The Sun. — London, England, 1845-12-27 00:00:00

IS ' There i s a l so a state prisoner—the Duke of rrland— conf i ned on a charge of aspiring to the tie, in the next room to Alexis, who, sympathis "itb his sufferings, finds means to set him at lert y , Unfortunately the Czarina determines to , ner relati ve ( w h om s h e h a d no t seen f rom child dm his du ngeon , an d Al ex i s , w ith th e v i ew o f his friend, the commandant, from the punish which would fall upon him in consequence of the ep escape, personates that illustrious individual, kde me result is that the Czarina, actuated by a eeling., commands his freedom and attendance P etersburgh. The personation is, however. likt er t e t i 1)37 his ancient enemy, the Count, anti ti I tl ig'a> in the first burst of her anger, orders le4 to b e b eheaded, but aftearwrll prcions hi , ; e 2 in cons equen ce o f th e motive that actuated t ine furth e r adVances him to the highest honours, o his marfiaga with Fcedora, well endows the The C ount , w h ose i n t r i g ues have been de .,jl, 110 Panish e d, an d the story ends, as all stories 4 with the elevation of the good and the degra this! the ttnlvorthy. The drama vc tint off tamely, " Wort ho startling stage effects to arrest at anci therefore, that the piece was well received ,w.must be pl ace d t o the credit of the actors. r ight was most effective in the character of ~,'ig Krout, and Madame Celeste, as Eiizabeth, o,.every inch a queen. The farce of Ma her are Doing Well succeeded, and it is suffi -4: say that Mr. Paul RAlford, Mr. Wright, 4 -8 ta• Harding sustained the principal cha „,„ Mises Harding promises to be an admir , ',tress f or Phtt, td great personal advantages, oh Considerable taste and feeling. The new comic Christmas pantomime, called War -4411 the King of the Cannibal, Islands followed. Nalciently Indicates the character of the pan e' which ab oun d s in hideously grotesque masks ilf! u als and sailors wrecked upon their island. f4i4Jestv (Mr. C. J. Smith) is, by the agency of of Nightshade, transformed into the Clown ; l o S attllite3 (Mr Mitchinson) into Pantaloon ; (alr. T. Ireland) into Harlequin, and Miss ICI v ! Made a mos t graceful Columbine. The ) ;,' e re all variations of the ancient practical s t Petrated by all clowns from time imme toLtbe scenery was very beautifully painted, and 'ii throughout evinced a most anxious desire 1 4oC t tlatters roll on smoothly. The machinery k ' 1 , 411 , ht naturally enough be expected on a 111 ( b `'S l e g very case work so speedily . as might be , h. t it two days' experience will correct such i t "rs• We were glad to observe that the ' 43 crowded with a most respectable audience. k lorti - - •ti LYCEUM. It t Yafter the opening of the doors, last evening, 4 3 , 4 b efore the rising of the curtain, the pit and % cl of this popular place of entertainment were 4 at With an eager holiday assembly, while the Yel l !a early h our were nu merously and respect- N l ,: u . The bill of fare provided for the lieges, ki tes -, Was of no ordinary character, being the , 4 8 0 °71 the Flearth, the last creation of the immor ti sad almost fresh from the author's prolific i i i,l4 a new burlesque, from the experienced 1 46, c writer o f Aladdin, Valentine and Orson, , 14 eon and hi s C a t, and Cinderella, all produc :4,4, w ell known celebrity. The Cricket on the 'k b a roil notice of which has already appeared in i ' of:' commenced the evening's entertainments ; :Sti tri gn the burlesque was no doubt the great t teid of the majority of the audience present, we M I nto or never seen a holiday occasion in which 4 e4 0 ,, e11 ce were so soon brought under the potent ,thi% of the mimic spell. From the opening scene ,t l ,,yeautiful drama the noisy elements of the `4l; ate d mass were subdued to silence, and , tt lif4 t li n interruption took place, or was a single t ' Lille /ttl ,,°o of impatience shown by the most 'itAi t c. , the audience till the curtain fell. The i a ll ltte I s e) the heartiness, and simple pathos of this ktii,raina of domestic life, unassisted by the llg i i, Of "intense and terrible" incidents, or ti „, l high-pressure appliances of the Rad ,ottiir,"4 Lewis school, were manifested in q 4 ,4 11 .1 r L Y degree by the attention paid to every ' 4 d '„''T applause repeatedly and enthusiastically V'cci the hearty appreciation by the audience ti, Y se nt . ti le iment with a moral purpose and ennob_ling i rl lt t , 11 E our business i+, at present, with the bu h r i - s O N nt with the Fairy Tale of Home. T 0, ~t )ri, Which has been several months in preps 'tee" announced as "a grand new romantic, . ob..' scientific, aerostatic, and semi- equestrian I N4 si tert i nz al founded on the stories of ,' the En- , eos , 4 orse and Prince Purviz and Prince Bahmau, : e ike it :lbian Nights' Entertainments,' called Th e ~tile i i ,' Horse or Prince Firouz Schah of Persia o"'incess if Bengal." The piece opens with a ‘l,' in bile Arabian desert, exceedingly well exe- Z 1 11 %0 ,,.° sultry appearance of the sky, and the I t tl i _t )4 relieved here and there with pa tches of tt . ,7 ll A„,bage, conveying to the mind, in a very 'o ; 14 47 1 1ner, the feeling of sterility and desolation. Valte i',,is discovered, which has just halted k 4l 4B Bp h e neshments, and its members, while they tk till!, 11 .,,,050phy, also discuss something more sub- Ost ; rhiloscphy in sport is made eating_ _in se t hemselves and by way of a dessert the pilgrims ft t ig,e/nse/ves with a dance of Almehs, which thi,' bound to say was very gracefully executed. Litle r Y n oment springs up in the wilderness, a ( 94 .4, a % booth, belonging to "Oh-don't you-wish tile3P-dget-it) or as the bill otherwise expresses ( 41 tt ti blackny bird, or a cross between a red man 1% leg " The juggler, personated by Mr. If*, amenrornences business in the regular showman l i t i lle -s ` c alls the attention of the squatted pilgrims 6 th w onders he has got to show them, in doing ',tt port commences a solo on the drum. He is Va t i d t in his musical and mountebank efforts by Ola, , e n appearance out of the drum of the Spirit k.,. (11 tell' regular blue devil (Mr. J. W. Collier), 1 ;114 is t, thetaffrighted juggler that the spell which wish L !ta is broken, and that the only way in 11 he (the juggler) can save himself from 01) te r is by bringing to the former the two • j'' fo rs of a $ thah, failing which he must him it ,egoist a victim to the King of the Ghouls. The 1 / 4 ' in a quondary as to how he shall save his L‘Di tli 18 relieved by the Spirit, who, striking an tt ri k rock, separates it in twain, and discovers l k „ e flauted hone. The juggler is told to mount !l ii : ',tt, : inn search of the prize in question, which he ,lIIC,,nd is borne to the Court of Babbah Schah, tl lita ti t4 Persia, who at this time is busy holding a con- Zit I:n With the learned savants of his empire as to t o 3t Means.' for the advancement of science, but N es Pecially tltata.of gastronomy, in the . no d strums L t ktN t tided curry 10 .vder, pease-pudding, an starch . pt te d from diseased potatoes, occupying a pro_mi 404Position. At this learned meeting Prince , t 4 Schah Prince of Persia (Mr. Keeley) makes his Il t‘, ,l q lti ce, and signalises himself by the introduction / 4 thtti 4 - Scientific discoveries—one a machine for the , a ti g;_lip of railway schemes, and translating money Za ttl °4 e) and the other a patent railway committee L il l iao warranted to sit any length of time for the .4 -44 1 Of business. All these great discoveries, t 4 h v e,r, are thrown into the shade by the arrival k os e Juggler, who calls the attention of the Persian bb PherS to his flying horse. Of course the ph i- N e ts deny the Indian's statements, while the a l4 believes it. At last, after some altercation, the t ilt %consents to swap his daughter to:the juggler for t ‘tt v ,„Ying horse, providing he can prove its power of tiretion. Prince Firouz consents to put the matter Ae test, and nuunts the horse, when, turning tll ltt g) he mounts up into the air, and the scene 1 1 ;1 hOs• The next scene shows the Prince mounted ,t4 t , i s enchanted steed in the firmament, where in kit e h e 'nrse of his progress he holds converse with the tit 't-leiad, and with Orion, otherwise O'Rian, about !tt ltt „ .. 