The Sun. — London, England, 1857-05-07 00:00:00

T HEATRE ROYAL, ADELPHI. Lessee—Mr. Ben. Webster. THIS EVENING, will be performed PAUL PRY. Followed by a new Farce, called FEARFUL TRAGEDY IN THE SEVEN DIALS. To conclude with the new and original domestic sketch, entitled WELCOME, LITTLE STRANGER. Mr. Wright, Mr. Panl Bedford, tkc. OYAL SURREY THEATRE, Lessees, Messrs. Shepherd and Creswick. THIS EVENING will be performed THE FLONVR GIRL Mr. Creswick, &c. After which, THE GOOD FOR NOTHING. combe, &c. To conclude with THE DANCING SCOTCHAAN. Mr. Flexmore, and Madlle. Auriol, &c. Mr. Widdi R OYAL OLYMPIC THEATRE. Lessee, Mr. Alfred Wigan. THrIS EVENING, will be performed a new drama, called DADDY HARDACRE. Mr. Robson, &c. To conclude with YOTT.NG AND HANDSOME. Messrs. Robson, C. Murray, &c. Commence at half-past Seven. A STLEY'S ROYAL AMPLIITHEA.TRE. L Lessee and Manager, Mr. W. Cooke. Unprecedented success of the New Grand Military Spec tacle, in which Mr. W, Cooke's highly trained Horses appear in novel and exciting situations. THIS EVENING, and during the week, the Enter tainments commence with the New Military Spectacle, in three Acts, entitled THE FRENCH IN ALGIERS ; or, The Battle of Constantine. To be followed by Recherche SCENES IN THE ARENA, giving an EQUESTRIAN FE PE ; introducing, the great ar tistes of the establishment, including Miss Kate Cooke. Signor Corelli and Family, and a variety of other entertain ments. Commence at seven o'clock. Dress 'Boxes, 4s. ; Upper B )xes, 35.; Private Boxes, from IL , no charge for booking ; Pit, 2s. ; Gallery, Is. ; Uppsr Gallery, 6€l. Box•office open from Eleven till Four. Stage Manager, Mr. W. West. Equestrian Director, Nlr. W. Cooke, jun. CANTERBUR,Y HALL. Westminster-road.— OPEN EVERY EVENING.—The follow ing company of Vocalists are engaged for the performance of Selections from all the popular Operas, Madrigals, Choruses, Glees, Duets, Sc., viz.: Miss E. Pearce, Mrs. J. Caulfield, Miss Brunel', Miss Summers, and Madame Marietta ; Mr. J. Canliield, Herr P. Jonghmans, R. Grover, T. Farraut, S. Jones, J. Barker, W. Melling, P. Corri. Senor Antonio M. da Solla, and E. L. Hime ; Masters Bennett and Corri ; Messrs. Sam Cowell, Sans Collins, and E. Mackney. Pianoforte, Mr. Cecil Hicks; harmonium, .J. Caulfield, jun.; director, Mr. J. Caulfield. Commence at Seven o'clock pre. Suppers, &c., until twelve o'clock. ITER MAJESTY'S THEATRE. PAL First Night of LUCIA DI LAM MERMOO R. PICCOLOMINI, GIUGLINT, BELLETTI, VIOLET rI, POCCHINI. THIS EVENING (THURSDAY), May 7. LUCIA DI LAIIMER , :OOR. Lucia, Ficcelomini (her first appearance in that part). Edgardo, Si„ Ballet—LA ESMERALDA. La Esmeralda, Mille. Poechini, Per 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 ap plication at the Box-office at the Theatre Colonnade, Hay market. Price One Guinea and One Guinea and a Half each. ROY AL PRINCESS'S THEATRE. THIS EVENING, will be performed Shakespere's trigedy of KING RICHARD THE SECOND. King Richard 11., Mr. C. Kean ; Queen, Mrs. C. Kean. Preceded by A GAME OF ROMPS. T HEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Lessee—Mr. J. B. Buckstone. NEW ARRANGENIENT OF PRICES OF Aostismost. THIS EVENING (Thursday), to commence at Seven, with THE EVIL GENIUS. Tom Ripstone, Mr. Buckstone. After which, the successfu Classiell Love Story, un der the Apple-lation of A CAL IiNTA ; or, The Three Golden Apples : in which Miss M. Oliver will appear; also Miss M. Wilton, and Miss Ellen Ternan. Followed by the drama of A WICKED WIFE. Concluding with A KISS IN THE DARK. In future the prices will be :,--- OrchestrA Stalls (which may be retained the whole of the evening), Gs. 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 80xe5.... 2 0 Pit Lower Gallery 1 0 Lower Gallery 0 6 Upper Gallery... 0 6No half-price to Upper Gallery. KIGH WATER, dT LON 1)0N BR,T1)11&. HIS DAY --Morn. 57 min. aft. 12 —Evening 15 min. aft. 1 TO-MORBOw—Morn. 32 min. aft. 1 —Evening 49 mid. aft. 1 THE WEA.THEU—Stm Oarict, MAY 7. THEEXONETER, IN THE SHADE. 55 —highest singe noon yesterday. 42 —lowest this morning and during the night. 53 —this day at noon. BAROMETER, 30'29. Wom, N.B. to E., and E.S.E. ; light, with dull variable weather, and heavy c:oud. 1 1 t 6 ‘ .=-1 9. :;—= . 6 :':•Vf.;_:?_,, - _; . ,,,,, .i ,--94144Av0 LONDON, THURSDAY, 'MAY 7, 1857. fled. On this paint " The Spirit of COCKEB:' may be taken as a safe guide. If the constitu tional principle is that every man should be taxed scundum status, et facultates—according to his position and means, and we have never found any one with sufficient hardihood to impeach the jus tice of the principle—the entire system must be readjusted, and full justice rendered to the work ing bees of the national hive. If any inquiry is wanting on this point, it should take place during the present session, and not be put off unt'l the Fabian policy can no longer be resorted to with impunity. _ . As to Parliamentary Reform, the national heart has long sickened under hope deferred ! Our patience, and it has been great, is at last exhausted. We can no longer be put off with vague promises. We want not "sayings, but "doings." An in stalment of the long deferred deb'. A bona fide payment on account of the overdue bill. The question is not one that requires time. The out that portion of the Shatt el-Arab, where on the Turkish side stands Bussarab, and on the Persian Mohammerab. We cannot see much cause, therefore, for these somewhat curious congratu lations in regard to the supposed healthy sumints encampment. But, apart from this, there is, in deed, much reason for our exulting in the last evidence of valour on the part of the British troops under Sir JAMES OUTRAM, a valour which has added to the victory of libooshab an appropriate and brilliant pendant in the capture of Moham merab. line has long been before us—and the details need only to be filled up. Ltt ue, at least, obtain the Ballot. That will be a good beginning ! That will convince us of the sincerity of the Go vernment, and of the Parliament in which the reform element is said to predominate so largely. Let real protection be afforded to voters. Let not landlords, employers, or customers, be enabled to exercise coercion, by threats of notices to quit, dis charge, or withdrawal of custom. Provide the only effectual remedy against bribery and undue influ ences of every description. Give the Ballot, and we shall believe that time only is wanting to com plete a large and comprehensive measure of reform. On this point the Government should not delay a single hour. There are formidable competitors in th 3 field. Lord JOHN RUSSELL will gladly assume the responsibility if it be shirked by Lord PA.LMEASTON, and, as wo have already stated, we care not front what quarter it emanates. " Measures, not men," is our principle, and if the bill of fare be s ttisfaetory, we care not by whom it may be supplied. Lord PALMERSTON has the first "innings ;" if he fail, we shall be ready for any other that may fill his place, and give that which is so urgently required by the people. The victory at Khooshab has been rapidly fol lowed up by the capture of Mohammerah. The latter exploit (which was briefly announced in our impression of last evening) took place, as will doubtless have been already remarked by the more observant and reflective, upon the very eve, as it were, of the date when the News, speeding across Europe to the unconscious combatants, was to thrust back their swords into their scabbards— the War between England and Persia having been already virtually closed by the Paris negotiations ! Another illustration, and a very startling illustra tion, this, to our thinking, of the really extraordinary, the literally vital, importance of establishing all over the habitable globe the utmost attainable rapidity of intercommu- Another and a very striking testimony of the