The Sun. — London, England, 1857-04-23 00:00:00

1114 A, , ER MAJESTY'S THEATRE. EXTRA NIGHT, THIS EVENING, THURSDAY. FIRST NIGHT OF LA TRAVIATA. PICCOLOMINI, GIUGLINI, BENEVENTANO, POCCHINI. Opera—Ll TRAVIATA. Ballet—LA ESMERALDA. For particulars, see bills. A limited number of Boxes in the Half-circle Tier have been specially reserved for the public, and may be had on applica tion at the Box-office, at the Theatre Colonnade, Ilaymarket. Price One Guinea and One Guinea and a Half each. HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE. Madlle. ORTOLANI will make her first appearance on TUESDAY NEXT, April 28, when will be Tevived (first time these seven years) Bellini's Opera of I PURITANI. _ _ Elvira„ Madlle. Ortolani (her first appearance in England); Arturo, Sig. Giuglini. S T. JAMES'S THEATRE.- CRIMEAN RELICS. Box-office open from 11 to 5. Books at the Theatre. L ES BOUFFES PARISIENS (French Plays), ST. JAMES'S THEATRE. It is respectfully announced that the Entire Company of Les BOUFFES PARISIENS, from the TheAtre des BoutTes, In the Champs Elysees, and the Thefttre Comte, Passage Choiseul, Paris, will have the honour of appearing at the St. James's Theatre, on WEDNESDAY EVENING, MAy 20. Notwithstanding the well-merited popularity of this talented company, which has existed for several years in Paris, cir cumstances have always occurred to prevent a visit of " Les Bouffes" to this country until the present period ; nor can the engagement now entered into be extended beyond a short season of six weeks. In order to insuro the best possible effect to their performances, it is intended to bring over the entire orchestra attached to their establishment, under the able direction of the composer, Monsieur Offenbach. Mes sieurs Pradeau, Guyot, Gertpre, dcc, , Mesdemoiselles Dalmont and Mareehal, will have the honour of making their first appearance in this country. The performances will be selected from the following rd. partake : LE VIOLONEUX Musique do M. Offenbach. M'SIEU LANDRY „ „ Duprats. PANTINS DE VIOLETTE, „ „ Adolphe Adam. LE DOCTEUR MIRACLE PEPITO ~ . Bizet et Lecocq. „ Offenbach. L'IMPRESARIO Mozart. LA BONNE D'ENFANTS BATAC LAN • Offenbach. „ Offenbach. Lt ROSE DE ST. FLEUR CROQUEFERS;LE DERNIER Offenbach. „ Offenbach. DES PALADINS LES DEUX A YEUGLES,..... Offenbach. Offenbach. TROMB-AL•CAZAR SIX DEMOISELLES A „ Offenbach. MARIER, LE DUEL DE BENJAMIN, LA NUIT BLANCHE „ Jonas „ Offenbach. kc., &c., &C. Owing to the limited duration of this engagement per formances will be given every evening, but subscribers will have the option of selecting either the Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings, or the Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Satur days. The entertainments will be arranged to commence at half past 8 o'clock, and terminate about 11. Subscription to Stalls, for 12 representations, 5 guineas ; Private Boxes, 30 and 40 guineas. By the night—Stalls, 108. 6d.; Pnblic Boxes. 5s ; Pit, 2s. 6d. ; Amphitheatre, 2s. Boxes, Stalls, and Tickets may be engaged at Mr. Mitchell's Royal Library, 33, Old Bond-street. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE. THIS EVENING, will be performed Shak °spore's tr ,gedy of ICING RICHARD THE SECOND. ring Richard 11., Mr. C. Kean ; Queen, Mrs. C. Kean. Preceded by A GAME OF ROMPS. THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Lessee—Mr. J. B. Buckstone. NEW ARRANGEMENT OF PRICES OF A Pmissiog. THIS EVENING, and during the week, the new Drama of A LIFE'S TRIAL. Messrs. Buckstone ' Comp ton Howe, W. Farren, Rogers ; Mesdames Reynolds, Poyn ter, Fitzwilliam, dm. After which, the successful Classical Love Story. un der the Apple-lation,of ATALANTA ; or, The Three Golden Apples : in which Miss M. Oliver will appear; also Miss M. Wilton, and Miss Elle* Ternan. Concluding with LEND ME FIVE SHILLINGS. In future the prices will be : Orchestra Stalls (which may be retained the whole of the evening), 6s. each. (No charge for booking.) First Price. s. d. Second price. s. d Dress Boxes .. 5 0 Dress Boxes 3 0 Upper Boxes ... 3 0 Upper Boxes 2. 0 Pit Lower Gallery 1 0 Lower Gallery 0 6 Upper Gallery 0 INo half-price to Upper Gallery. THEATRE ROYAL, ADELPHI. Jl Lessee—Mr. Ben. Webster. THIS EVENING, will be performed the new and original domestic sketch, entitled WELCOME, LITTLE STRANGER. Mr. Wright, Mr. Paul Bedford, &c. Followed by TETE ELVES, in which Madame Celeste will perform After which, A NIGHT AT NOTTING-HILL, in which Mr. Wright and Paul Bedford will appear. TR AND TFIEXTRE.—Mmiager, M. T. 4 - 7 Pavne.—THlS EVENING will be performed RUTH OAKLEY. After which, WILLIAM TELL (Burlesque.) Mesdames Leigh Murray, Cuthbert, Somers, dm To conclude with a Farce. Commence at Seven. Stalls, 3s. ; Boxes, 2s. ; Pit, Is. ; Gallery, 641. OYAL SURREY THEATRE, LPstacest, Messrs. Shepherd and Cr9SwiCk. THIS EVENING, the new drama of FLORENCE; or, The Fatal Error. Characters by Messr3. Creswick, Norman, Charles, Miss Mortimer, dm. After which, MIDAS. Apollo, with sonzs, Miss Poole. Followed by TETE DUMB SAVO YARD AND HIS MONKEY. The 3lonkey, Mr. Flexmoro. OY A L OLYMPIC THEATRE. Lemee, Mr. Alfred Wigan. _I THIS EVENING, will be performed a new drama, called DADDY 11ARDACRE. Mr. Robson, kc. The new drama, by Tom Taylor, Esq., A SHEEP IN WOLF'S CLOTHING. To conclude with THIEVES ! THIEVES ! ! Messrs. F. Robson, G. Vining, &c. Commence at half-past Seven. ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMP 111TH EATRE. Lessee and Manager, Mr. W. Cooke. THIS EVENING (2d weelo, the hichly successful Grand Military Spectacle, called THE FRENCH IN ALGIERS; or, The Battle of Constantine, introducing Mr. W. Cooke's admired Stud of trained Horses, &c. After which, Miss Kate Cooke will appear In the EQUES TRIAN ACTS in the MOLE. The performance of Signor Corelli and Family. To conclude with A RISIBLE FARCE. Commence at seven o'clock. Dress Boxes, 4s. ; Upper Boxes, 3s. ; Private Boxes, from 1/., no charge for booking ; Pit, 2s. ; Gallery, ls. ; Upper Gallery, 64. Box ()Mee open from Eleven till Four. Stage Manager, Mr. W. West. Equestrian Director, Mr. W. Cooke, jun. CANTERBURY HALL. Westminster-road.— OPEN EVERY EVENING.—The tiollow !nz company of Vocalists are engaged for the performance of elections from all the popular Operas, Madrigals, Choruses, Glees, Duets, &c., viz.: Miss E. Pearce, Mrs. J. Caulfield, Miss Brunel', Miss Summers, and Madame Marietta ; Mr. J. Caulfield, Herr F. Jonghmans, It. Grover, T. Farrant, S. Jones, J. Barker, W. Melling, F. Corri, Senor Antonio M. de Solla, and E. L. Hime ; Masters Austin, Bennett, and ('orri; Messrs. Sam Collins, E. Mackney, and C. J. Wilkins. Pianoforte, Mr. Cecil Hicks; harmonium, J. Caulfield, jun ; director, Mr. J. Caulfield. Commence at Seven o'clock pre cisely. Suppers, &c., until twelve o'clock. IfIGFI WATER AT LONDON BRrr►gß, TRIM DAY—Morn. 50 min. aft. 12 —7vening 11 niLd. aft. 1 To4losnow—Morn. 13 min. aft. I—Evening 51. min.aft. 1 TIIE WEA THER—SuN OPTIOR, APRIL 23. TFIRRMOXIITICR, IN TES SUADE. 56 -highest rinse noon yesterday. 44 -lowest this morning and during the night. 48 -this day at noon . BAROMETER, 21).98. virrrn.