The Press.
London, England, 1855-12-15 00:00:00

gimustintuts, &t.

ItrLIKAAQUE AT DRURY-LANE THEATRE.—On Wed-
nesday night the enterprising lessee of this theatre
opened this ancient temple of the drama to the
lovers of midnight dance and revelry. Whether it is
quite logical to talk about the " Million," and charge
seven shillings and sixpence for tickets, may be a
question, but the very large assemblage who danced
on the boards of Old Drury until a very early hour,
went away mightily contented with themselves, and
with the arrangements made by Mr. Smith. The
theatre was very tastefully decorated, and far more
ample room allowed for the evolutions of eccentric
dancers than heretofore, from the fact that the baud
was suspended high in air upon an arched bridge,
gaily lighted, and decked with dowers. The general
.appearance of the place and company was as fan-
tastic and grotesque as is usual, but there was little
'individual ingenuity displayed in costume or cha-
racter. The great proportion of the male company
•were only attired in morning and some in evening
'dress, and among the few who were in costume there
was nothing startling or striking in effect.

BYRON AND SHELLEY.—It has been told that Byron,
seeing Shelley's name written in the Traveller's book
at as inn near Chamouni, wrote opposite to in Greek,
4' Atheist—and Philanthropist." The fact is just the
Treverse—Shelley's name was written there, and the
words mentioned were written opposite to it; but
'Gerd Byron on seeing then, said, "This is very
foo'hih—do:,you not think I shall do Shelley a service
by scratching them out?" and he did scratch them
out in the presence of the writer of these remarks.—
Lord Broatikton's Travels in Albania.
A NILE BOAT.—The Cambia was a dahaheeh, and
`1 have been Co often asked since my return what
?kind of a thing it is for human beings to inhabit for
some months together, that I shall venture, though
it has been described by other travellers, to say a
few words about it. it was about seventy feet long,
twenty-six of which were occupied by the cabins, and
the remainder by the deck. The kitchen stood half-
way along this desk, a broad, low sort of sentry box
facing the bows, where the Reis And crew lived by the
mainmast. Two steps led down into te cabins.
The front one was the dining-room, wellh fitted up
• with divans and closets ; and this was my accustomed
.den, its sides hung round with various implements
.of use, and its corners stowed with books, writing
materials, tool-box, &c. From a window over y
Bright shoulder, and by the door on my left fromnt,
slways spread wide to the sunny deck, I commanded
.either bank of the stream. The next cabin was
.eleven feet wide by nine long, and had two divans
from end to end on either sido by the windows.
'These, at night, and when closed round by mosquito
curtains, were beds ; while in the daytime they were
broad sofas, and raised so high that while lying on
thiem you had the river under your eye. This cabin
in the daytime, with a matting on the floor, and
table and chairs, and books in the bookahelves, and
naps, the whole woodwork freshly painted in blue
a 'id white, was a pretty and bright room. Beyond
th is cabin was a space for ablutions, and for the
sto wage 'of supernumerary objects, while beyond it
was s third cabin. On the roof of the cabins, a large
space,. were all the live stock in coops—turkeys,
geese, chickens, a cheerful farmyar,i; and fastened
at the isteni of the dahabeeh was a small skiff, very
useful, And, indeed, necessary for sending ashore for
daily s upplies of milk and other things from the
t, besides for shooting•
excursions after wild
fowl, ai for pleasure trips.—Lowth's Wanderer in
Arabia.

THE PRESS.

Corrtspoithutt.

CRITICS ON THE CAMPAIGN.
TO THE EDITOR OF "TIIt PRESS."
Sir,—Statements respecting the conduct of the
war frequently appear in the English papers which
would be simply ludicrous, if it were not for the
grave consideration that these absurdities are re-
ceived as axioms by a people proud of their enlight
enment, and who believe tha►, because they have
virtually the power to decide what course the Govern-
ment shall pursue, they must have also the ability to
judge in what manner, and by whom, the great
struggle in which we are engaged may best be
carried on.

I read in a leading article of the Times not many
days ago two statements—(l) that the attack on the
Redan on the Bth of September failed because our
troops had to run over a space of two hundred yards,
and (2) that we did not sap up to the ditch because
we had not Sappers enough to do the work. It is to
this second point that I wish to call your attention :
the first assertion is not far from the truth. The
French failed at the Malakoff on the 18th 3f June
for a like reason. They had too far to run, and
could not bring up their supports quick enough to
hold the footing which a few brave fellows in front
had gained. They took care to carry up their ap-
proaches close to the ditch before the attack of the
Bth of September was made. Why, then, did we not
do the same at the Redan? Not, certainly, for want
of Sappers! I fear there is too much truth in that
which Mr. Cobden writes to the Leeds Mercury—We
are but a " Contingent" to the French army. Not.
withstanding all the talk about the sacrifices English-
men are ready to make, fewer than thirty thousand
of them are now under arms in the Crimea, whilst
the French number much above a hundred thousand.
But though we are a contingent, we cannot act iu
that character. What would have been said if we
had made only a false attack on the Redan in order
to create a diversion? On account of our weakness,
the French had undertaken the right attack at Inker-
mann, as well as the left at the town. They had
pushed their approaches close up to the Malakoff, as
well as to the Bastion du Mat (Flagstaff Battery),
the two keys of the Russian position ; and the Redan
was left to us. Why did we not push our approaches
equally close, which alone would have enabled us to
make an equally successful attack ? Not for the
want of Sappers, but for a reason which a slight
acquaintance with the science of fortification will
furnish. In attacking a front of fortification, by far
the shortest road for the besiegers would be to go
straight up to the bastion ; but there are two works
called " Raveling," which are placed so as to com-
mand the ground, and which must therefore be taken
before any sap can be carried up to the bastion.
Apply this to Sebastopol. Our approaches to the
Redan must have been made upon a ridge of ground
which is most completely swept on one side by the
Malakoff, and on the other by the ll,stion du Mat
and Barrack Batteries. These were therefore the
two points of attack, and one of them should have
fallen before our approaches were carried further ;
but this could not be for political reasons. The sap
was begun ; but the loss was so tremendous that it
VMS soon abandoned. I am confident that if the
besieging army had consisted of the soldiers of one
nation, under one commander, a serious attack on
the Redan would not have been thought of. The
Russians did net expect it, for they had no second
line of defence there, as they had at other points,
and they would not believe on the 18th of June that
we ever expected to carry it.
The English people have happily less opportunity
of studying the science of war than other nations;
and it appears that they have yet to learn that if they
are determined to be a first-rate military power,
their army also must be numerically equal to those
of continental nations.—l am, sir, yours, &C.,
A FIELD OFFICER.

