The Sun. — London, England, 1857-04-22 00:00:00

1:1 ER MAJESTY'S THEATRE. EXTRA NIGHT, TO-MORROW, THURSDAY. FIRST NIGHT OF IA TRAVIATA, PICCOLOMINI, GIUGLINI, BENEVENTANO, POCCHINI. Opera—LA 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, Haymarket. Price One Guinea and One Guinea and a Half each. ROY AL PRINCESS'S THEATRE. THIS EVENING, will be performed Shakespere's tragedy of KING RICHARD THE SECOND. King Richard IL, Mr. C. Kean ; Queen, Mrs. C. Kean. Preceded by A GAME OF ROMPS. T HEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Lessee—Mr. J. B. Buckstone. Nsw ARRANGEMENT OF PRICES OF A messtag. 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, drc. After which, the successfu` Classical Love Story, un der the Apple-lation of A PAL ANTA ; or, Tho Three Golden Apples : in which Miss M. Oliver will appear; also Miss M. Wilton, and Miss Ellen 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 Bexes 5 0 Dress Boxes 3 0 Upper Boxes 3 0 Upper Box m 5..... 2 0 Pit... Lower Gallery 1 0 Lower Gallery 0 6 Upper Gallery 0 fNo half-price to Upper Gallery. T HEATRE ROYAL, A DELPHI Lessee—Mr. Ben. Webster. THIS EVENING, will be performed the new and original domestic sketch, entitled WELCOME, LITTLE STRANGER- Mr. Wright, Mr. Paul Bedford, kc. __ Followed by THE ELVES, in which Madame Celeste will perform After which, A NIGHT AT NOTTING-HILL, in which Mr. Wright and Paul Bedford will appear. TRAND THEATRE.—Manazer, Mr. T. Payne.—THlS EVENING will be performed RUTH OAKLEY. After which, WILLIAM TELL (Burlesque.) Mesdames Leigh Murray, Cuthbert, Somers, dtc. To conclude with a Farce. Commence at Seven. Stalls, 3s. ; Bozes, 2s. ; Pit, ls. ; Gallery, 6d. BOYAL SURREY THEATRE, Leageea. Mews. Shepherd and Cr. , swick. THIS EVENING, the new drama of FLORENCE; or, The Fatal Err , r. Characters by Messrs. Creswiek, Norman, Charles, Miss Mortimer, &e. FolThwed by THE DUMB SAVOYARD AND HIS MONKEY, The Monkey, Mr. Flexmore. After which, MIDAS, Apollo, with songs, Miss Poole, R OYAL OLYMPIC THEATRE. Lessee, Mr. Alfred Wigan. THIS EVENING, will he performed a new drama, called DADDY HARDACRE. Mr. Robson, &c. 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. A STLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE. Lessee and Manager, Mr. W. Cooke. THIS EVENING ell week), the highly successful Grand Military Spectacle, called THE FRENCH TN ALGIERS ; or, The Battle of Constantine, introducing Mr. W. Cooke's admired Stud of trained Horses, ke. After which, Miss Kate Cooke will appear in the EQUES TRIAN ACTS in the CIRCLE. The performance of Signor Corelli and Family. To conclude with A RISIBLE FARCE Commerce at seven o'clock. Dress Boxes, 4s. ; Upper Boxes, 3s. • Private Boxes, from 1/., no charge for booki ng ; Pit, 2s. ; Gallery, Is. ; Upper Gallery, 6d. Rex•office open from Eleven till Four. Stage Manager, Mr. W. West. Equestrian Director, Mr. W. Cooke, jun. CANTERBURY 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, 6rc., viz. Miss E. Pearce, Mrs. J. Caulfield, Miss Brunell, Miss Summers, and Madame Marietta; Mr. J. Caulfield, Herr F. Jonghmans, R. Grover, T. Farrant, S. Jones. J. Barker, W. Melling, P. Corri, Senor Antonio M. de Soils, and E. L. Hime ; Masters Austin, Bennett, and Corri; 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, drc., until twelve o'clock. zuGH WATER AT LoNDON MUDGE. TRIM DAT—Morn. 5 min. aft. 12 —Evening 28 mia. aft. 12 Tn-lrfoßitow—Morn. 50 min. aft. 12—Evening 11 min.aft 1 THE WEA.THER—SUN OPFICE. Arum 22. THERIMEETEB, IN THE SHADE. 61—highest rinse noon yesterday. 49 —lowest this morning and during the night. 53 —this day at noon. BAROMETER, 30'05-- falling. ' Wnrr.—N.W. to W.N.W. ; rather fresh and squally, with drizzling rain and dull weather. (0 - 'll IS CT 4,1 A AA ,1 , LONDON, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 1857, As we stated yesterday, the most energetic efforts are being made to tempt the speculators of the Stock Exchange into transactions in relation to the Russian Railway scheme, which has just been introduced, under the auspices of Messrs. BARING, Brothers, and Co., to the English market. Every inducement is at present held out. Appli cations for shares have been forwarded from • France, Belgium, and other countries for English allotment•, which, if bona fide, might be made under far more favourable circumstances in the immediate vicinities where the par ties reside. The object, however, is to create a market by an artificial demand, and, to achieve that object, considerable sacrifices will be submitted to in the first instance. The moment, however, that men have been induced to deal, to the requisite extent, the illusion will be dispelled. The Continental " Stags," who have taken care that they will be indemnified, in any event will get out of the business on the best possible terms, and although they may apparently sustain losses of 2,3, or even 5 per cent., they will be speedily recouped, with handsome additions for " the use of their names," and the discredit that must necessarily attach thereto when the bubble has burst. The jobbers will then have the stock thrown on their hands, and have ample cause to deplore in sackcloth and ashes the ver dant credulity that betrayed them into such an untoward scrape. They may laugh to scorn the folly of the yokels who are victimised by the stile tricks of the ring-droppers, skittle sharpers, and benevolent gentlemen who have large sums of money to be handed over to the casual acquaintances of the beer-shop, who can give proof of respectability by exhibiting sums of money as a test of respectability. But there Are " ring -droppers" on a gigantic scale, " duffers" who persuade them that some worthless article posaessea sterling value, and that they can profitably exchange their hard cash for notes of the Bank of Elegance, or gilt counters. As we stated, the first step is to create a mar ket ! When that has been accomplished the rest necessarily and speedily follows. The "green goose" is virtually plucked' at the very moment when he fondly imagines that he has realised handsome profits, and has perhaps treated the "placens uxor" to a "duck of a bonnet" or a handsome silk dress, on the strength of the ima ginary gains. Shares are sleeted at a pre mium, and the gull, feeling assured that ho can obtain an allotment, sells shares which he has not in possession, thinking that he can realise and cut the transaction before the inevitable blow-up. But he has reckoned without his host. The premium will not be paid before a settling day has been appointed by the Com mittee of the Stock Exchange ; a matter that may probably be deferred ad Grrecas Calendas, or, according to the vernacular, until " to-morrow come never." Meanwhile, the dupe applies for an allotment of a far larger number of shares than is required for the fulfilment of his contract, in the expectation of getting only a portion of that for which he has asked. The moment the deposit has been made and the letter despatched his doom pronounced, hi; fate sealed. lie has actually lodged a considerable sum—possibly borrowed. which he cannot afford to lose. He has tampered with the Demon and must go on ! From that time forth he will have no-rest. Whatever may be the result of his application, he is chained hand and foot. If he gets the full amount for which he hag asked, he has a larger number of shares than he can dispose of on favourable terms, and, even supposing that the settling day will be appointed within reasonable time, and that the' purchaser fulfils his contract like a gentleman, he will lose more on the balance than he gains on the shares that he has sold at a premium, and will be personally responsible for the payment of future instalments. But even that would perhaps be the most auspicious phase of the transaction. The parties may have decided on a deeper game. It