The Sun. — London, England, 1853-12-30 00:00:00

THEATRE ROYAL] DRURY-LANE. Lessee, Mr. E. T. Smith. THIS EVENING, Dic. 30, Will be performed GWYNNETH VAUGHAN. Characters by Messrs. Belton And o - A/organ, Miss Featherstone, &c. After which, DJ -LATE ATTENTIONi. To conclude with' KING HUMMINGTOP ; or, Harlequin and the Land of Toys. THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Under the management of Mx.•Backstone. THIS EVENING, DEc. 30, Will be performed THE HOPE OF THE FAMILY. Characters y Messrs. Chippendale, Compton, Buckstone, and W. Farren ; Mrs. Buckingham, Mrs. Poynter, Mrs. Fitswilliam, and Miss E. Grey. After which, a Grand CHRISTMAS PANTOMIME, called HARLEQUIN AND THE THREE BEAR; ; or, Little Silverhair and the Fairies. Columbine, Miss M. Brown; Harlequin, Mr. J. Marshall : Pantaloon, Mr. W. A. Barnes; Clown, Mr. H. Marshall. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE, OXFORD-STREET. Under the Management of Mr.. CsAlums KERN. THIS EVENING, Disc. 30, Will be performed THE CORSICAN BROTHERS. Principal character by Mr. C. Kean. After which will be presented a new Grand CHRISTMAS PAN TOMIME, entitled HARLEQUIN AND THE MILLER AND HIS MEN; or, King Salamandar and the Fairy of the Azure Lake. Harlequin, Mr. Cormack ; Clown, Mr. Huline ; Pantaloon, Mr. Paulo; and Columbine, Miss Desborough. LYCEUM THEATRE. "Under the Management of Madame Vestris. THIS EVENING, DEC. 30, Will be performed A BACHELOR OF ARTS. Characters by Messrs. C. Mathews, F. Matthews, and Baker ; Miss F. Hughes. After which, an original Fairy Extravaganza, called ONCE UPON A TIME THERE WERE TWO KINGS. Principal cha racters by Mr. Wright and Madame Vestris. To conclude with PATTER VERSUS CLATTER. THEATRE ROYAL ADELPUI. Proprietor, Mr. B. Webster.—Directress, Madame Celeste. Rare Christmas Amusements—The Great Attraction of London— .. One of the Sights of London"—The Sea of Ice and Marvellous Attelphi Effects in the exciting new Nautical Drama of " THE THIRST OF GOLD," every Evening—A new Grand Fairy Spec tacle, NUMBER NIP. THIS EVENING, DEC. 3), And during the Week, the Popular New Nautical Melo-drama. In Rye tableaux, with new scenery, the Sea of Ice, &c., new dresses and appointments, called THE THIRST OF GOLD; or, THE LOST SHIP AND THE WILD FLOWER OF MEXICO. Principal characters by Messrs. B. Webster, Keeley. Paul Bedford, 0. Selby, Parselle, Marsden, &c. ; Madame Celeste, Mrs. Leigh Murray, Miss F. Maskell, &c. ; 'with an entirely new grand specta cglar legendary Christmas piece, in two act , ', with new scenery, dresses, machinery, and appolutinent4, called NUMBER NIP, or TIIE SPIRIT BRIDE. Principal characters by Madame Celeste, Mrs. Keeley, Miss Woolgar, Miss M. Keeley, Miss Cuthbert, Miss C. Harding; Messrs. Paul Bedford, J. Rogers, Romer, G. Lee, &c. ROYAL OLYMPIC THEATRE. Lessee and Manager. Mr. A. Wigan. THIS EVENIIS-o, D im . 30, (And during the week), Will he performed PLOT AND I'A.SSION. Principal characters by Mr. F. ltobson and Mrs. Stirling. After which, a new htstorico-geographical CHRISTMAS PAN TOM I NIE, called H AI:LEWIN COLUMBUS ; or, The Old World and the Now. Hallequin, Mr. F. Moreland; Pantaloon, Mr. IV. Rochez; awl Columbine, Miss Wyndham. STRAND THEATRE, Sole Lessee, Mr. F. W. AHcroft.—Directress, Miss Rebecca Isaacs. THIS EVENING, DEC. 30, The Performan'es will commence with the Opera of THE IRISH EMIGRANT'S DREAM. Principal bharacters by Miss •G. Hodson, Mr. 11, Msnley, Miss R. Isaacs, Miss Fanny Reeves, &c After which, a new grand Comic Christmas Pantomime entitled lIARLEQULN AND KIND NUTCRACKER; or, The World of Toys. Clown, by the inimitable Flexmore ; Harlequin, Mr. Bologna; Pantaloon, Mr. Griffiths; Columbine, Miss Coward. After which, THE PIT OF THE PUBLIC. Principal characters by Mademoisele de Lanc7 and Miss Rebecca Isaacs. Stalls, Sc.; Boxes, 41.; Pitt, 2:.; Gallery, is. ; Private Boxes, 11. Is., to be had of Mr.. Aileron, lb, New Bond-street. ASTLEY'3 EUROPE'S NATIONAL AMPEUTHEITRE. Lessee and Manager, Mr. W. Cooke. Grand combination of attraction for the Holidays. The only Eques trian k'antomtme in the Metropolis, and the wonderful Performing Elephants. THIS EVENING, DEC. 30, (And eurlng the week.) The New Grand Equestrian Chinese , Spectacle, entitled " THE WISE ELEPHANTS OF THE EAST; or, THE UAOIC GONG-- in which Mr. W. Cooke's wciadro a Elephants will appear. Followed by a series of Mr. Wdi. Coolie's matenlesi scenes of Equestrianism in THE CIRCLE, by the talented artistes of this establishment. After which, a New Grand Equestrian CHRISTMAS COMIC PANTOMIME, written expressly for this Theatre, by Mr. NELSON LEE, entitled BILLY BUT I'ON'S JOURNEY TO BREXTFORD ; or, Harlequin and the Ladles' Favourite. New scenery, dre-ses, decorations, and appointments, magnificent Car of Industry, &c. Harlequin, Mr. H. Hemmings; Columbine, Mdlle Christine; Pantaloon, Mr. Lehman; and Two Clowns, Mr. C. Adams and Mr. Croneste ; Sprites, Masters Gee and Braibury. A MORNING PERFORMANCE on JAN. 2, commencing at two• Juvenile MOH ou THITRSD aY, JAN. 5, when the Comic Panto mime will commence the Performances. lien-office open !torn Eleven till Four. Stage Manager, Mr. W West. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Tuis DAT —Morning 20 min.after 1 Evening 46 min.aft. 1 To-Monaow—Moruing 13 inin.after 2 Evening 40 min.aft. 2 THE WEATIIER.--Sos OFFICE ' Dna. 30. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 39—highest since noon yesterday. 28—lowest this morning and during the night. 41—this day at noon. The thermometer had gone down in the parks and suburbs of London to 10 and 12 points lower than in town, having been as low as 15 below freezing. BAROMETER, 29 . 61--a fall of three-quarters of an inch since yesterday. WIND, W.N.W.—Smart breeze, and a rapid thaw. Two O'CLOCK.—The wind has suddenly veered to N., with strong gusts and a heavy fall of snow. It rained in the forenoon. ffi~~ 0. 1 "7, Altato LONDON, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1353. As anticipated for some time past—Parliament will meet "for the despatch of business " at the beginning of February. It was so resolved at the Privy Council held yesterday—the Legisla ture being again prorogued, but this time until Tuesday, the 31st of January. So that before cockcrow on the morning of Wednesday, the Ist of February, the session will in real earliest have commenced. This is exactly as could have been desired, as well as precisely what had been anticipated. Once assembled, the representatives of the people will summon the occupants of the Treasury Bench to the bar of public opinion. The people of England themselves will, at length, ha ve an opportunity of deciding upon the culpability, or freedom from culpability, of the Coalition —s o soon as the prominent members of that Coalition shall have favoured the House with their expla nations. For these explanations must no loiter, cannot very well any longer, be merely par tial—or distinguished, as heretofore, by enor mous and wholesale reservations. The time has gone by for the continuance of the reserve hitherto found so ef f icacious for evading the inquisitiveness of the Opposition, and so convenient for screening the difficulties and demerits of the Government. The country has had enough, and more than enough, of the diplo matic etiquette which last session sealed the lips of the leaders of the Administration. The Earl of ABERDEEN in the House of Peers, and Lord JOHN RUSSELL in the House of Commons, will have to make a clean breast of it in regard to the foreign policy of the Cabinet, as well as in refer ence to the convulsive shifts and twistings of its internal organisation. For—not one— but two • bones of contention will be at once w r angled over by the Ministry and the Opposi tion. The Eastern Question and Lord PALMER STON'S reBiglaatiOß. The Eastern Question—not settled eight m onths ago as it might have been by the adoption of an energetic policy by our Ad ministrators, but eo rapncated more and more until it has emerged into a difficulty involving the perils of a general war, the fruit of ministerial fatuity, nourished by diplomatic i ncapac i ty, and ripened by a protracted course of abortive negotiations. For this odious fatu ity and criminal incapacity, th© Cab inet will now in a few weeks have to account in the presence of the