Cadiz, par to 4 dis. ; Seville, par toy dis. ; Malaga, par ; Barcelona, I prom. ; to -I- prem.; Alicant, preen. par ; Valencia , par Freights unaltered. the Bank of France was e to 8 per cent. The mark 4i per Cents .. 95 25 Do. end month.... 3 per Cents Do. end month 67 30 Credit Mobilier 1065 Do. end month 1065 Bank Shares 3330 Credit Foncior 1270 Roman lout to raise its discount et closed as follows:—. RAIL Italian Loan 7l 90 Do. end month 72 New ditto ...... Do. end month — Russian Austrian Spanish Threes 52 50 Home Debt Deferred rAYS. Cash. Account. 977 60 .. 97b 980 980 Orloam Northern New ditto — • . Lyons and Mediterranean 942 50 .. 912 60 N ew ditto Geneva 5OO Synthern Western Eaatern Sardinian Austrian Lombard Sudden Death of Mr. Justice Wightman, ----o--- We deeply regret to announce the sudden death of Mr, Justice Wightman. The learned judge was at York, trying prisoners at the Yorkshire winter gaol delivery, and on Wednesday was in his usual good health, and tried a long and important Post Office robbery case. The Court rose about six o'clock, when his lordship manifested no signs of fatigue, although his labours during the day had been of an arduous character. His lordship retired to rest at his usual hour, and was then quite well, but on Thursday morning, at seven o'clock, when his valet entered his roam he was alarmed to find his lordship breathing very heavily, and to all ap pearance in a fit of apoplexy. Miss Wightman, who accompanied her father whilst on circuit, was in stantly aroused, and Mr. Husband, surgeon, and Dr. Shann were sent for. Theso gentlemen were at his lordship's bedside in a few minutes, but their services were of little avail, for it was evident that the hand of death was upon the learned judge. He remained totally unconscious, and lingered in this state of unconsciousness until a quarter-past one o'clock, whe❑ his lordship expired. Ur. Justice Wightman had been a judge of the Queen's Bench for 22 yearn, and was universally esteemed by the bar for his amiability of disposition, and also for his high legal attainments. His lord ship's death has put a stop for the present to the business of tLe Yorkshire winter gaol delivery. Mr. W. B. Maule, of the northern circuit, whose name was on the commission at the winter gaol delivery, entered the court in the morning, and announced that it would be impossible to go on with business that day, stating that he should return to court in the afternoon and receive the bills for the grand jury. Mr. Justice Mellor left town this morning for York. INDEPENDENCE OF POLAND. A public meeting of the inhabitants of Maryle bone was held last night at the St. Pancras Vestry hall, in order to express sympathy and aid for Poland. It was stated that the chair would be taken by Lord Fermoy, M.P., punctually at 8 o'clock, but as at that period the hall was about a quarter filled, some time elapsed before the promoters of the meet ing made their appearance. The impatience of the meeting was at length so loudly expressed that the chairman took his seat on the platform, surrounded by Lord Campbell, Mr. E. Beales, chairman of the National League for the Independence of Poland, Mr. J. R. Taylor, honorary secretary to the League, Mr. J. A. Ncholay, Mr. N. E. Zaba, a Polish dele gate, Mr. C. Szulczewski, and several gentlemen of local influence in the borough of Marylebone. Lord Fermoy, having been called to the chair, said they had met there for the purpose of expressing their sympathy with Poland in her struggle and their horror and disgust at Russia for her oppression. (Hear, hear.) The brightest diadem in our consti tution was our free press, and he could not describe the present state of the Polish question better than it had been done in a leading article of the limes of that day. Having read a portion of the article in question the chairman proceeded to say that the Times was not only read by the body of the people, but was extensively read by the higher and upper classes of this country, and when such a paper spoke out in this manner concerning the treatment of Poland by Russia, there was clear evidence that the people'of England of all grades and classes sympa thised with the people of Poland. If, too, such a paper as the Times continued to address itself to this question as it had done, there was still hope for the people of Poland so fur as England was concerned. (Applause.) It could not be said that the Russian atrocities were done without the knowledge and consent of the present Emperor, because he had lately sent Mouravieff to Poland. To this butcher in the