may suit their purpose to draw the victim farther on. A small portion only may be granted, and in such case he will be compelled to buy in the market at 2 or 3 premium what he has engaged to deliver at / or 1. Here there will be a loss at the very com mencement, and few have the strength of mind to submit thereto, and shake off the first entangle• went. Convulsive efforts will be made to get back the original stake, but every plunge will merely sink him deeper in the mire, until every hope has vanished, and his ruin is accc.mplished. " Cest le Premier pas qui coute." It is the first step that must be avoided. The "Russian Railway Swindle" should be expressly tabooed. It is "the unholy thing" that should not be touched under any circumstances—the "pitch" that must defile those who touch it, that will still cling to their fingers, no matter what efforts they make at purification. We implore our country men, then, to be cautious. They have artful men to deal with, men with ample capital, who will care but little for temporary sacrifices if they can induce parties to engage in the unequal game. The very thimbleriggers will let their victims win the first stake, although certain of eventually stripping them of their last shilling. Let the public, then, beware of the Muscovite sharpers. They are fully warned, and if they now suffer themselves to be defrauded they can expect neither sympathy nor condolence from the com munity at large. Their weediness will meet its just reward. An avenging Nemesis will punish their unpatriotic cupidity. The Neuchatel Conference still continues, but • the prospect of a satisfactory arrangement is more remote than ever. Prussia still continues her un tenable demands—endeavours to wring a good round sum from the hard hands of the Confedera tion, and to compel it to sacrifice its independence and honour to the so-called dignity of the peddling Monarch. They have too late discovered the folly of placing their faith in Princes. As well might a simple house-bolder appoint a com mittee of old clothes' men to value the stock which a confederate was anxious to obtain, as the Republic refer their cause to the arbitration of high and mighty despots who possess no feelings in com mon with themselves. They had the game in their own hands. They had within their power those who attempted to erect the standard of in surrection in their dominions, and to disturb the peaceful community. Those who committed si milar offences in Prussia would experience the tender mercies of the axe, the gibbet, or the fusillade, or a protracted imprisonment, under circumstances scarcely conceivable in England. But when it was only the sanctity of a Re public that was invaded then even a trial could not be tolerated. Prussia, the faineant whom no sense of honour or decency could stimu late to action during the Russian War, must avenge her injured dignity against the inoffensive people—who brought to trial those who assailed the constituted authorities, and endeavoured to subvert the de facto Government. The first demand is that FREDERICK WILLIAM should still retain the empty title of Prince of Neuchatel ! Why, this was the sole cause of the existing difficulty. It was because he assumed that designation that the complications arose, and fresh dangers must arise from the continued assumption, especially if it be recognised by the Confederation. It will be the drawn sword sus pended over their heads, which may fall at any moment that it may suit the purposes of the quasi Prince to produce a conflict. It may be said that the Kings of England assumed that of France also until the time of GEORGE 111., and that King BOMDA. still retains that of Jerusalem. But the Governments of France and Jerusalem did not officially sanction the ridiculous claims, nor did they liberate rebels, who strove to render the nominal titles practical advantages. Switzerland may afford a smile of contempt at the claim ; but the moment they sanction it in any way they expose themselves to the repetition of attempts of a similar character to the abortive one of Count PONTALES, the ex-aide-du-camp of King atcouor, the son-disant Prince of Neuchatel. If any concession is to bo made on this point it should be by Prussia. If FREDERICX. WILLIAM be willing to surrender the substance, as he declares himself t) be, he should also yield the shadow—and not strive to create a Swiss " ScuEmn," who must always pain fully feel the loss of the necessary appendage—valueless to CLICQUOT, but of inesti mable consequence to the ether parties concerned. A pecuniary indemnity is also claimed ! An indemnity for what ? Not for private property held by the KING in hisindividusl capacity, but for state possessions attached to and inseparable from the Government. Private property would, of course, be respected. We know but little of Swiss sen timents if they would retain it under any possible circumstances. But to concede the demand would be to confess themselves wrong-doers ab initio, to acknowledge that they did not possess the authority that they have so long exercised. The indemnity, too, must be relinquished. It cannot be maintained with credit - , nor yielded without dishonour. The SAIDA may be said of the required guar antees respecting the administration of the eccltsiastical property and the maintenance of cer tain benevolent institutions, in which CLICQUOT affects to feel an interest. They are merely loop holes for interference in the internal affairs of the Canton, which can do him no good, but may be highly injurious to the 'safety of Switzerland. No good can possibly arise from the so-called "protection" so greatly loved by despots. It is something analogous to the " protection" afforded by the wolf to the lamb, that invariably ends in the de struction of the weaker party. It should, there fore, be unhesitatingly rejected by Switzerland. She has already yielded too much. If firm, she must be sustained and really " protecter by France and England, notwithstanding the suspi• cious interference of the EMPEROR, or the con templated niatritnonial alliance between the Prince of PRUSSIA. and the Princess Royal of ENGLAND. If, then, the problem cannot be satisfactorily solved, let her fling diplomacy to the winds and entrench herself firmly in her mountain fortresses. CacQucer will pause-befor he assumes the eff-n -sivo in a matter where he must eiacouutor the opposition of France and England; and where if even left to fight it out with Switzerland, she might have but little to boast of as to the final results of the conflict. CHARLES the Bold re ceived a painful lesson, that should not be thrown away on " FREDERICK WILLIAM the Timid." HEALTH OF TILE DUCHESS OF GLOU- LEE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, APRIL 22, 1857. CESTER. The following bulletin was issued this morning : " Gloucester House, April 22, 8 a.m. " Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester had some sleep in the early part of the night, but has since been much embarrassed in her breathing, (Signed) " FRANCIS HAWKINS, M. D. " ROBERT EBROUSON, M.D." The Duchess of Ragusa, the widow of Marshal ?elar mont, whose posthumous memoirs have occasioned so much sensation, is just dead. The Grand Duke Constantine arrived at Toulate on Monday afternoon, and was received with the usual honours by Admiral Trehouart and the naval authorities. There were no speeches. His Imperial Highness dined with the Maritime Prefect. The East India and China Association have published their usual comparative statement of the number of ships, British and foreign, with their aggregate tonnage, entered inward and cleared outward, with cargo, from and to places within the limits of the East India Com pany's charter, from the Ist of January to the 31st of March, 1856 and 1857. The Independanee Beige mentions a sad event which has just happened at Brussels. A young English lady, only 14 or 15 years of age, at one of the pensionnats de demoiselles in that city, threw herself out of an upper window in a fit of home-sickness, and one of her legs was broken by the fall. No name is mentioned. CITY OP LONDON UNlON.