observant country, and 1 , the hearing of the assembled Legislature—for this fatuity and incapacity, as well as for the folly o f the late retracted resignation. Happily for the peace of mind of the community, it can now cal culate the time that must elapse before the arrival of the long-wished -for day of reckoning. It has long been regretted by the humane that provision has never been made, either on our steam-boats or on our railroads, for the better accommodation of even the second, but especially of the third-class passengers. Again, and again, and again—STERNE was right in his preference of our neighbours. Again, and again, and again be it said—they do manage these things better in France. At any rate upon the railroads. Enter a continental railway carriage to-morrow, enter one at Calais, or at Boulogne—and you will find that the comfort of the traveller has been cared for in a manner that would excite astonishment in the minds of those accustomed only to the sys tem heretofore in vogue among ourselves. There the " second"-class railway carriage is in all essential particulars equal to our " first"—padded with cushions, rendering enjoyable the otherwise irksome and perhaps intolerable time consumed in the process of locomotion. There the " third class," with its ingeniously arranged benches, windows, curtains, and jalousies, will be found— more peculiarly in summer time—a vast deal better than our " second :" that dingy structure of planks, especially contrived, it would seem, for the realisation of any one's most distressful notion of the uncomfortable. If, however, our railroad system in this respect is objectionable, the system adopted on our steam-packets must be condemned, surely, as something worse than simply objectionable--as actually cruel—and, therefore, as demanding our sternest reprobation. Everybody who has ever crossed either the British or St. George's Channel—and who among us, nowadays, has not visited either France or Ireland ?—must have remarked the miserable plight in which the poorer voyagers have been compelled in bad weather to arrive at their desti nation. It must there and then have been ob served that the alternative offered to the public has rested exclusively between the cabin and the deck or steerage. Either the traveller must be a cabin passenger or a deck passenger. Either he must purchase simply and solely a " passage" (in the 'latter capacity) without finding him self supplied with even the smallest or most trivial pretence at accommodation —or he must pay very largely in comparison (iu the former capacity) for shelter from the in clemencies of sky and water. To families re moving with restricted means across either channel the pecuniary difference involved in this alternative between the cabin' and the deck or steerage, is a matter, of course, of really serious consideration. It is important, to be sure, even for individuals but especially important for families, including, perhaps, a delicate mother and a sickly group of children. We have wit nessed the extent of the evil here alluded to, not only in steam-boats crossing over to France and Ireland, but in others likewise—such, for example, as the packets skirting our own coasts, and direct ing their course towards Wales and Scotland. During stormy or simply rainy and windy nights, the discomfort to which the unfortunate deck passengers are frequently doomed by this culpable lack of consideration, is something absolutely dis tressing to contemplate. Men . and women, girls and boys, even sometimes infants at the breast, are huddled about deck anywhere and everywhere among the ropes or under cover of the paddle boxes, exposed to sleet, snow, rain, spray, dew, wind, frost, fog, and all manner of inclement weather, accordingly as the season of the year may be when they are compelled to buy a passage in the steam-vessel. Those who are better off in the world—those who are, as the phrase is, " well to do" among the fellow-passengers—sleep com fortably through the night, snugly tucked up in their blankets below, in a berth, or on a cabin sofa —but the unlucky wights who can't pay more than moderately for the luxury of the journey, are enduring some one or other, or perhaps it, may happen two or three at a time, of the ills above enumerated. What adds deplorably to the hardship is the circumstance that these poor " deck passengers" are more frequently the worst clad of all on board—the most thinly clothed—the least prepared to brave through a whole night the trials and tortures of foul weather. Nothing is done for them. Their situation has not even the solace of the shabbiest attempt at alleviation. If the rain, or snow, or sleet, floods down upon them in a torrent, they must shield themselves as they best may under some thread bare coat or ricketty umbrella. Now surely, in the name of common sense, and of very homely benevolence, these evils might readily enough be obviated. They might be got rid of cheaply and speedily enough by some such simple device as the construction of a sort of supplementary cabin, or plain, unadorned saloon, capable, at a trivial cost, of accommodating the deck passengers, and of screening them from much physical wretchedness. Happily, this sensible notion has of late been adopted on board one of the Belfast steam-vessels—the Minerva—a packet in which, between the cabin passage at 10s., and the deck passage at 35., there is now (in a second cabin passage at 55.) the option of an intermediate price, and reasonable accommodation. It is ear- ' nestly to be hoped that this rational and humane arrangement—made by Captain LYAL, the com mander of the vessel here (we conceive, judici ously and honourably) particularised—may be imitated before long very generally in the packet service alongshore or across either of the Chan nels. It is an aspiration that must command the sympathy of every practical philanthropist. Are women regarded in the City of London as animals of an inferior grade, whom any ruffian may insult and abuse with comparative impunity ? Are they to receive even the inadequate protection afforded by law in the ancient domain of Gog and Magog ? or are they to be exposed to the most outrageous and wanton injuries without redress ? It would certainly seem as if the Aldermen had combined together to shelter the cowardly mis creants who indulge their " mysogonism" by assaulting women without the slightest provoca tion, and who think that they exhibit a manly spirit by refusing even the poor satisfaction of an apology, or expression of regret, for the brutality of which they have been guilty. We frequently blush for our country when recording the dis graceful conduct of some uneducated and depraved scoundrel who had assaulted his inoffensive wife on his retur n from a drinking bout, in which he had squandered the means so urgently required for the support of his miserable and neglected family. We have felt it to be a blot upon the national escutcheon that such a wre t c h s h ou ld merely be sent off in the police van for a few months' imprisonment, although "hard labou r " f or th e time be incidental to the sentence. We have re luctantly recognised the necessity for the applica tion of the " cat-o'-nine - tails" in such cases , an d the scourging soundly administer e d i n pu b l i c, so that the indelible disgrace might be even more dreaded than the pain of the flagellation. But what must be the feelings of every man when they find a well-dressed person, said to be the member of a respectable body, permitted to escape on pay ment of a trifling pecuniary fine, from the conse quences of a most outrageous assault upon a lady whom he had never seen before, against whom he could have entertained no feelings of animosity, but whom he assailed merely because she was un attended by a male companion, and therefore, as the ruffian conceived, unprotected, and a fitting object for insult and injury ? On Monday evening a lady—on whom we shall not inflict the pain of repeating her name in rela tion to this atrocious outrage—was returning with her daughter from a friend's house, where she had been spending the evening of the day granted as the Christmas holiday in the city. On Ludgate hill she found that her boot-lace had got loose, and stopped in order that her daughter might fasten it. While