marvellous value of an .agency of that kind like the Electric Telegraph ! Had the wires, now thrilling to and fro, almost momen tarily, under the waters of St. George's Channel, under the waters of the British Channel, from one extremity of Europe to another, from North to South, from East to West, from Mizen Head to the Carpathians, from the the Elbe to the Guadal quiver—had those wires been already extended across the whole breadth of Asiatic Turkey, from the shores of the Dardanelles to the banks of the Euphrates, bow many human lives would have been shared, how much bloodshed would have been opportunely prevented ! But then, it is true, Mohammerah would not have been ours ! The last, and the most terrible blow yet directed against Persia, by the strong right hand of Sir JAMES OUTRAM would not have descended upon the army of the SHAH ! The selliers of England would have been deprived of this, their last, but by no means their least, achievement ! So that with the evil comes also the good—with the calamity the assuagement ! And beyond all doubt the seizure of Moharn morah by the British Forces is an event of no inconsiderable importance. It testifies to the Court of Teheran the energetic determination of our Government to carry on, if necessary, a vigorous campaign, and not simply to adventure upon a fruitless and bootless warlike demonstration. The double occupation of the island of Karrack and the seaport of Bushire, was as nothing ii the estimation of the SHAH and his advisers. was as nothing, that double occupation, for tb one very simple and ail-sufficient reason, that both Bushire and Karrack had repeatedly before ' been taken only to be afterwards aban doned without the smallest diminution to the Persian dominion; or the slightest perceptible deterioration to the influence or pride of the Per sian Governmen 4 . This, of course, obviously from the circumstance of Bushire and Karreck being situated upon the confines, and up in, per• haps, the most unhealthy of all the unsalubrious confioes, of the still gigantic empire of the Sneer ! [ Even the magnificent feat of arms performed by our troops at Khooshab had been productive, after all, of no very satisfactory result, all things con sidered. The subsequent retirement of our forces upon the Persian seaboard has been flagitiously distorted into a Retreat in the accounts sent home to Teheran by the SHAH'S mendacious Gene ralissimo. Not so has it been with regard to Sir J. OUTRAM'S triump't of the 26th of March ; that resulting in the capture of Moham merah. A victory achieved by the British Forces with a comparatively trifling loss on their side—but one productive already in many respects of the happiest consequences ! In testimony of which we need only point to the record contained in our advices from the seat of war, the eminently acceptable record of the friendly position evinced towards our army by tb.e Arab tribes in its immediate vicinity. There cannot indeed be any doubt whatever that the effect of this exploit of the 26th of March must perforce be singul irly beneficial to ourselves not alone upon all that country side, but directly also upon the Imperial Councils of the Persian Government. It has clearly and dietinctly proved our warlike resolution. That resolution on the part of th e British is now beyond the reach of cavil among the Persians—now that Sir JAMES °T.:TEA:I4 has followed up the almost simultaneous occupation of Kerrack and Bushire by the victory of Khoo shab, and that again by the more signal triumph marked by the capture of Nohatnmerah. This day the business of the Session really com mences. The last week has been devoted to re gulating the parliamentary machine, and rendering it qualified to perform its important functions. The lroyal Speech will be delivered, and a report thereof contained in this very impression of The Sun. Vague as may be the views, meagre the enun ciations contained therein, considerable light must necessarily be thrown on the Ministerial inten tions so as to enable the community to form a fair estimate of the Government plan for the campaign at the Imperial Palace of Westminster. It will be discovere3. whether Lord PALMEASTON contemplates real bona fida work, or desires to waste time, while his whipper in is feeling the pulses of the new Members, prob ing their consciences, and ascertaining what they may be inclined to stand, awl what they will re quire ! We trust, for his own sake, that there may be no more trifling with the wants and wishes of the people. That the Legislature may be fairly set to work to dispose of the long arrear accu mulated since the commencement of the late war, and of other matters of urgent consequence ; the postponement whereof must be very detrimental to the national interests. This was to have been a working year ! Bnt half the time has already been wasted and misapplied, and it behoves all parties concerned, but mere especially the occu pants of the Ministerial benches, to work double tides, to make up for the time that has been al ready " frittered away." There are many mattars that will not admit of further delay ! The. Bank C tarter Act virtually expired on the I,t of August, 1856, and the in dustrial classes are suffering deeply and severely from its baleful effects. It is impossible to pre dict the possible consequences, should the all important question be even deferred to another year. A crisis of even greater intensity than that of October, 1847, may arise, when Ministers must act, in order to save the " Old Lady " her self, and an indemnity will be required from the Legislature. Bnt prevention is better than cure ! Before matters come to this state, fearful misery must be encountered by e lat ge majority of the peo ple, and the apathy and indifference that permitted the occurrence of such terrible calamities will be fully expiated ! The state of the Money Market, which makes many of the " meueyocracy" shudder at the demon they have theineelves evoked the transfer of the lion's share of profit from those who have fairly earned it to greedy money lenders, requires in st alit attention, and the adop tion of remedies suited to the magnitude of the disease. We have repeated:y indicated the na ture of these remedies. At present, it is suffi cient to direct attention t) the paramount im portance of the subject, to show that it will net admit of procrastination, and that, so far as the Government, the Legislature, and the People are concerned, all are equally interested in bestowing on it that calm and attentive, but, at the same time, prompt, consideration which its vital im portance so eminently merits. Besides the monetary, the fiscal reforms must be taken into account. The iniquitous Income Tax has only been renewed for a single year. It will txpiie on the sth of Ap r il, 1358, an d it cannot be renewed until it has been greatly modi- nication ! At the same time we cannot but think that7the principal Government organ in this country is somewhat beside the mark in congratulating the British army under OUTRAM upon having secured far themselves, by the capture of Mohammerab, tht , scene of a healthy summer encampment. The undeniable fact being that at a distance of about 60 miles above the solifronting cities of Bussorah and Mohammerab, [Bussorah being situated upon the western, and Mohammerah upon the eastern banks of_the Shatt-el-Arab] the batiks of the Eu phrates are so low that, at the time of the waters rising in May and June, the country becomes overflowed for miles round.... being transformed, in fact, into one vast swamc,• i.preAing to the immediate vicinity of THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, MAY 7, 1867_ LATEST NEWS. MONEY MARKET AND i',OMNIERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. CITY, Two O'CLOCK. The Liverpool Cotton Market yesterday closed irmly, and compared