—Yesterday was held the first meeting of the newly-elected board of guardians for the City of London. Mr. Deputy Whiteside proposed Alderman Thomas Quested Finnic; (the present Lord Mayor) as chairman of the union for the ensuing year, which was seconded by Mr. Verry, and carried amidst loud cheers. Mr. Abbisa was also elected vice-chairman by a majority of 22. The Prince of Prussia has left Coblentz for Mayence, of which federal fortress he is Governor. After residing there till the 21st inst. he will proceed thence to Frank- ' fort, and, accompanied by the Princess, pay a visit to their daughter at Carlsruhe. The whole of May the Prince and Princess will probably spend here in Berlin, at which time the spring exercises of the troops takes place, and towards the beginning of June they will pro ceed to London on a visit to Queen Victoria, accom panied by Prince Friedrich Wilhelm. SMYRNA, April 11.—The Royal Albert and the rest of the squadron under command of Admiral Lord Lyons sailed' on Thursday, after a stay of one week. The day before his departure a deputation composed of six of the eldest English merchants waited on the admiral with a complimentary address, and in the evening his lordship gave a theatrical performance on board the Royal Albert, concluding with a dance and a supper, to which all the European society was invited. EMIGRATION TO AUSTRALIA.—LFFEEPooL, Tuesday. —The White Star ship Sir William Eyre, Captain Jopp, belonging to Messrs. H. T. Wilson and Chambers, of this port, sailed at an early hour this morning for Mel bourne, with a full cargo of valuable merchandise on freight, and 440 passengers on board. She will be suc ceeded by the fine new ship Samuel Locke, Captain Sweetser, also sailing under the White Star flag, on Monday next, the 27th inst. The Samuel Locke has already nearly all her berths engaged, and will carry out above 300 passengers. She has also the greater part of her cargo room appropriated. Altogether, the emigra tion trade, especially to Australia, from this port is FIRE NEAR ST. PAUL'S.--This morning, at a few minutes pact 12 o'clock, a dense mass of smoke was perceived issuing from the lower part of the premises belonging to Messrs. Goodyear and Co., straw bonnet manufacturers, carrying on business at No. 35, St. Paul's-churchyard. The building stood next to the pri vate residences of the principals of St. Paul's School, whilst the narrow thoroughfare known as Old Change only separated it from the parish church of St. Faith under St. Paul. There were five persons in the house at the time ; only one of them managed to reach the front door, the rest escaped by a trap-door in the roof. The fire was got under by 2 o'clock. The destruction of property was considerable. THE LATE DREADFUL ACCIDENT ON THE GREAT WEST ERN RAILWAY OF CANADA.—SUbjeiried is the substance qf a telegraphic despateh received yesterday by the com pany : —A telegraphic despatch received from Hamilton, Canada West, per Europa, intimates that after a pro tracted examination, the coroner's jury had returned a verdict, in the matter of the lamentable accident of March 12, on the Great Western Railway of Canada. The swing bridge at which it occurred is declared to have been substantially constructed, and the locomotive to have been properly examined before starting ; the cause of the accident being the breaking of the axle of one of the leading wheels of the engine, which caused it to leave the rails and cut through the timbers of the bridge. No blame is attribntable to the company. The jury recommend that a fixed bridge be erected in the place of a swing bridge. PRICE OP GOLD.—The quotation of gold at Paris is about 4 per mille premium, and the short exchange on London is 25.25 per 11. sterling. On comparing these rates with the English Mint price of 31. 17s. 1 Oid per ounce for standard gold, it appears that gold is nearly I.loth per cent. dearer in Paris than in London. By advices from Hamburg the price of gold is 424 per mark, and the short exchange on London is 13.4 per 11. sterling. Standard gold at the English Mint price is therefore about 2.loths per cent, dearer in Hamburg than in London. The course of exchange at New York on London for bills at 60 days' sight is 1081 per cent., which, when compared with the Mint par between the two countries, shows that the exchang e i s aga i ns t Eng land ; but, a f ter making allowance for charges of trans port and difference of interest, the present rate leaves no profit on the transmission of gold either way between England and America. Tun BANK or FRANCE.—The letters from Paris de scribe an uneasy feeling. The contrivance of the Go vernment to obtain a new loan by compelling the Bank of France to double their capital seems to have occa sioned considerable dissatisfaction, and it is positively stated that the opinions of the Directors were unani-• mously against the measure. It appears that the Bank is to be allowed increased powers of issue, which will probably lead to the circulation of notes of a denomina tion lower than those at present authorised. It is men tioned that M. Mires has been summoned before the Trieunal of Commerce in connexion with complaints re garding his mode of putting forth the shares of the Roman railways. He at first announced that the num ber would be 100,000, and, after large dealings had been effected on this supposition, a strong action was pre ' duced on the market by a notification t hat the number weuld be reduced in order that a certain proportion I might be reserved for the clergy. , ; ;SALE OF THE PROPERTY OF LEOPOLD REDPATH AT THE AUCTION MARL—Yesterday, at the Auction Mart, the freehold, leasehold, and reversionary property of the notorious Leopold Redpath was offered to public antion by Mr. Marsh, in a most densely crowded room. The freehold residence at Weybridge, Surrey, fitted up and decorated with the most consummate taste, at a great expense, with pleasure and kitchen garden, stabling,. &c., and purchased by Redpath so recently as the spring of last year, sold for 2,670/. The leasehold residence, 49, Gloucester-place, Portman-square, held for an unex pired term of 30 years, at a nominal ground rent of 6d. per annum, and let at a rental of 851. per annum, sold for 8001. The reversion to a freehold home, Marsham street, Westminater, on the death of a lady and gentle man, aged respective l y 75 and 81, of the yearly value of 421. per annum, sold at 350/. A similar reversion to a house, Richmond-buildings, Soho, let at a rental of 541. per annum, sold at 5601. COURT OP ALDERMEN .—At the Court held yesterday, the following resolution, agreed to at a meeting of the Court of Common Council hill on the 27th, was read— " That this Court expresses its surprise and disapproval at the step taken by the Commissioner of Police in having, without permission, vacated his official residence, and thus violated the condition of his appointment— viz., residence within the city ;' and retaining a strong conviction of its necessity and importance, it hereby re quests the Court of Mayor and Aldermen to enforce the same, and require that officer immediately to occupy the residence provided for him, and report forthwith to We Court." The eopy of the resolution was ordered to be sent to the Commissioner for his reply, and in the mean time the matter was referred to the General Purposes Committee. The petition of the Metropolitan Saloon Omnibus Company, for standing in the city, ,was also re ferred to the same committee. A strong feeling pre vailed in favour of the company. NORTH BRITISH AUSTRALIAN COMPANY.