—N. to!N.N.E. ; moderate, with fine sunshiny weather. It rained all day yesterday, cleared up at night, and rained heavily again this morning. New fair. LONDON, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 1887 Shall England secure peace for her Oriental dominions by binding herself over t 3 the enormous folly of paying henceforth a subsidy of 10,0001. a month to DOST MAROMITED ? It may sound, it, must necessarily sound, absolutely ridiculous to put such an inquiry as this seriously to English men—but it is nevertheless an actual proposition now submitted to their consideration. It is actu ally proposed to subsidise DOST MAROMSIED at the rate of 120,0001. per annum, or, in other words, to pay him a cool 10,0001. every calendar month —as though the British Empire in Asia relied for its defence upon the native hordes of Affghanis tan S Against an absurdity like that, it were lite rally mere waste of time to inveigh. It has only to be mentioned to be universally and upon the instant recognised. It is no more a project to be entertained deliberately than any other extravagance ever dreamt of by the most crackbrained of theoretical enthusiast.. It were as nonsensical to think for one second se riously of conniving at such a preposterous ar rangement as this, as it would be to entertain deliberate notions as to the possibility of squarin g the circle, of tunnelling a railway to the antipodes, THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, APRIL 23, 1857 or of performing the various heroic achievements of the redoubtable Baron MUNCITANSBN. It was bad enough to close the late miserable war with Russia, without even one solitary attempt to elicit an indemnity from the Muscovite aggressors. But to follow that most lamentable and ignomini ous compromise up with another still worse—to make a despicable peace with Persia, not simply without requiring an indemnity from the lawless assailants of Herat, but actually upon the under standing that we are thenceforth to subsidise DOST MAHOMMED to the tune of considerably more than 100,000/. a-year Really thebare suggestion I of the possibility of any such scheme being even hinted at, as entitled to one moment's considera tion, altogether dissipate our equanimity, and justifies to the full, we conceive, the utmost stretch of patriotic indignation. Why, already it has been stated distinctly enough, upon the autho rity of Sir HARTFORD BRIDGES, that our Embassy at Teheran alone, subsidies in clUded, involved the Expenditure of some thing little short of 130,0001. between 1809 and 1827, while it extended to some 30,0001. per annum during the two years immediately follow ing—constituting an aggregate, from 1809 to 1837 inclusively, at the very least of 2,500,0001! A really as well as nominally " Common-Sense" view of the whole transaction, advanced to-day in the chief of our morning contemporaries, yields us the supplementary calculation that during the last twenty years—namely, from 1837 to 1857, at the very lowest estimate, about 500,0001. additional have been expended with consistent extravagance upon that same abominable Embassy. Altogether, in less than fifty years—to be explicit, in exactly forty-six years—England has squandered in the maintenance of her Legation at Teheran, and in coincident subsidies, the agreeable little trifle of just 300,0001. sterling ! And now, this same preposterous system is to be continued with the further expenditure henceforth of some 10,0001. a month in the shape of a subsidy to DOST MA ROMMED No wonder we are continually etnbroiled first with one Asiatic race,•and then with another— if we delude them thus into the ridiculous notion that we are so afraid of war, or at any rate that we have such exceeding reluctance to be dragged into it, that to ward off that obnoxious evil, we are ready to scatter our gold right and and left broadcast. There must be an end of this. A blunder, a systematic and extravagant blunder such as this—now that it is distinctly laid bare—has not any longer, we believe, the faintest chance of being persisted in, of being perpetuated. It is seen now for the first time in its full enormity—and, being at last so seen, it is not, we conceive, any longer to be tolerated. Talk, forsooth, of Administrative Reforms at Home ! Why, here, in our diplomatic scheme of administration abroad, are evils that ought to be swept clean out of existence as the first necessary improvement. We have had enough of these sub• sidies. Let U 3 look now to indemnities instead. They are the just penalties of aggression. And aggression on the ,part of the Persian% in seizing Herat, and aggression on the part of the Chinese in their outrage on board the lorcha, are as notoriously the sources of the Chinese War and of the Persian War, as the origin of the late war with Russia is undeniably traceable to the movement of the Muscovite army► across the Pruth into tho twin provinces of Moldo- Wallachia. No—again we say—what England has to look to now as furnishing the security for Peace—are— INDEMNITIES—Not—SUESIDIIS I Early in the present month, on the 7th instant —we instituted a comparison between the pro spects offered to investors in Indian and Russian railways, founded on the admirable report of Lieutenant Colonel KENNEDY, the Consulting Engineer of the Bombay, Baroda, and Central India Railway Company. We pointed out that in the mere X. s. d. point of view, the former offered a better rate of interest for money, com bined with superior security, to any that could be obtained front the latter. In the one a gua rantee of 5 per cent.—provided the undertaking only paid its own working expenses, is given by the East India Company, with the sanction of the Board of Control ; in the other 41 per cent. for a limited period, with certain stringent conditions, that may, under certain not very remote circum stances, cause a forfeiture of all previous pay ments. There could be but little question as to which was entitled to the preference of the mere capitalist, who was insensible to every considera tion in which he had not a personal interest. There is another and a much higher ground, however, that may be assumed. The due deve lopment of the almost miraculous natural resources of the Anglo-Indian Empire would render the United Kingdom independent of almost every other nation, and that without the violation of any law of political economy, or of the indisputable maxims of Free Trade and un restricted competition. We may obtain an abun dant supply of teas from our own terri tories, the payment therefor being made to our fellow-suNect4. In such case, there would be no danger of " death lurking in the pot," or the patriotic Celestials poisoning, after the ap proved precedent of the baker Ararat, a necessary article of almost universal consumption. Man chester may be provided with cheap cotton to its heart's content without being dependent on the Slave States of America. Nay, more, " the corn of the tropics " wilt be brought in abundance from that land of promise, sufficient, with that from our own West Indian colonies, to enable us to take high ground on the interesting and important question of "the domestic in stitution," or the right of man to keep his fellow-man in a condition of hopeless servi tude ! All these are matters of paramount con sequence to the national prosperity. The simple fact, that we can obtain from our own dominions, without submitting to higher prices, all that is required to keep British industry in full operation, is alone sufficient to render it an imperative duty on our own Government, and on our own Capi talist, not to permit these extraordinary advan tages to be left in abeyance through any negligence or apathy on their pact. But