The Sun. — London, England, 1850-01-17 00:00:00

2 Ist December for Coquimbo, ri tlrned to harbour this ear le du, a id mu t discharge t' lop lir. SHIELDS, JAN. 6.—The P, a-1, of Shere'mra, which was capsized and towA to th,s ground at Whitehill Point, 14th January, was righted ye Ete - ear. Some of her spars are broken, but no apparetit damge to herself, STAITTIES, JAN. 14.—The Admiral Collingwool, Lynn to Hartlepool, sprang a halt January 14 off Fla..: - borough H, al, and came ashore at Lisinei2ty in a sink ing Atutr, with six f et wa!er in hssr hold. MARKET NEWS.—(Ti -1 / 8 1-M- .l 2 MIXTGILT7IS . AND MEAZENEIALL. The supplies of Meat on sale to-day, were extensive. Generally speaking, the demand ruled hi ar. , on the following terms:—Peef, from 2s 61 to 3s 6d; Mutton,/ 2, 10 d to 3s 10d; Veal, 3s 4d to 4s ; and Pork, 23 101 to 4 s 2d ptr Blbs., by the carcase. SAT ncekaimrs. S MITHFIELD.—Meadow Hay, 21 10s to 3/. 10s; Glover ditto, 8! 5 1 to 41 105 ; and Straw, 11 2s to I/ Eis per load. A moderate supply, and a dull trade. CUMISERLAND.—Meadow Hay, 2112 s to 3112 i; Clover ditto, 3/ 5s to 41 8s ; and Straw, 11 3s to 1/ 9s per e ld• Trade dull, at the aboie quotations. W RITECHAPEL. Meadow Hay, 21 10s to 31 10 - 5 ; Clover ditto, 31 Os to 4110 5; and Straw, 1/ 2s to 1/ 81 per load. Supply derably good, and trade dull. DIZAT MAIZIEETS. SOTT -TRALL, JAN. 16.—Our market was but moderately s upplied With each kind of fat stuck. On the whole, a moderate business was transacted, at about last week's transactions, —Beef, from 3s to 4s 2,1; Mutton, 3s 4d to 41 4 ; Veal, 3s t o 3 s 8d ; an d P or k, 3s 4d to 3s 8d per 8 1bs, to sink the offal. ItoltroßD, JAN. 16.—Prime Beasts and Sheep com ljlandel a steady sale, at fully lzst week's quota- In other kinds of - stock very little was doing. f . from 3s 4d to 4s 2d Mutton,•3s 4.1 to 45 4d; Veal, 3s ad to 3s 8d; and Pork, 3s 2d to 3s 10d per 811 w. il lekli ng Calves, 18s to 255; Quarter-old Store Pigs, "to 21s• and Miloh Cows, with their small Calf, 141 18/ each. ' IL QUIRAN, JAN. 16.—Our market was somewhat in tg_tive to-da, nevertheless prices were fairly supported. s eer fr om 3s cd to 4s 4d; Mutton, 3s 8d to 4s 41; Veal, in 4d to 3s 8d; and Pork, 3s 4d to 3s 8,1 per 81bs. 4 /turinicr., JAN 15.—The general demand was in a ta e . 1 7 sluggish stwe, yet the quotations were well mein tit& Beef from 3. 2d to 4s 4d; Mutton 3s 4d to ‘ut Veal, 3s 2d to 3s 8d; and Pork, 3s 2d to 3s 6d L'" albs. CriT -4 It 11 ESTER. JAN. 16.—Prime stock moved off 4 144 3 , at full prices. Otherwise the trade ruled dull. ef from 3s 4d to 4s 4d; Mutton, 3s 4d to 4s 6d; : 1 1 1 , ; 3s 2d to 3s 6d ; an d P o rk, 3 s 4d to 3s 8d per 8 1 bs. 0s log Calves, 20s to 245; Quarter-old Store Pigs, 16s . each. CORN AVERAGES. ?or tIf i ,, t ZERAL AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN .1, 4 , ' ' , sea ended Jan. IL 1850, made up from the Returns of the Per Peu tors in the diff eren t Citi es an d T ow as in Eagland and Wales Imperial Quarter. !RICE I wass.T. I ' 1 BAILEY. OATS. ITN. ILAN/. I PEAL, '• 4 1. id 26s td 1 15s 6d 1 236 4d ' 26s id 128 s 6d Irk" . DUTIES ON FOREIGN CORN. ls od. I 'AILEY. I OATS. I 1111. I BEANS. I PEAS. Is Od Is Od Is Od Is Od is Od LA AV INTELLIGENCE. ''QUEEN'S BENCH.—(THIS E DAY.) TH T. G RAND JUNCTION CANAL V. WILLIAM DIMES. ees , aPpeared th at t h e d e f en d an t i n t hi s case h a d been ec ali tted to the Queen's Bench Prison by the anc ellor for c on tempt for disobeying an injunction ob tain . .7 1;6 ao far b ac k as 1839. A f ew d ays ago Si r F re - Thesiger applied on behalf of the defendant, to 'P.9 Permitted time to file affidavits setting forth the onds of his detention. The right of the defendant to °i t' Came on this morning fur discussion. The A TToRNEY-GENERAL, with whom was Sir F. It rY. objected, on the part of the Crown, te the filing pt aff idavits by this def,ndant unless informed f their has " 0 nature. The course sought by the defendant ltogether unprecedented. Sir p Tim d o . • sIGER said the principal object of the affi thetista was to show that the Lord Chancellor, who was "ead of the Court of Chancery, was interested in the rtlletter ; n e , --Y.ng a pecuniary interest in the Grand June -4°,- ` - ' l' cal, that he had, therefore, no jurisdiction, 1.19P0u e that the defendant should therefore be set at liberty. t his point he cited authorities which bore out his Of the case. The Court, he held, had a right to . ▪ I ° ll ' the affidavits to be made, though they might be i,,ected to when brought before the Court. That would 71 - 1 the proper time ; but surely there could be no doubt of the the defendant had a right to impeach the decision (1- 10 Court of . Chancery. The subject had a general t ight, g tie ,When the custody of the Governor of the ~,e a s Bench, to corre be f pre the Court with affidavits. • "as impossible that an interested party could be a 3tto . l .ge. ..410 ATTORNEY -GENERAL objected to this line of argument. It had been the invariab!e practice cf Courts refuse to allow affidavits to be made where they called • 1 4 1 1 question the ju r i s di ct i on of other Courts. If it was ought w e ll to arraign the jurisciction of the Court s Chancery, it might be done by plea, by an applica- II heel f or time, or to t a k e th e bi ll off the file. The de „chat should have g one t o t h e Court of Chancery, p ril whom the matter reste d. T h i s Court had no e . .t o llt to review the proceedings of another and a higher h s u lt. If acceded te, the precedent thus created would ica most danger, us or e. It would I'ave the effect of Itills tit uting another Court, and this C our t might be tie upon on som e f u t ure occas i on to review the de- Z r s of th e H ouse of Lords. to • Justice PATTEGoN raid the Court was of opinion by th " ,,effidavits could b e fil e d. Th e or d er was made Sir e pv i ote•Chancellor, and not by the Lord Ch ance ll or . estb; ec• TResioen said the initials of the Lord Chan hit - 4, -0 . C." aepeared on the comer; it was therefore lr • sir Justice P ATTESON sa id th e o rd e r was signed by tlio es ," h clor clot Shaer ell, Vicc-Ohancellor of England, ieitj a ir a might be the . cu,tom of the Court t) place the k r, r th e L er d Chancellor at t h e corner . Tb,s.' Jus tice ERLE raid if the a - gument cf Sir b F t ate e l g o er " ai held good, it might be contended that (- la usenet of the judges of the Court f Chancery bad te.-'eet in some suit, that a erson might not apply 1 1 ,1 t "lis or any one of the Chancery Court'. The • TILESIGER was heard in reply. the,l,,ourer repe ate d i ts former op i n i on, i n w hi c h a ll e'f'les agr ee d, t h at th i s Court could not const i tute foes n ' r at ° a Court of Review, and deal with the deci rotly 4 ,higher Court. The i m p r i sonmen t was p er - Nri„,l4 Y 1 , and they h a d no power to liberate the de- T he affidavits could not be filed This opinion ferred to th e quest i on o f filing affidavits. He oaths 44 k now whether t h ere was ale thi ng on t h e f ace d stiu ratu n• rn up on w hi c h t h ey cou ld exerc i se a ju rF Of th e TYIESIGER thought, after the opinion d oing w `' o 4ll t, tl at he was virtually precluded from Dim e; Was then removed in cm 04. ttA "'tie COURT.—(THIS DAY.) fi 'tet (Before Mr. Justice ‘VicietTetAN.) i rxtt OF, BRUNSWICK V. BARNARD GREGORY. 19 a th "N IKEIt me% ed the Coot t for a rule nisi, callirg Per o defendant to show cause why the judgment C ourt . I . l cti the record in this care should not be amended. ‘;,,etipt",,llBan indictment found at the Central Criminal 4 ati •laroat Barnard Gregory, the late editor of the 'brd4lll newspaper for a libel he had published on the !iettee°„l„l3rnswick. The defendant removed the in mtilti, v — alto this court, and . after he had pleedel not ( Dort th e obt • c artel permission to retract . the plea, and ntenced him to six mo t t ' imprisonment. . st ere tect u en leo? the custody of the e s pstaff . but hew as Irere Pao his utting in Lail and preferring a writ against the record and the sentence. When , ertse 41 1 the before the Exchequer Chamber it o iet . r n -r e e n ' t at there ed b we b re eir eleven counts in the , it was . s u 'raised as to the validity • 441 Of the m submitted on the behalf of the t.paa tnt t het the se n tence , which it was contended h a Error, bo geceral one d f no avail. The Court ___ was bad I tsa o . it nmen n eu ev i r, sent the record t back to this court to diet int ended, but terided, not as as it was quite oneecl ear that the sentence a general upon the whole in - as f 'x j a months upon every 9ent e ence o 61 oncurrent. ud whole of the n six months to e c tee es grnent Piper having been accordingly amended, 4 lba: e el .1 14ai n esune WT.. the Court f Error, when it e_..