superlative degree, the Em peror had just given the order of St. Andrew—the highest.compliment that could be paid to a subject in Russia, and which had been described by the late Lord Durham as equal to our order of the Garter and the gift of a dukedom besides. And this reward had been given to this butcher, this demon, this devil incarnate, who had done everything that could disgrace humanity in Poland. ( Applause.) Many Englishmen wished to do more than express their sympathy with Poland; and it was desirable, therefore, that they should, as men of business, " take stock" and see how the matter stood. He did not know all the considerations that had de termined the Government not to go into the Con gress, but he could well understand the circum stances, referring not to Poland alone but to other countries, and even to the state of affairs across the Atlantic, had led her Majesty's Government to the conclusion that a European Congress at the present moment would be a very questionable and dangerous thing. At the same time he regretted that their re fusal had not been conveyed in more temperate and conciliatory language. The question then arose, if all remonstrances failed what was the next thing ? (A voice—War.) War meant a permanent and in creased income tax, the reimposition of indirect taxation, and the throwing out of emeloyment of hundreds and thousands of the working classes. The great leading nations of the continent warmly sympathised with the Poles, and if the Governments of those countries joined England and France in their representations Russia must give way before the opinion of Europe. Meanwhile it was the duty of the English people to call upon their Government to use every means in their power to obtain the blessings of liberty for the unhappy Poles. (Ap plause.) Mr. R. Furness moved, and Mr. Hearnden seconded, the first resolution, declaring that the , devoted heroism of the Poles entitled them to the admiration and support of Great Britain. Lord Campbell spoke in support of the resolution. The borough of Marylebone had an especial right to appeal to Parliament on behalf of the Poles. It was not until he visited Warsaw a few months ago that he learned how deeply and how gratefully the Poles appreciated the character and services of their former representative, Lord Dudley Stuart. (Hear, hear.) The Polish leaders had assured him that they placed a high value on the expression of popular sympathy in this country. The Polish Government had made two demands—first, that their belligerent rights should be acknowledged ; and, secondly, that our Government should repudiate all further title on the part of Russia to dominion over Poland. The English Government might be induced to concede both these claims if it were backed by public opi nion, end, if so, who would say that popular agita tion was useless or unnecessary P The resolution having been carried, a person named Webb in the body of the meeting here proposed a resolution declaring that the Government ought to have at tended the Congress to settle the question of nationa lities by peaceable means if possible, and if not to have joined any Power willing to assist in punishing the barbarous Russian Government, and to secure the permanent independence of Poland and Cir cassia. This resolution was received with favour by the meeting, but opposed by Lord Campbell as a vote of retrospective censure on the Government, which would array against the meeting many of the friends of Poland. After some little di sc us on it was, however, carried by a large majority which - fessor Beesly proposed the next resolution, asserted tion, asserted that the English Government i: longer za r over bound to recognise the sovereig nt y e f th any part of the Polish tweeter Y'alialid wou ld be fully bellig eren t rights of justified in acknowledging the c es besecoanded the reso lutiou, which was the insurgents. l‘ir. C carried w i t h ou t dissent. The ht to e. close by a vote proceedings w u ore then bro g L:i Beales of thanks to the chairman. TIIE L"a" TO MR. DISRAELI, M.P., EY A —lt • • ,A y RESIDENT . —It was intinaati.. a few days loßaw go that a lady, recently . deceased , . had bequeathed about a:40.,000 to Mr. 13enjainin Disraeli. The testatrix was Mrs. Brydges Willyania; she resided many years at Mount Braddon, Torquay, and when she died she had attained the extraordinary ago of 93 years. The deceased lady was of Jewish descent, and of a Spanish family, Mr. Disraeli, as her executor,has given directions for the house and furni ture to be sold. Some men, it seems, entered the