wills Friday's rate, all de scriptions were unchanged. The sales amounted to 12,000 bales, 2,000 of which were taken fur exportation, and 3,000 on speculation. The Rail way Share Market closed dull, with prices at a slight decline. The supply of capital in the general money market is temporarily rather limited and full rates with some degree of pressure are consequently still in forced. In a few days, however, when the settle ments at the Stock Exchange shall have ceased to exert any influence, a quieter demand will no doubt be experienced. Nearly 100,0001. of the 2)0,000/. in gold brought by the Anglesea from Australia has been taken into the Bank of England. It was generally presumed that the whole would have been sent to the Conti ❑ent in payment of silver and other purposes. The circumstance has therefore caused a more confident Lteling among parties interested in an improvement in monetary affairs, and as the drain to the East is likely to diminish and there is a prospect of large supplies of gold from Australia, and of silver from Mexico, and a steady improvement is generally anticipated. The Funds opened this morning with a very buoyant appearance. Consuls being 93 a for money and 94i for June. A sudden and adverse change however soon afterwards occurred when it was discovered that the Bank authorities had called in all their loans on stock. Consols then declined to 931 and for money and account respec tively. The Foreign market has been affected by the re action in Consols, and Turkish 6 per Cents, which had been 94 are now about 931 s. Railway shares are also flr.',i;ter. London and North Western are IG5t s t . Great Western 66 to 67, and Midland 82 to 83. French Shares are timer. THE CAPTURE MOHAMMERAH. The following further telegraphic despatch has been received from Sir James Outram through Constantinople : " The flying expedition to A.hvraz returned to Mohammerah on the sth inst. (April) completely successful. " The large Persian army retired from their position, and retreated rapidly towards Dizful be fore a British force not 400 strong. " One gun was captured, and extensive military stores were seized and destroyed." TURKEY. CONSTANTINOPLE, APRIL 24. Yesterday was the day fixed for the Nisiah, or .fiancailles, of the Sult tn's three daughters, who had been promised in marriage seine time ago to Mah moud Pasha, son of Fethi Ahmed Pasha, Grand Master of the Artillery ; Ethem Pasha, son of Mehemet Ali Pasha, Capitau Pasha ; and El Hami Pasha, son of the late Abbas Pasha, Viceroy of Egypt. It had been arranged that the ceremony should take place at the same time for the three at the Palace of Top-Kapou or Seraglio Point, which, although abandon- cl by the Ssltans as a residence since the overthrow of the Janissaries, is still the traditional place where many grand ceremonies are performed. To th's palace, therefore, the Sul tanas were to proceed in state from Dolma Bakche, and to witness the procession all the harems of Constantinople had poured forth their inmates from an early hour ; every window, every shop, every little nook whence it was possible to catch a view of the procession in the long distance from Dolma-Bakche - 0 Top-Kapott was covered with Turkish women ; they were squatting all around and all one upon another, decked out in their gayest ferejee s , o f a ll the colours of the ra'n bow, topped with their white heal-dresses, which contrasted with the black faces of their attendants. Wherever the street widened it was lieed with carriages, in which were reclining the slaves and favourites of the wealthy, and in many of these was to he noticed a lovely face reluctantly concealed behind the curtains, which would now and then be gently drawn aside by delicate white fingers covered with gen t s, to allow of the admiration of the Euro pean passers-by. The Sultanas left Dolma Bakche at 11 a.m. At the head of the cortege was the Kislar .Aga, or chief of the black eunuchs. He rode a superb charger magnificently caparisoned ; he is frightfully ugly, but his dress was so bril liant, the gold was thrown over it in such profuse masses, that it stayed the eye and prevented his ugliness being noticed. Then came the three Sul tanas, each in a state carriage glittering with sil ver and gold, and drawn by horses whose trappings were also studded with silver and gold ornaments. There were eunuchs riding on all sides, and all in fine clothes and on splendid horses. Each Sultana was attended by her mother and by one slave. As they drove rapidly past a blaze of diamonds flashed across the eyes. Then came the other slaves and female attendants in about thirty carriages, vie ing with their mistresses in the splendour of their dresses and jewels, and many far surpas sing them iu their charms. Although the Sal_ tanas went to the Seraglio in person, neither they nor their future bridegrooms app''.,"ar at the ceremony of betrothal. This is perfor me d b y pro curation. The Kislar Aga represrents the Sultan and the Sultanas on this occasi.ron and the Grand Vizier, Redschid.Pasha,repre'sentedthe bridegrooms. The witnesses were Ri7ss Pasha, the Seraskier, Chefik Pasha, o f th e Mins, and Ili Ghalib Pasha, sron-in-law of the Sultan. Like every Turki'fn father, the Sultan stipulates the sum his 'son-in-law is to pay for his daughter, and this 'sum becomes her d owr y. Thi s was fixed at 5,000 Turkish pounds in this instance. The marriage contract is read before the witnesses, prayers are pronounced, and the first chapter of the Koran read, and this part of the ceremony is overy. The Sultardts return to their residence, and are followed there by the presents offered by their fiances. The presents are by no means the least important part of the ceremony, and are taken to the Imperial Palace in great state. First, three beautiful Arab chargers, magnificently caparisoned were led past. The saddlecloths were of the handsomest embroi dery in precious stones I ever saw, even in this land of embroideries. These were a present to the Sultan himself from his future sons-in-law. Then came the presents to the Sultanas themselves, — first, sweetmeats of all sorts contained in covered china vessels ; five of these vesselsare put on a tray, and a cage of hoops and gauze of various colours, trimmed gaily with ribands and flowers, covers the tray, which is borne on a man's head. A hundred such trays of sweetmeats were borne past from each bridegroom. Then came other trays, larger, ten in number, on which were placed shawls and articles of dress ; ten pieces of the richest brocade of silver and gold were among the dresses offered by El Hami Pasha, and various rich cashmere shawls. Then came two carriages in each of which was an enor mous coffer covered with velvet and ornamented fully of cos t ly p er f umer i es . with silver plat es , Then came the more precious articles on teatrays, covered with a large Cage, surmounted, in those sent a ' a ni Pasha, by a go ld en eag l e, w i t h spread As the p resen t s o ff ere d b y El spt by w E in l g ll s. Hami Pasha 'were by far the most costly and taste ful, I will content myself with describing these. First, the 5,000 pounds dowry was carried past in five red satin bags on five trays. Then the head dress for the bride on her wedding-day—a gold and silver knot for supporting the hair at the back of the head, and a baud of velvet embroidered in bril. limits and pearls, with a verse of the Koran for the front. Thee the veil of silk which is thrown over the bride, embroidered in pearls and brilliants, and with no less than 700 carats of brilliants on it, —then the slippers, also one mass of pearls and diamonds, and the pattens used in the bath, co vered with gold and precious stones, then the round toilet glass, of which the back was a plate of gold beautifully worked, and also studded with precious stones. Precious stones were