„,, d• e•the Provision ' had been added to the sentence tt l!te o defendantuf,, was to he imprisoned . with the first t joeh pri Lae fourth-class prisoners in . the Queen's . di r t n lie . i nte 9 n c T i , ,, tind the Court, still entertaining doubts as fir, it t and meaning of the sentence,. further J- 9 be sent back for the revision of this Court. th 9 T •- ate ll , e Bt S te ,e WIGHTMAN—Am understand that et In wh. nes been d rawn up i n terms different from •"kr. I ch it was pr onounce d b y the C ourt? fir.ertNtanu said that was se. eu titi t o th WIGHTMAN—Have you an a ffi davit de at f ? act eedla "IxEß—The affidavit sets o u t th e w h o l e pro ,' kr e l. - -4 8 v. , o at "11 WIG HTMAN—WeII, then, it ou g ht no t t o O • „ for if I understand the case the Court of Error "ta acrth9:4lodoubt as to whethe; the sentence was counts or a general sentence. t • jatliee "—Yacitores' 4 1 . s ittt eto WianT—And your a ppli ca ti on now tle cl " tue sentenc e , the judgment having en eed contrary to the words in which it was been pro eaticeiElt • see Nat I GHTMAN—WeII, does your affidavit ele f ent? at ' • ti 1 43 t 14141 1 T • t, et 4, 3, f or he affidavit states that the original Vl e „,‘ ee th lue prosecution is dead, but the managing e of wh o Present attorney states that which he recoi l:lol'4 th e Pp took place on the trial. In the Court of 404 1)1 4r i'oelenetant objected that the Court below had . • b sd ed with m ake the order relative to his bring impri h out. th e f ourth class . The Court, he contended, • 9(1 b t ic 'wer to make euch an order when the prisoner Jed be r; Rale/ 1 r ' c u Here h e never was tried, but confessed • N Otit:' ll Btic e Tr. 1, 1 8 ppm., T,IGH TMAN--And, therefore, the judg- QM, when ' s 2 I have no power to alter a sentence. t o h t ror the decendant or a prisoner preferred a writ te nds prosecutor might come back to this Court ,;11°..tsprtel .eonrtence amended. Suppose a party were Courtr 411 41 .1 ten years, when in truth the law only efLefeven years, could you come back to this 'we:Wed? a Writ of error to have the judgment r • is lIE te e vad e ot irtEn-- Clearly no t , my Lord, but the order tere_irt of the se n t ence, while the judgment has ea ts sorenee was in terms diff erent to those in which the j uati Pro nounced. )44.4W1ta you7nee W d l a tic ALll`r—Well, wh ere i s that feet 4 takikirie.: l The tir• raaang clerk of the prima alqrney for the prosecution swears that the Master has hire that the judgremer t paper has kern drawn up in the usual Form for CaieS when the Court pises ju:grne.ut in all 1.1 - !e Mr. Ju tice WIGIITMAN — WeII, you ma: 6.1t0 a rule to !how cause. R ile nisi accordingly. HARRISON V. AUGUSTUS NEWTON. Mr. JAMES applied to his Lordship to nave the rule in this ess2 removed idto the toll court. It vas a rule nis;, ta'.iing upon the defenekut, who is a mem! or of t.l“ bar, to show cause why a discharge from execution should not be set aside, on ate ground that it hid been obtained by fr;;lni . Now as this was a serious imputc, Lion on the chaT nem. f the Lc arnt'd Gentleman, and us it must ptc.:Ando him from practising his pri f asion until the mattr was sertied, it was desirable that the cit,e sly.,utd be removed into the full court, where it could he more speedily disposed Mr. RooF.as col t a objected, on the ground, that until now the defendaat bud appeared in person, and it was not till yesterday that au attorney and council were engi ttfed on the case. Mr. Justice IVIGirrmAN saw no objection to the course proposed, and gi stated ;he application. LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN RAILWAY V. THE JUSTICES ( F LANCASHIRE. Mr. PRASHLEI was instructed to move for a rule nisi, eall . ng upon the justices cf Burton-upon- Est al. to show cause why a mai:ea:ens should not issue requiring them to hear an appi:al ( f the London aid North-Welt ern Railway Company. The Liverpcol and Manchester Raile ay, rt hich formed part of the company's lines, passed through the parish of Burton, and they were rated to the poor fur 8,935/. 155., but since the opening of rival lines th 3 pro fits of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway had been greatly reduced, and the company, therefore, was cow considerably over-rateel. They had endeavoured to ne gotiate a reduction of the rate, but without effect, and at length, on their appealing to the justices in special sessions assembled, their appeal was dismissed on the ground chat it was too late, two special sessions having intervened between this period and the making of the rates. Now. although an appeal to quarter sessions against an it firmal rate must be made within a given time, the 6th and 7th Wu.. IV., chap. 96, which pro vided for apps als against over-rating, places no limita tion what!ver upon the time for making the appeal to special sessions, and consequently the justices in this instance, IDA acted erroneously in dismissing the appeal of the company. It as as the first time this point had been raised, and it was of great interest to the profession that it should be decided without delay. Mr. Justice WIGUTMAN gi anted a rule to show cause, without pronouncing any opinion upon the point. Rule nisi accordingly. The Court afterwards sat at Nisi Pri'. COMMON PLEAS.-(THIS DAY.) (Sittings in Banco.) The Court was occupied during the morning in hear ing the further argument in the pa t-heard case of Moss v. Smith, which involves the quo tiou ( f the liability of the owner of a s essel freight-d Vali araiso fur the dame ,e sustained by a part a the cargo during the voyage. The Court had not come to a decision when our report lef'. SHERIFFS' COURT.-(THIS DAY.) (Before Mr. Under-Sheriff BURCHELL.) HORNE V. WILCOX AND ANOTHER. This was an inquiry to assess damages for false im prisonment, defendant not having put any plea in denial. Mr. HORRY appeared for the plaintiff, and stated that the plaintiff ss as as old ,man 77 years of age, who had resided for upwards of 60 years with an unblemished reputatior, at Stoke Hammond, near Leighton Buzzard. On the 17th of May last he was at Banbury fair with his son, and bargained fur a horse with defendant, and ultimately purchased it for 61, and they went to the Plough public-house to carouse, but from some unex plained cause defendant (Wilcox) gave both plaintiff and his son into the custody cf a policeman named Lett, who forthwith took them up-stairs and handcuffed them both together. This was about seven o'clock in the evening, t..nd about twelve they were allowed to undress and were again handcuffed before they went to bed. The next morning defendant went to a magistrate residing three miles distant, who told him that he was a fool for his pains, and Lett ten said that plaintiff might be released on paying one-half of the expences of the detention, which, however, was refused, and he was released about the middle of the next day. The Learned Counsel said that the con stable might have been protected in what he did to secure the prism er, but he was not justified in resorting to unnecessary violence, and as this was the result of de fendant's act he was amenable. Jonathan Horne, the son of the plaintiff, was called, and in his examination in chief confirmed the above statement. Mr. PRENTICE cross-examined the witness, and elicited net the plaintiff was a horse-dealer. He was also strongly pressed as to whether John Horne (wit ness's brother) had not sold the horse to Wilcox on the previous day, and whether plaintiff did not partly psy for it with a 51. note, which he, Wilcox, had paid to John Horne on the previous day; he was also questioned as to whether the horse was not glandered, and whether a " plug" did not fall out of its nose as Wilcox took it home, but the witness evaded direct answers. He did not know that Lett was constable of the pariah, but be knew that he took them iota custody. Wilcox said, "I give these people in charge," but did not say what for. Witness aslie l what he had done, and was taken for, and Lett replie 1, "I'll let you know what you have done," bt.t did not explain. Mr. PRENTICE add:cssed the jury, and contended that the defendant had only committed an error in law, for it must be clear that there had been a conspiracy be tween plaintiff, and his son John, f,l. the horse had been sold for 12/., and repurchased by plaintiff for 6/. The selling a glandere 1 horse was an offence against the law, but Wilcox, instead of giving plaintiff in charge, ought to have laid the case before a magis trate, and obta;ned a warrant. As it was the def•n dunt, having commi t.d the error, must abide by the consequences. TLe Learned UNDER-SHERIFF, in summing-up, said, the selling a &ander ed horse was undotat4dly an offence, but there was no positive proof as to the facts; it was clear that the law had been broken, and although the con stable might have had a legal delete , ' he had not pleaded it, and both defendants were liable, but the amount of damages was entirely for the consideration of the jury. A Juror wished to know what the plaintiff laid his damages at? The UNDER-SHERIFF said that had nothing to do with the matter, as it was merely a flourish of the pen of the special constable, who could put it down at 501., 500/., or 5,0001., it Was f,r the jury to decide the point, and not take a plaintiff's character at his own valuation. The jury, after a short consultation, gave a verdict for 151. 