Camp, Sebastopol, Nov. 24, 1855.

THE ISSUE OF FLORINS.
TO THE EDITOR OF " THE PRESS."
Sir,—Will you be kind enough to give publicity to
the wish so univerally felt, that a much larger num-
ber of florMs be issued, and that the old silver crowns
and half crowns be at once called in ? The advan-
tages of this course are obvious, and are quite inde-
pendent of the question of decimal coinage.—Your
obedient servant, Id. A. CANTAB.

1199

Doug illatlat anb titg itittligtart.

FRIDAY EYZIHNO.
ALTHOUGH the fluetuaticni in the values of Public
Securities during the week has not averaged more than
five-eighths per cent., the market has been active,
notwithstanding that this is a period of the year whoa
business men are making up their books and con-
tracting their operations. The movement has been
mainly attributable to the continued rumours of
peace. They have sustained quotations in the face of
several adverse circumstances, and, although doubts
are felt as to the ultimate intentions of the great
German powers, considerable engagements have
been made for the next month in the expectation
that, by that time, they will be on the way to realisa-
tion. England and France are believed to Lave
agreed upon the terms on which they will accept
peace, while, under present circumstances, Russia is
in a position to discuss them without the sense of
national disaster which would render peace impos-
sible. The only apprehension is, lest the Western
powers should demand terms implying political and
territorial humiliation, programmes of which have
appeared in Government organs. If such visionary
objects are attempted, the present opportunity will
be fatally lost, the moral support of Germany be ex-
tinguised, and the war be prolonged for an indefinite
number of years, with the possible contingency of
this country having to fight it out alone.
The Money Market has been tight, and the pressure
very serious, for, as returns begin to be made, it is
found that the heavy rates charged for discounts not
only minimise commercial profits, but that they
react injuriously upon customers and consumers.
Merchants and producers who rely on discounts to
carry on their trades have to pay highly for accom-
modation—in some cases as high as nine and ten per
cent.; they are, therefore, obliged to restrict their
credits, and, as a necessary consequence, customers
are limiting their orders. A practice of paying in
cash is, by the force of circumstances, thus gradually
springing up in some trades hitherto conducted on
credit, owing solely to the excessive dearness of
money. The transition is difficult, and not altogether
without peril ; but the operation is silent and the
principle sound. On the Stock Exchange money is
now worth from 51 to 6 per cent. upon Government
Securities. The discount houses have supplies equal
to the demand, and they, as well as the Bank, are
doing a profitable business. Money is taken at call
at 5 per cent., but the best houses cannot borrow it in
Lombard-street under 0 and 7 per cent.
The demand for money has been affected by in-
stalments falling due upon the Turkish Four per
Cent. Guaranteed Loen, and upon the English
Sixteen Million Loan, amounting together to
2,350,0001. The Turkish instalment, which was
fifteen per cent., or 750,0001., was paid to-day ; and
that upon the English, which is ten per cent, or
1,600,0001., is due on Tuesday. Somewhat more
eaie is expected after these payments. The present
is the last. instalment upon the Sixteen Million Loan;
and it is understood that a large proportion of it
must be applied to the payment of the January
dividends, as the Government balances in the Bunk
are low.
The Gazette of Tuesday contained an Order in
Council authorising the Directors of the Bank of
England, in accordance with the Bank Charter Act,
to supply two thirds of the amount of notes circu-
lated by private bankers which from failure and
withdrawals had lapsed. The total circulation thus
extinguished is 7 12,623/. ; two.thirds of which is
475,0001., and this is the amount to be added to the
issues of the Bank. When this operation is com-
pleted, the Bank Act may be said to be in perfect
harmony with the intentions of the Legislature ; but
the measure seems likely to be taken us a fresh
starting-point for an agitation against the existing
law. It is not yet known when the new issue will
be made.
Russia has opened a loan in 5 per cent Stock in Ber-
lin, Hamburg, and Amsterdam, fur nearly 8,00H0,00111am-
.,
at 86; and the Scrip has already been quoted at
burg. No credit is attached to the rumours that pro-
vision will not be made for the payment of the interest
on the present foreign debt. The announcement of
the loan, however, caused a decline of nearly 31. in
the Russian Five per Cents. ; and a report is current
that the allied Governments will consider the opening
of subscriptions at Berlin a breach of Prussian neu-
trality.