when a handsome and remunerative return for any outlay, indepen dent of these collateral benefits, is certain, it would be a positive crime to disregard the golden opportunity which offers itself for our acceptance. All that is required to insure those extraordi nary results is a moderate outlay on public works. Irrigation and railways are the talis manic words that will open mines of wealth ex ceeding the highest anticipations of the most sanguine. "Irrigation," to bring about the requi site fertility. Railways—the best -and cheapest mode of transit —to bring the produce ti market. Indeed the latter is chiefly required, for with existing capabilities, and they might easily be quadrupled, all that could be required would be obtained. Several years since we pointed out the close connection between the construction of railways and the supply of cotton f rom I n di a . L a b our canthere be obtained at the lowest rate. The Hindu Ryo:s will work eftivientiy at a much lower rate than the Southern planters can supply their " human machines," as they are pleased to term them. But all these advantages are neutralised, not because there is no market for the produce— that we can supply ourselves—but because there are not the ordinary facilities for bringing that produce to market. Why, then, are not these capabilities developed It is not the state of the money market, for money can still be obtained on p3rmanent securities. There is no dearth of capital. It is only seeking for employment, and, like the demons of the old fables, if that employment be not directed into beneficial channels, it will be turned into mis chievous direction. The Russian Railway "swindle" has happily not found favour in the sight of the moncyocracy—but unless some other auspicions opening be discovered, the means may eventually be found to enable the AurootAr to carry out the traditional policy of his House, by " Cossack ising" Europe. The Anglo-Indian Government must be stimulated, and the Home Government cannot remain apathetic or indifferent. Indian railways and Indian irrigation are indispensable necessities. They only require due attention, and the new Parliament will be sadly wanting in its duties if that attention be not bestowed with out a moment's unnecessary delay after the elec tion of the new Speaker. What is " the Agricultural interest 1 1 " What is there in it which must still be defended ? What is there which calls our county representatives to nail their colours to the flag staff, with the motto, "No surrender ?" These questions could but arise in our minds as we read of the large blue banner which graced the banquet at Bury St. Edmunds, with the motto, " BENNET, AND NO STRRENDER OF THE AGRICULTURAL INTEREST." We are no Cynics. We don't like logic and ma thematics and statistics over our wine ; still this splendid flag, the flag beneath which the bucolic jollity began, and which, of course, led the march of the evening, could but set us inquiring. Cap, t AiII BENNET we knew ; knew hint to have been for thirty or forty years a good Captain -of the good and true West Suffolk Yeomanry. All honour t 3 him and his corps, and " When they next do ride abroad, May we be there to see." We knew him also to have been for some dozen years a good Conservative, Protectionist, Church and Queen member of our House of Commons, and, if we remember right, stated by the Lexico grapher of that House to be "particularly attached to the Church." We knew him also not to have been guilty of wasting the time of the Legislature by speeches ; his vote was his weapon, and he doubtless understood the vote exercise about as well as the sword exercise. He could vote point blank, and cut right or left as the Conservative opposition chief bid him. As XENOPHON says somewhere of a good captain of his time, he knew how to obey as well as how to command. So much for Captain BZNNET, and for " Captain BENNET' S Own." But the grand flag—the blue flag—(do the Conservatives look blue since the election ?)—the " No Surrender" flag—it puzzled us not a little. Had it been no surrender of Toryism to the Tory chief of a Radical Cabinet, we could have understood it ; but no surrender of the " agricul tural interest"—who in the world, we asked, is attacking the agricultural interest Where is the investing army ? Who are its leaders? COBDEN —BRlGHT—Gnasox—they are all hors de combat ; moreover, we were told by one speaker, Sir R. BUXTON, that they were clever, honest fellows, and ought to be in the House I Only think of country gentlemen talking thus—qvana mutati i we ex claim, indeed. It was not, then, the Freetraders who were attacking the agricultural interest. The Free-trade prices seem to have pleased the Suffolk yeomanry so well, that could they have voted at Manchester and Huddersfield they would have voted the League into power. Still, we feel sure, there must be some redoubtable foe in sight. A Captain bold, and his bold retainers at the feast, were not the men to hang out the blue banner in mere bravado, or to talk. big of "No surrender" when no herald made the demand, and when no foe appeared even in the distance. The Agricul tural interest must be in real danger. Was it the gradual fall of prices against which the Captain was to lead his yeomanry? No: they are content with the present prices of wheat and meat together—and well they may, as we know to our cost by our butcher's and baker's bills ; besides, they were " sorry that GIBSON and BRIGHT were ousted." Do they dread Sir G. C. LEWIS and an Income Tax after 1860 ? That, however, is every one's interest—imposition of Fire Insurance duty on Farming Stock, which the Chancellor of the Exchequer, being so enamoured of this duty, has talked of—well, that would be an assault as far as it went, but hardly one for which they would hang out the " No surrender" flag, it being rather awkward to prove that farming stock should not pay Government duty, at least as well as other property for which the offices charge the same rate of premium. Horses used in agriculture have not been threatened with the same tax as all other persons' horses that we have heard of. There is no talk of repealing the law which exempts manure carts from turnpike tolls. What on earth can be the dreaded enemy against whom the old Protection flag is brought out, with the name of Captain BENNET ? Perhaps the speeches may enlighten us. It was somewhat of a funereal feast. While it commemo rated the unopposed return of two staunch Tories for West Suffolk, the speeches began with a tribute to the fallen at the late election. Twenty-two trusty Knights of the Shire, it was announced, had fallen in the late election conflict ; the House of Commons would see them no more ; and their places would be filled by men who called them selves meu of progress. At this announcement the defiance began. Lord PALMERSTON must, to satisfy his new supporters, positively must, bring in some measures of political reform ; then the present members for West Suffolk would not be able to walk over the course as they had just done—then would come the tug of war—then— and the speaker thought it might be soon—then let them fight for the agricultural interest to the cry of "Captain BENNET, and no surrender I" Now all is plain. The agricultural interest means th e "things-as-they-are" interest. The right of landlords to demand their tenants' votes, and to have them recorded in certain well-known books, that they