3IARLBRO'-STREET—(THIS DAY.) AN OLD TRICK.— George Marsh, and John Francis, two rough-'ooking fellows, known to the police as re gular " duffers," were charged with attempting to de fraud John Blandon of 225., under the following cir cumstances It appeared that on the previous night the prosecutor was in Mr. Atkinson': beer-shop, in Cumberland market, when the prisoners came in, and asked Mr. Atkinson if he wanted any tobacco, as they had some of the real sort, and would sell it at 2s. per lb. They then produced a sample from a small package, which Mr. Atkinson examined, and, finding it to be genuine, he ofered to purchase 121 b. at Is. 9d. per pound. The prisoners agreed to this, and Marsh said he had get it stowed away at a coalshed ; and if Mr. Atkinson would send a man with him he would deliver it on payment of the money. Mr. At kinson accordingly gave prosecutor a sovereign and three feurpenny-pieces, with strict injunctions not to part with the money until he had examined the article. They thin left the house, and instead of going to a coalshed, they took him to a low public-house in the neighbourhood of Oxford-street, where the prisoner Marsh showed him a parcel, which he said contained twelve pounds good weight, and wanted to put it in a box %Inch he carried. He refused to allow that, and was proceeding to open the parcel, when the prisoner knocked it out of his hand and ran out of the house. He picked up the parcel, and went in pursuit cf the prisoners, whom he overtook after a sharp run and gave them in charge. The package was subsequently examined and found filled with sawdust, with the exception of about a quarter of an ounce of genuine tobacco which was spread on the top. Lockerby,lBoC, proved taking the prisoners into cus tody. They w,re well known to the police, and if they were remanded, he had no doubt but other charges would be brought against their. The prisoners were remanded accordingly. A CURIOUS CASE.—Mary Levy, a handsome and fashionably-attired female, was brought before Mr. Bingham, charged with stealing a gold watch and appen dages, value 20/, belonging to Mr. Henry Parrott., a gentleman of fortune, residing at Walnut Tree Villa, Hunt, near Wokingbatr, Berks. The prosecutor stated that, about one o'clock this morning, he met the defendant, and accompanied her to her lodging, at 72, Princes-street, Leicester-square. Be. fore reVring to rest he placed his watch on the dressing table, and got into bed. About eight o'clock the defen dant awoke him, and said the landlord had sent for a quarter's rent, which was 101., and that witness must give her the money to pay it. He said he had not got it in his pocket. She then took his watch and chain off the table, and said she would detain it until be gave her the money in addition to the 301. he owed her. He told her if she did rot give it up he would go to the station; and on her still la fusing to give it up he went to the station, and having procured a constable, returned and gave her in charge. In reply to Mr. Bingham, com plainant admitted that he knew the defendant twelve months a , .;e, when he kept her for four or five weeks, during which time he agent upwards t f 2001. upon Le - . Mr. BINGHAM said, under those circumstances he would discharge defendant if she gave up the watch. The dt fondant gladly consented to this, and was dis charged. EXTRAORDINARY RECOVERY Or LOST MONEY...-. Laat v e k a gentleman residet.t in the neighbourhood of Ilaidington viaited that town for the annual collec tion of his accounts. Having received about 500/., he entered a shop there, and upon examining his money he missed tl e sum of 100,. He immediately retraced his steps, and chanced to encoutter a group of children in the street eugagt,cl in the examination of a hat seemed to be pictures ; but which, upon a more narrow inspec tion, he found to be his missing ric tae, each of 201., value. They %%tie, cl course, recovered from the childre who received in return a small gratuity.—Etlittburgit Advertiser. CHESTER AhD HOLYHEAD RAlLWAY.—Traffic for the wzik ended Jan. 13, 1850:—C. and H. Main Line, 937 1 . ip s . 7d.; Mold, 541. 10$. Cd.i ateam-boats, 731. 2i. 6d.---TOlOl, 1,0854 128. 7d. FRENCH PLAYS. ST. JAIIIE'S THEATRE. Herold's chef d'ceuvre, his last and greatest com position, the opera of Zampa (which but for the utter absurdity of the plot, and more especially of the denouement, would be one of the most popular operas in Europe), was produced here last evening in a htyle and with a completeness which left nothing to be desired, and which will go far to render Lam i na as popular ith an English audience as a whole, as various portions of it—such, for instance, as the overture and the preghiera io the first act—have ever been. Zampa; on, la Fiancee de Marbre, was ori ginally produced at the Opera Comique, in Paris, on the 3d Mly, 1831, and at once attained the highest pitch of popularity. The music was imported. into this country shortly afterwards, and the overture to Zampa became a stock piece at all concerts, festivals, and music meetings. Several attempts were made to "cook" an English opera (or what in those days Fazsed for such) from Zampa, but they were all unsuc c s ful. The English audiences were in general incapa ble of appreciating either the beauty or the science of the music,and the plot a as sn Ilk an extravagant caricature of Don Giovanni, that herald's music was again rele gated to the concert-room, and it was not until about four years since that any attempt was made to give an English curtience an opportunity of judging of the merits of Zampa es a whole. At that time it was announced that Zampa was to be produced at her Majesty's Theatre, and that Porn asari was to sustain the character of the Pirate hero, and M'sdame Persiani that of the heroine. Neither pains nor ex pence were spared to put it on the stage in a manner worthy of its composer and of its high European fame, and those who had heard it at the Opera .Comique w ere rejoicing in the idea that at length this country would be enabled to appreciate its merits. But, alas ! for the uncertainty of human ex pectations, on the day it was to be produced, Fornasari was taken ill and his place was taken by a certain Signor Felice, who made the most unmistakeable fiasco ever recorded in the annals of Her Majesty's Theatre. Signor Fehal not only ruined himself but he ruined the opera, for when Fornasari, on his recovery, appeared in the part of Zampa, the opera, notwithstanding the strength of its cast (which included Madame Persiani, Lablache, and if we mistake not, Mario), went off coldly, and - vas, we think, only once repeated. Since, then, no attempt has been made to produce the opera in London until last evening, when it was produced in its original form, with M. Chollet, the original Zampa, and we are happy to add with its original success. The Zampa of M. Chollet is a thing to be remembered, no other artiste has ever approached him in his delineation of this part, and he most assuredly shares with the composer the credit of the immense popularity which this opera has acquired in France. Zampa is a reckless daring pirate, an unprincipled seducer, a coarse, not a vulgar Don Juan, we say not vulgar advisedly, because Zampa, pirate, and mur derer, and robber, and abductor as he is, was origin ally of gentle blood; tie was the Count de Monza, and as Don Cesar de Bazan preserved the manners of the Count de Garoffa, beneath his rage, so does Zampa preserve the gallant bearing of the Sicilian gentlemen in the midst of his crimes, his_ blasphemies, and his debaucheries. This phase of the character is never lost sight of by M. Chollet, and thus be creates an interest in Zampa, which nn other actor has ever succeeded in creating. His delivery of the music was admirable, the celebrated cavatina "Il faut souscrire a mes lois," was both acted and sung with the greatest spirit imaginable, and told most effec tively, and the barcarolle " Douce jouvencelle," which occurs in the finale to the second act, was given with exquisite taste and feel ing, indeed throughout the opera M. Cho:let was perfect; he seemed to be the character he represented, to have divested himself of his personal identity, and to have assumed that of the gallant, reckless Sicilian pirate. Mademoiselle Charton sustained the charac ter of the heroine Camille, a part originally created by Madame