The Express.
London, England, 1852-11-30 00:00:00

MR. ALBERT SMITH'S ASCENT OF MONT

BLANC.

Mr. Albert Smith's description of his memorable
achievement, the ascent to the summit of Mont Blanc, was
one of too most interesting and successful entertainments
of the metropolis during the whole of last season ; and, now
that he has resumed it, promises to be as attractive as ever.
He gave it, for the lint time this season, at the Egyptian-
hall, in Piccadilly, last evening. The room, as formerly,
was crowded; a great number of persons having assembled
before the doors were opened ; but Mr. Smith's arrange-
ments for the convenience of the public) were so judicious
that there was not the slightest pressure or discomfort of
any kind, and everyone present was able to aro and hear
perfectly. It would be superfluous to speak in detail about
an entertainment which has become so deservedly popular
and is so well known; but we cannot deny ourselves the
pleasure of expressing the gratification which its repetition
has given us—fur we know of few things that are better
able to bear repetition. Nothing could have been happier
than Mr. Smith's idea of making his adventurous
achievement the subject of an oral and illus-
trated narrative ; nor could anybody have worked
out this idea more feliciMusly than he has done. His style
is animated, perspicuous, and graphic; always in good
taste, and without any affectation of grandiloquence--a
simplicity which has the greater merit when we consider the
temptations arising from the grand and striking character of
the objects described. But Mr. Smith's simplicity of style
is the very reverse of bald or feeble ; and by the help of his
easy, spirited elocution, he places the terrors and ambling-
ties of the Monarch of Mountains" in a more striking
light, and impresses them more strongly on the imagination
than has ever been done by anyone before him. The ad-
mirable illustrative views, painted by Mr. Beverley, of
the terrible and magnificent features which the mountain
presents at the various stages of its ascent, give great es-
'instance to the fancy of the spectator; and we out almost
feel as if we had accompanied the bold adventurers is
their perilous journey. Several remarkable additions have
now been made to these pictorial illustrations. We have
in particular, the dangerous path from the hese of the
Aiguille du Midi to the upper moraine of the Glacier des
801110111, and the view from the small plateau which forms the
very summit of the mountain—a seen., we should imagine,
not surpassed in the whole world. There is moreover a view of
Chiunonni during the inundation which did so meek
damage to that town and its neighbourhood in September
last; a picture which gives a vivid idea of the tremendous
nature of the visitation and the devastation produced by
It. And there are other additions which heighten the
interest to the entertainment.
Mr. Smith gives a light and rapid soomist of his Journey
from London to Chamouni and back, with some capital
sketches of hie fellow travellers, especially his own genet',
folks, who succeed so admirably is making themselves
ridiculous on the continent. With these his audience were
as much amused as they were struck and impressed by lie
descriptions of the sublime scenery of Mont Blame.

Duni or ADMIRAL AturfEN.—ln our overland
despatch from India we announced the dem& of Rear-Ad-
miral of the lied Charles John Austen, C.D., the COM.
mander-in.chief of the Boat India station, which took plass
on the Bth of October, in the expedition to Prom*. This
gallant and distinguished officer was born in 1779, and wee
the younger brother of Admiral Sir F. Austen K.C.B.
He entered the service in 1791, and had seen a good deal of
hard service. He was promoted to his flag rank in 1846,
and was appointed commander-in-chief in the East Indies
in January, 1830. By the death of Rear. Admiral Austen
the following promotions and removals take place : Captain
Sir Thome Herbert, K.C.8., M.P. C 1822), beennes !tsar_
Admiral of the Blue ; Sir Edward Lyons,
moving to the white squadron ; and Peter John Douglas to
the red squadron. Sir George 11. Brooke i'ecbell, Bart.
(December 26, 1822), is now the senior captain on the list.
Captain George Berkeley Maxwell (1830) succeeds to the
senior half-pay list, and Lewis T. Jones (captain of the
Sampsou) to the second senior list. The promotion of Sir
Thomas Herbert gives another good-service pension to the
patronage of the Duke of lionhumberlend ; and Sir
Thomas having become a rear-admiral, a new patent will
be necessary, and the Board of Admiralty will now include
the.. flag officers.
GREAT ISSUE OP NEWSPATER STARPS.—The very
large number of upwards of 2,000,000 newspaper stamps
were issued last week to supply the immense demand (or
copies of the papers containing the account of the prepara-
tions for and the funeral of the late Duke of Wellington.
The number of stamps issued last week has far exceeded
the number ever required in one week under any circum-
stanced, although large numbers had been issued in the
same period of time during the railway mania of 1846,
during the French revolution, and the Great Exhibition.
INCREASE OP OUR NAVAL FORCE.—The govern.
ment (says the Times) has resolved to call upon parliament
to vote the necessary supplies for a considerable addition to
the naval forces of the country. The commission which!
has been sitting for some time past to consider the best
means of manning the navy, has adopted several valuable
suggntions from officers whom judgment and experience
may be relied on; and we presume that It is in consequence
of these recommendations that the government and thei
Admiralty have ice lved to add about 6,000 seems to the
fleet, with a proportionate addition to the Marines. This
otheepranecurtyiccinaiodfdidtoiiscothiuraggirehnst
irettthouenicerwodetolt.tobetraincopmedutmlienredwesthndeoftosldre-otif
this important elan of the community, they should ba
adopted.