may see how their tenants have done their duty. The right of tenants at will and forty shilling freeholders to vote in counties, and of no oue else who has not some property in land to join in electing the national representatives. Above all, the agricultural interest, then, means the landlords. The men, that is, who represent themselves and their tenants too, much as slaveholders in America get votes for three-fifths of their slaves ; for whether the slaves are not permitted to vote, or must vote as their masters bid them, it comes of course to the same thing. The right divine of landlords to county rule, and the duty divine of tenants to be subject to the county powers that be, this is the agricultural interest. At last, then, we understand the new Banner ; and surely the "yeomanry" understood it too. " Captain BENNET and no extension of the suf- frage," " Captain BENNET and no independent voting"—that was the meaning of the flag under which one hundred and fifty of the yeomen of West Suffolk dined. Did such of them as were tenant farmers acknowledge the flag ? Did they believe in the identity of landlord power and the agricultural interest ? Did they not think them selves agriculturists much more truly than their landlords? Did they not know that they and their landlords have had no community of political inte rest since the repeal of the Corn Laws, and had in reality none whatever before ? Did they not know, as game laws and high rents, and the prior right of distraint attest, that they and their landlords have no commercial identity of interest, but are rather in the same commercial antago nism as all other buyers and sellers Did they not know that their vast share in the agricultural interest—that of tenant-farmers—is wholly un represented in Parliament, and that they are compelled, like American slaves, to be instruments to give their masters seats in the Legislature ? We strongly advise the tenants t) declare themselves the agricultural interest, t) proclaim that no one fights for it who will not give tenant-farmers the Ballot, and to hoist a new flag, not " Captain BENNET," but " CAPTAIN BALLOT, AND No SUR RENDER OF THE AGRICULTURAL INTEREST." Mr. HENRY PEASE, the recently elected Mem ber for South Durham, and one of the few repre sentatives of the Manchester School that has ob tained a seat in the Legislature, has preferred a serious bill of indictment against the English Press. He is but following in the track of his leader, the ex-M.P. for the Wrst Riding. It is notorious that Mr. COBDEN thought that the sole business of public journalists was to give elaborate reports of the speeches of himself and his disciples—that they had no right to in dependent thought or action, but should merely record his and their sayings and doings. This was his notion respecting the " mission of jour nalism." Fortunately that opinion has not been endorsed by the community at large. They are still proud of their Fourth E-tate, and consider its independence and freedom one of the great Palladiums of national liberty. Mr. HENRY PEASE thinks otherwise. He acknowledges, and we thank him for the admis sion, that there is probably no Press throughout the civilised world conducted with the same ability, or that is managed with the same regard to the maintenance of the constitutional rights of the people, as the press of England. But there is still a heavy drawback. They venture to think for themselves. They " may go too far" —venture to " make up a budget for the Chan cellor of tho Exchequer—endeavour to make up or unmake a Prime Minister for the QUEEN—or about the making of war or peace--and are dis posed to institute a theology for the Christian world." Now we venture to remind Mr. PEASE that if the Press did not enter on these grounds there would be but little use for that ability of which he speaks. " Paste and scissors" men would only be required for the business to which he ap parently thinks they should be restricted. But we ask Mr. PEASE what harm can the discussion inaugurated by the well-abused journalists do ? Their arguments will only be taken quantum valeant. Truth must be promoted lay dispassionate discussion. " The mythical we" will only remain influential so long as it is supported by the voice of public opinion. But it has gone, with few and rare exceptions, against the Manchester School, and we must allow for the soreness felt by losing parties. That school may not "be dead, but sleep ing ;" but they must be resuscitated to some pur pose before they can put down English journalism, or induce the British People to be contented with the " cheap an,i nasty " in preference to their established favourites, to those who have for a long succession of years faithfully and efficiently dis charged the arduous and important duties which they have undertaken with credit to themselves and advantage to the nation. HEALTH OF THE DUCHESS OF GLOU- C ESTER. The following bulletin was issued this morning : "Gloucester House, April 23, 9 a.m. " Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester has passed a quieter night. Her Royal High_ ness's general state remains much the same. (Signed) "FRANCIS HAWKINS, M. D. " ROBERT FERGUSON, M.D. , g E. H. HILLS." A Cabinet Council was hell yesterday afternoon ai the official residence of the First L2rd of the Treasury, in Downing -street. The Ministers present were Vis count Palmerston, the Lord Chancellor, Earl Granville, the Marquis of Lansdowne, Sir George Grey, the E tag of Clarendon, Mr. Secretary Labouchere, Lord Pan mure, the Cbancelhr of the Exchequer, Sir Charles Wood, the Right Hon. R. Vernon Smith, Lord Stanley of Alderley, the Duke of Argyll, and the Right Hon. M. T. Baines. DEPARTURN OF LORD ELGIN.—Efis Excellency the Earl of Elgin took his departure for Paris on Tuesday afternoon, accompanied by the Countess, and would reach the French capital yesterday afternoon. The gen tlemen associated with the noble earl in his mission to China left London an Tuesday and yesterday, to meet hie Exeellency, and then proceed via Marseilles to Alex andria. The Earl Jf Elgin intends to stay two or three days in Paris. The countess will then take leave of him, and return to town in the early part of next week. The gentlemen attached to the mission are the lion. F. Bruce, Mr. Oliphant, Mr. Cameron, and Mr. Fitzroy. The Duchess of Sutherland and Lord Albert Leveson Gower have left Stafford-house, for Castle Howard, Yorkshire, to •isit the Countess of Carlisle. The Duke and Lord Ronald Leveson Gower left the same (Tues day) evening, for Cliefden-park, near Maidenhead. The Duchess Dowager of Norfolk, accompanied by Lord and Lady George Manners, left town yesterday, on a visit to the Duko of Sutherland, at Cliefden, Bucks. The Duke and Duche.ss of Argyll left Campden-ki 1, Kensington, last evening, on a visit to the Duke of Sutherland, at Cli3fden. Major Ord had an interview with Mr. Secretary La bouchere yesterdal. Dr. Sandwith and Mr. Stevenson had also interviews with the right hon. gentleman at the Colonial-office. The bar silver brought by the last West India packet was vold yesterday at 6114. per oz.—the same rate as that obtained for tse last arrival. StRYCHNINE.