—At a meeting of the North British Australian Company, held yester day, Celine' Oliphant presiding, it was agreed to ap point a committee of investigation, and an aojournment was consequently agreed to. The next meetiug is to be called previously to the let of July, and it is thought the intermediate time will be fully occupied in carrying out the inquiry. The discussion was of a violent and irregular character, but as the chairman., immediately the proposal for a committee was made, met the wishes of the shareholders, the details entered into were less than might have been anticipated. The position of the accounts, the expenditure upon the Kawan mining pro perly, and the general ill-success of management, were the principal points urged, to which it cvaa considered unnecessary to offer a reply, as the investigation will he immediately commenced. With regard to the sale of the interest of the .North British Australian Company in the Bon Accord property, the Directors endeavoured to elicit the opinion of the proprietors, arid, the majority declining to ianction the proceeding until the report of the committee shall have bee❑ completed, the question stands for the present postponed. THE LIGHTING OF PARIS.—In 1807, just 50 years ado, the streets of Paris were lighted with 4,223 lamps ; the let of January, 1857, we find these superseded by 14,330 gas-burners. In 1807, each lamp, all expenses included, cost V i c. per hour, or 97ic, per night, taking 11 hours as the average length of time; in 1857, the coet, all expenses included, is 190. per burner, with an intensity of light seven times greater than that of the oil-lamp. The total number of gas hunters in Parie, street - 4 and houses included, is upwards of two millions ; the total length of all the gas pipes laid down is 195 leagues. Were all the gas burners collected into one glohe, situated at an elevation of 2,500 metres ;bO;;; Park, it has been calculated that it would afford light to the whole department of the Seine, equal to that of a cloudy day. HER 111AJESTX'S THFIATBE. Mademoiselle Pico°lorni; has re-appeared, with all the eclat which attended her debut last season. Last night there was an immense house, attracted by the an nouncement of the " Figlia del Reggimento," and the young prima donna was received with the most cordial warmth. On her entrance peals of applause burst from every part of the theatre, and for several minutes she could only curtsey her ackwaledgments, which she did very gracefully, and with the appearance of much feel inv. Her aria d'intrata, " Apparvi alla Luce," which she sang very nicely, was listened to with demonstra tions of pleasure, which became still stronger when the same melody recurred in the form of a dnett with the oil sergeant Sulpizio, performed by Belletti. The famous " Ciascun lo dice," the " Song of the regi ment," which she sang with infinite spirit, was received, as it was last year, with acclamations ; and the enthu siastic feelings of the audience remained unabated to the end of the performance. When the curtain fell, and she presented herself before it, she was greeted with thunders of applause, cries, and showers of bouquets—a regular " ovation" in short, in all forms. Such was her reception ; and certainly it was deserved, taking her performance altogether. The opera itself is but a trifle. There is only one morceau in the whole opera which possesses real beauty and expression—the melancholy little air, " Convien partir," which Maria addresses, by way of farewell, to the military friends and protectors of her childhood. This air Madlle. Piccolomini sang very charmingly. She sang it from the heart, and .every tone of her voice seemed full of tears. ,This was her best vocal effort ; and next to it was the "singing lesson" at the beginning of the second act, where Maria, weary of her task, bursts out into the old " Rataplan " of her dear regiment, to the amazement of the stately Marchioness. The buoyant joyousness of this escapade was irresistible, and threw the audience into transports. A new tenor, Signor Bottardi, appeared in the part of Tonio. The Queen's box was occupied by Colonel the Hon. C. B. Phipps, Mrs. Phipps, and Miss Phipps ; Lord Rokeby, Mrs. Wellesley, Mr. Romaine, and party. Amongst the company also honouring the theatre with their presence on this occasion we observed his Grace the Duke of Devonshire, the Duke of Cleveland, and Lady Augusta Peulet, the Marquis and Marchioness of Clanricarde ; Frances Countess of Waldegrave and Mr. V. Harcourt ; the Earl of Malmesbury, the Earl of Lonsdale, the Earl of Cork and Orrery, the Earl of Wil ton, the Earl of Lucan, the Earl and Countess of Mount charles, the Countess Dowager of Harrington and party, the Earl and Countess of Stamford and Warrington, his Excellency the Mexican Minister, the Countess Dowager of Beauchamp, the Lord Chief Justice of the Queen's Bench and party, the Earl of Westmoreland, Lord Burghersh, the Viscount Powerscourt, the Countess C,troline Bellew, the Hon. Mr. and Mrs. Gore Lang ton, the Viscount Chelsea, the Viscount Clifden, the Viscount Exmouth, the Hon. Augustus Lumley, Lord Muncaster, the Countess Charlotte Schreberg, Sir F. Pottinger, Bart., Sir Peter Cautley, Bart., Sir John Lowther, Bart., M.P., the Hon. Ottway Toler, the Hon. Dudley Ward, Lady Henrietta Vane, Sir George Wombwell, Bart., Lady Emily Hesketh, Lady Anne Beckett, Sir John Lister Kaye, Bart., General the Hon. H. Cavendish, General Sir David Baird, Sir Henry Webb, Bart., Major• General Sir George Bowles, Colonel Brownlow Knox, Sir J. Bayley, Bart., and Lady Bayley, the Hon. Mr. Craven, the Hon. C. Duncombe, Mr. H. de Burgh, Captain Wyndham, M.P., Captain Bateson, Mr. Curry, Lady Flower, Admiral Ryder Burton, Mrs. Stuart Wortley, Hon. Mr. Fane, Mr. Barry, Captain Bates, Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Moffat, Mrs. Guest,. Mr. and Mrs. Trelawny, Mr. Griffith, Colonel Dunson, General Sir Alex. Woodford, Bart., and Lady Woodford, Mrs. P. Lyon Barrington, Captain the Hon. Frederic Fitzclarence and Mrs. Fitzclarence, Captain Woodgate, Colonel Longden, Mr. M‘Lean, Major Pole, Captain Ferguson, Mr. Ogles Hunt, Captain Newdegate, Dr. Edward Cutler, Captain Hanbury, Captain Marshall, Captain Hamilton, Captain Hogg, Captain Wynne, Mr. and Mrs. C. J. Palmer, Mr. B. B. Williams, Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler, Mr. Gilbert Cohen, Mr. Kaye, Mr. and Mrs. Watts, Mr. Harvey Lewis, Mr. Money Wi gram, M.P., Mr. B. Oliveira, Captain Torrens, Mr. Magan, Colonel Lockyer Freestun, M.P., and Mrs. Lockyer Freestun, Mr. and Lady Selina Vernon, Major Stour, Mr. and Mrs. Barclay, Colonel and Mrs. Mon , arieffe. ST. JAMES'S THEATRE. Our metropolis has been so long without a " French play" that the announcement of the re opening of the St. James's Theatre for the purpose to which a few years ago it seemed especially de voted will probably create no ordinary interest. Mr. Mitchell has engaged the whole company of the " Bouffes Parisielis," who starting into corpo rate existence in the summer of 1855, attracted all the fashion of Paris to their snug little box in the Champs Elysees, and when the weather became too cold for that delightful locality, took up their abode in the theatre in the Passage Choiseul, so long as sociated with the name of M. Comte. Their di rector, M. Offenbach, who likewise composes nearly all their music, will aocompany them, bring ing with him the whole of the orchestra. The en gagement of the " Bouffes" will last six weeks, commencing on the 20th of May. THE FAMINE IN FINLAND. STOCKHOLM, APRIL 15. The latest accounts from Finland continue to give a most distre-sing picture of the famine raging in that unhappy country, which does not fail to excite the greatest sympathy here and in every other part of Sweden, as subscriptions are liberally entered