Casimir, who, however, was not equal to Mademoiselle Charton. The " complainte," of which the fir-famed preghiera which forms one of the most popular subjects in the overture is the refrain, was de livered with infinite taste and feeling by Mademoiselle Charton, and her acting and singing in the quartette " Le Voila," in which she first becomes aware of Zampa's designs upon her person and her fortune were full of pathos and power. In all the concerted 1 pieces she was admirable, and we have no hesitation in declaring that in our opinion Mademoiselle Char ton is the best Camille who has ever ap peared, and this we say with the full recollection of Madame Persiani in the same character. M. Killy Leroy was the Alphonse, and was overweighted. He is a clever young man, but is as yet of scarcely sufficient calibre to grapple with such a part as Alphonse. Rita, the attendant of Camille, who recognises in Daniel, the mate of Zninpa;as her runaway husband, found a most amusing, espiegle, coquettish, and pretty representative in Ma demoiselle Guichard, while Daniel, the man of " striking" character, was admirably acted by M Soyer. As perfect as the Zampa of M. Chollet, though in a totally different style, was the Dandolo of M. Chateaufort. Dandolo, the bellringer, is, our readers will remember, the funny man of the piece, who is always in a fright, and M. Chateaufort, who is one of the few really humourous actors which the French stage can boast, repr. sent( d lim with forty-Keeley power cf unction. The mise en scene was perfect. The costumes were elegant, and some new scenery, painted by Mr. Muir, was beautiful. As to the concerted and orchestral music— cela va sans dire, Hanssens directed, and Flanssens band performed it could it be otherwise than perfect. The applause was enthusiastic through out the opera. M. Chollet was called on at the end of the first act, and again with . Mademoiselle Charton at the conclusion of the opera. The house was fully and fashionably attended. HALVING THE CENTURY. (From Punch.) Just now our table is cracking and groaning under a heap of letters on both sides of the controversy about the completion of the first half of the century. One correspondent illustrates his view by proposing that we should drink the half of a hundred barrels of stout in as many years, and informs us that half the hundred barrels willhave been drunk so soon, but only so soon, as the last pot of the, fiftieth barrel shall have been swallowed. Our only objection to this mode of determining the question iF, that he has not sent us the means of trying his experiment. We may apply similar observations to the propositions of those who ask us to smoke so many bundles of cigars, eat so much cheese, and wear out so many suits of clothes in half a century. The quantities of these articles are represented as given quantities, but all we can say is, that we have not received any of them. As to the matter in dispute, we need only remark, that if the year 1800 was the first year of the century 1801 was the second year, 1849 the fiftieth, and the present year of grace, 1850, is the fif _y-first. If not, then otherwise. To us the question would seem perfectly clear, but for the following communication, which, being brief, we publish in extenso : "Mr. Punch,—My cousin Bridget, to my know• ledge, was born on January 1, 1800. If we are now beginning the second half of the century she must just have entered her fifty-first year. Yet a lady's word is undeniable ; and all who have been acquainted with Biddy for the last 20 years can testify that, during all that time, she has declared herself to be only thirty.—Your constant reader TEAIPUS FUGIT." DIAMOND DUST. (From Eliza Cook's Journal.) Flatterers only lift a man up, as it is said the o igle dces the tortoise, to get something by his fall. He whom reason rules may with safety rule ctl - ers. If we would perpetuate our fame or reputation we must do things worth writing, or write things worth reading. Mankind aro more what they are made by mankind than what they are made by their Creator! The wolf is ferocious tecause hunted from a whelp. The snake turns upon you tecatise you disturb and pursue it. The child grows surly because unjustly coercel. But, above all, man becomes u►tjust and cruel, because pursued with cruelty and injustice by his brother mai. THE WEATHER AND THE PARKS. The thermometer at the Royal Humane Society's receiving -house, Hyde-park, stood at 26 deg. at 12 , o'clock on Tuesday night, with the wind N.N.E. During the night the mercury ascended to 31 deg., and at noon to 34 deg., declining again in the evening to 33 deg. Early ye s t e rday morning a considerable fall of snow occu rre d, an d a b o ut 12 o'clock, the wind having changed to westward, a slight relaxation of frost took place, w ith a f ogg y a t m osphere, rendering the streets of the metropolis samewhat muddy, and producing some unsoundness of the ice on the orna mental waters of the royal parks, which was more particularly app aren t i n St. J ames ' s, w h ere severa l serious accidents occurred, but none of a fatal charac ter. The barometer indicated 29.32, and was evi dently rising, denoti ng a con ti nuance o f f rost. F rom the official reports of the Royal Humane Society, it appeared that notwith s t an di ng t h e snow and part i a l thaw had impaired the ice for skating, there were no less than 45,000 skaters and sliders on the ice in Kensington gardens, Hyde -park, St. James's and Regent's parks. STATE OF THE RIPER.—The quantity of floating ice in the Thames was yesterday so great that the navigation of the river was almost entirely stopped. The above bridge steamers gave up running altoge ther, and very few barges were out. A more than usual number of strange wild f ow l, some aquatic, and some land birds, are s a id t o h ave visited the lakes and their localities in this and tie ad joining counties in the pun° of the lag fees week s ._ CwOcriand Pacquet. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. INTELLIGENCE EXTRA. EPSOM SPRING MEETING, 1850. Handicap f3r the Great Metropolitan Stakes of 25 sous. each, 15 ft, and 5 ft only, if declared on or before Feb. 1. Age st. lb.i Ago. st.lb Co.ssacl: Pet po' day 80y... 6 9 74Elipus Vaulare 6 8 12!Cockermouth 5 7 1 Wanota Flatcatcher 5 8 9 1 Thringarth.. 4 7 0 Clermont. 6 .. - 6 8 7 Alp Fernbill Epirote Dough 5 8 5 Yardarm Malton Inheritress Borneo Glutton Elthiron Sylvan Iron Bail 6 7 ll'Eva 4 6 12 I Black Eggle Kennington Due de Brabant... 4 7 10 1 Bacebanalian - Premier .. . 4 7 10:B gby Sir Hercult 5, Glardower 5 7 10! out of Emprebs 4 Lismahago 4 7 IC Puffy . Legerdemain lt , t by 0, t , rley Woedlark .... 4 7 8 Luxr, by Bay mie- Retail Belus Sauey Dick 47 6 Golden Pippin 4 Westow Herbert Quiz t hsntrey Knout 4 7 5 Countess 4 Clarissa Tarn Wadlin 4 7 5 Cheerful Sunnyside .... .... 5 7 5 Nauteb Girl ... Pelham Eagle's Plume Snowstorm 4 7 4 ton Maid Giselle a 7 3 Seneca 3 5 13 St. Antonio 5 7 3 Juggler Quiver 4 7 3 Lepidus Caurire Ellerslie Testator Babylonica, by Sir. to Pillage 3 5 0 Jack -in - the - St. George Green, out of Baltinado Babel NORTHAMPTON AND PYTCHLEY HUNT MEETING, 1850. 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 5 6 4 6 4 6 6 2 6 2 6 0 5 12 Handicap for the Great Northamptonshire Stakes of 25 sorr. each, 15 fc, •nd 5 only if declared on or before Feb. 1. Age et. lb' Collingwood Cossack Vampire 6 8 9 Wanota Ellerdale 6 8 7 Flatcatcher .5 8 5 1 Fernhill Epirote (laic, Age at. lb. Midis St. Antonio 5 6 12 Teflis Quiz.. Velux riU 3 Alp Melody . Baptist s 6 11 Nunnykirk .4 Borneo Inheritress Elthiron Clermont ...... 6 Sylvan 5 Glutton Ballinsfad Legerdemain Dtliuher Retail .... Woolwich Dulcet a Westow Montague ..... Snowstorm 4 Vesta Belus The Knout . Woodlark ... 4 2 Suilboam a & 11 2 Ada Mary Rathmines . 0 Priestess 10 Backbiter 0 Tuscan 5 6 9 7 Yardarm a 6 9 7 Aeomb 7 Andalusian 4 6 8 7Quinine 7iAnthony 4 6 7 4 6 7 6 7 6 m o e x rm . 4 6 6 6 wild Rose 6 Mantle 4 6 6 5 The Minor 4 6 6 5 Lady Bangtail 5 6 5 4 Boland 4 6 4 4 13 g, by Sir Heron -4 les, out of Em -11;0:Iro F oor Solon Listnahago... ...... 4 Helier Slielter 5 Clarissa Fire-eater press ,Puffy RIILC Ca 4 Quiver 4 I Trititress, by Touch- The Flea; 4 Mrs. Taft ... stone - La M alheuteuse 3 Iron Rail 6 Caurire Glenalvon Coekermouth 5 Tarn Wadlin Black Doe . Cheerful F by Vulcan, out ( f . L0d01a.... Buscot 4 Chorister 5 Grief Pelham Champion Dover Abbot of !deux Glen Saddel Strychnine Oat erley West India Planter 5 Vangu•ird Minto 5 Mahratta Harriott Damask Little Jack 3 Windischgrats 3 rheCaatle,by Gla diator, out of D ,rt'a dam 3 Modesty Ariadne 3 6 4 6 1 6 1 6 0 6 0 6 0 6 0 6 0 6 0 6 0 5 11 5 10 5 6 5 6 5 6 5 6 5 6 5 5 Sunn) side Second Sight Chantrey 4 6 13 timothy ... 