house on Monday night, by breaking a pane of glass and rnmuviag a shutter in th e w i n d ow of one of the lower rooms . They were disturbed, however, by the house dog, and decamped precipitately, taking with t h em on ly a few trilling articles, —Western Morning IY-eum. it zt , „my . ohm HER MAJESTY. WINDSOR CASTLE, Dec. 10. Their Royal Highnesses the Crown Prince and Princess of Prussia dined with the Prince and Ptin ems of Wales, yesterday, at Fro-galore House. Countess Hohenthal, Baroness Dobeneck, Count Furstenstein, and Major von Schweinitz, had the honour of being invited. Tne Queen walked in the grounds this 113Orning. Her Majesty the Queen has honoured Mr. Frith with a final sitting for the marriage picture, and their Royal Highnesses the Princess of Wales, the Crown Princess, Princess Helena, Princess Louise, and Princess Beatrice have again given sittings. The Prince Prince and Princess of 'Wales. Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales had a grand dinner party at Frogmore House on Wednesday night, at which the Duke of Brabant and several of the ladies and gentlemen of the royal household were present. Tne Prince of Wales, attended by Gen. Knollys and Colonel Keppel, came to London by the Great Western Railway yesterday, to preside at his council at the Duchy of Cornwall-office. His royal highness zeturned to Frogmore in the afternoon. Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales accompanied by the Hon. Mrs. Stonor, drove through the town of Windsor yesterday afternoon• THE CROWN PRINCE AND CROWN PRINCESS OE PRUSSIA.--it is expected that their Royal Highnesses the Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Prussia will lea" Windsor Castle on the 15th inst., and proceed to Brussel s and Carlsruhe. Their royal highnesses will probably resell Berlin on the 20th. His }toyll Highness the Duke of Brabant arrive d at the Palace Hotel, Buckingham-gate, yesterday, fro o ' visiting their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales at Frogmore. The Duke of Argyll has left town to join the circle assembled on a visit to the Duke and Duchess of Sutherland at Lilleshall, Salop. The Duke of Athule is, as stated by a conterope' rary, in a very sad condition, but not worse than some weeks back. His grace is suffering from cancer in the face, and his disease has for some months past been regarded as a hopeless one. It is a consolation to his family to knout that the noble duke is fully aware of the serious nature of his malady, and has, as far as possible, prepared himself for its consequences. The Marquis and Marchioness of Ailesbary joine d the circle visiting the Marquis and Marchioness of Bath at Longleat Park, Wilts, early in the week. By a telegram received from Paris yesterdai we learn that the Earl of Westmoreland is going 00 favourably, The Earl and Countess of Leicester will enter' tale a .large party at Holkham Hall, Norfolk, the Wee k after next. The Earl and Countess de Grey entertained the Duke and Duchess of Somerset, the Right Hon. W. Cowper, Mr. and Lady Margaret Beaumont, the Hoe. INi°' Spencer Ponsonby, and a select party at dinner last evening at their residence in Carlton-gardens. The Countess (Dowager) Spencer and family return to town to• morrow from Brighton, and go early in the ensuing week on a visit to the Dowager LadyClintoh at Hampton Court Palace. Viscountess Dungannon has returned to 31, Dover-street, from Wales. Viscount and Viscountess Gort and family have left East Cowes Castle, their residence in the Isle of Wigh t ' for Paris, where they propose to pass the winter, Lady Bloomfield has left the St. George ti Hotel. Sir William and Lady Heathcote have left Hursley Park, near Winchester, for Dogmersfield Park, on a visit to Sir Henry and the Hon. Lady Mildmay. The Right lion. B. Disraeli and Mrs. Disraeli have left Grosvenor-gate for Stowe, on a visit to the Duke and Duchess of Buckingham. SPECIAL POSTAGE STAMPS IN EGYPT ar e about to be issued for franking letters in the interior of th at country. They are to be manufactured in England bY 5 company which supplies such articles to many of the Statc6 of Europe. FEMALE AERONAUTS.