4 Peal of the union, the potato disease, and other 1 4 O's relating to Ould Ireland. This scene, which 4 ,kg e - A t erY beautiful eae, and exceedingly well ma -4i '') changes to the boudoir of the Princess 4 -4surab, to whom Shawl Singh (Mr. A. Wigan) ,i l . ll o 4 „Ying his ad tresses, ala troubadour. Prince 4te rs " 4 arrives at this juncture on his enchanted ?? e l l and having introduced himself to the Princess Joi ta eogal, puts Shawl Singh's nose out of % ' l. and sets out on an cereal voyage ‘ll o „."orseback with the Princess. With the Ittr e Jaent of the lover and the jilting of the musical op t ; of Cashmere ends the first act. The second Of ii a with a Forest of Sycamores, in which theSchah ta ld e rsia is discovered grieving for the loss of his son, t y hstates that perpetual hunting has been prescribed $4 13 medical advisers as a relief to his mind. The „ th e - "' difficulty with him, however, is to follow out e kt P r escription, as he dolorously laments that he aea r t ? t find any stags for sport, as even in Capel - court tev; el, Y One is to be found. The Schah, in a fit of Village' instigated by his daughter Maimouna (Miss Po :70, ties the Indian to a tree and leaves him to (l ee' s ", the julr in the strongest manner, however, ring in the tea' Yankee style— " As a free subject of the freest nation d e h do protest against this annexation. ead tlntin g party h aves, and the juggler, in hourly fit 1 " being torn to pieces by the wild beasts, is c h . l ast rel ease d b y th e Dji n n, in the shape of a wi ti r l nPanzee. At this moment the Prince Firouz, ea ch his fair charge, arrives on the spot per the whil anted horse, and leaves her on a mossy bank i r , 1 ..! be goes to apprise the Schah of his safe arrival. - hi s be the Chimpanzee she is carried off by the juggler, and out, "dropanzee takes her place, putting on an son r robe which she had left behind, so as to per 'ate her. The Prince and Schah return to the shot, but m , (illy to find they In v been baulked by the fai r • Meanwhile the juggler has carried the i nn . a Princess Chinsurah to a mountain pass leadd up .!,° .the Djinn's stronghold, Castle Perilous,. h an :._ Prince Firouz, accompanied by his sister, ay- Ts . asked advice of the l'eri Queen (Miss Arden), and Fit ded a by mammoth Tomata follow in pursuit. i n the. mountain pass the juggler and princess fall , 10 , Wi th Shawl Singb, as a paraputetic organ grinder, "Q immediately begins to operate with 145 tnusio Tki o the juggler, till he throws him into a mesmeric trance. While in that state he steals from him his magic key that unlocks the gate of Castle Perilous, and carries off the Princess lodging her safely there. The juggler, finding he has been foiled, attempts to climb up the rocks to the castle, but being assailed by loud voices he looks back and is turned into a stone. The Prince Firouz and his sister next arrive and essay the same venture, which they accomplish, arrive in Castle Perilous and have a regular flare up with Shawl Singh, its temporary master. A quarrel, which is likely to end in a regular fight, is compromised 10941 Singh agreeing to give up the Princess Chins wrah to Prince Ferouz, and take' his sister Malmamouna instead. All matters are comfortably arranged when the Djinn arrives and releases the juggler, and is about to inflict summary vengeance on them all, when the Peri Queen opportunely interposes, and destroys the demon power. Thus everything is made to' end happily, and the curtain falls upon the arrival of the combined Courts of Persia and Bengal, and the triumph of the lovers. We have only apace to observe that the scenery was most mag nificent throughout, and the acting generally good. Mr. Keeley did ample justice to the character of the juggler ; we have seldom seen an abler illustration of the mock heroic, or one in which the ludicrous points were better elicited. Mrs. Keeley was, as usual, the prince of buylesque princes ; and Frank Matthews strode the stage with a pomposity of regal dignity and state ludicrous in the extreme. All the leading features of the day were touched upon in turn, and occasionally with telling effect—railways, the Ministerial crisis, Norfolk sauce, all came in for their share. The piece was decidedly successful, and with some judicious curtailment, and when the machinery has got into better working order, it will, no doubt, have a good run. It was announced for repetition amidst general applause. • SADLER'S WELLS. This delightful place of public amusement pre sented a rich treat to the holiday folks yesterday evening, who thronged to it in vast crowds. The performances commenced with Moore's celebrated tragedy of The Gamester, in which Mr. Phelps sustained the character of Beverley, embodying in most vivid and natural hues the varied feelings with which the author invests his hero. Mr. Bennett played the part of Stukeley in a most masterly manner, while Mr. Marston, as the chivalrous friend and impassioned lover, Lewson, was equally effective. Mrs. Beverley was sustained by Mrs Warner, who depicted in the most pathetic and truthful manner the fond, confiding, and enthusiastic wife. The other characters were equally well sustained. The pantomime next followed. It was entitled Har lequin and the Steam King, or Pervonte's W,shes and the Fairy Frog. It opened with the scene of the Grand Laboratory and Abode of Science, in the Realms of Steam, which presented Science (the Steam King) , enacted by Mr. Lingham, surrounded by his Court, composed of the allegorical characters of Wisdom, Study, and Experience (Messrs. Knight, Franks, and Graham), who are sitting in conclave, when their de bates are interrupted by the arrival of the engine of Science, ii the shape of a steam- carriage, and, with the celerity that characterises these performances, the scene changes to the Palace of Mirth, in the Land of Laughter. Here we are introduced to the deity of the place, Mirth (Miss G. Lebatt), with her attendant sprite and willing minister of drollery, Brightstar (Miss Stephens), who is sent by her on a mission, and the scene concludes with her departure in her fancy car, a gorgeous piece of machinery, radiant with stars, and arrives on the borders of the Enchanted Lake, where reside two simple country folks, Per vonte (Mr. F. Fenton), and his mother, Dame Dum plin (Mr. F. Hartland). The former, in conse quence of his jocular temperament, as well as services rendered to the Deity of Mirth, is invested with the virtue that belongs to the Cap of Fortunatus—to wit, the power of obtaining whatever ha wishes. This power is exercised very freely, and a series of humouros transformations succeed. By it the great King Cockchafur (C. Stilt) is punished for certain misdemeanours, while his haughty daughter, the Princess Prettyprout receives her deserts for a neglect of her duties by having the honours of mater nity thrust on her in the shape of two children. The equitable exercise of his power induces the fairy Brightstar to further reward Pervonte, who is trans formed into Harlequin, while his lady-love, from a simple attendant at the Court of the above-named potentate, is changed into Columbine. Other changes follow, which produce those characters which belong to 'every performance of this description, namely, Pan taloon (Mr. F. Hartland) and two Clowns (Messrs. Gramani and Stilt). The quintette then enter on their migrations, and the audience are introduced to a variety of scenes, ludicrous positions, and humorous transmutations. Among those that deserve particular notice from their allusion to the present times, we would mention a curious change that takes place in the inscription on a little chest, which instead of the original " Punch for the People," is replaced by that of " Pepper for Peers," and of " Wellington's last mighty Deed," in which the doors fly open and exhibit the Hero of Waterloo as a Brobdignagian tobacco stopper. The new pier at Gravesend also fur nishes food for some sly jokes and practical witticisms. The decline of the Shakesperian drama is alluded to by the representation of a large public-house, bearing the inscription, " Will Shakespeare to be let to an improving tenant," as well as the substitution of foreign professors and foreign commodities in this establishment, which typifies one of the national theatres. The railway mania is pleasantly alluded to, by a large placard in Capel-court, which contains the announcement of the formation of a most promising (but anonymous) railway, with the name of the chairman, Captain Stilt, and the names of several directors, which are followed by , the ominous initials of D. 0.0., P.R., 1.G., S.C.A., M.P., cum multis aliis. The whole concludes with a splendid scene of the Palace of Rainbows, and a grand finale, in which the lovers are united, and dramatic justice awarded to all parties. OLYMPIC. Last night the Olympic commenced its second season under the management of Miss Kate Howard, and no sooner were the doors thrown open than the house became filled from top to bottom with as noisy and boisterous an audience as ever was assembled within the walls of a theatre of the same size and dimensions. Yet still good-humour prevailed throughout the whole of the evening, and jokes passed freely from the pit to the gallery, and from the gallery to the pit. Perhaps the high and mighty gods were now and then too severe in their satirical observations upon the dress and appearance of the tenantry of the boxes, and even of the performers themselves. But let these pass ; they were drowned in the notes of a shrill warbler of the " Polka," "We may be happy yet," and many other popular airs with which street orchestras have familiarised the million. The entertainments com menced with La Dame de St. 7'ropez ; or, The Poisoner, but the majority of the audience appeared to receive both this and the interlude of the Day after the Wedding, which followed, with the greatest in difference. At length came the pantomime, and with it came a volley of shouts of " Hats off!" " Sit down !" " Silence !" and then all became hushed and still. It was called Fortunatus ; or, The Magic Cap and the Three Lucky Wishes, but the title had little or no connexion with the incidents. Some of the tricks and transformations were good, and rewarded with applause ; but the ma chinery was sadly defective; and what with the Clown being hoarse and unable to sing " Hot Cod lings," and the Harlequin lame and only able to dance