--S.ome weeks a,zo a curious instance of the deadly power of that vegetable poison, ?ince vomica, or strychnine, toot place at Wollaton, near Notting ham. Rate infes'ed the premises occupied by one of the game-keepers in the employ of Lord Middleton to such an extent that the keeper deemed it advisable to have recourse to the poison above-named, which, of course, had the desired effect. The dead bodies of the rats were thrown span a heap of manure, and when in a state of decomposition were partly consumed by the keeper's poultry, which immediately fell a prey to the power of the poison and died. This instance of the strength of the prison remaining in the dead bodies of its victims for so ling a time ought to be a particular warning to the puilic, since it shows that the dangers incident to its coninuance in the body after death should be g'Aarded against with the utmost carefulness. Any animals thus poismed ought to be irumedi.stely burned. A SAFE FORTUNE.—An inveterate old grumbler gays :—" There art no women now a dare Instead of women, was have towering edifices of silk, lace, and flowers, You sena milliner's large advertising van that sidles along with a rustling sound, and you are told that it is a woman; but as you cannot approach within several yards of the monster obstruction, you cannot tell what it is beyond something that looks like an entire shop-front put into motion with all the goods ex posed in it for salt. I really believe, if any showman would open an exlibition, where one could see a woman, such as women were in my young days, when they used to be fair, slim, &elder, graceful, well-proportioned, and everything that was beautiful, inetead of the animated wardrobes, and urrecognisable bundles of fine clothes ! teat they now are—l really believe that an enterprising showman like thEt would rapidly realise a large for time.—Punch. LATEST NE WS. THE NEUCHATEL QUESTION. The Times' Paris correspondent (Second Edi tion), under date Wednesday, 6 p.m., says " As I mentioned yesterday, Dr. Kern left last night for Berne with the draught of the arrange ment adopted by the Representatives of the four Powers, and accepted by him subject to the ap probation of the Federal Council. Dr. Kern's political baggage is light, but I fear his heart is heavy. The arrangement is far from being like what, in the buoyancy of his first hopes and the certitude of his own powers of persuasion and general diplomatic skill, he had promised to the Swiss. Prussia has, as I have already ob served, reduced her terms so far as the money is concerned ; sbe now accepts, and Dr. Kern en gages for Switzerland to pay 1,000,000 f. by way of indemnity ; the King of Prussia retains the title of Prince of Neuchatel, and Switzerland will give him a guarantee respecting the proper administra tion of charitable institutions i❑ Neuchatel. There are other conditions, but those I mention are, I believe, the most important ; the Representatives of the four Powers adopted them as the basis of an arrangement on the Ist of April (absit omen !), and the time has since been taken up with the difficulties incidental on putting the Protocol or Convention in form. We may be certain that a solution which gives an indirect right to the King of Prussia to intervene in the internal affairs of the canton under the pre text of seeing the guarantee properly executed, and the continuance of the title of Prince of Neuchatel, will be very badly received in Swit zerland. Lie Swiss will not believe that the King and the Royalist party do not still meditate the separation from the Federation of that canton, and that they will carry it into execution on the first favourable opportunity. If the Federal Council, which is divided into two nearly equal pasties, accepts the arrangement, it will be with the greatest repugnance. Many people here doubt that acceptance ; but what can Switzerland do alone against Europe ? As to great and gene ral dissatisfaction among the masses there is no doubt. Dr. Kern, supposing nothing extraordi nary occurs, will be back about the end of the month to sign the convention." THE GRAND DUKE CONSTANTINE The Paris Correspondent of the Morning Post (Second Edition), says : " The visit of the Grand Dake Constantine to France will no doubt be made use of by those who are ever on the look out to damage the Anglo- French alliance. Russia is buildingships iu Frenoh ports ; the Czar has exchanged compliments with the Emperor, and M. Kisseleff is on the best o f terms with M. Walewski. Then we shall have no end of gossip of what Napoleon HI. said to the Grand Duke, and how his Imperial Highness assured his Majesty that Russia respected France and de spised England. In these dull times a variety of such assertions will be sure to appear in the public journals of Europe. I believe I may assure you that the Emperor of the French wishes to deprive the Grand Duke's visit of all political colour. No political speeches are to be made, or any de monstration indulged in beyond those which are dictated by the ordinary etiquette of Courts. The Grand Duke, as a prominent member of the Imperial family of Russia, will be received with the most scrupulous regard to forms ; first, be cause it is his due, and secondly, because he is reported to be ♦ery exacting on all points of ceremony and customs attached to his rank. The usual public fetes will be offered to him in Paris, amongst which will be a gigantic military con cert at the Pro Catelan. The now garden opened last year for the first time ila the Bois de Bologne. The Palace of Fontainbleau has been prepared for the Imperial visitor, which arrangement will en able the Prince, if he thinks proper, to visit Paris whenever he chooses as a private individual. Count Creptowich, the Russian Ambassador at London, has arrived in Paris, and I hear, brings an invitation for his Imperial Highness to visit Queen Victoria, or rather to make arrangements in case such an event should occur. lam told it is very doubtful whether he will go to England at all. There is a possibility of the Grand Duke visiting Naples. The reception at Marseilles takes place on the 25th, and the arrival in Paris on the 30th inst." detaili of this battle, .which we will hasten to pub lish in our next number." A letter from Teheran, of the 6th of Marcb, published in the Nord of Brussels, says:— " Another messenger has arrived from Fars. The news brought by him confirms that published in the Teheran Gazette. The loss of the enemy is esti mated at from 1,700 to 1,806 men. Our loss is not considerable compared with that of the enemy. It does not exceed 300 to 400 men, The cannon which were left in the mud have been recovered by our troops." THE PRINCIPALITIES. A private letter from Bucharest of the 11th inst. says : "The labours of our Commissioners have not yet commenced. The French Commissioner leaves soon for Jassy. Hie departure was to have taken place earlier, hut has been put off by unavoidable circumstances. People say, as I have already informed you, that the object of his journey is to watch the con duct of the Kaimakan of Moldavia. The Russian Com missioner has at last arrived, and has received an ovation from the clergy. M. Easily is quite astonished at the sumptuousness displayed at his installation. 