—Wcrnen, from the daYs of Madame Blanchard to this day, seem to hair° been unlucky when they have ascended alone. This poßr wcman had several children, and it is probable that neces sity compelled her to incur such dreadful risks. In one of her ascents she was caught in such a tempest of wind, b 4il ' and rain, that the noise and cold stunned her, and she be came insensible. low long she remained in this condition she did not know, but she was absent from the earth l u Z i r c , than fourteen hours. Her end was a fearful 00. i g r e.. ascended one night with a number of lighted 1 3 e 1) g b a A at pots and a quantity of fireworks. As soon as sh e !tor ts tamed a sufficient altitude she began letting off th e gre‘ii n t 9, These were seen flashing and darting about, when, all t he sudden, a great broad red flame leaped forth an: o3 g few clouds, cries of horror rose from the spectators, an d in a an minutes they were aware of the mangled body of a Wcn3l having been picked up at a short distance from where theY were assembled.—Once a •Threek. MR. SAUNDERS, OF THE GREAT WESTERN RAIL WAY, has been graciously presented by her Ma' jcsty with a silver epergne (with an inscription) upon bis retirement. It is accompanied by a letter from Sir C. D. Phipps, expressing her ,Majesty's entire approval of the company's arrangements for her comfort , and her gracious regret for the loss of Mr. Saunders' services. SKETCH OF THE CRAWLEY COURT MARTIAL. The apartment is spacious, airy, and well lighted. This is the reading-room of the provincial Rag and Famish' The large mirror at one end of the hall, the three handsoin e glass chandeliers depending from the ceiling, and the Iva' hogany chairs and tables, all help to lend a light, cheerful air to the place, The blaze of brilliant unifoiras, the glitter of silver medals and gold lace, the rainbow hues nt the silken ribbons of honour, surround the large central table around which the members of the court m artial ar o seated with a fine coup d' wil. Sir Georn Wetherell' the nature are pleasantly mingled, sits in the President, a rather venerable old gentleman wit l t B,arl scarlet and gold of a staff officer. Mai hair and moustache, in whose face shrewdness an .-othe ce ntre, i" __, ,i d ot -Genera lDa Russell, another grey-headed veteran, and 3 the Lawrenson, left, and Lawrenson, flank the president on light other members form a distinguished group of Britisn. papers, warriors. The long double table is littered with books of reference, Testaments for administering the oath, cocked-hats, shakoes, and so on. The models of Idhoilt Lieutensat bungalows are exhibited on a separate table. Colonel Crawley sits to the left of the President, at a large or-Geeral vi table, which is also covered with manuscripts and books. with a ono: Ho wears the simple tunic of his regiment, barred Crimean medal on his breast ; but his OA sword belt are, as Earl Russell would say, conspicuous by their: absence. He is a tall, well-built, substantial figure, erizzled. and soldierly in his bearing, thin grey h air, and a g rect. moustache, with prominent nose and cheekbones — a man e undoubtedly of a very earnest, decid ed character. On oa c i side of him sits his brother, another Colonel Crawley , an il on the other Mr. Vernon Harcourt , his counsel—" i6t(r. ricua"—a man of some mark. He is tall, lithe, with a long. grave intellectual face, of a marble-like purity of COW plexion. His brow, full at the temples, is far from high' and affords another proof that a high forehead is not neces: sarily a sign of great mental power. He is perhaps ro ota distinguished for his nervous, forcible style of writing th for philosopic impartiality : he was well known as one : 1 recognised, the slashers of the Saturday before he came out as a leg pundit. Mr. Waller, of the Chancery bar, is also in atten: dance in a similar capacity as Mr. V. Harcourt:, Although all the military inen connected with the case ar e in fu SOUTHERN B,AILWA V.. S t . ,"war paint," the lawyers ale in "mufti," They are? ill Magdalena, sailing f r° 7 ff or c d o , nn a e s ct t e h d e w r i e th pr t e h se is n r ta a t i i l v w e ay o , f fact, T hB e un w E i oN n y k oa e Si d Aaty, Mailab u F. t s not .formally steamer GREAT Southampton to-morrow, takes out a number of the eng " Messrs. Peto and Betts, and Mr. Alfred Rumball, as tl' i r ° re presentative of the company. Other portions of the Bt3 , n m e r e . r inegr Crawlers, t a o . l r l i o v w a, by a Liverpool steamer on the 20th inst., so that ° , -- 1 . . 'at Buenos Ayres everything will be arranged Of cutting h the first sod of the lino and an active prosecution u t , I works.—Brazil and Rtver Rate Mail. V o -- 14.113NN ELL'S MENAGERIE.