3 I)rakelowe Tbriegarth 4 6 13 Salute 3 Testator - 3 Mounmer, Tophana 4 6 13 Rubins, by Red- Jelly Fish Eagle's Plume 5 6 12 Rabelais Citizen° a 6 12 Nutbrown 4 12 4 10 4 10 4 10 4 9 4 6 N.R. If the highest weight accepting is under Sat 7lb it %ill be rased to Bst 711-, and the ( tners in proportion, NEWMARKET CRAVEN MEETING, 1850. The Newmarket Handicap of 25 MM.. * a?,1 1 , 10 fr, and 5 ft only, if declared on or b, furs Feb. 1. Age at. lb. Age at. lb. Cossack Surplice War.ota Flatcat:Ler .. 5 8 4 Keraun Clermont 5 8 2 Kissaway Epir, to Halo 6 8 2Bf by Ilarkaway, Fernhill Essedarius Bon Mot 4 8 0 Champion Melton 5 7 13 Quasimodo ...... .. 4 6 3 Dt f (utter 57 8 Dolly Varden 46 7 linr.ington 4 7 8 Bacchanalian 1.31a , * Eagle Legerdemain Iron Bail Sob' aon Saucy Dick 4 7 3F, by Vulca-i, out Dulca 4 7 3 of Lodola Woolwich 4 6 1 0: t qley Tarn Wadlin 4 7 2 ' l by Harkawav ' s ~, Herbert C!arissa West 'w Et-ongbow cbdritrey The Knout 4 7 0 Little Jack 3 5 1 Gur&r.i.s Surwyside - 11aOrnines Glcoakon St. Ant , mio Qu:vor 4 6 11 Hope 3 4 5 ...................___ COURT Iit.CULAR. - WINDSOR, WEDNESDAY. The Queen with their Royal . Highnesses the Prin cess Roy al and Princess Alice, drove to Frogmore this morning. His Royal Highness. Pri r ce Albert went out shooting this morning, accompanied by Colonel Challoner and Colonel Hall. Colonel Hon. C. B. Phipps, Colonel lion. R. Boyle, Lord Charles Fitzroy, and Colonel F. H. Seymour, were in attendance upon his Royal Highness. The Marchioness of Normanby left the Castle this day. There is no addition to the royal dinner party this evening. Lord John Russell gave a Cabinet dinner last even ing at his residence in Cbesham-place. The Mi nisters present were the Lord Chancellor, the Marquis of Lansdowne, Sir G. Grey, Viscount Palmerston, Earl Grey, the Chancellor of the Ex chequer, Sir Francis Baring, Lord Campbell, the Marquis of Clanricarde, and the Right Hun. H. Labouchere. The Commissioners for inquiring into Smithfield market and markets in the city of Loudon for the sale of meat, had a meeting yesterday. There were present Mr. George Cornewall Lewis, Sir James Duke, Sir Harry Verney, Professor Richard Owen, HOD. Frederick 13yng, and Mr. John Wood. A deputation from Liverpool, on the subject of the tea duties, headed by Mr. Cardwell, M.P., and Sir Thomas Birch, h a d an intervi ew w i t h L or d John Russell yesterday, at his official residence in Downing-street. The Chancellor of the Exchequer was present at the conference. Lord Monteagle had an interview with Sir George Grey yesterday. Major-General Sir William Ret ries, Sir James Duke, Sir Charles Adams, and Alder man Sidney, had also interviews yesterday with the Right Hon. Baronet, at the Home-office. Captain Lambert had an interview with Earl G re y yesterday at the Colonial-office. Mr. Hart Davis, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Inland Revenue, had an interview with the Chan cellor of the Exch(quer yesterday. Sir Henry Ellis and Mr. Sadlier, M.P., had also interviews yesterday with the Right lion. Baronet, at his official residence in Downing-street. The Marquis of Lansdowne arrived in town yes terday, from his seat, Bowood Park, Wilts. Earl Granville arrived in town yesterday from Paris. Lord John Russell issued invitations yesterday to the mover and seconder of the Address in the House of Commons, and a numerous party of Members of the Lower House, to a full-dress dinner, on Wednes day, the 30th inst. The dinner will be given at hi s Lordship a cffichti rebidence in Downing -Duvet, THE QUARTERLIES. THE EDINBURGH REVIEW. No. CLXXXIII. Foremost, though last among the contributions ' comprised in the present number of this distinguished periodical is the admirable criticism on Lamartine's latest historical composition. We have failed to read the observations made by the Edinburgh Review without emotion, for the circumstance of its publica tion has vividly called to our remembrance the ap pearance of the last strictures of the same quarterly upon the preceding annals penned by that illustrious Frenchman—the lest contribution to the pages of the Edinburgh from the hand of poor Charles Buller. Within that interval one of the wittiest, most genial, and rising statesmen of the Liberal party has passed away—dying prematurely in the ripeness of his man hood, in the vigour of his intellect, and at the moment w hen his political ambition seemed culminating to its highest realisation. his memory, if duly preserved among those of our public characters, must consequently remain as nothing better than a symmetrical fragment, indi cating, and only indicating, what might have been expected if the lamp of his genius had not been so suddenly extinguished. Divesting our minds, how ever, of these sorrowful recollections, the contribution which has caused their revival w ill prove, on exami nation, to be eminently entitled to reference. A more judicious and impartial criticism we have seldom had the satisfaction of perusing—yielding as it does due recognition to the meri's and deficiencies of the work, awarding proportionate praise and condemna ,ion to the virtues and blemishes of the writer. After laboriously weighing the value of the effusion sub jected to criticism, namely, the " Histoire de la Re volution de 1848," the reviewer arrives at the follow lag conclusion : On the whole, we do not believe that the Hi•t'sire de la I's6volution de 1848' will raise M. do Lamartine's reputation. It shows his conduct to have been weaker, and his principles of action to be more absurd, than we had thought possible. But this circumstance adds to its interest, by aiding to its credibility. Neither the ac tions nor the motives which he avows are such as a man would ascribe to himself falsely. And we must add, that when we have had an opportunity of testing the truth of his narrative, by comparing it with that of other witnesses, we have generally found it correc t. We have seen, itntaace, an account drawn up by Marshal Bugeaud, in his own handwriting, of the events of the 24th of February, so far as he took tart in them. The story, as told by Lamartine, agrees with this paper in its minutest details; and probably was taken from the Marshal's own lips." The panegyrit pronounced in the above paragraph upon the truthfulness of the workts a record of oc currences is only consistent with the annalist's pure and unimpeachable reputation. As the critic happily expresses it, the two volumes are in their character less historical than autobiographical—and this cir cumstance we conceive constitutes, instead of the chief error, the principal excellence of the production. Referring to the memorable apostrophe to the Tri coloured Flag, the reviewer says,— " The mob to which it had been addressed was pour ing back with shouts of"' "Five Lamartine!' Viva le drapeau tricoleirl' when it was met, repulsed, and passed thiough by a body of revolutionists more fierce and more implacable than any of the precious columns. 'A gal Lamartine!' *Mort d Lamartine!' they screamed! isslnt de paroles, le decret, le decret! ou le gouverne me it des traitres ala lanterne!' Lamartine had placed himielf before the great gate, raised on a chair above the small knot of devoted adherents who stood between him and a band t f ruffians whose bayonets and swords temost reached his body, and, indeed, slightly wounded one of his hands. His voice could not now be heard in the tumult: He would not retreat; yet, if he remained, the only result seemed to b', his being thrown down and trampled to death by the mob. "He was saved, as in no other place in Europe he could have been saved, by a beggar, who rushed between him and his assailants, invoked him as the brother, the father, the god of the people; embraced him, kissed him, and at length obtained for him, all that was neces sary to his triumph—a hearing. For whenever a Parisian mob hears Lamartine it is subjugated. He subdued this last detachment of the Red party as he had subdued its predecessors: The tricolor was raised again over the great gates; the mob dispersed, and after eight hours of struggle the Place de Grt)are was again empty." This in truth was one of the most sublime deeds of heroism ever recorded by either ancient or modern historian. Supposing the fame efLamartine as a poet, an annalist, a philosopher, or a statesman to perish, it would be secured to a perennial immortality by the recollection of that one act and that one speech. Yet that the celebrity of Lamartine, apart from this glorious incident, is neither narrow nor evanescent, listen to the following remarks of the Edinburgh Reviewer :-- "M. de Lamartine has many claims to public atten- tion; more in number, perhaps, than any one of his and ii a He is s a t a p t ?: poet, a a n n . oraz i r s , a s t p a ti te il s o rn so a p nt e k r e , an tehmi qn-ilities may to collected C•om the story which we cop st o o r r a i r a i n e , s. are about to relate. His merits as an hint