with difficulty, the pantomime closed amidst a tumult of yells, and shouts, and hisses, that made the walls of the building shake again. Nevertheless, the pantomime contains some excellent tricks, and no less tasty and picturesque scenery, and, after another rehearsal or two, the machinery may become more pliable, and the thing itself go off with more success. ASTLETS. The performances announced for boxing-night in this theatre were Mazeppa, the Equestrian Feats in the Circle, and the Pantomine, which was entled Harlequin Don Quixote de la Mancha; or, Sancho Panza and Dulcinea del Toboso. Of illazeppa it is needless to speak ; and the Scenes in the Circle were carried out with more than usual spirit. The opening scene of the pantomime, viz., the Crystal Cave of Christmas, was very grand, and the " abode of fancy," where the materials for the pantomime are collected, under the auspices of Christmas, also presented a grand appearance. In fact, it may be said of the scenic effect throughout, that it was magnificent, and the adventures of Don Quixote, as they were briefly pourtrayed in a sort of moving panorama, excited much amusement, as did also the animal who reprerented Rosinante. With regard to that portion of the pantomime where clown and pantaloon make their appearance, we regret to say that the fun usually attendant on those worthies was entirely absent. The changes were without point, and out of place, and the jokes, if such they might he called, were of the very lowest order. There was that particularly hurried and geni appearance about all the pantomimists, which is often obser vable in product:o is of this kind, where the actors endeavour to make up by bustle and ges ticulation the absolute want of good tricks and posi tions. Towards the close of the pantomime the impatience of the audience began to be manifested in various sibellations, and at the fall of the cur tain the noise was pretty general. The rhymes in the beginning and ending are very childish and forced, and in some instances positively absurd. Another great objection to the panto mime is its great length, the performances not being over till a quarter past one; and even then one scene was omitted. In fact, although the hero of La Mancha could be made to furnish ample materials for , amusement, yet in this instance he has been spoiled, E SUN LONDON, SATURDAY MORN ING, DECEMBER 27 1845. and the affair altogether was what is termed " slow ;" and it will require some considerable alteration and pruning before it can be decently presented before any audience. SURREY. Christmas has come again, and with it the repeti tion of the customs and festivals which take place at this merry season of the year. The Surrey, as long as we can remember, has been noted for the ex cellence of its Christmas fare and its Christmas gambols, and the expectations of those who usually spend their boxing evenings within its enchanting circle of fun and humour have not been disappointed in the entertainments put forth by the spirited lessee, Mrs. Davidge, the relict of the rum old commodore, for their amusement and gratification on the boxing night of 1845. The lady of the Surrey at Christmas always puts on every thing span new, she hates to appear iu any of her old garments at a season like the present of jollity, good dressing, and good living, and 'accordingly last night she decked herself out with a new drama by Edward Sterling, the stage manager, and a grand comic pantomime taken from Peter Parley's Nursery Tales." The entertainments of last evening commenced with the new drama called The Mendicant's Son, or the Jew of Southwark. Amid the noise, uproar and confusion of a boxing night, it would be impossible, had we time and in clination, to give the outline of the plot of the piece. It will be sufficient to say that its scenes depict!in true colours the fatal effects of profligacy, and throw some light on the extent to which this vice was carried on in Southwark and all parts of the metropolis in 1740. The piece, which was eminently successful, introduced to a Surrey audience, for the first time Mr. Broughton and Mr. Butler ; for the first time these two seasons Mr. J. T. Johnson of the Victoria Theatre ; and for the first time these five years, 'Mr. Maynard of the Adelphi. The different characters in the piece were well sustained throughout, and the drama concluded amid loud plaudits from a house crammed almost to suffocation. The new scenery by Meadows, and the excellent acting of our old favourites, Hughes and Mrs. H. Vining, tended in no small degree to aid the success of the piece. The entertainments of the night were concluded by the e.;l important (at this time of the year) panto mime, which is called Harlequin and the Old Witch of Teddington, or the Glorious Days of good Queen Bess. It is written and produced by Mr. T. H. Webb, and reflects great credit upon him for the excellence of its tricks, the fund of humour dis• played in the execution of them, and the capital skits contained on several of the passing events of the day. The dancing of Mr. Cormack, as Harlequin, and Miss Smythies, as Columbine, was excellent, and the fun and agility of Herring as Clown, Anderson as Pantaloon, and Stilt, as Sprite, kept the house in a roar of laughter. The scenery of the piece is of the most splendid description, and must be seen to be properly appreciated. We never remember to have seen the house so crowded as it was last night ; there was not—to use a vulgar phrase—room for a mouse, and yet with but one or two exceptions in,the:pit, each seemed to be good humoured with the other, and bent upon having a merry Christmas, with the pros spect of a happy new year. COURT C tRCULAR WINDSOR, Crtursrmas-Day.—The Queen and Prince Albert promenaded in the pleasure-gr)unds before church this morning. Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales, Prince Alfred, the Princess Royal, and the Princess Alice were taken their usual early airings to-day. The Queen, Prince Albert, the Duchess of Kent, the Ladies and Gentleman of the Court, and the Domestic Houehold attended Divine service this morning in the private chapel of the Castle. After the morning ser vice the Holy Communion was administered. Lady Fanny Howard was in attendance on the Duchess of Kent. The royal dinner circle at the Castle, this evening will included her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, Lady Fanny Howard, Baroness de Speth, Lady Isabella Wemyss, Mr. George Edward and the Hon. Mrs. An son, and Sir George and Lady Couper. Their Royal Highnesses the Duke of Cambridge and Prince George attended Divine service yesterday morn ing in Grosvenor Chapel, South Audley-street Divine Service was performed yesterday (Christmas day) in the Chapel Royal St. James's. The sermon was preached by the Sub-Dean. Lords Hawarden and Norreys were among the nobility present. WINDSOR, FRIDAY.—The Queen, attended by the Countess of Desert, promenaded this morning in the grounds adjoining the Castle and Home Park. Prince Albert went to shoot at Swinley, where his Royal Highness met the Duke of Cambridge this morn ing. Mr. Anson, Major-General Si r Ed war d Bowater and Colonel Bowles were in attendance on the Prince. Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales, Prince Alfred, the Princess Royal, and the Princess Alice, were taken their usual early rides and for walking exercise this forenoon. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge arrived at the Castle to-day, on a visit to the Queen. The Earl of Aberdeen and Sir Robort Gordon also arrived on a visit to her Majesty. The Right Honourable Sir William Fremantle had the honour of joining the royal dinner party at the Castle yesterday evening. This evening her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, Lady Fanny Howard, and the Baroness de Speth will join the royal circle at dinner. The band of the, Grenadier Guards will attend during dinner. Her Majesty's private band will afterwards attend in the Castle. his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge left Cambridge House yesterday morning on a visit to her Majesty at Windsor Castle. The remains of Lord Wharncliffe, late Lord President of the Council, were removed from his residence in Curzon street at an early hour yesterday morning, for interment at the family seat in Yorkshire. THE CREW OF THE CAROLINE. On Tuesday last the return to the writs of habeas corpus, obtained by Sir George Stephen, was made by Hassan Ben Usoph, the captain of the vessel, as fol lows : " In obedience to the within writ, to me directed, I hereby humbly certify and return to the within-named Judge, that the within-named Lybo, Sympth, Camoonah, and Farrow, never were taken by me, except as herein after mentioned ; and that at the time of the coming of the within writ to me, the within-named Lybo, Symptb, Camoonah, and Farrow were not, nor were any of them, nor are any of them now, nor have they or any of them ever been, detained in my custody ; but that they and each of them are now within my power, and under my command as captain of the ship Caroline, belonging to his Highness the Imsum of Muscat, bound on a voyage from the coast of Zanzibar, on the eastern coast of Africa, to the port of London, and back to Zanzibar aforesaid, as part of the crew of the said ship, engaged for the said voyage ; and that they and each of them came within my power, and under my command as part of the crew of the said ship, engaged for the said voy age; and that they and each of them came within my power and under my command, as part of the crew of the said ship Caroline, engaged for the said voyage at the port of Zanzibar aforesaid, on or about the month of March last ; and that the said ship Caroline is now in the port of London, on the prosecution of the said voyage ; and that I have their bodies ready as within I am commanded. The answer of the within-named Hassan Ben Usoph." To this return the Learned Judge (Mr. Justice Coleridge) has appended the following certificate : The within-named parties, supposed to be detained as slaves, appeared before me, and having been exa mined, stated themselves to be free men engaged for the voyage as mariners at wages, and have no detention to complain of. I therefore discharge them as such. " J. T. COLERIDGE." It is the intention of Mr. Clarkson to make applica tion to the Learned Judge for the costs of the prose cution. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. HUNTING APPOINTMENTS. Her Majesty's stag hds., Mon., Bromhill-hut ; Fri., Salt-hill. lleythrop hds., Mon., Great Tew ; Wed., Barrington Park; Fri., Addlestrop-gate ; Sat., Wilcot-10i. Somerset Subscription hds., Tues., Wick Park ; Sat., Woodland- brake—l 0 2 -. Albrighton hds., Mon., Chillington; Thurs., Sleigh ford ; Sat., Davenport-104. Whitehaven harrs., Mon., Sandwich ; Thurs., Dis tington-10. Mr. Trelawny's lids., Tues., Buller's Arms, Dean ; Fri., Tolche Moor-gate-10i. Horndon's hds., Mon. Amey Cross; Thurs., Lan due Bridge-91. Devon hds., Mon., Luseombe-11. Herefordshire hds., Fri., Wormelow Turnpike. Ludlow hds., Tues., llope Court; Fri., Norton's Camp. East Kent hds., Tues., St. Alban's Down; Fri., El ham Park-10i. Thanet hrrs., Mon., Hale ; Wed., Mauston Wood —loi. Earl Fitzwilliam's hds., Mon., Bedford Purlieus; Wed., Stanwick Pasture; Thurs., Biggen Mr. Hellier's hds., Mon., Kemwick Gate ; Tues., Greetham ; Thurs., Girsby ; Sat., Enderby Cross Roads-10i. Monmouthshire hds., Mon., Blackbrook ; Thurs., Manson's Cross-4 0. THE TUDOR MEDALET.--Mr. Roach Smith, in a letter to the editor of the Builder, gives the following account of a Tudor medalet found on the site of the new Royal Exchange. It was met with during some partial excavation, before the general works commenced. So little consequence did I attach to it, that it re mained for months upon my table before I was induced to examine and clean it, when I deciphered an inscrip tion and the Tudor arms. It was previously a lump of worthless lead, but I regenerated its defaced impress, and thus made it an object of interest, but surely not an object to be envied the possession of. I exhibited it to the Numismatic Society, and to the Society of Antiquaries ; I freely permitted a wood-cut of it to be made for one of the pic torial weekly newspapers; and I adapted the inscription to the obverse of a medal of Prince Albert, designed by me, and engraved by Mr. Stothard to commemorate the Prince's advent to lay the first stone of the New Roy of Exchange, the Joint Gresham Committee having omitted to order a medal to be engraved to record this interesting event. Thursday morning the Duke and Duchess of St. Albans, according to usual custom at this season of the year, caused to be distributed amongst the poor inha bitants residing at Highgate 1 cwt. of coals, 1 cwt. of potatoes, and 161bs. of bread to each family, also a new pair of blankets and new flannel petticoats to the wives and children of all the labourers employed on their estate. _ LIVES OF TH E QUEENS OF ENGLAND .—At this season a more a ccepta b le literar y present, especially for the young, could h ar dl y be chosen than Miss Strickland's in structive volumes, " Th e Li v es of the Queens of England." A contemporary justly observes, "In this elegant work we have everything connected with the biographies of the Sovereigns, and every species of anecdote relating to their Courts; and in this part of the subject, a very important one, Miss Strickland evinces grea t learning, research, judgment, and taste. I n this branch of the work it assumes a high character, and, without losing its qualities of amusement, it becomes of historical and even moral importance, by con worivklAisßoin. elloofwthrreTh,isghicesstwmeisTriot NOVEL, of permanent Ee I interest, zN ta T veying to us striking and correct portraits of the manners, habits, connexions, religion, and morals, as well as of the asp feelings ßlvorelulEa : a „ n oi d fs ) p nl a ee s a t os i fumrteahsbols those frheoiagndbrilny romantic narratives in which the finer feelings of cur nature are displayed under circum stances that cannot fail of creat in g the dee pest interest in as dourisl the gas the reader. There i s a love story of g reat p ow er and beauty , in which devotion and self-denia l attain an ele vation only to be met with in those rare natu res which adorn th e humblest as well as the highest stations.. In this story the same nobility is found existin in the Court. The Prin g ces s Morellhiin a g nd y in Count cotta Lacy e are truly noble characters, but they are not more distinguished for their intelligence and virtue than the Citizen of Prague, and his incomparable grand -daughter. It is impossible to imaine a tale of deeper i nterest, and we cannot doubt that " Th g e Citizen o f Prague" will be equally popular with either of those strikingly picturesque narratives which have pre ceded it. POTATOES.—Some of our Conservative contempora ries still assert that the supply of this veget a bl e i s im proving, and that the causes for alarm are quite needless. We can speak for our own market with confidence. The potatoes that come there are sold at 10d, and a shilling the stone—double the usual p rice at this season of the year ; but few of them would be worth having at any price if the failure had not been so general. In the north of Corawall, where the sandy districts prevail, many of the potatoes are as good as in former years ; the sand was found to absorb or carry off the moisture so well, that only those vegetables suffered that were too near an anecdote al the surface. In the n ei g hbourhood of Jum p , five mile s rri. g manner the sailor n King. from Plymouth, a hog shead of cider has been offered for a bag of potatoes, a nd refused.—Plymouth Jrn ANECDOTE OF WIL LIAM THE FOURTH.—In a re centcig introduced,ahr a memoir eter of h tehmeopnileiafsyttei exemplifying and kind-hearted nan the M' ee s It is recorded as follows in the inscription on a splendid silver salver, presented to Mr. Irving a few months pre vious to his Majesty's death :—(Royal Arms).—_ ,, King William the Fourth has given this piece of plate to Jt Irving, Esq.. the r e p resentative of his Majesty's late highly esteemed friend, J. Rae, Esq., in commemoration of a review dinner, given by his Majesty on the 2d of June, 1805, at Bedfont ; and in discharge of the suns of 251. which the King on that occcasion borrowed of Mr. Rae, his guest—a debt which had not recurred to his- Majesty's recollectionuntil recently.-28th March, 1837. CHARGE OF THE BISHOP OF ORCTSTER. • The following is the charge of the Lord Bishop of Worcester to the candidates for ordination, Dec. 21 : "My dear young Friends,—You have now gone through all the forms required by the law previous to your admission tomorrow into the sacred orders of deacons and priests. Yott have acquitted yourselves in your examination to the satisfaction of my chap lain, and you have this day declared yourselves mem bers of the Church of England by subscribing to the Thirty-nine Articles, which have been framed as tests of your really holding those doctrines which she pro fesses as her distinctive characteristics, and which she believes may be proved by the sure warrant of Scrip ture. Allow me to express a hope that in performing this duty you have not merely complied with a form directed by the Legislature as necessary previous to your ordination, but that you have well considered the different doctrines involved in these Thirty-nine Articles, and by the subscription of your names thereto given your bond fide assent to them. When, however, I require this of 'you, I do not require that you, young as you are, and with your minds fur nished necessarily with a comparatively small portion of theological learning, should have made up your minds upon the many dark points of divinity involved in some of these articles— _ _ `Fixedfate, free will, foreknowledge absolute.' Subjects of such intricacy and difficulty, that even celestial substances are represented by the poet, when they attempted to discuss them, as having `Found no end in wandering mazes lost.' To require perfect unanimity upon such points is to suppose, in the words of Paley, that the Legislature expected the consent of ten thousand men, and that in perpetual succession, not to one controverted pro position, but to many hundred.' In considering, then, the obligation imposed upon you when you sub scribed the Thirty-nine Articles, we take the most liberal view of this question which has been taken by that eminent philosopher to whom I have just re ferred. He states, in his work on ' Mural Philosophy,' that the two points to be considered by those who wish conscientiously to subscribe the Thirty-nine Articles, are Quis imposuit et quo animo.' The