scattered in profusion in all these articles of every-day use, so to speek, but now came the jewels themselves,—a splendid diamond tiara, very high, and long enough to go round to the back of the head, with a large bunch, of flowers in diamonds dropping over the right ear ; this had been set in Paris, and was beau tiful in design, as well as costly. A pair of diamond earrings, with diamond drops of great size and per fectly oval shape. These gems, without an equal in the world, had been the property of El Hami Pasha's father, and had been procured for him in India. It is calculated in jewels alone he has spent over 120,0001. sterling. What will be the effect on the little Sultana to whom all this finery is des tined ? The eldest is scarcely 15—a mere child in our ideas. Although the three have been be trothed, only one was married this year—that one which is destined to Ethem Pasha, son of Mehemet Ali Pasha, who must not be confused with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, whose name is also Ethem Pasha. The Marchioness of Salisbury will return to town to morrow, from Eastbourne-, Bussex. The Marchioness Di wager Townshend and Mr. Laid ler have arrived hi to for the season. The Earl of De - iny is detained at Knowsley by an at tack . of from which he is suffering. The F-farl and Countess Craven and family arrived in tow; ys , .tertiay, from Ashdown Park, for the season. The Earl and Countess Granville gave a grand dinner, last evening, in Bruton street. The Countess of &Aland has left town for Brighton. The Earl and Countess Spencer arrived in town a few days since, from Althurp Park, for the sea on. Viscount Palmerston gave a grand entertainment last evening try the following members of the House of Com ranns 1--The Earl of Mulgrave, the Right Hon. the aker, the Solicitor-General, the Attorney-General for Irrland, Viscount Castlerosse, Lord Ashley, Viscount Duncan, Viscount Monck, Lord Alfred Paget, Lord E. Bruce, the Cbaocellor of the Exchequer, the Right Hon. R. Lowe, Sir Mt Berkeley, the Right Hon. W. G. Hay ter, Mr. B. Osborne, the Right Hon. R. V. Smith, the Hon. Sir C. Wood, the Right Hon. Sir B. Hall, the Right Hon. W. Cowper, the Right Hon, Sir G. Grey, the Right Hon. C. P. Villiers, Sir J. Ramsden, the Right Hein. F. Peel, Mr. Danby Seymour, Mr. R. W. Gr€.7, Mr. C. Clifford, the Right Hon. W. Labonchere, t i ne Right 3lun. 11. Fitzroy, ,Mr. Wilson, Mr. Dodson, Mr. Brand, Mr. Buchanan, ctc. Lord Stanley of Alderley arrived in Own, last even ing, from Manchester. Lady Stanley is expects(' in town in a few days, from Madeira. L-rd and Lad? Charles Pelhan3 Clinton bate left town f Ayala.) Park, Northamptonshire. Lady Howard de Walden and the Hon. Misses Ellis are expected in town today from Brussels. A oeputation from the clergy of the East-end of Lon .lon, climieting of the Rev. Canon Champneys, the Rev. G. H. M'Gill, the Rev B. Carter Smith, the Rev. W. Nl‘Call, and the Rev. G. r. Driffield, bad an interview with the Right Hon. E. I. Bouverie, at the office of the Poor-law }hard, on the subject of the lqualirati9n of the poor rates in the metppolie. • IVESTEBN BANK OF LONDON. The first general meeting of the shareholders was held yesterday at the offices, '2l, Hanover-square. Mr. J. A. Roebuck, M.P., chairman of the board of directors, presided, and was supported by Alderman Wire, Major- General Bagnold, Sir Frederick Smith (deputy governor), Mr. J. H. P. Chichester, and other directors. Mr. SHRWARD, the secretary, read the report, which stated that the directors, in accordance with the provi sions of the charter, had called the shareholders toge ther, in order to submit to them a general statement of their affairs, ending the 30th of April last. They would be prepared to submit a detailed statement of their profit and loss account after the 30th of June, at the end of the financial year. The bank wzs established because it was believed that the western part of the me tropolis needed and could support an independent joint stock bank. The experience of the past year had proved the truth of this anticipation, for in spite of unprece dented circum s t ances arisingfrom the excited and dis turbed state of mi n d i n t h e mercant il e pu bli c, t h e b an k had steadily advanced, had weekly increased the num ber of its customers, and by the cautionary mode of its Pr-oceeding had strengthened the public confidence r its stability and eventual success. The result had, in a great measure, been due to the labours and ex perience of the manager, whose valuable services the directors were so fortunate as to secure, and the di rectors had much pleasure in thus publicly stating their estimate of his aid and conduct Mr. Williams, actuary of the English and Scottish Life Assurance Company, and Mr. J. Nettleton, secretary to the Legal and Gene ral Life Assurance Company, bad audited the accounts, and although the time had not arrived for a complete audit, had examined the accounts up to the 30th April. Toev shewed a balance on the profit and loss account of 5,998/ 131. 9.1. _ _ Tile report was adopted. Mr. Gibbee and Mr. Simp son were re-elected directors. Mr. T. H. Harman and Mr, T. Clarke were elected directors in the room of Cap tain L. Vernon and Mr. Burn, who retired. A vote at thanks to Mr. Rgebuck and the directors closed the proceedings. M.R. SPEAKER IN JEOPARDY. Among the numerous incidents that have occurred during the few days the House of Commons has been swearing in the members, one happened yesterday that was very near resulting in an unpleasant detention of the Speaker in his chair for an indefinite period. The swearing-in of the members was pretty brisk in the early part of the day, but as it drew near 4 o'clock the groups that came up to take the oaths and subscribe the Par liamentary roll became "small by degrees and beauti fully less," until the last one only numbered three. As they were introduced to Mr. Speaker they passed round by the back of his chair and left the house. The last one who was presented was Mr. W. W. F. Hume, the member for Wicklow, and after the formal introduction was over, he staid chatting with the Speaker for about three minutes, and was about leaving the house, when Sir Denis Le Merchant called the Speaker's attention to the fact, that there was not another member present to move the adjournment of the house. Mr. Hume was accordingly requested to return and do that kind office for the Speaker, or he would have been unable to leave the chair until some hon. member could be procured to release him. Mr. Hume at once returned, and, taking his seat-at the Treasury benches, said, " Mr. Speaker, I move that this house do now adjourn." There being no member present to move an amendment on this motion, it was carried by the mover, and the Speaker retired. MARKET NEWS.—(This Day.) CORN EXCHANGE. GENERAL AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN For the week ended May 7, 1857, made up from the Re turns of the Inspectors in the different Cities and Towns in England and Wales, per Imperial Quarter. WHEAT I BARLEY OATS I RYE BEANS I PEAS 54s 3d 43s 4d. 23s 3d 44s 4d 395 led 39s 4d THE SIX WEEKS' AVERAGES. WHEAT I BARLEY I OATS I RYE 1 BEANS PEAS 54s ld 45s 3d 238 6d 37s 3d 39s 9d 39s Od ENGLISH GRAIN SOLD LAST WEEK. Wheat, 109,809; barley, 17,643 ; oats, 10,484 ; rye, 41; beans, 4,932 ; peas, 572 quarters. MEAT MARKETS. NEWGATS ANDLEADENHALL. — The trade ruled generally steady, as follows :—Beef, from 3s 4d to 4s 641 ; Mutton, 3s 44 to 4s 81; Lamb, 5s 01 to 5s 101; Veal, 3s Gd to 4s 8d; Pork, 4s to 5s per Blbs, by the carcase. SOI7THALL, May 6.—Our market was fairly supplied with each kind of stock, which moved off steadily, at drooping prices: —Beef, from 3s 411 to 4s 64 ; Mutton, 4s Od to 5s 0041 ; Lamb, 5s 01 to 6s 01 ; Veal, 3s 10(1 to 4s 8d ; Pork, 4s Od to 4s 10d per Sibs, to sink the offal. ROMFOBD, May 6.