The Express.
London, England, 1856-03-05 00:00:00

FREEMASONRY IN SWITZERLAND.

A rather carious discussion has just taken place In
the Grand Council of Geneva. The principal points of It
are thus explained :
" The Council cf State on the demand of the members of
the amnia Mee of the Tempe, preented a bill for grant-
ing a geatatteue concession to that order of a piece t (ground
for seeming a chapel. The applioat ion was founded oa the
fact that freemaionry wat a creed as well as any ether, an
freemasons recognised tha existence of Got and the
immortality of the soul, and were bound to the
practice of every virtue. Gent rel Dufour °puma
the but, and denied that a Nicest society could be
desigsated as a creed. M. Camperio protosed that
the bill should be referred to a committee, all the
question was not to play on the • ' creed,' but to justly
appreciate the claims of the petitioutre. This proposition
was opyoted by M. Pieta, who said that the application
was not made e 7 the mejority of the freemasons of Geners
but by a diseentient minority. M. Fez; meowed the bill
and the tr 'position of its being sent to a c inmate.. He
maintained the opi' tea that freemaconsv was a creed, and
one of the purest kind, ►s it allowed ail oplaions to meet
as friends on the same creund. As ti the dvsidencs whisk
had been spoken of, it wee to: worthy of totice, es the
same fee alto took place among prove t stt •. Hr remarked
also that freemasonry is officially fee, poised in may coun-
tries; and that in France a great o igniter! of the Crow*
is at the head of the order."
Atter some further diecussion, the Grand Council dee
cited that the bill should be sent to a committee compteed
tf MM. Autran, Foam, Dufour, tderoa 4, end Duval.

The Queen of Bavaria is so unwell that the Nett
Prussia% Gazette pi:Nights daily tioreties on the state of
her health.
A letter from Bt. Petersburg, in the Cologne 9autt.
says Pekes Paskiewitch, who km left • fortune of 71)
millions of Pelee Amine (tee fl rin is 69 centimes) hu be.
quest-tied se Maws :-30 minions, yrineipally landed pro-
potty, tr his son Theodore, and 20 millions to sash of his
slaughters, the Princess Wo`komka and the Priasses Leba
non itotosoMs. He has left totting to h's widow, es, is
sclai iee to her own private fortune, she wit krjey s peoeoll
for her life of 30,000 elver roubles as the widow of s gover-
nor of Pi land."

In its number of the 26th ult., the Journal of St.
Poterstnerg publishes al Irrperial reemipt, addressed to
Gesarel de Sievers, commander of the carps of the Sallies
In which that officer is warmly thanked for showing solici-
tude for We troops, maintaining at the mass time a strict
Mean in Vie supine's, and taking the most efficacious
awls for defending the provinces confided to hies against
the aggrentions of the enemy.
All the members of the Conferences were present
at the °seamen( the French legislative amine on Monday.
Generals Canrohert and Nosiest took the <with. The for-
Mar wore the salient o' a I , the latter the dress og
• senator. When the tame of Marshal Pelisaiir was called
a voles replied " Absent on the service of the Emperor."
The spectacle at the French Court on Sunday
instep was Oise o' the eamt animated which bee ban
given at the Tuileries. 'the guests assembled at sins
o'clock In the Gallery of Diana, at one aide of whieh a
little Ventre had been impravised. Immediately aft.
their Majesties, accompanied by the Frit:errs Mathilde,
Priam Napoleon, and the Counter Montjo, had latent
the mile, the certain role, and Areal, the cmaedias,
ap-
pawed in a comic piece. The midi nee, especially the piste
alpotentlaries, laughed heartily throughout, and seirsel
I erpsdialy Maimed by the itaita,iniss of actors at the sitar
theatres, given by Brassier, the comedian at the Palate
Roy d.

TOTAL DESTRUCTION

COVENT GARDEN THEATRE

BY FIRE.

The most magnificent lyric temple in Europe was
this morning reduced to a man of shapeless ruins,
by a fire which broke out from some hitherto unex-
plained cause, is the roof of the theatre immediately
over the stage.

The theatre had been the scene of a Bal
lot Main& wader the direction of Mr. Anderson,
the so-called Wizard of the North, and the revels of
the parties congregated had not concluded when thl
dreadful conflagration broke out.

At twenty minutes to five o'clock the company had
dwindled down to about 200 persons on the stage or
ball•room, and the orchestra were in the sot of playing
the concluding ban of the national anthem, when
a large portion of one of the fly scenes fell suddenly
on the stage, a few paces in front of the position of
the stags lights. Several persons narrowly escaped
injury from the falling mass, but the alarm cre►ted
by this circumstance had not subsided when falling
sparks from the roof above the stage spread the ut-
most terror throughout the assembly. Thome who
only an instant before had been indulging in the
giddy dance were now shrieking for help, and Hying
to the several exit doors in the hope of saving their
lives.

