The Express.
London, England, 1863-02-03 00:00:00

POLYTECHNIC.

The active manager of this popular institution,
Mr. Pepper, has mode a decided hit this year with what be
calls The Spectre Drama. Two performances a day scarcely
seem to satisfy this crowds who flock to witsess it, and
while it shows a greater wonder than naturalmagit has ever
before produced, it ought to do much towards dispelling a
belief in ghosts. By a scientific apparatus, the invention
of Mr. Ducks, a solid representation of a human being is
thrown into the centre of a stags, and is made to appear and
disappear at will without any visible agency. While earn•
tially solid and real, the image is surrounded by a faint
halo of light, just sufficient to give it a supernatural cha-
racter. It can be cut through with a sword or a hatchet, or
can be walked through by a spectator, without being demo-
lished, or it can be changed in an instant for another image.
This startling optical trick ought soon to be introduced
at our theatres, and applied to the improvement of our
supernatural drama. Banque's ghost, the spirits in the
cauldron, the spectre in the Corsican Brothers, and even
the ghost in Hamlet might be well represented in this way.
It is not improbable that someactive dramatist may jump
at the idea of writing round it, and making it the basis of a
new spectre drama.

ROYAL COLO6BIICII,—The winter season at this
admirable institution concluded on Saturday, having been
one of unexampled prosperity. The varied entertainments
have each met with their admirers, though the great attrac-
tion his unquestionably been the negro entertainment of
the "Barrett Minstrels," whose daily performances for
three months have increased and established their re-
putation.
RI-OPLNINO OF THZ SALMON FlSHERll94.—Yester-
dAy salmon fishing commenced in England and Wales.
The clamor "fence" time ends with the mouth of Ja.
unary, but as a weekly close time u also now imposed by
the new Fisheries Act, extending from Saturday evening to
Monday morning, the [shiny did not open until yester-
day, In some of the Irish riven the fishing commenced to
January. The salmon fishing' on the Severn, where some
of the beet fish are taken at the commencement of the
season, were very successfully prosecuted yestelday by the
fishermen °ventral; between Worcester and Tewkesbury ;
mid the fishing" here being open to all the world, themes
were at work se soon as it was daylight The price is
always very high for Severn fish at the beginning of the
season, and 4s. 6d. to fie. per pound was asked
yesterday for the luxury. The fence time has been gene-
rally well kept on the Severn during the last five months,
and through the vigilance of the oaken of the Severn
Tuileries Protection Association, wherever Minutia's of the
law have occurred, prosecutions have followed. The number
of these prosecutioes by the above society during the past
year were 42, of which only three failed, and these failures
were through a difficulty is the construction of the act,
which is intended to he settled by an appeal to the Court
of Queen's Bessie. Fdty•one nets of illegal meet have
been seised dories the year. The number of " fixed elision"
in operation on the tidal portion of the Severn last memos
sass--putehers 7,488. and mute 1,219. Thaw are axed In
rows acmes the tideway. awl take the admen as they
neignits up the river with the flow of the tide. They belong
to El individual., the fisheries being private.
Importing tea without colour on the leaf pre-
vents the Cbhave passing ort Interior brown leaves se la the
usual kinds. 110,111115171 a Tea Is 001,01001 yd, therefore always
prod aliks esoki is packet. by 2,110 sgesta.—(Achrettliellebt.l

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