'The Vistaria has the❑ heaps of money,' he said on witness ing all that luxury. lie has sent away the carriages placed at his disposal, and has given orders for a very modest style of living until the arrival of his cook. This unpretending conduct, which contrasts so much with that of the others, has produced a strong and a favourable impression, but it has had no imi tators among his colleagues, who continue to enjoy all the advantage of their situation, and whose rule seems to be to take the goods the gods provide them.' The Commissioners appear astonished at the luxury which they find among us, and indeed it is ex traordicary, eastern and western at the same time. They are particularly struck with that displayed by the Bayard Otetelechan, who gives magnificent dinners and suppers, and dramatic representations in his mansion. Tee Commissioners, however, are not ignorant of the origin of the Wallachian Turcaret's wealth. These fortunate gentlemen are literally overwhelmed with dinners, and the only drawback is the confusion that occurs as to preced , nce in taking places, but each person tries to manage as best he may. One of the sone-in-liw of the Hospodar Stirbey gave a dinner to , the French 'Commissioner before invitiag the Turkish functionary. This appeared strange, but people say it was out of con sideration for the Consul-General of France, M. Bulard, to whom the said son-in-la 7v was under some private ob ligations. A clever intriguer, Dr. Arsaki, a great enemy of Bibesco, a friend of Stirbey, and formerly the Secretary of the Ghilcas, is giving himself much trouble to ingratiate himself with the French Commissioner. "An M. Lyucke, who gives himself the title of count, though every one knows he is of a half Gipsy origin, has commenced a series of receptions, and the French Commissioner dances at them moat joyously. The party of the brothers, intimate enemies, Stirbey and Bibesco, are in constant movement, and cover the Principalities with emissaries. These emissaries hold everywhere the same language to the rural population—namely, that the European Commissioners have come for the purpose of depriving them of the documents proving that they are proprietors, and to force them to abandon their religion and become Papists." Another letter, of the 13th, says : " The agitation spreads in Wallachia. Many of the young men of the towns have assumed the dress of the peasants, in order to be elected in the communes. The movement appears to have a revolutionary character, and some persons apprehend disturbances. Turkey is insulted openly ; the heroes of the day are the French and Rus sian Commissioners, but especially the Russian. The latter is a man deeply versed in eastern politics. The Prussian Commissioner is inclined towards Austria." PERSIAN ACCOUNT OF THE LATE BATTLE. The following is the Persian account of the late action between the British and Persian troops, taken from the Teheran Gazette of the Ist rajah, 1273 (25th February, 1857) : " Souja-001-Moulk communicates to us in haste tho following news, dated Bth February :—The 7th inst. five English regiments, having with ther'a 10 pieces of cannon, had occupied the Djah-Koutah, situated at four leagues from Bushire, with the in tention of causing our troops a check previous to their complete concentration at head-quarters. Souja-001-Moulk, having desired to anticipate the English in their plan, took with him 3,000 regular infantry, 300 horsemen, and 12 pieces of cannon, to attack the enemy's camp during the night. He marched the same night. After he had left Bou raze-Jan a league behind him rain began to fall in torrents. The English who had left Djah-Koutah a league behind them retreated at the approach of our troops, and sheltered themselves behind rocks and in caverns, while our troops being in a greatplain without shelter, and exposed to heavy rain, with drew to their camp. The English troops, thus pre served from the rain, hastened to reach Bouraze- Jan before daylight. Souja-001-Moulk pursued them with his 3,000 picked troops and eight pieces of cannon. The English advanced guard an nounced the arrival of our troops by a shot. The English, seeing that they could not transport their ammunition on camels, in consequence of the mud, burnt it, and retreated towards Bushire. Our troops pursued them to within four leagues of that place. En the meantime, two other English regiments and 400 cavalry, with 10 pieces of cannon, came from Bushire to their assistance. After the arrival of this re inforcement the English turned round, and the battle began. Although the number of our troops was much inferior to that of the enemy, they fought with great determination and courage. The battle commenced at daylight, and lasted four hours and a half without intermission. Our troops showed the greatest bravery ; twice they penetrated into the enemy's ranks and broke them. Wo had beard. that Stackl€r, the general who first arrived at Bushire, was killed in the battle ; but that ac count is not true. On our side the Sartip MA' hommed Kouli Khan lavan-Schir and the Sartip Ali-Khan, Kara-Quoz!ou, in penetrating into the enemy's lines were wounded, the first with grape shot and the second with a sabre-cut, but their wounds are not serious. During the entire hatt'e the rain never ceased to annoy the combatants. It fell with such force that the two parties were forced to separate, leaving several pieces of cannon in the mud. For the same reason the number of killed could not be ascertained. We are told that the English lost in the battle from 800 to 1,000 men ; our loss is from 300 to 600. We daily expect more details from the illustriou s m a . hemmed Khan, Commander of the Guards of his Majesty the Shah, who, when we are going to press, should have arrived at the head-quarters of our army, and who will not fail to communicate the TURKEY. A letter from Constantinople, of the 10th, says : "Doubts are again entertained of the success of the Bank, and it is said that the Ottoman Cabinet begins to regret baying refused last year the project for a loan, which the French and English capitalists, finan ciers, and others versed in public affairs had proposed. If the Porte had at that period accepted the proposition of,Messrs. Layard and Yvan, its condition would be very different from what it now is, and it would have the means of undertaking works of public utility on a large scale, which are indispensable to it, and which, nevertheless, cannot be commenced. The statesmen of Turkey have hitherto been labouring under the greatest delusions, and instead of imitating Austria and Russia, who give every possible encouragement to foreign capi talists, they have waited for capital to come to them.' FRANCE. PARIS, WEDNESDAY EVENING. " The inhabitants of Plombieres," says a letter from Paris in the Nord of Brussels, " expect that the Emperor will again visit them this year, and stay for a month. His Majesty, it is said, will not be accompanied by the Empress, but at the end of August will accompany her to Biarritz, where they propose to pass the rest of the season." _ _ - The Moniteur publishes a decree, promulgating a convention concluded between France and the Grand Duchy of Baden in February last, relative to the strengthening of the banks of the Rhine. According to the provisions of this convention, when the works necessary for carrying the object of it into effect shall necessitate the permanent or temporary occupation of private property, the in demnity to be paid shall be regulated in each state, according to the laws in force relative to public works and to expropriation for purposes of public utility ; the works in either country are to be under the direction and protection of the respec tive authorities ; as, in consequence of changes which may be effected in the course of the river, property now on the French side may be transferred to the Baden side, or vice versa, the local administrations are to use their endeavours to effect a sale or exchange, so as to bring each pro perty within the limit of the territory to which it will then belong. The Council of State has commenced the eram;- nation of the bill against the usurpation of titles of nobility. The Legislative Body being destined to be dissolved immediately after the present ses sion, it is probable that the bill cannot be voted in the present year, and that, consequently, it will stand over to be dealt with by the new Legislative Body. BOURSE, April 22.