first of these points is merely a matter of history. There can be no doubt that the Legislature of the 13th of Elizabeth, who passed the Act by which subscription to these Articles was made incum bent upon all future deacons and priests in the Church of England, is the authority under which this obliga tion is imposed upon you ; but the remaining ques tion, the quo aniato,' with which such subscription was required by them, is not so easily resolved, and which may very beneficially occupy our attention on the present occasion. Now, the first point which I will endeavour to establish upon this important sub ject is that the animus ' of that Legislature was specially directed to the exclusion of all who professed the principal doctrines of the Roman Catholic faith. that such must have been the case would prima facie appear from the character of the compilers of these Articles, for who were these but Cranmer and Ridley—illustrious martyrs, who shed their blood in defence of our Protestant Re formed Church ; and can it be believed that with such views of religion they would have compiled arti des so loose and indefinite as to admit the subscrip tion of those who held Roman Catholic doctrines ? But we have further in this matter the authority of Bishop Burnet, who, speaking of the design with which the Thirty. nine Articles were compiled, dis tinctly states that it was a view to the exclusion of Roman Catholics. The 'Reformers,' he states, in his introduction to his work on the Thirty-nine Articles, had smarted long under the tyranny of Popery, and so they had reason to secure themselves from it and from all those that were leavened with it. Those here in England had seen how many had complied with all the alterations both in 'king Henry and King Ed ward's reign, who not only declared themselves to have been all the while Papists, but became bloody persecutors in Queen Mary's days. Therefore it was necessary to keep all such out of the body that they might not secretly undermine and betray it.' In order, however, to set this subject in the clearest point of view, we will go through some of the leading and most distinctive doctri4es of the Roman Catholic Church, and afterwards see how directly these are repudiated by the Thirty-nine Articles which you have all this day subscribed. Now, perhaps, there is no one point upon which the Church of Rome differs more from the Church of England than in the respect which the former pays to what is called epos. tolical tradition. It is the doctrine of that Church, that besides the written word of God, there is a ne-. cessity for an unwritten word ; that is, the divine and apostolical traditions. Nos asserimus,' says the learned Cardinal Bellarmine, admitted by the Roman Catholics to be one of the highest authorities in their Church—' Nos asserimua in Scripturis non contineri expresse totam doctrinam necessariam, sive de fide, sive dc moribus et proindb prwter verbum Dei scriptum requiri etiam verbum Dei non scriptum—id est,divinas et apostolicas traditiones: Nay, not only do they put tradition upon a par with Scripture, but they even give it precedence, conceiving doctrines handed down by tradition to be derived from our Saviour himself, while those contained in the Scrip tures have no better authority than that of the Evan gelists and Apostles. So the decree of the Council of Trent upon this subject declares the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church to he contained in libris scriptis, et sine scripto• traditionibus, gum ab ipsius Christi ore ab ApostoliCacceptse, aut ab ipsis Apos tolls, spiritu sancto dicrante, quesi per menus traditae, ad nos usque pervenerunt.' Such, then, is the re ceived doctrine of the Church of Rome, and let us now see what says the Church of England on this subject. You have this day declared your assent to the sixth article, which contains these words—' Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation. So that whatsoever is not read therein nor may be proved thereby is not required of any man that it should be believed, as an article of faith, or to be thought requisite or necessary to salvation.' Is it in the power of language to contra. dict this distinguishing doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church more- expressly or more emphati cally? Next to the theory of tradition, perhaps the doctrine of transubstantiation affords the most striking characteristic of the Roman Catholic Church. To any Protestant who attentively considers the figu rative style, still so common in oriental nations, in which the discourses of our Lord were generally delivered, it appears scarcely credible that the ex pressions, This is my body which was given for you, and this is my bloo I which was shed for you,' should have been ever taken literally, and be supposed to mean that the bread and wine could be converted into the actual body and blood of our Saviour. It is not, however, my intentionjo go farther into this subject at present than to state, what is well-known to you all, that such is the doctrine of the Roman. Catholic Church ; but what says our Church in its twenty eighth article ? ' Transubstantiation (or the change of the substance of bread and wine) in the supper of the Lord canuot be proved by Holy Writ, but is repug nant to the plain words of Scripture, overthroweth the nature of a sacrament, and bath given occasion to many superstitions. The body of Christ is given, taken, and eaten in the supper only after a heavenly and spiritual manner. Who, then, who has sub scribed this article, can hold the Romish doctrine of transubstantiation?::. So again, there are few doc trines which more 'distinctively mark the Roman Catholic Church that' that of Purgatory. In the twenty-fourth session of the Council of Trent, it was solemnly decreed, that The Catholic Church, instructed by the Holy Spirit, through the sacred writings and the ancient tradition of the fathers, has taught in holy councils, and lastly in this oecumenical council, that there is a purgatory, and the souls detained there are assisted by the prayers of the faithful, but more especially by the sacrifice of the mass. In quoting these words it is not my intention to go at any length into the refuta tion of them, or to point out the errors and abuses to which they necessarily led, but simply to prove, what indeed is quite notorious, that such is the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church; but what again says the 22d article, which you have this day subscribed ? " The Romish doctrine of Purgatory is a fond thing, vainly , invented and grounded upon no warranty of Scrip ture, but rather repugnant to the Word of God. So again, it is well known that the Church of Rome ad mits seven sacraments as of divine or apostolical au thority, whereas our 25th article distinctly states that there are only two sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel, that is to say, Baptism and the Lord's Supper. It would be easy to pursue this subject further through the Romish doctrines of indulgenees, the invocation of saints, the adoration of relics aitd images, distinctly denied in the 22d article ; the use of the Latin language in the performance of divine service, condemned in the 24th article ; the practice of the Romish Church to deny the use of the cup in the administration of the Lord's Supper, blamed in the 30th article ; and the celibacy of the clergy, asserted to be not required by Scripture, in the 32d article ; but enough has surely been said to satisfy you that one of the principal objects of those who imposed this test of subscrip tion upon all future deacons and priests in the Church of England, was to prevent those who pro fess( d such Romish doctrines from being admitted as ministers of the Church. If, then, we are to adopt Paley's rule, and resolie anydoubts hich we may enter tain with regard to subscription, by considering the animus' of those who imposed this test upon the Church, it is quite clear that that animus' wvs specially to exclude all those who professed Romish doctrine, and that those, therefore, who do hold such doctrines are guilty of a matifides, near akin to perjury, when from motives of interest they sub scribe articles thus utterly repugnant to their re ligious belief. It may, indeed, be doubted whether the Protestant divines who compiled our articles had not in view as large a comprehensiou as pos sible of those who; had renounced the errors of Popery—whether the twelfth article was not con structed with a view to conciliate those who dwelt upon the necessity of works, while the seventeenth was intended to include those of a Calvinistic persuasion ; but, however comprehensive they may have been in tended to be as they regarded Protestants, it is quite clear that they are most distinctly exclusive in respect to those of the Roman Catholic communion. This is indeed so obvious from the most cursory consideration of our articles, that I should have hardly thought it necessary to have pointed your attention to it on the present oecasion s if it had not been notorious that individuals, who, like you, had signed their names as assenting to the Thirty-nine Articles, had not thought it inconsistent with the obliga tions which they thereby took upon themselves to continue ministering in our churches, though they professed to hold all Romish doctrine. They indeed