thus engaged, JAMES TRACY, a person who described himself (we trust errone ously) as a commercial traveller, passed by. Ac cording to the statement of the injured lady, he was not tipsy, although he had evidently been drinking. He could not, it appears, resist the temptation of " a lark" at the expense of an un protected female. He accordingly pulled up a portion of her dress. Naturally indignant at the wanton outrage, she pushed him from her, and told him to go away, upon w hi c h h e struc k h er a violent blow in the face, the marks of which remained when she appeared in Court. TRACY was not alone. He had a companion of a congenial disposition, who was very drunk, and used very bad language to the complainant. Unfortunately, however, the ine- 1 briated scoundrel was permitted to escape without the exposure he so richly merited. TRACY was,, THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 30, 1853. however, given into custody, and brought before Alderman MUSGROVE to answer for his offence. But here comes the almost incredible part of the story. With singular forbearance the injured lady offered to accept an apology, and withdraw the complaint. It is probable that a natural repugnance to appearing in a police court, and having her name exposed, was the cause of this unparalleled leniency. The valorous TRACY, how ever, rejected the offer, refusing to make the slightest concession. Nay, more, when before the Alderman, the following day, he aggravated his original offence by instructing his advocate— a gentleman by Act of Parliament—to put ques tions tending to show that the complainant had acted as if she had been one of the unfortunate creatures who walk the streets for a precarious and degraded subsistence. Such was the nature of the cross-examination, that, on leaving the witness-box, the unfortunate lady fainted away, and was compelled to be carried out of court. For this aggravated outrage, or rather series of outrages, the high-minded Tracy was fined 405., or a month's imprisonment. It is scarcely neces sary to add that the fine was immediately paid, and that the defendant was dismissed, rejoicing at the decided cheapness of his frolic. The following day, another respectably-dressed person, who was named Joint ANDERSON, and who described himself as an artist, was charged at Worship-street Police Court ; but, for tunately for himself, not before Mr. HANimmL, for wantonly insulting two young ladies (sisters), and assaulting one of them. • It appeared that having been at the house of a relative on Tuesday evening, they had returned by omnibus to the neighbourhood of their destination, and were pro ceeding a short distance on foot. This was an irresistible temptation to ANDERSON, who endea voured to push bet Ween them, wanting them to take his arm. They made no answer, but endea voured to proceed, while he continued " forcing his conversation on them." At length he forcibly separated them, declaring that they should take his arm. One of the sisters (who appeared with a severe bruise and swelling on the right temple) at once said that if he would not desist she would give him into custody of, the first con stable she saw. As he still persisted, the sisters ran to the opposite side of the street, but were followed by ANDERSON, who struck them both, knocking down and severely injuring the one who had spoken. Fortunately, a gentleman was at tracted by the screams of the sufferers. He asked ANDERSON, who was walking rapidly away, what was the matter, and received the careless reply, " Oh, they're drunk ! " His protection was, how ever, claimed, and he at once gave the scoundrel into custody. It was outside the boundaries of the City, and therefore an apology and even com pensation was offered. Intoxication was the de fence set up. The presiding magistrate, however, inflicted a fine of 51., or, in default, two months' imprisonment. The fine not being paid, the valiant- ANDERSON was conveyed to the House of Correction in the police van. Now, we ask, could any merely pecuniary penalty be an adequate vindication of the law in either of these cases. It is scoundrels like TRACY and ANDERSON who render it unsafe for respect able females to go even a short distance, unat tended, after nightfall. There is, perhaps, no continental city where females of any class would be subjected to such wanton outrages ; and well dressed ruffians like those above alluded to, should be treated with even greater severity than drunken tailors or shoemakers. Nothing but a good flagel lation will remove the propensity thus strongly developed by the par Mobile fratrum, TRACY and ANDERSON, and it would materially assist the efficacy of such punishment if a hearty drubbing was administered by the indignant spectators. Oh ! for one hour of the sturdy draymen of BAR CLAY and PERKINS. The vicinity of Bankside is the locality in which such heroes as TRACY and ANDERSON should be turned loose, with ample notice of the conduct of which they had been guilty, but for which they had not been adequately punished. COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, DEC. 29. The following had the honour of dining with her Ma jesty yesterday :—Lord and Lady John Russell and Mr. Gibbs. The band of the Ist Life Guards attended in the Castle during dinner, and played the following pieces : March, Armee, on Melodies by the King of Hanover. Overture, " Die lustigen Weiber von - Windsor" ... ... Otto Nicolai. Morgengebeth der Zigeuner (Op. jH.R. H. the Duke Casilda) of Saxe Coburg. Walzer, "La Figli a del Reggimento" Guernsey. Selection, " Rigoleitti" ... Verdi. Galo, Masquerade, " Corsican Bro- thers" Prasca. Polka, " Bonvivant"... Herzog. Her Majesty's private band afterwards attended, and played the following compositions : Overture, Selection, "Marco Spada" Auber. Adagio, Minuetto, Trio, e Finale (Sinfonia) ... Beethoven. Prince Albert, with the Prince of Wales and Prince Alfred, attended by the Gentlemen in Waiting, skated on the ice in the Home Park this morning. Several officers of the regiments quartered at Windsor had the honour of joining his Royal Highness. The Queen, accompanied by Lord and Lady John Russell, walked down the ice, and remained a conside rable time. • Lord Raglan has been invited, and is expected to-day. The Earl of Aberdeen, the Lord Chancellor, Sir James Graham, the Chancellor of the E x ch equer , E ar l Gran ville, the Right Hon. Sidney Herbert, Lord Ernest Bruce, and the Hon. W. Bathurst, travelled from Lon don to attend the Privy Council, in a special train, on the Great Western Railway, and arrived at the Castle soon after two o'clock. Luncheon was served to the noblemen and gentlemen soon after their arrival. At half-past four o'clock the Lord Chancellor, the Earl of Aberdeen, Lord Ernest Bruce, Sir J. Graham, the Right Hon. Sidney Herbert, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and the Hon. W. Bathurst, took their de parture, and returned to town by a special train on the Great Western Railway. A deputation from the leather trade had an interview yesterday with the Right. Hon. E. Cardwell, at the Board of Trade. The deputation consisted of Mr. Jas. Powell, Mr. Boutcher, Mr. T. Lawrence, Mr. T. Hep burn, Mr. W. H. Cox, Mr. James Bevington, and Mr. T. Powell. Count Pourtales, charged with a special mission from his Majesty the King of Prussia, arrived in London on Sunday night. ARIINDEL.—The Duke of Norfolk, with his accustomed liberality at Christmas, caused two fat oxen to be dis tributed amongst his labourers in his employ, besides bread, fuel, and clothing. The Earl of Arundel and Surrey has been staying a few days at Arundel Castle, on a visit to his noble relatives. Lord and Lady Edward F. Howard are stitl'at the castle. Lord and Lady Foley were expected to return to the castle on Monday. Lord Manners took his departure from Arundel Castle last Saturday.—Brighton Gazette. We have pleasure in hearing that his Grace the Duke of Devonshire has, for the purpose of enlarging his ma rine residence at Kemp Town, purchased the adjoining mansion, lately occupied by Colonel Peile. The duke continues at Kemp Town, we are happy to say, in the enjoyment of good health.