The Express.
London, England, 1866-04-16 00:00:00

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA, COVENT-GARDEN.

On Saturday Donizetti'a melodious opera, Lucia
de Lammermoor, a work that no amount of familiarity can
render wearisome, was produced. The principal parts
were sustained by Millie. Orgeni, Signor Fancelli, and
Signor Graziani. The two new corners, whose successful
debuts in La Trariala, we have recently recorded, fully jus-
tified the favourable impression they then created, and in
the case of the gentleman especially bore out our remark,
that it was to be regretted that a better part had not
been chosen for his first appearance.

A petition is now in course of signature by the
wives and mothers in the congregations of the various
Roman catholic places of worship in the metropolis, pray-
ing parliament to forbid, under effective provisions, the
refusal of free access to a properly authorised Roman
catholic clergyman to the Roman catholic children, and
the education of any such children in any other than their
own faith In any poor house, peer-law school, reforma-
tory, or industrial school supported wholly or in part by
taxes,poor rates, or county rates.
THE BOARD OF ADMIRALTY. —Lord Clarence
Paget will, says the Sunday Gn :rue, retire from the Ad-
miralty and parliament immediately after the second
reading of the Reform Bill. Lord John Hay has assumed
the duties of Civil Lord of the Admiralty for the present,
and the new commission includes his name in that capa-
city. When Admiral Drummond leaves to assume the
duties of his command, Lord John will become one of the
Naval Lords, and a civilian member of parliament will be
appointed under another commission to the civil or finan-
cial lordship, which has now been vacant since Mr.
Chillers promotion to be Secretary of the Treasury
several months ago.
MILITIA APPOINTMENTS. —A great fracas was
made not many moths ago about a promotion in the Mi-
litia, which only caused a few disappointments and nothing
more. Captains of militia are supposed to belong to a class
of society well to do ; they are either of the landed gentry
or retired officers—at all events, gentlemen of independent
means. Now, the Gazette of last Friday informs us that a
captain of the 4th (South) Middlesex has been appointed
quartermaster to an Essex regiment. By the Army List
we see that this officer joined the corps in October,
1858, and obtained his company last year. What
is the personal claim of a young civilian who
never saw active service to such an appointment
There must be some ground for it. Quartermasters are
generally old non-commissioned officers who, after meri-
torious services, obtain the Queen 's brevet to end their
life in quietness and comfort. Why should a gentleman
be permitted to stoop, and take the portion of a needy but
deserving man ? There are probably even in the 4th
Middlesex some sergeants who have fought their country's
battles, and who are in all respects far better suited for
the situation. At all events, the appointment demands
explanation as a departure from precedent. —Army and
Nary Gazette.
THE ROYAL NAVAL REt3ERVE.—From a return
by Captain J. T. Mayo, Registrar-General of Seamen, dated
March 31, it appears that 20,298 volunteer* have been
enrolled in the various ports of the United Kingdom. Of
these 430 have joined the Royal Navy, 747 have been dis-
c
1,269 have died, 831 have not applied to be m-
eroteed, so that the present strength of the reserve is
17,021 men.
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE REGENT'S-PARK.—Under
the direction of the Hon.W. Cowper, Chief Commissioner
of Works, great improvements are taking place in the Re-
gent's-park. At the southern extremity of the broad
walkparallel parterres have been already earned out by Mr.
Nesfield, upon the model of the Royal Horticultural Gar-
dens at South Kensington. It is new proposed, and the
works have already been commenced and are in rapid pro-
gress, to extend the plantations to such an extent that in
the course of a abort period the whole space between tbe
road • from Chester-terrace to the Royal Botanic
Gardens and inner circle on the eastern aide of the park
will be laid out as garden walks and flower beds. It is for
this purpose that a mound of earth which rises at the
present moment on the eastern ride of the plantations
exists. When the drainage shall have been completed,
and the various ornamental beds pianued, the mould nom-
i posing this mound, previously sifted, is to be appropriated
for their formation.