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

ENGLAND'S CONGRESS, CHRISTMAS DOUBLE NUMBER of -WEDNESDAY. One Penny. in FUN, ROYAL ENGLISTI OYER A , COVENT-GARD EN. - Under the Manae em ent of Miss Louisa Fyne and Mr. W. Harrison. On BOXING NIGHT (Saturday, Dec. 26), to comm enc with the Second Act of Balfe's popular opera, THE BOHEMIAN GIRL. After which, a Grand Christmas Pantomime, on a sCalo of unprecedented magnificence, entitled HARLEQUIN ST. GEORGE AND THE DRAGON, Doors open at hall -past Six—Commence at Seven. THEATRE ROYAL DRUR Y-L A N E. Managers, M e ssrs. Edmond Falconer and E. B. Chatterton. On BOXING NIGHT, Dec. 26. the Farce cf A ROL/ ,ND FOlt AN OLIVE rt. Mes , rs. Walter acy, Addison , G. Be l mo re, the Misses HeAth, R. Leclercq, Murray. fo conclude with tne new Grand Christmas Comic Pa nto „,ime ot SINBAD THE SAILOR ; or, The Seven Won ders of t h. World. Clowns, Messrs. H. Boleno and C. 1.8 itri ; ariequins, essrs. Cormack and S. Saville ; Pantalo ons, 3lessrs. W. A. Barnes and J. .horris ; Columbines, Mad ame steno and Misses Gunniss. rrices as usual. Box Office open from 10 till 5 daily. F, J OYAL LYCEUM THEATRE. Under the Sole Management of Mr. Fechter. BEL D14.1110Y10 (a Triumphant Success) will be repeated on BOXING NIGHT, Saturday, Dec. 26, MONDAY, Dec. 28, and Every Evening during the Week. BOXING NIGHT, the performance will commence with a New and Original Farce, entitled THE LOST CHILD : Mess's. H. Widdicombe, Shore, Garden, F. Charles Collett, Moreland; Misses Percy, Pauline LeJlercq, Wood, Mrs. Lee, and Miss E. Lavenu. After which. at Eight o'clock, BEL DESIONIO, a Love Story, in Twelve Tableaux, taken from Stendhal's "Italian Chronicle ," by Mr. John Brouguam. Principal charac ter by Mr. Fechter, supported by Messrs. Jordan, Charles, Br aigiyitn, Emery, Raymond, Moreland, Smith, Clifford, Collett, Sims ; Miss Kate Terry, L. Lavenu, Mrs. Lee, anal Miss Elsworthy. The Public are entreated to take notice that No Charge is made to the occupants of Boxes, Box-places, or Stalls, either for play bills or for the safe keeping of hat 4 and cloaks, and teat the attendants in all parts of the house are forbidden to receive any gratuities whatever. Box-office open daily from 11 to 5. Commence at 7. THEATRE ROYAL ITAYMARKET. -- Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr, Buckstone. THIS EVE.\ ING, PAUL PRY : Messrs. C. Mathews, Chippendale, W. Farren, Rogers, Gordon, Clark, &c. ; Mes dames C Mathews, Angel, Snowden, Coates, &c And (last time) THE GOLDEN FLEECE : Messrs. Chas. Mathews, Compton,Weathersby, ac. ; Mesdames C. Mathews, L. Keeley. Griffith, &c. Followed by the Second Act of THE CRITIC Mr. and Kra. Charles Mathews. Commence at 7. 'ROYAL ST. JAMES'S THEATRE. under the Management of Mr. B. WEBSTER, will 031LE:3:n. BOXING Nrunr.—Amongst the artists engaged are Ur. Benjamin Webster, Mr. J. L. Toole, Mr. Paul Bedford, a'nci Mr Charles Mathews; Mrs. Stirling, Mrs. Wentworth, rank Miss Cottrell, Miss Fanny Josephs, Miss Ventworth, and • Mrs. C:iarles Mathews. s t I i t m sa c a se s hn A ae mr b ye s uf by l - On BOXING NIGHT, the new Comic Drama of the HEN AND CHICKENS : Mrs. Stirling in her original character. Atter which, a Comical Congiomerative Christmas dill', by Henry J Byron, Esq., and entitled l86t; or, THE sENsATIONs OF 'IIIE PAST SEASON, R e velation of Lady' Somebody's Secret. New Daimon and Sons. Appoin ni_entsmobbysG:FlEra'n M. W.allerstein. Principal characters by 31 a ilt . r . l. . j.Josephs,L.l, Toole, Mr. Paul Bedford, Miss Cottrell, p And the BIRTHPLACE OF '' 'o e. ole in his on character. uisnr:eyland. music by, .• THEATRE-R 0 YAL, ADELPHI .- 80 ,0 Proort , itor and Manager. Mr. B. Webster. T ins EVENING, THE PRETTY FDIRSEBREAR ER. rde,srs. J. L. Toole, Paul Bedford, and Miss Woolgar. At 8, the New Drama of LEAH: Bth weeK of Miss Bate man, supported by Messrs. Arthur Stirling, It Phillips, Bil ling-ton, Stuart, Stephenson, Eburne; Miss H. Simms, and 31rs. Billing-ten. To conclude with ICI ON PARLE FRANCAIS. Mr. J. L. Toole. Commence at 7. LEAH.-EVERY NIGHT, ?VIISS BATEMAN.-LEAH.-THIS EVENING, the 70th appearance of the great Tragic Actress, Miss BATEMAN, in the character of LEAH. In cmsequence of the unbounded success with which Miss Bateman's imperso nation of the pritcipal character in the new Five Act Drama of LEAH has been attended. Mr Webster begs to announce that it will be performed EVERY EVENING until further notice. ROYAL STRAND THEATRE. Manager, Mr. W. H. Swanboroug - h. THIS EVENING, MIRIAM'S CRIME. Messrs. Geo. Honey, Parselle, Belford, Turner, Miss K. Saville, and Miss MtilaCit TS. After which, MRS. BROWN AT THE PLAY. Followed by (26th time) PATIENT PENELOPE • or, The Return of Ulysses. Messrs. honey and Fenton ; Mesdames Swanborough and Simpson. To conclude with HIGH LIFE BELOW STAIRS. Commence at 7. THE THIRD EDITION OF " THE SUN,' Containing the Latest SPORTING INTELLIGENCE, :an be had Every Evening of G. R. GLENIE, NEws AGENT, No. 4, Connaught-terrace, Hyde-park. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. • Twig DA.Y.—Norning,, 12h. 42m.—Afternoon, lb. 4m. To-arolutow,-Morning, Ih. 30m.—Afternoon, lh. 51m. The Weather—Sun Office, Dec. 23, 1863. THERMOMETER. This day at Two o'clock B aroma ter-3,0.20. Wind—S.-W. ; fresh, and very fine. igibo) tl j rrit SUM LONDON, WEDNESDAY, DEC. 23, 1863. The simultaneous publication of the Presidential Messages—that of ABRAHAM LINCOLN to the Federals, that of JEFFERSON DAVIS to the Confe derates—brings, now, more vividly than ever into strong relief the contrast presented to view throughout this disastrous civil war, upon a com parison of the two men, or of the two Governments. Although the Northern President was seriously in valided at the date of his communication to the Cong ress at Washington, the tone of his Message, it will b e Pte•ceived, was in no degree more placable. The conte st was still to be fought out to the death, at all of There was to be no miti g ati on struggle. In a the horrors of this f e r oc i ous 'newer to the secession of the South, there was to be no Concession of any kind on the part of the North. The wild project of subjugating the enormous territ or les still obedient to the power that is at Richmond was as acted upon, was y e t maintained in ar gument, " though it were a day dream admitting of realisa t i et • So far from making any attempt of even th e most partial kind towards lessening the horror s of c i v il war i n pursuance of this insane Vtoject, Presi dent LINCOLN is striviDg' now ' t"te assiduously than ever to intensify those horrors by adding to the darkness of civil war the double darkness of a servile war—and that servile war one aetuairY dandled into being by Mr. LINCOL N in the a ese _ crated names of humanity, of philanthrop y, of negro emancipation. In powerful contrast with the incoherence and menace of the Norm the Pr e &dent's Message, the M essage pence- by President DAVlS—after giving a masterly summary of the events which have taken place in vari ous parts of the seat of war since the date of the last communication addressed by him to the Congress at Richmond, a summary in which no failure on the part of the South is veiled or glossed over, and in which no success of theirs is in any way exaggerated—intimates in terms the plainest, th'l strongest, the calmest, the most unhesitating, the unshaken resolve of the Confederate Govern. Thant to withstand the deadly efforts made by the north to effect the conquest of the Southern States, and so doing, to deal a death blow at their rights s a F ree People of Sovereign Independence. Upon this Point the Confederate PRESIDENT argues with wonderful force at the very close of his remarkable Ma - ssage that the Federals "having begun