into, and balls, concerts, and theatrical representa tions, given for the charitable purpose of raising funds for the relief of our distressed brethren on the other side of the Gulf. Several vessels have been chartered by the committee, and laden with corn, but they cannot move till the ice breaks up. In the districts of Ulleaborg, Wasa, and Kurpio alone, out of a population of 657,000 souls, no less than 250,000 have no other means of subsistence than begging, or else eating the unpalatable bread made from the bark of trees. The mortality is conse- quently very groat, and daily on the increase, as the dreadful famine typhus has broken out with great malignity. The distress is so great that children have been seen who, for want of other f oo d, h ave actually eat-n off their own fingers ! Liberal con tributions have been sent from Hamburg and Lu beck • but in Denmark, w h ere th ey ma k e such a fuss ;bout fraternity, and dream of the Scandina vian union, they have done nothing to allay the misfortune. Upwards of 80,000 dollars have hitherto been remitted from Sweden, and as soon as the ice disappears, the above-mentioned vessels with corn and flour will be despatched to their relief. THE AMERICAN MAILS. LIVERPOOL, TUESDAY. The Cunard screw steamship Alps, Captain In glis, has been appointed by the Post-office authori ties at New York to carry the .mails of the 11th inst. to Liverpool, the Collins Company not being prepared with a steamer to sail on that day. The Alps, therefore, may be expected to-morrow or Th ursd .iy. The screw steamship Kangarol, Captain Jeffrey, belonging to the Liverpool and Philadelphia Steam Company, will sail to-morrow forenoon for New York, with a full complement of passengers and a large cargo. She will carry a sealed mail, for which letters . must be marked " per Kangaroo," and posted before 9 a.m., and with late fees before 9.30 a.m. to morrow. The royal mail screw steamship Indian, Captain Jones, will also sail to-morrow forenoon for Mon treal and Quebec, with the Canadian mails, pas sengers, and cargo. Letters must be posted before 8 a.m., with late fees till 9 a.m., and at the landing stage until 10 a.m. to-morrow. o royal mail steamship Europa, Captain Leitch, will be the bearer of the United States mails on Sa turday next, and will sail that forenoon at 10 a.m. Letters must be posted before 8 a. w., with late fees until 9 a.m., and finally at the landing stage at 10 a.m. RUSSIAN OPINION OF THE ENGLISH ELECTIONS.—A Russian newspaper, the Northern Bee, a few days ago said, with reference to the result of the recent elections —"This passing over of Cobden, Bright, and others in the elections, shows us how powerful the hostility against Russia still is in England ; they still make Cob den feel the consequences of his opposition to the war now ended, and that too after the lapse of so long a time. That must be a nice sort of a peace that we have with England, when public opinion, which influences every thing there, cannot even yet pacify itself," -&c. FREE EMIGRATION.-1018t night a numerous meeting of the workmen of Westminster was held, in the Great Hall, Broadway, Westminster. It was announced that a number of members of Parliament were expected to be present, and that Mr. Cox, M.P., for Finsbury, would take the chair. The secretary, however, read letters of apology from Lord Godericb, Mr. Locke, Sir 1. y, Shelley, Mr. Roupell, and Mr. Cox. The following re solution was adopted, " That this meeting, consisting of working men, urgently calls the attention of hit. Me jesty's Government and all classes of society to the severe, wide-spread, and alarming distress existing in the metro polis and its suburbs, the result of a long and continued stagnation in the building and other trades.", LATEST NEWS. COPENHAGEN, TUESDAY. M. Andrae has not succeeded in forming a Minis try. M. -Hall, late Minister of Public Workship, has been now charged with the task of composing a new Government. The Monitcur of yesterday contains a despatch from Malta of tne 15th, stating that Major- General Ashburnham, with the staff of the expeditionary force for China, arrived on the 12th at Malta, in the Colombo, from England. Most of the staff were present at a grand ball given on the 13th at the New Exchange, and the next morning a review of the troops was held at Floriana, in compliment to the gallant general and his officers. A telegraphic despatch from London states that General Ashburnham was lying ill at Malta, but the papers from the island of the evening of the 14th not only do not make any mention of such an event, but add that the general was to pursue his voyage the next day. A letter from Lisbon of the 13th says the Go vernment had granted an English company, repre sented by Sir S. Peto, the concession of a line of railway from Lisbon to the Spanish frontier and another to Oporto. The conditions are : 99 years' lease ; to be worked by the company ; and a sub vention of 137,000 f. per kilometre. The company takes up the Eastern Railway at the price of 11,0001. per kilometre. A letter from Scutari, without date, in the New Gazette of Prussia, says :—" I have a piece of news, which perhaps is not yet known to the pub lic, to communicate to you—that diplomatic rela tions between England and Austria have been broken off, not, it is true, at London and Vienna, but at this place. A few weeks ago the consul of England, M. Bonati, being about to make a jour ney, confided the provisional management of the consulate to his son, and informed the consular body of it. But the Austrian consul refused to enter into relations with the substitute. On his return M. Bonati asked for an explanation, and re ceived this laconic reply :—' I acknowledge the re ceipt of your letter, and have no answer to give.' Relations between the two consulates were accord ingly suspended. The Austrian consul is not on better terms with the French consul, and he has forbidden Austrian subjects to have communica tions with the two consulates." The Times' Paris correspondent, under date, Tuesday, 6 p.m., says : " It is affirmed that the Conference which took place yesterday at the Foreign-office on the Neu chatel question made some progress towards its conclusion—l doubt whether I can add a satisfac tary one. The King of Prussia has, it is said, lowered his terms that is, his demand for a pecuniary indemnity, and it is possible that the final sitting of the Conference may take place before the Ist of May. I have just heard that Dr. Kern has gone to Berne, or is on the point of going, to submit the result to the Federal Council. I fear I cannot say that either party will be content—Switzerland because she has to pay something ; and the King that he has not been able to screw out of Republican Helvetia the very last centime of his first demand. Formerly it was said " point d'argent point de Suisse." Switzerland would like to say now " point de Suisse, ni point d'argent." Those who will be most delighted to get rid of the busi ness are the gentlemen of the Conference who have had the patience to listen to the dreary quarrel ling of Dr. Kern and M. de Hatzfeldt so long." FRANCE. PARIS, MONDAY EVENING. The Moniteur publishes the official return of the customs revenue for the month of March, amounting to 15,964,902 fr., being an increase of 1,582,678 fr. on the corresponding month of last year. The return for the first quarter of 1857 amounts in 43,756,453 fr., showing an improvement of 5,208, 353 fr. on the corresponding period of 1856. Among th e items of revenue which show the greatest increase during the first three months of the pre sent year are : Coffee, 4,048,2931 r. ; potable liquors, 1,636,813 fr. ; foreign augar, 1,578,2031 r. ; French colonial ditto, 329,728,728 fr. ; hemp and flax, 366,151 fr. ; oleaginous seeds, 109,753 fr. ; nitrates of potash and soda, 62,727 