—Brighton Gazette. FASHIONABLE MOVEMENTS AT BRIGHTON. The Duchess of Montrose has taken her departure for Lon don ; Lady Chantrey is among the fashionables staying at the Pier Hotel ; Sir Ralph and Lady Howard are prolonging their stay ; Sir Thomas M‘Mahon has left for London ; Col. Purvis and family are passing the winter at Hastings ; Lady Bonham and son, after a stay of two months, took their departure last Saturday for London. Captain and Mrs. Vandarspar arrived on Saturday last. The Rev. Dr. Cardwell and family took their departure last Saturday. Miss Burdett Coutts is among the latest arrivals at the Bedford Hotel. The Earl and Countess of Stamford and Warrington left last Saturday. Captain Piper, 46th Regiment, has arrived at Stanbrook House. The Baroness Braye is daily expected in Brunswick-terrace. Admiral Ryder Burton, K.H., and the Hon. Mrs. Ryder Burton, have removed to Regency-square. Mrs. and Miss Wood ruffe have arrived at 11, Montpelier-crescent. Mr. and Mrs. John Curling 'have taken their departure. The arrivals include Sir William Fraser, Viscount Wellesl e y, Mr. and Mrs. E. Cardw e ll, R ev . W. and Miss Harness, Rev. Mr. Middleton, Hon. G. S. Osborne, Colonel Phillips, Colonel Daniells, Captain Webster, Colonel Clinton, and the Rev. Thomas Ward and family. Brighton Gazette of yesterday. DINNER TO Ross S. MoORE, ESQ., M.P.—The friends and supporters of Ross S. Moore, Esq. M.P., propose to invite him to a public dinner in the Tontine rooms, Armagh, on Wednesday evening, the 11th of January next, and already a considerable number have signified their intention of being present. LATEST FOREIGN NEWS. RUSSIA AND TURKEY. By telegraph we learn that the Moniteur, of this morning, announces that, according to the latest advices from Constantinople, the Divan was in per fect harmony with the representatives of France, England, Austria, and Prussia, as to the conditions on which the Porte could with honour concur in the re-establishment of peace. The intelligence of the acceptance by the Porte of the Note of the Vienna Conference is con firmed by despatches received in Paris on Wed nesday at the Foreign-office. Turkey has ac cepted the propositions of the allies ; but of the intentions of Russia nothing certain is known— certainly not by the French Government. The only Power that is believed to be deep in the con- Memo of the Czar, and to be cognizant of the manner in which he will receive these advances, is Austria—and Austria is silent. The Austrian Minister gives no indication, makes no sign, and affects—for no one believes that it is anything but affectation—to be ignorant of the designs of the friend and protector of his Imperial master. This sinister silence gives rise to misgivings that even at this eleventh hour Austria is playing the game she is so well accustomed to, and that her policy, as of old, is one of duplicity. The conduct of the Cabinet of Vienna is exciting much uneasiness. It is said the Moniteur will on an early day con tain a communication explaining the present po sition of the Powers on the Eastern question, and probably announce the acceptance by the Porte of the Vienna propositions. A private letter from St. Petersburg, of the 19th inst., asserts positively that the exchange of rati fications of the treaty, offensive and defensive, between the Shah of Persia and Russia has taken place. The following is from Constantinople, dated De cember 15 :—For the last two or three days the representatives of the Four Powers have had fre quent conferences, at several of which Reschid Pacha was present, for the purpose of elaborating a new and last note which shall sufficiently safe guard the interests of Turkey, and at the same time contain such concessions as should satisfy all the reasonable expectations of the Czar. Not that much hope is entertained that at the eleventh hour the Czar will show himself reasonable, but the Ministers of the Sultan wish to be consistent throughout the course of negotiations, and to ma nifest to the last moment that conciliatory and moderate spirit which has characterised their en tire proceedings. Should this last effort fail, the Porte will have demonstrated its pacific disposition, and the Powers will be irrevocably engaged to lend their energetic support to Turkey. They will have the more reason to do this, since the unfolding of Russian designs in Asia and the entrance of Persia into the quarrel. A Russian war schooner was, on the evening of the 15th inst., driven by stress of weather to take refuge in the Bosphorus. The captain took the precaution to throw his guns overboard, thinking to make the Turks believe that the schooner was a trading vessel. The Turks have taken provisional possession of it, placing forty men on board. A rumour was in circulation at Constantinople that a superior English officer was to arrive shortly, for the purpose of studying the ground around Adrianople, in order to decide on the best ground for encamping an English-Franco expeditionary corps, should it be necessary to send such a body there. On the 12th inst. Constantinople was perfectly tranquil; every kind of provision continued very . dear ; the price of bread had tripled. In the even ing of the day on which the affair of Sinope became known, a band of about 30 Greeks went through the Frank quarter, crying, " Long live the Em peror Nicholas." The Turks, who reside there in great numbers, looked with contempt on this kind of provocation, and allowed these noisy agitators to pass without notice. Though the inhabitants of Constantinople are much affected by the awful disaster at Sinope, everything continues perfectly quiet. As the Sul tan was going to mosque, some thousands of women, the relatives of the unfortunate crews destroyed at Sinope, presented themselves on his passage. These poor people are deprived of all resources—hus bands, brothers, and fathers, their sole support, having perished in the late action. The Sultan has given orders that the salaries of the deceased be continued to their families during lifetime. The Porte has contracted a loan of 30 millions of piastres—about. 260,0001.—with three important banking-Louses at Constantinople. One of them is the firm of Baltazi. It is thought that this money has been raised for the purchase of ships. The news from Asia mentions that the Russians were driven back at Alexandropol. Selim Pacha gained a brilliant victory in the neighbourhood of Laffah. Letters from Trebisonde announce that Daniel Bey has also been victorious at Terek. A letter from Aleppo, 19th ult., says :—" The Arabs of the Desert have raised 5,000 men to take part in the defence of the country. The inhabi tants of Aleppo have received an authorisation to form a regiment of volunteer cavalry, and in a few days after 1,200 horsemen were completely equipped. They have chosen as commandant the Bimbaschi Ahmet Effendi, an officer of great expe rience, who has already served against the Russians. Soliman Pacha invited the Consuls, Pachas, and all the inhabitants to be present at the departure of the troops, and in order to give more eclat to the affair Azmi Pacha appeared with an escort on horse back and preceded by a band of music. Soliman Pacha delivered a very expressive address to the troops." The Journal de Constantinople expresses itself as follows relative to the interruption of diplomatic relations between England and Persia : " In consequence of a serious difference, the represen tative of Great Britain in Persia demanded in an ener getic note prompt satisfaction from the Persian Govern ment. The Shah seemed inclined to grant it, but the Russian Embassy, by its intrigues, succeeded in turning him away from that course. In consequence, the repre sentative of her Britannic Majesty at Teheran considered it his duty to interrupt all diplomatic relations with Persia. The extreme agitation which now exists amongst the Affghans disquiets not only Persia, but even Russia. Something was said some time back of an Affghan Em bassy frdm Dost Mohammed Khan to Persia ; that Embassy has arrived at Teheran. Dost Mohammed is an implacable enemy of Russia, and opposes with the greatest resolution the policy of the Czar in Persia, and in the rest of Asia. His Ambassador is charged with a mission of the greatest importance, and the Prince of Affghan desires ardently to have this mission crowned with success." A private letter from Brailow announces that a brigade of the 7th Russian division, commanded by General Selvane, having quitted Nizir Kenni, to attack Amouchda, an island in the Danube, had got engaged in the marshes, from which it could not extricate itself without severe loss. A letter from Erzeroum of the 4th inst. an nounces that the Shah of Persia had dismissed all the English, French, German, and Italian officers serving in his army. The Russian army in the Cau casus had been reinforced by 15 regiments of Don Cossacks, under the command of General Kre chatiky. The Ottoman Government has published its account of the disaster of Sinope, which does not much differ from details already g i ven . Th e Moga dor and Retribution had brought to Constantinople 110 wounded Turkish seamen and soldiers, the survivors of the massacre. 