—The trade generally ruled inactive, as follows :—Beef, from 3s 44 to 53 Od ; Mutton, 44 0,1 to 6s Ocl; Lamb, 5s Od to 6s Od ; Veal, 4s Od to 4s 10d ; Pcrk, 4s to 4s 10d per 81b3. HAY MARKETS. SurniFlELD.—Meadow hay, 2/ 103 to 4/ 4s ; clover do., 3/ 53 to 5/ 53; and straw, 11 4s to 1/ 9s per load. A. firm trade. CUMBERLAND. —Meadow . hay, 2/ 123 to 4/ 8 ; clover do., 31 53 to 5/ Os ; and straw, 1/ 43 to 11 103 per low). Trade steady. WHITECIIAPEL.—Meadow hay, 2/ lOs to 4/ 43 : clover do., 3/ 103 to 51 5s ; and straw, 1/ 58 to 11 9s per load Supply moderate, and trade rather stall. THE !CANADIAN MAILS.--LIVERPOOL, May 6.—The Montreal Ocean Steamship Company's screw steamer Anglo-Saxon left the Mersey at 10 o'clock this morning for Quebec and Montreal, with the Canadian mails, 136 cabin and 254 steerage passengers. She also took a large cargo of manufactured goods. LIVERPOOL, May 6. —The Liverpool and Philadelphia Steamship Company's screw steamer City of Manches ter left the Mersey this morning at 10 o'clock for New York direct, with 61 cabin and 536 steerage passengers, a mail, and a full cargo of goods. MONTHLY PACKET COMSIUNICATION WITH THE MOS• QUITO& —Arrangements have been made for the convey ance of a mail once a month to the port of Blewfields, in the Mosquitos, by the West India contract mail packet leaving Southampton PEI the 17th of each mouth. The first mail will be made up for despatch by the packet of the 17th inet. The rates of British postage chargeable on letters fur Blewfields will be as follows Exceed ing A oz., 23. 3.1.; above a vz. and not ex ieeding 1 and ; above 1 oz. and not exceeding 2 oz., 9e, so on according to the scale in operation for charging inland letters.l4Newspapers will be liable to a postage of ld. each. The postage upon both lettere and news papers must be paid in advance, or they cannot be for warthel. MADAME TUSSAUD'S E IHIB ITION..—The latest pro duction here has been a compl ete change in the noble female costumes comprised in the chief groups in the establishment. The following distinguished ladies are most conspicuous for their elegance and beauty. Her Imperial Maj.:sty the Empress of the French is repre sented in an elegant white satin robe with purple velvet train, the whole s plendidly embroidered with gold. The Empress of Austria , in a geranium coloured drese, with splendid white lace flowers, with green satin train orna ments with white lace and flowers. Her Majesty Queen Victoria, in a beautiful straw coloured satin robe and train of crimson. Her Majesty the Queen of Spain in a let blue silk dress, ornamented with white lace and pearls. Tne late Queen Caroline in emerald green satin and white, elegantly embroidered, with gold train, purple and gold. Her late Royal Highness the Princess Charlotte, white satin dress, embroidered with silver; and many others too numerous to mention. The whole of these elegant and tasteful costumes have been designed and completed under the superintendence of Mrs. J. Tassaud, who has displayed her usual judgment and taste in the selectio4 of the splendid materials of which hey are canoed. • OPENING OF THE NEW PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS.—(This Day.) The New Parliament assembled this day for the first time for the despatch of public business. In consequence of the absents of her M sjesty, the ceremony was shorn of its 1131111 pomp ; and in place of the usual brilliant assemblage of Peeresses, Foreign Ministers, &c., there were present to-day but a few ladies, who occupied the back seats on the Opposition side of the house. Tne constitution of the House of Peers is such that, unlike the Common!, on the assemblage of a New Parliament, scarcely any change is to be observed among its members. At two o'clock the Royal Commissioners, the Lord Chancellor, the Duke of Argyll, Lord Stanley of Alderley, and the Earl of Harrowby, entered the house and took their seats in front of the Throne, and the Usher of the Black Rod was immediately directed to summon the Commons to the bar of their lordships' house to hear her Majesty's Most Gracious Speech on the occasion of the opening of Parliament, read by Royal Commission. In a very short time, the Speaker attended by a large number of Members appeared at the bar, and the Clerk at the table read the Royal Com mission. HER MAJESTY'S SPEECH. The LORD CHANCELLOR then rose and read her Majesty's Speech as fo1!ow3 " MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN, "We are commanded to inform you that her Majesty has availed herself of the earliest opportu nity of having recourse to your advice and assist ance after the dissolution of the last Parliament ; and her Majesty trusts that there will be found sufficient time during the present session to enable you satisfactorily to deal with various important matters, some of which had occupied the attention of Parliament in the beginning of this year. " We are commanded by her Majesty to inform you that the general aspect of affairs in Europe affords a well-grounded confidence in the con tinuance of peace. " All the main stipulations of the treaty of Paris have been carried into execution, and it is to be hoped that what remains to be done in regard to those matters will be speedily accomplished. " The negotiations upon the subject of the dif fer ences which had arisen between the King of Prussia and the Swiss Confederation, in regard to the affairs of Neuchatel, are drawing to a close, and will, her Majesty trusts, be terminated by an ar rangement honourable and satisfactory to all par ties. " The negotiations in which her Majesty has been engaged with the Government of the United States, and with the Government of Honduras, in regard to the affairs of Central America, have not yet been brought to a close. " We are commanded by her Majesty to inform you that a treaty of peace between her Majesty and the Shah of Persia was signed at Paris on the 4th of March, by her Majesty's Ambassador at Paris and by the Ambassador of the Shah ; and her Majesty will give directions that this treaty shall be laid before you as soon as the ratifications thereof shall have been duly exchanged. " Her Majesty commands us to express to you her regret that, at the date of the latest advices from China, the differences which had arisen bet ween the High Commissioner at Canton and her Majesty's civil and naval offic?rs in China, still remained an Adjusted. But her Majesty has sent to China a Plenipotentiary fully instructed to deal with all nutters of difference, and that Plenipotentiary wit be supported by an adequate naval and military force, in the event of such assistance becoming nec.es3ary. "We are commanded to inform you that her Majesty, in conjunction withseveral other European Powers, has concluded a Treaty with the King of Denmark for the redemption of the Sound Dues. This Treaty, together with a Separate Convention between her Majesty and the King of Denmark, completing the arrangemrnt, will be laid before you, and her Majesty will cause the measures ne cessary for fulfilling the engagements thereby con tracted to be submitted for your consideration." " GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. " Her Majesty has directed the Estimates for the present year to ba laid before you. "They have been prepared with a careful atten tion to economy, and with a due regard to the effi oiency of the department of the public service to which they severally relate. " MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN, " Her Majesty commands us to recommend to your earnest consideration, measures which will be proposed to you for the consolidation and improve ment of the law. " Bdls will be submitted to you for improving the laws relating to the Testamentary and Matri monial Jurisdiction now exercised by the Ecclesias tical Courts, and also for checking