fr.; gold in bullion and in specie, 60,003 fr. ; cocoa, 80,614 fr.; corn, 58,259 fr. ; nialp,gany, 38,378 fr. ; olive oil, 28,9391 r. ; pig lead, 52,5841 r. ; pepper, 40,077 fr. ; raw and spun silk, 10,402 fr. The articles which show the greatest falling off are Iron in bars and steel, 1,050,947 fr. ; raw cotton, 1,065,638 fr. ; common oil, 82,542 fr. ; indigo, 28,585 fr. ; coal, 26 0 599 fr. ; cochineal, 20,948 fr. ; rough castings, 10,442 fr. It is said that a grand review of 50,000 men is to take place in the Champ-de-Mars during the visit of the Grand Duke Constantine at Paris. The 6th of May, it is thought, will be, the day fixed on for this fine military spectacle. The Grand Duke Constantine on arriving at Toulon was saluted by 21 guns from each of the French vessels as he passed them, after which the whole squadron fired a general salute, and the crews manned the yards and cheered. A great number of steamers filled with strangers followed the Russian and French squadrons on their arrival in the roadstead. The Prince immediately on his landing spontaneously offered to review the troops, which were drawn up in line to receive him. At 9 o'clock this morning the Grand Duke visited the Arsenal. The crowd assembled was immense. The warmest reception was also given to General Todleben. " H. M. despatch-boat Caradoc," says the Malta Times, "left for Marseilles on the 12th, to fetch Lord Elgin, proceeding with full powers to China." BOURSE, April 21.—The following were the last quotations : End of laonth. 91fr. 75 c. 0 35 Cash. fr. C. 4i per Cents 3 per Cents 69 25 Bank Shares 4,450 Credit Mobilier 1,347 50 Roman Do. Account 1,347 50 Austrian Belgian 44 Piedmontese (5) 9l Home Debt RAILWAYS-FOR CASH. tr. c. fr. c, Orleans 1,480 Western Northern Lyons 1,5674 New Ditto Mediterranean 9 ,135 Grand Central Lyons Geneva - Sardinian Midi - Austrian Cum. ...... 710 AUSTRIA. The Augsburg Gazette states that Field Marshal Count Paar has left Vienna for Paris on a special mission. A letter from Vienna says Baron Bach's vast plan of communal organisation for all the em pire, which has been for some time under the exa mination of the Supreme Council of State, is, it is said, considered too liberal b y t h a t b o d y; and it has been sent back to him, it is said, with a request that it may be so modified as to be placed in con formity with the enactments in vigour before the invasion of liberal ideas in 1848. The m inister, who devoted great labour to the drawing up of his scheme, is said to be profoundly discouraged by th's step of the council, and his resignation is conse quently talked of. Baron Bach was formerly a simple advocate, and belongs -to the middle class of society. lie was carried to power by the events of 1848, and has since displayoct remarkable admi nistrative genius. He is considered one of the most zealous promoters of the. plan for amalgamat ing the provinces of the el spire into one great whole." Another letter from Vienna says :—" The jour nals here complain with so: one vehemence of an assertion made by the Minis' er of War in Prussia, in a recent discussion on the army in the Second Chamber, to the effect that. 300,000 Austrian sol diers died in Gallicia in the last campaign, from sickness, owing to the want , of care and attention of the military administration. The Austrian Gazette even goes the lengt h of accusing the PrUs sian Minister of having failed in the respect due to the army of a German confederate, and refer' ing to the deplorable conflict at Mentz betwe.An the Aus trian and Prussian soldiers, it says 'that the words of the minister have borne fruit.' The Vienna Gazette has thought right to puld.:o an official aecount of that conflict, differing but little from what is only kn )wia, trona which it dorears that two Austrian soldiers of the Degeufeld regi ment were wounded, and that one Prussian soldier was killed, and eight wounded more or less seriously. A m i xe d o)mmission has been appointed to institute an investigation into the painful affair." TUSCANY. - - The Grand Duke of Tuscany has caused the fol lowing circular to be addressed to all•officials in his dominions : "Sir,—His Imperial and Royal highness the Grand Duke, penetrated by the increasing necessity of preserv ing in the State, and chiefly in the churches and other public establishments, those precious objects of art With which the genius or the religious piety of our ancestors enriched the country, while, desirous of reinforcing the disposition of the ancient and exist ing ordinanoes, together with all those ulterior provi sions that may be judged efficacious to the same object, desires also that the vigilance and energy of the judicial, political, and'administrative authorities should be excited, in order that in every case the most vigorous and exsct observance of the superior ordinances may accrue therefrom to the law of the 26th of December, 1754, revived by the Laws and Custom-house Tariffof the 30th of August, 1781, and the 18th of October, 1791, re• galled in vigour by the notification of the 9th of May; 1814, and succeeding ordinances, and by the disposition of which it is forbidden to export from the State ancient pictures without a special license ; and tothe dispositions published by the notification of the Imperial Royal Consulta, dated the 23d of October, 1818, by which was confirmed the already existing laws on the inalienability of the monuments of art belonOng to Royal or public esta blishments and religious places depending on the same ; and the prohibition to alienate similar ob jects was extended to churches and their dependencies, whoever might be the patron ; to the religious corporations,- to conservators, to religious c irpora tions, to hospitals, and in general to all establishments, whether ecclesiastical or of public piety, unless that an express authorisation shall have been accorded in the manner and respectively under the penalties laid down in the notification itself. "I impart this to you that it may serve as a rule, and secure the exact and con'.tant fulfilment of the above dispositions, while, with distinguished respect, I remain, &c. "From the Ministry of -, April 6, 1857." DENMARK. A letter from Copenhagen, in Voss's Gazette of Berlin, says :—'The real cause of the ministerial crisis is . this : Count Scheele submitted four manu script documents on the Sound dues question to the Supreme Council, together with the printed proto cols. M. Andrae expressed his surprise at the course, and maintained that the communication of these documents to the Council was needless, and at any rate ought not to have taken place without his being informed of it as President of the Coun cil. This was said with some warmth ; Count Scheele replied with equal warmth, and a violent discussion ensued, which led to a definitive rupture. It is stated that the President of the Couneil after wards discovered that he had made a mistake, and learned that the said documents had been sub mitted to the Council of Minis era ; but it was too late. It is clear that other causes had long existed to lead to this rupture, since so insignificant a question bas been sufficient to bring it about." The Diet passed the third reading of the Sound Dues Abolition Bill unanimously. PORTUGAL. The Braganza steamer has arrived at Liverpool with Lisbon dates of the 16th inst. The minister of Public Works had laid Sir More ton Peto's railway contract before the Cortes, with bills to legalise the same; and also to authorise the Government to settle the differences between the contractor and the present Santarem Railway Com pany, in order that the lino, so far as constructed, may be included in the projected company. The Minister's statement was very well received by the Chambers, and the different bills were re ferred for the reports of the Committees of Finance and Public