are now gone out from us, but it is to be feared that many yet remain who have subscribed the articles, and yet entertain opinions directly opposed to their plain and literal sense. To investigate what causes have led to this calamitous result, would carry us into too extensive a field of inquiry ; but I cannot consider it as foreign to the present occasion, when I am about to introduce such a number of young and ardent minds into our holy profession, if I offer to them some considerations, which, under the blessing of God, may prevent those who think they stand like them from falling. In the first place, accustom your minds to dwell more upon the spiritual essence of reli gion than upon its external forms. Were I called upon to state the most important general distinction be tween the religion of Rome and that of Protestants, I should say that the former occupied itself almost ex clusively with forms and ceremonies, while the latter dwelt on the necessity of the conversion of the heart to God. lam far from wishing to deprecate the im portance of those forms and ceremonies which are directed to be adopted by our Church in the admi nistration of Divine service; they have been wisely instituted as the handmaids of true religion ; but I would caution you against that exclusive at tention to forms which is the characteristic of the Roman Catholic Church, and which has a ten dency, if we are not on our guard, to convert the scriptural worship, directed by the Gospel, into A minute regard for ritual observances. In the se cond place, be cautious in the adoption of terms which have become the symbols of a party. Thus the term Catholic, as applied to our Church, cannot be ob jected to. The boast of our Reformation was, that we. had, by that blessed event, corrected all the manifold abuses of the Church of Rome, and brought our Church back to what we believe to have been nearly the universal practice of the Primitive Church. In !his sense we pray in the Liturgy for the good estate of the Catholic Church, in which passage, to avoid am hieeuity, it were to be wished, perhaps, that the term universal had been preferred ; but when it is recol lected that this is, I believe, the only passage in the Liturgy- in which this term is used (for the Creeds can hardly be considered as parts of - he Liturgy), is there not an affectation in ap plying it upon every occasion to our Protestant deformed Church ; and does it not betoken a dis position to overlook as much as possible the distinc tions which have been proved to exist between the two Churches. In like manner we have been taught to disclaim the term Protestant,' derived as it is from the first Reformers, who protested against the errors of the Church of Rome, as if we had no longer cause to protest against such errors. The use or dis use of particular words in treating upon religious subjects may, indeed, be justly considered as trifles; but, alas ! it has been thund by experience, that nugm seria ducunt in mala.' We may call our selves Catholics and disclaim being Protestants till it ap pears as if both Churches formed but one vineyard, and that consequently it is a matter of little import in which part of it our ministerial labours are employed. It has been my object in the present charge to point out to you that this is not the case, and that, how ever charitably we may view, and ought to view, the errors of our Rome n Catholic brethren, however disposed to consider them as a branch of the univer sal church of Christ, and even to extend their means of usefulness among their own people, we should be cautious how we modify the distinctions between us till they become almost evanescent quantities, and thus dispose our own minds, as well as those of our people, to the seduction of that Son of Perdition who is ever on the watch for unstable souls. By your subscrip tion to the Thirty-nine Articles of your Church this day, you have declared not only that you are faithful members of that Church, but we have seen that you have likewise affixed your names to a solemn dis claimer of the errors of the Roman Catholic Church. That Church, as well as ours, requires its ministers to subscribe certain articles ; and to bring the sub ject which we have been discussing clearer into view, I will, in conclusion, copy the twelve articles, which, according to the Bull of Pope Pius IV., are still required to be subscribed by every bene ficed clergyman belonging to the Church of Rome. [Here the Right Reverend Prelate recited the Articles.] Such is the solemn subscription of articles required of all clergymen who are beneficed in the Church of Rome, and I need not point out to you how they are opposed to those which you have this day subscribed. Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions (or rather, as it should have been tran slated according to .111‘Knight), the doctrines which ye have been taught. Now, our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which bath loved us, and given us everlasting consolation and a good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and esta blish you in every good word and work." COVENT-GARDEN. Last evening M. Jullien commenced what he terms the " prolongation of his annual concerts," with great eclat The overture (King Lear), by Berlioz, was splendidly performed, and rapturously applauded, as was, of course, Beethoven's symphony in C minor, which followed. Signor Camillo Sivori performed Paganini's surprising duet for two violins (without accompaniment) in a style which excited an admi ration of the mechanical power attained by the pupil, and the curious ingenuity and tireless perseverance of the master, whilst it raised some regret that so much taste and industry were employed to such un important ends. The clever, but anomalous work was, however, applauded to the echo, and vehemently encored. The New Polka, suggested by Mr. Dickens's Christmas Fairy Tale, The Cricket, on the Hearth,, was in the highest degree successful. The composition displays great ingenuity and musical tact. The British Navy Quadrilles and the Irish Echoes filled up the remainder of a very delightful evening. The solo . performers, Richardson, Barrett, Beauman, Sonnenberg, and Koenig, were honoured with as hearty expressions of approbation as their warmest admirers could wish for. STRAND THEATRE. A numerous audience assembled here to greet M. Philippe on his return from his provincial tour, and the mighty magician, by a mere wave of his wand, performed transformations in comparison with which the tricks of pantomimes are but as mere matters of every-day life. We believe that during the holidays it is the intention of M. Philippe to give a series of morning performances, and we know not where our young friends can spend a morning more agreeably than with the mysterious M. Philippe. ROYAL POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION. It was in the highest degree gratifying to observe the growing tendency of the public to combine intel lectual improvement with holiday sports, which was yesterday illustrated by the crowded attendance of holiday visitors at the Polytechnic Institution. From the hour of opening to the close, the company were not for a minute less in number than 3,000, and every object of curiosity in art or science was viewed even by the youngest and humblest visitor with an evident spirit of inquiry, which proves that the Institution, great and magnificent as it is, has by no means preceded the intelligence of the times. The interesting and instructive lectures of Professor Bachhoffner, and Dr. Ryan were listened to with profound attention, and were invariably followed by loud and earnest expressions of delight, which showed that the vast and varied talents of those learned gen tlemen were appreciated by their unpretending auditors. No one could come away from the lee ture•room without being improved in knowledge and usefulness. The diversified experiments in national philosophy were occasionally disturbed by bursts of merriment, as when a timid lath, or a self-confident squire from north or south, screamed or bellowed under the first experience of an electric shock. The music, under the direction of Dr. Wallis, was beauti fully effective. ROYAL ADELAIDE GALLERY. There was no material change in the series of in structive entertainments at this favourite Institution yesterday ; but the hall was crowded to excess both at the morning and evening lectures and exhibitions. The very admirable tableaux vivans presented by Keller and his corps plastiquex have been already noticed in detail in the columns of The Sun, and were last evening favoured with more than usual ex pressions of wonder and delight. Notwithstanding the unfavourable state of the weather, M. Claudet was eminently successful in producing a great number of Daguerrotype portraits. On the whole, we have never seen a more gratified or a happier assemblage than that which yesterday thronged the hall and galleries of this beautiful temple of practical science. THE MAMMOTH HORSE. Mr. Carter's Mammoth Horse, known as " General Washington," has been the wonder of the month in London, and judging from the crowds of ladies and gentlemen who have flocked to the Egyptian Hall during the past fortnight to see this colossal animal, we predict that few exhibitions in the metropolis will be so well patronised during the holidays. This horse is admired by every visitor, not only for his immense size and fine proportions, but for his remarkable doci lity, as ladies and children freely approach him, and he has been petted so much by them, that he invari ably looks to the fair sex for a biscuit or piece of cake. We learn that Mr. Carter intends to embark for the United States shortly, for the purpose of exhibiting his gigantic horse in that country ; therefore we advise the wonder-loving world to see this animal imme diately. How TO GET A DINNER.