the war in direct violation of their Constitution, WHICH F0R .1% "ADE THE AT TExp T TO COERCE A STATE, have been fo lidfdened in this i llegal and unconstitutional proceeding, have been so hardened in it by the mere ferocities of the contest adventured, th at they no longer llpen which they have thus r. c klessly endea vour to conceal in any way the purpose with which th e war is nowbeing ca rr i ed on, namely, at all cost and at all hazard, to Pull down to th e d ust the institutions of the Southern St a t es • to subvert ia t ity and their al together their Sover c •-b lndependence. At all cost ! Therein larks, even in the most bril liant successes achieved by the superior me ta b ersof i s (later on to b e re. the North, the secret Nemo the vealed) by whose agency the deadly crime of this on most cruel and gigantic of civil wars is safe eventu. - ally to be avenged. Another year has been run out in the maintenance of the struggle against the, incursions of the North by the Confederates. Another year ! In that simple fact—the lapse of another year—lies the greatest advantage gained to the cause of the Confederates ! For, as surely as another twelvemonth has thus been traversed by the contending Governments without bringing the ferocious contest in which they aro engaged to a conclusion, or even, we will say, to the faintest prospect of its proximate conclusion, so surely aro the Federals brought nearer and nearer to the inevitable bursting at last of the financier bubble which is for them the NADAR- Want by which they are sus tained and carried onward. It is fearful to reflect, no doubt, that upon either side, upon the side of the Federals no less than upon the side of the Confederates, within this ghastly lapse of time throughout which the civil contest has been main tained with such unparalleled ferocity, with such in creasing and increasing mutu al hatred, sixty thou sand men have been violent l y swe p t fr om the face of the earth, sixty thousand Feder als , sixty thousand Confederates. The so lace to the South, in th e perpetual consciousness of the peril in which it statds in being opposed by a power so vastly out numbering it—the solace to the South, in the re cognition eventually of this formidable dispropor-. tion, is discoverable, however, in no way—in the miserable or, fur that matter, the appalling fact that the losses of the belligerents in men are, thus as nearly as may be equivalent. It is discernible rather in the consideration of the still astound. ing, the still all but incredible truth that by this lengthening out their dreadful civil war by their heroic resistance to Northern invasion, the Confederates have caused the Federals to add recklessly to their already stupendous debt the gigantic sum of two hundred millions sterling ! The mere lengthening out, still further, of the time occupied by the war must of itself, therefore, obviously forward the jute. rests of the Confederates—[at a dead loss to them selves no doubt, bat still to the eventual vindica tion triumphantly of what is worth any conceivable expenditure, their independence !]—must of itself, we repeat, obviously forward thu interests of the Confederates—if, no otherwise, by hastening on the period when the financial crash, so long impending over Washington, can no longer be averted. A most shocking case has lately occurred in Tottenham-conrt-road Chapel ground. It is a very disgraceful thing to desecrate the bodies of the dead, and it is very much to be regretted that in conse quence of the ground not being consecrated, the case could not come under the cognisance of the Ecclesiastical Court. It is well that it should be generally known that the offence, even in this form, is punishable by common law, but the powers given to magistrates in such cases is far too limited. Mr. COLLINS, chairman of the Sanitary Committee, very truly remarked that all that could be done was to inflict a penalty of ten pounds, and it is worthy of notice that in this case referred to the fine ad judged was but half that sum. Five pounds is not at'all an adequate sum to be awarded against such as act. The affair was rendered the more unjus tifiable, from the fact that due notice was given at the time of the sale that the parish would protest against any building taking place on the spot, as the ground was full of bodies. It seems, then, un accountably outrageous that the purchaser should thu . s violate the pledges given, and break the com pact entered into at the time of the sale. Some further particulars were furnished at the meeting of the St. Pancras Vestry, in which it appeared that the ground was crowded with the bodies of those interred there. A former sexton deposed that &ince he had ceased to be employed there the " bodies were buried, not within two feet, but within six inches of the surface.'' Of course this rendered the proceedings all the worse, for it would be totally impossible to make any alterations or changes without disturbing a great many bodies. The details of the transaction, as they were related at the Marlborough Police-court, are perfectly re ' volting, Mr. COOPER, the si)licitor to the Vestry of St. Pancras, deposed that the human remains were not separated from the earth and rubbish ; they were dug up with spade and mattock, and placed in a heap quite exposed to the view of passers by. Some persons had gone about exhibit ing bones and skulls. In a civilised land, to say nothing of a Christian country, it is fearful to think such things can be tolerated, and for all this only a fine of five pounds was inflicted. It is a pity that the idle time which is so wasted in Parliament during the session cannot be filled up by taking such cases as these into consideration, and seeking to devise some appropriate remedy, thus to put a decided stop at once and for ever to the recurrence of such scandalous proceedings, and to render it nearly, if not totally, impossible for the repetition of such an offence to occur. As one of the gentle men who attended the vestry declared, the police law is a farce, for no one who was engaged in any large building concerns would care for the penalty of ten pounds or double that amount. It is very important that some change should be made at once, for it is highly necessary for the maintenance of public decorum and decency, and the furtherance of the principles of morality, that these evils should be checked at once with a strong hand. Too much attention cannot be given to this subject, as it is one which is immediately connected with those feelings of respect and reverence which should be cherished and encouraged, and the neglect of which cannot fail to exercise a most degrading effect, and to impart deleterious influences on the people who practice them. Laws which relate to such subjects should be stringent, and carry out the principles that • • nave actuated all nations from the earliest ages, who father, went forth to fight ` 0 for the ashes of th e i r 'ltd. the temples of their gods." The cleat, Danish Rigsraad has given the 0 q the the anxious DlZ a tua r it T of addressing . his people on KING the maa l._3: r ing position of the national i ' ,l 4 4 ::h . address is quiet and mode in. neither threats nor r a a ff t a e ir i s n . His its tone, points out that the pre tensions founded on reason reei m i n a e f t i o t n h s ; D a 1 i t e li t o3,, r Fg tite inlBs. the members , ht Kier, CHRisTux reminds nor rig— • 0 ~, it constitutionalw Eetesiitthheoneagshet, that when they assembled questi in ot est, relations of the that the long•ve definitely 1 m xe o d narchy was andcon elusively settled. Such ought to hav e b end we should have heard no more of th a t Political bugbear, the Schleswig - H olstein question, h ad it not been for the secret influences of Germ an ababi‘ tion. The FING explains that the Constitution of the 18th of November—the Constitution, that i ki, which he has just given his assent to for Denmark and Schleswig, and whose withdrawal is now being made a sine qua non by the Germans—is founded on the same basis as that of the Constitution which is at present in force for the whole monarchy. 