—The No.l co,lee 1 6° ll h •.. among the contractor s n v t il r aV rr: of this now well-known menagerie has beet , (= ', t ,A bited during the week on the Islington-green, an d '- ,Ault ) proved a great source of attraction to those who have 0 , ti eta far and near to see the domestic a nimals of the cent, try in their fat and beauty. The inhabitan ts of the r cii , tropolis have also assisted in crowding the spaeio ns o , t o early and late. Of the rare and extensive character i_oo co ll e ction nothing need be said, bu t we must con3Pll; be Mr. Edmonds upon the attention and care with Nvi' l '' ~,t o Provides for the comfort and safety et his visitors._ e'ts,„ wonderful performance of the twO elephants, and tvDsieto traordinary achievements and moral daring o f Me pain,, Zoelneryna with 20 lions and tigers, &C., woUld 1)0 Ic fully interesting were it not evident he has the ani'' . l3 es . , his absolute will. We can recommend the interestilouo hibition to the notice of every paterfamilias wb give his children a cheap lesson in ratlital history. 1.,,_„:41 '''.LONDON (TOFFEE AND EATING HOUSEIiEL3i,r,:of BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION. —The annual ball in _ J oe the Muds of this praiseworthy association will takey: on Monday, Jan. 4, at the - Whittington Club, Smola BANK OF FRANCE. The following is the account for month ending Thursday, Dec. 10 : ASSETS. Cash and ingots • • .. Cash at the branch-banks . . F. C. .. 57,844,586 93 .. 155,296,449 -7 Bills due to be paid to-day.. .. Bills becoming due in Paris .. Bills in the branch-banks Advances on coin and ingots .. Do in the branch. banks • • Do on French securities • • Do in the branch-banks Do on railway shares and bonds Do in the branch-banks • • Do on Credit Foncier Bonds .. Do in the branch-banks • • .. 455,079 58 .. 341,614,959 25 .. 296,159,622 - .. 10,54.5,800 - .. 2,449.700 29,315,904) - .. 21,525,150 45,602,100 - .. 32,276,400 - .. 410,400 - 487 900 - • • Do to State by treaty, 1848 60,000,000 Rentes of the reserve-fund .. 12,980,750 14 Rentes, disposable funds .. 38,608,212 36 Rentes immobilised (law of June, 1857) .. 100,000,000 Hotel and furniture of the Bank .. 4,000,000 Real property of branch-banks 6,927,229 Expenses of administration .. .. 2,347,622 78 Sundries .. .. 4,444,392 92 1.222,292,254 06 FRANCE. -- BOURSE, Dec. 10.—The market remains firm owing to the English Funds arriving with an ad vance of 1, but without any material improvement in quotations. Threes, for the Account, are now at 67fr. 45c. Mobilier has risen to 1,075 fr. Rail ways well maintained. A reaction took place towards the close in consequence of a report tha LIABILITIES. Capital of the Bank .. 182,500,000 Profits to be added to Capital (Art. 8 of law June 9, 1857) Reserve-fund . New Reserve • • Reserve-immobiliere Notes to bearer in circulation in Paris and the branch-banks .. .. .. Do. to order (Post-bills) • . . Bills payable at sight Ace. cur. of Treasury Creditor .. Various accounts current Do. branch-banks . Dividends to be paid .. Arrears of values deposited Discount, interest, and expenses Re-discounts of the last half-year ,surplus of profit not disturbed .. Sundries .. .. 2,567,907 17 .. 12,980,750 14 .. 9,125,000 - 4,000,000 - 7,549,418 25 4,487,879 14 3,169,030 - 59,890,300 55 • • 128,209.880 75 .. 26,068,307 - • • 856,901 75 2,805,449 03 .. 15,991,531 07 .. 1,554,317 16 1.016,709 23 .. 12,126,266 07 1,222,292,251 06 The Post-office LondoiiDirectory for 1864. What this gigantic book will come to in the end it is more than ever difficult to conjecture. It has now some time since passed its grand climacteric. Yet, as though it were still the most promising young stripling of a publication in the world, it is actually—in the sixty-fifth year of its age—growing rapidly and quite appreciably. So appreciably that we can state at once the precise amount of its growth since the date of its last annual appear ance. The Directory, then, for 1864 is larger, in oilier words, than the Directory for 1863 by very nearly 100 pages. To be as precisely, in deed, as the Directory itself is in its every minute particular—the huge tome has expanded within this one year last past by exactly 96 pages. Improve ments in the way of arranging their stupendous mass of materials, the Messrs. Kelly and Com pany absolutely had not within their reach. And for the simple reason that any better arrangement than the one upon which the work has been constructed now for a long while, we don't think it is within any reasonable man's power to sug gest. The Fourteen Grand divisions of this mar vellous collection of names *and addresses—giving to us, in fact, just so many separate clues through our labyrinthine world of three millions of Londoners—the old fourteen divisions are here still presented to us in their accustomed sequence. There is the Official division—the