—One evening Sheridan, not knowing where to go for a dinner, sat down by Michael Angelo Taylor, in the House of Commons, and said, "There is a law question likely to arise presently, on which, from your legal knowledge, you will be wanted to reply to Pitt, so I hope you will not think of leaving the Nouse." Michael sat down with no little pleasure, while Sheridan slipped out, walked over to Michael's house, and ordered u p dinner, saying to the servants, "Your master is not coming home this evening." He made an excellent dinner, came back to release him, saying, " I am sorry to have kept you, for after all, I believe this matter will not come off to-night." Michael walked home, and heard, to his no little consternation ' when he rang for dinner, " Mr. Sheridan bad it, Sir, about two ' hours ago."—Life of Wilberforce. LORD LYTTLETON AND HIS TENANTS.—BIRMING.. HAM, WEDNESDAY EVENING.—We have been informed upon good authority, that Lord Lyttleton, whose estates are in this district, has sent circulars to his t enants , cau tioning them against disposing of their corn at injurious prices, and offering such accommodation as may be necessary to enable them to hold their stocks. The Noble Lord says that the preser : treduced price o f w h eat is the result of the recent political changes, but that prices are certain to go up again ; and if his tenants cannot pay their rents now due, they have only to apply to his agent, and time will be afforded to enable them to retain their corn until the markets resume their former stability. From the course thus pursued by his Lord ship, it would appear that he does not anticipate any material alteration in the corn-laws. On the contrary, his circular would seem to indicate directly the reverse. D IS TRESSING SHIPWRECKS.— During the latter part of last week and the early part of the present, the whole of the north and south coasts of Devon and Cornwall have been visited by the severest gales. We were at Launceston on Monday and heard ofseveral shipwrecks on the north coast of Cornwall, but the distance bein g considerable we could get n o particulars beyond the fact that a vessel had gone to pieces near Bude, and that nine hands had perished ; and also that a vessel called the Royal Eagle, of Milford, bound to Cardiff, with a cargo of oats, was driven a-shore near New Quay, and seven hands drowned. The gale on Monday night was one of the severest character. The Cornish north mail could not make head against it at all , and it came into Laun ceston an hour and more behind its ture.—Plyniout Journal, SALE OF RAILWAY SCRIP. A question of great interest has recently arisen, on which the opinion of the profesion is divided ; viz., whether the ith and Bth Victoria, c. 110, s. 26, ap plies to railway companies, and, consequently, whe ther sales of shares by persons not registered as shareholders of completely registered railway com panies, and sales of shares in such companies provi sionally registered only are void, and the dealers subject to penalties. The object of the following re marks is to show that that section does not apply. Section 2 enacts, that except where specially provided the Act shall not apply to such companies, and they are not named in section 26. It is for those, there fore, who say that section 26 applies, to prove it; and for those who deny it, to answer the ar gument on the other side. The argument is this :—railway companies must be completely registered : section 26 applies to all companies ' completely registered—therefore sec. 26 applies to railway companies. To this argument there seem several answers. 1. Assuming that railway com panies, and others which do require an Act of Parlia ment, must be completely registered, it follows that all companies, with very few exceptions, must be completely registered, for it is clear that companies must be who do not require an Act of Parliament, sec. 2. The excepted companies are banking com panies, and other societies named in that section ; to which companies it is expressly declared the Act shall not apply in any part. Therefore, sec. 26 is a general enactment as to all to which the Act is applicable; but the above argument affirms it is a special provision. 2. The assertion that sec. 26 applies to all companies "completely registered" is founded on the use of those words in the first sentence ; but it is obvious that if all companies to which the Act ix any way applies must be " completely registered," those words are super fluous, and the expression " any joint-stock company," and " any joint-stock company completely regis tered," are identical, and it must be conceded that the words " no joint-stock company" would not be a special provision as to railway companies. It may be said this is giving no effect to the words " completely registered." If that were so, it is using them no worse than the argument referred to, but the true meaning of the sentence is, "no shareholder in any joint-stock company, although or after it is com • pletely registered," &c. It will also be found that " registered," and " completely registered," are used indiscriminately. 3. It is admitted to be a good way of construing an Act of Parliament with an ex cepting clause, to read every sentence as though the excepting clause was included in it, unless some contradiction or incongruity follows. If so, the sentence in sec. 26 would be read, " no shareholder of any joint-stock conipany completely registered under this Act, except companies for making rail ways, which cannot be carried into execution without the authority of Parliament," &c. And it must be conceded, that in such rendering there is nothing contradictory or absurd. But it is said there are other sections where this test cannot be applied to this Act. Suppose it could not in some sections, that is no season why it should not in others. But it is denied that the rule is not universally applicable to this Act. One section referred is sec. 23, and it is said that the words, "and also in the case of compa nies for making railways," &c., show that the first words in the section, " any company," include rail way companies. This argument admits that hut for the words " and also," and what follows, railway companies would not be within that section ; and it would be admitted, that if, instead of "and also," there had been a fresh enactment, giving railway companies the powers previously given to compa nies in general, then there would have been . no ground for holding railway companies to be In cluded in the words " any company. So the same admission should be made if after the words " and also," there had been these words, "in addition to the beforementioned powers, in the case of companies for making railways," &c.; but the words " and also" mean exactly the same thing without as with the sup posed words. The beforementioned rule of construc tion, therefore, is perfectly applicable to this section ; the first part does not apply to railway companies; the words " and also" (at the outside) incorporate all provisions of the first with the second part; and even this may be doubtful, for it is a great question if railways can aCt "provisionally" otherwise than as pointed out in the latter part of the section 4th. The es !argument assumes, that railway cornpan: must be , completely registered ; but this is not so. There is no express enactment that any company sh, lll com pletely register; the only way in which con, =lies are compelled so to do, is that they can ont)" act provisionally till they are, sec. 7. But rails, "7 companies may do everything necessary to olytea.n an Act, without complete registration, sections 25, 26 ; and when they have their Act, then they are not longer subject to the provisions of the sta tute in question. It is true, railway companies. may register completely, sec. 9 ; but they are not bound to do so ; and the expression in sections 10 and :11, and others, ",joint-stock companies com pletely registered under this Act, except such com panies as shall have been incorporated by Act of Par liament after complete registration," while it shows they may so register, shows also that Acts may be obtained without such registration, or the words in italic are idle. 5. The enactment that no shareholder shall receive a dividend is ridiculous when applied to railway companies ; which cannot act (see the first proviso as to such companies, sec. 25) till au thorised by a particular statute, at which time they are no longer subject to the statute in question, sect. 25, last proviso. And it is totally inapplicable to companies incorporated by statute after their incorporation, so that there is an inevitable excep tion in it, notwithstanding its supposed ge nerality. Moreover, a railway company would be entitled to complete registration, with no other deed than the subscription contract (sec. 9). As far as in tention can be guessed at, sec. 26 was not intended to apply to railway companies. The prior sections apply sometimes to one, sometimes to both classes of com panies. Those which require an Act of Parliament are brought to the condition of applying for it, the others are brought to a working condition, and sec tion 26th, and the following, regulate the working of 1 such latter companies. It is certain sec. 27 does not apply to railway companies, yet the argument re ferred is as good to show it does, as to show sec. 26 does. It is no judicial ground for expounding the Act, but it may be observed that in the margin of sec. 26 is the word " shareholders ;" in that of 27, " directors ;" 28, " auditors;" and so of other sections ; showing that in the mind of the ab stractor of the sections, sec. 26 and the following were applicable to the same companies, one regulating shareholders, others directors, other auditors. 