13 y the old and the new alike are the common affairs of the kingdom distinguished from those specially concerning its several provinces individually. In neither is the Rigsraad directed to interfere in matters only concerning the provinces; and it is, consequently, difficUlt to see upon what ground' THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 522, 1863 the malcontents of the Duchies base their objection to the new Constitution. King CHRISTIAN declares it to be a misunderstanding on the part of the Powers which prevents them from recognising the treaties on account of the edict of the 18th of November ; but we are glad to see that he an nounces no intention of withdrawing that edict with the view of conciliating his enemies. He says, boldly enough, that a desire to dismember the Danish monarchy has arisen in Ger many, but expresses a hope, though not a very confident one, that Europe will maintain his r i g ht s . He further tells the Rigsraad that although he does not recognise the Federal execution as jus tifiable, he has thou g h t i t advisable to withdraw hie troopsacress the Eider to avoid a collision. It is to be hoped that the Danish Government will take that river for a limit beyond which the invaders must not be suffered to pass, and England should intimate pretty plainly to her German allies that she will not regard the passage of that boundary by armed troops as a casue bell. Had she done so years ago, when the Pruth lay between the Russians and the Danubian provinces, she would have spared Europe the Crimean war. Another struggle, in volving many Powers, and stimulated by many con flicting interests, is now imminent. It may be averted by a bold and manly policy on the part of our Government, but 'will they act in such a spirit ? How have Lord PALMERSTON'S frank and straight forward words, at the close of the Session, been fol lowed np by the foreign policy of his Cabinet ? A representative of their views has been sent to Den mark, indeed, to congratulate King CHRISTIAN on his accession to a troubled and doubtful dignity. All that has yet been learned of the mission of Lord WODEHOUSE is that he has counselled conciliatory measures, and recommended important modifica tions in the constitution of the 18th of November. If this is the best aid that England can give in such a crisis her Prime Minister should not have spoken so boldly. If his denunciations of German ambition, and the vision of a German fleet riding in the har bour of Kiel, as the real motive-springs of the dis• satisfaction with Denmark, were to be Vox et pre terea nihil, they hays merely served to mislead the nation which trusted his good sense and clear judg ment to take more active measures when occasion called. Whether, like the old story of the lion, he thought it advisable to let the Germans into the Duchy for the pleasure of turning them out again, we cannot say, but it is certain that being in virtual possession of Holstein the Germans will be troublesome customers to dislodge. The public enthusiasm in the Fatherland was in no way diminished. At a public meeting of the members of the different German representative bodies held in Frankfort on Monday, 900 members were present, as well as great numbers of the public. The reso lutions passed were unanimously in favour of the Prince of AUGUSTENBURG. In the Prussian Upper House it was on the same day boldly proposed that Prussia should withdraw from the London Treaty. It was not, however, happily for Prussia, sufficiently supported. It is therefore not too soon for England and her representatives to assume some decided attitude, and the sooner she does so the more effica cious will her aid be to the Danes, and the better for the credit of Lord PALMERSTON'S Government There is no quality which Englishmen think more of than fair play, and in cases where it is grossly violated the offender is certain, sooner or later, to be called to account pretty sharply. A more notable instance could not be given of bias and prejudice than that evidenced by the conduct of our Government with regard to the policy of neutrality, as it is called, towards America. President DAVIS may well speak of the "marked partiality of England towards the Federate," and the strange inconsis tency which pervades their conduct in respect to the purchase of supplies by the belligerents. A glaring instance of this has recently come to light. All the employees of Government at the dockyard of Sheerness who volunteered to fit out and equip the Rappahannock are discharged, for. breaking the laws of the country which apply to neutrality. Also, it is stated, that those of the Royal Naval Reserve who belong to the Alabama, Florida, and Georgia are struck from the list, with the loss of all pay and pension. Now this may suit the views of those in authority at present, but while a spark of their old fire animates the minds of Englishmen, it will be pronounced as truckling policy and arbitrary use of power, which should only be entrusted to those more worthy of exercising it. The Government do not withdraw their support from the establishments which furnish arms and ammunition to the Federate, so that their hard and harsh decrees have not even the merit of consistency to bear them out, and can not lay claim to being the result of a strict scrutiny into the justice of the case. Such conduct is sc, unfair that the most bitter opponent to the Minis terial cause will feel more regret and shame as Englishmen that such an order should emanate from our Statesmen, than satisfaction at the con viction that they are dealing a blow to their own reputation, such as no rival could inflict or contem porary occasion. It comes to this, if we are to have one law for one belligerent and another for the other, we had better leave off all talk about our indepen dence as a nation and our impartiality as a Go vernment. Nothing can be more extraordinary than the measures which have been lately adopted in regard to America ; and it is to be hoped that when Parliament meets a strict investigation will be made, and the honour of the country vindicated, even if it should be at the eleventh hour that the affair is taken up in the right spirit. BRAIN SPECTRES.—The brain makes ghosts both sleeping and waking. A man was lying in troubled sleep when a phantom, with the cold hand of a corpse, seined his right arm. Awaking in horror, he found upon his arm still the impression of the cold hand of the corpse, and it was only after reflecting that he found the terrible appari tion to be due to the deadening of his own left hand of a frosty night, which had subsequently grasped his right arm. This was a real ghost of the brain, which the awaken ing of the senses and the understanding explained. M. Gratiolet narrates a dream of his own which is singularly illustrative of how the brain makes ghosts in sleep. Many years ago, when occupied in studying the orginisation of the brain, he prepared a great number both of human and animal brains. He carefully stripped off the membranes and placed the brains in alcohol. Such were his daily occu pations, when one night he thought he had taken out his own brain from his own skull. He stripped it of its mem branes. He put it into alcohol, and then he fancied he took his brain out of the alcohol and replaced it in his skull. But, contracted by the action of the spirit, it was much reduced in size, and did not at all fill up the skull. He felt it shuffling about in his head. This feeling threw him into such a great perplexity that he awoke with a start, as if from nightmare. M. Gratiolet, every time he prepared the brain of a man, must. have felt that his own brain re sembled it. This impression awakening in a brain imper fectly asleep, whilst neither the senses nor the judgment were active, the physiologist carried on an operation in his sleep which probably had often occurred to his fancy when at his work, and which had then been summarily dismissed very frequently. A pursuit which had at last become one of routine, and the association of himself with his study explain the bizarre and ghastly dream of M. Gratiolet. A se nsation from the grip e o f a co ld h an d , m i s i nterpreted b y t_ l e imagination acting without the aid of the discerning facilities, accounts f or t h e g h ast l y v i s i on of the other sleeper iek ' 8 "All the Year Round." CA ~ B IISCAN AND ARCHIIiIEDES.