There v vie no time for thought or consideration.
In a few seconds the interior of the building was
tail of dense black smoke, and the greatest possible
alarm for individual safety wu felt on every aide.
Superintendent Dukis, of the F Division, had
bun in attendance during the @using, with In-
spectors Tidily and Searle, of the A Division, to pre-
serve order, end they had not left the theatre when
the the broke oat. With admirable presence of
Wad they took possession of the various entrances,
and, aided by a body of constables, kept them clear
fir the exit of the w retched masques—novas of when
Win asteally carried oat in a fainting state.

geese vain attempts were made to rescue mans of,
the properties of the theatre, and among the rest the'
maehinery appending to Mr. Anderson's tricks, but
this of coarse was perfectly fruitless.

It was observed that the essit-bra was =On
the find of the articles carried oat of the theatre.

The enema were attracted to the spot by • Rood/
areeteuger--the immense rebirth!' which Mowed
the bends; c 4 the dawn through the roof of tit,'
baildiag, a work of rally a very fsw momenta after
the outbreak.

Mr. Braidwood was early in attendance, bat from
the first he saw that all hope of saving any part of
the theatre was at an end, and the exertions of
twenty engines were exclusively devoted to throwing
water on the surrounding properties, and preventing
the are from extending to Covent-garden market on
the west, and Bow-striset on the east.

This warn dose, but nothing beyond. Of the
dim» not a vestige is saved. Nothing but the bare
walls is left standing of that superb temple which,
wader the wanagernent of Mr. Op, had bonne
world hums BA the seat of mule and song.

ANOTHER ACCOUNT.

♦ lire teak pies This mermen at ea early hew, Id a& 11
renated a the total dertrartios sl the Theatre Royal
Gent Garden. No doubt Toast of ear mstewpolitss
soden ere aware that Mr. eledersis, testaariatarg the
meow derived from what is tashaically tenesd
ea "Antoine Carnival &Mit," detervaissel
have see is his ems spenaaties. The sane, as far as the
ambers *hi attended, solid have bees highly nmosms•
had it sot bees roe the catastrophe whirls followed
lite anal perhriessees et the sight.
Iron a aarseasst sale a few Wastes before the OM.
*rim et the led stew, it would appear that 'WNW,
•ad.ro.a totted ea Monday area ao lees thee 1001, sad
last sight amide of 6001., but it is feared that his lama
ea
It is celled, will prove ti be, lesteed of a Neat, a Hal-
es. Web Idat, iacaloalebly 'motor than mat wear eta
iatielpato, fadopendeet of a but °lathers wits wan dkerdly
sr hadiessily essaacted with the theatre.

Preis latiairies wade. It appears that Kr. Aadereea's
Inuit eassisesd of a await» eatertslasseat, semprialag—
the paaketimit, a variety of p'.ays, sad teralaadag with
the bsl marque. bat melt thu assapterade eeassaead,
the levee helm( Wed, and every Wag treat of setts-
Mandy oath about bar-past 4 o'clock, whira as shwa was
gives that the premises erste es Le. This, es a atm*
earetlassee, sassed peat alum enema these la the
bee" ware sassed
saacerst dire who wore sliest to
show their loyalty towards the fievareisa by staging Oho
astisaal satiate.

Tb. nealistslse Ass bees signaled by Kr. Aildles(o,
had busty pass through fear ban et the asthma.
whoa Mr. 0. B. Tacker, who vie smadies ea the Meru
IS. Mr. Abbesses, saw on sof the beam' el SIM step
fall. Hs, at the ....at, did sat bane what wee the
'sue of It, bet weselded it wes swiss to the pole at.
lathed to ese of the deeps Davies bosom" dleessamted,
bat es sae at the moles" of tke earmasales tellies Wm
that he had bees boat by the psis ta the been of the
seek, he bosun ...,hosed that what he had pee-
.:sal, Imard—het the theatre was ea in—was true;
tad the In shortly after wards Mid lie wow tale, by
Medan thrush the wiadows cf the apprises surest be
flutdtrest. The setae that bemuse ems whieh sea with
dlMealty be datcribed, isessaash es the reeldeste of the last-
amid street wue *sly temporary lodgers. They
reeked eat la timed a swe of avidity late the
sweet, with 'llan could ley thaw has& ea. At *migma-
tite the Pre seized apes the premises belespag to a sue
bor of penes' la But street, se well se to mverel others is
font et the triad estresee, unapt which were those ed
Mn. Rolm. Whim, tke well Inure theatrical lase susale-
term, the Oarriek's Read, sad stay others is Bow-street
sad liestureet.