Works, with a recommendation of urgency. Foreign ships of war in port—Her Majesty's ship s Exmouth, Princess Royal, and Colossus ; one Dutch and one trazilian steamer. SPAIN. The Madrid journals of the 17th have arrived. The Hoja Autografa, which is a semi-official organ, denies that, as asserted by the Epoca, the differences between Spain and Mexico are in a fair way of being arranged. "No doubt," it says, " the Spanish government is disposed to enter into dip lomatic relations, and wilt accept all the satisfac tory explanations that may be given to it ; but that does not signify that the question is already solved—especially as it knows, notwithstanding all that has been said, that the Mexican govern ment has not chastised the assassins of the Spanish subjects." The Epoca says that the authorities,. hiving learned that seven Carlist agents ;were hold ing a meeting on the previous night near one of the cemeteries, had them arrested, and that papers rela tive to the recent conspiracy were found on them. According to some of the journals, this conspiracy was exclusively Carlist ; but, according to others, it was partly of a democratic charac•ec. The Gazette asserts that it is not true, as stated by some of the papers, that M. Mon, the new minister to Rome, had been coldly received by the Pope. "On the contrary," it says, " his reception was such as his functions demanded, and the reply given to his speech in delivering his credentials wassati4actory. The cardinals afterwards visited him, and it may be said that at this moment the questions pending with Rome present the most favourable aspect. Mgr. Simeoni, who has been appointed charge d'affaires in Madrid, en attendant the return to Europe of Mgr. Barelli, who has b een named nuncio, is shortly expected here." The d e t ac h ments of artillery about to be sent to Cuba had been well drilled in the use of the Minie rifle, and even the officers had learned it. ESCAPE OF A PRISONER. On Monday morning a daring and successful escape was made by a person named Joseph Lewis, who was under remand at Bath, charged with steal ing 7/. from the depot of the Christian Knowledge Society in that city. The prisoner, with another young man, named Alfred Wheeler—both of them of respectable exterior —were on Friday last charged with the robbery. It appeared from the evidence then adduced that they went iota the shop on the previous day, and whilst one of them kept the at tention of the assistant engaged in selecting books from the window, the other remained in the back part of the shop. They ordered the books selected to •be packed up for them, promising to call for them in a short time ; but soon after they had left it was found that 7/. in gold and silver had been stolen from the till. Information was given to the police, and the prisoner:4 were apprehended at the Great Western Railway station, where they had taken their seats in different carriages. A consider able sum of money wag found upon them, and upon being brought before the magistrates were remanded till Monday. On Monday morning they Were brought up from gaol in the prison van, as is the custom, with the other prisoners, to the police station ; but from some neglect they were not hand cuffed, as is usual in such cases. Lewis alighted from the van, around which a large crowd was sol lo3ted, with a jaunty air, and the policeman who se duty it WM to conduct im into the police station neglected•to take hold of him, but was in the act of walking carelessly by his side when the prisoner made a spring b a ckward, rushed through th e asto nished crowd, and darted off at a tremendous pace. He gained some distance before the hue and cry was raised, and soon outstripped the crowd who followed him. After running through several streets and passing through some private houses, the prisoner entered an inn, and from the coffee wher, under the of seeinged the crowd as Pa t s ll matter, he went p r o r o e n c w e at c out and was not traced afterwards. , His compa nion was subsequently brought before the magis trates and again remanded for a week. The matter has caused a good deal of sensation, and much com plaint and laughter at the expense of the police. The prisoner who has escaped is a fine young fellow with study hair, very little whisker, and respect ably dressed. Both he and his companions are known to be from London. ILLNESS OF THE BISHOP OF EXETER.—The triennial visitation of the Bishop of Exeter was held at Exeter on Monday. The right rev. prelate had come from l3iehop stowe by a morning train, and was taken ill in the Pa lace, at Exeter. Dr. Sbapter was sent for, and advised his immediate return to Bishopstowe. His lordship did not therefore attend the visitation, and the Rev. Chan cellor Martin officiated in his absence. The right rev. prelate was not intending to deliver a charge, but h.. ij expected to address his clergy in a pastoral. His lord ship's illness is n ot of a serious nature, bet his medical attendant has advised quietness and rest for a few days, in the hope that ho will thereby be restored to health. HACKNEY FAIR —Yesterday and on Monday, a vast numb, r of persons thronged to the fair, in Cat•and-Mut ton-fields, Hackney, whereby much confusion was caused and the general business of the district impeded. There were a few shows and stalls, but the fair generally was of a meagre character. An unusual quantity of low thieves and several members of the swell mob were pro sent, endeavouring to pursue their light-fingered avoca tions, and various apprehensions took place. The visi tors continued to pour into the heart of the fair late in the evening, and the police in the district had some diffi culty in preserving order amongst the crowds of idle cha racters attracted to the place, STATE OF TRADE. MANCHESTER, APRIL 21. All dEsc , iptions of cloth have been more difficult of sal-;, and the market has been slighly is favour of t'ne buyer, especially for India and China shirt ings, which have declined about lid. per piece: There is no accumulation of stock worth naming yet, and consequently most other cloths except those named "are not quotably lower, though diffi cult of sale. Domestics are very sluggish and un saleable, and many of the manufacturers of this description of cloth are running their mills short time—same only three days a-week—in order to bring down the production nearer to an equality with the demand. The chief obstacle to busies is the stringency of the money market, buyers being unwilling to give high prices for cloth and pay tire present heavy demands for discounts. layarns there has been a rather better market, without change in prices. The Germans, and buyers for the Mediterranean, are the principal purchasers, but 30's, 40's, and--50's mule for India have also been in fair request at extreme prices. Very full rates have had to be paid generally for yarns. , - Messrs. J. Slagg and Co. report of the cloth-mar ket :—" Owing to the stringency of the money mar ket and the uncertainty with regard to the prices of cotton we have bad since Tuesday last, a very quiet market for nearly all kinds of goods, but, with V exception of India and China shirtings, which have declined about lid. per piece within the week, We cannot quote any change in prices, though the ten dency generally is in favour of buyers.' NOTTINGHAM, APRIL 21. The lace trade . continues dull fur the home market ; there is very little doing, and the foreign trade is inactive. It is probable that the setting in of seasonable weather will cause a change. Plain nets are yet inquired after; the fancy tradeis• however, very quiet. Silk and cotton continue very high, with no signs of any reduction. The hosiery trade is also dull. In most branches there is very little doing. The high prices of the raw material operate very much against the de mind. Hosiery yarns are firms