—We learn with drawn his claim that Lord St. Vincent has with drawn ami, f • emaputPar Cambuscan and Archimedes, con,e horses as the last .53nn White's quent upon having also claimed those ga.llyanotodcyaplmtlaoiwon b and his lordship the affair trust that de bidder. Lord Stamford will, we aro b etween to understand Captain White his claim, ah a ra n es d , b heoew n e c v o e n r : t e t h u h e i o e r u o t u l ahl of ly th arranged. The public Y tired eproceedings at this matter will now k all i d nto w .porting .life i dbellbeiuoffuesraeduettoi°:in' LATEST INTELLIGENCE. (REUTER'S .TELEGRAMS.) THE PAPAL STATES. CONDEMNATION OF BOOKS. ROME, DEC. 22. The Congregation of the Index has condemned all the works of Georges Sand, and different works of various French, German, and Italian authors. LETTER OF PRINCE CZARTORYSKL BERNE, DEC. 21. Rumours having been recently current in the press that General Mieroslaweki had been dis missed by the Polish National Government from his post as General Organiser of the Polish forces out of Poland, the following letter of Prince Ladislaus Czartoryski to the Polish agent here may not be thought devoid of interest : "PARIS, Dec. 16. "Dear Sir,—To your inquiry whether I know anything of the dismissal of General Mieroslawski, I hasten to reply that I have received no credible information with regard to the matter. The despatches received here a few days ago from the National Government, not only contained no allusion to any such dismissal, but manifestly retained General Mieroslawski in the official cha racter with which he was formerly clothed. " I avail myself of this opportunity to repeat the declaration I have already previously made, that I consider myself and General Mieroslawski officials of the National Government, and that the General may reckcn upon my assistance in every respect to the full extent of the instructions which I have received. " Receive, &c., " Prince LADISLATJS CZARTORYSKI, Diplomatic Agent of the National Government." SAN DOMINGO. MADRID, DEC. 22. A steamcr has arrived at Cadiz with news from San Domingo to the 20th ult., confirming the defeat of the Insurgents, and stating that a great number of them had asked for pardon. THE SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN QUESTION. HAMBURG, DEC. 22 (Evening). It is positively stated here that Hanoveria n troops will relieve the Austrians quartered in this city, and that the whole of the Austrians will march into Holstein. THE EXECUTION IN HOLSTEIN. BERLIN, Dec. 21. The Federal troops are to enter Holstein the day after to-morrow. Then will be the time to exclaim, " Jacta est alee," for those who still maintain that the conflict is certain of pacific solution are either deceived or wish to reassure the fatnt-hearted at any price. The German public generally will feel extremely disappointed if the Danish quarrel terminates simply with execution, and diplomacy succeeds in bringing about one of those arrangements characterised in Germany as " linen foulen Frieden" (a rotten peace) The Germans are bent upon the independence of the two Duchies, and mean to achieve it, if their Governments do not stand in the way. It is not easy to set Germany in motion, but it is less easy still to arrest its progress where it was once commenced to move. It will be difficult for Prussia and Austria to permit the Danes to hold their lines of fortifications at the Schleswig frontier upon Holstein territory; and it is by no means certain that, considering the excitement of the population of Copenhagen, King Christian will dare to order the evacuation of those military points. It will be still more difficult for the Federal troops to prevent the popular meetings which will proclaim Duke Frederick as soon as the Danes have left. The French papers Constitutionnel and La France point out that this embroglio is one proof the more of the necessity of a Congress. Could such an as sembly have met immediately after the death of the King of Denmark to discuss the question, it might have succeeded in finding a pacific solution, but it is now too late, and public opinion in Germany is vehement against the idea of any interference what ever of foreign Powers in the nationality dispute. It would be hazardous to rely upon the firm resolution of the Cabinets of Berlin and Vienna to oppose the impetus of the German nation to the end. They have left themselves a loophole in re serving the succession question. It is well known at Vienna that the assistance of Germany in certain other eventualities is only to be reckoned upon if Francis Joseph determines to satisfy the public wish in the present dispute. It is even reported that confidential communidations in this sense have been made by Bavaria and other German States who act with Austria. As regards Prussia, it is positively stated that the military party is urging on the King, and that his Majesty's resistance is more apparent than real. PORTUGAL. LISBON, DEC. 22. The Government journal affirms that Ministers will bring in a bill next session abolishing the to bacco monopoly. The Federal corvette Saint Louis has arrived here. FRANCE. REPLY OF THE EMPEROR TO THE ADDRESS FROM THE SENATE. The is the actu a l text of the reply of the Emperor following to the Senate, as printed in the Moniteur " Monsieur le President,—As the organ of the first body of the State you address me in language which touches mo profoundly. " I see with pleasure th at t h e most oppos i te speechesareabsorbed in the unanimity of the vote of the Address, and testify the same confidence— and you shall not be disappointed. Good is the sole motive of my actions. At home and abroad I desire the appeasement of passions, concord and union. I direct all my wishes to the moment when the great questions which divide Governments and peoples will be pacifically solved by European ar bitrament. This wish was that of the chief of my family when he cried from St. Helena that ' to fight in Europe is to make civil war.' This great idea, once Utopian, may it not tomorrow become a reality ? However this may be, it is always honourable to proclaim a principle which tends to cause the prejudices of a former age to ciistppear. Let us unite our efforts with this noble view, and let us study how to conquer obstacles, and to con found incredulity. "Please to be, Monsieur le President, the inter preter of my thanks to the Senate." M. Hubaine, Prince Napoleon's secretary, has written a letter to the Natzon, emphatically con tradicting the authenticity of the curious letter published by that paper last night. The denial runs thus:— Messieurs,—The Nation yesterday published an extract from a letter ascribed by a foreign paper to H.LH. Prince Napoleon. I am directed to deny in the most absolute manner the authenticity of this pretended letter. There is not a word of truth in it, either in form or Fubstance. The opinions of the Prince are sufficiently well known; he has openly and clearly expressed them in the tribune. Tb.ey maybe summed up in two words--Liberty and Nationality, As regards Italy more especially, her unity before all— first in the interest of France and next in her own. Allow me to remark that, before reproducing this absurd and highly improbable letter, it would have been easy to ascer tain its authenticity, and thus have spared yourself this contradiction. The French Court has gone into =tuning for twenty-one days, from the 20th inst., for the de cease of the King of Denmark. The first eleven days are to be ordinary mourning, the last ten, half. p BOURSE, Dec. 22.