Hairrous sailer of the Leaden Brigade ant that el the
West of Begialid ogre, as well as meal others of the
Wait of Egghead aid perishes, arrived is rapM nuereir,
wise the itOM., bud the ensair therm is a yearn
bier, with the erepties of the two lease teen. Mr.
Tarr at ear is. to the retrofire., sad swing Miser
log, the deer-keeper, he held bin that the basso err se lie,
aad asked is where the hones won, wins he rid bin
that he raid sot tell erre they bad pas le, bit it was
possible they had yens sprain. M that wart, sore
resifts parr, he told them to est of the 'yes. He dies
ma to the fort of the s rest, ad hurl the reef
ea dr. He art re into the pit, sad riled the
rapt Hearin set, at the ore tine Whey then
is be sad, ad sore net quietly. Hs sosesoded
la toe ashore oat very well, bst he
bad a pest dillierty is gett6ry some Frees to
bear. Is fan, ho her to pall several est to
save thin hen hairy bread to rob. Haring sena-
lashed his abject, aa far as the ern. el life was
enanned, be west late the worry, aid law
Mr. Hagar sad Mr. It li, who serried out
the newsy and darner& He seat re He.
Ladner, whe was miner ler the ire hr the purpose of
grimy reperty, but he kept bin bask, or he nut hays
list bill!..Mr. Arden= this I pity Mr. aye,
but I an a vaned masa." He this saw that a sr
sera! Hanger, • bill shun, was trylay with
kis Welt to moo Perlis still la the bases, sad
be seessaled in linden several prom east by sorring by
heal with a carpet. The *sires of the Lead's Drgale
were or to war vollee the disarm of Mr. Drawled, rd
Morn. Ccif, the Imam, sad sundry segineen, whilst
that of the West et Leyland Mr was mar the
et Mr. Cesseres, bat ia epi,v of the essalfted enertiess
of all possess, the ark of dentratir sent sad, ad
*vernally this tsars pile asp Wiese pressairil writing
Mr thaw • out pyre rid of is., whirl looloroarg owl
sr with eetesishammt; bat at king b, by sight er are
Veieck, the is. was estiagsishei We are wry le say

that the damage doss amount, to suns thousands
pounds. - .

As to the cause of tie disaster nothing definitive up to
this hour is known. 1

STATEMENT OF THE OAS MAN TO THE
THEATRE.

The following is chsststeinO;t of Mr. Palmer, the
gm-fitter, of Bow street, and the principal pi maa at the
theatre.

" While c meerriem with Mr. Anderson, shoat a
quarter to five, on the stage, • bright light between
the boards arrested my attention in the roof of the
hones. I immediately exclaimed to lir. Anderson,
' Good God the house is oa fire; what's to be
des* t' Mr. Andersou immediately seised me in his
II excitement, and threw me down. I again ezels;sed, ' The
home is on fire I' Mr. Andersou thee, befog Improned
with the same opinion, shouted out, Fire! fire! the house
is oa fire!' Ti. people then in the boom, comparatively
bat few, immediately made for the orcbestia, some of them
mountiog in order to pin aerie to the stage, in the hope
that they might thus escape the perils of the flames, which
I were momentarily gaining possession of the building. I
immediately turned off the battens, robed to the main,
and tamed the gas off from the how, leaving the whole
place, as far as the pa was concerned, as I thought, is
darkness, bat the at first dim light from the roof having
gained space, the whole theatre in so brief a spars was
highly lighted. I ordered my men to different station•,
tenting them they must not move teatil they wen told, at
the mime time informing them that if any apprehensios of
dosser should occur they would be immediately with-
draws. In the meantime the whole of the visitor' wore
got out, and is the midst of the exeitessent
any penes employed in the how* who was
away from the mese of ' C►nival; haying bean forgotten,
a guides thought cashed spot my mind, mad I remembered
that a man of the name of Parker was sleeping In the room
lately ocosplad by Madam. Cieisi. It was the week of a
nosiest to rule there. Tim poor man was quietly eiseping,
the windows were broken, mad, at last, he was aransal from
his 'iambus to leant the leafortanate event. HC wee saved.
I then awned my &audio& to the saving of what property I
loud. I saved the greater portion of Mr. Gres pictures. I
also sewed the 'slosh,' whisk had been before weaned hoes
the lamas at the Wet In at Covent Garden Theatre." The
poor man here elated that he had loot 6001. worth of pro-
party—the whole of the gas fittings, cheadeliere, lessee,
all—wen lost. Ho amid not 'scout
fier the fink It wee to him 'raptor,.