1,000 men had been found on land at Sinope, 120 were made prisoners by the Russians, and about 3,000 men were slaugh tered. Of the Turkish squadron, seven went to the bottom under the Russian fire, with the dead and wounded on board; two ships blew up, and one was saved. Of their commanders, four survived, four died on the decks of their respective ships, or went living to the bottom with them, and two were taken alive. An English merchant vessel which happened to be at Sinope was fired into and sunk by the Russians, though she had hoisted the flag of her nation, and one of her crew was killed. The others, with the captain, were saved and taken on board the Retribution—an ominous name, it may be, for Russia. Among the commanders killed was Ali Bey, of the Navik frigate, who, having seen the impossibility of resisting the Russians, em barked the few survivors of his ship's crew on board the pinnace. They were fired into by the Russians, and the boat blew up side by side with the frigate to which she belonged. It was the same Ali Bey who formerly commanded the Fagli-Illah when she conveyed to Sardinia the Italian Legion of Hun gary. The Divan has ordered sixteen points of the coast of Anatolia, in the Black Sea, to be fortified. The Paris correspondent of the Times thus com ments upon this brutal affair :—" The private letters from Constantinople confirm the details given in my letter of Sunday week last of the affair of Sinope. The scene of war and desolation that presented itself on the arrival of the steamers from Constantinople was horrible indeed. Nothing in the warfare of the most barbarous period, and on a similar scale, could surpass in cowardly ferocity what has taken place there. That monument of cold-blooded and wanton vengeance will never, I hope, be effaced from the memory of Europe. The massacre continued even after all resistance had long ceased, shows a savageness of nature which feels no generosity for the conquered brave nor pity for the helpless and unoffending. When the Retribution and Mogador arrived on the spot, they found every house destroyed, or still in flames, and the town almost utterly annihilated, mangled bodies and limbs floating about or rotting upon the beach, and the dead and dying scattered among the still burning fragments that strewed sea and shore. It is stated that, even after the docks and ships were destroyed, the Russians poured an incessant shower of grape and canister on the poor wounded wretches who were struggling amid the waves and :.triving to reach the shore, as if the thirst for massacre could not be stayed while one human being sur vived. There is scarcely a letter of the many that have been received from Constantinople that does not speak of this massacre and confla gration, of the treacherous ferocity of tne as sailants' and the desperate heroism of the vic tims-' heroism,' one letter says, that recalls the most devoted courage of ancient times. Of the effect produced at Constantinople by the sad tidings it is superfluous to speak. Crowds of people col lected in the streets and accompanied the families of the victims of Sinope to the residence of the Capudan Pasha, on whom the fault is laid of having sent to the Black Sea a squadron so weak and so unprotected when it was known that the Russians were prowling along the coast of Asia Minor. Their clamours reached the ear of the Pasha, and one account says that he considered it prudent to con ceal himself, lest he should fall a victim to popular vengeance." _ A letter dated Constantinople, the 15th of De cember, says : "The expedition of General Prim is for the present terminated, and the General himself embarks for France on the 25th, but with the intention of returning here in the spring to witness the important events which will undoubtedly take place. The flames of war are such" as can only be extinguished with powder. The disaster of Sinope has somewhat disconcerted these valiant Mussulmans, but it has added to their courage and their desire for vengeance. I have noticed the gross inaccuracies in most of the foreign journals respecting General Prim, and I only hope that sensible people will not give credit to such absurdities. General Prim remained with the Turkish army only a simple spectator, though in his character as a soldi er h e has faithfully and zealously executed the mission in trusted to him by his Government. If he has left a good name behind him, he is indebted for it to his own pru dence, and to the gallantry of the brave Omer Pacha and his Generals. The snow and frost have suspended all operations on the Danube, and all we can now do is to wait for the favourable season." It appears that the General has dealt very sharply with the famous Gortschakoff bulletin of the battle of Oltenitza, which he says will be laughed at by every corporal who may read. He aays•: " I have just come from the head-quarters of Omer Pacha, where I have passed four months. lam a mere soldier, and I went to Schumla simply in the character of an amateur. I consider, therefore, that I am an impartial observer of what goes on under my eyes. The question of orthodoxy and Holy Places does not inte rest me the least in the world, but I do feel desirous that my fellow-soldiers of all nations should know in truth what is taking place on the Danube, and not be misled by the reports of the Russian generals." General Prim then takes up the assertions of Prince Gortschakoff one by one, and refutes them. He convicts General Dannenberg of great incapa city, and General Gortschakoff of boldly attempting to foist on the world a story as absurd as it is un true. He says :—" At the moment when the Russians commenced the attack (on the 4th Nov.), the redoubt was open on both sides, for want of time to complete the works, so that twenty men might have entered on the left and fifty on the right hand. Had the general commanding given himself the trouble, as he ought to have done, to make a reconnaissance, lie would have discovered the weak points of the Turkish position, and might have attacked with great chance of success, and without losing so many brave soldiers as he did. But General Dannenberg doubtless thought that he bad only to advance his infantry and artillery to drive the Turks into the Danube." MEETING OF PARLIAMENT. Yesterday, at the Privy Council held at Windsor, Parliament was ordered to be further prorogued from the 3d of January until Tuesday; the 31st of January, 1854, and a proclamation was issued sum moning Parliament to meet on that day "for the despatch of public business." THE HORSE GUARDS. The Cabinet is not the only chamber in which there is discord, perplexity, and disunion. We hear in every quarter, at all the clubs, military and civil, that at the Horse Guards there is nothing but confusion—other resignations are talked of-- in fact, such is the state of things there, that no thing but a change of the head of the department can restore order and place matters on a proper footing. We hear that business is not transacted, indecision and delay are so prevalent that at this momentous crisis the department appears struck with paralysis. We hear a variety of reasons for this untoward difficulty. We need not say how deeply we regret that such things should be. We hear why a certain most distinguished officer was passed over to fill his lamented master's vacancy. We hear why the adjutant-general resigned. But what giv&s us sincere pleasure to hear is, that the subscription for presenting a testimonial to Lord Raglan is progressing most satisfactorily, one that will be alike honourable to the donors and to the gallant and beloved general.