—The market has been without much animation, but quotations, in the limited amount of business doing, show a slight IrarovE. went. Threes, for the Account, are now at 66f. 45c. ,Mobilier Shares are also rather h igher, being last quoted at 1,037 f. 500. R firm. The market closed 41 per Cents .. 94 10 Do, end month.... 3 per Cents; , 66 35 Do. end month 66 40 Credit Mobilier..., 1033 75 Do. end nionth 1033 75 Bank Shares 3350 Credit Fonder l2lO Roman — RA.IL' 'away Market quiet, but as follows : Italian Loan 7l 70 Do. end month — New ditto ...... Do. end month — Russian Austrian .... — Spaniel Threes.„ .' 52 Home Debt slk Deferred 'AY% Cash. Account. 970 967 50 965 .. 965 Orleans Northern .... New ditto Lyons and Mediterranean 925 .. 926 25 New ditto Geneva.. Siuthern Western Eastern •• • • Sardinian Austrian Lombard . North of Spain Saragossa Ditto to Barcelona ... •• - 677 50 .. 678 75 503 75 .. 505 - 475 - - 2 - 400 - .. 397 50 403 75 .. 40.5 - 518 75 .. 521 25 517 50 .. 517 60 617 50 .. 617 50 - .. 302 50 THE CALCUTTA MAIL. Messrs. Glass, Elliot, and Co., have received the following telegram from Suez, dated Dec. 22, 6 p.m.. " The Calcutta mail, due Suez, lath inst., no yet arrived." THE PROPOSED CONGRESS, The French Minister for Foreign Affairs has sent the following circular despatch to the chiefs of the French diplomatic missions abroad :--- The Sovereigns have replied to the letter of the Empe ror, and in their replies all have rendered homage to that bold initiative which, laying bare the dangers of the situa tion, proposed the most pacific and loyal means to appease them. As you know, the greater portion of the Courts have ad hered without reserve to the proposition of France; others have accompanied their adhesion with certain restrictions in requiring that the French Cabinet should lay down in ad vance the programme of future deliberations. The German Sovereigns, personally favourable to the idea of the Con gress, have been compelled to make their conduct subordi • nate to the collective resolution of their confederates. The reply of the German Diet has not yet reached us. One sin gle Power, England, has refused. Under these circumstances it was our duty to express to the British Cabinet all our regrets, our gratitude to the Sovereigns who have accepted unconditionally, and to ren der an explanation to those who have required it. The French Government did not believe itself to be authorised to confine the high jurisdiction of Europe to a programme; it was far from the idea of. the Emperor to set himself up as an arbiter. It is superfluous to enumerate the perils which menace the peace of the world : these perils are evident. It is only for Powers united in a Congress to decide the questions which ought to discussed and those which should be discarded. The declaration made by the Emperor nn the sth Novem ber admitted two hypotheses : an unanimous acceptation and a partial acceptation. In the first ease, minds would be greatly appeased, and, if even all the difficulties should not be resolved, a better understanding would be established between the Sovereigns. Daily meetings at which each could exchange ideas, express his desires or, his fears, might silence many susceptibilities, remove many mistakes, and cause many prejudices to dis appear. The probable result of these conferences would have been a salutary and honourable transaction, France, which had no advantage to gain for herself in .the eventuality of a general Congress, would have made common cause with all the enlightened Governments to bring about reconciliation, extinguish rancours, and esta blish those indispensable ameliorations which prevent revo lutions or war. Was this a Utopia F Recent events have proved to us the contrary, and to justify sooner than we believed the pro visions of the Emperor. The King of Denmark dies ; pas sions are aroused, people become agitated and undecided, Governments balance between the letter of treaties and the national sentiment of their country. A Congress could alone conciliate the duties of Sovereigns bound by conventions and the legitimate aspirations of the peoples. The refusal of England has, unfortunately, rendered im possible the first result which we had hoped from the appeal made by the Emperor to Europe. The second hypothesis now remains—the restricted Congress. Its realisation de pends on the will of the Sovereigns. We should be able, after the decision of the British Cabi• net, to consider our duty as accomplished,and for the future, in the events that may arise, only to take account of what may be suitable to us, and of oar private interests. But we prefer to take cognisance of the good dispositions which have been manifested towards us, and to remind the Sove reigns who have associated themselves with our intentions that we are ready to enter frankly with them on the path of a common understanding. An agreement of views and of conduct between the principal Powers of the Continent who comprehend with us the dangers of the present, and the ne cessities of the future, would be of great weight in future events, and would prevent the abandonment of alliances or resolutions to chance. When a general Congress was in question the Emperor could not, without falsifying the part traced out by himself; draw up a programme, nor take concert with some of the Powers to subsequently submit to the others a plan agreed upon in advance, and thus prelude by a separate negotia tion the negotiations where it was decided to present one self without preconceived ideas, and free from private engagements. But as this meeting cannot now be com pleted, it will not have the judicial authority which would have belonged to a European Congress. We understand from that time that, before meeting personally, the Sovereigns will charge their Ministers for Foreign Affairs to come to an understanding on the questions which should be discussed, in order that the Congress may have more chances of terminating in a practical result, You are, then, authorised, according to what precedes, to explain the intentions of the Emperor to the Court near which you are accredited, and to leave a copy of this de spatch with the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Receive, &c , DROUYN DE LHUTS, Official Prussian Idea of the Liberty of the English Press. From the National Zeitung, of Dec. 9, 1863, we learn that in the House of Representatives, on the discussion on the Secret Service Money, a member asked how the sum proposed to ba voted was to be expended. MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR—The money will be de voted to the press. SIBEL — The press will be influenced for party purposes. I therefore shall vote against the proposal. The question is whether money shall be voted by the Chamber to be spent abroad in carrying out the London Protocol (Danish Treaty). AII'ICISTER OF THE INTERIOR.