The Express.
London, England, 1866-12-18 00:00:00

THE THEATRES.

COVENT-OARDEN.—This theatre will be opened
under Mr. Alfred Mellon's sole management, on Boxing
Night, with a comic operetta, called Terrible Hymen, and
a grand new pantomime, entitled Ali Baba; or, the Forty
Thieves, furnished by Mr. Gilbert a Beckett, produced by
Mr. Augustus Harris, pictorially illustrated by Mr.
Grieve, and pantomiruically portrayed by the clever
Payne family.
DRURT-LASE.—The great Drury annual for this year,
founded by Mr. E. L. Blanchard on a German fairy legend,
is entitled Number Nip ; or Harlequin and the Gnome
King of the Giant Mountain. Mr. William Beverley has
provided the scenery and effects, Mr. Cormaek the illus-
trative action, Mr. Dykwynkyn the devices, and Mr. J.
H. Tully the music. The cast employs nearly all the
dramatic strength of the company, in addition to Miss
Lydia Thompson, Master Percy Rochelle, and Tom Mat-
thews.
HATMARKET.—OnBoxing Night Mr. Sothern will return
with Mr. Tom Taylor's comedy, A Lesson for Life.
LTCEUM.—The Lyceum produces on Boxing Night the
new drama of rouge et Noir, in which Mr. Fechter will
make his first appearance this season.
ADELPHI.—The Adelphi brings out a burlesque on The
Lady of the Lake, by Mr. Andrew Halliday, and called
' Mountain DU, Mr. J. L. Toole reappearing and repre-
senting Roderick.
OLYMPIC.—The Olympic, at Christmas, will pass under
new management, and Mr. and rs. Charls Mathews will
probably open the new season with the olde comedy of Lon-
don Assurance.
Panecess's.—The Princesswill reviv
nvisiblee, for Mrs.
,uJohn
Wood, Planche's extravaganza of The I Prineese-
elated with Barnaby Badge.
ST. Jaitu'a.—This theatre will be provided by Mr. W.
S. Gilbert with a new lyrical eccentricity, called Du/ca-
imans, founded on Donizetti's opera of The Elixir of Love.
BTRAND. —The Strand will have on Boxing Night a new
burlesque by Mr. Burnand, called Gay Paulin.
PRINCI OP WALg&—Tbe Prince of Wales Theatre,
which has been deprived lately of the services of Miss
Marie Wilton, through a domestic calamity, and has, in
consequence, introduced Miss Lydia Thompson as a sub-
stitute in the comedy of Ours, will have a new classical
extravaganza, called Pandora's Box, from the pen of Mr.
H. J. Byron.
NEW ROTALTY.—The New Royalty. with its present pro-
gramme may be considered well furnished for Christmas.
MlTSZTll.—Astley's will reopen with a pantomime,
founded on nursery stories, and called A Frog he would a
Wooing go. Mr. hlillward and a well-known comic artist
and writer are mentioned in connexion with the author.

ship.
Winn-moms.— The Marylebone has Who killed Cock
Robs* And at all the theatres, eastward and northward,
suitable preparations are being actively made for the boll-
, day folks.

LETTISH FOR THZ Cup= OF GOOD HOPIL.—Az
letters for the Cape of Good Rope, when forwarded by the
route of Sum and Mauritius, frequently reach their desti-
nation later than those despatched by the next direct mail
packet from Plymouth, se correspondence for the Cape
Colony will, in future, bs sent in the mails, sit Sues and
Mauritius, excepting such as may be specially addressed
by the writers to be so forwarded. All Correspondence
not so addressed will be Dent by the direct pact.—My
menmeisd of the Peeknoster-Getteral.

INDIA.
(Via Trieste.)
BOMBAY, Nov. 25.
The grand durbar held by the Viceroy at Agra
passed off with much eclat. The Viceroy is now
en route to Calcutta.
The government of India has appointed a com-
mission to visit and report upon the Orissa famine
districts.
The ship Gem, of Bombay, has been wrecked off
Chittagong. Sixteen lives were lost.
The Indian government have invited tenders for
a public works loan for Bombay to the amount of
60 laca. All debentures are payable by January,
1870, and the interest is fixed at 5 per cent.
A committee has been appointed to inquire into
the loss by fire of her Majesty' ship Berenice.
Sir Bartle Frere has returned to Bombay. Ho
is expected to lay the foundation stone of a new
lighthouse on the island of Kenery in December.
The Bombay creditors and shareholders of the
Agra Bank haveunanimously approved the London
, plan for the resuscitation of the bank.
The cotton market is quiet, and piece goods are
dull. Money easy.
The weather is cool, and public health good.

THE CONDITION OF THE SOUTHERN STATES.—
General Grant, in a report to Mr. Stanton, the Secretary
of War of the United States, says :—" Passing from civil
war of the magnitude of that in which the United States
has been engaged to government through the courts, it has
been deemed necessary to keep a military force in all the
lately rebellious States, to insure the execution of law and
to protect life and property against the acts of those who,
as yet, will acknowledge no law but force. This class has
proved to be much smaller than could have been expected
after such a conflict. It has, however, been sufficiently
formidable to justify the course which has been pursued.
On the whole, the condition of the States that were in re-
bellion against the government may be regarded as good
enough to warrant the hope that but a short time will
intervene before the bulk of the troops now occupying them
can be sent to our growing territories, where they are so
much needed." On the same subject General
Sickles says :—" The most satisfactory progress seems
to have been made during the past year in all that con-
cerns the welfare of these States. A year ago civil authority
did not exist. The duties of the executive were in the
hands of provisional functionaries appointed by the Presi-
dent. These have been replaced by governors elected by
the people. The courts were all closed, and the adminis-
tration of justice depended altogether on military tribu-
nals. Now the courts are all open, and the jurisdiction of
military tribunals, except on the sea islands, is confined
to persons in the military service, in cases arising under the
Aiticles of War. The administration of municipalities,
towns, and counties devolved upon military officers. The
police of Charleston, Columbia, Raleigh, and Wilmington
was exclusively military. The taxes imposed, the streets
that were lighted, the licenses granted, and all the regu-
lations of commerce and trade, were subject to military
authority. Now the local magistrates and officials chosen
by the people, or appointed according to law, are dis-
charging their ordinary duties. The police is almost ex-
clusively municipal. AB taxes, assessments, and charges
of every kind are levied by civil authorities, and all TO•
striations upon commerce, trade, and intercourse, other
than those imposed by the laws, have ceased."
Naw CUSTOMS TRANSIT REGULATIONS. —The
Commissioners of her Majesty's Customs have given
notice that the Lords Commissioners of her Majesty's
Treasury have directed that on and after the first day of
January, 1867, a duplicate shipping bill of all goods en-
tered or required to be entered in transit, the transit
regulations now in forte, from the United Kingdom to the
British possessions abroad, shall be furnished by the person
or persons entering such goods, to the proper officer of
endorse at the port or ports the said kingdom at which
such goods my be entered for exportation in tow&