—Morning Herald. DRURY-LANE THEATRE. The great success of E. L Blanchard's excellent Christmas pantomime King Bumming Top, and the Land of Toys, has attracted dense throngs of holiday people here every evening since its representation ; and both as regards the merits of the performances and the patronage bestowed by the public, it may now be said the Old Drury begins to take its wonted position as the first theatrical esta blishment in the metropolis. Let us hope it may long continue to retain this position, and that the time may be very far distant when the portals of the building are shut against the genius of pantomime at such a festive season as the present. For the delectation of the thou sands of juveniles who, fresh from school, now invade the houses of their respective papas and mamas, and long for some opportunity of letting off their long pent up animal spirits, we cannot name any place where the entertain ments are of a better description. Every effort appears to have been made to get together a capacious budget of wit, fun, and frolic ; and, judging from the loud hearty laughter and astonished looks of the young theatre-goers, we opine that Mr. E. T. Smith, the energetic lessee, will have the best wishes of his juve nile friends for a long and happy reign as monarch of this temple of amusement. The second morning perform ance is to take place on Wednesday next, when the boys of the Royal Military School, Chelsea, with their cele brated band, will attend. Tau IRISH LAND QUESTION. —lt is rumoured that the Irish land question—one upon which so many states. men and as many political charlatans have suffered ship wreck—is likely to be taken up in the ensuing session by the Earl of Donoughmore, who means to bring the whole subject of the relations between landlord and tenant in Ireland under the notice of the upper branch of the Legislature. Lord Donoughmore's reputation as a fair and indulgent lordland stands second to none, and his friends maintain that he is in every respect compe tent to fulfil the contemplated task, by submitting such a measure as will go far towards reconciling all interests involved in the settlement of this long-disputed question. Mn. SMITH O'BRIEN.—Such as have any real regard for the honour and good faith of Mr. Smith O'Brien will scarcely be displeased to learn that he has not imitated the e xample of his late f e ll ow pr i soners, and that the re po r ts of his flight are totally destitute of foundation. That they are so is placed b e y on d a ll d ou b t, by the re ceipt of lettersin Dublin from Mr. O'Brien, written from New Norfolk, and bearing date the 18th of Sep tember, just three days later than the date assigned for his escape. THE FORTHCOMING HILARY TEnnt.—Yesterday, on the opening of the common law offices after the holidays, the lists of rules for the forthcoming Hilary Term were exhibited. The numbers have increased since the com mencement of last term. The aggregate of the three courts is 108, of which 52 belong to the Queen's Bench, 9to the Common Pleas, and 47 to the Exchequer. In the new trial paper of the Court of Queen's Bench there are 2 rules standing for judgment, and 21 for argument, whilst in the special paper, demurrer list, &c., there are 4 for judgment, and 19 for argument, besides which there are 6 enlarged rules. In the Court of Common Pleas only 3 demurrers have been entered, there are 2 enlarged rules, and a solitary rule for a new trial, and 3 matters standing for judgment. In the Court of Exche quer there are 6 rules standing for judgment, 2 for argu ment in the peremptory paper, and in the special paper 1 for judgment and 2 for argument. Of new trials there are 3 for judgment, and 33 for argument, making a total of 103 in the three courts. Hilary Term commences ou Wednesday, the llth proximo. IRISH AND SCOTCH RANK RETURNS. The returns of circulation of the Irish and Scotch banks for the four weeks ending the 26th of November, 1853, when added together, give the following as the average weekly circulation of these banks during the past month, viz. :-- Average circulation of the Irish banks £6,379,220 Average circulation of the Scotch banks... 4,286,486 Average circulation during the past month £10,665,706 On comparing the above with the fixed issues of the several banks, as given in the Banking Almanac, the following appears to be the state of the circulation : The Irish banks are above their fixed issue... £24,726 The Scotch banks are above their fixed issue 4199,277' Total above fixed issue £1,224,003 The amount of gold and silver held at the head offices of the several banks during the past month have been as follows : Gold and silver held by the Irish banks..... £1,961,223 Gold and silver held by the Scotch banks... 1,493,784 Total of gold and silver held £3,455,007 These returns, combined with the average ci rcu l a ti on of the Bank of Englund for the same period, show a decrease of 1,366,5171. in the circulation of notes in Eng land, and a decrease of 955,5521. in the circulation of the United Kingdom, when compared with the month ending the 29th of October • and, as compared with the month ending the 27th of dovember, 11852, the aboye returns show a decrease of 716,1751. in the circulation of notes in England, and an increase of 422,5001. in the circulation of the United Kingdom. The average stock of bullion held by the Bank of England in both departments during the month ending the 26th of November was 15,611,2751., being an increase of 298,412/. as compared with the previous month, and a decrease of 5,688,4381. when compared with the same period last year. The stock of specie held by the Scotch and Irish banks during the month ending the 26th of November was 3,455,0071., being an increase of 375,3731. as compared with the previous return, and an increase of 939,837/. when compared with the corresponding period of last year. MONEY ORDER OFFICES.—A notice has been issued from the General Post-office stating that on the Ist of January next, the following minor money-order offices will be raised to major money•order offices : Abergele, Denbighshire ; Bingley, Yorkshire ; Crook, Durham ; Hawkhurst, Kent ; Heywood, Lancashire ; Newcastle- Emlyn, Carmarthenshire ; Northfleet, Kent; Patrington, Yorkshire ; Ramsey, Isle of Man ; Rawtenstall, Lan cashire ; Sandgate, Kent ; Southend, Essex ; Sowerby bridge, Yorkshire; Walton-on-Thames, Surrey; and York Town, Surrey. Minor money-order offices will also be opened at the following places on the respective dates named—Buckden, Huntingdonshire, on the 3d January ; Holme-upon-Spalding-Moor, Yorkshire, on the 10th January ; Newmills, Derbyshire, on the 13th January ; and Schull, County Cork, on the Ist January. ACCIDENT TO AN AUSTRALIAN MAIL VESSEL.—The clipper ship Matilda Wattenbach, Captain Clare, which sailed from the Mersey on the 4th instant, with themails for the various Australian ports, was seen off Lisbon on the Bth inst., in a crippled condition, having lost her topmasts. This unfortunate accident will probably necessitate her putting into that port to refit, and the detention thus caused will throw her out of all chance in the race with her steaming competitor, the Golden Age, which sailed the day after her.—Liverpool Times. HOUSE OF LORDS.—We are requested to state that tickets for viewing the House of Lords will be issued to the public every Saturday, from the Lord Great Cham berlain's office. Tai GIRVAN MIIRDER.