fraudulent breaches of trust. " Her Majesty commands us to express to you her heartfelt gratification at witnessing the conti nued well-being and contentment of her people, and the progressive development of productive industry throughout her dominions. " Her Majesty confidently commits to your wis dom and care the great interests of her empire, and fervently prays that the blessing of Almighty God may be vouchsafed to your deliberations, and may lead you t:) conclusions conducive to the objects of ber Majesty's constant solicitude, the welfare and happiness of her loyal and faithful people." Alter the Royal Speech had been read, th) Speaker and the Members retired, and their lord ?lips adjourned until five o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS---(This Day.) Her Majesty's faithful Commoni began to assem ble to-day shortly after one o'clock. Until two the members kept arriving, and by that hour the Mini sterial side mustered a strong force, but the Oppo sition side of the house was rather thinly attended. In the present House of Commons there are a great many new faces, most of whom ara compara tively unknown and inexperienced in statesrow ls hi p . Some of these may have within the gerria of sec cess, but the majority will perhaps either sink int) respectable repres.entatives or prove 12ntentabh failures. The Speaker, attired in 'Alf) state robes, and at tended by Lord Charles R as.sell, entered the house about half-past one, and 'thamed - lately afterwards prayers were read by the. - Sie4l,:er's chaplain. inck }ire Usher of the Black Shortly after two o' c ' table, summoned the, Rod came into the ' aou „. e, and, advancing to the S',eaker to the House of Peers to Parliament .584.y's speech on the opening of her re a A ci l b a,l 4 , ... :,,, the Royal Commissioners. to accordance with the cominsnd, left the house, attended by the Sergeant -at-Arms The e ar Speaker, and the maJiiiity of the members present. After an absence of hbout a criarter of an hour the Speaker returned, and the house immeCtiately adjourned until a quarter to 'lour o'clock. The Prineese Marie Bonaparte (Madame Wyse) has arrived at the Clarendon, 1 , ,.0in Oaten& The Duke and Duchesa of Hamilton have left Pau fur Paris. His Grace will come on to town directly, en route for Scotian d, but the duchess will remain in Paris for some days 1 , anger. • _ The Duke (4* Argyll arrived in town Tact evening from Manchef,iter. THE CIIINFSE IN BORNEO, The following interesting letter, written by a lady, resident in the house of the Bishop of La btian, at Sarawak, at the time of the Chinese insurrection, has been forwarded to us for publica tion :-- et SARA.WAK, MARCH 11. " We were aroused soon after seven o'clock on the night of the 19th. of February by a most alarm ing uproar —guns firing, shrieks, and yells. At first I thought that it was some Chinese New-year re joicing, but was quickly undeceived. I ran to Mrs. M‘Dougn.ll's room, and was met by the Bishop, who told us to get dressed immediately, as he li,ad no doubt but that it was theKungsi. These Chinese lived at Bauh, about 30 miles up the river, and were gold-washers. From the north verandah we saw the flashes from the guns, and the light from the torches discovered to us a most disorderly rab ble. In a few momen's the Rajah's hours burst into a flame, with Mr. Crookshank's to the left and Mr. Middleion's to the right. The fort was soon taken. We assembled in the dining-room —our selves, the school peop!e and the two families of Channons, expecting every moment some dreadful fate. The Bishop knelt in the midst of us and commended us to God. It was all he could do ; resistance would have b. en vain. We started once, for the jungle, but he recalled ; flight was impossible with su;:h a party. Till morning dawned we sat and watcht d in agony for the fate of those around us. With early morning came a Malay, who told us that the Rajah had escaped ; that Mr. Crookshank was wounded ; and that Mrs. Crookshank was lying near the ashes of her house severely wounded. A man then came from the Kungsi chief to tell us that we hadn ,thing to fear, th at the Bishop was an 'orang baik' (good man), and they did not wish to injure him. Theysnitfer him totend theirwounded. Mean while everything was prepared to receive Mrs. Crookshauk, but the Kungi around her would nut ht her come. Three times tte attempt was made, until at last the Bishop ob'ained permission to re ceive her. Poor thing ! the wretches surrounded them before they heard them. They tried to es..lape through the bathhouse ; her white dross betraye I her, and a Kt - log.Bi gave her a fearful gash in the thigh. She fell, of course ; her husband tried to de fend her, but was obliged t ) fly. He had • a cut in' his arm. She crawled from the spot whore she fell and tried to hide, but - bey discovered her. Her fortitude and self-command are wonderful. The, Rajah had been very far from well, so that Panty (his servant) slept in the room next to his. He was aroused, and at once saw that fight was his only safety. He escaped through the bath house, sword in hand, and swam across a creek, and went to the Datoo Banda's, where Mr. Crook shank joined him. Mr. Nicholet, a youth of 16, on a 'visit to the Rajah, was killed. Middleton escaped, but his two little sons were killed, and Mr. Wellington, who came out with us. Mrs. Middle too escaped almost miraculously. " The 20th passed heavily. The Bishop, Datoo Banda, Mr. Helms, and Mr. Ruppell met the Kung si in Council. After this they went away. The Bishop obtained the consent of the Kungsi to send away his wife and family to Singapore. They made the distillation between us, as British subjects, and the Government people here. At three o'clock (Friday, the 20th) Mrs. M'Dougall, Alan, the two children, and I, went in the lifeboat, intending to join the Goodluck at the mouth of the river. The Datoo Banda at that very time expressed his determination to follow the Kuugsi to Bali)). Mr. Ruppell was determined to go to Singapore. Mr. Helms was lost in the jungle, thus leaving the Bishop alone in this terrible extremity. On Saturday the Datuo fol lowed the Kungsi up the river, but was unable to effect anything. Everything seemed so quiet that the Rajah thought of returning. The Bishop met him at Tanah Puteh, and on his return told all to be ready for flight .at a moment's notice. Sun day morning the Kungsi came again. The Rajah came up in a boat, but the Malays were worsted. The miscreants were left in possession, and they immediately set fire to the Malay village. " In the meantime we reached the Goodluck, but found it (a small schooner) so crowdel with fugitive Chinese that we at once decided that it was impos sible to go to Singapore. It was quite late at,night, and our crew deserted us, when Mr. Helms most fortunately arrived, after having hid in the jungle all day. He took us to Yemang, a Malay village ; we stayed in the boat that night and were - received into a native house on Saturday. In the night Mrs. M`Dougall had a letter from the Bishop telling us to go up again with Middleton and Crymble, who then joined us. We did so the next day, but soon saw the smoke from Kuchin, and not long after, the boats flying from Sarawak. Poor Mrs. Crookshank was lying at the bottom of a boat without any mattress. We took some in and all met at Yemang, where we divided—the Bishop,* Mrs. M‘Dougall and the children, Mr. and Mrs. Crookshank, the Stahls, and Channons and school for Linga ; Mr. Tidman, Miss Coomes, and myself, with M. Helms, for Sambas ; the Rajah and his followers in a Malay war-boat. It was a dreadful night. On the next day, about midday, we de=cried the Sir James Brooke entering the river, and were soon on board. The Rajah almost immediately c ime up, and we went to Sarawak amid eager preparations for war. A few shots from our great guns