-011 what is the parti sanship of the English press for Denmark founded ? On this—that the Danish Government was wise enough and rich enough to pay the English journals. If we had had the same means, the press and the public opinion of Eng land would have taken a very different view. In regard to the ordinance respecting the press, it would not have been necessary if we had had 300,000 instead of 30,000 thalers to expend upon it. We have much pleasure in stating that the sub scriptions collected by IV. N. Badge, Esq., amongst the members of the Stock Exchange, on behalf of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, now exceeds £5OO. MARKED PARTIALITY OF EARL RUSSELL,— " TRAVELLER," in a letter to us says :—President Davis has every right to complain of this in Earl Russell's permitting the Northerns to get everything they want (not requiring ships), but preventing the Southerns to get what they do want—ships—and in doing so breaking the laws of his country by illegal seizures. Earl Russell will get from the House of Commons on this question his own language on the Conspiracy Bill with a little compound interest. " Nolumus leges Anglia mutari" being our motto in reply to the demands of any foreign Power. How can Lords Palmerston and Russell refuse recogition to the Confederate States after recognising Belgium, in rebellion against Hol land for a few months, when only for recognition the revolt would have been suppressed ; or the expuhion of the sove reigns of Naples, Modena, and Tuscany at the will of their people, when they will not act• in the same spirit to our own "bone anti sinew." The Government have shown a marked partiality.to the North, when, in justice, they should have shown fair play, and, in the old British spirit, backed the weaker party. LONGEVITY.--On Sunday was buried at King's Heath, Ann Fereday, who had attained the great age of 101 years. The old lady, it seems, had been a resi dent at King's Heath up to September last, when she came to reside at the back of 12, Brearley-street West. With the exception of a paralytic stroke, which she had suffered during the last six months, and a slight deafness, she was in possession of all her facultics, and during the last three years had survived a fracture of the arm and a dreadful worrying by a dog.—Birmtnyham Post. A UIIItISTMAS SUMMER.—In Yorkshire the mild ness of the season is unusual. The gardens, many of them, retain the scarlet geraniums and stocks of summer yet in bloom, and roses still keep their foliage. Gooseberries are in leaf partly, and about Scagglethorpe, in full south positions, h ave ac t ua ll y fl owere d , an d r h u b ar b i s pushing in the open ground. Altogether there have not been more than 12 hours of sli g ht fro s t. In th e fields the whea t cro p s are remarkably forward—" pro u d," as the farmeresastehye,r— an is the breadth of wheat sown.—thanks to the open w very large. Turnips have hardly ceased growing .yet —the season, indeed, is more like Michaelmas than Christmas. THE CRAWLEY COURT-MARTIAL. I There is every likelihood that the finding in the case of Lieut.-Colonel Crawley will be made known while the facts connected with that investigation are fresh in the recollection of the public. When the Aldershot Court-martial closed its public sittings on the 18th inst., it was generally supposed that the verdict would not be promulgated much before the meeting of Parliament, as the Court would probably require some time to deal with the mass of evidence taken in the course of the previous five weeks ; and after their decision had been agreed upon, in the ordinary course of things, some weeks longer would be occupied in the process of revision at headquar ters. This assumption, however, left out of ac count the fact that all the parties concerned had been watching the case narrowly as it proceeded. The members of the Court not only kept records of each day's testimony, but in nearly every instance analysed and compared for themselves the main passages of the evidence. The Judge- Advocate-General, meanwhi;e, gave constant and careful attention to the course of the in quiry, and attended in person on the nree most important occasions—the opening day and the days on which the defence and reply respec tively were read to the Court. When the public were ordered to withdraw last Friday afternoon, the officers composing the Court-martial at once ad dressed themselves to their remaining duty, and were able without any great delay to pronounce a collective opinion on the issues submitted to them. The Judge Advocate-General was equally prepared to approach the task devolving upon him, and, the legal validity of the trial having been established, the next step was to submit the finding to the Cora. mander•in-Chief. Having Inen duly weighed by the military authorities, the decision is then sub mitted to her Majesty for approval, and as soon as the Royal approval is obtained the necessary forms will all have been complied with, and there will no longer remain any obstacle to the publication of the verdict. The exact terms of the finding are for the present a secret, but it is pretty well under stood that the Court took a favourable view of Colonel Crawley's conduct, making ample allow ance for the circumstances in which he was placed. —Times. WELLINGTON COLLEGE, The boys of Wellington College gave their annual concert on Monday evening to a numerous assemblage of the neigh bouring nobility, gentry, and clergy. Musio has now re covered its place—lost for two centuries—as a recognized part of a gentleman's education, and by the aid of an effi cient music -master, a good organist, and choral service, the Wellington scholars enjoy an opportunity desired by many in vain, and are making good use of it. Everybody was struck with the palpable improvement upon last year. Of course, when the material consists exclusively of boys, variety can only be attained by the ingenious adaptation of pieces meant for maturer voices, and by efforts of rather an ambitious character. But, under these cir cumstances, the success was great. The concert opened with Bishop's glee, "Stay, prithee, stay," sung by the whole choir in a way to assure their own courage and inspire the hearers with confidence. Of Mendelssohn's " Lark Song,"and Leslie's trio, " Memory," the former was sung with appropriate buoyancy ; the latter with as much melan choly as Messrs. Hay, btrettell, and Burton had at com mand on the eve of breaking• up day. Mr. Maxwell had to surpass his last year's performance, and, as this could not be done in brilliancy and flexibility, it could only be in graver sentiment. Bishop's " Daughter of Erin" appeared to be chosen for this purpose, and was sung with most touching sweetness and pathos. Leslie's "From your choral chambers" showed a careful mastery of difficulties. Mr. Bishop, the music master, with the aid of the whole choir, wound up the first part with Bishop's " Tramp Chorus," with a spirit and pre cision that showed his command on the attention of his pupils. After a pause the " Vesper Hymn," from the music of Beethoven, was given by Messrs. Hay, Stratell, Baker, and Moberley—the effect of distant chanting by the chorus in another apartment—and the illusion would have satisfied the most mystic cravings of our London playgoers. Mr. Maxwell again was himself,—that is, what he was a year ago, but can hardly expeat to remain a year longer, in Mlle's " Good Night," sung by him and Messrs. Browne and Moberley. Mr. Bishop had a piece to himself in More's wine song, " I come from the bountiful Rhine " and gave it with all the joyous effect which the theme is supposed to inspire. The full choir bade adieu to the bril liant ranks before them in Greenwood's serenade, " Gentle Lady," and finished with Leslie's " Joy Bells" and " Gud save the Queen." Mr. Bishop, Mr. Maxwell, and several others were rapturously encored. Of the instrumental pieces, all done with much care and taste, perhaps the most striking was the overture to " Guillauine Tell," by Messrs. Ghica and Maitland, The trial of Luke Charles, for the murder of his wife, at Pendleburg, was brought to a close at Liverpool, yesterday. The prisoner was found guilty and sentenced to death. A PUGILIST "AT HOME."