LEICESTER, APRIL 21. There is a tolerable trade doing in cotton goodPl with good prospects. In worsted articles the trade is almost stagnant. There is a fair number of orders fur hosiery in the market, but manufacturers complain that they cannot be executed at the price offered. LEEDS, APRIL 21. The improvement in the weather has induced little more inquiry for light goods, and a lair quan tity of them has been sold in the cloth-halls this morning. The demand for other woollen cloths has been limit d, and the market, upon the whole, , has been a quiet one. The approaching sales OL colonial - wool in London are looked to with a goo d deal of interest, and there appears to be a disposi tion here not to force tales of cloths on the one hand, or to endeavour to make them on the other, till those salts have opened, and some criterino of the price of the raw material is afforded. HUDDERSFIELD, APRIL 21. The market for woollen goods has been rather better to-day,and a good amount of spring goods 14 ' 4 been sold. The number of buyers from London, Scot land, &c., was a full average, and they purchase,c l goods of choice patterns to a fair extent. wool ' 3 quiet, prices being a little easier. I THE BIGHT HON. W. E. GLADSTON. Mr. Charles Butler having sent to Mr. Glee; stone a speech of Mr. James Hall, and asking for an explanation as to the charge made against therein, Mr. Gladstone replies : " 11, Carlton House-terrace, April 1 6 ' A " Sir,—l thank you fo r t a ki n g th e p a ins to see" me an extract from the Gloim newspaper, purport" ing to be the speech o f M r . J ames H a ll, of Holy well, at a public meeting recently held in that toWef which you think should be noticed on my behalf. " On the occasion of that meeting, the proceed' ings of which were not, I believe, taken down by reporters, I made a speech relating to the election _ ) 1 for Flintshire. A gentleman, who was descrin to me as Mr. James Hall, made a-speech relAtel,.! to me, and when he had concluded I replied . 7 him. This, you will agree, was the proper neU eo of his speech to-receive from me. ra e " I presume from the paper you have sent _ t that he has subseque n tly furnished his own acoueu of that speech, ' an d w h a t h e co n s id ers t o have been its reception. I n th a t I h ave ne ith er l e i s ure n o r inclination to follow him. The question whetbei his invective is merited rebuke or unequiyoui" slander, is happily one of fict—namely, whethe r it is true, as he says, that at the period of Mr. Be' buck's motion Lord Palmerton consented to its and I, with others, took pretended offence to bP consenting, and resigned, or whether the truth that Lord Pahaerston likewiie resigned office i s Jan., 1855, rather than agree to Mr. Roebue,%- mot ion ; that Lord Pal merston i nformed me, b e f of I joined his Government in February, that he tended to continue his resistance, and that o n his changing his m i n d , t ogether with the great tea.jority of his colleagues, whilst I simply adhered' bn mine, I was deprived of office as a necessary cense quence. " The account of the matter, which I have briefl given, stands wholly . upon public record, and undisputed statements made at the time in th souse of Commons. "The spirit (as towards myself) in which Y wrote has induced me to trouble you with remarks, of which you are welcmie to make and use you please. _ _ -" I have the honour to be, sir, " Your faithful servant, " Charles Butler, Esq." W. E. GLADSTOIO" THE EUPHRATES RAILWAY. CONSTANTINOPLE, April 9. —The concession the Euphrates Railway, obtained by General Cl' ney, may be considered as a rival of the project ° the Suez Canal. When the latter scheme J. r e : alised it will also beto the benefit of Europe, but ,' t has not the same objects in view as the Euphrsty Railway. It will indeed connect the two CO nents of Asia and Europe together, but it will create traffic and intercourse in the interior et vast district. Now, when the rail way traverses tto • country, new life will be generated througn°,.° or Trade iu Syria is but a tedious process as yet, everything has to be brought by caravans to id sea coast, a most expelisive mode of conveyst ee i and exposed to all sorts of risks and hazards. when the whistle of the locomotive shall be heard' as fleeter than the dromedary and more untiring. l speeds from Seleucia, the commerce of Syria, per and India will come to its call. The distance fro Bassora to Bombay is only 1,600 English miles " , - 3 whereas from Suez to th e same spot is at least 2,v,; ) miles—makin g a difference of 1,390 miles and o r same difference is to be t a k en i n t o acco u nt for oth er Indian and Chinese ports. General Chesney's lin e i s traced ou t, a s 03 3 ° If f, alluded to, from Se'eucia, a s ma ll pl ace o n ~ , :11 7 Syrian coast in the Bay o f A n ti oc h ; th ence it tea" run towards the valley of th e O ron t e g a l on g t,l' great table-land to Alepp o , an d f rom t h a t PLa to the Euphrates. The length of the abovg 11 .74 is computed at 220 'miles as far as the town: Bali., from whi c h th e road , will extend paraPc. will]. the Euphrates to Raka, Selibe; ,El-D O l Abou-Serai, Sura, Anah, and Hit. At this spot it will leave the bank of the river, strike ° 0 eastwards towards Bagdad, and traverse the p I3I , that forms as it were the water-shed between t." O Euphrates and the Tigris. From Bagdad the li v it will return towards the former river, crossing below Babylon, so as to touch at the towns of lig shid A'i, Semara, and Suke Sheyuk, then sweeP l _a on to Korna, where the Tigris and Euphrates b1e,.",,0 into one stream, it will keg) side by side with 'Pit Chatel Arab river as far as Bassora. The comP a33 :l have no intention, for the present at least/ tos carrying the line any further • that is to say, fo r Persia and Beloochist an , t o Ayderabad. THE RUSSIAN RAILWAY ROBBEIa. SCHEME. p o i; t- The discreditable practices adopted by the sP —t la' ors interested in the Russian Railway s obe an - a have received further illustration yesterday, uY scarcely a doubt appears to be entertained 1 11 , 3 1 0 quatter that a deliberate plan_has been formed 0 entrap subscribers by inducing respectable pas° es to act unsuspectingly the part of decoys. The r 3 it mentioned on Monday are unquestioned, and , . 1- e a were necessary, fresh details could be furnis'oo which would probably fix the responsibility o f the y) attempts in a manner to leave no uncertainty 39 e their design or origin. In consequence of t he posure there has been an almost total disincli nati°, to-day on the part of the dealers to have to do with the shares, and the price of to P r o 'ilium was entirely nominal. Such as have i d le s bought are believed to have been taken by Pa l l „ 1 0 . acting upon orders from Vienna. One case i 813 3 . -0 , ,. tionect of a mercantile house writing from Dunkler on helvilf of a friend—whether a clergyman or c ' th . o t wise is not stated—to know how he could 000/.—apparently the favourite sum —in tlsi he 61 Jares in Loudon. The rejoinder was that, a 1 : 0 is a French purchaser, his best course will be.' rti apply for an allotment in Paris, where the qu , „ to be disposed of is known to have been beyourt2eor capacity of the market, and where, in the unll3 at he eau anytlonee: all events obtain. them on the Bourse.—Times event of the allotment not being granted, , cit y Article. • Cart Esq, (led pho was Ame rep o: direc ditio c orgi to be a n Annu. ar e in; to 2s. 98! .5 llp tratlsa th ese prices. PaniE Dutch Cents. The Stock!! 23i i ; Cents. Itußsiz 95 7 ; 25i*; The little leave aligh North, * York, ton i n Weste: and a, Grand a nd M lilted 'Mary trnited Joi n 1 4 , b u 'Ando at a sii The ont an 134 Pril ~,1 1U' It Der New evr f 4.11 A Ditto Ditto Ditt o Cons o % E teh 11 £5 Sra ...Ditto "Ditto btltet, 1)14( Ar II a.), At (h.) valal 4 4n, At ~~ 1~~~