7. It by no means follows that if the first part of sec. 26 applies to railway companies, the latter part does. be words " and further," are found for nearly the first time in a statute, to connect one enactment with another; they seem intended to make a sort of pro viso on a power to transfer shares, which, however, is not before given by the Act; therefore they are unapt words. But taken as the beginning of a substantive enactment, not limiting anything going before, the c tinstruction of the clause will not be affected by its being stuck into sec. 26, when it might as well have been anywhere else. As a proviso its true place is in sec. 54: which, however, it contradicts. Moreover it is a penal clause, not to be unnecessarily extended. On these grounds it is contended that there is no rea son for holding sec. 26 to apply to railway companies, and many hold it does not. --Morning Paper. BURGLARY AND ATTEMPTED. MURDER. BRINT WOOD, THURSDAY.—Yesterday, at the petty sussion held at the village of Orsell, a few miles dis tant, considerable interest was excited by the exami nation of two ill looking young men, named George Freeman and James Scovell, before the magistrates, on the twofold charge of having committed a des perate burglary and made a diabolical attempt at murder. The prisoners were brought up by Mr. Thomas Coulson, the superintendent of the county police ; and during the examination, which lasted more than four hours, the Court was much crowded by the gentry, farmers, and others of the neighbour hood. The evidence adduced was very conclusive ; and the . subjoined narrative will be found to detail the whole of the facts of this alarming affair. On the night of Friday last, the 18th inst., Mr. William F. Stevens, a farmer, residing in the district termed Bulphan Fell, near Orseu, retired to rest, as also his two sisters, who alone live with him in the house, at ten o'clock. Nothing transpired until about half-past one o'clock on the following morning, when, hearing a noise in the room which was immediately under the one he slept in, and, thinking it was thieves, he got up, and on opening the window gently and looking out he saw a light shining through a hole in the lath and plaster in front of the house, and by which the burglars had gained an entrance. He instantly armed himself with two pistols which he kept by his bed side, loaded, and then peeped out of the window, and on looking through the hole saw in the room three men. One, who had his face blackened, with a white Guernsey frock on, instantly on seeing Mr. Stevens, rushed close up to him, and said, " You --, you die !" and fired a pistol at him without injuring hi n. Mr. Stevens then aimed one of his pistols at the ruffian, which missed fire, and noticing the burglar was making after him, he ran away. The villain, however, still followed him, but did not gain upon him, and finding the chase ineffectual, he fired another pistol at Mr. Stevens, within seven or eight yards from him, but fortunately it did not take effect. The courageous farmer turned round and attempted to return the compliment by firing another of his pistols, but it also missed fire. The burglar then returned to the farm, alarmed his comrades, and they then no doubt made off. Mr. Stevens lost no time in proceeding to the police station at Orsell to give them the necessary information. Mr. Superintendent Coul son promptly forwarded mounted and armed officers in all directions in the vicinity of the burglary, and so surrounded it as to prevent almost the possibility of the villains escaping. As soon as daylight broke, a police-constable, James Birdseye, No. 128, stationed at a place called Herongate, traced the footsteps of the burglars from the farm-house for upwards of two miles, and then saw where one had left and taken an other course. He pursued the latter, and, on going a few yards, found one of the prisoners, who gave the name of George Freeman, lying in a thick hedge, and sheltered by long grass. He was forthwith taken into custody, and briefly examined before the local magistrate of Bulphan, who remanded him until yes terday, in order to give the police time for the capture of the other two burglars. Mr. Superintendent Coul son, having received some very important informa tion, sent Mr. Inspector Smith to London, while he proceeded on to Chelmsford. Mr. Smith, after tracing the prisoner James Scovell about the east-end of the metropolis, succeeded on Sunday night in apprehend ing him in Ratcliffe-highway, and . conveyed him to Orsell for examination with Freeman. They were then identified as having been seen on the night of the 18th instant, at the George public-house, at a neighbouring village, called Corbets Tey, together about ten o'clock, and drinking out of one pot. Scovell was then noticed to have a handkerchief tied across his shoulders like a shot-belt, which appears to have had the Guernseyeshirt rolled tightly in it. They were distinctly sworn to by the servant of the public house, who deposed that they left about eleven o'clock on the morning of the burglary. Mr. Superintendent Coulson made, a minute examination of the footsteps, and plainly saw that two of the men had ran away without shoes, and one with shoes. He instantly had the marks covered over to prevent them blowing away, so as to preserve them, and after Scovell had been captured Mr. Coulson took his shoes to the field, and found them exactly correspond with the footsteps of the person who had quitted with his shoes on. There were two nails protruding from the edge of the right boot, which rendered the identification more complete. Scovell is the one supposed to have fired the pistol at Mr. Stevens. lie has been in the habit of wandering about the country hawking brushes, tea-trays, and other trifling articles. In answer to the Bench, the prisoners denied the charges preferred against them in the most positive manner. The Chairman (the Rev. Thomas Hand) remarked that the evidence was very satisfactory, and he should commit all the prisoners for trial on the two charges. The prisoners were then removed, strongly hand cuffed, and conveyed to the county gaol at Chelmsford, Lord Granville Somerset has left town for Westbrook Herefordshire. CART ACCIDENT.—About one o'clock on Thursday morning an accident of a very serious character hap pened to a woman named Mary Smith, living at 7, Dean street, Westminster. She, with some other friends, were returning home down Tothill-street, and when they had got near the Abbey, her foot slipped off the curb-stone, and a dray at that time going by, she was knocked down and the wheel went over her loins. It was at first feared that she could not survive, and she was taken to the Westminster Hospital, when it was found the injuries were not so serious as might have been expected, and she is likely to recover. STOCKTON AS IT WAS, AND AS IT Is.—ln 1788, Stockton imported coals for the consumption of the town— the duty on the consumption of the coals brought coastwise ss. 6d. per chaldron, . having amounted in that year to 117/. Ss. 1 1 ,d. Last year (1844), the port of Stockton ex ported coals, coastwise and foreign, to the extent of 1,621,2 27 tons. Whitelizven and Berwick are now coal exporting places ; yet in 1788 the former paid duty 431. 95., and the latter 9 , 11. I 7s. 10(1. on coals imported for home consumption. —Cat lisle Journal.. DESTRUCTIVE FIRE. —LIVERPC Or, W.EDNESDAY.— A dreadful file broke out at an early hour this morning at the extensive iron foundry of Messrs. Smith and Willey, in Sinithdown-lane, called the Edgehill and Windsor Foundry. The alarm was first given about three o'clock, and when the engines arrived the whole building was in a blaze, and we re gret to say there was a very great deficiency of water in the first instance. The consequence was, the flames spread ra pidly, and all efforts to arrest their progress were abortive, until the roof had fallen in and the first floor burned through. The building is completely gutted, and at present only the front outer walls are standing. About 300 workmen are thrown out of employment by this catastrophe. The damage is estimated at nearly 20,000/. Many valuable patterns were destroyed, and all the machinery. The insurance is said to amount to only 8,0001. in the West of England office. About 4,0001. of the stock of machinery now destroyed had only been lodged in the building a few weeks ago. Nothing is known at present of the origin of the fire.