—A good story is cur rent respecting King, the pugilist, and the "host" of Hassocks'-gato Inn, where he resided during his training. It appears that a day or two previous to the encounter with Heenan, King, during his " play hours" from training— the "ruling passion" being strong in him—induced "mine host" to have a set. to in the parlour, the host to do all the hitting, the great pugilist stipulating not to return it, but only to parry the blows. Warming at his work, " mine host" let fall his blows both fast and furious. " Now," said King, who was standing with his back close to the wall of the room, "hit me full in the face." Quick as thought the request was responded to, and with equal quickness did King avoid the blow by shifting his head ) when the knuckles of the worthy host went with such tremendous force against the wall that the sponge was immediately thrown up. Indeed, SO serious was the injury sustained, that mine host was compelled to seek surgical aid in Brighton, and there is every probability of his retaining a lasting memento of the visit of the great pugilist to his house.—Surrey Standard. ANOTHER AUSTRIAN VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD,—The Austrian screw steamer Marco Pole will leave Trieste on the sth of March next, "on a voyage round the world." It has been calculated that a period of eight months will be amply sufficient for the purposes of the voyage, in the course of which 30 different seaports will be visited, or five more than called at in the famous Novara expedition. About 200 days will necessarily be spent on the sea, whilst there will be 50 days to be availed of on land fur the visiting and inspection of the various points of great interest in different parts of the globe. The share holders will consist of from 60 to 60 persons, and the contri bution of each is fixed at 5,0001, equal to about £4OO, which will cover all expenses during the voyage, including board and lodging on shore. The following are the places which it is intended to visit during the expedition :—Algiers, Gibraltar, Madeira, Liberia, tit. Helena, Cape of Good Hope, Madagascar, Ceylon, Nicobar, Singapore, Hong Kong, Canton, Shanghai, Sandwich Isles, Acapulco, City of Mexico, Panama, Lima, Valparaiso, Falkland Isles, Monte Video, Rio Janeiro, Canary Isles, lonian Isles, two Dalmatian and two Italian ports; thence home to Trieste, to arrive about the middle of November. The expedition which is being formed under the auspices and superinten dence of the Austrian Government, will be provided with influential letters of recommendation to the various consu lates in different points of the world. THE FOUNDERING OF THE FEDERAL IRON-CLAD WEEHAWKEN.—The following are some particulars respecting the foundering of the Federal iron-clad Wee hawken, in Charleston Harbour : On the afternoon of Sunday, Dec. 6, while the Federal feet was lying oft Charleston, a furious wind prevailed from the north-west. A signal of distress was made from the Weehawken, which was answered, and boats were despatched to her assistance. While the admiral on board the flagship was watching the boats hastening to the Weehawken, the officer on the deck made out a new signal, and immediately re ported her to be sinking. A moment atter she settled swiftly down by the head, careened slightly over to star• board, and disappeared beneath the waves. When the first signal of distress was made no one divined how serious was the danger; and when, at length, the vessel went down, it was difficult for those who saw her disappear to credit even the evidence of their own senses. The con fusion on the flagship arising mainly from the difficulty of launching her boats, and the desire of both officers and /en d to be first in them, was most intense and painful. The wind was now blowing with great fury, and the boats which peril hastened from all sides to the scene encounter:dal__ded in picking up from the water the few who had sank. °' Almost getting away from the Weehawken before s As want to the boats and succeeded in getting away' the launches ut at the moment she went down some 2aowoary.more sprang others were rescued from it.hea,wand the tugboats Dandy. lion flagship, the South Carolina, A correspondent of one 01 upon the subject, says '— lion and Iris. Thirty poll. writing five fathoms of water, and the New York ' ed. Until she isbrought up no one can tell will soon be rate why she sank. It was through no fault of with certainty "The WeehawPkaenPeila'slyv;ngt her overhang,, for she apparently to o k i n no water except at he* forward hatch and hawse hole. It was, to the heel of m y knowledge, through the inattention, neglect, and bad management of those on board that the vessel has been lost. d hl a a s h d e t d h i e n p , uiPbeenms is probable s set that at worktlae m w , h ee e h n aw th k e en w w av o e u s id fir u s i t , this moment have been afloat. Had the bars with which it is quit e lik ely that the Ore htr compartme nts were made watertight teen in their pro • per places, calamity wouldnever have occurred." - 4tArt:o- irnrt -,,,0p 71":7 tojte te I T -4 SlTtrfir lIER MAJESTY. OSBORNE, Dec. 22. The Queen, accompanied by Princess Louise, walked and drove in the grounds yesterday. Princess Helena, attended by Lady Caroline 13,..rrington, drove to Ryde. Departure of the Prince and Princess o: Wales for Osborne. Yesterday morning, at a quarter past 10 o'clock, their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess Of Wales, accompanied by Prince Alfred (who arrived on Monday at Frogmore), and attended by the Countess of Macclesfield, Lieut.-Colonel KePPe l ' and Major Cowell, left Frogmore House for the Windsor station of the Great Western Railway, en route for Osborne, where they will spend the Christ mas with her Majesty and the royal family. Their royal highnesses travelled by the ordinary 10.30 down train, and on their way to the saloon carriage in which they rode the salutations of a great number of persons Ni ho crowded the platform were cordially returned by the prince and princess. Their royal highnesses travelled to Readiug, and thence to Basingstoke, when they continued their journey via the South Western line, and on arriving at Gosport at about a quarter to two o'clock they embarked for Osborne on board the royal yacht Fairy, commanded by the Prince of Leiningen. Every arrangement for the comfort of the royal travellers was made by the railway authorities, and the platform was under the charge of Inspector Walker, of the prince's household, who was in at tendance on their royal highnesses. There was Il e guard of honour or any ceremony whatever on their departure from the royal borough. The Prince and Princess of Wales will remain et , Osborne for about ten days, and on the expiration 01 their visit to her Majesty will return to Frogmore , where it is expected they will reside for about month, after which they will reside at Marlboroug h House for some time. The Duke of Newcastle left town yesterday for his scat, Cumber Park, Notts. The Dowager Countess of Mexborongh remain for the present at the Royal Crescent Hotel, Brighton. Lord Courtenay, who has been the guest of the Earl and Countess of Cardigan at Dean Park, has left on a visit to the Earl of Coventry at Crome Court. Sir Henry and Lady Fletcher have returned to Farrance's Hotel from Mount Felix, Walton.on-Thames . The Right Hon. T. H. S. Sotheron-Estcour t, M.P., and Mrs. Sotheron-Estcourt, have arrived at Fer" rance's Hotel from Estcourt, near i'etbury. We understand that the Hon. Leonora Caroline, second daughter of Lord and Lady Digby, is engaged to be married to Mr. Alexander Hugh Baring, M.P. for Thet ford, eldest son of the H on . F ranc i s B ar i ng , an d ne phew 0 ' Lord Ashburton. It is said the marriage will take Pla ce early in the ensuing month. A marriage has been arranged between Miss Vie toria Van de Weyer (daughter of the Belgian Minister) 0 4 Mr. Brand, son of the Right Hon. H. J. Brand. _,., MARRIAGE OF DR. STANLEY AND LADY AUGUST A BRUCE.