Street —the Commercial—the Trades—the Law—the Court—the Parliamentary—the Postal—the City —the Conveyance—the Banking—the Assurance. The last mentioned trailing off into a marvellous collection of companion, but miscellaneous, adver tisements. Evidences there are—wherever we open the monstrous volume, haphazard—of the scrupulous attention paid by the firm, to whose unflagging energy and assiduity in its compilation, we are indebted for it—evidences there are, wherever we may chance to open it, quite haphazard, of the minute, almost, as one may say, microscopic attention paid to every entry contained in it. How carefully the work is brought down in its scrupu lous regard to the latest and minutest correction before publication, may at once be indicated by our specifying a few illustrative par ticulars in this way. For example, the name of Mr. Bonamy Dobree—whcse death was announced in our columns as recently as the 26th ultimo, is eliminated gfrom the Official Directory, p. 47—from the list of the Directors of the Bank of England, p. 83—from the list of the City Lieutenancy, p. 2281. The new Solicitor- General, again, Sir Robert P. Collier, gazetted only November 27th, appears as such throughout the book, in Streets, pp. 325 and 710; Commercial, p. 925 ; Law, pp. 1986.2008 and 212, Court, 2154. Parliamentary, p. 2253 and 2262.. Sir Gellery Pigott, Baron of the Court of Exchequer, gazetted D ec . 4, appears in Law, pp. 1985-1989 ; Court, p. 2185. The new French Ambassador, Prince de la Tour d'Auvergne, who was presented at Court on the 2d Dec.. will be found entered in the list of Foreign Ministers, p. 111, and Court, 2110; and, to give one other instance, the new member for Andover, W. H. Humphery, Esq., gazetted only on the 24th of November, is inserted in Court, p. 2147, and Parliamentary, p. 2256 and 2261. For scope, accuracy, and lucidity, the " Post-office London Directory," as compiled by the Messrs. Kelly and Co., still continues to be what it has long vindicated its right to be regarded as, namely. in one simple but sufficient word—unrivalled. The work has swept out of view all other competitors. And although it has by so doing attained a sort of monopoly as the guide-book through the metropolis of the British Empire, it has evaded the evil fate of most monopolies—by Not degenerating into indifference by reason of the mere fact of its being free from further wholesome incentives in the way of competition. It is, in effect, as energetically conducted year after year as though it were appearing year after year sur rounded by a throng of formidable rivals and com petitors. And it is precisely for this reason, of course, precisely because it evidences a no less scru pulous care than ever, that it is enabled still to set at defiance all serious thought of competition. It is worthy of its title—this wonderful index of we don't know how many hundreds of thousands of names and addresses, called " The Post-office Lon don Directory." It appears, as usual, authorita tively, under the Direct and Special Patronage of her Majesty's Postmaster-General, and it is the simple truth to say here that it is Lot only de serving, but that it is more than ever deserving, of that patronage. It is as complete as com plete can be. in this marvellously ever changing human kaleidoscope—the three mil lion particles in which are perpetually fluc tuating in their position relatively to each other. Accompanying the substantial volume—not ab surdly folded iu it as a frontispiece, fated either to be torn or to be treated as inaccessible—there tames to us with The Post-office Directory a noble Post office Map of London, mounted upon calico on a roller, and glazed, ready for display, during the ensuing twelvemonth, upon the office-walls of the metropolis, It is an admirably exact and compre hensive Map, and one, consequently, which is well fitted to accompany so wonderfully exact and cora- I prehensive a Directory ! ••••••.• ----- -___ SMOKING AT W INDSOR CASTLE.—Several weeits ago a paragraph went the rou nds of the papers, announcing the prohibition of smoking at Windsor Castle, when it was particularly stated that a notice tot o that Prince effeof ct had been posted in the dressing room of Wales in the York Tower. We are now enabled to state that his Royal High ness did not occupy that suite of apart ments iu the York Tower o' his arrival from Sandringham. His Royal Highness was lodged in Edward lll.'rt tower, whet() no ouch notice was placed. 11 - C Abol Bing drawn z t41 .1 41 4 4 Di .a tird b Di '1)111 1 Di Sp at s hit b t ,;.,s c 1)i Pret Fi e