trim' we cot sidered two years ago, and wo see no reason to alter our verdict. His claims as a poet and an orator cannot be disputee. They are matters not of inference but of fact. The objr-ct of a poet is to please—that of an orator to persusde; and the man who atlins eminent success in his art is a great artist. A critic may think that he sees objections to the means adopt d: he may wonder et the taste c f the nation which could be pleased with such poetry, or at the reasoning faculties of the anditors who could be moved with such arguments; but he must b,,w to eucteis. The poet or the orator may bave been him self aware of these objections; but if he could so best obtain his object, he was right in disregarding them. M. de Latnartihe's pot try is not Ett 41 for Engli-h popu larity : scarcely any French poetry is. Bet in France its success has been rapid and universal, and he stands at the head of her living poet-t. From this judgment the only appeal is to that of posterity; and it would be presumptuous—for foreigners especially —to anticipate its reversal. " M. de Lamartine's success as an orator has been still more brilliant. Tho words of no other living speaker have so much affected the destinies of mankind. His influence has resembled that of Mirabeau and O'Con nell united. Both Mirabeau and O'Connell, indeed, preserved tboir influence much longer; Mirabeau, in fact, kept his till depth. O'Connell until extreme age and bodily w( akness. M. de Lamartine's ir, for the present, suspended. But, while it lasted, it was more decisive, more instantaneous in its effects, and exercised under less advantageous circumstances, than either of theirs." Upon the clever politico-historic contribution relating to "Turkey and Christendom" we have already commented in our leading columns, so that further allusions to it, would be superfluous. Not so with the ingenious criticism penned by a reader and, to a certain extent, by an admirer of Currer Bell, in which the consideration of the merits and demerits of Shirley" gives rise to an interesting dissertation upon female literature. Although coinciding in a great measure with those who recognise the individual superiority of celebrated men over celebrated women, the critic expresses considerable doubt as to whether the fair sex en masse is suffering under an inherent disadvantage. The argument of his opponents in this matter he does not regard as in any remarkable degree strengthened by the mere consideration that the gentler half of the human family has never had its annals adorned with names such as those of Shakspere, Bacon, Newton, Milton, Raphael, Mozart, Watt, or Burke. Upon the ex traordinary deficiency of the female intellect in r e gard to musical composition and to the exhibition of the humorous, whether on the stage or in literature, the writer cannot help remarking. Speaking of the want of a single great musical composer among females, he observes : " But, as composers, they have never attained any dis tinction. They have often been great, indeed, as For formers—whether with the impassioned grandeur of a Pasta and a Viardot, or with the perfkot vocalisation of a Lind and an Alboni—who they pianists, such as Camille Ployel—violinists, such as Madame Flipowicsz or the little Milanolo--wht tiler ae organist=, or even as trom bone (!) players—yet in musical composition they are absolutely without rank. We can undot stand their not creating the stlrmy grandeur and tumultnary harmo nies, the gloom and the enchanting loveliness of a Beethoven, since to that height women never have at tained in any art; but why no one among them should yet have rivalled the moonlight tenderness and plaintive delica:•y of a Bellini, is a mystery to us." Again, commenting upon the want of a great comic actress and of a great comic authoress, the Edinburgh says : Compare Miss Austen, Miss Ferrier, and Miss Edgeworth, with the lusty mirth and riotous humour of Shakspere, Rabelais,: Butler, Swift, Fielding, Smollat, or Dickens and Thackeray. It is like comparing a quiet smile with the inextinguishable laughter' of the Ho me-lc gods! So also on the stage—there have been comic actrt rites of incomparaYe merit, lively, pleasant, humorous women, gladdening the scene with their airy brightness and gladsome presence; but they have no comic energy. There has been no female Munden, Liston, Matthews, or Keeley. To be sure, our drama h as no f ema le j arts, the representation of which afer such a fashion would not have been a caricature." Besides the critical notices already mentioned we twist particularize an able and learned review on the " History of Greece, by George Grote." Irish Toryism receives a castigation, to which we must elsewhere direct attention, in the paper entitled " Orange Prucessions." Three other contributions, of remarkable ability and of permanent; value, remain still unnoticed ; but our remarks have already pro. ceeded to a length which obliges us to content our selves with their bare enumeration, namely, articles on " Sanitary Reforms," on "British Mines," and on " Colonization." BURKE'S LANDED GENTRY FOR 1850. We are requested to state that Mr. Colburn has this day pub lished Mr. Burke's "History of the Landed Gentry f 1850," a cheaper edition, correc'e I to tl'e present time, compete in two volumes royal octavo, comprising more matter than thirty ordinary volumes, price only 2/. 25., bound, which may now be had of all booksellers. This 'repellant national work comprises a genealogical and heraldic dictionary of the whole of the landed gentry of Britain and Ireland, w ith particulars of upwards of 100,000 persona connected with them, forming a 110- "Mg 0 9a 3 Pani94 19 au sage/. THE RUSSIAN LOAN. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sie,—A few months ago you did me the favour to insert a few remarks on the "Austrian Loan ;" per haps you will now allow me to say a few words on the Russian loan just announced by Messrs. Baring and It is called a railway loan, to give it a specious ap pearance. Despotism cannot afford to tell the truth ; if it could, it would in these days often be ashamed of it. A loan to pay the assassins hired to murder the Hungarian patriots, flog their noble women, and im prison their children, would not sound well on 'Change, and would be called the Assassins' Loan throughout the land ; but anything to do with rail ways, albeit they are not in the best odour at present, has a much better chance cf public favour. Now, it is extremely likely that Nicholas would be very glad to see this Moscow railway of his finished, and many others too, for without such means of rapid transit for his troops, his largo, unwieldy empire would be completely at the mercy of any naval power that was induced to attack it ; but if his Autocratic Alajesty had not spent his people's money in bullying and slaying his neighbuurs no loan would have been required. It is ridiculous to suppose that the commercial engineers of a land of serfs can demand any railways at all, and Nicholas, although very fond of his people's progress when it aggrandizes his own power, would be the last man to allow it to go on too fast for the safety of despotism. We have had accounts lately of conspiracies in his dominions, and it is well known that in Russia assas sination is regarded as the natural death of an Em peror. These facts, with the well-known circum stance of the Government costing much mors than the revenue, naturally makes his Majesty desirous of raising the wind. He feels that he is not safe, sur rounded by the most enormous army in the world ; if not the sword of the avenger, at any rate the knife of the assassin hangs over him, and he wishes to se.. cure himself. True to the instincts of despotism, he puts his trust in espionage and oppression. If freedom of writing or speaking comes:near him he is alarmed, and the assertors of human rights must be quenched in blood, and when he has had his fling of temporarily successful crime, he comes to moral and religious England, and asks its people to pay for it. A beggar once prayed hard for a trifle to keep him from doing what he should bitterly regret, and when the charitable coin was transferred to his pocket, explained that had he not got it he should have been obliged to work. Now if Nicholas would tell the truth, he would say that if he could get no foreign loans he would be obliged to depend for his safety on constitutional principles, which, as the beggar said, he would bitterly regre. The Autocrat is liked by the people because he curbs the power of their feudal masters, and it heals the stripes on their own backs to see a little discipline enforced on their tyrants ; but his power is personal, and the nobles, who hate him, are aware of the fact that anybody would rule who got possession of his person, and that with the ter mination of his life a new