The Express.
London, England, 1863-05-08 00:00:00

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NB. CHRISTIE AND GENERAL WEBB.

General Webb, the American minister at Rio,
in a letter of Nov. 6, gives the following account of the lie!
rmof his difference with Mr. Christie .—" At M.
~ the Russian minister's, on Thursday evening,
October 90, in presence of the Raisin and Prussian minis -
ten, the Raisin Secretary of Legation, end at least one
lady, you used towards me language far more fitting an
English groom than an English minister. I promptly, de-
clared it impertinence, said it was my custom to punish
impertinence—a bad custom, perhaps, but • habit upon
which I had always acted, and by the God that made me, if
you ever spin were impertinent to ine, 'should punish you."
General Webb says in the same letter that he was told that
Mr. Christie bad agreed to challenge him, and that a meet-
ing must take place the next morning, unless the matter
were immediately arranged, and that he replied that be was
ready to pre a meeting at sunrise, ha. Mr. Christie, who
is now in igland, has published a " statement," Is which
be says that his words were, in answer to a censors by
General Webb of his (Mr. Christie's) play at whin, the gees.
ral being Mr. Christie's partner, " Yon talked so much,
panel, se to put me out." The Russian and Prnsian
minister', who were present, bear out Mr. Christie's state-
ment, and, in letters to him, neat that the only expression
be used (which General Webb madden the " language of a
groom") was, either " You talk so much that you put me
out," or You talk too much." The story about Mr.
Christie's consenting to fight a dual that gentleman declares
to to pure romance.

ROYAL NATIONAL LINITIOAT INSTITUTION.—A
meeting of thempporters of this institution was held yes-
terday, Admiral the Duke of Northumberland in the chair.
The following rewards were voted for valuable services :-
111. to the orgy of tie Seaton Qirew lifeboat ; 71.7 a. to the
Framerburg lifeboat. The silver medal of the institution,
and a copy of its vote on pareloneat, were voted to Mr.
Thomas Rowlands and Mr. George Lewis, and 31..t0 some
other me' in admiration of their brave services in wading
into the surf, and rescuing the crew of three men from the
sloop Frances, of &holies, which, during a heavy gale of
wind sad high sea, had sunk on Newport sands, near Fish-
guard, ma the 17th March. The thanks of the institution,
Msaibed on vellum, were voted to Mr. William Nicol,
officer of Customs at Appledore, and 21. to his boat's crew,
for putting off with the mew of rescuing the crews of two
smacks which had stranded on Bideford Bar during
squally weather on the 16th of March ; a reward of 21. 10s.
was likewise granted to five men for wading into the surf,
and rescuing, at some risk of life, a man who had been
capsized from his boat, and had got entangled under it in a
heavy surf off Great Yarmouth, on the 19th March.
Daring the past month the institution had sent a new life-
boat to Fishguard, in lieu of one previously stationed there.
It was reported that Mr. Tholes Clayton, of Wakefield,
bad presented to the lastitutios 2501., to enable it to place
• larger lifeboat at Lytham, a most dangerous locality on
the Lancashire coast. Payments amounting to 800 f. having
been made en various life establishments, the proceed-
iags terminated.
CHURCH Paaroaa.t Ain Soasry.—The annual
meeting of this society was held yesterday at Bt. James's
Mall, Piccadilly, the Bail of Shaftesbury in the chair. The
Bev. Edward Spech, the secretary, reed the report, which
stated that there bad been a falling off in the income of the
year 1862, owing to the prevailing distress in the manu-
facturing diotricts. The total income for the past year had
amounted to 41,6921. 6s. 9d., being lees by 4,658/. 16s. 2d.
than those of the preceding years. The expenditure during
the earns period had been 43,5901. 14.. 4d., leaving a de-
ficiency of nearly 2,0001. The total annual income required
by the society, when all the grants are occupied, is
48,095 f. Tweritymine grants had beoome vacant, and nine
new grants had been made. There are, therefore, twenty
grant. less than were reported at the last annual
meeting. The total receipta since the formation of the
society have been 803,668/. Os. Bd. • the number of grants
made, 1,438, and the population knnefited, 6,198,850. The
Bishop of Goulburn moved the adoption of the report,
which was seconded by the Bev. M. T. Greaeea, and agreed
to. The meeting was afterwards addressed by other
miaisten, and a vote of thanks to the chairman co eluded
the proceedings.
ROYAL AORICIJLTTRAL &CUM.—The
genoe was received oe Wednesdayttlost the council of the
Royal Agrioultural Society have decided to hold the exhibi-
tion of that association for 1864 in Newcastle. The last
meeting of the society here was held in the week caramel:m-
iss July 14, 1848, and the event was in ovary way a decided
inteoms.—/Ineassae Chrosicia _ _

MI FATAL AFFRAY AT MA/farzaTia. The
inquest cat the unfortunate woman killed on Wednesday
atareirg during a quarrel with her husband, John Smith,
was held yesterday ' before Yr. Herford, coroner for the
Oily. The medical testimony was to the effect that death
lad remitted from the rapture of the main artery at the top
of the brain, but whether caused by a blow from the poker,
or by demand falling down the area steps, could not be
determined. The ju,ry, almost without deliberation, re-
turned a verdict of ' musky/kW" against John Smith,
the husband.

MUSIC.

HRH MAJESTY'S THEATRE.

Signor Saliva's new opera, Nicola de' Lapi, was
produced last night, and was received with much applause,
but we will not pronounce a decided opinion as to the merits
of a work of such magnitude and pretenaions, of which we
had no previous knowledge, without a further hearing. We
may mention in the meantime that the opera is founded
on the novel of the same title, by the Marquis Massimo
d'Azeglio, and its subject is a love glory engrafted
on thehistotioal event of the destruction of the republic of
Florence in the sixteenth century, and the establishment of
the house of the Medici on the throne of Tuscany. The
open was splendidly put on the stage, and moat admirably
performed; Titian, Tnbelli, Giuglini, Seeley, Gamier,
and Bettini being included in the mat. ha far as may be
judged from the applause, the bouluets, the encores, and
the calls before the curtain, the piece may be said to h►ve
been completely successful ; but the signs asuman on a
first night are not to be depended upon, and regains to be
confirmed by repetition.

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.—Adelina Patti made her
roar& last night in her tumults character of Amine in
Le Son nambula. There was an overflowing house, and
she was received with even more than the enthusiasm of
lit season.

N.4141L IIND MILIIdI7t
•
Ailailegl MAY 7.—APPonniErrs.--Coptain
T. H. Xmas, t, then Trfalpr, vice the Hoa. T. Bailie,
mead J. J. CJIy. to the Royal Oak.
Sargeoe J. Ward (A), to the Aattre.
Paymaster R. S. Beasett, to the Active.
Cork W. Clay, to the Welke*.