—The following were the last quotations : . _ End of Month. 91fr. —3. 69 30 Cash. fr. c 4i per Cents 3 per Cents 69 35 Bank Shares 4,440 Credit Mobilier 1,335 Roman . Do. Account 1,337 50 Austrian ' Belgian 4i Piedmontese (5) 9l Home Debt ....... RAILWAYS-I'OR CASH. fr. c. fr . Orleans 1,485 Western ............ ... 775 c Northern Lyons 1,560 New Ditto 4 — Mediterranean 2,130 Grand Central Lyons Geneva - Sardinian Midi - ....„ 7174 PRUSSIA. The Second Chamber of Berlin, op the 20th, re jected, in accordance with the recommendation of the committee, by 154 votes to 102, the motion of M. Mathis against the system hitherto pursued with respect to the press. It afterwards adopted, by 126 votes to 125, an amendment of M. Wagoner and M. de Gerlach, to - the effect that the liberty of the press shall be guaranteed by a law that the right assumed by the Government of withdrawing a concession of a newspaper as an admini<trative measure shall be set aside, and that the tribunals shall be always left to decide on the suspen•ion of journals. These votes produced a great sensation. The signification of this double vote is evident—the Chamber, without . wishing to blame the course hitherto pursued by the Government, being anxious to show that the present system should be changed, and more serious guarantees given to the press in Prussia. The grand fancy ball of the Duke and Duchess de Brabant, which has been so long talked of, took place on Monday evening at the palace at Brusiel4, and was of a most brilliant description. The Duchess de Brabant figured as the Empress-Queen Maria Theresa., in a drtss of silver brocade with a corsage of .blue velvet, a mantle of gold, brocade lined with ermine, and her hair in powder ; round her neck the princess wore a magnificent set of diamonds, and diamonds in her hair, and attended by ladies of honour and pages in the costume of the time, the latter bearing her train. The Princess Charlotte wore the costume of a lady of the court of Catherine de Medicis, resembling that of Eliza beth of Austria, wife of Charles IX., whose por trait is in the Louvre at Paris ; .the corsage was in cherry-coloured damask, and was almost entirely covered with diamonds ; the petticoat was embroidered with pearls, and on the under petti coat were suspended festoons of diamonds, producing a charming effect ; a frill embroidered with gold, and a 'cap decked with diamonds, completed the costume. Both the princess and th , duchess looked admirably, and the profusion of diamonds worn by the former was brilliant in the extreme. The Duke de Brabant wore the costume of a Bel gian noble of the time of Louis XIV. ; the lace was of the ric'aest description, and the clasp of the cravat was a bouquet of diamonds ; the great of the epoch c omp l e t e d th e cos tume of his royal highnek The Count de Flandre figured as Charles V: in his youth ; his pourpoint was 'white and embroidered with gold, and was such as the great Emperor wore on solemn occasions. The Duchess d'ArembPrg ap peared as her ancestress Sibylle de Lamarck, of whom there exists a fine portrait by Martin de Vos, and the duchess's sons and daughters were in cos tumes of the tame of Louis XIII. Lady Howard de Walden, wife oft be English minister, was as Louise de Lorraine, in a magnificent dress of crimson and gold ; Miss Ellis as a ehepherdez , s of the time of Louis XV.; and Lady Waller, wife of Sir T. Waller, secretary of the English legation, as a lady of the court in the 16'h century. Amongst the most re markable costumes were those of Henry VIII., Ann Boleyn, the Duke de Sully, Villiers Duke of Buckingham, Peter the Great, and other historical p7rSonagt s. The other dresses were of all coun tries, 'from the middle ages down to the la. t cen tury. The Duchess de Brabant being prevented by her mantle did not da,ce, but the Duke de Bra bant, the Princess Charlotte, and the Count de Plandre danced more than once, and with the Duchess passed several times through the rooms. The fete terminated about two o'clock, ITALY. A letter from Genoa of the 13th, in the Constitu tionnel, says : "For a long time past we have not had such a storm as that which prevailed during Easter week. The waves broke over the two wales, and flooded the decks of the ve,sels lying within them. Fortunately the Empress 'Dowager of Russia did not leave on Sunday morning, as she had intended. She went to Vilafrauca on the 'Saturday evening, and slept on board the Aloff frigate, but as there appeared every indication of blowing weather, her Majesty returned to Nice the following morning. This event has. completely changed the pro gramme of her proceedings. The Empress will not now start for Civita Vecchia until some day between the 21st and the 25th, and her frigate will not be accompanied, as was at first intended, by the whole of the Riissian squadron, as part of them will have pro ceeded to Toulon with the Grand Duke Constantine. The King has, it is said, fitted up a villa which be pos sesses in the neighbourhood of Rome as heir of 4aria Christina of Savoy, and has placed it at the disposal of the Empress Dowager during .her stay in the Papal capital. Some days before Easter, her Maj-sty, in anti cipation of her departure, gave numerous alms to the poor of Nice, and made presents to different persons to whom she had become attached. As to the authorities, a case containing several decoratiors has not yet arrived, but, as it is expected every day, the delay in ht r Ma jesty's departure may, perhaps, enable her to distribute them before she leaves." The result of the conversion of the Belgian 5 per 'cent, loan is now known. Out of a sum of 26 mil lions, which is the capital of the loan, the reim bursements demanded amount' to seven millions ; the remainder, with the exception of operations made by the government direct, will be therecore converted into 41 per cents. According to the last account of the situation of the National Bank of Belgium the circulation of that establishment now exceeds the sum of 105,000,000 fr., the maximum of the circulation allowed being 110 milliona. The Madrid journals of the 18th do not contain any political news of interest. A royal decree charges the Ministfy of the Interior with the con struction and control of telegraphic lines. A letter from Hamburg of the 15th, in the Augs burg Gazette, says :—" This town yesterday pre sented a most animated aspect, upwards of 4,000 emigrants being collected at the port to embark for the United States. They generally came from Holstein and Mecklenburg, and the mountainous districts of Central Germany." THE FICTITIOUS VALUE OF RAILWAY SHARES. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sur,—The movements of the Stock Exchange have always been a mystery to the " outsider ;" will you, theie fore, allow me to ask one of the "insiders" why rail way shares are so extraordinarily high whilst money is worth 61 per cent, and more for the best bills? Take, for in stance, Eastern Counties, which are quoted at about 111., the div. of which for the last year amounted to but 7s. Great Western paid list year 555. div., and are quoted at abcut 671. per share ; Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire paid 15s. for the whole year, and their shares are about 401. ; and many more lines are quoted considerably beyond the reasonably proportionable rate of interest. Ordinarily people invest to secure a remu nerative percentage of interest per annum—say five— which would make the relative value of the above shares stand thus : Eastern Counties paid 'Ts. per share, worth £7—quoted at XIII Great Western „ 555. „ „ 55 „ 67 Shefllelds „ 15s. „ ~ 15— „ 40 I have male several inquiries, but no one can give me * satisfactory explanation : the general opinion for the solution of the mystery is that of " prospect" of an in creasing traffic, and I have heard "two years hence" named as the probable period when this expected in crease will be fully realised. The argument is obviously absurd, for the traffic of " two years hence" cannot possibly be assumed, the "causes" producing a diminu• tion or an increase being inscrutable, and beyond the power of human calculation. It appears to me that the main impulse to this rise in railway property has been given by a certain journal, in its annual review, by assuming a continuous increase for the future on the basis of the earnings of the last few years. The fallacy of this assumption has already been proved, as every one may see by the weekly returns of traffic which exhibit many a " decrease" as compared with the traffic of the corresponding periods of last year. Journals priding themselves on their " influence" should always be cautious in hazarding such calculations,' too seducive, too speculative, but less reflecting minds—on the merit of such statements, or rather assumed pro sperity. There are, no doubt, some lines whose position is improving, and who would deserve attention but for the state of the monetary affair■ all over Europe. All along I have been and am still of opinion that money must remain dear for a considerable time yet. Besides the payments in the East, some o the causes of its scarcity may be easily traced and found in our immediate vicinity of Europe. The enormous gold discoveries within the last six years have stimulated enterprise much beyond the belief of many people. On the Continent they are innumerable. , Banke, joint stock and private ones, and Crddit Mobiliers, have been esta blished almost everywhere ; foundries have been erected, mining companies formed, and railways brought out, all of which absorb immense sums, which for the most part are hoarded up in the respective localities whilst in the course of making. Their reflux to the ordinary or accuse tomed channels of commerce is thereby naturally im peded, and it may be fairly presumed that it will not take place until those undertakir gs are completed and folly developed.—l remain, sir, your obedient servant, Manchester, 22d April, 1857. J. C. i i "ASTLEY'S THEATRE.—The new grand military spec tacle entitled " The French in AlgierY, or the Battle of Constantine," continues to attract immense audiences at this theatre. Last night the theatre waa crowded in every part, and the applause elicited was immense. The ever new scenes in the circle followed the spectacle. Miss Kate Cooke appears in one of her favourite equestrian acts, and was applauded to the very echo. It is grati fying to observe that the efforts of Mr. Cooke are ap- preciated and rewarded. ROYAL COLLEGE OF SDRGEONS.—The following gen tlemen, having undergone the necessary examinations for the diploma, were admitted members of the College at the meeting of the Court of Examiners on the 20th Met, :—Messrs. Samuel Prall, Rochester, Kent; John Humphreys, R.N. ; John Timperley Gray, Hexbans s Northumberland ; James Teevan, Killesbandra, county Cavan ; John Edwards Jones, Dolgelly, Merioneth shire ; Edward Miles Coverdale Hooker, Sheerness, and Astiey Cooper, Plymouth. THE AMEER ALI MORAD --Papers relating to the con• fiscation of the territories of the Ameer Ali Morad have been published, on the motion of Mr. Isaac Butt, the member for Youghal in the last rarhatnent. It includes a mass of correspondence on the subject. It appears that the Ameer fraudulently altered the treaty of Nownahur concluded between himFelf and Meer Rooston and Meer Nusseer Khan, so as to substitute, among the possessions to him ceded, instead of the vi.lage of Mettle lab, the pergunnahs of Meerpoor, Mathele, and Mebur kee. • This flagrant offence was held by a special com mission appointed to investigate the matter to be billy proved, and a subsequent memorial of the Meer Ali Morad in nowise shook the evidence on which his High ness was convicted, and mulcted of a portion of his ter ritory by way of punishment. The memorial in question is a formidable affair in point of leng h, occupying 4 0 pages of the paper before us. The revenue obtained by the augmentation of territory arising out of the transac tions with his Highness amounts to 2,61,043 rupees (net). CHINESE ATROCMES,—A very curious little illus trated brochure has just been published by Messrs. Darton and Co., entitled, "The Criminal Punishments of the Chinese : drawn on stone by Percy Cruikshunk ; from origi na l d raw i ngs b y Y oeequa, a Chinese ar ti s t. To this pictorial pamphlet is prefixed an earnest expla natory introduction, penned by that ever-ready and vigorous wielder of quill and pencil, George Cruiksbank. "The Chinese," he observes point-blank, in the very .firet sentence, " desigeate all foreigners as barbarianrr —including Europeans and Americans—who, of course, throw back the aspersion on the Chinese." And be adds immediately upon this, with that quaint, blunt common-seese view of things which imparts such zest to every tauch, whether of pen or etching-needle, when in the hands of George Cruikshatik—" It then becomes a question as to who really are the barbarians." Precisely. And it is for the purpose of furnishing a clue to the soil' Lion of this problem that these remarkably sharp "cuts"at the Chinese have beeugiven by the Cruikehank's nephew, Percy Cruikshat k. Aided by a native artist, one Yoeequa, be gives us a few: frightful glimpses of eomeof the most hideous ( an d one or two o f th e m absolute l y diabolical)' of the Chinese punishments. Death by Starvation —tied to a post or shut (all but the head) in a box! Death by "Flaying !" Death by 'r Sprinklinti with Boilin g Oil 1" B y having the body " Cut in T,,w_e..g. By being "Dijointed 1" By "Stranglitz 1" By „ e " lll T h h r e i W d e r i a l i w n drawings are litho g raphed ‘ l' ari n g t h h y e sorry + c _ e m ß y m n iy eph A e s w 7de sa r i l s faithful GeorgeG eorge c O o r p u i i e k s ts h o a f u t k h , e o"andriglalscr vouch for their to being einagr it—for these drawings, as they are, presents spec.a 0 ' savagery. the most revolting iiffd Letterf. Market --erican :nd all ( The sales Share M advanced, The del I 'x ti c Fe tt ; 41 * Re O,i't ° A n ee L -" 35 le I ll.: 4 o au y Y ''bilt:ol64,l4, u tisiol, 4 ; ll ll(l,,, cteh' 4 A t : 446i ) T t 404 4.. 9p, vtt. 1, '4 04a 41 , .1%5 t „ kp rh p F r'kiat R 4, itt o A oil rkl k 'ecot is okd b. a ~ Ei %I) : t Itt .° 4 tiar teh COI