—Ye2lerday afternoon, at five o'clock, the Rev. Dr. Arthur Penryn Stanley, D.D., Canon of Christ Church, Oxford, and Regius Professor of Ecclesiastical History in the University of Oxford, Dean-nominate ° f Westminster, was married by special license in Weal:pill' ster Abbey to Lady Augusta Bruce, daughter of Thomas , seventh Earl of Elgin and Kincardine, and sister of the late lamented Governor-General of India. The ceremony was throughout of a private and simple character. The re were no bridesmaids. The service was read most impres sively by the Very Rev. H. G. Liddell, D.D„ Dean of Christ Church, Oxford, who was assisted by the Rev. Haden, M.A„ the precentor of the abbey. There was no singing. Among those present were Lord Stanley of Alder •ley, the Very Rev. Dr. Trench, Archbishop-designate of Dublin, late Dean of Westminster, Lady Charlotte Lochers, the Rev. J. G. Bradley, M.A., headmaster of Marlborough School, the Rev. Dr. C. J. Vaughan, of Doncaster, Professor Max Muller, Professor Jowett, the Rev. W. x . Fremantle, and many Oxford friends of the new Dean. The Gazette published by us last night, it will be seen, officially announced the appointment of Mr. Ser— geant Shee to the judicial bench, and that also of Canon. Stanley to the deanery of Westminster. MR. JUSTICE SLlEE.—Yesterday Mr. Justice Shee heard summonses for the first time at judges' cham bers since his appointment. His lordship attended on Mon day and made arrangements to take the business until the commencement of Marl Term, when he will take his seat on the bench at Westminster Hall. ' An amusing incident occurred in the course of the day. The summonses, as usual, were of a routine character, and his lordship partially heard the parties. In one application his lordship remarked that there was nothing in it, and good-humouredly said the parties had surely " come to see the new judge." Two other learned judges sat in the chambers of the other court, Mr. Justice Byles taking the summonses of the Court of Com mon Pleas in the afternoon. The chambers will be closed on Thursday until Wednesday morning. ROYAL ACADEMY OF MUSIC.—The competition for the Westmoreland Scholarship and Potter Ezhi' bition took place at the Institution on Monday, the 211° instant. The following professors composed the board of examiners :—Mr Charles Lucas (chairman), Mr John G° l4° ' Mr F. R. Cox, Mr G. A, Aracfarren, Mr H. Blagrove, I\lr' W. Dorrell, and Mr Walter Macfarren. The candidates elected were :—For the Westmoreland Scholarship , A ils° Emily Wynne; and for the Potter Exhibition, 111 r Ridley Prentice. The following candidates were specially mended :—Misses E. Pitt, S. Neighbour, E. I‘ l "f et . and E. Wolfe; Messrs. T. W. Walstein, and G. bridge. tor 9 of THE ASTON PARK COMPANY. The his— the Aston Park Company has advanced another stage. The mortgagees have issued the notice to I . o° l ll and unless the corporation or the public make hast e it Wi" probably be out of their power to secure the place and redeVe cil l the premise which Mr, Ratcliffe made to the Queen• do not know the exact time when the terms of the reortPb" deed allow the company to wind up their affairs a fter the notice has been secured, but presume that either three or T h e ahort ar months will be the longest term of grace. period will be ample for the conclusion of the businees the town council, one way or the other. For ou rselve s 7 032 - can only suppose one way possible. After the publiet:ttike of the mayor's letter to Mr. Percivall, the purchasing of park seems the only course left. It is useless to argue J 37.3 whether the town council gave the mayor authority to w ri b maelf th e words he has written or not. He took upon h i power of pledging the corporation, and without that pledS it is scarcely a matter of doubt now that her Die.leaY would not have come at all, The only impres sion whi t such a document could have on the mind of the Clue % and her advisers was that the purchase o.f the park w as removed from the doubtful power of a lim tied into the certainty of the corporation completingthe vi°!._ Under this impression she visited the town, an d under this impression she wr.rte her last letter to Mr. Stu: ;e• the council allow their Queen to be deceived in ate trust which she has given to the language of their mayor. V i ' t 4 :,, e _ ever may be the responsibility of the company, th a oa t spousibility must have been limited by their power. II the they have tailed to buy the Park is an issue whi c T id e d mayor evidently contemplated from the first; and Pr t . ' against it by pledging the corporation to carry It ~a Times without number has the public been told thatg.LPof Queen came to visit Birmingham, and that thea °dPiiot the the park was only an incident of that I fo Y ot on the plat form same. From the time her Majr.tYtshe cause. If this be so or net, the responst seems to us time she spirt form of the New-street station,ast the guest of the Mayor entered the train at Aston, elle of Birmingham. As the cliff° invited her to visit I m entertainedpaur y.tthad her; as the mayor/the ne . .t . • t aside in all iations respecting the been quietly liar been d to have one the represents visit, and all seems his m • corporation a) oral capacity. It certain 4 five of the late to deny the res " which b 9 ponsibility appears now too If thus bean incurr ed. the work, however, is to be done t" must be done epe "iIY •—Birn,inghant Gazette. all, it he wa l is 3 E;anl“i°sgr-Itioht f e e d j:i ar, ny r : g e hh company The Toulon journals announci, , the arrival at that port of the steam-transport Ariege from the west coast 01 Africa, whether she was despatched August last wit h. pr ovisions for the nava l di v i s i on on that station. The Ariege lett Gabon on the 11th October, and on her way liman. Sheetoueli bringsed at St. back 18 Louis o(Senegal),persuns a tm: o , n a v n a d ies G ee r u an ci ts B. bix passengers died during the voyage, but not from eta' tagious diseases—and the sanitary state ou board was to satisfactory on her arrival that she was at once admitted to free pratique. THE OSBORNE AN:NEAL.—Osborne's fro.otispieco this year, as seen through this celebrated p;ovit 3 i °ll dealer's windows on Ludgate-hill, is more than usually interesting to housekeepers, as it announces that the iaeces . t:aries of life have seldom been cheaper for many Year . s o The artistic portion pourtrays, by a model, Conway Castl. and its bridge and railway viaduct. A vessel in acti_i a _! movement, sails "like a thing of life" upon the ripple' L surface of the river, which, in its turn, wedding the :., doubtless typifies the junction o f the salt with the r (butter in the window). The latter, the butter, with tbg 0 pride of humility bears a label o f its cheapness, sut,v,,estive of plentiful grazing, and that all other provisions are Itge 4 wise within the reach and enjoy ment of the general cooi munity at this season of universal hospitality,—Okbes ] an a dem in g to n the 1 mod rest Eng telel Qui abo D 'mil Ban Con Ind E x(