cleared the place of the Kungsi. W . e pro ceeded to the Malay village, where the Rajah :was moot joyfully received, and, returning, anchored before the town. A large " Balls" was collected from all quarters. In a few days Balidah was re taken, Bauh, Siniawen, &c., burnt to the ground, and the Kungsi driven from the country with the loss of nearlyl,2oo fighting men and all their treasure. Our church, house, and school stand, but property of every kind has been carried away or wantonly destroyed, except the books. The cup and paten belonging to the communion service have been re covered. All the valuables were carried away, wearing apparel, ac., cut to pieces ; but we are well off compared with others. The Rajah has lost everything. He now weals the native dress, and lives in the fort, which has been strengthened. He is, indeed, a noble man, so unselfish, so kindly thoughtful for all, and so energetic in all his plans. The loyalty and devotion of his native subjects have been a great support to him. He applied to the Dutch Government for help, and a war steamer arrived from Singapore on Monday. The work is done, but it is pleasant to know that there is help so near. The Bishop has been staying at Linga, a small fort about ten miles from Banting, Mr. Chambers' station, without books or occup +tier), but obliged to stay with Mrs. Crookshank. She is now out of danger, and wind or weather permitting they will be here on Friday or Saturday. 1. shall have the ho'ise in somewhat better order ; but if you have never seen a house which has been ransacked , and pillaged you can have no idea of wha t it 15., * The Bishop and his party appear to have gone cn to Linga, and hence no letters have been received from him. ADMISSION OF SOLICITORS. --The Master of the Rolls has given notice that he has appointed Friday next, at the Rolls Court, Chancery-lane, at 4 o'clock, for the swearing in of soiicitors. PRESENTATION or ELECTION PETITIONS.—By an order of the House of Comnittins all eLtetion petitions must be presented within fourteen days from this day (Thursday), when the session commences. THE DUNMOW FLITCH.—The Essex Standard says : The claimants to the Duntnow Flitch are stated to be Thomas f. Heard, Staffordshire, police-officer ; William Sparke, Saffron Walden, coachmaker ; and Sergeant O'Brien, Es-ex Rifles, Colchester. THE GRAND TRUNK RAILWAY OF CANADA.—Montreal letters, received by the Niagara yesterday, state that the Grand Trunk Aid Bill had been read a first lime, and there was no doubt of its passing. The Government gives up 3,111,5001. without claiming any interest until bond holders and shareholders receive 6 per cent., which is tantamount to a gift ; it relieves the company from all Government influence as directors at the board ; the com pany may raise what capital they think proper on being sanctioned by two-thirds of the shareholders ; the com pany may expend the moneys raised by the new pr-feren tial bonds upon works deemed most urgent within the limits of the act of last session, without waiting for the whole to be subscribed ; and any excess of traffic after 6 per per cent. is paid out of traffic to the railway bonds and shares, arid to the Government bonds, such excess to go to pay additional dividend to the original shareholders. —Lit•erpool Daily Pot of Tuesday. BOILER EXPLOSION AT THE MILLFIELDS FURNACES, NEAR WOLVERHAMPTON.—On Tuesday afternoon an ex plosion, attended with fatal results, occurred at these works. The result was that three men were killed on th e spot, and several others were seriously injured. The Birmingham Journal of yesterday gives toe followi iring account of the accident A blast furnace on .n works of Messrs. Riley, at Millfields, near Bilston, sod denly, and from causes as yet unascertained, exploded this (Tuesday) afternoon at half-pag three o'clock, forc ing out the surrounding brick work, and scattering the burning scoria throughout the casting house, in which at the time were employed two men and a boy, who were literally burnt to cinders, and whose bodies are now lying at an adjacent public-house, awaiting a corcnor'r inquest. Their names were Thomas Davis, 25, moulder; Samuel Thomas, 26, moulder ; and Thomas Fletcher, a l a d o f 0 years of age, employed in the same capa city. The following were immediately removed to the South Staffor dshire Hospital. Wolverhampton :—John Bilston ; Henry S' PatrickPurtell, 26, - B b i i s l t d o i n n Marr, 38a,gGedibb3e5t, G . lane r , iffi ne t a h r g Willi a m Rigby, 34, Gibbet-lane, near Bilston ; TBailfstt,on ; and James Corbett, 46, Bilston. The house-surgeon, S. B. Farr, Esq., states that the first four named are extensively burned all over the body ; that John Marr and Henry Taft are burned to that extent as t 3 leave their recovery hopeless. James Corbett, who escaped with the fewest injuries, has since been removed to his family. John Mortboy, 40, Ettingshall, was also re moved to the hovital last evening, badly burned." LITERATURE'. .---i - Christianity In China, Thibst, and Tartar'. By l'Abbii Flue, author of "The Chmese Em pire.' 2 WOlB. Lougm n. The writ - np of the Abbe Hue are well known atid highly estee'ned among books of travel. He has aldediaigely - LI our knowledge f the Celestial Empire in - his f.raier work. At the present time, when the " discord.tnt noises" of wetr are directing our attention to tliat peculiar nation, it may not ba unintere3iing to the general reader to ga , her some thing of their earlier history, as well a 3 some ac count of t'ne:r progress in religion, science, and civilistrion, from the .pages of an observer of sl much intelligence and experience. M. Hue, finding an acquaiwance with the history of that period in - - dispensable to the comptebension of the wiventures and successes of the missionaries, has given a very interesting sketch of the great Mongol empire. The powe - r and extent of the dominions of tress barbarians is not generally known. The following is the description given by M. Hue of Klubla' Khau and his dominions. He wal tit.) grandson of the founder of the Mlngol empire, and it will be seen . coald 1 -, oa•A of au enlightenment which was consi- . derahly in advance of his age and rice : " At the same epoch (1302) there (red also at Pekin the great Emperor of the Chinese and Oriental Tartars. Kublai was indisputably the sovereign of 'the motet enormous empire that the annals of the world have ever made known ; it comprehended the whole of China, Corea, Thibet, Tonquin, and Cochin China, a great part of Ihdia beyond the Ganges, many islands of the Indian Ocean,' and the whole north of the enntinet of Asia' from the Pacific to the Dnieper. Persia also was a feudatory of the throne ; its sovereigns, the successors of Houlagon, receiving their investiture from the Emperor of China, and as the dominkris of these great vassals extended to the Mediterranean and the frontiers of the Greek Empire it may he said that the whole of Asia was subject to the laws of the great Khan, who had chosen Pekin as the central seat of his Govern- .rent. What was the empire of Alexander the Great, or of the Mimans, or of Tchinginz Kau himself compared with that iif Kublai And yet this a•tonishing potentate is scarc.ily known at all among us, and our most learned historians hardly say a word about him ! This reign of Kublai offers to our observation one remarkable pheno menon. We see-this powerful sovereign ruling at once over the most civilised nations of the Blot, and over those who had scarcely issued from bar barism. With one hand encouraging the arts of peace, and with the other exciting ardour for martial enterprises, softening nations already vanquished, and unchaining against others the furies of war. Kublai had received a Chinese education ; he appreciated the advantages of civilisation ; he admired the institutions of China, and