—The Ayr Observer furnishes further particulars of this deliberate murder. On the evening of Thursday last, Janet M'Culloch, or Cunning ham, wife of a man named Alexander Cunningham, a labourer in Girvan, was sitting weaving in the house of a man named Hamilton, in Piedmont-road of Girvan, when, about seven o'clock, a rattling noise was heard, as of gravel being thrown against the window near where the woman was working. She naturally turned round to see what it was, when a gun was fired through the window at her, and shot her right through the heart. She uttered one cry, and fell dead on the spot. Some men were weaving in the shop with her, and they immediately gave the alarm ; but as the night was pitch dark, and the shot came from the back of the house, the murderer was not then seized. Suspicion at once attached to the woman's husband, from whom she was separated, who was on bad terms with her for some time, and had been heard to threaten her shortly before, unless she came back to live with him. Cunningham himself came into the house where the body of his wife was lying, about an hour after the murder, and demanded to see her body. He was apprehended on the spot, and on his house being searched a gun was found in it which he had borrowed that morning to shoot a hare, as he said. He was seen in the neigh bourhood of the house in the evening, and from a num ber •f circumstances which have since come to light the strongest suspicions attach to him. The deceased was a quiet, well-behaved woman, and had to leave her husband for continual bad usage, in consequence of which he has been once or twice punished. It is thought he was angry at her for not living with him and sup porting their children, and he is also said to have been jealous of her. The sheriff and fiscal from Ayr were on the spot next morning, and a searching investigation was made into the affair, and Cunningham was trans mitted to Ayr gaol, where he now lies. The murderer must have rested his gun on the ledge of the window and taken a de-Aliy aim, a , _; the poor woman w% ,, , tot above two yards from him when he shot her. Altogether, it is one of the most cold-blooded murders that has disgraced our annals for many yearn. FRANCE. The Paris papers of yesterday had not arrived when we went to press. We have, however, re ceived the following by telegraph M. Visconti has died suddenly. The Bourse yesterday, which was dull at its opening, closed with a rise. There was a rumour of the Sultan having authorised Redschid Pasha to negotiate a peace. The Three per Cents. closed at 74f. 30c. for the end of the month, and the Four-and-a-Half per Cents. at 101 f. 25c. A decree of the Emperor appoints M. Stourm, Councillor of State, to the post of director-general of the Post-office. An imperial decree authorises the formation, under the guarantee of the city of Paris, and under the authority of the Prefect of the Seine, of a bank for the use of the bakers of Paris. It is to be charged to pay for them the amount of their pur chases of corn and flour, and to that effect a credit will be opened to each baker on the deposit of proper securities. Every baker is bound to send to the bank, withilithree days after each acquisition, a declaration of the corn or flour purchased by him, and these declarations will serve as elements to make out the official prices for the month. The bank is authorised to advance to the bakers the amount of the deficiency which may exist be tween the price of bread, as fixed by the municipal council, and the price resulting from the official returns of corn and flour for the month. In order to receive back such advances, the bank is to take as a compensation the sums arising from the surplus existing between the price of bread and that which it ought to be sold for according to the official re turns. If advisable, the operations of the bank are to be extended to the bakers in the other communes of the Seine. The bakers' bank can, with the au thorisation of the Municipal Cc uncil, borrow the funds necessary for the service with which it is charged, and the expense of its administration is to be borne by the city of Paris. _ _ The illo;liteur pdblishes a decree abolishing the restrictions imposed by the rescript of the Bth of February, 1826, on raw cotton imported into France from Great Britain and the British posses sions in Europe. According to the said rescript the produce of Asia, Africa, and America, sent from England and her European possessions into French ports was to be admitted for re-exportation only. It is announced, in quarters generally well in formed on such subjects, that the Emperor is deter mined to extend the principles of free trade, and to reduce the excessive duties payable on the importa tion of various articles used in manufactures. An Imperial decree will shortly appear, it is said, re ducing the duty on cotton thread. It has been observed with pleasure that the great majority of the commissioners appointed to direct the arrange ments of the Great Exhibition to be held in the Champs Elysees in the year 1855 are Freetraders. In the meantime, the partisans of the old system are not idle. Petitions are being signed against the reduction of the duty on English cotton thread. The Moniteur announces all the receptions that are to take place on the occasion of the new year by their Majesties. The diplomatic corps is to be received at half-past eleven on the Ist of January, and there is to be reception of ladies and gentle men in the evening of the 2d. The Debats says :—" Letters from London posi tively state that the English Cabinet into which Lord Palmerston has returned has agreed on the two following points ; the temporary postpone ment of the Electoral Reform Bill, subject to a fresh examination of the question towards the end of the session, and the despatch of instr uc ti ons t o Lord Redcliffe and Admiral Dundas for the imme diate entrance of the English fleet into the Black Sea." • ITALY. A disturbance took place at Barge (Piedmont) on the 19th, under pretence of the high price of provisions. A band of ill-looking fellows from the mountains, reinforced by a party from Bagnolo, suddenly entered the town, it being market-day, and uttered seditious cries, demanding that maize should be sold at 3f. per mina (about 19 litres). The dealers, refusing to comply, the rioters took forcible possession of the sacks containing the maize, and distributed it among themselves. The Royal Carabineers of the locality, though reinforced by those of Za neighbouring place, were unable to put a stop to these proceedings, the rioters being upwards of 300 strong. The Council of Dele gates immediately assembled, declared themselves in permanence, and, feeling the necessity of having an imposing force at their command, accepted the services of two courageous young men, who volunteered to go to Saluzzo, and apply for succour to the Intendent of the Province. They succeeded in making their way unobserved. through the infuriated mob, which already threat ened to pillage the houses. About four p.m. some mounted carabineers arrived with the Fiscal Advo cate and an examining Judge. The Delegate of Public Safety arrived also with 100 lancers. Al ready the house of the Vice-Spathe was threatened with invasion, and the carabineers of the place, fatigued with that day's hard duty, were barely able to keep the mob at bay. But scarcely did the clatter of the cavalry, coining down full speed, become audible, when a general panic seized the multitude, who fled in all directions, but too late, for about 40 of them were arrested at once, and 12 more during the night. Fortunately, no blood was spilt, thanks to the coolness of the carabineers, who, though assailed with stones and missiles of all kinds, did not make use of their firearms. SPAIN. The Eferaldo of Madrid of the 22d states that, on the conclusion of the treaty between France and Spain for the mutual pr. -tection of literary property the Emperor of the French has sent the grand cross of the Legion of Honour to Count de San Luis, President of the Council (he was previously grand officer of the order), has nominated M. Calderon de la Barc.i, Minister of Foreign Affairs, grand officer, and has conferred other decorations on other per sons officially concerned in negotiating the treaty ; whilst the Queen of Spain has sent the grand cross of the order of Charles 111 to the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and the Interior in France, and other decor a ti ons t o o th er F renc h functionaries. The Queen had caused two reals to be distributed to each soldier of the garrison on the occasion of the birthday of the Princess of the Asturias. A deputation of senators and deputies of the Liberal party bad waited on the Minister of Jus tice, to request th a t a cer t a i n d egree of liberality should be allowed to the periodical press, and that the newspapers should be protected from sudden seizure, and editors from arrest by the local autho rities. The minister said that it was impossible for the Cabinet to take the matter into considera