state of things would com mence. In Moscow thousands of serfs, as much the property of their masters as pigs or horses, work in factories, and if they are not fitting themselves for freedom they are growing more powerful for revenge ; thus two dangers hourly menace Russia—a successful conspiracy of the nobles against the Emperor, and a general rising of the serfs against their masters. No one knows how long the crisis will be delayed, but after it, bondholders might whistle for their money. It is no argument against this view of Russian stability to say, that the people are far too uncivilized for a constitutional Government. It is from that very fact that more danger comes. If Russians had the strong feeling of personal inde pendence of the Anglo-Sixon race, the empire would be comparatively sate, but both Russian his tory and general history show that slaves will, sooner or later, rise, and when they do rise the degradation that has been heaped upon them brings forth the most bitter and sanguinary fruit. Nicholas is pledged to tyranny, he has made his compact with the evil spirit and sealed it with blood, and the aspects of the times promise him anything but a quiet or a cheap career. Austria is in a state of decomposition— Germany in a torment, and from both ideas of liberty will arise, and Nicholas may again have another extravagant and disgraceful campaign, in which treachery may not confer a victory that is far beyond his military power to obtain. All these circumstances should be well weighed before any prudent man lends his money to Nicholas on any pretext whatever. No one of high principle will advance a farthing to assist in crime, and there is no occasion to address them on this matter ; but to capi talists of another kind it may be well to remark that there are times when the great mass of the people rigidly scrutinize the doings of the rest, and it will not be well to have it proclaimed to the working men that the middle classes, with all their boasted love cf freedom, are eager to lend their money to put it down. English bishops are not likely to come for ward, like the mollahs cf Turkey on a recent occa sion, and urge their countrymen to a noble course of action, as Russian oppression does not hurt the churchman's craft ; but we hope Englishmen will unanimously spurn the Autocrat's proposal as an in sult to their race. The Peace Society are quite right when they go to war in such a case as this, and although large merchants may soon take up the loan, a little wholesome agitation will prevent their disposing of it among the people, We have had lately many deplorable cases of saving'-bank defaultev, and hope we have come to the end of the list, but if any set of men are at this moment engaged in swindling these useful institutions, we recommend the contractors for the Russian loan to solicit their support. Such people would not disgrace themselves much by taking shares, and, if the money was lost, they would have the satisfaction of knowing it was not their own. I arr, Sir, your obedient servant, Jan. 16, 1850. H. I. S. CALEDONIAN ASYLUM. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sin,—l perused with much satisfaction your repro bation of the flogging of girls in the Caledonian Asylum. Permit me to draw your, attention to a circumstance which has just come under my notice. At the last examination of this school by the Rev. F. C. Cook, one of her Majesty's Inspectors of Church Schools, one of the boys was much commended by Mr. Cook for his accuracy in Scriptural knowledge. The prise awarded to the facile princeps of the school for proficiency in Christian knowledge is " The Journal of a Tour made by Senor Juan de Vega, the Spanish Minstrel," with the following inscription on the fly - sheet :—" Caledonian Asylum. Presented to * * * for prompt and correct answers to questions on the day of examination, June 27, 1849." I omit names, and send the book with my card. I am sure, Sir, you will agree with me that a more improper book could scarcely be put into the hands of a young man. The public, and especially the supporters of the Asylum, bare an imperative right to know the grounds on which the authorities can justify, under any cir custances, the presentation of such a book. I am, Sir, &c., A GUARDIAN. P.S. We understand that the schoolmaster is the protegee of the Rev. Dr. Cumming! NTELLIGENCE BY BALLOONS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SIR,—By your immediate insertion of an article I sent you upon the conveyance of intelligence by bal loons, I may presume you take an interest in the matter. I now send you a rough plan of dropping, at cer tain intervals, dispatches over an extent of country. I do not send it with a view to its finding a place in your columns, as it cannot well be explained without a drawing. I have already sent it to the editor of the Illustrated London News, and, perhaps, in that paper it may be seen next Saturday. The plan consists of a balloon made of thin calico, properly varnished, the size of the balloon to be such as to afford an available buoyancy of about sixteen ounces, supposing the inflating gas to be about one sixth the weight of atmospheric air. To the neck of the balloon, when inflated, is made fast a line sus pending or lever lath, made of light wood, as shown by the drawing. To one eod of the lever are fixed three hooks, turned up at different angles ; hook c at an angle of twenty degrees, hook b, forty-five degrees, hook hook a, seventy degrees ; on each of these are hooked a suitable number of dispatches or intelligence papers; at the other end of the lever is suspended a glass con taining sand; the quantity of sand put into the glass is such, that when a certain portion of it is run out corresponding to an interval of time, say two hours, the weights on the dispatch end of the lever will pre ponderate, the lever will consequently cant, and set free the dispatches hooked on at c ; so soon as this occurs the lever returns to a horizontal position, by reason of the weight of the sand-glass preponderating. In In the same manner are the dispatches hooked o n b and a disengaged at intervals of two or . th h r ti ee will The balloon, being so relieved of it w should eig be held ex tend its flight, and when it desce t nd b s captive to the place of its de s cen t suspended to the ballo h o for t hat a purpose; sail grapn el, therc secured n to the balloon. should also be a di. p which the lever is suspended should be withTfihtteedline swivel, .so that the rotary motion of Should there be any difficulty in th e running out by a the balloon may not be imparted to th e lever. of sand at the rate required, that is at about one ounce per hour, alcohol might be used, the glass being so bored as to allow the alcohol to drop slowly, so that an ounce may be expended in about an hour. I am, Sir, &e , Jan. 16, 1850. N AUTICU S. Y.S. You are quite at liberty to show this to any one who takes an interest in the matter. I will take this opportunity to remark that balloons will, at no distant day, be employed in other than peaceable designs. RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE, NORTH KENT CONTINUATION. A public meeting of the inhabitants of Faversham was held yesterday, to take into consideration the propriety of supporting the proposed railway to con ! neet Dover and the intermediate places with the North Kent Railway at Strood. About 300 of the principal landowners, gentry, farmers, and tradesmen of the neighbourhood were present. r The MAYOR, having briefly opened the proceedings by stating the objects of the meeting, showed in glowe L g colours the wants of Faversham and the neigh bourhood for railway communication. Mr. TAYLOR, the promoter of the line, said that he had used his best endeavours to select the line which, in his opinion would least interfere with or s amental property and could be constructed at the cheapest rate. lie had no doubt but that an amicable arrangement could be come to, so as to remedy any chance of danger which might be entertained from a train passing near to the powder work?. Mr. C. J. HILTO N , having a d verted to the commer cial advantage's of the line, proposed a series of reso lutions, to the effect that an entire line of railway passing through the towns in North Kent, and con necting the harbour of Dov er an d the Downs with the various arsenals, dockyards, (Sze., on t h e north side of Kent, was one of great national as well as local interest; approving of the plans of Mr. Taylor, subject to certain alterations, and appointing n com mittee fur Faversham, to assist the central committee in promoting the undertaking. Sir J. M.TreDea, in seconding the resolutions, said that the project had the entire and unqualified sup. port of the landowners generally on the line. The resolutions were then unanimously adopted. The correspondence with the South-Eastern Com pany respecting the proposed line having been read, a series of resolutions were passed, regretting the determination of the South-Eastern Company to oppose the proposed Bill ; and complaining of the conduct of the company towards the inhabitants of the district and the promoters of the new line. The proceedings concluded with a vote of thanks to the chairman. WINDING-UP OF JOINT• STOCK COMPANIES — Tin ROYAL INDIA; AND AUSTRALIA STEAM- PACHST COMPANT.