protected literature and the sciences. lie had some of the best Chinese books translated into the Mongol language, and founded schools for the young people of his own country, and gave much encourage ment to their studies. He received with favour learned and literary men of every country and religion, granting them many pr:vileges, and exempting them from taxes and tributes. It was he who established the college of Ilan lin, the first academical institution of China. He spread the taste for mathematics, and with the assistance of the Arabs laboured in the construction of a new system of astronomy, greatly superior to any that the Chinese bad hitherto been acquaninted with. He aff ,rded, al,o, great encouragement to agriculture, industry, and commerce ; be bad numerous canals dug in all the provinces of China, and he threw open the seaports to all foreigners. Bet the task of civilising the Tartar proved beyond the power of even Sahlai. The intere.ourse of these igno rant and warlike tribes with a peaceful and cultivated nation never effected any fusioa between them, and whilst the Tartars retained their rude, turbulent, and vagabond habits, the .Chinese submitted patiently to their conquest, and devoted themselvas to commerce and industry, arts and letters. M. Hue was for many years a missionary in China, consequently his information is authentic and ex tensive. His accaunti of the Catholic missions will of course be mpst interesting to those of his own faith ; but the sufferings and struggle's of the first missionaries in a heathen country is a subject that possesses an interest for all denominations of Chris tians. There is reason to suppose, from recent discoveries and deductions, that Christianity and civilisation were introduced to the Chinese by tea" yellers from Europe many centuries since. It ar pears that they were' acquainted with gunpowde f at a very early period. One of the first to give the civilised world a description of the wonderful ere' pire of Kubla Khan was the celebrated Venetian traveller, Marco Polo. He was a resident fef many years at his court, and stood high in his favour. After remaining in China for seventee n years he returned to Venice with his relation s ' The voyage at that time was extremely perilous , and occupied three years and a half. When thei reappeared in Europe the attention of the We t was for the first time drawn to those remote re gions, and Marco Polo being taken priioner shortly afterwards, in a war between the Venetians and the Genoese, employed the time of his captivity is arranging an account of his travels. " This work, says M. luc, " W? 4, to European readers, like the announcement of a 'new world— a revelation of the habits and manners of a ne lf race." The travellers who had preceded hi m had remained but a short time, and observed nothing but deserts. It is a remarkable testimony to the value of Marco Polo's account, and at the sanle time a proof of the little progress made by the Tartar race, that M. Hue, in his recent trave ls _ , , found the very characters and habits described SP. , centuries ago. Our author naturally regrets that, the Venetian traveller affords but scanty infor ls ; toe respecting; the state of the missionsin Chilea" that time. He testifies their existence and r e marks that Nagan, the leader of a formidable in' EMrrection, and the nephew of the Khan, was a Christian, and that a large number of his arms were also of that faith. The mission in China I;P: at length finally established by the efrOrt3 of Fathe; Ricci, one of the most eminent of its members, sgb availed himself of his superior talents and acquirs ments to secure the respect of a conceited a. 5 ,4 sceptical people. His knowledge of ma-thereat% and the physical seiences contributed largely to 131 influence over them, and his judgment and discrei tion were put to severe test by the stormy poli t'ea scenes of which he was a witness. He devoted bits self to his great object with entire self-devoti o / during many years in so much toil, danger, ne :g difficulty that M. Hue closing the memoir of IP., life remarks that the longest martyrdom k nov f P would have spared him much suffering. The torical and geographical portions of the book 111, be to mauy the most interesting. They certain,.'4o possess much value from the high reputation of t°_, writer, which the present careful and labo rion' work will undoubtedly add to. LONDON AND BROMPTON CANCER HOSPITAL. The Lancet, in a lengthened account of a visa to this hospital, says :—" On the 14th of April ° paid a visit to the out-patients' department this hospital, and saw a large number of cases' some of them under treatment, and others, ag a ', ,,4 o presenting themselves for the first time. We vie`i surprised to find amingst many of these, se - 0 1 1 1 0 from various parts of the country, and it must P 3 a mater for gratification to the governors knowsulseribers to this noble charity to that sn c is the reputation of their hospital, that p aliee a to come even from the most distant parts of E0g 1311 ,,, to obtain relief. This Flyaks much for the r e p tation of the staff connected with it. It were needless to go into detail upon them e' 0 , remarkable cases which were presented to our Pio tice • a large proportion of them ate instanced which ' the female breast is implicated, in e've.i B t • variety and stage of the disease. These und er tre ment were doing well. the esides examples of cancer in other parts of of body, we saw several instances of indurat ion ad the breast, which the patients either feared or 1/i4, been told elsewhere were cancer. These were u;jj pelled with constitutional treatment. But we c :,(1 truly say they would be received as cancer, trea'o, as cancer, and cured as cancer, by some of the his e terious cancer curers ; who cannot distioguish 'a, disease from others, who call everything o all - and who abound in this great metropolis. f We hope shortly to give some brief reports °- teresting cases from this hospital, with a refer R) to the treatment pursued, which is quite open„,}l.ol fair. Nothing is here concealed. Any n 1 of practitioner is permitted to witness the practic°oo the hospital on simply presenting his card. so f will see from forty to fifty cases of various foi r f., o . o c ricer amongst the out-patients' departuatanta.':iorl which the worst cases are selected for adllos'd into the hospital itself, situated at Bromptooa we feel certain every visitor will leave not satisfied, but highly gratified with everything netted with the charity. Sir William and Lady Maxwell and Miss Loga nhole sr' left Edwards's Hotel for Bickford Hall, Chester. t o , arid Mrs. Huntingdon have arrived at the same Cs lish,nent from Paris. General Sir Robert Vivian ha 3 arrived at the )71.1.3" :1 wick Hotel, Jerrnyn-street. Sir C. and Lady Lamb/ ,„0 Sir Ross, are amongst the departures for the sal"' establishment. rr -0 Mr. T. L. Blanc has arrived at the Clarendon, 4 Winkfield Park, near Windsor. p h - c l A Cabinet Council was held yesterday at the e"' ' O , residence of the First Lord of the Treasury, in 131° -: 1 A 1- ing-street. The Ministers present were V)ecouut ."-r, meraton, the Lord Chancellor, Earl Granville, the ND y quia of Lansdowne, the Earl of Harrowby, Sir Gr• Grey !he Earl of Clarendon, Mr. Secretary Labouchere, P i 0 Panmure, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir Cn ar b e t Wood, the Right Hon. R. V. Smith, aud tbe lig Eli )a, M. T. Baines. Th terpo all of fore i comp Up reco N -11 M I must 1 from ft the r n i ; Places, yet bee by the Eye] charge lunteei thin g d receive: elearin vent a entire The funds 'Mans such a the (I f wh a Cooke, Weekly .of son, The held la street. :the ch pre-en , Mr. lOng r. of a dil of pia( THI El rencE the 1 yet week Lai Vit t her , th e 1 ' 3 41b1 th at The rode, 13 1 . w their du e tai g] }3o ci, )3114;