tion until the President of the Council should be better. A letter says that the President was getting better, and that he had been able to transact business. The letters from Madrid of the 23d say nothing of the third duel said to have been fought in that capital, and consequently do not confirm the re port of the death of M. Soule. SWEDEN AND DENMARK. Letters from Stockholm of the 16th state that King Oscar has invited the Diet to nominate a small number of its members, possessing its entire confidence, to whom, as a secret committee the Government may make an important communica tion. It is believed that the Government wishes in this unostentatious manner to bring some mo mentous facts connected with foreign affairs to the knowledge of the Diet. The King has re-organised the higher departments of the military and naval administration, with a view to securing greater unity and efficiency in the event of hostilities. We also learn from Berlin that diplomatic nego tiations are pending between the Government of Sweden and Denmark, having for their object the conclusion of a league, offensive and defensive, between the two States. Sweden is arming by sea and land, and Denmark will immediately fortify her coasts, and place Copenhagen in a state of defence. GREECE. • We learn from Athens, Dec. 17, that a violent hurricane passed some days ago over the island of Spezzia and over Paros. A great many houses were destroyed, and the torrent formed by the the rain at Spezzia threw itself with such im petuosity into the harbour that it broke the an chorage of a great many ships, and threw them out to sea. Latterly, some fishing-boats met near Sa prienza, on the western coast of the Morea, French brig completely abandoned. Having gone on board, they found it was called the Racine, loaded with corn. Everything was in perfect order on board, the books kept up to the evening before; only the boats were wanting, and there were marks of blood in the captain's cabin. It would seem, therefore, that the crew had revolted and got off in the boats. The brig was taken into Navarino. The Greek Government is making active search for the crew, in case they may have landed in Greece. An English merchant ship also, the Lord Colling wood, has been wrecked off the coast of Eubcea ; the crew have been all saved, and have been the objects of every attention and care on the part of the authorities. BELGIUM. The law on les Denrees Alimentaires was voted on the 28th by the Senate. M. Cassiers declared his adhesion to the absolute freedom of commerce in corn, and o observed that all the measures which have hitherto been taken to restrain it have terminated. in results diametrically opposite to those intended. M. Anethan, who spoke on the other side, endea voured to demonstrate that the prohibition of free exportation did not necessarily diminish importa tion. It is satisfactory to see that freedom in com merce is getting better understood in Belgium. The Senate and Chamber have a decided bias to wards free trade. The law was finally voted without amendment. The general discussion of the laws on the con tingent of the army for 1854 and on the Budget of War for the same year, followed the reading of the reports of the projets de loi relative to the modifi cations of the impit foncier, and on the free im portation of foreign coal, &o. - The lam openin a provisional credit of 1,150,000 f. to the Department of the Interior was voted with out debate. BED-HOT SHOT. The following letter has been addressed to the editor of the Morning Advertiser ; Sir,—ln the Times of this morning appears a state ment of the Russians burning several Turkish villages by means of Red-hot Shot. I merely wish to draw your attention to a house, in the Commercial-road, having a large order for furnaces to heat the shot, and take them out when red-hot. The order is supposed to be Russian. Nearly 200 have been sent away by two and three at time, and extra hands are taken on to execute the order, as it is urgent. —Yours, obediently, Dec. 29, 1853. D. HAMMOND. UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE. OXFORD, DEC. 29. INSTALLATION OF THE NEW _PRINCIPAL OF BEASENOSII. To-day the new Principal of Brasenose, the Rev. E. Cradock, M.A., was formally installed in the College chapel, with the ceremonies prescribed by the statutes, and in the presence of the Registrar of the University and of the College authorities. CAMBRIDGE, DEC. 29. The Hulsean Theological Prize has been adjudged to G. M. Gorham, 8.A., Fellow of Trinity College. Sub ject, —The position and history of the Christian Bishops, Ind especially to the Bishop of Rome, during the first three centuries. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. • TAT TERSALL'S.—YESTERDAT. The room was re-opened pursuant to notice, but owing to the very scanty attendance of subscribers, the business that was transacted was confined to the following bets :-- CHESTER CIIP. 1000 to 15 agst Catspaw (taken). DERBY. 1800 to 200 agst King Tom (taken). 500 to 25 agst Wild Huntsman (taken). 1000 to 45 agst Ruby (taken). 250 to 10 agst Acrobat (taken). 1000 to 30 agst Knight of St. George (taken). 1000 to 25 agst Brother to Chanticleer (taken). 1000 to 25 agst Scythian (taken). pioibrannananr.Brb o tettthliaAlhy D gyinGesh E btpostw:esAot.Duaaie. extraordinary—o coupled T p l e e l d e g r r sw a e p i ti h nh i c thever advises y e wheat-market from x ten extensive O ve d e s t s or a a , n n a ts n ha n ee t o i2 u o 4 111 rnt l .n s gt q_tr o rui tyb h oemus a attt d nihee oddre a nc d irac. nveh receipts France ifir c pay e tnds to oe of t; hThesbeournt firmnesssome tfurthermmovementayaolsf intelligenceo have av may quotationse b p e ro ntile letters from Bagdad state that a body of Persians were to march against tha t city, and that they were expected during the present month. It is added that Persian troops were also con centrating at Shiraz, probably to guard against a descent from Bombay. COMMITTAL FOR WILFUL MORDER.—The Wolverhagir ton magistrates have committed John Quarlter, an Irish labourer, for trial, charged with the wilful murd er 0 Thomas Price, butcher, of Little's-lane, in that town, 1 01° died on the Bth of August, 1852, and whose death wa g occasioned under the following circumstances :—On Sa turday night, the 19th of June, in that year, he was ra" turning home from North-street, through Tin - alley , when he saw a woman and young child ill - treated by two or three men, and he interfered, upon which he wag_ attacked by three Irishmen, who professed thernselvne.s aggrieved by his interference, and was being so insa injured by them that he begged for his life. Before tr reached home they attacked him a second time, and early on the Sunday morning he was found by his wife lying at the , door of his house with his clothes saturat ed with blood! jawbone broken, his right eye destroyed , w ith a severe cu t n on the back of the head, and other marks of violence b.o t his body. He died of the effects of the injuries, D un he' his illness he gave a des - ription of the m an b y whoin con was most severely assaulted, and the deic ri p ti r esponds with that of the prisoner, who is identified r u e 7 Margaret, the wife of Miles Roden, as on e of the th men who on the night in question knock ed down a 1 male friend of hers, who, with a child i n her arms, nity/f4a_ scolding an Irishman she called her husband. l'alll° three men, after they had assaulte d the woman ,naas child, ran i n t o th e a lley where Price said that h firs,, attacked. Quarlter absconded immediately : or •if t ei cr . the attack upon Price, and ,was uut t whT b verhampton until Sunday, the 11th initan üblic-house. Ram apprehended in a p -~w , ~...,, If `cc Th e E 4141 : 1 0unc .rorte ha 1 13 sed .ele grard 11 01 s, w h j e Bin .4 -tke a pe , 'hat the rath er 'which ai Ex c h eqt Forei flat at 2 , at 22. Sei. Th e eeut. bf Chief bu „, 'teat Nll 4180 bet Th e ( aild the /4.41 - Sto ° Per Cei Per c e N ew I ] Consols f kachec 210( £5Ol Bma: PRI( Danish I Ditto Mexican* h Ditto 4118 siao Ditto sar di . aa Danish 815atish b tdeb E ditto This a bill 0 kr: Plaiutii 4 iecti brone c°4 cur kinnt, The to aTai 'Would to def( kr. queati, b ut it very , Priv ed 4, st ill the A ` clepriv 4et tere b a wr ate, ( fo reo tit; ego ‘4ll'lol LA a T ~~