—Yesterday the winding up of this com pany's affairs came on before the Master in Chancery Blunt, at his court in Southampton-buildings, Chan cery-lane, on the petition of Mr. J. Yates, of Corn bill, and Mr. R. Ford, master mariner, holders of 100 shares each, and two of the directors. The petition represented that the company was started in 1847 for the establishment of a regular communication between Great Britain, the East Indies, Australia, New Zealand, and other intermediate ports. It was in corporated by Royal charter with a capital of 100,000/. in 5,000 shares of 201. each, with power to augment. It was to be lawful for the directors, whenever a loss of at least 75 per cent. on the capital for the time being subscribed had been incurred, to call a meeting to dissolve ; but this could not be done, as it was found impossible to convene a sufficient number of shareholders who had paid the calls to constitute a legal meeting. The directors made calls, but the shareholders refused to pay them. Business was carried on until April, 1849, when the affairs became embarrassed. From the report of Mr. Coleman, the official manager, presented yesterday, it appears that 12,653 shares were applied for and allotted, of which only 3,720 shares were paid upon, amounting to 3,2111. The debts now due amount to 4.8271., assets in hand 497/., expenses from commencement 7,5401. The list of contributories liable to a call has been settled in respect of all those shareholders who signed the deed, and of those who paid the preliminary de posit but who did not sign the deed. About 242 shares were taken in Madras, and 81 in Ceylon, and these have to be considered. The total number of shares not included in the list of contributories is 3,925. This arises from their being considered bad, those to whom they were allotted being dead, insolvent, or abroad. THE LATE EN:-IGN DANIEL AUGUSTUS SANDFORD. It was with feelings of no common regret that we heard of the premature death of Daniel Augustus Sandford, Ensign in the 2d Bengal European Infantry, son of the Rev. John Sandford, vicar of Dunchurch, and grandson of the late Bishop Sandford. He was ap pointed to the regiment in 1848, when but yet on the verge of manhood, having just completed his twentieth year, and is reported to have sunk under inflammation consequent upon the excessive fatigues of the cam paign in the Punjaub. His health, which had been fa some time gradually breaking down before his corps reached its cantonments at Lahore, from long continued over-exertion and privations, was by no means benefited by his abode there, the accommodation being anything but good, and more than half of the officers of the regiment on the sick list. It may not be, perhap., very generally known, that this accomplished, gallant, and fine-hearted young gentleman, who, bad he been spared, could scarcely have failed to have risen to distinction, and fulfill :4 the most sanguine expectations his friends enter tained of him, was the author of "" Leaves from the Journal of a Subaltern during the Campaign in the Punjaub," published a month or two ago by the Messrs. Blackwood. These memoranda, the gleanings of an observant eye, and the outpourings of a finely -toned and generous spirit, were jotted down, it appears, without the slightest view of ever being presented to the public eye; but, having been communicated piecemeal to his friends in England, were, without even his per sonal consent, transmitted to the columns of the Times, from the great interest exhibited at the period regarding the position of our Indian affairs, more especially after the sanguinary battle of Chillian wallah, of which, as well as of the previous battle of Itamnuggur, and the subsequent crowning victory of Goojerat, they contain a graphic and most animated account. From many interesting passages of his own Journal, it was too evident that Mr. Sandford's health was much broken; and although be makes slighter account of this than most people were likely to have done, and several times repor's himself fit for service, when with greater propriety, perhaps, he might have remained in the hands of his physician, still it is but too evident that the blade was wearing through the sheath, and that he was continuing to hold life by a very precarious tenure, although we were by no means prepared for such an immediate termination of his career. Simple and unpretending as the Journal is, it is impressed throughout with that graphic air of reality which it is next to impossible to communicate to any detail of fictitious events ; and it would be difficult to point out, in any similar narrative, so many passages of descriptive beauty, evidently sketched from nature— so many outbursts of a generous and heroic tempera ment—so many tender and touching episodes, such as those relating to hi s b osom friend, Sprot, and to the poor wounded mother dying with the unconscious in tent hanging at her bosom —so many traits of the sol dier, blended with feelings and sentiments so Christian, so unassuming, and so delicate. For ourselves, we can unhesitatingly say, that we have not for a very long time perused any narrative which has interested us more ; and now that the young and gallant author is beyond the reach either of our praise or blame, we feel it a duty to say so. From his Journal we could not help forming a high estimate of the character and abilities of the writer; and although itis the only literary legacy he has hft to his friends, it is one to which they are entitled to point with a mournful pride, and which will assuredly long embalm his me mob, in the heart of many an admiring and thought ful reader.—Edinburgh Courant. PAINTING IN CRAYONS.—III addition to the variety of things exhibited at the Bazaar in Baker-street, a collection of portraits in crayons or pantiles, the works cf a French artist, M. Magins, who has lately arrived in this country, has been opened to the public. These pictures show a great advance in this style Ll' painting, and very extraordinary effects have been introduced, opvti rhi both tiemzrei l vitrified queaduisn making and light and shade, and as to depth cf back ground. As this manner of portrait painting is compa ratively little cultivated in England, it will be a matter ( f surprise to most persona to see how much can be done by materials hitherto neglected. The tints are naturally and beautifully blended , and the various texturoe; oil costume and sus faces rendered with the effect painting. The portraits of lri r gd e the v hd e lea r tn ashineviakirnnngdofi known nnt Agricultural dp c r h ai apzrepa applying if en n rd are faithfully given, and will be at once recognised, all are meritorious. understande ty o f Scotland hrmaevpoeso r t awarded their land agent, in medal etc adings by means of glazed gold Sol aellistgr•mo re-beas u f n a d r e ui r the surface. Last year Mr. awarded by the Agricultural Society two Ferguson was • —a gold medal for a report on the application of r id o m th a e n r u power to the working of drain-tile or a f l o t r o th M e r. James steam p ip e -ma king opipe m s ac la b id ines, and a silver medal for a report and draining with tubes made of peat earth. GRAT'd INN, JAN. 16.--The Rev. Dr. Ilessey has this day been elected preacher to the lion. Society . f Gray's Inn, in the room of the late Rev. Dr. Shep herd, II ceased. GRAY'S INN, JAN. 1 6.—Saint George Kerr, Esq , and George Francis, Esq , were this day called to the degree of Barrister• at-Law by the lion. Society of Gray's Inn. _ _ _ _ iaurgeon Guy Alexander Acheson (1804), on the rt t l►st ,died a few days since at. Dublir. REGISTRY OF Snos.—The following amended forms have been ; pproved by the Government authori ties, to be used in the registry of vessels:-1. Surveyors' certificates of admeasurement for sailing vessels. 2. Surveyors' certificates cf admeasurement for steamers. 3. Bond to be given at the time of registry by the master and owners. 4. Bond to be given by the master when he cannot attend at the port cl registry, and orders have been given for copies of the newly-approved forms, to ue ti a,usmitted to the collectors and comptrollers, or other principal officers of the revenue, at the several ports and places throughout the kingdom, with dim. twos that they be adopted by them IA lieu of thole now ,in use• , THE SUN, TONDO AY EVENING, JANUARY 17, 1850